How to keep a toddler busy for hours...

This is the kind of stuff Alan and Mason do together, whether Mom is home or not. At least Mason spends most of his time laughing, right? And he does still have all his teeth., so I can't complain.

The Unpampered Chef

I have a ridiculous number of recipes banked to post here, so I decided to start my own recipe blog. You can always find it under my profile, or go here: The Unpampered Chef. Plus, this way I can find them when I want them instead of searching endlessly through my dashboard for the ones I've tried to post. I can't guarantee I will update it more than every few days or so, but I will be posting all my recipes on there eventually.

I'm being a total copycat. Thanks for letting me rip off your idea, Joey! I still love your recipe website and I need to make that chocolate cake!

More Masonisms

I wasn't creative enough to come up with a post title the last time I ticked off the funny stuff Mason was saying. I'm still not, so I just added "more" to the last post. I expect this to happen at least a couple more times.

This week has been so creative and so funny, this Friday I'm actually posting a Friday Five and it's "My Five Favorite Masonisms of the week".

1. "I heard a crick!" (when the crickets start chirping outside).

2. "No, I at camping." (every time I asked him to do something while we were camping--is it a destination or an activity? I think it's an excuse not to listen to mom.)

3. "Daddy wants to sing it- the itsy, itsy spider." (followed by "sing it louder!" when Alan was singing as quietly as possible so he didn't sing to our whole camp)

4. "Read it, read it, read it!" (he checked his first book out of the library--it's a Clifford the Big Red Dog reading primer, and I was driving while he was begging so)

5. "I'm gonna get Grandma!" (while running around the table at camp and wiggling his fingers like he was going to tickle her--in a perfect imitation of what we do to him.)

He has also been making up random songs about his green garbage trucks that are funny but unintelligible. Anything he hears that resembles a saw, hammer, or drill is "Kinda like Bob the Builder". And he is still talking about the time, while he was at Grandma's house, some grass fell out of the neighbor's garbage can. He insisted they go sweep it up and put it back in the garbage can so it would go in the garbage truck next time. Every now and again, he will also mention the incident with the chair and the dumpster. If I hadn't blogged about it, I may not have any idea what he was talking about because his memory for these things is much, much longer than mine.

"I At Camping!"

We went back up to Whitney Reservoir this last weekend for some more family time. Alan's younger brother, Paul, was back in town and brought his girlfriend, Leah, home with him. Our idea of a good time is camping and four-wheeling, so we went back to the same little spot where we spent four days in July.

Unfortunately for Mason, the mud puddle he so loved to splash in was gone; the only rock-throwing opportunities were when we wheeled down to the "blue water". He was skeptical of doing much with the reservoir because he is worried about deer pee in the water. Instead, we spent a lot of time shuttling him back and forth to the creek for his rock throwing. The snow we found last time was also mostly gone, so his pleas to throw more snow at Grandpa went unheeded until Grandpa himself took Mason up to get some. They brought back a cooler full of snow and proceeded to throw it at all members of the camp, with Leah being Mason's favorite target. Mason's other form of entertainment for the trip were the three large holes dug by his uncles that he loved to get his dump truck stuck in and "crunching on the logs" (breaking up wood for our fire).

Sunday night we all huddled around the fire because it was so very cold. Mason's favorite story to tell that night was how the fire was going up into the sky, where it would crash into the moon and cry. It was total nonsense that we found entertaining because he was so insistent it was true. Overnight was very, very cold and although we had plenty of blankets, Mason had a hard time snuggling down into the covers. I think he was warm enough, but there wasn't much sleep to be had for mom and dad.

On Monday, Alan took me to shoot a .22 for the first time. There is a picture in the slideshow of the homemade target (paper plate with uneven circles drawn on it) with five bullet holes. Apparently, I shot quite well and Alan encouraged me to keep the paper plate for bragging rights. The 3-5 shots I took landed just shy of the center, in the middle circle. He said that would be sufficiently "center mass". After the shooting lesson, we got to take a long ATV ride that was a lot of fun. I felt it was successful because I managed to avoid rolling it when I took a turn too fast. I was not quite successful enough to avoid killing it in the creek because I was in too high of a gear; my feet and shins got relatively soaked and I quickly learned not to attempt that in fourth gear again.

Monday night and Tuesday were much warmer than the previous day. We enjoyed playing card and dice games in camp, eating way too much food, and taking turns on the ATVs. Overnight on Monday night, we got to listen to a large herd of sheep bleating nearby. The next morning, they were herded right past our camp down to the reservoir and we picked up a visitor: one of the sheepdogs was just a puppy and she apparently wanted to go home with us. She wasn't the biggest fan of Rio and Samson (I think their welcome was a little too eager for her liking), but she hung around with us all day while we packed up. When it was nearly time to go home, Paul loaded her on a 4-wheeler and took her down to the area where the sheep were staying; she reappeared shortly after he had dropped her off.

In the end, we all went home a little dirtier, a little sunburned and a little tired. Mason barely made it out of the campsite before he crashed out in his car seat. We're hoping to attempt at least one more of these outings before the summer is officially over, but we'll have to see.

Come out, come out wherever you are

Even though I haven't been hiding, I feel like I should apologize for the lack of posting this week. I know there are at least three people who check this for daily updates and I feel like I have been unusually remiss this week. But this week has been unusual. I worked last Sunday and then not again until last night. I've been focusing on spending time with Mason, both fun time and time trying to work through some issues we've been having. I've also had an unusual amount of time at home with Alan; I think we're addicted to the Olympics. So I'm sorry to disappoint with fewer updates than usual in the last week or so.

I wanted to brag about the fact that we were productive today. We did a little "spring cleaning" sort of project and tackled the wall of bookshelves in our loft. We haven't cleaned these out in the five years since we moved in. We have dusted them, sure; we have added considerably to their volume. But today, we cleaned house. We tossed old notes from college (like my Calculus notebooks--some of those symbols looked so foreign I can't believe I actually pulled a good grade in that class and knew how to do it!), are working on finding a place to recycle old textbooks, and reorganized the whole deal. Our main objective was to clear enough space to dedicate to Mason's books. We thought about doing a book shelf in his room, but he's such a little monkey I figured any height would get tipped over, probably on top of him. So we decided to pony up some valuable real estate in the family library.

I would especially like to draw attention to the organization system used: we have fiction (in alphabetical order), non-fiction (arranged by subject matter), and professional (crammed as far off to the side as possible while still having access if we need it).

Before

After

Mason's personal library

More bounce per ounce

We took Mason down to The Kid Barn for a little playtime earlier today. I have consistent proof dads are better for this sort of thing. At least, Alan is for sure. I bounced with him, I slid with him, I pretended to help him climb even though he didn't need help; however, dad was one step more exciting. Dad was willing to do flips and steamrollers. Dad dove where mom just jumped. Overall, a great time was had by all. I'm strongly considering booking Mason's birthday party there next winter.

You always knew I was full of hot air...

Just a note, I'm taking a small break from the 72 hour kits (mostly because I'm having trouble getting into my work email). The project will resume next Monday. Sorry, Nicol!

So, I had gotten so behind on housework that Mason and I spent basically three days in a row inside. As a result, Alan's suggestion of going to the hot air balloon festival last weekend was extremely well-received. This was in spite of the ominous sky full of clouds and the intermittent downpours that took place all day. So we set off, umbrella packed firmly in the bag, and managed to get a couple of good pictures.

They only got one of the three or four balloons up before the wind made it necessary to put them away. But Alan was on-duty and they were hanging out, so Mason had a great time partaking of fire department Gatorade and exploring the fire engine. The big hit of the day was when the wind helped the Bank of American Fork balloon (shaped like a huge pig) overtake some random standersby. Mason is still talking about the balloon "eating people". When he says "The pig ate people", though, I have some explaining to do.

Alan is such a nice guy, he was willing to help perfect strangers launch their balloon. It was easy until....
...the balloon kind of developed it's own gravity. Good thing Alan had finished the "leg" workout on P90X just a few hours before so his legs couldn't keep up and help his arms!

Alan's acting-BC was such a good sport with Mason. He sat on the bumper and talked to him and even turned the lights on the Chief's truck when he drove away, much to Mason's delight.

This is the one balloon they got up before the wind took over. Maybe if they do this again, the weather will be more cooperative and we can hang out for a while longer.

Happy Anniversary!

So today marks our 5th wedding anniversary. Weird how time flies, isn't it? This time five years ago, we were getting pictures taken before our reception started. We had already gone to 7-11 to buy blue Slurpees for everyone setting up the reception. Although I had changed out of my dress, I went wearing the little flower wreath and the cashier kept staring at us.

Well, times have changed a bit. We aren't spending today sweating our guts out after deciding to have an outdoor wedding when it was near the century mark, and neither are our nearest and dearest friends (hey, Amber, Laura, and Ashlee!). We aren't heading to Cancun tomorrow morning (sad). In fact, we don't even have today off together. We took advantage of a couple days off earlier in the week to celebrate. We went to St. George overnight (too long of a drive for less than a two-night stay, but what can you do?). We stayed at the Inn at Entrada, which was a very nice place! We may go back there in the fall or next spring for a golf trip because it's at a country club. We also went to see Les Miserables at Tuacahn. It wasn't the best version I've seen, but there were some really great things about it. They used real horses, a real cannon, and fireworks. Boy, I bet the residents of Ivins get sick of that around midnight. The next morning, we treated ourselves to an in-room couples massage. We also got to hit the new In-N-Out burger in St. George for lunch before we came home.

The last five years have been hard, frustrating, challenging, fun, wonderful, happy, and millions of other things. Being married and starting a family has been full of challenges and joy. I look forward to the lifetime to come! Love you, babe!

Book Review: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Nineteen Minutes: A novel by Jodi Picoult

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars




This was the first Jodi Picoult novel I've picked up, despite having her recommended by several of my friends for various novels. I have to admit the plot summary was intriguing enough to pique my interest. Her writing style was fluid and detailed enough that I may be feeling the beginnings of dedication to a new (to me) author.

I grew up in a world where school shootings hadn't happened yet. Columbine happened when I was a senior in high school, just a couple months short of graduation. I remember the shift in collective conciousness at the time, how that one terrible event affected us all. After all, it could've been any high school in America, right? Our graduation rehearsal was later cancelled based on copycat threats received.

This story was a different insight into the situation. The way she follows the police detective, the judge, the accused, and one victim is in-depth and the backstory provided gives, if not a total method, at least some peek into the harsh experiences of high school students at varying social levels. I found the account of the accused boy's mother especially sad and touching. It's easy to read this and feel compassion for the mothers that have actually been faced with this situation. It's another thing to wonder if I would feel that way myself, if my child were involved in something so horrific. After Columbine, I don't remember giving the shooters' families much thought. I was saddened for the innocent victims and terrified for myself to think something like that was even possible.

I liked this book because it made me stop and think about many things I haven't pondered in a long time. There is an element of fear and uncertainty to being a parent--at some point, you aren't responsible for your child's action and you have no idea what they will become. In many ways, you just hold your breath and hope for the best. Only in a few rare instances do things go south in the manner they have for these fictional parents.

On the whole, having the "action" upfront was a relief. Very few books that I've read lately are that way. Also, I was expecting way more gore. It was graphic to the point necessary, but it didn't make me ill. The choppy third person omniscient narrative style worked well for me, too. It kept things moving, even during a story from the past that was meant to illustrate 'how they got here'. The characters were diverse and interesting, especially Josie. I wasn't quite as interested by Peter as I thought I might be (I knew going in there would be at least something in here about the shooter), but maybe only because so many other deep characters fleshed out the story.

It wasn't the easiest to read, just because of the thought-provoking content. But it was worth it, and will definitely make you wonder about how such significant changes can be wrought in such a short period of time.

I had two favorite quotes from this one :



"Life as what happened when all the what-ifs didn't, when what you dreamed or hoped or--in this case--feared might come to pass passed by instead."



"Security was a mirage; being tied down hardly counted when the other end of the rope had unraveled."


View all my reviews. at Good Reads.

Wordless Wednesday: Two is better than one

Mason wanted to have his lemonade and his water in the same gulp. It takes talent to drink through two straws at once! For more Wordless Wednesdays, click over to 5 minutes for mom.

Sweeeet!

I have finally gotten around to posting the recipe I promised a little while ago. The picture I took didn't turn out the greatest, but enough you get the idea. This time around, we made it for "golf night", wherein we invited Ashlee and Brian over to enjoy a night of Tiger Woods Golf on Wii and ate popcorn among other things. Thanks for coming over guys! Mason loved having someone with the patience to rebuild the couch cushion tunnel, because the novelty of that wore off for me long ago.

Candy Popcorn

3 bags of microwave buttered popcorn
1 bag mini marshmallows
1 C. butter (two sticks)
1/2 C. light Karo syrup
1 1/2 C. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
M&Ms as desired (I used 1/2 of a medium sized bag)
Nuts as desired (my mother-in-law recommended cashews and I used about two handfuls)



-Pop popcorn in the microwave and dump into a large bowl. (And by large, I mean HUGE. My mother in law mixes this in her roasting pan!) Dump marshmallows into bowl with popcorn and toss to mix.


-Melt butter in saucepan. Add syrup, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 4 minutes, stirring frequently enough it doesn't stick to the pan. Pour hot mixture over popcorn. Add M&Ms, nuts, and any other candy you want to try and mix thoroughly. Store covered.



So I learned a few things making this own for the first time. First: don't store it in a metal bowl. It hardens onto the sides and you can't even cut it out unless you put the bowl in a hot water bath. I now have it stored in a tupperware bowl lined with waxed paper, which is going much better. Next, make sure you remove any unpopped kernels before you add the marshmallows. This way, you can actually get them out instead of eating them. Because the marshmallows melt and then removing anything attached to it is impossible. Last but not least be careful when mixing. Recently boiled glaze (or whatever it's called) burns when you touch it. Otherwise, it is a really good treat! Enjoy!

72 Hr. Kit Challenge, week 10

If you're having trouble keeping up with the weekly posts (like I am--Ha!), you can check under the 72 hour kit label or you can check the list I keep in the right hand side of the page. Or you can always contact me at the email address given.

So we're up to week ten already, which means our kits should be starting to fill up quite nicely. This week, the assignment is in two parts. The first one is putting together a first aid kit. Now, I know that not all of us are married to a paramedic who keeps boxes of first aid supplies in the basement at all times. Since you may not have the luxury of raiding his existing collection, here is a list of items you may want to consider adding. Just like anything else here, this is a personal decision and you'll need to figure out what works best for your family.

Items you may or may not need in a First Aid Kit:

Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
Hypo-allergenic adhesive tape
40-inch triangular bandages (3 rolls)
2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
Scissors and tweezers
Epi pen (if necessary due to family allergies)
Sewing needles
Moistened towelette/wet wipes
Antiseptic soap
Antiseptic solution –iodine compounds
Neosporin
Thermometer
Tongue depressors (2)
Tube of petroleum jelly (Vaseline or lubricant)
Safety pins in assorted sizes
Cleaning agent/soap
Latex gloves (2 pairs)
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
First Aid Manual
Caladryl or generic equivalent (anti-itch lotion)
Rubbing alcohol
Cotton balls
Heavy string
Splinting material
Prescription medications (check with your pharmacist and/or doctor about this)

If you want to buy a premade kit, I've been told the American Red Cross and Walmart sell them for comparable prices and they are well-stocked.

The second part of the assignment is to contact your local emergency management office (probably part of the city you live in) and verify what types of emergency are possible in your community. This isn't just about earthquakes. If you live near a creek or river, you may need to consider flooding possibilities. Really, these kits may be needed for something as commonplace here as a large snow storm. Check with this office to see what kind of events your community is preparing for and any special items you may need as a result. Keep this information with your family's emergency plan.

As always, you can contact me if you have any questions about this project and I'll see what I can do to get you additional information.

The Invisible Mother

As I have never done it before (and may not ever do it again), you know that I'm not one to post emails here. I figure I can just email it to anyone that I deem appropriate, but I'm generally not the biggest fan of mass-forwards to begin with. However, this email was different. The story hit my inbox on a particularly trying day, and knocked the breath out of me with it's simple message of everything I'm doing not being about myself.

I received comments from a few others thanking me because it was something they needed to hear, so I decided to post it here. I hope you like it. I know I will probably refer back to it often because this dose of humbling does my stubborn pride some good to read!

The Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

-No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
-These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
-They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
-The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "you're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does. We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because of our perseverance.






The west facade of Pisa Cathedral in Pisa, Italy (begun 1093 by unk architect). This is in the same plaza as the famous Leaning Tower, and is a place I hope to visit someday. The website credits Ernie Bello for this photo, and I've linked it to the photo if you'd like further information.

They say the best things in life are free

So this blog title totally has me singing this song. And then I want to watch Empire Records (hey, Amber!), which might be one of the best stupid movies ever. It's a vicious cycle, isn't it? "Excuse me, ow. Excuse me, ow." Well, back to your regularly scheduled post.

I've been looking into doing my own blog background now, thanks to the fabulous birthday gift my aunt-dad gave me. As a result of this pondering, I've come across some pretty fantastic things. And guess what? They are free. This Friday, here are my Five Favorite Freebies. These things are always linked to on the right hand side of my page toward the bottom of the column.

1. Cute Handwriting and Scrapbooking Fonts- I previously posted about getting my own handwriting turned into a true type font for free. Well, the last time I looked at the fonts on Kevinandamanda.com, she had updated the fonts for peas section and you can now download my handwriting onto your own computer for free. It's one of 20 she deemed cute enough to do! I got over that quickly enough when I scrolled down and saw the others she added that are so cute they make my handwriting look like chicken scratch. If you are looking for something new and a little different, this is one freebie you must check back with often. She also posts some recipes that look wonderful.

2. Blog design tips and amazing backgrounds that go right up- this is where my current background came from. They have about 200 others and new ones all the time. They also have tips for making your own blog design. I'm trying it out. Also, I apologize for anyone who tried using the link I've had for this one recently. I just figured out the other day that I had typed it incorrectly. If you're in the market for a blog background, TheCutestBlogontheBlock is a great place to start. Also, if you're having trouble getting your background from their old link to load, check out this new one for instructions on how to change it; they've recently changed their server and promised that the new links are working much better.

3. More cute blog backgrounds- If you want a layout that is a little different from the pyzam/cutestblogontheblock, try Leelou Blogs instead. Their designs are cute, scrapbook-y, and textured. They also all have a separate design for a header if you are after that, too. This one, like the others, will do a specialized blog design for you for a price if you're interested. But this is all about the freebies, and she has plenty of those!

4. Digital scrapbooking pages and extras- I stumbled across Raspberry Road Designs while I was trying to decide if I'm creative enough to do my own blog background. The blog tips on cutestblogontheblock recommended a site that led me to here with the promise of free "paper". She frequently offers free paper; everything I found on her site is cute and even when there is a price, it's relatively cheap for the download. If you're ever in the market for this kind of thing, stop there first.

5. Drinks- This is totally unrelated to any of the digital/scrapbooking/internet universe (other than I might be drinking one while I ponder this universe), but the Jamba Juice near me recently started offering punch cards again. Words cannot express my excitement about this, considering any trip to the grocery store or the "red" store prompts nearly unlimited patience from a two-year old who knows the parking lot well enough to ask for a "treat, please... pleeeeease?" anytime we're in the vicinity. I mean, a fruit smoothie is a way healthier treat than ice cream or the suckers Kyle gives him at the credit union, so how can I resist something that allows my grocery shopping to commence in peace? Getting every 7th one for free is just icing on the cake.