You Have Conquered Me.

Okay one year old,
I get it.
You don't want the books stacked
nicely on the bench.
It only took me one hundred times of you
pulling them off onto the floor
to realize that they don't belong there.
I will be better at accommodating
your decorating tastes,
Your Majesty.

Life is Good!

I was totally set up today.
I love surprises, especially when my house is clean.
Chris has told me for a week now that there was someone that wanted to come walk through our house. So I knew tonight was the night and for days I've been cleaning and preparing. In another dimension were my dear friends from Lehi. This would have been the third month that I would have to miss Card Group because I can't get a babysitter on a Wednesday night (all the girls are at youth group), and on this very night when I was to show my house, over the mountains were my homies getting together for another girls night without me.
***
The day had gone as expected...
Large glass of sticky applejuice falls to the floor...check.
Tade has humungous poopy diaper...check.
Jar of salsa splatters on the driveway...check.
Teacher parent conferences, and my kids talk too much in class...check.
I'm sweaty, and cleaning like a banchee...check.
I forgot to clean that window and the ledges are dusty...check.
I don't have any dinner planned for the kids and we're all losing our cool...check.
and so on, and so forth.
***
So seven o'clock comes around, and then seven o' five, and seven ten, the doorbell rings- the realtor is here. I go to answer the door, and there are four of my card group girls who have driven an hour to surprise me and bring the party to my house. They say "we had a seven o'clock appointment!" Chris, the realtor, and my friends were all totally in on the surprise, what what!
***
Audry made her famous lasagna and two more meals to put in my freezer for another frazzled day.
Heather brought delicious rolls and drinks.
Jaimie made a fantastic salad with a gorgonzola dressing.
Johanna improvised a genius chocolate pudding, brownie, banana whipped cream piece of heaven.
and
they brought the cards from the last three months.
This is enough happy endorphines to last me at least a week!
I was so thrilled to be able to eat a yummy meal and just sit and relax and visit without having to show my house that I feel like I'm on cloud nine.
and the icing on the cake...
As they were leaving I had another doorbell ring.
It was Chris, home two days early with his brother Jason.
Someone recuscitate me please.
STAT!

game over!

johanna, heather, jaimie, stay puff marshmallow, audry

the chic chef

THANK YOU GIRLS!!
I LOVE YOU ALL,

AND WE MISSED YOU MARY!

*****

p.s. I have so appreciated all the comments about my gun post. They have made me think and I am definitely going to weigh the issue carefully before I make a decision. Aren't I lucky that tonight I get a man to sleep by my side and protect me for a few days? Relief. Here is a quote that my Aunt Barbara emailed me from Jeffrey R. Hollands last conference talk concerning the issue of fear- I really love it-

"I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He “would fight [our] battles, [our] children’s battles, and [the battles of our] children’s children.” And what do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing[. Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants. May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and “the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.”

how far would you go...

to protect your family?
*
today i'm thinking about learning how to shoot a gun, and getting a concealed weapons license.
here are my reasons...

1. I'm the woman of the house right now, and I'm afraid if confronted with a domestic altercation on my turf, I would not be able to chuck a cell phone or lamp at a strangers head fast enough to grab my kids and flee.
*
Recently some hooligans were making visits to several homes at late hours, even one in the morning, doing what they found on youtube-- "knock and don't run".
*
lame.
*
Kids of America, don't be idiots. Instead of getting in trouble with the law and harassing innocent villagers, why not try a game of twister or battleship. Or better yet, come on over and I'll put you to work pulling weeds in my yard. You can do better than this.
****
2. Countless break-ins with things stolen from our homes that are trying to sell. Last week punk teenagers were found in one of the basements smoking, smashing pumpkins, and they had smeared mystery brown somethin' in the kitchen. There is no worse feeling than that in the pit of your stomach after someone who isn't welcome, has forced their way into a home and you have no control over what they did or do.
*
Parents of America, where are you? Do you know what your kids are doing? Do you know where they are? Time to step up and take responsibility for your offspring. Teach them values, teach them respect, and teach them that if they ever break in again, I will personally kung fu their sorry asssshton kutchers to the moon.
***
3. One of our pumpkins showed up by the road in the bushes this morning. Also, while we were out of town something got into our garbage making a big mess. Is no ones one third acreage sacred anymore? Is the rabid hose ripper back? Is this a herd of deer exploring my yard? What gives?
*
Animals of America, please stay on your own property and leave my hoses and trash and pumpkins alone. Take out your frustrations on your own water dish, and when you feel the urge to relieve yourself of all those kibbles and bits, do it somewhere other than my front lawn where my one year will find it and taste it.
***
4. I never use to believe in having guns in our home. They really scared me. This was ignorance. It use to be commonplace years ago for every man to own a gun whether is was to defend, or provide food for his family. There are also those who have it safely tucked away "just in case", and I've realized after holding down the fort for three months by myself, that I don't want to be someone caught helpless if the unexpected were to happen. I have always had fears of a child getting it and an accident happening, but there is education and precautions that one can take to make things perfectly safe for your family- leaving a gun out loaded is just nonsense. I have a Sheriff and four other policeman living within a blocks radius of my home, but in a split second, before they get here, I want to be armed, ready, and as confident as Annie Oakley herself.
*
Times are scary folks, and I know there are people out there that disagree with the right to bare arms....but just wait till your own property is violated, or you hear something go bump in the night, and your precious children are sleeping soundly in their beds while the big bad wolf is trying to blow down your house of straw.
*
Politicians of America, isn't it ironic that you who want to take our rights away, and our defenses away, are the very same people with body guards who have guns safely hidden under their jackets, just in case a crazy gets in your bubble. What do you suggest we all do, grab a slingshot and throw a rock at a burglar, toss a boomerang at a pyscho? I agree that there are people who are not of sound mind to have the responsibility of owning a weapon, but would they find a way anyways. Just because drugs are illegal doesn't mean Billy Bob stopped smoking.
*
This is a complicated issue, and I don't have all the answers... all I know is I'm gettin' me a pistol, some shootin' skills, and then I'm going to drink a beer and sit on my lawn chair and protect my kids.
for reals.
*
what is that I see out my window in the horizon?
It's Sara,
with a gun.
*
snap.

wally world's punkin' patch

For family night I took the kids to pick out

$2 pumpkins at "Wally's World", and then we

promptly went home to carve them up.

I think they turned out pretty cute!

GOOD JOB KIDDOS!

Countdown to Halloween

by drahomira

************************************************

I recently went "ghost hunting" with some of my siblings

in our old house that we believe is haunted.

***

In this house lights have gone off and on,

drawers have opened and closed,

and feelings have been felt.

There may be a logical explanation,

but it is way more fun to imagine

that someone beyond is trying to communicate.

***

We had a little tape recorder and realized

that the tape stops when we aren't talking.

After a second trip with the problem fixed

we didn't catch much....

*

except...

*

someone said,

*

my name.

*

"sara"

*

for reals dog!

*

and then we heard

"he's going to hurt us"

*

which some of the group believes

was Jessie talking.

*

But in my professional ghost hunting opinion,

*

was not.

*

I don't like anything super creepy or dark,

so to keep things light, I kept saying things like,

*
"Go towards the light"

*

"We are all here in love"

*

"bla bla bla, sunshine and lollipops, bla, bla, bla"

*

just to make sure there was always a good presence.

*

As we were leaving,

it sounded like a big rock was thrown at the deck,

which could have been an acorn falling,

*

or a bird tossing out a twig,

*

or a mouse playing baseball,

*

but truly,

it was a great ending to our fun crisp october evening.

***************************************

We have had several family members pass on,

and I believe they are watching out for us

and protecting us.

It isn't easy to get spooked when you know

they will kick anyones trash that tries to mess with you.

***

When we were in Scotland,

I was walking through an old room in the ruins

of our ancestors castle.

I suddenly let out a big burp,

thank you fish and chips,

and was totally embarassed because someone

had walked into the room and heard me.

***

When I turned around to apologize

no one was there.

***

I had definitely felt an energy following,

so thick that I was sure someone was right behind me.

But I was totally alone in the room,

or was I.

***

I like to think it was a distant family member

who once lived in the castle just checking up on things.

This picture was taken in one of the rooms.

That's a prop hanging in the middle,

but check out the energy swirling around.

cool.

**********

Do you have any real ghost stories?

Family Stands for FUN

friday night after we picked up papa bear

we went to the scout sponsored

Haunted Woods and Carnival.

good times were had by all.

going fishing for sticky hands and tootsie rolls

has never been so exhilarating.

apparently they thought the woods were a little

juvenile.

but then,

so are they.

********************************************************

sunday it was off to celebrate our nephew and cousin Ezra

in receiving the priesthood.

***

have i said lately how much i love these boys?

les, lawdy, and their mom

another great spread by the schofield's

complete with- pasta salad, meatballs, chips and salsa,

jello, grapes, green salad, orange rolls, shrimp,

and caramel apple dip.

we are all very serious about our salads,

and this one rocked!

need i say more.

and yes jon,

worth every penny.

maybe if i didn't enjoy this particular table so much,

i wouldn't have "doughy" issues.

a little tip-

use store bought sugar cookie dough

and doctor up some icing with

food coloring and orange oil.

keeping with tradition,

when a girl or boy turns twelve

and becomes a young man or young woman,

we all bring and share advice or tips

for them for their teenage years ahead.

these were our words of wisdom...

Congratulations Ezra!

Remember to Choose The Right!

5SF Edition 23

FIVE SENSE FRIDAY

TASTING-

Pot Stickers and Edamame

SMELLING-

Yummy Pizza & Cheese Bread in the oven

Thanks Amy, you're a doll!

FEELING-

Buzzy

Queen Bee by Cassandra Barney

SEEING-
Becoming Jane


HEARING-
Stevie Wonder

*JeNnY DeAr*

Jenny dear we love you so,

hope you remember and always know.

Your sweet gentle ways and the smile on your face,

melts all our hearts, you we could never replace.

Whether nursing the sick or newly born babe,

you attend like an angel where the sad often layed.

Beautiful inside, a glow that shines through,

not just a pretty face, but a friend and sister too.

On the paths of your journey you will touch many lives,

your boys would follow where the highest bird flies.
Never forget this Jenny dear,

that we love you so,

hope you remember and always know.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy JeN!!

We LoVe YoU!

flowers by studio stems

Happy Birthday Denise!

Grandma Schofield had a birthday, and we hope

it was a wonderfully fantastical day!!

We love how she is always full of smiles,

we love that she's always capturing

the moment with her camera,

we love how she takes care of everyone,

we love her stories of traveling around the world,

we love her ambitious accomplishments,

we love her sense of humor,

we love how supportive she is,

we love her chex mix,

and we LOVE HER!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENISE!

We hope to see you soon!

flowers by studio stems

Thinking in my Car on the Way Home From Walmart...

I totally obeyed the Walmart honor code and wore my sweats shopping today....and a baseball cap....and no makeup....and running shoes..... I was missing a mullet, revealing tank top, and choice words spouting out of my red neck mouth to my troublesome children, but I made up for it with the beebee gun in my trunk. I wonder if I could get arrested for that? For once I didn't see anyone I know, this being the most popular hangout in the entire city besides the canyon where people go to drink. Word.

******************

Thank goodness I have the Word of Wisdom in my life because I would be an awful coffee addict. I can still feel the remnants of the ice cream I ate last night buzzing through my veins. I'm also glad that I didn't eat the whole quart, mercy.

Let me just say it for you world, I'm a hypocrite.

Holland is cleaner than America. We are messy, cluttered people. I remember when I lived in that small cramped apartment with two small children. Everyday, through my paper thin walls, I could hear my neighbor clean her "porch", which was actually just a shared sidewalk. She was not from America, and it was obvious that she took great pride in her home, humble as it was. I could hear her sweep, sweep, sweep, and then she would dump a bucket of water on the concrete and sweep, sweep again.

With this daily ritual I'm almost certain that one could eat off her doorstep.

Wow there's a lot of different decorating styles our here. Landon wishes I was one of those cool moms that covers their front lawn with spooky headstones and plasters all the windows with sticky cobwebs. I just can't bring myself to put out one of those big inflatable pumpkins or frankensteins....

I'm such a kill joy.

Am I the only one who has to center the Manhole under my car

while I'm driving?

manhole covers from france and spain by valewis

---

I really like onion rings, especially with fry sauce.

picture by gothangell
---
There's that man again. He is always walking down Main Street. He reminds me of Boo Radley. A little unstable, but with a big heart. Sometimes he's holding a big gulp...I wonder what his life is like? I see him almost daily on this road, so does he just walk back and forth all day long? I wonder if he eats syrup on squirrels...wait, do I have my characters straight?
Note to self:
reread To Kill A Mockingbird

Give Me Strength...

I should so NOT be blogging right now,
but I deserve a serious break.
For those of you who have sold a house before,
you know what it's like to get things ready,
and stew and fuss over all the details.
It is no party doing it by myself,
especially with a one year old following behind me
undoing every mess I just cleaned up.
--
I have this inner struggle
between being a good person that's meek and humble,
and then just wanting to stick my tongue out
and feel sorry for myself.
It's no secret that the past year
has been hard on the economy,
but with Chris being a homebuilder,
we have felt a particularly painful sting.
--
A couple weeks ago we decided to finally
"do the right thing"
and put our house up for sale.
So while Chris works up in Idaho during the week,
I have been home frantically trying to make things presentable
so we can plant that stupid sign in our front yard.
--
I know that we are being responsible grown ups
and making the right choice,
but there also is a part of me that wants to grumble because...
I'm cleaning, sorting, hauling alone,
this will be our TENTH move,
I love this neighborhood and our friends,
I love this house and now feel comfortable with this city,
and
I'm afraid of the unknown in the future.
--
But,
it is my hope,
that someday we won't have to move anymore,
and Chris will be appreciated and compensated for his talents,
and life will not necessarily become easier,
but will have some stability.
--
Until then,
I'm going to eat the quart of ice cream I got from ColdStone tonight,
in my sparkly clean house,
(yes you may open that closet,
yes you may walk into my craft room,
yes you can see the floor in the laundry room,)
and I'm going to cherish the friendships I've made here,
and be grateful that we have a house, clothes, food,
and above all,
a family that loves us and cares about us.
--

Here are some fantastic things that have accompanied my week

of cleaning toilets, vacuuming 500 times, and dusting light fixtures

that have never felt a human touch.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
While in Idaho over the weekend,
Eliza made our friends "The Ganir's" famous Sweet n' Sour Chicken.
It was SCRUMPTIOUS!!


My friend and neighbor Jennifer has her wonderful Visiting Teaching kits and Christmas gifts in a boutique this weekend. If you're around these parts, stop by and peek at all the cuteness.

Katie is one of those friends that I feel lucky to have. We spent a summer together being counselors for Academy for Girls and the blogging world re-acquainted us again. I look up to her in so many ways- I am in awe of her amazing spirit, sweet heart, and talents for being a fun mom and an all around awesome person. It's good for me but a shame for others that her blog is private, because her talents are mighty inspiring. Katie has always had the most fantastic penmanship and style, and she has been able to turn this gift into a business. Visit ARTICHOKE INK and keep her in mind for a special touch for any paper personalizing or addressing.

Maybe talent comes in this name, but another dear friend by the name of Kate who is an amazing photographer just posted pictures of her daughters birthday party, and they gave me a coronary...or something like that. She seriously has some mad skills, and even dressed up as a tea pot...who does that? Kate, you kill me!

One final note, I stopped by Laurie's house with some banana bread and her yard looked like a pumpkin patch and fancy boutique. I would have left it on her doorstep but with the deer, grasshoppers, turtles, and wild turkey's, I thought it would be better to bring it by another day- but it was worth it stopping by just to see her house. Anyhow, we think a lot alike, and to prove this fact, just look at her fabulous mantle decor that speaks to my soul. We do so many similiar things without even knowing it, and it's fun to have people in my life that "get me".

Thanks for all the inspiration everyone!

life will go on...

5SF Edition 22

FIVE SENSE FRIDAY

TASTING-
Ice Cream from Reed's Dairy

SMELLING-
Manure

FEELING-
Crisp papers and such
as we stuff envelopes for
Eliza and Jason's wedding announcements

SEEING-
Mom's Autumnal Decor
practically perfect in every way.

HEARING-
Keane
Perfect Symmetry