The Great Debate: Twizzlers or Red Vines?

Which do you prefer - Twizzlers or Red Vines?

I noted to Chad the other day that Red Vines are cheaper per ounce than Twizzlers, which surprised me because I consider Red Vines soooo much better. He said that although he likes both, he thought Twizzlers are considered more "high end." HUH?!

Does anyone out there actually prefer Twizzlers over Red Vines?

(and if you do, do you also happen to enjoy chewing on plastic swim toys?)

A Summertime Retreat

I know a place,

A magical place,

where all your troubles melt away...

the mountain home of my sister-in-law Audra's parents.

(No, we aren't technically related, but they let us invade their home anyway. I am pretty sure they invented gracious southern living.)

This is the place to go when it is hot and humid and your children are pestering each other simply because it is something to do.

I drove up with my sister Lindsey, her daughter Lily, my dad, and my three boys on Monday.

We met my brother Levi there with his seven kids (Audra is busy with Aloha Snow).

By midafternoon, we were piled into a Kubota touring the green fields

right past the stinky cows.....

and playing in an overflowing creek....

cold enough to immediately cool your whole body....

...but not too cold for babies of all sizes to frolic.

It's even more beautiful in person, believe it or not.

And this was just the first day.

Shaped

I got into my van the other day, and thought, "What is that smell?". It was sweet, mild, and a little earthy. Strangely, it smelt like there was a cantaloupe in my car.

Not until I reached my destination did I realize that there was a cantaloupe in my trunk. In my mad dash to bring in the groceries the previous day (Oliver was standing at the door screaming during the unloading), I had left it there, planning to come back for it later.

The smell of that warm cantaloupe was enough to flood my head with memories. That odor, for my family, is the smell of summer. My father was a high school teacher while I was growing up. When I was young his "summer vacation" was spent packing cantaloupes, grown in the irrigated green fields surrounding Blythe, into boxes. Coming home after a long day of work, his work gloves, with fingers made of old bicycle tubes, would be placed on the kitchen counter alongside the melons he brought home - cantaloupes and occasionally honeydew that were perfectly ripe (too ripe to be packed and shipped).

So summer meant fresh melons for breakfast every morning when you woke up from your sweaty sleep. Summer meant bringing fruit salad to potlucks at the church farm pool, swimming with the sun sinking over the vast desert. It meant cantaloupe milkshakes when Mom went away for Girl's Camp.

Along with that, summer meant driving home under a starry starry sky after a long day on the Colorado -the air musky with river water and sweet with alfalfa, your skin sunburned and your head sandy.

It meant sprinklers under the hot black mat of the trampoline, and trying to sleep outside but coming in because it was still 90 degrees after the sun went down.

Blythe is summer. It lasts for almost half of each year, from May through October.

Blythe is my childhood. From 18 months 'til 18 years.

How did that land shape me? I wonder that often.

Raising our children in Blythe has never been an option (or even a wish), but it still makes my heart ache a little to know that something that had such an influence on my life will leave no trace on theirs -especially since my parents just moved from there to here. I can't even imagine a visit back there.

I look around myself here in Charlotte, and force myself to remember that this land is the land that will be shaping my children and their childhoods. It is baffling to me that this tree-packed city with winding, claustrophobic roads will be their "norm." Greenery, growth everywhere, without canals providing water, and water so plentiful, even in times of drought. Months of rain each year instead of four of five days!

Will they appreciate trees if they grow up surrounded by them, locked in by them on all sides?

Will they still marvel at flowers that grow so easily?

Will the giggle every time they get to use an umbrella?

Someday, will they travel to Blythe and feel overwhelmed by the vast nothingness of the land and the way the sky goes on and on?

And will that open desert sky ever stop feeling like "home" to my senses?

Then and Now

I know we came home from Spokane awhile ago, but I came across this picture today and it made me smile.

This is our family at Manito Park when we visited in June 2006

And here we are in the same spot (although we are facing a different way) during our trip there June 2009. What a difference three years makes! In my opinion, Chad has only grown more attractive (especially since he ditched the sideburns).

Hot and Holy Sabbath Day

This has to be one of my favorite pictures ever, despite its blurriness.......

And this is a close second

My sister Ashley is here visiting with her family. On Sunday, they blessed their two month old Isaac at my brother Levi's house. Have you ever asked 16 kids, ages 0-9, to be quiet for the duration of a blessing? Let me tell you, it was AMAZING! Just a few little chirps from one of my favorite nieces. I could not believe how quiet and good the kids all were.

As for the rest of the day, well, get that many kids outside in that muggy air and mischief is bound to happen. They discovered that the slip and slide hill is also fun for vehicles of all kinds. It was so hilarious to see those kids playing together!

(We missed you Lily, Amelia, and Elizabeth!)

(click on this one to see how many kids were trying to pile on!)

Easy to love

Yesterday Sabina took Gabe and Colin with them to the movies. Liam stayed at our house with Ollie and I, and I got to watch the little boys toddling around together (much more entertaining than Surf's Up). They thew things into the tub and laughed and gave each other rough little hugs.

When it came time for Ollie's nap, I laid down with him to nurse where I had a clear view of the hall and stairs, and Liam just roamed around, babbling to himself. Every once in awhile he would stand at the top of the staircase and matter-of-fact-ly yell out a few baby sentences, as if he were calling to see if anyone was there, and then come toddling back into the room. Liam would look at me, blink some long blinks, lay his head on the bed, and then go back into the hall. After doing this for awhile, he just plopped his little body down with his face towards the room I was in. By this time Oliver had his eyes shut, and I saw Liam's lids slowing giving in. Within ten minutes I had two sleeping babies.

I tip-toed into the hall to admire that adorable nephew of mine, in all his sweet glory. That face! Those lashes! My heart was warm with love.

He isn't my son, but I could love him like he is.

I often look at my nieces, nephews, or even the kids I used to teach in nursery, and think to myself, "I could so totally adopt."

Is that a weird train of thought?

Keepin' It Real Wednesday

I spent my teenage years in a whirlwind of activities. Ballet, tap, jazz, helping in dance classes, every school play, mock trial, National Honor Society, junior class vice president, early morning seminary, Young Women's, Environmental Club.....

I jumped into college in the same fashion. 18 credits (most of them dance classes, which take up a lot of time), plays, Folk Dance Ensemble, socializing until the wee hours of the morning.....

All of those activities, and you know what? Most of them were done very very poorly, with mood-swings galore and tears at the drop of a hat.

This was the pattern of my life until I learned something about myself. I am not someone who thrives on stress (we all know people that do, and I am not one of them). I am not a multi-tasker. I do not do well when I have a lot going on.

When I keep my life simple, with just the things that matter most to me, my mind feel clear, my back problems disappear, I have great focus, and I know that I am doing my best as a mother, wife, friend, and daughter.


If I wake up in the morning with a long list of tasks that have to be completed that day, I feel completely paralyzed. I just want to crawl in bed with a carton of ice cream.

Which is why, on Monday, dinner for twelve people was an hour late because I forgot to buy tortillas for the chicken enchiladas, even though it was on my list. Seriously Katie??

I have had way too much going on. It's been okay because I know it is for a very limited time, but let me tell you....


I am forgetting eveything

Running late for everything

Losing everything

and just downright frazzled.

So now you know,

I will never be THAT woman

(or Relief Society President :o)

Interesting Article

This article makes me very happy, once again, that we have enrolled Colin in Smith and that our other two boys will go there.

As a side note, Colin absolutely loves our exchange students and will be sad to see them go, but says he is really tired of speaking Chinese. They love hearing him and try to eek as much out of him as possible. I guess it has been a good way to brush up over the summer!

Family Home Evening

Elder Bednar

New Friends

Ice Cream

Three Generations

Heaven on Earth

A Lovely Summer Evening

In the works

What is happening over here:

(in other words, why my mind is too fuzzy for proper blogging)

Broken dishwasher. New dishwasher.

Broken Windstar. New Versa. (Thanks, CARS)

Broken AC. Fixed AC (Thanks warranty!)

We have two exchange students from China for one week.

Aloha Snow opened on Thursday and we made a visit. Now the kids ask daily if we can visit again.

And lastly, and most exciting - my parents moved here! They moved in to their new house last weekend and have been busy busy busy settling in.

Coming up, more detailed posts about the students and a very special post about cicada killers.

Smart AND Coordinated

Oliver took his first steps in Spokane and has been so proud and excited to try out all his different ways of walking. I just think he is downright adorable in this video as he manuevers around (does that sound like bragging? 'cause it was!).

Hooked for life

I can pretty much bet that my Saturday evening walked all over yours.


My sister-in-law Audra (with my brother Levi) is fulfilling her dream of opening up a hip "sno-ball" shop. So last night we were invited to a tasting party, where I tried at least 10 different flavors poured over fluffy, finely shaved ice. I also sampled a "stuffed sno ball" (or two, or three) and I am already thinking about the next time I can get ahold of one.

Gabe had three cups full and was begging for more.


Colin cried when we told him he was officially DONE.


The biggest fan of the night though, was baby Oliver, who dropped all seperation anxiety to beg a bite from everyone in sight. He had a sample (or two, or three) from at least six or seven different people last night. He was climbing up his grandpa for more. Absolutely shameless.

You can get yours starting sometime this week at Aloha Snow. Keep checking the website for an opening date and more information!