Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

37 Years and still going strong

There is a children's book called, Miss Rumphius, written by Barbara Cooney.  In this story the title character says: 

"When I grow up, I will go to faraway places, and when I grow old, I will live beside the sea."  

And her grandfather tells her:

"That is all very well little Alice, but there is a third thing you must do.  You must make the world more beautiful."

In life, not everyone has the chance to choose where they will live, or to travel, and not everyone chooses to make the world beautiful.  My parents have been very lucky and have worked very hard to have these things.  

Unlike Miss Rumphius, my parents have not chosen to grow old by the sea, but they have chosen the mountains and the Salt Lake Valley.  In this place they have worked hard to build a dream house. It is a beautiful and welcoming home where they gather their children, grandchildren and friends around them.  

My parents love adventure and have traveled to many places around the world together. Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Italy, Greece and so on. . . 

But mostly, I think my parents have made the world a more beautiful place.  They have created five wonderful children ( if I do say so myself) and now have 5 wonderful children-in-law and 7 beautiful grandchildren to boot.  My father has designed wonderful buildings and beautiful homes.  My mother is an artist in the garden, the kitchen and with quilting.  But more importantly, they have spent so many years serving their family, neighbors and community.  

My parents are a great example to me.  I want to wish them a wonderful 37th year together.

In Treatment

The show Douglas has been working on airs this week on HBO. If you have HBO, check it out. It is a 30 minute drama on every night at 9:30. I'd like to know what you think.

Keep in mind that even if you do not get HBO the first 15 episodes are available on line for free! you can view it here

We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet

Gordon B. Hinkley 1910 - 2008

Our family was saddened to hear the news of the passing of the prophet, Gordon B. Hinkley, Sunday evening. He has been the leader of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for the past twelve years. He is Addison's prophet and was the prophet of the church when Douglas joined in 1997. He has such a special place in our hearts and we love him dearly. It is our firm belief that he has returned home to a loving Heavenly Father. We know that he has been reunited with his wife and family. We are so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for providing us with a wonderful, loving, kind man like President Hinkley. We will miss him.

Shaklee

What I used to want in a cleaning product was a degreaser and disinfectant. I never really thought much about what ingredients were used to make "clean" happen. But the more educated I become about the chemicals we bring into our home, the more concerned I am about what those ingredients are. Especially when you see crazy statistics like:

*90% of all poisonings happen in the home
*Women who work in the home are 54% more likely to develop certain types of cancer
*Organic pollutants levels are 2 to 5 times higher inside your home than outside
*Common cleansers give off fumes that have been linked to asthma in children (my dh has asthma)

What really drove it home for me was when Elias walked up to me the other day with a rag in one hand and a spray bottle of Lysol in the other. He was going to clean the windows, just like he's seen his sister and me do. Yikes! Nothing more terrifying than a two-year old with a bottle of potentially toxic poison. (Since I'm a mind-reader, I know a few of you are asking Why was the Lysol where he could reach it? The answer is - I'm a bad mom.)

It was from this point that I looked into the Shaklee products (recommended to me by my good friend Valerie and sold to me by the sweetest lady in the world, Muriel Donaldson) They are an environment friendly company, similar to BioKleen or Seventh Generation. All of their products are nontoxic, safe for children, biodegradable and, most importantly - work well. But I think one of the nicest parts is that all their products are sold as concentrates so they last forever! You mix the solutions yourself with water and literally never use more than 1/4 tsp per 16 ounces of water. Brilliant.

So, I now want significantly more in a cleaning product. I want a non-toxic, biodegradable, product that is safe for children and adults alike. I want to spend less for more, and I want the product to clean as well or better than other cleaners. And now I know that I'm not asking for too much at all!

BTW If you think you are interested in Shaklee products, now is the time to buy! Until January 31st the starter kit is being offered at a 33% discount because it was promoted on the Oprah show. So for $89.60 you can get the kit that contains 15 different products including cleansers, dish soap and laundry soap. Its soo worth it.

And the Potty Training Begins . . .

And we have pee pee in the potty! (Loud cheers and hollers)
And we have pee pee on the floor.
And we have pee pee . . .

Don't you love how having children keeps you focused on bodily functions. Do you remember when you were little and just the words poop and pee pee made you laugh? And now that I'm a mom they can also make me sigh, cringe, cry, scream in horror . . .

A quilt and one apron

Two projects that I finished this year. A quilt for Elias' bed and an apron. I started the apron last spring and it ended up in the closet with so many other half begun and soon dropped projects. So this year, my goal is once a month, reach into the closet, pull something out and finish it! And anytime I see a new project that I just have to try - go to the closet and find an old unfinished project that is similar. Who knows, I just may have an extra closet by the end of the year!

My Very Talented Mother!

This is the beautiful quilt my mom made for Elias (yes, I am aware that Mason is sitting on it - they must learn to share at some point.)

MUSIC

Hey ya'all. I am really tired of the music I'm listening to. Who are your favorite artists currently?

Food Blog Restarted

I've restarted posting on my food blog. I am obviously not happy if I am not doing more than one project at a time - who wants to be called an underachiever! So now I must blog about family, food and encourage Addison to blog about the planet. (Please leave comments for the sweet little thing, or at least vote in her poll - she believes that people will actually want to read her blog :) )

A LITTLE SOLACE

These lyrics have been running through my mind today.

Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace when other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice I draw myself apart, searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows, where when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

He answers privately, reaches my reaching in my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind, Love without end.

A New Year - A Fresh Start

This year I will
Have a 1 year old
A 3 year old
A 9 year old
I will have been married 10 years
This year I will spend my time more wisely by
hugging my children more
Playing more
Celebrating more often.
I will eat more veggies
finish the projects I start
look for ways to serve more generously.
I will spend less
Create more.
I will value spiritual over temporal.

(Thank you Amanda.)

Addi's New Blog

Attention You're Invited! I have started a blog about my love for the earth. The website, lovetheplanetyoureon.blogspot.com is part of a school project,a place to inform you about the earth,and sort of a newsletter. Please come visit and leave comments about what you are doing to help our planet.

New Years Day in Pasadena - What a Party!

Happy New Year to Everyone

We had a very nice New Years Eve and Day, Family Style. We had a nice family dinner, watched a movie and played Scrabble. We let Addison stay up until 10 and pop party poppers in the driveway. Afterwards, while brushing her teeth she lost another tooth. She was very excited! The tooth fairy left her $2 and a note. Since this was the first baby tooth she had lost without having the dentist pull it out and the first cavity free tooth, the tooth fairy thought it was worth something extra. And even though the tooth fairy "borrowed" mom's stationary, Addison knew it wasn't mom writing the note because the handwriting was too swirly. The funniest part though - at the parade, Addison spent her $2.00 on cotton candy! The tooth fairy will be very disappointed!

At midnight, Douglas and I could hear the thousands of people camping out on Colorado Blvd screaming and lighting cherry bombs, blowing horns and having a grand old time! We were all too happy to go to sleep!

Tuesday morning we went to the Rose Parade with our friends the Christensen's and the Christiansen's. It's a half block trek to the parade route - very tiring! J/K. The kids had a great time, the floats were absolutely beautiful, and the bands played on as they marched the 5 mile parade route. Elias loved all the action and kept yelling "marching band!" His favorite floats were the Sesame Street float and the long train float.

As long as we live in Pasadena the invitation is open to anyone who wants to come visit and see the parade in person.