There is sunshine in my soul today

Today marks a new chapter in my life. It's amazing how the Lord works and his timing is impeccable. I was released today from my calling as Primary President. I didn't know that it was coming until this morning, 15 minutes before church started, but I feel that it's the right thing. My new calling is Ward Music Director. I'll be the one to choose the songs in sacrament meeting and arrange any possible musical numbers. This seems very doable! :)

A lady in my ward is a breast cancer survivor and she has a great attitude. As she was enduring this trial a year or two ago, she said "Well, either way I win." Today she walked into the church building, coming out of the cloudy & rainy day, carrying a yellow umbrella and wearing a smile. She always carries a little bit of sunshine around. Even though the day was dreary, she had the sunshine.

Today I left singing "There is sunshine in my soul today." I'm not sure if this is rejoicing from being released from the calling, viewing my friend's yellow umbrella & smile, or a testament that my new calling is meant to be. There will be a song in my heart for quite a while.

The next chapter begins...

Ezril's baby book

I created this baby book for Ezril through picaboo.com. It turned out well, take a look!

PS - I also made baby books for Salem and Oaklen a few years ago, more info here.

Look who's thirty

Today starts a new decade for me, I'm 30!

My 88-yr old friend gave me a birthday card that I'd like to share. It's interesting when you put it this way...

Thirty. When you think about it it's only three decades.
Three decades,
Seven Presidents,
Eight Olympic games
28 Volcanic eruptions,
87 Space missions,
203 Overthrown governments,
1712 Oscar nominations,
420,000 New miles of highway,
51 Million acres of cleared rainforest...
Anyway, Happy 30th!

Geez, I feel old! But I'm okay because I've had a lot of accomplishments along the way and hope to have many more.


"And many more..." (For those of you who get that joke.)

Morning thoughts

This morning Oaklen came into our room and the first thing uttered out of his mouth was "Mom, I dreamed about pasta last night." Then Salem came into the room and the first thing out of his mouth was "Mom, I'm planting the seed of education today."

You can get a glimpse of their personalities just by those sentences. :)


My morning thought: "Today is the last day in my 20's, what am I going to do?"

It's not September but...

"September days are crisp and cool, isn't it nice to be back in school?" (I said this phrase for a school program in 1st grade.)

Wait a second...it's not September, it's April; but I'm back in school! Today is the first day of school for me and Darrell! We are endeavoring to get our MBA's. We are extremely blessed to have this schooling paid for by Darrell's employer. (Our prayer from a couple of years ago has been answered, and then some.)

It's an online program so I won't have to leave to go to class but I'm going to be quite busy with homework. This is one of the reasons that Darrell gave me the laptop early.  I have been waiting to post a blog about school for a while but didn't want to count my chickens before they were hatched. Now, it's really true that I'm going to school and it's really exciting! :)

Student discount here we come!

White Christmas today

Merry Christmas! It's spring but it's nice to look outside and see the nice white, clean snow. It's a good reminder to remember the true events of today, for today is the real Christmas; Happy Birthday to Jesus Christ! April 6th.

Answer to the Quiz - what did I just do?

Okay, you're all really lazy or all stumped on the quiz that I posted last week. It wasn't supposed to be a hard math question, it wasn't even technically math!

The answer is...
I was helping Salem with his homework, on learning clocks and telling time. He asked me to draw a bunch of clocks on a paper without the time set so that he could figure out where the little hand goes and the big hand. I wrote a whole bunch of circles on a paper then wrote 12, 3, 6, 9 to get my numbers in the right place then filled in the rest of the numbers: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11.

Now that wasn't hard was it?

Naturally Green

Today in honor of St. Patrick's day, I challenge you to eat something green that you haven't tried, or haven't had in a long time. No, I don't mean green moldy food, or putting green food coloring in your comfort food. Try something that was meant to be green.

Here are some examples:
Broccoflower
Tomatillos
Asparagus
Spinach
Broccoli
Green Apples
Green Pears
Cucumbers
Peas
Spinach
Celery
Lettuce
Green onions
Green peppers
Green onions
Green olives
Basil
Parsley
Cilantro
Avocados
etc. etc. etc.

What was my choice? Broccoflower! I have never tried it. I have always gotten white cauliflower or broccoli. Today, I tried it. Was it good? Yes! It tasted pretty much like white cauliflower. This could be a colorful addition to salads or other dishes.

I was very tempted to try tomatillos. I've had them but have never purchased them or made anything with them. I found this recipe that I thought I might try. After reading the interview about my brother's hot dog stand and other taco stands, it made me want to try tomatillos. They weren't on sale so I'll have to get them later. :)

If you're squeamish about the green food, you can always disguise it, or blend it up. You could make herbed bread and it would be delicious!

Tonight I'll probably make "green pasta" as Oaklen calls it. We just had this Spinach Pesto pasta last week but I figure I should make again since it's St. Patrick's day and we have more spinach. Side dishes will include broccoflower, cucumber, celery, and more!

Happy green eating, I guarantee that you'll feel good.

Quiz - what did I just do?

Here's a quick quiz...

I just got done doing something and I want you to figure it out.

I wrote circles on a paper, then wrote these numbers in this order:
12, 3,6,9,1,2,4,5,7,8,10,11

Ezril's birthday review

Ezril's birthday has come and gone and below are a few pictures of his birthday.

In the morning we brought him downstairs and he got to see the fun birthday banners hung up. Then we put all our presents down on the floor for him to choose one. He scooted to the shiny gold wrapped one and he and his brothers enjoyed opening it. After breakfast we let him open two other presents, which were the two books his brothers gave him. Then after Salem got home from school he opened one more. Finally we had the family party that evening and he opened the rest of the presents. Thank you to everyone for coming!

He loves to play with balls. He throws them then scoots over to get them. He also loves to sit up high and throw them down, like down a step or down from the crib or bed. He giggles with excitement! I made his cake into the shape of a ball. When I brought the cake out, he was happy but when he actually got to get in to the cake, he wasn't so sure. He got upset (overstimulated) and ended up not eating his cake. Oh well. It was a big day.

Enjoy the picture collage. Click on it to view bigger pictures.

Red day

- This morning I got Ezril dressed in a hooded sweatshirt that is blue and mostly red.
- I got dressed this morning in a red sweater.
- Salem got dressed this morning in a red shirt.
- After Oaklen had his breakfast in his PJ's and played with his train and read a Clifford book, I convinced him to get dressed. I said "Oh you can look like Clifford today, do you want to?" and pulled out a red fleece shirt and red sweat pants.

Then I realized that we all were wearing red today. Does anyone else inadvertently dress their kids the same as them? This has happened on more than one occasion and I swear I never plan it.

My new baby

Now that Ezril is 1-yr old, I got a new baby...

Yeah! Darrell ordered this laptop for me for my birthday and it came today. He decided to surprise me with it today rather than wait 6 weeks. I'm very happy that he gave me the early birthday present. :) He was quite clever, I had no idea that it was coming. He told me not to be alarmed about a large purchase he made. He said that he ordered something from Dell for his friend at work so his friend could be secretive. Pretty tricky, I totally believed it!

I love it and I love him. Now I just need to set some rules so I'm not on the computer all the time. :)

Happy Birthday Ezril!

I can't believe it's already been a year since Ezril was born. What an amazing birth, you can re-read it here.

It's fun to be one!

E - Efficient. Ezril is small but his body is quite efficient.
Z - Zesty. Even though there are very few adjectives that start with z, Ezril really is zesty. (zesty - marked by spirited enjoyment.) He is well spirited and has a cute smile.
R - Random. I love Ezril's random smiles when you least expect them.
I - Interesting. Ezril is always interested in things. He has enjoyed reading books from day one.
L - Laugh. Ezril has such a cute laugh and when he gets in a funny mood he'll laugh for quite a while at some of our funny antics.

It's great to be 8

Today is our 8-year anniversary, Happy Anniversary Darrell!

We made it past our 7-yr itch and have now entered our crazy 8's. I consider ourselves newly weds but I guess I can't say that after 8 years and 3 kids. It's been fun! :)

Here are some goofy pictures of us taken 10 years ago. We had just gotten a webcam set up on my mom's computer and had to test it out. Our courtship was bliss...

Happy February

I have been known among my friends to wish people "Happy [Month]" when it's a new month. Today I got a phone call from my friend to wish me a Happy February! :) It was so nice and I'm glad I've trained her to say that. :)

January flew by very fast, so here is a quick update...enjoy all the pictures, click on them to view larger versions.

Salem - His two front teeth came out on New Year's day. One while he was sledding down the hill. He walked back to the top of the hill and said "Hey, my tooth is gone!" Then later that day he wiggled the other one out. He had to write a letter to the tooth fairy to explain the missing tooth but assured her/him that he indeed lost 2 teeth. (By the way, is the tooth fair male or female? I've always thought that the fairy was female, but the Santa Clause 2 movie states otherwise.) He went skiing for the first time and  had a good time. Thanks Uncle Cabot for taking him!

Oaklen - He is still as funny as ever. Every day is an adventure for him (and me.) He is back in his Bob the Builder phase and is calling me Wendy. His imagination is quite cute. He started primary in January and has enjoyed it. His teacher is great, and his primary president is awesome! :) He still is always in the fridge and pantry. I happened to be holding the camera to go take a pic of Ezril and found Oaklen under the table eating to his heart's content. :)

I made my mom's cake, and let Oaklen lick the frosting off the beaters, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ezril - I can't believe he's already 11 months old today and it's interesting to watch how different each kid is. Ezril still does not crawl, he scoots along as he sits and is content with that. He has learned this week how to open cabinet doors and is starting his curious phase. He likes to stand while leaning on chairs and couches. He's just starting to cruise. He like his mega saucer and jumper and loves to jump. He babbles and has said momma, dadda, and other various baby words/sounds. He went swimming for the first time and loved it. He loves the water and baths. I call him my "little boy blue" because of his small stature and beautiful blue eyes.

Darrell - Darrell's company changed office buildings and it's been great all around. It's closer to home, and there is an on-site gym he can use for free. The desks, cubicles and computer hardware is better and it's got a great view out the windows. Darrell continues to get up every morning and run. He's very healthy and happy and a great example to all of us. He still serves as 1st counselor in the bishopric and still finds time to enjoy his guitar, children, wife and home.

Heather - I'm trying to keep my patience and temper on an hourly basis. I am a complainer by nature and it's a challenge for me to just be content and happy. :) (Thanks for putting up with me Darrell and kids.) I have cut back on eating sugar and only had one small taste of my mom's birthday cake for the entire month of January. (Although this may be why I've been ornery. :) ) It's not really a new year's resolution but just a "holiday-detox." I plan to continue this and only have sweets on a very rare basis. (Special occasions happen too often in our family, I can't use that as an excuse.) I still serve as Primary President in our ward, am the treasurer of the Utah Breastfeeding Coalition, and am a member of the school community council and PTA.

Urban Pioneer

If you want to get a glimpse of what the pioneers had to deal with, lug your big garbage cans out to the street during a snow storm. Geez that was tough work! I'm glad though, that I had a nice warm snow parka & hood with thick gloves and boots. I wouldn't have survived back in the good ol' days...

Merry Christmas 2009

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! :)

Spice up your life with Oaklen

Apparently Oaklen thought the dinner that I made tonight needed a little more spice...

It's ironic because I bought this huge container of Mrs. Dash and then regretted purchasing such a large container, thinking that I wouldn't use it up fast enough.

After dinner Darrell and Salem went to work on the laundry room/back porch. I went upstairs with Oaklen & Ezril to do bath and bedtime routine. After the bedtime routine Oaklen said that he wanted to go finish his food from dinner. I said "okay" since I had to put Ezril to bed and Darrell and Salem were still downstairs.Well, Salem happened to come into the kitchen to find Oaklen with a bowl full of Mrs. Dash (would you like turkey pot pie with your Mrs. Dash?) Salem grabbed the bowl and showed it to Darrell. Darrell didn't know what it was at first, then realized what Oaklen had done. He snapped this picture of the boys and now I'm blogging about it. :)

Oh the joy, there is never a dull moment when you've got Oaklen around.

Smile, it increases your face value!

I hope these make you smile...

Happiness is...Volume 2 Part 3

Happiness is...
* Ezril wiggling his whole body with excitment when we sing him the good morning song
* Darrell constantly wanting to get things done
* Darrell never complaining
* Oaklen's hiding place
* Eating a banana every day
* Ezril's smile when you don't expect it
* Oaklen praying by himself
* Salem reading to Oaklen & Ezril
* Oaklen "reading" the scriptures by himself - "And Jacob came into the house and killed them."
* Salem being in a great program at his school
* The front porch being done before winter
* Ezril getting excited whenever we pick Salem up for school
* Family Home Evening when everyone is happy and participating
* Ezril loving bath time
* Salem putting a note on the door for Santa, already!
* Christmas music in the middle of November (yes, I'm one of "those" people)
* Darrell, Salem & Oaklen having a fun time at the Home Depot Kids Club
* Salem not the least bit scared to do his part this year for the Primary Sacrament Presentation
* Watching our neighborhood squirrel scurry across the trees in the front yard
* Oaklen being self sufficient in the bathroom (except when he uses way too much toilet paper)
* Playing Candyland
* Having a warm coat
* Driving a nice van and being able to afford the gasoline
* Oaklen say "Mommy...ya know what?..." (In the middle of the night, in the morning, all the time.)
* The fact that my 6 year old boy still likes and wants to snuggle with me
* Dinners not made by me - they always taste twice as good when someone else makes them
* My boys learning how to "play rough" (Oaklen is finally old and big enough to take on his brother.)
* My boys remembering to pray for certain people who need extra blessings that day
* Being able to multi-task while wearing the baby sling
* Darrell and Ezril's striking blue eyes

* The boys having more fun giving out treats on Halloween than actually going trick-or-treating

Here is a glimpse of our beautiful porch. I'll post more pictures of the porch later.

* Salem's stories he writes for homework and the pictures that go with them.

I love the "wow" face that I have in this drawing. I'm so impressed with him sweeping the floor.

* Oaklen's motor going when he enjoys what he's eating (which is almost always.) (See video below)

This is Oaklen a while ago, but he still makes his motor sound whenever he is enjoying what he's eating.