December 31, 2015 at 01:59PM

Strangest thing -- The kids are watching the Good Luck Charlie Christmas movie. I was half paying attention at the end and suddenly realized I totally recognized that server in the cafe! Colleen Baum from the BYU Theater Department. Love when I randomly recognize someone from my days clothing folk in the theater department. via Facebook

December 30, 2015 at 01:41PM

Curiosity question: what's the longest your hair has ever been? I definitely have to untuck my hair from waistbands these days. Crazy long! via Facebook

December 29, 2015 at 09:13PM Check out my move in Word Crack

December 29, 2015 at 08:23PM

Somebody finally got her ears pierced! When the moment of truth came she very nearly backed out, but she was super brave (and squeezed my hands to death,but that's okay). She's thrilled to be on this side of things with the piercing done :) (For whatever reason the pictures are exactly backward... but you can probably figure out how to imagine them in reverse) via Facebook

December 28, 2015 at 05:15PM

On Christmas Eve I gave each of the girls a special gift, something silly that was either a joke or a represented the person. Sabrina got a "lunch pack" of gummy foods (the gummy pizza, burgers, sour fries, etc.) since she always chooses gummy pizzas when she gets to pick a treat at the store; a "Hair-Do Harriet" (like a Wooly Willy) where they use a magnet stylus in order to move filings to design crazy beards, since she designed her own hair style; a set of vinyl butterflies to put on her wall (she is my "little butterfly") and a bottle of mustard. She always requests "mustard only" on hamburgers or hotdogs. She has made a point of telling me how often she has used the mustard, lol. Lizzie got a set of techie things from the dollar store -- a stylus pen that fits in her kindle cover, a screen cleaner, and a cool "anti-gravity" pen that writes every direction, including upside-down. She also got a little clip-on puppy because EVERYTHING has been puppies for LIzzie, since she was tiny; and a lego mini-fig. Kate got a frying pan. Remember several weeks ago when there were some teens climbing on our roof when she was home alone? when I got home she was hiding under her bed with a frying pan. So I got her a tiny frying pan -- an awesome heavy cast iron one! and printed instructions for safe handling instructions of a firearm...er, frying pan. ;) (She also loves cooking, so the frying pan will certainly be a good start to a set of good cooking implements). I hope to continue the tradition. This year the girls didn't get sleep cd's (a music compilation put together by Dad and burned onto discs so they can listen to them while going to bed. He's also written up the reason for choosing each song, which is awesome)., so maybe we'll alternate sleep cd's and goofy gifts ;) It was a lot of fun! via Facebook

December 27, 2015 at 01:33PM Paz

Julie Brunson Izatt ;)

December 25, 2015 at 12:25PM

The rule in our house has always been that you cannot wake anybody else up until the sun has risen on Christmas Day (about 7:45). It was something they could determine even when they were very young. The kids get some snacks and a book at the end of their bed to keep themselves entertained. This year they each got some chips and a couple of Kashi granola bars and a novel (The Selection, Geek Girl, and Mr. Poppins Penguins). The girls all woke up between 7 and 7:30 and hung out together reading. Then, bless their hearts, they let us sleep until Michael's alarm went off at 9!!! We had a fantastic morning and spent 2 hours eating breakfast and opening stockings and gifts. Now we're just sitting back and enjoying our gifts. Kate got a bunjo chair for her room (which all 3 of them LOVE -- a folding circle shaped chair with the seating area made of bungee cords) and the Twilight Forever collection. Lizzie got Snap Circuits (she's in heaven!) and a little glockenspiel and will get to have her ears pierced finally. Sabrina got her greatest wish -- a camera of her very own (yay for Black Friday deals on a Nikon Coolpix!) and a beautiful wooden recorder (she started learning to play the soprano recorder several months ago and loves it). Michael got a new wallet and money clip, a leather steering wheel wrap for his car, a couple of new ties, and his favorite -- a set of whiskey chillers, lol. (Stones you freeze then put in your drink in place of ice cubes so it keeps it cold without diluting your drink when they melt). I got tons of PURPLE! (My favorite color). A little teddy bear, hand warmers, my pashmina, chopsticks, a hair wrap (which they now say looks totally gangsta -- and yeah, it does). It was a great morning with lots of thought in each gift and a wonderful feeling of bringing us all closer together though the gifts chosen. Now we're going to go down and curl up in front of Twilight (cause we love our daughter, even if not the movies) with some Christmas goodies and enjoy the snow falling outside! Oh, and the cherry on top? The girls went to bed at a reasonable hour and I had things well enough prepared this year that even Santa was in bed by just after 11:00 last night!!! I think that's a new record for me! Merry Christmas, everybody! I hope that however you celebrate today, your time together and your gifts given and received will help you feel the love and closeness of family. <3 via Facebook

December 25, 2015 at 11:13AM

Michael got me some more really dark lipstick (his favorite, but I haven't had any for years, since the kids got into lipstick art). Also, the gorgeous purple pashmina! via Facebook

December 24, 2015 at 07:05PM

At the in laws overhearing a conversation about how to properly judge a posterior. via Facebook

December 24, 2015 at 06:20PM

Christmas eve gifts, all screen printed! (Yes one of them is totally screwed up. It was a"learning curve" issue.) The girls each got a tee and nightgowns all worked great! The girls and I made the tee for daddy this afternoon. via Facebook

December 24, 2015 at 11:03AM

via Facebook

December 24, 2015 at 08:33AM The Listcheckr

December 22, 2015 at 09:46PM

Playing with The Christmas Puppy :) via Facebook

December 22, 2015 at 08:49PM

Because this looked entertaining -- Three names I go by 1. Janelle 2. Tilly (Tilly Sue Nellie) 3. Mom / Mama / Mommy Three places I lived 1. McMinnville, OR 2. American Fork, UT 3. Springville, UT Three places I have worked 1. Western Wats (political telephone surveys) 2. BYU Theater Department Costume Studio 3. Rocky Mountain Elementary School (teaching 4th grade) Three things I love to watch: 1. Babies (human and animal) 2. Movies, if popcorn is involved 3. Whodunnit shows of a wide variety Three places I have been 1. Disneyland! 2. Europe (Germany, France, Switzerland) 3. San Francisco Three things I love to eat 1. Salads (carrot-free!) 2. Chocolate 3. Popcorn and other crunchy-salty Three people I think will respond 1. eh, I assume nothing. 2 3. Three things I am looking forward to 1. Springtime 2. the Afterlife (with no physical pain!) 3. watching the kids open their gifts on Christmas! I'm not gonna try to guilt anybody. Do it if you want ;) MERRY CHRISTMAS via Facebook

December 20, 2015 at 08:33PM

Loving this puppy! She is so sweet, we're gonna miss her when she goes to her permanent home for Christmas! via Facebook

December 20, 2015 at 08:21PM

Another of several little miracles we've been part of this season -- Today I was planning to throw in a roast I bought the other day for dinner, only to realize I'd lost track of time and it had gone bad. I was frustrated eating cereal for lunch, heading off to church. After church I was still grumbling at the fridge and freezer about not having something jumping out at me to make for a nice Sunday - before-Christmas meal. I gave up and sat down when there was a knock on the door. It was a neighbor dropping by asking if we could please use all the fixins for a turkey dinner. *blink, blink* She says she'd bought it to serve to her family but when it came to it she didn't feel like fixin' it up and they'd be just as happy with something simpler, so she wondered if we could make use of the food. The turkey breast was even defrosted already! So instead of eating scrambled eggs or cereal (again) for Sunday dinner tonight we had turkey dinner. It was beautiful, and delicious, and we felt very cared for. Those of you who have the opportunity to reach out in any way to someone else this holiday season, please know that it makes a difference! via Facebook

December 19, 2015 at 05:47PM

This morning was a church group Christmas breakfast and program. They played a video where they'd asked the kids in primary (ages 3-11) different questions about the Christmas story from the bible. There were some very sweet answers, as well as a few amusing ones. My favorite one from one of my children was the question "what others animals were in the stable?" One of my girls said: "sheep... bulls? .. and.... other cattle?" Another question was "who brought gifts?" One boy's answer was "The Baptists?" (I'd bet he was thinking along the line of John the Baptist) One other great comment: As we were getting things gathered up one of my girls said "You know what would be sad? If Jesus was born on leap day!" [Note: I know Christmas isn't the actual date of Christ's birth, just the day we celebrate, but it would be sad if it happened to be February 29th instead, so we only celebrated every 4 years!] via Facebook

December 18, 2015 at 09:36PM

Rock a bye puppy! via Facebook

December 18, 2015 at 08:37PM

We get to puppy-sit the sweetest baby Golden Doodle! She is going to be a Christmas Puppy and is such a sweetheart! It's pretty much heaven -- one week with an adorable, paper / crate trained 10 week old who loves to snuggle. via Facebook

December 18, 2015 at 05:09PM

After I took the buns down. Realllllly long pony tails! via Instagram http://ift.tt/1ULlfRf

December 18, 2015 at 04:57PM

The Princess Leia buns in my hair today. And yes, we saw The Movie this afternoon :) via Instagram http://ift.tt/1Iehz92

December 18, 2015 at 04:25PM

Star Wars: Really, really enjoyed it. No's 1-3 felt very cartooney and "shiny" next to 4-6. This one felt more like it fit. via Facebook

December 17, 2015 at 07:57PM

Watching the most recent Mission impossible and still flabbergasted by some of the idiocy assumed here. The technical gizmo that gets me the worst is the "gait analysis". Supposedly you walk down this hallway and the computer analyzes how you walk and either lets you pass or shoots you full of tranquilizers. Poor person who trips on the way down the walk way, or turned their ankle at the store the night before. I don't think my gait would be identical two days running, due to the way my body shifts angry nerves. Also, there's no way that's fair to people in wheelchairs. via Facebook

December 17, 2015 at 06:28PM

via Facebook

December 17, 2015 at 06:07PM

via Facebook

December 16, 2015 at 11:08PM

Don't let me forget to share the photos of the party the girls made for us while we were out for the evening. It was an awesome step back to 2000 and our wedding day. But I'm tired and need to go through some photos first... via Facebook

December 16, 2015 at 09:40PM

I love when the kids text complaints. So muck more entertaining. The latest had something to do with one of them being a "duty head". via Facebook

December 16, 2015 at 04:33PM

Obnoxious decorative crap for Michael's office I made him for our anniversary. 286 = 143 (I love you) + 143 (I like you). The girls signed the tops. I shared all the pics because of the background drama. via Facebook

December 16, 2015 at 02:00PM

I made these fun tags for the presents from Santa this year. They're made of white clay (baking soda and cornstarch clay) colored with permanent markers and covered with a spray clear coat. I just need to get some baker's twine to attach them with and finish adding names to the rest. I love the white clay, so much cleaner and smoother than the salt dough I was going to use! via Facebook

December 15, 2015 at 09:30PM Vegetables and Taxes - Google Sheets

This has been my secret weapon for Christmas. I've done something very similar several other years, but this is my favorite. I made it up into a blank version in case anybody wants to borrow the cheating-ness of it (the fact that it does all the math for you). If you want to play with it, click on the file drop down then "make a copy". Then you get your own copy of the sheet so you can play to your heart's content without the original one getting mixed up. Michelle -- I spent my evening creating a "blank" because this I'm such an exciting person this is considered "fun" for me! ;) The title is pure logic -- A sheet titled "Christmas gift list" would be a terrible idea if kids ever got close to the computer! So I always go with something as boring or distasteful as I can imagine ;) Also, if anybody actually uses it or wants to use it another year, but you need more than 5 people on the sheet, just let me know.

December 15, 2015 at 06:20PM The Definitive Disney Personality Test

Ooh, I like this one! I'm 60% Belle (my favorite princess), 40% Cinderella (another great one, give or take the whole "let's get married immediately 'cause you're hot" thing). You're sweet, tender and compassionate and strive to serve humanity and to give to others by sharing money, knowledge and experience, or creative and artistic ability. You're idealistic, highly imaginative, intuitive, and spiritual. You seek after spiritual truth and often find it. You tend to be visionary and often inspire others. If you fail to develop your potential, you may become a dreamer, or misuse your power.

December 15, 2015 at 12:18PM

One of our cats (Shuri) is very carefully removing ornaments from the bottom of the tree. She grabs them one at a time in her teeth and gently sets them on the floor, then goes for the next one. Kate was going to try to get a video, but of course she stopped. Most effective way of making a cat stop a particular behavior: try for a video! via Facebook

December 12, 2015 at 08:42AM

Last evening was rough, so I was tucked into a hot bath with truffles, milk, and a chunk of fresh homemade crusty artisan bread with brie. It helped. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1NoINGO

December 11, 2015 at 12:19PM

And here they are this year, Kat, Kay, and Kai ready for the Christmas Dance :) (I noticed at the last minute that she is wearing the same dress! By next year she'll need another holiday-type dress, for sure.) via Facebook

December 09, 2015 at 03:22PM

Last night we had our little family's holiday dinner. Brined turkey and all the fixins! via Facebook

December 05, 2015 at 11:01PM

Grateful for awesome kids who set up the Christmas decorations so happily together today. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1NOUaNH

December 05, 2015 at 09:03PM

The oven is probably hot enough when: you accidentally bump the back of a finger on the rack and it literally melts the top layer or two of skin right off. Thank goodness the other two burns acquired at the same time weren't quite so direct! via Facebook

December 05, 2015 at 07:35PM

Really frustrated at Walmart. I pre-ordered a movie for Christmas weeks ago. It came out on the 2nd and today I got an email that they're out of stock and are cancelling my order. It's not even listed on their site any more and I'm having a hard time finding it. Grrrrrrr!!!! Anybody seen "Once I was a Beehive" in the store for sale??? via Facebook

December 04, 2015 at 10:14PM

Scorch Trials: abandon logic all ye who enter here! via Facebook

December 04, 2015 at 02:48PM Want to find out your life motto?

Actually, that's pretty spot-on!

December 02, 2015 at 09:34AM

Ah, Wednesday morning at the dentist. I can only think of a gazillion things I'd rather be doing. Thankfully I'm not the one in the hot seat, and Lizzie is perfectly comfortable here. via Facebook

November 28, 2015 at 02:41PM

Dinos from kids lunches. Top: Mr. Wobbles (Sabrina) bottom, left: Tanlig (kate), right: Dinosaur (Lizzie). via Instagram http://ift.tt/1YAhD6J

November 24, 2015 at 08:07PM

A silver lining to requiring so many prescriptions: we get points at Walgreens for each prescription and the points gradually add up. For the last few years (and again this year) we've been able to have the girls choose some of the gifts they give from Walgreens and use the points to buy them. Great way to ease the budget ;) via Facebook

November 24, 2015 at 05:43PM

This one is my favorite. Notice the sub-cloud bit of sky peeking through on the far right via Facebook

November 24, 2015 at 05:24PM

Gorgeous sky tonight! It cast the most fascinating rosy glow across everything, like looking through life through rose colored glasses. via Facebook

November 23, 2015 at 06:32PM

Woo hoo!!! I've hit my out of pocket max for the year!!!!! Today's $70 of medical expenses ended up being $0! via Facebook

November 23, 2015 at 04:50PM If you're a lazy night owl who stays in bed all day, congrats: you're smarter than everyone.

http://ift.tt/1ja9NAJ I'd like to point out the "related" article that says those who can't stand hearing chewing sounds are also brilliant. I'm sorry y'all aren't as smart as I am. If you need to borrow some smarticles, I'll be in bed wearing ear plugs in case someone nearby is eating. ;)

November 21, 2015 at 04:26PM Spotted Pepper Designs: Be Still My Soul (a coloring book)

Check out this fabulous big kid coloring book! Relaxing, inspirational, and beautiful. My artful cousin crafted this book and is offering it on a "donation requested" basis. Printed on nice paper this could make a beautiful Christmas gift for a loved one!

November 20, 2015 at 10:37PM

Super excited: I placed my first 2 orders for Christmas and the packages will start arriving early next week! My gift selections are done for the girls and mostly done for Michael too. I'm exceedingly grateful for online shopping, since I will only have to go to one store for a special sale item next week and one fabric shopping trip, then everything else will come to me! I'll be making 3 simple nightgowns and doing a bit of screen printing, but everything else just needs to be wrapped (which is what I do bit-by-bit through the month of December). Entering the busy holiday season is so much less stressful this way! via Facebook

November 18, 2015 at 03:57PM What Are Your Most Used Words on Facebook? - Janelle's Most Used Words on Facebook

Yeah. Deep stuff. Totally blank. For an introvert who feels that most of their words are taken as nothing this hits a little close to home ;)

November 16, 2015 at 08:56PM

Discussing wrist bands after attending an event that involved such: L: I can slip mine right off. Mom, you put it on too loose! Me: I prefer them looser. I can almost always slip them off when I have them from the hospital. S: Even when you have an autopsy? .... Me; yeah, haven't had any of those done so far. She figured it out pretty quickly, and was shooting for "lithotripsy". Just missed it by *that* much. via Facebook

November 15, 2015 at 08:30PM

[Hidden from Kate, as this is Christmas gift related] Pajamas are a Christmas Eve tradition in our home, as it is in many homes. This year i wanted to make up some of my own. I have the perfect idea for Kate's jammies. The problem? I have not yet been inspired for the perfect thing for the other girls. It's driving me crazy! Kate hates the dark or going in to the basement alone, especially after dark, because of the blue mammoths. I don't remember if it was rooted in a childhood nightmare or is just something from that crazy imagination of hers. It's become a joke in our home where she fights the blue mammoths off when she has to get something downstairs after bedtime or we guard her from them by going up the stairs behind her at the end of the night. I just really, really wish I knew the perfect thing for the other two girls. Anybody happen to know my girls and have a suggestion? or any thoughts that could spark an idea?!?! via Facebook

November 06, 2015 at 08:58AM

Lizzie's Ancient Egypt project on Cleopatra included this sculpture. It would have been much less stressful had I remembered to factor in clay shrinkage while drying. She used a Styrofoam head as a base,which had no give as the clay snugged up,so instead it cracked. We were able to revive most of it resulting in a more authentic "ancient" look, but it's a bit (or a lot) sketchy in other areas. Oh well, it's done and off to the "Night at the Museum" activity at school. Phew! via Instagram http://ift.tt/1Sw0ubd

November 05, 2015 at 10:01AM

Isn't it adorable when the doctor's form has only 5 little lines for listing past surgeries and current medications? That is some itsy bitsy writing! via Facebook

November 02, 2015 at 04:06PM

This afternoon went to the salon to git mah hair did (or at least to have it shampooed). Kate was home working on school. Some neighbor kids were outside across the street messing with a tripod and video camera when I left. I got a frantic call from Kate a little while later that there had been a knock on the door which she ignored (seeing 4 teenaged boys on the porch) like she is supposed to. After there was no answer those kids started messing with the pumpkins on our front porch, then pulled out a ladder and climbed on the roof. Yup, on OUR roof. Then they apparently spent some time videoing throwing things off our roof and running around our yard. When I got home 20 minutes or so later the other two girls had gotten home from school. All three girls were huddled together in one of the bathrooms with the door locked. They took a frying pan and one of our emergency 72 hour packs in with them. via Facebook

November 02, 2015 at 03:59PM

I just got a call from one of my doctors saying that my culture came back positive, but the antibiotic they put me on is good for the type of bacteria, so I should just continue taking it. I'm not on any antibiotics. via Facebook

November 01, 2015 at 05:35PM

The weather changed this week. I want to visit Southern California again, and also, I've been in the tub all afternoon. Every time fall comes around I realize how "good" I've had it for the majority of the summer. Then the weather changes. I'll spare you the descriptive words that fit from head to toe. They're too gory for casual consumption. But at least I have little apple pies! I used to be okay with apple pie, but not crazy about it. Then I had a bite of an apple pie my sister had made once, followed by a slice, then maybe another slice or three ;) most apple pies are too sweet, then either too crunchy or too mushy. This one is perfect! So if it's gotta happen anyway, bring on fall! I'll be in the tub eating miniature apple pies. (Made in Texas muffin tins). via Facebook

October 31, 2015 at 07:36PM

My favorite. It's a daddy-daughter/daughter/daughter/ niece/ borrowed daughter / borrowed daughter night trick or treating! via Facebook

October 31, 2015 at 07:16PM

On Halloween I admit that I get a little bugged by the number of kids who cut all the way across our yard just to cut the corner short. I'm not a "get off my lawn!" sort of person, but it just seems rude to blatantly cut across the full front AND side yard especially when 1- you're already there to beg for candy and 2- the resident is sitting RIGHT THERE on the front porch. But on a more festive note -- the headless horseman just passed. Unfortunately our street is too dark for me to have gotten a decent photo and when he was under the street light the tree blocked him. Bummer, cause it's an epic costume riding on a real horse. :) via Facebook

October 31, 2015 at 06:49PM

Halloween Photos. Our Flying Squirrel, Pirate, and Bat. Sabrina has been dying to be a flying squirrel for about 5 years and this year I finally did it. Lizzie has felt the same about being a bat. Kate's pirate look was the easiest, where I only made the peasant blouse and the scarf / sash. via Facebook

October 31, 2015 at 02:48PM Take the Teal Pumpkin Project™ Pledge - Food Allergy Research & Education

In case anybody local has dietary limitations. We'll have candy and non-food treats available. Happy Halloween!

October 29, 2015 at 09:51PM

This "sewing bun-crown" was presented to me this evening by my younger 2. Yes, it does fit nicely around the bun on my head. Lizzie made the crown and Sabrina named and presented it. Just so you all know that I totally won. I'm very sorry for your lack of winning such a prestigious award. Better luck next year. via Facebook

October 29, 2015 at 09:31PM

I am proud to share that I had all the costumes completely finished by 7:30pm the day before the school costume parade! Michael was totally prepared for me to take most of this night, thanks to 15 years of experience with my procrastination. Yay me! via Facebook

October 29, 2015 at 04:00PM

So two days ago I had an appointment with doctor #1. Today I saw doctor #2. Next tuesday I have see doctor #2 again for an outpatient lithotripsy at the hospital. Then Thursday I see doctor #3 after picking up a note from doctor #4, then a couple of short, blissful weeks off (hopefully) followed by a follow up with doctor #1 on Monday, doctor #5 on tuesday, and sometime a procedure with doctor #3, a follow up with doctor #2, and a visit with doctor #6. What a month. This is another reason I avoid calling doctors. It's like opening Pandora's box! via Facebook

October 21, 2015 at 03:40PM

Absolutely crushed to learn that the camera I've been dreaming of has more than DOUBLED in price! Same model, significantly more expensive than it used to be :( So much for considering it a possibility any year soon. *sigh* via Facebook

October 20, 2015 at 02:34PM

A few years ago for Christmas our girls each got a cute tablet. They were cute, inexpensive, and died immediately. We got them set up just before Christmas, but come Christmas morning one of them wouldn't even turn on. The others died within a couple of weeks. Poor kids. FINALLY we made it up to them. They now each have a Kindle Fire 7" tablet that cost a touch LESS than the cheap knock-off tablets and are SO much better! They're currently $50 on Amazon and at Best Buy (perhaps other places too, but for sure those places). They do have ads on the lock screen and they only get online via wi-fi (no data), but they work great. They don't have much storage (8G) but have a spot for a micro SD card, which is an easy, cheap way to increase storage space. Just a tip in case anybody is looking for a good quality, inexpensive tablet to tuck away for the upcoming holidays! No I can get over the guilt of the dead tablets that have been haunting me from the corner of the dresser for a couple of years. ;) via Facebook

October 20, 2015 at 02:13PM

I'm so proud of myself today! I finally called and made one doc appointment I've been putting off for a year, one I've been putting off the 2 months, and another that is just past due. Yay me! I am so sick of doctor's appointments, but I ran out of excuses. So today I finally adulted long enough to make three whole phone calls AND talk to people to schedule things! via Facebook

October 18, 2015 at 08:17PM

Sabrina just asked me how much it costs to adopt a baby. She says she wants a baby sister and figured that would be the best way to get one. This is a picture of her wished-for sister. See? She has my green eyes! via Facebook

October 17, 2015 at 04:41PM I am 【Artist (ISFP)】! What about you?

almost perfectly opposite of you, Jamie!

October 15, 2015 at 10:07PM

For the first time in nearly 3 decades of sewing on a sewing machine I actually ran the needle through my finger today. That includes several years of sewing on high speed industrial machines! Of course I did fine then. But now, on my machine where the thread is breaking every 6 inches so I sew crazy slow, I managed to sew through the edge of my finger. Fortunately the needle broke AFTER it came back out. Bummer breaking that record. via Facebook

October 14, 2015 at 10:26AM

Happy, Happy Birthday to my dear Sabrina! She's 10 years old today. Love this little one :) Photos from a visit to the Red Barn on Monday. via Facebook

October 13, 2015 at 11:49AM The Hunger Games Tribute - Vote for your Favorite content

Love Studio C!!!

October 11, 2015 at 03:36PM

Woke up realizing I've got thrush. No wonder popcorn didn't feel good in my mouth last night! I have so much sympathy for babies who get thrush. It's painful enough as an adult, and I can understand a bit of what's going on! via Facebook

October 10, 2015 at 10:59PM

Tonight we had a girls' night out (me, my girls, and one of Kate's friends) to see "Once I Was a Beehive". It was great! The girls all came out saying we need to own it immediately. I can't believe how realistic it was at parts! Kinda scary really, lol. I also am not a weeper and was blown away by how many times I ended up crying. Then in the middle of ugly tears ending up in stitches of laughter! POSSIBLE SPOILER COMPLAINT: Why did nobody warn me about the dog?!?!?!?!??!?! I was not emotionally prepared for that. via Facebook

October 10, 2015 at 10:49PM

A- Age: 35 B- Biggest Fear: being unable to breathe C- Current Time: 10:29 pm D- Drink you last had: Dr Pepper, obviously E- Easiest Person To Talk to: My hubby! F- Favorite Song: Depends on the moment. I like a huge variety of stuff. G- Ghosts, are they real: In a way. H- Hometown: McMinnville, OR I- In love with: Michael Southern J- Jealous Of: people who live without pain! K- Killed Someone? um... no. (Do the cops get a lot of arrests off of FB posts like this? L- Last time you cried? Just recently, at the movies. Darn you all for not warning me about the dog!!!! M- Middle Name: Celeste N- Number of Siblings: 7 (total of 8 of us) O- One Wish: Sorry to sound like a broken record, but to be totally honest: to live without pain. Yes, it's that big a deal every minute of every day. P- Person who you last called: Michael Southern Q- Question you're always asked: Will you verify the address on that? R- Reason to smile: My kids S- Song last sang: the Friend's theme song T- Time you woke up: 6:45 am. It was awful. U- Underwear Color: That's just creepy. How about um..... Unusual Habit. That sounds like more fun. so.... I sleep with 4 pillows and 4 stuffed animals. V- Vacation Destination: Disneyland!!!! or Oregon. W- Worst Habit: drinking soda X- X-Rays you've had: frequent KUB's (urinary tract), wrists, ankle, teeth... with various other radiology visits for CAT scans, ultrasounds, MRI's, video scopes in every location.... basically, I'm out of uncharted territory, inside or out. Y- Your favorite food: chocolate, potatoes, popcorn... Z- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio Nominate 6 people: 1) Yeah, no. 2) Do it if you want, but I won't make ya ;) 3) 4) 5) 6) There's a clean copy in the comments for you to copy and paste Copy and paste and complete folks!! via Facebook

October 09, 2015 at 07:05PM ak-hdl.buzzfed.com

I want this mug.

October 07, 2015 at 01:17PM Click here to support Eye Surgery for Maple Bacon by Rachel Jaggers

I see tons of this sort of thing and rarely share them. I'm a bit of a skeptic. this, however, is my cousins' pup and I remember seeing posts from the time she was brand new! Besides a personal connection and knowing this is a legitimate need, I hate to see animals suffer :( As they all say, every bit helps!

October 05, 2015 at 06:53PM

Video I put together at Lizzie's bidding for her class of some pics from the lunar eclipse. No, they're not perfect, but it gives a good general idea.

October 05, 2015 at 03:35PM

Also, for the sake of camera lovers: live it up at Disney!!! I was able to take my camera with me on every ride. There were one or two where I then put it in an attached pouch, but for every other ride it was fine around my neck. Huge relief for photo-friendly me! via Facebook

October 05, 2015 at 12:26PM

[TL;DR: My anxious child rocked Disneyland!] One of my tenderhearted children deals with a great deal of anxiety. I can totally understand, being the same way myself in many ways. She was so brave at the parks! She would get all excited about a ride, beg to go on it, then psych herself out and be near (or in) tears begging to not ride by the time we were halfway through the line. She worked so hard to deal with her anxiety and I'm so proud of how she handled it! She is learning to distract herself and to take deep breaths to avoid or break an anxiety spiral, to focus on the positives, and to think through things logically. I know it will probably be a lifelong struggle for her, but she is learning great things! And yes, she loved nearly every ride she went on. Even the ones she would be happy to never go on again she did fine on. She didn't panic during any rides, just said it wasn't worth it to her for how much anxiety she felt. She even discovered the beauty of flying on a plane and only had to not look during take off. She was particularly worried about landing, but that ended up being her favorite part! One ride my baby kept begging to go on was the Matterhorn. She REALLY wanted to go. Then she REALLY freaked out. We spent a good 20 or 30 minutes in line and during that time we looked up a video of the ride, found where the "startle" points were, watched people coming down , and discussed an arrangement for "black balling" a ride or two during the day and what might happen if she used it too soon then wanted to skip something later too. I explained that if she let her anxiety prevent her from riding anything she'd never learn the ones she loved anyway (especially Radiator Springs, which turned out to be her favorite!) but that I also didn't want to force her to do something she really wasn't comfortable with. After extensive discussion and research she decided to go anyway. We had previous warning for the sake of Michael and myself about the discomfort of the seats, but didnt' want to skip out when she was gathering her courage to ride. The forewarning allowed me to use my legs more than my back to keep it from being butchered (thanks for the warning, Michelle!) and we did fine. So we all went together. Just before we got on the ride a woman who had been next to us in line stopped me and whispered to me that she was really impressed at the job we were doing. In the midst of wondering where to find that perfect balance between pushing forward and not pushing too hard, it was really wonderful to hear a few kind words from another mother. In the end my girl did fine. She enjoyed the ride fine, but wouldn't bother going again. She only actually skipped two rides the whole time: Star Tours and California Screamer. And on Mickey's Fun Wheel, or whatever the ferris wheel is called, we rode in a stationery cart instead of one that slides around, which the other two girls did. We talked about true bravery: actively doing something even though you're scared. We talked about using bravery to either help others or to help ourselves by stretching our comfort zone. While most people don't show true bravery at a theme park, my girl absolutely did. She stretched her boundaries to find joy in several ways she didn't think she could. What a girl! via Facebook

October 04, 2015 at 08:41PM

Disney pro tip #1: if you're clever enough to bring cheap ponchos to wear on the wet rides, keep that clever going long enough to get them all the way to the park. They're not as useful sitting at the hotel and you'll end up riding the river run ride after dark when it's already getting chilly anyway. [We managed to stay mostly dry, thankfully,and still enjoyed the ride!] via Facebook

October 04, 2015 at 07:53PM

Well, that was fun! Ya know the questions I was asking about Disneyland? And how I said it would be soon? Yeah, the question rose on Monday and we're now minutes from home after 3 days away! It was short, but wonderful. So glad we got to go!!! via Facebook

October 03, 2015 at 10:32PM Who would you team up with in a zombie apocalypse?

October 03, 2015 at 02:34PM

I hate wheelchairs. I mean, I appreciate beyond able to get places I couldn't otherwise, but I HATE them otherwise. No power over where I go, how fast, whose ankles I cream... drives me nuts! via Facebook

October 01, 2015 at 05:36PM

"...then I'd like two cheeseburger meals. One with mustard only, the other with no pickles or onion." "And to drink?" "A root beer and [Interrupts] "which of those meals would you like the root beer with?" "Uh...the first one?" Thankfully the burger was not submerged in the soda, the only way we could figure it would matter which of the burgers the root beer goes with. via Facebook

October 01, 2015 at 07:34AM

Quote of the morning: "I wonder what the people who write 'you' as 'u' do with all their extra time?" via Facebook

September 30, 2015 at 12:44PM

I was just looking online at what Disney stuff is available at WalMart. In the middle of everything what do I see? The Pretty Woman DVD. Remember how that's a Disney movie? via Facebook

September 29, 2015 at 09:42PM

Is Dr Pepper seriously NOT available at Disneyland?!?!?!?! via Facebook

September 29, 2015 at 06:28PM

Brilliant quote of the night "My face is like your face because we both have faces." Kate Southern via Facebook

September 29, 2015 at 06:25PM

Another DISNEYLAND question: Friends how use serious cameras? What do you do with the camera? When we went to Lagoon I just sucked it up and left the camera at home. But somehow people get nice pics at Disneyland using more than their phones!!!! Take the camera for a few hours and shoot a bunch, then hide it away in safety? Leave it home? Something safely between??? I don't see the point in having a good camera and the ability to use it if I leave it at home, but I also am loath to risk it. via Facebook

September 28, 2015 at 05:04PM

Question for all my friends who do the "Disneyland" thing: would our Fall Break be a decent time to visit? via Facebook

September 27, 2015 at 08:30PM

I have my camera out on a tripod taking photos of the moon. Lizzie stepped right in front of my camera trying to photobomb. I was trying to explain why the picture wouldn't work: I'm set on manual for the illumination and distance of the moon. Being me, I said "that's not going to come out because first of all, you're not bright." via Facebook

September 25, 2015 at 10:36PM

Did you know: there is a component found in chocolate that will actually bind to excess hormones, allowing them to be cleared from the body more easily? That's why so many hormonal individuals find comfort that way. #totallymadeupscience via Facebook

September 25, 2015 at 02:07PM

If something can go wrong today, it will. Regardless of what more goes wrong you are still likely to find me hiding somewhere in tears. What a wreck! Miscommunication on the time for a photo shoot at M's work; tech issue submitting a homework assignment for NON-online schooling class; no bread to make sandwiches for sack lunches; a daughter with hurt feelings from some people lacking education (and tact) in terms of online schooling; more mix ups with the photos because I ran there in a crazy rush yesterday to take care of people who would be gone today only to find out another person is gone today now, which means another day I'll have to lug all my lighting gear back down for 20 seconds of shooting time since I forgot and hauled it all home. Then the gas tank was empty but of course the pump I pulled to was busted and kept popping, saying my tank was full (Note: my minivan does not go from fumes to full on $3 of gas, sadly); issues with my lens leaving most of the photos just a *touch* soft; Oh, and the pharmacy sent me a message that they can't refill my migraine meds because they think they need new insurance information. Never mind they filled a prescription two days ago for me, and no, it's not even close to time for a new card. Then the whole scheduling debacle started because at least Michael was going to take us to lunch after the photos... but had a mess at work and had to clean that up instead. I did stop for a large Dr Pepper (both in terms of comfort and the pending migraine I have no meds for) on the way home, and fortunately I have most of a lovely Godiva bar here that Michael brought me after being out of town Monday and Tuesday. Gahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you need me, I'll be hiding from the world. via Facebook

September 24, 2015 at 08:42AM Hospicesoft Office Prank: 40+ Black Balloons

Here it is! The post about Michael's birthday celebration at work for his 40th last summer:

September 22, 2015 at 02:57PM

I feel so motherly today. I have dinner ready to go in the oven when we're ready AND I made cookies! ( Lorilee - this might be the 2nd batch of Almond Joy cookies since you sent the recipe. I kinda blame you and kinda love you ;) ) Inside I'm not a lovely mother today. Woke up with worse than usual pain and enjoyed a migraine as well. I'll pay for it quadruple tomorrow, but at least it was distracting today. Also: Cookies! And chicken enchiladas. via Facebook

September 21, 2015 at 10:42AM

School photos :) (Anyone around here who has school photos taken by Lifetouch, I paid online and entered the code SHARE to get a the low res digital download for free. Yay!) via Facebook

September 19, 2015 at 02:09PM

Part of the stream of consciousness rambling just caught my ear -- something about undershirts, underpants, and socks. Clearly socks ought to be called undershoes. via Facebook

September 19, 2015 at 02:06PM

Good heavens, a couple of my kids were dosed at least twice with the gift of gab! I don't think she's even stopped for a breath in the last 30 minutes through at least that many topics. My introverted side is totally overwhelmed. via Facebook

September 18, 2015 at 05:25PM Here’s Why Math is Taught Differently Now

Excellent video! If the "new" methods of teaching math are driving you nuts, WATCH THIS! I was first introduced to this new method when I was in college. And yeah, at first we all whined and complained and thought it was stupid. It didn't take long to figure out how useful this is, though! I am 100% behind understanding-based math versus "do it because I said to do it" math. I lost my enjoyment in math around 4th or 5th grade. It just wasn't clicking for me any more. More and more algorithms were thrown at me and I'm the type of person who needs to know why something works. So math no longer made sense. It was just a lot of tricks and hoops to jump through for some magical answer. I learned more about math as a whole during two semesters of learning to teach math this way than I had through the previous decade of math classes. I taught Investigations Math for a year in 4th grade. I watched that light-bulb click over kids when suddenly what they'd been doing made sense! AND they learned how to talk about it. We have all done math these ways, we just never learned how to talk about it. How many of us reach for a calculator or piece of paper every time we need to figure out a math problem? Most of us have created methods of doing these in our minds. The difference is that kids are taught these methods, learn how to improve these methods, and know how to discuss them. If I ask you to add 20+50 there are several ways to figure that out. I personally would say that I know 2+5=7, then add the 0 to put them in the tens place. Others might work it differently. Learning that those tricks I'd started using in my mind were not only okay, but were important and could be improved was like a revelation! The biggest problem with this change in teaching math is that kids listen to their teachers and parents. Teachers who are used to just telling kids how to complete an algorithm and have never had to discuss math and how it works have a hard time. Parents who don't understand why this is useful have a hard time. The kids pick up on the complaining and use it as an excuse for why they don't need to apply themselves. We need kids learning from teachers who are enthusiastic about the program and who aren't undermined at home. Yes, straight algorithms worked for some kids, and most of us created methods for it to work for us too, but this reaches SO many more students and works with the way we all live now -- most of us with a calculator in our pockets!

September 17, 2015 at 09:19PM

Pizzeggrolls and Pizzontons. For when regular pizza just sounds too healthy. ;) They're worth it, trust me via Instagram http://ift.tt/1KuA1sL

September 17, 2015 at 11:56AM

My new goal, which WILL also be my childrens' goal, is to make it ONE WEEK without an "emergency" trip to the school. Today's "emergency" was broken flip-flops. I've also done a benadryl run for some light hives, forgotten lunches, heading to the doctor, printing out an essay, etc. etc. etc. and it's only a few weeks into the year!!!!!! Just one week of no running back and forth, please?!?!?! (Yes, I fully intend to then get greedy and hope for 2 in a row) via Facebook

September 17, 2015 at 10:20AM MountainStar Healthcare Star Athletes of Week 4

Check out the featured Boy's Cross Country star! Eric Lambert is rather fantastic. (And also one my nephew, but clearly bias has nothing to do with that declaration). His brother, Jensen Lambert is mentioned in the paragraph as well. It was a pretty amazing photo finish with those brothers clearing the field. Way to go, Eric! You're an awesome kid in so many ways, and your dedication and efforts / leadership in cross country is just one. Love you! {Squishy, obnoxious, ugly lipstick smooch on your cheek! Because I'm your auntie so I'm supposed to.}

September 15, 2015 at 04:18PM

So proud of my Lizzie and her hard work at school! Two years ago Kate got to serve on student council. They met weekly, did a lot of activities, helped plan stuff, etc. This year Lizzie was hoping to do the same thing. They've totally changed how it works, though. Instead of 6 members of Student Council there are 16 O.O The kids who were interested in serving submitted applications a week or so ago. Teachers went through and created a short list of students they thought would do well. Lizzie was chosen as one of 24 students to continue on. Yesterday each of the hopefuls brought a "campaign" poster to school, then today they each gave a 2 minute speech (their application essay, basically) to the 4th - 6th graders, then all that audience voted for their 3 favorites. Lizzie did an awesome job on her speech. From what I can understand of the differences this year, the principal chose 8 students first to serve in a new committee that works more behind the scenes. I don't know the name of this group yet, or what exactly they do, but Lizzie was chosen as one of those 8 kids. The other kids will have some sort of ranking in Student Council according to the other student votes. They're only meeting monthly this year and will have a lot fewer responsibilities since there are so many of them. All in all it sounds like a great way to get more kids involved. I think Lizzie will do very well working on whatever projects the principal needs help with. I think they will be meeting weekly. It is also nice that she gets to serve there with a couple of good friends. All in all, a great success! via Facebook

September 14, 2015 at 07:29PM

I love getting to watch Daddy-Daughter moments :) Tonight Michael is watching the BYU-Boise game from a couple of days ago with Kate and teaching her all about football. We're not a sportsing family, but I'm glad she has a chance to learn about it. via Facebook

September 12, 2015 at 03:58PM

Sabrina says she wants to watch "'The Door-knob and the Broom', or whatever it's called" "You mean 'Bed-knobs and Broomsticks?" "Yeah, that's the one." via Facebook

September 10, 2015 at 09:41PM

Watching "Maze Runner". "Quick! Everybody hide!" And they run and hide. In the dark. With a torch in their hands. via Facebook

September 10, 2015 at 09:57AM Click here to support Help fix Wyatt's wheelchair van by Justin Roberts

If any of you can spare a bit... This boy is SUCH a ray of sunshine! And a wonderful family. If we weren't buried bo so many medical bills ourselves I'd jump on this myself. I hope that by sharing I can do what I want through other wonderful friends who can chip in. You, maybe? :)

September 08, 2015 at 05:56PM

Someone who will be unnamed is making dinner (yay!). He* just very nearly dumped 1/4 cup of cinnamon over the ground beef instead of taco seasoning. That would have been a REALLY exciting meal! That's what happens when you pull the cinnamon from in front of the taco seasoning and the costco sized containers are sitting side-by-side on the cupboard. Oops! I gotta admit, even cinnamon tacos would have been exciting since I wasn't the one making it. He has been awesome about that recently :) (*"He" is totally neutral because Michael is no longer the only male in the household. Kate's guinea pig, Bugzy, is also male.) via Facebook

September 07, 2015 at 08:38PM

Totally weirded out! Kate pulled out a box of old formal dresses I had packed away. Besides being several inches too short she is almost the same size I was in my formal-wear days O.o Isn't she still a wee little one?! via Facebook

September 05, 2015 at 01:02PM HELP ME! This food is rotten!

September 05, 2015 at 12:49PM

Apparently it's one of *those* Saturdays. I haven't gathered enough guts to ask why the bathroom is getting a makeover. All I know is the day was scheduled to start with repairing a house bib. This doesn't look good. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1QguO8v

September 01, 2015 at 11:11AM

For those of us who take "Fantasy" all too seriously -- today would be James Serius Potter's (Harry Potter's son's) first day at Hogwarts. There must be a photo of him in front of his front door for the occasion. Anybody want to comment with their own version? ;) via Facebook

August 31, 2015 at 11:53AM Provo City Center, UT | Temple Carvings

City Center temple carving available now! Love it!

August 30, 2015 at 04:41PM

Yesterday we got to go to Lagoon, thanks to the end-of-summer work party. My nephew Hyrum came with us, and one of Kate's friends. I feel rather beat up today, but it was a lot of fun. Photos already shared! The kids came home with a little stuffed baby monster, a stuffed hot sauce bottle (srsly?!), and a small stuffed gator each. I got my "manatee in a hat" that Michael won for me, and we all were definitely ready to get warm (after the chilly drenching at Rattlesnake Rapids) and get some sleep! via Facebook

August 30, 2015 at 04:22PM

Lagoon, pt.2 via Facebook

August 30, 2015 at 04:21PM

Lagoon, pt.1 via Facebook

August 27, 2015 at 06:37PM

I'm sure y'all are sick of hearing about it, and hopefully once we're in the groove things will be less notable, but i was really excited about this: kate dragged her way through the rest of the mathematics assessment today. She was relieved to finish, then THRILLED to learn that she has already mastered over 2/3rds of the math course! This is self paced and all she only has to do are the lessons she needs. It turns out there are 12 different areas of learning. I promised pie (it is tracked on a pie chart) each time she finished a full wedge. She's only one or two lessons from finishing off the two largest wedges already! Fortunately she is happy with a frozen pot pie for lunch in "payment". She was one of only 2 kids in her math class to get a top score on SAGE testing last year, but we didn't realize how that would affect her course this year. Apparently she is skilled enough at math, she just doesn't care for it overly much. via Facebook

August 26, 2015 at 05:25PM

Kate and I have been talking about future classes and eventual career options. For the moment she is looking toward becoming a nutritionist. She would like to work in a hospital helping people work out proper diet within any restrictions. via Facebook

August 26, 2015 at 03:53PM

Math motivation has been determined. The Aleks Math program lets you basically pick what you want to work on that day until you complete each section on a pie chart showing the complete curriculum. So we have decided that when she completes a full pie wedge section of the course (there are... 5 or 6? maybe? something like that) we will have pie of some sort. (maybe even pot pie some day!) At least she gets to yell and get all dramatic about how much she has forgotten and how much she it hating the pre-test :P via Facebook

August 26, 2015 at 02:24PM

Today is what online schooling is all about -- Kate was done with her classes by 1:00!!! Of course, then she finally go the login info for her math class, so now she has to start that too, but it was still a nice short, relaxing day for her. via Facebook

August 25, 2015 at 09:14PM

That's my girl! Ha! Guinea Pig on her shoulders (one of his favorite perches while "watching" tv), kitty on her lap. The cats are still highly suspicious of the rodent, but at least they're not aggressive. In fact, this is the closest they've been so far! via Instagram http://ift.tt/1JihBaD

August 25, 2015 at 12:04PM

Yup, we're *that* house. (Not the birdhouse, just for clarification). via Instagram http://ift.tt/1hEzvxJ

August 25, 2015 at 12:02PM

I'm such a sucker. So GUM was not kate's favorite class so we got her some gum to make it more appealing. Now it is History that has her dragging her feet, so we got some old fashioned candies (butterscotch discs, root beer barrels, and pink mints). Hopefully she has a good introduction to math soon, since I don't know what I could justify for that class! If it wasn't for the fact that those are the classes I'd have the hardest time facing too, she might not be so lucky! A hard candy and a piece of gum a few times a week seems a small price to pay for peaceful learning ;) Besides, it makes her desk extra cute. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1ETVfdt

August 24, 2015 at 12:48PM

One part of 8th grade language arts with Utah Online Schools is "GUM" (grammar,usage,and mechanics). It is NOT Kate's favorite lesson set. So today we bought a bag of Dubble Bubble for her. She gets to have a piece only while doing her GUM lessons. Gum is totally part of this school! via Instagram http://ift.tt/1Eeq6GK

August 24, 2015 at 10:10AM Temple Carvings

Excellent wedding / anniversary / anyday gifts: http://ift.tt/1NwuNie We have two of these (I'm lucky, since my dad is the artist), one in our bedroom, one in our entry-way. They're absolutely beautiful! Ours have our names at the top and our wedding date at the bottom with the temple we were married in (Mount Timpanogos) featured in the middle. A wonderful keepsake!

August 24, 2015 at 09:30AM

Recently the girls were having a discussion about the appendix (the part of the body). I reminded them that I'd had mine removed 5 years ago. So I was showing them which of my scars on my belly are from my appendectomy (versus my several other abdominal surgical scars). Lizzie got the giggles across the room. Then she said "Mom, your marshmallowy bits are jiggly today and it's just so cute!" (Yes, I am a huggable, marshmallow shaped mama. They refer to my pudge as 'marshmallow'). I admit, I laughed. There may be a reference to a "bowl full of jelly" that fits here. I'm glad my girls can find joy in my squish, as it helps me feel that way too :) via Facebook

August 19, 2015 at 12:35PM

A few First Day of School photos. Kate is already home. She's gone less time than a kindergartener! With only 3 periods at the school building it's a new schedule for us to get used to. It's kinda nice having her here with me. And the fact that she made me lunch is only part of the reason :P via Facebook

August 19, 2015 at 08:48AM

Mommy and Daddy with the kids out to breakfast. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1WELew2

August 19, 2015 at 08:46AM

Daddy took us all to breakfast at Burger King for the first day of school. Nothing like a some empty calories to stay the year off, right? ;) via Instagram http://ift.tt/1hoURij

August 19, 2015 at 08:37AM

Saw the girls all off this morning. Took 171 photos. All for about 10 shots I actually want. It keeps me distracted, though :P via Facebook

August 18, 2015 at 08:21PM

Bugz with bunny ears and driving a car. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1K4XctG

August 18, 2015 at 08:18PM

Bugzy and kate via Instagram http://ift.tt/1KuNpc8

August 18, 2015 at 08:14PM

A girl and her [guinea] pig. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1fodUqZ

August 18, 2015 at 08:11PM

Kate got a guinea pig recently. Not only does his cage share her room, but she actually likes to bring him downstairs to snuggle with her while she watches TV with us. It's rather hilarious. She keeps blankets or puppy pads under him for the inevitable "pellets" he leaves behind and he seems really happy to climb on her or be rolled up in a blanket and just cuddled. Even funnier -- so far Bugzy (the guinea pig) totally freaks out the cats. When Ginger (the Big Cat -- in terms of dominance, despite her petite size) first saw Bugz in his cage she ran out the room, down the stairs, and hid in a box! Highly entertaining. via Facebook

August 18, 2015 at 04:44PM

I've been to open house at both schools. That means this is really happening. 4th, 6th, and 8th grade. For realsies. I'm afraid this means I have to turn back on my alarms. Sad day. via Facebook

August 16, 2015 at 10:30PM

This morning I got up, got ready for church, took my handful of pills, and headed off. By an hour in at church I could not keep my eyes open. Having another burst of insomnia last night and not getting to sleep until about 3:30,I assumed I just needed more sleep. 1 1/2 hours in at church I finally gave up and Michael brought me home where I promptly crashed and slept hard for a few hours. Fast forward to tonight -- I'm getting ready for bed, and am about to take my handful of nighttime meds when this morning's somnolence made even more sense. I accidentally took my nighttime meds this morning! And yeah, they're formulated in part to improve the quality of my sleep. Even in the middle of church. Oops. via Facebook

August 15, 2015 at 08:12PM

via Facebook

August 13, 2015 at 04:44PM

FOUND CAT: She has been hanging around a home in South-East Provo for a few weeks. The family she was ghosting is moving and cannot take her in as they're very allergic. Since she was discovered to be losing weight and is declawed, she was taken in. Trying to see if she has a family that is missing her! Very friendly, sweet kitty. Anybody in the area willing to share? via Facebook

August 13, 2015 at 04:12PM

At a church bbq up the canyon last night. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1ILL6na

August 13, 2015 at 04:07PM

I like these 4 people :) via Instagram http://ift.tt/1DR95lM

August 09, 2015 at 07:10PM

I'm indexing some old WWII 4th draft registration cards today. Just came across a guy whose last name was Hamlin, middle name Bacon. I bet his parents were a hoot. via Facebook

August 05, 2015 at 10:55AM

Right at the entry to the Springville reservoir, two young deer! via Instagram http://ift.tt/1UocPQ2

August 05, 2015 at 10:49AM

We're at the reservoir this morning. Sabrina just came up to me with a terribly guilty, sad expression on her face. Me: what's wrong, babe? Nina: um....I just accidentally stepped on a honey bee. Me: are you okay? Did it sting you? Nina: no. *long pause* it got squished. Me: I'm glad you're okay! Nina: but I didn't mean to! I didn't want it dead! I covered it with a little sand and put a little rock over it so it will be remembered. Ah, what a tender heart! via Facebook

August 04, 2015 at 10:22PM

Only 174(ish) more photos to edit from the wedding. Phew! Part 2 post to come tomorrow. via Facebook

August 03, 2015 at 09:19PM

Just shared the first part of my photos from the wedding of Jacob and Jessica Downey. Still getting used to having a niece married off! Having it happen the same day my oldest child turned teenager made for a day that made me feel suddenly 2 decades older! via Facebook

August 03, 2015 at 08:32PM

If you got to choose which 4 of these books to study in 8th grade, which would you pick, and why? Kate's online school stuff started today (yay!) and she (or I) gets to pick which 4 of these to read this year. • Animal Farm by George Orwell • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte • Lord of the Flies by William Golding • A Separate Peace by John Knowles • A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee • The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings via Facebook

August 01, 2015 at 05:28PM

Awww, my kitty missed me! Our arty least she missed the warm body to fight via Instagram http://ift.tt/1SRXa90

August 01, 2015 at 03:05PM

Nurse Kate to the rescue! Little one had a bloody nose. Kate whips out her first aid kit and immediately dons vinyl gloves. Here she's cleaning up the blood while Little is holding tissue to her nose. Little just came out and very seriously asked "Janelle? Is Kate going to be a doctor when she grows up?" via Instagram http://ift.tt/1OVDgJM

August 01, 2015 at 11:08AM

Kate has been doing an awesome job at her first babysitting job. It's a long one, overnight, so I'm here with her. All 3 kids have been great, but a nearly 2 year old is still a nearly 2 year old, and the same is true of a 3 year old and a 5 year old. I think she's understanding some of the times I've nearly lost my mind when she and her sisters fight over ridiculous things. Payback doesn't have to wait until she's a mother herself, LOL! via Facebook

July 31, 2015 at 07:16PM

Not to be left out:this guy! He says "Piglet!!!" Then made perfect fishy lips for the camera, lol. And there's proof that he really does smile :D via Instagram http://ift.tt/1fQWcgD

July 31, 2015 at 07:04PM

Babysitting explained in one image. Just kidding they were both laughing like crazy, lol. via Instagram http://ift.tt/1MCR0up

July 31, 2015 at 07:00PM

"Here, [brother],I picked a bouquet for you! " "Oh thank you very much, [sister]! It is beautiful! " via Instagram http://ift.tt/1MCQEnO

July 31, 2015 at 06:40PM

"In gymnastics we use white chalkboard on our hands when our hands hurt or we can't hold on so long. My hands are tired, so I'll color chalk all over them. Crayon doesn't work as well." via Instagram http://ift.tt/1DXdDBW

July 31, 2015 at 05:54PM

"If you put strawberries on pizza it makes it cold!" via Instagram http://ift.tt/1gvhDVe