Something New

Okay, so I'm taking Lucky Candice's advice, and posting about something new. I am going to apologize in advance that it's still not very deep, BUT at least it's something new.

First, I wanted to post a YUMMY, easy recipe that is on our menu weekly:

Newman's Casserole:

1 lb. ground beef

Whole Wheat Pasta

Bag of Frozen Broccoli

Spaghetti Sauce (we use Prego Traditional)

Grated Cheese (we use mild cheddar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown hamburger. While it's browning, boil water in two separate pots for the broccoli and pasta. Drain grease from burger and pour a little spaghetti sauce in there and let simmer for a minute or two. Drain pasta and broccoli; make sure the water is gone or it will make it runny. Put hamburger on the bottom of the casserole dish. Then layer the broccoli and pasta (mixed together). Pour more sauce on top of that (a lot!) and then cover with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Second, I have some advice that was passed on to me by my cousin Nan who has six young kids: Do one load of laundry every day and fold it and put it away each day. Then it never is overwhelming. I know that seems simple, but I am a schedule girl:

Sunday: coupons and grocery list

Monday: floors; wash all towels

Tuesday: grocery shop

Wednesday: Major cleaning of one section of the house (on a rotation)

Thursday: wash all bedding

Well, I used to only do laundry on Mondays and Thursdays (when I do the towels and bedding). That left me with a mountain of laundry that I dumped on my bed and folded and put away for hours once the kids were in bed. Now I still have a little more on Mondays and Thursdays, but doing one load a day is NO big deal and it has made my life easier.

Let me know if you have advice! And, let me know if you try my recipe!

Okay, that's it!

Girl Stuff

I always wanted to have boys. I have no idea why...I was a girly-girl growing up. I loved my Barbie dolls until I was fifteen. I loved playing jump rope, dolls (of all kinds), dressing up, every genre of dance, etc. My dad tried to toughen us up. I took golf and tennis lessons. He coached soccer and softball, just so I'd play. The problem was...I had already danced for six years before I tried sports, and I wasn't very good.

(My Girly-Girls)

Fast forward to high school...I was still a girly girl. Dance ruled my life, but I was an OUTDOORSY girl. I still wasn't that great at sports, but I was the official family lawn girl and then I found mountain biking, camping, hiking and white-water river rafting...and I was hooked. I am sure I was the only Dixie Rebelette that spent the weekends biking "the loop" with all the dorm boys and pursuing a degree in secondary teaching, but dreaming of giving it all up to be a river guide on the Snake. (Guess what? I still do.)

(These are photos from the High School Musical 2 Party that I had...yet, another "girl thing" THAT I LOVED!)

Anyway, I digress... I wanted BOYS. When Amelia came along, I was so happy to have my long-awaited baby, that I didn't care that she was a girl. Then, I got pregnant again, and I wanted A BOY! And then my sweet Mikayla came along. Well, I just knew that they would be athletic and tomboyish and would NEVER dance or heaven forbid, become a cheerleader. Well, it didn't happen. Now, my girls love camping, getting dirty, and just tonight Amelia picked a roach out of the gutter just to hold it, but they LOVE everything else girl...dress ups, make up, fashion, dance, and yes, cheerleading. Sigh...what's a mother to do?

But, I have a secret to tell...I love being a mom to girls. I love it all. I get exasperated by it all, but man, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll take it all...the make up that has permanently stained the playroom carpet, the whining and crying, the fashion problems we have each morning, and the fact that my daughters would rather be cheering than playing. I love it...because I love them.

Kindergarten!

My baby started kindergarten yesterday. Seriously, how in the world can a mom be expected to thrust her child into the classroom of a stranger and leave her for EIGHT HOURS, five days a week and just trust that she's in good hands and that she'll be okay? It about gives me a nervous breakdown, seriously. Does this mean the time has finally come that others will have more influence on her than I do?

Okay, so she was excited, and Dave and I both walked her into her classroom and she ran ahead of us and sat down before we got to the door. She wouldn't hold my hand and she was all smiles, so I guess that means she's happy. But after school she was exhausted. She didn't talk a whole lot and just told me that they took away the folders Aunt Chellie gave her and that the kids kept stepping on her shoes. But then she told me she had a great day.

While she was gone, Mikayla got some one-on-one time with Mom that she desperately needed and the girls got a break from each other. I got so much done around the house and still had a BLAST with Mikayla. Here she is helping me peel potatoes for dinner.

I checked Amelia's schedule on the fridge at least every fifteen minutes, just to see what she was doing. I missed her like crazy! BUT, from the second she got home, I had nothing to do, except for hold her, love her and go into the playroom and tickle her back and watch the movie with her.

I know she'll do great. I know the kids will love her as much as her preschool friends did. I know the teachers will see what a good girl she is, but for now I'm sending her off to the unknown, and I'm not sure she's too happy about it, or me either.

I Love Josh!

I'm sad today. I'm sad and happy and proud and excited and scared and everything else. Joshy is leaving on his mission TOMORROW...well, to the MTC. I just want to be there to say good bye. I miss him already. It's funny because we live clear across the country right now, but it's different. I know he'll be gone for two years. Today Amelia called him and left a message and said, "Joshy, when you get back I'll be eight and we're all going to go on a Disney Cruise!" The thought of her being eight before I see him again made me want to cry.

Anyway, he is such a great kid. He just turned nineteen three days ago. He is mature, talented and good-hearted, and will be an amazing missionary. I love you Joshy.

And to end my rambling of mixed emotions, I have to tell you a funny Joshy story: When Josh was about seven, Dave and I were "babysitting" the rugrats: D and Joshy. We weren't even married yet and Dave seemed to forget that little Josh was the little brother of three GIRLS, and had maybe not experienced the big brother type games. He introduced "Hot Box" (a made-up game that just allowed the Marsh boys to pummel each other without getting in too much trouble). He then proceded to give Joshy a bloody nose just minutes into the game. After instructing both of them to not say a word to our mom and dad, we got the blood stopped and the mess cleaned up. As soon as Mom and Dad walked in, Josh screamed, "You'll never guess what happened to me!!!!"

Another of my favorite Joshy stories is the time that Josh was probably about ten and we decided to take D and Josh to a Drive-in movie. Well, after traumatizing the children by putting them in a Geo (they were only used to big cars and were scared to death), we introduced them to the fact that Chaun and Dave are cheap....I mean, frugal. Before entering the movie, we made the kids lay down on the floor of the backseat and covered them with sleeping bags and got them into the movie free. How dishonest was that? At the time, we were just trying to save money. Anyway, we treated them to a fabulous movie night, but when we got home all Joshy could tell is how we sneaked him into the movie.

That's my brother: true, honest, and good. I love you Joshy!

I wish I could have posted a picture from our last trip, but I hate Kodak Easy Share....all of my photos have been transfered on to that, and I can't post them on my blog.

Eleven Years

Happy anniversary to the man that I love more than anything in the world! I've already done some mushy-gushy blogs about Dave, so here are eleven little-known facts to commemorate our eleven years together:

1. Dave and I met in 1993 and weren't married until 1996. Dave, as always, is methodical and thorough in making all of life's major decisions.

2. The dress that I wore to the temple my first time is the same dress that Napoleon Dynamite's date wears to the prom. It was also my bridesmaid dresses but in green. I'm so proud.

3. We spent the first three years of our marriage WITHOUT the following: a washer, a dryer, a toaster, a dishwasher, an electric can opener, a microwave, and more.

4. I've been given flowers approximately fifteen times in eleven years. But what he lacks in frivolous gift giving, he makes up for in other romantic ways. Just this morning I said, "Happy Anniversary!" And he replied, "Peace out, Bay-buh!"

5. I out-eat my husband at each and every meal and finish about three times faster.

6. I have out-weighed my husband by at least 50 pounds during two glorious times in our eleven years.

7. Sometimes Dave makes me laugh so hard that I pee. And sometimes I get so mad at him for making me laugh that I yell at him, which is a dumb thing to do when it's just funny.

8. Dave thinks he dances like John Travolta and isn't afraid to show people. I love to dance with him --no inhibitions! I just have a hard time not leading...and offering advice.

9. Dave has no idea just how good (and smart) he really is: at work, as a husband, as a father, as a brother and son, as a friend, and that's what makes him so endearing to everyone.

10. Dave can play songs using gross bodily functions...and they are loud, like a tuba. The girls think it's cool too, so I hope that a family orchestra isn't started some day.

11. I live every day knowing that I married the man who completes me. He understands me, loves me and puts up with me. He is MY everything.

An Embarrassing (Gulp!) Moment

It was a beautiful Spring day in 2003. I had been roaming the suburbs of Atlanta for two days with a realtor and a newborn baby. I had exactly one weekend to find a house. After stopping to nurse for the thousandth time and leaving yet another house that didn't make the cut, we saw a sign that read: HAMPTON: A Golf Community. It was a Saturday, and this time Dave was with me. It wasn't on our list, but we decided to stop. And there it was: MY HOUSE!

The list goes on and on about why it was my house, but of the little pluses was these "privacy windows" that the realtor kept gloating about. In my head it meant strutting around in my birthday suit, looking out on my neighbors and the golfers and them not seeing a thing.

So for the next two months, that's exactly what I did. I would get out of the shower and wrap my hair in a towel and go right over to the bathmat in front of the bath and dry off, put on lotion, and yes, sometimes even pump (oh, I don't miss those breastfeeding days). I would brush my teeth, put in my contacts, and look down at the neighbors and the golfers and do my thing upstairs. What was even more awesome was when it was darker outside than in, the windows turned to mirrors and I would strike poses in the glass, admiring my post-pregnancy body and the 70 pounds that went with it. (Okay, I had probably lost some of it by then, but I was still hefty.)

Fast forward about two months: Chelie and Michael came to visit and we didn't have the guest bathroom ready to go. I told them they were welcome to use our bathroom and then told them the "luxury" we had of having "privacy windows." Chelie gasped and said, "I will not get naked in there without window treatments!" I finally agreed to check it out for her so that she wouldn't be afraid. I sat outside and she ran upstairs. She flicked on the light and TA DAH! There was Chel, in full spotlight standing in the window.

It turns out that "privacy windows" mean nothing. When the light source is brighter outside than in, the mirror-effect is seen outside (like an office building). When the light source is darker outside, it has the opposite effect, it actually spotlights the inside. Because I had a newborn and a just turned two year old and a husband who had moved us across the country and was working hard, about the only time I could get a shower was around eight or nine at night...when all the neighbors were having cookouts or golfers were finishing up their round (we live on the 15th hole). So, to make a long story short, I had shown off about everything to those poor innocent people below....for two months straight.

Fast forward two years: I finally asked the girl two houses down that became a great friend how much she saw of me those first two months and she stuttered, "Um, we just saw you brush your teeth." Ya, right...and even if that were true, I always brush my teeth naked. I realized then that she was so traumatized that she doesn't even dare tell me now! Also, the single (hot) guy next door planted trees on the property line. I found out later that he brought over another neighbor and said, "See those windows up there? Those are the neighbor's bathroom windows. What kind of trees grow super tall in a short amount of time?" Sure enough, we have three trees on the property line that are already eight feet tall.

Okay, there's my story, and the moral is: Never get naked in a window, period.

The outside view, notice the "mirror effect" on the outside.

The inside view, with the addition of TWO sets of window treatments.

Happy

I need to count my blessings today:

My kids have Princess Camp for three hours today, which will let me get all of the house stuff done so I can devote the rest of the day to them!

I got up out of bed even though I didn't want to to go to the gym this morning. (I'm trying to shed the 10 POUNDS I put on in Utah and Dallas.)

I haven't had to cook in two nights thanks to the neighbor who brought dinner to thank us for watching her dog and because Moe's has Kids Eat Free on Tuesday nights.

It didn't rain yesterday.

I'm caught up on everything.

I have tickets to Def Leppard.

I have plans with friends this week that I haven't been able to see a whole lot this summer.

Even though we only have three weeks left of summer, I feel that Amelia is totally ready to go to Kindergarten, and we've had a lot of fun!

Mikayla is in a new school and I'M NOT WORKING ANYMORE...I can no longer be called the part time job queen.

Okay, I need to shower before the kids wake up. That felt good!

Amelia is SIX!

Happy Birthday Amelia!

(Here she is modeling the new outfit from Aunt Chellie!)

I can't believe my little girl is six. These are some of the reasons why I love Amelia:

• When she is completely happy she has this face where she opens her mouth (almost like she's laughing, but with no sound) and closes her eyes, and you just feel the joy!



• She knows what she wants and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. (Just ask her preschool teachers regarding her wardrobe choice.)

• She is a peacemaker. I think after dealing with her little sister she can have any career in negotiating or sales.

• She is sensitive. She is concerned about all of her friends and looks out for them all. The kids gravitate toward Amelia, and I know this is why.
She is a mess! She loves to get dirty from head to toe. She loves worms, bugs (especially lightning bugs) and frogs.

• She is creative. She always pulls out stuff and is starting some new project!


She is a leader. She lines up all the neighbor kids and teaches them cheers. She also is the game organizer!

She is a tomboy, but also a fashionista. She loves to hang with the boys, but will come right in again and put make up on and play dolls.
She is persistent. She learned how to tie her shoes, swim and ride a bike within the same couple of months and never looked back!
She is loving. She shows so much love to her family that I can never stay mad at her, or really even get mad at her.

We are celebrating her big day by having a Build-a-Bear party and then dinner wherever she would like (I'm sure Benihana!) She is wearing the new outfit Aunt Chell gave her and Dave took the day off to hang out!

A Storm

I have two tornadoes that hit my house spinning each day. I have tried all the tricks. I've taught them to pull out one thing at a time and then put it away. I've helped them make cleaning up a game. I've taught them clean up songs. I have every group of toys organized in baskets to make for easy clean up. I've threatened to throw away toys, not buy any more toys, to put toys in time-out and to lock the playroom door. HOWEVER, this is what the playroom looks like at the end of the day. (Actually, this mess happened in about an hour with the help of two other little girls.)

And as if that weren't enough...I guess because the playroom was so messy, they decided to drag toys into "Nana's room" to make a "slide."

When I was in Utah and at Dave's parents' house, I looked around at how CLEAN everything was. And then guess what I remembered? There are no kids at home anymore. I know there will come a day that I will have all the time in the world to clean and organize, so a part of me wants to just let it go. I will eventually get it cleaned up...it might be fourteen years from now, but I will get it cleaned up.

Tagged!

Okay, I think I've done a version of this before, but I was tagged, and I love to play along!

Job's I've Had:

1. MOMMY-- the most challenging, but the most rewarding!

2. TEACHER --8th grade English Teacher, 9th grade Drama Teacher, 7th grade English Teacher, K-7th P.E. Teacher, K-7th Drama Teacher, 3 year old Preschool Teacher, 9-12th Grade English Teacher

3. WAITRESS --Golden Corral, Marie Callenders, Market Street Broiler

4. PBX Operator --University Hotel and Suites (worst job ever)

My job as a mom: 4th of July Babies!

Movies I watch Over and Over: (I never watch too many movies a second time, but these are ones that I have:)

1. Shallow Hal

2. Something about Mary

3. Napoleon Dynamite

4. Princess Diaries (the girls love it, and I can stand it!)

Places I have lived:

1. St. George, Utah

2. Logan, Utah

3. Salt Lake City, Utah

4. Georgia

Georgia Mountains Camping Trip: Where else can you dance with panties on your head?

Places I Want to Visit:

1. Argentina

2. Spain

3. Cabo (again)

4. Italy

Places I have visited:

1. DisneyWorld

2. Hawaii

3. Mexico

4. California

T.V. Shows I watch:

1. American Idol

2. So You Think You Can Dance

3. Lost

4. America's Next Top Model

Favorite Places to Eat:

1. Rice

2. Benihana (or any Hibachi grill)

3. Camping food (Everything tastes better in the woods!)

4. Taco Time (Don't take it for granted my Utah friends)

Our weekend trip, and yes, we had AWESOME camping food!

Websites I Visit:

1. ALL of my friend's and family's blogs

2. Bank of America

3. Hotmail

4. Old Navy

I Tag:

1. Whoever wants to play!

Utah Highlights Week Two

On Tuesday we got to spend time with Wade and Shirley before they went to New York and we drove them to the airport. It is so hard not living by grandparents!

On Wednesday we started the day with a fabulous cousin party at Nan's house. There were six cousins (including me) and 19 kids! The kids ran and played and had so much fun and the moms laughed and told embarrassing stories (I will post mine, I can't believe I haven't yet). It was just like old times when we were young and all running around together in Panguitch!

In the evening we went to my parents' house for dinner and a swim. I got to see more cousins (John and Jim) and just hang out. It makes me realize once again how much I miss being able to hang out with family!

On Thursday Josh and Abby took us to the zoo. The while alligator was awesome and we had a great time! I can't believe I won't see Josh for over two years!

That night I met Dave's friends (well, after 14 years, they are my friends too---I actually love these guys) for dinner.

Friday I met Martha, my dear teacher friend from FJH my first four years of teaching. We taught right next to each other and both taught 8th grade English. We loved to collaborate on things and I also love to just talk to her. She has two grandkids that she takes care of, so she brought the girl my girls' age, and it was fun!

Saturday we got to take a trip to Sam's Club with Granddad to buy snorkels and then spent the entire day swimming with D and Eric and Joshy. Amelia is swimming the entire length of the pool and back! Mikayla wants her floaties off, but she still needs a lot of help. They also made really cool crafts with Nana. Later we went to D's neighbor's house for a BBQ (See, I didn't forget Utah Lingo).

Monday I headed to Lucky Candice's new house, which is spectacular. It was great to see her. We figured out today that we have been friends since 1996 in U of U married student housing and then ended up neighbors in WX...crazy!

BTW, Amelia took this photo, and I'm not sure why it's blurry. I am also not sure why I seem so tall...the picture of Martha and me is funny too....oh well!

I cannot wait to see my dear husband tomorrow, but I've loved every minute here in Utah.

Utah Highlights Week One, One More to Go!

Okay, it is so fun to hang out in the pool! It is relaxing and keeps the kids so entertained. I also have forgotten how nice it is to have family around and have some help with the kids. Mom is so sweet to the girls and is definitely the only one who will indulge them in a nighttime hot tub swim! She is also the best at playing Barbies and kitchen. It is so foreign to me to have a break in the day where someone else is watching and playing with the kids and I can take a nap (gasp!) or read a book (Ahhhhh!). I am totally taking advantage of it!

This photo kind of got in the wrong spot, and I can't seem to move it, but this was one of the prized times we had with Shirley. They left for New York today, so we tried to spend a lot of time with them before we had to go. She is the sweetest grandma in the world!

We had so much fun driving down to Red Canyon to see my grandparents. We went to Ruby's Inn in Bryce Canyon for Father's Day dinner and stayed in Panguitch. The next day we spent the entire day at the store. The girls loved seeing their Great-Grandparents, and I loved seeing them too, and of course, SHOPPING! On the way home, Mom took the long way through all the tiny Utah towns and we ate at "Mom's Cafe" in a no-stoplight town where Mom used to eat when they would drive home from Provo. It was seriously so much fun!
I miss my Little D so much. D and Amelia will never lose that bond. Eric tortured the kids and D made up for it by letting them do a fabulous makeover and having a sleepover! D, Joshy and I also played cards and talked and laughed, and I was the camp-champ!


Josh was on his senior trip when we first got here, so we picked him up at the airport on Saturday and then HE READ HIS MISSION CALL. It was seriously too cool for words. He will be serving in Sacramento, CA and leaves on August 8 (other little sis's birthday). It was so fun to watch him open his call. Also as a side note, I can't believe he bought the little girls bracelets in Mexico while on his trip. That was seriously so cute. Josh and I also went out to lunch and for ice cream today and had great talks. I love his friend Abby and the girls do too, they even picked her out a necklace at the store, and came home to new Barbie clothes from Josh and Abby!


Okay, look very carefully in the "empty" red chair. Do you see it? It is a dead fish in a bag...

And here is the prized catch...."Goldie." Mikayla would not get rid of it. She carried it from the lake with Grandpa to Nana's house, where Granddad put it in a baggy with water. The next thing I know, they are planning a birthday party for him and wanting to keep it forever....gross.

And here is Grandpa! He was so fun fishing with the girls. We went up to Silver Lake and hiked and had a wonderful picnic and then went fishing. It was really the girls' first time and I can't believe Mikayla caught one!

Grandma Marsh and I walked with the girls around the entire lake. We saw a moose, a mom duck with 8 babies that she almost had separated by a bridge and SNOW! It was one of the best days I've had in a long time.

We had a wonderful lunch with Wade and Shirley (actually a couple of those)! We did lots of yard work today in the front of Nana's house today. Amelia might be the best 5-year-old-yard- girl around. We went to D and Eric's house, we drove by our old WX house, and more.

I also have to mention that Cherry Hill with the cousins was fabulous, but I don't have photos. We are also having a big cousin bash tomorrow at Nan's and then continuing in the evening here at my parents' pool.

We've had action-packed days every day, but these are just the highlights of the first week...so much more to come!