Pie Fest, Thanksgiving, "Sh$@", and moving at Christmastime

Okay, I have been blogging for a year, and still haven't figured everything out. These pictures posted in opposite order of the order in which they occurred, but you will have to bear with me... I guess this way, you get the biggest news first... WE ARE BUYING A HOUSE!! The picture below is of the soon-to-be Gardner residence! We thought we would be buying this summer, but a home became available on a short sale in an area that we really liked that was just too good a deal to pass up. I had kind of set my heart on building a home, but when Jeff and I started having conversations like this one... Jeff: "Honey, why do we need a bathroom in the basement?" Chelsea: "Because all our children's bedrooms will be there." Jeff: "They only bathe in our bathroom now, I don't see why they need their own." started occurring, I knew it may not be a good idea for our marriage. This home has has two bathrooms for the kids and I don't have to fight Jeff to justify it! My favorite part of the home is the kitchen. It has a bar that seats seven as well as an open area for a kitchen table and a dining room, so I can seat 21 people for dinner without bringing in in an extra chair! It also has a great range with six burners, two grills, and two ovens. the floor plan is very open and functions well for our family. My second favorite part of the home is its location. Our lot backs up to a neighborhood park with a big grassy space and a playground. We have golf course in front of us and a beautiful red canyon a within walking distance. Jeff can ride his bike to work in five minutes or drive in three. Yes, I think we may have found a place to settle after three states, five homes, four jobs, and three children. This picture is of my dad and Brock playing at the Dixie Narrows during Thanksgiving week. Brock has a new favorite word - the "S" word. He is often known to enter a room or approach perfect strangers by running, jumping, throwing his arms in the air, and yelling "S*$&!" Let me tell you how fun that is to explain to people. There is a reason for our foul-mouthed two year old. Before Thanksgiving, we went to Salt Lake to stay with Jeff's family since we wouldn't see them during the holiday. One evening while we were there, I was sitting and chatting with our teen-age nieces and Brock was playing nearby when Emily came by and said in her most obnoxious four year old baby voice, "mommy, I want to sit on you." Unfortunately "sit" sounded more like "S*@%" and no one could keep from laughing. The more she said it, the more we laughed and Brock caught on to the fact that this was a pretty funny word. I could explain to Emily that what she was saying sounded like a naughty word and she shouldn't say it again, however, that logic went right over Brock's head and he now had a way to get every ones attention really fast. I must say, the pronouncement did come in handy on one occasion. During the Thanksgiving holiday, my mom's house was buzzing with grandchildren of every age and size and somehow, Sunny, my mom's bird received a little too much love. When we discovered this, the adults and older kids were standing and mourning Sunny when Brock entered the room, took one look at the not-so-alive bird, and yelled "s@*#!!!" In this case it was appropriate. Love you Brock. You do always have a way of keeping me from taking life too seriously.

During our week of Thanksgiving festivities, in addition to our trip to the Washington County swimming pool, Dixie Narrows, movie day, Thanksgiving dinner, and a girls trip to Las Vegas to see Phantom of the Opera, we had a Thanksgiving party for the grand kids. My mom is so good at making the grand kids feel extra special. She knows just what kids will like and does her best to make sure everyone feels as though they are her favorite. The party consisted of a "turkey hunt" which was an obstacle course through the basement that ended with the kids being able to "shoot" the turkeys/dads with water guns. We also had a pie making contest and ended the evening with some robust square dancing. (pilgrims square danced, right?) The kids loved it.

We kicked off the holiday season with Pie Fest '08. This is a tradition we started when we lived in Saginaw where we would gather before Thanksgiving and eat pie when we weren't too full to enjoy it. We didn't do it last year and I really missed it, so this year, pie fest made a triumphant return. I baked 14 pies over the space of three days, my mom made four more, and we invited our friends and neighbors over to partake. We ended up having about 100 people come by and it was a blast! I am already looking forward to Pie Fest '09 in our new house where we can fit twice the crowd!

Things may get a little crazy between now and the end of the year and I don't know if blogging is going to make it on to my "to do" list, so if not, I wish you all a wonderful Christmas season and feel grateful for the many people who grace my life with their Christ-like examples. Thank you to all of you. Happy Christmas!!

I AM...

Okay, Okay, This is the I am... tag from MaryEllen. Here goes...
I am.....a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a musician.
I think.....about what my mission in life is and whether or not I am staying true to it.
I want....to have an eternal family.
I have....all that I need and most things I want.
I miss....my dear friends and mentors in Michigan and Indiana, as well as those that left with me.
I feel.....a zest and passion for life.
I hear....David Letterman explaining a urine filtration test.
I smell....Thanksgiving pies and rolls.
I crave.....baked goods of all sorts.
I cry.....I cried today when my mom's bird died and my son made her a head stone which read "Sunny, a very kind bird." I am crying again as I write this because once I start to cry, I can't stop.
I search.....for a house to call a home for many years to come.
I wonder....Why my life is so blessed when there are so many who struggle.
I regret.....not keeping a journal
I wish....I had more answers for the many questions my family asks. (Jeff is the worst).
I love.....anything that makes me feel alive
I care.....for my children more than anything.
I always.....want to stay healthy
I worry.....that I am learning life's lessons well enough that the lessons don't have to be repeated.
I am not....tightly wound.
I remember....less and less...
I believe....my Heavenly Father loves me and guides my life.
I sing....all the time!
I don't always....take a shower when I should.
I argue....hardly ever, because I already know I am right.
I write.....more than I used to!
I lose....socks, sunglasses, binkies (I am sure I have purchased at least a hundred in Brock's two short years).
I listen.....to my children and wonder if I will remember what they sound like at these tender ages.
I can usually be found....in my exercise clothes.
I need....to be adored.
I forget....the things I don't want to remember.
I am happy....when my life is in balance.
I tag.....Tami and Kelly

Snow Canyon Half Marathon

These are faces of joy! Our training is over and our race went great! Jeff and I ran the Snow Canyon half marathon two weekends ago and despite our pre-race dinner being corn bread, chili, and Halloween treats, (it was the day after Halloween), we both shaved several minutes off our previous personal bests! Jeff finished in a lightning fast 1:45, and I finished in a not-so-lightning-fast, but fast for a slow girl time of 1:57. We had been following a training program from a book published by runners world called "Run less, run faster." I am always skeptical that I can improve my times, just because I know I am on the low end of the natural ability scale, but I am now a believer.
The race course was beautiful! The first eight miles took us on roads and trails through Snow Canyon State Park, then we exited the park and ran through the Entrada development in Santa Clara. The race finished at Snow Canyon High School. It was a beautiful, sunny day with temps in the mid fifties. Jeff and I both felt pretty good afterward, and rewarded ourselves with a trip to In & Out Burger and Bajio. Food never tastes quite so good as it does after a long race.
I have to post these events because they are things I never thought I could do. I watched my friends and family compete in athletics throughout High School and knew I didn't have the ability, discipline, or will to ever join them. I remember running/walking the mandatory mile and a half in P.E. my senior year and thinking to my self "I will never be a runner". I feels great to be in better shape at 32 with three kids then I was in High School. I finally feel like I am in control of my body instead of my body controlling me. I am no super model, or super athlete, but I am healthy and it feels good.

I was tagged by JoAnn!

5 things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Living and working in the desert near Capital Reef National Park
2.Working my first Aspen youth group as the senior staff member
3.Praying every night that no one would shank me in my sleep
4. Not dating
5. Buying my first car

5 things on my to do list
1. Make 12 pies
2. Run
3. Clean bathrooms
4. Go to the grocery store to get the things I forgot when I was there yesterday
5. Spend one on one time with each of my kids

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Pay for my whole family to travel
2. Donate to charities providing education, clean water, and health care to poor countries
3. Buy a great violin for me and a great piano for Jeff
4. Pay for a maid and a chef
5. Pay off debt

5 places I have lived:
1. Cedar City, UT
2. Logan, UT
3. Salt Lake City, UT
4. Fort Wayne, IN
5. Saginaw, MI

5 places I have worked:
1. The Center for Change
2. University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute
3. Hartvigsen School
4. Aspen Youth Alternatives
5. The Hub at Utah State

Rules: Each player answers the questions themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names. *I don't know if five people read my blog, let alone five people who would like to do this survey, so if you feel like it, go ahead, if not, no worries!

Halloween

Emily loves Halloween. She loves to dress up, she loves to trick or treat, she loves any sort of party or gathering, and like my mom says, was "made for Halloween". Emily's favorite Halloween activity this year was attending a party hosted by my mom. The grand kids came dressed up and did several activities, each with a theme of "ghost", "cat", "witch", and "pumpkin". The evening ended with my personal favorite activity, "glow-in-the-dark dance party". when I was in college, my mom made a mix tape that has been a Halloween favorite ever since. Unfortunately, when we were moving, Brock got a hold of it ruined it. My mom and sister lost theirs the same year, so my mom recreated it this year. I was so excited. What is Halloween without a good boogie to "Ghostbusters", "Thriller", and the "Purple People Eater"? We turned it on for the kids and supplied them with glow bracelets and necklaces and let them get down. I must say, I couldn't help but to join in.





As much as Emily loves Halloween, I think Brock took the prize for being the most excited this year. He bounded up to each door with a "Helloooo!", "trick treat!" and a very grateful "tanks!" If the house looked especially inviting, he walked right in to join the party. He squealed and oohed and aahed at all the "spooks" we passed on the street and was the only one that didn't complain about all the walking.

Britton would like to write his own narrative on how Halloween went so here goes Britton's first official blog entry...

I liked halloween also I was a vampire. I was a great dracula . I made a good scare. I saw some of my friends they did not recognize me.

Well, there you go. Halloween at the Gardner's house. We were thankful to have Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Kit, Carson, Olivia, and Grandma and Grandpa Thompson along with us for trick-or-treating and post Halloween chili and cornbread. By the way, to see a hilarious picture of Britton, Emily, and Olivia on Halloween, check out Lindsey's blog.http://www.thompsonlove.blogspot.com.

More summer pictures...

Apparently, I can only put five pictures in each post, so here are some more summer pictures...
The kids at Hogle Zoo.

Jeff and I in Chicago.

Jeff and I kayaking on Lake Washington in Seattle before the exciting BYU vs. Washington football game. (GO BYU!!)

Brock checking out the flowers on one of our many family hikes.

Britton quoting Cyrano DeBergerac in Playmakers. (He learned Cyrano's whole fight scene and final speech!)

Playing Catch-up

I know I have fallen off the blogging wagon. My excuses are futile (new computer, busy summer, blah, blah, blah). However in an attempt not to forget, I will post a few pictures from our very full summer. We have played at a frantic pace. I think it comes as a result from Jeff having so few days off through residency. Now the days off are plentiful, but we still seldom waste a precious day off at home. As a result, my house is not clean, my car is even worse, and the whole family is in need of haircuts, dental and doctor check-ups. But we were able to fill our summer with great family memories. We spent 20+ nights in our new-to-us pop-up trailer in campgrounds from Snow Canyon to the Uintahs. We learned how to make gourmet s'mores. We tested our families hiking limits (six miles is too much). We spent time with family and friends. Jeff and I traveled to Seattle and Chicago together and decided we still like each other. We raced - with and without our kids. We had a great time!!! Jeff and the kids at Cascade Falls.

Pioneer trek with the Mesa Hills ward.

Emily on the coolest swing ever at the Gardner family reunion.

Jeff canyoneering in Zion

Me and the kids at Cedar Breaks during the wildflower festival.

Funny stuff....

http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/

Lake Powell

Here is Emily in her element. She loves sun, loves sand, loves to have her picture taken and loves her polka-dot "two piece" which I may regret buying for her, but I couldn't resist. We did have a few fun moments at Lake Powell this past weekend, but I must say Fawn and I will think twice before taking eight children ages 8,7,6,5,4,2,2 and 1 camping without our husbands. If we can forget the heat illness, sleepless nights, trailer getting stuck in the sand, broken trailer, broken boat, and middle of the night drive home, we can remember the sugar sand beaches, incredible stars, warm water and that in spite of it all, our kids had a blast.

Wasatch Back Photos

Our team. Yeah, there's only 11--while everyone else was taking photos of each other, one of us was actually RUNNING.

Chelsea cheering Fawn up a tough section of Jordanelle


Chels' sexy feet...note how well the toenail polish complements the blisters.

One of our vans

Chelsea and Fawn at the top of Avon pass. They're smiling because they're not running...

12 friends, 181 miles, & a lot of fun

Chelsea's fallen off the blogging wagon, so I'm gonna fill in. We just finished the Wasatch Back this last weekend. I started our team off at 9:20 with an easy leg (just learned how to imbed links...impressed?) through Logan, Providence, and Millville. Nice cool weather, no real hills--good leg to start with. Passed the baton off to Chelsea for her first leg--the first real hill (little did we know what was coming...) of the race through Nibley and Hyrum. She powered through, getting a few kills (Ragnar term for passing someone) on the way and we got to rest for the afternoon, while our team worked their way over Avon Pass (thank you, Marc and Mary Ellen!). There, we passed the baton to the second van and headed to our next exchange at Snowbasin. My next leg had a killer first mile, followed by a long downhill run--right at sunset and a gorgeous run. I passed off to Chelsea for a quick 3 mile leg through Mountain Green in nice cool mountain air. The rest of our van took us through Morgan up into East Canyon reservoir in the middle of the night, where we passed off to the other van, and headed off to catch a few hours of sleep. My next leg climbed up from Rockport State Park into Oakley, at which point Chelsea took the baton through Kamas. Fawn had a tough climb up around Jordanelle reservoir, and Marc and Mary Ellen took us into Heber. Aaahhh--we were done and able to sit back and watch the other van trudge through the 96 degree heat. Guardsman pass is the toughest climb of the race and split into two legs--"You've got to be kidding me" and "Ragnar". Our runner, typically an 8-minute miler, was reduced to 14+ minute miles by Ragnar and the brutal heat; the other climber, an experienced marathoner, said she'd "rather run 10 marathons than do that leg again". Their last two runners then brought us down into Park City for the finish.

Sound fun? Well, we're all signed up to do it again next year--even the Guardsman runners. In Chelsea's words, "I can't imagine a funner race".

wasatch back

Okay folks! Here is the deal. Jeff and I have put together a team for the Wasatch Back relay. It is a 178 mile race that goes from Logan to Park City. You run three legs which are each between 4 and 8 miles long over the course of about 30 hours. Sound like so much fun? Well we have 11 team members and we need one more! The race is on June 20-21, so if you can run five miles today, you can easily train for it in time! I know someone is already planning a trip to Utah and needs a little challenge in their workout routine and you KNOW that if I can do it, you definitely can! You can find race details at www.ragnarrelay.com. Come on folks! We need you!!!!!

Brock

This is Brock as we so often see him. I love this little boy with all my heart. He is passionate, and fun, and excited, and loves to play. He is in heaven in the outdoors. We try to hike as a family at least once a week and Brock can go miles before getting tired, provided he has a rock in each hand and a trail to follow. He is also stubborn, and loud, and easily frustrated, and often inconsolable. This is one of my greatest parenting challenges up to this point. I have never had a child that I could not console, that would be miserable for hours for no good reason. He is happy as a little lark wandering around the house playing with his cars and trains and with his brother and sister, but as soon as we attempt to add any structure to any event, he falls apart. You can only imagine the struggle this presents at church. Not only does he have to be quiet, but he is also confined, and then we take him to nursery where he is supposed to sit on a little chair or a little carpet and listen to this that or the other when there is a perfectly good slide right behind him. Brock literally starts to cry the moment we pull into the church parking lot, and if we are not armed with a barrage of fruit snacks, crackers, pretzels, drinks and other distractionary items, we are doomed. I do not remember the last time I left sacrament meeting when I was not sweating from the wrestling/chasing match Brock and I have just endured.

Another big frustration for both of us is that Brock is not really talking yet. I know that he knows what we are saying and he knows what he is saying, we just don't know what he is saying. However, he has found a way to get our attention in any situation and that is by letting out this high-pitched scream at roughly 280 decibels. It is working well for him because we are prompt to do what ever we can to stop that piercing noise!

With all the struggles, we did have a breakthrough this week which is what has inspired me to write. Brock sat on my lap and listened to a story for the first time. Yes, he is nineteen months old, and this is the first time this has ever occurred. He snuggled with me (that is a miracle in and of itself) in the rocking chair and pointed to the pictures and let me turn the pages and sat there until I was finished. I nearly cried when we were through. What is even better, is he has brought the same book to me a few times this week and we have done it again!(Yeah for "Who said Moo.) I have really longed for this kind of bonding with him and am so grateful that I can finally read my baby a story.

I would love to hear stories or ideas from all you fantastic moms out there about making it through with a difficult child. I am sure there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I just hope the tunnel is short. I hope and pray that this milestone is a change in the road. In the meantime, I keep reminding myself that being strong-willed and curious and energetic and passionate are really good traits in an adult, and I don't want to squash them as long as I can continue with some sanity...

My tough husband!

Jeff and our good friend from residency, Marc Hyde completed a twelve hour adventure race last weekend in Moab. They mountain biked, ran, kayaked, and rappelled over sixty miles! When Jeff finished there was no "Yeah, that was awesome!" The comments were more like, "That is the stupidest thing I have ever done. Don't ever let me do anything like that again." Jeff is a man with great zest for life. That is one of the reasons I married him. I love him for trying hard things. I love him for his million interests and hobbies, and I love him for knowing he can find better way to do just about anything.

While the men were racing, I got to hang out all day with Marc's wife Tracie and her three adorable girls. (the little boys stayed home.) I am so grateful for the friendships I formed while in residency, and even more grateful that a few of our friends got to move west with us so we can see them on occasion. We spent the day swimming, hiking in Arches National Park, playing at a park in Moab, and cheering on the adventure racers from the comfort of our mini vans. The trip was great apart from a Brock's rota virus which he graciously passed on to me on the trip home. What is a family trip without a little sickness right?

Jeff and the kids in Canyonlands

Britton in south arch

Three, Three, Three Weeks in One!

We have had a busy and eventful last few weeks, hence, no blogging. Two weekends ago, we went to Sandy to visit Jeff's parents. The next week, Glen, Jody, and Gardner came to stay for a few days, the next day, My sister, Fawn, her husband and five kids came to stay for a week. Add in St. Patrick's Day, the first day of spring, and Easter, and you get a whole lot of fun, with not a lot of spare time. The highlights of the past few weeks have been: A visit from Jeff's parents, The Thompson family picnic where I got to catch up with cousins I haven't seen since I moved away from Utah, the kids Easter egg hunt and planting of magic jelly beans (courtesy of Aunt Lisa), a trip to the wildlife museum in St. George with Grandma, Grandpa, Fawn and Rob and kids, and Kit and Lindsey and kids followed by an afternoon in Red Cliffs where it was so warm, the kids played in the water in their skivvies, shopping in St. George with the girls while the boys took the kids home, a trip to with the nieces and nephews to feed baby lambs at the college farm, and last but not least, exciting news that Brett and Marissa had their second son, Vann (congrats guys!). Throw in a few P.T.A meetings, orchestra rehearsals, band practices, trips to the park, and race training days, and it makes for a full couple of weeks!

Easter Family Home Evening

My dear, wonderful mother is a great teacher and always finds opportunities to teach the grandchildren. She put together an Easter FHE to present to all 11 grandkids on Easter evening. Unfortunately, the kids all had Britton's attitude about Easter Sunday which is (and I quote) "The Easter bunny comes on Saturday, so all we have to do on Sunday is think about Jesus". When he said this, it was not with enthusiasm. Anyway, the FHE lasted about ten minutes and that was probably nine minutes too long, but hey, you've got to try...

13.1 is a whole lot of fun!

Jeff and I had a speedy overnighter in Moab this weekend to run the Canyonlands half marathon. It is a beautiful course which follows the Colorado river down a flat canyon to the city. My favorite part of the race was passing a group of about 15 women playing huge drums made out of wine barrels. You could hear the drums echoing up the canyon for a good mile before you could actually see them and it was just the shot in the arm I needed to finish the last three miles. (I happen to know that they are music therapists, which makes them even cooler!)

I have decided that half marathons are the way to go for me. You don't have to be an athlete to do them. (anyone that knows me very well knows that I am living proof of that.) You can train for them running three to four times a week and still have a reasonably good finishing time.( My idea of "good" is anything under ten minute miles.) They do not kill your body(I feel pretty good today, whereas after the marathons, I pretty much wanted to die!). People don't really understand the difference between a half and full marathon - 13 miles, 26 miles, it is all the same once you hit double didgets! (In reality, training for a full marathon is MUCH harder and takes WAY more time!) You usually get a really good shirt and good post-race treats! ( that is half the reason I like doing races - all the free stuff). So, it you are looking for a little physical challenge, the 13.1 is a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday Dear Emily!!!

Emily finally turned four this week. I say finally because people have been asking if she was four well, since she was two. I no longer have to have the "Wow! I can't believe it! She is the tallest three year old I have ever seen!" conversation. She is tall, and she is smart, and she is thoughtful, and she is fun, and she is funny, and she is sensitive, and she is full of life! Emily had two birthday parties, one with friends and one with family. For both parties she was intricately involved of the planning of invitations, food, dec0rations, refreshments, games, and most importantly, party favors. Emily lives for celebrations. The day of her friend party, while we were finishing up the preparations, we had several conversations like these: "Um, mom, do you think we should call my friends and remind them that I really like presents?" "No, Emily. I am sure they already know that you like presents." So, mom, do you think I should call them and tell them that it is going to be a real party?" "Emily, we told them on the invitation that it would be a party." "Mom, do you think I should take a little taste of the cake?" "Nope, you will get to taste it in a little while." etc... Anyway, the parties were fun. The family party was a little less fun due to the lack of party games, but was redeemed with some jump roping courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Thompson. Emily has had fun playing with her new toys, and makes sure to give them all equal attention. She has also enjoyed her new bed. She and Britton have been sleeping on mattresses on the floor since we moved, so we gave Emily a bed with a trundle so Britton may still sleep in her room if he likes, and he does. So, it has been a fun week!