Out of Necessity

Okay - like I said, I'm going through blogging withdrawls...so here's a post for ya'all.

Friday, Ryan loaded the kids and their 'stuff' in the car for a day-trip to my parents' house. They needed some work done on their computer before Stephanie goes off to college. They had a blast with Gramma and Papa, Tanner loving the attention he got has he helped my mom pickle and bottle beans. He's a good little snapper!

Myself and one secretary and one other County Chair were in the office - usually there's about seven if not more there - and Wayne, the County Chair had brought in six grocery bags of apricots from his tree...so guess who was lucky to take them home? Me and Cheryl, the secretary. I tried leaving work with only one bag, but Cherly insisted I take them, because otherwise they'd go bad over the weekend. I was way excited to do apricots, untill I got going and was reminded of all the earwigs that come with it...ewwe!

Back to story one (to connect the two stories) - Ryan ended up staying with my family until bedtime (so the boys would be asleep when he got home...and it was so nice!) and so after work, I sat down to unwind, read a book, had a nap, and then at seven decided to start in on the apricots.

Fourteen pints (because it would take us a week or two to get through a quart) of Apricots and four pints of jam later:

Can you see the huge container I have left? I am not quite done yet, but those ones were a little 'greenish' and so I'll wait until tonight or Monday to do about 8 more pints - but I think I'll do half pints - 16 of em!

Out of necessity I did apricots, and I'm quite pleased with the way they turned out! (I kept hearing them pop and had to call my mom - in tears none the less - because I thought they hadn't sealed...HAH! The popping means they did seal! (It must have been a REALLY long day at work.)

Thank you mom, for holding my hand through this! I only called her a dozen times...what about this, what about that. Kinda' pathetic since I'd been telling people all day how to do this and how to bottle that...I just started second-guessing myself and couldn't stop!

Announcement:

1) We're all still alive, the boys included. Daddy is doing a fine job of caring for our sons...we'll see how well it keeps up when his classes start on Monday...he's been reading ahead, so I think we'll do okay for a few hours! ;)

2) We are now attached at the hip to electonic devices. AKA: we have cell phones. We will be getting rid of our land line service within the next week or so - depending on if we find time and remember to call and cancel our service! If you would like to know our new numbers, you can either "a" call our regular phone number and listen to the message - have a paper and pen ready or "b" email us at rdpoulsen@gmail.com.

3) I'm not officially done blogging, but I simply don't have time for it right now - if you miss our 'updates' - email us and we'll send you a personalized update, or just be patient with us! We're trying to get this all figured out....I think the boys can sense something is just not the same right now...and it's not...but we can do this...this mommy working and daddy studying thing...we can!

4) Thank you all for your support, your friendships, and your prayers!

5) I am having blogging withdrawls...maybe I 'had' an obsession, and this cold-turkey thing is really rough - so I'll definately be checking your blogs...possibly more frequently than reality permits, but I like to have some connection with the outside world!

Okay. I'm done now! Have a great weekend, everyone...and till next time, toodles!

{Home}

My parents live in {Scenic Idaho} - where I now claim home to be Chesterfield. Ironic, considering I spent my 'growing up years' in Springville, Utah. My dad and brother, Keith built this beautiful iron fence around our family's home in Chesterfield.



Our family moved to Idaho when I was 15...I've always said that Utah is where {Home} is - there are so many fond memories there. However, while I was {Home} in Chesterfield last weekend, I decided to capture a few pictures that spark many memories...so for your viewing pleasure, I have included them in this post...This is {Home} now. The skyline you see is part of the ranch - that peek in the middle is called Big Mountain - the mountains back in are really beautiful, and leaves no doubt that Heavenly Father is our Creator!

Tanner always says, "Gma Papa's house!" when we come around this last bend in the road...

We have this thing in our family about coming to the front door...So we come to the front door when we come home...however every entrance or exit after that occurs at the back door - where the welcome sign hangs...Company is always welcome at our home, and our parents built it so that when we come {home} we have a place to sleep, bed our children, and eat around the table at meal times. We love comming home. It's that simple.

I couldn't resist the fun perspective this picture gave. I loved watching my dad shoe horses when I was a little girl, and thought the whole 'horse pedicure' thing was really neat! I suppose I still think it's neat! There's a certain nostalgia that comes with living on a ranch...I miss that...and appreciate that heritage that my parents and predecessors have given us children.

Our family, like many of yours, has a rich pioneer heritage. Chesterfield was settled on the Oregon Trail in the Portneuf Valley and its arcitecture is similar to that in Nauvoo (If you noticed, our house is crafted after the style of Heber C. Kimball's home in Nauvoo - hence the name Kimball Lane that we live on - just a side note!). The buildings being restored are beautiful, our family favorite being the Tithing Office.

We live 'over the hill' from Historic Chesterfield. We took our friends Stevie and Nick with us, and we went to the Log Store to get some penny candy - and if you're ever down that way, stop into the Log Store - they have some really fun wooden cars, trucks, rubberband guns, etc, etc, etc, not to mention the motherload of penny candy! We really had a fun time!

Thanks, Stevie and Nick, for hanging out with us last weekend...even though it was kindof slow, we really enjoyed having you there! Below is their little boy, Landon, with Tanner...BTW, how did you get them to sit so still, Stevie?

So - I challenge each of you to 'reflect' on {Home}. Have fun!

{Trade}

I've been holding out because I've been so undecided...Ryan has known all along, but I wanted to be sure...OF WHAT? Your thinking...

I'm the new Home Economist in the Bonneville County Extension office here in Idaho Falls...this is going to make home life a bit interesting! (But Ryan's been wanting to implement his own parenting ideas for the boys for a while now...so I think we're both happy - and I have no doubt that he'll have the house clean and dinner ready when I get home from work, since 'it can't be that hard'!)

Ryan has four classes and his Thesis left on his Masters, and since he wants to take them all this semester to finish up quickly (yeah!) he is not working...but it's alright! A job for me pretty much fell in our laps - after accepting and declining, and to make a long and drawn out story short, I accepted the position, so Ryan is going to play Mr. Mom, while I have a very flexible job. for the next eighteen months.

I am so excited that it will work...and they are so family oriented, that if I decide I want to go in later because we had a late night I can, or if I decide that I'm needed at home for the afternoon, I can do that (Or someone has a blowout, here comes mommy)! I obviously have people I have to report to, but I'm essentially my own boss, and in a month or so, when I get things under my belt, I get to hire my very own secretary! Hooray!

So, My responsibilities: I get to do "Welcome to the Real World" (job/finances) and "How Rude" (eating etiquette - I need to learn how to spell that word before Monday) programs for the high schools from Clark County down to Bear Lake (all of Eastern Idaho), as well as teach "Strong Women" - a 'workout' session for six weeks at a time for 'elderly' ladies (Totally excited about that! Ryan's been trying to get me to work out on the wii and I just struggle with that - maybe I could take the wii in for them...hmm...) and write articles for various newsletters. Aside from those main responsibilities, I am the one 'they' call when things 'go wrong' - if you have a canning question, I get to answer it! (Watch out Blue Book - You're going to be torn to shreds with my brushing up skills!) and I get to charge you "two dollars" when you want the pressure gauge checked on your pressure cooker! How fun is that! I know there are other responsibilities but they are minor - so we'll skip that part.


You may think I'm saying all of this sarcastically, but I'm really totally stoked! I start at nine on Monday Morning...unless I think I had a late night and want to call in and tell them I'll be a little later, of course, but I wouldn't do that!


Anyhoo, I'm going to let Ryan know that he is welcome to post on our blog - since it is our blog - and while he's here madly cleaning, studying and changing diapers, he can tell you of his adventures - in theory. I honestly think he is the best dad, and will be responsible (unlike me) and not turn the computer on at all, and resist the temptation to blog all day long (slight exaggerating - but only slightly). And truth be known, he probably will show me up and have the house clean and dinner ready all with a smile when I get home, because he is so incredible like that...how did I get so lucky?

Keith & Tricia

This one's for you! We had such a blast while clebrating the two of you together last week...I thought it would be fun to put a few photos together...

Thanks Stevie for the calender template - all other credits can be found in my gallery!

P.S. - Stevie is amazing, for those of you who don't know, and she has some fun stuff on her site Sweet Pea Designs...go check it out! She's been creating some awesome mini kits, so watch for them in the near future!

Breaking Dawn

I really enjoyed reading the first book of Stephanie Meyer - Twilight - and though I didn't enjoy New Moon and Eclipse as much, I couldn't put either of them down either!

Breaking Dawn definately gave me some 'closure' to Bella, Edward and Jacob, and I'll admit, I'm satisified with the way it ended...however, I'm a little disapointed - I expected it to be a bit more clean - not so much intimacy - but then it's a love story....I guess I thought SM would consider her primary audience of teens and think through what she was doing to them - but then again, it was probably cleaner than 90% of the stuff they see in the media and in their own high schools....just some food for thought. I'm not trying to pick any bones, or dig up any arguments, but those are my thoughts...maybe not well thought out, but there.

In my comments I have some questions, and if you haven't read the book, don't look at the comments!!! I just thought it would be fun to 'discuss' the book. :)

A Little Dirt Never Hurt

Tanner {hearts} dirt - what little boy doesn't? I found this cute quote and knew exactly what picture I wanted to use it for...Tanner playing in Grandma's garden on the fourth of July.

Home {SWEET} Home

We made it!!! Our trip was wonderful - the weather was wonderful, and the boys were absolutely wonderful, considering we spent 36 hours in our car over a period of five days.

{the run-down}

Tuesday: We were able to leave Idaho Falls at about one o'clock, and made it as far as Barstow, California that night, at 2:30 in the morning...Tanner and Taylor both had their naps in the car, then woke up and 'played'. We stopped at Cove Fort and did a little tour at seven, then let the boys stretch out for about an hour. By eight o'clock we put them in pj's and got back into the car and headed towards the coast...but only got as far as Barstow. On a side note, the canyon after St. George was way too windy for me...and Vegas looked amazing at midnight!!! I'm just glad we didn't have to stop...talk about mass chaos!! Barstow greeted us...and all the hotels we would have stayed in were 'closed' for the night and so we drove around and finally found a Motel 8. Lets just say we got what we paid for.

Wednesday: We got up and dressed as fast as we could without touching the carpet, and then headed onto San Diego...We drove and drove until we got to Carlsbad (where Ryan served his mission) and stopped at the mall there for potty breaks and to stretch our legs. We then coasted down the coast to Delmar where we met up with my family, Keith and Tricia and her brothers, and we played our hearts out in the Golden Waters of Southern California! Tanner loved the sand and was timid of the water, but eventually he got in - long enough for the waves to chase him! Taylor was pretty good, too, and Ryan spent the three hours we were there boogie-boarding. Ryan was in HEAVEN! I got in the water, but honestly, I prefer my murky chlorine water in the local pool - I'm terrified of fish, sharks, and anything floating...like sea weed! But all in all, I had fun, too. Ryan got me to go out to boogie board, and if we were planning on spending more time at the beach, I might have suggested we go and buy two. After that fun, we headed to our hotel in San Diego, and we all hurried to get showered and cleaned up. We went with Keith and Tricia to the Temple where Tricia recieved her endowments. It was such a neat experience! The San Diego Temple is beautiful! We went out to eat at a really fun pizza/salad place - the name excapes me - but we had a wonderful time. Thank you, Stephanie, Katelyn, Clay and Deseret, for watching the boys!

Thursday: We went to Sea World...and had a pretty good time...I think we all had a good day, Tanner loved running, and the shows were awesome! But in hindsight, Ryan and I think we might have had more fun on the beach... We managed to escape the park without any souveniers - except a Shamu bucket full of cotton candy. After that full day, we went to the Marriott, and had a good night's sleep - something we all needed!

Friday: {the BIG DAY} Keith and Tricia were married in the San Diego Temple, and once again, my younger sisters and brother had the daunting task of watching the boys. THANK YOU! After a beautiful sealing, we all awaited the bride and groom outside the temple...for PICTURES! We then had a fun and fabulous luncheon at the Marriott, where we saw the cutest video that Tricia's Grandpa Calder made of Tricia and Keith growing up...and Keith played a beautiful tribute to Tricia on the piano(Chicago's "You're the Inspiration"). The best part was that we were able to get a sitter in our hotel room for the boys so we could enjoy the meal - Thank you Becky for arranging that! We then got ready for the reception, which was absolutely stunning! By this time Ryan and I were a little frazzled, despite all the sitters for the boys, but we got through, again with the help of Aunt Camille and Natalie. The reception took place at the Neuenswander Residence, with the line in front of the pool, then a full course meal/buffet (extremely nice compared to the Idaho/Utah nut cup and brownie), and Golden Spoon Ice Cream. They even had a dance floor, which was so much fun! Tanner and I danced the night away!

Saturday: While my family went to Lego Land, we headed back to the sea wall and beach in Carlsbad, and onto Claim Jumpers...Ryan's been wanting to go back and eat there for years! We made it! Because we didn't take our swimsuits to the beach (I just planned on taking Tanner to play in the sand, but Ryan insisted on gettin wet, so therefore, we were all wet!) we went to the resturant wet...and tad bit emberrassing, but worth the food! Tanner stabbed me in the eyelid with his straw, and Taylor downed a whole dish of mac and cheese and fries. Ryan and I settled on 1/2 rack ribs and 'Idaho Potatos' with yummy strawberry lemonades. We left Carlsbad atound one, and arrived in St. George by about 10, after stopping at a mall in Vegas, to stretch our legs...and once again, managed to leave without spending a dime! (a huge deal for both of us!) Saturday night's stay at Best Western's Abbey Inn was probably the least expensive and biggest room stay of the week! I only wish we could have taken advantage of their nice outdoor pool, but it was too late when we arrived.

Sunday: After leaving the comfort of our cool hotel room, we went over to the St. George temple to walk around. It's just as beautiful as I remember it! We then strapped ourselved in for the 'long' ride home! We had to stop about four times - between bathrooms and filling up with gas! We made a stop at what used to be ValTec in Springville, to feed the ducks and eat our lunch, and back on the road again! We arrived in Idaho Falls after 2060 miles in the car, and 83 gallons of fuel. Phew! We're home! The best part, is Ryan went gung-ho on getting the car cleaned out, and so our car was completely unloaded, and everything put away before we went to bed!!! WAHOO! Now I just have to fold a few loads of laundry, and put the snacks away...

Potty Training here we come!

I'll post pictures later today, hopefully! I've yet to go through them!
Here's a link to my Auntie Cathy's post - she also has some fun pictures!!!