February Jill

Remembering

2011-11-14T12:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Shane and I spent the afternoon cleaning the garage, organizing and even unpacking a few boxes that have been sitting patiently for years I think. I had so much fun because I unpacked some boxes that were full of memorabilia from high school and college- both my stuff and Shane's. I looked at pictures I forgot I had, read (ok RE-read) packets of letters from some girls that were hopeful that Shane was the one for them, and found letters and pictures from when Shane and I were dating in college.
Seeing all these things filled me with feelings from college. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to wonder if Shane and I would get together, if we would fall in love and if he would propose. Of course all of those things happened but it was crazy to think about the time in our lives when each decision set us on the path to our future. We remembered couples from college that broke up and how easily they could have gotten married to someone different and changed their whole life.
Never was this so poignant to me as when I read some of the letters that a couple of girls wrote to Shane. As a girl, I was able to read them differently than he did, with more clarity. A couple of these people were so hopeful that a romantic relationship would develop between them and Shane that it is almost painful to read. One of them refers constantly to the fact that Shane was single and maybe they could pray for eachother to each find someone special? And my jealousy came out a few times when the notes started out "Hey Handsome" or ended with "Love you." There were lots of I love you's written to him that were not reciprocated I have to say! My husband was turning some heads and I am so glad that he wasn't interested in them!
Also Shane reminded me how protective his mom was of him when girls were pursuing him. Once he was standing next to her when she answered a phone call for him. She told the girl that Shane wasn't available even though he was standing right next to her! I love it.
When I entered Western Baptist College as a freshman, Shane was a senior and how he made it that long there without a serious girlfriend I have no idea. We started hanging out right away as he was showing me around campus, introducing me to people and working at my volleyball games. I for my part let him find me rather than making myself available like I had watched other girls do. We started driving back to our hometown together to watch our brothers play basketball (on the same high school team) and as we started to fall for eachother we wondered how it would work since our families were already close friends. He would drop me off at my dorm and I would go in and think that everything and everyone was so beautiful because my whole world was so full of hope.
When my hopes turned into love, I walked around feeling lucky. ALL THE TIME! And as it turns out when you tell two sets of parents that are already friends that they're going to be in-laws, they love it.
It's been 13 years since Shane and I fell for eachother and I have to say he still makes me feel fluttery and lucky and very, very happy.

Auntie? Is that you?

2011-11-10T22:15:00.001-08:00

Amelia received this onesie as a gift and it made me laugh because my kids have been trained to accept anyone we introduce to them as an extended relative because we have so many.

You could never refer to someone simply as aunt in our house because more information is always needed. Even referring to Aunt Linda will inevitably elicit the question, "which one?"

There are different categories of aunts to my children. First, the actual aunts: Aunt Crystal, Aunt Jaimie, Aunt Shelbea, Aunt Hannah, Aunt Lindsey and Aunt Heather. Then there are mine and Shane's aunts, also known to our kids as Aunt Margaret, Aunt Esther, Aunt Mary, Aunt Merle, Aunt Karen, Aunt Lesa, Aunt Linda, Aunt Dale Marie, Aunt Pam, Aunt Karen, Aunt Tracy, Aunt Donna, Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Penny, and Aunt Linda. And those doubles aren't typos!

To add further confusion, we have close cousins that we refer to as Aunties: Aunt Becca and Aunt Stefanie, and close friends earn the title: Auntie Mimi, Auntie Rosie, Auntie Donia and Auntie Erin.

What is amazing is that my children know all but a few of these women by name and love them very much!

Happy Birthday Luke

2011-11-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

Today is my brother Luke's 30th birthday. At least in my time zone. In Israel, where he is, it's already tomorrow. I'll go ahead and say my nice things about him anyway :)

When we were little kids, Luke was my first friend and buddy. I especially remember building lots of couch cushion forts together and when we were a little bigger and living on Kings Row, building a real fort in/around a tree in our backyard with whatever wood scraps Dad brought home for us.

In high school I loved watching Luke play basketball and baseball. Basketball was the important one and he always did well, but he was just as natural of a baseball player and it was fun to watch him play and have fun since there was less pressure than basketball season. Shane and I got to know eachother during my freshman year of college by driving up and down I-5 to watch Luke and Shane's brother Jonathan play basketball.

Then Luke got a full ride scholarship to play basketball for the University of Oregon and he became a hometown hero, an instant legend, a person everyone wanted to see, to talk to and to love. Even though I think fame defined a lot of Luke's life in those days, I still think that without it people would have always admired him and wanted to be around him because he is so darn funny. Even our dad, who is hilarious, will pick up on some of the funny things that Luke says. He used to tell me not to tell Luke that he stole his jokes.

After one of the best college basketball careers that the U of O has ever seen, Luke got drafted to play basketball in the NBA. He has played for the Cavaliers, the Celtics, the Raptors, the Heat, the Clippers, and the Blazers. It's cool that he has had these experiences and I love listening to the stories about the things he has seen and the people he's met, but pro basketball doesn't define him. Who he is now is so much better. He is married to a really great girl and you can tell they have a genuine love and he is a great daddy to Cole. He takes good care of his family and works hard. He doesn't complain despite pain from his many injuries.

Luke is one of my favorite people to be around. He's a fun Uncle to my kids and I respect the way he cares for his family, the way he provides a place for our Grandma to live and the way he works through difficult circumstances pursuing his dreams.

Happy birthday Luke! I'm glad you're my brother.

Faces of Amelia

2011-11-05T19:04:00.001-07:00

People I Miss

2011-11-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

One of the problems with people growing and getting married is that they move away. (Right mom?) I am all for growing up, and getting married, but I do wish some days that people didn't have to move quite so far away. My brothers and sisters in law are all so far away right now that I can't even count the time zones that separate us and with a new baby, I can't make any plans to visit right now.
My brother Joey got married in August to a lovely girl named Heather who I enjoy so much for her smile, her creativity and the way she makes my brother come to life like I've never seen before. Shortly after their beautiful wedding, they moved to Spain for a teaching job. I have no eloquent way to say it other than I just miss them. Joey gives the best hugs and I can't wait to see him and give him another one. He also lets me tease him and poke him in the ribs even though he's a big strong guy that could put a stop to it easily. I miss them both so much.

To add insult to injury, my other brother Luke, his wife Lindsey and their sweet boy Cole also moved overseas to Jerusalem in September. The insult and injury are mine, I suppose my brothers are doing the right thing by working and providing for their families.

Linds is the sister I never had and the best thing that has ever happened to Luke. She's so much fun to be around, sensitive to others' feelings and just beautiful! I miss her so much.

Luke has been a daddy for a little over a year now and is raising up a sweet little man, Cole. Watching videos of Luke with Cole this past year have made me laugh so hard and smile so big. Luke knows how to give Cole great horsey rides and like our own dad, never seems to run out of ways to have fun no matter where he is. Cole is lucky to have Luke for a daddy. I can't wait to see them both again! Cole has started walking since the last time I've seen him, gotten 4 new teeth and who knows what other tricks he has learned.

I love them all so much and when ever they can come home, I will be there to welcome them!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-03T11:54:00.001-07:00

I got to accompany Joshy's preschool to Lakeview pumpkin patch recently. So fun and so cute!
Joshy and his best bud Carson ran around together and we got to ride the real miniature train and the paddle boat across the farm's little lake.
I love 4 year old boys because they haven't figured out the way bigger boys act yet. They run around with tons of enthusiasm about everything and they cry and give eachother big hugs when it's time to go home.

Halloween

2011-11-01T14:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Halloween and girlfriend turned 2 months old! She is weighing in at 10 pounds and measuring 24 inches long. She has grown 2 inches but only gained 9 ounces since birth so right now she's at 95th percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight. She also had to get THREE shots.

I had a Halloween party with my friends from church and it was awesome! I like my friends a lot but I LOVE Flo from Progressive Insurance, that pirate girl, Super Jo Jo, Gypsy Megan, Audrey Hepburn all the way from Breakfast at Tiffany's, weird sailor mustache man/Emily, flapper Rosie, and Luau Annie. These girls know how to have fun...

Someone had to keep order at this party. So I came, representing the long arm of the law.

Amelia was my trusty sidekick.

Elsa was a mermaid this year. She wanted a midriff baring outfit but I made her wear the full dress and then she had to add a coat on top since this is Oregon and it was cold!

The kids got to visit Daddy at work so he could show off his little mermaid, Peter Pan and ladybug.

Church had a superhero theme on Sunday so we pulled out last year's costumes. Joshy's Mr Incredible suit rode up his rear just a little but he had to wear it! He looked pretty awesome as some sort of super wedgie hero. At church.

Amelia really hated her costume, but it was warm and cozy so we made it work. Some weirdo asked us, "isn't it the male ladybugs that have spots on them?" And we looked at him funny and went on with our night. Ha ha, actually it was our worship pastor James who said that. He doubles as a not so anonymous weirdo in my story.

Halloween was tons of fun. The kids got just enough candy and had just enough fun before we all froze our butts off and headed for home! It's always a fun night with the kiddos.

Also, Halloween is a day I always remember my Grandpa Dean, who died on October 31st in 2003, when Elsa was just a baby. He would have loved all the little ones so much. He would have held and admired the girls and played with the boys and dreamed of their athletic careers. I know Josh and my brother Luke's son Cole would have made him so proud.

Baby Updates

2011-10-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Amelia is almost 2 months old, I've got some blogging to do! (Just broke the cardinal rule of blogging: do not talk about blogging in your blogs. Darn it.) But my baby brother Joey is upping his game and blogging about beer bread and saying it will outdo my blogs about babies and baby poop, baby sleeping schedules and breastfeeding. Wait, what?

Amelia is 7 weeks old now and we are, fingers crossed, starting to figure out what she needs from us so that we can all have a little peace and Lord-willing, even some sleep. No one ever told me that 3 kids turns your family into a "big" family and that people will assume you're having more if you commit to three because you've taken the plunge, so why not four or five? But I am very happy to raise three kids, even though they outnumber us and that can be a little scary.

The reason three kids is scary is because even if you've been getting along alright in life with two kids, faking that you know what you're doing and keeping up with everyone, three kids will make you sit down hard and rethink things. Favorite attributes like laziness have to (sob) change. Without some sort of organized plan with what to do with all the children, what will they eat, what will they wear, how can we help all three at the same time, what will we do if the baby poops/homework needs to be done/Candyland is set out to be played all at the same time?

So I am trying to not be lazy. Good luck to me and the rest of you don't hold your breath. I'll do my best.

So updates...

Amelia is sleeping 7 hours at a stretch at night and weighs 10 pounds. She has been a very slow weight gainer, not like my other two kids. It took her a month to get back up to her birth weight of 9 lbs 7 oz and is still just above that now. She is still fitting into her newborn size clothes. The tiny newborn sizes that I debated whether or not I would even need since my babies are always so big! She just this week started smiling at us when we whisper sweet nothings to her and I love love love it.

Joshy is attending a church pre-school Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and he is loving it. At school he is known as Joshua R, since there is also a Joshua T in the class. I did not think about that when we chose his name. I asked the teacher if the other kid could be called Joshua and our boy could go by Joshy like he does at home. She said he could not. Whatever lady.

I got to go on Joshy's field trip to the pumpkin patch last week and it was so much fun. With no bias I can honestly tell you that he is the tallest, smartest, sweetest, cutest kid in his class. And he has the best smile. And gives the best hugs.

Elsa is in 2nd grade at the local elementary school and reading so well now. She has lots of friends and is so pretty that I am worried. I think I'd like a nice balance between pretty enough to be happy with life and not so gorgeous that all the boys want to sit by her on the bus.

In the mornings, Shane drives her to the end of our street to get on the bus for a 5 minute drive to school. Recently they pulled up to the corner just as the bus was arriving and she jumped out before he could stop the car and fell. The back tire of the car barely nicked her heel. It did NOT run over any part of her but it was so close that she and Shane were pretty scared. Then she had to head to school for picture day!

Shane ran the Portland marathon 2 weeks ago in his first attempt to qualify for the Boston marathon. He had to run it in under 3:10 and he ran a 3:20. Top 4% of finishers but still not what he was hoping for. Apparently being plain old amazing just isn't enough anymore. I know he'll try again and qualify. Also we're planning to both run on a Hood to Coast team next summer.

And that's it for newsy updates. I hope that my family overseas and I can develop a healthy sense of competition to blog and we can all stay connected through it.

Cheers everyone! Jill

Amelia June

2011-09-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby girl Amelia June is here with her chubby cheeks and stars in her eyes. She has signature rosebud lips and the sweetest newborn disposition I have encountered.

She's already a Daddy's girl, has aspirations to be just like her gorgeous big sister and never ever date anyone unless they are as handsome as and approved by her big brother.

She's a heartthrob.

Announcement

2011-05-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

Something about this sunny day makes me want to shout about all the fun announcements in my life!

I am pregnant and expecting a girl in late August or early September and I'm so excited. I always take joy in reaching this point in my pregnancy too, where I've attained enough weeks that the baby's survival rate starts to climb above zero, if there were some need for her to be born early.

Our family will have an interesting dynamic with Elsa turning 8 just before this baby is born and Joshy being 4. I always thought I'd have my children 2 years apart each, but sometimes life just doesn't work that way and I'm ok with that.

Baby girl is so lucky to have had 3 first cousins born within the same calendar year. First Cole, who will be 1 in September, then Jude in December and Nina in January. I have GREAT plans for their friendships. Plus, it can't hurt to have a girl cousin in the same class. Can you say college roommate? Maid of honor? Best friends for LIFE??? I hope so. And we're also picking up a new 2nd cousin, the day after I give birth. God's timing is so amazing.

We are looking forward to a great summer of enjoying just 2 kids before our family grows and have plans for camping and a coast trip and then just before our baby is born (hopefully) my baby brother Joey is getting married. And I mean hopefully my baby will be born after, not hopefully he's getting married. Homeboy is definitely getting married.

What are your big plans this summer?

Post edit: Stefanie and I are due within one day of eachother and both plan on c-sections, which we will each schedule one week prior to our due dates. Thus the knowledge that they'll most likely be born on consecutive days.

Night Out with my Best Buds

2011-03-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

Never have I ever been so grateful that 30 years ago some guys in Eugene fooled around with a waffle iron and created Nike, as I was on March 8th at the Clash of the Champion's at the new Matthew Knight arena. The facility itself is an absolute marvel, built with Nike money in honor of Phil Knight's late son. A tennis hardcourt was flown in and assembled and a few of my best buddies were invited to come give an exhibition of world class tennis.

Here are two of them. Hey guys! It's me Jill! I watch you on TV all the time and I don't know if I've ever told you this before but I LOVE YOU! (Victoria Azarenka and Rafael Nadal, known affectionately to me as Vika and Rafa, the Spanish Stallion. We're very close.)

And on the other side, just to make things fair, we have Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer. Hey guys! Hi five! Chest bump! LOVE YOU!

Roger thinks it's funny to sneak up to the net on his hands and knees while his partner is serving. That Roger is such a joker!

After the mixed doubles set, the boys took the gloves off and started in on eachother in earnest. They were so close that I could see Roger's Rolex Oyster watch. I wonder if Rafa had his Armani's on?

See the watch? I gave him that on his last birthday. Ol' Rog must have known I would like to see him wear it!

All of us are Duck fans too, that's how close of friends we all are. Roger, Vika, Maria, Phil, Jonny Mac, Rafa the Spanish Stallion, and the Duck. I'm sort of tucked in there between the Duck and Rafa so it's hard to see me, but I really had a great time!

Sweet Sunshine

2011-02-26T15:07:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure I'm one of those people who is supposed to spend this time of year in Hawaii. Or maybe I could turn into a snowbird a few decades early and fly south to Arizona to a little place with citrus trees in my yard. I have a hundred reasons why I love summer and always have. When I was 16, sitting in Spanish 2 with my friend Mandy, we would write notes back and forth and they were always signed off, "It's almost SUMMER!!!!!!" which it usually wasn't, but we were optimists and encouragers.

In the summer, my boy's hair turns all blondy and we get to do fun things that make my children smile, which I love. This summer we're planning to take them camping and to the beach. The kids and I also want to install that huge pool that they have hanging from the ceiling at Costco, but it might take up our whole back yard. I don't care.

It's almost SUMMER!!!

Joey's in L-O-V-E

2011-02-16T14:09:00.001-08:00

Shout it from the rooftops! My baby brother is getting married to his sweetheart Heather this summer and we couldn't be more excited. I have long thought Joey would make a great boyfriend, husband, or life partner and now his perfect someone and he have found eachother. Just picture Joey, arms stretched out wide, spinning in circles and shrieking at the top of his lungs, "I'm in LOVE! I'm in LOVE AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!!"

This is great news. I love Heather already and she really is the perfect addition to our family.

New Baby Girl Niece

2011-02-01T09:29:00.001-08:00

New babies in the family all by themselves could keep me coming back to blogging again and again. I have not yet seen her in person myself, but this little beauty is just too lovely not to share.

Last night, just after 9 pm, Nina Elizabeth joined the world. Proud parents are Jonathan (Shane's bro) & Hannah, my sweet sister in law. I wish I knew more and had kissed her little head already, but I have to wait until Friday! But I will tell you, she weighed in at 8 lbs 9 oz and just look at her, she's gorgeous. This week is shaping up awesome.

Family Entertainment

2011-01-19T14:13:00.001-08:00

We've entered a new family phase. When we ride together in the car, Shane and I have to be very careful what we talk about. The children, with their little ears that cannot hear instructions to make their beds or brush their teeth, turn into very keen listeners with a short list of objectives:

A) Further their education in the Ways of the World
B) Memorize stories to repeat at inappropriate times to embarass the family

Lately, we've been playing games in the car, with the overwhelming favorite being Guess What Time We'll Get There. Everyone gets to pick a time and we each have our own strategy.
My strategy is driven by optimism. Shane usually tells the kids approximately how long the trip will be so they can make a good guess and then I pick a time that is a little less than what he said because I do not want to be in the car that long and hope I won't be.
Elsa's strategy is to pick a number right next to someone else's. You pick 7:45 and she'll pick 7:46 every time.
Josh's strategy is to pick 55. He doesn't care to pick an hour of the day, or that he could be way off. He always wants 55, with no parental corrections.
And finally, Shane's strategy. It's by far the most complex, taking into account past trips of the same distance or to the same destination. He then creates an algorithm factoring in time of day, day of the week, road conditions, weather possibilities, gas mileage, and whether we will be passing through areas with timed lights, which he highly approves of.

As a result he almost always wins. On the rare occasion that 55 works out for Josh, he declares that he as the winner is the Oregon Ducks and that the rest of us, the losers are Beavers. And then he laughs at us. It's good clean family fun.

Crazed Duck Fans

2011-01-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

Even though we lost the National Title game, or the "natty" as my mom calls it, our kids had lots of fun with the anticipation of the game. They both declare they are big duck fans... and proved it last Monday by sneaking off and coloring Josh's face for the game. It was with permanent marker...she knew better...we are on day 5 and it's still there. Only now instead of looking like a fan he just looks seasick.

I pondered some creative parenting ideas. Like, do I let Josh color on her face and make her go to school like that? I'm convinced she would've known it was a bad idea if it was her own face about to be colored.

These kids just make me laugh sometimes and so I couldn't exact any revenge (I mean responsible parental guidance) on either of them. Plenty of days are full of timeouts and instructions that sometimes I just laugh and we all move on with our lives when they do something they shouldn't have. Of course, in this instance they didn't really hurt anything. If they had colored on the wall or the carpet instead heads would have rolled. My husband loves clean carpet more than most and we draw the line there.

Speaking of the husband, homeboy got a job since the last time I posted on here so even though the excitement and relief is now a month old, can I still get a hallelujah and amen? We get paid and then next thing you know, two weeks have passed and we get paid again. It's pretty awesome.

We just finished up Financial Peace University, Dave Ramsey's financial video series. I got a diploma and everying, and now we are putting all of our newfound knowlege to work. Who knew making budgets and paying bills could feel so good? It feels good.

Now that my subject has officially derailed, I better go. I got stuff to do! Scrub the boy with cold cream, vacuum (the husband will be home soon), hang my FPU diploma in a prominent place in the office and make dinner. I'm swamped!

Hey Jude

2010-12-01T21:27:00.001-08:00

This year for the month of December, we've decided to teach the kids about the advent calendar, counting down the days until Christmas. But instead of a piece of chocolate or gum for each day, we're planning a family activity. And boy did we start out with a bang. Day one of our advent calendar reads, "Meet baby Jude." For our first day we got to meet our new hours old cousin, Jude Andrew Kupper, born just after 2 in the afternoon, weighing in at 8 pounds even and measuring 19 inches. Labor was short and intense, and everyone is doing just fine. I even witnessed his high apgar score; he's a smarty already! For your comparison enjoyment I have included below a picture of Jack's newborn shot. They look a lot alike!

To Santa, With Love

2010-10-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Today we had a trip to Target. I told Josh that he will not be getting the items he wanted, but that he could write a letter to Santa when we got home. He dictated this letter to me:

Dear Santa,

I would like a Spiderman bath set for me, a monkey pillow pet, a red play computer and that's all.

I like baseball toys. That's it.

Love, Josh

First Day

2010-09-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

Here is that classic picture of the first day of school. Elsa has declared this day to be the most exciting time of her life! She's got a new shirt on, school supplies in her backpack and excitement in her belly. Josh was very concerned that we should not leave her by herself, but we had to. She found a little girl in her class that she's met before from our neighborhood (what a relief!) I only got choked up, but did not shed actual tears due to the timely studying of a chart on the wall. I'm sure the kids wouldn't have had a clue what to do with me or themselves if I had started to cry.

Happy first day Elsa!

Crash into Me

2010-08-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

So, I was in my first car accident, and it was a doozy.

All of my family in the car, me driving, my cousin Stefanie in the front seat next to me visiting and next thing we know all this WHITE is coming at us. Turns out it was airbags and the broad side of a 4 door Toyota Avalon. The driver pulled out in front of us without ever knowing we were coming. This is the reason, I think, that even though the front of our SUV plowed nearly 20 inches into her side of the car, she walked away without a scratch.

Most of us walked away just fine, thank you. Except for Stefanie and me. We suffered minor injuries from seatbelts and airbags, which we gladly received at their saving hands.

One of the funny things about filling out an accident report is that you get so much information about the other driver in the accident. Like their birthday and middle name and address and phone number and so on. So like any good amateur detective, I took the unusual name of the other driver, typed it into a facebook search and found her. Her name is Bethany and she loves Jesus. That is what facebook told me (don't you love it when facebook is good for something...good?)

So, strengthened by Bethany's apparent faith and driven by the guilt of not knowing for sure how she was faring post-wreck, I picked up my phone and dialed the number that I was given. And, ok she didn't answer- but she did call me back. And she said things like "God had his hand in all of this," and "praise the Lord you are all ok," and perhaps most healing of all, "I'm sorry."

I hung up the phone feeling like I had made a new friend. I've heard before that the Lord works in mysterious ways but this one I'm still figuring out. And I will continue to figure while I thank my father in heaven and his son Jesus Christ for protecting us and my friend Bethany.

He must still have work for us to do here on earth so I am going to have to figure out what that is. Maybe it's just making my babies lunch (post-wreck my 7 and 3 year olds are my babies) and combing their hair and teaching them about God. And also counting my blessings for another day.

Baby Shower!

2010-08-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

With Aunt Lindsey expecting a new cousin for Elsa and Josh next month, we are all excited! What will he look like? What will he be named? How big and tall will he be?

For posterity, and because I have been good at guessing in the past, I'm going to venture my guess...

My guess is that the little guy will be born on September 23rd at 4:22 am after 6 hours of labor and 42 minutes of pushing. I think he'll weigh 8 lbs 15 oz and stretch 21.5 inches long.

And I don't have the slightest clue what they'll name him, so I'll go with something original, like Robert. Baby Bob for short. Just kidding!

I can't wait to meet my little nephew.

Beacon

2010-07-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hello, I would like to end this months-long blog drought by announcing that I am a beacon for door-to-door visits by proselytizing Jehovah's witnesses. I don't know why. We were even hit up recently by a group of home visitors to a vacation rental we were staying in. Perhaps they placed a homing device tracker on some secret part of my vehicle before ringing the doorbell on their last visit to my home. But somehow, they always know where and when to find me.

My local JW Margie comes to my door weekly and I never, ever fail to be home. Whether this is by accident or whether she has my schedule and likely movements away from home organized and charted, I do not know.

Margie, my local JW friend, is a very nice, very sweet lady in her sixties, with a nice sweet older lady haircut and likes to wear long dresses. She reminds me of a telemarketer, from the days before caller ID. I open the door and before I can say a word, she's off to the races telling me about end times, giving me a scripture and insisting I read the copy of Awake! that she has brought.

Her visits are always the same. She has a script, she says it quickly, gives me a copy of her JW magazine and then we have a short period of small talk in which she asks polite questions about my children. She is so nice and sweet that I just cannot ask her to stop coming! I am sure that we have some major theological issues between us but... she never brings them up so how can I complain? I've decided, against the usual advice, to be kind to her and to smile and listen when she comes. I will not slam the door, I will not ask her to stop coming. (They wouldn't anyway.)

And even if I move away, I know they'll find me.

Focus

2010-03-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

You look like you need a good cookie recipe. Here goes:

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

3 cups oats

1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375. Beat together butter and sugars, then add eggs and vanilla and beat well. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Then slowly add to butter mixture. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Thank God for butterscotch.

Drop by tablespoonfuls into your mouth and then onto ungreased cookie sheet. Only you can decide the ratio of cookie dough to baked cookies that should be eaten by you and your household.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes and transfer to wire wracks to cool.

Fun trivia: This recipe was submitted to Family Circle magazine in July of 08 by Cindy McCain alongside an oatmeal cookie recipe that Bill Clinton never personally baked himself, but reportedly requested frequently from his cooking staff AND a fruitcake shortbread recipe submitted by Michelle Obama. Readers of Family Circle were asked to bake the recipes and vote for their future first lady/first Bill based on cookies alone.

In fine print Family Circle boasted that their cookie prize had indicated the future presidential winner for the past 5 elections. Based on that fact, I would have submitted something I had actually baked myself and that did not have any similarity to fruitcake, but that's just me.

In November of 08, Family Circle announced that Cindy's butterscotch cookies won by a landslide but not without Obama's fruitcake shortbread backers complaining to Family Circle that Republicans had voted based on politics instead of cookies! They were mad! Family Circle even printed some of their ridiculous complaints, much to my own entertainment.

So, regardless of your politics, regardless of the fact that Family Circle is sadly back to square one with their presidential cookie predictions, and regardless of the fact that Bill Clinton was not cut out to be first lady, make these butterscotch cookies.

Oh my Heart

2010-03-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes these ones are just so cute I can hardly stand it.

Today

2010-02-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

I used to not understand when people started to talk about life being painful. About how sometimes when we hurt, we feel more human and more alive than ever. About how the human experience is equal parts beauty and gut-wrenching pain and we should allow ourselves to feel it all, because that it what it is to be alive.

I'm not saying that I now understand the pain of the world. All I know is this: last week my sweet beautiful grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimers and she told me she's scared. And it makes me want to stay with her all the time, holding her hand and helping her. But I can't. So I have to remember what she told me:

"I know that God isn't going to leave me."

Hero

2010-02-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

My brother Luke, who is playing professional basketball in Ferrara, Italy had a big win last week. With a half a second left, he hit a free throw to win the game and then jumped into the crowd to celebrate. This is actually an away game and Ferrara's fans traveled to witness the win.

Please note the guy on the right, who was clearly out for blood and also the kid on the left, who is hoping not to get crushed.

The Wedding Bracelet

2010-02-17T15:45:00.001-08:00

This is my family's wedding bracelet. It is the single most treasured piece of family history from my mother's side and it stays locked up tight in my Grandma Millie's safety deposit box except for the rare and wonderful days that a member of our family gets married.

This bracelet is pink gold and was brought from England by a grandfather several generations back. My great-grandmother, May Ellen Koken Good, gave it to my Grandma Millie on her wedding day. She had never before been allowed to wear the piece and had only admired it from afar. Since then all the women in our family have been privileged to wear this on their wedding days including my aunts, my mom, myself and even my childhood best friend, Kelsey.

You can see the bracelet here on my sister-in-law Lindsey's wrist. It is dainty and delicate and pairs perfectly with a wedding dress and a bridal glow. Feeling sentimental? I am.

Last Day in my 20's

2010-02-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

My son Joshua, my daughter Elsa and my nephew Jack

Today I am 29. Deep sigh.
Tomorrow I'll be 30.
And what is the big deal, I ask you? It's no big deal to me. But for some reason it's a time when people a little older than you delight in teasing and you hear things like "you look good..." or "you're doing ok... for being 30." And I'm trying ever so hard not to let my tender almost 30 year old feelings get hurt.

Just for the record, my 20's have been awesome. I feel that not only have I enjoyed this youthful decade of my life, but I have something wonderful to show for it. (See above picture.)

Barely a few months into my 20's, I got married. And let me tell you, I may have been young and dumb, but it was a good call on my part marrying that man.

In my 20's I have traveled all over. In fact, I visited Hawaii, Idaho, California, Washington, Wisconsin (to watch my brother play in the NCAA sweet sixteen), Ohio (to watch same brother play for the Cleveland Cavaliers) and New York along with Bermuda, the Bahamas, England, France, Germany, Austria, Spain and Italy.

I graduated from college with a degree in English Communications. My husband got his MBA. I watched both of my younger brothers play college basketball and one of them got drafted into the NBA. I also proudly watched both brothers graduate with their college degrees.

We bought our first house, a small place that we loved. We painted it, laid new floors, and planted flowers. We had our baby girl there. I lost my grandpa. I got to make our parents grandparents.

We moved, bought another house, made new friends, connected with churches, formed book clubs and threw parties. Oh boy have I thrown parties. Baby showers, wedding showers, birthdays, anniversary parties, book club dinners and Halloween costume parties. We had surgeries, expected and unexpected. I got pregnant and lost the baby.

I have followed my husband as he has switched jobs, careers and locations. We had a baby boy. I have been a mother. I have held my children, stroked their soft cheeks and their hair. I have played with them, read to them, loved them.

Our first nephew was born.

I got to be in weddings as our siblings got married. In 10 years I have gained 5 sisters-in-law and 3 brothers-in-law. And I have the promise of many more neices and nephews as each sibling says I do.

I have had a great life and you know what? I am ONLY 29.

Happy Birthday Lindsey!

2010-01-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Lindsey,

I really should have posted this in the morning, since you are 9 hours ahead of me.

I miss you!

You have become the sister I always wanted.

Happy birthday. I hope Luke spoiled you really well.

Love, Jill

Window

2010-01-14T12:53:00.001-08:00

Torte Tenerina

2010-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot. Yesterday when I was recording my memories of Italy and telling stories about our trip, I intended to tell you something important. I brought something back for you! You didn't think I would forget, did you?

Ferrara has a dessert that they claim as their own called Torte Tenerina. It can be found in most all coffee shops and restaurants in Ferrara and you get an approving sort of nod if you order it with your cappuchino from the Italian lady taking your order, which if you're like me, you make in slightly sheepish English with a "per favore" tacked on at the end, because despite learning some Italian, I just don't retain it. Even though I was yet another tourist hoping they'd speak my language when I visited their country, I hit the jackpot when I requested the Dessert of Ferrara and was awarded a Nod of Approval. And a really yummy, fudgy, moist chocolate cake that was perfect with coffee.

I have the recipe because Lindsey submitted it for our family cookbook. More on that later.

Torte Tenerina

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup flour
8 oz. dark chocolate
1/4 cup milk
3 eggs, separated and at room temperature
salt

1. Chop chocolate and melt with milk over a double boiler.

2. In mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar and then mix in flour and egg yolks.

3. When the chocolate is smooth, let it cool a bit then add to other mixture.

4. In a separate bowl whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt and then add to all, mixing slowly and carefully.

5. Pour mix into buttered cake pan and cook for about 25 minutes at 300. When the cake has cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

It's good! Eat it with coffee and don't forget about me next time you take a vacation!

A Little Vacation

2010-01-12T16:31:00.001-08:00

Remember these fabulous people? My brother Luke and his new wife Lindsey, freshly married in June. By profession my brother is a basketball player. And just a short couple of months after they committed their hearts and souls to eachother, Luke got a new job and they moved. To Italy.

Being newlywed in a romantic country is all well and good, but clearly they needed some guests and so my mom, my dad and I volunteered to come to their aid.

Ferrara is perported to be the oldest city in Europe. How you can measure such a thing I have no idea, but my tour guide told me this information and therefore I pass it on to you with confidence. Because it is perported.

Ah, Venice. (Name that Indiana Jones movie.) I have been once before with my true love and I love it there. There is something romantic about the water, even if it is perported to be full of so much mercury that the local sea life mutates. It's still romantic.

This is St. Mark's square, or Piazza San Marco. Mark, as in the one who wrote the book of Mark in the Bible, is perported to be buried in that lovely basilica next to the tower. For 2 euros you can walk around to a back part of the church past his actual casket. The story goes that his remains were smuggled from Turkey in a pork barrel.

One night we lived on cappuchinos all through the evening until the ungodly hour of 8 pm when most of the restaurants begin to open. We ate at La Romantica, a white linen table cloth sort of place where I enjoyed my favorite meal of the trip, cappelachi di zucca, or something like that. It's ravioli, filled with a squash puree' covered with a creamy walnut sauce. It doesn't sound like the type of thing I would normally like but I loved it. **Please note my mother guzzling wine.

Here is the basketball stadium where Luke's team plays. It holds several thousand people, many of them season ticket holders. Ferrara is about the size of Eugene and the people are big fans of sports and very loyal to their teams.

One of the things my parents were hoping to find at the stadium was a team store where they could stock up on Ferrara shirts, hats, and maybe a fridge magnet or 40. But there isn't one, mostly because Italians wouldn't be caught dead at a game in a t-shirt. Most of them were dressed very nice and looked like a crowd you'd see in the states at a wealthy Catholic school game.

This game was versus a team from Naples, Italy. The other team had a few familiar faces, including two of Luke's former teammates on a different team.

The game was very close until Luke scored seven points in the last two minutes of the game for the big win. We went crazy and probably made fools of ourselves. Part way through the game I heard someone yell "andiamo" and I thought I remembered it meant "Let's go!" so my mom and I screamed it. A lot. Some people looked at us funny.

After Luke's game we went out to pizza at a restaurant on a boat anchored in the river that runs through Ferrara. I had a pizza with Parma ham and brie cheese. It was one of the discoveries that I brought with me back to America and I hope it catches on. Brie is great on everything.

The next day we drove, packed into Luke and Lindsey's car which is large by European standards, but small for 5 people, two of whom are over 6 feet 5 inches tall, from Ferrara to Florence.

In 2001 Shane and I passed through Florence but never went into the city. I was so excited for the chance to see it!

After parking the car in what we hoped was a legal space, we walked over a bridge that has been famous for jewelry shops for hundreds or thousands of years. Or hundreds of thousands. Or something. Anyway, it was my last full day in Italy and I had not yet tasted gelato, something I was determined to do. We came across the aforementioned bridge and immediately found a conveniently placed gelatteria. After ordering 5 waffle cones with delicious gelato, we discovered that the treats we were about to enjoy cost 9 euros each! Not so convenient after all. I would like to entitle the above picture "Bamboozled."

I found it strange to see digital signage in such an old and beautiful square, right next to a famous replica of the David. It didn't seem to fit.

Because I am very immature, I find the above shot of L & L to be hilarious. I mean look at it!

I made my dad light a candle and look contemplative. How did he do?

We visited a beautiful basilica in Florence that was so tall and so lovely and so amazing that I am ashamed that I don't remember the name of it. I do remember that just outside of it I had to pay money to use a public restroom and then almost walked into the men's room. So at least I have that precious memory for all time.

My favorite part of this lovely week in Italy was seeing my brother so happy and so in love. It further confirmed in my mind that he married a wonderful girl and I just can't wait until the season is over and they can come back home!

Uncle Jonny got Married

2010-01-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

And guess who was able to make time in his busy schedule to be a ring bearer?

Note: He didn't actually bear a ring. Or wear shoes. Or witness the ceremony. But boy is he one good lookin' dude!

Halloween

2009-11-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on Motherhood

2009-10-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my baby boy, back when he was a little squirt and truly a baby. Here on my top 10 thoughts on creating further tiny people to increase our family...

10. I would give almost anything to freeze my children in this stage. They crawl, they coo, they drool. It's perfect.

9. If there is anything that will make you want more sweet babies, it is a sweet baby. Their most tempting parts are their cheeks, nose and toes.

8. I saw a newborn baby girl the other day and I wanted her. For my own, if only her mother would agree (she didn't). I considered making my own and felt that it would have been a lot easier to be given someone else's. Sigh.

7. I have a new sister-in-law Lindsey and a soon-to-be SIL Hannah, who could really help me get my baby fix. But no, they live in Italy and are not yet married (respectively.) Can a sister get some help around here?

6. With the exception of one roly poly adorable child named Jack, Shane and I have borne the entire burden of providing grandchildren for both sides of our family. This is clearly unfair. And I intend to write a strongly worded letter to all relatives with available reproductive systems. And also replace any birth control I can find with placebos.

5. I want to have more babies, I do. It's just that pregnancy is so... long. (Lindsey and Hannah ignore this!) I'll have more someday. Maybe twins. I could name them... Mavis and Matilda. Or Todd and Copper for boys. Wait, isn't that the fox and the hound? (True story: I actually suggested Copper as a potential name for our daughter. Hormones can really get you man!)

4. The hormones. The upside: My hair gets thicker and shinier, I have no bad moods that I know of (ha!), and my skin glows. You know, the pregnancy glow? It's totally real! My dad watched me carefully and informed me that I was indeed glowing. Yes, he's wonderful. You can borrow him sometime if you need.

3. I believe God has instilled something inside of women, and if not in all women, at least inside of me that allows me to know when to have more babies. The light is flickering, but it's just not quite there yet. As in, yes I would love to decorate a nursery, buy a layette and dream of names, but I am not ready to sign on for pregnancy yet.

2. I just had a thought, what if the joke is on me and the reason I've got all this on the brain is because I'm already accidentally pregnant and I just don't know it yet? I better delete this and think of a new number two. I don't think my husband will like it.

1. And to wrap up... may I just say that gazing into the eyes of my 12 month old in this picture turns me to mush? I could wallow in a puddle of longing for 2008, or I could bide my time and make another one of these cute suckers one of these days. I'll keep you posted.

Jungle Junction

2009-10-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

Right now, my sweet baby boy is watching the premier of the Disney Channel's newest morning cartoon show, Jungle Junction.

And may I just say that I do not get it?

So the setting is the jungle. And there are animals there, but not necessarily jungle animals. The main characters so far are an elephant, a pig, and a rabbit. But they aren't really animals, they're car-animals. So it's not an elephant, it's an "eley-VAN." Get it? Me neither. Also, the jungle is criss-crossed with roads, making it look more like downtown Seattle than the middle of the jungle, because the animal/car thingys only have wheels, no legs. So they need lots of roads, right?

As if we needed something else to be weird about it, the premier, as in the opening show that is supposed to convince everyone to watch, is about the ele-van accidentally touching a shrinky-bush. If he and his friends cannot make shrinky-bush cream in time, the elephant/minivan character will shrink into oblivion. I bet that's a sentence you never thought you'd read.

So this is what the best and brightest in children's entertainment have to offer us these days?

I Have the Best Mommy

2009-10-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

Thursday 11 pm: I go to bed with a weird itching burning in my throat.

Friday 3 am: I try to wake Shane up to tell him I am SICK. Really sick. It doesn't work.
Friday 4 am: I start crying and wake Shane up to say I am sick and so someone will hear me blubbering and try to help because I am so miserable I can't sleep.

Friday 10 am: I call my mom at work and tell her my sad tale of woes through my sick, scratchy voice.
Friday noon: My mom calls me and lets me know that she is taking me to the doctor. Inside I leap for joy. Outwardly I moan and then go back to sleep.
Friday 1 pm: Mom takes me to the doctor where I am given a strep test and a positive result. We call in the antibiotics.
Friday evening sometime: I awaken from sleeping for what feels like all day to my mother laying her hand on my forehead to relieve the pain. Then she feeds me a grape popsicle while I am laying in bed because I am too weak to sit up.
Saturday morning: Shane makes me yummy fruit smoothies. I sleep and sleep and sleep and take pain meds but cannot shake the fever, sore throat and migraine.
Then I throw up. Sorry. Too much information, I know.
Saturday afternoon: My mommy watches my kiddos, makes me homemade chicken noodle soup and sanitizes my bathroom. That is love.
Saturday night: My mom takes Elsa home for the night so she can sleep away from the germs and go to church with them in the morning.
Sunday morning: I wake up feeling just the teeniest, tiniest bit better and I praise the Lord for my husband, my mother and penicillin.

September 2004

2009-09-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

Elsa Grace.

Age: 1

Dress: my most favoritest sweater dress ever from Gymboree.

This is what she looked like then. Now she goes to school and ballet and when I drop her off she reminds me not to come in, and to drive away as soon as she gets out. She usually gets up on her own, and tries to pick out her own clothes and do her own hair. I am still fighting the good fight on this one. I do not get up early on Saturday mornings all summer long to buy her designer clothes from garage sales for 50 cents just so that she can pull out everything striped and combine it to create an "outfit." Air quotes here please.

Designer? Do baby Gap and Gymboree clothes count as designer? Well, for me they do.

All this to say that I try very hard to send her out into her big grown up kindergarden world looking nice and today it paid off. Another mom and I take turns driving our kids home and today when she got out of their car at home she informed me that she had received her very first proposal of marriage from Wyatt Sharkey.

Unfortunately she declined, "until he is 29... or dead."

Sleeping Beauty

2009-09-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

It's 11:03 on Friday night. I just got back from a girls' night out and this is what I found. I guess the magazine wasn't that thrilling? I'm going to go wake him up now. Ssssshhhhhhh...

No Picture

2009-09-02T14:44:00.001-07:00

Today is a BIG day for Joshy in the potty training department. He did something new, something different, something you should all thank your lucky stars that I did not take a picture of and post it right here. It would have induced gagging and wretching, which is why I did not take a picture of the grand occasion. But around here it brought on candy treats, celebrations and even a victory dance!

So three cheers for Josh and... you're welcome.

Elsa Turns 6

2009-08-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

For a little change of pace, this year's birthday party for Elsa included sand, surf and sun. The part we couldn't do without: old friends including Tobin, Daphne, Olivia and Mallory.

It meant so much to us that our friends were willing to meet in the middle for a beach party.

In case you were wondering, the 21st Street beach access in Lincoln City requires 138 steps down (and back up!) Guess who came and conquered? My Grandma Millie, that's who!

Apple Butter

2009-08-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

I already love cooking, baking, and most especially all the fun tools and toys needed in the kitchen, but now, having just seen Julie & Julia, the movie, I am inspired to make something. You should do it with me!
Today we're going to make apple butter. You're definitely going to want one of these from Williams-Sonoma. Local apples should be ripe so go ahead and sneak into your neighbor's yard in your pj's in the early morning dew to borrow a hefty bag of apples. Or, for those of us (you?) with less chutzpah, go to your local farmer's market, Safeway or Winco and buy them, for crying out loud.
You're going to need 5 1/2 pounds of apples, 4 cups of sugar, 3 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. ground cloves, and 1/4 t. salt.
Peel and core your apples with your new gadget from Williams-Sonoma. Just buy it, best $28 purchase of your life.
Then, when your apples are neatly peeled, cored and sliced in a lovely spiral, chop them a couple of times and throw them into your crockpot. This is best started in the evening. You'll see why.
Mix together all dry ingredients and pour over chopped apples. Stir.
Cook for 1 hour on high in your crock pot. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 9-11 hours (or even longer, if you get up late the next morning).
When your entire household wakes up to the smell of apple heaven and hails you as the domestic goddess that you are, then uncover and cook on low for one more hour. Blend (in batches if necessary) until smooth. Place in freezer containers with 1/2" headspace and freeze.
Now, when you eat this, think: on top of buttered toast, on ice cream, as an ingredient in apple crisp. This might be sacrilege to some, but even mixed with cream and coffee in the morning. Go ahead and try it, I dare you. And don't thank me... ok thank me. You're nothing without my apple butter recipe.

Must Go To, Must Eat

2009-08-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you with reasonable access to Salem, OR, will you please frequent the French Press on Commercial Street? Crepes and espresso, need I say more?

This is your charge: to try each selection on the menu and report back to me. I have only tried the breakfast crepe with mushrooms, onions, ham and swiss cheese. And a couple bites of Elsa's strawberry crepe with homemade whipped cream. It was a masterful, blissful, beautiful culinary experience that I intend to repeat soon and often.

It is also the perfect spot to eat lunch with your beautiful sister-in-law-to-be just hours before she weds your lucky brother. In case you need something like that. I'm here to help.

Hello Lover

2009-08-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

It's that lovely time of year again, the time where we pack up entire boxes, bags, and vehicles full of things we need, things we want, things we won't possibly have time for, and we head to the beach.
Well, not the beach exactly. Clear Lake, the place we get to visit each summer is about a mile inland from the actual coast. And that mile makes all the difference. We get a buffer from the wind, an additional 5 degrees of warmth and fresh clear lakes to play in. (Note: There are no sharks in fresh water. That I know of.)
The house sits above and in between both lakes. If you walk out the door and head down a steep path, you've got a dock with a paddle boat, a fishing boat and some great swimming. The other lake is bigger, adjoined by sand dunes and is great for boating and jetskiing. In other words, you just pick your brand of heaven each day because it's all amazing.

One of the deeply satisfying pleasures of being married is watching my husband in action with our children. He and Elsa went out on the paddle boat for a father-daughter tour and photo shoot.

If it gets any better than this, don't tell me. I'm good.

Calling All Bloggers!

2009-08-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends.
Have you ever noticed that list of blogs I like to read? Over there on the left side of my blog page? See it? With the exception of a couple of family members (my brother and my sis-in-law) that list is composed of people I miss.
After my sophomore year in college, I got married. I know, a little young, but so did a couple of my friends, Becky and Jenny. The problem is that they had the nerve to move in tandem to Seattle after their nuptials. Imagine the delight I felt when finding them years later in the great wide blogosphere. They keep me pretty well updated. Keep it up girls!
Another friend from college, not to be confused with the above mentioned Jenny, is Jen. We attended college for 4 years together. I always thought she was fabulous and beautiful. It was almost like she didn't know that everyone on campus thought she was GOR-GEOUS. After graduation she found herself a handsome navy husband and started blogging about their life. Jen? Are you out there? Keep it up because I love reading your stuff. How was your transition from Japan to Florida?
Next on my list of people I miss and now read are from my transition period, from college student to married worker bee to mother, while we were still living in Salem. I am lucky enough to be related to a couple of them and love love love reading their blogs. They are: Becca, Stefanie and Dee. Dee wins the prize for most frequent blogger. Becca? Stef? Keep up the work girls. Your blogs are worth reading and rereading. Blog much. Blog often.
After Salem, Shane and I had a couple of really great years in the Hillsboro area and a little over a year ago, I had to leave some friends there. I am still in denial about being gone and like to drive up there and show up at a book club every now and then and act like I've been there all along. But these girls need a BOOST in their blog counts! Rosie? Are you there? Donia? Emily? Do you still remember the password to your blogs? Write something, anything. I miss you!

Lastly, there are a few formerly fabulous blogs, that seem to have been left for dead. Liz, sweet Lizzy G, where have you gone? Please please don't say facebook because I have determined recently that it is from the devil! Come back, I beg you, to sweet blog land where we can enjoy your fabulous writing. Facebook is for updating your feelings about the weather and reconnecting with high school people that maybe should have been left in the past. Come back and write!

Baby it's Hot Outside!

2009-07-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

It's so summer right now that it's almost just a little bit too summer.

Although I love the smell of my babies with sunscreen on their flushed little faces.

And I love wading in the lake and tossing rocks, even after they've cried, "look at me!" for the 347th time.

And I love throwing together a bag full of snacks and Buzz Lightyear swim trunks and tiny neoprine lifejackets and chapstick and driving at breakneck speed to the nearest body of water.

And I so so much love watching my kids love it.

They love summer, even when it's too hot sticky sweaty and drippy.

Hopeful Genetics

2009-07-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was musing to myself, as I often do, about what could I potentially be brilliant at that I haven't yet discovered? It must have been a good day, bright and sunny and full of confidence because I, who had never yet put brush to canvas, decided to become a painter. Not world famous, mind you, but capable and fabulous in an understated sort of way. I was Bridget Jones for a moment, having a good hair day that gave her a sneaking suspicion she could be a genius in the kitchen. Sometimes it takes a very little something to make you think that you could be something big. There's no connection at all, as you may have noticed, between the inspiration and the talent. But I have genes on my side!

My Grandpa Harry is a real life bonafide painter and I decided to get my career started with a lesson from him. Some men add to the size of their ears their whole long lives but he's been collecting personality for all of his. And he's 95.

We sat down, we painted, my confidence sank into the Mariana Trench. No really, I suck.

For my lesson, Grandpa pulled out a coastal scene on canvas that he had scrapped. Our object was simple, to copy it closely, with him giving me pointers on how he had achieved certain effects. I botched every color mix, every brush stroke attempt, everything. He was the equivalent of a dad in the passenger seat teaching his teenager to drive and stomping his brake foot on the floorboards. He had this twitch in his right arm everytime I brushed paint on the canvas. Reaching for the brush, pulling his arm back and letting me do it. It must have been quite painful for him.

At the end of my lesson, he declared, "that rock you painted on the beach looks exactly like a... pig. That's a pig if I've ever seen one."

We adjourned to the living room for coffee.

A Day at the Beach

2009-07-22T15:24:00.001-07:00

Who knew a foggy day in Lincoln City could be so much fun?

Weddings on the Brain

2009-07-15T23:50:00.001-07:00

This morning, very early, at the crack of 8:30 I got out of bed. Not because I was hungry or even awake, but because my children were up. Josh was yelling things like, "I want toast. TOAST!" and they were both begging to watch Madagascar Penguins as soon as they saw me reach for the remote. (This is how I fight waking up. I put on soft red sweats, they must be red, and I sit on the couch, not quite grumpy but almost, and I deny them cartoons.) In a moment of pure rebellion, I turned on NBC to watch the Today show. I have not really done this since I was glued to the cushions breastfeeding my firstborn, roughly 5 1/2 years ago and what I want to know is where in tarnation has Katie Couric gone? This is what having Tivo will do to you. At first you think it's harmless, but pretty soon, you haven't seen a commercial or anything live in YEARS. But I digress. I think.

Either coincidence or blessing from the heavens, I'm not sure, but the Today show aired their "Today Throws a Wedding" this morning and when I turned it on, the couple was just taking their places and saying I do. True confession: I cried. A little bit, but don't tell anyone. I sort of hunched my shoulders and hid my face from my kids so they wouldn't think I was crazy. Wait... can I help that sort of thing? It could be too late.

Did anyone else see the magical matrimony of Nick and Lee on NBC this morning?
Do you think I am crazy for crying a little bit when they exchanged vows?
Do you know where Katie Couric is?

That is all for now. Good night.

Joshy: the Ring Bearer

2009-07-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

This is the boy who will carry the rings.

These are the clothes he will wear.

These are the socks and the shoes for his feet.

This is his neatly combed hair.

This is the groom

Who waits for his bride.

These are the groomsmen

Who wait by his side.

These are the friends

Who sit in the room,

With hearts full of joy for

The bride and the groom.

This is the bride

In her veil and her lace.

This is her moment.

This is her place.

This is the song

The choir now sings.

And this is the boy

Who carries the rings.

These are his steps

As he walks down the aisle.

This is his family,

His wave, and his smile.

This is the place

The couple will stand.

And this is the way

They will wait hand in hand.

"I'll love and adore you,

Be always there for you.

I give you this ring,

And I take you for life.

This is my promise."

"My husband."

"My wife."

And with these words,

And a kiss, and some cake,

And all of the pictures

The people will take,

And the seeds for good luck

The children will throw--

This is the way

The wedding will go.

--The Ring Bearer by Laura Godwin

Luke's Wedding

2009-06-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

On Friday night at Salem First United Methodist Church, in front of God and many happy witnesses my little brother Luke married his sweet fiance Lindsey. She walked down the aisle to the mellow tones of a two man band: a world renowned cellist and my Dad's long time great friend, a fabulous guitarist. The sunshine of the perfect day filtered through the stained glass of the historic church and reflected in the shining eyes of so many happy people.
My new sister-in-law, so in love with my little brother.
Luke, so nervous, excited and proud of his bride.
My parents, crying happy tears as they watched their son pledge himself to Lindsey.
Her parents, bursting with pride and joy at their daughter's happiness.
And me, sobbing shamelessly at every tender word spoken.

Luke and Lindsey wrote their vows to eachother and as they read them it was one of the most special moments I've ever had the privilege of being a part of.

I have never been more convinced of a couple's love for one another than during the wedding service held that day. There are many beautiful pictures to share with you from their day, including pictures of my children for crying out loud! But I'll have to spread it out over a few days.

Luke and Lindsey left their reception amid the shower of giant sparklers and the well wishes being called out from all the people who love them best. I will tell you more about this soon, I promise.

All day long Joshy kept saying "Aunt Lindsey. She's so beautiful."

Under the Bright Lights

2009-06-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday, Elsa took the stage for the culmination of her year of ballet classes, with a big recital performance. This year the chosen performance was Cinderella. Sweeping liberties were taken in the story line to include all manner of little butterflies, bumble bees, blue birds, doves and so on until each class of tiny ballerinas had a part.

Elsa performed beautifully and even spotted us in the audience for a quick wave.

When the time came for her class to take a bow, she just stood there with a smile while her friends bowed. Take it all in baby. This is what it's like to be adored on stage.

I've said it before, but the girl is a natural born performer. The moment her little ballet slippers hit the stage, she wore a delighted smirk on her face. She performed at her highest ability. You can believe me when I say this because I have seen this routine many, many times.

After three long hours of waiting for the darn thing to be over, we met up with our little ballerina and took her to ice cream. She ordered butterscotch ice cream with white chocolate chips from Coldstone as her celebratory meal.

Before you judge the way her face looks... it's stage make-up. And I promise I don't beat her, she fell face first out of a swing the day before her recital. Oops, I just took a closer look at the pics and you can't really see the damage from the swing incident. Probably shouldn't have said anything after all...

What a lovely day with our big girl, now a three year veteran of the ballet world. After summer break, she'll be starting pre-ballet II. And... kindergarden!

Brasada Anniversary

2009-06-05T09:46:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, in celebration of our 9th anniversary, Shane and I called every healthy relative we could think of and pieced together childcare enough to escape for a whole weekend to Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte, Oregon. As Shane is a fiscally responsible human being and I love a great deal, we decided on a special that included unlimited golf and a "well-appointed" suite. We had no idea how nice it was going to be! The sunset was our view off the balcony of our room.

After a few hours on the ranch, as the wealth of our surroundings started to settle into every pore of my being, I began to wonder how much the face value was of everything we were getting... and the contrast between that amount and the amount we paid for the weekend.

For example, our room rate is normally $300/night, and we got 3 days and 2 nights there for $299. That special included unlimited golf, normally $150 per round, per person. And Shane played all three days.

On the last morning of our visit, when we had planned to golf together one more time before departing, we discovered Brasada was hosting a golf tournament, with a gunshot start on all 18 holes. When we explained that we were there for our anniversary and really wanted to play together, they let us sneak in. As we made our way up the the first tee, a nice lady representing one of the tournament sponsors gave us each an $80 gift card to a Bend area furniture store. Even when we explained we weren't part of the tournament she insisted we keep them! And on our way out of town we got a beautiful lamp for free!

I would like to take a moment to inform you all that I got an honest-to-goodness birdie on a par 4 hole at Brasada. No cheating, kicking the ball or retrying a shot. I hit a good drive, chipped up to the green and then a 10 foot putt.
I would also like to let you know that I am a terrible golfer and have no idea if I even explained my feat in the correct golf terminology. Thank you for understanding.

So, in summary, I figured that we paid about $450 for our weekend, including our room and some miscellaneous room service of creamy tomato soup and ceasar salad that I scarfed while in the bathtub and watching tv at the same time.

However, the face value of the room was $600 for the 2 nights. Face value for all the golf we played was... $700. We also got a very nice dinner for our anniversary, but I won't include that as it was a gift from my in-laws. Throw in the free $100 lamp we got on our way home and we got a fabulous $1400 weekend and new piece of furniture for $450! And it was a great weekend, the kind of thing we have never done before. I had so much fun and I think I have the best husband!

Happy Times

2009-05-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

I want you all to be the first to know that yesterday my brother in law Jonathan took this sweet girl Hannah out for a hike around a local lake and got down on one knee, pulled out a gorgeous cushion cut diamond solitaire and asked her to be my sister! AND SHE SAID YES!

I also want you to know that I am back to the blog world. I have been wishing for more of my friends to blog frequently. And the truth is, if I want to change the world, I have to start with me. Ha! So I'll be blogging more often and not chronologically either, so don't get upset when you see Easter pictures popping up soon.

Congratulations Jonny & Hannah! And yay for me getting another fabulous sister!

Luke & Lindsey

2009-05-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Aren't my brother and his girl cute? She's going to be my sister soon!

Happpy Birthday Joshy!

2009-04-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today, my sweet baby frog is two years old. Two years ago today at 8:15 am, my doctor cut into my abdomen to retrieve this much longed for son of mine. And as I was waiting for his appearance, smelling the cauterizing and trying desperately not to think of hectic operating room scenes from Grey's Anatomy, my anesthesiologist told me that in just a moment, my son would be born. Despite the numbing, I felt them pull him from my body, and then I took a deep breath (my first in months) and I saw him. My gorgeous ten pound baby boy.

He was long and strong and didn't look like anybody but himself. I fell in love. Again.

Now two years later, my son is still tall and strong and smart and handsome. And I still love him so much. I have favorite parts to nuzzle, like his fingers and his ears and oh, most especially, his cheeks. Lord have mercy, his cheeks.

Now he's starting to look like a blond version of his daddy and I am still head over heels for this monkey. He's already Elsa's best buddy and our very own ball player.

Happy birthday boy-son.

Squirrel Hunting

2009-04-22T22:23:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the squirrel/bird hunting genius of my dad, Elsa has herself a new form of entertainment. First you prop up a heavy box with a small stick tied to a rope. You pop some popcorn that you found in your cupboard that may have expired in 2005. You taste a few pieces, marvel at how good it is despite the expiration date, and lay a little trail down for the local gullible rodents and birds to follow.

Then you run the rope up your back steps, through the sliding glass door and into the willing hands of your 5 year old daughter. She will giggle with glee at every sighting of a squirrel or bird while the rope is in her hands. Trust me.

If/when an unsuspecting furry friend ventures under the box for a snack you pull on the rope and down comes the box! And then, my friends, you have a whole new set of problems on your hands.

I Want to Blog

2009-04-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I am sitting here at my computer, solving the world's problems. When I got all finished up with that, I realized I've got some of my own: I need to pay the bills, finish cleaning the house, change the light bulb in the laundry room, maybe clean the dirty clothes while I'm in there, water my seedlings, and read another chapter of Jane Eyre.

The list has been shortened a little because it's the end of the day and I've already cleaned part of the house, uploaded all the results to the gargantuan middle school track meet that we hosted yesterday, and rubbed my baby boy's cheeks. I have to do that last one every day. Also I am trying to catch up to my smarty pants dad who is reading through a long list of classic books. And also we are planning a kitchen garden this year and Elsa and I have so far started 2 types of tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli and onions from seeds. It is so much fun! I highly recommend it to anyone with $20, a window in a sunny spot, dirt and water.

I am telling you all of this so that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I love you and I truly do want to blog. I do. But I've been forced into a corner by my children, my track coaching job and my seedlings. And my husband. They need me too, you know.

Goodbye for now but not forever,
Jill
Wife
Mommy
Coach
Laundress
Gardener
Cook
Housekeeper
Soon to be insane...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

This morning Elsa told me she couldn't wait to go to satan. To which I replied, "WHAT?!?!?"

And she said, "Yes mommy. Stay...satan. To see Alicia."

To my very great relief, I think she means Stayton, the town of her birth. Also the town of her little buddy Alicia, whose parents are college friends of ours. Elsa said she can't wait to tell Alicia how pretty her orange hair is. Ah the sweet innocence of my five year old daughter. I love it.

Starbucks Follow-up

2009-03-12T12:20:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends, especially those who comment,
I was delighted to have you weigh-in on my heavy hot topic during these past few days. I love each one of you:

Dara: the rebel who says "we'll drink what we want, and the 42 pounds be darned!"
Crystal: the relieved tea drinker
Jenny: the Starbucks employee who disproves Jillian's mocha theory
Stefanie: the sage who offers up the wisdom of avoiding the pastries and ...
Jonathan: one of Starbucks' most regular customers, who doesn't eat enough to gain weight anyway.

And so friends, let us all continue to enjoy our yummy drinks in moderation and without guilt. And watch the Biggest Loser, even if Jillian does irritate the Tongans and give out faulty latte advice on occasion.

Starbucks, the Other Happiest Place on Earth

2009-03-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Ah, Starbucks. There are so many different things that I could say about this blessed place of foamy, creamy, yummy coffee drinks.

I think I'll start out by saying that I really resent all those mean people out there who are now referring to Starbucks as The Man, or The Establishment, or The Root of all Evil in Our Society. Starbucks grew and made big money because of the yummy, foamy coffee and the atmosphere they provide at their bazillion plus shops. And it doesn't bother me.

However, a sad fact has recently been brought to my attention by way of Jillian Michaels giving a trainer's tip during an episode of the Biggest Loser. She said that drinking a 12 oz. mocha/latte five times a week for a year is the equivalent of a weight gain of 42 pounds. Which leads me to wail and grind my teeth.

To set the record straight, I do NOT drink 5 latte's a week. But I want to.

I really want to.

P.S. I apologize to those of you that are bothered by the weird red symbol on the corner of my picture. I copied the picture off of a google image search. And beggars can't be choosers, ok?

Oscar Night

2009-03-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday night we got our fancy duds on and it was off to a black tie fundraiser Oscar party.

Please meet Hannah. And you remember my brother in law Jonathan, my husband Shane and I?

We mixed it up, just to throw people off a little bit. We are so crazy like that.

This picture is my favorite. Why does Jonathan look so uncomfortable? After all, we went to homecoming together my junior year in high school. He was a strapping 14 year old and when I picked him up his mom, my future mother in law, repeatedly assured us, herself and all bystanders that this was not a date. So if it wasn't a date and he has now held the proud position of my brother in law for almost 9 years now, why should he be so uncomfortable posing for a picture with me?

Blog Fog

2009-02-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think that a clever, or at least rhyming blog title is the key to success.

But the truth is that I'm in a fog and clueless as to what to write next. Posting a picture feels like too much work.

Plus I'm way behind. That makes me not want to keep going. How on earth can I document Valentine's Day, cute things my kiddos are up to, what I think about what I'm reading right now, and show you a picture of my new refrigerator in a timely enough fashion to get back to current?

I just don't know. I guess a rhyming title didn't do it for me after all.

I'm going to try to muster some strength. And energy. And then I'll try to start posting again.

Love, Jill

Free Breakfast

2009-02-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Dear World,

Today I am 29 years old. Why are people making comments about being old? If this is the case, then I'm afraid I'll have to be old almost my whole life.

I'm going to let you in on something: 29 isn't old. 29 is dandy.

Love, Jill

P.S. Did you know that in honor of my birthday all the Denny's across this country gave away free Grand Slam breakfasts from 6 am to 2 pm? It was very thoughtful of them. Too bad I didn't make it in.

Hawaii's Got Nothin on Us

2009-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
We are just writing to tell you that we love you and miss you since you've been gone for 1 1/2 days now to Hawaii. We think that you are very far away and probably enjoying some sunshine and sun. And we wonder why we didn't get to go. We like sunshine and sun too! Maybe next time?
We are missing you lots and calling your home number without permission from mommy to leave you lots of rambling messages. We love you!
Elsa and Joshy

Kidnapped and Loving it

2009-01-30T20:39:00.001-08:00

Yesterday evening my husband asked me out to dinner. But when we arrived at the Red Lion (which I thought a strange choice for a dinner date) he knocked on a hotel room door and out burst two of my buddies that don't even live around here! Donia and Rosie, henceforth known as the Most Fabulous Girlfriends, planned and executed the perfect birthday surprise for me. My husband was in on it too and really pulled it off well.

I am a very nosy and curious person by nature, making me difficult to surprise. But when door number 136 flew open at the Red Lion, I was so surprised that it was only by the force of will that I kept from breaking down into a very ugly cry face. Once my bewilderment was past, my sweet friends laid out a banquet fondue feast before us. Did I mention I love fondue?

When we had eaten every chocolate covered banana and salty cheese covered piece of bread that our stomachs could handle, I noticed that my friends had decorated the room, and had obviously put some time and effort into shopping for groceries, packing themselves and a tiny girl named Stella, arranging childcare for me and driving over a hundred miles just so that I would feel special for my birthday.

And you know what? It worked.

Milestone

2009-01-28T14:36:00.001-08:00

Hello comrades. Elsa has joined the ranks of children having the nerve to grow up. What am I supposed to do about this?
She's lost a tooth and it's so completely adorable. I was hoping for a lisp, but I suppose she'll have to lose an upper tooth or two for that, which I am discouraging, as it means more growing up.
Following this monumental event, I was required to answer some questions about the tooth fairy:
Can she fly?
Is she the size of a baby, like Joshy?
Is she clear? (I think she meant invisible.)
Is she watching us right now?

My question for you is what is a tooth fairy/mother supposed to do with a little baby tooth, once it is bought and paid for under the pillow? Do I paste it into the baby book? Drill a hole in it and wear it on a necklace? Please send help.

Weekend Away, Weaning Babies and a Movie Buddy

2009-01-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

Last weekend at long last, came the time to get away with my beautiful friends and cousins-in-law for our annual Christmas shopping trip. It may have happened a little after Christmas this year, due to the fact that sweet Ruby is just now making her way in this world apart from her mother's bosoms. Stefanie got herself all ready for each day of shopping like this:
Venti extra carmel Carmel Macchiato? CHECK!
Look fabulous? CHECK!
Pack the breast pump just in case? CHECK CHECK!

Oh boy did we have fun. This was only our 2nd year of NO KIDS AT ALL. Not even any pregnancies! As such, we slept in, talked and talked our way from one long uninterrupted conversation to the next and get this: we even saw a movie.

After much debate about which movie was early enough, good enough, and light hearted enough, we settled on Bride Wars, starring Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway and a semi-creepy, possibly drunk but definitely socially retarded man sitting in the row in front of us. Here's how it went:

Onscreen: Boy proposes to girl. Girl excitedly agrees and jumps into boy's arms.

Strange Man in front of us: "Oh baby."

Becca, Stef and me: Sidelong glances, whispers and wonderings. Is this guy for real?

Onscreen: Girl to fiance, "My hair is blue! We're getting married in a week and my hair is blue!" Fiance to girl, "I kinda like it, you're kinda like a sexy smurf. It's hot."

Strange Man: Loudly,"That is hot."

Becca, Stef and me: Giggling behind our hands.

Onscreen: Boy to girl, "How are you?" Girl replies, "I'm fine." Boy responds gently, "Fine isn't a feeling."

Strange Man: Pointing his finger at the screen, nods and agrees. "No, fine really isn't a feeling."

Becca, Stef and me: Elbowing eachother in the ribs. Giggling like seventh graders.

Onscreen: Father adoringly prepares to give away bride, a tender moment.

Strange Man: Crying, "Oh man, I'm CRYING. I'm so SENSITIVE."

Becca, Stef, and me: Laughing deep belly laughs until it hurts and we're crying. Making a scene, really. I pull my camera out of my purse and pretend to take a quick shot of Becca. Oops, the camera slipped!

Onscreen: Movie ends.

Becca, Stef and me: In a very loud, exaggerated manner, "That was HILARIOUS. That was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. I don't know when I've laughed so hard."

Strange man: Noticing our excitement, rolls his eyes, hitches up his belt and comments, to no one in particular, "Boy it is a woman's world in here!"

Heart of Darkness Brownies

2009-01-07T12:16:00.001-08:00

For those of you who laugh in the face of new year's dieting resolutions, this recipe is for you. I myself made it on New Year's Eve, that last gluttonous night of sin and calories. Whether you have turned a new leaf or not, this is a good dessert to add to your repertoire for parties and special occasions.

Heart of Darkness Brownies

1 1/2 sticks butter

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 generous cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 T pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or almonds (optional)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 1/2 full size Snickers candy bars, chopped into small chunks

1 1/2 mini marshmallows

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 12 cup cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in a small saucepan over med-low heat and stir until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into a bowl and stir in sugars, eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt and stir just until combined. Stir in cooled nuts, chocolate chips and candy bars.

3. Fill each cupcake cup halfway full with batter. Bake about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle each brownie with marshmallows. Return to oven about 2 minutes to toast mallows.

4. Make the caramel drizzle

Caramel Drizzle

3 oz (12-13 pieces) of caramel candies

1 T heavy cream

1/2 t. vanilla

pinch of salt

Instructions: Microwave caramel drizzle ingredients in a bowl on high for 60 seconds. Stir. Continue heating and stirring in 30 second increments until smooth.

Drizzle caramel on brownies and serve immediately. And sing glory hallelujah!

Christmas in Review

2009-01-03T22:27:00.000-08:00

Twas the night before Christmas and my dad got up at 5:30 in the morning to pick Luke up at the Portland airport through the frozen roads. Luke's flight was twice delayed and then after much anxiety about a lonely Christmas... it was back home to Oregon for our family Christmas. After a stop along the road to pick up Lindsey, they all made it home in time for a family dinner and gifts.

We'll call this Christmas #1: the Jackson Family Christmas. Highlights: Elsa got a rocking chair she loves and I got some beautiful plates from Williams-Sonoma.

Here are the love-birds. They are in love and smooch a lot. It's very cute.

Next it was on to Grandma Millie's for Christmas #2 with my mom's side of the family. We had a surprise visitor while we were there...

Despite his heavy workload, Santa found time to drop by for a quick visit with the kids. But when he found out there was a bride-to-be in the house, he made time to wrap her in a tight, Christmasy embrace...

Santa sure liked Lindsey. He just didn't seem to want to let go. The family got a good laugh out of the extended embrace...

Everyone thought Santa and Lindsey were cute and funny, except Luke. After a while, he looked like he thought Santa was trying to steal his action.

After Christmas Eve at my Grandma Millie's house, then Shane and Elsa went on to Christmas #3 at Great-Grandpa Dale's house. There are no pictures as evidence but I promise it's true. Joshy and I went home for a long winter's nap.

Shane and Elsa came home to bed later Christmas Eve and Shane carefully explained to Elsa that she could not get out of bed or Santa Claus would not come. Most nights lately Elsa has been getting up but not this night. In the morning we waited and waited for her to come wake us up and declare Christmas but she never came. When Josh finally woke up we peeked into her room on the way to get him. True to her promise (and fear of Santa not coming) Elsa was still in her room, but not asleep as we thought. She was rocking in her new rocking chair with a big smile on her face. "It's Christmas! Can I come out now?" she exclaimed.

Thus commenced Christmas #4: Our First Christmas Morning with Just Us and Our Children. My favorite Christmas to date. Santa brought Elsa a stuffed bunny just like she asked for and Joshy got a hoop and basketball.

After we enjoyed Our First Christmas Morning with Just Us and Our Children, then we travelled the 300 feet to Shane's parents' house for Christmas #5: The Riddle Family Christmas.

And yes, again with the Crazy Christmas Hair. It's a long and glorious tradition.

We had so much fun with all of our family and all of our Christmas time that we got to spend with them. Then on to New Year's at one of our favorite places. We like to call it Clear Lake.

We had lots of great family time and even some time for Joshy and his cousin Jack to get better acquainted. I really think that those jammies that I got last year at Baby Gap on clearance after Christmas is the best $4 I've ever spent.

One of the best parts about getting to vacation with family is growing closer to the people we love...

...and getting to know the wildlife on a more personal level.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if you are still reading this! I'm caught up!

Oh Yeah, the Ring

2008-12-30T15:17:00.000-08:00

I have put Christmas pictures on the backburner (0nce again) in favor of allowing you a glimpse at the biggest diamond I've ever seen on anyone's hand. The hands pictured belong to Luke, my newly engaged little brother, and Lindsey, his very excited new fiancee'. And the diamond, brace yourselves here, is just under 4 karats.

And because I like her so much, I'm not even jealous. I'm just happy we get her for family and that she'll be raising my neices and nephews and keeping my squirrely brother in line.

June is going to be so much fun. And did I mention that my children are the flower girl and ring bearer?

Catch Up Day

2008-12-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

Hello, stranger. It's been a while. And the reason it's been a while is that I completely forgot I even had a blog and with that blog an extreme responsibility to post mindless, useless anecdotes and pictures! I forgot. By the time I remembered that I had signed my life away to blogspot.com, it was too late. I had cinnamon rolls to bake, presents to wrap, and lots and lots of errands to run for other people. As my dear mother so sweetly reminded me, that is the benefit of having my own Christmas shopping done early!

And then later, when Christmas had come and gone and I had cleaned up the wrapping paper, integrated the new toys with the old and stacked an entire wall with the new shoes my husband received for Christmas (including a pair of Uggs!!!), well by then I was too worn out and exhausted to write. To be perfectly honest, the only things I have had the energy to do in the last week are play Blokus, my new favorite board game, build a fire to burn the leftover cedar clippings that decorated our house, and of course, bake and eat cookies.

(Side note: Family Circle printed cookie recipes from each of the THREE potential first ladies last summer: Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton. Last night I made Cindy McCain's Butterscotch Oatmeal cookies and they are so yummy! Just thought I'd share.)

So you see, I've been busy. But today is my catch up day, and I've already started laundry, paid bills and cleaned out the refridgerator. And now you are so caught up with everything that I don't think I'll need to post Christmas pictures! But maybe I will anyway, just for posterity. Tomorrow.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

2008-12-14T15:34:00.000-08:00

Greetings, folks. We are enjoying our winter wonderland here and thought we'd share some cute pictures. Elsa and Shane have been playing outside for a couple of hours so I thought I'd slip away from my cozy fire and get them to pose for some pictures before they came back inside. In the first picture Elsa made Shane lay down even though he was wearing jeans and not snow pants.

And in this one Shane told Elsa to pretend she was about to throw a snowball at him to make a funny picture. Her misunderstanding made it even better!

Jingle Run

2008-12-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hello there! I am back from my blogging hiatus. November used up all of my blogging juices and I am really still fresh out. But, we did something fun and it's always easy to post a blog about something fun.

Last Saturday, Shane and I, my dad, his mom and his brother Jonathan all participated in our hometown's 2nd annual Jingle Run. The Jingle Run is a fundraiser for our local food bank. The entrance cost was a generous donation to the food bank and I heard by the end of the day our group of 80 runners/walkers raised 400 dollars and filled an SUV to overflowing with food, just to help out our small town. I have to think that a contribution of that size would go a long way toward meeting needs.

Shane let Elsa shop with him for our donation and used it as a learning moment. She loved the idea of helping others, although Shane was a little embarassed when Elsa picked out the most down and out looking woman in the store and exclaimed, "we're buying food for people who don't HAVE any!"

The Jingle Run itself is a 10K for runners (like Shane) and a 7K for lazy bum walk/joggers (like me and my dad!) The road winds itself over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house. Literally. Not my grandmother, but somebody else's.

Shane finished strong along with a good friend of the family, Jon. He's been running since Shane was just a young pup.

Despite the fact that Shane carried himself along 2 extra miles, I came in about 12 minutes after him and then threw all common sense to the wind and had a picture taken with him even though I didn't have any makeup on! Why did I do that??

When we had come all the way over the river and through the woods, the above mentioned grandmother had her home open and welcome to us. All 80+ people crowded into their home and, like any good grandmother would, she had oodles of cinnamon rolls and sticky buns (what is the difference, really?) and gallons of hot chocolate and coffee.

But the highlight of the day, beyond getting to spend 55 minutes gabbing with my dad on the way there, was the fact that Shane was the first 10K finisher. He was awarded a can of Popeye Spinach (cause he's strong to the finish, get it?) and the extreme honor of winning a race.

Good job Shanie poo!

First Christmas Card

2008-11-30T21:13:00.001-08:00

When I challenged my readers to make my day and send me a Christmas card, my mom took me seriously and sent my first Christmas card of the season.

It works out well, because I already love her best anyway!

Family Photo Shoot

2008-11-29T20:50:00.000-08:00

We had a family photo shoot today. Here are two of my favorite shots of Shane and his little bro Dustin.

We shot a few pictures in regular clothes for a classic pose and most of us changed into our favorite western cowboy clothes. Don't they make a couple of cute cowboys?

Black Friday

2008-11-28T23:17:00.000-08:00

I did not elbow any fellow shoppers.
I did not shop in flannel pajamas.
I did not buy any electronics.
Or talking Elmo dolls.

I did not wait in too long lines.
I did not buy Santa themed lingerie.
For my mom.
Even though I wanted to.

I did drink two cups of coffee.
And shop for 7 hours without children.
I did find a few good deals.
And finished my Christmas shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T23:16:00.000-08:00

This was a Thanksgiving we'll never forget. My little brother Luke proposed to his girlfriend Lindsey! Now we get to look forward to a wedding this summer and a new sweet member of the family.

What a great day.

Parenting... and Vermin

2008-11-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

Have you ever ignored the fact that your 18 month old boy was playing in the pantry so that you could get some pre-Thanksgiving cooking done?

Have you ever thought to yourself that he probably can't hurt himself stacking cans and rearranging a few seldom used pantry items?

Have you ever regretted ignoring your 18 month old son playing in the pantry right after he dumped a whole package of angel hair pasta all over the floor?

I have.

Side note: I was walking between rooms this evening when I noticed my husband stalking what I assumed to be a large spider with a tennis shoe. He pulled back a piece of furniture and out scurried a field mouse, the current bane of my housewife existence. The worst part is that not only did he not "get" it (what was he going to do with a shoe anyway?) but I witnessed the little scumball run to a far corner of the room and escape through a heating vent. Apon closer inspection, the widest opening I found was less than half an inch wide. The stinking vermin are probably crawling into bed with us after we fall asleep. I just don't know how well I'm going to rest tonight.

I'm hoping a store with mouse poison is open tomorrow. I'm done with the one-at-a-time traps. I am officially waging war on the vermin of this area. I'm not here to feed them or provide them a warm place to sleep. I'm here to kill them, systematically, until they have been wiped from the face of the earth.

And then I will dance on their tiny graves, the little dirtbags.

It's Mom's Turn to be a Guest Blogger

2008-11-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

Hello February Jill fans. This is her mom blogging tonight and I've just realized how much my daughter must trust me! Their computer is down so she called me to be a guest blogger. At first I was a bit hesitant because it's hard to match her in wit, creativity and journalism abilities. But then I had this "aha" moment and realized I had an opportunity to say ANYTHING I want.

I could take a long time thinking and rethinking to come up with something clever - I have until midnight to post this, right? But I decided against that and to just go with what comes to mind.

First of all, I have to brag on Jill. One day last week I came home from work and the moment I walked in the door I knew something was different - and someone had been there. The house smelled GREAT - a very pleasant aroma that I couldn't put my finger on. I looked around noticing it was VERY tidy and I asked my husband what had been going on. He said Jill had called him and said, "Dad, I need a tiny little break from being a mommy and I love to clean. How about you watch the kids for a couple of hours and I'll come clean all of mom's floors." He was up for this on all counts. The top two being # 1 - he loves playing with Elsa and Joshy and #2 - he loves clean floors!

You have to realize I have a LARGE area of hardwood floors and she scrubbed every inch of it - including two linoleum bathrooms and the carpeted bedrooms. She put a small amount of orange oil in the water for the wood floors and ummmmmmmmmm - wonderful. There's a cleaning tip from Jill without even visiting flylady.com - for those of you who want to read cleaning testimonials and tips on being organized. Thank you sweetie.

I've been trying to have the "attitude of gratitude" this month, but to be thankful for my daughter is soooooooooo easy. I am amazed as I have watched her blossom into such an awesome woman. I am blessed when I watch her being a mom. Yes, my sweet grandbabies drive her nuts sometimes, but I love her commitment and that she chooses to be a stay at home mom and loves it. I'm amazed when I watch as she's disciplining that she not only communicates the action or attitude that needs to change, but she also lets them know she understands they are good kids.

I'm also thankful for Shane, who provides for them and understands the indescribable value of her years at home with the kids. What an investment for both of them! Love you too, Shane.

So, I just want to encourage you young moms out there who are investing and sacrificing right now to raise godly kids. There aren't very many kudos being handed out from the world. You have my respect and support and prayers. It's such a privilege - such a responsibility. And I can speak from experience that it will be something you'll never regret when you're a grandma like me (which is my favorite role in life). :)

I'd better quit because you moms probably have diapers to change, laundry to do, Slim in 6 workouts to complete, groceries that need to be put away..............oh, and great grandmas to call.

Happy Thanksgiving and if you don't have anywhere to go, please come to my house. Jill will give you directions - dinner at 3:30!

Lazy Blog Post

2008-11-24T20:57:00.001-08:00

It's November 24th. This is my 24th consecutive daily post. I'm tired. And so... I bring you a picture of why I watch Dancing With the Stars. I like watching the pros, especially the Houghs. I occasionally like one of the celebrities, but have you noticed that they aren't very good at dancing? I like watching the ones that know how...

And drifting off to a dreamy wonderland in which I have rhythm.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2008-11-23T23:26:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrated my Grandpa Harry's 95th birthday. He came into the party, did a little jig and told us he was so glad he was still alive and kicking! Even at 95, he still has a great sense of humor and is a lot of fun to be around. Above left to right is Shane, me, my brother Joey, my Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa and my brother Luke and his girlfriend Lindsey.

For the celebration, my aunt Merle wrote an awesome tribute to Grandpa, even telling some funny stories on him from when she, my dad and their four other siblings were all kids. People went around the room telling stories and toasting him, talking about how funny he is, how uncommonly happy he's always been and how he has given his family such a rich heritage in Jesus. It was beautiful.

One of my favorite parts of the night was sitting down with my Grandma and looking at photo albums of old pictures and having her point out who was who. One of the oldest books had lots of pictures of my Grandpa with LOTS of different girls. "Oh, that was one of his girlfriends," she said over and over again. But she ended up with the goods, not to mention the 60+ years of marriage. And they're still going.

Pre-Thanksgiving

2008-11-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

I'll keep this short since it's Saturday and I have fun plans.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Are you cooking/baking anything good? We're going to do the usual bouncing between my parents' and my in-laws' houses with big meals and lots of family at both.

I'm baking pumpkin rolls, making sweet pototatoes and green bean casserole, and making oodles of deviled eggs. It's going to be lots of fun! And then as soon as the last piece of pumpkin pie has been consumed... it's Christmas!

Let me know what your plans are. Are you staying in, hitting up the big family party, coming to my house?

Twilight Movie Review

2008-11-21T18:41:00.000-08:00

Greetings.

Here it is, almost 7 pm and I'm about ready to call it a night. Why? Because I was up until 3 am last night in a theatre watching Twilight's premiere with a couple hundred very excited Twilight fans. The theatre was sold out and had been for weeks for this showing and Stephenie Meyers' fans had some big hopes and expectations for the film adaptation of a much loved story.

So on to my review. I'll break it down by overall appeal, accuracy in following the written story and casting (a very important category.)

1. The appeal of the movie is immediate. Even knowing the exact nuances of each character and the storyline, the way the characters were introduced was fascinating and the plot twisted and turned perfectly. I absolutely loved the interpretation of the setting. In several cases, including Forks main street, Charlie's house and the biology room, the set was amazingly close to the picture conjured in my mind's eye. The makers of the movie were very careful with details.

2. More so than any book/movie combination that I've experienced, the movie followed the book carefully, paying close attention to minute details and even paying tribute to the original book cover. To all of the movie-goers great delight, the end made us all to expect a second, third and fourth movie to complete the series. Let's just hope they can hold on to all the same actors who played the extensive list of characters.

3. The most important task in the making of this movie was to get the casting just right. I am going to venture to say that a vast majority of the viewers of this movie first read the book and have a very sharp eye out for casting mistakes.

Overall, I give the casting for this movie a 9.9 out of 10 for casting. Most of the characters were identifiable to me as soon as they entered their first scene and before they spoke their first line.

Edward Cullen: Surprised me at how much I liked this actor as Edward. I was expecting to be let down but was pleasantly surprised. The shape of his mouth is naturally just a little bit vampirish and his switches between serious and playful humor were perfectly played.

Bella Swan: Absolutely spot on. This girl was pretty, but not in an obvious way, insecure looking, clumsy, pale and fragile. This one had to be done right on and it was.

Charlie Swan: The perfect backwoods cop and awkward father. Just the right amount of loving and protective.

Rosalie Cullen: Immediately recognizable as Rosalie. Perfect face and attitude.

Emmett Cullen: Also knew and loved him immediately. Can't wait to see more of his character in the future.

Alice Cullen: A tiny friendly pixie also very well cast. I thought they handled showing her special power very carefully and it turned out just right.

Jasper Cullen: Barely spoke but his eyes said it all. Also can't wait to see more of him.

Carlisle & Esme Cullen: I had the most trouble with these two. His makeup seemed really obvious and her face was far too recognizable from network tv shows. I thought the rest of the casting worked well because no one knew them from anything else.

Mike Newton: Perfectly cast. This guy was the almost handsome, almost jock that flirted a little too clumsily and had no idea what was really going on around him.

Jessica: Also well cast, although any number of Mean Girls alums could have pulled it off.

James: Well played, as soon as I adjusted to a different face than the James in my head.

Victoria: I really liked the girl cast for this character. She had long, wild reddish hair and a fierce look about her. One of the girls I watched the show with thought her hair should have been more red as it was described as looking like a flame in book two.

Jacob Black: Last but not least! This guy is right on the money. He's a handsome native NW Indian with black eyes, perfect skin and a friendly sense of humor. And just like in the book, this guy will make some fans choose Jacob every time.

Overall I absolutely loved it and can't wait to see it again. Next time I'll be able to dispense with the assessing of everything and just enjoy!

Twilight Mania

2008-11-20T12:05:00.001-08:00

You may remember last August, when I recommended that you read Twilight, the first in a four book series by Stephenie Meyer. I have to say, I was disappointed in the reaction that I got. May I once again say that these books are both fascinating and very clean. Nothing too sexy and no gore. They were written for teenagers and I have observed everyone from middle schoolers to middle aged mothers reading and enjoying them. So give it a try!

Tonight I'm going to see the premiere at midnight and I think it's going to be a lot of fun. The girls I'm going with are going to go stand in line at 8 o'clock to make sure we get good seats. Talk about dedication.

I'll let you know if the movie lives up to all the hype. They are billed as the next Harry Potter series so it might be tough. And I have to say that I pictured Edward as more Hayden Christiansen-esque, so we'll see. Hopefully I am not too tired tomorrow to post a blog and let you know how it all went. I'm tempted to take my camera to capture the craziness.

Christmas is Coming...

2008-11-19T19:49:00.000-08:00

Howdy.

I've got Christmas on the brain. But first: My dearie friend Erin and her lovely girls spent the night with us last night. My favorite story she told me was of an older lady admiring her girls at a church function. "Where did your girls come from?" asked the nice old lady. (Mallory and Olivia's dad is Korean.) Here's the best part. Erin replied, "Um... from my uterus? I was there for the whole thing."

Anyhoo, about Christmas. Erin and I have had a longstanding Christmas challenge between us that Christmas cards must be sent out each year with the following stipulations:

1. Christmas cards include a letter about our year.
2. Christmas cards must include a picture of our adorable children.
3. Christmas cards must be written, stuffed, addressed, stamped and sent by December 1st.

The best part of the challenge is that we always get it done and it is early enough that we always get a few more Christmas greetings in return than we might have otherwise. I should post a blog showing who I get Christmas cards from- it's always so random.

So here's my challenge to you this year and it's a big one. Are you ready?

Send me a Christmas card! I will proudly display any picture you send me of yourselves, your children or your pets. I will loudly boast of your friendship to all who will listen. I will love you more than the people who don't send me anything. That's a promise.

Sleepover Buddies

2008-11-18T23:25:00.000-08:00

November Sure is Long

2008-11-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

So is it just me or is November extra loooooooooong this year? Every day I think things are going well but there's always something lurking in the back of my mind and then right when I get the kids to bed and am ready to relax--Bam! It hits me. I must post a blog. I've committed, written in stone and signed with my blood that there will be a new blog each day of November.

So you see, there's no way out of it. Even if I have nothing creative or cute or stunningly clever to say. Even if I have big important company coming tomorrow and need to paint, mop, declutter and straighten. It simply does not matter. You, my dedicated reader(s?) are the priority.

Even if I would rather finish reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski or take a bubble bath or paint my toenails bubble gum pink or devise a shirt for my sister in law Jaimie that says Mrs. Edward Cullen (in honor of Twilight's premiere Thursday at midnight), or even if I wanted to get fresh with my husband, my course has been set, my destiny chosen. There are out there somewhere in the blogosphere between 1 and 4 people that are expecting a new post today and I. Will. Not. Disappoint. Them.

Even if I had 19 loads of ugly laundry to do tonight I would not forget you.

Even if I had a fistful of money and a free afternoon at the mall I would not forget you.

Even if I was chained upside down by my toes in a deep dark dungeon with no food or water or hope of escape, I would not forget you.

Ok, but with that one I wouldn't actually be able to post a blog. But I wouldn't forget you, for sure.

Happy Birthday Jack!

2008-11-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Jack! I congratulate you on a whole year of adorable existence!

Love, Auntie Jill

All I Want for Christmas...

2008-11-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

All I want for Christmas is anything from the Rooster Francais serving set from Williams-Sonoma. And they are pretty spendy. And, ok it's not all I want. But it's the pretty thing that I have spent the most time admiring and imagining on my table this year.

Isn't it just so purty?

Happy Anniversary

2008-11-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

Today is the wedding anniversary of my in-laws, Dale & Candi. I thought you might like to see how they clean up at Christmas. Dale has been wearing that tie for many years at Christmas. It was made for him by his daughter Crystal in Sunday school many moons ago. In fact, my brother Joey made my dad one just like it. They are timeless classics.

This picture is a flashback to 2004 when they had only one little grandbaby and she didn't have much hair yet.

Flash forward 4 years and now they have three sweet grandbabies: Elsa, Jack and Josh. I dare you to spend time with these two boy cousins and keep their names straight. It mostly comes out as Jash and Jock. But they sure are sweet!

Happy Anniversary Dale & Candi!

Answers

2008-11-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

When you were 18, where did you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years; now, where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years?

Alyssa, thanks for joining the fun. When I was 18, I didn’t have a stinking clue about what I wanted, other than to play volleyball and maybe catch the attention of a cute older guy from my hometown named Shane Riddle. It worked out well. As for 5 and 10 years from now, my plans include possibly having another adorable child, staying fit and sane. My mom always told me not to count my chickens before they hatch, if you know what I mean.

From the Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, Ph.D.Question #11 for the 11th day of the month:"You are given the power to kill people simply by thinking of their deaths and twice repeating the word "good-bye". People would die a natural death and no one would suspect you. Are there any situations in which you would use this power?"

Wow Mandy, that’s a doozy. I give you big ups for coming up with a creative source for your question, no matter how morbid. I am going to quote the book I’m reading right now to answer you. It’s from the prologue of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.
“ ‘Many have wished for this. But what you ask—if such a thing exists—then whoever possesses this is second only to God.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘God grants life and death, yes? Whoever calls another to God in an instant has half this power.’
‘No. We all have that power. Only the method is different.’
‘When the method looks like the true call of God, then it is something else,’ the herbalist said. ‘More than method. Such things should be brutal and obvious. It is why we live together in peace.’”
In other words, I would no sooner consider killing someone by secret wish than by violent force.

I want to know what your traditional holiday baking includes. I mean cookies and sweets, not the actual Christmas dinner. Are you a gingerbread house girl, or shortbread cookies with sprinkles?
Dara, I like to make cut-out gingerbread men and decorate them with icing and various sprinkles. The best recipe for this is from an elderly woman who is a long time friend of the family.
Alice Rhodes’ Gingerbread Boys
1 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 egg
1 cup molasses 2 T vinegar 5 cups flour
1 ½ t. baking soda ½ t. salt 1 T ginger
1 t. cinnamon 1 t. cloves

Mix up dough and chill for 3 hours. Roll out ¼ inch thick. Cut out and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

This isn't really a probing question, but what's your mailing address? I have something I want to send you.

Jeanea, you’re going to have to get this from Candi. I just can’t quite bring myself to post our address on my blog. Sorry, I’m scared of stalker/lurkers.

What is your favorite holiday memory? DO you have any traditions passed from your childhood?

Melissa, first of all, congrats on the news of your twins!
My favorite Christmas memories are making clam chowder from scratch with my mom and sitting around a decorated room with candles burning. I love Christmas.

What pair of jeans do you wear the most? Brand, style and color please.

Liz,
I most often wear my Citizens of Humanity Wimbledon Stretch #144 Ingrid Flare blue jeans. True confession: I just pulled them down and read the tag on the inside to give you that information. I don’t know what it means. However, I will tell you this: about 5 years ago, I got frustrated with never finding a pair of jeans long enough with a great fit (I’m 5’10”) and so I went out on a limb and bought a pair of expensive jeans. I don’t buy new jeans very often, but when I do, I buy a nice pair that I know I will wear often.

What is your #1 all time favorite movie?

My favorite movies are: Cinderella Man and Pride & Prejudice

What song was playing the last time you sang along, out loud?

Ok, you caught me on this one. I sing along with absolutely everything, even if I don’t know the song very well. I’ll just wait until the part I know comes on and then I’ll belt it out. I left my computer on your blog homepage and rocked out to your music the other day!

How do you achieve your perfect eyebrow shape, waxing or plucking?

I adore you for liking my eyebrows. I have them waxed.

Shane asked me...
Would you rather die by burning in a fire or drowning in the ocean?J/K. You don't have to answer that one...Where is your favorite vacation spot in the world and why? And if someone gave you $20,000 tomorrow and said you had to use in on travel/vacation where would you go and what would you do?

Shanie poo,
I would rather drown than burn, but I’d rather not dwell on it.
Also, if someone gave me a chunk of money tomorrow (Do you know something?) I would go to Hawaii and stay at the Moana in Honolulu and get spa treatments every afternoon, then I’d take a catamaran over to Maui and stay at Ka’anapali Shores. For a long time.

I Forgot

2008-11-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

My computer is reading 11:59, sorry I forgot to post today. I'll answer your questions in the morning....

Lack of Inspiration

2008-11-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

Alright folks, let's get down to business. I have no inspiration or topic for tonight's blog. It's the 11th day of this nablopomo (I am always tempted to add a mofo into that) nonsense and I'm out of quick ideas. Oh, I have stories to write, tons of pictures to download and even a very comprehensive Christmas list to share with you but those require actual effort. And time. And I will freely admit to you that I would prefer to sit in my cozy chair by a lamp and look through the new Nov/Dec issue of Cottage Living, a publication that I adore, despite it's left-leaning greenie statements. How politics and decorating cottages can be so closely linked, I have no idea.

So for tonight, you may ask me a question, which I will either answer honestly or mock, depending on my mood.

I realize a daily blog without many readers is not the ideal place for me to attempt this, but oh well. It was that or work to put together a suitably entertaining entry for tonight.

Love, Jill

Happy Cheeks

2008-11-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

The Best Cinnamon Rolls

2008-11-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hello there. This daily blogging thing is giving me a chance to share all of the good things of my life with you: pictures of my children, my political opinions, and best of all, this cinnamon roll recipe. I adapted it from the Pioneer Woman's website, so hopefully that mention of her relieves me of any recipe copyright obligations.

Anyhoo, the best part of this is that it makes about 6 or 7 aluminum tins of rolls, so with one afternoon of baking, you've got enough to make your husband, your in-laws and lots of your friends very happy.

Please don't be frightened of baking. I am a beginner baker and I was able to pull these off. That means you can do it too! Enjoy.

Tip: Read through this recipe before starting. There are lots of instructions that say things like, scald milk and leave to cool for 45 minutes. This isn't too labor intensive, but there are a few large pauses in the instructions.

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting

This makes about 7 round aluminum pans full of rolls to give away to friends.

Dough: Filling:
1 Quart whole milk 1 ½-2 cups melted butter
1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sugar
1 cup sugar Lots of cinnamon for sprinkling
2 packages active dry yeast
8 cups + 1 cup flour Extra butter for greasing pans
1 heaping t. baking powder
1 scant t. baking soda
1 heaping t. salt

1. Mix 1 quart of whole milk, 1 cup vegetable oil and 1 cup sugar in a big pan. Scald, which means heat just until boiling. Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 min to an hour.
2. Sprinkle in 2 packages active dry yeast. Let it sit for a minute or so.
3. Add 8 cups flour. Stir together and let it sit for at least an hour.
4. Add one more cup of flour and a heaping teaspoon of baking powder and then a scant teaspoon of baking soda, then a heaping teaspoon of salt. Stir.
5. Over well floured surface, roll out ½ the dough in a rectangular shape.
6. Drizzle with 1 ½ - 2 cups melted butter, one cup of sugar and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
7. Roll into a long log and pinch the seam.
8. Spread 1 T butter in each foil pan. Cut the rolls in one inch pieces and put in pans.
9. Let rolls sit and rise for 20-30 minutes, then bake at 400 until light golden brown, 15-18 minutes.

While rolls are baking, make the frosting!

Frosting:
1 bag powdered sugar
2 t. maple flavoring
½ c. milk
¼ c. melted butter
¼ c. brewed coffee
Generous pinch of salt

1. In mixing bowl add 1 bag powdered sugar, 2 t. maple flavoring, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup brewed coffee and a generous pinch of salt.
2. Mix well. It should be thick but pourable.
3. Generously drizzle frosting over rolls hot out of the oven.

Please make these soon, like today. You can thank me later, or better yet, bring me a plate of these cinnamon rolls to eat myself!

Flashback to Fall 2004

2008-11-08T23:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of Elsa in the fall of 2004 wearing what might possibly be my favorite item ever sold at Gymboree, the sweater dress from their Hide N Seek line. Have I told you before that I love Gymboree?

I love to shop their sales and clearance because if you shop carefully, you can buy high quality clothes for great prices. Not to mention the fact that you can resell them on ebay when you're done. Don't even get me started on that.

So here's my little tip of the day for any fellow Gymboree lovers out there. If you are looking for a particular item that you once saw at Gymboree, but don't know how to find it, you can go to Gymbohaven.com and it has listed the names and dates of all their lines since 2003, along with pictures and the official Gymboree names of each item. This information will help you locate the item on ebay and then you can buy it and be happy! Hey, I'm here to help.

Nighty night.

Socialism

2008-11-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have been called out to do my homework on socialism before I make statements about it or provide a forum for others to do so. Here is what I have found.

Socialism is defined as a formal economic system in which a majority group of society exerts considerable control over the nation's wealth and property in the pursuit of social justice. "Considerable control" may or may not entail public ownership, while "social justice" usually depends upon the whims of a bureaucratic elite. Generally speaking, a market-based economy is antithetical to socialist principles.

It is an exceedingly vague economic and social concept, perhaps best defined by Karl Marx as the transition between capitalism and communism. Because the majority of the nation's wealth is in the hands of a relatively small percentage of the population, the larger percentage of the population without the money votes to spread the wealth a little as they feel it is "unfair" for some to have more and some to have less. Never mind the fact that those with more probably worked hard their whole lives to obtain it. And also never mind that it's easier for the poor to vote for a candidate like Barack Obama, who will "redistribute wealth" (his words) than to work hard and make their own money.

And that is the problem with socialist ideals.The majority decides that it is easier to live off of others than to work and the workers are essentially expected to produce wealth for everyone's benefit except their own. Why would the employers and business owners of America continue to take risks when they have lost their incentive of a capitalist reward for all their hard work? A socialist society provides more motivation for our citizens NOT to work. And as more and more people buy into the plan, who provides jobs? Who pays taxes? Who keeps our country afloat?

The very sad answer is that there will be no one.

That is Barack Obama's "Change you can believe in."

Happy Birthday Luke!

2008-11-06T23:27:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Lukie! The big 2-7 looks good on you! You might be big but you'll always be my little brother.

Love, Jill

My Foray into Selling on Ebay

2008-11-05T22:39:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, I decided that I was going to make myself independently wealthy by selling our old clothes on ebay. It's so easy, I thought. People send me money, I send them our old stuff. I needed to get my in-home used clothing business all set up. I was ambitious, and had at least 20 items to sell and I needed a good way to package them.

I'm not the type to keep odd boxes sitting around the house as I am adverse to unnecessary clutter (most of my clutter is very necessary) so before I could start selling, I needed to come up with some boxes. I remembered that a friend had told me I could get free boxes from the US Post Office online, so I logged on to check it out. Sure enough, if you are willing to pay for priority shipping, USPS is willing to give you free boxes. I found a good medium sized box and ordered 25 of them, thinking they would see my ebay items to their new homes with a few left over.

It was all so convenient. USPS didn't even charge me shipping. Free boxes, free shipping. What a deal. I ordered the boxes and forgot all about it.

About 10 business days later, I got a knock at the door. A woman I recognized as the local postmaster was at my front step delivering my package of 25 priority boxes. I sincerely appreciated that she had gone out of her way to bring these to me, even if it was a bit unnecessary. I mean, she could have just left the package at my door and gone back to her duties at the post office. I could have discovered it on my own. But instead she handed me the package and said with a smile, "Just a minute, I'll get the others out of my car."

The others?
My heart dropped. Two by two, the nice post lady brought me boxes and boxes... of boxes. Each box she handed me had 25 priority shipping boxes inside. When I counted 14 boxes of boxes that had been hauled out of her car and handed to me at my doorstep, I began to panic. But did the panic bring about honesty? Not even close.

I found myself acting like I expected all of these boxes and that I intended to use them for productive, completely legal shipping purposes. By the time the head postmaster from my local post office had slogged up and down my driveway in the rain eight or nine times and delivered a total of 17 boxes of boxes to me, I could barely look her in the eye. I just couldn't tell her to take them back, not after all of her kind effort. So I took them into the house, stacked them up, and attempted to act normal.

I figured I would find a good home for them later, when she wasn't watching. I was thinking about how to dispose of these in a timely manner, that is after the post lady left but most definitely before my husband got home from work, when she handed me the last box of boxes and uttered these words, "I couldn't fit your entire order into the back of my car, so Laura will be here soon with the rest of them."

In utter shock at the idiot I was, I stuttered a goodbye and then faced all those wretched boxes in my living room. But I didn't have time to ponder long because Laura, another employee at my local post office showed up and delivered another 8 boxes, each containing 25 priority shipping boxes.

All in all I had ordered, completely free of charge, six hundred and twenty five priority shipping boxes from the United States Post Office. They stacked from floor to ceiling in one corner of my living room. At that point, I knew four things for certain:

1. I needed something really good to tell Shane when he got home from work.
2. I might use about 32 of these boxes in the next year.
3. Using my local post office for service of any kind was completely out of the question.
4. I had not yet in my lifetime paid enough in taxes to fund the production of this much cardboard.

My penchant for lack of clutter was out the window. An entire corner of my living room was full of boxes. The pile was bigger and taller than any member of the family or piece of furniture in the house. How was I to deal with it all?

I did what any self respecting woman would do. I cried to my husband when he got home from work and I posted them on Craigslist for free and got those wretched things out of my house as quickly as possible. I avoided the local post office at all cost for six or seven months. And I only kept one box for my originally intended ebay sales. Now, two years later, I think I still have three or four of them left over.