a family night announcement

Last night we had dinner in the family room around the coffee table with candles.

I had made this soup (it is fantastic) and this bread (again fantastic.)

I wish I could say I thought of this FUN IDEA of eating around the coffee table, with candles, just because I'm creative... but in all reality- I had a sewing project & bills all over the kitchen table.

 Who cares- It was still fun to change it up a bit!

While we were eating we asked our nightly question:

How was your day?

Trent made a serious announcement:

I don't want to freak you guys out but--- (dramatic pause)

I hate education.

okay then

Trent doesn't want to go to school anymore- I mean what's the point?

 He says it's boring. Well darn- only 6 1/2 more years of boredom to go.

the view from my window

 Winter is here

I've gotta say-- I'm not hating it.

On my mind:

73 days.

It feels like he has been gone for 10 years.

I am so done with this.

COME HOME JACK!

JACK-- COME HOME!

please

I miss you

{Am I a bad person...? selfish? I just miss my son... 73 days, 73 days, 73 days}

Last night I was thinking about the airport... how there will be a lot of us there when he comes out of the secured area. I'm thinking-- I will bring a stool. Jack is too tall for me to really hug him unless I'm standing on a stool- or the stairs or something. Tears welled up in my eyes. I will be first to hug him... then Brett- then me again. then it's a free for all.

 BYU sent a confirmation email last week letting him/us know if he was re-accepted for fall semester. I don't know his password, so I hope he made it? I didn't apply for him, so he must have done that? He emails today... so you know what that means--- me checking my email every few minutes or so. You know, just in case he's there. Then I can write a message at that minute & say hello live! Like in person, kind of. Technology- I Love it!

Can I tell you? I am so very relieved & happy to be in love with my sweet husband. I couldn't live through losing all my kids to real life without him.

 He is my true love & my rock.

still-

I miss my kids- it just doesn't matter how many I have. I love them all. They are a piece of me. Like a part of my heart went with them when they were born & I will never get it back completely.

Maybe I am still sick? Just missing Jack today.

a blessing?

New years resolution #1-- it's over.
I had made the resolution to NOT eat cheap crappy hamburgers anymore...
just the good stuff- TONY BURGERS
then
on Friday
I met my girls there for lunch with two of their darling friends
(I forgot to take a photo-AARGH)
It was so much fun!!!
We had cheeseburgers & fries & girl talk
and
we decided that I would take them once a month on a Friday to eat somewhere.
It was just that fun to meet them in the middle of the day, and these girls are almost leaving the nest you know!?

then-

it happened.
I had loads of plans for productivity Friday afternoon...
but I didn't feel well.
it got worse
I started Friday night calling frantically for someone to take my Saturday morning work shift--
cause I could feel it coming.
ya
I got the stomach flu
oh man
so bad

Tony burgers- you are dead to me.
it's over between us.

five for friday - no photos edition

1. I just don't have anything to say lately.... I know?
2. I will be posting about the science fair soon- our LAST SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT- EVER!!. After six kids -- I am feeling like celebrating!
3. I'm working on a quilt. A quilt that I started exactly one year ago this month-- ridiculous! Hopefully it will be done this weekend- then I will put up some photos.
4. The blogger moms got together for the first time in a LONG time on Wednesday.
 It was so much fun. I miss them.
5. wake up- go to work or do chores- go to bed.
REPEAT
that's what this winter feels like.
blah.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Today was our first temple trip for the

2012~ The Year of The Temple

We headed out to South Jordan to the

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Fun fact: The Oquirrh Mountain temple was dedicated in 2009. It's one of three temples in South Jordan. The Jordan River Temple & a Hindu temple are also located in South Jordan. The angel Moroni on the top of the temple was hit by lightening & burned on one side during a storm before it opened. Trent was bummed to see that they fixed him. Honestly I was kind of too... he looks good though.

It was a beautiful clear day but SO cold.

Windy out here & in the 30's brrr!

This is the view from the front doors looking east.

The baptistery is around back-- we trekked around back & tried not to freeze!

What a gorgeous day! There are the Oquirrh Mountains in the background.

 (can you tell it was windy?)

It was delightfully packed--

 There was just no way Trent could sit quietly waiting that long to do baptisms.

I called a couple of weeks ago to get an appointment- but they said we didn't need one. They didn't have anyone scheduled. It's so great to see so many young people in the temple- but we knew this would be a long wait for him. Brett talked to one of the temple workers & they let Trent & Brett slip in. We watched & it was beautiful. Trent was so nervous & so excited to be in the temple.

I was so excited for the kids to fill out their passports...

I'm pretty sure I should have gotten my own!?

We stopped on the way home for Chinese food.

It was a Great day & it's going to be a Great Year!

Want to know what people do in temples?

You can find out more here

on target

For FAmily Night this week, we decided to take a $25 gift card we received for Christmas from a family member & see if we could put it to good use?

We called it the

 Target challenge!

This was supposed to be a lesson on compromise & working together.

The rules: Find something all three kids would enjoy. It could be one-100 things... just had to fit into the $25 budget.

How many .95 pudding snack packs can you get for $25?

This exercise was taking too long--- It's 25! Lets move on.

Um... funny but no!

This was actually a good idea... 4 pack movie. Only $10 and included some teen girl favorites. Trent could then find something?

Like a Justin Beiber singing toothbrush?

 Or a beyblade? Oh come on- you already have beyblades!?

Some ideas for the whole family?

Whack a Mole the home version.

Or --- 5 hula hoops.

This was a fun time- lucky the store was nearly empty.

Trent decided on this very high tech ATM bank. Brett was working late & Trent knew he would love it too. We could save the family $$ in it, for Heaven's sake!

After what seemed like an eternity & a bazillion different proposed options-

 I was getting a little tired of this activity...

and proposed a $8.33-- three- way- split.

Which was hugely successful!

We all agreed this was a SUPER fun family activity.

FAmily Night-- gotta love it

photos found

Can you tell...

someone has been having fun with my phone.



sunday thoughts

Yesterday we got our first "real" snow storm in a long time!

5-7" inches - beautiful. I can't wait to tell Missionary Jack that is snowed!!! He was so disappointed when we talked to him Christmas day, that there was no snow here. He was dreaming of a white Christmas- for sure. It's summer in Brazil, but then where he is it's never, really winter. He will have missed two full winters-- lucky? Right now he is surely sweaty & hot walking somewhere (he walks 10-15 miles a day typically.) It's in the 80's with 80-95% humidity. I know because I check the weather in his city every night before I fall to sleep. 87 days left & I find myself thinking of his homecoming on a regular basis... all the time. I dreamt of him coming home last night. We picked him up at the airport. He was thin & dirty & I hugged him as tight as I could- then woke up.

~

Today at church two baby boys were blessed. My mind wandered back to the blessings of my three boys. With tears running down my face I remembered Jack's baby blessing. Brett said in the blessing- that he was to read the Book of Mormon. I don't typically speak of such personal matters here on this blog. But, I know this book is true. Call me crazy, call me nuts- call me a believer, because that's what I am. I have read it (and the bible) studied it, prayed about it- and it's true. 

It is the basis of my religion & my religion is the basis of my life. I love the teachings of this book. I love knowing that my family is sealed in the temple of God and that the bands of death- nor anything else can break that bond.

Truly God has blessed me with so much in this life.

This is what I know.

87 days.....

5 for FRiday

1. Hooray it's Friday! For what ever reason Hailey was feeling better & was able to go to school today- double hooray & sigh of relief.

2. Trent yesterday after school: "Hailey, I knew you weren't feeling good so I brought you this!"
(a pack of gum)
 Hailey: "wow thanks Trent!"
Upon opening the pack of gum- which Hailey assumed Trent earned in class- she realized it was only half full.
Hailey: "Hey Trent where did you get this?"
Trent: "Oh I found it on the floor at school ... I knew you didn't feel good so I brought it home for you."
BIG SMILE

3. New Year= New tic. Trent has quit whistling, almost completely in the past week. He started facial scrunching about a week ago with humming. The brain is such an amazing thing. The doctor told us his Tourettes was "developing" and would change from time to time & maybe even stop for periods of time or possibly permanently. We noticed the scrunching (a very typical tic for Tourettes patients) coming on last week & over the week now the whistling is all but gone. wow.

4. Chloe continues to back the most amazing breads! Sunday she made this beautiful loaf- she made two of them... I wish YOu could taste this stuff- its SO GOOD. Now that we have early church (9:00AM) we have decided to bake more on Sunday afternoons- I can't wait for this.

5. This story has completely warmed my heart today. I love it. At lunch time the girls were talking about kids who have autism at their school & how they interact. Chloe knows a boy with it (kind of like Trent's) in her Biology class & he is frequently invited to be in her group projects - yes she invites him. It's not easy- but she "gets" him.
Hailey has definitely decided she wants to work with Autistic kids more in the future. She is a peer tutor to two autistic boys (who are devastated & lash out when she doesn't show up at school.)

Yes- having special needs at home- brings about special opportunities & understanding for us all.

This life is truly a blessing- but it's certainly not for wimps!

one of my favorite spots

Today after work & before getting dinner started I was looking through the photos in my phone & found this one.

What's so interesting...

is that - at that very moment- I was sitting in this exact spot & wearing the same black socks & jeans.

The only difference? The fireplace was on today.

I love this spot in my house, especially with the fireplace on.

It's so comfy & it's where I like to play Words With Friends.

Words With Friends- a game on my IPhone-

(my beloved IPhone- sigh)

Words with Friends is SO FUN- It's good for mental health too!

It gets you thinking & spelling, with friends. It's kind of like scrabble. It's the game Alec Baldwin was kicked off of an airplane for- because he wouldn't stop playing it on his IPad.

 Ha- ya, I suppose it's addictive?

I've been thinking a lot-

 thinking that retail at Christmas time & the week after is hard work. So hard that I'm frankly sick of it & relieved today was a good day at the store. Good as in- not so many returns or crabby people. Thinking that I'm glad I didn't "announce" my word for last year & I don't think I will this year either? Thinking that I'm worried we haven't had any snow or really even very much winter like weather.... Will it be snowing when Jack gets home? It snowed 4" the day he left (April 6 2010). What will happen to our garden? Will it snow in June & July again?! (For real-- people were still skiing on the 4th of July last year!) That is not NOT good for gardening. Let's face it farmer + bad weather = no food- tomatoes, peaches.... It's just one of those things that bugs/worries me.

 Thinking that I should exercise more. Ya just thinking & NOT doing.

Thinking/worrying about Hailey being sick. She is struggling with her fibromyalgia -- it's just so hard to watch this. I wish there was more I could do. Is this better than seizures-- yes, but still- not good for a teenager. Such a bummer. Such a worry.
We are trying to decide what to do about Trent... for Jr. High next year. I love our neighborhood school, but the doctor has recommended a couple other options. I can't stand the thought of him in Jr. High. 7 different classes & Trent in a crowded hall of students several times a day. Oh boy. Worried. Really I'm so worried.

All this thinking/worrying has me kind of stressed out.

How about you- you thinking a lot lately?

Whatcha thinkin' bout'?

2012 the year of the temple

In November Brett & I were doing some Christmas shopping & found these at Deseret Book.

We fell in LOVE with them immediately & decided to use them to make an announcement Christmas Day. That announcement:

 We declared 2012- the YEAR OF THE TEMPLE!

Hailey, Chloe & Trent each had one wrapped under the tree. They unwrapped them at the same time- and we told them our plan to visit all of the Utah temples in 2012!

There are 12+ temples -- so that's roughly one a month.

Some have just been announced- others are being built.

We are so excited to see more of our beautiful state- learn more about each individual temple- keep our recommends updated- and write in our passports about our experiences.

This month we have plans to go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple in Draper.

It's going to be a good year!

(Hailey did admit later that when she first opened it she thought it was a real passport... just a little bit of a let down there- can't say I blame her!? that would have been fun too.)

waffle palooza

For Christmas this year...

I bought this beauty--

I've been seriously coveting wanting it ever since I started working.

With all the extra hours- I splurged & bought it for myself, well- for all of us.

(Not that anyone else was asking for one.)

It's an All Clad, four slice, Belgian waffler!!

Oh gosh- Oh golly

This baby is a beaut!

It's shiny-- really shiny

It's the, "Cadillac of waffle makers."

Oh man- they are GOOD.

One of the main reasons I wanted this waffler was so that I could make them ahead & then the kids could toast their own in the morning.

So- that's what I did- Yesterday I made a big batch & filled up three gallon ziploc bags for the freezer. It's nice to wake up to hot waffles, without having to get up & make hot waffles.

Do you love small appliances?

Do you think I'm crazy pining after a waffle maker?

Really?

Cause I really love this baby!

christmas break times two edition

Over Christmas break we have been so blessed!

We were invited to eat dinner with our friends the Johnsons not once... BUT TWICE.

Okay, the second time we kind of invited ourselves?

It was awesome!!

Besides having excellent taste (Karen & I love the same kinds of food) the company can't be beat. Just look at these lovely gals. Somehow Larkin escaped the photo?

Lily & Hailey

Hailey & Lily

two cuties- both so funny



They like to take funny pictures of themselves & put them on facebook.

It just cracks me up.

 Caroline & Chloe- best friends since kindergarten.

Really I couldn't ask for a better friend for Chloe.

 I love you Lily & Caroline.

I really do!

 I love your whole family- we all do!

 Your just so darn easy to love.

Besides eating with the Johnson's twice-- we also ate here twice.

It's true that I haven't quite figured out all of my new year's goals. I do have a couple.

#1 goal of 2012- no more crappy cheap cheeseburgers for me!

If I want a burger- this is the place.

Tony Burgers

Rated the #1 new place to eat in Utah & the best shake in the state!

I tell you what...

This place makes all other burger places look like junk. Even In & Out Burger.



It's amazing--- AMAZING I teLL YOU.

mmmmm

What makes them so good?

The meat is fresh, a combo of beef that has such great flavor. Hamburger meat that has flavor? Ya- I had no idea either? Also- the fries... oh mama.. they double fry them. Ketchup, fry sauce & Hickory fry sauce. Need I say more?

{ Tonyburger's signature Strawberry Coconut shake}

The Johnson's & Tony Burgers

what do they have in common?

Two things we need a lot more of in 2012.