Go Red Hots!

Irelynd started t-ball this year--her first. She is on the same team as two girls from our ward, one from school, and her cousin, Madilyn, so we're lucky. She won't go to things if she doesn't know anyone there. I love the games for the first year of t-ball--it is so hilarious! Irelynd had to cover 2nd base at one point, and, well, she took it literally. She was literally covering the base as she sat on it. I guess she thought if the other team can't see it, they can't run to it. During their second game, Madilyn batted and ran to first base. The other team threw the ball to the first baseman, who wasn't paying enough attention, I guess, because Madilyn ran to fetch the ball and throw it in for the other team. Efficient, I say! Love a girl who is on the ball, no pun intended.

Just beet

One night last week at dinner, Brighton quietly laid down on his chair and was asleep in minutes. This kid needs more sleep, apparently! How does one sleep like this?

And we're mobile!

So Waverly started to crawl, finally, on Mother's Day. It's taken her a few days to get it together and realize the beauty of mobility. I forgot how cute it is to see a baby learn to crawl, especially from the behind; it looks like one of those dolls from long ago, where you wind her up and her bum goes back and forth in relation to her hands. Waverly's diapered rear swings left and right, left and right. It's just so dang cute. Poor Keaton; he just sits and watches her move and all he can do is roll.

The babies have also started to feed themselves {yay!} It's messy to clean up, but oh-so-nice to realize they are getting more independent. They love love love bananas, mandarin oranges, Trix cereal, and cheese. And Keaton hates grapes.

Child(ren) for sale. Cheap!

Ok, you ever have those days when you are ready to run away? Really, truly, pack your bags and literally run, if that's the only option you have? I had one today. I've been back from Vegas less than one full week, and I'm wondering what in the heck am I doing with five kids? I can't possibly raise them to maturity! {gasp for breath!} It's not that they did anything really terrible today, they were better in some ways than they have been in the past. But after, say 12 hours of a whiny two-year-old that screams every time he doesn't get his way, an over-tired, emotional 9-year-old that breaks down in tears/argument at every request, a 6-yr-old who still can't seem to remember to get to the potty in time, and two very needy {but so adorable} twins, I'm thinking mom's going MIA. The icing on the cake was when we were trying to get 3 kids in the shower and 2 babies fed and Savannah yells down, "There's ants everywhere!" After a full can of bug spray, and an inspection, Scott retrieved a pair of peed panties under Irelynd's bed that appears to have been the draw (not to mention the entire load of clean laundry I just put in her room on Saturday that she swore to me she put away and just stuffed under her bed behind her baskets that now has to be re-washed since it was now covered in bug spray and ants!) Nice. I did get a kick out of telling the girls tonight though, like every night, not to let the bed bugs bite. Heehee!

Recently I read a book for book club this month, The Runaway Mother. Irelynd saw it on my nightstand one morning and told Scott, "I know why Mommy's reading that book. It's because when we are naughty she says she is going to run away." Ok, nothing like that to make you feel like a schmuck, but I can't deny it. Oh, and by the way, that Calgon commercial is a bust; it does not take you away. All I can say is thank heavens there's always another day to try again to be the kind of mother I know I should be. Why does raising kids have to be so dang hard? Mike and Carol Brady never had to clean up poopy pants or mop the floors. Her hair always looked fabulous (for 1969) and her make-up was done. No wonder some animals eat their young...

Ta da!

I made this dessert for Mother's Day yesterday. I'd never used this recipe before. My mom LOVES fruit trifle; I prefer chocolate. So I made a dessert that compromised. Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be that good. Chocolate and kiwi didn't sound go great. But I will always try to be fair to a recipe. I don't want to show prejudice. It was really good! But even better, it was pretty! It's all about presentation, isn't it? If you want to try it, you can find the recipe here. As you can see, I substituted blackberries for raspberries, since that is what I had. It worked too, but I bet raspberries would be better.

Also, since we're sharing recipes, here is the recipe for Amish baked oatmeal for my loyal fans {and you know who you are!} that my family just LOVES.

Amish Baked Oatmeal

3 c oats
¾3/4 c brown sugar
2 ½1/2 c milk
½1/2 c water
¼1/4 c melted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 mins or until edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. 6-8 servings.

Serving options:

Fresh berries
Warm milk or cream
Fresh fruit
Maple syrup
Peanut butter

Vegas Vacation

Our good friends, Dave and Alyssa Bentley, invited us for a free 2-night stay in Mesquite, NV. Not ones to turn down freebies, we took them up on it and disappeared for 2 nights/3 days WITHOUT kids--the first such trip we have taken since Brighton was in utero. If you haven't kept track, that is 2 years, 7 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, and some hours. We pretended we didn't even have kids for 3 days. Didn't call them once. Isn't that terrible? Oh well, we had a blast! It was much needed. Our wonderful mothers, my father-in-law, and sister-in-law Shawna, served as surrogate parents during that time, and did a wonderful job of it. What saints to take our kids so graciously! We owe them big! While in Mesquite, Lyss and I hit the spa for a facial. I told the technician she could do whatever she wanted as long as she didn't call me "mommy." I didn't get any arguments. It was so relaxing, but I kept thinking that someone needed me and I had to get up. I shut that part of me up really quickly. Afterwards, I sat by the pool in the quiet evening, enjoying the sun and having absolutely NO ONE talking to me. It was glorious, I tell you! That night we went to a buffet, where we stuffed ourselves into a hurtful state, and then drove around to find something to do. It took flagging over a local couple to find a movie theater still open (it was only 7:45 pm--who knew a gambling city shut down so early on a Sunday night??) We drove over to the non-touristy part of Mesquite (who knew it had one?) and found a theater that did have a show time past 8:15 pm....Hannah Montana, the Movie. Not exactly what 6 adults would choose to watch. Our friend Dave talked the manager of the theater into showing another movie in one of the open theaters. So that is how we got to see Knowing in a theater just to ourselves. It was kind of cool. Who knew one could do that? If anyone can do it, Dave would be the One.

Monday we drove into Vegas to spend the day. We walked the strip, did some shopping, and saw a show at the Excalibur for dinner: The Tournament of Kings. It was cheesy, of course, but entertaining. With Dave and Lyss, and their friends Dustin and Allison Tucker, they could make being audited by the IRS fun. While shopping earlier in the day, we wandered into a bath and body shop called Lush. The salespeople assumed we were drunk because we were so happy. While funny on the surface, how sad is it that people think you must have alcohol involved in order to have a good time? Alyssa glittered herself up on some body soap, and I gagged myself with a shampoo bar that smelled familiarly like a urinal cake. I opted for the charcoal soap--they promised it would give me soft, non-brittle, non-greasy locks.

Tuesday came way too fast. We ate a leisurely breakfast and sat by the pool for an hour before we had to check out and make our way back home (slowly, of course). On the way home, we stopped at Cove Fort, of which we had all driven past countless times, but never taken the time to tour. I learned that it is Church-owned, and the most-visited historic site in the Church. (In it's category, which does not include Temple Square). It was so interesting. President Hinckley's father grew up there, and everything was restored to how it looked when he was a resident.

When we got home, the kids were excited to see us. Savannah tried to fill us in on ALL the happenings from the previous 3 days, in one breath, it seemed; Irelynd shyly hugged us and ran off to play, but it was pointed out to me that she left a hand-picked cup of tulips on the stairs for me with a note. That's her way of doing things. Brighton laughed to see us and cheered up immensely, according to my mom; and Waverly reached out for me, after a moment's hesitation when you could see the wheels turning in her head and almost hear, "computing...computing...yep, positive ID match: mother person." Keaton just smiled and kicked his arms and legs, as always. He is very much like a loveable, happy puppy that greets you with wagging extremities, big, happy eyes and expression, and a slobbery kiss.

Everyone survived in our absence. I was teary on Sunday when I had to kiss the babies goodbye in their carseats as Scott took them to his parents' ward to meet them before church. But that quickly wore off, and I realized how burnt out I had allowed myself and our marriage to get. Twins, and 5 kids, are such a blessing and I wouldn't trade them for anything, but getting away with one's honey is a MUST for every couple and I look forward to the time in our lives when it can be a regular thing. For now, the memories will get me through...


Outside the buffet, letting the food settle and trying to decide what to do with the rest of our evening.

Ok, this was really funny. On Sunday, Scott and I realized we were both wearing orange shirts, but not til the end of the day. Monday morning we got up, got dressed, and realized on the way to breakfast, we were matching again, in tan and brown. Even funnier was that Dave and Lyss were, too, in black. The next morning, Tuesday, we laughed even harder to realize we had done it again, with white and tan. Been married too long, I guess!

Enjoying gelato at the Venetian. Maybe a little too much!

Dave and Scott share a precious male moment as they contemplate life's beauty. Should I be jealous?

I could have stood there for hours, snapping pictures and just enjoying the beauty of this umbrella display in the Venetian. It was incredible. I would love to be a part of designing stuff like this for a living.

They had lights rigged up to the strings connected to the handles of the umbrellas, to make it look like rain dripping off the ends. Incredible!

Waiting for the show to begin at the Excalibur. That's Dustin and Allison Tucker, me and Scott, and Dave and Lyss at the end. Sadly, this was the only group shot I got.

This is the adorable gift Irelynd so considerately left for me on the doorstep leading in from the garage. It was sitting on the top step with the little note taped to the door. In case you can't read it, it says "It's for you" with an arrow pointing down. It did ease the transition into parenthood again.

Springtime at Thanksgiving Point

For April's playdate with Grandma, we all went to the Tulip Festival at TP, Brighton and babies included. You'll have to forgive me, but I just LOVE taking pictures; it makes me happy. So when I see something of beauty, I can't help myself; and, well, it's a good thing digital cameras were invented. So, please skim through my gazillion photos here. When choosing a few to put in, I couldn't limit it to just a few and threw in all my favorites. The Tulip Festival throws together all my favorite things: photography, my children, and tulips. (Ice cream was supposed to be on the list, too, but it was too cold that day!)



One of my favorite scriptures comes from D&C 59:18. It is posted at the beginning of the path down to the gardens, as you leave the Visitor's Center. It says, "Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart." This reminds me of how loved we are, that Heavenly Father would create a world for us to live in, but also to make it beautiful and splendid and breath-taking, just "to please [our] eye and to gladden [our] heart." How amazing is that?

The girls found this family of ducks on the side of the pond in Monet's Garden and we watched them as they made their way into the water and swam away with the babies following. Isn't springtime amazing?

This was heading into The Secret Garden, which is, again, my favorite part of the gardens. They've done it in such a way that I can almost imagine I am Mary, happening on a forgotten (but in this case, well-tended) secret garden, in which you can feel that there are hidden things to be discovered within. Most of my 5,269 pictures (ok, I'm exaggerating a bit) were taken here.

We stopped in at the Children's Discovery Garden for a short 10 minutes (I told you it was cold!), and on our way out, I spied this little clump of wisteria (I'm guessing) clinging to a wall. It was the only bloom on the vine, but it was determined to bloom and beautify nonetheless. There are at least a dozen spiritual parallels you could draw from this.

Irelynd loves beauty as much as I do, apparently. She insisted on stopping to examine and smell the tulips often on our walk, long after Savannah lost interest.

In case you're wondering, those are Savannah's knees showing above the flowers. She got exasperated with Irelynd's refusal to cooperate with her posing suggestions, and I thought we were going to lose her...

3 of my favorite people...

I just love this picture. The vibrant colors of the tulips and daffodils, and the soft spring light made for a nice setting.

Brighton wanted to "go in there" and ride the carousel.

Savannah, after climbing the hill in front and rolling down multiple times. It was a steep climb back up.

Watch out for those hands!

So, Keaton has a new thing lately. He's always kind of done it, but recently it became a hard and fast habit of his. When you pick him up and carry him, he has to have a handle to hang on to. Usually it is someone's hair, but in Scott's case, since he is mostly bald, he holds his ear, and the last day or two, the hair on the back of his neck. Need a haircut honey! If you hold him horizontally, trying to outsmart him, you will get your sniffer grabbed. Please excuse the terrible hair day, but this is what he does. I actually think it's adorable, and it makes me laugh every time (I am slightly easily amused).