find joy in the journey

project life: february

february 4 - treated the kids to a bowl of vanilla ice cream before bed.  But . . . the homework is not quite done.  Conner, in true Conner fashion (standing, rather than sitting on his seat), finishes up his reading paper. 

february 16 - Lunch.  Apple slices.  Sugar snap pea pods.  Turkey & spinach on Oroweat whole wheat sandwich thins.  Trying to eat a little healthier.

 

february 18 - The crocus are up!  The crocus are up!  Oh how I love (and look forward to) this little splash of color in late winter.

february 23 - 5:00am came waaaayy too early today.  I decided to skip the morning workout and sleep for another 30 minutes.  Seems I've been doing that a lot lately.  So I decided on an afternoon of weights.  Anna was thrilled to join me.  Don't you love our matching yoga pants?   

{Scott walked in the door early - with plans to work from home - when we were in the middle of this.  I told him to grab my camera and take a picture.  I need to make into this project life album from time to time, too!}

february 28 - all 3 kids involved in a game of Star Wars Monopoly before church.  I love that they like to play together, that they just pull the games out and make it happen, and (for the most part) that it's a happy, friendly game. Play on, kids!

the kids: winter '10

Conner

has a toast-making routine in the mornings. He starts the toaster and runs to the piano to play something he knows from memory (Called to Serve, I Know My Father Lives, or a song from his piano books called "The Carnival", I believe). He plays the songs at hyper speed and every once in a while jumps up to check the status of his toast (the toaster has a timer). And if he is playing the piano when the toast pops up he bolts into the kitchen to quickly retrieve the bread and butter it while it is still warm. This is key. If he gets too caught up in the piano and misses the critical moment when the bread is just warm enough for the butter to melt on, well, then it's just going to be a horrible day.

turned in his first big school project. A report and model of Saturn.  (That may become a separate post).

reading the Harry Potter books.

is going through zipper & penny toleration training each morning with Coach Dad.  If he isn't careful, butter knives covered in jelly might be next.

when I ask who he plays with at recess he answers, "whoever is playing four square."  He loves that game.  And I love that he could care less about who he is playing it with.

he visits me while I'm working on the computer at night and always asks if there's something he can do to help.  That's very kind of you Conner, but it's 10pm so I'd really like you to get in bed.

Payton

adds "you know" to the end of most statements.

started piano lessons in January.  He's doing well, although introduction to the music staff brought tears last week.  It's just a hard thing to do.  FYI - he is fully recovered.

is still missing his two front teeth

turning into a great reader . . . we don't need to help him anymore with his verse (or two) from the scriptures each morning.  Maybe just a word here and there.

obsessed with Legos!  I know, not really a new one but his recent obsession with accumulating and growing his Lego collection over the recent weeks has me going a little nuts.  Where are we going to put all these sets!

likes to re-enact video games.  His one man show is complete with sound effects & stunts while he's mentally stuck in his own little world.  (Reminds me sooo much of Conner & the Crakers at this age).

 

Anna

likes to give big smoochy kisses, with big fish lips . . . especially when the receiver does the same.  

has developed a bedtime kiss routine with me.  First it's a regular kiss.  Next we rub our cheeks against each other, up and down a few times.  Then we rub noses up and down twice.  And finally a few side to side nose rubs.  It's like our secret handshake. :)

got a bike for christmas and is doing awesome on it.  whizzes down the street with the rest of the boys.  Oh how we love a culdesac.

is really good at distracting the boys from getting ready for school or anything else I ask them to do.  Quite often I have to tell her, "Leave the boys alone!"

such a great shopper.  She comes along with me for all my errands and big trips into town and does awesome.  She inherited my old cell phone and spent our last shopping trip taking pictures of people as they walked by.

loves preschool.  She brings her teacher a note, envelope or drawing almost everyday.  She also reports to me the naughty things that the other kids do everyday while maintaining that she is a very good girl.

chicken and wild rice soup

It's been quite a while since I posted a recipe here.  But this soup is most definitely blog-worthy.

{photo taken just after the addition of spices -- curry, mustard powder, pepper, parsley}

I made this for the second time yesterday and Scott & I can't get enough of it.  The kids on the other hand . . . they were happier with a can of chicken noodle soup.  {sigh}  They don't know what they're missing.

The recipe came from My Kitchen Cafe.  If you have the time, also try her bread bowls -- fabulous!

My recipe notes:  

• I omitted the slivered almonds -- didn't want to add something that crunchy to an otherwise creamy, delectable soup.
• Use fat free half-and-half like she suggests . . . your taste buds won't miss a thing.
• Uncle Ben's Ready Rice is simply amazing.  2 cups of wild rice ready in just 90 seconds . . . I'm sold!

 

if you give a girl a puppy

 

I don't have any sort of witty prose to go along with the title . . .  

I figure the pictures will speak for themselves.

 

   
 

a visit from grammer & papa

Last week we enjoyed a visit from my parents.  And Emma.  More on her later.  We planned the visit about a month ago and in their true giving, helping, supporting way asked if there were any projects we'd like them to help us with.  (Remember, last year when they came and poured cement.)  My heart skipped a beat, so excited about the offer, and my mind raced through all the things I'd love to do in this house.  It settled on one . . . crown moulding in the living room.  And dad was on board.  Yippee!

But to truly make this the room re-do of my dreams I needed to paint it first.  It came a little down to the wire, but I finished 1 coat of primer and two coats of Classic Brown the day before their arrival.

Dad did a great job with the crown moulding -- it looks fabulous!  With a little help from youtube and some creative craftsmanship, the end result was something that even he had to brag about.  Just a little.

I did take some before pictures, but the after pictures will have to wait until I add a few finishing touches.  So be patient!

In addition to the crown moulding project, we had a great visit.  You know that Primary song, "It's always fun when grandpa comes"  (or grandma) . . . . the energy and excitement and fun level just turns up a few notches.  Especially when you throw a new puppy into the mix.  They brought Emma, their Yorkshire Terrier, and the kids just ate her up.  With the boys gone at school for two of the days, Anna assumed Emma as her personal play thing.  My favorite was when I spotted her carrying Emma in one arm and Bunny in the other.  Oh the cuteness!

Back to the festivities.  We . . . 

• made a trip to Lowe's (dad and I) for the moulding and had fun tying the 12 foot pieces to Scott's truck.  And driving home in the rain.
• ate at Burgerville and Taco Bell and Red Robin and Plantation House . . . . Grammer & Papa always insist on "special lunch".  Or dinner.
• saw Percy Jackson & The Olympians:  The Lightning Thief.  Both Conner and I have read the book.  I enjoyed it, but boy they sure changed a lot for the movie.
• went shopping for a new light to go over the dining table.  Success!
• played with Emma
• laughed over the "cup of dirt".  And the kids are still quoting and laughing.
• went to the mall for Papa and Anna to have their annual dress shopping trip.

Their visit fell over Valentine's Day so we did a few things to make that special as well.  I made a Valentine's Day breakfast before church:  chocolate muffins, bacon, eggs, fruit salad.  All the kids & adults got fun little presents, and I got to say, "You went to Jared!"  

Lots of fun, love, and chocolate.

 

It's always fun when Mom and Dad come.

around here: feb2010

It's raining hearts (365/351)
Originally uploaded by JenniPenni

Around here the sun is shining. I'm wishing that my parents' visit began 2 days earlier or lasted one day longer so that they could enjoy it and actually see that it doesn't rain here all the time.

Around here we are missing my parents and Emma already.

Around here I it looks like Valentine's Day blew up in our house. Candy and valentine cards are scattered everywhere. I've already cut 3 hearts out of paper for Anna. And while I got back on the exercise wagon this morning I refuse to give up my heart shaped box of See's chocolates. I will eat and enjoy every last piece.

Around here it is crazy quiet. The boys are at piano lessons and I get a *break* for this week.

Around here I am looking forward to a good, less-busy week. Time to think, plan, and work on sharing time for next Sunday. Time to dig out of the clutter and make donations to Goodwill. Time to think about some goals and plans for the next couple months. Time to balance my checkbook.

Around here I am wearing yoga pants, my Wicked t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a ponytail.

Around here Scott and I will be whipping up a belated Happy Chinese New Year dinner tonight. My mom's egg rolls and Scott's fried rice.

Around here I am basking in the joy of being loved. My kids, my husband, my parents . . . they treat me well.

happy valentine's day

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today . . . I have my parents with me, a valentine's breakfast is planned, I found some fun (and simple) gifts for everyone this year - very excited to hand them out, and then I get to teach the Primary children about Jesus Christ and the amazing love that he expressed for us through the Atonement.

Hope you are enjoying this day of love.

 

 

 

 

waiting

these days it seems I spend more time in my car . . . waiting.  For school pick-up mostly.  But it's okay.  I stock the car with a few magazines, a book, and favorite CDs to make the time go by.  

I was sitting in the car the other day, waiting to pick up Anna.  I think I had a good 10 minutes on my hands.  I started to look around myself, at the pieces of everyday life that exist in my van and in the view around me.

In my lap,

BYU Magazine.  It comes quarterly and I love reading it.  To feel connected, just a bit, to my alma mater.  In this issue there was a Q&A article with Dr. Lora Beth Brown, my FSN 100 (food science & nutrition) instructor . . . fall semester 1996.  It was that class which helped me decide to choose Nutritional Science as my major.  Stowed next to me I also have The Ensign, Creating Keepsakes, and book 2 in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, "The Sea Monster".

In the passenger seat,

a scarf, umbrella, my old-school cell phone (yes, it has a little antennae), and Little Golden Books that belonged to me when I was little.  Anna quite enjoys them.  Baby Dear was a favorite of mine -- about a little girl whose parents give her a baby doll on the day that mommy comes home from the hospital with a real baby sister.  The little girl mimics everything the mom does with the baby.  In the book they play "This little piggy", so I played the same game with Anna's little toes the first time we read this together.  She just lit up and asked me to do it over & over again.  I realized, then, that I haven't played this game since she was a baby and she doesn't remember it!  And because we don't have babies in our house anymore she has never heard it!  It was an interesting, strange feeling to realize that Anna will never be exposed to all the baby stuff that was just a part of my life (I was 10 years old when my 4th brother was born).  In a few years I may need to *borrow* someone's baby so I can teach her a thing or two. 

Behind me, 

 

bunny, tossed on the floor.  She has no name, other than "bunny" and Anna has no desire to name her anything else. Bunny goes lots of places with us . . . the grocery store, Wal-mart, to visit friends.  Often she has to be buckled up in her own seat.  And sometimes she gets zipped up inside Anna's jacket with her head poking out.

Out the window,

valentine's projects taped to the inside of the preschool window.  I love that all 3 of my kids have attended preschool here and, for the most part, have had the same teachers. And the well-loved preschool t-shirt has, amazingly, survived all 3 kids so Anna can wear it every week on t-shirt day.

My 10 minutes are up.  The moms gather and the kids are released up the stairs one by one.  My reward for patiently waiting and reflecting . . . . 

 

this face!  Ready to plant a juicy smooch on me.  And I'll take it.

birthday wrap-up

First off, Payton chose to go to Red Robin and the Lego Store for his birthday date.  It was a great night out.  We ended the evening with a stop to Coldstone as well.  He chose cotton candy ice cream with mini chocolate chips for his stir-in.

 

Payton requested Monster Cookies with M&M's for his birthday classroom treat, and they were a hit.  It was fun to see the class sing Happy Birthday to him, and to watch him run around at recess.

Boy . . . . that boy needs some teeth!

 

He came home from school to find a new green bike - exactly what he wanted.  He was a bit wobbly on it at first, but now he's finding his balance.  Other birthday goodies included 8 more Magic Treehouse books, a butterfly pavilion, a marble run, cold hard cash, a 12-pack of rootbeer, and easy cheese.  What more could a 7 year old boy ask for?!

 

Banana cake in muffin form was his choice this year.  And an all meat Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner.

 

That money is burning a hole in his pocket.  We have a date with www.shop.LEGO.com very soon.

something to smile about

{my potd for january 29} 

Wishing this silly, loud, sensitive, toothless boy a very happy birthday today. 

project life: january

january 9 - it's 43 degrees outside and the kids decide that this is the perfect opportunity for a water fight.  Crazy!  I don't understand it, but they were having a blast.

 

january 12 - a new thing in our house.  Math homework.  Conner's 3rd grade class is doing some prep for state testing this spring, so I think that leaves him with less time to finish his work at school.  Thankfully he can take care of this all on his own.

january 21 - lots of Harry Potter watching going on in our house these days.

 

january 30 - my saturday morning routine.  A bowl of cereal (today it's Raisin Bran Crunch) while I sit at the computer.

{I am doing a daily photo project this year titled Project Life.  Go here for details on the album kit or digital version.  Seriously, anyone can do this.  And you can start anytime.}