Birthday Breakfast

Today is an important day at our house.  We're celebrating Lily's birthday!  (You can read more about Lily and her birthdays here, here, and here.)  Lily's birthday celebration is traditionally planned by her siblings, Endeaver, Justone, and Superkid.  This year, they wanted to have a special breakfast, and requested a very yummy treat.

I made these chocolate crepes for the first time last week, when we were visiting my sister.  They were such a hit that we all wanted to have them again.  What better day than today? (Recipes are after the pictures, below.)

Girls' Bedroom Switcheroo

Last week, my girls and I worked really hard to get their bedroom cleaned, organized, rearranged, and de-cluttered.  It was a really, really big job.

Mid-May Madness

Hello, Friends!

While I am happy to report that May 2011 is not half so crazy as May 2010, it is holding it's own.  Last year, our elementary school was closed after the last day of school, so we had all kinds of sentimental memorial stuff going on, plus 5th grade graduation and middle school orientation and a long list of assorted other events.  But this year, we do have Endeavor's track meets and a few other upcoming end-of-school activities.  Good times.

Check out Endeavor after her last track meet:

I'm pretty proud of Endeavor.  For the life of me, I cannot remember how we convinced her to run cross-country and track this year.  She wasn't too sure about it, to begin with.  Practices are tough.  But Endeavor stuck with it, and she's seen some major improvement in her running times.  She's also found that she feels less stressed about school on the days that she runs.  I'm just happy she's found something she enjoys doing for exercise that she'll be able to do anywhere, anytime.

And here we have Justone at the district art exhibition.  His art teacher selected some of his work for display.

Girls' Rights

In March, I read a post by one of my favorite bloggers, Sarah from Clover Lane.

It was titled, "What About Our Girls?  Growing Up Too Fast."  It definitely made me think, as Sarah's posts so often do.  First of all, it made me grateful for a tween daughter who isn't attached to a cell phone, doesn't worry about having a boyfriend, and who looks the way I think a twelve year old should.  Second of all, it made me pause to wonder  about how much of what Sarah talked about when discussing the pressures surrounding her eighth grade daughter applied to my own little sixth grader.

It wasn't long before I found out.  One of Endeavor's teachers invited me to help chaperone a sixth grade field trip.  Three teachers and four mothers (including me) took a group of about 100 sixth graders to an outdoor challenge course.  Designed to promote team-building and facilitate communication, the course was led by a group of experienced trainers.  They divided the kids into groups of 10-12, and then put them through a variety of exercises that were more mentally than physically challenging.

Spending time with the sixth graders and observing the groups try to work through the challenges was educational.  Here's some of what I learned:

April Recap

This is by no means an exhaustive recap of the month of April.  Just a look at some of the fun we've had.  And, um, that doesn't mean the things that weren't photographed weren't fun, right?  Right.

My sister came to visit for Easter weekend.  Looking for someplace fun to take her that wasn't too far away, we took a chance and went to an Earth Day festival downtown.  A good time was had by all.  Probably because just about every booth at the festival was handing out freebies.  What's more green then FREE?

Bionic Man and Justone were fascinated by the hybrid vehicles.  Unfortunately, those weren't free.

Face painting, on the other hand, was free.

Evidence that I Gave Birth to Martha Stewart's Child

I think I could win a tabloid headline title competition with this one, don't you?

Those of you who know our family well know that Endeavor did not get her domestic abilities from me.  My limited domestic abilities have come to me slowly, over time.  Endeavor was born with them.

During Endeavor's infancy, I noticed that she had a strange fascination with paper.  She would seek out paper, no matter where I hid it, and shred it into tiny little pieces.  Or crinkle it into small, tight balls.  Or draw on it--because Endeavor always knew where the pens were, too.

It was only later that I realized that Endeavor was actually a talented papercrafter, her artistic expression limited in infancy only by the development of her small motor skills.

Random Thursday

Kids can be very, very funny.  Here are some things I've heard my kids and their friends say lately that I don't want to forget.

Justone:  (Said to me 1.5 hours before the school bus arrives.)  Um, Mom, all I need for school this morning is something I can wear that will make me look like a turn-of-the-century Russian immigrant who is a doctor and who is Jewish and works in America at Ellis Island.

We're All Growing Up

All those pictures of Justone made me nostalgic.  We've just entered the annual brief four month period in which Justone and Endeavor's ages are sequential.  (He just turned ten, she's still eleven.)  Not such a big deal now, but back when those ages were 1 & 2, 2 & 3, and 3 & 4.....not so easy.  Particularly 3 and 4, because at that point, I also had a newborn.

I'm totally impressed that I survived.

The Tenth Day of Christmas

Today's embarrassing moment occurred very recently.

I'm Not a Creepy Lady

So, I was visiting Endeavor at her middle school for lunch.  The middle school she goes to is very large, and--don't tell her this--I'm still not sure I know my way around it, yet.  Actually, I am sure I don't know my way around it.  But, I decided to go eat lunch with her anyway.

The only problem was, I really, really, had to go to the bathroom.  Since there were just a few minutes  to spare before Endeavor came to the lunch room, and the halls weren't swarming with kids yet, I quickly ducked into the first restroom I saw.  I had to go so badly that I dropped my purse and coat on the handy bench just inside the doorway.  (Obviously, the pressure on my bladder was so great that I wasn't able to clearly think through the possible consequences of leaving my purse unattended in a middle school bathroom.)

So, like I said, I dropped my purse and coat and dashed around the corner to find the first available stall, only to discover that there weren't any stalls in this particular restroom, except for one waaaaaay down at the other end of the room.

But there were urinals.

I had walked into the boys' restroom.


Luckily, no one was using the urinals, but I did startle two boys at the sink.  I gasped, and said in dismay, "I didn't see the sign!  I'm not a creepy lady!" then I whirled around and ran out of the restroom, leaving my coat and purse behind me.


Endeavor found me outside of the cafeteria, blushing furiously, without a purse or coat.  "Endeavor!"  I hissed.  "I just left my coat and purse in the boys' restroom over there!  I don't know what to do!  I'm afraid someone will take them!  I have to go back for them!"

Endeavor stared at me in horror.  "Mom!" she gasped.  "What were you doing in the boys' restroom?"

I felt like crying.  "I don't know, Endeavor, I didn't see the sign!  I thought it was the girls' restroom!  I'm not a creepy lady!"

"Well, you can't go back in there, Mom," Endeavor said sagely, "or you will be a creepy lady."

"I know, I know!" I wailed.  "Don't you know someone who could go in and get them, for me?"

Endeavor sighed.  "Mom, this is really embarrassing.  And I'm late for lunch.  I think you had better go find the janitor or the principle or somebody."

What could I do, but follow my eleven-year-olds' advice?  I walked into the cafeteria, and started to look around for the principal.  I finally saw him, a man in a pin-striped suit who looked strangely identical to my A.P. American History teacher, wearing a name tag that said, "Principal."

Somehow, I thought if I approached him casually, making a joke out of the whole situation, it would be better.  So, I went up, punched him on the arm, and said, "What's the deal with not having any signs on the restroom doors, dude?"

To which he replied, "Dude, are you dissing my school?" as he put me in a headlock and vigorously rubbed my scalp with his fist.

It was at this point that I realized I was dreaming and woke up.


Upon waking, my first conscious thought was, "Oh good, I can't wait to write about this on my blog!  I wasn't sure I could remember another embarrassing moment.  But luckily, I just had one, and I can use that one for Day 10!"  Then, I promptly fell back asleep, content that I had just found the subject for Day 10.

The next morning, I woke up, and realized that I had just dreamed an embarrassing moment to write in my blog.  As if what happens in real life isn't enough, I have my subconscious working overtime to make sure that I have plenty of subject matter.  And you know what?

That's embarrassing.

Just to make sure we are all clear on this:  I did not actually walk into the boys' restroom at Endeavor's middle school at any time, nor did Endeavor's middle school principle ever put me in a headlock.  Furthermore, Endeavor wishes me to state, for the record, that I should never join her for lunch at her middle school.  It was all a dream.  An embarrassing dream, but a dream, nonetheless.  Also for the record, I'm really not a creepy lady.

The Newsletter

I was quite proud of this year's Christmas card.  Updated picture, nice scenery in the background, fun design, no Disney characters--a great improvement over last year.  Since it is one of the few times in any given year that I get to put my English degree to good use, I have a big thing about our newsletter.  I spend more time on the dang newsletter than I spend shopping for all of our Christmas gifts combined.  It is a sickness.

Naturally, I feel compelled to share this year's literary accomplishment on my blog.  Partly because I just found a stack of Christmas cards and newsletters that inexplicably did not make it out to the mail.  Here's hoping you got yours....and if you didn't.....well, here's the electronic version.

Best and Worst of 2010

Holland's Family Edition

Best Family Vacation Moments: night fishing off the houseboat with cousins, climbing Mt. Timpanogas, hiking in Logan Canyon with cousins, learning how much our dog loves to travel, discovering St. Louis's City Museum, laughing our heads off at Pickleville Playhouse, building sandcastles at Bear Lake.

Worst Family Vacation Moments: realizing the houseboat was built by Hobbits, discovering the climb to Mt. Timpanogas was a bit more treacherous than Dad remembered, losing Endeavor's shoes at Snowbird, watching tornadoes touch down as our minivan was pelted with hailstones, searching for the cap gun Justone wanted all over the western U.S. then finding it at our local Cracker Barrel.

Best Purchase: Bionic Man picked up a battery operated lawn mower to tide us over when our 36” lawnmower needed repairs. Turns out, the new mower is light enough that Justone and Endeavor can use it, and they became our summertime lawn care specialists. (Funny, Bionic Man hasn't felt much pressure to get the old mower up and running again.)

Worst Purchase: the harmonica Justone bought when he was supposed to be Christmas shopping for his sisters. Enough said.

Best Adjustment: Endeavor, Justone, and Superkid all went to different schools this year. Endeavor is a 6^th grader in middle school (yes, you read that right), Justone goes to an accelerated learning program at another school, and Superkid is in first grade at our new local elementary school. Despite all the changes, they have enjoyed their new surroundings, made new friends, and are doing well in school.

Worst Adjustment: Ruth's not quite ready to have the children at school all day, every day. She never knew grocery shopping could be so quick....or so boring.

Best Surprise: Superkid's cardiologist said her “ticker” was working so well, she didn't need to see him again for a whole year!
Worst Surprise: Ruth told the hairstylist she wanted to go “back to her root color” and came home with startlingly dark hair. Much, much darker than she ever remembered having.....after the initial shock wore off, the rest of the family decided they would love her anyway.
Best Days of the Year: Sundays when Dad didn't have meetings.

Worst Day of the Year: Fall Daylight Savings. Ruth changed the clocks before going to bed. Bionic Man got up in the morning, and thought the clocks were still an hour ahead. He was an hour late to his first meeting!

Best Performance(s): Endeavor ran cross-country for her middle school team this year, improving her personal record by more than 6 minutes! Bionic Man set a new personal record at the Indianapolis Half Marathon. Superkid won a huge prize package for perfected attendance in the month of May (the only month she didn't miss any school, ironically). Justone used things he found around the house to make an animated diorama for a school report, all by himself.

Worst Performance: after a summer spent safely hiking in “real “ mountains, Ruth slipped and sprained her elbow while walking with the children along a stream bed....in our neighborhood.

Best New Skills: Superkid learned to read, Endeavor is learning to play the violin, Bionic Man is taking guitar lessons, Justone knows how to fix the van door when it gets stuck (a skill Mom really appreciates), Ruth taught herself how to make slipcovers, and Hunter the Dog can roll over on command!

Worst New Skill: see “Worst Purchase”.

Best: having family members and friends all over the country who mean so much to us! We are blessed to have many wonderful people who show us love and set good examples for us in the way they live.

Worst: wishing that time and distance wouldn't prevent us from spending more time with those we love.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of You!

Love from Ruth, The Bionic Man, Endeavor (11), Justone (10 very soon), and Superkid (7)

Bento Lunch, Yet?

My children usually eat lunches that we pack at home.  While I'm fairly confident that our school lunch program tries to provide food that is healthier for the students than what they could get for the same price from McDonald's, it's still heavily processed food.  Not to mention, at an average price of $2.50/day per student, it would cost me about $150 each month to let my kids have school lunch every day.

I don't think so.

This year I have three children with widely varying tastes and appetites.  Superkid would eat PB&J for every meal, if I let her.  Justone would fill up on pudding and granola bars, if I let him.  And Endeavor is at the point where she has to learn to fill up her always empty stomach with things other than empty carbs.  I made a goal at the beginning of this school year to come up with lunches that would give them variety, healthy choices, be filling, and that they would be able to enjoy despite the tempting highly processed foods everyone around them eats at lunch time.

Easier said than done.  Until Kami of no biggie introduced me to the bento lunch.  I had never heard of bento.  I'm pretty sure no one else in my neighborhood has, either.  But the bento concept was an answer to my lunchtime prep prayers.  (Not to be dramatic, or anything.)  For those of you who--like me--are saying, "ben-whaaa?" right now, here's Wikipedia's description:

Bento (弁当, bentō) is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops (弁当屋, bentō-ya^?), train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.

 littleeverydaythings.wordpress.com

family.go.com

After visiting a few of the sites Kami recommended, I was hooked.  Bento lunches are just plain pretty.  I really felt like I could get both Superkid and Justone to eat more than 2 of 5 items placed in their lunches if they could see all their choices before them.  I was also pretty convinced that they would try more lunch options if those options were presented in a visually appealing way. 

Here are pictures from my first day of bentos:

 All the bentos, lined up in their snap-lock containers.

 Endeavor's bento:  baked whole-wheat crackers, thin-sliced roast beef, strawberries, tiny celery sticks, chocolate chips.

 Justone's bento: sliced strawberris, cubed colby-jack cheese, baked whole wheat crackers, chocolate chips, tiny celery sticks.

 Superkid's bento:  sliced strawberries, cubed colby-jack cheese, chocolate chips, 1/2 hotdog bun, tiny celery sticks.

After the first day, I was really pleased to hear the kids talk about how much they enjoyed lunch AND open their lunch boxes and find empty containers.  Success!  The kids did report that things "spilled" somewhat, so I tried to remedy that the next time around.  Here are some bentos from this week:

 Justone's bento: mini-mini carrots, tomato slices, pepperoni slices, baked whole-wheat crackers, shredded cheddar, marinara sauce.

Superkid's bento: mini-mini carrots, banana, pumkin-shaped swiss cheese on whole wheat sandwiches (2), popcorn

One really interesting benefit of the bento lunch at our house has been that the kids are getting really into the whole concept.  They are making suggestions of things that would fit into the bentos.  I don't have a picture of this one, but one day Endeavor was willing to try cold pizza for the first time at lunch, just because she could see that the mini slices I'd made would fit into her bento.  

It was relatively easy to assemble the non-food supplies for our bentos.

When I first read about bentos, I kind of anticipated buying a bunch of supplies to make this work.  But, when I looked around my house, I was able to find quite a few things I already had that would work.  

Snap-lock containers: I happened to find these at my local Aldi, in a nesting set of 10,

a week or so before I started bento-ing.  I bought a couple of sets for $7.99/each.

Plastic pics:  wooden toothpicks will work just fine, but I decided to get some plastic ones,

since I can wash and reuse them.  I found these in the picnic section of my grocery store

for about $2/box.

Cookie-cutters:  the hallmark of bentos seems to be shaped foods.  I could have spent 

money on fancy sandwich cutters, but I just used cutters I already had as a guide to cut

around the food I made with a knife.

Silicone baking cups: the one thing I decided I was willing to splurge on,

these are invaluable for their flexibility and reusability.  I got mine at JoAnn's,

in the cake decorating section, using my 50% off coupon.  A set of 12 is about $10. 

Are you wondering how much time this is taking me?  Surprisingly, not much more time than it was taking me to pack our former lunches of sandwich-veggies-chips-applesauce-pudding.  You might notice that each bento is slightly different, since I have a child that hates cheese, a child who hates crackers, and a child who will try just about anything once.  The extra time (about 5-10 minutes) required is mitigated by the fact that we're now buying and eating fewer processed foods, and that a lot of the prep I can do the night before.  Plus, I'm using up some leftovers!  And yes, I'm making sure that these bentos are packed with plenty of ice. 

Let me tell you, the extra time was worth it when Endeavor hopped in the car the other day after school and reported, "The girls at my lunch table couldn't stop talking about my lunch!  They said it was the prettiest food they'd ever seen.  One of the girls said it was like edible art.  They couldn't believe that my mom would make my lunch that way."  If packing her lunch like that helps my middle schooler feel special, that totally justifies the extra time and thought.

Here are some of the good bento resources I've been using for ideas.  And, thanks again to Kami for the original inspiration.

anotherlunch.com

lunchinabox.net 

wendolonia.com

Let me know if you have any great lunch-packing ideas or resources, bento-style, or not!  By the way, Melissa at Another Lunch as the BEST recipe for homemade granola bars, here.  They were a hit with my entire family.

Endeavor's Endeavor

What to do when your middle school orchestra student is expected to pay a participation fee of $200?

One option is letting your child go door-to-door in the neighborhood, selling the wrapping paper and "gourmet gifts" offered as an orchestra fundraiser. 

That's not the way I like to do things, or the way I like my kids to do things.  When I donate to something, I want to know that 100% of the profits go towards the organization I'm donating to.  And, when my kids participate in fundraisers, I want them to learn that they actually have to put forth more effort than selling wrapping paper to their grandmothers to earn money.

So, here is what I do when faced with an orchestra participation fee:

Endeavor and I have combined our efforts to open a temporary online shop to raise the $200+ she needs to participate in orchestra. 

L is for Lovely

is the name of Endeavor's shop.  She is offering several collections of floral flower pins and barrettes, as well as ruffled tote bags.  

You can visit her webpage by clicking HERE.

The darling accessories that Endeavor has crafted (with some assistance from me) are being offered at really great prices.  (Only $6 for a large pin/barrette, or 2 for $10!)  In addition to the pre-made offerings, Endeavor can customize her accessories just for you.  We're adding colors and additional collections every few days, so be sure to check back often!

Local delivery is free, and we are willing to ship Endeavor's products if necessary.

We would really, really appreciate any business that you send our way!

l4lovely.blogspot.com

What I Did on My Summer Vacation, Part 1

Like I said the other day, it sure doesn't feel very much like fall around these parts.  For the next couple days, I'm going to be posting some of my favorite pictures from our travels in the West, this summer.  (Mostly for the benefit of our relatives who are in the pictures!)

It has become a tradition for the Bionic Man and I to drive across the country each summer to spend time with our extended families.  Both of us grew up in Utah, and that is where the majority of our family members still live.  Our strategy is to drive out and back together, but the Bionic Man flies home to work for a couple of weeks while I stay behind to chaperone our children as they get spoiled by grandparents and play with their cousins.  (It's such a sacrifice for me, wink wink.)

While the Bionic Man is with us, we try to spend as much time in the mountains as possible.  After the drive across Wyoming, we spent some time in Idaho at our first family reunion.  We did some hiking there to get used to the altitude before going on the really big hike we had planned.

This shot of Justone, the Bionic Man, and his Bionic Father hiking together is one of my very favorites from the entire trip.

In our quest to gain altitude, we spent another day playing and hiking in the mountains near Snowbird, Utah.  We cheated by riding a tram most of the way to the top.

The day after we hit the not-so-snowy-slopes of Snowbird, we went on the hike that was the really big deal on this year's trip.  The Bionic Man had been planning this for months.  We climbed Mt. Timpanogos above American Fork, Utah.  Hiking Timp was one of the Bionic Man's favorite things to do when he was growing up.  We decided to leave Superkid safely behind with Grandmother for the day, but the Bionic Man was confident that Justone and Endeavor could make it.

We were joined in our ascent by the Bionic Father and Uncle Lance (who happens to be a seasoned mountaineer.)  Our friends The Hendys, who now live in Las Vegas, Nevada, joined us for the first mile or so and then wished us bon voyage.  They were so smart.

It was a lovely day for a hike.  For the first little while, I had a great time chatting and catching up with Heidi and Mike (center, in the green shirts)

and enjoying the interesting terrain.  We paused for a break at this waterfall, and the Hendys wished us well on the rest of our journey. 

 And then the real hiking began.  Oh. my. heck.  I cannot tell you how much I wanted to quit and go back within the first hour after that waterfall!

I could not for the life of me imagine how we were supposed to get up and OVER that cliff ahead of us.  And that wasn't even the top of Timp!  See what looks to be sheer cliffs ahead of us on that trail?  They are sheer cliffs!  Um, there were little skinny trails criss-crossing those cliffs that I had to climb up.  That my children had to climb up!  The Bionic Man mentioned that he hadn't realized how treacherous of an ascent it was the last time he climbed....when he wasn't a father.  Really?!?!  It should not surprise you that Endeavor and Justone were the youngest hikers on the trail, that day.

Justone!  Step away from the edge of that cliff!  Are you trying to give your poor mother a stroke?

I huffed and puffed and regretted every single crumb of junk food I have ever had to eat in my entire life.  But the scenery alone was worth every painful step.

I was so proud of Justone and Endeavor.  Justone was determined to be the first one to the top, and he hiked hard and without complaint.  I can't say Endeavor hiked without complaint, but she was a trooper to keep going and do something that she hadn't been too excited about to begin with.  She and I provided a lot of entertainment and encouragement for each other.

Wait--stop right there.  Could someone please, please try to explain to me why my hair looks that good after sweating my way up a dusty trail all morning?  Better yet, explain to me why no amount of primping, curling, and hairspray can make my hair look that shiny and voluminous before a)church b)family portraits and c)dinners with the Bionic Man's work colleagues.  It's like a Pantene commercial, right there on the trail.  I said the trail.  Where I can't get cell phone service, I'm covered in dust and sweat and sunscreen, yet I can have my best hair day ever.  I officially give up.

After about five hours of steep, upward climbing, we reached this valley

which had a beautiful lake in the middle of it.  Somehow I missed getting any pictures of Emerald Lake, so I'm borrowing a picture of it from flickriver.com so you can see.  I think I was just too tired to hold up the camera, at that point.

Sitting down for lunch by this icy, icy cold lake, our experienced guides pointed out the summit to Justone, Endeavor, and I. 

I announced that I felt incredibly fulfilled by my day on the mountain and also that I wanted to live to see my next birthday.  Endeavor and Justone felt the same way, THANK GOODNESS!  We made a pact to reach the summit next year or maybe even the year after that, and sent the Bionic Men on their way with our blessing.  (That would be my husband, his father, and his father's brother.  Truly bionic men, all of them.)

The children and I hiked down on our own.  Going downhill wasn't any easier than going uphill.  And it was scarier.  There were a few times when I wanted to click my ruby slippers and become one of these:

Yes, those are really mountain goats, which we really saw.

Thankfully, the children and I made it down safely.  And it was good that we let the Bionic Menfolk get to the summit....because on their way down, another hiker slipped and fell off the trail a few yards ahead of them, sliding thirty feet down to the edge of a dangerous cliff.  Uncle Lance had a rope and other special equipment, knew how to use them, and directed a rescue, assisted by the Bionic Man and his Bionic Father.  They were able to provide first aid treatment and get the hiker and her group safely down the mountain.  I still get chills when I think, "What if I had wimped out completely and made them climb down with the children and I?"  If even one of them had come with us, a life would have been lost that day on Mt. Timpanogos.  I'm also incredibly grateful that Endeavor, Justone, and I made it down without event.

Told you they were bionic.

If you would like to hike Mt. Timpanogos, don't let my scary story stop you.  Take an experienced mountaineer with you, wear sunscreen, carry LOTS of water, get yourself in shape well beforehand, be prepared, and learn more about it here or here.  I'll see you at the top next year!

Written in Stone

I will be the first to admit that Sunday is often a hard day for me.  Don't get me wrong--that doesn't equate with Sunday being a bad day.  Despite everything, I usually enjoy the lessons and testimonies I hear at church, I love singing all the hymns, and I almost always walk out the door of the church feeling spiritually fortified.

It's just that I walk out that door and get into a van with three hungry, cranky children who are tired of wearing fancy clothes and need to get out all the loud laughter and uncouth behavior they suppressed during church, knowing that I have to go home and cook up a Sunday dinner and dreading the dishes that dinner will leave behind.

And don't even get me started on what getting to church is like.

Oh, my goodness.  All I need to say is "My husband is in the bishopric," and I'm sure any Mormon woman reading this will shake her head sympathetically and say a prayer for me.  Those of you who are not Mormons may need a more detailed explanation:  Mormon congregations are headed by a bishop, who plays a role comparable to that of a pastor in other churches.  The bishop has two assistants, called counselors.  The bishop and his counselors are referred to as a bishopric by the members of the congregation.  All leadership in our church is done on a lay basis--meaning no one gets paid--we all have other jobs to support our families, but do our church jobs on a purely voluntary basis.

So, when I say that my Bionic Man is in a bishopric, that means that he is away from home most of Sunday, participating in meetings, assisting the bishop, helping to maintain financial records, and giving service to the members of our congregation.  He also sits near the pulpit....while the children and I sit in the congregation.

Now, I know that the Bionic Man won't always be in the bishopric.  Mormons take turns filling all the various positions that keep our congregations running.  And I am grateful that he wasn't in the bishopric when our children were little.  I really shouldn't complain.  I'd just like someone to explain to me why it is so simple to get three children ready and out the door to the bus stop all by myself during the week, and sooooo difficult to get the same three children ready and out the door to church on Sunday.  But it is.

Last Sunday was really a doozy.  I'd been asked to substitute in one of the children's classes, so I was preparing a lesson.  No one could find their shoes.  The dog kept barking.  There were a few fights.  The Bionic Man made waffles for us before he left for the church, but he left quite a bit of batter and some dishes behind.  The house that had been clean on Saturday morning was trashed.  I was tired before I even got out of bed.  We were almost late for church.  Superkid wiggled up, down, and all over our bench for the first 20 minutes, then fell asleep.  Justone and Endeavor, normally well-mannered in public, could not stop pestering and bothering each other during the congregational meeting.  By the time I arrived home with the children, they weren't the only ones who were tired and grouchy and hungry.  So was I.

I proceeded to cook an impressive meal of broccoli, salad, sweet potato fries, and coconut almondine chicken with orange sauce.  The Bionic Man came home just a few minutes before dinner was ready and disappeared.  I asked the children nine times (eight nicely, the ninth in an "elevated" tone) to set the table.  It was set, but without key utensils.  The food was almost ready, so I called out through gritted teeth, "Dinner's ready!"

No response.  The children continued jumping from couch to couch as if I'd never spoken.

I tried again.  "Dinner is ready, now, come sit down at the table."

No response. 

I called for the Bionic Man.  Loudly.  I had no idea where he was.  One of the children though he'd gone upstairs.  I told Superkid to go find her daddy and tell him dinner was ready.  She wandered away toward the staircase.

I checked the steaming broccoli, which was done, and covered the chicken.  I waited.  Superkid skipped back through the kitchen.  "Is Daddy coming?" I asked.

Superkid looked surprised.  "I don't know," she responded.

"Did you tell him it was time to eat?" I questioned her.

"Ummmm...." Superkid thought about this, deeply, before she replied.  "I think I forgot."

"Go sit down at the table," I commanded the children, who were by now chasing the dog around the couches.  Then I called LOUDLY up the stairs to my husband, telling him dinner was ready RIGHT NOW.

I returned to the kitchen.  The children were still chasing the dog.  The coconut almondine chicken was getting colder every minute.  There seemed to be two choices:  I could get really mad....or I could eat dinner.

I ate dinner.

I filled my plate, prayed over it, and took a bite of chicken.  The children were oblivious.  My husband was nowhere to be found.  The broccoli was nice and tender, not overdone and mushy.  The only member of the family that paid any attention to the solitary diner was Hunter the Dog, who had taken his place under the table.  I shared some of my sweet potato fries with him.

Despite chewing very deliberately, I soon finished my Sunday dinner.  I cleared the table and began boxing up the leftovers.  There were a lot of leftovers.  Without the dog to chase, the children were hiding behind the couches and throwing sock balls at each other.  No sign yet of the Bionic Man.

I was just putting the broccoli into the fridge when the Bionic Man walked into the kitchen, hair tousled and sheet wrinkles pressed into his face.   "Hi, Daddy!" Superkid greeted him, while simultaneously Justone announced, "I'm hungry.  When's dinner?"

The Bionic Man rubbed his eyes.  "Did I just dream that you called me down for dinner, or did that really happen?" he wondered.

"Dinner," I replied acridly, "was served to those who wanted it thirty minutes ago.  It is now over."  And on that note, I put Hunter the Dog on his leash and we went for a long walk. 

We walked and walked.  I steamed and stewed for the first half hour.  For the second half hour, I thought about how I might have handled the situation differently.  Finally, I turned towards home and started giggling about it.  Having everyone ignore dinner was a somewhat funny first. 

I walked in the door and found a very different household than the one I'd left.  All the pillows and blankets and stuffed animals had been removed from the floor.  Superkid was busy shining windows.  Justone was sweeping the floor.  Endeavor was putting away the last of the dishes, and the Bionic Man was scouring the sink.

There was a hand-picked vase of garden flowers on the table, alongside a simple apology written on a chalkboard rock.

I could tell they meant it.  I gave them all hugs and told them how beautiful the kitchen looked.  I said I was glad I was their mom and wife.  They could tell I meant it.

The rest of the evening was peaceful.  I'm glad I took a time out instead of completely losing it.  I'm also glad the chalkboard rocks are being put to good use.

So, share some wisdom.  What do you do to make Sundays or other family times full of more goodness and less stress?  What is your strategy for the traditional home-cooked Sunday dinner?  What do you do to keep your cool when it seems like no one is listening to you?

And, in exchange for your wisdom, I'll share a little blogging tip:
I didn't write this post today, even though it posted today.  I wrote it earlier in the week, and used Blogger's post options to schedule a time for it to be published later.  This is a great feature, especially if you tend to blog in spurts.  Blogger will actually let you create posts and schedule a time for them to be automatically published.  Before you hit the Publish Post button, click just above that where it says Post Options.  A menu bar will appear.  Drag your curser to the right and check the box marked Scheduled At.  This, in turn, will drop a menu box down, giving you the option to name the date and time you wish your post to be published.  Once you've set up a time, just hit the orange publish button and forget about it.  It will take care of itself.  Enjoy!

I'm Trying, Really, I'm Trying!

Someday, I will catch up enough with my real life that I will have time to update my virtual life.

By that I mean my blog.

Remind me next year that I need more than six days between coming home from a four-week vacation and the first day of school.

I still haven't finished shopping for school supplies.  I still haven't finished the pile of laundry from our trip.  I still haven't put away all the suitcases and downloaded the photos from the camera. 

I did spend a morning at the middle school helping Endeavor find her way around.  I did get caught up with my Cub Scout duties.  I did teach my Relief Society class that I very nearly forgot about.  I did find some darling shoes and clothes for Superkid on sale at Target.  (I'm going to cry when she doesn't fit in 5T anymore.)  I did make the handouts for the staff at Superkid's new school about her medical issues and emergency care.  I did make sure Justone had a haircut.  And I did sign up for a half marathon in October.

I've got to do something while everyone is in school.  All day.  Every day.

Did I mention that I'm struggling with the whole firstborn-going-to-middle-school scenario?  Seriously, I think I only gave birth to her about three months ago.

Recent photographic evidence proves me to be wrong, however.  Check out Endeavor's photoshoot with her Aunt Kris, who happens to be a really amazing photographer. 

Wish me luck with finding the last of our school supplies, today.  You'll be hearing more from me very soon.....school starts tomorrow.  

Family Roadtrip

For the next few weeks, my blog postings will be sporadic.  I have to pack for four people and a dog.  I have to figure out what we are going to eat in the car that won't stain the freshly cleaned upholstery.  I have to clean my house in case someone breaks in while I'm gone, so they won't trip on the laundry baskets on the way to look for valuables that they won't be able to find (unless they consider Polly Pockets and Legos to be of value).

Because.....we are about to trek across the country to visit our families.  It will be a three day drive.  Oh boy!  See my big smile!  Last year, we made it interesting by making lots of touristy stops along the way.  We saw the Corn Palace, Winter Quarters, Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills, Yellowstone, and the Tetons.

This year, we are just trying to get there.  I'm still smiling, brightly!

We'll be driving past here:

Across this:

Stopping along the way here:

Until we finally see this:

And then we'll arrive here:

For a family reunion with this crazy bunch:

Who, as of this year, have all grown up and got married and have families of their own.  My kiddos are excited to see their grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins.

Before we leave, we'll have to sample some of these:

from here:

and then we'll drive through this gorgeous canyon:

until we come to the valley where I grew up:

How rude!  They built houses where I used to sit and look over the valley and think about my future....

and where the Bionic Man used to land his paraglider. 

Pretty soon I'll be back in my ol' stompin' grounds, hiking up here:

And having fun with all my big brothers and sisters and their kids:

What?  There isn't a picture there?  That's because no one in my family likes to pose for pictures.  We're like snow leopards....we might exist....but there isn't any photographic evidence.  (Notice how I carefully avoided comparisons to the Sasquatch and Loch Ness monster?  I love you!)  Also, we are all too busy having fun together and seldom remember to break out the cameras.

Before we know it, we'll have to tell all our grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends and the horses at Aunt Lena and Uncle Boyd's farm goodbye.....

......and drive across Kansas:

(Which never looks this good from the freeway.)

And, the day after we get back, I have to take this sweet thing--who I SWEAR was just barely born, like, three years ago--to middle school orientation.  Middle school.  

(Sniff, sniff.  Gulp.)  You might be able to guess from some of the pictures that my internet service will be sporadic.  But maybe I'll be able to post pics sometime of the amazing activity books Endeavor put together for her siblings.  Totally unprompted and unassisted.  She's amazing.  No, she doesn't have a blog.  Yet.  (That was part of the agreement we made in the settlement with Martha Stewart.  I kid!)

Go forth and enjoy your summer!