Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Here Comes the Sun

I have debated putting music on the blog--I know there are strong feelings both ways. Ultimately,I decided I will do it once in a while. I love music and there are times music can say it better than I can. So enjoy yourself some Beatles.

Yesterday was fabulous (I can't say or write that word without thinking of Sharpay.)
We spent almost 2 hours at the park. I had a Cafe Rio salad and read a little Anna Karenina and watched these kids run around and finally be outside.
I love, love, love Springtime--it's been a long, cold, lonely winter.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Yeah baby, she got it!

Beverly is now a black belt. The three of them had testing on Saturday--Andrew did a mid-term testing, Bev tested for black belt, and Christian tested for his mid-term green belt. They all did great.
Bev has great kicks. She broke both boards on the first try.
Christian did his form and board-break.
Andrew and Bev sparred each other--we all knew that had the potential of not ending well. Thank goodness they did great.
Bev during her form.
Andrew during his form.
Christian during his form.
When someone gets the black belt, her family gets to help tie the final knot in the belt--symbolizing the help that they each gave her in her in her journey to black belt. The ceremony is really cool.
We are excited because now we only have two classes two times a week instead of three classes two times a week. I am grateful for Mike--he practices with them at home and helps me get them to their classes. I couldn't do it without him, and they couldn't either.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Sunshine and Buttars and Nuclear Waste

Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was quite warm. Then I read the news. He's up to his old antics again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZeG37PADYk

That, and if I hear another commercial for Energy Solutions I think I will, I don't know, do something crazy. Well, I will actually just turn off the radio then when Mike gets home I will give him an ear-full about nuclear waste and Utah politics.
But, I'm not gonna let these people bring me down today. It's so Spring-y outside I can't be in a bad mood. The kids came home from school yesterday and immediately went outside to play. I took some pictures. I told them to look at me for the picture--they kept complaining about the bright sun.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Catching Up

I have been taking a picture everyday--I am just not going to post all of them. Here are a few from the last week or two.

When we got Jessica, I looked everywhere for a picture with Jesus and a black girl. Black boy, yes, but I couldn't find one with a girl anywhere. I stopped looking. Then, we went to Costco. Greg Olson was there with tons of his prints. I walked past it and did my shopping. Then as I was going to the checkout, this print caught my attention.
So, the joke holds true--you can't go into Costco without finding something not on your list that you just have to have.

Christian lost his first tooth. We tried keeping it in for as long as possible, but it needed to come out. We were at my mom and dad's last Sunday and it was just dangling there. I pulled it out--this kid is so tough--he didn't cry. He was so excited to use the pillow Bev made him. The tooth fairy always brings our kids a gold $1 coin.

He is only four, but when he was two, Freddy ran into him in the backyard and knocked his front top two teeth up into his gums. The dentist thought he would lose them back then, so we were happy he kept them as long as he has.
Christian is taking after his sister--he makes stuff everyday. He begged for a composition notebook--just like Bev's. He is filling it with writing and drawing. When he showed me this cat, I thought it was the cutest cat I had ever seen (and I don't like cats.)
I had some strawberries that were not going to be eaten, so I called up my pal Suzie and asked her for her jam recipe. It is freezer jam--actually let me clarify--it is freezer syrup. It tastes great, it is just a little thin. The problem is that the package on the pectin called for 2 cups strawberries and 4 cups sugar. No way! So I cut the sugar in half and it didn't work out so great. Mike says it's really good on pancakes, so we will be using it more as a topping.
The problem is that my OCD kicks in and I will be trying it until I get it right. I learned on the rice pudding fiasco to make smaller batches--just in case it doesn't work out. So, I will be buying some more strawberries and the low-sugar pectin this week.
We had a very nice Valentine's Day. Mike and I go out on a different day and then we have a dinner with the rascals. This year we kept it easy--we got a heart-shaped pizza. It has become tradition to cover the table in paper so they can draw on it. I get the boys a Valentine and Mike gets the girls something.
Last year I got the boys movies for Valentine's. I got Andrew Gremlins. Apparently I didn't remember what Gremlins was. I had it confused with a movie where the creatures were kind and cuddly and cute. We all sat down to watch the movie, and yikes! It was totally scary. The kids were screaming and scared. Mike just looked at me and said, "Nice job on the Valentines." They all teased me this year, asking if they were going to get another scary movie.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Seriously?

So, two years ago, I did something I had always wanted to do--I served on a jury. I had always imagined it being for a criminal case--something really important--something, let's say out of Law and Order. This was not Law and Order material. It was a man suing Anheuser-Busch from falling on the ice during the Bud Bowl at the Olympics in 2002 at the Gallivan Center. It lasted one week, and I know that we jurors made the right decision. Well, this morning I was on my way to the grocery store to pick up sugar cookies for Andrew's class party when I heard on the radio that this case was going to get another trial.

You can read about it here:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11691066

I am sure that the next jury will decide the same that we did. It is just so frustrating to see all of that time and money spent on someone trying to squeeze some money out of a big corporation.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Quote of the Day

My kids are in there right now watching Kung Fu Panda--which, by the way, I love. I laugh everytime I hear Po say:

"There is no charge for awesomeness...or attractiveness."