McIff Family

Birthday treat!

2011-02-20T18:01:00.000-08:00

We got a piece of very, very happy news this last year (yes, it was finally a year of good news items!). We received an email from our cutest Carmen letting us know that her Christmas request of her parents was to let she and her sister, Chiara, come to the USA for Christmas and New Years. WAHOO!!!!

Nah, I wasn't excited at all. ;)

We picked them up at the airport around 1:00 AM. How could I complain? It was like my 3rd child was coming home....

What a wonderful treat. Carmen fell right back in to the rhythm of this house, remembering where nearly everything was, emptying the dishwasher for me, prompting the kids to pick up, being her usual attentive, happy and mischievous self. So wonderful!

Marin and Gabe acted like she had been gone for a few weeks instead of 18 months. It was a delight to watch. Chiara was so fun to get to know. She was quiet for the first few days as we all tried to decide how much English she really understood. Sneaky girl....she knows a lot more than she let on! I think she finally got comfortable with the kids by about day 3 and started taking to them. So cute!

They brought a whole suitcase full of treats for us. A Nutella cookbook (it's like cooking by picture since it's all in Italian ~ delightfully fun though!), pastas, sauces, lots of different flavor treats, makeup for Marin, body art for Gabe, a stunning scarf for Brett.....

We enjoyed the snow (Chiara's first time seeing and touching snow), watching movies, making lots of good food, and going shopping. We had one whole evening dedicated to body art with Gabe's gift. It's probably a "Klutz" book but it's in Italian so I can't confirm that! The kids drew animals and designs all over one anothers' arms. They are pretty good!

One of my favorite parts of their time here? Gabe quizzing Chiara on smells with his "smencils". I had so much fun watching Chiara try to memorize and figure out the English names for smells she knew then attempting to repeat them with her eyes closed while Gabe tested her. She was such a good sport and had such fun! I think Gabe's loyalties to Carmen shifted a bit to Chiara after this trip.....

The deal is: the next time we see those wonderful girls it will be on their home turf in Sardinia.

I need to save my pennies!

A couple Christmas memories

2011-02-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

While the snow flakes are still flying outside I've decided to finish a couple winter posts on this silly blog...

The kids are getting big enough that I prefer their help on some of their Christmas gifts. Both were happy to opine on what clothes they would like. Marin was quite giddy to have a "shopping spree" with mom. With graduate school having been the focus of our lives for so long she was pretty entertained by finally having some money towards clothes. She has proven to be an attentive and efficient shopper, knowing what she wants and what I will agree to. It takes minutes rather than hours and is strangely pleasant.

Gabe was a bit more interesting. He does but he doesn't care what he wears. It's odd to me. At age 8 he is strangely in tune with his own sense of fashion and makes combinations that are striking and handsome but he does it in a way that seems so nonchalant.

This year he asked for trashy pants. Really. Those were his words: trashy pants. Huh?

Everyone (you know, the all encompassing "everyone") is wearing them. They are relaxed, they do not have to have a zipper, they look beat up, and you can play in them and not care if they get dirty. Trash pants. I also received that look...the one from the side of their face with one eye brow raised that says, "Duh, Mom. Don't you know anything?"

Obviously not.

We were in The Children's Place store. I found a gorgeous pair of toffee colored cords...they were worn on the thighs and around the knees...jeans like style but frayed around the edges. DING! The hottest looking trashy pants I have ever seen! The resulting conversation was something like this, "Hey, Gabe. I kind of like these pants but they look pretty beat up. In fact they look like someone ran over then with their car. They're too messed up but do you like the style?" Gabe: "Those are perfect trashy pants, Mom! I LOVE them!"

HA HA HA HA HA!

I rock. I bought the hottest looking cords for the 8 year old under the guise of their trashiness. I still have it.....

Both kids walked away with excellent additions to their wardrobes that fit their own sense of style. I love these kids!

Time for Updates

2011-02-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

I was reminded yesterday during lunch that I need to be a bit more prompt on updating our family blog. Sometimes I need a reminder that others are interested in what we are doing....it all seems pretty ho-hum to me most days!

I've decided to post some of the Christmas pictures that I promised. I really did love my colors this year of gorgeous pink and spring green. It made the dark winter days seem a bit brighter.

I love the lights, the sparkle, and the anticipation on the kids faces.

Christmas Eve Pajamas

Demon cat was guarding HIS tree and packages. He wouldn't let the kids get their gifts!

Gabe - Pokemon heaven!

Demon cat is finally content ~ convinced no one can see him.

Miss Sassy Pants in her new boots and furry vest. I call her Yetti. Her great grandma seems to think she's pretty awesome!

Turkey Day at the beach?

2010-12-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

Yup....didn't think it would ever happen. Didn't think I would even really want to go. But when a trip to Hawaii is placed in front of you, how do you say "no"? (Hint: you don't)

It was my parent's turn to host Thanksgiving this year. My mother really threw us for a curve when she asked if we would be willing to fly with our kids to Waikiki, stay at the Trump Towers and play on the beach for Thanksgiving. Oh, minor issue...we needed to cook a dinner for 12 in a hotel room. No problem!

We flew, we played, we were drenched in sea water (Brett had no craving for chips the whole trip. Weird, eh?), we walked, and walked, and walked. We cooked a holiday dinner for 12. We shopped at nearly 15 ABC Markets. We consumed pineapples at nearly every meal. The kids convinced us that after the beach they needed to rinse off in the pool before taking a shower. How do you say no to kids that bathe that much?

Some additional surprises: a random parade, Friday night fireworks (you should have heard the car alarm chorus!), crabs, neon fish, snorkeling, sea turtles, window displays with models in bikinis in the snow, seeing the "giraffe whisperer" at the zoo, getting photos taken of Mom and I out running by Asian tourists in a bus - (hey, we look like locals!), and finally enjoying the amazing Trump hospitality. If I could have brought my pillow home I would have. And the robes. Oh yeah, the appliances...I would take those, too. Mostly the shower. I would KILL for that shower. Truly.

To my wonderful parents: MAHALO!!! What happens when it's my turn to host? Buggers....

( this is the kitty that missed his girl while we were gone...)

A new day of celebrations

2010-12-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

We celebrate around here like any other family; birthdays, anniversaries, teeth that fall out....the usual. But this year we added a new celebration on November 18th. That is the day Brett received notification that everything was approved on his dissertation and became officially finished with school!

Brett and I spent our first year at the University of Utah together and when we married he was half way through his Bachelors. When Marin was 18 months old he graduated with a BS in Exercise and Sport Science. After Gabe was born Brett decided he really wanted to go back to school so he investigated all the options and selected a program that would get him through a combined Masters/Ph.D. It has been a long, long road and Brett has been such an amazing example to these kids of determination and sacrifice. He has worked full-time through all his education and never took summers off. He is tenacious and a total brain (with a 3.95 for his Masters of Science in Public Health and a 4.0 for his Ph.D in Public Health). What you never get told is how long the dreaded dissertation process actually takes.

I had moments in this process when I really despised his committee and reviewers. It took a lot of time and some real perspective to see that this is what separates the Masters students from the Doctoral students. There is a dramatic difference between the two! A Doctoral degree is an education in intense refinement by fire and brimstone. I now truly appreciate the process and hope never to have to go through it again...

November 18th will be celebrated forever around this house. Congratulations, Dr. McIff. Your degree looks good on you!

P.S. If you want an education for yourself, check out the differences in how a Ph.D. looks when he/she graduates.... http://doctoralgraduationgowns.org/

Birthdays...

2010-08-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

August is a busy month.....we have birthdays and an anniversary to celebrate. 12 years ago I tried really hard to convince Marin to be born on Brett's birthday but she refused to cooperate. I think she already knew it was important for her Dad to keep his birthday all to himself! She thankfully chose to arrive exactly 2 weeks later!

Brett's birthday is a tough one. He will disagree with me but truly, it's hard. I have things I want to get him but I just can't justify it. There are things he would LOVE, but he just can't justify it. Then there are the gifts that just seem to work...

While traveling in Spain last year we had a moment of watching some people play Bocce on a sandy area of a park in Barcelona. We were on a pedestrian bridge looking down on their game and they were having so much fun! There were teams, intensity, camaraderie, belligerence and hilarity. Truly, those are all the components of a wonderful game! So this year my mom and I bought a Bocce set for Brett in memory of that delicious trip to Spain!! (if only the balls smelled like jamon....that would be perfect!)

The kids love a good game - especially a new one that involves throwing large objects. This was no exception! Interestingly enough Marin took to Bocce like a pro and managed moves that we didn't think were possible. She also cheered herself on a lot, gloated, and giggled....very disconcerting to those who were losing.

Marin also was the queen of measurements. Points are given based on how many balls are closest to the "pallina", the first ball thrown in the game. Much discussion goes into deciding which balls are the closest and how to measure - in Spain and in the US! Marin has multiple methods from using her hand-span to her arm length to her arm plus 2 or 3 fingers width. She is pretty ingenious if she would stick with one method while measuring one game.....ha! She goes from arm length plus 2 fingers to counting off 2 1/2 feet length. I'm not sure how she thinks those will compare but it made for some lively discussions.

I think Brett had a happy day. All he really wanted was time with his family. He probably got a really big dose of it - perhaps more than he wanted or expected. What can we say? We just love him!!

Happy Birthday, Brett!

Joyful Noise

2010-03-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

JOYFUL NOISE

So....6 weeks of rehearsals and lots of dramatic attitudes at home for the
performance by the after school drama club of JOYFUL NOISE!!!!

For those who have never heard of this book, it is a collection of poems about BUGS.
Here is a description:

Winner of the 1989 Newbery Award, Joyful Noise is a children's book of poetry about insects that was designed for two readers to enjoy together. On each page are two columns of verse for children to alternate reading aloud about the lives of six-legged creatures ranging from fireflies writing in the sky to a love affair between two lice, crickets eating pie crumbs and the single day in the life of a mayfly. Charming large scale soft-pencil illustrations enhance the comical, easy-to-read text.

Marin's 6th grade teacher felt this book could be done with many voices and with dance moves added. It is a fun and fast production with much memorization and movement. It was pure entertainment the first night but going back a second time really highlighted all the silliness and intricacies of the performance.

(this video is the butterflies coming out of their chrysalis)

Marin played the parts of the butterfly, firefly, mayfly, water boatman, cicada, maple moth, cricket, bee and a digger wasp. Some were speaking and some were dancing. She did really well until the bee performance in front of her peers. The bees have to do little bum wiggles to show the shaking off of the pollen.....oh, there were ample giggles! You can start figuring out which bugs are in each performance by the moves and the descriptions of their lives. A very well planned out production!

Top left video is fireflies, top right is crickets

Events

2010-03-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

Life never slows around this house but as it's my normal, I don't often see the purpose in sharing. I need to remember that other people (like Grandparents!) love to hear what is going on in our crazy lives. So here is a brief synopsis:

Marin has been in drama club this year and is making final preparations to perform "Joyful Noise". She plays a digger wasp, a whirlygig and a mayfly...I think. She is nervous and excited but has really enjoyed drama and theater this year.

Gabe is an outstanding reader! He passes his reading tests with excellent scores and is reading out loud to us in the evenings. He has such a mastery of punctuation, intonation and grammar. We are beyond lucky!

Brett is starting a string of trips with work....currently in Washington D.C., then Atlanta, then Houston and finally San Diego/Long Beach. He hasn't traveled this much since his last job but he is so good at what he does!

Marin has registered for Junior High School. Ugh. I'm not old enough for this! It was interesting to watch the dynamics with her friends....she thought they would all continue the same interests they have shared through elementary. Not so. Faced with some really great class options, each friend chose a different focus and left Marin wondering what was going on! Thankfully she knows they will all still be together at the same school and they will still be friends...she also wasn't willing to give up an art class that she fell in love with! I wonder if they will cure her of her scissor fetish?

Gabe is a collector. I am learning this about him as I appreciate how he manipulates me. It began with Blue's Clues, to Diego then to Thomas trains (that was a big collection). We moved to legos and kitties and now we are into Pokemon and Bakugan. It is becoming difficult to organize his room as he won't let us move any of the collections to another room. He has managed to find ways for me to skillfully purchase these toys for him when I truly mean to save the money. I am toast.

Brett is practicing a game of "PATIENCE" that is a much bigger and more complex game than I ever thought it would be. He masterfully phones or emails his dissertation chair weekly to get any information about his progress and skillfully evades all familial inquiries about progress of said dissertation. It is a mine field full of emotions and frustrations and short burst of progress. I liken it to birthing a child. If you really knew what it would be like, would you sign up for it?

I am making myself busy to distract myself from not feeling productive. I am continuing to offer PE support at our school (and a few others), chair a safety committee, sit on a couple volunteer committees within our city, help with anything involving trees, try to create paying jobs for myself and cross my fingers that I will get to go back part-time at the Health Department. I like feeling that I am a productive part of the family. I am not one to sit home and enjoy Brett's hard earned pay checks. I want to help! Hopefully the planets and stars will align and open all the doors I have been banging my head against.

Other than that.....we are all good! It's almost spring which is a good time for this crowd to get outside and play..and garden...and ride bikes....and kick balls....and watch flowers push up out of the ground. We're ready!

In honor of Brett.....

2010-02-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

A few poignant thoughts for the next few weeks....

I know you are thinking some of those...just don't say them out loud.

The Dissertation Cloud

The Dissertation RUN!!! I think I like this tradition!

They all seemed so applicable....we are cheering for you!

What cures the winter doldrums?

2010-02-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

PAINT!!!

Yes, Brett gets nervous when I say, "Do you know what I think we should do today?". He has reason to get nervous. It never ends up well for him. Whatever it is in my brain always involves more work and more mess and more money than he wants to deal with. He'll get used to it.

January brought bone deep cold, monochromatic colors outside and lack of desire to do anything. It seemed the perfect time to shake it up and go buy paint. I have avoided painting the kitchen for the 8 years we have lived here as I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to a color. I still really want to brick the walls but until then, paint would have to do.

here is the boring kitchen before....

Color....now that is a hard one. I have shades of yellows, greens, purples, and browns around the main floor. The kitchen just seemed to beg for something with substance, depth, intensity and vitality. We started investigating spicy colors: paprika, chili powder, pomegranate, and found a color that seemed to satisfy all the requirements. I love it!

The color has warmth but doesn't shrink the kitchen or dining room. It plays in the different lighting around here and pulls the greys and lavender flecks from the counter tops. It really warmed up the cabinets and the white accents and appliances are so bright and clean.

hmmmmm...home at last.

Brett asked why I didn't do this sooner. Ugh.

It's beginning to look a lot like.....

2009-12-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

a big mess!!!

The kids are LOVING having 2 weeks off from school

I have not wrapped a single present

We really did send out Christmas cards this year!

I let the kids decorate the tree....it looks pretty good.

We made homemade marshmallows for all our neighbors

We ate lots of marshmallows in the name of quality control

It has been a busy and crazy year but we lived through it

We find ourselves missing Carmen....a lot.

Brett is in the basement, writing. He does that often.

Marin rocks at piano!

Marin is also using all her natural skills in Drama Club at school

Gabe continues to be the self appointed School President

The Principal is OK with it

Gabe lives in a universe with no gravity

He also finds random black holes all around our house

The kitties will now sit within 2 feet of each other....but still will not touch.

They have lived together for 2 1/2 years.

We continue to forge onward and upward.....

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!!

Sticking our necks out....

2009-11-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

Brett thinks the title of this post should be "Pies, Thighs and Sighs" after the glorious Thanksgiving dinner we hosted. What an event! Here is a copy of our menu:

Hickory Smoked Lemon Cognac Herbed Turkey (on the BBQ)
Lamb Bracciole stuffed with Pesto and Goat Cheese
Fig, Fennel and Almond Stuffing
Cauliflower Puree Soup with Lobster Dumplings
Scarlet Poached Pears with Blue Cheese and Pecan Topping
Persimmon Pomegranate Salad with Cumin, Lime and Honey Dressing
Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Pecans
Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish (from NPR)
Homemade Lion House Rolls
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Pumpkin Pie
Eggnog Ice Cream
Raisin Filled Cookies

Nah.....we weren't feeling ambitious at all and no, we didn't cook all of that! Many items came from another chef close by. Thankfully we had a wonderful family around our table to enjoy all those flavors, textures and aromas.

**********

This time of year lends itself to reflection and gratitude. We are so blessed every day of our busy little lives. We have two incredible children who delight and amuse us constantly. They are so smart and have such great humor-which helps when you live in this house! Brett is SO CLOSE to finishing his PhD and we are trying hard to be patient in all the details it takes to finish. Brett has had such a long, hard road with this final degree and I am deeply proud of him for finishing strong.

We have lived these last 8 years on love and prayers and hope that someday soon we will see what it's like to live on a bit more money....may be interesting! We have learned how to shop very creatively. We have learned how to yard sale and have decorated our home with items that are by all means considered cheap. We have learned to cook very simple dishes and we don't go out to eat much at all! We adore the library, we adore being home and hanging out together and we make the best we can out of not going on big vacations once or twice a year. It has been a humbling and simple time but we are better for it. The lessons we have learned will stay with us forever and our desire to "have it all" has gone out the window.....

This coming year we are looking forward to seeing Brett graduate. We could not afford to go to his Masters graduation so this one is a MUST! It looks like Minneapolis will be our destination and I think we will find plenty to do there. We have promised the kids this year will be the start of collecting their passport stamps with a jaunt into Canada after Brett's graduation. They are excited to start seeing parts of the world around them.

We are grateful for our home we live in and for all the people who have helped us stay in it. I feel so blessed knowing our children are safe, have an excellent school and amazing friends. It has been worth all the sacrifices and all the hard work to see them growing strong and happy. I am grateful for every shovel full of dirt Brett and I have lifted to plant trees and grass and flowers. We have learned how to tackle jobs in small bits and see the end results in stages. We have grown together through it all.

It has been an amazing year and although I have loved every minute of it, I really don't want to repeat it! Here's looking forward to a wonderful Christmas then on to a clean slate for 2010.

Our Passports Still Work!

2009-10-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

We were invited to go to Spain this Fall (thank you so much, Mom!!) and we had a delightfully wonderful time! The Spanish people are beautiful, healthy, active, happy and helpful. We walked until our feet nearly fell off. We slept like babies at night (except when mom was fighting her bed and turning lights on and off). We ate (or at least tried) any food that was placed in front of us.

Our conclusions are these:

Anything with "jamon" is worth going out of your way for
Gelato/helado is best at 4 PM when you can still find the stores that sell it
Dinner at 8 PM is tough - hence the gelato
Bohemian style clothing is extremely comfortable and is actually really fun
Euros are a great money system but the exchange rate was awful
All women in Spain have great calf muscles
Madrid is so quiet.....
Barcelona is a party
Gaudi is still weird but I am getting to understand him a bit
If I could shop in an outdoor market every single day, I would
America has so much to learn.....

Brett and I enjoyed having 10 days together with no interruptions. We adore being together and this was truly a gift. We appreciated how European countries are so much more active and healthy - but they still have their issues and all is not perfect. We enjoyed their fresh approach to foods and eating - it's not rushed or timed - in fact, all the small shops close so the workers can go home for lunch. For 2 hours. What a treat!

We certainly have the travel bug and hope to start taking the kids to see some of the world. It's a big and beautiful place.

OK - Let's Review....

2009-08-25T16:21:00.000-07:00

(picking strawberries)

We stayed home for the summer but managed to get out and do some fun things. Before Carmen went home we bought Connect passes from our local tourism web site and received tickets for entry into 13 different local attractions. http://www.visitsaltlake.com/visit/activities/connect_pass/

We took off one morning and went to East High to get pics for the HSM fan club, then to Hogle Zoo, the Clark Planetarium for a free IMAX film (Under the Sea) then to the Childrens Museum. We tried to end the day with a tram ride at Snowbird but one individual in our group would not go so we had to drive back down the canyon to home.

The next day we went to the Aquarium and to the Lion House Pantry for lunch. I think we maxed out our low price for the tickets! We could have done more but Carmen had to pack to get home the next day.

(the grounds at La Caille)

We had a few weeks where we all sat around trying to figure out what to do without Carmen. She brought good energy and enthusiasm to this house! The kids and I have since played outside, played with friends, had lots of birthday parties and finished the summer with a typical Marin over the top birthday extravaganza! This girl manages to get us for a party of some sort every year, no matter what we say or do.

We spent Marin's birthday weekend at Daybreak's Lake, on the playground, having pizza and cake, getting no sleep and great gifts! I love that she has a perfect little pack of friends that she adores. Gabe was thrilled that his best buddy "Tanner Man" could go to the park with him to build sand castles.

We celebrated with family on Sunday and she got her own fishing pole and tackle box so she can go fishing with Grandpa. Marin BLISS!!!

The next morning it was up and out the door to school. Both kids are in the access (accelerated) classes for their grades and both have the best teachers this year. It looks like we will have a fun and busy school year!!

It's almost August? Seriously?

2009-07-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

This summer is going too fast. Must have something to do with age.

I finished my 6 months of work and am off until December or January- I hope someone needs me earlier so I can feel productive, needed and sane. I do so much better with work (something about a trait from my mother....). I have the rest of the summer to play (pull weeds), goof off (clean house) and go shopping (make 3 squares a day that will actually be eaten). I am so excited!!!

The kids have managed to spend 2 weeks playing at the Rec Center with great games, activities and swimming. Too bad it would break the bank to keep it going. I am not certain if I will tackle swim lessons or a pool pass this year. It always seems like so much work....did I mention it costs money?

Carmen is coming "home" tomorrow from her train tour. From the few texts and emails we have had it sounds like she is having a wonderful time. That girl has learned it is easier to have fun and be happy...smart girl! She has 10 or 11 days here before packing up to back to Italy. I can honestly say I have adored having her here and I will seriously miss her when she goes back home. We are crossing our fingers that we will be able to see her this fall (and give her all the things she forgot to take home).

We are happy, we are well. That is more than most people have in a whole lifetime......

I feel like I live in a time warp!

2009-06-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

I truly have no idea where time goes around this house. It seems as though it gets eaten up or it flies out the window. All I know is that time is moving and I am trying to keep up!

The kids loved finishing school! I am still trying to decide if I can keep up with them this summer. I am hoping I have the energy and strength (and wallet)!! We finished school on a good note with all 3 kids. Gabe's grades rocked and he really made amazing strides as a first grader. Marin had her struggles this year but we managed to finish strong and get enough work done to pull the grades up. Carmen stunned us with awesome grades to finish a really amazing school year. Her english skills improved so much and she did an amazing job of finishing off her 1st senior year. She gets to do her 13th year of school back home in Italy so I figure she'll be a senior for the 2nd time there.

Marin had a piano recital for her piano teacher and also performed her recital piece for the 5th grade talent show. She adored her recital piece this year and for the first time memorized it! WOO HOO! She absolutely stunned me at her recital. Her hands are beautiful....they just flowed over the keys and looked so elegant. I have heard the song over and over for months but I had not stopped to watch. What an absolute treat to watch those hands... Her treat this summer is to have 8 weeks off of piano and take a break. Thankfully Brett enticed her with some music from Twilight to keep her working over the summer. She is hoping to stun her piano teacher with a completed Twilight song when she starts back in piano.

Gabe is the lego master at our house. He delights in designing new lego creations and making them all come to life. He has an awesome imagination and keeps us all laughing. I am stunned that my baby is going to 2nd grade. He still seems so small but so big. I don't understand how that can be but I adore that boy! Gabe is learning all the things he can do now and is quite thrilled that he can open a can of soda all by himself. He is gaining his independence but still loves to snuggle and hug. I can hardly wait to see what these kids become but I don't want them to grow so fast.

Carmen celebrated her 18th birthday with us at Lagoon. She took one of the other exchange students and they had a blast! I think we all wore ourselves out that day but we had Cafe Rio for dinner at Carmen's request and finshed off the evening with Mamma Mia - very loud!! I think she had a fun day and she doesn't have a ton of gifts to pack home. She and 4 other exchange students left Monday on a train tour around the US. They will spend 33 days traveling to some amazing places in the US. She was so excited! I'm sure it will be a fun and memorable trip.

Brett and I continue to work and try to keep up with this family. We are so happy and so lucky and so tired! It seems like there are never enough hours in the day to do all we want to do. Our lives are full and rewarding and filled with happiness. I could not ask for more than that.

(click on the above picture and see how Brett spends his Sunday evenings...)

Snowplows in Spring?

2009-06-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you think we had some freak snowstorm this Spring. Nope. We just had a crazy Rhetta moment with an idea and people willing to have fun. I am grateful I have earned the trust of teachers and faculty alike at my kids school. I'm sure they wonder where I come up with some of my ideas, but somehow they continue to arrive and support me.

I found out that schools can paint the snowplow blades that work in the area of their school boundaries. So fun!! These are some pics of our results. For our first time I felt it was easier to do hand prints than try a major "work of art". There is always next year!

Taking a break at Daybreak

2009-05-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Daybreak has to be one of the best new walkable communities that I have seen. While running on Saturday, Mom and I came across the coolest area in the community so I had to take the kids back to see it. Who would have guessed that the developers would be so kind as to import a beach along the lake?

I told Gabe that I had found the most amazing Spider man playground ever! Thankfully the playground lived up to his expectations. I think we will be spending quite a bit of time there this summer.

I have learned I have a house full of monkeys and we need more playgrounds like this one....and the lake....and the picnic areas......and the running trails.....and the geese......need I say more?

The sweet stink of sweat

2009-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

It surprises me every year what we have accomplished around here. We started with bare dirt, rocks and weeds and we are well on our way to creating the yard we have envisioned. There is still far too much to do but one major yard project a year is all we can handle - or afford.....

I took a minute this morning to photograph some of the pretty parts of the yard so I don't forget what they look like when it's 105* outside and everything turns yellow and brown. So far we have made some great progress on our "Spring To-Do" list.....I am loving it!

Each corner of the yard has something to please me....a mulch pile, chalk for the kids to decorate, a horseradish plant that scares me and a new little magnolia tree.....

Sophie, the garden cat.....catnip and new little flax flowers starting to bloom....

My favorite purple flowers!! Spring pea plants and purple tulips.....

The cherry tree has blossoms that remind me of little girls fluffy skirts, so full and swishy....

And here is our latest project - the new sidewalk to make it easier to get to the front door, give the kids more places to ride their bikes, give Brett more places to shovel snow in the winter and also give us more places to sit and visit with friends.....Come and visit!!

Planning and wishing and lots of hope....is it Spring yet??

2009-03-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the local farm store......chicks are in!!

How can I ever resist begging spring to arrive by holding tiny little balls of fluff??
Thankfully the employees are used to parents like me who let their kids love all over the little babies (with no kissing of the little birds....) but Marin seriously fell in love with a little bunny that all the employees were carrying around.

We had to convince her that a baby bunny might be adorable now but it would make a yummy little kitty treat once she got it home....

Brett and I spent a bit of time planning what we want in our garden this year. Most years we have too much desire and too many dreams....other years we actually accomplish it! This will be the second year in the new garden spot and I'm not sure what we will end up with. I think I have 40 packets of seeds. Is that too many? He he he!

These are pictures of what a beautiful garden looks like. I'll pretend this is what mine will look like. I usually get huge Hollyhocks and Sunflowers in the middle of my plants which is pretty gorgeous until they block all the sun from the stuff I planted on purpose.

My mission this year is to propagate and grow my most favorite plant.....

My second mission this year is to kill anything that looks like the plant in the picture below....it is looking like it will be a very busy year.

Then after all those....I need some sidewalk, Brett needs a shed, a couple of new garden hoses, move the composters, spray sealant on the deck and arbor.....the list goes on and on and on....
I LOVE SPRING!!! (why is it snowing outside??)

U2 still rocks!

2009-03-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

We took Carmen to her first 3D movie last weekend.
We absolutely had to take her to see U23D.
I have seen it twice now and would willingly go back with anyone who wants to go.
It makes me contemplate how a group can stay so consistently wonderful for 30 years...

So look for the new U2 CD tomorrow.....and I am looking for a concert schedule soon. If they come to the US I will be there!! JJ - will you be ready to go?

When the mom is away...

2009-02-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

It had to happen, eventually Rhetta has to leave town and leave the dad and kids to their own devices. No, we didn't self destruct, but are amazingly capable of having a great time without a single trip to the E.R. In fact, we even managed to hijack mom's computer for a little update of our own.

First of all, it is more than apparent how much Rhetta does around here to keep us sane, well-fed, clean, and laughing hysterically over her quick wit. Without her, we have to resort to some unusual methods for entertainment...

Not surprisingly for Utah, the weather turned on us with a whiteout snowstorm. After hunkering down for the morning, we all headed outside for some vitamin D therapy and some happy faces.

Gratefully the cousins showed up in time to keep us from getting too relaxed and lazy. The decibel level in the house rocketed up to about airplane level, and smiles were the uniform of the day. Once in a while we got them to slow down and chill for a while, which they did in classic cousin style.

We even managed a Valentine's Day Cookie Decorating Party that had us all tired of frosting (okay, at least dad).

Thankfully, after some coaxing, mild threats, and a lot of giggling, the kids rolled out the sleeping bags for a little (read, very little) shut-eye. I wish I had a picture of the story telling contest with the flashlight under the chin, but let it suffice there are some vivid imaginations in this little crowd.
We missed the mom, but had a great time. Even though we manage just fine on our own, it is so much better to have the whole family together. Yes, we appreciate everything she does, we can't help it. But when the cat/mom is away...

Where do you go for sunshine in the snow?

2009-01-19T15:34:00.000-08:00

Soldier Hollow! This was one of the venue sites for the 2002 Winter Olympics with Cross Country Skiing. It's a gorgeous location just past Heber and Midway with a stunning view of mountains all the way around. When the inversion gets to be too much in Salt Lake Valley, it's a wonderful place to get out of it and see the sun.

We met up with the cousins and so our group had 13 people ranging from 5 to 68....woo hoo!! You get a ticket for 2 hours on the tubing hill and you can go as many times as you can haul your tube to the rope tow. The last time we were there, Gabe was 4 and we ended up pulling him in his tube the whole time. I think we got him out once to let the blood flow in his legs. This year Gabe was an absolute trooper! He hauled his tube from the bottom of the hill back to the rope tow every time. Strong work Dude!!

One run down the hill had almost everyone in the family. We bundled all the tubes together (much harder than it looks) and slid down at a pretty good speed....here is the video:

Another run was just our little crowd:

And then Carmen and I decided to do our own video. I was so focused on making sure I had the camera in the right direction and not dropping it - I nearly made myself sick!! I wish I could have caught Carmen's happy laughter instead of my own....oh, she laughed!!

A new year, all the way around!

2009-01-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

Not only is it the first week of 2009, but it is also my birthday. I have always loved having my birthday in January. I love having it so close to Christmas and New Years.... so I have decided to write myself a list of things I want to do this year.

I want to keep working out so my body looks a little more like when I was 24. I don't need the size 6 jeans again but I would love to have the same general shape. It was so fun to be able to put on anything in my closet and have it look wonderful. I will get there soon.

I want to wear earrings more...strange but I don't wear jewelery much but I love a fun pair of earrings. I really, really, really love my black pearls (thank you sweetie!). I need to make an effort to wear earrings more often.

I want a new kitchen sink. I know...odd. I am so practical but I really am disgruntled with my current sink. I am tired of getting everything (including myself) completely wet when I use this sink. I want to go back to a simple one basin, extra deep white sink....that's all!!

I want to have a really pretty and functional garden this year. I have had pretty and I have had functional but very rarely have I had both. I want to grow some things that are new and fun but can be canned or dried and used during the winter. I love the look of jars lined up after a long day of canning. Something inside me just sings.....

I want to spend more time laughing. I feel like some days all I do is correct or direct the kids. I want to trust them and have them cooperate and quit fighting....I just want to have more fun with them. That may mean that I don't need to have a clean'ish house....or things put away....but I would rather have everyone help me clean up so we can all have fun.

I want to spend more time in our own backyard. That may mean adding on to our deck this year and moving the grill back but I would love to have the oasis that I am dreaming of in our back yard.....grow little trees, grow!!!

I want to see if I want chickens........I love the idea and the benefits but I know I only want hens. I would love to see the cats react to huge pecking birds in the yard. I would love fresh eggs. I would not love the cost of a fence and trying to find said eggs.....

I want corduroy couches. I have only bought 2 couches in my whole life. One long before I was married and the other last summer at a yard sale....perfect microfiber and a total steal!! I want to buy really yummy tan or brown corduroy that you can just sink into and the cats can't destroy. I can almost feel how wonderful they will be!!

I want to plan a HUGE graduation party for Brett. He has worked so hard and has given up so much to get through school. I am so proud of him, I could almost burst!!! I really want to give all the people that adore him a chance to show him how proud we are of him.

I want to have a wonderful 35th year...so far it is looking AMAZING!!!!

Christmas is still magical

2008-12-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

I absolutely adore that Santa still lives and children still believe and the jolly fellow himself manages to get big boxes into houses without chimneys! What would we do without all those hopes and beliefs and unexplainable questions? I hope I get many more years without having to find out.

I found myself wide awake before 6 AM on Christmas morning. Hoping to be quiet I checked outside to see the weather and I hear Brett chuckle. He, too, is wide awake. We are like 2 kids ourselves and can barely sleep knowing what squeals and screams will be happening soon. I'm not sure who has more fun at Christmas, the kids or the parents. I have completely enjoyed both.

The kids did as we asked and stayed in bed until 7 AM. Barely. I really have no idea why we said 7 AM but I think we were hoping they would get some sleep. With the giggles and sneezes going on, I think they were awake at 6 AM also.

Santa brought Guitar Hero World Tour this year. We are now a family of rock stars (ha ha ha) and I have been given the job that requires the least amount of learning - the microphone. I have yet to sing a song since the rest of the crowd is still learning how to play the game and make the drums and guitars work. I think by 2012 we'll be ready for an audience.

The kids were frazzled by the end of the day. Amazingly their wish lists were complete and they were stunned. I adore that they are pretty good about understanding what is necessary and what is not the whole rest of the year so Christmas can be all about getting things you have wanted "forever"!!!

I hope as we go into 2009 we continue to live as we always have....simple, frugal, beautiful. We have spent the bulk of our married years trying to stretch the mighty dollar and now our hard work is paying us back. To cut back a little, to not spend on silly things, to eat simple and fresh foods.....that is the wisdom we have lived by and it has served us well. May we all find ways to enjoy the simple beauty of life.

Here is to a wonderful New Year!

Why I adore laundry....

2008-12-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

Saturday.....bedding day. As I sit here and read the paper online, this is what I see....

It's no wonder I love laundry....

Hope the ducky enjoyed his dizzying bath!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....really!!

2008-12-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

I love the magic of Christmas. There is some amazing feeling that builds up inside me at the beauty and wonder of this holiday. I love knowing that my children still believe.....and I can still create a sense of amazement in their world.

I absolutely love my Christmas tree...it's fat and tall, it has pine cones and lights already on it and it is a pure delight to decorate. Sometimes I even get to help with decorating......sometimes.
I had a few great helpers who made sure everything was on the tree.....and some extra things like homemade snowflakes

The end result is quite gorgeous even if I did have a friend who decided hang out and eat the tree for a bit....

I love how it looks like he is sticking his tongue out at me. What a cat...reminds me of my kids for some odd reason :-)

When Chickens Fly

2008-11-23T13:29:00.001-08:00

I think Thanksgiving gets kind of a bad rap for a whole lot of eating and not a lot of activity. I came up with an idea last year to let kids "launch" poultry for a Thanksgiving activity. This year I decided to get all my own supplies and do it with my family and at the kids school. I have proof....

Welcome to "The Great Turkey Capers of 2008"

It takes some thought, a little planning, some stamina and the ability to sit on your rear to get a good angle for flight.

A successful hit looks something like this....

and then retaliation begins.

This can be done as a solo sport although you will get some very strange looks...

It really is amazing to see what happens to completely normal people when you hand them a rubber chicken.....try it!!

Life in the fast lane....

2008-11-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

I never really get how much time has passed until everyone starts telling me I have not updated this blog in a very long time.....the shame!! Since Marin's birthday we have had the first day of school (followed by a few more days of school but that is beside the point)...and here is proof that they were dressed and adorable on that first day:

Gabe had some alter ego moments:

Carmen (the cutest Italian exchange student we get to share our home with) came over to spend some quality time:

Marin and her friends created a great game outside during a warm bit of weather:

We all went to Sun Valley and Gabe and his best cousin Josh figured out great ways to keep themselves entertained:

And last but certainly not the least.....Gabe got a whopper of a cold (sorry little guy) and lost a tooth in the middle of it all. Wow. Thankfully he had many furry creatures to snuggle up to and keep him company.

Hopefully this next week won't be quite so busy.

Marin's Birthday

2008-08-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

She did it!! Marin is officially 10 years old. Can we now take a nap? This kid can pack fun and parties and events into days like no one else I know. We finally had to write a list of all the things we have done for her birthday this year......it filled a page. This is the first year (since she turned one) that we have not had a huge party. Most years she creates and hands out invitations and I am left with baffled mothers calling needing more details. Thank you Marin for listening to us this one time and understanding that we could not handle another party this year.

Some of the things she did and got for her birthday:

Vacation to California
Surfing lessons
Drove a Volvo (made out of legos) and got her license (to drive a lego Volvo)
Clothes from both sets of Grandparents
Bounce house time in the front yard for neighborhood party
Sleepover with best friend, Noella
Target gift card
Camp Rock DVD
Played with kittens at Humane Society
Watercolor picture from Grandma
Stay up late and get up late (before school starts)
Took treats to school for first day so she can get 2 birthday events at school - summer birthdays are celebrated later in the year and this way she gets 2!

We do not feel old enough to have a 10 year old in the house but we are so grateful she is ours. What a priceless gift we have been given! Thank you Marin! We adore you!

Vacation!!

2008-08-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

We finally pulled our resources together and planned a family vacation! WOO-HOO!! Gabe is very interested in Legos right now so we decided to head to Lego Land in California. 6 days was just right and by the last day Gabe was begging us to take him home.

We stayed in a very nice hotel right across the street from the beach and the historic Oceanside Pier. It was heavenly to wake up to waves and gulls in the mornings and watch the sun sink into the ocean every night. The kids had a great time going from the beach to the pool and staying waterlogged and squishy. Even Lego Land managed to get us wet a few times! All in all it was a great vacation (and Brett didn't even bring a computer!).

Gabe had 2 awesome days in Lego Land and spent a small fortune on lego sets that we have never seen here. They also sell legos by the pound in any color and shape you want. I think we came home with about 4 pounds of assorted car parts, flowers, energy crystals and odd shapes and sizes. 4 pounds is quite a few bags of legos!!

Marin got an early birthday gift.....she had an early morning private surfing lesson. Steve, her instructor, said she was the best young student he has ever had. She was strong and listened to his instructions and had great balance. The big success was that she got up on her very first wave! He was thrilled with her success and we only took 60 or so pictures and 3 video clips..... Nah....we aren't proud of her or anything!!

We also managed to run on the beach nearly every day, eat some wonderful meals, drive around a bit at Camp Pendleton (hoorah), try on silly hats at Sea Port Village, shop for books in Carlsbad, cruise the Pacific Coast Highway a couple dozen times and watch some of the Olympics. Brett was the only lucky one to get searched at the airport.....he looks so mischevious all the time....and we didn't have to stop at Dairy Queen (although it got close a couple of times). Now it's back to school and hopefully the kids have some great memories and we have some incredible pictures to remember it all with.

Crawdads, Crayfish, Crawfish, mini lobsters.....not happening

2008-07-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

I have posted this picture for my mother who will appreciate it for eternity. It is so hard to describe what is happening, but I'll make an attempt.

Mid-week holiday in the middle of a hot summer seemed a perfect time to take the kids to a reservoir for some fun. Grandpa has the idea to go crawdad fishing as they are supposed to be easy to catch and prolific in the area. All we need are assorted chicken parts, string and a cooler to place them into. In reading up on the topic we also learn we should plan on 24 crawdads per person since they are small.....easy, right?

We meet at the reservoir and find a place to sit, set up our command center and Grandpa decides to set his fishing poles up to catch any fish that may happen through the area. We have a 6 year old who is raising the water level of the lake by throwing rocks in it as fast as he can and Grandpa thinks he will catch fish? Hmmmm.... Grandpa has also been learning how to fly fish and so he sets up his special pole and reel, ties a little fly on the end and starts casting. Periodically the line would end up over his head, behind him and eaten up by the bushes on the slope. Hence the picture.....

Grandpa is irritated that the bushes keep attacking, Brett is calmly sitting and braiding string and helping Marin tie chicken parts to other long pieces of string, Gabe is consuming chocolate as fast as possible and Grandma is trying to help by sorting out all the piles and balls of twine stuck in the bushes....while holding a drink in one hand and laughing (very quietly so as to not irritate the fisherman). I think Marin was somewhere behind me swinging string weighted with raw chicken over her head and launching it into the water. Needless to say, there was entertainment in every direction.

We didn't catch a blasted thing.....nothing. No dinner, no 24 crawdads per person, no extra fish to make up for the lack of crawdads....nothing. The great part was that none of us were upset and we had a wonderful day playing in the water. I'm not sure what we would have done with 144 crawdads, who would have counted them and what would happen if we hated them. No need to worry. I would go crawdad fishing again!!

2008-07-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Aren't they lovely? I actually liked the assorted hair colors....it seemed to fit their personalities that day.

We took the kids to Gateway to see the chalk art festival. It is an amazing assortment of individuals and groups who purchase a space on the sidewalk and create a pastel chalk artwork. I am so stunned by the types of pictures and level of creativity. We saw everything from popular cartoon characters to pretend holes in the ground with a full fishing stream down below, to the most stunning single stem iris I have ever seen. It was a fun and crazy morning that the kids were very willing to finish up with play time in the fountains and a little spray on hair color. The only bad part was having to wash the color out later to go to a wedding reception. Marin had blue all over her scalp for most of a week......so cute!

This is scrapbooking I can handle....

2008-06-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Wii seem to be somewhat fit.....

2008-05-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

To be honest, the only reason I agreed to a game system in our house was Brett showing me the Wii fit program. It did take quite a bit of convincing to get me to buy the system and then I got the surprise......Wii fit was not slated to be released for almost a whole year. Hmmmm. What to do with a perfectly good game system....well, we managed to figure out a few games that we can play.

Side note: 4 players all racing on Mario Kart can truly qualify as a full body experience.

So today (drum roll please) our Wii fit arrived. It was Gabe who was running around the house, squealing and begging to open it! I'm unsure why he was so excited but this kid will probably be making his own games in a few years.....I guess he knows what this is going to do to our family.

The kids have been weighed, measured, BMI'd, counseled, selected their trainer, and have been playing soccer, ski jumping, ski racing, doing some yoga, dropping balls into little holes using their feet and an assortment of other interesting activities. I am starting to wonder if this tv babysitter will finally wear my kids out or if they will only become more energetic. The fascinating part in all this is that neither Brett nor I have even had a fighting chance to step on the board and log ourselves in. After seeing that it weighs you and calculates your BMI, we'll probably wait until no one is looking.......

Is this going to make us healthy? I doubt it. Is it going to change our lives? I doubt it. Is it fun? Heck yeah! It's hilarious to see your kid turned into a huge snowball when they miss a jump and the friendly rivalry over scores is great for them to get used to. I'm pretty certain we will all be a little sore after trying all the events, but we will leave the science side up to the exercise guy and see if we really can make a difference in our bodies. I have a feeling this will be the start of some interesting discussions and ideas for workouts......I'll bet we can get Brett back on the news with a Wii workout. We'll keep you posted!

Wheeler Farm

2008-05-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to Wheeler Farm a couple of weeks ago to get out of the house and see if there were new baby animals there. I was stunned by the number of people milling about on a Sunday afternoon. We did manage to find cows and horses, bunnies, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, pigs and sheep. We also found the assorted babies or eggs or very fat mommas.

It's such a surprise that to see nature we have to go to a farm/park in the city. Such an odd concept but I'm glad it has been preserved and still has plenty of space to run and play. We walked all along the perimeter trails and took lots of breaks for little legs. The kids are so curious and full of cute questions. They love looking for secret areas and little bridges to cross. Mostly, it's just fun for us to watch them explore. We are easily amused.

Not that we want anyone to keep track of us.....

2008-05-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

........but we do know that some of you out there in the big world like to look at pictures of our kids. We understand that. We like to see them also. Feel free to come and visit them in person because they are even cuter that way!

Gabe turned 6 this last week and we are still cleaning up toys and guys and cars. If we never hear the term "Speed Racer" again, we will be ok. But in all honesty, he is such a wonderful boy and he is so polite and cute...we just cannot resist giving him the world!

He is happy to be a big boy, he is thrilled to have a new bed that makes him have wonderful dreams, he still does not believe in gravity and all his Wii games support that theory. He has whomped us at Mario Kart and we have no clue how. I believe we have finally found something in this world that goes as fast as his brain. That is our only explanation and we will stick with it.

Gabe's current favorites are Mario, Picachu from Pokemon, Power Rangers, some Transformers, Hot Wheels, Legos and Speed Racer. Wow.

He let us make a cake and we added some race tracks (from all those Thomas toys) for his Speed Racers cars and the spectators were characters from Indiana Jones, Pokemon, Spiderman and Kung Fu Panda. One can never have too many supporters!

Thank you Gabe for being ours and making us stop and have fun even when the house looks like a bomb went off. We love you and are so proud of you.

By the way, Grandpa and Grandma in Arizona.....this is what he bought: The Speed Racer Mach 6 and Battle Rig...

Oh my! Is he ever happy! Thank you for being so generous.