Belated HBD & Stuff

Today we finally celebrated Daniel's birthday with some cake here at home. Happy Birthday Daniel!

He and Hyrum got home early (1am) yesterday morning. That morning I woke him up when I got Peter up, and asked him if he'd gotten enough sleep (aka if he was able to sleep on the drive home) he said he didn't sleep that much. Ok, so I let him rest two more hours. I sent Peter off and then got Daniel up  around 10 to go to school. At that time a pest control guy was here and he was parked behind Corey's car, so while we waited for him to finish, we did some of D's missing homework. Daniel has 3 weeks of missing work that I learned about at Parent Teacher Conferences, plus this week, so he had a bit of work to do. We took a small chunk out of that, then it was time to drive him over. We are glad you are back Daniel! Have fun at school! Your teacher and friends will be happy to see you again!

(Yes he's wearing the same clothes from country dancing last night). Kat giving him a hug. She likes to give hugs. 

When Natalie got home from school yesterday, I asked her to make the cake, which she did. I picked up ice cream when I dropped Lily off for work, but then we didn't get around to celebrating cause people were gone with friends and then for YW and then it was too late and I didn't want them to all go to bed with a blood sugar spike, so then I said we'd do it today after they got home from school, and that's what we did. Make a wish -

Kids ate all that, plus a Bundt Cake a neighbor dropped off yesterday just because (so nice! Thanks you Farah!) The Bundt cake was chocolate and Daniel likes vanilla, so Natalie still made him a cake. After eating that, I went to the gym, kids went to play, and I was back in time to take Daniel to soccer, then  I did my daily escape to my canyon.

The moon is close to full and it was just rising over the mountains as I picked up Daniel from soccer  - it looked so AMAZING...

Cleaned today, my bedroom and had the kids so some chores. Tomorrow D&P don't have school.  Corye and I talked about going on a ride and leaviang kids with Hyrum, but he was in the basement all day yesterday with a man cold and I have hardly seen him today, so I'm not sure he'd feel up to being in charge. So probably no morning ride. It might snow in the mountains on Monday and Tuesday, so I was hoping to get to Big Mountain before then. Maybe we'll be able to on Saturday, fingers crossed. 

What else about today - The girls don't eat breakfast cause they use all their morning time doing their hair, makeup, and fit. So this morning I got up and got them some veggie cups to go.

This was in part on Corey's request from last night that the kids eat a healthy breakfast. I was able to use veggie leftovers from dinner to make curried cauliflower and carrots on top (cause you eat veggies first) with an egg below (I don't eat eggs but for them I'll allow it, I still need to get Corey on board with that) and then mashed potatoes on bottom (end with carbs). I also made them a little grab of veggies to eat as they walked on their way to lunch, to get the veggies in first. 

Corey asked if we could make this a thing. Sure. But then what did I find in their bedroom tonight? My little bag of green veggies in the trash! Tsk tsk. Corey and I won't give up though. I was thinking that it's great having Corey on board now, cause yeah, we can teach them how to do live healthily, we just can't give up. Sophi sent me a pic of her all eaten cup and let me know she was the only one that did. I guess I'll do smaller portions. But also if the kids aren't hungry at 7am, I don't blame them for not wanting to eat yet. Owen sat and ate though. He's showing us what the ideal child looks like. 

He's SO easy to get up for jazz band. He doesn't leave until 6:40 (he likes to leave at 6:37 though to walk next door) but he wants me to wake him up at 6, and he's ready in 10 minutes so I'm not sure why he doesn't sleep in longer, but that's what he likes to do! He's go this schedule. 

Katharine just after she woke up this morning. Cute little face. She came into my room and told me about her dream where we went to a different house. 

I was glad I got up this morning, cause I stayed up took late trying to fix a stupid thing. I noticed I had a bowl of pinto beans that had been soaking for too long - but I couldn't pour them out cause the sink was stuck/clogged. It was all slippery from the butter from the frosting Natalie made for the cake. Gross gross gross... Usually it's the Ikea cups that get stuck in the disposal (kids STILL NOT remembering to NOT put cups or silverware on the left side of the sink!) so I though it was an ikea cup but it felt like glass and I could NOT get it, and I couldn't find my pliers that I love that have rescued me before (found them today though) I figured I'd just have to break the glass cup and hope it doesn't shatter or that I'm able to get all the glass fragments out. I couldn't find the pliers but I could find clippers and a hammer and screw driver. With the screw driver and hammer I thought I was smashing the cup. but then it didn't make a glass sound. The water drained, and I saw that oh, it was an Ikea cup after all!

So I put that in the trash and have the pic here so I can give the kids a lecture tomorrow. 

A note about bread. One might have noticed that I haven't posted pics of my pretty bread much lately. I've still been baking and we've still been eating it, but something went weird with my starter. It was super thin and acidic, even after feeding it. It was just not working like I was used to and I didn't know what was going on. Thus I haven't liked how they've been turning out - my bread has NOT been pretty. It's been super ugly and flat and more sour than I wanted. Still nice and crunchy fresh out of the oven, but ugly. So last week I put the starter in the fridge to try and pause my frustration while I figured out what was going on. This facebook "beginner Sourdough" group gave me something that I've been experimenting with the past two weeks, and today I followed through with my experimentations and it paid off and I feel like I'm back in business. 

The 1:3:2 ratio was a bit too thick for my liking, so I tried 1:2:2 and that seemed to work great for the loaves I baked tonight. They turned out amazing and nice and poofy!

So for now, until something else weird starts happening, I'm keeping a full jar of starter (I got a lot with my past week of experimenting) and I'm measuring out enough for each loaf I want to bake, so like if I want 100 grams of active starter for one loaf (just started some for a loaf tomorrow), I put 20 grams of starter in a jar and added 40 grams of flour and 40 of water, and it worked! Another thing Danica recommends is stirring the starter 30-45 min after the initial feeding mix, so I'm trying that too! 

Corey worked late tonight (just got home at 10:53) so I did scriptures with the kids. We did just one verse, 2 Nephi 33:6 "I glory in plainness, I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell." I told the kids that for Relief Society this Sunday, we are discussing "I Glory In My Jesus" from April conference. I asked the kids what things do their feel like are their. Lily said her books. "Why are they yours?" "Cause I bought them..." ok, good! So you paid a price. What else? I pointed out that she reads them, spends time with them, and she loves them, loves the stories. So some things are: sacrifice, time, love/gratitude... I told them that Little Cottonwood Canyon is MY canyon. I know lots of people go up there, but it's mine. I LOVE it. I spend a lot of time up there exploring, I see it, I'm grateful for it, I just love it! It is my canyon. So, how do we make Jesus become OURS? Time, sacrifice, gratitude, it's a relationship, and a priority, we want Him in our lives, He IS in our lives, our greatest influence. So yeah, that was our scripture and thought for tonight. I love the Lord, and I want to do better and making Him mine.

Book Fair

As per our Tuesday morning schedule, I went to the temple at 5am and was back home at 6:10 to get Owen up for jazz band. After waking him, I came to the kitchen and made myself a carrot cilantro salad again, yum. I was really hungry so it was very good again. Then woke up P&K at 8 and went to the school for Books and Bagels. Peter had two donuts for breakfast cause I took one and gave it to him, Kat had one, and they shared some chocolate milk. I did not partake. Not sure why I went along with doing this damage to my kids. Then we went into the book fair. I told Peter I'd buy him a poster. There was a big sign by them that said "$5" but they were $5.99, so I think that's false advertising. Especially in todays "no more pennies" world currency. As for Katharine, I had to talk her down from a blank $17 fuzzy Frozen notebook to a $10 princess book. Daniel's not here so that saved me $10 bucks. 

Kathrine was a mess eating her donuts. And her hair dried a bit crazy cause I gave her a bath right before bed. 

It was raining when we were leaving. Katharine wanted me to carry her, but I told her to wait and I'd run get the car. She looked so small and vulnerable. 

lol, she's so cute.

I haven't done good cleaning today, but I am here typing on the blog, so yay that's one win. I'm on track to still be current after day 1. I've just let Kat watch movies today - Encanto, Snow White, then Ariel. I watched a few Sept 11th things and talked to Mel. She's thinking of taking a last minute trip to Florida, and was asking my advice, since she's in her last trimester. I did it before Katharine was born, I say go for it. Her doctor wouldn't give her a note though. I told her I had a note from my doctor in preparation for international travel (flying back from Brazil, Owen's pregnancy), but no one asked for it and thus I didn't need it.  I also didn't need it for that trip to Florida when I was pregnant with Katharine. No going on amusement park rides though! Not even the tea cups (that was stupid). As for the airport, just wear a big hoodie and carry your bag in front, you'll be fine. I need to look through and see if I have any good insights here to pass on to my daughters and daughters in law for their pregnancies and newborn infants. Maybe I'll make a master list of pregnancy advice and baby advice. As for traveling in the last trimester, I ALSO did it when we went to Pepperdine, but that was before my blogging days back when Corey was applying to Business Schools, so probably 2003 with Hyrum?

The rain is gone now, I think I'll go up to the ruins before Owen has soccer practice at 6. Lily won't be able to help me out cause she's at work! Today is her first day at the Chocolate Covered Wagon. 

Ok nevermind, I started to leave and some hail hit right as I crossed Wasatch boulevard and I was scared it was going to crack the windshield more!! The van has a big crack that almost goes across the whole windshield, but stops 6 inches short, so technically not "illegal" yet (from what the cop told me in January) so we still haven't fixed it yet. Corey's windshield has a big crack across too. We're just hanging on waiting for something. So I went on a hike after I dropped off Owen, but then unfortunately/fortunately I had to keep it quick so I could pick him up at 7:30. I was on the hike at 6 and made it back to the are at 7:15. I hiked across the creek and made it to the ruins via the south side again. It was so fun! There are two VERY nice spots right by the creek to sit and be alone on that side, I plan to go again. 

Beautiful fall!!

Two funny things - lately Owen is leaving to play with friends without letting me or anyone know where he is, which makes me frustrated when we have to leave for soccer or his trumpet lesson. Last Thursday he came back just in time for trumpet, but I had already been texting mom's trying to track him down cause I didn't know if he remembered and would be back in time. So I told him, if you can't find me, atleast write it on a piece of paper or something. Today, when he came back for soccer, I asked him if he had told anyone where he was. "I put it on a paper on the fridge." Oh! Good! I hadn't noticed it, but I'm glad he did that. I did notice it later, and saw that he wrote on a paper that was already on the fridge. He literally obeyed me, but now I need to try and erase that off my paper quote or print up a new paper. 

I didn't mean that paper that was already on the fridge. Get your own paper next time. That was kinda funny. He's a very literal child. 

Lily called at 8:30 when she was done with work. She rode my silver bike down, but without a bike lock. She texted "There is no place to put it, so I left it here (sent a pic of it next to a wall) hopefully it doesn't get stolen?" Well, it was. So now she has something else that her work wages can go towards. It will take a few weeks/months to break even from that loss. So that is too bad, less than $1000 loss, so good news is that it's cheaper than a kid breaking a car ($6900). 

Hyrum texted earlier that he was thinking of bringing Daniel home tonight after they go country dancing, so they are on their way and will arrive at like 1 am. He sent a few pictures of their fun tonight. 

The dance was in a parking lot, a little blurry when you're dancing and having fun. - 

Daniel said dancing was one of the best parts of his trip, along with the dino dinner and his birthday.

It's been a good time, but there isn't a lot for him to do. He went along with them to a class once, and other times he'd read while if they had to study. But this morning Daniel was in full Park City Mode where he was just being lazy and entitled. Sent us this pic and said "Bro just woke up and is complaining about going to devotional..."

"I think we’re at or almost passing the point where he’s just wanting to be a bum and not doing anything. He’s rotten right now. Thoughts on us coming home tonight? Wouldn’t be able to leave till like 9pm when dancing ends. We’ve been staying up late and I don’t think I’d struggle staying up. Get to Sandy at like 1 AM. If we didn’t do tonight I don’t think I’d be able to go till after work tomorrow and I don’t think he should be here for much longer. I just feel like it’s not good for him? He doesn’t have anything to do most of the day. We’ve taken him to a class and to the library for him to read. Or he’ll work in his Lego set. But if I ask him to come to almost anything out of the apartment he doesn’t want to go and makes it hard. It’s like park city." He eventually did get up this morning, then went to play with his new rocket-ish toy.

So yeah, that fun trip is done now and they're on their way. They'll be back tonight. Daniel will probably be sad he missed Books and Bagels, but it will be ok. I'm hoping he's able to sleep on the drive home, so I plan to wake him up in the morning for school. I know his teacher and friends will be happy to see him! We are all excited too, we've missed him! The kids to parents ratio has seemed especially off having him and Abi both gone. 

I'm Caught Up

It's that time again that comes up every +/- four years or so... I'm caught up on the blog! (June 2021, Nov 2017). I've been giving the blog priority the past few weeks over anything cleaning wise, and it is showing. Katharine is over at Scarlett's house right now and I just finished last week, so now I'm caught up!! Go me. Now the question is: Can I stay on top of it from here on out??? We shall see.

It was my turn to host the kiddie playdate this morning. I woke up Katharine at 8:55 and her friends starting showing up at 9. She had a granola bar for breakfast, they ate sugar snap peas for a snack, and they all had a good time playing with the Little People that have been all over the house for the past week. 

They played while I cleaned up the kitchen, which was a mess. Yesterday Ethan and Bella came over for a visit before they went to dinner at Bella's sisters house. It was fun to see them, though I went to read for a minute and fell asleep so I missed most of the visiting, doh! Alvie is such a cutie. It was funny to see him hold his ground as Corey growled at him. After they left, we hurried and got dinner ready. Dinner was scheduled for 5:10 and Wayne joined us. We had salmon, ravioli, mashed potatoes, and Natalie also made crepes, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream. All of that left a lot of big bowls that we didn't clean up last night, so today there was quite a bit for me to wash. There was also the usual daily usage of cups and plates... it was a lot. 

Unload, load, wipe of stove, wipe back of stove, counter, sweep, wipe out microwave, dishes, table, benches, wipe wipe clean clean. Yeah, I haven't done much at all to clean the house for the past month. Yesterday I knew I had to get to it this week, and I picked up my bedroom, and prepared myself mentally for a kitchen cleaning morning today. I did a good job. Took me three hours to finish the kitchen, but I did it. This was my "almost done" pic at the 2 hour mark.

Dishes drying on the island.

I recovered from all that good work with a ride to my beloved canyon after the kids get home from school. Abi called from Panama, her emails are really fun to read! She's funny.

I love the colors in the mountains! First day of fall is tomorrow!

Got home, cleaned myself up, Lily made curry for dinner (we all like it when she cooks dinner!) I took Peter and Katharine over to parent teacher conferences - Daniel at 7, Peter's at 7:15. I went and talked to his teacher even though he's not here. Still up in Idaho - 

Daniel's teacher was behind though, so at 7:15 I told the person waiting for the 7:15 slot to tell the teacher to skip us from the 7 time and I'd come back at 7:30. Over to Peter's class, then came back to Daniel's class room. Peter made a temple.

Sunset tonight was at 7:25, so it was dark by the time we're done at 8. I'm glad I got in my mountain time in before the conferences. 

Here are some more of the photos that Hyrum sent us today of their fun up in Rexburg.

On Sunday night they took Daniel to a party, and they celebrated his birthday again there. They had a cake with candles for him to blow, and a group of like 50 adults all sang to him! Corey said "Why do I think you'd have less people willing to give that kid such a memory at most other schools...." I love BYU Students. Too bad for us, we're never going to be able to compete with that!! Hyrum took him to a Lauren Daigle concert Friday night (I think). 

He wasn't that impressed, haha.

He's been having so much fun that Hyrum commented "I do feel like he’s already becoming a little bit of a monster. Sorry about it and good luck with that" We'll put him back to work when he gets home! I'm glad he's having this experience though. 

Daniel is 10!

Daniel is having a lot of fun up in Rexburg with his brothers. They got him some presents, my treat -

They got those at Hobby Lobby - I'm not sure if they let him pick out things he wanted or if they surprised him. I'll get the details from Daniel after he comes back and we have his second birthday party here. I think the best birthday memory will be a Dino nugget volcano that they did, something fun and to check it off Wesley's bucket list. Hyrum preparing the place of art -

Making the potato landscape, taking their art very seriously - 

Daniel working on the volcano.

Their friend Sebastian. 

Excited to see the sculpture taking form. 

Wesley shard this video with us on the completed work. Looks like a masterpiece to me. Bucket list #9 complete! So that is super fun. They showed Owen such a good time with a trip to Yellowstone and a lego revealing ceremony. Now Daniel gets a birthday party and dino sculpture dinner. They better be careful, they are keeping expectations high! Peter is excited for when it's his turn! 

I did a bit of recreating today. I went on an early morning walk up to the Great White Icicle. Someday maybe I'll have gear to climb it. But for now it was really cool to be right up next to our granite cliffs. 

I got to touch the mountain. 

Then I walked back down the narrow path - if I come up here again I'll bring some clippers and clear the path a little wider for myself. I got pretty dirty today!

After the hike, I took Owen to his soccer game. I went to the rec center this afternoon for 20 min in the sauna and 40 swimming, and then I hurried home so Corey and I could do a ride before it got dark. Yeah, I might have done a bit too much today, but I'm just looking out for my mental health! Yesterday I played up the canyon too - I hiked up the creek past Hogum fork until I could see the Ruins waterfall. 

I was so surprised I got to the ruins from the south side! And I figured out a way to climb up and around to get to my spot. As I've been on the top before, I've never before been able to see a way down around it, but coming from the bottom I saw how to do it. It was really fun! So that was yesterday, and yesterday after I got home, I saw Natalie was at it again. 

This has practically become a daily thing. Last night she was making herself a zombie, using glue to make it look like it's peeling off. 

I thought the green was a bit too dark - more witch like than zombie, but what do I know about face art - Natalie is the expert! And she's rubbing off on Katharine!

Lily actually did that work, not Natalie. Kinda fun. Messy, but fun. 

Three Favorites

Corey and I had the (currently) rare opportunity to go on a ride together early this morning. Hyrum was home and he got Daniel and Peter out the door for me, thanks Hyrum! As we got to the top near Lisa Falls, it was lovely to see the colors on the mountain.

When we got to the ruins, I did a little bit of puttering around and was glad to get this photo from the other side of the creek of my favorite person and favorite trail during my favorite season.

Hyrum was playing with Kat after we got home.

He was telling us about the game they were playing "Her majesty demands that all the boys come in and watch the girls sleeping, which is a little weird to me (sigh)..."

Followed by "I'm so tired..." 

"It's the same story over and over again. The Erics forget her name every five minutes, and then they have to fight for her..." Haha, thank you Hyrum! He's such a good big brother. They all are. After we got back, I cleaned myself up and then Kat and I had to go - my dad was picking us up at 11. I had to work to sweet talk her away from her toys, but she eventually got ready and willingly came with me to my dad's car. We drove down town, picked up Beka, and then Neil and Jerusha met up with us for lunch at City Creek.

I ordered Katharine some fries and chocolate ice cream from Shake Shack. 

I went across the patio and ordered the Chimichurri steak from Vitality bowls. We had a nice visit, talking about some of their work stuff, almost officially being retired, maybe on Oct 1st! And what he thinks would be good for him and my mom as they move on from realty management and how we can help. Some talk of turning mom's home office into an art studio, which we'd all love. Good visit. As we were walking back to the car, we passed a store with a big pink throne. Katharine had to sit and feel her true princess identity come through. 

She's such a character! My dad dropped me off right at 2. He came over to see my rose, and I told him the whole story of the bushes getting annihilated and how thrilled I am that I've had roses this year. This one is a real beauty!!!

As he got back in the car to head home, Hyrum pulled up - he picked up Daniel from school at 2, and they were going to head straight out to Rexburg, but Daniel forgot some stuff and/or wasn't fully packed. We got him Sunday clothes, Sunday shoes, a towel, tooth brush etc and they were off. Daniel is going to spend the week up there with Hyrum and Wes. So fun Daniel!

Hyrum said the school office ladies were excited for Daniel when Hyrum said some of the stuff they plan on doing - music concert, country dancing, and maybe Teton National Park. Hyrum said that he thinks having Daniel there will be beneficial to him as well, to get the attention of some ladies he hopes. "It'll be like having a puppy." haha. They left then came back after 10 min - Daniel forgot his medicine for his lymph nodes. He has a few more days of taking that. Daniel is super excited to be going up to Rexburg for the week! 

One more pic of my rose at sunset today, isn't it BEAUTIFUL!?!?! I would cut it and bring it inside where I could enjoy it more, but there are three buds around it, so we're gonna leave them all together and let those bloom, exciting!

I skipped dinner last night so I woke up really hungry this morning. I had recently seen a video for a carrot cilantro salad, and I bought the stuff for it last night, so after waking up the kids and getting some bread started, I made that for myself for breakfast, I loved it.