100% TEENAGERS!

We have had so much fun the last two weeks.  Even with the cold weather... we have gone sledding, hung out with friends, played basketball, attended a musical and read lots of good books.
Friday, after attending the temple for the first time with Rice Krispie Treat, we let the teens get together for some bonding and fun.  They laughed and played a game.  It was great to see these awesome kids having clean fun and visiting together!  All three of my girls had a GREAT time!  I really do love each and everyone of these kids!!!!!!  Not all teenagers are the stereotype...  These kids really are good kids!

Playing Imagine If....

Are you game?!

Getting their game on!

The Young Women's Basketball season has begun.  The girls like playing.  And they are doing well this year - again.  Here are a few pics from last week's game....  (Yes, they won.)

Basketball doesn't build character, it reveals it!

This girl is aggressive yet laughs a lot!

"Get your head in the game!"

and tie your shoe!

Coach Lori is AWESOME! 

And these girls are WONDERFUL!

It snowed and snowed and snowed on Valentine's Day.  And the fresh powder was perfect for sledding on Monday.  Key Lime Pie and Kotten Kandy went sledding with the Thornton boys, the Bettenhausen kids and Scott.  I was so glad that Scott took some pictures:

Key Lime Pie is ready for an outdoor adventure....

Kotten Kandy is ready for fun!

Nuts and Apple Pie heading up the hill...

Jelly Bean went down the hill with Scott - 

He then turned around wide eyed and exclaimed, "That was AWESOME!"

Key Lime Pie going back for more....

Kotten Kandy didn't hold back....

Tuesday night, Lollipop, Kotten Kandy and I went to see Showboat.  It was AWESOME!  Joe was my favorite character!  Man, that guy could sing!  He blew me away.  I also loved the costumes.  The play spans three decades so was fun to see the clothing change from bustles and long skirts to knee-length dresses.  It was really well done!  Good job, Kentucky Opera Company!!!!

I enjoyed reading Tess Gerritsen's "Playing with Fire."  It was not at all what I had expected.  The book started out like a typical thriller.  Julia, a violinist, discovers a piece of music in an old book store in Rome.  Intrigued, she purchases the music and returns home to Boston.  The book revolves around two stories: Julia's story and the effect the music has on her family and the story of the composer; Lorenzo, a Jewish musician during the Holocaust.  I liked Lorenzo's story better than Julia's.... but the whole book was fun.  There are some creepy parts (it's a thriller) but their is NO foul language or inappropriate relationships.  And I really liked the ending.  It was "just right."  I would recommend this to people who don't mind being a little scared.  (So, I would NOT recommend it to my sister....  :-)  I will probably read some more Tess Gerritsen if they are as "clean" as this one....

VALENTINE'S DAY PART 2 - STILL CELEBRATING!

I love Valentine's Day!  I've always loved it.  I think it's great to have a day to celebrate love - whether it's romantic love, family love or friendship love....  I love my family and friends ALL year long, but I see nothing wrong with celebrating on February 14th!  So we did!  And we decided to celebrate BIG!  Here are some of my reasons for loving Valentine's Day:

#1  I love saying "I love you" with gifts...

We got the girls chocolate and rings this year....

#2  I love these girls!  I love their enthusiasm!  I love their goodness!

The rings matched their personalities....
I had so much fun picking them out.

Lollipop got an airplane ring - cuz she LOVES aviation!

Key Lime Pie got a music note ring - cuz she LOVES music!

And Kotten Kandy got a tree ring - cuz she LOVES nature (esp. trees!)

#3 I love making Valentine's Day special!

Amy and I decided fondue would be super fun for the over 14 crowd!

YUM!  We did it all - cheese fondue, oil fondue, chocolate fondue!

#4 I love celebrating with the people I love best!

#5 I love playing games with these guys after a delicious dinner

and to continue celebrating a fun holiday!

Amy was the Great Dalmutti!

And Mark decided to let everyone know he was continuing to "pass!"

We also watched a movie together!  Ant Man is a favorite!

#6 I love telling all of "my" kids that I love them on Valentine's Day...

with a little something extra!

This year it was "love bugs!"

Key Lime Pie and Marmalade

Kotten Kandy and Raisin

#7  These three people are the NUMBER ONE reason I LOVE Valentine's Day!

I LOVE this family of mine!!!!!

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL - VALENTINE'S DAY PART 1

Happy Valentine's Day!  Scott took me dancing last night.  Our stake held an adult dance with a live band - and it was AWESOME!  We danced till we dropped!  We hung out with WONDERFUL friends!  I took pictures with my new camera (which I remembered to bring!)  And I laughed and spent a MARVELOUS evening with my eternal companion.  It was like being a teenager again.  I told Scott that we need to take dance lessons.  I would LOVE to learn how to do the jitterbug and the Charleston and the tango, etc. etc. etc.  The band played amazing songs: Harry Mancini, tons of Jazz Standards and even some modern songs.  It was GREAT!

Mark and Amy

First we went to dinner with these two amazing couples!
Yummy Mexican food and great company!

Sheila and Mike

This band ROCKED!  They looked young but they knew how to jam!

Boys will be boys!

Mike, Scott and Mark

Girls will be Charlie's Angels!

Amy, Me and Sheila

US!

I love us!

The Bettenhausens

Life would be no fun without these priceless friends!

(And I know I would not survive this crazy life without Amy!)

The Schmids

This couple is so GREAT!

They are a "power couple!"

I hope to be related to them someday....  (Wink.  Wink.)

The Fieldings

Scott and I LOVE this couple!

We want to do more things with them because they are:

fun and wonderful and giving and charitable!

The Pinas

We also truly love these guys

although we haven't known them as long...

We've already learned so much from them 

-it's great to have a friend who is in the same stage

in life with her children that I am in with mine....  

Yes!  We did the tango!
Yes!  I put a flower in my mouth!

Yes!  We are weird!

Yes!  We had fun!

TO REREAD OR NOT TO REREAD

I LOVE reading.  And I've always felt that there are too many books left to read to go back and reread one.  (I have reread books, on occasion: usually to read aloud to my children or to remember a book I read WAY back [over 25 years ago] in high school.)  My stack of books to read is super high and I didn't think I should take time to read something I have already read.
My best friend and my daughter love to reread books.  They really delve into characters and plots and philosophy of the books.  I felt like I couldn't keep up.  They would reference a book that they've both enjoyed multiple times and I would vaguely remember the plot and the names of the characters.  I decided I needed to give this rereading thing a try.
But before I did, I researched the value of rereading books.  Here are a few reasons I found to reread books:
1.  It reminds me of the good ideas I found in the book the first time.  It's always good to refresh good ideas, especially as I get older because I am getting so forgetful.  I JUST read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone again.  I had forgotten some of the wisdom in that book that doesn't translate into the movies.
2.  It helps me notice the ideas that I didn't notice before.  I often get so caught up in the story that I miss things completely.  Rereading can help me find great things that I missed the first time.  My daughters are reading Frankenstein for school.  I read it years ago.  They started discussing that they thought Dr. Frankenstein might have had Aspergers.  I had completely forgotten is quirks and anti-social tendencies.  Perhaps he does.  I hadn't noticed the first time.
3.  It gives me a new perspective.  I love seeing a book with fresh eyes.  I remember in high school when I read The Lord of the Rings, Frodo was the hero.  I reread it 10 years ago and I decided Sam was actually the bigger role model.
And 4.  It helps me to apply ideas.  The book I have had no trouble rereading over and over again is the Book of Mormon.  Every time I reread this great book, I find things that change my life and I am able to apply it to my life.  This is probably the best reason to reread books.

Sooooo after I figured out why I should reread books, I decided to do it.  My youngest daughter and my friend's daughter had just finished rereading the Harry Potter series. They were having a good time discussing them.  I've often thought it would be fun to reread them so I started there.  Last night I just finished read the first book.  It was great - just like I remembered!  I recalled how "magical" this series is.  The characters are endearing.  The story is quick, full of twists and fun.  And I love how good values are woven throughout the story.  This book is engaging with its imagery, humor, plot twists and sincerity.  It appeals to adults and children.  J.K. Rowling is a master.
After rereading Harry Potter and enjoying it so much, I think I'll make a list of my all time favorite books and why they mean so much to me.  Perhaps I'll reread all of those books....  It's actually fun.  BUT first I'll read something new (because that's good too!)

GRANDAD IS SMILING!

My grandfather LOVED football... and especially LOVED the Broncos.  I'm sure he is smiling down from heaven right now for another Super Bowl Bronco Championship!  We were pretty excited too!  We rooted for them all night.  All of these sweet girls enjoyed the game (and the halftime show) the entire time!  I was fun to watch our young group of football fans, eat lots of delicious food and spend time with our AWESOME friends, the Fieldings and the Calls.  We are blessed!  Check it out:

Red Hot, Razzlers, Apple Jacks, Oatmeal Cookie, Lollipop, Key Lime Pie and Kotten Kandy

They seriously got into the game....

Watching in the suspense....

TOUCHDOWN!

(But the biggest excitement for these girls was:  Cold Play!  They sang along and LOVED it!)

Scott and I enjoyed the game as well....

I'm soooo glad that my grandmother gave me the advice to learn to love football for my husband.

Now I really do enjoy watching the game and I understand most of it too!

Jump Shot!  The Broncos won!!!  YAHOO!

(Love watching the SuperBowl on the BIG screen!)

These cute girls celebrate!

FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS ARE SOOOOO MUCH FUN

Friday was a busy day.  (It was made even more busy by the fact that our car was out of commission....  It is at the car doctor being fixed.  So we had to beg rides to get to all of our fun activities.)

Activity #1:  A production of "And Then They Came For Me" with our homeschool group.

Before the show began we took a group pic:

Back Row:  Kotten Kandy, Enchilada, Almond, Key Lime Pie, Asparagus, Nuts and Juice

Front Row:  Sweetarts and Rice Krispie Treat

This was simply amazing.  It was a multimedia oral history of the life of two Jewish teenagers during the Holocaust.  Eva was a vivacious, ordinary girl and a friend to Anne Frank.  Eva survived Auschwitz.  Ed, who was Anne Frank's first boyfriend, also survived the experience by hiding in Brussels.  The kids we brought were impressed.  And we discussed the quote by Martin Niemoller that the title came from:
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out -- 

Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out -- 

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -- 

Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me --  

And there was no one left to speak for me."

Activity #2:  A teen party at the Schmid house.

Unfortunately, despite my asking, my daughters forgot to take pictures....  :-(

Last night the girls went with the Bettenhausens to Bardstown.  They had so much fun snacking and visiting and playing games and dancing.  It's great for teens to have an outlet where they can hang out with other good kids.  And the girls were so excited that the people they love most were there (ie. the Bettenhausens, the Schmids and the Pinas - to name a few.)

Saturday was a busy day also.  Kotten Kandy babysat this morning.  Key Lime Pie worked at the theater.  Scott worked at the warehouse.  And I cut tubes, cleaned my kitchen, and decluttered drawers and cupboards in the kitchen.  Lollipop had a friend over.  I'll call her Icee.  She is from Madrid, Spain.  They watched movies, visited and made us dinner.  They made us empanadillas from Spain.  Here are the pictures:

Icee and Lollipop - in the kitchen....

This was DELICIOUS!

Everyone wanted seconds!!!!!

YEAH! for Lollipop and Icee!

And thank you!!!!!!!

LOLLIPOP GOES TO OHIO AND I READ A FABULOUS BOOK

This weekend was kinda sad for all of us since we really missed our German daughter.  Lollipop had the opportunity to go to Ohio with a bunch of other foreign exchange students.  She had a great time.  But the rest of us really missed her.  It's amazing how much she has become a third daughter to us and a sister to our daughters.  We kept saying how much we missed her all day Saturday and Sunday.  But we have her home now, and we are glad!  We aren't sure how we will let her go home in 5 months.....  She is wonderful.  (Cindy, the coordinator for exchange students, understands our love of this beautiful, young woman.... She agrees that Lollipop is a "joy to have around!")
Her trip was a quick one.  She had a lot of fun with the other exchange students and got to do some sight seeing.  Here are a few pictures she sent me for the blog:

Ohio was beautiful....

Apricot and Lollipop in the Ohio State Capitol

Vanilla Ice Cream, Lollipop and Apricot

Vanilla Ice Cream and Lollipop smile for the camera...

I sure love my third daughter!

And ...  I'm super excited to share this book with y'all!  A few years ago I read Gretchen Rubin's book The Happiness Project.  I loved it.  And I guess I'm late to the game because apparently she wrote another book and I JUST now read it:  Better Than Before.  It is WONDERFUL!  I wish I knew Gretchen Rubin in person because she really "connects" with me and I would love to tell her how much I have enjoyed both of her books.
This book is about changing your life for the better by creating/forming good habits and stopping bad habits.  What I really liked about it was the fact that she gave multiple strategies to help create good habits.  She writes about "knowing" yourself and what works for you.  I've already applied a LOT of strategies to start some new habits and I've been successful (if only for a week.)
Here are some other things I liked about this book:
- The 4 Tendencies:  Upholder, Obliger,Questioner, and Rebel.  These tendencies are how people deal with expectations from others and our own selves.  By the way, I'm an Obliger.  My husband and youngest daughter are Upholders while Key Lime Pie is a Questioner and a Rebel.
- I love that Gretchen (I've decided we are on a first name basis) explains that habits are different for different people.  She goes into lots of details about different kinds of strategies and ways of "learning" because she realizes that forming habits is not a one size fits all.
- Gretchen had great insight to abstinence and moderation.  I'm TRYING moderation for one of my new habits.  I may need to switch to abstinence, but I would rather not.
- The loophole spotting chapter is very helpful.  Last night I almost fell into one....
- I never thought about the danger of rewards and the benefits of treats.  I need to work better on that.
I really recommend this book.  I think it is going to have a huge impact on my own life for the better.  And it's entertaining to read too....
Great quote:  "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." Annie Dillard