App Birthday and Lindsey Stirling

Justin is 14!!

Some of the best boy laughs come when they are playing games on Justin's iPod.  He is so good to teach Nathan and Hyrum how to play and they even disappear with his iPod occasionally.  I themed his birthday around their favorite games to try to out score each other on: Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds, and Cut The Rope.

The Food

Angry Birds Pizza and Salad
Cut the Rope Star Breadsticks and German Chocolate Spiders
Fruit Ninja Juice and Fruit Platter (with an Avocado Ninja)

The Activities (and a peek at the cake)

We knocked the recycled cans painted like pigs Angry Bird Pigs down with a well aimed plush Angry Bird.
We tossed peppermint candy into Om Nom's mouth while those not tossing tried to deflect the candy with pom pom spiders.
We used our pirate, army, ninja sword to bust open the strawberry fruit pinata that was thrown at us.

The little kid in each of us surfaced when our virtual app games became reality.

Erika did an excellent job on the pinata!

She used two balloons, built up around it with cardboard, did two layers of paper mache, covered it in little strips of crepe paper, added spots and filled it up with health(ier) treats . . . granola bars, fruit snacks, fruit leather, pens, trail mix packages, crackers, gum and Mentos.  It took a real beating and held up long enough for each of us to take a turn being the Fruit Ninja.

The Cake

Making this cake was like spending 2 hours playing with edible play dough.  Though it was fondant, the concept was the same.  His Cocoa Pebbles Marshmallow Fondant Cake was all charged and ready for the party.  When we lit the candles and he was about to blow them out he paused and said, "hold on, I need to check facebook first", and then reached into the flames to press the facebook fondant icon.  The only problem with a cake this fun is that he didn't want to eat it.  Finally, he gave in and dished out an icon to those who wanted them.  Then he too sat with a side of ice cream and a German Chocolate Spider balancing on top of a slice of iPod and laughed with us while we relived the silliness of the night.

For his birthday gifts I had a binder with Lindsey Stirling violin music in it and 3 tickets to the Lindsey Stirling concert in Salt Lake.  He was happy to see the binder (mom, this orchestra music is so boring and easy) but when he saw the tickets he thought they were a joke.  Once he realized they were real he couldn't stop talking about it.

He got to pick two people to go to the concert with him (Erika and Derek) but by the time the concert came around five weeks later Erika had a new job and didn't feel comfortable taking time off for it so I got to go with the boys.  We were a little shocked by the setting and environment and felt bad for people who stood for 3 hours with their little kids and grandparents.  The tickets didn't warn us of this and as a matter of fact, they stated on them "all ages welcome".  Hmmmm, not sure that all ages want to be welcome with a marijuana haze in the room but okay, now we know.  It wasn't Lindsey that set the environment, it was the building and owners of the club we were at.  I guess dub step violin is treated equal to a rock concert and the Lindsey Stirling fans (us included) were not aware of this.

The group that opened for Lindsey was laaaaame.  One guy was in pajamas and looked like he had just crawled out of bed, another was dressed like he came directly from Woodstock in the 60's, the female guitarist probably fumbled her high self right out of a VW van but the male guitarist was not a bad looker, probably just drunk.  They took the first 45 minutes, while we were all standing, waiting for Lindsey, wishing Lindsey would come out, hoping they wouldn't slaughter another Beetles song.  The base pounding through the speakers was phenomenal(ly loud!).  We did our best to ignore the lack of entertainment on stage by using our glow sticks (that were handed to us as we walked in the door) to make jewelry.  The boys had me all dressed up so they wouldn't lose me in the loud, hazy crowd.

And then Lindsey came on stage.  A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!!!

She was funny, clever, danced so well and was incredible on the violin!  We didn't think seeing her live would be as wow-ing as watching her online videos (knowing we weren't going to have fire and water on stage) but we were completely wrong.  Now, the videos seem a little repetitive and not near as cool as they were before seeing her in concert.  Even with the lame opening act, the headaches that Justin and I got from the marijuana smell and standing for three hours, it was well worth our money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I got each thing ready for Justin's party I showed them to Jenell.  I was excited about my pattern-free Om Nom, the amateur paint job of the Angry Bird cans, and I was thrilled with Erika's pinata and wanted to share them with the only other female in the house.  Her response was to tell me about the only birthday party she had (when she was 14) and how awful it was because her mom had her friends make bead jewelry that they baked after they were finished creating and how her mom gave them all lotion for gifts and she was so embarrassed (that's for old ladies) and she had nothing good to say about the party or her mom.  Her other details kind of slipped past me because my own mind started worrying that Justin's party was going to be too childish.  What if he didn't like it and 5 years later he is telling his friends about his lame birthday party?  I tried justifying it by knowing that if he was going to have a group of 14 year old boys over I would do something completely different but our birthday parties are for our family.  In a moment of panic I wanted to call a friend or sister to get their opinion but I would have to give so much back story about the party, Jenell's story, etc., that I decided to call Erika.  Never in a moment of panic have I depended on Erika.  She was amazing!  She said all the right things and was encouraging and uplifting and happy and told me to do the party exactly as I had planned.  Not only was I over my worry about the party but I was emotional at having such a great moment with Erika.  It is wonderful becoming best friends with her.

Competition Gymnastics

Justin's first and only gymnastics competition for this season was in Bozeman, Montana. The event was called the Bozeman Blizzard and after we made it through ice covered, snow packed, slick roads (going around the roads that were closed) we realized it was appropriately named.

Justin's coaches had a hard time determining what level to put him in.  On the floor (multiple years of just doing tumbling), rings, and high bar (major upper body strength) he is more at a level 7-8 which would allow him to come up with his own routines.  However, he struggles with the pommel horse (get those legs straight) and the parallel bars (hard to get used to) so they chose to put him in level 6 so that his first year competing would be a positive experience.  His best and favorite events are the high bar and rings.  Though he has done tumbling for many years, it was actually hard for him to back off and stick to only the elements and the step by step routine required of a level 6 gymnast.

He did great in his personal and overall scoring.  He took 5th on rings, 4th on vault, 4th on high bar and 3rd overall for his level and age range, competing against 15 other boys.

After this competition he was totally ready for the season which would include meets in Helena, Las Vegas, Coeur d'Alene, Rexburg and Boise.  Unfortunately, his wrist was not so excited and this was his only competition for the 2012 season.

During the week after the Bozeman meet his wrist started to hurt more than usual.  It has had discomfort since he broke it in three places a couple of years ago but it was always something he could ice away and deal with.  This time he couldn't pick up his shoes without his wrist giving out.  We started with a sports therapist, then x-rays, then an MRI and a meeting with an orthopedic surgeon.  They all gave the same answer.  Just wait.  He is growing, it is a weak spot and hopefully it will eventually clear.  Justin has now spent 3 months without gym and has yet to figure out what to do with his extra 15 hours a week.  He contemplated other sports but doesn't want to do something else that would prevent his wrist from healing completely because he is determined to go back to gym in the summer and make it for the competition season next year.

January Happenings

Reading ~ Reading ~ Reading

Nathan LOVES to read.  He set a goal to read 100 books in January and he did it.  Yeah, some of them were baby books but some of them were chapter books too.  Instead of having the kids read a certain amount of time each night, his teacher helps them keep track of how many books they have read.  Usually, I just need to sign a paper stating how many he has read for the week but when he finished his 100 books I sent in a couple of pictures for her.  When I went to parent teachers conference she showed me the pictures hanging right above her desk.

He was so excited the first time his teacher sent home a chapter book for him!  A "real book"!  He didn't do anything but read from the time he got home from school to the time he went to bed and even complained about needing to stop for dinner.  I got extra hugs and huge smiles when I told him he could stay awake until he finished his book.  He fell asleep trying but was up reading when I got up the next morning at 6 to make breakfast for the family.

Hyrum also has a love for books but gets frustrated "reading in his head".  He likes to have Nathan read to him and Nathan is good to let him pick the books and even uses animated voices in his storytelling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What??  They didn't cancel school?

It was our one legitimate chance to have a snow day but no, Madison doesn't cancel when people can't get out of their driveways....the buses could and that's all that matters.  Oh, the sarcasm that my kids can throw around when they are desperate to skip a day of school.

Derek did get to go to school late.  He is the only one who knows how to run the snow blade on the 4-wheeler and the rest of us would have been trapped without his help.  It took about an hour and a half to clear our circular driveway, pull Spencer out, pull the neighbor out and clear the snow from the driveway so that I could get out.  And then I still got stuck taking the van to drop off Hyrum at preschool and LeRoy had to come and pull me out with the truck.

A snow storm is not enough to get Erika to wear shoes.  I went to pick her up and this is how she came down from her apartment.  She was carrying her shoes "just in case" she might need them.

Harrison has become quite a pansy in his old age.  He doesn't like to be in the snow and tip toes around if the ground has snow or is wet.  I guess this was his way of trying to stay dry after our storm, even after a good part of it had melted off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spencer and Jenell gave Nathan and Hyrum warm fuzzy hats for Christmas.  Nathan's is blue with a Superman symbol on it and Hyrum's is the black Batman one.

Hyrum had a Nerf day where he went around shooting the Nerf darts on windows, mirrors and TVs.  When he couldn't get one to stick to anything he brought it to me because it was "broken".  I showed him that it wasn't broken, it just needed a good lick and the right place to stick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Derek entertaining Brooklyn, Logan, and Hyrum.

  He makes a really tall horse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the 100 days of school party Nathan's class dressed up as if they were each 100 years old.

He will be the most adorable 100 year old ever!

He also wrote a life sketch:

In the Kitchen

It seems there is always someone working in the kitchen.  Me with my experimental new recipes, regular meal making, party planning and cleaning; Spencer & Jenell doing their own thing on a different schedule than the rest of us; Levi working up his high protein meals for his buff-up-the-body plan; Derek and Justin making up something (usually corndogs, quesadillas or smoothies) for their after school starvation; and Erika when she needs a space bigger than her itty bitty kitchen or just wants cooking company.

Levi and Daymia make brownies about once a week.  He looks good in an apron and Daymia's glasses!

I really did try to teach my kids some baking, cooking, kitchen techniques but Levi and Erika were never interested and seemed very put out when I tried to "force" them to help me in the kitchen.  As I watched Erika brown up five pounds of hamburger to divide into separate freezer portions and Levi grill his steaks and chicken as well as making up rice and potatoes, I had to stand back in amazement. 

Levi has always had a hand and forearm fettish.  From the time he was little he would freak out if his hands were dirty or wet so to see him rub the spices into his meat with his bare hands was a huge accomplishment all on its own. 

I was careful not to offer suggestions or advice just in case it would burst their excitement for the project but they actually asked me for input.  It was good to see that they did learn something in all that forced kitchen time and that they were enjoying it, especially standing back to see and smell the finished product.  Now Erika has ready-to-use onion/taco/browned hamburger in her freezer and Levi has his stacked portions ready to go for the next five days.  Having now done his new food and workout plan for two months he admits that his biceps and abs love his grilling.

The four other boys are quite proficient in the kitchen.  They aren't intimidated by the oven, instructions, measuring or trying new things. 

Mini pizzas are on their weekly menu and mini hot dogs cooked over our indoor open fire are among favorites.  

Snakes and Alligators

January 2013

Levi and Daymia took Nathan and Hyrum sledding on the ten foot drop behind our house.

Nathan doesn't like his hands to be cold or doing face plants in the snow so he only lasted for about thirty minutes and came inside.  Hyrum, however, can have his fingers purple and freezing off and will not come in so I wasn't surprised when he stayed out for much longer.  I couldn't see them in the back anymore but figured he was fine as long as he was with Levi and Daymia.

When he came back in I got a very dramatic telling of his adventure.  Evidently, he would stand still for a minute, point, and say "that way" and they would go wherever he pointed.  With eyes wide and hands waving in wild expression he told me about the snakes and alligators that were about to eat him when he fell in some deep snow.  After repeating himself several times, warming his fingers up, and a nice cup of hot cocoa he admitted, "we was just attending (pretending)".  

Daymia and her new Christmas camera captured really great pictures of my boys! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Levi is 21!!!!  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I didn't know if he would think this was silly but at 7:45 when he got up for work and opened his door he said he was going to originally just use his arm to break it all out of the way.  Instead, he backed up and ran through it.  Good morning and happy birthday!

The day was fairly uneventful.  After a court hearing he was put on probation for a year and most of his friends have moved away so he spends his time working with LeRoy, hanging out with us or spending time with Daymia.  LeRoy and I took Levi and Daymia to Applebees for a birthday lunch where Daymia held up the alcohol menu and gloated "21 and you can't even have any" (due to probation). I love that girl! 

After helping him clean his room the week prior, Daymia had suggested I get Levi a garbage can for his room.  Since not much else was coming to mind I gave him a black garbage can that I pasted a picture of Oscar the Grouch onto with the phrase "Levi's Garbage". 

I also gave him a sticker.  The sticker comes with a past.  When Levi was in about the 4th grade he used to ask me what I would do if....and then he would add the most random, unlikely thing he would (or even could) do.  For example, while driving along the freeway he'd ask, "what would you do if I opened the door right now and got up on top of the van?" or during a bored winter moment, "what would you do if I stuck a pen in that light socket?"  My reply was always the same, "I'd put a stupid sticker on your forehead".  It was a running joke with us for several years and as time went by his "what if's" became even more creative, 007-ish and funny.  Well, in my mind he has spent the last three years doing some pretty stupid things and I figured a 21st birthday was a good time to award the sticker. 

  

I printed it on sticker paper and even gave him extras.  It was good for laughs but more than that I hope 21 will be a new start for him and his stupid moments will be less dangerous for his body, mind, spirit and freedom.

An Edwards Family Christmas

When LeRoy jokingly mentioned in October that we should go to Texas for Christmas it surprised both of us when I responded that I thought it was a great idea.  Maybe it's because the October winds were taunting me with the surety of the cold, grey months ahead and the thought of a warm week in the middle of winter was too enticing to pass up.  I don't think LeRoy really believed that I was serious until I started printing off possible places to go and spent hours on the computer with the boys planning our week there.  The boys were even thrilled with the idea, not even mumbling a complaint of no gifts to open or snow to freeze in or the 48 hours that would be spent traveling.

We LOVED our Christmas vacation in the south!  It was the best trip I have ever taken to Texas and I'm even willing to go there again next Christmas.  We had so much fun getting acquainted (and re-acquainted) with cousins, playing games, eating foods that cannot be found in Idaho, going to Lego Land, wandering through the Sea Life Aquarium and even the travel time was fun...no seriously, it was the perfect Christmas gift to spend all that time together.

On Sunday we went to the Weatherford Branch for church.  It was such a neat experience!  The Christmas program offered by the branch took nearly every person participating and it was impressive to see how close they were as a ward family.  We immediately felt welcome and at home.  They all speak so highly of Dad (who serves as the executive secretary) and many (including children) expressed their love for Cynthia Darlene and her service in primary (because of the small numbers in the branch she teaches the 4-8 years olds in one class).

After church LeRoy took us over to his old neighborhood and showed us the house he spent his rebellious, trouble making teenage years in.  They all got out and walked around it peeking in windows.  Luckily, it was empty or they would have knocked on the door and asked for a tour.  I was also glad we were there right after church so that LeRoy's CTR subconscious was in full order, preventing him from breaking in. He also showed us the building where the Mineral Wells Branch used to meet.  That was the first time I saw a branch or any LDS members meeting anywhere but in the traditional LDS chapel.  What an experience that was. Shortly after we were married the branch was combined with the Mineral Wells Branch.

We also went over to the old Army barracks to show the boys.  They climbed all through the old, empty buildings.  I couldn't decide if they looked too innocent to be trouble in their church duds or if they looked more like clean cut mob imitations.  I stayed in the van (using my lack of pants as my excuse) and kept an eye out for the local police since the fence next to the barracks was the yard fence for the local prison.

Dad and Cynthia didn't go to church with us because Dad was still very weak from the previous month trying to overcome e-coli poisoning and they were still doing blood tests to make sure that his other organs were functioning properly.  When I first saw him it was the first time that he looked like he had aged in the 22 years I have known him.  Luckily, he is blessed with a wonderful woman to take care of him.  Cynthia spoiled us like a perfect grandma.  She had a kitchen full of delicious foods including all the fudge, cookies, pies, cakes and sweets that go along with Christmas and half the room was full of wrapped presents surrounding their Christmas tree, all with labels for us and the other cousins.  It was wonderful after two days of travel food to sit down to a delicious home cooked, made with love meal.

After our bellies were filled we played games.  Dad and Levi even convinced LeRoy to play poker with them.  We were all shocked since he had thrown away his poker set when we were in Texas during General Conference and President Hinckley counseled against playing poker.  His upbringing, the peer-pressure from his Dad and oldest son and the fact that they were only playing with poker chips instead of money was more than he could take.  They even taught Nathan how to play which kind of brought out a monster in the little man and we decided poker better only be a Texas thing with his Papa.

Dad also showed us the display that Cynthia has put together for all of his military stuff.  Of course it all doesn't fit there so the swords were displayed in the living room (Derek coveted those and got quite a thrill holding real military swords) and his guns were locked away.  After looking through pictures and hearing some stories that have never before been shared I had an even more tender spot for this man.  For all he has been through he is so full of love and giving, pushing aside the stress and nightmares of the Vietnam War (I'm sure through the practice of the years and not that it was in any way easy) and moving forward in faith.

Derek and Justin battled through a couple of games of Checkers.  Justin could not manage a win and accused Derek of cheating, to which Derek replied, "I don't need to cheat, you just suck."  I was more kind to Nathan as I beat him in Chinese Checkers (I had daily training from my mom when I was a little girl and it was fun to pass on some strategy techniques to Nathan).   Levi, Hyrum, Nathan and Nanny (as Dad now calls Cynthia) put to good use the Grandkids Room that she has been filling over the past few years since she became a Grandma to all of us.  They patiently built Lego's, vroomed around with cars, tried a couple of puzzles, colored and pretty much made a fun filled mess.  Cynthia seemed to love pulling everything out and playing on the floor with them.  While she was caught up in the play Dad couldn't seem to get her attention.  Then he grunted his way to the floor with them.  Whether it was to get in on the fun with the grandkids or finally get eye contact with his wife I don't know but it was very cute of him.

Dad and Nanny also surprised Nathan and Hyrum with birthday presents (a few months early) and gave the boys each a tool bag.  Then they let them go outside to "fix" a wagon that the wheels had fallen off of.  The boys still pack around their tool bags "fixing" things.  Cynthia also gave me an afghan for my birthday.  I felt honored to have a gift with her love stitched right into it!

We had a hard time leaving but knew that Lenora was making another meal for us and even though we were stuffed from all the goodies of the day, we didn't want to miss out at her house.  As Derek gave Papa a hug he looked up at Derek and said, "you are the only person who gets such a good view of my bald spot".

Our time at Lenora's was wonderful!  Her home felt like a home away from home.  Though the old homes have problems in the plumbing and walls, the character is very charming.  She fed us, gave us a place to kick off our shoes and really relax from all the traveling, gave the boys free reign to all her snacks, and the Christmas feel of her tree and decorations topped it all off for a perfect Christmas in Texas.  Unfortunately, we were blamed for the ice storm that showed up Christmas morning and prevented Dad and Cynthia from making it over for the day.

The little boys had so much fun with cousins Jace and Bert (in the Elmo shirt).  Hyrum kept calling Bert, Burp, which all of us, even his parents, started using.  Then Bert gave me a nickname.  Cory (his dad) told him to "go give Aunt Kimber a hug".  He came over and gave me a big squeeze and said "love you Hamburger".  And, yes, that was my name for the remainder of the trip (and occasionally comes up even months later).  I don't mind.  Since hamburgers are one of Bert's favorite foods, I'll be Hamburger.

The older boys stayed up late playing x-box and watching movies, spent the mornings sleeping in with little boys crawling all over them, and entertained the little boys throughout the day.  It was a perfect mixture of activities and entertainment for everyone.

LeRoy organized a pool tournament with a full game bracket filled in with names, set up for double elimination.  Boy was he surprised when Teresa (JC's wife) beat him in his first game!!!  The rest of us didn't know whether to laugh or keep our mouths shut.  We are not surprised that LeRoy won the full tournament.  After all, he bribes, drags, convinces and coerces anyone that walks into our door to play pool with him and practices on his own during down times and the pool table at Lenora's was covered with all of Christian's stuff when we got there.  I'd say he had a bit of an advantage skill.  Oh, and Scott (who doesn't really communicate with words - at least that we've ever heard) got along quite well with Nathan and Hyrum by entertaining them with his phone.

By the 26th the storm had passed and the boys went out to the tree swing to play until it was time to go to Lego Land.

Lego Land was not quite the grand theme park that we had envisioned but everyone still mustered up the creativity to play and ride the rides.  Derek and Justin had a crowd watching them as they build a house out of bread pan sized foam Lego's.  Our favorite part was the 4D Lego movies that we could feel the wind in, smell the trees in and came out a little damp from the rain storm in the movie.  The Lego people in the movies only grunted but the 4D made up for it and they were still very entertaining.

The Sea Life Aquarium was incredible!!  I have never seen Levi take so many videos or pictures anywhere.  We loved the 360 tank that we could stand in to see the sharks and sea turtles swim around us and the little boys thought it was super cool to touch a real live starfish.

As our week began to wrap up we headed back out to Nanny and Papa's for one last visit.  It was hard to say goodbye not knowing when we would see them again.  It was also the first time that I saw Dad tear up (and try to hide it) as he hugged us all goodbye.

On our way out we stopped at the Vietnam Memorial.  The boys loved being able to climb on the vehicles instead of just looking at them behind ropes.

I took a little time to wander over by the wall (which is a 1/3 size replica of the original Vietnam Memorial Wall) and felt an overwhelming respect as I read over name after name after name of those who had given their lives.  After hearing some of Dad's experiences and then visiting this sight I gained an even greater love for him.  I cannot even imagine what he has experienced, felt, feared and overcome to be where he is today.

Our trip home was LONG!  We usually take two days to get there and two days to get home but we just wanted to get home so with all of us taking turns driving we drove 26 hours straight and made it home by 5am.  We carried the little boys to their beds, left everything in the van, dropped into our own beds and didn't wake up until about eleven.

That "No Parking On Ramp" sign represents the number one broken rule while traveling with Nathan.  That kid has a bladder the size of a pea!  He had previously been a little sick (we assume it was motion sickness like Derek) so we had stopped to pick up some chewable Dramamine and a heavy duty Maverik cup with a lid just in case.  He didn't ever throw up but he did end up peeing in that cup while we were in 5 lane traffic with nowhere to stop.

It was nice to have that middle seat missing.  It gave Derek extra leg room and offered a good sleeping spot for each of us to rotate through.  By the time we had been on the road for 22 hours Hyrum's legs were jumpy and cramping from dangling at the edge of his car seat for so long so the two of us wiggled and squirmed our way into a comfy position on the floor in that empty spot to get a little sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  What did Bret & Erika do while we were away?  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They opened gifts at our house, ate the perishable food at our house, fed the cats at our house and then flew to Colorado to spend the Christmas break with the Hellbusch family.

It was strange to be on a family holiday vacation and not have her with us but I'm so grateful that she has another family to love her just as we would.  Erika loves being with Bret's family (especially his sisters....or, especially Bret?) and they tease and talk with her like she has always been part of the family.  I was so pleased to talk with her on Christmas day and hear that she was having so much fun and is so happy.

I Put Myself in Time Out

October 29, 2012

Actually, I was invited, went of my own free (excited) will and paid money for it.  Taking a time out was never so appreciated.

The trip down was full of getting-to-know-you conversations and plenty of laughter.  It did get a little crazy when Missy pulled out her Ylang Ylang essential oil for us to try.  Just hearing her say it, Sarah repeat it, the rest of us try to say it and the way it tickled our ears when it tumbled off our tongues had us in fits of laughter.  It became our all purpose phrase for the weekend and we even came up with hand gestures (thank you Friends) to go with it.  I'm not sure when the name started but when we refer back to that trip we lovingly call ourselves the Ylang Ylang gang.

Oh, and a useful tip that I wish I had never learned : Peanut M&M's are the most balanced sugar treat I could eat.  The protein of the peanut balances the carb/sugar of the chocolate.  I should celebrate over that since Peanut M&M's are my favorite and most craved treat but now I have to convince myself that my justification for it's nutritional value is still not very good for me.  Every time I give in I think of Missy and Terra while I munch away of my balanced, low glycemic colored heaven, silently cursing and blessing their names.

Time Out for Women, sponsored by Deseret Book, was good.  Good humor, good atmosphere, good thoughts.  But it was the late night hours of laughter, soul bearing, favorite things sharing, eating and crying that really made this time out so healing.  I admire each of these women for their love of family, testimonies, and cheerful enduring nature.

A good trip must include good food and this trip did not disappoint.  It was well worth the crowded, very long line we had to get through.

It was so hard to choose what to order.  The theme on the front menu states "pure clean food with a twist" which to me translated to healthy, beautifully presented party for the mouth.  The butternut squash soup was orange delight in a bowl and my oriental salad was unlike any oriental salad I have ever had.  Maybe it was just the square plate or the colorful presentation but seriously, it was a garden delight.

Our less healthy choice, but equally delicious in a not-so-balanced, very high glycemic way, was at the Melting Pot.  All things fondue.  We skipped out on the meaty meal portion and went straight for the good stuff.  My imagination would have never come up with rice crispy treat or cheese cake for dipping but oooh was it good!

I didn't realize that I needed a time out but after spending a couple of days with these women I was ready to take on my seasonal winter blues (not at all the same shade of blue as that blue lemon) with hope and a good attitude.

Lori Prince, Sarah d'Evegnee, Missy Babcock, Terra Sargeant, Marybeth Lemon, Heather Young, Me

Our shirts, bags, notebooks (and a full package of time out goodness...water bottle, chapstick, hand sanitizer, kleenex) were made and labeled by Sarah.