Of course I do!

You Belong in 1995

With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

Decision

So the poll on whether or not Olivia was to young for a kitty was a bit helpful except that it turned out to be a tie and the decision is thrown back on me again! But I have decided not to get Olivia a kitty for her birthday. Mainly it was Ranae's comment about her son almost killing the cat on a daily basis. And Olivia almost killed her son over the cat last time we were there. So that is my decision. Thank you constant readers!

On a totally different subject...I am so in love with Ethan right now! His teacher told me he is an absolute joy to have in class and so fun. When he answered the question "What is an even number?" he stood up at his desk and with a flourish. Proceeding with hand gestures and voice inflection Ethan defined what an even number is.

OK so I love all my little monkeys and to be fair when I get this blog bound in a book at the end of the year for posterity to cherish I had better say something about the other two.

Carter is doing so well in school. His class got to go to a nearby elementary and read to first graders. They bring books and a stuffed animal for the little tykes and get to be the teacher and/or mentor for an hour. I am so proud of him when he comes home and tells me how he doesn't like to sit next to certain people at lunch because they talk about inappropriate subjects at lunch.

Olivia, Olivia...what can I say. She runs me ragged and makes me laugh every day. Lately we have been playing with her toy fairies and their house. Turns out there are ogres under the house. Who knew! But rest assured they are nice ogres. Now the monsters that fly in her room are only nice when you tell them to be. Her imagination is running wild!

I am currently reading Duma Key by Stephen King. I have been a fan of his for almost 20 years. I don't think I have missed a book. I even had an English teacher my junior year compare SK with Nathaniel Hawthorne. And yes, King is a literary genius!

Kitten?

Olivia with Little Kitty

Olivia loves all animals and most especially our 2 cats. One is fat and despite her official name of Martha, we just call her Big Kitty. She is 8 years old and we got her when we moved into this house from Grandma McNiven's never ending supply of Farm cats. She is mine and a bit snobby and can be cross but is overall great with the kids. She runs from Olivia. Partly because Olivia screams at her to get her to run.

3 years later Carter wanted a kitty. Off we went to Grandma's to pick one out. (It should be noted that I only like Orange kitties and at the time both the mom and dad of the farm cats were both orange). This kitty was called Tiger and has since been referred to as Little Kitty because she is, well, little. Carter built forts and played with her for hours and as a result will tolerate ANYTHING! We thought she was deaf because even the vacuum didn't bother her. Olivia can carry her around.

So a girl I know has a litter of cats that will be ready around Olivia's birthday (Nov 13) and has 2 orange kittens in the bunch. Carter was 6 when we got Little Kitty and Olivia will only be 3. Yet I know she would love a kitty. I get my cats fixed the minute they are old enough and they spend ample time out doors killing and bringing me presents. 90% of the time they are outside. But I have kept them as kitten inside for the first winter. So that is my debate and the reason for my poll. please participate and help me decide what to do!!

Road Rash, Mermaids, and Facebook

CAUTION! DUE TO THE GRAPHIC NATURE OF THIS POST, VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!!!

I have been neglectful all week because I finally signed on to facebook. I have found a ton of friends form high school and several from BYU! A lot of these people I haven't talked to in Years! And everybody is doing so good. Like we would post how really bad we are. Like today I am ready to pull my hair out with the neighborhood kids fighting over my boys toys, but Ethan is so patient and such a peace maker. He is like a little ambassador making deals and treaties over Bionicles. Oh and Olivia didn't get dressed until like 3:00 and I took a nap during Dora, Diego AND Spongebob. Yikes!

Speaking of Olivia, she has a new toy. It is a mermaid. However, it cost me nothing and every time it gets lost there is always another one to replace it. I wish it was imaginary, but it is really the hair in my bathroom sink.. Yes every day she climbs on the toilet lid to reach the sink and pulls a stray hair out of the sink, fills the bowl and "swims" the strand of hair around. Sometimes there are whole families and babies and she talks in this high little voice and makes up all sorts of stories.

Now for the proof that I am a real runner. My 3 mile loop just got new sidewalks and gutters. In one spot there is a black pipe that will eventually hook up with the sprinkler system in the mow strip that is sticking out onto the sidewalk. I know it is there and jump over it every morning. Well on Monday I must have been in a zone because the next thing I knew I was falling on the ground and almost rolled into traffic! Yes it was a stunt that Chuck Norris would have been proud to have choreographed! My trusty pooch promptly stood over me and licked my sweaty face as I assessed the damage. Not too bad. I collected my wits and finished the last mile.



I got home expecting some sympathy or at least kudos for finishing with an injury (OK maybe I was expecting a little much out of a road rash on my knee and leg). Instead I got "Way to go hon! Now you are a real runner!" Yay.

Ethan always has the right thing to say

I have a few Ethan quotes that need remembering...bear with me as I use this blog as a journal for an amused mom.

On the first day of second grade Ethan was excited to see his little friend Gracie in his class again. Ethan spent most of first grade being her Kitty on the playground or she, in turn, was his dragon. I asked him what he said when he saw her.

He replies in his deepest bad guy voice "So Gracie, we meet again."

Laughing I ask, "What did Gracie say?"

"She said 'Hi, Ethan,'"

The next 2 funnies actually happened yesterday and today. Yesterday Ethan asks for a snack for him and 2-3 friends. I say Yes. He says, "My mom always says yes!" I had to laugh because I feel like I always say no!

This morning my dog was being bad on my run so I came back at halfway and did a Pilates video instead. Ethan got up and watched me do the last half. He goes, "Mom, what does thin mean?"

I said, "Not fat."

"Oh good. I didn't want to tell you the wrong thing. Mom you look really thin!"

Good boy!

Oh the joys of the harvest

From reading the title you would think that I was pioneer enjoying a first crop or at least a farmer whose livelihood depends on a good growing season. So maybe the title is a bit sappy but I was feeling a bit sentimental today. Olivia and I headed out back with a milk crate to see what was in the garden. We got yellow and red tomatoes, green and yellow squash, and picked the rest of my peaches, started picking the first nectarines and ate some blackberries right off the vine. All this was done in our pajamas. We also have a huge grapevine that feeds all of the neighborhood kids after school (and many of you know I sometimes have at least 9 extra kids running in and out of the house on any given day).

After reaping our bounteous mornings harvest (it took like 30 minutes) I got the canning bug. I only did 3 quarts of tomatoes and 2 pints of the nectarines but while I was peeling all of that I got to thinking about what I always think of when I am doing something extremely domestic. I was thinking about all of my ancestors before me. All of the Campbell and Davis and Pickett women who really did have to can to survive the winter and crossed the plains to settle this valley over 150 years ago. Then I started thinking about what life was like for women back in the really old days. How canning, quilting and bread making were daily chores. And yet many of these women turned it into an art (note my red and yellow tomatoes sharing a jar in a harmony of colors).

I don't know, I guess I get all nostalgic and grateful for all of the hard work of generations past. And maybe my canning and domesticity are a way of paying tribute to the past. I know it is a way of carrying on tradition. I am big believer in tradition nad heritage. I hope that as small as my "crop" is that the generations gone by are a bit pleased to see someone still doing it the old fashioned way. I hope my family appreciates it as much as I do the taste of homegrown food in the dead of winter.

I may as well tell you all now (no not pregnant...heaven forbid I EVER have to make that announcement again!) that I am on a mission to grind my own wheat flour and make my own wheat bread. I have tons of wheat in my basement because that is what Mormons do. I know how to make pancakes from it but that is it. However I have been on a health kick and have recently been to the most amazing store called Honeyville Grain. Those of you in my area (Cara, Avree, Mel Linda etc.) need to go.
That combined with amazingly good results of mine and JaDee's cholesterol has inspired me to keep up the good work and maybe do better. Thus my urge to go natural and at least try to make my own bread like the little red hen!

Life at the Moncurs in pictures

The boys went backpacking in the Uintahs with JaDee. They hiked in about 3 miles with loaded packs, caught a ton of fish, ate ramen (their favorite camping food), and even went skinny dipping under a waterfall1



First day of 6th grade!



First day of 2nd grade!



We had 1 day of rain! Olivia was so excited to use her lady bug umbrella!



And she is so dang cute Mom can hardly stand it!

Words can't describe...

I was blog hopping one day in August and came across this button on someones website. So I checked it checked it out and found the most devastating story. This absolutely beautiful young mother of 4 darlings and her husband were in a horrible small plane crash. Her husband was in flight school and was up with his instructor and wife when the engine stalled and dropped out of the sky. The instructor was killed and both the young mom and husband are in the hospital with severe 3rd degree burns over much of their bodies. They live in Arizona and her father is a Utah State Representative for Utah County. So the news of the crash did reach Utah stations.
Their names are Stephanie and Christian Nielsen. I keep going to her blog to read about her beautiful life and find it inspiring. I set up a link (see right) in case you are interested. There is also alink link to her sister's blog (also right she is the c jane) who is currently watching her 4 kids and keeping updates about Nie Nie (stephaNIE NIElsen) and Christian. They are expecting MONTHS for recovery in the hospital. My prayers are with them and I find myself sending good thoughts towards them throughout the day. I had to share...