Strep, Stosiches, Celtics, Dinosaurs and Scouts

So I got the special gift of strep throat (I am a CHRONIC receiver of this "gift") on Sunday. Monday morning I ran into the Doctor - told them I had strep - they made me test which is worthless because I HAVE it more often than I DON'T and if I SAY I have it you can BET I do! Hmm - maybe I'm still a bit grouchy? Ya think? Monday morning - Monday morning - oh, yes! Monday morning - test - positive - prescription - blah blah blah - gobble down an Amoxicillin even though I cry swallowing AIR! And then...

...We were off! Our boys LOVE LOVE LOVE the Celtics. Tanner bleeds green. Well, for a surprise we got tickets to see the Celtics play the Jazz. When we told them you would have thought that we had just granted them EVERY wish they wanted for their LIVES! Jumping, hugging, screaming, thanking... so great! Back on track here - the game was on Monday night. I am both behind and in front of myself right now - kind of writing in circles - but stay with me, because what BETTER thing do you have to do - clean? work? nothing? Actually all more noble usages of your time - but keep reading anyway...

I don't know what it was about our first few years of marriage - the years we spent in Pocatello going to ISU. We made quite a few friends whom we have been able to keep with us over the years. They have become some of our "golden" friendships. The Stosiches are some of these amazing people. We met Jodi and AJ right after we were married. Our first born children are both boys born within weeks of each other. I used to watch their oldest son Kye a couple of times a week because Jodi was a nurse at the hospital. I could spend the rest of my day telling you the stories of our friendship - visits to them in Omaha where they were dental/medical schooling for 37489 years - our five children, their five children - so many stories, but I will restrain myself - We called the Stosiches and asked if AJ and Kye and Carson would like to go to the game with Brad, Tanner and Madsen. They said YES! and asked us to stay with them at their home when we came (of course neither of us knew I would be a Leper at the time - but they still insisted after they knew...) and we did. We had a WONDERFUL time. Jodi and I talked for hours while the big boys were at the game and the rest of the children played so well. I loved getting to see their family. It's funny how much we still have in common and still have to talk about. We just love them! The night ended with the Celtics losing (dang Celts) and a big celebratory slumber party for the boys anyway!

The next morning mean old Jodi and AJ made their kids go to school and we went to Ogden and toured Dinosaur park. It had been snowing in Salt Lake but it was sunny in Ogden. Because it was fairly cool we were the ONLY visitors at the park! We wandered for a couple of hours, both inside and out, looking at the model dinosaurs and reading their information. The kids got really excited about it! Then we played on the playground, which is ALWAYS a highlight! After the park we ate at the Olive Garden and told stories about when we lived in Ogden for about 6 months - including the story of us taking Tanner out of school the first day that it snowed and taking all of our cute little family to THIS very Olive Garden for lunch! Oh the memories...

The trip ended with a frantic drive home so that Tanner could make it to his Court of Honor. He has earned his First Class and Second Class Scout. He went on his first camp out without Brad last weekend and had a great time. We have good leaders and boys and I'm VERY glad of that. It was such an eye opener this weekend to see our friends and how "grown up" and "real people" like they are - and then realize WE ARE TOO! And to recount our memories of a place we used to live - and think that when we were there we only had 3 children! And then to see Tanner getting the "GROWN UP" scouting awards. I'm sure glad we have been able to enjoy so much of life - because, quite honestly, it is moving us furiously down stream!!!

And, in closing, here I sit with my good old friend Amoxicillin - I will always have that! Stinking strep. At least today I can swallow without curling up in a ball of pain...

The end.

Napolean and Nacho

Meet Napolean and Nacho our composting friends. In my gardening class (which I LOVE) we have learned about - well, many things - but Brad and I thought that we would like to teach our children about Mother Nature's recycling program - COMPOSTING! It's easy. It's cheap. It's VERY beneficial. It's right up my ally!!!

Here are some quotes straight from my Idaho Master Gardener Program Handbook on composting:

Composting is the biological decomposition of organic matter. We practice it to recycle unwanted organic materials, such as yard trimmings and food scraps, and to produce compost, a valuable soil amendment.

Composting is a natural and flexible process. It will take place under a wide range of conditions and methods regardless of either the efforts or neglect of human composters.

Carbon to Nitrogen ratio is important. 20-50 parts of Carbon to one part Nitrogen is a good goal. A mix of 2-3 volumes of brown to one volume of green works well for backyard composting. (Browns can include - dry leaves, corn stalks, straw, shrub trimmings, waste paper, wood - Greens can include - grass clippings, kitchen scraps, vegetable culls, horse manure, cattle manure, chicken manure)

Okay, this wasn't supposed to turn into a seminar! I do have a GREAT resource with this Master Gardener Handbook - so if you have specific questions, I can most likely find the answers for you.

The point of this was the introduction of Napolean and Nacho, our composting allies. Composting happens. BUT, it can happen faster if we intervene. Some people do heaps of compost, some composting bins, and they even sell tumblers. Tumblers were my favorite because they are usually the most rapid method of composting. They are also the most "tidy" way to compost - I don't want a family of RATS living in my wire compost bins. Well, guess what? Tumblers are expensive. Hundreds, if not more for all of the models I saw. SO... not wanting to "break the bank" on "garbage" Brad and I headed to the Home Depot and purchased two buckets (Napolean and Nacho) for about $5 each - including the tight-fitting lid. Since aeration is ESSENTIAL, we drilled holes in the buckets. Now we are loading them up. When one of them is full, the children will be instructed to sort of roll Napolean or Nacho (depending on who is getting the "good ingredients" or "dang quesadilla" at the time) around the yard - with the lid ON - to promote the breakdown. As it points out in my MGHB - "Turning a compost pile weekly can yield compost in 1-2 months, with adequate moisture and a good combination of materials. Without turning, composting takes 6 months to 2 years. You can make excellent-quality compost either way."

So that is what we, with the help of Napolean and Nacho, are setting out to do. I have to say, that it's nice to know that while I am sitting here wasting time, I am also aiding in the vital process of decomposition. Huh! Multi-tasking isn't as hard as you think!!!

Who's That Girl?

It's kind of amazing how losing ONE tooth can change the WHOLE appearance of a child. It's like the last real "baby" thing they have going and then all of a sudden... kid. There is no stopping it. I know it has to happen, but as FUN as it is, it always makes me aware of the time slipping past. Wow. It's JUST a TOOTH - but still.

So... one day I had this darling little girl with blue eyes and baby teeth. The next day I have this gorgeous BIG girl with TWO missing teeth and GLASSES! Just in a few hours so much about her changed that I had to take her glasses off and make her close her mouth so I could hug her for a while.

Here's how it happened; Camilla "accidentally" (yeah, right) pulled Ella's first tooth. Most of you don't know this about me, but I actually LOVE LOVE LOVE pulling teeth. I get a thrill from it. I know, sick. But I still love it! So my rule is, I GET TO PULL THE TEETH. I pulled ALL of them until Camilla came along. She has pulled one or two of her own and then her brothers realized that if SHE could do it so could THEY and then Camilla pulled ELLA'S. Oh that girl. So when I looked in Ella's mouth at her little tooth gap - I realized that the one next to it was loose TOO. I had to pull it. Within 10 minutes Ella lost her first and second tooth. As fate would have it, this was also the day that Ella's glasses came in. (Brad gave her an exam last week and discovered that she needed very low powered glasses, but glasses nonetheless).

Two teeth and glasses in one day. Who is this little girl?

If Heaven Threw Up Happiness...

It would TASTE like THIS...

Seriously Tammy, I totally love you. I needed this. Needed. ANYTIME you need to get rid of a "too chocolaty" cake - I'm your girl!!! And June Cleaver? She has NOTHING on you!

You saved my life - not my thighs, but WHAT A WAY TO GO! This is GREAT cake. Great. Sorry people, there is not even a CRUMB left. Aahh. Happiness.

The Ugly Truth...

Here is an ugly truth about me... (I know, like you need ANOTHER one!)


I don't do well when all of my time is auctioned off to the highest bidder. I don't like, in any way, shape or form, being strapped down to the minute by obligations and responsibilities. I would rather be at home than... well, pretty much any where else. I would rather have my children play in the dirt than be in training to be world famous musicians. I would rather sit quietly in a chair with a book than socialize with people. AND if I DO have to go places and do things MORE than I get to be home... I get - crabby (this statement is currently in top running for the prize of, "Understatement of the Year!"- any unauthorized use of this statement for private or public use without written permission is strictly prohibited...)


And so here I sit. At home. Quietly in a chair. For the FIRST time in a LONG time. My (almost 4 year old) baby is sleeping. Now all I need is my book...

Spring Fever OR Raving Lunacy...

So Brad and I spent a good chunk of this morning raking snow piles and chopping ice blocks in the road to "assist spring" in the SPRINGING process - ("MELT DANG IT! MELT!!!")

So, is it spring fever or raving lunacy - you decide!

I may need to add that Brad is NOW mowing the LAWN - or frozen tundra - whatever, it is all the same here!

Chicken Pockin'

We're gunna need an ocean of calamine lotion!

Ella's got the chickenpox. Yes, she was inoculated but she got it anyway, and not the little 5-10 pox they PRETEND you might get. Poor kid. What am I talking about??? POOR ME!!! I just HOPE she doesn't SHARE it.

Chickenpox.

Whose idea was this anyway?

Color Change...

I LOVE the color in my house. It was here when I came. It is perfect - almost all. I did change the girls room to be more splashy and girly and Devon and I painted one small wall in my kitchen and changed the color of my bath... okay, now it sounds like I really DON'T like it...


The point? I had one, what was it??? Oh, right. Brown. That was my point. Brad and I LOVED the paint JOB in our room, but come February the dark brown has me pulling at my shirt collars and dreaming of open sky and sunshine for miles. I really become claustrophobic ...NEED ...LIGHTER ...COLOR!!!


So... Here it is. After painting my room a PatChWOrk of sample colors from baby blue to lemon yellow we chose "Polaris" by Ralph Lauren. It's grey with a lot of white. We ADORE it. Good choice. Thank you. Thank you very much.

One Wonderful Weekend...

I wish I could type feelings. I do. But I can't. It almost seems a shame to even record the amazing EVENTS of this weekend WITHOUT the ability to share the peace that came with them, but, for posterity, I will try any way.

On Friday my parents came to town and Brad, my mom, my dad, my sister in law, and I went to the Temple and had Brad's dad sealed to his parents for eternity.

The very next gorgeous, sunny morning my own beautiful daughter was Baptized by her amazing father. Camilla giggled the whole time. She was SO happy! This is her personality. She is just a sweet, cheerful, genuinely GOOD girl. I hope I never forget the sound of her giggle or the way it made me feel. She looked so beautiful in her white dress with her blond curls and her perfectly green eyes. After her Baptism she was Confirmed and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are so thankful for the friends and family who were able to come and make it a special day - and we missed those who couldn't.

That SAME afternoon, my first born child was ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. Here in our home, the sun pouring in through the windows, my worthy husband conferring that Priesthood upon him with many family members and friends - it just doesn't get any better.

We enjoyed lunch. We enjoyed friendship. We feel so blessed.

The next day I sat with my parents and children as my husband and son passed the sacrament TOGETHER to our family. And, just as an added reminder to me, last night I was able to sit with my wonderful neighbor and friend, Wendell, while he took the Sacred Sacrament in his home. One piece of bread. One cup of water. One "souls of all those who partake of it". One. That is what His plan is about. It is about me. It is about Camilla. And Tanner. And Wendell. And you. One. How great it is to be able to make Sacred Covenants with THE SAVIOR of the WORLD and have IMPORTANCE with Him - even though we are but ONE.

Thanks to Heavenly Father, my husband, children, parents, brother and sister in law, other family and friends, for a perfect weekend!