The Farmgirl Life.

BuSt a MoVe

2012-01-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

please ignore the super messy boy room

(it doesn't always look like that...

sometimes it's even worse.)

and enjoy some sweet moves.

Good Things.

2012-01-19T21:34:00.001-07:00

I fixed a dinner last night that all (minus one) of my family LOVED. Score Me! Enchilada Layered Casserole, I put it on the Food Blog.

I updated the ole Food Blog. Good stuff going on over there. Good things like: Baking Powder Biscuits, Pancakes, Natalie's Peanut Butter Bars, Bread Sticks, Bean Casserole & Enchilada Layered Casserole. Yup, I've been a busy girl.

Me Mum and I found this super cool lamp at the DI. Only $3!! Sure it was brass, but that was an easy fix. Nothing a bit of spray paint couldn't take care of. I love the leaded glass.

My super-duper-clever-clever-toilet-lever table. I rearranged my front room after Christmas. I needed another little something to pull the room together and I came up with this little genius idea. I used the old milk can I had out on the front porch for the base and a giant sized cutting board Mike made for me forever ago that I am not using right now (not enough counter space in the kitchen) for the top. A little weird? Maybe. But I love it.

The wood burning stove. My love for this little amenity runs deep and pure.When it's a brisk 0* outside--yes, that's right ZERO!! I am warm and toasty in my snug little wood burning stove heated abode.

Hot Chocolate. There is one thing that is an absolute must for a cup of really good Hot Chocolate...hot cocoa mix from the cannery. Seriously, it's the best. The other really important item I'm afraid most of you won't be able to get....raw milk. It's a great combo. If the opportunity ever comes along to enjoy some....take it.

The fact that for the most part Grant entertains himself. Today his project was a railroad/bridge track. He was proud as a peacock. Have I mentioned I adore this kid?

And for my last "good things" item of the day....Good Peeps. Listen, here's the deal--I know I'm crazy. But I'd like to thank you all for not pointing that out to me on a regular basis.

Blog-Journal...or blajournal, if you will.

2012-01-15T20:37:00.006-07:00

I don't know that I really plan on posting this. But I do know I tend to think better when I write, so I decided to just get everything that's been rattling around in my head out. So for now I am writing in my Blog Journal--or blajournal. Here goes....

I don't know for sure if I really do battle depression or if these last three years of self/un-employment have just worn me down. Either way I do seem to see a running theme over the last three years: December is an incredibly tough month for me. Remember this? A farmgirl's tale. The fact that it is December, the month of joy and good will to all men really just makes me feel even more guilty that I'm struggling. And it's not because I can't afford some huge amazing Christmas for my kids, because that's just not me.

I think maybe it's the closing of another year, it's the only time of the year that I stop long enough to turn around, look back and think to myself "Really? We are still doing this? How is it we have not learned whatever it is we need to so that we can move past this particular trial?". It makes me tired. I get worn out.

I fight it, really I do. But I seem to have a Summer Home in the Pit of Despair (or winter home, as the case may be). Sometimes the Summer Home just seems easier than my real life--so I go for a short visit and end up staying for a really long time.

And there, in the Pit of Despair, I tell myself things in an attempt to get me to go home, like "For crying out loud! What is wrong with you? You have an amazing family and friends, a roof over your head, nobody is going hungry. You're not the woman who has lost a child, or has cancer, or suffered the death of a spouse, or divorce. What is wrong with you?" But, at the end I always add, "You are so ungrateful." And then I feel even more guilty that I'm the loser that is complaining about such stupid menial things. I feel defeated and I decide to stay for just a little while longer there in the depths of the Pit of Despair.

My visit this year was longer than normal and I ventured deeper than I have before. My sweet beloved, Mikey, even came for a short visit while I was there. But he didn't stay long, because he's good like that.

Almost a week ago is when I was swimming at the bottom of the deep end. I felt alone and forgotten. Not by people, because I have some pretty great people in my life. But just in my life in general. I could not understand why I needed to suffer so much. Was this the plan for me? Why weren't things changing? We had been doing our absolute best. Seriously. Our best. And if I knew how to give up I just might have.

But that's not who I am either.
I'm an Idaho farmgirl and we hoe to the end of the row.
Even if the ground is really hard.

And the thought came to me, "What if it doesn't change? What if the changes I want to happen never do? Am I going to live here in my Summer Home in the Pit of Despair forever? Some how I have got to figure out a way to be happy no matter what."

And that was as far as I got.
For a few days. I was trying to figure out how I was going to be happy if things never changed, if we never did find a steady income. I still cried and felt sad and worried, but at least I was feeling something. I was getting ready to pack my bags.

Let's not forget amongst all of this internal turmoil of me living in my Summer Home in the Pit of Despair that I am still 'Mom' and 'YW president' and 'Wife' and 'friend' and 'sister' and 'daughter'. Thank heaven for all of that. On some level I had to function, because remember? I don't know how to give up entirely.

I had to teach YW's today. I didn't want to. The lesson was on the Atonement. And I was stumped. I know the Atonement, I've felt the blessings of the Atonement in my life many times. But I certainly hadn't been feeling it recently. Not for a while.

And then I realized that wasn't the Lord's fault, it was mine.
He is the constant.
I'm the crazy one.

I told my mom about my struggle with my lesson and she pulled out a book for me to look at. It's called The Gift of the Atonement, favorite writings on the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And in this book I found a quote she had marked by Sherri Dew (who doesn't love Sherri Dew?) Sister Dew is talking about a particularly difficult trial she had gone through, she says:
"I pleaded with the Lord to change my circumstances, because I knew I could never be happy until he did. Instead, he changed my heart. I asked him to take away my burden, but he strengthened me so that I could bear my burdens with ease."

And that is how I felt. I didn't seem to have any plans of being happy until my circumstances changed, hence the Thumper's Mother post. I had made a deal with the Lord: "I'll be happy when my life is easier. I have tried and tried and tried and I plan to be happy when my circumstances change." I was wrong. I can be happy.
With the Lord's help I can do hard things.
All things are possible to him {or her} that believeth (Mark 9:23).

And another quote by Janet Lee:
"If we expect mountains to move, seas to part, thunder to cease, and blinding light to point the way, we will miss the Savior's offering, his gift of comfort and peace."

I am going to try to stop waiting for the mountains to move, the thunder to cease and the blinding light to point the way. Instead I will try to find a piece of peace every day.
I don't expect it will be easy, worth while things rarely are.
But I am trying.
I still feel raw. And fragile.
But I think that's okay.

Okay, so I've decided to post this.
Cuz, you know, I don't want my peeps
worrying about me.
All 5 of you that still read this any way.
I can't promise cute and clever.
But I will keep at this when
it works for me.
peace out.

Thumper's Mother said it best.

2012-01-10T08:41:00.002-07:00

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
And so, I think I will follow her advice.
I am done here.
At least for now.

I am too tired-too worn out- to put a cute, clever positive spin on my life.
I'll be back when I'm better.

Excited yet?

2011-12-22T10:29:00.003-07:00

My kiddies are.

Exhibit A:
the whiteboard.

But, let's take a look at the bigger picture.

That's right, the BIG countdown is for
our trip back to the old stomping grounds.

I think we're all pretty excited.
Sunny St. G --- here we come!
:o)

It's that Special time of Year again...

2011-12-19T07:48:00.006-07:00

That time of year that makes me smile like this....

And dress like this....

(same amazing outfit 4 days straight)

And teach the newbies how to get in touch
with their chocolate center.
Like this....

(sorry Emma, your secret is out. playing hookie has a price.)

And watch the pro.
Like this...

And hang with a few of my family besties.
Like this...
(unfortunately i did not get photo documentation of my SIL's)

And this...

(oh, wait...we hang together every day)
;O)

And this...

(my bestest little sis that brings out the very strangest within me)

Mmmm...Chocolates 2011.

Four FULL days.
Over 2000 Chocolates
amongst the bunch of us.

And to think...we actually considered canceling this year.
Might as well Cancel Christmas all together
if Chocolates aren't a part of it.

The thing about Chocolates...and running.

2011-12-13T07:23:00.004-07:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of Chocolates 2011.
(cutting back in quantity this year, by a lot.
in this case no friends is really working out for me)
Anyhoo, I couldn't help but notice as I was dressing for the occasion the similarities of my attire for Chocolate-ing in the cold and Running in the cold.

*heavy duty footless tights? check
*comfy pants? check
*multiple layers of shirts? check
*favorite warm hoodie? check
*fancy, not to mention mucho attractive, bandana? check

Really, the only difference is a sports bra and foot wear.
I opted for the super warm comfy boots instead of my trusty asics.
Not that I've done any running in the cold, or the hot, or anything else lately...
just saying I had a moment of
"Hey, I remember these clothes."

That's all.

Thank You, School District.

2011-12-11T18:48:00.003-07:00

Have I mentioned our 4 day school week? I have?? Well, I quite like it.
School 7:15-4:30, Monday-Thursday is a busy crunch to get everything in, but well worth the trade off.
I have said more than once that we have Monday-Thursday, 2 Saturdays & Sunday.
It's kind of handy when I start to panic about Sunday church stuff on Saturday to I realize it's just Friday and I still have one more day to get my junk in order. I like that.

However,
sometimes by Sunday evening I am ready to send the troops a packin'.
That feeling has intensified as the Holiday Season has drawn out.
Excitement is in the air. And we are feeling it.
As we speak the children are making a chart of
'How many hours 'til Christmas'.
Please tell me we are not planning on crossing it off hourly. Please.
It would seem the excitement is making some of us lose our minds.
Some of us are either running around like banshees, yelling, fighting or laughing hysterically.
Mind losing. It's a common theme here in farmgirl land.

And so, this is the part where I would like to publicly thank the school district for keeping my children all nestled in their desks until the afternoon of December 22.

Thank You, School District.
Much appreciated.

Clever, clever Toilet lever.

2011-12-02T07:40:00.004-07:00

Before we talk about 'Clever, clever Toilet lever' let's talk about 'Rainbows and Unicorns'--which my life is not. Really, who's is? I spent a few days in a 'funk', as my beloved calls it. And, well, I'm feeling a bit better now. Thanks for asking.
And now, on with the show!

Clever, clever Toilet lever.

What's so clever, clever toilet lever--you ask? Something so clever and cute you are sure to be amazed. Okay, I know the suspense is killing you so I'll just show you!

Tah-Dah!!
Stocking holder thingy extraordinaire!!
Is that not just fan-diddly-tastic!?!
Want to see it from another angle?? Well, Okay.

I, of course, cannot take credit for this fabulous idea. Amanda passed it along to me. She found it on pinterest. Pinterest intrigues me....but I vow to have my life a wee bit more in order before I plunge into the massive time suck I'm afraid pinterest would be.

Anyhoo, there ya be. Clever, clever toilet lever-- right?

Debbie Downer

2011-11-30T07:30:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I grow weary of being the kind of person who keeps it together
(most of the time).
Sometimes I grow weary of trying to see the glass half full.
Sometimes I grow weary of the lemons life hands me.
Guess what? I don't even like lemons.
Every now and again I would like to throw a good old fashioned fit.
Complete with floor laying, kicking, screaming, weeping, wailing, and
gnashing of teeth.

Just in case you were wondering.

post script
and then sometimes just
after you've thrown
your cyber fit your
dad calls with news of
a possible
part time job for your
husband and all
hope doesn't seem
so lost.
but i'm still sick of
lemons.

Decor.

2011-11-29T14:51:00.006-07:00

So, here's something weird.

Mike, Adam and my brothers went to the mountains and got Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving. Okay, that's not weird. It's nice actually. Ours is a little Charlie Brownish, but I'm okay with that. I think it's kind of cute, and with the lower ceilings in this house it's either that or a bush. So, Charlie Brown and his tree are welcome here. It is still sitting undecorated, but lovely all the same.

I've been thinking about Christmas a lot. You know, when all the stuff is out in the stores before Halloween it kinda gets me started. I had been thinking about how fun it was going to be to decorate the new abode. Fresh canvas, so to speak.

Yesterday I spent the early morning cleaning my house. Then I went down to my mom's to do my laundry and make bread. That's not weird either. I was working toward today being the day I would decorate.

So, this was it. This morning I tidied up the house, pulled on some boots, gloves and a coat to brave the cold and collect all the Christmas paraphernalia from the old barn where it has been stored.

I turned on the Christmas music and opened the boxes. Here's where the weird thing happened. Completely unexpected by me, I was overcome with the memories so much of my Christmas junk carried. Decorating was bittersweet this year. Thinking about where I put everything up in our house in St. George, where each item originated from. Before I moved to St. George all my Christmas stuff pretty much fit in a shoe box. I've collected all sorts of things. But mostly, dear friends I will always cherish and years of wonderful memories.

I'm done decorating now. Except the tree- that's a family project. The house looks good. I like it. I do, I really do. I love this house, actually. And I know we are just where we should be.

But today...today I'm missing the things that used to be.

Making a list and checking it twice.

2011-11-22T22:01:00.006-07:00

I am not, by nature, a list person. I used to take some sort of pride in the fact that I could remember things, I was just naturally an organsized person. Of course I've always had a running mental list, but not really a paper list kind of a gal. That, my friends, has had to change.

After birthing 5 babies, 16+ years of mothering, almost 3 years of high-stress survival, nearly 37 years of life and a current super-uber busy calling I have thrown in the towel. I am a list girl now. I'm more of an 'organsize and don't forget' lister rather than a 'to do' lister.

Really, once you embrace the life style it's not so bad.

In my fancy new listy listness life I have accomplished much. Mostly it's Young Women stuff, but let's face it- that takes a lot of brain power. Here's the great thing about writing a list: once you write it down you can set it free. What? What's that you say??
Once you write it down you can set it free!
Hallelujah.

I know, all you list people already knew this. Whatever. It's a great discovery for me.

So, my question to you is this:
If I write 'Turn brain off occasionally' on my list will I be able to accomplish it??

Please tell me there's a way.
The gerbils that run around in circles in my head in order to keep me
going are oh so tired.

Done and done.

2011-11-18T20:53:00.007-07:00

On this the 18th day of November, in the year of our Lord 2011,
I have created
(by myself, mind you)
a recipe blog.

See?
Look to the right, I even linked it.
Your welcome.

Another note worthy event of the day,
our first major snow storm.
About 9 inches since 9:00 this morning,
and still coming down.
We are SO not in Kansas any more Toto.

:o)

oh, and p.s.
don't be
shy on
the comments.
me likes to know
what's ya
think.

This could be the beginning of something wonderful....

2011-11-15T22:11:00.004-07:00

Do you wanna see how amazing I am??? Look up and a little to the left....Do you see it? Well, do ya??
I created a page on my blog.
TA DA!!
And here's the super amazing part....NO BODY HELPED ME.
Thank you. Thank you. You are all too kind.
Go ahead, click on it and check it out.
It is the small beginnings of Farmgirl Food, I'm thinking I should maybe do another blog for it...but for now--it works.
And I did it all by myself!
And, even if I do start a different blog for food stuff, really, my chocolate chip cookie recipe is a signature item so it should be on this blog no matter what.

The first of many....

2011-11-05T10:43:00.016-06:00

SNOW DAY!!

Winter is here.

To Grant snow=winter, and he has been
anxiously waiting for "winter" to arrive.
Much to his delight the white stuff started falling late last night.

Everyone layered up and headed out.
(except Elsie, she was having a cousin sleep over)

Adam was there too. He was just doing this--

Scraping the windows

Instead of this---
participating in a good old fashioned snowball fight,
(probably for the best any way, it usually ends in tears when the big boys get involved)

so that they could all go feed these--

the calves at Grandpa's.

It was a group effort this morning due to
to the surge of these...

several new calves born the last few days.

Speaking of calves...
There is one child of mine that loves the animals
a wee bit more than her siblings.

The other day she took the camera out and got some
self portraits of her and the new calf she named Autum.

Goose loves the cows.

She has a notebook with spreadsheets she has
created to keep track of all the heifers
at our house and the calves down at Grandpa's.
Every Saturday you will find her in the barn
with her uncle helping with the milking.
Lucy: the cow whisper-er.

Welcome Winter.
Welcome cozy time in front of the wood burning stove,
Welcome cup after steamy cup of hot chocolate.

You have been much anticipated, excitement is in the air.
:o)

WWMD

2011-10-29T20:59:00.006-06:00

Time for another addition of
WWMD ....What Would MacGyver Do?

I had a few dilemmas to deal with, but when we look deep down inside and ask ourselves
What Would MacGyver Do?
we can almost always find an answer!!
So here we go:

Dilemma #1
About a month ago we had a mother-daughter party to attend. Attendees were assigned either an appetizer or a dessert to bring and share. We were assigned an appetizer. I KNOW all my St. G peeps are as shocked about that as I was. Clearly, people up here don't know me well enough yet. Listen, I have nothing against the world of appetizers, quite enjoy them actually, BUT if there is ever a choice between appetizer and dessert.....ALWAYS give me dessert. It's my specialty. Not only do love making them, I generally always have the ingredients on hand to make something. Appetizers, not so much.
So, here's the dilemma: I need to make an appetizer and I am NOT going to the store and I do NOT know what to fix.

So I asked myself,
What Would MacGyver Do?
MacGyver would look around and figure something out using something he already had.
And that's what I did.

I give you WWMD exhibit A:
Bruschetta

Made from all things wonderful that I already had on hand. Tomatoes and basil from my garden and homemade french bread made into bagget sized loaves. It was a big hit. Go Me!

Dilemma #2:
Dilemma #2 is a bit more of a story, so make yourselves comfortable....we all know how I feel about being organsized (I'm for it) and we all know how I feel about clutter and messes (I'm against it) and we all know how I feel about the old pioneer spirit 'use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without' (I'm for it).

Part 1 of the story: We visited Mike's brother a while back and he was getting rid of a DVD shelf and asked if we wanted it. Me being me, I said sure. I figured I could fit it in the family room and make good use of it. Not so much, there really wasn't a good place for it so it was just sort of hanging out downstairs doing nothing.

Hold that thought.

Part 2 of the story: Within a month or so of moving up here I had pretty much unpacked all the things we use on a regular basis. Except my shoes. My shoes were a big problem. They were in a big old box sitting in the closet. How convenient. Every Sunday morning you could find me shoulder deep in the box searching for church shoes. I knew what the problem was- I had no where to put my shoes and the mess and disorgansization was making me crazy! And I knew what the solution was, I needed a shoe shelf. Well, times being what they are there was really no way I was going to purchase one. I knew Mike could make me one, but it would be really low on the priority list.

So I asked myself,
What Would MacGyver Do?
MacGyver would look around and figure something out using something he already had.
And that's what I did.

I give you WWMD exhibit B:

A DVD shoe shelf

Okay, so maybe it's a teeny bit weird
and maybe in a perfect world
I would do something different.
But guess what? I DON'T LIVE THERE.
I live here, in the world where I am delighted
to just have something to put my shoes on.

Pretty smart, huh? Sometimes I amaze myself.
WWMD, it's a good thing.
:o)

Corn.

2011-10-06T07:55:00.005-06:00

Sometimes dreams really do come true.

Like when you are five and have waited all summer to do corn, and the day finally arrives.

It's a good day.

I love corn chopping time, always have.
There's just something about getting the corn in--
it marks the end of the summer craziness, it's the beginning of fall.
The seasons are beginning to change and so is the pace,
it feels nice.
We haven't been here to experience it for many, many moons.
In fact, I don't think any of my kids have ever been here for it.

So, for those of you non-farm people let's have a little corn tutorial--shall we?

Here's the deal:

It takes a fair amount of man power to get this done.

And when I say man power I don't just mean the adults.
It also involves the minions.
Here's some of the junior work crew.

Every one had at least one kid with them AT ALL TIMES.
And it can be exhausting work,
just ask Howard's little lady, Mya.

Nothing says comfort like a nap in a bumpy truck
with your head resting on a bucket!

So, once you have the workers in training all lined up....

The corn
(it's called field corn-not sweet corn. sweet corn is people food, field corn is cow food.)
needs to be chopped up and hauled to the corn pit where it is stored and fed to the cows during the winter.

You need someone driving the chopper that is hooked up to the tractor.
My brother Richard was the chopper driver this year.

*SIDE NOTE*
My dad is usually the chopper driver.
This year he was in the middle of getting 2 new knees.
I figure this was probably the first time since his mission that he wasn't out driving the tractor during corn.
But, we did set him up a spot outside to watch the action.

He kept an eye on things.

So, you have the chopper.
Then you need a dump truck to follow the chopper and catch the corn.

Like this.

Well, two dump trucks really.

One in the field filling up while the other one is driving to the pit to empty it's load.

This was my job back in the day. I love driving the corn truck.
This year our truck drivers were mostly Mike and my brother Howard.

Next is the pit.
The pit is where I always remember my grandpa being.
He worked the tractor on the pit.
Now it's my brother David's domain.
He is the Pit Man.

So the Pit Man moves the corn around and drives back and forth and back and forth over it to smoosh it down so it will all fit in the pit.
It gets really, really high.

See that?
That's the tractor coming up over the top of the barn.
High, I tell ya.

That's all there is to it.
Just chop, load, unload, move it around and smoosh it down in the pit.
Easy Peasy.
Well, maybe not so easy peasy.
I suppose in theory it is, but there's always break downs and it's not fast work.
It takes about a week to get it done.
Maybe that's why it's so fun to get it done,
because it is such a big job.

I must of offered at least 20 times to drive the truck.

I felt like the benched kid in baseball,
"I can do it Coach. Send me in! C'mon, I know I can do it!"

Alas, they had enough drivers
and my mad driving skills were not in high demand.
But, wait!!
Who is that...?

Who is driving that dump truck with the greatest of ease?

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's farmgirl!

My brothers, Howard and Richard, had to go back to their regular jobs.
Mike took over the chopping and I took over the truck.
At the bottom of the 9th inning I was put in the game.
Literally, we only had about half a field left.
I was just happy to do it.

Yup, I still like it.

Corn time, it's a good thing.
:o)

Normal.

2011-10-01T21:11:00.007-06:00

For some time now--like since I moved, even longer than that actually, more like for nigh unto 3 years-- I have been telling myself that this isn't my 'normal life', my life isn't always like "this".

"This" meaning: so crazy, stressed-ish, financially strapped (strapped like in a straight jacket that's 2 sizes too small strapped), my house not clean the way I like it, just down right so chaotic feeling at times that I can't seem to remember even the simplest of things.

It has gotten to the point that I wonder, was my life ever actually the way I thought it was? Was my house really that clean? Did I really remember stuff for more than 30 seconds? Did I ever really have a dollar to spare? Did I really make time to read a book? Or call my friends and sisters?

And you know what I've decided?
Maybe it was. Maybe that was my normal life, but it's not now.
But it just doesn't really matter now, now does it?

Maybe now I'm the girl who has to write everything down. Maybe I'm the girl who will be remembered as the frugal queen. Maybe I'm the girl who doesn't get the 'dream clean' done as often as she would like. Maybe I'm the friend and sister that doesn't chat as often as she would love to.

And that's okay.

Maybe I'm the girl who's happy anyway. Maybe I'm the girl who may struggle from time to time, but ends the day with a smile on her face.

Time to stop worrying about that 'golden ticket', about what was and what might have been and get on living (and lovin') the life I have.
Cuz really, it's a pretty good one.
After all, I am 'knee deep and lovin' it', right?

Cheers.
Here's to the 'New Normal'!

p.s.
I'm gonna rock the 'New Normal'.
Just watch me.

Hi.

2011-09-26T15:59:00.013-06:00

I'm stumped, Folks.
Bloggers block, if you will.
There's things to say and stuff to report, but it's just not comin' to me.
Soooo, a ramblin' I'll go.....

Who says country life is "slower paced"? Not this girl!! It's a myth. A lie. Maybe when the snow flies? I'll get back to you on that one.

We are OH SO CLOSE to finishing the bathroom down stairs. Can I get a WOO and a HOO?!?!? I am so excited about this on so many levels. Yay for two toilets, two showers, and two getting ready spots! Yay for the absence of the big mess of construction in the family room! Yay for me not asking Mike how much longer he thinks it will take!

We plan to have a Family Home Evening on 'New Bathroom Rules of Usage'. It will include a come to Jesus talk about how not to ruin our nice new bathroom, Mike will be leading the discussion--- should be fun. (Grant is calling it our "toilet respect talk") Hey, as long as the night ends with a treat...we're all happy, right?

We have 2 new members of the family.

Am I crazy? Maybe.
Do I know that living on a farm there's a darn good chance that mice will be a problem in the winter?
Uh, der...ya I do.
Do I hate mice?
Do I really, REALLY hate mice??
More than I can say.
It's a lot.
A whole lot.
Are these two little cuties going to help me sleep a little better at night?
Absolutely.
Allow me to introduce our two new best friends,
doing what they do best during the day (napping)...

Black Bart.
Chosen and named by the boys.

And Ginger Ale.
Chosen and named by the girls.
A.L.E.
stands for Audrey, Lucy, Elsie.
Cute name, huh?

Grant's 5th birthday is tomorrow. Five??? How can that be? It feels weird. Just weird. I don't really know that I am ready to have my youngest be five. Thank goodness he didn't go to kindergarten this year. I would be a disaster.

I'm breathing a little easier today. I had to speak in church yesterday. AGAIN. I've already spoken once since we moved here. So that's twice since June! I actually don't mind speaking, it's just always nice to be done with. The first time it was with Mike as new move ins and this time was because of my sorta new calling--been there 6 weeks. Oh, did I mention my calling?? Ummm, that would be Young Women's President. I know! What the What!?! Stop laughing. So far so good, I'm actually really liking it (even though I have a deep dark fear that I am somehow doing something horrifically wrong and I may be given the boot at any given moment...someone will wise up and say,"Hey, who put the crazy lady in charge?" and out I'll go).

Because I know you have all been losing sleep over the 'Green Towel Conundrum', I'll give you an update: It was the strangest thing....I posted that little tidbit on the old blog, and viola, problem solved. No more wet towels folded on the shelf. So, what have we learned here Students? Shame and embarrass your children into obedience. Publicly announce all those little things your loved one's do that just about make you crazy--put it out there on the World Wide Web for all to see--and Ta Da, the problem fixes itself. I know, I'm a genius.

And since I seem to be on a roll with the whole 'post it on the blog and it shall come to pass' thing....let's all send some positive vibes out there to the universe regarding Mike and a job. mmmkay? Thanks. (After nearly three years, dirt poorness has lost some of it's charm. Strange, I know.)

Peace out, Amigos. Peace out.
:o)

And their off....

2011-09-01T10:00:00.013-06:00

Who loves school time???

Me! Me! Me!
I do! I do! I do!

Oh, and so do these kids here.

In our line up today
(okay, it was really a week ago--I'm a little slow at blogging)
we have the sweet and beautiful third grader, Miss Elsie-Girl.

We have the gorgeous and always entertaining,
fancy pants Junior High going
(sob, how can that be?)
sixth grader Lucy-Goose.

Next up is the breath taking, talented
long legged beauty herself,
Audrey.
She is gracing the 8th grade this year.

And last, but certainly not least, we have the ruggedly
handsome, too big for his britches, guy who started school
on his 16th birthday, sophomore, the amazing Adam.

The bus (or as I like to call it: Mom's Big Yellow Ticket to Solitude)
arrives at 7:15 and returns and 4:25.
Count 'em up my friends...
that's 8 hours and 10 minutes.
Fan-diddly-tastic!

It is an early long day,
by Thursday we are all glad to have Friday off.
That's how they roll up here.
School is just four days a week.
So far, we like it.

Good bye, Big Yellow Ticket to Solitude.

And, in other news...

We finally ran our BIG race.
The Top of Utah Half Marathon.

Couple things:
* This is the only picture, so enjoy.
* It was a hot day.
* I actually really liked the course, running down the canyon was fun.
* Now that I've recovered, I may consider doing it again.

***

Food storage is big here.
This ward is full of the most organized food storage people I have ever seen.
Imagine my joy to know that chocolate chips are considered a food storage item.
These are my kinda people.
How does thirty pounds of chocolate chips sound?

Good? I thought so too.
Am I a happy girl?

Yes. Yes I am.

***

And, finally, I would like to close with a little something I call
THE GREEN TOWEL CONUNDRUM.

First, a little background.
We are currently a one bathroom household.
The downstairs bathroom is in construction.
Now, as you know we are a family of seven.
Besides the obvious issues of one bathroom and seven people
there is the not so obvious issue of wet towels.
There is just only so much towel rack space, ya know?
So, seven towels is about all there is room for.

Last year Santa
(because Santa is a beautiful genius)
gave everyone their own special towel -this way no one needs to wonder if
"SOME ELSE USED MY TOWEL!"

On with the story.
See this green towel?

This green towel is NOT one of the kids Santa towels.
Nor is it a towel that Mike and I use.
This green towel is a guest towel.
Well, why on earth would I have it hanging on the banister
and not put away folded nice and neat on the shelf with the other guest towels?
Why is it not sitting on the shelf looking cute, doing it's job?

See how lonely that other green towel looks?

Here's why.
Because EVERY night this green towel ends up wet, folded (sorta) and put back on the shelf.
While the mother in me cannot over look the slight amount of joy I
feel about some one actually folding something and putting it away, the freak
in me is trying to control the freakness over
DO NOT FOLD WET THINGS UP!
Mildew, people.
Mildew.

And, the really REALLY crazy thing is...
none of my children are doing this.
I know because I asked each of them.

So, I guess until this towel learns
how to stay dry folded neatly on the shelf
and behave the banister is where it will be.

The Green Towel Conundrum.
It's a quandary.

For reals.

2011-08-21T22:28:00.000-06:00

I live in Idaho.
For reals.

School started last week in the St. G.
We are not there.
It's a little weird.

Even weirder than that is that all my chitlins are registered here.
Pretty strange strolling with Adam through the halls of PHS.
I don't know if I can properly convey how surreal it was to walk back into my elementary school to get Elsie all set.
My kids are in classes of my old teachers for crying out loud!
Everybody except Elsie- and she has my good old growing up buddy Anneke's mom for a teacher. (woohoo BTW)

For reals,
it just kinda weird.
In a good way weird.
It's actually been pretty fun having that "it's such a small world" feeling every where I go.
Every where in Preston that is.

But, when I do head down to the big city of Logan I find myself looking for my St. G peeps.
Weird, I know.
I keep thinking I should be running into someone in Walmart or Sam's Club (okay, i know it's costco down there, you get the point). I keep thinking I am spotting cars I know, looking for familiar faces behind the wheel.
It's a strange feeling.
Miss you, my St. G peeps.

And since it's late and I'm on a rambling roll....
The Top of Utah Half Marathon is less than a week away.
For Reals.
And I'm running in it.
For Reals.
I'm actually pretty excited about it.
I think it will be a really fun day.
I say "day" instead of "race" because I really am in it for fun.
To say I was "racing" would be stretching it a bit.

And so, with that I must say....
For Reals, I have one more week of training to do-
starting with a morning run tomorrow.
Fair thee well, my peeps, fair thee well.

Goot Mor-gan!

2011-08-09T08:08:00.002-06:00

Okay, I realize if you are not Robyn that title might not make any sense.
Once upon a life time ago, before summer descended upon us, Robyn and I used to talk most mornings after the kiddies were on their merry way to school. Our conversations usually started with a "Goot Mor-gan!" or "Good Morning".
There you go, we are all up to speed now.
So....I say to you--

Goot Mor-gan!!

The time has come, my friends, for me to spend a bit-o time telling you about my garden (and by 'garden' I mean things we have transplanted and that were already here that I haven't killed--good work Me).
We'll call this "Ode to Farmgirl's Garden", shall we?
Now, before we begin there are a few things you should remember.
*this is year numero uno. Some day me hopes to have a garden like unto my mother. It's gonna take some time and know how, but a girl can dream.
*once again pictures were taken after my morning run, so bare with the lighting weirdness.
And we're off....
Let's begin with what was already here:

Raspberry Bushes

I am aspiring to have berries like Natalie,
some day.
I hope.
Hers are AMAZING.

But, see?? Look, actual berries!
There good.

Lilac Bush

I love lilac bushes. They remind me of my grandma.
Kinda sad they only bloom once a year.
Didn't get a picture of it, but it was beautiful.

Some kind of Mint plant.
I don't remember what the name of it is,
but it's really pretty.

On to the transplants:

Me madre and I moved some plants down from her garden to mine.
They are doing so well!
The big ones in the front are cosmos.
Let's get right to my favorite flower.
There in the back on the right.

Primrose.
Let's go in for a closer look.

Aren't they pretty?
They bloom at dusk every night.

I love them.
I've noticed that I look a little scary in all the pics on the
old blog lately. Eh, well. I promise I do look slightly better than this on occasion.
...but it's rare.

Last but not least, the best transplant out there this morning...

This boy was out working on some tractor repairs bright and early.
Just keeping himself busy
whilst he was waiting for a ride in the real deal tractor.

Behold....his daily attire....
Shorts and cowboy boots.
It's a classy look.
You need to be adorable to really pull it off.

Shenanigans.

2011-08-04T19:47:00.009-06:00

So, I'm sure you've been wondering to your selves,
just what kind of shenanigans has that old Farmgirl been up to lately?
Well, I'll tell ya.
Stuff..and more stuff.
It's been a summer-o-fun.
How's about I give you the run down via a few pics?
All righty then, let's rumble!

FARM DAY:

A day that is part of the BIG Nelson Family Reunion.
By BIG I mean my aunts and uncles, cousins and cousins kiddos.
It's a lot of people.

If you were lucky enough to have grandparents
that had a farm and then an aunt and uncle took over that farm
and they opened it up to you
all summer any and every summer
and you had all sorts of great memories there,
wouldn't you want to bring your own kiddies back
there and share it with them too?
Ya, that's how my cousins feel too.

Farm Day includes things like:
Hay Rides
Feeding the calves.
And lots of visiting on the lawn
while you enjoy Chugs, Cheese and Aggie Ice Cream.
MmMmmm....Aggie Ice Cream.

NELSON FAMILY CAMP:
This was the "slow year" for family camp.
The "off year", if you will.
Therefore, there was a whole lotta nuttin' going on.
Perfection if you ask me.

The girlies enjoying some otter-pops.

Grant in his "wheel chair".
Weirdo.
Amanda and Wilson chillaxin.
The ladies doing some visiting.

We left family camp a day early.
Unheard of!
What could possible possess me to leave camp early?
Oh....just this lady here.
You know I love me some Anne when I am willing to post this
very scary picture of the two of us.
Good thing for us we are such natural beauties.
In our defense, that there's a picture of two pooped out ladies.
I'd been camping for 4 days and she was on the
tail end of her extended Idaho vacay.
It was morning, we'd been up visiting late into the night
and she was about 3 minutes from leaving.

During their very short visit we did make it out to
meet some calves.
And some cows.
Thanks for stopping by Jackmans.
Come on back any old time.

There you go.
A brief run down of some of the stuff.
There's more.
We'll get to that later.
Peace Out, Peeps.

Happy Birthday.

2011-07-23T20:46:00.002-06:00

To an All American Hero.

this was mikey's "costume"
(doesn't he pull off white trash well?
and fyi...those are ROOTbeer bottles)

for the send off of a lifetime,
(took place 2 days before our st. g exit)

water fight of the century
(yes, that is a fire hydrant hose he is holding)

and best ever
'annual jim & jim memorial day neighborhood water party'
(the jims cruised the streets soaking
and then gathering 40 of the local yocals
who then converged on our house for the funnest water fight known to man.
it involved over 2000 water balloons)

I love this guy.
He's pretty much my favorite.
Happy 40th My Dearest.

Abode.

2011-07-13T07:16:00.006-06:00

All righty, time for the long awaited pictures of the new abode.
I just KNOW you have all been on pins and needles, hardly been able to sleep at night waiting for this.

Couple things....
1* I am NOT a photog (in case you hadn't noticed before)
2* These were taken after my morning run so I know they are a little strange with the sunlight issues....oh well.
3* I think the outside of our house is pretty deceiving. It's actually quite roomy inside.

The front.
Penny, making a cameo.
She is loving her new found freedom, BTW.

Another of the front. This is the weird light one....
or maybe I have moved to the celestial kingdom
and my house is glowing.
One of the two.

The back.
I really like the walk out basement.
And while we're on the subject, let me just say
I love having a basement.
L.O.V.E - I.T.

And now, it's time for a few of my favorite things....

Our mailbox.
We've worked a lot in the yard.
Did I say a lot? Because I meant A LOT.
This yard was in sorry shape.
We found this old trash can and decided it would make a great mailbox stand.
We dug out the falling apart blue plastic thing it was in, buried the trash can a bit
and Ta-Da!!
So far no letters to Oscar the Grouch have been delivered.

This is an older home.
Complete with all the older home charm I love.
Like....

Sweet built in cabinets and drawers.
Love them.

Cool, cool windows.
My favorite is the little one above our bed.

Awesome doors.
I LOVE this door in the office.

And my view from my back door.

Yup.
I'm in a good place.

07-04

2011-07-10T18:30:00.012-06:00

Began with a little 5K Boarder Run.

This is a fun little race that goes from the center of Lewiston, Utah to....wait for it.....the boarder of Utah and Idaho then back to the center of Lewiston. Hence the name the Boarder Run. That boarder also just happens to be part of my parents farm, so we runners have quite a cheering crowd at the turn around during the race. Lots and lots of high fives given out by lots of cute kiddos.

This years family participants included:

Adam, Natalie, Me, Audrey and Amanda.

Natalie had left after the race before we remembered to take pictures, so you don't get to see her in all her running glory. But here's some of the rest of us...

Remember I told you that if you do a race with Amanda you WILL be doing jumping pictures?
Here's the attempt (s):

Adam refused to take part in such silliness. He did agree to stand there.

Clearly, jumping pictures are not my forte'.

I would like to let the record show that I was not aware
that the picture was being taken in this last one.
This concludes our jumping picture attempts for the 4th.
Moving on...

After the race (and some quick showers) we all headed to the big Lewiston City parade. It goes right past my brother, Howard's, place so we parked ourselves on his front lawn.

Have I ever mentioned that we are a big group?

The cousin trio. Grace, Charlotte & Lucy.

This picture is for posterity's sake.
Proof the Dear Old Dad was around for SOME of the summer 2011.

I took no pictures of the rest of the day. Well, except one...Mike and Grant went on a little hike that afternoon and brought me back a beautiful little surprise from the mountains:

Thanks Boys.

We enjoyed a lovely cookout at my mom's house with lots of just good old hangin' around involved. And treats. I don't know who else but the Nelson's plan a day with 1st dessert and 2nd dessert. With no meal in between. First dessert was served shortly after a late lunch of dutch oven potatoes and BBQ's. Second dessert was served before the fireworks.
We enjoyed the fireworks from the comfort of Howard's backyard this year. We usually enjoy them from the comfort of the haystack.

True red blooded American children love S'mores.

Even the big children.

Some are a little messier with their mallows than others.

I would also like the record (since there is no picture) to show that 2nd dessert also consisted of three
very delicious cobblers. Peach, blueberry and cherry chocolate.
MmmMMm.
Too bad your not a Nelson, cuz we do the sweets up right.

The cousin duo. Emma & Audrey.

It was a full, full fun filled day from sun up to WELL past sun down.
And a good time was had by all.
:o)

You should know...

2011-07-06T21:55:00.002-06:00

We are alive.
We are happy.
We are loving our new abode, location and life.
It is beyond crazy busy around here. Think crazy busy, then think way beyond it. That's us.
My life feels vastly different. In a really good way.
I really am going to give a grand virtual tour.
I think next week might be blogging break through week for me.

Until then...my question to you is this:
Exactly how long do you think children can survive on hard work, cold cereal and love?

Cliffton's Papa Jay's 10K

2011-06-19T20:45:00.005-06:00

We interrupt this regularly scheduled moving blog story to bring you details of the best 10k EVER. Okay, it was my first 10k. But really, this race could not be topped. I hope I can do it justice....

A few weeks ago Amanda told me that her mother-in-law had read in the Preston Citizen that a 10k was being held in Cliffton (we assumed she had seen an add of some sort, not so...we found out later someone had written it up under the "Rural Route" portion of the paper. "Rural Route" is where people write about who's grand kids have come to visit and such) and would I like to run with her? Well, sure. Cliffton is a little community north west of Preston It is beautiful, I actually have roots in Cliffton. We didn't know what the occasion for the race was...thought maybe it was Cliffton Days or something? So, she called the number to register and found out that it was sponsored by Papa Jay's. Papa Jay's makes jerky. Really good jerky, by the way.

Amanda and I recruited some more participants: her friend Tawna, our sister Sara, and Sara's husband Todd.
Let me start by saying this....when we showed up with our 5 runners, we nearly doubled the racers. We found the park by the church just down the street from the gas station (where Papa Jay's is located) with no trouble. There was very few people and a card table set up. We went over and started talking with the Papa Jay lady in charge, come to find out she is going on the Trek this week and needed to go for a 6 mile walk, so she thought she would just go ahead and make a party of it and have a race. She told us to write our names on a label and pin it to our shorts and don't forget to write our names on a slip of paper for the drawing too.

When the appointed time arrived, 7 AM, all 17 of us lined up at the start line. There were 3 divisions: Biking (2 people), Running (9 people), and Walking (6 people)...oh and a dog that ran the race with us. The instructions we received were THE best. First she gave us the race route.

From the park we head out and make a right, then go a little bit til we cross the highway...now, we don't have any police escorts so watch for cars and don't get hit...there's usually no cars, but just be careful. Same thing when you come to the train tracks--watch for trains. So then you go along siphon road, well it's not really named siphon road, but there's a big pipe line that runs next to it, so that's what it's called. Cross over the train tracks and take a left. Then head north til you come to the hill, it's just a little one, we have a water stop set up there (her elderly mother was running it), then go up the hill and run next to the lakes for a while till you see the turn around. So, then you turn around and come back down the hill--feel free to take advantage of the water stop coming and going-- then come back and turn down and go down the first road til you come around next to the church, go around the church and back to the start/finish line.

Now, she went on to tell us, they'd marked the course with orange spray paint and inspirational quotes along the way. If we were to get tired, Handsome Bob would be coming around on a 4 wheeler to offer assistance...well, assuming there's no police around because the 4 wheeler's not registered. When we crossed the finish line, Dallas would be calling out our times and we would need to listen and remember them because we would then need to go back to the table, write it on our label and then stick it on the poster. Then go over to the the pavilion for some muffins and watermelon, pick up some jerky out of the basket and coupon (good for today only) for some beef jerky and see if you won the drawing. To start us off Handsome Bob has made an illegal fire work...ready Handsome Bob? Okay, have fun!

Once we took off Todd made the comment he felt like we were in some kind of Napoleon Dynamite sequel....you can't make this kind of stuff up, People. These things only happen in Small Town, USA.

The run was beautiful. Really, really nice. Perfect weather, great scenery, fantastic company. I was a little worried about how I would feel. I've been fighting a cold and had only gone on one 2 mile run since the move. 6.2 miles felt a little daunting. Glad I had my peeps with me. They kept me going strong. Final time 1 hour 5 minutes 22 seconds. None too shabby.

After we finished we enjoyed our watermelon and muffins. We all collected our beef jerky and we each won something in the drawing. Todd won a flashlight, Sara won a water bottle, Tawna won a bottle of pop, Amanda won a candy bar and a little train full of candy and I won a book light.

So, we headed over to Papa Jay's and picked us up some jerky.
That's Papa Jay's, World Headquarters. Don't forget.

P.S. If you run a race with Amanda, you WILL be doing jumping pictures.

She's fun like that.
However, you may want to review the pictures the very nice lady took for you...
I'm not exactly sure how high she thought we were all going to jump....eh, well.

In the infamous words of the "Rural Route":
A good time was had by all.
:)

HELLO WORLD!!

2011-06-15T20:48:00.008-06:00

I'm Back!
I have rejoined the 21st century once again and have internet. WooHoo!
So, now that I have internet I need to find time to blog....
that could be a little twicky.
But, I WILL find the time. Promise.

Like....how 'bout now??
Okay, here goes...

I've never been much of a "catch-up" person when it comes to blogging.
I write it in the moment or I write it not at all.
But, for you, my dears readers a re-cap/catch-up it will be....

MOVING DAY.
....was brutal.

Saying good bye to some purty durn special people was tough.
Real tough.
No need to get all weepy now, so...
And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Shutting the garage door one last final time
and walking away from that house was really, really hard.
I sobbed, -SOBBED- I tell you, once the door was shut
and I knew I was walking away from my St. G life for good.
The sobbing only lasted until I climbed aboard the Beast
(the "Sweet Beast", for those who may not know,
is our beloved good 'ole -yet relatively new to us- 1999 suburban)
and started my long trek back to Cache Valley.

Mike had left an hour ahead of us, thinking it would be slow going in the moving truck.
We were wrong about that. Dead wrong.
Silly, sightless people...thinking the moving truck would be the slow vehicle.
That's crazy talk.

Good thing I was armed with some freshly baked blondies,
courtesy of Anne. They muffled the sniffling nicely.
I didn't share with anyone, just ate and breathed.
They got me all the way to the freeway, after that I just let the tears
roll down off and on until about Beaver.

Beaver is where we encountered our first set of tire problems.
One of the trailers--the big one--the 28 footer,
driven by Shawn (Mike's bestie and a super great guy),
needed four new tires.
So, four tires and an hour or so later off we went.

Onward and upward
(and by saying "onward and upward" I mean slowly--very slowly--but, surely. Top speed of 66 MPH.)
...until we reached Willard.
Willard is where we encountered tire set of problems numero dos.
So,
Two new tires on the trailer carrying Mike's beloved '48 Willies jeep that I was pulling
(YES, you heard that right, I was pulling..thankyou, thankyouverymuch--I know, I'm amazing)
and we were on our merry way.

By this point, my nerves were shot.
I was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally.

And then....
we reached Sardine Canyon.
As I entered Sardine my spirits began to rise.
I was approaching my very favorite part of the drive.
Anyone who is familiar with the drive into Cache Valley knows exactly where I am talking about.
Just as you round a corner coming out of the canyon the entire valley magically opens up before you.
It is spectacular.
I love it.
And I knew we were getting OH SO CLOSE!
I was indeed going to make it.

So, a drive that usually takes us just over 6 hours took us very nearly 10.
But, we made it!

Feeling Surreal.

2011-06-08T15:42:00.002-06:00

Well, I'm here. We are Idaho people now.

I cannot believe it will be a week ago tomorrow that I left the St. G.

It is all a blur.

I will sort through it all....eventually....and give the moving story all the glory it deserves.

For now, I am still internetless...at my mom's right now doing laundry (speaking of which I am also laundry-less for the time being) so I thought I should pop in and let you all know that I am still alive.

Things are a moving and a shaking in our new abode. Lots of work being done right now.

Here's what I have to say about our new abode, besides the fact that I am already in love with it, it still doesn't feel real.

Mike and I have had the same conversation every night....we're here, our stuff is here, we are sleeping in our bed--in Idaho--and yet some how it feels like I am just visiting for the summer, that some how if we drove back to the St. G our stuff would somehow magically appear down there and we would just waltz on back into our old house.

Weird.

But, eventually it will feel not weird.

I feel like I am just coming out of about a 12 day time warp haze.

I am paying a price for all my worry, hard work, late nights and early mornings.

FYI if you can help it....don't do what I just did. It's a WHOLE LOTTA work and when the dust starts to settle you may find your body will only hold out for so long before you find your self catching a bit of everything going around.

Peace out for now...the laundry is done and the unpacking disaster awaits.

T-minus two days.

2011-05-31T13:13:00.002-06:00

Here we are, Tuesday the 31st of May.
We are picking up the moving truck in the morning...
loading tomorrow and taking off on Thursday.

Wow! It has come fast and it has come slow.
At this point, my brain is a pile of mush and I still feel like there is plenty to do.
Mostly, I am excited right now.

Let's get this party started.
The farmgirl fam's new adventure is about to begin!!

I'll save feeling sad for Thursday, right now I am happy.
This is a good thing and we are excited.

Wish me luck...these next two days are going to be a doosey!!
:)

Okay, fine. I'll admit it....

2011-05-23T19:13:00.002-06:00

After giving my talk yesterday
and listening to Mike give his talk yesterday
and knowing our days are really numbered
and fighting a headache all day
and REALLY, REALLY starting to empty the house
and packing up the last of the things that can be packed at this point
and looking at my bare walls and rooms beginning to empty---
I am ready to agree with Robyn and Anne.....

My House is Depressing.

The flood gates are getting weaker.
I keep telling people it's not time for me to be sad about leaving yet,
there's still too much to be happy about.
We still have time.
Well, with only a little over a week left I'm starting to feel it.

Please excuse me whilst I go have a good cry.
Probably the really ugly kind.

Okay, not really.
I still have to be a mom for a few
more hours.
I'll suck it up for a wee bit longer.
Cuz that's the kind of
responsible parent I am.
:o}

And thus began the beginning of the end...

2011-05-05T23:54:00.005-06:00

I have given my last Sharing Time in Primary...
Last Thursday I hosted my last book group...
Sunday was our last first Sunday of the month...
There's discussion of who will fill my place in the Primary...
My running buddy is scouting out new partners...

All these things are just as they should be...and thus began the beginning of the end.

Things are beginning to wind down, well, not things so much as time.
We are running out.
People are telling me things I never knew.
I've always known how great Mike is, how amazing he is with the boys--his scouts--I have watched him influence lives and known that he is making a big difference.
But me? I'm just the supportive wife.
I've never thought I was anything nearly as amazing as sliced bread.
Maybe I never saw it in myself.
Maybe I wasn't looking.
Not really.
Don't get me wrong,
I know I'm good.
I know I'm good at a whole lot of things.
But, now that time is winding down and people are telling me things I never knew, I am realizing that maybe I am something pretty special too.
And it's nice.

That is something for me to work on...tell people things. Really tell them.

This whole beginning of the end thing, it's tough.
We are so happy about our decision to move.
It is absolutely the right thing for us and we are excited.
But...this whole beginning of the end thing, it's tough.

I am moving back to my home ward, but in so many ways I feel like this is the ward I have done the most growing up in. I was just a young thing, with two itty bitty kids, when we landed here. It was the first place we ever lived that I knew--for sure--that we wouldn't be picking up and moving again any time soon. We were putting down roots.

I feel like this is where I learned how to live life.
Sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes just blah...life is, well, life.
"My life has been a good one, with just enough heartache to make me really appreciate all the good and happy times that have come my way." These are the words of a lady I once knew, written in her journal.

I think that's how I feel about my St. G life.
It certainly hasn't always been easy, nor has it always been hard.
But, it has been a good one with just enough heartache to make me really appreciate all the good and happy times that have come my way.

For the record,
it's getting harder to
stick to my
'no crying until the middle of May'
rule.

The new other woman.

2011-05-02T21:13:00.012-06:00

My husband is a passionate man. He loves fierce and he loves deeply.
While I will always be his number one squeeze, over the years his attention has wondered.
Rhiannon has a place in Mike's heart that I fear I will never recover.
Meet Rhiannon.I wouldn't get on board with naming one of our daughters Rhiannon, so Mike created this work of art and got to use the name...

Rhiannon is Mike's electric guitar. He built her from scratch. They have a special bond...something a wife just can't understand, I suppose.

I have referred to Rhiannon as "the other woman" since the day he finished building her.

Well, my friend Rhiannon, there's a new girl in town...and I'm afraid she's gonna win out over both of us for a time.

I am pleased to introduce you to my hubby's latest and greatest love affair...
Over 1,000 square feet of burnin' love, his new shop.

I'm not kidding.
He is in love.
He thinks about "the shop" a minimum of 15,000 times a day.
I think he dreams about "the shop" at night.
He is so excited to set up shop in "the shop".

But first, to give you a real appreciation of how amazing and how far "the shop" has come,
please allow me to show you before and after pictures.
We took a trip to Idaho in March to check out the new abode and finalize the decision.
This was "the shop" then....

Even at this point he was super excited, couldn't wait to get the place spiffed up.
We made plans to go back up over Easter break to paint "the shop". Between our visit in March to our visit over Easter those AMAZING people that we will soon be calling neighbors (not just family) emptied THE ENTIRE THING.
W.O.W.!!!
That was a whole lotta work!
But, all their hard work made it possible for Mike to accomplish this, over the weekend....

Are you amazed? Cuz you should be.
He has drawn up floor plans as to where all of his tools will be placed.
He is planning on putting the little fridge and microwave he used to have at his office in "the shop".
Once we move up there, he may never set foot in the house again.
The children and I will have pack a picnic and visit "the shop" in order to have a family dinner.
That is, of course, if we are privileged enough to cross the threshold....

Potato Salad Prep Discovery

2011-04-20T11:02:00.003-06:00

Idaho is calling to me...

We both thought it was amazing.

The Realist

2011-04-19T08:49:00.009-06:00

T-minus 3 minutes to departure for school this morning Elsie's face lights up and she yelps,
"Oh, oh, oh!! Mom! Mom! Mom! Can I have a quarter? I want to get one of the raffle baskets at school!"

Quick side note:
For those who may not be aware,
the elementary school
here does raffle baskets every spring.
There are many choose from and
I think it's a fairly successful event at the school.

To which Lucy replies, with a roll of the eyes,
"Yeah, Mom...could you give Elsie a quarter? She would like to buy a little tiny slip of paper for twenty five cents."

3 -in- 1

2011-04-15T12:22:00.008-06:00

Times'a ticking....the kiddies will be out of school in less than an hour--I just LOVE early out Friday! So, you get the 3 -in- 1 super duper blog post. I know, you are all so excited. Try to control your selves! Here you go...3 very random things all in one post:

Blog post segment 1---

PREPARE TO BE AMAZED!

I've made no secret of my limited sewing abilities. We are talking limited, People.
Well, remember when I said I had another project I wanted to do??
Yes, it was sewing.
I did it.
And by saying "I" what I really mean is my sister-in-law came over last week, I put my big girl panties on and she baby stepped me through the entire thing
....okay, okay, and she did a lot of it for me.
Anyhoo...
Are you ready??
It was...
....drum roll please....

Ta Da!!! A bean bag chair!!
Are you SO amazed and SO impressed?!?!
Well, you should be.
Sometimes I amaze myself.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
You are all too kind!!

Blog post segment 2---

PROOF POSITIVE..

Just in case you might of thought I was kidding about the room formally known as the laundry room, now known as Packed Boxes Central, being a bit of a death trap...
I give you exhibit A:

I even put my own flesh and blood in the danger zone to give some reference, sure he is the smallest member of the family...but also the only one home with me to pose for my picture.
The pile of boxes wraps around the corner there to the right of Grant.
Lots of boxes, lots.

And last, but certainly NOT least..
Blog post segment 3--

SOMEBODY HAD A BIRTHDAY!!!

Audrey is Officially a teenager.
*help*
Here she is in all her birthday morning glory.

Why, yes, if you were lucky enough to be in our family
then you too would get the most beloved and coveted
birthday crown and sash courtesy of the two smallest lady members of the house.
Doesn't she look amazing folks?
What a beauty!

Here's a question:
What happens when your child requests Angel Food Cake for her birthday
(which she has done for as long as she has been speaking),
you whip out the old Angel Food Cake pan (which you inherited from your husband's grandma nigh unto 15 years ago), notice it is kinda bent, but figure it'll be fine, go ahead and make that birthday cake late Saturday night (knowing the next day is the Sabbath), think it has all worked out just dandy, until you turn the cake over to cool and realize everything isn't all just dandy, and the cake starts falling out and ripping into pieces due to the bent pan and the fact that it didn't stick in the pan like it was supposed to???
Hmmm....whatcha gonna do?
Well, if your me then you just go ahead and let that cake cool, rip it the rest of the way into tiny pieces and make an Angel Food Cake trifle.

Voila!
I do believe a new birthday tradition has been born.
And, yes, that is just one candle on the cake.
*some one* forgot to check to make sure we had candles..
okay, okay it was me.
ooops.

Happy Birthday to my Sweet, Crazy Girl.
Life would be oh so dull without you.
:o)

To Whom It May Concern:

2011-04-11T10:36:00.003-06:00

I am still alive. Although I do take my life into my own hands every time I walk through the laundry room, which we will now refer to as 'Packed Boxes Central'. Packed Boxes Central is housing many, Many, MANY boxes of stuff. Floor to ceiling (10 ft. ceiling, mind you)! Remember, I live in the house where the garage (where one might normally store things such as packed boxes) is not really a garage, it's the shop. And according to my husband, Sacred Ground that simply cannot be disgraced by boxes cluttering up the work space of a genius....JUST KIDDING, HONEY! I know, I know, you have work to do...something about making money to feed and house the family...blah, blah, blah...whatever....

Speaking of the place formally known as the laundry room...Monday is Big Laundry day here at the farmgirl home, now, don't think I don't do laundry any other days, because I DO!! But, seeings how Sunday is a day of rest and all, and Saturday I'm just not in the mood, come Monday morning it's a pretty big task. However, IF my little punks would follow some sort of dirty laundry code we could cut the work down quite a bit. Methinks it is time once again for a "What qualifies as dirty laundry?- -Come to Jesus discussion" with the rugrats. Tell me, Peeps...would that cover FHE tonight?

You know the battle with food/treats? Umm, ya, I'm losing!! Seriously! Lately, food/treats, they are my master. It is so not a good thing...gonna work on that this week.

Allergy season: not a fan. Years ago I was never bothered by allergies. Now? VERY BOTHERED. What's up with that??

This whole moving thing...let's chat, shall we? We, meaning the farmgirl fam, are very excited. The kids are thrilled to be moving so close to Grandma and Grandpa and lots of cousins, as are Mike and I. We are excited to start a new chapter, roll the dice and see what happens. I think it's going to be good, no, I think it's going to be great! BUT, I am sad to leave so many friends and good people. I have told everyone I am not really discussing this until at least the second week of May...can't spend all my days all weepy and sniffily, now, can I? Well, not due to moving anyway--allergies are doing a fine job with that already. So, we aren't going any further down that road at this juncture.

This whole packing thing? Let me just say this: when you move into a house with a just a 3 year old and a 1 year old and you are still pretty young and college-like, you don't have a whole lotta stuff. BUT, when you move out of that same house eleven and a half years later and you are now a family of seven....well, that, my friends, is a whole 'nother story! My, ohhhh, my!!!! There's lots of work for me to do.

Since my time left here is beginning to feel like it may dwindle away before I realize it's gone, I have decided to try to take advantage of every park day, every running day, every opportunity to spend time with the people I have grown to love in a place I thought I never would. I was about 46 hours post baby delivery when we left Montana and started our trek to the St. G, it was the end of May when I arrived here, that summer highs reached (and stayed) in the 120* range--purty darn toasty for a little Idaho farmgirl--, it was hot and barren, I didn't know a single soul, I was lonely and overwhelmed. Since then I have grown to love the red dirt. I love my view from my front window: lava fields, red mountains, Pine Valley Mountain in the distance. It IS beautiful.

Speaking of red dirt...I think it will be kind of a sad day when, some day in the future, we cycle through the last of the red dirt stained socks and they no longer are part of my laundry ritual.

There ya be, Peeps...all the randomness from my brain to your computer screen.

Peace Out. :o)

I'm afraid I've been thinking-

2011-03-24T17:53:00.007-06:00

a dangerous pass time, I know.....

So, in contemplating the massive project that packing my house will be, I have been assessing all our "stuff". I'm really not a hoarder. Frankly, I don't have enough storage in this house to be much of a hoarder, and my mad cleaning/organsizing skilz just don't jive with it.

However...

I do have one area of my life that is pretty unorgansized and very messy.
And it's an area I am in and out of every.single.day.

My recipes.
Mike calls it my "filing system".
Be sure to use air quotes when you say that.
Oh, and roll your eyes while your at it, too.

Here's the deal:
Besides all my regular recipe books, I was given a recipe collection book at one of my bridal showers, everyone there contributed. I love it.
(my local besties should know that my beloved breadstick recipe is actually from
Anneke---one of my oldie moldie school day chums. Hi, Anneke!!)
I don't use all of the recipes all the time, but it's where the magic started.
So, it is also where all of the recipes I have collected over the nearly 17 years I have been married are residing.
There are A LOT of them. A LOT.
And many of them have sentimental value, actually most do....the paper they are written on, the handwriting that belongs to the friend who wrote it down for me, when I started making a particular recipe....the list goes on. Let's just say I cook/bake from the heart.

The dilemma:
I'm the only one who can find anything in the "filing system"....
I know exactly what color the scrap of paper is, whats been spilled or sprinkled on it, what category it's under....plus, no one else shows "the system" the proper respect--all the pages are falling out, People! You can't just willy nilly pick it up and start leafing through! No! It's a delicate balance between me and my "filing system". We know each other very well, been through some tough times together, created some good stuff.

What I am saying is this--there's no way I could part with my beloved "filing system", it will most likely need to be buried with me.
But, what I am considering is making it a little more accessible to others. I'm speaking mostly of my family (the kiddos specifically), but I was wondering if I should create another blog--

farmgirl food

perhaps, and put them all there.

Couple things:
First of all, I have never professed to be an amazing gourmet chef--but I can hold my own in the kitchen. I'm more of just a plain old good food kinda cook.
Secondly, we all know that I can't do anything without a whole lotta rambling, so I'm thinking I'll give the story behind the recipe and all that good stuff.
And lastly, we all know it will be mostly treats. Nuthin' wrong with treats!

So.....whatchathink?

And before Sarah reads this
and comes over here
to beat some sense into
me, telling me to focus on
packing and not
take on any more projects!...
(she told me today that
I was crazy to
consider getting strawberry
jam made before the move)....
I'm talking about doing this once I am
settling in my new abode.
:o)

Job Security.

2011-03-23T11:12:00.003-06:00

The very best form of job security, that I know of, as a mother, is to get sick for a few days.
I'm not talking about feeling a bit under the weather,
I'm talking about in bed for 36 hours straight.
I had a little run in with strep throat...I'm feeling VERY confident that my job is secure.

And, by the by, can we talk for a moment about strep?
First of all let's just say---IT STINKS!
I'm not a regular strep getter.
I have only had it twice in my whole live long life--once three years ago and this week.
--kinda felt something coming on Saturday night, little worse Sunday morning, pretty darn crummy by Sunday night, like a truck hit me and parked on my throat Monday morning (insert start of antibiotics here-thank you!) Horrible all day Monday, little better Tuesday, feeling good today--
That's plenty for me, thankyouverymuch.

Now, back to my job...
I don't mean to say that I am completely indispensable,
but, it appears that I am completely indispensable.
Mike and the kids function without me much better when they have a little warning, like when I go away for my sister weekend.
But, catch them on the unawares and it's tough on the troops.

Monday was the day that didn't exist for me--
--I was pretty miserable--
it was also the last day of spring break for the kids.
Mike was working so the kids fended for themselves.
Adam was assigned dishes for the day instead of just his normal 'dinner dishes duty'.
When he came to tell me goodnight on Monday he said to me,
"Wow, Mom. You must do a lot of dishes during the day."
Yes, Dear, I certainly do.

Two things you should know: #1 we are dishwasherless at the moment-so, yes, lot's of dishes. #2 Mike went first thing Monday morning and purchased paper products to use while I was down. So, yes, still lot's of dishes even just with the dishes to make the meals....tell me about it!

Yesterday I was still feeling under the weather, but good enough to get 'must do' things done,
like, the laundry (lest I be buried alive by it today).
So, I would climb out of bed, switch the laundry, fold a little, then go lay down again.
A slow process but, I got it done.
But that was about it.

When Adam got home from school (he's wave 1 on the return) he scavenged around for a bit and then asked if he could make a treat.
Sure, I said. Just clean up the mess.
While his cookies were baking he came back to see me and said,
"Wow, Mom. You sure do make a lot of treats for us."
Yes, Dear, I certainly do.

Elsie must of come and given me a gazillion hugs and asked every time if I was feeling better yet. Audrey assured me numerous times before she went to school that she would handle everything when she got home, that I should just take it easy. And Mike, well, I think it really stresses him out to have me not available.

So, after much rambling and nonsense the moral of the story is...
If you really want to feel appreciated and loved,
--don't wait for Mother's Day--
just get strep and you, too, can know how very secure your job is.
Because, let's face it....
The only people who want our jobs is us.
Yes, us...ladies crazy enough to birth all these babies and then spend the rest of every waking moment of our lives taking care of the rugrats, a house and that bigger kid-version guy we fell madly in love with and married.
Yep, that's the life I chose....
And I love it.
:0)

plus, if you have a really
nice friend that finds out
you are sick
she'll make you
homemade chicken noodle soup
....just sayin'

David Bowie said it best....

2011-03-08T09:17:00.004-07:00

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
ch-ch-changes.

There.
Now that we have some background music going for us,
let's chat.

Changes.
Big ones.

I have had this quote for years and years
-honestly I don't remember where I got it,
but I love it:

When you come to the edge of all the light you have known,
and are about to step out into darkness,
Faith is knowing one of two things will happen;
there will be something to stand on,
or you will be taught to fly.

Well, my friends, I'm not exactly stepping into darkness.
I know there will be something to stand on....
but,
I'm hoping this little farmgirl fam will spread their wings and soar.

Once upon a blog post,
a couple summers back,
I had this to say at the end of my Idaho visit:

What can I say?
I just love this place.
It is what makes me...Me.
This place, and all the people there, are what made me Farmgirl.
(thank you Robyn for recognizing it)
And I could not be more grateful.
~
Going home is imperative.
Making sure my children's roots run all the way back to this Idaho farmland is one of the most important things I will ever do.

Well, one of the most important things
I will ever do is going to be a whole lot easier
come the beginning of June....
here goes....
We are leaving the St. G.
We are moving back to that Idaho farmland.

Me and Mikey and the punks are heading north.
To a house just up the road from my parents.
It's a mixed bag of emotions...
but, mostly it's nice to know that
we are doing just exactly what we should be.
We are blessed and life is good.
:o)

And by the by,
I'm pretty sure
that I am going
to need to increase
my fluid intake
dramatically over the
next 2+ months...
Many a tear was shed
just writing this
silly little post.
:'(

I'm pooped....

2011-03-03T19:49:00.003-07:00

seriously,
who knew it could be so exhausting just thinking about all the things I need to do?
Because, I certainly haven't accomplished much this week.
So, ya, apparently my thought process is so profound that it can actually wear me right out.
Amazing.
On the bright side: the boomerang SEP week is coming to a close- this go 'round hasn't bugged me so much, it's just weird to have the wee ones home in the very middle of the day and only one more day until the Lake to Lake relay race, I really have not done any hard core training for this...oh, who am I kidding? When do I ever do any hard core training for anything???
.....Anyhoo, time for me to shuffle off to Buffalo and see if I can't get a kid or two to cooperate with me and hit the hay without much of a fight so this tired old lady they call mother can go to bed early tonight.
Peace Out.
:)

Another Chapter...

2011-02-23T21:17:00.003-07:00

...you know that parenting book Mike and I have been working on?
Well, I think I may have completed the chapter on bedtime.

Here's the story:
Wednesday nights I fly completely solo. Mike, Adam and Audrey are all at mutual (let's face it--it's not like Grant wants anybody but me to put him to bed and he's the tough one, so it's more a night of some what calm and quiet without the big, loud people around). Usually I run a pretty tight ship. Tonight I got Grant to bed quite smoothly, so smoothly in fact that I decided to be the nice mom and let the girls stay up and watch a little TV--with the understanding that when it was time for bed it was TIME FOR BED, no milking it.
After watching a little boob tube together I sent them on their way and they went right into bed. Nicely done, farmgirl mothering, nicely done.
Until 2 minutes later when Elsie was hungry, and 2 minutes after that when she was thirsty, and 2 minutes after that when she needed to tell me one last thing, and 2 minutes after that when her sister ratted her out before she even got to the door of the bedroom--you get the picture. In the midst of all of this 'night time negotiating' Mike came home, we were sitting on the bed visiting when in comes the little lady herself...she needed to tell me that her tooth (that is barely loose) was really hurting her.
I told her with all the sincerity and love a mother can that I was terribly sorry to hear about her sore tooth and that I could think of two options that we could do about it--she would get to choose which one she preferred.
1)She could go back to bed, lay down, go to sleep and forget about it.
or
2)I would have her father rip the tooth right out of her head on the count of three.
One...
Two....
and that's the last we saw of our darling Elsie for the evening.

Too much???

Project Queen.

2011-02-18T12:28:00.004-07:00

Now, before we begin....a little disclaimer.
Okay, actually a couple of disclaimers.
#1) I am a lot of things. I would not say that I am particularly crafty or projecty--I am sure that I am not seamstressy. So, be kind.
#2) At this point in the life of my beloved -and very old- camera (whose life with me began after a full and useful life as a work camera for Mike) the screen where I used to be able view not only the pictures already taken, but also the current picture being taken has died completely. Therefore, I am shooting blind. So, again I say to you, be kind.
Alrighty then, on we go.

So, I was in need (and by saying need I really mean want) of a few changes around the old homestead. Being the Chatty Cathy that I am, I was talking to my good buddie Christy about my aspirations. Now, here's the thing about Christy--she is very projecty and an amazing seamstress. She was actually working on a project of her own and, much to my delight, stumbled across some very lovely fabric that she donated to the cause and voila project numero uno was under way....

I call this project: Operation Spruce Up Family Room.
Here we have my couch and table pre-sprucing....

And, here we have my couch and table post sprucing--

Cute, huh? I'm not completely in love with the color of the table, but it was the closest thing to blue that I could rummage up from the garage.

And...TaDa!! Look at that fancy sewing work! Okay, really don't look too closely.... I recovered the pillows that were already there and then dug up some random pillows floating around the house and recovered them as well (if one of my girls asks where her round flower pillow with the giant tear in it is--YOU DON'T KNOW). And then I remembered I had a gift certificate to Ross and found some new throws for $4 a piece, not too shabby.

So, woohoo, project one done and done. Yes, it was slightly intimidating but not nearly as much work as project numero dos.

I like to call this project: Revamp Kitchen Table.
A word or two about this table--it was given to us several years ago by Mike's parents when they bought a new one. This table has been around a Loonngg time. It is a Really nice, heavy duty piece of furniture (which it needed to be to have survived Mike and his brothers). It is in fact, circa 1983--hence the oak and black paint flecked look. I knew revamping this beast would be a lot of work. What I didn't know was really, really, really how much work it would be.
Although I was nearly certain I was going to die at some point of the sanding, wiping, painting, waiting, sanding, wiping, painting, waiting, sanding, glazing, wiping, wiping, spraying, waiting process.... I do love the finished product.

Thank Goodness we used Mike's paint sprayer...or, seriously, I really would have died under this table. (robyn can verify our near death experience)

Sadly, with my pathetic camera you really can't see how fantastic it looks. You will just have to take my word for it...or come on over and see for yourself.

I'll make cookies for the occasion.
:o)

I do have one more project on the radar,
but I am really being a chicken about it.
It involves a lot of sewing.
And, honestly,
at this point I am hoping
it will also involve my mother...
....Hi, Mom! Wanna help?
Are you looking for a project?
Maybe if I visit over spring break....???

SEP Week (s)

2011-02-14T13:51:00.002-07:00

Today marks the beginning of SEP week--
or more appropriately for me--
weekS.
That's right, because when you have multiple children in multiple schools it means that you get to enjoy multiple weeks of half-day school.
Kids are coming and going all the live long day...for weeks on end!
To quote a favorite movie, "lame, lame, lame, lame, LAME!"
I don't know for sure what SEP stands for, but in my mind it is
Stupid Educational Procedure.

Come on! Do we really need an entire week to accomplish this? Really?

Anyhoo, that's the rant for today.

I'm a bit on the grumpy side,
couldcha tell?

Thanks Peeps!

2011-02-06T20:44:00.004-07:00

I knew I could count on you!
You all make me feel a little less freaky and a lot more normal....
unless, of course, we are all just a whole bunch of freaks.
Ehh, well--as long as we are in it together, right?
So, how's about I lay a really weird one on you...?
If I do, then you all should be feeling the urge to participate
and give me a crazy quirk in the comments.
(have i ever mentioned how much i just love the comment part of a blog?
no? well, me do)
All right? Here we go.

Tomorrow is February 7th.
It's a very special day.
It's the day before my big day.
Every year I clear the calendar on February 7th.
Wanna know why??
Because it is the day I give myself the very best present ever...
an entire day of cleaning.
I LOVE IT!
So, tomorrow think of me in all my quirkiness just cleaning my little heart out
here at the homestead.

I'll be a happy girl.
:o)

Random thoughts, by farmgirl.

2011-02-02T13:16:00.005-07:00

Oh, Hi!
So, how's it going?
I'm still here.
Still here with all my random thoughts.
How's about we put some of the random thoughts down for ya?
Good?
Great!
Here we go.

Here's something.
Someone is having a birthday, real soon.
And since this certain someone is turning 36 she is beginning to think that she may need to stop thinking of herself as "just starting out in the thirties, you know early thirties". It may be time to set that one free and embrace the "over half way done with the thirties". Here's the thing, I'm totally good with it. Couldn't be happier to be 36. It just seems weird sometimes. Ya know what I mean, Vern?
And here's something else, the older I get the crazier I am becoming.
Is anyone else frightened by that statement?
Well, you should be.
Want a few examples?
Okay.
-I am little old lady, grandma cold. All. the. time. We are talking 3-4 layers of clothing, every day. My grandparents had this wall heater in their house and they would keep it blazing hot--oh, how I wish I could time travel back and move in.
-I have acquired some bizarre sleeping issues. I have to go to bed with my 'Cindy Lou Hoo' super soft and comfy socks on (cold feet), but I must take them off before I completely fall to sleep. Not to mention all the weird light (street light, cell phone light, clock light, smoke alarm light-just to name a few) issues I have.
-Here's a really crazy one. I am beyond a control freak when it comes to the setting on the thermostat. (Let's just set one thing straight right now. I have some serious control freakness inside me, which plays a big part in the whole Crazy Lady thing.) Anyhoo, about the thermostat...while, yes, I am freezing all my waking hours, I am a little heater once I fall to sleep at night. I know! I'm weird. So, at night we turn the thermostat down for comfortable sleeping temperatures. Makes sense, right? BUT, I need to be the one to turn it up. Do Not turn it up before I am up and at 'em. Do Not turn it up while I am in the shower. And for the love! Never turn it up while I am out running.
-I CANNOT stand to have cupboard doors open, newspapers open, pictures not square on the wall, rugs not straight on the floor, clothes folded sloppy, beds made sloppy--you get the idea.

Okay, I believe that's enough to make my point. I am getting weirder all the time. Really, you should all wish me luck as I move on into this next year of life. Or, more appropriately, you should send your well wishes to my family. They get the crazy full time.

The other night I was saying something to Mike and made a comment about how I am turning into a freak, that I didn't used to be so crazy. I think I was some how trying to apologize for the loss of the unfreak-like girl he married many moons ago, saying that it's kind of unfortunate for him that he is now stuck with the freak version of his lovely bride.

He looked at me, smiled and assured me of two things:
First of all that he would not classify me as a freak, that he would use the term 'quirky', that I have some 'quirks'.
And secondly, that I have always been 'quirky'.
Thanks, Dear.
:o)

What's for Dinner.

2011-01-20T17:57:00.003-07:00

It's dinner time once again in the farmgirl household.
What's for dinner?
Well, that would be leftovers.
Again.
Me fears me family is going to unite and protest.
I'm in a super big rut.
Super Big.
The hubster got a panini press for Christmas and while we do love it dearly,
possibly after 25 days someone would like something different.
Maybe?
Ya think?
So, give it to me Peeps...
What's for dinner???
Ideas.
I need them.
Go!!

p.s.
unfortunately, even I can't count dessert
for dinner.
Well, night every night anyway.
because, if i could...
then i would be set,
because we have had a
wide variety of those.
;o)

What I know For Sure.

2011-01-12T18:26:00.003-07:00

I am a cold blooded creature. And not a fan of it. I hate being cold.
Even though I am the Treatmiester, (truly-it's a gift) it doesn't mean I should make brownies every other day. I blame today's pan on PMS.
I have beautiful children. Really, inside and out. I love them.
Cleaning is the fastest pick-me-up I know, almost always brightens my spirits.
Elsie sings away 97% of her waking hours at home. I am not kidding. I think it's adorable and wish I had the gift of happiness and overflowing, abounding love that she does.
Ironing does next to nothing for me. Perhaps if I did it more than bi-annually I would appreciate it more.
I'm a good mom.
Perspective is priceless. There is no way I could appreciate where I am if I hadn't been where I've been.
I really, truly can survive on next to nothing. And I'm pretty proud of me and my brood for doing what we've done.
Fruit and dessert should rarely mix. Fruit is fruit and dessert is dessert. There are exceptions.
I am looking forward to the future. It feels as though change is on the horizon.
Running is really good for me.
I am never alone. Not just literally, because- yes- I am generally surrounded by my minions, but really, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me.
Sleep is vital to my well being. I should wear a sign around my neck that reads: For Happiness-Keep Me Well Rested.
If you think you can't do something, you are probably wrong. If you think that there's no way you could manage and you are put in the situation anyway, you will live. When the choice is sink or swim, I think we're pretty much all swimmers.
I am swimming more gracefully these days. Feels nice.

Treatmiester.

2011-01-10T18:54:00.006-07:00

So, I made brownies tonight for Family Home Evening treat.
I haven't made brownies for quite sometime.
What with the whole Christmas chocolates and mounds of neighborhood goodies around, there has been no need.
Cuz, we all KNOW that we certainly aren't treatless much around these parts.
Nothing special, just the old favorite standby recipe I've used for years.

My question to you is this...
Why am I so darn good at making brownies?

I just cut into them,
(because-you know-i need to test them to make sure they are fit for the rest of the family. nobody's going down due to brownie poisoning on my watch! i'm just really good at sacrificing like that.)
and friends, let me just tell you, my timing was perfect.

Cool enough so as to not burn one's tongue and fall completely to pieces and warm enough to still enjoy that warm melted chocolate chip, chocolate-y goodness.

mmmmMMMMmmmm.

I have a gift.

Really, it's a blessing and a curse.
:)

There and Back again. A farmgirl's tale.

2011-01-05T08:47:00.005-07:00

This is the story of how we all very nearly lost our dear old friend, farmgirl.
She had a brush with the nasty of the nastiest, that mean old monster, depression.
Farmgirl has always prided herself on being able to find the funny and some sort of joy in all the journeys life has taken her on.
The last two years life has taken her on a journey that has worn and frazzled her right to the bone.
Farmgirl's not afraid of living tight. She's not afraid of hard work. She's not afraid of buckling down and just making things work. She's good like that.
The 2009-2010 school year was a tough one, it beat her up pretty badly, at the end of the 2010 school year she fled to Idaho, home, back to the farm and the roots that make her strong, and hid for the summer.
She worked on all her farmgirlness and came back fighting. She was ready to take on the world again.
Only, it didn't last. Not as long as she was hoping it would.
By October-ish she was starting to fade again. How could this be?
There's no easy escape in the middle of the school year.
And that's when the nasty of the nastiest started to creep into her life.
Let's be honest, he had been creeping for a long, long time. But, he finally saw his moment.
You won't make it, he said.
Why try?, he said.
Things will never change, he said.
And she began to listen.
She could feel herself closing down, bit by tiny bit.
Thanksgiving time, and she was struggling to hold it together.
December came.
Things that have always brought her copious amounts of joy, brought her little.
December was a remarkably hard month.
She kept going through the motions of what a normal farmgirl might do, but she felt as though her little farmgirl heart had been squooshed.
There was no joy in Mudville, Mighty farmgirl had struck out.
Until one day, a particularly hard, sad day, a day she cried her eyes out to her dear old hubby, she cried and she cried, all the afternoon she cried, she cried the evening away and into the night she poured all her heartache and worry out to him, told him of how she wanted to avoid so much of her life and most everything in it.
She told him of her visit from the mean old monster, depression.
And you know what? He listened. He heard her. He got it.
Some how, some way he said what needed to be said, said what needed to be heard.
After another week or so she started to have glimpses of the happiness she once knew.
For a few moments a day she would feel like her old farmgirl self again, really like she was her, and not just pretending to be her, like she had been for weeks and weeks.
And now, my friends, after a much too long absence, I am happy to report that she is starting day three of that full time farmgirl feeling.
And it's nice.

She is not fool enough to think that her battle with the nastiness is over, but she is a fighter.
She is a survivor and she will make it.

Chocolates 2010. Day Four and Five.

2010-12-11T13:34:00.002-07:00

Well friends, I am done.
Done with the big stuff anyway.
Still have a few batches of toffee to make for the family.
I'm just gonna go ahead and shoot straight with you...
this was an off year for me.
The Caramel Curse of 2010 nearly did me in.
But I didn't let it get the best of me--
I fought on! And in the end I prevailed!!

And now, after a very long week of candy making
and a very lovely book group fondue party
held last night
hosted by yours truly, featuring the
famous Chinese table,
where I was able to share the chocolate bounty
with a Pack of Chicks I adore
I am more than ready for a long winter's nap...
could someone tell my kids??

P.S.
I heard through the grapevine that
Adam said that my chocolates
are the best part of Christmas.
If my kids think that then it is all worth it.
Because when I was growing up,
I felt the same way.

Yes, Virginia, Chocolate does Rule the World.

Chocolate 2010. Day Three.

2010-12-08T23:47:00.003-07:00

The day started just before 5. That's 5 in the AM.
Dipped my little heart out for a few hours.
Made my day, actually.
My dipping high carried me almost to dinner time.
From then on, it's been a little sketchy.
Seeings how the day is now almost officially over,
I think it's time for my sleepy little head to hit the pillow.

On a completely unrelated side note:
If one of your children comes home from school
complaining of an ear ache and you,
trying to be nice and also trying
to stop the complaining in
the fastest, most efficient way,
think to yourself that a warm towel
might feel nice to the child and
decide the fastest way to provide said warm towel
might be to put it in the microwave...
THINK AGAIN.
There is a distinct possibility that you may come
very close to setting your house on fire
and certainty that you will make your
house stink.
Really bad.

Chocolates 2010. Day Two

2010-12-07T22:39:00.002-07:00

So, I think the fact that I got the year right shows an improvement from day one.
Upon my mom's suggestion and my husband's request I took it a bit easier today.
I mostly spent the day doing one of my other favorite pass times....cleaning.
Let's face it. A clean house = a happy farmgirl.
Tonight I was back in the candy making business.
Everything is shaped and ready to be dipped.
Tomorrow is dipping day.
woohoo.
That's my favorite part.
I was born to have my hands covered in chocolate.

Chocolates 2010. Day One.

2010-12-06T21:12:00.004-07:00

From the trenches.
After 14+ hours of candy making I am almost too tired to form complete sentences.
This was a long day.

Some good things:
-My kids are beyond thrilled. Tis the season and they are oh so excited about the chocolateness of our house.
Yes, they are truly mine.
-In the process of checking a really big item off the Christmas time 'to do' list.
-Speaking with me madre three
(was it three? honestly i'm so tired i can't remember--at least three)
times today on the phone.

Some not so good things:
-Having the first center of the day not work and needing to recook it.
*good news, in the end it turned out great*
-Needing to threaten to chop Grant's finger off if he touched the center again while I was beating it.
-Dropping a 10 lb block of chocolate on my little toe.

My brain is far too close to the state of mush to muster much more.
As Scarlett would say, Tomorrow is another day.

Allow me to introduce...

2010-11-21T08:58:00.009-07:00

The new family pics.

Brought to you courtesy of Robyn, one of my best besties.

Grant D

This delicious little man is my Best Boy.

Elsie Girl

She is the sweetest girl who ever did live.
And I'm really not kidding about that.

Goose

I love this crazy girl.
She is entertainment nearly nonstop.

Audz

Did I blink?
Because someone switched my little lady in for this all grown up model.

Adam

Not totally sure where we would be without this big fella.
He is a huge help, and a huge tease.

Me and Mikey

Life has thrown us a few curve balls in the last couple of years,
but me and this guy will conquer the world together.
Some day.
Okay, maybe not the world.
But our small little corner of it.

Because, really, any one that can make me laugh like this
on a regular basis,
after everything we have been through,
is a keeper.

Thank You Robyn.

I love them.

The Day.

2010-11-12T23:10:00.003-07:00

This morning I got up and ran three miles.
This morning three and a half hours before I got up to run three miles I moved myself to the couch to avoid sleeping next to a chain saw like sound coming from the other side of the bed.
This morning after getting the children off to school I straightened up my already fairly clean house.
This morning I started some laundry so as to avoid being buried alive by laundry come Monday morning. The last load is still waiting patiently in the dryer for me to fold it.
This morning I went to the temple with my visiting teaching ladies.
This morning I wondered when I would be old enough to be a temple worker. It seems like something I would love to do.
This morning I was doing a little people watching while waiting for my visiting teaching ladies, I also wondered when I would be old enough to wear a dress with sneaker type shoes and black pantyhose and feel okay about it. Oddly enough, it also seems like something I would like to do.
Today I went to Walmart to do my once a week what-do-we-need-to-get-by-until-next-week-? shopping. Walmart was crazy busy.
Today I sent my two big boys off for the annual scout trip to the air show in Vegas.
Tonight for dinner my children had cold cereal while I made a pan of brownies.
Tonight warm brownies and milk are what I had for dinner.
Tonight Grant was disgustingly filthy dirty, I put him in a bubble bath and just let the bubbles do the work for me.
Tonight I opted to not put the youngest to bed. Grant fell asleep watching a movie.
Tonight the girls all went to bed right around the ten o'clock hour. (VERY, VERY LATE for our standards.)
Tonight I should have been working on a sharing time for Sunday. Instead I watched the Biggest Loser on hulu, while eating warm brownies and milk.
Tonight I ate WAY too many brownies.
Tonight I am wondering why I am writing down such randomness.
Right now I am thinking it is time to call it a night.

The Chart

2010-11-12T20:00:00.002-07:00

Here you go, Bobbi.
Here is my job chart.
Really, it's nothing special.
I have tried many a different way to divide up the chores.
This is my favorite BY FAR.
Everyone is in charge of a room for an entire week.
Some are easier and less work than others, but we switch so it doesn't really matter.
Grant is a floater and helps who ever strikes his fancy at the moment.
The kitchen ultimately is mine, but we take turns doing the dishes.
Everyone is responsible for their own bedrooms.
I haven't had to function so efficiently this year, last year when I was doing day care full time + two other part time gigs--it was a must to have everyone pitch in.

So all of this is contingent, of course, to when I am really feeling my inner task masterness.

Keep the Commandments.

2010-11-09T18:41:00.006-07:00

A few years back (like 5+ years) me and my beloved decided we needed to set some simple guidelines for our children to follow.
Being the creative, fun loving parents that we are, we decided to call them the "Family Commandments" and posted them prominently on the fridge.

As with everything every good parents does, it was very well received at first, but after time lost a little pizazz and the newness factor--eventually it was taken down and forgotten about.

Forgotten about, until the other day when I was searching the computer looking for my trusty job chart.

(Yes, I will admit that it is November and I am just getting the 'school time job chart' back up. What can I say?? I REALLY like doing the work myself when I am sans children. Yes, yes, I know, I know--how will they learn if I don't give them the opportunity?.... I will now go hang my head in shame.)

So, where was I?
Oh yes, the job chart.
I found the job chart in a file and also ran across the good old "Family Commandments". I thought to myself, Self- that was a great idea you and Mikey had all those years ago--you should print it out and post it again.
So that's what I did.See? Right down there, bottom left on the fridge.

Right there under the job chart for all to see.
What I didn't account for are the older children I am now housing...

Children that would leave notes such as this:
And just in case you can't read it, let's get a close up, shall we??

Bunch'a smart ankles!

Halloweenfest- 2010.

2010-11-03T15:09:00.014-06:00

One day of Halloweening is plenty for me.

This year we celebrated for a full week.
And I do mean FULL.
Yep, I'm really good with the fact that it
lands on a Monday next year and
we can just party our little hearts out all in one day.

So, here we go-
The Halloweenie Mother's recap...
(and let's face it, who am i kidding?
i'll say it loud and proud.
i really am a
halloweenie mother)

We started out the week with the traditional Monday
before Halloween pumpkin carving FHE.
This year my normally pumpkin carving loving husband
was not feeling the groove so much.
And definitely not finding the time to help carve 5 pumpkins.
So we opted for a
Girl's pumpkin
and a
Boy's pumpkin

Grant does a great scary pumpkin impersonation, btw.

As per any good Halloweenie mother's standards,
costumes were what ever you decide you want to be.
(...and we can dig up around the house and out of the Halloween box)

This year we had an interesting mix...

Grant.
Who celebrated
preschool and nieghborhood party #1
as a pumpkin.

Who,
after destroying said pumpkin costume at
preschool and neighborhood party #1,
then decided to be a bird.

And a darling little bird he was, indeed.
Until, of course, we attended the elementary school
costume parade
(which equals an hour of hard play time
on the playground equipment for the boy)
and neighborhood party #2.
By this point, well, let's just say the darling
little bird boy had done a bit of molting.
No worries!
On to our last costume of the season,
the trick or treating costume,
costume number three.
A ghost.
(see how that Halloween box just keeps giving?)
Umm, ya- I couldn't get a half decent picture of him.
He was very into character.

Elsie.
Elsie's costume was also a work in progress over the course of a few days.
Initially she wanted to be a vampire.
Then she wanted to be a vampire / prisoner.
But, in the end she just couldn't hide her true colors,
added a purse and some shades,
and became a vampire / prisoner / super model.

Lucy.
Goose's costume was a revival from last year.
Well, sort of.
She was an old lady last year.
She wanted to be an old lady again,
but since that's just crazy to repeat like that
she decided to mix it up a bit...
She told me she wanted to be
Ethel from I Love Lucy.
I told her I wasn't sure how to make that work.
NO WORRIES, she says to me,
I'll just make a sign.
I love the fact that
a) she never considered asking for a ride to school
and
b) she gave me much entertainment watching my
little old lady daughter ride down the street.

This next picture has nothing to do with Halloween.
It just makes me smile.
It's from Red Ribbon week,
Crazy hair and hat day.

Audrey.
Audz decided some time ago that she wanted to be a secret agent.
This was quite possibly the easiest costume ever.
She was a real trooper and took Lucy and her friend trick or treating.
Wow, I almost forgot night two of Halloween week...
Audrey's Orchestra Halloween Recital.
Another FULL night.

She's in there somewhere.
(Please, try to control your jealousy over me
and my amazing camera.)

Adam.
Adam talked his dad into driving down to Partyland Thursday
night on their way home from work.
He picked up this amazing wig and created a costume.
It was lovely.
Really.

But, Adam's favorite part of Halloween was this...

Sitting on the porch all night and freaking people out.
It was lovely.
Really.

Last, but certainly not least...
Mike.
He was clearly exhausted and must have been slightly
delirious because he put on this little number to take the kiddies
trick or treating.

Here's a little Mikey trivia for you..
The last time Mike wore that coat on Halloween
was 17 years ago,
the Howl at USU,
he went as a flasher,
he was
hoping to run into a little lady he had recently met,
someone we all know and love,
a certain
farm girl.
;o)

There.
Now, how's that?
Do you feel as worn out just reading
about it as I did after living it?

So long, Halloweenfest Week!!

The Delmonte Factor.

2010-11-01T20:00:00.005-06:00

Here's just a little something I've been thinking about.....

Way back when--way, way back in the day--back in the
high school summer days I had a job.
My first "real job", in fact.

*THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION RIGHT HERE*

#1: While this was my first 'pay check job' I want NO ONE under and illusions that it was my first working experience...farmgirl's the name,remember?
Work & Me, well, we've never been strangers.
#2: As a youngster I could of been the poster child for picky eaters. No, really. 97% of what I survived on was treats and breads. Oddly enough one of the few vegetables I ate (and really enjoyed) was canned green beans.

So, about this first real job- it was at the Delmonte plant working in the green beans.
I worked there for three summers.
Three summers, ten hour shifts.
That adds up to a whole lot-o-time spent at Delmonte.
I actually liked it there.
Much fun was enjoyed.
But the smell....
The smell still remains, lingers deep within the olfactory memory tissues.
All these years later, open up that can and
I am right back at the belts sorting through the beans, at the cookers sorting through the beans, at the forklift driving the pallets of beans, in the lab doing quality control on the beans---just like it was yesterday.
You know what happened?
I can't stand canned green beans!
Clearly having far too much exposure to something I really enjoyed the taste of ruined it for me.
Even though my memories of working there are positive I still CANNOT stomach canned green beans.

So,
My question/quandary is this....
Why does this not work for sweets?
My exposure is vastly more than that of the green beans.
How come I can eat and eat and eat those dag-um treats
and still go back for more?
Certainly I have had more sweets than any normal person.
And yet, I rarely seem to tire of them.

Kinda makes ya go
HHmmmmm?

The Folks came to Town.

2010-10-24T17:41:00.004-06:00

My parents' annual visit has come and gone.
Well, I don't know if it's really annual...but, it's been annual for the last three years--so I'm calling it "the annual trip".
And, maybe if I name it that- it really will be ;)
Last year when she came down to do a chocolate demonstration with me, my mom and I went on a shopping spree and obtained all of her grand-kid gifts.
It was such an awesome experience that despite there being no chocolate demo this year she still decided to come down and hit the stores with me.
We had a great time and got all 28 kiddos gifts purchased.
Yes, we really are that amazing!
AND, now this is the really important thing....
we didn't pay full price for ANYTHING!!
Oh, how I love a deal!
Helping other people spend money is a special gift of mine.
Me padre was the babysitter extraordinaire and kept Grant during many an hour of shopping.

Yes, yes a good time was had by all....
but, really let's just get right down to the very best part.
Not only did they bring me a lovely
Green River watermelon, delicious apples from Thelma's tree
and 50 lbs of amazing Idaho potatoes,

They also brought me this-----

And a little bit more,
like this-----

If any of you are saying,
"Wow, farmgirl, Simply Lemonade is good....??"
Let me set you straight.
It's MILK!
Milk I tell you!!
Right from the farm!!
Mmmmm.
Milk, it does a body good.

Made these tasty little treats all the more enjoyable.

And because I always like to share the goodness....

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at time, beat each until blended -add vanilla, beat until blended. Mix dry ingredients separately, then add to wet ingredients and mix just until blended. Make round cookie dough ball thingies, roll in powdered sugar, place on baking sheet. Bake 350* for 9-11 minutes.

p.s. I squoosh them down a tiny bit before baking.
p.s.s I also add chocolate chips to the mix, shocker- I know.

Enjoy.
Best if served warm, with ice cold farm fresh milk.
:o)

If you lived inside my head.....

2010-10-19T17:05:00.004-06:00

during the past 18 days since I last posted
you would have enjoyed many great posts to this blog.
In fact, if I could blog straight from my brain I would post several times a day.

Just thought I should let you know.

Because
(i'm going to let you in on a weird little secret of mine....)
sometimes I think in blog post talk.
Don't judge--I never claimed to be normal.
Yes, I know, you thought I was strange before and now I have confirmed it.

Well, there ya go...

FYI
Things are looking up around here.
IT'S ABOUT DARN TIME!
And I COULD NOT be more pleased about that.

And, yes, for your reading pleasure I do plan to make blogging a regular part of my life again.
But, it might have to wait just a bit longer---
Me madre and me padre are coming to visit for a few days==woohoo!
And I have a work writing assignment that needs to be done by the end of next week.

Sooooo,
be patient my peeps.

Farmgirl loves you.

Not a fence-sittin' kind of a Gal.

2010-10-01T20:44:00.003-06:00

I hate indecisiveness.
It's slightly bothersome when I see it in other people, drives me absolutely crazy when it's me.
I know this is ridiculous, but it really bugs me that I don't update this blog.
That this blog, that I once so enjoyed, is yet another source of frustration for me.
Believe me when I tell you that I have plenty of frustration already.
I have frustration out the ying-yang some days!
Frustration that makes me want to gauge my own eyes out with blunt object, then rip all my hair out by the roots, then bang my head against the wall until the cows come home.
(Or make and eat lots of warm, chocolate comfort food--which is the option I tend to fall back on.)
I want to be that funny gal that blogged sometimes multiple times a week.
Really, I do.
But I'm not.
That gal is burnt out.
Burnt Out.
I know there is still funny, quirkiness left in me...it's just a little harder to tap into these days.
And since I established this blog as a funny, quirky place I never feel quite right about tellin' it like it really, really is.
Are we good with that?
Is that an option for me?
Can I still use this thing to ramble?
Cuz, you know, rambling is one of my many gifts.
Besides the whole "not feeling the funny"--I have been so freaking busy just keeping my head above water for the last year and half that it is seriously hard to find the time to blog.
Now, I know I'm not the only one with stuff. Everybody has stuff. I know that.
At the moment, I just happen to be really sick of mine.
The point I am so round about the way trying to make, because I usually do have a point--just takes me a while to get there--is this:
I'm a do-er or a don't-er.
I'm no fence sitter.
I'm a blogger or I'm not.
So, what's it going to be self?
Is you in or is you out?
Well, when you put it that way...I guess I'm in.
I just might need to make up new blog rules in my head.
Yes, in my head I have blog rules for myself.
My rules are that I blog AT LEAST every week/week and a half.
How 'bout we change that to two weeks to a month....
Guilt free.
See, that's the key. Guilt free.
Okay, I think that may be doable.
I feel much better now.
Glad we could talk.

Small Mercies

2010-09-20T18:58:00.005-06:00

When September hits here in the St. G people like to pretend that it is actually time for autumn weather. We pull out our long sleeved clothes and admire them longingly. Our bike riding children think they need a hoodie to ride to school in the mornings (never mind the fact that they come home from school with sweaty, beet red faces). We start sorting through all those wonderful fall-esk recipes, maybe even put a pumpkin spice smell in the old scentsy.

People even attend parades held at 5:00 in the afternoon. That's right, the very hottest time of the day. Not just any old parade, the rodeo parade. That means that there are people dressed to the nines in all sorts of cowboy attire. H-O-T. Hot.

Now, we all know that I am not a native to the extreme temps of the St. G. I am not crazy enough to take myself and the chitlins out to battle the heat to watch the rodeo parade. Especially not when we have already experienced the REAL Rodeo Parade in Preston, you know-- That Famous Preston Night Rodeo. That's a parade.

Certainly I wouldn't go to the parade and stand on the sunny side of the street, finding my only form of relief is to stand perfectly still in the blissful shade of a power pole. Dragging children with me, one of which has absolutely NO stamina for discomfort of any degree. That's crazy, right? Well, not if you are attending the parade in support of your children. One handing out fliers and the other one in the marching band, marching -of course- on the sunny side of the street. I'm a good mom like that.

Now, what do we get when we go to a parade?? What's the draw for all children ever where?? The candy. We did come home with candy. Candy that was sorted in the family room and then eaten in the family room. Good thing I have the whole No Food in the family room rule, huh? After the candy eating fest some (surprisingly enough) ended up smooshed into the carpet.

I tell you all of that to tell you this...
the real reason for this post.

But first, a
Side Note:
My children are their father's children. We all know this.
They look like him. Hello? All blond headed people.
They act like him. Teasing galore.
They talk like him. His crazy slang words for everything known to man.
They work like him. When they really concentrate, the tongue is really working. Weird, but true.
They like what he likes. Music, food, movies.
Don't get me wrong, I happen to really like the guy- but, c'mon throw a gal a bone!

Enter: The Small Mercy.

Just when I am beginning to think that NO ONE has picked up on any of my traits--when I am thinking that not one of my off spring have been blessed with the cleaning gene. The heavens parted and a miracle occurred...

Of her own free will and volition, my daughter, the fruit of my loins, without a word from me
saw the above mentioned carpet candy culprit, went and got a knife and attacked!

This is what these tired, work and care worn eyes of mine beheld...

This blessed, beautiful girl taking initiative and cleaning something. Seeing a need and filling it.
There is hope!

And here we are, her wondering why I am photo documenting such strange things and her sister unable to miss out on any photo opportunity.

You know friends, I am wanting some big things in life. Wanting/Needing. I get myself all down in the dumps sometimes just waiting and wanting something to happen, something to change. I need to remember in my busy life of waiting, working and wanting not to miss the small things. The small things like a girl seeing a simple thing like candy on the carpet and cleaning it up.

da-boyz

2010-09-03T19:17:00.009-06:00

When Grant was born I had a few people comment to me

that while it would be fun to have another boy,
they would be too far apart to really do anything together.

They were dead wrong.

Adam has the whole
"best brother" status in the bag.
(competition there is not too steep)
He made a $5 garage sale purchase for his little buddy that
may have moved him into "rock star" status.
Behold....
The Big Tractor.
*back story*
I was gone when this new toy was acquired.
I had only seen it in action in the backyard,
in the backyard on the patio,
motored by Grant's own two little feet.
It can do more.
Much More.

This evening I looked out the office window to witness this...

Adam helping Grant load a big rock,
maneuver it across the yard,
and dump it.

Isn't that so sweet?

Ya, well--
After that was over they decided they needed to show
me what The Big Tractor is
really capable of.
This....
And this....

And this...

Ohhh, these crazy boys of mine...
I sure do love them.

P.S.

It's a darn good thing their
father wasn't around
or the adventure
would have been
taken to a whole new
level.
It kind of scares me a bit
to think about what that might
have been.

Reasons not to blog-

2010-09-01T19:51:00.006-06:00

Still feeling like school has just begun and I am not accustomed to the change yet: translation......I am still giddy every day when the house empties and I am free to clean mostly unencumbered, therefore I take that option instead of blogging.

Took a little long-weekend trip. You know, the kind that involve a week and a half prep time and a two week recovery time.

Change of church calling. Switching gears from Young Women's back to Primary Presidency. My absence from Primary was short lived, very short lived.

Can't recover from the shock of a few of my children's milestones enough to really want to document them.

Did I mention something about milestones? Things like this...

Yes, that's my little buddy all geared up and ready to head

off to Miss Debbie's preschool.

This picture really documents what I was thinking,
which was,
"Ex-Sqeeze Me,
Tell me again why I agreed to this?!?
I CANNOT send my baby away!"
It also documents what he was thinking,
which was,
"For reals Mom, let me go in already!!
Gil and Miss Debbie are waiting."

On that very same day, in my very same life....this happened-

This guy had the nerve to have another birthday
and went ahead and turned
15
on me.
Rude, right?

It was a day. What a day Mom had!

Not wanting to come to grips with the fact that that very same 15 year old came home today with a drivers permit. WHAT THE WHAT!?!

I'm sorry, did you read that right....? Read it again. I have a child with a DRIVERS PERMIT. See if you can sleep tonight, I know I won't be. This freak out will last well into tomorrow.

And so, as you can plainly see....
There are a multitude of reasons for me not to blog.
But,
I did any way.
Doesn't that just thrill you all right to pieces?
Just right down to your very core?
Ya, I thought so.

So apparently......

2010-08-13T06:55:00.002-06:00

Less anxiety doesn't necessarily mean more blogging.
My anxiety level has been purty durn low this last week and, well, ya--
still haven't done much with the old blog.
It may not make all the rest of you feel a whole lot better about the sitch-e-a-tion,
but I have cleaned and organsized a heckuva lot the last two days.
Oh....it brings me much joy and contentment.
And I am no where near done.
I know I am so weird, But,
I LOVE TO CLEAN MY HOUSE.
MOSTLY,
I LOVE TO CLEAN MY HOUSE
WHILST MY CHILDREN ARE TUCKED AWAY AT SCHOOL.
Okay, that's all for now.
Time for me to go be a mother.
I really do have some posts rattling around in this head of mine and at some point they will make it out.

Reality Check.

2010-08-03T19:11:00.002-06:00

Or, in my case Checking Back into Reality.

Uh-huh, that's what I will be doing tomorrow.

Did I fail to mention that I have been hanging out here in farmland for about two weeks now?

I really can't put it off my return much longer.

School starts back up in a week.

A week. Crazy, eh?

So...I guess it's time for little old farmgirl to put on her big girl panties, pack up the kiddies and head on back to the St. G.

Let's face it friends, I have pretty much been avoiding my regular life all summer.

Of the 11 weeks of summer I have spent a grand total of about 3 1/2 at my residence.

Now, please do not forget that I spent 4 days at youth conference and 5 days at girls camp and that Mike spent a week at scout camp (who wants to be home in the heat with the hubby gone?) and that both of my Idaho trips have revolved around events ie. the Wasatch Back and a family reunion.

So there, that's not so bad--right??

Tell me it's okay that I have been visiting not only my home state of Idaho but a familiar little state called Denial.

Life has been, well, let's just say I'd be okay not having an instant replay of the last 9, 10, 11 months or so. Not complaining--just sayin'. Many, many valuable lessons learned. Here's to hoping I have learned them well and am ready to move into another of life's classrooms.

Want to know one of the perks of my life with a little less anxiety???

I. blog. more.

And, helloooo, who doesn't want that???

Onward and Upward!

Yo-Ho!!

Good News/ Bad News

2010-07-07T12:33:00.002-06:00

Good News:
I have officially passed to my offspring the joys of baking and enjoying all the delicious rewards.

Bad News:
This means I have to share the kitchen.

Good News:
My children are turning into fantastic little bakers.

Bad News:
I have not yet passed on the joys and art of cleaning to the level of a Mom Job clean kitchen.

Good News:
I have three busy bakers at my house.

Bad News:
We are flying through ingredients around here.

Good News:
It entertains the baking child for a good chunk of time.

Bad News:
They each want the kitchen and surrounding area cleared of all siblings while they create.

Good News:
They each want to make something often. Like every day often.

Bad News:
I enjoy their creations. A lot.

Good News:
One day they will all have families and kitchens of their own to create for and destroy in.

Won't that be nice?
I will visit often.

:o)

Wasatch Back. -take two-

2010-07-02T13:39:00.008-06:00

Here we are again, another Ragnar Relay under my belt.

That's three now:
Wasatch Back 2009, Vegas 2009, and Wasatch Back 2010.
Remember that crazy sister of mine that got me involved in all this?
Yep, this girl right here. This year was a little different....
this year she looked like this:

That's right, 30 weeks pregnant.
Do the math, peeps. That's 7 months.
Actually, I think if she would of done the math
she may have reconsidered.

But
she is a dutiful team captain...

And, really, with a team like this???Who could pass it up???

Not just a team as awesome as ours--
(Shout out to all members of
We Need More Cowbell)
--But, a van load like this....
Hello?!? We rock.
In this amazing van we have a slew of Nelson folk.

Richard, Amanda, Sara, Me-farmgirl, and Jonathan.
5 out of 8 siblings, not bad at all.
:o)

And the honorary Nelson we rounded up to finish the van off.....
My good buddy, and long lost pal
(thank you facebook)
Justin.
We go way back. Way, way back.
We were biology partners in high school.
We hadn't seen each other in
many moons.
He was a great sport to hop on board with the
Van-O-Nelsons.

So, this Ragnar round was a little different this year.
What with the life of the party growing a baby and all...
there was a little less craziness and picture taking and a little more of this
type of behavior than usual.

When it came time for our night runs and I found myself with a van full of zombies
I thought it would be a great time to whip out the old camera.
These night pics were snapped all during the night running extravaganza.
As you will see, I think it was appreciated by all...
(Now, as you view these--please try to control your insane jealousy over my
supreme amazing good looks during the hours of 2-5:30 AM
And, please, do remember and take into consideration
that I had just run 7 miles.
K?thanks.)

Me and Justin. He LOVED the flash photography.

Me and Sara. She was doing her best to ignore me, I think.
Weird, huh?

Me and Jonathan and Richard.
They were cooperative...
Well, sort of.

Who's missing?
Oh, that would be sleeping beauty.
I couldn't contort my body from the front seat to get a self portrait with her,
but if you look real close,
under that massive pile of blankets, pillows, missing sweat shirts, and my long lost yoga pants
you will see a little tuft of hair...
ya, that one kind of on the left...
that's all we saw of Amanda after she finished her run.
all.night.long.

She was one tired little lady.
But when it was all said and done...
at the completion of her last leg and the beginning of mine
I couldn't help but take a moment and give her a squeeze.
Now, before you get all misty eyed...
why don't I give you some behind the scenes info:
First of all, she nearly bowled me over (this girl was pooped),
it was all I could do to keep us standing.
Secondly, she later told me that this was not in fact a tender moment for her,
rather that she just wanted me to leave because I was going to make her cry.
She is such a sweet thing. ;)

One final look at
Da Boyz.

and
Da Girlz.

So, 16.5 miles later...

(Which, I thoroughly enjoyed running.
No, really, I did.
All that worrying I did? Silly, really.
In the end
I just decided to go out there, enjoy the scenery and have a great time.)

A good time was had by all.
Well, by this girl at any rate.
:o)

Where to begin?

2010-06-29T13:58:00.008-06:00

At the beginning?
Seems logical.
One might think so...but, not for me.
I think I will just spew a blog post here and there and eventually I will cover the Idaho trip.
When last I posted I was feeling a wee bit melancholy---things turned out all right in the end.
A good time was had by all.
All right, so let's get crackin'
What do you want to know about first????
How about I tell you about me really getting in touch with the old farmgirl roots?

Here's the story:
Pretty much every visit home includes at least a couple of cow chasing episodes. This one did not disappoint. I actually don't mind getting the cows in. There was one instance that I didn't get the heads up to head on out....something about my parents thinking I was already asleep and letting me be--c'mon guys--I'm am good to go any time!! It always makes me feel farmgirlish to get the cows in, a little nostalgic I guess.

In fact, even my running was cow related this year. (besides the fact that our team name is 'We need more Cowbell') One morning I was heading out for a run and those crazy beasts were out so after running down to the state line and back twice, I called it a workout.
I did my last long run before the race with my brother, Richard and sister, Sara. Richard picked the location--Giraffe Hill. We drove to our starting point and ran about 6 very windy, but very beautiful miles. After we were done, we climbed back in the truck to head home. Long story short: someone was taking their cows out to range and we were stuck in a 'cow parade' for about 25 minutes. Good times.

Wanna know what the very best farmgirl thing was? When my dad asked me to stay a few extra days to help swath the hay. Need to see pictures to believe it??? Okay, Lucy was my trusty photographer....

Yep, this crazy girl right here.

There I am, in all my swathing glory.
You may not be able to see it very well, but that is indeed me behind the wheel.

Here's my view, not too shabby 'eh?

Have I ever told you my parents live in just about the most beautiful place on Earth?
No??
Well they do.

Goose took a self portrait of the two of us.
I'm a beauty to behold.
How do you like my googly eyes?
I like to refer to them as my swathing eyes...
one eye on the camera and one eye on the field.
(okay, so maybe not so much one on the field and one on the camera
as two eyes just plain going in two different directions)
That's how I roll.
I'm gifted.
Can you do that??
Ya, I thought not.

They keep a bean bag in there for the kiddos to sit/sleep on.

FYI the swather is pretty much the best nap spot ever.
Grant got some good zzzz's out there with me.
This is my view of her.

And this is her view of me.

There you go...farmgirl the swathing fool.

And while we are on the subject of Goose...
That girl of mine asked me a few weeks ago how long her hair would be if she cut 10 inches off.
I donated my hair a few years ago and she wanted to do the same.
She is a sweet girl, that one.

Her hair was really long.

Of course, she wouldn't dream of making such a change without the beautiful
Aunt Amanda behind the scissors.

I know my fancy camera work did not capture the moment...
but the look on her face was classic.

Such a cute, sassy new do.
Very, very Goose-esk.

Truth is....

2010-06-16T22:35:00.002-06:00

I am still alive and have not fallen off the face of the Earth.

Truth is...
I am in Idaho.
I am in Idaho attempting to enjoy some R&R.

Truth is...
Normally when I am in Idaho I don't give the rest of my life much of a second thought, I unwind with the best of them. I soak in the scenery and recharge my farmgirlness.

Truth is...
That plan isn't working so well this year. There are people, important people, coming and going back in the St. G in the next little while. Specifically a baby coming and some besties going. I'm not a huge fan of missing any of this. And so--

Truth is...
I feel like I'm here but a big piece of my heart has been left behind. And I'm not used to that. As a general rule I like to keep all of my internal organs with me. However--

Truth is...
I better get it back together because I'm gonna need a lot of heart to run this race. That's right, the race that is happening Friday. As in, the day after tomorrow. The Wasatch Back is here again. I'm running with four of my siblings, that fact alone makes it all worth while.

Truth is...
I'm not feeling as prepared as I was last year.

Truth is...
I think I will be just fine any way. !st run-- 3.4 miles. 2nd run--7 miles. 3rd run--6.1 miles. Total milege--16.5 I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. See a pattern?? Ya, I can do it.

Truth is...
It is now 10:57. The latest I have been awake (by a good 45 minutes-and even that was only one night and kind of a fluke) since my arrival here. And I am starting to feel it.

Truth is...
I took a Tylenol PM before sitting down to write this.

Truth is...
I think the drugs are catching up with me....
:)
Peace out.

Dear Diary,

2010-06-01T19:48:00.003-06:00

Day five of summer vacation. So far, so good.
Currently listening to two oldest children fighting, like to think of it as our summer themed background music--it plays a lot. After a while it's like elevator music, hardly even notice it.
Quite enjoying the lazy mornings. Lazy meaning still up at 6:15, just enjoying not going from sleep to fifth gear in 60 seconds.
House cleanliness: approximately 67%.
Okay for now, cannot maintain sanity and 67% cleanliness for extended period of time.
Leaving for three days to attend Youth Conference in mere 36 hours, taking oldest child.
Expected house cleanliness upon return: approximately 38%.
If house is still standing, and all four remaining children are unscathed- will accept 38% happily.
Hoping to ban entire family for minimum 4 hours from house for recovery mission.
Clean House = Happy Mama
Clean House cleaned by Mama = Even Happier Mama
Happy Mama = Happy Family
:o)

Back in Business.

2010-05-27T16:03:00.006-06:00

Question?

What do you need to create this?...

(I'm referring to the food in these pics, not the children.
Clearly, I've got that one figured out--
five kids, remember?
Yup, I know what it takes to create them.)

;)

(Goose is crazy. I love her.
But there is no denying that she is nuts.
I smile pretty much every time I even think about her.)

(Yes, we celebrated a birthday 'round here.
And a birthday brownie cake was requested.)

(I love my boys. They love my cookies.
It's a match made in heaven.
And they love it when I take pictures of them eating.
Especially Adam, I think it's his new favorite thing.)

(It sure is a good thing I got that whole Kid Creating thing down,
because I really do have some oh so good looking punks.)

(please try to control your jealousy over my circa 1970 plate,
i have a whole set, you know. as i said, try to control the jealousy.
it's not good to covet thy neighbors flat ware.)

But, I digress.
Now- back to the point...
what does one need to create such delectable goodness?

Ohhhh, just one of these little gems.
I was prepared to go ovenless for the long haul.
And then, well.....
Isn't great that some times life is just so good to me?
And, yes, it has been less than a week and I have made ALL of those things.
Some more than once.
What can I say??
I'm really good in the kitchen.

This is it.

2010-05-27T07:39:00.004-06:00

The last day of school.
The last school bell will be ringing in just moments....
Are we ready, Troops?
I think I am.
This has been such a crazy, busy year I am actually looking forward to just being with my own kids for a while.
Are you all okay???
Did the fall cause any permanent damage?
Ya, ya, I know-- you can all get back up off the floor now that you have fallen out of your chair with the shock of that statement.
And, yes, I will need to come and reread that statement often because I'm sure I will forget why exactly I was looking forward to the chaos-fight-fest that we like to call summer vacation.
Actually, the summer is already feeling pretty full to the brim.
I'm sure it will come and go at light speed, just like the school year did.

Only a week and a half until operation Recharge farmgirl's Farmgirlness Ways begins.
We also like to call that, my annual Idaho trip.
Pretty exciting stuff.

All right, that's it.
I'm going to go savor the last 5 minutes of school year that is left for me.
:o)

My life as a Pea Plant.

2010-05-22T17:53:00.012-06:00

Anyone who has spent a spring or two here in the St. G knows that the wind blows.
Oh, how that wind does blow-
Especially here on the heights.
This has been a particularly weird weather year, instead of our normal spring wind we have had sort of a cool-esk/wet-ish spring.
And then yesterday came, and then last night came, and then today came
...and it's been a bit breezy.
Nothing too horrible, unless, of course, you are a pea plant....

A pea plant residing on the south side of the trellis specifically.

If you had the unfortunate luck to be on the south side, well, it's probably been kind of a rough 24 hours.
When I walked out this afternoon to check on the beloved garden, I discovered those southern trellis pea plants. Poor guys all fallen over, I thought for sure the stems and stocks were all broken. However, on closer examination I discovered that was not the case--
Yes, they were leaning.
Ya, they were falling over, big time.
At a glance it looked like they were beyond any help.
Any closer to the ground and it may have snapped them right in two.
BUT,
They were hanging on.
They were down, but not out.
How did they do it?
How did they survive?
Holding on to the trellis?
Sort of.
But, mostly,
they were holding onto each other.

This is the part were if I had a fancy shmancy camera you could really see just how intertwined those pea plants are (since I don't you will just have to work with me people).
There is one little guy living on the south side holding on for dear life, ready to bite the dust and there are a whole bunch of helpful northern friends leaning over the trellis, not letting go. Keeping that friend of theirs from completely falling over.

And I just had the thought while I was picking up those tough southern side pea plants and tucking them back into safety that they maybe feel a little like I do.
Really, really grateful for a garden full of pea plant family and besties.

I'm thinking I should be afraid.

2010-05-21T13:00:00.003-06:00

Very afraid.

Audrey is a self portrait queen.
The Queen.
You can all bow down to her greatness and glory.
She takes a lot of self portraits, at one point I wanted to do a blog post about it.
I had a vision of the cool little doodads with tons of pictures on them...I don't know if you even know what I'm talking about here--but, I have seen them on other blogs and they are pretty cool.
However, I am very limited in my abilities (blog wise) and I really don't think I could of show cased the masses of pictures she has taken.

The other day when I was down loading pictures off of the camera I came across a fresh batch of her latest work.....

I know I'm her mother and all, but--seriously?--she is beautiful. So beautiful.
She is her own special kinda crazy (aren't we all?).
This girl is absolutely one of a kind. :o)
--but, I'm thinking her dad and I need to be afraid. Very afraid.

Moving on....

2010-05-17T19:47:00.008-06:00

Wow,
After such an overwhelming response to my ramblings I thought I would move on...
Sheesh, people!
If I want to ramble and have next to no one notice I have a husband that I have been married to for almost 16 years that can do the job right nicely. ;-)
(JUST KIDDING DEAR. I know you hang with baited breath on my every syllable.)

Where did everybody go? Are you out there?

Anyhoo.....

Here's an update I know you have all been on pins and needles to read about.

Thee Garden.

It's been so much fun and thanks to my genius husband we have bypassed our two biggest problems we faced last year:
1-forgetting to water
2-keeping dogs/small children out

Tonight for FHE activity we harvested peas.

Good times. Good, good times.

Elsie and Audrey were very excited about the work.

The finished project.
Minus a few.

First of all, is that or is that not a fantastic fence?
Secondly, let me explain the irrigation system so that you can have the proper appreciation.
What we have hear is a square foot garden,
meaning,
the boxes are divided into square foot grids with a plant in each square.
Get it?
We started down the square foot road last year after many a failed garden attempt.
So, my genius husband made the grid out of PVC pipe,
drilled holes in it,
ran water to it,
using the pipe as a drip system,
and that is how we water the garden.
Smart, right?

And, finally, just in case you were wondering...
Yes, if you do a head count in the garden you'll come up with 5 chitlens.
No, I didn't trade Grant in for a cute browned eyed 7 year old girl.
He was inside.
But don't you worry....

He still enjoyed the bounty.
(btw the nasty scab on his nose is a direct result of a little too much excitement when he spotted,
and ran for a tractor/backhoe thing down the street.
when your feet can't keep up,
you know you are REALLY, REALLY excited)

I like this family.
I think I'll keep them.
:o)

Mind if I ramble???

2010-05-15T14:17:00.005-06:00

No?
Okay, good.

-I'm not scoring any points on Mother/Wife of the Year.
Here are my confessions.....Fathers and Sons was last night, don't tell Mike-but I may have encouraged Grant's excitement about the whole thing. What? Mike was considering not making an over nighter out of it. Does he not realize he was taking the kid who keeps me up the latest at night (teenager) and the kid who wakes me up earliest in the morning (three year old)??? Do I look like a fool? Am I stupid? Was I really going to let that opportunity pass me by?? Uh, NO. So, Wife of the Year is out of reach for me....maybe next year.
I am also the mother that abandoned her daughters on the night of fathers and sons. Loser. Who does that? So, there goes Mother of the Year. I did try to make it up to them this morning and took them to breakfast (thank you dixie direct card. and thank you gift giver that gave me dixie direct card).

-I hate, and I do mean HATE the ice cream truck. This isn't a case of 'oh, that's annoying' or 'that kinda bugs me'. No, it's a case of 'where do I send hate mail' and 'can I send a petition around to get them out of my neighborhood'. Grant's chances of being hit by a car go up at least 90% when he hears that stupid music. We convinced Adam when he was little that it was just a music truck, those were the good old days. Seriously, who watches a kid running down (and venturing into the middle) of the street with their mother chasing (and yelling) after them, flips a u-turn (causing child to venture further into the street), pulls over, opens the little window and hangs an ice cream bar out for the child to almost have in his little grasp, so that mother can then sweep him into her arms and haul the child (kicking and screaming) back to the house? That's dumb. Not to mention .75 for a little ice cream bar on a stick?? DUMB.

-Running. It's been a little rocky.
I took a stupid fall over spring break. Something reminiscent to what a 75 year old might encounter. That is, of course, if the 75 were holding a three year old in their arms at the time, loosing their footing on a stair, opting to protect the child thereby allowing all the force of both 75 and 3 year old bodies to impact on the 75 year old tail bone and hip. The only difference was a 35 year old body instead of a 75 year old body. But, I will tell you in the weeks following I felt much closer to a 75 year old. Much closer.
So, I dealt with that frustration. It took some time, but I did heal up nicely. But, by then I felt behind in my training and I've sort of felt behind since then.
I'm running a different leg this year in the Wasatch Back. A different, longer leg. My total mileage is 16.5, my longest run is seven miles. It's at night, that helps, but I do want to feel ready. Let's face it--I'm not fast. Nor do I have any real desire to be. I'm a ten minute miler kind of a gal. So, anyhoo...here I am plugging along, having more mediocre runs then good ones (any one who has run at all knows exactly what I am taking about. sometimes you get out there, run the kinks out, and feel like you can run forever. other times you get out there, run the kinks out and just feel rather crappy the whole time.) although.....I did have a bit of a break through this morning. Six miles, folks. I ran six miles. It felt really good. That was nice.

-Even with as much denial as I can muster, the fact of the matter remains that school will be out in just a couple of short weeks. I don't really want to talk or ramble about that. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

-I feel some what volatile at this point in my life. I'm not a big fan. Yes, I know--changing is up to me. And I'm working on it. I don't have nearly the patience that I used to. Especially with my own children and husband. That's not so good. But, I'm working on it. I used to be a much funner person. I kinda want that girl back. I'm working on it.

All righty, then. That just about sums up our rambling session for today. If I add anything beyond this it could get weird. Thank you for tuning in.

post script:
A couple of days later and a re-read and I would like to say....
Hello, Debbie Downer (woah-woah)
I'm a bit of a kill joy, ya- sorry about that.
Things, they are a changin'.
Life is good, people are good, and I am good.
:o)

Just Because....

2010-05-06T11:21:00.007-06:00

I wanted to post something new,
And he is adorable.
I don't think he can help it, actually.
What can I say....he's a natural.

There are a couple of things that I try to get Grant to say
multiple times a day,
purely for my own amusement.
1) His name.
{some day, some where, some one is going to tell him the grim truth that his name isn't actually Grant Delicious. I am probably going to need to smack that person upside the head.}
2) His favorite color.
3) His favorite food.
{Adam and Sam taught him this Napoleon Dynamite tidbit and we all think it is hilarious. He veered from his usual answer only because we were in the middle of enjoying a lovely batch of rice crispie treats, which he is wearing all over his funny little face.}

*p.s.
I'm still looking on the bright side.....
this boy
(and the rest of the punks)
are a real big bright spot on the bight side of life.
I sure am glad they are mine.

Clever is as Clever does.

2010-04-30T15:05:00.012-06:00

Cleverness.
It's an ancient Chinese/farmgirl secret.
A secret I learned very well from my mother--who, learned it from her mother--one that I hope to pass along as well....Cleverness is the key.

For instance.....
Let's just say that you are the kinda gal that really enjoys baking.
And let's just say that you are the kinda gal that likes baking so much that she bakes almost every day.
And let's just say that you are the kinda gal that 80-90% of your baking is treats (hypothetically speaking, of course).
And let's just say that you bake so much that---ohhh, I don't know??...your oven dies.
And let's just say that it is at this point that you realize that you are not only addicted (addicted? addicted is such a strong word....how about compelled) compelled to baking treats, your family is also compelled to eating treats, so much so that your self proclaimed non-treat-loving husband says, "I miss your treats."

What are you going to do???

You may go into some form of denial.
You may say to yourself, I don't bake that much....what's the big deal, it'll be fine.
You might think---ehhh, treats? Who needs 'em?
You might even agree to not eating any treats for a whole week. (You may want to think long and hard before you hastily jump on board that band wagon.)

But,
in the end--if you are smart, if you have your farmgirl game on, you'll start thinking outside the box.
And that's when clever mode starts to kick in....

You'll make blondies in the microwave.
You'll make no bake cookies.
You'll make rice crispy treats
You'll make brownies in the microwave.
You'll make carmelle popcorn.
You'll make scotcharoos.
And then if you dig deep, real, real deep and become one with your true farmgirl self....
you will remember a recipe from your childhood.
And you will make that recipe.
And your children will think you are the most clever woman that ever did walk the face of the Earth.
And they will praise your name.
And they will call you Wonderful, Mother.
And they will tell all of their friends about the beautiful genius that is their mother.
And their friends will come, and they will see that it is true.
They too, will attest that you are, indeed CLEVER.

This recipe could change your life,
use it wisely.
Behold, I give you....

Chocolate Waffle Cookies
Melt 3 squares unsweetened chocolate & 1 cup butter.
Beat 4 eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar & mix.
Add to chocolate mixture and mix well.
Add 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla.
Mix well, drop 1 Tablespoon full on each section of waffle iron heated to medium and bake 1 minute. Remove, cool and frost.
Frosting.
Melt together and stir 1 square unsweetened chocolate, 5 Tbl butter, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
Add 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar.
Mix well.

*one more clever tip*
I never use unsweetened chocolate.
Neither does my clever mother.
She taught me that:
1 Tbl butter + 2 heaping Tbl cocoa = 1 square chocolate

Bizarre Proof

2010-04-28T18:04:00.003-06:00

That Lucy is as crazy as I have always claimed....

I was shocked she was willing to perform for the camera,
but,
once she did I could not resist
posting it for all to appreciate.
Just so you know, this is not Goose at her craziest.
This is just totally normal Goose.
And she is crazy.

Some of my personal favorites...
Gimme money, gimme money.
The armpit smelling.
And the shooting,
that's nice too.

Funny, funny girl.

Thoughts On: No Treat Week.

2010-04-23T16:07:00.007-06:00

To put it succinctly, not my favorite.

A little back ground...
My sister, Sara, is running the Wasatch Back with us this year. Last week we were discussing our training and how we have noticed that as we are, well, how do you say....er, um....no longer spring chicks that we actually have to be a little more aware of what we are stuffing our faces with. Some how, I'm not totally clear on how this came about, I'm pretty sure she used some sort of hypnosis-voodoo thing over the phone--- the next thing I knew, I had agreed to do a 'No Treat Week' with her. After one week treat free, here is what I think:

I'm really not the dieting type. I've always assumed this about myself, now I know. My logic has been that it would be silly to make any changes I wasn't willing to stick with. Yup, I was right. If I ever went down that road, I would be the queen bee of yo-yo dieting. No questions asked. And I only gave up treats, not sugar all together.
Even though I don't have an oven, there are a lot of treats that I can still make. Trust me, I spent quite some time considering my options.
As it turns out, I actually do have a fair amount of will power. I turned down caramel popcorn (Among other very tasty treats). Not just any old caramel popcorn, my mom's caramel popcorn. That, my friends, is will power.
I think about treats. A lot.
In my predawn, post-slumber, hazy brained head ramblings lying in bed on Monday morning, I was contemplating my day/week and what it entailed, I actually had a moment where I nearly sat bolt upright thinking it was a new week and therefore I was done with this 'No Treat' nonsense....and then I remembered we started on Friday. I was slightly bummed.
When I stepped on the scale this morning my actual words were, "Oh crap. I lost three pounds." Could it be true that by avoiding sweets I might actually drop some weight?? Say it aint so! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy about the drop--but, seriously? Did I really need to know that it works that way for me too, and not just the rest of the world? Whatev. *Started this post last night, got back on the scale today, and I'm down anther pound. :)*
I don't think I will be participating in 'No Treat Week' again any time soon. Fewer Treat Week, maybe. No Treat Week, not so much.
Baking therapy is every bit as real as retail therapy. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE TO BAKE. I love everything about it, not just the end result, but the whole process.
I'm really grateful for good genes. Shout out to my parents. I remember my mom telling me when I was young that if life were fair I would be as big as a barn, well aren't we so glad that life isn't fair. Yes, this is also the woman who told me to 'get a grip' a few posts ago. She's a no nonsense kinda gal, that mom of mine--and I like her like that. :)

All right, so that just about wraps it up. In conclusion, I would like to say that No Treat Week was actually no treat for me.
But, I am glad I did it all the same.

Even a Blind Squirrel finds a Nut Every Once in While.

2010-04-22T13:41:00.007-06:00

And every so often I come up with what I believe is a fantastic idea.
I'll share...

So, we all know my love of chaos.
Which, by the way, was well demonstrated this morning when I agreed to watch eight children at once.
Not including my own. See, who would do that??
Only someone who adores chaos.
And is really nice.
(p.s. I'm going to need to give Heidi one of my kidneys if she ever needs it.
She came and helped to save my sanity. Thanks.)

Ahyhoo, where was I?
Oh, yes, chaos.
What's farmgirl's least favorite part of summer?
The chaos.
And not just the kid chaos, but the whole house run by hoodlums chaos.
What's one of farmgirls pet peeves?
Okay, so we know she has a lot.
(family members: no need to list them here. kthanks.)
How 'bout a gazillion cups on the counter that apparently belong to NO ONE.
Yup, that bugs!!
Therefore each child feels the need to get out another cup every time thirst strikes them!
5 kids + 3 cups/day (bare minimum. I'm rounding down)
= 15 freaking cups on the counter!
at least 15.

Now, I know I could go the paper cup route.
The paper cup route feels wasteful to me.
We could also go the water bottle route, again- feels wasteful.
I could reuse them...
Frankly, they get disgusting and sorta gross me out.
Gee, what else could we do...??

Well,
you could be as smart as me,
go to the dollar store,
get some tumblers (3 for $1, thankyouverymuch),
and

*voila*

personalized water cups that we can run through the dishwasher every night.

Your welcome.
:o)
I do what I can for the masses.

p.s. Little tip.
They didn't actually come with the names.
Used the good ol' sharpie for that.
Aren't you glad I told you?
Now you won't need to search for cups
with your kids names already on them.
Again, your welcome.

....on the bright side.

2010-04-16T09:22:00.003-06:00

I'm taking the lead from my sister in law, Natalie (happy birthday btw), here.
Every once in a while we just need to take stock of some positives.
Not too often, you know I don't want to turn into one of
"those kind of blogs"
where every thing is sunshine and roses all the live long day.
No need to gag myself every time I look at my own blog,
right?

So...here it goes.

On the Bright Side:

Grant's brilliant parents have trained him to NOT wake them up every. single. morning. at 5:30 in the AM. They got smart enough to put milk and snack in the fridge and set the T.V. the night before. Geniuses, those two are--especially his mother (it was all her idea).

My kiddos really are sweet. After field day I brought Lucy home early, Elsie was planning on walking home with some friends. Lucy offered to walk back to the school to make sure she would be okay walking home.

Mike has dropped about 15+ pounds which means he no longer snores. Yippee!

Our garden is looking beautiful.

This one is for Amanda. It's her birthday today. The bright side for her is that I decided to stick with this post instead of the "27 things Amanda loves about herself, but is just too shy to put on her own blog" post I was going to compose for her. Your welcome, MandaMoo.

Book club, and the Pack of Chicks are always a good time waiting to happen.

Okay, that's enough for now.
Don't want to over do it on the first time or anything.
That's some good stuff going on, wouldn't you say?
So, there you are...now, go start looking for the bright side of your day.
:o)

Best Diet Plan.

2010-04-12T15:18:00.005-06:00

I may have stumbled onto the World's Greatest Diet.

Or,
as I like to call it:

The Hole in the Wall Diet.

That would be referring to the hole in the wall where my oven once was.
Yes, friends, my oven has died.
Let us all observe a moment of silence and pay our respects.

She owed me nothing...in the near eleven years we have been together we have created more baked goodness than I care to admit to.
Brownies, bread, rolls, cookies, cakes, bread sticks, blondies, cinnamon rolls, not to mention all the fabulous dinners--but really, it's all about the bread/sweet stuff...
We had a good run, she and I.

And, yes,
at some point, we will replace her.
Until then,
the bright side--
and I do mean the really bright side--
is this...
With no oven I cannot make all the things that have given me my beloved
"blue berry crumble" top.

This is a good, good thing.
Because clearly, I have very little will power of my own.
Actually, I am thinking my oven going kaput is the universe's way of helping me to drop this extra poundage and get ready for this race of mine.
Thanks, Universe.
I owe ya one.
;o)

Ode to the Sunday Nap.

2010-04-11T22:23:00.002-06:00

Sunday Nap.
How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.

Once upon a time, I thought taking naps was some kind of a sign of weakness.
I used to down play my love of the nap.
And the fact that I will sneak one in when ever opportunity arises.

I know now that it is a sign of wisdom.

Sunday is the one and only day that I allow myself to nap, guilt free.
It is also the one and only day that I relinquish my kitchen dinner duties completely to the masses.

While in my perfect world, almost every day would be improved with a quick 20 minute snooze-
I am completely satisfied to look forward to a nice afternoon slumber once a week.
I'm pretty sure that it was meant literally that Sunday should be a day of rest.

And you know me, I always do as I am told.

Hard to Believe...

2010-04-10T19:58:00.003-06:00

This beautiful baby...

Has turned into this gorgeous young lady....

But, it's true.
Happy #12 Sweet Girl.
:o)

Found: farmgirl mojo

2010-04-09T09:44:00.002-06:00

Life is life.
And some times it just gets to me.
Thanks for letting me spew it all over this here blog.
Thanks for your concern.
I'm good now.

After white knuckling it for over a year I am about to change gears from
"blind hope" to "plain old hope".
I never thought things wouldn't work out,
cuz things just always work somehow.
But,
I think I can actually see How things may possibly work out.
And that's a good thing.

So anyhoo,
that's that.
And I'm me.
And I'm sure I will have another hissy fit
at some point.
And there's a chance you may hear about it then too.

In the mean time, I am a cleaning machine.
I'm off to conquer this house and yard.
And maybe even get some cookies made.
:o)

And those are the things that make my world go 'round.

Ya, ya, ya. I know, I know....

2010-04-05T19:35:00.008-06:00

I'm a super lame blogger.
I gotta be honest with you...I really didn't see this one coming.
I really like to blog.
What's my deal???

I am barely keeping my head above water, that's my deal.

I had a schedule change (in one of the many irons in the fire) after spring break and truth be told, I am not adapting as fast as I would like to.

Come on, Self! Come on!!!
Where's that old farmgirl spirit?
Farmgirl can do it. She can do anything.
Go farmgirl Go!
Organsize that life of yours right back into order.
Whip that baby back into shape.

And you want to know what else??? I'm freaking out (just marginally) because school is going to be out before I know it and I's got to get my junk in order before that blessed day arrives because we all know what controlled chaos summer break is, now don't we??

And you want to know what else??? Okay, this isn't a big one--but it's been bugging me. I should be a running fool by now, training for the Wasatch Back and all. Between this decrepit old thing I call my body, which, by the way is apparently falling apart, because I seem to sustain injuries that should only befall a 70 year old, and the fact that I am a wimp and won't run in the dark by myself and don't have the heart to wake up my sleeping prince to come for a leisurely (and I do mean leisurely) bike ride following me around the neighborhood at quarter to six in the AM and I am so freaking tired by the end of the day I don't have much get up and go left--- I am not, I repeat NOT getting the training in I want to or should be doing! And it's BUGGING ME. Grrrr.

I know there's a way to make it all fit. I just know there is.
Soooo....I guess what I am saying is I would like to feel back in control before I loose all control.
Here's to hoping that happens.

Soon.

Real soon.

Real, real soon.

.......Wish me luck.

New Territory.

2010-03-31T20:57:00.005-06:00

Alright friends, we are venturing into new territory here. I am about to post a link to a story about a lady with cancer. She is the sister to Katie, one of the neighborhood gals and one of my young women (church calling) buddies.
I'm really not accustomed to soliciting money...if all you offer is a prayer or two---I know that would be appreciated as well.
Stories like this just kinda shed a little light and perspective on what a real problem is.

This is a link to Jonathan Canlas, a photographer, who is helping to raise money.
This is a link to Sarah's blog.

There you go, Katie...I hope this will help spread the word.
Just doing all I can from my little corner of cyberspace.

Sure signs....

2010-03-22T20:56:00.009-06:00

Of a youngest child.

-I am willing to peel his apple, he's not a big fan of the skin.
-I find it more cute than annoying when he climbs into bed with me (long before the light of day) and says, "Hey, Mom, hey! It's me!! It's Grant Delicious."
-He doesn't just have a train table. He has a rice train table. (I know, I know...who's brilliant idea was that???? It is a huge mess, but the kid loves it--they all do actually.)
-His brother is happy to spend hours setting up the train (of which he will ruin in moments).
-When I find him laying in the rice instead of yelling, I go grab the camera.

-His dad takes him on grand adventures to find HUGE TRACTORS!

-He has his own guitar, which he cannot and will not play without a pick in hand. Want a little concert?? Okay, I just happen to have one recorded...

(He's a little hard to understand over his awesome and amazing music, so I thought I would include the lyrics. "Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty. Oh, won't you please take me home." Nothing like a three year old belting out some Gun's N Roses on a Sunday afternoon.)

-We all find him superbly entertaining.

-We (and it's not just me--the whole family is guilty) photo document nearly everything he does.

Why didn't any one tell us the last would be so much fun??
Had we known, we would of considered having him first.
;o)

Idaho Cookie Call

2010-03-18T15:50:00.009-06:00

Oh. Hello, there.
Miss me?
Out of the loop for a while there...and re-entry into blog life was a little slow.

Spring break has come and gone--and as I have already mentioned,
I spent mine in the good old gem state on a very important Idaho Cookie Call.
Cookies (and other baked goods) were not actually the reason for the the visit...

The main reason for the visit was these two lovely ladies.

Miss Anna: the beaming eight year old.
She pretty much wore this face the entire weekend.
This girl was one happy amiga, being baptized clearly agreed with her.

And cute baby Tily: also known affectionately by her brother
(and now the whole family) as "Baby Chilly".
After two crazy boys (one of which has been nick named-rightfully so-'Wild Bill', well actually three boys if you want to count my brother who is just as crazy as his sons) my sister-in-law, Natalie, was over due for this little sweety.

The whole Nelson crew was in attendance (minus one BIL). That's pretty good.
All 7 of my siblings and their chillens were there--we are a big, big, big, and growing group.
We're not a half bad looking bunch of people...wanna see?

What'd I tell ya? Not bad, right?
top row: we have Amanda, David, Richard, Yours truly, Howard, and Molly
sitting: Jonathan, Mi Madre, Mi Padre, and Sara

All right, I have put it off long enough. It is time I tell you why we call this visit the Idaho Cookie Call. So, baptism and baby blessing...what does that call for? Naturally, a big family dinner, right?
Dinner was simple. Soup and Subs. Perfect.
Dessert? Cookies, MMMmmmMMM.
Dessert might have possibly gotten out of hand. Many of us were assigned to bring cookies and boy oh boy did we ever deliver.

How does 57 dozen cookies sound?
We figured it came out to roughly about a dozed per person, that's normal--isn't it??
Of all the things I have ever captured on film, I have NO idea why I didn't get this one. It was a cookie extravaganza.
The dinner plates hadn't yet been put away and smaller dessert plates set out when the cookies emerged-- the children were literally filling a full size plate, stacking a wide variety of the delectable goodness and walking away with HUGE grins on their faces.

Why don't I just go ahead and air out all the Nelson dirty laundry....
those 57 dozen cookies?? Ummm....ya, they were gone the next day.
In our defense, we did send them home with people. Something you should know-that is fairly obvious at this point- we can really put away the goodies. It's a darn good thing life isn't fair or we would need a wide angle lens for the above photo.

Wanna know what else the following week included??
~Peanut butter brownies (two pans actually, there was a minor measuring mix up and we ended up with a 9x13 and cookie sheet full, included in the measuring mix up was six times the amount of chocolate chips) *note to pregnant ladies: have someone double check your math. ;o)
~Cinnamon Rolls. What??? They had been previously frozen and needed to be baked and eaten. We don't let food go to waste, there are starving people in China, ya know?!
~My mother and I may or may not have stopped at the Peppridge Farm factory outlet store to purchase more cookies in bulk. We did not, I repeat DID NOT purchase any. This may or may not have been due to the fact we were too late in the day and all the good stuff was gone....OR....maybe we just decided that would just be plain crazy to buy more cookies. Cuz we have good, common sense like that.