Memorable Moment

Yesterday, all three kids and I were at the grocery store, something I HATE to do. Here is how things went down at the check out.

Rosie was climbing all over the cart and onto the grocery counter, she was manic, very anxious to get out of there. Even the checker asked her to get off the counter. I warned her of consequences and had her get back into the cart. Which she did reluctantly. It was a tense moment. I wanted to just be done shopping. She stood in the cart with her hands on her hips. Then she motioned with one little finger for me to come closer, I thought she would whisper something in my ear instead with her arms flailing in the air and in her loudest voice she screamed,

"I don't make deals with peasants!"

The checker and I busted up laughing. Apparently, she has seen The Emperor's New Groove one too many times.

Kuzco: I got a little secret for you. Come here. No, closer. [Pacha comes closer]
Kuzco: [loudly, in Pacha's ear] I don't make deals with peasants! ...

The Prize

Months ago the Dyer and Nilsson cousins entered into a "Family History Trivia" battle to prepare for a huge family reunion in Nebraska. You wouldn't think that we are so eager to engage in a challenge without knowing the prize but hey we've competed over stranger things, namely, the "first one to 1,000 pushups". . . but as I was saying. A prize for this challenge was promised and the challenge spanded more than a month and amazingly I won, but only by a few points.

Weeks past as I waited patiently by the mail box for my promised prize. Finally, the prize arrived and not by the mail man, but by one of our challenge sponsors, all the way from southern California! I know what you are thinking, what could the prize be that would warrant a trip up from Cali?? I tore opened the box, while Ben ran to get the camera, a unwrapped and unwrapped and unwrapped and to my utter delight found three great prizes.

First, a cute note from our game sponsor, but not just any note, one that used to belong to Grandma Ruth's stationary collection. She had cards for every occasion on hand. (I also collect cards like she did-so this was special to get something from her collection.)

Next, a cash prize! I know, great eh and not just a measly $5 bucks. When Wiley saw the money he yelled with the hugest eyes, "A hundred dollars, Mom, you got a hundred dollars!!" I know, what a great family trivia prize!!

Lastly, the best prize of all was unwrapping Grandma Ruth's recipe book. There is page after page of her handwritten recipes. Some of them her's, many of them collected from the people she loved. Many recipes had Aunt Dot written next to them. (Grandma's Sister). Her notable contributions are "Aunt Dot's Meat Pies", "Dot's Yellow Cheese", "Dot's Dill Pickles" "Dot's green bean salad". I also noticed quite a few from my own mother. Amazing, my mom's own Mother-in-law thought she had good recipes! That is saying something because of Grandma's own collection and skills are known all over the nation, and I mean that literally.

Grandma Ruth was notorious for her food (as well as service, but that is a blog for another time). But you should know that it is not just about having the recipes that make this prize so amazing, because I may not make her "Green Tomato Jam" or her "Sloppy Joes for 100". It is more about having something that she loved. Something that she carried EVERYwhere with her.

Thanks Amy and Aunt Kip for giving up such a huge prize. Please know that it will be cherished forever.

Meanwhile, I'm wishing rhubarb was in season so that I could make her incredible "Rhubarb Cake". But for now I will settle for her "Kentucky Hot Browns" and "Ruth's Bran Muffins".

Notes from a 7 year old.


Wiley pulled his own tooth out using dental floss.



Wiley was ecstatic that Trixie the Tooth Fairy wrote back.
13 days later Wiley pulled out another tooth.


Should I be concerned over his love for Trixie the Tooth Fairy?


Never mind that the handwriting doesn't match. He isn't bothered by that. He is just so happy to have a note and some money.

Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

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?