Pictures coming soon!

I have been busier than a marshmallow vendor while Rome burned!  At the beginning of March, I realized I did not have A SINGLE UNSCHEDULED DAY in the entire month!  It has gotten busier since then!  And, while all of the stuff is good—some of it is FABULOUS, even—it is still LOTS OF BUSY!

 Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Both the Yoga and the Herbs classes that we are taking are offered though our Tech HS Community Ed classes.  Yoga is very sneaky—it starts off so easy you think “this isn’t even really exercise!” and then, before you know it, you are working so hard you can’t believe it!  I am really enjoying it—I love it even more because I am doing it with BigGirl!  I wish we had somewhere closer (it is about 45 min North of us) so we could do it several times a week. 

The Herb class is actually 5 freestanding classes that I signed up to take as the entire series.  Mary Colvin, the teacher is a woman who is a Master Herbalist, certified through Dr. Christopher’s School of Natural Healing in Springville, UT (where my friend Heidi worked).  The first class was on Growing a Medicinal Herb Garden.  The second class was “Herbal First Aid” and the third was “Herbs for Women’s Issues”.  I am working on designing and preparing gardens, and hope to plant them next year.  However, it did make me feel better about several “weeds” that I never got around to exterminating—turns out they are awesome helpers that I was already growing!  YAY!

I am taking Beekeeping classes, also, and I will gradually buy apiary supplies this year and get my bees next spring.  I am REALLY excited about that—I didn’t think it would be possible to think bees were any cooler, but the more I learn, the more fabulously awesome they are—truly celestially designed!  (However, the pests that affect them are DEFINITELY in the telestial category!  GROSS and nasty!)   I will probably start my “vermiculture” worm farm this year.  Pretty neat little critters—but not as beautiful as bees!  Red Wigglers eat 1 ½ times their body weight a day in household waste that they turn into the highest possible quality compost!  You can just set up a bin in the basement or outside and make sure they have plenty of kitchen scraps and newsprint, and enough moisture, and they do their magic without much outside interference!

We had the Candyland Activity last Wednesday, so now I can give you more details!  The Laurels wanted to plan a really special Mother-Daughter Activity, and they recruited me, because they know where my talents lie!  We actually started the planning back in November, and over the Christmas break Sarah K and Aryn P came for a 2 day sleepover, and we started work on decorations.  BigGirl and I have been working at least once a week on parts of it since then! 

It started with walking in the YW hallway under 8 ft tall Candy Canes flanking the inner glass doors, with a “Welcome to Candyland” sign.  There were bright paper squares on the floor, like the game board.  If you followed them, you went into the YW room, where the front chalkboard had been turned into the Peppermint Forest, and they did a craft, decorating picture frames with Starlight Mints (red and green).  Then they went to the “Gumdrop Mountains”, and guessed how many gumdrops were in a jar.  Then on to “Peanut Acres” where they played cornhole with beanbags shaped like peanuts.  Each of those areas had a large (4-5 foot long) painted backdrop.  Then out into the hall, past “Lollipop Woods” which had 6 paper mache lollipops that were about a foot across standing in a grove. 

In the RS room we had 4 tables set up, each with a brightly colored plastic tablecloth. The table centerpieces were little gingerbread houses. Over the chalkboard we had the “Candy Castle” which was a castle I painted on sheet years ago for a little girls birthday.  Up at the front we had the “Chocolate Swamp, where I had a chocolate brown silk fabric “chocolate waterfall” and a real chocolate fountain, with stuff to dip.  On the other food table we had sandwiches in the shape of gingerbread people and “cupcakes” made with mini meatloaves in aluminum cupcake papers, topped with mashed potatoes piped on like frosting, then baked.  Out in the hallway by the gym, we blocked it off with the piano, and then put up giant stand up Gingerbread Mom & Daughter cutouts, where we took pictures of the girls with their moms, and we will put those pictures in their frames as a memento.  It was a HUGE amount of work, but we had a really good turnout, and we had several of the less active girls and everybody had fun, so it was worth it!

The next morning was our Seminary visit from our Stake Seminary Supervisor.  He drives all the way up from  Columbus twice a year to visit!  (He has to get up at 2am, and he is still willing, cheerful and brings donuts!  Talk about dedication!)  After he left, I jumped in the shower, then got SmallDaughter dressed and on the bus, then left for town, where I hooked up with a couple from my Ward, and my newly returned from his mission cousin, and we went to the Temple.  It was a wonderful session, even though I was running on 4 hours of sleep!  I stayed in town for an hour, then drove over to the church, where I carpooled BACK down to Columbus for the Stake Primary Leadership Meeting.  It was also very good.  There were several classes on Special Needs children, which was excellent, since SmallDaughter’s new Assistant was able to go! 

I had been really worried about finding a babysitter for SmallDaughter for Saturday’s Quad Stake Seminary Activity/Dance—I knew I would be gone 10+ hours, and there was NO way she would like it!  However—the babysitter situation was looking pretty dire!  Grandpa & Grandma were in Maryland for her brother’s wedding, LargeCousin & Auntie were in their final performance of “Oklahoma”, and Bestie K and her kids are in TX, where her mom has been in Intensive Care with internal bleeding.  Even my backups—were all babysitting grandkids!  AARGH!  I finally asked the mom of one of my seminary boys, and she was willing, but was sick, and not sure how she would be feeling.  Anyway, in blessings many layers deep, My Favorite Gentleman got to come home on Friday, so SmallDaughter just got to have an awesome day with her daddy!  He took her to see “Wreck-it Ralph”, to ride the carousel (once on the chariot, twice on kitties), and to eat Hamburgers at McDonalds! 

So, on Friday, I worked on the house (slowly, since I was super-tired!), and I was at Beekeeping Class when My Favorite Gentleman got home, but boy was it nice to see him!  It is working out that he comes home once a month, and I go see him once, so I average seeing him every two weeks, with the kids seeing him once.  Better than nothing, but less than ideal.  Please pray that he will be transferred to a crew that works 10 days on, 4 off, so he can be home more.  Saturday was the big seminary activity, and it was really fun.  I took my whole seminary crew and we had a great time, but I got home a little after midnight, and had to leave the house on Sunday at 8, so I could be at Ward Council by 9.  I presented the new Summer Project—instead of Book of Mormon Reading, we are doing a Summer of Service.  I have had so much inspiration on this, it has already been awesome for me, and I hope we can get the rest of the Ward to catch the spirit!

Today we are going to go pick up our new chicks!  Always a fun time!  (We just got back—they are--OF COURSE!—super cute!)  And varied, because I just got 25 assorted brown egg layers. I think we have 4 or 5 breeds—lots of barred (black and white striped feathers, very pretty), some yellow chicks that will probably be regular red chickens and 4 cute little “booted” girls that have feathers on their feet, and are a really pretty “seal” brown like a Siamese cat! 

BigGirl going to Spain is because we found a neat program called Pueblo Ingles, where they pair up native English speakers with Spaniards who need to practice English.  We only have to pay for plane fare, and they put the “anglos” up at a 4-Star resort, all expenses paid for 1 or 2 weeks.  All she has to do, is have lots of 1 on1 conversations with teens from Spain!  And,  they use English speakers from all over the world, so she can meet friends from South Africa, Ireland, Australia, etc.  The only problem we are having is with scheduling, because the teen program mainly runs through the month of July—right when she has Youth Conference and Girls Camp!  We are doing our best, but she is planning to try next year if we can’t make this year work!  And for just awesomeness, our passports have arrived!

How is everybody doing?  Well, My Favorite Gentleman is working lots and lots, BigGirl is busy doing awesome young lady things like watching the Lizzie Bennett Diaries (which finish up next week!!), staying updated on several webcomics, reading stacks and stacks of books, going to plays and various social awesome things, and  being on the Stake Youth Committee.  LargeBoy is drawing all the time, and having a great time being awesome with his seminary bros.  They alternate between video games, drawing, creating live online adventures via chat with the various far away friends, learning to play musical instruments and practicing sweet dance moves.  He is also working on becoming a fashion-meister with his own hipster, thrift store style.  It is pretty awesome (often involves hats, suspenders, cool belts and custom decorated canvas tennis shoes).  SmallDaughter is doing really well.  She is continuing to progress in school, and when I had our meeting with her teacher, Mrs. K, (who taught her for 3^rd grade, didn’t for 4^th and had her this year for 5^th), she has noticed LOTS more concentration, and Lots less picking, which gives me hope.  I am just doggy paddling along, trying to keep everything in balance!

Life List

For my birthday, I decided to make a Life List.
I looked at a lot of other peoples lists, which is almost as fun as going to Real Estate showings ("really, they chose that?!! I would never choose that!" or "OOH, I LOVE what they did with that!"). I recommend it.

Some of the things I have already done. Some require lots of repetition. Some I may never do. I am fairly certain this list will not stay at 100 items. My life is like that!



1. Skinny dip at under a full moon. (Note to self—Labor Day in Idaho is TOO DANG COLD.)
2. Get a spinning wheel, learn to spin wool into yarn. (Got the wheel, still working on the spinning).
3. Learn to knit.
4. Knit a “naked girl length” (just to the tips of my fingers, like when a short girl wears her husbands shirt) pure wool Aran sweater-—for myself.
5. Go to an outdoor Bazaar in Turkey. (Note to self, while there, go to Pamukkale the “Cotton Castle”)
7. Eat food from street vendors Ongoing!
8. Get a stamp in my passport. 04/2004 (Note to self: This was awesome—do it MORE!)
9. Touch something 1000 years old. 04/2004
10. Drive across the US by myself. 09/2008 (well, I was the only driver, I had lots of small children with me).
11. Learn how to change a tire. (I can do it, but prefer not to.)
12. Learn how to change the oil. (ditto.)
13. Make a Kentucky Derby hat. I wouldn't mind going to the race, either, but mostly I just want to make the hat--so let me know if you are planning to go, and need headwear, ok?
14. Sew a Wedding Dress. (I have sewn at least 3 at this point)
15. Fluently speak another language. 1993--Spanish
16. Visit Manhattan, Eat pizza in NYC, ride the subway. 01/2012
17. Watch the Manti Pageant 1998
18. Watch the Nauvoo Pageant.
19. Watch the Hill Cumorah Pageant.
20. Visit 50 Temples. (19 as of 2012)
21. Write a novel. Get it published. (In progress. Darn typing!)
22. Notice the beauty in every day.
23. Write my will.
24. Donate my body to science. 2011 (Case Western Reserve Medical School).
25. Cross the Canadian Border. (Done, but I can't remember the year!)
26. Face my deepest fears. (Went Rappeling--both down a cliff and free fall, went caving. Don’t ask me about crickets.)
27. Have a mug of the best hot chocolate in the world at Angelina’s in Paris.
28. See the Pieta, and the Bernini sculpture of Daphne and Apollo in Rome.
29. Have an exceptional time in Greece.
30. Lay on the beach at sunset.
31. Wade in the Atlantic and the Pacific. Done, but enjoyed it so much, I would be more than happy to continue!
32. Get married in the Temple. 09/1995
33. Sleep out under the stars. (In the most beautiful place, with the least light pollution, and the most, close stars--aah).
34. Learn how to make French Onion Soup. MY 2010

35. Hand Letter a wedding Invitation. 1999
36. Go to the Public Baths in Budapest.
37. Throw really good parties.
38. Visit every US state – 35/50. Driving through counts. Only seeing the airport doesn’t.
39. Participate in a reenactment.
40. Give a speech.
41. Teach a class. 2010, and it was great, hope to do more!
42. Become a Grief Therapist.
43. Get my Bachelors Degree. (note to self, figure out what you want to be when you grow up).
44. Spend a whole day cruising the shops in the Garment District in New York.
45. See the Statue of Liberty, Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson Monuments. 2003
46. See the Grand Canyon. 1994
47. Go to Mesa Verde. 1992
48. Decorate my children’s weddings—awesomely!
49. Go to the Jane Austen costume Museum in Bath.04/2004
50. Choose and cut our own Christmas Tree. Yay--this has become a yearly tradition since 2001
51. Stand inside the Taj Mahal.
52. Host a wedding in my yard.
53. Give each of the people I love a perfect gift. (Ongoing--so far, my sister Alison is the easiest!).
54. Have beautiful art in my home.
55. Make my home a peaceful reflection of myself and my family.
56. Get married in my mother’s wedding dress. 09/1995
57. Learn how to use power tools. Ongoing--I love it, and want to improve!
58. Own 50 Library Cards. (21 as of 2012)
59. Be in better shape at 50 than I was at 30.
60. Read 100 Classic books...Hmmm it is interesting to try and find a list. There are several. Some of the "classics" I really hate, so do I include those or not? Also, some are just included because they are in the public domain, and are cheap to get access to. I am working on my own list.
61. Make a list of 50 favorite foods.
62. Start an annual event. 2001, established a quarterly blood drive in my Mother's honor--it is ongoing.
63. Visit the Holy Land.
64. Get a real year’s supply.
65. Start a Gratitude Journal.
66. Do a life changing project for people in another part of the world.
67. Take the sleeper train through Europe
68. Make a baked brie and roasted garlic.
69. Be completely debt free.
70. Attend a Broadway Show.
71. Attend a Seder.
72. Get my home beautifully decorated enough to be in the Christmas parade of homes.
73. Have a ladies-only tea party in the garden where we all wear dresses and eat edible flowers on our food. (It was great! Sometime around 1990, but I would love to do it again!)
74. Attend an opera. Cossi Fan Tutti, 1992
75. Go to Prince Edward Island.
76. Go to a Renaissance Faire. 2011
77. See at least one Shakespeare play at a Shakespeare festival (ideally, in Stratford Ontario). Visit the costume department, if possible.
78. Go to Muskoka, and see the islands (and if you haven't read The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery, get off the computer, and go do it right now!).
79. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon.
80. Take a Yoga class.
81. Ride on an Elephants back.
82. Become a Servas Host family.
83. Cook a meal entirely made of food I raised.
84. Visit the US Capitol and/or the White House.
85. Paint in Italy.
86. Send a message in a bottle.
87. Eat fish & Chips from a takeaway in London. 2004--YUMMY!
88. Write a poem. Ongoing.
89. Set someone else’s poem to music. (done--"Indwelling, by George Herbert)
90. Read in a French café.
91. Learn to play boogie-woogie and ragtime on the piano.
92. Have a beautiful guest room.
93. Be someone’s mentor.

Whoa! Adventure! (albeit minor adventure)

This morning I have been alone in the house--quite, quite glorious!

However, while I was upstairs, I kept hearing little noises--but old houses make noise, so it didn't really bother me. However, after I came downstairs and started working on the computer, I noticed that the birds were being very noisy today. And possibly bonking into the windows again.

Our doves seem to lack all brain cells, and routinely fly into the windows, which are a) curtained and b) COVERED in crayon, paint marker, toothpaste, lotion, etc--(thanks to SmallDaughter, we have very few opaque windows!).

However, when I slowly went into the dining room to see which window was causing all the fuss, I found a bird (sparrow, I think, but a bit large, so maybe something else) IN MY KITCHEN. Poor thing. It was trying desperately to get out, and I opened the door and a window, and (fortunately) it didn't take it long!

I'm not blogging much because I am sewing for halloween. Last week I hooked people up with a gorgeous renaissance purple velvet with white and gold trim gown, outfits for Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad and a Goomba, and parts of other costumes. This week it continues.

I just love it!


I want to blog about autumn, but I never seem to get around to it. I used to hate fall, but now I think it is my favorite (of course, I have LOTS of favorites--the kids always tease me that every single option is my favorite--except crickets!!!)