Mouse's House

MauldenNews January 2012

2012-01-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

No pictures this month...camera fatigue from Christmas, perhaps? Sorry, you'll have to use your imaginations...

Every new year brings new experiences, some anticipated, some not. A few things that were new for us this month:

- We started speech therapy with Sam. He tends to "stutter" when he gets excited, only I didn't really recognize it or think of it as stuttering.... he often repeats a whole word or phrase several times, often at the end of a sentence more than the beginning....anyway, we are learning and playing new games at home, and Sam is happy to have new ways to earn lollipops.

- Alle's new thing is selling Girl Scout cookies for the first time. She had her whole sales spiel memorized and performed it for all the neighbors and anyone who would listen. She even told everyone what cookies she thought they should buy. She really wanted to earn the prize for selling 1000+ boxes...funny how they have NO idea what is realistic at this age.

For some reason being the mom of a Girl Scout feels like such a new and foreign phase of parenthood to me. But it's good. I like her cute little Daisy troop and I feel very domestic when I iron the patches on her uniform. We sold 61 boxes and I took the opportunity to order all the kinds I had never ordered before. Now I need an excuse to have a cookie party.

- We tried a couple new foods this month - fresh fennel (in salad with oranges & red bell peppers) and parsnips (julienned and roasted with rosemary and thyme). I thought both were good, even though I'm not a big fan of anise flavor. Why a green bulb should taste like black licorice is beyond me. Sometimes it's like a game to find new stuff in the produce section, since a lot of it is not labeled, at least here. It's also fun to stump the checkout person when buying weird vegetables. Next time I might try rutabaga if I get brave.

- I've taken a break from running and instead I'm doing a new workout routine called P90X. I'm 3+ weeks into the 90-day program. It's a good change and good for core and overall fitness... The strategy is "muscle confusion" ... I think I'm successfully confusing my muscles. I was skeptical about the kenpo kickboxing, but I'm even enjoying pretend-punching and kicking more than I thought I would.

- Status update on my 21-day challenge: I'm still at it! My wristband is wearing thin, but my complaining frequency has definitely gone down. Yay! It's amazing how automatic complaining is for me. Sometimes I just can't think of anything to say that's not a criticism or complaint so I am learning to just...be quiet. I liked what one finisher said - when we keep our complaints quiet, it's easier to hear God speak to us.

- I'll close as usual with my Book Pick of the month: Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner. The author grew up Jewish and is now Christian. Really liked her interesting perspective on Jewish practices like keeping Sabbath, lighting candles, mourning, prayer and others.

- May you all be happy and at peace. Keep in touch.

MauldenNews December 2011

2012-01-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

Greetings and Happy New Year to all!

This year, I read a book about unplugging the Christmas machine. It inspired me to scale down and slow down. We did a bit less and I think we enjoyed things a bit more. We celebrated Advent with a wreath and candles this year, as well as the traditional Advent calendars. Sam went on a binge one night about mid-December (unsupervised) and ate all his remaining advent calendar chocolates. Alle took the opposite approach and saved them up for days. Two different approaches to life.

We celebrated the halfway point of the school year with a little "Awards Dinner" for the kids. Alle got prizes for honesty and truth telling, becoming a super reader, and overcoming stage fright (joined her class in the school Christmas program this year). Sam earned his seatbelt award (he buckles and unbuckles independently), as well as awards for awesome dancing and unbridled enthusiasm for life.

Other holiday stuff- we tried baking new cookies - Dutch spice cookies (speculaasjes or windmill cookies) and my new favorite, Nigerian sesame seed cookies. We made a lemon raspberry birthday cake for Jesus too.

We had a wonderful Christmas - in fact, we had two. We opened gifts at home and then flew to Little Rock to spend a week with Bryan's side of the family. It was wonderful to reconnect with them and they were very gracious hosts, especially when our plane was delayed and we ended up staying 3 days longer than planned. We sure soaked up the sunshine and warm weather. I enjoyed bird (and squirrel) watching, especially the cardinals, downy woodpeckers and others we don't see in Utah. I even saw my first great blue heron while running on a wooded trail by a stream near the house. I love Utah, but I have to admit I could handle Arkansas winters!

I've been listening to a series of essays called "This I Believe" on NPR - the idea is to summarize your core beliefs in a few hundred words. The series includes a number of essays by famous Americans from the 1950s, when the concept was first introduced and the essays read on the radio. (Examples: Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, etc.) There are also essays written by ordinary people in the present day.

I have yet to write my essay, but here are a few things I believe in:

I believe that even in the digital age, books still make some of the very best Christmas presents.

I believe in spending time with your family at Christmas.

I believe little boys and their daddies need to stick together.

I believe creativity and artistry are innate and to be enjoyed by all.

I believe in surrounding ourselves with beauty. Thanks again to Chris Allec for this masterpiece. I feel serene just looking at it.

I believe in SLEEP!

Last but not least, I believe in reading good books. My pick of the month is called Sabbath by Wayne Muller. This is one of those treasures you have to read slowly and savor. There's a lot of wisdom behind the concept of a set-apart time for rest. May you all experience the joy of finding the right rhythm between work and rest in 2012.

The Complaint Free Challenge

2011-12-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

OK, I got this idea from a random audiobook I picked up at the library (A Complaint Free World by Bill Bowen). Maybe it's just another hokey self-help fad, but it was just intriguing enough (and speaks to my awareness that I do complain too much) that I'm giving it a shot. Many years ago, one of my sisters told me, "All you do is complain." It was surprising to me because I really didn't perceive myself that way. It's been a few weeks since I've begun the challe nge, and I'm not under any illusions. I complain quite a bit - but at least I'm a lot more aware of it now. And I've managed to go two consecutive days without complaining since November 12. How about that.

The goal is to go 21 consecutive days without complaining, criticizing, or gossiping. I'm also adding "yelling at my kids," one of my less noble habits, to the list. The method is to wear a bracelet, rubber band, or whatever around your wrist. When you catch yourself complaining, criticizing, or gossiping, you switch the wristband to the other wrist and start over. When you reach 21 consecutive days without moving the wristband, you win. Everyone around you wins too.

A caveat about the book: the author claims quite a bit about how your life will change and how the universe will bless you if you do this challenge. I'm not necessarily endorsing the whole book here, but I invite you to join me in the challenge if you're interested. No reading required.

Some rules: complaints, criticism, or gossip that happens in your head is free. Any of the above that comes out of your mouth requires a wristband switch. Even if you're just complaining to yourself (which I've discovered I do!) you have to move the bracelet if the words escape your lips.

The idea is NOT to just stuff it when something bad happens. You are allowed and encouraged to request what you DO want, but only from someone who can help the situation. If the waiter brings you cold soup, you don't gripe to your table companions or yell at the waiter. You simply inform the waiter (politely) that your soup is cold and ask for hot soup.

If you have a friend who agrees to play the game with you, that's great. You may point out the friend's need to move her bracelet, but if you do so, you must also move your own bracelet.

Gossip is actually allowed, if: 1) whatever you're saying about the person is complimentary, and 2) you would repeat it word for word in the person's presence.

One thing I found helpful from the book was this description of how we change or learn a new skill. The progression goes like this:
- unconscious incompetence (we're unaware of our complaining)
- conscious incompetence (we become aware of our complaints)
-conscious competence (we start to be able to control our complaints, but it requires conscious effort)
- unconscious competence (we reach the point where complaining is no longer automatic)

The analogy that came to me is driving a car. At first it requires a lot of conscious effort and we find it difficult to attend to all the details needed to drive safely and smoothly. But eventually, we develop the skills and habits to drive well even while on "autopilot." We still have to pay attention, but it gets easier.

So...we'll see how this goes. The average person takes 4-8 months to complete the challenge. I'm shooting for May 12, which would be 6 months. Even if I don't make it by then, I'll be giving my family, friends and myself the gift of not hearing as much whining from me.

E-mail me or comment if you're interested in taking the challenge with me!

the Truth

2011-12-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

Well, it finally happened. Alex and I had the big talk. I told her the truth.

No, not about sex. (She already knows about that.) About Santa.

A little history...last Easter we surprised the kids with new bikes on Easter morning. We had them going with the whole Easter bunny story, UNTIL we stepped outside to go to church and Alex saw the bike boxes in the recycler. All of a sudden she stopped. It all dawned on her. She turned to us and said, "Wait...the Easter bunny didn't give us those bikes - YOU GUYS did it! You LIED to us!" We admitted to all the deception and tried to explain why we "lied" - but she was angry and feeling betrayed. I felt bad - I don't remember getting mad at my parents when we figured it out as kids - but I could see how she felt lied to. She made us promise to tell her the truth in the future.

So...fast forward to this Christmas season. I thought maybe the Easter bunny realization would carry over to Santa and she would have it all figured out, but nope...she and Sam were still believers. Until yesterday. Bryan and I had talked it over a couple weeks ago and decided we need to come clean this year. We didn't want to betray any trust or repeat the whole scene where she felt cheated and deceived and lied to. Bryan remembers feeling disappointed and betrayed by his parents when he found out the truth. And I heard from another friend who remembers clearly how hurt she was, that her trust in her parents was damaged and she felt she couldn't talk to them about it, and it even got her questioning her faith in God (which is logical).

Anyway, we hadn't found the right opening so we never actually followed through. I still have mixed feelings about dashing a child's innocent beliefs in Santa. But yesterday, Alex mentioned Santa and I knew I had to take the opportunity.

So I told her. I reminded her that she asked us always to tell her the truth and that we want to honor that. I tried to break it to her gently. I explained that it is a story that began with a real person named Saint Nicholas who loved children, protected them, and gave them gifts. I told her how people all over the world are inspired by Saint Nicholas and how the story grew. Just like the stories we see in the movies, the Santa story is "based on a true story" but has added bits of fairy tale and magic. It's not "real" but it points us to the truths of Christmas, like the love of God for us and the joys of giving. She took it all in calmly, though I could see her mind was working on processing this new information. She asked, "Then who is that guy in the white beard?" I explained that the Santas we see around town are people dressed up like Santa. "Why in the world would they do that?" she wondered. So funny, the way her mind works! Overall, it was a good conversation. Whew! I reminded her that Christmas is really about the birth of Jesus. She said, "Oh, I know. I told my Sunday school class the whole story of Christmas. No one knew it except me and the teacher. I was the hero."

So the truth is out. Part of me still feels sad, but she is growing up and I knew the truth would come out one way or another. I'd rather she hear it from me than from kids at school. I feel I did the right thing to maintain her trust.

MauldenNews November 2011

2011-12-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

Let's see...November...what do I remember...?

I spent the first half of the month doing my twice-a-year inpatient/outpatient neurology rotation at the VA. I like my job and all, but once I was able to turn off the pager, the real fun began...girls' weekend!

Start of the Mesquite Tri-States Marathon (Utah, Arizona, and Nevada)! (Pictures courtesy of Tammy - thanks for your excellent photography - as usual!)

The route was scenic, the weather was GREAT, and it was fun except for the last 3-4 miles when I was feeling the pain. But it was worth it for this...

Seemed like I just got back from Mesquite and it was time for Thanksgiving. We had a great time with my sister Mary and her family. The kids made creative Thanksgiving dinner drawings which we used as placemats, and we made the most of the nice weather by playing soccer in the park and feeding the ducks and geese with all the kids after the big turkey dinner. (Last year we went sledding - this year - no snow!)

Other events - we went swimming at Murray City pool (big indoor water slide - whee!)

- I took Sophia and Alle around the neighborhood playing "bigger and better." We started with a paperclip and ended with a cute bunny doll, a big decorative basket, a hat, and a pumpkin.

- We made peppermint and gingerbread play-dough, and decorated gingerbread houses.

Last but not least, my book of the month: "Unplug the Christmas Machine" by Robinson and Staeheli. We are "unplugging" this year and I already feel more relaxed. What are your tips for simplifying Christmas and making it a time of true peace, joy, and renewal? Hope to hear from you!

Mesquite Marathon!

2011-11-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

I still can't believe I'm doing this - I finished my second marathon this weekend. I beat my prior time by about 7 minutes, which was great! I had fun and finished injury-free. Yippee!

There were lots of things to like about this race. The scenery was beautiful and interesting. Desert landscape with Joshua trees, cacti, and a surprising number of flowers blooming. Snow-capped mountains in the distance. Red rock canyons.

Weatherwise - couldn't have asked for better. 50s and overcast to sunny, but not too hot. No wind or dust.

The hotel (Casablanca) and food were very good, especially for the price. I liked that this was a small race, so we never had to contend with crowds or lines. I noticed several people (usually older men) stopping by the wayside to pee during the race - made me smile a little - but I totally understood as there was really nowhere to hide - the open landscape just didn't allow for privacy. Luckily for me I did not over-hydrate, but even so I probably could have- and would have- made it to the next porta-potty.

I changed two things about this marathon compared to my first one. First, I decided not to carry water. I relied on the aid stations. That worked fine and it felt good not to have that water belt on. I did carry gel, shot blocks and jelly beans but ended up mostly fueling on the free stuff along the way - bananas, gummy bears, pretzels, M&Ms, and Hammer gel. Great variety and wonderful volunteers at the aid stations!

The other change was my run-walk ratio: this time I tried running 4 minutes, walking 30 seconds (instead of running 4, walking 1 minute). This worked well, especially on the downhill part. On the uphills (of which there were several) I added in some extra walk breaks. I didn't allow myself to push too hard, and I think I did well on the hills. I know I felt stronger going into mile 21-22 than I had at Top of Utah.

Between miles 22 and 26, though, I suffered. I developed a persistent pain in my front left thigh and it steadily increased to become pretty severe at the end. (My smart friend Tammy diagnosed it as a psoas muscle spasm). I was a little worried about a possible stress fracture, but I'd felt this pain before at the end of my first half marathon. I slowed down and unhappily watched 3-4 people pass me in the last mile. I debated walking the rest of the way, but I still hoped to beat my prior time so I gutted it out. At the 25.5 mile aid station, the volunteers must have seen my pain because they looked concerned and asked me if I was all right. I gratefully accepted their offer of ibuprofen and shuffled as triumphantly as possible to the finish. Total time: 4:51:31. Yay!

Walking was very slow and painful for 5-10 minutes until I stretched, rested, drank a lot of water and ate a donut. My psoas muscle let loose its death grip and since then I've been FINE - just the normal post-long-run muscle soreness. Tammy and I blissfully reveled in long showers, a delicious lunch, gentle recovery walk (to get M&Ms - very important, you know!) and a buffet dinner with lots of dessert. It was so nice to have that relaxing evening - and champagne buffet breakfast next morning! - with new and old friends and good food and conversation.

So all in all, a very satisfying weekend. Now I am going to enjoy a few weeks of recovery - shorter, lighter workouts and time with family at Thanksgiving. I am blessed and grateful.

Honesty

2011-11-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

I've been practicing gratitude more lately, spurred on by Facebook friends and the season of Thanksgiving. And I truly AM grateful almost all of the time. There is so much to be thankful for.

But...I also realize that most of my blog and my "public image" (like MauldenNews) is highly self-selected to highlight the good stuff and gloss over the ugly realities. And so this post is an attempt to balance it out.

Please understand that I'm not out to vent or rant or complain, either. I'm just stating the facts for the record. I'm hoping this doesn't come off as whining. If nothing else, then when I'm 90 and demented and reading back through this blog to remember what my life used to be, I'll get a fuller picture.

OK, here goes. The uglies:

1. Our kids have both been in trouble this month for poor behavioral control - specifically hitting, clawing, and biting. Sam especially has been aggressive in preschool, to a worrisome degree. He clawed 2 kids in the face at McDonald's and made 4 of his classmates cry and got sent to the principal's office. Now I am the mother of the class bully. Today we had another long, protracted tantrum from Alle - uncontrolled rage, screaming, crumpling up her schoolwork. These are getting less frequent, but now Sam is starting to give us a lot more attitude. Last week I put him in time out and he took off his clothes and pooped on the rug.

Our efforts at discipline seem only partly effective. I don't know how much of this behavior is attributable to our lack of parenting skills, but it's hard to feel there's not at least some correlation. It's stressful. I am worried they won't have friends. I never realized before how much of kids' behavior is deeply internalized by the parent. Even if others promise that they don't feel your kids' bad behavior reflects poorly on you - you feel it does.

While I'm being honest here, I must say that being on anti-anxiety medication has helped me a LOT! :-)

2. Our house is kind of a mess most of the time. I don't care about this as much as I used to. I'm not really worried about it, but thought I would just put it out there.

3. Bryan and I argue about plenty of things - these are pretty standard, from what I know, but we are not exempt. Parenting, household chores, TV/computer time, and money are some of our favorite subjects of contention. We aren't very consistent about making time for just the two of us. We used to argue less. Maybe we are getting more opinionated and stubborn with age...uh oh.

4. I've been eating cake, cookies, chocolate, and too much Halloween candy recently. I tend to wait until the kids are in bed so they won't see me and demand that I share.

5. I've had to wear my glasses for the past 6 weeks (due to a very bad contact lens prescription and bad fitting by someone who made mistakes and didn't know how to fit them - long story, going on for almost a year). I still feel ugly and yucky in glasses. I have to fight the urge to withdraw from society.

6. I've had things on my to-do list for a year and I just don't feel like doing them, so I don't. I never used to do this (procrastinate)...what's happening to me??

7. Sometimes I dress like a real frump.

October MauldenNews

2011-11-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone - hope you are enjoying a happy fall season.

October was a good month for hiking. We had mostly warm weather. The colors in the mountains were great this year - maybe because of all the water?

The kids got their school pictures: first grade...

and preschool...

I went to Washington, D.C. for work and enjoyed running and biking in Rock Creek Park. Very nice!

October 30 was a very special day for all of us - Alle's baptism day! At the end she put her hands up to make butterflies on the screen - a nice touch and very much "in character" for her.

And finally - of course - Halloween!

Love you all,

Sarah

one reason why I love living here

2011-10-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

We didn't get all the way to the top today, but we had a wonderful time.

Trail was Butler Fork, up Big Cottonwood Canyon. We went part way to Mount Raymond.

prayer for the day

2011-10-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

I saw this poem today and wanted to remember it.

Real Presence

Let my heart be a wide and welcome harbor
where my children come to rest.
May these arms stretch wide and strong
to hold his fear, her hurt, their tattered sense of self.

May there be a solidness within me
on which their pain may crash
and recede
and I remain.

Let my presence be an island to them
in storm-tossed seasons,
rising up from troubled waters to offer
shelter, respite, and firm dry ground.

May they find in me
a haven to tend to battered souls
until the day the certainty of such solid ground
launches them to sail uncharted waters unafraid.

-Tom McGrath

September MauldenNews

2011-10-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Ah, September - you were glorious this year. Warm and sunny, but not too hot. I'm sad you're gone now, especially as we went from 80 to 40 degrees and SNOW in the first week of October...it always seems wrong to me when we get snow before the leaves have a chance to change color. Anyway, on to the news.

Started the month with the Salt Lake Half Marathon, thanks to my friend Tammy (who took the pictures). Of course, she blew me away (yes, she walks faster than I run) - but it was fun, and scenic, so who cares?

Then it was off to church camp.

Sam got to ring the bell to call everyone in to supper.

I never get tired of watching hummingbirds!

Next came the Top of Utah Marathon - woo-hoo! It was AWESOME, not only because I - of all people! - actually ran a marathon, but because I got to do it with my brothers Tim and Daniel, and wonderful friend Tammy (who again left me in her racewalking dust). AND - to top it all off - mom and dad came to visit and cheer us on to the finish!

Tim, Daniel and me - smiling because the finish is in sight! And you can't really tell that our clothes are all wet, can you?

LOVE my moose medal!

Post-marathon thoughts...every time you do something new, you learn some things. Well, I learned two things. Actually, three. One - don't believe the weather report. Two, don't get rid of extra clothing too soon. We started off with a nice cold, drenching shower at the starting line so our feet were squishing in our shoes. Then we had rain, drizzle, rain, clear skies, rain, lightning, thunder, hail, rain, sun. (The course was beautiful though!) During the "clear skies" I was warm so left my wet jacket at the drop box at mile 7, only to WISH I had it at mile 11 when it dumped buckets on us again along with stinging little balls of hail. Luckily, it cleared up again and we made the final push to the finish in the sun. The last 3 or 4 miles were really hard. Interestingly, I could feel my hips, thighs, and feet hurting but not my knees, calves, or ankles. Rounding the last corner to see the finish line, Bryan, and my mom and dad, was WONDERFUL. Crossing the finish line - even BETTER! and finally being able to STOP running - the BEST!!! Really, it was a crazy, awesome experience that I never thought I would have.

The third thing I learned was that after a marathon, I don't feel much like chasing my kids around. I mean, REALLY...do...not...feel like it. A babysitter should be a post-marathon requirement. Finally - to quote another Galloway runner as she tearfully crossed the finish line of her first marathon: "I've never been so miserable in my life!...and I can't wait to do it again!"

The last bit of news for September - we ended the month in peach heaven. Our lovely peach tree made outstanding peaches this year. Big, juicy, beautiful peaches. Our apple tree also produced decent apples, for the first time in years. We bought a fruit picker (basket w/prongs on a pole) and went fishing up in the trees for peaches and apples with the kids. Wish I had pictures - but don't - so use your imaginations. It was fun to see the kids cheer for each other each time they snagged a fruit. I'm always looking for cooperative, team-building games for the kids - so it was fun to discover another one.

Final pictures: Alle's many talents: pajama biking, tree climbing and monkey-bar-hanging; Sam showing Grandpa how to use a stomp rocket.

This is Our Song - September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

We sang this in church today, the tenth anniversary of September 11. I want to share it because to me, it expresses an alternative response to "God Bless America"-style patriotism. It's by Lloyd Stone, written in 1914 and published in the period between the two world wars. The tune is "Finlandia," perhaps known best as the music to the hymn "Be Still, My Soul."

This is my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;

But other hearts in other lands are beating

WIth hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,

And sunlight beams on clover leaf and pine;

But other lands have sunlight too, and clover,

And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

O hear my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for their land and for mine.

I love what this song says...it goes beyond "God Bless America" to acknowledge the hopes and dreams of those in all nations. Even Afghanistan and Iraq. This morning in church I was reminded of the aftermath of September 11 on the world in the past ten years. Of course I am deeply saddened at the losses we sustained and I can't even pretend to imagine the pain borne by those who have suffered personally from that. But our unnecessary "war on terrorism" has compounded that suffering, caused even greater death and destruction (especially in Iraq and Afghanistan), billions of dollars spent on war instead of a thousand better uses, the revelation of the use of torture and other abuses by our military, and the loss of much respect and credibility in the world's eyes. I found myself wishing I had been more outspoken in the last 10 years about my opposition to more war as our response to terrorism. I don't know exactly what the solution is, but I'm pretty sure this strategy is not it. So I pray for peace, and for justice to be done, and for the courage to speak and act, however I can, for healing and redemption.

August 2011 MauldenNews

2011-09-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I hope you're all well. Here's what we've been up to...

Alle (the girl formerly known as Alex) turned seven! She and her friends had a great time at the Kangaroo Zoo - a big room full of inflatable slides, bounce houses and glow-in-the-dark mini golf.

We also celebrated Sam's 5-year anniversary with us. We went hiking in the mountains. Even though Sam has a lot of energy, he still needs a ride now and then.

Other hiking snapshots: Albion Basin, at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The lower picture shows some glaciers in the distance.

"Back to school" day was August 22 - Alle is in first grade, and Sam is in preschool 3 days a week. First day pictures:

I saw Sam's teacher the evening after his first day, at the school's welcome picnic. "First he tried to take over the class. Then we sat down and explained the rules. He didn't like them. But then he got into cutting and pasting and he did great. He knew the names of all the sea creatures, even the manatee! Does he know how to read?"

As for me, August meant more marathon training - I completed my longest two runs EVER at 20 and 22 miles. (!) After each long run I've been taking ice baths (helps recovery, decreases inflammation and prevents soreness). I'm not sure which is harder, running for 4 hours or sitting in an ice-cold tub of water for 20 minutes, but I admit both activities qualify me as officially NUTS. Alex watched me entering the ice bath one day and got a great laugh at my screams and gasps. Then she wanted an ice bath too, but sticking her feet in was enough. Overall, I'm really, really happy with my training this summer. I am so lucky to be able to do it - I enjoy the scenery, new friends, time outdoors, time to myself to think and reflect, and tougher legs. :-) HOO-YAH! I highly recommend the Galloway program. Looking forward to running the Top of Utah marathon with Tim, Daniel, and Tammy on September 17.

Bryan took a trip to Kansas City to visit family and check out a job opportunity. We haven't made a final decision yet, but we'll let you know...stay tuned.

And finally - my book report for the month:

Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn - haven't finished it yet - but definitely a gripping read. Written by a husband and wife Pulitzer prize-winning journalist team, it draws a detailed portrait of the issues women and girls face in much of the world - kidnappings, forced marriages of children, sex trafficking and slavery, maternal mortality, infanticide of girls, denial of education, honor killings, etc. It's very hard to read at points, but also enlightening and hopeful in some accounts of progress being made. One reviewer states that it "should be required reading for every global citizen" and I agree.

Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner - not surprising that I enjoyed this because I already like to keep journals. But there were some new ideas and writing techniques I appreciated, as well as some stuff that was a little too weird for me.

Collapse by Jared Diamond - explores the question, "Why do societies choose to collapse?" Fascinating accounts of ancient and more recent societal collapses and the factors that lead up to them. Pretty eye-opening! If you're not already concerned about environmental issues, you probably will be if you read this.

And that's our news 'o' the month! Hope you are well and as always, let me know what you've been up to.

Our 5th Sammiversary!

2011-08-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Celebrating 5 years with SAM! Woo-hoooo!!!

So grateful - today and every day- for the gift of Sam. You are our sunshine.

seven

2011-08-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

Today Alex turned SEVEN. And, she wants to be called Allie now.

She chose the Kangaroo Zoo, with glow-in-the-dark mini golf and the Bug Room.

Happy birthday, Allie. You are our miracle.

MauldenNews July 2011

2011-08-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

The notable book of the month was One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. It's a good reminder to practice mindfulness (and gratitude) in the midst of ordinary life, and I must give kudos to this author for being able to do this with six kids AND write a book about it. So, in the spirit of acknowledging the gifts I've enjoyed most recently, here are a few.

For friends old and new...

For time alone with nature...

For the fun of making a big splash...

For a man with the remarkable patience and skill to set 2 fishing lines - and untangle them repeatedly...

For the beauty of the earth...

For snow in July!!!

For more beauty...

I'm grateful.

Other notable events of this month -

- We really enjoyed "stay-cationing" in Park City for our 20th anniversary. The cool mornings and evenings and clear, crisp air brought back memories of summers at Donner Lake. We explored new hiking and biking trails, soared above the trees in a gondola, swam in a pool with a waterfall and soaked in the hot tub. The kids went fishing for the first time and we got a few nibbles, but the only thing we snagged was Sam's shirt. I went poking about with my wildflower book and discovered alfalfa, Utah sweet peas, Showy Milkweed, Woolly Mullein, Nootka roses and Wasatch penstemon, among other things. Bryan managed to eject himself over the handlebars of his mountain bike on a difficult trail and banged himself around on some rocks, but he's OK. (Hey, another reason to be grateful.) We reached our goal of >10 for our "critter count": squirrels, dragonflies, butterflies, ladybugs, hummingbirds, turkeys, cows, horses, dogs, cats, magpies, quail, California gulls, and turkey vultures. Didn't see any deer there, but there were two in my backyard this morning, and I often see them on my morning runs in the neighborhood.

- 3 weeks before her 7th birthday - Alex lost her first tooth! She's pretty happy about that. Her classmates kept losing them all year and she waited a long time for her turn. She left a note for the tooth fairy asking if she could keep her tooth, and the tooth fairy obliged and gave her a golden dollar coin.

- Speaking of Alex, she has decided she wants to be called "Allie" (spelled "Ali"). I wonder if this will be permanent, or how many other variations of Alexis she might experiment with.

- Sam smacked a bee with his bare hand and it stung him on his palm. He didn't complain too much, but I hope he learned from the experience. We shall see.

- Last but not least - my run/walk log shows 96.5 miles in July - the highest ever! I think I'll go eat some chocolate-covered blueberries.

Write me and tell me what you are grateful for. :-)

MauldenNews June 2011

2011-06-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh....I loooove June......I hope everyone is enjoying this summer as much as we have been. A summary of the past few weeks--

- family bike rides
- spin art
- swimming
- turning over rocks to look for creatures (I swear there is something under every rock! amazing how LIFE is all around us if we just stop and look.)
- experiencing the big blue warm Atlantic ocean with Bryan's family in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina - awesome! So great to visit with everyone.
- Other beach stuff: collecting shells, building sand castles, jumping waves, holding a baby turtle, watching a mama bird feed her babies in the nest, and learning to hunt for sharks' teeth

We had our first Awards Day to celebrate the end of the school year (credit goes to my mom for this idea-it was something we did every year growing up). Alex earned awards for:

- honesty and telling the truth
- learning to buckle and unbuckle her own seatbelt all by herself
- riding a 2-wheel bike
- learning to tie her own shoes
- crossing all the monkey bars without dropping to the ground
- scoring 100% on her reading and spelling tests
- being the most "eco-friendly" in the family - she is always planting seeds and caring for the earth
- learning to swim completely independently!

In addition, Sam earned awards for:

- jumping off the diving board for the first time!
- riding a 2-wheel bike
- performing his preschool program with gusto and knowing all the songs by heart
- earning several gold medals for his consistent efforts in the Rusty & Rosy learning program he does at home
- fetching the newspaper for me in the morning - rain, shine, or snow!
- most creative Lego architect (faithful replicas of Star Wars space stations and spacecraft)
- best water drinker
- best hugger!

Of course, summer wouldn't be summer without time to laze around and read. I highly recommend Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand - amazingly well-researched and beautifully written true story of Louis Zamperini's life. Some others I've appreciated recently:

Meg Meeker's books on parenting - simple (easy reading) yet wise.
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters,
Boys will be Boys and
The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers. (among others: prioritize friendships, make time for solitude, simplify, and say no to competition/peer pressure from other moms. )

Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers
Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Kids from Nature Deficiency Disorder by Louv

And with that - I hope you all are getting plenty of sunshine and lazy days.

Sarah

things I wish I'd learned in Kindergarten

2011-06-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

Alex's kindergarten class recited this prayer from memory at their kindergarten graduation.

I didn't realize they had been saying it at the beginning of each school day all year. Even so, it was impressive to hear them say this in unison, with their heads bowed and eyes closed:

"In the name of God the Father,
in the name of God the Son,
in the name of God the Spirit,
Praises to the Holy One.

I thank you, heavenly Father, through your dear son Jesus Christ, that you have graciously kept me this night from all harm and danger. And I pray that you would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings in life may please you. For into your hand I commend myself, my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen."

Isn't that beautiful?

What if we all started our days with such a prayer...

MauldenNews May 2011

2011-06-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Hello all -

Here are some of our highlights of our month of May -

It was the wettest May on record for Salt Lake, and the wettest spring on record for at least 150 years. We awoke to a light dusting of SNOW on Memorial Day - and poor shocked tulips in the yard. The local ski resorts are hoping to stay open through July 4, which has happened only twice before. If you want to come ski with us on July 4, let me know.

May 25 we celebrated Alex's Arrival Day - 6 years with us! She was dying to try laser tag, so we took her and of course, she loved it. Sam was more enthralled with the "Blast Zone," a 3-story multiplex structure with nerf balls and nerf guns, a nerf cannon, and a huge, steep slide. May 31 marked Alex's kindergarten graduation. She courageously overcame her stage fright and performed the whole program with her class, something she hadn't been able to do at the Christmas program. We're pretty proud of her. She has grown so much this year, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually (if not so much physically). :-) After the graduation program, at home, she was crying and told me she missed her Korean mom. I'm not sure if it was seeing all the other mothers in the audience, or her recent Arrival Day milestone, but it was a little sad, or maybe bittersweet.

Sam has been entertaining us with songs he learned for his preschool end-of-year program: "Baby Bumblebee" and "I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor" and "I'm a VIP." He is actually a pretty good little performer - lots of enthusiasm and smiles and no sign of stage fright. Alex's class sang for church - she didn't want to sing, but I told her I'd give her a piece of gum afterward if she did. She said, "Even if I just stand there and move my lips?" Little turkey! She did stand up and appear to sing with her class, and I don't know if she was just lip-synching, but she did get the gum. She made up a wonderful song and performed it at home for me - it was called "It's almost time for me to be a princess." :-)

My 2nd official half Marathon (the Ogden Half) luckily landed on a rare sunny day, and I had a great race. I even beat my old record by about 15 minutes! I don't usually care about going fast, but in the future I will remember to sign up for a downhill race course if I want to go for a new time. The course was very scenic, with a reservoir, high canyon walls, a rushing stream and a beautiful waterfall. My friend Tammy went with me, but she couldn't race because she had an injury. She was an awesome support crew, though, getting up at 4:30 a.m. to drive me to the bus pickup and cheering me at the finish. I'm already plotting and planning ways to get together with friends and family for more runs - it's a great excuse to go somewhere new and connect with people. I'm enjoying having a Galloway group to train with here.

And finally, a very interesting fact: according to the "very accurate" doctor's scale, Alex and Sam both weigh EXACTLY the same: 37.6 pounds. Alex still has 2 inches on Sam in height, but they're pretty evenly matched for wrestling.

Take care, hope you are all well and enjoying your summer - we will eventually have summer here too.

Sarah

Two more firsts

2011-05-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Two new firsts this week.

First family bike ride together! Prep time: 3.5 hours. Actual riding time: 30 minutes.

Still, it was good. Ever since the kids got their bikes for Easter, they've been wanting to ride and our neighborhood just doesn't have a lot of good riding territory. They go up and down their little stretch of sidewalk a lot - the stretch that isn't frighteningly steep. We actually left their tires semi-deflated to keep them from going too fast at first. But they are getting proficient...enough to be leaving skid marks everywhere. Sunday we had nice warm weather - so it was time to break out and go RIDE! Yee-haw!

The prep time was so long mainly because we had to find various assorted bike rack parts in our jumbled garage, assemble and then install the bike rack on top of the car. We also had to buy a new bike pump and pump up all the tires. Finally, we were ready with 2 bikes on top and 2 in the trunk, with a bungee cord holding the trunk lid. Very classy. We don't need no stinkin' minivan.

Got to the trail and the wind started to blow...40-mph gusts. Alex was scared that the wind would blow her away, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, but with encouragement she managed to keep her wits about her. Sam wasn't scared at all - though he should have been - he kept looking BACK at us instead of in FRONT where he was going...ran off the trail twice and looked most surprised to be in the grass all of a sudden! Still makes me laugh to remember it. Glad he is still years away from driving the car.

Anyway, the second "first" of the week was Sam's first plunge off the diving board at swim lessons. I am so proud of my two fearless fishies. Maybe it's because I'm such a poor swimmer, but I'm so thrilled that they are loving the water.

MauldenNews April 2011

2011-05-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

April was a busy month for us - I worked my 2-week full-time on-call hospital rotation, and we celebrated Easter and Sam's birthday. Happily we had Bryan's mom (Nana) here too, which was awesome as usual.

Happenings this month - in no particular order:

Alex, protesting an enforced bedtime despite her creative juices flowing at full speed: "But Mom, can't you see I'm making a PROTOTYPE?" Sure enough, she knows what a prototype is: "Something that is the only one in the world."

For Sam's 5th birthday we had a successful wild rumpus party, complete with pinata (our first!). Twelve kids and 11 adults made it lively enough.

First the burro's head came off, but the candy was still all down in the other end...

Weather in April was typical for Utah. We went hiking in 70+ degree weather one day and had 10 inches of snow the next. We actually went sledding last weekend - on April 30 - at a local park. Hopefully that's the last time until winter.

Alex made her own gifts for her teachers for Teacher Appreciation Day - each got a plastic baggie with a Clementine, toffee bits from a restaurant ice-cream topping bar, and a sesame cracker.

Alex also locked me and Sam out of the house one day. Grrrrrrrrr. Luckily for me, our renter was home and opened the basement door for me. I now have a spare key hidden in a special location.

I had the kids loaded in the car to go to school one day and found the car's battery was dead. While I was busy getting it jump-started, using the renter's car (second time she saved me that day!) the kids were playing in the yard. Only after I got the car going again did I realize that they had been eating dandelions. Alex heard they were OK to eat and convinced Sam to eat some. Yummy yummy.

Alex put a purple band-aid on her forehead one day and wore it to school and church. When people asked what happened, she said, "I'm not really hurt. I just like to wear this for extra attention."

For Easter we tried a new recipe: "Empty Tomb" rolls. You wrap marshmallows in dough and bake, leaving rolls with an empty space in the center. They were awesome, and easy. I can see these becoming a family tradition. We also dyed eggs and had Easter egg hunts at home and at church. Bryan and I were up until midnight or so assembling new bicycles for the kids. They were thrilled with their first 2-wheelers (though they are totally dependent on the training wheels). The only shadow of the day was when Alex figured out that the Easter bunny was actually...mom and dad. She was actually pretty mad, but recovered. She still seems to believe in the tooth fairy, but I'm not sure how long that will last.

Easter morning... Hunting for eggs

And that is about it for now. See you next month. As always, keep in touch.

MauldenNews Feb/March 2011

2011-04-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Hope things are well with you. I am feeling GREAT today! I got up early to go running in the morning before work, which I haven't done in a while. I generally prefer running in the daylight. But this morning was SO beautiful - 50 degrees, birds singing, dawn breaking over snow-capped mountains - it couldn't have been better. All day I have felt so happy. I've just passed my first anniversary on this run-walk-run program. I feel great, I'm five pounds lighter and those annoying little saddlebags on my thighs are maybe a little smaller. I'm looking forward to my third half-marathon (in Ogden canyon, coming up in May). And I MAY have bitten off more than I can chew, but I just registered for my first MARATHON. Eeek!

I just attended my first Running School with Jeff Galloway, whose method inspired me to start running and still continues to inspire me. I never knew running could actually make me feel this good. Even though I've read his books I still took home a good amount of new info and tips from the seminar. Here is a picture of me with Jeff. I never had a sports hero growing up, but now in my 5th decade of life, I finally have one. He's been running for 52 years. He is inspiring, a great coach/teacher/writer, and even nicer in person than online. :-) I also found out he is a leftie, so of course that only makes me like him more.

Bryan and the kids are doing well. I signed us all up for a "multi-sport skills" class in which we go to a gym and play various forms of ball and run around. Alex is doing well and enjoying it, but Sam, our formerly agreeable, sociable, easygoing Sam, (who loves all ball sports) has chosen this time in his life to show that he is HIS OWN person and does NOT have to listen to the teachers or his parents. Grrrr. We wonder what we're doing wrong when our child is the worst behaved in the class. However, we have also enrolled both kids in swimming lessons and he has been VERY attentive to the swim teacher. Nothing like the imminent threat of drowning to focus your attention. I'm glad he's at least listening to somebody.

Alex has recently learned a new skill: climbing to the top of every door frame in the house. No one showed her this - she just did it, all on her own. I told her my sister Rosie used to do that and she is so proud to be just like Rosie. :-) She was born in the year of the monkey (as was Bryan) so it fits her.

It is fun to have such a free spirit in the house. One day she asked if she could paint with her watercolors. I set her up with the brush, paper and paints and came back to find this:

I guess since I won't let her play with my makeup, she found another way. The finished product:

Other news bits from this month:

- One day while transferring clothes from the washer to the dryer, I discovered that my pager had gone through an entire cold gentle cycle. Oops. The subconscious mind does try to get rid of the pager occasionally. Alex thought I would get in big trouble with the boss at work, but I didn't. I took the battery out and let it dry for a couple days, and it still works!

- Books I read this month:

The Hole in Our Gospel by Rich Stearns, president of World Vision. His story was interesting and it was a great book to reset my perspective and priorities.

Twelve Steps to a More Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong. This was a good read, too - interesting history of various religious thinkers, perspectives on Islam, and thought-provoking (simple but not easy) ways to practice compassion, including being compassionate with one's self.

Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson - great true story of one man's quest to build schools and promote girls' and women's education in Afghanistan.

Well, that's about it - see you next month.

MauldenNews January 2011

2011-02-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

I find myself with a little bit of time right now, so even though I don't have pictures downloaded, I will at least get this month's news on the blog.

Sad but true: I got a new camera for Christmas, but have yet to actually use it. The old one still works. I guess it's just psychological inertia. In order to use the new one, I'd have to take 5 minutes to figure out how it works. OK, I officially make this my goal for the month. I'll post pictures from the new camera in February.

Alex is doing really well in kindergarten. Her social skills have improved compared to last quarter (much less hitting , though she still displays some "resistance to authority" - surprise, surprise). Academic skills are at the top 10%, not surprising. I am so pleased with her caring teachers and small class size of 14 students. Most important is the fact that she LIKES school and even admits to liking it. I'm grateful. Alex's most recent remarkable statement was this: "I don't mind Sam, and I don't mind singing; it's the two together I can't stand." Really, Sam's singing isn't so bad, but I can remember how irrititating my siblings were (I won't mention any names) so I kind of sympathize with her. But can't bring myself to ban Sam's singing. Alex can plug her ears.

Sam is doing well too - he has perfected his Curious George voice and mannerisms, which we are trying to cure him of, but to no avail. He enjoyed performing his gymnastics skills with his class this month and proudly repeats them at home (forward rolls off the couch! cartwheels off the couch! balancing on the couch!). He wakes us each morning with cheerful songs and lots of wiggly romping in our bed. Things I wish he wouldn't do: climb up on counters and steal candy from the top shelves where we unsuccessfully try to hide it; eat crackers at my computer leaving crumbs all over the keyboard; leave the toilet unflushed. Any hints for getting kids to flush will be welcome here.

Bryan's news of the month was the onset of repeated episodes of vertigo, a new experience for him. Luckily, his personal neurologist was close at hand; I decided his nervous system was functioning properly except for a consistent deviation to the left while walking with eyes closed. My prediction of a normal brain MRI was happily correct, leaving us with a probable inner-ear issue. Luckily he seems to be back to normal. His other adventure was a little sledding in his car on an icy road, hitting a curb and losing a hubcap in a snowdrift. The car had a wobble at highway speeds after this, which the kids enjoyed (they liked saying "ahhhhhh" and hearing their voices vibrate) but is now fixed after the bent wheel was replaced.

I actually have a career highlight to report this month. As a result of my project to implement standardized computerized order sets for stroke patients at the VA, I was selected to attend a forum on Patient Advocacy sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology. Although we had to do camera interviews, which are not my favorite thing nor my talent, I enjoyed being with a group of very dedicated, caring people who are doing interesting things to advocate for neurology patients. One example was a doctor who started an art therapy program for Alzheimer's patients. His father was able to express himself through art long after his ability to speak was gone.

While victims of Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias are losing their memories and ability to communicate, art can be their escape. “Art can often be a window to bypass the constrictions of dementia,” says UAB geriatrician Andrew Duxbury, M.D. “Their brains may be damaged, but the qualities present in children that allow them to express themselves are still there. It's a way for them to express what they're thinking and feeling.”

If you're interested, here is a news article about it.

http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/null-art-therapy-changing-perspectives-lives-of-alzheimers-patients-20110128,0,3319637.story.

My other accomplishment for this month was running my second half-marathon! It wasn't an official race, just a solo "fun run" on a 40-degree winter's day. For my course, I chose the Porter Rockwell trail, a paved route with nice mountain views, bikers, runners, walkers, dogs, and the occasional horseback rider. I enjoyed it and finished without injury, but despite trying to speed it up a bit in the second half, I finished about 1 minute slower than my first half marathon time back in September. Maybe this route was hillier, and I was facing a headwind coming back, and I was getting over a virus...or maybe I'm just getting slower...?? but anyway, I did it! Next official race is set for May, the Ogden Half Marathon, but for now I'm going to take a break and relax. My inner runner is satisfied.

And that's all for this month's news. Hope all is well with everyone. Send me an e-mail - I'd love to hear from you!

quote of the day - a song in my belly button

2011-01-10T14:39:00.001-08:00

Bedtime with Sam...

Sam: "I have a song in my belly button."
Me: "Oh. What song is it?"
Sam: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."

MauldenNews December 2010

2011-01-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

Wow, another year gone already. Feeling grateful for a happy and blessed year. I've been rather lazy about blogging, but we've had a good month.

Sam drew a complete blank when Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas, but luckily there was a box of candy canes at Santa's feet so Sam pointed and said, "That." Alex was too nervous to tell Santa what she wanted; all she could do on his lap was giggle. No matter, she told me she really really wanted yarn for Christmas, and she did get a full-size multicolored skein (if that is the right word - I've not really touched yarn since about second grade). She has spent hours making yarn creations, mini-balls of yarn, yarn Christmas ornaments, yarn animals, and more. We have spent some time picking up yarn around the house, too. At least it's easy to clean up.

Sam's stocking is not in this picture because Sam absconded with it on Christmas Eve and it took me a while to find it. It was upstairs dangling from the cord to the window blinds. I guess he thought it might be easier access for Santa. Alex made sure we didn't forget to leave cookies and CHOCOLATE milk for Santa, because "Santa's probably never had chocolate milk before!"

Bryan is showing off his gift from Alex: a candle and two AA batteries to power it.

Sam liked his Lightning McQueen Pez dispenser.

Alex loved her can of Mr. Bubble so much that she used the entire thing in the course of one bath.

And finally, we are so proud of our little swimmer - isn't she awesome?

For some reason I don't feel I have much to say tonight - I should be summarizing our year or remembering the highlights, or making a top ten list, or sharing my New Year's resolutions...but you'll just have to call me or e-mail me for those details...I'm feeling lazy tonight.

Mostly I am grateful, for the life I've been given and the people God has given me to love.

Happy and blessed New Year to all.

Morning of Dec. 8

2010-12-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

I have finished my morning workout and am taking advantage of the still-quiet house to do a little reading before the kids wake up. I'm reading a book called "Everyday Blessings" on "mindful parenting." The chapter I'm on is called "Live-in Zen Masters" and is causing me to reflect on all the things my children have taught me, and are still teaching me. Like how impatient, rigid, and attached to having my own way I can be. How reluctant I am to cede any of my planned free time to unexpected interruptions. How little I pay attention to my own internal state when under stress and how often I lack empathy for what it's like to be small and powerless. Yes, my little Zen masters are powerful and effective teachers.

Ten glorious minutes of reading go by. I hear small footsteps and look up to see Sam's head, covered in a blanket, peeking around the corner. I offer my standard morning greeting: "Samwise! Good morning sunshine!" His mouth opens and a little squeak comes out. The blanket goes over his head and he disappears back into the hall. A few seconds later he is back, curled up face-down on the floor at my feet. "Woof, woof," he says. I rub his back. "'Woof, woof' means 'I am hungry,'" he informs me. "OK, little puppy dog, let's get you something to eat."

The morning routine begins. Coffee, oranges, cereal, frozen berries. Sam gets himself dressed but in the process opens up a wound on his thumb that begins to bleed. At the same time, he urgently needs to go to the bathroom. He runs to the toilet clutching the front of his pajamas and sucking his injured thumb. Alex makes him a "band-aid" out of yellow sticky-note paper and offers to bandage him with it. I am happy she's trying to help, but must veto the paper "band-aid" in favor of a Snoopy one with an absorbent pad. We finish breakfast. I start a load of laundry and load the dishwasher. The kids find the number 8 on their Advent calendars and happily munch their chocolate squares.

10:00 AM. Swimming lessons for Alex. She is making beautiful sine-waves with her body, moving like a dolphin across the pool, a plastic ring around her feet to keep her legs together. Sam is borrowing the instructor's clipboard, writing "SAMUEL" and "MOM" in awkward capital letters with a pencil. "How do you spell 'humongous?'" he asks. We write more words and draw mazes. Alex does a delicate dive, followed by a belly-flop and a cannonball off the diving board.

11:30 AM. Half an hour for lunch and then we head to school. Alex asks if we can go to the library, "pretty please, with a cherry on top" to get a book called Barn Owls that she read in school. She also asks, "Mom, why is it important to know how to fight?" I tell her that sometimes we need to fight to protect ourselves from being hurt, or to protect others who we love. We talk about self-defense. She wants to study Tae Kwon Do. I think I may sign her up, and Sam if they will take him.

That's it for today. Just wanted to record the ordinary stuff. Life is beautiful, no?

November MauldenNews

2010-11-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

Alex's homemade glasses

Hi All,

I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving. We had a great time in Reno with my mom and various Billharzes/Billharz associates. Sam kept singing "Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go!" In this case it was "over the mountains and through the snow." We had cold temps (the lowest recorded on our car thermometer: 2 degrees) and icy roads on I-80, but we made it in about 9 hours. Kids' dramamine and a portable DVD player with "How to Train your Dragon" kept the back seat crew pretty happy. Alex drew some awesome dragons too.

Thanksgiving day - Alex had a blast sledding with her cousins in grandma's yard. I ran my own 5K around the neighborhood and broke a new personal record - for the coldest I've ever gone running outside (at least voluntarily). 26 degrees. Crazy! We had the usual holiday mob - 25 or so for the big turkey dinner, 15 of which were kids ages 1-18. Thomas ate mostly broccoli, Sam ate mostly cheese cubes and grapes, and Alex ate mostly cranberry sauce. Mom cooked all the side dishes and Jenny brought 3 turkeys: one real and two made out of fruit and veggies. I need to get the pictures from mom - they were amazing! It was actually a little strange NOT to cook for Thanksgiving this year, but I didn't mind too much. :-) The rest of the weekend was soooo nice and relaxing. We watched UNR beat Boise, spent time with family, helped put up the Christmas tree, and took the kids swimming and then out for pancakes. Sunday I went to church and sang hymns with my mom, which made me happy. I ran into some familiar faces there, including the pastor who married me & Bryan 19+ years ago.

After playing with their cousins, Sam and Alex decided to start their own clubs. Sam's is "the flying club," in which the boys shoot people with marshmallow guns from their airplanes, and no girls are allowed. Alex's is "the loving club" and grandma and I were the first to join.

In other news, I visited Washington, DC for a work conference and enjoyed the change of scenery, the chance to eat at a good Ethiopian restaurant, and warmer weather than in Utah. But it was good to get back home.

Four books I liked this month:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (listened to Jeremy Irons read this on CD - great stuff!)
The Hunger Games - good suspenseful thriller with an interesting premise
Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan - an American woman goes on an impromptu 4-month "walkabout" across the Australian continent with a tribe of Aborigines
Fool's Gold by Gillian Tett - the story behind the 2008 financial meltdown - the housing bubble, the big banks crashing and burning, the Wall street craziness behind it all. Not my usual reading material but it's been surprisingly interesting, and eye-opening.

Well, that is about all our news for November. We are full of thankfulness and mindful of our many blessings.

Peace,

Sarah

MauldenNews October 2010

2010-10-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

How is everyone?

We've been busy with the usual things - school, work, 3 friends' kids' birthday parties, swim lessons, and of course, Halloween. We had a purple fairy princess and a Lightning McQueen racecar driver this year.

This month was pretty nice, weather-wise, for Utah. We did get our first snowstorm, with about 5 inches of snow at our house and more in the mountains. Ski season has begun. Still, Tammy and I have been lucky to have several good long runs together on Saturday mornings. I love keeping in shape and getting some extended chat time with a good friend. :-)

I've had a pretty good reading month, too. My book club read The Help by Stockett, which I really liked, and I have slowly been working my way through Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child by Patty Cogen. This is my new favorite on adoption and parenting issues - I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone parenting any child with a complex background - very helpful insight, interesting research reports, and best of all, practical wisdom and tools for every age and stage all the way to adulthood. Grateful to be reading it at this stage, as both kids are growing more aware of adoption issues and asking questions about their identity. I wish I'd had it earlier - am now more acutely aware of my many parenting mistakes - but I'm learning.

Other books that are worth mentioning:

Razing Hell by Sharon Baker - a well-thought-out, interesting and provocative look at the theology of hell. Actually it touches on other key theological topics as well - but easy to read for us non- (or amateur) theologians. This would be a good one to discuss - if anyone's interested or has read it - let me know! I really liked it.

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah - I listened to this on CD - it was painfully sad (story of a child soldier), but good. Not for the faint of heart.

Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan - I'm halfway through this one now - woman gets sort of kindly "kidnapped" by Australian Aborigines for a 3-month "walkabout" across the Australian continent. Intriguing so far...

And that's about it for us. As always, I hope things are well with all of you.

Sarah

first school photo - kindergarten

2010-10-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

I was a little worried about how this first school photo would turn out, since this girl does not like to comb her hair. Plus, picture day was Papa's day to drop her off at school and who knew what she would be wearing. I think we got lucky! Whew.

bedtime fears

2010-10-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Alex goes through stages of bedtime fears. I think it's a form of separation anxiety. She'll be fine for a while and then go through a period of being afraid. When we ask what she's afraid of, she'll say, "My room," or "the dark," or "my closet." The other night she told me, "I keep hearing ominous sounds in my room." :-) I didn't even know she knew that word!

We have developed a system that works for us. We put a sleeping bag or blanket on the floor of our bedroom. We tell her that whenever she is afraid, she is welcome to come in and sleep on the floor as long as she is quiet. When kindergarten started, she did start coming in about every other night. Gradually she's coming in less and less. It helps that our floor is not quite as comfortable as her bed.

I had forgotten all about the sleep fairy until she reminded me a few days ago. When she was 3, we had a really hard time getting her to go to sleep and stay in her room. We told her that the sleep fairy would leave her a prize under her pillow if she went to bed quietly and stayed quiet all night. The sleep fairy left pennies, raisins, pieces of candy, stickers, and occasionally small toys.

The other day she said she wanted the sleep fairy to come again. Maybe this was her way of telling me she is ready to plan on sleeping in her room every night again. So the sleep fairy has been visiting. Now that Sam is a little older, of course he wants in on the action, so he gets a prize too. I have to admit it's a lot of fun being the sleep fairy and coming up with new things to put under their pillows. I love to watch them sleep.

book thoughts: A Long Way Gone

2010-10-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished listening to Ishmael Beah read his book, A Long Way Gone. Oh, that book was hard. It's a first-person account of the author's childhood during war in Sierra Leone, including his years as a child soldier. It's the kind of book that makes you feel like crying on every page. It's hard for me to comprehend that it even happened.

Despite the above, I do recommend it. It will change your perspective about things for a while.

Beautiful October; 9 miler

2010-10-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

I love October in Utah. This month has been so nice and warm, with cooler nights (finally turned on the heat this month). We had our first dusting of snow on the mountaintops recently, but it didn't last long. The leaves are gorgeous.

Tammy and I had a great run together this morning on the Jordan River Parkway. It's so nice to start a Saturday running as the sun comes up. I went 9.25 miles in 1:42:49, a good bit better than my last run of that length (approx) - 9.55 miles at 2:03. Just happy to be doing it.

Sam's moment of genius

2010-10-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Sam's half birthday (making him 4 and 1/2). He made it a special day by reading "5 Hour Energy" off a bottle in the grocery store. I was astounded - normally don't kids start with little words like "cat"? Before you get too impressed, I'll just say he hasn't read anything before or since. But it was nice to know he is off to a good start!

Rant: still trapped in between

2010-10-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today I went shopping for some simple basics: black sweatpants and plain long-sleeve t-shirts.

I was quickly reminded why I have hated shopping for clothes ever since I turned 13. I'm sort of a freak of nature, but I always forget until I try to find clothes that fit.

I am still IN BETWEEN the girls' sizes and the women's sizes, believe it or not. Since the super-sizing of America, I swear women's "Small" sizes have increased every year. Clothes my size simply do not exist in most stores. The "petite" sizes are great for my pre-teen-length legs, but actual petites are few and far between, and if I find them at all they scream "grandma" or "reject from 8 seasons ago". The women's "XS" shirts are the only ones with a neckline that doesn't plunge below my nipple line, but at the same time their sleeves hang down to my knees. Who actually fits in these clothes? The women's sweatpants don't exist in XS, but the "S" sizes (smallest available) extend 3 inches past my heels. Since they are a cotton/poly blend, I don't think my old trick of washing them in hot water and blasting them in the dryer to shrink them will work.

So I head to the girls' section, since the largest girls' clothes occasionally fit, sort of. The advantage is, sometimes they are cheaper. The disadvantage: most girls' clothes are NOT appropriate for 40+ professional women. Sometimes the legs are short enough; most often they are too short. There isn't much hip or bust room, even though I've not got much of either. The "L" sizes are too tight and the "XL" sizes have legs that are too short combined with waists that are too big.

I felt fortunate to find ONE women's petite pair of black yoga/stretch pants, which were exactly the right length and cost 3 times as much as any of the regular women's or girls' pants. They were the only petite clothing item I saw in the entire store. I bought them.

It's one thing to be a teenager in this awkward in-between stage and eventually outgrow it. It's another to be permanently stuck there. My mom is still there too - at least I know I'm not the only one. And someday, maybe I'll be a grandma and all those grandma clothes will be perfect!

our little fish

2010-10-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Alex really, really loves swimming. Every time we take her to the pool, she gets this huge grin plastered across her face. When it's swim lesson day, her face lights up and she can't wait to go. When it's time to get in the water, there is no toe-dipping or getting used to the water - she just bounds in (head and all, under the water) as if there's not a moment to be lost. I don't think there's anything she likes better.

So when we won free swim lessons with Swimkidz at a school fundraiser silent auction, it was perfect! She LOVED her lessons and made great progress. The only problem is, now she is addicted to the one-on-one attention and wants the expensive private lessons instead of the cheap group lessons. Surprise, surprise.

Actually, I did see big improvements in her abilities after just 2 lessons. She is swimming on her back independently, diving to the bottom to retrieve rings, jumping off the diving board, making good progress in the backstroke and starting to learn the crawlstroke. So, how could we not give her more lessons? There is true joy in following your child's passion and doing little things that make them so ridiculously happy.

scary dinosaur park

2010-10-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

We've been having beautiful weather, and this weekend Bryan was on call so I thought I'd take the kids out to do something new and fun.
I'd heard about this Dinosaur Park up in Ogden, about an hour north of here, and it was a perfect fall Sunday afternoon so off we went. Darn it, I forgot the camera. Oopsie.

It was a good park, full of interesting facts and life-size models of all kinds of dinosaurs. There was a robotic display inside, in which a triceratops with 2 babies faces off against a T. Rex. Lots of posturing, roaring and grunting.

The thing was, they had the park all decorated for Halloween, including very loud realistic sounds coming from speakers all over the park. We could hear it from outside the gate. Howls, growls, roars, thunderous footsteps, and crashing-through-the-brush sounds. A sign at the front entrance read that some of the Halloween decorations may be a bit scary for young children. Yeah - do you think young children coming to a dinosaur park might find fake body parts and human skeletons hanging from the trees just a wee bit disturbing?

At first the kids were pretty freaked out. They stayed close to me especially when the sounds got louder and more threatening. We talked about how everything was just pretend and they understood that. Eventually they were able to enjoy the playground, the dino dig, real lizards and especially some popsicles I bought them, but overall I was disappointed. At least the kids seemed to survive and there was no evidence of nightmares the next day.

I just don't get all the gory, creepy Halloween displays. I'm a Halloween scrooge. I say, Bah, humbug.

September MauldenNews

2010-09-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm moving the Maulden newsletter to my blog. So here it is.

This month was the Month of Perpetual Fun at our house. Every weekend we did something different, and though I hadn't planned that, I like the way it turned out. Except for this...courtesy of Salt Lake County.

Labor Day weekend we camped with our church in the mountains outside of Coalville, UT, about 1.5 hours away. We had a bigger turnout, meaning some poor unsuspecting campers wound up sharing their cabin with us. Both kids fell out of their bottom bunks in the middle of the night, sending me or Bryan scrambling down from the top bunks to rescue them. I got up early one morning to run (training for the half marathon), and enjoyed a gorgeous morning, with beautiful scenery and a deep quiet that I don't get in the city...very, very nice.

September 11 - ran a half marathon in the Little Grand Canyon! Awesome. Great weather, great friends to run with, great scenery, great food afterwards. Love the endorphins and the feeling of being in the best shape of my life! Even better, I raised over $1000 for Holt Ilsan Center in Korea. THANK YOU everyone - you are good people!

September 18 - Alex milked her first cow at Wheeler Farm...

gave all of us tattoos...

and experimented with my camera during the car ride to Cascade Springs.

We had a wonderful time there...

until Sam fell in the creek. Of course, we had brought a change of clothes.

Next weekend was the Oktoberfest at Alex's school. Rides! Games! Candy! Lederhosen! Bratwurst! Beer (in Utah!?!?!) Sauerkraut! and a special appearance by Yodel Man. Yeah, didn't know he existed but he has his own costume and can get a whole crowd of kids yodeling. We won free swimming lessons at the silent auction, but missed out on getting the principal's parking spot for a year - a total steal at $35. Speaking of winning, I also won a CD collection of Mahler's complete works, in a daily drawing for donating to our local classical music station. Mahler is OK, I guess, but I kinda wish it were something else. One friend's opinion of Mahler has always stuck with me: "Whenever I finish hearing Mahler, I feel like I have to ask what century it is." Maybe I can sell it on e-bay??

And as if all that weren't enough, we went to the Ringling Bros/Barnum & Bailey circus too. It was nuts, we paid way too much for popcorn and cotton candy, and it was everything a circus should be.

And now September is over. I'm relieved. Having all this fun has been hard work. Plus, I had to give three different presentations for work this month, and public speaking stresses me out. Glad that's over! I did have a very nice evening with some friends at Silver Lake.

Oh yes - a reading update. Book of the month was The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. She's a writer and mom of 2 living in New York City who diligently researched happiness and then tried to pursue it intentionally for a year. I liked her honesty and sense of humor. After reading the book, I joined a book club, which I know will contribute to my happiness. :-) Next month we're reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

I will end with something I'm thankful for - we all went to the dentist this month and got good reports.

Til next time,

Sarah

Five good minutes

2010-09-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

The question of the night (in our church group): How do you practice listening, or silence, or stillness in your life?

Recently I enjoyed skimming a little book called "Five Good Minutes in the Evening." It's a collection of little "practices" you can do to quiet your mind at the end of the day, touch base with God, or your body or breathing, and let go of the day. I like it. I often do some praying during this time.

How about you?

morning chat with Sam

2010-09-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

This morning Sam asked me, "How do you make bread?"

I told him about mixing up flour and water and yeast, stirring and kneading, and putting dough in the oven.

Then he chimed in, "And then you cut a piece off and send it to your tongue!"

Send it to your tongue. How do kids come up with stuff like this?

Goodnight, I'm going to go send a few chocolate covered acai berries to my tongue.

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey

2010-09-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Took the kids to the circus today - their first time ever. Alex claimed she did not want to go, but once we were there, she loved it. She kept yelling at the trapeze artists to "Be careful up there! That is VERY DANGEROUS!"

It's one of those things I would never do if I didn't have kids, but I enjoy it because I do have kids.

It was a good show - I especially liked the acrobats and the high flyers. The looks on the kids' faces as they gaped in amazement with their mouths wide open: priceless.

An act I don't remember seeing as a child: seven guys on motorcycles zooming around inside a giant metal cage, in the dark, with glow-in-the-dark helmets and uniforms on. Cool. Overall, I think the circus is better than I remember as a kid. I still don't really laugh at the clowns, though.

new 10K PR

2010-09-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

This morning: 10K in 1:04:27 - a new personal record (PR)! Tammy deserves the real credit - I was pushing to keep up with her. It was a beautiful morning on the Jordan River trail - loved being out there - and what a treat to go with a friend. It was totally worth the 4:40 a.m. wake-up.

OK, that was more than one sentence, but I reserve the right to take liberties on my own blog.

Sam time

2010-09-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

In reading "The Happiness Project" for a new book club, I am intrigued by the idea of writing a one-sentence journal. Maybe if I only had to write one sentence, I would blog more often.

Anyway, one thing the book made me think about is how all the little moments go by so fast. "The days are long, but the years are short." I wanted to remember something that happened this week.

I've been reading a really good book about raising adopted kids. The most recent chapter talked about "facial exploration" and how some adopted kids are fascinated with exploring their new parents' faces. Maybe as infants they didn't get the chance to do this as much as children who stayed with their birth parents. The book encouraged parents to help their children learn to explore - gently - and mirror their kids' actions to promote connection.

Anyway, the very next morning after reading that chapter, Sam came and climbed up in my lap when he woke up. He and I often are the first ones up in the morning, and we enjoy our special one-on-one time. This morning, I was smiling at him. He looked into my eyes, reached out one finger and gently touched my teeth. "Teeth," he said. I touched his front teeth and replied, "Teeth."

He touched my nose. "Nose," I said. "Nose," he replied.

Then he touched my eyes. "Eyes." I touched his eyes. "Eyes."

And so it went with cheeks, chin, lips, eyebrows, forehead. Then he touched my glasses and said, "Glasses." I reached toward his eyes and said, "No glasses!" And we both laughed.

I just wanted to remember this little game we played. It was very sweet.

Little Grand Canyon Half Marathon!

2010-09-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

We did it!

This picture was taken only moments after crossing the finish line. Actually, I think I gulped a few bites of watermelon between the finish and this picture. Can you see the juice dripping down my chin?

It was cold at the start - upper 30's. Brrr!! Yes, I did have 3 layers on my top half and no, I did not get too hot at the end. I like to be warm.

The scenery was nice and the sun came up as we ran...ahhh...the weather was ideal, no wind and cloudless blue skies.

Isn't this a nice rock formation? Again, love the color of the sky. A beautiful cerulean blue.

This self-portrait was made at about mile 8. I think it was around that time I started to feel a little pickup from the triple-berry caffeinated goo (aka GU) that I sampled at the aid station. That stuff is weird. Like eating toothpaste. While running. Yeah. Weird.

More geologic wonderment.

Coolest feature of the run - ancient Native American pictographs painted on the canyon walls.

Holding up our medals (and Sno-Cone) at the end. We crossed the finish line together in 2:23 and something. Yay, us! and, a shout out to Jeff Galloway who gave us the virtual coaching and training schedule to finish strong. We ran 4 minutes, walked 1 min. the whole way except for the last mile which we ran in 9:39. Our average pace was between 10-11 min/mile, I think. We were soundly beaten by most of the crowd, of course, most notably by a couple pushing the cutest twins imaginable in a double stroller. On a dirt/gravel road. I marvel at the energy of any parents of infant twins to do such a thing. I really wish I had gotten pictures of the babies on the bus ride - they were smiling at everyone and really, really, really, really, really, really cute.

Speaking of pictures - all pictures (above) courtesy of my friend Tammy and nice friends along the way who helped out. There are more from Jessica's husband who captured us doing our warmup exercises, so maybe I'll add them later, if they're not too embarrassing. :-)

I am so grateful that I could do this! Grateful not only for a great race day, but for new friends and new experiences, even black toenails and weird goo along the way. I never imagined running would become a fun hobby for me. Life is strange, but good.

Last but not least - a huge thanks to all my friends and supporters - Holt's Ilsan Center is about to gain $1000 in donations! Thank you for making it happen. You're the best!

Cheers,

Sarah

birthday girl AND first day of kindergarten

2010-08-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

How did we go from here...

to here...

so fast?

It feels like this...

which is all I could get when I tried to take her picture on the first day of school. She was totally anti-picture. It's probably the only picture you'll ever see where she's moving and Sam is standing still. :-) Leave it to her to be the nonconformist kid who won't let me be sentimental and document the memories. I feel sorry for the photographer at her wedding already.

Her first day at school went great, from what I heard. Of course, it helps that she gained instant popularity by bringing donuts for the class for her birthday. The drop-off was chaos, but in a good way. I am impressed already with the teacher's craftiness. She met us at the door with a list of instructions for how to organize and put away all the school supplies. It kept everyone busy and taught all the kids where everything goes, and no one had time to even think about crying. :-) Zip zip, we said goodbye and went out the door to a ferocious thunderstorm that soaked us running to the car. The whole sky opened up and I read in the news that a man was hit by lightning but was doing OK. A drama day for my drama girl.

She had her swim party with friends last week, so tonight we just had a family "party." Her choice for birthday dinner was Kraft macaroni and cheese, and ice cream for dessert. I tried her pink bubblegum flavor and it tasted exactly like those fluoride treatments at the dentist.

I have lots more blurry pictures, as she never wants her picture taken, but I finally was able to sneak one good one. Happy birthday to my sweet SIX year old - I love you soooooooo much.

Interesting running venue

2010-08-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

I'm in Las Vegas for a work-related trip this week. The hotel has a gym, but unlike in most hotels, gym access is not included in the room fee. They want $25 per day or $50 for 3 days. No thanks.

So, my challenge last night was to find somewhere to run. It's about 100 degrees here in August and we're located in the middle of the Strip. Running through the air-conditioned mall adjacent to our hotel was tempting, but I felt too self-conscious. So I took an impromptu, self-guided walking tour of the area. It was hot, and the sidewalks were packed with tourists taking photos, so I rescheduled the run for the morning and wandered around. I can't remember when I was here last - maybe 7 years - and it hasn't changed much - if anything it looks a little more worn down. I wonder if the economy has been tough on it. Anyway, Seinfeld, Cher, and Cirque du Soleil are all here, and I saw one ad for Donny and Marie. Good times.

This morning I did run for about 45 minutes. It was still hot - probably 75 degrees - but at least the crowds were gone and the scenery was interesting. Too bad I'm such a flake - should have brought my camera - maybe tomorrow morning. I passed Caesar's Palace, the Mirage, Treasure Island with the pirate ship, the volcano that erupts every hour, the Eiffel Tower, the Venetian, Fashion Show plaza, Circus Circus and some less glitzy areas under construction. There was a "Sin on Sunday" billboard too. I got to run up and down some escalators and threw in a few extra flights of stairs just for kicks. There were a few other joggers, a few homeless people and a police officer just hanging out on the corner. The casinos were all open - definitely a 24 hour town.

Never thought I would be jogging on the strip in Vegas at 6 a.m. I wouldn't call it a "rave run", but at least it's a nice flat road with unique scenery. One thing I won't miss about Vegas is the air - between the smoke inside and the exhaust outside, I bet my cilia are working overtime.

ignorance is not bliss

2010-07-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

So today we were at the playground and a Caucasian girl walks up to Alex and says, "Why are your eyes so small?"

Alex looked at her and said, "What?"

"Why are your eyes so small?"

Alex: "They're NOT."

Girl: "Well, why are they...like...(pointing to the corners of her own eyes, searching for words)...that?"

Alex walked away and came over to me and said, "Mom, that girl doesn't know ANYTHING."

Boy, did she hit the nail on the head there. I mostly love living in Utah, but sometimes it is frustrating that kids of this age seem never to have encountered a person of another race before? Come on!

We had a more in depth talk about this afterward, and Alex seemed OK, but I did see in her face at the time the confusion and hurt of feeling singled out and made to feel, well, different. I feel so inadequate as a parent to guide her through these moments. Pray for us as school starts in a few weeks...Alex has been showing more signs of anxiety lately. And I don't think this little experience today was very helpful. Sigh.

Running for fun and a good cause

2010-07-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family!

As many of you know, I have started run-walk-running for fun and fitness. Generally I run for 5 minutes, walk for one, and repeat. Because I don't run with earbuds or tunes, running affords me a nice, rare time of solitude and reflection.

One recurrent running thought, besides "When will I be done?" and "I can't wait to eat breakfast!" is: Wouldn't it be nice if all this activity could benefit someone besides me? Lots of people these days are doing marathons for cancer research and other fundraisers. Well, I'm not quite ready for a marathon yet. But I'm training for a half marathon (13.1 miles) this fall, in the Little Grand Canyon near Huntington, Utah. In honor of our five-year anniversary with Alex this year, I'd like to use this event to raise awareness and funds for disabled and homeless children at the Holt Ilsan Center in Korea.

Holt International Children's Services is an international adoption and child welfare agency working in 13 countries, including the United States. Our personal connection is obvious - Alex was adopted through Holt (Sam was adopted through a different agency). Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed with Alex and Sam, I can draw inspiration from Harry and Bertha Holt, who were into their fifties with six children already when they decided to adopt eight more from Korea. More about Holt and its history is here. And, just for fun, click here to see a picture of Grandma Holt setting a world record for her age group in the 400 meters at the Hayward Masters Track and Field Championships in 1996. :-)

Back to Holt Ilsan Center. The Holts established it after the Korean War to care for disabled and homeless children. Currently, Ilsan serves the needs of approximately 300 residents, ranging in age from toddlers to adults. Most of the residents have some sort of disability, and receive therapy and training to overcome obstacles they may face. They have a performing choir, a competitive wheelchair basketball team, and a dedicated staff of professionals and volunteers. See attached pictures (used with permission from Holt) - but beware - some of these kids are dangerously cute!

Currently the Ilsan Center needs some funding for maintenance (some of the original buildings built by Harry Holt are still in use), as well as other needs related to caring for disabled people. I would love to collect any donations you may care to give. If you're not in a position to give, that's all right. I know it's a tight economy - no donation is too small, and any amount will help. Please make checks out to Holt International and mail them to me at 8916 Sutton Way, Sandy, Utah, 84093. All donations are tax deductible. Additional information about Holt's financial accountability is at the end of this letter.

Many thanks for your friendship and support.

Sarah

Holt International Children's Services qualifies as a tax-exempt, non-profit organization under IRS code 501(c)(3).

Contributions to Holt are tax deductible if you itemize.

Holt is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Children's Charities of America and the Independent Charities of America, Participating in the Combined Federal Campaign.

Holt is registered as a private voluntary organization with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

10K Race

2010-05-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Today, I am thrilled to report I have achieved my goals for my first 10K race!
- to finish:
- in the upright position,
- with a smile on my face,
- wanting to do it again.
I even attained a new Personal Best - 1:09:53. (earlier record was 1:14:05) Woo-hoo! I haven't set or achieved many physical goals in my life, so this was fun. What made it special, though, was the opportunity to share the experience with old and new friends.

It was thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. I never thought I would say that about running 6.2 miles, but it was true. Sarah, Jessica and I ran at a "conversational" pace and enjoyed each other's funny stories while doing the Galloway thing (running 5 minutes, walking 1) until mile 5, and then we ran the last mile (plus point two) to the finish. Tammy (who had outraced us easily) was waiting for us at the finish; it was wonderful to have people cheering for me as I crossed the line. :-)

The morning was beautiful, with blue skies and gorgeous views of Mt. Timpanogos. Afterwards we were treated to free sports drinks and french toast. Overall, it was a very satisfying day! I am looking forward to my next race. :)

5 years

2010-05-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

5 years ago on May 25...

We welcomed the girl of our dreams into our arms and hearts.

Happy Arrival Day, Alex! We love you.

Hand Shaped Soup Recipe

2010-05-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

Alex has been talking about making "hand shaped soup" for a few days. It is an Alex original. Here is the recipe, exactly as dictated:

1 egg
2 cups baking powder
1 cup vanilla extract
4 cups milk
1 cup flour
3 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl and bake for 5 minutes.

Doesn't it sound delicious? I am almost ready to let her make it, just to see her face when she tastes it.

Reminds me of the time my sister's 1st grade teacher had each child write the instructions for "How to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich" and then the teacher read them to the class and made the sandwiches exactly as the recipes directed. I'll have to remember that one for the next rainy afternoon.

running update

2010-05-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

I am slowly but successfully working my way through a nice gentle training program (courtesy of Jeff Galloway) to complete my first 10K race, which is happening on Saturday, May 29.

Overall, I am actually enjoying the act of running (or run-walk-running, in my case). This enjoyment is a true surprise to me. In an earlier blog post I wrote about how running beyond a moderate exertion threshold actually used to cause me to break out in freakish red welts - exercise-induced urticaria, according to my doctor. This was very convenient for me as it got me a bona fide excuse from running in high school PE class. There was only happiness, no sadness, in this for me. Running in general did not make me feel good - quite the opposite. In retrospect, I think I was just trying to go too far or too fast.

In college, I picked up jogging again after reading my dad's book about aerobic exercise by Kenneth Cooper. (Dad ran a few marathons, but he was also crazy in other ways and I didn't really feel inspired to imitate him at that point. He did advise me to take walk breaks, but like a true know-it-all teenager, I blew him off. Now of course I realize he was right!) Although I jogged on and off for several years in my 20s, my main motivation was to be reasonably healthy and burn off calories so I could eat desserts. Running was just a convenient and cheap means to that end. I didn't ever think much about the actual physical experience, except when it became painful. Which didn't take long, because I had no idea what I was doing. I knew zero about training or form. I just thought some people were made to run, and some weren't, and I was not. It was OK with me. As long as I put in the then-recommended 30 minutes three times a week, I was fulfilling my duty to my puny body with its puny little cardiovascular system, and that was good enough. It was like brushing my teeth to prevent cavities - necessary, but not particularly enjoyable or fulfilling. Just a chore.

Somewhere in my mid-30s my knee starting hurting slightly when I ran. Around that same time, I got the impression (in med school/residency) that runners wear down their cartilage and hasten the onset of osteoarthritis, requiring joint replacements as they got older. I decided running was best left to those under 35 and quit. (I have recently seen research that suggests the above is false - that is, runners are no more likely than non-runners to develop osteoarthritis.) I found other ways to stay fit. Then, this year around my birthday, some weird inexplicable urge to run seized hold of me and I have been in its grip ever since. For some reason I wondered how far I could run and how fast, and now I have to find out.

So I gradually eased into it, and a couple weeks ago I ran my farthest distance ever - 7 miles - without pain and actually felt good at the end. Good enough to eat a whole berry sundae from Costco, in fact. But even without the sundae, it would have been worth it. Last weekend, I left my GPS and heart monitor at home and just ran for 50 minutes (still pausing for walk breaks every 4-5 min) and it was one of the most joyful runs I have ever had. I felt awesome. I didn't need to know how far or how fast I was going. I was just loving it.

Then I changed my routine from afternoon to morning. I went running this morning - at 6 a.m. - and oof! my body did not run the same at 6 am as it does at 4 pm. I felt sluggish the whole time, and hungry, and kept wondering when I could stop and go eat breakfast. I am wondering if I will get used to early morning running. Hope I won't feel like I did today on the morning of the race, because I was struggling to do 3 miles, let alone 6.

Oh well. The nice thing about running your first race of any new distance is that, whatever your time, you get an automatic PR (personal record). I am actually not too concerned about time - I like what a friend told me about meditation. She said, "If you feel good while you're doing it, you're doing it right." My goal for this race is to feel good and - as Galloway says - to finish 1) in the upright position, 2) with a smile on my face, 3) wanting to do it again.

Four

2010-04-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Sam turns four this Thursday, but we had his party Sunday. It started at the pool and then moved to our house. The camera batteries died at the pool...more pictures will be coming, hopefully, thanks to Tammy.

I can't believe my baby is turning FOUR.

Tonight he let me hold him and snuggle him. I cherish these times. He is truly "blessed from above" as his Korean name indicates. His latest fortune cookie fortune read: "People admire you for being such a charmer." I would say that is Apt. Grateful today - again - for his Korean mother and wishing her every happiness.

5 miler

2010-04-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today I ran 5 miles!

Well, really I alternated running (3 min) and walking (1 min) but I did the entire 5 miles in a little under an hour and felt good at the end of it. Yay! I have not run that far in at least 10 years.

Treated myself to a gelato with a friend afterwards. Feeling happy.

a new world record

2010-03-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

I think Alex set a new world record today.

Does anyone else have a child that can make a 30-minute piano practice last for 85 minutes?

Didn't think so!

Hallelujah! I can see again!

2010-03-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

The saga began one year ago. I was having some issues with my 5-year-old contacts (rigid gas permeable) and so I began the process of getting new ones. Little did I know what I was in for. I've been wearing the same type of contacts for 30 years (!) and NEVER had these issues.

Our health insurance offers a "vision benefit" that we signed up for so I called around to see who provides the services. After an hour or more of searching and calling, I found ONE provider who can both do the eye exam and provide the appropriate lenses. My prior eye doctor has since retired, and was not on this plan anyway.

So I went to get the new prescription. But the new eye Dr. said my lenses had flattened and the shape of my cornea had changed, and when I got the new lenses the world was blurry. I went back to the old lenses but they were starting to get uncomfortable and collect protein deposits and I knew it was only a matter of time...so I waited a year (so the insurance would cover the new lenses again) and tried again.

Wore my glasses for a month to allow my corneas to "round" back to their natural shape. Got the new Rx and the right eye was OK but the left was still blurry. Went back and they changed the power of the left lens, but now it was only in focus if I stared straight ahead. If my eye slightly moved in any direction - up, down, right, left - everything was blurry. Grr. I drove around not being able to see the road signs, etc. very well for another month...went back to the Dr...they gave me a new lens last week, and ...

HALLELUJAH - I CAN SEE AGAIN! :-)

I know - I am being a bit whiny compared to people who really can't see. But after months of a blurry world, it is SO GREAT to see a nice sharp crisp world again!! Yayyyyy!!!!

One thing about heaven that I look forward to (with my new perfect body) is having perfect eyesight. That, and a beautiful singing voice. :-)

spring training

2010-03-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

This week Tammy found a 10K race on May 29 and we are going to register! Yahoo!

I can't believe I'm actually excited about this. Me, turning into a runner? I was literally allergic to running in high school. I got hives - excercise-induced urticaria - but these somehow subsided several years ago. I never would have expected to be bitten by the running bug (but partly can blame genetics since my dad and several siblings have been or are runners).

Today I did 4 miles in 60 minutes, alternating running 2 min. with walking 2. A nice comfortable pace. The best part was, a couple of new running buddies were willing to come along and run/walk with me on the Jordan River Parkway. It's amazing how good company makes the time fly by.

not the best day

2010-03-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, today I have managed to lose my Blackberry (government issue) and lock my keys in my car.

I had the BB with me yesterday on the Jordan River trail with the kids. Unfortunately I don't know how it got separated from my person, but I surmise it could have been when the kids got tired and I was carrying them - maybe they bumped it off? Or else it fell off while I was assisting them with peeing in the bushes since there were no available restroom facilities. Thought about going back to look for it but decided my chances of success weren't very high. So I am going through the government process for reporting it lost/stolen, which required about 5 phone calls so far to 4 different people, about 5 e-mails, and so far only filling out one form (and then answering more e-mails questioning whether I had filled out the form) . The real work will come if and when they issue me a replacement - re-programming all the stuff back onto it. Well - it's my fault.

Wasn't too happy about locking my keys in the car either, but at least I managed to do it on a Monday when Bryan could come to my rescue. My knight in shining armor came through - yay!

And now, my workday is through and I'm heading out for a run, hoping I won't get struck by lightning or step in a hole. I've had enough self-imposed misfortune for one day.

what to do with a sassy girl

2010-03-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

Looking for suggestions...

Alex has become quite a sassy girl. Lately the attitude, arguments, and backtalk have just escalated. It's time to put the lid on it.

We've tried a few things. We usually give her some time alone until she is ready to rejoin the family. Mostly I think we just need to be more consistent. I also want to teach her constructive ways to express her anger, disappointment, etc. instead of just silencing her. I'm wondering what other experienced parents have done that worked. Anyone care to share?

Run/walking update

2010-03-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

I've read through most of Jeff Galloway's book on running (except the chapter on "Running Over 40" which I look forward to) and started my run/walking workouts this week. Goal is to finish a 10K and continue running through the summer and fall. I'm planning on 3 days running, 2 days cross-training and 2 days off per week.

The book is interesting. Mostly good, though there were some things I found surprising. For instance, he says stretching is a leading cause of injuries among runners and recommends doing very little stretching - especially before or after a run. Opposite of what I always thought. I am skeptical and will probably keep stretching some, but with more awareness and not worrying about "how far." One of the worst injuries I ever had (hamstring) happened during a routine stretch after a workout, when I was trying to pull "just a bit farther." He showed 3 stretches that are dangerous and I have been guilty of all of them. He also says he doesn't believe in "carb loading" before a race and eats very little or nothing 12-18 hours before (but does keep well hydrated). Again, interesting. Who knows.

This week I ran/walked about 9 miles and walked another 3 miles. I am s-l-o-w (12-13 min/mile) but purposely holding back since I haven't run in so long, and also at this point more than half of my "run" is walking, so I may get faster over time. If I don't, though, I'm OK with that. I am being VERY conservative - starting with a ratio of 2 min. running alternating with 3 of walking. Next week I'll move to 3 min. running and 2 walking, then 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1 and probably stay around there if it's comfortable. After 3-4 weeks I'll start increasing distance, and maybe try some intervals or other things just to keep it interesting, but first I'd like to run for a few weeks without problems. It's hard to hold myself back because it doesn't feel challenging enough right now, but I just keep reminding myself that running slowly is better than not running at all. Galloway is very good at getting that point across and makes me feel OK with the slow and steady approach.

Today's run was the best yet - I discovered the Porter Rockwell trail and it was great! Lots of kids, dogs, walkers, joggers, and bikers and beautiful scenery. Thanks Tammy for the great tip! The only problem was I could not find the mile markers until I was almost finished - was looking for sign posts and they were painted in red on the ground - so I'm not sure how far I went but with warmup and cooldown I was out there 45 min. so I am guessing it was at least the 3 miles I was "supposed" to do today. Looking forward to getting my Garmin!

Poop update - read at your own risk

2010-03-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Sam actually pooped in the potty on Tuesday, for the first time!

My elation was short-lived, though. Ten minutes later he pooped more, but in his pants. Poor kid is always having near-diarrhea. He has ALWAYS been this way. In the past week I have taken him to two social events and had to change his poopy pants 2 or 3 times in one hour. Almost everywhere we take him he poops. And I don't think I've ever taken him to McDonald's without him pooping. Something about those playland tubes is very intestinally stimulating to him.

So I asked my pediatrician brother what to do to make his stools firmer and he said take away all juice and limit him to maintenance fluids. (He currently is allowed 8 oz of juice per day, and likes to drink a lot of water. He doesn't drink milk of any kind.) Buzz is so awesome, he even calculated Sam's maintenance fluids on the spot: 40 oz a day. But Bryan remains unconvinced. He doesn't want to take away the juice. I can't imagine why Bryan resisted this idea, especially directly after cleaning up Sam twice in one restaurant meal. In fact, immediately after we had this enlightening conversation about the juice, Bryan gave Sam a juice popsicle at home. Men.

Anyway, I am still trying to convince him to give Sam a couple of juice-free weeks. Wish me luck. If this makes the difference it will be a very happy thing.

Hmmm, running?

2010-03-15T12:20:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd take a break from posting about potty training. :-) Thanks to all for your wise and kind words. We are making great progress with #1, so I have faith that eventually we will also accomplish #2 (though Sam is still holding out, for now). Wow, after 5 years of diapers (I know that's not much) I am seeing the end in sight! I will not go back to diapers I will not go back to diapers I will not go back to diapers...

But I digress. The topic for today is running. For some inexplicable reason, as my 41st birthday approached, I began to wonder if I could run again. I used to "run" in college and for several years afterward. Really it was very slow jogging. So slow, in fact, that one day as I puffed uphill past a man pushing his little boy in a stroller, I heard the boy ask, "Daddy, why is that girl running so slow?" I had to laugh. 'Cause I just can't run any faster!!!

I've always been slow and it never bothered me. I knew I was getting a good workout and I knew I would never be a "competitive" runner, so I just ran at a comfortable pace. Sometime around 1993, I actually entered a 5K race and finished it without stopping to walk, which I was very happy with. In medical school, I tried running 5 or maybe 6 miles a few times, but I don't think I ever ran longer distances. Around age 35, my right knee started aching a bit at the end of 3 miles, and I stopped running. I've enjoyed my self-made regimen of fitness walking, aerobics with weights, core strengthening, and elliptical machine, but as spring approaches I am hearing the call of the wild.

I was in Phoenix in January on a work trip, and our hotel was near a running path, so I did 3 40-minute runs that week outdoors. It felt great! It probably wasn't wise to do that much that fast, and my legs felt it, but no knee pain. It made me want more.

So, I'm planning to start this week. I read about Jeff Galloway's "run-walk-run" training method and I'm going to try it. Bought new running shoes (Sauconys, first time ever). What I'm most excited about is my new gadget: I ordered a Garmin Forerunner 305, which will track my mileage, elevation, heart rate, and pace for me.

My first goal is to train for a 10K. I may even enter a local race, just to see what that's like. If I can train without injury or other setbacks through the summer, I may even try a half marathon in the fall. Or maybe not. I'm hoping to discover some new local routes too. If you know of any 3-10 mile runs around Salt Lake without a lot of traffic, mean dogs, or steep hills, please share!

potty training - a small success

2010-03-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

OK, so since I whined so much about how impossible it's been to potty train our 3 and 1/2 year old boy, I want to put in a positive report here. Yesterday I decided Sam is just too comfortable with going in his pants. I'd heard of letting kids go naked and I wondered if it would make any difference to Sam. My only reservations were 1. that he would be cold, and 2. that we would have to buy all new carpet and furniture. At least his pants were containing most of the worst...anyway, I took the plunge and made him go bare-bottomed yesterday afternoon. He didn't complain of being cold, but after a couple hours I noticed him holding himself. He actually stopped watching a movie to come and ask me to put his pants on. I promised him he could wear his pants after he went potty. It took several minutes of convincing, but - Hallelujah! - he did it!

And this morning - same thing - he was bare-bottomed all morning and then - without any prompting - he went in the bathroom and did it without any prompting from me! Yee-haw! So, I have hope now. Yes! We CAN do this.

potty training, continued. It still sucks.

2010-03-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

Today our babysitter had Sam and Alex all day, since it was Tuesday. We tried to spare her the worst of the potty training by starting on a Wednesday, and last Tuesday the kids were home sick. So today was the first day she had Sam in pants all day. We did put a diaper on over his underwear, a great trick I learned from my friend Tammy. His pants will be wet and yet he won't make a big mess...

Well...he didn't go #1 or #2 all day. Not in the potty, though she took him a few times and tried to coax him. Not in his pants either. As soon as I picked him up at 5, he peed his pants.

Sigh.

Help, help, please give me suggestions. I'm dyin here.

potty training totally sucks

2010-03-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

OK, I guess we got lucky with Alex because she pretty much figured out potty training easily and very rarely had accidents. Now for the fun part: potty training a boy.

Sam is 3 and 1/2 and has actually peed in the potty ONCE in his life, that I know of, and that was about 6 months ago. We weren't worried, and didn't push it. But I just couldn't stand the image of him in diapers at his 4th birthday party. So we talked it up, got him all ready, bought him the big boy underwear, gave him lots of practice sessions, read potty books, watched potty videos, and finally almost 2 weeks ago we took away the diapers (except for nighttime and naps). We've promised him the moon and then some if he ever succeeds. No luck. Have found NOTHING that motivates him. Not candy, not trips to the store for prizes, not videos, nothing.

I've heard a lot of people say "Don't worry, you never see kids going to kindergarten still wearing diapers." Well, with my luck my kid will be the one.

Bleh.

On women and anger

2010-02-05T15:10:00.000-08:00

Today was another day when a theme just converged. I went to a moms' group in the morning, where the discussion was about dealing with frustration and anger. One thing we talked about was the positive side of anger, the ability for our anger to give us the energy and courage to make a change that needs to happen. Then I came home and read this:

Most of my life I'd run from anger as something that good daughters and gracious ladies did not exhibit. Perhaps the thing most denied to women is anger.

...

Yet anger needs not only to be recognized and allowed; like...grief, it eventually needs to be transformed into an energy that serves compassion. Maybe one reason I had avoided my anger was that like a lot of people I had thought there were only two responses to anger: to deny it or to strike out thoughtlessly. But other responses are possible. We can allow anger's enormous energy to lead us to acts of resistance...Anger can fuel our ability to challenge, to defy injustice. It can lead to creative projects, constructive behavior, acts that work toward inclusion. In such ways anger becomes a dynamism of love. - Sue Monk Kidd, Dance of the Dissident Daughter

As I am rather defective in my ability to express anger constructively, I worry about passing this defect on to my daughter. Oh how well I remember feeling totally powerless as a child, and particularly as a girl. I recognize the emotions and behaviors in Alex, and I want to give her more than I had. Better resources, better understanding, and better insight. Praying for grace and wisdom.

What TO Wear

2010-02-05T14:34:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those days when a particular theme just keeps popping up?

I've had a couple days like that recently. A few weeks ago, I watched that show What Not To Wear. I have very mixed feelings about that show. I love how the two hosts just blatantly ridicule people for the way they dress. I love seeing even worse clothes in other people's closets than what is in mine. I love knowing there are lots of other people out there who dress the way I do (not very thoughtfully, most of the time). I secretly love the idea of picking up tips and advice about how to dress better, since I am unfortunately very clueless about clothes and looks. But I don't like how much the show focuses on externals, especially in a culture that already ties so much of women's (especially women's) worth to their looks. I also don't know if I could let myself spend $5000 on a new wardrobe when people are hungry and starving and suffering from preventable diseases. I always wonder if they ever invite someone to be on the show who refuses because they don't want to spend that much money on clothes. I've decided that the only way they could get me on the show is if they agreed to give $10,000 to a humanitarian cause in addition to $5000 to me. Ha!

Anyway, immediately after watching the show that morning, I encountered this in my daily lectionary reading:

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against each other, forgive each other...above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. - Col. 3:12-14

A bizarre fantasy played itself out in my head then, a silly dream about a TV show that dared people to clothe themselves with kindness and humility and compassion. Instead of teaching people to find the perfect dress and the perfect shoes, the hosts would follow people around with video cameras and catch them finding ways to put on gentleness and patience. I pictured the end of the show, where all the friends and family gather to see the transformed person, and they would all be cheering at how this person learned to put on love. If only we got that kind of encouragement from society...what a world this would be.

40 days til 40 (or 41)...day 9

2010-02-04T19:17:00.001-08:00

Yeah, well, I'm way behind on blogging but it's because I've been having so much fun. :-D Yeah.

Tammy and I are doing our "40 days til 40" celebration again this year. This time she is turning 40, and I am celebrating my last 40 days of being 40. Today, day 9, we had lunch together (without kids!) at the new Corner Bakery Cafe that opened up near my work. Earlier in the week we celebrated by touring the music store and buying some fun new piano duets, playing said duets (and posting silly videos!) , and listening to some new (to us) classical music. I LOVE having a birthday twin. We really are a lot alike.

One new thing we did this year was to pick our "one word." I heard about the idea on the radio - a bunch of people decided that instead of making New Year's resolutions, they were going to carefully select the one word that they wanted to focus on for the year ahead. Tammy picked "unwind" and I chose "connected." In my mind, there is a graphic related to my word that probably only makes sense to me and a few other people, because it comes directly from medical informatics. Basically, in computable terminologies, terms are pretty meaningless ("primitive") in and of themselves - they gain meaning and are "defined" by building a network of relationships to other terms. I thought of this as an analogy for people - the more rich our relationships and associations are with others (as well as with God and our own selves), the more full and meaningful our lives are. I think I've been in the habit of taking my "connections" for granted. I want to be more intentional about strengthening them, and more willing to invest in them.

Coming up: this weekend, more 40 day activities: snowshoes, the Super Bowl, and trying out some new mixed drinks.

The Chuggy Little Snowman

2010-01-04T19:16:00.001-08:00

Sam was too shy to say the Snowman poem during his preschool Christmas program, but he did say it for the camera. The beginning got cut off, but the first line is definitely "The Chuggy Little Snowman."
Not chubby.
Not chunky.
Chuggy.
Sam was very definite about that.

the earth

2009-12-20T15:52:00.001-08:00

I awoke this morning to a special radio broadcast of discussions occurring in Copenhagen, where the climate summit is being held. It was a little discouraging. We seem to be on this downward spiral of destruction that we cannot control or contain, let alone reverse. We've been watching the BBC Planet Earth series at home lately, which has been awe-inspiring, to say the least. The beauty of this world and its life is breathtaking, and mysterious. In a sad way, the earth is even more beautiful when viewed with the knowledge that it is not going to last forever. Like all of us, it is dying.

I've been doing some daily readings during Advent from the liturgical calendar. After the Copenhagen broadcast, today's reading was:

"The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains;
The world, and all who dwell therein."
- Psalm 24:1

Hm.

It is a tiny bit comforting, I guess, to be reminded that humanity's power to damage and destroy - great as it is - is yet far, far smaller than God's power to create, sustain, redeem, and renew. It takes faith to believe this, but I have hope.

more quotes

2009-12-11T14:04:00.000-08:00

I have posted these on FB so sorry if they are repeats. Mainly I am reposting them here for my own sake- so I can look back on them later.

Papa (after Alex and Sam bumped heads): "Ouch, that hurts, doesn't it? Heads are not for bumping!"
Alex: "Yeah. Heads are for singing!"

Heads are for singing. I like that. I bet a lot of my neurologist friends don't even know that. Or Bryan's psychiatrist friends, either, for that matter. In fact, if we could get more of our "head" patients singing, maybe that would help them.

Alex: "When I grow up I want to be a construction man. I would be very good at that." I can just see Alex hard at work in her little yellow hard hat. I'm pretty sure she would be the director of the crew.

Alex (completely out of the blue): "Spoiled milk controls me." Don't know what that means, but it was a truly unique thought.

you never know the impact you're having

2009-11-30T09:22:00.000-08:00

A couple of events this month have got me thinking about how we are having an impact all the time on those around us - even if we never realize it.

A guy in our church came up to me after the service a couple of weeks ago. He had been sitting behind us, and Alex was sitting with us as usual. It was a normal day and a normal church service. There was a baptism, of a smiling boy about 9 months old, and we recited the usual prayers and litanies welcoming this child into our "family" and promising to support him and his parents in their journey of faith. The pastor briefly mentioned adoption, in the sense that we are all adopted into God's family and are welcoming this child as well. Anyway, it seemed that this triggered the man sitting behind us to look at Alex and think about how Alex and Sam came to be where they are now. He told me he was overwhelmed and started to cry, just thinking of how their lives started out and how different their lives could have been. This of course shook me out of my everyday fog and made me appreciate anew the miracle that is our family. Thankful for our kids and ever mindful of their birth mothers.

Also, our kids' preschool teacher related an incident to me that has given me pause to think over the last couple of days. The kids were at her house when someone knocked at the door. Alex said, "Maybe it's God." (!) The teacher's son (4) said, "Don't say God, that's a bad word." (I think they've been telling him not to "take God's name in vain.") Anyway, Alex said, "No, God is GOOD! He's ALMIGHTY and POWERFUL."

A couple of take-home messages here...one, the wonder of being a child and fully expecting that God could be standing at the door at any moment. A friend of mine actually wrote a little Advent devotional using this story and connected this with the verse, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." I believe God uses people to reveal himself but I rarely consider that the person I am dealing with (whoever is "knocking at my door") may be God's way of communicating with me. Hmm.

Two, I have to admit my first thought was, "Where did Alex come up with this?" We have probably spoken of God as good, great, powerful etc. but the word "almighty" is not in common use in our house...maybe it should be...anyway, I've been feeling a little remiss as a mom in teaching the kids about God. I haven't felt I've given them much in the way of "spiritual formation" and have felt guilty about not being more on top of that. So this seems like an affirmation, as if God is saying, Relax, mom - remember, it's MY job too, not just yours, to reach your kids. Very comforting.

Three - there are so many things our kids can teach us, if we would only pay attention. In the day to day crush it is hard to really see and really listen. Praying for eyes to see and ears to hear.

need a battery recharge

2009-11-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

My batteries are running low tonight. It was a day of more than usual stress. I got rear-ended while stopped at a red light. The truck behind me was stopped too but the driver decided it was time to go when the left turn arrow turned green, even though our lane still had a red light. I didn't even see it coming. The kids were with me. Luckily we were all belted in and no one was hurt, but now 10 hours later I'm starting to feel twinges in my neck and back. The back end of our car is damaged, but the big GMC truck that hit us seemed completely unmarked. It did make me think about driving a bigger/safer car. Ironically, we just made two trips for car repairs last week and thought we were all done with car stuff for a while. The battery in the Prius died at 107,000 miles and the warranty goes to 100K. Figures. $3000 is a LOT for a battery with a 1-year warranty. It kind of undoes the savings you get on gas. I'm kind of disillusioned with car stuff right now...

In addition, I'm getting drained dealing with Alex's frequent tantrums. She is better than she was, but some days, especially when she's tired, she reverts back to the 3- and 4-year-old level - screaming, hitting, kicking, and even biting. Once she loses her temper, it is very rare that we can "talk her down" or get her to calm herself. And she can lose her temper on a dime, unpredictably, with no warning and sometimes no fathomable reason. We can and do give her choices, give her time out, take away privileges, talk to her about it afterward, etc. But I know she needs to teach HERSELF to control HERSELF and I feel at a loss as to what else we can do. The only encouragement I have is that (1) I know she is smart, and a good intellect will be on her side (2) she IS showing improvement as she gets older, even if it's slower than I would like.

I'm probably also feeling low because I'm getting over a cold. I've cut down on my workouts and I've been staying up too late. So hopefully I can start next week feeling better. My life demands a lot of energy and when I don't have it, I miss it!

Sesame Spinach Salad Recipe

2009-10-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Our new favorite spinach recipe. I've never seen Sam actually eat spinach until we made this. :-)

From my new favorite cookbook, Extending the Table:

Sesame Spinach Salad (Korea - from Pat Yoder, Goshen, IN)
Sigumchi Namul

This salad is typical of the way Koreans prepare and season cold vegetables. Tester found this to have a surprisingly wonderful flavor: "I hate spinach and just loved this!"

Steam until just tender and still green:

1 lb fresh spinach (500 g)

Strain and squeeze out as much water as possible. Cut spinach coarsely.

Place in serving bowl and add:

3 T. soy sauce (45 mL)
2 T. sesame oil (30 mL)
1 T. toasted sesame seeds (15 mL)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. sugar (15 mL)
1 T. vinegar (15 mL)
dash of black or ground red pepper, to taste

Mix, chill, and serve.

A few notes:
1. I used half the amount of sesame oil to cut down on fat, and it tasted fine.
2. I used rice vinegar.
3. I used the minced garlic out of the jar - easier.
4. You can buy toasted sesame seeds at most grocery stores in the international foods section.
5. I forgot all about the dash of pepper at the end. It was still good.
6. We steamed the spinach in the microwave. You could do it the old way, or blanch it, if you want it a little more "al dente."

:-) Enjoy!

Two silly kid quotes in one day

2009-10-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

After a rather dry spell, we had two good kid quotes today.

Alex has been trying to learn some tongue twisters. After attempting "She sells seashells at the seashore" a few times, she stopped, then said, "You made...You made...You made my brain go all BLACK!" She was mad that I laughed, but I couldn't help it.

Later, Bryan and I were driving the kids home in separate cars. Sam was with Bryan, and Alex was with me. We were ahead of the boys for a while and Sam asked, "Where's mama?" Bryan told him, "She's ahead of us. She's driving faster than we are." Silence. Then Sam says, "You're NOT Lightning McQueen!"

:-)

family photos - Sept 09

2009-09-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

I already posted these on Facebook but am putting them here as well. The white shirts/white background were an experiment - I think it turned out pretty well!

Alex and God

2009-09-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

Today we were in the car on the way to church and Alex said, "When I was a baby in Korea, and I was in my bed, God came to me and came into my heart."

This was especially sweet to me as I remember the many prayers I said for her when she was a baby in Korea. I wonder what she remembers of this experience.

Cascade Springs

2009-09-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

Well, we didn't see as many fall colors this time. Usually by mid-September the leaves are changing at the high elevations, but on this trip we saw just a few. That's ok - it was a beautiful afternoon, warm and sunny.

I had to include the picture of Bryan changing Sam's diaper in the trunk of our car. It is a regular part of our life, one I suspect we would forget in future if we didn't have photo documentation. :-)

Bees Game

2009-08-23T19:28:00.001-07:00

We got free tickets to the Salt Lake Bees game today. Nice way to celebrate Sam's arrival day anniversary. We had great weather and the Bees won, but barely. We actually went home before the end, but I found this article describing the Bees' narrow victory:

http://saltlake.bees.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090823&content_id=6584224&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&sid=t561

The kids' favorite thing was the race between 3 people dressed up in huge inflatable food costumes. The hot dog knocked over the pizza in the middle but the pizza still ran ahead and won, and the ice cream cone never seemed to have a chance.

There was a playground nearby and I was there for a while with the kids. I noticed Sam had disappeared and went looking for him. I found him under the slide with 2 other boys. They were sitting in a circle having a cute little picnic together, consisting of dirty red licorice bits that someone had dropped. Yuck. Still, they were pretty happy kids. Not only did they get dirty Nibs, they got popcorn from Sam's Sunday School teacher who was very gracious and shared freely.

Overall, a great summer day. Love Salt Lake, the Bees, and my family. :-)

Arrival Day - 3 years with Sam

2009-08-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

August 24, 2007

August 24, 2008

August 24, 2009

Tomorrow marks our 3 year anniversary with Sam. He has completed our family and brought us unbounded joy. Happy Arrival Day to my little buddy.

party pics

2009-08-21T14:15:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful birthday party. At the end when we were getting ready to leave, I tried to go out a door closer to our car and inadvertently set off an alarm (in my defense, it was only marked "EXIT" with no alarm warnings or emergency exit sign). Alex does not like loud noises, especially surprises. On the way home Bryan asked if she had a good party. She said no, because of the alarm. Despite that, I think she had a very good time, even if she won't admit it. :-) And I very much enjoyed her chocolate cake!

birthday girl

2009-08-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

newborn

first birthday

age 2

age 3

age 4

age 5

How the time flies by.

Summer pictures - July 2009

2009-07-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

Pictures from this summer. I lost most of them from my computer crash, but here are a few, including the Peltiers.

18th Anniversary

2009-07-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

We celebrated #18 both with and without the kids. A TIME magazine article came out the same week as our anniversary with a cover story on marriage (and how it is under siege). It reminded me how grateful I am for our marriage, and I decided I want the kids to see it as a family holiday at least as important as a birthday. So we got red and white balloons, a "sweetheart cake" from Baskin Robbins, lit 18 candles and sang "happy anniversary" to ourselves with the kids. Then we got a babysitter and enjoyed dinner out and a long walk in a beautiful park at sunset.

I forgot to take pictures but I will try to remember that next year.

Squaw Valley - Billharz Family Reunion

2009-07-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

We spent a fantastic week with 50 Billharzes at the Olympic Village at Squaw Valley, celebrating my parents' 50th anniversary. Mom wore her original wedding dress, which you can see in the photos. We hiked to a waterfall, biked along the Truckee River, went rafting, hung out on the beach, toasted marshmallows at the campfire, and - best of all - made lasting memories. Mom and Dad hosted an anniversary banquet and asked each of the 12 kids to share "a favorite memory or experience." I wish I had the whole thing on video - we rarely get to be together and reminisce like that and it was fun to hear what everyone remembered. Mom and Dad's first honeymoon was basically a rainy, cold camping trip so we pitched in for a surprise second honeymoon. As Chip said, it was fun to give them that because at this point it is hard for them to be surprised by anything! They will be going to Banff and surrounding area next month, and we hope for beautiful weather and good times for them. Being married 50 years is great - being married 50 years AND being able to go travel together and enjoy it is awesome!

Moab, continued

2009-06-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

More fun in the sun...discovered Sand Dune Arch yesterday. It's a 0.2 mile hike partway between huge vertical slabs of sandstone and ending in an arch over a big hill of very soft sand. Lots of shade, more lizards and one small snake in the rock wall, and very pleasant. We hung out about an hour while the kids played and played in the sand. Like the beach without any water, more shade, less wind and of course the amazing huge slabs of sandstone representing eons of erosion.

Afterward we went out on a limb and did a 0.6 mile hike out to Broken Arch, which is not broken as far as I can tell. The prickly pear cacti were blooming, lots of different colors - yellow, pink, white - and many other flowers graced the trail in bright yellow and purple. There was more greenery than usual, I think because of the recent rains. We carried the kids part of the way but our plot to wear them out worked - again they took a very deep nap after lunch. Ahhh...

The quote of the day was Sam's - he reliably denies any questions about whether his diaper may be poopy. Bryan asked, "Sam, why do you always lie about having a poopy diaper?" and immediately Sam replied, "Becuzzz...I...WUV you!!"

The pool was not very warm our first couple days here, but they must have fixed it because last night it was very comfortable - MUCH warmer. We brought all our pool toys. Alex is really very independent in the water now - as long as she has her life vest - she likes to zoom all around on her own and jump in all by herself. The first time I saw her head go all the way under I thought, "Well, this should be interesting," but she came up grinning from ear to ear. She is ready for swimming lessons - wish I could teach her but I'd really like her to learn to swim. :-)

Sam is just getting used to floating on his own, but isn't as adept as Alex yet - he rolls in the life vest and his face goes right in the water. He does love holding on to his inflatable ring though, and gets mad if we try to hold on to him. Every day the pool is a highlight. There is sand in the bottom of it but I guess this is Moab, where people come off the trails and bring it in with them.

fun in Moab

2009-06-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Vacation in Moab. FUN!

Will need to post pictures later - currently they are trapped in the camera in the same room as 2 sleeping kids.

I don't think we've been here since before Alex. We've enjoyed surprisingly mild temperatures (50's to 80's) and some equally surprising afternoon rain showers. Refreshing. This morning we took the kids on their first hike in Arches, exploring the Courthouse Wash. It's a soft sandy creekbed next to a canyon wall - shade and trees much of the way - and we really had a great time. Alex loved it, loved squishing the red mud between her toes, walking in her bare feet, chasing lizards and tadpoles and water striders, and playing in the mud and sand while telling me long, involved imaginary stories. She did not like the live crawdad Bryan picked up, though. Sam, suprisingly, was pretty squeamish about the mud and wanted to be carried a lot of the way. WTH? Since when does Sam care about getting his feet a little wet? Go figure.

Anyway, we also explored the Ranger Station where we got to imprint Play-Doh with animal tracks and play with various types of rubber animal poop. We even brought the plasma cars and ranger station has a nice patio perfect for zooming around on them. After all that sun and fun, Sam actually stayed in his seat during most of lunch. :-) We got pineapple sorbet and browsed the used bookstore, where, incredibly, I found a used hardback illustrated (animated comic-book style) story of the "Robin Hood of Korea." It's over the kids' heads now, but they will probably like it when they're older. The author grew up in Korea as the daughter of medical missionaries and studied Korean painting...what a find for Moab. We bought some other books and went back to the hotel room and both kids drifted away looking at their new books.

The pool here was advertised as "heated" but if it is, it's not very warm. Well, other than that we can't complain. The hotel serves us fresh baked cookies every afternoon and a continental breakfast every morning. So far, fabulous.

family fun

2009-05-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

Pictures of family fun on Alex's arrival day...

busy week, Sam's trip to the ER

2009-05-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

This week and next are really busy because I'm working full time and am on call for 16 days straight, plus we have Buzz's medical school graduation this Saturday. Bryan's mom is here helping with the kids, my parents are here too (helping Buzz pack and move), and Pete and Grace are also visiting. Last night we had dinner with Pete and Grace, without kids - SO nice to see them and catch up. Peter and I found we have independently each developed similar interests in food, nutrition, and Macs :-) (we each bought our first one about 6 weeks ago) , despite not communicating regularly. I felt like I'd found my long-lost twin. :-) That has happened before with other siblings. We don't live in the same state and don't keep up as well as we would like, but when we visit we find we have been doing the same things, unknowingly. Once I visited Laura and saw we had bought the same coat - she in LA and I in SLC.

As if things weren't hectic enough, Wednesday Sam got into Mom's suitcase and took an estimated 600 mg of Tegretol and some adult multivitamins. We spent 6 hours in the ER under observation, and he surprisingly drank up all his activated charcoal with the promise of a popsicle reward. He got a little sleepy but did not slow down much. The nurse said his blood pressure was a little low for a while but it normalized over several hours. Thank goodness that was all there was to it. As I was driving him home from the ER, Cameo called and reminded me (thank goodness!) that I was supposed to take Alex to a birthday party that I had completely forgotten about. I dropped off Sam, put Alex in the car (in her pajamas, since that is what she was wearing), grabbed a gift bag after discovering that we had used all our birthday wrap and had only Christmas wrap, and made it to the party. After that we all had a picnic in the park.

Tomorrow morning, Buzz graduates and I will be the honored one to do the "hooding." I need to iron my old gown, figure out a way to attach the too-large cap to my head long enough to last through the ceremony, and find an outfit that can double for VA neurology rounds and graduation. I'm just hoping there will be no neurologic emergencies between 10 a.m. and noon tomorrow.

Mother's Day thoughts

2009-05-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day ramble - thinking about all the significant moms in my life...

For my own mom, especially for all the ways she taught me how to love.

For my mother-in-law, who has "adopted" me and mothered me for nearly 18 years (!)

For each of my children's birth mothers, who gave them life and had to let them go. Without them, I wouldn't be a mother. Tears, when I think about that.

For their foster mothers, who gave from their hearts and asked nothing in return.

Finally, to Alex and Sam:

Not flesh of my flesh
Nor bone of my bone
Yet nevertheless
Still my own.

Never forget for a single minute
You didn't grow under my heart,
But in it.

-Author Unknown

Mother's Day laugh

2009-05-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

Alex and Sam made me a sweet collection of things for Mother's Day at preschool. There were drawings, handprints, cards, and an adorable little picture frame. The best, though, was Alex's creation called "My Mom." On the front is a picture she drew of me, complete with long, stick-thin legs :-) and hands with about 15 fingers on them. Then, on the second page, is some information about me. According to Alex:

My mom is "75 years" old.

My mom has "blonde brown" colored hair.

My mom's favorite thing to do is: "painting"

My Mom likes to eat: "snow peas"

My favorite dinner that my mom makes me is: "cereal"

THis is how my Mom makes it: "She gets it from the cabinet. I eat it. My tummy gets so full and I can't eat it anymore."

I like to help my Mom: "do everything"

My mom is the best mom in the whole world because: "she's the boss!"

I am sooooooooooo thankful to have such a funny little girl who makes me laugh!

battles

2009-05-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

I am feeling discouraged after an extra long battle of wills with Alex tonight. Ugh. :-(

She is a tough kid sometimes. Today she told me, "I need help calming down because I don't calm down very well by myself." I think she's heard us talking about her! At least she's aware of her issues. :-) I'm open to suggestions if anyone knows how to teach a 4-year-old to calm herself down.

eye-opening website: betterworldshopper.org

2009-04-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this website yesterday and it's very eye-opening!

www.betterworldshopper.org

It is devoted to making public the records of major corporations in 5 areas: human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement, and social justice. (the website further defines these and how they ranked the corporations)

What is fun, and revealing, and sometimes disheartening, is looking at "The Rankings" by product category. All kinds of products, services, and companies are listed - everything from ice cream to banks and credit card companies - just click for an analysis of the best and worst.

Some examples of products we have bought, and how they stack up -

Toyota: A
Chevrolet: F
Apple computer: B+
Acer computer: D-
Chapstick: F
Huggies: B-
Nabisco: F
Kraft: F
Chipotle (restaurant): A
Subway: C
McDonald's: D-
Gas stations: Sunoco = A-, Costco = C, Exxon, Mobil = F
Patagonia: A
Costco: D
Walmart/Sam's Club: F
Stride Rite: D+ (too bad, they're the only ones that fit Sam's feet!)

While this is entertaining, and thought-provoking, I admit I don't know anything about the quality of this "research data" or how it got its funding. (perhaps from animal-rights activists or environmental non-profits??? not to be too cynical, but...you know.)

Before I swear off of Kraft macaroni and cheese forever (which I should anyway) does anyone know how this information can be validated?

word for the day - perendinate

2009-04-20T09:23:00.001-07:00

I get a daily subscription of A Word A Day - and especially liked today's entry. I never knew the literal meaning of "procrastinate," and now I have another option when procrastinating is just not enough. :-)

perendinate
PRONUNCIATION:
(puh-REN-di-nayt)
MEANING:
verb tr. : To put off until the day after tomorrow.
verb intr.: To stay at a college for an extended time.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin perendinare (to defer until the day after tomorrow), from perendie (on the day after tomorrow), from dies (day).
NOTES:
The word procrastinate is from Latin cras (tomorrow). So when you procrastinate, literally speaking, you are putting something off till tomorrow. Mark Twain once said, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow." In other words, why procrastinate when you can perendinate?

Sam's birthday

2009-04-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

My baby boy is three. He is sleeping extra long today, which gives me a chance to post pictures. I included a couple other photos just for fun: bathtime bubbles, and Alex and Sam in their Easter duds.

spiderman poem

2009-04-18T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last night we had people over for Sam's birthday party. I will need to post pictures when I get a chance. Lately everything seems like it takes more time than I have. We had fun - it was so nice to hang out with everyone. Sam was very happy with all the loud, noisy toys he got from grandma. I am tolerating them, for now. As one friend said, "It's just too bad - batteries CAN'T be replaced." ;-)

He got a Spiderman card, and I found a spiderman shirt and shorts set at a used clothing sale today. He doesn't really know who Spiderman is but I guess he soon will. The spiderman nostalgia got me thinking about this poem that I remember reading in college and I found it online:

Maybe Dats Youwr Pwoblem Too
by Jim Hall

All my pwoblems
who knows, maybe evwybody's pwoblems
is due to da fact, due to da awful twuth
dat I am SPIDERMAN.
I know. I know. All da dumb jokes:
No flies on you, ha ha,
and da ones about what do I do wit all
doze extwa legs in bed. Well, dat's funny yeah.
But you twy being
SPIDERMAN for a month or two. Go ahead.
You get doze cwazy calls fwom da
Gubbener askin you to twap some booglar who's
only twying to wip off color T.V. sets.
Now, what do I cawre about T.V. sets?
But I pull on da suit, da stinkin suit,
wit da sucker cups on da fingers,
and get my wopes and wittle bundle of
equipment and den I go flying like cwazy
acwoss da town fwom woof top to woof top.
Till der he is. Some poor dumb color T.V. slob
and I fall on him and we westle a widdle
until I get him all woped. So big deal.
You tink when you SPIDERMAN
der's sometin big going to happen to you.
Well, I tell you what. It don't happen dat way.
Nuttin happens. Gubbener calls, I go.
Bwing him to powice, Gubbener calls again,
like dat over and over.
I tink I twy sometin diffunt. I tink I twy
sometin excitin like wacing cawrs. Sometin to make
my heart beat at a difwent wate.
But den you just can't quit being sometin like
SPIDERMAN.
You SPIDERMAN for life. Fowever. I can't even
buin my suit. It won't buin. It's fwame wesistent.
So maybe dat's youwr pwoblem too, who knows.
Maybe dat's da whole pwoblem wif evwytin.
Nobody can buin der suits, dey all fwame wesistent.
Who knows?

a springtime poem

2009-04-16T07:54:00.001-07:00

I heard a radio show the other night about people who memorize and recite poetry by heart. It was kind of cool. It inspired me to look up this poem by Robert Browning, of which I remembered only the last 2 lines.

It's a good poem for spring, even though today we are having snow...

The year's at the spring,
The day's at the morn,
Morning's at seven,
The hillside's dew-pearled.
The lark's on the wing,
The snail's on the thorn,
God's in his heaven,
All's right with the world.

-Robert Browning

Happy springtime, everyone!

4-year-old's shopping list, dumb kid jokes

2009-04-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

Alex made up her first grocery list the other day. She asked how to spell things, I told her, and she attempted to write them down. The result, with backward/upside down letters and all, was:

hot dogs
crispy cereal
cookies
candy
4T pajamas
Alex cup
sausage
oranges
milk

I have been limiting the amount of hot dogs and sausage we eat, as it isn't really very good for us, and I guess she misses those. I tried to get her to add more fruits and vegetables, but to no avail. :-) But isn't that a cute window into her little mind?

The "Alex cup" refers to a red mug with her name spelled in bright colors. It's been through the dishwasher so much it is fading; thus she wants another one.

She and Sam are on a knock-knock joke kick now. They have the format down, mostly, but they don't really get the hang of the punch line. Here are some samples:

Sam: "Knock knock!"
Me: "Who's there?"
Sam: "Banana"
Me: "Banana who?"
Sam: "Orange! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Alex: "Knock knock!"
Me: "Who's there?"
Alex: "Stinky socks!"
Me: "Stinky socks who?"
Alex: "Stinky socks wants to eat your cheese! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Yes, this is my life these days.

Oh yes, one more I thought was cute. When we were on the plane coming back from Disneyland, Alex got a seat where she could see the wing of the plane. She said, "Hey, there's the wing!" and looked at it for a while. We took off and were flying for a few minutes when she asked me, "Mom, why the wings don't flap?"

I thought that was a pretty good question. It would be cool if airplanes' wings did flap like a bird's, I think. Can any engineer-types tell me if that's possible?

kid sayings

2009-04-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Alex is saying a lot of funny things these days, but alas, I seem to be forgetting to write them down. Anyway, I do remember two things from this week and wanted to document them before I forgot:

"Your mouth has a special finger in it called - a tongue!"

(see picture above, in the Disney teacups, where she is using her tongue to retrieve every last bit of cotton candy from her face. She was quite happy with her first cotton candy - exclaimed "It melts in your mouth!")

The other one was in the car, while talking about robots:

"Robots can help people without any brains do their ABC's."

She also told me "rojo" means "red" and likes to remember or make up "Spanish" words. Somewhere she got the impression that the word "moose" means "almost" in Spanish. When we are in the car she asks, "Are we moose there?" or "Are we moose home?" Sam picked up on it and now he says it too.

Sam is talking, talking, talking. It's fun to hear him babbling away in pretend games with his toys. His latest phrase is "almost forgot." Every time we put him to bed, just as we leave the room he thinks of something we "almost forgot."

Tomorrow I leave for San Diego for some "mom time" with online friends. Am looking forward to the 60 degree temps after 2 more snowstorms here since Disneyland.

Disney magic

2009-03-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

It was a joyful and wonder-filled day at Disneyland. The pictures aren't the best, but they do bring back fun memories - and isn't that the point?

Match Day

2009-03-19T14:38:00.001-07:00

Today my brother John matched for his residency in Kansas City, MO (his first choice - woohoo!). I managed to be there for the occasion, which was fun - brought back memories of my own match day 11 years ago (hard to believe that - I had to double check the number!). It was a nicer occasion for Buzz, with a nice brunch for all the students and their families and even a ribbon-cutting ceremony. When I matched, we just went to a hospital classroom, got our envelopes and stood around in the hallways talking and taking pictures. The energy was the same though - lots of excitement and anticipation.

I'm genuinely happy for BuzzmeovanaXX (Buzz, Cameo, kids and mystery baby!) but bummed for us personally. Our family has been so lucky and blessed to live near these guys for the past almost 4 years. When I think of my sweet nieces growing up without me there, I start to cry...not to mention not having Buzzmeo around to play games with, stay up too late with, trade babysitting overnights, and hang out with. I've been tearing up on and off today. But I know it is the best place for them to be, and am glad they will have Tim and Tammy there, especially to ease the transition with a new baby coming. Good thing for facebook - I think it will help us all stay connected.