Pearl Cream...

The cashier at Whole Foods today asked me if Samuel was my little brother. Awesome. I saved $8 with my coupons. Double awesome.

Samuel and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day

Cliff Notes: Samuel hates his school. He doesn't like to listen and makes no exception for his (mean, blue haired, fat) teachers and apparently the director of the school. The 3 year old gets sent to the office. Mom gets a parenting lecture. Samuel cries himself to sleep. So sad. Mom and Dad think Samuel will start a long long career of hating school at this rate. They pull him out and put him in a happier school.

First my mom took me to school. She took me to school even though I told her that my teacher is mean and will put me in a cage and has blue hair and is so so big. I only went because I get a present when she picks me up.

Then, at school we had to do a dance. I wanted to dance with my friend but the teachers said, "no." They made me dance with someone else and hold hands. I didn't want to hold that hand. So I hit it. They don't like it when I hit. I don't like it when they make me hold someones hand.

This got me in my, "no" mood where no matter what someone offers, I will say/yell/moan, "no!"

It was time to paint. I like to paint. Painting's my favorite. But they offered me a smock and I said, "no!" So they wouldn't let me paint.

Then they made cowboy vests for the western party. I didn't get to make a cowboy vest. Boys that yell, "no!" don't get to make cowboy vests.

The teacher told me that I was going to go the doctor's office (actually the "director's" office, but that is how I heard it) if I didn't stop. I like the doctor's office. Every time I go I get a sticker and a sucker. So, I didn't stop and then somehow I ended up in some lady's (the director) office. She was not my doctor and she did not give me a sticker and a sucker.

She told me I had to blow my nose. I didn't want to blow my nose. I wanted my mom. I wanted my mom and I didn't want to sit on the chair in the corner in the lady's office. The chair was dirty.

My mom finally walked in the office. But instead of gathering me in her arms and rescuing in me, the director told her to sit down and made me stay in my little, dirty, chair in the corner. I cried really loud to let her know I didn't like that.

The director talked and talked to my mom. My mom looked worried.

Finally, after a so so long time, the lady stopped talking. I wanted my mom to scoop me up and protect me from the lady and the mean teacher that would be outside. Instead my mom just held my hand and walked me out. I told her, "I didn't have very much fun today." She looked upset.

The mean teacher was outside. She smiled a big fakey smile and said, "We'll see you on Thursday and we will have a great time at the Western Party, okay? Bye!" My mom told me to say, "Bye." I just told mean teacher that, "I didn't have very much fun today."

We got in the car and I asked for my present and my mom said, "Boys that don't listen to their teachers don't get presents." That's mean. I cried all the way home. I like presents.

When we got home we got a snack. Mom offered me oranges and peaches. But I saw the cake on the counter. I said, "I want cake." Mom just said, "Boys that don't listen to their teachers don't get cake." That's really mean. I said, "I want cake" about 6 more times because sometimes when I say something over and over and start getting loud, she lets me have what I want. It wasn't going to work this time (I wish she would be more consistent) because she said, "If you say, 'I want cake' one more time you are going to your room." Sometimes if I say it again, she is too busy to make me really go to my room. So I said, "I want cake."

My mom made me go to my room. That was really really mean.

I was getting tired. Tired and hungry, because she didn't let me have any cake. I wanted some comfort. So I opened the door and yelled at the top of my lungs, "I want my woobie!" "Stop yelling!" My mom yelled! "If you want something you have to ask nicely!" She yelled in a very un-nice way. That was really really really mean. I wasn't going to ask nice. I was mad. So I was going to ask mad. I yelled and yelled for my woobie because sometimes when I do it long enough, she will bring it and throw it in my room. Maybe she couldn't hear me. I laid down on my bed, gave one last yell for my woobie and cried and cried and fell asleep.

My mom woke me up. I was going to be grouchy but she was offering me dinner. When we were eating dinner, I made sure to tell her, "Mom, you didn't have to be so mean." I felt much better after that.

Hi, this is my side of the story:

So, I had been wondering if we chose the wrong school for Samuel. He is only three and doesn't really even need to be in school. On top of that, we put the kid that likes to put underwear on his head and talk like a cat, in the strictest school possible. I started asking around but just kind of left it at that.

Then, on my way home from lunch with my dad and sister on Tuesday, I get a call from the school. They told me that I needed to come get Samuel from the office because he was having an issue with listening. I text Karl, "Oh great. My first call from the principals office. I have to pick Sam up in the office. Wish me luck."

I get there and Samuel is sobbing and angry in the (apparently dirty, that is what he told me) chair. I am ready to take him home and get him off their hands but the director (doctor according to Samuel) sat me down and lectured me about how Samuel needs a consequence for his unacceptable behavior. She told me that kids usually are so sorry to come to her office and they usually just apologize and go back to class. She said Samuel just got mad and yelled, "No" and that he needs to know that if he wants to paint then he has to wear a smock and he does have choices on whether he wants a snack or not but he has to follow other rules and on and on and on...

So, after a day of thinking about it, and bouncing the situation off anyone that called, I finally realized that a) Samuel is three b) I don't want him to hate school already c) He doesn't need to start his school years as a "bad boy." For sure I was not like, "MY angel? He would NEVER!" I know he only listens a small fraction of the time. I know we are a chaotic non-consistent family. I know she has a point. I also know that he doesn't need to experience that again.

I begged Karl, who was sure that pulling Samuel out of that school was the right thing to do, to go do the withdraw procedure (yep, this school is so freaking strict they have a procedure for everything) because I was afraid to go back in there.

I took Samuel to another school where I heard the kids get plenty of playtime and love but also learn a little. I observed two teachers and was amazed at the different atmosphere of the room just because of the teacher, even in the same school. I choose the one that was the least like his last school and kind of just crossed my fingers.

Come pick up time... I walk in. Samuel is studying a fish tank with another little boy. I just sit back and watch. When he finally sees me, he comes running, "Mommy!" As we walked out he says, "I played with a cute friend!" We pass the teacher, we talk a little, she says he did great, I tell Samuel to say, "Bye" and you know what he said? "Bye!"

He was so much brighter and much more Samuel when I picked him up. So, do I blame the other school? No. In fact, I think Eva would have loved it there. It just wasn't for Samuel. Seriously, I never expected this much drama from optional preschool of all things.

Oh, Samuel...

2008 Harvest... The Good, the Bad, and the Huh?

I garden because I like food so so so much. Nothing compares to a garden tomato. Try to argue that one. This is my third year and I keep thinking that I will get better. It gets bigger but I keep making the same mistakes and then some new ones. I am still having fun and I love planning meals around the stuff that grows.

The Successes: Zuchinni. A few yummy cucumbers. A dozen daikon (Japanese raddish) that didn't get invaded by disgusting burrowing bugs. A few spaghetti squash. Green onions (did you know that you can stick the white rooty part in dirt and it will totally grow?). Garlic, put a few CLOVES into the dirt in the fall and they will grow into bulbs by the next summer. I have no idea how it works. Felt like magic. A few green beans. Lots of cherry and yellow pear tomatoes. A few Japanese eggplant (or "birdies" as Samuel calls them). It looks like a Japanese pumpkin is working.

The Not so Greats: I planted a bunch of tomatoes and the only big ones that worked were the Romas. Cilantro went to seed before it really flourished. Basil did, too. The dill was too sparse to ever really use. I didn't know when to pick the watermelons and cantaloupe so they are all grainy and scary when I cut the open. I planted pumpkins but none of them worked. Same with the peas (just enough to snack on while I watered). By the time I got to most of the cucumbers they were overgrown and freaky looking. Same with the Japanese eggplant. Same with the radishes. Same with the edamame. The carrots were sprouting and I accidentally blasted them with the hose. Same with the kabu (Japanese raddish). The one red pepper that has grown has a scary brown spot on it so I am afraid to touch it.

The Huhs?: Some mystery vines were growing in the eggplant and dill section and they ended up being cantaloupe of all things. I guess from the compost? We tried to start a new section of garden and anything we planted in it freakishly shriveled in two days.

Now, maybe since I recorded all my goods and bads, I will learn for next year. Or maybe I will always be a scattered gardener.

Gloria's Little Italy

I had plans to head down to Provo to go to lunch with one of my Japanese mission companions, Kaori (who is much cuter than my cell phone photo depicts) that is here studying English for the summer. I wanted to go to somewhere fabulous so I checked out one of my favorite blogs Your Heart Out since they seem to have a pull towards Utah County. One of the places they recommended was Gloria's Little Italy... and I am glad they did.

First of, I am pretty sure that Gloria, all decked out in a chef's hat, served us. I got the Penne Arrabiata, one of my favorite dishes ever and it was tasty and flavorful. I did end up sneaking bites of Samuel's "kid" dish when he wasn't looking because it was so good. We ended the meal with gelato, delicious as always.

Kinda far, but I will definately go back.

Soup Recipe

I had zucchini, I wanted soup, and when I don't follow a recipe all my soups taste the same because I just keep putting my "favorites" in. I knew Courtney (I refer to her a lot) had some delicious Olive Garden copycat recipe so I googled it (I would have called her but she was on some fabulous vacation that she won for being awesome). I found it on cdkitchen.com. Karl ate the soup and said, "This is the best meal you have made all month" and wisely followed up with, "And you have made a lot of good meals." Nice save.

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli (the copycat)

Ready In: 30-60 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoon Oil

1 pound Ground beef

6 ounces Onion; chopped

7 ounces Carrots; slivered

7 ounces Celery; diced (I used zucchini instead)

24 ounces Tomatoes; canned, diced

1 cup cooked Red Kidney beans (I used a whole can because I had no use for the extra 12 beans)

1 cup cooked White kidney beans (once again, the whole can)

44 ounces Beef stock

1 1/2 teaspoon Oregano

1 1/4 teaspoon Pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons Parsley; (fresh chopped)- (I used 1 t. dry because I didn't want to go to the store)3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

24 ounces Spaghetti sauce

4 ounces dry pasta Shell macaroni; or other pasta (I used whole wheat)

Directions:Preparation: Saute beef in oil in large 10-qt. pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce, and noodles. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Makes 4.5 qts. of soup.

**Just cut the recipe in 1/2 for smaller family needs! (Which is exactly what I did and posted it that way... It originally made a whopping 9 quarts!)

Eva... Citizen of the Week

Last week, Eva was Citizen of the Week. That meant that we made a poster with her favorite stuff for Monday and did a report on a historical figure on Friday. She got Davey Crockett. I told her the stuff I could find on line and then she just started making the pictures and the house. The teacher said we could bring a treat. I am never one to pass up on treats but couldn't think of anything Davey Crocket-ish. I don't know exactly what frontiersmen ate but I do know bear meat and coffee would have gone over well in kindergarten. I called my sister for ideas (I swear, we are always calling each other for this sort of stuff) and she gave me the idea to wrap some trail mix in a little bit of cheap brown material to make it like a pouch. Proudly, it turned out very frontiersman-ish.

Eva was a champ and sang the first verse the the Ballad of Davey Crockett. I got it on video but don't know how to edit it to just the song. I will post it if I get the time to figure it out.

Whoa... Sun Valley

There are so many things that I learned on this trip to Sun Valley...

-If Karl says you are leaving at 1, don't believe him and send the kids to school. You won't leave until at least 3.

-A trip with kids is much much different than a trip without, even if you to the exact same place.

-I am grateful for the little DVD player we got for Christmas 4 years ago and the 8 DVDs we got from the library. The kids watched the whole way and Eva only asked, "Are we there yet?" a handful of times.

-A stop at Jakes Over the Top for Chocolate (Chocolate flavored Partially Hydrogenated Oil) Dipped cones helps break up a long 5 hour road trip.

-Chocolate dipped cones are a lot of work. You have to keep up with all the leaks of ice cream that spring out of the little holes. Do you remember how Samuel mangled the cup full of ice water from the side on the last road trip? He did it to the cone this time. I don't get it.

-Asking for an upgrade is worth it. We paid for a standard condo and ended up with this fancy two story one for the same price. Just because Karl asked. Awesome. I love that kind of deal. Full kitchen, loft bedroom perfect for the kids to throw things from, and a huge bathroom. The "hug huge" tub could be entered from both sides. I can't explain it.

-Simple joys are the best. The kids thought that the, "couch that turns into a bed" was the coolest thing ever.

-Don't leave Samuel alone with a dry erase marker or scissors. The carpet and Eva's backpack will suffer.

-I love relaxed mornings with the kids where we don't "have" to be anywhere. Samuel and I woke up at 11 and Eva was coloring out on the deck.

-Samuel's fear of mega hungry birds is real. He wore that hood the whole time..."to keep the ducks from getting my head."

-Eva loves having friends to play with. Karl's coworker stayed in a condo by us so I got to hang out with his wife while the husbands, "worked." Dyllan was so much fun to play with.

-Eva still lives in a storybook princess world... and I love that about her. We fed the swans a little bit of bread and then walked into the hotel. On our way out I kept finding pieces of bread on the floor and had to keep telling Eva to pick them. I was baffled and bugged that she would just drop her bread in a fancy hotel lobby like that. When we got outside she whispered in my ear that she dropped the bread pieces so she could find her way out. I don't know if she has even heard the story Hansel and Gretal but apparently you don't need to hear fairy tales when you live in one. As we were walking around I noticed people smiling and so I looked back and Eva was walking like she was camouflaged by those branches that she was holding.

-Ice skating with a 3 and 5 year old means that you are spending an hour trying to prevent them from falling every two minutes... and it takes a lot of muscles and energy. They both love it so much. I heard Samuel "bragging" to a little girl that he could ice skate. She sweetly said, "Oh, really? Did somebody teach you?" She goes out there and ends up being an amazing skater doing all these turny jump things. So cute that she humored Samuel.
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-Eating in Sun Valley with kids is a way different experience. More burritos (we ate at the very awesome and consistently delicious Ketchum Burrito twice), burgers (Burger Grill had fancy-ish burger stuff like the Kobe beef burger and super tasty Lobster Bisque), and pizza (Bald Mountain Pizza at the resort was okay but the grouchy guy that told my kids to be quiet kind of a sour taste in my mouth).

-Instead of lounging, fine dining and shopping, we get things like biking and swimming. I did get to do a little bit of shopping. Eva and Samuel's rain boots were only $7 (that is 80 % off Sun Valley prices) and the pair of shoes I was eyeing earlier this year was 50% off AND the only ones they had left were my size! It was meant to be. Man, look at all that money I save :).

-Sometimes when your husband has to work (uh, casino night, dinner out and fly fishing is work?) and even though you know that is why he had to go to Sun Valley in the first place you might start feeling like a nanny instead of someone on a family vacation. But if you work hard enough, that feeling goes away. Phew, that could have been an ugly one.

-Karl and I need to exercise. A little bike ride should not have been that hard. That picture of Eva blocking her eyes is so so Eva that I had to post it. She hates the sun in her eyes.

-Cristina's is still one of our favorite places for lunch. Armed with Curious George on my phone and earphones we braved it to this placed that has nothing even close to a $3.99 kids' menu. My chicken was some of the best I have ever had (though it was the artichoke that lured me). Karl's brie and ham sandwich didn't match up to his fond memories of our last trip. The kid's cheese pizza was awesome. The immense bread basket was so beautiful and full of so many neat breads. We took the leftovers and the ducks loved them, too. This place has the best lemonade ever. So great that it got it's own picture. They had the cutest petite fours for the kids... Samuel got a frog and Eva got a heart with a little rose on it. I love food.

-$100+ of equipment does not a fisherman make. We pull up with all this newly purchased gear (it is what we do, see the t-ball and soccer posts.. Karl likes lots of new gear) and set up. Then this guy walks up with a little grocery bag. He pulls out a fishing line with a hook and a little cup of worms. That's it. I was in awe. It took a while for the fish to bite, then the kids forgot all their boredom and got all excited and into it. Samuel liked putting the egg things on the hook.

-No one, not even Karl, could teach Samuel to be the punk that he is. So, these deer walk up to the pond and there is one right across from us. Eva, all excited to share this experience with her brother, keeps saying, "Samuel, look, its right there! Look! There!" and Samuel keeps saying, "Where? Where? I can't see it?" Frustrated with this fruitless conversation I look over and Samuel is pretending to look everywhere but has his eyes closed. Punk.

-It's not quantity but quality. Karl snagged 6 fish. I snagged one. He tried to get me all enthused because mine was way big.

-Even when we are on vacation and we are only going to go to church for an hour, we will still be 25 minutes late.

-Fancy Resort ducks and swans are just as scary as Wheeler Farm ducks and swans. Here is Karl trying to scare them back. Here is Samuel. And here is Eva.

-There is a reason that we don't have a recent family photo. That would mean that all four of us would have to sit still at one time.

-Not every diner is as grouchy-I-hate-kids-that-make-lots-of-noise as the guy at the pizza place. Eva seemed to take to going to "fancy" restauarants and people were very nice to the kids.

-Hot tastes better when it comes in shiny pitcher things with lacy whipped cream coming out the top and orange juice tastes better in non kid proof glasses.

-I take a lot of pictures and apparently have no shame about it. It may be a phase or the beginning of something more. I don't know. Whatever the case, I am enjoying it. It makes me be there more and, of course, remember more.

-Body of water equals fun for the family. Eva is rescueing her dog from the water. Karl is poking Samuel with a stick (sometimes we blame Samuel for causing problems but a lot times it is Karl that is causing the problem. Karl is just the master of not getting caught. But I caught him on camera this time).

-Icecream is a good way to end anything.