Thursday's Deep Thought

Artichokes could, possibly, be the least user friendly vegetable. Who first looked at the blossom of the thistle plant and thought "what the heck, I'll hack off most of the outside of this and eat whatever is inside..."?

They are inordinately pretty, though. I would, almost rather have them whole as a centerpiece than go to the work of actually preparing them. But maybe that is just being lazy...

Back By Popular Demand

Highs

• Winning a local Chili Cook-off with Sous Chef H (Hurrah!)
• Watching General Conference and the RS Session
• Maintaining exercise 5x a week at 5:15 a.m.
• Developing a "almost there" gourmet cupcake recipe incorporating 5 or 6 baking discoveries (haven't yet mastered the frosting, but it is super close)
• Visiting Teaching = done!
• Spending the weekend with [prego] Auntie Mer and [not prego] Uncle Ben!
• Finding out some Really Good News!
• Enjoying the, finally, cool weather. Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!
• Not desiring dessert or second helpings
• Basking in the autonomy of the boys ages
• Bowling a dang good game
• Wrestling with the boys in the front room
• Coming to the surprising realization that I'd really like the next baby in the family to be a boy
• Planning the details of hosting Thanksgiving
• Reading The Hunger Games
• Finding chicken breast on sale for $1.25 per pound
• Bottling 15 pints of chicken (Thanks, Ashley!!!)
• Getting invited to dinner
• Loving the structure that having a child in school brings
• Napping next to my babies
• Making new friends
• Riding bikes to school and not sweating profusely
• Enjoying the simple luxury of living in a small town (paid the local doctor in cinnamon rolls after he pulled a rock out of A's nose...it's another story for another time)
• Spending most of the grocery budget in the first week...again (p.s. We need a cow, preferably lactating)
• Finishing the laundry all in one day, including putting it all away! (this is big, folks)

Lows

• Watching General Conference in HD = the uncomfortable feeling of being personally perched on the podium (I noticed bad teeth, red and tired eyes, moist nostrils, interesting skin discolorations, the works...)
• Feeling very, very tired
• Gaining weight despite the awesome exercise routine
• Eating pounds and pounds of candy corn, mellowcreme pumpkins and "cowboy mix" (shoot me)
• Eating dessert and second helpings despite having no real desire to do so (this may correlate to that pesky weight gain thing...)
• Putting away the skinnier "goal jeans" for awhile
• Just feeling very chunky lately (...are we sensing a theme here...cupcakes, feeling fat...)
• Forgetting to send H's homework with him when it was due
• Making some interestingly creative end-of-the-month sack lunches for H and, suddenly realizing that, despite all, I have turned into my mother
• Telling an entire roomful of peers that I never clean my kitchen floors (it is true, but still)
• Reading most of Genesis with Aaron and feeling very much annoyed (Is the entire Old Testament solely about procreation? And incest? Hmmmmm.)
• Making a cookie recipe from a local bakery using shortening (shudder), and throwing most of them away
• Wasting precious calories by eating some of the aforementioned disgusting cookies
• Trying to run an organization with dwindling participants and tiring of the grind
• Going to the RS Session's Stake before-the-broadcast social = older ladies, older lady food, older lady conversation, older lady smells, etc

And Now For an Update

Don Juan de H

H started kindergarten with gusto and I, classically, neglected to bring the camera. Oh well.

The Report
He's doing well, of course. He's older in his grade, plus he's brilliant to boot. (Oh, Moms are so jaded!) No, really, it has been fun to see him excel in a structured environment. And none too soon. I was about ready to sell him to the gypsies, come August.  What, with all of the deconstruction around this home during the summer--BBQ, bicycles, toy cars, vacuum cleaners--not to mention his curious habit of dumpster diving and then creating various "inventions" with, say, toothpaste tubes.

But let's get down to what really matters...
Though it has only been a precious few weeks, he seems to have already found a love interest--Alexis. And what a babe she is! (You know, that kid has an eye...) She has now replaced the "Lily" of pre-school fame. Her name (Alexis, not Lily) is suddenly doodled all over various papers and posters, "maps" and "books." It is all I can do not to barrage him with questions...

Anyway, the other day, I happened to be chatting with Alexis' mother and she mentioned that Alexis is "in love" with Ian, some boy who pledged his devotion on the very first day of class. Oh! How my heart sank for H!

H, however, seemed unfazed. When I quizzed him about Ian, later in the day, he simply quipped "He likes Alexis too.."

Well, well. That's my boy. Game on.

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By the way, I feel so, so official. A Real Mother! I have thoroughly enjoyed packing lunches, dreaming up amazing after-school snacks, supervising homework, and enforcing bedtime because "it's a school night." I know that this euphoria will wear off soon.  But for now, while the pressure is low, life is very, very good.

Grumpy Sweaty Done

I am pretty much done with it being 110 degrees outside.

It is getting mighty old, let me tell you.

Bring on the crisp, romantic fall!

Bring on the football, the General Conference, the sweaters and jeans.

Let's just skip September altogether. Who's in?

P.S.

Aaron, without you I am lost and grumpy. Please come back and get me...

Can't Sleep

I am a Woman.

I am powerful because I am. Nobody has to tell me this. I just am. Nobody has to "empower" me. I just am empowered. Nobody has to take me away so I will know this. I just am grand, because being a woman is grand.

It infuriates me when women act like this is a new concept. Or one you have to repeat to yourself or "teach" to each other.

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I care for Men. (Little men, mostly)

They have immense worth. And they can be powerful in this world.

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Powerful women are women who know who they are.

And powerful women make powerful men.

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Sometimes I feel like I am their only champions.

I Am LOVING These Mormon Messages Lately

Forgiveness

Lately, I am trying to keep computer time down and trying to play with the boys more. But have you seen all of these fantastic Mormon Messages? I sit and bawl through them all. Love them and had to post the inspiration. This is why we do what we do. The Gospel is true.

Daily Tweets

• 08:39 There has just GOT to be something interesting we can do today... #

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Daily Tweets

• 17:33 Making dinner for the missionaries. Nothing exciting, unfortunately. #
• 22:36 Finally settling down after a surprise birthday party with wonderful family and friends. Mad props to Aaron for pulling it off. #

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Daily Tweets

• 18:54 Yesterdays batch of pesto made some rocking pizza tonight. Too bad I cook for preschoolers. #
• 18:55 You know, one day, I won't have to coax them into finishing their pizza slice. Right? #
• 18:57 ...and by extension, I won't end up eating the rest of their pizza slices...and then finishing off those cookies to drown the guilt. #

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Daily Tweets

• 09:20 Morning without exercise #10. Somewhere inside of me there is a skinny gal screaming because the fat girl is sitting on her and eating pie. #

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Daily Tweets

• 06:48 It turns out that someone actually offers summer tours chasing tornadoes. Family Reunion 2011, anyone? #
• 21:23 Writing a skit for girls camp. In the zone. #

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Daily Tweets

• 08:24 I love Independence Day weekend! The excitement, the parades, the fireworks... #
• 13:48 Bought anchovies. #

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Whoa. Someone Needs a Siesta.

Part of my journal entry for tonight:

I was pretty feisty, tonight after practice, on the playground. Some annoying little kid kept trying to push E off the equipment. I didn't even make a nice voice, like any good mother would, when I said "Hey, hey kid, don't push him! Don't push him! Where is your mom?..."

Then later, when some lady next to me kept shooing E away from climbing up the slide, I finally trotted him away saying out loud "Come on E, she's freaking out..."

I heard her say from afar "I'm not freaking out"

It was not my best moment, and I felt instantly sorry and embarrassed...

Clearly I had a bowl of fiesties this morning. I'd like to blame it on hormones and call it good, but I know that that is really no excuse.

Sorry innocent mother-at-the-park. I was rude.
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Oh how I want, so much, to be a better woman than I am!

Daily Tweets

• 08:02 Last day of the month...almost out of gas...no chocolate in the house. Hmmm. What will this day bring? #

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Dear Aaron, My Birthday IS Coming Up...

Just think of how much frosting we could make at a time! 

Think of how many cheesecakes we could make at one time! 

The boys would love it...no more boring hot summer days for us. 

No sir! 

The possibilities are endless!!!

In Response...#2

What was the YW cinnamon project?

For our Girl's Camp fundraiser this year we decided to sell pretty little boxes of large homemade cinnamon rolls that we delivered on Mother's day morning. We figured that the men in the ward would jump at the opportunity to have "Mother's day taken care of..." But, surprisingly, it was the women in the community that bought the most--either for themselves, or others.


It started out as a pretty good idea. I took a basic pizza dough recipe, tweaked it by using a lower protein flour (for less chewey-ness), more sugar (for tenderness, sweetness, and good initial rising), and instant yeast (for obvious reasons).  The dough came together quickly, and we made ten pans of them right away at a mutual night activity and then froze the uncooked rolls until we could bake them on the morning of. The rest of the rolls were assembled by the YW leaders (an additional 60 pans) at their homes a day prior to the event. 


I spent my Saturday-before assembling and baking, drawing out maps, and *whipping up huge vats of buttery cream-cheese frosting--truly a dream come true! Other leaders assembled and baked, decorated boxes with ribbon and flowers, and put together personalized tags for the tops. It was kind of a stressful day for everyone. 


Not everything went as planned. I had to lower my food standards and make some compromises in order to save us from camping out at the church's kitchen all day. And some of the girls that promised to come bailed at the last minute. Finally, in the end, I think, the consensus amongst the leaders was that we would choose a less intense fundraiser next year--though I have already had customers allude to next year's event.


The fundraiser went extremely well in terms of sales. We sold about 105 boxes, made over $1000.00, and got loads of notes and phone calls about them afterwards. 


So, of course, I have dreamt of doing it again ever since.


Aaron thinks I am loco.


*Precisely the moment I decided that I must own a Hobart mixer in the near future. "It's a necessity" I told Aaron. He just smiled.

Daily Tweets

• 13:10 Today seems sort of blue--even though it is blazing hot outside. #
• 20:38 Swimming for FHE. Love. It. #

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In Response...#1

I have been meaning to answer some questions posed in the comment section of this blog. Here is the most recent question and answer.

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What is Mother's Circle group?

It is an official "learning circle" group based off of the Power of Moms website. In a nutshell, it is a structured girls-night-out/book club/support group/motherhood course. We have set topics for each month and accompanying articles to read and questions to ponder, then we get together once a month and talk about it.  

Initially I thought that participating in this group would be fun and interesting, but it has proved to be nothing short of life-changing. I have gathered so much strength and resolve from the women that I associate with. We are all very different, with different challenges and opinions, but spending an evening in each other's company always leaves me with a greater desire to serve my family better. 

Often, in times past, I have left a "girls night out" with negative feelings--for myself, for life, for my choice to be a mother, etc.  However, I always leave these meetings feeling motivated and validated and full of love for all other good women out there. As is not surprising, I share way too much information (and vow every month to be more quiet...) but everyone is gracious and good natured and we enjoy a camaraderie that is tangible.  In the end, we have shared ideas, struggles and strength and we, often, talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the ultimate motivator for good. I have learned that "As mothers, we are not all in the same boat, but we are in the same ocean..." 


[Wow. Doesn't that sound like a informercial? Sorry.]

If you are interested in doing a group, check out their website.

Daily Tweets

• 09:38 Turned off the exercise video. Just not feeling it today. #

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