Quick Update

Well - To begin, this is Jason. Tiffini is very busy as of late and I am bored at work so I will try to put a post together. It won't be as creative as Tiffini's are but it will show you that we are alive and doing well. Laci has started first grade and is still doing gymnastics. She has too many friends to keep track of and loves being outside. Jacob has started pre-school and as you can see from the picture he is excited. He never says much so Tiff and I have to really read his non-verbal expressions to see what he likes and doesn't like. He is also doing a pre-school sports program where he does a different sport each month. He has just finished soccer and is now doing football. Cole is getting bigger and LOUDER. He is going to be a talker. We decided to get rid of his pacifier last week since he will be going into nursery in a month. That meant that we had almost a solid week of no sleep. He is getting better though. Tiffini is very busy with her piano lessons and watching Tyler. He is a recent addition to our family. Tiff watches him for his Dad during the week. He is a great kid and is really no problem at all. He is the same age of Laci and is even in her class. I just finished my last semester of graduate school and am glad that it is over. I have my nights with my family again! So now you are all up to date with what has been going on with the Denham's. I hope you all enjoy the update.

joy in the journey

Busier than I've ever been!

Go, go, go from sun up to sun down.

Striving to meet all the needs of those depending on me.

Never enough hours in the day!

Sometime's its overwhelming.

Sometimes it's chaotic.

Often it's exhausting.

There isn't a lot of thanks for what I do.

It doesn't come wrapped in beautiful boxes, hefty price tags, and fame.

Not a single regret.

Joy in motherhood reveals itself in the small and simple things.

Smiles.

Hugs.

Kisses.

Laughter.

Precious moments shared.

Peace.

hmm...

you can see when I started my last post, and that I'm just NOW getting it up. Sigh.

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!