Voila! Reflections from a little j bird

Dipping Day

2011-12-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

Today was "Dipping Day". Mom came over early this morning and I had the house chilled to a frigid temperature so we could dip our Christmas turtles in prime conditions. It was probably my best chocolate dipping ever. Since I was born, dipping day has had significance in my family. My mother "always wanted to learn how to do everything" so when her children were all young and underfoot she naturally decided that she should learn how to make and dip really good caramels and chocolate. She was the Stake Relief Society project coordinator and said she wanted to find interesting and new projects for women to engage in. That's when dipping day was conceived. Mother was so successful at making delicious melt in your mouth turtles at Christmas time, she has continued the tradition for 50+ years and now all of her children are carrying on in their own homes (my brothers and their wives included!).

It's labor intensive, but real traditions are worth doing. Mom has always used Faye's Caramel recipe. I asked her who Faye was and she told me she was a woman mom worked with 50+ years ago. This recipe is obviously a keeper:

Faye's Caramels
2 Cups Karo syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 square butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Add Karo, sugar and salt. Heat in heavy pan with lid on (don't lift the lid until steam starts puffing through the lid...about 15-20min +). Once it's really boiling lift the lid and stir constantly, but adding small bits of butter and cream alternately. Make sure not to bring temperature down too much and keep it boiling. Bring it to just barely over a soft ball stage (240 degrees). Remove from heat and add vanilla, immediately pour into buttered pan OR pour over pecans for turtles.

It was a completely enjoyable morning. Melting chocolate. Tasting melted chocolate. Dipping clean fingers into melted chocolate. Covering 100 nut/caramel clusters in delicious melted chocolate. Smelling melted chocolate. Working alongside my lovely mother. Loading finished product in to the old metal film canisters my mother used when I was a girl and placing them on my shelf. This enjoyment will continue as I break open a canister when company calls and I can offer them a homemade goody all because "Dipping Day" continues on in the legacy of my family.

"All Is Safely Gathered In"

2011-12-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

Lilly and Charlie fast asleep on a cold windy night

Lately I've been thinking a bit about this phrase "All is safely gathered in". Now that winter is upon us and the holidays are officially in full swing I just want to be home enjoying what I love most...family, home, food, friendship. The weather is turning cold and windy. Yesterday I busied myself cleaning out the chicken coop, raking piles of leaves and making sure we were ready for the storms. I made soup, gassed the car and felt content to stay inside and put up Christmas decorations and let the snow fly. The winds came and they have had such a fun time stirring up trouble the snow has yet to show up to the party. Last night there were 50+ mph winds. Clara went out to put the chickens in their newly cleaned coop. She thought she got them all. This morning when I went out to feed and water there was one lonely bird sitting on top of the coop. She was clawing to the roof for dear life. Luckily the coop is fenced in or I think she would have been picked up by the winds and blown away. So much for "safely gathered in"!

Olivia had to be at the High School at 5:45am to catch the bus for her Cross Country road trip to California. As I drove her through the neighborhood streets huge branches created a road maze as the wind has blown every undesirable and even some desirable trees to shreds. A porta potty from a construction site was on its side...clearly not "safely" gathered in. Later in the afternoon I drove 15 minutes on the freeway to run an errand. While I was in the store a woman came in and asked if mine was the white car. I said yes and she said that there was a huge tree branch stuck to the bottom of my car. When I went to check it out I was flabbergasted at the enormous branch that had lodged itself under the exhaust pipe of my car. How I made it on the freeway without loosing my muffler and other important car parts is beyond me. I had to shimmy under the car and push the branch up while the woman pulled to dislodge the wood. All I can figure out is that in the early morning hours I drove over the branch and didn't even know the potential damage that was awaiting me. Thank goodness for a good samaritan.

I spent most of my morning finishing up the Christmas decorations. I thought I was almost done when I walked into the living room to enjoy the sites and found that the fireplace flu had not been "safely gathered in" and so the wind had carried itself down the chimney and puffed soot all over my living room floor. Thank goodness that the piano which sits next to the fireplace was just far enough away to be spared a black dusting. Cleaning up soot is ridiculously messy. I felt like the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins and almost started dancing and singing around the room, but refrained because I didn't want to clean up any more messes. After I cleaned up that mess I ran to the store and while making my payment the cashier asked if I was an artist? I said no, why? She said, "oh I noticed that black on your hand and wondered if it was ink!" Not ink, just soot. I had washed my hands several times, but turns out soot is stronger than ink. I told her I was a chimney sweep, but I'm not sure she understood.

So while the winds are still howling I'm counting my blessings that our house is still standing and we are "safely gathered in". We have shelter, warmth, food, each other and a lovely Christmas season awaiting us. I hope this December finds my family "gathering in" with each other and more importantly reaching out to those beyond our scope. There are many in this world right now who could use some safety and gathering of body, spirit and mind. This is what I'm hoping for this coming December.

Breakfast in Bed

2011-01-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

This morning Olivia had a 7am indoor soccer game. Talk about insanity. Saturday morning and it was 5 degrees outside. Taylor kindly took the reigns and drove her to the game and cheered her on.

I had a memorable breakfast moment while they were at the game. Lilly surprised me with "breakfast in bed". She brought sliced bananas with Nutella and a piece of buttered toast. Considering that my older children are headed to sporting events early in the morning I savored every minute of this breakfast. It was delightful to share my bananas with Lilly and to enjoy her enthusiasm for the new day. These are truly the moments that I never want to forget.

St. Lucia Day

2010-12-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

We tried a new tradition this year. St. Lucia's Day. Traditionally celebrated in Sweden on the 13th. Lilly woke up very early to put on the traditional white nightgown and candle crown (we adapted with wireless Christmas lights!). She carried a hot baked cinnamon roll and hot chocolate to each of the kids and woke them up singing a Christmas song. They enjoyed eating breakfast in bed on this chilly December morning. I think that learning new customs and trying them out creates good will and appreciation for the world in which we live.

To Eternity and Beyond

2010-12-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

Just before Thanksgiving my niece and her husbands beautiful 3 year old boy Rex Stuart died. He braved a courageous battle with a brain stem cancer. Rex was diagnosed in March and really fought the odds to hang on as long as he did. After an ugly round of radiation he had a few good months in the summer where they managed to live a lifetime of memories with their precious boy. Rex was an angel and so full of love and fun. He hung on long enough to see the birth of his baby sister Anna and they had three very special weeks together as a family.

Rex loved the movie Toy Story. My nieces and sisters joined together and we decorated a Christmas tree in his honor for the Festival of Trees. Our theme was "To Eternity and Beyond" mimicking the Toy Story Theme. We believe that families are forever and look forward to the day when our little angel Rex can be united with his family for eternity.

Milestone Trips

2010-11-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

In November a couple of our kids got to take their "milestone" trips. I wanted to take Spencer on a trip for his 16th birthday, but we couldn't quite decide on a destination. When Utah went to Notre Dame for the much awaited football game we knew this was our place. We spent 5 fabulous days in the windy city of Chicago. We ate Chicago style hot dogs, pizza and popcorn. Went to a Blackhawks hockey game. Took the architectural boat tour and walked a million miles as we shopped the stores and visited the Aquarium and fabulous Art Museum. We met up with lots of family including my brother Reed & Sue, Grammie & Grandpa Randall and a few fun Randall cousins. Clara and Taylor joined us en route from Norway and we all went to the big game in Notre Dame. It was a bust. Utah just didn't have the plays and it was a terrible football game for us. Chicago in November is cold and it rained all through the game. Needless to say we were disappointed at the game, but it was a thrill to see the campus and enjoy the experience. I had a simply fabulous time with Spencer. He's so funny - reminds me of his dad.

Taylor has been traveling to Norway for about 11 years now. When the kids are in 5th or 6th grade he takes them with him on his journey. This was Clara's year. She had the most marvelous time ever. They spent a couple of days in Oslo and braved the cold wandering around the sites. Taylor taught at Molde college way up in fjord land. The trip was especially fun because they got to stay with the Heilgham family in Molde. Clara went to school a few times with Anna and got a taste of Norwegian studies. She said it sure reminded her of going to school in France (in the beginning when she couldn't understand what the teachers were saying). They went ice skating, hiking in the snow, ate all kinds of Norwegian delicacies, played games and genuinely had a fabulous time together. On their way home they had a layover in Paris and enjoyed some French macaroons, listening the the French being spoken and smelling the air...ah how we miss France! Clara ended up traveling on 10 airplanes for this incredible journey. Talk about a frequent flyer!

En plein air

2010-11-08T21:48:00.000-08:00

Last weeks art lesson took a sudden change when I looked out the window. I had a plan, but the weather was breathtaking and I knew winter was on it's way (today is proof as it snowed all morning!). We painted "en plein air". The kids were invigorated. The trees were on fire and the chill in the air made it feel like autumn.

Score!

2010-11-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

Until this past Saturday Lilly has never scored a goal in her soccer game. Saturday she scored 2! She was thrilled. Last year she played on a co-ed team with one of her best friends Ryan. Ryan scored several times every game. Lilly wanted to score so badly, but she never quite made the goal. By the end of last season Ryan wanted her to score as well. He tried everything he could think of to assist a goal for Lilly. Sometimes Ryan would have the ball right next to the goal post only to boot it out next to Lilly so she could kick it in. It never quite made it. Saturday Lilly was running her heart out. It was the last game of the season and she kicked with all her might and bingo it went in.

I think once you experience opposition you appreciate the big moment even more. Lilly did not take her goal for granted. She relished it, played like a real team mate and kept pressing on. She pressed on with such gusto that she got an unexpected second goal. As we drove into the circle Lilly asked me to stop the car in front of Ryan's house. She jumped out and ran up to the door to let him know that finally she scored that coveted goal.

Trick-or-Treat

2010-11-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

Halloween was an absolute blast. We held our annual pre-trick-or-treat dinner in the front yard. Many of our neighbors and friends come for some warm food and costume fashion show. This year we fixed a baked potato bar with all the fixins. It rained just as the party was to start so we gathered in the garage and had a tent set up in the driveway. There was a good fire going in the fire pit to keep the goblins toasty.

My awesome neighbor and kindred spirit Tif and I donned our costumes just as the party got started. This is a big tradition we have. We don't tell our families what we are going to be until the party...last year we were old ladies...this year we were UTAH vs. BYU fans. I had my red hair and crazy Utah gear complete with my "Max Hall Hates Me" t-shirt. Tif had blue hair, BYU pajamas and her "Max Hall loves me, but he Hates U!" t-shirt. It's all in good fun. The two of us fried up scones for the trick-or-treat gang and we loved hanging out visiting all night with everyone who came through.

Despite the rain and cold weather everyone seemed to enjoy being a community. Can I just say I love where I live and the people I live by!
Taylor & Jared...would you believe that both of these guys are actual professors?!
Olivia and her friends were "fruity"...a kiwi, purple grapes, pumpkin, pineapple, green grapes and I'm missing a picture of the watermelon. Too cute.

Jack-O-Lantern

2010-10-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

(I wish my photos were all digital. I would post the picture of Spencer's first Halloween.) HA! I figured it out. Now here is Spencer when he was 5 months old and we dressed him up as a little cowboy. I carved one little pumpkin that year and took his picture next to it. This tradition has carried on now for the past 16 years. Tonight we all dug in and got our hands dirty with pumpkin guts. It's hard for me to believe my family has grown to 6 and now everyone is capable of carving their own jack-o-lantern. Time is moving way too fast!

Wonderous!

2010-10-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

Last night about 10:30pm the wind started to blow and the snow started falling. Spencer came home from hockey practice in a blizzard. He ran into the house grabbed Charlie (the dog) and ran all around the front yard blazing trails in the snow. This morning we woke to about 4 inches of snow covering the grass, trees and pumpkins in our garden. I told Lilly to look out the window and she was thrilled. She told Olivia that, "the most wonderous thing had happened last night!" Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. From about 7 to 8am Lilly made snow angels, a snowy ghost pumpkin and relished the frosty white stuff. For some this early taste of winter is scary and for others it's wonderous!

Other wonderous news of the day...my niece Stephanie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this morning AND her little 3 year old boy Rex is still here on this earth to meet his little sister. Rex has been battling a fatal brain cancer the past 9 months and we thought he was slipping away last week. Miracles have happened for this brave family and for a short time they will all be together. For this we are so very grateful.

Clown Faces

2010-09-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today began my 11th year as an art teacher/volunteer at the kids elementary school. My adrenaline is pumping after our first class - pumping in a really good way. This project was more than I expected and it turned out so awesome. We did clowns. Barnum and Bailey is coming to town next week so I thought I'd stir up a little interest. I found a great website that gave very detailed, yet simple instructions on how to draw a clown.

We used black construction paper, painted our clown faces with white tempra and then did all of the detail using colored chalk. The mixture of black and white mixed with paint and chalk was fantastic. I had circus music playing in the background and these kids weren't "clowning around" while creating their masterpieces. Each one is unique and makes me smile.

2010-09-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

This is the Place

2010-09-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

This past summer marked our second year volunteering at This is the Place Heritage Park. The girls love spending one day every week dressing up as pioneer girls, running through the village, playing pioneer games and giving tours. We were super lucky this year to share the same volunteer day with the Ensign and Reed families. It was a continuation of our neighborhood fun in pioneer fashion.
Lilly & Sophie wash clothes by hand. Clara chose to run around this year without shoes. Needless to say her feet are tough as leather!

The neighborhood gang gathers for lunch and then a trip to the Huntsman Hotel for ice cream cones. It was a hot job this year...you know no air conditioning in these pioneer homes.

Oh what did we do in the Summertime?

2010-09-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that summer has come and gone and now the kids are back in school. How quickly times flies. Just to record a little bit of our summer activities....

Spencer joined a new soccer team this summer. We spent many hours driving to and from practice as it's about 30 minutes away away from home. This has given us some great time to talk and even more great time to watch him play. They had a couple of tournaments in the blazing heat and he played well.

The annual Browning talent show was stellar as usual. I love how the kids organize and perform at this production. It's held impromptu on our neighbors front lawn. There were bike jumpers, piano players, karate choppers, baton twirlers and dancers to name just a few. We even got hot homemade cookies for attending!

We enjoyed going to a few free concerts at Brigham Park downtown SLC on Tuesday nights. We packed a picnic dinner, played games on blankets before the concert and enjoyed the summer air. At one particular concert all of the cousins came and it was wild.

Ward Girls Camp was at Bear Lake. Olivia had a blast with all of her friends. They went boating, biking, did crafts, played games, ate delicious food, stayed up way too late, strengthened friendships and renewed their commitment to be the best young women they can be.

This coming year will be a big one for our family with Children's Dance Theater at Virginia Tanner. All three Randall girls are now in the company along with the 4 Jensen cousins and 2 Randall cousins. CDT summer dance camp started it all out with lots of creative dancing.
Late summer nights makes for very tired little girls. From time to time they would just fall asleep waiting for a bed time story.
One of Clara's favorite summer past times is eating as much watermelon as her tummy can hold. I think she ate about 6 pieces this particular day.
Grammie and Grandpa Randall treated all the cousins to a morning at the Children's Garden at Thanksgiving Point. We ran through fountains, enjoyed the blooming flowers and had a blast being all together.

Clara, Lilly and Olivia each took tennis lessons this summer. They loved Jayne their awesome instructor who gave them excellent pointers and more importantly confidence for the game.

Who could possibly resist driving by such an energetic group of lemonade salesmen/women? All the cousins had a huge lemonade stand on a hot summers day. They sold ice cold lemonade, Diet Coke and water. Most of their clients were moms who bought you guessed it Diet Coke! All the proceeds were divided up and the merchants were happy campers.

While our two cousins Sara & Aly were visiting from Mississippi I was the lucky one to take all of the girl cousins 12 and up to the Salt Lake Temple. Our cute friend Jesse came with us as well and we enjoyed dinner in the cafeteria after our temple service.

Backyard Birthday Bash

2010-06-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

Clara's birthday party was pretty much serendipity. She wanted to play night games and fix dinner on the fire pit. It just so happened that our neighbor had rented a big bouncy slide for a party earlier in the day and they let Clara and her gang of friends use it in the evening. Another neighbor pulled out a cotton candy machine and made pink hair on a stick for all the girls. We roasted hot dogs & ate watermelon (of course!) and then the girls decorated flash lights which they used for a variety of night games when the sun went down. This group of girls had a blast and Clara felt like the luckiest girl of all on her 11th birthday.

Clara turnes 11!

2010-06-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the last day of school on the 8th and went straight on partying to the 9th when we celebrated Clara Jane's 11th Birthday! She chose to have a big family breakfast on the deck to start her day off with a bang. We think Clara is special for many reasons...her spunky & FUN personality, her organization, her ability to help everyone & the fabulous sister and daughter she is in our family.
Clara learned how to ripstick a month ago. She had a couple of nasty falls, but never gave up. All she wanted was a red ripstick of her very own and lucky for her she got it. A bonus pair of watermelon flip flops sent her into orbit on her special day.
Love you lots Crazy Clara Janet!

Having a Grandma to Love You

2010-06-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night the girls had a sleepover at Grandma Beck's. They were treated to dinner and a movie out. When I showed up Sunday morning to pick them up they had just finished a fancy french toast breakfast. There is a little song that Lilly learned this year that says, "Having a Grandmother to love you is better than the frosting on the cake." Couldn't be more true for these girls and their Grandma who truly loves them.

Run for Rex

2010-06-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Two Saturdays ago we ran a 5K as a family. My niece Stephanie's little boy Rex is suffering from a rare form of brain cancer and the run was to rally support and love in the Stuart family's behalf. Stephanie & Steve have been so courageous as they fight this battle with their only child. Rex is as sweet and adorable as they come. I had the opportunity several weeks ago to drive them home from Huntsman Cancer after one of Rex's radiation treatments. This amazing family has a peace and faith in God's plan that is very present in their life. I am in awe at how they are handling this devastating news. The race was inspiring. Over 500 people participated and it was terrific to be a part of it.

Sisters: Shauna, Valene & Sue. So glad we can support each other. Shauna has been a wonderful help to Rex, Stephanie & Steve. She's a grandma extraordinaire!
Taylor and Clara run through the FINISH. Clara ran the whole race. Her legs were tired, but her spirits were strong.
Taylor, Lilly & cousin Jared were the leaders of the race. Lilly only had to walk about 1/2 mile - she ran the rest of the way.

Birthday Pow Wow

2010-06-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

We had about the cutest band of wild Indians at Tiger Lilly's 7th Birthday Pow Wow. The kids made Indian headbands, Indian bead necklaces & wore costumes. We had an Indian village with tee pees where they ate and played. The kids tasted buffalo jerky, picked berries, shucked corn on the cob & practiced their bow and arrow skills. Lots of friends from school, the neighborhood and of course cousins made it a birthday pow -wow to remember forever.

Talent Show

2010-06-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

Oh boy does our family have talent! The end of the year Talent Show at the elementary school was a hit this year. About two months ago Lilly got out the old baton and declared she was going to learn to use it and perform for the school. We had no doubts in this little fireball. She twirled and practiced and came up with a routine to match her skills.

The day she auditioned she was nervous. I went with her and sat in the room with the Student Council and faculty. She hardly cracked a smile, but she made it through the routine. Performance day was entirely different. She felt confident and assured. The auditorium was packed with students, teacher and parents. They announced her name and she walked out on that big old stage all alone - smiling! The music started ("You're a Grand Old Flag") and she began bouncing her knees to the beat and then the baton twirling began. It was like magic. The audience was mesmerized, Lilly was fully engaged and she did awesome. Cheers erupted as it ended and we couldn't have been happier for her success.
Clara did double duty for the Talent Show. She jumped double dutch to an amazing jump rope routine. That takes guts and skill. Clara was awesome. She also did square dancing with her school class. Loved watching her dance the Virginia Reel. It's not easy to put yourself on stage and I'm so proud of our girls for taking the risk and developing their many talents!

Andy, Izy, Clara & Ashley - square dancing friends and good school buddys.

Sister Schmidt

2010-06-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

Just a funny story to note: Today was the grand opening of a new Red Mango yogurt shop. They were offering free frozen yogurt this afternoon so I piled the kids in the car and we went. Sister Schmidt was sitting at a table eating yogurt by herself. She is the mother of the famous piano player Jon Schmidt and I have known her since we lived in her neighborhood about 10 years ago. I went over to say hello. She was as cute as she could be and in our conversation she looked at my abdomen and said in her German accent, "Are you expecting another one?" I laughed and assured her I was not. She patted my tummy and said, "well you sure look like you are!" I just laughed and laughed. Perhaps it was the cut of my shirt, perhaps I need to loose a couple of pounds. No bother it has made me laugh all afternoon. I suppose in my younger days I would have been offended or really ticked off, but she meant no harm and who knows maybe her words will sneak into my mind when I go for ice cream and I'll reach for frozen yogurt instead!

Lilly Turns 7

2010-06-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a day. For starters Lillian turned 7 years old today! Good grief how did that happen? The past 7 years seem like they went by in a flash. I remember so well the afternoon she was born. It was peaceful and lovely. Lilly came into this world wide eyed and interested. She was quiet and looking all around. I think she was saving her voice for now when it really counts. Lilly is definitely a girl who knows how to speak her mind and let her wants and desires known. She's a strong willed, determined, wonderful girl!

The first graders walked to Laird Park for a morning of fun. I took popcicles to the group after lunch for her birthday treat.
A great birthday tradition on our circle. The kids make a candy bar poster for the birthday child. Here are some of the older girls who presented Lilly with her birthday sign. She was thrilled.
Lilly chose tortellini for her birthday dinner. It was nice to gather the family around the table to enjoy a meal and celebrate Lilly's life. We all went around and gave her a "toast" letting Lilly know what we loved about her. She relished every one. In fact we we were finished she asked, "can we do that one more time?!" It's wonderful to feel so special.

The highlight of the birthday was of course her long awaited present. In December Lilly asked for a bunny. Taylor said NO. When pressured he told Lilly that bunnies were a lot of work and she should probably learn about them...So she did. Lilly gathered armfuls of informational books from the library and she read each one. Afterward she told Taylor all about it. He said that she should probably write a report about caring for bunnies...So she did. I think it's important to remember that she was 6 when this was going on and just learning how to read and write proficiently. her report was 1 1/2 pages long. Taylor said, maybe for your birthday you can get a bunny. Lilly never forgot.

Now I'm not exactly thrilled to have another animal to care for, but this is something she has been looking forward to for over 6 months. Yesterday I found a little baby Dwarf bunny and brought her home. We surprised her this morning and she's been smiles ever since. Lilly named her birthday bunny Rosy Whiskers. She's been a joy so far. Just like Lilly. A complete and utter JOY!

Field Day

2010-06-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

Today was Field Day at the elementary school. This is the big celebration at the end of the year where kids break free, get wet and have a blast. So many activities were planned and it literally took up the entire field. I enjoyed my stint as a volunteer calling out "mark, set, GO!" The kids were darling and I could sense that everyone is eagerly awaiting summer fun.
Lilly slips n' slides after her class enjoyed juicy snow cones.

Clara cruises as fast as she can in a boys against girls relay....Girls won!

Raising Chickens

2010-06-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

I can't explain why, but I've always wanted to have chickens. I've always been fond of farms and the notion of provident living. I'm sure my ideas are a bit too idyllic and the reality of this lifestyle is not easy. Hard work integrated with daily upkeep of farm animals and gardening are not for fickle personalities. Last year a new ordinance was passed in Salt Lake City allowing residents to have chickens in their yards. This past mothers day Taylor obliged and instead of a new iphone (which is what he wanted to get me) I got my wish and he bought me a little chicken coop for the 11 chickens we acquired from our friends the Paces'.

My dad (who has been deceased now for over 10 years) was a chicken farmer/gardener at heart. He grew up in American Fork and had a large coop filled with hens. During WWII Dad's brothers and friends were drafted for the war. Dad was asked to stay home so he could take care of his chickens and raise eggs for the much needed food. When my parents bought their first home in Holladay Dad built a coop. All of my brothers and sisters had the experience of raising chickens and gathering eggs. I was the late comer in the family and when I was three Mom and Dad moved to a new house replacing the chicken coop with a swimming pool. I definitely lived an easier life basking by the pool and skimming leaves off the water rather than up early feeding & watering the birds. As nice as my growing up years were I've still always wanted chickens. How fortunate for me that my man wants to make my wildest dreams come true...and trust me I know this is a wild one!

The land down under

2010-06-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

Lilly's 1st grade class has learned all about Australia. She knows about the customs, foods, animals & climate. She asked Taylor if we could visit the coral reef for summer vacation. I think that's a great idea to really apply what she has learned!

Last week was her Australia program. Lilly was a narrator and she began the show in a rousing opening. We loved watching this little Australian Lassi teach us about that fascinating place "down under".

Guard-Dog

2010-06-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

We've been doing a bit of construction to repair our leaky decks. It's not exactly a project we wanted to do, but out of necessity both decks have been stripped of their tile & railings. This afternoon I called Tif (best friend across the street) to tell her something. She didn't answer. Just as she called back my cell phone rang and it was my friend Muriel calling from Belgium. I answered Muriel's call thinking I could call Tif later. Tif wondered if something was wrong so she came right over. When she saw I was on the phone she motioned for me to call her back and she went home. During my conversation with Muriel my dog Charlie went upstairs. He started howling and barking and really carrying on. I froze. What was he barking about? Was someone up there? I told Muriel I would call her back. I ran and grabbed Tif to investigate with me. We took a broom and climbed the stairs...the dog was going crazy. When he saw us he ran to the door and barked louder...he was saving us from the would be power-saw burglar. What a guard dog!

Valentine Love

2010-02-16T21:33:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of love to share last Friday when Clara & Lilly celebrated Valentines at their elementary school. Clara made a paper mache pineapple for her Valentine box and Lilly recycled a whimsical mushroom for hers. What fun to have a unique box to collect Valentines from all their classmates.

The other Valentine tradition that our school does is a "lip sync". Clara organized and choreographed a big production. There were 1st graders all the way up to 5th graders in their particular lip sync. We have had many a noisy practice at our house the past couple of weeks. The girls did great and they were so pleased with the crowds response to their performance. I think their creativity rocks. In another 10 years we will love going back in the video archives to relive this elementary moment!

Spaghetti Slurp

2010-02-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

I had a crazy idea tonight. For a pre-Valentine dinner I poured homemade grape juice in goblets and set them on the table. After mealtime prayer I made a toast to our family. We drank up and then I proceeded to "serve" dinner. First I handed out buttered French bread. While everyone was enjoying their juice and bread I brought the big pot of spaghetti over and I dumped it on the table. I announced that tonight we were having a "Spaghetti Slurp" for dinner...no hands or forks involved. Before dinner I scoured the table cloth to be sure it was sanitary. It was a hit! Every night during dinner we go around the table and take turns giving our "low" and "high" points of the day. All three girls announced that dinner was definitely their "high" of the day. You gotta love a change in dinner plans.

The Perfect Gentleman

2010-02-11T21:07:00.000-08:00

Monday night my mom's husband had a bad fall. Paul is almost 86 years old. When you hear about an older person falling down the stairs it makes your heart sink. All of us have had sinking spirits as we have visited him at the hospital. He split his head open from his eyebrow all the way to the crown of his head. The doctor said he stopped counting at 100 stitches. When I asked Paul how many stitches he said, "oh about a spools worth". He wasn't kidding. His neck is damaged, but not broken. How I love this man. While he's not my father he is an amazing husband to my mother, a gentle grandfather to my children and the most encouraging friend and family member any one could ever hope for. His spirit is strong, positive and wanting to continue on in this life. I haven't heard him utter a word of frustration or anger through this ordeal. Today I was lucky enough to be at the hospital when he sat up in bed for the first time since his accident. He wanted to do more than sit up. He stood on his own two feet and then shuffled a few steps to a chair. Giant steps. Prayers are being answered. We are all learning about class and how to be the perfect gentleman no matter the circumstance! Keep up the good work Grandpa Paul.

Finding Joy in the Factory

2010-02-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

I worked in the Deseret Soap Factory yesterday. I've really not had much experience in a factory setting. This place is the model for efficiency, cleanliness and enjoyable workplace environment. I was asked to volunteer a few hours of my time to help manufacture and package goods so that the LDS church can distribute supplies to people in need throughout the world. My job was to box up dishwashing liquid. It was a repetitive boring job. Only I wasn't bored. I worked with lots of pleasant people who were happy to be working. We knew these items were going to help people (who knows maybe the pallet of soap boxes we put together might be on the next church shipment to Haiti). I thought about this church I belong to and how it encourages us to help others so they can help themselves. It's about being prepared for emergencies. It's about building people up not tearing them down. It's about keeping that first and great commandment to "Love One Another". Giving, serving, sharing...they are addicting. It feels good and makes me want to do more. As we left the factory they gave us each a bottle of soap to thank us for our time. I'm thinking this is going to make washing the next several batches of dirty dishes a great reminder of many blessings.

I have a little poem my sister Valene gave me. It's taped by the side of the sink to remind me each time I'm on dish duty. It reads:

Thank God for dirty dishes
They have a tale to tell
While other folks go hungry
We're eating very well.

With health and home and happiness
We shouldn't want to fuss.
For by this stack of evidence
God's very good to us!
-----Effie Johnson-----

Lunch Hot Pot Style

2010-02-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

Today was TERRIFFIC. I love days that aren't fully organized, yet they feel productive. Today was one of those days. A little laundry, a little sweep of the house, a little walk with the dog in the fresh morning air, a little chatting on the phone with old friends, taking care of a little bit of business, a little nap, a little reading and a lovely little lunch with one of my best friends since 4th grade!

Samantha and I met up at a very fun restaurant (Shabu Shabu ) in Kimball Junction. It specializes in Japanese "hot pots". Neither one of us had ever eaten hot pot style so it was a fun adventure. All of the places have a big pot built into the table. You put all of the vegetables, noodles, meat, etc. in the big bubbling pot of water and then wait a few minutes for the stew to brew. It's served with two different sauces and rice. I loved it. The steam hovers over the table creating a cozy yummy ambiance and the food is healthy and so flavorful. Besides having a new food experience (which I ALWAYS love) it was awesome to catch up with my good friend.

Miraculous Journey

2010-01-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

Reading with my kids has been one of my favorite night time rituals. Tonight Lilly and I finished reading "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo. What a lovely story. Both of us cried at different times while we read about the porcelain bunny's journey. Hope, love and belonging prevail in the end. I love a story that no matter how fictional it may be draws you in and makes you feel the emotions and experiences like you were a character in the cast of pages. This book did it for me. Lilly's little body snuggling in yearning to know what comes next and at times feeling a little tear trickle down from her eyes when she felt the pain and emotion of the story are a tender treasure.

I remember my mother reading "Charlotte's Web" to me when I was Lilly's age. I remember snuggling in and crying my eyes out when Charlotte died. Funny how a spider or in our case tonight a porcelain bunny can spark such human emotions.

An Excellent Life

2010-01-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

For months now I have intended to write about our family life. There is a great connection when the written word is brought to life with a photograph. That's one of the reasons I like blogging. However this point in our life is moving so fast we barely have time to live it, let alone record it and re-live it through pictures. This weekend I decided that no matter what I don't want to forget this stage of life...I don't want to forget the good days for sure, but I hope I can learn from the bad days and struggles as well. We've had our share of both. It's definitely a balancing act of sorts.

This past weekend was EXCELLENT. For one it snowed! We have been living in gray skies and the inversion seems to induce depression or at least total apathy. It was terrific to have the dirty air cleaned out by fresh snow. Saturday we had a spontaneous ski day and spent the afternoon freezing on the slopes. It was great. Sunday after church we relaxed, played games, went for a walk under the blue sky and fixed omlettes for dinner. Brought back many memories of our life in France. That was a magical time. We had so much family time and down time. I miss that. It wasn't meant to go on that way forever and now we are back to school, work and many responsibilities. This is real life and an excellent one at that.

Doo Doo!

2009-09-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning was crazed. No one wanted to wake up on time and we were scrambling to get out the door. After the kids left for school I had to deliver Taylor's car to his office at the University. He needed his car since that morning he had just flown in from Denver, took a taxi from the airport straight to work where he had a meeting with a group of angry students. Immediately following his meeting he had to drive 60 minutes to another city for a work related golf game and business meeting. Well I decided if I had to walk home from the University I would use that time to get my exercise AND walk the dog SO I took Charlie with me. In theory it sounded great however the University is under massive construction right now and navigating the parking lot was not easy especially since masses of students were pulling in for the day. I finally found Taylor's reserved spot parked the car and walked a very round about way to get to the office. I had to carry the dog in the building and you can only imagine the looks I was getting. I thought to myself "if you knew what kind of a morning I've already had you wouldn't look at me that way!" Anyway I dropped his keys and clothing with his secretary and started out. I felt rather ridiculous walking a dog along campus as young students with backpacks were pressing forward to class. Taylor happened to call at this moment. He had just landed at the airport and was pressed for time. The dog was slowing down. I turned back to find that he had somehow managed to poop as he walked along the sidewalk! So there I am yacking on my cell phone trying to hang on to a restless dog and cleaning up a trail of dog doo doo! Needless to say after the last dropping was cleared we ran all the way home.

Lemons to Lemonade

2009-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

The weekend was great. Still felt like summer with temperatures almost near 100. A trip to the Farmers Market filled our tummies and our refrigerator with all kinds of fresh produce. After a week long trip to Norway our Dad came home for a whopping 36 hours (he had to catch another plane early this morning). We enjoyed his presence and attention immensely. Spencer scored another goal in his soccer game Saturday. Lilly had her first game of the 2009/10 season. This photo depicts her "game face". Today most of the family wore the same face. I think the novelty of "back to school" is over. We are tired. We need more sleep. I have no idea how to implement an earlier bed time. It just feels impossible to me. One child has massive headaches, another has an overload of homework and yet another is just plain overwhelmed with it all. I'm hoping that a good nights rest will help us turn our so called lemons into lemonade.

oh la la ladies

2009-08-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

When I was born my oldest sister was 16 years old. Technically speaking she was old enough to be my mother. Our mother had the two of us share a room for the first two years of my life. This created a sisterly bond...mostly a bond my sister remembers because she would get up with me in the middle of the night. I don't ever remember living in the same house as Valene. I was just too young. Growing up I always wanted a sister to share a room with, but my sisters were married and living in homes of their own by that time. The wonderful thing for me was that even though my sisters were much older they were and still are interested in having a relationship and friendship with me. Valene had 9 (yes nine) children of her own. They are all grown and married now. She has a lifetime of amazing experiences and wisdom. I rely on her a lot.

When we were living in France Valene came to visit with three of her dearest friends (the oh la la ladies). Each of these women is equally amazing as my sister and in the one short week they stayed in our home I grew to admire and adore them. Today they surprised me with a lunch visit. Not only did they come to my house, but they brought an amazing lunch (bbq chicken salad - homemade rolls & French pastries - delish!). Marilyn brought her French memories book and read us her entries. The stories & photos brought back such special memories of a time and place that literally changed my life. Although I rarely see these women they too have imprinted a change in my heart to be positive, keep learning, laugh A LOT & stay spiritually grounded.

Carpe Diem!

2009-08-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a day. Spencer was the first one up at 6am. A far cry from sleeping in during the summer. When I went to wake Clara & Lilly their light was already on and they were making their beds and getting dressed. Such a fun sight to see their excitement for a new beginning. Olivia's violin music filled the house as everyone was getting ready. I took the standard first day of school photos and marveled at each kid and how they've grown. There really didn't seem to be too many jitters for which I am grateful. Lilly had written a note to her teacher it said

I went to the temple and then out to lunch with a friend. It was a great way to spend the morning. When I got home the doorbell rang and there was an enormous bouquet of flowers for me! Taylor sent flowers - he is in Norway right now and he knew this "time of transition" was making me feel sentimental. What a guy. We are transitioning to new schedules, activities and experiences. I think it will be good. Change is complicated, but it creates new energy and can be invigorating if we let it. Now I need to set some lofty goals and get busy. Wait who am I joking? I could stay home for weeks just trying to fold laundry and un-bury the messes we made over the summer. Oh well, CARPE DIEM!

Little Fingers

2009-08-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's the last day of summer vacation. The kids are roaming the circle, playing with friends and enjoying one last afternoon of freedom. We have gone school shopping and coordinated carpools for the 2009/10 school year. Personally I'm not ready. I could use another week or two with my kids.

My mother has always wandered around her house wiping away finger marks. She likes the look of a clean streak free house...especially the back sliding window/door. I also like a clean home, but little finger marks have always made me happy. They are a sign of life and action. The "little" fingers in our family are all growing bigger now. Tomorrow marks the first time in 15 years that I won't have a child with me at lunch time and during a big portion of the day. Lilly's fingers can now write notes and draw lovely pictures, Clara's fingers can now play real songs on the piano and sew articles of clothing, Olivia's fingers can now play classical violin music & bake bread and Spencer's fingers can now palm a soccer ball and fix flat tires on bikes. Watching them grow and progress is one of the greatest joys of my life. It's also a little bitter sweet. I've so enjoyed the little years and the small steps along the way. Just wish it didn't fleet into memories quite so fast. Here's to looking forward to tomorrow and to cherishing the past.

Reaching a Goal

2009-07-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

Not very many weeks left of summer vacation. It makes me sad to think that this time is slipping away. We've practically entertained ourselves to death. I'm not complaining, just wondering if we need to step it up and complete some worthwhile goals. One lovely experience the girls and I have had this summer is to volunteer at This is the Place Heritage Park. Once a week we dress in pioneer costumes and pretend to live that simple life. Not that the pioneers had a simple life. They had to raise the chicken and pluck it before it ever made it into a pot for soup. All their clothes were hand stitched and their livelihood was contingent on hard work and sacrifice. Our job is rather cushy. We give tours of the house we have been assigned - the Charles C. Rich home. When we're not busy doing that we can work on the rag rug loom and the girls can roam the village playing pioneer games, attend the one room school house and run free through the fields. It has been a magical time for the four of us. No electricity, lots of time sitting on the grass just talking and thinking about interesting subjects. This past week we worked hard on the loom. We have never actually finished a rug and there was just a small bit left. Olivia suggested we set a goal that we could not leave until the rug was done. A goal that seemed easier than it was when we started. Our time passed quickly and it was time to go home. The girls opted to stay and FINISH the goal. We all took turns weaving. It was a team effort. Even the other volunteer in our house chose to stay and cheer us on. As the last weave was made and the final knot put in place a sense of satisfaction filled that little house. This rug wasn't coming home with us. It belongs at the park. The girls just wanted to be able to say they actually made a rug for the little house. After a rather indulgent summer my heart was bursting just knowing that my kids knew how to set a goal together and reach it.

Just for the record...

2009-07-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

The last two days, weeks, months have been W I L D to say the least. I feel like I'm gulping for air every day. I guess you could say I'm sucking the marrow out of life, but then again maybe it's sucking the life out of me! Just for the record...

In the last two and 1/2 days I have... traveled the road to swim team 9 times, walked the dog 6 times, emptied the dishwasher 4 times, bid farewell to my husband who is en route to Japan, gone swimming with all of my kids, welcomed a long term house guest from France, volunteered at This Is The Place park with my girls, attended a family reunion barbecue, been entertained by 4 ridiculously funny kids and loving every minute (or at least I'm trying to).

In the last two and 1/2 weeks I have...sent one child to EFY (he LOVED it), sent another child to girls camp (she LOVED it too), spent one day & night at Heber Valley girls camp (as a leader of course!), been diagnosed with Swine Flu (FOR REAL), spent a week recovering (thank goodness for tamiflu medication), sent my boy off on another adventure scout camp in Zions National Park (is this boy having too much fun this summer?!), taken a three day vacation to the Oregon coast with my hubby (SO relaxing) & enjoyed the warm summer weather.

In the last two months I have...celebrated two children's birthdays, welcomed summer and the the end of the school year, celebrated both Grammie & Grandpa's 70th birthdays with amazing parties, spent hours with the Randall family when cousins were visiting from Mississippi, tried to support Taylor as he takes on a new & overwhelming job at work, went to youth conference in Goblin Valley with Spencer & Olivia, hiked Wild Horse Canyon, traveled to Europe with my little crew (we went back to France and stayed in our old house (sigh), visited friends and wandered around Paris, stopped in Brusselles for chocolate & spent a wonderful week in the Netherlands bike riding, touring Amsterdam, & eating vla while Taylor taught classes for a business school).

Petting Zoo

2009-07-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

Life at our house seems to move at a very rapid pace. Today for instance we acquired two parakeets. As I sit here recording this event I'm wondering how did all of this happen in just one hour? Lilly has been asking for birds since Sunday. Every night she asks "have you thought about it yet?" to which I reply "not quite". She has been a bit too bossy lately and a little naughty in the obedience department. All week I've been pondering how to motivate and guide her strong willed heart. Just before dinner our friends showed up with two birds, a cage, food and supplies. They wondered if we would like to have some new pets? Who says inspiration doesn't come knocking at the door? We talked about it (for like 10 minutes), wrote up a contract for Lilly to be a first time listener and to work on being patient and voila two birds are now part of the Randall family petting zoo. We add this mix of Monet (blue) and Jacques (green) to our happy home complete with one puppy (just neutered today!) and one turtle. Would anyone like to buy a ticket? This place is going to the birds.
Side note on Charlie (the dog). As mentioned above he had the dreaded male surgery today. When I brought him home from the vet the kids were all quite concerned. Lilly asked why he had to have this surgery. I tried to give a little facts of life lesson in a very non-descript way. She looked at his battle wound and said, "so is that where he used to keep all his fertilizer?" What a crack-up!

Kids Day

2009-07-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

We have a fun little tradition that takes place the day after the last day of school. It's KIDS DAY. You know how we celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day...well this just seems like the perfect day to celebrate kids. I let the kids sleep in and have the day off from chores and household responsibilities. They can take control of their own destiny on this day within reason. Everyone gets a few simple gifts. This year the kids each got a gift card to our favorite book shop "The Kings English", a bubble/water toy and a summer math workbook (they REALLY look forward to this one ;) I'm always amazed at the end of the school year how much my kids have grown in all aspects of life. Kids Day was the perfect way to celebrate each one!

Movin' On Up

2009-07-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

The last day of school for these 6th graders means they are "Movin' On Up" to Middle School. Olivia's last year of elementary school was superb. She had an inspiring and motivating teacher and lots of fun friends to share her school experience.

I think the only regret Olivia has about her elementary experience is that she and her best friend and cousin Ellie NEVER had a class together. They walked to and from school together, ate lunch together and played at recess together, but it was a true bummer that they never shared the same classroom...maybe next year.

10 Big Years for Clara

2009-07-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

Clara had a doubly fun day. Not only was it her birthday on June 9th, but it was also the last day of school. We woke her early in the morning by singing happy birthday and we gave her a long awaited gift. She has wanted a pair of eyeglasses (does NOT need them) and she was thrilled. For her birthday treat at school she took watermelon wedges. I've never known a person who loves watermelon more than Clara.
We had a birthday party with Clara's friends the day before her birthday. Of course it was raining. Always seems to rain on her special day. Luckily we have no furniture in the living/dining room so the girls were able to do double dutch inside. They had a bubble gum blowing contest, crazy hair game and lots of silliness.

Clara choose a cup cake birthday cake. All of the girls decorated their own with an assortment of candies. There are so many things to love about Clara. She is sweet, thoughtful and incredibly helpful. Clara's one smart cookie and FUN to boot. Her energy is contagious and we love her to pieces.

End of Kindergarten

2009-06-08T22:52:00.000-07:00

Only one more day of Kindergarten to go! I almost feel like crying because that means my baby is really growing up. Lilly had her little class play today. She was one of the "tee-pee folk". For the past two weeks Lilly has been belting out the songs and telling me all about this production. I wasn't disappointed. She sang her little heart out and smiled the entire time. As difficult as it is to make new transitions I think this girl is ready to soar to new heights and learn even more.

Weekend Review

2009-06-08T22:32:00.000-07:00

What a weekend it was. Cousins have arrived from Mississippi and the constant get-togethers have begun. We tried to pack in as many hours with family that we could.
Olivia and Clara had the honor of performing with CDT at the 100th anniversary for The Church of the Madeline in SLC. It was a unique opportunity. The Childrens Madeline Choir sang while the girls danced in the church. They were beautiful classical pieces as well as some upbeat folk tunes. The outside of the church reminds us very much of Notre Dame in Paris only it's about 1/4 the size.

Saturday night Taylor and I hosted a party for a dear friend who has just been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. She is only 42 and a mother to three handsome boys. This cancer comes at a very difficult time for their family as they are in the midst of a brutal house remodel. We wanted to gather friends from their old neighborhood to show support and love and to cheer our friend on as she begins this ugly battle against cancer.

I was in awe at the amount of people who came (48!) with only 4 days notice. Everyone contributed to the food and it was an amazing spread. Positive energy, love and friendship were definitely felt and I hope that these feelings will carry our sweet friend forward as she fights back.

It's times like these that I realize we really aren't in control of our lives. It's up to us to live the best lives we can and to love our fellowman.

Lovely Little Lilly

2009-06-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

2008 to 2009 has been a big year for Lilly. She moved back to Utah from France. Started kindergarten. Learned how to read in English. Lost her first tooth. Learned how to really ski on her own. Went snorkeling near a coral reef. Started violin lessons. Joined a soccer team. Danced on the stage at Kingsbury Hall. Went to lots of Ute basketball games with her dad. Tried golfing. Slept in every morning (she had afternoon kindergarten!). Played store, house and make-believe with her sisters. Got lots of piggy back rides from her brother. Made her mom smile and laugh every single day!

Lilly's partner in crime and play is Ryan. These two characters have lived on the same street since they were born. Every morning one or the other finds their way to the others front porch in their pajamas planning the days play. Lilly's birthday was no exception. Ryan showed up bright and early to show Lilly that he had lost his first tooth. We invited him to stay for presents and Lilly's birthday breakfast. Life is pretty sweet for these buddies.

The big birthday party was at "Color Me Mine" - a pottery studio. The kids each painted a bowl or plate and had a marvelous time being artists. I love parties, especially for birthdays. I have parties to celebrate my children and to create lasting memories. How is it that growing older is so exciting for a child? When I told Lilly that she was officially 6 she said, "And next year I'll be 7!" I hope that growing up will hold pleasant reflections for my lovely little Lilly!

Catching-UP

2009-06-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Ketchup sounds a lot better than CATCH UP. Which is exactly what I intend to do with this post. It's been 2 crazy months and I've lost track of time, keys, children and multiple responsibilities.
Mother's Day morning was sweet and rewarding. The kids banned together and made me MOM pancakes for breakfast. There were some fabulous homemade gifts which I treasure. Lilly had gathered old chestnuts and put them in her own decorator bag. She said that they were to go in a glass dish that I have in the entry.

I love being a mother. That's not to say I love all of the challenges that go along with it, but overall it's my dream job. Lilly keeps asking me "If you weren't a mom what kind of job would you like?" This is not an easy question for me to answer. I have lots of interests, but I really have always aspired to be a mom. Right now it's fulfilling my needs and wearing me out on a daily basis!

One spring day as I pulled into our circle this is what I saw. Lilly and Sophie giving "pony rides" to the neighbor kids. I have loved watching the kids migrate outside to the most glorious playground in America. On our circle no one even needs a backyard as all of the action happens in the front.
Bear attack? No. Thankfully it was only a wire fence that jumped out and bit Spencer one day as he was trying to come home the back way. Lucky for us no stitches, just a shredded shirt and some nasty scratches.
Memorial weekend getaway in St. George with the Reed family and our cute friend Alysee (from France). We were looking for sun and fun and we found both. Our trip included a visit to Uncle Howard's farm, swimming, golfing, climbing through "the crack", games, ice cream and sleeping in. A great introduction to summer.

May brought another birthday for Spencer. Fifteen candles on his cake this year. We fixed a traditional tarteflet birthday dinner and then watched his baby video. Hard to belive this 5'7" young man was once a 7pound 14ounce baby. Some hightlights of Spencer's year include: Starting High School, Joining the Hockey and Soccer team, taking 4th year French, having his final 9th grade piano recital, going to Las Vegas to watch the "Runnin' Utes", parasailing and snorkeling in Mexico, skiing and camping to name a few.

We aren't giving up on piano yet, but Spencer played in his last recital. He's a talented musician and I love listening to him practice...when I can convince him to do so. We are going for a more relaxed lesson schedule this next year in hopes that he will continue developing his talents. Many thanks to Linda his dedicated and motivating teacher.

Spring is my time of year. I love the flowers, the sunshine, the birds singing in the trees and the anticipation of summer. One night we brought home a watermelon and instead of cocoa and toast had watermelon and toast for a bed-time snack.

For the past nine years I have been an art volunteer at the elementary school. Our art director Sabrina has been a joy to work with. Spring Art Night was exceptional. The art from each grade donned the halls and the school was transformed into a regular art museum. Here are a few pieces I worked on with Olivia and Clara's classes. My mind is already spinning with summer art ideas and things to do in next year's classes.

As a Kindergartner Lilly got to dance on the big stage at Kingsbury Hall this spring with Virginia Tanner Dance. She has been lucky enough to be in the same class as her cousin Camille. Her other cousin Isabel also performed the same day. Lilly's dance was about flowers...how fitting for our little Lilly. She had a small solo moment and executed with great grace and beauty.

Tuesdays and Fridays this spring were spent at the soccer field watching Spencer play on the JV team. He was easy to spot with his bright green shoes and #29. This is the sport he loves and we love watching him.
We brought our new puppy Charlie home in April. He has added a whole new element to our home and lives. The kids have been begging for years to get a puppy and I don't regret it one minute now that we have him. He is the first one to greet us when we wake up and he stands at the window by the door and crys when the kids go to school.

Lilly came with me to pick him up. He cried and cried when we put him in his kennell. She said, "this dog really likes his freedom!" After a few more minutes she asked me how long dogs live. I told her and then she said, "I'm gonna bawl my eyes out when he dies!" I guess you could call it love at first sight.

Charlie is our official dish washer. Any chance he gets he jumps in and starts licking. Good thing the dishes get sterilized! This dog is hilarous. He loves candy and can sniff out anything sweet in a wrapper. I had purchased several candy bars and he found the stash. I found him after he had opened the package and he was licking the goods. I took it away from him and went back to my business. A few minutes later he was sneaking past me walking very funny. When I approached him he was hiding another candy bar trying to hide it from my view. Funny boy.
We had a marvelous time vacation in Cancun Mexico with the Ensign family for Spring Break. Our trip had several snafus. For starters I learned at the Dallas airport that my passport had expired and I couldn't go on the trip! We had about 10 minutes to adjust suitcases and then Taylor took the 4 kids and headed off into the sunset. I was stuck in the Dallas airport. I found my way to Houston where I stayed by myself Saturday and Easter Sunday and then went to the passport agency and got a new passport and then met the family in Cancun on Monday night. There were so many funny things that happened on this trip that I might just write a short novel to give the full details.

Early in April Olivia and I attended the LDS Church General Young Womens meeting. It was at the Conference Center. Now that she is 12 this was her first time getting to go. We had a great time together and I loved the goals that they challenged the girls to work on: 1) Read scriptures at least 5 minutes a day 2) Pray every day 3) Smile. Easy steps that I have found truly lead to personal happiness and inspiration.

Since we knew we were going to be gone for Easter we had a Randall family Easter dinner and egg hunt the week before we left. When I look at this picture with the grandkids I'm in awe as all of these kiddos came from Taylor and his 4 other siblings. Great fun!

That about sums up our spring. I know summer doesn't officially start until June 21, but once June hits my mind is there! Now I feel so much better after CATCHING UP on all our fun.

April Fools

2009-04-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

April 1st brought SNOW...grrrr. You can't fool me, my mind says spring, but Mother Nature says snow. This was perhaps the most miserable April Fools Day joke ever. I tried to pull a few jokes on the kids and they loved it. In each lunch bag I put a raw potato, rotten celery and old sliced lemons. At the bottom of the bag I left a note that said, "April Fools! Your real lunch is in the office". It was a hit.

I took Mom & Paul along with my father-in-law Reed out to lunch, but no April Fools joke ensued. We had a fun time visiting and being together. Tomorrow Mom has her big surgery to repair her rotator cuff, fix the shoulder break and repair the bone dammage. I'm hoping by the time Spring decides to really shine forth Mom will be on the speedy road to recovery.

Dirty Dishes

2009-03-31T21:14:00.000-07:00

This is what my kitchen counter looked like at 8:00am. It never really improved the entire day. I took this photo to remember the chaos, but order flew out the window and chaos has ruled king today. My mother never went to bed with dirty dishes in the sink or on the counter. When it was my night to do the dishes I would often ask if I could wait until morning when I wasn't so tired. No she said, you will feel worse waking up to a mess. I'm not quite as militant as my mother in this regard...I wish I was. She's right. Clean counters and a clean sink help clear the mind and allow mornings to take on a newly awakened freedom. Here's hoping for a more organized tomorrow!

Lunch Lady

2009-03-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

I realize that neither one of these girls looks very sick in this picture, but they were both home from school yesterday due to sore throats and runny noses. After laying on the couch and feeling the effects of boredom Clara organized a game of "school". She was the teacher and Lilly was the diligent student. They asked if I could take care of the "lunch room". I put on my hair-net and got to work. When they came in the kitchen for lunch they were surprised to find lunch set out "cafeteria style" complete with cooked peas, mac n' cheese & fruit cups. Had I known it would be such a thrill for them I would have done this years ago. Lilly said, "this is the neatest lunch day ever!" Clara invited her prized pupil to eat in the "Teachers Lounge" with her. Such simple pleasures...I have to admit that being the "Lunch Lady" was pretty dang fun!

Just the Facts M'am

2009-03-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd try a little blog meme today.
This one covers Just the Facts M'am:

Random Fact about Moi #1:
I hate arguing.

Random Fact about Moi #2:
I used to want to be a Broadway star.

Random Fact about Moi #3:
I have given birth 4 times.

Random Fact about Moi #4:
I never thought I would learn a foreign language.

Random Fact about Moi #5:
I like fresh flowers.

Random Fact about Moi #6:
My favorite fruit is fresh raspberries (peaches, watermelon, strawberries…how can I possible pick just one?!).

Random Fact about Moi #7:
I can't stand heights.

Random Fact about Moi #8:
I'm loyal to my faith, family and friends.

Grandma's Garden

2009-03-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

Our church (LDS/Mormon) has a commercial ad that sometimes pops up on the t.v.. It says, "Family. Isn't it about time?!" The point is that time is important and how we choose to spend that time with our family members means a lot. Saturday my brother and two sisters along with their spouses, children and grandchildren met at my mom's (Grandma's) to clean the yard and get ready for spring and summer. Mom fell two weeks ago. She broke her shoulder and has many complications right now. When my niece Emily called to organize the project I jumped at the chance. It was terrific to work alongside family. We had fun and we worked hard. I think my Dad was smiling down from heaven just looking at all of his posterity sweeping, raking and caring for the gardens that he loved for so many years.

Yippee It's Finally SPRING!

2009-03-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

Friday March 20th - The Official First Day of SPRING! I worked in my front flower beds for two glorious hours.
"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." ~Charles Dickens

St. Paddy's Day

2009-03-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day was was GREEN from beginning to end. The night before Clara set up an elaborate Leprechan trap, but those sneaky leprechans found their way in and out...they made a LOT of mischief in our house. Milk turned green. Toilet water green. Chairs tipped over. Sparkly green stuff strewn from here to there. Our resident leprechan Paddy O'Malley even left Green soda's, green potato chips, green rolls and chocolate golden nuggets for our enjoyment.

After school Lilly and her gang marched around the circle chanting, "We believe in Leprechans!"
Just as we were about to sit down for dinner Chris & Xander showed up at our door to play us some Irish jigs and music. This father and son duo are amazing & we loved listening to them perform many fun songs. Even though we aren't Irish we sure love having fun celebrating this day.

Thanksgiving in March

2009-03-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

I hosted a big family dinner Sunday with all of Taylor's siblings and their children. We wanted to honor Grammie & Grandpa with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It felt like they never left when we were all gathered together visiting, laughing and eating together. I love family dinners. I love having my favorite people sitting around the same table sharing a meal & conversation. We went around the table and had each person share a memory or feeling about Grammie & Grandpa. It was touching to listen to so many different perspectives and to hear each grandchild express their love & admiration. It's really awesome to be a part of this big fun family!

Road Trip!

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a big year for the University of Utah sports teams. When Taylor and his brother Greg heard about Utah's big win Friday night they immediately started planning for a Saturday morning road trip to Las Vegas. Utah played for the WAC championship Saturday afternoon. Can you believe that they made it in time? Greg, Thomas, Taylor, Spencer, Nila & Corrie drove straight from SLC to Vegas with only a 10 minute stop along the way. They were 2 minutes late for the game, but it was so worth it when Utah won in the last seconds of the game. Nothing like a lot of spontaniety to keep life moving! Go UTES!

Grammie & Grandpa Return

2009-03-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Late on Friday the 13th Grammie & Grandpa Randall returned home from their 18 month mission to Hamburg Germany. Almost all of their 20 grandchildren were present at the airport along with all of their kids and some brothers and sisters. It was thrilling to see them again. Grammie instantly had her little brood of chicks following her around the airport. I don't think I know of two more beloved grandparents in the world. We are so happy that we could share them with the people of Hamburg, but we are really happy to have them home again with us!

What Happened Today?

2009-03-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes at the end of a busy day I wonder "what exactly happened today?". Today was especially busy. Lots of surprises, lots of running around & lots of memory loss. I was so caught up in visiting a niece who had her tonsils taken out that I completely forgot about Lilly's violin lesson...how am I going to explain that to her teacher? The surprises and business of the day were definitely worth remembering.

When I returned home after mega errands I found a bouquet of flowers sitting on the counter. I asked where they came from and Lilly said they were delivered. After reading the card I told her they were to me from dad. She wanted to know how I figured that out. Because the card said, "love, Taylor". Lilly responded..."how do you know they're not from some other Taylor?!" Believe me I KNOW and I LOVE getting surprises like that for no good reason at all.
I also forgot that I had committed to make a dessert for a relief-society party tonight. I remembered this at 4pm. This tasty almond cream layer cake worked beautifully. The theme for our enrichment meeting was taken from this talk about creation and compassion. It was an inspiring evening. After our discussions tonight I feel compelled to "create" something of beauty & helpfulness. President Uchtdorf's message says, "The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen , or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before-colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter." It's so easy to feel discouraged, yet so much more rewarding to reach out and try and make the load easier to bear. Tomorrow I'm committed to try a little harder on this.
Our biggest and most special surprise of the day was Aunt Kim's unexpected visit. She lives in Mississippi and no one knew she was coming (including herself - until 2 hours before her plane took off!). We thought she would be missing the much anticipated arrival of Grammie & Grandpa returning from Germany tomorrow night. Kim's husband worked it out so she could be here for their grand entry and welcome home party. We are all thrilled to have her here and to enjoy her never ending spunk & enthusiasm.

Guiding little feet

2009-03-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

A new member of our extended family arrived last Thursday. Adison is absolutely precious. The kids are thrilled to have another cousin. Lilly held her with all the tenderness and adoration a five year old can give. She commented to me on the way home that it would be wonderful if a baby like that could come to live in our family. I agree. Unfortunately I don't foresee that probability. Those years of little children underfoot and in diapers slipped away so quickly. I remember them being exhausting (so little sleep) and exhilerating (just looking at a little body and mind growing and changing daily thrills me) at the same time. I know my baby is still only 5 1/2 years old and my oldest is just a mere 14 1/2 years old. These are daily reminders to me that life is rolling. Regardless of the challenges each day poses I hope I am doing my best to be positive, give encouragement & guide those growing feet in the direction of a happy and contented life.

Draper Temple

2009-03-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

We went to the new LDS Draper Temple open house today. It was beautiful. Simple. Reverent. Peaceful. Lovely. A House of God. In the temple we make promises to God to obey His commandments and through our faith, we expect Him to keep the promises He has made to us: to forgive our sins and welcome us back into His presence one day. I look forward to returning after it is dedicated.

Moving Grammie & Grandpa

2009-03-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Grammie & Grandpa R. will return this coming Friday from their 18 month mission in Hamburg Germany. While they have been serving the people in Germany a new home has been built for them here in Utah. Their home needed lots of updating so they decided to tear down the old one and start new. Uncle Rus has been in charge of this massive project and he has done an amazing job! The house is completely finished (even new landscaping!). Saturday we moved in all of their belongings. The grandkids were so excited to help. We worried that the magic of their home would be lost because it's not the "old house". No need to worry about that. The spirit of a home is in the people and as we moved in their stuff it felt like this has been their home forever. The grandkids found the box of dress-ups and toys and they got straight to "work" playing. We can't wait for their return and to see their faces when they come home to this lovely new place!

Budding Biologists

2009-03-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

I was a parent driver & escort for the 4th grade field trip to the Museum of Natural History. Always an interesting experience to watch the interactions of school children. The attention lovers versus the quiet listeners is a battle for all teachers. At one time in my life I thought I wanted to teach elementary school. I wonder now if I would have had the patience for the dichotomy of personalities...I loved being with Clara. She is definitely a "quiet listener" when it comes to a school setting. These budding biologists explored plant and animal life from Utah landscapes. It was fascinating. Now I'm motivated to take a trip out to the lake to look at "salt grass" and other natural wonders that are so close to our home, yet we hardly ever even notice they are here!

Determined Eyes

2009-03-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

Saturday Taylor took Lilly skiing. When they got home she was all smiles as she recounted her adventures from the rope tow to the beginner hill at Alta. Taylor said she has the most "determined eyes" of any child he knows. Never complaining, never crying just focused eyes on reaching her goal to ski down the mountain.

Yesterday Lilly and I played hookie from school and work. We went skiing at Brighton for the day. I wanted to see these "determined eyes" for myself. I wasn't disappointed. Lilly kept pressing me to "try another hill" and to "go a new way". She had "determined" written all over her face. It was completely enjoyable (except for the wind). I think I had better sharpen my own skiing skills because at this point Lilly's going to leave me in the dust so she can ski with her older siblings. I sure hope I can keep up with all of them next year!

Tuesday thoughts

2009-03-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

A few thoughts on how time was spent at our house this Tuesday:
1) I got to drive a couple of different carpools and listen to children chatter, laugh & have fun with each other.
2) I visited with a friend who is standing watch by her baby's crib at Primary Children's Hospital. Her 4 month old has been battling RSV for 3 days and he's finally responding to medical attention.
3) I researched and dreamed about the vegetable garden we will plant this spring.
4) I helped Clara & Lilly practice their instruments.
5) I made a big vat of boullanaise sauce for dinner.
6) I played catch with Lilly
7) I went for a walk with my hubby after he got home from work.
8) I ate dinner with all of my family around the table and I listened to them talk about the interesting parts of their day.
9) I listened to Lilly read Dr. Seuss books with her Daddy.
10) I watched Olivia help Clara with her homework.
11) I listened intently to Spencer talk about his soccer tryouts (he ran 2 miles in 13 minutes 20 seconds! WOW!)
12) I heard Lilly say her night-time prayers. "Heavenly Father thank you for this fun day...thank you for my family...help me to not have bad dreams...PRETTY PLEASE help me to NOT HAVE BAD DREAMS...in the name of Jesus Christ Amen."
13) Feeling content. Realizing that the simple moments are the ones that truly bring happiness.

Children's Dance Theater

2009-03-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

When we moved back to Utah 9 years ago my sister in law introduced me to the world of modern dance. She insisted that I enroll Olivia in classes at CDT. I've never been a part of the dancing world so I followed blindly. This was one of the better decisions I have ever made. The Virginia Tanner Children's Dance Theater is a wonderful organization that encourages the beauty and innocence of childhood, creativity and movement. This years performance at Capitol Theater celebrated CDT's 60th anniversary. Last week we spent many hours at the theater preparing for the weekend's big event. It was splendid.

Flowers for our darling dancers after Friday evening opening show.
All dancers on stage hours before the big performance. I have never in my life performed on such a stage. I just love going to the rehersals so I can actually go backstage and feel the energy.
Clara is so lucky to have two cousins and a close friend in her dance group. Here they are in the dressing room waiting to be called for costumes and show time.
Olivia and her best friend/cousin showing off their costumes before the program.
After the Friday morning program we ate lunch at the Olive Garden. These girls were hungry after hours of performing and they needed to fuel up for the big evening show.
Each dancer is unique and beautiful in her own way...you can kind of tell just by looking at their "dancing feet"!

Pastries and Parenting

2009-02-25T21:12:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday morning we were feeling a little homesick for France. I had recently heard about a bakery downtown that had comparable French delicacies so we decided to try it. "Gourmandise" did not let us down. Pricey, yes. Calories...definitely worth it. The tarte aux framboises (raspberry tart) was heavenly. As we came home with a box full of desserts for dinner, croissants for breakfast and baguette to go with lunch we were all pacified for our French longings.

I've been dreaming about my bakery back in Bourron Marlotte ever since. This morning my BFF Lisa called to catch up. I mentioned that I had a new spot I wanted to take her to lunch. She happened to be available today and so was I so we seized the opportunity and met up. It was terrific to talk all about kids, home, life, etc over grilled pannini and French onion soup. Just as we were about to order a dessert to share the elementary school called to say that Lilly was sick with a bad headache. Rats. I hate it when my babies are sick and I really hate it when it interrupts dessert! We decided to take something on the go and head out to pick her up. On our way the school called again to say she had thrown up all over. Now I was really perplexed. Lilly didn't show any signs of sickness this morning. In fact she had gone to a little birthday party at McDonalds with her friend before school. When I showed up at the school she looked terrible. Grey and exhausted I gently put her in the car and drove carefully home. I put her into her comfy pajamas and cuddled with her until she fell asleep (this took about 2 minutes).

Lucky for us she woke up an hour and a half later feeling like her bouncy vibrant self. I kept asking her if her tummy was better. She told me her tummy never hurt. It was her head that hurt. It had been hurting ever since she banged it twice at McDonald's playland and had to put ice on it! Lightbulb moment!!!! She had a concussion and I was clueless. Needless to say I'm so grateful that she snapped out of it and that all is well. Parenting really is a blind game some days!
I couldn't resist this little chocolate hedgehog at the bakery. Hedgehogs remind me of France. Our neighbors even had one that lived in their backyard. He was also very delicious filled with chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and raspberry filling. This little treat made all the kids smile when they came home from school...including Lilly!

High School Hockey

2009-02-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

State High School Hockey championship games were late last week. Even though Spencer's a freshman he had the opportunity to play in the last varsity game. It was a heart breaker for our team. Lousy tournament planning, poor referee calls and serious hockey "hit 'em hard" to win mentality (one of Spencer's friends was hit so hard he shattered his collar bone!). I'm not biased or anything, but we were supposed to be the team to beat. Usually I consider myself a pretty mild sports fan. I'm learning that I have more of my father's genes in me than previously suspected...watching games elevates my blood pressure and I can hardly sit in my seat. It's crazy and we are just beginning the journey to high school athletics. All I can say is that I'm glad Spencer is able to keep his head in the game and that he's skilled enough to be able to play. That's worth more than winning.

Granola

2009-02-19T21:07:00.000-08:00

Taylor and I have consciously been eating "healthier" this past month. It's always easy to jump on this band wagon, but sooooo incredibly hard to stay put. I am a "foodie" at heart. While whole grains, fruits & veggies and low-fat protein are all well and good I need a little treat and I'm not talking sugar free pudding! So today I made a big old batch of our favorite granola. The family was so excited when they saw the trays come out of the oven I wished I'd have made a double. Thank goodness it's full of "healthy" stuff because I can guarantee it will be inhaled in the next couple of days!

GRANOLA
14 cups rolled old-fashioned oats
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup (or more) chopped almonds
3 cups coconut
2 cups raw wheat germ
1 1/2 cups raw sugar (yellow)

Mix dry ingredients in a BIG bowl.

Heat, but don't boil:
1 cup honey
1 cup water
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla

Pour over dry ingredients, mix together, pour onto 4 jelly roll pans. Toast at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, stir every 5 minutes.
(This is a softer, chewier, yummier granola!)

Throw up

2009-02-17T20:38:00.000-08:00

I remember one night when Spencer was a baby. We were really trying to get him to sleep through the night. Neither Taylor nor I were very good at "letting him cry it out". We finally buckled down and wouldn't you know it that night he cried out briefly a couple of times, but went back to sleep. We woke up ecstatic. Maybe this theory really worked. I walked into Spencer's room in the morning only to find my darling baby's head crusted in throw-up and his crib sheets reeking. What had we done?!! The one night that he REALLY needed us we had abandoned him. Needless to say we threw out the "cry it out" method, washed the sheets and bathed our baby in "no more tears shampoo" and kisses. That was perhaps the one time I really truly didn't mind cleaning up a "throw up mess". Boy have times changed.

Today he woke up groggy. I suggested he take a shower to see if that made him feel better. It didn't. He called out "MOM!!!" I rolled my eyes and went downstairs to the bathroom to find that he really was sick. So sick in fact that he didn't have time to raise the toilet seat and there I was confronted with the most massive mess of throw-up that I have seen in my lifetime. It literally covered every surface of the bathroom. A mother really needs strength at a time like this. I'm sorry to say I didn't exactly handle this mess like a champ. My first words were, "why didn't you lift the toilet seat?" He felt terrible. "I'm sorry Mom". I mean really what else could he say. He was nauseated and feeling awful. How I wish I could retract my words and act the way I did almost 14 years ago when I had instant compassion and got right to work making him feel better. I hope I redeemed myself. I really tried to apologize and to make him comfortable. I even cleaned it up, all by myself. Next time though I really hope he can raise the lid in time!

Love Notes

2009-02-16T21:40:00.000-08:00

The week before Valentines I hung some ribbon and put out random Valentine cards hoping the kids would write "love notes" or at least notes of appreciation to each other. Some grasped the concept earlier than others, but by the end of the week everyone was on board and our ribbon was bursting with kind sentiments. We enjoyed quality family time having fun with the kids plus Taylor sent me the most beautiful roses and lilys for Valentines. It's true that love makes the world go round and it makes families stick together!

Valentine Boxes

2009-02-16T21:32:00.000-08:00

We like to "think outside the box" for our school Valentine mail boxes. This year was food related. Clara chose to do a watermelon - her absolute FAVORITE food! Olivia dreamed of those fabulous looking mushrooms found in the European forests. We started a week early on these creations and I think they turned out pretty dang cute if I do say so myself!

Lip Sync

2009-02-16T21:25:00.001-08:00

Our elementary school has a hilarious Valentine tradition...not very educationally minded, but totally FUN! Every Valentines day they have a "lip sync" assembly. Any group of students who wants to try out is encouraged. Over the years Olivia and Clara have invited all of their friends to do it with them. This year even included Lilly and two of her little kindergarten buddies. They lip synced and danced to David Bowie's "Under Pressure". It was a hit!

Valentine Treat

2009-02-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

A Valentine's Treat

Here's a little post going around...from my friend, Marilyn. Good things are going around! Come and join in!

So, here's the deal: Something just for you especially from me! The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while)
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you,that's for sure!
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. (I would have to add that I reserve the right to take six extra months in getting to the post office to get it mailed. But, you will get it eventually.)
The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same prize to the first 5 people who post on your blog.

Surviving Winter

2009-02-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today I realized that I have completely neglected documenting daily life. Somehow I've been merely surviving winter. For the most part I've loved the really big snow storms. It's just that the Utah inversion, gray sky after gray sky day have made me burrow deep into my nest. This week I decided to stop surviving and make life happen even if it is cold and gray on the outside!

This sweet picture is of Lilly and the little wild bird that she saved on one of those gray sky days. Lilly was dancing and singing in our sun room when out of the blue she started sobbing...I ran into the room to see what had caused such a sudden crushed heart. Lilly was beside herself. She said she heard a loud thud and looked out the window at the very moment that a little bird just learning to fly on it's own had hit the side of our house and plummeted to the ground. As I looked out the window and saw the tiny mound of feathers my heart sank. Even though the birds head was completely buried in snow we could see the heart beating up and down up and down. I took a shovel and gently scooped the little thing out of the cold snow. It appeared that one wing was not working. We placed it on a soft blanket in a small box and brought it inside. Immediately I thought of a girl in our neighborhood who has a way with all living creatures. I called her and asked if she could care for this unfortunate bird. She arrived 10 minutes later and took it to her homegrown aviary. Two days later our friend called to say that the bird was alive and actually flying. She brought the fledgling over and together she and Lilly let it go back to it's freedom in our backyard and beyond. I guess it doesn't matter if you are trapped inside or out sometimes winter is just a matter of survival!

Randall family fun

2009-01-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

Taylor and I both come from big families. That means lots of holiday celebrating. Usually Christmas evening we go to Grammie & Grandpa Randall's house for presents and ebelskeviers. This year was different because they are still living in Germany while serving a mission. We still gathered with Taylor's siblings and their kids and as usual it was crazy fun. The present exchange went fast and it was a blast. Uncle Dan passed out the gifts and then we counted to 3 and the kids went wild opening their gifts. Afterwards Laura fixed hundreds of ebelskeviers for dinner and we sat around visiting, laughing & of course missing Grammie, Grandpa & our Mississippi cousins!

Christmas Brunch

2009-01-12T16:59:00.000-08:00

My mother has held Christmas brunch at her house for the past 35 years. She puts out an amazing spread with hashbrown quiche, sausage and egg casserole, fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, veggies and dip,french lace Christmas breads, homemade chocolates, peanut brittle, cheese cake, juices and hot chocolate. It's a feast. Now that many of my nieces and nephews are married they still make the trip to Grandmas for Christmas brunch. Like my nephew said, "It doesn't feel like Christmas until you get to grandma's house and drink a cup of hot chocolate out of the Santa mugs on Christmas morning." We all feel the same way.

After eating and visitng my oldest sister Valene and I sit at the piano and play the duet to "Sleigh Ride". We've been playing this song for 27 years and I'm not sure we're getting any better, but we have fun doing it anyway. The rest of the afternoon is passed playing games and taking cat naps.

Christmas Morning

2009-01-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

I love the anticipation of waking children on Christmas morning. Usually I'm awake before them just waiting to hear their footsteps. This particular Christmas they were sneaky and with the count of three they called out "Merry Christmas Mom & Dad! Can we come upstairs now?!!!" So polite of them to wait for us to all walk into the tree and surprises together.

When Taylor and I first had children we adopted a gift exchange that has come to be the pinnacle of our Christmas morning. It's called the "Gift of the Heart". We draw name of a family member and you must create or make a gift for that person. In the beginning years I always loved it when Taylor had my name because he would write me a story. The kids spent hours this season planning, creating and putting their gifts together. This gift is the first gift opened on Christmas morning. Spencer made me a beautiful cutting board in his wood shop class at school. Olivia made Taylor a calendar with photos from our last year in Europe. Clara made a darling bag with all kinds of pockets and filled it with art supplies for Lilly. Lilly painted a soccer ball for Spencer. Taylor made a special book of scripture stories and life lessons for Olivia and I made a baby scrapbook for Clara (it's taken me 9 years to get to this one!).

All in all our Christmas morning was filled with fun, exciting gifts and good will towards each other.

Christmas Eve

2009-01-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

For me Christmas Eve came too fast this year. It was a wonderful holiday season for our family. Taylor took the three older kids skiing at Alta for the day and I took Lilly to the mall to visit Santa. She didn't see him in France last year and believe it or not with all of our parties and activities we never had the chance to see him either. It was a LONG line, but we were on a mommy daughter date so we played hand slapping games and had fun. Lilly had no trouble sitting on his lap and telling him the one desire of her heart. By late afternoon we all congregated at home again and relaxed, ate a delicious meal of bbq baby back ribs with all the fixins, popped our English crackers at the table and enjoyed mousse au chocolate for dessert. There was a nut hidden in one dessert and the lucky winner got a cash prize.
After dinner Taylor read the story of Christ's birth from the Bible and the kids dressed up in costume to act out the nativity. Olivia & Spencer made the 3rd wiseman from her violin stand. I'm telling you these kids are clever! It was a most enjoyable evening with our little family. As tradition dictates in our house you get to open one gift on Christmas Eve and it's always pajamas. The kids have made their own tradition of sleeping in the same room together. Skiing must have worn them all out because once they were nestled all snug in their beds they fell asleep immediately! I think skiing on Christmas Eve is a very good idea!

Christmas Chocolates

2008-12-31T15:06:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a house that was always "cooking". My mother and father owned a catering business which served to bring in needed extra income. I have fond memories of my mother baking French Lace Christmas breads and making the most delicious candy you could taste. It's taken me years to learn how to make the most favorite candy of all...chocolate covered caramel turtles. I've been married for 19 years now and I think this is the first year I've had a near perfect batch.

It's a three day process to make turtles. First you must spend a day buying all of the finest ingredients. Heavy whipping cream. Fresh pecans. European chocolate. You can never buy all of the ingredients at the same store so you have to drive all around and all the while your mind gets racing with all of the magnificent candy you will have at your fingertips when it's all over!

Day two you must cook the caramel and pour it gingerly over the pecans that have been placed in three's on a buttered cookie sheet. Cooking caramels takes patience and if you try to cook it too fast you'll end up with hard tack!

Day three you put on a nice warm sweater and cool the kitchen to 60 degrees with NO drafts. You slowly melt the chocolate & make sure you don't heat it too fast or too hot or all will be lost with white streaky messes. Once the chocolate is warm and in a nice big puddle you dip and dip and dip. The hardest part of all is not licking your fingers when they are dripping with the most lucious liquid you have ever seen. Then you cross your fingers while the chocolate tempers and cools for that is when you will know if you have followed all of the directions. For if you did it right the chocolate candies will glisten and shine! After the chocolates are finished I like to put them in old metal film canisters that my mom gave me. These canisters are from my youth and whenever I see one sitting on the cold room shelf in the food storage I just hope that there is a turtle left over from Christmas time. It's one of those tastes that says MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Beck Family Party

2008-12-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

This was my year to be in charge of the big Beck family Christmas party. There are five siblings and four of us live in Utah so we switch off the responsibility. This year 52 family members were able to come. It's a growing group and we love to have everyone get together. For those who were interested we met at the outdoor ice rink downtown for ice skating before the party. It was cold, but with the Christmas lights glowing and music playing we had a blast. After skating everyone congregated at our house for a feast. I fixed cinnamon/apple roast pork tenderloin with cranberry pine nut rice. Everyone else brought the rest of the food like rolls, salad, veggies & appetizers. It was a trick to seat 52 people, but we borrowed lots of folding tables & chairs, moved furniture and made it work. There's always room for one more right?!

After dinner we had a family Christmas sing-along. It was WILD. I had gathered lots of band instruments & jingle bells so every little kid had something to play. I also found some black mustaches at the party store. Taylor randomly handed out the mustaches and told the guys to put them on. Our first song started out with the mustached men standing up and singing for us. It all went crazy after that and we sang Christmas carols in opera voices, chipmunk voices and any other crazy off the wall thing you could think of. It really took the pressure off for those who don't really like to sing and for those of us who do it added another element of FUN. We passed out the traditional oranges and candy canes at the end of the party & I would call it a successful Beck family party.

Present for a Turtle

2008-12-31T14:46:00.000-08:00

One day during the Christmas break Clara and I were home alone working on Christmas presents. We let our turtle Oscar out of his cage to wander the room for a little exercise. Both of us had forgotten about the turtle when we heard paper crunching. When we looked under our tree there was Oscar climbing over the presents. I guess he was trying to see if his name was written on any of the gift tags. Sorry Oscar!

Picnic by the Tree

2008-12-31T14:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas at our house is steeped in TRADITIONS. A favorite one that we adopted about 13 years ago is the annual picnic by the tree. We fix a delicious feast of Middle Eastern food...things like hummus, pita, tabouli, mudjuhara, fresh fruit, olives, falafels, etc. etc. It's a meal that lasts a good long time and we enjoy it sitting by our Christmas tree sharing the company of the Florence family & Grandma Beck and Paul. After our feast we have the "talent portion" of the night. You can showcase any old talent you want. Sometimes it's serious like Nathan & Marian playing a lovely duet with the guitar & violin and sometimes it's just downright silly like Lilly giving us her "funny face" routine. Afterwards we sing carols, eat lots of chocolate and goodies. It's a pretty great tradition if you ask me!

Schools OUT Snows IN

2008-12-19T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hip hip hurrah the 2008 school year ended today! That means no school until 2009. This gives us two weeks to play in the snow, stay up late, sleep-in and P A R T Y!!! The snow has been falling since day break and there is no end in sight. I LOVE IT! Our neighborhood is completely covered in white. Little kids can be seen bundled up in snow gear running around, trying to build snow forts and going sledding. We missed this part of Christmas time last year and I'm just soaking it all up. I haven't even minded driving the roads today, especially since I fianllay have a car with 4 wheel drive. It just feels like Christmas.

School Orchestra

2008-12-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

Christmas programs are going on all over town. Olivia and her cousin Ellie performed in the school orchestra Tuesday. It was a fun program and I'm always amazed that they can get that number of music students to play together. Love the music!

Marshmallow World

2008-12-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

A couple of family favorites during the month of December:

1- Waking up to a glorious sunrise when snow covers the mountains

2- Making & eating homemade marshmallows.

Nothing tops a delicious cup of hot chocolate like a light and fluffy marshmallow rolled in crushed peppermint.

HOMEMADE MARSHMELLOWS:
3 envelopes of Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbl. vanilla

Line 9x9 pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 min. Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute.
Pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add vanilla and beat to incorporate.
Scrape marshmallows into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, until cooled and firmly set.
Remove marshmallows from pan and cut into equal pieces with scissors or a chef's knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in finely crushed peppermint. Eat alone or put in hot chocolate. Enjoy!

Depicting numbers

2008-12-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Lilly and her best buddy Ryan were trying to think of something to do.

Lilly: "What do you want to do Ryan?"
Ryan: "Don't know".
Lilly: "How about we write down numbers from the phone book!"
Ryan: "Awesome!"

A few minutes later this is what they looked like sprawled out on the kitchen floor. Isn't the life of a kindergartner exciting!

Run run as fast as you can!

2008-12-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

It was an extreme decorating party last Saturday night when the Wilson family came over to make gingerbread cookies. The poor little gingerbread boys were probably dying to run away! Imagine 4 teenage boys gettin' a little crazy with the frosting. They were eating their masterpieces as fast as they could frost them. With a family of 3 girls and 1 boy Spencer often feels inundated with "girl activities". It's always a blast when the Wilsons and their 3 boys join us for fun. Needless to say I was wiping up frosting from the floor, cabinets and ceiling the next day. Pure enjoyment!

Forgotten Children

2008-12-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

Amidst the holiday pleasures we have tried very hard to remember those whose struggles are greater than the general population. A few years ago my brothers and sisters decided to stop the gift exchange between our families. We really have all we need and the gifts were simply tokens of love, but hey, we KNOW we love each other so why a gift? Instead we put the money we would have spent on gifts and pool it together for charity. This year each family provided the needs for a child sponsored by PJ's Forgotten Children. These "forgotten children" live below the poverty level AND their parent suffers from mental illness (bi-polar, schitzophenia, depression, etc.). Quite often their parents are unable to sign-up for programs that could otherwise assist and help these helpless children. This organization is incredible. The needs included things like hygeine items, winter coats, socks, shoes and food. Together my brothers, sisters and mom provided for 5 kids. We delivered the items last Friday and I was so touched as I walked around the room and saw the donations from hundreds of people. Working together, bit by bit we can make a difference and help those "forgotten" feel remembered.

Reason for the Season

2008-12-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

Last night we followed the star of Bethlehem. The neighborhood just South of us puts on a "Live Nativity" every Christmas season. There are big Roman soldiers at the entrance and it's just like you step into time as you meander the path. People are dressed up as shepherds, merchants, etc. reinacting the life in Bethlehem so long ago. Every so often a big fire pit was placed so you could warm up and pet various animals like a camel, donkey, sheep & goats. As we walked along the snow covered path there were torches and luminary bags lighting the way. A beautiful recording from the Bible tells the story of Jesus' birth. Amidst the enormous throngs of people there was a happy, peaceful feeling. To me this humble birth & life of Christ is the reason for the season.

Broken Heart

2008-12-11T05:33:00.000-08:00

With all of the activities yesterday I broke Lilly's heart. On her way out the door to kindergarten she asked, "will you please be the one to pick me up from school today?" I told her I would do my best, but I wasn't sure if I could. She only heard the "I will do my best" part. Virginie and I had gone to the store to try and finish the shopping for our sub-for-santa project. I lost track of time and missed my chance to pick up Lilly. Spencer called & with a crying Lilly in the background he explained that she walked in the door, threw her backpack & coat on the floor and then flung herself on the couch and proceeded to bawl. She hadn't stopped since walking in the house. You can only imagine how awful I felt. It's not that she didn't have any one to walk home with. After all she does have 2 big sisters who pick her up every day and walk home with her. It's jut that she wanted ME and I was too pre-occupied to recognize her little 5 year old heart. I drove home as fast as I could and appologized with hugs and kisses. She snuggled into my lap and fell asleep for over 2 hours! Luckily for my sake this broken heart was cured by sleep and a little a little love. If only all our problems could be solved this easily.

Packing it all in

2008-12-11T05:18:00.001-08:00

We really packed it all in today. Virginie & I went to the temple at 5:30am this morning. We had to get home in time to get the kids off to school. After everyone left for the day we drove up to Park City so I could show her the famous ski slopes of the 2002 Winter Olympics. It was a gorgeous day and I wish we had had the chance to go skiing. They were doing practice runs at the Olympic Park. We watched the aerial skiers go off their huge jumps - it was awesome. The bobsled was also going. Even with our big snow storm last week they are having to make snow at the resorts to keep the skiers happy. Downtown main-street Park City is all decorated for Christmas and it looks so quaint and fun. We shared a tasty artichoke/chicken pizza lunch at the Pizza & Pasta place and then headed down to watch Clara's performance at the school pioneer assembly.

4th graders in Utah study Utah history. Clara has really loved this unit...actually she's loved everything except for having to learn to square dance with a partner. I think she had fun dancing today. Reminds me of when I was in the 6th grade and we did square dancing. We had to have a partner. One day after school Steve Bain called and asked me if I wanted to be his square dance partner. I was so taken back that a boy had actually called my house that when he asked the question I responded, "What?!" He meekly asked the question again. With my wits a little more together this time I said, "Oh yea, sure, thanks, bye." click. That was it. In the end we had a great time learning to square dance and it wasn't really all that bad having to dance with a boy!

Friends & Firs

2008-12-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

A visitor from France has come to stay! Virginie Halleymeyer is from our church in France and we are thrilled to have her stay with us for a few days. This is her first visit to Utah. She has been here for a couple of weeks already. Tonight we took her out for a really good hamburger. She said that she had eaten at Wendy's but it tasted just like McDonalds. We decided she needed a "Big H", fries, fry sauce & a milk shake from Hires. It was a hit. After our stomachs had been filled we set out to buy a tall Christmas tree. This was the first year that we were able to make the tree decision with a quick consensus. Last year in France we bought a fake teeny tiny table top tree. This year the kids were eager to to get a real tree. Now we have a 10 1/2 foot beauty standing tall in our living room. We have to wait for all of the ice crystals to drip off before we can trim it. That will just give us another enjoyable evening of Christmas festivities!

Snow soccer

2008-12-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

Spencer was in heaven for a bit of the afternoon. His new soccer coach has decided to hold practice for any interested players...practice come rain, shine or SNOW! We showed up as the coach was shoveling the pitch. I'm thinking this guy is pretty cool to even consider such a thing. Only 4 players showed up but they had a blast. Lots of running which means well conditioned athletes. Tonight Spencer is tired, but happy and a happy boy means a happy mom!

Cocoa & Toast

2008-12-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

It's December 8th and FINALLY it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Today the big light fluffy snowflakes came tumbling from the sky. It was a real "winter wonderland". Last week we had about a 45 second teaser (and I'm not kidding). I was volunteering at the elementary school and a white out blew past the window. All of the kids squealed with delight and immediately jumped up to look outside. Just as they turned their backs to sit down the snowing stopped and it was a clear day once again. The snow lasted today. We even got to pull out the shovel. The kids came home cold and wet after school. I fixed a big pot of hot chocolate and we devoured many slices of warm buttered toast with our cocoa. For a brief moment the kitchen was cozy with my four babes sipping from their mugs and concentrating on homework...in hopes that they could soon run outside and enjoy the SNOW!

The Tooth Fairy

2008-12-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

I hardly know where to start after falling off the blogging sphere. Today is December 1st and so I will start here. This morning Clara woke up all smiles after she found a crisp dollar bill under her pillow. Last night while brushing her teeth her very loose tooth (a baby molar) fell out. She wrote a little "thank you" note and placed it beside her tooth hoping for a visit from the "Tooth Fairy". I must admit I was a little sad that no one lost a tooth last year while we were living in France. It would have been fun to get some euros via the "Little Mouse" or "Le Petit Souris" - the French version of the tooth fairy. Needless to say it doesn't really matter whether the ka-ching comes from a fairy or a mouse. It's just a blessed miracle that those little teeth can fall out and before you know it the real grown up version grows right into place.

Lilly also has a loose tooth...her very first. She is wriggling and jiggling just hoping that it falls out sooner than later. When she saw Clara's cash prize she asked, "how much do you think the "Tooth Fairy" brings for your FIRST loose tooth?" I said I had no idea, but that when I was a kid we only got a quarter for a lost tooth. Lilly's response..."Well that was in the "middle days". There was a long pause as she looked at me with a crooked smile..."cause you weren't born in the "olden days", but they are kind of like "middle days"." Pretty astute comment from a 5 year old wouldn't you say?!

Planting bulbs

2008-10-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

All the kids were home today roaming the yards of our neighborhood: playing hockey, jumping on trampolines, walking dogs & enjoying the first day of Fall break. It seems highly unusual that this year all of the families living on our circle are staying home for the break. It's like everyone is having a "vacation at home". The weather was fabulous for all kinds of activities & I chose to FINALLY plant some bulbs in my garden. Every spring I drive around with a little pang of remorse wondering why I didn't plan ahead for beautiful colors to burst from my soil. This year I am ready. Since my return from our European adventure I have big dreams of planting some garden delights. Today I planted 360 bulbs of various types and colors. The kids were intrigued and wondered how something that looks like an onion or garlic would possibly grow into a beloved tulip?! I'm hoping we planted them correctly...I'll be mighty disappointed come next spring if doesn't remind me just a little bit of France.

Delicious Doughnuts

2008-10-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

In Autumn when I was a girl, Sunday nights my family would make chocolate cake doughnuts. I have been telling my kids about this tradition for years. Finally they had heard enough. They wanted "PROOF" that I really knew how to make homemade doughnuts! Together we mixed, rolled, fried, sugared & frosted an enormous batch of doughnuts. There were so many doughnuts & holes that we delivered a few plates to our neighbors & friends. I think this is a new Autumn tradition that our family will try to implement on Sunday nights. You should give it a fry (I mean try!)

CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUTS
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
Cooking oil for deep-fat frying

Stir flour, baking powder, salt & cocoa in bowl. In separate bowl mix egg, sugar & vanilla. Beat until thick. Combine milk and melted butter. Add flour mixture & milk mixture alternately to egg mixture; beat just till blended after each addition. Cover; chill about 2 hours.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a doughnut cutter. Fry in deep, hot oil (375) about 1 minute per side or till golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Cool. Drizzle with frosting or shake in a paper bag with sugar. Enjoy.

Frosting: 2 Tbl. softened butter, 1/4 cup cocoa sifted, 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla. Milk as necessary to reach spreading consistency. Mix well.

First Snow

2008-10-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

First snow of the season hit early Sunday morning. The kids were thrilled & went tromping out in bare feet to feel the sting of cold to their toes. Just two days ago we were sitting on our deck enjoying the cooler fall temperatures. Wow what a difference a day makes! It looked like a snow globe most of the day as big fluffy flakes filled the sky. By days end there was no accumulation in the valley, but I think our mountains are filling up for a fantastic ski season!