Yard Work

Today has been really nice. The weather is great. We woke up early to clean up the church. I love seeing the boys work away happily. Both C and I went running/jogging this morning. I did 4.5 miles of uphill, downhill, and flat roads. C went uphill towards the canyon. Ouch!! We're getting ready for the Ragnar Relay that's next month. After which we did yard work. It all felt good.Today after lots of weeding and chemicals, the yard's looking good. (hope the grass doesn't die)

The backyard is wonderfully large and unpleasantly difficult to mow. I leave this side to C.
The peppers, beans, beets, and tomatoes are in. The entire middle section is devoted to Edamame. Next comes the Japanese cucumbers (yummie) and zucchini.

This is the strawberry patch . In the back, finally, the raspberries pick up. And of course the sandbox, even though it was my idea, oh how I despise the sandbox. It turns into a cat litter and the sand ends up every where in the house. grrrrrr

Because last years strawberries, although plentiful, did not satiate our desires for them, C planted yet another patch. thank goodness.

So where are the boys now you ask? A is napping and the other two are shopping with dad. What a perfect day it has been!

Todays Pic

Lunch is Served

This is lunch according to L. The sandwich was a waste. The Kiwi , however, is gone, skin and all.

Last Weeks Field Trips

L's class took a tour of the local fire station and met the firemen.

K's class went to Thanksgiving Point to see the farm animals.

Showing off

Tidbits

Enana

When I was just a little girl, my mom and I were shopping at Zody's when a another little girl at the end of the isle points to my mom and yells out, "Mira mama, una enana!" Which translates to "Look mom, a midget!" I was mad and stuck my tongue out at her. That was the day I became self-conscious. (She's 4'11)

Tamales

I make a mean tamale (a Mexican dish), so one day my mom and I made a bunch and went around selling them to people working around town. My mom stopped a couple of Hispanic ladies and asks them in Spanish if they would be interested in purchasing some tamales her daughter made. In Spanish they reply no thanks and the one turns to the other and says, I wonder what Chinese tamales taste like, I bet they're really good! I busted up laughing and we still chuckle about it. We did end up selling them all.

Polygamy

When I was on my mission in Japan, someone informed my parents that my religion practices polygamy. And although I tried to convince my parents otherwise, I realized they weren't convinced when a couple days before my wedding my mom pulls aside my fiance (now husband) and says, "Now, you are only going to marry one wife right?" C was very tempted to say that I was going to be his second but decided it wasn't the right time to play a joke.

A Dreamer

My mom has had some very amazing dreams. After I returned from my mission, my mom and I took a road trip to Utah because a friend from Japan came to the states to go through the temple for the first time. I was honored to be her escort. During the road trip she shared a dream she recently had. She said that we were both walking down two long paths for a while. Eventually she opened a gate to join me and we walked the rest of the way together.

Grandparents

My mom lived with her grandparents for a while during her childhood in Mexico. She was very fond of them and speaks about them with great love. Grandma had gotten sick and she wasn't getting better. Realizing that the end was near, her grandfather put a white sheet over a stick and stuck it on the far end of the yard. As her grandmother got sicker and sicker, the white sheet got closer and closer. Eventually the white sheet couldn't get any closer to the house and one day it disappeared when her grandfather told her that the angels have come and taken her grandmother to heaven.

Todays Pics

Random Pics

Random Pics

The Vedict's In......I'm a Slacker Mommy

As part of a Mother's Day gift, K's teacher had him fill out a sheet titled, "My mom according to K." As I read it, I came to the realization that K perceives me as a slacker mom and now his teacher knows it.

click to enlarge (notice the exclamation points)

Not only can I not do a black flip, I'm obsessed with cleanliness instead of more important things, take a nap while he's at school, and can't even come up with a pet name to call him. Well at least he didn't disclose all my other weaknesses here and hopefully he keeps my name safe from now on........yeah right when kids say the darnedest things. I don't think teachers should be asking such personal questions any how.

Oh yeah, how do you know what I do when you're at school anyways? Little did you know that I mowed the lawn and weeded while you were there yesterday. You think the lawn mows itself when dad's out of town? And I sat around and let you guys make a mess and didn't make you clean it up. Remember? I spent an hour trying to help L relearn to ride a bike while you and A rode yours too. I was sweating bullets and my back hurt too. I've been a single mom for the last four weeks (minus weekends). I even drove to and from Jackson Hole alone with the three of you and didn't kill us even in the middle of the night with all those freaky deer. humph. Ok fine I admit I frequently do take naps in the afternoon. So what? Did you know there's a study that shows people who take naps have healthier hearts? huh, huh, huh? Didn't think so. Don't you want me to have a healthy heart and live a long life? I guess I'm a little disgruntled which means I probably should get off my behind and be a little more enthusiastic with my motherly duties. Next year, this sheet is going to read:

My mom cannot not do anything.
My mom is the happiest when we are productive, industrious little individuals.
My mom gets mad when.......she never gets mad, even when the house is dirty because she realizes that a clean and perfect house is not as important as spending good quality time with her children.
My mom's pet name for me is busy bee because I'm always working away while my peers waste their time watching t.v. and playing video games.
While I'm at school my mom does all sorts of creative things including crafts, making meals, spending time with my brothers one on one, and taking care of the neighbors.
I love my mom because she's perfect.

Happy Birthday Sweetie

Yesterday

Yellowstone

Excelsior Geyser

Including these, we saw fox and two wolves (a grey and black one). We were hoping to see the grizzlies that some others got a glimpse of.

Old Faithful

Dinner at Q Roadhouse. They bring out a bucket of peanuts before ordering and you throw the shells on the floor. It's great. The food is pretty good but a little spicy for the kids.

Do I Dare Hope

By Nancy A. Ericson

Do I dare hope for the day when I can sleep through the night without having to warm up a bottle or calm a scared toddler?

Or better yet, for the day when I have more than a foot on my own bed to sleep on because sometime during the night an unhappy baby was easier to calm by laying him there than putting him back into his crib.

Do I dare hope for the day I can sleep in till I’m not tired anymore instead of being forced up by the guilty feelings I get when I hear, “I’m hungry.”

Or better yet, when I can use the bathroom or take a shower without hearing little fists pounding on the door to let them in and then have to cut my precious, hot shower short because someone sitting on the toilet needs some wiping.

Do I dare hope for the day when I don’t have to pin down the kid to brush his teeth or hear ringing in my ears because I’ve just rinsed the shampoo out of someone’s hair?

Or better yet, for the day when I can read a book during the day (without feeling guilty).

Do I dare hope for the day to find tape when I need it, to find scissors where I left them last, or anything for that matter because three very busy boys find it very fun to use anything and everything including toothpicks, cotton balls, yarn, buttons, dental floss, envelopes, to pass the day.

Or better yet, when I don’t find my nicely, organized linen closet empty and all the sheets, towels, and blankets twisted up or spread out into a fort inside the house or even worse outside smelling like grass, smog and whatever else is out there.

Do I dare hope for the day when I’m down to three loads of laundry (whites, lights, and darks) instead of three per person per week and for that day when I don’t have to put it all away or throw it all off the bed so that I can get under the covers for the night?

Or better yet, for the day I don’t have to make a milk or diaper run at midnight.

Do I dare hope for the day when I clean my house and it stays clean?

Or better yet when there no longer is that constant puddle of urine at the base of the toilet or behind, especially after spending so much time back there on my hands and knees scrubbing.

Do I dare hope for the day they pick up there own clothes instead of me having to take a whiff to decide whether the article is clean or dirty and then being unpleasantly, surprised by that potent smell, the one all parents know….rotten, stinky pee.

Or better yet when I go to open my dryer and pull out the clothes and there’s no sand pouring out or open the washer and there’s no remnant of an exploded diaper that somehow made it in along with the load.

Do I dare hope for the day that the things I buy don’t get damaged or ruined after just three minutes?

Or better yet when I can put on my glasses in the middle of the night to see what time it is, and they are not permanently in a state of crookedness because I’m too poor to get yet another replacement.

Do I dare hope for the day I’m not wiping off greasy, dirty fingerprints from my walls, bedspread, fridge, TV and computer screen, and especially off my new pair of jeans…argh.

Or better yet when the only bum I’m wiping is my own.

Do I dare hope for the day I can go out shopping in peace instead of in a constant state of anxiety trying to find the perfect outfit in a hurry because the kids are screaming bloody murder or wondering where my kids are after letting them out of the cart or stroller thinking it could buy me another five minutes and hoping they haven’t been kidnapped?

Or better yet when I can go out on my own and leave the house guilt free because I’m not shutting the door behind me as I listen to resenting cries and then be gone for as long as I want.

Do I dare hope for the day I can sit through a meal without having to get up to fetch something for someone else, to clean up a spill, or even worse to help someone finish business in the bathroom.

Or better yet for the day when I don’t have to worry about making healthy meals three times a day plus snacks.

Do I dare hope for the day I don’t have to pull the car over on the side of the road and tell someone to get out or behave?

Or better yet for the day when I’m not reaching in the back seat to pick up spilling soda while I’m driving.

Do I dare hope for the day when we're at church and that paper airplane I just made for them doesn't go flying across the congregation?

Or better yet when we're at church and they are sitting still instead of on me, over me, and under me, and when I pretend I don't see those eyes staring at us while I once again pretend that I don't see my kid stretching his gum and sticking it on the something or picking his nose, or throwing a punch at his brother.

Do I dare hope for time to go by more quickly, when it already does?

Because looking back, it all seems like a small sacrifice to endure, a small trade off for the blessings of having these babies, for the gift of time to spend with them, for the things they teach me, and for the opportunity to guide them along.

I only have so much time before they’d rather I not snuggle up with them, before I no longer hear them sing primary songs in their little voices, and I won’t be so easily forgiven regardless of the mistakes I’ve made.

There’s only so much time before they turn their backs to me and go live their own lives which almost doesn’t include me at all.

There’s only so much time before I’m not the center of their world and they spend all day long planning and making gifts for me for Mother’s Day using the tape, scissors, yarn, buttons, dental floss, and envelopes I’ve been looking for.

There’s only so much time before I start wishing I could go back in time to hear their precious breathing while they sleep, to feel their little hearts beat next to mine while I rock them.

Do I dare hope for time to go by more quickly, when it already does?

3 Tornados Hit Virginia on Monday

My in laws home is fine, but the houses around have been hit, some are gone. Setsuko was home at the time, heard some noises and after seeing it outside her window, grabbed the dogs and went for cover. She's had no gas or electricity since yesterday. John is on foot this morning, waiting for the ok to get back into his neighborhood. He was as work at the time.

Poor Sports Breed Poor Sports

My very smart brother in law posed the question, "I wonder if being a poor sport is genetic?" referring to me passing on my poor sportsmanship to my kids, particularly Koji. He is not a graceful loser.

Today at Levi's first soccer game, after we told him to stop playing with the grass and go get the ball and score, he actually got it. The final score was 7-2. Levi scoring four of those seven points.

He went around telling a few people how many he scored. I was impressed that he was keeping track! Needless to say we talked to him about that. But, I'm guessing it was a four year old version of what I was doing mentally on the sidelines:




Now on a more serious note, I disagree that it's all genetic. We can't leave out the very important environment piece of it all. A lot of who we become is due to how we're raised or not raised and to leave out the environment piece of it doesn't make sense.

White Lies

Things I've said:

Oh, no.......It's broken.

I don't know where it is.

There's no more. I'll buy some next time I go to the store.

This old thing? No, honey it's not new.

It's bed time. (kids: But, it's still light outside). No it's not (as I put sheets over the windows).

I'll only be a minute.

Happy Earth Day

My thoughts on the Salt Lake Half Marathon 2008

Saturday, April 19th

Let's just say it was a lot of running.

We had a late start since our shuttle got there just as the race started. The wall of runners was cool to see but it was a little sad not being in it. It would of been easy to go faster than we should with everyone around and the excitement. There weren't many runners behind us so we were able to go at our own pace and keep it up the whole time. Another of the benefits of being last was that we kept passing everyone in front of us and mentally it felt good.

I felt really good up to the 10th mile. The last three miles were really hard. The last mile was painful and emotional but I knew if I stopped I wouldn't be able to start jogging again. So I kept going at the same pace, and booked it right at the end. The crowd cheering on both sides was encouraging.

I ran with a friend and her friend. It was really good at the beginning but towards the end we were all feeling differently and needing different things. One needed to stop, I needed to go. But, we all ended up finishing really close together.

Chris and the boys met up with us at the half way mark and a couple of other places thereafter. Way to go fam!!! Others around as well as myself were picked up by their support. It was awesome and kept me going.

Just as I was doing the last couple miles the first full marathon runners passed us. It was amazing. What athletes!

I'm feeling pretty good today. I've taken it REALLY easy. After Chris left on business yesterday, I put the kids to bed shamefully early and delved into the Kite Runner. I don't know how anyone can read that book in public, I cried like a baby. Any book that gives me a headache isn't my favorite, but it was a good read regardless.

The same friend is now conning me into doing the Provo half in the summer. We were told it was beautiful. Now that I know what to expect I would love to improve on my time. We'll see......

This April's Conference Pictures

What it would look like if I had four sons. This picture was taken at the mission reunion. Our friend Kara really does have four boys and this is her oldest.

Elder and Sister Evans (Chris' mission president, now general authority)

Besides having Doug's family, we were graced with Elsina's presence and her friends. Since one looked just like Bobby, we had him join in the family picture as a replacement. We miss you Bobby! He's featured at the bottom left. And of course Uncle Quin, Loyd, and Angela are with us as well.

All the men who attended priesthood together featured above. Some are very quick to change back to normal clothes. It's nice that Chris can take along his family.