Italian Adventure...Part 3

Is this starting to feel like the eternal vacation blog?

Day 4:
Well...after a splendid stay in the charming fishing village of Cefalu, we boarded a train and sped along the magnificent coast to another amazing town called Taormina. We arrived at the most charming train station that had this very distinctive 1940's feel to it...I immediately announced to C. that he may just have to leave me here and go on without me. I hadn't even seen the town but I was pretty impressed with the train station. We had to board a bus that drove us up a very narrow, 2-lane road up the big mountain to the amazing place on top. Taormina is breathtaking and absolutely quaint and beautiful. I don't even know how to describe it and the pictures don't begin to do it justice. I guess we'll just have to make do...

Apparently Taormina used to be THE swanky place for all the big Hollywood movie stars back in the 1940's. Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth, Clark Gable...it sits on top of a mountain and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna, the active Italian volcano. The little town is filled with charming cobblestone streets lined with lemon and orange trees, a million amazing places to eat, little shops and stores filled with every trinket imaginable, and a magnificent ancient Greek amphitheater. We started our Taormina adventure by checking in to our hotel. It was wonderful! We had a room that overlooked the main shopping/walking street and after admiring our iron bed frame and quaint antique wood furniture, I threw open the shutters, leaned out the window and did some serious people watching. The room was so fun!

After we bounced on the bed, touched all the beautiful furniture, leaned out our window and played with all the samples in the bathroom, we headed out to explore. We started at the huge ancient Greek amphitheater. It had experienced many different phases over the last few hundred years but was beautiful to look at. I was constantly amazed by the history in Italy. Their history dates back so much further than our American history does and on Sicily you find evidence of so many ancient civilizations and cultures. It never ceased to fascinate and truly amaze me. The only negative part of the experience was all the school groups that were there...everything from the pink, peppy, chain-smoking Italian cheerleaders, to the french school group that couldn't stop going down and performing "shows" for each other to the downright bored-out-of-their-Italian-middle school mind students with their long-winded tour guide. There were so many groups and they were all so loud that it was a little distracting...but the views were breathtaking. (I hate to use the same adjectives over and over but really...I don't have the vocabulary to describe this little paradise!)

After the ampitheater, we set out exploring. We found the most charming, beautiful, tranquil park that we spent a good couple of hours in. It had little paths through the most diverse, beautiful gardens, teahouses, fountains, trees, and overlooked the crystal blue ocean. We sat on a bench and breathed the citrus scented air, held hands down the flower lined paths, and danced on the cobblestones by the fountain. Sigh. It was a glorious afternoon!

(These are both pictures from the amazing park...one overlooking the ocean and mountains and the other is the Roman goddess sunning herself on the stone steps!)

Everywhere we walked we were bombarded by fragrant orange and lemon trees. After a little searching, I decided to settle for a little house on this street. Charming stone steps leading down the street, abundant citrus fruit, and charming balconies. "I'd like to buy your house. Do you take Visa?"

After an amazing day exploring, we chose a little cozy restaurant for dinner where we ate more magnificent pasta (really, those Italians have totally mastered the whole pasta thing!) and then we held hands and strolled along the main street with all the other Italian lovers. I think we cuddled in a piazza by a fountain and snuggled on a cliff overlooking the ocean...couldn't have been more romantic. And then my Italian lover bought me MORE gelato on the way back to the hotel and the deal was sealed. I was staying!

The next morning we explored town a little more including another harrowing ride down another perilous 2 lane road in a bus where we dashed to the beach, took a couple of pictures, and then had to race back to the bus in order to get back to town in order to get back to the train station in order to catch the next train! I think we spent more time in our favorite park, got lost in a swanky hotel's gardens and verandas, ate more gelato, and had a delightful time. The best part of all the dashing was that it was just 2 adults dashing...much simpler than 2 adults and 3 children!

Late afternoon we caught the train and headed back to the mainland. We rode a ferry, met a very, very nice Australian couple from Melbourne that we talked to on the train for several hours and arrived in our next town late that night. But enough for now...my eyelids are drooping and I need to go ask C. what the name of the next town we were in was called.

Ciao for now!

Italian Adventure...Part 2

DAY 3
After a delicious breakfast of chocolate croissants and very fresh squeezed orange juice on the piazza, C. and I caught a train to the nearby city of Palermo for a little day trip. Our first stop was the Palermo catacombs, a site I was "dying" to see. I can't even begin to explain how fascinating it was. You enter this building, walk down some stone steps, and are inside the catacombs with corpses and mummies just lying out on wooden planks or hanging by wire from the wall. C. and I have decided that it is way creepier looking at pictures of it on the internet than being there in real life but for those who are itching for a look, take a moment and go explore.

Palermo Catacombs

Despite what I would have thought, there was no odor or stench in the catacombs and it was really amazing to see the clothing and other artifacts so perfectly preserved from the different time periods. The most fascinating and heartbreaking is the little 2 year old girl named Rosalia Lombardo who died and was laid to rest in the catacombs in 1920. She is so perfectly embalmed that many people refer to her as "Sleeping Beauty". It was a fascinating place!

Next, we caught a bus and headed up past Palermo to a little town called Monreale, one of the areas that C. served in on his mission. I have to pause and insert an observation here. Italy is not a particularly "clean" place. C. and I joked that basically Italians do things one time and that is it. Preserve an artifact one time, clean a street one time, fix a statue one time...Palermo and Monreale had the potential to be beautiful, charming towns but they were actually quite dirty and run down. Here are these amazing artifacts, landmarks, and relics and they were mostly pretty dirty and unkept. It was a little depressing. BUT...we had delicious pizza on the piazza in Monreale while we waited for the cathedral to open.



This is me standing very piously in front of the cathedral.


And this is me PRETENDING to even think about going down in to the hole in the ground to use a toliet with no toliet seat. I honestly think I would have wet myself right there on the piazza rather than venture underground to relieve myself.

We finally made it inside the cathedral and it was absolutely breathtaking! The entire inside is made of mosaic and gold and the depictions are unreal. I wish I could do it justice but you are simply going to have to take my word for it and if you ever have the chance to see it, go.




On our way back to the train station, we met 2 sister missionaries on the bus! We had previously seen 2 elders at the train station when we arrived that morning. It just seemed so safe and happy that we kept running into missionaries!

On our way back to the train station, we stopped to purchase souvenirs for our children. J. had asked for an Italian dictionary so he could learn Italian and M. had asked for Italian candy, "something different than I eat here". H. didn't realize people were asking for gifts or I'm sure she would have asked for something. So we bought J. a children's Italian/English dictionary book and if I know our son, I'm sure he has been studying it and has it mostly down. We bought M. a Disney music CD in Italian and he now loves to wave his hands wildly around and speak in a deep voice with an Italian accent and then ask, "Mom, is that how they sound in Italy?" H. ended up with a little tamborine that has a scary sun man with lots of legs on it and ribbons hanging off the side. It had to be put in a "special" place after the first day from all the banging.



This is the special Sicilian sun man. I believe it is the universal symbol for Sicily. C. just informed me the scary man might actually be a woman. Somehow that makes it even scarier. And because it was so charming, I bought a pendant to wear on a necklace with this creepy little creature. I just truly hope it isn't the international symbol for the Mafia.

We took the train back to Cefalu and wandered around town watching the beautiful sunset over the water. We ate dinner at a charming, delicious little restaurant outside under the stars. Back to our bed and breakfast where we watched the Simpsons in Italian before falling sound asleep.


Delicious dinner in Cefalu.

The beautiful Cefalu cathedral at night. There was a gelato shop off to the right that had the most scrumtious flavors of gelato...chocolate orange, chocolate cherry...we savored all we could.

On the mountain above Cefalu. Good bye beautiful, scenic, charming town. I hope to see you again soon!

Reflections of Christ

I was reading a friend's blog tonight and she had a link to this beautiful photography exhibit about Christ that has been at the Mesa, Arizona temple visitor's center. It is an amazing exhibit and the photography is breathtaking. It truly captures the essence and spirit of Christ and some of the key events in His extraordinary life. Take a minute and enjoy!

Reflections of Christ photography exhibit

Fun in Italy...Part One

We are home! Our trip to Italy was amazing! I loved having 9 glorious days alone with my husband in a country that truly took my breath away. Here is the very, very abbreviated travel log. If you are itching for more, please come see our 254 digital pictures or 4 hours of video!

Day 1: We got up at 4:30 a.m. in order to arrive at the airport by 5:30 a.m. so that we could catch our 7:00 a.m. flight to Rome, Italy. We flew through Chicago and then on to Rome where we arrived at 11:30 p.m. our time but 7:30 a.m. Rome time. Our plan was to push through the day in Rome and then catch a night train to Sicily that evening. While it all sounded smooth on paper, it got to be pretty brutal at a couple points during the day. I couldn't look at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel without swaying and feeling a little dizzy. I cat napped at some pretty impressive fountains and then cried over my gnocchi at dinner that night from sheer exhaustion. But in between the cat naps and tears, we saw some AMAZING things! Vatican museum, Pantheon, Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, other beautiful fountains and piazzas whose names I can't remember, tall towers, old buildings, a million scooters, charming apartment buildings with gardens on the roof or on the balconies...I just had to stop and close my eyes and take it all in. It was beautiful and charming and unbelievable that we were there!



Our visit to the Vatican museum. We saw mummies, lots of naked statues with fig leaves covering their privates, and the amazing, breath taking Sistine Chapel.


We averaged 2 gelato stops a day. There is NOTHING in this world to compare with Italian gelato. You could spend a year in Italy eating gelato 2 times a day and never taste all the intriguing, exotic flavors. We did our best though!


The beautiful Trevi fountain. Notice the bags starting to form under our eyes.

That night, we caught a sleeper train that whisked us through the night down to the island of Sicily. The train ride was about 12 hours but we slept through most of it. I had never slept on a train before so it all sounded rather intriguing and "Orient Express" like...we had bunk beds, a little sink, and plenty of pillows. The only down side was having to lurch down the train in the middle of the night to reach the potty. All part of a great memory!





Day 2: After our night on the train where we even crossed ocean on a ferry, we transferred to another train that whisked us to a beautiful sea-side city called Cefalu. We walked from the train station through the old town to our quaint bed and breakfast. It is a beautiful city! Our little room was perfect and after examining the view from the balcony, I crawled in to bed and slept for 4 hours! Perfect.

After waking up, we went out to explore the town. The ocean is an unreal color! It was clear and the most amazing shade of blue. We just took our time that day and enjoyed the town, explored the magnificent cathedral, climbed the mountain to look out over the whole view, and ate a delicious dinner followed by amazing gelato. It was a perfect day!

Twilight Trailer

I really thought I was over this little obsession. Guess not. Mark your calendars...December 12, 2008 is the opening. Does anyone else feel like you might not make it til then?

Twilight Movie Trailer


Or check this out for more fun:
More Twilight Fun

Good-Bye U.S.A

Well, these 2 parents are leaving those 3 sweet faces for NINE glorious days while we explore southern Italy. We will try to post pictures and travel reports when we can so check back if you are interested in seeing how 2 adults survive on their own for the first time in a LONG time! We are headed for Rome tomorrow and then down south to Sicily. C. served his mission there so I'm excited to go see this significant part of his past! Plus he speaks the language which means we don't have to look totally lost and American.

Thank you to ALL the wonderful family and friends who are watching the kids! You are making this possible and we are SO grateful to you. It is hard to believe how many people it takes for 2 parents to leave 3 children...my fear is the kids are going to dread us coming back!

So...Ciao!

Classic Moment

My favorite moment today happened on a jaunt through Wal-Mart with ALL 3 kids (which by the way, is totally against my personal creed to take children shopping, let alone shopping in the "Petri Dish" store.) Anyway, we were looking at some Band-Aids when H. noticed a box with a picture of blood on it. Since she has a strange love/hate relationship with blood, she asked me what it was. It was a box of "finger pokers" (sorry for my severe ignorance) used to test your blood. Thus ensued a pretty intense conversation about diabetes and why you have to poke your finger and test your blood and taking insulin and such. M. asked, "So Mom, what happens if people don't take their insulin?" I explained that they could get very sick or even go into a coma. M. asked, "What is a coma?" I told him it was when you go in to a deep sleep and people can't wake you up. M. was thoughtful for a moment and then said, "Hey Mom. Maybe Sleeping Beauty had diabetes!"

I had a good chuckle.

Let The Fun Begin...

So, my friend calls and asks if I can watch her kids tomorrow. I say, "Sure. What time?" She tells me and then asks, "Do you want to check your calendar?" I grudgingly get up and wander into my bedroom but I know this woman knows me really well and that I have a tendency to do what I like to call "living in the moment" which is really a much nicer way of saying that my memory isn't what it used to be. So I check the calendar and then I have to laugh. "Uh, I guess I can't watch your kids tomorrow. I'm going to be on T.V. at that time." Yeah. I forgot I'm going to be on T.V. That is a scary "living in the moment" event to forget although it means I haven't lost much sleep wondering what I'm going to wear or how dumb I'm going to sound. But I guess this means I better start thinking about it.

So...let the fun begin. I've been asked to do a book segment (in conjunction with my book column with Wastach Woman magazine) on Studio 5 tomorrow (WEDNESDAY, April 9th) at 11:00 a.m. on channel 5. Don't know what I'll be wearing, not sure which books I'll be sharing but there I'll be, in all my chubby glory! Tune in!

(And if anyone else out there knows of somewhere I'm supposed to be at a certain time, drop me a line. Apparently I'm not checking my calendar very well!)

No More Dinner Stress

I really hate dinner. I hate trying to think of something to cook, trying to muster up the energy to cook, trying to convince the kids to let me cook, and I really, really don't like grocery shopping. We might as well sit around and eat dollar bills! You hand over hard earned money for stuff that you are just going to eat and then poop. I don't mean to be graphic but really...when put in that context, doesn't eating dinner with all the shopping, prep, creativity, etc. just seem like a waste of time? Well, today I found the website that just might change my life. It sends you a meal plan every single week...healthy, nutritious, fresh ingredient meals...easy to prepare (prep time around 20 minutes) and gives you the whole grocery list (organized in to the different sections of the grocery store) and prints out all the easy recipes for you to follow. If you don't like one of the recipes for the week then you remove it and add another one. In 10 minutes I'd planned all the dinners for the next week, printed my little grocery list, add a couple additional things I needed, shopped, and voila...we had a fairly decent dinner tonight! So...just thought I'd share. I still had to go to the store, buy the stuff with money, fix it and will have to poop it later but having someone else do some of the work sure made it seem a lot more pleasant.

The Six O'Clock Scramble

Daily Grind

I think about blogging all the time. When funny or sad or weird or profound things happen I compose it all in my mind in to a splendid blog but alas, the daily grind triumphs and in the end I always choose sleeping over composing. My days are filled with wonderful things though. I am so grateful for a life filled with so much that brings me joy. I love my work at my children's school. I help in the library but my favorite time is working with the kids in the classroom. On Fridays, I go in and H. and I read to J.'s class. We take "special lunch" with us and H. gets to sit in a "big kid" desk to eat while I read out loud. I choose the books to read so they get a wide variety...poetry, non-fiction, picture books, etc. After each book I let the kids vote and we record their scores on the board. I don't know why the voting is so meaningful but I do think they like having their opinion asked!

I love writing my book column. It takes to me to all sorts of fascinating literature and pushes my mind in a direction that isn't always comfortable but feels good as I learn to stretch and grow in a new craft. I've been asked to write 2 additional articles for the magazine...one on charter schools and the other on the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. This will present whole new opportunities and challenges and I love having that to look forward to.

I love working out with my friend Tonya. We have been walking and lifting 3 days a week since November and it has not only done my body good, but done my soul even better. With every lap of the track, I laugh and talk and get free therapy...and I forget I'm exercising. Doesn't get any better than that!

I love my 2 book groups. Each book group is comprised of a different set of people, friends from such important phases of my life. And I love that my life moves forward with these amazing women taking such significant part. We call it a book group but my husband sometimes chuckles at how much "book" discussion actually happens. We always read the books and we always devote time to what we have read but it is the real life drama and shared experiences that uplift and motivate and fill my inner teacup the most!

I love belonging to the CLAU organization. I love promoting children's literature all over the state and standing for values that I feel so passionate about. I love working with so many different types of people that have truly educated me and blessed my life. I love being exposed to so many different types of literature and learning to give a voice to the things I think. I still stutter and stumble but it has opened avenues I didn't know were a possibility.

I love my family. I am constantly overwhelmed by the daily challenges of raising 3 little children and trying to find balance in the world but again, I love the physical, emotional, spiritual opportunities for growth that it brings. I have stopped hoping for the day that I will wake up and not be overwhelmed by being a mother...it isn't going to happen. Instead, I wake up praying for the wisdom and strength to be what they need and to set an example for them that will lead them to embrace what I hope will be happiness in their lives. A big charge...one I don't take lightly although I'm not always very good at it. I want my children to love learning and reading and talking and playing and imagining and listening and adventures and quiet time and scripture reading and prayer...I want them to love people in all their varieties. I want them to be loved and appreciated for who they are and what they bring to this world. Sigh.

And a significant part of that family is my husband...I love my husband. The longer I am married, the more convinced I am that I have been given a rare and wonderful gift in finding this man who wipes bums, watches kids, sweeps floors, cleans bathrooms, grows gardens, plays endless games with his kids and uses his amazing talents to bless the lives of others both in his professional career and personal life. He is thoughtful, funny, kind, compassionate, loyal and dedicated in all aspects of his life. I love holding his hand and kissing him and being with him. He is such a joy and strength and constant in my life.

So there you have it...my daily grind. Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes all these great experiences collide and I feel stressed but most of the time it provides a rhythm and balance that soothe and feed my spirit in wonderful ways. Moderation in all things...I'm learning that. And I'm trying to learn to say "no"...I'm good at that mentally but struggling to say it out loud. Life is grand. Opportunities are around every corner. Share what you love with your kids. Don't think of your interests and hobbies as being exclusively yours. Find ways to invite your children in to what you love and cherish. Not only do you give them grand experiences to enjoy and explore, but you have more time to do those things yourself. Get out, explore your neighborhood, volunteer to do something you didn't know how to do, don't be afraid to take your kids with you and remember that however hard one phase of life seems, it will end and joy can be found in the strangest places.

Ah, ain't life grand?!

Winter Thrills

Just lots more fun with the new toy...

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Weekend O' Fun

Having lots of fun with this new toy! Best part about the whole thing is that it takes less than 5 minutes, I send it to Costco to be printed out and TA-DAH...pictures not just sitting on the camera. yeah, I'm liking this.

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

An Experiment

A friend recommended this website to me so I've just been playing. I do have to say...it makes "scrapbooking" not only bearable but actually kind of interesting. These are just some random pictures but everything I just did was free on this website. Anyhow...like I said, just an experiment.

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Oh What Do You Do In the Wintertime?

So help me, if it snows one more time I'm going to pull out all my hair and run naked around the neighborhood...just for something new to do. I'm so, so, so tired of beautiful, soft falling, gentle snow. It was so charming the first 300 times it snowed and now it just weighs on me like a giant avalanche. I'm trapped in my house, I haven't left this little area/neighborhood for over a month, a mystery dog has taken to pooping on the front sidewalk every morning, and my snow pants are getting tighter and tighter from all that Stephen's hot chocolate we've been drinking. Where oh where is blessed spring?

The good news in our family this week is that J. got a speaking part in his school's first drama production. He will be playing the illustrious role of Demon Bear #2 (you KNOW I'm not making this up...who could even make up a part like that?) They are doing a play called "Sunlight, Moonlight" which apparently is a Tibetean (?) fairy tale. Now seeing that we are only a very poor charter school, they chose a script that was free and could be downloaded off the internet. The writing is not exactly Tony Award winning and there are demon bears in the play but we couldn't be more proud of our little thespian! The play was opened for kids K-8th grade so I was shocked J. wasn't shy about trying out. Matter of fact, when the drama lady asked the kids to show her their best "demon bear" growls, my friend leaned over and asked, "Uh, is J. OK? I almost expect to see him foaming from the mouth." I assured her that any one of my children could summon their "demon" sides without much effort...we just need to work on the bear part! Anyway, if any of you are in town toward the end of March and are curious as to what demon bears do, please let us know. I'm sure we could muster up a few extra tickets!

Other news...hmmm. Not much happens when you are stuck in your house. My parents are on a 2 week trip to the Holy Land, my good friend just took her family to Disneyland for the week, and I'm actually looking forward to our trip to University Mall on Tuesday...you know, get out of town for a little while! Things aren't so bad. I have a warm house to live in, way too much food to eat, a fleece "leisure" suit that is getting quite a workout this winter (it has pretty much become a uniform item for me), 3 hilarious kids to keep me entertained (H. danced around with a pull-up on her head the other night and I really thought I was going to pass out from laughing so hard...cheap thrills!), and a husband with patience and a sense of humor that might just pull me through the winter dol-drums. (Is that a word?)

If you are in town, stop by for a cup of hot chocolate and a chat. I'm the one melding into the blue leather chair in the front room with the dirty fleece leisure suit! (Yikes...that was SUCH an unappealing image to put in your head!)

Did You Know?

Did you know...
That Wal-Mart offers lasik surgery? I'm a little disturbed that I can now go to my local ghetto department store and get a pedicure from a Vietnamese man, pick up a Happy Meal from the Hispanic crew, grab my tolietries, prescriptions, groceries, and household items from the toothless, pregnant, flannel pajama wearing cashier and then stop by the eye center for a little zap to my corneas. And the lasik surgery is only $439/per eye. I mean seriously...would you EVER let ANYONE at Wal-Mart put a laser to your eyeball?

Did you know...
At our local rec. center, downstairs in the weight room, there is a machine that will strengthen and tone your crotch? Don't believe me? There is a intricate drawing on the machine showing the generic human body in black and white with the crotch highlighted in red. With all my stress about my hips and thighs, I never once considered that my crotch might be flabby! Will the body image stress ever end??

Did you know...
My 3-year old can fix a scrumptious "pig in a blanket" all by herself? She helped mix the biscuit dough, rolled it out on the counter, cut strips, rolled the hot dog inside and laid the whole affair on the cookie sheet. I just stood aside and took pictures. It makes watching Barney tomorrow seem a little "remedial" for her. Barney is just tackling colors, shapes and feelings and my 3-year old is ready for recipes, pre-heated ovens, and culinary design.

Did you know...
The nutrition label on the bag of chicken nuggets sitting in my freezer indicates that my children will die of high cholesterol, heart attack, and stroke by the time they are 12 years old if I continue feeding them this crap? (Pipe down...some of us parental units figure things out a little slower than the rest.)

Did you know...
They just announced the Caldecott and Newbury Award winners? The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Seltzer won for the Caldecott (AMAZING book! I love, love, love it. Reading it to J. right now and we can't get enough!) and a book I've never heard of won the Newbury. Go check it out. (C'mon people...just GOOGLE it.)

Did you know...
That when we were sitting at my 6-year old son's basketball clinic today listening to a group of 50 boys yell "DEFENSE" and stomp their feet that my poor 5-year old came up and asked me why all the basketball boys were yelling "Jesus!" When a bunch of boys shout "defense" really loud in an echoy gym, it does sound just like they are praising the Lord.

Did you know...
An iPod nano will make ANY circumstance and/or situation better? Jogging, cleaning house, entertaining children, doing my daughter's hair, going potty (I watched an episode of Scrubs on my iPod nano yesterday while using the "facilities". Never enjoyed myself more. M. kept banging on the door asking why I was laughing and why I was taking so long.)

Did you know...
The T.V. show Pushing Daisies is the most entertaining, clever, creative, funny show on the television right now? I dare say I am enjoying it more than The Office, 30 Rock, Scrubs, and Amazing Race. (Funny...I was just telling a friend today how I really don't watch T.V. anymore. Hmmm...) Actually, I don't watch ANY of these shows on T.V. because that is so "YESTERDAY" to sit around watching T.V. I just download them on my iPod nano and watch them while hiding in the bathroom. So much more sophisticated. (And I have the nerve to make fun of people wearing flannel pajama bottoms to work at Wal-Mart? My poor hypocritic life...)

Did you know...
I got an iPod nano for Christmas?

Did you know...
Pluto is NOT considered a "real" planet anymore? It got demoted last year.

Did you know...
you can't ever count to the end of numbers because it goes to infinity and beyond? That makes me crazy and gives me a headache every time I think about it.

Did you know...
Old Navy is having a HUGE sale right now where everything in the store is so dirt cheap that I almost felt like they should be paying ME to carry all those bags of dirt cheap clothes out to my car?

Did you know...
my husband is AWESOME. (And really cute?)

That's it. Just wondered if you knew...

My T.V. Debuts

I have had my 30 seconds of fame...which actually happened so early in the morning that I'm not sure anyone was really awake. On December 14th, my friend and I appeared on Good Things Utah, a local "girly" morning show on ABC4. I did the set-up for our segment and my friend actually appeared on the show to represent the Children's Literature Association of Utah (CLAU), the organization I am board member of. We talked about using books as great gifts and the basis for creating long-lasting memories. If I might be so bold, you should go check out our link at CLAU website (look at the top and click "Gift Ideas")

Well, one of the hosts that day is also a morning reporter for the station and she called me a couple days later and asked if we would be interested in appearing on their early morning show "Book" segment. She wanted both my friend and I to appear on the show and asked if I knew where we could find some kids to appear on the show as well. As luck would have it, I have 3 hams and my friend has 6 hams! We were well-stocked. So on January 2nd, at 5:45 a.m., my little family showed up at the Salt Lake City Main Library to film our segment. (Are you doing the math? That means we were up at 4:30 a.m. so we could leave by 5:00 a.m. Scary stuff.) We got everything set-up and ready to shoot and as they went to shoot the teaser, they discovered some technical difficulties with the equipment. They tried and tried to get it too work (it was supposed to be a live feed) and finally the station told her to get the segment shot and drive it in as fast as she could. So we shot the whole 3 minutes in one take and she took off. It was supposed to be 2 different 4 minute segments...I was really disappointed at first. Especially because we were in Salt Lake City at 6:30 a.m. But we redeemed the morning with a huge breakfast at IHOP and watched the sun rise as we stuffed our mouths full of eggs, bacon and pancakes. It was a really fun experience...M. got lots of air time. I'm going to try and post the link. TV Debut.

Christmas Happy

Here is sincerely hoping that your holiday is filled with lots of silly, wonderful, memorable moments!
Love,
Amy

Another Major Award!

J. is having a lucky streak right now! Last month the local library held a "scary story contest" and J. decided to enter! He wrote the funniest story that actually has some plot and character development...I was a little shocked. I typed it for him but he did every bit of the writing and editing. We turned in it and crossed our fingers.

Last Monday night we went to the library to hear the winners of the contest announced and guess what?? J. won "honorable mention" for his story in the 6-8 year old category. This honorable mention came with a certificate and $5.00 cash! He thought he had hit the jackpot. So I present to you now, first time award winning author, Big J. and his scary Halloween story....

Once there was a Halloween house. It was scarier than the one you saw on the cover. If you went inside, there was no way out. If you ever tried to get out, you would need one million flashlights. It was because of the Dracula, the mummy, the witch, the ghost, and the bat that lived there. They liked to break the light switch anytime someone came near. Whenever kids came trick or treating, as soon as the kids heard the footsteps coming to the door, they ran away. The footsteps sounded spooky.
The monsters always knew they were nice. One Halloween, they witch said, “We are nice monsters. Why do kids run away from us when they come trick or treating? Is it because of our footsteps? We need to make sure that no kids hear our footsteps this Halloween.”
On Halloween night when kids came trick or treating, they rang the doorbell but they didn’t hear any footsteps so they thought no one lived there anymore. They just walked away.
The next Halloween, the mummy said, “Last Halloween kids rang the doorbell but they didn’t stay for treats. Is it because of the looks outside our house?” On Halloween night, the monsters put made their footsteps sound like human footsteps and made the outside of their house not look so spooky. But the outside of their house did not have enough Halloween decorations so when kids came trick or treating, they thought the monsters weren’t celebrating Halloween. They walked around to the back but the back of the house looked the exact same. So the kids just left.
Next Halloween, the bat said, “Last Halloween kids didn’t come trick or treating. They didn’t even ring our doorbell! Maybe it’s because the doorbell sound is too scary.” So that Halloween night, they made their footsteps sound like humans, decorated their house like anyone else would decorate for Halloween, and made the doorbell sound like a bunch of bats flying out. (It usually sounded like a million monsters growling.) When kids came trick or treating, they rang the doorbell and all they heard was a bunch of bats flying and they got really scared and ran away (a million miles per hour!).
On the next Halloween, Dracula said, “I heard kids ring the doorbell last Halloween but when I answered the door, I didn’t see anyone there! Maybe it is because of the yard, all dirty and trashy.” That Halloween night, they made their footsteps sound like humans, decorated their house like anyone else would decorate for Halloween, made the doorbell sound like a regular doorbell and cleaned up the yard (but they made it look like a bunch of monsters were coming out of the ground). When the kids came trick or treating and they saw the yard, they tried not to think it was real but there was too much stuff and thought it was definitely real so they walked away quietly.
The following Halloween, the ghost said, “Last Halloween I didn’t even hear the doorbell ring. Is it because of the way we look? Dress up like humans everybody!” So that Halloween night, they made their footsteps sound like humans, decorated their house like anyone else would decorate for Halloween, made the doorbell sound like a regular doorbell, cleaned up the yard, and dressed up in human costumes. When kids came trick or treating and they rang the doorbell and the mummy answered the door all dressed up like a human, the kids said, “Trick or Treat!” and took a piece of candy. For all the rest of the Halloweens, the monsters were happy because kids came trick or treating.

THE END.

Halloween 2007...Let The Games Begin

J. and M. dressed up for Halloween parties at school. J. is a "roman citizen" and M. is Peter Pan.

Our neighbors had a friend visiting them from Norway who had brought his little 5-year old boy along. They were here over Halloween and this little boy thought he had won the lottery. He just couldn't get over the fact that in America they have a holiday where you go around and people give out free candy...as much as you want. My friend said that every time someone dropped a piece of candy in his bucket, he would just stare at it with a really stunned, delighted expression. And really...can you beat Halloween? I am delightfully full of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Mound bars, and Butterfingers. I've met my quota and feel like I can face this year with renewed energy and enthusiasm. So here is how we spent our day o' indulgence...

At J.'s charter school they made all the kids write a report on a historical character they wanted to be in order to get permission to dress up. They keep it all very educational and a little over the edge but J. didn't seem to mind. He decided he wanted to be a "roman citizen" (not a roman soldier, not Caesar, just a roman citizen...not sure where the idea came from!) so he wrote what I thought was a very intelligent report and got permission for his costume. Chris made an amazing toga like contraption out of a white sheet and fashioned a real laurel leaf wreath for his head. I thought J. looked rather sophisticated and "romanesque"! The kids and I went over to his school for the Halloween assembly where J. marched in the costume parade and then won an award for his report that he wrote! We were so, so, so proud! A major award! :>)

J. marching in his Halloween parade at school.





J. receiving his award during the assembly.




When we got home, M. was disturbed that I hadn't carved a pumpkin yet. Now I have to admit something here...please don't think that I'm unpatriotic or un-American but I really don't like carving pumpkins (or dyeing easter eggs for that matter). I find it slimy and messy and I don't have a lick of artistic talent so my pumpkins never look very interesting. Chris always carves pumpkins with the kids and I am always THERE but just not sticking my hand or knife in to any pumpkins. So in order to put my son's mind at ease, I went and got our box of Mr. and Mrs. Potato accessories and went to town on the pumpkins outside and I have to say, I was rather pleased by the results. I may have found my pumpkin niche!






























That afternoon we did a little costume changing and headed over to Chris' work for some pre-trick or treating. It was fabulous! People were handing premium candy and I literally ate my way silly through the experience! The kids walked out with pounds and pounds of candy and I was ready to just sit on the couch rubbing my buddha belly and watch a scary movie but the kids were not to be deterred from their real Halloween experience. So...we got home, emptied all the buckets from round 1 and prepared for round 2. J. had chosen to be Spiderman for Halloween, H. was Snow White, and M. went through a different costume every time we had an occasion to dress up. At one party he was a knight, the next party he was Peter Pan, school party he was a dragon, and on Halloween Eve he walked out as a vampire. (We do have an impressive dress-up box if you ever want to come and play!) Like I said, H. was a beautiful Snow White until moments before we were supposed to go out trick or treating and instead of wearing her amazing Snow White dress with the ruffle socks, black patent leather mary janes, and gorgeous golden curls tied in a charming red bow, she took it all off and decided she wanted to wear the dirty, dingy, matted purple fur unicorn costume that I bought at DI and can't quite get that funky smell out of. (Serves me right for buying a purple unicorn costume...it just seemed like such a good idea at the time! I hate unicorns!) After a meltdown, a temper tantrum, and a battle out on the front porch, Chris managed to convince her to be Snow White and the kids took off with their father and grandfather for some trick or treating.










The kids ready for some trick or treating!










The kids with their grandpa...I'm starting to see where my husband gets his artistic talent!


Todd and Carrie (Elvis)...isn't she fabulous?

I stayed behind with grandma and Elvis (Carrie) to fix a fall feast. We had acorn squash filled with a long grain, wild rice mixture, pasta alfredo with hot dogs cut on top to look like an octopus (for the kids), assorted veggies and dip, salsa and chips, gummy worm ice-cubes floating in the drink and a lovely apple-caramel cake for dessert. I was proud of the feast. I don't do feasts very often.

Well, the kids were out LOTS longer than I thought they would be. Chris commented that once you kind of find your trick-or-treating groove, it is hard to stop. They came back with tons more candy and deliriously happy grins. We ate, we purged, we ate some more. Everything you could ever want from a holiday...

It was a delightful day. I love Halloween...not so much the actual holiday but the arrival of autumn. The crisp weather, the gorgeous leaves, the decorations and chunky sweaters and new jeans. It is my favorite time of year.







P.S. If you are an Oscarson or suffer from mild to severe OCD then you will appreciate this postscript. M. came home from trick or treating and immediately organized all his candy in to specific piles and groups. He then placed each pile in an individual snack size baggie and rearranged them back in to his spider container. I couldn't have been more proud!