What to blog about when you don't know what to blog...


We eat food. Maybe I can tell you about some of our family's food favorites...
My snack of choice is a handful of raw almonds and...a packet of True Lemon in a bottle of water. Daphne's is my fast food preference. And I go crazy for ElTorito's Mexican Ceasar Salad. James wishes he had a churrascaria (pronounced [ʃuxaskaˈɾiɐ]) (or sho-HAAS-kar-eeya), which is a Brazilian B-B-Q.

Monica and Amanda are salad lovers and wouldn't mind camping out at a Souplantation. Just don't even attempt to put onions in Monica's food--- she just can't stand 'em.
Brielle is the dream child---she will eat anything to make you happy.
Jenna's needs are also simple. Make the meal almost nutrient-free, with little color--and it works for her. Chuck E Cheese? Heaven for Jenna.

Well. That was a strange post...but I'm not deleting it. I feel it is necessary to document this because I don't scrapbook.

Amanda's Summer Love

Well, if you were thinking a HUMAN love, then you'd be wrong. Our sweet Amanda turned 14 and the only item on her gift list was a turtle. Ugh.

Even after a kind pet salesman discouraged her from the turtle due to lots of maintenance, she was not deterred altogether. She had her eye on a tortoise. Rumor had it that they practically take care of themselves!

I was a little more practical.

Me: Do you realize you need to feed it a couple of times a day?

Her: Yep.

Me: ...and let it run around safely in the yard?

Her: I know.

Me: This kind of tortoise lives 50+ years! Do you have plans for taking care of it that long?

Her: Yeah. When I go to college, Brielle will have it. After she goes to college, Jenna will have it.

Me: .........that is only 10 years, ya know.....

Well, we brought the little guy/girl home and put it in a large storage tote. Apparently, the tote's sides are not tall enough. Our little Ninja Tortoise escapes. OFTEN. James built a little pen out of chicken wire, but it has escaped that also.

We are sure ninja skills were used. No one has seen the escape yet.

As with all pets and children, the love-fest is quickly over. Amanda has had the critter for about 3 weeks. It's going to be a long 50 years for all of us involved.

The video below shows a very slow tortoise. Don't let the little guy fool you. He sprints when he wants!

Some photos of our Utah trip

4th of July in Utah Valley is where it is at!

We love being with our grandparents,cousins, aunts & uncles and enjoying the mountains.

Here are a few memories we want to share with you.

We spent a couple of days in Hobble Creek Canyon,

a day/night at Heber Valley Girls Camp,











Dinner at Utah Lake (yep, those clouds drizzled a little),

a day in Park City,















these faces were mosquito magnets (not the parent's fault that no repellent was applied),

Stadium of Fire dancers were absolutely amazing (over 1300 of 'em!),

Stay tuned ---I have some funky videos!

vacation report

The family has been enjoying an awesome vacation in my homeland! Yep--we are in Happy Valley again! So far, we have enjoyed my Jensen Family Reunion in Hobble Creek Canyon, the Freedom Festival in Provo (parade too--don't forget), red and blue hair extensions (the girls--not me), Stadium of Fire, sunset B-B-Q at Utah Lake, etc. You really get more BANG FOR YOUR BUCK here in Utah---in my humble opinion. Today we are going to be at Scera Pool in Orem.



Tomorrow's plan? Probably Park City resort. We are seriously having a great time! I especially love the thought that I can "swing by" a home to grab a cousin to come along on our adventures. We really, really miss that in Cali.

It goes without saying that we never want our Utah vacations to end!!

What are YOU doing this summer?

Oh--to be a 1930's wife...

78 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

i love illustrated books

I love illustrated children's books. I have a hard time clearing them out of my house. I can't stand to part with them while they are intact. I especially adore the books with the best illustrations. Content is not crucial at this point. Somewhat like gazing at a handsome man with a substandard IQ.

Just kidding. But you see where this is leading?

As a child, my mom would take us umpteen kids to the library to sign up for the summer reading program. I think the Provo Library simply had you fill out a bookmark-sized paper of your 20 (read) books and you got the reward. I don't remember what the reward was, because I just loved having piles of books around me. I would read my books-- and then my brothers' books. If I were particularly bored, I'd grab my older sister's chapter books. No illustrations? I returned the chapter books unfinished.

I have my favorite illustrators and want to share. After all, aren't our little children knocking down the library doors to get inside? Well, beware!! My friend Audrey said the local library is wary to us moms and they have posted a "Guard" (my friend Audrey used a different word that I loved better). It would seem that your children should not be making any noise in order to be allowed in the library. Check. We'll be taking our noisy children's business elsewhere...

Maybe Amazon.com? Well, here are some books by Audrey and Don Wood, in case you haven't seen them. They are favorites of ours.

Heckedy Peg.

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub and He Won't Get Out.

Piggies.

The Napping House.

Since I came across these, I found another illustrator today. I can't wait to get my hands on these books this summer.







The name is K. Y. Craft. I especially think Fairy Tales belong in the You-Gotta-Have-Great-Illustrations category. You can click on each book to see more illustrations.


June 27th edit: I went to my library and found only one book by this illustrator. Jenna and I enjoyed this story. It has a bit of 'Cinderella' mixed with 'Hansel and Gretel'.

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave

summer haircuts!

Its been only 1 1/2 official Summer Vacation days away from school...but look at the changes in these cuties! I know of many boys that get their heads shaved for summer, but how many girls or women take a little off the top as well? We are tickled pink with the results of Mandy's hairstyling skills. Monica and Amanda hit the 'Mandy Salon' yesterday. We'll have to catch a glimpse of those elusive girls later.

Brielle couldn't wait to jump into the chair fast enough.

The before shots

Almost done! (That's our cute friend, Mandy, in the mirror)

It's way too tough to wait around for your turn when you are six.

"Come on...it's not so bad....."

Whew! Crisis averted! Her smile has returned.

Jenna's before shots.

Jenna is picture perfect!

The two models at home. Brielle is acting like she is tired of being the model
(but secretly she swishes her bob when she thinks we aren't looking).

We have often discussed how wonderful it would feel to donate our hair to a charity that makes wigs for children/adults with illness. We haven't done that yet.