words of the week

Ennui, felt on the proper occasions, is a sign of intelligence. -Clifton Fadiman

{so if it's the improper occasions, like the holidays, what does THAT indicate?}

thankful

Aunt Robbie helped Mason become a pilgrim AND indian

This holiday was just not what I had in mind. My family was able to go up to the ranch to celebrate and feast together and I, I had to work.  The good news is that the Starr side always celebrates the day after so we were able to get our fill of yummy food in Richfield. Thanksgiving is not about the dinner for me. When you come from a huge family and have a mom that is an amazing cook, most Sunday dinners are just as great as Thanksgiving. This year I felt very grateful for my husband and kids. I'm a lucky girl. My favorite part was during the drive home. It was late and we thought both boys had fallen asleep. Every five or ten minutes we could hear Mason declare, "I love you Eli".

Eli is thankful for the 2nd amendment.

my computer reads my mind!

I don't know where these pictures came from. I know there are other people that use the computer. But why would Jason, Joe, or Mason be looking at these? (Yes, Mason is a suspect. He's totally capable on the computer). I like to believe that I have a living computer, who after enduring hours of my Pinterest addition, thought he'd share these with me knowing how much I'd love them. Thank you, Hanns the computer, for your thoughtfulness.

he loves me permanently

I wrote some stuff on Jason's mirror. In return he sketched himself on the mirror (you know, close one eye, trace your features, you know you've done it) and declared his reflection's love for me.

I wrote with dry erase.
He used a permanent marker.

Good thing his love is so everlasting. Even loves me when my idea of a good joke is to wake him and say he's late for work and freak him out when it's only midnight. I thought it was pretty funny....

Words of the Week by Tad R. Callister

I went to stake conference with a few specific questions in mind. I prayed that I would receive answers, or at least council concerning these things. Elder Tad R. Callister's message really stood out to me. While it wasn't directly about the things I was thinking about, I think that strengthening marriage can help in all other aspects of life. Here are his tips on nurturing marriage:

1. Commitment. Have a mind set of "there is no other alternative". Stay true to your covenants.
2. Adopt an "Is it I?" attitude. When there is a problem, look at yourself, dont' fault your partner.
3. Avoid debt. It creates a wedge in the most solid relationships.
4. Date night. Make it happen.
5. Speak softly and lovingly.
6. Make parenting a joint venture. Be united.
7. Pray together. Morning and night. 

He recommended holding hands while praying with your spouse. He joked "No this isn't some strange new practice we are introducing in the church. It's just a good idea" (or something along those lines). 

Even when I do it wrong...

I vowed not to do too many coupon brags on my blog, but couldn't pass this one up. I've recently gotten back into couponing. I took a hiatus when Eli was really little and didn't have the time or energy to focus on extra things. I've been having a lot of fun (even without Albertsons) and my system is working really well. I love saving money and restocking our storage.


Here's the lowdown on my normal diaper routine. I buy the Wal-Mart brand and for size three they are about 15 cents per diaper. I think they work just fine and haven't found a better value (price and quality combination). Sure, I'd prefer a higher quality diaper but won't shell out the money. In truth I wish I used cloth diapers like my cousin's wife Ashley and friend Mary, but I don't know at this point if the investment would be worth it since I don't know how many more kids we'll have. 


Here's why I love coupon shopping. If I had gone to Wal-Mart the best price I could have gotten on Huggies size three is about 20 cents per diaper. I shopped at Smith's instead, where they are having some good Catalina diaper deals. I had four $2 off 1 pkg of diaper coupons plus got store credit vouchers that I quickly handed back over for my second transaction. I ended up getting 72 size 3 diapers for 11cents each and 62 size four diapers for 18 cents each for Huggies. I later realized that I split up my transactions wrong and could have saved more, but this is still pretty sweet. Not only is that better than the cheap store brand at Wal-Mart, that doesn't factor in the $8 store credit I have to use at Smith's on my next shopping trip. (Some people factor that into the overall price but I don't). That also doesn't account for the Fresh Value savings that I will get at the pump for every dollar spent.


 Pretty lame that I'm so excited about diapers? Yeah, maybe. If saving money is lame :)


PS if anyone is actually finding better prices on Amazon Mom let me know. I haven't lately.

What do you want to do tonight?

"The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!


Sometimes the boys remind me of Pinky and the Brain.


except they are both genius...and I am insane...

Halloween 2011

Halloween never fails to make me happy. It has always been one of my favorite parts of the year and having kids just makes it that much better.

This year Eli was Santa and Jason was a redneck, although he doesn't look much different to me :)
(May every family picture include our favorite neighbors keeping an eye on things in the background)



Mason was Batman and really got into character.

My nephew Casey has never looked more beautiful. That's his real hair!

Brother and sister...I mean brother.

Zombie Joseph

Crazy "Will" the Clown

*treats*

Pirate Davey

In case you wonder what Becky looked like as a little girl:

Fairy Princess Lauren

snapshot: winter is upon us

This jeep was once my oldest niece's. It was a pink barbie jeep. At some point it was passed down to one of my nephews, spray painted camo-style, and evolved into a more manly means of transportation. Eventually it fell into disrepair. My sister was planning on giving it to DI but I optimistically took it off her hands, thinking we might be able to fix the battery problem. And some day we may. Until that day, the boys don't realize the toy is supposed to move and they spend hours playing in it.

Here we've got my two rascals, half dressed, playing in the back yard. Mason is singing and Eli is on the phone getting directions for their adventure. This was probably one of our last days playing in the yard without bundling up. It's gotten cold. Really cold. A few days ago I had to de-ice the plane in the wee hours of the morning. That marks the official beginning of winter for me.

Highlights of life: We refinished our new/old kitchen table that used to be out in the garden. I'll get around to posting pictures eventually but this table is the one I grew up with. It's sort of the reclaimed farm table type that I've been seeing everywhere. It's beautiful. I love sitting down for family dinner at it with Jason at one end and Eli at the other.



We've loved the harvest season. Even more than the sense of self sufficiency, I've most loved the sense of community. It seemed like the neighborhood was in a constant state of giving. Each shared their surplus and the produce was distributed from house to house. We enjoyed apples, pears, and peaches that our neighbors had in abundance. We shared our radishes, squash, corn and even carrot tops (for the chickens). I don't want to spoil it, but I discovered the most nifty kitchen appliance in the world. My friend Lisa lent me hers and I now stay awake at night dreaming of owning my own. More on this to come.


Mason has memorized the Pledge of Allegiance and recites it at least a dozen times a day. I have video of it I'll be putting on his blog. He's so darling. He also got a new bed and stayed in it ALL NIGHT LONG last night.

All weekend Eli has suddenly been standing up on his own. Today at church he kept doing it. He was certainly showing off. If any of the ladies in Relief Society weren't watching him (although most were) he would cough or call to them until he regained their attention. At one point he was standing, not holding onto anything, and suddenly took a little step. I almost shrieked with excitement, which would have surely sent half the room into cardiac arrest and awoken the other half. Good thing I held it in.


Mostly our lives revolve around waiting for Jason to get home from work, scheduling the day around nap time, and preparing for the next trip out of town. I fill my extra minutes with reading the Great and Terrible series which leads me to counting and recounting our food storage. Mason dresses up in Halloween costumes and plays with the Harris kids. Eli is happy. Always happy. Well, except for when Mason attacks his feet which drives us all crazy. Jason builds fires to keep us cozy. Life  is cozy.

Strange are the events that place me at a truck stop, waiting to meet up with a biker gang, with a very large amount of cash.

sneak peak

I went somewhere.
I have a lot of organizing,
editing,
and writing to do.

I can't wait to get it all put together.
And I will,
after
the dishes,
laundry,
and catching up on the past four months of blogging I slacked on.

Letter from Great Grandma to her cousin

We are among the mountains, as of course you know, with beautiful gray and pink cliffs, and ledges on the north and east, with far off blue hills in the south and on the west a most beautiful gray clay hill by which I live, and on which I often roam for many a long hour, gathering wild flowers, and studying the science of nature, which is one of the most pleasing and beneficial studies that can be learned, also watching the many different kinds of birds, and their way of making their homes. O! It is one of the most pleasantest places in Utah.

Maggie (written from Orderville, age 17)

Charles and Maggie at the Heaton Ranch

“We no longer have the luxury of spending our energy on anything that does not lead us and our families to Christ." 

Sheri Dew - 2000

Sometimes 

the best part 

of an 

adventure 

is coming

home  

and

throwing the kids

in the 

tub.

snapshot

A post titled "snapshot" with no pictures. Yup. I miss writing. I will eventually find a way to keep all the balls in the air. Until then, blogging has taken a back seat. However, I need to write. For my sake, for recording, for whatever. So I'm introducing "snapshots". They'll be quick, dirty, and grammatically incorrect. Just enough to record what life is like. Just enough to let a little steam out of the kettle so I don't explode.

Today. Mason slept in for the first time in ages. Mason slept in his own bed, all night for the first time in AGES people! Eli coughed a bit during the night but also slept really well. Jason, wounded from another grueling game of church basketball, didn't sleep so well. Yet he was off to work so early it still felt like night. He's always so good at saying goodbye. It scares the heck out of me every time (quick joke my mom told me tonight: a boy asks his father "What is heck?" the wise father responds "it's a place where there is no Gosh").

I actually had to wake Mace up to get ready for school. On Monday the bus driver said they'd be coming later since the route was pretty short. By later she must have meant even earlier. We ran out to the bus, which was blocking the way of the garbage truck, which was blocking the way of another bus. Our street has never been so busy. As the bus pulled away I realized Mason hadn't brushed his teeth. It bugged me so much I was tempted to show up at his classroom with a toothbrush. I'm not even going to admit that for the first/last/only time ever he also had a pop tart for breakfast. I didn't go grocery shopping as planned since Jason was out late (waaaaay late) getting beat up playing ball. We were out of milk. What a way to start the day.

Visiting teaching, grocery shopping, phone calls, errand running, and then home to meet Mason getting off the bus. He said "My teacher said: Mason you don't talk very much". Oh Mace. I also spent about 20 minutes at the gas station discussing the best way to get to the Grand Canyon and rating the "curviness" of hwy 14. Spent part of the middle of the day falling dozing on the floor while the boys threw blocks at my head. I love having two. I'll say it a million times. I love how they make each other laugh. I love how Mason will run into their room squealing "Good Morning Eli!". I love how Eli brightens at the sight of his brother.

More time spent washing bottles full of peaches and jam, cleaning out a few dresser drawers, resubscribing to the newspaper, and playing tag. 

Jason came home, still limping. We talked about our plans for the long weekend, the end of the summer, the rest of the year, the rest of our lives. Yep, have it all planned out. Don't be jealous.

I ran to work. It was so hot. I try not to complain. I hate wearing shoes though. I'd never complain if I could just wear flip flops. Ditching the hideous uniform all together would be nice. Mom's flying standby to Reno tomorrow. Checked the flights. Listed her. Checked her in.

Ran home. Made dinner. Bathed the boys. Ran back to work. Talked with Kacy. He's a very calming influence. And we work well together. Drove to mom's to drop off her tickets. Sat around telling jokes with mom and dad and pretended we weren't tired. Came home. Everyone is asleep but my head is racing so I type.

The end.

I never want to forget mom retelling a spectacular scene she saw flying back from Oregon. So amazing she wanted to stand and proclaim "Behold!" to all the passengers too busy on their iPhones to notice the miracle outside the window.

I always want to remember dad's pleased expression when I retold one of his classic jokes and made mom burst out laughing. You know the one. The man goes into his therapist and says "What is wrong with me? I'm a wigwam I'm a teepee I'm a wigwam I'm a teepee". The Therapist says "Well it is clear that you are two tense!"

I love the way the kids look when they are sleeping. Curled up or splayed out. Pouty lips and stillness.

I love the catharsis of purging words out of my head. Fingers move without thought. Too fast at first. Slowing down and I think I can rest now. Perhaps unedited thought dumping is the answer to my insomnia.