the white house at the right time

Filling out our brackets is a newer sort of tradition for us as a family (about 4 years), though Randy has been doing it for years. Cayden dutifully checks online to see the latest stats, we're more into our brackets than the actual games. In the beginning, I was on fire, now it is like I missed all my free throws, I am a dismal 56 points, I picked Connecticut and Duke in the final with Conn. taking it. Makayla got benched when Louisville went out - her final pick was Louisville as the 2009 champs. Randy fouled out on Pittsburgh - he ends with 86 points...his final pick, North Carolina and Louisville. Freshman player Cayleb unfortunately followed the senior's lead...he's still hoping for a win with North Carolina despite Louisville's fall. Madalyn has kept the competitive bench warm between her and Cayden , until the last round - Louisville called her out of the top spot too...final pick to was between Louisville and North Carolina, she's hoping for a consolatio...

Gold and Green Dance-

Last week for our date night, Randy and I had the opportunity to hear from, Steven Harper, who is a lead editor on the Jospeh Smith papers. It was fascinating to find out how this project came about. In essence, all the information about Joseph Smith from court documents, newspapers, journals, members and critics of the Church is being organized and published. Harper noted one scholar said he wouldn't forgive Jospeh Smith for having a doctor as a scribe on some of his paperwork because it is soo hard to read. He quoted Marlin K. Jensen, church historian, saying this is the most significant historical work in our lifetime to take place. There are over 100 people working on this project to make sure it is as complete and correct as possible. I look forward to learning more. To find out more, go to http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/ . As a side note, Randy and I had our general authority interview with Marlin K. Jensen. The comment that stood out most from our interview was, "be ...

Sister Eria and Sister Bush- Sister Bush was here visiting on splits and stopped over to say, "hi". She has been out for almost 6 months and we were in her 1st area. They are working so hard to let people know the joy the gospel brings to lives. We love their visits! We also found out that Lindsay and Sylvia Thomas will be the new mission president in North Carolina. We have always been so impressed with them. What an awesome couple! Plus she makes amazing mints - I guess it is all "mint" to be. We enjoyed, or at least I enjoyed what I was there for, the Husband and Wife Conference. I stayed home one day because of sick kids. Anyhow, it consists of speakers, activities, time to spend with some of area faculty, and some dining. Here we are at Pier 66 in Seattle. After talking to some of the faculty in Alaska, I think I could spend a couple of years up there. Hiking as a family we would most likely be safe from bear attacks because so far no group larger than 7 has ev...

Top of the Mornin' to You! Cayleb busy making the traditional green milk for our Lucky Charms cereal. So many things make time go by quickly, but one way time is marked for me is by the holidays. My mom always made, and still usually does, make holidays, birthdays, special. I have a little of that in me, not much, but I've never boasted I am the "hostess with the mostest". Madalyn took her lunch to school in a Pot of Gold. It must have been an extra special pot because the class leprechaun used it later to leave gold chocolate coins for the class, he even left her a note to say thanks. Ingredients needed for a rainbow - rain and sun. We get rain, just not so much sun. So Cayleb and I caught some "rainbows" and put them inside our boxes (recovered matchboxes). The kids were anxious to see what naughty little things the leprechauns would do this year since last year they were extra naughty and even blocked the kids entrance into their rooms with their mattr...

The Gold and Green Ball is the Institute's version of Prom. The girls nabbed Randy as their date since I am the momma hen that can't leave her baby chicken, Makenzy, quite yet, but I am almost getting there. They spent the night dancing! -and eating! -chocolate dipped strawberries, daiquiris (25 to choose from), cheeses and crackers, dips, dipping all sorts of cut up fruits in the chocolate fountain -and dancing! -and shielding one student who was being stalked by "some guy she didn't want to be with" - side note, but I totally understand! My, save me, wish I could hide, run date was with Chuck the Cowboy shirt unbuttoned into a deep "V" that revealed a lot to laugh about, spent half the night telling me how to mix drinks to get drunk, no headlights on car so we improvised with flashlights out the sidewindows, I prayed to get pulled over, threatened a guy at the planetarium with his pocket knife for stepping on our toes, and finally slipped in cowboy boo...

My mother-in-law was an excellent cook. In fact, she used to own a catering business and a restaurant aptly and artistically named Century Pine for the 100 year old pine tree on the grounds. The kitchen and I are slowly becoming friends. But when it comes to pancakes, that's a boy job at our house. Randy taught Cayden to be a man and so he started cooking up pancakes when he was 6 years old, he's practically a veteran now. One of my bridal shower gifts from Bon was some of her recipes. March 8th marked 7 years since her passing, so Randy wanted some comfort food. This is Bon's recipe for whole, wheat german pancakes and marked kind of .k. for Randy's running diet. Whole Wheat German Pancakes 1 1/4 cupswhole wheat flour 3 tsp. baking powder 3 T. sugar 3/4 tsp. salt 2 egss well beaten 1 1/4 cup milk 3 T. real butter Stir together all dry items. Beat eggs, add milk and softened butter. Combine alll ingredients. Cook on hot griddle. Makes about 15 pancakes. These come out ...

Inspired by her brother's love of Star Wars, Madalyn wanted Princess Leigh's buns. However, as I got started doing them, her hair was sticking out and it didn't really look that crazy, more messy. As I was messing around trying to fix it, her buns were emerging into nests, and as we all know great ideas are born from mess ups and mishaps - white out, sticky notes and my favorite ice cream cones and popsicles About 5 minutes later we ended up with our original "Tweet" hairdo- I thought it was cute and Madalyn was pleased and went off to school as happy as a singing canary! To re-create our hairstyle, pull hair up into two ponytails, braid hair and loosely wind and bobby pin in place into two buns. Simply add a few twigs, spanish moss, and egg (ours is styrofoam from an Easter decoration with a bobby pin jammed up the center and bent to hold it in place), place small stuffed bird on other bun, add leaves (torn from display in the house), use lots and lots of bob...

Randy often asks the kids, "what do I always want you to remember?" The kids blurt back, "that you love us." In the mornings when I drop them off at school and they are hurrying to hop out of the truck before the traffic school aide waves me on (think of Michael Keaton in Mr. Mom), I call out, "remember who you are and love learning." As such, I love that their school dedicates a night to literally celebrate learning. It is a little mix of back to school night/overview of class projects/fundraiser type of event (they do a spaghetti feed and basket raffles). We still didn't win...maybe next year...I am so hoping we get the Webkinz Basket, because I totally need more overpriced stuffed animals at home...Cayden's class put together Snuggle Up and Read Basket and Madalyn's a Jonas Brother's Basket... Cayden told me if he won the gift certificate basket he'd give it to me...way to be buddy! Ms. Lagerquist , Madalyn and student teacher Ms. ...

My beautfiul friend from Japan, Ms. Maple. I check in on her often from my kitchen window for the latest weather report as I do dishes, unload dishes, do more dishes, unload dishes....you get the idea. There was a burst of snow this morning, enough to cover the road and leave the kids hoping school would be cancelled. School up here gets cancelled on a whim - they've missed almost 2 weeks of school because of "dangerous driving conditions"... the inch or less of snow on the road...the school year is now extended to almost the end of June! Living here, we've never been woken up by a snowplow grumbling and scraping the asphalt because they just don't plough side streets...they barely even get to major, main roads, using sand instead of salt to keep the Puget Sound and the whales and the fish and the tree huggers that don't drink bottled waters free from pollutants. Coming home from running errands today, it hit me, literally, sun melted snow dropping off the to...

If you don't have kids, then you may not know that today was Read Across America, a day to celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday - Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham and all of that. What is more fun than the classic pairing of pajama day with a read-in. Madalyn just purchased a new Webkinz (again for those not operating in the world of small kiddos and tweens , this is basically a stuffed animal that has a code that allows you to have virtual play on-line,). As such, she wanted to wear her duckie slippers which are the closest thing she has to her birdie Webkinz . This is an unofficial, unsubstantiated opinion, but I think middle children are excellent readers. Madalyn is an excellent reader. She has the natural desire to read and loves it. One of her New Year's resolutions was to read a chapter book a month; she has well surpassed that goal. Of course, I am a middle child, and though my reading skills are a little numb as of late, I still do o.k. The last book I read was Admi...

Cayleb is the best at brushing his teeth. When I forget, he reminds me. He never complains about the toothpaste. He steps on his stool, and brushes, and spits, sometimes on the side of the sink, but he gets it out, and then brushes some more. Unfortunately, great attitude about brushing doesn't mean a thing. He has another cavity! I am going to push for floridated water. Madalyn hates brushing her teeth. She routinely ignores me when I remind her. We're toothpaste connoisseurs . We've tried, the gels, the paste, the character toothpaste, the glitter toothpaste, the toothpaste that comes out in the shape of stars all of it - she still complains. In the end, I usually have to watch her to make sure she doesn't rinse off all the paste on her toothbrush and actually brushes more than 5 seconds. She has zero cavities. It is dental injustice.