"Family" by Taesya Fe, age 4

Benny is thankful for:

Amber,
Our house,
My pillow,
Food,
My clothes,
My family,
My health,
Cheese,
Kiwi,
and Eggnog.

Canon is thankful for:

Santa Claus,
Dad,
Taesya,
Keller,
Grandma,
Grandpa,
Play basketball,
Play football,
Play baseball,
Play skateboard,
Steak.

Taesya is thankful for:

Playing with somebody who's nice,
playing with grandma,
Swinging on the swings,
Ponies and Dolls,
My unicorn,
Playing with my dad,
Playing with grandma Debbie,
playing with everybody in my family,
Canon and Dad and Mom and myself.
I am thankful for Keller.

Day of Thanks

People have been sick, I'm scrambling to finish up my projects for the end of Semester, and Ben's new business is mostly busy-ness right now. So I was making Jell-O and thinking, "I don't have much to be thankful for today..."

Then I thought, "What?!? Are you kidding?"

I have a ton to be thankful for: I have a husband that loves me and works hard to provide for us, I have three beautiful loving children, I have a home, clothes to wear, heat, and food in the refrigerator. I have a loving family in Utah, Arizona, New York, and Canada. I have friends from a long time ago that still send me love, and new friends that live right in my neighborhood. I have a body that can run and jump, taste yummy things, and feel a hug or kiss. I'm grateful for music, and crunchy leaves, and photos--I have SO much in my life--SO many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who reads this. And don't let today be your deadline for saying thanks. Today is a great reminder of all that we have to be grateful for. Love and Thanks to you all for supporting me.

Canon's portrait session

I have started trying to take some of our "formal" pictures on my own. I have a long way to go, but I'm practicing. So I spent some time in Murray park taking portraits of Canon. It was a beautiful day there, but only one photo really turned out the way I wanted. So here it is.

And I thought I'd also throw in an example of how challenging it can be to get a normal/nice photo of my three-year-old son.

Halloween

I thought about labeling these photos, but then thought, "If I really have to tell people that I was dressed as a witch, our costumes must not have been as well done as I thought they were." So if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

We had a great Halloween this year, even though it has taken us almost a month to develop the photos. On Halloween we carved pumpkins and decorated sugar cookies, which just about gave Ben a heart attack. (If he was raising these kids alone, they would never dig in the dirt or paint, either.) That night we visited mis padres and went trick-or-treating in Kaysville; can't really get any better than that! Keller sucked on a sucker while Tae ran from door to door. Canon wore out after 20 minutes or so and then rode in the wagon. It was my favorite Halloween of my married life.

We all can't wait to do it again; holidays are a huge deal to my children. The kids have already made their choices for next year's costumes, except for Keller, he's undecided. Happy Belated Halloween!

Mon night

I don't want to write a paper. I want to watch tv and go to bed.

Chester

Twice in the past month, one of my children has come in from the front yard smelling unpleasant. Like dog poo. So I sniff around and sure enough, somebody stepped in some.

I really really want a dog. My whole family reading this is now saying, "Why!?!" and Kalie probably is, too. But call me crazy, I want a dog.

This smell issue has seriously put a damper on my plans. I have taken poop into consideration, but without the specific odor near you, thinking of cleaning up after an animal sounds ok. With the odor--oh man, having a dog is going to be a tough one. And they never get potty trained either, so the smell is a lifelong commitment.

Of course, if I have to deal with dog poop without even owning a dog, I might as well get one and enjoy some benefits along with the mess. (I've actually walked through the pet food aisle of the grocery store to start getting a feel for being a pet owner. I'm a dork, right.) So to sum up: Smell bad, dogs good, still want a dog.

Oh, the pain

Kel's teething today (we're almost sure) and it has the whole family a little on edge. He's been crying for the greater part of the day. Won't sleep, won't eat much, wants to be held, then not held... I am frazzled. Plus this is day four of my non-stop headache. Our home is in need of a miracle, a small one, but a miracle nonetheless. I'd settle for the appearance of a tooth, and my baby smiling again. At the risk of sounding dramatic, the only phrase that comes to mind is: Wo is me.

Keller Beller

Ooh, I love that baby.

Teachers who do not appreciate thought

I'm in the computer lab during my "Creative Writing" class. We get a five minute break each week. Currently my thoughts are on the way my professor fights against opinion. She sure does not encourage us to think for ourselves, which I find ironic in Creative Writing. Big sigh.

We read a poem together and she asked our interpretation. What a mistake for me to think she'd actually want to hear from us. All of our imput was incorrect; only her view was accurate. That bothers me. I am counting down the weeks in this soul-squashing course.

Back to class. Super excited. (And you can interpret that in any way you choose.) Sending a wish out into the universe that somewhere a teacher is nourishing the minds of her students. ~ ~ ~ Those are wish marks... :)

Stealing pics from Mom

Had to post this picture for all to see. I love these two guys (not JUST these two guys, I love my brothers and hubby and other son, etc) so much. This photo is great because we are all second children and we all have birthdays in October. I've always thought that was a cool turn of events. I stole the pic from my mama's facebook; thank goodness that other's take digital photos! October is gone and I will miss it so.

P.S. My dad is 49, I am 25, and Canon is 3.

File Sharing

I have two favorite chicken recipes that I would like to share. They are both so delicious, but much better fresh, not as left-overs. Give 'em a try!


From Taste of Home: The Spinach Chicken Roll


From Cooking for Two: Crispy Onion Chicken

Also, I want to publish that Fiber One has some really great products lately. We really like their blueberry muffins and their flaky cereal (with bananas or raisins added.) Warning, though: don't eat too much fiber over the course of several days.... Or you'll find out why.

They have a great website, for a cereal brand anyways. Happy eating!

Ballad

Teach said write a ballad: 4 stanzas, 4 lines each, a story that ends tragically, iambic, rhyming, 8 beats 6 beats 8 beats 6 beats. Here's my poem:

December 18, 2007

I told him, “Ben I’m pregnant, babe.”
His eyes just glowed with joy.
We’d tried so long to have this child,
Our second girl or boy.

We told our friends, our parents, start-
ed thinking of a name.
This baby stuff we knew by heart:
We planned on all the same.

I called him at his office. Said,
“I’m worried something’s wrong.
My stomach hurts; I’m bleeding, too.
I think the baby’s gone.”

She told us, “There’s no heartbeat.” Shock
Subsided and we cried.
He said he’d never heard such sobs
As when our baby died.