All My Children: April 2008

Monday, April 28, 2008

BRUCE ALMIGHTY!!!

This is my incredible son-in-law, Bruce, aka MOOSE. Here he is dressed for work and he does work very hard in his profession,. He was recently honored in Hawaii as one of Pfizers very top elite sales leaders. He is also a tireless executive secretary for the bishop of his ward. Even when he is on vacation, he is making church related calls so that everything runs smoothly back in Omaha. He is a great provider but rarely buys anything for himself, with the exception of special socks from Nordstrom and any really large (15 or 16!) sized shoes he can find.

Bruce also knows how to relax and have fun. He stays up late to get this all in and I love to visit with him when everyone else has gone to bed. Here he is dressed for relaxation. He loves to hunt, bike, crash and watch reality T.V. He also is very knowledgeable about plants and loves to landscape. He has given me many ideas for my yard. Best of all, Bruce can cook great tortilla soup and the yummiest Indian curry ever.

Most importantly, Bruce is a great dad...he takes over for Mia all the time and handles everything as only he can. He is a wonderful husband and son. Mia is lucky to have him and so am I. We love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRUCE DEAN!!!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

MOTHS, MOMS, & MEGA SPORTS

The following always happens to me to keep me grounded....right after I wrote my thesis on homemaking...I found that moths had taken up residence in my PANTRY!! I removed EVERYTHING, scrubbed it down from top to bottom, threw away so much food that it was sickening and then, the day after we did all this we spotted another moth fluttering in the vicinity!

Soooooo, I packed my bags and hopped into Jaci C's Denali, picked up Shauna and Lynne and off we went to Green Valley where Jackie and Camille were waiting for us in Jackie's beautiful Los Palmos condo.

We had a fabulous Southwester meal right there waiting for us thanks to Camille, Jaci, & Jackie. (All the way down we snacked on delicious treats made by Shauna and Lynne.) Afterwards, we all went on an evening walk to scout out our trails for the next morning. These women are amazing, spiritual, crazy-active in the most intense way, funny, maternal, low maintenance, wise, spontaneous, and just the very best to be around!

The next morning we went on a run through the red sand desert on the Bear Claw Poppy Trail, also known as the "Road to Nowhere" because you literally leave civilization and become one with the desert. We ran and ran, and because I am older and fatter, I am usually at the back, so I kept calling, "How far are you going?!" Now, they all say that they got lost because they thought they had come out into Green Valley but I knew we had run through the back hills and trails and we were really in BLOOMINGTON! They didn't believe me and even asked a gentleman who was watering his yard where we were. He said, "this is BLOOMINGTON!" I made them repeat this several times to emphasize this but they still said they got lost! Then we turned around and went back! We walked much of the way because we were running out of water and thanks to 2 prepared bikers, who shared their GOO, we made it. My friends will also will tell you that I got lost on the return but amazingly enough, I really do know these particular trails and I can walk (not run) almost anyone into the ground (maybe not Camille) and I ended up a little ahead of them BY FOLLOWING THE NORMAL TRAIL!! They freaked for a moment because they couldn't see me behind. It was adventurous, unforgetable and beautiful!

Next, we went for a cooling swim and a soak in the hot tub, cleaned up and went shopping, ate at a great Thai food place in Ancestor Square, rented Kite Runner and bought treats for our late night movie.

The second day was full of hikes in Snow Canyon. Here, we probably did get lost a couple of times but the caves, washes, rocks, vistas and outlooks were all worth it. This trip was short but packed and full of fun. I can't thank all my spirited friends enough for getting me away from moths and my school for a little bit.

Interesting facts and points to ponder:

Jackie, who is thin, young, funny and and an extremely fast runner (I want), eats a strawberry pop tart and a diet coke before running every morning! She has amazing energy, spunk, and is a wonderful hostess. She delighted me with her stories and honest personality.

Jaci does yoga stretches at all hours, hungers for anything spiritual, shares Gospel Doctrine with us and her ward, and still looks like a surfer girl, (I want) even though she has 5 boys, one of whom is soon leaving on a mission. Jaci is my neighbor and would do anything for anyone.

Shauna is tan, fit, looks like a teenager, ( I want) wears the coolest flip flops, keeps real in the Stake R.S. presidency, has served with her husband over a mission in Mexico, and knows where to get all bargains. I can totally relate to her and love to hear about her take on life.

Lynne brought the most luggage and still forgot her sandals. I love her for coming even though her daughter is getting married in two weeks. She also received the the most phone calls from home and could be heard patiently dispensing motherly advice. For 30 years she has been a sweet (I want) and loving running partner. We want to make it another 30 together.

Camille is the glue that keeps it all together, gets ready in minutes and has the most interesting method of styling her silky, dark hair (I want): she drys her hair in sections with a round blowing brush, rats each section, sprays, and after drying, it falls full and beautiful around her face. She is our trail leader and spots all kinds of wildlife including snakes and snipers. NOTHING stops this woman. She inspires me.....I never want to stop running with her!

THE INCREDIBLES!!! You are all incredibly special to me!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

The Art of Homemaking

This is my blog, so if you don't want to hear this, just hit the back button. I have been thinking a lot about this lately... I have a talk I give my girls before marriage which we call, "The Feminine Mystique." Now that they are married and are creating homes, it is time for my, "Art of Homemaking" talk. I am not referring to any person here... it is just something that I want my daughters (and all of you who feel like my daughters) to know.

When people walk into your home, they feel the spirit of the family that resides there. Even the walk up to the front door starts sending out a message about the family inside. Whenever President Norton had to call someone to a stake position, he would drive up to their home and sit outside in his car to feel the spirit of the family inside. Creating a home involves having the spirit there, keeping it clean, orderly, and maintained...it is not just about decorating. You can have very few "things" and still have a home that invites the spirit. There is an art to this and it is one that all women need to develop. Some women seem to have a gift for this, but most of us have to work at it and even read and study how to do it. Many young women say almost proudly, "I don't cook!" or "I work so I can't keep up with things." or "I have kids and they mess it up as soon as I get it clean." These comments get widespread acceptance in this day and age, but if you said that to my mother or her mother, they would be very disappointed (I think the more accurate word would be disgusted). You may not get paid for this important job and it surely doesn't require a degree but nevertheless it is an art and an important one. The spirit cannot reside where there is disorder and where things are not clean (think: the temple inside and out). It also puts the people who live in the home in the same state of being.

I thought it was interesting that Sister Beck took a lot of criticism for saying almost this very thing because women have become so accustomed to putting this skill low on their priorities in life.

TEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE HOMEMAKERS:

1. Never leave your bedroom in the morning without making your bed (unless your husband is still in it!).

2. If you have piles of stuff, you have too much stuff. If you can't give or throw some of the stuff away, you have a problem. EVERYTHING HAS TO HAVE A LANDING PLACE...NO PILES.

3. Stay away from fast food and eating out, except on weekends. I guarantee you will feel better about yourself. Cook simple meals for your family.

4. Wash everyday, stay on top of it. Fold it and put it away. Better yet, have your kids put it away.

5. Involve your children, give them chores, they will do better in school if they have responsibilities at home.

6. Never go to bed with the kitchen in a mess. All toys and clutter should be put away. Remember if you don't know where to put it, you have too much stuff.

7. Bathrooms can be cleaned in under 10 minutes, so don't put it off.

8. Finish each task completely before you start a new one.

9. Don't let this enslave you. Things don't have to be perfect and if you have fewer things, it is easier.

10. Now finally, don't get extreme. My mother was late to my wedding shower because she was doing her dishes. She should have gone to a fast food place that night. The story goes that my Grandma Violet caught the sawdust, as Grandpa Howard was building her home, before it fell to the floor. No need for extremes, just balance and not too much stuff.

This is what I mean--that it is an art worthy of your efforts because you want to be able to have time for this....