Tuesday Tell All: Hometown Favorites

Favorite Place To:

Grab lunch: I LOVE to go out to eat and yet we rarely do anything fancier that fast food. I guess that is what happens when you have 5 kids and living on a resident's budget. My favorite place to eat is Cafe Rio, but we don't have them here in KY, so my replacement for that is Chili's and Qdoba. I love Chili's queso and salsa and get so full on that and my diet Coke with lime (the only time I really drink caffeine as it gives me a HUGE headache, but I digress...) that I am left wondering why I ordered a meal. Qdoba is not as good (the dressing is terrible) but I have come to enjoy the beef salad. As for fast food, I like Wendy's the best and enjoy a slice of Papa John's pizza once in a while too. I think Rich would vote for Panera Bread as his favorite and we talked about going last week, but it never worked out. We'll have to grab a sandwich there sometime soon without the kiddos.


Go for Date night: Wow. This question is a hard one seeing that we rarely go out. Huh. I'm a bit stumped. Sad huh. We usually go out when we are in Utah and when we are here we just take the kids along with us. I'd have to say dinner anywhere with Rich that I don't have to cook or clean up. It just tastes so much better when you didn't fix it or have to scrub pans afterwards. We rarely go to movies and that's fine by me. I can rent them later. I love being with Rich and visiting and talking instead of sitting in a theater. The best place would be going to a session at the Louisville Temple with Rich. I love being there with him and getting that spiritual recharge we both need.

Pick up some creative goodies: I have a new found love for this one. It's a store that's like Garden Ridge and Michael's combined and it's called Hobby Lobby. They too have 40% coupons and I can print them off and use one everyday. What a bargain and it's only a 3 minute drive from my house. I haven't been in a few months, but when I needed a painting for my bathroom I found one there. I got the girls' Easter baskets and candle holders for on top of the piano. I also got Pine Wood Derby decals and ribbon and fabric. The place is great and is like a one stop shop for crafts and home decor.


Keep the kids busy: I love, love, love museums, so after years hauling my kids to everyone we can find they enjoy them as much as I do. Locally I don't mind taking the kids to the Explorium, but it's a bit small so we only go once in a while. My favorites are the Louisville Zoo and Science Center. We still get to those place every other month or so making my year pass worth every penny . If we can drive a bit further I love the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. We went the day after Thanksgiving and I'm dying to go back. I also really enjoyed the Indianapolis Children's Museum and when we were in Louisville we had a year pass to that as well. It was a bit of a drive, but since we went up 3 times it paid for itself.

Get wet: I love that our neighborhood has a pool. Since my boys are doing swim team again I am sure we'll be spending 95% of our summer swimming and splashing close to home. I also love the Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run at the Louisville Zoo. The kids had a ball getting wet there last summer. They were disappointed it was closed the last few times we've been but I don't think getting wet would be as fun when it's only 50 degrees!

The next stop for having fun getting wet should be Wolf Lodge in Ohio. We have had lots of friends visit that place and they have all loved it. We also have heard good things about Holiday World up in Santa Clause, Indiana. It seems that we still have a lot to see and do around here before we are done!

Buy a treat: Graeter's ice cream. They have seasonal flavors and I love their Pumpkin Spice ice cream. Divine. I also love getting Jelly Belly candies at little candy shops at the mall. In college I would hit a candy store at the Ala Moana Mall. The only bad part is I am terrible at rationing goodies and they never last a long as I'd planned

Shop for fun: I really shopping at Pottery Barn, but since the closest one is in Louisville I find myself searching for things on their online site. I really like shopping at the Fayette Mall that is about a 5 minute drive. My favorite stores are the Gap, Ann Taylor, Gymboree and will usually window shop Dillard's, Bath and Body Works, Build-A-Bear, Dick's, Payless, Eddie Bauer for Rich and end at the food court for Chick-Fil-A for the kids. Old Navy is across the street, Target and Toys-R-Us are just north of the mall and Wal-mart and Lowe's are just south. It's so nice to have it all close together. But don't try driving through at Christmas time. It's a nightmare!


Get some fresh air: We spend at least 4 nights a week at the ballpark and I love it. Of course I don't love chasing the girls around, but I love watching baseball. I love going to a Louisville Bats or Lexington Legends game as well. We went up to the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and watched the Red play the St. Louis Cardinals a few years back and I'm hoping to go back this year. That would be really fun.

I love taking walks and love strolling through the UK Arboretum that is on the south side of campus. There are fantastic trails, flowers and scenery.

We also have a great little park near our home in the Heartland neighborhood that has a great play set and a huge area of grass. I love taking a picnic (OK, that really should read take out) and enjoying the cool summer nights together as a family.

Splurge: I love Louisville Stoneware. When we lived in Louisville I would often head to the factory store with the boys in tow in search of discounted pieces. I have given our moms, grandmas and a few sister-in-laws pieces from the store. I need to buy a new Derby Pie plate since it was the only thing that broke in our move to Lexington. The Bachelor Button design is my favorite.

Drive for a weekend away: If we drive a few hours in any direction we can visit so many amazing cities. I have spent time in Nashville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago. It seems the only direction we haven't been is east. We need to drive to the Carolina's soon. (Beach house rental Kristi?) I love that I can get to all those places, excluding Chicago- but it's only a hour long flight, in less that 4 hours. So amazing since 4 hours in any direction in Utah means you're still in Utah.

Before we leave KY I would love to check out Lake Cumberland or visit Cumberland falls. Lake Cumberland has no restrictions for houseboats so you can find some of the largest ones around there. My friend Traci has been to Cumberland Falls and gotten a cabin. I'd love to check that one out too.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday to one of the most influential people in my life. A man I love and admire and who is simply irreplaceable. Someone who has truly taught me firsthand the meaning of love, honesty, trust, hard work, dedication, intelligence, discipline, honor, friendship and wisdom. What a lucky girl I am to have this wonderful man be my father. It is one of the greatest blessings in my life.

Happy Birthday Dad from all of us. WE LOVE YOU!!

Prayers

As we pulled through the parking lot leaving Chuck-E-Cheese, I spotted a darling little bird hopping on the ground. I couldn't pull my eyes away as it was so tiny and beautiful. As our car approached the bird my mind started to fully process what was going on. It wasn't what I had initially thought. It suddenly hit me that this was a baby bird and it was hopping because one of its stick like legs was broken. As my eyes scanned around I realized that the larger bird close by was its mother. My heart ached as mothers do as I understood the grave situation this little bird was in.

It wasn't until a passing car nearly ran over the baby that I felt compelled to stop the car. What could I do. Nothing of course, but I just wanted to see the mom touch her baby. Bringing the baby the comfort it needed. It was far too young to be out of the nest. It's folded new wings would never carry it off the ground. I don't know if the mother bird was unable to see her baby, or if she was just unsure how to help her child, but it clucked and the baby would signal back. I desperately wanted to see the mother somehow move her bird to safety, but the mother kept moving further away. Soon the father bird appeared and yet the baby still was there in the middle alone.

A black shadow came upon the pavement as a large Raven swooped down almost grabbing the baby bird in its claws. I made a full sprint towards the baby as the mother had moved over to some bushes. This little thing was not going to be killed while I just stood by. It couldn't move fast on just one leg and soon I had scooped this little baby into my palm. It was still and silent and warm and soft. As I held it, tears nearly filled my eyes as I knew I could really only bring temporary aid. I brought it to the car and showed the boys who were sitting in silence taking it all in. They stroked the bird and couldn't believe how lovely it was.

While I wish I could have taken the baby to safety, I knew it would be wrong to take it from its parents who were in the air and ground still searching. I took it back to where I had initially saw it next to some wood chips and trees. I couldn't move it further as I didn't want the mother and father to not see it and softly placed it on the ground. I knew I could do no more. I couldn't heal its injury. I couldn't keep the prey away. I couldn't make its parents find it and I certainly couldn't find any nest to put it back in since I had searched already. I simply had to leave it be.

As we pulled away I felt pain. A real sadness knowing that this tiny bird's life would soon end. Certainly something so small and helpless didn't stand a chance making it long. It broke my heart.

Trey's little voice came out from the back. "Could we pray for the little bird?" He had tears in his eyes. "Of course we can pray," was my answer. "But you have to know that Heavenly Father cannot fix its broken leg. Let's pray that it can find its parents and that it won't be in pain." That is all I could hope for. I didn't want to lead them to believe that all would be perfect, because I knew it wouldn't be. After a few seconds Matt said, "It will go to heaven." "Yes, Matt it will." I said softly.

And yet that answer didn't help my troubled heart. I truly wished I could have said a prayer and made it all better. That I could have a little miracle and find a happy ending. It made me think to how I pray when disappointment comes into my life. How often I am simply praying for miracles that simply cannot be. How I beg for things to work out how I want them to be. I thought about Elder Bednar's talk from the recent LDS general conference which he stated:

"The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate.

Prayer is a privilege and the soul’s sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and “checklist” prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept “not my will, but Thine, be done.”

I knew right then and there sitting in that parking lot that Heavenly Father wishes he could make it all better. He is our Father. He feels our pain. He wants us to be happy and yet part of life going through hardships and trials. We are here to be tested and tried and must learn how to use prayer for comfort, to exercise faith when things look grim and know that in the end everything will work out.

I love the scripture Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” It brings peace to my soul because I know that Heavenly Father understands. He knows what it best. And through it all, if I can just have faith to believe and hope and love and pray, that all will work out. It really will. How blessed I am to have this knowledge. Even in this small situation it took away the ache. I am grateful to have prayer. I have felt its strength throughout my life. It has lifted me when I was down. It has brought me comfort I needed. It has brought answers and peace. I am grateful that I have children who teach me and even in everyday moments can strengthen my testimony of faith, hope, love and prayer.

Wedding Anniversary

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. Yes, it is rarely celebrated with fanfare. Years ago we might have spent a night at a hotel or maybe dined at a fancy restaurant, but today I clipped the boys hair, had a birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese in the afternoon and 2 baseball games in the evening. And yet these ordinary events it didn't take anything away from the special place the date of April 26 holds in my heart. It's a day when no matter what I am doing, or where I am located I feel joy and contentment having Rich by my side and knowing that it is the beginning of another year I can spend married to my sweetheart. Today marks our 11th wedding anniversary. What a happy, long awaited day that was back in 1997. When we became engaged in September of 1996, the thought of nine long months until we could be sealed seemed like an eternity. Now I'm looking back on this day eleven years later with 5 little ones of my own and 1,500 miles from where we started. What a joy this journey has been. Life has surprised me in so many ways. I guess I should always just expect the unexpected because that if often what I have found a long this path of life. I found my best friend on May 10, 1996 when I was just 19 years old and not looking to find true love. I welcomed my first baby in September 1999 and while my parents were close to enjoy him, Rich's parents and younger brother were thousands of miles away serving as mission president in Brazil. Medical school brought a huge change. A year after we welcomed Trey to our family, we were packing up our things and headed east to Louisville, Kentucky where we spent not four years, but nearly six when we moved out early so I could teach school and later matched for Rich's intern year at U of L. While in Louisville, I learned how to be independent and ready to face the challenges medical school would bring. We welcomed not one baby boy in June 2001, but two. I often said I got a bonus baby- two for the price of one and in just eight months. Hard to beat a deal like that. I found the best girlfriends anyone could wish for. They are the sisters I never had and were there whenever I needed them. Then in March 2005 we finally added some pink into the mix times two. Who could be so lucky to have twins twice. I compared the odds to winning the lottery because that's how it felt. My very own baby girls and best friends in the making. Next it was off to Lexington for four years. New friendships have been made, while we still find time to visit loved ones in Louisville. Two years from now we will move again for a year fellowship, so the adventure continues. As the years pass away, I simply look back with fond memories. There were great times and hard times and certainly ones I would never want to relive and yet those difficult ones helped shape me into who I am today. Hopefully that is a woman who has more patience and has more knowledge and a deeper love for my spouse and family than when I was a new bride at the beginning of my married life. I know that life will continue to change us and mold us and help us grow. There will be ups and downs and times where you feel like you are barely moving forward. Change is a constant companion and yet that doesn't make me worry because through it all I have a rock by my side. I have a person who knows my soul, who is willing to take the good and bad and love me more and more each day. I wish everyone were so lucky to find someone who completes you, who teaches you by example, who speaks kinds words of others, who leads our home with love and honors his priesthood. Someone who encourages and helps me become the best person I am capable of. That is true love pure and simple.

Thanks for eleven wonderful years Rich. It's been more than I could have imagined. You bring magic to my life everyday. How blessed I am. I love you!
My extended familyRich's extended family
So many wonderful, dear friends that feel like family
Our parents
Our families (minus my older brother Greg who was serving a mission in Argentina).

Lexington Legends

Right after Trey's baseball team pulled out a win in extra innings, we all headed downtown to the Lexington Legends Single A baseball game. The boy scouts and young men in our ward decided this would be a great activity for the week. I agree. It was perfect weather for baseball. No wind and it had cooled down to a pleasant but still warm temperature. We had been to one other Legend's game a week after we had moved in. Hard to believe that was nearly 2 years ago! The field reminds me so much of the Louisville Bats stadium. I loved going to games there. The Bats are affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds and are a Triple A team. The most memorable game we saw was when Deion Sanders played a game or two for the Bats when he came out of retirement. They had him play for the Bats as a warm up before he made his debut with the Reds. The Legends are affiliated with the Houston Astros.The group sat on the grass. It was past third base next to the wall. It was wild, but the boys were in heaven being with their friends at a game.We could watch the West Virginia relief pitchers warm up. It was cool to hear the pitching coach's directions. Kaitlyn got a birds eye view. We were so close to the players and they all looked so young! It made me feel just a little bit old since I (Rich was too) was chasing her and her the whole game.A ward member had an extra carousel ticket, so Matt went for a whirl.Nearly all the scouts left around 8:15 PM. Since we didn't get there until 7:45 PM, we weren't going to leave when we had just gotten there and there were so many innings left to be played! It was a school night and getting later, so there were few children by the 6th inning. One of the McDonald's Mac Attack guys came over to our group and asked Trey if he wanted to play a game on the field in between innings. Of course he would! He threw eggs to a kid and the other boy tried to catch them in a container on his head. Trey and the other kids ended in a tie 1-1, so they all got little backpacks, cups and silly putty. He was giddy with excitement!And to top it off, after he got back from his field debut, a WV player belted a home run to the left field bleachers which were empty. Trey sprinted toward the ball and beat the rest of the bunch to collect his prize. A real home run ball. Cool.

So we stayed for the WHOLE game. Rich kept saying we were going to leave, but then Trey played in the game, got a ball, and we ran into another family from the ward. The Legends lost 2-12, but we weren't really rooting for one team, just enjoying the night out. After a quick Wendy's run, we got the kids to bed around 11:15 PM. Not too good, but the game was a lot of fun.

Here's where it all turns a bit ugly. Since the kids got to bed late and Rich and I went to bed even later, we were all so exhausted that when the alarm went off around 6:40 AM neither of us moved (Rich is on vacation this week). By the time we woke up, I knew the boys were going to be tardy so I just let them sleep. Actually we all slept. We finally got moving around 8:30 AM and rolled into the school at 9:20 AM.

This week and the next are the CATS testing for the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. They are the mother of all tests and our school has some of the top test scores in the state, so these are a HUGE deal to everyone at VPE. They sent home notes telling parents to make sure your children get lots of sleep, to not take vacations, or schedule doctors appointments, to come to school early and eat healthily breakfasts. The thing is my kids are in kindergarten and 2nd grade so they spend the day doing random quiet activities and try not to disturb the older students. So you see, the CATS tests are not part of my life yet.

All four of us march into the office nearly two hours late and I sign them in. As the secretary prepares the boys tardy slips, there are two mothers we know waiting to sign in to volunteer and countless employees in the room. One of the moms ask the boys where the Jacksons are off to today. I smile and tell her we are actually just getting there, not leaving. She smiles, but I can tell it's like she's thinking 'Oh really....' The door of truth had been opened and the boys were happy to push it even further. With excitement on their faces and a thrill in their voices, they proceed to tell the ENTIRE OFFICE how they had gone to a baseball game last night and got home REALLY late and that I let them sleep in and how Trey got a ball and well, it just went on and on. Here I am in my work out clothes, hair in a bun, no makeup, signing my kids in 2 hours late during test week and the boys are nearly shouting how cool it was their mom let them sleep late. I just wanted to crawl out of the room and not look back. Thanks boys. I guess weekday Legends games are a no from now on. Oh, who am I kidding. Next time I'll just make sure they say the alarm broke instead of giving the people all the incriminating details.

Team Motto

Last night Trey's team the Orioles played the Cubs. After Trey's team hit in the bottom of the 4th inning we were up 3 runs (12-9). If we could just stop them from scoring in the last inning, victory would be ours. With the Cubs top of their line up hitting, we soon found ourselves in hot water. With 2 outs, a man on second and third and the score was 12-11. The Cubs player was down to his #5 pitch- the last one. He swung and got a base hit and they scored two runs. Dang. It was all tied up. Finally we got the out we needed and ended their hitting streak.

Top of the 5th, the Orioles were in the bottom of their line up. Not good. Batter 1, 2 and then 3 went down. Extra innings were needed to decide our fate.

Top of the 6th, the first two Cub players get on base. Trey catches his second line drive of the night playing 3rd base. Out #1. Awesome. Where that came from, I don't know, but we needed it. We managed to get a second out, but they scored in the process. Thankful I had to rush away to the bathroom when Josh's nose started to bleed (he must be related to me!) and didn't have to watch the next runner score as well. 14-12 now for the Cubbies. My heart is starting to pound. Finally we end the inning and have our work cut out for us.

The Orioles first batter is #9 in the line up. Oh my. Somehow he makes contact and gets on base. Finally some good news. That was short lived when batter #9 steps off second base after he got there safe and is tagged out by the shortstop. Ouch. The next 3 batters get up and on base and we score. 13-12 Cubs. Trey's turn to hit. My nerves are getting to me. He whacked the ball to the short stop, getting an RBI, but getting out in the process. Shoot. Out #2 and it's tied up 14-14. Thankfully we have a runner on third. This game has got to end. We still have scouts after and we've had enough of chasing the girls over and under and around the bleachers The next kid gets up to bat. It's 6:45 PM and the sun is directly in the kids' eyes. Swing one- strike. Swing two- strike. The coach tells him he's going to pitch to him from a side angle and that he should stand sideways next to the plate. I'd never seen that done. Great idea, but could it work? Smack. The boy belts it out past second base and we score. Game over. 15-14!

We all congregate around the back of the dug out. The kids are whooping and hollering and the parents are clapping. Wins like that just feel so good! The kids sit in a line on the ground and wait for the coach to talk and give out a game ball. The coach stands there and doesn't say a word. The assistant coaches tell the kids "way to come back, you didn't give up." Finally he speaks. "What do we talk about on our team? What's our team motto?" Two hands shoot up waving with excitement. One is Trey. He knew exactly what he was referring to. He and the other boys blurt out, "It's better to win ugly, than marry ugly." The coach finally cracks a smile. "That's right."

Boot Camp or Baseball

Trey's little league baseball coach is a man of few words. He knows the game. He watches the players and then briefly instructs them what to change. His goal is simply to teach them how to be a better player. He doesn't live through the kids, like some of the other men I've watched over the years. He is a professional hitting coach for a major league player who once played at UK. He still holds the 5th overall homerun record in a season at UK. He was a scout for the Atlanta Braves for 7 years. He's the real deal.

Yesterday at practice they finally took a break from their hitting instruction to work on their daily base running skills. The coach was teaching the kids how to properly run the bases. He said, "If you hit the ball and it goes to the outfield, you have to be aggressive and anticipate running to second base. A lot of the first baseman in our league, and even our first baseman, will stand on first base even if the ball goes to the outfield. If you as the batter, hit the ball into the outfield and you plan on going to second and you see the first baseman standing on first base, you can run over the first baseman because he is obstructing the runner. (Here's where it gets good....) You guys can knock the crap of out them. Of course it would help if after you run into the first baseman, you fall down too and scream. That's called selling the play. I'll then just walk out onto the field and tell the umpire- 'Mr. Umpire, that first baseman obstructed my runner.' And the umpire will say, 'That's right. Take second base.' And I'm pretty certain the next time we have a hit into the infield, I'm sure the first baseman won't be standing on the base. Most young kids don't forget the rule once they've been knocked down once or twice. Don't believe that baseball is a not a non-contact sport."

Then he had one of the assistance stand on first base and he showed them how to knock them over. Next, the kids took turn practicing running into the coach.

Trey thought all of this was AWESOME. Really, what little boy wouldn't? Isn't this what I have been teaching my kids for years NOT to do. Did I sign up for baseball, football or boot camp?

*PS Seriously, I think this the funniest things I've ever heard about in little league. Gotta LOVE baseball!

Tuesday Tell All: Laughing Out Loud

I love a good laugh. I think it brightens your entire being. It's a true reflection of happiness. But the question is: What makes ME laugh. I had to put some thought into it. I don't laugh when I'm tickled. Nope. It's not funny. I don't laugh at most stand up comedians. Most are just awful, off color bits. I'm not a TV buff and have never watched a full episode of Seinfeld, The Office or most other TV shows people consider humorous. But I promise you, I do LOVE to laugh.

Here's what I came up with.

* My dad's facial expressions when telling a story. No one in the room can keep a straight face. Rich tells me I often am animated when I talk. I love to think that I have a bit of his story telling skills.

* My dad saying something with an accent. When we were in Mexico and he was saying Spanish words out loud as he read them, again, no one could hold it in.

* Brynn and her busy, bouncy body. How she jumps up and down all the time and dashes here and there around the house. Her nutty, "eclectic" style. And especially her deep belly laugh. She's a hoot.

* Kaitlyn and her extra wide smile that scrunches up her nose. She makes me giggle.

* How Josh can not tell a lie. You can see right through him and it always makes me laugh.

* Matt and all his random phrases. He keeps me in stitches.

* Trey and his never ending passion for "special chocolate milk" aka Ensure. I laugh every morning when I hear him utter "chocolate milk" when I wake him up. He's a nut.

* Rich and his undying fear of snakes. When we went go to the zoo he will NOT step foot in the snake house. I laugh the entire time I look through the exhibits while he waits outside. It's hard to believe that my big, strong husband just can't walk through the building. Oh, and his fear of roller coasters. We went to Six Flags right after we were married and were in line for some ride, he eyed the exit the entire time. I laughed and he nearly bolted. So cute!

* Confessions of a Shopaholic book. So sad, to admit that I can see just a bit of Becky in myself. Hard to not laugh at things you might actually do.

* The movie Elf. I still laugh at parts every time (Cutting down a tree in Central Park- "Fun? Felonies are fun now? I thought felonies were felonies? ")

* The movie The Princess Bride. Rich had never seen this show (GASP!) and we watched nearly all of it over Christmas break. I laughed as I said the lines. He thought I was nuts. I couldn't stop laughing.


* The first time I watched Madagascar I nearly passed out from laughing. When they got the Lady Liberty bit and it went from 'Help' to 'Hell'. Rolling on the floor laughing. The penguins were ingenious. And the king of the Lemurs was a hoot. Very funny movie.

* Watching the Dollies dance. They are a six girl dance group that shake and twirl during Stanford games. Painful funny I promise.

* Commercials often make me laugh. Like the hitchhiker with an axe, the cell phone one of the woman at her sister's baby shower, a few of the cellphone ones where they drop the call (when she told him she was pregnant), the Geico one where the caveman talks about jazz hands and all the Sport Center bits with real athletes are hilarious.

* Certain people just always make me chuckle. Like Kristi H. and her "For the Love" and many other things she just does that crack me up. My Uncle Mike and Uncle Dave always make me laugh. They are big teasers. And my cousin Scott is a riot. The stories he told from the pulpit on his mission homecoming about his experiences in the Philippines had the congregation rolling in the aisle. And the time he told us about hiking through the narrows and some guy in the party in front of him got stuck. He'll make your sides hurt.

* I laugh the entire time I'm at Disneyland. I'm so full of excitement, that I smile and laugh just to let some of the thrill out. Good times.

* Watching home movies, especially the ones where Brad chokes on a candy, I do some fierce clogging moves, when Greg and I are like 9 and 8 and we're peddling around on Big Wheels, we perform a circus show for our parents, the Nerd party, the lion bang hairdos, bad 80's fashion and when I get hit by Brad's baseball twice. Happy memories.

* Watching my kids do the slip and slide or ice skate.

* The time when my brothers and I watched Fear Factor on TV and the contestants had to eat boy animals parts. It was SO gross we were laughing and dry heaving at the same time. I don't get to laugh that hard that often.

* Or when our entire table got the giggles at Rich's cousin's wedding luncheon and all of us were holding our breath through the prayer. I was dying for air and let out a little squeak right before the amen. We weren't the favorite family members that day.

* Horrible dancing or singing when someone is serious. Sorry, but they should know better!

What makes you laugh out loud?

Gaining Knowledge

I was at my sink the other day and through the kitchen window spotted this magnificent bird sitting on my fence. It only was there for a moment and swiftly flew away. Wanting to know the name of this lovely creature, I hurried to the computer and Googled 'black bird with orange and white wing' and instantly found this identical photo of a Red-winged Blackbird. Isn't it interesting how with a mere click of a mouse I had found more information on this little bird than I could possibly remember. And it was strange that I didn't even know this type of bird existed before I got a glimpse of him in my backyard.

The bird made me instantly think back to my zoology class at BYU. The big project of the semester was to find, identify and record 50 different types of birds in Utah. Talk about an overwhelming project and one I didn't feel a passion for, but as I took the time to merely stop and look around for birds, I found there were new types every place I went. There were these small, sweet things that made lovely sounds and songs. Birds that had colorful hues or funny beaks. Birds that lived in swamps and birds that lived in barns. Suddenly all I noticed was birds. And it was something I enjoyed.
As I drove through the back roads toward my parent's home in Salem, I scanned the area for new discoveries. I wasn't disappointed. In the marshes of Salem pond, a place I had driven through a thousand times was the most glorious bird swaying on the reeds. A Yellow-headed Blackbird was my new found friend. I couldn't pull my eyes away from it's bright face and delicate features. It was regal and noble against the dry, muddy landscape. Every time I passed through I would pull over and try to see it again.

Soon the list was typed up, the class was complete and my 'to do' list had been checked off again. One more subject and class I didn't have to take again. I was that much closer to graduation.

And then the searching stopped. I didn't look around as much. I lost the drive to seek new found friends. It seemed that even the joy I found in the hunt couldn't keep my interest once the goal had been reached.

Then eleven years later, my eyes were opened again and I remembered how much I loved finding new friends in the sky that share my world. It made me question why I had lived in Kentucky for 7 1/2 years and I had never even looked to see what new varieties I could find here.

I pulled up the list. I looked at the pictures. Now I'm left wondering what kind of bird is nesting in my front yard. I wonder which type of hawk I saw soaring over the ballpark. I wonder what bird can make such a lovely, soothing call in the morning. I can't believe I could be so ignorant. That these many happy little parts of the world, birds with cheerful songs and bright colors could have simply gone unnoticed.

Why is it that we often don't appreciate the beauties of this world? These things that Heavenly Father has given us that can bring pleasure to our lives. How can we can live our lives and not fully appreciate its wonders?

I think it's all about gaining knowledge. We have to first see. You have to realize what you are missing. Then you have to search. You have to seek it out and discover. Then you have to learn. You have to really want to know. And then comes the hardest part. You have to not forget.

I know it goes far beyond birds. There are so many things I have loved in this life. Things that I wish I could simply cement inside my brain. Books that I have read, quotes I have heard, people's voices and laughs, moments with your kids. And yet, how long do they stay fresh. How soon are they dimmed and later forgotten.

It seems that the Red-winged Blackbird taught me a bit more than its name. It reminded me to keep looking. To appreciate every day, every smile, every hug, every kiss, every picture scribbled with crayons and sticky fingers. That I need to take a second glace to discover things I might have previously failed to see. To find ways to serve others or someone who needs a friend, to give my husband that extra squeeze he might need after a long day, or stop moving and give my child a listening ear instead of a push towards bed.

I need to keep hunting. I need to keep learning. And I never, ever want to forget all I have been blessed with. That is what makes life sweet, the simple moments we will forever treasure. Because if I fail to notice, it might just fly away and I would never know what I had missed. We all have those things. Just open your eyes and look. Take in the lovely view. It's right there in front of you. I promise.

Straight from their mouth....

As we were tucking the boys in for the night, Josh asked me what I thought our spirit body looked like. I told him I bet it looks a lot like you. He turned to me and said, "It's light blue?"

Random bits of life...

Things overheard this week:

* My parents and 2 brothers are on spring break and are visiting Nauvoo today. I told the boys this information this morning over breakfast and Matt (Star Wars aficionado) said, "They went to Naboo? That's cool." As in where Queen Amidala was from.

* Trey told me there were cool guns and swords used in the "Silver" War. Ah, that's Civil War bud. He also had me check his cut for "puff." Nope, that would be puss, my dear.

* Josh is downstairs rapping, "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me. Don't you wish your girlfriend could dance like me." Which Matt followed up with "Don't you wish your girlfriend was a freak like me." Not good. When asked where they learned this uplifting song their reply was Alvin and the Chipmunks. Nice. Not sure if I'll be purchasing this DVD now.

* At Trey's game during an in between inning pep talk by the coach he ended the chat with "Have Fun!" I was shocked to hear him utter this and told Rich it was nice to hear. His wife was standing by us called him over and laughed when she teased him and asked if she heard him correctly. "Have fun?" The Coach Blythe gave a smile and said jokingly, "You only have fun when you're winning."

* Kaitlyn's new phrase is 'want some', though half the time it sounds like 'awesome' which makes me grin. Did I ever mention that I hate glitter?I mean really, really HATE the stuff. One quick move by the girls and 3 days later I'm still finding red bits in my sink, on the floor and even in my dryer.Here's a peek at my 4 robin eggs in their nest under the deck. Momma bird has stayed on the nest 24 hours a day until the warm weather found us today, so she hopped off in search of some much needed food. I was thrilled to get a shot of her precious babies. So excited for them to hatch!This morning I heard Brynn squealing "STUCK" in the kitchen. It seems that her hand could fit in the jug's mouth, but pulling it out was a bit more difficult. She didn't seem to mind that I waited to set her free until after I took a quick photo.So while you are thinking why is this girl the lucky recipient of such lovely flowers, don't get too worked up. They were actually for my neighbor who was gone all afternoon and the delivery man asked me to keep them, saving him a trip back. I have to admit that I didn't mind gazing upon their beauty for a few hours. There is something about flowers that just make you smile. I find myself parking my the lawn and garden section of Wal-mart and use the "secret entrance" as we call it to enter the building. I just LOVE to walk through and see the flowers. I think my mission today and tomorrow will be buying some flowers for our planters. Can't wait! I also am in love with our neighbor gorgeous orangish/peach tulips. They close at night and in the cold and open in the sunshine. Amazing.Something that's not a thing of beauty is my poor Japanese Maple tree that didn't quite make it through the hard freeze last April. I had high hopes that it would come back this year, but no such luck. After I hacked off 75% of its branches I'm left wondering if it would be better to cut the entire thing down. I'll just wait and see what it looks like when the leaves come out.Thankfully my ivy by the front door looks healthy. The Japanese Beatles nearly did it in last summer. I'll have to give it some good sprays of bug killer soon.When we drove through Versailles headed for Thunder we passed a few fields that were covered by a purple weed. Don't get me wrong, I am a weed killer, but the effect from far away was very beautiful.Josh's arm gave us quite the scare this week. It started out as a small ingrown hair or cut type thing and a few days later turned into this horrible abscess type infection. I noticed it had grown worse on Tuesday night when Rich was on call, so after taking some photos and emailing them to my dad, Rich's mom and Dad and Rich and then found out that Rich's mom sent them to her brother David who's a dermatologist in SLC I knew I had my bases covered. Minutes after my dad looked at the photos, he called in some Keflex. At 10 PM all 5 kids and I headed to Rite Aid to pick up the medicine. Thankfully they were all very well behaved. Soon Rich's parents called and the next day Rich's uncle called. What a blessing to have such knowledgeable and caring family. It has been getting smaller, but I am still making him wear a long sleeve shirt to school to avoid any questions. Rich thinks we could have made a small incision to drain the thing, but just the though nearly made Josh pass out. Thank heavens for antibiotics!When Meijer had an add for $4.99 watermelon it was too tempting to not buy one. I was terrified it was too early and asked the produce fellow what he thought. He just said good luck. Not very encouraging. When I made the first cut I peeked in hoping not to see pink. Thankfully we got a good one. There is NOTHING better than crisp, cold, sweet watermelon. Just ask Brynn.

I rented and watched Juno this week. I really liked it. It had this strange vibe and quirky songs, but I thought it was well done. I really liked Ellen Page's character. Now I just need to stop humming that weird song at the end of the movie.

Swim sign ups are tonight from 6-8 PM and Trey's school chess club had their wrap up party after school. It seems like summer will soon be upon us!

I had a bit of fun watching the American Idol clips on youtube this week. I thought both David's were great. I love Brooke and while I think she has a future in singing, I know she won't be winning this competition. The best part of the whole bit was as 10:15 PM I was talking to my family last night on the phone as they trekked across Illinois toward Nauvoo they asked me who got kicked off. I came down on the computer and found out who was in the bottom 3, who got kicked off and let them listen to David A's Tuesday night song over the phone via youtube. Crazy how connected we can be, even miles apart.

My other goal this week is to find a Derby Hat. Thanks to Jamie for offering to let me wears yours. I'll let you know if I can't come up with something. I think my theme will be: Over the top but not obnoxious. Big, but still pretty. I mean this is a once in a life time thing. I'll let you know what I find.
I had a good laugh when I got this email from J.Crew two days ago. It seems like even they know I'm headed off to the races.

Best news of the week: When Rich comes home from his call night tomorrow- it marks the beginning of his vacation week. He doesn't have to go back to the hospital until April 28. Woo Hoo! One of the things on our (OK, that should read MY) 'to do' list is to hit Keenland with the girls for some races. Sure we'll probably only stay for 2, but it's fun to just be there. Gotta love a good horse race when you live in Kentucky! We also will be headed to Louisville glow on the night of the 25th, will celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary on Saturday the 26th and we'll be calling my Dad to wish him a happy birthday on the 27th. Good times ahead.

Tuesday Tell All: Made by Hand

(Playing a bit of catch up here...) Topic: This week we are giving you the chance to document something(s) in your home that are special because they were hand made.One of the first thing that came to mind was this darling little necklace Matt made for me. It says, 'I love Mom Love Matt". It melted my heart when I first saw it, though I knew he was up to something with the beads in the laundry room since he kept asking about letters. It proudly hangs on my mirror in my room.

MADE BY ME

My Grandma Nance makes beautiful cross stitch projects. My mom also did cross stitch and needle point works that hung on our walls growing up. When I was very young (probably like 7) I started this stamped cross stitch. It taught me the basics. When I finished it, my mom made it into a pillow that matched my room and I put it on my bed when I was little.
When I got a bit older, I found this cute one in a catalog. It was supposed to be for a stocking, but my mom wasn't sure I should pull all this work and have a chance it would get dirty hanging up. I agreed. I had this thing for YEARS! I finally finished it as an adult and needed some Christmas decor in our home. My mom and dad framed it for me. It's fun to look back on since it was a work in progress for a long, long time.When Rich and I were engaged I made this for him for his birthday in October. That year I also did little Suzy Zoo pieces for my grandparents for Christmas and framed them.A few years ago I sewed lots of little purses for Christmas gifts. I just used place mats and ribbon. Super easy and cute. The next year I made these fun aprons for our moms and grandma's for Christmas. I made the first one at RS enrichment and then copied the pattern and made a few more at home. Easy and wearable. I love the jingle bells on the top of trees.

MADE BY MY MOM A few years ago when I was in Utah for a visit, my mom pulled out this old material from the storage room when she was cleaning it out. She asked if my boys could use some new PJ's. Loved that my boys wore pieces of my mom to bed for a few summers.Matt's beloved Star Wars blanket. His first love was a yellow tied quilt Rich's Aunt Nancy made. Then he took over Josh's similar yellow blanket and loved them until they fell apart. About 3 summers ago Matt and my mom and I were in Wal-mart when Matt's eagle eyes spied this cool bolt of fabric on the bottom shelf. Right then and there he said he'd give up his yellow blanket (which we had been working on for years!). But there was a catch- IF he could trade it for a new Star Wars one. We said he could if the blanket didn't leave the house. He said yes in less than one second. Bless my mom's heart, she whipped this blanket up in less than a day since we were headed back to Kentucky. Matt still sleeps with it every night.

MADE BY VARIOUS GRANDMOTHERS
Rich's mom's mother Grandma Hansen crocheted this gorgeous, soft white blanket for Trey when he was blessed. She brought it with her to the church. It was so wonderful to wrap him up it in and have Rich take it with him into the circle. It's lovely.My Great-grandma Beardall made various quilts for years. She never would buy new fabric, but use little bits of old dresses, shirts, sheets and whatever she could find. Since her posterity is SO large it was very rare to receive a quilt from her. Once when I went over to visit when Trey was a baby, she showed me this quilt she had just finished. Most of the time she would just make the quilt top and not put on a back or bind it. This one has was completely finished. I made a big fuss about how beautiful it was (which was true!) and took her picture with it so I could remember and found myself the proud owner of it. What a gift of love. I treasure it. When she passed away, I was given a second quilt top that is in my parents home now. I can't wait to see it in person this summer. How I love and miss my Grandma Beardall!
Grandma Larsen made these cute little pillows for the entire family one Christmas. This was a seriously HUGE project when you realize she has 13 children, 12 spouses, 56 grandchildren and something like 18 great grandchildren. Since they are round, she spent hours and hours pinning and then sewing them so they wouldn't pucker. I love these pillows. They are the perfect size to use in front of the TV and since I had told her how much my boys loved theirs, when my girls were born she whipped up two for them. They sleep with them every night. I later found out that all the sewing did in her already poor rotator cuff, which later required surgery. What gifts of love these were. She also has made countless pillowcases we use all the time.Grandma Nance has made quilts for years and years. I still have my pink and green baby quilt with a lace edge she made for me. She made my first bedspread as my wedding gift that we used for 10 years and is now on the guest bed in the basement. Here is the quilt she made for Trey. I adore it. It's a print, but then she added material to the sides, added appliqued animals on the sides, made a triangle type edge and hand quilted the entire thing. It's a work of art.We also have many cross stitch pieces she has made and give to me over the years. The latest was in 2007 for my and the girls' birthdays. She made it to match the girls room. It hangs next to the window. Hot pads crocheted by my Great-grandma Wanda Orlofski Goldthorpe (Grandma Nance's mother). I was blessed to have known her as a child. She lived in Salt Lake City in the Avenues and near the very end of her life, she moved in with her daughter and my grandmother in Springville. My Great-grandmother's family was originally from Poland and spoke German in the home and grew up in Chicago, IL.Lovely crochet edges and needle point on a pillowcase. The work was done by my Great-grandmother Goldthorpe's sister.
Beautiful and delicate lace doilies made by my Great-great grandma Warner. She was my Great-grandma Beardall's mother. My parents lived up in Salt Lake in the basement of her home. She passed away in 1975 and then my Grandma Beardall came up and lived in the upstairs of the home and helped take care of her father. I was born in 1977 and we lived in their basement until my grandfather passed away in 1979.

Written by Loved Ones

I have always been a firm believer of writing things down. I kept a journal growing up and when I got older I saved emails and letters I wrote to people for my own personal history. Now I have my blog. I know what a blessing these life stories can be to us and to our posterity. I treasure these written collections as much or many be even just a bit more than the hand crafted projects. There is power in the written word and I am excited to one day soon publish my blog, so I have a neatly bound record of our happenings and my thoughts during this stage of life. Rich's mom is a very talented poet. She often would make up rhymes for their families Christmas card. I am always amazed at her quick wit. Later Rich's sister Heather has written poems for her cards and his little brother Danny gave one to his parents this Christmas. It seems like mother like child. Too bad Rich didn't inherit this unique gift.What started out as my brother Jeff's 50 hour school project soon became my mom's big project for a few years. She collected histories from each of her siblings and parents, found photographs, LDS family group sheets, and went through old books that contained life histories from my grandparents from long ago. What a priceless book this is to me and all who know and love these people. Later she also complied the Nance history, but my Grandma Nance preferred her to put them in 3 ring binders so it could be added to instead of a hardcover, bound edition.This book is a compilation of letters from Rich's paternal grandparents. Both Grandpa and Grandma have bound copies of the their life histories.
My Great-great grandpa Warner, whom I had the privilege of living with when I was young, was a writer and printer. Long before Blurb and other printing venues, he printed his life history into a book. I was one of the few lucky ones that obtained my very own copy.