Thursday, September 29, 2011

September weather

When it comes to weather September is without a doubt my favorite month. Most of the month is still technically summer but you don’t get very many really hot days. It is better than May or June because it is not as rainy.

There is no better month to play outside. It is warm enough that you don’t need a jacket but cool enough that you can run around and play for a long time without melting. I find myself trying to spend more time outside and going to more parks in September than I do in July or August.

My the end of the month you can feel a touch of fall. You can see leaves begin to change color and the nights start to get noticeably longer but it is still warm enough to wear flip flops for a few more weeks.

It is also the month that peaches are in season. My favorite breakfast ever is a bowl of sliced peaches frozen just enough so that the milk you pour on it freezes to the peaches but they are still soft enough to eat. Sprinkle a little sugar on it and enjoy.

Enjoy this wonderful September weather while it last. Now I think I will get the kids and go to the park.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Forget-me-nots

I’m guessing that most people who read this blog know that I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once a year in September there is a meeting for all the women of the church.  We had the privilege of of hearing from some of the women leaders in our church as well as Dieter F. Uchtdorf who is a member of the first presidency of the church. I always enjoy listening to what the leaders of the church have to say. I always feel uplifted and happy at the end of the meeting. I think because women are often hard on them selves that the people who are chosen to talk focus on positive things.

All of the speakers did an excellent job but President Uchtdorf’s seemed to be addressed just to me. I’m sure many women felt this way. He began his talk by saying that he loved forget-me-nots. They are not the biggest or most showy flower but the when put in a garden the small blue flower adds greatly to it’s beauty.

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He told the German legend of the forget-me-not. When God was done naming all the animals and plants there was one little blue flower that had been forgotten. It quietly said “Forget me not o Lord.” God told the flower that it its name would be forget-me-not. The forget-me-not has five petals. President Uchtdorf went on to talk about five things that we should not forget. The five things seemed to match up perfectly with a lot of what I have been thinking about lately and trying to focus on.

1. Forget not to be patient with yourself. Perfection is a long term goal, its ok if your not their yet. Be thankful for your successes and find wonder in the little steps.

There are so many things that I know I could be better at. And I am working on them. But I am improving everyday.

2. Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a bad sacrifice. Ask yourself am I committing my time and energy to what matters most?

I worry sometimes about getting everything done. I want my house my house clean, laundry done and dinner made. It is rarely all done at once. Right now I have dishes in my sink and laundry that needs folding. Not to mention all the other house related projects I want to get done. I also want to spend time with my kids, help them learn, teach them to be independent and play with them. And I need to find time to study the scriptures, fulfill my callings, support Michael in his.

Maybe the fact that the dishes aren’t done and the laundry still needs folding shows that I spending time on one of the things matters most to me, my children. I think I have been interrupted at least five times so far while writing this post to help a kid do something.

I know I won’t be able to get everything done in a day that I want to. I just need to try and make sure that the most important things aren’t forgotten.

3. Forget not to be happy now. In the story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory everyone is looking for a golden ticket in their candy bar. People set their happiness on getting the ticket. They focus so much on the ticket that they forget to enjoy the candy bar. It is good to hope for and seek after good things, but don’t put your happiness on hold while doing so.

It is easy for me to fall into this trap. Things will be better when I have my dream house, or when my kids learn to not be picky eaters, or after Parker is potty trained or when they are all in school and I have some time to myself.

It will be nice when some of the things I look forward to happen but there are a lot of things to be happy about now. I got to go out to lunch with Michael on Friday. Stephen loves to learn, it is fun to hear what he has to say. Kathryn draws me a picture nearly everyday and loves to help me with William. I love to hear Parker sing songs to me, Itsy Bitsy Spider and and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam. When William sees me walk into a room his face lights up and he reaches for me. 

I know that the things I am looking forward to might not seem important to other people. I also now that no matter what you feel like you are missing in your life it is possible to happy where you are. I hope and pray that the people I love and care about are happy in their lives right now.

4. Forget not the why of the gospel. The gospel is not an obligation it is a pathway. When we remember why we difficult things they are not a burden.

Michael and were talking about a religion last night that claims there is no life after this one. My first thought was what is the purpose of even having a religion if you don’t believe in life after death? Nearly everything I do in life is affected by my belief that life goes on after we die. How I treat others, how I raise my children the things I try to learn and study, the ways I try to improve myself. I know that the actions and choices that I make in this life are important.

I know that families can be together forever. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who cares about all his children. I know that everyone will have the opportunity for decide for themselves if the gospel is true.

5. Forget not that the Lord loves you. The same person who created the universe as well as the simple forget-me-not flower knows me and loves me.  He loves us with an infinite love.

He loves me even when I am forgetting the first four things. No matter where I am in life or what my struggles are I know that my Heavenly Father loves me.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Ice-cream

 

Monday afternoon a person from our ward  knocked on our door and asked if we wanted any ice-cream. If he had known me at all he wouldn’t have needed to ask. Apparently he used to work for an Tillamook and still has connections. He is retired now and likes to give ice-cream to a different family each week as a treat for family night. I think that is a great way to serve people.

He gave us a few different options and I chose mint chocolate chip. It was delicious. I love to eat ice-cream. I don’t think I have ever eaten a pint of Ben and Jerry’s in four separate servings. One of my favorite things  to do is to sit on the couch at night, eating a bowl of ice-cream and watch a good show with Michael.

I have many wonderful memories connected to ice-cream. Never ending ice-cream cones at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, service projects at Dairy Queen, Friday ice-cream with my friend Amanda, Baskin-Robbins after band concerts, home-made ice-cream on the Fourth of July, Phish Food with Darcy, I could go on.

If I had to chose between breaking my leg or never eating ice-cream again I would go with breaking my leg.

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Put Jimmer In!

I am not a sports fan. The two sports I did in high school (cross-country and track) aren’t really spectator sports. My husband doesn’t ever watch sports and probably doesn’t know the difference between a touchdown and a grand slam. Basically watching or following sports are not a significant part of my life, at all.

There are two exceptions to this, the Olympics and BYU sports. I love watching the Olympics and I kind of follow BYU sports. I am a BYU alum so of course I always want them to win. My Dad is a huge BYU sports fan. If you want to know about the latest game or what the pros and cons are to BYU football going independent just ask him.

This year my Dad decided to drive down to watch the BYU-Utah football game. Drive down from Washington. The night before the game. He was in Provo for less than 12 hours. I think that shows the level of his commitment to BYU sports.

He had gotten tickets for my sister and I to go with him to go to the game. Going to a BYU football game with a huge BYU sports fan is like watching a movie with someone laughs and makes jokes in a all the rights spots, it makes it a lot more fun. I had been looking forward to going to the game with my dad for a few weeks.

So Saturday morning I put on my BYU shirt and get ready for the game. My dad and sister show up and we head over to the stadium.IMG_1895

We were totally pumped. The BYU-Utah game is almost always a close game. BYU had the advantage of being at home and we were sure they were going to win. Darcy and I thought we would be funny and make a sign that said “Put Jimmer In!” to wave around just in case they got a point behind.

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I’m sure glad we made the sign because it got a lot a laughs as we held it up while BYU was being hammered.

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When there was about 8 minutes left and BYU was behind 10 to 40 my dad turned to me and said he couldn’t take it anymore, it hurt to much. So we left. The final score was BYU 10 Utah 54. They probably would have played better if they put Jimmer in.

I think I am glad I’m not an intense sports fan. It hurts much when your team looses.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Curry

Growing up there were three dinners that my Dad would cook. BBQ, fish sticks and Rice-a-Roni and Japanese style curry. When he made curry it was always on Sunday and it was always a big production. He would spend at least an hour chopping up veggies, when we were old enough he would let us do it. But not before he had given us a lecture on the proper way to cut a carrot, or celery or whatever veggie he had you cut. He would use a blend of medium and hot curry.

I remember always hanging around for when he added the curry to the veggies and water. I love how you could slice the curry like a big block of chocolate. The curry would slowly dissolve and turn the water into a thick sauce. You knew it was ready when you could smell it all throughout the house.

Dinner was always pretty quiet on the nights we had curry. Everyone was busy enjoying their curry and trying to eat fast enough to get seconds.

We always looked forward to the Sundays that Dad made curry.

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Shortly after Michael and I got married and decided to make him curry. He loved it and I learned something about making curry. It is really easy. Because of the big production Dad always turned it into I had always thought it was hard. But basically you just cook some chicken. Boil some chopped veggies, add the curry, mix it together and pour it over rice. I guess when your dinner repertoire only includes three things you have to make them look more difficult than they are.

Yesterday was one of my best friends birthday and I took her out to lunch. I got someone to watch my kids which meant we didn’t have to go to a restaurant with a play place attached.  My friend chose to eat at Thai Mango and Thursday’s special happened to be Massaman curry. As I was eating my lunch it reaffirmed my love for curry. Japanese, Indian or Thai, any type of curry is delicious. Mmmmmm curry. Go eat some for dinner tonight.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

French braids

 

When I was about five my mom cut off my hair and gave me what my dad called a pixie cut. Basically a very short bob. It was cute and easy to take care of, but I couldn’t wait for it to grow out. Because there is one big downside to short hair. You can’t braid it. I remember asking about every week when I was eight if my hair was long enough to French braid yet.

By the time I was 11 or 12 I had taught myself to French braid my own hair. I remember braiding all the girls hair at my first year of girls camp.

I loved French braids then and I love them still.

I love how they look. I love how they keep all your hair back with out feeling to tight like a pony tail can. And I love that Kathryn finally has long enough hair to French braid and the patience to sit still long enough for me to do it.

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Doesn’t it look nice?

Monday, September 12, 2011

I can grow zucchini and eat it too

I remember going to the store once with my sister and trying to buy some zucchini. She told me that you didn’t buy zucchini you waited for a neighbor or relative to give you some.

This summer I decided to finally have my own garden. It isn’t very big but it is doing great. I have made salsa with my own tomatoes and peppers. I have five pumpkins sitting on my kitchen counter and at least fifteen more growing.

And I have zucchini. So far my family and I have been able to successfully eat all the zucchini we have grown without pawning it off on our friends and family. My favorite way of eating it is in chocolate zucchini bread.

Just to prove how good I am at growing zucchini here is a picture of one I picked this morning.

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The cute baby in the picture is to show how big the zucchini is. This zucchini is destined to be in some lentil soup. I think my first year as a vegetable gardener has been a success!

Cream of Wheat

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I woke up at about 3 o’ clock this morning because I was a little cold. I quickly pulled up the blanket and fell back asleep. The nights are getting colder and there is a chill in the morning. And that means I can start having Cream of Wheat for breakfast.

Oatmeal is ok, but Cream of Wheat is so much better. It has a nice smooth texture. I love the way brown sugar melts perfectly into it. I love how when I take a bite of it I can feel it’s warmness move down my throat and into my stomach. I love taking a drink of ice cold milk right after a spoonful of hot Cream of Wheat.

I know school has started, apples are beginning to be is season and leaves will soon start changing color, but to me one of the first real signs of fall is when I come downstairs in the morning and have Cream of Wheat for breakfast.

I am Katie-Beth

 

Occasionally I meet new people and have the typical introductory conversation. I  like to talk to new people, the conversation usually goes something like this. Of course I generally ask the same questions to “new person” but their answers aren’t important right now.

new person: Where are you from?

me: I grew up in Washington state.

new person: What brought you to Utah?

me: I came to go to school at BYU and ended marrying a Utah boy.

new person: What did you study at BYU?

me: Family History and Genealogy

new person: I didn’t know that was a major. Do you work?

me: nope I am a stay and home mom, and I love it.

new person: That’s great. What do you like to do, what are your hobbies?

 

This is where I get stuck. I do have hobbies, and I like to do a wide variety of things. But I always end up saying the same thing.

me: I love to read, spend time with my kids and husband, and do things outside. Really, I am much more unique and exciting than I sound.

new person: That’s nice.

I may or may go on to get this person better and they might realize there is much more to me than a love of reading and my family. But lately I have felt like their aren’t very many people who really know me. Who know why I am an interesting person. What makes me happy and why I would be an awesome person to be friends with.

When I was a teenager I had no problem putting myself out their and meeting new people. I was good at drawing out shy people and befriending the loner. I was always busy, doing new things and loving life. Now I spend most of my time at home, with my kids and husband. I am still always busy and I love my life but I don’t want to be defined by just my role as a wife and mother.

This blog is to show (myself) who I am. What I love to do, what I am good at, what I actually accomplish in a day.  It’s to show that I have hobbies other than reading and that I am more than just a mom to four amazing kids. While my family is without a doubt the most important part of my life and I’m sure will show up in this blog they are not all that defines me. I am woman. I am a wife. I am a mother. I am Katie-Beth.

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