Burned Biscuits

I tried a Pinterest recipe last week. It was a total fail. Oh well. That happens. (For your own safety, if you come across the "mashed bananas + oatmeal + chocolate chips" recipe, DON'T TRY IT. DISGUSTING.)

Also, after seeing a friend's gorgeous, newly DIY'd kitchen cabinets, I got it in my head that I wanted to stain my bathroom cabinets (actually, I got it in my head that I wanted to stain my kitchen cabinets but I decided to try it first on my smaller bathroom cabinets) and that too, ended up as a TOTAL FAIL. That happens, especially if you use the wrong kind of stain and you have no painting/staining skills whatsoever.  It did have a happy ending, however, because I ended up painting over the uglier-than-ugly stain and now I like my new black bathroom cabinets. I think. (Note to self: Talk to friend with  gorgeous cabinets BEFORE I attempt copycat project.)

Then I saw this story on facebook:

Burned Biscuits - A lesson we all should learn . .

"When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!
All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides . . a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people.
I'm not the best at much of anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child, or even a friendship!

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This story just reminded me that it's okay to be imperfect. It's easy for me to focus on all the things that I'm NOT, all the things that I DON'T get around to doing, all of my burned biscuits. And I burn a lot of them. But maybe it's okay. I need to let it just be okay.

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It's official, I definitely let my children have too much screen time.

Santa beard in the bath, always a favorite.

 An English assignment my super-talented 8th grader did.

 A perfectly imperfect picture of two perfectly awesome brothers.

Some Valentines, some odds and ends, and a cat

I love Valentine's Day, and in the same breath, Valentine's Day makes me crazy ( a self-imposed crazy, though, in all honesty).Still, Garrett and I had fun making his monster valentine container this year. I thought it was the coolest thing ever until I was at his class party and saw the Lego Ninjago container that could have been on display in the Valentine Container Museum (if there were such a thing) because it was so cool. Still, we liked our monster, even if he did end up missing a few teeth after eating so many valentines.

There are two main reasons why I make myself crazy on Valentine's Day:

1. The children and I always MAKE our own valentines instead of just buying packaged ones at the store. In my (somewhat delusional) mind, it's going to be this fun, wonderful bonding activity  but what it actually turns out to be is added stress and cost when I should have just learned to be happy with a box of Powerangers for $3.98. Although I do have to admit that Garrett's Star Wars valentines were pretty awesome this year.  I liked Cassidy's as well:

2. The second reason I make myself crazy on Valentine's is that I feel like I have to think of this most wonderful, meaningful gift for Rich (and him for me) that sums up our loving, eternal relationship and will be meaningful and romantic and perfect. Really? How do you sum up a relationship in a gift? How do you express your extreme gratitude and love for a person who has seen you through thick and thin and still continues to love and support you even though your mind is delusional, your expectations about life completely unrealistic, and although well-meaning, you're just a little bit weird? 

That being said, on Valentine morning I found a pink gift bag filled with treats I love and a simple card that said all the right words and eased my self-doubt and made me feel beautiful and loved and it was the perfect gift. I, in turn, gave Rich a solar-powered cell phone charger. It screams romance, does it not? He loved it.

This is a valentine tradition at our house (and by tradition I mean I found it on Pinterest last year and managed to do it this year as well so that makes it a tradition). I have a pill box for each of the kids and Rich and for each day of the week leading up to Val Day I put a small treat inside with a slip of paper saying what I love about them. I hope the papers actually get read.

Garrett made this ceramic frame in art at school. My favorite part is the self portrait. I love art projects. I remember when I was in art in 6th grade and I sculpted this small statue of a women and it was the most horrific thing ever sculpted in the history of sculpting and I was so embarrassed by how horrible it looked. My mom kept it on a shelf for years, even when I begged her to throw it away. She loved it and thought it was wonderful. At least Garrett's truly is wonderful. I wonder which shelf I will keep it on for years?

The next topic I want to cover is parenting. Ahh, parenting!! The most challenging and wonderful and challenging thing I've ever done and ever will do. And it's challenging. I think about it all the time, how to improve and well, mostly how to improve. I watch others and try to copy those in my circle whom I admire so much. I read articles and books and search the internet. I pray and study. And still, dear children, you baffle me, even as I love you so much it hurts. If I could write a letter to my children and have them really understand me, this is what I would say:

Dear Children---I love you. Stop fighting against me so much. Stop fighting against each other. I want so much to teach you to be kind and honest, to love others and yourself, to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and a million other things that will help you to be successful and happy. Please listen to me. I've got your back. I'm on your side. This is not my first rodeo. Just trust me. Screen time is great and all, but there are other things that can be more fulfilling. I know your friends are smart and all, but what they think really doesn't matter as much as you think it does.  Your siblings could be your best ally if you would just show them a little tiny kindness every once in a while. Even though we are not rich or cool or important or live in a big house, our family is cool in its own way, and I wish you could see and feel that.As your parents we would do anything and everything  to help you in any way you needed, no matter what you do or where you go in life.

Help around the house when asked. Be kind to your siblings. Give your mom a hug and say thank you. See your Dad as the hard working, great guy he is, and know that both  your Dad and I are also learning and growing and trying and are bound to make mistakes. Center your life around the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and everything else will fall into place. Oh, and keep your room clean, and it wouldn't hurt to brush your teeth a little better, either.

Love, Mom

Do you have a Sam? Everyone needs a Sam, but I'm not sharing. I love him too much.

And for the final picture in this crazy rambling blog post, our cat, Tyler. I put the kitchen chairs on top of the kitchen table to mop the kitchen floor, and he made himself quite at home.

Weekend

What did your weekend include? 

Ours included 

the Wasatch Winter Feis, where Cassidy competed in 5 dances and placed in 3 of them, includeing FIRST PLACE in her hardshoe treble jig. It was so exciting to have her do so well, and she was simply amazing. Love that girl. ( I took video but she forbade me to post it so you just saved 47 seconds out of your day. Do something good with that extra time.)

Also, if any of you are feeling extra charitable, Cassidy is selling tubs of cookie dough ($10) as a fundraiser to earn money for Irish dance. The cookies are probably not as good as girl scout cookies but still, we'd so appreciate any and all support! The flavors are chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, sugar, and white chocolate macadamia nut.

Because Rich was in Arizona and B and G had basketball games in Lehi and C had her dance competition in Kearns, Sam got to accompany me to the event. He was awesome, iPad-ing the day away.

The weekend also included some Chik-Fil-A and U-Swirl (evidently we can't eat at home when Dad is gone) and a really long Sunday but we were all happy to see Rich when he finally came home, me most of all.

4

Happy Birthday Sam! 

2009

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We had a super-fun birthday week celebrating Sam's birthday. The week included

playgroup and chocolate cupcakes and

making a bird feeder (and a big mess) and

a really big present that turned out to be a basketball hoop and

playing silly games with our family and

taking silly posed pictures because mom asks so nicely and

more presents from grandma and grandpa and

yummy cake from Costco and lots of other fun little things that we didn't photograph like having Sam's favorite foods (hot dogs and pizza) on the same day and going to Chik-fil-A for lunch with our friends and just generally celebrating and having a fun time.

We are so glad you are four, Sam! We love you.

39

I love birthdays. Mine was extra wonderful this year. 

I loved my presents: One Direction music from my kids (don't judge), some lotion, 2 watches, a movie and some books, treats, a Kohl's gift card, sewing scissors and the best ever--a heated mattress pad (think electric blanket but a million times cozier) from Rich. I may never leave my bed the rest of the winter. It is so awesome.

I also got to eat JCWs with my favorite people. Can you have too many french fries and onion rings on your birthday?
I love love loved all the calls/texts/messages wishing me happy bday. I love that my 13 year old was the first to say it to me (technically Rich beat him, so I guess he was the first of my offspring to say it to me).

I also enjoyed a few birthday lunches (on different days, not multiple lunches on the same day), a movie date to Les Mis with Eva (I cried from beginning to end and am convinced it is the best.story.ever.written.) And I have a few more gatherings with friends in the upcoming weeks and days that I am so looking forward to.

The best part of my birthday? Feeling the love and kindness of friends.  I truly love people. I wish I could be friends with everyone I meet. I would adopt so many of you as sisters or aunts or cousins or distant relatives. Because I am so insecure and literally worry constantly that I will say or do the wrong thing and then people won't like me (wow--that was a bit too much information), kindness and thoughtfulness from other people always touch me in a way I can't even put into words. I'm just so grateful to people who can see beyond all my flaws and foot-in-mouth situations and insecurities and weaknesses and somehow still seem to think I'm somewhat okay. This is why I love birthdays--you get to feel special and loved on your special day (what am I, six?).

In thinking about birthdays and people and relationships and especially friendships,

I collected these quotes during my reading this morning:

• When dealing with others, always assume "nobility of intent."

• "Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting." (Mother Theresa)

•  You and I cannot possibly know the hidden pain eating holes in individual lives, so if we want to be saviors in partnership with the Lord, we will be kind to everyone, everywhere, all of the time.

• Take the opportunity TODAY to acknowledge, support, and extend kindness to everyone you encounter. Be open, respectful, and interested.

• "There isn't anyone you couldn't love once you've heard their story." (Mary Lou Kownacki)

I feel so grateful to Heavenly Father for the friends he has blessed me with. I learn so much from everyone within my circle, and I love you all. Deeply. I hope and pray I can implement these quotes DAILY in my own circle (if I can just pull myself out of my cozy bed). If I could be that  kind of friend to everyone I meet, that would be the best birthday gift ever! (Especially if I could start within my own family!)

Good reads

Since my mom's passing, I've had more time to read (and do other things and yet so much still doesn't get done) and these three books have been such a comfort and inspiration to me. Since Sam is a late sleeper, I relish my time each morning after the big kids get off to school but before the little kid wakes up. It's such a good way to start the day, eating breakfast in peace by myself and reading good books that teach me about Jesus Christ and His gospel.I wish wish wish I could remember and apply all of the Christ-centered principles taught in these books! Looking back over the notes I've taken, I'll share a few ideas from these books with you here, in complete random order:

• "When filled with God's love we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand.  Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us." (Elder John H. Groberg)

• God loves us all the time, however, our ability to feel His love comes and goes.

• Focus your efforts on what you have been called to do, not on what you feel qualified to do.

• Don't define yourself or others by temporary tendencies.

• If we do the right thing at the wrong time, we can be frustrated and ineffective.

• If we are becoming new creatures, we will be consistently practicing--whenever, wherever.

• We can ask the Lord to help us open our heart so that it is softened, filled with His love, reaching out, non-judgemental, positive, kind, affirming.

• We must try to teach our children to do their duty, do it well, and enjoy the process.

• Any message we hear---at church, a conference talk, and Ensign article---is personalized by the Holy Ghost to our exact, immediate, and individual needs.

I've also been listening to past BYU devotional addresses, which are all archived online. I didn't know this until recently but in the app store you can subscribe to the BYU Devotional podcast and listen to the audio of recent and older BYU devotionals. They are amazing! Most of them are about 30 minutes long, perfect for listening to while counting down the minutes on that (stupid) treadmill. Thanks for letting me share. 

 

And birthday week continues! Sam has had a paper chain in his room counting down the days, eagerly taking a link off each morning. And somebody else has their big day tomorrow.  So far it has been a super fun week filled with small but meaningful-to-me events that have reminded me that God loves me in my completely imperfect state and is aware of me. What more could an almost 39-year-old ask for?  Here's to my last day of being 38....

Cougs, Jazz, and Kings

We had us some volleyball fun at the BYU Men's home opener. Gotta love those pass-of-all-passes! We were thrilled to watch BYU beat Hawaii easily, enjoyed some stale fruit snacks from the concession stand, and congratulated ourselves for getting out of the house in the barely-above-zero-degree weather.

Evidently the volleyball action was so exciting we somehow barely had time to catch this wonderful portrait. Not sure if the red cheeks were from the stale fruit snacks or the sub-freezing temps, but I sure love my red-cheeked friend, who somehow thinks he is turning FOUR this week.

Since the volleyball game was such a hit we thought we'd try a Jazz game too. We were really stoked about the amazing deal we got on tix until we actually found our seats, at which point we realized why they were so heavily discounted, but hey, it's still a Jazz game, and they still won.

Of course ice cream at half-time makes up for the worst seats in the building.

Also, I'd like to make a public apology to the people sitting right by us at the Jazz game: I'm sorry we had to leave our seats 17 times that night and walk over and around you and step on your toes. That's how Sam rolls, and we're with him.

We're in full basketball mode at the King house:

In an attempt to really focus on and improve my photography skills this year, I forced myself to take in manual mode at the boys' games on Saturday, not an easy feat considering the horrible lighting at the legacy center and Lehi High School and the fact that you can't use flash as it distracts the players.  But it ended up that I was greatly encouraged with the results and really happy because I learned so much. I set my ISO to between 2500 to 3200 and used a 1/200 shutter speed, although I tried multiple settings and am still not sure which ones I like the best. I have so far to go, but at least I'm going, right?

(On a side note, Ben scored 17 of his team's 27 points in Saturday's game, even though they lost. He's number 15.)

And what else you ask? It's birthday week around here, and Sam and I are so excited. Here's to presents, cake, more and better pictures, and celebrating in lots of big and small ways.