LABOR Day

Today is Labor Day. It is a holiday that represents all of our hard work and effort we perform on a daily basis. It gives weary and tired workers and school children a chance to stop and relax. Somehow Rich and I don't seem to be on the list of exhausted people that get a much needed break.

So, this afternoon I looked up the meaning of the word labor. It gave 4 listings:
1. Physical or mental exertion, especially when difficult or exhausting; work.
2.Something produced by work.
3. A specific task.
4. A particular form of work or method of working: manual labor.

I realized that this is the list that I am included in. The one for residents and moms and mentions the words exertion, difficult and exhausting. I think Rich and I are celebrating Labor Day by its true meaning.

Rich was on call last night and worked non stop from 8 PM until 9:45 AM. He had three trauma alerts, endless films to read and got the unlucky task re-dictating seven studies after the computer system crashed. Happy day to you!

I slept on a bare mattress covered by our bedspread after Brynn dumped out Kaitlyn's bottle in my bed just seconds before I was going to lay them down in their cribs. I was just too tired to make another bed. I consider Brynn a bottle outlaw!

This morning after feeding the kids and getting the girls bathed, but not quite diapered in time, I watched from across the room Kaitlyn poop on the carpet and then stepped in it as I freaked out getting to her. I got to spend the next 1/2 hour scouring the tub with Soft Scrub with bleach after cleaning the carpet with a can of Spot Shot and the Hoover Carpet Cleaner. I'll have diapers in hand after their next tub time.

The fun didn't stop there. They emptied out the cupboard of pots and pans, got a hold of the wipes and yanked them out by the dozens, dumped out the toy baskets and spread items across the entire main floor. I just couldn't keep up.

Then they got hungry. I think the girls must be related to mice or ants since they can smell or find food anywhere in the house.

They found the Pringles and took them downstairs to the basement to enjoy in secret.

They gobbled up Fruity Pebbles by the handful in the kitchen and then by the front door.

And the lure of the silver Pop Tart wrapper was just too hard to ignore.

But with faces and smiles like these, who can be angry. I'll just have to wrestle, tickle and love them until they have tears of joy and then hand them a rag and we can mop together. Thank heavens for vacuums and nap time!

work, Work, WORK!

We all know that keeping a house clean is a never ending cycle. I guess you could say that part of my life is predictable. Every day I will clean the kitchen a minimum of four times a day. Takes the guess work out. That's probably why I like fast food so much. I just toss out the spilled french fries off the van floor and call it good. Even then the task of cleaning is daunting.

Every night before you crawl into bed, you have to make sure the kitchen is sparkling (well at least there are no dirty dishes in the sink and no crushed cereal on the floor.) Just minutes after the boys wake up, chaos reigns supreme once again. And your back to where you started only 10 hours before. It's like I pushed the repeat button when the boys head out the door for school. Clean, clean, clean.

You even might dare to think you could somehow get a slight cleaning reprieve on fast Sunday. Unless you are me and give your little girls watermelon and they miraculously drip/fling sweet, sticky juice all over the counters and floor even though they are strapped tightly in their high chairs. I am in awe and often overwhelmed at the messes my little brood can make in an instant.
But tonight I get a bit of unexpected help. As I got down on all fours to mop up the floor with my rags I got two to of the cutest helpers ever.


Kaitlyn grabbed a rag and went to work.

Brynn soon followed.

She had some serious skills using two rags at once!

I was impressed. It looks like they might be able to teach me a thing or two about mopping.

The funniest part was when Brynn was done. She went to the drawer, pulled out two clean rags to use as a blanket, grabbed her bottle off the table and she was ready to turn in for the night.

Thanks for the help girls and for the laughs!

Fall means Football!

Happy September 1st to all! I can hardly believe it when I turned the calendar to a new month this morning. Where is 2007 going? Fast I guess. I love all that fall brings. I love to see the change in the slant of the sunlight and feel the slight cool in the air. It's time to be back in school, bake pumpkin bread and make soup. I think about all the fun warm weather clothes I can soon pull out and wear. I can put up the beautiful fall wreath on the front door. And the best part is that in just one short month decorate for Halloween, my ULTIMATE favorite fall event. The celebration of Halloween begins promptly on October 1st in our house. I can't wait to get out the new Eddie Walker items I got on EBay last November. I'm so excited.

But to Rich and many other men and women around the world the beginning of fall means football. And today marks the start of a new season for many excited and often devoted college football fans.

Rich was getting dressed this morning and I noticed he had a Stanford red color shirt on. I asked him if he was pulling a "Tiger." He said of course. He had to wear his beloved Cardinal to support his team as they were playing tonight. So funny. I have to admit that I loved hearing Lee Corso's voice on the TV today. He's a hoot to see which mascot head he pulls out and puts on each week.
I should have known Rich would be dressed for the big game since just last night I heard a ticking sound coming from the computer and found Rich watching the Stanford football preview video online. We watched it and he told me it even had a new Dollies shot. (They are the Stanford dancers- all 5 of them) I laughed. They really aren't that good, but I guarantee their ACT scores are far higher than mine.

On my first visit to Stanford Rich and I attended a football game. We sat next to Mark Harris and his wife Sarah and some of Rich's basketball teammates. It was so much fun to watch Josh Madsen and Greg Clark play. Josh, Greg and Mark had all played football at Stanford. All three had been Rich's roommates at some point. And all are considered his some of his best friends. What a great group of guys and what a support they were to Rich during his time on the Farm.

The game was sunny and warm and I felt happy to be there with Rich, finally getting to experience this part of his life. It was hard to make a 100,000 seat stadium look full, but the game was exciting. I remember Stanford shooting the cannon after a touchdown, seeing the insane band perform for the first time, watching the Tree run crazily around and loved the huge 2 story flag they ran up and down the field.

After the game I met Josh's wife Tiffany the first time. She was living in Canada at the time performing in Showboat. Who would have thought eleven years later we would have shared over a decade of great times together. From graduation, medical school, Halloween at the zoo, Huber Farm, Thanksgiving and lots of babies, we've been together for so long and shared so much. I can hardly believe they'll be headed back to Fresno in the spring. There will be a hole in our hearts when they leave this great state of Kentucky.

A few months later I also got to attend the Stanford VS Cal football game in Berkley. What a beautiful view of the Bay area from that field. Stanford won the coveted Axe and I was glad we didn't get injured by some crazed, drunk Cal fan since we were in the Stanford section. Go Card!

My fondest memory of a Stanford football game was when BYU and Stanford played in Provo, Utah in 2003. It was the battle of a lifetime, both colleges we had attended. We had just flown in that morning from Louisville. The first person I saw when I exited my car at Cougar Stadium was a tall fellow. I recognized him instantly, it was Mark Madsen. We got to spend time with many friends we hadn't seen in years. Fellow Stanford alums Jarron Collins, John and Gale Bunnell, Mark Harris, Greg Clark, Josh Madsen, J.B.Taylor were all there. Tiffany Madsen was there in her BYU blue and so were Marcie and Jim Alcorn. The lines were drawn and this girl hailing from Salem, Utah and Rich the good old boy would grew up under the shadow of the Y let everyone know where our loyalties lie. We proudly sported new Stanford gear I bought online. We were dressed and ready for a win.

We had amazing tickets around the tenth row on the far southwest side. The game was hyped up and my stomach had butterflies. The game was tense and Rich went and stood on the sidelines at half time. Stanford just had to win and along came a last minute miracle and they pulled off a victory by the final score of 18 to 14. I was by Rich's side on the sidelines for the last part of the game and to be on the field with the team when they won, it was magical.

Even with all those great memories, when I think of football, I don't think of any college team really. I think of the hours and hours I spent cheering the SF Dons team during my days in high school. Those were the days. There was excitement in the air, intense rivalries and boy did I love it when we won (which sadly wasn't often). We were there through sun, rain, sleet and snow. I loved cheering at football games. I have some of my best high school memories there.

Next I think of my brother Brad playing football. I nearly got in a fight with an opposing teams fan during one of his sophomore games. I was married at the time! I guess some people think you should not cheer loud at a sophomore games. I think of the game Brad played at Pleasant Grove. Rich and I pulled up and saw an ambulance on the field and I instantly knew it was Brad. I was right. He was playing QB and got tackled and broke his ankle. Rich's dad performed surgery that night. I then think two years later coming to watch him play as a senior with a brand new Trey tucked inside a Baby Bjorn. It felt like below zero, but he was safe under a coat and blanket. I love the photo I have of Brad, Brad Hales, and me holding Trey on senior night. Those are great memories.

While I was actually a college student I didn't go to that many football games. I went to BYU-Hawaii my freshman year and they don't have a team. The closest thing I got to a football game that year was shopping the huge swap meet held at Aloha Stadium parking lot in Honolulu. I did not go to one BYU football game while I was in college and single that I can remember. I never owned student tickets but when I was married we went a few times and used Rich's parents tickets.

But my favorite BYU game was on September 25, 1999 and I didn't even go to the game. I had a baby shower that afternoon at the Jackson's home, and after some of Rich's family walked down to the game (BYU vs. Virginia, Virginia won). Rich and I stayed to take pictures of Danny and Michael in their suits before they left for the Homecoming dance at Timpview High School. The game was on TV and we watched bits and pieces. During the game I went into labor with Trey and we found ourselves stuck in the game traffic driving to the hospital when we literally lived three blocks from both the stadium and the hospital (UVRMC). That was a night to remember. It was fitting since my mom went into labor with me the night she attended a BYU basketball game. Trey arrived just hours later at 2:02 AM and I'd bet money that the stadium lights were still on!

Obviously, Rich and I both grew up going to BYU football games. I loved standing for the fight song, watching the cheerleaders and still have blue and white pom poms they passed out one game when I was a child. It was a fun family outing. I'm sure when we head back home to Utah in a few years, I will once again cheer for the Cougars of BYU, while Rich hopes they lose. We'll just have to fly back to Palo Alto to root for the Cardinal from time to time.

Happy fall and football to all!

Mommy's Little Helper

Yesterday morning and afternoon were low key. I took the girls and had lunch with the boys (I was dying that I left my camera home next to the computer when I saw Matt had a little 'sweeper' necklace and then swept the floor as I was leaving. Too cute!), the girls took and nap and a friend picked up the boys and took them home to play.

The evening was totally opposite. Rich was on call at the hospital, so I was going solo. After I grabbed the boys from the Badgers we headed over to the pool for a little swim since it's closing on Monday (so sad!). As we drove there was thunder which means they close the pool for 30 minutes. The thunder continued making the 30 min. start over and over which means I was trying to corral five little ones in one little playground as we waited out the storm. Jonni arrived with her three kids and we played tag team keeping them close until finally the storm passed and we got to swim for an hour. The boys are little fish and the girls tolerated the big pool for a while, but love the kiddie pool most of all.

We got pizza for dinner and finally sat Trey down to complete his night's homework way too late. He still had to review his spelling words, take a pretest, do math and read for 20 minutes. I still had to get the girls to bed, make my bed (washed sheets after Brynn and Kaitlyn happily smeared lip stick all over the fitted sheet. Nice, really nice!), empty the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, start laundry... you know the list.

I got the girls down while quizzing Trey on his spelling words (prairie: it has 2 r's and 2 i's and the trick is iri) and told Josh and Matt the could watch Pirates of the Caribbean in my room with the door closed IF they sorted the laundry into piles. Trey finally got 100% on his list, zoomed through his math and I sent him up to read on his bed. When I walked in my room this is what I found.

Matt was in my bed watching the show and Josh was busy on the floor, hard at work making perfectly sorted piles all neatly folded. What a little helper! Sometimes I am amazed he is only 6 years old. What a kid. Thanks Josh for making my night a little easier.

Today Matt told me he loved me and gave me a big hug. He then said, "Josh does all the working, and I do the loving." I'd say they all do bits of loving, but Josh definitely wins the hard worker award every day, hands down!

Girl Hair Bows

Even though my two little girls are 99% of the time hair bow free, this is not by my doing. My hopes are still high that Brynn will finally relent and leave them alone and Kaitlyn will someday grow enough hair so they stay anchored.

My good friend Kristi Hamilton and I made bows when I was pregnant with the girls. We gathered up all the ribbon we had (I bought most of mine from Wal-mart) and she brought the clips ($5.00 for 100 count from Sally's Beauty Supply) and we would create headbands and bows for hours. We would look at and pry apart old bows to see how they were made and would branch out on our own and try new ideas. Kristi got so good at it, she makes them and gives them as gifts. Love that!

Today, she email me this website address. http://bowdesigns.50webs.com/index.html It gives great instructions about making different types of hair bows. So if you have a little girl, niece or neighbor, want a new hobby or gift idea, check it out. It looks like fun to me!

A Perfect Evening

Everyone once in awhile you get a tiny glimpse of heaven. These moments don't happen often or usually last very long. Life gets too busy and we spend most of the time rushing around trying to accomplish something worthwhile before we got to bed that night. It's not that often that you sit back and think, wow, I am so lucky to be living the life am! At this moment, everything is perfect and I wouldn't change a thing. That is how I felt this past Friday night. It proves that your location doesn't have to be far away and exotic or the cuisine expensive, you don't have to get all dressed up, jeans and a t-shirt will do, all you really need is to be surrounded by the people you love, laughing, smiling and making new memories together.

We needed someplace to go so the kids couldn't make any new messes in the house. I thought of the greatest park I had been to with the kids once and wanted to go again. We got the van loaded, grabbed both Taco Bell and McDonald's (picky eaters!) and were off. It's only a five minute drive and is located in one of the nicer neighborhood around us. There are swings, a rock climbing wall, a teeter-totter and two play sets that are the perfect size for the girls to go up and down on their own. It was so nice to finally be outside. I had kept the girls in because of the intense heat and the boys weren't allow out for recess on the extreme hot and humid days. We got to the park around 8 PM and it was starting to cool off. The place is beautiful.






Hartland Park, Lexington, KY.



The boys had Rich push them on the swings. The constant request: push me higher!

Matt and Josh. The battle of the twin brothers.

Matt and Brynn looking cute.

Up we go...

happily down came Kaitlyn,

followed right behind by a fast moving Brynn.

Kaitlyn checks out what is for dinner.

Brynn shows her, french fries!

The boys played a mean game of soccer,

until it got too dark.

Then the silliness crept out. We ran races (Rich beat us all, but I held my own!), did handstands, cartwheels, round offs and kicks. The long dead cheerleader in me came to life. We chased around giggling girls. I couldn't have dreamed it better.

Later that night Rich pointed out two helicopters that flew overhead were life flights. It made me cherish the moment even more.

As night grew around us, the moon glowed above the trees making it look like something out of a story book.

I found myself humming one of my favorite songs, Just Like Heaven by The Cure.

How blessed I am!

Presto Chango!

When we bought our Hermit Crabs a few weeks ago, the merchant told me to watch the larger of the two because she may need a new shell in the next few months. So, I would need to come back later and buy a larger shell. It was nice of him to inform me of that after I had already purchased the hermit crabs. (All sales are final!) In the last week, I had noticed that the larger hermit crab simply could not pull her entire body into the shell anymore. Actually, I think it looked like that the minute we got it home from the mall, but I didn't feel bad for her until recently.


So yesterday the girls and I went back to the kiosk in the mall in pursuit of a larger shell. We found one decently painted one (I wish they just looked natural) and brought it home. I should have waited until after school when the boys were there because the second I placed it in the container Shelly was attacking it, seeing if there was another crab inside. When she found it empty, poof! New Shell. It's much larger than her previous dwelling so now she looks like Goliath next to little Pincher. I thought it was fascinating and I'm very happy that they are moving and exploring just as much after two whole weeks. Matt noticed the second he got home and showed Josh and Trey. They were impressed too. I hope they last for awhile. I'm getting attached.



One more thing. I thought of the perfect name for a female (Josh says ours are girls) Hermit Crab. You could name her Hermione and call her Hermy for short! Too bad ours have already been named. Maybe next time.

Things I know for sure...

I may not know a lot, but these things are tried and true.

You can pull off an entire roll of toilet paper and still find room on the floor to empty out the all the contents under the sink.

One squirt of Windex makes a mirror shine. Fifteen squirts equals foggy glass.

Makeup on a baby girl isn't as cute as on her mom. That goes for the floor as well!

You can drop a carton of a dozen eggs on the floor and still find three not cracked.

Milk will turn into a tofu type substance in a hot car in just a few hours, or hiding under a bed for a week.

You can never take to many baths in a day. That would be for the kids, I am lucky to get one in.

My girls do not like Pop Tarts. No matter how many boxes they pry open and flavors they sample when they bite open the wrapper, I will find uneaten tarts smashed and squished in the carpet.

They do like Fruity Pebbles. Not a great cereal for taking places and for eating out of the box. Just follow the trail to the culprit.

Yogurt covered raisins will melt in sun and hand. Not a good color on your husband's suit.

Babies can learn to say 'no' and 'don't' long before they can say 'hi'.

Trimming a mullet style hairdo even just one inch along the back, makes the whole over all look a lot better.

Plants will die with no rain, sprinklers or water while you are away for ten days in Utah. Oh my poor planters and baskets!

Perk- grass does not grow either. No lawn needing to be mowed. (I think we have only mowed it 5 times all year.)

A straight line of ants in the wild transporting food is fascinating. A straight line of ant coming out of pin size hole in the counter- nauseating!

Six gallons of milk a week for my family is just not enough!

A child can fall asleep in bed while watching episodes of Jimmie Neutron on a smuggled Gameboy.

You can type on your blog with little serious damage done to carpet, furniture or walls by your children. Usually.

You can drift off to sleep for a moment in the middle of the afternoon with five kids running around beside you, TV blaring and Kaitlyn pulling your hair.

Earrings accidentally left on the night stand will soon disappear forever.

Fingernails seem to grow at a rapid pace and it's hard to keep up. Hate sending them to school or Primary looking like a witch.

You will feel drugged when the alarm goes off at 6:45 AM if you have a hard time getting to bed before midnight.

You know you are living with little boys when the container of Flart noise putty is the hit of the afternoon.

You know you need to get rid of cable when you find yourself humming the theme song from Hannah Montana!

Children can clean up an entire basement with the right motivation and a timer encouraging them to finish.

A second grader can and will have at least an hour of homework each night from Veterans Park Elementary.

The same Capri Sun can be recycled in a lunch bag everyday for a week without breaking open or getting drunk.

Eggo waffles make suitable food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ask Matt.

A bottle of spilled milk in the carpet will stink on day 2 even if you sprayed spot cleaner on by the gallon and used the carpet cleaner immediately when it happened.

You can pull apart a Crayola marker tip with your teeth and the ink will run out like water onto your lips, shirts, hands and arms.

You can not make a 17-month old wear a hair bow if she doesn't want to. I haven't found a proper distraction yet.

Hermit Crabs are a really fun pet.

I love a good deal. Couldn't pass up $1.72 swimsuits for Brynn and Kaitlyn at Target today. What a steal!

Blogging saves me money. I am online just as much, but am typing instead of looking at websites.

The best way to grow long hair is by getting a seriously terrible hair cut. Then you avoid cutting it altogether. Thankfully my last bad one has finally grown out.


I'm sure I'll learning something new tomorrow!

What in the world?

OK, I resisted the urge to post this earlier after I read about it online. I didn't watch the Miss Teen USA show, therefore missed out on some serious great TV, but thanks to the millions who have watched it live and online, the media reported about it today. Still, I didn't think it was news worthy enough to post, though I did have a good laugh at the poor girl.

Then I picked the boys up from school today. The first thing Trey told me he had a great story to share. He said, "My teacher told me about this teenager on TV and when they asked her about finding the United States on a map, she talked about South Africa and Iraq. Mom, she is going to college!"

I don't know how this story related to a second grader, but when my seven year old has heard about it at school, I could justify the post. Though I have to be completely honest here. I should not be the one to point fingers. My geography skills have been lacking in years past and somehow I labeled the Appalachian mountains in California on a BYU test (I swear it read Sierra Nevada's). I am sure the teacher thought I had brain damage, but I still ended with an A in the class. I also got on a plane bound for South Carolina last summer when flying out to Lexington. It took until the third announcement for me to realize that plane REALLY was going to S.C. Rich can't believe I'll admit to getting on the wrong plane, but I just say, they LET me get on the wrong plane. Oh well, we all have our moments.

Back to the video, Lauren Caitlin Upton, the reigning "Miss South Carolina Teen USA," was asked during the national competition why so many people can't find the USA on a map. Her answer was so confusing that TMZ says "it couldn't have made less sense if she were speaking in ancient Selonian ... in fact, maybe she was!" Despite the fumble, she came in third! Augh!

Hopefully the Donald realizes that asking questions during a beauty pageant isn't always a great idea. I have one more story to back it up. Years ago I watched the Miss USA show and a contestant was asked which quarterback she would most like to catch a touchdown pass from and the girl's response was "Tiger Woods." By the way- she ended up winning!

So just in case you missed it, enjoy!

Tuesday Tell All- Room With A View

The week ticked by and it's time again for Tuesday's Tell All. I am supposed to write about a room in my home that I am particularly fond of at the moment. I got this topic last week and have been thinking about it since. As I rocked the girls at night I slowly went through the entire house in my head thinking about all the changes that I have made to the place over the past year. They range from very small (new hardware on the cupboards) to quite large (new carpet on the stairs and main floor). I am proud of the transformation of a house that I thought could be nice, to a place that I love coming home to.

For years when we lived in Louisville, I liked our house, but it was just a place we lived in. Every time we would return home from a trip to Utah, the whiteness of the walls and lack of decor made me want to walk right out the door and hop on the next plane taking me back to where it felt warm, comfortable and homey. I always loved the yard, but I think that was because I would mow the lawn, bought shrubs and planted flowers. I took the time to make it different, to make it my own. It wasn't until I started painting, decorating and put down new flooring in the master bath, that I felt like the house was part of me. The night I painted the boys room (during Rich's third year), the first big paint job I had ever done, I laid down in bed next to Trey and just took it all in. I looked at the ceiling, at the floor boards, around the door frames and window. It was a place I wouldn't mind being in for awhile.

Soon, I was a painting machine. The den was next, then the horrible border along the ceiling in my room came down and paint was up. I should add that I painted our room twice when the cream I wanted looked more like yellow and next to the pinkish carpet had a bit of a tootie-fruity feel. Not a good look. Next was the laundry room (used the yellow oops paint) and finally our bathroom. Early one morning, Rich awoke to a strange sound coming from the bathroom. Inside he found me ripping down the wallpaper. I guess I tend start project sort of spur of the moment. That's OK, because I always see them through to the finish.

I have loved learning how to fix things, change things and do it myself. I can thank my mom for that. The first time I rewired a light switch (it had a breaker on it too) I was glowing from pride and thankfully not from being electrocuted! I changed door knobs, put down laminant flooring and Kristi helped me put up tile in the kitchen. It was a joy to see what I could accomplish with some determination, a mom that is a phone call away and a Home Depot close by.

But I digress, back to the original topic. I had a hard time coming up with one room I like the best, because each has stories I could share. I painted the girls room FOUR times after trying to make myself like pink. I love the butterflies on the walls and the counted cross-stitch my Grandma Nance made for the girls' and my last birthdays. It says 'I am a Child of God."

In the boys room I love their beds overflowing with stuff animals and seeing the trophies they earned over the summer. I think back to the day we moved in (the kids were in Utah with our families) and Rich and I took down the ugly teddy bear border and filled in the holes from the zigzag 'Trevor' lettering that had been on the wall from the previous owner. (Rich does like to tease me that the girls names are over their cribs, because I thought the crooked Trevor name looked so dumb!) I spent hours the second night here painting it the exact color of their old room. (Bless Rich's heart, he tried to help me paint, but I was too bossy!) I wrote their names on the wall in the brown paint and took pictures. I wanted them to feel like it was home when they walked in.

I laugh when I think about the master bathroom. I hung a new light fixture in there. I bought one from Lowe's and got it up easy, but then noticed it was too short on the sides and you could see from the paint where the original had been. Not wanting to turn the power back on with a light undone, I went straight back to Lowe's with the kids, bought a larger light, went home and started to hang it. It was a bit hard to hold up because of the size, so I yelled for Josh to come in and help me. When Rich walked in from work he found me and Josh standing on our sink, arms outstretched holding up the half attached light with one of its ends balancing on my head, my blood was smeared on the wall and mirror from the cut I got from some sharp edge, but we were nearly there. Two screws later, we had a working light. I was proud of that one.

But the one I think I appreciate the most is our kitchen. So, after far too many stories, I will pick it as my favorite room of the moment.

When we bought our home I truly thought I hated the kitchen. I took all of a ten second look at it during the showing, but it was long enough for me to spy the purple and gold walls, the horrible floral drapes looped on a gaudy brassy rod, the bright gold cabinet handles and a small gold light over the table. Had these people ever heard of color tones? When do you mix purple and gold, gold and more gold, when the floor was grayish and the counters were green! The answer to that is never. I didn't even peek in the cupboards, dishwasher or sink. I knew I had my job cut out for me.

When I flew back to Utah to get the kids, I took off a small cabinet door, painted poster boards with the family room wall color, took a piece of scrap flooring and brought it with me. Sweet Danene Harper, a Salem neighbor, former primary teacher, interior decorator and dear friend came over to help assist me with this daunting project. She came up with a paint color (1/2 shade darker than the paint on the bottom half of the dining room/den) and helped me with arranging the house. What a sweetie. Thanks Danene! I was now ready!

As the movers were bringing in boxes I was tearing down the purple monstrosity. Even with wallpaper backing and glue all over the walls it was an improvement over the gold and purple. Rich spent an entire afternoon scraping and peeling that muck off the wall. The drapes and rod came down next and pewter handles and rod replaced the shiny gold. I got a paint match for the den and the new paint color for the kitchen.

I had to do some serious hunting for something to fill the large wall behind the table. I looked online for hours at possible prints. My mom would look up my suggestions and finally she found this set of three flowers. They were perfect. I got a shelf from Pottery Barn and filled up little vases with rocks and it worked. With the greenish paint, tan drapes and pewter rod, it had a natural look, much more soothing than the former style.

The last job was to replace the light. I finally found a pewter light at Lowe's and took the old one down. The only problem was that Rich was at school and I had to make sure I hung it at the right height. I called my mom who measured her light and told me how far hers was from the ceiling to the tip. I got some dental floss and measured it out and hung it from the ceiling. Now I could gauge how many links I needed and where to secure it from the top. Magically, soon after we had a light hanging that match up at the bottom of the dental floss. I was thrilled that it all actually worked!

The very last addition was a little flat screen TV tucked into the corner. A Christmas gift from my parents. This is our only TV on the main floor and I love it that way. The kids can watch cartoons while eating their cereal, and when I click it off, silence. Love it!

Today, I love the boys art work from school hanging on the fridge. I love the Hermit Crabs making scraping sounds in the corner. I love having family dinner around the table and love the view I have from the window. It's a nice room to be in.

So there you have it. That is the story of my kitchen and my life long story of painting and decorating. Hope someday, some of you will come and check it out in person!

Let The Fantasy Begin!

We were ahead of the game last night. Even with my hours of phone calls to grandma's and parents in Utah and the youth fireside Rich attended, by 9 we had the kids in their PJ's, scriptures read (thanks to my better half), teeth brushed, prayers said, tucked in and lights out before 9:30 PM. Our bedtime goal on school nights is 9 PM, so we were close, very close.

Rich helped me fold some laundry and I didn't know what to do with myself being kid free for a few waking moments. I still feel like I'm playing sleep catch up from our trip to Utah and my solo journey to Cali last weekend, so I thought I'd read for a bit and go to sleep early.

Rich headed downstairs so I followed. I thought he'd grab a drink or some food in the kitchen, but he surprised me by heading straight for the computer. Huh? But I was puzzled for just a moment, then I remembered. How I could forget when this day, hour and even minute meant so much to Rich? What kind of a loving and supportive wife am I? It was..... Draft Time Baby!!



There was a buzz in the air (or that could have been the constant cell phone connection over the next two hours). There was a spring in Rich's step and a gleam in his eye. This was like Rich's Disneyland. He has won the coveted Fantasy Football trophy for two years running with his med school buddies, but this was different. This time it really matters, because it's family!

While in Utah Rich and Taylor flipped through a calendar finding a perfect date and time that everyone could be available, online and prepared for their Fantasy Football Draft. It was like selected a wedding date, it had to be perfect. Rich talked about it with his brothers for weeks, the excitement building. He and Taylor had deep discussions about how to run the draft, what should be allowed, how the point system would work. It would run like a well oiled machine.

The hour was at hand, the wait was nearly done. Rich was ready and he was going to show no mercy. He clicked on the computer, searched for his print out of players, called his brother on his cell phone, scanned web sites about potential draft picks and counted down the seconds. He was like the NBA GM I knew he could have been.

I could hear Taylor's voice on the other end. They had the excitement of young boys talking about the newest and coolest gadget they finally were the proud owner of. I love seeing Rich so happy.

Rich's eyes grew wide when the countdown reached zero. The first pick selected in a matter of seconds and then it was Charlie's turn. He picked Payton Manning, Rich's favorite pick was gone. It was like when Caesar was stabbed in the back, Rich was taken aback. How could he do that to him? What to do? Rich didn't falter, he flipped through player sheets and found a second suitable pick in an instant. He was still in the game.

It was a roller coaster of emotions for 16 tedious rounds. There was laughter, screams of praise and disbelief as they all watched who was grabbed next. And it was all shared over a computer and cell phone. What a world we live in. It's a pretty great place to be.

Good luck Rich. I hope you win. You had better or Taylor will NEVER let you live it down! If not, there's always Fantasy basketball!

Go Fighting Trees!

Seriously, Stop!

I might file this in the 'what were they thinking?' category, but you could argue that they do have a point.

We were driving around on Friday night exploring our still fairly new city of Lexington when we stumbled upon this. You might say, wow a Stop sign. Like it is something you have never seen before, but look closer.

This Stop sign is place right at the end of a street giving you three options. 1. Stop and then plow through the fence. 2. Stop and then turn left into a drive way and shoot some hoops. (This would be Josh's top selection) or 3. Stop and make a U-Turn. You don't have much choice with a fence in front and a house on the left and a field on the right.

I was laughing at the sign and Rich was laughing at me when I made him turn around and back up the van so I could get a picture. I am sure the words blog and post crossed his mind. What a nice guy!

If I had been in on the design, I would have chosen a 'Dead End' or 'No Outlet' sign, but it seems they ran out of those and opted for a Stop sign and an unmarked orange diamond. Guess it works as long as you can read. Better that than 'Yield'!

...... One other funny thing I read the other day while driving. I was stopped at a red light next to a tow truck. On its door it read: "We don't want your arm or leg, just your TOWS." Clever.

Happy Birthday Taylor!

November 2006, Taylor's visit to the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Christmas Eve 2006 - Provo, Utah.

Happy 22nd Birthday Taylor. Have a great day. We love you!

All about Trey

Trey's big school project for the week was to complete and color a poster called Read All About Me! This should have been a relative easy homework assignment for a 2nd grader since the questions were simply answers about yourself. That means there are no right or wrong responses. However, it seems every "project" requires more time than initially anticipated. Trey was given four days to finish the few questions, decorate the poster and be prepared to present it to the class on Friday. Sharing it should be a no brainer. Let's be honest here, you shouldn't forget answers about yourself. Coloring the sheet should be a breeze, using crayons isn't rocket science.

Some kids could have had it all spiffy in one night, but this is Trey we are talking about. He just can't sit still for long when doing things he isn't passionate about. He bounces and hops off the chair to gets drinks, to check on brothers and sisters and tries sneak away when I turn my back. I have threaten to get out the belt and secure him to the chair on more than one occasion. I know he's a bit hyperactive and that characteristic come from moi, so I shouldn't complain. To his credit, he can sit and read for hours, is a Math whiz and could wallop me in a spelling test (he missed only 2 bonus words all year in 1st grade), but when it comes to finishing certain projects, it can be a tough task.

The boy that has a one track mind- how to be entertained. Trey could spend days on end in front of some type of screen and be perfectly content. I think he would rarely notice he was even hungry if he was in the middle of a great show. It's not until the screen goes dark, does he recognize the intense hunger pains in his belly. When I tell him it's time to turn of the TV he scarfs down a few hand fulls of Doritos or some chocolate cereal and disappears, only to find him later upstairs in my room with the door closed (better to hide the noise) watching the same show. When I boot him from my room, he comes down and gets on the computer or finds a Gameboy. You see my struggle!

If you asked him what his favorite invention is, I really might he would say the DVR. The kid knew how to program and record shows before I knew how to turn the dang TV on. While I do love the fact we can pause any show at any time, I don't want to watch the same episode of Myth Busters one more time!

If he didn't say he loved the DVR, his other absolute favorite thing would surely be the Play Station 2. His birthday is fast approaching which means we get to hear daily which game he would like most. Right now he is torn between Star Wars Episode III or Star Wars Republic Commando (which we can only find in Xbox). The first thing Trey said to Rich yesterday was "Mom knows where a GameStop (a video game store) is!" The first thing he utters when we wakes us, after he begs for chocolate milk, has something to do with a game. He's obsessed.

Well, back to the poster. We got it done after Matt and I both helped color and we had the microwave times ticking down the seconds until the written questions had to be complete. He shared it with the class today and happily told me it was the best looking one of the bunch.

Here's what he shared.

I am 7 years old. My birthday is September 26, 1999. I live in Lexington. I am in the second grade. My teacher is Mrs. Newton. I get to school by car. These are the members of my family: Dad, Mom, Josh, Matt, Trey, Brynn and Kaitlyn. When I grow up I would like to be a doctor. I show others I care by writing nice notes to my parents. I am a star because I am good at math. Favorite color: orange, animal: scorpion, food: spaghetti, book: Franny K. Stein, sport: baseball, favorite thing to do in school: math, favorit thing to do at home: Playstation 2 and reading. Three super cool facts about yourself. 1. I am the oldest of five children. 2. I have been to eleven states and Mexico. 3. I have the same name as my dad and grandpa.

Love you Trey!

PS. Earlier this week we had a discussion about why children have to go to school our country. You can't just choose not to go. The government won't let you, you have to get an education. This morning Matt was once again lamenting the fact he had to go to school for yet another day when I reminded him that staying home wasn't an option. He grumbled that he didn't like his new school and liked his old school (preschool) better. Matt then asked "Who signed me up for this school thing?" I reminded him that going to school was a law. He fired back, "I hate the government!" Count out a future in politics!

Matt once more...

It has been killer hot here in Kentucky over the past two weeks. The actual temperature has been in the high 90's and I think we even made it to 100 yesterday. I don't know, I chose to stay inside and blog. What a nice day it was! The heat index says it feels much hotter when you add in the humidity. We are planning a trip to the pool tonight to cool off. The boys are excited and the girls will enjoy getting out.

When we got home from school pick up I was thirsty. My favorite drink to beat the heat is diet Sprite with a little bit of grapefruit juice. It really is refreshing. Matt was thirsty too and after a quick "squiggle" as Matt calls it (drinking from the bottle) to make sure the Sprite wasn't poisonous I got after him to find a cup. My empty glass with ice was left by the computer and Matt spied it and filled it up with drink. After a few seconds he said, "Hey, I can taste that there was Fresca in this cup before." No I thought, there isn't any Fresca open, but then realized that he was using my glass and that it would taste like Fresca since that drink is supposed to taste like grapefruit. I told Matt he was very smart to recognize the drink. He said, "Yes, my taste buds could tell and they sent the data into my body and I knew. Taste buds are important."

Matt proves once again his little brain is fully functioning.

Inside the mind of Matt

My little Matt. He's a hard one to explain. He's full of life, funny and yet has a temper beyond his years. He has a vocabulary that rivals that of an adult and loves to analyze, debate and bargain the rules and consequences of life. He talks about issues that range from McDonald's toys to World War II.

He is so opposite of Josh. I like to say Matt would have been a great only child and here he was born a twin. Maybe that is telling us that he has strengths and weakness that can both be helped through having a brother. I think they really do need each other to balance themselves out.

I often say Matt is my quotable child. When I got his preschool journal, the teachers had written down comments and experiences that the child had in class. Matt's was: Matt gave a friend a great compliment. Ms. Kate said, "You're so sweet!" Matt, "Yeah, that's part of being a kid. It's part of the Ten Commandments. You know, love one another."

He always speaks his mind. While in Utah he was sitting on Jeff's lap when he let one rip. Jeff asked Matt. "Did you Puff (our word for toots)? Matt seriously replied, "Of course. I always puff and they smell horribly. But I call them farts because that is the same as puff, but it's worse. Farts smell two times as worse than poop because poop doesn't smell." I say, OH MY!

Last night the two of us were making banana bread. Matt started talking about our ant problem and about the ant killer we bought at Home Depot after school. Matt asked if I put out the poison. I said yes. He then said, "Score for us! Those ants will take it back to the Queen and her minions. We humans make houses and they are dangerous for ants. When we kill ants each day it lowers the species." Really I say. "Yes, we will eliminate their army." Between the words minions, species and eliminate I was smiling. It's just not something that usually comes out of the mouth of a six-year-old.

And now for the crazy/funny story of Matt in Utah. It was a bit shocking as my brothers recounted it to me, but like I said, this is Matt we are talking about. He was downstairs at my Grandma Nance's house talking with Brad. Matt started a deep thought conversation. Matt said, "Sometimes I do not agree with my mom. I hate the rules and do not obey." Brad asked what rules he was talking about. Matt said, "Like going to bed. I like staying up late. All the best shows come on at midnight. Sometimes I stay up all night" He paused and then continued, "And sometimes I swear. I don't remember which one. It think is sounds like "do". No, wait, it rhymes with "L". You know what I mean." At this point I am sure Brad is speechless. Who is this kid?

Matt lifted up a tank he was playing with to show Brad. "Tanks are the most deadliest thing on earth," he explained. He had an idea. He brought the tank upstairs to my Grandma. He asked her if he could have the toy. She sweetly told him that it was part of collection and that he could play with it when he came to visit. Maybe someday she would give it to him. Matt looked at the floor thinking and then blurted out, "I'll give you a week!" Oh no! Here is my six-year-old giving my grandmother an ultimatum and telling Brad swear words he knows. I think we need to have a little Mother to son chat, soon!

So there you have my report on Matt. I know they'll be more to type about in the near future. He'll probably remind me how he HATES sports and that Heavenly Father just made him that way, how he would rather not go to school, but stay in my bed and watch Star Wars (he did that on Monday) and he'll soon remind me of all the things I did incorrectly. What a guy, but at the same time I could write about his wonderful hugs and kisses, how he is a whiz at math, how he loves to help me around the house, how he remembers everything, how he loves to read and listen to stories, how he loves to play games with me and builds the most intricate and thought out cities and wars I've ever seen. He is a child with many facets.

Oh Matt. I love you kid. You keep me on my toes.... and sometimes on my knees!

Happy Birthday Kurt!

Happy 19th Birthday Kurt. We love you! Enjoy your special day!