Alone with a Camera

Oh dear! This looks like a terrible portrait on a dating website (if he were older)

And take two! (smile looks a little forced)

Third time must have been the winning shot!

Every now and then my son thinks it's funny to take my camera and snap pictures of himself - he delights in seeing my face expression when I upload my photos and find his little surprise. I have to admit, I always laugh and I think it's cute.

DAILY QUESTION:

What little surprises do your kids leave you - that you actually enjoy?

Conquering Your Fears

Paisley clogged at Nationals on Saturday at Lagoon. That's what I love so much about clogging. She competes in big competitions and every time her cute little team takes first place. They are really good for being so small. They compete against a lot of other teams that are much older. I think they are the youngest team ranging from ages 3-5.

They ended up taking first place and won overall best team in the beginner category. I remember when Paisley was so shy that she was afraid to stand up in front of a group of people. Clogging has really given her confidence and helped her conquer her fears. 

Our neighbor is a mechanic/engineer who works at Lagoon and he happened to be working that day and came over with his co-worker to watch Paisley clog. My mom also came to support her and we all had so much fun.

I learned that I am the bravest and most adventurous person in my family. My husband hates rides where he might get wet (he hates getting his hair wet) he also hates rides that spin or drop, but he like roller coasters where he drops and goes upside down - it's really weird (I think he misses out on some fun memories and experiences because he's not willing to get a little wet in 90 degree heat). My son is afraid of roller coasters and hates getting wet too. But for some reason this time, he rode Rattle Snake Rapids. In fact I went on that with all of my family except my husband. My daughters are willing to try anything but they aren't big enough to ride the adult rides, so some rides I have to ride alone. Then there's me - I just want to have fun and make memories - nothing terrifies me.

Besides all of that - I think the highlight of the day was when my son finally decided to go on the white roller coaster right at the end of the day. We tried earlier and right when he got on the ride her hurried and jumped off. So my husband and I went together. For the rest of the day he struggled with the frustration of wanting to ride yet being so afraid. At times he even cried about it. We had told him he'd get an ice cream if he did it. We also told him that it would be his favorite ride and he just needed to trust us because we are always right. Finally, at the end of the day he did and he told us it was his favorite ride and he went on it a second time.

It reminded me of a memory - about eight years ago, Manuel's mom came over from Germany to visit. We went to Lagoon and my dad came along too. I found out he had never been on the Colossus roller coaster because he was too afraid. So, I pressured him to go and he did. In fact, I entered a radio contest where you had describe your favorite Lagoon memory in two sentences. I wrote:

Watching my frightened father ride the Colossus roller coaster for the first time in his life. The scream, the childlike expressions and the picture were priceless!

I ended up winning and I won a free season pass when Gabe was one year old. That was a fun summer.

DAILY QUESTION:

If you live in Utah, what is your favorite Lagoon memory? Also, can you think of a time when you conquered a major fear? What was the result? 

-

She wants to be just like her big sister

The new teacup ride

Best friends at first glance

He hates going on water rides but loves running through fountains??

Happy Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my two sisters and mom. Hope you all had a wonderful day as well!

Thunder Cake

Last winter I ordered this cute book for my kids called Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco. It's a true story about a little girl from Michigan who is scared of thunderstorms, so her grandma (who is Russian) decides to make Thunder Cake (a real recipe with that actual name) to help her daughter not be afraid of thunderstorms but to enjoy them. The story is so cute and at the end of the book there is the real recipe for Thunder Cake.

We read it last winter and I told my kids whenever the next big thunderstorm happens, we will make Thunder Cake. So yesterday afternoon our thunderstorm came! There was one the day before but we were stranded at the nursery due to the heavy rainfall and flooded parking lot. So yesterday was perfect!

As the rain came down outside and the wind blew, we were in the kitchen making our cake. With each flash of lightning and each crack of thunder, our cake quickly came to fruition. It was so easy to make and the funny part is, there are pureed tomatoes in the recipe - the kids were so curious as to how it was going to taste and we were all pleasantly surprised. It's like a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate butter cream frosting. So delicious!

After dinner, we all went out on the balcony and read the book together. After the story was over I brought out the cake and the kids smiled with delight! The rain came down all around us and the lighting flashed and we enjoyed our delicious Thunder Cake!

Thunder Cake Recipe

Here comes the storm!

Time to start the cake!

Here comes the rain!

What a dark sky

Cambrey makes her own umbrella

The recipe for Thunder Cake

It looks like a Macaroon!

Here's the picture in the book -

What do you think?

Ready for the story!

Time to eat the cake!

And there's still rain!

MAYbe It's Meant to Be

One thing I love about May is the flowers. I planted a bunch over the weekend and made sure that I bought plenty of flowers I have never planted before. I love Springtime!

The rainy, cloudy weather has made it even more enjoyable. I just love the smell of rain and BBQ which is why we had one on our patio last night. BBQ'd burgers are the best!

So far May has been great! It will also be the month where I finish up a project that I have been working on since December. Wahoo! I have been writing a three series novel (my first fiction book ever) for my Dad. He had an idea that he really wanted to turn into a book and came to me to ask for my help. I felt good about it which is funny because I have avoided writing fiction since Jr. High. It's so much work and so much thought goes into it - I have probably spent 60 hours or more just at my computer. But this idea seemed right and good, so I went full speed ahead with it. I am just about finished with the first book, and I think I'll write the other two once this first book is in motion. I have sent a summary outline to about 15 literary agents to see if there is any interest.  

This whole experience has been very rewarding. I get to talk to my Dad a lot more often because of this project. I'll write a couple of chapters and then send them to him and he calls me back ranting and raving about the storyline. In fact he said a few chapters back that what I had written had brought him to tears. He wasn't having the best day and then everything I wrote in that particular chapter was exactly what he needed to hear. He said "How did you know?" I didn't know. Some days I don't know where my ideas come from, I'll just start writing and things will come out that I wasn't expecting. It feels like someone is sitting along side me telling me what to write. That alone helps me to feel that maybe this really is all meant to be.

This book has such a good message and mixes mystery, surprise, excitement, romance, supernatural and spiritual elements. In fact, my Dad told me that his wife is so into the story that she anxiously waits for the next chapter to be written, then when I send it she hurries to read it and then she and my Dad get sad when they get to the last page because that means they have to wait for the next chapter to be written. It's been rewarding!

Well, last night I happened to read a May horoscope just for fun and couldn't believe this little section that I just had to share for kicks. It read:

Mars will orbit close to that new moon eclipse May 9/May 10, so this is evidence of just how busy you will be, and how determined you will be to do a good job on your project. Pluto will be very friendly to the planets in your communication house too, so that suggests that an influential friend may help trigger some of the benefits you see, and especially in regard to publishing and writing. 

If you have a birthday that falls on March 10, plus or minus five days, this eclipse will address you directly in a big way. If you were born prior to March 10, you will see a big development on something you already set in motion.  My birthday is March 5th


You may be asked to sign a contract this month, and actually, it would be a good time to do so. 

I couldn't help but laugh a little when I saw that. Anyways, I have been praying that whatever God has in store for this book that I am okay with what his will, whatever it may be. We'll see what happens. :)

DAILY QUESTION:

Have you ever started a project because you felt like you were supposed to - not necessarily because you wanted to? Please share.   

A Topic That's Foreign

Learning a foreign language - not something that fits into my busy schedule or my favorite thing to do but the family and I are planning a trip to Germany this summer and I want the kids and I to be able to communicate with Manuel's family.

I have tried this many times before; the first time was in 2001 when I took a German class at college, thinking it would be an easy A because my husband would help me. How wrong I was. He avoided helping me and at the time he said it was because talking with me felt like he was talking to a wall. He also said that no one helped him learn English and so I needed to do this on my own. I think I got a B- in my class but I got an A on the final oral exam. Because I was so good at having a conversation with my teacher (she understood me and I understood her) I couldn't wait to go to Germany and start talking with Manuel's family.

It turned out that my enthusiasm was too much too soon - I remember being alone with Manuel's grandma and I started talking to her in German and she awkwardly got up and left the room. Then I tried with another family member and they just smiled and nodded (that's the universal body language for "I have no clue what you are saying") and then everyone else responded by speaking whatever English they knew because that was less painful than talking to me in German.

Years later after we started having children, Manuel tried teaching them and would set aside nights that were German speaking only, but over time he stopped doing it because it was easier for him to just speak English.

Finally, this year I am determined to try again! When Manuel came home from work yesterday he noticed these little papers taped all over the house. He smiled and was quite surprised - then he took a pen and went around correcting all the words that were wrong (darn Google translate!).

The kids and I have been having so much fun saying these words every time we walk past them. Will it be enough to have conversations with our family this summer? Probably not - but at least we are trying! :)

DAILY QUESTION:

Do you speak a second language fluently? Was it hard for you to learn? What tips do you recommend?

Teaching Them Young

My son seems to follow in my footsteps with writing books and starting businesses. Last year Gabe set up a stand outside where he sold bookmarks that he made and lime rickeys. Then he made neck ties out of paper and went door to door taking custom orders. This year, Gabe has been wanting to set up a store in the driveway (for a couple of months now). We tried to do it a few weeks ago but it rained. So last Saturday when our whole community put on a yard sale, we saw the perfect chance.

We have this cute little store that the kids got from their Oma in Germany when Gabe was little. It's a Christmas tradition where my husband is from to set up these little stores in the house at Christmas time and the neighbors and relatives come over and buy miniature cheeses, sausages and candy from the children. We have a miniature shopping cart, baskets, sacks, register and all the works. Instead of getting it out just once a year we like to get our use out things.

So Gabe was terribly sad when he realized he had a soccer game and he had to leave the store into the hands of his four year old sister. But she did such a great job! 

I can't tell you how many cars pulled over just to come to the candy store. I don't know if it was Paisley's cuteness that won them over (which everyone seemed to comment on) or the store itself (not to mention that everyone asked where they could buy one - which is very tempting to open up an online store for selling these) but there was always a line in our driveway. In fact, we didn't really have much to contribute for a yard sale because we de-junked a year ago when we moved, but with what little junk we did have we made $65 all because of our candy store that lured people over.

The candy store was perfect for teaching the kids how to count and to learn about money. Paisley is my shy child and it was so good for her to get those people skills. We had such a good turn out, that there was nothing left by the end of the yard sale. The kids doubled their investment and put it in their piggy banks. I just have to teach my two year old that it's not a good idea to eat your inventory (she gobbled up all the cookies).

DAILY QUESTION:

What was your earliest experience as an entrepreneur?

Mine was selling salt water taffy in my driveway for a penny each when I was three years old.