Happy Haunting!

This makes me laugh every time! Enjoy!

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A Great Book!

My husband and I both just finished reading this book. It is terrific! If you love to run, or wish you did- then you need to read this book. Go to your library and get it. It will change the way you think.

After you read it you will start running barefoot, or in these. That sounds like it would hurt or something, right? It doesn't. In fact, in feels great! Truly.

In addition you will start consuming a lot of chia seeds or putting "chia gel" in whatever you can. Who knew that your chia pet was hiding something so awesome and life-sustaining!

It would take forever to explain it all- so get the book. Seriously- stop what you are doing and get it now. It's a great read!

Needed Blessings

The other day while driving in the car on the way to church, Kimball had some questions regarding fasting. (It happened to be Fast Sunday) As parents it feels great when your kids ask questions like that. It opens the door for you to have what will surely be a great parenting moment, right?

I for one have a wonderful dream of what will occur..... a couple of minutes where we share a deep, spiritual conversation. We are moved. Our children are moved. I imagine that those few moments impact them forever and when they are adults they write it down and then quite possibly submit it to the Friend magazine for publication in the form of a story, "based on real events."

So, we had our discussion and I thought it had gone very well. Then came the time to ask some questions and get their feedback. One of the questions? Stanton asked Kimball if there was something specific he might like to fast for. After a short pause, Kimball's response was:

"Yes! What I really need is.......... the power to read people's minds."

Well, all-righty then. Good talk. Good talk.

Another big catch-up.

Summer Vacation has finally started! Our school year lasts so long every year that, come the end of June, we are all fed up with the schedules and homework and very anxious for some free time and fun!

Maybe I will blog about all we do......but maybe not. ( I feel bad for my posterity. They will have big empty gaps of my life to try and figure out on their own. Oh well!)

As for what we've been doing lately, here are a few updates for Grandma!

Budding Talents

Most recently, Laura has started designing. She approached me last week with a drawing of a purse that she had thought up. "Mom, it needs to be a crescent shape, with polka dots." Since I'm always up for a new project to sew, we got to work. She chose her fabric from the basement stash and sat down to draw a pattern on tissue paper. It was very basic so it came together quick.

She is so delighted with her creation and takes it everywhere we go. I can't wait to see what drawing she brings me next.

New Hair

We decided to save money on the barbers and shave some heads. Kimball and Stanton are both sporting the buzz look from now on. I love the ease of it, and think they both look adorable.

Piano Recitals

The boys performed in their first ever piano recital. Tustin was so nervous that he had a migraine and probably an ulcer or something. Poor kid! They both did great- and forgot to bow. As soon as they finished- they practically ran off the stage.

Laura Graduates

Laura graduated from preschool this year and something weird happened to me. Maybe it's because she's my sweet little girl- or maybe it's because I fear she may be my last child- but I got emotional!

When the boys both had their "graduations," I remember rolling my eyes and feeling embarrassed for all the moms and dads taking pictures and crying with pride. Come on people! It's preschool!

And- now here I was watching my daughter walk up for her little diploma and my heart melted. I lost it. Where have the years gone? Will I ever have another preschooler? Another baby? Is this the end of those sweet days when the world is so full of wonder and mommy is their favorite person? I wish I knew what the answer was. I wish I knew what I wanted the answer to be.

So, I am now humbled and I send out apologies to all the preschool moms that I have mentally mocked in the past. I have joined the ranks of blubbering boobs.

Bugged by Bugs

Bugs love me. They flock to me. They follow me home. They eat me as often as they can. They strive to live where I live- and most recently- they strive to EAT where I live. To the bees I must smell like nectar. To the mosquitoes my blood is the most sweet. To all other creatures-spiders, beetles, fruit flies, ants, crazy caterpillar things, crickets, and so on- my front door must say, "Welcome! Please Enter. Come one, come all!!!"

I am convinced this must be true because every spring I am plagued, plagued, plagued!! Actually- that is exactly the word for it. I must have a major sin hanging out there that I have plain forgotten about- because pestilence is upon me, and this year is the worst of them all.

Let me give details.... First, my garage, dining room and front porch have become infested with carpenter ants. I have read that in order to truly eradicate them and stop them from turning my home into Swiss cheese I need to find and destroy their nest/nests. I keep watching the little buggers and their "travel" habits seem to lead me every which way. I have no idea where they are staying!

Second, I have another carpenter friend; the carpenter bee. These guys are huge. They have eaten hide-aways into the trim of my house. The males are aggressive, and although they can't sting they love to chase me and buzz right in my face whenever I go outside. Hello! This is my nest- not yours! Get off my property!! I have read everything I need to know about eradicating the stinkers. It is a major pain and due to their location will require a huge ladder.

On to the next winged terrorist- the hornet/yellow jacket. We used to get a hornets nest every year in this old built in-barbecue in our yard. Since, it didn't work anyway, we had it removed, along with the little buggers. Did that stop them? No, of course not. Now they have taken up camp in the eaves of my dining room. They have built their hive, are raising their spawn or whatever they do, and will continue to attach themselves to various places on my property no matter how many times we kill them.

Fourth- I've noticed some funny yellow dust below the legs of my kitchen table. Every day I wipe it up- but then I wake the next day to find it again. Upon further investigation I now know that my table, and even my hutch next to it, are both infested with powder-post beetles!! Not only is my house being slowly chewed and tunneled apart- now my furniture is victim as well!

This problem is not just here in my home. I take my kids to the park, or I go out in the garden to plant some tomatoes, and although I douse myself in bug spray and all sorts of chemicals sure to cause me cancer, I will return from these jaunts looking like a victim of small pox or something. They will not stop eating me!

Today I went to our outdoor shed to get some gardening tools and potting soil I had stored in there. When I came out I felt very itchy. I had been attacked by ants! They were everywhere- crawling all over my arms and legs, in my hair and in my clothes. I had to immediately run into the shower to get them all off, and hours later I still feel like they are in my ears and down my shirt. I can't stop itching!

I have nightmares about bugs eating me, and attaching their suckers and goo to me. I have panic attacks about my house crumbling to the ground because some creature chewed away all the structural beams holding us upright.

Seriously-what did I do? Somebody just tell me so I can make restitution and be saved from these creepy crawlies. I'm losing it!

Hopes from Kimball

( a strawberry smile!)

My son Kimball has some great personality characteristics, that i must admit he gets mostly from his Father. He's easy-going, thoughtful, unselfish, quick to laugh, softhearted and kind. (He has a few other character traits that drive me up a wall, but still I wouldn't trade him in for the world!)

He came home from school last week with a project he made in his class. It looks similar to a mobile that has three hanging paper shapes. Each shape represents something- his community, his world and himself, and on each one he wrote his hope/dream for that particular thing. I love what he wrote and want to remember it, so I'm sharing it here:

Kimball's Desires:
For his community: "That my family will honor it." ( I asked him for clarification - and he said he wants everyone to obey their parents...I'm never going to throw this away!)
For his world: " That everyone will worship the right God."
For himself: " That my fish will live a long time."

love that kid!

Creative Inclinations

My kids' elementary school encourages kids to use recycling to create their art projects. My guess is it's cheap for them and aids in their goal of "green living."Over the past five years my boys have come home with what feels like hundreds of sculptures and contraptions made from toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, cereal boxes and various plastic containers. I love that they get to use their imaginations and express themselves so open-endedly, but for the most part these projects look like what they are; trash kept together with tape and glue, so what am I to do with them all?

Thus far, I have had a system of elimination. I praise them for their ingenuity, possibly take a picture or two, and within a few days sneak them into our box to be put out for "recycling" yet again. I wash my hands of them and we're done. ( I know I am a heartless mother)

But last week, my son came home with this:
He named him George. Oh my goodness! He is huge! And unlike the others doesn't look like trash. I actually think he's a pretty cool robot. I don't have the heart to put him out- he looks at me with those big robot eyes and I just can't do it.

So now George is a permanent part of our family.


Onto other creations:

Last week was the Pine Wood Derby, and although Tustin's car was lacking in speed (my husband is still pretty frustrated about that, and convinced that someone sabotaged the well-polished/graphited axels and wheels), he took a second place trophy for "Most Artistic." ( I love all the awards they come up with at these things so that every kid can be a winner. Some of them are a real stretch- but I'm sure all the moms are grateful, as am I, that their son goes home a winner of sorts regardless!)

The 2009 Pine Wood Derby

Perler Beads & Baking Cups!

My daughter loves color, and especially making patterns with color. I have to admit she has a talent for it. ( I guess I have a future quilter on my hands!) However, as of three months ago I had no idea that this was the case. All of that changed one afternoon when she opened up a drawer in the kitchen and discovered an assortment of silicone baking cups! She was delighted!

Since that day, she has spent innumerable hours stacking, sorting and playing with them. It amazes me that making various patterns of red, yellow, blue, purple and pink over and over---and over--- again could keep her interest for so long, but such is the case. It's crazy-but I have to admit, I have come to appreciate all the extra time it gives me to do my own stuff-uninterrupted.

(A "Perler Beads" set)

This inclination of hers for color and pattern has now become even more pronounced since we discovered "Perler Beads" a few weeks back. How was I ever a parent before these delightful little things? (Seriously- if you do not have them, run to your local Michaels and get some. Even my boys enjoy them- if not quite so much as their sister.) She hardly ever wants to watch television anymore-she just wants to stay in her creative realm with a pile of open-ended beads. I love it!

Using different peg boards, and plastic macaroni-like beads, my daughter has spent endless amounts of time making all sorts of creations. She loves to play with the colors and organize hearts, stars, turtles and flowers, etc..

( some of her latest works of art!)

I am really impressed with the beautiful designs she comes up with. My dining room is no longer used for eating- just Perler Beads, but I love that she has found her passion and I can't wait to see the next artistic medium that it manifests itself through.

As soon as she is old enough to use a sewing machine we will really have some fun!

(Enjoying her two favorites- Baking cups and Perler Beads)

Valentine Violins

It is Valentine's Day 2009 and I am alone.

Where is my husband you ask? Oh---- he would be somewhere in Canada, with other Neilson men, skiing, getting massages, and soaking in the hot tub.

Surely this was a special, one time, couldn't pass it up opportunity.

But wait! Where was my husband on Valentines Day 2008?.......You guessed it!! --Somewhere in Canada, with other Neilson men, skiing, getting massages and soaking in the hot tub.

Now, where will my husband be on Valentine's Day 2010? I cannot say where his heart will be that day. Perhaps it will be dreaming of the slopes and a good massage-- but his physical presence, his actual person, had better be here WITH ME!!!

I understand the need for male bonding - but this sacrifice on my part will not extend another year! I see no reason why this weekend trip cannot be planned for any other single week out of the winter season that does not "coincidentally" happen to fall on this romantic day, that CANNOT be planned another day. (You can pretend that the week before or the week after is Valentine's Day- but it's not.)

I've said my peace. Love you sweetheart!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Scrapping Templates

I love to use scrapbooking templates. Even though I often rearrange them a little, I find they are a great jumping off point when I feel uninspired (unfortunately for me, this is most of the time).

Another thing I love is free templates! These are all over the Internet due to talented and generous bloggers. I recently came across one at just2morethings.blogspot.com. She has a lot of two-page spreads which I like because I can get a more pictures and journaling on them. Check it out!

Here's is one of her templates put to use: