license to. . .

I don't know where my brain has been but, today I made chocolate chip cookies--minus the fat (not on purpose). My recipe calls for shortening and when I opened the tub, I was out. So I decided to exchange it with butter. I had one stick of butter left and put it in the microwave to soften. I then added all the ingredients. After mixing everything up, I looked at the dough and something just wasn't right (too sticky). "Man," I was thinking, "that shortening really does make a difference." Despite my qualms, that something didn't stop me from plopping drops of dough onto cookie sheets and baking. The cookies also turned out funny--they raised, but promptly fell and were really tough--even though I hadn't overcooked them. I attributed all of these problems to the butter substitute until at about 5:00 I opened the microwave to nuke some veggies for dinner and found the stick of butter. . . . guess that means I earned my license of stupidity today.



On another note, D's physicians license came in the mail today. In most states doctors are not licensed until at least one year of post-graduate training. I totally CRIED while opening the letter (I didn't shed a tear at graduation at all). Somehow seeing that piece of paper just made everything seem so real! My husband is a doctor--license to . . . . .(fill in the blank-- hopefully you were thinking heal).



An a completely other and final note, as I was moving gigantic heavy risers into the chapel for the Primary Program Practice today. I totally bent my wedding ring out of shape. I'm really mad!! (see photo for evidence!)

Two Things. . .

For lunch today, D found some packages of Ramen noodles down in storage that I'd forgotten about. Can I just say that I really like Ramen!?! Why, oh why, are those cheap, crazy noodles and the accompanying flavor packets so wonderful-- yet have no nutritive value whatsoever? This truly must be one of life's little unjustices.

On another note, a few weeks ago I heard someone quote the saying that, "The pathway to Hell is paved with good intentions." I would like to add the so-called 'Pathway to Heaven' is ALSO paved with good intentions. . . . So, in my book keep trying your best--even if you don't succeed!

Unsolicited advice for the Primary Program

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have the calling to serve as the first counselor in the Primary Presidency of our ward (ward=my local congregation). The Primary is the organization for the children. One of my duties as a counselor to the President is to write and organize the yearly Children's Sacrament Meeting Program. This is the one Sunday during the year where the children sing songs and share the bulk of the program (or service). This is just a bias, but I think it is the BEST Sunday of the YEAR! There is an outline provided by the General Primary Presidency that we use to write the program. We use the outline and then cater speaking assignments to the special abilities of the children in our local ward. It is truly inspired and outlines the general principles of the gospel that we believe as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Anyway, my point in this post is to share a few tidbits that I have learned about preparing and presenting the program for anyone on the world wide web who happens across this site.

1) Write the program early and set goals like two sections of the outline per week (if only I followed my own advice).

2) Keep it simple.

3) Before the first program practice, write a tentative seating chart that includes every child. Then, make copies and give them to each class teacher. When it came time for the kids to find their seats for the first time, I just had the teachers place their own children-- this was AMAZING. The 50+ kids in our ward were organized and seated in about 5 minutes (or less).

3) Make lots of extra copies of the actual program for teachers. Especially for the second practice-- they forget to bring their first copies.

4) Bring an extra copy of the program and some scissors that are just for kids who lost their part (then, put these in a gallon baggie). Just cup up the part for the kids who forget and put all the extra papers/ peices in the bag for the next kid who needs his/her part.

5) Let the Primary President sit up on the stand and you (counselor) sit in the audience. This allows the President to sit with the kids during practice and you can run around getting things done without having to go up and down off of the stand.

6) Write a part for the children who don't regularly attend and personally invite them to take part-- you never know who might show up. We also made a copy of the music on CD for the kids who might not be too familiar with the songs (when writing their part, just make it kindof redundant our outlining a similar principle as the child before him/her so their part will add to the program, but nothing is missed if they decide they don't want to take part).

Hope these are helpful to someone! Good luck with your program!

Mom Behaving Badly

Yesterday while picking up the kids from school, a friend commented that she was glad we (moms) didn't get report cards. Yes, I agree.

Lately, I feel like I could be the headliner for the latest tell-all video, "Moms Behaving Badly." Seriously, did my kids find the button? You know, the one that says, Push me and a tantrum will ensue. Why is it so easy for me to loose my cool when the kids start fighting? I seriously feel like I want to explode. I have pulled the car over twice this week and had a child get out-- and told them to find their own ride home. After about one second, I told them to get back in, but really-- isn't there another way?

My other failed attempt at controlling my temper was to tell the kids that I feel a monster growing inside of me that is about to explode-- that one doesn't scare them at all. The monster just rears its ugly face about thirty seconds after the warning.

Any tips on keeping your cool in times of trial? (by trial, I mean fighting, hitting, and whining of 5-year-olds).

Update from the good doctor

Well, I realized I haven't posted recently about D's crazy life in the burn unit. I won't say too much as catch up except D's escapades at work have lead him to turn down the water heater (way too low, I might add. Really hot showers are one of the things in life that bring me joy), hide the treadmill key from the kids (and me, too-- great excuse NOT to exercise), replace all the batteries in the smoke detectors, and have a heart-to-heart with the kids about matches (D: "What do you do if your friends are playing with matches?" Kids: "Run as fast as we can to get a grown up." D: "Do you ever play with matches?" Kids: "Never, ever."

Last night as D settled down to bed, he made the comment that he thought this might be his one night on home call that he might not get any pages during the night. "Everyone in the unit is looking good." Then about 10 minutes later, well into the snores, his pager went off.The wicked beep signalled no good. D jumped out of bed, grabbed the phone, and called the hospital. After a quick conversation, he angrily marched back into the bedroom and started changing out of his PJ's.

"Some idiot put dry ice on his legs for 3 hours."

"Why?" I asked.

"Who knows. He's probably a psych case."

And so it went. . . . .he spent all night taking care of the dude, and in the morning let me know that "Yes, he had some mental disorders." Fortunately, things were calm enough in the unit today that he was able to come home around noon (this was a real blessing). He is sleeping now-- dreaming of the strange and crazy things people can do to themselves.

Halloween Decor

This week as I was walking around Michael's, I stopped for a minute on an aisle of a Halloween villiage display. The thought entered my mind, "Oh, I am so excited to own all these things one day-- when D is finally making some real money. It would be so cool!"

Then I started looking closer at all the figurines-- there were ugly specters and demented ghosts, seriously gruesome demons, blood everywhere, and more evil-looking witches than I could count. Then I just had to laugh at myself. . . . I wanted all those disgusting things in my house!! I chuckled as I moved on. . . . "Oh, that skeleton is so cute." Cute. A Skeleton. Nice thinking, Camilla.

Don't you just love Halloweeen and the weirdness it brings out in us all? Isn't it funny that we will plunk down the dough to festively adorn our house with monsters-- the figments of our kid's nightmares? And who said being a mom wasn't fun. . . .

Random thoughts on a Wednesday

1) (Courtesy of Eliza at the zoo): What is that red hanging flab underneath a turkey's beak and why do turkeys have it?

The answer is a waddle (thanks Liz) and after an internet search I discovered that the turkey uses the waddle in 2 ways. One, it is a cooling device. When the weather is hot the turkey expands the waddle with blood so that it can cool down in the air. Second, it is part of a display. Depending on how the turkey feels it may show the waddle to its fullest and reddest or hide it totally.

2) Don't ever eat 2 FiberOne bars in one day if you have an important event in the evening in which gas would be an embarrassment (they are delicious and boast 9 grams of fiber. I like the caramel and chocolate chip ones best).

3) I really like the Barbie cartoon movies.

Disneyland 2008

What fun, fun, fun!!! D's siblings planned for the extended family to have a big family trip together this fall. Four of his five siblings were able to take a week off and we all headed to California.

I never went to Disneyland as a kid and was totally caught up in the magic. We swapped kid-watching so the adults could hit the rides the kids couldn't go on (HIGHLY SUGGESTED). I love roller coasters and could have gone on the California Screamin' all day. . . . . . .yeah, I think I'll be a roller coaster tester in the after-life.

Our favorite quotes of the trip came after we took the twins on Space Mountain. . . "That was wicked awesome, " and "I don't ever, ever want to do that again (said with anger)" Guess which twin went with which quote-- yep, it was Eliza who loved the coasters and Davis who wimped out on several. The only sad event was when we LOST ELIZA for about 15 minutes (We started walking, she didn't follow, then she freaked out and ran in opposite direction of the way in which we had walked (I might add we were like 20 feet away when we realized she wasn't with us). Someone found her and she was taken to a park employee who gave her fruit snacks and hugs. We found her before things got too panicky, fortunately --lesson: write your cell phone number and put it in your kid's pocket).

We dined with family and phoned each other from all over the park--I don't think I even saw the teens for more than an hour during the 3 days we were there. I'm hooked. We'll definitely be doing the Disneyland thing again.

Calling all Bloggers!

Hi friends, family, and anyone else in between: I am starting a new blog entitled Spritual Reflections Everyday. It will be a place for us to share spritual thoughts, insights or frustrations. I'd love to include anyone who would like to be an author. Just leave me a comment here or there and I'll invite you as an author.

http://spiritualreflectionseveryday.blogspot.com

Invite anyone you'd like!!

VACATION, AHHHH

Last week we finally left the house and went on vacation. It has been over a year since we went on a trip-- and it was needed, badly. Sometimes I think my husband feels he is superman and can handle anything life hands at him. But, it seems, even superman needs a break. It came at just the right time too. When D got back on Saturday he found out that the ED (emergency department) is dropping the burn unit of it's intern rotations and now D an the surgery intern are singlehandedly managing a bulging burn unit with 5 or 10 patients around the hospital because the unit ran out of beds--YIKES!

We hit St. George and Disneyland with D's family. IT WAS AMAZING!! I feel like a new woman. Pictures to follow when I find my camera cords. . . . .