The stories of Raspberry, Chocolate Chip, and their mom.

mom and her powers

2012-01-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

I was driving to work with Michelle today. She came and got me because my car is sick. Very sick. Like me. It's quite sad. Anyway, as we were driving I remembered something Brax had said to me a while ago that made me laugh out loud right there in the car. I don't even remember what our conversation was about, but I remembered these few words. Isn't it funny how memories can do that?

"Mom. Are you disappointed or angry? Because, really, I'd rather go with angry."

Brax - at age 9 or 10

Goals

2012-01-12T12:37:00.003-07:00

The Valentine Tree

2012-01-10T14:51:00.001-07:00

Our Valentine Tree is back in honor of Em's Valentine Birthday and also because I enjoy the weird looks from my friends that seem to say...

"Hey. It's post New Years, almost February. Why do you crazy people still have your Christmas tree up?"

Fun times at home.

Hey! You're cheating!

2012-01-06T08:49:00.001-07:00

She really does have the gift of persuasion. She convinced her brother, his friend and his cousins to play "Hedbanz" with her over Christmas break. Not just once, but multiple times. Just so you know, the one with the hippo kept winning and the dice kept standing on the chair so she could see her reflection in the microwave. The elephant and the paintbrush duo kept giving each other hints. Our horse was the only clean player.

Fun times at home as always.

My friend Frogmarsh

2012-01-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Frogmarsh (a.k.a. Linda Pugmire) and her husband Ron are on a mission in Africa. If you ever feel like you need more things, go read about her Christmas in an Africa orphanage.

Love you Frog!

The Christmas Tree and Santa's note.

2011-12-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

The tree is finally up. Actually, it's been up since the first week of December, but I just got around to taking some photos. We've got kind of a star/angel thing going on, mixed with some great homemade ornaments. It looks better at night :)

This morning I found the greatest note under the tree. I can speak for Santa when I say sometimes that kid is hysterical.

Welcome.

2011-12-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

Emma-ism on Fashion.

2011-12-06T16:43:00.001-07:00

We went shopping for another pair of pants on Saturday (remember the cut up black pants fiasco). As I followed her into the dressing room she had a pair of pants for $12 and some really weird shirt. Then she said, "Mom, I can do this myself. Please wait." Then she closed the curtain and hooked the lock. Rude.

After a few minutes I asked her if she needed any help. "Nope. I'll tell you when I'm ready." Fast forward another 5 minutes. "Okay mom. You can come in."

"I like them"

"I know, I look super cute! Can I have the shirt?"

It was $42 and loaded with glitter. How do you even wash glitter? I'm not paying $42 for a half glitter shirt. I don't care if the hoodie is 'awesome' and you look super cute. You can look super cute in a $10 shirt.

We did get the pants. If she cuts them up, I'm grounding her for 400 years.

Temple Square photo for 2011

2011-12-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

Found here

'Emma-ism'

2011-12-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Em: Mom. What should I do if a boy in school calls me mean swear word names? Should I call him those names back?

Me: No. You should tell a teacher and tell your mom.

Em: or, I could tell my brother and he could pound him.

Caramel Recipe - mmmmm

2011-12-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Reading Time

2011-11-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

I realized over the last few weeks that reading time with Em has been sorely lacking. We have started again to make it a nightly ritual. Last night we read a couple of Mercer Mayer books. Her favorite is "Just Going to the Dentist", only because I do crazy voices and made up dialog for the frog and spider. Tonight I had the frog afraid for his life and the spider trying to egg everybody on to scare the frog even more.

She laughed so hard she fell of the bed.

Yes, mom is still cool.

What is she up to...?

2011-11-29T17:05:00.001-07:00

Can't you just see the wheels turning...

Favorite Fall Photos Part 2

2011-11-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

I had a photography lesson and guided tour of Alpine with Von and Howard in late October. Here are my best shots.

Blue Mountains

Howard in Yellow Trees

Me. Phone shot :)

Morning Light

A Quiet Place

Blue Sky

Blue Creek

Reflections

Within the Branches

The Target Pants

2011-11-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Em and I went to Target for a few groceries. We wandered through the girls clothing section and I bought her a cute pair of black pants with a black and white striped skirt attached (that actually went to her knees). It was cute. She liked it, I liked it, it was on sale, so we bought it.

Fast forward Monday morning to the 8 year old who threw a fit because she hated the pants on.

"Too tight, too weird, I look funny"

"You look adorable"

"I don't want to look adorable!"

"Why did we buy them in the first place?"

"Because I wanted to go to the toy section so I said I liked them"
Instant punishment for that comment.
"Guess what? You get to wear them, go get your coat on" (Wailing, gnashing of teeth)

Monday evening. Picked her up at her aunts. The cute pants had been ripped through the knee and the skirt had been cut with scissors.

Seriously? Oh, she's in trouble.
She had to write me a letter of apology.

She wasn't happy. She had to pay me $10 out of her money and then she had to write down her own punishment if she did it again. And on top of that I made her help me clean the basement.

(Heart felt letter of apology...sure)

My favorite part was the grounding for 400 years.

I can't believe she cut up those pants.

Photoshop Filters

2011-11-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

Photoshop filters can make a bad hair day, not so bad.

Saturday and Snow

2011-11-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Beautiful snow this morning. I spent the early hours taking Christmas photos for a family in my ward. Aren't they cute? The kids are adorable. So happy. I love happy families.

Happy Snow Day.

Waiting for the dentist

2011-11-18T13:28:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, this is one of Em's favorite places.

They both look older to me today.
I have this weird nostaglic feeling. Not sure if I like it.

Yesterday's Sunset

2011-11-17T13:01:00.001-07:00

"My beloved friend President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives..."

...Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His words. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude.

My sincere, heartfelt prayer is that we may in our individual lives reflect that marvelous virtue of gratitude. May it permeate our very souls, now and evermore"

President Thomas S. Monson

(click on his name to read the talk)

Yesterday's blessing
(phone photo doesn't do it justice, it was beautiful)

“Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.” (Robert Louis Stevenson)

Favorite Fall Photo

2011-11-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

The best kid ever turned 16.

Favorite Summer Photo

2011-11-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

I kind of miss the summer, the fall has moved on and winter is just cold and complicated, but I always feel better when I look at this picture. I love Em's face. So dang cute.

2011-11-11T12:36:00.001-07:00

More photos from LA

Beauty of Highland Park, CA

Two of my favorite people in the whole wide world

(Jim and Landy)

My favorite missionary!

The best tacos in California - Titos Tacos. Mmmmm. Yummy.

LA

2011-11-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

Loved LA. Attended a conference on Social Media and Marketing. They focused a lot on blogging, but I did get some good ideas and information for marketing.

The best part! Getting to spend a whole lot of one on one time with Landy. One of the dearest blessings in my life. Love that woman! 22 years of friendship.

We visited Bailee (Sis. Brinkerhoff) at the temple. Wonderful visit with a stalwart missionary. She is adorable.

The city is wonderful. Huge. Tragic. Beautiful. I loved every moment.

I do not like to fly, but it was worth it.

This sign was under one of the overpasses just outside the city. There was so much traffic I got a fantastic shot.

More to come.

Fall Break Blessings

2011-10-19T20:46:00.001-06:00

Tonight I have four Spanish Fork 16 year old teenage boys in my basement, chowing down on $50 worth of pizza, soda and junk food, making a mess and a lot of noise,

and I'm so glad they are here.

News report from this week:

Spanish Fork teens killed in train accident.

More fall photos

2011-10-18T09:37:00.001-06:00

Explosion

2011-10-17T10:44:00.001-06:00

Chelle and I drove through the alpine loop on Saturday. Jenn (Landy's daughter) came with us. We almost made it up to Cascade Springs until Chelle's car overheated. The cap blew off and we had a huge explosion of steam and Chelle took an anti-freeze shower. No major burns (thankfully). I thought about taking a photo, but she would not have appreciated it.

The colors were beautiful.

A Neon Look

2011-10-13T10:58:00.001-06:00

Siblings = A free pass to torment

You can find Hank here.

Emma Comments

2011-10-12T09:55:00.000-06:00

Grocery Store Scene

"Mom, what are we giving away as treats for Halloween?"

I'm not sure, why?

"Please don't give away oranges and apples or some kind of weird vegetable. I don't want to be THAT house. meh."

um...ok...

Emma at Annie's baptism. October 2011

The Ultimate Treat

2011-10-10T16:13:00.000-06:00

2011-09-13T17:06:00.000-06:00

2011-09-07T16:07:00.000-06:00

The dishes were in the sink, the laundry was waiting to be put away, and the rooms needed to be picked up.

We played go FISH instead.

Hurray!

2011-08-24T12:16:00.002-06:00

created in Photoshop CS5

2011-08-16T10:07:00.000-06:00

The new designated reading space in our house.
It is portable.

a sign of the times

2011-08-12T10:13:00.001-06:00

Late last night Brax was at his cousin's and I was cleaning up the kitchen when I heard Emma laughing upstairs. She was supposed to be in bed.

She came down the stairs with my cell phone. "Mom, I think I'm in trouble." She handed me the phone and tore upstairs and hid in the bathroom.

The texts went something like this...

Brax: "mom, can I stay and watch the last episode??"

me (actually Emma): "tell them you cant"

Brax: "K, on my way"

When he rolled up on his bike a few minutes later, I told him about his sister's antics and said, "you may want to call next time."

all he said was, "EMMA!!!"

(Em, trying to run away)

2011-08-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

Posting this here, because he won't let me post it on Facebook.

He's so cute.

2011-08-11T12:20:00.000-06:00

One more week and her peaceful slumber until 10:00 a.m. is going to end.

poor thing.

2011-08-10T17:12:00.007-06:00

Our outdoor movie night in Springville showing:

Megamind!

"Oh you're a villain all right, just not a super one!"

"Yea - what's the difference?!"

"Presentation!"

(Enjoy our favorite part!)

she picked the outfit.
(I love the little tummy. That pajama top is at least 3 sizes to small)

2011-08-05T17:11:00.000-06:00

Summer means dancing around in the water and having a glorious time.

2011-08-04T21:18:00.001-06:00

How many dishes can two children use in one day anyway? This was clean when I left this morning...

the 5 minute race might take a little longer tonight.

the 5 minute race!

2011-08-03T16:58:00.000-06:00

Location: Home

Time: After Work

Status of House: Extremely cluttered

Offenders: Mostly Em, but Brax did his fair share

Set the timer for 5 minutes. You gt the messiest part of the house (for us that's the kitchen). Set the timer and go! If they can clean up a room before you finish the kitchen, they win, if not, you win. Making mom lose is worth cleaning at a break neck speed apparently. They straightened every room before I finished the kitchen. I lost multiple times.

but, in the end, it was me who really won (don't tell them).

Emma pointing out that she is number one.

Check out these clean rooms. Wow.

Coming up next: Treats and such or fun and fearless. I can't decide.

Family Night.

2011-08-02T14:52:00.003-06:00

I say Family Night counts if you are together for at least 15 minutes in the same room and there is no fighting, backbiting or bloodshed. Em thinks it is only family night if we actually GO somewhere, and that only counts if it takes longer than 20 minutes to get there.

Em was in charge and tonight we covered bullying, honesty and language. We hit all the topics within 20 minutes. We are fast.

The scriptures were included! Mosiah 2:17. Family Night Treat? Emma picked. Moosetrack Ice Cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, and. a. cherry. Ice cream is not ice cream without cherries.

To top it all off we watched BOLT. It started at 10:00 p.m. I made it about an hour, Brax didn't even make it that long. Em watched the entire thing on my bed and woke me up when it was over. Go Em!

Whew' one successful Family Night down.

Coming up next? The 5 minute race!

Lovely Movie

2011-07-27T18:34:00.001-06:00

Not a fan of W.A. movies, but this was wonderful, and the music... simply. delicious.

Here is a taste of the music.
Si tu vois ma mere from Sidney Bechet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM3D1M6BktQ&feature=player_embedded#at=123

2011-07-27T18:15:00.002-06:00

The kids are away for the week. Emma is with her Dad and Brax is on a canoe trip with his teacher's quorum. If I didn't have to work, I would go away until they come home. (insert sad face here)

It is not fun. I miss them.

at rock canyon park

Yesterday

2011-07-08T17:40:00.000-06:00

This is what happens every time we get in the car to drive her to her Dad's.

After dropping off Em, Brax and I went to this.

I'm not sure if it was the highlight of Braxton's week, hanging out with his mom, but I had fun. The movie was alright. The special effects were great. I had low expectations, but Brax told me to ignore the critics. If the critics hated it, chances are "I will love it".

3 posts in 1 day. wow.

2011-07-07T15:13:00.000-06:00

2011-07-07T10:36:00.000-06:00

When cooking, a fun apron and cute shoes are a must.

2011-07-07T09:36:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love this. Note to self: This would be a great New Year's board.

Found here.

Notes.

2011-05-24T17:23:00.000-06:00

I found this in the pocket of my jacket today.
Love love notes.

Milestone

2011-05-24T16:57:00.000-06:00

15 year old has Learner's Permit. He is thrilled.

Not sure how I feel...

photo forthcoming.

MOM! COME DOWN AND SEE ME!!!

2011-02-03T17:03:00.001-07:00

me: you come upstairs.

emma: no! come down here!

me: I'm folding clothes (also cleaning out my email from my phone), you come up here.

emma: mommmyyyy, please come down!

me: really?

emma: please mommy!

me: (sigh), ok. I will be right there.

self portrait, being oblivious

what I would have missed had I kept being a mom that wasn't really listening...

I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Another pretty print.

2011-01-18T17:36:00.001-07:00

Available here

I want to walk down this street (and maybe live here)

2011-01-18T14:26:00.003-07:00

England

beloved quote

2011-01-18T14:15:00.001-07:00

“The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That’s real glory. That’s the essence of it.” (Vince Lombardi)

a new year.

2011-01-04T15:09:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, the kids and I did our annual 'what we want to do in 2011' FHE. Such fun.

Brax had a great list. I reminded him to write down, 'driver's license'. He was more interested in finishing his novel. Unfortunately we had to include scouts. I could be shot down for that one. Yes, I know, there is no wonderment where my children get certain personality traits.

I tried and tried to get Emma to write, "I'm going to be baptized". We 'debated' over it for a while. She didn't flinch. That kid is a rock. We finally settled on, "sharing her testimony more" - her idea. She does think it is important to be baptized. She understands it as she should, but she isn't 'going under water' mom. And, honestly, I doesn't matter how many times I show her pictures of the Savior in the water with John or read her a book on baptism (really cute book, you can buy here. No it didn't work.

She reminds me constantly of the time I dunked her in her grandparents swimming pool in St. George this past summer. For the record,I did not dunk her. I was holding her and merely took us under. Not a good move apparently. Hank practiced with her a couple of months ago. I thought she was ready to go. Not so much. So we will wait until she is ready. She suggested 9 or 10 (years old). That means the missionaries have to come over to teach her.

I wonder what the bishop will say. :)

I think we may have to try swimming lessons in the spring.

Anyway, it was a fun evening.

2010-12-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

Temple Square 2010

2010-12-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Our holiday tradition continues as the kids and I headed to Temple Square to see the lights. We had to go today, hello, it was 50 degrees. It was lovely. We talked to a sweet lady at the Trax station. She has 26 cats. Emma was very impressed.

We wandered around Temple Square, ate dinner at the Gardens Restaurant, wandered around the Visitor's Center, and then headed to Deseret Book for hot chocolate and cookies when it started to get crowded. Then back on trax with NO tears this year

Temple Square is fun with these two. I recommend going around 3:00 or 4:00 because once 7:00 p.m. hit, it was packed.

Temple Square is beautiful this time of year. See photos here.

Family Photo

2010-12-10T15:34:00.001-07:00

shameless self promotion or an addiction to adobe...

2010-12-08T17:24:00.002-07:00

Santa's helper

2010-12-06T18:40:00.001-07:00

Emma is right on the line about Santa Clause these days. Not to sure about his "authenticity". She's been asking a lot of questions regarding his abilities to show up everywhere and give gifts to everyone, or "does he just use mom's and dad's?"

When Brax was about her age, I explained Santa in a way that put the Savior as the greatest gift giver (a lot like Santa), the wise men bringing gifts (so we continue to give gifts), and then receiving the ultimate gift of living with the Savior again by 'believing' and 'giving to others'. We talked about how we celebrate the spirit of Christmas as well as the 'fun' part of Christmas. When I explained it to Brax, he was enthralled and seemed to grasp how it is really better than a Santa Claus. I tried to give the same speech to Emma, and I thought I was doing quite well, sounding so good, but at the end she just looked at me and said, "so what you're saying is - No Santa".

Not quite the response I was going for.

Never fear though, a happy day, she got to be Santa's helper for over an hour at Chelle's Ward Christmas party last Saturday night. Here she is in all her glory.

The invention convention

2010-12-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

She made a Laugh box.

"You reach in and pull out a funny photo or a joke. It makes you laugh. Do you get it mom?"

Yes I do.

Her own invention. I supplied the paper and glue. She picked the jokes, pictures and decorated.

Another favorite.

2010-11-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever."

(Lance Armstrong)

A fantastic photo

2010-11-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Conference Center in SLC. Found here (read the article too) it's good.

The necklace is expensive dang it. It is seriously cute though.

2010-11-18T17:47:00.001-07:00

The Pillow Fight is Upstairs

2010-11-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

While in the kitchen the night before last, I heard the makings of a massive pillow fight going on upstairs. As the 15 year old is quite a bit bigger than the 7 year old my ears were open listening for the beginning of tears.

Instead I hear a loud scream, gulps of laughter and then this,

"Mom! Mom! Man down! Man down! Send a medic!"

Today is Friday.

2010-11-12T16:10:00.003-07:00

I made it. I have felt like a bumbling fool most of the work week but now I'm going to claw my way home over the gravel.

or to the church, because there is a RS meeting/activity and my friend Heidi is in charge and she is my friend, so you go. Right?

p.s. I could never get away with this outfit at work.

The happy penguin.

2010-10-27T17:49:00.001-06:00

Our penguin, happily walking the halls in her elementary Halloween parade. She really LOVES being a penguin, remember this?

Helping her brother hang Bob the Ghoul.

and his brother Fred.

Don't we just love Halloween?

Look for the unexpected: A photography lesson with Howard Rainer

2010-10-26T17:50:00.001-06:00

Allison and I took our lunch break with Howard today, who is an extremely talented photographer. He told us to look for the unexpected. Here are three of my favorite shots. Allison took the picture with my hands. It was fun and really cold.

Ladies I Love

2010-10-25T18:16:00.002-06:00

I have had the opportunity to develop some amazing friendships with our Women's Conference service chairs through the years. Here are just a few of the ladies that have changed my life for the better.

from left to right:

me, Jolene (2009), Allison, Lorrain (2010), Jennefer (2011), Chelle, and Dana (2008)

(missing: Julie (2007), Su (2006) and Ann (we miss you)).

(Julie)

(Su)

(Ann)

Love you!

Cookies with Grandma and Grandpa

2010-10-25T18:07:00.001-06:00

Who loves cookies and frosting? We do!

me. posterized.

2010-10-22T14:46:00.000-06:00

I am wearing glasses now.

I can see the computer screen.

I am officially old.

Locks of Love. By Emma. Age 7.

2010-10-11T14:03:00.003-06:00

It was especially hard to watch her cut off those lovely locks, but she happily told Courtney (at Serenity Spa) to cut - cut - cut!

11 inches to "Locks of Love" - good job Emma!

a delicious lunch. courtesy of my friend Chelle

2010-10-11T12:27:00.000-06:00

Chelle and I ran an errand over at the Riverwoods (in Provo) today and ended up eating lunch at La Jolla Groves. She said she wanted to treat me to a 'summer is official over and we survived' lunch. How cool is my friend? Yes. Very cool.

I highly recommend you make up an excuse and find a reason to eat there. The food is divine-the dessert is divine-AND you get to eat under lemon trees that are part of the decor. Yes, they are fake, but fun nevertheless.

Enjoy and thank me later.

p.s. the chicken melts in your mouth.

pictures courtesy of my cell phone. which, as Chelle pointed out, (as I grumble about the quality of the photos), is primarily supposed to used as a phone, not a camera.

fhe. monday. october 4. 2010.

2010-10-06T18:12:00.002-06:00

Emma was really sick on Sunday and Monday. She tossed and turned on Sunday night, so we took a family drive up Payson Canyon to see the colors and to get her out of the house.

Brax took the photos and Emma slept through the entire drive. We couldn't even wake her up to look at the deer, but Brax and I had a good time. He took the most of the pictures and made the dessert. Yum.

When I want to hide under the covers, I watch this instead.

2010-09-29T10:25:00.002-06:00

Top 20 things I've learned about 15 year olds this month.

2010-09-27T09:33:00.001-06:00

1. They roll their eyes more often.
2. The pressure of being 15 is sometimes too much. They need a break.
3. Football 'up and downs' are the worst thing on the planet.
4. They need space.
5. They need down time. (did I mention that already?)
6. They like to hang with their cousins/friends more than anyone else.
7. Don't take it personally (see #6).
8. They like to tease.
9. They like to torment their sisters.
10. They eat a lot and like places like Golden Corral.
11. They are still sweet and need to talk.
12. Listen more than you talk.
13. They stretch out and look like they are going to fall asleep at church.
14. Home Teaching causes stress.
15. They like to shoot air soft guns at each other.
16. They seem to say "oh mom" a lot more.
17. They think bruises are cool.
18. They have a lot of girl 'friends' on Facebook that you don't know and really don't care to know.
19. They like money.
20. They still need hugs from mom.

Happy Birthday Brax!

p.s. The cake was SOOOO good.

A Delicious Yellow Birthday Cake as requested by Brax.

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 cube butter (softened, not melted)
1 8oz container of sour cream
1 3oz box of vanilla pudding mix
(mix together - 2 to 3 minutes low speed mixer)

1 chocolate bar (high quality), finely grated by a very good friend
(fold in carefully)

2 round cake pans, lined with parchment (spray with Pam)

350 degrees - 28 to 35 minutes (depends on your oven)
Cool completely in pans.
Frost with 2 containers of whipped chocolate frosting.

YUM!

Don't forget to be a fun mom.

2010-09-08T15:16:00.002-06:00

Kathy is the role model for fun moms (above picture, light green shirt).
photo is sans Kyle who is on a mission in N. Carolina.

During church on Sunday, our Stake President came to visit. My friend Kathy leaned back from the bench in front of me and told me that there was a strong possibility they were getting released at Stake Conference next Sunday. I spent the next three hours being slightly depressed at that thought. I was very glad I was meeting with the Stake President that afternoon. The first two minutes he had to reassure me that all was well (for me anyway) he wasn't going anywhere. I said, 'sorry, I keep telling Heavenly Father to leave you where you are.' I don't know if he appreciates that or not (seeing as how I have such pull you know).

As I was leaving, President Wright (1st counselor) was in the hallway. During one of my many adventures to the stake offices over the past four years, President Wright pulled me aside and told me a wonderful story about his mom. He finished with these last words.

"Remember to be a fun mom."

I told Emma and Brax about it on Sunday night. Emma leaned over and patted me on the leg. 'Don't worry mom. You're fun.' Whew... except it was kind of a pathetic pat.

I'm realizing that it doesn't have to be expensive. The park and a drive up the mountain. Frisbee and spending time with good friends. In my quest for mastering single motherhood, I'm always trying to remember his advice to be a fun mom.

I still make them clean though. :)

2010-08-31T17:35:00.000-06:00

Thou shalt ~~not~~ covet.

Kyle Andrews "You Always Make Me Smile" Official Video

2010-08-31T15:52:00.000-06:00

BYU fun :)

a new take on Jane Austen.

2010-08-27T17:31:00.002-06:00

watch and learn.

self portraits

2010-08-27T17:09:00.001-06:00

I'm thinking my most accurate is the bottom right.

warped.

just a little.

Football. A strange state-of-mind.

2010-08-27T12:19:00.004-06:00

Brax walked on the 9th grade football team this week. He couldn't practice with them this summer because he was helping me by taking care of his sister while I was at work. We weren't sure they would allow him to join much less play.

Yesterday at practice number 2 I get this text:

Brax: Guy broke his arm. Im gettin his stuff. I heard that and then looked at the clouds. Enough said.

Me: Oh. Gross. Poor thing. Ouch.

Brax: Yaya poor him. The point is, as of yesterday they had no pads or anything. He broke his thumb and now his armor is available to me. GODSENT.

Me: Mean! Will it fit?

Brax: Dunno

Me: Can't you play with a broken thumb?

Brax: Its in a cast. He quit. I suspect mother-play is involved...

Me: Mother-play? Please explain that...

I really did raise a nice, respectable, loving child. Balloons and festivities weren't involved upon the news of the broken thumb, although when I told his uncle he said, "YES!".

Sarah Sample // Calling Your Name

2010-08-24T20:24:00.003-06:00

Love her voice. Found here.

First Day of School 2010!

2010-08-24T20:16:00.000-06:00

one extremely handsome 9th grader.

one very cute 2nd grader

2010-08-20T16:09:00.000-06:00

Back to blogging...

2010-08-18T10:48:00.000-06:00

It has been a long, insane summer, but I think I am now at the point where I can start posting again.

This short post is about my daughter's eating habits.

Today, while I was at work, Emma had this for lunch:

The entire bag.

and this...

The entire, $5.99 per pound, loaf.

Add a tomato and she could be her own pizza.

Emma moods

2010-06-17T19:12:00.000-06:00

They can turn on you in a second.

watch out.

at the park.

time to leave the park.

I really like this photo

2010-06-08T15:18:00.002-06:00

It makes me kind of dizzy.
I would stand there if I had the chance (as long as I had a very sturdy rope).

Long way down...found on Bing images (they have cool stuff).

Who dressed you?

2010-06-02T17:40:00.001-06:00

My children made a visit to our 2nd counselor's home yesterday afternoon so he could help Brax fix his bike. Emma decided to stay and play with his kids until I picked her up after work.

This is what you find (at the counselor's home no less) when mom is gone and the older brother is the supervisor of the dress code.

old, ripped T-shirt (that she wore to bed the night before)

old, cut off pajama bottoms - undergarment free of course

no socks

no shoes

hair - I don't know what to say about the hair

sigh. The supervisor has been called in for questioning.

'-'

Pictures from the last few months

2010-05-27T19:46:00.000-06:00

today is my birthday.

2010-05-07T14:35:00.003-06:00

Today is my birthday, but I will write more about that later, along with what has been happening for the last month and half. I will post words and pictures soon, promise.

Today I want to write about Steve Trost. My friend Steve died on Wednesday. He was amazing. I worked with him for 14 years. I loved him and his sweet wife Jodi. He was a quiet source of strength in our department. He was always kind. We had many talks about our two boys who are about the same age. When I went through a painful divorce he would walk by me and grab my hand and then keep walking down the hall. I knew he cared.

I will miss him.

Although I don't know the sting of losing a loved one to heaven, I do know how hard it is to be single mom. Pray for Jodi. She's amazing too, but needs our prayers.

waz up which u?

2010-03-18T17:49:00.007-06:00

I do not like this picture of me. Eek.

I received an email from my brother today (see photo above). So it has become the subject of my blog post.

To: Jennefer Johnson

From: Hank Smith

Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:02 AM

Subject: Alive?

Hey, where have you been lately? No postings on the blog, barely any return texts, waz up which u?

My reply:

Hi.

-Uh huh. I’m alive. Exhausted but alive.

-Work is HARD, but tis the season (plus one shouldn’t complain when one has employment)

-I’m going to paint the basement this weekend because I cannot face another Saturday in this office.

-I bought a plug in sander (sp?). IT IS COOL.

-The paint is called Coconut Milk, or there is one called BASKET. It has yellow undertones, which I kind of like. I can't decide, but I must.

-oh. one wall is going to be Milk Chocolate. How FANTASTIC is that? Makes you want to lick the walls.

-I’ve been neglecting my blog. I will post something soon. I have lots to post, just no time.

-Poor me. Whaaaaaaa

-Hugs to everyone.

Love you.

P.s. I think I will blog this email.

I should let him blog about the time I went to hear him speak at a single adult fireside this past winter. It is the GREATEST story.

-Oh, and he has a Facebook FAN page. Want to join? I'm a card carrying member. :)

the sad ending of chicken little (and a few friends)

2010-03-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Last night, in kitchen, after family home evening...

Emma: MOM!!!! MOM!!!!

me: what's wrong? (running down the stairs)

Emma (irate): Mom! Read this!

(tried, she read it for me)

Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky and Cocky Locky were NEVER SEEN AGAIN!

Look mom! That stupid fox killed them!

What kind of a book is this?

This is not for children!

Are they trying to traumatize me! I am only in 1st grade!

This is a horrible book. I'm telling the library.

This is not like the movie!

(stomped away)

me: what just happened?

and she tears up...

2010-03-01T14:36:00.002-07:00

Thursday, February 25, 2010.

Came home from work, dropped bags in kitchen, kicked off shoes, went upstairs, changed clothes, came downstairs to start dinner, and found this child in the kitchen (already in his sweats)...

Reading the New Era.

I need a moment...

They really exist.

2010-02-25T16:30:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, in the mail, was the

TITLE

to my car

I've paid it off

and
I get a refund back

apparently, 6 years and $24,900 later, I overpaid

so they are sending me
$21 dollars

wow

trivia.
$21.00
is

0.08433% of $24,900

who knew?

I went to my online banking page to
delete the auto payment.

It felt really weird.

I've always had a auto payment

since I was 16

minus the 1 1/2 years I was on my mission.

Really. It feels weird.

We (Emma, Brax and I) celebrated here for dinner:

I thought it was fitting for the occasion

(image from here)

It was yummy.

Well...

here's to hoping old blue will last

so Brax will have a car in high school.

I have 1 year and 6 months

until he is behind the wheel

(not sure how I feel about that)

and then I will have to get another car

but until then...

have.

no.

car.

payment.

HOLY HELL!

(sorry mom)

Talking in Sacrament Meeting

2010-02-23T18:30:00.003-07:00

The 2nd counselor in the bishopric (a.k.a.) my home teacher called me in a panic on Friday morning. He asked me to speak on Sunday. Considering my week at work had been LONGGGG, I still had one day to go, and I had plans at a friend's on Friday evening, this was not exactly how I wanted to spend my Saturday.

Oh, and was it something easy like pay your tithing... go to church... the plan of happiness????

No.

It was a talk on Elder Bednar's Conference address in April 2009. PLUS he wanted the emphasis on real worship. Not, get in, get done, go home...worship, but True Worship.

Stress.

But... I cannot say No to Brother Johnson. He is such a great home teacher. I mean GREAT. He goes over and beyond the call of duty. He calls every week to see if we need something. Fixes anything that is broken, put in my backyard, and the sprinkling system ... see...the guilt would have been worse than the anxiety.

So I spoke.

I'm posting it in all its glory. Mostly to remember that if they call me again I can say ... "Hey, can I just read my old talk?"

*** My Talk***

As I was sitting on the stand I was thinking about asking the bishop if I could make this a little more like my Sunday School class. I would like to have Sister Sanders come up on the stand and sit next to me and when, not if, I loose my place or train of thought, she could intercede on my behalf with a wonderful story or applicable scripture until I am ready again.

I’m not sure how she feels about that, but I’m sure that it would make me feel a whole lot better.

I appreciate the confidence Brother Johnson has in me by asking me to speak today. Although asking me on Friday morning on my way to work wasn’t very nice, so I made sure to tell Kerry on Facebook so I’m hoping he got in a little bit of trouble.

I was asked to speak on Elder Bednar’s April 2009 conference talk- Honorably Hold a Name and Standing in the Lord’s Holy house. With an emphasis on “true temple worship”.

(I think I said something here about this being an inspired call by Brother Johnson, because this time of year, I’m am planning a conference for BYU, a rather large conference, and my tendency is to say, I’m really busy, so just take a number and I’ll get to you as soon as I can. This attitude has slipped into my worship as well and I think that the Lord would like me to change that attitude.)

Let me share an example. With our lives as busy as they are, we sometimes treat temple worship like the way we would Utah County’s newest, most popular fast food establishment. We want to get in and get out as fast as possible and on to the next item of our day. The world we live in is like this. And sometimes that attitude can sneak into our temple worship; it sneaks into our Sunday workshop – our daily worship. It becomes something to check off our list so we can move on. Grocery store, temple session, laundry, scriptures, soccer practice, clean the bathroom.

This, however, is not true worship.

In his talk, Elder Bednar shares this. I have come to understand better the protection available through our temple covenants and what is means to make an acceptable offering of temple worship. There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.

No more is it something to check off our lists, instead, we become, as President Howard W. Hunter said, a temple-attending and a temple-loving people, were we learn more richly and deeply the purpose of life and the significance of the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So what is and what isn’t true temple worship, or just worship in general? The answers are right before in the scriptures. Sister Sanders knows that I like to use the scriptures a lot when I teach. That way I have a less chance of saying something that will get me into trouble. So if you want to follow along with me, I’m going to start in Alma 31.

Alma is now on a mission to the Zoramites. They have become a wicked people. They have lost key points of the gospel, the have lost their focus, they no longer believed in Christ, they have perverted the ways of worship. Their worship became a “once a week, for a set period of time” schedule… I’m going to start in verse 22…

22 Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing about.
23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, anever speaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.

Now I know I’m not as bad as the Zoramites, but there have been weeks were I have been so busy with what I call my “daily reality” that my worship is really similar to those lovely Zoramites. There have been Sunday’s where I come home from church and lay my scriptures on the table only to pick them up the following Sunday, to go and worship for “another specific time”, like the Zoramites. That is not true worship. I know better.

So if we see what true worship isn’t, where can we find an example of what true worship is?

For that we only need to turn a few pages to 3 Nephi. Chapters 11-24 give us the greatest example of true worship, really the perfect example of true worship. The example of the Savior Jesus Christ. I could read every chapter and in each one there would be wonderful examples. But there is one scripture that really stands out. It tells us exactly what to do. It is found in 3 Nephi 17, verse 3. These are the words of the Savior…

3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and aponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and bprepare your minds for the cmorrow, and I come unto you again.

He tells us to go home and ponder - ponder upon the things which he said. To take worship home and let it help us prepare - prepare for “our morrow” with a spiritual eye. This is true worship – how our temple worship as well as our daily worship should be.

So what happens when we follow this counsel? What blessings await us? Wonderful blessings! – laid out right before us in the scriptures. Let’s go to the Old Testament. I am going to go to Isaiah Chapter 2, starting with vs 2-3, verses that many of us are very familiar with. I am on page 863 of the Old Testament. My brother, who teaches seminary, pointed these scriptures out to me and they took on a whole new meaning.

Read Isaiah Chapter 2 vs. 2 and 3.
2 And it shall come to pass in the alast days, that the bmountain of the LORD’s chouse shall be destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all enations shall flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ago up to the bmountain of the LORD, to the chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will dteach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of eZion shall go forth the flaw, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

We read here that we will flow or in other words, He will gather us together at the temple, and that the temple experience will teach us. It will teach us God’s way and will help us to walk in His paths.

Now that is usually where I stop reading, but my brother pointed out to me that there is more, a lot more, so let’s keep going in verse 4 it says… and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks: That one was a little more difficult for me, my first thought was, “I don’t get it”, so I looked it up…

A plowshare is the cutting blade of a plow,
a pruning hook is a tool with a hooked blade that is used for pruning plants.

Swords, spears, plowshares, and pruning hooks all have blades; but as swords and spears represent war, anger, malice, resentment – plowshares and pruning hooks are useful and conducive to work, they represent instruments of peace and prosperity.

So vs 4 is telling us that the temple will change our swords and spears, to peace and prosperity and that neither shall they learn war any more, which to us may be that we no longer learn or perhaps lean towards competitiveness, envy, anger, or resentment. That will all be done away with.

Now let’s keep going to verse 5. I’ve never really read verse 5 before, but it is and profound and the blessings are beautiful.

5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us awalk in the blight of the LORD.

There are two blessings here,

The first, to walk in God’s light. To walk in God’s light is to be blessed with a more spiritual approach to life, a stronger desire to be righteous,

And the 2nd - the light of the Lord – set in the context of the temple, has immeasurable worth. It is explained further in D&C 88:11 – I’m going to summarize it, rather than turning to it…
The Lord’s light – the light we receive from the temple…enlighteneth the eyes, quickeneth understanding, infuses joy into the soul and dispels darkness so that the “dark veil of unbelief (is) cast away”

So here is my compiled list from those verses of blessings we received by true temple worship as laid out by Isaiah:
- The gift of being gathered together at the temple so that we do not wander alone
- Help – to learn God’s way
- Help – to walk in His paths
- Blessings –of peace and prosperity
- That war – or perhaps, more applicable to us – competition, envy, anger, and resentment will not be part of our lives.
- The gift of being able to see our lives and our family with a spiritual eye
- Stronger desires to be righteous
- More understanding of God
- Joy of the soul
- And The driving out of darkness and unbelief

And there are even more blessings. Turn with me to Alma 26. A story that our youth know really well. The story of the great missionary Ammon. I am on page 272 of the Book of Mormon.

In the first few verses, Ammon is talking to “his quorum” his brethren, explaining the great joy, the rejoicing he feels in bringing the repentant Lamanites “out of the darkness, even the darkest abyss and into the light.” So great was his joy at being an instrument of God. I’m going to start in verse 3

3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how amany of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made binstruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

And then on to vs. 5.
5 Behold, the afield was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the bsickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your csheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

In his talk Elder Bednar explains that the sheaves in this analogy represent the newly baptized members of the church and the garners are the holy temples. – verse 5 again And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

Now remember what we just read a few minutes ago. Isaiah’s promise to us that we too can be gathered, in the garners. Gathered to the temple.

And there is more if you continue reading, Ammon begins to list those protective blessings, that Elder Bednar said are available through our temple covenants when we faithfully and consistently worship in the temple. Let’s start in vs 6.

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the astorm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

So the 1st protective blessing – They (or we) shall not be beaten down by the storms.

2nd protective blessing – Neither shall we be harrowed up by the whirlwind

3rd protective blessing – and when the storm cometh we shall be gathered together that the storm cannot penetrate us

4th – neither shall we be driven with fierce winds whither-so-ever- the enemy listeth to carry us

And the 5th and 6th protective blessings can be found in vs. 7 – we are in the hands of the Lord, we are his. And he will raise us up at the last day. We are in His Hands and He will raise us up.
Sister Sheri Dew, in her talk No One Can Take Your Place, said “This is one reason every worthy adult may go to the temple, he or she emerges surrounded and protected by God’s power.

Elder Bednar shares other story in his talk about how true worship truly changes us.

The exodus from Nauvoo in September of 1846 caused unimaginable hardship for the faithful latter-day Saints. Many sought shelter in camps along the Mississippi River. When word reached Brigham Young at winter quarters about the condition of these refugees, he immediately sent a letter across the river to Council Point encouraging the brethren to help—reminding them of the covenant made in the Nauvoo Temple. He counseled: Now is the time for labor. Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the house of the lord, burn in your hearts like flame unquenchable. Within days, wagons were rolling eastward to rescue the struggling Saints.

What was it that gave those early Saints such strength? It was the fire of the temple covenant that burned in their hearts. A burning that they gained by true worship.

One last story about the blessings that we receive when we truly worship. This is a story shared by President Monson:

To some it may seem strange to see ships of many nations loading and unloading cargo along the docks at Portland Oregon. That city is 100 miles from the ocean. Getting there involves a difficult, often turbulent passage over the bar guarding the Columbia River and a long trip up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers

But ship captains like to tie up at Portland. They know that as their ships travel the seas, a curious saltwater shellfish called a barnacle fastens itself to the hull and stays there for the rest of its life, surround itself with a rocklike shell. As more and more of these barnacles attach themselves, they increase the ship’s drag, slow its progress, decrease its efficiency.

Periodically, the ship must go into dry dock, where, with great effort the barnacles are chiseled or scraped off. It’s a difficult, expensive process that ties up the ship for days.

But not if the captain can get his ship to Portland. Barnacles can’t live in fresh water. There, in the sweet, fresh waters of the Willamette or Columbia, the barnacles die and some fall away, while those that remain are easily removed. Thus, the ship returns to its task lightened and renewed.

Sins are like those barnacles. Hardly anyone goes through life without picking up some. They increase the drag, slow our progress, decrease our efficiency. Letting them build up, one upon another, they can eventually sink us.

In His infinite love and mercy, our Lord has provided a harbor. Just as the ship captains had their Portland harbor. We have a harbor. We have the temples, were, if we truly worship, our troubles, hardships, those things that truly weigh us down, fall from us, we feel stronger , our souls lightened and renewed, we can go efficiently about our work and His.

(didn’t use this part – time was getting short)

We may face different levels of opposition in our quest for true worship. Elder Bednar reminds us that such opposition is not new. While the Salt Lake temple was under construction, Brigham Young encouraged the Saints: If you wish this temple built, go to work and do all you can…Some say, “I do not like to do it, for we never began to build a Temple without the bells of hell beginning to ring. I want to hear them ring again. All the tribes of hell will be on the move, but what do you think it will amount to?”

In D&C 6:32-34 we read,

32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as atouching bone thing, behold, there will I be in the cmidst of them—even so am I in the dmidst of you.

33 aFear not to do bgood, my sons, for whatsoever ye csow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow dgood ye shall also reap good for your ereward.

34 Therefore, fear not, little aflock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are bbuilt upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

(started again here)

In closing I would reiterate a few words from President Boyd K. Packer in his address, “The Holy Temple”.

No work is more of a protection to this Church than temple work,
No work is more spiritually refining
No work we do gives us more power
No work requires a higher standard of righteousness.

Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people. So come to the temple – come and claim your blessings.

True temple worship provides our safe harbor, our shields and protections, a place where life’s barnacles and oppositions fall from us and our souls are lightened and renewed.

May we strive for this through true worship, true temple worship, is my hope and prayer.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

She is such a girl.

2010-02-12T18:42:00.003-07:00

Conversation from Wednesday night.

Mom: Emma! I need you to come upstairs. We need to run Brax over to the church for young men's (exactly 2 minutes from door to door). We will be right back, so just pause your movie. okay?

Emma: okay. Just a sec. I need to grab something.

The non conformist.

2010-02-09T15:59:00.005-07:00

This picture is entitled "Who? Me?"

Apparently ms. Emma was having behavioral struggles at school...

These are emails from her teacher after I asked her to let me know how Emma was doing.

(Emma at school - November and December)

Thanks so much for staying this morning. That really was helpful! Unfortunately, she did not have a good rest of the day. She got up to a purple card (for talking, not paying attention, distracting others). I kept her and a few other kids in for the first few minutes of computers to talk to each of them about why they had to stay in and what they can do better next time. Then I told them that I wanted them to WALK to computers. The next second I hear screaming/yelling and running feet. Emma and two other girls were running and yelling and were all the way down the hallway. I made them all come back and gave them lunch detention for tomorrow (or Monday for Emma). Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! Hopefully next week will be better.

Emma’s Teacher

***
(Emma at school – mid January).

Skills is a class you go to when you get a ‘purple’ card. You miss recess and go to skills. I suggested, perhaps they take away something she would miss, like the library or computers, because putting her in skills was just making her happy. I asked her about the ‘running like a maniac down the hall. She said they were excited, but their teacher ruined it.’ She and her teacher live on different planets I think)

I will definitely try to remember to email you each day. Just so you know, I will be out sick tomorrow, but I will start on Tuesday. If I ever forget, feel free to send me a quick email and I will respond quickly. I do know that the last time I sent her to skills she said "This is fun." The teacher who runs skills and I have been trying to think of things that will make it not so fun. It is great to know that she really enjoys Library and Computers. I will definitely try to take any time that she owes from those classes. Of course, you are welcome to come in whenever you want!

Thank you so much for your support at home. It is definitely more successful when she is held accountable for her behavior at school and home.

Emma’s Teacher

***

(Emma at school – end of January. We had a LONG talk about respect in Family Home Evening and about having respect for her teacher. She complained that she is always singled out (which may be true now). She then proceeded to grab a piece of paper and wrote R E S P E C T in BIG letters, really messy, across the paper and threw it on the kitchen floor and looked straight at me. I seriously wanted to laugh, but... she spent the evening in her room, first cleaning it and then laying on her bed. I’m thinking to myself, ‘this isn’t working mom. Come up with something else.’ I made a reward calendar at the table and took it upstairs to the penitentiary. Here is her teachers report on Tuesday evening)

Yes, she did keep a green card yesterday with the sub. Today she has been doing a great job! She just got one warning and has a yellow card. I will let you know if that changes in the last half hour of school, but I don't anticipate her getting any more warnings. She is trying very hard!!

Thanks, Emma’s Teacher

***
Apparently she liked the sub. Who was 'nice' and 'didn't yell at me or think I was going to do something bad.'

(Emma keeps looking at the calendar. She wants to know when she can go get her reward. I told her, “Saturday, as long as you stay green or yellow.” “Yellows' as good as green she said, walking out of the room.” I wonder if I should be worried about that statement)

(The next day)

Emma kept a green card today! Hooray!

Thanks, Emma’s Teacher

(and the next)

Jennefer,

Another good day! She just got a yellow card. Hooray!

Thanks, Emma’s Teacher

***

(and now today)

Hi,

Emma had another good day. She got a yellow card for jumping off of the bench by the office while we were walking in line. She has been so much less disruptive in class! She talks about the rewards that she will get and seems very excited about them. Thank you!!!!

Thanks, Emma’s Teacher

I have to say, I love my daughter and I am so glad she got a yellow card for this. I think watching her walk down the hall with her arms folded, in a line, marching behind her teacher like a robot would have bugged me more.

Conformists sometimes bother me.

Pronunciation [kuh n-fawr-mist]–noun
1. a person who conforms, esp. unquestioningly, to the usual practices or standards of a group, society, etc. This is an antonym of Emma Johnson.

***
Update: Last night I asked Emma about jumping on to the bench. She said, 'I was clear in the back mom! and she still saw me!' I told her that teachers have eyes in the back of their heads and she should probably save her jumping on the furniture for home. She laughed. 'I can't believe I got caught'.

Junior High School Algebra

2010-02-03T16:58:00.008-07:00

Quote for the day.

Junior High School was Satan's idea.
H. Smith, 2009

homemade Pizza for FHE and the food we can no longer eat.

2010-02-02T17:36:00.001-07:00

I made the mistake of watching Food Inc. and now I am paranoid about what my children are eating. I was at Sam's Club the other day with Chelle and I couldn't buy chicken. It just made me sick. I liked chicken, dang it. That movie has ruined me for life.

I also read this book which sent me to this Web page to learn more about hidden sugars and that lovely thing we call partially hydrogenated oil. Gross. PHO is basically buckets of melted lard. There are buckets of lard in our favorite cookies and in those healthy crackers. That is very sad. They must go.

Making dinner just got really hard. I've never been much into prepackaged food, but now I think "Don't buy it! You are poisoning your children! What kind of a mother are you!"

I stopped at the store on my way home from work yesterday to buy a Family Night treat. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING I picked up was full of sugars, at least three different kinds per package, corn syrup, brown sugar, glucose and fructose (melted sugar), other ingredients that I couldn't pronounce and then dyes. All sorts of dyes. There was a whole chapter on dyes. And then the killer PHO. I was so flustered I ended up buying frozen raspberries, blackberries and cream. Emma was estatic. I made Brax some homemade caramel sauce for his 'somewhat clear of chemicals' vanilla ice cream we had in the freezer. Yes, there is sugar in caramel sauce, but at least I knew every ingredient was from my pantry and not a testing lab. See. Paranoid.

When I got home, we made homemade Pizza's. (I looked at the premade, just add water, crust box at the store, -- full of guck). Had to be from scratch, sauce too. It was actually fairly easy to make, I used whole wheat and I could pronounce every ingredient, it was all in my pantry. Whew. The whole meal had 1/4 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. The final result? Two thumbs up from both Brax and Emma (the pickest eater I know). Hurray.

Tonight? 100% whole wheat pasta...

Sidetrack here: did you know if it doesn't say 100% whole wheat and only says 'whole wheat' then it could be 2% or 10% wheat with fillers, something else I learned. Bother.

back to dinner... with parmesan cheese, broccoli (only for Brax), Emma won't touch anything green (sigh), apples and some other whole food that hasn't been processed so I don't feel like a bad mother.

Eating is hard.

Pictures. Taken with phone camera, so they are a little yellow.

2 new things

2010-01-15T17:35:00.001-07:00

We got a new camera for work. It takes great pictures...

It's very cool. Ann (see picture below) reminded me that it belongs to 161 and isn't the personal property of Jenn. What?

And Court cut my hair today.
(before, blah hair)

(after)- Quite stylish. My friend Courtney has skills. Considering what she had to work with, she's a genius.

(of course all pictures were taking with the cool new camera that belongs to 161...)