Table for Eight

We are long overdue for a GIVEAWAY here on Hyteria Lane! And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, I'm thinking we need to have a series of fun holiday giveaways--chocolate, cosmetics, bubblebath, and the sort. So today we're kicking it off with a Mr. Bubble Giveaway. That's right--we're giving away not ONE, BUT TWO, full-sized bottles of Mr. Bubble (keeping it real, but fun). If you'd like to enter to win, please click the link below and leave a comment (leave your email address too--so we can contact ya when you win). Remember the guidelines: 1. We aren't sponsored--so this is just a fun friend thing to do. 2. U.S. entrants only (that makes me laugh, but I am thinking just in case someone in Tahiti Googles me). 3. You may enter more than once (once per email address). 4. We respect your privacy, your full name/contact information are not shared or used on the blog--at all.) 5. Previous winners may enter. 6. Yes, my own family may ent...

First thought: What a difference a day makes! It was so so so grey here yesterday, and today it's blue skies, crisp and clear. Still 35 degrees, but we'll take it. Sooooo good to wear short sleeved shirts! (Does that make you warm climate peeps smile? Short sleeves at 35 degrees?) Second thought: I have a gripe. And I'm really not the kind of person that likes to gripe. (Remember me, the one writing the book "It bothers me that you bother me." I feel guilty when I complain.) Anyhow, here's my gripe-- Today I went to the Ear, Nose, Throat doctor for a follow-up visit (see Monday's blog). From the MINUTE, and I mean MINUTE, I walked into the office, I could smell a poopy diaper. Yeh, I said it: a POOPY DIAPER. It was the kind of smell that turns me into a giddy school girl. Like, suddenly I'm in 3rd grade and someone in class has gas, and the teacher wants us all to be serious, but I just can't do it. So I get sent to the princip...

About 2 weeks ago, Camry asked me if we could make lipgloss at home. I'll be honest, I wasn't thinking this was a good idea. First of all, I was pretty sure we didn't have the ingredients at home--which meant a trip to the store. Probably a couple of stores. And second of all, it seems like my experience with the whole "ESTSY" movement is that it costs a heck of a lot more to make some things at home than it does to purchase them. Take for example, soap. I usually buy bars of Dove soap at Costco for something like $9.00 for a case of 12. When I made the granola version of that soap a few years ago, thinking I was all Little House on the Prarie, it cost me about $250.00 for 36 soaps-- soaps that gave the kids a rash. (Not kidding on the $250. I thought I'd make soap for every person I knew. I bought molds, soap chips, glycerin, essential oils, and more.) So, like I said, when Camry asked about making lipgloss at home, I was thinking, "That sou...

I know that bloggers are supposed to be upfront with their giveaways, endorsements and reviews. If a company gives you a sample and you post a review on your blog, then you should make sure the readers know that you received that product as a free sample (Because that may change the way you review the product. Paying for things has a funny way of making you expect a little more. LOL!). So, I want to make it clear: no one pays me to review or endorse products. I'm just listing these today because I'm in bed and bored and thinking of all of the places I'd like to visit if I had a free day and a fully loaded Visa Gift Card: * Zappos.com! Just bought Jonah a pair of pants for school there. It's free one-day shipping (even for returns) and no tax in Utah. Woo hoo! I love Zappos! * India Fusion. Local SLC Indian Restaurant. Love the naan. * Target. Who doesn't love getting salad dressing AND a bathing suit in one store? * Glitter Toes. Doesn't matter wh...

In honor of Julie Andrews, here my "favorite things" this week: 1. NPR interview with Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules: http://www.onpointradio.org/2010/01/michael-pollans-food-rules 2. Ray earning the Star Student Award. 3. Jonah leaving me a sign this morning thanking me for the fish I made last night. (He was at a movie night at school, so his food was in the "warmer" when he got home. I wasn't even sure he'd feel like eating. BUT, this morning I woke up to a big sign--literally--that said, "That was the best fish I've ever had. I'm not kidding mom. Thank you." Is that a riot? It make me so grateful to have a son who's so thoughtful/expressive. Holy cow. And it makes me grateful to have a son that likes FISH!) 3. Dave taking some time off on Wed. to help while I worked. 4. The kids donating to Haiti. 5. Kaya getting a math award. 6. The snow and rain. 7. Granola, peanuts, cranberries, and leafy greens. They sa...

I don't know how I did this, I posted on January 19th without writing a Bday Acrostic for my favorite sister-in-law! Juanita, I love you and am so sorry! I love you and hope you had a great birthday! XO! And now, your birthday acrostic: J --Just the absolute best sister-in-law in the world. I would sincerely marry you myself if Dane hadn't. U --Understanding. A --Always upbeat and positive. N --Nice to neices and nephews. (See letter J above--the kids would marry you, too!) I --Ice cream sculptures should be made in your image. T --Totally beautiful inside and out. A --A wonderful mom and wife. You're the thing we love most about Dane. (LOL!)

So Monday I was talking to my favorite friend, Christine in KY, about coincidences. It was nothing major, but we were both kind of just sharing things that had happened recently that seemed to be "by accident," but were really anything BUT. (I have one major one from this past year that I'm dying to write and tell people about, but it's so personal, I'm not sure a blog post is the place to discuss. LOL.) In addition to the whole coincidence topic, Christine and I talked about 2.2 million other things--kids, food, old friends, church, books, etc. So, imagine my surprise when yesterday--the day after talking to Christine--Cam, Kaya and I are eating lunch at Quiznos and we run into one of the friends Christine had asked me about the day before. Not a really big deal, I guess . . .  except I haven't seen or talked to that friend in almost 20 years. Literally--19 years ago in Chatsworth, California. Is that crazy? I hear her name on Monday, tell Christine...

Yay Ray, it's your birthday . . . no, actually, it's not! But, it feels like a birthday because . . . Ray was named Star Student of the Month for his class this month! We are sooooooooooooooo proud of him. He was smiling ear-to-ear when his teacher told him (they phoned us before to tell us, but Ray didn't know). I don't know if there's a better feeling in the world than to be told that you are doing good and that others care about you. (Well, I know a better feeling--being the parent of someone when they are told that. And, seeing the smile on your child's face as a result. Genuine joy.) Congratulations Ray!

A week or so ago Jonah asked me if I wanted to buy a sack of potatoes from his friend Kip--as a fundraiser for Kip's drumline group(what with drumlines having overhead and all). Anyway, I was thinking, "now that's my kind of fundraiser!" Forget all that refridgerator cookie dough, giftwrap, and Dominoe's pizza coupon cards--mama wants potatoes! So, imagine my suprise when Kip delievered the goods yesterday. I almost fell over. I've been buying potatoes at the local grocery store for so long, I think my idea of "sack of potatoes" and Kip's idea of "sack of potatoes" are two entirely different things. Truly, when I saw the sack on the counter--and it was a sack--as in, "let's have a potato sack relay and stand inside a potato sack," I thought, "I think that's 100 pounds of potatoes." So I said, "Jonah is that a 100 pound bag of spuds?" And Jonah replies, without appreciating my use o...

Yay! Sweet Baby Ray made the decision to be baptized a member of our church last Saturday. (It's a decision he'd actually made about 7 months ago, but one we waited on for a number of reasons--to give him time to adjust to our family, time to learn about baptism/church . . . ). We're so happy for Ray! It was a really special day--thanks to Dave, our kids, the missionaries, and our ward-family. (If you can believe, on the day of the actual baptism, I woke up at 2am with a sickness that made it impossible for me to be at the baptism. I say "impossible" because I tried at least 7 times to stand up and that just wasn't happening.) Thankfully, there were SOOOOOOO many friends there to support Ray. It was a full house. Camry, Kaya, and Jonah all helped with the actual speaking and prayers during the service, and two of my favorite friends lead the music. People brought treats and wrote kind notes. It was perfect. It really was a special day! Thank you to all of our ...

Not a ton of time to write today--which is odd for me because I love to write. Anyhow. Here's the next book I'm hoping to crack: Food Rules by Michael Pollan (author and writer for the NY Times) See details here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html Some of the "Food Rules" I read yesterday in the NY Times' piece: * "If it's served through a car window, it's not food." * "The whiter the bread, the sooner your dead." * "If the cereal turns your milk a color, you shouldn't eat it." Sounds pretty interesting. (Particularly when you are trying to come off of a major bout with the flu and pancreatitis. The idea of anything processed sounds HORRIBLE. Ugh. PS: So does anything Cherry. This last round of sickness blew cherries for me--forever. Sorry for the details.)

I really do think I'm hardwired differently than Dave. I don't know if that's a result of nature or nurture, but regardless, I'm different. Case in point: How we manage high-stress situations. Let me replay the latest in our At-Home Edition of the Darwin Awards: Setting: It's 8am. Everyone's getting ready for school. Dave and I are both home. Child: [SCREAMING LIKE I'VE NEVER HEARD] "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Me: [SCREAMING LIKE NO ONE'S EVER HEARD] "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Dave, help her. Help her. Help her. Please. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Dave: [Calmly] "Where is she?" Me: "Upstairs." [Dave runs upstairs. Part way up the stairs...] "Downstairs! Dave, where are you? She's hurt. Dave????" Dave: [Calmly] "You said upstairs. I'm coming." Child: [Still screaming like I've never heard. BTW: Me, too. Still screaming.] Dave: [Gets to said-child...

Happy Birthday LA(donna)! We hope you have a great birthday! And now, a Birthday Acrostic: L --Let's just say, one of the wittiest people I know. A --Animal-lover. D --Did you really used to skateboard? You're too much! O --Our lives are better because of YOU (and Jonah--LOL!). N --Number #1. N --Not a day goes by when we don't think of you. A --Absolutely beautiful.

Random Thought: Funny how just one week of "back to the routine"--school and work--makes Christmas a distant memory. Anyone agree? Well anyway . . . After a few serious blog posts, I thought I'd end the week with a LIGHT one! I don't want anyone worrying about me/us over here. (PS: You try living in hazy grey-sometimes-5-degree weather for the first week of a brand new year. It's not exactly easy peasy.) So, here are some of the fun(ny) things that have been happening around here since Christmas: 1. Making puffed pastry ANYTHING. I'm telling you, it's my breakout food for 2010. (I don't even know if it's a food?) 2. The family that plays together . . . stays together. LOL. SEE--they are together and they are playing . Take that all of you people that say technology is dividing us, making us anti-social, disconnected, less active, etc. I think not! jk (Honestly, this photo KILLS me. I didn't set it up. This is wha...

I just started reading Dave's latest book--well, one of his latest (he reads like 4 at a time). It's called the Happiness Hypothesis. Our neighbor (also major reader) lent him a copy and Dave really liked it, so we bought our own copy. Dave's on his second read. I'm on my first. I think I'm going to like it a lot. For one: The cover is a photograph of someone riding an elephant--while the elephant swims (the viewpoint is taken underwater--so you see the elephant's legs. SEE? Isn't that cool? For two: The intro hooked me, "What should I do, how should I live, and whom should I become? Many of us ask such questions, and, modern life being what it is, we don't have to go far for answers. Wisdom is now so cheap and abundant that it floods over us from calendar pages, tea bags, bottle caps, and mass email messages forwarded by well-meaning friends. We are in a way like residents of Jorge Luis Borges's Library of Babel-- an infini...

Happy 15th Birthday Jonah! (And yes, I'm posting "pictures of pictures." He was born pre-digital age, yanno.) We love you so much. Hope you have a super day! And now, an acrostic in honor of you: J --Jonah Neutron 2 me. So mechanical! (Built your own electric scooter @ 5--while dad was sleeping tending & and mom at RS.) O --Oh, so energetic! N --Never bored. A --Always willing to help . . . family, neighbors, pets. ALWAYS. H --Happiest when you're riding your bike (more than 10 miles). C --Clipped the training wheels off your first bike @ age 3 (should toddlers know how to work sheers?). H --Hot even in 20 degree weather (Part of the energetic thing, we're sure. You're your own furnace.). R --Really funny (and it's a dry sense of humor--so it's even funnier). I --Intellient. S --Super perceptive (Missing keys? Got 'em. Lost kid? Found her! Lost dog? Already found him.). T --Totally driven. I --I love you. Dad loves you. T...

I need Lucy. Not Lucille Ball. Lucy from Peanuts. Because today I'm Charlie Brown. Blue like Charlie Brown, I mean. Why? I don't know? (And yes, it bothers me that I'm blue--when I know dang well I'm blessed. And yes, it bothers me that it bothers me. And yes, I'm bothered even more that I'm blogging about this. LOL!) Here's what I think: Maybe I listened to Elvis' "I'll Have a Blue Christmas" one too many times in December? Maybe I'm coming off of a sugar high? (True.) Maybe it's that our garage door fell off the tracks and nearly killed our cars this weekend (and no, it's not fixed). Maybe it's that I haven't been home in more than a year? And my only vacation in the last 18 mos was to a funeral (No offense to Gpa Mike, of course...without that funeral I wouldn't have made it out of state at all last year.) Maybe it's that we've worked so hard for a lot of our goals, and now that we've hit some/missed o...

Okay, I did start the year with Yoga yesterday. Goal #1: CHECK. And I did drink more water yesterday. Goal #12: CHECK. BUT  . . . I didn't really cut back on my calorie intake this weekend. I blame the above: Puffed Pastry. You see, I bought some on New Year's Eve--in order to make one of the recipes from Real Simple Magazine. And let me tell you. After just a few minutes Googling "Puffed Pastry," I realize there are endless possibilities for this stuff. (And I say stuff because I don't know if it's in the bread family. And if someone tells me it's the French equivalent of Cheese Whiz, I'm going to knock ya out.) I love this stuff. 2010: it's beginning to look a lot like puffed pastry.

I've been thinking (stop laughing), why is STRANGE in the word STRANGER? It sounds like someone you should be afraid of, right? Because after the December we just had, I'm pretty sure 99% of strangers are anything but strange in the "scary" sense of the word. I think the strange part must refer to "peculiar" or "out of the ordinary." And in our busy, world-wide world, PECULIAR is a pretty AWESOME thing! Let me share the kindness "strangers" shared with our family this holiday season. Now remember, these aren't necessarily people we "don't know"--that kind of stranger. They are just strangely amazing/loving/generous people: * The 3 military personnel delivered Christmas gifts to LuLu and Ray. As part of DCFS's "giving tree" for all children in foster care, these ARMY MEN (they were men and they were in the army, not a generalization) took their own vacation time, gas, and car to deliver the gift...