No coat needed....naturally

There must be an unwritten rule that is not cool to wear weather appropriate clothing to Jr. High. This morning, with snow on the ground, Josh hops in the car "senza" coat. (pulling a little I-talian there) I make a comment and he replies, "I need a coat?? Should I go back and get one?" Pulling out my best "love and logic" answer, I respond, "No, I guess you don't need a coat." I really had to bite my tongue from giving him a lecture. I kept telling myself, if he's cold he will learn and he has to learn for himself (a la "Parenting With Love and Logic"). As carpool continued, I wasn't sure if my mind should be put at ease or I should be more perplexed. One boy we picked up not only had no jacket, but was wearing shorts. As we pulled up to school, we were surrounded by kids with no jackets, shorts and get this....flip flops. Yes, I'm sure of it: there is an unwritten rule that you should dress completely opposite of what is appropriate.

I can have my cake and eat it, too

And, the calories don't count on your birthday, right?! Talk about a cake. Check this out; red velvet cheesecake. Holy cow. Delicious. Of course Chad went out of his way to spoil me. He never fails to surprise me and make me feel so special. He loves doing things for me and I love that he does things for me! I'm one lucky girl. 

On Sunday, I asked my primary class how old they thought I was. One child exclaimed, "Fifty-nine!!" Today a girl came to the door selling magazines and asked if my mother was home. I think she was hoping for a sale and proceeded to tell me she thought I looked fourteen or fifteen (is that even a compliment?). So, let's just split the different and call it good at 37. Not that I'm having a hard time with my age advancing, but I will say that saying this number felt like a bit of a jump. You know how some birthdays just make go, "Hmmm, I'm getting older." Clearly, the best solution for any uncertain feelings is...CAKE! And, I enjoyed plenty of it.

I'm sailing away....

One of my favorite Styx songs is all too appropriate for the send off of my boys "little boy" room. If you know me, you know that I've always loved a good nautical theme for a boy. A little boy. Not a big boy and certainly not a teenager. Yes, my boys are growing up and it's time to let them move onto older themes. sniff sniff  The sailboats have more than done their job...they've been used in three house. It was time to let them retire. I actually had a hard time putting together their room. If you have boys, you know there seems to be limitations on what you can do for a boy. Once they get older, you can't let a theme (ie. sailboats) over take the room and yet, I didn't want the room to be consumed by a boring color palate.

Enter navy, green and orange. I think I found a good middle ground. And can I just say, I love the green on the walls....it's a great green....a boyish green. I have two favorite finds for the room. Can you guess what they are? The lockers and the Times Square photo. The lockers were another awesome KSL classifieds find. Cost me all of $100. They were a minty/appley green...nothing a little navy spray paint couldn't fix. (If you ask me, spray paint can fix just about anything) And that cool wall art, you ask? My beloved IKEA for a mere $60. Love, love it...feel like it brings just the right amount of cool to the room. The metal bookcases (had to saw the legs down to make them the right size) and the navy ledge shelves by their beds (perfect for Ipod and book holding) are other IKEA finds. I also love Josh's little music/lounge corner. I just knew my old paper rack could be put to good use...perfect for holding all his music and magazines. I also love the guitar hanging on the wall...useful art!

Lest you think I'm a ball of energy and just completed this, dont worry.  I did this almost a year ago, but never got around to photographing it! See the "very clean" before photo? Well, I thought of not including that and letting you think my kids rooms are always clean by using only the cropped shots. That's why I never got an after shot...the room pretty much always looks like that and you just can't have a messy after shot, right? So, today, after a big family cleaning rally, I knew my photo-op had arrived and it would quickly pass if I didn't take advantage of it. SOOO....there you have it, the boys (not so) new, improved,  and more grown up room!

In America's history, I see a light of liberty....

Today was the 5th grade program. This program was about America and it was full of history and patriotism. Andrew's favorite song was the one in the title of this post. I, too,  loved this song. There were a couple others that were new to me as well. They also sang the "Star Spangled Banner"(two verses!), "Fifty Nifty United States" (who can forget that one!), "This Land is Your Land" (a childhood favorite). Andrew was part of the "history police." He delivered his lines perfectly and with feeling, it was adorable. The program ended with a touching tribute to all those who have served and are serving in the armed forces.

Better than any medication...

...blue skies, a surprise flower in bloom and sun! As far as I'm concerned, it is SPRING!!! Spring colors, new growth and more sun. There are few things that make me happier. I have had a smile on my face all day. Once March 1st hits, I am full of spring fever. I don't need to wait until the 21st and my little crocus that surprised me this morning confirmed it as well. Certainly it will snow again, but no matter....spring is here!

The dining room is at 90%

I was recently reading a friend's blog and she talked about being a 90%er. That is so me. I tend to get 90% of a project done and either lose steam, run out of ideas or the money is gone. Pretty soon, I just accept how it is and call it good. So, that being said, here is the dining room project that I started 4 months ago and finished 4 months ago. Hopefully someday it will have curtains and be fully accessorized, but for now, this is how it will stay.

In the original post about this project, I mentioned a possible splurge. Can you see what it is? It's the new columns under the arch. From the day we bought the home that "floating arch" has driven me crazy. Where you see the white panels, there was nothing at all. I am a visual person and the arch was visually unsupported. Now, my eyes are at ease with an arch that is supported by the white paneled columns.

If you had ever told me I would have a metallic gold dining room, I would have laughed. Thankfully we are all allowed changes in opinion and taste. I love, love the result. I used the Ralph Lauren Regent Metallic paint. It is the Parlor Gold. A bit more pricey, but worth it.

One of my favorite things in the dining room is the chandelier. That was a find from the KSL classifieds. A mighty good find of $65(it retails for $400!)! This light was brand new, all I did was paint it black. I already had the table.  I am still working on the perfect centerpiece...any ideas anyone(please)?  I recycled the chairs from my previous kitchen table by painting them black. Yes, they are a bit casual , but I love the look with the upholstered end chairs (IKEA). Those IKEA chairs were so reasonable and are so fabulous. The slipcovers are fully removable (washable!) and the chair is very sturdy and comfortable. These were half the price of the chairs I almost bought from Pier 1 which felt very cheap.  I am so happy with the crisp black, white and gold scheme and I love how it coordinates with the living room. I am planning on painting the living room a color with a little more "umph" and something that will hopefully compliment the dining room.

So, whose ready to come over for dinner?

One memorable night....

  ...and to think he almost missed it! We had made some weekend plans with friends before we realized the conflict with the Daddy Daughter Date night for the Activity Day girls. For about 1/2 a second we thought, "Eh, we can miss it." So glad that insane thought quickly left. I don't think I've seen Chad and Sarah have this much fun in a long time. Chad texted me a couple times through the night to let me know and I think the pictures speak for themselves. They were both beaming! What a special night!

A week of celebration!

I think it's safe to say Andrew had a good birthday this year. After all, the celebration stretched throughout the week! Monday, we celebrated as a family, Tuesday he had a special dinner date with G'ma and G'pa Jensen, Friday he had a bowling party with friends and that night he had a birthday sleepover with Grammy and Papa in Provo.

A little project...

My sister, Heather and I did a fun project yesterday. We made upholstered headboards. All it took was some plywood, batting, fabric, nail heads and staples. Final cost? Fifty dollars! Not bad for a king size headboard. Since we were limited on tools and talent, we kept the design profile and details very simple. Once we worked out a few kinks, it went really fast. I think it turned out pretty good and it's nice to finally have a headboard!

Andrew just turned 11....

...and he still has a twinkle in his eyes. Seems that not even age can dull that angelic twinkle.
How can it be that 11 years have passed since my "Angel Andrew" was born? His entrance into the world was a bit rough for mom, but he has more than made up for it. Andrew is my "pleaser" child; always wanting to do exactly what he should. Well, I guess I should be a little more clear: he does exactly what he should when it comes to schoolwork...not so much when it comes to housework. ;) We all need something to work on, don't we? Recently, at parent-teacher conference, his teacher wished she had "twenty-five Andrew's." I'd have to agree, the world would be a little bit better with more of us like Andrew.

Andrew started out his birthday with waffles and bacon served on the special red plate. On the way to school, he was serenaded by the carpool. Seeing Sarah whispering to the others to organize the singing brought such a smile to my face. Andrew chose Training Table for dinner....he's a burger and fries kind of boy.

The celebration will continue through the week with a dinner date with G'ma and G'pa Jensen, a bowling party on Friday and sleepover with G'ma and G'pa Medeiros. Happy Birthday, Andrew....we love you!!!

True Story

While sitting at parent-teacher conference this last week, I discussed possible solutions with the teacher to help my child make sure work is turned in. We've had some issues with work not being turned in. I am all for my child learning self reliance and responsibility, but this is the third grade we talking about here and there still needs to be guidance.

The conversation begins with me asking,

"Do you call for the kids to turn in their homework each morning or at certain time during the day?" 

(I wonder what the classroom routine is. I wonder if my child is just not hearing this "call" for work, if she is day dreaming or if she is even aware that homework needs to be turned in.)

To this question, I get the reply,

"That's a really good idea. 
I think I will start doing that."

I was speechless.

Andrew takes the D.A.R.E. pledge

You know the school has a successful program when your child comes home talking about it. For the last three weeks, Andrew and his fellow 5th graders have participated in the D.A.R.E program. This is an anti-drug program that teaches kids the dangers of drugs and ways to cope with the pressures they will face. I tell you, Andrew sure loved this program and took it very seriously. (That's my Andrew!) Each of the students were asked to write an essay about what they learned. Two children were chosen from each class to read their essay at the assembly...and Andrew's was chosen. (That's my Andrew!) Like I said, Andrew took this program to heart...so much so, that he even wanted to include it on his Valentine box!
I could tell Andrew was very excited about the assembly...he only asked me three different times if I was coming and if I knew what time it was at. The assembly was really fun for the kids...complete with Miss South Jordan and the Jazz Bear. Andrew did a great job reading his essay and even received a goodie bag for this recognition. After the diplomas were passed out, the parents were treated to a performance of the D.A.R.E. song. Good job, Andrew and always remember what you learned!

A little love....

We started the day with a favorite tradition: pink heart pancakes and pink milk. The kids love it (and it's easy, too!) This year the plates greeted them with special certificates and a favorite magazine. (I did say "little" in the title, didn't? lol I'm all for keeping things low-key.) When I was trying to think of a little something to give each of the kids, there just wasn't anything I felt was worth spending money on. Besides, what is Valentine's day all about anyway? What better than a little one-one time with each parent? I think the time spent will be much more rewarding that some silly gift or over-priced game we could have given them. Chad and I said, "No gifts." Apparently, Chad doesn't know what that means. He treated me to my favorite "V" chocolates. I, on the otherhand, am a woman of my word....I gave him a card.
After church, we headed up to Kaysville for a Valentine's dinner and FHE. Crazy and yummy as always. It wouldn't be a Jensen gathering without something spilling, breaking or melting. This time, it was a plastic bottle of sprinkles melting all over the stove. Cameron headed up a great FHE discussion on emergency preparedness. I feel pretty okay with the efforts I made so far, but got some great ideas for improvements and additions. This discussion also served to sufficiently freak out Sarah. lol All in all a great night!

Earlier in the week, we had a great time decorating cookies with Grammy and Papa. G'ma Ginger even came, too! Midweek was consumed with getting the valentine cards filled out and the boxes done. Sarah requested a cupid this year and Andrew really wanted his box to feature D.A.R.E. (the anti drug program he just completed at school). Jenna's preschool teacher requested that the kids not only write their name on all the cards, but the names of the classmates as well. I was so impressed with how well Jenna did...that was a lot of writing! I had a 'sweet' surprise when Andrea dropped off some of her super gorgeous sugar cookies. They were almost too pretty to eat...almost.

"The best day ever."

A couple weeks ago Josh experienced "the best day ever." First, he played in the Jr. High talent show. Before you think, "eh, big deal," it was a big deal. They had to audition and nearly 100 kids/acts auditioned. Only about 30 made it! I was impressed that he had the guts to try out in the first place and thrilled for him when he made it. I was shocked at the level of talent. I seriously don't remember having a talent pool like this when I was Jr. High. Furthermore, I don't think I would have had the guts to get up there. Josh pulled it off without hitch...his father was proud and it was so fun to hear all the cheers for him!




That night, he had a double header in basketball. Josh is playing on a competition level team this year which ups the stress a bit. Sometimes, I feel like I'm the bad luck...things don't go so well when I show up (more often than not, I stay home w/ the other kids). Tonight was different. Josh had an amazing game. It was so fun to see him have some great contributions to the game...like this shot shown below:



Looking back over the years, I think we all have a day or two that stands out as being a day you won't forget. This day was definitely one for Josh. Good work, Josh...you're awesome!

St. George 1/2 Marathon

Well, I did it. Fifteen weeks of training all culminated this last weekend in 13.1 long miles. I will spare the details of nerves and anxiety hampering my running abilities, but they did and I still finished. I think there were a number of factors in play that morning. Simply put, it wasn't one of my better runs which makes the victory well earned. It was hard and I conquered!

The whole weekend was so fun. There were about 30 women in our group (between 2 wards and various friends). It was really cool to be part of such a big group of cool women...I loved seeing the mass of purple shirts at the race. We had a so much fun training and planning. Our ring leaders, Lisa and Becky did so much work; from accommodations to t-shirts it was a great success.We even had a catered luau after the race!

It was awesome to have my dear friend Alison join me on the race. She is an incredible runner and graciously agreed to be support during the race. I gave her fair warning that all social chatting would have to be

saved for lunch after the race....running and talking don't work for me. We had a fabulous time after talking as much as we could while eating delicious Thai food.

Fast....slow....run or walk, we all pushed ourselves to new levels this weekend and that was really exciting.

A new addition to the family

Meet JEWEL

Isn't she cute?? We sure think so! 

As you may or may not recall, our cat, Max died a couple months ago. We knew we would bring another pet into our home, but wanted to take our time. I kept my eye open on the classifieds, the humane society website and the local pet store. There were so many cute ones available. I even called on a few. Nothing really clicked. Then, when I saw Jewel feature on the humane society's website in December, I knew she was the one. I called immediately and set up an appointment to meet her. (Who knew it needed to be so official? They were serious about questioning us and our pet care abilities. We passed.) The next day, we all headed down to the shelter to meet her and see if she was a "match." There were a few that caught our eye, but it was pretty clear she was the one. She is just over a year old and has already had a litter of kittens although you wouldn't know that by her size, she is pretty petite.She has met all our hopes in a new pet. She is very good natured and allows the kids to play with her and carrying her. Best of all, she actually likes being around us. She doesn't hide for hours on end...she is really part of the family. While we loved Max dearly, he wasn't as fond of the kids. On the other hand, the kids can't get enough of her. Even after several weeks, the kids still greet her as soon as they walk in the door and play with her (Even a little too much...I've had to tell them to give her a break!). You know she is a good cat when Chad even expresses how much he loves her!

Friday night

We just spent our night sitting through an uncomfortable Kirby vacuum presentation. What did you do?

The kids said, "eeeww, we walk on that?! I'm washing my feet!"
I really want that vacuum. But I want a basement more.

The Christmas Spirit is alive and well at the Medeiros home

I wasn't quite sure where the Christmas Spirit was around our house and then....there it was! Right there on my pillow! Last week, as I was getting into bed, a cute little note full of flames and pizazz was waiting for me on my pillow. Maybe I had been particularly grumpy with the kids and Sarah thought I needed a little holiday encouragement. Maybe she just wanted to spread some holiday cheer. Either way, she felt it necessary to make sure I knew where the Christmas Spirit was...and it certainly filled Chad and I with holiday cheer and laughter. I have no doubt that there was even more Christmas Spirit in our house after it was found on my pillow.

Christmas Eve is always the pinnacle of the holiday season for me. This year, we kept with tradition and headed to Kaysville for the our fish dinner by candlelight and our little Nativity presentation.  I'm not sure that the Savior enjoyed salmon and shrimp cocktail, but they've been added to the menu nonetheless! This year, I contributed my marinated Tilapia and I think everyone enjoyed that. With some of the cousins getting older and others not old enough, we had to do some creative casting for the Nativity program. This year we had a cradle-robbing Joseph (Tyler) and a very young Mary (Jenna). New this year was the fabulous addition of a camel (Conner). After opening jammies, it was off to our own homes to tuck the kids in.

This year, brought new skepticism about Santa. We had quite the little tester in Sarah. On Christmas eve, she left out a box with small gifts and a little note requesting a signature from the big guy. The gifts were gone and the "signed" note was left behind in the morning. A Dorthy (from the Wizard of Oz) Barbie, a holiday Barbie, a school play-set, Wii Sports Resort, the Far World books, a wah pedal and guitar case were among some of the favorite gifts with the kids. Jenna gave me a big hint about my gift several weeks earlier and I was delighted to open a digital SLR camera (thanks Chad and Heather!). I have already had so much fun playing around with it....lots more to learn....lots more to learn. I was so proud of my parents, for the first time, they left Kaysville on Christmas day and headed our way to spend some with us. We had breakfast with them and they got to watch us open some gifts.  Definitely something different for them, but I think they really enjoyed!  Now I, on the other hand, pulled off the biggest Christmas surprise Chad had ever had. It's always the other way around, but this year, I got him good. With some help from the parents, I  was able to pool our efforts and get Chad a snow blower. We've resisted for years...bound and determined to shovel. One north-facing home, and two corner lots later, our backs hurt and we are ready for some relief....especially Chad. Several weeks ago, I purchased the much-researched snow blower and tucked it safely in the Fletcher's garage. After all the hoopla of Christmas morning, I mentioned to Chad that Fletcher's wanted us to come over to see what they got. When we got there, Dorick announced he wanted us to see a new gift in the garage. Chad said as we entered the garage, he just knew Dorick had gotten a new snow blower. Now while, he was happy for Dorick, his heart sank and he was a bit envious. As we were all surrounding the shiny new machine and Chad was fighting back envy, I announced, "It's yours!" Ohhh, you should have seen the look on his face!! I know it's just a snow blower, but my eyes got misty. I have never pulled off a surprise like this before. It was a "red ryder bb gun moment" for sure. Love it, love it, love it!!! He had a smile on his face the rest of the day. Since we stayed home for the whole day, it was so fun to have the Madsen's over for dinner. It was so wonderful to have someone to share our Honeybaked ham with. What a great way to end the day!

A full month of fun!

December is always hectic for sure and sometimes you can see through the stress to realize there is a lot of fun to be had. A few of our December highlights so far have been:

-Ward/neighborhood party: It was catered by the Goodwood BBQ (wow! the church does that? what a fun change!) We also had a visit from Santa. This was fun to watch. At first, Jenna was too scared to see him and Sarah and Andrew were too cool to see him. In the end, none of them could resist the pull of sharing wishes with Santa

-Friend party: The Fletcher's hosted a party this year. Great food and crazy games. Just check out the picture of the guys with deer antlers (ie. panty hose stuffed with balloons). I think adults have more fun playing games than kids do!

-Shopping at the dollar store: This is fast becoming one of the kids favorite traditions. We give each of the children $10 and set them loose to shop for the family at the dollar store. They dodge and hide from each other, then they rush home to wrap their gifts. There are always some fun and interesting gifts. 

-Open houses: Megan and Cameron hosted their first holiday gathering (the first of many, right??). Go Meg and Cam on the domestic front...wassail, treats and a yard full of lights (and one big penguin!).

-Neighborhood parties: The Madsen's hosted a recital with some of the neighbors. The recital was even complete with roses for the guests to throw when the performers were done. From singing, piano, trumpet, to violin...what talent and fun was shared. Such a great event, loved it!

-Relief Society party: What a beautiful party...it looked like a wedding reception...complete with a live nativity on the stage.

-Gingerbread houses: It's become a tradition to decorate a gingerbread house with g'ma and g'pa Medeiros. This kids always look forward to the licking, tasting and time with the g'parents. This year, the kids got to open one gift from them since they will be gone on Christmas.

-Visiting the homeless shelter: The kids and mom had the opportunity to visit the shelter downtown to drop off some donations. This was such a good experience for them. Unprovoked, Sarah donated all her money. I even suggested any donation amount was wonderful, but she didn't hesitate to give it all. The kids were thrilled to be invited inside where they were treated to a photo with Santa and some hot chocolate.

I ran 10 miles today.

T-E-N, double digits. Yep. I did and I am shamelessly shouting it to anyone who just happens to hear. Since this blog has become my psuedo journal/scrapbook, I have to record this for posterity. If I don't, it's like it never happened and I'm not letting something like this be lost to history. I think many of you who know me, know that I'm kind of the anti-runner. It's hard for me and I'm slow. I'm not quite sure why I like getting myself involved in something that is fairly miserable. I think I like beating something I don't like and that is hard for me. It's been kind of cool to do something I never, ever thought I'd could do. I have been very anxious and nervous to reach this milestone. I was literally naucious this morning, knowing the run I had to do, but it's over now and I am one step closer to the 1/2 marathon in January. Lest you think I'm getting a little too prideful, don't worry. After my run today, I caught the tail-end of an ESPN special on the Iron Man. Have you ever watched as the exhausted athletes cross the line? There is something strangely touching about it, I must admit. Chad and I turned in on just as the last people were finishing. I'll never be that cool (or crazy) and I am so okay with that.

Been busy (?)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Yes, it's been awhile since my last post. I could list of myriad of excuses as to why I've shared nothing recently, but mostly, I've just been too tired/too uncreative when the thought crosses my mind. As you recall, I recently started a part time job. It's been an adjustment and at first, the output of mental energy was far greater than the actual hours worked. With just over one month under my belt, things are beginning to balance out and I think I'm settling in alright. So now, I present to you, an uninspired mega post to share a few of the things we've been doing.

 

With the month of December comes the inevitable round of recitals. Josh and Andrew did a wonderful job...getting better and more impressive each recital. And speaking of impressive, Josh is really mastering the slumped-over-I-don't-care teenager position...love the picture of him "enjoying" Andrew's performance. Sarah recently joined the ranks of those required to take piano. She is taking from our neighbor and my friend, April. She is an excellent teacher...and wonderfully patient with Sarah. A week or two before the recital, I wasn't too sure how her performance would go. I must say, she really stepped up and we were very pleased and proud of her performance.

I can't tell you how happy these pictures make me and I will tell you why. There is nothing, nothing digital, electronic or computerized involved in this playtime.  Just when I think I've completely failed as mother because the TV, computer and gameboys are becoming permanent appendages to my children's bodies, I see this. Actual creative play. And I've been seeing a lot more of it lately. And, seriously, how cute is she?

Sarah started taking jazz and ballet at a local "Stars" studio. Me being a purest (ie. ballet trained) I wasn't too crazy about an all-in-one dance studio, but I've decided this is a great way for her to get back into dance. So far it has been a mostly great experience. That is to say, Sarah is not crazy about ballet class. However, she had a mother who slept in her first pair of toe shoes and insists that ballet is a must!
On December 4, she had her first performance. She really "rocked" her dance routine. She had the best rocker stance, by far, of any of her classmates. Her daddy was proud.

Congratulations to Sarah! She received a 4th place prize in the PTA Reflections contest last month. This is quite an honor considering art had by far the most entires and she was judged with 3rd, 4th, 5th 6th graders (she is in 3rd).
I love, LOVE how much her entry was so authentically her. The theme was "Beauty is..." She immediately honed in on fantasy and imagination as her idea of beauty. Notice what she wrote in the description on the entry form. So Sarah.