There's a 1st time for everything...

This afternoon we took our kids swimming to battle the heat (even though it was ONLY 104 degrees.) At the pool we met a nice family from Armenia. They own a home here in Vegas and come for a couple of weeks each year to vacation. We enjoyed chatting although their English wasn't exactly understandable. The sweet grandmother pronounced a blessing upon me that my next child will be female. Actually, I am not exactly sure what she did (or said) but I like thinking that she was a prophetess and called upon the heavens to send me a girl.

The entire family got a KICK out of Zack.. but not because he was splashing in the water or trying to "swim like a dolphin." They liked him solely because of his white skin. I allowed them to point and gawk.. because it might be a while before they see another albino two year old. And luckily, they gave us a little entertainment in return. The mother (probably age 45.. give or take a few years) was completely frightened of the water. She stuck her feet in for a while and, before taking the plunge, she decided to borrow her children's orange arm floaties. I could not take my eyes off of her as the floaties squeaked up her flabby arms. When they were in place (nice and tight, I am sure) she slowly stepped into the pool. Her husband had her by the arms and the whole time she was screeching in Armenian. "No, no! Ah! Oh! No!" Had you heard her shrieks without seeing what was actually going on, you may have thought he was stabbing her in the heart. We truly felt lucky to get a front row seat for the show.

She was shaking and her husband was trying to ease her terror as she tightened her grip around his neck. Slowly they made their way to the other side of the pool.. which happened to be a whopping 4 feet deep. After about 10 minutes in the pool, she stood up on her own! I felt like giving her a round of applause. Everyone was so happy for her and she had the BIGGEST smile on her face. You have no idea how much I wanted to snap a picture of her... but alas, my camera was in the car and I didn't want her to know I was making a spectacle of her big accomplishment. It was bad enough that my kids were starring at her. Luke finally turned to me and said, "Mom, what is WRONG with that lady?" I quietly whispered in his ear, "They must not have swimming pools in Armenia."

We have proof. Weekend entertainment doesn't have to cost a penny.

Happy Birthday Ben (and America)

Name: Benjamin Jackson
Age: SEVEN
Height: 49 inches
Weight: 45 lbs
Teeth missing: 6

Favorites--
Color: Blue
Animal: Cheetahs and Rhinos
Food: homemade breadsticks, strawberries and ice cream (but not strawberries on ice cream.) He likes most foods, but doesn't want anything touching anything else!
Books: Meet the Autobots, Meet the Decepticons and any other Transformer book out there. He also loves animal encyclopedias, and anything by Shel Silverstein
Movies: Transformers, TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
TV shows: Sponge Bob, The Suite Life, Drake and Josh, Zoey 101 (I hate when they watch this show!)
Games: Sorry, Crazy 8's, Chutes and Ladders

Jokes he's made up:
(I hear about 50 bad jokes for every good one he comes up with..)

What do you call your mom when she isn't being nice? A MOM-ster.

What did one car ask the other car? Do you have GAS?

What farm animal is good at math? A COW-culator

What is tall and nice and says 'OUCH'? (Me.. after he pinches me on the arm.) "OUCH!"

Where do mashed potatoes go when they die? The GRAVY-yard


Funny Things said by Ben:

"My eyes are tired, but the rest of my body is ready to party!" (said at midnight.. age 6)

"Watching this much TV is really UN-responsible." (age 5)

"I think I know how Santa just keeps on living. He's kind of like the three Nephites who just never die. They have lots of things to do on the Earth, so God just lets them keep on living." (Good theory, kid. We had this conversation last week. almost age 7.)


Things to remember about Ben's BIRTH-day: My water broke at 11:00 pm on July 3rd. I was sun-burned, exhausted and ready for bed. Earlier that night, my husband and I were at a BBQ with friends (yo- Garmons!) and I had to leave before fireworks started because I wasn't feeling well. I didn't even consider the fact that my stomach cramps were contractions because my due date wasn't for another two weeks. When my water broke that night, I didn't know what was happening! I had to call my mom at midnight and ask if I was really having a baby. She assured me I was... She was torn between coming to Provo for the delivery or seeing my little brother at the airport on the 4th of July. He was leaving the MTC and flying to Russia.. She stayed for the airport and sent my sisters down to be with me. Debbie and Cindy were able to be there for the delivery, hold the baby, take pictures and then head up to Salt Lake City to see my brother off. It was a crazy day, but that's usually the way my family operates. Ben followed suit and started out with a bang!

July 4th is a special day for Aaron's side of the family. Not only is it Independence Day, but it is the wedding anniversary of Duke and Lee Burnham (Aaron's grandparents) who both passed away early and unexpected. Brandy was very close to her parents and was emotional at the hospital because she knew that it wasn't by chance that her first grandchild was born on such a special day. He was sent down by two very special, loving great-grandparents who knew how to celebrate in style! Ben and Aaron's mom have had a special bond since day one.

Ben was born at 7:09 am.. weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces. He had a TON of black hair and the nurses kept referring to him as "Harry" although we informed them several times that his name was Benjamin. My husband really wanted to name him Jackson.. but I didn't want to introduce ourselves and "Aaron & Janet Jackson" and I felt strongly that Ben was it. I had not even considered the name until late in my pregnancy. Aaron and I were reading in The Book of Mormon about a righteous and Christ-like king who gives the most wonderful, uplifting advice to his people before he dies. Our son is named after King Benjamin. Someday I hope he will live up to his name and become righteous, bold and strong.

Since the day he was born, he has been an easy child. He is obedient, faithful and good. He takes what people say literally and tries hard to follow EVERY rule! Our biggest challenge as Ben's parents is trying to keep him from stressing about every little thing! He was born wise beyond his years and even though it's crazy to think that I have a SEVEN year old, it seems like each time Ben has a birthday, I feel like he's been that old for a while now. He is an awesome little boy and I am so glad he's mine!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENNY BOY!

Dinner with the Poulsens

Suzanne and Jason Poulsen are some of our favorite people and they just happened to be in Vegas this week.. Suzanne took Jason on a surprise getaway to celebrate his last day of residency!! Wahoo! We met at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba's for some delicious food, fabulous conversation, and a medical diagnosis- (Jason is a doctor and Suzanne is a nurse.) We know how to pick and choose our friends, eh? Can't beat free medical advice over the dinner table!

Four years ago today, (totally random, I didn't mean to be so sentimental) we met Jason and Suzanne at a BBQ for Ben's 3rd birthday. We were the new to Spokane and anxious to make new friends. The minute I talked to Suzanne, I KNEW she was going to be a keeper. She is sweet, funny, very personable and so cute you just wanna to pinch her (or punch her!) We were instant friends and the rest is history. But my first impressions aren't always right because I pinned Jason as a punk. I went home that night thinking, "How did such a guy get a girl like that?" But I quickly learned that Suzanne was the lucky one. Jason runs a close second to the best husband around! We love hanging out with them and wish we still lived minutes away. We really miss those lazy Sundays afternoons-- getting competitive over card games (Rook and Eucher to be specific.) Those were the good ol' days... when they would get SO frustrated because they could never beat us! It's probably better for their self-esteem (and our egos) that we only lived by each other for a short time. They moved back to Salt Lake the following summer to finish residency and now he's a full blown Doc! We love them for coming to see us AND for finally starting a blog! All my dreams have come true (and I expect frequent updates!)

Congratulations Poulsens! You worked hard and sacrificed a TON... so enjoy rolling in the dough! Can't wait until the day one of your daughters marries one of our sons!

ps. A big thanks to Rod and Nat for watching our kids late into the evening! We owe you big time!

EASY-CHEESY BEAN DIP

Several people have asked for my cheesy chili bean dip recipe.. so here it is. (and by saying mine.. I mean I made it, not invented it.) It's super fast, yummy and great to take to any BBQ or family get-together. I am such a fan of 7 layer bean dip, but it's not really quick or easy. THIS recipe is for people who don't go grocery shopping everyday and those who need a quick idea as they are running out the door. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 (15 oz) can of chili
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Soften the cream cheese, mix with chili in a glass baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.. add cheddar and bake until it's melted. Serve with Tortilla chips.

Variations:

• you can use fat free cream cheese (it's still yummy!)
  
• if you like it spicy, try a HOT version of chili.
• mexi-style: mix in a can of green chilies (before you bake)
  
• add tomatoes and olives (after it's baked)
• if you're short on time, cook it in microwave

CLICK HERE for other 5-ingredients-or-less recipes!

Happy Summer!

Because I have been given much

I spent the early morning hours reading a blog of a mother in Las Vegas who is grieving the death of her 14 month old daughter, Camille. She drowned two weeks ago in the family's hot tub (one they had for only 5 days!) Her blog is very open, raw and heartbreaking. I cried this morning as I read of her struggles, saw pictures of her beautiful girls and tried to understand how hard it would be to GO ON after such a tragedy.. Somehow she is doing it (day by day) and even though she's aching, she is able to share peace, hope and truth with the internet world. My love and prayers go out to Stephanie, Jon and their family. If you want to read more (get a box of Kleenex) their blog address is www.adailyscoop.blogspot.com We can ALL learn from her example and be inspired by her strength during this heartbreaking experience.

The first thing Ben did when he woke up this morning was run around the house to change the calendars. Time is flying by and I can't believe that in a few days I will have a seven year old. How did this happen? Have I really enjoyed this time when my boys are young or do I spend most of my day wishing I had more time to myself, feeling bad that I don't have a little girl, or hoping to lose the 10 pounds I've recently gained? Before I know it, my kids will be grown and out of the house and I will be wishing I had this time in my life back.. THIS time- when showering is a privilege, toilet cleaning is a must, and stepping on Transformers in the middle of the night is normal.

Even though I love my children more than anything, I find myself getting frustrated with the day to day stuff. Zack is back to square one potty-training and I am trying not to pull my hair out! After reading Stephanie's blog which is so poignant and touching, I realized that nothing in my life is really important, except for PEOPLE- and my children are at the top of that list. I am willing to steam clean my carpets every week or do a million loads of laundry in order for my family to feel loved, cherished and safe. All of the sudden, everyTHING seems less important and everything I do and say is much more significant and real.

In July's Ensign (a monthly magazine done by the Mormon Church) Elder Ballard, one of the Twelve Apostles, writes an article entitled Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet. I read this talk this morning and felt guilty for not making my Church and my testimony a bigger part of my blog. I realize that many who read this are not members of my faith, and I put little effort into sharing what I know to be true. It's such a HUGE part of my life that sometimes I take the knowledge that I have- and the peace that knowledge gives me- for granted. Today I feel as though I have been given a gift (or tender mercy) to see things in a different light.. what a difference it has made in my ordinary, day-to-day life!

I know that God lives and that He watches over me. He IS aware of us and knows us personally. He wants us to be happy and to find peace in our chaotic lives. I hope that I can strive to be more worthy of His blessings.. because they come daily.. even hourly. How grateful I am to have this knowledge in my life and have the capacity to share it with others. May we all count our blessings and be grateful for ALL that we have been given.