Table for Eight

Well, I think it's safe to say that my house has a thin layer of flour on literally every hard surface. In other words, I still have bread on the brain. I don't know what it is, but I am seriously happy whenever there is bread in the house in some stage of baking--mixing, rising, baking, resting, etc. It's silly, but it's like everything's okay with the world as long as I have 6 cups of flour, 3 TBS of yeast, 3 TBS of salt, and 3 cups of water. Anyway, my point! I learned to make pita yesterday. And it is so fun to make. (And I didn't really size it right, so I made the World's Largest Pita for my first one--seriously, the size of a family-sized pizza. Hilarious.) In other news, Father's Day and LuLu's birthday are on the horizon. Lots of reasons to celebrate.

Well, I'm up at the crack of dawn, working on Greek Jeopardy for Kaya's "Last Day of School" party.  (Thankfully, another mom did 99% of the work. I'm convinced, some moms never sleep.) We have loved this school year--and really appreciated all of the things the kids have learned. They've worked really hard and also had a lot of fun. Overall, I'd say it was a successful year. But I'd be lyin' if I didn't say that I'm REALLY looking forward to a few weeks without making lunches, getting kids ready for school, and doing word sorts. Those things I can do without for a bit . . . because SCHOOL IS OUT FOR SUMMER!

I think it's about time we had a giveaway! Heaven knows it's been forever ! (PS: Donna, never fear. Snuggie is here!) The theme for today's giveaway is "I Pink I Can" --because I realized when I changed my blog background this weekend that I love PINK ! So, here's the loot: One bottle of Sally Hansen's "I Pink I Can" nail polish. One tube of Revlon's "In the Pink" lipstick. One pack of pink bubblegum. Here are the guidelines: 1. Anyone may enter (just need an email address so we can contact you when you win). 2. Family and friends may enter (they're the only ones reading the blog, yanno!). 3. Previous winners may enter. 4. Winner will be announced Friday, June 18th @ 5pm. 5. To enter, answer the following question (*send your answer in an email to deserethousewife@yahoo.com): "What is your favorite PINK food item?" 5. Winner will be selected--using Random.org.  (NOTE: This is not a sponso...

NOTE:   This excerpt comes from a book the Book Fairy gave me ( thank you! ), Life is a Verb , by Patti Digh: *************** Let Go of the Monkey Bars "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." --Lao Tzu   Sometimes taking flight takes letting go. Letting go takes faith. Faith takes letting go. It all requires wings. And so it goes. As Kierkegaard said, "Without risk there is no faith, and the greater the risk, the greater the faith." Flying begins with a leap of faith. At the end of each year, I ask myself two questions: What do I want to create in this New Year and, perhaps even more importantly, what do I want to let go? This year, I needed to let go of a project I had been holding on to, one that was lucrative but deflected my attention from my real work. I needed to really let go, not pretend to let go, or hold on to vestiges of it to keep me comfortable. It was a letting go that sent me flying into that space between the monkey bar...

( NOTE : For those of you nowhere near Hysteria Lane, let me just begin by saying, "Yes, it's raining here." But I stopped worrying about rain in June when I stopped worrying about snow in May. It's all good.) I think I read this in an Eckhart Tolle book, but I am not sure. Something to the effect of, "Treat each situation as if you choose it." In other words, when it rains, act as though you wanted it to rain. When you gain 10 pounds, act as though you'd planned to gain 10 pounds. When your puppy pees on the carpet, act as though you'd wanted him to do that. (Yes, only male puppies pee on carpet.) Okay, maybe that last one is a little hard to "imagine." BUT the point is, we get to choose how we feel about every given situation in our lives. And while it may be impossible to imagine a time when you would WANT or CHOOSE some of life's crappy conditions, it's pretty incredible to see how different you feel when you...

There are days when I really struggle to focus on the positive. And yesterday was one of them. Now, I'm not complainin', I'm just sayin', not every day is butterflies and rainbows. (And that's okay. But it's also okay to say that I prefer the butterflies and rainbows.) Here's what caused my day to be a pain: * I have a cold--sore throat and fever.  Translation = very little rest and very little energy. * It's the final few days of school . The kids have a lot of different places and parties to be at. Different places. Different parties. Different times. (And I am anti "spend your life in the car" driving to appointments. It makes no sense to me.) * It's the final 7 days of my spring term semester at BYU. Translation = everyone wants to graduate in August and that requires passing my class. Translation = lots of pleading emails and phone calls this week. * Jr and LuLu had probably the hardest day on record since they ca...

1. This Family Fun recipe for Father's Day cupcakes. 2. Jonah and Jr. doing the dishes last night--with my aprons on.

BIRTHDAYS Happy Birthday, Dane. I love you! You are my favorite brother! And now, in honor of your birthday, a bday acrostic: D angerous (that's a BMX-days reference) A mazing Uncle (you always spend time with the kids and do amazing things--skatepark!) N ot an onion fan E very time I'm with you, you make me laugh SO hard (you have the BEST humor) INJURIES   For those of you keeping score at home: 1. One dog bite. 2. One tissue-damaged knee (thanks to BMX trick-riding). 3. One ruptured eardrum. 4. One braces-induced canker sore the size of Texas. 5. One dog with pinkeye. * I'm not complain', I'm just sayin'! Summertime We are soooooooooooooo happy it's summer. Not sure we had a spring, but we'll take what we can get! Woo hoo! Here are our three of our ideas for summertime fun (see injury list and tell me if we need our head's examined): 1. Get a trampoline (and let the kids earn half the money for it--awesome idea!). 2. Try Pringles ...

I'm just sayin' . . . I have never meditated, but Oprah has a 5 minute meditation in her June magazine. And I started it on Saturday. And I honestly felt different. I felt a little more grounded. (Now that could have been the sunshine, the time off work, or a sugar high from 2 glazed donuts, but I did it again on Sunday and Monday, and I felt the same again--sans donuts.) You can check out the issue for a detailed description of "how" to do the meditation, but here's the overview: 1. You say the meditation first with yourself in mind. Second with someone "difficult" in mind. And third, "to all people." 2. You say the meditation with a mental image of yourself and/or the other people "in your heart." (I decided to picture my people as little babies wrapped in burrito blankets. They look so cute that way. Not crabby.) 3. You say the meditation for 5 minutes: May I be well May I be happy May I be filled with lovingk...

Paige, LuL, Dave and I went to the annual Lady Bug Launch at the DB Community Gardens last night.  It was really fun . . . for the first 30 seconds. And that's when it happened. Paige made the decision to reach out to a dog who'd also come to the launch. And, as you might expect, she got bit. UGH! Now we are usually the ones with the pets behaving badly , so I really wasn't mad at the dog owners for the circumstance. BUT, I will admit, I was a little flipped out the moment it happened!  Thankfully, Paige was a really a good sport about it (And she even stayed at the launch the whole time--talk about "shaking it off." Kids are amazing.) (PS: I've decided haircuts are the best feeling ever! Paige, LuLu and Ray all got them yesterday--and you should have seen the smiles on their faces. It was awesome!) Oh! Before I forget, Paige didn't need stitches, but the bite did break the skin and bruise her finger. I think it was really ...

1. Exchanging recipes/treats with friends. There's nothing more fun than having another mom/friend bring you a treat/meal/recipe. I don't know why, maybe because we moms really appreciate all that goes into making, say a lasagna, so we REALLY appreciate it when someone else goes to that trouble for us? Anywho, my friend E-Liz-Beth (she goes by all three) makes beautiful bread. And last night she made a loaf of her beautiful bread for us. It. Was. Awesome. Her crust is soooo hard and crunchy--we loved it. I can't wait for her to teach me how she make that crust. Woo hoo! Thank you E. Liz. Beth. 2. Keeping pep-o-mints in your pocket. We learned this from Amy and our Bishop (Married, for those of you outside of Hysteria Lane. And, funny how Amy's husband doesn't have a name while he serves as Bishop. LOL!). Anyway . . . they keep HANDFULLS of these mints on their person at all times. It's so funny. (They buy them in quantity--not these little individual...

1. Quote by Basho. "Barn burned down. Now I can see the moon." 2. The chalkboard wall. If I had to name one idea that's really changed my life day-to-day, it's the chalkboard wall. I don't know the exact year I thought of it, but I do remember being in Lowe's paint aisle and seeing the "chalkboard paint" in a can--and thinking, "could I do a whole wall with that?" Turns out you can. And I have; "It's not home without a chalkboard wall I always say." (I use mine for a family calendar each week, but I LOVE this idea: put it in a bathroom and have people write notes. Get it? That's so awesome.) 3. Pioneer Woman's crockpot beef dip. MAKE THIS TONIGHT. I LOVE this recipe! Only, I add roasted bell peppers, too. The full-sized ones, in a jar, from Costco. YUM! 1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds 1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth 3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning 1 teaspoon Salt ¼ cups Water ½...

First of all, Happy Birthday Uncle Bob! I'm pretty sure you don't have the internet, so we're gonna have to call via Ma Bell. (Over 80--woo hoo!) And now . . . Great Ideas, Part 2 (Remember, some borrowed, some new-- all this week on Hysteria Lane.) 1. BYU Sandwich. I don't know the actual origin of this particular sandwich, but I buy it at BYU everytime I work. Literally, every time. It's your basic PB-n-J . . . with mini-marshmallows! It's the happiest sandwich on earth. I love it! 2. Use a can-opener to open "clam-shell" packaging. I learned this at Christmas. It rocks! (You know, that crazy-thick plastic around electronics and such.)

A few weeks ago our church group had an evening where they had people share "great ideas" they'd learned/created over the years. The ideas spanned oodles of topics and I just thought it was so cool! To me, there's nothing cooler than a new idea. So with that in mind, I thought I would share a few of my great ideas here on the blog each day this week. Some of them I actually came up with on my own (I know, shocker),  but most of them were shared with me. Either way, I think they are all great! Some Great Ideas, Part 1 1. Using a watercan/pitcher in the bathtub for the kiddos. Love the watering can/pitcher. Our kids make "waterfalls" with it (vs. plastic cups) and I use it to rinse the shampoo out of their hair. (It's way more fun. And I'm all about the fun.) 2. Friday Night Pizza and a Movie Night. We began this after Dave's brother and sister told us about their Friday Fun Night. It's basically a "date night" for the...

First of all, Happy Memorial Day! I'm so thankful to have been born in America. We are so fortunate--and I am so thankful to the people who make America the country that it is (through their sacrifice and service). ************* I logged onto the computer the other day and CNN's homepage had a feature story on happiness: * What is it? * What causes it? * Is it lasting? * Is it worth pursuing--or just a random event? * How can we get it? One of the people interviewed in the article was Deepak Chopra. And I really do love Deepak Chopra!  (His name just sounds peaceful!) Here are the conditions he listed as leading to happiness. And I just loved it, so I thought I would share.  (And yes, now I'm going to do yoga, read the list, and grab my tie-dyed shirt with a peace sign!) What kinds of choices and values lead to real happiness? -- Meditation, which opens up deeper levels of the mind. -- Actions that benefit others. -- Social relationships that support intimac...

So last week I was changing a light bulb in our bathroom, and I had to stand on top of the countertop to do it. Once I got up there I realized, "wow, it would be weird to be this tall . . .  everything looks different from this perspective." And that's when it hit me. I had my own Lost sideways world flashback. Suddenly I heard Robin Williams saying, "Oh Captain, My Captian!" And I swear I've never seen Dead Poets Society. Or if I did, it didn't "click" like it should have. (I didn't get the message.) Well, I finally got it. Right there in the bathroom while I was changing the lightbulb. And it's made me think. A lot. It's good to see things from different perspectives. (Literally and metaphorically, from different places.) So we've been moving furniture and getting haircuts--changing perspectives--like there's no manana. Who knew how good that would feel, kind of like jumping into cold water when...

This Week in Photos on Hysteria Lane . . . We learned a thing or two about South Dakota. (Ask Jr anything about South Dakota. I dare ya.) Camry got her braces. Woo hoo! (And the rubber bands glow in the dark. Which makes me feel like I got my braces in the Dark Ages. Brackets on each tooth? Come on Dr. Chanda--that's a little barbaric, no?) We named our houseplants. Janae and Shelby can name plants by their genus, species . . . everything. Me? I'm just glad I remembered that we're organized into genuses and species-us. Anyway, my point! We decided to name all of the plants this week. It's hilarious how fun and helpful it's been. Now we can say, "Did you water Larry?" Plant names include: Larry, London, Landon, Puss in Pots, Lucy, Madonna, Lilo, Donkey and Leo. P and Elle made these "for fun." I feel like the least creative person on the planet. I promise you, I never look at marshmallows and think, "these would make great arms on an orange....

It's funny how some days (for me, last Sunday), you can feel like you have life wired. And then just a few days later, all heck can break loose--and you're left wondering how you even tied your shoes without someone's help! Today was one of THOSE days for me. You know what I'm talking about: a day when just everything seems difficult, crappy, blue, hard, silly, ridiculous, and LONG! One of THOSE days! Argh! (And say it like a pirate, please.) Here's what the day seemed like to perfect little m e: Dave was cranky. The kids were cranky. The pets were cranky. The weather was gloomy. The house felt stale. The shower was cold. The clothes were all in the dirty laundry. My only clean jeans were snug (I'm sure b/c I've eat a 1lb loaf of bread every day for the last 36 days!). And to top it all off, Jr.'s South Dakota report had sucked the last 3 ounces of life from my soul. (Curse you, South Dakota!) I'm talking about one crappy day, ...

Forgive me, Debi D! I don't have any idea how I missed your bday! I mean, I really can't believe I missed it. And not by a few days. Not by a few weeks. By a few months! "What the honk?" to quote Debi herself. Debi, please forgive me. I love you more than The Pioneer Woman loves her luggage. More than Lucy loved Ricky. More than Ozzy loves Harriet! Thank you for being a friend, sister, neighbor, my own personal Oprah, and a down-right inspiration. I hope you had a WONDERFUL Birthday (on March 24th, no less). And now, your belated Bday acrostic: D elightful, daring, and da most creative person I know! E verytime I see you, you make me smile. Every. Time. B ig heart (WHO answers the door for every guest?)? I love your guts.

We'll update more in a few hours . . . off to get Camry's braces on! Woo hoo!