Motivated Moms

I came across a reference to a chore chart when reading a friend of a friend's blog. (Actually they are not really friends, but my friend has mistakenly been receiving their Christmas cards for years now. Kind of a funny story that is probably Post worthy on its own.) Anyway, I clicked on the link and found something that could revolutionize the cleaning process in my home.

You see, cleaning is not my thing. I do it when I have to - particularly when I know someone is coming to my house. Other times, I do enough to get by. I don't expect to ever feel completely on top of it, after all houses - especially those with small children - just keep getting dirty. That fact alone is discouraging enough to keep me from accomplishing much.

But the Motivated Moms Chore Chart has given me a glimmer of hope. It comes in several different formats but basically has a list of daily chores as well as a few additional tasks for each day. Most are pieces of larger jobs that can sometimes be rather overwhelming. For example, one of today's tasks is to clean the toilets - not the entire bathroom. (Thanks to Bruce for taking that bullet for me. Frankly, I think that if men were responsible for cleaning toilets, toilets would be a lot less messy in the first place.)

So if you are an anxiety prone, cleaning-challenged mom like me, the Motivated Mom system might be worth checking out. (It costs $8 to download the 2009 chart.) I may not get everything done everyday, but a little direction can go a long way for me.

So, I think I'm one of those Scout people.

I was released from my calling in Relief Society a couple of months ago and had a nice week off before being called as a Cub Scout Den Leader. I have to say that I did not meet this new prospect with much enthusiasm. I had never been involved with Scouting and had a certain impression of people that were. Mainly that they were kind of zealots that lived and breathed this stuff. I planned to avoid things like Pinewood Derbies and Blue and Gold Banquets until my own boys became Cub Scouts.

After my first den meeting, my feelings had not changed much except perhaps to worsen. The meeting was at our church and I had to take my three children and ample toys to keep them busy for an hour. As this is virtually impossible, I spent half the meeting worrying about them as they wandered the church and invaded the nursery. Every 10 minutes or so, Spencer came by to reassure me that he was taking care of Emmarsyn. Of course to come inform me of his excellent "big brother" skills, he was leaving her attended only by 4 year old Matthew on the other side of the building. He was so proud of himself, I resisted pointing this out.

As soon as it was up to me, we started meeting at my house. This was the turning point. Within about 2 weeks, the boys in my den and the Cub Scout program itself started drawing me in. There are so many great things about it. After my previous calling - which was often like having a full time job on Sundays - it is wonderful to be home before and after church each Sunday. Bruce especially appreciates this aspect of my new role. Exposure to the Cubs has already had an impact on my boys (and Emmarsyn who has become quite attached to one of the Cubs). In the month and a half that I have been involved, my boys have seen a live reptile show, gone to an observatory, and learned about the flag and how to properly care for it. Spencer is looking forward to starting the Tiger Cub program when he turns 7. Although, it is a lot to take in (especially as I am doing Webelos), I love the structure and order of the Cub Scout program. And the resources that I have found on the Internet are amazing. Now instead of dreading it a bit, I am thrilled with the prospect of a long and happy career in Cub Scouts. I figure by the time my boys get to Webelos age, I should have things down pretty well.

So, I am starting to become one of "those" people. And I love it. The Cubs and I just wrote a Code of Conduct, elected a Denner, and are planning our first skit for which I am actually excited (I'm not really a skit kind of person). I even attended a POW WOW and enjoyed it.

But for now, that is where I am drawing the line. I am going to be the kind of leader that goes to POW WOWs, but not the kind that signs up to help with next year's. After all, it's important to keep a balance in life.

Must Have Accessories of the Season

Some of Matthew's many
Thanksgiving project's
from preschool.

Gratitude Turkey

My friend, Heather, has given me yet another wonderful idea. That's right - the "Gratitude Turkey". It is simple really. I made a turkey and put in on the wall. Each member of the family was given a supply of color coded feathers. We just write down something for which we are grateful and tape it to the wall behind the turkey. I introduced it at FHE a couple of weeks ago and as you can see from the photo, it has been a huge success. Spencer (red) and Matthew (green) have been counting their blessings left and right. The only thing keeping it from covering the whole wall is my inability to keep up with the demand for feathers. We ran out of construction paper at one point. (If anyone wants the patterns, I am happy to email them.)

Slacker Mom Thank You Notes

Making sure my kids get out their thank you notes after birthdays and Christmases has never been my strength. I haven't really gotten over my own dreaded thank you note writing experiences as a child. It's not because I wasn't grateful. I was. I just didn't know what to do with the three quarters of the page that remained glaringly blank after I wrote my brief thank you. This of course does not excuse my historically spotty record of getting the kids' notes out. And trust me I have beat myself up about it plenty. But no more!

I have recently discovered my thank you note salvation...fill-in-the-blank thank you notes. I kind of think of them as thank you notes with training wheels. For example, here is one I made for the boys' birthdays.

I filled in the "for" line and they each wrote their own names. I figure as they get older, I can modify the design to give them room to write a little more. But no overwhelmingly blank pages staring back at them (and me). Plus I can have them printed out and ready to go before the birthday, Christmas or whatever the occasion.

Apparently, these have been around for a while, but they are news to me. It may not be the ideal way of doing thank you notes, but it is going to save me a lot of stress and guilt. Friends and family will actually receive an expression of our gratitude, which I think is the most important thing. And as a bonus, my boys had a lot of fun filling them in and sending them off. With a bit of luck, this little discovery will spare my children and theirs from years of thank you note failures.

Just a picture...

that I took today while I was raking leaves with Matthew and Emmarsyn. I thought it was cute so I am posting it.

Two Heroes and a Ladybug

Better Late Than Never

Here are Spencer's responses to his first annual birthday interview. The interview was actually done on time - just the posting is delayed.

How old are you? 6
Who is your best friend? Eli Moss
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with Star Wars toys.
What is your favorite color? Red
What is your favorite food? Tilapia
What do you like to do with your family? Play outside.
What is your favorite toy? Obi-wan Kenobi
What do you want to be when you grow up? A skyscraper designer.
What makes you happy? Lunchtime except when it is macaroni and cheese.
What makes you sad? When you spank me.
What is your favorite show to watch? Star Wars – Return of the Jedi
What is your favorite book? Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems
What do you love to learn about? Science
What was the best part of your birthday? Following the string all over the house to find my birthday money.
Where do you like to go? Walmart or Target to look at the new Millennium Falcon toy.
Who is your teacher? Miss Shelley
What was your favorite birthday present? Aquaraiders Anglerfish

A Thousand Splendid Suns / هزار خورشید تابان by Khaled Hosseini / خالد حسینی

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was looking for a fairly easy read that was emotionally gripping...I found it. I have read The Kite Runner so I knew what I was getting into. The story revolves around two girls with completely different backgrounds that are forced together by a culture that gave few if any options to women. As the horrors of their lives unfold so does the strength of their spirits. While the story and these women is a beautiful reminder of what what matters and what can sustain us in the face of almost unimaginable (at least to most in my little corner of the world) tragedies, I think the real value of the book is pointing out that those tragedies actually exist. While it is fiction - the social, political, economic backdrop is based on reality. Any book that might open the eyes of the average American to the overwhelming human suffering that goes on in the world, should be required reading.


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Elmer and the Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just finished reading this to my boys and loved it. I had never heard of the My Father's Dragon series until it was recommended by a local librarian. (We had just finished the Magic Tree House series and I wasn't quite sure where to go next.) These fantasy/adventure books were first published around 1950 and are clever, fast paced and wholesome. Great for reading out loud to young children and simple enough that I can have my 6 year old read passages too. We are now enjoying the final book, The Dragons of Blueland. My only complaint is that there aren't more books in the series.


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The Blues

When my dad decided to retire to Pensacola, I had never heard of it. I had no idea what it would mean to me and my (at that point) future family. I have since learned that Pensacola is one of the best kept secrets in Florida. It has pristine white sand beaches with water temperatures around 90 degrees. There is a market called Joe Patti's where we get fresh seafood and an atmosphere that can't be beat. The National Naval Aviation Museum is captivating even for those that don't live and breathe military history like many of the retired soldiers and seamen that inhabit this town. There are so many things that we look forward to when we visit Pensacola.

But nothing (besides getting to see my dad and stepmom) beats seeing the Blue Angels air show. If you have seen them - you know. If you haven't - you need to. Naval Air Station Pensacola just happens to be their home base. In the summer, they practice here twice a week. These shows are free to the public and there is nothing like seeing them on the home field. They take off and land less than 100 yards from you. Volunteers share detailed info about the maneuvers and pilots. After some of the practices, the pilots come out to sign autographs. On Wednesday we got to see a practice session and meet the pilots. Spencer and I went again today because when you can have a once in a lifetime experience twice in one week - why not?

So here are a few of the pictures from our trip on Wednesday. The photos aren't great - these moving targets make trying to get my kids to sit still look like a piece of cake. Hope you enjoy them and that one day you will get to experience the Blues too!

Our Day at the Beach

The Results Are In...Pasty White Skin is Recessive.

Unless you have seriously fair skin, you cannot fully understand the joy of having a child that actually tans. To know that at least some of your posterity will be spared the tedious chore of applying SPF 50 to every inch of exposed skin is surprisingly gratifying.

I know it is not healthy to use your children to fulfill your own unobtainable dreams, but frankly I don't care. Here's to Matthew for enabling me to tan vicariously through him. Thanks, little guy!

By the way, the farmer tan is a result of Matthew refusing to get into the pool without his swim shirt. Although, there is some evidence that it might be genetic as Bruce often sports one as well.

A New Tradition

I have decided to start asking my kids (and perhaps my husband and myself) questions each year on their birthdays. Kind of a record of who they were and what they loved at that moment in their lives. Hopefully it is a tradition that will stick. Anyone with ideas for questions, please let me know. This was what I came up with off the top of my head. I'm sure there are some better ones out there.

Matthew - July 2008

How old are you? 4

Who is your best friend? Andi Moss

What is your favorite thing to do? Play Star Wars

What is your favorite color? Green

What is your favorite food? Macaroni and Cheese

What is your favorite song? Star Wars by Moosebutters

What is your favorite toy? Star Wars Legos

What is your favorite show to watch? Little Einsteins

What is your favorite book? Cat in the Hat

What do you like to do with your family? Play

What do you want to be when you grow up? Firefighter. I want to be lots of things when I grow up. What else? I don’t know.

What makes you happy? Mom

What makes you sad? Taking toys. (Only when someone takes a toy from him – doesn’t seem to produce the same effect when he is doing the taking.)

What do you love to learn about? Being happy.

Where do you like to go? To the birthday store. (Zurchers).

What was the best part of your birthday? Throwing the meteors and finding them.

What was your favorite birthday present? Darth Vader fishing pole. (From Beth Neddo.)

What is the favorite thing you bought with your birthday money? C3-P0

Star Wars Party: Take One

This year we had Matthew's first big birthday party (yeah - it was over two weeks ago, but I've been a little busy lately). Although I knew he wanted a Star Wars party, it was like pulling teeth to get him to tell me that. He's not the most forthcoming child out there. So once he made the pronouncement that a Star Wars party would be acceptable, I got to work. And I must say, it turned out better than expected. We invited all the kids from his neighborhood playgroup and all the cousins within about a 50 mile radius. With a couple of extra siblings that stuck around, we ended up with 17 kids. Normally, that is about 15 more than I can effectively deal with (I have 3 of my own so that presents some problems on a daily basis). But armed with my party plan - that's right - an actual physical document - it went off without a hitch. This was the plan(most ideas came from www.birthdaypartyideas.com):

Project: Make your own lightsabers.
Used pool noodles (cut to size) and shiny silver duct tape to make lightsabers for each child. We wrote their names on them and let the older kids help the little ones draw controls on the handles.

Game: Keep up the Meteor
Kids used their lightsabers to keep balloons from hitting the ground.

Game: Star Wars Musical Chairs
I printed out two sets of pictures of Star Wars characters and ships. I taped one set on the back of small chairs (we always raid the Primary room for children's parties at our house) and kept one set in a zip lock bag. We set the chairs up in a large circle. The kids walked around inside the circle while music played. When the music stopped they all sat down. I drew a picture out of my bag and the child on the matching chair got to pick a prize. We did this several times. After we were done, all the kids that didn't get a prize got to pick one. As I simply copied this idea from the web, I can say it was genius!!!! Have you ever tried to play actual musical chairs with small children? It is complete chaos. This version of the game worked out perfectly. (By the way, I laminated the cards after the party to make a memory game that my boys love to play every night before bed.)

Game: Destroy the Death Star
Spencer drew a large, chalk Death Star on our basketball court. The kids threw water balloons at it to "destroy" it.

Then we did the obligatory cake and presents . (Thanks to Grandma Sherwin for providing the amazing Star Wars cake.)

One Last Game: Find the Meteors
Matthew and I wrapped up Starburst candies in aluminum foil. For the game, I had all the kids stand out in the yard and I threw the "meteors" up in the air and they gathered them.

It was a great party and all the kids, even the older ones, seemed to have a lot of fun. Keeping with our early 80's pop culture theme - "I love it when a plan comes together."

Now we are gearing up for Star Wars Party: Take Two. This one, being Spencer's party, will not be so simple. He has been planning it for months. He his writing, directing and producing his own personal Star Wars movie starring him as Han Solo. He almost has the casting done and has already picked out the music that will play as the credits roll. The script still needs work, but the force is with him and I am sure he will come through with a grand production.

Want a shrimp, Dad?

Sorry Bruce - I couldn't resist. Love you! Wish you were here!

1st Sergeant's Tissue

It was bound to happen. I am actually surprised that it took so long. Emmarsyn got into the 1st sergeant's tissue. 1st sergeant's tissue being the name marines give to toilet paper used in the place of actual tissues. My dad left this roll on an end table in the living room so it was really just a matter of time. I was in the kitchen and she was being a little too quiet. Of course from my point of view, a partial roll of toilet paper is a small price to pay for getting to fix dinner without interruptions.

Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Interesting perspective on the lives of Muslim women and some of the issues that they face. I feel like the author did a good job of delineating between mainstream Islam and Islamic extremism.


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Frog in the Filter

Every time we go to Florida, we lift up the pool's filter cover and lo and behold there is a frog. Here is a shot of this year's frog after its release back into the wild.

We have arrived!

I decided a few weeks ago to take my three children to Pensacola, Florida to visit my dad. You do the math - 1 adult, 2 preschoolers, 1 toddler, 3 airplanes, 12 hours and 4 missing pieces of baggage. Yep that's right - the answer is 1 giant headache.

We set out for the airport at 5:30am. The flight to Denver was a breeze. The flight to Atlanta wasn't too bad. Emmarsyn screamed for about 5 minutes as we descended. A sympathetic flight attendant came and talked to her. She relaxed both of us and Emmarsyn fell asleep. I looked over at the boys and they were drifting off too. So for about 30 minutes on the way into Atlanta, I enjoyed my flight. The flight to Pensacola - now that was a different story. After a long wait on the runway we finally took off into storms kicked up by Hurricane Dolly. Fortunately for our luggage, it was on another plane with a pilot that had the sense to return to Atlanta. Lucky luggage. However, that left me with very little with which to accommodate my three children on our first night in Pensacola. After getting a loner car seat and a promise from Delta to have our luggage within the next 12 hours, we were off. We made a brief stop at Walmart for diapers and headed to grandpa's house. After a restless night getting kicked by Emmarsyn (her bed was of course one of the lost pieces of luggage), a day of thunderstorms that is mostly a blur, and 800 mg of Advil, I finally got a good night's sleep Wednesday and the headache went away.

So I consider today to be the first day of our vacation. We started with a little shopping, spent a few hours in the pool, played with some new Star Wars toys, and had a nice birthday dinner complete with cake and ice cream for grandpa. All the kids (and the birthday boy) have gone to bed and I am blogging and watching the Food Network. Who could ask for more?

Serenity Lost

It was lost long before he had even found it. By the time he knew it was gone, there was nothing to do but mourn its demise.

"It" was Firefly. A short-lived sci-fi series (with a western twist) that aired on FOX in 2002. Only 11 of the 14 produced episodes were aired before it was canceled. After it was canceled there was such an outpouring of fan support, that a movie, Serenity, was made to essentially bring closure to the story. Bruce saw the movie first. He liked it so much (ask him about the sounds of spaceships traveling through space) he did what all computer geeks would do and came home and looked it up on IMDB or maybe Wikipedia (probably both). Imagine his joy when he found that there had been a whole (well not quite whole) series about these characters and their stories. So he got the Firefly DVDs at the library and watched them at work during lunch. Now imagine his sorrow when he determined that this is probably the best science fiction series ever made and it never came to fruition. Recently, Bruce checked out the DVDs again to watch them with me. It was also like rubbing salt into a wound that just won't heal. I'd catch him looking up all kinds of info about the show on-line. He started reading the spin-off comic books and listening to the soundtrack.

If you know Bruce at all, you know that he doesn't get worked up over much. He is a fairly quiet, content, mostly non-emotive kind of guy. There is a lot going on inside - but that is where he keeps it most of the time. Given all this, I practically get giddy when Bruce is passionate enough about something that it becomes obvious to the general public (mainly me). It doesn't happen often, but once in a blue moon something like Firefly comes along.

So along with millions of other fans (including myself), Bruce has been left to wonder what could have been...but for now, for him I leave this advice - "When you can't walk, you crawl, and when you can't do that, you find someone to carry you."

Check out Firefly on Wikipedia

Bag Meals

I tend to get excited about weird things. Often rather mundane things. Today it is the concept of "bag meals". The idea is to find a recipe that consists of mostly non-perishable items, pre-measure them if possible, and put them all in a bag. When you need a quick meal, add one or two perishable items and voila, you have a complete dinner at a moment's notice. In Relief Society, volunteers were asked to taste test a "bag meal". As Spencer says, "Mom loves free things", so I was all over that. We tested out a beef stroganof recipe. While the dish left much to be desired, I loved the concept. Since the stroganof wasn't going to happen again, I set out on a search for a new recipe. I found one with just a few ingredients that were - as a bonus - really cheap! Tomato,Beef & Noodle Skillet Dinner - very simple but actually quite tasty even to me and I am not a huge fan of ground beef dishes. On days like today when we were running errands until about 5pm, it saved us from the temptation of picking up fast food. We got home, put the boys in the tub and I had dinner on the table before they were finished flooding the bathroom.

So here it is. If anybody has other recipes that can be adapted to the bag theory, please feel free to share.

Tomato, Beef & Noodle Skillet Dinner
Serves 4
Bag Contents:
2 14 ½ ounce cans stewed tomatoes
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (Can add more to stretch the meal a bit.)
¼ cup dry chopped onion
1 t salt
1 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder
¼ t ground pepper
¼ t sugar
(I add a dash or two of curry powder and ginger as well.)

Add:
½ lb ground beef (The original recipe called for 1lb.)

Cook and drain macaroni. Sautee ground beef with dried onion. Add tomatoes and seasonings. (I use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes as the kids - and I - do better with fewer "chunks".) Stir and cook until bubbly. Stir in macaroni and serve. (Additional ingredients such as fresh or frozen vegetables and cheese may be added to taste.)

Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches

Ultimate Cheapskates Road Map to True Riches, The: A Practical Guide to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less by Jeff Yeager

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Great and simple philosophy about how to hold on to your money. Definitely made me rethink my spending habits and actually change them. Would have given it 5 stars, but the author has a fairly dirty mind and it came through a bit too much. Nothing too bad - it just got old after a while.


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The Poisonwood Bible

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Loved it! It was one of those books that required my husband to take over for most of a Sunday so I could just finish it and get back to my real life. I became quite attached to the principle characters/narrators. Even the self-absorbed Rachel was endearing until she got old enough that she should have known better. The multiple points of view on race, religion, sisterhood, motherhood, love, and just surviving were fascinating. The character development was wonderful. The overwhelming beauty of Africa was well juxtaposed with the daily hardships and horror endured by the people at the hands of the land and those that ruled it. I was satisfied with the ending but am left with a craving to learn more about the Congo and its history.


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The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars
I'm sorry. I couldn't do it. I wanted to. My problem was with the writing style. The way "Death" narrated just wasn't for me. I really didn't enjoy the "colors" of everything and the liberty that was taken with phrases and words. I think of it like this - I love Yoda, but I'm not sure I could read an entire book authored by him. Given that, the overwhelmingly positive reviews of this novel do have me intrigued. I plan to try it again some time and just plow through it until I am hooked. I am assured by many that it would happen. So until then, it will remain on my "did-not-finish" shelf.


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I Pledge Allegiance...

Since summer began the boys and I have been doing "preschool" at home several days a week. We start each session by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance - complete with a homemade flag consisting of a bamboo pole and a print out from the web. Spencer learned the Pledge in "real" preschool last year and Matthew has learned it by heart remarkably quickly. They follow it up with a little song called "Flag of America". Not many things are cuter than a 3-year old reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, so here is my tribute to our great nation and the 4th of July....


Matthew saying the Pledge of Allegiance

Google Calendar

Last week I made a little discovery that has really helped with my family's scheduling difficulties. Google Calendar - it is easy to use and perhaps even more important - easy to share. I spent an evening inputting all of my family's potential summertime activities - storytimes, concerts, movies, festivals, etc. My husband has also set up a Google Calendar with his scheduled conference calls and a other known obligations. The dates and times are there, the locations are there. Now here is the genius part - with just a couple of mouse clicks, we shared our calendars. A couple of clicks and all of our plans and appointments are visible to both of us. This could save a marriage (not that ours is in need of saving - at least not today). Husbands rejoice - these simple mouse clicks - and the small chore of actually remembering to check your wife's Google Calendar - can turn you into the most attentive, tuned in, and caring guy around. I guarantee that if Bruce calls after I have slogged my way through the Summer Movie Club and the Bookworm Story Time with my three preschoolers in tow and asks me how the kids enjoyed the Bee Movie and story time festivities - he will be well rewarded. Thanks Google - from both of us!

Digital Scrapbook Memories

If you know me, you know that if I love a company or product or find a great deal, I will tell everyone. I am a long time Swiffer fanatic - the combo of a Swiffer Vacuum and a Swiffer Wet Jet changed my life, I sold 10 of my friends on an amazing deal at Gold's Gym, and I would recommend the Click N' Kids phonics program to anyone who has a child learning to read. That being said, I am pretty selective on my product endorsements (a fact surely lamented by a myriad of companies). However, in the world of digital scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbook Memories is a company that I can really get behind.

Please indulge a brief digression...
Back in the old days, when we walked to school in the snow - uphill both ways - and actually used paper products, paper cutters, and (I shudder to recall it) glue sticks to document our lives, I was always disappointed with the so called customer service grudgingly dolled out at those antiquated brick and mortar scrapbook stores. Sure they had "Crop Nights" when my friends and I could pay for the privilege of sitting in their store and buying their products. They would even let me pay for classes that would teach me to use more and more of their products that I would then buy. Anyone with a customer service background and a little marketing savvy would have seen a great opportunity to gain customers and revenue by offering free in store "cropping" and free classes to showcase new products.

Perhaps these practices have changed, but alas, I will never know. I have found a better world. A world that largely consists of my camera, my laptop, PSE 5, the Costco Photo Center, and some wonderful digital scrapbooking companies.

In my opinion, Digital Scrapbook Memories is the flagship company in the world of digital scrapbooking. Their marketing strategy is to impart to customers the knowledge and techniques requisite for success. They offer free live classes across the country as well as free virtual web based classes. Their website is chock full of useful tips, great forums, project ideas, and templates. There is a real sense of community in their forums and the veterans are amazingly supportive of us newcomers. This is a company that has my support and allegiance not just because of their great products, but because of the many methods they are using to build and maintain a customer base.

Torch Relay

Digital Scrapbook Memories is holding a "Torch Relay" contest. The idea is to see how far and wide this torch can be passed in the next month. There will be some great prizes if you are into digital scrapbooking - and if you are not, DSM is a great place to get started.

www.digitalscrapbookingmemories.com

Check it out!

Fake Uh-huhs...

Well - he's on to me. Spencer has figured out that I am not always 100% tuned in to what he is saying. I try - I really do. But this child never stops talking. Like most moms I sometimes I just say "uh-huh" or "yeah" every now and then when he pauses. But now almost every time, he stops and says "that was a fake uh-huh" or "that was a fake yeah". He is 5 years old and is actually calling me on the fact that I am not attentive to every little word that comes out of his mouth. I guess I had a good run. He didn't start talking until he was 2 - so that was three years of having just a little wiggle room to actually concentrate on something besides the constant stream of thought that has no shut off valve before it comes spewing out of his mouth. Oh well, right now most of it is about Star Wars and I really do love Star Wars. My apologies to his brother and sister. My attempts to pay attention to them may have to put off until Spencer is off at college.

My "Blog-Spiration"

This is my second blog. My first blog was created when my mom went on a mission for the LDS Church. I was just looking for a way to share photos with her. So I set up a blog. A rather generic blog that contained pictures and a few brief captions. Eventually my mom's mission came to an end and for all intents and purposes, so did my blog. I didn't miss it - in fact, I felt relieved of the burden. But, oh, how things have changed...

Recently I met up with one of my oldest friends, Heather, at a local botanical garden. Heather and I have been friends since high school. In our junior year, we were both yearbook staffers - she on the literary staff and me on the layout staff. As I am sure you can imagine - we didn't mix too much - you know how those inter-staff rivalries can be. But as roommates at yearbook camp (yes, there is such a thing as yearbook camp) the summer before our senior year, our friendship took off. Through our senior year and our time at BYU, we remained close. Since then we have stayed in touch and within the last year have made more of an effort to get together on a regular basis.

As we watched our children play at the gardens, talk turned to blogs. Heather spoke of her blogs - that's right - as in more than one. As a closet blog failure, I was in awe. Maintaining multiple blogs seemed like quite a chore for anyone. But Heather is not just anyone. For starters, she is the mother of six. It gets better - three of those six are triplets. Heather's husband is the bishop of her ward. (If you are not LDS, email me for details or ask an LDS friend or acquaintance what this means and its time implications.) He juggles his family and church responsibilities with a full time job and a side business of his own. In addition to what is probably the equivalent of at least three full time jobs just taking care of her home and family, Heather is also an amazing designer and does jobs on a contract basis.

So as I sat there watching my three children, thinking of my husband who gets to spend quite a bit of time with his family - I started to experience blog remorse. Maybe I hadn't tried hard enough. Maybe I wasn't doing it right. Maybe I got involved for the wrong reasons. How could Heather, with so many obligations, want to use her precious time doing what I had seen as a burden?

That afternoon I started down the road to my second blog. I realized that I really wanted a blog - I just couldn't go through another failed blog. So I resolved to try harder this time, to express myself more, share the things that I love and that make my life better. It didn't take long to see that a blog doesn't have to be a burden. Already I have experienced more joy and fulfillment from this blog than I ever did from my first. After a long day, I can't wait to spend time with my new blog. Once we even stayed up most of the night together just sharing thoughts. I guess some blogs just aren't meant to be. But when the right blog comes along - you know it.

(For a little "blog-spiration" of your own - check out Heather's blogs - http://themodernhive.blogspot.com; http://studiolios.blogspot.com)