Roundtoit

Aspen believes she should receive a Mother of the Year award for sending her kids out in a backyard infested by bees. I say, you are in no way responsible for acts of Mother Nature. So, with the title of negligent mother back up for grabs I'd like to throw my hat in the ring.

This is my son in his current, cool weather pajamas. Sad. Sad. Sad. They should have been replaced last year, but I was too cheap and too lazy to get around to it. (I don't even know where the matching top went. I think it gave up the ghost and literally disintegrated in the washer.)


Realizing this year there would be no way his pajamas would keep him warm for the mere fact they no longer cover a majority of his body, I got off my duff and sewed him several PJ bottoms. Paired with knit shirts from #@!-Mart the cheap side of me was satisfied as well.


Such an embarrassing level of procrastination warrants cookies too. Don't you think?

If that's not enough to convince you I deserve the cookies, let me sweeten the pot. As we speak my son is lounging in his new pajamas after I picked him up from school for ralphing in class--all over himself and one of his classmates. What kind of mother sends her kid to school sick?

I win again.

DIY

Our kitchen is DONE! True, nine months behind schedule. But whose counting?

Before

At It's Worst

After

And now a stroll down memory lane...

I get that the before photos do not give a full picture of what it looked like. I wish we had taken a broader picture instead of a bunch of close-ups. Let me just say it was ick. And as you can see, the fridge, dishwasher, sink and stove were on top of each other leaving the only cupboard space to the upper cabinets.

So we pushed back this wall:

To make room for this:


Then we switched the location of the sink with the stove to make for a better counter configuration:


Randal added 7 can lights in the ceiling and, at the last minute, under cabinet lighting.


Really our kitchen has been functioning for many months but for one final detail--the tile back splash. We have worked on that for the past two weekends. After literally a total of 24 hours tiling we were about to light these matches and burn the joint down.


But when it was finished the effect was amazing and may just be my favorite part.


No, this is my favorite part:


So are we hanging up our DIY tool belts?

Nope.

At the present this is our master bathroom:


Oh, even in such a state it's not the worst of the bathrooms. This is:


Complete with it's matching shower curtain.


We've got a long way to go.

Earth

We picked up a movie for movie night from Redbox: Disney's Earth. Have you seen this?

I was doubtful my kids would stay interested. As it turns out, they were glued. They laughed and asked a ton of questions. Ethan could hardly abide that I was working on Primary stuff and not paying complete attention. They loved it so much we kept it another night. (We usually keep Redbox movies a second night, good or bad. I'm lazy.)

This is a great movie and I'm recommending it to all.

Ohi-Yo!

Okay, I'm really going to give you a blow-by-blow of our Labor Day weekend. It's going to be long, I'm not going to lie. But if you manage to make it to the end there will be a little visual treat for your patience.

We took a trip to Ohio to meet the Wessmans (from Michigan) for camping and visiting church sites. We had a great time. And that's an understatement.

Let me first say, I'm not much of a camper. It has something to do with my extreme aversion to public restrooms, dirt, mosquitoes, etc. This trip, however, has begun to change my mind. My kids loved it; which made me love it. And of course, it is always more fun to be with friends. Plus it helped that there were showers.

In the room of the Johnson Farm
where Joseph Smith received many important revelations.

We visited the Johnson farm first. There I realized I'm completely ignorant when it comes to church history.

Things I didn't know:

With the gift of prophecy back on the earth, Elsa Johnson wondered if the gift of healing had also been restored. Having never spoken of this, she met the prophet for the first time where he commanded her to be healed. Her incapacitated arm was instantly healed.

I'm familiar with the story of Joseph Smith being drug into the yard by a mob of men and tarred and feathered. I did not know it was while he and Emma were living at the Johnson's home. The next morning he preached from the steps of the home during Sunday service.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ not only appeared to Joseph in the grove, but here at the farm as well. It was here that the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants was revealed.

I didn't know that the wealthy Johnson family donated all their land and their beautiful home to fund the building of the Kirtland temple.

Near the Johnson farm is a u-pick raspberry patch. We couldn't resist fresh raspberries.

The campground where we stayed has a lake boasting a man-made beach. Let me just say, it's a nice thought to create a beach where there is none, but I think lakes should remain lakes and beaches beaches. The water was just too slimy. But then the kids did have great fun in the sand. And a splash park later on in the trip more than made up for the less than inviting lake water.

Perhaps the greatest part of the trip was Sunday. My aunt and uncle are missionaries at the Kirtland visitors center. We first attended Sacrament Meeting with them. And true to our Barker blood, Aunt Sheryl and I got a little teary when we saw each other. It's always great to be with family.

After church Elder and Sister Crosby were able to take us on the tour of the Kirtland site. And what an awesome place it is! The Newel K. Whitney store and home, the ashery and the Johnson Inn are just a few of the places to see.

Again, I did not know that both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the upper room of the store as well. Others were able to see the Lord too. While we were sitting in this upper room, Uncle Norman (Elder Crosby) had us read the testimony of John Murdock:

"During the winter of 1833 we had a number of prayer meetings in the Prophet's chamber. In one of those meetings the Prophet told us, if we could humble ourselves before God, and exercise strong faith, we should see the face of the Lord. And about midday, the visions of my mind were opened, and the eyes of my understanding were enlightened, and I saw the form of a man most lovely. The visage of His face was sound and fair as the sun. His hair a bright silver gray, curled in most majestic form, His eyes a keen penetrating blue, and the skin of his neck a most beautiful white. And He was covered from neck to the feet with a loose garment, pure white, whiter than any garment I have ever before seen. His countenance was most penetrating and yet most lovely...And while I was endeavoring to comprehend the whole personage from head to feet, it slipped from me. but it left on my mind the impression of love, for months that I never felt before to that degree."

Even though Adelaide was whining to be carried and asking non-stop for drinks, I really felt the spirit of this place. It was an integral period in the Church's history. I loved it.

And in the spirit of missions, I was able to talk a bit with a foreign exchange student from Russia. Man, does my Russian stink after nearly eleven years! I don't get too many opportunities like that. It wasn't until the end of our conversation that I realized she may not be a member of the church. I wish now I had asked her a few more questions. But then if I did, I probably would not have remembered how to ask them. (Sigh.)

We headed up the street to see the Kirtland Temple owned by the Community of Christ (RLDS). It was beautiful. We toured the inside. Changes have been made over the years; such as the temple, apparently, was not originally white. Much does remain the same and it really was a remarkable place to see.


Monday we packed up and parted ways with the Wessmans. Mike and Marinda, thanks for such a great weekend. Your kids are adorable. I think Ethan and Adelaide would have preferred Abby and Briton come home with us by how much fun they were having together. We look forward to another trip next year!

The rest of you are probably wondering about that treat I promised.

Well, on our way home we stopped in a town heavily populated with Amish, to gawk. We saw lots of horses and buggies. The kids were both excited and disgusted by all the horse poop along the sides of the road. They were so concentrated on it that they sometimes missed seeing the horses completely. We even stopped at an Amish yard sale (but alas, junk is junk no matter whose yard sale it is).

Your treat is this: the local Walmart has a special parking area, a buggy parking shed. I snapped a picture before this buggy's owner came out from the store. I love the irony of the nearby shopping cart.

First Grade

We had a fantastic Labor Day weekend. I will post more on that soon. Today, however, is Ethan's first day in the first grade! In honor of this great day here is a little clip:



Actually, this year the roles are reversed. Ethan is the one dancing around excited for school to begin. I'm the one dragging my feet, sad. We've had such a fabulous summer I'm sorry it's over.

Evolution

Aside from one nit picky last project and the fact that I'm paralyzed as to where to hang any pictures, our family room is complete. Yeah!

I managed a somewhat "before" picture, but not before Randal started ripping off the horrible wood paneling.


We started out thinking we were only going to change two things: sheet rock and add lighting. (Yes, there were no lights. None. The previous owners lit the room with lamps only.) The rest of the room's features we thought we would just live with; and then we started realizing just how ugly the crooked log mantle actually was. The notch cut out for a box of matches tipped the scale and the thing had to go.


We knocked out the upper brick to accommodate the tv, painted the 70's-looking bookcases, put in wood flooring and then became stumped as the what to do in place of the missing log.

Here's where my dad came in. He made us a mantle during his visit. How awesome is that?!

And this is why I call this room an evolution:


The mantle at a better view:


Thanks, Dad. We love it!

And thanks, Randal for building such a fantastic room, for fixing the leak and cleaning up the unforeseen mold, for knocking out the brick even though I know you didn't want to at the time, and for just being all-around awesome.

100

This is my 100th post!

To commemorate: a list of 100 details of our trip.
(Don't worry, I'm about as anxious to write 100 items as you are to read them. Let's just see how many I actually get.)

1. Utah feels like home. There's no getting around it.

2. Our flights were the best yet despite an 8-minute layover in Detroit. Ethan was a rock star keeping up with me and the stroller as we ran through the airport. I mean ran.

3. By the way, the Detroit airport may just be my favorite airport.

4. Mom should get a grandmother of the year award for helping her grandkids sew beach bags. That was a fun day. The next day her sewing machine literally feel to pieces in her hand. I think it was sending a message.

5. The beach bags were meant to be used on our annual trip to Bear Lake. A trip we never took due to two freakishly cold Saturdays in a row. I'm still bummed.


6. We visited friends in Jackson Hole. Now that is an awesome place to live. I used to raft the Snake River with my dad when I was a kid. Driving into Jackson brought back a lot of fond memories.


7. It turns out Jackson Hole has an alpine slide. And since I happen to be the only native born Utahn who has not been on Park City's slide our visit seemed like the perfect opportunity to right a wrong.


8. The ride up on the chair lift is much scarier than the slide itself.

9. Seriously, the entire way I had horrible thoughts of my little girl slipping from the seat confirming Randal's long-time claim that I can envison the worst-case scenario of nearly every fun activity there is.

10. He's right. I am morbid. And a little chicken.

11. A lot chicken.

12. As for Adelaide, she obliviously hung as far over the edge as I would allow, chattering on about all the flowers she would love to pick below.

13. Because of Bear Lake cancellation #1 we managed to make a surprise visit to Randal's family reunion. It was fun.

14. We stayed a few days in Tooele with my long-time friend Stacy.

15. By long-time I mean 16 years. We calculated it. And then we felt old.

16. We spent a day at Lagoon. And boy did we have fun.

17. I had fun mooching off a very generous offer from a kind lady in line to use her extra discount passes. $10 a ticket--freaking awesome!

18. Watching my chicken-heart boy get brave enough to try some of the bigger rides was a real treat. He's growing up.

19. But then that meant I had to go on them with him. It's funny, as a kid I used to close down that joint riding every ride possible. Age has given me a healthy sense of mortality and I find them not so fun anymore.

20. Adelaide is a dare devil.

21. Is she my daughter?

22. I hate the sky ride. I think it's the scariest one. Jacob (8) wished he was riding with Ethan (6) and Brooklyn (6) instead of with me (33). I'm the wuss who wouldn't let him swing his feet.

23. Stacy and her family introduced us to waffle dinner Haight style--bananas, chocolate sauce, strawberries, whipped cream...heaven.

24. Speaking of heaven, we ate at Cafe Rio twice.

25. And while on the subject of eating, meeting up with friends for lunch and fabric shopping was fantastic.

26. We didn't get to see everybody though. In keeping with our family tradition, Adelaide woke up puking making it necessary to cancel some plans.

27. Normally I hate puke.

28. I hate it even more when it is my kid puking on someone else's bathroom floor.

29. It's a good thing Stacy and I have been friends for 16 years. We know too many of each others' little secrets to let vomit get in the way.

30. There is a children's museum in Ogden which I love. On Fridays its only $3 per child. We introduced my brother and his family to it this visit.

31. There Ethan and Adelaide participated in a little play. Their cousin, Abigail, did as well...briefly, she's only two.

32. I know I'm his mom but Ethan cracked me up trying to sound like a grumpy, old grandpa as he delivered his lines. I thought he did an excellent job.


33. At one point Adelaide (the duck) was to be chased around the stage by an older boy playing the wolf. The two were then to run off stage. Well, Adelaide does not do stairs too quickly. The wolf chivalrously helped her down before continuing the chase. It was really funny. I guess you had to be there.


34. Even better than the museum of play...the ice cream stand across the street.

35. Instead of Bear Lake trip #2 we hit up an indoor pool. I really miss good indoor pools.

36. But I left Ethan's swim suit at the pool. Swim suits aren't so easy to find in stores at the end of the season.

37. I spent an entire day shopping at my favorite stores while my kids stayed back with Grandma. Thanks, Mom.

38. I now have enough projects to keep me very busy through another nasty east-coast winter.

39. I miscalculated luggage though. I had to bring back another piece of luggage to make it all fit.

40. My dad helped me make a set of pipe chimes for my new calling as Primary chorister (of which I am still terrified). The chimes look like pipe bombs. I worried I might be detained at the airport.

41. As you can see we didn't really do too many spectacular things. My kids were happiest playing with their cousins and friends at the park and in the sprinklers.

42. I learned to knit. That means sad-looking scarves for everyone this Christmas! Thanks, Tammy. It was fun.

43. Our last day may just have been my favorite of all. Randal's parents came to my parent's for the day. So did my grandma and aunt. We played games, ate and visited. I used to take days like that for granted.


44. At the airport Ethan was broken-hearted to say good bye to Grandma. I was too. I feel like a jerk for taking my kids so far away from the people they love.

45. I also feel like a jerk for not making it to the temple during our visit. I feared our plane might get struck by lightening.

46. Another, more leisurely, walk through the Detroit airport. I do really like that airport. The underground musical tunnel is kind of cool.

47. The kids ran to Randal. They missed him so much. During our entire trip Adelaide would say her daddy was lost.

48. He wasn't lost. He was in Japan.

49. We ate dinner at our favorite bread and soup place. It's sad but food always makes me happier.

50. Ethan jumped out of the car and hugged the house. As sad as he was at the airport I think he was glad to be home.


I'm done. Multiply this list by 2 to make the 100.

We had a great time in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. Thanks to everyone for places to stay, great meals and so much fun. It's going to be a long year before we can be with you again.