It's a Small World

The Definition of a Good Woman

2012-01-05T00:31:00.001-07:00

I had to share this pic I found in my archives of our trip to Mallorca, Spain. I couldn't stop laughing about the sign then. (I'm still laughing)

In case the image isn't big enough, it says:

WANTED

GOOD

WOMAN

Must Be Able To Clean,

Cook, Sew, Dig Worms

And Clean Fish

Must Have Boat

And Motor

PLEASE SEND PICTURE OF BOAT AND MOTOR

I definitely don't qualify as a good woman.

So Much to Say, So Much to Say, So Much to Say

2011-12-02T00:45:00.001-07:00

November came and went so fast. Here it is in a nutshell:

Glen survived a blood clot in his calf after breaking his ankle. I'm thankful it was discovered early and he's alive.

I have overcome my fear of needles by injecting Glen's medication twice daily in his stomach. I was green the first few times, but now I could be a home-care professional. Maybe I will finish that Medical Assisting degree.

Thanksgiving at our house was Friday instead of Thursday. (Funny how national holidays can change just like that when Dad is in the hospital, right?)

We shared our feast with my friend, Tahany and her kids. It thrilled me to know she experienced, and enjoyed, stuffing and gravy for the first time. I'm thankful to have a friend to share Thanksgiving with.

The wind has blown here for two days straight and all the beautiful leaves are stripped from our trees. Not to mention it gusts at night and keeps us awake. Fall was short and lacked color.

My parents cancelled their trip in November because we were so ill. I missed seeing them.

Kandy from Sandy (it's a great rhyme) made a last-minute trip to visit us in November and didn't just make my day, but my year. She also taught me recipes that require cases of butter. They were delicious!

Ethan is learning to play drums at school in Drum Circle. (no hippies or Rastafarians) He taps a beat on everything wherever we are. (car, kitchen table, you get the picture) It's so exciting to see him embracing an important part of music. No drum set at home yet.

Both boys are losing teeth right and left. (and in front for that matter!) Thankfully, there was no punching involved, because I explained the tooth fairy doesn't reward teeth lost in fights.

Emma is in all-day Kindergarten and her lack of presence is felt. I don't like the quiet noises (oxymoron) in my house during the day. Our daily separation hasn't affected our relationship, though. She told me tonight, "Mom, you are the best Mom ever. I love you." I had tears in my eyes because she must have known I needed that today. I'm thankful for the children God blessed me with.

Our family has endured record sicknesses in our household every other week for 3 months straight. No flu, (so glad we had the flu shots) but anything else that doesn't require a doctor visit, however is inconvenient and uncomfortable!

I have started attending a LDS Zumba class (not an oxymoron) with a friend from Mexico who can really dance! One day I will be able to keep up with the footwork. Let's just say it's an exercise in body awareness, self-consciousness, acceptance, and being carefree.

Tomorrow Glen swears an oath to become an official U.S. citizen. The kids are coming too. I promise pictures. I continue to randomly break out in song "And he's proud to be an American, where at least he knows he's free!" So far he hasn't joined in singing with me.

I'm thankful for you, my family & friends too! Love to you all!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-04T00:43:00.002-06:00

Eager to go!

King Tut

Darth Vader

Alice in Wonderland

PC / MAC?

2011-10-21T22:20:00.002-06:00

I've had it. We are always waiting on our computer to process... The "dinosaur" is slower than well, the slowest dinosaur! Now we are taking action, but we need your help with the great debate: PC / MAC? ...leave your comment!

To comment, or not to comment?

2011-10-10T10:37:00.003-06:00

There is no question. Comment on my posts. It is more fun for all of us when you do. Love you!

Family Reunion

2011-10-10T10:35:00.000-06:00

My mom pulled us all together for a family reunion that centered around an extended family picture. It was shocking to see how much we've all grown and watching our children play the same games I swear we were just playing (okay, but 25+ years ago) at our Grandpa&Grandma's. (minus the Xbox and Nintendo, of course) I'm glad we got to see each other. What a fun time!

Ethan took some pictures of us on picture day. (also 1 I took that he's in!)

"handsome" and I

our little wriggly worm moved in every picture!

"my boys"

my parents and sisters and I

Garbage Day

2011-07-25T01:14:00.002-06:00

(Matthew's explanation when I found him in the garbage can... "I do this to get the trash bag to stick on the sides of the garbage, Mom!" He was so proud of his cool idea. I told him to stay there while I dashed for the camera. I'm impressed he could get in and out by himself!)

Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime? 2011

2011-07-20T18:19:00.005-06:00

We do 300-page workbooks, chores, educational and service activities at Red Rock Canyon, the library and the Children's Museum. No "summer slide" in the Smallman household!

We also... swim, hike, walk, bike, read, and watch movies together. (in case you're worried I'm a drill sergeant!)

Until, Ethan broke his foot. Fortunately, it was a small break and didn't require a cast. Unfortunately, he was instructed not to wear closed-toe shoes and to stay off it as much as possible. We're almost done with the 3-week sentence from the orthopedic surgeon and cannot wait to return to our active lifestyle.

Matthew has been our comic relief and kind enough to help Ethan. Emma has been giving him lots of hugs to cheer him up. How cute!

I found the best activity (besides T.V.) for the 8 year old with the broken foot: a 620-piece 3D puzzle! He had it completed in just over a week. What now?!

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T23:22:00.003-06:00

Happy Earth Day!

Admittedly, we didn't plant a tree. But we plan to tomorrow...

We went to Zion national Park yesterday. (a short day trip from LV, so no camping required) Hiking, hiking and more hiking with the promise I gave the children that they would see something GRAND! Ethan argued that the Grand Canyon is bigger. He hasn't even seen it, but it must be massive in his mind, because he was awestruck with the size of Zion's mountains.

My favorite was our last hike of the day, The Canyon Overlook Trail, which we finished just in time to watch the sunset and head back down before it was too dark. It's varied landscape kept our attention, not to mention the adrenaline-pumping steep drops along the way. We safely positioned in front of a rock for a picture.

My cute kids picked up litter in at Zion National Park. I'm so proud of their efforts.

Glen went green well before Earth Day. Recently, he changed all the lightbulbs in the house to energy efficient bulbs. Those spiral bulbs are definately not a decor statement, but they're using less energy. And supposedly only have to be changed every 7 years. We'll see...

I came across this website today. What a nifty idea with a huge impact. www.cleantheworld.org It's easy to donate soap, so do it.

Red Rock Canyon

2011-04-19T11:03:00.005-06:00

The children and I celebrated the first day of Spring Break with a scavenger hunt in Red Rock Canyon hosted at the visitors center. They had to find all the bronze statues of animals hidden in the Discovery Area. Boring, right? Not really... they hid many of them and Ethan was so loud when he found one you would think we had won the lottery! The kids each earned a pin to wear, then we headed out for a fun hike to find Pine Canyon Creek. (Yes, there is water in the desert!) About 200 ft in, we found a shady spot to rest under some pines where the sand meets the water. Emma was busy mixing sand and water to make primitive sand castles while the boys counted innumerous frog eggs and caught frogs in the shallow pond. I enjoyed the peace and quiet of watching them create and explore independently. It was only 80 degrees and lovely.

We ran into quite a bit of wildlife, this time not bronzed:

A Ladybug that was kind enough to crawl across all our hands without flying away

A Wild Burro that met us on the trail and kindly moved off so we could pass

The few Chorus Frogs Matthew wanted to, but didn't, take home

An evasive Painted Lady Butterfly that stayed by for only a moment

A teasing Side Blotched Lizard that hid when the boys tried to catch it, then came out to show us he was still there

A huge Tarantula...

A Scorpion almost as big as the Tarantula...

(Thankfully, the last 2 were behind glass at the visitor's center! Eesh. )

The funniest part of the day was on the return from the hike. Matthew was leading the group. I stopped to pick up Emma and turned when I heard Matthew scream at the top of his lungs. A big dog had come around the corner on the trail and stopped in front of Matthew, who is terrified of dogs. The dog looked curious and kind, and wasn't growling. The dog stared for a minute, then turned around and ran away from us. I laughed off our shock and told Matthew he probably scared the dog more than the dog scared him! Minutes later, we met the owner who had a good laugh with us about the whole thing.

Next time you visit us in Spring, Fall, or Winter we would love to take you into Red Rock Canyon!

Multi-tasking

2011-04-15T23:46:00.002-06:00

At the grocery store today, Emma had to "go," and while we were in the ladies' toilets, the woman in the stall next to us (doing her bathroom business) started talking "Joe, you can return the jacket that I bought if you won't wear it. Keep your shoes, you need something comfortable to wear to work. Please don't return my shoes, because I plan to keep them. Okay, talk to you soon. Bye Joe." We then heard the close of a phone. Emma quietly said, "Mom, what was that noise?" Umm... a woman confused about the term multi-tasking?

Wish you were here! Well, no, actually, we don't!

2011-04-10T21:26:00.012-06:00

Glen and I had to most amazing trip to the Bahamas where he received a Top Branch Manager Award from his employer. We stayed at the infamous Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, Nassau.

Since Mrs. Doubtfire never turned up, (anyone know how to contact Mary Poppins?) we arranged for our each of our kids to stay with different families in our new ward. I'm so fortunate to have a supportive community in our new area!

I promised not to spend my vacation worrying about the kids. (The stressed questions in my head... will they be comfortable at their first sleepovers, various playdates, did they get to school ok, what if they don't like the food, what if they get ill, will Matthew survive the kids in the dreaded after-school program? etc) They were fine, and surprisingly so was I. Which gave Glen and I time to:

*Deep Sea Fish for Mahi Mahi

*Dress up fancy for beautiful evening receptions, dinners and galas

*Stay up late eating all sorts of delights

*Learn to be laid-back like a local Bahamian

*Swim with Dolphins (More pictures to follow, when we get them developed from our waterproof camera)

*Have our cake and eat it too (3 desserts a piece each night!)

*Evening walks at the beach and resort

*Sleep in (no room service today, please.)

*And other unmentionables, but if you know Glen, I don't need to mention them. ;)

I'm shamlessly bragging since it was the trip Glen deserved after a tough year of many changes in which he proved his work ethic and dedication. I'm so proud of him. I'm already planning for next year's trip...

So You Think You Can Dance

2011-03-17T22:24:00.006-06:00

Last weekend, Glen invited his branch over for game night. We treated his co-workers to some good old fashioned English Nosh. Chips & Curry with Sausage Rolls. They were a huge hit. To burn off the calories, we danced the night away to the wii. The boys absolutely loved it so much, that they climbed up on the shelf to dance! (Besides, the adults were hogging all the floorspace) Glad the retro mirrors are good for something!

Sitter Needed

2011-02-24T20:33:00.008-07:00

WANTED: One sitter for 4 days at the latter end of March. (while Glen and I are in the Bahamas where he is receiving an award from his employer for being one of the top bank branches in the nation!)

Will need to:

care for 3 amazing children

cook (cereal, pb&j and mac n'cheese)

do dishes

play with Emma

read books

drive kids to and from school

laundry and housecleaning optional

We will provide:

financing to Las Vegas (fly/gas $)

babysitter to assist at bedtime

comfortable bed in master suite

private bath suite

free cable and internet access

pool and spa facilities on site

Please contact us by phone or email.

Schedule

2011-02-15T14:28:00.002-07:00

Matthew is learning about time and schedules in his 1st grade class. He showed me one he created for himself in his diary:

at 3:33 woch penguins of madagascar

at 10:15 run arond like a hedlis chicin

I love that kid. He always has a joke up his sleeve! Here's a picture of him making us laugh in Disneyland.

Ethan's baptism

2011-02-14T23:04:00.008-07:00

Between Disneyland and Valentine's Day was Ethan's baptism. We all loved it. Ethan is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! The best part for him was the next day when the Bishop invited him to sit on the stand during the entire sacrament meeting. He felt very important. Thanks for all the support from our family and friends who made it a special day!

All you need is

2011-02-14T23:04:00.007-07:00

(to go see Beatles) LOVE. By Cirque de Soleil. My husband and I did this weekend and it was amazing. It was the perfect Valentine from mine. And the Beatles were right. All you need is love. Glen still shouldn't get naps without me, (see earlier post) but I love him and am thrilled we are together here and hereafter! Happy Valentine's Day!

I HAVE to go to the Happiest Place on Earth?

2011-01-30T01:50:00.010-07:00

Recently, we told the kids a surprise: Tomorrow we're going to Disneyland for Ethan's birthday!

And... nothing.

No jumps, no shouts, no hugs, no thank you, oh, thank you's.

I wonder if I should have used jazz hands and confetti to announce the big news?

Ethan said, "Oh. (pause) I really wanted to open a present on my birthday."

Matthew was quiet.

Then Emma shouted, "I get to see Jack Sparrow!"

On the drive, Ethan was concerned because he didn't want to miss school and work.

(At this point, I'm wasn't sure who these children were...)

Once in California, it was all fun and photos at the Happiest Place on Earth. Enclosed are a few.

Busted

2011-01-30T01:30:00.003-07:00

I love that Ethan and Matthew can use the camera. They have such a unique view of the world that their pictures reflect. Matthew got ahold of the camera a few days ago and here is what I found when I downloaded them. Pictures of Glen snoozing on the couch. I should probably title it "My sweet husband taking a rest." I prefer "Glen is busted getting a nap in without me." Hey, we're a partnership, right? Life isn't fair... (but M's self-portrait is darling)

The Cone of Shame

2011-01-23T23:25:00.005-07:00

Matthew's Statement of the Week:

We stopped at the mailbox the other day and Matthew suddenly yelled out, "LOOK! THAT DOG IS WEARING THE CONE OF SHAME!" We saw the poor dog across the street who indeed was wearing a cone, which thanks to the movie UP, Matthew thinks is a bad thing. Naughty dog. He must've done something really bad.

Glen and I are still in stitches about it, and think it will rival my infamous childhood statement that killing buffalo for the buffalo wings is serious animal cruelty!

Too much of a good thing!

2010-12-30T23:47:00.004-07:00

No, we're not talking about Matthew's candy addiction, (although it's reaching frightening levels now) we're talking about lemons. 240 of them. Here are some of them taking over my kitchen counter. Remember my Beauty in the Desert post about the pretty lemon tree outside my kitchen window? Well, that lovely tree gave me more lemons than I will ever need for lemonade, lemon-herbed chicken, lemon curd and lemon meringue! I've juiced and frozen into cubes 40 of them that I picked before this group. Now what?

Santa's Return Program

2010-12-30T23:35:00.007-07:00

Happy Christmas to all! And to all a good ... return line? ...

I wish Santa could get his kids straight. This year, he delivered 2 beautiful black and white bikes (don't ask me how he got them down the chimney without scratches) to Ethan and Matthew that were TOO BIG. What happened up there at the North Pole? Don't they keep measurements on kids? How embarrassing for that poor elf who will have to be fired. At least Santa provides all good parents (yes, they can be on the NICE LIST too!) with a return and exchange program at their local store. Thanks, big guy. Now, can you do something about those long return lines?

At least he came through for Emma with the perfect kitchen and accessories to make the best plastic food you've ever tasted. (Which, ironically, provided some entertainment while Dad spent 5 hours on one of his days off going from store to store to find the right bikes.)

Dad was right... we all should have asked Santa for a Wii! Maybe next year...

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-04T00:07:00.003-06:00

My kids said "This was the BEST Halloween ever!" Who needs Trick-or-Treating on a Sunday? (Because I did burst that bubble for them) Nah... you can have the best holiday ever by going to a local Trunk-or-Treat on a weeknight, carving a pumpkin with a group of 1st graders during school, playing countless rounds of Boo! Who!, (the funniest board game ever. Thanks Grandma Orton!) watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and inviting the missionaries over for dinner and cookie decorating. All that is definitely worth more than doorbell knocking and candy!

(Except for all those parents - you know who you are - who dive into the chocolate stash after the kids go to bed. You'll have to buy your own case of candy bars from Costco to make up for the lack of choc!)

The Twenty-Dollar-Wonder

2010-09-09T22:53:00.005-06:00

Please meet the Twenty-Dollar-Wonder. Also known as the CHEAP cell phone (Twenty dollars to be exact) I've been using ever since my slick slide phone broke. It looked like a toy, and if I'm honest, it didn't text easily or get reception many (OK, practically any) places. But it could handle repeated drops! I lost it this week. I've never been so sad to lose such a cheap piece of technology before. I have ALL my contacts on it, without storing them elsewhere. So, along with losing my phone I may have lost my family and friends too! So, while I am arranging for a new one, I have no cell phone. Oh, and if you're reading this, please email me your phone number. I don't have it anymore. :( Maybe I'll keep my contacts in a good old address book from now on...

Hooray!

2010-09-05T16:13:00.004-06:00

I've been singing Billy Madison's Back to School song all week:

Back to School!

To prove to Dad that I'm no fool!

I have my lunch packed up,

my boots tied tight,

I hope I don't get in a fight...

Oh! Back to School!

Here are the boys before their first day of school. Both terribly excited to be going back after a long boring summer with me. I must be old if my kids think school is more fun than me!

Ethan bravely faced his fears at a new school head-on. He walked across the field to his class line without us and waited for the bell with a serious look on his face. He may have been nervous, but didn't show it. He told me he was determined to make 3 new friends everyday and I'm sure he meant business!

(Check out all those parents swarming the school on the first day! It was packed with people.)

Matthew cautiously approached his first day. He had already met his teacher and seen his classroom, but asked everyday during his first week if 1. Could he stay home? and when the answer to that was no, 2. Could we come to class with him? I plan on volunteering asap! He has been drawing closer to us since we moved here. However, he is adjusting well to 1st grade and says "I mostly like school but it has too many rules."
(Welcome to life, kid.)

And then there is Emma. She and I are happily sunning the days away enjoying a bit of peace and quiet. In short, Emma is being spoiled with attention from me during school time. Lucky for us, Glen's cousin is in town with us and the 3 of us are loving the girl time.

Beauty in the desert is

2010-08-19T11:52:00.005-06:00

1. The lemon tree outside my kitchen window. It is a cheery reminder of good things to come. I anticipate the day when I find them ripened to a yellow color. 2. The little shrubs near my front door. I have been coaxing them with water for weeks hoping to see them blossom, and I had given up on the thought, until I woke up to these purple blossoms today. They are radiant. They even attracted honey bees! (How nice to find a sweet little insect here that I don't want to kill)

Oh What Do You Do In The Summertime?

2010-07-29T23:28:00.007-06:00

Well, when it's 115 degrees outside, you do this:

(Charge your little sister a plastic nickel to attend you and your brother's puppet show)

When it's not, you do this:

(Sun and swim at the beach! I'm missing the best picture... Matthew completely buried in sand up to his neck! Ha! Ha!)

Whatever you do, it's more fun with family and friends. Thanks to our friends Nate, Kandy, Dallynn and Connelly, our first houseguests. It was a fabulously fun for one weekend!

Missing You

2010-07-16T16:19:00.004-06:00

So, Glen and I decided not to make our trip to see family and friends in UT. How sad. We are missing you all! We appreciate the snail mail, email and calls from you. How delighted we are to receive them! Today I explained to my kids, "No trip." To redeem myself to them (and cheer myself up) I made Ellie Krieger's Triple Chocolate Cookies. Chocolate makes everything better! If I could figure a way to successfully ship them to you through the current Nevada heat wave, I would send them to everyone right now. But I have no resources like that. So I am giving you this recipe hoping we can both enjoy them. (separately) And I promise they're not difficult to make. Promise!

Triple Chocolate Coo0kies, 2005, by Ellie Krieger, Food Network

1/4 c butter, softened (takes me 5 minutes on the counter in LV, you 20 minutes in SLC)

1/2 c dark brown sugar

1/4 c granulated sugar

1/4 c canola oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c whole-wheat pastry flour

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)

1/4 tsp salt, optional (use it, it's so much better with)

1/3 c coarsely chopped dark chocolate (2 ounces, or 8 little dark Dove promises)

1/3 c coarsely chopped milk chocolate (2 ounces, or milk choc chips)

(2/3 c chopped pecans, optional, and I don't recommend them)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash together the butter and sugars with a fork until well combined. (no fancy-schmancy mixer needed here!) Add the oil and egg and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk (yes, whisk) together the flours, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and the pecans and mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Enjoy eating them and know we're missing you! (Photo: Matthew as a baby)

Please stop touching the produce!

2010-07-03T00:23:00.004-06:00

I was in the grocery store this evening. As I excused myself past a woman to reach for a plastic bag, (it will ultimately ruin my local landfill, but that's another post for another day...) I noticed her long nails. 5 inches - at least - of hard, yellow-gray. I tried hard not to stare, but she was shucking ears of corn with her nasty nails to see if it (the corn) was high enough quality to buy. I'm pretty sure that the E coli and salmonella crawling under her nails were more of a concern to me than if her corn had a caterpillar in it! Please stop touching the produce!

He's a goner!

2010-06-08T00:42:00.003-06:00

I feel very welcomed by my new community. They like to hang around my doors to say hello when I take the trash out at night, and try to keep me company when I'm finding that inevitable missing box in the garage. One even gave up his life in my laundry room when he tried to pass the pesticide barrier. (Poor Fred) I'm talking about the native insect community. Cockroaches.

Prior to moving, I've only seen them at the zoo. Behind glass. Contained. Now they're crawling around my yard and garage. They're not welcome. So tonight Glen introduced me to two new ones he met in the garage and while he stood there looking at them, (Really, Glen?) I sent the whole roach community a message to get out. I picked up the nearest thing (Glen's gas can for the mower) and crushed one of them. The other roach ran like hell. I didn't even get to ask him if he felt lucky. That's right. Run before I find another object to kill you with.

On a happy note, I'd like to thank my friend Kandy for her incredible pesticide spraying skills. Not one cockroach has broken the barrier she sprayed and made it in my house! Maybe I'll thank Glen after he sprays the barrier next month. Or kills a bug instead of looking at it...

Limbo!

2010-06-01T17:13:00.004-06:00

We are in limbo! All our "stuff" is in Las Vegas. We are staying with family and friends this week while the boys finish their last week of school.

Shortly I will be sending all you wonderful family and friends our updated address and phone from our new home!

Love you all!

The Smallmans

Home Sweet Home

2010-04-23T07:35:00.000-06:00

It's our last week in our Sandy, UT home and I'm getting sentimental.

I'm sad to leave because:

1. I've been in love with the valley and mountain views from my house since the first time I came here.

2. Matthew and Emma were born here.

3. Glen put his sweat and blood into replacing EVERYTHING in this house (yes, even the kitchen sink!).

4. I love my garden areas in this yard. (finally finished most of it!)

5. I feel loved and comfortable in the community of friends and neighbors here. (the reason I cry every 3 days about moving from here)

All I can say about why were moving is: inspiration. Glen and I feel it's right to move although none of it makes practical sense.

It's feeling less like home as everything goes into boxes and we sell the things that we can't take with us. (i.e. the swingset)

Here are pictures of our kids having one last early morning play with it before it was dismantled and sold!

(Note Emma's

shoes: she put

them on herself,

on the wrong

feet!)

Our temporary home will be around the corner for a few months while the kids finish school and Glen waits for a transfer.

Our Home Sweet Home in Las Vegas, NV. (The kids still aren't sure that the pool makes up for leaving their swingset.)

I'm confident that there are great experiences in store for us in our new place!

For Sale!

2010-03-09T23:28:00.007-07:00

House for sale. Love the house, love the yard, love the valley view, love the location, love the neighbors and friends, love the church, love the schools. Feel inspired to move to LV, NV anyway. House for sale.

Sick, on 2 levels!

2010-01-17T21:52:00.006-07:00

I hate it when my kids get sick. Matthew has had a horrible cough and high fever this week. After keeping him home from school for a few days and it only getting worse, he finally said one afternoon, "I need to see Dr. Witt NOW!" When do kids ask to see the doctor? Does that ever happen? I did catch this pic of him in a cozy spot on the rug under the table. He looks so sad to be sick.

I found Emma in the kitchen this week making toddler hors d'oeuvres: Cheerios with a light spread of Smart Balance in the middle. I once caught my nephew Michael eating a stick of butter and thought it was hilarious. I'm so sorry for laughing then. It's truly sick!

Happy Christmas!

2010-01-04T09:48:00.010-07:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. Most of our time was spent at home together with movies, games, baking and eating treats. We kept our tradition of seeing the lights at Temple Square on Christmas Eve, and although we've been going for 8 or 9 years, we have never taken pictures. This year Emma was so happy with the lights and huge nativity that she was crying and screaming "Baby Jesus!" as we left. Cute, and embarassing!

Ethan's Matchbox build-a-pirate-ship was his favorite gift.

Matthew's fav gift was his batmobile, batcopter and "bad guy" set.

Emma loved her princess dress ups.

Uncle Richard, Auntie Julie, Meg & Bleddyn gave Ethan and Matthew Nerf ball guns. All of us got in on the combat fun! Emma got a Cinderella barbie, but I don't have a picture of it...

Nana & Grandad sent matching Man Utd sweatshirts for Glen, Ethan & Matthew, a talking, dancing Dora doll for Emma and darling yoga clothes for me.

We ate a big Christmas turkey and trifle for dessert! YUM!

Happy Christmas!

Ahoy Thar Mateys!

2010-01-03T22:26:00.004-07:00

Ethan's 7th birthday is coming up and he wants a pirate party. In January. With snow outside. Which means a bunch of kids inside. Glen suggested inviting Ethan's friends over for pizza and to watch Pirates of the Caribbean! I'm worried their mothers wouldn't appreciate that. Any help/suggestions are appreciated!!!

(Aren't Ethan and Emma on their makeshift teeter-totter pirate ship cute?)

Nana's sweaters

2009-12-13T21:12:00.003-07:00

"Oooh!" Check out this

darling sweater-dress

Glen's Mum (Nana Smallman)

knitted for Emma.

We're so lucky Nana

takes the time to make such

beautiful things for the kids.

We were probably supposed

to save it for Christmas,

but we couldn't wait!

Neener, neener, neener!

2009-11-19T10:39:00.004-07:00

To all the New Moon fans out there:

"Neener, neener, neener!"

(Me at the Jordan Commons Wed night at the employee screening. No, I don't work there... It pays to have a friend who works at the theater so you can see it before the general public.)

It is better than the first by a long shot: special effects, make-up, script, direction, scenery. And only one horribly cheesy scene. There was enough action to keep the men happy, and enough tension for the women. My fav was the Italy scenes. And Dakota Fanning. She's fabulously creepy. Can't wait to see it again.

To say or NOT to say?

2009-11-19T10:28:00.004-07:00

There are some things in life that should NOT be said. For example, if you're the father of the bride speaking at her wedding dinner, please do not go into detail about how hard she was to raise and how she never loved you. Weddings are for love and joy. Not group counseling. I think there are a list of positive things somewhere on the internet you could say to a bride on her wedding day. ("You are beautiful." "I'm happy to be here." "Congratulations!") My girlfriends and I almost staged a take over of the microphone.

In rebuttal to the father of the bride (who will hopefully never see my blog) and with love to my fantastic girlfriend who was married last Saturday: "You are beautiful, intelligent, witty, sophisticated, accomplished, artistic, true, creative and fun. You have been and still are a great friend. WE LOVE YOU! Thank you for sharing this time with all of us. We wish you and your husband a wonderful future together."

My husband is where?

2009-11-19T10:17:00.003-07:00

My husband has the geneology bug. Bad. This is where I find him every night, and during the 3 days he had off of work last week. The new Family Search site is incredible! He's already found ancestors back to the 1600's. (Hoping to find royalty... hee hee)

Emma's new do!

2009-11-03T14:54:00.004-07:00

This new do is thanks to an adventurous older brother who gave her a haircut himself. His defense: "I just wanted to know what it was like to cut hair." I promptly hid all my scissors and took her to Cookie Cutters to fix it and ended up with this. She's still darling though.

New do

2009-08-22T21:34:00.006-06:00

Every year or two I get an itch to change my hair. Dramatically. Oh yes I did. It only took one flyer from Ulta, 3 months of indecision and one super hairstylist. (Thanks Taci!) I love it. I'll love it even more when I have the gigantic brush required to style it. (that's coming next week) Ethan and Matthew said "You don't look like Mommy!" and Glen said "You look 18 again." (Not sure if that's a compliment?) I still love it though. Itch satisfied.

Heaven & Hell

2009-08-01T13:47:00.005-06:00

No, this is not a blog about Emma & Matthew. This is Glen & I am taking over Triscia's blog while she is out. I figured that I would let the world know that I finally managed to ride my bike to the top of big cottonwood canyon today.

The hell was the 14.5 miles to the top. There was an elevation change of over 3,700 ft reaching 8,700 ft above sea level.

The Heaven was the ride down. reaching speeds over 40 mph I even managed to pass a car. My scary part of the ride came when my headphones came out and wrapped in my back wheel. Thankfully, the prayer that I said before my ride paid off. All in all, not a bad ride, over 1800 cal burned and as Triscia always says " Now I can eat whatever the Hell I like"

Lets see how long Trish keeps this post!
(EDIT BY TRISH: Yes I kept this post long enough. Now on to one about me! :) But I had to edit this one to give PROPS to my MOM for the NICE PIC OF GLEN with his bike she took in her backyard! Thanks MOM!)

Happy Pioneer Day!

2009-07-25T22:22:00.004-06:00

We celebrated our Pioneer Day by hiking Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The historical marker there states that Brigham Young and some of the saints camped there on July 23-24, 1857 on the first statewide Pioneer Day celebration.

Here are a few pictures of the fun: Emma on my back, the boys getting along, (for once!) a natural rock wall discovered and conquered, Matthew's owee, handsome Glen and the scenery.

The Utah Symphony

2009-07-17T22:04:00.003-06:00

I love classical music! Luckily, Ethan does too and has accompanied me to concerts since he was 4. This week we went to see The Utah Symphony's free concert at the Sandy Amphitheater.

It was a fantastic program sampling many types of music: waltz, polka, march, jazz, etc. The conductor was very interactive with the audience. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to give classical music a try! (and bring kids to a family friendly classical concert... those are rare)

We sat on the lawn, snuggled on a blanket and shared chocolate. I loved it!

Ethan's favorite was the popping sound repeated during the Champagne Polka by Strauss and the sunset.

My favorite was the wacky Concerto for Cell Phone by Stephenson. (hilarious live!)

We both anticipated the playing of our favorite "Hoe Down" from Rodeo by Copland that was played second to last.

Ethan's Statement of the Week

2009-07-13T21:56:00.003-06:00

Last Friday we celebrated my Grandma Miller's 74 birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma! I'm so happy she's my Grandma. She has accomplished so much in her life and has guided me through difficult times in my life. So Ethan looked at the candles on her cake and said to everyone, "74. I think she's going to die soon." (Gasp! Followed by a whole lot of laughter) Hope not 'cause I love my Grandma!

RAGNAR #2

2009-07-03T10:47:00.007-06:00

Van 1 departing for Logan: me, my Mom, JoAnn and Mike, Andrea, Shawnie, and Janice, our volunteer for the race. LOVE THEM ALL!

(I don't have pics of the other half of our team/Van 2 yet)

1 race of 187.9 miles from Logan to Park City + 2 vans of 6 runners = the most extreme 2 days of my life!

Team Generation Gap finished in 34 hours!

I never considered myself an extreme athlete. I definitely qualify now. I ran 3 times in 34 hours: leg 1 was 6.9 miles downhill around noon, leg 2 was 8.1 miles uphill around 10 pm and my last was 3.1 miles flat around 11 am. I lived in a van, ate out of a cooler for 2 days, skipped a few showers, ran on a dark road during the night with only a headlamp and a couple glowsticks lighting my way, slept in a field on a tarp, and stood in the wind and rain waiting for my team to finish. Summed up it was the craziest thing I've done in my life and I would do it again!

I had great bonding time with my Mom. Lucky me! (She and I had to have a picture of the "Honey Buckets")

RAGNAR Relay

2009-05-27T21:54:00.006-06:00

Wish Team Generation Gap luck!

Matthew's statement of the week

2009-05-21T00:37:00.003-06:00

(After coming home from a friend's house)

"They asked me if I was sick and I said it was just allergies, but it isn't!"

(He does have a residual cough from a nasty cold/flu something or other, but isn't contagious.)

Our Las Vegas & Disneyland Family Trip!

2009-05-11T00:56:00.003-06:00

Quality Assurance

2009-04-23T22:03:00.002-06:00

Here's a little tidbit about me. I hate Walmart. HATE. I can't think of a good experience in the store ever, and I've given it plenty of opportunities to redeem itself.

So, I found myself there to buy balloons because my friend mentioned Walmart fills them for 15 cents each (package of 20 for $2.98). In January I paid 50 cents a piece for Ethan's birthday balloons. (scandalous!) I needed balloons for a Relief Society activity and since this was the church's money, I went cheap.

While there I grabbed a gift for Matthew's classmate's birthday the next day. That's where I went wrong. I should have known better. We picked out a lovely bubble blowing machine "made exclusively for Walmart" and a huge container of bubbles. Tape some batteries to it, wrap it and we were ready for the party. I stayed to help the party Mom and when the birthday boy opened his gift he wanted to use it right away. Oh yea! So we popped batteries in, (10 preschoolers anxiously awaiting) and nothing. NOTHING. The stupid thing didn't work. Walmart did it again, but this time they threw in the disappointment of 10 preschoolers and the embarrasment of one Mom.

In the words of Nemo: "Curse you Aquascum! (Walmart!)"

Photos?

2009-04-23T21:40:00.003-06:00

Hello all! Any suggestions of how to do photo collages/slide shows easily that I can put into my blog? We just got back from Disneyland and I have some real winner pictures to show you all!

How to pick the perfect strawberry...

2009-04-10T22:03:00.003-06:00

How to pick the perfect strawberry from a 4 lb box:

Step 1: Wait until everyone is out of the kitchen and otherwise occupied

Step 2: Dump the whole thing on the floor. You'll have better view of all of them, even the juicy ones they hide at the bottom.

Step 3: Select your strawberry and eat fast before someone comes running!

Matthew's and Ethan's statement of the week!

2009-04-08T23:14:00.004-06:00

While driving to Grandma's today, we were at a red stoplight with a billboard next to it. Matthew piped up from the back seat: "Hey! It's the money guy!" (We all looked up) Ethan: "Yea, on TV. He stares at someone and then a guy asks 'What's that?' and the other guy says 'That's the money you could be saving with Geico'."

Who am I more disgusted at? Myself for letting my kids watch TV (less than the national average might I add?) or the amazing branding capabilities of companies?

Matthew's question of the week

2009-03-21T19:25:00.004-06:00

"How big is a leprechaun?"

What, are you planning your
strategy to catch one or
sizing up a possible
opponent in a fight?

Matthew's question of the week

2009-03-12T22:37:00.003-06:00

"Can we cut a hole in my wall so I can climb through my shelf to Ethan's room?"

Hide your saw, Glen!

Breathtaking mornings

2009-03-12T22:28:00.003-06:00

These pics are 3 days apart. Taken in the morning from my back porch. Weather is so unpredictable.

An unpleasant awakening

2009-03-04T21:51:00.014-07:00

This is Emma asleep, sitting upright, in the corner of her crib with her thick quilt pulled over her head. I know some people sleep in quirky positions, but I've NEVER seen this before. How was she breathing under there?

Matthew's question of the week

2009-03-02T00:06:00.002-07:00

It was a statement, actually: "Hey - why have they got my ball?!" Said while watching the Man United vs. Spurs football game (soccer for the Americans) and noticed they were kicking around the same ball he uses in the backyard. We could not stop laughing!

Winter break

2009-03-01T23:49:00.004-07:00

What self-respecting athlete takes a winter break from exercise? Unfortunately me, and now I'm paying for it. In an effort to get back into shape, (oh yes, I ate that bad during the holidays) I went to the gym with my super-charged can-do-anything friend Kandy. WOW! What a workout! We spent over an hour together running, using the eliptical, the stairclimber, free-weights, doing killer crunches and squats. She took it upon herself to be my personal Jillian from the Biggest Loser. Really. People in the gym were turning around and staring with sympathetic eyes everytime she'd shout "COME ON TRISCIA! JUST 5 MORE MINUTES! DON'T WIMP OUT NOW! YOU CAN DO THIS! GO (insert faster, harder, higher restistence, etc)!" I think I'll be in shape sooner than I think!

Glen has started his workouts as well, doing swimming or biking daily during his lunch breaks and a weekly spin class. The guy is so motivated. He just slips back into it so easily. He's amazing!

Now, Glen and Kandy can't work out with me all the time, so: Does anyone have any tips for how they've kept a personal goal that could help me stay motivated to exercise? I'll make it worth you're while... for the best advice I'll give/send a thank you gift. Seriously!

Yellow Belt!

2009-03-01T23:42:00.004-07:00

Ethan tested for his yellow belt.... he was well-prepared and so serious. He even kicked a wood board in half (which is now proudly displayed in his room). The best moment was when I asked him and his 2 friends to do their best karate moves for a picture. Now those are some kids I don't want to meet in a dark alley!

Matthew's question of the week

2009-02-15T22:54:00.003-07:00

I'm adding a new segment called Matthew's question of the week.

Last week: "Why is Satan bad?"

Today: "Why do they only let you have one kid in China?" (!!!How do you explain population control?!!!)

Play nice

2009-02-12T09:19:00.004-07:00

When I went into Emma's room to put her down for a nap, I found this.

Ethan and Matthew put all her dolls and stuffed animals "in jail." Apparently this doll committed some stuffed crime and was sentenced to doing some time upside down, blindfolded and bound by alphabet links. I'm considering staging a Sid scene (from Toy Story) of my own directed at those boys. "We toys can see everything. So play nice!"

Monday Night Movie

2009-01-28T23:28:00.001-07:00

Confession:

Every Monday night after Glen and I get the kids in bed, I join two of my friends at the movies. Sleep is precious, but this weekly splurge is a low-budget and babysitter-free vacation from Mommyhood!

Thanks to my fun friend who works at the theatre for the discounts! Sorry no names to give you to get your own discount, but she has enough people vying for her attention. Love her!

Thanks to my insightful friend for the conversation that can't be had during the day while I'm constantly interrupted by my kids! Love her too!

And thanks to Glen for being a good sport when I saw Dark Knight on the big screen before he did. (Or never did actually, he only saw it on DVD. Oops!)

Tuesday night's climb

2009-01-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

Ethan experienced a terrifying ordeal last night - he made a goal to reach the top of the 33' wall, but had never decended from anything higher than 12'. After reaching the top, he spent 10 painfully-long minutes frozen in fear. Glen and I felt sick, knowing we just couldn't go up there and bring him down to safety. He showed us his courage by not only coming down on his own, but going back up once more.

(On his ascent: The black line by his feet is the 12' mark and he's already looking down nervously!)

Matthew monkeying around, and trying to prove to Ethan that you won't drop to your death in decent by kicking off the wall as wildly as possible. Doesn't he look like Peter Pan?

That's right, no facebook

2009-01-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

Really, I'm not sure what else I can do here. I can barely keep up on my blog (actually I disappeared for an entire month) yet I'm being told I should facebook. Glen facebooks, Mom facebooks, Glen's Mum facebooks. I know it's bad when my Mom and my husband's Mum are facebooking each other. Not to mention old friends trying to contact me through my Mom on facebook. I'm standing firm. I am not on facebook. No offense though, really. And facebook with my Mom 'cause she's spiffy.

Almost pictureless...

2009-01-19T22:48:00.001-07:00

Alas, I can't figure out how to get my cell phone pics that I sent to my online tmobile album to save to my computer (although they totally allow photos from your computer to upload to their site!).

So...

a quick pictureless update:

Ethan has earned all of his stripes on his white belt in karate and is preparing to test for his yellow belt in Feb! I'm so proud I could bring a parade with me that day. (note: my pic with this was him swinging nun-chucks around in class and not hitting someone else or himself!) Ethan is working very hard to acheive what his Sifu calls "black belt respect" in all areas of life: household, school, family and martial arts. Wow. And I thought it would be fun for him to learn some moves.

Matthew is a rock climber. 4 1/2 yrs old and can scale a 33-foot-wall in a few minutes. I took him to our local rec center last weekend on a hunch that he'd like it and the belayer (the guy controlling the other end of the rope Matthew was hanging from) said he has natural talent. He didn't have the proper shoes since the rec center doesn't carry sizes small enough he was good enough in his Vans! Forgive my bragging, but come on, when have I ever seen Matthew tied up, unable to run away and enjoying it? I've committed to take him once a week and he's counting down the days until our next date. (note: pic supposed to be here of him almost at the top)

Emma is hilarious. She finds new ways to add joy to all of our lives. Ethan played this game with her at Christmastime where he told her to lay down on the blanket, then he dragged her (slowly) along the wood floors around the house while she giggled uncontrollably. Matthew taught her that baths are better with splashing, again while she giggled uncontrollably. (good thing it's tile floor and baseboards!) Oh! I have pictures! Thank you Canon Rebel!

Merry Christmas!

2009-01-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you who didn't receive our Christmas card: (oh wait, I didn't send them out yet...)

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Rum Raisin

2008-11-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Glen spontaneously decided to paint our family room. Rum Raisin. A far cry from the monotonous mushroom brown that has dominated every wall in our house for 5 years! I guess I should have seen it coming since we've already changed 3 rooms in the house in the past year... what is one more? And why not a different color? We're becoming a gallery: brown, green, blue, red. We talked about changing the room over the weekend, but he offically made the decision Monday. He picked up the paint and started priming that night, then painted the first coat of color tonight, with the second coat planned tomorrow. We're hoping to have the furniture and shelves back in place on Thanksgiving. (And I'm planning to add some warm fall colors and beiges to make it cozy!) As I was painting tonight I fell in love with its intensity, richness and warmth. What do you think?

Oh! And I found a spiffy help to find a good color scheme for your home, check this out!http://porter.voiceofcolor.com/en/colorsensegame/index.asp

Let me know what you are!

2008-11-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

Go Utes! 48-24
In honor of our win against BYU yesterday, I'm posting pics of when we took Matthew to the Colorado State game a few weeks back. (Ahem, also a victory, 49-16) He was so excited to yell 'Go Utes!' and to wave the victory flag everytime we scored a touchdown. During the second half when he lost interest, he laid under our legs and listened to his ipod. (I was amazed he would sit still for that long) He called the game his 'special time with Dad and Mom'. We might get season tickets for the boys next year, who knows!

It's a Small World

2008-11-21T21:43:00.001-07:00

So I've finally given into the Blogging World. I don't promise to be witty like Anne, funny like Cin, creative like Tam, or cheesy like So Seriously Blessed, but I'll keep it honest.