Peace and Plenty

Janis Family Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:05:00.000-08:00

We had several friends over tonight to celebrate Christmas Eve! We made six pizzas and gobbled those up along with trays of fruits and veggies. They all turned out a bit lopsided so we called them Artisan Pizzas!

Pepperoni

Mozzarella, tomato, and basil

Ham and pineapple

Alfredo chicken and Jimmy's sausage

Peppers, olive, and sausage (the peppers were lightly sauteed in the pan after the sausage was cooked in it)

Leftover pizza!

The spread as the first of the pizzas gets served on the table.

Esther and Nathan making silly faces.

Latisha learning to get the dough ready.

Daron demonstrating tossing the dough.

Cydney using the pizza peel.

We read scriptures about the birth, life, and resurrection of Christ and sang hymns. The kids got to open their Christmas Eve presents - new robes - and then off to bed before Santa comes!!

Our little man.

Cute girl!

Hanukkah

2011-12-20T08:53:00.001-08:00

Last night we celebrated Hanukkah with Daron's parents and our friends Andrea and Justin. It turned out really nice. Daron's parents were amazing! They helped watch the kids while I ran last minute errands and helped cook and cook!

And I got to take fun pictures with Instragram on my new iPhone.

Jelly donuts!

Pretty table - silver is the color of choice for this holiday season's festivities!

Our menorah

Favors - to play dreidel later!

Our snowflakes/stars that were so easy to make! In a lovely sepia color.

Homemade pear/applesauce - delicious!

Esther making fast friends with Andrea and Justin.

Nathan's funny face.

Mom and Dad J.

Messing with closeups and candles.

After dinner, we read the Hanukkah story, opened our little Hanukkah gifts, and played dreidel. Daron won, though Esther and Nathan came in 2nd and 3rd. Little Esther is already showing signs of uber- competiveness like her Daddy!

What a fun night!!

Bishopric Dinner

2011-12-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

There is a tradition in our congregation that the Bishop hosts a Christmas dinner for the counselors, the Executive Secretary, and the clerk and their spouses. We've done this twice now and it's really been a nice evening. It's an assigned potluck and we provide the ham. I went a little crazy on the table this year (last year we did paper plates) but I have just had too many fun ideas running around my brain. You'll see a similar table for Christmas since I've already got the stuff!

I decided to go with silver and white. I was going to do peonies but they wanted $7 for three of them and it would have added up too much. The daisies, which are more cute than elegant, still turned out very pretty. The boxes on each plate were filled with our favorite chocolates.

Thank you, Christmas Tree Shop for the elegant $8 runner! Usually a nice runner costs around $25!

Simple votive candles placed around for some extra light and sparkle!

The Carlyles

The Ramirezes

The Jacobs

The Smiths

Amazing Christmas Star Project from Button Bird Designs!

2011-12-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

Click on the link below to see what I'm going to be making for Christmas with the kids next week!

via Button Bird Designs

Button Bird Designs Blog

Recent Goings-On

2011-12-04T16:06:00.001-08:00

During Thanksgiving break, we went to the Dallas Zoo on their dollar day. I brought our amazing babysitter, Cydney, with us. She is such a help keeping track of the children. The kids adore her and this picture turned out so cute.

Daron and I celebrated our ninth anniversary on the 30th of last month. Daron had an idea for a new family tradition - a birthday cake for our family's birthday! We even sang "Happy Birthday" and the kids thought this was great!

Daron has been getting me a rose for each year of our marriage. This year for some reason, he ended up getting more. No complaints here! The bouquet is still beautiful and the card was very sweet. I needed the time with him - things have been so hectic lately!

We did sealings at the temple and then out to The Melting Pot - a fondue restaurant. Very good, but not to die for, food. It was a quiet atmosphere, though, and we talked and just enjoyed each other's company.

While I was getting ready for our date, Daron and the kids played with Tinkertoys. Esther and Nathan were very impressed with Daddy's handiwork. Esther called it a hotel and named it the V Tree Elephant Hotel.

Yesterday, Esther had her first dance performance. Her teacher invited all her ballet classes to perform at the local mall. Her class, made up of 5-7 year olds, danced to "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" including a winding through the line with a rope! They didn't know the rest of the dance very well, but they sure got that part down!

Esther was soooo excited to wear makeup. She thought she was so pretty that she declared she'd wear it everyday. Sorry to disappoint you kid, but you'll have to wait until you're 16. She looks like such a pretty ballerina.

And the usual squashing the brother hug....

And little brother running around like a crazy kid before the show until he rammed into someone else. Then he sat quietly in my lap for awhile.

As a side note, the carpet in this mall is newish. They installed it straight over the broken tile floor a couple of years ago. I think they were on a budget. Yikes, is it ugly!

Third Annual Nutcracker Outing

2011-11-27T08:59:00.001-08:00

Last night Esther and I went to The Nutcracker - our third year doing so. I had asked Esther where she wanted to go to eat and she told me that she wanted to go somewhere posh. This was one of her recent spelling words!

So we went to Trevi's, a restaurant at the Las Colinas Omni Hotel. Arriving at 5pm, the place was deserted. Sometimes that's a bad sign. But for us, it was quite enjoyable! The staff was extremely attentive and prompt. And they didn't blink an eye when I asked if we could share each course (that's what I love about "posh" restaurants).

Our salad was a layer of green, yellow, and red tomatoes with creamy fresh mozzarella, olive oil, and basalmic reduction. Dinner was fabulous - creamy herbed polenta with a light lemon sauce, asparagus spears, salmon cooked to perfection, and warmed arugula. Esther didn't care for the asparagus or arugula but she devoured her polenta and salmon.

The dessert was a small sampling of gelato - again, Esther's choice. We had mentioned that we were on our way to The Nutcracker so the waitress asked the chef to draw a nutcracker on the plate with chocolate. It was such a delightful surprise - one which I had a hard time keeping Esther from licking it off with her tongue! I did catch her once at it!

Then off to the Irving Arts Center for the performance. We opted to go to a local performance this year instead of at the Opera House in Dallas. I figured that for slightly cheaper, we could sit much closer to the stage (second row) and Esther could be more involved. This production is done yearly by a conglomeration of dance studios with the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier being performed by local professionals. It wasn't as professional, but it was well done and Esther enjoyed every moment of it.

It was hard to keep her quiet through the show as she was constantly telling me which dresses she liked the best, which part she'd like to dance, asking what instrument was currently playing, recognizing dance steps, etc. But at least all the chatter was about the show.

We got home quite late, but Esther was so happy. She was especially happy that we'd purchased a small nutcracker at the show for Nathan. She put it by his bed where he would see it when he woke up and couldn't wait to see his face in the morning.

My favorite moment: walking into the restaurant hand in hand while she skipped with glee!

The boys made pizza, watched Cars, played catch with a football, and tackled each other. Here is a cute picture of Nathan right before we left the house. His favorite dress up outfit - cowboy superhero knight.

Thanksgiving at the Janis Home

2011-11-24T19:11:00.001-08:00

Wow! What a day! The weather cooperated and stayed nice and cool so it didn't get too hot in the house. We slept in this morning, ate breakfast, played at the park, and then got to work. Fortunately, Esther and Nathan played really nicely with each other (they are loving this week long break from school) while Daron and I spent pretty much the rest of the day together in the kitchen - one of our favorite things to do!

Sister Grant and the missionaries joined us this year for dinner. And boy, was it good! We tried to keep it simple, but it still took most of the day to cook. The difference was that the recipes were not too complicated, I did a lot of preparation yesterday, and we actually had everything cooked and warm right at 5pm like we had intended! Woohoo!

The menu:

The food:

We brined the turkey with chicken stock, candied ginger, allspice, brown sugar, salt, and peppercorns. After a good rinse this morning, he got stuffed with an aromatic mix of sage, rosemary, onion, cinnamon, and apples. Daron smoked some applewood next to it on the grill where it cooked slowly for a little over 4 hours at about 300F for most of the time. He put it up to 400F the last hour. It was awesome!!! One of the best turkeys we've ever done! A slight smoky flavor, so tender and juicy and just delicious. Angelyn and Brian, you may have changed your minds about turkey if you'd eaten this one!

The cornbread and sausage stuffing was great this year - not too overcooked. Jimmy's sausage and homemade cornbread. How can you go wrong? I have a recipe for leftovers of this stuffing where you cook eggs with it. Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!

The cranberry mango sauce tasted almost like jam, it was so good. We made way too much of it so maybe I'll be spreading that on bread for awhile. It was a Bobby Flay recipe. The potatoes were similar to scalloped potatoes but with a creamy white sauce instead of cheese. Tender onions with a hint of thyme and nutmeg layered throughout the combination of russet and sweet potatoes. It was so soft and cooked to perfection.

The carrots were simply steamed and mixed with brown sugar, lemon juice, honey, and butter - and a sprinkle of parsley for color. The elder who said he'd never liked carrots declared he liked these ones!

The salad was yummy - a simplistic version of an Emeril recipe. Bosc pears that had been tenderized in butter and brown sugar, then mixed with greens, blue cheese, and a quick oil/apple cider vinegar/honey dressing. Very light and tasty.

And the piez de resistance....

Triple chocolate pumpkin pie! We served it with a small scoop of Tahitian Vanilla Bean gelato. It was so rich and good! The kids helped me make it yesterday and we drizzled (rather sloppily) dark chocolate over it just before dinner. Yeah....looking forward to those leftovers. But maybe a smaller piece next time!

The table:

I chose a harvest theme this year, pulling in the gourds from around the house and fruit from the fruit basket, pinecones, leaves, and lights. A mini bottle of Martinelli's was a take home gift for our guests.

Esther helped me with the name cards. She did an excellent job! Again, I used my turkey plates. One of them broke last year so it was good we only had seven people at the table. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for more but have yet to find them. If you see any, let me know!

I am thankful that Daron didn't have to work today. It's been a crazy few months with his schedule. But I'm thankful for our wonderful children who keep us laughing, for our nice home, for Daron's secure job, for yummy food and the ability to share it with others. I'm thankful for Christ and His sacrifice for us all. Life is good.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!!

The Burmese Cuckoo

2011-11-07T06:08:00.000-08:00

The Burmese Cuckoo is finally ready! I'm posting the dress rehearsal as it's easier to hear without the background noise of an audience.

Thanks to my amazing cast and fellow crew and director who went on this crazy little journey with me. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did! They are all very busy people and yet put in hours of work and took it seriously. In fact, we were all at a Halloween party recently and members of the cast and those who had been in the audience were quoting lines. It just gave me warm fuzzies!

I'll be taking a break from projects for a little while now - what with the holidays coming and a baby on the way. So don't expect anything amazing until next summer at the earliest. Though I do have an idea already mulling in my brain!

Anyway, enjoy the show and tell me what you think! I'd love to have your feedback.

(We had to really squash it in order for Blogger to post such a long video so the quality, unfortunately, is not the best. Some people are saying that they can't understand the words. Sigh. If that is the case, I apologize - we did our best but the gymnasium has terrible acoustics. I can email the script to you if you request it.)

Little Characters!

2011-11-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here is Nathan at a Halloween party he went to with a bunch of other small children from church. He was so cute!

And Esther had to dress up as a character from a book for school on Halloween day. She decided on Eloise. And all day she told everyone, "Hi, I'm Eloise! I'm six. I live at the Plaza Hotel." Really getting into the act - that's my girl!

Yee-haw! Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T19:02:00.001-07:00

We were not super creative this year and did a cowboy theme. But the kids really enjoyed it! Esther told everyone she was a Sheriff Cowgirl and Nathan decided he was a Superhero Cowboy. He's worn his costume twice already and is excited to don it again tomorrow!

The trunk-or-treat was so busy (as I was pulling off an encore presentation of my play right before) that I didn't even get a decent picture. A friend took this one on her phone in the dark of us. I'll post cuter pictures of the kids when I take their pictures tomorrow!

Nifty Idea

2011-10-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

I've grown out of my teenage years sewing box. I need something a bit bigger to store my stash of sewing supplies. So I set out online to find something and ended up on Etsy, checking out old luggage!

I just ordered this adorable vintage train case to use for my new sewing case. I am very excited! What a great idea, huh?

The Burmese Cuckoo

2011-10-17T08:51:00.001-07:00

My latest project, a short play called The Burmese Cuckoo (think The Maltese Falcon) was Saturday and it went fabulously - minus the video camera running out of memory halfway through and the sound system that we couldn't use because there was a random Spanish radio station playing over it!

So we decided to do it again for the entire congregation right before the Trunk-or-Treat in a couple of weeks. I'll post our video then.

In the meantime, here is a movie I made on iMovie, which we played on a screen as the opening credits to our play. Enjoy!

Goodbye, Grandpa

2011-10-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

My parents just called to let me know that Grandpa Brown passed away about an hour and a half ago. We had just been discussing this afternoon that it probably wouldn't be much longer, but I didn't think it would be quite so soon.

He had finally left the rehab center just over a week ago and was finally athome. He slipped quietly away while he and Grandma were having a quiet talk, but not before he gave Grandma a kiss. Considering the fact that they were not always very affectionate to each other, this was so sweet to hear.

He was in his library, surrounded by his hundreds of prized possessions. It was just the way I'd been praying he'd go.

As my tears fall, I am imagining the joyful reunion he's having with his mother, his adopted father, his mother-in-law (my Noni, whose cooking he adored), and all those he loves who have passed on before him.

Grandpa, I miss you already. Know how much I look up to you and love you.

Your loving granddaughter and your one and only,
"Miss Latour"

Talent Show Part II

2011-09-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest parody - "We Are the Very Model of a Modern Mormon Family" based on the well known "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General" from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance.

Though the original song is very fast and it would have been fun to sing the whole thing that way, it wasn't very practical when I wanted the audience to understand the words. Daron was kind enough to put in subtitles on the video. We were a little off occasionally, but not too bad considering this was literally the first time we all sang it together. Scheduling conflicts and all that...

Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing it and putting it together. I hope you enjoy it, too!

You'll have to double click on the video to make it full screen or you'll miss the entire side of the stage!

Talent Show Part I

2011-09-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, our ward held it's annual talent show. Esther really wanted to participate so she sang one of her favorite songs. Short and sweet, it turned out so cute. She's really a natural on the stage. I love her little curtsy at the end.

(Unfortunately, the great video quality from our camera gets distorted when transferring it to the blog. But it's not too bad.)

The Cat's Out of the Bag

2011-09-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

I've been in hiding as you can see from my lack of posts. I've actually been spending a lot of time prostrate on the couch, opening and shutting the fridge without finding anything appetizing, and Nathan has been watching way too much Cars, Toy Story, and Muppet Babies than is good for him.

Guesses?

Esther managed to keep it a secret for several weeks, but she's starting to burst at the seams and has been telling people...so I thought I'd just come out and tell everyone.

We're expecting.

I'm nearly 12 weeks along. I've had some complications already, including a trip to the ER via ambulance, which is another reason I've been pretty low key. Fortunately, everything seems to be going well. Considering the lateness of the last miscarriage, we are just taking one day at a time and hoping and praying. If all goes well, we will be adding a new little one to our brood sometime late in March.

Esther's First Day of School

2011-08-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, already! I can't believe this day has finally come - and that it's come so early. But that's what happens when you sign your kid up for a charter school in Texas.

Anyway, I forgot that the lighting by the front door is lousy, so the pictures turned out a bit fuzzy. Ohwell. She's still adorable!

Esther and Nathan were holding hands while we waited for her teacher and they nearly didn't let go when she started going into the school! I nearly didn't let go, either!

Later, I asked Nathan if he missed his sister. Yep, he answered, then went back to playing with his cars. I guess he's adjusting better than Mommy!

Going Crazy!

2011-08-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

I have never experienced heat and humidity this intense or for this long - nor lack of rain for this long. We have had zero rainfall since May 24th and we are on the 38th day of over 100F. The last record was in 1980 where they had 42 days of over 100F. I think we'll pass that easily.

It doesn't help that the compressor in our van needs replacing for the third year in a row! So until we save up to get that fixed, going anywhere in the middle of the day isn't much of an option. We spend most of our days inside the house and I am going bonkers! Anyone else around here feeling the same?

If Esther were not starting school tomorrow, I would pack up some stuff and leave the state until it cooled down. Seriously.

Grandpa Brown

2011-07-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

My Dad's parents, my Grandpa and Grandma Brown, are such amazing people. We lived two hours away from them and made frequent trips to their home in Groton, CT. What fun we had with them, my Aunt Janet, Shauna, and a few of my great aunts who lived nearby. The Italian genes are really strong there - everyone was always talking over each other, the food was always delicious, and we would sing and laugh.

Now, most of my great aunts have passed away and one is pretty ill. My grandpa is in a nursing home and is not doing well. Grandma is mostly by herself and has a hard time hearing. She gets frustrated and lonely. But her home stays immaculate and she works hard both inside and out to keep it up.

I always enjoyed being with my grandparents, but only the last few years have I truly learned to appreciate them and start to understand who they really are. As speaking on the phone doesn't really work now, we have been writing snail mail letters for a few years and I have grown very close to them.

I was just in MA with the kids and one of our trips was down to CT to visit Grandma and Grandpa. I walked around the house, smelling the familiar smells and seeing the old furniture and beautiful pictures Grandma has collected. Grandpa has a library with hundreds of books - two deep and piled high on cheap bookshelves. They're starting to lean inwards! He has read them all and has an extensive knowledge of people, places, and things from all the books he's read. His favorite chair is by the window. You could find him most hours of our visits sitting there either reading or snoring! When I walked in, it was empty - empty of Grandpa.

When we got to the rehab center where Grandpa has been recuperating since a lengthy hospital stay , I was completely unprepared to see Grandpa’s frail body under the blankets and strain to hear his whisper. Grandpa, who I always snuck my stuffing to at Thanksgiving, who always had a second helping, and who always teased my mom until she was so frustrated with him, who called me Miss Latour because I used to want to be an actress, whose eyes mist over with pride when he talks about how much he loves his grandchildren – this couldn’t possibly be him. It broke my heart and I had to leave the room for a short time and sob in the hallway. He always dreaded being in a place like that.

It made his day to see my kids and hold Esther's hand as we wheeled him outside. His voice became a little stronger and he laughed - not the same hearty laugh he used to have, but he teased Mom just the same. As we left he told Grandma that when he got home, they’d have to be nice to each other. She told him that if he wasn’t good, she’d spank him and not give him any breakfast. Dad, Mom, and I laughed and it felt good to laugh with him again. It made leaving a little easier.

I don’t know how much longer the Lord will allow him to be with us, but I hope it’s long enough for him to go home and be with Grandma and spend time in his library.

My Dad just sent me an article that a good friend of my grandparents wrote about him. Jeff Benedict is a widely published author who grew up in Groton, CT. Daron and I met him at a BYU Management Society dinner in Dallas sometime back and were surprised to learn the connection. His article is a beautiful tribute to a man I hold dear to my heart.

Just copy and paste into your browser - I can't get the link to work. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700165643/Saying-goodbye-to-most-humble-man-I-ever-knew.html

Remembering Kristin

2011-07-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Two days after arriving in MA where I'm visiting my parents, I heard that an old high school friend of mine had died the day before in a car wreck. She was living in Georgia, where she was married and raising three beautiful children.

I met Kristin during middle school and we remained close friends through high school. I spent a particularly large amount of time with her 8th through 10th grades as we were on the same Odyssey of the Mind team. What fun memories I have of her - she always had a ready smile, such a good heart, and she was a talented artist and excellent student. Her father passed away during high school and I was amazed at her strength through that hard time.

Having gone to BYU for college, off to Taiwan for a mission, and living in Utah, Virginia, and Texas for the last nearly nine years, I have lost track of many of my childhood friends. Kristin and I had only fairly recently reconnected via email. I'm so glad that I did. Though I wish that I'd been able to known her better as a wife and mother and seen more of that side of her. It sounds like she had matured into an amazing woman.

My prayers are with her family at this time of loss. I hope they will find peace and comfort in knowing she is with our Heavenly Father and other loved ones. Kristin, you are missed!

Kristin's obituary can be found here: http://www.stricklandfh.com/visitations/View.php?id=1375

Kristin and David's photography website can be found at www.snydersphotography.com. It's a beautiful look into the passion for art she and her husband shared.

Patio!

2011-07-10T19:18:00.001-07:00

The landscaping guys have been working very hard since Tuesday morning. It's really been an involved process and we've really enjoyed watching them.

On Tuesday, they dug down about 3 inches or so and put down gravel and cement with rebar, connecting it to the existing concrete patio. Wednesday they began putting together the flagstone puzzle. They take large pieces of flagstone and cut them down, smooth them, and slowly piece them together. That took two days. Finally on Friday, they cemented those pieces down, then washed them down to keep them wet and to clean the dust off. Tomorrow they'll put down the grout or concrete or whatever they do to fill in the gaps, cut the edges smooth, and finish it off.

The next job will be to fix and restain the fence. Then we'll resod the left side of the yard when (IF) it gets cooler and put in raised beds on the right side for (HOPEFULLY) a functioning garden! The plan is to have it all finished by September.

Anyway, here are some pictures of how it's looking:
End of day 2.
Also end of day 2.
End of day 3. Right now it looks pretty much the same only higher as they've cemented the flagstones into place.

No Style

2011-06-29T10:04:00.001-07:00

You know how in Toy Story, Buzz flies around the room and then Woody accuses him of only "falling with style."

Well, there is a second part in the movie where Buzz tries to fly out the window and ends up crashing to the floor.

Esther's observation: "Look, he's falling with no style."

New Parody!

2011-06-24T18:53:00.001-07:00

My nephew is finishing his mission in the Denver Colorado South Mission. Towards the beginning of the year, I was listening to John Denver music and found inspiration in his Rocky Mountain High song. So I rewrote the words to fit Damon's mission experiences. We finally had a friend of ours record it a few weeks ago. Here it is!

Oh dear!

2011-06-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

When I was helping Esther prepare her talk for Sunday, I was prompting her...

Me: When we are baptized, we become...

Esther: Rich?

Oh, brother.

For the Love of Dessert!

2011-06-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

Generally, my kids will eat their dinner - eventually. It seems to be taking a long time at meals lately. Does that happen to you? They just get so distracted!

The motivation that helps is the promise of dessert. And it doesn't have to be more than a few M&Ms or chocolate chips! But some days, apparently the food is just too terrible.

Like tonight, Esther was causing scene after scene of whining and complaining. So Daron threatened to send her to bed right then. She actually brightened!

Never mind. We take back the threat. Eat your meal.

"Oh."

Finally, we gave her a choice. Finishing part of the meal would win her a cookie tomorrow. If she finished all of the meal, she could have one tonight. Well, as she was eating the part (having resigned herself to waiting 'till tomorrow-though how much do you want to bet she's expecting it for breakfast?) Nathan, Daron, and myself had finished and were happily enjoying our cookies.

Cue waterworks and whining.

"Please, can I just have a lick of that cookie?!" she wailed.

We couldn't help it. We just burst into laughter. I feel badly, but what else can you do when your daughter turns on the oh-so-dramatic mode?

Oh, dinner is never boring at our house!

Nauvoo

2011-06-16T14:51:00.003-07:00

Here are some highlights from our trip up to Nauvoo!

After a performance by the performing missionaries, they invited Esther onto the stage and sang a refrain of their song with her there. They chose her because she had been so vocal and excited throughout the performance.As a result, Esther and her other vocal cousins were well known by most of the sisters and they enjoyed talking with her everytime we saw them around Nauvoo!
Kids by the Nauvoo temple in their new Pioneer hats.

Nathan got really good at this Pioneer game. He couldn't quite catch the ring, but he got really good at throwing it! Daddy was so proud!
Cute pioneer kids at the Pioneer Pastimes area. There were two little log cabins - one set up as a house and the other as a school. There were Pioneer games, stick pulling, pretend animals, and all sorts of things for little ones to do.
Yeah! Daron put on a hat! And I think it looks great.
And Mommy had to get into the act, too!
We hiked two miles up and down hills, through thick mud and cowpies, and around thorny trees, across streams, and pulling handcarts all the while. Pretty much everyone ended up muddy up to the knees and many slipped and some were nearly run over by their slipping handcarts!
The kids rode the carts occasionally but Daron had them walk for quite awhile at the end so they could get a better idea of what Pioneer children had to do as they crossed the plains.
Each night throughout the summer, the Senior missionaries, the Nauvoo Brass Band, and the Young Performing missionaries do an outside variety show. It was pretty fun!
Singing about the mosquitos!

These two brothers, children of my ancestors, Moses and Nancy Naomi Tracy, are buried in this graveyard a couple of miles outside of Nauvoo.
Originally, although there was a record of where in the cemetary the boys were buried, there was no headstone. Some descendants put up this headstone years later.
Three sons of Moses and Nancy Naomi Alexander Tracy died before they reached Salt Lake. Two of them are buried at the Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds, and F. Moses was buried in Iowa as they crossed the plains.
Look carefully at this old map of Nauvoo. There are two circles that show the three properties that Moses and Nancy Naomi Tracy owned. (Two are close together in one circle.)
The Tracys first owned this property when they moved to Nauvoo. Nancy Naomi talks about selling the property to Wilford Woodruff (eventually the fourth president of the church). The Woodruff house continues to stand on this property.
The second property the Tracys owned. The lot they owned includes where the white house is currently and up to where the brick house is.
This is the third property the Tracys owned. It is right near the temple. Nancy Naomi mentioned in her life history that she could see the masons working on it from her bedroom window.
We saw the Oklahoma City Memorial on the way home. It was so peaceful and such a loving way to remember those who were hurt by the bombing in 1995.
The Park Ranger invited the kids to dip their hands in the water and leave their handprints on the wall - thus leaving a part of themselves.
Each chair represented someone who died in the bombing.

We stopped at a rest area just outside of OK City to celebrate Nathan's third birthday. We ate cupcakes we'd picked up at a grocery store and opened presents. He was so excited to be a big boy now. Unfortunately, the area was really shady and the pictures didn't turn out well. So you'll just have to take my word for it!

We got home late on Monday night and have been trying to get back into the swing of things ever since! What a marvelous trip!

St. Louis Adventures

2011-06-16T14:51:00.001-07:00

On Monday morning, we sent Daron off to New Orleans for a business trip. The kids and I were going to meet Emily and her girls but her 4 year old woke up sick. So we decided not to hang out. So we were off on our own!

The St. Louis Zoo was lots of fun. We got there about 9am and stayed until 2pm. It was very hot and humid, leaving us sweaty, panting, and dripping by the time we got back to the car. Esther's favorite part - riding the carousel. Nathan's favorite part - the elephants. Heather's favorite part - the sea lion show and the penguin house, which was freezing!

The Zoo is located in an area of town called Forest Park. It's a large green park where the 1904 World's Fair was held (remember the musical Meet Me in St. Louis?). Forest Park now has golf courses, tennis courts, museums, the zoo, lakes, pathways, boating, etc. It's well taken care of and just beautiful.

We went back to the hotel for a rest, took a quick dip in the pool, then headed down the street to the Golden Pancake for "Happy Face" chocolate chip pancakes and Country Fried Chicken. Yummy! Daron, meanwhile, was having shrimp gumbo.

Tuesday morning we slept in. Well, the kids got up about 6am (yikes!) and I tried to sleep some more while they watched cartoons. We finally got out of the hotel and saw the St. Louis Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum - both free museums at Forest Park. And the Art Museum is located in the only building left from the World's Fair. Beautiful collection at the Art Museum and a fascinating exhibit on Charles Lindbergh and also the 1904 World's Fair.

Our lunch was at Bixby's, a nice restaurant at the Missouri History Museum. Perhaps not the best choice for two very tired kids. As it was, they were not very well behaved and were rather embarrassing. But probably no one really noticed but me. But the food made it all worth it. Paprika and citrus hummus with vegetables, baby spinach salad, foccacia bread with melted gruyere cheese and portabello mushrooms.

Daron got back about 3 o'clock and we picked him up. At the hotel, Daron and Nathan took a nap while Esther and I ran around the hotel doing laundry, eating popcorn, and hanging out. Dinner was at The Fountain on Locust, an art deco period restaurant with great sandwiches, salads, and ice cream sundaes.

This morning we rushed to the Arch overlooking the Mississippi River and rode a tram all the way to the top. It was pretty nifty - like a little escape pod from a space ship. Not a great place to be if you're claustrophobic, but a good way to meet new friends! We met a nice couple from Maine. You stand at the top of the arch at 630 feet and peer out tiny viewing windows, trying not to think about the slight swaying feeling you have. My sister, the civil engineer, would remind me that the swaying is a good thing. Yeah.

Our next stop was the Lumiere Casino ... to meet a trolley. We were the only ones on the guided tour and it was very informative as we drove around the city learning about the origins of St. Louis and the historic buildings. My favorite story was about Mr. Laclere, the founder of St. Louis. At one point, he went further up north to build a fort and left his son, Shoto, in charge of building homes and a trading post. The son faithfully accomplished his task, starting to make friends with the Indians and getting things under control in their new settlement. Shoto was 14 years old!

After the trolley tour, we ate lunch at Fitz's, home of Fitz's bottled root beer. Can we say yummy?! The only unfortunate thing was that we drank so much root beer we had to bring the rest of our lunches in to-go boxes!

Then we picked up Heather Lorraine at the airport and now we're on our way to the hotel. We should be there within the hour.

Meet Me in Saint Louis!

2011-06-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm putting up some posts that I had previously put up on the Brown family blog. So if they seem a little off time-wise, that's why.

Just wanted to share some pictures of our yummy dinner. We stopped in Springfield, Missouri and ate at a place we found online called Grad School. It was definitely hole-in-the-wall material with the cooks and waiters being heavily tatooed and bearded (except our waitress - she wasn't bearded). The food ranged from fish tacos to big burgers, homemade fries, hummus, wings, etc. It was served on trendy plates, which didn't really go with the greasy atmosphere, but the food was good and we enjoyed it. My only complaint was that the music was too loud and more along the lines of dance club music.

Fried tilapia tacos. Nummy - though nothing compared to the ones I had in San Diego years ago.
The Full Ride burger - best part is that it was freshly grilled and the sharp white cheddar in the middle wasn't so bad, either!
Yummy wings in a sort of gravy, Asiany sauce.

But here we are in St. Louis! We went to a Stake Conference this morning where Elder Oaks spoke. It was so packed that we ended up in an overflow room and the kids were very well behaved.

Then we spent the afternoon with a friend of mine from college. We shared M,W,F Dance 180 and immediately afterwards, a Shakespeare's rhetoric class. We were both English majors, loved to dance, of Italian heritage, and going through heartbreaks. We became great friends but lost touch until just recently. She's the type of friend that you know for sure Heavenly Father put in your path for a certain purpose! What a difference she made to my junior year of college!

They have three girls - Esther fits right between their two oldest - and they all got along fabulously! It was fun to catch up after so many years.

Daron takes off tomorrow morning to New Orleans for an oral argument in an appeal. He'll be back Tuesday afternoon/evening in time for us to drive up to Nauvoo on Wednesday. In the meantime, the kids and I will play with Emily and her girls.

Where I've Been

2011-06-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a 10 day family vacation. It was wonderful! It was also Nathan's third birthday yesterday. But I'll get to all that in a day or two - or three. A few fun things to read while you're waiting:

We were passing through Oklahoma City on our way home yesterday.

Me: Look Esther and Nathan! That's the Oklahoma Capitol building.
Esther: Nathan, see the Lowercase building?
Me: What?
Esther: I mean the Uppercase building!

It took me a moment to understand that she thought I had used the word "capital."

Esther learned how to sew a button onto fabric tonight. I was mending a skirt and she asked me to teach her to sew. At first she wanted to make a doll shirt. But I told that was beyond my ability. So we did a button instead. What a good button sewer she is. I think I'll have her sew all the buttons on now!

I promise my son is not swearing when he says "fruck." He's been trying so hard to say "truck" correctly and that's just the way it is coming out right now. We try not to talk about trucks in public anymore after the incident when he saw a toy one in the store and started wildly shouting "fruck!!" Ugh

Esther told me that "gurglers" are bad people that come to your house and steal things while you're running errands. Oh, and bad people eat dirt. Hmmm...

George and Martha

2011-05-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

I found a funny email I wrote to a friend right before my mission that I just had to share! Except for a couple of lines that I'd written the next day and added to this, it is word for word how I wrote it that evening.

Mon, 3 May 1999

We had a visitor tonight. His name was George. And he brought his friend Martha. His visit was quite unexpected. You see, Dad and I brought home Chinese food. We ordered some regular stuff that we always get but decided to try one Taiwanese dish - Lo Mein. Sounds pretty safe, huh? Well, Mom opened it and began to scream! "I am not eating that! Paul, get it out of here!" Everyone rushed to the kitchen to see a little shrimp poking his head out of our noodles. Really, his head and eyeballs and footsies were all still there. And he was looking at us with that fishy dead sort of face. We all shrieked a little and I bravely (not really) got two forks and pulled him and his friend from our dinner.

We put them in a bowl on the table for Dad to eat. Angelyn began a discussion on our new found friend. She announced that his name was George. And his friend was Martha - his long lost love. Soon to be reunited in our father's stomach. We had a difficult time saying the dinner prayer because right before Dad chose someone to pray, Angelyn whispered "please bless George." Needless to say, I hope that Heavenly Father has a sense of humor as our dinner prayer was not very reverent.

Pretty soon, Angelyn had George peeking out of the bowl, whimpering for help. "Please don't eat me," he pleaded. It was sick, just sick. There was a romantic conversation between George and Martha and much hysterical laughing.

Then Dad tried to pull them apart at the table but Mom shooed him to the counter where we would not have to witness his molestation. Poor George. And Martha. Dad ate them with a snarl. Michael almost cried. Not really. Well, actually he was laughing so hard he fell off his chair with tears streaming off his face.

Angelyn wanted to bury his remains in the backyard and plays Taps but Mom wouldn't hear of it and promptly threw George and Martha in the trash. Let us have a moment of silence for our departed loved ones.

*****silence*****

Angelyn made a delicious cake for dessert. It was prettier than George was. And we all enjoyed it very much. Thank you, Angelyn. Burp. Excuse me.

Thought you would enjoy hearing about our guest that came for dinner. I am afraid of ever eating Lo Mein noodles, Taiwanese style again. Mom wondered if I could really eat the food over there. When Dad suggested that might keep me from going, I said no, but Michael decided that if ever I had to have an excuse of why I wouldn't go, I could say, "Well, I was going to go on a mission and then I met George."

The End

Mother's Day Celebration

2011-05-09T18:36:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed my Mother's Day. Daron let me sleep in a bit while he got the children ready for church. Then while I showered, he and the kids made a yummy brunch. Omelettes with goat cheese, fried pepper and zucchini, and Greek yogurt with strawberries and granola.

Daron even sat down with the kids and they handcrafted cute paper flowers in paper vases for me. I forgot to take a picture of those, but they were so sweet.

After a wonderful afternoon at church, I got to blog and call my own Mom while Daron made dinner. Spicy Honey Brushed CHicken Thighs, Rosemary Potatoes, and Spinach with Sweet Potato Salad was on the menu. Yum. During dinner, the kids and Daron each said something that they loved about me.
I am so happy to be Esther and Nathan's Mommy! I wouldn't trade my job for any other job in the world!

Mom

2011-05-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

I find that as I get further into motherhood, I learn more about my own mom. Especially during those frantic phonecalls: "Mom, Esther just..." or "What do I do about..." And then loving, soothing words from my Mom. Wait, dare I suspect a chuckle in the background? A sort of been there, done that laugh.

But in all seriousness, I'm amazed at how I viewed my mother growing up. She was just Mom. While I loved her and we had fun together, I also saw her as simply the chauffeur, the umpire during fights, a cheerleader, sometimes the "bad guy", cook, and decision maker. How many times did I forget that she was her own person with her own struggles, achievements, and personality? Probably more than I want to remember. As I grow more wise, I also have gotten to know her better as her - not just as my Mom - but as a fellow human being traveling through this journey called life.

We had a lesson on service at church today. I just kept thinking about the amazing example of service my Mom is. I may have already shared this, but it's one of those things that has imprinted itself so deeply on me that it ought to be told again.

When my older brother started a paper route, he met a sweet old couple - the Brizas. She often sent him home with cupcakes and other goodies for his family. How we loved those treats. When my brother went to college, I took over the route and we continued to get to know the Brizas. When I went to college, my Mom took over the route and so the friendship continued. While I was on my mission, Mr. Briza became ill. When he died, my Mom helped with the funeral arrangements as they had no children and not much for close relatives. As Mrs. Briza aged, it was difficult for her to drive and so Mom began taking her to the grocery store and to run other errands. Quickly, she became a surrogate grandmother. Feisty Mrs. Briza was the one who insisted that's what she be! I am still amazed at how much time Mom spent taking her around town and helping at her house.

Mrs. Briza became ill shortly after I was first married. In fact, my wedding day was the last day I saw her. We all mourned her greatly when she passed away. Appointed as Mrs. Briza's executor of her will, Mom took care of funeral arrangments, emptying her house, helping get it ready to sell, and doing work with her attorney to finalize her wishes. It took a few years of work for everything to be finished.

A family friendship became something even deeper because of the service that Mom gave to the Brizas. I am humbled by Mom's example of service. And this wasn't a one time thing. There are others that she has been serving for years and spends much time with their needs. Not to mention the many trips to see us kids and grandchildren, care packages sent our way, hours on the phone listening to her children and giving needed advice.

Whereas when I was a teenager, I didn't always want to be like my Mom - now I do! I hope to grow up to be like her!

I love you, Mom. Happy Mother's Day!

Out to Lunch

2011-04-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Nathan just pooped on the toilet and was very proud of himself. But at first, he just sat there. Then he sighed and explained, "My poopies is having lunch."

Gross!

Clever Girl

2011-04-27T17:54:00.001-07:00

We were discussing rhymes at dinner. Esther told us that "drink" and "think" rhyme. Then she started to scratch her head while drinking from her cup. Excitedly, she told us she had just made a rhyme with her body!

Boys Are Easier!

2011-04-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling well on Wednesday morning but as the kids were getting dressed, Nathan announced that he was finished with Pullups. He wanted to wear underwear and there wasn't any talking him out of it. Besides, I feared that if I did, his potty training progress might be hindered down the road.

So he wore underwear all day without one accident!

The last few days he's had a few, a couple pretty yuck, but they've all been at home. He even kept his Pullup dry all last night! This has been much easier than with Esther! Is a boy thing or is it a second kid thing? The hard part is remembering to tell Esther what a good example she's being to her little brother, rather than reminding her how difficult it was to train her!

Every time I tell Nathan what a big boy he's getting to be, he says, "I is a big boy, Mommy!"

Passover

2011-04-19T10:03:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, Daron is of Jewish blood. His parents converted to Christianity before he was born. As such, they celebrate Hanukkah and Passover to help the children and grandchildren remember their heritage. Passover, especially, has become a marvelous tradition as we incorporate Jesus Christ into it - filling in the blanks, so to speak. There are many symbols of Christ throughout the Seder and we lovingly recall the Last Supper, the Passover meal, that Jesus spent with his disciples. I love this holiday.

When we lived in Virginia, we used to drive up to Maryland to celebrate it with Daron's sister. She would invite many of her friends and we and her roommates would cook up a storm to feed everyone. It was always a wonderful experience and filled with warmth and the Spirit. This year, I decided it was high time to do a special meal for some friends. We'll have our family one later on, but this one I wanted just adults so we could take our time and not be distracted by little ones!

Thanks to Tracy and Brette, who came early to help out, and for the husbands who prepared dishes, it all went smoothly and everything turned out well!

The meal was delicious. Matzo ball soup (the matzos were cooked to perfection thanks to Tracy and Sister Glick), roasted lamb shanks cooked in foil, baby red potatoes with olive oil and rosemary, al dente green beans, haroseth, a fantastic Mediterranean salad, and a Tuscan Citrus Sponge Cake with fruit.

I should have taken it from the other side as this side had a big fat chunk on it, but you still get the idea of the tenderness that this shank had.

Everything was so yum.
I've made this before, but somehow Seth got it light as a feather. It was so spongy and delicious!
Tracy and Eddie
Brette and Seth
Joel and Jeanne

Front Yard Makeover

2011-04-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

On Friday, the landscaping company put in our new front! It looks loads better than it used to. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a good before picture. The mound of new soil and mulch will help keep things alive and healthy. Also, the plants are forgivable and more heat tolerant. Finally, there is now a better watering system in place. We moved one of the old crepe myrtles to the far side of the driveway. This Saturday, Daron will put the other one there, too. That is, if it lives that long in the bucket of dirt!

All the bushes will grow together and there is also room for seasonal color along the border. I'm going to plant impatiens again near the downspout as that seemed to work well last year.

Granted, we could have done this ourselves, but considering our current schedules, it would have taken all summer to pull off a job like this. It was just worth it to have someone else do it. And the guys that worked were super nice and were very careful to clean up after themselves. Esther and Nathan played in the dirt pile in the driveway for about an hour as they were finishing up. Esther kept talking to them, but they just smiled at her - they didn't speak English except for the foreman. But she kept telling them thank you and waving at them as they drove off.

Well, what do you think?

Photo Shoot with Esther

2011-04-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Esther had on a cute outfit today and it just wanted a photo shoot - with cute pink boots, of course. Granted, this was done with a point and shoot type of camera and I only got a few out of dozens I took. Then I touched them up with Photoshop. What do you think?

Grama and Papa Visit!

2011-04-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

I finally went through my pictures from Mom and Dad's trip here just to discover that I didn't take too many. I guess when Dad is around, I just figure he'll take better pictures than me and that he'll give me his copies! But here are a few pictures of the fun we had.

And thank you, Mom and Dad, for coming. We REALLY enjoyed your visit! Thanks for putting up with our kooky ways and our crazy kids!
Riding brand new bike with Grandma!
This is one happy kid! Buzz shirt and new bike - what could be better to a little boy?
On the tram ride at the Houston Space Center.
Massive rocket behind us. The building was the length of a football field. Dad can explain more what this does.
At the Dallas Arboretum, they had fairy tale houses set up. This was Esther and Nathan being queen and king on the Little Mermaid throne.Princess Esther bowing to King Nathan.

Gorgeous azaleas of all sorts of colors were in bloom. So pretty!

Esther is 5!!!

2011-03-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

It truly seems yesterday that Esther was placed in my arms. She was two weeks late and was 9 pounds and 3 ounces, loads of dark hair, and chubby chubby cheeks, arms, and legs. She looked right into my eyes and gave me a look that clearly said, "Hi Mom, I'm here!" She's been as alert and full of life ever since then!

We adore our dear girl - her imagination, spirit, humor, and love. Happy Birthday, Esther!!

She said the blessing on the food and exclaimed, "Dear Heavenly Father, I'm sooo excited it's my birthday today!!"
Fairy cupcakes - delicious and very moist homemade chocolate cupcake recipe.
Esther's favorite dinner - Janis family mac and cheese.
Esther got a nightgown and matching one for her dolly.
Isn't she sweet?
Esther's favorite birthday present - her first bike!

Birthday Fun!

2011-03-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

I turned 33 yesterday. I'm starting to feel old.

You know, ever since Esther was born two days after my birthday (she was supposed to be born 12 days before), I've been feeling hers eclipses mine. Which is really too bad, because I've always really enjoyed birthdays. I admit it - I like the attention (for short periods of time). However, I'm learning that planning her birthday and seeing her excitement is about as much fun or more.

Anyway, this year was rather interesting....

The kids decided to start celebrating my birthday early. Try 2am early! Nathan started crying so I went in to find him sitting in a puddle of puke. I woke Daron up for backup as I was feeling a tad queasy myself after seeing Nathan's mess. I cleaned up the kiddo and Daron cleaned up the bed. Good man.

Then we put on new sheets, laid Nathan back down, and went back to bed. Around 3am, it happened all over again. Daron was up for nearly an hour with the laundry business while I lay down feeling rather ill myself.

Finally, 5:30 rolls around and I hear Nathan crying once more. I drag myself to the kids' room and start pulling off his pajamas yet again. Suddenly Esther sits up and informs me that she has peed all over the bed. At this point, I nearly sat on the floor and had myself a good cry. Boy, did I want to!

Esther got a shower and we stripped her bed, pulled out her sleeping bag, and put her back down. Nathan got a towel to sleep on this time and one of the few remaining clean blankets over him. We passed out in our own bed shortly afterwards. It seemed only moments later that the kids were up and ready for action.

Needless to say, we began my birthday very late and very tired. Daron made us waffles and tried to get some work done from home while Nathan took a 2 1/2 hour nap. Esther and I ran some errands. Finally, we went out together as a family to Bed Bath and Beyond and the kids each picked a small kitchen tool for me. Nathan kept brandishing the microplane as a sword!

Then we had dinner at Penne Pomodoro in Dallas. Good Italian food with decent prices. Unfortunately, the wait staff wasn't really attentive. Not that I like to be bothered every few minutes asking how my food is, but I like it when people at least smile! The kids each had a kids' size pizza which was about 10" across! Yeah, we had a few leftovers. Daron also had a pizza and I had a spinach pasta lasagna with bechamel sauce and plenty of mozzarella. It was very tasty.

Anyway, we came home and the kids and Daron brought my presents out while singing Happy Birthday. Esther gave me hugs after each present because she was so excited. We watched a movie after we got the kids in bed and then dropped into our own, absolutely exhausted.

Certainly not the most exciting birthday ever, but the all night birthday fun the kids tried to give me will not soon be forgotten!

Stepping Back in Time

2011-03-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me well, know that I have a fascination with things old-fashioned, antique, and generally to do with the past. So imagine my delight when I heard that there was to be a Vintage Baseball Tournament in our area!

I like old stuff, Daron likes baseball, and the kids like getting to run around so off we went!

Each time a runner came in, they would ring the bell.
The balls are handmade from leather. The kids found this box of balls sitting next to a spouse of one of the players and it was hard to keep them out of it!

Come to find out, there is a Vintage Baseball Association that is a national association. The people play by rules from the 1860s. I posted some of the rules they had displayed. Quite interesting, really. Just ignore my silly reflection in the glass.

I love the part where it says that occasionally players or spectators were asked their opinions about the play and would always answer honestly. Not quite like today's baseball game, huh?

And what old-time event would be complete without costumes, I ask you?

The tournament itself was held in Farmers Branch, TX in a city Historical Park. They had a vintage gas station, railway station, caboose, cabin, blacksmith shop, gardens, and gazebo. Plus, lots of room to run around. It was such a pleasant day!

See that haircut? It took both of us to hold him down for it that morning. He is usually not so adamant about not having his haircut. Signs of soon to be turning three, I guess!

http://vbba.org/Main/What%20Is%20Vintage%20Base%20Ball.htm Link to the Vintage Baseball Association homepage if you want to know more!

Laundry Tip

2011-03-08T15:52:00.001-08:00

I don't know about your husband, but mine wears a collared dress shirt nearly every day. And those shirts get dirty, especially around the collars!

I'm not a fan of using bleach (nasty chemical and all that) so I've tried to find another way to clean those collars. And I think I've found a solution. Murphy's Soap Oil! It's mostly used for hardwood floors, believe it or not, but being a vegetable oil, it works well in getting the skin oils out of clothes.

I simply dribble some across the collar and gently scrub with a toothbrush. Then toss it into the washer and clean as usual.

(I find that the outcome depends on the fabric of the shirt. The nice Stafford ones come out very well while the Cosctco Kirtland brand hold the stain in more.)

Do you have any laundry tips to share?

No Privacy

2011-03-04T05:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday while I was using the restroom, Nathan came walking in with a ViewMaster toy. (Remember those binocular-like toys that you put paper discs in and you click it and you can see all the pictures in 3D?) Anyway, he was using it as his camera.

"Say Cheese, Mommy!

I give an unenthusiastic Cheese. I'm in the bathroom after all!

Nathan says "click" and turns his camera around as if to check the image he'd just shot and smiles.

"Nice one."

Um. Thanks?

A Night on the Town

2011-02-26T19:23:00.000-08:00

We had a real classy date last night! We had tacos at a gas station and saw a movie at the dollar theater. And honestly, it was one of the best dates we've been on in a long time!

The tacos and my chicken quesadilla were delicious. Best places to find good Mexican food around here are often the hole in the wall places. Though this gas station did boast chandeliers and a lavanderia (laundromat) as well as good food!
The horchata wasn't too bad, but I like the stuff at the Salvadoran pupusa place on Irving Boulevard better.

We saw Voyage of the Dawn Treader and enjoyed it very much. They have done a good job of basically sticking to the plots and the characters are definitely true to the books. Well acted and great special effects in my opinion. The gargantuan bucket of popcorn made it all the more fun!

What's the best recent date you've been on?

A Scare

2011-02-23T21:33:00.001-08:00

At least this time it wasn't my kids' fault-like Nathan trying to use my full length mirror as a slide (I don't own one any longer) or him pulling the cart and his sister sitting inside down on top of him (seriously, we'd been in the store for two minutes), or Esther writing letters on the top of her nightstand (we've never had that problem before!)

This time it was the neighbors. Or somebody. For several weeks now, I've been hearing occasional whacks against the back of the house. I thought someone was throwing things from the empty field behind our back fence. But I never found what had been thrown in the yard. But now I know what has been going on.

BB guns. And most likely kids or teens as the hits have been after school hours.

Guess how I know.

We now have a hole in our window.

Fortunately, it only went through one pane and stopped, leaving a round hole about 3.5 inches in diameter and shattered glass between the panes. I called the police to report the incident but there isn't much for them to do as I have little to tell them.

No, we don't have any enemies. No, I haven't seen any kids toting BB guns through the neighborhood. We hardly see our neighbors.

So we call the insurance and get it fixed and hope it doesn't happen again-especially while the kids and I are outside! If it happens again, I may just start yelling. I assume whoever is shooting would be within hearing range. But what good would "Show yourself, you hooligans!" be? Sigh. Not really what I wanted to deal with, but it could have been worse, I guess!

You said it!

2011-02-15T16:37:00.001-08:00

After dinner, the kids were munching on some chocolate from yesterday. Esther announced, "Here is the true meaning of Valentine's Day!"

Baby Shower

2011-02-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

Last night I hosted a baby shower for my friend who is having her fourth baby soon. So what better excuse to throw a party?

And thank you to those ladies who came over a few minutes early to help set up and to those who brought food! It really helps my sanity to have help! And thank you, Tracy, for the amazing pom poms that I've become so fond of for parties.

The bright colors made it so joyful looking and the company (about 20 in all) was fabulous. I really enjoyed the "after party" as someone called it where several of us just stood around and talked after most had already left and every once in awhile someone says they're going to leave but then we just keep talking. Love it! I am so blessed by wonderful friends here.

The pictures were taken in haste as guests were already arriving and I needed to play hostess. But you get the idea.

Now to take a break from entertaining and save up energy to give it my all when my parents come out to visit next month!

Notes

2011-02-08T21:58:00.001-08:00

Daron and I were at the temple around the same time this afternoon for our Stake Temple day, but did not get a chance to meet up. So I left him a note in his car on my way out.

I told Esther this at dinner because I thought she'd enjoy hearing it. She thought it was wonderful and told me that she was going to do that when she was a Mom. Then she proceeded to tell me what she'd write.

"Dear Husband,

You can drive my car.

Love, Esther"

Xin Nian Kuai Le

2011-02-07T02:26:00.000-08:00

Last night we celebrated Chinese New Year with friends. I took pictures of the table and then got so busy with the last minute rush of cooking and everyone walking in the door that I completely forgot to take pictures of the food! It turned out well, I think, despite a couple of new recipe mishaps. Like the mango pudding looked disgusting, wouldn't come out of the mold (bowl), and when I tried to stir it to make it look a little more presentable, just ended up looking like mashed potatoes. Sigh. This is the third time in a row with holiday dinners that I've messed up the dessert. Ohwell. We had a fun time talking about Chinese culture, medical school, large attorney firms, and crazy food we ate on our missions. And the kids enjoyed making a mess with the toys! I love celebrating holidays with friends and creating memories. It's always worth the work.

Minus the mango pudding.

Playing in the Snow

2011-02-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

Well, we got about three inches last night. It flurried off and on most of the day, but the temperatures have gone up just a smidge. We got out to run a couple of errands later in the afternoon and some of the roads were melting, but most still had snow packed down which made it a bit slick. Tomorrow we'll be in the 40s so things should start melting a tad.

The kids and I played in the snow for a little while this morning. They were well bundled up top but they only had jeans and tennis shoes for below. Nathan didn't notice how wet he was until it was time to go in. "I haf snow on me!!!!" he wailed. Then he cried because he wanted to go back out to play.

Ice Storm

2011-02-01T15:49:00.001-08:00

So last Saturday it was 73 F outside. We went to the park, had a picnic, and flew kites in short sleeved shirts.

Last night it started to rain and the temperatures plummeted through the night, encasing the ground in ice and a little bit of snow. Seeing as the area is not highly equipped to handle such events (they do sand the major highways), we all stayed home. It was nice to just hang out together. Daron got some work done and did get a couple hours in at the office later in the afternoon, though it took him a good 30 minutes to chip the ice off his windshield!

Here are some pictures I took of our street from the window. (Yeah, the windchill was making it about 3 F outside so I wasn't about to give up my nice cozy house.) This was mid-afternoon and it hadn't started to melt yet - the temperatures were simply continuing to fall.

Now this is real winter!!

Reading Silliness

2011-01-28T13:24:00.001-08:00

I walked into the living room to find Nathan reading a book like this.

Esther thought it looked fun so she got into the action, too.

Ready for Church

2011-01-10T08:35:00.001-08:00

Just a few shots of the kids all ready for church and Nathan in his new blazer. The light wasn't very good so they are a tad fuzzy. I can't believe how grown up looking they are!

What the kids are saying...

2011-01-04T10:08:00.001-08:00

Esther's new phrase: "Mom, the word you are looking for is..."

Esther began a frank discussion of what foods help you to poop during Christmas dinner.

Nathan is finally saying his own name!

Nathan on his new blazer: "I Daddy!"

Christmas Day!

2010-12-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

We had a very pleasant Christmas Day. It began early with Esther coming in to wake us up at 7am. Not too bad, but we had been counting on her sleeping in like Nathan - 8:45! We opened stockings and presents and finally got to breakfast just before noon!
Sleeping bags from Grandma and Grandpa Janis. The kids were very excited!
Can you tell she adores the Barbie Rapunzel from Grama Brown?
Cute kiddos being sweet to each other.
Trying a new tradition for Christmas breakfast, Daron prepared a yummy Middle Eastern spread. Oranges, berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, pita, cheeses, and hot chocolate. Yeah, not Middle Eastern but the kids really wanted it. We dipped the pita in olive oil and za'tar, a mixture of toasted sesame seeds, thyme, ground sumac, and salt. We would break off a piece of pita, wrap some cheese and an olive in it, then dip into the olive oil and za'tar. Delicious!

The kids played so nicely together all afternoon with their new toys. It was such a pleasure. Daron even got down on the floor with them and played. They loved that.

Dinner was a little more simplistic than Thanksgiving, though it still took awhile to prepare. We did a Colonial tavern meal, complete with checked tablecloth and our special pewter candlesticks from Williamsburg. The ham with Clementine glaze was slightly overdone, but tasted delicious. Green beans, mashed and carmelized sweet potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, gingered pumpkin soup, and syllabub rounded out our meal.
Syllabub, a Colonial drink/dessert usually made with wine and sherry and cream. Ours was made with pomegranate soda, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream - topped with mint and sugar coated cranberries.

My only regret was that the plum pudding wasn't done on time and we had to switch to dessert plan B - hot cocoa and biscotti. Not really Colonial, but yum all the same. Once the guests left and the kitchen cleaned up, we dug into the plum pudding. Served with the sauce!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Eve Celebrations

2010-12-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

This Christmas Eve we spent at Roark's house. As is the longtime Brown family Italian tradition, we made homemade pizzas. As we had a bunch of people, we made seven of them, though we only ended up eating just over four. Here they are!

BBQ chicken made by Elaine and Derek
Canadian bacon and pineapple
Tomato, sundried tomato, feta, and spinach - Rebecca's choice - and it was delicious!
Meat lovers - Roark made this one
Pepperoni, sausage, and olive made by Sarah
Veggie pizza by Laura
The leftover pizza by Sarah

Sarah making her pizza and Esther feeling a need to be in the picture, too!
Elaine making the first pizza.
Daron tossing the pizza like a pro.

Cute kids hanging out together.
Nathan played a sheep. He declined any costume, but he baa-ed as well as a sheep!
Esther being an angel. She wanted to be Mary until she saw the flowy angel costume. It helped that the role included standing on the table being the center of attention!
Sarah was Mary, Laura was Joseph, and Derek got to be the donkey.

After dinner, the Nativity pageant, and hot chocolate, we bundled the kids into the car and came home. Now that they are in bed, we're watching our annual Christmas Eve movie, The Nativity Story, which I highly recommend. But we'd better get to bed soon as Santa will be on his way!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Pride and Prejudice Parody

2010-12-20T21:24:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to posting this! On October 23, a group of friends and I performed a parody which I wrote based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The Bennet family and Charlotte are all Mormon in the play, creating a funny blend of LDS culture and Austen's original lines. We had so much fun putting it together. I can't wait for the next project!

The first video is our dress rehearsal. The second is the live performance. Enjoy!

The video quality diminished when we put it on the blog. Sorry about that!

Golden Turkey on My Table

2010-11-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

We hosted several friends for Thanksgiving yesterday. Daron and I were up until 1am on Wednesday night making pies and brining the turkey. I wish I'd taken a picture of this massive 19 lb turkey floating eerily in brine. It barely fit in our refrigerator! The brine was a salt water/thyme/maple syrup/brown sugar mixture and it really made the turkey moist.

From the time we got into the kitchen yesterday (9:30am) to dinner time (4pm), we did almost nothing but cook, clean, wash dishes, set up, wash more dishes, and cook some more. Whewph! It's hard work, but I really enjoy putting on a feast. I love working with Daron on it. We have the same vision and just go, go, go until it's done. It seems strange, but it's really become a bonding time for us - working together to serve others. It really becomes a labor of love.

Our beautiful Thanksgiving table! I found the turkey and candlesticks at a thrift store and spray painted them gold.

The turkey plates were from TJMaxx. I just wanted a little something special. I love these!

Place settings with real pears.

Golden turkey on my table - there can be no turkey like thee! (Ever seen Man of La Mancha? Golden helmet of Mambrino? No? Okay...)

The pre-brined and grilled turkey in all it's glory right after Daron brought it inside. It didn't have quite the smoky flavor that last year's did, but it was moist, it was done on time, and it was delicious!

Besides turkey, we served green beans, carrots, mashed potatoes with bacon and rosemary, plain mashed potatoes, sausage, apple, and raisin stuffing, cranberry sauce, cranberry fig relish, homemade gravy, homemade Lion House rolls, and pumpkin and apple pies. Oh, and plenty of Martinelli's!

Sister Grant, the elders, Nathan, and Daron.

Daron again, Brother Tessmer, Sister Chretian, Cydney, and Esther.

Right as I put the last of the food on the island and Daron was carving the turkey, I heard Esther crying. She ran into the kitchen holding her hand above her eye and there was blood everywhere! I began to wonder if I was going to spend Thanksgiving in the emergency room! She had been twirling with her plastic horse and it knocked her right on the eyebrow. Fortunately, when I mopped her up, the cut was tiny and stopped bleeding pretty quick. With a bandaid and a kiss, she was ready to go and the meal was served almost right on time! I had one more thing to be grateful for, I guess!

The name of our family blog is Peace and Plenty Here Abide. I really feel like that has been the case in our home. Granted, it's not always peaceful, but we try. I feel very blessed for all that Heavenly Father has given to us - each other, our home, food to eat and share, safety, freedom, and our amazing extended families! Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween Activities

2010-11-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

This year our theme was pirates - not super creative, but it was fun. I went to a zillion thrift stores grabbing little pieces of costumes, boots, scarves, and other needed items. My best find was boots for myself that are in great shape for $7.99! Some of the pieces needed a little altering and some clever reworkings, but the final result was pretty good, I think. Several people at Daron's office told him they looked like they were professionally done. Yes!! My thrift-store-costuming skills have progressed to a new level!

Here are the kids doing the annual Trick-Or-Treat at Daddy's office on Friday.

Here we are for our ward Trunk-Or-Treat activity on Saturday. Hurrah for the Pirate King! We had Pirates of Penzance playing in the car, but none of the kids understood what it was all about. That's alright. We knew and sang along.

We finished off our Halloween weekend with our annual Dinner in a Pumpkin on Sunday evening with some friends. The pictures I took didn't turn out super, but the food did! We had our dinner baked in a pumpkin (meat, mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, tomato sauce, and spices), butternut squash soup, salad, and buttermilk biscuits. And brownies for dessert - thanks Maren!

Cute Poses

2010-11-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

Wedding

2010-11-01T16:45:00.001-07:00

The main reason we went up to Massachusetts in September was for my little brother's wedding. He married a girl from New Hampshire and they are the perfect match. Daron and I really enjoyed spending time with our kids up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire for the week before the wedding. Then after the wedding, Daron came back to Dallas while the kids and I spent another two weeks enjoying the fall up there. Between everyone's cameras, there were hundreds of pictures! So I'm just going to post a few - mostly from the wedding.

Michael and Melanie with the 7 grandkids from our side and 1 from her side. She was in a hurry to take the picture before Daniel accidentally had a diaper explosion on her dress! As you can see, most of the grandkids were very excited to be taking pictures!

The newlyweds just coming out of the Boston Temple.

My Dad, my Grandpa, and my Uncle Ed. Can you see the resemblance?

The four original Brown siblings! Again, notice any resemblance?

My adorable little boy. He was so excited to wear his suit - just like Daddy!

Nathan and Esther being adorable.

Another shot of the grandkids - a little happier this time, albeit blurry.

My grandparents at the reception.

Good Excuse

2010-10-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering where I've disappeared to, but I have a good excuse for not posting in several weeks. Two good excuses, actually.

1. I was on vacation in New England for three weeks. Pictures soon to come.

2. I'm pregnant! It's finally an open announcement. Baby Janis #3 should arrive towards the middle of May.

The things they say!

2010-09-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

The kids were fighting over the map in the car and the ensuing conversation went something like this:

Esther: Mom, Nathan won't give me the map. Watch this.

Esther: Nathan, are you done with the map?

Nathan: No!!

Esther: See? It's like talking to a wall!

Fall Decor

2010-09-16T15:10:00.001-07:00

I took advantage of a cooler rainy day a couple weeks ago to set out our fall decor. Of course, now it's back in the 90s and very humid and miserable. So I just stare at my faux leaves, crank up the AC, and pretend it's cool and crisp outside. Fortunately, in a few short days we'll actually be experiencing it in gorgeous New England!

Esther-isms

2010-09-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

The pianist at the reception ended up being a friend of Daron's from BYU. He introduced us and was trying to introduce Esther and Nathan who were running back and forth. Daron was trying to briefly explain Esther's personality to his friend when she came running up to us and said, "Were you guys alright while I was gone?" Case in point.

This afternoon we are driving down to Houston. We'd been on the road for sometime when Esther said, "Mom, we're just like travelers 'cause we've been traveling for a long time!"

And recently, when you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she takes a fighting stance holding an imaginary sword and says triumphantly, "A musketeer!"

Near Disaster

2010-09-05T01:51:00.001-07:00

We went to a wedding reception last night and the kids were pretty well behaved. Towards the end, the kids wanted another drink of water so we headed to the punch bowl and I got them each a small cupful. Nathan drank a little bit and then lifted his cup up to dump the rest back in the bowl! Quickly considering the angles, I knew I wasn't going to reach it quite in time and, unfortunately, his cup was starting to spill out, I simply knocked it away from the bowl, causing it to spill all over the floor instead. Luckily, it was just water and was easily cleaned up-unlike having to get someone to refill the punch bowl! As we wiped up, Nathan kept looking at me like, "Mom, what'd you do that for?"

Birthday Weekend

2010-08-29T20:26:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy few days, so we've been celebrating Daron's birthday all weekend! On Thursday (his actually birthday), we had scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, fresh peaches, and smoothies for breakfast. Then he went off to work and Esther was sick all day. By the time Daron came home she was jumping all over the house and we switched off so I could head to my RS meeting.

Friday evening we dropped the kids off at Roark's house where they had a sleepover. Daron and I headed up to a Marriott hotel out in the boonies of Fort Worth where we enjoyed a quiet evening. We ate dinner at the Twisted Root (check out their webpage at www.twistedrootburgerco.com) in Roanoke, which has a population of 650. Cute little town. The burgers there are huge and yummy. I had a chipotle, guacamole, cheddar burger topped with onion strings. Daron had something similar. Anyway, they make everything homemade including their ketchup, bbq sauce, and mustard. Their homemade root beer is also delicious! (For those Dallas folks, they have one in Dallas, too. It's located in the Deep Ellum district.)

The view from our room overlooked the golf course and Fort Worth in the distance. The evening cooled down to almost 60 degrees and we enjoyed a short walk around the grounds before bed. It was so weird not having kids to put down!

Saturday morning we ate our free buffet breakfast. We didn't eat much as we'd really pigged out the night before on burgers. Then we went to the club house to get our golf clubs, balls, and tees. They hooked us up with a golf cart and off we went! Daron has played a handful of times; I've played mini golf and went to a driving range once on my mission. Other than that, never touched a club in my life. We were rather pathetic most of the time but occasionally we hit some pretty good shots. I made a lot of holes in the grass and between the two of us, we managed to only lose three balls. Not bad. It took us 3 hours to play 9 holes and Daron ended up with 20 over par and I was at 30 over par. Hmm... Neither of us will be going professional anytime soon!

Here's Daron showing off his prowess.
Here's me looking very unprofessional, but I hit it!

Anyway, we had a yummy dinner Saturday night - hot dogs (Daron's fave!) and made a cake but couldn't eat it as we all ran off to a baptism. It wasn't until tonight that we finally got to eat his birthday cake with the missionaries. i made our new favorite - Williams-Sonoma Devil's Food Cake with whipped chocolate frosting. Yum.

Happy Birthday, Daron!

Free Pictures

2010-08-12T11:36:00.001-07:00

I love finding pictures online to download and print out for hanging up. I just found this website with some adorable pictures that would be especially fun for a nursery or kid's room. Enjoy!

http://www.ohmyhandmade.com/2010/what-we-love/free-downloads/free-artwork-for-nursery-childs-bedroom-or-playroom/

Cavanaugh Flight Museum

2010-07-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison for Nathan's birthday. Granted, it was two weeks after his birthday as our Saturdays have been so busy. But we really enjoyed it. As we walked into the hangar, Nathan took one wide-eyed look around and shouted, "Wow!!!" It was a really neat museum - with airplanes, jets, helicopters, jeeps, and cars from many past eras.

Janis Family Fourth of July

2010-07-05T12:15:00.001-07:00

Irving celebrated the 4th on Saturday and we began our day at the town parade. The kids were more interested in waving their flags and grabbing the candy that flew left and right more than anything, but we had fun. Fortunately, it was overcast and we had a few sprinkles of rain off and on, which kept things cooler

Mommy says, "Someone is grumpy..."

2010-07-03T19:56:00.003-07:00

"...and his name is Nathan!" finishes Esther gleefully.

After evening family prayer, the kids get their drink of water before they run off to bed. Tonight we were getting them down late as we'd been partying at Daron's brother's house for the holiday. I got a cup and filled it from the fridge dispenser for each of the kids and then handed them out. Nathan cried because he'd wanted to fill it himself. So he stomped to the sink and dumped the water out.

"I do! I do!" he cried.

Fine. So I lifted him up and helped him to fill the cup. He didn't want help and screamed. So I put him down. He stomped and cried and spilled a bunch of water on the floor. Then he raced back to the sink and tossed cup and water into it.

He came running to me with arms outstretched. I picked him up and he just put his head sulkily onto my shoulder, ready for bed.

What a grouch! But it was very hard not to laugh. Needless to say, he went right to sleep.

A girl after my own heart

2010-06-28T11:30:00.001-07:00

Esther comes walking into the room, Nathan’s baseball bat balanced reverently in her outstretched arms. Her eyes are huge. “Mommy! I just found this golden bat on the couch. It’s magic! It makes gold, and magic…and bathtubs!”

Princess Bride Parody

2010-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

In early May, my friends from church agreed to perform a parody I had written (with help - thank you Brian, Daron, and Aaron for your input).

It's based on The Princess Bride - one of my personal favorites - and draws upon three of the occupations we have represented in our congregation (lawyer, chiropractor, and accountant).

If you didn't know, Daron is the lawyer.

Enjoy!

Vacation Highlights

2010-06-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

The kids and I flew up to Ohio to visit my sister and her family. My parents had driven from Massachusetts to visit as well.

Two cute cousins loved wearing matching pjs. They got along really well for the first couple of days and then they got too used to each other. Two intense personalities rather clashed on occasion.
We spent loads of time outside. Nathan could not get enough of the trampoline!
We spent one day driving through Amish Country. Gorgeous - beautiful rolling green hills, pristine farms, horses and carriages moving slowly down the roads, simple, quiet life...
Trying to get four wiggly cousins to sit still for a picture.
My sister's third child, Daniel, on his blessing day. He is such a sweet baby!
My sister and her family.
Memorial Day parade in Hudson, Ohio.
More playing outside on Memorial Day. While Aaron chased his Dad with water, and Esther and Bekah were fighting over everything, Nathan stood in the pool and just filled up a watering can and poured it back in - absolutely oblivious to everything else.
Happy kid.

After a week, we drove back to Massachusetts with my parents. It's a long enough drive as it is, but with two toddlers, it was quite a bit longer. Fortunately, the kids handled it pretty well.

We went to Salisbury Beach with my dear friend, Julie. The weather was simply fabulous and the beach was nearly deserted. Unfortunately, the water was freezing. But if you only go to the beach to build sandcastles, get some sun, and see the scenery (like me), it doesn't really matter.
My sweet girl.

Daron joined us for the last weekend we were there. We had a mini high school reunion at my parents' house the day he arrived. It was so good to see such dear friends again after way too many years of not keeping in touch. Can you believe I didn't take a picture?

We went down to Connecticut to visit my grandparents and ate lunch at Abbott's Lobster in the Rough. I had a marvelous hot lobster roll drenched in butter. Yum. A far cry from my last visit to Abbott's when I was about Esther's age and screamed when my Dad tried to show me a live lobster.
Nathan by the big lobster at Abbott's. Esther wouldn't stand near it - go figure.
Turns out, Grandma knows the couple that owns this car. They were at Abbott's as well. So the kids got to sit in it for a picture while Daron and I drooled. A 1921 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost - our dream car.
The last night of our stay, we went to Sully's Ice Cream, a favorite Chelmsford outdoor ice cream stand. Only teenagers seem to ever work there and it's the standard to order a kiddie cone and get something more along the lines of an extra large. They have the same signs they've had ever since we moved to Chelmsford in 1985. Good ice cream, good friends, good memories.
Yum!

The weather the last few days we were there was mild and absolutely delicious! The nights were chilly, the trees inviting, the roads winding, and the grass green. It was hard to come back to the blazing humidity of Dallas. But it's good to be home and back to life!

Nathan Turns Two!

2010-06-14T19:43:00.001-07:00

Nathan turned two yesterday. Finally, when someone asks him how old he is, he'll actually be correct. He's been telling people he's two for awhile now. His favorite present - the foam baseball bat and batting tee from Mommy and Daddy. You should have seen the look of delight on Daron's face as Nathan took that bat into his hands and said "B-ball!" (For those of you who don't know, Daron was quite the baseball player in his youth.)

And it turns out that Nathan does not like to be the center of attention as his big sister does. You can see that he doesn't know where to look while everyone sang Happy Birthday to him. But he was surprisingly good at blowing out the candles - and quite proud of it, too!

I love my little baby, though not so little anymore. You are a sweet boy, Nathan, and we love having you in our family!

Pilot Esther

2010-05-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

We flew out of the DFW airport on Wednesday. Fortunately, the trip through security went really smoothly, especially seeing as I was by myself with the kids. (Unlike the time Nathan tried to bolt and Esther held him by the neck until I could drop what I was holding to separate them!) We got to our gate where the worker told us to wait until everyone else went through the line as she had to switch our seats (something about the number of oxygen masks since Nathan is still a lap child.) So, being the very last ones on the airplane, we had a moment waiting by the cockpit while others were getting into their seats. The pilot invited Esther and Nathan to come up and check out all the buttons. They were fascinated and Esther declared she wanted to fly planes when she grew up.

The best part was that the pilot handed Esther the microphone and invited her to welcome everyone onboard.

She happily obliged. In her cheery voice she said, "Welcome aboard!!"

The pilot chuckled and told his co-pilot, "Oh, the FAA is going to have a hey-day with that one!"

Of course, as we walked down the aisle, Esther was pretty pleased with herself, especially as everyone was telling her what a good job she'd done. I was rather embarrassed but secretly so proud.

Did I mention how difficult it is to take two toddlers into an airplane restroom? Yikes!

Chalkboard Frame

2010-05-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest project!

First, I found a large frame at the thrift store, removed the glass, and painted it white.

Next, I cut out a piece of chalkboard contact paper (thus far I have only seen it online).

Then I attached the paper to the cardboard backing that came with the frame. I think eventually I will find a heavier duty cardboard or better yet, a light wood to cover. It will make writing on this easier. You can also use chalkboard paint. I'd like to try that, too, sometime and see which I like better.

Finally, put the new chalkboard into your frame, hang on wall, and write! I used some chalk markers. They look like markers and wipe off somewhat like dry erase markers.

Esther was very excited about this project. Can you tell?

You could use any size frame and use it for all sorts of purposes.

Sail Away

2010-05-21T09:12:00.001-07:00

Last night we went sailing with Daron's brother's family out of Kemah, TX. We ate salmon that we'd cooked on the little grill at the back of the boat. We watched the sun go down. The weather was gorgeous! I even let the kids stand at the bow of the boat with their Daddy aand cousin Emily. They wanted to climb all over the boat - not caring that the boat was keeling far to the side or that Mommy was begging them to please hold still until we straigtened out a bit.
Nathan loved holding the wheel (it was on autopilot). As I said, the boat was keeling so he'd hang on to the wheel for a moment, then start sliding towards the side. He'd laugh and climb back to the wheel and do it all over again!

The only bad part about the whole thing was that we docked around 9:30pm and while Daron was helping clean the boat up, Emily and I took the kids to the car to change into pjs for the ride back to Katy. Unfortunately, I stuck the diaper bag in the car with the keys in it. Then Esther locked the car. Then someone came by smoking so I shut the door so it wouldn't get in the car. I did't know Esther had locked the car. So... we waited for over an hour for someone to come unlock it for us. Nathan was freaking out (he hadn't napped on the way down) and just wanted his blanket and to sleep in the car. He couldn't understand why we just kept standing around in the parking lot! Poor kid. He finally fell asleep on my shoulder right before the lock guy came. Esther crashed just after we got in the car. What a night!

Mother, I Love You

2010-05-09T19:32:00.001-07:00

My Mom is a farmgirl from Montana. Growing up, I loved hearing stories about her seven siblings and their wild adventures of farm life. Of course, as a child, you don't always appreciate a mother that knows how to work hard (and work her kids hard) but now that I am a mother and have my own home, I am so happy for what she taught me about keeping house.

Except for my first year of Girls' Camp, Mom and I always prepared for and went together. I was so proud that my mom could build the best and biggest fires, and that she had a great sense of humor when she let loose.

Mom drove us around to a bizillion activities and came to all of them. She was so supportive in all my time-consuming activities. She was a stay-at-home mom which I really came to love. When I was sick at school, she could pick me up, when I came home, she was there to greet me. She got up every morning to make lunch for us - and she got up early as we had a religious class that met at 6am!

Mom is a beautiful example of service. When our friends were in need, she mothered them and gave them advice. There was an elderly couple on my brother's paper route (which she eventually took over) who needed help when the husband became ill. She helped Mrs. B with the funeral, took her on errands, helped her when she became ill, was a good friend, and after her passing, helped take care of her arrangements. She is always serving and giving of her time to help those in need.

Mom loves to send care packages. At college, during my mission, and even now we get little packages with goodies, socks, or sale finds. Each package is a token of her thoughtfulness and love.

I love to see her as a grandmother. She adores her grandchildren and loves to spoil them. She and my Dad travel a lot to see their seven grandchildren who are spread across the country. She gets down on the floor and plays with them and learns the ins and outs of all their different personalities. She talks on the phone with them and listens patiently as I prompt the kids to sing their newly learned song or say their new word, or just listens to them jabber about nothing in particular.

I am so thankful that I can talk to my Mom daily and ask for advice or if she wouldn't mind if I sent my children to her by Express Mail for a month. She just laughs and reminds me that she's already been there, done that. When we get together, we stay up late and talk, go shopping, and generally don't get the things done that we wanted to get done. But we have fun together.

The older I get, the more like her I become, but somehow I don't mind so much anymore. I hope I can become more like her because she is a wonderful, strong woman that I look up to very much.

Thank you, Mom, for all that you are. I love you.

Family Pictures

2010-05-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a preview of our family pictures we had taken last Saturday. I think they turned out wonderful! I especially love the pictures of the kids - they are so photogenic!

http://melissafullmer.com/blog/s-w-e-e-tdallas-family-photographer/

(You'll need to copy and paste it into your browser.)

Couches!!

2010-04-29T19:53:00.001-07:00

Many of you have followed the couch saga. Well, we got out of loan debt, saved our pennies, and now we have two new couches! They are very comfortable and were worth the wait. The funny thing is that while talking to the sales lady during our several visits to the furniture store, she kept asking why we didn't just order the couches as they offered zero interest for 12 months. I had to keep reminding her that we were planning on paying in full once we'd saved up the right amount. I guess not many people do that anymore. But what a satisfying feeling it was to pay it all and not owe anything on them. Here's to inspiring you to do the same!

They are actually a little more golden than it shows in the picture.

Christmas Tree Shop!!!

2010-04-21T17:59:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have spent any time in New England, you may have heard about a chain of stores called The Christmas Tree Shop. When I was younger, there were fewer of them and our trips to Cape Cod always included a long stop at CTS. Several years ago, they opened one closer to my parents' house. You can guess where we head every time I visit home...

The store is similar to Garden Ridge, but the merchandise moves quicker. One week you see toddler sized camping chairs and two days later they're gone. That kind of thing. Seasonal decor comes and goes, but they always have dishes, candles, cards, hair things, snacks, mirrors, lamps, curtains, etc. etc. Great fun and awesome prices are always to be found there.

So imagine my delight when I was driving around north Dallas the other day and saw a huge billboard that said, "Coming Soon - Christmas Tree Shop! Don't you just love a bargain?"

YES!!!

The store is opening this summer. So my dear friends who live in the Dallas area - we are going to have to make some trips and allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite stores.

Tell me about your favorite store!

Very Funny

2010-04-16T12:23:00.001-07:00

My friend sent this to me the other day - very funny!

By Carolyn Hax
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Washington Post

Carolyn:

Best friend has child. Her: exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc. Me (no kids): Wow. Sorry. What'd you do today? Her: Park, play group . . .

Okay. I've done Internet searches, I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners . . . I do all those things, too, and I don't do them EVERY DAY. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail? I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events) and I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy -- not a bad thing at all -- but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth? Is this a peeing contest ("My life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and without kids and all us child-free folks get the same story and have the same questions.

Tacoma, Wash.

Relax and enjoy. You're funny.

Or you're lying about having friends with kids.

Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them.

Internet searches?

I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand, while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom-friends are either lying or competing with you, is disingenuous indeed.

So, since it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. In list form. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, clean, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces the kind of checkout-line screaming that gets the checkout line shaking its head.

It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.

It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.

It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family and friends, well-meaning and otherwise. It's resisting constant temptation to seek short-term relief at everyone's long-term expense.

It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything -- language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything.

It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy, and then, when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend, a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you to mutual friends, or marvel how much more productively she uses her time. Either make a sincere effort to understand or keep your snit to yourself.

Vitamin D

2010-04-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

At my recent physical, the Dr. found me sightly Vitamin D deficient. I started doing some research on it and have been impressed by what I found. Rather than giving you a long discourse on my findings, I'll simply post some articles that I found to be very helpful. I don't believe this is one of those passing fads, but something that we all need to take quite seriously. Read through at least the first article (it's rather lengthy) and tell me what you think.

http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Miracle-of-Vitamin-D.html

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/the-miracle-of-vitamin-d-sound-science-or-hype/
This article is a little more guarded about the benefits of the Vitamin. Just thought you'd like to get a range of opinions.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2008/06/23/time-in-the-sun-how-much-is-needed-for-vitamin-d.html
How much time in the sun do you need?

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

Springtime is here again - a time of beauty and renewal of life; a time to enjoy Easter, the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I want to simply let you know how grateful I am for His suffering for all of us - for me. I know that He was resurrected, that He continues to live, that He continues to love and care for us. I hope that each of you will feel His love and personal care for you in your lives each day.

Have a wonderful Easter!

How Sweet

2010-03-31T14:30:00.001-07:00

This morning we dropped off lunch to Daron who had neglected to take it again (he has been under a load of stress). He gave the kids hugs and kisses and then went back into the building.

Esther sighed and said in her nicest voice:

"He's such a sweet dad."

Birthday Videos

2010-03-18T21:15:00.001-07:00

Listen carefully to Esther's wish.

Here, Esther opens a card from her Great Grandparents and "reads" it to us. So sweet! You can hear Nathan in the background demanding a present for himself. "Mine, mine, mine!" He sounds like the seagulls in Finding Nemo.

I love how she gets so excited over things! She was as thrilled to open the cards as she was to open the presents.

Nathan quieted down as soon as he saw the baby. He was as excited as Esther about it!

Four Years Old Today

2010-03-18T20:16:00.001-07:00

I can't believe my little girl is four. I'll never forget the instant connection we made as she was first put into my arms. She stared at me with wide open eyes and seemed to say, "Hey, you're my Mom!" She has always been so full of life and energy; it's sometimes hard to keep up with her. But I love her antics, her imagination which nearly rivals my own, her ability to make friends, her funny way of talking, and the loving/not so loving relationship she has with her brother.

We went to a puppet show this morning with her cousins and aunt and then we ate lunch at La Madeleine. This afternoon she helped me make her cake (chocolate, of course) and we had a tea party for dinner.

Here are some pictures of her party.

Olive You!

2010-03-15T13:08:00.001-07:00

Bubbles

2010-03-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

I don't know that the kids actually blew many bubbles and what few they managed to get blew away quickly in the high winds. But they sure had fun doing it. We hit somewhere in the mid-70s again today and it was beautiful outside! Just wanted to share some of the pictures I took that turned out pretty cute.

Burgers

2010-03-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

We had some delicious burgers last Saturday and I am finally getting around to posting a picture of them. Daron added some spices to the meat before grilling, then grilled red onion and avocado for the top. I think the onions would have been better sauteed with some nice seasoning to get all tender, but this wasn't too bad. We topped each burger with Riscky's BBQ sauce and some Oaxaca (Mexican) cheese. Very yum.

Polly Esther?

2010-03-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

Today we spent quite a bit of time at Bassett Furniture, in hopes of narrowing down what couch we wanted so we can save up for it. Esther, as is her habit, quickly made friends with the sales lady. We could hardly get a word in edgewise while Esther talked her ear off!

By the time we left there, Esther was laughing and chatting with all of the workers. It took quite some time to get her and Nathan to finish their goodbyes to all their new friends!

The cutest part of our visit was when we were discussing the different fabrics, mainly the durability of polyester, and suddenly Esther pipes up:

Mommy, how about you call me PolyEsther?

Yeah, kid. Let's do that.

Easter / Spring Decor

2010-03-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

The weather is starting to warm up. It looks like we'll be in the 60s all this week. Goodbye Texas winter - you actually acted somewhat normal this year!

The Spring decor officially came out today. Here's a peek at what I've done. Esther was very decided about where to put certain things. And she and Nathan had a blast playing with all the plastic eggs while I was putting things up. For quite some time, they opened them, shut them, switched the tops and bottoms, filled them, and carried them around in the baskets. I love it when they play contentedly together.

Without further ado... And I apologize for the poor light as I took them in the evening.

Grama's Clothes?

2010-03-01T19:30:00.001-08:00

I told Esther the story of Little Red Riding Hood tonight. It was the G rated version where no one gets eaten or killed.

"...And so the handsome Prince chased off the big bad wolf with his big sword. And everyone lives happily ever after. The end."

Esther reflected for a moment. Then she asked, "What happened to Grama's clothes?"

Valentine's Day - A Family Thing

2010-02-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

Being a hopeless romantic from a very young age, Valentine's Day always disappointed me a bit. Of course, expecting a handsome knight on a white charger to show up at my doorstep at age 11 was probably a tall order, but I could dream, right?

During elementary school, you brought Valentine's cards for everyone in the class. It was always fun to see if that month's crush had given me a special one or if there was some subliminal message on the card he gave me. "He-Man wishes you a Happy Valentine's Day!" Yeah...not much thought put into that choice.

Middle school and high school weren't much better. You could send a flower gram or a candy gram to someone else in the school. I'd secretly hope to get one from the boy I liked or perhaps a handsome boy I had yet to meet. I think I got one from a friend once and maybe once from Tony or Angelyn, but alas, never the imagined dozen roses from a secret admirer.

But through all the disappointments of imagined lovers that never declared their undying love, my Valentine's Days were never a complete flop. Mom always saw to that. Each year, she'd make a special dinner and decorate the table all nice. And we had chocolates and sometimes a special little gift or keepsake placed lovingly by our plates. Over the years, Valentine's Day evolved into more of a family holiday for me. Though she may never have realized it, Mom was a wonder at soothing my rumpled romantic spirit.

For now I don't have to worry about dealing with my kids' romantic escapades- we're quite a few years away from that yet. Unless, of course, Esther decides to take after me and it looks like she may. But I'll know what to do when she comes home from school crushed that Prince Charming didn't show up. I'll don my apron and start cooking.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sad Girl

2010-02-11T19:33:00.001-08:00

This morning Esther was a klutz. She tripped over the little ride on car and hurt her tummy. Then while I was out of the room she tried standing on it with one leg and then her sweet brother decided it needed to be moved. So she crashed onto the windowsill and put a hole in the inside of her upper lip with her tooth. And her cheek was a bit swollen, too. Of course, this caused much grief to her as she dealt with it during the day (though she managed to forget all about it while playing in the snow). Shortly before Daron got home she was having a cow about something and I held her close to try to calm her down. I tried to downplay whatever was bothering her (something about Nathan having a car she wanted) and told her lovingly that she was a silly girl. "No, Mommy," she replied, burying her head further onto my shoulder. "I'm just a sad girl."

Global Warming?

2010-02-11T14:36:00.001-08:00

This is our third snow this year! Unfortunately, living in Texas, we're not really equipped for snow playing so we did the best we could. Their tops stayed warm but their bottoms were rather wet and cold. But hey, with three snows this year, maybe I should have invested in snow boots!

Frustrated!

2010-02-09T19:35:00.001-08:00

The kids and I took the van in to the dealership to get serviced this morning. They told me it would be about two hours. I figured I could handle that. They have a little play area (though none too clean) and I brought snacks (always a life saver). I would have taken the kids for a walk but there is nothing around it but highway and the nearest store would include a walk by the busy frontage road. So we were stuck...for four hours! Granted, the kids were actually pretty well behaved. But there is only so long that one can sit with two small children in a stuffy, none too clean room!

By the time we left, it was 2 o'clock and the children had long before eaten all the snacks. We were all starving so we grabbed a bite at Chic-Fil-A. Eh. It was now too late to put Nathan down for a decent nap so we made our returns and did the errands I'd been planning on doing three hours before. And finally made it home at 5pm just after Daron arrived home.

We ate dinner, put the kids to bed, I went to a meeting, and that was that. What a day. How do trips to get the car fixed always seem to turn into such nightmares? Any tips?

How do you keep the kids busy at the mechanic's shop or dealership?
How do you find a good mechanic you can trust (that won't take so long!)?
What do you do when they tell you your car really needs such and such and you have no idea what they're talking about?
If you're married, how do you handle who deals with the car issues? What if neither of you knows much about cars?

Whatever advice, experiences, humorous quips, etc. you can share would be much appreciated!

Drumroll, please...

2010-02-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

Today we finished paying off our student loans!! Hurrah, hurrah, hooray!