Camp Zarahemla

July 27, 2012
I have to admit, I was a tad skeptical about going to girls camp this year.

Our stake does things very differently than my ward/stake did when I was in the Young Women program. And we only had three very shy Beehives going. Three girls. Three leaders. I was terrified they would go the entire time without saying a single word to me and I'd be begging to go home.

I should have known better.

While I was looking forward to a hot shower in my own house (they did have showers but nothing's as nice as home), I was really sad to be leaving.

Firefly moments

July 26, 2012
Every ward was asked to come up with a light source for girls camp. Our girls picked fireflies. Although we should have picked Box Elder bugs since they were EVERYWHERE!!!

They came up with a funny firefly cheer and even used fireflies in our skit. But it wasn't until tonight's testimony meeting that I realized how special that light source was.

If you've ever seen a real firefly (I have!), you know they emit this soft light from their bums (I think technically it's their abdomens, but bums sounds more fun). They blink on and off and you can't help but stare at the blinking lights in the darkness. There's just something that draws you to their light.

Our YW President used this analogy during our testimony meeting. She gave us each a glow stick and said that each of us have "firefly moments" in our lives that when it's dark and we feel alone, we naturally turn to for light and guidance.

Maybe it was because we were at girls camp but I couldn't help reminiscing about my firefly moments during my own YW experiences.... Lori singing "Rise and Shine and Give God His Glory Glory" to wake us up each morning, Patty, synchronized swimming skits, hikes gone bad, my "girls", testimony meetings around the campfire, washing each others feet and hair, pranks, and unforgettable friendship and love. There have been others throughout my life but these ones were very near to my heart the past two days.

I told the girls I think the reason I was called to serve in YW was to help me remember these firefly moments. It wasn't for them... it was for me. I needed a reminder of the goodness, service, and love I once was and want to become again.

Girls Camp legend

July 25, 2012
Every girls camp has at least one legendary story that will be retold for years to come.

And ours involves an alarm clock. And a mattress. A really, really big mattress.

It all started when we began to set up camp. I was supposed to sleep with the other leaders in a tent, with the girls in their assigned cabin. Well... that was before our camp director blew up her air mattress. That thing was bigger than my own bed! When I saw it stuffed in her tent and my air mattress on it's side, I knew we had a problem. This ginormous air mattress (seriously people, it was as tall as a box spring and mattress set) took up the entire tent. It was so hilarious! I laughed about it every time I walked by her tent. Obviously, I was either sleeping under the stars or in the cabin with the girls. Cabin it was, Box Elder bugs and all!

Luckily, our girls are about as good as you can get and telling them it was lights out that night was no problem.

Until one of their alarm clocks went off. In the dead of night!

I was laying on my back when I woke up to this beeping noise. I sat straight up, startled and wondering what on earth that noise was. Only to remember the hard way that I didn't have enough room to actually sit up on the top bunk without smacking my head on the roof's rafters. I laid there for a couple of minutes trying to figure out what on earth was beeping. At first I thought it was my imagination or my phone.

But then it hit me. Brittany's alarm clock was going off! And it must have had fresh batteries in it because it wasn't stopping.

Apparently, only mothers can hear noises in the middle of the night because not a single girl heard a thing! I couldn't believe I was the only person awake. I debated for a long time what to do. Ignore it and try to fall back asleep. Attempt to not kill myself and get out of bed to find it myself. Yell at the girls to wake up. Or just pray the batteries die and soon.

I opted for the "loud whisper" technique to anyone that moved, even slightly. I guess teenagers really can sleep through their alarms because my loud whisperings didn't make a difference at all. By this point I was wide awake and knew I wouldn't be able to just ignore the beeping. Plus I was laughing at the whole situation. I finally got brave and decided to just yell Brittany's name until she woke up. Nothing. So I was mean and shone my flashlight right on her face while yelling her name. BINGO!

Poor Brittany didn't know what was going on at first. When she figured out what I was telling her (mind you, there was five other people snoozing away in there), she flopped over the side of her middle bunk to dig through her bag and turn the alarm clock off. I was laughing hysterically because I thought for sure she was going to fall out of bed! When she couldn't find it, she sat up and nearly smacked the door on her way down. More laughter from me and Brittany finally found her alarm clock.

I found out the next morning, that poor Brittany couldn't get her sleeping bag zipped back up after nearing falling out of bed to find that noisy alarm clock and froze. I felt bad because once that beeping stopped, I slept great.

My description doesn't do the whole situation justice. It was so funny! But I guarantee you, Brittany and our camp director, are NEVER going to live this one down!

Celebrating Pioneer Day

July 24, 2012
Today is Pioneer Day... a state holiday for Utah.

It's the day we celebrate our state's pioneer heritage and the settling of the Salt Lake Valley. So I should have taken a picture of something Pioneer Day-esque. Like Pearl glued to the T.V. watching the Days of '47 parade. Or a picture of one of my ancestors. Or a modern-day pioneer of sorts. But I didn't. Mainly because we didn't do anything to make our pioneer ancestors proud and because I don't have any pictures or know any pioneer ancestor stories.

But I'm guessing that the pioneers liked ice cream. And that if Nielsen's had been there to greet them in 1847, I'm fairly certain they'd have gotten a delicious custard to celebrate Pioneer Day just like Pearl and I did tonight.

Funny boy

July 23, 2012
This is how Cole decided to ride in the cart at the grocery store this afternoon. The BIG car grocery cart that he screamed at me to get or else he would die! You know which ones I'm talking about.

Hey. Whatever keeps me sane and the food we don't need on the shelves, right?

Goodbye Orangeville

July 22, 2012
It's always sad to leave the "ranch" aka the Peacock Family reunion. After all, it's Pearl's absolute most favorite vacation of the entire summer.

ATV ride redemption

July 21, 2012
The last picture of Jeff and I on an ATV ride was a tad different than this one.

Cold.

Wet. (Like dripping, soaked wet rats kind of wet.)


Frowning.

Miserable.

And very, very disappointed.

Today? All smiles! And covered - I mean covered - in mud.

Arapeen Trail and Reeder Canyon... thank you for redeeming our anniversary ATV disaster!!!!

The only place that both sucks and blows

July 20, 2012
I always know we are heading into Spanish Fork Canyon when we see the giant windmills. They really are cool to watch. Of course, Jeff has to make a joke about them, instead of admiring the awesome technology.

"See. Here's proof that Utah County is the only place that both sucks and blows at the same time."

He really hates anything that has to do with BYU. It's shocking we have any friends left.

(But it was pretty funny!)

Which one should I choose?

July 19, 2012
There were three different pictures I debated about for today's post.

It started out with "third" breakfast and Pearl's typical crazy, bed head. If you're not a mom, you won't get this so let me explain. Both kids woke up declaring their tummies were starving and after 15 minutes of banter back and forth decided they wanted toast. Just one piece. Then another. Then another. Six pieces of toast consumed one piece at a time because heaven forbid, I make two at once!

Then I went to work. Blah. Not picture worthy.

But I skipped out early to meet my best friend Becky for ice cream at Leatherby's. I don't deserve her. Every time she comes to Utah for a family thing or something work related with her husband's employer, she calls. And we get ice cream! I love her. Definitely picture worthy... except I need longer arms to get a picture of us together and it wouldn't hurt to get rid of my old, saggy, pimple-covered skin and crooked teeth. But Becky looked beautiful!

Then, when we got home, as happens almost daily, the kids wanted Popsicles. And Cole has to have a blue Popsicle. Blue. Everything that kid sees or wants is blue. Blue. Blue. Blue!!! Even our dog is going to be called, Blu (yes, I know the "e" is missing).

I wish you could buy entire bags of just blue Popsicle!

Waggling

July 18, 2012

Waggling (pronounced "w-oggle-ing").
When you are unsure if you are moving fast enough to consider it jogging but not slow enough to be walking. A state between walking and jogging in which I find myself most mornings. Not to be confused by a "waggle" which means to move repeatedly from side to side.

I know my feet are gross, but I was proud of myself for getting up to go on a run this morning, blister and all.

I think I'm hitting a good milestone in my progress. My body now wakes up around 6 a.m. whether I actually get up or not. And most importantly, I feel gross all day if I don't exercise first thing in the morning. Now if I can just muster up enough self determination to run instead of "waggling" (see definition above). 

Me

July 17, 2012
We've reached the slightly annoying "Mom! Me!" (translation, "I can do it myself") stage.

Super heroes

July 16, 2012
I was paid a visit today by two super heroes.

Strangely, at this exact moment, the two whiny, disobedient, messy children that usually occupy our home were no where to be found.

Too bad they don't come around more often.

The candy dispenser

July 15, 2012
Every time we go to my parent's house, Cole makes a beeline for one thing.

The candy dispenser.

My Grandpa Jewkes made it a few years back. We have one but it sits on Jeff's desk at work, full of Mike & Ikes. My mom knows Cole loves peanut M&Ms and makes sure that thing is stocked full. Cole knows how to turn the handle until the dispenser catches a piece of candy, dropping it down to play a fun melody of clanks all the way to the bottom. He stuffs his face full of chocolate as fast as he can turn the handle until his mean old mom (aka, me) takes it away.

Of course, no Grandma will let their precious, spoiled rotten grandchild go without so I'm slowly learning that it's easier to just let him have it for as long as he wants. Otherwise my mom just hands him a bowl of M&Ms!

Moments

July 14, 2012
There are some moments when you stop and wonder how anyone could ever deny we are children of a loving God.

Muddy tires

July 13, 2012
So as not to spoil my post about our Richfield ATV adventure on my family blog, I'll just say that going home with red mud all over your tires must mean you had some fun. Right?

The "other" woman

July 12, 2012
I tend to not get too overly jealous when it comes to Jeff.

Except for one thing.

Sandy.

She's a coworker of Jeff's who has the magic touch when it comes to baking. That woman can bake the most delicious, moist, heavenly piece of cake you've ever eaten. I want to hate her because when she brings treats to work that's all I hear about for DAYS on end! Sandy this and Sandy that and oh, I wish you'd make me a delicious carrot cake or pumpkin spice cake or homemade peanut butter cup like Sandy does. It wasn't until Jeff snuck home a few of her goodies to prove to me that she really is as amazing as he raved about that I believed him. I mean, I make a pretty soft, sugary chocolate chip cookie myself. But nothing compared to what Sandy bakes.

So when he brought home an entire pumpkin spice cake for his birthday earlier this week, I both cursed and praised this woman's name 'cause I've been eating a slice (or two) every night since!

The romance after 10 years

July 11, 2012
I'm telling ya the romance after 10 years of marriage to Jeff is almost indescribable.

When I asked him what we were going to do on our anniversary today, he replied with the following:

"Well, I don't know what you're going to do but I'm going to buy me a shed (translation wives, a big man shed to hold your man toys in that you'll throw your back out lifting), go to work, then take my bike in to get fixed and buy me a new iPhone."

Oh wait. It gets better.

When I asked him what I get for 10 years, he said, "My happiness."

It's a good thing that man has made me laugh every single day for the last 10 years, even when I want to make him sleep on the couch!

The joke

July 10, 2012
The best Popsicles are the ones with jokes on the sticks. My kids love them. I swear they devour through boxes of Popsicles just to get a new joke in their repertoire.

Every time they finish another Popsicle off, they run over and ask me to read their joke. Even Cole gets in on the action. Today, after he asked me in his own babble that no one understands until he throws the Popsicle at you and screams "MOM!", and I read the joke (What animal unlocked the farm gate? The turkey), he giggled like he totally understood the punch line.

Now that's a good Popsicle! Hilarious.

Free museum day

July 9, 2012
I should have known when it took me an hour to "buy" our free tickets online to the Natural History Museum of Utah, that it was going to be crowded. Apparently every other mom in Northern Utah had the same idea I did. Take the kids to do something free and potentially educational.

We saw more bugs and butterflies than I thought possible. We "roarrrred" at dinosaur bones, created wind, saw how earthquakes break apart the earth, put together puzzles of the cells in our bodies, played in the "backyard" with bug catchers, made Native American good luck animals, and searched for dinosaur bones outside (all while avoiding the rattlesnakes... there were warning signs everywhere). But I think the highlight of the trip for the kids was eating crackers in their cafe area and riding the shuttle bus from the parking lot to the museum. With that highlight, it's a good thing I didn't pay a dime to get in!

A gift for someone special

July 8, 2012
We had somewhat of a rough Sabbath morning.

Fine. Somewhat is an understatement.

In the midst of celebrating Jeff's birthday, my two kids who have gone to bed way later than they should be ever since summer began decided to push me almost to the max.

It's not that it's necessarily any different than most days what with the whining, fighting, screaming, crying, and sassyness. But today, I was supposed to teach YW on keeping the Sabbath day holy.

Um. Yeah. How is one supposed to do that when it took everything inside of you to keep from swearing at your kids or banishing to their room for life? At one point, I walked over to the sink, praying for a pile of dishes to scrub the ready-to-implode-mean-mom away.

God must have a sense of humor.

But He also must know that sometimes moms need tender moments to make all the chaos and tears worth it. Like today, when Pearl handed me this bag filled with taffy and a note that simply said "Thank you!" She told me she was supposed to give it to someone very special. And she picked me.

I guess I'll call off the gypsies for another day.

Worth the mess

July 7, 2012
Good grief!

Does anyone else's kitchen look like this after they fix dinner? I think I used almost every single appliance, bowl, spatula, and spoon we have! I seriously wonder if all those amazing food bloggers have secret maids or house elves who do nothing but clean up as they cook away. It took almost as long to clean up as it did to cook!

But it was oh, so worth it.

Brazillian lemonade (make sure you have the sugar water very cold and then, yum)
Black Beans and Rice with Chicken and Apple Salsa (one of our favorite dinners)

Hen and chicks

July 6, 2012 
From the all-knowing Wikipedia: Hen and chicks (Latin name Sempervivum tectorum) is a common name for a group of small succulents belonging to the flowering plant family Crassulaceae, native to Europe and northern Africa. They grow close to the ground with leaves formed around each other in a rosette, and propagating by offsets. The "hen" is the main plant, and the "chicks" are the offspring, which start as tiny buds on the main plant and soon sprout their own roots, taking up residence close to the mother plant. 

My grandma always had hen and chicks growing in her rock garden. They're drought-tolerant, super easy care plants perfect for xeriscape gardens or between pavers on patios or walkways. I can't help but smile and feel happy when I see them.

On the bright side, we have a clean floor now

July 5, 2012
Thanks to a little boy who found a black marker while his mom was cooking dinner, our floor is now Pine-sol clean.

Just don't tell his Dad what he did.... I'd rather have him believe I'm just that good of a wife.

Pop-Its

July 4, 2012
Introduced my kids to one of my 4th of July childhood favorites today.

They loved 'em.

Summer pasta

July 3, 2012
If anyone complains about dinner tonight, I just might completely lose it!!!!!

(Thank you Our Best Bites for a delicious breadstick - with my touch of herbs and cheeses added - and Lemon-herb Zucchini Fettuccine recipes)

Red, white, and blue

July 2, 2012
We've have a lot of laughs the past few days watching cars drive by then turn around to see our "Ditto" sign with an arrow pointing to house next door. Then they pull out their cameras or phones and take a picture all while pointing and laughing. It's funny.

Our neighbors are sort of holiday nuts, especially with the 4th of July. We, on the other hand, are somewhat lacking in the decor department. Well, today I finally got out some red, white, and blue. Ironically, some red, white, and blue that our neighbor gave me last year.

Better late than never, right?

Blue toes

July 1, 2012
Since we've been wearing flippy-flops as Cole calls them, for months now, I should have busted out the fingernail polish long ago. I know my feet could use a cute distraction from the gross, dry cracks all over my heels.

I just wish my "blue" toes as Cole says (the color is really turquoise) looked as cute as his and Pearl's piggy toes.

(You don't think I'll traumatize the kid by painting his toes, right? He really wanted blue toes too and by golly, they look so cute painted!)