J..O..Y.. Joy Joy Joy

Ailey is in Joy School. What is Joy School you ask? Joy School is basically home school preschool. Several mothers get together and take turns teaching curriculum that you pay a fee for and download off the Internet. This program was started by the Eyres who are nationally known parenting gurus. Last summer my friend Jayni asked if I would be interested in doing Joy School with her. To be honest...I really wasn't... I would've much rather dropped Ailey off at the preschool that Kameron went to and loved. But Jayni is nothing if not extremely enthusiastic. She kept at me for weeks until I relented but I said if and only if other mothers were found to participate. A few other mothers said they would do it and then they flaked leaving only Jayni and me by the time Fall rolled around and Joy School was scheduled to begin. After finding out how much Reilly's ballet tuition was this year...egads...the inner cheapskate in me won out. Joy School also got a very good recommendation from my friend, Alisa, who I felt I could completely trust. She loved Joy School enough to do it all by herself with her daughter. So I gave in and Joy School began.

Is Joy School a Joy? Hmmm...good question. I teach on Wednesdays and and when Tuesday night rolls around I DREAD Joy School...there is a lot of prep work for it...there are some extremely annoying songs that get stuck in your head for life...Poky Bear being one (Maybe I should have that be the music on my blog and so everyone can enjoy!) and keeping two busy three-year old girls entertained is no easy task. But once it begins Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am it truly does become something I enjoy. Ailey LOVES Joy School and asks every day "Is it Joy School today?" It's been something fun that we do together...two and a half hours of songs, games, crafts, and activities. That is 2 1/2 hours more than I would normally do. Sad to say.

Ailey and Elly are so cute together and they absolutely crack me up!! I love to hear them chatting away while they are doing projects and oblivious to me listening to them. Here are two little excerpts that I overheard just last Wednesday.

Conversation 1:

Ailey: You know my brother Kameron?

Elly: I don't like him.

Ailey: You are so silly!! Kameron is my best best buddy. Are you listening to me? I SAID

Kameron is my best best buddy.

Elly: Who's Kameron?

Conversation 2:

Ailey: (whining) I don't know what to draw!!

Elly: Draw me...I'm pretty.

Ailey: Yes you are and so am I. We are pretty like princesses.

Elly: Except for Ariel...her's not modest.

Ailey: No her is not!!

Jayni and Jake have done a great job teaching modesty to Elly who in turn has been "teaching" Ailey who spends 90% of her day with her bum crack showing. It has been good for Ailey who loves to point out when Reilly isn't being modest. But as a result poor Princess Ariel has be relegated to the status of "tramp" around here. Neither of them want to dress up as Ariel anymore and fight like cats and dogs over Belle and Snow White!!

Ailey loves going to Jayni's house and having Jayni teach her too. That gives me my Friday mornings free which has been fun. We have even gone on a few field trips.

So is Joy School a joy? Yep...I think it is.

Fun Stuff

Finally Finally Finally after much begging, arm twisting and harassing some of my very favorite people have started blogs. My brother Kirk, my best friend from college Tiffany, my best friend from growing up (and former Springdell girl) Naomi, and my good friend from here, Valynn. Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging!! Yay! Stacey, Kelley, and Jordi what's it going to take?

Has everyone survived the Halloween Sugar Crash? We had a few ugly days right after Halloween with tired and grumpy kids. But now they are their usual selves again. Most of the candy has been hidden with a piece or two allotted a day. When I was a kid the day after Halloween my mom would take away all our candy and we could have one piece a day until it was gone. That candy lasted all the way to Christmas sometimes...gross. I'm not quite that strict. I was pleasantly surprised at their candy haul. Not much "dog chow" at all (our family's word for crappy candy) I can usually convince the kids to throw away all the "dog chow" but for me as a candy pillager there was quite a sad lack of anything gummy. Oh well. Tyler on the other hand was in chocolate hog heaven...not so good for "Timmy the Diabetes Boy"!! But he wasn't listening to me.

Kirk emailed me some cute Halloween pictures of Kaiden...he was a kangaroo. Stac, email me pics of Dane!!

We had a fun weekend. Reilly and Kameron's birthdays are this week. So we spent Friday night getting all their birthday presents and supplies. We are going to do something as a family this year and then have a family party out at the lake...hallelujah neither one really wanted a big friend party. Fine by me. They would rather take the cash and DO something. Too bad we have zero snow...it would've been fun to go skiing.

Saturday night we went out to dinner with our friends the Shirleys. I brought my camera but Tyler forbid me to take pictures...he finds it embarrassing. Scrooge. It was fun to get together with them. It is hilarious listening to Tyler and Eric talk about their mission "glory" days. Tyler and Eric served their missions together in Raleigh, NC. They weren't companions for very long but became good friends. Eric got home before Tyler and both Eric and his wife to be (at the time) Joann came up to Orem for Tyler's welcome home and stayed at Tyler's dad's place.

After we got married Tyler lost contact with Eric. We moved from Utah and had been living here for two years when Tyler thought to look him up. He found an email address for him and emailed him. Eric emailed him back immediately with his phone number and Tyler called him. It turned out that we all lived in the same town!! Not only that but in the same stake. We had just bought our house and were in a new ward and church building. Turns out the Shirley's met at the same building but were in a different ward. We live about 3 minutes from their house. Crazy huh? Those two are pretty funny when they are together!!

The kids got their school pictures back. Here's what you get for $7 bucks. (They're a little gray...I didn't enhance them so you could get the full gloomy effect.)

Book Review #18






Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is a book that I have been wanting to read for a long time but just had not done it. When I joined my book club six years ago (Wow!) they had already read this book and I remember thinking that I would have to read it and somehow I just never did. I have even refused to watch the movie because I didn't want to spoil the book. Well I FINALLY did read it a few weeks ago and I loved it!!


In case anyone doesn't already know...this book takes place in 1930's Japan. It tells the story of Chiyo who as a child is sold to an okiya (a house for geisha). Strikingly pretty with her unusual blue-gray eyes to set her apart as unique Chiyo is trained to become a geisha and is renamed Sayuri. The story is told in the first-person and we are given a glimpse into the mysterious world of the geisha through Sayuri's eyes. The book begins when she is a small child and follows her life through old age. It also tells the story of her love of the man known only as "The Chairman".


I love the premise of this book...the author meets with an extraordinary former geisha who breaks the code of silence and tells him her story BUT at the end I did not like the premise at all and felt a bit betrayed by the author. Is that cryptic enough so as not to ruin anything for a would-be reader. I especially loved the writing...beautiful, haunting, and poetic. The writing was so amazing that the next book I moved onto felt flat and lifeless.


I would HIGHLY recommend this book. I give it a rating of: EXCELLENT


I am somewhat dreading watching the movie...I don't want this great book slaughtered Hollywood-style.



***Don't be alarmed by my music selection...I am not depressed. ;) I just really like this version of the song...AND...I REALLY liked the movie Donnie Darko!!***

Halloween 2007: Night of the Killer Raccoons




Part A: Pictures

Reilly the Renaissance Princess

Kameron as Spiderman/Venom

Ailey as a Pink Princess. My mom made this outfit for Reilly when she was Ailey's age. It's still so darn cute!!

A few nights earlier...carving the pumpkins

The finished products...they turned out really cute!!

The ghost of Halloween Past...Naomi and Kristin as "Ladies of the Evening". I am loving my side ponytail and braces. Since when do "Ladies of the Evening" wear a Tarzan style shirt and long underwear...hmmm. Do note how lovely Naomi looks dressed as a hooker in none other than my mom's aerobics outfit!! Kelley...don't you still have those pink shoes?

Part B: (Kameron said I should call it this) "The Raccoon and The Kelley!"

The terror began when I took the 2 little kids trick-or-treating at Kelley's house. As I was getting the kids out of the car I saw a large cat slink by me. I hate cats and so noted that it was a "safe" distance from me and continued to get the kids out of the car. We went up to Kelley's door. As we rang the doorbell I noticed out of the corner of my eye the large cat slinking by again. This time I peered over the edge of her porch to make sure that it was gone. To my utter terror I saw not a large cat but a gigantic raccoon! It freaked the heck out of me!! Living here in the Pacific Northwest I have had the occasional run in with racoons and they are not the cute, friendly little scamps they are portrayed to be. They are mean and nasty and vicious.

The raccoon was fat and huge...not like this innocent looking thing!

Kelley was taking her sweet time answering the door. We rang the doorbell again. I looked over the porch and it was looking at me and this time it hissed!! I began to pound on Kelley's door. "Open up!! There is gigantic raccoon out here!!" Finally she opened the door and we ran inside to safety. Kelley laughed and mocked my terror.

Kris and Kell laughing as though they haven't a care in the world even though a vicious raccoon is a foot.

After awhile I decided it was time to go. I asked Kelley to accompany us outside in case the raccoon was lurking and due to the fact that I was laden down with all kinds of treats that she was sending home with us. "Ha ha ha" Kelley laughed at me. We got to her front door and she said not to close it as she would just be running across the street. "Are you kidding me?" I asked. "What if the raccoon runs in your house?" "Oh don't be silly, Kristin!! I'm sure that raccoon is long gone!!" Famous last words.

We got across the street safely. We got the kids into their car seats. I had just sat down in the drivers seat when suddenly something streaked across the road. "SEE!!" I said. "There's the raccoon!!" Suddenly we heard a vicious snarling and caterwauling. It wasn't just one enormous raccoon but two and they were fighting! Just then both of the snarling beasts came running in our direction. Kelley screeched and jumped into the car...the driver's seat...on my lap...and slammed the door!! (Does this remind you of my mountain biking/loose dog incident...yeah me too!) Finally Kelley felt that it was safe to venture out. I had my window down and my head craning out the window trying to see where the raccoons had gone when one came at full speed in our direction. Kelley jumped into the car screaming and I, in a panic, frantically tried to roll up the window while screaming too...because you never know if a raccoon might want to jump in the car!! Hello...a dog did! The raccoon ran straight to a big tree in Kelley's yard and scampered on up...right next to her open door. The second raccoon was nowhere to be seen. Kelley was trapped...the raccoon was between her and safety and her door was wide open. To get to the door Kelley would have to pass right by the rabid raccoon laden tree. She wasn't about to do that. She asked me to go with her and I said "Heck no!!"


Kelley's creepy house with rabid raccoon tree...AND dark spooky alley where the raccoon was first spotted.

We sat in the car for quite awhile trying to figure out what to do. Finally Kelley decided to get out and look for two sticks that she could tap together to scare the raccoon away...ala "Vicky" from the Parent Trap style. None were to be found. She resorted to clapping two times in a rapid succession as she ran for her life. Did a raccoon get into her house and eat her? I don't know. Kelley...are you still alive?

P.S. WE NEED MORE COWBELL!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I Feel The Need

Stacey, Kristin and Reilly at Stacey's house

When the weather turns cold I feel the need to cook. Something about all the apples, pumpkins, and fall flavors inspire me. Two weeks ago Tyler had to work on a Saturday and so the kids and I went down for a fun-filled day at Stacey's. We spent the day in her kitchen baking, gossiping, laughing and...oh yeah...eating. Stacey is an amazing cook who is always trying out new and fun recipes. She had a new one for us to try that she got from one of the girls in her cooking club...Dining Divas. We made Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread. It was divine. I made it for our ward Harvest Dinner on Saturday night and it was gone in no time flat. So I thought I would share it with you.


Also on Sunday I tried a new recipe for Butternut Squash Soup that was easy and delicious. My kids HATE squash and they downed the soup and gave it two thumbs up.


So now that the weather is getting cold, the air crisp, the nights long, get cozy in the kitchen and start cooking!!


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread


1 cup canned pumpkin, plain...not the spiced variety

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 egg whites...set one aside

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 cups flour

2 1/2 t baking powder

2 t pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t salt

8 oz pkg of softened cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 t vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one loaf pan. Mix pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, 3 egg whites, milk, and oil in a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir until just moistened. Set aside. Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 egg white, butter and vanilla until well blended. Spoon 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture into prepared loaf pan. Spoon in cream cheese mixture, slightly spread it down the center leaving a small border pumpkin batter all around the cream cheese filling. Then cover with remaining pumpkin mixture. Bake 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Run a knife around the edges of the loaf pan to loosen the bread. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Makes one loaf.


Creamy Butternut Squash Soup


2 lbs butternut squash roasted until soft

1 large onion, diced

3 (14oz ) cans of chicken broth

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup half and half

sour cream to garnish


In a med. stock pan pour in three cans of chicken broth and add diced onion, salt and pepper. Boil until the onion is tender. Then scoop out the soft flesh of the squash and put into the stock pot and cook over medium heat for about 5 min. Then puree small amounts in a blender with a tablespoon of butter each time. Be sure to remove lid AFTER you have started blending for a second...or remove the inner piece of the lid so that the steam can escape otherwise the lid will blow off and you will have butternut squash puree everywhere. Once the majority of the soup is pureed return to stock pot...or if you like a completely smooth consistency puree the whole batch. Whisk in the half and half. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Serves 4 (But it is actually more like 6 servings). It is so good! Makes a great dinner with cornbread and salad.


Afterward dinner I started experimenting with this recipe and it is fantastic with a dash of curry powder in it. I will try it that way next time.


Happy Eating!!


P.S. I would like to thank Lucy for the wonderful Good Mail that she sent me a few weeks ago!! She sent me a fantastic CD of songs from one of my favorite shows "So You Think You Can Dance" with some much needed chocolate!! That was so appreciated and dance I have...all around my kitchen! That was a wonderful surprise. Sorry to be so late in thanking you!!

Two FUN Days




This week has brought us two of the most fun days of the year...yeah right. That would be School Picture Day and Flu shot day. How I dread them.

First, School Picture Day. Sounds harmless right? Not if you are at my house. The morning of was complete and utter chaos. Everyone loathed the clothes that I laid out for them. Reilly despised her "plain jane" outfit. Kameron refused to wear the nice button up shirt and pants I had for him and changed into a skater outfit of t-shirt and vans and wasn't budging. Fighting about clothes caused the time to fly by and we were late when Reilly in a fit of tears told me that she MUST have her hair curled with hot rollers. What is a mom to do? Scream...Scream...and Scream some more. I tried channeling Linda Eyre (parenting extraordinaire) but couldn't do it. There were some four letter words...rants about ungrateful brats...and threats of butt-kicking. Then it dawned on me that I was channeling my MOTHER!!


Growing up at my house school picture day was a day to be dreaded for much the same reasons. Fights about outfits...which we always lost...hence the picture of Stacey in a tie and me in a teddy bear sweater...I was in 7th grade...and NOT HAPPY!! I wish I had a copy of that and I would post it!! My mom always had one of idea of what we should wear and we always had another. The only one who didn't give into my mom's ranting, swearing and threats was Jordi who calming said "OK" only to have had another outfit stuffed in her backpack which she changed into before pictures. This is the infamous school picture of Jordi wearing a track suit, sweatshirt tied around her waist, grubby tennis shoes, posing with her foot on a fake log. My mom nearly keeled over when she opened that package of pictures. Again...sisters...feel free to email me copies of those pictures!! ;)

As the mother of three girls close in age and all needing "picture" hair my mom came up with an ingenious idea (in her mind)!! She would only curl our bangs and the two front pieces of hair on either side of our heads...the rest was left straight. We were sternly told to make sure when it came time to have our pictures taken we were to bring the two curled pieces over our shoulders and to leave the straight pieces not showing. This would give the "allusion" that our hair was completely curled...this rarely worked. I'll let you be the judge:

First Grade...worked out OK

2nd Grade...starting to have some issues

By Fifth Grade...serious problems

Third, Fourth, and Sixth Grades...too hideous to display. Then when I was in 6th grade my mom cut all our hair into a bob...problem solved but new problems ensued...BRACES!! I will spare you. So after years and years and years of mockage of our blessed mother I would like to sincerely APOLOGIZE!!

The next day was Flu Shot Day!!

A day to strike terror in the hearts of my children. They were warned...they were prepared...they had been crying for a week just thinking about it. This has been a huge pain in the butt for years. It is terrible and Reilly has always been the worst. She has pulled shots out that were 1/2 way in. She has made a run for it only to be caught in the lobby and dragged back kicking and screaming. She has had a nurse flat out tell us that she won't give a shot to a child who acts like that. Tyler and I have had to restrain her. All the while Kameron is looking on in complete terror. But as we are a family who believes in immunizations we get our yearly flu shots. Bribes of ice cream afterward don't work...they always did for me while growing up...Reilly has gone without ice cream and not cared a bit. One year...the year the nurse refused to give her a shot...we let her have the nose spray vaccine. But then the next year was the flu vaccine shortage and that wasn't available and the fun began again. Last year she only cried and threw a fit when the nurse suggested that she go first to show her brother and sister that there was nothing to be afraid of...and had to be silently threatened with the evil eye and mean looks from me and Tyler. This year Tyler couldn't come with me and I was dreading going with the kids by myself. Guess what happened? Nothing. Reilly hopped up on the table looked away and took the shot without a wince or any flinching. The angels in heaven sang!! Kameron went next...watery eyes...no fighting it...took his shot without even squeezing my hand. Next was Ailey...didn't even make a peep. Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!! We are done for another year.

Book Review #17

A month ago I read The Good Earth by Pearl Buck on my sister Stacey's recommendation. She loves this book and has read the trilogy. She was such a fan of this book that a few friends and I decided to give it a read. I'm glad I did.

From Amazon.com: Though more than sixty years have passed since this remarkable novel won the Pulitzer Prize, it has retained its popularity and become one of the great modern classics. "I can only write what I know, and I know nothing but China, having always lived there," wrote Pearl Buck. In The Good Earth she presents a graphic view of a China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings for the ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during this century.

I really liked this book. I liked the writing style...even though it was somewhat dispassionate I felt it was beautifully and simply written. I have never read a book about China where the narration is from a man's perspective before. It was interesting to see life through the main character, Wang Lung's, eyes. I loved reading about his day to day life. The words just seemed to flow off the page for me. I definitely wanted to learn more about O-lan, the wife of Wang Lung. I thought she was fascinating. I wish we got more of a glimpse of what was going on in her mind. I would have loved to know her thoughts and feelings. The part when she has to give up those two pearls just broke my heart. Sometimes Wang Lung gets a reputation for being despicable...I didn't think Wang Lung was despicable...he was what he was...a man of his time and he did what men did. I think for the most part he always tried to do what was right for his family. Unfortunately we forget that it wasn't that long ago that women were pretty much just property. The closing scene at the end of the book where Wang Lung overhears his sons discussing selling the land when he is gone and he interrupts them and they tell him that they won't really sell it...wink wink...brought tears to my eyes. I think the book was beautifully symbolic of pre- and post- revolutionary China.

I would definitely recommend this book...especially to all the "classic-lovers". I rate it: VERY GOOD.

I'm OK

I am doing fine and just getting back to normal. I had a few bad days but I'm doing fine now. I would like to thank all of you for all the sweet comments on my blog, phone calls, emails, visits, food, meals, babysitting, listening, love and friendship. I am very lucky to have all you amazing people in my life.

A special thank you to Tyler who is the most amazing husband ever!! He has been an absolute rock and has put up with my many mood swings and crying bouts. Thanks for the tough love of making me get out of my pajamas and taking me out to dinner when I was refusing to budge from the couch.

Thanks to my family who has been WONDERFUL!! I love you guys so much. Thanks to my kids for putting up with me. They were a little spooked by crazy crying mommy and now are happy grumpy annoying mommy is back. And can I say that I have the most amazing friends near and far!! I am so lucky!!

Thanks for all the free therapy...

First and foremost...my mom and siblings...especially Stacey who knew only too well what I was feeling.

Second...my regular "group" therapy. You guys are the BEST and Lucy was even in town visiting!! (I stole this picture off of Lucy's blog...sorry!!) It was so good to see Lucy. She is SORELY missed. That night seriously helped me so much! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Carolyn, me, KariAnn, Andrea, Rebecca and Lucy

Third... Therapy Session number 3...a much needed phone call from Tiffany! It is so nice to have someone who truly "gets" me and all my crazy thoughts and feelings.

Thanks Na for your sweet email too!! We love you guys!

Jayni and Valynn I don't know what I would do without you guys! You have been amazing.

My absence from blogland was mostly due to my computer from %$#@ that stopped working and not from severe depression. :) Although I did have my moments...ok days.

Here's what we have been up to lately. Last weekend after the aforementioned tough love from Tyler who forced me to shower, get dressed and go out he then whisked me away to the lake to enjoy all the autumnal glory. My mom, Grandma, and Kelley came too and I had a nice relaxing weekend and a much needed change of scenery.




It was a GORGEOUS weekend and it was nice to be out in the fresh, crisp autumn air.

This was my mom's bike from when she was a kid

Even Mrs. Beasley was enjoying the fall weather

We went for a beautiful walk

So much for a lovely Autumn picture...someone was either crying or doing something weird.

My mom made the most amazing dinner of total comfort food and then Tyler built a bonfire for us to sit around after everyone else had gone to bed.



Nothing says Fall like a bonfire...although we did miss having our usual "autumn politics" debate...Typical McClellan Bonfire Chat...everyone else was asleep. We missed my mom's "Bush Rant" nothing says October like mom in a froth over W's latest doings!! :) The night was gorgeous and clear. We even saw a shooting star.




We have also been to the pumpkin patch and gotten apples from our favorite orchard.

Here's one of Ailey trying to make me laugh...it totally worked!!

Thanks again to all of you near and far for everything. We are truly blessed to have you all in our lives.

Miscarriage

Sometimes things are just sucky. This one really really sucks. I was 7 1/2 weeks pregnant and excited. Now I'm not. It's sad. It's disappointing. It sucks. Unfortunately the miscarriage wouldn't complete and yesterday evening I began severely bleeding and had to be run into the ER and needed surgery. I'm home. I'm ok. I will be ok. Sometimes things just suck.