Ross Family Movie, 2011

The newest LDS "Homefront" commercial...sort of.

Why I love a Utah spring

Lilacs--I adore their scent, their pretty four-petaled blossoms, and their gorgeous purple color.

Gerber daisies--I planted some this year in my garden boxes. We'll see how they do, but I'm very excited about them!

Pink blossom cherry trees--they are everywhere here in Spanish Fork, and I love it. The blossoms are so gorgeous and full.

And June is right around the corner, and that means columbines!

Breakfast in Bed, A Crown upon my Head

Yesterday was a beautiful Mother's Day, if a trifle wet.

(Okay, so it was exceedingly wet.)

I was awakened by some very excited children, carrying a tray with waffles topped with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream. The kids did well at not mooching too badly after my food--Daddy had more upstairs for them, thankfully. Then I received my Mother's Day gifts:

Zee gave me a painting of a flower, with his hand prints as the leaves, and a little worksheet titled "My Mom is Special".

My Mom's name is Karin

She is special because because she nise and she loves us.

I like it when my Mom backs coukaks (bakes cupcakes) and when she play on her cuputre (computer).

My Mom can do many things! I think she's best at being a good mom.

My Mom has a pretty smile! I like to make her smile by being silly.

My Mom is as pretty as a opras (opera) star!

My Mom is smart! She even knows 9x9=81

I'd like to tell my Mom I love you

Despite the fact that Zee doesn't like cupcakes, and I'm not sure he knows that opera stars are usually...um...zaftig, I love this worksheet. I love that I know that nine times nine is 81, and that he makes me smile by being silly. Because that's all true.

Em gave me a beautiful purple crown, complete with gold glitter and the word "MOM" scrawled across the front. She informed me that I needed to tell her to do something, and she would respond with "Yes, Your Majesty" all day long. That's the kind of gift I can really enjoy!

Gee gave me a card with a homemade bookmark inside it. On the bookmark are his thumbprints, and the words, "Thumb-body loves you!". He was so excited to give it to me.

Church was marvelous, especially when the Primary kids went up to sing during sacrament meeting. Hebs insisted on joining his older siblings, even though he's still just in nursery. All the children were so bright and adorable, even the bashful ones. The mother's day gift from the ward were little potted cosmos flowers, fortunately handed out after the kids headed off to Primary. I don't think my flower would have survived to be planted in the front yard otherwise. You should have seen what they did to the carnation I got for shopping at Macey's the day before Mother's Day.

After church and choir practice, I got a most wonderful nap, and then we drove up to South Jordan to have dinner with Bradley's family. His sister Kim and her husband Steve just finished the most beautiful pergola on the side of their house, and we were all geared up for a May BBQ outside. Alas, the weather did not cooperate, so we ended up inside. Kim has the most amazing decorating skills, though, and inside was just as beautiful as outside would have been. Bradley's superlative mother Eva gave me a gorgeous white geranium, and Kim gave me a glass vase with white lilac blossoms.

I feel very blessed to be part of Eva's family, and to have married her amazing son. I am so grateful for my own sweet and wonderful mother--I wish so much that we lived closer together. And I am excessively happy to the mother to five happy kiddos. What a life!

The Pass Is Open!!!! *

Spring thaw.

I'm going to go out on a limb: It's going to be an interesting thaw, or maybe it won't be.

So much depends on how fast the temperatures rise, and how quick the snow melts. So we could have a repeat of 1983-4, or it could fizzle faster than "Snow-pocalypse 2010" did.

Everyone is preparing for a big deal. I'm quite proud of our little town--up on the city's website is a page all about flood preparations, and they are already delivering sand and sandbags to strategic points near the river. Here in Spanish, there probably won't be a lot of trouble, but the entire northern part of Utah is gearing up for flooding.

I'm hoping for a fizzle, but there is no denying that a little tiny bit of me that wants to see a massive, Thistle-style landslide (debris flow). Without the town in danger, the houses floating away, and the possibility of major flooding downriver. You know, somewhere not dangerous and stuff.

Of course, I also want a little cinder cone volcano to pop up out in the west desert, too. Just on BLM land, close enough to visit quite often, but pretty far from people. I get a little breathless just thinking about the awesomeness of such an event.

It could happen, you know.

*Quick, name that movie!

For once

Today I did not serve as a warning to others.

Let me explain: On the days when my children are running amok, I find comfort in telling myself that I am serving as a warning to other. I imagine a large arrow with a sign, floating above my head: This is what happens when you have many small children in a very few years.

It comes in handy at church. A lot.

However, every once in a blue moon, my children conspire to behave themselves when we are out and about. And life is good. Today was one of those days.

Zee has been complaining about blurry eyes, so we went to the eye doctor at Wal-Mart today. (It's early for him to need glasses, but you never know. Especially with two blind-as-bats parents.)

(Digression: Did you know that rhinos are really near-sighted? They will charge just about anything, because they don't know if it is dangerous or not. The things you learn from watching "Wild Kratts" on PBS.)

Anyway, all five children came to the doctor appointment. And all five of them behaved beautifully. It was amazing.

We spent a good hour in the vision center, what with filling out paperwork and exams and waiting for eye dilation and such. Em, Gee, and Hebs took turns pushing Yum-Yum around in her stroller while Zee and I were in the exam room. They were appropriately quiet and very good.

When we were done, we celebrated not having to buy glasses (Zee is just fine) by buying sandals and shoes for nearly everyone in the family. And they were so good that we got compliments from two different random people.

(Another digression: I was willing to buy Gee some $5 sandals if he made a fuss about not getting any, but he demurred. "I already have new DAFOs (his leg braces) and new shoes, Momma!" That was a relief, considering the DAFOs cost us $250 (and that's only 10%, our insurance covers the rest), and the special shoes to cover the DAFOs cost $70.)

And then they all fell asleep in the car on the way to get Daddy, so Bradley and I could talk without interruption all the way home.

It was a good day.

Lights, camera...

Today, for family home evening, we filmed our family movie for the ward movie night next week. I generally don't love the filming part (I get too frustrated and tired), but I adore having the films later. It is so fun to watch my kids trying to act in silly things like superhero movies (last year) and super spy flicks (two years ago).

Tonight's filming was so much fun, though. I can't wait to edit the footage--there are some really adorable parts in there, I think. After it has premiered, I'll post it up here.

Family...isn't it about time?

(And happy happy 30th birthday to my dear little brother, Samuel. I love you tons, bud!)

You'd think they actually like each other

In this picture, Zee is playing "Times Attack", a multiplication game. His adoring siblings gather around, because a) he provides entertaining commentary and b) they actually like hanging out together.

Today alone, Zee made his electricity kit play "Happy Birthday" repeatedly while the other kids ran around "surprising" each other with fake birthday greetings. Em created a "library" in the toy room, which then became a "hotel-library" when tired travelers Gee and Hebs arrived after the library was closed. Gee, Hebs, and Em played a very long game of "jump-on-the-new-monster-sack" until the noise level caused Momma's head to explode. We all crashed on the sack and watched a nature documentary on the projector Daddy borrowed for a computer class he is teacher. And anytime Yum-Yum starts to fuss, as she plays in her baby bouncer, one of her siblings turns to her and coo, laughs, or tickles until she is happy again.

It turns out I really love this family.