Abundance.

I AM THANKFUL FOR...

...the mess to clean after a party

because it means I have been surrounded by family and friends.

...the taxes I pay

because it means that I am employed.

...the clothes that fit a little too snug

because it means I have enough to eat.

...My shadow who watches me work

because it means I am in the sunshine.

...The spot I find at the far end of the parking lot

because it means I am capable of walking.

...All the complaining I hear about government

because it means we have freedom of speech.

...A lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing

because it means I have a home.

...The lady behind me who sings off key

because it means that I can hear.

...My huge heating bill

because it means I am warm.

...The alarm that goes off in the early morning

because it means that I am alive.

...Weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day

because it means I have been productive.

...The piles of laundry and dishes

because it means that loved ones are nearby.

- author unknown

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Happy Leftovers!!! :)

P.S. I am also thankful for a dad who, like me, cannot ever do anything in a small way. Even when it comes to making the mashed potatoes. I have NEVER in my life seen a bowl of taters that huge. I think he mashed up a 20 lb. bag. It felt like 20 lb. passing it around the table. It should have come with its own forklift.

Bootleggin'...

...that's what Jeff calls it. But I call it being industrious. I come from pioneer stock. It's instilled in me to be a hard worker (definitely), thrifty (yeah right), and coming up with cheaper ways of doing things (stop laughing, Jeff) . OK, maybe I only truly inherited the hard work ethic and ability to look very unattractive in photographs from my ancestors. The thrifty and "make it for much cheaper" genes must have mutated by the time they reached me. But I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm trying on a new mantra. I'm stretching myself into a "make it yourself" mold. And I'm starting by making my own

VANILLA EXTRACT...

...using only the finest ingredients. And what are those ingredients you ask? Come close my friends and I'll tell you. This may or may not be legal in the Mormon community so come even closer because I must speak in hushed tones.

• First you use the best quality vanilla beans. Mine came from Mexico (pronounced "May-he-co" for added effect) These plump, fragrant, long beauties were smuggled (OK, they were actually shipped FedEx) across the border and delivered to an undisclosed person who happens to be in my ward and just happens to be Britt's former Sunbeam teacher. Should I be worried that they were measured out in kilos?




• Next comes the liquid. Can't use water or milk. Can't use Kool-Aid or Gatorade. Can't use the traditional Mormon fruit juice with Sprite. Nope. You gotta use, come even closer, vodka, gin, rum or brandy. There, I said it. Now you see where the bootleggin' tag comes in, huh? I'm choosing to use vodka because I'm told that it doesn't have a taste, just a kick. I wouldn't know. My supplier, who happens to live kitty-corner from me and has ancestral Russian ties, even does home delivery.



• Split beans, slip into vodka, shake occasionally and wait. The homemade vanilla extract can be used after 4 weeks, but the "priceless stuff" takes time...6 months to be exact. Like a fine wine, the extract will continue to improve with age and can last forever if properly stored. That gives me time to use up my cheap, not-so-tasty, Kroger brand imitation vanilla flavoring. I also learned how to make vanilla sugar. Great for baking.

Jeff says he will mark the Smirnoff bottle everyday with a marker to see if the liquid level changes. On exceptionally rough kids-are-driving-me-crazy-I-want-to-make-it-all-go-away days, a swig of 100 proof Russian triple distilled vodka may be all I need. Or maybe I bake up a batch of sugar cookies, heavily flavored with my personal stash.

If you see me and I smell extra vanilla-y, just don't ask any questions. Take my keys and drive me home, please.

Girl in a Whirl

Friday To Do List:

1. For Shaw's sake, get the carpets professionally cleaned

2. Be ready by 3:15 p.m. to be picked up by Mindy and Randee

3. Drive to the Gateway and speculate about what THE movie will be like

4. Set very low expectations for THE movie

5. See Twilight at 4:15 p.m.!!!

6. Leave the movie pleasantly surprised and discuss all of our favorite scenes

7. Vow to take our girls to see it

8. Drive to Fashion Place Mall

9. Help Randee do some early Christmas shopping for Jeremy

10. Buy a zebra print purse for my birthday (that's not for another month)

11. Head to Cheesecake Factory because we're starving

12. Inhale Avocado Eggrolls

13. Enjoy Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp

14. Order a ginormous slice of Chocolate Tower Cake to go

15. Drive home and get stuck on I-15 in Centerville for an hour

16. Enjoy 1/3 of Chocolate Tower Cake at 11:30 p.m.

17. Discuss Edward with a drowsy, uninterested hubby

(For the privacy and respect of a good friend, I will not write about the events that took place in the car on the way home. You're welcome, _________.)

Saturday To Do List:

1. Enjoy another 1/3 of Chocolate Tower Cake for Brunch

2. Putz around house, enjoy family, do laundry, tickle baby

3. Leave house at 4:30 p.m. for another night of girl fun (promising Jeff I will NOT participate in retail therapy)

4. Let Kennedy plug in iPod to car stereo and listen to her sing "Crush" by David Archuleta over and over again

5. Meet mom at Costco where I fill up gas tank for $1.67/gal.!!!

6. Head to Gardner Village for Moonlight Madness

7. Buy Christmas ornaments for each of the kids

8. Eat at Archibald's

9. Spend entirely too much time in the Country Furniture store but there's so much to see and it's all so darn cute

10. Make mental notes of what I'd buy if I won the lottery

11. Call home to assure Jeff I am NOT participating in retail therapy

12. See friend and fellow blogger, Rita, in almost every store

13. Buy cheerful snowman wrapping paper

14. Treat mom to apple cider, Kennedy to a pink hot chocolate, and myself to an eggnog steamer

15. Laugh and hug my daughter and smile at the fact that she passed up an evening with friends to be with me

16. Buy several Christmas gifts

17. Get a fairy dust star placed on our cheeks

18. Eat a small fudge sample

19. Get choked up reading quotes in the photography/frame shop

20. Encourage Kennedy to have her picture taken with the uber creepy elf who looks like he's smelling her hair

21. Check my watch - 11:45 p.m. - and decide we should probably head home

22. Drop mom off at Costco to get her car, hug, and thank each other for the good company

23. Get home, wake up my sleeping baby to nurse because I'm dyin'

24. Check refrigerator for last 1/3 of Chocolate Tower Cake but realize that it's been eaten

25. Make mental note that Jeff deserves that last 1/3 of cake - he's been 100% supportive of my weekend merriment and understands that moms need to refill their individual reservoirs

26. Decline Kennedy's invitation to stay up 20 more minutes so we can say we saw the 2:00 a.m. hour.

27. Fall asleep before my head hits the pillow

(Before you start feeling sorry for Jeff, just know that his To Do List next weekend includes snow skiing)

Stinky Sweet

While my boys may not be the future poster children for "America's Cleanest Kids" (see previous post), I do have to say that they make up for their germ infested hands by being kind and thoughtful. 2 situations I observed this morning:

• Taiden asked if he could get Shaw out of his crib this morning. He ran upstairs to get his "daily Christmas gift" and I observed a sweet exchange between my oldest and youngest sons on the video baby monitor in my bedroom. Taiden quietly approached his brother, rubbed Shaw's bald little head, and said, "Hi there sweet boy." He then gathered him up in his blankets and said, "Come here sweetheart." 9 years old and not afraid of using the word sweetheart. That's my tender Taiden.

• Brittan has his Thanksgiving feast at school today. Everyone in the class was supposed to bring something they were grateful for. "It can't be bigger than my fist," Britt said quoting his teacher's instructions. He thought for half a nanosecond and decided he wanted to take a picture of Shaw. We cut one out and Brittan earnestly said, "Mom, when I show it to my class, I may get a little misty eyed". His exact words, I promise. Britt isn't afraid to show his love.

So, while my boys may not always be perfectly coiffed and they may not always smell like roses, I am grateful that they are boys, through and through, that they know how to love and show emotions, and they aren't afraid to express themselves tenderly. That means more to me than all the clean bedrooms in the world.

Partners in Grime

Let me preface this post by saying that I love my boys. I really, really love them. I love them for their individual uniqueness, their diverse personalities and their ability to get me to the point of gritting my teeth one minute and melting my heart the next. I love them dearly. But I don't understand them. I don't get 'em. I try and try and try to figure out the male Psyche but it just doesn't make a bit of sense. Especially when it comes to the subject of cleanliness.

Example #1: My conversation with Brittan this morning:

Mom: Brittan, did you change your underwear today?

Britt: Um, no. I'll change it tonight.

Mom: No, you change it EVERY morning. Did you change it yesterday morning?

Britt; Um, no.

Mom: When's the last time you changed it?

Britt: Ummm....

Keep in mind that my boys get bathed regularly. I think they use soap. Sometimes, if I can't smell the fruity fragrance of the shampoo in their hair after they've showered , I will make them jump back in and rescrub. I provide clean clothes to my kids. I HATE doing laundry but I do it nonetheless and my kids have no excuse for not putting on fresh apparel. Especially underwear. They've been known to take a bath and put on the same dirty pair of unders that they were wearing before their sudsy soak. Ew, ew and triple ew!

What is it about boys and their lack of personal hygiene?

Example #2: A conversation between one of my nephews and his mom

(after unpacking his bag from scout camp and seeing a week's worth of clean socks untouched)

Mom: You didn't change your socks at all this week?

Nephew: I didn't know there were any in my bag.

Mom: Yeah, they were right next to your underwear.

Nephew: I had clean underwear in there too?

Again, ew!

Example #3:

When my brother-in-law was younger, the family spent a summer day at a pond/lake area. The water was somewhat stagnant and not terribly clean. Everyone played and swam in the water to keep cool. Several days later, my brother-in-law was the ONLY one who broke out in a rash. Upon some investigating, it was discovered that he was the only one who didn't (and still hadn't) showered. EW!

I know there is hope. Jeff is clean and neat. He's actually probably more of a germaphobe than I am. But when does this change occur? When do they realize that, YES, you need to wash your hands after cleaning the hamster cage and before you eat your lunch? When do they realize that, NO, it's not cool to smell like you've been crawling around on the cafeteria floor? And will they ever start feeling the grit, the grim, and filth under their fingernails?

Heavenly Father has blessed me with 3 wonderful sons. I know they'll be fine. I know they'll go out into the world and make me proud. I'll just follow along behind them with my can of Lysol.

Can it be true?!

I can buy gasoline for $1.99!!! It's been years since it's been under $2.

How much is it in your neck of the woods?

Lucky, Lucky Kids

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Not every dad would be willing to sleep outside in a camping trailer that is parked in the driveway. Not every dad would let mom pop some popcorn and deliver it to the boys after they'd already made the effort to brush their teeth. Not every dad would be willing to endure a soggy, rainy night with degrees in the mere 30's. Just for fun. Just because the boys asked. But Taiden and Britt's dad did. That's my guy.

Kennedy, Shaw and I slept warmly in the house. I didn't want to ruin the "boys' night out" (literally!)

wink! wink!

Governor Taiden

November 10 - 14, 2008, Taiden Mackintosh Gregson will be officially known as Governor in Mrs. Gundry's class at Farmington Elementary in Farmington, Utah. This title is bestowed upon him because he is student of the week in his class. Governor sounds so much cooler than any other bland name that simply states you're in the spotlight. I'm not sure exactly what he'll do as Governor of his class. Perhaps he'll lead his fellow 4th graders to lunch in an orderly fashion. He might get to help pass out things of importance. He might even be able to make executive decisions for his classmates and work in partnership with his teacher for the betterment of his class. I'm sure whatever Governor Taiden does, he will do it with a grin, a pleasant disposition, and a slight blush on his cheeks because he's not one to love being the center of attention.

As part of his gubernatorial inauguration (although gubernatorial is fun to say, who the heck came up with that word?), we put together a bulletin board telling about Taiden and showing what he's all about. We put up lots of pictures.

I Like:

Christmas, Halloween, skateboarding, snowboarding, good food, my baby brother Shaw, Disneyland, my Nintendo DS, the color blue, fall, Star Wars, computers, biking, exercising, soccer, Spongebob, Baked Beans, BYU, Baby Ruth candy bars, Lego and Bionicles, the book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, song: Pictures of You

3 Things that Describe Me:

1. I am funny

2. I am nice

3. I like to eat

When I Grow Up I Want to Be:

Someone who builds robots

These Cheeks are Delicious.

And I get to feast all day, every day.

November 4, 2008

Yesterday was a monumental day on so many levels:

• The most expensive presidential campaign in history came to an end
• Voter turn out was the largest it's ever been
• Our country elected the first African-American to the office of president
• Brittan James Gregson turned 7 years old

Now, I am not saying that my son's day of birth recognition is as important as the election of the new Commander in Chief. I'm not saying that. But Britt might. I actually think it's cool that both of these significant events just happened to take place on the same day. This will be a birthday that Brittan will never forget. He liked Obama and voted for him at his school's kid election. He, as well as his older brother and sister, have really been interested in the whole campaigning process and had no hesitation voicing who they wanted to be president. Britt was part of the 40% of our family who voted for Obama. The other 60% cast our votes for McCain and the spunky lady in the red pumps. It's been a great opportunity this past 2 years to learn and talk about politics. Obama and Britt both had good days yesterday.

Chuck E. Cheese, please!

New love: Clone Wars

Ultimate 7 year old cake topper

A new set of wheels for this wannabe BMXer

Safety first

Can We Agree to Disagree?

He Said...

She said...

I Am Iron Man

A lazy Sunday afternoon.

An imaginative boy.

An obliging dad.

R.I.P. Halloween. See You Next Year.

A recap of Halloween '08

An ah-hah! moment: Carve pumpkins outside.

Trick or Treaters: Taiden (Motocross Racer), Brittan (Darth Vader), Shaw (Pirate)
Trick or Tweeners: Kennedy and Cami with their PJ's and pillowcases


Taiden divides and conquers

I know the quality of this picture isn't the greatest but I love the content


Best costume runner up:
Mrs. Bittner as Mac n' Cheese


Best costume winner:

Mr. Tesch as "Pig on a Platter"

(he even has an apple in his mouth and the table has 4 place settings)

Picture This

16 adults dressed in various Halloween costumes +

8 people per team +

2 digital cameras +

41 unusual and sometimes crazy tasks +

90 minute time limit =

1 incredibly fast and hilarious night of shenanigans

1. kiss a bald man's head - 30 pts.


2. stack 4 packages of toilet paper on your head - 10 pts.


3. find a license plate with a word spelled out on it - 20 pts.


4. wear a Burger King crown - 10 pts.
   
   


5. guy fills arms full of feminine hygiene products - 40 pts


6. 2 from group sit in a shopping cart - 20 pts.


7. eat something from the door of a neighbor's fridge -20 pts.


8. gal from group must put on men's boxers - 30 pts.

9. make a human pyramid with 3 strangers and your group - 20 pts.

10. suspend a group member upside down - 30 pts.

11. McCain/Palin sign - 20 pts.

12. Obama/Biden sign - 30 pts.

13. group hug a stranger - 20 pts.

14. inflatable Halloween decor on someone's front lawn - 20 pts.

15. stranger wearing a striped shirt - 10 pts.

16. 1 person + 2 strangers re-enact "see, hear & speak no evil" - 20 pts.

17. a real cow's teat - 50 pts.

18. draw face on your belly using belly button as the nose - 20 pts.

19. use grocery sacks as parachutes and jump off something - 30 pts.

20. contents of dirty diaper or toilet - 20 pts.

21. group members in a tree - 5 pts. per person

22. a group member's feet under bathroom stall - 20 pts.

23. (above) with pants around ankles - 30 pts.

24. on white board, complete sentence: Todd Adams is _______ - 20 pts.

25. sit in the middle of a pumpkin display at store - 30 pts.

26. today's newspaper showing the date - 10 pts.

27. fast food window person giving you a slice of pickle - 30 pts.

28. in store portrait studio, group pose with props - 40 pts.

29. get thumbs up from pharmacist on a contraceptive product - 40 pts.

30. guy from group wears a dress - 40 pts.

31. get up in a kids' play area toy at fast food restaurant - 20 pts.

32. wear traffic cone your head - 10 pts.

33. pic of inside of dumpster - 10 pts.

34. pic of person inside of dumpster - 40 pts.

35. group member in a police car - 50 pts.

36. 3 people jump on tramp and touch toes - 20 pts.

37. lie on a real grave at the cemetery - 20 pts.

38. pic of celebrity look alike - 20 pts.

39. gather people and take largest group pic you can - 2 pts. per person

40. bury someone in leaves with only their face showing - 20 pts.

41. Kristen's most recent blog entry: 40 pts. ( I posted a funny pic from a previous Halloween party)

Work that dress, Jeffrey Jay!

Hand Me the Piece Labeled A-3

Task:

Assemble a highchair for baby brother Shaw while:

a) not arguing

b) trying to remember it is the Sabbath

c) completing the task before dad gets home from his church meeting (surprise!)

Task:

Place baby brother Shaw in the newly assembled highchair while:

a) assuring mom it is put together correctly and will not collapse

b) not worrying about the lack of personal grooming due to a lazy Sabbath morning

c) trying not to eat up Shaw because that is the cutest happy face EVER!

(Notice Kennedy's silky nightgown? That was mine when I was young)


Task:

Taiden, feed baby brother Shaw in his newly assembled highchair while:

a) not being grossed out by the rice cereal mush

b) keeping the food going in rather than coming out

c) preventing rice cereal mush from being splattered over the newly painted walls

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

3 Cheers for the Cardboard Box

Jeff has always said that toys are way overrated. I would have to agree. Each birthday and Christmas we hum and ha over what toys to get the kiddos because a) we've been collecting toys and the such for 12 years and there's plenty around here and b) our children don't usually get as excited as the kids on the commercials. Our kids have their favorites but a lot of the stuff we've given them over the years sits quietly, collecting dust, piling up and helping to make our already small house feel smaller. Humph!

Case in point: After the kids put together the high chair for Shaw, they were left with a large empty box. You would have thought that it was the latest-and-greatest-can't-find-anywhere-must-have-item-of-the-holiday-season gift. My kids adore boxes. Costco trips are a heavenly experience for Britt because we come home with so many cardboard playthings just waiting to be turned into homemade computers, T.V.s, art canvases, car ramps and the such. I think this Christmas we'll do all our shopping at Boxes R Us.

Cardboard box: Two enthusiastic thumbs up

Britt with his handy flashlight drawing murals in his new home. Jeff thought he was playing "what it must be like to be homeless".

** Not pictured: Britt using the box as a dressing room before church. I walked into the front room and he was sitting, buck naked, in it trying to get dressed. He saw the sparkle in my eye (he knows I "think in blog" nowadays) as I grabbed my camera. He started to howl from embarrassment thinking his kibbles and bits were going to be posted. No, I did not take a picture. Even though I wanted to.


The box was also used as a sort of spinning, smashing, thrashing ride which comprised of Taiden sitting in the box, lid closed, while Kennedy and Britt threw it around as best they could. It was very LOUD but there were bursts and laughter and squeals of enthusiasm so fun was had by all participants. At one point, the box was knocked over, I heard a definite CRACK! and rushed to see Taiden toppled out of the box. Next to him lay my poor, innocent candy bowl which had survived 12 previous Halloweens:


Taiden broke it with his HEAD! Luckily the cracking sound was the ceramic bowl and not his noggin. The 3 of them quickly looked at me, wide eyed with anticipation of how I would react. See, I tend to let my temper get the best of me and I admit that I'm pretty much an over reactor. I hope to someday be able to say I USED to be an over reactor. For the time being, I can simply say I am working on it. Anyhow, they looked at me and wondered how long I would stand there stunned. I stopped myself from exploding my typical reaction, grinned and said, "Taiden, you broke that with your HEAD! That was awesome!" Relief washed over their faces. I'm glad that I let us share a memory making moment of the day Taiden head butted and smashed mom's Halloween candy bowl minus the drama over a material thing getting ruined. Good job me (I'm patting myself on the back). :D

Transylvania Lady Fingers (aka - Witchy Fingers)

Firmly set in our Halloween traditions, we make these every year for a FHE. They are creepy to look at but incredibly tasty. Usually we add red decorating gel to give it a most delightful "severed" effect, but Smith's was out and I didn't have the energy to run around town looking for some. Try them. Your kids, and your taste buds, will thank you.

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cube butter or margarine, room temp.
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
• stick pretzels
• sliced almonds
• red decorating gel (optional)

Cream peanut butter, butter, and vanilla together. Add enough powdered sugar to make a workable dough (not too dry but not sticky either). Form dough around pretzel (which acts as the crunchy bone) making sure to indent to make knuckles. Use toothpicks to make creases like real fingers have. Add almond for fingernail. Use red gel for gory look. Can also make stubby toes. ** If the dough gets too dry, add a bit of milk.