when did my life hit the crazy button?

Seriously, someone smashed that thing down, and it hasn't let up since! I can't believe my last post was in October! Not even a single holiday post! So, here's the last few months in a nutshell...



We made our annual Thanksgiving trip to AZ in November. Around the same time, I started babysitting a boy in Laci's school class - more on him later. Two weeks later, we drove a 53- hour round-trip to San Diego for my sister's wedding. (We only spent 8 hours out of the car!) Two weeks later, Christmas came and went, and Jason's family spent New Year's in UT. AND, the first week in January, I started teaching piano again. I am SO behind on blogging that Jason is more up-to-date on all our friends' blogs than I am! Yah, it's pretty sad.


Speaking of Jason, he has reached his halfway mark toward getting his masters degree. I feel so blessed that it hasn't been extremely difficult having him gone so much. I do feel it from time to time, but I honestly feel like that burden has been made light.

Laci is my school girl. She LOVES every minute of it - especially making friends, as her teacher notified me during our parent-teacher conference in November. I wasn't at all surprised. Hopefully, it's not impeding too much with her learning! She's also moved up to the next level in gymnastics. (I think we've found her niche.) This is the second time they've had her move up early.


Trying to figure out what to do with Jacob when Laci is gone. He literally wants to watch movies, if I'm not dragging him along for errands or doctor's appointments. I've started to believe that maybe it's not so much that he feels lost, but that he's taking advantage of his "down time" because when Laci is home, she keeps him going, going, going...

Cole is crawling all over the place! Oh, but that is not all, he pulls himself up on ANYTHING he can. He is happy and smiling all the time. Thank heavens!

The newest member of our family - well, 5 days a week - is Tyler. He and his dad moved onto our street from South Carolina, and needed a sitter while his dad goes to work. So, I watch Tyler Monday through Friday from 7:45 am till 6 pm. Sometimes till 6:30. He is a sweet boy and fits in really well here. I won't say it hasn't been an adjustment for everyone. It has. But, all things considered, I could have signed up for a nightmare. And, it hasn't been that.

So, that's it. Hope I can stay more on top of my posts. I'll do my best.

GG's house + mountains = paradise

We love visiting GG! The view is breath-taking, her house is so peaceful, and who doesn't love visiting their grandma?

On this visit, my Uncle Brian and Aunt Jackie were in town from Washington. Our kids had a blast together!

Eating lunch on the porch.

Front to back: Sienna, Laci, Jacob, Colin.

Sienna has the most beautiful smile!

This picture brings back memories of playing under the pepper trees at Grandma and Grandpa's old house in California.

Yep, once upon a time, this was Sara and me.

Snack time!

We miss our Washington cousins! Can't wait to see you again.

On this visit, the kids played on the patio outside with pieces of scrap wood and weeding shovels.

hangin' out

chasing butterflies

wishing for another great summer next year

Thanks for having us over, GG! We love you!

good-bye to summer, part 1:

We've had such a FUN summer! Lots of places to go and people to see...

Stop #1

THE SPLASH POOL

sensory overload

Desperately needing to update. I'm in catch up mode after two weeks of pink eye and flu ... didn't we just go through this a couple months ago? I seriously feel like my life is a broken record sometimes!

Update coming soon with pics from our summer adventures and Laci's first day of school!

lost that loving feeling?

Not me! I started adding things up and realized that our dinner tonight cost a whole $2.68. Basically a stir-fry, I already had the brown rice and seasonings in my pantry, split the 79 cents per pound broccoli between two meals , 1 yellow bell pepper, and Italian sausage - also split between a second meal. Fed 4. I am feeling pretty dang proud of myself!

Want the recipe? Find it HERE. (You'll notice I didn't use the sausage she recommends - mainly because I couldn't find it.)

So, next time I've lost that loving feeling in the monotony of dinner-making, I'm going to see how cheap I can get the pricetag on my next meal!

starting a new tribe

We just started the 4th chapter in the book of Mormon, reading about the Josephites, Jacobites and Nephites. Suddenly, we hear Laci's high-pitched, curiosity-filled voice:

Why aren't there any Laci-ites?

if you are a s'more lover

then you will like this RECIPE. Just tried it out for a new FHE treat tonight.

mouthwatering.

rich.

yummy.

***

As of this week, Jason completed his first semester toward his MRED program.

{Masters in Real Estate Development.}

3 more to go!

I'm a mean mom

I'm not a big fan of video or computer games. I detest the mind-numbing, sedentary-ness, and noise of it all! Let me illustrate how strongly I feel about this: When Jon Kerry was running for president, his wife revealed in an interview that while raising her children, she would only allow them to watch TV for 30 minutes a day. They also had to write a report on the program they watched. I have been VERY tempted. As it is, I do monitor what my kids watch, how long they watch, and when Laci is in school the TV won't be on during weekdays. Children need to be running, playing, exploring, learning. Not sitting on a couch or chair for hours on end, engaging in brainless activities. TV, video and computer games, in and of themselves aren't bad. But, I just don't want to provide an opportunity for turning into a slave of the TV/computer.

So, even though Laci is almost 5, I haven't allowed her to play video or computer games.

...until recently.

My mom, having worked in the primary for several years, told me about THIS. It's the Friend magazine online. Laci loves the scripture reader section, doing puzzles, and coloring the temple. She especially loves the primary music that plays in the background. I even let her do it on Sunday as a reverent activity (since those can be hard to come by and we don't let our kids play outside).

So, then I explored around a bit, and she can go onto the Disney and PBS websites. She loves the Disney Princess section, and I'm all for developing reading skills! I monitor how long she plays on it, so it's not ALL she does. And, I have to say, it's been a fun discovery for the both of us.

But, I'm curious: what do you think about the subject? (Am I too extreme?) What are your favorite websites for your kids? Do you recommend other educational websites?

a little miffed

So, I took the kids to the community splash pool today, which we've done every week this summer - minus a few when I was potty-training Jacob. The kids have a blast. I enjoy having a free place to take them and a reason to get out of the house. I always shoot for 10am, but usually don't get there till around 10:30 or 11. We actually made to the pool at on time...for the first time this summer. I even packed a small picnic so we could stay a little longer, if the kids wanted to. Having accomplished this - as many of you know, is no small feat - I was feeling pretty good about myself. When we arrived, my satisfaction multiplied when I noticed I was the first one there.

Oh, this excitement was quickly dashed when I was approached by the pool watcher (apparently, he's not a lifeguard; so I'm calling him pool watcher.) He's essentially there to make sure we have our pool cards and - as I learned today, that children under the age of 3 have a swim diaper AND plastic cover over the top. Okay, as a fellow parent, I can appreciate the gesture. The last thing I want is for one of my kids to be swimming in a pool when another child has a #2 accident (because let's be honest, here, every child pees in the pool). But, I started to get little annoyed when I told him that Jacob is potty-trained, and the pool watcher responded that he's still under the age of 3. And, I got really annoyed when he told me I could purchase a diaper cover for $10. Ten dollars! That's the same price as a whole pack of swim diapers! I enjoy the splash pool, but not that much.

So, I packed the kids up and we went home. They weren't too disappointed when I suggested a bubble bath with their swimsuits on. They played in there for almost a full hour! Note to self, arrive late at the pool from now on so that the pool watcher will be too busy to notice my 2 1/2 year old without his $10 swim cover!

correction

If you've already read my previous post, you may have noticed my error. Bruce R. McConkie did not write Jesus the Christ; James E. Talmage did.


*Leave it to my scriptorian hubby to pick up on my mistake. :) I'm glad he did!

gift

My heart is so full today. Full of love for my sweet children, full of wonder as I gaze into my new son's face, full of awe for the miracle that he is, full of joy for the beauty of today, full of gratitude to my Father in Heaven. I feel like I could just burst! How does one store so many feelings at once?

Maybe they're not meant to be stored.

Today is a day where I feel like I can give, and give, and give. Endlessly give to anyone and everyone who enters my path. That in and of itself is a gift. There are some who have this gift always. President Monson is a good example. How in the world did he visit 86 widows every year (until they all passed) with the demands of work, family, new (increasingly heavier) callings?

My mom is another good example of this. I often wonder how she does it all -- raise 10 kids, often holding multiple callings, cooking from scratch, keeping a clean and organized household, serving others at the drop of a hat -- how does she find the capacity to keep on giving, how can she continually put herself and her needs aside for everyone else?

Selfless. 100%.

It's so simple for them as they emulate and follow the perfect example of our Savior ---

the Giver of all gifts.

Nowhere in the scriptures does it say that there is a limited supply, once it's run out you have to wait your turn for a refill. In fact, over and over we're taught to "come unto me; seek ye the best gifts; ask, and ye shall receive." Elder Eyring states in this month's Presidency Message, [The needs of others] "may be visible to you only if you have prayed for the Spirit to give you eyes to see into hearts and have promised to lift up the hands that hang down."

James E. Talmage teaches in Jesus the Christ that our Lord and Savior was born with the veil placed upon his mind, just like the rest of us. He "grew in wisdom and stature." And, as He turned to His Father in prayer, it was through personal revelation that He learned of His foreordination and divine role as the Savior of the world.

My Savior.

Your Savior.

Even if it meant saving only one.

He was perfect because he had the fullness of the Spirit with Him always.

Doesn't He command to "be perfect even as I and my Father in Heaven are perfect?" This is obtainable only as we draw nearer to the Spirit, and come to understand what our spiritual gifts are, what we were sent here to do, believing that we'll be given the capacity to use each gift to its fullest.

Gifts like today - where my heart is so full I feel like I'm going to burst - don't have to be just a sweet memory. I shouldn't be waiting for people to enter my path. I should be actively seeking them, as I draw nearer to the Spirit and allowing it to guide me to them. growing "in wisdom and stature" until I become even as He is.

mach speed

Do you ever feel like you're running in a million directions at a million miles per hour - and have very little to show for it? If you don't know that feeling, then you've never lived, my friend! You see, reaching impossibly high - as always - (I do sometimes ask myself, why are you doing this to me? And, I always answer, because you love it!), I decided that I wanted to fill our summer schedule with fun activities (because apparently, feeding a baby every two hours isn't demanding enough): splash pool once a week, library once a week, lake/park once a week, grocery shopping once a week (not too fun for the kiddos, but it has to be done), go to GG's (great-grandma) every other week. I will soon be adding swimming lessons for Laci (not free, but getting a great deal from sis-in-law), and I've heard about designating one day a week for photography - adding that to the list! And, whatever fun - and, more importantly, FREE - activities that may present themselves.

We were doing really well up until last week and then it all went out the window when I had the flu Monday and Tuesday. (Can we say, RANDOM!) Then, on Wednesday, completely fed up with buying diapers for two, I decided to try my hand again at potty-training Jacob. The 3-day potty training is a miracle-worker, but the child absolutely must be mentally and emotionally ready -- meaning, they cannot be deathly afraid of the toilet! It's difficult enough already that Jacob is my child who very much despises any kind of change, so transitioning to anything new for him can be tricky. But this time, a small toilet insert/cover + an older and wiser Jacob = success! By day 3, he took off and hasn't looked back since! I'm so proud of him!

This Monday we made it to GG's house, and had a blast! And, now this is where the not-so-much-to-show-for-it part comes in: Laundry. Piles of it filling my basement...not a good thing when you have a newly potty-trained child running around! What can I say, accidents still happen with miracle-workers. And, you wouldn't think 1 little baby would add that much more laundry, but if you're like me and wash all their clothes separate for the first year (because I just can't mix their sweet-smelling, even the poop-filled clothes give off a sweet odor, with our older bodies, sweat-filled clothes), then it does! And, going almost two weeks without doing any laundry is hazardous for everyone's health -- and underwear supply.

Poor Jacob had to sleep two nights in one of Laci's night shirts and would have had to borrow a pair of her underwear, too, on the second night - but she was wearing her last pair! So, he had to go without. It was then that I realized just how far behind I've gotten...

And, there you have it! Two days of laundry catch up, then next week the kids and I will be so happy to resume our high-speed, activity-filled summer routine.

mother-to-mother

The lesson in Relief Society today came from Elder Hales' Conference talk titled Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation. We had a really great discussion. I love those kind of lessons - where we get to learn from each other rather than be lectured to. I feel like I get to relish in a wealth of wisdom, experiences, and testimonies.



One mom shared how she strikes up the "after school" conversation with her kids. Instead of just asking how was your day or how was school, she asks:



What is the best thing that happened to you today?



What is the worst thing that happened to you today?



What is the funniest thing that happened to you today?




What a great way to keep the lines of communication open! Aha moment -- specific questions require specific answers. As I make this a daily practice, I hope that the take-home message to my kids will be: I'm interested in your life, I want what is best for you, I won't judge you, I love you.

For posterity's sake...

Finally getting around to updating our already outdated pics and kids' descriptions. Before making any changes, though, I wanted to save what I have. I'll be adding Cole's newborn pics as soon as they get here. Just had them taken and ordered today!

Laci - turned 3 in August. Energizer bunny. She is the perfect juxtaposition of tomboy and princess. Her favorite color is pink, loves dressing up, painting her fingernails, and is addicted to chapstick. She also loves exploring outdoors, playing catch, and rough and tumbling with Daddy and Jacob. Fiercely independent. Laci is a wonderful helper to Mommy, and a sweet sister to Jacob. Jason and I often joke that we could stock up the pantry and leave for a week...Laci would not only survive, but she would be able to take care of Jacob, too! Cntagiously happy. Laci has a smile for everyone, and brings joy to all she meets.

Jacob - 1 year old. All boy! He loves to rough and tumble, no matter how big his opponent! Tenderhearted. Jacob loves to snuggle, and is never too far from Mommy. He loves hanging out with Daddy, just bein' one of the boys. He and Laci are best buds! Content. His calm dimeanor and mild manners bring such a sweet spirit to our home.

Wow! Reading over these again, not much has changed in the last year.

LOST

Now that the series over, we're hooked. Thanks to Netflix, we can watch them one after another and not have to wait a week between episodes.

Time for more recipes...

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

Dressing

3 T. honey

1 1/2 T. rice wine vinegar

1/4 c. mayo

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp. sesame oil

Blend all ingredients together in small bowl. Chill.


Salad

2/4 c. veg. oil (frying)

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. corn flake crumbs

1 tsp. salt

1.4 tsp. pepper

1 skinless chicken breast (I used 4 keeping the rest of the ingredients the same - and there was plenty!)

3 c. romaine lettuce, chopped

1 c. red cabbage, chopped

1 c. Napa cabbage, chopped

1/2 carrot, shredded

1 gr. onion, chopped

1 T. almonds, sliced

1/2 c. crispy chow mein noodles, optional



Preheat oven 350 degrees. In shallow bowl, beat egg and milk; mix well. In another shallow bowl, combine flour, corn flakes, salt and pepper. Cut chicken breast into strips, lengthwise. Dip each strip into egg mixture, then into flour mixture. Fry each chicken finger for about 5 minutes.



Prepare salad by tossing salad greens and carrots together. Sprinkle green onion on top of lettuce. Toast almonds in small skillet for 3-4 minutes; sprinkle over salad. Add chow mein noodles. Place chicken fingers on top of salad. Serve dressing on the side.


*I actually skipped breading and frying the chicken because I didn't have corn flakes. So, I sprinkled and rubbed in salt, pepper, & ginger on each side of the chicken breasts. Stuck them under the broiler for 7-8 minutes on each side. Ended up still really yummy without the calories of breading and frying. Although, if I had had corn flakes, I would have kept that step in because it's just so YUMMY!


My Mother-in-law made these next two recipes for us while she was up here. It is SO good!

Mushroom Rice

1 stick butter, melted

1 onion, diced

1 1/2 c. rice

3 beef bouillon cubes

3 c. water

1 can mushrooms, sliced

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

1-2 T. rosemary leaves*

garlic to taste

Melt butter and saute rice and onions. Add water, bouillon, mushrooms, rosemary, and garlic to mixture. Sprinkle in Parmesan. Mix & cover with lid. For white rice, cook 20 minutes. For brown rice, cook 40 minutes.

*Great tip she gave me: use a metal tea-steeper for the rosemary leaves. Leave it in while it bakes, and take it out when ready to serve. That way, you have all the flavory without having to bite into twigs.

Parmesan Chicken

1 c. bread crumbs, Italian seasoned

1/4 c. parsley leaves

1/4 c. parmesan cheese, canned

1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

In shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs, parsley, parmesan, salt and pepper. Set aside.

1/3 c. butter

8-10 chicken breasts

Melt butter. Roll chicken in butter, then in bread crumb mixture. Place in casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Cover; reduce heat 275 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

ENJOY! (I know I did!)

chilhood crush?

So, the family we sat behind at church has a little boy in Laci's primary class. When he turned around to say hi to Laci, she gave him a big hug, which isn't rare for Laci. She loves everyone and always hugs her friends when she sees them. It's just who she is, ya know? He stayed turned around smiling at her then asked me, "Is Laci in a new class now?" I explained to him that Laci had been home with us for a few weeks until we were ready to bring the new baby to church, but that she was still in the same class. Apparently, he had really missed her because he never turned back around - for the entire meeting - and just stared at Laci. At one point, I leaned over to Jason and whispered, "Do you think someone has a little crush?" And, he thought I was talking about Laci because she certainly wasn't ignoring his attention.

At the close of the meeting, this little boy leaned over our bench and said quite timidly to Jason, hesitating between each word, "Can -- you -- tell -- Laci -- that" (pause)

Jason encouraged, "Yes?"

(quite emphatically) "she's BEAUTIFUL!"

Meanwhile, Laci walked around to his bench, grabbed his hand and said, "Come on, let's go!" And, off they went to primary, hand-in-hand!

recent - and not so recent - adventures

Yesterday was our first Sunday back to church since Cole was born. (I figured since it's not cold/flu season, it's safe to bring him out at 4 weeks.)

Here he is in his church clothes.

These were Jacob's church clothes, too. As I was dressing Cole in them, I remembered that a little old lady at church came to look at Jacob and scolded me for dressing him "so grown up and not like a baby." I think she was a little miffed that she misguessed his age.

We are told to dress in our Sunday best, are we not? Baby girls get to wear big poofy dresses, tights, and flowers in their hair. Why do baby boys get treated differently?

Frankly, I don't care what anyone says, I think he looks so cute!

(Oh, and how's this for your first Sunday back? We weren't there for more than 10 minutes and one of the bishopric members asked us to speak in two weeks! We're actually really excited because they gave us a really great topic: covenants. Welcome back...)

Spencer and Hilary recently moved to UT. This is their 4-month-old baby girl, Blayke. She is a beauty!

The pictures just don't do her justice. And, no matter how many times I tried to turn his head, Cole insisted on giving us a profile at the last second.

Laci loves EVERY minute of being a big sister to a new baby!

So does Jacob.

Here we are at the Living Aquarium in Sandy. We went here when Jason's mom and sisters were here. It's been two weeks and I'm finally posting about their visit!

The kids LOVED the penguins - though, I think they didn't enjoy having to pose for pictures every few minutes.

This one looks like he's getting ready to take flight. We thought maybe he was going to dive in. Apparently not, because he stood like this for about 15 minutes! (You'd think his wings would get tired.)

It was so fun getting to see penguins this close up!

Here we are in the frog section. The kids also LOVED this area. They thought it was such a blast being bale to climb on a giant frog. (Jacob kept yelling out, "Princess and the Frog!", his new Disney favorite.)

And, here's more of what we got to see there...

Boa Constrictor

Piranha

There was also a shark tank and sting rey petting exhibit. I just didn't get pictures of those.

This was a fun area, too. The kids got to climb through make-believe tunnels of coral and sea animals.

I don't think Jacob was supposed to climb up here, but it still made a cute picture!

Hiding in a coral-reef cave.

From left to right: Holly with her son, Guess; Jacob, (yes, dressed in pink); Laci, Ashley, Cole, and Baba.

We had SO much fun with the Denham's here. (We really missed Papa and Sarah!) This is all I have pictures of, but we had a nail & Twilight party, visited Temple Square, and played LOTS of games. Great memories.

stopping to smell the roses

is MUCH harder to do with a new baby!

A HUGE part of me wishes that all I had to do was take care of Cole. I could literally sit and stare at him all day! His little arms are plumper, his double chin rounder, his neck thicker, the creases in his skin deeper. I'm probably the only one who would even notice these minute changes. I know this should be something to celebrate...my baby is thriving, right? But, it still makes me well up with sentimental tears. How could my baby have changed so quickly?

But, such a wish is not realistic.

Reality is the kitchen floor that hasn't been washed since BEFORE Cole was born. Yuck! - and that's not the only task of housework that has been neglected so long, either. I have actually managed to wash and fold 4 loads of laundry today though.

Reality is that my older kids are feeling the neglect (maybe distraction is a nicer word, but I'm not sure that's how they see it) a newborn entails:

Jacob has been insisting on not just wearing, but twirling, in Laci's church dresses while announcing "Princess!" Classic middle child syndrome taken to a new level? This used to be an occurrence that Laci would instigate. I'm not sure how I feel about him taking the reigns. You know, 20 years ago, boys dressing in their older sisters' clothing could be laughed off. In today's society, however, I just don't think it can be anymore. Jacob needs to know he's a boy! As it is, I haven't put my foot down with him carrying Laci's doll around or playing with Barbies. And, as if that's not enouch, he's definitely mastered selective hearing to the max.

Maybe that's something he's learned from Laci. She literally ignores any orders I give. I feel like I'm repeating myself 100x before getting a reaction from either of them! Any suggestions for putting an end to this? I'm definitely going to go crazy or grey or bald from pulling my hair out during these LONG days while Jason attends school.


On the flip side, when I stop to smell the roses...

I can see that Laci and Jacob adore our little bundle as much as I do. It lights up on their faces each time they look at him.

Laci insists on pushing his swing (even though it has a motor to keep it going) or changing his diaper.

Jacob makes sure Cole has the necessities of pacifier, blanket, and toys around him at all times.

They instantly tell me if he starts crying, and get angry at me (or take matters into their own hands - which can be really scary!) if they feel like I'm taking too long responding.

During stories, they each hold Cole in their beds while I read: every day, Jacob asks to hold "Baby Cole" before I start reading. Laci begs - every time - for more stories just so she could hold him longer!


I mean, really, the roses just don't get any sweeter than that!

story behind the name

Sarah Cole is my great-great grandmother. We don't know much about her. What we do know is that she was born in England, and joined the Church there. After travelling to America, she met who would become her her husband, Edward Oakey.



We do know a little more about him, however. He was taught the gospel and baptized by Wilford Woodruff in England. Edward then sold his entire inheritance - much to the chagrin of his family members - in order to pay the passage to America for many LDS saints. He was completely broke after that. Through much personal sacrifice, he joined the saints in America. Upon meeting Sarah, the two married. Together, they settled in Nephi, Utah.



Sarah Cole's daughter, Ellen Lavelle, had deep brown eyes that looked almost black. Those eyes, I was often told from her son, my Grandpa Tew, I had inherited from her. With an affectionate smile, he would look deep into my eyes and say, "You're eyes are just like my mother's, Ellen Lavelle." Even as a little girl, I could tell it pleased him that those eyes were passed down to one of his posterity. So far, Laci and Jacob have also inherited those eyes...and it looks like Cole will have them, too.



Even though we don't know very much about Sarah Cole, we fell in love with her maiden name for this sweet new boy who has joined our family! We feel so honored to pass it on to him.



Hensley is also a family name. At age 18, my Grandma Tew - then Norma Hensley - joined the Church. She was always deeply spiritual growing up and upon hearing the missionaries, being baptized felt natural to her. She is an amazing pillar of strength, faith, and devotion to our family. We love her dearly, and it is in honor of her that we chose it for Cole's middle name.

LOTS of pictures!

Cole Hensley Denham

literally minutes old

born May 8, 2010 at 8:10 am

8 lbs, 0 oz.

19.5 inches long

hi Mom

bundled up snugly and tight


Doesn't the look on her face say it ALL?!

(Poor Jacob. He was so worried about all the wires hooked up to Mommy.)

Didn't want to let go of the baby.



2 days old

Going home.

I'm ready!

Laci's and Jacob's welcome home sign for Mommy and Cole.

3 days old.

Loves his swing.

Cole and my brother, Zac.

We love you, Zac!

We love you, Grandma!

Getting ready to leave for AZ. We're going to miss you!