The Grocer Is a Person in Your Neighborhood

Like the hair nets?  I know where to get you one.  We took our preschool to the local grocery store today for an insiders' tour.  We watched this girl decorate a cake and got to look into the 2 degrees Fahrenheit  bakery freezer at all of their frozen dough.  She showed us behind the bakery where they actually cook bread daily from frozen loaves in huge ovens that fit carts of bread six feet tall.

 The kids didn't know what to think about fruit tarts.  They like to stick with buttercream.

 We watched the deli manager take rotisserie chickens off the skewers wearing giant red plastic gloves that made her look like an over-sized lobster from a 1950's sci-fi movie.  Juice was spilling all over the floor, but not of the chickens hit the floor!  It smelled good in there!

 At the seafood counter Michael declared he likes salmon and tilapia tacos but not crab, just so you know.

 The kids all like the giant trash compactor and the freezer full of chicken nuggets, pizzas, and ICE CREAM!  It was so cold in there I didn't stop to take a picture. 

 The produce department was kind of ho-hum.  When asked "What vegetables do you like to eat?" this crowd was silent. 

We love our preschool friends.  We love circle time, our welcome song, show and tell, the Pledge of Allegiance, the weather report, recess, crafts, snack time, and story time.

There they are eating their Lincoln Log cake after playing with Lincoln log toys when we learned about Abraham Lincoln in February.

 Any future presidents here?  You never know, the stove pipe hat may yet make a come back.
 

Anna loves being a part of it all on her own circle time mat, here in Police uniform for no particular reason.  She's learning to count with us and to sing our songs. She loves having more girls over to play with. 

Up next, life before electricity, plumbing, and grocery stores with a hands-on field trip complete with chamber pots and home made butter - shaken, not churned.  Sign me up!

Gifts My Parent's Gave Me

With a title like that I could go a million directions.  What didn't my parent's give me?  They gave me life, the abundant life.  They showed me how to work hard and how to enjoy the beauty in the world.  They taught me the gospel and showed me how to live it.  They gave me physical necessities, patience beyond imagination from colic to speeding tickets, and love.  What I am grateful for tonight, as I have been for so many nights since I was ten years old, are my dance lessons.


My parents gave me dance lessons for ten years and, after getting my heart broken one too many times, some professional counseling.  I can tell you, the dance was much more valuable.  I still get lost in dance no matter where I am.  My kitchen, a garage, the car.  The bigger the space the better, but turn on some music and I can move.  My current favorites are "Vogue" "Viva La Vida" and Jim Brickman's Disney Songbook album.  I enjoy the challenge of classical ballet but the lyrical and modern dance are the ones that allow the emotions to flow - out - where they belong instead of bottled up inside my tense neck muscles.  It's just like the little girls I teach.  They wait 35 minutes of class for the 10 minutes of the end when they can get up and twirl and jump and get those endorphins coming!

When I dance my mood instantly lifts and the sun is shining on whatever problem I thought I had.  After those broken hearts the thing that got the final tears out and summoned the resolve to move on was dancing violently to the Miss Saigon soundtrack on the stage of the vacant stake center.  But, dance can also be an expression of joy and it is more and more often that I turn to dance as an expression of gratitude and joy for the blessings that have come into my life. 

That's why it hurts so badly when I cannot dance. Being pregnant, recovering from pregnancy, six months of physical therapy for my sprained ankle.  All of these things restrict my dancing and it's so hard to regain strength in those tiny muscles in all the hidden places that only dancers know about.  It has been such a blessing to be teaching dance theses last few months.  We are thinking of buying a house.  All these years we've been renting and it's time to settle into a nice school district somewhere.  All I keep thinking about is whether there will be enough room in the garages to teach dance.  If we live somewhere where the parents would rather send their girls to a professional studio, I might only use it myself, but I know that I want dance to be a part of my life.  I just bought a portable barre because I have so many girls in my class now we needed the extra space, but it's also a kind of promise to myself that no matter where I live, I will be able to dance.  And that, is a happy thought indeed.

I love that so many in my family love dance.  On my side and Josh's.  I love that Anna calls my porcelain Ballerina music box "Nina."  I wonder if that's how I named myself  "Nina" when I was her age.  Anna can plie and turn in a circle with her arms up in 5th position.  She grabs my hand and says Dance! when music comes on.  I think I've got another soul mate in her.  Is it possible to have four soul mates?  All three of my children and my husband feel like soul mates, in different ways.  I guess that's just family.  We're made to be together and to love being together.  That's why I hate, HATE all the disintegration of families today.  It's like ripping people's souls apart.  I creeps into our minds and homes and works its poison.  If we don't realize it for what it is and where it comes from, it can poison our relationships.

Families that dance together stay together! 

My parents also gave me the love of dance.  I think it probably began as a toddler in Sweden dancing to ABBA.  Then I clearly remember dancing my heart out in the living room and entry hall to Rogers and Hammerstein.  My dad taught me the box step, swing, and watched Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies with me when I should have been in bed.  After I started dancing my mom would sit on the basement stairs and watch me show her what I had learned that night.  They always came to watch me perform from the most sparsely attended performance of the pom squad at JV soccer games on Tuesday afternoons to the three performances of my dance studio with hundreds of dollars in costume changes.  They rented a dance floor to cover the patio at my wedding reception.

My sister-in-law in Seattle, see previous post, and I were talking about dance during our visit.  We were watching a Swan Lake DVD, of course, and wondered why girls are so drawn to ballet.  Men hate it.  She wisely said she thinks it's because it's the perfect expression of elegance and beauty, yet it takes incredible strength and discipline.  It is symbolic of womanhood, the understated determination that makes a life appear calm and beautiful amid the storms and trials that strengthen us.  I thought she was profound.

So I will keep on dancing and teaching others to dance, if they'll keep an amateur like me, and I'll say thank you to my parents a million times over for supporting my dancing.

A Little R&R

Aloha! Listen to this video to hear the sound of paradise.  I filmed it on the North Shore of Oahu three weeks ago. 

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You are now in the frame of mind to enjoy the rest of the pictures.

Josh got to go to Hawaii for a conference and I met him there when his work was done.  We spent one night on busy Waikiki Beach and had dinner with his coworkers at a nice surf and turf restaurant, then we rented a red Mustang convertible and headed up to a condo with a private beach on the North Shore near Laie.  It was quiet and calm and so relaxing!   We even saw Becky and Brent in Waikiki for pineapple smoothies!  They were on their own vacation on Oahu! 

 Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head mountain/peak

  

The view from our condo.  We were so tired we got a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for dinner and stayed in watching "Sleepless in Seattle" on t.v.  It was raining anyway.

 

Here's our ride.  We had to buy sunscreen and sunglasses!  The fun really began when we headed out in this baby for the day, driving all along the coast.  We were literally just feet away from the ocean. 

 
Here's the view the other direction from the condo.  It's near where they filmed LOST and we were so excited about that, being the fanatics that we are.

Waimea Bay Beach  They wouldn 't let us in the water the waves were so big.  The sand was not dusty or rough, it was like tiny pearls.  All polished stones.  It was clean and soft and luxurious!  We sat here for an hour or so, talking to the kids on the phone!

Then we hiked up to this waterfall in the Waimea Canyon Nature Preserve.  They actually filmed a scene from LOST here but we cared more that we were swimming in the cold, refreshing tropical water than that Kate and Hurley woke up here after they woke up from the crash returning to the island in the final season of LOST.    A little bit more, anyway.

I thought the break from home would fill me with resolve and analysis about my life, but it turns out that on a real vacation you don't think about those things.  You just rest and see the beautiful world around you!


MEANWHILE . . .

The kids were cozy in the snow in Seattle!  With Josh's sister and her husband and their DARLING girls!

We went up the Space Needle and I think the boys loved it.  They talk about how we could see everything we'd never seen before from up there.  We even splurged and ate on the rotating restaurant, with seven kids.  There were plenty of fries and pancakes, so everyone was happy. 

 

The cousins had so much fun together.  We can't wait to visit them again, but we'll give them a few months to recover first.  

 The boys felt at home after only a short time.  Good thing, we stayed nine nights!  They had their own bedroom with their names on the door and space sheets on the beds.  Every morning Josh and I were away, Aunt Sarah put a surprise in a treasure chest for them to discover.  Army men, glow in the dark dinosaurs, they hardly had time to miss us.

I make cupcakes with the girls Sunday afternoon.  Here are three of them in the aprons I made them.

The boys are threatening to go back there if I am mean.  Hum.  Maybe we can work out a deal on the weekends?  Just kidding .  They do have fun cousins, snow, AND a basement so I know it's a strong pull.

 Anna missed us the most but had a great time with Aunt Sarah and the cousin nearest her age.  She keeps pretending to talk to her on the phone now that we're home.

We are so thankful they would watch our kids and let us have that fun trip to Hawaii!

Big Boy Birthday

Michael and Sam had their birthday and Michael has declared that he is now a big boy.  He wanted to go for a bike ride around the neighborhood without me and go out to the ice cream store to find a girlfriend because now he is a big boy.  We've had to set a few things straight and help him set some realistic expectations.  He is so excited to be another year older!  They are growing up and we're having to look into a lot of elementary school options, including home schooling with some other families in the ward, because of the district, and well, the state, we're in.  We're entering two lotteries for charter schools and if those don't work out, we'll just see what we do.

The day started with Lucky Charms for breakfast, one of their presents.  They opened their gifts and played with them all day long: a play-doh set with spaghetti maker and Cars 2 molds, a microscope, and some Finn McMissile boats that convert from cars to hydro-cars to submarines.  They are pretty cool. 

 We didn't have any plans that day so we were just home.  We decorated our pre-made gingerbread house and got a lot of happy birthday calls from family.  Thank you!

 I was a little busy making these cakes AND cupcakes for the party the next day.  We've had the same flavors the last couple of years at least.  Chocolate with chocolate icing and yellow with vanilla icing.  Then peppermint and cookie dough ice cream.  Stomach ache anyone?  Of course that was after their favorite dinner of tacos.   This was my first attempt at decorating them so forgive my crooked line on Sam's.  Michael ate off all of the green stars in a circle on his cake with a spoon while we got out the ice cream and plates. 

 The next day we were scheduled to host preschool with a lesson on the life of the Savior straight from the Gospel Art Kit and then we went straight into our Candyland birthday party!  Seven four year olds and me.  Well, I guess I should say 5 four year olds and 2 five year olds!  It was one action-packed party!

We played the Candy Land DVD games of Simon Says and a cake walk and watched some Candy Land music videos.  I know, who knew.  We borrowed it from a friend and it was an instant party.

 Michael was so cute about making sure all of his friends were invited.  This boy does another preschool at home group but his mom let him come to ours for the day and he was a great addition to our party. 

 Michael was really feeling the love that day and Sam, although it doesn't show in this picture, was so excited and so happy.  There's a long video of the kids playing the cake walk game and they're all so sweet and fun.

 After that, we moved on to the Candy Land board game.  I had to keep things moving with seven players.  We went in a circle around the table, drawing a card when they were near me.  Whenever they passed a candy square or illustration on the board they got to eat that candy.

 Here's the loot:  candy canes, gingerbread men cookies, licorice, Raisinettes, gum drops, gum balls, lollipops, and peanut shaped cookies.  Oh my!  I may even be missing one.  They were so anxious to get each thing. 

 We moved into the kitchen for cheese pizza, carrots and ranch dip and milk.  Such fun conversations with this group. 

 
Here's the birthday song, followed by Michael dressed up, unintentionally, as Zorro, filled to the brim with Christmas cheer and excitement one night early this month. 

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And Anna was at a friends' house during the birthday party.  Thankfully!  Here she's showing off her new pigtails.  She continues to light up our lives with her happiness, love, spunk, and fun-loving personality.  

 

At the stake musical fireside a couple of weeks ago we had a special treat.  The Tongan ward sang the Halleluiah Chorus from the Messiah a Capella.  It was so moving.  They sang it in their own language.  It was so powerful.  It was a huge choir with loud voices, full of gratitude and conviction and I told Michael, who was sitting on my lap, that Jesus is the Savior of the entire world - no matter where you live or what language you speak.  When the song ended there was silence, except for Anna who sang out loudly "Halleluiah!"  right on key.   Apparently she had started singing it during the song but I couldn't hear her until the choir stopped.  The people around us all turned to look at her and I've been singing it with her ever since.  These are the kind of things that should get their own posts, but time is a precious commodity around here so I lump them all together.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Backyard Shenanigans

 I spend a lot of time looking out my back window into the yard.  When I'm lucky, Sam and Michael are outside playing and I get to watch.  Backyard Shenanigans.  Rain or shine they like to go out there and have adventures.  I lost the picture where Michael is lying "dead" in the grass.  They were playing "The Worst War Ever."  When I asked, Michael said, "All the good guys die."  Should I be worried? 

 I would love to know what they're talking about.  Anna gets into it sometimes but is usually chasing them around trying to keep up.  We've started taking turns each day of the week with who's day it is.  If it's your day then you get to pick what make believe we do, what we watch on t.v., what book we read at story time.  It's basically a free ticket to boss everyone else around.  Anna will have to have her days too I suppose.  It's solved the problems of bossiness and jealously a little bit.  I cannot be two make-believe characters at the same time, you see, so this has cut down on the schizophrenia, well, at least the pretend kind. . . They are sadly outgrowing make believe a little bit. Sam hasn't asked me to play "The King's Pancake" with him for a couple of months.  I should ask him if he remembers what it is. Basically he puts on his king costume from last Halloween and eats pancakes.  Then he goes off to fight an invisible enemy with his foam sword and comes back to tell me, the queen, all about his battle.  It is also known as "The Queen's Pancake." 

 We did most of our cookie baking last week and I had some great helpers.  We didn't even eat too many, yet, and had fun dancing around to Christmas music while we baked.  I read Anna books on the floor while we watched the cookies bake.  It's magic.  We had some little friends over last week and started dancing in the kitchen when some fun music came on.  They thought we were insane.  I don't think they dance at their house. 

 That picture makes me a little bit sad because that bunny, Lady, has been missing for a week.  It is Anna's number one security item and she even does the sign language for bunny while she says "Wady."  We've been looking everywhere and haven't seen her.  It's not looking good for Lady.

 

We put the bunk beds together.  There is so much more room to play in their bedroom now.  We moved most of their toys up there but it's like they don't realize they're there.  They never play with them.  Maybe they're just ready to move on to some new birthday and Christmas toys.  They'll be five next week and I am dying at how fast they're growing.  Sam's up to the bottom of my rib cage now.  The rib cage his head bent when I was pregnant with them.  It's very sentimental, that left rib cage. 

At our Relief Society service exchange I won a photo shoot from a friend.  She was so generous.  She took an hour out of her Saturday to take pictures of these wiggle worms and then edited them up into these beautiful shots, all for free.  No one would hold still so I was thankful for her fast camera!  

Check out those eyes!

 Michael said he was like the country mouse and Sam was dressed like the city mouse.  It was unintentional, but true.  Michael loves his cowboy boots and that was the only shirt of his that fit into this color scheme.  Sam cracked me up being shy for the camera.  He never is at home! 

And sweet baby girl was having too much fun running around most of the time to get a good shot, be we love her and those kissable cheeks and tiny pony tail!

 

"Let go!"

 

And here's the Christmas card.

 Those are the best ones and there is a goofy face in each one, but that's my life these days.  Nothing is perfect but things are getting done and there are plenty of kisses and hugs and stories in my life with those goofy faces.

I am so happy she tilted that and lopped off the bulky part of me, leaving the smiling part.  Thanks, Katrina!

My boys. 

 Here is my favorite part.  I asked the boys to kiss me and what a surprise I got!  A total kissing marathon from Michael.  My little snuggle bear.  Can he stay four a little longer?  I have really enjoyed age four. 

 It was like an old "Big Red" commercial. "So kiss a little longer . . ." 

I ate it up and I'll eat up these pictures forever!

Thanksgiving was mediocre.  We did it.  I am grateful and happy but without family it was a little flat.  And the dark meat of the turkey was underdone.  The mashed potatoes were dry.  The stuffing was wet.  Fortunately, that's all I made.  Someone else brought amazing green beans, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin CHEESECAKE.  I ate three slices in two days.  Good thing it only comes once a year.

We're moving on to Christmas and oh how excited we are around here!  It's like Michael and Sam don't remember it.  I asked them what they want and they could only tell me two things each that they've recently seen at the stores.  They don't know what toys exist out there and I'm glad.  They'll be so excited to get the few things they want.

Last Sunday we put up the tree.  They couldn't stop bursting into "Oh, Christmas Tree Oh, Christmas Tree!  How lovely are your branchees."  We're deep into rhyming and tree rhymes with branchee.  It's all logical with Michael.

Next up, birthdays and Lucia, ward Christmas party, singing at the stake Christmas night.  Hopefully lots of fun after lots of preparation.  Now go rest your eyes after skimming this long post!