I Won Third Place at the County Fair

And by County Fair, I mean our Ward's Enrichment Night where they put on a County Fair of their own. It was really fun, right down to the meal of chicken and corn on the cob. We played games and socialized. It seemed like a lot of the new babies were out (including my own), so sisters walked from car-seat to car-seat taking a peek at the new additions.
They had a Pie Contest and I decided that I could get involved in that. At the last minute I wasn't going to make one because I didn't have peaches and it meant another trip to the store (I was already having one of those weeks where you end up at the store every day despite your well-laid plans—and I know you have all had a week like that). But I went anyway, and in the end I was happy I had gone. My pie came in third place (judged by the elder's who were stuck in the nursery). It is my mom's recipe, but I have always enjoyed it. Here it is:

Peaches and Cream Pie

½ cup sugar
2 TB flour
1 unbaked pie shell
½ pint whipping cream
6 or 8 fresh peaches (or 1 large can sliced peaches)

Mix flour and sugar well. Add cream and stir until smooth. Peel and halve peaches. Remove pits. Lay in unbaked pie shell, cut side up. (Or drain can of peaches and pour into pie shell) Pour cream mixture over all. Bake in 450 oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another hour or until custard just sets. Rack to cool then put in refrigerator. Eat ice cold. Yum!

It is different and tasty! I thought the whole evening was very well planned. They even had some sisters in the ward perform a clogging routine they had learned. If I don't make it out to the real County Fair this year, I will count this experience just as good.

All Tuckered Out

My mother-in-law sent along some pictures of the girls while they were in Idaho (about 255 to be exact). I probably won't put them all on the blog, but there are some that are worth viewing.
These two had to be first. After a long day of playing in the sun and water, Ivory was starting to be weary. Grandma brought her inside and put her in the sink with warm water. She gave her a cup and spoon to play with to keep her busy. Well apparently it wasn't quite enough to keep the attention of a tuckered out two year old because Grandma came back to find this:

Poor little lady fast asleep in the sink. At least she managed to prop herself up so she wouldn't fall in. Grandmas sure know how to use up all their energy. Stay tuned for more G'ma adventures.

70 Pairs of Underwears

So the potty training is going well. Ivory was very ready (I guess her silly mother was holding her back). We have an underwear drawer in the bathroom where the girls go when they need panties. Luckily since I have all girls, I don't need to separate out any underwear; they all just go in the drawer. Ivory knows where to go and she knows what to do. She even likes to put them on by herself (I just have to show her which side is the front). Most of our underwear has come from Grandma. She knows that it is better to have more than less underwear for those kids who don't pick up on potty training quite as well as Ivory (um...that would be my first two children). But, Grandma has failed to STOP buying underwear. The drawer was getting quite jammed before the trip to Idaho, but after they came back from time at Grandma's, it was ridiculous. They came back with more princess panties and the drawer could no longer hold the plethora of underwear we own. Just for kicks, I decided to count them. So, counting the ones I could find (which I think is most of them), we have 70 pairs of underwear. Anyone in need of little-girls panties??
It has taken some stress off me. The other day, Ivory did have one accident (the only one so far). She had a bit of diarrhea that took her off guard and she smudged a set of undies. I only felt slightly guilty that I threw them away instead of scrubbing them out. This guilt comes from my insane need to not waste things, but I think we will manage with our 69 other pairs of underwear. And don't worry, next time I will clean them out like a good mother should.

Oh, and Santa, we don't need any underwear for Christmas, thank you.

Legolas

Now if any of you have ever been impressed by my crosstitching abilities, you should know I learned from a master. Obi-Wan has taught me well. Usually I just call her mom. She recently finished a project that I think turned out amazingly well. Here is a link to her site where she has a few pictures. I was just going to link to it, but then I realized how sad I would be if I made this blog into a book later and didn't have a picture of my own, so here he is.



How awesome is that? I am truly impressed. My mother keeps trying to tell me that I have gotten better than her at crosstitching. I am NOT convinced.

The Cure

My girls are back!! I was so happy to see them last night. No one got into bed until after 11:00 pm, but I needed extra hugs and kisses. I think they had a blast up in Idaho. June especially was already missing Grandma and I think I have been called 'Grandma' at least eight times this morning. Robyn was dry all night and Ivory has been wearing underwear all morning. Even as I type this, she headed in to use the bathroom yet again (seriously, how does Vicki work her magic?)
But even more miraculous...Vicki cured Ivory's eczema. Poor Ivory has had bad skin problems since she was born. A lot of it went away, but the eczema continued in the crooks of her elbows and knees. Her knees are especially bad. We have tried many things; ointments, cremes, lotions, prescription and over the counter stuff. Some things have helped a bit, but nothing has taken it away. Even this last week while the girls were in Idaho, I asked the doctor for another prescription. I even bought the creme yesterday but I may never have to use it because Ivory's legs look great! Like all-the-way-healed great. You can't even tell that she had an eczema problem. Apparently Vicki was using Cortizone.10*, an over the counter anti-itch creme. Who would have known? I am thrilled. Her little legs look so wonderful. I hope it lasts. I know some things work for a while and then don't work as well, but since nothing has made this much of a difference, I will be happy as long as it lasts.

*By the way, the creme is made to work on skin irritation, inflammation and redness, rashes, insect bites, and eczema and psoriasis (that last one is for you mom--try it).

Maleen's Musings

Where to start? I was in the shower (where I do some of my thinking) and I decided that I had a lot of random thoughts that needed to be spoken, so lucky you...here they come. Of course, you can decide now to stop reading, but since you are already here--take a gander.

ALLERGIES
My allergies have been so much better this year. I don't know if this is because I was pregnant, or that I am getting used to the pollens and such, or if everyone felt better this year. Whatever the reason, I am certainly not complaining. Instead, I am rejoicing. I have not had ONE night where I couldn't breathe. This is miraculous. Now, don't get me wrong, I can't mow the lawn or weed the garden without some serious sinus discomfort, but as a whole, I feel GREAT! I have made my peace about living with a tissue within arms reach, but the added bonus of a whole allergy season of breathing...I feel like I won the lottery. Now, when I say breathing, this means that at least one nostril is clear. This may still sound uncomfortable to some of you, but people, one nostril is a whole lot better than no nostrils. Trust me on this one. So, I will do my happy dance out of summer and into fall and just hope I don't get sick. Fingers crossed (only once this time).

SUMMER READING
We went to the end-of-the-summer-reading-program-party-thing last night. It was enjoyable, although Tyler and I didn't win anything this year. They had a Jeopardy game and it was fun to see what I knew. I don't think I would have won (had I been a contestant) because there was this amazingly intelligent lady playing, but I would have given her a run for her money. As it was, they added lifelines so the contestants could ask the audience if they didn't know an answer. I was very proud to have contributed in that respect. The category was Mystery (I think) and the question was "This author used to be a jockey but now writes mysteries involving horses." The contestants were stumped so they used a lifeline, and I swear I was the only person yelling from the audience. Does no one know Dick Francis?? He writes great mysteries. My mom introduced me to them and they are very exciting. So thanks mom: you made me look smart in a room full of people who claim to be readers. Okay, that sounds derogatory. I am actually very happy that so many people sign up for the program and that reading is happening at all (it is almost a lost art to some people) but it is telling that the number one reviewed book for the summer was, The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

SUNLIGHT
Even as I speak of summer fading away, I will miss all the nice sunshine. I am blessed with A/C so I don't notice how hot it is some days. However I do notice the sunny skies. One of my favorite things in the world is when the sun comes out from behind a cloud and all the rooms in the house light up (as if the house was having a giant epiphany, or the Savior just entered the room). It is such a warm happy feeling. Ahh...

LAUGH TRACK
If you stop and think about it, it is rather ridiculous that all sitcoms have this silly laugh track in the background so people know when to laugh. The other evening, I couldn't hear the dialogue (because I was too far away) but I could hear the laugh track. It went off after every single line trying to spur the audience to laughter. I still think it is rather silly, but I guess it proves the point that it is more fun to laugh with someone.

TRAGEDY
My kids are coming back TODAY!! YAY!! That is NOT the tragedy. They are coming back early because a lady died in my mother-in-law's ward and Vicki is in charge of funeral organizing. So, I am very happy to be seeing my children again (and early) but I hate that it is at the expense of other peoples' happiness.

MOTHER-IN-LAW MAGIC
Blat. So my children are coming back (good thing) but it means the magic will end (bad thing). What magic, you might ask? Well, my mother-in-law is magic. Didn't I tell you? She potty trains my children in the blink of an eye, and yet, I can't seem to duplicate the feat. Last time the kids went up there, Robyn did not have to wear a diaper to bed (like she does at home). Wow, I thought: she has finally learned to go through the night. Um, no. She came back home and it was wet beds all over again.
So, of course, Robyn has not needed a diaper the entire time she has been up there. But even worse, Ivory has not needed one either. Ivory has been using the potty down here (nothing consistent), but miracle Grandma has worked her spell, and the child is potty trained. I feel terrible because I actually sit here wishing that Ivory would have an accident so Grandma could see that she really isn't ready yet (after all, if she were ready, I would have helped her figure it out), but no...instead I hear stories like everyone going to the zoo and Ivory asking to go potty. Well, they weren't near a potty so Grandma told her to wait. Ivory asked again later, but they still weren't near a bathroom so she was again told to hold it. Grandma may have been doubting her powerful influence by this point because she put Ivory in a diaper (just in case). However, they arrived home later and Ivory reminded Grandma about the potty, and sure enough, she had a dry diaper.
So, will I be able to replicate these amazing happenings when the girls get back...probably not. Yes, it makes me feel a bit like a failure, but what can you do? Maybe Vicki will let me borrow her magic wand.

Thanks for enduring the blathering. There are my thoughts for today.

A Daisy for My Daisy

Truthfully, Daisy will probably get so many daisy things throughout her life that she may get sick of it. But for me, it certainly isn't old yet. My mother-in-law sent daisies to me in the hospital and I thought it was so cute.
Now Tyler likes to buy me nice jewelry when I have my children. It is a little tradition he does and I love it. LOVE. IT. Of course, I don't have the best history of taking care of this jewelry he purchases, but I promise it is not on purpose.
When I had June, he bought me pearl earrings to represent his two pearls (me and June). Well, one of the pearls fell out of the setting. Lame (I don't blame myself in this case).
Next, when I had Robyn, Tyler bought me this beautiful Tanzanite bracelet (The one on the link is not quite right, but it reminds me of mine). I have not seen many pieces of jewelry that are as beautiful as that bracelet.

I lost it.

Let's have a moment of silence for my bracelet. I still want to cry when I think about it. If you ever happen to find a Tanzanite bracelet (what are the chances?), check with me please.
So then along came Ivory. I am sure Tyler was reconsidering by this time whether he wanted to buy me anything. But my darling husband bought me a diamond pendant with three diamonds representing my three beautiful girls. I really like it, but I don't wear it often for fear of losing it.
Now with Daisy, Tyler had something special in mind. He came to the hospital with silver daisy earrings which I wear all the time, but he told me that was not the thing he had planned to get me. Later when he found what he wanted, he bought me a beautiful white gold daisy pendant with a perfectly cut diamond in the center. It is petite like my little Daisy and I love it. It was hard to get a good shot of it because of the reflection, but here is a good idea of what it looks like (it obviously looks better on me!).

So I got a daisy to go with my Daisy. Like I said, I'm not sick of the idea yet, especially since daisies are one of my favorite flowers.
As for the jewelry, I am 2 for 4. Fifty percent is not terribly good. It is actually a failing grade. Guess I need to have some more kids to bring my percentage up.
Here are some more pictures of my darling girl.