February Indulgences

February is truly a month to indulge...in romance...chocolate...little luxuries...and some fun reads. Both of these books fit the bill. One is a funny easy read and one is a great epic tale. Pick your pleasure. You will enjoy both.

First up...
This book written by Mindy Kaling aka Kelly Kapoor from The Office was a FUN read. It requires very little thought and very little time. I think I read it in about a day. I found it to be hilariously funny. The back cover alone sealed the deal.

If you don't find that funny then a.) I don't understand you and b.) you won't like the book. In my case, however, as I picked it up from the hold section at the library I actually laughed so hard that I snorted with laughter. Oh yes... Snorted.With.Laughter... much to the humiliation of my 11 year-old son, who was like "Geez, Mom!!" as he furtively looked around to see if anyone he knew just saw/heard me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kaling's collection of short humorous essays, musings and lists. I laughed out loud many times. I found the first half particularly funny...the middle section and how she rose to fame a bit less so... and then it got really funny again.

For your enjoyment:

On high school:

“The chorus of “Jack and Diane” is: Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone. Are you kidding me? The thrill of living was high school? Come on, Mr. Cougar Mellencamp. Get a life.”

"Teenage girls, please don’t worry about being super popular in high school, or being the best actress in high school, or the best athlete. Not only do people not care about any of that the second you graduate, but when you get older, if you reference your successes in high school too much, it actually makes you look kind of pitiful, like some babbling old Tennessee Williams character with nothing else going on in her current life."

On married couples:

“I don't want to hear about the endless struggles to keep sex exciting, or the work it takes to plan a date night. I want to hear that you guys watch every episode of The Bachelorette together in secret shame, or that one got the other hooked on Breaking Bad and if either watches it without the other, they're dead meat. I want to see you guys high-five each other like teammates on a recreational softball team you both do for fun.”

This book is constantly compared to Tina Fey's Bossypants. I read both and enjoyed this one much more.

My rating: Excellent. Unless you have no sense of humor. Unless the back cover didn't make you laugh.

Next up...


Remember how I've told you about the deal I have with my husband...we read several books a year that the other one picks out...therefore making it impossible that we ever become that boring old couple who have nothing to talk about. Well, this was one of the books I was assigned to read by Tyler. At first I wasn't too jazzed about it as it is in the ol' Fantasy genre and I am not a fan of Fantasy. (Big shout out-- to the random person on Goodreads who told me "maybe I should read more fantasy"...so I could stop writing mean reviews about her favorite author.) I took her advice and read some more fantasy and still don't like her favorite author. Sorry.

Anyway...my husband has been talking up this series of books for over a year and in such a way that they actually DID sound interesting. He promised me that it was more like historical fiction (but of a place that doesn't actually exist) with a few fantasy elements thrown in. He was right.

From Amazon.com:

"Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones."

I REALLY liked the book!! Sort of shocking...probably because to some die-hard fantasy readers it is soft fantasy. (The reviews show that readers either love it or they hate it.) I enjoyed it being set in a medieval style world with knights, kingdoms, and political intrigue. (A critique of some fantasy readers.) I enjoyed the world of the Seven Kingdoms. I could picture it. Not too many weird creatures and not too much magic. I loved the idea of the length of the seasons...where different seasons could last for years. I had fun getting immersed in that fantasy world. I enjoyed, despised, rooted for, and cared about the characters that Martin created. I want to know more and I wish there was a prequel. That is saying something and I am eagerly awaiting getting my hands on the second book in the series. Who knew?

FYI...It just dawned on me that the Harry Potter series (that I loved) is fantasy with magic. Maybe I'm not such a hater after all.

This is the perfect series to get cozy and read this winter. Go ahead and indulge. I will be.

My rating: Excellent

Five Phrases (and a Bonus)

Is this your life? It is definitely mine...around 90% of the time. In the spirit of helping those of you in the trenches of parenting teenagers I have found 5 phrases guaranteed to shut them up or at least leave them sputtering or cause them to leave the room. Either way objective accomplished.

Here are my current personal favorites:

1.) When they ask the ever incessant "Why?"..."why can't I do this"..."why can't I do that?" I like to respond with "Because the last time I checked my name was Mom." (Source my sister Jordin). Teenagers have no where to go with this. They can't argue about it and you don't have to keep using the tiresome and ineffective "Because I said so" which leave you wide open for more arguing.

2.) When they lamely try to explain the world and how it works to you, the parent, as if you are an imbecile ...or better yet my personal favorite...when they slowly (because you are clearly stupid) tell YOU what it is like to be a teenager... and then when you quickly correct them about how the world REALLY works and they are snotty and say "And how would you know?" I like to respond with "Because I have been 15 and you have never been 39." (Source Elder Jeffrey R. Holland at our last Stake Conference) Again...shuts them right up (or at least they only mumble under their breath which is much preferable in my opinion.)

3.) When they wail about how UNFAIR life/you/everything is...I like to say "Well, if life were fair everyone would get a teddy bear for Christmas." (Source How to Hug a Teenage Porcupine by Dr. John L. Lund) This one is particularly catchy with any younger siblings. They especially love to chime in with it when they hear their older sibling say that anything is unfair. Even two year olds pick up on it quickly and can say it to said teenager when you aren't even around. Bonus!! Of course this one often causes a scream of annoyance and a slamming of the bedroom door or in our case the pounding of feet EXTRA hard on the stairs but I feel it still accomplishes its purpose as they really have no come back and are so annoyed they leave the room.

4.) When they scream "I HATE YOU!!", "YOU ARE SO RUDE!!", "YOU ARE THE WORST MOTHER EVER!! I like to respond with "Thank you for that valuable feedback on a job well done. Yay me!!" This also may elicit a scream of rage but they again vacate the room quickly. Mission accomplished.

5.) This truly may be my personal favorite. I used it just 10 minutes ago. When they shriek "I am never talking to you again!!" I like to smile, and gleefully clap my hands, and say "Hooray!! Let's start right now!!"

Here is a bonus for you that always leaves things on a high note; because let's face it sometimes we just need a high note. (And by high note, I mean they just stare at you blinking and then walk off.)

**When they yell at you "Why are you always in my business?", "Why can't you guys just leave me alone?" respond with "Because you matter." Enough said.

Am I Just Old-Fashioned?


I've been thinking about poetry lately. Doesn't everyone? Clearly not. Is poetry dying? Has it lost it's place in the world? Are our children being taught it at all beyond the elementary school "About Me" Haiku? How many high school graduates can recite a poem...let alone one or two. Any at all? These are things I seriously think about. Am I weird?

This is the first time, in all my children's years of school, that any one of them has had to memorize and then recite...for a grade...a poem. This just blows me away. Am I the only one who had to memorize poems in elementary school, middle school, high school, college...and just for fun? I can tell you right now that my husband never had to do it. Not. A. Single. One. Why is this? Why aren't there classes any more in high school called British Lit? American Lit? Poetry? My high school had them. I took them. They have completely enriched my life; just like Mrs. Dunseth, my British Lit teacher, said they would.

Are we losing the beauty of written/spoken language? Why is it that when I read older books or classics, in my book reviews, I gush on and on about the beauty of the prose? Why is it that when I review a new book, I rarely remark on it at all? It's sad.

I just read a really good book written by a Christian author and every time she quoted scripture from the Bible it was from one of about 5 different translations...none of which were the King James Version. One of the things I LOVE about scripture reading is the beauty of the language. The King James Version is poetry to me. I love it. I love to read it aloud. I love to hear my children wrap their tongues around it. The Book of Mormon is also poetry to me. I find all the different translations of the Bible to be distracting and confusing. I think this is the opposite of their intent. This particular author would jump around from translation to translation for different verses. I guess I just assumed that each particular church used one particular version all the time. Maybe not. Is the KJV really that hard to understand?

So here's a question. Is poetry the next thing that is only touched on at school and the rest left to the parents to supplement? Like learning how to count money and tell time? (That is what I was told at a parent/teacher conference.) There just isn't the time anymore to devote to things like that when there are state tests to prepare for. I think it is sad.

I have introduced my children to poetry from an early age. I quote it frequently...usually to the response of "Where did you come up with that??" I do get a little thrill when one of my kids comes to me to say they just saw something/heard something/or read in a book "one of the crazy things you always say." I especially love to see a book of poetry in my children's hands...albeit it is usually a funny one like a Shel Silverstein or a Kenn Nesbitt or Nursery Rhymes (something else rarely taught anymore). One of my children has just discovered the beauty of Robert Frost. Maybe I won't be the only one who will grow up with poems tacked on my walls.

I love how memorizing this poem has caused this particular child...not one who has been naturally drawn to poetry like a few of my other children...to go from just "seeing" this poem as "words" to arrive at "feeling" something "alive". That's the beauty of poetry. There is some sort of organic change that you experience by memorizing. You can dig so much deeper.

So give your brain a workout...memorize a poem...and teach it to your kids. You and they will be better for it. I promise.

The Road Not Taken

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Yep...those are the kinds of things I think about in long, cold January.

He Had The Bluest Eyes

Being parents of a teenager is hard. Like seriously hard. It makes those toddler years seem like pie in the sky. Every day with a teenager is like walking through a minefield. Things are going along great and then KABOOM!! Something sets them off, or sets you off, and the battle is raging once again. As a parent you hope that you are setting a good example for your children, that you are instilling in them morals and values, that all these good things are getting through to them. If you are religious, you hope and pray with all your might that they are developing a relationship with the Savior and feeling of his Spirit and influence in their lives. Some days you might see signs of it and some days you wonder if they are "getting it" at all.

Awhile ago we heard that Elder Jeffery R. Holland was coming to speak at our Stake Conference. Exciting news!! We, as a family, talked about how special this would be...what an amazing experience...to have an apostle of the Lord come to our very Stake Center to teach us. We prepared ourselves...praying, reading/listening to his talks etc. We were very excited to be taught by this wonderful man.

We knew that it would be an important meeting for the youth. They were asked to sit up front in the chapel, along with any new members etc. and while the rest of our stake sat back in the overflows. I was so excited for Reilly to have this opportunity to see an Apostle and to feel the strength of his testimony, and to feel the love that our Savior has for her. I prayed and prayed that this would be a special experience for her. My prayers were answered.

As it was Stake Conference the usual stake business was conducted. One of the things that they do is recognize any of the youth who have earned their Young Womanhood Recognition Award for the girls or their Eagle Scout Award if they are boys. These hard working and diligent youth are called by name and asked to stand and be recognized by the congregation. I had forgotten all about this. What a special moment it was to have Reilly's name be called and for her to stand and be recognized in the presence of an apostle of the Lord. Reilly said that he looked at her and smiled at her.

Elder Holland spoke to the youth and bore a powerful witness to them and I hoped and prayed from my seat far back that Reilly was paying attention to his words and was feeling the Spirit. After the meeting was over Elder Holland requested that the youth come forward so he could shake their hands. One by one they came, shook his hand, and spoke with him. It reminded me of the Savior ministering to the children. As we waited for Reilly to come find us, we again hoped and prayed that this day would have an effect on her.

When she did come find us, she was beaming and teary-eyed about the whole experience. She felt the Spirit so strongly as he spoke to her. She said, "Mom, he had the bluest eyes." How grateful I am for the opportunity that our strong-willed and beautiful daughter had the opportunity to not only be in the presence of an Apostle of the Lord but to also be able to speak with him and gaze into his eyes. I am grateful that our whole family was there; to be taught and blessed by him. The kids were so excited to see Elder Holland, as were Tyler and I, but I am thrilled beyond belief that Reilly had the special experience that she did.

Later that night, as I headed out of town, Tyler called me to say that Reilly had posted something special on Facebook...on the Stake Young Womens page...without a word to us. He just happened to see it.

This is what it said:

"I will remember this Stake Conference forever. It was amazing to be able to be recognized for finishing my Personal Progress with him there. I remember being so scared to have everyone look at me, but when I stood up, Elder Holland looked right at me and smiled at me, and my fear just melted away and made me feel so warm and loved. I also loved it when he said, " I bless every man, woman, and child that can hear my voice." The spirit just hit me and I could feel the Savior and Elder Holland's love for me, so strongly. And I was brought to tears. The opportunity to shake his hand did bring me so much joy and it meant so much to me."

The Lord does hear and answer our prayers.

What I Read Over Christmas Break

This Christmas break my whole family was sick and so we had more down time than we usually do. That gave me more time to snuggle on the couch with my heated throw blanket and a book. I read three books over the break...all three very different...and yet each was enjoyable in its own way.

I put this book on hold several months ago after reading George W. Bush's book Decision Points which I really enjoyed. I like to learn about things, in this case their eight years in the White House and the events that transpired, from all angles...his perspective...her perspective. It will undoubtedly put me on the road to reading more political memoirs. I've got a few in mind right now.

As a First Lady I never really paid Laura Bush much attention. She didn't always seem to crave the spotlight like Hillary Clinton did and as a result she faded into the background of the political scene. I am afraid I somewhat bought into the media bias of her being the little submissive wifey to President Bush. I was wrong.

This was a fantastic memoir. I really enjoyed learning more about Laura Bush. It was so refreshing. I found her writing to be personal and candid especially for being such a private person. In the book she talks about what it was like growing up in West Texas, her young adulthood, and her marriage and family in addition to their time in the White House. I loved the insight she gave on President Bush as a man, husband and father and the deep toll the presidency took on him.

I was rather ignorant of what it meant to be the First Lady of the United States of America which is so much more than just being the President's wife. It was interesting to learn about what causes Mrs. Bush is passionate about...I really had no idea that she was such a champion of women's rights, children's rights, literacy and the arts. I was fascinated by her travels, her relationships with foreign dignitaries, and her perspective on all the dramatic events that occurred during their eight years in the White House. She brought me to tears while reading about the tragedies of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina and her meetings with the families of the victims and the men and women in the armed forces serving our country. She writes with such grace, humility, compassion and empathy.

I feel that she has been misunderstood by many and has not been seen as the independent, intelligent, and passionate woman who has been working quietly and diligently behind the scenes to make the world a better place without seeking recognition or the spotlight.

It was interesting to read her thoughts and feelings about the mockery and ridicule that was directed at her husband by the media and the politicians in Washington which she handled with grace and dignity. I particularly liked this quote from the book:

"It is easy to criticize a sitting president when you are not the one in the Oval office, when you are not responsible for the decisions that must be made for the whole of the nation. I thought of that when I heard the daily rants from the campaign trail. It got so that even the weather was George's fault. I wondered if Barack Obama, who spent far more time attacking George than he did his opponent John McCain, would want to amend his words once he discovered the reality of the White House and was himself confronted by the challenges and crises that hit a president every day, all day." (page 420)

That just furthers my belief that being President of the United States is a thankless job at times and there is so much we do not even know that goes into the Presidency and the toll it takes on those who hold the office.

This is a wonderful book in which Mrs. Bush shares her struggles, her hopes and her faith. I appreciate it when authors are not afraid to discuss their faith and their relationship with the Lord. It is also a love letter not only to Texas but to the United States of America. I highly recommend this book.

My Rating: Excellent

I also read this book:


This is probably not a book I would have just picked up as it about ageing and how to age well and with grace while still enjoying your life and contributing to society. The intended audience are those ages 60 and up or currently in their "Third Act" as Jane Fonda puts it.

I first heard about this book when I was on a long road trip with my mother this summer. We were driving and listening to satellite radio when an interview came on with Jane Fonda discussing this book. It was a very interesting interview that sparked a great conversation between me and my mother as we drove.

Jane Fonda is definitely the poster girl for baby boomers. Yes, my mom loves her too. This book was fairly entertaining and easy to read because Jane Fonda sounds like several of my mom's good friends who are always up to something interesting...be it meditation, past life regression, or some other aspect of new age spirituality. While I certainly don't subscribe to all her views on life and politics, I do think there was quite a bit of take away value and practical advice.

She discusses every aspect of aging:

-Staying Positive
-Eating well
-Exercise
-Finance
-Spirituality
-Meditation
-Giving of oneself
-Contributing to your community
-Imparting wisdom and knowledge to future generations
-Staying connected
-Active Learning
-Sense of Humor
-Sexuality (This was a little TMI in my opinion)

Her book is well researched with experts in each area ranging from medical doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, attorneys, financial planners, ministers, philosophers, sex therapists and even Buddhist Zen Masters. There is something for everyone!

Jane talks about seeing life as a staircase of continual ascent rather than an arch with a peak and a downward slide. Jane sees herself and other baby boomers entering their Third Act as "pioneers" in an a new kind of ageing...especially now that people are living longer and more productive lives.

"Ours is the generation to make this... [revolutionary paradigm shift]. It will represent a seismic shift for the world around us, particularly for our children and young friends. Whether we like it or not, we have become the first role models for the younger generations of how to prepare for the last third of life." (Pages 15-16)

This book gave me a lot to think about and I particularly liked her idea of a life review. You review where you've come from, where you are now, and where you are going. This is something that can be done every year...not necessarily only in your third act of life.

This book contains many personal stories, statistics, ideas, and strategies for aging well, living successfully and what Jane the "longevity revolution."

My Rating: Okay...more for people 60 years of age and older.

Next I read:



I read this book to have something that Reilly and I could enjoy together. She, of course, loved it and hounded me to read it. I read it pretty much in one day while feeling sick. It was definitely an easy and enjoyable read. It doesn't require much intellectual digestion or reflection. Perfect for sick bed reading.

While I breezed through the book and stayed interested I still wasn't exactly enthralled. I am getting super sick of the YA Flavor of the Year(s) the dystopian love triangle. Can we not shake things up a bit and read about star-crossed lovers that circumstances keep apart? Does there always have to be a triangle? Bella, Edward, Jacob and Katniss, Peta, and Gale. On and on...now this book. It's just getting a little old and trite.

I thought the prose was interesting. The intentionally precise language that lent itself well to the sterile society. Other than that...I read it...was briefly interested...but don't have much of a burning desire to read the next one in the series.

My Rating: Okay...unless you are 15 years old and then you will LOOOOVE it!!

And So It Begins


Oh yes...the day is upon us. Reilly is learning to drive. Heaven help us all. She has had a couple of driving sessions with her daddy. Moms have no business teaching their children to drive. It goes against our very nature and all that we set out to do each and every day to keep them safe. Dads are the ones who chuck kids into the lake and tell them to "SINK OR SWIM." Dads give the wobbly bicycle a big shove and yell "PEDDLE!!" This is yet another area that is a dad's domain. I stay FAR FAR away from this process. I have yet to watch any of this in person...this is a picture Tyler texted to me. Shivers I tell you...shivers. According to Tyler she is doing great. According to Tyler she is a fast learner. I'll take his word for it.

My friend, Valynn, asked me when I would drive with Reilly...good question. Maybe when she has logged A LOT of drive time with Tyler, taken Drivers Ed, and actually gotten her license. Who knows?! It has taken my mom until last summer on our big road trip to actually sleep in the car while I am driving!! She did rouse out of a deep snoring sleep in the passenger seat several times...consequently scaring the heck out of me (and nearly causing an accident)...by yelling "ARE YOU OKAY!!" I have seen her white knuckling it, trying to press an imaginary brake peddle, and pointing out the obvious (The light is red! That's a stop sign! He's turning!) while driving with my other siblings too. Except in the case of Kirk where she just holds on for dear life and kisses the ground upon exiting the vehicle.

Mothers, children, and driving. They just don't mix. Wish us luck!!

Christmas Vacation 2011

We had a wonderful holiday season this year. Christmas vacation seemed particularly long maybe because we were all sick for most of it. There was a lot of vomiting going on. Regardless, we were able to pack in quite a lot and still had time for lazy days, date nights, reading books and movie nights. Anyway, we are all on the mend now and back to our routine this morning. My alarm going off at 5am this morning was quite the rude awakening.

Here are some pictures from our Christmas vacation. Unfortunately my camera had the audacity to stop working...on Christmas Day...if you can believe it? The pictures taken at my mom's house are courtesy of Kelley.

Our holiday festivities kicked off with the Vintage Christmas sale that Sisters Creed participated in. You can read about it here. We had a great time. It really put me in the mood to decorate for Christmas...which I was NOT in the mood to do before hand. (I had finally completely unpacked us from our "non-move" about 2 days before my sale.) The last thing I wanted to do was put away stuff that I had just unpacked to unpack 10 Christmas bins. But...I did it and I am glad that I did. It was nice to forget about our hideous fall and to enjoy a little Christmas Spirit. You can read about my holiday decorating here.

This year my favorite new decoration was my ruffled tree skirt courtesy of my mother. I love Pinterest. It is full of great ideas that amazing people like my mom pin and then make. These were for sale at our Christmas sale as well as some ruffled burlap ones. Darling. My tree skirt was just so gorgeous that I didn't even want to put any presents under the tree until Christmas eve so I could enjoy it's ruffled beauty.

As previously recorded Ailey participated in her first piano recital. She and Bryn really wanted me to include this picture of them on my blog. I am happy to oblige.

All of Ailey's constant practicing of "I Saw Three Ships" lead to this little number.

Yep. Those are pull-ups on Bryn. We are in potty training hell. I forgot how much I do not enjoy potty training. And...how pull-ups are an enormous waste of money. Luckily Santa brought lots of panties for Brynnie and things are on the upswing.



In case you are wondering why our Christmas Tree went black during the video...it was connected to "the clapper" which hates our voices (particularly mine) and would constantly turn off the tree lights nearly every time I spoke...or laughed...or yelled. Delightful.

Bryn also does a rousing rendition of Dreidel Song (taught to her by Ailey) which she particularly loved to sing at the top of her lungs in Walmart and Costco. I kept waiting for someone to wish us a Happy Hanukkah. If you would like to see the same performance as above including the Dreidel song and the ABCs watch below.






We also celebrated my mom's birthday which you can read about here. If you haven't eaten at the Green Frog in Palouse, WA you are missing out. The Viking Sandwich (a grilled mushroom and Swiss) is the stuff dreams are made of.

I love this picture of my mom and Reilly.

Grandkids eagerly awaiting their food at the Green Frog.

Reilly and Stacey

Elle, Kelley and Stacey

Waiting for Santa and a hay ride

This year to try to eliminate some of the holiday frenzy and stress we decided to pare things down a bit. No sending out of Christmas cards and fewer cookie plates. We still made way too many treats...that no one in our family ate because we weren't feeling all that great...and we should have given them all away. As far as Christmas cards go, we wondered if they were really necessary in the world of Facebook and blogs. My conclusion...yes, they are. Christmas cards are THOUGHTFUL. So to all the thoughtful people who took time out of their busy lives to send us a Christmas card and to wish us a Merry Christmas, they were truly appreciated and you will get a card from us next year. :)

Christmas Eve

I am including pictures of the kids opening pajamas since they are the only "opening of presents" pictures my camera recorded before it bit the big one.

Mary and Joseph...the angel was a little hopped up on sugar and refused to stay in one place long enough for a picture.

The parents

How we really felt!!

Bryn was up until 2 am which made it a little difficult for Santa to make a stop at our house.

On Christmas Day we headed up to my mom's house. We had a fantastic time. Everyone seemed to be feeling better and was in a festive mood.

We were joined by my Uncle Steve and cousin Tania.

The kids table

We ate and laughed and stayed up way too late for the second night in a row. It was wonderful!!

The grandkids...minus three out-of-towners. My mom made silky princess jammies for the little girls with matching peignoirs. Darling. Stacey, Kelley and I would like some adult ones for next year!!

Kelley, Tania, Stacey and Kristin

We had a wonderful New Years full of fun and games, and food and family. We were definitely happy to ring in the New Year.

We hope that 2012 is a wonderful year full of love , joy, health and happiness for everyone!!

Love,

Ailey's First Piano Recital

Last night we had the pleasure of attending Ailey's first piano recital. She did fantastic with her piece "I Saw Three Ships". Ailey tends to be on the shy side so Tyler and I were a little concerned about how she would do. We had no cause to worry. She rose admirably to the occasion.

Good Job Ailey!! We love you!!

Be merry all, be merry all,
With holly dress the festive hall;
Prepare the song, the feast, the ball,
To welcome merry Christmas.
~William Robert Spencer

The funny thing about the Christmas Spirit is that no matter your state of mind or busyness it quietly slips in when you least expect it and illuminates your heart and soul with joy. It is impossible to deny the peaceful majesty of the Christmas Season.

This year I was not in a holiday mood. I had FINALLY unpacked the last box we were unpacking (there are many still packed in the garage) and found places for everything. We repainted Kameron's room and repainted the family room aka teen lounge (Reilly's temporary new digs) and I was exhausted. The last thing I wanted to do was take down things that had just been unpacked to set up for Christmas. More boxes...ugh. But something funny happened. I caught the Christmas spirit and voila we are now decked out for Christmas.

The Christmas spirit hit me full force at the Vintage Christmas Sale that we participated in last weekend. Wow. Vintage Christmas decorations get me every time. Beautiful booths, creative and festive vendors, excited happy people, Christmas music...wham! The Christmas spirit!!

Now two trees are up, lights are up, the house decorated, Christmas music playing, eggnog is being enjoyed, crafts are being done, baking is under way, friends are coming over, Christmas parties have begun, Christmas books are being read, cozy family time is happening. I love it!!

Thanks Christmas Spirit!! You were just what I needed.

Thanksgiving 2011



We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We had Thanksgiving at the lake and then spent the weekend at my Mom's house in Sandpoint...with a foray into Spokane for some shopping on Saturday. It was a lot of fun. It got off to a bit of a rocky start though. When we returned home from Stacey's house last weekend Ailey woke up in the night with hives. Thinking that she was allergic to something she ate we gave her some Benedryl but it had no effect and she got worse. We ran her into the doctor who diagnosed her with Erythema Multiforme which means she had an allergic reaction to a virus. Weird. I had no idea that was even possible. Anyway it is nasty stuff. The poor kid missed 3 days of school prior to Thanksgiving break. She had hives EVERYWHERE. Her lips and eyes were so swollen she could barely talk, smile, or see. She was miserable. With this particular illness you get horrible joint pain...some days she couldn't walk...other days it was in her hands and she looked like a little arthritis patient. I felt so bad for her!!

This was a good day...you d0 not want to see a picture of one of her "bad" days. Wow.

When we got out to the lake on Thanksgiving day the weather wasn't too bad. I was thrilled that there wasn't much snow and that the lake hadn't frozen over yet. It was beautiful.

We hiked up on my grandma's property to cut down Christmas trees for Stacey and Kelley. I am a *bit* too particular about my tree!! (We planned to go farther north the next day to cut down a big Christmas tree...we had permits from the forest service...but we never ended up going.) Poor Ailey couldn't walk earlier that day and got to ride in Elle's stroller and then got packed into the woods on her daddy's back.

Ailey in the stroller and a cat that took a shine to her on our walk. Yep...she likes cats about as much as I do.

It was beautiful in the woods. I was packing Bryn on my back in the areas where it was hard for her to walk and she whispered to me "I in the deep dark wood."

Stacey and Ken. I wish I could have gotten a picture of Stacey's husband, John, in his fetching chapeau. I think it might have been a hat my great-grandpa wore...or maybe more like my great-grandma. :)

This year it was just our McClellan family (Kirk and Jordin and their families couldn't come) and granny of course. It was delightful. Not that we don't enjoy seeing all the extended aunts, uncles and cousins...it just wasn't such a MADHOUSE. No eating in shifts...there were places to sit etc. It was a really nice, fun and relaxing holiday. We fired up the wood stove...my mom was actually using it to heat up food...it was cozy and fun.


We set a table using foraged items and some of my grandma's special Thanksgiving decorations. We ate by candlelight. It was gorgeous.


My mom made turkey, mashed potatoes, her amazing gravy, sausage stuffing, and pumpkin pies. I made two pecan pies, two cherry pies and sweet potatoes...and brought the fixings for Shirley Temples our favorite drink of choice when we were little. Stacey brought rolls, a brussel sprout gratin, chipotle cranberry sauce and jello squares. Kelley made the most delicious green beans and a relish tray. The food was DIVINE!!

The lake clearly has some magical healing properties. Later that afternoon, Ailey's joint pain eased up and her hives went away. Hallelujah. The doctor said that she could be sick for up to 14 days. She is still hive-free as of today (Tuesday). It was so nice for the cousins to have some "cousin time". We had music from the 1940's playing, lots of laughs, and family time. It was a great day to reflect on our blessings and to be thankful for one another. I can't even tell you how many times I have fallen asleep on the old blue couch to the sound of laughter coming from that kitchen and the conversations of my grandparents, parents, and aunts and uncles. It is one of the best sounds I know. I am so glad that my children get to experience that as well.

River, Bryn and Ailey

Dane and Kam

Elle Rockin' Out

How cute is my sweet Brynnie? She particularly loved the Shirley Temples, mashed potatoes and jello squares.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

(Hope It Was Great.)