Netflix Streaming is the New Potholder

This summer I have given up on most of my forced fun activities that I'm famous for (in my home only). But not without holding on like a toddler with stolen snickers bar. The weaker ideas have fallen by the wayside. . . math workbooks, I'm looking at you. . . and the stronger ones have remained loyal. Here they are, for you, to use at your discretion during the last few, precious (you're almost there!) weeks left before schools starts and we are all in a schedule once again or, as I like to call it, we join the human race again:

1. Homemade journals (doesn't "homemade" give the illusion that their hand-crafted? I like that illusion). So what I did, see, in a flash of inspiration at Target, whilst drooling over the flashy, new school supplies, is spy a bunch of composition journals is neat colors and began hoarding them in my cart. Then, see, what I did next was to take out my new pack of 100 Sharpies I got for my birthday, and took out one at a time, for each kid and I wrote one question at the top of each page on every page of the journal. Each book has questions for each child in mind.

Questions like: Describe yourself. How would others describe you? What is the funniest thing you've ever seen? Why is your mom so awesome? What makes her tick? and so on. . . you get the idea. But I have questions about things I want to know and things I think they'll want to remember (Like meeting the prophet), so I ask about those in a guided-forced way of writing.

We'll see how it all ends, I mean, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make that horse write in a journal, but sometimes that horse will write in it if you're having quiet time and the alternative is taking a nap.

2. Netflix Streaming: One of the best things about having my kids get older is their ability to instinctively understand and manipulate technology. I'm still trying to figure out all the features on my remote and it's such a mom cliche (Where's the "menu" selection?!), but, there you have it. So, at the beginning of Summer Miles told me (repeatedly, in anxious tones) that we could set up Netflix to our tv, but I just laughed and said, "Yeah, right! That's for rich people! Don't touch anything--you'll break it!" But as the summer weeks lagged on and Miles, the very example of patience, came to me one day and said, "Mom. I know I can do this and set it up. I'm not trying to be condescending, but just trust me. Let me just do it and I won't break anything." He was so sweet, how could I refuse? So, less than 10 minutes later, we're watching Netflix movies and tv shows on our tv FROM OUR COMPUTER, PEOPLE! IT'S THE FUTURE! NOW!

Every once in a while I catch Miles laughing at me with the kids like, "Remember how mom didn't believe I could just do this simple thing?" and so I repeatedly remind him of when I was born and a computer would have taken up our entire house, and how I didn't even have email in college, so I'm doing the best I can to adjust even though I can't shake the feeling I'm living in an Isaac Asimov novel.

Food and Fun Friday

The other night I was thinking about putting the kids to bed as I was thinking about what to eat for dinner as I was thinking about how much Hugh bounces up and down throughout the day as I was thinking about how to get him to stop so his fractured wrists could heal. . . and who arrived at my doorstep to break that spell of downward self-pity than my good friend, ~J with treats! She brought me some guacamole that I politely inhaled. I usually make my own because that pre-made stuff isn't really that great. This one is.

If you are in the Provo area and you wanna go to the Farmers Market to feel fresh and environmentally responsible (everyone is always saying "BUY LOCAL" and I'm beginning to think they don't mean my local Target store. . .) be sure to get some guacamole from THIS GUY TROY!

1. Tastes awesome (isn't that all you really need to know?)
2. All natural ingredients (no artificial preservatives which is really important to some people)
3. It stays green in the container. This will help you, psychologically enjoy it longer.
4. You can order it online (http://gourmetguac.org) and go pick it up at the Farmer's Market this Sat. (or just go to the FM to try a sample, then buy it)
5. 10% of the sale goes to Our TEAMS, Inc. (local educational non-profit scholarship fund) So if you weren't already feeling pretty smug about saving the environment, you can throw in your philanthropic contribution to boot! Put THAT in your Christmas letter. Or, just eat the guacamole.

Here's my summer recipe for you to eat with that guacamole (It's "for summer" because you use the microwave and because it's summer today):

Fresh tortilla chips
Romano cheese

Melt together in a dance of salty goodness and enjoy with the guac. Never look back.

Never.

It's for sale this Saturday at the Farmers Market, y'all. I hope the stand is near the frozen, chocolate-dipped bananas. If it is, all my dreams will come true on Saturday.

Mind the Gap

I feel that I should tell you all to read of my husband's adventures with Lady London. I don't like to tell people (explicitly) what to do (I like them to feel it was their idea), but you should read it for a good laugh, or for good information to store in the back of your mind for the time when YOU go to London (and Paris, and Scotland). Just knowing you might make it there one day, or return, will be one of those encouraging thoughts (lies) you tell yourself that help you get through your day. You know, when you're taking your 5 year-old to the doctor's office, radiologist, and back to the doctor to confirm that he has, indeed, broken both wrists, you can think "This is just like taking the metro to London! I'll pretend that the doctor's office is Big Ben and the radiologist is St. Paul's Cathedral!" That would be fun.

Click HERE to begin your exciting, new adventure!


This is me this time last year. I think about this when I'm taking out the trash and folding laundry.

Famous Friday

Did everyone see my little brother on the Today Show this morning? Well, you can always YouTube it or something. Maroon5 performed and although I've seen them perform a million times, it's still exciting for me to see little James on that thar TV! He's so cute! If you don't know which one he is, he's the lead guitarist and we have the same long blonde hair (twinners!). . . But what is so funny to me is when the camera pans out to the audience and I get a look at all the cougars singing along: delightful! They will begin touring soon which is also exciting. They know how to put on a show, those boys! And they are releasing some singles before their album in September, which you should buy because they are catchy and really great to run/exercise/dance to. . .

(I would have put a picture of their new album cover, but I'm trying not to let my kids see it as long as possible. It's pretty, um, sexy.)

Famous Friday: "Um, the 80's aren't really going away!"