foutzmania

Eleven Years and Counting!

2010-05-27T16:33:00.002-06:00

I know, I know, I can't believe it either! I'm blogging! My heart is just so full, I thought I should take a sec and blog....
Today is my anniversary and it truly boggles my mind that we've been together 11 years. A third of my life I've been a Foutz. We've been through good times, hard times, trials and triumphs, but through it all our love has always carried us through. Dan is so much more than a husband, he's my best friend. (Ok, I'm allowed to be cheesy here--it's my anniversary for crying out loud!) While I was in Ohio last week, I kept thinking, "I wish Dan could see this" or "I wish Dan could be here so I could school him in this game" or "I wish Dan could taste this amazing Indian food", I realized that life without him would be very drab indeed. I feel so fortunate to have him in my life and look so forward to what the next decade has to offer! Now isn't that just the cutest couple?!

Personally Charming

2010-03-06T21:40:00.003-07:00

Ok, I admit I've been dead to the blogging world for about 7 months now, but finally I have something worthwhile to report:

I have joined the corporate world. Ha ha What's even crazier: I'm blogging about it!! Just humor me and check it out at http://www.personallycharming.blogspot.com/. And then come to my house on Thursday to see what it's all about.

Peace out.

"Twofer Tuesday"

2009-08-05T15:30:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was Henry's 5 week birthday. What did he do to celebrate? Well, besides the usual babyness of pooping and spitting, he welcomed not one, but two new cousins to the world. It was all very exciting. So exciting he couldn't sleep at night! (he must be excited every night!) Here's the stats:

Anne Muriel
Due on July 22
Parents: My brother Vernon Henry and his lovely wife Lauren
Weight: 8 lb 4 oz
Hair: red (huh? how did that happen?!)
Attitude: Sassy

Less than 5 hours later.....

Arya Kaethe (pronounced Aria Kayta)
Due on August 6
Parents: Dan's brother Mike and his lovely wife Katy
Weight: 8 lb 0 oz
Hair: blonde and curly
Attitude: Serene

We are so excited they are finally here!!! As you can see, I can't complain at being 1 week overdue when Lauren endured twice that long! She is an amazing woman.

And if anyone is going to RC Willey to shop for furniture, you can thank Mike for taking Katy to the hospital before they tested new couches when her water broke in the parking lot....

Baby Henry

2009-07-23T14:30:00.004-06:00

Introducing the newest member of our family! Henry James Foutz came in his own due time, and we're so in love with our baby!
So for all of you that haven't heard, here's the details: He actually made it in June!!!! I'll forgive him for coming 6 days late since I didn't have to be induced. :) My parents had just barely arrived and I woke Dan up around 1 am on the 30th to go to the hospital "early" because I didn't want a repeat of Lukas' labor when he arrived 5 min after getting to the hospital. We got there around 1:30 and my water broke right when I stepped out of the car (much to Dan's relief) so I knew at least they wouldn't turn me away! I was very perturbed to find out that all the contractions I had been experiencing in the car hadn't changed a thing from my appointment that morning. I thought it was going to be a long labor. Dan went to park the car while the nurses tried to give me an IV. I have "squirrelly veins" and it was taking them forever to find one. And it seemed like they were always trying during a contraction. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and blurted out "Oh my gosh, I have to push!" No one believed me that I had changed from a 4 to complete in 10 minutes, including myself, but sure enough, I had arrived at that glorious moment in record time! My doctor RAN in, and amazingly made it for the delivery (especially since Dan told her on the phone we were being conservative and leaving with plenty of time for her to arrive.). He was born at 1:59 am, weighing in at 8 lb 3 oz and measuring 20 1/2 inches long. Since then, he's grown to 8 lb 10 oz and 22 inches! If they could just stay little!
I am forever indebted to my mom who was able to stay for 3 weeks and help me catch up on my rest. It took a car accident to total her car and persuade her to stick around even longer than she had planned, but I was grateful it bought me some more time! Thankfully no one was hurt. Henry even slept through the whole ordeal. If only he would sleep that soundly at night....

As you can see, my dear friend Cama has done it again and captured the sweetness of a newborn. I must admit, though--even the pictures don't do him justice--he is too precious for words and I am so so happy he's here!

Happy Father's Day!!!

2009-06-22T10:33:00.004-06:00

To my dearest dad and the daddy of my children:

I salute and honor you. I couldn't ask for better examples for all my boys for the type of men I want them to become. You are men of faith and integrity and treat the women in your lives like queens. I love you both and hope you had a wonderful day!

Isn't he cute? He's posing with some of the gifts the kids got him for his big day.This really should be another post, but I'm lazy....We had Dan's brother and family over for Father's day dinner and we realized that Katy and I have never been pregnant (aka large)together, although we're both expecting our 5th. Weird, eh? So, we had to get a belly shot for the record. And I believe this is one of the few shots I have of me pregnant at 9 months. Dang we look good! :)We are officially goofy--I'm not sure what I was trying to portray in this shot, but I think I did a marvelous job. I'm pretty sure our babies are passing positive vibes to each other telling each other that even though our moms may be nuts, it's ok to come out.

It's all Semantics

2009-06-20T16:32:00.002-06:00

What some people call "impatient," I like to refer to as "proactive." Yes, I realize I still have 4 days left, but my baby only has a short window of convenience to arrive. You see, my doctor is leaving town from Monday to Friday next week, so this weekend is IT. What have I done to speed up the process? Lots of things, but here's the kicker:

I just ran 2 miles. Crazy, I know. But, hopefully it works and the next post on here will have baby pictures. And I'll make up Father's Day to Dan, um, next year.

Who likes Cheesecake?!

2009-06-08T10:22:00.007-06:00

In honor of my new springform pan that I got for my birthday, I'm hosting a contest. It's simple and fun and ends in sublime richness.

I'm going to bake a cheesecake for the person who comes the closest to guessing my due date.

To enter, just make a comment with your guess of date and time (in case people choose the same date) and the winner will be duly rewarded. Muah ha ha ha.

In order to make it fair, I am officially due June 24. I have gone between 5 days early and 12 days late in the past. I will not be induced.Let the predictions begin!!

If you live out of town, shoot. I'll think of something, don't worry.

Bumpers and Birdies

2009-06-05T16:49:00.003-06:00

I finished it! While I was at my sister's house in Rexburg, all three of us girls started making bumper pads for our babies to match the quilts mom made for them. It turned out to be more of an ordeal than I anticipated, but with Emily's help, I got it done today! Now all I need is the crib!Here's the quilt I was coordinating it with. Honestly, the picture doesn't do it justice. It is so darn cute in person, I can hardly stand it.

And try to imagine it all with a sleeping baby in this crib: Oh, I can hardly wait.

Inside the Curious Mind of Emily Foutz

2009-06-05T08:16:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Emily brought home a bound book called "My Year Long Journal" from first grade. It was fun to read and get a little insight to her quirky personality. Some of the entries made me wonder what her teacher may have thought....

Example 1: Being truthful is important because.... We will die if we don't foloe the ten comandment's. I like the ten comandments. You will die if you don't folou the ten comandments. I mean get brnd with fire and then die and not go to heaven. I want to go to heaven agen and see Jesas again.

Example 2: Something I want Mrs. Hill to know about me is.... I'm POSITIVE! I'M CARFALE! I LIKE MYSELF AT EVERY PLACE!

Example 3: Sometimes I wish.... Sometimes I wish my little brother was quite as a mouse. My little brother is blazing loud. He is 3. His name is Sameil, and he loves cars. I love peace. My two brothers don't give it to me. I have 3 brothers. One is quite. His name is Benjamin. He dose funny tricks like making his hands float up automatically.

Example 4: If I could live any place.... I could do the splits. (huh?) I cannot do the splits anymore because I am seven. I am older than I was before. When I grow up...I'm going to live in a store. The store will be blue, and orange, red, purple, yellow, lavender, vilet, and white. I will live in a candy store.

That entry was ironic--earlier she mentioned "I like healthy food. I like banannas. I eat clean ones, not grody ones. I like monkeys that eat banannas, they like me."

Oh Emmers. (or Emrz as she informed me it was spelled) I don't want you to grow up. Please stay little and carefree and full of wonder and enthusiasm for life. I couldn't ask for a better person to be my one and only girl. You bring so much laughter and love into my life.

Birthday Girl!

2009-06-03T08:59:00.000-06:00

"Happy birthday to me, I'm the big thirty-three. I feel like a walrus, and I want this baby."

Who's more excited for cake: me or Sam? Dan and the kids made my favorite--pineapple upside down yumminess. Bless his heart.

And of course, the Dan and the kids surprised me with gifts that I didn't even know existed. Who could have predicted drumsticks with flames on them?! Including sweet "silencing tips" so I can rock out at night without disturbing my kids' slumber....Not to be outdone, Mom Mauery pulled out all the stops this year and finished her 2 year long project of an old-fashioned quilt that blew me away. It is so lovely and makes me smile every time I walk by my bed. Pay no attention to the moose antlers in the background. Every master needs horns somewhere. It's good feng shui.Thanks to everyone who made my birthday memorable and delightful. From a much-needed pedicure from Jenny (I'd take pictures of my toes, but I have club feet at the moment) to Dan watching the kids while I got my hair done (I'd take pictures, but alas, it's destined to be in a ponytail for another year), to my book club gals treating me to dinner, it was truly a happy day(s). I have a great life!

10 years and counting!

2009-05-27T15:12:00.000-06:00

Under the guise of "going to Walmart to buy Nancy a birthday present," when we were visiting my sister in Rexburg, Dan whisked me off to Jackson Hole alone for a night to celebrate our big "one-oh" anniversary. Was I surprised? shocked? floored? flabbergasted? YES! I was so confused, in fact, that about 3 times I told him he was definitely going the wrong way to Walmart, he was lost, and I was starting to get a little miffed we were in the middle of nowhere right when we were supposed to be leaving for home. When he broke the news to me, all I could think of was "Did you tell Mom and Mary??!!" He of course had thought of everything, and the getaway was perfect. We had an awesome room with an awesome view with awesome food and awesome company. It was AWESOME!

Downtown, they were redoing one of the famous antler arches. We had some spare time on our hands, and they petitioned anyone 9 months pregnant to help.

Phew, that was a lot of work. Mom and Mary, now you know why we got back later than planned.

Well, Dannyboy, the past 10 years have flown by in a whirlwind of fun and friendship and laughter and love. Thanks for a memorable anniversary and spoiling me at every chance you get. I am so lucky to be your bride.

And of course, I have to give a great big thanks to my mom and sister for watching our handful while we were away--we owe you big!!!

I almost forgot--here's what I gave Dan. Thanks to my uber-talented friend Cama, I finally had bridal pics taken about 10 years late. She says "every man deserves a beautiful picture of his wife." Thanks to her photo software, she was able to make that a reality for my hubby! hee hee. It was wonderful to feel glamorous for a day, even though in reality my dress wasn't zipped and I couldn't breath. But who cares--Dan thinks still thinks I'm a hottie after 10 years and that's all I ever wanted!

Rexburg ROCKS!!!

2009-05-25T09:20:00.000-06:00

Isn't everyone's dream vacation destination Rexburg, Idaho? I know it's my kids'! We travelled there over Memorial Day weekend to spend some quality time with the fam and see the newest addition to Mary and Joe's family, Penny, get blessed. Isn't she precious? So is the baby.While we were there, we also took the animals to the zoo to see the children. Or something like that. Monkey faces so realistic it's scary.My loveable lions.I thought this was too funny--you'd think it was their first trip to the zoo!The whole weekend went by too fast and I've been "sisters-sick" ever since.

I'm Ready

2009-05-11T10:46:00.003-06:00

I'm ready to have my ankles back.

I'm ready to not cringe every time I see something fall to the ground because I know I'll have to pick it up.

I'm ready to RUN!

I'm ready to feel pretty again.

I'm ready to be able to tie my shoes without making gutteral noises.

I'm ready to eat whatever I want without suffering the consequenses of heartburn.

I'm ready to have a lap again for my boys.

I'm ready to go the the bathroom less than once an hour and pee more than a tablespoon.

I'm ready to feel kicked on the outside instead of the inside.

I'm even ready to smell like rotten milk and change stinky diapers again. I am.

And oh how I'm ready to hold a sweet little baby again!!!

I just don't think I'm ready for labor yet.

And so I'm ready to stop complaining and wait.

Dear Mom,

2009-05-10T13:41:00.003-06:00

Have I ever told you that....

Whenever I get a little scratch on my arm, it reminds me of the hours you'd spend in the raspberry patch pruning and then picking them for our enjoyment?

Every time I eat "delicacies" such as asaparagus, rhurbarb, and beets, I think back to how I loathed them as a child, fresh-picked from the garden, and now I only dream about having them grow like weeds in our backyard?

Even though I was a cheerleader in uniform, you were one in heart and mind, always cheering me on during hard times? You believed in me--I have proof in the "You can do it!" sign you made me in college.

I think your fingers are beautiful? They represent hours at the quilting frame and holding a crochet hook.

Nothing is so sweet as seeing you and Dad share loving moments together when you think no one is watching?

Hearing you laugh so hard that your eyes get squinty and your face turns red is one of the most precious sounds in the world?

Whenever people think I am strong, I picture you bucking hay bales along side the men for our family farm?

I am so grateful to you for passing on all the "dying arts" to us girls? Canning as a child used to be something I dreaded, now there's nothing quite so satisfying as filling up my pantry with those beautiful bottles of fruit....

Thanks to you, I can make dinner in less than 30 minutes with practically nothing? (as long as I have some pasta, a vegetable, and some meat, we're good!)

Also thanks to you, I can't follow a recipe exactly to save my life?

You taught me through example that spending time with your kids is more important than an immaculate home?

Every time I hear the song "Sleigh Ride" I think of our piano duet?

I love you because you understand my phobia of phones and know that I'm thinking of you even if we haven't spoken for a while?

Even though you didn't blatantly preach to us, your testimony came through loud and clear by seeing you read your scriptures and make temple attendance a priority? Even my kids know Grandma's beliefs, thanks to all the FHE kits and special gifts you've given them to help teach them the gospel.

Someday I aspire to be the kind of mom you are?

You're the perfect mom for me?

Well, if I never told you those things, I'm telling you now. I hope you have the best Mother's Day!

Love, Sarah

L-u-k-a-s

2009-05-07T08:31:00.004-06:00

Lukas has been into spelling things lately in his sentences. At breakfast this morning he goes: "Mom, you're getting f-a-t. Really big f-a-t! When you get bigger, you're going to be a b-a-l-l!"

So c-u-t-e....I love these little pick me ups in the morning.

Bagels and Recitals

2009-05-06T10:45:00.003-06:00

So last Saturday the "Sarah Foutz Piano Studio" had it's first recital! I wish I had a decent picture to post, but they all turned out funny. (sorry Dan) I was so nervous for my students Friday night that I could hardly sleep, but they all exceeded my expectations and performed beautifully. They only had about a month to memorize their 2 pieces, whereas the other students (we combined the recital with another studio) had been practicing since January for this event. That's when I started teaching in the first place! But I can't say how proud I am of the kids for working so very hard and doing their best. They were judged and critiqued and awarded gold, silver, and bronze certificates based on their performances.

They all did great!

Then I came home and have been craving bagels for days. I made these yesterday and baked them this morning and boy-howdy, they were worth it! I admit that they aren't the most gorgeous specimens to emerge from my oven, but the taste made up for that double-fold! Don't tell anyone that I've already eaten 3 of them (with butter and jam) this morning. The baby was hungry.

Oh, and by the way....

2009-05-01T09:12:00.001-06:00

I'm due next month!!!

My Man's Big Day

2009-05-01T08:53:00.005-06:00

That smile just melts my heart. I was so excited for Dan's birthday this year because he has been working so hard these past few months and I wanted to give him something to celebrate. It actually started at midnight with his brother the day before, and ended with a midnight movie (Wolverine) on Thursday. My guy knows how to party! In between all that, the fam came over for one of his favorite dinners (ham, potatoes, cobb salad, and jello), along with his yearly request of strawberry cake. (Let me pat myself on the back and mention that I also made homemade rolls with strawberry freezer jam for an extra special treat for him--he's been begging for jam for years!) We were all stuffed! That's a big fire, and a lot of smoke! Any guesses on how old he is?!

Then came time for the presents. I was so excited for him to open this. A few years ago he met the owners of Jones' Soda and he told me you could personalize your own soda. He loves their soda, so I looked into it. Thanks to my bro, Timothy for getting this picture last summer. He loved it so much, he put some of it on display in his office. Awww. You can't read the fine print, but you also get to write a personal message on the back. I'd tell you what it says, but it's, um personal.Dan, Dan, you're my man.

"Pine of Jerbies"

2009-04-23T21:56:00.003-06:00

Well, that's what Lukas called it, anyway. (Does it really sound like that when I say "Pinewood Derby?" Dan thinks I have a thpeech impediment, maybe he'th right.)

So....the excitement at our house these past few days has been getting geared up for the big race which was held tonight. I must say, after BJ's first race when his weights went flying off, I did not hold my breath the rest of the night and went to help dish up treats in the kitchen. When I finished, Dan told me I just missed the championship race and whadya know, he won! (Obviously he didn't fare so well in the uniform inspection, but we'll work on that next month.) I love this picture so much because I have one kind of like it of me and my older brother, Timothy when we were about the same ages. He (Timothy) wanted me in the picture as much as BJ wanted Emily in the picture, but little sisters are just so adoring of their cool big brothers! Emily was BJ's biggest fan and was as excited as he was. Way to go, Beej!

My Superheros are growing up!

2009-04-23T09:15:00.004-06:00

We celebrated 2 super birthdays last week at our house! One for Batman turning three: And one for Superman turning five!

The boys had been telling me for months exactly what cakes they wanted and it was truly a labor of love making them....all day in the kitchen with my super powers. But, the boys were so excited, it made it all worth it. Sam genereally wears his batman costume all day, but when he saw me get the camera out, he had to go and change his clothes really quick so he wouldn't be caught in his pajamas!

Having these boys around all day long makes life interesting and sweet. I am so lucky to have my superheroes!

Try not to be jealous!

2009-04-16T21:08:00.003-06:00

Mom Mauery strikes again! She completely outdid herself this time. While I was at her house over Christmas, I designed some quilts for Lukas and Sam and even helped her cut out and sew a few blocks. When she showed up in February, they were not only DONE, but she had also whipped up lap quilts for the two older kids for a surprise. Can we say overachiever? They are so beautiful. Not to leave out the baby, she also made a little flannel receiving blanket while at my sister's for Gus. Wowee, thanks mom!

P.S. to all my siblings--this proves I'm the favorite. ha ha

P.P.S. I just remembered another project we did at her house--we put together a portfolio of all the quilts and projects she's done over the years. If you REALLY want to be blown away, take a look at that and immediately feel very uncrafty indeed!

Randomness from my camera

2009-04-16T20:46:00.003-06:00

This is just a glimpse into my life, I guess. Nothing major or spectacular, but interesting enough to take a pictures of (maybe?). I caught this crazy shot while walking down our hallway toward the front door and was like "what the?" and then realized that Lukas was probably as confused as I was. Then it dawned on me that Dan was finally painting the siding out front that the painters missed over a year ago. For those of you who know us, don't think just because Dan is touch up painting that we're moving.... The newest addition to our garage:

Finally a place for Dan to keep all his tools (and all his helpers!).

And this lovely picture is miss Emily proudly showing off her first (and second) lost tooth--they happened within days of eachother. It has been a struggle for her--she's 7 for crying out loud, and all her friends are already toothless! Unfortunately, absentmindedness runs in her veins as much as mine, and not only did she misplace her 2nd tooth for about a week, but when she finally got around to finding it, the toothfairy was so "busy" (for an undisclosed amount of time) that finally I just put a buck on her pillow while she was at school today. When she found it, she said "thanks for the money, mom--I guessed it was you since the toothfairy usually comes in the middle of the night and I checked this morning and my tooth was still there." Shoot. Why can't I be more on the ball and keep the childhood magic alive?

Better late than never....

2009-04-16T20:29:00.003-06:00

While the rest of the world is blogging about Easter, I'm a wee bit behind....Yes, in my blogging world, there is still snow on the ground. I figured if I could get this updated and over with, Spring would decide to stick around. Believe it or not, I didn't take any pictures Christmas morning. I was too in love with the wonder and excitement on my kids' faces to miss it behind a camera! But, I made sure to get some action shots of the kids sledding and I think Emily took this one of her newly created gingerbread house that my mom couldn't resist!

A shot out of my mom's kitchen window--I think it must have snowed over a foot while we were there. ("there" being Pullman, WA)

And this has nothing to do with Christmas really, but this picture reminded me how much I loved being with my mom and sister during the craft fair early December. We may not have made lots of money, but we sure made lots of memories! These lovely ladies made it all worth it, but kindly remind me to never try to sell anything again....

BJ's Masterpiece

2009-03-19T18:22:00.002-06:00

Hello, I'm Benjamin. We had a scout meeting on America and I thought we could make the Liberty Bell. when we baked it, there happened to be a crack, so we were kind of lucky. I decorated it and I did a pretty good job. I wish there was more, because it didn't really have the color. IT WAS AWSOME!!!!!

*Note: this is his mama! Isn't he the cutest little chef? I loved it when he said "this cake decorating is a lot harder than it looks!" He was so proud of himself.

8 is enough. Or is it?!

2009-03-19T13:37:00.003-06:00

I have been a hermit these past 2 weeks. Emily was sick first, then Lukas. You know how they say when life gives you lemons to make lemonade? I took it a step farther than that and made lemon-poppyseed muffins. And bran muffins. And cornmeal muffins. And more raisin bran muffins. And then some pineapple coconut muffins--2 kinds actually, to compare. And I threw in some banana bread while I was at it. Then some French bread. And some granola, just to feel a little healthier. So, the question is, what do you get when you make 270 muffins in one week?

The answer was revealed today at my Dr.'s appointment. How about an 8 pound weight gain? And I don't think it's just because my hair grew another 1/8th of an inch last month....

But who cares. Throw out the scale and feed me more because hallelujah I'm not puking my guts out and I'm enjoying myself. (except the heart burn, but icecream fixes that right up.) I think it's no coincidence that last week in our family scripture study I came across my new favorite scripture in 2 Nephi 9:51 "....let your soul delight in fatness." I'm doing my best!

100 Days and Counting!

2009-03-16T20:30:00.003-06:00

For those of you who know me well, you won't find it a surprise that I know when I only have 100 days left of pregnancy. And it's today!!! (And I don't know just because of that twirling alienesque looking thing on my side bar--I figured it out first! (note to self: change that baby as soon as I publish post) Just take a look at my checkbook register and you'll find all sorts of dates circled with numbers written by them. I am admittedly freakish in this regard.) This is a trickier countdown than most because it may be a few days off, and I don't like celebrating uncertainty, but I guess it's better than not celebrating at all. So, it's on to double digits for baby Gus-gus! (for lack of a better name, this is what I have been calling him and heaven help him, because it just might stick!)

When I mentioned to Dan last week that this "big day" was coming up, he just laughed and said "It reminds me of the day when you decided to try and figure out how many seconds old you were and it just so happened that you turned a billion seconds old that day." What are the odds?! So, naturally I made myself a cake and invited the family over to celebrate my billionth birth-second. (And naturally Dan made a spread sheet on excel to figure out when anybody else would turn a billion seconds old and other odd numerical birth-facts. And naturally, being the space cadet I am sometimes, I deleted excel from my computer about 3 million seconds ago and have yet to replace it.) All I know is, it happens before you turn 32.

It also reminded me of the time I decided to celebrate our 100 month anniversary because I had a sneaky suspicion that I'd be expecting a baby on our 10th anniversary. I was right. (For anyone who's too lazy to figure that on out, it's 8 years, 4 months.) It didn't exactly turn out how I had planned (oh, it was going to be grand), but for some people, the planning is the best part. You don't even want to know how many parties I have planned in my head and never got around to inviting anyone except myself. So, I guess we'll just have to celebrate our 4000 days together, which happens May 8, 2010. Or 150 months together, which is November 27, 2011. Or a whopping 5000 days on February 1, 2013. I best get to planning. And no more babies to mess things up!!! (a girl can dream, right?!)

And that was a sneak peak into the curious mind of Sarah Foutz.

Good Times with Good Friends

2009-02-12T21:37:00.003-07:00

I can't believe I was lucky enough to see two of my favorite people within about a week of eachother. There are no words for how much I love these women. I will start with Tris. It is no family secret that I married Dan so we could be sister-in-laws. The time we spend together is never ever long enough! Doesn't Tris looks so happy that she's about to cry?! (really it was just because she was about to leave me, waah!)

(and isn't her little bambino adorable?)And this is Lindsay, aka the one and only DJ Hatz. We go all the way back to "the BYU." Spending time with her simply makes one happy. I love it. I don't get to see this beauty often, but that makes our reunions all the sweeter. She's a heartbreaker--when she was getting in her car, Sam was getting his boots on and started crying and said, "but mommy, I was going to go with her!" It's always a party when she's around.

If only everyone in the world was blessed enough to have a Tris and a Linz in their lives!

Like Father, Like Son

2009-02-09T16:43:00.003-07:00

Upon coming out of the bathroom, this is what I find. Where do they get it from?! Dan NEVER fixes anything without his CAPE!

I'm Famous!

2009-02-06T17:57:00.002-07:00

I knew it was only a matter of time before I got spotted....

Please pardon my musings on my masculine womb

2009-02-04T19:11:00.004-07:00

I have to admit I'm kinda bummed. I'm sure I will feel better by the end of this post. I just need to sort out the mess in my noggin. Does it really matter the sex of your child? Are there certain people who are better raising one or the other or is it truly fate? Is there something I am supposed to learn from this little guy in my womb? I wanted to write this post all excited and happy announcing we were having a girl, but sometimes I guess the Lord knows what we need more than we do ourselves. So, I am announcing instead, and getting used to the idea more every minute that:

We are having a boy!!!

(Exclamation points do wonders in situations like these!!!!)

Even though my heart stings a little bit, the practical side of me is weighing in all the money I will be saving on toys and clothes and how he will have little brother playmates at home and thinking about how even more special the relationship I have with Emily will be in the future. I had a heart to heart with her about it after getting home from the ultrasound (as much for me as for her) and I told her, "If I had to pick only one girl in the whole world to come to our house, I would pick you!" and she responded drolly "I've known that my whole life." Not exactly the response I was expecting, but it made me feel good at least she knew where she stands. She will always hold a special place in my heart. As do all my boys. I just hope that I have as wonderful daughter-in-laws as my in-laws have. :D

Everyone is asking me if I'm still think I'm done. For anyone who's been pregnant, you know that the answer is almost always YES while still carrying a child. I don't want to eat my words later, so I'm staying safe and saying "probably because I really want to be" and leaving the rest up to you know who. (and it's not Dan!) I will say that if I could have a guarantee that all my pregnancies would be this easy and I wouldn't have any other, ahem, discomforts, I would certainly be up for more children. I just love the little babies. But on the other hand, I'm ready and excited for the next stage of life. So far, I have loved something about every age. (remind me I said this when I have a house full of teenagers!)

So, there's my ramblings and I feel a lot better now about this whole thing. It's good to not get what you want every once in a while. It makes you reflect on all the wonderful things you do have and how blessed you are to have healthy children, regardless of their gender. Heaven forbid I get spoiled! hee hee (maybe that's exactly what "heaven" is doing!)

Bring on the blue!

Finally, the "Recipe!"

2009-01-12T13:40:00.003-07:00

I am dead to the blogging world, I know. Christmas was so last year. I don't know if I can bring myself to blog about it now that I'm living in '09. BUT, after all the pesterings of friends and family, here is the most requested recipe of 2008:

7-10 Grain Pancake Mix (makes about 45 c, so start with your mother-bowl!)
10 c. whole wheat flour
4 c. white flour
6 c. oats, finely ground in blender or food processor (about 4 1/2 c. flour)
3 c. buckwheat flour
3 c. rye flour
2 c. barley flour
2 c. sorghum flour
1 c. brown rice flour
1 c. masa (white rice flour)
1 c. spelt flour
1 c. soy flour
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flax seed meal
5 c. powdered milk
2/3 c. gluten
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. baking powder
1/4 c. baking soda
1/4 c. salt
1 T. nutmeg, opt.

To make: (about 6 pancakes)
1 c. mix
3/4 c. water
1 egg
1 T. oil
1 t. vanilla

This recipe is very forgiving. If you don't have one (or more) types of flour, substitute something you do have. Like more wheat or white. You probably won't even notice in the flavor. Unless you added a lot more cornmeal, then they get gritty. The sugar is also interchangeable. I got most of my special flours at Freddy's--get creative! I've also ground raw almonds and added them with some orange zest, and it is very good. Good luck! Master Chef Foutz

A Christmas Riddle

2008-12-20T16:09:00.002-07:00

Do you laugh or cry when...

Your son (not naming names, you guess which one) and his partner-in-crime (cousin) stack up some violin cases on the piano bench to pull off every last one of your beautifully color-coordinated, sparkly, and apparently irresistable Christmas balls from the tree, and then smash them into the carpet with their cowboy boots?

Neither. You vacuum. And then get really excited when you realize there's one little loner ball that they didn't see. All of a sudden it's a good day again.

Merry Christmas, Lukas, I love you.

My Newest Endeavor

2008-12-19T16:17:00.003-07:00

After much thought and deliberation, I have committed to becoming a piano teacher. I have joined an association of piano teachers in Idaho and will try hard to educate myself to be the best teacher I can. So....starting the second week of January, I will be accepting students! I am really excited about this new adventure in my life and am opening up for reservations. I will cap out at 10 students for now so I can still devote the time I need to my family. I am open to lessons before school, after school, in the evenings, and on Saturdays.

Please help me by spreading the word and get your kids excited over Christmas break to try something new!

Thanks, Teacher Sal

Merry Christmas, With Love

2008-12-17T15:53:00.004-07:00

Well, we just finished decorating our house, and since we live at the end of a dead-end street, I didn't think many of you would get the chance to see it.

So, here's to family, friends, love, and laughter this Christmas Season. The best things in life really aren't things after all.... (even though you have to admit our house is stinkin' awesome!)

Merry Christmas Everyone! Big Hug, Sal

Check it out!

2008-12-04T08:16:00.008-07:00

I'm inviting every reader of my blog to come join me and my mom and sister down at the Boise Fairgrounds this weekend for the biggest, baddest craft fair in town! I am so excited for this--we have been preparing for almost a year and it's finally here! Here are some of our goods you'll find, only at "The Neatest Place."Picture Frames or Recipe Holders with coordinating potholders....
Cozy flannel baby blankets and burp cloths are a perfect gift for that new little one! Adorable baby sweaters hand-knitted with love by a grandma who knows her stuff--the pictures really don't do them justice!Here are a few samplings of quilts made by my sister and mom, along with a few "animal cuddlies" that are a blanket and stuffed animal in one!More hand-crafted goodness by Susan....Our aprons for little girls are so adorable, I can't stand it! Your favorite little girl will look good enough to eat wearing one of these in the kitchen!I hope to see you there! We'll be at the Boise Fairgrounds (off of Chinden) Friday from 11-7 and Saturday from 11-5. Come check us out and get a free gift with any purchase! Happy Holidays!

Oh Baby!!!

2008-11-25T11:22:00.004-07:00

Yesterday Emily and I excitedly (and admittedly a bit anxious) got in the car to go downtown together for a mother/daughter bonding moment. The purpose of our trek? For Emmers to watch me get lathered up in warm goo in order to catch a glimpse of this:

Oh, it brought tears to my eyes! Yes, it was verified....The little jumping bean we saw on the screen confirmed our suspicions that my body has been taken over by an alien identity. And it's settled in for 7 more months! It was very active and very cute, you know, for a bean.

Now I feel justified in feeling ill at the thought of browning ground beef and getting winded performing menial chores such as grating cheese. I also feel entitled to my 10 hours of sleep per night, when pre-ultrasound I was thinking maybe I was just lazy? Emily wanted to know "How's the baby supposed to be healthy if you're so sick?" Because it's sucking the life out of me! (which unfortunately doesn't end once they're born...)

At any rate, we are very excited and thinking girly thoughts. Estimated due date: June 24. I've always heard June babies are the cutest. Next to Feb, April, and October, of course.

Phew. I'm out of breath. I need a nap.

BOO!

2008-11-03T15:07:00.005-07:00

Frightening, I know. Every time Dan puts that mask on, Sam is terrified beyond reason. Yet he continues to toment him with it. Fathers.

This year we continued our tradition of trick-or-treating with cousins. It was the "Kuna Year" so we packed up and made the trek south. After a belly full of delicious "monster stew" the kids headed out for some loot. Thanks to the 60 degree weather, they were out for over an hour and came home with enough candy to last them until Christmas (literally--I will be putting the leftovers in their stockings. shhhh)!
Lukas and Sam came back sweating and red-faced. I'm telling you--this year was so bizarre! Espcially compared to my childhood memories of trick-or-treating in frigid temperatures with Dad driving us around from house to house in the country with worries of getting stuck in the snow.... It was a great year. Give a woot woot for chocolate.

P.S. This is what my kids do when I'm blogging and too lazy to get them that snack they've been begging for...

overheard...

2008-11-02T09:03:00.005-07:00

"....and you wouldn't want to go trick-or-treating naked because that would be totally inappropriate." -Emily to a cousin

"Hey, you look like Jesus!" -Lukas to our tv fix-it man (who knew Jesus had tatoos?)

Lukas: "I don't eat my boogers anymore."

Me: "That's good. What do you do with them?"

Lukas: "I put them back in my nose."

Me: "No you don't! What do you really do with them?"

Lukas: "I play with them and then throw them away."

"I'm going to get you, stinkin' Lightning McQuack!" Sam to his Daddy

"What's Grosser than Gross?"

2008-10-30T14:19:00.002-06:00

Do you remember playing that game as a child? I'm no longer playing it, I'm living it.

I have children.

And they gross me out. The fact that I love them dearly doesn't change that fact, it just helps me find the humor in the various situations I find myself in. You'd think that once you get past the pooping/barfing stage of babies, things would start to look up. Not so. Here are a few scenarios that I've encountered just in the past week. (And I didn't even have to think very hard.)

We thought Emily may have broken her leg last weekend. When asked to remove her boot to see if she could move her foot, it took all I had not to pass out from the indescribable odor emitting from her feet. I had to wonder "did something die in her boot?" And then I remembered, nah, they always smell this bad. Poor thing. She seems oblivious to the fact that her feet are such powerful weapons.
I came upon Lukas and Sam "cleaning" the bathroom counter with their toothbrushes. I thought it was kind of cute, but I had to confiscate their toothbrushes (who knows what else they had cleaned). Little did I know, they also had used Emily's toothbrush and later that night she complained that the toothpaste tasted like soap. I had to laugh--it's payback time for her. About 4 years ago she had used BJ's toothbrush to clean the toilet without telling anyone, and when BJ complained that his toothbrush tasted funny, I told him to stop complaining and still made him use it for 2 days until Emily fessed up.
BJ has to be bribed to change his underwear. I've done his laundry before without any tighty-whities to be found. Is it really that hard to remember? On top of that, his philosophy of clothes is "If I am wearing it, it is my napkin."
At the infamous Volleyball banquet, I had to keep Lukas from putting a piece of gum in his mouth that he had scraped off from under our table. I must admit, he comes by that naturally, as I considered ABC gum a delicacy as a child.
Sam loves his blankie. For some odd reason, he likes to shove it in his mouth and sucks on it. (That alone is pretty disgusting.) Yesterday when I went to get him after he woke up from his nap, I found that he had wet the bed. Through and through. And there he was, sucking on his blankie. I'm hoping that he had a drooling problem and that's why his blanket was so wet, but I have my suspicions.
And this is what prompted me to write this post, the "proverbial straw"....Before naps, my boys went potty. I went in there to speed things up, just as Lukas was wiping from "#2." Before I knew it, he then wiped his nose with the same tissue. Then he looked at the tissue like it was it was defective or something. Did he forget that quickly where it had just been? I tell ya,

Kids are GROSS!!!

Are we sisters?

2008-10-30T10:16:00.003-06:00

The resemblance is undeniable. I know Nancy's cuter....give her 11 years to catch up! :) Love ya, sis!

Don't Touch That!!!

2008-10-29T14:56:00.003-06:00

Famous last words....

Here's the story: Last night was MHS's volleyball banquet at the highschool. As always, we took the whole family, and as always, the kids made a complete spectacle out of themselves. Since everyone else there is in high school, most of them don't have siblings our kids' age, and they really stick out. I was ready to go home before it started. Promises of cake kept me around. After dessert, each coach highlighted their girls, finishing up with the varsity coach who gave a very emotional speech and announced her resignation. It was very touching. She then told everyone they could stick around and socialize for a bit and say their goodbyes. I told Dan I was going to the car with all the kids and we'd wait for him there so I could avoid any further embarrassment. On our way out, I was holding Lukas' hand and at about the same time I heard "Mommy, what's this?" I heard sirens. Yes, Lukas pulled the fire alarm at the high school. I was mortified. I had to go back in to tell them it was a false alarm. While walking to the car, I noticed another meeting of coaches. (Which I found out later was the district meeting of football coaches.) They were headed to the door and saw the crowd of girls pouring out of the cafeteria. I told one of them over the din that it wasn't real. (Now this part is funny.) He goes, "Yeah, I know--our burnt food set it off. We're calling the police dept. right now to tell them not to come." I looked in, and lo and behold, a bunch of tough guy coaches had brought steaming crockpots which they believed set off the smoke alarms. I held my laughter til I got to the car.

Unfortunately, their call to the MPD wasn't fast enough and about 3 minutes later, 2 big ol' fire trucks pull up to the school. I made Lukas go apologize, but I don't think it was very effective because the fireman was way too nice and started handing out party favors. All in all, it was a memorable evening I hope to never relive.

10K Oi Vey!!

2008-10-26T18:43:00.005-06:00

On Saturday my friends and I broke free from the Boise Prison. Our crime? Staying in shape in frigid temperatures. Who knew that was a punishable offense? (even though some days I'd rather be in a jail cell sleeping than running at 5:45 am) So, around 9:00 the siren went off and the brute squad came through in full uniform (we're talking so close they TOUCHED me) and tried to intimidate us with all their manly machismo, but alas, we were undaunted (and way too fast for them to catch) and finished a 10K in record time. Well, kinda (hey, it's a record if it's your first time right?). Here we are pre-race and pre-sweat.

Here we are post-race and thrilled to be on the other side of the finish line!!! I think all those hardened criminals cheering us on did wonders for our time. (I wish I could say the same for the gravel path and unforseen hills....) Thanks girls, for pushing me and making working out not only bearable, but (75%) enjoyable!!!

The Monster Mash

2008-10-26T18:36:00.010-06:00

This last weekend was chock full of parties, activities, good food, and FRIENDS. Ah, good times.

I hope Mike learned his lesson about how to wear a dress with a slit up the side....And Tara, well, we won't even go there. For now.

Owwweee, she makes one hot nun--if I looked that good in a habit, I may change religions.

Yo ho ho....Pirates aren't supposed to have that perfect of teeth.

Here was my hot date on Friday. If you can't tell, I'm supposed to be my alter-ego "Skye" from Rockband. (except she's blond, but I'm thinking of crimping her hair since I was so pleased with my volume that night (and that's AFTER it had deflated!))

Business in the front, party in the back, baby. Bring on the 80's! Pysche.

SKARAOKE. Be very afraid. Disco Dan was my date Saturday. He's lucky my Friday night date didn't know about it. If only you could see the ruffles on Dan's shirt....suh-weet!

Brock doesn't know what to do with himself. I don't blame him--he's dressed like a girl and he doesn't recognize his very own mother.

The Magnificent Seven

2008-10-19T20:40:00.005-06:00

Little Emmers is a big bad seven year old--and artsy enough to create her own cake and cupcakes for her party. (and lucky enough to have two parties with lots of cousins!) I think she did a pretty swell job, don't you? (and just in case, I only had to eat about 6 of them to declare them satisfactory for party guests.)
She desperately wanted a cow scarf, for whatever reason, and wears it daily with pride. Emmers is one of the few 7 year olds bold enough to make this kind of statement.

Oh, that smile of hers just makes my heart melt. I'm so thankful I have at least one girl!

The Seven Greatest Things about Em:

1. She lets me play with her hair, but doesn't care if I forget to fix it for weeks on end.

2. Her unique reasoning capabilities and complex trains of thought.

3. Her sense of style, man!

4. Her amazing empathy. (she once told me through tears "I don't know why I feel like crying when other people get hurt, but I feel like I'm hurting, too!")

5. Her journal. My favorite book.

6. She loves being a helper and is always the first on the scene when Dan asks "who wants to help Daddy?"

7. Her infectious sense of humor! She really is a hoot and I just love her so much!

"The Neatest Place"

2008-10-18T09:09:00.010-06:00

Don't make fun of us for choosing that name for our booth at the Craft Fair. It will all make sense by the end of the post.

What do you get when you add this: To this?

And sew like a mad woman for 3 days straight? A basket full of goodies that may be too cute to even part with at the Christmas show!

It wasn't as easy as one would think with 9 kids running rampant around the house, with half of them puking....

But, we gotterdun and here is some more of our lovely merchandise:

Grand totals: 36 animal snugglies, 18 aprons, 100 flower pens (free gift with purchase while supplies last!), 1000s of laughs

Left to go: 40 picture frames, 100 bookmarks, 50 charm bracelets

Not to be outdone, it is worth mentioning that my dear mother has also knitted about 50 baby sweaters and crocheted around hundreds of burpcloths and baby blankets. It has taken her ALL YEAR. (plus she did all my dishes while she was here--can we say Saint?!)

So....everyone get out their highlighter and mark your calendars for December 5-6 at the Idaho Fairgrounds! Mention this ad and get my special friendship discount! :) hee hee

"Hey, where did you score that adorable apron for your little girl?"

"I got it at The Neatest Place!"

Hello, Charlie

2008-09-28T19:26:00.005-06:00

OK, this is weird and wonderful all wrapped up in a receiving blanket--my baby sister had a BABY!!!! (Nancy, I hope you don't mind me showing you both off to all of my friends!) I am so thrilled for her, and as you can see for yourself a) he is stinkin' adorable, and b) Nancy looks fabulous. Congrats, sistah, I love you and can't wait to meet the little bambino myself!!!

Oh, and P.S. Nance, it is totally unfair that your labor lasted all of 1 hour. If that? My advice: Move closer to the hospital before Charlie's siblings arrive!!!

Lookie at Lukey

2008-09-25T12:25:00.006-06:00

It's photo time!!! I love Cama! Love her! She is such a great person and friend. Yesterday we got together and the time went by way too fast. She managed to get some delightful pictures of Lukas (much to my surprise--he only looked at her about 10% of the time, and of that, his tongue was sticking out most of it!) that I had to share. If you are dying to see more, check it out!!! She always amazes me with her creativity and keen eye for unique photos. Her blog is full of amazing shots that will make you drool. :)

And yes, these boys are brothers!

"...and there shall not be room enough to receive it."

2008-09-23T09:48:00.007-06:00

Does anyone out there think this "tithing" blessing pertains to zucchini? Call me crazy, but I'm a believer!!! You think I'm joking, but as Dan can attest, I most assuredly am not. Thanks to our gracious neighbors, we have been able to stretch our food budget when we needed it most. Did you know zucchini can be added to almost anything? Green specs have popped up in my cookies, breads, eggs, stir-fries, pasta dishes, and frittatas. My kids have gotten very supsicious, but now it's just a fact of life. Zucchini happens. Here's a little sampling of what they have dropped off just last week:I am so grateful for this blessing! When life gives you zucchini, make something out of it!!!
I'll try not to eat the whole loaf of my chocolate lime zucchini bread all my myself....

Say what?

2008-09-22T12:09:00.003-06:00

Lukas to Sam this morning: "Sam, get your sword. And then you will die. Because we don't say kill."

Sam, upon running in on me in the bathroom: "Mom, you're smashing the toilet with your big, big, big, big, big, BIG bum."

OK, the first "big" was funny, then it was amusing, then Sam was banished from the bathroom.

Moldy Pits and Asslesop

2008-09-17T21:20:00.011-06:00

Can anyone deny the beauty of canned fruit? Has anyone else out there experienced the blissful delirium of canning with a loved one at 2am? If not, you gotta try it! By the end, our minds were as mushy as the "asslesop" (a Katy spoonerism) and as fuzzy as the moldy peaches. But, "memories are made of this...." Yes, that is 20 pounds of apples in one pot. Yes, it scorched on the bottom, and yes, the apples on top were still, er, crispy. And yes, we learned our lesson!

Poor little Brocky boo just couldn't take it anymore! After Mike came home and relieved Katy, I had her strap me to her back to take a load off my aching feet! Her smile wasn't quite so big then.

It is finished. Well done, thou good and faithful canner and enter now into your bed.

But don't get too comfy because there's still 100 more pounds of apples to go!!!

Foozball Dance Party!!!

2008-09-17T21:20:00.005-06:00

Here's a little glimpse into our private life behind closed doors:

It's all fun and games until someone gets hit in the head with a unicorn guitar....

How did we get to this point, you might ask? It's what you get when you have a few too many oreos for FHE treats and then put BJ in charge of the activity. He narrowed our options down to foozball or a dance party and we ended up doing both simultaneously! BJ was dancing with so much gusto I got a side ache from laughing so hard and I couldn't concentrate on my game. Argh, I hate losing to Dan! (But I've managed to get used to it these past 9 years....) When I tried mimicing his moves, I found myself sweating more profusely than I do after running in the morning! These shots were when we got down to "serious bidness" after the foozball game was over.

I'm telling ya, dat boy got moves you aint nevah seen befo!

Whatcha gonna do....

2008-09-06T09:47:00.009-06:00

I was happily sitting on the couch at Katy's house, gabbing into oblivion when I happened to take a gander out the window and saw this speeding by:

"Dost mine eyes deceive me?" I thought. Could Adam really have bathed in mud? And if so, where the heck was my darling Sammy? A couple steps outside revealed his whereabouts....

He was truly stuck! The weird thing is, I don't know how long he had been there, because we never heard a peep. By the time I got there, his (one day old) shoes were buried deep in the muck and required my brute force to extract them.

The next 10 minutes were spent hosing the kids off with cold irrigation water. (Brings back memories of my dad dousing my sister and I with buckets full of cold water after we painted ourselves green from head to toe when we were supposed to be painting the barn fence, huh Mary?! At least, I now I know my parents' train of thought that fateful day: What were they thinking?!!!)

But, whatcha gonna do? Kids will be kids.

And they're back!!

2008-09-02T16:35:00.004-06:00

P.S. to my last post:
I have to hand it to Dan--I went to pick the kids up off the bus hoping to get a "better" picture, and when I went to snap it, wouldn't you know, the SD card was still in my computer. Boy was I feeling sheepish....

When I asked the kids how school was, all Emily could talk about was lunch. How she needed to eat faster so she wouldn't miss recess tomorrow. How I packed her too much food. How she didn't even have time to finish what I packed her. How I made the sandwich wrong (tell me, how do you mess up a PBJ?!). I was actually starting to feel pretty awesome that my thrown together lunch was so satisfying. Meanwhile, I was carrying on a conversation with BJ at the same time, listening to her with my left ear. Moms are good at multi-tasking like that. When we get home about 10 minutes later, Em is still talking about how she was stuffed from lunch and her game plan for snarfing her lunch tomorrow so she'll have more time to play. Then she mentions how good the chicken nuggets were, so she ate those first. Huh? I didn't pack those. The cat was out of the bag. Yes, my little Emmers ate two lunches at school today, both hot and cold. I called her crazy, BJ just called her lucky. Note to self: be more specific with lunch directions to a first grader.

And they're off!!

2008-09-02T13:20:00.006-06:00

No tears cried here this morning. Nope, we were ALL excited that this blessed day has finally arrived! Their bags were packed with clothes laid out before dinner last night. Family night was especially memorable with Father's blessings all the way around, making me grateful for Dan and all his fatherly qualities. It also reminded me those warm steady hands on my head every year--thanks Dad, for some of my most cherished memories. (Right up there with "school shopping" from mom's fabric cupboards and pattern bins.) Anyways--here's the kiddos out front. (To all you who know BJ, note that this is the first time he's worn jeans since he was size 2T! A breakthrough!) Dan begged me to be the one to take them to the bus (read between the lines: I drug him out of bed with one eye open, shoved the camera in his hand and told him to get a good picture of them getting on the bus or forget about a nice hot breakfast.) Here's the shot he got: I'll let you be the judge of whether or not he got a hot breakfast.

Lukas just couldn't be left out. Poor guy has to stay home with mommy playing with toys, watching movies, and making cookies for awholenuther year.

P.S. Cold cereal with powdered milk was on the menu. Better luck next year, babe.

Life's Hard Questions

2008-08-28T16:08:00.003-06:00

Em: Mom, is everything in this world made in China?
Me: Well, not everything....
Em: And if it's made there, how do they even know how to spell "made in china?"

Farewell, oh blessed olympic games!!!

2008-08-25T15:44:00.002-06:00

Now that the Olympics are over, I feel like I can get my life back. Thank you, world for giving me a proxy workout. It was a rush. I loved it all and can't wait to see who comes back to the stage in 4 years. My only regret was not being there to compete myself....I know now that 32 is not too old, but I'm afraid 36 may be--for this mama, anyway! (Can you believe a 33 yr old gymnast from Germany actually took bronze in the vault? Not to mention the 38 yr old marathon winner and Dara Torres the swimmer who is an astounding 41, still at the top of her game.) I also learned that even though you may be a MaryLou fan, it's not cheating to switch sports so you can make it to the Olympics and receive big payoffs (just like the American who won the gold in women's discus). A big hurrah from my heart to yours, Phelpsie. You totally rock and actually got my butt off the couch a few times while I was watching you compete. (but I'm really bummed you're not accepting any new friends on facebook.) And to the men's volleyball team--you did what they said you wouldn't ever be able to do: here's to the underdogs who triumphed amidst tragedy. And to my little golden girls Nastia and Shawn--every time you took the stage you made me smile. I learned that happiness is all about expectations when I saw the men's gymnastics team utterly thrilled with a bronze and the womens team devastated with silver. Let's not forget May and Walsh. Winning gold in the rain? You're amazing! I thought it was so sweet when Walsh said she wanted a baby more than anything right after she won gold--even though I can't exactly picture an ounce of fat on her body....I cried with you, Lolo, when you hit the 9th hurdle and lost your dream of gold, and I sat in disbelief when I saw first the men and then the women drop the batons. (how does that happen at the olympic level?!) And I'm not even mentioning you, Usain, since I think you've made it clear how great you think you are already. Three times. I cheered for our local fan, Kristen Armstrong and made mental plans on how I can purchase a road bike as soon as possible. But mostly I saw athleticism at it's best, which is truly an inspiring thing. Yes, they delivered. And yes, it will be nice to sleep again.

Lukases and Emilies

2008-08-25T09:51:00.004-06:00

Pluralizing names can get a little dicey....This weekend we were favored with a visit from some very old friends (well, they're not old, but our friendship is!) from the college days. Lukas Benjamin Kramer was a roommate of Dan's at BYU who made such an impression on him that our child is named after him! (as a side note, when BJ was born and Dan called Lukas to tell him the news, Dan said, "yeah, we almost named him Lukas, but we decided to go with Benjamin instead." Little did we know, that was his middle name!) "Little Lukas" takes after his namesake wholeheartedly by being the craziest kid we know. Although we've seen the Kramers off an on throughout the years at Dan's roommate get-togethers, this is the first official meeting of the "Lukases."
But the story doesn't end there....Lukas Kramer ended up marrying an Emily (a name I had picked out ever since I was a little girl)--how crazy is that? It was so good to see them and meet their adorable daughter, Audrey. Hopefully next time they can stay longer!

Oddly enough, the story doesn't even end THERE. Here is a list of Dan's old roomies and their kids' names (well, the ones I can remember, anyway). Notice the ironic overlappage....

Dan and Sarah: Benjamin, Emily, Lukas, Sam

Eric and Valora: Spencer, Annie, Audrey + more

Lukas and Emily: Audrey

Spencer and Kim: Rachel, Daniel, Sarah, Eric, + more

Dave and Annie: I'm having a serious brain cloud...

"I Love to See the Temple"

2008-08-16T20:35:00.006-06:00

And we went inside today! The Twin Falls temple is the most amazing beautiful place. (Next to the Rexburg temple...it even has part of the Rexburg temple in it--a mural they cut out for a door in Rexburg has been framed and hung in Twin Falls. Ever practical, the Church is.) We were some of over 150,000 of the visitors that went through over the past 6 weeks. BJ is excitedly awaiting the dedication next week. I still remember missing the Boise dedication, being 1 week shy of 8 years old, so I'm thrilled he gets to participate in something this special and memorable. I told him to really think about how he felt inside and try to feel the Spirit. He never says much when it comes to things like this, but I know something touched his heart because when we got out and were waiting to gather people for pictures, he asked me for a tissue. I asked if he needed to blow his nose and he said, no, there's a piece of gum in the flower bed. He took the tissue and got it and threw it away. It made me proud to see him show some respect for the grounds of the Lord's house. (If only he'd show more "respect" for his bedroom.)We were lucky enough to go with some good friends, James and Jowita Kaufusi and their cute girl Zosia. This was their first time inside, but hopefully not the last! It was neat to share this experience with such great people. The only person missing was Dan...poor guy had volleyball tryouts today and couldn't be there with his best friend from highschool.The kids were mesmerized by the fountain and pool at the end of the tour--probably because it was so durn hot they would have jumped in, Sunday clothes and all, had they thought I wasn't paying attention!Benjamin and Emmers managed to find some respite from the sun, and I couldn't help but snapping this shot....I feel so blessed to live so close to the temple, and I felt a stronger resolve to return there often to feel the peace that comes from being there.

Forever Sisters, Forever Friends

2008-08-13T18:14:00.005-06:00

Don't you just love cross-stitch sayings?

Since my kids are happily eating cold cereal for dinner, I guess I can do just one last post and be done with it all....Must...keep...blogging...

Mary is my little red-headed hero. She's an awesome mom, crafter, home-decorator, unashamed public tooter, wanna-be model, and friend. And I'm sure I left something out. When we get together, my sides are always aching afterward from laughing so hard. Nineteen years ago, we had this picture taken. (sorry you're not in it, Nancy, you were just a wee tot.)

We tried to duplicate it on our family reunion. We tried. I guess we should have asked Dad to take if for us like he did the first time to get it perfect. Maybe not, though, because we might still be there waiting for him to focus! (just kidding, Dad!)Sure love ya, Mary! Let's make sure we get another one of these in 19 years. When we're Grandmas. (It's scary to think that that could be in less than 19 years!)

She can ride, folks!

2008-08-13T18:02:00.005-06:00

Can you beat this look of pure personal satisfaction and glee?

Ok, I was a total late bloomer for bike riding, learning around age 10 in my grandma's gravel driveway. I have a scar on my chin to prove it. (I attribute this to my slower bike times.) So, when Emily wanted her training wheels off at age 6, I was a little hesitant. I got one of them off successfully, and then Dan put it back on. When we were in Oregon, Uncle Charles took matters into his own hands and she took off!Thanks, Charles, for making her summer wishes come true! Now she won't have to be embarrassed when her younger neighbor girlfriend rides circles around her in our driveway anymore! :)

The Fantabulous Cape Kiwanda Adventure

2008-08-13T17:17:00.020-06:00

So this is it. Pacific City. The place where memories are made and never forgotten. Here's where we stayed, played, ate, and had as much fun as we could squeeze in 4 days together. It was a blast! Out of the 500 pictures I took, I had a hard time narrowing it down....(I'm sure you thank me!) Some of my favorite reunion moments (I wish I had pictures to document all of them!):

FHE and the Seattle Mauery's rendition of Jonah and the Whale with "scripture cookies" for dessert!

Seeing my favorite people walking up the boardwalk to the beach and welling up knowing I get to be with them forever.Nathan's unabashed display of his acting prowess.Vernon and Lauren's patience with "project kite."

Everyone pumped up about an oatmeal cookoff for breakfast. Are we food storage nerds or what?

Seeing deer on our morning walk so close we could almost pet them!

Hearing squeels of delight (or fright?) as the kids took a dip in the ocean. For over an hour. Cute little cousin piggies.

The baby shower for Nancy where we all learned a little more about "the sistahs" and a little too much about my parent's love life.

The model photo shoot with Mary.

Rockband blisters! Mary, you totally schooled me! Chanin and Lauren, you rock!

Gourmet food without regret. Mmmm. It was all so tasty.

Uncle Joe's first aid kit that came in handy for my graceful Lukas. (I don't know where he gets that tripping condition from, seriously!)

Laughing so hard I cried. That only happens when I'm with family. (and I'm not even pregnant!)

Seeing Mom and Dad walk hand in hand barefoot like lovebirds on the beach.

And even though it was painful, seeing Ariana cry when we pulled out to leave. We miss you too, cutie!!

It was definitely a reunion for the yearbooks, and one my kiddies won't soon forget. Here's to the Mighty Mauerys!!! And let's not forget the one who stole our hearts....

You can't beat the beach!

2008-08-13T16:37:00.015-06:00

We spent lots of laughs and shivers at the beach which was a watermelon seed spit distance away from our front door....Here's mom livin' it up running down the hill to catch some waves with Sammy. Right, mom?It doesn't get much more studdly than this: Or this:Or this: Holly and the girls were having the time of their lives, despite the 50 degree weather and frigid water. There was a REASON we didn't put their swimsuits on....but alas, they're children.Toothless Nicole! Despite being on vacation, the tooth fairy tracked her down! Isn't she sweet?Lukas making the trek up Cape Kiwanda. I was close behind--with Sammy on my back! Phew, that was a hard trek!

There's more than one way to get down, as Dan demonstrates:

No matter how hard they tried to stay dry, the waves eventually caught up with them. :)This is Bernard Braceface with some plaque in his teeth. Mauery's are a dangerous bunch of creative minds....My mom was entering this photo to her orthodontist for a chance to win an ipod. Good luck, brace face! The boys chummin' it up...

Here's my fabulous siblings! Can't help but love em! Thanks Timothy, Vernon, Mary, Nancy, and Michael (and all your rad families) for making reunions something to look forward to! Can't wait til next year!!!The end.

Say CHEESE!!

2008-08-13T16:24:00.006-06:00

This was an adventurous outing to Tillamook that began with cows and ended with icecream....Always a nice trade off! There were so many steps to the cheese packaging process, but here the blocks started out weighing more than Sam and ended up getting cut into 2 pounders. All of the workers seemed thrilled to be ants behind the glass....We finally made it to the end of the tour and were able to taste cheese at it's best!I'll let you guess which was a bigger hit--the Tillamook cheese or the Tillamook icecream.

Unfortunately for me, Sam couldn't finish his chocolate cone and I was forced to eat it. I hate waste.

"Do or do not, there is no tri..."

2008-08-13T15:56:00.008-06:00

What does Yoda know about triathlons? I could teach him a few things....First and foremost: do your best to intimidate the opponents by pulling intensely athletic faces prerace. I'm still working on that one...Second of all: it would have helped if the Olympics were BEFORE the race so I could have imitated Natalie Coughlin on the back stroke, since I had to do that a few times just to stay alive. Michael Phelps form isn't bad, either. During the frenzy do your best to kick as few people in the face as you can. Or maybe I would have done better off kicking more....See me down there? I'm the one in the green cap..Next off, learn how to clip your bike helmet on in less than 3 minutes and 18 seconds. It does wonders for your overall time. And tie your shoes tight enough that the shoelaces don't get caught in the spokes of your bike while your competition is speeding effortlessly past you while you're trying to figure out why the heck your shoes are getting tighter with each rotation. And for goodness sake, get your shirt on already, you're embarrassing me! Most important of all, do your best to finish with a sprint and a smile so everyone thinks it was a total piece of cake and that you're not ready to collapse at any minute due to the intense heat.

I'm no pro, but those are my tips for anyone ready to take on Emmett's Most Excellent Challenge next year. One more tip: do it with some awesome friends who inspire you to push yourself harder than you would have alone! Aren't they total hotties?Here's my most inspirational friend of the race and even though she didn't compete, I couldn't have done it without her. I love you like a sister! (Don't kill me for posting your hotness on here, Mary!)

Family Reunion, Part II

2008-07-15T10:15:00.025-06:00

Where do I begin? I hope you're comfy. I'm just filling in where Tris left off....As you may recall, this trip all started with a hair-brained idea around 8:00 on Monday to drive some 12 hours to Colorado. Once I got there, all I wanted to do was talk to Jana for 3 days straight, so we got pretty creative when it came to putting our kids to bed. Hey, we were on vacation!Lucky for me, Jana came up with ways to keep the kids entertained...here they're having a water-balloon toss. I love the concentration in Em's face! It only lasted about 2 minutes before they were making "mud-pies" in the back yard.My super-heroes escaped at bed-time and I found them rocking away like grumpy old men on the back porch!After Jana's, it was on the road again. We went camping for a night in Heber with Dan's extended extended family. Let's say it was an ADVENTURE! For the children, right? Here's a shot of the cabins with some added wild life for good measure. The best part was the last hour when we rented paddle boats and canoes on the lake, but Katy hasn't blogged about that yet and all those pictures are on her camera. :)
We made it to temple square one afternoon and ended up walking around the entire temple to find the visitor's center. While doing so, we interrupted only about 14 weddings! Phew, that place is busy! I love this statue of Jesus and couldn't wait to hear something really spiritual come "out of the mouth of babes." Instead, as we were walking up the circular corridor to Jesus, Lukas shouts out, "Mom, we're in Toy Story 2!" (for those of you who don't have it memorized like he does, just watch the opening scene.)After dinner and a show at the Mayan, we headed to Deanna's house (Dan's sister) for a baby shower. It was great! Her baby is precious beyond belief! Here she is wearing a headband I made for her. I just wish you could see her perfect lips. I must admit, it was the most unique baby shower experience. Since it was her first, Deanna led the conversation with pen and paper in hand with all the questions she had. It was just the sisters (in-laws too) and mom and we got down and dirty and by the end, I think several people had tears from laughing so hard. Gotta love girl time.The next day we were favored to take part in Brocky-boo's blessing. Here are our reverent children and the closest to a family photo we got all vacation. (we're still missing 10+ people)

And here we are, King and Queen of the Rook Tourney. A title that can't be stripped from us for the next 3 years until we meet again in Ohio. And if I lug that piece of a-hem, "work" all the way to Ohio, taking up precious suitcase space, you better believe it is not coming back! We had a special glass case made for it, along with cute little outfits for all the people on the trophy. They weren't modest.What's better than watching tv on Papa and Nana's bed while everyone else is playing rook?After our 5 hour nap and 12 hour night's sleep, we were ready for the 4th of July Parade in Kayesville. This is serious business! This "float" was throwing out stuffed animals! Lukas was more than thrilled to get a piece of candy, even though apparently he hadn't quite finished his last piece yet...After the parade, there is always a community water fight. It was pretty intense--the streets were lined with trucks pulling trailers full of water to combat the fire trucks.Valora cunningly had Eric carry the water cooler all the way from the car just in case we got thirsty. Instead, she dumped it all over his head. You should have seen her victory dance! The kids had a blast on all the inflatables after the parade. BJ really wanted a picture of him catching some air....And boy did he--he landed over 1/2 way down!Indulge me for a mommy moment....This was not a posed photo. Do you ever just look at your kids and wonder: How did this happen?! I'm a mother of 4 kids! And for one blessed moment they are actually playing together like friends! This was one of those moments. I felt so lucky to have such great kids.The moment was obviously short-lived....Later, we had our own little water-fight. Everyone was split into teams. Right before the main event, little Spencer, Eric's 6 year old stepped on top of a glass aquarium and broke through with both feet. Spencer was on BJ's "team" for the fight, and all BJ could say after seeing all the blood and screaming was, "well, looks like we lost a guy." His empathy was truly astounding. It was a miracle that Spencer wasn't hurt more than he was, and after the bandages, he still had a great time, as you can see in this action shot:After the boys played ball, they played with FIRE, which I think they enjoyed even more!

And that's the end of the longest post ever. And the longest vacation ever! I miss everyone already. Oh well. See you in three years! :) (now you see where BJ's empathy comes from.)

Tris, in all her glory

2008-07-13T22:25:00.009-06:00

Nothing is sacred on my camera. Here are a few "self-portrait" shots I found after letting Tris "borrow" my camera. You will see she rivals me in beauty, humor, and brand of lip plumper. May you all be as blessed to have someone this radiant in your lives...XOX

The REAL story of the Foutz Family Reunion...in pictures

2008-07-13T21:00:00.011-06:00

I forgot to mention that some of my favorite Foutz's in the world drove 2000 miles to see me (as well as some other family member) - but mostly me!!!! Look how excited Ella, Eris, Noah and Jewel were to see me! Of course, excitement could be miscontrued for delirium from being in the car for nearly 30 hours. Or the effects of too much diet coke...or too many show tunes (if you knew their parents, you would understand)...or too many subliminally enhanced Disney movies.

So we spent some good times in SLC - ate at the Mayan, saw some good Foutz pioneer memoribilia, and we got to witness Brocky's blessing...all of which are on my lost camera. I know I mentioned my lost camera before - but I'm not bitter towards the individual who lost it. I think she (or he) is totally awesome and I'm sure the camera will turn up! Really - I'm sure it will.

After an exciting (and I do mean EXCITING) morning of chasing dinosaurs in Ogden, we checked into the beautiful Moose Hollow luxury condo's and immediately hit the pool! I was unafraid to battle my neice's and nephews for the Chicken Fight Champion Title - but alas, lost. I'm definately going to beef up for the next reunion --- and then we'll see who's a bigger chicken.

There's me and my hot boyfriend! Don't we make an adorable couple???

So the funnest day of the reunion was spent at a gorgeous mountain resevoir. We rented a jet ski and tube for the day and had an awesome time! Tristana, the kamikazi pregnant driver, unbeknownst to poor Katy and I, almost killed us in her attempt to get a good "wake"! Our husbands thought that this picture and these smiles would be our last...

Here's BJ and Emmers LOVING the tube!!!

Here are some hotties on the beach that we were flirting with. Can you blame us? Actually this is Dan with his two best friends in the entire universe (at least that's what his brothers say about him). They almost died MORE on the jet ski after we girls showed them how to almost die but not quite. Check out the scenery!!! WOW!

Of course, later that night I couldn't miss "So You Think You Can Dance"! Tristana is pretty sure that Twitch is taking it this year! Sam and Lukas never miss an episode either...

I also won the rook tournament that night...with a little help from Dan. Anyway...that is some highlights from the reunion. I'm already getting geared up for the next one!!!

We're BA-ACK!!

2008-07-07T15:02:00.002-06:00

This is to let you all know that I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth! After a 2 week long vacation, I need a vacation! My body isn't as forgiving as it was during the college years when going to bed before midnight was considered pooping out early. I made a rash decision Monday morning around 8:30 that I don't regret one bit: to drive to Colorado myself with the kids and surprise my dear friend Jana, and then meet up with Dan a few days later at his family reunion. Dan helped me pack the car real quick-like (is that even possible for such an extended trip?!) and I was off! My kids were angels in the car and we made it in record time--11 1/2 hours later we pulled up and while we were in the car plotting on how to surprise Jana, she walked out of her house and totally scared ME! No fair! We enjoyed a few glorious days together doing what we do best--sitting on the couch gabbing while the kids roam free, and eating Nate's delicious cooking. Thanks for shoving those 4 loaded crepes down my throat, Nate, and completely sabotaging my diet! I will never forgive you for that, never!

After Jana's, I drove to Salt Lake to meet up with my hubby again. Then we spent a day camping in Heber with Dan's mom's extended family. (May I recommend not sleeping in a bunk house with 12 kids (one of which is in your bunk) and 2 anonymous snorers.) Then we spent a few days back in Salt Lake. Then we went to Ogden for the "real reunion" where we ate and swam and swam and ate (and in between played lots of rook where Dan and I won the coveted trophy). Then we went back to Kaysville to spend the 4th with his college roommate and his family. Then we came home. Then I wanted to hibernate. Is anyone else tired from just reading this?

Please let me take a nap before I die. And when I find my camera, be prepared for some great pics.

So...I cut my hair...myself

2008-06-20T18:51:00.004-06:00

Well, I started cutting it myself, anyway. I should have known better--as I was holding scissors to my hair, three friends called my phone. Did I heed their calls? I let them leave messages because my hair would have looked even worse if I tried cutting it while I was holding the phone with my shoulder. "Step away from the scissors, Sarah" my conscience kept whispering. But alas, I have absolutely NO self-control in things dealing with hair or chocolate. I can only take frumpy hair for so long and then I snap!!! If I don't get my hair cut that instant, I resort to cutting it myself (or worse, going to Super-cuts). I called in Marla for back-up support. She was supposed to say something like, "Gee, it looks wonderful! I've never known anyone who cut their own a-line bob before, I must know your technique!" To which I would reply, "It's easy, you make a pony tail with the under layers and cut it off. Then, grab random chunks of hair and snip snip. Nothing to it!" Instead, after trimming up some stray hairs, I heard something more like, "Yeah, you might want to go into somebody to get it fixed. You see, there's this hole here..." There's nothing better than a truthful friend in times of crisis! Not only that, she watched my kids while Lulu "fixed" it. So, here you go:

When I went in, Lulu was actually very complimentary. She said she was expecting way worse. She stacked the back a little and thinned it a TON so I wouldn't have mushroom syndrome like I normally do with cuts like these, and sent me on my merry way!

Now that's crazy!

2008-06-17T14:13:00.007-06:00

Allright, forgive me if this seems a little outdated, but I lost the SD card for my camera. Whadya know, when you clean your desk, miracles happen! So, for the last week of school at Compass, the kids celebrated "Spirit Week" and got to dress up. One of the days was "Crazy Hair Day." Now, I know you're thinking "For BJ, every day is crazy hair day!" But he had other ideas in mind. No "bedhead express" for him that morning, nosirree. He was going for the "Quill Pig" as seen in Rockband, but c'mon, he has horse hair, not pig hair, so what's a mom to do? (Sides, I only had about 5 minutes to pull this together....) My simple solution: hairspray and a blowdryer. (It seemed to do the trick for my hairdresser some years back when she styled me with an enormous mullet and left me crying for days, so I was pretty confident in my tactics. Note to self: never sit in a dresser's chair when her hair is so big a 5-gallon hat wouldn't keep it dry in the rain.)What a silhouette, eh? You be the judge!

Oh, and check out my desk...

For those of you on your toes, you'll realize that not only is it clean, but it's been relocated! Now I have a window where I can spy on my neighbors and also glimpse horse butts now and again. Here's what took its place:

Ah, redecorating!! I don't think the beauty will last long, though. Dan told me Helena (his interior designer) would be by soon to take anything cute I have to stage one of his homes. And that's precisely why I had to take a picture of my genius before it got snatched right before my eyes!

"And here we have I--DA--HO..."

2008-06-12T19:22:00.003-06:00

Believe it or not, folks, Boise ranked a whopping no. 2 on the list of best cities to live in America! Ironically, "affordable housing" was one of the reasons....But despite that, in my mind, Boise is truly one of the greatest places on earth. In case you were wondering, here are some reasons why it is so appealing. (and you just might find yourselves packing your bags to get here!)

1. Where else can you live in the heart of the city and look out your window each morning to cows and horses? (yes, that is our back fence. And yes, they smell like roses.)

2. In my eyes the weather is pretty much perfect. (although I know there are those of you who vehemently disagree, MOM, but here we have a little something called AC...) I admit, this year has been a tad strange, but where hasn't it been?

3. The library system, need I say more? (but shhhh, I owe $10.60 in fines. I really should pay up so a.) I don't get any nasty letters from a collection agency, and b.) I can enter my kids in the summer reading program so they can win cool prizes like more books and trinkets and PIZZA, of all things. Could someone explain the logical reason of why winning a personal pan pizza is a natural consequence of reading?! Anyone?)

4. You can go to the temple and back in under 3 hours.

5. You can go to Costco and back in under 3 hours. (but not under $100.)

6. Idaho boasts the likes of famous people who have utterly changed the course of the history of the world: J.R. Simplot. Thank you for perfecting the fry and consequently the ba-donk-a-donk butt. Philo T. Farnsworth. Thank you for inventing the television so we can be reminded how much we are craving those fries during the commercials of "The Biggest Loser."

7. I like to believe that there are very few options for natural disasters here.

8. There are enough Mormons here that people don't ask "Are all of these kids yours?" too often, but few enough that I don't get asked "So is this just half of your kids?"

9. Holy recreation opportunities, Batman!

10. Rednecks and white trash are just a fact of life. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Let's Get CAMPY!!

2008-06-09T15:58:00.035-06:00

CAUTION: CAMPING WITH CHILDREN MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH! (and possibly more work than it's worth, but I'll never tell...)

We obviously disregarded this warning as well as the weather reports and headed for the hills with all our gear and all our crazy kids! The only thing that turned out to be truly hazardous were the "HOT" hot dogs....yeow! Nothing a little extra ketchup and relish couldn't fix.

About the caution tape: my in-laws were kind enough to go up early to Leslie's Gulch and reserve our spot. They did so with that yellow tape. It kept the boy scouts out and the kids in (well, sort of). As far as it looking like a crime scene, the only crime committed was the diabetic (not mentioning any names!) downing too many roasted marshmallows.

Our site was right on the river which made me a little nervous considering my two boys' history with bodies of water, but everyone had a great time throwing rocks and getting dirty. According to BJ getting dirty is "the whole purpose of camping." Let's say everyone fulfilled their purpose. Luckily, it only rained a little that night after the kids were in bed, so we just hung out in the car playing cards until it died down. (Mike and I won Rook, for the record.) It was a little chilly, but other than a few frost-bitten fingers, our kids didn't seem to notice.

We camped with Mike and Katy and their kids and I had to include a picture of little Brocky-boo. He was a fine lil' camper and didn't keep me up at all! I could have done with out the morning birds and the resident snorer and the rock in my back, but Brock was AOK (as opposed to KOA).

Here are some shots of our fabulous hike. I have to admit, the kids were more energetic than I was and much more adventurous when it came to climing precipices and skirting rockslides. They loved to find obscure little caves and hide out to "scare" us when we walked by. I was content to be the photographer and catch them in action! The views were incredible and we can't wait to go back. (and next time Katy won't be sick, so she can enjoy all this, RIGHT?!)

Happy Birthday to me!!!

2008-06-09T15:45:00.003-06:00

Ooh la la, was this so yummy! What a way to bring in my 29th birthday! (much better than the last 3 times!) I had a wonderful day full of wonderful people. I was looking forward to a romantic outing with Dan, but he switched it up on me and took me to a different restaurant (which I have to admit I wasn't too thrilled about at first...) where all my friends were there waiting! Ami made me a chocolate trifle (see photo and drool) that we all shared for dessert. All in all, it was pretty much perfect. Your sweat was all worth it, Dan! I have to say--Dan knows what I want. Just earlier that day when the thought went through my head "what I really would like is a surprise party, but I can't tell Dan that because then it wouldn't be a surprise! Maybe I'll just leave hints for next year." He read my mind! A big "thank you oh thank you" to everyone!"

p.s. if you can believe it, I'm wearing earrings. Thanks, Leslie!

Let some air in!

2008-05-31T23:57:00.005-06:00

I love a fresh cool breeze wafting through the house. Dan doesn't like the fact that I leave the garage door open to achieve this. (Hey, you get used to the dirty diaper smell coming in from the garbage can!) Solution: Handyman Dan installed this beautimus door for me! I was telling Dan that the only people I knew in Meridian with screen doors were over 70, but he didn't seem too bothered by that fact. Hey, we're not old-fashioned, we're "retro!" And I love that fresh air!

My lucky little "terrible two"

2008-05-30T14:37:00.003-06:00

Ok, Lukas and Sam both have 9 lives. Either that, or a serious death wish. During the last 2 weeks they have been spared multiple times of serious injury. Sam almost drowned not once, but TWICE (ok, once was my fault, but the other time was all his!), Lukas and Sam both "ran away" to the park (I found their dump trucks half way there, but no sign of the boys--talk about getting a pit in your stomach!), and then to top if all off, yesterday we were at the craft warehouse and Lukas pulled the shopping cart down on top of himself with Sam in it! If this happens again, so help me, I'm going to be the one dying--of a heart attack! Heaven help my two boys!! (well, obviously, heaven is....)

And they said it wouldn't last....

2008-05-28T14:47:00.006-06:00

Here's to a Happy 9 Years, Baby!We've been on a journey of a lifetime together and it's not about to end! On May 27, 1999 we sealed our fate to eachother and the eternities and so far, so good! :) We were fortunate enough to get away for a day and a night and a day together. Ahh, alone time! We tried to go golfing, but the stars were not aligned in our favor and we ended up seeing the latest and not-so-greatest Indiana Jones movie. The best part of it was Dan stroking my leg in the theater. Other than that, can we say lame-o! Man-eating ants? An alien crystal skull? And how many times do we have to relive the road to Eldorado?!! "Themeless, dreamless, helpless, hopeless!"

But where was I? I digress. So, Dan kept saying he wanted to do something really memorable, something we've never done before. So, here's what we came up with (well, me, actually, dragging him along for the fun of it.) I've never sat in one of those cheap kiosks in the mall with a boyfriend before. I told Dan we HAD to do it or I would die, just DIE! (I can get dramatic sometimes, forgive me!) He obliged, and snuck in only when nobody was walking by. Oh, the terror of someone actually seeing him with a beautiful woman getting in a small booth with little black curtains! Well, as you can see, Cama does a much better job and we may have to splurge and go with her for our 10th anniversary photos next year. :) I actually had to take a picture of the pictures since our scanner wasn't working. Yeah, that's why they look so bad, not because they were only 3 bucks, right?

All in all, we had a fabulous time with real live flushing toilets and breakfast in bed at our leisure. What do the next 9 years have in store for us? Well, for starters, 4 more kids, of course! And then, chew on this--BJ will be only 1 year away from GRADUATING! Holy cow--time's fun when you're having flies. And vice versa. Indulge me in my mushiness, but I really am so lucky to have a hubby as hot and sweet and all that as Danny-boy. We go togetha like bread and butta. He really is my dream boat and I'm his dream yacht! Here's to many more years with you, Baby-cakes! Muah!

Ode to our Sewer

2008-05-28T14:32:00.004-06:00

*as sung to "Oh What do you do in the Summertime?" This post was inspired by true events that happened over the blessed Memorial Day weekend and almost succeeded in thwarting our plans of enjoying our anniversary together. Alone. Thanks be to Mike and Katy who stepped in and saved the day by taking us under their wings during our time of desperate need. It is lovingly dedicated to them, our heroes who "weren't afraid of no stinkin' sewer crisis". Sing it with gusto while imagining Dan decked out in a gas mask with a garbage bag strategically attached with rubberbands up to his shoulder.

Oh what do you do with sewage sublime, when muck is suddenly leaking?
Do you yell “what were you thinking?
The whole house is stinking!
Now clean up this mess or die”?
Is that what you do? So did I.

Oh what do you with the sewer slime, when the mystery wouldn’t flush down?
Do you plunge with a frown,
Or curse at the “brown,”
Or wait til the sludge is dry?
Is that what you do? So did I.

Oh what do you with the sewer grime, when the smell makes your face go green?
Do you pee in a stream,
Or use a latrine,
Or sit back and wanna cry?
Is that what you do? So did I.

Oh what do when your sewer’s not fine, and your work failed to save the “can”?
Although you look grand,
With gas mask in hand
Do you reach for the phone book and sigh?
Is that what you do? So did I.

So here’s what we did in the “sewertime” when our pump came down with “the sickness.”
E’en though the toilet’s off limits,
I’ve asked for forgiveness
And we’re all going out for pie.
I know that’s what you’d do—you’re just like I.

So Says Emily...

2008-05-27T19:08:00.003-06:00

Em: I think the reason why you guys married each other is because you look like eachother. You kinda go together...'cause daddy is really handsome and mommy is really cute.

Dan: Yeah, they say that you start looking more like each other the longer you've been married. It's kind of like how people start to look like their dogs.

Em: It's a good thing we don't have a dog.

Little Sailor Man

2008-05-24T12:45:00.004-06:00

Emily has an unusual flair for fashion (her style falls somewhere around "the eclectic pioneer"). Here she's trying to incorporate it into Sam's wardrobe as well. To do this at home: take a regular hat. Turn it inside out. Flip up the cuff. Wear it like you mean it. You're all set!

Lucky for her, Sam loves the attention and has been wearing the hat like this for over an hour now. His latest antic has been to close his eyes whenever you tell him to "smile." He is so squishy, I love it!

She's done it again!

2008-05-24T12:37:00.006-06:00

Cama just sent me some more shots of my kids that I just had to share! How she makes my kids look so darn cute, I'll never know! Oh, why can't they just stay little and sweet?!

Here Em was being a total hoot! Cama captured all of these expressions within about 30 seconds, along with Emily's sweet yet quirky personality. There's a model deep inside each of us...
These two really adore each other, and as you can see, Sam really is the "apple of Em's eye!" (I just had to say it!)

If I would have known Cama was going to get me in some of the shots, I would have paid more attention to myself getting ready that morning....Oh well, I think the expressions are what really count, right? :) I love the center one, he really is such a doll, isn't he? Then they grow up...

"Honey-do" gets "Honey-done"!

2008-05-23T15:10:00.004-06:00

So, I started this crazy project last November....I really wanted something cute above my stove in the "massive void" (I was adamant about not having plant shelves because I didn't want to have to deal with decorating them, but looking back I think that would have been about 87% easier.). I bought this window pane at an antique store, brought it home, sanded it, painted it, found matching shutters from Franklin Building Supply, a damaged shelf at Home Depot that I fixed up, and was ready to go! I finished just before Thanksgiving when we hosted for all the Foutzes. They never got to see my handiwork. Last Friday I was tired of seeing the pane in my kitchen and resolved to put it up myself. I lugged in our 500 lb adjustable ladder and about killed myself numerous times putting it up. I got all the tools I needed from the garage and was good to go. I even found the studs all by myself. Unfortunately, what I desperately needed was a real stud to do this for me--I am a complete wimp and couldn't get the screws in! Thankfully, Dan saved the day and helped me get it up--in like 10 minutes. He really knows how to make a gal swoon! I had this awesome decorator from Kuna come and help me decide what to put on the shelf--I never would have thought of books on my own--Thanks, Katy! So, here's the end result: I'm so glad it's done! (Oh, and don't ask me how I hung that wreath up there. Let's just say thank goodness for foodstorage buckets that don't buckle under a lot of weight....my legs are still shaking from the thought!)

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

2008-05-23T15:05:00.003-06:00

This book is truly amazing. It was my turn to choose a book for book club this month and we narrowed it down to this one and I'm so glad we did. It has changed the way I feel about the food I eat forever. I can't even begin to tell you what you will learn, you just have to borrow the book or check it out for yourself, and you will be forever grateful you did! Long live the locavores!

Mmmm, good!

2008-05-23T14:42:00.005-06:00

The other day my sugar cravings got the best of me so I decided to whip up a batch of my mom's famous "Banana Drop" cookies (the name aint so appetizing, but you gotta trust me on this one!). They were always my favorite growing up, and lucky for me they're a cinch!

The boys were anxiously waiting for the first tender morsels to be finished. They learned that position from me--I call it my "Papa Murphy's Stance."

And while I happened to be taking those out, Sam stealthily got the stool back out of the pantry to snitch some dough. Nothing like some raw eggs to boost your immune system, right?

So, here's the recipe! (slightly modified...)

Banana Drop Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. white flour

1 c. wheat flour

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed bananas (2-3 ripe)

2 c. oatmeal

2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400*. Sift Flour, soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a food processor (it will also work in a mixer). Cut in butter. Stir in eggs and bananas until smooth. Add oats and pulse til mixed through. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be an ooey-gooey mess. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen, depending on raw dough consumption.

The Problem With Boys...

2008-05-23T14:34:00.006-06:00

The following is a conversation Emily and I had on the way to school today:

Em: "The problem with boys is that girls like them but they really don't like girls that much. (long pause and sigh) That's how it is with Porter anyway."

Me: "Yep, you pretty much got it figured out."

Em: "Or, they might like you but the way they're treating you makes you feel like they kind of don't like you."

Apparently her "chasing" tactics at school don't seem to be getting her the results she wants, poor thing. As for me, I'm still not sure how a 6 year old figured out something I didn't learn until college....Kids these days just grow up too fast!

Gemini Season is upon us!!!

2008-05-22T15:38:00.003-06:00

Let me know if you think this aptly describes me, as I happen to be a Gemini: (according to a recent MSN article full of more hard-core facts--if you're lucky enough to be one and were wondering exactly who you were lately you might want to check it out) "According to astrologers, Geminis tend to be quick-witted, changeable, talkative, versatile, and sometimes crafty or mischievous. Geminis are known for their ability to express themselves, and are witty, clever, and often well-read. They usually have something to say about everything. Astrologers believe that typical Geminis have highly developed intellects, and that they place greater importance on learning than on emotional or practical issues."

Have you ever noticed that there's something you relate to in EVERY horoscope? (I used to read them all just to make sure I really WAS in fact a Gemini, although Saggitarius usually had better horoscopes for some reason...) I think that's because they never really say anything bad per-se, and give so many adjectives that there's bound to be at least one thing you relate with! You're left thinking--hey, how did they know? Come to think of it, I have always considered myself to be rather witty, clever, and well-read. HOW DID THEY KNOW?!!

what are YOU worth?

2008-05-22T14:35:00.002-06:00

I was reading a funny article yesterday about stay at home moms that said if you added all the hours of our daily duties, we'd be worth about $116,000 to replace. I was humored and baffled all at once. First of all, flattered that my ho-hum duties would add up to a 6-figure salary. Second, I bristled with the idea of even TRYING to put a monetary value on all my motherly services--HELLO, I'm priceless! (but I don't accept Mastercards--cash only, please) I mean, can you really quantify what it takes to raise a good human citizen these days? I think any mom who is actually TRYING to instill values like that is a great mom and deserves a huge pat on the back (or better yet, a massage from her hubby). I mean really, not even $116,000 would make me quit my day job of being the boogie cleaner, bum-wiper that I am. But, if you're just dying to see how much you are worth, just go here and see for yourself! (maybe I'm just sore because I came in way below the national average, I don't know...)

Heeere's Sammy!

2008-05-20T16:45:00.000-06:00

In Cama's words, "Em stole the show," but who can't resist a little baby fat? Or big sticky-outy ears? All wrapped up in one package, he's adorable!

Awww, ain't she sweet!

2008-05-17T10:09:00.001-06:00

OK, it's been awhile since I've had my kids' pictures taken. As in NEVER. I've stopped feeling guilty for things like that (along with scrapbooking, argh!) because I know in my heart that darn-it all, I'm a good mom! :) I love my kids dearly and they know that, so what else matters? Certainly not folded laundry or a clean kitchen sink, right?! I am fortunate enough to have a very dear friend named Cama who also happens to be an amazing photographer. She offered to shoot my kids--how cool is that? I can't believe how low-stress and dare I say FUN it was, both for me and the kids. Emmers was a hoot! And here she is, my darling sweetheart. Although a bit eccentric at times with wacky idiosyncrasies, she truly is one of the most kind-hearted children I know. Very sweet and loving and works hard to make people around her happy. Oh, I just love her!

officially on the blogwagon

2008-05-16T15:44:00.000-06:00

After much contemplation and "blog envy," I heeded my friend's advice to ignore the kids and just do it! (well, she didn't exactly say ignore the kids, but I can read between the lines...) So, here I am in all my glory. (Meanwhile Lukas and Sam are playing in the toilet. I'm not joking.)My biggest fear is that this will be my first and last post. If that's the case, I can just add it to my ever growing list of "hey-that-might-be-cool-I-think-I'll-try-that-and-then-abrubtly-forget-it-ever-existed". Other things on that list include: selling cutco knives, selling pampered chef, selling discovery toys...well, at least I'm not trying to sell anything here, so I think I'll be just fine!