In Loving Memory

Sheri Zimmerman Klein passed away yesterday after delivering her 2nd daughter. Sheri was due in 2 weeks but went into the hospital in a lot of pain Sunday morning. Sheri's blood pressure was very high and they gave her medication to lower it which put the baby in peril. The baby was born emergency c-section--Ava Lily Klein is 5lbs 5 oz, 17 inches, healthy and beautiful. Sheri's blood pressure plummeted and she did not recover despite all the doctors and nurses did for her. We celebrate her life and the birth of her daughter.

Ava Lily Klein

I'm out of the running.

I have a lengthy list of "good mom" criteria constantly scrolling through my hormonally and emotionally ravaged parent brain. I try my best but here is picture proof that the Mother of the Year award will be going elsewhere.


My otherwise easy-going, affectionate, happy little guy is angry at me in these pictures because...
I insisted that we would eat dinner (lovingly prepared by Pizza Hut) as a family at the table instead of in front of the T.V. watching Sponge Bob.

Like (LOOOONEY) father, like (CURAAAZY) sons.

Remember THIS?

Alfred Bandura must have gotten it right. His Social Learning Theory basically states that children learn and do what they observe. Todd and Alec are demonstrating this quite nicely thanks to their exemplar father. I suppose having your mother laugh her head off and think you're funny enough to grab the camera counts as the appreciable reinforcement that will certainly encourage this type of behavior. [Guilty.] Looks like we're going to have generations of pale, shirtless guitar heroes. What a legacy.

What a cute, smart 4th grader looks like.

My favorite little girl got a little bigger today. Kenna's elementary school is on a track schedule so she began her year as a 4th grader today, two weeks before Todd will start Jr. High. This happy picture was taken right before some small tears of anxiety came. I hate it when I see signs of myself in my kids. I rescued her from her genetics and drove her to school, sparing her the bus ride. After I walked Kenna to her classroom, I was directed to the gym and then back to her classroom for the school's "Back to School Morning" which I had completely forgotten about. I'm sure Kenna was very proud to have a sweaty, disheveled parent dressed in her running clothes attending the informative event. Oh well, she'll be much happier to get on the bus tomorrow morning!

Small changes. Big improvements.

One of the by-products of my not working during the summer is that I have the time and energy to NOTICE and work on things that have been neglected or just need refreshing around the house. Sadly Brent gets roped into a lot of these projects. He's definitely the brawn for these ideas but he's usually the brains on the job too. He has been very cheerful about his reluctance and I do so appreciate his help. I love that guy!

Here are some pics of the small things we've done lately.

Brent helped me make this cornice board last year. I finally found some drapery panels that matched the fabric and Brent got creative and hung them for me which was no small task. See, I am good at buying stuff for the project, just not doing the project.

We had to replace our kitchen light because of a bad ballast. (Did that sound like I know what I'm talking about? Because I don't.) Finding a fixture that fit Brent's budget restriction and my design desire didn't happen but we compromised on this one. The end embellishments we actually cream colored with gold specks and not my favorite. I grabbed a can of spray paint and, voila, better :)

I purchased 4 sets of these darling daisy hooks a while ago. Two are stylishly holding keys and cameras next to our garage door. One is in Kenna's room for various bags and pencil holders and this one keeps some of my bracelets and necklaces off of the dresser. Love them everywhere they are!

Swampwater. That is the name of this yellowy-lime green that I painted our front door. The name doesn't do do justice to the bright cheery color. I love it and the fresh coat of white trim improved the area as well! Brent put up the cute dragonfly knocker that I bought on clearance last year. I also spray-painted the brass knob and lock to coordinate with the dragonfly.

I actually dreamed this next idea...really. I had a dream that I put up some wrought iron shutters aside our front window. The next day I checked out two stores in town and found these. There are actually two iron pieces stacked on each side. Brent and my partly-willing, mostly-tricked/coerced brother-in-law put them up in the dark! They did a pretty good job, huh?

I should have taken before pictures for this next project explanation. This garage door started out white. B-O-R-I-N-G. I bought a gallon of yummy-sounding Opaque Cocoa paint which turned out to be the secret paintland code for the color of post food poisoning re-fried beans. My friend Mandy encouraged me to try again. I couldn't go wrong with Bittersweet, right? NOW I like it. The house numbers also look better brown instead of brass now.

I love my latest yard/garden decorations. Metal flowers and insects don't encourage weeds and don't sting :D

Here's the view from across the street. My friend Mandy also suggested shutters next to the bay window above the garage. I looked for some today but the store was out. I'm crossing my fingers that they're not gone for good!
You can't see it well but last year we gave up on the attempted flower garden turned weed patch below the front window. A stamped concrete patio now adorns the space. BEST idea ever. We love it and are saving our pennies for a similar space in the back yard.

Busy kids are happy kids.

Flexible summertime schedules are great but the laid-back expectations, increased together time, and general ease of life can wreak havoc on my kids' moods and ability to 'enjoy' each other's company. We found a small solution. Todd and Kenna have been looking after vacationing neighbors' pets and homes. It has kept them busy and I've been impressed with their willingness to work together and follow through on their commitments. Great kids :D

Winner!

Were any of you bored enough to read my list of 100 things about me ? If so, I'm sorry that you will never get back those wasted minutes. If not, here's what random fact #92 was:

92. I win stuff--books at conferences, makeup, jewelry, cooking utensils and other wares at home parties, a bike, photo session, $50 gift certificate to a clothing store, etc.

I am happy to report that I did not jinx myself by writing down this ever-evidenced life phenomenon and have won yet another prize to add to my list...

a year's supply of KT Tape

I became a *fan* of KT tape on FaceBook and won 12 rolls of the magical, mystical sports adhesive from Runner's Corner in Orem, UT which my darling sis-in-law picked up for me today. I am anxiously engaged in researching its uses but have yet to discover if 'cover the mouth of your loud and/or snotty child' is a recommended employ.

Don't you love this guy??

I do!
Happy 39th birthday, Brenty-Boo!

Brent is the greatest husband, friend, and dad. Any frustration I've had during our marriage usually ends with me wondering how he puts up with the redhead he asked to marry him.

Cute stories or things about Brent:

• Brent brought exactly $0.00 on our first date. He HAD money, he just didn't bring any with him.
• Brent was my test subject on many an IQ test while I was in graduate school. He was the perfect subject because I could get to almost all parts of the test. He just kept going and going and getting everything right. He's a smarty!
• Brent cried at the birth of Todd. (Sorry for blowing your tough-guy cover, Honey.) He's a tender guy but it takes something big--at least 7lbs 14 oz--to get a reaction.
• A few years ago Brent was out with some missionaries from our church. One of the people they visited asked Brent if he was preparing to go on a mission, typically undertaken by 'men' in our church at 19 years of age...He was 33!
• Brent doesn't like to wait to surprise people. When we got engaged, he wanted to call his parents right then. He also wanted to notify people minutes after the second line on the pregnancy tests showed up with each of our kids. Even for birthdays or at Christmastime he gives me lots of opportunities to open my gifts early! I don't have a sturdy delay-of-gratification quality but knowing he wants me to open the presents makes me want to wait!

I love you, Brent!
(And I'm glad you're my age now :) )

Crash!

With how much driving I do, it was inevitable. Today I got in an accident. I was talking on the phone to Rita while going through the construction zone on north-bound I-15. Suddenly the cars in front of me stopped. I was able to *barely* stop in time, but the car behind me couldn't and neither could the two cars behind him. I got smashed--multiple times--into the car in front of me. The phone went flying out of my hand. Once I saw that it was over I picked it back up and assured Rita I was OK.

There was also a car up ahead that couldn't stop. In all, there were seven cars that were damaged. No one was seriously injured, but they did put a neck brace on one guy as a precaution. (They didn't call an ambulance.)

I don't think my car is totaled, but it took some damage to both the front and rear. The car behind me was banged up pretty badly.

I feared they would cite me for running into the guy in front of me. But, he vouched for me and told the police that I had stopped completely before being pushed into him. So, no injuries and no ticket. I feel pretty lucky.

Summer So Far

We're having a fun and busy summer. Here's a little about what has occupied our time lately.

Party at the Point:
We partied in West Point on July 3rd with Brent's brother's and sister's families. Brent was in a 3-on-3 tournament (until a guy on his team came to blows with an opponent--niiiice) and the rest of us enjoyed spectating, visiting, fun face painting, and eating. The fireworks were fantastic! Alec covered his ears the whole time but still enjoyed the show.
Liberty Run
Todd and I ran the Layton Liberty 5K with lots of neighborhood friends. He didn't beat any of his previous times and felt a little sad but I think I've finally convinced him that getting out of bed to run when you don't have to is an accomplishment. I love this kid!
A Thrilling July 4th
With nothing planned for the 4th, we were pleased to receive an impromptu invite from Quincey and family. Deeeelicious salad and pizza were followed by fireworks and dancing. Trey is shown in the foreground trying his best to burn down the neighborhood with a blow torch. (Really not. I was very impressed that he was so safe!) What a fun kid. He was especially nice to Kenna as he showed her the ins and outs of pyromania ;). Troy contributed to the show by engineering makeshift water bottle-meets-explosives-and-duct tape fire crackers. Very fun. Quincey spent most of her day intensely studying and practicing an internet tutorial of Michael Jackson's Thriller dance, Thrill The World. Yep, she's a zombie dancer extraordinaire. You can see her in the blurred background of the photo trippin' the lights.
Super Sunny St. George
It was so great to take Alec, Kenna, my sister and her kids to St. George for a non-stop party in the sun. We did a tiny bit of shopping and went to the St. George Temple and Visitors' Center one day. Other than that, we spent hours doing our best to spur freckle-growth, avoid sunburns, and turn blonde hair green by hanging at the pool. So fun.
Scout Camp
Todd wasn't able to come to St. George with us because he was busy being a grown up kid attending Scout Camp. He was gone from early, EARLY (4:30) Monday morning to Saturday afternoon. I missed him tremendously and worried about him even more. Judging from the pleasant, positive attitude and numerous hugs, he missed us too. While there he completed the requirements for 2 merit badges, went on a 10.2 mile hike, got hot, got cold, went swimming, and did lots of other dirty boy stuff.

Ogden Nature Park Splash Pad
A few friends and I took our kiddos to a splash pad in South Ogden. It was an ordeal trying to find the hidden park but worth it when we got there. The kids loooooved running in and out of the cold water followed by warming in the sun. We had a yummy lunch and stayed for longer than planned because everyone was happy. Here are a few of the beautiful pictures my friend Mandy took. (She sent me a lot more pics but I get worried about putting other people's cute kids on here...Is there some kind of blog picture post etiquette/ethical code that I should know about regarding this??)
Upcoming events:
* I ran the Speedy Spaniard 10K in Spanish Fork this morning and will report later.

* Brent is currently camped in Burley, Idaho where he awaits the pinnacle of his Triathalon training, THE SPUDMAN. I think he's going to rock it. He's been working so hard to get ready.

* Expect a post about recent PROJECTS. I've been trying to catch up on house maintenance that is sorely overdue. I painted our front door a great yellowy-green and our garage door a horrible color which needs to be repainted. The deck has been sanded and stained and the playplace is next in line. Todd his going to help gut the flower beds as part of a merit badge requirement and I would love to sand and paint my inside stair railing and kitchen table and chairs. Much to Brent's chagrin, lots of these projects require his very reluctant involvement. We struggle to get along when there is hard work to be done so wish him luck in withstanding Hurricane Rita.

Congratulations, Kenna

Congratulations to Kenna for scoring in the top 10% nationally on the Iowa Tests. This certificate came for her in the mail.

Echo Tri

I did the Echo Triathlon this past Saturday. You can read my race report here. Here are a few pics:Getting out of the water after the swim.Biking up the canyon.
This is about mile 4 of the run, with Echo Reservoir in the background.

This fist pump is to celebrate beating my goal time by three minutes.

Goodbye Grade Six

This handsome kid is officially out of Elementary school after a short, unimaginative-but-well-attended ceremony made it so. ;) Todd was his typical self at the festivity throwing a fist pump to the crowd after receiving his diploma which he promptly made fun of for being so juvenile. Jr. High, here he comes!

End of School Activites

I thought it might never end but school if finally O-V-E-R for my big kids!! The typical time-wasting last days of traditional school ends up to be about 3 weeks long on a year round track schedule. Here's what we were up to last week.

Another parent and I organized a morning full of Olympic activities for Todd's class during the last week of school. It was nice to see how well the students interacted and got along with each other. No one student dominated all of the events and many kids succeeded at different things. A few students were reluctant to join in, but a reminder that these games beat the heck out of doing Math encouraged participation. A fun day with fun kids.

Alec and I volunteered to help with Field Day on a hot, hot afternoon. As you can see, I manned the football throw activity.

Kenna had a "late over" party to celebrate the last day of school. Don't let their sweet smiles fool you, these girls know how to have a good, LOUD time. They painted their nails (and my kitchen table), sang Taylor Swift songs at the top of their lungs, made crazy cookies, and had lots of fun. Cutie patootie good friends. We loved having them over.

As reward for not terrorizing Kenna and company during her (brother-bugging) party, Todd invited a friend to the family celebration that we attended with my sis-in-law in West Point. I am thankful that my kids have such great friends. I feel lucky to like the kids they hang out with.

Sew Fun

Although my to-do list hasn't shortened since last week's discouraged vent, a sure way to distract me from my own tally of tasks is to get me to do someone else's!

Last week a cute girl in our neighborhood called in a panic. She needed a costume skirt sewn for a play performance that evening. I happily welcomed the opportunity to share my sewing skill since I had so many other non-preferred things I should have been doing! We sewed up a darling black skirt and she and her mom went home relieved. I really do love saving the day for someone :) (A related rant for another time will be my self-deprecating exposition on talent shows...I stink at anything that could be showcased on a stage! Okay, okay, another day.)

It's a mess and a hassle to get out all of my sewing stuff so since my table was newly cluttered, I plowed through some other projects that have been waiting for my attention. The pictures are lousy quality but here's the evidence of a productive couple of days. (Although, the bathrooms still need to be cleaned.)

Black and white flower skirt of cute stretch fabric I found for a steal at $2/yard.
Reversible hobo style bag.
Ugly pants turned less ugly bermuda shorts.
Not cute sundress turned great kick-around skirt.

Aprons, aprons, and more aprons. I can't stop making them. They are darling and are the great gifts for lovers of all things culinary. They might even spur a hater into doing something in the kitchen!