tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85346920572711390932012-01-26T12:20:48.330-08:00"Once I was alive by just a breath, but now this pilgrimage is zeal and fine allusion."Laranoreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-83940158000952152312011-04-22T14:42:00.000-07:002011-04-22T15:40:10.668-07:00

In the past week I've been fortunate enough to spend three days at the beach. Mostly in the rain and chill, but it didn't matter. It has been a wonderful reconnection with an old friend.I grew up the Puget Sound area of the Pacific Northwest and I'm a beach girl through and through. This does not mean tanning on a towel! It means I can spend hours walking the shoreline and climbing logs, alone or

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-82142511384598126222011-03-29T19:11:00.000-07:002011-04-22T10:19:43.819-07:00

So, even though I promised it would never, ever, happen again . . . it did. I got behind on laundry. This is a feeling I really dislike. The quote "Cleaning while raising kids is like shoveling while it is still snowing" comes to mind these days. And there are only two of them! Well, and the two of us. I am almost at that tipping point where there is as much clean and unfolded as there is

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-45815193248883642182011-03-23T13:51:00.000-07:002011-03-23T17:56:48.469-07:00

I've been trying to get out lately. I send the kids outside to be nature-fied at least once a day and so I've been getting myself out with them. It's not that I don't like it, I do, but as with so many things, five minutes of children occupied by something other than me gives me time to think or finish a task on my to do list.Giving it up for being outdoors though always fills me up a little more

Laranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-28608308224837620882010-09-18T16:51:00.000-07:002010-09-18T17:11:03.019-07:00

It's been a busy few months for my friends--six of them had baby boys since summer started and it's awesome. Welcome to the world James Laurence, Oliver Alexander, Lucas Q, Royce Gregory, Alexander Daniel & Robert Kimball :) I have no idea where are all the girl babies are!I'm loving all of the classic names coming back these days--if you've known me long you know I've always been a name freak,

Laranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-38348248782443950792010-09-06T14:15:00.000-07:002010-09-06T14:44:50.728-07:00

But I think I'm back to blogging for good. I shouldn't promise though I suppose, given my track record. What's happened in the last year?Bear and Princess are 3 and 7, respectively. I love it and it freaks me out. They're awesome children and I still love being their mama. We had a science party and a robot party!Today is my 14th wedding anniversary! We're relaxing and had a nice brunch with

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-31414646623496951942009-10-01T15:39:00.000-07:002009-10-01T15:56:35.803-07:00

New month, new stuff going on. I've started a blog for 8pizza (and we are having contests & giveaways all the time so check it out)! Princess is done with swimming lessons and is going to the casting class for her dance studio's annual Christmas program tomorrow. Flu shots will be complete this week (just the regular ones folks, no need to panic) and October is jam-packed with great things like:*

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-71893384725471752952009-09-22T16:59:00.000-07:002009-09-22T17:06:28.258-07:00

Life is busy. You probably knew that, but lately I'm remembering a lot of things I already knew but had been too busy to know that I knew. Like that life is busy, and that it's okay. I am making no more blogging promises, because life is busy and I like it that way and I can't guarantee that I'll post more :)September has been full! I'm working fast and furious with 8pizza, and Princess is doing

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-28218978961256571042009-07-23T17:02:00.000-07:002009-07-23T17:05:29.546-07:00

The trip was great, photos will be forthcoming. Bear's 2nd birthday party was last week and we had a fun time, even if the numbers were sparse. Princess is having a princess party the end of August, and we are busy preparing for that. I'm eBaying and writing a little (mostly with Amanda's encouragement), and cleaning house (literally and figuratively) and enjoying the sunshine!I realize this is

Laranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-11473490029253779362009-06-10T16:45:00.000-07:002009-06-10T17:00:33.122-07:00

Day 7 - Heather Justesen of UtahDay 8 - Valerie Bongards of GermanyDay 9 - June Kirk of ?Congratulations ladies! Lots of fun stuff being won these days :)MondayRan some errands, caught a couple sales and picked up some great stuff from Craig-listers for inventory! Watch for hard-to-find toys of the prehistoric variety come Christmas-time!TuesdayHome. Had a headache and so I didn't get as much

Laranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-4622629223078572562009-06-07T20:46:00.000-07:002009-06-07T22:10:46.451-07:00

Woohoo! Day 5 winner is Wendy Steed of Idaho and Day 6 winner--winner of MY gift certificate to 8pizza on eBay--is Gayle Oreluk of Illinois! Congratulations ladies!Saturday was great! Spent the day travelling and visiting with my family and playing on the beach. I miss the beach so much! There just aren't huge stretches of easily accessible sandy beaches here. One of the few drawbacks of my

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-54995661912815458592009-06-05T21:47:00.000-07:002009-06-05T22:16:53.289-07:00

Okay! So I fell of the blog wagon yesterday. Sorry everyone.Day 3--Debbie Lambson of UtahDay 4--Gloria Lyons of MichiganWoohoo! You ladies ROCK!Cooler today. I planned to be home all day, but Craigslist called . . . Some transactions just don't go as well as you hope, and I ended up having to explain to Princess on the way home what the phrase "ripped off" means. Ah well.We stopped at one

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-59292819014348601202009-06-03T21:35:00.000-07:002009-06-03T21:48:32.892-07:00

And the winner is . . .Phyllis Lamken of Idaho!Congratulations Phyllis!Long, hot day today. Took Princess to dance class and mailed a few packages. Went to the massage therapist. As I was driving home I saw my friend Joan, walking. I picked her up and dropped her off at her massage appointment! That was funny.These days I am mostly working on sorting out the new inventory I brought home from my

Laranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-25554208632866450292009-06-02T22:23:00.000-07:002009-06-02T22:42:34.854-07:00

And the Day One winner of our Summer Treasure Hunt is Terry Fleming! Congratulations, Terry!It was a long, hot day, which we gratefully spent at home. Breakfast, snack time, lunch, snack time, naps (sadly not for mommy), snack time, dinner, playing in the mud in the back yard (and the baby tracking it in for Daddy to clean up), baths, stories, favorite things and bedtime. Nice.I got most of the

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-43798399481878607842009-06-01T10:52:00.000-07:002009-06-01T11:09:13.310-07:00

Okay, so I write, but my contribution to the contest created by Joyce has nothing to do with writing :) Check it out though and have some fun--there are some great things there! Additionally, if you post a comment under the contest entry on my blog, I'll give you free first class shipping on any one item from my eBay store during the month of June!Just comment on the entry titled "Summer Treasure

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-79829171205378236092009-05-29T09:40:00.000-07:002009-05-29T10:01:00.253-07:00

Some friends and I have put together an exciting contest to kick off your summer! Beginning June 1st, we will be giving away a prize a day. That’s right: 30 days, 30 treasures! There should be something for everyone: romance, mystery, historical, contemporary, and young adult fiction; children’s picture books; a variety of non-fiction; and just to liven things up even more, we’ve included a few

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-51128182470023740662009-04-27T16:35:00.000-07:002009-04-27T17:20:09.031-07:00

Today I am really enjoying the sunshine and blue skies. Princess and I sat on the front step and had lunch together and the smell of the spring air was dizzyingly wonderful. It's a smell I have always loved; heat, earth, growth. True intoxication at it's finest. It has been a day to stop and breathe it all in.Our health insurance has an online wellness center that has a lot of little classes you

Laranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-74625104508757727562009-04-26T18:03:00.000-07:002009-04-30T10:18:19.865-07:00

Okay, I am Courtney's number five, so it's all here fault :) Here goes:The first five people to respond to this post will receive something made by me. HOMEMADE!The item will be my choice made just for you!Restrictions and Limitations:1. I have complete creative freedom.2. What I create will be just for you.3. It will be done within the next 6 months.4. You have no clue what it will be.It may be

Laranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-64891416319932789682009-04-20T10:10:00.000-07:002009-04-20T11:09:38.889-07:00

Including my determination to keep up with my blog :) So here's an update to get you started. Since December:**The contest I entered on New Year's eve? I won first place and they've chosen a couple of the other submissions I sent in to publish as well. I am stunned. I am ecstatic. I am grateful. They'll be published in the Fall 2009 issue of Segullah. Segullah also invited me to join their staff

Laranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-44211680659877095132008-12-31T17:27:00.000-08:002008-12-31T17:50:41.824-08:00

I have to share. I actually, really, actually, submitted poetry for publication for the first time since eleventh grade. And eleventh grade was quite awhile back, folks, so rusty doesn't even begin to describe the way I felt about all this yesterday as I got started.I hemmed, I hawed. I decided against it. I talked myself into it. I put it off until the last, last, possible moment. I harassed

Laranoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-64681400003782272322008-12-25T13:56:00.000-08:002008-12-25T14:23:46.356-08:00

We arrived home from our delicious and delightful trip to Connecticut at about 5:30 this morning. It was an amazing and magical adventure (even if Continental airlines has made a permanent enemy out of me) and I can't imagine not going back east much sooner than the six years we waited this time! It will take me awhile to sort it all out and share it, but it really, really was wonderful and the

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-31097297946436147392008-10-26T19:48:00.000-07:002008-10-27T10:35:25.657-07:00

"Victories in life come through our ability to work around and over the obstacles that cross our path. We grow stronger as we climb our own mountains." -- Marvin J. AshtonYes, I am still sick. This would be the misery part. I'm on antibiotics though and it's now been three weeks, so I'm hoping it clears itself up this week and leaves me able to breathe in peace!My husband was out of town Tuesday

Laranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-35244163786480581912008-10-19T18:08:00.001-07:002008-10-19T19:48:36.525-07:00

Wow--8 weeks, that is crazy! I hope to never leave y'all hanging for that long again. Things have been pretty wild here. Currently I'm sick--coughing and hacking sick--and it's been a full week so I'm dreaming it'll be over soon.Princess' party was spectacular and we had a wonderful time with the family and friends who came (and there were plenty)! The cake turned out very well, although I was

Laranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-66260094223006065342008-08-20T15:37:00.000-07:002009-01-02T17:45:13.176-08:00

The weather has been dark and cold today and pretty dreary a lot of this week. I've been inside a lot and haven't gotten photos of the garden yet.Yesterday when my husband got the vacuum cleaner out we weren't sure how Bear was going to react to it. His sister is still frightened by it at almost 5! He loved it. He literally chased his dad around the house shouting "car car car"! It was the

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-60080500616794718752008-08-17T14:01:00.000-07:002008-08-17T14:22:44.301-07:00

Well, we're half way through August! I can't believe we only have 2 weeks until Princess' party. The creation of all things buggy are underway. I am thrilled my family will be coming up to visit again, and Mom will be here for a couple of weeks. Sadly, they just announced the church summer barbecue is happening the evening of Princess' bash and I am sad about that . . . I'm not sure people

Laranoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-82588200846264055382008-08-05T15:37:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:34.278-08:00

Well, my mom's visit was great and Bear's party was as perfect as a party can get. I actually got everything done on my party to do list, my family was a great help with the slave labor aspects of the celebration and Baby Bear absolutely loved having the house filled with people who loved him! Frankly, I did too :) I managed to put together a scrapbook (my first clumsy attempt ever) of Bear's

Laranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-59081198443572637612008-07-21T14:06:00.001-07:002008-07-21T20:46:15.355-07:00

Okay, so more and more of my friends have blogs, and tons of interesting other people have interesting blogs on which I lurk and blogger only allows for this too-small number of blogs and websites on the side over there. Hmpf. How am I supposed to pick my favorites??? Is there a way to add more that I just don't see? It doesn't SAY there is limit, it just won't let me add more. Right now it's

Laranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-60917893511454231072008-07-19T12:46:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:40.891-08:00

Well, some of what I wanted to blog during the Wisdom Fog is returning. As of today I am just on Ibuprofen and feeling a lot better. Still not sure I will be up to 3 hours of child hauling tomorrow, but we shall see. Anyway, I have tons of photos to share today!These are the works of art Princess brought home from Nature Art Camp. The pottery bowl story is that I was ooh-ing and aah-ing and

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-25978531474714915302008-07-18T16:15:00.000-07:002008-07-18T17:00:31.139-07:00

Today we got the kids' birthday photos back for their invitations and I love them. There are more than I remember ordering, I think since we are part of the buy-one-get-one-free club, but I am thrilled to get to send these out. I put them in these matching adorable birthday shirts--Princess' says "Birthday Girl" on it and Bear's says "1st Birthday". So I got some of them together and some of

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-76942255285558734342008-07-17T21:29:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:42.394-08:00

Well, the maxillofacial surgeon gave me a thumbs up and a long stemmed rose at the post-op appointment today! He also gave me more medication, for which I am extremely grateful. When I explained the pain, he looked at my original e-rays again and said "Ah. Well that explains it. Considering that I had to shave off about half of your jaw bone in order to get the bottom teeth out, you're right

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-19080679932178865772008-07-16T12:38:00.000-07:002008-07-16T17:14:36.381-07:00

Well, I am a little more coherent today, I'm off the Percoset and down to the Vicodan (which I like a lot less frankly--it makes me majorly grumpy). This isn't likely to be long since I am still pretty woozy, but I can now officially share with you all that I have no wisdom teeth! Wow! It hurts a lot, but the meds help and my darling husband is taking amazing care of me and whipping up all

Laranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-46835160606141543602008-07-05T14:55:00.000-07:002008-07-05T21:30:11.272-07:00

We have a new church ladies book group! I have started reading our first book, The Alchemist: A Fable about Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho. I've only read the introduction and the prologue and already am enjoying the truth there. I adore self help books written as stories--I have several on my shelf already--and was excited to try this one out. From what I have read so far it will be an

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-89806230424352240042008-07-02T20:08:00.000-07:002008-07-05T10:01:15.432-07:00

As of last year I have two kids and their birthdays are one month and one day apart, so from now on, August will officially be Birthday Month at my house! I am once again consumed by birthday prep and I love it. I've read a number of negative articles in the past year or so about the wickedness of creating extraordinary children's birthday parties, especially if they are really little kids like

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-16632358799848436512008-06-24T15:30:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:45.775-08:00

An Internet group I belong to has been discussing proposals and engagement stories and it got me thinking about me own engagement and it got me thinking about girl-ask-guy dances (etc.), which led me to search for the word Tolo. In the small Pacific Northwest town I grew up in that was what the Sadie Hawkins' Day type dances were always called and a vaguely wondered why, but not enough to ever

Laranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-68874231344749948842008-06-22T18:56:00.000-07:002008-06-22T19:20:11.227-07:00

I don't know why I've been struggling so much to find my balance lately. Today's lesson in Relief Society at church was about "the one". The one who feels alienated, lost, confused or lonely within the congregation (and the world as a whole I suppose). I think that "the one" is often a person you might not expect her to be--she can be a pretty good faker. I've been her. Frankly, I think we

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-83377776162572980552008-06-21T12:47:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:47.621-08:00

Where did June go?We've spent a lot of time in the garden. We picked out first 3 strawberries this morning. One even looked like it could have come from the store! we have tiny pea pods, tiny green tomatoes and microscopic zucchini. The flowers are awesome this year--or at least more awesome than I've been able to make happen in the past--so if you live near me you might find some on your

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-28558536217847089042008-05-26T16:51:00.000-07:002008-06-05T20:47:25.654-07:00

So I was ready for a new pillow! I like mine firm, fluffy and about 3 1/2 inches high and the old one was too flat for my tastes. I learned the hard way last time I went pillow hunting that more expensive is not necessarily best when I found a buy-one-get-one-free offer at Costco for their finest pillows. Now, I can't see myself paying $25 for a pillow, frankly, and even two for that price seemed

Laranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-36383639047097789322008-05-23T15:46:00.000-07:002008-05-23T16:30:12.142-07:00

Baby Bear had his 9 month check up today--he's only 3 inches shy of 3 feet tall! We saw a new doc, not our regular one, but I liked her . . . she kept cooing at him and saying how perfect he was :) As a mom, that tends to get people on your good side!We hit Wal-Mart after that and I found nifty storage boxes for the kid's room that came filled with my favorite wipes! Happy me! I also found a

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-25386250237205385652008-05-19T20:49:00.000-07:002008-05-20T00:37:19.263-07:00

As of Sunday I have a 6 Tooth Boy! Three on top, three on the bottom, and the left side is definitely winning. And today, my baby took two steps by himself! Oh my goodness! I can't believe it. Princess was not a really early walker, but this kid is cruising. Yes, for those of you trying to add it up, he won't be ten months old for another ten days. Watch out world, Bear is on the loose.

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-51843717658148647022008-05-16T17:04:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:48.613-08:00

My Princess came in from the front yard a couple weeks ago to tell me how excited she was about her new "Ladybuggary". I had not ever heard this term before, but she told me (with no little amount of condescension at my ignorance) that it means a habitat for ladybugs. Not to be confused with an ordinary "Buggary" which is a habitat for regular kinds of bugs or a "Sluggary" which is a habitat for

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-3395354592777611422008-05-15T09:42:00.001-07:002008-05-15T10:12:33.148-07:00

Thank you to those who sent me nice notes in response to the last post. This week has been one of the most difficult I have had in a long time (and it is only Thursday), coming on the tail of another challenging week. I am hoping to finish up with some lightness. I meant to respond personally, and I will as I get myself together here, but I wanted to say thanks.Yesterday was the worst and last

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-47524010765696325722008-05-13T15:28:00.000-07:002008-05-13T16:29:08.914-07:00

For those who will fight bravely and not yield, there is triumphant victory over all the dark things of life. -James AllenYesterday was just one of those hard days when it starts out bad and just gets worse. It seems as though there are times when practically every struggle you have jumps up in your lap for a cuddle and doesn't want to get down.I usally love the rain. Living in the Pacific

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-22440171257704134452008-05-10T23:59:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:48.920-08:00

I got a box from my dad and stepmother today with a really kind note, NEW SILVERWARE to add to my meager supply and this:Which I think is meant as a bit of a joke :) I do not buy Jell-O and my husband was practically apoplectic with excitement at the thought of making Jigglers!Yeah me! Today I finished and mailed a project I started before Baby Bear was born. My grandma wanted to create a family

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-74606652831960728512008-05-09T18:39:00.000-07:002008-05-09T19:09:42.888-07:00

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."-- Abraham Lincoln I think every single potato start I planted has come up. It's more than a dozen and I'll have to give some away I think. We planted Russian Banana potatoes, All Blue, and Red Thumb and I am so excited to have them grow! I choose the blue and red varieties specifically because they

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-41510389240391835872008-05-08T15:56:00.001-07:002008-12-09T21:59:51.342-08:00

Here is my final Week of Color post. Bear got one tooth on Saturday and one more on Wednesday!!! Blue glass in the beach stuff jar in my bathroom. Cute baby bunting Bear got for his first Christmas. Ready to pack away--it's too small. Gorgeous vase dad gave me a couple years ago. Sits on the bookshelf in my room. Love these shoes :)Kid's couch from my childhood. I mean to replace the funky

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-83093662298920366652008-05-06T15:52:00.001-07:002008-12-09T21:59:52.689-08:00

So here you have red day, late. Princess has been so cute, she keeps asking me what color today is, and since we ran out, I've been letting her choose :) This is the bag we packed for Princess when we went to the hospital to have Bear. Another new cook book from the Boise Public Library sale. Little red leather box my mom gave to Princess for Valentine's Day. Red chair my dad gave the kids for

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-70383638773510639722008-05-01T22:37:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:54.232-08:00

Okay, so it is Thursday. I'm a day behind. Just pretend it's Wednesday. Princess is sick and so is my husband. The baby is teething and not sleeping well. I'm exhausted. But here's some orange for you. We got these at a consignment store for Princess a couple years ago. It was just after she saw "Finding Nemo" and she didn't care that they were practically falling off. Now they fit her pretty

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-59704442311038121732008-04-29T23:08:00.000-07:002008-12-09T21:59:55.341-08:00

Today is my baby brother's birthday. He's also my only brother and he isn't really a baby anymore, next year he'll be thirty. I remember the day he was born. I had just turned four, and my Gram came from Idaho to Kansas to stay with me while my parents went to the hospital. I had known since they told me that we were having a baby that it would be a boy (though no one knows how) and I was so

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-87971309989052401862008-04-28T13:39:00.000-07:002008-12-09T22:00:00.041-08:00

I decided to take part in curious bird's challenge, A Week of Color. Today I wandered around my house looking for green. I found a lot of it since my husband and I both really like the color green in almost every variation. It was so fun! I woke up with it on my mind and automatically dressed us all in green :) Okay, so maybe I went a little overboard on this, but I figured this will reveal more

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-89323819506833386962008-04-26T18:14:00.000-07:002008-04-26T18:34:04.332-07:00

We cannot endure to the end alone. It is importantthat we help by lifting and strengthening one another.- Elder Robert D. HalesToday was one of those long days that start out one place and end up all over the road, taking you places you didn't really intend to go, and missing planned stops completely. Not a bad day, just a wiggly one.I just went in to give the Bear another round of starters (

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-61354533065550031732008-04-21T11:32:00.000-07:002008-04-21T12:11:13.793-07:00

"Today's problems cannot be solved if we still think the way we thought when we created them."~Albert Einstein Monday again and I find myself trying to swim to the surface yet again. Lately, I've been overwhelmed. Not by any one thing, just in general. Being a parent is a huge responsibility and so is caring for my home and family physically. With my shoulder injuries I'm in some level of

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-19660431951634570562008-04-19T18:02:00.000-07:002008-04-19T18:29:37.060-07:00

I found a really cool website that allows you to print your blog in a bound book and it starts pretty inexpensively! I'd really like to try it and see how simple it is and how it turns out. I can see blogging as journalling to some extent and it would be neat to have them printed and bound and ready for posterity :)Today was a slow day. We've been expecting snow and it didn't show. My husband

Laranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-54630695439043306952008-04-17T16:33:00.000-07:002008-12-09T22:00:02.790-08:00

March was a fun food month and sadly, I can find no photos of our annual St. Patrick's Day feast. I do have photos of some of the other fun stuff we made and ate though, so I thought I'd finally post them since I've been photo-less in my posting lately. The first few here are mini pizzas on multi-grain English muffins. First is one is black olive and artichoke heart, the second is pineapple,

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-49822155308020639232008-04-16T14:00:00.001-07:002008-04-16T14:31:44.752-07:00

Well, I did it. A couple of weeks ago it crossed my mind to ask the owner of the dance studio that Princess goes to if she ever needed substitutes. I really am not looking to go back to teaching regularly, although I do miss it a lot, but I thought it might be a way to keep my fingers in and help pay for Princess' lessons. I put it off, partly because I am feeling a little chubbier since Baby

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-14182776685329417872008-04-15T23:03:00.000-07:002008-04-16T14:34:35.091-07:00

It's so good to have good television back on. As much as I respected the writers' need to strike, I hated it. I was tired of the re-runs, tired of the really stupid stuff they pulled out of the reject pile and showed because they had nothing else to show. Then there were the new reality & game shows. Public idiocy has reached a new level of insanity in the past few months. Ai-yi-yi!I like

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-72173746611553457042008-04-08T13:22:00.000-07:002008-04-08T14:01:22.878-07:00

Just fed Baby Bear lunch, or tried to, and got some classic "asleep in food" photos! He didn't wake up when I reclined the highchair, or when I washed his face, or when I scrubbed the Zwieback toast off his hands. Poor tired baby! He is trying so hard to get his teeth and it's wearing him out.Getting ready for the Night Writer's HFPE group meeting tomorrow and I almost have things together.

Laranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-46342734184231186032008-04-07T23:02:00.001-07:002008-04-08T00:01:21.654-07:00

Today was that day that happens after you get home from a vacation, that makes you wonder briefly why you went on vacation. That day when the mounds of dirty vacation laundry needs to be done. That day when you need to start sorting through the junk mail, answering the emails, returning the voice mails. That day when it's time to restock the fridge and time to clean up the mess you left in the

Laranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-16339918363932845012008-04-06T20:17:00.000-07:002008-04-06T21:10:05.195-07:00

An optimist is the human personification of spring.-Susan J. Bissonette Well, I have now been officially 32 for a whole week. I'm not sure it feels much different than 31, but I like even numbers, so I'm hopeful that the year will be an auspicious one.About three weeks ago, my husband started in on the "what do you want for your birthday" line of questioning. I, of course, have a long list of fun

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-52708061688298962352008-03-05T13:06:00.001-08:002008-03-05T14:03:13.560-08:00

There are days when one or the other is not enough. You must do both. Today has been one of those days. We are feeling better and so got up early, got kids and self dressed and in car and off for busy day of errands, etc. Stopped at the Baker's Breakfast Cookie outlet store to get cookies for my husband to re-stock his supply at work. I buy what they call the "uglies" which are half price.Had to

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-30806433146295326142008-03-03T11:00:00.000-08:002008-12-09T22:00:03.973-08:00

A few years back, my friend Allie invited me to a gingerbread house making party. In February. We used all Valentine's Day candies and it turned out great! I found a photo of my house a few months back (although I can not find it now) and Princess was totally enthralled with it. She carried it around for days (which is probably why I can't find it now).I wanted to do gingerbread at Christmas, but

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-23051782282316266132008-02-29T11:42:00.000-08:002008-02-29T22:43:28.013-08:00

My husband asked me to marry him on Leap Day in 1996! We were married the following September and it has been an amazing twelve (yes 1-2) years. I've always been confused about how you count leap year days though. Votes? How many engagement anniversaries have I had? I want to do something special (since we don't get to celebrate it often) but haven't yet decided what to do. Maybe I'll make

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-17589447646488025032008-02-26T10:11:00.000-08:002008-02-26T11:09:03.839-08:00

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.-The Hausa of NigeriaWell, we're all sick. Me and the baby bear have the worst of it and I feel bad for him if he feels like I do which is horrible. If my throat doesn't feel better by tomorrow I think I'll be heading in to the doctor. Cough, congestion, sore throat, general misery galore here. Last night I used another Dream Dinner - fruit &

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-13853136956408624502008-02-23T17:46:00.000-08:002008-12-09T22:00:05.107-08:00

I so wanted to post more in February, but the month got away from me. The weather has finally turned warmer and the kids and I are getting out more these days, which is great. We all have miserable colds as of last night though, so sadly, I think church will have to wait another week. Valentine's Day was nice. My husband remembered flowers and cards for the three of us & a big box of chocolate

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-7348096016109903172008-01-29T22:05:00.000-08:002008-01-29T22:17:24.920-08:00

We had snow today and yesterday and I wish I'd gone out and taken some photos. We're supposed to have more snow tomorrow though so maybe there is still hope. Princess went out to play today and she banged on the door and told me she was thirsty, so I made her some hot chocolate and she drank it in the snow on the back porch with a "Thanks, Mom! You're the bestest mom ever". Cute.

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-5141536186451656712008-01-28T10:01:00.000-08:002008-02-12T10:34:21.400-08:00

Can a keyboard take before it shorts out? I don't know the answer, but my guess is that I will find out in the next few months. Baby Bear is fascinated by the keyboard (an all other electronic devices, he got hysterical last night when I refused to hand over the TV remote), and anytime I am at the computer and holding him, he is right there trying to get me to let him suck on the space bar.

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-3303175053273256272008-01-26T15:10:00.000-08:002008-01-26T16:43:51.102-08:00

Today we have nothing on the schedule! No where to go, no one to see . . . refreshing to say the least. We do have a lot we can get done around the house, including mounds of laundry. Three sets of our bedding as a result of 2 baby barfs on our sheets and Princess getting a midnight nosebleed on Thursday. Yuck. I was once able to get all our laundry done on Tuesdays and Fridays, and I hope one

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-12309703394648085492008-01-25T11:04:00.000-08:002008-01-25T11:20:17.941-08:00

Today the kids woke up early, and thus I was awake and trying to function before I really wanted to. However, I have gotten a lot done as a result.- read 2 stories to Princess (Little Bear and Riptide)- set Princess up to paint with her tempera paints- started the laundry (again, since I forgot to change it last night and it smells now)- unloaded the dishwasher- mostly re-loaded the dishwasher-

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-63209310218640071052008-01-22T12:57:00.000-08:002008-12-09T22:00:07.512-08:00

I love reading cook books and so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I adore food blogs. The "Blogs" folder on my favorite lists receives additions on almost a daily basis, most of them filled with eye-popping, mouth-watering photographs of yummy stuff and descriptions of cuisine complicated or simple, but always unbelievably delicious. Last night, my husband, Princess and I made cookies

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-83573936684500857872008-01-21T16:24:00.000-08:002008-12-09T22:00:12.891-08:00

Today I asked Princess what she'd like to do for the day and she immediately said she'd like to go to the beach. My husband is home from work for Martin Luther King Day, so I left him home with Baby Bear, while Princess and I put on our rubber boots (mine are green with light green polka dots and hers are pink with flowers, stripes and molded rubber ribbons on the sides) and tromped off to a

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-48901130926137916512008-01-19T14:10:00.001-08:002008-01-19T15:10:07.790-08:00

It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out - it's the grain of sand in your shoe.-Robert Service I'm now doing physical therapy and massage therapy twice a week to try and fix the shoulder I damaged while giving birth to Baby Bear. In addition, I am icing it twice a day and doing 15 reps each of three different exercizes, twice a day. I can't help but feel I really don't have time for all of

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-84297762909536619142008-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:002008-01-27T12:50:33.954-08:00

Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. ~Mark TwainYesterday my friend Joan came over to meet Baby Bear for the first time. He's almost 6 months old and this is her first visit with him. She's a single woman, close to my mother's age that I met half dozen or so years ago when she signed up for the ballet class

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-21331126927435860402008-01-08T11:57:00.000-08:002008-01-08T12:13:52.472-08:00

I love quotes. I love concise pieces of wisdom that pack a punch. I've collected them for years now without having a good way to categorize, store, sort and search. I finally decided there must be somebody out there who needed a quote organizing system like me... someone who'd already created one, hopefully. After much searching I found this - the only issue being that I don't really want to

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-45845520548297631592008-01-07T12:16:00.000-08:002008-01-08T11:56:36.954-08:00

"I urge you to examine your life. Determine where you are and what you need to do to be the kind of person you want to be. Create inspiring, noble, and righteous goals that fire your imagination and create excitement in your heart. And then keep your eye on them. Work consistently towards achieving them."- Joseph B. Wirthlin~With the new year comes the pressure to figure out how to make something

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-66414644674429312152007-12-28T16:09:00.000-08:002008-07-05T10:25:58.327-07:00

"Along your pathway of life you will observe that you are not the only traveler. There are others who need your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save." - Thomas S. Monson~Well, I skipped November. I mean, I was here, but I didn't blog a single word because I was writing my novel. My final word count was just over 7,000 words--

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-84659692461425977182007-10-27T11:24:00.000-07:002007-10-27T11:43:31.973-07:00

If I won't be myself, who will?-Alfred HitchcockOkay, yesterday my word count was 695. Not gonna cut it for NaNoWriMo. Today I'll try to do better and write more. The bad news is that we are all sick now, even my husband. I am really hoping this passes quickly. The GOOD news is that Baby Bear slept for SEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT last night!!! Woohoo! Even ill, my husband and I feel human today. It is

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-50548795596471663242007-10-26T15:26:00.000-07:002007-10-26T16:19:21.984-07:00

"Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity."- Simone WeilIn figuring that I will need to write 1786 words per day in November in order to finish The Novel, my brain went on a little tangent-trip and began to wonder what happened in the year 1786. Here is what wikipedia says and here is a list of my ancestors who were born in 1786:5 Jan 1786 Jacob NEWMAN 27 Jan 1786

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-42905536575741130972007-10-25T20:11:00.000-07:002007-10-25T23:57:41.510-07:00

Last night I went to my writing group and we had some great conversation. I told them about NaNoWriMo and they were all supportive. We reviewed and critiqued the work of one of the women for the first time and it was great - the piece and the discussion. I love critiquing/editing/helping to make stuff better.~I got my first real taste of this when I helped others edit their fanfiction in a

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-84493161249172085982007-10-22T12:53:00.000-07:002007-10-22T13:18:33.977-07:00

"The common conception is that motivation leads to action, but the reverse is true — action precedes motivation. You have to prime the pump and get the juice flowing, which motivates you to work on your goals. Getting momentum going is the most difficult part of the job, and often taking the first step is enough to prompt you to make the best of your day." — Robert J McKainI so grew up listening

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-85031455147575493572007-10-19T11:20:00.000-07:002007-10-26T15:25:51.501-07:00

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it. - Chinese Proverb ~Writing 50,000 words in 30 days has been on my mind a lot, especially the breakdown. It's Twelve and a half thousand words a week. That sounds like a large number of words to me. When it's broken down by day, it's about 1786 words per day. That seems do-able I think. This morning I started

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-77579530422031010462007-10-18T12:21:00.000-07:002007-10-19T17:35:23.955-07:00

"Self trust is the essence of heroism"-Ralph Waldo EmersonLast night I dreamed about a dancing, and a friend I had when I was a teenager whose given name was Molly Shenandoah. I always loved her name and it seemed to fit her. Being a child of the 70's in a small Washington self-proclaimed hippy town, I had lots of friends with unusual names - in my 2nd grade class their were girls named Butterfly

Laranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-10359071779555400112007-10-01T13:38:00.000-07:002007-10-08T15:11:51.032-07:00

"In my opinion, the teaching, rearing, and training of children requires more intelligence, intuitive understanding, humility, strength, wisdom, spirituality, perseverance, and hard work than any other challenge we might have in life." - James E. Faust~Think so? The last few days have definitely been a challenge. Baby Bear has hit a growth spurt I suppose and wants to a) eat or b) cry. I'm tired,

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-50742529736770752012007-09-20T14:07:00.000-07:002007-10-08T16:37:56.265-07:00

You are successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal. - Chuck Carlson ~ So, it's been a couple weeks since I wrote, and I'm trying not to beat myself for flaking out. I'm trying really hard right now to figure out the juggling act that is parenting 2 kids and running my house and doing stuff I like to do. I'd gotten into a good groove just before Baby Bear was born, and now I

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-49331881763367703602007-09-06T16:48:00.001-07:002007-09-07T13:29:49.169-07:00

The box from Oriental Trading came today and we are so excited! I also recieved the Luau CD in the mail, and it sounds great! I checked out the Balloon Time 30 count at two stores yestersay while I ws out, and with the coupon I won on eBay, I will be able to get it for about $10! My original plan was to spend $20 at the grocery store for 22 balloons, but I realized we couldn't fit them in the car

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-47467341741011617102007-09-03T10:20:00.000-07:002007-09-07T11:39:32.172-07:00

"To love what you do and feel that it matters--how could anything be more fun?"Katharine GrahamWe made it through all of church on Sunday for the first time in months and months! I love the feeling of sitting in church with my husband and children, singing hymns my family has sung for generations, listening to the blessings on the sacramental bread and water - the same ones that have been said

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-20919715779932589912007-09-01T11:19:00.000-07:002007-09-01T11:51:16.104-07:00

I grew up with this little song:Saturday is a special day.It’s the day we get ready for Sunday:We clean the house, and we shop at the store,So we won’t have to work until Monday.We brush our clothes, and we shine our shoes,And we call it our get-the-work-done day.Then we trim our nails, and we shampoo our hair,So we can be ready for Sunday!Usually, we only get a few of these things done, but

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-61257390335657003502007-08-31T09:52:00.000-07:002008-12-09T22:00:13.319-08:00

Yesterday I truly tried to get the Hawaiian Cake made. The day was crazy. Baby fussing, phone ringing off the hook, Mr. Fix-it coming over to cut holes in the walls. By the time we had time to bake, Princess was totally not interesting and Papa was busy helping Mr. Fix-it, so couldn't hold his screaming son. At 8:45 p.m. we turned off the stove (which had been pre-heating for 4 hours) and I took

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-18902386233721300172007-08-30T12:08:00.000-07:002007-09-01T11:54:04.428-07:00

"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly."Thomas H. HuxleyEnglish biologist (1825-1895)True, isn't it? I didn't get lots done

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-72721144525960653702007-08-29T15:09:00.000-07:002007-08-29T15:21:37.683-07:00

Recently I read an article in one of those free parenting magazine's you get at your OB's office, that chaos is good for babies. They essentially said that since you never know what will strike a child's creative fancy, having a lot of stuff sitting around all the time can give their little brains lots of stimulation. As I read this, I felt a pang of relief! Thank heavens! My

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-23259163167211586322007-08-28T10:11:00.001-07:002008-12-09T22:00:14.606-08:00

I went out to check on the garden today and we have some huge yellow zucchini, some beans, a few tiny tomatoes and a few strawberries! Birds are getting most of the berries, sadly. I decided I wanted a garden this year, and then I got pregnant. Last time my "nesting" took the form of stocking up on burp cloths, bibs and diapers. This time, I was obsessed with the garden. My dear husband humored

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-84279593268964964132007-08-27T13:54:00.000-07:002007-08-27T14:06:17.699-07:00

Yesterday was exhausting, so nothing from me. Today has been exhausting, but here I am nonetheless. I struggle greatly with balancing routine with whatever I feel like doing at the moment. I want the security of knowing that certain things will happen at roughly the same time every day, yet the ability to prioritize a little differently as stuff comes up. Just when I think I've come up with a

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-41619536698416729512007-08-25T11:15:00.000-07:002007-08-25T11:51:14.707-07:00

August is almost over. The next few weeks mark several milestones for me... my daughter will turn 4 years old next week, and the week after that is my 11th wedding anniversary. Plans?The princess wants a "pirate luau", so right now my brain is working overtime on figuring that out. I've already decided to purchase (gasp) a cake from the (gasp) grocery store, which is unheard of in my family.

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-91488058396565301302007-08-24T11:03:00.000-07:002007-08-24T14:34:07.276-07:00

It all started a few months back, while I was still pregnant. It was a normal weekday morning, which meant my nauseous & exhausted self was sleeping in and the 3 1/2 year old had free reign of the domain. Before he left for work, her papa had made sure anything dangerous left out the night before (like an open package of Oreos or writing utensils that could be used to tag the furniture with

Laranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8534692057271139093.post-80798226858275836212007-08-23T14:29:00.000-07:002007-08-23T15:48:43.695-07:00

And we're off. I still feel a little reticent about the concept of publishing my thoughts and feelings for any random person to consider... it seems sort of like carving L + S = TLFE into a park bench. A pretty public declaration that you might regret later if a) you get caught or b) you change your mind. I've spent some time this week catching up on some of my own favorite blogs and I really

Laranoreply@blogger.com0