Happy Birthday Sherry!

*Day95*
Today is my older sister, Sherry's, birthday. I've been excited all week thinking about what to write in her blog. Now, I wouldn't say that I have a favorite sister. They are all great for different reasons. But, there have been times in my life that I've spent more time with one than others. That's given me a special bond with each of them that I treasure. (Hey, I guess there are benefits of being the middle child!)

Sherry was older than me. We were two years apart in school. It was her last year in middle and high school when it was my first year. That means that I didn't have to go to those intimidating places by myself. I had my sister. And she was nice enough to teach me the ropes and show me around and let me borrow her friends until I found some of my own. I was so glad during those years not to have be alone. And during my first year in High school Sherry did this thing for me that turned out to be a great thing. She left me at school. I didn't think it was that great at the time, but it turned out to be. I had wanted to join the cross country team, but was really scared to because I didn't know anyone. Sherry, being a great big sister, knew someone on the cross country team. She got her friend to take me and introduce me to coach. The coach was excited that I wanted to join the team. He told to come to practice that day, get my uniform and I could run at the meet the next day. Crazy. I had know idea what this cross country thing was all about, there was no way I was running in a race that next day. So, I decided that I would join the team the day after the race. But, I guess Sherry knew I needed to start because she left me at school that day and I had no choice but to go to practice. (What happened after that is a whole other set of blogs.) But, ultimately, I'm glad she did it.

I've also learned a lot of things from Sherry. Like how to be the favorite aunt. Logan has been going to his Aunt Lynn's for daycare everyday since he was 10 months old. He knows and loves Lynn. But, because we live far away, he doesn't see his other aunts (on my side) very much. When he started talking, his aunt Lynn taught him to answer the question, "Who's your favorite aunt?" He would say, "Aunt Lynn." When Logan was about two or three, we were going to Salt Lake to visit Sherry's family. Lynn quizzed Logan all week about who his favorite aunt was, just so he wouldn't forget. When he came back to Lynn's, and she asked who his favorite aunt was, Logan said, "Aunt Sherry." The look on her face was priceless. But Logan had a great time at Aunt Sherry's. Who knew that drinkable yogurt would win you that status? So I learned, that being an aunt is almost like being a grandparent. Especially if you're trying to get that all important "favorite" status. Sherry always had fun things for him, and treats. He didn't come home empty handed. Being favorite was a great thing to learn. I can't tell you how happy I felt the other day, as, while I was letting my niece, Jessica, eat as much cookie dough as she wanted while her mom as out of the room, she looked at me and said, "Aunt Tersty, you're my favorite aunt." Priceless. And without Sherry, I wouldn't even know that it mattered, or had the example to pull it off. Thanks Sherry!

I still love being around Sherry. She's just a hoot. I just think that someday I'll get together with my sisters, and our children will look at us like we are crazy. Just like we've done with my mom and her sisters. But, how awesome to be compared to those great ladies. And, I think that Sherry will be the ringleader.

Now I just have to share my funny Sherry story. All us girls came up to Utah State to visit Lynn when she was in college. We had done some partying and stayed up late. We were laying in Lynn's dorm going to sleep. We were talking about getting rid of things we didn't use to make more space. We must have talking about things we could get rid of. We all thought Sherry was asleep, when she suddenly joined the conversation by suggesting that she get rid of her Library card. She said, "Well, I never use it." I see the point it that, but I'm not sure how getting rid of your library card will give you more room. Oh, well.

I love Sherry. I still learn a lot from her. I'm thankful for the example of a loving wife and mother that she sets for me. Happy Birthday Sherry!


Me and Sherry before our dance recital. Sherry rebelled and told mom she didn't want to take dance anymore. We all followed suit. Thanks Sherry!


Sherry being a wonderful aunt, and lovingly helping to pose the children for a picture.


Sherry and her beautiful family.

*I asked Matt if it would be mean to post the picture of Sherry with her birthday cake (at the top). He said yes, but that's what sisters are for. So, sorry about that. I'm sure you can find some of me to rival it. Oh, and Sherry, let Jason know that I have a great pic for his birthday.

Potty Breaks

*Day 94*


We went out with Matt's mom to the Beehive Grill. We got our booth and sat in our regular seating pattern. Logan loves to sit by Grandma. He gets the inside so that we can keep him contained. Then I sit across from Logan and Matt sits next to me. When we go out, Logan loves his drink. We try to keep him from drinking all of his drink and getting a refill and drinking that, so that he actually has room for his meal. But the poor kid just has nothing to do while he waits. As he pointed out yesterday. He kept asking why kids are always last. Because we all got a salad and rolls that they bring out before the meal. But, Logan was sitting there with nothing, starving. Back to the drinks, because this is where this story is going. Logan always drinks a ton when we go out, so by the time we are ready to go, he has to use the bathroom, at least once, sometimes more. Because this happens so often, he's worked out a way to get out of the table without disrupting everyone. He just climbs under the table to get out. At first I wouldn't let him, but now we've been through it so often, and I feel bad for grandma having to move all the time, so now I just let him do it. I figure that's one battle I don't need. Well, yesterday was Free Frazil Friday. He drank a Frazil on the way home from school, so his potty breaks started early during dinner. He stopped on the way in. But he also had to go during dinner. Logan climbed under the table and Matt took him to the bathroom. They were gone a few minutes, and the next I saw of them Matt was apologizing to the people at the table next to us and Logan was sheepishly getting up off the floor. He ran ahead of Matt to beat him back and jumped under the wrong table to get back to his spot. He realized there was something wrong when someone was sitting in his place. Maybe it's time we just make grandma move out of the way.

Free Frazil Friday

*Day 93*
Today was the first day of Free Frazil Friday. Ok, I'm talking like I've known about this forever. Really, today is the first I've heard about it. There is a little convenience store a couple blocks from our house, and next to Logan's school, The Island Market. I've lived here for several years, and, honestly, I've never been in it. I just don't think about it, and I guess I maybe didn't want Logan to know about it because then he would always want to go there and waste his money on junk like we did when we were kids. I have planned on taking him, because it would be fun for him, but we've never made it. They sell these drinks, called Frazil, that I have never had either. They're like a slurpee.


Ealier today, I heard it was Free Frazil Friday. Every Friday in March is. I guess they do this every year. Well, I was freezing all day today, so I thought maybe I would take Logan another Friday. But, apparently, they made an announcement at school about Free Frazil Friday. And when the three boys I walk home everyday came out of school, they informed me that we needed to go get a Frazil because they are free. I tried to get them to want to go a different time, but they just ran around the corner to the market. So, trying to be the super cool mom and get drinks for the kids on the way home from school, I followed. We fought half of the school, but finally got our Frazil. On the way home me and Logan were talking about how this was the first time we'd been to the Island Market and how we'd never had a Frazil before.

After we got home, he was still talking about his Frazil. Then he tells that it's not the first Frazil he's ever had. I was confused, because I know he's never had one with me before. I asked him about when he'd had one. He told me he had one after breakfast. I needed more information on this. I take Logan and two neighbor boys to school to eat breakfast. Then, according to Logan, they have breakfast recess, and then go to class. Well, today for breakfast recess, they went and got Frazils at the Island Market. Logan told me that kids kept coming in to breakfast with them. So, they somehow decided to go get a Frazil before school.

And I just assume that when I drop my kid off at school every morning, he's going to stay there until I come and get him! Silly me.

Dinnertime Dilema

*Day 92*

I really don't mind cooking. I really like the end results. What I don't like is thinking of things to cook. I'm not very good at planning ahead so, when I need an idea I need something quick with what I have on hand. Sometimes it limits the ideas. And that's what I don't like about cooking. Now, I do love breakfast. But, I don't get to cook it very often. Logan eats breakfast at school, and Matt usually doesn't eat breakfast, so there's not much point in cooking a fancy breakfast for just me. So, sometimes I try to cook breakfast for dinner. It doesn't always go over very well. Here is one breakfast that I can sneak in for dinner every so often. In fact, I don't think we've ever had this for breakfast.


Country Brunch Skillet
6 bacon strips (we usually use sausage-Logan's favorite)
6 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teas. salt
1/4 teas. pepper
6 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings. Add potatoes, green peppers, onion, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for two minutes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are browned and tender. Make six wells in potato mixture: break one egg into each well. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes or until eggs are completely set. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon.
(When I cooked the eggs this way, they didn't get done, so I cook them separately.)

Blogger Convention

*Day 91*
It's been really fun doing this 365 day blog. It's been fun to read other peoples and get to know them better. I've had people tell me that they've gotten to know me better reading my blog. You all might get to start knowing me a little bit better. I've been thinking about some memories I have and realizing that a lot of the details are starting to fade. So, I thought I better write down what I can remember before they're completely gone. Sorry that you all will have to suffer through that. I won't be offended if you stop reading. But that's one of the reasons Matt is making us all do this, so we have record of things we want to remember. Anyway, that was a little tangent. It's been fun to read other people's blogs. And I'm surprised at how this little project of Matt's has snowballed to reach so many people. It's kind of cool.

One of the people that decided to take Matt's challenge that I've been following is his cousin Jaimee from Colorado. I'd met Jaimee, but it's been fun to get to know her better through her blog. It made me remember the fun times we had when we visited Colorado, and made me want to go back. But, Jaimee and her family came for vacation to Utah this week. They came up to Logan tonight and we got to visit with them. (Thanks Jenn for hosting! I can wait until tomorrow to clean because of you.) It was so nice to see them! They are fun people. It was just relaxing and very enjoyable. We could have visited for much longer if it weren't for kids who need to sleep. We came home talking about needing to visit Colorado again so we can see the rest of family too. I'm glad that Matt sent out the challenge, and for all those who were willing to take it and share part of their lives with us.


The kids. Matteah, Logan, Dax and Jace. Casey didn't make the picture because it was way past his bedtime.


365 day bloggers. Jenn, Jaimee, Matt and Me.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

*Day 90*

Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday. I love Dr. Seuss books. Even though I'm supposed to be a grown up, my favorite stories are from Dr. Seuss. (Maybe just because I can't make it through "big kid" books.) But, while we were eating green eggs and ham for lunch and quoting the story, I had a flashback to elementary school. Green Eggs and Ham was my first favorite book. I had it memorized. I was in second or third grade and we were at the school library. My first grade teacher came in. She was talking to me and asking me how things were going. Then she asked me what book I was getting. I showed her the copy of Green Eggs and Ham that I was holding. She told me that I could read a harder book than that. I felt really embarrassed. But, I don't think I chose a new book. I just loved that book! And who knows, judging by how often I get to the adult side of the library, maybe she was wrong.

Toothless Logan

*Day 89*

Logan is on a mission to bleed the tooth fairy dry. He is missing four teeth right now. He lost one on his birthday, while eating his cake. NO, it wasn't that hard, it was just really ready to fall out. At this point, he had a no pulling policy. He just wanted it to fall out by itself. So, as soon as he forgot about it, it did just that. He lost his second bottom tooth on Christmas. This one was also very ready to fall out. But, he got so tired of not being able to eat that he decided to pull it out. All he really needed to do, was to put his fingers on it, and out it came. He lost his first top tooth a couple weeks ago. He bit hard on a piece of gum which knocked it looser. Then he got brave and pulled it out. He lost his second front tooth the other night while he was sleeping. (The same day as his cousin Dax!) I went to get him up in the morning and when he looked at me, his tooth was missing! I worried that he might have swallowed it in his sleep. But, we found it in his bed. He lost two other bottom teeth last year. The day before his birthday, his first tooth just fell out. His next tooth had to be pulled. It was loose for a long time, but didn't fall out. Then, his permanent tooth started growing in behind it, so the dentist pulled it out. He's lost 4 of his bottom teeth and two on top. I hardly noticed that he had missing teeth on the bottom, but he sure looks different with missing top teeth.

(Ok, and he's wearing a black shirt in this picture, so it looks like he's a floating head, but Matt said we should keep it and call him Balloony. It's from Phineas and Ferb. But, really I just wanted a picture of his missing teeth, and you can see that.)