Lotoja JuJuBe Oogly Goo

Lotoja 2008

Today, Susan called me to catch up and talk about our summer bike plans (we rode together 3 mornings a week all last summer, she was training for touring Italy, and I was still nursing Pea J Bug, so I wasn't training for much). She mentioned gathering a team for Lotoja (a bike race that goes from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming in less than 12 hours), which I was dying to do last year, but it is nearly impossible to get in. So ever since talking to her around noon, I have called and invited 12 people, and then crossed off every name but 4. And I was thinking, if they weren't jumping out of their pants to ride it, I didn't think it was a good idea. Since we had to solidify and register for just the chance of being chosen in the lottery to ride, it is 9:33, and we've got at least one of five of us registered. So what I am asking for, from my blog friends, are your good positive vibes, karma, jujubes, and oogly goos our way, so that we can get in. And you know I will tell you all about it when we do.

Also in the K family news, I think we got the boys psyched about soccer again. O & I went to the soccer store and picked up some soccer goal nets, and we played all afternoon. Cross your fingers for this one as well that O willingly makes it to practice this week (it's been our major struggle the last 3 weeks or so). Pea June Bug was just happy to be outside and riding around in the bike trailer. We had a fun family bike ride too. Yeah for Spring!

Grateful Sabbath

1. I am grateful for the next gang of Mothers. They are ready to go and they are incredible.
   
2. I am grateful that my boys were so good today, both at home, at church, and going to bed. And even good for CSB's baptism yesterday and even talked about feeling the Spirit there.
   
3. I am grateful for my gorgeous husband who really loves me.
4. I am grateful for my sweet Pea J Bean who kept her bow in all through church and loves her parent's hallway Sunday school class gang.
5. I am grateful that CSB was baptized and confirmed yesterday. She is a beautiful, fun, "famous" 8 year old who we all love dearly. Her father gave the most beautiful, sweet, sincere confirmation and blessing. We love the Bunches and their amazing kids who have and are setting such a beautiful example for our family. We truly have lots of amazing cousins and Aunts and Uncles who lead the way for us in every way.
6. I am so grateful today was a perfect sunny spring day. Andy, H, & Sweet Pea J Bean walked to church.
   
7. Okay, I will say it, I am so grateful to have survived "teaching" the 'Mothers Who Know' by Julie B. Beck lesson today. Thus the comic.
   

Sweet Tweets Update

As we were perusing the shop that is carrying Tia Trevlyn's homemade wares, Andy and I got quite a kick out of these. They are TwistedTwee tees.

C'mon, it's quite twisted, which is quite funny.

Who wouldn't want Shakespeare on their baby's bumbie?

The 'Angry Nanny' tee

This is my way of saying "Congratulations on your success in the London shop! You rock Trev." Love, Boo

P.S. Besides the Sweet Tweets etsy shop, one can now find her wares at brandmoo.com under the 'designer showcase' link, for those of you that like to shop with euros or pounds (I have a feeling you don't write out pounds for that silly symbol I don't know where to find on my very American computer).

My Husband's A Model

Check it out (you have to wait for him, the images change, and you might recognize a certain cute Carrigan kid too!). He's in the brochure too. The caption in the brochure says "His kids love him, and so do we". Awwww. For the record, his wife loves him too. O had a great dentist trip with Dr. Clark, and he has his pirate teeth back.

Diego Rivera

Vendedoras de flores
We have a framed print of this, which like all of our other framed things, still has not been hung on any wall in the house we have owned and lived in for almost 3 years.

Diego Rivera, Self Portrait, 1907

Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park, detail of mural, 1948.

I like Diego Rivera. Not for his Frida drama or his communist ideals, but I like the forms and colors of his paintings, and always have. I have also always been fascinated by Mexico's Day of the Dead art and celebration and idea. I think it is fantastic.

Not pretty...but did it...

SHAC triathlon pictures and results...I never thought my "best" picture would be the one in my swimsuit, but although I am quite glassy eyed, and it looks like my fro is peeking out of my cap, I prefer the less is more (at least from the waist up) from this bunch. We are so geeky, I love it.

Don't laugh...and that is not my hair, it's the dude's behind me, doesn't some one have a Mac that could fix that?
I am a nerd, I know. I love my bike. And I love my knickers.

I thought I was going to die here. This was the third leg, and my breath finally caught up with me after the first 3/4 mile and I finished fine, but I will be improving my running in the near future...

The newest gang of triathletes. Question: Why am I such a spaz, and when did my eye start to be crookedly open when I smile? Dude, you are all missing my horrendous "relief society arms" shot, which is still depressing me, but I will survive. I am just terribly insecure right now surrounded by the beauties of my family.

L-R: The runner and non-swim/bike trainer who is not the same age as her race number, lovely needing-a-lift or at least an underwire tri suit (which I do not think exists!) Moi, the Pro, and the serious-reluctant-to-be-numbered one.
The Results.

Thanks to the SGF tri-gang for completing this amazing goal with me. I can't wait for the next one, and especially for this race next year to see you all, plus some additions (so far interested Matt, Liz, Ryan, John, the kids) again.

Uh oh, talking Politics...sort of

This was forwarded to the family from my great cousin Joey G. Although I tend to be much less conservative than AK read: this is harsh and my dem friends please don't be offended, I thought this was the funniest thing I have had read to me (Megan first read it to me over the phone) in a long time. And I was an economics major, so I find the economics of it all very interesting...and possibly a plug for the flat tax as well people.

This is a great explanation of the tax rebate program recently enacted by
> Congress. If you don't understand how it will work maybe this explanation
> will help:
>
> 50,000 people went to a baseball game, but the game was rained out. A
> refund was then due to the ticket holders.
>
> The team was about to mail refunds when a group of Congressional Democrats
> stopped them and suggested that they send out the ticket refunds based on
> the > Democrat National Committee's interpretation of fairness.
>
> Originally the refunds were to be paid based on the price each person had
> paid for the tickets. Unfortunately that meant most of the refund money
> would be going to the ticket holders that had purchased the most expensive
> tickets.
> This, according to the DNC, is considered totally unfair. A decision was
> then made to pay out the refunds in this manner:
>
> People in the $10 seats will get back $15. After all, they have less money
> to spend on tickets to begin with. Call it an 'Earned Income Ticket Credit.'
> Persons 'earn' it by having few skills, poor work habits, and low ambition,
> thus keeping them at entry-level wages.
>
> People in the $25 seats will get back $25, because it 'seems fair.'
>
> People in the $50 seats will get back $1, because they already make a lot of
> money and don't need a refund. After all, if they can afford a $50 ticket,
> they must not be paying enough taxes.
>
> People in the $75 luxury box seats will each have to pay an additional $25
> because it's the 'right thing to do'.
>
> People walking past the stadium that couldn't afford to buy a ticket for the
> game each will get a $10 refund, even though they didn't pay anything for
> the tickets. They need the most help. They are either lazy or think that
> society owes them for just being born.
>
> Now do you understand?
>
> If not, contact Representative Nancy Pelosi or Senators Hillary Clinton or
> Barak Obama for assistance.

I love Books!

Yet another confession, and yet another excuse why I don't clean my own home (the greatest $ ever spent in my life, ask Dori, ask AK even!, ask the kids who love keeping their beds and bookcase as neat and tidy as M puts it!)...and why I love "naps"...I love to read. I am usually reading a few books at a time, but it's the fun, fiction books like Sophie Kinsella's latest Remember Me? and Hester Brown's The Little Lady Agency and the Prince that I devour in a day or two and spend hours of "nap" time reading. I always have a non-fiction book on hand...for instance I keep in my car The World is Flat for the school pick ups or other car waiting times, and it's been in there for over a year. And of course I am constantly reading and re-reading the Good Books, aka the Quad, you know. My point...get on goodreads.com please and add gobooboo as your friend so I can continue to get ideas and further keep in touch, I love it!

Grateful Sabbath

Our faithful home teachers just visited, Mike and Levi, leaving us with a greater spirit and message. Since they truly catered to the boys in their message, which we all love and appreciate, I wanted to read the message from President Monson. Wow! It is the best. It contains a lot of my favorite subjects already, mostly meaning those I need the most work in doing. I love the emphasis and importance he places on goal setting, a great lesson my father has practiced taught us since we were little. Also, not waiting for "special days" to use your best things, which is why I have recently broken out the seldom used Villeroy and Boch I love and received as my day-ware plates, to use whenever I wish. I loved his story of visiting old friends, and especially not putting off those visits until "tomorrow".

I was impressed with my boys, who when asked by Mike the names of the First Presidency, they knew all three. I didn't even know they knew President Eyring and especially President Uchtdorf!

Before this I had read the RG lesson on John the Baptist and the next one on Baptism (to cover my bases since I am not sure what lesson we are on!) and then listened to President Eyring's General Conference talk on the keys of the Priesthood. Because we have been kind of obsessed with Nacho Libre lately, and in it Eskeleton keeps saying something to the effect of "I don't believe in God, I believe in science", I always tell the boys that President Eyring is a scientist, both because the boys both want to be scientists and so they know you can be one and believe in God. And as I was listening to Eyring talk about the keys and thinking about all of the laws of nature that scientists have discovered and then thinking about the laws of the gospel and how Joseph Smith in the lesson manual describes just such an analogy using the laws of nature to explain the laws of the gospel. Amazing! And all in one Sunday morning. I love how I feel that precept by precept I am learning bits and parts and pieces of life, if I tune myself into what I should be doing, who I should be listening to and what I should be reading, especially on an awesome and restful Sabbath day.

Needless to say - even though I am seeing pieces of the gospel, will the struggle to keep my kids from fighting, crying because the right pants can't be found, wanting to eat horribly constantly, not doing their chores, and not getting their way 24-7 ever catch up to what I think I might be learning about the gospel? On that note - I flipped back to lds.org to check out what Mothers had to say about the Joy of Nurturing Children. And I do have to say with all of the whining and fighting and messiness, I wouldn't have it any other way and I hope I am savoring and cherishing these short, fleeting times of childhood. I took Owen skiing on Friday afternoon and after two awesome runs he was done. I was a little disappointed and tried giving him a rest and then persuading him to go back up, to no avail, he was just really tired. Then I was just trying to get him to carry his skis and helmet back up (which he can do with ease) and he was fighting me. A gentleman, who I noticed was standing nearby watching our ordeal, said to me something to the effect of "I'm glad I don't have kids" and immediately I felt so sorry for this man. I was too flustered and misunderstood to retort back how sorry I was that he felt that way, because I feel the most joy when I am with my children, even in the "worst" days, and I would have it no other way. Also, seeing he was alone and skiing thinking I would so rather do only 2 runs with my darling boy than ski all day or any day and be alone, without the giggles, and powder falls, and snowballs, and joy from skiing or doing anything with a child.

My March Madness

My March Madness. Yes I voted. Yes I commented. And yes, I desired that Chloe Sevigny should win, although Bai was 2nd or 3rd on my list. Please see the video. It is especially for J. Clegg.

Pirates and the Rainforest

H's class performed their must anticipated 1st grade written and performed Opera tonight at the Rose Wagner Theatre. It was swanky and special and awesome and he was fantastic. We sat on the first row of the balcony (O and AK picked the seats) and we could totally hear H. Pictures to come...I promise...I know it is so boring without them. Conner was the parrot and was a ham singing in a real "Opera" voice for everyone's benefit and mouthing the "Captain's" lines. The kids and their incredible teacher Ms. L worked tirelessly and it really showed. I have said this all year, I just feel so lucky to have H in her class. He is a great teacher for him and we all adore her. If there are strings to be pulled, I will pull them for O to have the same opportunity in her class. It was so fun to have him take us to his dressing room, where he was seriously all pro and knew exactly where in the totally confusing basement it was. AK says it's time for baseball next...what can he mean?

O had his Kindergarten testing this morning (of course, he was actually supposed to do it tomorrow morning, thus bumping everyone else back 15 minutes...I am still having major calendaring issues...and this is after returning home from running and realizing I was already 5 minutes late for a 2008-2009 school calendaring meeting, so I went sweaty and left early to get Owen to the 8:30 aforementioned wrong appointment anyway...any suggestions?)...back to O...he has kind of checked out of Pre-K, I really think he's like "in" Kindergarten already...he can't wait. I don't know if I am ready for it...he's my buddy...albeit he gets grumpy at me everyday for not having enough legos for him, but I still get a snuggle with him everyday. Nothing's better.

Perfect Day - Grateful Sunday

I heard the best thing this morning. A child wake up. Open the pantry door, pull out a cereal box, get a bowl from the "kid utensil" drawer, open the fridge and get out the milk, pour the cereal, pour the milk, and have his own "first breakfast". He later said, "You know when we are at a restaurant and you eat the food before dinner (appetizers)? That's what I had this morning." He didn't want to miss out on "Second Breakfast" of German Oven pancakes (aka "Dutch Babies") with strawberries, lemon juice, and brown sugar. I loved sitting all together and eating breakfast and Andy's "European" lunch of whole wheat "hazmat" crackers, cheese, deli meat, and cara cara oranges. I threw a little chocolate in there for dessert. You know just like the French.

After having conference running all day yesterday, and not catching much (on the first and second showing of each!) we really were able to sit and listen and get the kids to color a temple and some other activities provided by the primary. I look forward to playing conference bingo with the boys this afternoon.

President Monson is the man. We loved hearing Dad's re-telling of the "ear wiggle story" from last night's Priesthood session. And President Uchtdorf's airplane analogies. I also loved yesterday's choir version of "Praise to the Man", it was amazing!

P.S. Extra bonus - We tended our neighbors darling 5 month old baby girl this morning while her parents attended the morning session. P was thrilled to have a little baby to giggle at and the boys loved making her happy too. I loved having a baby fall asleep in my arms again and getting to hold her while she slept for more than an hour. Thank you S & L!

Happy Birthday Hot Stuff

My eternal compadre, my knight in shining armor, my loyal friend, my love, and my babies-daddy, Happy mid-30 birthday. You are a handsome devil and the best of fathers and a fun husband. I love your wicked giggle and your throaty laugh. You make me happy and you make our kids most happy. The world is truly a better place with you in it. Love, Boo

For more pictures of AK through the ages, click here.

April Fool's Re-Cap

I was turned, check the boiling water for Owen's pasta noodles, and from behind me Holden says, "Look Mom, there's an ant" and through my head flew these thoughts, "I knew it, I knew bringing back all of that "driving food" from California brought back ants, yuck, we are probably infested! I'll actually have to clean up and disinfect the kitchen on a daily basis (yes, it's a warning to you visitors), I can't believe it, I can't believe it, I'm almost too afraid to look..."

"April Fool's!"

That clever cat got me.

All I could do was pull a dirty trick on Andy while he was showering, wherein I dumped a Wahoo's cup of cold water on him. It was awful but funny because he thought that the water was just turning cold and we would have to re-do all of the plumbing, and then he realized it can from on top and not to the side-ish and detected my giggling presence. Dude, if he would've done that to me I would've freaked!