No time to blog

I have had alot on my mind lately and no time to blog. Here is what I have been doing so far this summer...

Trying to organize all the junk in my house (it's still not done)

Planning a garage sale (it MIGHT happen)

Remodeling our main bathroom (it's completely gutted)

Recovering from our failed adoption (he was due July 19th)

Working 24 hours a week

Church stuff

Picking zucchini (it's the only thing that has been successful so far in the garden)

Cooking zucchini, every night

Researching international adoption agencies

Eating snowcones at my brothers snow shack

Reminding myself how great my life is and all that I have to be thankful for

Zack Says...

Mom: You're such a good boy Zack!
Zack: Oh no! I'm better than just that!
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Zack saying his prayers: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this grateful day.
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The other day I noticed that Zack had scribbled pen all over the white banister. I calmly told him that he would have to wash it off and gave him the miraculous Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. He was seriously not happy that he was being made to do this tedious chore. (The pen was ALL over our really long banister.) He whined and cried. Then he said in a really disgusted voice: "This isn't MAGIC, it's just a stupid SPONGE!"
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Zack was playing with my brothers dog Tucker tonight at my mom's house. He came inside and I asked him why he wasn't playing with him anymore and he said: "Because Tucker's a shrewd dog!" (I think he thought that meant extra RUDE!)
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Steve: Zack, for the 10th time, come and do your job!
Zack: (Very calmly) Dad, I would but I'm addicted to the TV.
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The other day we were having a really loud thunder storm. Simpson is SUPER scared of thunder and we found him hiding in Zack's closet. We couldn't stop laughing until Zack touched him and noticed he was trembling so hard! Then we felt kinda sad for him. Zack gave him lots of love to make him feel better.

Another California Adventure

We took our annual California trip in June and had a great time. We didn't plan anything too big or busy, just a lot of beach days and a day at Lego Land. I was also able to spend a few hours at my favorite shopping venue: the Orange County Market. I could spend all day there but Steve and Zack vetoed that idea. Some friends of ours happened to be vacationing there at the same time so they joined us at Lego Land and then spent a day at the beach with us. It was fun for us to hang out with them and Zack enjoyed having some kids around.

Also of note, we drove the whole way to California on 2 bald tires but were blessed not to get a flat until we were slowly driving down the coast highway! 2 hours and 2 brand new tires later we were on our way to the beach! The tire store gave us free passes to a water park which was crowded but fun.

Steve's brother, Uncle Shaun was in Brazil the whole time so we had his great house all to ourselves but we missed seeing him. His bird Skylar was NOT happy to have us there and whenever she was let out of her cage she started stalking us in preparation to kill us all. She especially hates me!

Lastly, we have to remember next time we take Zack on extended vacation: he must take a laxative every day! This happens every year and this year it culminated in a very traumatic enema. Enough said.

I forgot the camera so we only have some bad disposable camera pics and our friends sent us some nice pictures that they took.





He can't get enough of the ocean!


Or the sand!


Steve's a good sport!


Muscle man!


We ate with our friends at Ruby's on the pier. Hamburgers, fries, vanilla coke and malts. Does it get any better than vacation diets?


This was our first time at Lego Land. It was geared toward really little kids so I think this is the last year that Zack would really enjoy it, he is getting into the scary rides now. But he still really enjoyed it because he is crazy about Lego's.


This was the craziest ride in the park.


Steve's ride was 2 levels crazier than ours!




Our family won 1st place in the race to put out the fire!





This driving coarse was hilarious! The kids had no clue about staying on the right side of the road and yielding to others, etc.

Bluff

Have you ever been to Bluff Utah? Have you ever heard of Bluff Utah? Well, my parents wanted their kids to go to Bluff Utah with them really bad. So we said we would, if they would camp with us. My sister and bro-in-law even bought them a tent. I found a campsite/RV park called the Cadillac Ranch and booked us a spot for Memorial Day weekend. It sounded nice. It had bathrooms. With showers. It claimed a pond with fishing and paddle boats.

It was awesome. If I ever go to Bluff Utah again, I am staying at the Cadillac Ranch. It was so quiet. No trashy trailers here! The bathrooms were heaven. I was clean every night! The pond on the other hand....not so great. It was really low, not enough water for paddle boats or fish. Just enough for noisy frogs and mosquitoes. But, they did have a small farm which Zack couldn't get enough of. They had horses, Emu's, pygmy goats, and donkeys. Zack loved when the goats and baby donkey would try to eat his clothes.

A good time was had by all, despite the rain. It only rained when it was convenient. One night we had dutch oven enchiladas at midnight and dutch oven cobbler at 1 am. (I always overestimate my dutch oven cooking abilities!) But they were delish-ous!

We went to some really neat spots in southern Utah and Colorado that I had never been before. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who likes to explore.

Our peaceful campsite.


We got Zack to do some dishes!


About one hour from Bluff is the 4 corners monument.


We waited in line to take each others photos. I had to bribe Zack with money to smile in this one because everyone standing in line was staring.


Our second day, we drove to Cortez Colorado, about 2 hours from Bluff and went to Mesa Verde National Park. It is chock full of Indian ruins. The best I have EVER seen. They were amazing and most of them were on such high and steep cliffs that they were not accessible. The park has made it so you can see about 7 of them close up and many of them from view points on the road. This is the first one we saw after a 15 minute hike down hill. (Note Zack and his bear sling shot that he bought with his vacation money.)


One of the ruins you can see from the road.


After our first hike, we went to see this performance. The singing and dancing was neat and unusual but about the 4th song, Zack asked why they kept singing the same song over and over!


Some of the ruins you can only see on guided tours. We only had time for one and this is us hiking down the cliff to see it.


Our tour guide was this weird Barbara Streisand looking lady. She was really boring and at one point she yelled at Zack to just sit down and hold still. We weren't very happy with her as you can tell from my sisters face!


We loved the needles overlook so much we had to take my family to see it on the way home.


Here is everyone who went (except Steve). My mom, Zack, me, my dad, sister Ally, bro-in-law Mike and brother Jeff. We were sad that my other two brothers and their wives couldn't come!

Busy Boy

Before school got out the kindergarten had a rodeo. The kids made horses out of socks and yard sticks and then they took turns "riding" the horses around barrels for all the parents. They came up one by one and performed. I kept waiting for Zack's group to have their turn and suddenly it was over. All the kids had gone up. All except mine. I was so sad. He is just so shy and scared of being laughed at that he didn't think he could do it, so he just sat there. Well, he looked cute anyway.


Kindergarten graduation day


Zack is really into webkins. He buys them whenever he saves enough money. Then he takes their pictures. These ones are named: Bob, RoRo and Boue.


Zack's cute friends. They just got done making their hair "crazy" and then went out on the tramp.


Zack did baseball this spring. He really enjoyed it and we are going to do it again this fall. I think this is one area that he doesn't take after me. He is really good at sports.


He did get a little bored in the outfield and kept throwing his mitt in the air and catching it.


Waiting for some action.

Camping Fun

Our little family went camping just outside of Moab at the beginning of May. We spent some time exploring the Needles district of Canyonlands. Steve loves the desert, luckily for Deidra it wasn't too hot! Here are some pictures I just got around to downloading off our camera. More to come! (I've been a total slacker the last month and a half.)


Our cozy campsite at the Windwhistle campground. Zack's favorite thing to do is go to bed in the tent. He never even wanted to stay up and sit by the fire for more than 10 minutes. And he likes his marshmallows raw.


There was a really neat overlook a few miles from our campsite. You could see for miles and miles and it was deliriously high. Even though there was a fence all around, I kept having visions of Zack falling through a gap or something. It made me really nervous but all he wanted to do was run around and throw rocks off the edge.


The "Needles"


Zack wanted to catch a lizard so bad. He and Steve cornered this one and then Steve talked him into letting it bite his finger. Poor lizard! Zack couldn't stop giggling.


We found some Indian art panels. This is called Newspaper Rock.


Steve and Zack climbing a cliff. Boys have to climb everything!


This was our favorite hike. It took us through an old cowboy camp, a cave that the Indians used, and then up some ladders to the cliffs the Indians lived on.


Same cave with some rock art.


Zack and Steve climbed to this arch which is just south of Moab.

What you should do this weekend

(If you live in Salt Lake)

My brother Chris is an aspiring film-maker. He did a short film called Sam, Roscoe and Her a while back which played at the Tower Theater to rave reviews and several awards. Now this very film (my favorite of his shorts) will be playing at our very own Utah Arts Festival on Thursday the 25th, Friday the 26th, and Saturday the 27th at 8:00 pm (all three nights). It will be playing in the theater inside the library. It's playing with other short films so the entire program is about an hour and a half. It's in competition with the other short films playing for best Utah film of the year and the audience gets to vote.

It is a little scary so use your judgement if you have kids. Also, it is free to get into the library theater, you don't have to buy entrance to the Arts Festival from what I have been told. So come on out and vote! Hope to see you there, stop by and say Hi to my bro, he will be there all three nights! I will be there Friday night. I promise you will love the movie!

Thankful

Today I feel thankful. I worked a day shift yesterday and it seems like there is so much suffering and pain going on right now with people I know from work. (And the babies are a whole other story!)

I was talking with two friends of mine and we were discussing how when someone knows they are going to die soon, they want to spend time with loved ones, tell them how they are loved, complete things that they have always wanted to do, etc. I have really been thinking lately how we don't know when we are going to leave this life, but if we did, we would live those last days so differently. I know it's a cliche but we really should live each day like it could be our last. Especially when it comes to how we treat people, especially our loved ones. I am really going to try and keep that at the front of my mind.

I am so thankful to be healthy. I am so thankful for my "trials". They are so small compared to what they could be. I need to really focus on enjoying my life and everything I have. Good things are happening.

To my friends at work: you are in my prayers.

Bring it on!

Aren't you so ready for summer?!

We are.

The other day I needed to keep Zack busy for a while so I gave him a long list of things to do. One thing on the list was to make a list of everything he wants to do this summer. I was surprised when I saw what he had written. I had expected some grandiose ideas and plans but he kept it really simple.

Here is Zacks list:

-trampleen
-skooter
-take simpson on a wok
-swimming
-california

Here is my list:

-Vacation to California
-Go to Lagoon (we got season passes so if anyone wants to go with us just call!)
-Try out the new water park Cowabunga Bay
-Swimming at Auntie Ally's pool
-Zoo (before it gets too hot)
-Remodel Zack's bathroom
-Harvest delicious veggies from our garden
-Find a baby to join our family

I just love this time of year! It is so hopeful and happy. I hope everyone has a great summer and gets to do everything on your "list"!

The Finest Snow on Earth!!!

It's what you have been waiting for all winter!


The finest snow on earth.

Covered with the most sugary...

delicious...

flavor of your choice!

Topped with free cream!

Or with (slightly extra) ice cream in the middle!

Or...

If you don't like the most sugary flavor of your choice

you can have the most delicious

Agave (natural non-sugar nector of the Gods)

flavor of your choice!


Cup O Snow

Opening Friday May 1st at 2:00

in the parking lot of Reams in Sandy

on Highland Dr and (about) 8700 south

(Owner and operator: my brother Sean)

Mothers Day Gift

I found a book I want for mothers day and thought I would post about it, in case you need an idea of what to get someone for mothers day. (Or what to tell your husband to get you for mothers day :) Click here for details. It is called "A Mothers Book of Secrets".

Every day I beat myself up about being a better mother. I have decided to stop doing that and really start pondering and praying about how to be better. This is the most important thing I will ever do in my lifetime and I want it to be the thing that I am most proud of. Right now I feel like I am just getting by. I have been so worried about getting MORE children in our family that I have been neglecting the ONE that I do have. If we never have any more children we will still feel infinitely blessed for the one we were able to have and I want to honor that blessing by being the best mother I can be.

I know a book like this will not miraculously change me into the person I want to be overnight. But, I do think reading things like this and having books like this around the house can help remind me what my goal is and keep me going in the right direction. Being a mother is the most difficult thing I have ever tried to do, but it is also the best thing I have ever experienced and I love it! I am so grateful for Zack and the unconditional love he gives me. I am learning and growing so much by being his mom.

Sorry for the heavy post, I just wanted to let you know about the book and all that stuff just came spilling out. It's been on my mind a lot lately and after reading this post I was inspired.

Have a great day and give your kids extra hugs today!

It's Gone

I am sad to report....

The beloved Nintendo DS is gone.

The house is turned upside down.

All frequented stores have been called.

Friends and family have been asked to look around.

Gone.

The sad thing is....

Zack couldn't care less.

Shopping trips will never be the same. Sniff.

Zack Says...

A little background is needed for this first story:

Before I became a parent I swore I would never use silly names for the human anatomy when speaking to my children. I am a nurse after all and not afraid of or grossed out by what is only natural. I thought it was pretty ridiculous that Steve's family called their male part their "thingy". (I still think it is!) Anyway, somehow after Zack came along I started to call his "thingy" a peen. What can I say? I am a lazy talker and I like to shorten words. Penis just takes too long to say so I cut of the "is". (No pun intended, I know men don't like the words "cut off" in the same sentence with their manhood.) So that is what Zack and I call it, Steve is NOT happy about the nickname. (On to the story.)

My sister Ally has been helping me out with Zack when I need a sitter. One day she had him and they went to the park by her house. Zack got on the swing and Ally started pushing him. As he got higher, he said: "It scares my peen to go high on the swing! I want to go high, but my peen doesn't!"
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Zack: Hey dad, I have an idea of what to do after my jobs are done!
S: Oh yeah? What?
Zack: I'll build some Legos while I listen to my headphones of some soothing music.
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Zack LOVES to say (about pretty much everything): "This is ridic-lious" or "This is ridonk-lious".
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Me: (Reading a party invitation to Zack) Oh, wow! Dresden is going to have pizza, cake and ice cream at his party!
Z: (sounding concerned, with a scared look on his face) That's a lot of calories :(
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Zack had a root beer float one Sunday night at his grandparents house. When we got home it was bed time and Zack was BOUNCING off the walls.
Me: You need to calm down! Think calm thoughts!
Z: (Sitting cross legged, eyes closed, touching one finger to thumb on each hand and humming) Commmmm, commmmm, commmmm.
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Anyone who has ever had a male dog will know what I am talking about on this one. Zack and I were hangin' with Simpson one day when Zack noticed Simpson's "peen" come out. Zack started laughing hysterically and screeched: "Look! Simpson has an ant-eater!"
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My mom picked Zack up from school the other day and they were going to go get lunch with his uncle Jeff. He insisted that they go to "BK" (Burger King, which we have eaten at once?). So, being the nice grandma that she is, BK it was. On the way Zack kept saying: "My ink stinks, tell me I'm hungry." Grandma could not figure out what he was saying. Finally Jeff said "Oh, your instincts tell you you're hungry?" Yep, that was it.
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For some strange reason, the Easter Bunny not only fills a basket for Zack at our house, but fills a basket for him at Grandma's Rodgers' house too. This year Zack got a little stuffed bunny along with his candy at grandma's. While we were out running errands one day, Zack left his bunny somewhere (or so he thought). Later in the day at home he realized it was missing and became really upset. Usually I let him suffer the consequence of these things and I just give him lots of sympathy. This time he was so upset I told him he could use his money and we could go buy a new one at a store I knew that had them. He was not appeased and crying said: "Mom, even if I get a new one, I will still care about the old one!" We found the bunny later behind some furniture. Whew! the drama!
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Zack gettin' his Tiger on! (Photo by Lindsey Christensen)

Once upon a time...

...a boy named Steve went skiing every week in the winter. He had big muscles, lots of energy and the ability to fall with out breaking or spraining anything. There was also a girl named Deidra, who learned to snowboard and hardly felt the bruises on top of her bruises which she acquired after falling all day.




Then they got old. Steve ran out of free time and money to blow.




Deidra began to realize how cold it was and how much work it was.




Then one day they decided "We will NOT be old and boring! We WILL enjoy the beauty of the mountains! We WON'T break any bones!"




So up the mountain they went, and it was glorious, invigorating, and beautiful. It was perfect. And they lived happily ever after.