Mom of the Year

For some time now, I have been in the running for the mom of the year award. Some doubted and some speculated....but today it is official. I have long deserved it.

How? you ask.

Please refer to the April 10th post. It tells all.

It happened again.

A masters degree...

Jared has graduated with his master's degree. I am so proud of him. Here are a few pics.

Halli Droppings

I remember when my uncle got my brother to eat a deer dropping by telling him they were deer vitamin. To this day I don't know why that would entice him to eat one, but he did.

Today I had a flashback.

Halli's digestive system as of late has been rebelling against all of the solid foods I have been feeding her. I will stop there...no further explanation needed right? After I changed her diaper, I had to run in the other room to find something Jared needed in a hurry. When I came back into the living room, I found that Halli had opened that diaper (do you see where this is going?) and was eating...yes eating her "Halli droppings". This picture is very similar to the look I had on my face when I saw the atrocious scene.

Did you know you can find out quite the plethora of info from poison control? Apparently it isn't so bad to eat...never mind.

For the love of red vines

The Gottas and the Wannas

There is a dilemma I face each day. The dilemma is as follows: trying to find the balance between the gottas and the wannas.

Each day I do a lot of gottas, but wish I were doing the wannas, but if I do the wannas, I feel guilty that I'm not doing the gottas. You know what I mean...gottas include washing, cleaning, sweeping, paying, shopping, wiping, dressing, mopping, organizing, planning, sanitizing, folding, exercising and many other "ings".

The wannas are much more colorful and full of fun. Eating a bowl of ice cream, attacking that book I got from the library, taking a nap, working on the blog, talking on the phone, shopping for stuff we don't need, sitting down to play the piano, reading the funnies in the reader's digest, painting toenails, going out to lunch, and so on.

Now, this is the part of the blog where I sum up the problem and bundle it into a neat little solution...but to be honest...I don't have one. It is just one big gotta/wanna mess.



I better go clean.

Our Christmas card...if you will

Taelor's view

I think it is fasinating to see things through a child's eyes. The following picture is how Taelor feels the people and animals present at that first Christmas were positioned. You know...I think he just might be right.

Loving Lucy...Part II

About a month ago, I couldn't get a hold of Lucy. Every time I would call her, there would be no answer. For a 92 year old, you can imagine she doesn't get out a whole lot. With an abundant amount of naivete, I figured that I was missing her each time I called. How odd. Well, the "realistic" Chersten kicked in about the third time I called Lucy and she didn't answer. Something must have happened. I tried neighbors. I tried family. I even tried the obituaries. Nothing. I finally got a hold of an acquaintance and found out that Lucy had been put in a rest home...forgive me...a "retirement" center. I was shocked. Lucy is not the "retirement center" kind of gal. She thrives at home. She loves home. I went to visit her that day. When I walked into the room, I saw bits and pieces of her home...a nightstand, her brown couch, and the picture of her deceased daughter. When Lucy came out of her room, there was something missing. I realized that part of her had faded with the home she no longer occupied.

You see, Lucy is her flowers. Lucy is that can of pepsi hiding in her fridge. Lucy is the smile behind the tear. Lucy is the pictures of family and friends on her fridge. Lucy is the vacumm that you have to hold just a certain way in order for it to work. Lucy is the little black cat that comes each time she opens the door to take out the trash. Lucy is the sweet quotes all over her home. So what happens when these seemingly meaningless things are taken away? Part of Lucy is gone.

I visited her again a few days ago. After the visit, I felt sad as I walked down the long hall from her room.

I blinked back tears as I heard a t.v. blaring, ironically, I Love Lucy.

Friday Favorites

So, lately I have been thinking of all of the things I just love. I realized I am an odd specimen of a woman. I thought, kindly, that I could share a few of my favorites with you. Any of my Friday Favorites will have to measure up to pretty high marks in order to make it to the coveted Friday blog. They must make me very very happy. Uncannily so. So here, reader, is a glimpse into my world..the world of favorites...the world of happiness. (Please note that of course my family, the church, friends, and so on are on the top of my favorites. This is more of an eclectic gathering of favorites differing from the norm )


Today's Friday Favorites begins with Mr. Rodgers. It was one awe inspiring and life changing day that Mr. Rodgers introduced me to my favorite food combination. He took out a banana. He took out some cheese. Yes, my friends, he put them together. There is something truly magical about bananas and cheese. It has been a favorite of mine for many years...literally.



The other day, I was making dinner and realized (in horror) that Taelor had never had this delectable combo. So, toothpicks in hand I tried it on him. Mr. Picky LOVED them!!! It was a momentous occasion. I was passing the torch onto a new generation. My shoulders are now a little more square and I stand a little taller. Someone, in this vast universe, likes bananas and cheese just like me (and Mr. Rodgers). I am at peace. Thank you PBS!! (Or was it KBYU?)