Things that don't belong at church...

I have determined that there are a few absolutely necessary things in life: air, water, sunshine, love, and a church purse. A curious list, to be sure. I have to admit that I used to think having multiple purses was a luxury -- that to have one bag designated solely for one event was frivolous. Not anymore.

A church purse is important because of what it does contain: scriptures, manuals, keys, clear chapstick and tissues. But a church purse is more important because of what it doesn't contain: harmonicas, whistles, scissors, nail clippers, gum of any kind, and lipstick of any color.

You may wonder how I have arrived at this purse conclusion (unless you have multiple children, and then you may wonder why it took me so long...), so I'll tell you. The problem with using your everyday purse at church is that it is bound to contain items that are interesting. Interesting items are very dangerous. For example, lets say that you take your daughter to a carnival where she wins a small harmonica. You place the harmonica in your regular purse to keep it safe. It stays there for a few days and is forgotten. Until church. Then the harmonica is miraculously found by your daughter's younger brother and a cheery tune is quickly played for the whole congregation to hear before you can get to him halfway down the bench.

Another example: lets say you think it is a good idea to keep a whistle in your purse in case of a confrontation with a scary person in a dark place. The truth is, it is actually much more likely that said whistle will be found and blown loudly during a hymn than that you will ever need it in a dark alley.

Continuing on. Perhaps you think that a nail file and a nail clippers are a good purse addition. Consider however what happens when one child who is angry at another child pinches the forearm of offending sibling with nail clippers and draws a substantial amount of blood during the high council talk. Consider also the horrified reactions you receive as you usher crying, bleeding child out of church, with other child bellowing behind you, "MOM, I DIDN"T MEAN TO!"

As you can see, there are many scenarios that have contributed to my overall decision to invest in a church purse. I have decided that if I do not want lipstick used to decorate the pew in front of me, then I don't need colored lips at church. I have learned that pencils and pens can be used as weapons, that gum may freshen breath but it is also a beast to get out of suit pants, that "quiet books" make a very loud thud when they are forcefully swung against the back of a sibling's head, and that small toys have a minimum throw-range of least three benches up. I also know that when I am getting ready for church in the morning, purging my regular purse of anything interesting will always take a backseat to breakfast, hair, clothing and matching shoes.

So, today I went to Target and found a very cute, not-too-expensive, church purse. As of right now, there is nothing in it. And, I am hopeful that this preparation on my part will make all of our church meetings substantially less eventful, and hopefully next week I will need substantially less anti-perspirant.

Isn't She Lovely? (Him too...)

Jonathan and Gina were married in the Timpanogos Temple

on Saturday, April 28, 2007.
It was a beautiful day in a beautiful setting.
Gina looked lovely! (Jon looked OK too...)
What a perfect weekend!

Multiple Congratulations!

We celebrated a special day with David and Emily Cook on Friday,

April 27, 2007 when they were sealed in the Jordan River Temple.
They also announced the arrival of their first baby,
due on Christmas Day! Congratulations you three!

I'm supposed to be packing

We are leaving this afternoon for my brother's wedding. There are several things I could/should be doing right now. Such as: making sure the laundry is all folded & put away; packing for myself; unloading the dishwasher; vacuuming & otherwise cleaning up; getting clean pillowcases for everyone; loading the van, etc. But, instead I decided to blog. So, today my blog is dedicated to procrastinators like me. There is always time to stress and fuss. But cheers to those who can take a secret break from reality and find the free time that shouldn't exist.

Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Shortcake

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pints fresh strawberries
  
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 cups whipped heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice strawberries and toss with 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour one 8 inch round cake pan.
3. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons white sugar and salt. With pastry blender cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add beaten egg and milk. Stir until just combined.
4. Spread batter into pan. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool partially on wire rack.
5. Slice partially cooled cake in half, making two layers. Place half of strawberries on one layer and top with second layer. Top with remaining strawberries and cover with whipped cream.

--I had to post this recipe simply because the picture looked so good!

Jon & Gina sitting in a tree...

We are looking forward to the wedding of
Jonathan Cook and Gina Boyce this Saturday, April 28, 2007.
Congratulations you two!

High as a kite

What do Cotton Candy, Giant Slides and Storm Troopers all have in common?

A. They can all be found at our annual kite festival.
B. They are sticky, inflated, and maybe a little weird.
C. They make young children happy.
D. All of the above.

It's C-C-Cold in K-K-Kolob

We all know the real question in life is, who is more fun, Mom or Dad? I'll give you two scenarios and you can decide.

On one particular weekend, "Parent A" takes a much-hyped hiking trip to the mountains. Participation requires: hiking 14 miles with 20+ pounds of food, gear, water and clothing strapped to your back. Meals offered: miscellaneous freeze dried foods, hand-pumped water, a few bagels, some peanut butter, trail mix and gummy worms. Accomodations include: small light-weight tent, 1-inch-thick air mat, down sleeping bag and compact pillow -- set up on the most level ground available. Activities comprised of: hiking in, hiking out, day hikes, jumping over rivers and streams, getting dirty, watching one's stove explode, sleeping poorly and being frequently wet/dry/cold/hot/cold again. Recommended gear: hiking boots & gators, full frame pack, water resistant pants, hat, gloves, trekking poles, lightweight stove w/extra fuel (because the first can blew up), headlamp, and long-sleeved shirt.

"Parent B" opts out of the hiking adventure and vaguely states, "Oh, we'll just hang around here." Participation requires: a warm house, a car with gas, a small amount of spending money. Meals offered: Little Ceasar's pizza, Del Taco bacon cheeseburger & french fries, homemade lemonade, and Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch. Accomodations include: sleeping in warm, soft bed in warm, dry house on perfectly flat ground. Activities comprised of: bead shopping & making necklaces, clothes shopping ($5 sale at Children's Place!), playing at park, braiding hair, painting nails, renting & watching movies, ordering pizza, and a bit of light vacuuming. Recommended gear: shirt, shorts, flip-flops and a hairbrush.

I suppose to make this comparison truly fair, I should include the following information. "Parent A" certainly had more adventure. Besides all the great scenery, he also got to watch the fuel can on his featherweight stove explode. The first day boasted beautiful weather and made for a perfect hike to Kolob Arch. The second day snowed and the trip was cut short when the group decided to hike out early due to sub 30 degree temperatures and snowpack. But, they did get to eat at Village Inn on the way home. "Parent B" had less adventure -- thankfully -- but was warm and dry the whole time.

Regarding the aforementioned activities, please choose which of the following statement(s) best describes your opinion of fun:

#1. Forget comfort, give me the great outdoors anytime!

#2. I love jumping over streams, but do I have to hike 14 miles?

#3. I want to see a fuel can explode! Were there shards? Was there blood?

#4. Just how much spending money constitutes "a small amount?"

#5. Pizza and a movie sound great! Did the movie by any chance feature Russell Crowe? (Yes it did!)

#6. You made beaded jewelry without me?

#7. I'll take any of the above as long as I still get the warm bed at night.

#8. Are these my only options? What about Disneyland? Or a cruise? How about jewelry I don't have to make myself? (Those poor kids...)

We look forward to your opinions. Oh, and just so you know, we all had a great weekend.

I Ready!

As I mentioned earlier, Tyler and Carter are taking a backpacking trip this weekend. In preparation for such, all the necessary equipment and food has been neatly arranged in the corner of my room. (This was determined to be the safest place.) Each morning after the kids go to school, I eat breakfast in the kitchen and Spencer watches TV in my room. This is a perfect little routine for us. I get quiet, he gets Spongebob. At one point during this morning's Spongebob/breakfast hour, he came out with Tyler's headlamp. "Help me wear this hat," he said. I put it on him. Later he came out with Tyler's trekking poles. "Make these short," he said. I adjusted them down. A few minutes later he came out with a bag of Fritos. "These good chips!" he said. At that point I thought maybe I should investigate his investigating.

As any good inspector would do, he had pulled all the clothes, gloves, food, mats, hats, lotion, flashlights, and other equipment out of the packs and onto the floor. It was now arranged in three not-so-neat piles: things that can be worn, things that can be eaten, and things I don't know what they are. He was carefully analyzing (and sampling) each item. Gloves: too big, trekking poles: too tall, Fritos: just right!

We took a photo of him wearing his favorite equipment (notice he is propped up against the bed to keep from falling over-- he weighs about as much as the pack). Then I helped him arrange all the equipment back into one not-so-neat pile. (I know better than to try and repack it myself, all I'd hear later is, "Who did this, it is all wrong!")

Unfortunately, his body is not as big as his enthusiasm, so it will be a while before he can use the pack or the poles, but Fritos are the perfect snack anytime!

My Favorite Books

I think it's blogging courtesy to include a list of one's favorite books. After all, we blog because we enjoy good writing, right? (So, why are you reading this?) Anyway, I thought I'd include a list of my favorite books for those of you who enjoy a good read (or laugh).

April Fools --by Sirius Lee
Encouraging Others --by Hugh Rock
Big Things -- by Hugh Mongos
Peruvian Mammals --by Al Paca
31 Days --by Cal N. Derr
Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes --by Jenn Ettics
Empty Church --by Dusty Pew
Ancient Walls of the Bible --by Jerry Coe
The Art of the Strikeout --by Owen Tu

And, my personal favorite:

Sitting at the Beach --by Sandy Cheeks.
(I read this one last summer and it was great.)

For additional information on this kind of high-quality literature, consult your monthly Boys' Life Magazine. Look under the "Spin & Grin" section; also known as the "I Had Nothing Better to Read Over Breakfast" section.

Two of a Kind

Tyler and Carter can be a dangerous pair. On one hand, they are two of the most courteous and respectful men around. On the other, neither one can pass up the opportunity for a good joke. Put the two of them together on a Sunday night at a stake musical fireside with a touch of boredom and you have the peanut gallery. The meeting started at 7pm, so I stayed home to put Spencer and Chelsea to bed, while Tyler and Carter went to the fireside unsupervised.

The report I got includes the following: At some point after singing several hymns, including "Come to Zion" and "If you could hie to Kolob," Carter turned to Tyler and said, "How many national parks are we going to sing about?" Tyler laughed and said, "How many are there?" Carter continued, "Maybe we should write a new hymn when we get back from our trip. We should call it, 'If you can hike to Kolob.'" (They are planning a trip to Kolob Arch this weekend.) I'll leave it up to you to imagine all the proposed "There is no end to..." references that followed.

I'm sure the disruptive comments continued, but I am getting all of this second hand, so certainly some things have been omitted. Needless to say, the two are funny, and, we do sing a lot about national parks.

Honesty feels good

My daughter and I had an interesting experience last night. While walking through Hollywood Video looking for anything appropriate and interesting, she found a $100 dollar bill on the ground. She said, "Mom, this was on the floor over there." I said, "Oh, well, what should we do?" She said, "I dunno, maybe give it to the worker guy." We walked to the counter and handed the bill to a very surprised video clerk, who looked at me like, "Why exactly are you giving me $100?" We explained that she had found it on the floor and the person who dropped it was probably still in the store. Then we kept looking for movies. (Final selections: The Alamo and Happy Feet -- I'll review them later.)

About five minutes later a teenage girl (17 or 18) came up to me and said, "Did you turn in a $100 bill?" I said, "Yes, my daughter did." The girl said, "Thank you so much, I can't believe you did that." Then she walked away quickly because I think she was going to cry. As I watched her, I realized how much that $100 meant a lot to her. It probably represented hard work on her part -- maybe the result of hours of babysitting jobs, or part-time minimum wage employment, or allowance for good grades, etc. She was with a friend and as they stood at the counter she kept shaking her head and saying, "I can't believe someone did that."

I turned to my daughter and said, "What you did made a difference to that girl. Thank you for being honest." I don't think she understood exactly how much money it was, but she was happy to have made someone else happy. It made me realize how good it feels to be good. If we'd have kept the $100, and figured whoever lost it was probably gone, it would have translated (dishonestly) into groceries, school lunch, maybe a toy. But the feeling that came over us when the girl thanked us was worth so much more than any of those things. That night in her prayer my daughter was thankful that she could help someone find their money. I was thankful too, because all of us --me, my daughter, and the girl-- learned the value of integrity, and that's something that's hard to find in a video store.

Oh, The Alamo was good and historically accurate (but somewhat slow with a bit of bayonet violence) and Happy Feet was...musical.

I got new bike!

My son is thrilled with his new bike. Actually, "bike" is a generous term -- it is really a small tricycle with plastic wheels. And "new" is somewhat relative, because it is now April and he got it for Christmas. But either way, he excitedly tells everyone we meet: my obstetrician, the checker at the grocery store, our neighbors, Grandma & Grandpa (who were there on Christmas), and even my daughter's elementary school teacher, "I got new bike!"
If you are lucky enough to be at our home when this exciting announcement is made, you will probably then be invited to view him riding said bike around (and around and around) our driveway. It's hard not to love such a fine piece of equipment -- it has everything a little boy needs: red handlebars with streamers, a cushy blue seat, and even a handy basket on the back to carry balls, rocks and other valuables. It is thrilling indeed, and my husband and I consider ourselves pretty lucky that a last-minute Christmas purchase is still so exciting at Easter. How often does that happen?

Science Schmience

My oldest son decided to participate in the elementary school science fair this year. After several ideas, we opted to dedicate March to the analysis of tooth decay. This is not an original experiment, so we tried to give it an original spin. We got three teeth from a local dentist and put each of them in a separate container filled with 1/4 cup of Coke during the day. At night we took the teeth out of the Coke and let them dry overnight (to simulate the approximate 12 hours of not eating). Each day, we brushed tooth #1 both morning and night. We brushed tooth #2 only at night. Tooth #3 we didn't brush at all. On day one, prior to any Coke immersion, we took pictures of all three teeth. Then on day five we took pictures and again on day 10. We then analyzed the decay/discoloration of each tooth. It was interesting to see the actual difference between teeth #1 and #2. I had anticipated that tooth #3 would resemble a decayed pebble, so it's demise did not surprise me. However, tooth #1 really was substantially cleaner than tooth #2. (What? Brushing really works? Nah...)

We posted all this information on our neat, three folded display board and proudly presented it for the science fair. I was excited to have had my son participate (voluntarily) in the scientific process. And, I was sure that this would be one of those special childhood learning experiences that he would always remember. I was right, partially.

He came home devastated. Apparently, the science fair had winners. There were three winners for each grade and not only had he not won in his grade, but in his estimation the winner had conducted shabby, unoriginal work. I was surprised by this development. First of all, why winners? Why not have a pizza party for all participants and allow them to walk around and view each other's work? And why would my son, whom I thought I had raised to understand the inherent value of simply learning something new, be so devastated by the fact that he didn't win a prize? Suddenly, all our brushing and labeling and photographing seemed pointless and wasted. I began to lose faith in the scientific process of elementary science fairs.

In the end, we were able to convince him that his project had merit in and of itself -- that learning, not just winning should be the ultimate goal. By that night, his funk had passed and he was already thinking about next year's project. "Mom, maybe we could do something about meteors or crystals or something and talk about where they come from and all that stuff..."

Whew! Maybe natural childhood curiosity can survive the discouraging nature of competition...

And, maybe next year I will be more actively involved in the PTA planning of our school science fair.

It's not a sister, but...

Our delightful Chelsea is a natural nurturer. When we brought baby Spencer home from the hospital she was the first to hold, help and love him. When we discovered we were having another one, (due in 64 days) she was instantly the most excited and exclaimed, "Finally, a sister!" Well, as it turns out, it is not a sister. Consequently, she has found many other things to nurture. Our neighbors behind us have two Parakeets that my kids love to hold. Next door we have a new puppy Pug that is the cutest ever (no, we're not going to buy one.) And, then, contrary to all expectations, we purchased our own bird -- a spotted Cockatiel named Tiko -- in February of this year. Chelsea loves Tiko. In fact, she loves him so much that he has somehow become quite adept at flying with clipped wings. He flies so well that the other day he flew into the wall and broke his beak. He healed, we clipped, and now he flies no more. As Mom says, "He's ground bound." Whenever he tries to fly, he just drops to the ground. But, Chelsea loves him all the more, and between the Pug, the Parakeets, and Tiko, she may have found a temporary substitute for that elusive sister.

Hiking, Biking & All Things Athletic

For our family, there are few things more rewarding than the great outdoors. Perhaps this is why we moved to a place with 320 days of sun per year. We like to run, walk, hike, ride scooters, geo-cache, mountain bike and otherwise explore all facets of outdoor life. This past summer we took a fantastic 3,000 mile road-trip through Utah's national parks. We saw Indian ruins, cliffs, valleys, mountains, canyons, and some of the most beautiful country in the country. At some point we even found ourselves atop Hell's Backbone Road -- a trek not for the faint-hearted. On January 1st, to properly ring in the new year, my husband took my oldest son to the top of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. There was "just a bit" of ice on the trail, so thankfully the chains were there. The experience was rewarding for them and their return was rewarding for me. This Spring and Summer they have again planned several trips, one "an easy 6-miler" to Kolob Arch, and another to the Wind Rivers Mountain Range in Wyoming. (Already packed: bear spray. Still working on: remaining gear.)

Bryce Everett Nelson

We are anticipating the arrival of our newest addition in: 64 days (or less!)

What's for dinner?

Chances are, you've heard this question a thousand times. You don't even have to be a mom to be asked this question. You just have to be standing within three feet of anyone under three feet around five o'clock pm. Being the very responsible and efficient (insert laugh track here...) mother that I am, I created a dinner calendar last week to help answer this question. The problem is, it only seemed to create more questions, like: "Why that?" and "Are you going to leave out the cheese?" and "Does it have yuckies?" and "Is this your mother's recipe or did you change it?" I get these questions from various persons who shall remain nameless but nonetheless indicted. Tonight's dinner extraordinaire was supposed to be baked potatoes. (Oh, don't you dare whine too!) But due to the high complaint/low appreciation ratio, we are now having Ramen Noodles. But just to prove I'm still in charge, I'm going to add peas to the broth. HA!

An Easter Egg Hunt at Midnight

Last night I put the kids to bed about 8:30pm. I was tired and not in the mood for post-bedtime requests. After several kisses, hugs, drinks, potties and other last-minute needs, I gave my final, most patient, bedtime ultimatum: "That's It, Go Now."

About 15 minutes later, Chelsea came out and said, "I made an Easter egg hunt." I didn't respond. She continued, "I decided I didn't want my Easter eggs, so I put the candy back in them and quietly hid them in Spencer's room." I softened at this point and said, "That was nice of you." Chelsea responded, "Yes, that way when Spencer wakes up in the morning he will find some treats." I concluded that this was a very nice gesture, so I kissed her and sent her to bed (again) with a smile. I thought this was the end of the story.

But no. At 12:15am when I was enjoying the quiet, gravity-defying comfort of sleep I suddenly heard a crinkling sound by my bed. I turned to see Spencer standing there holding a bite size Snickers candy bar. "Will you open this for me?" He said. "What?" I asked. "This candy. Open it for me." Spencer said, as awake as day. "Spencer, it's not time for candy, it's time for bed. You can have this candy in the morning." He protested a little, but the snoring next to me prohibited any further discussion. I picked him up and carried him back to bed. It wasn't until I had completed the journey and was back in my bed that I remembered generous Chelsea's recycled Easter eggs and realized how Spencer found the Snickers in the first place. What he was doing up at 12:15 looking around his room is beyond me.

But, true to form, Spencer rarely forgets. At 7am, after a healthy breakfast of Cheerios mixed with Froot Loops (a compromise by both of us), he was able to enjoy his bite size Snickers. That's the best way to start a Tuesday, right?