My Summer Happenings...

Our summer vacation to Utah was cut shorter than usual because Paul and I were headed on Pioneer Trek

 Our awesome family!

We had great kids in our group--lots of hard-workers and positive attitudes!

Playing Ninja tag before we headed out

We stopped along the handcart trek to listen to pioneer stories

This was our first day of 7 miles

beautiful weather and scenary

Our great kids pulling the family handcart.

It was a tough three days, physically, but a tremendous spiritual journey.

I love trek and all that we learn from stepping into pioneer shoes for a moment.

 My other big project this summer...

After days of trying to motivate Nora to use the potty,

I turned it over to Afton.

Potty-training done.

Nora is super proud of herself and likes to announce her bathroom activities to anyone and everyone!

 We also had a fun activity in downtown Chicago with our good friends.

Bev wanted to do an "adventure-race" for her birthday

We had clues to find landmarks and photo ops around Chicago

I will say that Bev and Michelle definitely had this down better than me and the guys...

This made me laugh--a "pre-broadway" show called Kinky Boots

The boys decided that we should ditch the race and head to Rosebud Prime for a leisurely afternoon lunch.

I think next time Bev might want to be more selective in picking her teammates!

Photography Class

I'm taking a photography class from the local community college.

I think it's making a huge difference in the pictures I take of my kids

and I'm excited to keep learning more.

Here's a little sampling...

Checklist

Heather and Sarah both did this list, so I figured I'd finally play along too.  The things that I've done are in red...


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Pacific Ocean
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument


Some of these I am not interested in doing (skydiving or bungee-jumping) and there's others that I hope I will get to do soon (Mount Rushmore, riding a Gondola in Venice) and others that I think just aren't me, but wouldn't want to rule out (skinny dipping, hitch-hiking).  It's so fun to see what I have accomplished just by checking off a list!

Is it too early?

I love, love, love the Christmas season.

I am excited for decorating, baking, partying, hostessing, and gift-giving.

Santa is all ready for our house.

I'm even 90% done with my shopping.

I have my countdown started.

Mostly because I am in charge of some crafts for Relief Society, and this was one of them.

I made it way back in September and just didn't want to put it away.

I don't normally hang my Christmas wreath out yet,

but I just made this one and I can't find my Thanksgiving wreath.

I hate to shortchange Thanksgiving, because I love that holiday too.

But I really can't contain my Christmas excitement!

I Double Dare You (only if you want to play)

I Double Dare You (only if you want to play)

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law both posted this challenge and since I wanted something from them, I guess I'll have to offer it to someone else as well!

 I think perhaps 5 people read this blog, occasionally. I double dare you to accept this challenge.This game involves a few of my favorite things: handmade goods, creativity, and gift-giving. Here are the tagging instructions: The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while)
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog.The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

Funny that this should appear in my e-mail box last night...

Maybe I should sign up and ultrasound all my family and friends. It'll be too late for me by the time I'm "certified"

Boy or Girl?

So I've passed the halfway mark and we get to go in next Wednesday for our official ultrasound. (The doctor's office just got a new plasma screen up on the wall which makes it so nice and easy to watch the whole ultrasound! I'm very excited!) People have started to ask if we're going to find out what we're having. We always do--we have children to prepare and really, we're not good at waiting. We like to plan ahead! Matthew wants a brother and may need these last few months to adjust if he's getting another sister. Afton and Halle both want a baby girl. Paul thinks it's a girl and I just don't know. Take a guess yourself and we'll let you know next week!

Tagged--likes/dislikes

Sarah tagged me to list my 10 likes and dislikes and while my answers are not as creative and cute as hers, I can't let a tag go by without participating.
LIKES:
1. The Smell of Rain
2. The color pink--it makes me happy
3. Milano cookies
4. Going out to dinner
5. Baby smiles/laughs/giggles
6. Phone calls with loved ones
7. A warm fire on cold nights--someday I will have a fireplace
8. Starbucks' Caramel Apple Spice drink
9. Ballet flats
10. Shopping-for myself and others--I just like to shop!
DISLIKES
1. Cleaning bathrooms
2. Cold, Yucky winters (After Christmas, I'm done with snow!)
3. Filling in Matt's reading chart every month
4. Smokers standing right outside the door to a building
5. Being really far behind in scrapbooks for my kids
6. The end of vacations
7. Unpacking after vacations
8. Dishonesty
9. Losing touch with friends--good thing I found facebook!
10. How my day slips away and I got nothing accomplished--except this list!

I now tag Heather, Kelsey, Allison and Kristen

Typing Test

My friend Amy had this link on her blog, so I decided to try it out. I think I did pretty well--I inherited my dad's speedy typing fingers. He used to beat all the girls in high school in typing tests--and that was when they had those hard manual typewriters. I used to love type class in 8th grade. No homework, sit in class and chat with friends while you practiced typing! Try it out and tell me how you do! (Dad, I'm expecting you to show us your stuff!)

87 words

Speedtest

Casimir Pulaski

Here is the information on Casimir Pulaski--he's not a Chicago hero, but rather a Polish hero. Because there is a large Polish population in Chicago, we celebrate Pulaski day. A few other cities also celebrate Pulaski and there are offical Pulaski parades on the official Pulaski Day in October. I enjoyed Christie's guess about a hot dog--they are famous around here! My favorite was Ashley's guess that he was the Polish cousin to Nancy Pelosi and that he is also linked to Barack Obama--currently the most talked about Illinois citizen! Thanks for guessing--you will be getting a surprise from CHICAGO in the mail!

Sometimes called the "Father of American Cavalry," Casimir Pulaski was born March 4th, 1747, in Warka, Poland. (It may have been 1746 or 1748.) He became a national Polish hero in 1771, when he and his army overwhelmingly defeated Russian forces in Czestochwa, Poland. Pulaski was wrongly accused in a plot to capture and kill the King of Poland and was banished from Poland.

While in Paris, Casimir heard of the American Revolutionary War and the colonies' struggle to break free from England. He wrote Benjamin Franklin, who was in Paris, to ask if he would consider hiring him to fight against the British. After hearing of his reputation as a great leader, Franklin recommended him to General George Washington.

Washington knew that the colonists had no trained cavalry, so he met with Pulaski and introduced him to LaFayette and John Hancock. In September 1777, Washington convinced Congress to give Pulaski temporary command of the small, new cavalry detachment. On the same day Pulaski saved military supplies and pushed back the British at the Battle of Brandywine. The next day he prevented a surprise attack at an area called Warren's Tavern. Congress acknowledged Pulaski's leadership and bravery and commissioned him as Brigadier General. He was placed in command of four light cavalry regiments.

During the winter at Valley Forge in 1777-78, Pulaski wanted to train the cavalry properly, but was instructed by Congress to rest his men during the winter, as was customary at the time. Later in 1778, Pulaski became frustrated that his cavalry had not been involved in any important battles. Considering resignation, he asked Washington to allow him to start his own legion. He offered to recruit men, outfit them, and train them his own way. He would prepare this cavalry for active duty. After many letters from Pulaski, Congress finally agreed. With 68 horses and 200 foot soldiers, the Pulaski Legion would become the colonists' first true fully-trained cavalry.

He recruited many men, European and some Americans. At first, some of the American soldiers did not like him because he did not speak English, but they soon began to respect him in battle for his courage and intelligence.

During a battle in Savannah, Georgia, Casimir was wounded by a cannon. He died from complications of this wound. The first Monday in March has been designated Pulaski Day in Illinois. There is also Pulaski County honoring this great war hero. The Pulaski National Monument is located in Savannah.

Pulaski Day

So the kids are off school today (again) for Pulaski Day. If you live outside of the Chicagoland area, you probably have never heard of Pulaski Day. I'm going to let you take a guess (without googling it) what Pulaski Day is and why Chicago kids get a day off from school. Comment by the end of the day and I'll let you know tomorrow. There may even be a couple of prizes--one for the correct guess and another for the most creative!

The Men of Austen

For you romantics out there, here is a compilation of the Austen heroes (and some of the less heroic as well) to go along with Jane's quote.

Jane for the Day

I'm obviously behind in doing this. I've been particularly busy this weekend and haven't even had time to watch Sunday Night's Masterpiece which was Northanger Abbey. So, I'm throwing out a quote today from that novel, which is not one of Jane's most popular. The heroine Catherine loves reading novels and often lets her imaginations run away because of said novels! Here she is...

"Only a novel"... in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language.
--Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

Persuasion by Jane Austen

What a lovely way to spend your Sunday evenings! Masterpiece Theatre is running a Jane Austen series which started last night. Each Sunday evening presents a Jane Austen film, some new and some the all-time classics! If you're a Jane lover, make sure you check it out on Sunday nights! Last night was "Persuasion" and it was very good! I enjoyed it immensely and because Paul was out of town, he also enjoyed not having to watch it! I am also particularly looking forward to a new "Emma" starring Kate Beckinsale!

Jane for the Day...

If any one faculty of our nature may be called more wonderful than the rest, I do think it is memory. There seems something more speakingly incomprehensible in the powers, the failures, the inequalities of memory, than in any other of our intelligences. The memory is sometimes so retentive, so serviceable, so obedient; at others, so bewildered and so weak; and at others again, so tyrannic, so beyond control! We are, to be sure, a miracle every way; but our powers of recollecting and of forgetting do sem peculiarly past finding out. --Mansfield Park

Jane for the Day

Nothing ever fatigues me, but doing what I do not like. --Mansfield Park
(Yep, every Monday back to housework, trying to recover from the weekend!)

Who I look like?

I personally think I look nothing like these people, but apparently the computer does!

Jane for the Day...

"Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never."
-Pride and Prejudice
I like this one because, sometimes, I do feel rather proud of myself and think others surely must notice it!

They look like they know what they're doing...

The kids and I enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars while getting ready for bed. Matt thought the dancing was fun, but was a little confused by the judging...
Matt: That guy talks funny. Do you know what he's talking about?
Me: He's telling them how they did on the dance.
Matt: Well, I don't know what he's saying, but he knows what he's doing.
Later-
Matt: The girls don't wear very many clothes.
Me: Yes, that's part of their costumes. I'm sure they wear more clothes when they're not dancing.
Matt: We wear more clothes, unless we're in our underwear. We could dance in our underwear.
(I'm wondering at this point what exactly he's picturing all of us doing)
I almost enjoy listening to the kids' comments on the dancing more than the dancing itself.

Jane for the Day...

More Great Fall Colors
Originally uploaded by lu2shoot

In honor of fall, take a walk through nature today:
"Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn, that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness, that season which has drawn from every poet, worthy of being read, some attempt at description, or some lines of feeing." --Persuasion