What happened to me? I wonder if I am just bored of blogging but I don't seem to care about posting anything. Hmmn. Weird.

Christmas was great.
Life is good.
What else is there to say?

If by chance someone in the blogosphere revolts to me dropping out entirely, leave a question for me to answer. That could be fun.

Best Compliment EVER!

While decorating for Christmas tonight...
Kate: Mommy, you make the whole place sparkle with love glitter!

China...

I came down to be with Scott and Kate in between football games. They were watching Disney's Jessie. I had never seen the show so Scott, believe it, was explaining it and he said he couldn't figure out why he never sees any parents on the show. Just some kids in a posh apartment in New York City with a butler and a nanny. Kate said (referring to the parents), "Maybe they died." Then, on the show, the boy began to manipulate the butler to be his paintball partner by saying that he would be quiet about his mom and dad's wedding china (which the butler must have broken-not certain because I came in part-way through the show). With that, Kate had an ahah: "Oh," she said, "The parents are getting married in China."

Awkward

According to my niece Sam's BOYFRIEND, I am the Queen of Awkward.

Ha! maybe I'll be that for Halloween next year - wait, that's what I was this year (see last post).

Well, here's an awkward conversation that happens to me at least daily (that is if I leave the house, which is something I'm doing more often, surprise)...

Stranger: Is this your daughter?
Me: Yes
Stranger: How old is she?
Me: 5
Stranger: Is she your oldest? (sometimes people even ask if she's my youngest - yes, I'm looking old)
Me: She's  my only.
Stranger: OH... (read in dumb look (as in, speechless) on face of stranger, here).

This conversation is usually followed with LOTS of questions. People want to know if I want more or why I don't have more. Those questions lead to whether I have thought about adoption, which is quickly followed with all the adoptions stories they know about - usually tragic... thanks strangers. All this is followed by questions of all the fertility treatments I have tried and all the success stories this stranger knows of, which is followed abruptly with how I should stop trying and it will just happen.

LUCKILY, I'm a VERY open person and I share. I share all about us and how we are adoption DROUPOUTS. I share all about this test and that test and all the ins and outs of our infertility. Every once in a while, I think: "This is really none of your business." Like the time a neighbor asked me in the fabric store if I didn't know how to do "it" and if I wanted an instructional video. YUUP! True story. Sometimes I think: "Seriously? You just asked me THAT?" But I talk on. I must be part narcissist or something. Kinda like those people who are part Cherokee. Maybe because I'm part narcissist I'll get a scholarship for my Master's Program that I'm going to start next year because I have nothing better to do once Kate starts first grade.  That has to be on the application somewhere. It's all about diversity. I'm diverse-at least in Utah.

It's not just strangers. Friends from years past, who haven't seen me in a while, who have like a-bijillion kids since I saw them last, they see me and they have that look on their faces. They want to ask, but they don't want to be rude, but they ask anyway.

But it's okay. You are safe with me. You can tell me that as soon as I relax and stop "trying" the children will come. You can tell me that as soon as I adopt, I'll get pregnant. You can tell me that Kate is so special and how wonderful it is that I can spend all this one-on-one time with her. You can tell me that I will have children in the after life. You can tell me that I'm lucky that I only have to worry about one set of braces, and one hormonal teenager, and one wedding. ONE-AND-DONE! Seriously, you are safe with me (don't read sarcasm in here-I'm serious). I will not judge you. I don't mind. I am grateful that you tried. I'm grateful that you care. I'm grateful that you see me and bothered to talk to me at all.

Plus, I have to be forgiving because such awkward slash rude things come out of my mouth and I only hope others will be just as forgiving with me.

Better Late than Never...

Some of Kate's cousins: Whitney, Suzie, Hailey, Kate, Zac (missing Jessica, Ashlee, and Jake from the Bang side)

After meeting up with these guys at Scott's parents' house, we went to my parents' house. I wasn't able to photograph the nieces and nephews on my side of the family because I left that get-together early to answer the door for the trick-or-treaters at my house

 Here we are (Scott doesn't do dress-up). Kate is Mulan and I'm a 31-year old pageant mom who just can't give up pageant life.

 Me and my two sisters (Michelle hadn't arrived yet - and she didn't dress up), Jeni, Me, Jill. This photo reminds me of meeting my friend Bethani. I hope she sees it and remembers why.

Kate and my oldest niece, Samantha (Sacajawea).

I don't usually dress up for Halloween but this year a friend held a murder mystery party so I re-purposed the costume. I received a lot of retarded comments from the men in my neighborhood who were taking their kids trick-or-treating. It was rather annoying. They couldn't understand why I was acting like a valley girl (p.s. that wasn't an act). They didn't know why I was wearing so much orange. They didn't understand what a "pageant mom" was (seriously - heads out from under rocks, boys). And they didn't know why my sash said "Snow Princess" while I was covered in Orange. Just get over it boys. So, it's a silly Halloween costume. Learn to be nice, already. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. Didn't you watch Bambi? Luckily, the hubby liked it, Kate liked it, and I had fun. That's all that matters.

Huddle Up

I was reading Kate a book from school about penguins and it mentioned that Emporer penguins huddle for warmth. I asked Kate if she knew what "huddle" meant and she said, "It's just like in football when they 'huddle up' to make a plan."

Spiritual Thought for the Day...

LOVED this today...

"Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."
Alma 26:16

Background: Ammon, the son of King Mosiah and a great missionary in The Book of Mormon, was expressing his gratitude to God for allowing him and his brothers to be an "instrument in God's hands" to teach and convert so many , thousands even, of the Lamanites.

Me: Sometimes I feel a little too exuberant. When I'm feeling gratitude, it's over-the-top and obnoxious. I have a "love burst" that can't be contained. This scripture gave me permission and reminded me that I can never glory too much in the Lord.

Some Kate-Art

 "Katie to Mom Pone Mi" (with arrows pointing "mi" to her name meaning: "my pony")

"Katie to Mom & Dad"

Can you tell who is who in this last picture?

Maybe Boring Travel Log

Final bit of our ZION National Park trip:

We went to church in St. George before heading home. The ward we attended was having their Primary Program. {An annual Sacrament program held in meeting houses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all over the world during the third quarter of the year. The Program gives the children an opportunity to share all that they are learning in church.} A Spanish Branch {a ward made up of Spanish speaking members from the area.} teamed up with an English speaking ward and created a bilingual program. I enjoyed listening to the mix of languages. They were all singing the same songs and similar messages in their hearts but saying and singing in English and in Spanish, in turn. The member of the bishopric had the difficult task of conducting the meeting in English and translating it in Spanish simultaneously. The English speaking children learned a couple songs in Spanish and vice versa. Very cool.

After church, we checked out of the hotel and headed for the freeway.

My dad is the type of road tripper to just fly through and get to THE DESTINATION. My mom is the type to stop and visit folks and dilly-dally. We merged the two on this trip several times. Scott instigated this merge and suggested we stop at the Kolob canyon scenic drive just North of St. George. We were all so glad we did.

 The coolest part of the scenic drive is driving through a lengthy tunnel carved into the mountain. Super-cool. Loved it.

 I know they are just snapshots. Trust me that it was breathtaking.

 After making our way closer to home, we had a flat tire on my dad's BRAND NEW truck. Like, a month ago, new!

 This was a fun experience for me because it reminded me of some things I LOVE about my husband. I love that these sorts of inconveniences are an adventure to him. He loves this sort of stuff. He doesn't get bummed out by the delay. He doesn't curse and swear, ever. He just gets into his "man" mode and happily gets to work. Often in circumstances like this you will even hear him whistling.

 We were typical though. The women and children were off to the side of the road and the men were doing the dirty work. Who needs the women's movement? I like to pick and choose my liberties and repairing a flat was a moment I decided to be a 1950's woman.

Plus, I LOVE to watch Scott work = muscles, sweat...

 After our delay, we detoured to visit a craggy, pathetic excuse for a graveyard in Leamington, Utah. My Grandma Jensen  and Grandpa Greenleaf spent much of their growing up years here and my dad's Grandparents and some other family are buried here. We went to go check it out.

 Kate hugged her "ancestors". Later on that night, she cheerfully said that hugging her ancestors was her favorite part of the day.

Visiting a graveyard is an interesting activity. I don't mind it. I enjoy the time to reflect on life, the past, and what people have gone through. I look at the graves as if they are telling a story to me of the person that it represents. The life and death. I see graves of babies who left mothers, fathers and siblings. I see graves that tell a story of widowhood, a story of an orphan, a story of a grave that clearly no one has visited in generations. A grave that has lost all recognition of markings, a grave that only the sexton knows who is held inside. Very thought provoking. It's solemn, yet interesting.

What a place to end up, eh?

After our excursion, we heard about some bad traffic from Scott's sister who was also traveling North after her Ragnar Vegas run. We took a crazy, fun route that avoided the freeway. We made it home in time to hit the hay. Very pleasant. Very wonderful little vacate.

Thanks, Dad, for driving. Thanks, Mom, for shopping and making the trip fun for Kate. Where will we go next?

Second Day - Zion's National Park

 We went to this quirky, slightly pathetic, petting animal farm and general store close to Zion's National Park.

 I fell in love with the purple cactus. And the quaint (yet inappropriate for kids {curse words on some of the building names, ironic}) little building structures. My mom decided that this place wasn't intended to be a children's attraction, even though that is what it seems to be now.

In these photos, you can see how much Kate loves to "pose" for a picture.

 Barely visible, Kate and my mom are on the trail across the way.

 Booger check! This was a cool spot. We were surrounded most of the hike with the walls of a cliff, just like this one above.

YUUP! Tarantula!

First Day (Ever) at Zion's National Park

 

Really, I just want to know why I never made it to Zion's National Park until now. What a wonderful, beautiful fun time we had. And so close to home and accessible.

 I love random moments like this one up above, when nobody is looking at the camera (well, except Kate).

 SO glad my mom and dad were able to come with us and share in this fun.

 Kate was a trouper. She didn't whine. She loved having her picture taken and several times along each trail, paused and begged for a photo.

 Another fun, random shot, just before a group photo.

 My Atlas.

 This one above is taken right before the opening of the popular "Narrows" hiking trail.