I'm Moving, Will You Move With Me?
14 years ago
Small Potatoes...But I Love 'Em Anyway
I won't say much here since most of you aren't that interested in my writing career, but I wanted to send those who are over to my writing blog at elissadcruz.livejournal.com. You'll find some good news there. It may be small potatoes, but I'm happy.
The Demon Dinner, A Thanksgiving Horror Story
CHAPTER 1, In Which Our Heroine, Elissa, Is Introduced To the Idea That She Must Bake the Entire Thanksgiving Meal Herself.
CHAPTER 2, In Which Our Heroine Goes To the Store the Day Before Thanksgiving To Purchase Whipped Cream and Is Forced to Pay $35 for Overpriced Thanksgiving-Related Items.
CHAPTER 3, In Which Our Heroine Opens the Cupboard and Realizes The Demon Children Have Emptied the Cinnamon Container By Making Cinnamon-Sugar Toast. A Prayer That There Is Enough For the Pumpkin Pie Recipe Ensues.
CHAPTER 4, In Which Our Heroine Starts To Make Pie Crust and Finds She Has Only Half the Shortening the Recipe Requires. An Adjusted Recipe and Thin Crust Ensues.
CHAPTER 5, In Which Our Heroine Pulls the Scrumptious-Smelling Pumpkin Pies Out Of the Oven and Exclaims, "Crap! I Forgot To Add Sugar!"
CHAPTER 6, In Which Our Heroine Goes To the Store, Again, To Pick Up Additional Cinnamon and Shortening and Extra Pumpkin Pie Ingredients.
CHAPTER 7, In Which Our Heroine Begins to Remake the Pie Crust and Pulls Out the Extra Bag Of Flour From the Pantry, Only To Find Out It Is Whole Wheat Flour and Not the All-Purpose Flour She Needs.
CHAPTER 8, In Which Our Heroine Returns To the Store For the Third Time to Replenish Her Supply of Flour.
CHAPTER 9, In Which Our Heroine Finishes the Pies and Goes To the Cupboard To Prepare the Yams And Cannot Find Them. A Frantic Search Ensues.
CHAPTER 10, In Which Our Heroine Turns To the Frog-Eyed Salad and Begins To Boil Down the Sauce and Does Not Finish Until 2 AM. A Short Sleep Ensues.
CHAPTER 11, In Which Our Exhausted Heroine Wakes Up Early To Prepare the Turkey and Realizes the Pan She Was Going To Use Has Been Rusted By Water. A Fourth Grocery Trip Ensues and a Disposable Roasting Pan Is Purchased.
CHAPTER 12, In Which Our Heroine Wrestles With the Bird and Gets It Into the Oven, but Realizes the Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Cream Pies, and Yams (If They Turn Up) Must Still Be Made. Mumbled Complaints Ensue.
CHAPTER 13, In Which Our Heroine Takes a Break and Checks Her Email, Only To Find a Wonderful Pick-Me-Up Email From A Friend (thanks, Trish!) In Her Inbox. A Thanksgiving Remembrance and New-Found Energy Ensues.
CHAPTER 14, In Which Our Heroine Checks Every Room In the House But Still Cannot Find the Yams. A Tearful Farewell To the Idea of Candied Yams Ensues.
CHAPTER 15, In Which Our Heroine Removes the Turkey From the Oven and Inserts the Crescent Rolls. A Near Mutiny Ensues as Demon Children Complain of Empty Stomachs.
CHAPTER 16, In Which Our Heroine Removes the Rolls and Realizes She Has Burned Half Of Them.
CHAPTER 17, In Which Our Heroine Sets the Table and Just as Dinner Begins Realizes the Stuffing Has Not Been Made. A Frantic Last-Minute Baking Ensues Thanks To a Certain Stuffing-In-A-Box Concoction.
CHAPTER 18, In Which The Thanksgiving Prayer Finishes Just Before the Stuffing.
CHAPTER 19, In Which Our Heroine Overcomes the Demon Dinner, Bellies Are Filled, and Smiles Light Up the Thanksgiving Table.
THE END
CHAPTER 2, In Which Our Heroine Goes To the Store the Day Before Thanksgiving To Purchase Whipped Cream and Is Forced to Pay $35 for Overpriced Thanksgiving-Related Items.
CHAPTER 3, In Which Our Heroine Opens the Cupboard and Realizes The Demon Children Have Emptied the Cinnamon Container By Making Cinnamon-Sugar Toast. A Prayer That There Is Enough For the Pumpkin Pie Recipe Ensues.
CHAPTER 4, In Which Our Heroine Starts To Make Pie Crust and Finds She Has Only Half the Shortening the Recipe Requires. An Adjusted Recipe and Thin Crust Ensues.
CHAPTER 5, In Which Our Heroine Pulls the Scrumptious-Smelling Pumpkin Pies Out Of the Oven and Exclaims, "Crap! I Forgot To Add Sugar!"
CHAPTER 6, In Which Our Heroine Goes To the Store, Again, To Pick Up Additional Cinnamon and Shortening and Extra Pumpkin Pie Ingredients.
CHAPTER 7, In Which Our Heroine Begins to Remake the Pie Crust and Pulls Out the Extra Bag Of Flour From the Pantry, Only To Find Out It Is Whole Wheat Flour and Not the All-Purpose Flour She Needs.
CHAPTER 8, In Which Our Heroine Returns To the Store For the Third Time to Replenish Her Supply of Flour.
CHAPTER 9, In Which Our Heroine Finishes the Pies and Goes To the Cupboard To Prepare the Yams And Cannot Find Them. A Frantic Search Ensues.
CHAPTER 10, In Which Our Heroine Turns To the Frog-Eyed Salad and Begins To Boil Down the Sauce and Does Not Finish Until 2 AM. A Short Sleep Ensues.
CHAPTER 11, In Which Our Exhausted Heroine Wakes Up Early To Prepare the Turkey and Realizes the Pan She Was Going To Use Has Been Rusted By Water. A Fourth Grocery Trip Ensues and a Disposable Roasting Pan Is Purchased.
CHAPTER 12, In Which Our Heroine Wrestles With the Bird and Gets It Into the Oven, but Realizes the Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Cream Pies, and Yams (If They Turn Up) Must Still Be Made. Mumbled Complaints Ensue.
CHAPTER 13, In Which Our Heroine Takes a Break and Checks Her Email, Only To Find a Wonderful Pick-Me-Up Email From A Friend (thanks, Trish!) In Her Inbox. A Thanksgiving Remembrance and New-Found Energy Ensues.
CHAPTER 14, In Which Our Heroine Checks Every Room In the House But Still Cannot Find the Yams. A Tearful Farewell To the Idea of Candied Yams Ensues.
CHAPTER 15, In Which Our Heroine Removes the Turkey From the Oven and Inserts the Crescent Rolls. A Near Mutiny Ensues as Demon Children Complain of Empty Stomachs.
CHAPTER 16, In Which Our Heroine Removes the Rolls and Realizes She Has Burned Half Of Them.
CHAPTER 17, In Which Our Heroine Sets the Table and Just as Dinner Begins Realizes the Stuffing Has Not Been Made. A Frantic Last-Minute Baking Ensues Thanks To a Certain Stuffing-In-A-Box Concoction.
CHAPTER 18, In Which The Thanksgiving Prayer Finishes Just Before the Stuffing.
CHAPTER 19, In Which Our Heroine Overcomes the Demon Dinner, Bellies Are Filled, and Smiles Light Up the Thanksgiving Table.
THE END
Baby Steps
Yes, I'm searching for the camera. I promise I'll take pictures as soon as I find the thing.
Baby Grace has officially entered the Toddler World!
We've been waiting for her to figure out how to balance on her own two feet without holding on to the furniture (or us). She grasped that concept two days ago. Then she knocked our socks off by taking her first steps just one day later. Yep. That was last night.
She's still shaky on her feet (the steps are closer to a controlled fall in my opinion) but she's so pleased with herself and determined to "walk" that she keeps getting back up and taking off.
Not that I compare my kids often, but she has officially beaten the walking record around our house. Ammon held the record at 9 months 3 days. Grace is 8 months and 25 days old. Yikes! And I was thinking she'd be a late bloomer. Looks like the joke's on me.
Baby Grace has officially entered the Toddler World!
We've been waiting for her to figure out how to balance on her own two feet without holding on to the furniture (or us). She grasped that concept two days ago. Then she knocked our socks off by taking her first steps just one day later. Yep. That was last night.
She's still shaky on her feet (the steps are closer to a controlled fall in my opinion) but she's so pleased with herself and determined to "walk" that she keeps getting back up and taking off.
Not that I compare my kids often, but she has officially beaten the walking record around our house. Ammon held the record at 9 months 3 days. Grace is 8 months and 25 days old. Yikes! And I was thinking she'd be a late bloomer. Looks like the joke's on me.
Questions I Wish Others Would Ask Me, and One I Wish They Wouldn't
Not much has been happening around my house, especially since I have been spending my nights tucked away inside the local grocery store office, so today I sat down and wanted to WRITE. I should be working on my new mansucript (which, for those who care, involves a boy named after Chinese food, old sailing ships used for interstellar travel, and robots that have turned into pirates) but I also wanted to send y'all an update.
But, as I have already said, not much has been happening around here. So I thought I would take some time to answer those questions I wish people would ask me but never do.
QUESTION #1: I want to be just like you. How do I start?
ANSWER: I'm so glad you idolize me, but, really, you shouldn't. If you are bent on being just like me, however, I recommend doing the following: 1) read lots and lots of books, at the expense of housework, adult conversation, and responsible child care; 2) spend copious amounts of time surfing the internet for just the right homeschool curriculum for the kids, and make sure to do this weekly since you'll need to change curricula at least that often in order to keep everyone going; 3) Stay up well past midnight on at least 3 separate occasions per week to spend time typing up the most fantastical and completely fictitious stories that may or may not grace the shelves of Barnes and Noble at some future date; and 4) juggle three blogs, take in a part-time job, homeschool your kids full-time, volunteer as cubmaster for a local cub scout pack, attend church weekly, nurse a baby, and find a few minutes to sleep each 24-hour period.
QUESTION #2: I love your hair. How do you get it to look like it does?
ANSWER: Oh, this hair? It's nothing, really. I'm surprised you noticed at all. I use only the best hair care products and tools donated by my hairstylist (thanks, Dad-in-law!), and I spend at least three minutes every day making sure it doesn't resemble Albert Einstein's 'do--I love the man's genius, but his hair leaves a lot to be desired.
QUESTION #3: You are the most talented writer I have ever met. What is your secret?
ANSWER: Oh, please, I'm nothing of the sort. But I'm so glad you enjoy my work enough to believe in me. My secret is XX XXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX X XXX XXXX XXXX XXX. (NOTE: Sorry I couldn't let you read that. It's a secret.)
There is one question I get all the time, however, that I wish people would stop asking me. I am going to attempt to answer that question below in the hopes that people will stop asking me so I can get on with my life. (I can dream, can't I?)
QUESTION: Why did you choose to homeschool?
ANSWER: This is a remarkably complex question, and that is because there is always a statement hidden behind the question. These statements range from, "I'm intrigued. Tell me more so I can see if homeschooling could work for my family." to "That seems like a big job. Tell me more so I can be grateful I don't have to have that much work to do." to "You are screwing up your children's lives, and I want to know what makes you think you are qualified to give them a decent education." Hopefully, the following story will take care of all of you.
I didn't choose homeschooling at first. But one day, when I was contemplating what preschool to choose for Ammon (this was back in, oh, 2001 I think), a strong impression came to me that homeschooling him was the answer to the "problems" we were facing with him. I use the word "problems" though they really weren't at the time, but we knew they could easily become problems once he was in a traditional school setting.
At first I was appalled, homeschoolers were WEIRD and I didn't want to have anything to do with them. But that impression stayed, and I spent many hours in prayer over the decision. In the end, Greg and I decided it was what Ammon needed and what the Lord wanted for our family.
I was nervous about letting the family know. I come from a very traditional family that places learning above all else, so I knew this decision would be met with much surprise and plenty of trepidation. But we forged ahead anyway. Some family members were very supportive, but I knew many didn't agree with our decision. Wisely, they remained silent about their opinion, however. I think most believed it was a passing fancy and I would quickly tire of it and the kids would be back where they belonged.
But we have been homeschooling ever since. I know there are some in my family who still doubt that this decision was a wise one. There are days when I agree with them. But all I can say is that I have prayerfully considered their concerns and my own, and I know this is where my children need to be. There are some subjects my kids struggle with--and they may not be on the same level as their public school peers--but I am intimately aware of these issues and we work on them daily. I have seen tremendous breakthroughs that I am certain would have never happened if my children had been shoved into a classroom with 30+ other students and one teacher. Now, I'm not saying public school is bad. Many children thrive in that environment. I wish mine did. But they don't. And so we homeschool.
It's not easy, there are bad days (and weeks, and sometimes even months) but it is also one of most exhilarating, fulfilling and humbling experiences I have been privileged to participate in.
So, why did I choose to homeschool? I didn't, really. God chose for me, but in hindsight it was one of His brighter ideas. Though my children are far from perfect, I can see how homeschooling has prepared them far better than public school ever could have. And I'm grateful I was brought along for the ride.
But, as I have already said, not much has been happening around here. So I thought I would take some time to answer those questions I wish people would ask me but never do.
QUESTION #1: I want to be just like you. How do I start?
ANSWER: I'm so glad you idolize me, but, really, you shouldn't. If you are bent on being just like me, however, I recommend doing the following: 1) read lots and lots of books, at the expense of housework, adult conversation, and responsible child care; 2) spend copious amounts of time surfing the internet for just the right homeschool curriculum for the kids, and make sure to do this weekly since you'll need to change curricula at least that often in order to keep everyone going; 3) Stay up well past midnight on at least 3 separate occasions per week to spend time typing up the most fantastical and completely fictitious stories that may or may not grace the shelves of Barnes and Noble at some future date; and 4) juggle three blogs, take in a part-time job, homeschool your kids full-time, volunteer as cubmaster for a local cub scout pack, attend church weekly, nurse a baby, and find a few minutes to sleep each 24-hour period.
QUESTION #2: I love your hair. How do you get it to look like it does?
ANSWER: Oh, this hair? It's nothing, really. I'm surprised you noticed at all. I use only the best hair care products and tools donated by my hairstylist (thanks, Dad-in-law!), and I spend at least three minutes every day making sure it doesn't resemble Albert Einstein's 'do--I love the man's genius, but his hair leaves a lot to be desired.
QUESTION #3: You are the most talented writer I have ever met. What is your secret?
ANSWER: Oh, please, I'm nothing of the sort. But I'm so glad you enjoy my work enough to believe in me. My secret is XX XXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX X XXX XXXX XXXX XXX. (NOTE: Sorry I couldn't let you read that. It's a secret.)
There is one question I get all the time, however, that I wish people would stop asking me. I am going to attempt to answer that question below in the hopes that people will stop asking me so I can get on with my life. (I can dream, can't I?)
QUESTION: Why did you choose to homeschool?
ANSWER: This is a remarkably complex question, and that is because there is always a statement hidden behind the question. These statements range from, "I'm intrigued. Tell me more so I can see if homeschooling could work for my family." to "That seems like a big job. Tell me more so I can be grateful I don't have to have that much work to do." to "You are screwing up your children's lives, and I want to know what makes you think you are qualified to give them a decent education." Hopefully, the following story will take care of all of you.
I didn't choose homeschooling at first. But one day, when I was contemplating what preschool to choose for Ammon (this was back in, oh, 2001 I think), a strong impression came to me that homeschooling him was the answer to the "problems" we were facing with him. I use the word "problems" though they really weren't at the time, but we knew they could easily become problems once he was in a traditional school setting.
At first I was appalled, homeschoolers were WEIRD and I didn't want to have anything to do with them. But that impression stayed, and I spent many hours in prayer over the decision. In the end, Greg and I decided it was what Ammon needed and what the Lord wanted for our family.
I was nervous about letting the family know. I come from a very traditional family that places learning above all else, so I knew this decision would be met with much surprise and plenty of trepidation. But we forged ahead anyway. Some family members were very supportive, but I knew many didn't agree with our decision. Wisely, they remained silent about their opinion, however. I think most believed it was a passing fancy and I would quickly tire of it and the kids would be back where they belonged.
But we have been homeschooling ever since. I know there are some in my family who still doubt that this decision was a wise one. There are days when I agree with them. But all I can say is that I have prayerfully considered their concerns and my own, and I know this is where my children need to be. There are some subjects my kids struggle with--and they may not be on the same level as their public school peers--but I am intimately aware of these issues and we work on them daily. I have seen tremendous breakthroughs that I am certain would have never happened if my children had been shoved into a classroom with 30+ other students and one teacher. Now, I'm not saying public school is bad. Many children thrive in that environment. I wish mine did. But they don't. And so we homeschool.
It's not easy, there are bad days (and weeks, and sometimes even months) but it is also one of most exhilarating, fulfilling and humbling experiences I have been privileged to participate in.
So, why did I choose to homeschool? I didn't, really. God chose for me, but in hindsight it was one of His brighter ideas. Though my children are far from perfect, I can see how homeschooling has prepared them far better than public school ever could have. And I'm grateful I was brought along for the ride.
You Know You're a Writer If...
...you go to the very first day of training at your new job and, as you read the training material, you wish you had a red pen to fix all of the typos you find.
I started training for my part-time job this week. The training was very basic and very easy, though the evening management was unprepared for me. Apparently the hiring manager forgot to mention to any evening management that I was coming in for training. Oops. But they took it in stride and worked me in, anyway.
I technically finished the online and book training yesterday, though the online training mentioned I was supposed to spend 1/2 hour practicing register skills at a closed register. But since I wasn't dressed for the floor (I wasn't in official uniform) they didn't want me out there. Plus they were too busy to work me in. And since my job isn't working the registers, I don't think they were in a huge hurry to make sure I knew them. My job is the MONEY.
Tonight I am supposed to follow some guy around as he shows me what my real job will be. The online training only taught customer service and the register. Tonight will be the first time I will get to see what I'll really be doing. For the most part I will be doing daily bookkeeping for the store (closing out registers at the end of the day, etc.). At least, I think that is what I'm doing. So far this place has been really vague about my job description. They also said I would most likely cross train in the video department (since it is adjacent to the office). We'll see how it turns out tonight.
But as for the training material, I really did find a few places where there were typos, and I really wanted to point them out to someone. How sorry is that?! Luckily for the company, no one was around for me to tell. Oh well. I wasn't hired for my editing skills, and I doubt anyone really cares about a few misspelled words.
But I really did have the urge to circle them with a big, fat, red pen. Yes, I need therapy.
I started training for my part-time job this week. The training was very basic and very easy, though the evening management was unprepared for me. Apparently the hiring manager forgot to mention to any evening management that I was coming in for training. Oops. But they took it in stride and worked me in, anyway.
I technically finished the online and book training yesterday, though the online training mentioned I was supposed to spend 1/2 hour practicing register skills at a closed register. But since I wasn't dressed for the floor (I wasn't in official uniform) they didn't want me out there. Plus they were too busy to work me in. And since my job isn't working the registers, I don't think they were in a huge hurry to make sure I knew them. My job is the MONEY.
Tonight I am supposed to follow some guy around as he shows me what my real job will be. The online training only taught customer service and the register. Tonight will be the first time I will get to see what I'll really be doing. For the most part I will be doing daily bookkeeping for the store (closing out registers at the end of the day, etc.). At least, I think that is what I'm doing. So far this place has been really vague about my job description. They also said I would most likely cross train in the video department (since it is adjacent to the office). We'll see how it turns out tonight.
But as for the training material, I really did find a few places where there were typos, and I really wanted to point them out to someone. How sorry is that?! Luckily for the company, no one was around for me to tell. Oh well. I wasn't hired for my editing skills, and I doubt anyone really cares about a few misspelled words.
But I really did have the urge to circle them with a big, fat, red pen. Yes, I need therapy.
It's Off To Work I Go
Funds have been pretty scarce around here, so a few weeks ago we decided it would probably be a good idea if I found a part-time job.
So I did.
It's nothing glamorous, just some office work for Safeway (yes, the grocery store). Yesterday was my first official day of work, though I spent it in a hot, cramped, closet-sized room upstairs watching orientation videos/slideshows on the Internet. I learned a lot and left with only a few questions. The most important one was, "Does this store have a drinking fountain?" That room was w-a-r-m, warm!
The only thing I am unhappy about is the fact that I will be losing some of my writing time. But I can't complain. At least this job I get paid for. So far I've only earned $140 in my entire career as a freelance writer. For more up-to-date information on my very glamorous writing career, check out my writing blog (elissadcruz.livejournal.com). Sorry. I couldn't help the shameless plug there.
And in case you were wondering, no, I do not get a discount on my groceries. Too bad, huh. That could have saved me a small fortune.
So I did.
It's nothing glamorous, just some office work for Safeway (yes, the grocery store). Yesterday was my first official day of work, though I spent it in a hot, cramped, closet-sized room upstairs watching orientation videos/slideshows on the Internet. I learned a lot and left with only a few questions. The most important one was, "Does this store have a drinking fountain?" That room was w-a-r-m, warm!
The only thing I am unhappy about is the fact that I will be losing some of my writing time. But I can't complain. At least this job I get paid for. So far I've only earned $140 in my entire career as a freelance writer. For more up-to-date information on my very glamorous writing career, check out my writing blog (elissadcruz.livejournal.com). Sorry. I couldn't help the shameless plug there.
And in case you were wondering, no, I do not get a discount on my groceries. Too bad, huh. That could have saved me a small fortune.
The Primary Circus--Er, I Mean Program
Today was our Primary Program during Sacrament Meeting, but I have to admit that is was the most entertaining program I've seen yet. There are two reasons why.
THE FIRST REASON: The actual script was hysterical, and there were more than one child that really hammed up their role. For example, Ben's class each had a part that began with "What if..." and ended in various scenarios. One boy went on about what if he had the best batch of brownies in the world and didn't share them. This boy licked his lips and went on and on about his tasty, warm, gooey brownie that he wasn't going to share with ANYONE.
One girl talked about how she could show her love for the Savior by being nice to the babysitter so her parents could go on a date.
THE SECOND REASON: Kids will be kids, and these kids were a hoot. For example, while one brother and sister were singing a duet together, the brother decided to play with the microphone. He grabbed it and moved it around (and he's not a little kid, he's 8). His little sister sent daggers at him with her eyes and moved it back toward herself.
One girl on the front row kept winking and sending a thumbs up sign to the audience. She'd even stop singing to do it.
One boy said his part and then finished with, "Now I'll go sit down and stop talking."
It never seems as funny on paper, but it was hard to get through the entire program without busting up with laughter. There were three teen girls directly behind us that couldn't do it. They laughed through the whole program.
Ammon, Ben and Daniel did a great job on their parts. Ben had remarkably clear diction and had his part memorized. Ammon did, too. Ammon was especially nervous because he wrote his part himself and I think he was a bit afraid to share his innermost feelings with so many people. But he did a great job. Daniel needed a little help on his, but I have to admit his was very long and not easy to say.
Ammon sang really well and paid attention. So did Ben. Daniel, feeling a bit overwhelmed at all the adults looking at him, frowned through the entire program. Not a smile, not a song, nothing left his lips (except for his part, of course). He told me later that he didn't want to do it again. He was tired of it and scared. Poor kid. He was thrilled when I told him it was over. I didn't have the heart to tell him he'll be back at it next year.
And Elizabeth even participated. They had the nursery kids come up for the last song and sing the first verse (It was "I am a Child of God"). It took Elizabeth until verse three to finally sing the chorus. At first she just looked around in confusion. One of the nursery leaders had a microphone that he kept shoving in front of one nursery child at a time. Once the little kids wizened up they would screech or yell out once the mic got in front of them ("blaaahhhh!" was heard more than "lead me, guide me").
It was a fun program. A little chaotic, but a whole lot of fun. Don't you just love little kids?!
THE FIRST REASON: The actual script was hysterical, and there were more than one child that really hammed up their role. For example, Ben's class each had a part that began with "What if..." and ended in various scenarios. One boy went on about what if he had the best batch of brownies in the world and didn't share them. This boy licked his lips and went on and on about his tasty, warm, gooey brownie that he wasn't going to share with ANYONE.
One girl talked about how she could show her love for the Savior by being nice to the babysitter so her parents could go on a date.
THE SECOND REASON: Kids will be kids, and these kids were a hoot. For example, while one brother and sister were singing a duet together, the brother decided to play with the microphone. He grabbed it and moved it around (and he's not a little kid, he's 8). His little sister sent daggers at him with her eyes and moved it back toward herself.
One girl on the front row kept winking and sending a thumbs up sign to the audience. She'd even stop singing to do it.
One boy said his part and then finished with, "Now I'll go sit down and stop talking."
It never seems as funny on paper, but it was hard to get through the entire program without busting up with laughter. There were three teen girls directly behind us that couldn't do it. They laughed through the whole program.
Ammon, Ben and Daniel did a great job on their parts. Ben had remarkably clear diction and had his part memorized. Ammon did, too. Ammon was especially nervous because he wrote his part himself and I think he was a bit afraid to share his innermost feelings with so many people. But he did a great job. Daniel needed a little help on his, but I have to admit his was very long and not easy to say.
Ammon sang really well and paid attention. So did Ben. Daniel, feeling a bit overwhelmed at all the adults looking at him, frowned through the entire program. Not a smile, not a song, nothing left his lips (except for his part, of course). He told me later that he didn't want to do it again. He was tired of it and scared. Poor kid. He was thrilled when I told him it was over. I didn't have the heart to tell him he'll be back at it next year.
And Elizabeth even participated. They had the nursery kids come up for the last song and sing the first verse (It was "I am a Child of God"). It took Elizabeth until verse three to finally sing the chorus. At first she just looked around in confusion. One of the nursery leaders had a microphone that he kept shoving in front of one nursery child at a time. Once the little kids wizened up they would screech or yell out once the mic got in front of them ("blaaahhhh!" was heard more than "lead me, guide me").
It was a fun program. A little chaotic, but a whole lot of fun. Don't you just love little kids?!
Ben's Birthday
On Friday Ben turned the big 7.He was so excited!
We took the day off of school in honor of his birthday. Actually we finished our schoolwork early so we could take a day off. The kids just spent the day playing together and hanging out.
We held a low-key family party after Greg got home from work. Ben got to choose his favorite food for dinner. He chose pizza. We also made homemade breadsticks which were totally and completely scrumptious.
He wanted a Spongebob Squarepants birthday cake, so this is what I came up with. The image is just a piece of paper I printed off the computer and cut out.
He had a great time opening his presents, but he especially liked the Speed Racer track his Grandma and Grandpa sent. Just look at that face!
The kids spent the rest of the evening devouring the cake and playing with Ben's gifts. I don't think we went to bed until 11pm!
It was a good day.
"Oh, I Love Trash!"
Ben's primary teacher brought cupcakes over in honor of his birthday today. One of the kids didn't finish his/hers and the remains were thrown into the garbage.
Think low trash can. Crawling baby. Chocolate cupcake.
Yes, I can see you know where this story is going.
I found our darling little Grace digging in, with a smile on her face and chocolate all over. I bet Sesame Street's Oscar the Grouch would be so proud if he saw Grace going at that trashy food! She not only got it into her mouth, but on her hands and arms, shirt and pants, and all over the floor.
But--oh!--it tasted good! We could tell by the "mmmmmmm" sound coming from her little lips.
I guess it is time to invest in a larger (ie taller, enclosed) garbage bin or move the one we have under the sink.
And as a side note, I'm pretty sure that we won't have any trouble with Grace getting her hands dirty when her first birthday cake is placed before her. She's already had practice.
Think low trash can. Crawling baby. Chocolate cupcake.
Yes, I can see you know where this story is going.
I found our darling little Grace digging in, with a smile on her face and chocolate all over. I bet Sesame Street's Oscar the Grouch would be so proud if he saw Grace going at that trashy food! She not only got it into her mouth, but on her hands and arms, shirt and pants, and all over the floor.
But--oh!--it tasted good! We could tell by the "mmmmmmm" sound coming from her little lips.
I guess it is time to invest in a larger (ie taller, enclosed) garbage bin or move the one we have under the sink.
And as a side note, I'm pretty sure that we won't have any trouble with Grace getting her hands dirty when her first birthday cake is placed before her. She's already had practice.
Greg's All in Stitches Over This
I bet you were expecting something funny, right?
Actually, this is all about the stitches.
Greg went in this morning and had his sebaceous cyst removed from the top of his head. That sucker was getting big so it needed to come off.
For those who don't know what this is, you can read all about it here. Apparently its genetic since his mom and brother have also had to have cysts removed.
And though I think this is quite disgusting (and I would like to apologize profusely to those who don't appreciate the gross-out factor), here's a photo of the stitches, taken by Greg or someone at work. He emailed it to me. Yuck.
Actually, this is all about the stitches.
Greg went in this morning and had his sebaceous cyst removed from the top of his head. That sucker was getting big so it needed to come off.
For those who don't know what this is, you can read all about it here. Apparently its genetic since his mom and brother have also had to have cysts removed.
And though I think this is quite disgusting (and I would like to apologize profusely to those who don't appreciate the gross-out factor), here's a photo of the stitches, taken by Greg or someone at work. He emailed it to me. Yuck.
Sunday Seven
1. We watched General Conference today from the internet. Maybe it's my Utah roots showing, but General Conference just isn't the same when you aren't parked in front of the television. Our entire family crammed into the computer room (which is only about a 10' X 12' room) and tried to focus our attention on the computer screen for four hours today and four hours yesterday. Instead I kept hearing:
"Can I play this computer game now?"
"Well, can I play X-Box instead?"
"I have a headache from looking at the computer screen for so long. Can I go now?"
Geesh.
2. One of the talks today by one of the Twelve (I can't remember which one right now) talked about how short time with young children is. He mentioned the handprints on every surface and the piles of laundry. Boy, can I relate. But he was right about quickly they grow and you find them gone, and you miss it. I looked at little Grace (who isn't so little anymore, she's standing and trying to take her first tentative cruising steps) and realized how true that statement is. I already miss her newborn baby smell and tiny fingers and toes.
3. I've really been trying hard to do better as a mother (who doesn't). So recently I spent time rereading Sister Beck's conference talk awhile back titled "Mothers Who Know." Y'all know the one I'm talking about, but if you don't, hopefully the link works and you can read it here. I took some time, also, to ponder the scripture she mentions (D&C 109:7-9). And in the end I made up my own list of things a mother should know (and do) to become a Mother Who Knows. It's a long list, but there is one point for every letter in the "Mothers Who Know" phrase. I'm currently working on the first one. Maybe sometime soon I'll post my list, though I would recommend doing one on your own. It is definitely worth the time.
4. I decided this week that I really needed a new skirt for church. I've lost weight (shocking, I know) from breastfeeding and all of my clothes are looking very baggy and some are not even staying up. About two months ago I my favorite skirt started to ride down as I was taking the baby out of Sacrament Meeting to nurse. I was so embarrassed as I caught it around my thighs and had to pull it back up where it should be! Definitely time for a replacement.
But I don't have any money for new clothes, so I wasn't sure what to do. Friday I needed some time out by myself so I left the kids at home with Greg and went on a mission to find that ever elusive skirt for cheap, cheap, cheap (I was actually out to find Ben some birthday gifts, but I figured it was a good time to shop around for a skirt for me, too). I found a dress I adored at Target but, alas, it was nearly $50 and way out of my price range (besides, it is hard to breastfeed in a dress). But then I headed to Kohl's because they often have killer deals on their clearance racks. And there I found the perfect skirt in my size. The cost? $3.60! It was 90% off! WHOO-HOO!!!
5. Those of you who know me well know I hate cooking. Just wanted y'all to know I baked my first pot roast in the oven today. I normally use the crockpot. It's ridiculous that I've been married so long and have never done this before.
6. Ammon was asked to write his own part for the primary program. He was asked to tell about his experience at the primary quarterly activity. For the activity they searched for one family member on Family Search and then went to a cemetery and cleaned headstones. This is what Ammon wrote (all by himself--no coaching from me or anyone else):
"I liked learning about the lives of others by looking at their birth and death dates. And while I was cleaning the headstones, I felt the Spirit and knew I was doing a good deed."
Awww. It brings a tear to my eye. What a good kid he is turning out to be.
7. You may not believe me, but I'm looking forward to heading back to church next week. We missed last week due to kids and Greg being sick, and now I feel out of touch with everyone. It will be nice to be back among friends and have real, adult conversations with others.
"Can I play this computer game now?"
"Well, can I play X-Box instead?"
"I have a headache from looking at the computer screen for so long. Can I go now?"
Geesh.
2. One of the talks today by one of the Twelve (I can't remember which one right now) talked about how short time with young children is. He mentioned the handprints on every surface and the piles of laundry. Boy, can I relate. But he was right about quickly they grow and you find them gone, and you miss it. I looked at little Grace (who isn't so little anymore, she's standing and trying to take her first tentative cruising steps) and realized how true that statement is. I already miss her newborn baby smell and tiny fingers and toes.
3. I've really been trying hard to do better as a mother (who doesn't). So recently I spent time rereading Sister Beck's conference talk awhile back titled "Mothers Who Know." Y'all know the one I'm talking about, but if you don't, hopefully the link works and you can read it here. I took some time, also, to ponder the scripture she mentions (D&C 109:7-9). And in the end I made up my own list of things a mother should know (and do) to become a Mother Who Knows. It's a long list, but there is one point for every letter in the "Mothers Who Know" phrase. I'm currently working on the first one. Maybe sometime soon I'll post my list, though I would recommend doing one on your own. It is definitely worth the time.
4. I decided this week that I really needed a new skirt for church. I've lost weight (shocking, I know) from breastfeeding and all of my clothes are looking very baggy and some are not even staying up. About two months ago I my favorite skirt started to ride down as I was taking the baby out of Sacrament Meeting to nurse. I was so embarrassed as I caught it around my thighs and had to pull it back up where it should be! Definitely time for a replacement.
But I don't have any money for new clothes, so I wasn't sure what to do. Friday I needed some time out by myself so I left the kids at home with Greg and went on a mission to find that ever elusive skirt for cheap, cheap, cheap (I was actually out to find Ben some birthday gifts, but I figured it was a good time to shop around for a skirt for me, too). I found a dress I adored at Target but, alas, it was nearly $50 and way out of my price range (besides, it is hard to breastfeed in a dress). But then I headed to Kohl's because they often have killer deals on their clearance racks. And there I found the perfect skirt in my size. The cost? $3.60! It was 90% off! WHOO-HOO!!!
5. Those of you who know me well know I hate cooking. Just wanted y'all to know I baked my first pot roast in the oven today. I normally use the crockpot. It's ridiculous that I've been married so long and have never done this before.
6. Ammon was asked to write his own part for the primary program. He was asked to tell about his experience at the primary quarterly activity. For the activity they searched for one family member on Family Search and then went to a cemetery and cleaned headstones. This is what Ammon wrote (all by himself--no coaching from me or anyone else):
"I liked learning about the lives of others by looking at their birth and death dates. And while I was cleaning the headstones, I felt the Spirit and knew I was doing a good deed."
Awww. It brings a tear to my eye. What a good kid he is turning out to be.
7. You may not believe me, but I'm looking forward to heading back to church next week. We missed last week due to kids and Greg being sick, and now I feel out of touch with everyone. It will be nice to be back among friends and have real, adult conversations with others.
The Spies Have Invaded!
Today the house looked unusually messy after a long day of school. (Okay, it looked as messy as it always does, but let's pretend it was unusually messy.) I've tried a million different things to get my kids motivated, but they don't seem to last very long. I thought today would be another great day to find a new motivation.
So, we started by whispering to each other. I had each child pick up one thing in the room but they had to do it while no one was watching and sneak it out of the room. This was pretty fun for awhile, but soon they were watching each other closely.
That's when I switched gears. Suddenly I would shout out things like, "Oh, look at that bird outside!" and motion to one of the kids to sneak something out of the room while the rest looked for the imaginary item outside. The rest of the kids, who knew someone was playing the "spy," played along and hammed it up. "What is it? Oh, I can't see it!" they would squeal as they watched the "spy" out of the corner of their eyes. Hysterical.
Then I got into the fun. It became a game of "The Spies Have Been Here." Every time I would turn my back or close my eyes or get a drink of water, the "spies" would remove a few other items from the room. Then I would mention something that needed to be put away and then look up at the ceiling or search for the imaginary spider in the corner or take a quick nap as one of the kids (or all) would sneak the item out of the room and put it away. Soon I had the kids moving furniture so I could vacuum, doing dishes and cleaning up garbage that normally they wouldn't touch.
My "spies" cleaned the room in record time, and with smiles on their faces. I threatened to put out "spycatchers" and told them to make sure the spies didn't take anything else and put it away, but that only fueled them to do more.
And now the room is spotless, the dishes are washing in the dishwasher, and the kids are happy and proud of their accomplishment....uh...I mean, proud of the spies' accomplishment.
The one drawback of this game? Once the spies stole the baby (Ammon removed her from her playpen and hid with her in the corner). At that point I had to be more specific about what the spies could and couldn't take and where the stolen items belonged. But in general, it was good that the spies invaded our house today.
So, we started by whispering to each other. I had each child pick up one thing in the room but they had to do it while no one was watching and sneak it out of the room. This was pretty fun for awhile, but soon they were watching each other closely.
That's when I switched gears. Suddenly I would shout out things like, "Oh, look at that bird outside!" and motion to one of the kids to sneak something out of the room while the rest looked for the imaginary item outside. The rest of the kids, who knew someone was playing the "spy," played along and hammed it up. "What is it? Oh, I can't see it!" they would squeal as they watched the "spy" out of the corner of their eyes. Hysterical.
Then I got into the fun. It became a game of "The Spies Have Been Here." Every time I would turn my back or close my eyes or get a drink of water, the "spies" would remove a few other items from the room. Then I would mention something that needed to be put away and then look up at the ceiling or search for the imaginary spider in the corner or take a quick nap as one of the kids (or all) would sneak the item out of the room and put it away. Soon I had the kids moving furniture so I could vacuum, doing dishes and cleaning up garbage that normally they wouldn't touch.
My "spies" cleaned the room in record time, and with smiles on their faces. I threatened to put out "spycatchers" and told them to make sure the spies didn't take anything else and put it away, but that only fueled them to do more.
And now the room is spotless, the dishes are washing in the dishwasher, and the kids are happy and proud of their accomplishment....uh...I mean, proud of the spies' accomplishment.
The one drawback of this game? Once the spies stole the baby (Ammon removed her from her playpen and hid with her in the corner). At that point I had to be more specific about what the spies could and couldn't take and where the stolen items belonged. But in general, it was good that the spies invaded our house today.
And.....She's Off!
We still don't have the camera up and rolling, but I thought you all would be interested in knowing that Grace has figured out the crawl. Yes, she is putting hand before knee and getting into everything!
It was only two days ago that this happened. But, believe it or not, on the same day she mastered the crawl she also figured out how to stand up!
HELP!!!!!!
I was just getting the floors cleaned. Now I have to clean off the coffee tables, too?
Oy.
It was only two days ago that this happened. But, believe it or not, on the same day she mastered the crawl she also figured out how to stand up!
HELP!!!!!!
I was just getting the floors cleaned. Now I have to clean off the coffee tables, too?
Oy.
More Blog Changes
I know I said I wouldn't talk about writing here (boy, you guys are really missing out) but I thought I'd give you all a heads up. I've moved my writing blog to a different blogsite. So please take note of the address change.
Join me at elissadcruz.livejournal.com from now on.
See you there!
Join me at elissadcruz.livejournal.com from now on.
See you there!
Canning Applesauce
I felt so domestic today!
A ward member had a bunch of extra apples that she offered to give me. She also offered to bring over her canning supplies and help me can applesauce. So yesterday we got started on cutting, cooking and squeezing applesauce. Then we bottled it.
She had a really neat contraption called a Victorio strainer. So we didn't have to peel or core the apples. We just shoved them in a pot and cooked them whole (well, we cut them in half to make sure they weren't wormy), then we put them in the strainer and turned the handle. Out came the applesauce into one bowl, and out came the seeds, peels and "apple turd" (that's what it reminded me of) into another bowl. Totally cool.
She also had some very ripe pears, so we thought we would try to make sauce out of that, too. I now know why you can't find pearsauce in the grocery store. Once I strained it, it really wasn't sauce but more like a thick, grainy juice. So in the end I added a few cups to two applesauce batches and made apple-pearsauce instead. Yummmmmm. It smelled GOOOOOOOOOD!
In the end we managed to can 16 quart bottles of applesauce and froze 5 quart-size bags of it as well. It took two days (we started at about 8 pm on Friday and stopped at about midnight, then the second round was from 7 am this morning until about 11am). My grandmother would be so proud! But I do need to catch up on some sleep now. I just can't function on the 6 hours of sleep I got. I know, people do it all the time, but I'm a 9-hour person if I can get away with it.
Anyway, I now have enough applesauce to keep us well-fed for quite awhile. Doesn't it just make your mouth water thinking about it?! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
A ward member had a bunch of extra apples that she offered to give me. She also offered to bring over her canning supplies and help me can applesauce. So yesterday we got started on cutting, cooking and squeezing applesauce. Then we bottled it.
She had a really neat contraption called a Victorio strainer. So we didn't have to peel or core the apples. We just shoved them in a pot and cooked them whole (well, we cut them in half to make sure they weren't wormy), then we put them in the strainer and turned the handle. Out came the applesauce into one bowl, and out came the seeds, peels and "apple turd" (that's what it reminded me of) into another bowl. Totally cool.
She also had some very ripe pears, so we thought we would try to make sauce out of that, too. I now know why you can't find pearsauce in the grocery store. Once I strained it, it really wasn't sauce but more like a thick, grainy juice. So in the end I added a few cups to two applesauce batches and made apple-pearsauce instead. Yummmmmm. It smelled GOOOOOOOOOD!
In the end we managed to can 16 quart bottles of applesauce and froze 5 quart-size bags of it as well. It took two days (we started at about 8 pm on Friday and stopped at about midnight, then the second round was from 7 am this morning until about 11am). My grandmother would be so proud! But I do need to catch up on some sleep now. I just can't function on the 6 hours of sleep I got. I know, people do it all the time, but I'm a 9-hour person if I can get away with it.
Anyway, I now have enough applesauce to keep us well-fed for quite awhile. Doesn't it just make your mouth water thinking about it?! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
Gratitude
It seems that I can't keep the same blog template for too long or I go crazy. Actually, all that red and orange was making my eyes go buggy, so I found this black and white number and thought I would try it out. Nice, huh?!
Today I thought only briefly about how it was 9/11. I felt a little guilty that I didn't spend more time thinking about that day and how it changed life for everyone. The day deserves some quiet retrospection. Unfortunately for me, quiet retrospection is hard, if not impossible, to come by.
But I found a few moments to dwell on the suffering that happened that day in 2001. It's not a pretty thing to think about, which is probably why I didn't spend too much time dwelling on it. Let's face it, life is tough enough without spending all your time thinking about the worst aspects of it. I prefer to spend my time thinking about ways I can make life better for me and my family.
But as I thought about those who lost their lives that day, I was profoundly grateful that I had my family here with me now. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to teach my children and share with them my love of learning, the love of my country, and my love of God. If nothing else, 9/11 is one more reminder to be grateful for what you have, because you never know when it will be gone.
Today I thought only briefly about how it was 9/11. I felt a little guilty that I didn't spend more time thinking about that day and how it changed life for everyone. The day deserves some quiet retrospection. Unfortunately for me, quiet retrospection is hard, if not impossible, to come by.
But I found a few moments to dwell on the suffering that happened that day in 2001. It's not a pretty thing to think about, which is probably why I didn't spend too much time dwelling on it. Let's face it, life is tough enough without spending all your time thinking about the worst aspects of it. I prefer to spend my time thinking about ways I can make life better for me and my family.
But as I thought about those who lost their lives that day, I was profoundly grateful that I had my family here with me now. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to teach my children and share with them my love of learning, the love of my country, and my love of God. If nothing else, 9/11 is one more reminder to be grateful for what you have, because you never know when it will be gone.
Rockin' and Rollin'
Our camera is currently down or I'd take pictures, but Grace has officially entered the rockin' and rollin' stage. She's up on all fours and rocking back and forth! Her little knees are going a mile a minute, but she hasn't yet figured out how to move her hands so she usually just plops forward to get anywhere.
She has also figured out the "pincher" grasp (picking things up with her thumb and forefinger) so nothing can be left out any longer. I found her on the floor yesterday greedily devouring a cookie one of the kids had knocked on the floor. Yummmmmmm....
As soon as I can get our camera back up, I'll take some footage for you.
She has also figured out the "pincher" grasp (picking things up with her thumb and forefinger) so nothing can be left out any longer. I found her on the floor yesterday greedily devouring a cookie one of the kids had knocked on the floor. Yummmmmmm....
As soon as I can get our camera back up, I'll take some footage for you.
Daniel's Surgery
Daniel went in for his surgery yesterday. We had to be there at 7:15 am but it was 9:30 am before they actually took Daniel back into the OR. It was nerve-racking waiting around, but the surgery itself was so short that we didn't have time to get too nervous.
The urologist said that he could find nothing, so we didn't have to worry about incisions other than the one they put in his belly button for the scope. So we won't have to worry about cancer later because there is nothing there to get cancerous.
Now we are dealing with the effects of the anesthesia, though. Because they inserted a breathing tube down his throat while he was under, he is now dealing with a sore throat and it sounds like his body is creating mucus to help his sore throat. So now I am worried about keeping him well enough to stave off pneumonia setting in. He seems to breath easy while he is asleep, though, so that is a good sign. It is only when he is awake that you can hear occasionally raspy breathing. Weird.
He is still a bit sore in his belly button (obviously) but the doc said he should be completely healed and back to normal by next week at the latest. Poor Daniel keeps remarking that he wishes the doctor wouldn't have hurt his belly button or made him feel awful, though, so it seems like next week is a long ways away. But we are just relieved to have it over and done with.
The urologist said that he could find nothing, so we didn't have to worry about incisions other than the one they put in his belly button for the scope. So we won't have to worry about cancer later because there is nothing there to get cancerous.
Now we are dealing with the effects of the anesthesia, though. Because they inserted a breathing tube down his throat while he was under, he is now dealing with a sore throat and it sounds like his body is creating mucus to help his sore throat. So now I am worried about keeping him well enough to stave off pneumonia setting in. He seems to breath easy while he is asleep, though, so that is a good sign. It is only when he is awake that you can hear occasionally raspy breathing. Weird.
He is still a bit sore in his belly button (obviously) but the doc said he should be completely healed and back to normal by next week at the latest. Poor Daniel keeps remarking that he wishes the doctor wouldn't have hurt his belly button or made him feel awful, though, so it seems like next week is a long ways away. But we are just relieved to have it over and done with.
What I Did For My Summer Vacation
This blog has been quiet for a few weeks. It's because my mother surprised us with a vacation to visit her in Utah. She flew in August 9th and drove back to Utah with me and the kids. Greg stayed home since he couldn't take off any work. We stayed for two weeks and just made it home last night.
It was nice going "back home" and visiting friends and family. We had a packed couple of weeks. This is what we did:
8/9-8/10--Traveled to Utah. We stopped overnight in Boise and visited with my Grandma Beverly, Aunt Deanna and Uncle Ben. On the 10th we made a slight detour to Pocatello and visited my sister Erin and her husband Scott and son Connor.
8/11-8/13--Settled in to my parents' house in Uintah. My mom and dad still had to work every day, so the kids and I stayed at their home and played in the back yard or in the house during the day and visited with them each evening. On the 13th my sister Erin and I took our kids to the Deseret Cheese Co. for a tour of their cheese factory. You can read more about our trip on my kids' school blog.
8/14-8/16--Drove into the SL Valley and stayed with my in-laws in Taylorsville. The first day my father-in-law, Bill (affectionately called Grampa Goofy by my kids) gave each of us a much-needed haircut. Friday we had a barbeque with the whole family except JR and Alyssa and Emma who live in Arizona. The cousins played together and the adults talked and visited for the afternoon/evening.
8/16--After leaving my in-laws, I met my mother and sister, along with my nephews Connor, Atley and Carter, at the Utah State Capitol Building. We went to see a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was on display there. You can read more about this trip on my kids' school blog.
8/17--We were prepared to go to church with my parents but it was stake conference. Since we aren't members of the stake and there was no primary available, we opted to skip church for sanity's sake. Trust me, taking kids to someone else's stake conference is NOT FUN! Later that evening we had a barbeque with my family. All of my brothers and sisters and their kids were there except Scott (Erin's hubby) and Reid (Erica's boyfriend). Well, obviously, Greg wasn't there either.
8/18--We went back to SL and went out to a late lunch with Bill and Jody. They took us to Golden Corral because Bill let Ammon choose the restaurant and Ammon loves a good buffet.
8/19--We met my friend SherrilAnn and her kids Josh and Megan at the Bountiful Rec center for an afternoon swim. My mother, sister Erin and nephew Connor came with us. It was hot (about 90 degrees) but the wind was really blowing so I was cold. So was the baby. The outdoor pool was a wading pool for the younger kids, with a huge pirate ship in the middle. The boys loved it (of course) but we didn't stay outside long with the wind whipping around. The indoor pool also had a wading place with a play structure. It also had a lazy river and a huge waterslide that Ammon and Josh loved. We stayed for about an hour and a half before heading out.
We drove to my in-laws and I left my kids with them for a few hours and went out to dinner with my friends Alice and Nichole from my old writing group. I took the baby with me, too. We met at Ruby Tuesday at the Jordan Landing in West Jordan. We ate and chatted about writing and each other, and we took a few minutes to go over a query letter I needed help with. It was great to see them and have others to swap writing stories and ideas with. We stayed overnight at my inlaws.
8/20--We left my in-laws house in the afternoon and visited my friend SherrilAnn on the way back to my parents' house. Ammon played Yu-gi-oh with SherrilAnn's son, Josh (he's a big fan, too) and the other kids played in the back yard with her daughter Megan. We adults chatted. Since we didn't really get to talk at the pool the day before, I was glad for the visit.
8/21--In preparation for our drive home and with the help of the kids, I cleaned out the car and washed it.
8/22--We went over and played with some new neighbors that had just moved in three houses down from my parents. They had three kids nearly the same age as my own and they had come over to meet us while we were washing the car. Even though we only met and got to play one day, we promised to stop by the next time we came for a visit. Then I went home, packed most of the car, and spent the evening making a Cubby man out of tin cans and string. My mom actually did most of the work since I'm not so great at that type of thing. The Cubby is a rotating award I will use for my cub scout pack. I'll try to remember to take pictures and show you the completed Cubby (he's still not painted).
8/23-8/24--The Drive Home--We stopped in Boise and had a "party" with Deanna, Ben and Grandma. The plan was to have a big turkey dinner but Deanna's fridge works a little too well and after three days the turkey was still frozen. So she bagged that idea and bought pizza. Then the kids played one round of Stop Thief: Electronic Cops and Robbers, an old game by Parker Brothers. I'm going to have to find my own copy one of these days. They also played Head to Head Perfection but tempers flared due to tired bodies. The next day was the long trip from Boise to Seattle. We did make it home in time to watch the Olympics Closing Ceremonies, though, so I was happy.
There you have it in a nutshell. We had a great vacation but we're glad to be back home. Our homeschool "officially" starts next week and our classes at the school coop start the week after. Our vacation was the perfect ending to our summer break.
It was nice going "back home" and visiting friends and family. We had a packed couple of weeks. This is what we did:
8/9-8/10--Traveled to Utah. We stopped overnight in Boise and visited with my Grandma Beverly, Aunt Deanna and Uncle Ben. On the 10th we made a slight detour to Pocatello and visited my sister Erin and her husband Scott and son Connor.
8/11-8/13--Settled in to my parents' house in Uintah. My mom and dad still had to work every day, so the kids and I stayed at their home and played in the back yard or in the house during the day and visited with them each evening. On the 13th my sister Erin and I took our kids to the Deseret Cheese Co. for a tour of their cheese factory. You can read more about our trip on my kids' school blog.
8/14-8/16--Drove into the SL Valley and stayed with my in-laws in Taylorsville. The first day my father-in-law, Bill (affectionately called Grampa Goofy by my kids) gave each of us a much-needed haircut. Friday we had a barbeque with the whole family except JR and Alyssa and Emma who live in Arizona. The cousins played together and the adults talked and visited for the afternoon/evening.
8/16--After leaving my in-laws, I met my mother and sister, along with my nephews Connor, Atley and Carter, at the Utah State Capitol Building. We went to see a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was on display there. You can read more about this trip on my kids' school blog.
8/17--We were prepared to go to church with my parents but it was stake conference. Since we aren't members of the stake and there was no primary available, we opted to skip church for sanity's sake. Trust me, taking kids to someone else's stake conference is NOT FUN! Later that evening we had a barbeque with my family. All of my brothers and sisters and their kids were there except Scott (Erin's hubby) and Reid (Erica's boyfriend). Well, obviously, Greg wasn't there either.
8/18--We went back to SL and went out to a late lunch with Bill and Jody. They took us to Golden Corral because Bill let Ammon choose the restaurant and Ammon loves a good buffet.
8/19--We met my friend SherrilAnn and her kids Josh and Megan at the Bountiful Rec center for an afternoon swim. My mother, sister Erin and nephew Connor came with us. It was hot (about 90 degrees) but the wind was really blowing so I was cold. So was the baby. The outdoor pool was a wading pool for the younger kids, with a huge pirate ship in the middle. The boys loved it (of course) but we didn't stay outside long with the wind whipping around. The indoor pool also had a wading place with a play structure. It also had a lazy river and a huge waterslide that Ammon and Josh loved. We stayed for about an hour and a half before heading out.
We drove to my in-laws and I left my kids with them for a few hours and went out to dinner with my friends Alice and Nichole from my old writing group. I took the baby with me, too. We met at Ruby Tuesday at the Jordan Landing in West Jordan. We ate and chatted about writing and each other, and we took a few minutes to go over a query letter I needed help with. It was great to see them and have others to swap writing stories and ideas with. We stayed overnight at my inlaws.
8/20--We left my in-laws house in the afternoon and visited my friend SherrilAnn on the way back to my parents' house. Ammon played Yu-gi-oh with SherrilAnn's son, Josh (he's a big fan, too) and the other kids played in the back yard with her daughter Megan. We adults chatted. Since we didn't really get to talk at the pool the day before, I was glad for the visit.
8/21--In preparation for our drive home and with the help of the kids, I cleaned out the car and washed it.
8/22--We went over and played with some new neighbors that had just moved in three houses down from my parents. They had three kids nearly the same age as my own and they had come over to meet us while we were washing the car. Even though we only met and got to play one day, we promised to stop by the next time we came for a visit. Then I went home, packed most of the car, and spent the evening making a Cubby man out of tin cans and string. My mom actually did most of the work since I'm not so great at that type of thing. The Cubby is a rotating award I will use for my cub scout pack. I'll try to remember to take pictures and show you the completed Cubby (he's still not painted).
8/23-8/24--The Drive Home--We stopped in Boise and had a "party" with Deanna, Ben and Grandma. The plan was to have a big turkey dinner but Deanna's fridge works a little too well and after three days the turkey was still frozen. So she bagged that idea and bought pizza. Then the kids played one round of Stop Thief: Electronic Cops and Robbers, an old game by Parker Brothers. I'm going to have to find my own copy one of these days. They also played Head to Head Perfection but tempers flared due to tired bodies. The next day was the long trip from Boise to Seattle. We did make it home in time to watch the Olympics Closing Ceremonies, though, so I was happy.
There you have it in a nutshell. We had a great vacation but we're glad to be back home. Our homeschool "officially" starts next week and our classes at the school coop start the week after. Our vacation was the perfect ending to our summer break.
A Decade Old
Though Ammon officially turned 10 last Saturday, I'm just getting around to posting pics of his happy day.This year he is obsessed with Yu-gi-oh, so I covered the top of his cake with his very own Yu-gi-oh card I made on the computer. Ammon laughed hysterically while he read the card, which showed a picture of him and was titled "Birthday Flame Quencher." The cake, by the way, was a homemade ice cream cake which looked like a huge ice cream sandwich before I frosted it.
For his birthday Ammon received (surprise surprise) lots of Yu-gi-oh cards, be he also managed to score a skateboard from his parents and a cool multi-tool from his Grandpa Putnam.
You may be wondering why Ammon is dressed so warmly. Well, he had just returned from the ward campout. The whole family was planning on going, but Daniel came down with a fever the day before and we didn't want to risk taking him. So I stayed home with the three youngest while the older boys toughed it out with their dad. Ammon had a good time but they all complained about the tight squeeze in the 2-3 man tent (apparently the 2-3 men need to be really short toothpicks to actually fit). And because there was a fire ban, there was no campfire and no hot breakfast. I wish I had photos but they didn't take the camera with them. Shucks.
Third Blog's the Charm
With all the excitement over my burgeoning writing career (ha ha) I have noticed how many blog entries I have dedicated to writing. So have others, and their response is always, "You need to put more pictures of the kids on your blog." Sigh. True talent often goes unnoticed (or in this case, unappreciated).
So I've decided to add yet another blog to help separate my private life from my public life. This way those of you who cringe every time you have to read another entry about writing won't have to worry about it anymore. This blog is now strictly dedicated to my family and life at our house.
However, for those who truly are interested, please check out my new blog, elissadcruz.blogspot.com. I am excited about sharing more about my passion with others than I have been able to on this blog. I hope to share more writing tips for others wanting to get started, plus it will be a place where I can bring you along on my journey through the world of writing for children. I hope to see you there.
So I've decided to add yet another blog to help separate my private life from my public life. This way those of you who cringe every time you have to read another entry about writing won't have to worry about it anymore. This blog is now strictly dedicated to my family and life at our house.
However, for those who truly are interested, please check out my new blog, elissadcruz.blogspot.com. I am excited about sharing more about my passion with others than I have been able to on this blog. I hope to share more writing tips for others wanting to get started, plus it will be a place where I can bring you along on my journey through the world of writing for children. I hope to see you there.
It's Nice to Be Accepted
Today is Ammon's 10th birthday, but the best gift that came today was not for him. It was for me. Today in the mail was an acceptance letter and a contract from The Friend magazine for a poem I sent them a few weeks ago.
I can't tell you how excited I am. And that's saying something since it is my job as a writer to capture feelings on paper (or in this case online). But some things just can't be described. If it helps, though, I did jump up and down after I got over the initial shock. And I'm not the jumping type.
In case you are curious, it will take a year or longer for the poem to actually show up in print. And until then I can't publish or distribute it (so don't ask me to). But once it makes it into print I'll make sure to let you all know which issue you'll find it in.
I can't tell you how excited I am. And that's saying something since it is my job as a writer to capture feelings on paper (or in this case online). But some things just can't be described. If it helps, though, I did jump up and down after I got over the initial shock. And I'm not the jumping type.
In case you are curious, it will take a year or longer for the poem to actually show up in print. And until then I can't publish or distribute it (so don't ask me to). But once it makes it into print I'll make sure to let you all know which issue you'll find it in.
The Reading Level of This Blog
While reading through a blog by an editor I met once, I came across this. Boy, I've got to use smaller words. I'm a children's writer, for crying out loud!
The Life of a Writer
Two years ago this month I was fortunate enough to attend the BYU Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers workshop. While there, I met a literary agent with a name hard to pronounce and even harder to spell. I talked to him a few times and I was so impressed that I knew I wanted to try to get him to represent my work.
He gave a blanket invitation to every workshop attendee to send him a manuscript that he would personally read instead of sending it into his slush pile. I asked him how long his invitation would stand. He remarked that he would like to see the manuscript within a year or two.
As you can see, it has been two years. During the last two years I have only finished the first draft of the novel I had planned on sending him. Life--the loss of Greg's business, a move and a new baby--got in the way. The manuscript wasn't ready and I wasn't ready to fix it.
But this week my thoughts have turned back to that manuscript and the agent I wanted to send it to. I talked to Greg, I asked my writer friends, I even pulled the manuscript out of a box. And then I got to work.
So you will excuse me if I don't have much to say. Right now I am focused on polishing the first three chapters so I can send them off by the end of the month, or sometime in August at the latest. I'm on a mission. I'll let you know if it succeeds.
He gave a blanket invitation to every workshop attendee to send him a manuscript that he would personally read instead of sending it into his slush pile. I asked him how long his invitation would stand. He remarked that he would like to see the manuscript within a year or two.
As you can see, it has been two years. During the last two years I have only finished the first draft of the novel I had planned on sending him. Life--the loss of Greg's business, a move and a new baby--got in the way. The manuscript wasn't ready and I wasn't ready to fix it.
But this week my thoughts have turned back to that manuscript and the agent I wanted to send it to. I talked to Greg, I asked my writer friends, I even pulled the manuscript out of a box. And then I got to work.
So you will excuse me if I don't have much to say. Right now I am focused on polishing the first three chapters so I can send them off by the end of the month, or sometime in August at the latest. I'm on a mission. I'll let you know if it succeeds.
It's Cherry Pickin' Time
We have a cherry tree in our back yard. It's over two stories high but the branches aren't very big. We've watched as little green buds have grown to lovely red cherries, but the one problem is nearly all the cherries are high up in the tree. We're not sure why the lower branches are pretty bare. It could be due to the frost we had while the tree was blooming.But the upper branches are at eye level when we are standing on our back patio. So we have been tantalizingly close to those red beauties. And since Greg was home yesterday afternoon, we decided it was time to pick some cherries to have with the dinner we were making for the missionaries.
Well, as this lovely picture shows, Greg climbed the tree and turned Cherry Picker for the afternoon. He picked the cherries, tried to threw them down onto a small blanket (though usually he missed), and Daniel and Ben collected them into a bowl.
Greg was in the tree for nearly an hour. Once he was finished and back on the ground, his legs were wobbly from being in the swaying tree for so long. But I really appreciated his hard work, even though this was how many cherries we finally had at the end of the day.But at least they tasted good with dinner.
Bethany Tagged Me
5 things I was doing 10 years ago:
-Preparing for my 1st child's entrance into this world.
-Preparing for my bro-in-law and sis-in-law's wedding.
-Finishing up the last few days of working before becoming a stay-at-home mom.
-Still unpacking from moving into a new apartment.
-Working on writing a novel.
5 things on my "to-do" list today:
-Finish coordinating the carpool for cub scout day camp next week.
-Get Ammon to the store to pick out a birthday present for a friend.
-Decide whether or not to finish and submit my application for admittance to the University of Washington.
-Get the house clean.
-Work on writing my novel.
5 snacks I enjoy:
-Pretzels.
-Fruit Smoothies.
-Trail Mix (with nuts, raisins and M&Ms).
-Rice Krispies Treats.
-Chocolate (and not the dark stuff--Hershey's milk chocolate is my favorite).
5 places I've lived:
-Utah (various cities in the Salt Lake Valley).
-Idaho (Boise).
-Texas (Irving and Carrollton--in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex).
-Colorado (Northglenn--in the Denver metroplex).
-Washington (Sammamish--in the Seattle area).
5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
-Hire a maid.
-Hire a cook.
-Travel with my family to see the world.
-Buy a bookstore.
-Share the wealth.
5 bad habits:
-Reading instead of cleaning the house.
-Writing instead of cleaning the house.
-Playing with the kids instead of cleaning the house.
-Blogging instead of cleaning the house.
-Sitting on the couch and staring at the wall instead of cleaning the house.
5 jobs I've had:
-Ride operator at Lagoon.
-Office assistant in the curriculum department at the Jordan School District.
-Secretary for the Church Education System.
-Lead Bookseller for Deseret Book.
-I keyed mail for the United States Postal Service at their Remote Encoding Center.
What you might know about me:
-I write children's books. So far I have one middle grade mystery finished (well, the first draft anyway), about a half-dozen pictures books are in various stages of completion, and I'm focusing on writing a YA (young adult) contemporary coming-of-age story right now.
I'm tagging Lacie, Brianne and Logan.
-Preparing for my 1st child's entrance into this world.
-Preparing for my bro-in-law and sis-in-law's wedding.
-Finishing up the last few days of working before becoming a stay-at-home mom.
-Still unpacking from moving into a new apartment.
-Working on writing a novel.
5 things on my "to-do" list today:
-Finish coordinating the carpool for cub scout day camp next week.
-Get Ammon to the store to pick out a birthday present for a friend.
-Decide whether or not to finish and submit my application for admittance to the University of Washington.
-Get the house clean.
-Work on writing my novel.
5 snacks I enjoy:
-Pretzels.
-Fruit Smoothies.
-Trail Mix (with nuts, raisins and M&Ms).
-Rice Krispies Treats.
-Chocolate (and not the dark stuff--Hershey's milk chocolate is my favorite).
5 places I've lived:
-Utah (various cities in the Salt Lake Valley).
-Idaho (Boise).
-Texas (Irving and Carrollton--in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex).
-Colorado (Northglenn--in the Denver metroplex).
-Washington (Sammamish--in the Seattle area).
5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
-Hire a maid.
-Hire a cook.
-Travel with my family to see the world.
-Buy a bookstore.
-Share the wealth.
5 bad habits:
-Reading instead of cleaning the house.
-Writing instead of cleaning the house.
-Playing with the kids instead of cleaning the house.
-Blogging instead of cleaning the house.
-Sitting on the couch and staring at the wall instead of cleaning the house.
5 jobs I've had:
-Ride operator at Lagoon.
-Office assistant in the curriculum department at the Jordan School District.
-Secretary for the Church Education System.
-Lead Bookseller for Deseret Book.
-I keyed mail for the United States Postal Service at their Remote Encoding Center.
What you might know about me:
-I write children's books. So far I have one middle grade mystery finished (well, the first draft anyway), about a half-dozen pictures books are in various stages of completion, and I'm focusing on writing a YA (young adult) contemporary coming-of-age story right now.
I'm tagging Lacie, Brianne and Logan.
Three Cheers For the Kids!
Three things happened this week that I thought should be applauded:
Cheer #1:
Elizabeth has FINALLY figured out the system and is potty trained. We ran out of pull-ups this week and haven't purchased any more.
HIP HIP HOORAY for Elizabeth!
Cheer #2:
Ammon decided he was old enough to mow the lawn. So, he got the mower out and got to work. Our lawn slopes downward on the side of the house, and Ammon got down the hill but was having trouble getting back up. Well, Daniel doesn't usually notice or care if anyone else is struggling (especially since most of the time he is the one causing grief), but this time he decided he needed to cheer Ammon on. "Put your heart into it, Ammon!" he yelled.
HIP HIP HOORAY for Ammon and Daniel!
Cheer #3:
I stopped at a yard sale and picked up a kiddie picnic table for $3 (hooray for me) and took Ammon back with me to pick it up. While we were there, I noticed two picnic/camping mats that would really come in handy, but of course I didn't bring any other cash with me. Well, Ammon saw me admiring them and turned to the lady and asked how much they were. She wanted $1 a piece. Ammon pulled out his wallet and told her he wanted to buy them for our family. She was so impressed with him that she sold them both for $1. He used his own money that he had been saving to buy himself a toy and bought those mats for the family instead.
DOUBLE HIP HIP HOORAY for Ammon!
Three cheers for the kids! I'm so proud of them.
Cheer #1:
Elizabeth has FINALLY figured out the system and is potty trained. We ran out of pull-ups this week and haven't purchased any more.
HIP HIP HOORAY for Elizabeth!
Cheer #2:
Ammon decided he was old enough to mow the lawn. So, he got the mower out and got to work. Our lawn slopes downward on the side of the house, and Ammon got down the hill but was having trouble getting back up. Well, Daniel doesn't usually notice or care if anyone else is struggling (especially since most of the time he is the one causing grief), but this time he decided he needed to cheer Ammon on. "Put your heart into it, Ammon!" he yelled.
HIP HIP HOORAY for Ammon and Daniel!
Cheer #3:
I stopped at a yard sale and picked up a kiddie picnic table for $3 (hooray for me) and took Ammon back with me to pick it up. While we were there, I noticed two picnic/camping mats that would really come in handy, but of course I didn't bring any other cash with me. Well, Ammon saw me admiring them and turned to the lady and asked how much they were. She wanted $1 a piece. Ammon pulled out his wallet and told her he wanted to buy them for our family. She was so impressed with him that she sold them both for $1. He used his own money that he had been saving to buy himself a toy and bought those mats for the family instead.
DOUBLE HIP HIP HOORAY for Ammon!
Three cheers for the kids! I'm so proud of them.
Author Envy
As many of you know, I am a writer. I many not have anything published yet, but I can't deny that I was born to write. When I'm eating I think about writing, when I go anywhere with my kids I look for things to write about, when I watch movies I think about how the scene could have been written better. When I take pictures I think about the captions instead of the photo. I stay up until 2 am frequently just to write. Anytime I find a blog or an article that deals with writing, I HAVE to read it before I can finish whatever it was I was really doing.
Which leads to why I am posting this entry. Yesterday evening I spent some time working on my latest novel and adding a few paragraphs to another novel I had put aside. I also spent time preparing a manuscript to send to the Friend magazine. I was happy in my little writing cocoon until I realized I needed some information to finish my Friend submission. So I went online to find the answer to my question.
And that's when author envy set in.
You know when you have author envy when you find that you have spent 2 hours glaring at all the author interviews you can find online and cursing each witty and remarkably intelligent reply. You know you have author envy when you read book reviews at Amazon.com and mutter under your breath that you wish the idea for that book had hit you over the head. You especially know you have writer envy when you learn that there is an author living in your city and your first thought is to find them at all costs and make them tell you all their writing secrets.
Yes. Yesterday I was guilty of all three.
But in my opinion author envy is a good motivator. So I'm glad when it strikes. Because when it does, it is usually followed by increased creative output and an intense desire to finish all the unfinished manuscripts I have hiding in a computer file. Unfortunately this is also tempered by the fact that another side-effect of author envy for me is to voraciously consume every how-to book on writing that my local library has on the shelf.
Someday I will actually finish something and get it published. Hopefully sooner than later. So the next time you see me, ask me how my writing is coming. I will either have loads to tell you about what I am accomplishing or my own guilt will get my creative juices flowing again.
Yes, sadly, guilt and envy are the two most powerful motivators for me. It's pathetic, isn't it?!
Which leads to why I am posting this entry. Yesterday evening I spent some time working on my latest novel and adding a few paragraphs to another novel I had put aside. I also spent time preparing a manuscript to send to the Friend magazine. I was happy in my little writing cocoon until I realized I needed some information to finish my Friend submission. So I went online to find the answer to my question.
And that's when author envy set in.
You know when you have author envy when you find that you have spent 2 hours glaring at all the author interviews you can find online and cursing each witty and remarkably intelligent reply. You know you have author envy when you read book reviews at Amazon.com and mutter under your breath that you wish the idea for that book had hit you over the head. You especially know you have writer envy when you learn that there is an author living in your city and your first thought is to find them at all costs and make them tell you all their writing secrets.
Yes. Yesterday I was guilty of all three.
But in my opinion author envy is a good motivator. So I'm glad when it strikes. Because when it does, it is usually followed by increased creative output and an intense desire to finish all the unfinished manuscripts I have hiding in a computer file. Unfortunately this is also tempered by the fact that another side-effect of author envy for me is to voraciously consume every how-to book on writing that my local library has on the shelf.
Someday I will actually finish something and get it published. Hopefully sooner than later. So the next time you see me, ask me how my writing is coming. I will either have loads to tell you about what I am accomplishing or my own guilt will get my creative juices flowing again.
Yes, sadly, guilt and envy are the two most powerful motivators for me. It's pathetic, isn't it?!
Fieldtrip to the Police Station
Today I took my cub scout group to the Sammamish police station. For those who don't know, I'm the cubmaster.
I also brought along my kids and siblings of other scouts came as well. They showed us around the offices and the lockup area, and they let the kids get inside one of the police vehicles. My kids wouldn't get inside the "jail cell" at all, but the rest of the cub scouts did. The sergeant also let the boys try on his heavy-duty bullet-proof vest (the thing weighed about 45 pounds) and Ammon just about collapsed after wearing it for no more than thirty seconds! Here's a picture of him and the sergeant:
If you look closely, you'll see the sergeant is actually holding the vest up for Ammon while we took the picture (Ammon was begging to get it off before we could get the camera out). And just in case you were wondering, that is not my finger in the picture! Another mom was taking pictures while I held a sleeping Grace, and she was unfamiliar with my camera.
Because I wasn't taking pictures, we didn't get any of Ben and Daniel. But Daniel was really excited when they turned on the lights on the police SUV and on the unmarked car next to it. He thought that was really cool. Ben stayed back and watched from a distance, but he was really interested in picking up the vest and trying to carry it (he didn't try it on like Ammon did, though). Elizabeth danced around to her own internal music, as you can see in the following picture--she's in the yellow dress:
We all had a great time. And the sergeant sent home armfuls of coloring books, flyers and handouts for each kid, so we now are quadruply prepared to handle any safety issue that comes our way.
I also brought along my kids and siblings of other scouts came as well. They showed us around the offices and the lockup area, and they let the kids get inside one of the police vehicles. My kids wouldn't get inside the "jail cell" at all, but the rest of the cub scouts did. The sergeant also let the boys try on his heavy-duty bullet-proof vest (the thing weighed about 45 pounds) and Ammon just about collapsed after wearing it for no more than thirty seconds! Here's a picture of him and the sergeant:
If you look closely, you'll see the sergeant is actually holding the vest up for Ammon while we took the picture (Ammon was begging to get it off before we could get the camera out). And just in case you were wondering, that is not my finger in the picture! Another mom was taking pictures while I held a sleeping Grace, and she was unfamiliar with my camera.Because I wasn't taking pictures, we didn't get any of Ben and Daniel. But Daniel was really excited when they turned on the lights on the police SUV and on the unmarked car next to it. He thought that was really cool. Ben stayed back and watched from a distance, but he was really interested in picking up the vest and trying to carry it (he didn't try it on like Ammon did, though). Elizabeth danced around to her own internal music, as you can see in the following picture--she's in the yellow dress:
We all had a great time. And the sergeant sent home armfuls of coloring books, flyers and handouts for each kid, so we now are quadruply prepared to handle any safety issue that comes our way.
Hey Erin, She's Alive!
Every time my sister, Erin, calls me on the phone, she mentions how Grace just isn't a real person to her yet because she has never seen her. Well, she's seen pictures, but Erin swears that until she sees Grace move, Grace just won't be a real person. Then she begs me to take some footage of Grace so she can see for herself that her niece is really alive.
Well, Erin, this is for you.
Well, Erin, this is for you.
Change Is Good
I've been tired of staring at spots (from my old blog background) so I went on a search for a new background today. I found the African savannah background (though they called it Jungle and Animals) and I fell in love with it. Maybe it's because I do miss the sun just a tiny bit, and this background shows it in all its glory. But Ben and Daniel both love giraffes, and I'm partial to them myself, so this background seemed to fit. Just remember, if you come to visit us up here on the plateau, it will NOT look like this! But at least I can see the sun everyday now (or every time I check my blog, anyway).
Our School Blog
Since so many of you always ask me what we actually do in our homeschool, I decided it would be easier to bring you along then to try to explain when you ask. So...
...please join us at our official school blog. It may be slim pickins' until September, but we tend to homeschool through the summer anyway, so there's bound to be something to see if you stop by.
Check it out at http://thekidsatschool.blogspot.com/ . There is also a permanent link on the right side of this blog, showing you the title of the most recent post.
Join us soon! And don't forget to bring your own pencil and paper. We never seem to have enough around here.
...please join us at our official school blog. It may be slim pickins' until September, but we tend to homeschool through the summer anyway, so there's bound to be something to see if you stop by.
Check it out at http://thekidsatschool.blogspot.com/ . There is also a permanent link on the right side of this blog, showing you the title of the most recent post.
Join us soon! And don't forget to bring your own pencil and paper. We never seem to have enough around here.
Three Kids, a Deck, and a Musical Toy
Have you even wondered what kids do while they wait for meals to cook? Today our investigators were able to dig up the real story. We've learned that children teach each other to dance. They even provide their own music. It's true! I'm not making this up. We sent in our undercover photographers to capture this never-before-seen footage.
Here are some still photos taken in addition to our award-winning footage. They tell a tale of mysterious music and fancy footwork.
And there's our story. Tune in next time when we uncover what happens...When Good Kids Find Bad Cheese.
And there's our story. Tune in next time when we uncover what happens...When Good Kids Find Bad Cheese.
"Rainy Day" Activities
Even though it wasn't raining today, it was cold and overcast. So the kids stayed inside for the most part. And what do you do on rainy days?
Well...
Grace spent the day sleeping in my arms while I read a book, too. It was a good day.
Well...
Ammon learned to draw dinosaurs with the help of a book.
Ben and Daniel discovered the world of books on tape/cd.
Elizabeth enjoyed the pictures in her favorite books.
Grace spent the day sleeping in my arms while I read a book, too. It was a good day.
Grace is Innocent (and Cute, Too)
Family members keep telling me to use less words and more pictures. Well, I can't promise the less words (I am a writer, after all) but here are more pictures.FYI for those who knew and were wondering what has happened, we finally took Grace to a cardiologist yesterday. (For those who didn't know, Grace was born with a heart murmur.) The cardiologist said she has an innocent heart murmur, which means you can hear her blood circulating through her heart, but there is no sign of defective heart valves. So she passed with a clean bill of health and he said she won't need to see a cardiologist again, at least for a heart murmur anyway. It was what we expected to hear, but I thought I'd pass on the final verdict to the rest of you.
Isn't she cute? And healthy, too!
We've Got Another Reader Here!
BREAKING NEWS: Benjamin (he's 6 and finishing up homeschool kindergarten next week) has decided to join the world of readers! He is currently showing us how much he as picked up on his own by reading the first Magic Treehouse book (which is a second grade reading level book) and enjoying it immensely. For months he has been able to pick out a few words here and there, but his reading really exploded this week. Wish I could say it was because of me. I wonder if it had anything to do with turning off the TV.
We are so proud!
We are so proud!
The TV's OFF
I have found that there is a direct correlation between the amount of backtalking, fighting, hitting and all-around grumpiness and the amount of TV time my children get. Lately, especially since the birth of Grace, the TV has been on quite a bit around here. And, as you can guess, the negative behavior has been a little more than I can bear, too. So, after talking Greg into it (and waiting until his "Lost" season was over) we have officially turned off the TV for awhile. Every day is now a NO TV day.
It has been a bit of an adjustment for everyone, including Greg and me. Now that it's been off for a few days, the kids don't complain about not being able to watch TV. But they do whine about being bored. A lot. And Greg and I have realized that we actually have to pay attention to our kids now that the TV isn't doing the babysitting. Go figure.
One of the things we have done to replace the TV is Game Time. For example, tonight after dinner the entire family (minus Grace of course) sat down at the table and played Uno. Even Lizzie, who is only 3, played her own hand (with a little help from Greg and me) and she did quite a remarkable job considering she is still learning her colors. We had to help with the numbers, of course. Ammon won the first round and Daniel won the second, and we all just had fun together. Remarkable.
We've also started making things together. Yesterday the kids and I made our own city mural from butcher paper so they could drive the matchbox cars on the roads. That was really fun. Earlier today I got out the felt and we made our own Pizza game. We have pizza dough, red sauce, olives, pineapple, onions, green peppers, pepperoni, Canadian Bacon and shredded cheese all cut out from felt. The kids spent the day making felt pizzas, and I used the time to make a box to keep the game in. They had fun and so did I.
It does take more work on my part (and Greg's), but so far it has been worth it. It's a Two-Steps-Forward-One-Step-Back process in the kid's behavior, but any progress is still progress, and progress is a good thing.
We've decided to leave the TV off for at least two weeks, but secretly I hope it's longer than that. Once everyone is weaned off the TV I'm hoping they'll stick to the TV-free lifestyle. It will help our homeschooling run more smoothly, it will help the kids' relationships with each other, and it will definitely help the behavioral issues we inevitably deal with when the Big Bad TV gets a little too big and bad.
So Good-bye TV. Hello fun.
It has been a bit of an adjustment for everyone, including Greg and me. Now that it's been off for a few days, the kids don't complain about not being able to watch TV. But they do whine about being bored. A lot. And Greg and I have realized that we actually have to pay attention to our kids now that the TV isn't doing the babysitting. Go figure.
One of the things we have done to replace the TV is Game Time. For example, tonight after dinner the entire family (minus Grace of course) sat down at the table and played Uno. Even Lizzie, who is only 3, played her own hand (with a little help from Greg and me) and she did quite a remarkable job considering she is still learning her colors. We had to help with the numbers, of course. Ammon won the first round and Daniel won the second, and we all just had fun together. Remarkable.
We've also started making things together. Yesterday the kids and I made our own city mural from butcher paper so they could drive the matchbox cars on the roads. That was really fun. Earlier today I got out the felt and we made our own Pizza game. We have pizza dough, red sauce, olives, pineapple, onions, green peppers, pepperoni, Canadian Bacon and shredded cheese all cut out from felt. The kids spent the day making felt pizzas, and I used the time to make a box to keep the game in. They had fun and so did I.
It does take more work on my part (and Greg's), but so far it has been worth it. It's a Two-Steps-Forward-One-Step-Back process in the kid's behavior, but any progress is still progress, and progress is a good thing.
We've decided to leave the TV off for at least two weeks, but secretly I hope it's longer than that. Once everyone is weaned off the TV I'm hoping they'll stick to the TV-free lifestyle. It will help our homeschooling run more smoothly, it will help the kids' relationships with each other, and it will definitely help the behavioral issues we inevitably deal with when the Big Bad TV gets a little too big and bad.
So Good-bye TV. Hello fun.
The Underwear Band
I just love it when Daniel and Elizabeth are getting along. They are absolutely adorable when they aren't screeching at each other and leaving hand-shaped welts across each other's backs.
Today they decided to start their own band. Clad in their best duds (yep, underwear only) they each grabbed a guitar. Lizzie's was a purple pencil and Daniel's was a piece to the t-ball set their Grandma had just sent a few days before (so much for t-ball). They each picked a guitar pick. They both used a pony bead for this which Daniel knowingly explained to his sister was called a Playing Pin.
Then they got down to work. They jammed for a few mintues, warming up I assume. Then Daniel turned teacher and tried to show Lizzie how to hold the guitar correctly. She, being 3, never really understood, but she stood there patiently and listened to everything he said.
Then the show began. They both turned on their voices and turned up their electric guitars (I learned this an instant later) and they let out the loudest and happiest squealing I think I have ever heard. It kinda had a tune, the squeal's pitched changed several times in any case, and they were both rocking to it like it was the hottest thing on the planet.
Ah, sweet music.
Today they decided to start their own band. Clad in their best duds (yep, underwear only) they each grabbed a guitar. Lizzie's was a purple pencil and Daniel's was a piece to the t-ball set their Grandma had just sent a few days before (so much for t-ball). They each picked a guitar pick. They both used a pony bead for this which Daniel knowingly explained to his sister was called a Playing Pin.
Then they got down to work. They jammed for a few mintues, warming up I assume. Then Daniel turned teacher and tried to show Lizzie how to hold the guitar correctly. She, being 3, never really understood, but she stood there patiently and listened to everything he said.
Then the show began. They both turned on their voices and turned up their electric guitars (I learned this an instant later) and they let out the loudest and happiest squealing I think I have ever heard. It kinda had a tune, the squeal's pitched changed several times in any case, and they were both rocking to it like it was the hottest thing on the planet.
Ah, sweet music.
Daniel's Lego Birthday
On May 10th Daniel had his very first "friend" birthday party. Around our house, the kids get a party with friends on their 5th, 8th, 12th and 16th birthdays. I asked Daniel what theme he wanted for his birthday party, and after some "Spongebob" and "Construction" comments he finally decided on a Lego party.
We invited 5 kids (only 1 was unable to come) and Daniel's siblings were there, too, of course. We had pulled out our huge tub of Legos for the kids to play with while we waited for everyone to arrive. Then we played a few Lego themed games. The first was a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey type game I called "Place the Lego person on top of the Lego Pyramid." Then we played a game to see who could build the tallest Lego tower.
Then it was time for the cake. Daniel blew out the candles and then opened his presents while I dished up the cake and ice cream. He, of course, did get Legos from some of his friends.After the goodies had been devoured, we opened the bubbles machine we gave Daniel and the party moved out on our deck. While we waited for parents to arrive, the kids danced through piles of bubbles. It's a good thing that it wasn't raining at the time!
And...Cut!
I've been waiting years for the inevitable Cutting of the Hair episode that each family seems to go through during the children's toddler/preschool years. So far my kids have not even touched the scissors unless it was to cut paper. Maybe they figured since their grandfather was a hairdresser, all the hair cutting was taken care of.
Well, that all changed yesterday.
I came upstairs yesterday afternoon to find a trail of hair from the bathroom to the kitchen. Then I encountered Elizabeth and her then-long-now-short hairstyle. "Daniel did it!" she happily remarked when I asked her about her hair. I could tell she didn't do it herself because it was mostly the back that had been cut (not the places she could reach herself). Fortnately for me, Daniel seems to have a bit of his grandfather in him. He did a fairly good job of cutting her hair (no large chunk at the skull or anything for him--it was mostly a straight line at about shoulder length).
Thank goodness for that. I cleaned it up the best I could--remember, I'm not the hairdresser in the family so it isn't the best haircut she's ever had--and now our long-haired princess is a short-haired Lucy Pevensie from Chronicles of Narnia (at least, that's what I told her once she realized her long locks were long gone).
What precipitated this hair-cutting episode? I blame their father. This weekend he decided to give the boys military-style shaves. So Daniel, fresh from his own haircut session, decided it would be fun to pass it on to others.
At least he didn't try it out on Grace.
Well, that all changed yesterday.I came upstairs yesterday afternoon to find a trail of hair from the bathroom to the kitchen. Then I encountered Elizabeth and her then-long-now-short hairstyle. "Daniel did it!" she happily remarked when I asked her about her hair. I could tell she didn't do it herself because it was mostly the back that had been cut (not the places she could reach herself). Fortnately for me, Daniel seems to have a bit of his grandfather in him. He did a fairly good job of cutting her hair (no large chunk at the skull or anything for him--it was mostly a straight line at about shoulder length).
Thank goodness for that. I cleaned it up the best I could--remember, I'm not the hairdresser in the family so it isn't the best haircut she's ever had--and now our long-haired princess is a short-haired Lucy Pevensie from Chronicles of Narnia (at least, that's what I told her once she realized her long locks were long gone).What precipitated this hair-cutting episode? I blame their father. This weekend he decided to give the boys military-style shaves. So Daniel, fresh from his own haircut session, decided it would be fun to pass it on to others.
At least he didn't try it out on Grace.
A Heavenly Sabbath? I Think Not!
Yesterday I was hoping for the idyllic Sabbath reverence from my children. This usually isn't very hard to achieve either. Usually they are remarkably well-behaved at church, and we are working on improving their behavior at home. But yesterday...well, instead I was awarded with a scene straight out of Nanny 911 (before Nanny Intervention, that is).
It all began when we tried to find seats at Stake Conference. Because they were calling a new stake president and Elder Holland would be officiating, the outgoing stake presidency decided to broadcast the conference in every room in the stake center and also in the local high school auditorium across the street. Of course by the time we arrived the stake center was overflowing and only place we could find seats was at the high school (and we were early). And the only seats available at the high school were the ones on the back row at the top of the stairs.
So, of course, most of my kids spent the entire 2 hours escaping into the aisles. They ran up and down, pushed each other to get out and fought over whose turn it was to speed down the steps and hop back up them. When we weren't scolding them for being out of their seats, we were telling them to keep their voices down. Ammon and Ben couldn't keep their hands to themselves (in their opinion tickling each other was a great way to pass the time). And all of them had to go to the bathroom more times than I thought was humanly possible. I finally took the younger kids out to the car to wait because they were so disruptive that no one near us could focus on Elder Holland's remarks.
After Church wasn't any better. I sent all the children to their rooms, hoping they would take a nap and give me some peace and quiet. But they wailed for nearly an hour before calming down. Once I did let them out of their rooms, they began to pick on each other and fight over toys. At one point I had Grace crying in my arms, Elizabeth hanging on one leg as she wailed, Daniel pushing on my other leg as he screamed at me in anger and Ben crying in frustration in the other room. (At least Ammon was blissfully silent during this particular crisis.)
Somehow we managed to get through to day without any broken bones, but I doubt our Spirits fared as well. So I made a Family Ladder.
The Family Ladder consisted of 6 rungs, numbered 0-5. One the left side of each rung was a list of Behavior Expected for that level, and on the right was a list of Privileges Earned. We started with the basic behavior for Level 1 (kids dressed and minding their own business) and worked our way up to Level 5 (obeying instantly and doing all work without being asked). Level 0 was the level for negative behavior (like whining, arguing, complaining, hitting, etc.) and the "privilege earned" was extra or nasty chores--one for each level they had dropped. Once the extra chores were completed, the child could climb the ladder back to where they had been before the infraction.
I introduced the Family Ladder right before dinner. The change was instantaneous. Suddenly my children were begging to be assigned their chores. They were asking each other what they could do to help. They were obeying instantly!
HALLELUJAH!
The Family Ladder continues to help today as well. I know that soon it will lose its newness and they won't be so enthusiastic. But at least I can get a few days of peace. Hey, maybe it will still be working when next Sunday rolls around. Oh, I do hope so.
It all began when we tried to find seats at Stake Conference. Because they were calling a new stake president and Elder Holland would be officiating, the outgoing stake presidency decided to broadcast the conference in every room in the stake center and also in the local high school auditorium across the street. Of course by the time we arrived the stake center was overflowing and only place we could find seats was at the high school (and we were early). And the only seats available at the high school were the ones on the back row at the top of the stairs.
So, of course, most of my kids spent the entire 2 hours escaping into the aisles. They ran up and down, pushed each other to get out and fought over whose turn it was to speed down the steps and hop back up them. When we weren't scolding them for being out of their seats, we were telling them to keep their voices down. Ammon and Ben couldn't keep their hands to themselves (in their opinion tickling each other was a great way to pass the time). And all of them had to go to the bathroom more times than I thought was humanly possible. I finally took the younger kids out to the car to wait because they were so disruptive that no one near us could focus on Elder Holland's remarks.
After Church wasn't any better. I sent all the children to their rooms, hoping they would take a nap and give me some peace and quiet. But they wailed for nearly an hour before calming down. Once I did let them out of their rooms, they began to pick on each other and fight over toys. At one point I had Grace crying in my arms, Elizabeth hanging on one leg as she wailed, Daniel pushing on my other leg as he screamed at me in anger and Ben crying in frustration in the other room. (At least Ammon was blissfully silent during this particular crisis.)
Somehow we managed to get through to day without any broken bones, but I doubt our Spirits fared as well. So I made a Family Ladder.
The Family Ladder consisted of 6 rungs, numbered 0-5. One the left side of each rung was a list of Behavior Expected for that level, and on the right was a list of Privileges Earned. We started with the basic behavior for Level 1 (kids dressed and minding their own business) and worked our way up to Level 5 (obeying instantly and doing all work without being asked). Level 0 was the level for negative behavior (like whining, arguing, complaining, hitting, etc.) and the "privilege earned" was extra or nasty chores--one for each level they had dropped. Once the extra chores were completed, the child could climb the ladder back to where they had been before the infraction.
I introduced the Family Ladder right before dinner. The change was instantaneous. Suddenly my children were begging to be assigned their chores. They were asking each other what they could do to help. They were obeying instantly!
HALLELUJAH!
The Family Ladder continues to help today as well. I know that soon it will lose its newness and they won't be so enthusiastic. But at least I can get a few days of peace. Hey, maybe it will still be working when next Sunday rolls around. Oh, I do hope so.
Imagination Runs Wild
As an adult, it takes me awhile to remember to use my imagination. For me a rock looks like a rock, there are no monsters hiding in my closet, and there's not much you can do in an empty field.
Not so for my children. They are gifted imaginers.
After a doctor's visit for Daniel (and that's another story entirely), I needed to stop and feed Grace. Near the doctor's office, nestled between the very large Bellevue Regional Library and a dozen or so skyscrapers (each at least 18 stories high), there was a small field. The perfect place where the other children could run around while Grace nursed. Once we pulled into the parking lot, though, the excitement in our car increased because the place was actually a baseball diamond.
"Hooray! We can play baseball!" shouted Ammon. His brothers and sister hoorayed with him. I wondered if Ammon had secretly stashed a bat and ball in the car (which, by the way, he has done in the past). But as the children scrambled out of the car, I noticed they only had two toy lightsabers and each other.
But it was enough.
Ben stepped right up on the home plate and pulled out his lightsaber. It became the bat. Ammon strode to the pitchers mound and Daniel and Elizabeth spread out behind him. Then Ammon threw the ball. The imaginary ball, that is.
Ben hit the imaginary ball and took off for first base. I watched Ammon and Daniel chase the imaginary ball down, catch it, throw it to each other and try to tag Ben out. Then Daniel was up to bat. His grounder went through Ammon's legs and Ammon chased it down while Daniel slid into first base. Then Ammon had a turn swinging the bat. He, of course, made a home run. Elizabeth chased after her brothers and practiced sliding onto base as well.
The wind was blowing their hair, dirt was clinging to their legs, and smiles were on their faces. And all because of their imagination.
It brought a smile to my face, too.
Not so for my children. They are gifted imaginers.
After a doctor's visit for Daniel (and that's another story entirely), I needed to stop and feed Grace. Near the doctor's office, nestled between the very large Bellevue Regional Library and a dozen or so skyscrapers (each at least 18 stories high), there was a small field. The perfect place where the other children could run around while Grace nursed. Once we pulled into the parking lot, though, the excitement in our car increased because the place was actually a baseball diamond.
"Hooray! We can play baseball!" shouted Ammon. His brothers and sister hoorayed with him. I wondered if Ammon had secretly stashed a bat and ball in the car (which, by the way, he has done in the past). But as the children scrambled out of the car, I noticed they only had two toy lightsabers and each other.
But it was enough.
Ben stepped right up on the home plate and pulled out his lightsaber. It became the bat. Ammon strode to the pitchers mound and Daniel and Elizabeth spread out behind him. Then Ammon threw the ball. The imaginary ball, that is.
Ben hit the imaginary ball and took off for first base. I watched Ammon and Daniel chase the imaginary ball down, catch it, throw it to each other and try to tag Ben out. Then Daniel was up to bat. His grounder went through Ammon's legs and Ammon chased it down while Daniel slid into first base. Then Ammon had a turn swinging the bat. He, of course, made a home run. Elizabeth chased after her brothers and practiced sliding onto base as well.
The wind was blowing their hair, dirt was clinging to their legs, and smiles were on their faces. And all because of their imagination.
It brought a smile to my face, too.
A Fish Out of Water (and Onto Paper)
A few weeks ago Daniel and Elizabeth were watching Finding Nemo, the Walt Disney animated film starring a clown fish named Marlin and his blue fish friend, Dory. It's not one of my favorites, though I do love the parts where Dory can't remember Nemo's name ("his son, Bingo" is one phrase that comes to mind). But the kids were enthralled with the movie. Of course, since we own the movie this was only about the 14,362nd time they had seen it, but this time they actually watched it all the way through without stopping.
Later that day, Daniel came up to me to show me his latest drawing. Now, normally his "drawings" are scribbles and don't make much sense to anyone but himself (I seriously believe he is often scribbling his mood and not trying to make actual pictures). But this time I was in awe of the masterpiece placed before me.
"It's the scary teeth fish from the movie," he states.
"Did you do this yourself?" I can barely stammer the question out.
"Yes. Except for this part Ammon had to help me," he replies as he points to the curved line that makes up the "fishing line" between the fish and the glowing ball in front of it.
What is probably more amazing than the drawing is the fact that the beast is hardly standing still in the movie, nor is it in the film for more than a few minutes. But it was enough to imprint its ugly mug into Daniel's head. And the most amazing of all is that Daniel is only 4 years old.
I excitedly congratulated him, and then we spent some time looking up this creature on the internet. We found out this lovely fish, by the way, is really called an anglerfish and most people believe it to be the ugliest fish on the planet.
Others may not see this exquisite rendering as something to get so excited about. But in our family, so far we have had a pitiful lack of artistic expression from anyone, so this is a big deal around here. Maybe he'll grow up to be like his Grandma Putnam (the watercolorist) or his Grandpa Goofy (the interior decorator/scene designer). Or he may just grow up to be something else, but I'll still be proud of his first fish.
Later that day, Daniel came up to me to show me his latest drawing. Now, normally his "drawings" are scribbles and don't make much sense to anyone but himself (I seriously believe he is often scribbling his mood and not trying to make actual pictures). But this time I was in awe of the masterpiece placed before me.
"It's the scary teeth fish from the movie," he states.
"Did you do this yourself?" I can barely stammer the question out."Yes. Except for this part Ammon had to help me," he replies as he points to the curved line that makes up the "fishing line" between the fish and the glowing ball in front of it.
What is probably more amazing than the drawing is the fact that the beast is hardly standing still in the movie, nor is it in the film for more than a few minutes. But it was enough to imprint its ugly mug into Daniel's head. And the most amazing of all is that Daniel is only 4 years old.
I excitedly congratulated him, and then we spent some time looking up this creature on the internet. We found out this lovely fish, by the way, is really called an anglerfish and most people believe it to be the ugliest fish on the planet.
Others may not see this exquisite rendering as something to get so excited about. But in our family, so far we have had a pitiful lack of artistic expression from anyone, so this is a big deal around here. Maybe he'll grow up to be like his Grandma Putnam (the watercolorist) or his Grandpa Goofy (the interior decorator/scene designer). Or he may just grow up to be something else, but I'll still be proud of his first fish.
Tulips, Tulips Everywhere
Y
esterday we ventured north to the Skagit County Tulip Festival. Apparently this place houses the largest tulip fields in the world (yes, that includes Holland!) in a flat but fertile valley near the Puget Sound about an hour south of the Canadian border. We went with friends, and they took us through the back roads. It seemed as if we were swallowed by trees, but we did catch the occasional glimpse of the Sound as we sped past. Once we entered the valley, I instantly fell in love with the smattering of farm houses. Greg was more impressed with the smattering of restored cars on the road.
At one point we followed a teal '55 Chevy (at least that is what Greg thought it was) through a small town, and I felt like we were transported back in time.The first field we found was full of pinks and purples. It was a beautiful sight and the weather was absolutely gorgeous-perfect for strolling through the tulips. But there was nowhere to park.
Apparently we weren't the only ones who decided to visit the tulip fields. (BEWARE: if you choose to go to this festival sometime in the future, be prepared for horrendous amounts of traffic and very little parking) So we were forced to find another field to visit. Around the block we were finally able to find parking near a field of orange, yellow and red tulips.We started in the red tulips, and Ammon was disappointed when he read the sign that said: "Stay on the main road. Do not walk between rows." He was hoping to run through the field, with tulips on each side of him. Secretly I agreed.
We
ventured on to the yellow tulips, and the children started to get a bit restless. They really wanted to get into the thick of things, so we kept catching them inching their way into the rows. Finally Elizabeth disappeared down one of the rows, but we had to get a picture before scolding her.Once we reached the orange flowers, they turned out to be yellow and red variegated. They weren't as pretty as they were from a distance. I was really looking forward to seeing an orange tulip.
We stayed for about an hour, then headed back to the van. I was hoping to visit a few other fields, but it had taken us too long to get there and we were out of time. Maybe next year we will make a full day trip up and visit all the fields. There are at least a half a dozen tulip fields, but they also have daffodil and iris fields as well. By the time we arrived the daffodils had finished blooming but the irises had not yet bloomed.
We drove back out the way we had come in, but as we passed the pink and purple tulip field again I just had to stop and get photos. It was absolutely stunning to see. The pictures really don't do it justice.
Oh, and where was Grace through this entire afternoon? Sleeping, of course.
