Brace yourself

Brace yourself for the most exciting news of the day...







17 years ago today I got my braces on! (March 19th, 1991.) That makes me sound really old but I was only 10 yrs old when I got them on. I got the braces on in the middle of my 5th grade year and then had them off the August before my 7th grade year. (Then got my wisdom teeth out a year later.)

Here is a picture of me about half-way through my braces phase. My orthodontist gave me this T-shirt. I think I only wore it once. "The tin grin is in."

Homemade star show

Salem did the activity tonight for family home evening. We got a flash light and a vegetable steamer (cooking pot with holes on the bottom.) We went into our bedroom, turned off the light and put a blanket on the window to make it extra dark.

We laid on the bed and he turned on the flashlight and shined it through the vegetable steamer. It made a pretty cool star show on the ceiling for Oaklen, Darrell and me. Afterward I showed them a few shadow images like the classic shadow dog and butterfly.

Good times...

My life isn't....

My life isn't all hearts & flowers...




Sometimes it's shamrocks!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

S !

Oaklen's first letter to learn has been S. I'm not exactly sure how or why he learned S first, but whenever I have a writing utensil in my hand and a paper, he always wants me to write an S. He sees S's all over the place, when we're in the car he'll see an S on a truck driving by, he'll point out the S's in the grocery store, or on a poster or a book.

Salem of course likes S too since it's the first letter of his name. Recently he learned to write S's the correct way as I mentioned in another post about his pottery.

When Darrell and I were in DC, we went to the top of the Washington Monument. There were letters on the ground to point to North, South, East, and West. I had to get a picture next to the S, just for my boys.

Salem's Samuel

Salem did the lesson for family home evening on Monday, it was about Samuel the Lamanite prophesying to the Nephites about the coming of the savior. He used his legos to build a wall, his pirate men were the Nephites, a village man was Nephi and an action figure was Samuel the Lamanite.

He did a good job and told us the story. He ended with bearing his testimony that the "iwall was really strong and that Heavenly Father protected Samuel the Lamanite." Later Oaklen and Salem played with the pieces for the activity.

Salem helped me make cinnamon bread for the treat.

Banana Boys

I have banana boys. We love bananas at our house and luckily our local Smith's sell red-band bananas. These are the bananas that are ripening so the store tapes them up to mark & sell them at a discount ($.29 a pound .)

We eat them a lot so when I see those bananas available I buy a bunch of bunches. :) Sometimes I freeze a few but most of the time they're consumed before they turn very bad.

I take the bananas home and I can't even get the kids to wait long enough for me to take a picture, thus the cute little hand in the bottom corner.
Then being the frugal self that I am, I save that great red tape! I carefully take it off the bananas and wrap it around a plastic spoon. We use that tape for art projects and whatever Salem wants it for. He loves to wrap up "presents" (various objects around the house) for Oaklen or Dad to open later that day.

Oaklen knows the sign language for banana and he is always saying banana and doing the sign to try to finagle another banana. I usually limit to two a day just so he can have variety in his diet!

Olive Oil

My boys and I went to institute yesterday morning and talked about Jacob Chapter 5; the allegory of the olive tree. We talked about how olive oil represents Jesus Christ. There were a few points that I had never thought of:

Olive oil is used in many different ways. Each still represents Christ.
Healing - Jesus Christ heals us
Anointing - Jesus Christ is the anointed one
Food & cooking - Through Jesus Christ's teachings we are spiritually fed
Light - Jesus Christ is the light, we seek him in darkness
Preservative - Jesus Christ preserves our lives, he keeps us safe
Polish - Jesus Christ refines us

Jesus Christ bled from every pore in the Garden of Gethsemane (Gethsemane means olive press.)

This Easter may we think about Him and all that he is, not was.

1.78 pages

I just got home from church. I listened to my friend Lyndsey give a talk about being prepared. She mentioned about the challenge that our bishop gave us to the read the Book of Mormon this year. We were a given a reading schedule so you could finish by the end of the year. My family and I have been reading (as always) so I'm grateful for that, but I do know that I probably could be a little better at reading since sometimes it's just a verse or two.

Lyndsey did the math and figured out that if you started the Book of Mormon today and read 1.78 pages each day, you'd finish by the end of the year. She mentioned that we spend maybe 1.78 page reading time on our blogs, watching TV, or doing other things. :) (The blog part really hit home to me, but I didn't feel guilty since there have been many blog ideas left untold because I didn't have time to write them.)

So I challenge you to pick up the Book of Mormon today and read at least 1.78 pages each day.

Successful Mothering Convention

I was in charge of a booth at the Successful Mothering Convention last Saturday. The Utah Breastfeeding Coalition sponsored a breastfeeding nook for nursing moms. I sat there for a few hours and gave out information about breastfeeding. I was able to listen to a couple different speakers, and also go look at the other booths.

I didn't stop at every booth, but there were a few noteworthy places, and I thought I'd type their web addresses, etc. for both my good as well as for you. Enjoy!

Utah Breastfeeding Coalition
(This was my booth, I'm the chairperson for the Promotions & Marketing Committee.)
www.utahbreastfeeding.org

Utah Birth Network
They're going to start screening The Business of Being Born at local libraries.
Parenting support groups
Bellycasting
www.utahbirth.net

Noodlesoup
Helping you build strong families
www.noodlesoup.com

Children's Service Society of Utah
Child Care Resource & Referral ~ Metro
Your child care connection
Free child care referrals online
www.css.utah.org

Learn with Shamu
There was a motivational speaker named Laura Surovik. Her topic was "The power of positive training techniques used to train Seaworld's famous killer whale, Shamu!"

Shamu's Life Balance HELPRS
H Husbandry & Rest
E Exercise
L Learning
P Play
R Relationship
S Shows
www.learnwithshamu.com

Morsels of Wisdom
There was a speaker named Vivian Cline. Her topic was "Morsels of Wisdom"
She spoke about a book called Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach, it has a little quote for each day.
She also talked about a book called The Ultimate Career by Daryl Hoole, the website is:
www.theartofhomemaking.com

Wasatch Woman
Magazine
http://www.wasatchwoman.com/

American Mother's Inc.
Stregthening the Moral and Spiritual Foundatoins of the Family and Home
www.americanmothers.org
www.amiutah.org

Utah Home Education Association
When it comes to education, there's no place like home.
www.uhea.org

The Lighted Candle Society
Awaken our fellow citizens to the ultimate dangers of pornography
www.lightedcandle.org
www.familyfragments.com
www.herstorylives.com

UCan
Utah Cancer Action Network
www.ucan.cc

Parents as Teachers
Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting practices
Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues
Prevent child abuse and neglect
Increase children's school readiness and school success
www.patnc.org

One World Everybody Eats
Fresh organic vegetarian and meat dishes
www.oneworldeverybodyeats.org

Just Between Friends
Children's consignment shop
You get 70% of the sale of your clothes & items
www.jbfsale.com

Utah All Kids Sale
Children's consignment shop
You get 70%-80% of the sale of your clothes & items
www.utahallkidssale.com

Yoga Monkeys
Yoga for little minds, bodies & hearts!
Mom & tot classes available
www.utahyogamonkeys.com

See abc's
Develops reading skills 2-10 times faster
www.seeabcs.com

ATI Grocery
This guy showed how he can get groceries for cheap, but I like pinchingyourpennies.com better. He said that you have to pay to get his info. LAME!
www.atigrocery.com/1

Internet Keep Safe Coalition
Protect your child from internet danger
www.ikeepsafe.org

Mom-ease
A non-profit making it wasy for families to live healthy, sustainable lifestyles
www.momease.info

Rollercoaster Hill

I take a mom & me institute class on Mondays up at the U of U. It's hosted at a nearby chapel on Sunnyside Avenue.

We get to go on rollercoaster hill as part of our route. It's the hill on 800 South between 1000 East and 1300 East, near East High school.

I have fond memories of my mom taking me on this same road and saying "pedal faster...pedal faster!" Now I say that to my boys and they get so excited. I look back at them as I'm driving up the hill and their eyes and mouths are open wide. It tickles their tummy if I go a little faster than the speed limit. :)

On the way home I get to go down the hill. This was a thrill for me also when driving home from the U everyday. It's better when it's late at night and there are no cars there to slow you down. I haven't gone too fast down the hill with the kids, the cars in front of me always brake. I'm glad because one time I saw a cop at the end of the hill.

One time when I went to the zoo for a field trip, the bus driver said "Okay kids, if you're good, I'll take you down roller coaster hill!" Well, we were good and that was the best bus ride I've ever had.

Do you vacuum your vacuum?

Today I got out the vacuum and had to take it apart to put the belt back on. It's hilarious to watch my kids when the vacuum is out.

Oaklen has loved it from day #1 and will sit there and stare at it until it's on, then when it's on he'll follow you wherever you go. Now that he's older he uses his fisher-price popcorn popper vacuum and "helps" out.

Salem usually sits on the couch and then runs and sits on the other couch to watch.

I got the drill to unscrew a couple screws on the vacuum and now I know how Darrell feels when the boys are always wanting to watch him do everything. They get such a thrill out of tools and especially power tools! :)

Oaklen - August 2007

The business of being born

Darrell and I went to tonight to see the documentary "The Business of Being Born." It was a great show! Ricki Lake is the executive producer and she takes you through how the United States is so backwards as far as birthing is concerned. Midwives only attend about 8% of the births in the United States, whereas it's higher than 50% in other countries. At the time of the film, the US was the 2nd worst in maternal death rate, since then we are the worst.

I challenge you to know the facts about birth and to make wise, informed decisions. What's preferred by the medical industry isn't necessarily best for the mom and baby. Some births need medical interventions but the majority of births don't. Birth is a rite of passage, it doesn't have to be a medical procedure.

http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

Zoo day

The last Wednesdays of the winter months (Nov - Mar) are free for the zoo. Marie Gentry and I went, it was pretty fun! It was attack of the strollers, I've never seen so many in my life! :) We got a few good pics, although afterward I realized that we didn't get any of Marie and I together!

Dylan & OaklenIsn't love cute? These monkeys are intertwined...

Salem in front of the big elephant

This big elephant is new to me, it's been years since I've been here

Oaklen loved the big cats

The giraffes were inside today

Okay...I had to take this mainly because Salem and Oaklen love the book "Everyone Poops"

THE END! :)

Most used small kitchen appliance

Guess... What is the most used small kitchen appliance at our house?

A coffee grinder!

We first got one as a wedding gift, only the words "coffee grinder" were scratched out on the box and "flaxseed grinder" was written with marker in it's place. I admit I didn't use it at first, it was stored away in a closet for a while.

After I had Salem I got it out and started using it to grind rice, millet, flax seeds, or beans for baby food. It's so great! This Bosch coffee grinder lasted 5 years then we finally had to replace it. I got a cheaper Toastmaster one but it's been just as good. These cost anywhere from $10 - $30 so they are quite affordable.

I use the grinder every morning to grind flax seeds to sprinkle on my hot cereal or cold cereal. I also use it to grind rice, wheat, oats, or millet for the hot cereal, or a coarse flour. You can use it to grind beans and make a quick bean dip, grind split peas to make peas porridge, grind garbanzo beans to make hummus. It's so fast and easy!

Okay, there's my commercial, now go out and buy one! :)

Happiness is... Part II

Here's another round of happy things. It's been a running list for a few weeks so now I'll finally post it.

Happiness is...
Finding the last "drive cart" at the grocery store
Watching my boys eat cheerios with a fork
Finding a lot of "red-band" bananas
When the grocery store actually owes you money after all the coupons & sales (yes it's legal.)
Being able to get up earlier in the morning to exercise
Empty laundry baskets and hampers
Listening to "Movin 100.7" (I gets me goin'!)
Hearing Salem pray...about his light saber!
Singing the good morning song to my kids
Playing "My father owns a grocery store..." with Salem
Watching Darrell speak or conduct a meeting at church

Heather's Hummus

Heather's Hummus

Ingredients:
1 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour*
3-1/3 cups Water
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Bring 3-1/3 cups water to boiling on medium heat. Whisk the garbanzo bean flour into the boiling water. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Turn heat down to medium low and continue cooking 5 minutes. Let cool.

Add the garlic, tahini, lemon juice and mix until smooth. Then add the cumin, salt, pepper and slowly pour the olive oil and mix thouroughly.

* NOTE - I grind my garbanzo beans in my grain mill, but you can buy bean flour too, or probably just use canned or cooked garbanzo beans.

Pottery day at Preschool

Salem attends the preschool at Highland High School. A few weeks ago, they got to visit different areas of the school like the library, the pottery & art room, the choral room, the dance room, etc.

Today he brought home a cool pottery mug. He made it when they visited the art & pottery room and then the teacher finished.

Salem is so proud of it! He wrote his own name on it, notice the backwards "S." Since then he has learned to turn the S around, but it'll be cute for him to look at it as he gets older.

Moony stories

There is going to be a lunar eclipse in Salt Lake tomorrow:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2691620

I was showing this news article to Oaklen & Salem and remembered a few stories about the moon.

1. About a year ago, Salem was contemplating and thinking about the word "sunny." Then he said to me "Mom, when the moon is out is it moony?"

2. My mom tended the kids at her house a month or two ago. It was time for bed and Grandma got Oaklen to fall asleep by holding him and letting him gaze out of the skylight looking at the moon. Ever since then he enjoys and recognizes the moon. He notices it sometimes even when I don't.

Isn't it great to have the fascination of a child?

3. My mom always used to sing a good morning song to me. I've passed it on and now sing it to my kids. It goes:
"Good morning merry sunshine,
How did you wake so soon?
You chased away the little stars
And shined away the moon!"

Except my mom would always make me say "moon" to make me wake up. I've done the same thing. Salem says moon but sometimes he says a silly word to finish like "pizza." This week Oaklen has finally "gotten it" and now says "moon" at the end of the song.

Home Improvement Weekend

We made the most of the long weekend and started redoing the "orange room." This is the last of the bedrooms that has been waiting to be changed.

Darrell is amazing! He got up bright and early on Saturday and Monday to work the WHOLE day. (And also went to The Home Depot 5 times.) Our boys were in utter delight to watch Dad use the cool power tools and see him build a new wall.

My job was to make sure Salem & Oaklen were safe. It was sometimes hard since they wanted to be in there with Daddy. They got their fair share of enjoying the construction. Here are some pics:

Newspaper hats

When was the last time that you made a newspaper hat? It's been so long for me that I had to google how to make a newspaper hat! Salem and I made them during "Mom & me" time while Oaklen was asleep.

We were grateful to get the Sunday comics from my brother, Cabot, to use for Salem's hat. I used an Albertson's ad.

Being a mom has brought me back to the fun childhood memories. I challenge you to see if you remember how to make a hat.