Sweet, Sweet Memories

The other night, this is the happy picture I saw: Cliff and the two boys playing a game together. I thought how wonderful it is that Cliff takes the time to play with them both inside and outside, and what wonderful memories the boys will have of their "Daddy Time".
Then I hear this little nugget:
"Do you see what I did here?" Cliff asked Brandon. "This is what's called a 'Kill Zone'."
Now doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?

Patience and Pillsbury

I have just decided that I am sick and tired. Let me tell you why.
My kitchen is now clean. But does it look clean? No. And it is not because of children, either. It is because my kitchen is half torn up and half put together. This is a very confusing look, and a very hard one to clean.
I have naked counter tops that can't come into contact with grease or water, because the particle board will soak them up and we won't be able to lay down the final counter top surface. So what can you put on a counter top that can't get greasy or wet? NOTHING.
My floors are made of textured laminate covered with glue ridges. How do you keep that clean? You have to sweep, then vacuum, then mop, and hope no one needs the kitchen for the next few hours while it dries. And then clean up any residue left by your sponge mop from staples pulling it apart. It's a very vicious cycle.
Now, before I go any further, I need to make one thing clear: this is not Cliff's fault. Okay, maybe it is, but it's because he's responsible both spiritually (his calling) and financially. Cliff has no time to put up what we do have and we have no money to buy the rest of what we need. When we do get what we need, there are often miscommunications about it. Like how I said a spice cabinet would be nice, but just as long as the upper cabinet fit, I wasn't very picky. This turned into, "You WILL make a spice cabinet and have it done YESTERDAY!!! I WANT MY SPICE CABINET!!!" They were too scared to call back and tell us one wouldn't fit.
But fear not, dear readers, this is not a venting session. I have found a solution.
Do you remember a few years ago when people were talking about sponsored events? Like having a wedding paid for by Tylenol or Rubbermaid and they paid for everything? That's right, I am going to find someone to sponsor my kitchen!
I even know how we can make the most of it: they can write their name or little mascot image into the counter tops, back splash, and floor. Can you imagine a kitchen done by Pillsbury? I will wear their colors for the next 5 years and constantly insert their name into my everyday conversation...
Okay, so maybe that's going too far. As much as I like blue and white, the doughboy could be creepy at 2 am. And really, how easy would it be to (Pillsbury) insert their name (Pillsbury) all the time? Guess I just have to be (Pillsbury) patient.

It's Not Easy Being Green

I have an announcement.
I have decided that this is it. This is the year I really try to go green. Not crazy make-our-own-clothes-out-of-hemp green, but trying to think more about what I buy and how we use things green. We have already converted to the CFL light bulbs, with just a little complaining, and I do try to buy things with less packaging that degrades more easily. I am also buying the bags to take to the store and recycle the plastic bags that we do use.
But it isn't always easy being green. Or at least, greener.
Recently, I bought some cleaning products to go with our new earth friendlier life style, and I have a confession to make: I hate them. I am almost ready to go back to my role as "Sarah, Destroyer of the Environment" (sounds like some bad eco cartoon) because of them. Let me tell you why.
I like things to be clean. You may not believe this if you have ever been in my house, but I really like cleanliness. It's a good thing. For the whole 5 - 15 minutes that I can keep anything clean in my house. I also really like the smell of a clean house. Especially when it smells like lemons. It helps me to know that even though there is now a huge greasy hand print or glob of yogurt, that lemony clean smell is still there to remind me that yes, I did clean, even if no one else can see it now.
We have switched our laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, and kitchen and bath cleaners. The "green" products I am now using to clean my house seem to do a decent job cleaning, but heaven help me, they smell terrible.
The first bottle read like a recipe for chicken: lemon, thyme, and rosemary. I was so excited. Then I sprayed. And scrunched up my nose. And made the excuse that maybe the first spray was slightly fermented or something else, and the rest of the bottle would be okay. Not so.
As I cleaned, my throat was feeling a little closed up. And then it clicked: this new cleaner smelled like those nasty throat lozenges my mother gave me when we had sore throats as children. Those huge green horse pill looking things that tasted so bad you couldn't wait for the things to numb your whole mouth and throat just to get rid of the taste. When I was growing up, you never told my mom you had a sore throat, no matter how hard it was to swallow, because you would have to sit there and suck on one of these things, and think about how much better it would be if you had just lost a limb or had the Plague instead.
I think they were Sucrets, and I think they went out of business because parents banned them along with castor oil.
So now my house smells like Sucrets and is giving me nightmares. There is only one thing to do. And that is to say I'm Sorry. I am sorry to all the wetland animals and endangered species that I will be killing (again) when I switch back to my regular cleaner.
At least I won't have to see them every day and will be able to cocoon myself in the house. My nice, lemony clean house. MMMM.

Spring Break. Really.

You have no idea what Spring Break was like for us. Really.
First off, isn't it supposed to be warm? Especially when you head South? Instead, we drove through Snow from Tremonton to Santaquin, and woke up to 4 inches of snow. Really.
Second, what idiot mother forgets to check the weather down there and only packs short sleeves and no heavy clothes? Me. Really.
At least we got to celebrate birthdays with everyone. 5 of them within 4 weeks, 4 of them within 2. Really.
Julia (my mother-in-law) made cakes for 4 of the birthday people, and really went all out for them. They were all from scratch, and included a real strawberry cake and a candy bar cake. Absolute heaven. Really.

We ate cake(s) after almost burning down Beaner and Jenny new house. Really.

Note to everyone: do not light roughly 150 candles and THEN sing the Happy Birthday song. Really.

After getting to Delta, we decided to hurry and do some Easter things before the snow came. We dyed eggs, and while the children finished that up, I lobbed eggs out onto the lawn for the Hunt. I throw like a girl. Really.

We also tried to look at bigger SUV's while down in Utah, because we have discovered that ours is too small with a 4th child, a dog and luggage. Really.

No one had anything that was bigger; we should have come in two weeks ago. Really.

We also watched Conference and ate lots of candy and other bad things for us. There is a slide show underneath this post for all the other pics that didn't make it here. Really.

Spring Break Pics

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