Renaissance Man

The 7th grade classes had a big Renaissance Fair a few weeks ago. Derek really wanted to be a knight in full armour since he has practiced for years the part of a warrior and because he really didn't want to wear a "dress and tights". As we were picking through costumes he became a little more excited for the time period and once he started trying them on he remembered how much he likes to dress up and become a character from another time, even if it isn't the part of the warrior.


He is dressed somewhere between the merchant and peasant classes, with a denim dose of the 21st Century.

During the activities he had fun learning:

* drop spindling (making wool into yarn)
* how to joust (his favorite for the day)
* about the black plague and wacky methods used to try to get rid of it
* foods and medicines from that time

Food for Thought

I found out the hard way that it is better to put my contacts in before cutting up fresh cilantro. I did wash my hands really well after cutting it but that stuff just sticks in the fingerprint and transfers to contacts. My eyes watered for a good 15 minutes.

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Hyrum loves black beans! In one night he ate almost half of a can (15 oz can!) of black beans. I tried to stop giving them to him but he would throw his head back, stick out his lip and squeal at me. His excitement over more beans being put on his tray and the adorable way he picked them up with his chubby little fingers were just to irresistible. Only 2 hours later he drank almost a full cup of blended peaches from his sippy cup and then headed off to bed. I will not even attempt to describe the aftershock that his little bowels went through during the next day. From now on I will put a limit on black beans and peaches!

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I had my back to Nathan while he was eating lunch and I was cooking at the stove. When I turned around he was literally hanging from the chandelier above the table. His feet were even tucked up under him. That darn Curious George!

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I have wanted to make Massaman Curry for my family since, oh, December. I finally found the courage to stick yet another new meal in front of my family, preparing myself for the awkward silence while everyone avoids the topic of taste. To protect my over emotional feelings I once again put the comment bag on the counter. I at least wanted to enjoy the meal whether anyone else did or not. After quite a few sniffs as it was cooking and a careful eyeing of the new dish on the table, the eating began. And it is a winner! I was shocked when Derek, who is my pickiest eater, remarked with emphasis, "this is sooo good! I love it". Majority rules (sorry LeRoy and Justin), I'll be making it again.


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Daily conversation with Nathan:

Me: What should we make for dinner?

Nathan: Soup

Me: What kind of soup?

Nathan: Green soup!

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I tried a new chicken stir fry recipe which turned out great. Everyone else at the table was doting praise on the cook, which I happen to really love, except for Levi. When I asked him what he thought of the new meal he simply grunted, twice. After he had his third serving I figured out that a 2 grunt reply must mean it is really good. Since I get it in response to such a variety of questions, I'm still trying to decipher the 1 grunt reply.

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While eating lunch during our Easter Saturday family get-a-way, Erika shook some pepper into Levi's Dr. Pepper when he wasn't looking. Because he also has a tendency to pull pranks on her, we kept our mouths shut. Just as he was ready to drink it, her guilty conscience got the better of her (as well as her giggles) and she confessed. Then it turned from prank to dare and yes, Levi drank some Dr. Pepper that was doctored up with pepper. At first he just shrugged and began to say "that's not so . . . aghhhh!", then gagging with tears forming in his eyes. Then we became the spectacle of entertainment for the lunch crew as each of my children, as well as my husband, each tried to drink it without giving the same puckered expression. Since I was smart enough not to try it I can only tell you that at first it has a spicy hint to it that is almost good and then after the drink goes down your tongue is left with a nasty coating of, to their description, burning puke. It was hard for me not to be embarrassed at the gagging nonsense going on while others in the restaurant were trying to eat, but I also enjoyed watching the laughter and bonding going on in our family as we make this memory that will last forever.

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I love having children that can cook. It is great when they answer my evening question, "what should I make for dinner" with a proposal of their own volunteered baking skills taking over for the evening. They do a terrific job presenting enchiladas, grilled sandwiches, spaghetti, taco salad and of course raman noodles. I do find sweet joy in my children, literally. It comes in the form of brownies, carmel popcorn, no-bake cookies and peanut butter chex mix. . . all of which I love. All of which I should not eat.

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Ever since Nathan's birthday fruit pizza, Hyrum has been downing the kiwi. He makes the most adorable pucker face while eating it which is followed the next day with a bit of a painful puckered face as I pick off the little kiwi seeds that stick to his little behind.

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Bonus
(which has nothing to do with food but I happened to think of while typing)

Hyrum is learning to stand by himself. He occasionally stands with his back to the couch and without realizing it he is standing. The part that we all laugh at so hard (and probably shouldn't) is when he lunges forward doing a face plant on the carpet. You can almost see him thinking that his feet are going to move and he will walk but he hasn't quite made the connection from his brain to his feet. He tried it once in his bed and ended up with a red mark on his head after smacking into the bar across from him. I was kind enough not to laugh that time.

Worker Buddies

LeRoy's bibs were getting really ratty (pockets that wouldn't hold anything and holes letting in a lot more cold air than the bibs were keeping out) so he went to pick up some new ones. He came home with size 4 bibs. Evidently, they were all out of his size but he couldn't walk out of the store without some for Nathan. They turned out to be a great investment for Nathan's winterwear in Rexburg (with room to grow in for next year).

During this past winter there have been several occasions where the "worker buddies" go out to work in the shed. This last Friday they spent an afternoon building some garden boxes. I should take video of it: they strut the same, they hold their hands in their pockets the same, they tote their hammers in the same bib pocket, they have the same cute bib behinds. Nathan is an adorable mirror image of his hard working dad.



We were really blessed this last winter to be able to build the shed to keep all of our work tools and materials in. Things worked out with the loan that we ended up paying only $5 more for the new shed on our own land than for the storage unit that we were renting in town. One of our apprentices volunteered to build shelving for us and spent 3 days putting it all together before we moved everything in. He did an awesome job!

My favorite part of the shed is the little loft area. It is a great place to escape from the noise of the house to read with birds as a calm background symphony! I've even asked (and received) permission to put a bean bag up there.

A Bunch of (Coco)Nuts

Justin was "helping" me do the grocery shopping last Saturday. Without looking at what it was, I was just saying "no" to everything he wanted to put in the cart knowing that it would all end up in my mouth and eventually on my hips. Then I heard, "but mom, isn't it healthy?". I honestly don't even know if coconut is healthy but I'm not a big fan of it. So to satisfy Justin's shopping desire to buy something, and still managing to not punish my waistline, we bought a coconut.

We had to watch a video online to figure out how to get the nut open:

Justin poking the holes to drain the coconut water

Derek draining the coconut

The crying coconut

Trying the internet directions to "tap" the nut in half

The Edwards' version of "tapping"

Let's Eat!

The kids were hoping more for the flavor of the bagged, flaked, sugared coconut from the store, which they did not get. Still, it was a fun Sunday activity and we had a good laugh over the amount of boy power it took to get the wimpy (because it was crying) coconut opened.

Coming Soon To A Home Near You!

My boys were so excited watching what they thought was a preview to a new movie. After a good laugh they left the office to begin their own movie, swashbuckling in our living room. And yes, I did have to remind them that our Littlest Prince was sleeping.

It was working this morning when I posted but evidently not now. If you can't see the video here you can watch it here: Swashbuckling It's worth the 1 minute!

Tabby on Duty

On the way home from Peru I picked up Kara's cat. Her near 5 years with him was enough and she was ready to be pet free. I was actually loving the fact that we were pet free and we had no intentions on getting a pet until the mice and voles started to infest the yard and window wells due to the rain and spring melt off. In one day my boys killed 26 mice so we knew we needed to do something or they were going to eventually get in the house. I'd rather have a cat than mice. Harrison (the cat) was a great choice. Kara had already taken care of his shots and declawing him as well as training and growing him out of the kitten stage (which I really can't stand). Though he was mostly an inside cat at Kara's, he's mostly an outside cat with us. However, he is in no way lacking in lovin' just because he spends most of his time outside. I think he gets more love than any of our previous cats because he is so easy going and good to let the kids maul him.

Harrison is great at the catching and killing part of his job. However, he doesn't eat the mice. He likes to show that he is earning his keep and leaves them for us on the porch or patio. Now we are finding them dead in the yard, probably because it is too much trouble for him to haul them all to the porch. In one afternoon LeRoy and Nathan hunted down and disposed of 14 mice and then did it again the next day. Our neighbor three houses down commented that she has started to have mice left on her porch and in her yard so evidently he is taking care of the whole neighborhood, not just us.



From these pictures you can see that the 3 youngest boys absolutely love him. He gets plenty of attention around here and is good enough to take all the yanking, spanking and slobbering that Hyrum gives him. You can also see that he isn't the most modest of creatures and we all have a really hard time looking at him without laughing when we find him napping in the hallway. The picture of Harrison and Nathan laying on the floor gives you an idea of his size. He is a big cat!



Harrison's size doesn't stop Nathan from dragging him around (which he is very patient to go along with). Nathan picks him up like this and will walk him upstairs, around the house, where ever he feels like taking him. It is so funny to see the cat walking with Nathan, his little paws just trying to keep up. With all the man handling that Nathan does he also does a great job taking care of the cat by making sure that he has food and water every day. Of course, the cat prefers to drink from the sink in the bathroom so Nathan will push the stopper down, put some water in and let him get a drink. The next time you come to my house you may find paw prints in the bathroom sink.

Quilting Class (and a blubbering blond)

In January I decided to set aside all my sewing and social anxieties and I joined a quilting class. I don't mind sewing (it's usually the machine that runs me out of patience), I love seeing a project go from bolts of fabric to something patchwork beautiful. I love to quilt, I'm just very average and self taught at all of it (which actually means I make it up as I go along).

I also hate to sew in front of people (or do any craft in front of people), or to even let someone know that I am doing a project, let alone let them watch. What if I tell someone my hopes of a dazzling outcome and it turns out awful? Or I just don't finish it? Then I'm a failure in someone else's eyes and not just my own. Ok, I realize most people wouldn't even care, but that's one of the very many quirks that make up my anti-social, insecure, perfectionist personality.

It has been hard for me over the last 4 months to sit with 11 other women and actually cut fabric and sew in the same room with them. But it has all been very worth it. I've learned designing, measuring, cutting, and sewing to create a work of fabric art and I am excited to use it for more projects in the future. I've learned short cuts, tricks to piecing, hand applique techniques and more about fabric than I ever thought would be necessary. We are making table runners. I can't imagine my table ever being cleaned off long enough to use it as a table runner so I'm going to hang it on a quilt hanger on the wall next to the table.



I took this the night before the sew-it-all-together class. The 4 red circles, 4 black circles and 4 stars are all done with hand applique. I loved that part of it!



The points of the stars were very tricky but it helped me learn a technique that will be helpful for future projects.




And this is the top all sewn together. This is the most geometrically sound project I have ever put together. All of my measurements came out just right and all the points matched up perfectly. I did take out and re-sew about 4 places because I wanted it to be straight and now I don't have even one spot that I hope no-one notices. You can notice it all. And if you see something that isn't quite right, don't tell me. I don't need any more bursting bubbles this week.

Next comes the hand quilting. Most of the other women are taking it to a shop in Teton to have it machine quilted but I enjoy doing it by hand (and saving myself the $30 to go towards the next project). Thanks for the quilting stands and frames Kellie! It's wonderful to be able to set it up and take as long as I want without feeling the pressure to finish up fast so that I can return them to their owner. I am the owner now :)

Family Time

Our family took a much needed day trip. It was hard coming up with something to do in our local area that would accomodate the young kids with the teenage kids and that would fit in our budget but we managed to pull off a fun day for everyone.

We started at the zoo in Idaho Falls. On the way there I joked with LeRoy that we were taking our zoo to the zoo and then I got pictures of my monkeys looking at the monkeys. Nathan especially liked the one that kept jumping on the window right next to him.

Nathan and Justin had fun walking among the goats and giving them mohawks. Hyrum loved all the animals, reaching for them and calling out to them "kitty", but once he went in with the goats he didn't seem too excited anymore. Nathan's favorite animal was the llama because of his favorite book "Llama, Llama, Red Pajama".

The last pictures we got of Levi and Erika at this zoo they had to stand on tippy toes to reach the lion water fountain. Nathan liked the animals that he could actually sit on but was a little warry of sitting on them by himself.

Then it was time to go to the big kid activity. With our tickets for the derby cars we also got tokens for the arcade. It was funny to see every one of the kids spend their tokens on the driving games instead of all the others that were there. Nathan was in heaven with a "huge car to drive".

Then it was time for the derby races. Justin wasn't tall enough for the big track (which I was so thankful for!) so he had his own race with a bunch of other kids. Derek, Erika, Levi and LeRoy all went on the big track and I had a hard time watching. They aren't supposed to run into each other but at the speeds they are going and the turns in the track it is part of the race. With the exception of Derek's accident which stopped the whole race for about 5 minutes, they all had fun. I have a hard time watching my kids do something that has so much potential for injury but they all had a good time together and that is what matters.

If you watch this video you get an idea for how loud it was, which really bothered Nathan at first, and at the end of it you can see how LeRoy ran into Levi going around the corner. Derek came flying around this same corner at full speed and did not even make the turn but instead ran into the side wall. We think he got confused with the gas and brake pedals which caused him to smack into the wall at full speed. As soon as he hit the wall his body was thrown forward, then lashed back and he was out cold. His eyes were open but he wouldn't move or respond to the guy on duty or to me. It took a couple of minutes to figure out what had happened and he seemed to be in a bit of shock. Once he was responsive again I wanted him to get off the track but he wanted to finish and LeRoy thought it wasn't that big of a deal so he stayed. He did spend the rest of the race at the edge of the track going quite slow and he let everyone pass him for the rest of the race. After he walked off the track and I asked him if he was ok (because he still looked like he was in a bit of a daze) he started to cry. He was trying to be a tough kid but it scared him pretty bad and he had seatbelt bruises from it. I'm not sure he will do that one again for a while which would be fine with me!

After we got home we colored eggs. To understand the value of this family activity you need to know that I have never colored eggs in my whole life. In 18 years we have never done it in our family. LeRoy stopped at the store to pick up eggs and coloring kits, the kids and I prepped the kitchen for the 'art project' (as they called it) and we had a fun time. It was fun to see the kids help each other out and share ideas.

Nathan's Birthday

The search for Nathan's birthday cake began on Hyrum's birthday when Nathan picked the cake for Hyrum: Strawberry. We made it together. He helped me wash and cut the strawberries, mix and bake the cake, plop dollops of glaze, crumbled cake and strawberries in layers and he even chose the strawberry ice cream to go with it. When it came time to eat the cake Nathan left the cake, glaze and ice cream in his bowl and only ate the strawberries.

I was stumped. What kind of birthday cake can you make for a kid who doesn't like cake, or many sweets at all for that matter? I would have given up on the cake tradition altogether if he hadn't kept asking when we would make his birthday cake. Everyone gets birthday cake on their birthday and even at 3 he understood that. But what kind of cake would Nathan eat? The search began and this is what I found:

It even has 3 candles on it for his 3rd birthday!

When I showed it to Nathan his comment was: "it yooks yummy! Let's make it right now".

Ok - all of you that are dying at the fact that I would give my kid broccoli for his birthday, I didn't. Instead, I decided to try fruit pizza.

You should have seen his excitement, and his snitching, as I washed and cut all that fruit! And he was thrilled with the Tigger, Pooh and Honey Pot candles (excited enough to pack them around for the 4 days following his birthday). So when it came time to eat the cake Nathan quietly ate one bite and then proceeded to pick all the fruit off leaving a bare, creamy cookie behind. Still not a 100% winner for Nathan. Maybe I should have gone with the broccoli.

The cake may have fallen short of his birthday expectations but his gift did not. Winner all the way! It is still being worn, packed around, flown in, and it is soooo very dirty!

During the Saturday afternoon session of conference I locked myself in the guestroom with a radio, my sewing machine, fabric and a picture from the internet that I intended to transform into a 3 year old dream. This was my picture:

To explain a little, Nathan is hooked on Greatest American Hero. Not many people remember it because it ran from 1981 to 1983 and most of our our friends are enough younger than we are that they have no idea who the superhero Ralph is. Well Nathan knows. He checks the mail every day watching for the next Netflix envelope that he hopes will have Ralph in it. He cries when it is time to send the Netflix envelope back with Ralph in it. He is the only one who can carry the Netflix envelope with Ralph in it. It really is insane.

While I was in Peru he was staying at a friends house for the day and he kept telling her that he wanted to watch Ralph. She named all the kids shows she could think of and none of them were right. He finally went to her video cabinet and pulled down the 1st season of the Greatest American Hero and said again "I want to watch Ralph". I couldn't believe his good fortune. How many people even own the show? So as I thought of what to do for Nathan for his birthday, the only thing that came to mind was to take his imagination to the next level and make it real.

This is the result:

100% WINNER! For the past month he was been putting on and wearing his imaginary suit and saving it in it's imaginary case so actually seeing and wearing it must have seemed so wonderful! He kept rubbing the belt and touching the cape almost in disbelief that he really had a visible suit to wear. It didn't take him long to realize that it was real and it was his to keep. The bribing and persuading we had to do to get him to come from flying was beyond crazy.

That suit has changed his walk. When he has it on he not only struts like a really cool 3 year old but he has this shoulder action that goes with it, similar to swaying hips but with his shoulders. What confidence it has given this quiet little man!

Maybe a little too much confidence . . .

I was washing Hyrum up after his cake (of which he ate every bite!) and when I finished I glanced into the back yard and Nathan wasn't there anymore. I looked around to the side of the house and couldn't find him. I went to the front of the house and he was 3 houses away flying down the street ! Once I caught up with him I asked what he was doing and his very matter-of-fact reply was, "I'm saving the world!". We went clear around the block, stopping to show his "suit" to his friend Camden and many of the neighbors that were outside. It was a great first day flying and he hasn't stopped since.

He still packs around the black shoe box that it was wrapped in and he changes in and out of his suit several times a day, just like Ralph does in each episode. He always puts it in the box in the same order: cape, pants, shirt, belt. It sits by his bed at night, it sits on the table while he eats, it goes in the Yukon with us while we run errands, it almost went to church with us. I think he likes it!

Happy Birthday my little superhero!

Quality Time

I love it when they hang out together!