snippets

Just a few of the things happening around here lately:

I had a bunch of blood drawn last week so my doctor could check all sorts of things. She called to say that everything looks good except I am vitamin D deficient. I was surprised because I take a D3 supplement (1000 IU). She wants me to take 4000 IU daily! Wow.

I went to the little farmer's market at BYU with Emily last week. It was tiny, but had some great produce. I bought tomatoes, peaches, and lime mint (it smells so divine). Lots of all three things, and only $9! I'm so glad Em is back at BYU (and with a car, to boot!).

This is Eva's excitement over buying school lunch for the first time on pizza day.

And this is her excitement over riding the bus home with a friend after school. Riding the bus is only that exciting when you don't have to do it day after day! (Personally, I rode the bus straight through to my senior year and hated it.)

I went to the temple this week and was pleased to feel the all-encompassing peace that prevails there. It is such a good feeling to step away from the world for a little while and just be utterly at peace. It feels so right.

I stopped to admire the zinnias on my way out and saw that they are underplanted with parsley! I never would have thought of that. (Is it a bug-repellent? Jane?)

I went to Costco yesterday to stock up. I haven't done that properly for about 2 months or so. I knew it was going to be expensive, but it was shockingly so. I'll send some good mail to the person who comes closest to guessing my total!

I got an email from the library saying that I had an overdue book–so overdue, in fact, that an additional $5 in fines had accrued and it was going to collections if I didn't turn it back in ASAP! I looked around Eva's room and found this. (It costs $4.99 new, by the way.) Good grief.

Ballet has started up again and Eva is thrilled about wearing all of the new dance clothes that Grandma Susan brought! Sure I'm biased, but I think she's the cutest girl at the studio.

In addition, I have:

• gone out to lunch with one of my friends that I visit teach
• exercised almost every day!
  
• signed up to be a room mom for Eva's class
• contemplated going to the daytime Institute class
• done some leisurely reading
• mowed the lawn
• cleaned the burner drip pans with a method I found out about on Pinterest (put in Ziploc bags with a little ammonia and leave outside overnight)
• made homemade Oxi-Clean (also on Pinterest)
• sorted through the horrid basket/stacks of books, magazines and knitting paraphernalia by our couch
• done some organizing in my studio (namely fabric)
• done some returns (always something I procrastinate)
• paid the bills
• watched 5 episodes of Luther on Netflix

Life is good.

Jessie's visit

I've let too much time elapse since Jessie's visit, and I have too much blogging to catch up on. I can't face multiple posts, so I've elected to post my favorite photos, all in one!

3 girls in a tub. Crowded chaos, shrieks of delight that can quickly become whines or protests: it's pretty much the way the whole 12 days went. As Grandma used to say when the children were babies, "Happy turned sad!" Things can turn on a dime.

We started out with all 3 girls sleeping in Eva's room. She was delighted. And then, she wasn't. She hurt Bella's feelings, and Bella wanted to sleep in my room. Suddenly, everyone was in agreement that Bella and Fiona should sleep in my room with me and Jessie.

I've learned not to be surprised by these turns of events (especially when Eva is involved). You just never know how it's going to go, so I'm getting better at going with the flow.

As previously reported, we braved the dinosaur museum during Spring break. Enough said.

I love Fiona's expression.

We went to a quilt shop in American Fork I had never been to before. Danger, danger! I wanted so many things. I'm sure I will be back.

Jessie talked Emily into cutting her hair! (She had had it cut shortly before her arrival, but wanted some changes.) I have never, ever cut anyone's hair, and was too terrified to oblige. It looks cute!

Jessie also cut Fiona's hair one morning. Fiona wasn't even particularly cooperative, and it turned out darling! It made me wonder if I could cut Lucas's hair. Marc put the kibosh on that idea.

We were able to sneak away to the temple one afternoon. We haven't been to the temple together other than Jessie's sealing! We did sealings, and it was a very sweet experience.

temple SP

We enjoyed a Creative Friday with Jill. It was quite the day of chaos, especially when my piano students turned up unexpectedly.

Jill brought little packs of m&ms for the girls, and Bella organized hers by color. I used to do that, too.

Jessie reading to all the girls.

Fiona appropriated the Snow White dress and was terribly distressed if anyone else tried to wear it. Jessie said that one of their friends calls Fiona a cartoon character, and the description is so very apt. Her expressions are varied and big.

Cute Bella on the slide. The weather was cool and rainy (or snowy) for much of the time they were here, so when it was nice, they played outside. Hallelujah.

Bella wanted to take Jack for a walk.

I thought the whole thing was doomed to failure, since he has never learned to properly heel and tends to pull horribly, but she would just sit down if she wanted him to stop. Worked like a charm!

Eva had to get in on that action.

Eva, reading to Fiona to cheer her up. She seemed to champion Fiona mainly when she and Bella were on the outs.

We got to see a lot of Emily while Jessie was here, since she had reading days for finals. She is so entertaining and such good company - we are always happy to have Emily around!

We played quite a few rounds of Bananagrams. Max loves it; Lucas hates it.

The plum trees bloomed! Always my favorite 2 weeks of the year.

Bella's treasures.

I love this picture of Fiona (not to be outdone, she had to have treasures as well).

Eva did, too, of course.

No visit to Utah is complete without a trip to the distribution center.

One day they spent the whole morning making a dinosaur museum in the family room.

Bella made everyone name tags, which consisted of names and eye color. (Except for Marc's, which simply said "happy customer.)

Later, Eva had to go to school, and the museum was closed, obviously.

Check out that static-y hair!!

Bella and Eva neglected to finish their yogurts, and my favorite cartoon character took over, two spoon-style!

Emily bought us all fountain drinks.

We did a decent amount of baking. One day, Jessie and Emily pulled out no less than 7 bags of coconut in various states of fulness. I endured much teasing about it. In my defense, I can only say that my lazy susan has been non-functional, so it was hard to see what I had and what I didn't. I guess I was making damn sure I had coconut on hand!

The girls enjoyed watching Lucas play video games in his room. One day, he told them he wanted a little alone time, so they migrated to the hall and took up a new position there.

(Incidentally, Lucas was very sweet with them. He was quite the peacemaker and broke up many arguments. He also played with them on multiple occasions. I love that guy.)

A collection of the friends Jessie has made for Eva over the last several years. (I love them all, but Fox is my favorite.)

We were hoping that, now that the girls are older, we wouldn't have so many sharing boot camp issues, that they would just go off and play and leave us in peace. Not so. But we're holding out hope for next time! It was definitely trying at times, but all worth it in the end.

I wish my sister didn't live so far away!

one little word

Last year, my word for the year was plan. I may have made some progress, but I'm not sure I did a whole lot with it. That may or may not have something to do with the fact that I wanted to change my word about 2 months into the year to order, but Marc had given me a plan necklace, so I felt like I should stick with it.

So I kind of assumed that order would be my word for 2011. But then, towards the end of 2010, I started thinking a lot about the word remember. I have such a terrible memory, and so many things I want to remember.

Again, I thought I had my 2011 word nailed down, but then a lot of things kept coming up that had to do with hope. Quotes that were resonating with me. I even noticed a string of my own Sunday thoughts were centered on hope. I do have hope in the big picture. I know that things are going to turn out okay. But sometimes I forget to feel hopeful in the short run, in the everyday chaos of my life. I started to feel really good about hope, to think that this word and I might need to become more familiar with each other. I think that focusing on hope in my daily life will lead me to be less negative, and ultimately happier.

Then one evening, I was talking to Jill on the phone. She asked if I had chosen my word for the year yet. I told her that I was 95% sure it was going to be hope. Shortly after that, I told her that I had ordered my necklace and was waiting for it to arrive. She burst out laughing. Then, and only then did I realize that apparently I had already chosen my word.

Gosh, do you think I should have gone with remember?? Good. grief.


hope

1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best
2. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance
3. a person or thing in which expectations are centered
4. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence
5. to believe, desire, or trust


"The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance, but live right in it, under its roof."— Barbara Kingsolver