The Books I Read in 2013

Last year, I kept track of the books I read and it was helpful when looking for new books to read this year. I based the books on my own five-star rating. There were a few gems throughout the year, there were some slow reading (but otherwise busy) months. Enjoy! January Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West. 4 stars. Small town basketball team, miracle year. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott. 4 stars. On Titanic crossing, the story of a dressmaker that works for a fashion designer – based on a real designer who was on the ship. The Confession by John Grisham. 3 stars. A false confession leads to death row and execution. A minister, who received a confession from the true killer tries to save man on death row and catch the real bad guy. The Painted House by John Grisham. 3 stars. Family hires help to pick cotton. Story of family drama and hired help (Mexicans and mountain dwellers). The Guardian by Gerald Lund. 3 stars. Junior novel about a girl with and enchanted pouch named The Guardian. Good guys v. bad guys. February The 12 Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis. No stars. Awful, didn’t get past chapter 2. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok. 5 stars. Incredible life of refugees coming to America. Trials, love, language barriers and ultimately a road to success. The Fifth of March by Ann Rinaldi. 3 stars. Story of a young girl in Boston during the Revolution and Boston Massacre. March Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. 2 stars. Entertaining and strange, kind of like the movie “Big Fish”. April The Harbinger by Johnathon Cahn. 3 stars. I didn’t finish this all the way, but I want to. Very good, info about prophesies of the Last Days. May Inferno by Dan Brown. 2 stars. My least favorite of his books. The goal was to stop a plague created to stop overpopulation. Weird and unsatisfying. June Defending Jacob by William Landay. 3 stars. Former DA defending charges against his son in a murder case, and then a second murder. Mom loses it. Lots of bad language. I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson. No stars. Girl in love with David Cassidy. Lame, didn’t finish. Visions of Glory by John Pontius. 3 stars. John’s story of his four near-death experiences and the visions he had of life after death. Book club book. July The Racketeer by John Grisham. 3 stars. Story of a black lawyer, his incarceration and revenge. Come Juneteenth by Ann Rinaldi. 2 stars. Half-black, half-white woman in love with the son of a family she lives with. She doesn’t know slaves are free. It’s a love story with a horrible ending. Last Man Standing by David Baldacci. 2 stars. FBI agent left alive when the rest of his group died. Crime-solving forces team. Long, some bad language. Versailles by Kathryn Davis. 1 star. Marie-Antoinette, meh. August Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews. 3 stars. Story of Job, and Dinah (Jacob’s daughter). Well-written, combines Bibles stories plausibly. Midway to Heaven by Dean Hughes. 2 stars. Dad lost his wife, and his daughter brings a boy home to meet him. Struggle with moving on without wife and letting daughter move on and marry. September The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. 4 stars. Great retelling of Grimm’s fairy tale of the same name. Book club. October Wonder by R.J. Palacio. 5 stars. Story of a boy with facial deformities who goes to public school for the first time. Well-written, compelling story. November My Story by Elizabeth Smart. 5 stars. Her telling of events when she was abducted from her home. Impressive young woman, horrifying story. Tastefully written. Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan. 3 stars. Funny ramblings of life with five kids. Too long. December A Captain’s Duty by Richard Phillips. 4 stars. True story of Somali pirates abducting merchant marine ship. The movie is good too “Captain Phillips”. Book of Mormon. 5 stars. Best book ever written. Life-changing, life-helping, life affirming. Read it. Grandma Pulsipher’s Life Story. 5 stars. Great Christmas present. Excerpts from my Grandma’s journal about her life. She is an amazing woman!

Working Woman

One day, I was minding my own business, reading the community paper, when I came across an ad for writers for the Sandy Journal.  “Hmmmm”, I thought to myself, “this could be interesting.”
So I made a resume…let’s just say there were some gaps in my work history from the last ten years, so I listed my current job as STAY-AT-HOME MOM.  I listed this very blog as my writing experience.  I even included my responsibilities as PTA Treasurer and Football Team Mom.  It was pretty fancy!
And they called. The Sandy Journal had filled their positions, but was I interested in working for the West Jordan Journal?  Yes, of course!  I had an interview and was soon offered the job as the Education writer.  It’s semi-part-time so it won’t pay for the mortgage, but it will be an adventure nonetheless.
I got to work contacting schools, setting up meetings, attending functions…and wrote about 5 articles for the December issue.  Some were published, some were not.  Then, over the Christmas break, I found out they were restructuring and suspending publication of a few papers…including the West Jordan Journal. 
I have been reassigned to another Journal and I look forward to my other new adventure.  I told the kids they were going to have to step it up around the house…do more dishes, make more meals, do more laundry…even though this job takes up only slightly more time than Football Team Mom did. I’ll take what I can get.
I took this picture to accompany one of my stories.  So far, it’s been great fun!

Email from Marci (worth keeping)

Another reason why I love my wife so much….

 

Joe:     

 

Thank you for helping out (with things).

 

Marci: 

 

Happy to do it.  I heard a wonderful song today…

 

On the way to the (car) dealer, we were singing primary songs and one song was "We Thank Thee O God For a Prophet."  On the way home, Beau asked if we could listen to a song about a Prophet, so I played "Oh Give Me Back My Prophet Dear", (Annie and Beau) were entranced.  Then we listened to "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief".  Boom.  He sang verse 1, 5, 6, and 7. 

  

“Then in a moment to my view

The stranger started from disguise.

The tokens in his hands I knew;

The Savior stood before mine eyes.

He spake, and my poor name he named,

"Of me thou hast not been ashamed.

These deeds shall thy memorial be;

Fear not, thou didst them unto me."

 

Even though I just do laundry and dishes and clean and make meals and grocery shop and .....drudgery....I do it for Joe, Dakota, Emma, Colin, Camri, Beau, and Annie.  These are my reasons.  Even more, when you serve others, you serve Christ.  I guess I forgot for a minute. 

 

Joe:

 

The family needs to remember (never forget) that we all serve Christ.  We should look to lighten each other’s burdens.  I hope my family understands that.  We shouldn’t rely on another’s memory, especially the one who needs to remember it all….Mom!

 

The Books I Read in 2012

Last year, I was reading my friend’s blog (Kemi) and saw a list she kept of the books she had read that year.  Great idea!  I love to read, but since I read so much, sometimes I lose track of what I’ve read. Or liked.  Or didn’t like.  I decided to copy her idea this year.  Some are book club books, some are friend recommendations, most are books I checked out from the library (e-books).  I rated them according to my own opinion, based on a five-star scale.

 

This list is mostly for me, but please feel free to peruse…

 

January

Killing Lincoln,  by Bill O’Reilly.  4 stars.   Amazing book about the conspiracy to kill Lincoln.

Chasing Fire,  by Nora Roberts . 1 star.   Fluff about firefighters, poor morals.

The Devil and Miss Prym,  by Paelo Coelho.  3 stars.  Philosophical  thinking, will make you reflect on own ethics.

Blood Work,  by Michael Connelly.  2 stars.  Interesting mystery about a serial killer.

Kitchen Confidential,  by Anthony Bourdain.  2 stars.  Fun look behind the restaurant scene. 

 

February

Dear and Glorious Physician, by Taylor Caldwell.  4 stars.  About Luke from the Bible, fascinating look at the man and the times.

Caleb’s Crossing, by Geraldine Brooks.  3 stars.   Based on the true story of the 1^st Native Americans going to Harvard.

Thanksgiving, by Janet Evanovich.  1 star.  Fluff.

Minding Frankie, by Maeve Binchy.  4 stars.  Intertwining of many people’s lives who are ultimately taking care of baby Frankie. 

 

March

The False Friend,  by Myla Goldberg.  1 star.  About a mean friend, no resolution, no growth on path of life.

Escape From Rwanda,  by John Bizimani.  4 stars.  True, compelling story about a man’s escape from a tortured country. 

776 Stupidest Things Ever Said,  by Ross Petras.  1 star.  Didn’t finish it, I thought it would be funnier.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt,  by Beth Hoffman.  4 stars.  Brilliantly written story of a daughter affected by her mother’s mental illness.

The Reading Group,  by Elizabeth Noble.  2 stars.  Kind of like Jane Austen Book Club, but not as good.

 

April

Hunger Games,  by Suzanne Collins.  4 stars.  Just saw the movie, I wanted to re-read the series.

Catching Fire.  Ditto.

Mockingjay.  Ditto.

A Good Day to Pie,  by Carol Culver.  1 star.  Lame.

Reflexology.   5 stars.  A good reference book for practicing reflexology at home.

Gluten-Free Bible.   5 stars.  Another good reference book for gluten-free living.

 

May

The Pulse of Hopeful Life,  by Jeana Watters.  5 stars.  Novel based on a true incident, heart-wrenching and superbly written.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning,  by Nancy Pickard.  3 stars.  The story of a girl dealing with the return of the man who killed her father.

Fabric A to Z,  by Dana Willard.  5 stars.  Very handy reference book for picking out fabric.

Letters in the Jade Dragon Box,  by Gale Sears.  5 stars.  Novel of a girl living in China and the story of her past. 

 

June

Split Second,  by Catherine Coulter.  3 stars.  Fiction of Ted Bundy’s daughter turned serial killer. 

South of Superior,  by Ellen Airgood.  3 stars.  Girl discovers her family up North.

 

July

Living Single,  by Holly Chamberlin.  1 star.  Lame.

44 Cranberry Point,  by Debbie Macomber.  2 stars.  Fluff, okay reading.

Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun,  by Lois Winston.  1 star.  Fluff.

Sister Wife,  by Shelley Hraltischka.  3 stars.  Story of an Amish girl who breaks away. 

Evening Star,  by Catherine Coulter.  No stars.  Horrible, disgusting, didn’t finish because it was so bad.

Same Kind of Different as Me,  by Ron Hall.  5 stars.  Superb true story of a man and his wife who give their time at a Homeless Shelter and find a wonderful man and true friend.

 

August

We Are Not Alone,  by James Hinton.  3 stars.  Sad but nice old man, charged with killing his wife.

Doc,  by Maria Dona Russell.  2 stars.  Didn’t finish.  Had potential, but slow-moving.  Story of Doc Holliday.

Anna and the French Kiss,  by Stephanie Perkins.  2 stars.  Fluff, but cute.

Don’t Say a Word,  by Barbara Freethy.  3 stars.  Interesting story of a woman who discovers the truth about her past.

 

September

The Language of Flowers,  by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  4 stars.  Book club book about a girl who grew up in foster care and is now starting her life on her own. 

The Expats,  by Chris Pavone.  2 stars.  Story of some expats living in France, former CIA.

 

October

Picture Perfect,  by Jodi Piccoult.  3 stars.  Story of an amnesia patient married to an abusive celebrity.

A Curse Dark as Gold,  by Elizabeth Bunce.  4 stars.  Modern telling of Rumpelstiltskin.

Size 12 is Not Fat,  by Meg Cabot.  3 stars.  Murder mystery book set on a college campus. 

No Easy Day,  by Mark Owen.  5 stars.  Amazing story of a man who was on the Navy Seals team that killed Bin Laden.  Fascinating read, some language.

 

November

Barefoot Season,  by Susan Mallery.  2 stars.  Afghan vet who takes over the family inn on Blackberry Island.

How to Eat a Cupcake,  by Meg Donohue.  2 stars.  A cupcake chef and old friend reunite, solve crime of fire and mother’s murder.

 

December

Before Ever After,  by Samantha Sotto.  1 star.  Strange story of strange immortality. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,  by Rebecca Skloot.  3 stars.  True story of the HeLa cells used in medicine that reproduce.  They are used in research even today, and originated from Henrietta Lacks.

 

May-August

New Testament in the Bible.  5 stars.  I read this with Joe and Dakota, five pages a day.  We chose a verse each day to write something about and created a book of our testimonies.   

Helpful Holiday Hints, for real

I love this time of year...so much! I love the music, I love the decorations, I love the planning and preparing, and -I admit- I love the craziness a little bit.  I'm the lady that won't do well when my kids all move out because I won't know how to go grocery shopping without factoring in who needs to ride in the cart and how long we have in the store until a meltdown.

So, as a busy mother of six kids, I thought I would share some real-life hints that make the holiday season a little more fun:

- If you are still in your jammies and you realize you have to go into public quickly (ie. your kid is sick at school or you don't have eggs to make the cookies you already started), you have a few options. Either throw on some running shoes, a sweatshirt, and a headband and people will think you just came from the gym, OR put on some jeans, your coat and a scarf. Suddenly you look dressed up, even though you're secretly not wearing a bra and you still have your jammie shirt on.

- Candy canes are great tools to get the kids to listen. Especially if they're blue candy canes.  Stock up, they're cheap.

- Pancakes and eggs count for dinner, and the kids think it's fancy.

- Teach your kids about Toys for Tots. That way, if they accidentally (or on purpose) find some of their gifts, tell them those aren't for them, but to give away. Then, actually DO give something to Toys for Tots.

- On that same note, save your change and cash to let the kids donate to the Salvation Army buckets. It's fun for them and they learn how to give.

- Make sure you use different wrapping paper than Santa.

- Christmas music. All the time. Ever heard of Pandora? It is awesome!

- Have the kids help you tidy up right before Daddy comes home. That way, the house looks clean when it counts without the hassle of trying to keep it clean all day. And your husband will think you're Wonder Woman (he's right). It helps to wash a window or something so it smells clean, too. This works all year, not just at Christmas-time.

- Make sure you don't forget your kids. It's busy, but make the minutes you have together count. Shovel snow together, wrap presents together, fold laundry together.  Christmas movies are good, but make sure you watch with them while you're working on something, instead of using them to always occupy them so you can do all the great Christmas stuff on your list.

- Try not to plan a trip to the Post Office during nap time. You will fail.

- It's okay to take a Personal Day.  Read a book, drink some cocoa, take a nap.  You deserve it. If something doesn't get done, it doesn't get done.  The world will go on and the holidays will still be fun.

- If you have to choose between two activities that are happening at the exact same time, pick the one that lets you be with your family.  You will win every time. 

- Get married in December so you have at least one date with your husband during this busy time on your anniversary :)

- Do not, I repeat, DO NOT suggest that your children home-make their friend's gifts, unless they can really do it by themselves.  Even the best ideas keep Moms up until midnight gluing and sewing and painting so their kids can give great gifts.  Have your kids earn money by doing hard jobs at home and take them to the Dollar Store.

- Actually the Dollar Store is the answer to a lot of gifting situations. White elephant, friend gifts, sibling gifts, etc.

- DO give gifts to your kid's teachers...they deserve something really nice for taking your kids every day.  I'm talking elementary school here (not seven Junior High teachers).  In that case, a nice thank-you note from your child would be nice.

- It's okay to edit your Christmas card list, you don't have to send one to everyone.  In fact, you don't have to send them at all. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that 'Tis the Season to simplify and enjoy the season.  Maybe I'm trying to convince myself of that as I write this, but the stuff my kids remember has nothing to do with trying to cram everything in.  They like the time we spend together.  They like the car rides, the chats by the fire, and the little moments between all the craziness.  That's what counts and that's what they'll remember. 

Have a Merry and Stress-free Christmas everyone!

Gluten-free Expo

It’s that time of year again.  Celiac Awareness Month.  Gluten-free Expo.  It’s time for my little Emma to shine. 
I love this expo because 1) They have tons of food samples so you can find the yummy stuff and avoid the not-so-yummy  2) It’s free and  3) They give away coupons for gluten-free food.
This year was extra fun because we met my sister and her husband there.  They eat gluten-free because of Celiac and a wheat allergy at their house.  It was so fun with them!! 
I only brought Emma and Camri with me this year because it has gotten wildly popular over the years and that means it is CROWDED!  We took the whole family last year and decided that was just too much.  The girls loved it, though, and were stuffed full of good food by the time we left.  We saw some gluten-free friends there and realized (again) that we are not in this alone.  In fact, it’s so easy to find good gluten-free food even compared to a few years ago when we started this journey. 
Here are some of my favorite gluten-free brands and products:
Eleanors Bake Shop in Draper is wonderful.  The best bread and baked goods around.
Macey’s has a freezer section of GF items, we like the lasagna, the doughnuts, and the bread from New Grains.
Kroger (Smiths) now has a Kroger brand of pasta….it’s the best I’ve found. It’s not mushy and yucky. 
Costco has lots of good stuff, but one of our favorites is the chocolate cereal (can’t remember the name, but it’s like cocoa pebbles). 
Glutino pretzels are the best!
Bisquick GF mix is very good, but pricey.  Actually most GF food is pricey.
Whole Foods and Harmons have great GF selections.  We especially love the pies, the baguettes, and chicken nuggets at Whole Foods. 
Thai food (rice noodles) are a big hit.  
Shirley J’s bouillon is GF and makes good sauces and gravies when thickened with corn starch.   They also have a GF soup base that is delicious!! We use it instead of cream soups, which all have flour. 
The list goes on and on.  I’m grateful for the new awareness because it has made grocery shopping so much easier! 
Hooray for Gluten-Free!

Well?

This world is full of peacekeepers and troublemakers, two opposite ends of the spectrum.  But I believe most of us fall somewhere in the middle into the category of “We just want what’s good for us and our loved ones.”  We want kindness and peace and general civility.  We want the benefit of the doubt.  We want to feel like we’re not alone in our struggles or successes.  That’s all.
I’ve become quite timid online.  I used to be more vocal on facebook and my blog, but I’ve been misinterpreted or judged unfairly or whatever.  So, now I’m timid online.  It’s not that my feelings have changed, I just don’t feel like rocking the boat anymore.  A status update doesn’t give much opportunity to explain something, it’s more of a soundbite. 
If I was the old me, this is what you’d be hearing right now from me:
BYU may have lost the game, but the Utah fans lost their marbles. 
I truly don’t understand why anyone would pick Obama again.  Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting different results?  I refuse to believe our country is insane.  Yet.  I guess we’ll see in November. 
Two point conversion?  Really?  Maybe if we had more than 17 passing yards in the whole game, it would’ve been a good idea.  Boo.
When I buy something from you at a booth and you don’t have change, why don’t you throw in a free product instead of just decided to raise the price so you don’t have to make change? 
If I have my blinker on and I’m waiting for a parking spot, that doesn’t mean you can zip in front of me from the other direction and take it.  I’m talking to you, Costco customers. 
I support traditional marriage, I support family values, I support smaller government.  That doesn’t mean I hate you, it means I disagree with you.  There’s a difference. 
Not every red light is a race when it turns green, not everyone in line in front of you is trying to ruin your life or make you late, not every mother with a crying child in a public place is neglectful. So stop punching the gas, muttering “C’MON!”, or rolling your eyes.  I don’t see you being perfect. 
Anyway, you get the idea.  I enjoy reading the occasional civilized exchange online, but I’m afraid most of it is so angry and vitriolic.  Chill out people.  We are going to vote according to our conscience for the President of the United States.  We are going to cheer for our favorite sports team. We are going to support different causes or propositions or amendments.  We are all fighting our own battles.  We are going to have different opinions, and that’s okay.  I let you have yours, just let me have mine.  And be nice about it, for heaven’s sake.  Please.

School Lunch

I usually send lunch from home with my kids.  I have many reasons for doing that, but one of them is that I can send notes in their lunches.  Much to my surprise, when we were getting ready for the new school year and cleaning out backpacks, I found this pile of “lunch notes” that Emma had saved from last year.  Cool!  I start every note with their name and end it with a heart and “Mom”.  Sometimes, I even use the same poem and just switch names…shhhh, don’t tell the kids. 
So, for posterity’s sake, here is a sampling…

Happy Weekend,

Happy Monday,
Hope you have a

Super fun day!

 

 

Happy Monday

I hope you know

I can't wait to

See your show!

 

 

Happy Monday,

Happy Girl,

Happy Emma,

Happy World!

 

 

Weekend was fun,

Now back to school.

I hope that you know,

You are totally cool!

 

 

It's Monday,

It's gonna be great,

Then Family Night,

I can hardly wait!

 

 

Back to school,

You're so cool,

Love you bunches,

Eat your lunches!

 

 

Long weekend,
Fun weekend,

Grandma Grandpa home.

Back to school,

Learn some stuff,

Read your Mother's poem. :) 

 

 

Tuesdays are fun

And you are too.

Don't you know

That I love you!

 

 

Hey big 4th grader

Have an awesome day

When you get home later

I'll take you to ballet!

 

 

Happy Wednesday

Make-a-new-friends day!

 

 

Howdy Emma

Have a great day,

I love you more

Than a horse loves hay!

 

 

Have an awesome Thursday

Work hard and you will see,

You can become anything

You really want to be! 

 

 

Happy Friday,

Weekend's here,

Let's wrap up this week,

And give a cheer!

 

So far this year, they have been making their own lunches.  I guess I better be sneaky and put some notes in when they’re not looking…..

Sunshine and Butterflies

As I was reading my most recent posts, I realized that to the casual observer, our life may look like sunshine and butterflies all the time. 
It’s not.
As I was discussing this with my husband, I mentioned that I don’t want to share all my innermost thoughts online. My main purpose in blogging is to create a family scrapbook at the end of each year.  There are things I don’t want to forget, so I write posts that I don’t publish, but that are included in our books.  Maybe it’s too personal or maybe it’s too opinionated or maybe I just don’t feel like sharing a particular thought with the world. So far, we have 5 books on our shelf and it’s fun to look back at our lives.  
As I wondered out loud to Joe if I should include more of the “nitty-gritty”, he made a good point.  Our memories are enforced by what we record.  If I write down everything all the time, the good stuff will get lost in the clutter.  When our kids flip through our books, they will “remember” our fun activities, the time we spend with their grandparents, baptisms, blessings, birthday parties, and other fun stuff.  Much like any book of record, we have to decide what we want to remember.  This is not to say that we gloss over our difficulties, but maybe we can learn from them rather than dwell on them. 
While our lives are not lollipops and rainbows all the time, we do have pretty great kids and I have a pretty great husband.  I’ll just keep writing about that, I guess…

Growing and growing…

Beau is growing up…
Annie is growing up….
My babies aren’t babies any more…
Annie moved out of her crib and into a big girl bed.  Sigh.  Time for a new phase of life, I guess.  It’s been twelve years of having babies, nursing, sleepless nights, rice cereal, bottles, binkies, and onesies. 
This is my analogy:  When I came home from my mission, I was sad. Not because I was sad to see my family and continue on with my life, but because I loved my time in France, I loved the friends I made, I loved being a missionary.  It was hard to come home, but I had no regrets of my time there.  I will always treasure the experiences and memories I have of my mission. I know that someday I will go on a mission with my husband, but it will be later in life.  I will not be repeating the mission I have already served. 
Now that I’m out of the “having babies” phase of my life, I am sad.  Not because I’m not looking forward to the “having older kids” part, but because I loved my time being pregnant and having newborn babies and adding to our family.  It’s hard that it’s over, but I have no regrets of that time of my life.  I know that someday I will enjoy grandkids, but it will be later in life.  I will not be repeating the phase I just completed. 
So, onward and upward.  Bring it on.

Truth

Yesterday I heard a wise man say:
“The temple is where you go to make covenants.  The home is where you go to keep them.”

Old Lady

Is it really nearing the end of January?  What a weird month.  The last few weeks of 2011 were so fun…jam-packed with family parties, gifts, get-togethers, all the fun stuff. 
Then it was my birthday, and now I’m an old lady.
My birthday was splendid, so were the first few days of being 37.  Although my kids had mild colds over the holidays, it was nothing too serious and I thought I was in the clear.  Then, it was as if my body said, “Ha! Did you think you’d get away with not getting sick this season?”  As soon as I stopped rushing around for the holiday goodness, I crashed.  And I crashed hard. 
First came the cough.  No biggy, I can beat this.  Then the congestion.  Then a worse cough.  Then the headaches.  Then the sore throat.  Then the ear aches.  Then the side ache from so much coughing.  And all this time were sleepless nights because I’d wake myself up out of a Nyquil-induced stupor with, of course, a cough attack.  I’m completely exhausted, I haven’t slept more than 4 hours in a row for over two weeks now. 
Thanks goodness for Joe’s gift of a visit from the housecleaners, or this place would be a wreck.  I tried to keep up on the laundry and I made dinner every night.  That’s about it.  No high aspirations over here. 
There should be some rule about Mom’s never getting sick, and truthfully, I rarely do.  I did get some antibiotics today (finally), so I’m optimistically looking toward the light at the end of this mucus-filled tunnel.  During this time, I learned some valuable things:
1. My kids are awesome!  I already knew this, but they showed their true colors.  Every time I dozed off on the couch, I would get little kisses from them and whispers of, “Get better soon, Mom.”  They all stepped up, even the littlest ones, to help keep the house clean, make lunches and get ready to go to school, take care of each other, and take care of me.  I got back rubs, foot rubs, cards, and even stories read to me. 
2. My husband is awesome!  Again, I knew this.  But he took over the minute he came home, even though he was exhausted from a long day at work and from being kept up by my coughing all night.  He took care of me …and the kids had some memorable, fun evenings with Dad playing Scotland Yard and watching Jazz games. 
3. My family is awesome!  My sweet Mother-in-law brought us a delicious dinner (including breadsticks and gluten-free cookies!!) and called several times to check on me.  My parents watched the kids so I could go to the doctor and spent the day with the kids so I could take care of myself.  It is one of my greatest blessings to have so much loving family nearby! 
4.  As long as everyone has clean underwear, we’re good laundry-wise.
5. After taking nearly every cold and cough medicine in existence, here are my recommendations: Mucinex (works better and longer than Sudafed), Advil (my dear friend), and mentholatum.  Other stuff helped too, but this was my trifecta.
6.  Being sick stinks.  Nothing is fun, nothing tastes good, talking hurts, swallowing hurts, laughing makes me cough, and my sick-voice is NOT sexy…it’s just scratchy and gross. 
At the end of the day, the antibiotics will kick in and I will get better.  Meanwhile, I have my darling husband and kids, I have my loving and supportive family, and we all have clean underwear.  I’d say this old lady just scored a clear victory. 

Mon Frere

My brother came into town for Thanksgiving, which was so fun! He came by on his way to the airport to say goodbye.

Eric is the closest thing I have to a twin, we are 360 days apart, both born in the same year. My birthday is January, his is December. Every year we are the same age for 5 days. Since we won’t be able to do our Birthday lunch together this year, I was thrilled that I got to spend some time with him while he was here.

And since he will be my age pretty soon, I will tell you 36 wonderful things about him.

1. He’s very kind. 2. He’s very handsome. 3. He is genuine. 4. He is tolerant. 5. He is a hard worker. 6. He is funny, and he gets my sense of humor (bonus!) 7. He loves my kids and they love him right back. 8. He calls our parents every week, even though he is across the country. 9. Family is important to him. 10. He used to be in all the high school plays, he is a talented actor. 11. He currently sings in a choir, and is a very talented singer. 12. He’s a smart guy. 13. He served his mission in Montreal, but his French is way different than mine. 14. He always calls me on my birthday. 15. We used to drive to high school every day together in The Van, lots of good memories there! 16. He is truly a good person. 17. Even though we have a few differing political views, I like talking to him about politics because he is respectful of other’s points of view. 18. That’s true of everything, not just politics. 19. He loves me, even though I’m not perfect (or anywhere near!) 20. He has cool shoes. 21. I wish I could talk to him more often. 22. Once we went to the Las Vegas temple together and we were the witness couple. It was a day I’ll never forget. 23. He doesn’t speak mean words about others. 24. We grew up watching all the same movies, so we speak each other’s language (movie quotes). 25. He would do anything for anyone in the family. I know this to be true. 26. He is nice to animals. 27. He is fun to play games with. 28. We live far apart and we see each other about once a year, but we are still good friends. 29. He can belch with the best of them. 30. He came to see Emma in the hospital when she was born, even though he was moving to New York the next day. 31. It was always fun to have our birthdays around Christmas. 32. My mom used to make a gingerbread house every year, and we would take turns using it as our birthday cake. 33. We were always one grade apart in school and we had a lot of mutual friends. 34. We also worked together at Rafael’s. Good times. 35. He’s the kind of brother everyone wishes they had. Actually, all my brothers are like that. 36. He’s just as old as me. And just as cool.

Grandma Wonderful and a real miracle

Joe and I recently stopped by to visit with Grandma Wonderful and Aunt Rhonda. I am going to be vague here, but we were able to witness a true miracle.

I promise that the power of the Priesthood is real, that the Plan of Salvation is real, and that our loved ones watch over us after they pass to the other side. I testify that Heavenly Father loves us on a very individual basis, He knows our wants and needs, our struggles and triumphs, our joys and our miseries. And He cares very much about each of us.

Annie kept walking over to Grandma, then eventually climbed on her lap. Annie likes to cuddle as much as the next baby, but she usually just stays for a minute then wiggles to get down. She sat on Grandma’s lap like this for about 25 minutes. It was so sweet!!

We love our sweet family!

Jury Duty

Recently I was summoned to jury duty. I thought I’d go through the selection process and be home by lunch, but the lawyers had other ideas. For some reason, I was selected to serve on a four-man jury and perform my civic duty.

I stayed, I learned a lot, and I observed a lot. We deliberated for five hours on the future of this young man, and determined there was reasonable doubt. So the verdict? Not guilty.

This is the very short version of a very long day. As I drove home with a pounding migraine, I was grateful for many things:

- I do not have a job in the legal or law enforcement fields.

- There are great people who work very hard every day in the legal and law enforcement fields.

- The power of repentance.

- Our country’s legal system. While it’s not perfect, it’s a pretty good effort at what we are trying to accomplish as a nation.

- My parents for staying with my kids all day, so I didn’t have to worry about them at all.

- My husband and my kids.

I didn’t even see Annie at all that day, I left before she woke up and got home after she went to bed. Luckily I got to see all the other kids, but I missed my Annie. The next day, Joe showed me this picture he took while I was gone. I guess she missed me too.

That was the hardest, and maybe most life-changing $18.50 I ever earned.

Life is

It just seems like life is a little too crazy lately. I guess sometimes it’s easier to see the bad and crazy stuff because it’s so in-your-face. Today, as I’m contemplating this, Dakota hands me the poem she is memorizing for school…

Nailed it…

Life is

by Mother Theresa

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it!!

September 11

Wow, that date stirs up a lot of emotion. 10 years ago today, terrorists attacked America….flying two airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York City, flying another airplane into the Pentagon, highjacking another plane that was taken down by the brave passengers that decided to fight back.

The day before the attack, Joe and I found out we were expecting our second child. We tried for a long time to get Emma, in fact, we had a fertility consultation scheduled for September 11. After I took a home pregnancy test on the tenth, I joyfully called to reschedule our fertility consultation to an 8-week check-up. I was ecstatic!!

The morning of the 11th, I woke up when Joe called me on his way to work and told me to turn on the t.v. I sat horrified in front of the t.v. as I watched the smoke billow out of the first tower that had been hit. I gasped as I saw the second plane hit the second tower, and I sobbed as I saw the two buildings crumble to the earth. I couldn’t get off the couch all day, I was worried about Joe and told him to please come home because what if they were attacking all the major cities in the U.S.? For months, I cringed as I heard an airplane fly over our home, which was frequently as we lived in the flight path to the airport. I knew our country had changed forever.

10 years later, we are still feeling the effects. We were violated by a faceless enemy who cowardly killed thousands of people on our own soil. We have killed a few of those enemies, but there will always be someone to take their place. The only preparation that will really count is our preparation to meet God. What are we doing with our life now to prepare to meet Him? How will be able to report our time on earth?

I took the kids to the Healing Field in Sandy today. It was a reverent and solemn experience. Thousands of flags blowing in the breeze, each one labeled with a card naming one of the victims of these attacks.

“In Memory of Manuel Patrocino, age: 34, Location: World Trade Center. About Manuel: Manuel Patrocino was in charge of uniforms for Windows on the World Trade Center. He lived in Manhattan with his wife, Sandra, and their two children, Keyla and Alex. He normally reported to work early, and would be home in the afternoon, when he would head to the kitchen to cook a meal before the children arrived from school.”

Servicemen and women stood by letting the kids climb into the tanks and other service vehicles that were there. We saw the newly unveiled statue memorializing the three firemen who flew the American flag in the midst of all the debris.

There were many heroes that day, a lot of them died. I am touched by the selfless acts of those who ran into the face of danger while helping others escape from it. We live in a great country indeed.

I pray that we continue to unite as a country…not just against the faceless enemy, but against anyone who would destroy us. We are one nation under God, now and forever.