sweet success

that is such a lame title, but we did it. no sugary sweets for a month. last Thursday opened the door back up to treats and things and i've had a few delicious baked goods since then. but i have to say it was a very good experience. it turned out to be easier than i'd thought and it has helped curb my predictable desire for something sweet to eat. i don't need or even feel like a treat after every meal any more. so i'd say it was a successful experiment and i'd recommend it to a friend.

p.s. i should confess i had a Fruity Cheerio here and there and once, after i had made a peanut butter and honey sandwich for Ash, i made one for myself... in my weakness.

you, live in concert

if you could sing five songs to an adoring good-sized crowd with super sound, lights, and atmosphere what would they be? yes, you sound like you - only you know you'll hit all the right notes and you'll have whatever backup musicians/vocals you need.

here are mine:
1. Why? - Andrew Bird
2. Somebody to Love - Queen
3. Hard Road to Travel - Jimmy Cliff
4. Betting On Trains - Hem
5. Mushaboom - Fiest

feel free to post 'em (but not Postum) here or on your own blog.

Willy Krueger and the Chocolate Factory

i finally got our 2008 Johnson Film Fest entry up on YouTube. it's now available for everyone's enjoyment! spread the word... and the love.

the family that's sick together, sticks together

we must have made the gods angry something fierce.

Wednesday: English starts feeling a little sick, coming down with a cold?
Saturday: English still feels lousy. Ash has a pretty hot little head - a temperature of 103° - and is diagnosed with type A influenza. i get the chills and start feeling feverish. dreaded repetitive fever dreams plague the night.
Sunday: all three of us slog around the house moaning, coughing, whimpering, etc. (Ash's 17.5 pounds of sweet baby pie is so much heavier when i'm sick).
Monday: sore throat, chills, stuffy nose, coughing up junk... and it's 80° outside! more moping.
today: i'm feeling pretty much the same as yesterday. poor Ash has a mean cough (although it compels her to make the cutest little monster noises). English is on the mend.

sad, sad. i know. this is the first time we've all been sick at the same time and it's made for a few very rough days. my heart goes out to all the moms everywhere who have dealt with such miserable times. at least now i feel good enough to blog about my woes... that's got to count for something. and Ash has found a new place for hanging out: the computer desk.

the things that helped us through Y2K

remember all the fuss about Y2K? computers turning into scrambled eggs, airplanes refusing to take off, and DeLoreans covered in a sheet of ice showing up all over the world? remember how there were Y2K versions of everyday products, like Twinkies? the Twinkies box was all silvery-metallic with hot pink and pthalo blue swirls and maybe even a space motif (or maybe i just thought of space when i saw it). i think the marketing team was trying to help people envision the future (the unknown) with Twinkies (the well-known) and reassure us that we'd still have sweet, golden, cream-filled cakes, even if things didn't work out.

My Review of Extra Large Case - Size 2-3

i just ordered a bunch of diapers from Diapers.com - a first for me - since Ash's size isn't sold here in Eph (go figure). i decided to post a review of these dipes because the thought of reviewing diapers made me laugh. then after i posted the review the website gave me the option of posting my review directly to my blog. that made me laugh even more... so i did it.

Originally submitted at Diapers.com

Best diapers, hands down!

Extra Large Case - Sizes 2 & 2-3

By kel from Sanpete, UT on 4/9/2008

Pros: Adjustable Fit, Snug Fit, Soft, Highly Absorbent, Good Value
Best Uses: Infants, Toddlers, Newborn, Preemies

5out of 5

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

Pampers Swadlers truly are the best disposable diapers around and worth every penny. We've been using them from day one and for over a year now. We've used other diapers every now and then in a pinch and we're never satisfied. No leaks, keeps skin dry, soft and comfy feel and fit. Obviously we're huge fans.

house sitting: pros and cons

we were house sitting for our friends in Spring City last week while they were on a river trip down south. it's funny how house sitting is both a vacation and a job.

pros:
sweet hot tub
big screen TV (and the planet earth lent to us by jo)
walls filled with wonderful original art
lovely solarium/dining room/reading room
walks around town
lots of dogs, chickens, horses, geese, etc. for Ash to see
a little extra space for pals to come visit

cons:
not being able to find the right size pot or a bread knife
Ernie dog missing Lee like crazy and chewing up his dog bed
and the Dixon's dog bed
and the weed barrier tarps
and the porch curtains
and escaping a number of times

so it was pretty much just the dogs. but then again i can't say i never rebelled against the baby sitter either.


Ash - post nap, waking up slow in the solarium.

too close for comfort

Wal*Mart, Wal*Mart. oh, Wal*Mart.

so they're putting a service deli in the Wal*Mart here in Eph. they've got the usual big plastic curtains and plywood fort to let you know it's a construction zone. i'll admit i was pretty excited when i found out. heck, i might be able to buy fresh sliced hard salami and Havarti cheese in my very own town now. but here's the rub... in order make make room for more stuff in the same old Wal*Mart the isles are getting pushed closer and closer together - a problem Wal*Mart already struggles with. it's true, some isles you can't really feel a difference but others are barely wide enough to push a cart down. and others still are so close you have to shuffle down in a sort of side step. i'm not joking and i'm not exaggerating. how do you think i got my 3-pack of ankle socks?

one of the benefits of living in Utah is being near thee most beautiful slot canyons in the world. there's no need for merchandise slot canyons at the grocery store. it's pretty ridiculous. and thus my love/hate relationship with Wal*Mart deepens. to quote Johnathan Richman (who put on a great show last week), 'and i wish the worst for the place i shop.'

happy first birthday

a cake from scratch made by Mom and Dad, eaten very methodically.


we had one of these clocks when i was growing up and it was a major favorite. needless to say i was thrilled to see that Ash is a fan as well.

no sugar for a month

English and i have decided to avoid sugar for a month starting next Monday - after Ash's 1st birthday and Easter, of course. 'why?' you may ask. well, it's a good challenge. it's a healthy experiment. T.R. did it. i gained ten pounds over the winter. i have an insane sweet tooth, in other words i feel like a 'treat' after lunch and dinner almost every day. i heard it will transform me into a wonder woman full of strength and vigor. so we're giving it a try.

that means this week is the last week of sugary goodness. i made a batch of chocolate chip cookies yesterday and i'll be having birthday cake on Saturday, not to mention marshmallow Peeps, on Sunday. yeah, it's probably a bad idea to load up right before laying off but oh well.

i'll keep you posted.

Ephraim, Ephraim, it's a wonderful town!

Ephraim has a population of 4,500 when school is in session. it's small-town Utah and i've grown to like it even more than i had expected. indeed it is a wonderful town. but don't take my word for it. da nunt nunt. here are two inspiring articles from a recent edition of Snow College's student newspaper, The Snow Drift* (click image to enlarge) that echo my sentiments. believe me, it's worth the effort.


*The Snow Drift is a weekly paper and it's embarrassing. BYU's Daily Universe doesn't stand a chance. besides the lack of content and reoccurring themes - dating, sports, and the latest health risk - it is full of errors both small and large (e.g. featuring a photo of Snow's new president with the old president's name as the caption or headlining an interview with world-renowned local potter, Joe Bennion, with 'A Visit With Joe Bunion') every time. both entertaining and frustrating at the same time.

spill the purse

last fall one of my good friends gave me this little bag/purse. she brought it back from a killer sale in Maine. way cool. it's the first real purse i've had. in the last five years i've had little bags off and on but this is the first that can be called a purse (by the way, i hate the word 'purse'. not necessarily because of what it is or what it means but rather because of the way it sounds. purse, pamphlet, pouch - oh, and moist; all disgusting-sounding words). but i digress. upon cate's request i show you the contents of my purse.

wallet (indeed). sunglasses (especially). pile o' change (for all of the parking meters here in Eph). sharpie pen (always comes in handy). pretty boring and unrevealing, i know. i realize you were expecting something more and i don't want to disappoint. so i'll open my wallet and show you a collection i keep inside...


...my student ID cards from 7th - 12th grade. what a collection! you'd be surprised how many times i've pulled them out. they're quite the conversation piece. 10th grade is especially entertaining. i have a boy haircut, which i loved at the time, and i look a little dopey (livin' it up at Lagoon the night before). so there you have it.

if you have yet to spill your purse, feel free. it's been fun.

the red hat of courage

in anticipation for our upcoming adventures we're acclimatizing Ash to the tent. as we set it up in the front room this morning, Ash was very interested in the poles and things but once we got it up she was unsettled. i can't blame her. she came from a small, enclosed space not too long ago and i bet it's unnerving to crawl inside something that is reminiscent of the womb. so English and i got inside and eagerly demonstrated how much fun the tent is.

'hey look! this is great, Ash!' and
'woah! i'm having the time of my life!' and
'i don't feel scared or anything.'

she hemmed and hawed for a few minutes, whimpering at the door. she made a move to crawl in but changed her mind at the last minute, still unsure. but then she did the bravest thing i've seen - by anyone - in a long while. she mustered up the courage and crawled in - no looking back. i could tell it took a great amount of courage and i was way impressed.

once she was inside i picked her up and showed her the finer things in the tent: mesh windows and celing, nylon walls, little side pockets for storing things, like, say, a Kermit.

now, she's a pro. we're going to leave the tent up for a couple more days and i'm sure we'll have to get it out a few more times before heading out but we've made progress.

leap year lunch

"eating

is

fun,

eating

is

serious."

is that a Jones nose or what?

happy leap year... day... leap... day... today.

365

it's amazing what can happen in a year. i took this photo of my eight-months-pregnant belly a year ago today (those are my little feet below).


and here's Ash a couple days ago. she wears barrettes in her hair and pulls herself up on the couch and points at the clock and says 'ba' for 'please'. incredible.

this is real life.

101 posts: like i said, a bread snob

fact: this makes 101 posts from cheese on rye. wahooo, huzzah, and smackity-yam! it's been 2.3 years since we got this blog rolling and i'm still at it. swell!

fact: you cannot buy an above-average (or by my standards, good) loaf of bread in Ephraim. this, on the other hand, truly saddens me. so i've been back in the bread-making business for the last few months. well, technically it's not really a business i since i'm not selling it or anything. but English, Ash and i have been enjoying it (i'm baking some right this very moment) and if you feel so inclined, you can too. it's actually quite easy and i've all but perfected this recipe - Great Harvest is still rated #1 and i don't have the facilities to make a 48-loaf batch.
-
2 1/3 cups warm water (about 110º)
1 1/2 Tbsp. instant yeast
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. salt
3 3/4+ cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1. in a medium bowl mix the water, yeast, honey, salt, wheat germ and 1/4 cup of the flour with a wooden spoon.
2. place 3 3/4 cups flour in a large bowl. add the wet mixture and beat with wooden spoon for 5 minutes (i think it's easier to mix it with my hands once the wet is mostly incorporated). add another 1/3 - 2/3 cup flour* to make a moist, thick dough.
3. turn the dough onto a work surface that had been sprinkled with some flour. knead, adding only as much flour as necessary* to form a soft elastic (and still sticky) dough, about 5 minutes. *less flour is better.
4. form the dough into a ball and place in a very lightly oiled large bowl; cover with plastic wrap. let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5. heat oven to 375º. turn dough out on a very lightly floured surface. gently knead and shape dough into a loaf shape and place in a large loaf pan. cover with plastic wrap or clean towel and let rise until almost doubled in volume, about 20-30 minutes.
6. bake for 35-45 minutes (for a softer crust place foil over bread after 25 minutes). transfer the bread immediately from the baking pans to a wire racks to cool.

you can add sunflower, flax and a variety of other seeds, raisins, cinnamon, dried fruit, nuts, etc. to make different kinds of bread. add these ingredients at the end of step three.

House of Suds

we live diagonally across the street from a do-it-yourself car wash. you know the ones that have the high pressure water guns, foaming brush, spotless rinse... 11 functions in all. winter is pretty rough on cars with the salt and sand all over the roads so it stays pretty busy over there year round. plus, the other car wash in town fell victim of arson last fall when some butt-heads robbed the quarter machines and lit the place on fire. so the House of Suds has been hoppin' and we've been able to watch from the comfort of our kitchen window. we've been amazed at when people choose to wash their cars. we've seen people washing their cars:

• at 10:00pm on a cold winter's night
• at 6:00 am on a cold winter's morning
• while it's snowing - and showing no sign of stopping
• in 12 degree weather (that's 20 degrees below freezing)
• with the motor running
• at 1:00 am on a cold winter's night - and taking a pee while at it

these folks are nut cases, yeah? yeah.

paradise found and remembered

it was a balmy 64 degrees in St. George this weekend. it felt like paradise. English was attending a conference (where they fed him turkey sandwiches with American cheese and talked about service learning... sorry, love), while Ash and i basked in the warm sun as much as we could. the last time i felt this fondly of St. George was March of 1997 when my three best friends and i spent a long weekend hanging out, eating quite a bit as i recall, getting tans - or burns, rather - and dancing in an empty parking lot. it was spring break and it felt like paradise.


back to 2008: Saturday night the Holiday Inn hosted the junior prom. borrowed Cadillacs and shiny Hondas filled the parking lot. lucky for us we were staying at the Holiday Inn and i could unabashedly watch from the mezzanine as teens filed in, fidgeted, smiled, talked awkwardly, chewed gum, looked at their shoes and adjusted their satin formals. i probably enjoyed it more than i should have but man, it was fun.

English took me to junior prom in April of 1997 at the Utah State Capitol, which has terrible acoustics but fabulous backdrops. i still carry this group photo in my wallet.

it's a cruel, cruel winter

this time of the winter is hard. this is when withdrawal hits: Happy Holiday withdrawal, delicious-food-everywhere withdrawal, New Year freshness withdrawal (and of course serious warm-weather withdrawal). all of the skin cells that existed during those joyful times have been sloughed off and replaced by new, pale, bleak mid-winter cells and we ache. the sunlight coming from the south at an awkward angle creates drastic shadows and squinty afternoon drives. cold, dry air makes us cough as our nose hairs freeze. our bellies poke out and sag because of unwilling neglect and our skin can't get enough moisture.

this time of winter is hard. it's time for a small vacation to warmer climes.

this just in...

this is a major break through - especially since it's been snowing like crazy here.


okay, you're right. this isn't the cover of Science News. it's actually January's installment of the cute, crafty crapola (i say that in a very loving tone) that my visiting teacher drops by unannounced and at the strangest times. i leave any further comments to you.

ghosts of my past

last night i made a quick run to Wal*Mart to grab some generic brand NyQuil® for English. i got some bananas a flour and stuff like that too. it was pretty slow at the check out counters so i could have picked any lane. i was headed for lane 2 when the '10 Items or Less' cashier caught my eye and said 'i'm open'. now, this cashier happened to be one of my previous students... a student who basically missed the final and as a result earned a lousy grade in the class. but i wasn't going to let that bother me. as she was scanning my sensitive toothpaste and bagging my Fruity Cheerios we talked awkwardly about school and Ash and other things, and by the time i was pushing my cart by the 'goodbye greeter' i felt like a total jerk. as i drove home i tried to console myself by recounting the events of that final two semesters ago - how she showed up after it was pretty much over and so on - but it didn't help. all i could think of was her working the night shift at Wal*Mart and i felt really bad. so...why?