Hercules . . .aren't we all like him in a way?

Yesterday while I was exercising my little kids wanted to watch Hercules, the cartoon by Disney. I let them watch something so I can exercise and shower hoping they won't get into trouble since they are busy watching! Anyway, sometimes they watch in the play room but today they watched where I was on the elliptical. I don't think Hercules did as well as it should have is my conclusion after watching most of it.

Why?

I feel we have many parallels in our own life, here are some I thought I'd share. We left our Heavenly home, although it was by our choice to come. Nevertheless, we have days when we feel like "we don't belong". We have Heavenly parents who love us very much and who send us help--Pegasus and Philotetes in Hercules case, you can figure out for yourself who they might be for us. Some of us were fortunate to come to loving, good earthly parents who would help us find our way back to our Heavenly parents. I feel for those who have not been so greatly blessed but I know the law of compensation, all will be made right someday because of Jesus Christ. There is the challenge he had to prove himself a hero to live with the gods again, isn't that what we are doing? Only we actually proving to ourselves where we want to be someday? There are also parallels with Hercules and Jesus Christ. I am sure you have noticed these too.

I had noticed these before but it struck me again that good shows that teach truth can come from Hollywood. It's too bad they choose otherwise most of the time. My little boy, Zane was actually asking about Hercules today and what it meant. What a great teaching opportunity!

Hercules says that he would "do anything to find himself right where he belongs." How often do we feel like giving up? But "we can go the distance" as Hercules says. So just my random thought, I find inspiration in a cartoon!:)

So dust off your copy or borrow mine, it may inspire you!

PS Sorry I tried 3 times to post a picture, still no luck!

Spring Break 2009

So here I am finally getting around to writing, but it doesn't seem like anyone reads my blog anymore so I am the only who cares. I do it for our family history since I write more personal things in my journal. We had a fun week despite the poor weather but living here it is to be expected.

Monday we went to the zoo, the weather was perfect. We bought a family pass last spring break and so it expires the end of the month. I say we got our money's worth in 4 trips. Taran and Timo opted out, teenagers. Excuses, excuses, "I don't like the smell." "I don't want to walk around all the time." But they don't seem to mind walking to Wal-Mart and walking around Wal-Mart, with their friends. Priorities! Whatever, we won't let them ruin it for the little kids! We met Tim's sister Amy up there with her kids but her teenage daughter. We brought our neighbor friend with us since he wasn't going anywhere that day anyway. I enjoyed watching the elephants eat but I always enjoy seeing the little kids get excited about seeing the animals and what ever they do! Children make everything new again and I appreciate it. I will be sad when Gwen says, "I need to organize my nail polish so I can't go to the zoo." Maybe by then I will be a grandma, yikes!

Tuesday it started raining, we went to see Bedtime Stories at the dollar movies. Timo opted out but Taran came this time. We met Amy and her kids again. It was a cute movie that had a lot of potential to be better than it was. I went to my landscaping class not long after I got home from the movie.

Wednesday it snowed. We stayed home until the evening we the snow stopped and we went out to dinner with Tim. The kids picked the One Man Band so we went there. It was nice not to have to cook and hearing the complaints about the food I made! By bedtime the snow had started up again in full throttle! We got over a foot!

Thursday it started to clear up and by afternoon the snow had almost melted away. I took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum (where we also have a family pass) along with a couple of nephews. They all seem to have a fun time. Gwen and one of the cousins spent 15 minutes running up and down one of the ramps and laughing their heads off! I watched them to make sure they didn't run into anyone. The other kids were nearby playing in the erosion table and playing on one of the computers near there. I took the nephews home and headed home since we were having all the boy cousins sleep over. I ran to the store for some things and rented some movies. Emily went over to Amy's. She was going to sleepover but had started having a headache earlier in the day and it was still bad later so Amy brought her home after she was done hanging out there. She had that headache most of the rest of the week, I think I need to get her eyes checked. She has been reading the Percy Jackson books like crazy--her girl cousins love them and Timo likes them too. The boys seemed to have fun, they played basketball and with toys and then watched a movie when they were ready to settle down. They watched Nim's Island. It was a fun show. Unfortunately, they did not sleep in but they still had fun the next day playing and then watching Hook. My mom took my sister and I out to lunch so Tim handled the kids after I left. He met me at my parents later and helped Teresa with something on the computer. The kids and I helped my mom clean up some branches from bushes that they had trimmed. Then they played and watched movies. They played outside until the sun started going down, it was still chilly even though most of the snow was melted.

Saturday was a normal chore morning. Tim finished digging out the dirt for our path around the grass in the front. We are hoping to get cement there. That night Tim took Timo, Izak, Micah and Zane to a game for the Utah Valley Thunder, an arena football team--I don't know what league. He lucked out and only had to pay for one ticket! 2 guys gave him 2 vouchers each. The kids had a lot of fun. Taran hung with his friends.

We had a good break even though the weather was lacking but this week has been beautiful so far!

I was going to post some photos but something is wrong with the connection it times out and won't do it. Sorry, if you are reading this and you aren't me!

The Ups and Downs of Boy bands . . .

http://northernknightsband.com/Video.aspx

Here is a link to the video of Taran (my oldest son) and his band Northern Knights. They performed for their church youth group before a lip sync competition. They did really well. They've been together since November. Taran is the lead singer on Bass guitar. Less than a week after their performance the acoustic guitar player left their band to play with his cousin. Luckily Taran and the other band members are the music writers but they have written songs to include an acoustic guitar. It's a good learning experience for them to see that change is inevitable especially when some of the band members are off to college next year they would have to revamp anyway! So check it out it really isn't too bad.:) I was there when they practiced but they did their best in this performance which I missed because I had scouts at the same time. I think it's pretty good for kids!

Create . . .

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=67956313106&h=1JUp2&u=AgMWz

I found this last month and meant to post it. It is a wonderful You Tube message, it's about 2 minutes. I feel like we all feel inferior to the many talented people who surround us but this message is clear that we can all create beauty around us!

FYI: Wake Up America!!!!

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/24073/
http://townhall.com/news/us/2009/04/16/tens_of_thousands_rally_at_tax_day_tea_parties?page=2
http://ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2009-02-16-1.html
I think it's great that these people were out showing how they feel. I have written letter after letter and would have like to have joined in the "Tea Parties" today's nasty weather talked me out of it. But the point is we need to let all our leaders know how disappointed we are with how the problems are being handled and the dangers we see. I know we are all busy but that is a tool of distraction, if you have time to TIVO or DVR American Idol you have time to read what is going on in DC and find out what you can do about it. This is a massive problem that is in BOTH parties, they both have self interested people ruining our country. Please take time once a week to find out what is going on and do something! Please!

Easter . . .

Saturday we colored our eggs, we do the non-conventional way, they are swirled. It's easy and I like it more. That night Timo had a lacrosse game near my mom's and she had Easter goody bags for all the kids. She spoils them! So we went over to her house to get them and visit a little. The weather was cold, wet and windy so we were glad our annual family Easter Egg hunt was not held then!

Sunday we prepared to have a lot of family from around here over for dinner after church. Tim and the choir were singing today so we needed to be ready for church early. I substitute taught in Primary for a friend whose dad was going to have surgery today, bless her! So I had to prepare it since I hadn't known ahead. I also had to combine 2 lessons but it turned out pretty good thanks to some divine intervention the whole day was fabulous.



I am so grateful for the Gospel. Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is my rock and salvation. He is my comfort and my guide I hate to think where I might be without Him and his church in my life. I am so grateful to Him for loving me, faults and all. For helping me when I don't deserve it and for forgiving me over and over. I wish people wouldn't say Mormons aren't christian because if they only knew the truth they would understand that He is the center of our religion. Some day everyone will know that He is the Son of God and all that he has done for each of us. His great love for us. How He has carried and comforted each of us in our darkest days. He is the light and peace that this world needs, it's too bad people are trying to get rid of any trace of Him. He who created the world they worship more than life itself, a sad irony.

Taran was ordained a priest today. If you are reading this and you are not LDS or Mormon, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we don't have a paid clergy and all worthy men young and old hold positions in the priesthood. Taran will have the opportunity to bless the Sacrament next Sunday with Tim. I suspect this to be a very special experience for our family. Thanks to all the family members who were able to make it today, we appreciate all the love and support!

It was a great day with great food and then a fun Easter Egg hunt and birthday celebrations for the Pew side for March and April. So much to be grateful for!!!

Happy 16th Birthday Taran!

Today 16 years ago our oldest son, Taran was born. It was 22 hours of labor. I threw up early morning and the contractions started in. After a few hours and not feeling comfortable at all we went to the hospital. I was one and a wiggle, fantastic! So they told me to walk around the hospital to see if I would start progressing. It was terrible, like a jack hammer on my lower back. Every 15 minutes. Tim would put pressure on it so I would feel some relief. I remember crying in the bathroom, I can't do this! Tim would say yes you can, you have to. Around noon they checked me again and I was barely a two. "Sorry, not much we can do for you--it's just going to get worse anyway." Thanks for the encouragement! They gave me a shot of morphine and sent me home to rest and maybe that would help. We went to my mom's since our apartment stank--I threw up on the carpet. I rested a little, Tim sacked out since he thought I was asleep. I still felt the contractions but I could lay down a bit. Then after 2 hours the pain came back like a vengeance. My mom and Tim put warm/hot washcloths on my back and belly and it helped to get me through the contractions. Then I got up and said, "I need to go the bathroom." I was serious. My mom said to Tim, "she is baring down. She needs to get to the hospital." "What? No, I said they will just send me home. I don't like that nurse." "No you need to go NOW!" So my mom drove while Tim was in the back with me trying to help me feel comfortable--whatever! But at least he tried. When we got there my mom ran in and got a wheelchair for me and Tim parked. My mom took me up and told the nurses I was baring down. They looked at us like whatever, they remembered me. They took me into a room. Checked me, "Oh, my she is complete call the doctor we need an IV and she needs the strep shot..." They were running around like crazy! Finally the doctor arrived wearing fluorescent green goggles-he wasn't my doctor but not much I could do about it. I told him NO episiotomy! But he cut me anyway and Tim said that the nurse made face like oops! It was a huge cut "I saved you a half hour of pushing!" Whatever dork! I had pain for 9 months. Can you tell I am still not over it! :) Anyway, Taran was born we had decided to be surprised so we were to know he was a boy and had red hair! His poor head was shaped like an Egyptian Pharaoh hieroglyphic! He was not a good nurser--that's a story in itself. But we persevered and we loved him and hopefully we didn't make too many mistakes since he was our first. He is an amazingly good person, but shy. Most things have come easy for him so if they ever get rough he wants to quit! He is lots of fun and we are so grateful he has survived 16 years of our parenting! I usually have a recent photo of him from today but I'll save it for another post!

Wisdom teeth extraction, again and more . . .

Timo had his wisdom teeth out last Friday. He went back to school on Tuesday but he swelled up pretty good compared to Taran. Just the stitches really bother him but they will dissolve in time. He didn't have as easy time with it but I blame his age, I think the younger you are the harder it is on your body. If he hadn't been in pain from them growing I would have waited, I could use that money for something more fun!:)

We are in the throws of soccer and baseball but the weather has made both sporadic. Owell. Still no sign of peas or spinach, my mom tells me not to worry. My tulips are working hard to emerge. I planted some pansies in pots yesterday, I hope they survive the wind and rain!

We thoroughly enjoyed General Conference, for 'mormons' it's a meeting held 2 times a year where some of our church leaders and our prophet and apostles give talks which are always inspirational and uplifting. These are broadcasted via satellite and over the internet or you can get tickets to attend them in person. You do not have to be a 'mormon' to watch or attend the sessions. I am always sad when it's over. Tim and Taran went out to dinner Saturday before the Priesthood Session since Timo was still barely eating he stayed home. They went to the Hibachi House it is amazing and Taran concurred! They went to the Priesthood session with Tim's dad.

Sunday after General Conference we shared dinner at our friends the Hallsted's. Their son went into the Missionary Training Center yesterday. He is going to Argentina-Rosario. So we had carne asado, empanadas (filling in won ton skins, I was too lazy to make the dough!), pasta frola, ensalada russa, ensalada de cebolla y tomate, mashed potatoes and bread. It was great fun to share this cultural experience with them and my kids! So I included a photo of the pasta frola at their house.


Monday I went with the preschool group to the Monte Bean Museum at BYU. I brought Gwen she loved it and we all enjoyed learning more about the reptiles during the reptile show.

Gwen and Emily have been sick this week, I included a photo of them asleep on the couch, together!

Taran and his band Northern Knights played at the YM/YW combined activity last night. I had scouts so I didn't go I hope I ever see the video of it. I heard them practice and here is a photo of them practicing in our garage the day before minus the drummer. My little kids sat and watched! The activity was a lip sync concert 80's was the theme so after the band played each group did a lip sync and Tim saw it and said Timo and Taran's group was the best! Of course!


I have a photo of my Easter decor, also have an egg wreath on the door. Not too exciting but we have been reading from the last week of the Savior's life and it has been very touching to me. It's our yearly tradition, if you have time read Elder Holland's talk in General Conference it gave me such a feeling of gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Gwen & Holly tu tu girls!!!

I wanted to update this since Taran turns 16 tomorrow!