2022 Books

I lowered my reading goal this year. I wanted to be more present. Instead of shooting to read 100 books, my goal was to read 50 books. I've finished 52 books so far this year and have read 18,028 pages. I still have time to finish the 53rd book, but we'll see. I spend less time reading heavy and heartbreaking books. I read more light books that make me belly laugh. This year, that’s what I needed. 

We spend a lot of time at the library! It's the best. 

My kids and husband are book lovers too.

The shortest book I read this year was: “The Priesthood Power of Women” By Barbara Morgan Gardner. It’s only 159 pages, but it led to a riveting discussion at book club.

The longest book I read this year was: “Saints #3: Boldly, Nobly, and Independent.” This book is 757 pages. It was a monster. I did learn a lot about faith and was flabbergasted and heartbroken to read about how black members of the church were treated. What faith one family had after being told they could no longer attend.

My average book length this year was 346 pages.

The “most shelved” book I read this year was “To Kill a Mockingbird” By Harper Lee. What brilliant writing.

The “least shelved” book I read this year was “The Hollywood Dropout” By Kiri Case. I was friends with Kiri in High School and she published a book! I have so much respect for her! I binged Kiri’s book in a day and thought it was cute.

My average rating for 2022: is 4.0 stars. And some say I’m a harsh critic…

The highest-rated book on Goodreads that I read is, “Know My Name” By Chanel Miller. This was a very difficult read for me. Chanel is raw in her writing with details about her horrific rape at Stanford University. I don’t think I would recommend this book to most people but I appreciate the perspective and vulnerability.

My first review of the year was about the book: “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters” By Abigail Shriner. I wrote on Goodreads: “This book was extremely informative and I shared a lot of what I learned with my husband. The title is awful and sometimes the tone of the writing bugged me, but I’m glad I read it.” I don't write reviews often and sometimes rating books is stressful for me. 

Rom Coms that got my approval:

• “Almost American Girl” By: Robin Ha
• “The Party Crasher” By: Sophia Kinsella
• “Just Haven’t Met You Yet” By: Sophie Cousens
• “Book Lovers” By Emily Henry. It wasn’t just me that thought this book deserved a standing ovation. It won the romance category on the Goodreads choice awards this year! 
• “Nora Goes Off Script” By: Annabel Monaghan
• “Eight Nights of Flirting” By: Hannah Reynolds
• “Maybe One Day” By: Debbie Johnson
• “Amelia Unabridged” By: Ashley Schumacher

Heavy Books Worth the Heartache:

• “The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear” By: Kate Moore
• “The Warsaw Orphan” By: Kelly Rimmer

Books in a Series you should check out:

• I read the first book in the Inheritance Games series last year. This year I read The Inheritance Games #2: “The Hawthorne Legacy” and The Inheritance Games #3: “The Final Gambit” By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Quick and fun.
• These books are near the top of my favorite books this year if not at the very top. “Finlay Donovan is Killing It—#1” and  “Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead— #2” The third and final book comes out January 31 and I’m giddy thinking about it. I never do this, but I think I’ll pre-order this one which says a lot.

More books I cherished: 

• “The Good Sister” By: Sally Hepworth
• “Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” By: Clare Pooley
• “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” By: Kim Michele Richardson (This one had a slow start for me, but picked up and was worth it). 
• “The Reading List” By: Sara Nisha Adams
• “This Time Tomorrow” By: Emma Straub

Hot titles you might see while browsing the store: 

Many of these books aren’t PG-rated and I did some skipping.

• “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” By: Gabrielle Zein. Goodreads Choice Awards Winner for the fiction category. I had mixed feelings about it.
• “It Ends With Us” By: Colleen Hoover. Pass.
• “The Love Hypothesis” By: Ali Hazelwood. Skip a bit and you’ll enjoy the rest.
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” By: Taylor Jenkins Reid. Interesting storyline, but graphic.
• “Verity” By: Colleen Hoover. Don't bother.
• “The Maid” By: Nita Prose. Goodreads Choice Award Winner for the mystery and thriller category. Read it!
• “Beach Read” By: Emily Henry. Meh? 
• “Lessons in Chemistry” By: Bonnie Garmus. Yes! Women rule.
• “Remarkably Bright Creatures” By: Shelby Van Pelt. Different and fabulous. 

Other books I finished:

• "Funny You Should Ask” By: Elissa Sussman
• “All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood” By: Jennifer Senior
• “Piranesi” By: Susanna Clarke
• “Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance” By: Ruth Emile Lang
• “Sitting Pretty: The View from my Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body” By: Rebekah Taussig
• “Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies” By: J.B. West
• “Crying in H Mart” By: Michelle Zauner
• “The Alice Network” By: Kate Quinn
• “The Judge’s List (The Whistler #2)” By: John Grisham
• “Almond” By: Soh Won-Pyung
• “The Stranger in the Lifeboat” By: Mitch Album
• “The Wife and the Widow” By: Christian White
• “We Were Liars” By: E. Lockhart
• “Jefferson’s Sons” By: Kimberly Brumaire Bradley
• “Keep it Together, Kikongo Carter” By: Debbi Michiko Florence
• “Emmy & Oliver” By: Robin Benway
• “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope” By: William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer
• “Out of My Heart” By: Sharon M. Draper

I’ll aim to read another 50 in 2023. What was your favorite book this year? Tell me and maybe I’ll add it to my list (fantasy might take some convincing). I understand if you can't narrow it down to just one favorite. 

Medical Probs

In October, we had Parent Teacher Conferences. James enjoys school and I was eager to hear how he was doing. We made conferences a family event and all of us attended. It wasn’t the conference I  envisioned or hoped for. Although yes, James scored high on kindergarten testing which wasn’t a surprise, some issues came up. The conference ran long. James' speech was mentioned,  also his poor handwriting (and possibly the need for occupational therapy), and his trouble focusing. Lots of James’ work that the teacher showed us was unfinished. Apparently getting James to sit still and work in class was a challenge. I knew that James had his name written on the “uh-oh board” one day since he told me, but I didn’t realize he was struggling and felt a little blindsided. We decided to head to the pediatrician and discuss the possibility of James having ADD. This is something I’ve always wondered about. After consulting the doc, Andrew and I had to fill out assessments about James’ behavior and his teacher filled one out too. It was determined that James does have ADD/ADHD. 

We started James on medication. Our pediatrician’s son also takes this medication and his firsthand experience was very beneficial. James takes the lowest dose possible. Luckily James does not have to swallow a pill. We put a powder in his breakfast in the mornings. The drug can affect sleep and appetite, but fortunately, James’ body has adjusted well. (He only lost 1 pound after a month on the medication and losing 4-5 pounds is expected.) After hearing about the challenges at school and learning that ADD can affect James’ self-esteem and cause more irritability and anger, I was fully on board with preventing that. Andrew agreed especially since James couldn’t really write. One night, it took 25 minutes to get James just to write his name on his homework. We have seen giant improvements with James and so has his teacher. I am proud of him! I recently got a phone call from the speech pathologist at the school. She is going to assess James’ speech and work with him. James’ teacher no longer thinks James needs to be evaluated for occupational therapy though which is a huge win. Now that he can focus, he can write. Maybe James will get to do the Chinese Immersion program at school next year like he’s been hoping for after all.

My health challenges have been plentiful this year, but the most recent problem has been super aggravating hives. These started in October around the time of James’ diagnosis. The hives were all over my entire body and even went up my neck onto my face at times. Falling asleep was tricky because I was so itchy. The hives were bad enough to wake me up during the night. I went to a primary care doctor and he thought the hives might be caused by stress. He put me on a prescription, but the hives returned ruling out stress. I scheduled an appointment with an allergy specialist (who happens to be in our ward and live on our street). He was booked out pretty far, but I could finally see him this week. I’m relieved. I didn’t end up having to do an allergy test. I guess my skin is so sensitive it would have been hard to read the test results. I'm not allergic to my toothpaste like detective Jenna thought. I learned the term for my sensitive skin is dermatographia. I can take over-the-counter pills to help ease the hives and you better believe I got those pills into my system as soon as possible. Just because I have this skin condition now, doesn’t mean I’ll deal with it forever. The doctor did ask if I’ve had Covid-19 recently and said that hives are a common lingering side effect. There’s no way to know exactly what is causing the hives, but I am thrilled to have a plan moving forward. Stay away hives! Forever.

Travel

I was young when Andrew and I got married. 19 years and 10 months old to be exact. I didn’t realize the importance of marrying a good driver. Andrew is a fantastic driver (professionally trained actually). His skills have come in handy many times throughout the years.

Andrew has had back-to-back travel this month. He drove to Cardston, Canada to attend his Grandma’s funeral. We looked at plane tickets and the prices were unbelievable, so he decided to drive 11 hours. He doesn’t mind driving and got through nearly 2 audiobooks on his solo road trip.

Isabelle’s middle name is Rose after Andrew’s Grandma. Minnie Rose Harvey was born in 1930 and passed away in 2022. She was 92 years old. Grandma Rose has so much posterity! She was known for sending out family emails regularly.  Grandma Rose made family history a priority and she spent so much of her life serving including 26 missions! We spent time with Grandma Rose in April at a family wedding. She was such a sweet lady and led a wonderful life! I’m glad Andrew was able to attend the funeral.

Debbie was able to leave the MTC a day early to be at her mom's funeral

We left to spend Thanksgiving in Spokane 41 hours after Andrew’s return from Canada. Andrew got to drive another 11 hours and did so happily. Our time in Spokane was thoroughly planned and scheduled. Don't fret, we both found time to read. I finished "Saints Volume 3" and Andrew read Brandon Sanderson's latest release any chance he got.  Andrew played sports galore. One evening the family played volleyball. Early on Thanksgiving, the men kept their turkey-bowl football tradition going. I was not envious that they were playing in under 30-degree temperatures. Another morning, Andrew played basketball with the guys. They pulled out Grandpa Ken’s sports pinnies. There was also a pickleball tournament. I joined and played in the kids' bracket with my nieces and nephews. Andrew and Dallin won the adult’s bracket. Pickleball is super fun and I want to look into playing at our rec center. We also went bowling. I'll keep my score to myself.

Looks tempting, right?

Brent and Deena hosted Thanksgiving in their brand-new home, which is stunning. It’s in the mountains in Idaho and you have to have a Four Wheel Drive vehicle and sometimes additional chains to make it up to their place. We were grateful Andrew’s brother let us borrow his car to let us make that steep climb. Unfortunately, someone slid into one of Andrew’s siblings on their way up the hill causing an accident. The next night, a drunk driver spun off the road. The mountains make for an epic place to go sledding. James, Isabelle, and Andrew enjoyed that. Going down the hill once was enough for Izzy. After we ate our hearts out, Grannie gave all the kids their Christmas presents, the adults did the favorite things gift exchange, and there was a talent show. What a wonderful day and late night!

Friday evening was Alysee’s bridal shower and we laughed a lot. Saturday night was the annual ABH (All Brother’s Hike) premiere and pizza potluck. Kelly surprised us by making a video of our cruise to Alaska too. He captured some beautiful scenery and funny moments. 

Sunday morning was Debbie’s mission farewell. The spirit was strong as Debbie testified. She told a story about driving over a snowy pass that I’d never heard before. I was able to accompany the musical number. Debbie's granddaughters sang, "I Can Do All Things.” Isabelle followed the big girls up to the stand and tried to sing along with them. This was not planned and it was the cutest thing. I was worried she was a distraction, but she stood still and was as adorable as ever. She held her 16-year-old cousin's hand for the duration of the song. Later, as we were listening to the recording,  Izzy asked, “Is that the song I sang?” She was so proud of herself. One of Andrew’s brothers asked, “Does Isabelle ever stop smiling?” She has a large fan club in Spokane. Although, Saydee was not part of that club. She was jealous of Isabelle. Our kids loved being surrounded by so many cousins. We stayed at Debbie’s house which meant our kids got to spend lots of time with Owen, Carter, Rhett, and Saydee. 

While everyone was together, we took a family picture. There are so many Dittos! I believe there are 47 of us in this picture. 3 of Debbie’s grandkids are missing because they are on missions. Alex (another grandson) and his wife Alexa are not pictured either. 

Shoutout to Malia for taking this pic!

Andrew’s careful driving came in handy on our journey to and from Spokane. Ladies, add "good driver" to the list of qualities you want in a partner. The Fourth of July pass and Lookout pass were snowy on our drive there. On our way home, we hit quite the storm. Fortunately, our kids were phenomenal in the car and didn't add to the tension. Things were very sketchy and stressful for a few hours near Deer Lodge/Butte Montana. In fact, we got several warnings on our phones telling us to delay travel if possible. There was zero visibility. People were driving maybe 30 miles per hour on the freeway with their hazard lights on. A handful of cars slid off the road. Whew! We made it safe and sound. If even Andrew was scared, you know it must have been bad. I’m thankful this trip happened. James cried as we pulled away from the crowd of Dittos. He didn’t want to leave.

Fall Recital

My Fall Recital is over! Huzza! The recital has been scheduled for months. Recitals are a lot of work. Jessica and I decided to do another combined recital. Jessica made the chic invitations. I got invitations and posters printed to advertise the recital. I framed my poster and it has been hanging in my piano room. Making the program also took effort. I thought the program was perfect until one of my students pointed out that I spelled her name wrong. Oops. I felt bad about that typo. My finger stayed down too long and pushed a letter twice.

Ditto Studios has taken off. In fact, I technically have a waitlist with 5 people on it. I currently have 11 students! My Monday and Thursday evenings are filled. It’s wonderful.

To prep for the recital this time, I held 2 performance classes the week of the recital. This gave students a chance to play in front of others. We also did a studio competition leading up to the recital. This was Jessica’s fabulous idea. Each student was given a “41 Days of Practice” chart. Students had to play their recital song every day and practice for at least 10 minutes. At the recital, I announced who won. 3 of my students practiced all 41 days! They got a certificate of recognition and won a $10 Swig gift card and 2 fun sets of piano socks. I wanted to keep some of the piano socks myself.

The recital was held at my church building in the chapel. All day Saturday, I was antsy with anticipation. James said he was sick of being in the chapel. I can’t say I blame him. We cleaned the church that morning (and we were in charge of the chapel), he had primary program practice in the chapel, and then we were back again in the afternoon for the recital.

I played a slew of songs at the recital. I accompanied 5 of Jessica’s students. Jessica and I opened the recital with a beautiful rendition of “Beauty and the Beast.” I also performed piano duets with 2 of my students. I was glad that I didn’t end up getting very nervous. Things ran smoothly without hiccup.

I was extremely satisfied with how the recital went! My students worked hard and were well prepared! It was fulfilling to see how much my students have progressed. I have some advanced students who played showy and impressive songs. I was disappointed that a couple of students brought their music up with them during their performances. They have had their pieces memorized for ages. When a third student of mine attempted to bring her music, I stopped her. I’m so mean.

One of my students had to leave early, so she isn’t pictured. Another student backed out of performing a couple hours before the recital, so he is also missing.

At the end of the recital, people were complimentary. One parent told me, she “recommends me to everyone.” A grandma said, “You are doing such a great job with my granddaughter.” These words meant extra to me because this grandma is an accomplished pianist herself. Another person stopped me to ask if I have any openings because they would love for me to teach their child piano. A young woman leader in my ward told me that they talk about their highs and lows in young women’s every week. She told me that a few of the girls said their “high” of the week was the recital. One girl explained that the recital was both her high and low for the week. I can relate. Recitals can be stressful, but Saturday was certainly a teacher pay-day for me! 

After the recital, it was like a weight had been lifted from my chest. Andrew and I went out on a date. We had a lovely time relaxing at “Crack Shack” and going to the movies. The next recital is tentatively planned for May. For now, I’m enjoying picking Christmas music for my students. Ditto Studios is thriving.

FREE

I'm a sucker for finding a good deal. As a family, we've been able to experience 3 awesome things in the last month all free of charge. I'll start with the most recent.

Disney on Ice

Thursday, November 10

Getting a good pic proved to be very challenging. Maybe it was the time of day? We attempted to take many pics and even resorted to bribery. 

Princess Anna had french braids in (you can't really tell). I was proud of myself. 

I noticed a giveaway on Instagram. 4 free "Disney on Ice" tickets were up for grabs. I didn't bother entering. A few days later, I saw the giveaway again. I decided why not enter? I had 15 minutes to spare before the giveaway closed. I won! I was shocked. There were over 2700 comments, so lots of entries.

I truly feel like winning the tickets was a tender mercy. I was feeling down and couldn't go to sleep the night I won the tickets. I had super itchy hives and my mind was spinning thinking about other challenges. I got on Instagram and saw I had won the tickets. What? It felt like the Lord knew I was struggling and showed me he is aware and gave me a pick-me-up. I'm so thankful. I won 4 tickets that were $35 each. 

We rode the train (tracks) to the arena which the kids had never done. They loved it. The show didn't start exactly at 7 like we expected and we were early because I am always early. The kids were antsy. Some popcorn helped. The emcees of the show were Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. There were 5 main Disney movies in the show-- The Little Mermaid, Moana, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and Frozen. The Little Mermaid and Frozen were the best according to my kids. Although not mean Ursula!

The kids' eyes were glued to the ice and the performers. Watching their reactions brought Andrew and me so much joy. Isabelle was singing along, James was shouting characters' names, and waving and clapping was a must for all. After each scene ended, Isabelle worriedly asked if the show was over. She wanted it to last forever. Disney on Ice ended after 9pm. James could hardly keep his eyes open. At one point he was laying down because it got too hard to hold his head up. Some sugar helped, but he was out on the train ride home. We got back to our house at 10:15. When I woke James up for school this morning, he declared, "Wasn't Disney on Ice so fun? I think yesterday was the best day of my life." It was definitely a night to remember. 

Hill Air Force Base Museum

Saturday, November 5

Hill Air Force Base has a free museum that I've heard about a lot. We decided to go as a family on a weekend. Andrew was fascinated by the planes. He enthusiastically explained things to us. We were all interested. It was rainy, so we didn't spend much time looking at the outdoor models, but there was plenty to see inside the 2 buildings. I thought the old airplanes without roofs were cool. James was surprised to see bombs and guns in the planes and had many questions about why they were needed. At one point he asked, "why are all of these fighter planes?" The museum is 50 minutes away, so it was a time commitment. We spent nearly an hour and a half browsing the museum before the kids were asking to leave. More like wanting snacks. 

SeaQuest Aquarium

Saturday, October 22

One of my friends told me that SeaQuest was doing a deal. You could get free tickets to the aquarium. I jumped at the chance. This saved us over $70. We had plenty of time to kill over fall break (James had 6 days off of school). This activity helped break up the time spent at home.

SeaQuest is in Layton and is 45 minutes away. We live near the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium and going to a different aquarium was a welcome change. There was a pig! We fed birds (ok, it was all Andrew). There were ginormous snakes and one was even out of its cage being held. You could feed most of the animals. The chickens were aggressive and eager to eat. They put an end to the kids' desire to feed creatures. After, we stopped for lunch. I won another giveaway earlier this year, so we ate at that pizza place and used my gift card. It wasn't what we expected. It was a fancy sit-down restaurant with high prices (that our gift card didn't cover.)In Andrew's words, "I've had better pizza from Little Caesars." Not our vibe. I could see us returning to Sea Quest though, especially if I can snag free tickets again.

I'm grateful we have been able to spend quality time adventuring as a family for free. I'm on the hunt for the next bargain or giveaway!

Happy Halloween

Things I want to remember about Halloween this year...

• I helped with James’ class party. Isabelle got to come along too. Isabelle adores being with the big kids. Though she was livid at one point because there weren’t enough juice boxes for her. Being a newbie at the whole elementary parent thing, I eagerly signed up to help with both kids' parties. (Isabelle’s party was a different day). A break is earned next year. Isabelle’s party was especially exhausting since I was in charge of helping 3-year-olds make Oreo spiders. What a mess. I did enjoy seeing my kids in their school environments though.
• The kids have so many costumes and dress-ups. They could not decide what they wanted to wear. Throughout Halloween day, Isabelle wore at least 4 costumes 2 of which were princesses. For her preschool party, she was Elsa. On Halloween night, Isabelle ended up being Wonder Woman and James was an astronaut.

• I took the kids to Crave cookies because they were giving out a free cookie to all school-aged children dressed in costume. Obviously, there was a large mom tax. 
• The kids have wanted to go to the pumpkin patch near our house. It has a slide. I thought Halloween might be our last chance, so we went. It turns out pumpkin patches are semi-deserted on Halloween. We had the slide to ourselves. Izzy was afraid to go down the slide initially, but I was proud of her for doing it again and again.
• I decided that we clearly didn’t have enough sugar and made a new recipe: pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls with maple glaze. They were superb. I will make these again, but probably not on a sugar-packed day.
• Jessica, Chris, and George joined us! We had pizza which is a Halloween must/tradition. George made the cutest George Washington and came trick or treating with us for a few minutes before his bedtime.

• We met up with the Bradshaws and Boones while trick or treating. Valerie is a costume designer and seamstress. Their Spider-Man-themed costumes were next level.
• Our neighborhood is an amazing place to trick or treat. People go all out. Our bishop passes out homemade doughnuts! Someone else provides hot dogs. The buttery popcorn was a highlight; apparently, those neighbors passed out a record high of 400 bags. Cotton candy aka “witches brew” is fun too. We nearly forgot about the homemade root beer around the corner. It was worth the extra steps. 
• Our neighborhood had extra excitement this year. A street was blocked off and many fire trucks, emergency vehicles, and responders were around. There was a large chemical spill. We’re still confused why a neighbor had mercury in their garage, but we’re grateful everyone is ok. There was a news helicopter looming overhead and a full-on news report.  

• We were out trick or treating for over 2 hours.
• Andrew and I typically watch a scary movie after the kids are in bed. We watched “Hocus Pocus” but I don’t think it’s categorized as frightening. Neither of us had seen it before and we didn’t end up finishing or loving it.
• We couldn’t have asked for better weather. I’m so glad the snow waited until later on in the week.
• Cheers to celebrating more holidays with my perky children. I'm here for every minute of it. 

Waiting to go trick or treating was pure torture. The kids' excitement was through the roof.

Soccer

The kids played soccer this fall! Soccer has consumed 9 of our Saturdays. James and Isabelle are not on the same team, so we had lots of back and forth to the field. It’s not too far though! The games were played at Highland Park in South Jordan. It’s a gorgeous spot. Something I like about the league is that practices are right before the game, instead of an additional day during the week. The first 15 minutes of the game are technically “practice” and then there are four, 8 minute quarters. Pretty low key which is necessary for these youngsters.

Isabelle’s opinion of soccer varied each week. Sometimes getting Isabelle to go to soccer was a battle and other times she went happily. The first game Izzy was devastated because the other team “kept taking the ball” from her. Initially, Izzy was a bit shy and hesitant around the coach, Alex, but she warmed up to him. He gave his all to coaching the 2-4 year olds with weekly email reminders and sometimes texts too. Alex was extremely encouraging and enthusiastic. He held Izzy’s hand trying to guide her. We all yelled at Izzy constantly trying to help her run to the ball. Isabelle is a quick runner, but doesn’t quite understand where to run and was often on the opposite side of the field. 

Isabelle’s soccer games were like comedy shows. We laughed endlessly. Wearing shin guards was probably Izzy’s least favorite part about soccer. Isabelle’s pink socks got many compliments and so did she. What a cutie. Who knows if she will want to play soccer again. I’m rooting for it because James and Isabelle could be on the same team next year (4-6 year olds). There was only one other girl on her team and that girl despised soccer and quit coming. Izzy didn’t seem to mind being surrounded by boys.

Go Koalas!

Coach Alex, Isabelle, Lennox, Jack, Robbie, Mckay (Missing Maya)

James has “played” soccer before. Play is a loose term. James was far more interested in the playground and his gang of friends than the ball or the goal. In his defense, he was so little last time. This year, James understands the game. James scored multiple times. He scored at least 4 times if you include the goal he scored in the wrong net. Oops. Much to my chagrin, James scored one of his goals while I wasn’t there. We did have to talk to James about spitting at the opposing team at one point. We also had to explain that the other team isn’t trying to be “mean” to him. They’re just trying to get the ball too, it’s nothing personal.

Grannie was able to come to one of James’ games which was special. James can be a bit clumsy while running and falls sometimes, but he is quick. James is an excellent cheerleader and encouraging teammate. He got into it! James informed me that he would like to play soccer again. I was shocked and thrilled. You got it, buddy. James requested that he has the same coaches next year. There were 3 people who helped coach his team—a cute grandma and her adult kids Jenifer and Eric. They did a great job! Obviously, speculating about what snack would be consumed after the game happened weekly. Adrianna and Elijah Bradshaw were on the team too. I liked chatting and screaming with Valerie on the sidelines.

Go Pandas!

Coaches Grandma and Eric, Elijah, Adrianna, Liam, James, And Ruby (missing Sameya)

Although it will be nice to have our Saturday mornings back, I think I could get used to being a soccer mom! I’m a soccer fan and played many years. The kids have a final makeup game on Saturday, October 29. They get to wear their Halloween costumes and will get some swag (they’re crossing their fingers for a medal). As if this age of soccer isn’t already complicated enough. Hello chaos. It’s going to be a hoot adding costumes and accessories.

Pictures on My Camera Roll

Here's a jumble of recent pictures I have on my phone:

Silver Lake Big Cottonwood Canyon

Friday, October 7

• Absolutely stunning.
• My kids said it was their favorite hike to date.
• We saw 3 deer and many chipmunks.
• The Bradshaws accompanied us.
• Izzy cried most of the way home. It was a 55min drive. Still worth it.

Preschool Adventures

“Monster Face”

• Both our kids love school! I’ve been able to help out in James’ classroom a couple of times and will get to again for his Halloween Party. I also get to assist with Isabelle’s Halloween Party. Loving this stage.
• Isabelle’s preschool does the cutest things. Her favorite part is dance class. She has ballet and tap shoes. When her tap shoes arrived, she insisted on keeping them on full-time and named them her “inside shoes.”
• Itching to get James’ school pictures back!

Andrew's First Pedicure

Friday, October 7

• Andrew was pretty skeptical walking in. The smell was a big turn-off.
• Andrew's feet are even more ticklish than mine. Yikes. We giggled lots.
• Andrew ended up really enjoying the experience. We both read in peace while seated in massage chairs. The employee pulled out the "cheese grater" (official term) and wax to refine Andrew's feet.

Lyle Lyle Crocodile

Tuesday, October 11

• We finished off a large popcorn during the previews.
• The kids asked for a popcorn refill one minute after the movie began. They inherited my love of popcorn. Extra butter, please. At least this time it didn't stain my pants.
• James started dancing and clapping during the movie because he was so captivated.
• James declared this is his new favorite movie. Isabelle was scared briefly, but still liked it. The music is great. I even thought the movie was cute and we plan to rent it, so Daddy can see it too.

Bike Ride to Cafe Rio and Rolling Hill

Wednesday, October 12

• Our house is one mile from tons of shopping and restaurants. It’s my favorite.
• We rode our bikes to Cafe Rio! James is a skilled biker and can easily ride at adult speeds. Izzy was very upset because we told her she could not ride her bike. She rode in the bike trailer and was adamant that I (not Andrew) pull her.
• French fries cheered Isabelle right up. The rest of us chowed on Cafe Rio outside, so we could keep an eye on our bikes.
• On our way home, we stopped at “Rolling Hill.” James has been asking to go there a lot. We made his wildest dreams come true and let him roll his heart out. Honestly, he seemed more interested in climbing the rocks. It’s the little things.

Pumpkin Patch

• Look at that view of the temple! 
• I didn’t expect it to feel like summer during this adventure. The sun was beating down. This was our first pumpkin patch this season and won’t be our last. The kids picked some large pumpkins with friends.
• We take advantage of James getting out of school early on Fridays.

Lion King

Friday, October 15

• We purchased tickets for this show back in March. I vividly remember that day. October seemed so far away, but it finally happened!
• Our friends McCall and Trevor Hendricks came along. Love them!
• We ate at Blue Iguana. Of course, I ate huge amounts and was stuffed right before the show. We all are Mexican food fans.
• I was blown away by the costumes. The animals were amazing and the actors utilized every space they could. The characters were on the balconies at one point and came up the aisles. Our seats were phenomenal.
• "Oh I just can’t wait to be king” keeps popping into my mind. That's fine by me.
• Isabelle was jealous she didn’t get to come along. The kids were lucky to have our nephew Alex and his wife Alexa babysit them.

My photo storage is running low. Next up, I’ll clear out some pictures from soccer season!

Mom Store

To attend book club this month, I had to pay a babysitter since Andrew was off hiking Mt. Saint Helens and some other peaks.

Clearly, Andrew had a good time. We made lots of plans while he was away and enjoyed ourselves (twice James declared he had the best day of his life) until Isabelle got another bad ear infection. She felt miserable and it was sad to see her so sick.  We're glad Daddy is back. Book club was a needed break while Andrew was away for 5 nights.

While at book club, I ate way too many cookies. Have you tried Crave cookies yet? You should. I'll say it-- I think they taste better than Crumbl. (For sure the chocolate chip cookie.) While on my sugar high, I noticed and admired the chore charts on display on Mary's refrigerator. I spent a lot of time in her kitchen near those cookies. It got me thinking, why don't I have charts for my kids? I've heard ladies at book club talking about doing a "mom store," but I guess I tuned them out. What was I thinking??

Chore charts. Who knew something so small could make such a significant difference? If only I'd started them sooner. I decided to give chore charts a whirl. If anything, I could just toss the charts in the trash and not tell a soul. Instead, I'm writing a sermon to explain why chore charts will enhance your life. I will be bringing chore charts up out at the October book club. (We're reading, "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" which I think is worth your time.)

Now maybe the thrill will wear off, but we're 2 weeks in, and picking out a sticker to put on said charts is still just as exciting as ever. I didn't buy boring stickers. Bring on Halloween witches, Paw Patrol characters, and emojis. I haven't quite reached the lamination level yet because we're still trying to figure out exactly what chores our kids should do. I found a free and easy online template and print off a new chore chart each week. They have fun themes like superheroes and mermaids, although someone was quite upset I dared to pick a mermaid chore chart.

James' Chores:

Make bed

Clean Room

Mail

Homework

Trash

Set/Clear Table

Isabelle's Chores:

Make Bed

Clean Room

Homework

Go to bed happily

Get hair done daily

Keep pull-up dry 

(which we may need to remove from her chore chart soon :)

Chores are now just part of our routine and involve a lot less whining. 

How it works

Chore charts are on our refrigerator. As the kids complete their chores throughout the day, they choose a sticker to put on their chore chart. This has been excellent reading practice for my kindergartener. My house is so tidy. James likes routines and plans and he is thriving. He keeps giving me more ideas for chores to add to his chart. He's even started showering on his own in the mornings and getting dressed and ready for school independently. (This isn't even on his chore chart, but his plan.) Once a week, the kids get paid for their chores. We use fake money because who has cash these days? The kids have envelopes to help them keep track of their money. A couple of times a month, the kids get to spend their money at the "Mom Store." I like that this is teaching my kids about money too.

We had the first "Mom Store" today. I think it was cool enough to make the kids keep up with their chores. Izzy was grateful for the "mom store" in her prayer which says a lot. She likes to keep prayers mega short. Izzy bought a princess coloring book and bubblegum with her money. James bought a Halloween craft kit. It came with a canvas pumpkin to paint. The afternoon blew by since the kids were busily coloring/painting. Sitting next to Isabelle while she chewed her first piece of gum was the best part of my day. She was so concerned that she would swallow it. After one bite, she said she was ready to spit it out. I explained to her that you usually chew gum for a while. She got used to it and probably chewed for 10 minutes. James and Izzy both attempted to blow a bubble which was unsuccessful. James' gum ended up on the floor. We'll try again tomorrow. James' art is hanging on the door and he requested that we keep it forever. He eagerly showed Andrew his creation the instant Andrew walked upstairs.

All of us are giddy about the chore charts! I guess I better keep going to book club. Who knows what the next life-changing thing will be? For now, I'm crossing my fingers for more gooey chocolate chip cookies at the October meeting.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Months ago, my mom offered us their tickets to the play, "To Kill a Mockingbird." It was a no-brainer. We absolutely wanted to go. In preparation for the play, I decided to re-read the book.  The last time I read, "To Kill a Mockingbird" was in high school. It was an assignment for a class which made the reading less fun. This time around, I was so engaged while reading. I gave the book 5 stars and think its message is still extremely prevalent today. I'm glad for the refresher before going to the play. You forget a lot in 10+ years.

My parents had 4 tickets to "To Kill a Mockingbird," so we invited our friends, Michael and Valerie Bradshaw to join us. We had a spectacular evening out. We even carpooled. Since the play was at Eccles theater in Salt Lake City, we obviously had to take advantage of being close to so many delicious restaurants.  

We ate at Cafe Molisse, an Italian restaurant.  It had good reviews and I was excited.  It was okay/disappointing. I ordered lasagna and I think mine may have been the best dish at our table.  Just saying.  It was pretty good, but not the best I've had, and not worth the price tag. Andrew's noodles were far too al dente.  All of our meals came with a house salad. The salad lacked lots. I wondered why the waiter asked if we wanted to upgrade our salads for more money and later understood.  A plate full of plain lettuce wasn't what I expected. (No croutons or vegetables in sight) The rolls at the table were yummy though.  At the end of the meal, we all agreed that we probably wouldn't choose to eat there again.

When the play started, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I was surprised by the order of events. It started with the ending which threw me off for a second. They nailed this play! The way the play was sequenced was brilliant. There were snippets in between the court scenes to help set the scene and break up the monotony of the courtroom.  Scout stole the show! Her accent was spot on and she was perfect for the role.  Atticus also fit the bill. He wasn't quite what I envisioned, but I warmed up to him. The play was witty and kept the audience engaged and chuckling.  

Our seats were high up and not close to the stage,  but we were centered. Valerie does costume design and since I've been to a few plays with her,  I now notice the outfits more than ever. I guess she is rubbing off on me. I found it odd that Mr. Ewell was wearing a snappy suit for court. It seemed out of character. He has kids galore and his family is known for living in poverty. There are some gruesome parts of this story.  It was great that we didn't have to watch gory death scenes, and that we didn't have to miss out on the plot. Instead got to listen to the events retold. Andrew was astounded by Mayella's testimony in court. She was passionate. 

Plays aren't usually Michael's preferred date night activity, but he even liked "To Kill a Mockingbird." I was on my feet applauding along with hundreds of others. A standing ovation was deserved. Thanks, Mom and Dad for the tickets! Bring on "Lion King" at Eccles theater next month! 

Playmill Theater

Andrew and I were extremely indecisive about whether or not we should take our family to the Playmill Theater in West Yellowstone. Eventually, we decided to go for it and by then we had to pick a different showtime because it was a popular idea. When planning our mini trip, there were 4 things I had in mind for us to do. 1) See Tarzan! 2) Play in the hotel pool 3) Hike Mesa Falls 4) Eat at Big Juds. Traveling with kids is a wild ride. At times throughout our mini vacay, I felt like my heart was going to burst and that this trip was exactly what my soul needed. During other moments, I wondered if we were crazy when we had this idea.

Tarzan: Friday, September 2, 2022, at 5:30pm at the Playmill Theater

We arrived at our hotel with time to spare, so we could grab a bite to eat before the play. We had mouth-watering brisket at "Firehole Bar B Que." We noticed a park across the street and let the kids run free after sitting for 5 hours in the car. Minutes before the show started, we took the youngsters to the bathroom for one final time. We were surprised to find that our 5-year-old had pooped his pants. What on earth? I can't think of the last time this happened. Andrew and James dashed to the hotel to shower (once wasn't sufficient, so twice it was) and met Izzy and me at the play. They made it to their seats 1 minute before Tarzan began. Whew!

The Playmill Theater is an intimate theater. There isn't a ton of seating and the stage is small. That didn't stop the performers from going all out. I was amazed by how well the actors portrayed gorillas. What a fun atmosphere it was! I was surprised that there were pre-show performers and unfortunately James and Andrew missed those. We sat in the front row. It felt like we were onstage. The actors were so close to us and I had to move my long legs more than once. It was a very family-friendly place. I loved that there were showtimes before bedtime! During intermission, the treats were plentiful. The dole whip was incredible. Izzy did not want to share hers with me and licked every last drop. The root beer float was a bit "spicy" for James. 

After intermission, the kids were a little antsy. We got asked when Tarzan was going to end more than once, but overall they sat still and did well. Everyone working at the theater was so friendly. It felt like the cast treated us like family. They chatted with us throughout the evening. 2 things were a little disappointing-- 1: I'm pretty sure we had the Tarzan understudy. 2: The microphones should have been louder. It was hard to hear sometimes and we couldn't have been sitting any closer. I have since heard Izzy singing Tarzan songs. It makes me giggle because she doesn't remember the words quite right and repeats the one line she knows. Since our return, we've watched "Tarzan," "Tarzan 2", and a "Tarzan and Jane" show. I have yet to tire of the fantastic music. Izzy has declared she wants to grow up and be like Tarzan and live in a jungle. Quite different than her typical princess ball dreams.

Pool

Finding a place to stay was tricky. We ended up paying a little more to have a pool and be within walking distance of the theater. Not only did we book a hotel with a pool, but it also had a giant waterslide. That waterslide was used nonstop. We splashed in the pool after the play, as well as on Saturday morning. Saturday, we had the whole pool to ourselves. It was priceless to watch our kids swim and their swimming lessons are really paying off. (Their floaties stayed in the trunk!) Andrew continues to point out the fact that I got stuck on the waterslide not once, but twice on the same run. I don't know what I did wrong, but one ride was enough for me. In return, I've been able to tease Andrew about forgetting many important items-- his glasses, a hat, and (almost) his swim trunks. I spent the bulk of my time in one of the 2 hot tubs. Ahhhh. Someday, we'll get a jacuzzi. The kids liked the bubbles/jets. Another perk of hotel living was having cable. Saturday morning cartoons were a treat.

Mesa Falls

I lived fairly close to Mesa Falls for 4 years and never went. Boy did I miss out. I made sure to fit in the Mesa Falls hike this trip, even if it added some driving time. It wasn't much of a hike (mostly walking down some stairs), but I don't think we did the entire loop. We went strait to the falls. There was a lot of whining. The falls were huge. There was even a rainbow. What a stunning place. Andrew commented on how surprised he was that the topography changed so drastically so quickly. We were surrounded by a forest at Mesa Falls and suddenly endless farmland. 

Can you spot the complainer?

Big Juds in Archer, Idaho on Saturday, September 3, 2022

We ended the trip back where it all began at Big Juds. Andrew and I went on our first date to Big Juds in 2012. We wanted to take the kids there. While there, I spotted the table we sat at over a decade ago. Driving through the farmland and open spaces brought back memories and made me sentimental. I even turned on "Take Me Home, Country Roads" By: John Denver and "Brown Eyed Girl" By: Van Morrison. Country music is not my jam, but it was fitting and I was belting the words. Big Juds wasn't quite as good as either of us remembered, but the Huckleberry shake was top-notch. I heard Andrew explaining to the kids that Rexburg is a special place for our family because it's where mom and dad fell in love. Awww.

Let me gloat about the kids' behavior in the car. They were superb. We read library books, played with sticker books, and got to watch shows. I read a 5-star book (more on that next post!) and ate Pringles. I even napped which is rare/hard for me in the car. None of us got a restful night of sleep in the hotel, especially since the kids woke up in the middle of the night. I had a grumpy moment while on the drive when I realized my tablet didn't charge. Thankfully, my phone saved the day and I was able to download shows. We didn't stop once on our drive to W. Yellowstone. On our way back to UT, about an hour from home, Izzy frantically cried that she had to use the bathroom. We exited the freeway stat and got stuck at the longest red light ever. Isabelle barely made it to the potty. Phew!

I think next time, it will be easier to decide whether or not we should go to the Playmill Theater. James is already talking about going back next summer. There's never a dull moment when traveling with children, and boy am I grateful for the spice they add to my would be boring life.