good day, good week, good month

Ammon turned 12 on January 11. His birthday was on a Wednesday, so we celebrated that evening after school was out. He picked his favorite meal for dinner; we ate steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cream corn. It was a delicious meal, thanks to Josh who made it!

After dinner, he opened presents from Josh & I, Grandma & Grandpa T., and Grandma & Grandpa P.

He got a scout backpack, new scriptures and a football scripture bag, the game "Ticket to Ride", and a gameboy game from Josh & I. He received new clothes, a new white shirt and tie, and a book from Grandma & Grandpa P. And he was given bullets for his rifle and cash from Grandma & Grandpa T.

He wanted bread pudding and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Grandma & Grandpa T. joined us for gifts and dessert, and we all sang Happy Birthday to Ammon as he blew out the candles.

This year was Ammon's turn to have a friend party. He invited 6 boys to come spend the night on Friday the 13th. They arrived in the evening, and played flag football outside until the sun went down and it got too cold to play.

After the boys came inside, we ate Taco Soup for dinner, then they all congregated in the family room to play electronics. Some of them played "Super Smash Bros" on the wii, and the rest of them played a computer game with Ammon.

After that, some of the boys played Ammon's new "Ticket to Ride" game with him, and the rest of them wrestled and watched a movie. Then they gathered around to have Ammon open their gifts.

And of course we had dessert with candles, and we sang to Ammon again. This time, Ammon opted for brownies with ice cream.

I had forgotten how much I don't like having kid sleepovers. The boys all slept in Ammon's room that night, and they wouldn't calm down. I went in at 11:00 to tell them to be quiet and turned off a movie, then I went back in at 12:00 and took away the laptop. Josh went in at 1:00am and told them to turn off their ipods, and it was announced to us at breakfast the next morning that a few of the boys stayed awake til 5:00am!! But, Ammon had a fun time and so did the boys, and now I don't have to worry about doing it again for 2 years!

Ammon couldn't wait to turn 12 because he could finally go to Young Men's instead of Primary at church, he could receive the Priesthood and serve the Sacrament, and he could be old enough to finally go hunting! On Sunday, January 22, he was ordained by his father and he received the Priesthood, and he was able to pass the Sacrament. He did a great job and it was wonderful to see him participate!

The last week of January, at the Middle School Assembly, Ammon was chosen to be the "Student of the Month". He has been wanting to receive the medal and having the honor of that title since he became a student at the Middle School in 5th grade last year. He has been aspiring for it and has been working hard, and he was so happy to finally receive the award! I was so proud of him!

January was a good month for him...He had a family birthday party, a friend birthday party, he received the priesthood and started going to Young Mens, he earned the "Student of the Month" award at school, and he bought himself an Ipod with money he's earned and received as gifts. It was all good things for him, and a great way to start the new year!

11 Tag

I've been tagged...
It's been a long time since the last blog tagging. Thanks, Alyssa. This was interesting!

THE RULES:
1. Post these rules
2. Post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions provided by the one who tagged you
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag
5. Tag 11 people

11 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME:

1. When I'm in front of other people and I'm expected to speak, I get nervous. Like every week in Sunday School class when I teach. Or every time one of my music classes at school has a parent performance and I have to introduce myself. And when I get nervous, I sweat in my armpits and have really rapid and high speech. I hate how my body responds to my nervousness!

2. I like to take pictures of hamburgers from different restaurants right before I eat them. But I never do anything with the photos.

3. I love Arby's French Dip & Swiss. I love the thinly sliced roast beef, the melted white cheese, the crispy thick bread, and the saucy au jus. I crave it all the time!

4. My real name is Michaela. I didn't know how to spell it correctly until the 4th grade because when I learned how to spell my name in Kindergarten, I spelled the name I knew myself as: Kala. (Which is so much easier and shorter!) We had a test in 4th grade and the teacher told me to use my real name. It was the kind of test where you had to fill in little circles for each letter of your name, and I was so nervous because I had no idea which circle to fill in first: the "E" or the "A" after the "MICH". I did the wrong one.

5. I don't like dogs. When I was a child, my neighbor's little dog bit my ear and I had to go have shots. And my dad's dog was really big and used to jump on my shoulders and dry hump me, and he used to slobber a lot and since his head was the same height as my butt, whenever he sniffed me he got me wet. Ew. No matter how much my boys ask, we will NEVER have a dog.

6. My favorite acting part I ever had was a "Doo-Wop" girl in the play "Little Shop of Horrors" during my senior year of High School. That also happens to be the last play I was in, and the last part I played. I miss the theater tremendously.

7. I have never liked the color pink. I'm a blue kind of girl.

8. I like driving stick-shift. It makes me feel like I'm a race-car driver and I have so much power. My first car was a stick-shift, and it was actually Josh's Honda. He taught me to drive it when we got engaged, and then he let me take it to college.

9. I want to be a contestant on the Amazing Race, and as I watch the show each Sunday, I imagine myself being one. But I know that I would be just like all the competitors that I hate. The reality of that vision keeps me from really pursuing that wish.

10. I love singing harmony. I've loved it ever since I was in junior high. Even though I was one of only 3 kids in my Jr. High choir class that didn't get picked to go to Honor Choir at USU, I pursued my desire to be a 2nd Soprano. I felt validated from not being included in that 8th grade event when I got accepted into the Madrigal Choir my senior year of High School as one of the four 2nd sopranos.

11. I like feet. I like massaging my feet, as well as others'. I used to suck my toes (when I was younger and could reach them) because I liked it. I like the way sandals make feet look. I like how everyone's feet look so different. I'm fascinated by feet!

11 QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED:

1. Worst/best/awkward date story?
When I was a sophomore in high school, I was madly in love with a senior named Daniel. I couldn't wait to turn 16 in August so that I could date. Daniel graduated in May, and I wasn't sure if I'd ever get the chance to date him. After my 16th birthday, my very first date was a double date. I went with a guy, and we doubled with his sister whose date was...DANIEL! It was awkward for me, because I wanted to be on the date with Daniel, not the guy who I was with. We went to the fair, and walked around, and danced, and then my date took me home. Last year, I saw the home video that was taken the night of that date...and I totally zoomed in on Daniel and practically ignored my date, so judging by that video, I'm sure the rest of the night was something like that and that my date felt awkward too, with all my of inattentiveness towards him!

2. Dream vacation?

A two-week vacation alone with Josh to travel all over Scotland and Ireland and England together. It sounds like heaven to me.

3. What do you like best about yourself?

I like my blue eyes, my straight teeth, my ability to sing harmony, and the ability to speak loudly (especially since my husband has such a quiet voice!).

4. Tell me about a time your heart was broken.

My heart is always broken at the end of a good thing...at the end of a marriage, at the end of living in a particular place, at the end of a loved one's life, and most recently, my heart has been broken over the end of a good friendship. For the past two months, my heart has been hurting because of the end of a 5-year friendship. My heart is broken over things that were said and done that are unforgiven, and I miss my friend terribly.

5. If you could do anything in the whole wide world what would it be?

I wish I had millions of dollars to build a new school in Salmon that is so desperately needed, since the community continues to refuse to vote to build one.

6. First movie star crush?

When I was in the 3rd grade, our family lived in a townhouse. Our neighbors who had the corner townhouse had daughters my age, and they watched Dirty Dancing every week. My mom wouldn't let me go over there or watch that movie. But I somehow managed to once...and I fell in love with Patrick Swayze at first sight. Dangit, he was hot!!! RIP, Patrick Swayze.

7. Favorite holiday and why?

I love Halloween. I like dressing up, I like getting chocolate, I like the autumn atmosphere, I like the funky decorations, I like all the quirky parties.

8. Guilty pleasure?
Lindt chocolates. I keep a stash by my bed, and I eat one almost every day.

9. Secret wish?

I wish that I could fly. I had a recurring dream as a child that I could float in the air down the hallways of my home. I was always disappointed when I woke up and realized that I actually couldn't.

10. Fashion Icon?

Umm...Okay, I don't do fashion. The majority of the shoes and clothes in my closet are hand-me-downs, or pre-owned. I don't know how to apply make-up. I don't know how to match colors together, so I tend to dress myself in mono-chromatic clothes. I don't watch fashion shows, or read fashion magazines, or keep up with any trends of any kind (except for the B.U.M. Equipment movement in junior high, because everyone knows you have to keep up with styles in junior high to fit in...thank goodness those days are decades behind me!).

11. Best day ever story?

In 2008, Josh and I went on a 10-day vacation to England. It was the first time I'd ever been out of the USA, the first time I'd been on a plane, the first time I'd spent so many days alone with Josh since we'd had kids. The very best day of that trip was the day we were in Scotland. We woke up in a quaint little Bed & Breakfast. We drove to a nearby old castle. We walked around the castle ourselves, and there was nobody else touring during that time. It was early morning, and it was peaceful, serene, relaxing, and I was filled with extreme joy and tranquility. It was amazing and I've never forgotten the way I felt in that country, in that castle, with my husband by my side. After that, we went to an old Scottish golf course and walked around, and Josh was so happy. It was the last full day of our vacation, and one of my favorite days ever.

 

 

MY 11 QUESTIONS:

1. What's one of the hardest decisions you've ever made?

2. What's one of your biggest dreams you have for your life?

3. What's one character trait you have that you hope that your children won't?

4. What's one of your most romantic experiences?

5. What's one of that happiest moments of your past?

6. If you could be a character in a book or story, who would you be?

7. If you were stranded on an island with only 3 other people, who would you pick?

8. If you had to eat just one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

9. If you could live wherever you wanted in the world, where would it be?

10. What helps you fall asleep at night?

11. What gets you going in the morning? 

 

 

11 PEOPLE I'M TAGGING:

1. Tawna

2. Jen

3. Emily

4. Darcy

5. Candise

6. Melissa

7. Holly

8. Linette

9. Gina

10. D'Neill

11. Heidi

food, glorious food...while we're in the mood

When I was in the 6th grade, I was in the High School musical production of "Oliver". I played an orphan, and I never forgot the words to the song "Food, glorious food". I sing it in my head once in a while, and I think about it whenever I eat a really good dish. Speaking of a really good dish...

In January, I went with some friends to Boise to celebrate Amanda's birthday. We spent two nights there, and had a grand ole time. While we were there, we ate at our favorite Boise eatery: The Cheesecake Factory. We always eat there whenever we are celebrating an occasion. We love their cheesecakes, and their super large, super delicious entrees.

I was in the mood for something different on that trip to The Cheesecake Factory, and I had such a hard time deciding on what to order off their 24-page menu. I decided on a whim to order the Lettuce Wraps. And that was the best decision I made that entire weekend. It was SOOOOO delicious.

I thought about my lettuce wraps later that night as I was consuming my red velvet cheesecake. I thought about them again the following day as we were driving home to Salmon. I thought about them  the next week as I ate food from the school cafeteria. I loved that meal so much, that I can remember the taste of those wraps even now, two months after consuming them.

And I'm craving some of those delicious lettuce wraps from the Cheesecake Factory right about now...

you can't eat me, I'm the Gingerbread...

I like decorating gingerbread for the complete opposite reasons that my boys do.

I like to build, create, and make it look pretty.

They like to deconstruct, take it apart, and eat it.

During our Christmas vacation to Utah, my mom got little gingerbread Santa sleighs, and the boys were so excited to put them together. And as soon as the picture was taken, they started asking when they could eat what they just built. "As soon as we get home to Salmon", I told them. The next day, we drove home to Salmon. And the very SECOND we got home, they asked when they could eat them. "As soon as we get unpacked", I told them. As soon as the last bag was brought inside, they set out immediately undoing their magical creations and shoving all of the sugary sweets into their mouths!

When Alyssa came to Salmon during Winter Break, she brought with her a cute little gingerbread village. On New Year's Day, the boys began helping her decorate the tiny buildings. The frosting hadn't completely set, so the walls kept caving in as the candy was added to the sides and tops. It proved to be a little more difficult than anticipated, and I decided to take on rebuilding one of the demolished houses. The ending products were quite charming! Alyssa's house was adorable, I turned a once-was house into an odd-looking church, and Jonah and Micah's houses had as much frosting and gum drops as possible! 

 

For me, it was fun to build. For the twins, it was fun to eat!!!

Winter 2011/12 Top Ten

Here's the TOP 10 winter list I made before the season began...now I'm ready for spring! Goodbye weird winter!

1. Go to the mountains to pick a Christmas tree

DONE over Thanksgiving weekend along with Grandpa T., Gideon & Alyssa, and Malachi.

2. Go sledding with family/friends.
DONE, but unfortunately our family only went once on New Year's Eve day with Malachi, Gideon & Alyssa.

3. Go to Utah over Christmas Break.
DONE, and we had a fabulous time ice skating with Mick's family, having a white elephant party with my siblings, going to Temple Square, and looking at lights.

4. Deliver Christmas goodies to neighbors.
DONE. We delivered homemade applesauce and cinnamon/sugar jars for two nights to our friends and neighbors.

5. Spend Christmas morning together at home.
DONE, and loved every minute of it.

6. Party for New Year's.
DONE. The New Year's Eve party at Ed & Kathy's was very quiet this year, (except for the lighting of our fireworks outside), and the Tolman's won the radio contest again! We had a New Year's Day party, and I enjoyed the whole evening (except the moment that Kanyon pooped his pants just as all the guests were arriving).

7. Celebrate Ammon's birthday.
DONE. That was one noisy night filled with pre-teen boys, but he had a great time. I can't believe my oldest son is now 12.

8. Build a snowman.

DONE, but just once...over Thanksgiving weekend which is the only time we had enough snow to make one. Josh and the boys built a tall one with an empty garbage can, and it was awesome!

9. Celebrate Kanyon's birthday.
DONE. We went swimming, ice skating, stayed at a hotel, went shopping, and ate at his choice of restaurants. It was a fun family party.

10. Have a couple's vacation for Valentines.
DONE. Josh was actually out of town on Valentine's Day, and I had students' musical peformances that day, but Josh was really sweet and sent me flowers to commemmorate 14 years since the day he proposed! We had a couple's vacation over President's Day weekend to Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah. It was so nice to spend time alone with him!

Snow...and the lack of it

It has been the mildest autumn and winter in Salmon that I ever remember. We had our first snowfall at Thanksgiving, and at that time, there were still brown leaves on the trees. The brown leaves just froze in place...and they've remained on the trees all winter long. I've never seen a winter with trees that have dead leaves still attached. The snow we received at Thanksgiving melted in two days, and we haven't had any major snowfall since. I hoped and prayed over Christmas Break that we'd get a big snowstorm so that we could go sledding or build snowforts or snowmen, but it never happened. When Josh's brothers came home for the New Year's holiday, we decided to not wait for the snow any more; we were going to go and find it instead. We put all our sleds in the back of our truck, and the 9 of us  all climbed in the cab. We drove up Williams Creek Road until it met with the Ridge Road at the top of the mountain 10 or so miles from our home.

The snow there was so deep, and it felt like heaven. When we got out of the truck, the boys instantly fell onto the ground and made angels. Then they walked around in it for a while, smiling and laughing as they remembered what the white stuff felt like to play in.

Then we all went sledding on a road that didn't have a steep-enough grade for speed, but it satisfied our need.

It was a divine afternoon. We just loved being in the snow!!!

Ammon and Malachi weren't ready for it to end, so Josh attached their sleds behind the truck, and we pulled them as we drove down the road until about 2 miles from our house! They froze, but it was entertaining for us to watch them!

It was the happiest way to end the last day of 2011!