Halloween 2009

This is the break down:

Pumpkin Princess - can I just say I love that she still loves to be something beautiful! She doesn't want to dress up like a dead cheerleader and I'm cool with that too. Stay a princess sis.  Please don't grow up and bring boyfriends home to my couch that want to marry you. please. At least not for 15 years.

Ninja - asked to go trick or treating with a friend instead of his Mom! What?! Really! Is it me?  Or do you just want to see how much candy you can collect without having to drag Mom up and down the street?  Hopefully it's the latter. Not confident enough to wear this costume to school this year however.  Hmmm? He always keeps me thinking, this one.

Transformer- RAN from house to house, so excited, no coat needed.  Removed mask within 7 minutes- too sweaty.  Loves to share his candy.  Good for him.  Not so good for me.

Cowboy- Mustache lasted 3 minutes.  Guns lasted 4.5 minutes.  Actually trick or treating lasted 8 minutes.  Then he curled up with his 10 pieces of candy in the bottom of the stroller and chowed.

Angel- This costume was for photos only.  Pretty baby actually wore some warm wooly jammies and a blankie and fell asleep in the stroller.  Her photo was the most difficult one to capture.   Outtakes to come shortly.  Oh boy.

Sweet Ride

Scotty took the kids to church today alone.  I was home with a coughing Pretty Baby.  Thanks honey, sweet ride.

Redheads=Feisty?

I had a friend recently ask me if I thought all redheads were feisty and fiery.

I thought of those redheads I know best.

Mom

Ging

Em

Me with mustache made from my own hair

He made the connection that perhaps they actually become feisty and fiery as a result of the reaction people have to their hair.  You know, sometimes redheads are teased.

As a child/teen I heard things like  -

 carrot top, Big Red, redheaded step-child, and others not fit for this blog. Those are just names for the hair and not the freckles that come as a packaged deal. I've been asked if I have fire in my belly, am I more sensitive to pain, do I have a sharp tongue? When I tried out for the part of Shelby in Steel Magnolias I was denied for a brunette actress, and told later the playhouse worried about finding a short red wig that would match my hair well, and be cost effective.  It may have just been my acting, but the hair came into play. I once had a neighbor man (grown man) ask if all redheads had a strange odor because he'd known one as a child who did and assumed all did? Huh?

However, as I got older things changed from teasing to envy.  The "different" color was something others wanted. I actually had a lady(whom I didn't know) in WalMart ask if this was my actual hair color. When I replied in the affirmative she slapped my arm and said, "I hate you." This hair has never seen a dye bottle, but I assume it will as I turn to gray one day and then struggle to match the color.

Of course I can't take any credit for my hair color- I give that credit to my mother, and her mother, and well, I'm not sure how far back that goes, but it was through no effort of my own.

All in all the redheads I hold closest to my heart are fiery women. Smart women. Strong women. Really funny women. Adventurous women. They've entered slip n' slide competitions, fought wildfires in the mountains, overcome polio and lived in an iron lung for a year, danced like no one was watching, sang like they knew every note, and loved with everything they have. Fiery-check. Feisty-check. Can it all be attributed to "the hair"? I don't think so, but it's an entertaining thought.

I would like to invite all those redheads I know and love to save their money and let's attend

  Redhead Day in the Netherlands together! 

And for all those who know and love a redhead- go get her something here: 

Realm of redheads 

Good Morning Sunshine

Morning on the Street Where I Live

When I am up with or before the sun, with a song in my heart and a prayer on my lips, loading up the laundry, unloading the dishes, enjoying the quiet of my house before children wake, whipping up a hot breakfast, it makes the day better.

What morning ritual makes your day better?

Nap time, Snack time, Reading time

It just looks like a tragedy.
It wasn't.
The box was empty.
I was downstairs braising Asian short ribs in the heavy cast iron pot.
(see the Anderson Appetite for this recipe)

He was napping.

 Does this look like a guilty face to you?

Well, it is.  She just devoured a $30.00 snack! Naughty Pretty Baby. Naughty.

The first time we went to the SLC library I had forgotten my camera.  Turns out Scotty needed to check out a book there and had to purchase a library card.  He actually needed some books about the world renowned architect Moshe Safdie.  Moshe Safdie is the architect whose design ideas won the chance to build the Salt Lake City Library.  And so because of this paper about the architect who designed the library we had to get a library card.

It was meant to be.

So we made a trip back to Salt Lake.  I took the children to the library while Scott had the opportunity to receive an MRI on his arm.  lucky.

I had my camera this time and wanted to show anyone who hasn't been how awesome the architecture is.  The library has a real urban feel, with little shops to buy a croissant or fresh flowers, and glass everywhere allowing you to see from the bottom floor clear to the top!  

Chloe loves this hanging art.  It is made of butterflies perched on little books. So cool.

This is actually referred to as the Urban Room.  It is the space between where the stacks are located and a really cool curved structure that houses study/reading areas. The two are connected by bridged walkways.

This is a kid favorite.  The Willy Wonka Elevator.  It is all glass.  Before we left we had to take it all the way to the 5th floor and then ride it to the bottom.  Grace squirms every time, everyone else smiles.

This is the Children's Library Area on the bottom floor.  Unlike any library we've had a card to before. It had every and any book they were looking for. They were limited to 10 books each as Scott would be the one returning the books during his school hours.  Wonder how this will be affecting his injured arm?

This is one of the reading rooms in the Children's area.  Aidan thought it looked like an ice castle- thus the dramatics.

Another reading area- more like a tree house.  Looked a lot more comfy to me- so this is where we settled in.  This trip got them all excited about reading their "new" books.  We have a pile a mile high in the family room and we're slowly making our way through it.  I got an awesome cookbook that I will be trying a few things from and posting success stories on the Anderson Appetite.

Family Profile

My uber-talented sister Jen made my Mother a very cute stitched portrait of our family.  There's my parents, all 8 of us siblings, and my brother's 2 dogs. Uber-talented Jen says that my Mom gave the 411 on who should wear what, hairstyles, etc.  I guess Mom thought back in her memory bank and pulled out dusty memories of what our signature style was as a child (why isn't Ginger nakey?) and the hairdo that accompanies that age.  There are sweet blonde piggy tails, curly hair, polka dots and denim, bows and frills, and then there is this one child with a RED MULLET, a blouse, and a schoolmarm skirt.

Guess who?

 That'd be me.  Yep. I'm just wondering where those enormous thick glasses are?  I think Jen's stitching hand must've been cramping. I have been saved forever in DMS floss as a 3rd grader with a real bad haircut and a very proper uniform. ( I am tempted to scan in my 3rd grade school photo right now. But my pride people, my pride!) Ah well, whenever I visit the folks and take a minute to enjoy my uber-talented sister Jen's art I really love the feelings of love and family and togetherness it pulls from me. I love the 3 older girls to the right of Dad and Mom and the 5 younger kids to the left-depicting that age gap. I love baby Emily with her sponge-roller induced red curls.  I think of family vacations to Disneyland, the raspberry patch, gardening, and cleaning those enormous hall closets.  I think of our long kitchen bar with us on one side and Mom working her heiny off on the other side.  I love Dad's loooong Levi's and Mom's yellow shirt- a favorite color of hers to be sure. It really is a great representation of our family- even if I was captured at the height of my dorkiness.

I apologize for this picture.  Very challenging to take considering the lighting and the glass.

The Secret

Remember the Secret of NIMH?

The terror of the Spring as the tractor comes to plow the fields and also the homes of all the cute little miceys.  And there's that one mouse that's sick and might not get out in time! Mrs. Brisby must do all she can to save her children and her home.

Yeah well, it might not be the right season, but I am living this movie people!

I'm actually that house that lives by the field that is being plowed.  All those little terrified mice are escaping the field...and finding refuge in MY GARAGE!!

ARGH!!! YUCK!! and BLECH!!

Several sticky mouse traps and some D-CON later and I have "caught" 9 mice.

If I find rats in my rosebushes I'm moving!!!

 

Road Overkill

There's been a lot of road construction out in our area lately.

Widening of roads and new roads.  Parts of these projects are nearly completed and they are wonderful.  HOWEVER, I think it's taken a toll on the 4 year old. 

Conversation at bedtime:

Cole: Mom do cows lay roads or do cows lay milk?

Mom: Milk son.

Cole: That is correct.

Whew.  I was getting nervous.  

Pretty Baby Stands

YeeHaw!

And THAT's what Grandma's are made of.

She has the bone density of a teenager you know.

Tradition?

I always buy school pictures of the kids. I have a scrapbook that is just waiting for me to line these little wallet portraits up in order .  As I looked through the picture flyer I noted that the cheapest package was $15.  That means $45 for me when all is said and done.  What if I didn't buy them this year?  It feels almost unmotherly not to purchase pictures of your flesh and blood with their hair all done and a clean shirt on.  I'd be breaking "tradition".  But I'm not buying those photos because they're great pictures of my kids, I"m buying them because I always buy them. So I threw caution to the wind and told the kids that we would not be buying school pictures.  I still got them all dressed up and fixed their hair because they'll take your picture regardless of you purchasing, and also because I decided I'd take their school pictures myself.  We can then print off exactly what sizes and amounts we want for a fraction of the cost.  Sounded good to me, and the kids were happy about it all. Here's to changing my thinking, throwing that guilt out the door, and saving some money too.  

thanks! indeed

Scotty's taking a psychology class this semester to fill some credit hours. It's suppose to be an "easy" 3 credits, and I suppose it is when it's stacked up against an Architecture class and a Physics class. Anyhow, this Psych class is online and requires a lot of typing, so I am there.  I figured out a while ago that if I am to be an effective typist/editor I have to know some of the subject matter, it helps.  So I glean bits and pieces of info from this class.  The actual title is Enhancing Happiness & Life Satisfaction.  Sounds like a class for all of us huh? The text includes a book titled, "thanks!  How the new science of gratitude can make you happier" by Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D.  When Scott brought it home it caught my eye and I've been wanting to read it.  So here is a little excerpt today that resonated with me, tell me what you think:

     ...there is a more basic reality about gratitude that we can learn from children.  When we were children, we had no illusion of self-sufficiency.  We were aware of our dependence on our parents for survival, security, and comfort.  As we grew, we were taught to look more and more to ourselves for the meeting of our needs.  Eventually, we came to believe in the myth of our own self-sufficiency.  For many people it takes disease, disability, danger, or death to challenge this illusion of self-sufficiency. We all begin life dependent on others, and most of us end life dependent on other.  In between, we have roughly sixty years or so of unacknowledged dependency.  Gratitude takes us outside ourselves where we see ourselves as part of a larger, intricate network of sustaining relationships, relationships that are mutually reciprocal.  Modern psychology has placed great emphasis upon individual autonomy and self-sufficiency.  Gratitude requires, however, that we affirm our dependency on others and recognize we need to receive that which we cannot provide for ourselves. 

Will the real Grocery Guru please stand up...please stand up...please stand up.

I just thought of a way to cut my monthly grocery bill in half.

Okay, but really, after the initial distaste baby Zuri moved on to things we enjoyed watching her do like climb over a log, play with her ball, itch her leg with her other leg.  She was adorable, all 300+ pounds of her.  And if you were wondering, I know I was, baby elephants are just like human babies in that they put everything in their mouths.  So in goes poo.  However, this has benefits ( I know right!) the mama's poo has bacteria the baby needs and this is how she can get it.  Zoo staff was nearby and I got the 411 on the dung dinner.

A mother's prayer

My boys came home late from school on Friday.
Of course I was watching for them.  I saw them approach the house slowly, together, chatting.
When they got inside I asked what took them.
They had stopped at the waterfall @ the park to throw in rocks.
Okay. But something else was going on. Mother's intuition had kicked in.
So, how was your day?
Standing side by side Asher starts telling me that at recess Aidan came running over to give Asher a hug while Asher was playing with some "friends".  As Aidan approached Asher, one of Asher's "friends" stepped in front of him.  He then announced that he knew karate and started to shake Aidan by the shoulders.  As Asher is relaying the story I'm watching his shoulders get tense, his voice get tight.  Aidan is staring at Asher with wide eyes, nodding his affirmation of the story.  Asher told his "friend" that this was his brother, but then Asher's friend threw Aidan on the ground and hopped on him.  I'm trying not to over react, but just ask the right questions and get the full story.  What did you do Asher? I told him to get off  and tried to pull him off Aidan.  Then my friend stood up and kicked Aidan.  He kicked Aidan?  Yeah. yeah Aidan chimes in.  Asher's emotions are now in his throat.  Why would your friend treat Aidan like that?  The dam broke and tears start streaming down Asher's face.  I told him it was my brother and to leave him alone Mom.  I feel like this is all my fault.  Why would this be your fault son?  Because _____ is my friend, and he hurt my brother.  Now my emotions are coming to the surface. You did what you could to protect your brother and correct your "friend" Asher, it's okay.  After the incident Asher took Aidan to the duty guard to report the bullying.  Aidan didn't want to, and ran off to play.  Asher returned to the said "friend" who then turned on Asher and started to tease him about his compassion for his brother. Asher and I talked about what actually constitutes a "friend".  This incident didn't seem to phase Aidan, but it really bothered Asher.  Of course I didn't like hearing how Aidan was mistreated, but I was so proud to hear how Asher reacted.  I was glad that recalling how his "friend" treated his brother brought him to tears.  Every morning if I say the prayer I pray that  my children will be examples to others, that they will be representatives of Jesus Christ, that they will be kind, oh and learn something too.  I know some children take out their pain on others at school, but I always hope that my children will be brave enough to stand up and say something.  I was proud today.

Friday in Pictures