President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
June 23, 1910 - January 27, 2008

Tonight our dear prophet Gordon B. Hinckley passed away. He is reunited with his dear wife Marjorie (pictured below) whom he has missed since her passing almost 4 years ago. This was the first prophet my kids and husband knew and we will miss his loving leadership and gentle (but quick) humor. We are so grateful for Prophets. What a blessing the Gospel is in our lives!

Great Pictures Here

Boys and their dads...

When Christian came home from school yesterday, his dad was still here at the house working from home. This is a rare occurance and he was thrilled. "DAAAAAAD! You are home!" That is the way to wrap your dad's heart around your little finger.

Holy Explosions, Batman!

While Mike and Katie were on their way home from selling Girl Scout Cookies on Monday, they heard a loud "explosion" type sound from inside the car. "What was that?" was the joint question. Katie helpfully suggested that maybe one of the tires blew, so even though everything was steering just fine, Mike pulled over on the edge of the 202 to take a look and make sure. While cars were whizzing by him, which was apparently and understandably unnerving, he checked the tires.

Everything was just fine, so what could have made that horrible sound? As Mike was getting ready to get back into the car, he saw it. The beautiful sunroof we were so excited to get as part of our car purchase appeared to have spontaneously exploded. There seemed to be no explanation for it. There appeared to have been no car in close enough range to have caused a rock to hit. Off he went to the car dealership to let them know that he was not going to pay for an improperly installed sunroof that exploded on its own. (The collision center had come to that conclusion and sent him to the dealership). They however, had keener eyes and found the tiny, yet powerful, site of impact and referred him back across town the the collision center. We figured that the rock must have come from the other side of the freeway since Mike had been using the luxurious HOV lane.

Arizona, like California, has horrendous insurance rates. When we moved here we increased our deductible to keep our premiums close to the same rate. That of course is all and good as long as nothing happens to your car. Unfortunately, in the last 5 months we have had to: 1. replace the windshield ourselves since we only have chip coverage, 2. used our high deductible to replace the bumper on our car and several other things when a rogue truck tire hit Mike's car in rush hour traffic while blocked on both sides and no where to go, and finally this 3. another use of our high deductible which also had the paint scratched as glass blew off of the sunroof and down the back of the car. I have learned a few important lessons. There is a reason that Arizona has high premiums, having rental car insurance does save you money and replacing a sunroof is over twice as expensive as replacing a windshield. And most importantly, when you hear of something bad happen to a friend, you should be empathetic and not just glad that it wasn't you...so sorry Jeralee. (She broke her rear door handle on her van last week due to freezing weather in Eugene (she's a boxing harpist, don't mess with her!) and had to pay $200 to get it fixed).

Now, I do not want to sound ungrateful. Even if it wasn't until the next day that I could get over shelling out more money for a "stupid" fix, I realized that we were truly blessed. The full weight of how serious it could have been hit me the next day as I drove Mike into work. If the interior headliner had been open, the glass could have and would have started flying into the car causing real harm to Mike and Katie, taking a "stupid" accident to possibly a much worse one. I may still grouch about all those desert rocks out there, but I will count the blessings I can for now.

Selling Those Yummy Girl Scout Cookies...

Katie and her dad went selling Girl Scout Cookies today as they both had the day off from work and school. Mike has some friends in some Phoenix offices that wanted to buy some, so they got ready (Katie complete with irresistibly cute braids) and off they went downtown. She loves being part of the Girl Scouts and is really excited this year about selling cookies. Last year she was so scared of knocking on doors and asking if people wanted to buy some. Quite frankly, I don't blame her, there were people that peeked out of their blinds when we rang the doorbell and wouldn't open their door. I can understand them too, it really doesn't help that New Years resolution to stay healthy. This year she is on fire and she has been lucky to have her dad go with her twice so far. In another month we will be out at booths selling some cookies and that should be fun, if not interesting, too. Luckily it is a product that most people love, so even if they don't want to buy at the moment they are still pleasant and nice to the girls. Katie thinks it would be cool to "earn" the iPod, but I have a hunch that she is not going to sell 2,000 boxes of cookies. She agreed. Katie is excited to earn money for troop activities that they want to do. Just remember, if you see Katie coming and she has cookies on the brain, she just might ask you what your favorite kind is.

When Dad goes out to eat and kids play...

Mike went out to Margaritaville, a real restaurant, for burgers this last week with one of his co-workers. As a Jimmy Buffet fan (trust me, I was introduced to his music on our honeymoon) he loved bringing home the head wear memento from his time there. The kids loved it.

Katie may have a career in cosmetics. She decided to mix her lip gloss with some blue eyeshadow to get blue lipshadow. It was really nice when it spread all over her face. Talk about everlasting, we had to wash her face twice to get the combination off completely. She should sell that idea to the cosmetic industry for lipstick that doesn't fade. And yes, I have confiscated the eyeshadow.

Bread, Glorious Bread....

Growing up in a large Mormon family, I grew up with a mother that made her own bread, pizza dough, dipped chocolates, dinner (nearly every day), and even her own yogurt at times. Finally back in October or November, I expressed to Mike that after 14 years of being "grown-up" I was ready for a "real" mixer. Although grateful for our awesome hand mixer that we were given for our wedding (I don't think we even registered for one...obviously wasn't on my mind at the time), I was ready to make the big move. After talking to several friends and getting input, I let Mike know that when we were ready for the big purchase I would like to get a Bosch Mixer. Wanting to tap into using and rotating our food storage, I also wanted to get a grain mill so I could grind the grain that I had. In the last couple of years I have come to the realization that if Mike is to know what gift I would actually want to get, giving some information would be helpful. What a concept! For years he didn't know that I wanted anything because I would dream quietly. So when I finally decided what I wanted, I told him as if it was just in passing,..."By the way,...in case you happen to run across one of these....I would really like one..." He is so cute, he was visually trying to keep it cool about being excited to know what I really wanted. He loves to gift, and I unfortunately am hard to please only because I unwittingly never gave him a clue as to what would really make my day. Unbeknownst to me, over Thanksgiving with my family in California, he was asking everybody about the mixer and getting advice. My awesome BIL Geoff has a friend that sells them and got Mike an awesome deal for my HUGE Christmas gift (Thanks Geoff!). I didn't know that making cookies could be so fast. Finally this week I went back for a post gift bread making lesson with my friend Kaylene (Sorry Mom, I couldn't remember) to make sure I knew what I was doing. The kids have always enjoyed homemade bread from our bread machine, so now to see 6 loaves come out of the oven at one time is almost to much for them. Let us just say, they are in bread heaven. Mike is happy too. It is the now the gift that keeps on giving back! So here is the picture of my first batch of bread. First of many more to come. (Thanks, Honey!)

Homework, Shomework...

When I finally finished my graduate degree in 2000, I swore I would not go on for more education because I was done, DONE, do you hear me, with homework. At the time I was pregnant with Katie and little did I know that I was just beginning that whole journey all...over...again. Only this time I would not be the one frustrated not knowing the answers. No, I am the one that knows the answers and is frustrated that they do not. I may be one of the few moms that was not ready for their kids to go back to school after Christmas because they would have homework...again. That this is one of my responsibilities as a mother, I know well. One time last year, Katie stayed at the table for two and a half hours pretty much refusing to do her homework. She finally got done, but it nearly killed me with frustration. We were able to work out a system with her teacher (and then her teacher this year) after that incident that helped motivate her to get it done (taking away recess the next day does that apparently). Now she loves to race and beat the clock most days, which is a big turn around. She loves to read which has always been a love of mine that I have wanted to pass along. Christian loves books too and is looking forward to being able to read, even though it hasn't clicked yet. They are at a school that is a little more advanced. Katie is doing multiplication in second grade. Christian is already learning addition sums up to ten. Now, there is more frustration with Christian's more than Katie's homework. By the time he gets home, being five, he doesn't want to do more homework, he wants to play. But after he plays and unwinds for a little while I have to reign him back in and do homework. I am trying to get him to the place that he realizes the faster he tries to go (i.e., instead of telling me stories, rehashing Scooby Doo stories, and wondering what he would do if he was Buzz Lightyear,...just doing his work.) the sooner he gets to play again. I am sure that I feel much more pressure than he feels, to do well. Truly, I am trying to let go. If he has to do Kindergarten again because he just doesn't get it...then that is fine, really. There are moms that have held their kids back and then the kids feel on top of the heap because they know what is going on and get it. It is clicking for them because their brains are a little more mature. Then there are kids that later, are a little bitter that their mom held them back and they are not with "real" age group. Katie actually wanted to be held back last year just so that she would be one of the oldest and not that absolute youngest in her class. (She made the cut off by 5 days) I didn't let her, I knew that she would be bored. In the end, homework is important, because it re-emphasizes the stuff Christian learns in school, which will hopefully help him get to the next grade. (But Kindergarten again is just fine, really.) But in the mean time, I hate homework and making my five year old sit and do homework is doubly painful. Add having a bad day with Katie...AGGGHHHH. Luckily, those are very rare now! But, have I mentioned yet, how much I hate homework...

Salad Spinners are not all created equal...

For several years, I have been using a salad spinner that is of, questionable make. I got it at a low cost retailer thinking I could save a few bucks and have a great salad spinner. Boy, was I wrong. The handle that cranked the spinner was awkward to use and because it was hard to use you could not get it to spin as fast as it should. There were holes in the bottom that got water all over the counter (you couldn't have it in the sink, it decreased your leverage to crank the handle even more). So, I eventually came to the decision (reluctantly, because who hates to admit that they were wrong) that I had bought cheaply to save money, only to have to spend again, to get a quality item that was worth having in my kitchen. Now, I am in love with my new one....meet my OXO Salad Spinner...





Isn't it beautiful. Now, I have held back in sharing this for a few weeks because I wanted to be sure that I had not been hoodwinked again. You may think that this is silly to be in love with a kitchen gadget. Let me tell you why you will fall in love too. First of all, it is fun for the kids (Yes, even the kids can do it!). They just push on the top and away it spins forever. Then once it is cleaned and spun you can use this as a salad bowl. It is a little big to store in your refrigerator, especially when you have a rental size refrigerator, but mine has hardly been out of my refrigerator since I bought it on Christmas Eve. The most awesomely unexpected aspect of the bowl and why it has been in my refrigerator so much is it is wonderful for storing your lettuce after you have washed it. You leave a little water in the bottom and it gives you humidity to keep your lettuce leaves crisp. Yes, crisp. I have even had slightly limp lettuce return to crisp after storing it in this manner. Many of you may think I am crazy to extol the virtues of my salad spinner, but the first silly salad spinner drove me nuts! Every time I used it I was reminded that a few more dollars would have bought me what a really wanted. I keep learning the lesson that being thrifty saves you money, being cheap always makes you pay twice...every time. Kisses to my beautiful OXO Salad Spinner!

Being Sick, Stinks!

Mike was sick on New Year's Day and at the time I thought, poor guy, at least both of us are not sick at the same time! Well, we were not both sick at the same time. However, now I am sick with the flu. Achy, no brain function, and messed up weekend plans sum up the whole sick thing. I can be grateful that it is not terminal at least. And Mike gets to work on his car all day without me caring about how long he is out there..., at all. I think I need to sleep again.

By the way, I don't think that this should count against my "resolution" to be healthy. No, all the junk I have eaten does, but not the flu.

My Resolution to be Healthy

Really, I am horrible at New Year's Resolutions. What I really want to do is get back to being more healthy after this crazy holiday season. With that in mind, I want to do it for the right reasons and not get sucked into the "world's" view of healthy and beautiful. If I can't think I am beautiful, even while packing a little more "heat" than I was in high school, than what can I expect my beautiful daughter to think of herself as she grows up. I never thought I was pretty enough growing up...not due to my mother who always told me I was. How do you fight the advertising you are surrounded with? I ran across this video in the business section and it really spoke to me on this point.