Caught in the Act

Diana learned how to get on the counter without a chair.
Pretty good climbing skills.
Pretty bad sweet tooth.

Favorite Part of the Day

When I was almost done with my mission, I was blessed to serve with one of my best friends. We started a tradition that I've kept until today: the Favorite part of the day. At night before we said our evening prayer, we'd take a minute and list some favorite part(s) of the day. Maybe that's how she became a favorite companion. I love asking my kids and husband that question--and then telling them mine, too. It is a nice way to end the day.

Try it sometime soon.

Today my favorite part of the day is the quiet time I had alone with Bryn. She threw up this morning and spent the day in bed. In the evening, Nathan took the other kids to run an errand (Jumpstarting his car--which wouldn't start earlier in the day at a friend's house--but I digress).

I stayed home with Bryn and we read stories from the Friend magazine that arrived yesterday(a Church magazine for kids--if you didn't already know that). She picked them out and I read, cried, and kept reading. She knows I am going to cry when we pick up that magazine, at least from time to time. She let me bring her water, a cool cloth, and rub her head. I loved every minute of it, and while I would not wish sickness on her, it was nice for both of us to slow down our typical pace and BE together. Her being home also gave us time for 3 games of UNO, of which she won 2. She has a long history of beating me at games, and loves it.

ps Andrew had the same flu on Tuesday and it only lasted 24 hours, so I expect hers to be gone at 7 am tomorrow morning.

A hole in the wall

I found Andrew's book just in time: 102 Creepy, Crawly Bug Jokes" reappeared today. I was tidying up my bedroom for some guests we will be having over the next couple of days and I found Andrew's joke book. I also found these little holes in the wall of my closet. I saw 5-6 holes, but they were crawling with about 20 termites.

What kind of bugs get splinters?
Termites.

Andrew's kindergarten teacher gave him a great boy joke book at the end of his first year of school. It has come in handy on a few occasions. I read every joke tonight looking for more with termites. That's the only one. I could use more.

I don't really like bugs, or any other thing that lives in my space that isn't supposed to be there. Like the lizard in the apartment on my mission, or various spaces I lived in Chicago with mice. Add termites to the list.

Our termites number well over 20. (I know much more than I want to know about termites after talking to the first pest control guy who came to make an estimate). They come up through the ground into the wood in your house through "tubes" which you can see on the foundation of your house if you have them. They found 11 tubes on my house today.

It's a great day to be a renter and not a homeowner, even at my age. I might go on vacation when they come to fix it. He said that if you find 3 tubes or less, you can spray outside the house and that should be enough. But in our case, they will have to drill through the foundation every place there is a plumbing hole to fumigate the ground beneath. Every sink, faucet, shower, tub, toilet, water heater, etc. I might never come back.

This post is mostly for my dad, who I called in a panic when I found what I thought were maggots coming out of my closet wall. (Nathan was in clinic treating patients, probably with maggots, and didn't answer his phone. That is another story for another day. Maggot therapy. I will just say that they use it, and it works.)

Thank goodness it's not maggots and only termites. There really might be a first time for everything. When was the last time you said to yourself, "Thank goodness I've got termites!?"

Corny

Our Memorial Day weekend plans changed when we realized we couldn't get the air conditioner in the mini-van fixed until after Jun 1st. :(

We planned to go to Houston to the temple and to drive on a little further to dip our toes into the Gulf of Mexico. That trip is postponed for awhile, but we are having fun at home this weekend.

In the afternoon, we filled 15 of our new canning jars with corn. The kids helped shuck the corn, I cut, and Nathan prepared it for the jars. It was fun to work together on something we can use later. In between duty, the kids were out in the backyard playing. The weather was so nice today, only high 70's, so the windows were open and I called them when it was time to shuck more corn. I called them "Corn Team." They came running each time it was their turn to help. I'm pretty sure that A & B will be the only kids who answer "We canned corn" when they go back to school on Tuesday and are asked what they did over the weekend.

I learned that shucking and cutting could be done outside, sparing a lot of kitchen cleanup, but will have to buy more corn to apply that knowledge. This was the first time we'd tried canning corn. I thought it would work well in pint jars, since we now have an abundance of them.

Recycle and Reuse

In Chicago we had curbside recycling, and I thought that was the best way to do it. If you want to recycle here, you must take your own things to one of two sites on designated days. Thankfully, the drop-off site is right by Nathan's office, so once or twice a month he takes a few minute break to help us take care of our recycling. All the kids love it. Their favorite thing to recycle is plastic, because they get to peer over the sides of the semi-truck sized container to see how full it is, adding our milk jugs to the pile. They have been known to squabble over the privilege of plastic recycling.

There is a kind older man who works there. I think his name is Ed, aka "Recycling Guy."

Around October, I asked "Recycling Guy" if he ever got canning jars.

He said, "Too bad you didn't ask last week, I had to get rid of a bunch of them. But the next time I get some, I will set them aside for you. You just remind me about it."

So I've been reminding him every now and then, and today was our lucky day.

We came home with 8 quart jars, 44 pint jars, and a box full of jam jars of assorted shapes and sizes. The best part is that most of them had lids on them, so they were fairly clean. We truly scored!

"Recycling Guy" was happy we could use them and we promised him some freezer jam in return for his kindness.

Maybe curbside recycling isn't the best . . . . . thank you "Recycling Guy" and the lady(ies) who left them! I will happily reuse.

Finished Woodworking Projects

The lowest grade I ever received was in 9th grade woodshop. The reason? I never finished my final project. I think my teacher was generous with the grade he gave me. At some point during the class, I got scared of the tools. I don' t know how I spent my class time--because I obviously never finished my stool. Wonder if my dad has that wood sitting around somewhere . . . ? Hope not.

In Cub Scouts, (at least at Andrew's level) some woodworking is mandatory. I approached it hesitantly, but am happy with the finished project, seen here. Nathan talked me through it from shopping at Lowes all the way to the last screws. Thanks to him--it's done. And thanks to Scouting, I can now say that my most recent woodworking project is a finished woodworking project.

The Webelos and Bears made this toolbox, the Wolves boys made bookends. Each boy got to use a handsaw, measuring tape, C-clamps, and screwdriver. I think they had fun, too. One finished toolbox left my home tonight, two in varying stages, and two more stayed here because they need quite a bit more work. Three sets of completed bookends and one more than halfway done. Oh how I love a finished project!

I also enjoyed working with wood growing up. My dad had a box of scrap wood that he let us use without needing to ask his permission. I don't remember making anything spectacular out of it--anything for that matter--just fun to use my imagination and my hands. I remember practicing driving nails and pulling them out again. Dad also made the wood blocks we played with, which he did keep for his grandchildren. They are a treasure.

I almost forgot the best part of this project. The first day I cut wood, Caitlin came out into the garage, watched me pushing and pulling the saw back and forth and burst into laughter, saying, "That's funny. A mom working?!"

Andrew stayed home from school today with a headache, so he spent several hours working in the garage with me getting wood ready for tonight. Hopefully he will remember that we were together the first time he used a saw, because he's my unfinished project.

(p.s. I am giving this toolbox away, but will be building another one with Andrew when he's a Bear. Thanks to grandparents, he already has tools to store in it).

Riding Lawn Mower

Can your lawn mower do this?
Shorter grass, Sears. Time with Dad, Priceless.

Fatigue: My constant companion

This post was written one night in the middle of the night, (about 1:00 am) when Nathan was sound asleep and my brain was moving at hyperspeed. We have a growing collection of sleeping photos. I decided to post them tonight because at dinner we added Diana to the collection, (ABOVE). She is refusing naps, (which is OK, because if she naps, she won't sleep until 11:00pm), however, the dinner hour is sometimes too for her to sit that still. Her head bobs up and down, but tonight Nathan eased her down to the tray. She was awake enough to put her food up onto the table before she started bobbing.

This is Caitlin, on the floor outsider her bedroom door in PR.



There are more, but some are from our predigital era, so you will not be seeing the entire collection. You will notice, I am not in any of them. They are just some funny places and ways that Hunts have been found catching Z's. The following picture is Bryn--right in the middle of the laundry basket where she put herself, I might add. We snapped that photo in the middle of the night, concerned that the light from the flash would wake her. It didn't.



Caitlin again, this time fell asleep watching TV.


And my personal favorite below, which you must click on to fully appreciate--This is Nathan and Caitlin, and that's a hardwood floor under him:



A little dirty laundry never kept me awake, but dirty dishes will.

Either we don't go to bed early enough, or we just run until we crash. I'm not sure which, but I am looking forward to some good sleep tonight!

Mother's Day Love

A few years ago, I saw this delicious looking dessert in the magazine "Everyday Food." Nathan has made it every year since. Yesterday he heard me talking to a friend who asked if we had any Mother's day traditions. Thank goodness she asked--because it reminded him and he delivered.

Isn't tradition delicious?

It is "Strawberry Tart" and I think it was the May or June 2006 issue.

The fabric below it is Bryn's first apron. A friend of mine from Park Ridge was selling them a few years back. I bought them for Andrew and Bryn, and since then asked her for the pattern to make more.

A delicious way to end a wonderful Mother's day.

Click here
for a good story about the effect of a mother's love. We heard it from a teenage boy today in church. I want to be the kind of mom described in the story.

This is the bread that Beth baked

I bake bread a lot. Often enough that my son says my favorite hobby is "baking." Often enough that much of the bread we eat comes from our own kitchen. Often enough that when I put these loaves into the oven, I knew something was wrong. I don't make this mistake often enough, however, that I could identify it when the loaves went into the oven.

The mystery was solved when Bryn took the first bite. "Mom, you forgot the salt!"

When she said it, I immediately remembered having seen that problem before. I've forgotten to add salt, oil, yeast, and sugar. All during distinct baking sessions, not all at once. Today it was salt. It looks like I'll be baking again soon. We've eaten saltlesss bread before, shaking on the salt at the table. But I don't know that I will do that this time. So disappointing! The loaf is extra sticky and the yeast goes like crazy--because salt slows it down. Hence the bubbly appearance on the top of the loaf on the right. If you don't believe there's a difference, scroll down to see the bread that Nate baked.

It reminds me of this scripture: "Verily, verily, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor, wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall thenceforth be good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men." 3 Nephi 12:13

That's about all this bread is good for--to be trodden under the foot of men.

Thank goodness I get to try again.

Salt free bread anyone?
Going once . . . Going twice . . . gone . . . .

Heard at the Hunts: Happy Mother's Day!

Our home is Cub Scout Central two evenings a month. One time in April, the boys brought collections to display and admire. They brought some unique and interesting collections--from rocks and coins to cars, license plates, Pokemon cards and antique toys.

Not wanting to be completely left out, when they all were finished, I added:
"I collect children. And their names are Andrew, Bryn, Caitlin, and Diana."

Happy mother's day to all my mothers and grandmothers! And thanks to my kids and husband for making me a mother.

Selective posting & Rewards

I began to realize about two months ago, that the accounting class would not be enough hours to renew my license, so I signed up for another class. I have been much more quiet about this one--that's my selective posting. I only write the details I want to share.

Yesterday, I finished the other class! It was a one credit class on how to get student cooperation. It was interesting, easy, and quick to finish. It made me think a lot about my parenting skills, things I am good at, and things I am not.

It was all about rewards and punishments. After thinking about them long and hard, I decide to buy some Smarties to eliminate one of my greatest daily struggles: getting Diana buckled into her car seat. It worked like magic on the way home from the store today. What do you think? I decided it was worth the price of a Smartie to not have to fight her every time--we have enough battles throughout the day over what she can and cannot do. I hope her price won't go up over time. It would be great if she would value what I do: getting in the car quickly to move on to the next thing. FOR NOW, she doesn't, so a little sugar is helping. We'll see how I feel about it as time passes. What do you think?

All that is left to re-certify is to get my transcript when my grades are posted, send it and some other forms in, pay $90, and wait for them to send me a new teaching certificate. I will be so happy for that--an active certificate for three years.

Now, my celebrating! In the middle of accounting, I bought a serger. I was looking for Craigslist for about a month to find just what I wanted.
Used
Within my price range
A good brand
After searching for a short period of time, I found that many sellers of sergers bought them or received them as gifts and never used them. So I added that to my list:
Used, but not really used.

It didn't take long to find one--and it has been sitting in my room ever since. It was my prize for finishing recertification (see, I am rewarding myself here, maybe rewards do work). It is part of my goal this year to sew something I actually would wear. On June 13th, I will be in Austin for a class on how to use it.

After that, I might disappear into my sewing space and never return! As you can see in the photo, I probably won't be gone very long before someone finds me.

Fire Ants

While I was posting about the Father's and Sons' campout on Saturday, Diana met her match with the fire ants in our backyard. When I heard her scream, I knew it was ants. It was not the kind of cry you hear when a sibling is pestering. It was peril. Andrew knew it was peril, as well, because he ran to the front yard to get Nathan, who was mowing the lawn. By the time I arrived on the scene, only 2 ants were on her foot. I don't think she brushed any of them away either, but I am having a hard time believing two ants did this much damage. Thank goodness there weren't more.

You might have heard of the biting ant in the South, called "Fire ants." They are alive and well in my own backyard. The aisles of all the hardware stores are full of ant poison right now, and this is why. Nathan was told that cornmeal can eliminate them in a less toxic way. Our landlord had left some ant-poison in the shed, which Nathan used, and the hill where Diana was standing when bit is completely gone. We will try cornmeal on the other known hills in the yard.

MORE DETAILS IF YOU WANT THEM: On day one of ant bites, they look red and the area surrounding the "bite" begins to swell. Day two, the bite looks like a raised white head. Day three, what you see here, the white head has become a blister, that can easily break and soak a sock. The sock has been the best way to prevent direct scratching. And if you really want detail, click on the photo to enlarge.

Nathan read online about them and found out that they don't bite--it is a sting. The ant grabs on and rotates in a circle, stinging repeatedly. And you get a sore foot that itches like crazy.

This is Diana's foot today, and actually some of the swelling has gone down and we feel it is headed in the right direction. These sores take a LONG time to heal, but the swelling will be gone in another day or two. She is the only one in our family to have a major encounter with the ants, (this is her second), but most of us have been bit at least once.

I remember a TV movie where people-sized ants were taking over the world--some crazy show--why was I watching that? These little guys are the real thing.

And now, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, a few ant jokes:

What medicine would you give an ill ant?
Antibiotics!

What is smaller than an ant's dinner?
An ant's mouth!

What do you call an ant who skips school?
A truant!

MORAL: Take care of the ants in your backyard before they take care of you. Having the way to take care of them isn't enough, you have to use it.

Tradition: Father's and Sons

Last night was the Annual "Father's and Sons" campout for all the men at church. Andrew has attended since he was still in diapers, about 20 months old. A couple of years it was cancelled in Chicago, so he was very excited to get to go with Nathan this year. Didn't have a great photo op at the campsite, so here they are with the tent in our backyard.

More details if you want them: They cooked their own hot dogs and marshmallows and played "Capture the Flag." At the fireside they sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" and "Ye Elders of Israel," and read the First Vision from someone's I-phone. Andrew said, "It was a meeting about the Priesthood." Another boy from our scout troop went with them, and they ate breakfast burritos this morning. No one used their jackets or sweatshirts.



Girl's Night In: While they boys were away, here's how the girls did play. After a quick trip to Walgreen's for supplies, we painted lots of little nails pink. The girls watched Barbie: Princess and the Pauper while I worked on an upcoming sewing project.