Historic moments

What historic moments do you remember in your lifetime? Isn't it a strange feeling when you know that you are living through some event that you know will change history and go down in history books. From my early childhood I remember when Regan was elected president. I was only four, but I have vivid memories of standing in front of the TV with my parents watching the news coverage and we were all so ecstatic and talking about what we would call him "Mr. Reagan, Mr. President, President Reagan, President Ronald Reagan...etc." The next vivid historical moment for me was watching the Challenger explode on TV. When the Berlin Wall came down everyone was talking about the times we live in. When my first friend was called to serve a mission in Russia. The 2000 election fiasco in Florida. September 11th, 2001. And now, this historical election season, where people are so involved and interested in the political process again. I can't wait for this Tuesday when we will know who our next president will be. It feels like a historic moment to me.

Pumpkins, Lollipops, Cinnamon Rolls, Snakes

This morning when Nikolay opened the door to leave for work , he said,"There is a snake out here." My first thought was that maybe the neighbors' Halloween decorations got blown into our yard, but when we all went to look, this is what we saw. He was sure that it there was a good chance that it was poisonous and bravely trapped it in a paper bag and release it in the retention pond behind our house.

Out of frugality, I have been baking more lately. Whenever I bake something for someone else, I make a double batch so that there is some for my family too. I made some cinnamon rolls for a baby shower, and the second batch that I made for my family was gobbled up almost instantaneously. Nikolay even came home from work to have some fresh ones. It was such a success that later that same night I decided to make some more. They turned out so lovely, I decided to post a picture of them.

Last Saturday we carved our pumpkins, I'll post some pictures of them lit tomorrow, but here are some of the process.Everyone expressing their love for their respective pumpkins.
Papa carefully carving Ariel's creation.
EW, what is that gunk in there?


I know most people like Halloween, but I don't get too excited about it, especially because of the onslaught of candy giving for the whole season. How are their teeth supposed to survive this?
I threw this lollipop away as soon as it was out of his mouth just getting stuff sticky. Have you ever heard kids do this joke where they say, "Are you afraid of a lollipop?" Then they make a circle with their hand saying, "Lolly, lolly, lolly, POP!" And try to make you blink. Well this joke has been going around my household for at least six months now, and even Dallin can do it.

Gwyneth's new blog

For a while now I have been trying to get my sister to start her own blog, and today she called to share some good news: her 11 year-old daughter has started one for the family. You can find it here. GO GWYNETH !!!

Dallin's haircut and staying happy

OK, so that is not Dallin's haircut, but something else that I accomplished today, baking sour-dough bread from my homemade sour-dough starter.

I have been reading a lot of blogs lately, I think it helps me not feel lonely, but then I think that I should make more of an effort to interact with people that I see everyday, but that is hard knowing that we will move from here soon, I really don't feel like putting down roots here, I am resisting it. And by moving from here, I don't mean out of the area, just to our "real" house. Anyway, what I really like about other people's blogs is when they write a lot about things that get me thinking. I have been going through this phase with this blog thinking that no one wants to read what I have to say, and pictures are way better to let the general public know how we are doing, but now the pendulum is swinging back to the writing side. Now that I have a site counter I have come to grips with the fact that the only people who read my blog regularly are my family and a few friends, so if you want to keep reading I'll keep writing but I'll put pictures in too so you can just skip all the blah blah blah words if you want to.
I was reading a girl's blog today who is a single student at BYU and it really took me back to those lonely college days. I was possibly more creative and philosophical then, but kinda sad about the uncertainty of the future. Just thinking about that makes me really grateful for my life now. Sometimes all of the mundane things about being a full-time mom weigh on me but mostly I am glad that I have something to keep me busy, and it is not just anything like washing dishes at a restaurant for minimum wage, but there are millions of opportunities to help my small children grow, there for my taking. I love how smart my kids are and how they just soak up information like sponges, and develop new skills quickly -- it helps me with the whole instant gratification thing. I can feel like I am really accomplishing things little by little each day. I like that I am my own boss, and the only reason I clean my house is because that is the way I like it, and make dinner because I want my family to eat and like what they are eating. Those things are motivation enough to just do them. I think all of these things about my job/season in life help me to stay happy for the most part. Another big part of it is knowing for sure that I am doing with my life what the Lord wants me to be doing, and receiving periodic confirmations of that.
I was going to take Dallin to get his hair cut today, but due to automotive problems yesterday, and the burden of paying for them, I decided, regardless of my past failure in the area, to cut his hair myself. I have been putting it off because I didn't want to part with his naturally sun bleached baby-curls. But now that it is done, he does look slightly older in my eyes, which is what I anticipated, but still cute as ever, just a little more clean-cut, which can be good for a little while, but I am reassured that I can always let it get a little shaggy again. But back to the issue of job satisfaction, when Nikolay came home I jokingly asked how much he thought Dallin's haircut cost, and later joked that I should get $10 for doing such a great job, but upon further contemplation, the satisfaction of a job well done in this case is priceless.


What, eating spaghetti noodles on the bed? Are you crazy Heather? Slightly, but there is a back story involving Dallin missing lunch because he was napping and then Annika falling asleep in the stroller so we tiptoed upstairs to have Dallin eat while Annika slept. Why can't these kids get synchronized? (It is actually my fault for talking to Rebekah on the phone too long and putting off lunch and naps too long.) And it was a pretty good "before" shot of his shaggy hair. Sorry for breaking my own rule about reserving the big pictures to just great photography.

More cute baby curls that are about to be chopped off.

Clean-cut Dallin smiling for the camera.

And a side view of the haircut while happy youngster is enjoying a very nutritious marshmallow while he is riding his bike. I am SUCH a good mom. (sarcasm)

Annika's Birthday

Even though I now know how to post really big pictures, I think I'll save it for pictures that I think are really great photography, not really cute kid pictures and milestones.Annika asked for a pink puppy cake. Did I deliver? It was really stretching my mommy talents.
Here's the whole crew, as usual, not all for us are looking at the camera or smiling, but we can't just stand around taking pictures all day when there are candles to blow out (subsequently magically turning 3), and cake to eat and presents to open and goody bags to enjoy, can we?

Today while we were waiting at Adriana's bus stop, Dallin reaches his little arm as high up as he could and stood on his tip-toes thrusting a leaf in my lofty direction and said, "Lea!" Which means, "Mom look, I found a leaf for you isn't it great?" So, I enthusiastically replied, "Thanks, Dallin." To which Annika emphatically (how she usually expresses herself) says in her cute new-found know-it-all three-year-old voice, "Mom, leavvvis awe not bootiful!" (Mom leaves are not beautiful, don't you know?) Then Ariel explained in her patient big sister voice that in the fall leaves change into all different colors and they can be beautiful, (Don't you know?).

The Secret of the Big Pictures

I found out how to post big pictures from reading a stranger's blog who explained it very well. Click here to find out for yourselves, and happy posting!

Question

I have a question for you all (I like to pretend that like 50 people or more read my blog, but I know it is at tops 5, but I'll just keep pretending). Have you ever heard of the notion that you actually turn your new age the moment you blow out your candles on your birthday cake? That idea has been circulating around my household lately, and it was news to me.

8 things tag

My friend Rebekah tagged me a while ago, and I am finally going to respond because it was so nice of her to think of me and because I noticed that I haven't been writing a lot lately, just posting lots of pictures, so here goes.

8 TV shows that I love to watch

This one is hard to answer because we mostly just watch movies because we don't have cable and don't get very many channels, but I will try my best (I'll try to leave kids PBS shows out of the list too)
Lost (watched all available DVDs from the library)
Super Nanny (really got into it before we moved, but haven't watched it since)
Frontline (PBS)
Oprah (that's what I used to watch in the afternoon when I folded laundry)
Martha Stewart (ditto)
(Now I am really running out of ideas, I really don't like all of the crime shows that are on in the evenings, what happened to sitcoms anyway? I used to love the Cosby Show and Growing Pains)
The Office (I can get it online from netflix)

8 Favorite restaurants (of all time)
Christos ( a fancy Greek place in Minneapolis)
Lemon Grass Thai (in Salt Lake City)
Bombay House (SLC)
East West Connection (Sit down, Chinese/Vietnamese in SLC)
Olive Garden is a good stand-by
Ichiban Japanese Steak House
The Red Iguana (SLC)
The Purple Onion (Minneapolis, I just really like the name)
Generally, the thing I like most about a restaurant is atmosphere, after great food of course. I like private booths with high walls rather than being out in the open like on stage.

8 Things that happened yesterday
I decided that kids books from Walmart were great party favors for Annika's birthday party.
I considered taking pictures in the park to be a good use of my time with my toddlers.
Nikolay came home really late from work. Weird. But he did call so it wasn't that big of a deal.
We didn't have a great dinner(due in part to aforementioned condition), although everyone did get fed.
Vacuumed the house (I really hope our real house will have more hardwood floors)
Balanced the budget.
Read with the kids.
Tried to stay positive with everyone.

8 things I look forward to
Governor Palin appearing on SNL.
Selling our house in Utah.
Thanksgiving with the Miners.
PETER'S WEDDING
Christmas.
Annika being totally potty trained. (we're getting there)
finishing the quilt I am working on
Buying our dream home

8 Things on my wish list
I wish I had a knack for interior design. I definitely know what I don't like, but I can seem to make my home look good to me.
I wish I had a gym membership again. (There is no Bally's out here and with small kids to only way I can really get in shape is to go to the gym where there are great classes and equipment and they watch my kids.)
I wish I was already there with my parenting goals, but I guess it is all about the journey, right?

I know that is not 8, but that's the best I can do tonight.

I tag: Emily, Erin, *Mary*, Jessica, The Hermit Mom, Carrie and my sisters, Maegan and Rebekah, but wait they would have to start real blogs first.

Just Experimenting with BIG pictures

Lots of Pictures of Annika, she is the Birthday girl after all

I love that crisp autumn air.Annika kept giving me these special leaves.
I couldn't get Dallin to look up, but aren't his eyelashes gorgeous?
another bird house. I just love them
Here is my red nature mosaic. Do you like it? I think I am getting better with the camera.

I went back to that park again today to take some more pictures. We took Nikolay their on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and the fall colors were really coming out. I was kicking myself for not bringing the camera. There was a maple tree with bright red leaves and the sky was so blue (a rarity around here, it is usually gray) so everyday since then I have been wanting to go back and take a picture of it. I finally got the chance today and the sky was blue again, but the leaves weren't red anymore, they were more like yellow. I got a lot of good shots of Annika though.

We like reading!

I have caught my family reading together a lot lately. I just noticed that the only pictures that I have taken in the past week were those of everybody reading. Spontaneous reading sure does make this mom happy, and I kept wanting to catch it on camera. Now if I could just get a hold of a good novel. I finally got 2 books that I requested from the Inter Library Loan system, How to Hug Porcupine, and How to Behave so Your Children Will Too! I need to hurry and finish them before they are due so that I can get back to Reviving Ophelia and A New Earth that I just started before those two came in. If you count the book I was reading before those, Galileo's Daughter, that makes 5 non-fiction books in a row. No wonder I spend so much time reading strangers' blogs, I need something with a good story line.
Like Strawberry Shortcake on the Beach, or Mr.Brown can Moo, Can You?
Or Strawberry Shortcake's World of Friends
Or Fingers Fingers Thumbs Thumbs, or Rikki Tikki Tembo.

Birdhouses, Favorite quotes from conference and a Photo Shoot in the Park on Yom Kippur, not in that order

The girls couldn't stay out of the trees. At least they let me take their pictures.
Notice Ariel's biker shorts peeking out, there will be a quiz later in this post and that is an important detail to remember.
.This kid is so cute, but it is so hard to get him to stand still for a picture, most of my shots of him are where he is running away, and giggling. His hair is getting kinda long, but the thought of cutting it makes me sad, the sun has really lightened it up and cutting it will probably make it look darker.
Don't you just love her smiling eyes? (Even if she's doing something goofy with her mouth.)




So the big girls didn't have school today because it was Yom Kippur, and I wanted to go somewhere fun with them, and take advantage of the nice weather while we still have it. There were these cool bird houses in the rose garden part of the park. I thought they were really cuteI have been trying to get better at my photography skills and have been learning about different settings on the camera I really like how this one turned out the focus and lighting, it was taken from really far away, too bad it isn't a prettier fruit like and apple.
Can you see the REAL bird in there?





These two pictures aren't that great, but they are before and after pictures, so I want you to look at them and figure out what is different about what the kids are wearing.
We went to this great park that has trails and streams and ponds, and lots of neat spots to take pictures. I kept trying to get a good picture of Annika and she kept running away from me. She ran around a bush so that I couldn't see her, then I heard a loud SPLOSH. She had fallen in, luckily it wasn't very deep at all. Everyone chipped in and donated her an article of clothing so we could take her wet clothes off. Have you figured out what they were? Ariel gave her her biker shorts, Adriana her shirt, since she had an undershirt on, and Dallin his sweatshirt which we tied around her waist to hold up the biker shorts.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from conference:

Elder Bednar said"...meaningful morning prayer is an important element in the spiritual creation of each day—and precedes the temporal creation or the actual execution of the day. Just as the temporal creation was linked to and a continuation of the spiritual creation, so meaningful morning and evening prayers are linked to and are a continuation of each other.

Consider this example. There may be things in our character, in our behavior, or concerning our spiritual growth about which we need to counsel with Heavenly Father in morning prayer. After expressing appropriate thanks for blessings received, we plead for understanding, direction, and help to do the things we cannot do in our own strength alone. For example, as we pray, we might:

• Reflect on those occasions when we have spoken harshly or inappropriately to those we love the most.
• Recognize that we know better than this, but we do not always act in accordance with what we know.
• Express remorse for our weaknesses and for not putting off the natural man more earnestly.
• Determine to pattern our life after the Savior more completely.
• Plead for greater strength to do and to become better.

Such a prayer is a key part of the spiritual preparation for our day."

This was one of those deep thoughts, that made me really want to change how I do things. I felt like he was speaking directly to me.

Elder Perry said, "One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us—to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic."

It is good to hear this acknowledgment. I have the tendency to give myself a hard time for having to deal with the "natural man" so it is good to hear that dealing with different struggles in life is what we are supposed to be doing and that there is nothing wrong with me because I do have challenges. I loved the comparisons that he made with Thoreau's concepts of food, clothes, shelter and fuel and the mind-body connection.

From President Uchtdorf I loved all that he had to say about hope. Here is just a bit that really illustrates the difference between despair and hope: "Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.

Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear."

Some pictures I love

Adriana and Dallin building together.
Dallin hugging Adriana after he made her cry pulling her hair.
Ariel and Dallin sitting in laundry baskets, a favorite past time of Dallin's and a first time venture for Ariel.
Annika loving Taz, maybe a little too much.
Me and my girls at Lock Ridge Park.
Ariel. I love the contrast of the dark background against her light hair.
My dear somewhat-overprotective husband watching Dallin's ever step.
Stay tuned for my conference post. I loved it and am taking some time to process and listen to my favorite talks again. Some of my favorites were Elder Perry's,President Uchtdorf's, Elder Bednar's and President Eyring's.