Happy 3rd Birthday Jacob!

 Opening his trains from us

 Trains and train table with a "Choo! Choo!" face

 Play tent

 New bike!

 "Silly guys" shirt from Gramby

Blowing out his birthday ice cream, since he hates cake

I love this little man! He has brought such joy and laughter into our home. Sure, he keeps me busy always chasing after him. He gets into all sorts of trouble and is a very curious guy. But I love him dearly. He is always wearing a smile, willing to give a hug or kiss, and one of the most polite children ever. Always there with the "please" and "thank you". I cannot imagine my life without him. He is so precious and tender. He makes me smile! I am so blessed to have him as my son. Happy 3rd Birthday Boo Bear!

Merry Christmas!

May we always remember the true reason for this season. Merry Christmas!

Our 2011 Christmas Letter (for those I didn't get it out to)

Dear Friends and Family,
Another year of adventure, fun, and plain old real life has passed us by again! I think time has started moving at warp speed because I don’t know how it got to be Christmas already. The big news of the year is that we got a cat, Penelope, whom we all love. She’s brought a lot of fun and laughs to our house. And now for the update . . .

Marshall: Has been working for the government as a prosecutor for two years now and STILL enjoys his job. How many people can say that? There is a never a lack for interesting stories in his life now. He has helped start the Washington County Mental Health Court and oversees all the cases. He’s been bishop for 3 ½ years and still is sane! We love him.

Sue: Had plans to run the St. George Marathon in October, but a stress fracture in her leg during training changed that all. After being injured for 5 months, and wearing an obnoxious boot on her leg, she is now free to start exercising again. What an adventure it was to follow Jacob around while booted! Sue also keeps busy with home improvement projects, as the Laurel Advisor at church, and filling the role of super mom and wife.

Anna 9 ½: Loves 4th grade, her teacher, and helping out in the lunch room line. She completed her goal of reading the Book of Mormon on her own before turning 9. She keeps busy with friends, reading, sketching, piano, writing stories, and Activity Days. Her favorite play this year is “Les Miserables”, which she saw on a field trip. She takes after her father and is an avid fan of musicals.

Rachel 7 ½: 2nd grade has been much kinder to Rachel than 1st. She now goes to school without tears and really loves her teacher. Shy Rachel has become our little social butterfly and has made friends with a few girls in our neighborhood. They always are playing together. Legos, Wii games, and our cat Penelope are among her favorites.

Jimmy 5 ¾ : Kindergarten rocks! Riding the bus, learning how to read, and playing with friends at school. Jimmy loves school. He enjoys doing crafts and creating things, like the bird house he built with Mom. Jimmy is fascinated by dinosaurs, mummies, and reptiles and repeatedly checks out library books on those subjects with his own new library card.

Jacob almost 3: Often called insane, with the hair to prove it, Jacob enjoys life to the fullest. He never stops, which is why his napping less has made his mother very sad and tired. When he’s not running off to visit the neighbors, digging in the garden, filling his dump truck with rocks, begging to live with Mickey Mouse, trying to demolish the house, or chasing the cat, Jacob is one pretty cute loving guy. Jimmy and Daddy are his heroes, but he almost always wants Mom.

How blessed we are at this time of year to remember the birth of our Savior and the joy that brings to us. May you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love and miss you all,

The McConkies

My Christmas Gift

Ever since we moved into our house, almost 4 1/2 years ago, I have wanted to replace the carpet on the stairs and in all of the upstairs. The carpet is the original from when the house was built in 1997 and was showing it's age. Not to mention that it is a light cream and that shows any kind of stains. Last year we replaced that said carpet in the downstairs office. Next on my list was the upstairs hall. When Marshall asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year, I told him new carpet in the hall. (I want new carpet all upstairs, but one thing at a time, right?) So he talked to our dear neighbor, who does carpet, and together they picked out carpet for me. Today was the big installation day and I am giddy over my new carpet. I love it!!!!! I guess it means I am officially old since I asked for new carpet for Christmas this year. But who cares! 

During installation

New carpet!!!!

The Great Outdoors, a.k.a. Jacob's Potty

I know that I blog a lot about Jacob, but I've never had a child like him. He is his own person and will do whatever he wants whenever he wants, regardless of rules, me, or anything else that might stand in his way. It's like the Lord has taken all of the crazy parts of my other children and molded them into one, Jacob.

I should have known I would be in trouble when during potty training, Jacob went and peed in our next door neighbor's front bushes. Right by their front window. They weren't home at the time, but she thought it a hoot when I told her, apologizing because I thought she had been at home. Nothing has changed with Jacob since that day. In fact, he thinks the outdoors are his bathroom free space.

I am sure almost all of our neighbors have seen his little bum cheeks as they've driven up the street and seen Jacob out front letting it go. He is faster than lightening and can get those pants down and stream going before I even know what is going on. He loved to pee in our garden during the summer. I thought the colder weather would stop him from his outdoor habit, but not so. He still prefers to do #1 outside. Is it the fresh air? Freedom? Who knows?! I myself prefer the warm house.

Yesterday he was playing out back and I witnessed him pulling down his pants and peeing in a bucket in the sandbox. Ahhhhh! Before I could get to him he was busily mixing sand and pee. I wish he had gotten it all in the bucket, but he managed to get some in the sand as well. He was very perplexed at my disgust.

His Granddad McConkie thinks this is all a brilliant solution to the problem of not having water. Jacob probably wanted to play in wet sand and so decided to make his own. Not having an idea of germs, he didn't think it would be a big deal. Of course, Granddad can giggle and awe over it all he wants because he didn't have to clean up the mess! Evil grandparents.

Oh Jacob, where will you strike next? Just think of all the stories we can embarrass him with when he is older. I hope and think by then he should be house trained, right?

One of my favorite treats . . .

Candy Cane Hershey Kisses. Another reason to love this time of year. If you like candy canes, you have to try these smooth minty treats. Mmmmm!

a New Advertising Low

This morning at the gym I was watching TV when a commercial came on that gave me great hopes. It showed people going through various Christmas activities, such as shopping, visiting friends, etc. and then all of a sudden noticing a bright white light in the sky, almost like the star that appeared when the Savior was born. Everyone in the commercial just stopped and gazed in awe at the supposed star. I thought we actually were going to have a commercial reminding us the reason for the season, put on by some church if not the LDS church. But no. Instead, the commercial then cut to a woman flying high above the town in an airplane, coming home to visit her family. She was smiling and looking out the window and it was her clean white teeth, from Crest Whitening Strips, that caused the glow from the sky. Her mouth radiated light as she arrived home back to her family.

Oh, I just felt sick to my stomach when I saw that woman in the airplane and realized that instead of being a religious commercial, it was an advertisement about withening strips. That one was way below the belt. I know Christmas has been so commercialized that many people have forgotten what it is all about.  I know companies use any means to market their products for the season, but this commercial seemed particularly tasteless. Using the religious symbol of the new star in the sky to advertise a dental product. Oh no, it's not the sign of the Savior's birth, it's  woman with really bright teeth because she used Crest. Ugh. Tacky, cheesy, and lame.

What is wrong with the world? Nothing is sacred anymore and if anything is, it soon won't be. That commercial made me want to vomit, not buy whitening strips. Thanks a lot, Crest, for showing me a new low.

Penelope's Tree

This year we have one extra "present" under our tree. Ninja Penelope. To say that Penelope loves our Christmas tree would be an understatement. I don't think words could describe the attachment that cat feels toward the tree. She thinks it is HER tree and is kind enough to share it with the rest of us. She loves to sleep under it on the tree skirt. And she thoroughly enjoys climbing the tree, batting off ornaments as she goes up. Thank goodness our ornaments are all child and, therefore, kitty proof. Penelope is never boring. I don't know who is more of a handful, Jacob or the kitty! I have to admit that sometimes Marshall even calls Penelope "Jacob". Ha!

First tooth!

The big excitement for Jimmy on Thanksgiving Day was losing his tooth that has been wiggling for a week or so now. He's growing up!

Freedom!!!!!!

Time stopped for a minute on Thursday afternoon with people leaving school, work, and home to gather in the streets as part of a celebration that Sue McConkie is no longer wearing her boot, at all! Okay, maybe it didn't happen on that grand scale, but it sure felt like it. I went to see the doctor, nervous about the outcome, and left floating on air.

Not only do I get to give the boot the boot, but I don't have to see the doctor anymore. We talked about an exercise program and timeline to use to get me back, eventually, to running. I am so excited! Now I just need to listen to my body and not hurt myself again. No worries, I will be taking it all slowly because I do not want to go through this ordeal again. It was a long 5 1/2 months from injury until almost recovery. (My bone is mostly healed). How grateful I am for modern medicine, doctors, and a healthy body!

Ever Learning

I think I may actually be starting to get a hang of this whole mortal existence thing. This past year has been a rough one for various reasons, basically coming down to my learning that I am not in charge. My hopes and dreams were good ones, but the Lord had different things in mind for me. It has been  a struggle to get my will in line with the Lord's, kind of like redirecting a river's path.

I cannot imagine what it would take to change a river's path. It would obviously take a lot of work to dig a ditch for the river and then divert it into the new path while closing off the old one. You'd have to make sure the new path is far enough away from the old one so the river cannot overflow to the previous path. Width and depth in the new route would have accomodate the river, even when at its fullest. And the new channel would have to be strong enough to bear the force of the water.  I don't know the mechanics behind it, but I am sure it would be a process you'd have to get all the details correct. I feel like the Lord has been gently and lovingly been doing the same thing with me, slowly pushing me along a new direction in my life, while I am busy dragging my feet and trying to stick to my old planned out route. Sometimes I do well with the new plan, sometimes I just want to rely on my original path, hoping it will just somehow work. It's been a learning process that at times has been a bit painful.

As I sat visiting teaching today, discussing Elder Hales' talk on trials from this past General Conferece, a thought suddenly hit me. Life would be so much easier if I originally had accepted the Lord's new plan for me instead of fighting him along the way, sticking to my own plans. It wasn't until I had humbled myself and embraced the Lord's will that I was able to feel the promised peace and blessings He had in store for me. I had wasted so much time battling it out with Him instead. And while I fought him I was blind to the blessings He had in store for me because I wanted my desires instead of His.

Now I can see and understand the peace that comes through trusting the Lord. I don't know why things have worked out the way they have and some of my righteous desires haven't been granted. Sometimes I still struggle and have rough days. But what I do know is that by accepting the Lord's will, I have found great peace, strength, and comfort to help me endure those tough days. I do know that the Lord fulfills all His promises. I know He has a reason for all things and as long as I trust in Him, I will be okay.

Hopefully each time I go through this process, I'll be quicker to listen to the Lord. I'll let myself have His peace and be able to move forward in faith.

The Story of My Life

I loved today's Baby Blues. It is my life. Every day I have Miss Anna who takes a gander at the menu calendar to find out what is for dinner. And everytime she does it I cringe. What will be the reaction this time? Not that I base my menus on her preferences, but I do get tired of hearing complaints. Tuesday I made potato corn chowder and corn muffins, which took at least an hour to prepare, only to have her come home from school and declare that she hated the above. Oh, the horror! Moms are so unappreciated in the cooking department! This is why I love the comic. Maybe I should start using Wanda's answer instead. And learn how to shoot lightening bolts out of my eyes at the same time.

Somehow things have gotten more busy

You know, have all these great ideas for blogs. I have a lot I would love to share. But there seems to be a correlation with my blogging time and Jacob no longer napping. No naps mean blogs are rare. I have started a few, but always seem to get interrupted or lose my train of thought. I am sure it had nothing to do with the adorable three year old a random stranger categorized as "Dennis the Menace". Nothing to do with trying to save the contents of my fridge, keeping the cat from being abused, stopping his sibling abuse, ending the daily waterings of my kitchen floor, or trying to keep pants on little buns. Nothing at all.

But I do enjoy the little blond puff head of doom. Last night we sat for quite a bit in the dark, looking out my bedroom wondow and watching the rain while we rocked in the recliner. We talked about the important things of life, like cars, car washes, worker men, and such. Those are the moments I cherish.

I am here. One day, I will write again. Maybe once he goes on a mission?

Halloween Pics

Anna the vamprire, Jacob the dog, Jimmy the knight, and Rachel Green Lantern (her favorite super hero of all time!)

All decked out

Marshall as "tired" (He's even sleeping)

Reflections on a tub

This morning I had the chance to scrub our two bathroom tubs, a rare experience for me. You see, scrubbing tubs is Marshall's chore. It all started when I was pregnant with Jacob and got too large to bend over comfortably. Ever since then it has just stuck as his chore. Every Saturday morning when we clean the bathrooms, Marshall scrubs the tubs. Today he was at Fathers & Sons, waking up from a night of uncomfortable sleep with two very excited boys, and so I took it upon myself to do his chore.

The first thing I noticed was the soap scum and dirt marks randomly found on both shower walls. I had to laugh at the literal way men's minds work and then had cause for reflection. Marshall knows he is to scrub the tubs every week and so he does . . . just the tubs. If I wanted him to also include the shower walls and tub ledges, I need to specify that in the chore, but I just say scrub the tubs and so he does just that. Now granted, I am very grateful for his help in chores. We both think dads should be involved in the housework because it shows the kids that Mom and Dad work together and that guys do chores too. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking that at all. It was amusing because in my mind, I assume scrubbing the tubs also includes the whole showering/ tub area. For him, it just means the actual tub.

It got me thinking about the differences between men and women. Guys are so literal and will do exactly what you tell them. Women will do what you tell them and so much more, like clean the entire bathroom, organize the shampoo, and place fresh flowers on the vanity. Women are detail people. Guys are not. And you know what, that is okay!

Newly married and not-so-newly-married Sue used to get frustrated because Marshall didn't realize that by saying one thing, I also meant two more things along with that one thing. Or that he didn't just know what I needed after a bad day or hold me exactly at the right time or in the right way. Then Sue clued in that guys aren't just hairy girlfriends. Guys are different and it is what makes them different that makes them so loveable. Truly, it is. I would murder someone if my husband was just another sister spirit in male form. Blood would run.

Now I can laugh when I see the tubs scrubbed and soap scum on the shower wall. I try to not get annoyed when I have to specify to my husband what kind of emotional or loving support I need from him. Guys want us women to be happy, they just don't know how a lot of the time because we are so complex. So instead of getting all upset over it, we should just tell them what we want, even if that means saying something like, "I would really like it if you cuddle with me on the couch with your arms around me and my head on your chest." If you have your heart set on flowers for your birthday, tell him instead of setting him up for failure because he could not guess your desires and got you chocolates instead. Both parties will be happy, you because your needs are being exactly met, him because he is making you happy just the way you want, which is all he wants to do. You just made his job a million times easier and reduced his stress of having to guess. And when guys make their simple requests for affection or affirmation, it means just that, nothing more! Crazy, right?!

I love how men and women are different. Life would be so boring otherwise. I love that I found only the tubs cleaned in our bathrooms. Did I mind scrubbing the shower walls? No. I'm glad I have a husband who does his chores regularly without complaint. I am glad he is so literal and not just like me. I am glad we have such an open relationship that we can communicate our needs so both of us can be happy. Who knew scrubbing a tub would cause so much deep reflection?

What ever happened to . . .

Michael Moore? His name popped in my head the other day and I reflected on how he has been much more reserved these past few years.  I wonder if there is a correlation between the volume of his opinions and our current U.S. President. It seems the sound has, if possible, gone down. Amazing!

Remember "Farenheit 9/11"? Talk about some whacked ideas of one very disturbed not so little man. And yet how his tune has change now that Obama is in office. Quotiong Moore concerning Obama and our country,  "... Obama will rise or fall based not so much on what he does but on what we do to support him."

President Bush failed because he was best pals with Osama Bin Laden, having numerous late night chat sessions together trying to figure out how to best ruin America. Never could one man have done so much to destroy our country. It wasn't the terrorists, it was all President Bush. All. He had the fate of the country in his hands, like some Greek god bent on destruction.

But President Obama, now that is a different story. He's a good guy and he is trying his best. If his plans and work flop, it's not his fault. We, the people, are to blame. You know, because we have such great power to have our voices to be heard. We keep pushing for our country to get further into debt. We keep destroying the job market and have been the cause of the drop in the housing market. All us. Poor President Obama is just a good guy trying to pull all us together. If we just followed his vision, we'd all be happy and secure.

Someone get me a shovel because I am knee deep in some pretty smelly stuff. No wonder I haven't heard much from Michael Moore lately. He likes Obama. Huh? Wonder what we'll hear from him come election time.

Fall Time

What I love about Fall-

• Fresh apples. Apple pie, crisp, cider, caramel apples and anything else you can do with an apple.
• Halloween
• Decorating for Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Pie for Thanksgiving
• Thanksgiving leftovers
• Leaves changing colors
• The smell of a fire going in a fire place
• The smell of leaves burning
• Keeping my windows open and allowing fresh air to waft through the house
• Being able to play outside at all times of the day
• See's Pumpkin Pie Truffles
• Hot chocolate
• Pumpkin ice cream
• The excitement of the holidays
• Jumping in piles of leaves
• Rain
• Soup
• BYU Football
• Have a cute hubby to snuggle up to

What I don't like about Fall (and they are few)-

• Election signs EVERYWHERE
• Leaves being tracked inside
• Dark mornings and nights. Just make me want to go to bed or stay in bed. Zzzzz.
• All the Halloween and Thanksgiving treats have calories. For rude!
• Missing my parents on Thanksgiving

Stolen Innocence

 I recently finished reading "Stolen Innocence" by Elissa Wall.  I have read books in the past about women who have escaped from the FLDS, but never about one who recently fled and, especially, during the Warren Jeff's reign. Wow.

I was amazed at how much the people of the FLDS were devoted to Jeff's even when there were times they wanted to question his actions, but no one had the courage to speak up and out. I was blown away at Jeff's doctrine and how he would rewrite the philosophy of his church and nature itself to fit his own desires. Families being town apart and being assigned to different fathers and husbands. The heartache, the trust, the deception.

Elissa Wall was assigned to marry her first cousin at the young tender age of fourteen. She struggled to accept the prophet's will as she fought with her own feelings of doubt. To be forced into such a union and suffer such abuse and ignorance. I admit, I was so happy for when she found her strength, along with the support of her current husband, to leave behind that world of pain and confusion.  Although it was a trial to adjust to life on the outside, she and her husband did it. She fought against Warren Jeffs and her "first husband" with the court to find justice, which she did. What an amazing journey to see this young girl use her voice to finally triumph over her demons.

Still here

Yes, we are alive. We've just been without phone and internet since Saturday afternoon thanks to all the construction going on by our house. Yippeee! After some run around with the phone people, we finally got someone to fix it today for real! (Monday someone came out and fixed it, only to have it go out again 20 minutes later. Sigh.) Personally, thanks to cell phones I can live without a land line. It was actually nice to not have anyone call for Marshall. Anyone who really needed to talk to the bishop had his cell phone number. Kind of cool to weed out those other calls. But not having internet was tough. No checking email, bill paying, or watching my beloved "Downton Abbey" on-line. Such a tough life, but we survived. Oh, the horrors of living a modern life!

A girl and her cat

Rachel and her beloved Penelope. She is the biggest fan of our new pet. Rachel loves our kitty and is always close to her.

Bone Cancer Awareness Week

This week, October 8th-15th, is Bone Cancer Awareness Week.  Normally this wouldn't be such a big deal for me, but my 12 year-old niece was diagnosed with bone cancer this past week. It's always weird when something like cancer hits a little too close to home.

When she was younger, Jayden had a hearing disorder and speech problems. The doctors were able to fix her problem with surgery and Jayden went through speech therapy to help her learn communication skills. She's a quiet girl, but a tough one. She's a fighter and I know she will tackle this as well.

The doctors are very positive. With a round of chemo, surgery to remove the cancerous bone, and another round of chemo, they believe the cancer will be kicked. In a year her life should be back to normal.

This is one of those times where I wish I had magical powers. I wish I could take the cancer away. I wish I could be there for her and my sister when the chemo treatments begin. I wish my sweet niece didn't have to go through this tiring harsh ordeal. I wish she could be spared all of this. But I trust in the Lord and know He has a reason for all things. I know He will be there to comfort them as they go through this trial.  I am so grateful to have the Gospel in my life. How could we survive this existence without it?

The Passing of a Legend

As a child, I remember seeing this pretty rainbow colored apple on the computers at school. You know, the big old clunker machines that took discs that were actually floppy. I didn't know anything about Apple, but I did think the logo was cool looking.

I was introduced to the world of Apple as a teenager, working for a local screen printing and sign shop. My boss was a huge Apple fan. I was impartial as I was too young to know or care about the difference. But then I got my own Apple computer. Oh, baby. What a change! What beauty! I was hooked.

Later on I upgraded to a lap top, which I loved even more. I was very sad the day my lap top kicked the bucket.

Then there were i-pods, these nifty tiny devices that could store a wide volume of music. Soon there were ones that could even take videos and pictures.

Next was the i-phone. I think I wanted one just so I could play Angry Birds and have the chance to check the internet and goof off while waiting at the doctor's office.

And don't even get me started on the i-pad. I am still drooling over that one.

Whether you are a fan or not, Steve Jobs' impact on the world of computers is undeniable. Talk about a man with vision and motivation to take the computer world to a level hard to imagine just a few years ago. His new and innovative products raised technology to a new degree and challenged his competitors around him to match his genius. He lived the American dream.

It's sad to hear about his passing due to cancer. It goes to show we're all still mortal, no matter who we are and what we do. I wonder what ideas Jobs had brewing that we might miss out on. I, for one, am sorry to lose such a visionary man. I'll still love Apple and that cute logo will always make me smile, reminding me of that big old floppy disk using computer. We've come a long way, baby!

Penelope

We have a new member to our family, Penelope. We were able to bring her home today and have been charmed by her sweetness. The poor kitten had four shadows following her around, watching her explore her new home. She won over both Marshall and I, cuddling up and taking naps on both of us. I loved having her fall asleep and snuggling into my arms. So precious! And so far my allergies seem to be minimum. I think this just might work!

A Study In Sugar

I LOVE sugar in all it's decadent dessert and fancy candy forms. I have a sweeth tooth dipped in chocolate, drizzled with caramel and white chocolate, and covered in sprinkles. I LOVE sugar.

I have tried to go a week without sugar in the past just to see how I felt. I have heard from many people who have gone sugar-free that it is a wonderful thing and they felt amazing, but I've never been able to make it because I like sugar too much.

And then I read about a recent study showing that sugar added to depression. The idea being that one who eats sugar has a quick "sugar high", but then crashes even further down than their usual baseline after that euphoric period ends. Being one who suffers from depression, I was curious to find out if this was true. Would I feel different if I cut sugar out of my diet?

For five days I pushed aside cupcakes, apple pie, ice cream, candies, and every other kind of treat that seemed to appear. (You know that when you are trying to be good it seems that all of a sudden there is a plethora of sugar in the house.) I felt good, positive, and energetic, but I wasn't sure if that was from not eating sugar or just mentally wanting it to work.

Then I had lunch at new diner, where I tried their sweet cream pancakes. Divine perfection in pancake form! But they were also sweet. Afterwards I felt so tired and sluggish. I was ready to curl up for a nap. That night I had some chocolate lava cake given to us by a thoughtful friend. (I figured I might as well enjoy my day of sugar. Why stop now?!) Again, within a half hour of eating it I was ready to put on my jammies and go to bed. It was hard to keep my eyes open. This wasn't just a random occurence, there was a definite correlation between eating sugar and how I felt. Shoot! I mean, amazing!

Now I know I will not be able to go sugar-free for my entire life. Let's be realistic people! But I do think I am going to try to avoid it more seeing the amazing difference of how I felt without it and with it in my diet. I'm glad I tried the sugar experiment so I could learn more about my body and what works for me. Anything that can help me feel better about myself is something I am all for!

A whole new phase of life

It's funny how with all the kids, minus Jacob, in school I thought I'd get more done. Ha! Real life never slows down. Plus it seems I never get to do what I want, mostly because of my silly boot. Only two more weeks until I have my check-up. Please can I get it off? I hope!

The biggest news is that we are getting a pet. I am sure we are insane, but what can I say? Our neighbor has a cat that had four kittens. Our kids love them and visit them as much as possible. It has actually helped them get over their fear of animals. So much so that they have been begging for a kitten. Seriosuly, begging and pleading and more begging. Sweet motherly Rachel was the worst. She really really wants a kitten to love and let us know over and over again. Marshall and I both grew up with cats and so weren't opposed to the idea, though I have developed an allergy over the years. I did a few tests with the kittens and haven't had any reactions yet. Plus I would really like to have a kitten to pet and snuggle. Good therapy! As soon as the kittens are weaned from their mom, we are getting one. Eeek! The kids are so excited and so are we. We're pretty much nuts!

The other thing is that I LOVE having Jacob potty trained. It's so freeing. I can go to the store with just a purse! I felt so naked the first time without my diaper bag. But I love it! Going to Costco and NOT having to buy diapers or wipes?! I am so giddy I can hardly contain it! The money saved and now can be used for other things, like food or clothes for my ever growing boys. Vacations and outings are going to step it up to a whole new lovely level. I love it!!!!!

Healthy food in disguise

Remember being a kid and having to take that nasty bubble gum flavored penicillin? I can still recall the smell, thick consistency, and horrid taste. I don't know what was worse, being deathly sick or taking the medication.

I find it amusing that food companies have gotten smart enough to do the same thing to us now adults. They try to sneak in some healthy goodness into what should be delectable desserts and treats. The sad thing is, I will always be able to taste the penicillin underneath all that bubble gummy flavor.

I have tried Fiber-One brand granola bars and found a few kinds actually good, despite the fiber-y after taste. Like most adults, I need more fiber and I will disguise it any way I can to get more into my body. Fiber-One recent came out with 90 calorie brownies stocked full of fiber. Since I had a coupon, I was curious and decided to try some.

Well, it was like a chocolately flavored fibery snack. Mind you, it didn't taste horrid, but it wasn't a moist-barely-cooked-chocolatey-melts-in-your-mouth-death-by-chocolate brownie. You could tell it was a healthy something that was posing as a dessert, but not actually the real thing. I guess it would be impossible to make it 90 calories, healthy, and have it taste like heavenly chocolatey goodness.

You'd think with all of our modern technology we could make medicine and such lame attempts at treats taste better. Give me some penicillin that actually tastes like I am chewing some Bazooka Joe or biting into a plump fresh grape. Or how about a low-fat and high fiber treat that gives See's Candy a run for their money. That, my friends, would truly be a modern marvel.

Still booted

I am not a patient person and I know that is why the Lord sent me Jacob and my boot to deal with at the same time. I really must be impatient because my patience is being tested to the highest level.

For those who have asked, I still have my cursed boot on and will for another month. My doctor told me it takes at least 6 weeks for a stress fracture to heal. So my visit with him last week was more of a "how is it going?" type thing. Sigh. A month longer with the boot?! Seriously, this has been my own personal hell. I thrive on activity, being able to exercise, and chase around my toddler. Having this heavy boot clamped on my leg is killing me and dragging my spirits down. I feel like I am going to go insane. But I keep reminding myself that it'll be worth a healed leg.

Have you ever met Jacob? He has this way of making me feel like such an inadequote mother because he has me running non-stop and even then I only can catch him 1/3 of the time. This morning I took him to help me make copies at school for Kindergarten. During the process he found it a great game to shove little pieces of paper into the copier to "help", which caused paper jambs. He also put a Pull-up in the washing machine, spreading gooey gel-like stuff all over the clothes. All in one hour! I love that sweet boy, but wish he wasn't so curious.

But I am learning. It's a tough road, but I am trying to get it into my head that I can let some things slide and give myself a break as I heal from this injury. It's just hard for such a busy person to do! Hmmm, I wonder where Jacob gets it from?!

Just a few things I am grateful for . . .

-Being able to stay home full time with my kids. I know not all women can do that, but I am grateful I have always been able to be at home. I was reminded of this today as I cared for a sick, miserable little Jacob. I was so glad I could be the one who held, rocked, and laid with him. I hated to see my guy feeling so cruddy, but was so happy I could be with him. I love being at home with my kids, to be there for them during the good and bad times in their lives. I sacrifice my sanity and the ability of buying lots of cool things I don't need thanks to another income and I do not regret it for a minute. My little monkeys make me laugh and brighten my life.

-Having a husband with a job that allows him to be home regularly. With my boot impediment and drama that is life,I am so grateful I have a husband who works regular hours and is home in the evenings and on weekends. I so appreciate his love and support and I love that he can be involved in the children's lives. Plus it allows for the time he needs to be bishop while balancing a family. He may not be the richest attorney out there, but he's one of the happiest. I'd give up a bigger paycheck for that any day!

-Children who read and love the scriptures. Last night I was in charge of a YW activity were we did scripture stories Pictionary style with Play-doh. It was fun to watch the girls try to portray some events from the scriptures. Just as equally amusing was Anna's shock that not everyone knew who Abinadi was or that it was Moses who parted the Red Sea. "Everyone knows that, Mom." I explained that not everyone does because not everyone reads scriptures as a family or has read the Book of Mormon like they have. I am glad I have children who love the scriptures and a husband who has helped make that happen.

Never Forget

Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty, whatever that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 33:12). Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.


Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). -President Gordon B. Hinckley

My Jacob

I don't think I have had a more pleasant child than Jacob. He is so happy, friendly, and outgoing. Not only does he look like his father, but he acts like him too. It has been so fun to have him all to myself these past few weeks since school started. Potty training him has been as good as it gets. He loves being a big kid and is so proud of himself. He thinks peeing while standing up if the coolest thing. He'll run out back and drop his pants if ever the urge hits him. Thankfully, he mostly goes in the potty, but every once in a while he likes to bond with nature. I noticed today while he was outside playing he pulled his pants down, watered the lawn, and pulled them back up. Although I am happy for his independence, I hope the grass can survive such freedom. Yet I can't imagine Jacob doing anything different than that. He has a huge personality and is all boy. What a cute little nut!

Fun Visit

                                                           Cute Whitney

Her twin brother Tucker with his classic raised eyebrows

Autumn, Mandy, and I

This weekend two of my dear roommates from BYU came for a visit. They arrived Saturday afternoon and stayed until Monday. We had a wonderful time playing and catching up. Mandy came down from Seattle with her 19 month old twins, Whitney and Tucker. She met up with Autumn in Salt Lake and they drove down for a visit. It was so much fun for us all, even Marshall as he knew them well when we were at BYU. We stayed up giggling and reminiscing one night. It was great!

Tucker and Whitney charmed us all with their pleasant natures. Whitney is the quiet one, while Tucker can babble away. Plus Tucker has this awesome raised eyebrow face that he makes at everything. They are a hoot. It was so fun to get to know them better. Jacob even survived sharing his house with other children. The kids all enjoyed Autumn, Mandy, and the babies. Rachel was very sad when it was time for them to head home. She just loved the twins.

What a great weekend! And it was wonderful to see them as happy and active in the Gospel as when we were at school. Love my roomies!



Life with a boy

I often comment that I should buy stock in laundry stain removers. I use them enough!

The best kind of companion

I love how the Holy Ghost works and can speak to us at any time if we are living our lives correctly.

Friday night I wasn't tired when we went to bed so I stayed up finishing, "A Year of Wonders" about the Black Plague in a small English village. This was my second time reading the book, a story which I enjoy. Upon finishing I reflected on the story and characters, grateful that I had my good husband instead of one of the supporting men who turned out to have much more to himself than originally thought. As I was thinking about my sweet husband, I was gently reminded that I hadn't been the best wife these past few weeks with all the drama involving my leg and family. And then came to my mind the things I could do to be better and where I was lacking. I was humbled, instructed, and hopeful.

The above is what I love about the Spirit. If you live righteously, the Holy Ghost will speak to you whenever the opportunity arises. It can be at a random moment with something completely unrelated to where the Spirit takes you. It can be the result of a chain of thoughts. But the Spirit, if we live worthy of its companionship, always gets our minds where they need to be and teaches us. I am so grateful for those moments of humble teaching. I try to do my best to always keep the Holy Ghost with me so I don't miss out on those golden times of instruction. What a great blessing the Spirit is!

Idiots in the storm

There will always be a few idiots when times of trouble and choas come. Never mind that there is a serious hurricane coming, some surfers and beach goers don't want to miss out on the amazing waves and power of Mother Nature in full action. I read today that one surfer was killed in Florida already by the storm. It makes me wonder what on earth he was doing out there during a hurricane. I don't care how awesome the waves may be, bu surfing during a massive storm is just plain stupid. It's hard to feel bad when you hear about people getting killed because of their own foolish actions and refusal to heed the evacuation orders. Thrill seekers like the above are just selfish. The greater tragedy is that their deaths could have easily been avoided if used some sense.

I want potato salad... and so forth!

• I REALLY REALLY want potato salad now that Marshall's family and extended family has been discussing the merits and flaws of the use of mayo in potato salad. I love my mom's potato salad and want some right now. Thanks a lot McConkies!
• The first day of kindergarten went well for Jimmy. He was so excited, but when it was time to go into his class, he froze up, cried, and refused to budge. But he did go in. He told me he cried again when it was time to get on the bus because he wanted me. Poor guy. Jimmy did admit he liked it, despite it all.
• Jacob was a bit crazy without Jimmy. I don't think he knew what to do with himself. He asked me a few times, "I go school, please?". So sweet. A few more years, bud.
• I am really getting tired of my boot. I have written before that I am not a good patient. I hate being limited and not able to chase around my Destructo Jake. Plus I am always on my feet! Now I have to make an effort not to be, which is about as successful as trying to catch a sunbeam in an envelope.
• And why is it while I am laid up, I want to eat, eat, eat?! Not good! See comment about potato salad.
• Oh, and I am ready for the summer heat to end. Anytime now . . . Go ahead... Get cool.....NOW!

Reality Bites

I don't think I ever saw the Winona Ryder movie from 1994, "Reality Bites", but I am stealing the title to describe this week. Doesn't it seem like bad things come in 3? What is up with that? Who made up that law? And don't you want to slap people who say, "Well, that's just life!"? No, it's not. It's a really bad week, month, etc. It's not a normal occurence to break a bone, have a parent hospitalized, or need major repair done on your car. And if it is a regular thing for you, then I am sorry because your life isn't fair. Here is the drama of this week, and I hope it's over for the moment. The Greek gods of chaos can move on to someone else now, please.

1. Friday night we drove up to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City to see "The Glass Menagerie". Not my most favorite play, but Marshall loves it and we were celebrating our anniversary. Talk about a depressing show, but it was nice to get a date. On our way home we hit construction and got behind two semi-trucks, which started throwing up rocks at us with their rear tires. It was nerve wracking, but we thought we had escaped unmarred. The next morning proved we had a crack in our windsheild that grew with time. So we got to buy a new windshield. It turned out to be a much more expensive date than originally planned for.
2. After two months of trying to figure out what is wrong with my leg, my MRI from last week proved that I have a stress fracture. No wonder I have been in such pain, my bone has a crack in it. It's broken! Today I went to the doctor and got a "boot" I get to clomp around with for the next three weeks. No exercising and lots of time off my feet. After the three weeks I go back to see if it is healing. If not,we may have to do a cast. I think I shall go insane. Anyone who knows me knows that I am active. At least we have answers and, hopefully, my leg will heal quickly.
3. The scariest thing about this week was finding out my dad was hospitalized Monday. He had a bad headache, couldn't sleep, and his heart was racing. It turned out his heart was out of rhythm. One part was beating at a different pace than the others. The doctors shocked his heart back into rhythm and he is doing much better, but has to stay in the hospital until Friday for observation. I love my dad and have thought immortal. I mean the possibility of losing a parent is just something no one likes to think about, but this week it came hard and fast here. It's been an emotional week. I am so glad my dad is doing better. The hardest part is being so far away from him. I would jump on a plane if I could. I told my dad no more of this nonsense. He just can't get sick anymore. He thought that was amusing.

I hope next week is better. What I really need is a magic wand. Then I could apparate to my dad's hospital room, mend my leg, and fix the crack in my windshield for free. Where is Harry Potter when you need him?

School Time

Monday marked the first day of school for the girls. Rachel was not too thrilled about being back in school, but so far Second Grade seems to be treating her much better than First did. Anna is enjoying Fourth Grade and thinks her teacher has beautiful black hair. Jimmy actually doesn't start until the 22nd, but he did get to go in and tour his classroom and talk to Mrs. Fonnesbeck. He is SO excited for Kindergarten. Jacob also thinks he should be going to school. The first day of school he too wore a back pack and marched around the school with me while we took the girls to their new rooms. I can't believe another school year is under way and now I will have three kids in school!

Food and Fashion: Who knew?

In case you are desperate for a new look this Fall, I have stumbled across a few interesting styles that should keep the neighbors and ladies at playgroup talking. Who cares if the economy is a mess and peolple are struggling, let's waste lots of food making clothes!

You can be the talk of the town in your new 100% pure chocolate dress! Women will flock to you, perhaps not to be your friends, but most likely to sample your new attire. Just be careful you don't wear your cocoa concoction in the sunshine or things may get really intersting!

Thank you Wish Bone for creating this dress to promote your new line of salad dressings! Who else would have thought of a dress made entirely of lettuce with tomato earrings to match. You healthier ladies at here will appreciate this low-calorie alternative to the chocolate dress. Plus you will have an instant snack anywhere you go!

What woman wouldn't want shoes made from America's favorite fast food? Can you think of a better way to use your beef?

 Slippers made from bread?! The whole idea of dirty barefeet in bread shoes just makes me want to gag. I may never look at a loaf of bread the same.

As if dogs chasing you isn't annoying enough, now you can have your very own purse made from beef jerky! The neighborhood pooches will flock to your feet and try desperately to pounce on your purse. Who doesn't want to have the smell of beef jerky all over themselves and their personal belongings? 

 I love cream puffs as much as the next gal, but not on my wedding dress. Sthefano's wife had her 20 pound 1,500 cream puff piled dress ready for nuptials after two months of work. My problem would be trying to not eat my dress during the wedding. How could she resist? I know I wouldn't be able to.

What does it feel like to wear bread? Is it comfortable? I do like the smell of fresh baked bread, but I don't know if I would want it on my body all day long. I'd be afraid to use the bathroom or spill something on it. Let alone trying to sit down. What a waste of yummy bread!