Answering To The Halloween Dance

Mike answered to the Halloween Dance last week. At dinner, he asked his siblings and brother-in-laws, how he should answer. They came up with a creative, and unique plan.

Using the "leaf" theme that the person who had asked him had used, he composed a sign that read: I would be blown away to go to the dance with you. The sign was to be placed underneath a pile of leaves that he and his friends had raked at numerous houses. He borrowed a leaf blower from his brother-in-law to complete the task.

After delivering a pile of leaves and poster to her porch, his friend Jeremy hid in the bushes with the leaf blower. When the mother and daughters answered the door, Jeremy turned on the blower and started blowing the leaves.

The mom and daughters started screaming in fright. They thought Jeremy had a chain saw. A helpful neighbor heard the commotion and ran across the street to save them. He chased Jeremy down the street for some time before he gave up his pursuit.

Mike's potential date was laughing the next day at school. Hopefully, all is well and she will still be taking him to the dance. As for Jeremy, he deserves the friend of the year award.

Duet Piano Recital

Ben and Lizzy played in the Annual Duet Recital for the students of Linda Jo Whitman, their piano teacher. Ben played with Dallas Whitman, A Mysterious Adventure by Bober. Lizzy performed Rhythm and Boogie, written by Bastien, with Allie Foster.

All students participated in the Duet Federation which was held the next day. The students perform two duets that were judged. Lizzy and Ben both did a fabulous job!

Value Project

Remember this? I am happily enjoying the perks of another Personal Progress Value Project! Kate helped Lizzy type and organize my recipes. This is a project I have wanted to do for quite some time, but have never gotten around to it. Thanks girls!

Now, to get the boys' involved. I am sure there are some things I can benefit from in the Duty To God Booklet, and Ben's scouting book!

I used to hyperventilate and get severe anxiety each time a new booklet was introduced. However, I am learning that (1) the kids have amazing advisors that help them with these accomplishments, (2) I have personally been a recipient of great service, and most importantly (3) the kids are learning great skills, their testimonies are getting stronger, and they are learning to serve others.

A Brilliant Man

It has been said that Steve Jobs has changed the world as we know it. He is remembered and defined as a visionary man, a genius. Many lives have been dramatically changed by the technology he produced.

Unfortunately, I am a little "behind the times". My limited knowledge and antiquated "techno -gear" has not brought me to the "Apple Sphere". My wish list still includes: an I-Phone, an I Pad, an Apple Computer, and an I-Pod, all of which I do not own yet. Someday, I hope to purchase some of these items and to have an even greater appreciation of Steve Jobs and his extraordinary abilities.

As I have read news articles on this acommplished man, and watched eulogies of his life, I have a great admiration for him. His life has and will inspire many. There are several quotes from his commencement speech at Stanford University that are particularly profound to me. They are as follows:

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose."

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

He has taught me to live in the moment. Be yourself. Do not fear rejection, or failure, and live each moment as if it were your last.

We have learned a lot from this brilliant man, his legacy lives on.

No Retaliation

It takes a lot of courage for a teenage boy not to retaliate when a nice vehicle that you have been driving has been defiled. I was really proud of Mike for withstanding the temptation to even the score.

Last night, his friends gathered on the front lawn discussing what they were going to do. Each time I would drive in and out of the driveway taking kids here and there, I would roll down my window, smile, and say, "take the high road Mike".

At curfew, when he checked in with me, I asked if he taken revenge. He smiled and informed me that he had not. What a good kid!

Pranks

Some pranks are not funny at all. This happens to fall in that category for me. Unfortunately, one of the passengers in the truck left the window down; fortunately, we have seat covers covering the seats. We believe it was road-kill, but none the less, disgusting. Mike came home, and scrubbed, and scrubbed to get the raccoon blood out of the seat covers.

Mike knows who was behind the shenanigans and wants to retaliate. I think its best left alone. I had to guarantee him punishment immunity in order for him to confess his retaliatory plan. I hope he takes the high road, and does nothing, but if by chance he follows through with his plan, it is at least not harmful or mean.

One.....Two.....Three....

One: No Photo Available
Kate smashed in the entire side of the suburban. She was turning left, when all of a sudden she changed her mind and decided to turn right. Little did she know a car was already to the side of her turning right. She didn't stop until, the entire side of the Suburban was smashed.

Two: She got hit in the round-about at UVU.


Three: Before, accident two is even repaired she backed into another student. Fortunately, the student was an auto repair mechanic and duct taped her bumper back on her car for the ride home.

Poor little grey car, is looking older and more tattered and torn. Little grey has got to last through this child.

My wallet may be lighter, but fortunately, no one has been injured in these three accidents! As for Kate's driving skills, well, let's just say they are in question.

There is a rule about three's: "Good things come in threes. So do bad things. And even things that are neither good nor bad."Since Kate has hit the magically three number, I am hoping that she has ended her unlucky streak.

Deja vu

Isn't the definition of deja vu, something already seen or experienced? Only two days ago I was taking pictures of Mike and his date before the Homecoming Dance. Tonight he got asked to the Halloween Dance. Wow, girls are very prompt, and on-the-ball. Fortunately, it is a girl's choice this round, so there is no planning, and not much work to do on our part.

Not Grounded

Several weeks ago, I found out from a little bird, that Bountiful High School's Homecoming dance was going to be held on September 24th. Upon my discovery I asked Mike, "Who are you going to ask to the dance." "No one," he responded. "Well then, you are grounded," I replied half kidding and half serious. He flashed me his usual smile that he gives me when I make idle threats.

That may sound a little harsh, but having 4 girls of my own, I understand how important it is for girls to be asked to a dance. If boys don't ask, girls don't go. It's as simple as that.

I knew Mike wouldn't let me down, and within a week's time, he had asked one of my favorites. They have a big group of 26 who are going to Snowbird for their day activity, Biaggi's for dinner, and of course the school for the dance. Hopefully, all goes as planned.

Hmmm, this adorable girl looks a little familiar. Two dances, same girl? That's okay, I adore Chandler!

Running Red

The fiery rivalry between BYU and Utah was evident long before game time on Saturday. School kids expressed their alliance to their college of choice, bantering with their rivals as to whom would come out on top. Adults also voiced their preference through social media outlets, wearing their color of choice, and displaying flags and other paraphernalia representing their team.

Our family is no different than any other sports enthusiasts, we love our college football. Our allegiance is completely towards our crimson red Utes. Steve and I both graduated from the U in Communications and have raised 6 loyal Utah Fans. We inundated them young dressing them in the smallest Utah attire, and taking them to games at a young age. Yes, there is no mistake we are RED through and through.

Saturday night was the “BIG” game of the year, with the mighty Utes playing on the Cougars turf. On BYU’s first play, Heaps chased down the ball and tried to pick the ball up and throw it. The ball came out of his hand backward and Shelby, a defensive lineman for the U, fell on it in the end zone for a Utah touchdown. Wowza! What a way to start out a game.

The game didn’t get much better for the cougs. Seven BYU turnovers lead to a blowout, with Utah winning 54 to 10.

My favorite player of the night was John White, running back for the Utes. White scored 3 touchdowns, one being a 63 yard romp. The BYU fans were seen exiting as White made that spectacular touchdown. They'd seen enough.

Ben and I watched it on television. With just a measly two viewers at my house, the house was anything but quiet. Ben and I were very boisterous in our enthusiasm over the Utes crushing the Cougs.

During the game Ben said, "Do you feel someone else here?" Not quite understanding what he meant, I didn't respond, prompting him to ask again. This time I responded, "Do you feel Dad here." "Yep", he said a little introspectively.

Steve was one of the most avid Utah fans around. You can’t watch or attend a Utah sporting event and not think about Steve Brown. He wouldn’t miss a game, and would trek the kids to bowl games, conference games, to whatever or wherever the Utes were playing. We all believed that last night he was happily smiling down upon us.
Steve and Mike.

My weekend visitors are killin' me!

Scrapes and Bruises

Ben has been less than thrilled about his bike lately. He had Mike get down Sarah's old green bike, with gears, for him to use. It is a tad too big, but he still enjoys riding this bike rather than his bike which is the perfect size, but without the gears.

Ben is really quite a careful little kid. You will rarely find him with scrapes and bruises on his body. That is until he started riding the larger bike. This past week, he has had numerous accidents on this bike, but still continues to prefer it.

His last tumble was a little bloody. Not serious, just bloody. Nursing is not one of my best traits as a mom. After 6 kids you would think I would be better at it, but I am not. I did know I needed to clean out the wound, apply a disinfectant, and bandage it. Due to my lack of products (Kate took 4 first aid kits to college with her), I was left with only alcohol swabs to apply.

Sarah heard the screams from one floor down. “Mom, you wouldn’t be pouring alcohol in Ben’s wound, would you,”she shouted. A little alcohol swab is a far cry from “pouring” alcohol in a wound. Needless to say, I have up-dated and replenished my one and only depleted first aid kit.

The Adverse Effects of SpongeBob Square Pants

A recent study conducted by the University of Virginia, shows that children age 4 who watched nine minutes of “SpongeBob” did significantly worse on four tests they administered, than those children that watched PBS programming.

“Apparently the fast-paced television show has profound impacts for children’s cognitive and social development that need to be considered and reacted to,” wrote University of Washington pediatrics professor Dr. Dimitri A. Christakis in an editorial accompanying the study.

What???? Poor Ben…. Ben loved SpongeBob Square Pants and watched it frequently when he was young. I may have even used it as a babysitting tool to take a quick shower, or get a thing or two done around here.

He validated his love for this cartoon as he excitedly responded to his first birthday party theme of SpongeBob Square Pants. The mere fact that he was able to verbalize the name SpongeBob shortly thereafter reinforces the absurdness that this cartoon has a negative cognitive affect on a child.

If you knew Ben as a toddler, and if you know Ben now, you would definitely have to dispute this study. He seems to excel both cognitively and socially.

Ben continues to secretly love this little guy. At age 9 it's not "cool" to watch SpongeBob anymore, but once in awhile I see him sneak a peek.

Who is going to tell Ben as well as a few other unnamed children of mine that they may have some deficits from watching SpongBob? Not me! I’m definitely not a believer!

Okay, so maybe he has just a few deficits. (Just kidding Ben)

Remembering 9/11

Most everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing the morning of September 11, 2001. Three of my children were in school, two were home with me, and little Ben was yet to be born. I was preparing to bottle peaches at my friend’s house, when she called and told me to turn on the TV quickly. I watched as the second plane hit the second tower. Disbelief and horror filled my soul as I sat in complete silence watching as America came under attack.

“On Sept. 11, we saw evil in the deeds of a few, but we also saw the good in the hearts and souls of all Americans." U.S. Rep. Gary Peters

Today, 10 years later we pay tribute to those who lost their lives when America was attacked by terriosts. We also pay tribute to the heroes who selflessly risked their lives to save others. As a nation we stood united, one nation under God.

The media events covering the 10 year anniversary have been numerous. I was mesmerized with the stories of bravery, of sadness, and of loss. Tears streamed down my face as I watched the widows recall their heart wrenching stories, stories that I can now relate to in some way.

America will never be the same. We are stronger and we are resilient. President Barack Obama said, “It will be said of us that we kept the faith, that we took a painful blow and emerged stronger."

May we all honor and remember those who lost their lives, the brave hero's, and those whose lost loved ones in this most tragic event.

Fall Harvest

Time seems to be going by so quickly. It has been one year since this. Last year, on September 15th, Sarah was diagnosed with a large tumor and had surgery on the 30th. There was only a 2 week period from her diagnosis, to surgery and the pathology results. Those two weeks seemed to drag on, and my mind filled with distress and concern over the challenge that lay ahead.

I tried to keep busy, and began canning salsa, marinara sauce, as well as making freezer jam, and freezer fruit cocktail as a distraction. My distraction has now become a necessity. My kids loved the fruits of my labors, and have gotten a little spoiled and picky about these few things. Needless to say, I have been busily canning this past weekend. Thankfully, my kids have been very helpful and involved to make the process easier.

I have been fortunate to have my parent's and sister’s gardens to pick beautiful, red, succulent tomatoes. There is something personally rewarding for me to gather tomatoes from these gardens to make these heavenly goods. In some small way, I feel like I am “living off the land”, so to speak, or being resourceful.

Winter hasn’t even begun, Kate has taken and used some marinara sauce down at college, and Mike has downed an entire bottle of salsa in just one day. Hopefully, the canned goods will last through winter.

My parents in their garden.