Ahhhhhhh!

If you've checked Maren's blog lately, then you know that we spent most of Friday in Chicago. Without our kids. Let me reiterate. Ahhhhhhh!

We enjoyed a respite from daily life in the temple, ate a delicious lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, browsed around The Container Store and had a mission to fulfill at IKEA. If you use your imagination you might be able to come up with some picture of the amazing time we had. You might be able to. And I'll leave it at that.

Thank you Maren, for a wonderful day! You were great company and it was much needed time for me to fill my cup. And thanks Craig and Grandma and Grandpa Ream for taking care of the kids. They had a good time too!

All About Me from A to Z

You may think from the looks of this post that things haven't been very newsworthy lately. Not so! but I'll get to them later. Here's a little something to amuse you until then.

By the way, this was originally a tag, but I changed it. I'm not really into the whole tag thing... I often think the ideas are good, I just don't want to send them on to other people. So there you go -- be tagged if you must.

A - Attached or Single: Happily attached.
B - Best Friend: I have more than one. Craig is among them, of course.
C - Cake or Pie: Both! German Chocolate Cake and Marie Callender's Razzleberry Pie.
D - Day: Thursday.
E - Essential Item: Eyebrow Pencil. Oh, wait... Music!
F - Favorite Color: Green.
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: (Gummy) Cinnamon Bears.
H - Home Town: Salt Lake originally, but as a wife and mom it's Lafayette.
I - Indulgences: Staying up way too late.
J - January or July: Both.
K - Kids: Two, Logan 4 years and Bergen 19 months.
L - Life is incomplete without: My family. And a good, cold beverage. (That would be Diet Coke for those of you who are wondering.)
M - Marriage Date: April 14, 2000.
N - Number of Siblings: Two, an older sister and a younger brother.
O - Obsession: Organization. ha!
P - Phobias or Fears: Spiders.
Q - Quote: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... for where your treasure is there will your heart be also."
R - Reason to Smile: I got a BIG project organized on Tuesday! (Thanks Carri.)
S - Season: Late Summer/Early Fall.
T - Talents: Sewing and quilting (right now).
U - Unknown fact about me: I cracked a man's knuckles once while shaking his hand. I had just won $1000. in The Pepsi Challenge.
V - Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Oppressor.
W - Worst Habit: Being late.
X - X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds.
Y - Your favorite food: Chicken.
Z - Zodiac Sign: Aquarius, but two more minutes and I would have been a Pieces.

Simple Pleasures

I had a cheese and tomato sandwich today. I love cheese and tomato sandwiches.

This particular sandwich had a tomato from my garden on it. That with some sharp cheddar cheese, a little Miracle Whip, and salt and pepper and I was quickly taken back to my youth.

My neighbor Joan introduced me to cheese and tomato sandwiches when I was in junior high school. I was her babysitter and we visited over lunch on more than one occasion. In fact, we still keep in touch and she shared some provolone on wheat toast with me during a recent visit.

Thank you Joan, for trusting me with your kids, and for introducing me to one of life's simple pleasures.

Movie Mom

The kids and I enjoyed a movie and popcorn on the hide-a-bed tonight. Logan wants to pull the bed out every chance he gets, but I usually only let him take the cushions off the couches to make cars, forts, or whatever else he decides on. (Mean mom, I know, but that thing takes up the whole living room!) Tonight though, I thought it might be fun to do something different and there was really no reason not to -- I was relatively stress-free!

The Primary activity was over, I hadn't had to make lunch (yeah Pizza Hut), dinner was done and my kitchen was clean, the washers (dish and clothes) were running, I had a nice refreshing beverage at my fingertips, and best of all I had time to relax with my kids!

We were excited. Logan quickly picked up some toys so I could vacuum and then put his pajamas on while I prepared the snacks. Once Bergen was ready we went to get the chosen movie "Cars" from the shelf. It was nowhere to be found. We looked and looked, but couldn't find several of our movies, and I wasn't up for Bob the Builder. Then we tried something new. We found "An Indian in the Cupboard" on free demand. Cool. We were good to go. (We have that movie too, but it must be in hiding with the others. It's a good movie. You should watch it sometime if you haven't already.)

 

So, instead of putting my kids to bed and vegging in front of Olympics tonight, I let them stay up a little later than usual and we had some fun!

Things ended well too. Bergen is in her bed, Logan will be thrilled to wake up in the living room, and I am a really happy mom.

Too much? Unreasonable?

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I've been a little stressed out lately. That happens sometimes when I have a lot on my mind (and in my planner.)

I don't like the fact that I can't do everything! Because.
I. Want. To.

I want to be able to read my scriptures and have meaningful prayers every day, have a clean house with no dishes in the sink, be out the door at the drop of a hat when invited to go somewhere with friends, make more nutritious meals (and have my family eat them), not worry so much, sleep peacefully, go on a date with my hoosband (without the kids), create something, make a little money, de-clutter faster (and not feel guilty about getting rid of special things), be fit - thin even, paint and redecorate my kids room, get a pedicure, feel like my life has more of a purpose, and have some time for myself.

Is that unreasonable? I don't think so. And I certainly hope not!

Good One!

I heard, saw, or read this somewhere recently and really liked it: "If you remove yourself from the temptation, it is that much easier to resist it."
So true!

"Cannon Balls"

One of the big stressors in my life is making dinner at lunchtime.

Since Craig works 2nd shift we have our family meal in the afternoon. So, it often seems like as soon as breakfast has been cleaned up, it's time to start lunch!

It's not that I don't like to cook either. It's just that Bergen and I will try almost anything. Craig and Logan on the other hand... Well, lets not go there right now, except to say that deciding what to have can be somewhat frustrating at times.

I knew I had some hamburger I wanted to use today, and pretty much knew what I wanted to do with it. (No, I am not a big time meal planner, yet.) I had thought enough about it though to see how it would go over with the guys before getting started. I was also out and about this morning, so while driving home (after Logan requested stopping at McDonald's for lunch) I told him about my plan and asked him what he thought. Of course he wanted chicken. No surprise there!

It was a little after 1:00pm when we got home and the first thing Craig asked was what I had in mind for "dinner". I told him I was planning to make meatloaf. Then he said "with mashed potatoes?" To which I replied that I didn't think we had the right kind of potatoes for mashed. He knowingly picked up on my sly diversion -- I have a new potato love -- and asked if we'd be having crash hot potatoes, which is what I had planned. Well, there weren't enough red potatoes to make making crash hots worthwhile and I did actually have some others, so I went with mashed. And gravy.

While I was preparing things Logan mentioned again that he wasn't thrilled with the meatloaf idea, so I switched it up and made "cannon balls!" (Thanks Tiffany for suggesting baking the meatloaf in muffin tins!)

 

 

Lunch was tasty and fun to eat today! Logan said he'd like tanks with his cannon balls next time, but other than that they were great. This is a meal I'll definitely plan for when I get around to doing that!

A week without a post

It's been a week since I last posted on my blog! Not that I haven't wanted to post. To use a line from my friend Maren, things "just haven't been bloggable lately."

Okay, maybe there have been things to blog about, but I've been taking a little break. I'm feeling the pressure though, so for you dedicated readers who check in often and have asked about my recent lack of blog fodder, here's a quick update:

I have been watching the Olympics! I love the Olympics. (If I ever had a dream that really was a dream, it would have been to compete in the Olympics. Don't ask me what I would have done. I just would have wanted to be an Olympian.)

I've also been a little stressed out lately so it's been good to be able to veg out in front of the TV. I promise to get back into the swing of things soon. Thanks for your concern. I didn't know so many of you followed along... It's been nice to be missed.

Siblings

Bergen won't leave Logan alone. She pesters him even when he's asleep! She climbed up on the couch to be next to him the other day. Never mind that he wasn't in a position to play with her.

 

I know it's coming... I can hear him now. "Mom! She's touching me!" Oh the joys of having a sibling.

That's My Boy!

I truly did not know how much my mom loved me until I had a child of my own. Having Logan changed my life.

What a blessing it is to be his mom. He is a (mostly) happy, noisy, funny, friendly, smart, sweet, stubborn, curious, snuggly, rambunctious, amazing little boy. Although if you ask him he'll tell you he's a "big boy"!

 

I am grateful for the ways Logan has changed my life. It is filled with more wonder, more meaning, more fun, more messes, more questions, and more zest for life.

I love you Logan and I love that you love me. Unconditionally. Thank you!

Where does the time go?

I can't believe Bergen is already 18 months old! It seems like she's been a part of our family forever and yet it's really been no time at all.

 

I remember when she arrived; delivered by her dad, in the master bathroom of our home. And how I felt like such a "redneck" for having her there. (I was mortified. I thought people everywhere were thinking, 'Dumb lady, she can't even get to the hospital in time to have her baby!') Then later, after talking to Craig about some thoughts he'd had the night before she was born, I wondered if maybe it was supposed to be that way.

Whatever my thoughts were then, they sure don't seem to matter now. Bergen is a joy! I love her like I never imagined I could! Here's to making the rest of our lives together as memorable as the first year and a half.
I love you Berg.

Still the Same

After being on vacation it was nice to come home and see that nothing has changed.

Bergen is lucky to have two grandpas to love... And love them she does! Here she is enjoying a little one-on-one time with Grandpa Don.

 

Vacation: Not what I expected

We headed to Salt Lake week before last. Craig thought it would be nice to take I-70 and enjoy the scenery this trip instead of booking it on I-80. I really didn't give it much thought.

We hadn't been on the road too long. In fact, we were about to St. Louis, when I realized that, 'Hey, in a few hours we'll be near Kansas City. And Kerry lives there!' I asked Craig how close we'd be and he told me right there, so I talked to him about the possibility of stopping. I was ready for him to say that we needed to keep going, but he said to give Kerry a call. So I did. And. We. Stopped!

Kerry was obviously surprised when I called and asked if she was up for a visit. Then her enthusiasm kicked in and she invited us to have dinner, and to stay if we wanted to. Several phone calls later I was surprised when again, my dear hoosband surpassed my expectations and went for it. We stayed... For. The. Night.

It was evening when we landed. Tony and Craig went to pick up some BBQ while the kids played and Kerry and I gabbed. Then later, after dinner and more playing, when the kids were worn out and everyone was ready or in bed, Kerry and I went to WalMart and Sonic. It was just like old times -- Shopping with my friend. (Only in Lafayette we went to Target.) We must have been at the store for well over an hour after getting the few things we needed. Talking. Wandering. Then we went to Sonic and got Lemon-Berry Slushes and an order of Mozzarella Sticks to share. Yum. After that it was home again, more talking, and a little goofing around on the internet before hitting the sack.

Morning came early the next day. And after a tasty breakfast we were on our way again.

 

 

It was so good to see Kerry and Tony and their kids Logan and Avery! They moved away two years ago and although we've kept in touch, we haven't seen each other since then. Thanks guys, for a GREAT TIME and a wonderful beginning to our vacation. For me, this was a way too short, but very memorable visit. You know, just what I needed! (Thank you too Craig! For stopping.)

Traveling

I'm sure that for some people "traveling" means flying off to exotic destinations, cruising around the islands, enjoying different cultures, trying new foods, etc. For us, it means loading up the car and heading West.

It's a good thing our kids travel well. They're going to be doing a lot of it in their lifetimes.

My husband is the driver and I am the sleeper when we travel. I'm usually up until all hours of the morning before we leave getting ready to go. Seriously though, I think even if I got a good nights sleep before a trip, I'd still crash in the car. (Maybe its the steady movement that puts me to sleep. I've heard of people taking babies for drives to get them to sleep.)

Anyway, I try to make traveling in the car enjoyable for the kids. Craig makes it enjoyable for me by waiting for me to run into the store to get a drink --Diet Coke-- each time we stop to fill up with gas. On this trip the kids got new drawing pads and some weird crayon things (that melted along the way), some books, "fun" snack boxes (because if you ask Craig he'll tell you I'm all about fun), and some Color Wonder stuff. I also took bubbles.

The bubbles were a big hit at the first rest stop! I think the kids were really surprised. (Craig too.) They got to run around a little more than usual when we stopped. We also had a picnic lunch at that rest stop. What a treat! McDonald's can get old pretty fast when you're on the road for a couple of days.

Some of the other fun things we do are take silly pictures, play car games, enjoy hotel breakfasts, watch movies, and dance and sing. Yes, you read it right, we dance. In the car. Oh the joys of traveling!

 

Cleaning Out Cupboards and Dancing The Tango

We went to Salt Lake to "help" my dad with a few little projects that needed doing since my mom's death in April. Like a grown man with full run of the house really wants/needs help from his kids and a couple of theirs...

For starters, my sister and I cleaned out some cupboards and organized the pantry in the kitchen while Craig and my dad built a new deck. Then we got rid of things our dad isn't going to use (in this lifetime) and our brother took a few loads to the DI.

Of course it wasn't all work! We also ate good food, swam in the pool, talked and talked and talked, and you guessed it, danced the Tango!

Sadly, I don't have any pictures of us working. I do have some of the kids dancing! (Would have gotten a few of my dad too if I'd been quicker with my camera.)

Logan and Bergen both love to dance. So thanks Dad, for showing them the new moves. They've been practicing since we've been home and I think something could actually come of it!

 

Chef Logan

Aunt Audrey gave Logan a little belated birthday gift on our last day in Salt Lake: a Chef Set; including a chef's hat, an apron, and an oven mitt. She also threw in some measuring spoons.

I know Logan has wanted something like this for a long time. He is always asking to help me in the kitchen and I let him because he is really good at it. He can even crack and egg into a bowl without getting any of the shell in it! (Can your four year old do that?)

So after putting the stuff on, Logan didn't take it off. He wore his chef attire all afternoon and late into the night. (Uncle Brian commented to me recently when we were talking about the trip, that he'd been there when Logan received the gift, but then had to leave. And when he returned, hours later, Logan still had the stuff on!)

Here's a quick rundown: After pretending to do some cooking in the kitchen (Bergen included) for a while, Logan went downstairs to watch TV. He must have decided he was tired though, because he was napping when I went to check on him. Later when a big bunch of us went to dinner Logan was still wearing his gear. We did have him leave the oven mitt in the car so it wouldn't get pizza all over it, but as soon as we were back in the car it was on again. (He also tried some chef type of experiment with a l-o-n-g straw while we were at the restaurant.)

Then we went to my brother Eric's house for some fun. Yes, that's Logan the "Rock Star Chef" with Austin and a friend.

 

I'm glad Logan has a vivid imagination. He pretends on a daily basis and gets all of us to play along.

On a side note, Logan saw a wooden pizza set while we were at a store today. He asked if he could have it and almost cried when I told him he couldn't. (I'm trying to teach him that we don't always get what we want when we want it (patience), and that we don't always buy things at the store just because we can (impulse purchases.) It's tough for a kid... and a mom for that matter.) Perhaps we'll be hiding a few food sets between now and Christmas.

Fun and Games

We always have fun at Uncle Eric and Aunt Jolinn's house. Logan especially likes to play "games". We don't have anything like an XBox at home, so it's a real treat for him whenever we visit. We also appreciate the big kids letting our little ones play. Thanks Nick and Parker!

 

A Girl and her Grandpa

Every once in a while if we couldn't find Bergen, all we had to do was look for Grandpa Lo. She sure enjoyed being with him. And correct me if I'm wrong Dad, but I think you liked amusing her too.

 

July 24th and other Miscellaneous Events

A July 24th get-together is an annual event in our family and this year was no different. Well, except that we kids were all there and our mom wasn't. So it was different. But still nice to be together.

Craig took Logan to Kennecott Copper Mine in the morning. They had a great time. Although I can't document it for posterity since no pictures were taken. Logan liked the big train outside and the little toy trucks in the visitors center. Craig thought it was great to see the CAT engines that he works on actually running in the big trucks. Once they were back and the others arrived for the party, it was non-stop fun at the Andriese house(s)!

 

I've already mentioned swimming. The picture of Logan wearing holey socks is typical of our days growing up in the pool. He was in there every day and rubbed the bottoms of his toes raw! "Rosies" didn't stop him though. Just like we did when we were young, he resorted to wearing (and wearing out) socks.

And the shot of him eating cake in the pool? Another fond memory from my youth. Often times on the weekends my mom would make breakfast and we'd eat poolside. We didn't get out of the pool either. We just bellied up to the bar as they say and ate it right there! Yum.

As for the food; Bergen is all over her corn on the cob as you can see. The rest was delicious as well.

There were a couple of naps and of course more snacks before we headed over to the other Andriese house for fireworks that night. Logan can't get enough of his cousins (and asks for them all the time)! And lets not forget the glow sticks. A celebration of this magnitude wouldn't be complete for Logan without glow sticks!

One of the last things we did before heading home from our vacation was to go to the cemetery to see my moms headstone. It was nice to be there and to see it in place. Sadly it will be at least a year until we get back to see it again. I'm happy to say that I didn't feel my mom there. I thought I would, but I'm glad I didn't. I know she's in a better place and that her body isn't hurting anymore.

All in all it was a good trip.

Saving the Best for Last

And finally, the best part of our vacation. Seeing Grandpa Lo! of course.

 

Thanks for everything Dad -- We love you!