The Trip
Sept. 1, 2000-Sept. 1, 2009

It started with a trip to England 10 years ago. Since that time we have traveled to 9 different countries, visited 17 different states, lived in 5 residences, attended 2 colleges, endured 7 years of school (1 more to go!), and had 3 amazing kids. 9 blissful years of marriage, and 9 years of trips -- some of them we can plot on a map, some only in our imagination, but all of them have been incredible. Just so you know Ben, I'll follow you anywhere, through thick and thin. (See our pictures below for illustrations of "thick" and "thin.") We have changed so much over the years, but one thing has never changed: you are still my best friend. I love you. Happy Anniversary.

Coast of Wales, March 2000

Provo Canyon, Utah, July 2000

Seattle, Washington, August 2003

Reno, Nevada, July 2005

Wyoming, TREK June 2007

Nassau, Bahamas, May 2008

Braunfels, Germany, June 2008

American Fork, Utah, October 2008

A Wonderful August
(Notice the little finger marks in the fresh whip cream. . . Rosie did that moments after this pie arrived.)
I've been taught from a young age that you should learn to celebrate your birthday all month if possible and I'm doing my best.

Lauren made me this awesome peach pie from her special family recipe collection. We also stayed a night up at the cottages in Sundance. We saw the Fantastiks. Had breakfast at the Grill. We went out to eat at Buca di Beppos with Shane and Lauren (thanks Megan for babysitting) We went on several bike rides, thanks to my new bike (thanks Mom and Dad), we spent some quality time just as a little family, as well as spent some time at two family reunions. We managed a few trips to the cabin, a little bit of time on a canoe, two nights water skiing, and we have spent LOTS of time swimming -we've been to nearly EVERY pool in the area.

Thanks everyone for making August so great.

Sweet as Apple Pie


Time to Boast. I really happen to have the BEST BABY in the WORLD.

She is an absolute joy to have around. She is so patient and calm. She is the perfect third baby. It's almost as if she knows that if she makes too much noise that she will draw attention to herself and that must be how she likes it. A low profile. She has the cutest toothless grin that she will flash at anyone who smiles at her. She also loves to be in the same room as her siblings. She learned to roll over this week and she is just about a moment away from sitting up.

We had a check up this week and she weighs a whopping 14.2 pounds. She is only in the 25% for height, but the 50% for weight. She has luscious rolls of fluffy all over her and she is gorgeous. She looks so much like Wiley at that same age. I heart baby Eva.

Provident Living

MMMM, yummy yogurt


I am on a HUGE provident living kick. Trying to do my best to learn and expand my knowledge. I'm trying hard to do things from scratch. Here is evidence of vanilla yogurt.
Thank you Becky Bagley for the easiest recipe ever.

MMmmm, yummy bagels


Homemade bagels. My sister and I made them the same day with slightly different recipes and her's turned out better than mine. These were made in honor of Grandma Ruth's infamous bagel recipe, which turns out isn't so infamous. But hey they taste amazing just out of the oven, who cares that her decedents each have a different recipe for them, right? She apparently never made them from a recipe. But at several different times she was asked to write down the recipe, and funny enough the recipes are quite different from each other. Oh well, my version of her bagel recipe still rocks.

mmmmmm, yummy bison

As part of my provident living kick, we made Rosie kill, skin, and scrap the hair off of this bison with an elk horn antler and sharp rock lashed together. Amazingly, she did great, although it took her much longer than Wiley to accomplish the task. We have to start them young. I didn't learn this task until I was in middle school.

Frankeinstein 2009

It was one of those days.


It was one of those days. I was watching my kids, and my four nieces and nephews. I also had a babysitter here to help while I was packing for our road trip to Nebraska. This gash is due to a 9 Iron golf club and a seemingly awful swing form of a cousin of Wiley's. I was amazed and a little shocked how bloody head wounds can be.


Speaking of shock, Wiley went into shock, I may have dabbled in and out of it myself. I was trying my hardest not to cry when I looked at him. I wanted to be strong and look in control for Wiley's sake.

Luckily all the blood happened outside, is it silly that I even cared? I was doing my best to assess the situation. Was it blunt head trama? Should I try and move him? Check his eyes, are they dilated? Are the other kids tracking the blood into the house? Quick, rinse off the pooled blood off the steps. Why is his head still gushing blood? While I hovered over Wiley I made two calls.

"Kathy, are you home, I need you."

I failed to mentioned why I needed her and she claims that I made my request so calmly that she didn't know there was an emergency when in fact I was using my "holy cow" voice.

I also called my father in law.

After they arrived things went more smoothly. Thank goodness for cell phones and friends and family to help. At one point my Father-in-law asked me what I wanted him to do. I looked at him with tears starting to well-up in my eyes and said, come with me and keep me calm". He just laughed.

Everything is fine these days and Wiley is healing nicely. Wiley said some things at the Instacare that were hilarious-lots to say about Harry Potter. I will say he was so hysterical about getting a shot that we had to put him into the papoose. Poor kid.

Amazingly, we still took all the cousins to the dino museum and still left on our road trip that same day! If you asked Wiley how the day went he would make it seem like he had a good time.

I seem to have lots of "those kinds of days".

Double Take


Rosie has a doll that is similar in shape and size to my own new baby doll. She named her Baby Doll Eva. Not to be confused with Baby Eva. I begged Rosie to name her something different but I did not get my way. Rosie has been carrying Baby Doll Eva around and leaving her any place I set down Baby Eva. I keep having double take moments. Baby Doll Eva is sometimes placed precariously on the couch or in the stroller. Baby Doll Eva has even slept with Baby Eva in the crib. Just when I'm least expecting it Baby Doll Eva shows up in strange places. The kitchen counter, the bathroom toilet seat, the tub, the closet and nearly every time, although you'd think I'd be used to it by now, I do a double take, gasping sometimes, thinking how did the REAL Baby Eva get there?

Multitasking



This week I had many moments when I just had to laugh at myself and marvel at all that I was able to accomplish. For example, on Friday I was driving on the freeway on my way home from Provo, three kids in the car, with the van teeming with clothes for a neighbor's garage sale when the phone rang. I pulled over to the side of the road to take a message, and while I was taking the message my kids decided they could no longer wait for their customary bean and cheese burrito (hold the onions and sauce) from Del Taco. So there I am, unwrapping their burritos, putting their straws in their water cups, taking down numbers while I talk on the telephone, and passing food across a pile of clothes to the back seat while my van idles on the shoulder of the freeway and yet -- and yet -- I still managed to write down the right number. That, to me, sums of what a mother's superpower is: the ability to multitask.

Which brings me to this photo. I know a picture says a thousand words, but the only word I'm seeing here is "multitask." This is the throne -- the seat of power, if you will -- for a stay-at-home mom. I'm trying to talk Ben into getting me one for my birthday. Only I want one with cupholders. Now you might be thinking this picture is gross, but let's face it, with young kids you've got to make any spare moment count right? A chair like this could be handy. I wonder what other colors it might come in . . .

Missing Germany





We are missing Germany beyond what I can say with words. We keep trying to replicate what we did while in Europe last summer. Unfortunately, it isn't really working. Finding free time is hard, but at least we know what the secret to an amazing summer is.

Are you wondering how to have a European summer without the expense of going overseas?
Advice: do less. Forget about a summer filled with soccer games or baseball practices. Instead plan a family picnic and play soccer or baseball at the park.

On Sunday night after a busy day of caring for our sick daughter, which lead to an Instacare visit, we finally sat down as a family and had a lazy dinner. (A couple of sick kids will make you slow down.) We sat outside for about two hours just remembering Germany moments. We also managed to play Battleship, UNO, assemble a few puzzles, and build a few LEGO ships. All of which were daily events in Germany.

It sounds cheesy to say that my heart is in Germany, or that I'm longing for Germany, but I really am missing it and the life we had there. Simple and wonderful.

My goal this summer is to slow down.

The Battle Begins



Wheewww, I finally made it through my first jog. I pulled out my old exercise clothes wishing that I look more "hip" and not so "hippy." Unfortunately, I could barely run; I have no muscle. I felt like I was jogging in quicksand -- only the sandbags were around my midsection and thighs. Seriously, I'm in deep trouble.

Before I went on my inaugural run, Ben put a small collection of workout songs on the iPod for me. The playlist included my favorites 80s music and showtunes. But then he also added one song for inspiration -- "Stacy's Mom." You know, it's the one song about the kid who has a crush on his girlfriend's mom, who's supposed to be middle-aged but very good looking. A real cougar. It's not that I'm interested in impressing any of Wiley's friends, at least not at this point, it's just that it made me want to look and feel good again.

So here I go. The battle begins. But just in case you see me lying on the side of road late at night, panting, or perhaps in the early (or late) phases of cardiac arrest, just remember that when the paramedics arrive, tell them I'm type "O" and allergic to Sulfa. Trust me, they'll know what that means.

But it'll all be worth it when I look like Marge ... minus the sallow complexion. Seriously, does she have the worse fake tan or what! (But that's a topic for another post.)

P.S. Can anyone recommend a good jogging stroller?

In the Strength of the Lord


by Emily McPhie

For Mother's Day my mother-in-law got this for me. I LOVE this painting. I feel like it tells my story. My story of living and enduring and enjoying the life of wife of mother.

The meaning behind the skirt of my life:

The artist says the garden represents nurturing. I see it as a reminder to tend to our families.

The tree represents family history. I see it as a reminder to carry on family traditions. Pass on to your children the skills, traits, history that you learned from your ancestors.

The bees represent hardwork. I see it just as that. We are busy little bees trying to gather the nector to bring home. The nector turns into honey. The reward for hard work.

The landscape of the hill represents endurance, and working to become better at all we do. Homemaking is defiantly an uphill battle for me. Never done, always more to do. Especially laundry.

The three butterflies represent children. They are always changing and metamorphosing. I feel like I could do a better job of loving each stage that my kids are in. Perhaps I should also do a better job of documenting where they are so we can look back later and enjoy it all over again.

The clothesline represents chores. Notice how long the artist line is. Keeping up with life is hard and never ending. There are always groceries to buy, e-mail to check, homework to finish, a car to wash.

The sheep represent missionary work. "Arise and gird up your loins, take up your cross, follow me, and feed my sheep" D&C 112:14. I also interpret this to represent my calling. I'm currently in Young Women's. I love it and I really do feel like I'm tending sweet lambs at times. Looking out for them, making sure they learn what they need to learn.

The little house represents strength. The dove is the spirit and the lilies represent Christ. To me the home is the place to gain the security and strength to go about the world accomplishing what needs to be done. And like the artist I know I cannot do it alone. I need to feel the continual love and strength that Christ gives me. I'd also like to mention that I love that the home is a simple representation of what a home is. It is not a complicated place. It is simple. I feel that the simpler that I live my life the happier I will be. I don't need to collect so much in my life -- it feels wonderful to purge the unnecessary, tangible or intangible.

AAHhh, this painting is so refreshing. Rather than making me tired to see my life represented in oil, it helps me see my life as meaningful and beautiful. I am so blessed to be a wife and mother.

I hope you like this painting as much as I do.