my mother told me to pick the very best one and...

I have had it in my head for some time now that I would like to paint our kitchen chairs. They just are not cutting it for me. They are chairs that have been passed around the family for quite some time and are showing it. This is the state of things:Not absolutely dreadful, but nothing to write home about either. So, I was thinking, why not go with something really dramatic and awesome and paint them a bright cherry red!? Fabulous, right? Red is one of those colors that I just can't get away from and am always picking out. So, here is option red:

But then I got to thinking again. Because I pick out everything red, maybe painting four chairs a bright, shiny red would be overpowering. Also, it is often difficult to match reds. So, the brain continued on. My favorite color combinations right now, bordering perhaps on an obsession or fetish, is cherry red with light robins egg blue. So, thinking along those lines I came up with option blue:

So, what do you think? This is a little brighter blue than I was intending, but it has already taken me far too long to get it to this shade, so just imagine it a wee bit lighter. Also, bare in mind that we have a white on white on more white kitchen. I would like to ask everyones assistance to help out with the decision. I'm going to have a little poll over to the right. Thanks for your input. You can also suggest other colors, but I'm not promising anything.

Also, a big shout out to RQ! Happy Birthday, Dad!

a series of unfortunate events

After what had been a fairly successful morning (woke up too late, but still managed to get everyone fed and dressed, including myself - amazing! - before 10:00), I decided we should celebrate and go for a walk down to the local grocery store and pick up some blueberries for a crazy good deal they were having.

Well, we headed out on this fine brisk morning, with the sun finally shining (it has been raining forever and ever and ever) and headed out. Our first hiccup came when a woman stopped us and asked if the boys were warm enough. Huh? Of course they are. They had on long sleeves and shorts with long socks. She was wearing a pretty heavy coat and a scarf. There may have even been some foot stamping on her part. (Side note - funny thing about California, you can guess where people are from based on their outerwear this time of year. People from colder areas are in maybe jackets and sweatshirts. People from California or even warmer areas are in parkas and ski hats.) So, I told her they were fine and moved along, but in truth, I was worried about them.

So, we pressed on and ran across more bundled people (for the record I was only in a t-shirt and was feeling pretty good) and finally made it to the store. We went in and accessed the blueberry situation. There were organic and regular. I recalled that they were both on sale and grabbed a couple of each and some well priced strawberries for good measure. Sam spotted the blueberries right away and probably having visions of Maine, started wailing for some. I thought, "Hmm... well, they are organic. What's the harm?" Probably a ton, but lets move on. So, Sam and Ben proceeded to eat almost an entire container of organic blueberries while I looked for popcorn, decided it was too expensive to justify and headed to the checkout (another side note: why do kids always eat like they have been locked in a closet for days with only bread and water when we're in situations like this? We feed them all the time. I promise!)

So, the cashier rings me up and it is way too much. Turns out that my recollection was absolutely incorrect and the organic blueberries were not on sale at all. In fact they were about a million dollars a berry. So, I had to run and swap out the other two, but we had to go in for the expensive organic berries that we had already consumed, because, well we couldn't swap those.

I was bummed.

So, our next item of business was to get me a library card at the local library which is on the way home. We headed out that way and found that it is closed on Sundays and Thursdays. A little random? Definitely.

So, we decided to head to the playground for a while. We got there and I pulled the boys out with their blue lips (hmm... from the cold or blueberries?) and they were playing for about 3.7 seconds before it started to rain. And Ben and Sam flatly refused to get back into the stroller. And they are surprisingly fast so they are hard to catch. So, after my little Von Trap boys ran around in the chilly rain, with people in raincoats and parkas passing us, I managed to lure them back into the stroller with a few more berries and head home. It stopped raining then.

And that was all before noon. L'chai-im!

out of the frying pan...

...and into the nursery. Zach and I both got called to be in the youngest nursery. We subbed last week and were called this week. I was a little nervous at first, that I would be doing the same thing that I do all week, except with five other children or so. But it went really well this week. We've got some really good kids in there. Of course, we represent about a third of the nursery, with the boys. We're excited to start doing some lessons and activities with the kids. So, hopefully it will be a whole load of fun and in no way wretched.


Also, I wanted to acknowledge the passing of Pres. Gordan B. Hinckley. He was an amazing and wonderful man. He has been the president of the Church since I was eleven years old. But, as Zach said, this isn't really a sad occasion. Pres. Hinckley lived a great life, influencing millions for good, and he is now with his beloved wife again. All the same, he will be greatly missed.

A Day at the Beach

Sadly, we were not able to take advantage of the blessed day off, mainly because I am sniffling and sneezing for several days. We did manage to get some more great Britcoms in, though. Some Vicar of Dibley and Jeeves and Wooster. Not familiar? Get familiar! Oh, and I just like to take this moment to thanks one P.G. Wodehouse for being so fan-friggin-tastic!

Anyway, moving right along, we were able to go to Half Moon Bay a little before Christmas. It was loads of fun. And, surprisingly chilly.

Katie and Ben

Sam gives his Mommy a big hug.

We really weren't prepared for the cold at all. So, I ended up needing to give Sam my sweatshirt. Zach wrapped Ben up in his coat.

Zach, Ben and Sam at the top of the cliffs.

It was a whole lot of fun, even if it was rather chilly. Afterwards we went to a tiny restaurant called "The Happy Taco." It was so, so good.

In other news, I was released as the Primary Secretary. We got a new bishopric and a new Primary presidency, and thus I got released. A very short stint, but it has definitely freed up my Sundays a bit. That's always nice.

This was my last act as Primary Secretary. There are going to be stepping stones with the kids pictures on them. I think it will end up looking nice.

Garden Updates

I thought it was high time that we revisited the garden. The good news is that the majority of our plants are thriving. The bad news is that I did manage to damage several plants beyond any possible repair.

I picked the majority of the Meyer lemons before we left for Christmas because I was worried that they were going to become overripe. The remaining three gorgeous lemons are proof that I was worrying too much. Oh well. I used to pre-holiday lemons to make a lemon curd today. I haven't tried any yet, so I don't really know how well they turned out. I let you know tomorrow after they have been allowed to chill overnight.

While I was making it I convinced Ben that if I gave him one of the lemons I could put him down and use both my hands. He was pointing at them and saying "app" or apple, which is how the boys refer to any fruit except bananas. So, I put him down and he ran off with the lemon. A few minutes he came back whining loudly, threw the lemon (which now had big teeth marks in it) and started spitting and wiping his tongue. Poor little guy!

The parsley (on the fence) is growing like mad. We use it constantly and add it to just about everything. I'm forever sending Zach out to grab me a couple of sprigs. The lemon thyme there has been fun too, though it isn't growing as quickly, so I'm letting it get a little strength before I start snipping and harvesting. Though it did assist in that fabulous corn dish that we had for Thanksgiving.

The oregano is doing pretty well, though again, not a fast grower, so I've only used it a couple of times. There are loads of tiny little leaves that are getting ready to grow beneath the larger ones. I think it may just be waiting for warmer weather.

There are no pictures here of my rosemary or sweet basil. The basil was doing great until we left for Christmas, then after a few weeks of neglect and several days of hard rain, it decided it had had enough and wilted beyond recognition. The rosemary never had a chance. It was showing signs of ill treatment from the first moments I transplanted it. It's a little annoying since there is rosemary everywhere here! Growing rampant and beautiful, sending its glorious, taunting scent in my direction. Well, I'm not beat yet. I'm going to try both of these again in the spring.

Now, for what people actually cares about (or rather, a few offhand questions about them) - my pilfered geraniums!
Well, despite several vile attempts by the local squirrels to kill them by way of knocking them off the fence (and breaking one of my pots by the by - stupid squirrel), they are doing great! I've replanted them into these pots I got at the local Daiso, and I noticed that they had tons of little roots. They are sending up new shoots too. I'm hoping that we'll get some flowers in the spring. I don't really know what colors they are going to be, what with them mostly just being stalks when I, um, acquired them. I'm guessing they will be a mixture of pink and red.


Well, there ya go. My next project: pilfering some rosemary clippings. Shhhhh!

My Sweet, Beautiful Friend

On Monday January 7th, my dear friend Rebecca Blazzard was hit by a car and died.

She was so glorious. Truly someone who scattered sunshine everywhere she went. When I was first getting to know Rebecca I wrote that "she is passionate about things that other people never even think to be passionate about." She just loved life so much, enjoying every little bit of it. Rebecca loved me when I didn't think I could be loved. I'll always be so grateful that I could know her, even so briefly. Rebecca was one of my best friends.

So, for me more than anyone else, I'm going to jot down some memories. These won't make much sense (except maybe to Katherine), but here they are.

Memories of Rebecca
Fox (Mulder) 40
Introducing a new person to Homestarrunner everyday
Words on the walls
The GooGoo Dolls Concert
IMDBing on her bed
Discovering we had been in the same class the whole semester
Beatles Night
Finding that gross cowboy hat
Arby's outside the library
Talking about books and writing
She liked my script
The League
Tomatoes with salt and pepper
Fry Bread
Fabulous Movies
Telling her I got into the film department
Denny's at 12:01 AM on April 7th
Easter at my parent's house
Final Cut '04
Jack Handy Quotes
Philosophizing into the wee hours
Post Cards, Letters, Packages
The David Duchovny Song (Why won't you love me?)
The Firefly Expedition
The Birthday Collage
Rebecca o' the Emerald Hills (and such)

There are more, but I'm starting to laugh and cry at the same time.

Goodbye Golden Rebecca

The Pictures of Christmas Past (but just this last one)

Just in case you have been wondering, "what on earth have those crazy kids been up to these last couple of weeks?" here are some loverly photos to get you updated.

The Cottage at the Maine house after the first snow. It wasn't all that cold when we first got there, but Odelaly! did it get cold later. It was down to single digits. Crazy.

Ben in front of the Christmas tree. We managed to break three ornaments while we were there. I think Ben was a two and Sam was at one when we left. Sorry again, Mom.

Zach and Ben at the top of the Bunker Hill Monument in Boston. There are 294 steps. We carried the boys up all the way.

Katie and Sam going down the steps of the Bunker Hill Mounment. There are some of me at the top, but they were not very exactly pleasing to the eye. As I said, there are 294 steps. And we carried the boys up all the way.

The Bunker Hill Monument

The boy enjoying the bright Maine sun.

We had a little Christmas before we left at our house. The boys got the hang of opening gifts pretty quickly.

Grammie pulling Ben , Sam, and cousin Jackson. That's Carina in the orange coat. We went sledding down this big groomed hill. Crazy fun, the boys were really cold by the end though. That's what happens when you throw off your gloves and fall in the snow.

Well, there's just a few photos. I'll probably sneak some old photos in here too in the next couple of days. It was so much fun to be up there. Though, sadly, Zach never did get his Moxy. Oh, well. There were a lot of whoopie pies though! Happy New Year everyone!