Hello! My name is Shannon. I live in the desert with my husband Scott and 3 kids (Conner, Payton, Anna). I have been blogging since 2005 and I love to write about my family, everyday life, dating my husband, projects and parties, memory keeping, being a mom, faith, setting and working towards goals, and finding joy in the journey.
Thank you so much for dropping by!
Thomas S. Monson
- I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey -- now.
I love happy music. Quirky, fun, soothing, make-you-smile music. And that's exactly what Mindy Gledhill gives you.
Last night I went to her concert with my girlfriends. Aren't they cute?
(actually, Jenn was there with her daughter & friends being the cool mom.)
I bought Mindy's album, Anchor, last summer and instantly fell in love. We listen to it in the car -- Anna is so funny, she loves the songs and belts them out in her cute 5-year-old voice. Now, I almost wish I had brought her to the concert (there were a few other little girls there) -- she would have loved it. Instead, I videotaped one of the songs to show her later.
We had a yummy dinner (amid a little drama to acquire our seats at the bar - the place was packed), Paige bought truffles to share (yum), and we settled in for a good show.
All the "little girls" were invited on stage to help with her last song, "I Do Adore." Hey, I know about 8 of those little girls. ;)
It was a fun concert, Mindy's voice is beautiful and you can tell she is a sweet, kind person.
This month the plan is to spend a night in at the Brown Home Spa. Whether it be a massage, bubble bath, a good foot soak, or facial masks . . . the point is to just do something to relax and pamper ourselves. Oh, and there must be chocolate.
the date night
Scheduling this date night was pretty tricky as most friday and saturday nights in the month of February were spoken for. So, we found a "free" Monday night and scheduled the date. We put the kids in bed and told them that it was mom & dad's date night so they better not bother us. Months earlier I had purchased a 5-step "sole revival" relaxing foot treatment at LUSH. So we pulled out some towels, 2 large plastic tubs for foot soaks, and set up in the family room. We took turns applying the volcano mask on either other's tootsies and wrapped it all up in plastic wrap (it was pretty intense stuff). While all this was going on we watched some of our favorite tv shows, including "How I Met Your Mother."
Once the feet were soaked, scrubbed, and moisturized we enjoyed a plate of chocolate dipping delights - bananas and rice krispie treats. And some kiwi for me (not for dipping).
It was a great date night in and our feet smelled wonderful.
the scrapbook page
(I used the instruction sheet that came with the foot kit on my scrapbook page. And, yep, I know the the photo on the left looks kinda creepy - like I've got a leg coming out of my chest. It is what it is.)
around here . . . there are caterpillars growing in our kitchen. We should be reaching the chrysalis stage any time now.
around here . . . my back & shoulder muscles are sore. Scott's forearm muscles are sore. The reason, a rock climbing date on saturday. Which was awesome.
around here . . . it's meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner.
around here . . . I attended sunday school and relief society in my ward for the first time in 3 1/2 years. I was released as a primary worker last week (still got my cub scout gig). Definitely a change after all that time as the primary chorister, then primary president, and finally primary teacher. My first observation . . . primary moves a whole lot faster. :)
around here . . . spring break is coming to a close. Hooray! This spring break has been pretty uneventful (other than trips to the library, pool, and bowling alley) and the weather has been down right cruddy. I think we're all ready to get back into a routine.
around here . . . two pinewood derby cars are almost finished. Just need a paint job and some wheels.
around here . . . my eyelids are drooping and telling me I need a nap. I think I'm going to give in. :)
I had a short list of errands that I needed to accomplish today and we all needed to get out the house (badly) and away from the temptation of video games and tv. So, I decided that along with the errands we should go on a color scavenger hunt. I got the idea from Rebecca Cooper's cute blog not too long ago.
I decided that we would try to find our colors at some of the local parks. The kids were down with that. At each park I gave a 15 minute time limit for playing and color finding. And in between park visits we checked off errands as well. I think it was a win-win situation for all.
Here are the results of our park-hopping afternoon:
prompt: what inanimate object/thing/concept is something that you take for granted on a daily basis?
good health
It was a rocky afternoon Wednesday. After a bath to wash the puke out of her hair, Anna crashed on the couch at 6pm. And didn't get up until 6pm on Friday. I slept downstairs with her on wednesday night, which was good because she was wide awake at 3am and wanted to watch cartoons. Thursday she slept in her own bed but I was up with her a few times. I pushed pedialyte, water, and toast sprinkled with cinnamon. She slept a lot. I carried her to the van when it was time to drop off or pickup the boys from school. I braided her hair to keep it out of the way. We rented Nanny McPhee Returns. She rarely said a word.
This morning . . . my Anna was back. :) Talkative, playful, joking, sassy, annoying her brothers . . . life is back to normal.
I think that the gift of good health is something that I take for granted sometimes. Now, this wasn't a serious illness or disease, but this prompt reminded me that we are quite lucky and blessed in this department.
We have bodies that can move, run, jump, think, calculate, create, see, smell, explore, taste, hear, experience, and feel without limitation. A gift indeed.
(March 18 - an at home day. letting the hair air dry. playing with photobooth. see that line on my nose? new frames are coming soon.)
no matter what mood I'm in, I can always go for a: milkshake. Or blizzard. Or frozen yogurt. I love me some chilly, creamy sweetness.
my favorite go-to outfit would have to be: Gap long and lean jeans, Shade tank, Loft grey cardigan, and cute flats.
a good source of inspiration is: Pinterest. Do you pin? Really, you need to get on there.
am so glad my parents taught me: to be awesome. ;) Kidding aside, I'm glad my parents taught me to develop my talents, giving me lots of positive encouragement, which built up my self-confidence. I remember the first time I met a girl who vocalized her negative self-esteem and self-image. My 12 year old self was taken back and surprised that such a thing existed. Now, I don't want to give the perception that I have a big head, and think I'm awesome at everything, perfect, etc. No way. I am simply content/confident/happy with who I am and I think that's a pretty good place to be.
a song i like to dance to is: I Think We're Alone Now, Tiffany
the best thing in my makeup bag is: Maybelline Mineral Power Illuminator. After foundation and powder I give my face an all over dusting of this stuff (currently using pink). I think it adds a nice & gentle soft pink, glittery glow, which is a good thing through the winter months.
my dream spring vacation spot is: hawaii. A break from this rain would be delightful.
this may be a surprise, but i am passionate about: drawing a total blank. Anyone want to fill it in for me?
a favorite book that changed me for the better: Letters by Marjorie Hinckley. She has such wisdom. This book was particularly a favorite because you get to see her traverse through the normal (making dinner, cleaning house, raising children, moving, missing family) & extraordinary (traveling the world with her husband) and watch as she gains those bits of wisdom along the way. And most importantly, as she makes them a part of her life, attitude, perspective.
one of my pet peeves is: meetings that don't start on time
my favorite daily ritual would have to be: hugs after morning family prayer. While still on my knees, the kids come one by one for their hug and kiss. Then Scott stands up, and reaches for both of my hands to pull me up. I usually pause on my knees and take advantage of this position to get a good stretch in my arms and back. Then finally hop up for a big good-bye/have-a-great-day hug.
i am trying to be better at: unplugging.
the most recent rad thing i found online was: hand dancing. anna and I love this little video and watch it over and over again. (Do you recognize them from the McDonald's commercials?)
Today I picked up Anna from preschool and the teacher motioned for me to come inside. One of the kids in line yelled, "Anna's sick!" And the teacher shushed him/her.
I go down to find Anna spewing into a plastic tray while another teacher holds her hair back and wipes her mouth with a washcloth. There's just a little "choke-up" so I'm thinking, hey not too bad. And then I turn to the leftand see the puddle. Ugghh.
This, coupled with the phone call from her teacher last week, "um, I think Anna has pink eye" (which she did) and I'm starting to feel like all the parents are looking at me with judging eyes and are going to keep their kids at arms length!
But really, I don't care.
I don't intentionally send my kids to school sick. Today she said her neck was sore, but by the time I dropped her off she said it was fine, and her teacher even said that she was her happy/playful/energetic normal self today. (Until it was time to go.)
Last week Anna said she got soap in her eye and earlier that morning she had a head to eye socket collision with Payton. Hence the slightly red eye.
Like I said, I don't really care. I'm just starting to laugh at all the mishaps and sickness and trauma that is stacking up in our household lately!
mon-wed - anna has pink eye
thursday - conner pukes
sunday - conner pukes
tuesday - anna has a night terror
wednesday - anna pukes
So we clean up the puke, apply eye drops, watch Billy Joel on youtube to calm nighttime fears, and move on. (And seriously, this is not a pity post, I'm doing more than fine. In fact, I'm finding amusement in this misfortunate series of events!)
Anna is settled in watching Enchanted, back to her normal self, munching on dry cereal, and she says to me,
"It's a good thing I still look cute when I throw up."
Ahhh . . . . you can't squelch this girl's vanity.
Thursday morning, I had just taken Payton to school, we were back home getting cozy and settled in for a day at home, Conner on the couch with his big blanket and Nintendo DS, me picking up a few things in the family room, and Conner says,
"I couldn't ask for a better mom."
Wow. Totally stopped me in my tracks. It was so out of the blue.
I said, "Ahhh, that's so sweet Conner, thanks. {hug} Why do you say that?"
"Well, some moms let their kids play video games whenever they want and the moms do all the work for them. But you have rules because you want us to do chores and other things that help prepare us to be moms and dad and good parents."
"Well, you are a very smart boy. That is a great perspective to have."
{I do have to admit that he spent a large chunk of the day playing his Nintendo DS. But in my mind it was completely warranted as washome sick from school.}
I am thankful for this boy who knows my love language.
--------------------------
I just took the test again to see if my love language has changed or stayed the same since the last time I took it a few years ago. Yep, still the same. My top three (12 is the highest)
{A Bit of Sunshine's Ten on Ten project - take a photo an hour for 10 consecutive hours. My attempt is something close . . . 10 photos between 7am and 3pm}
sleeping princess
ready for the day - determined it's an at-home day so I throw on leggings & my comfy cardigan.
gluing neckerchief slides for the cub scouts. pinewood derby is in just a couple weeks.
stripes
checking e-mail, the view out my back window -- gray and more gray
some color in the front yard - crocus and moss
sick boy (visits to the bathroom at 2:30am and 6:30 am), but not feeling sick - keeping him home from school as a precaution. We're now over 24 hours since his last incident - think we're in the clear.
Enjoyed the thoughts at stake conference tonight. All centered around the role of mothers, fathers, and grandparents in the home. How we need to make family a priority, to make our homes a safe place where everyone feels loved, to be an example to the rising generation and show them that eternal families are what we should hope for. Family is what it is all about.
Quoting Ezra Taft Benson and speaking of the father's role in the home (specifically related to his relationship with his wife) I found myself doing mental checkmarks. Yep, Scott does that. Check. Uh-huh, got that one down.
express your love for her.
put her welfare and self-esteem as a high priority in your life
be grateful that she is the mother of your children and the queen of your home, grateful that she has chosen homemaking and motherhood as the noblest calling of all.
recognize your wife's intelligence and her ability to counsel with you as a real partner
give her the opportunity to grow intellectually, emotionally, and socially as well as spiritually.
remember love can be nurtured and nourished by little tokens. [flowers, but also willingness to help with dishes, diapers, crying child, etc.]
("To the Fathers in Israel", President Ezra Taft Benson, Oct. 1987 General Conference)
I also thought of my wonderful dad. He is the epitome of each of these points above. He loves my mom immensely and does not hesitate to show it. In many, many ways. He takes care of her and I love to see that.
The speakers also touched on traditions and how the things that we did in our childhood families are very often the things we end up doing in our own families. I appreciate the little traditions that my dad did for me to show me his love . . .
daddy daughter dates
flowers delivered to the house just for me
special nicknames
And now he carries on some of the traditions that his father started to show the women & girls in his life how much he cared
shopping for easter dresses
heart shaped box of See's chocolates on Valentine's Day
And finally, the closing song of tonight's meeting was Teach Me To Walk in the Light and I suddenly remembered when my dad and I sang this song together at my Young Womanhood Recognition meeting, 15 years ago. He was choked up then. And tonight I found myself holding back the tears as well from the sweet memories of that moment and knowledge of a father's love,
for the postponed February birthday class celebration. For the past few weeks I've seen this recipe for Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies circling around the blogosphere. Finally gave them a try and the kids love them. They are quite the cookie . . . basically 3 in 1. I like them best straight out of the oven when the oreo cream is all melty.
(uh, and my fingers are still just a bit frozen after spending 2 hours in the unheated gym. Brrr. Trying. to. type.)
then there were runners . . .
(most of these were taken during the cool-down portion of the fun run, as I was too busy marking laps.)
. . . . the kind that train for a week ahead of time and make sure that every lunch is healthy. No chips, no pudding. Yesterday it was a turkey sandwich with grapes, carrots, and apples. And today he said no to Domino's for lunch (gasp!) -- until he realized that lunch would happen after his class' turn at the fun run.
. . . the kind that give it their full speed effort throughout and are ready to collapse at the end. Or they just like to be really dramatic. I think it's more likely the second one. Payton's strategy included running at full force, then taking a short walking break which lasted until a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown on his fingers, signaling blast-off.
. . . and the kind that don't have to run, but feel compelled too. She ran for a combined 60 minutes around the volunteer table inside the caution tape. She convinced a couple other little girls to run with her and when they pooped out she kept going and going and going. (She is now taking a much welcomed nap.)
the permanent line/indentation I'm developing across the bridge of my nose due to the wearing of my glasses. Ya, it's still there when I wake up in the morning.
my delicious chipotle burrito sitting in the fridge at (Scott's) work. :(
yeah!
driving the new van today. The new car smell is awesome. As are the comfy seats, the quietness, radio controls on the steering wheel, the "spanker mirror", keyless ignition, and primo windshield wiper blade coverage (we people in the NW notice those kinds of things).
french braids on little girls. Just like Dorothy.
high-fives for Payton passing another level in Rocket Math.
pinterest and finding that I, rather, this blog has been pinned 11 times. All for my year of dates idea. Someone made the comment that this would be fun for a special family night too. What a great idea!
the oatmeal at McDonald's. Perfectly tasty and filling and only 290 calories.
cute glasses that help me see better.
a croissant turkey BLTA for dinner. Just like Red Robin and it fills the void. Burrito who? what?
It snowed again today. School was cancelled. (I cleaned the bathrooms!) Payton & Anna built snowmen and Conner shoveled the driveway and sidewalk. His payment came in the form of candy cleaned out of Scott's forbidden zone.
So, in honor of the snow I thought this would be the perfect time to post details of our Winter Wipeout Party.
We love Wipeout. The kids laugh hysterically and I love that it is something that we can all watch together. It usually airs during the summertime, but the show was soooo successful that they brought it back for a season of "Winter Wipeout." We were thrilled to hear this news and since early January we have held a family Wipeout Party every Friday night. Nothing too crazy - just popcorn or ice cream and lots of laughs.
A few weeks ago when we had family here for Payton's baptism I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take the Wipeout Party to the next level. I brainstormed food & activity ideas for a few weeks and here's what I came up with.
FOOD
white chocolate covered pretzel rods . . .
a summer sausage . . .
The 7-Letter Word was my favorite to make! I felt so proud of myself when I came up with this idea. I used a recipe for Stained Glass Jell-O to mimic the frothy, snow & ice covered waters. And then I cut the letters from fruit roll-ups. Wa-la!
(This recipe also came in handy last week for the Blue & Gold banquet when I used blue & yellow jell-o.)
ACTIVITIES
Watch an episode of Winter Wipeout, of course.
Make Sinister Snowflakes.
Make your own Ballsy. Ballsy is the Wipeout mascot. You don't often see him on the weekly episodes, but he's always behind the scenes throwing snowballs at the contestants.
Make snow. I had some of this Insta-Snow leftover from Conner's Mad Science Birthday Party. It is fun stuff, but it can be messy.
DECORATIONS
The week before the party I scored a deal on a free custom vinyl banner! All I had to do was pay shipping. I think it added the perfect touch to this party.
The end! Not too crazy, but just fun and themed enough to add something special to the day.
