CHATEAU ENNUI

No Sugar/No Carbs = No Fun!

2010-04-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

I have been challenging myself over the last month in a way that I never have before. Oh sure, I've dieted before and I've limited my sugar and carb intake, but I've never actually not cheated while doing so. In fact, I did a 'life-style'-change-diet a few years back with my husband and mother-in-law called the Fat Blast; in said diet, they encourage you to significantly limit carbs and cut-out sugar. Even though I was doing it with the support of family, I was a cheater - I would sneak a little candy here, a little cookie there, and all that cheating probably started the day after the 'diet' started.

You have to understand.....I grew up in a home where treats and sweets were the glue that held together our family fun times; so much revolved around baking together and then blissfully enjoying the 'fruits of our labor'. I was privileged enough to get fresh-baked cookies in my lunch almost every day - so hot they had to be wrapped in foil, and as they cooled they would take the shape of the foil, molded in to amorphous blobs, but such very tasty blobs! I made my first batch of Ranger cookies when I was 7 and my grandparents were in town - the whole family joked that they were 'rock hard'. I don't know if they really were or not, but it only momentarily annoyed me and instead fueled my desire to show them all that I could master the craft of baking. Since then, I have plowed my way through numerous cake, cookie, pie, and dessert recipes, undaunted by the unfamiliar and the strange....and I have consequently learned to love baking, and have simultaneously looped my husband in to the love of all things sweet. In fact, we consider ourselves "foodies", and while we certainly know our limits when it comes to what's appropriate to eat, and what's not, when we go on vacations, it's a feeding free-for-all. In fact, we jokingly agree that we plan our sight-seeing around the places we plan to eat - but we have found some amazing places to eat by doing some on-line research about the local favorite eateries at each location. But....I digress.....I made a decision a month ago to cut-out sugar and carbs and to see if I could exercise my will-power for an extended period of time, let alone a day or two. Needless to say, since making my decision, I have struggled every day; I even told Scott that I have had some very vivid, and flavorful dreams during which I have enjoyed some of my favorite treats, only to wake and realize it was all fiction. I've also resorted to indulging in what I refer to as 'food porn', or in other words, scouring food blogs with colorful pictures and descriptions of each recipe; Scott insists I'm torturing myself. There have been days when I want to go totally Cookie-Monster-crazy on a plate of brownies, and I'm getting fairly tired of meat, however, the pay-off for me is that I've lost over 20 pounds, and I'm feeling pretty darn good. I've learned to curb a very bad vice, and I've convinced Scott to join me and he's down over 6 pounds. Now, that's not to say that I'm ready to permanently give-up sugar and carbs; I will definitely revisit some of my 'friends' in the near future, but hopefully with a renewed sense of self-control and discretion.

I Bet You Didn't Expect This....

2010-04-02T17:14:00.001-07:00

So....it's absolutely inexcusable that Scott and I haven't posted in so long. Basically, we are at home so infrequently, and are so busy with work/school, that posting on my blog is about the last thing I want to do every day. Anyway, I've decided to give you a month by month update of what's been going on since our last post, so here goes:

JUNE '09: As we mentioned before, Scott and I had the amazing opportunity to work at Camp Erin, a grief camp for kids who have lost a close loved-one, like a parent or sibling. Scott was in a cabin with a group of boys ages 8-10 and enjoyed rousing games of "I'll kick you in the go-nuts" (one boy's phrase for gonads). On the other hand, I was in a cabin with a bunch of pre-teen girls (ages 11-13), and they were all about the pranking of the boys' cabins. We laughed, cried, played, and generally had a blast. I will be going back again this year ('10). Check out the video from 2009:

JULY '09: Scott travelled to LA to work on his upcoming album with fellow bandmate, Chris Chappell. Their album is set to be done in a few months, and it has some very catchy-dance beat-up tempo-Erasure-like songs and I feel like I have to dance every time I hear them. While in LA, he and Chris had a chance to take in a Depeche Mode concert....lucky-duck! We also got to see Grease at the 5th Avenue, and it was a blast. Taylor Hicks, the former American Idol winner played Teen Angel and gave the audience a preview of his upcoming album. Admittedly, Scott and I are not fans of country, but the audience really got into it.

AUGUST '09: Scott and I battled the heat and the bugs in August. I started teaching a class at Good Samaritan meant to dissuade juvenile shoplifters from shoplifting again. Basically, all the kids who participate have been charged with Theft 3, but they will not have that charge on their permanent records if they attend the class. It's actually quite fun to be back to my teaching roots; plus, I get to poke fun at teenagers for being imbeciles.

SEPTEMBER'09: Scott started his first hospital rotation for his respiratory therapy program, drawing a hospital all the way down in Centralia. While he loved working with his mentors and the people in the hospital, he didn't love the hour-long drive there and back three days a week, while maintaining a full-time work schedule as a massage therapist. He had to leave our place by 5 am every morning of his internship, and did not return until after 7 pm. Needless to say, for three months, I had a zombie of a husband.

OCTOBER '09: I had the opportunity to go down to Provo to meet my new nephew Zachary Myers, who joined Mallory and Elliot. It was exhausting but fun! Scott and I had the amazing opportunity to attend a Q&A session at Benaroya Hall in Seattle with stage legend Steven Sondheim. For those of you who don't know, this is basically Scott's legend and he was enraptured the entire time; I learned a few things about musical theater that I had never known. A mere 5 days later, we returned to Benaroya Hall to hear the Seattle Symphony provide the soundtrack for "Psycho" on the big screen. Many people in the audience came in costume, but I think our favorite was a cross-dresser who looked like Tipi Hedren from "The Birds" complete with fake crows attached to platinum wig.

NOVEMBER '09: We enjoyed a Thanksgiving day with the Hinckley's and Mom Hinckley provided us with a delicious dinner. Scott and I took responsibility for the turkey again, and have to give full credit to Alton Brown's helpful tips on Food Network.

DECEMBER '09: We lucked out this year that we didn't feel left alone for Christmas. In fact, my entire family, the Fey's, came to Puyallup for Christmas. We enjoyed an amazing time together, ate wonderful food, and had family pictures taken. Even my younger brother, who had just graduated from Army Ranger school was able to attend before shipping out to Korea. I was once again impressed with my sisters-in-law for their proactive natures in decorating the house, which my dad would have been content to leave festive-free. The entire family worked together on a hilarious retelling of the Christmas story replete with costumes. The kiddos amused us all with their enthusiasm and excitement over their gifts and we formed a family band. Scott and I got a lot of cuddle time with our new nephew, Zachary, and fun play time with the kiddos, Mallory and Elliot. We were sad to see everyone go!

JANUARY '10: On New Year's Eve, Scott and I went to First Night in downtown Tacoma, as we had last year. But this year we got to enjoy the fun with Scott's parents and my little brother, Joel. We saw a painfully bad troupe of older Asian women who purportedly were performing traditional Korean dance? Unfortunately, I could barely contain my laughter it was so bad. We picked things up with a local band, exhibit by glass blowers, and street performers. The group rang in the New Year at The Melting Pot, where we enjoyed 4 courses of deliciousness. How fun! FEBRUARY '10: Scott and I celebrated - Valentine's Day, our 6th anniversary, and my 33rd birthday. We splurged a little and spent a couple of days in Seattle at the 'W' Hotel overlooking the downtown and the water. We ate too much amazing food, visited some touristy sights, and went to a dine-in movie theater, all while dodging the bipolar Seattle weather. On Valentine's we got to eat brunch at Tilikum Cafe, wandered the Pike Place Market, and dined at Tom Douglas' Dahlia Lounge for dinner. The next day we went to the Gold Class Cinemas where you order and dine in the theater - it was truly an experience. For dinner on my birthday, we enjoyed the company of my dad and Scott's parents in Bellevue at Maggiano's. Scott also began his second hospital rotation at Madigan Army Hospital on Fort Lewis base and Sara took her national licensing exam to become a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist.

MARCH '10: I passed my licensing exam....you may now refer to me as Sara Fey-Hinckley, M.A., LMFT! I also started a get-fit program and have lost a total of 15 pounds in almost 3 weeks. I will keep you posted.

Life remains busy for us, but we feel blessed and extremely glad to be passing through this life together, trials and all.

The "Easy" Way Out

2009-06-01T20:51:00.001-07:00

So....I know it's super lame to make a list because I've been too lazy to write on a regular basis, but that's the way it is, so deal with it.... I have compiled a list of the top 10 things that we have done, experienced, seen, or had happen to us, since our last post:

1) We were fortunate to have an amazing Christmas gift from my dad from '07 - a gift card to the 5th Avenue Theater. With this gift we were able to buy tickets to see an incredible show: "Sunday in the Park with George" which is based on the life of George Seurat and on his famous painting: Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Scott loves Stephen Sondheim, so this was a rare treat for him. The visual effects were the most impressive I have seen... and we went away with much to consider on the nature of art and beauty; what is genius?; and the sacrifices we make to pursue our passions. Check out this amazing website:
Evening Magazine Video On Demand Seattle News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather KING5.com
Shared via AddThis
2) Sara found out that I am getting "let out" of my obligation to do FFT therapy - which, in my opinion, has no price tag on it. Instead, I will be transitioning to doing outpatient almost full-time (which I do half-time right now) as well as teaching the Diversion class, which is a class for kids who have been arrested on a Theft 3 charge (which is basically shoplifting). I haven't had a chance to teach the class on my own yet, but I have a lot of ideas about how to make this class "my own" and help kids to see that the best influence they have over their choices is their own influence.

3) Sara got called to teach Relief society in our ward.....that's right folks, I'm teaching AGAIN! I will NEVER escape it.....but that's okay, because I enjoy being with adults for a change. And I get to teach the modern day prophets' teachings: Teachings For Our Times.

4) Our faith was restored in the court system....Scott recently received a letter in the mail claiming he had failed to pay a speeding ticket fine and was in jeopardy of losing his license. The letter claimed he had received the ticket last April and had not acted on the requirements of the ticket, i.e., paying for it. Apparently, he had passed the time during which he could appear in court to protest the ticket, but after calling the court Scott was told that he could write a letter for a Stop Cause Hearing to have the ticket expunged from his record. While it was a long-shot, he received a response yesterday that explained his ticket had been entirely removed from his record. HOORAY!

5) Scott got an iPhone for his birthday (even thought it's not until June 11), and he is in hog-heaven. I frequently find him lost in iPhone bliss discovering all of its many functions, bells and whistles. The gift was definitely a hit!

6) Scott and his friend Chris, otherwise known as Killing Thursby, continue to spread the word about their EP release. Recently they have been able to send out inquiries to various music reviewers and have heard back from several that they are interested in having a Press Kit sent to them. In the music world industry, this is a big deal, and Scott is very excited that things are taking off.

7) We have enjoyed some testosterone-laden movie excursions, including: Wolverine, Star Trek, and Angels & Demons....all very good in their own ways. But Scott definitely owes me a period piece.

8) Scott and I completed the trainings to be Cabin Buddies at Camp Erin, and last Wednesday we were able to go to a pizza party that afforded our campers an opportunity to meet us and their fellow campers. I will have eight 11-13-year-old girls who were all very excitable and chatty about camp, while Scott will have six 9-10-year-old boys who are incredibly cute and rambunctious. He is preparing himself for a lot of physicality and farting, while I am preparing for a lot of gossiping and giggling.

9) This past weekend we were able to cash-in the last of our gift card to the 5th Avenue Theater, where we were able to enjoy an incredible performance of "Grease" by a traveling Broadway company. The singing, dancing, and staging was all amazing and we even got to see Taylor Hicks perform as the Teen Angel.....it was definitely a very fun, very concert-like vibe.

10) We found the BEST tiramisu EVER.....at Marzano's restaurant in Tacoma, WA. I don't even like coffee, but this recipe was simply divine....sigh!

In the end, we don't have cute little kiddos to blog about, so you have to settle for what the two of us have to offer....and all the excitement that has to offer is worth about one blog a month. So....hope you all enjoy!

Remembering Mom

2009-05-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Before my mother died, I did not understand grief the same way that I understand it now nearly five years after her death. When I considered the possibility of losing a family member, I assumed that I would be laid so low by my sadness and grief that I would be incapable of functioning. However, when you have a loss forced upon you, confronting you with the audacity of its reality, you have a choice - to give yourself over to the grief, or force open your eyes to the new day. The resiliency that I discovered, and that I observed each of my family members cling to in those first few days and weeks following Mom's death, was an impossibility that my untested mind had refused to conceive of...it was truly a miracle. As a family therapist, I have seen grief work itself in to the very fiber of people's existence, controlling every action they take, and shifting the tempo of their lives. In some cases, people become crippled by their loss, a rudderless ship set adrift on uncharted waters....and they wander. Some families experience a wash of relief, contented to allow their loved ones to pass on from this life...the slow ebbing of a life gently swathing the family in grief.

My mother was a beautiful person. On this Mother's Day, I want to pay tribute to her "humanness", and not the "saintliness" of her. When someone we love dies I think there is a tendency for our minds to shade our memories, leaving only the brightest, sunniest memories of that person - in a word, we sometimes elevate them to a saintly status. What I appreciate about my mother, is not what sets her apart from everyone else, but that which allows me to have a chance to be as good as, as kind as, and as loving as my mother. And I am grateful to her for her flaws, because through her efforts to improve herself she garnered my respect and my admiration. My mother did not aspire to much more than being a good mother and a good person, and beyond that, to know her Savior intimately. So, I give you my Top 25 things about my Mom that made her an extraordinary human being:

25) Mom always spoke with proper diction and animation, often punctuating her statements with hand gestures and facial expressions.

24) Mom was a consummate story teller - I learned to love my ancestors through the stories told at my bedside of girls singing "Oranges, Oranges, Two for a Penny" over the church pulpit; three brothers who shared one pair of shoes because they were too poor to afford any more, taking turns wearing them in to a dance while the other two brothers waited their turn outside; or the drunk Indian who chased a young Minerva in to town on horseback.

23) Mom loved to TALK, often dominating the conversation with captivating stories and ancedotes. She could often be found on the phone talking to family, on the sidewalk chatting with neighbors, and sitting in the lobby at church several minutes after the meetings were over to talk with friends.

22) Mom was an amazing friend - yes, she loved to talk to people, and she could often be found talking to them, but the truth is, they sought her out. People flocked to my mom, sharing their sorrows and burdens with her, and she took some of their pain on herself.

21) Mom loved flowers - she would spend hours beautifying her garden. She took pride in the fact that her lawn was edged, her plots were ordered and weeded, and she designed patches of color-coded and symmetrical flower groupings.

20) Mom loved to fill our home with and expose us to beauty in all of its forms - music, art, drama - and she was gifted at all of them. I remember Mom dragging an unwilling Sara and Matt to a production of the Seattle symphony and driving us every Saturday to the Tacoma Youth Symphony practice so that we could participate with other young musicians. Piano lessons were forced, but in Mom's wisdom she told me I could quit when I was in high school, all the while knowing that I would be good enough at that point that I wouldn't want to quit.

19) Mom didn't let us eat processed foods - partially because she didn't think they were good for us, and partially because it was cheaper to make homemade treats. Warm chocolate chip cookies placed in foil were regular attendees of our lunches - their warm, pliable shapes molded in to and shaped by the foil.

18) Mom made me help her cook dinner, from a young age, almost every night. I used to grudgingly stomp in to the kitchen, angry that my rest time was interrupted. And yet, I can thank my daily cooking "lessons" to my ability to put dinner on the table now, and take risks in the kitchen because I'm confident in my skills.

17) My mom knew how to budget....she cooked healthy meals for six kids every night....we never ate a meal without a vegetable. And to this day, I cannot eat casseroles.

16) Mom was an amazing actress. She had a passion for theater and for drama and when I was young she helped to direct an amazing production of the Music Man in our community. Mom also knew how to do stage makeup and every year us kids had the most intricate, creative, and realistic makeup to accompany our Halloween costumes.

15) My mom had a beautiful singing voice, even if she wouldn't admit it. Mom could hold her own with the classics, but she really let herself "loose" when she sang her favorite, "I Dig Rock 'n' Roll Music" from The Mamas and the Papas.

14) Mom both loved and hated helping with school projects. She was not appreciative that her six children frequently "surprised" her with news that they had a project due on short notice, but her amazing creativity was usually the reason for high grades. Mom essentially helped me win a poster contest about healthy eating with her detailed drawings of fruits and vegetables - I'm still not sure how the judges believed that an 8-year-old had created such a 'masterpiece'.

13) Mom loved her ancestry and she was incredibly proud of the legacy left by her grandmother Minerva Teichert, famed artist. Shortly before her death, Mom had begun to tour throughout the stake giving lectures about her famous grandmother's art, requiring all in attendance to wear a fabulous hat to represent the era in which Minerva lived.

12) My mom loved her babies. She was incredibly gentle and loving with them, often speaking what seemed like a private language with her infants; and they loved her back, lighting up with happiness when they spotted her. "Lovey-dovey-doozy!"

11) Mom was empathetic to a fault, often declining to see a movie she deemed 'sad' as she was loathe to take on the pain of fictional characters, and yet she never shied from assuming that weight with her children or her friends, even perfect strangers. Mom allowed people a respite from their troubles while they spent time in her presence.

10) Mom was extremely proper - my sister and I were not allowed to attend church without wearing nylons, a slip under our skirts, and we were taught to sit with our ankles crossed. We learned table etiquette from an early age and we were expected to open doors for people, express gratitude, and generally conduct ourselves with decorum.

9) My mother was, for the most part, spectacularly unathletic, and yet she was an amazing cheerleader, championing her children from the sidelines with an enthusiasm I imagine was difficult to muster after several soccer games in freezing rain.

8) Mom could tickle the ivories in a way that often made me jealous - she knew how to improvise and could sit downstairs playing the piano and singing - transporting herself to WWII Austria, the beaches of the South Pacific, and the decorated cabins of the Showboat.

7) Mom was fiercely proud of her children, believing more fully than they did in their capability. Mom pushed me to run for ASB President, made posters and banners to advertise my name, helped me write my speech, took me to Kinko's late at night to make campaign handouts, and was the least surprised of any of us when I won.

6) My mom often sacrificed, like most moms, so that her children could have what they needed. And yet she loved to look nice and dress up. I remember on the few occasions that my mom had to truly dress up, like a New Year's Eve dance, she went all out, and she was so incredibly luminous. But I remember my mom's beauty on the days when she wasn't going out, and I found her to be just as beautiful.

5) Mom loved music - I remember as a teenager I was so frustrated that the strains of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir would cajole me awake every Sunday morning; yet I remember thrilling to the pulsing chorus from Handel's Messiah filling our living room every Christmas Eve while we sang along with the words: "Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

4) Mom seemed to constantly get called to lead the ward choirs, but she didn't do anything 'half way'. I remember her paying my sister and I to call members of the ward to remind them of choir practice - 5 cents for every phone call. That same choir practice found me at the church building providing babysitting for the children of the parents who were in the choir. I recall playing as the choir accompanist for my mom during high school. And finally, I remember the beauty of her two choirs, one from Puyallup, and one from Federal Way, singing at her funeral.

3) My mom often admitted that all she ever wanted to be was a mother. A year or so after her death, my sister Katie found a single entry written by my mom in a journal - a portent of sorts - in which she wrote that she often worried she would be taken before she was able to raise her children. Mom explained that she was often 'not feeling well' and suspected that she was not meant for this life to any great extent of time, but she prayed frequently that she would be allowed to raise all of her children to the point that the Lord needed her in that role. I have often wondered at those words, and at the wisdom and acceptance my mother had toward God's plan for her.

2) My mom loved the Lord. I recall that she was often the instigator calling the family to family prayer each night, young children gathered in a circle in the hallway. Mom could often be found in her room reading her scriptures, and if you passed her room late in evening she was often kneeling next to her bed speaking with her Heavenly Father. Mom found great satisfaction and fulfillment in teaching seminary and learned to truly love teaching others to spark a passion for scripture reading. Mom knew gratitude and was thankful to the Lord for all that He made possible in her life - she had come to recognize her own weaknesses - and had allowed the Lord's hand to direct her life. I am confident that my mom had a relationship with the Lord to the point that she could call Him "friend".

1) My mom was flawed but she was exceptional.

As for me, I am sad every time I think about her; it burns behind my eyes and constricts my throat, squeezing drops out of the corners of my eyes - it happens without my permission. I miss her every single day, but I am content to know that my mom was a flawed human being just like me, but she was my saint.

Killing Thursby (the rebirth of Mosaic)

2009-04-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know about Scott's new album if you have a facebook account, but I'm so proud of him, I just had to add a post to our blog. Scott and his best friend, Chris Chappel, with whom he has been making sweet music since highschool, have just released an EP of 5 songs. Scott and Christ formerly collaborated under the name of Mosaic throughout the early 20s, releasing a few albums and performing around Seattle and LA. Now Scott and Chris live on two different ends of the West coast, but have found a way to "meet their minds" through the virtual power of the internet. This album has been a long time coming, including several years added to their ages, a few more grey hairs, months of collaboration, a change of band name, and light years of advancement in technology and promotional possibilities. The process has not been without its stressors, but Scott and Chris have much to be proud of.....you should give them a listen, buy the album, and add yourself to the mailing list:

http://www.killingthursby.com/

Lobster & Candlelight? NO!.....Lobster & Canning

2009-03-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

When Scott and I moved back in May, we reconnected with a family from my years in Federal Way - the Kays. Glenna Kay was my mom's good friend and the best way that I can describe her is practical, pragmatic, and powerful - Glenna is a force to be reckoned with. She heads a committee for our church that encourages the members to prepare for emergencies and disasters with practical advice, including storing at least 72 hours worth of food, extra clothing, being aware of shutting off utilities, knowing how to stay in contact with loved ones, having an exit strategy, etc. Needless to say, Glenna is the perfect person for this kind of job because she won't take "no" for an answer. Since I see her every Sunday at church I am regularly accosted, um, I mean "encouraged" to get myself and my family prepared. Glenna has been urging me to sign-up to go to the cannery in Kent todo some canning. For those of you not familiar, the cannery is a church-owned facility where you can do both dry-and wet-pack canning of essentials in the event of an emergency. Not only does she want me to go to the cannery, she wants me to buy a mill to grind my own wheat (it's only $192), and organize my home in such a way that I can keep my canning out of the elements (i.e., not in the garage). Since I tend to operate off of two main motivators: logic and guilt, I could both reason the need to do it for practical reasons, and the tugging of my conscience to get off my hiney and get prepared. So I signed us up fo canning and I gave Scott and a 6 week lead-time so that he could mentally prepare himself for three hours at the cannery. And then this last Friday night, we realized the end of a "dream" and canned us some black beans, wheat, rice, sugar, and nonfat dry milk. I had to put my foot down with Glenna about how much I was willing to order, and promise to do more next month. Here are a Top 5 list of things we learned about Emergency Preparedness at the cannery on Friday:

5) We need to do it, and do it well.

4) It takes a concerted effort to prepare your self with a three month supply.

3) Having to wear a hair net is not flattering for anyone.

2) Dry-pack canning is amazingly low-tech.

1) Working at the cannery with fellow members is actually quite fun.

After all the fun at the cannery, covered in dust from the products, we enjoyed a dinner Lobster Fest at Red Lobster. We felt it was a fitting end to a glamorous look and a glamorous night.

CAMP ERIN

2009-03-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

Scott and I are super excited because we will both be volunteering at a camp for kids who are grieving. Camp Erin is a 3-day camp experience, free of charge to its participants, and is facilitated by professional staff and trained volunteers of BRIDGES. The camp is for children ages 6-17 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Camp Erin is a high energy, fun camp with grief support and education woven in. Adult “Big Buddy” volunteers offer additional support and companionship for campers. Camp Erin will be held at Camp Seymour, located 22 miles west of Tacoma. All campers will have the option to enjoy varied camp activities. These activities include:
Swimming
Boating
Arts and Crafts
Music
Drama
Evening Campfires
Outdoor Games
Wall Climbing
Archery
Scott and I will both be Big Buddies and we couldn't be more pumped to be involved in such an awesome volunteer experience, although we both plan to bawl our eyes out. If you know of anyone in the Tacoma/Seattle area who could benefit from participating, please let me know.

If you want to see a very cool video with testimonials, check out the link below:

http://www.moyerfoundation.org/img/videos/2007CampErinTestimonials.wmv

Fun with family....

2009-03-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

We haven't posted anything in a while because to be honest, we have been overwhelmingly busy. I was fortunate, however, to go down to Provo the first weekend of March to visit with my sister Katie and her family, and as an added bonus, visit with Daniel and Kristi and Joel. The true purpose of the trip was to celebrate my nephew's and niece's birthdays, and to help my sister with the birthday party she had planned for a Mallory and seven of her four-year-old friends. With the best of intentions, I think my sister went overboard with the kiddy-prizes for her Princess and Princes-themed party: swords for the boys, wands for the girls, crowns for the all of the kids, prince and prince-themed prizes for each game, candy from the 'dragon' we 'slayed, candy from the 'dragon eggs' we 'recovered' from the the 'dragons lair', 'treasure' from the 'treasure hunt', etc. Each kid left that party toting two giant bags full of crap (I mean wonderful prizes).

Prior to the party I helped Katie prepare by decorating, cleaning, picking up a beautiful cake, and painting Mallory's toenails princess-pink. Amidst all of the hubbub I was able to reconnect with my niece and nephew - Elliot is now talking up a storm, and Mallory is as precocious as ever. And I checked in by phone with Scott every night - sharing my amazement at my sister's patience and energy to deal with the almost constant whining prompted by the kids being sick. Elliot, who was congested and coughing, would literally work himself in to a fit each night, and nearly every time he ate - coughing, hacking, and crying - and then he would throw up. In one day, I believe my sister cleaned-up three different vomiting events - one of those occasions occurred in the crib and also involved a removed diaper and poop (I'll leave that to your imagination). Needless to say, when I was painting Mallory's toes, and she was writhing around on the counter, trying to grab things, and moving her feet, I felt a surge of frustration and anger when she knocked the nail polish remover off the counter - I told Scott later, I almost lost it on her, but by some miracle was able to take a deep breath and control what I said. If nothing else, this trip made me question what type of parent I might be, under pressure, tired, and trying to put together a memorable experience for my child - in all honesty, I have my doubts. But I left my sister's home with a renewed sense of respect for what she does each day.

Elliot's Birthday:

Joel helped us get ready for the party and endured the back seat; Elliot was sick the day of his birthday and rather non-plussed by his gifts. Mallory had to help him get in the spirit of unwrapping before he found his groove.

Mallory's Birthday:

Everthing looked so loverly pre-party, but after the whirlwind that IS seven four-year-olds, Katie's house was a wreck. But, they sure did have fun, and Mallory felt like a true princess!

And finally, I was able to enjoy a little Barbeque with my brother Daniel, his wife, Kristi, and my brother Joel - we checked-out another Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives spot in Salt Lake called Pat's. Let's be honest, it was not as good as Gorilla's, in Pacifica, but we didn't have to wait for 2 hours, so that was a bonus.

The Trifecta: San Fran Pictures

2009-02-22T22:07:00.001-08:00

Foodie Fun in San Fran: the Trifecta

2009-02-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

So, in case you didn't recognize from our last post, Scott and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary on the 14th, Valentine's Day. Many of you men will notice, with jealousy, that Scott is able to tick-off two of the major holidays largely agreed upon by women to be "very romantically important". But wait....my birthday is also the very next day, February 15th....and so, the Trifecta of major holidays all in one weekend. Now I must add a disclaimer, we did NOT get married on Valentine's because we are sappy romantics - at the time, I was teaching school and happened to have a week-long break that started with Valentine's Day and we had to be practical! However, it is what it is....and now we have the Trifecta-effect. I recently said to Scott that I need a "distinct" day for my Birthday - sometimes I feel like I was born in December and my birthday gets overshadowed by Christmas. But....I digress! I'm not complaining in the least, rather, I recognize that I got to feel special, loved, honored, pampered for an entire weekend, and I loved every second of it!

This year, to mark five years of marriage, we decided to take a little trip to San Francisco - what began as a "get away" to a fun destination, ended as an unintended, overindulgent Foodie adventure of the most ridiculous kind, i.e., we were uncomfortably full the entire trip. Due to the fact that we were trying to squeeze-in a number of highly rated restaurants in the three days we "breezed" through California. And, oh yes, we were able to squeeze-in a few sight-seeing excursions as well, such as: Pacific Coast Highway, San Francisco Ghost Hunt, Fisherman's Wharf, etc. The "highlight" of those sight-seeing adventures occurred on a day that made national news on CNN for a severe-weather warning, my birthday, February 15th. We boarded the cruiser to take us to Alcatraz Island in not-quite torrential rain, but wholly underprepared for the weather: in sweaters, jeans, thin cotton scarves, and one umbrella. The boat rocked and rolled its 15-minute trip to the island and the rain worsened, pelting down on us as we disembarked and climbed a series of switch backs to reach The Rock. In the freezing rain we explored the "streets" of the penitentiary and I felt growing sorrow for the men who passed their lonely sentence in those despicably small, cold cells. Then, drenched, shivering, and somewhat seasick, we finished our walk down the Embarcadero and....bought another umbrella.
Feb.13- Lunch: Chaat Cafe, Fremont, CA
Dinner: Six-course menu at Masa's, San Francisco
Feb.14- Breatkfast: Dynamo Doughnuts, San Francisco
Lunch: Gorilla Barbeque, Pacifica, CA (we found this amazing place on the Food Network Channel - Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-in, and Dives; we waited 2 hours to order and receive our food, but it was definitely worth it)
Dinner: Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, San Franciscso
Feb.15- Breakfast: Left over Dynamo Doughnuts
Snack: Ciao Bella Gelateria, San Francisco
Snack: Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Parlor, San Francisco
Dinner: The Stinking Rose, San Francisco (a fun restaurant where everything is cooked with garlic; we even ate the garlic ice cream at the end of our meal)
Snack: Gelateria Naia, San Francisco

Did I mention that we ate a lot? We are definitely fans of food, and we were well-fed on this trip.

A Pictorial Tribute to Our 5th Wedding Anniversary: February 14, 2004

2009-02-19T21:24:00.001-08:00

We Are Mass-Media "Tools"

2009-02-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me the other day that as much as Scott and I pride ourselves on our shopping restraint, a high-minded sense of making informed, conscientious decisions about what we purchase and why, we are often "sucked-in" to the vast black hole that is infomercials. The exciting descriptions of new products intended to shave minutes off your morning routine, decrease your battle with mundane house chores, or simply change the way you see yourself in the mirror, are all intended to persuade you to shell out your hard-earned cash. But personally, I think it is the testimonials - whether it is an astounding before and after picture of incredible weight loss, a weepy woman describing how make-up gave her the confidence to get a job teaching, or the miraculous number of meals one can create with the shilled kitchen device - I am hooked.

Exhibit A: The first time I saw a commercial for the Snuggie, I laughed so hard I cried - I went running up the stairs calling to Scott to come and look at the television. I think it must have been the family of three sitting in the bleachers dressed like recently-escaped-from-the-monastery-monks in burgundy habits, cheering-on their son/brother while he played soccer that initially sent me in to hysterics. And yet, while Scott and I shopped at Walgreens the other day, we passed a display of the infamous "the blanket that has sleeves," we looked at each other, shrugged, and threw one in the cart. One can only mock so long before one must admit to the numerous practical uses for such an invention - fashion-forward it is not, but it is a warm alternative to a cold night.

Exhibit B: One of the great mysteries of television infomercials is why the makers of The Magic Bullet felt it was necessary to use paid actors to peddle their wares rather than to let the product speak for itself through the real-life user endorsements. Nooooo....instead they felt it was necessary to have set the infomercial in a fake kitchen, apparently one in which any old "boozy" neighbor, or "crotchety old" biddy, are welcome to waltz into whenever it strikes their fancy. And yet....for all its ridiculousness, I found myself curious about the myriad options for how I could use it, and so I bought one.

Exhibit C: Scott and I typically enjoy going to the Puyallup Fair just to "be there" and soak-in the excitement and action. On principal, we make a sojourn to the product areas, reminiscent of when farmers would bring their produce to sell at the county fair, not necessarily to buy anything but because it's fun to see what's being hawked. This last fall, in we went, and out we came with Sham Wow! - the German "wonder" towel. And while its powers were undeniably attractive - soaking up an entire can of soda out of a swatch of carpeting - I think we may have been caught up in the moment.

Exhibits D, E, F and G: Over the course of the years, Scott and I have succumbed to the cunning enticements of various infomercial pronunciations, including: Dermacia, a type of makeup with "amazing coverage" that also "breathes"; Sheer Cover, a mineral makeup "pimped" by Leeza Gibbons; The Firm, an exercise program involving a combination of step aerobics and weights created by a cohort of women in the Deep South - gotta love an instructor calling out the step with an accent: "Hey, ya'all take a look at thowse guuuns". For a highly entertaining event, you should see Scott and I doing these videos together; and Green Tea Patches, intended to accelerate your weight loss efforts.

Some of these purchases have been absolutely ridiculous and some have been very helpful, but the bottom line is that they are entertaining. Recently I saw the most AWESOME infomercial for a workout video, which I am now begging Scott to buy me for my birthday: the official Dirty Dancing Workout video.

Entertaining? Fo sho...... Helpful? That remains to be seen...... If you want to see a few clips from this AMAZING video see attached: http://dirtydancingworkout.com/ Maybe once we are dancing like Jonny and Baby we will post our own video....stay posted.

25 "Things" About Me

2009-02-01T01:56:00.000-08:00

I am going to be extremely redundant, because I already posted these 25 "things" on Facebook, so for those of you who don't have a Facebook account, enjoy:

1) I am inherently suspicious of sharing things about myself....like it might come back to bite me in the butt!
2) I met Scott, my husband, when we lived as next door neighbors and ironically had an email address at the time: neighborgirl3713.
3) Starting in the 8th grade, I have sprained and/or fractured my ankles at least 10 times. The most ridiculous was when I stepped on a pinecone = fracture; the most recent was stepping on the edge of a manhole = sprain.
4) I hate snakes, rats, and spiders - when I see them I want to stab them in their faces!
5) While serving as a missionary in Argentina, my companion and I, Laura Schiess (Astle), were mugged in broad daylight - we lost our money, our books, our bags, and our dignity - the perpetrators didn't even have guns.
6) When I was in junior high I thought I wanted to be a prime time News Anchor until I did a 3-day stint at the local news channel and hated every minute of it.
7) Excluding pre-college years, I have never lived in the same house/apartment for more than two years at a stretch - I get restless very easily.
8) The place I would most like to visit is Greece.
9) I am almost obscenely curious about Regency England - think Jane Austen - and the role of women in the society, especially how conduct literature was utilized in the class/gender structure.
10) I wrote a series of papers in college on the influence of the Amazons in Greek mythology on the modern feminist movement; it was very difficult to find research materials in the BYU library.
11) My hair is my "safety blanket", so to speak - aside from one slight misjudgment in letting a friend cut my hair in the 8th grade, I have never had hair shorter than my shoulders.
12) My dream would be to have the kind of singing voice that could handle a Duettino Sull Aria from the Marriage of Figaro (think Shawshank Redemption).
13) Although I play the piano, I have to work at it, and in order to accompany someone like my husband when he sings, I have to practice, practice, practice.
14) I was hired once to play at someone's wedding: the Wedding March, the Recessional, and to accompany a vocalist on the cheesiest wedding song ever titled, "Longer" - then the bride stiffed me.
15) In 4-6th grades I took private cello lessons from Lance Johnson, who I thought was really "hot" (he was 17), and I played in the Tacoma Junior Youth Symphony.
16) When I was two years in to my college experience, majoring in the Humanities, my parents and four younger siblings took a trip to Europe two weeks before I finished my finals - I was sooooo pissed!
17) I contracted a parasite while living in South America that has completely 'jacked' my intestinal "devices" and makes digestion a real "treat".
18) My first college roommate, Heather Rudy, was the daughter of my mom's best friend all growing up, who converted to the LDS faith while they were college students. Missy, Heather's mom, transferred colleges to attend BYU and she and my mom were college roommates for a few years. Heather and I had never met prior to being roommates, but we hit it off smashingly.
19) I worked as a secretary at the Women's Research Institute for 2.5 years while attending BYU, the only job at the 'Y' where you could be suspected of having feminist-sympathies.
20) While teaching Senior College English, at Sumner High School for two years, at least 5 seniors failed my class making them ineligible for graduation. I'm not on anyone's hit list, as far as I know.
21) I consider myself obsessed with anything "small" or "miniature": horses, dogs, especially monkeys - I have toyed with the idea of creating a "miniature zoo".
22) Currently half-time I work with juvenile offenders doing family therapy with them and their families, in their homes; I have seen kids arrested for: Domestic Violence, Prostitution, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Residential Burglarly, Trespassing, Possession of a Controlled Substance, to name a few....
23) I used to consider marriage to be something that "other people" do, until I got married myself; now I consider having children something "other people" do....maybe I'll have to eat those words some day.
24) In high school I ran for ASB president against another kid from my church who had asked a boy from the junior class to be his campaign manager - so I asked that kid's girlfriend to be my campaign manager. Guess who won?
25) I plan to return to university within the next 5 years to pursue my PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy....in the mean time, I am working on writing and getting published in a scholarly publication.

Why Some Parents Suck: A Reflection on Therapy

2009-01-22T15:25:00.000-08:00

I have restrained myself when it comes to writing about my job, because I don't want to give people the wrong impression - I really do love my job. But......today I need to vent. After working in both the teaching field and now in the therapy field, I suspect I should no longer be "shocked" by the amazingly horrible insight many parents possess (or should I say, the lack of insight) - that they do not often equate their own actions and behaviors with the actions and behaviors of their children; let it be said, however, that I still find myself AMAZED. And so I provide you with a top 10 list of parental stupidity - and let me remind you that I actually do work with many amazing families and will provide a top 10 list of parental awesomeness in a later post (all names have been changed for privacy and HIPAA's sake):

10) Parent to me in a recent session, whilst child was sitting in the next chair over: "If Jonny would just stop throwing tantrums our family could have fun again."

9) Child in foster care is waiting in the lobby with her foster parent for her biological mother to arrive for our session (court-ordered, mind you) - with face pressed against the glass, watching. Mom never did show.

8) Young Gavin is explaining that his dad frequently yells at him and his brother during their bi-weekly visits and he doesn't like it when his dad yells. Sara: "What do you do when Anger bothers you and your dad and makes him yell?" Gavin: "I hide in the closet."

7) Paternal aunt, who has custody of young James, is taking her custody battle with James' father to court. Aunt clearly loves James, but is incapable of allowing the course of therapy to flow naturally. Dad, by the way, has made huge changes and is a "fit" parent. James to me: "Dad makes me scared." Sara: "How does he do that?" James: "I don't know..." Sara: "Do you have someone to talk to when Worry gets too big?" James: "I talk to mom (aunt)." Sara: "Did you talk to her when dad made you scared?" James: "Yes" Sara: "What did she say?" James: "I can't remember what she told me to tell you...." Hmmmmm...

6) An angry dad says to me: "I read through your session notes with my son, and all you talk about is what my ex-wife says, I started to wonder if you knew her from before, like she was your friend and that's why she brought Tyson to see you." "Ummm, no," I replied, "that would be unethical of me." Dad: "Well, I'm gonna have to ask my lawyer to strike all of your notes." Honestly, be my guest....

5) Meth-user mom in her drug-induced state, allowed numerous tweakers free reign in her home. My client, the oldest of her 6 children, all from different men, warned her mom that she felt like the house was likely being watched by the police; mom did nothing to change her ways. Now mom is in prison for 24-months on drug-related charges, and all 6 kids are with her mother. Delaney tells me that mom frequently "blames" her for her current situation saying, "You should have tried harder to convince me that the house was being watched - it's your fault I'm in jail."

4) Thirteen year-old-Amanda, during our second session, begins to cry uncontrollably and sputters out, "It's my fault that my parents got divorced."

3) Brenna, who was raped by a drug-pusher who drunken mom allowed in to the house, was told by mom: "I don't believe you, Brenna, you're such a liar. Go back to bed."

2) Angela, age nine, tells me: "I don't ever want to see my mom again, or talk to her - if she calls I'm just going to say 'hi' and 'bye'." Sara: "Why?" Angela: "Because she hurt me - she beat me with a belt and a wooden paddle." This same child drew a picture to show me what Dad had done to "hurt" the family, because she was too embarrassed to tell me - this picture depicted Dad choking Mom.

1) Allison, age 16, tells me that after her parents split she decided to go live at Dad's house. Dad allowed Allison to use drugs, including ecstasy. He proceeded to "sell" Allison while she was in an altered state, allowing numerous men to take advantage of her. Allison, who survived the ordeal, now sees no reason to have relationships, not with men, women, or her own mother.

I don't share these atrocious stories to make you all "sick", but rather to reaffirm the strength of the human spirit and the resiliency of children. I am extremely grateful for my faith and for the power of prayer, which sustain me when I am just plain "sad" for the lives many of my clients must live, daily:

[God says], do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

What is my purpose in life, what is my responsibility?

Whether I like it or not, I am on this planet

and it is far better to do something for humanity.

So you see that compassion is the seed or basis.

If we take care to foster compassion,

we will see that it brings the other good human qualities.

The topic of compassion is not at all religious business;

it is very important to know that it is human business

that it is a question of human survival

that is not a question of human luxury....

It is clear that even without religion we can manage.

However, without these basic human qualities we cannot survive.

It is a question of our own peace and mental stability. - The Dalai Lama

H-O-L-L-A! A Shout Out to my Hubby

2009-01-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

I am increasingly amazed by the fact that my husband, Scott, fills each of his various roles with such aplomb, despite the fact that they are all increasingly wearing on his time and energy. Therefore, I have decided that he needs an entire posting dedicated to his awesomeness.

Husband:

As our 5th wedding anniversary rapidly approaches, Scott and I have had several opportunities to reminisce about the series of oddly-related circumstances that brought us together (which I will save for a later post). For the purposes of this blog, I want to expound on only one of those cirucumstances: that when Scott and I met he was a mere 8 months post-operative on his brain tumour. This is a fact that we have mutually agreed did not lend itself to the most physically-fit, nor physically attractive stage of Scott's lifetime - he was doughy, pasty, and what we refer to lovingly as a "cave fish" - bottom line, he was not healthy. I didn't really want anything to do with him, not because of the health issues, but because I knew that the wheedling biddies in our ward would attempt to "push" us together. Scott, with all of his cunning savvy did not wait for their "help" and caught me off-guard and unprepared with an excuse to avoid his first invitation to do something together. What I found out that first evening was that none of my posturing about being "sick of dating" or effusive sarcasm could put him off - he was nothing if not patient and gracious as he listened to me ramble on and on. I congratulated myself about getting through the date and planned my escape in to the house, but again, Scott caught me off-guard on the porch by asking me out for the next night. Drat! I had no ready excuse and so I found myself out to dinner with the 'boy next door', once again, talking and ruminating about hopeless and pathetic roommates. And so the pattern continued, I resolved to be 'done' with Scott, and he persisted in asking....soon I discovered that I genuinely liked spending time with my "cave fish". Scott proved himself to be gracious, entertaining, wickedly smart, able to talk about any subject, inquisitive, guileless, genuine, gentle, and he listened....I mean he really cared about what I said. I found myself intrigued, then drawn to his presence, and finally, GASP, in love. I am grateful to Scott for proving to me that love was not just for "other people".

Massage Therapist:

If you see what I see, you see a slab of fleshy-flesh....not something I would want to touch. If you see what Scott sees, you see a maze of muscles and ligaments tight with tension that yearn for the right pressure and touch so that they "melt" and the client is afforded some relief. I could not do what Scott does every day, and yet he brings people rest and relaxation. Rightly so, many of his clients have promised their "first born" if he will only run away with them and become their personal massage therapist (that's right, 'masseuse' is not an appropriate title - think Thailand, and you will know what I mean). Anyway, although tempted, he has not succumbed to any client's nefarious offers, for which I am grateful. Instead, he consistently brings relief to clients who have just lost a spouse, are recovering from a grave illness, or just need a break from life. No matter how smelly, talkative, or crazy they are, they are treated with respect; and that's why they keep coming back for more.

Student:

Many of you know that Scott recently returned to school, and after an arduous struggle to decide what he would study, Scott decided on respiratory therapy. Truth be told, Scott would love to study music, and in a different time and place, you would have seen Scott perform on the most heralded stages in the most prestigious performance halls around the world. But what distinguishes Scott even more than his amazing musical talents, is his willingness to sacrifice for his future family. After much discussion and consideration, Scott is pursuing a career that will still allow him to serve people in need, while earning our family more money, and providing him a more consistent schedule. Scott currently gets up every morning at 6:00 am and leaves our home by 7:00, afterwhich he commutes for an hour to PIMA where he attends class for 4 hours. He follows this class time with work, often not returning home until another hour-long commute at 9:00, and then he repeats the whole process again the next day. I love him for his sacrifice and his diligence.

Musician:

Scott and his best friend, Chris Chappel, formed a group back in high school named Mosaic - as part of this experience they released two compact discs and performed at various locales around home and in the Los Angeles area (I'm their number one fan - and I have the T-shirt to prove it). Recently Scott and Chris "are getting the band back together" and it will be the new, and improved version: Mosaic 2.0. However, they are renaming the group, and not Prince-style with the symbol, instead they will relaunch at the end of this month as "Killing Thursby". Not only has Scott impressed legions of fans with his amazing ability to "tickle the ivories" but his vocals, too, have blessed the lives of many people. I marvel at his gift to write moving and intriguing lyrics - all of the lyrics on their new album were written by Scott. I am overjoyed that Scott and Chris have rediscovered their muse and want to make sweet, sweet music again. They are an incomparable fusion of talent.

Bottom line - I'm grateful to share life's journey with my husband, Scott!

Cuckoo for CTR: A Farewell

2009-01-08T23:38:00.000-08:00

When Scott and I moved in to our current ward back in May, I was excited for the "fresh start" and the opportunity to meet new people. In all honesty, I was actually excited to receive a new calling - I always look forward to the anticipation and excitement of finding out what the bishop feels we either "need" to do, or where we might be "needed". But I must also confess that I have often struggled over the years to understand the callings I receive and how I might "need" a calling or why I am "needed". In all honesty, it is my pride that often gets in the way of truly accepting the calling on its base merit, but instead questioning, always questioning. In an irony that doesn't escape me, I always seem to be asked to fulfill a calling that requires me to do something eerily similar to my professional job. For example, when Scott and I first started dating, I had just started teaching, we were called to teach a primary class full of munchkin-terrorists. After we were married, despite my telling the Bishop that I had previously served in several "teaching-type" callings, a month later I found myself teaching the teenage-Sunday-school class. And at BYU, after I purposely left my piano skills off of my "personal information" forms, I was called to play the piano in my wards the first three years of my college experience.

So it should come as no surprise that when Scott and I were asked to co-teach the CTR 5 primary class, I was, well, kind of disappointed. I work as a family and children's therapist and found the prospect of not just working with troubled kids 5 days a week, now I was going to work with "troubled" kids 7 days a week (yes, I'm calling 4-year-olds "troubled"). My reluctance was compounded by the fact that Scott works on Sundays and I knew I would be corralling a class of 8-10 kids on my own. I will admit that Scott and I wearily faced the prospect of making pom-pom pets for a lesson on Loving Animals, or glueing and stapling Truth Glasses, on Saturday nights. Equally daunting was knowing that nearly my entire class would declare that they needed to "go potty" at least once during our class. Needless to say, I didn't always "like" what I was doing on Sunday...it sometimes felt like I was running a Christian daycare. But over time their cherubic faces, and hilarious statements wore me down and I had to admit to myself that I had grown to love my "kids". So I give you my top-ten moments from the Fruitland Ward Primary's CTR 5 class:

10) Little William pulling on my skirt and handing me a cheap plastic-jewel earring worn by a fellow classmate: "Teacher, she lost part of her costume." (Not quite sure when we started wearing "costumes" to church).

9) Sean, child of a recent convert, taking the much labored-over Truth Glasses as they were passed out in order to be colored. When I turned around and saw he was not working on coloring I asked where his glasses were and he said matter-of-factly: "I dropped them out the window."

8) Sean, while trying to draw the attention of his classmates, robot-voice-repeating: "Pee-pee, poo-poo," while foaming at the mouth.

7) Scott, on a rare day of being able to help in the class, tried to hustle the kids through finishing up their coloring on a project. William whined, "I'm not done yet," to which Scott replied pointedly, "Well, maybe if you hadn't spent so much time building a sword with your markers, you could have finished earlier." William promptly burst into tears. (Nice touch, right?)

6) Jenny, a frequent vistor to her grandma who lives in the ward, showed-up to primary with lipstick smeared around her mouth, smudged blue eye shadow, and overwhelmingly POWERFUL cheap perfume and asks, "Do you like my make-up, my grandma did it?" "I love it," I replied.

5) Owen refusing to sing during Sharing Time, to which I struck upon an ingenious idea and I prompted him, "How about you sing the next song like Wall-E." I was blessed, the very next song to hear, "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus," in robot-kid-voice.

4) Owen saying to Scott, "Watch me, " and then falling off of his chair.

3) When asking the class why Jesus wouldn't just come back to earth in a perfect form, if He had the power to do so, Dylan replied without hesitation: "Because He wanted them to know it was Him." (So Smart!)

2) After giving the class child-sized CTR reminder bracelets and explaining that they are waterproof, Jessica breathlessly exclaims: "I'm never going to take it off."

1) Owen returned after a two-week family vacation and I reminded him during Sharing Time that he hadn't been in class for awhile and I had missed him. Later, in class while I was teaching the lesson, Owen raised his hand and queried, "Sara?" - "Yes, Owen?" - "I missed you." (You had me at "hello")

And so it is with some sadness I will be released from this calling in the next two weeks, and so I bid a fond adieu to my class:

Sorry, no pictures of Sean, William, Briah, or Jenny were "captured" while in their "natural habitat".

New Year's Eve Fun with Sara and Scott

2009-01-02T02:04:00.001-08:00

It's a Holly-Jolly Christmas

2009-01-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

Scott and I have decided that it's difficult to approximate the Christmas traditions of childhood when it's only the two of you - which makes for a rather stark, sometimes-odd, and unusually short Christmas morning. We definitely recognize that the "fun" of having children around this Christmas season was missed, however, it was still not enough of an excuse to drive us toward procreation.....or adoption.....yet.....sorry, family. Despite the lack of presents, Scott and I were able to find ways to invite the Christmas spirit in to our lives. Again this year, like last year, we adopted a family that wasn't able to provide presents for their children - two girls ages 6 and 8. We had little information to go on, other than that the older girl loved Hannah Montana and High School Musical; while the younger loved Disney Princesses. We had fun shopping for the girls, and despite my inherent general distaste for all things HM and HSM-related, I put my own feelings aside and went to work. Both girls got two cute outfits, one nicer, and one casual - Scott was a 'good sport' about shopping for girl-clothes, and generally deferred to my judgment. But we both scratched our heads when we got to the toy aisles - apparently it has been too long for me since I was a 6 or 8-year old girl, and never, for Scott - but we muddled through. We also got each girl a backpack, socks, hair accessories, and a toy; needless to say, we had a lot of fun, and we were so happy we could make a child's Christmas enjoyable.

For ourselves, we decided to keep things low-key. We enjoyed having Scott's family over to our place to celebrate Christmas Eve....another one of the three or four-yearly excuses for me to bust-out my culinary skills: ham, rolls, sweet potatoes, salad (a recipe we recreated from the Cheesecake Factory), and all the accumulated Christmas treats. Me, Scott, Scott's parents, and his sister, Jen, enjoyed reminiscing about Christmases past and sharing thoughts about the birth of Jesus Christ - it is unfortunate that we often have to wait until the Christmas season to verbally express our love for the Savior.

On Christmas morning, we woke up late - to be honest, sleeping in was a nice gift to ourselves. We exchanged a few simple gifts and then I surprised Scott with a mutually-beneficial gift: a Blu-Ray player. We spent a few hours testing out how it worked - we've never seen Sleeping Beauty look so amazing before. Finally, we joined Scott's family at their home, and opened a few more gifts. Scott's parents got us a few fun gifts, including gift cards to some of our most-frequented local restaurants.

Scott opens a few presents.

Sara displays a new kitchen gadget.
After a while, Christmas prep takes a toll on everyone. We did, however, enjoy the Christmas-dinner fiesta that Mom prepared for us, and our satisfied tummies jiggled with laughter as we watched Mr. Bean's Christmas, a Hinckley family tradition. It was a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Letter

2008-12-26T14:22:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone: I wanted to let you know about the Fey Family Christmas Letter for 2008 - I try to write one every year, and this year is no exception. I got a little "behind" with my timing, therefore, the letter just got completed. Through my burgeoning technological savvy, I have uploaded the letter and you can access it through the link on the top right of this page - ENJOY!

Check out the 2008 Year-in-Review - the link is below:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=ff4c890d32ceda89d2db6fb9a8902bda

Snow 'Madness' is a Legitimate Disorder

2008-12-22T20:38:00.001-08:00

So any of you who have lived in Washington for some time realize that many of us have acquired a certain 'hubris', if you will, about our ability to drive in inclement weather. And while our skills do help us navigate the various treacheries associated with the frequent rain, they do not, despite the over-confident guy flying past you at 50 mph, extend to snow-driving, as evidenced by the past few days. Large parts of Washington, including Puyallup, received unprecedented levels of snow fall starting last Wednesday, but didn't really increase until late Thursday afternoon.

I just happened to be finishing with a work Christmas party in downtown Puyallup, as the snow began to fall in earnest. I decided to jump on the freeway and head home, but once on the freeway realized it was gridlocked. Attempting to maneuver my way around the backpack, I exited and began to weave my way through back roads....all was well, until I got behind a line-up of cars attempting to crest a hill. I became impatient, called Scott, pulled out the Tom-Tom and we began to look for an alternate route home. Scott found a side street for me to take that would help me avoid my current back-up, so I turned around and headed for my new path. Unfortunately, Tom-Tom does not provide you with any topography, so we were unaware that my route now included a steep descending hill. As I made my way down the hill, Scott listening through my cell-phone ear buds, my car began to slip, and I ended-up sliding backwards toward a ditch. The whole while I was screaming at Scott, "I'm going in to the ditch, I'm going in to ditch!" Miraculously, my car stopped a few inches short of the ditch, but still facing backwards. I managed to pull away from the ditch, only to lose traction again, and began to slide horizontally toward a parked car, this time sobbing and screaming at Scott to "help me - help me!" What I didn't know at this point, was that Scott was frantically running around the living room, unsure of how to help, picturing me and my vehicle careening over a cliff. When the car stopped 6 inches from the bumper of the car, I just sat sobbing for a few minutes, while Scott offered nonsensical suggestions. My final effort to right myself sent me drifting toward a cropping of trees - foot aimlessly pumping the brake. Again, the car stopped inches away from disaster. My nerves frayed, I inched my way down the hill and around the corner and......in to a line-up of cars waiting to ascend another hill!!!

I called Scott again and demanded he find me help - good man! He called back minutes later to say he had enlisted the help of our neighbor to drive him to the top of the hill to retrieve me (she's from Montana, by the way, and actually knows how to drive in the snow). When Scott and Jackie got to me, I was trapped behind a teenage driver who had attempted to mount the hill, only to slide back down and become a literal target for all of the "hotshots" who thought they could make it up the hill themselves (she had already been hit three times). For over an hour and a half we tried to decide if we could make it up the hill, how to move the other driver, or whether to abandon the car for the night. The whole time the snow was dumping, and we were freezing. Occasionally, a driver would pass the line-up of vehicles, and a "good Samaritan" would explain the treachery of the hill....the driver would quietly listen and then, brainlessly, attempt to "storm" the hill. We watched at least 6 vehicles lose control and come rocketing back down the hill, people jumping out of the way, others screaming to "watch out!". One car slammed in to a gate, busting it open; four went in to a ditch; and another gave up and turned around. Our favorite "hill-challenger" was a young guy smoking a cigarette, talking on his cell phone, and driving a Geo Metro, who made it about a third of the way up the hill before sliding in to a ditch - the sledders at the top of the hill cheered when he lost control. Eventually, Scott and I decided to ask a nearby resident if we could leave our car in their driveway, and we hiked out to Jackie's waiting car. The moral of this story? Hubris is the downfall of many a driver....and Geo Metros have no chance in the snow.

Enjoy a few snow pics from the past few days:

Ode to our Vacuum

2008-12-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

Today Scott and I treated ourselves to an elaborate purchase.....a vacuum. And not just any vacuum, a very "special" vacuum. 'What makes this vacuum so special, Sara?' - Well, folks, this vacuum......actually works......a fact that in our household is real cause for celebration. It means that the pine needles are no longer winning the war; it signals the end of my discomfort over lying on the carpet to watch a movie for fear I might get cooties; it represents the dawning of a new era at Chateau Ennui - after six months of living in this townhome, our carpets have finally been thoroughly cleaned.

When Scott and I were married, nearly five years ago, we needed to buy a vacuum, but our funds were limited. We ended up having a ridiculous amount of cash on a gift card from Macy's and that effectively limited our options to buying a vacuum at, well, Macy's. At the time, Macy's was actually the Bon Marche and they did not carry any brand of vacuum but the Shark-brand. Our lack of knowledge about the brand and our limited funding options were not the only reasons we fell prey to the Shark. In fact, at the time, bagless vacuums were just starting to emerge as the "must-have", and wouldn't you know it, the Shark was bagless, so Scott and I assumed we were getting a sleek, top of the line product. However, we quickly learned that we had been duped. This vacuum literally mocks our efforts to keep a clean floor, taunting us with it's deceptive vacuum-noises, all the while ignorning every pine needle, string, and speck of dust. Scott has decided that the Shark simply gives our carpet a relaxing "massage" every time we attempt to vacuum, and stinks up the joint, at the same time. Buyer beware the catchy name: "Shark Pursuit," and flee for the saftey of your hard earned cash.

Scott teaches the Shark a lesson and now it knows where it stands (or lays, literally).

So, we did a great deal of research and decided to invest in a vacuum that would literally do the job and keep doing it for a looooonnnggg time. In the end, I'm embarrassed to admit to all our blogger friends how much we paid for Penny, but she has proven to be worth every penny (no pun intended). She has a six year warranty, a kevlar belt, and all metal engine parts.... so she doesn't mess around. She may not look as sleek as say, the Dyson, but she is German-engineered and highly rated. Introducing the Riccar SL5, copper vaccum (thus her name, "Penny"):

She's "old-school" in the sense that she looks like a 50's model upright, and has no fancy new-fangled attachments. But...she only weighs nine pounds, and we got a small canister vac with tools and attachments to use in our car, on the stairs, and on our upholstery, as a bonus - whoo-hoo!

Scott shows the Shark who his new master is....the Riccar.

And now a haiku written by Scott in appreciation for our Christmas-vacuum:

Coppery vacuum,

Sent from on high; now you are

One of our family.

This is the Coolest Blog Site EVER!

2008-12-05T01:56:00.000-08:00

So Scott and I have to thank Amy, my brother Matt's wife, for introducing us to this site through her Facebook account. I just spent several minutes literally laughing my head off with Scott, while we looked at picture after picture of the most mind-blowing cake disasters....even though it was 1:30 am. You must know that when I am willing to forego sleep for something, it has to be incredibly special....and I guarantee you all.....this IS special. Check it out and be amazed:

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Here's just one example to whet your appetite for the hilarity that will ensue:

Sara's making me blog again. That's right. MAKING me.

2008-11-30T23:47:00.000-08:00

Well, according to Sara, I have a monthly blog quota of one a month. So here it is 11:50pm on the 30th of November. Met my quota, sucka! She says it doesn't have to be anything lengthy, but it should cover my brother's wedding, his reception, my stay in Utah, the reception here in Washington, the time I spent with my nieces and nephews, and Thanksgiving. So here's my recap, Scott-style.

David and Erin's wedding was beautiful. Erin and her family are truly wonderful. All I can say is: you lucked out, bro. :) For a much better blog on the wedding visit The Waldron Clan's blog: http://thewaldronclan.blogspot.com/

Here's Mr. Fugly with the much-better-looking Happy Couple.

...seriously. How great of a brother am I? I passed up the good genes so my siblings could have them all. I know. I know. I'm a giver.

And now for some super-cute niece/nephew pictures from the temple:

As for our stay in Utah, we came.

We ate.We conquered.Also, Joel is cool.
The reception in Washington was also very nice. Again, for a far superior blog on our trip,the WA reception, and Thanksgiving simply look below this sorry excuse for a blog and check out Sara's pro-style commentary.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, Dallin!

Claire! Aaaaaannnddd....GIRL VS. BEAST!!!

That's all for now folks! Blog finished, Sara appeased, Scott somewhat fulfilled.

FaceBook is a Sign of the Coming Apocalypse

2008-11-30T23:11:00.000-08:00

So, I became an uber-junkie, Facebook-freak officially on 11/29/08 at 9:04 pm, when my semi-annoyed husband said, "Why don't you just create your own account," instead of contacting my friends through his account. 'Why not?' I thought - it would be a fun way to keep in contact with old mission companions, long-lost friends, and new friends. What I did not know....could not anticipate....is the addictive nature of the medium. I have literally spent the past hour and a half IM-ing an old mission companion, a friend from elementary school, and a pal from my ward all at the same time, and....wait for it.....I have never IM-ed before tonight. Earlier this evening I swapped emails with a guy from junior/high school who used to 'gleek' on me, and tracked down old friends from Federal Way - oh my gosh, Emily Wade is friends with Tami Hineman who has a connection to Inger Bjorn and she has a connection to Kacie Thiess and she has a connection to.....you get the point.....it's sheer madness. I have resolved to make my Facebook "stops" throughout the day a reward for getting something else done, otherwise there is no hope for me, or for Scott. Also, just a thought, am I wrong or does it seem that having the most "friends" is somehow a status symbol, much like having a bigger car, a bigger house, a bigger stick, etc. Just a thought....but I have already found myself teasing Scott about my rising number of friends - a number that started low from my effort to be discerning, but was quickly swayed and opened ot any-and-all by my own ego (that's right, I'll admit it). Plus, I have noticed that as soon as you join, all these people start 'climbing out of the woodworks', so to speak - I don't know whether to be flattered or frightened - quite a conundrum! But it is fun, I must admit!

http://www.facebook.com/

I feel that you should all join Facebook so that I don't feel so guilty about my guilty-pleasure.

Turkey Day!

2008-11-29T14:27:00.001-08:00

I'm sure that many of you can relate to the stress associated wtih preparing a kickin' Thanksgiving feast. This year, I knew that we would have a small group over to our house, but that didn't decrease the pressure at all. I suppose that when I have been exposed to a certain "standard" for Thanksgiving day meals all of my life; seconded by the fact that when I only make the food for Thanksgiving once a year and in between Thanksgivings my mind tends to imagine the "legendary" taste of each dish; and thirdly, my kitchen skills have become rusty from lack of use - I was understandably anxious. That did not stop Scott and I from trying a few additions to our meal - Scott and I love to try knew recipes that we find on the Food Network website, and we love trying them out on our visitors. We found an amazing caramel apple pie recipe that we tried, and it was a huge success - Scott's mom said about the pie: "these apples are perfect, cooked to the right consistency of soft, but firm". If you are feeling up to the challenge, check out the link for the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-challenge/caramel-apple-pie-2003-1st-place-apple-recipe/index.html

In the morning, I knew we needed to get the stuffing started early, but it was difficult getting out of bed. I kept remembering the years of living at home with my parents, when my sister and I were recruited to help my mom in the kitchen while my brothers played games or slept in - the very "50's house-wife" mentality of it used to drive me nuts. But while Scott and I peeled onions and cooked sausage for the stuffing, I pointed to a picture of my mom and told Scott - "it's thanks to my mom that I can even wield a knife and attack these recipes." I really am grateful to my mom that she "insisted" on my Thanksgiving-day-help. This was also the first year that I have ever been fully in charge of cooking the turkey, and I knew the pressure was on. However....Scott and I hit it out of the park with the turkey. My father-in-law stated: "this is the best turkey I have ever eaten - it's practically melting in my mouth." Knowing that turkey has the potential to be disastrously dry, Scott and I did our turkey-research. I credit the turkey-success to several factors: 1) we got our turkey from Trader Joe's (we love that store) and it was an 'already brined turkey'; 2) we decided to brine the turkey again, overnight, and found a great brine at Safeway, of all places; 3) we followed the simple cooking instructions from Alton Brown on the food network website: Check out his video from the link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/10-thanksgiving-turkey-tips/video/index.html (look for the video called "Cooking the Perfect Turkey"). Scott and I jokingly referred to our foil shield, recommended by Alton Brown, as the "Breast Plate of Righteousness" - it really did guarantee the successful even-cooking of the bird.

In all, we had a lovely dinner, ate way too much, reminisced about past Thanksgivings, and enjoyed the company of family. Scott and I frequently stopped to acknowledge how grateful we are for each other, and for our numerous blessings. I hope that all of you family and friends had an equally enjoyable day of thanks!A very satisfied bunch: Sara, Mom Hinckley, Scott (in the mirror), Dad Hinckley, Grandma Ruby

After the eating was done, Scott and I "bested" his parents in a hilarious game of 'Turbo' Cranium. Top Left/Right: Mom and Dad Hinckley put their heads together on how to answer a question. Middle: Scott uses his 'mad' drawing skills to help me come up with the answer - and he did it with his eyes closed. Bottom Left/Right: Dad Hinckley had to 'sculpt' Mom Hinckley - the bottom left picture was "Frankenstein" - they not only got the answers before the timer went off, they were good sports about it too!

To cap-off our Thanksgiving weekend, Scott and I got together with our good friends, Brandon and Katie Whitley. I met Katie my first year teaching when we were assigned to be team teachers, and when we introduced our then-boyfriends for the first time, they realized that they knew each other. We have enjoyed their friendship for many years now, through moves, changes in jobs/school, and weddings - just one more thing that Scott and I are grateful for this Thanksgiving season.

Just in Case You Were Wondering...

2008-11-23T00:12:00.001-08:00

Just in case any of you were desperately wondering what "marrieds without kids" do late on a Saturday night, the answer is revealed below:

That's right folks - Scott and I got our 'craft' on. I can't really take credit for the idea of the Turkey Cookie cuteness - we actually received some similiar-looking cookies from our home teachers this week and we decided it would be a fun idea as treats to give out to friends and co-workers. Usually Scott works on Saturday nights, but he was 'let go' from his job early this week because there was a shooting at the mall where his salon his located. Is it so wrong that I was just glad he was home early? Scott usually poo-poos his ability to do 'crafty' projects for one reason or another: "my hands are clumsy", "I'm not creative", "I don't have the patience". And while I don't consider myself to be 'in-to' crafts, I do like projects and trying to do something I never have. In an effort to appeal to this interest, Scott once took me to a paint-your-own-pottery store and we chose items and then designed and painted them. Scott's by-product of that evening has earned a special place in our home - one that Scott is convinced comes from a place of mockery. You be the judge of Scott's efforts:

Scott's spoon-holder with orange-tree motif. If we all give him props for his efforts, I may be able to wrangle him in to more craft-oriented projects. Tonight he got off to a self-proclaimed "rocky start":But soon he was able to master the subtle skills required of the Turkey Cookie:

And loving it.....

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y-Night!

Low-Cost, Not Low-Class

2008-11-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

Many of you out there in blogger-land have never known the "joys" of being involved in a traditional LDS (Mormon) reception. While they are not wholly different than the receptions you might attend for a non-Mormon family member or friend, they are frequently held in the Cultural Hall of LDS chapel buildings; most LDS families who hold their receptions in the Cultural Hall do so because it is free to LDS families. It occurred to me this weekend while helping with my brother-in-law wedding activities, that it is ironic how one can find help to "Cook on a Dime" or "Shop on a Shoestring", but when it comes to frugal LDS families who want to host a lovely event for their freidns and family, on behalf of their son or daughter, the resources are scarce. Last night my in-laws hosted one such event for their son, David, who married Erin Taylor in Utah last Friday. This event was not the actual reception, which was held in Utah, but rather an Open House for David's family and friends. Mom Hinckley was obviously "stressed" about the whole affair, as it can be a tremendous amount of work to carry out such a large task in a short period of time. My sister-in-law, Missi, and I agree that even when someone says, "I don't want you to get carried away," or "don't do much," it's a nice thought, but rarely realistic. When you are preparing an Open House on a budget, it unfortunately often means more work for the family. My brother-in-law, Pete, noted that it would be beneficial to every LDS family for someone to begin compiling a resource book full of examples of "classy" Cultural Receptions. After last night's shenanigans to pull-off a beautiful event, however, I am recusing myself from such a task. What I learned about myself and my extended family yesterday, is that when faced with an all-day, mind-scrambling, stress-inducing, overwhelming job, it is the overwhelming love and desire to help that allows you to pull-through, keep pushing, and work magic. I think the Hinckley clan did themselves proud last night and as far as Cultural Hall receptions go....this one was beautiful, and the guests enjoyed themselves, which is always a sign that you have succeeded. Please enjoy the pictures of our event:

Mom Hinckley made the beautiful runners for the tables. Missi and I designed the table decorations - I felt inspired by Ballard Designs or Pottery Barn - a mix of sophisticated elements and organic elements (see: Cranberries floating in water).

The Hinckley-grandmas didn't want to stand and receive guests for 2 hours, so we created a comfy seating area for them to relax in while guests made their way past them to the receiving line.

Dave and Erin made out like bandits! We borrowed the beautiful linens from my friends in Federal Way - the Duecks.

The cake table - sorry the focus is fuzzy.

The refreshment table looked awesome - more eclectic decorations, but with a common theme: chunky black candlesticks, framed pictures, red flowers, and greenery. The white lights glowing under the gauzy tulle created a nice touch. Plus, Mom Hinckley made all the food - what a champ!

Drinks and Sweets!

The family table was angled after the receiving line so guests could easily recognize and then chat with extended family.

The sign-in table set the tone for the whole reception.

This backdrop, in front of which the receiving line stood, was borrowed from my old stake in Federal Way - it was been passed around to many families there - but it was new to the families here in Puyallup. It added a nice feeling of being inside someone's home. The screen above the backdrop displayed a "loop" of pictures from the actual wedding/reception in Utah and distracted the guests who had to stand in line for a while.

The receiving line from the left: Brother Taylor, Sister Taylor, Erin, David, Mom Hinckley, and Dad Hinckley.

Strings of white lights helped to lower the effect of the ceiling and it seemed as it their were twinkling stars.

We would have only given our entire Saturday to produce these "smiling" faces.

It took nearly 8 hours to create the Open House, and little more than an hour and a half to tear the whole thing down. My mother-in-law queried whether it was all "worth it," but I guess I'm the kind of 'freak' who likes to take something from nothing and create a beautiful result. Plus, I think I inherited my "like" of developing these events from my own beautiful mom; she worked so hard to create a beautiful reception for me and I suppose I just want the same result for everyone else. Congrats Dave and Erin!

The Department of Redundancy Department

2008-11-16T15:45:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Utah! For those of you who regularly check on this blog, let me begin by emphasizing that we are nothing if not true to our blog-promise: Scott and me lead mostly ordinary, mostly boring lives - therefore, there is nothing much to report on. Suddenly, Scott and I have had several occasions occur within the span of a few weeks. I suppose that's how life goes - in fits and spurts - and so does our blog! You may have noticed the title of our first blog in many weeks....I wondered if it was even worth my time and effort to post, as both my sister, Katie, and my sister-in-law, Kristi, have already posted pictures of our time together. Oh well....I will attempt to put my own unique spin on the the happenings. Scott and I have not had an opportunity to see my sister, her husband, Eric, and her two kids, Mallory and Elliot, until last week in Utah. We had not seen the kids for several months, and they have certainly grown up a lot. I realized in visiting with Katie's family, that I miss out on so much of her kids' day-to-day growth and learning when I don't get to see them as often as I would like. Mallory, nearly four, is precocious, impulsive, inquisitive, and downright hilarious! She knows what she wants and loves life and people. She burst through the door of our bedroom the first morning that we spent at Katie's home, and shouted, "Wake up Aunt Sara and Uncle Scotty!" and then proceeded to tear through our room investigating our luggage, jewelry, etc. One of my favorite comments: "Oh, Aunt Sara, I like your bracelet...it is soooo beautiful." One morning while I put on my make-up in the basement, Mallory was playing on the ground nearby. She quickly became fascinated with the make-up routine, and moved closer; Mallory and I began to talk and she mentioned that there were both advantages to being a "grown-up" and a "kid". When I asked her whether it was better to be a grown-up or a kid she astutely replied: "It's good to be a grown-up and a kid, but not a giant, because they scare grown-ups and kids." Later, when Scott joined us in the basement and in the conversation, Mallory seemed fine that he was there, but suddenly stated, "Uncle Scotty....stop looking at my face!" Shortly thereafter, she told him that he needed to leave because "this is just a girl talk." Mallory and Scott definitely seemed to have a 'love-hate' relationship. One night after returning from Scott's brother's wedding (the reason for our trip to Utah), Mallory saw Scott and exclaimed, "Uncle Scotty, you look like...(pause)...a chon-chon." (For those of you not familliar with the Fey-family lexicon, a 'chon-chon' is a silly noun, adjective, adverb, etc. meant to describe a 'stinker' or something similar). When called a 'chon-chon' by her uncles, Mallory often declares, "I'm not a chon-chon, I'm a princess!" to which Scott replied, "You're the princess of the chon-chons" - that sure blew her mind!
Elliot, on the other hand, is generally more laid-back than Mallory, but he sure loves to be around people. He immediately took a liking to Scott and would often shout from across the room, "Scotty - football!" In perhaps the greatest irony of our trip, Elliot deemed Scott his 'football buddy' (Dad Hinckley - perhaps your dreams weren't totally misplaced). Elliot had a blow-up football that he would frequently bring to Scott so that they could play with it. Both Scott and I laughed every time we saw Elliot run around the house on tip-toes - I'm not sure if it was the "prissiness" of the movement or the relative speed he used while running "en pointe", but it was a real sight. In the morning, Katie would come down to our room and open the door so that Elliot could come in to say good morning. However, he would never come much closer than the doorframe when he saw us laying in bed - I suppose that it looked somewhat like two disembodied heads laying in the bed. When I would say, "Come here buddy," he would point his finger and us and shout, "No!" He is a sweet little guy.
I really came to admire my sister and her husband - for their love and caring toward their children. I believe my sister inherited my mother's true longing to be a mother - and to devote her whole life to that calling. While I have not chosen to follow that same path in my life, I hope that when Scott and I do eventually become parents, I will find the same joy in parenting that I witnessed this week.

My brother Joel found ways to entertain himself while we toured Wheeler Farms in Salt Lake - nice "robot"!

From the left, all of the family who enjoyed a hayride at Wheeler Farms: Scott, Mallory, Kristi, Daniel, Joel, Eric, Katie, Elliot. What a handsome family!

Elliot sure loved him some chickens - the more frenetic the chickens became the more excited Elliot got.
The fowl at Wheeler Farms eat well - if I were a duck, I wouldn't bother looking over the 'next hill' - these guys probably eat several times a day. Maybe they've become so lazy they can't fly away?

Scott and me discovered this place while watching Food Network - Les Madeleines in Salt Lake makes some of the best pastries I've ever had. Check them out:http://les-madeleines.com/

It was such a beautiful day we had to visit Temple Square in Salt Lake - I'm always awed by the craftmanship of the temple.Here we are at Temple Square: Kristi, Daniel, Scott, and Joel.

Scott and Sara's Infinite Playlist

2008-09-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

Sooo...Sara's INSISTING I make a contribution to our blog. Prepare to be wowed. Kidding, of course. Allow me to discourse on our recent FIVE HOUR playlist song selection process. It started simply enough: "Hey. Let's put a few songs on our blog that represent our musical tastes." "What? We can choose 99 songs? Clear the schedule for the rest of the night." The end result of our wasted...errr...productive evening is a true hodgepodge of some of my favorite songs, some of Sara's favorites, some of our collective favorites, some totally random tunes, and some flat-out garbage (albeit entertaining garbage...). Sara's tastes run more in the classic rock vein. She'll provide your CCR, Janis Joplin, et al. You'll find my proclivities to be in the alternative/modern rock arena i.e. Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, The Cure, etc. . The British-er the better-er. Also, total sucker for synths. And we both agree the 80's totally rule. Oh, and we dig mellow modern rock, too: Coldplay, Travis, Death Cab For Cutie, and Fergie. Just joking with that last one. I didn't invite her. Sara's got a lot to answer for with that one. And a couple others, for that matter. Guess our disparate tastes keep things interesting...good thing we've got more in common than otherwise. So enjoy our wacky playlist. Who knows what little gems (or poo nuggets) you'll hear when you next visit the Chateau Ennui.

"Bros" Before "Hos" or in this case..."Bros" Before "Responsibility" and "Work"

2008-09-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

So yes, it has been quite some time since I have written in the blog...but as I cautioned at the onset, don't expect consistency, regularity, or predictability from Scott and me. (Ironically, these are three of the most basic and important tenets I teach the families I work with in counseling). The problem is, as Scott warned before we started the blog, there is either nothing to write about, or too much to write about, in which case I become easily overwhelmed. However, a rare occurrence happened over the past couple of weeks - Scott and me actually had visitors! My brothers, Ethan, Daniel, and Joel all happened to be in town for overlapping days, although Ethan and Joel spent the most time here - Ethan for duties related to the military, and Joel for a "break" from Utah-living. I think it was Joel who commented on the fact that prior to his puberty he felt as though he didn't really "know" his older siblings, including me and Matt, who is the oldest in the family. What with there being an 11-year age difference between me and Joel, and a 13-year age difference between Matt and Joel, he was scarcely out of toddlerhood before Matt and I were "leaving the nest." Gratefully, both Matt and I have ventured back home for one reason or another, and this has allowed us to "know" Joel on a more personal level, one which I am grateful to have had. I have known too many other friends and college roommates who spoke of older siblings, or younger siblings for that matter, as though they were strangers or foreign visitors who fleetingly took up residence in old bedrooms over the holidays and quickly went away again. I ofen tell Scott that I am fascinated by the men my brothers have begun, partially because I largely missed that evolution to manhood - it is as if I knew two separate and distinct people - the three small boys who comprised the "little boys" half of my family and the three men with gruff voices, hardened bodies, and facial hair; sadly, another reminder of my age and the fleeting years of youth. The "fascination" I speak of pangs me the most when they suggest things like, "Why don't we go golfing?" or "How about we go climbing at Mt. Rainier?" And while I marvel at the life experiences that they have had which have created these unique interests, most of which I was not privy to, I relish the times when we are all together and I catch glimpses of the baby-years or flashes of a look that evokes memories of childhood: Joel, the guttural laugh that he had even as a baby; Daniel, the twinkle in his eye and verve for life; Ethan, the wry smirk and mischevious look that bespeak an intelligent mind - often quiet of speech, but thinking, always thinking. So, I was grateful to be distracted from the typical mundanities of my life the past couple of weeks to get to "re-know" my brothers and I am ever mindful that they will not happen often or enough.

Here's Ethan at the Puyallup Fair - they had a display for the Army and we just had to get him to pose in front of it.

Yeah, well, we did get suckered in to buying the latest and greatest in infomercial products the "ShamWow". Although even Ethan was impressed with its "amazing" and "magical" powers.

Ethan, Scott, and Joel at the driving range....for Ethan and Joel it was all about the "power"; Scott was trying to focus a little more on the "technique."

Joel and Ethan take aim!Joel and Ethan discover the "addictiveness" of the Wii tennis match at Sara and Scott's home. You know you've been playing much too long when you wake up the next morning and your triceps and deltoids hurt so badly you can barely lift your arm!

Ummmm....Under Construction

2008-08-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Have patience with us....this whole "blogging" thing is well-beyond my meager computer capabilities (Sara), and Scott is not as "excited" as I am about the amount of time one could seemingly dedicate to maintain this site. Scott and I plan to take turns musing on various topics...we can't promise anything more than common, ordinary observations of our rather common, ordinary lives.