ohiolanges

Last Day of School!

2011-06-08T08:25:00.003-04:00

Today was everyone's last day of school. For Grace-it was her last day of elementary school! Grace received the presidential academic award yesterday at the fourth grade award ceremony. She has earned all As on her report card and did very well on the standardized testing. Her favorite part of every school day - has been her math class. Her teacher exudes excitement for learning and loves Grace. And if you love Grace - she will love you back and think you are the best!

Tanner will be a first grader when he gets off the bus today! I am so excited for him and all the things he has learned this year. His favorite part of school has been recess. Especially outdoor recess - where he chases girls. Mostly one girl. I hope it is good exercise. Maybe we should talk to him about the $500 kissing challenge this summer. . .

Hannah and Eliza are taking finals today. No parties or kickball tournaments for them today. But there will be relief when they come home. 3 months of freedom ahead. Time to make summer goals. . . There are some from last year that we didn't finish! Let summer begin!

Impulse Purchase

2011-05-16T22:33:00.003-04:00

Hannah and I love to stop in at a nearby antique mall. Today we were looking for a nightstand for her room. But she found these lovely dresses instead. The funny thing is -- I remember having a pink dress very similar to this when I was about 5. I don't remember why - but I remember a picture of a wedding party and the bridesmaids were all in sherbet colored lace dresses with shiny satin bows. I will have to call Mom and see if any of this memory is true?

As the girls tried them on - they both complained about the smell. The antique mall has a smell to it. But as I walk down memory lane, listening to 60's music and point out to Hannah - all the things my grandparents, parents and aunts and uncles owned - we bond. She is in the process of re-decorating her room. Most everything in it - we bought second-hand and it has been re-done in some way. I will have to post pictures when we are finished - but I am always amazed at the things she loves and her ideas for making old things new.

Where should they wear these? If only we had found these beautiful dresses before prom!

Tanner's Soccer Fans

2011-05-16T22:16:00.003-04:00

Tanner is playing soccer. I know its not supposed to be funny but I think at this age it is. At this game we watched Tanner down his entire water bottle during the first of 6 periods. In this league they don't keep score - but Tanner and his teammates know that they have won every game - by a landslide. And Tanner is a head taller than everyone on the field. He has learned a lot and its fun to see them actually pass the ball to each other and move the ball down the field to score. But often - kids are going the wrong way. Some get tired and sit down. Some are still afraid of the ball. It is funny. I hope we don't offend any one with all our laughter. Mom and Dad and Rudy were in town and got to cheer Tanner on this week. And laugh a little too.

Brownies and Memories

2011-04-10T22:28:00.003-04:00

My Grandma Rhees was known for many wonderful things - and one of them was her homemade brownies. They are more cake-like and the frosting is really the best part of them. About a year before she died - she told me that sometimes - she just used a cake mix and didn't go to the trouble of making them from scratch. So for the few times I have made them in the last few years - I just used a cake mix. And they were good. My kids loved them. People we had for dinner loved them.

But today - I had some buttermilk on hand and I made the recipe from scratch. And they were so much better. As I ate a chilled one over the kitchen sink, tears flowed and the memories of Grandma's Brownies filed through my brain. I never actually saw Grandma make the brownies - they were just always there when we arrived - waiting for us on the back porch on top of the dryer. Usually 2 large trays of them. One with pecans in the frosting and one without. I liked the ones without.

During my college years - Grandma's house was a place of refuge. If I needed to study, or get away from drama or cry over a relationship - I would go to Grandma's. I talked to her about everything. She knew what I was excited about - she knew my disappointments - she knew my friends. She knew me. And she loved me no matter what. The brownies today reminded me of that.

Sirens

2011-02-25T17:05:00.004-05:00

Sirens were going off about thirty minutes ago. And they caused a knot in my stomach. My oldest child, who recently got her drivers licence has my 2 youngest in the car with her. They are running an errand and getting frosties. So how long will sirens make me feel like this? Will it be the same amount of time I spent gritting my teeth and gripping the door while she learned how to drive? Or will this feeling last until they all leave for college?

Lost Child

2011-02-23T12:21:00.003-05:00

I haven't really lost her - but she has pointed out that the blog is definitely missing her presence! So this is for Eliza. I want her to feel loved and not left out! These are some of my favorite pictures of her. Each picture shows a small part of her personality.

Eliza shows her emotions. Her face - cannot hide what she is thinking or feeling. Lucky for us - her gorgeous smile indicates her most often expressed emotion - joy. Eliza laughs easily. If I were to make a soundtrack of my life - it would include her laugh (as well as the sound of her gagging every time she brushes her teeth!)

Eliza Is not afraid of imagination. From the time she was little - Eliza could use her imagination to keep herself entertained for hours! Now that she is older - she uses her imagination to entertain others.

Eliza loves to read. This picture was taken on the day she dared to cut off most of her hair. She was bold to do it. But after it was done -- she went back to her reading. Her favorite gift this year was a kindle. She is usually happiest when she is in the middle of a great book/story. This picture makes me smile.

20 years ago. . .

2011-02-21T14:16:00.003-05:00

Twenty years ago this week, Steve and I flew from Utah to Albany, NY so that Steve could meet my parents. At Christmas time, a few months earlier - I had submitted my mission papers -- so my parents were quite concerned when I called the stake president and asked him to hold the papers. Steve was the reason. So they wanted to meet him. Little did they know that he had a ring in his pocket and wanted to propose to me while we were home.

The first night we were there - I fell asleep on the sofa and my parents asked Steve if they could talk to him. ( He claims that he asked to speak to them . . . ) So the three of them gathered in my parents bedroom to have a conversation. He wanted their help in the proposal and they wanted to talk him out of it. They talked about all the education he could complete while I was on a mission. They were concerned about his major in English and stated desire to be a poet. (I don't think he was ever really serious about that career track.) He talked about how much he loved me and his plan to ask me to marry him while we were in the Sacred Grove the next day. They tried - but they couldn't talk him out of it.

And I am so thankful. The next day we drove to Palmyra, NY and toured the sites there. After a visit to the Grandin building and a hike up Hill Cummorah, we went to the Sacred Grove. Snow was falling. We walked out into the trees and Steve pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him. He was afraid that the ring would fall into the snow -- I was nervous about breaking the news to may parents. I had no idea that they knew what was happening. . .

So we were married 6 months later in the Salt Lake City Temple. And life has been good. So good. And my parents love Steve. And I love him more than I did 20 years ago. So much more.

Christmas decorations still up!

2011-02-16T11:39:00.001-05:00

This is the last of my Christmas decorations.

The other decorations all came down by January 2nd but I love this door of Christmas cards. I love seeing most of the people I love in one place. I haven't seen many of these people in years! Some, we see only once a year. But I love, love, love them. Usually, I just place the cards in in a basket. But this year the pictures went on the pantry door in our kitchen so we could see them every day. I will miss them but I guess it's time to say goodbye. Until Christmas. . .

P.S. I have handpicked all of my children-in-law off this wall. I'm just now beginning to see why my Mom and her friends used to fantasize about their children marrying each other. I am blessed that we don't believe in arranged marriages. . . but at this point in my life as a mother -- it is sounding like a good idea. I guess I will just have to trust my children - the way my parents did.

Daddy-Daughter Dance

2011-02-14T11:19:00.002-05:00

This was Steve's 10th and last Daddy-Daughter dance at the elementary school. Grace was his gorgeous date! Before the dance - we invited some of Grace's friends and their dads over for dinner. It was fun to see all the couples dressed up for the luau theme. These girls are all so blessed to have wonderful dads who show them what a good man is!

You Can Thank Me Later

2011-01-25T11:22:00.003-05:00

This has been the snowiest winter I can remember. Not necessarily in inches. But in number of days there has been snow on the ground. I haven't done the research to back it up - so don't quote me on this. I just wanted to let all of the people in central Ohio to know that there will be no more snow this year. How do I know? Today I bought a second snow shovel.

Ever since the first snow fall this year - we have lamented that we didn't have a second shovel. This is a great thing because it means more people in the family are actually willing to use the shovel! But I decided to not have the conversation again - so when I passed the depleted snow shovel aisle at Meijer today - I carried one to the check-out. And I'm really hoping I don't have to use it!

The Week

2011-01-18T19:14:00.000-05:00

Everyone in our family, who can read, enjoys reading The Week. We all have our favorite sections. The articles are short which cater to my short attention span. It covers a little of everything and the politics are pretty balanced which allows for me and Steve to both find value in it. The news and articles are great conversation starters around the dinner table. Some are fluff. Some help us know what is happening on the other side of the world. Some help give insight to family members. Hannah just told us about an article about procrastination. We asked her about it and she said she started it but then decided to finish it later. . .

Steve found a great quote in the latest edition by P.J. O'Rourke

Recently my teenage daughter was complaining, “Life is not fair, life is not fair.” I got fed up. I said, “You’re cute. That’s not fair. You’re smart – that’s not fair. Your family’s well off –that’s not fair. You were born in the U.S. – that’s not fair. Darling, you better get down on your knees and pray that things don’t start getting fair for you.”

Love it. I am printing it out in a large font and placing it on the fridge.

Better Late than Never

2011-01-16T19:37:00.004-05:00

The best day of 2010 was the day that Hilary and Miles were married. The entire Lange clan was together. The setting was fantastic and the weather was perfect. But the most glorious part was this amazing couple. Miles was the happiest groom I have ever seen and Hilary was the most beautiful bride ever.

Tanner thought the party was for him. He danced from the minute he finished his dinner until the music stopped. The girls had a blast with their cousins. The kids made the night unpredictable. The ring bearer picked his nose. The family photo is missing a very important member who could not be bribed to be in the picture. My son asked in a very loud voice why there was goose poop all over. It was wonderful. Really it was. Thank you Hilary and Miles for the best day of 2010!

Hallelujah!

2010-12-04T00:15:00.002-05:00

One of my best memories of high school choir is singing this music with a large crowd. Chills every time.

Best $500 I Ever Spent

2010-12-03T09:59:00.003-05:00

I've been pondering whether or not to share this happy news because in some parenting and psychology circles this may be looked at as bad parenting or just bad living. Some may even call it betting or bribing which is not something I condone. I don't even do raffles at school functions or support the bingo for money fundraisers. But this girl accepted a bet/bribe from her parents. And on her 16th birthday we had to pay up.

When Hannah and Eliza were 11 and 12 we made a deal with them. If they made it to the age of 16 without kissing a boy - we would pay them $500. If they make it to 18 - they get another $500. Hannah has assured us this will be the only payout. Eliza declared that she will get the full $1000. Eliza asked us if there could be a payout at an even later date. We made it clear that kissing and boys are something we do want for her future. Just not now.

Our goal is that our children will highly value their kisses and more importantly their hearts. We could just teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves. But I have to say - that $500 has been a great conversation starter about relationships and standards. And we have talked A LOT about the types of boys to date. (That is another post - let's just say that when Steve starts in on this one - the girls roll their eyes and I smile to myself because I know it is embedded in their brain.) There is a very true reason our prophets have urged our children to not date before they are 16 and to not be in serious relationships until later. The world teaches our youth that intimacy is to be experienced at a young age - that it is part of growing up. I am grateful for prophets who guide our lives towards simplicity and happiness.

Thankful

2010-11-23T11:38:00.002-05:00

In seminary this week, we have been making a list of our blessings. I have 35 people/things on my list right now and could add a hundred or more. But at the top of my list are my Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. They each have a significant role in helping me get where I want to go after this life. And the next 5 things on my list are:

THEM

and HIM!
I love my life because of them. I get crazy because of them. I laugh a lot, thanks to them. I have so much to be thankful for because of them. So, on Thursday as we celebrate Thanksgiving and go around the room and talk about our blessings this year - I will talk about them. And I will do my best to tell them and show them that I love them every day after that. Happy Thanksgiving!

I know this is True

2010-11-04T09:08:00.000-04:00

Unexpected Fun

2010-10-12T10:31:00.004-04:00

Our family was planning a great conference weekend. We were all hanging out with my parents who were coming up for one last visit before they start their new calling at the temple in Birmingham. We were going to hang out in our sweats all weekend and listen to the timely messages we needed to hear. Hannah had invited some friends over to watch movies Saturday night. But then our plans changed. Hannah was elected to homecoming court and our nice relaxing weekend got pretty busy and a little crazy.

These two lovelies are part of a large cheering team my girls are blessed with. They teach them at church and listen to their worries and encourage them to stay on the straight and narrow. They came to the stadium on Friday to see Hannah walk across the field. Jenny and Amanda's husbands are great too. Their sacrifice of time does not go unnoticed.

Steve was in New York on Friday. There were storms on Friday and the airport was flooded. We prayed and prayed. But Steve did not make it home in time to walk with Hannah across the field. He did make it home safely. For that we were grateful. I was happy to get this picture of them together before she went to the dance and he went to the Priesthood session of conference. He deserves all the credit for her dress. He is the one who took her shopping the Saturday before. Have I mentioned that he is a super-shopper and I am not? I also cannot say enough that Steve is a great Dad. Not only does he shop with his girls - but he really enjoys being around them. And it shows. Hearing them all laughing in the kitchen as they swap stories and jokes is one of my favorite sounds.

Grace and Grandma at the football game. We noted that since Brock has been on a mission, Grandma has not been to a football game. We stayed long enough to see Hannah and as long as the Birmingham blood would allow. Grandma brought with her our favorite sweets from Savage Bakery. She also spent all of her 28 hours in our home - making it better. She folded laundry, cleaned and talked and listened to Tanner, Grace, Eliza and Hannah. AND ME.

Dad and me with Hannah. I was so happy Dad was there - so I didn't have to walk across the field alone. It was nice to have someone to laugh with when we saw Hannah's heels sinking into the grass as she walked in front of us down the 50 yard line. She wobbled a bit but laughed her way through it. While Dad was not on official homecoming duty - he took each of the kids on a date to their favorite places. And put several puzzles together with Tanner. He was busy!

Thanks to this boy, David, Hannah didn't fall on the field. They have been friends for a few years and was kind to be her escort.

It wasn't the weekend that we had expected. But it was fun to see Hannah honored this way.

Indian Run

2010-10-11T15:50:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Steve, Eliza, Grace and I "ran" the Indian Run in Hocking Hills. We arrived there around 9 am to check in. When I told the lady at registration who we were she oohhhed and ahhed and informed me that they had been talking about us the day before when they were preparing the registration packets. She couldn't believe that such a big family was running the race together. I couldn't believe that Steve and I with half of our children were considered a big family. She then told me that they had informed the media about us and they would likely like to talk to us. We got a good laugh over that and then loaded the bus to go to our starting point.

Our friends, Emily and Richard ran the 10k. Eliza and Steve ran the 5k. My friend Katie and I took Grace and her friends and hoped to briskly walk the 5k. 3 minutes into the race, one skinned her knee and had blood oozing all over. One wanted to stop and watch the fish jumping in the lake. On our way through the campground part of the trail, we stopped to ask for a bandaid. While there - we saw the bathrooms and decided to stop. Grace tells everyone that I dragged her over the finish line - she was so tired. So our brisk walk turned into some of the longest 5k finishes known to man. I think we beat the 60 year old couple who had a baby in a back pack.

So about the media. Steve crossed the finish line and a reporter approached him. She was sorely disappointed that we weren't all running together. Her photo-op moment was not going to happen. But I love this picture. It was a great day.

T is for Tanner

2010-09-14T22:34:00.003-04:00

Tanner has a lot to tell me these days because we are not together for 3 hours every day while he is at school. He is always anxious to tell me about school and the friends he made that day. His one problem is that he can never remember their names - or perhaps he never asked them in the first place. Tonight at dinner - the girls were asking him if he found out the name of a particular girl he had been talking about. He said he asked her her name but it was "complicated". The girls started to throw out names with 3 or more syllables. They all sounded like Rumpelstiltskin trying to guess the friends name. After a few minutes of guessing and laughing - Tanner pipes up with, "I think her name was Anne or something like that."

Tanner came in the house from jumping on the trampoline today and declared: "I am not going to military school!" I tried to find out where this idea came from but he wouldn't say anymore. He got a drink of water and went back outside.

Tonight, we were driving to the church, in the dark to pick up the girls from church. He started singing a song that sounded like a game show theme song and then rapidly fired off words he wanted me to define. He started with "cute" and "darling". He then moved on to damn and piehole. I gave him a definition for dam that included cement, logs and a stream or river turned into a lake. He then asked if there is another dam. I asked him why and he told me that there is a song he knows and that he thought the words to it were: "my damn partner is a monkey" but someone told him those are not the correct words. The correct words are: "my gym partner is a monkey".

So now - I get to wonder where he was singing about his damn partner loud enough for someone to correct him? My apologies to whoever it was and to the parents of any friends to whom he taught that song. He knows better now and hopefully won't do it again.

Comfort and Joy

2010-09-14T00:01:00.003-04:00

On Saturday I was getting ready to go to a seminary teacher training meeting at the institute building. I was kind of dragging my feet. I told Steve that I anticipated the first hour - to be a discussion of questions the first year teachers have about the way to run a seminary class.

I WAS a new seminary teacher 2 years ago and could hardly wait to get to the meeting to get answers to my many questions. But now I am a third year seminary teacher. We have our routine. I love the kids. And study like crazy and hope the Holy Ghost will teach them every morning.

What I needed was - more than details on how to run a seminary class (there are lots of details!) -- I had been praying for comfort and joy. I have been letting myself be dragged down by some things going on around me that are out of my realm of responsibility and control. I was feeling heavy-hearted.

For 1 hour and 50 minutes of the meeting, we discussed procedures, tasks, and ideas about how to best run a class. I tried to contribute where I could -- but in a room full of people - I have a difficult time raising my hand and speaking. But I did. And I brought home a few ideas I am going to try. But as I looked at the clock and saw that the time was about over - I was disappointed that we hadn't spent very munch time in the scriptures - discussing doctrine or our Savior.

But then a question came that caused Brother Burton to stop and open his scriptures and remind us that the gospel is to be taught and lived with joy. He read from Mosiah 2:40 and 41:

40 O, all ye ^aold men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a^bremembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression.

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ^ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are ^bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out ^cfaithful to the end they are received into ^dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

The spirit whispered to me that I needed to loosen my grip on my worries for my friends problems and to dedicate my thoughts more to the blessings of living the gospel. Blessings are all around me. The joy of the gospel is not reserved for after judgement. We can experience joy now. I am so thankful for the multiple examples of people around me who live the gospel and recognize their blessings.

I am grateful that I received the comfort and understanding that I needed. My heart is lighter. I know my Father in Heaven knows me and knew about my worries and my desire to feel joy. I love that the scriptures that are for everyone - can feel so personal.

Ahhhh. . . Quiet.

2010-08-30T12:54:00.002-04:00

I am alone in my house for the first time since the end of May. I have so many things that I need to do. But I'm just going to sit here for a minute and enjoy the silence.

Praying for our Enemies

2010-05-19T12:11:00.003-04:00

Enemy is is too strong of a word to really use here - but it does remind me of the scripture that I will liken to Tanner.

There is a bully in Tanner's preschool class. Every day, we hear tales of this boy and the ways he has hurt members of the class. I am not sure that he means to hurt the other children. But he spends a lot of time in time out and I know the teachers are really trying to direct his energy toward good things.

Sunday night, after reading stories, Tanner said a prayer. In his prayer he prayed for this boy, that he would learn to be nice and that he would be gentle with everyone. When his prayer was over and we opened our eyes, he looked at me with his big brown eyes and asked if it was Ok to pray that this boy would be nice.

The following Monday, Tanner came home from school and told me that the bully was still a bully and his prayer didn't work. I told him to give it time - and was happy that night when Tanner included him in his prayers again. I hope he will always have that kind of faith.

Note:

I wrote the above several weeks ago. Since then, Tanner had his preschool graduation. During the graduation the bully kicked Tanner in the toe and would have kicked him in the shin if my friend, Melissa hadn't jumped out of her seat and removed the boy from Tanner. It made Tanner's praying for him all the more heart-warming. Maybe enemy was not too strong a word. It is funny that we ask children to do so many things that we don't do as adults - like share toys. And call people who kick you your friends.

Mothers of My Grandchildren

2010-05-05T23:20:00.006-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to my Mother, Mother in Law, Grandmother and all the women who have influenced me and my children. I see so much incredible goodness and hope in my children. I am eternally grateful to you, who have taught them the gospel, shared with them your testimonies of our Savior and directed their thoughts to the temple and eternal families.

I want my children to have joy in their lives and the greatest joy I know - is being a mother. I am not the kind of mom that weeps at the bus stop when my kindergartner climbs the steps of the bus for the first time. I don't treasure bouquets of dandelions or even pretend to. I rarely bake cookies and I have major life plans for when they all leave the LTC (Life Training Center). I can't bring myself to call our home a nest. It would imply that I feed them often while they just sit there and do nothing.

I used to feel inferior to the Hallmark Moms. And sometimes in conversations, I will not speak out about my different reactions or feeling about motherhood. It is easier to nod my head and smile.

I don't want to freeze time and keep my children where they are. This life is a place of learning. I want them to experience the joy of continuous learning. Because that is what I do as a mother to my four. I have been forced to stretch because of them. I have been challenged to remember who I am and what is important in this life numerous times because of them. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone because of them. I am ME because of them. I have had to rely on my Savior because of them. And without Him I am nothing.

I have learned that He doesn't care if I cry when they get on the bus - but he will comfort me when I water my pillow at night as I pray for their testimonies to be strengthened. He doesn't care if I bake cookies every day - but he wants me to make sure they are spiritually fed, and teach them where to feast and find living water. He doesn't care if I pretend to like dandelions - but he begs me to recognize the divine nature of my children and love them as he does.

Every time I talk to my Mom on the phone, she reminds me how lucky I am to spend every day with my children. I love her for that. Because she knows. She knows me well enough to know that I need reminding and she knows them well enough to speak truth.

Press play for video. It's really there

New Calling

2010-05-04T13:33:00.005-04:00

We heard this news last week. We know it will mean fewer pop-in visits from them - but it couldn't be for a better reason. They have both done so much to teach me about the temple - I know they feel at home there. I know our family will be blessed because of their service.

Kent Rigby Van Kampen, 73, Hoover Ward, Bessemer Alabama Stake, called as president of the Birmingham Alabama Temple, succeeding President Malcolm D. Otis. President Van Kampen's wife, Geniel Rhees Van Kampen, will serve as temple matron. A sealer in the Birmingham Alabama Temple, he has previously served as a counselor in the Birmingham Alabama Temple presidency, stake president's counselor, mission president's counselor, bishop and high councilor. The chief operating officer and president of Vaxin Inc., he was born in Brigham City, Utah, to Rudolph Lincoln and Afton Frances Rigby Van Kampen.

Sister Van Kampen, a stake Relief Society president and temple ordinance worker, has served as an assistant to the matron of the Birmingham Alabama Temple and as ward Relief Society, Young Women and Primary president. She was born in Ogden, Utah, to Reuben George and Thelma Ward Rhees.

Night of Miralces Two

2010-05-01T15:34:00.003-04:00

Eagles music was playing. Balloons were waving in the breeze. Children laughing. Adults hugging. It was like a huge family reunion. I didn't know everyone who was there - but everyone knew Jay and Susan. And that is why they came. I always knew Jay and Susan touched the lives of a lot of people. But this week I realized how many lives they have changed.

This was a night of joy.

We had fasted and prayed for good weather. It got a little dark and windy at start time. But a few more private prayers were said and the weather improved. Around 10 pm as we finished cleaning up . . . the rain began to fall.

A Night of Miracles

2010-05-01T14:10:00.006-04:00

The day after Jay had his surgery (and 2 days after he and Susan sold their home) their daughter Alli, called me. She wondered if we could do some kind of dinner in conjunction with a furniture auction to raise money for Jay's medical expenses and get rid of things they would not need when they move to Salt Lake. This was on a Saturday. I called two people. Cam and Sheila Green had all the energy and ideas to get this thing rolling. By Monday, there were 8 or so committe heads and many more working on this project. I can't even begin to name everyone who helped. So many people offered services to auction, baked goods to sell, a sound system, food. Countless. Wonderful. Marvelous. People.

After a week of planning, most things were in place. We fasted and prayed for good weather. And then we watched the miracles unfold.

And the people came.

And we raised enough money to cover the deductible.

It was these two beautiful ladies who came up with the idea.

Alli (with son, Maddux) and Lacey

Most people who came, got a hug from this incredible lady, and lucky ones got to talk to Jay. When we were talking about the plans for the night, we joked about making a booth for Susan to sit in. We could call it the hugging booth. Grace said that she would stand in line and pay for that one. We all would have.

Jay and Susan

2010-04-13T03:58:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Steve and I were able to attend the temple with a lot of our ward members. Some dear friends, who were baptized last year were in the temple for the first time. The temple is always a glorious place to be - but being there with loved ones is a celestial experience. Several of my friends who are my family here in Ohio were sitting on a sofa watching the group hug and greet one another. We questioned if this is what "heaven" would be like. We were filled with joy. Pure joy.

Several days later, while sitting in the New Orleans airport I received a phone call from Jenny Wood. She asked if I had heard about Jay. I had not. She let me know that our dear friend/neighbor had been diagnosed with colon cancer and that he was going to have surgery soon. Over the past week, we have been on a roller coaster. Good news. Bad news. Good Days. Tear-filled, feeling helpless days.

I know the calm and joy that we felt in the temple, strengthened us for the week we had ahead. The remembering of our covenants gives us hope in a time such as this.

Jay had surgery. You can read his story if you click on the button at the top of my blog. What you can't read there is why we love Jay and Susan. I could write 40 entries on why we love Jay and Susan. Maybe I will later - but this is a start:

On our first visit to Ohio to look for a house, Jay met us in the hallway of the church. He told us that he had found the perfect street and builder and encouraged us to move there. We laughed. But I remembered him and his advice. We ended up moving to Pickerington , about about a mile from Jay and Susan. Our first 4 years of living here, Jay and Susan were ward members that we interacted with through callings - teaching each other's children, and more or less admiring them from afar. Susan was Grace's nursery leader and we knew she was special. But our interaction was just on Sundays.

Fast forward a few years. 3 bedroom house. Tanner, child number 4 on the way. We were looking for a larger home. Jay's advice and encouragement from our first meeting came to mind as I drove past a home for sale on their street. We moved in. As the housing prices have tumbled and other good friends have moved away - I have questioned our decision to move here. But then a vision of Jay and Susan come to mind - and I know we made the right decision.

Susan and Jay have embraced my children as their own. My children have traditions at their home. Grace and Tanner arrive at their home. Susan pulls out a big bin of candy. Tanner pulls out a yellow Laughy Taffy. Susan reads the joke on the wrapper. Jay walks in. He grabs some candy, jokes with the children. Jay entertains Tanner by playing fuseball or playing air guitar to Eagles music. Grace tells Susan all about her day at school. Susan listens. Grace tells her one thing she learned that day. Tanner and Grace come home happy.

Come home happy. That is what we do when we are with Jay and Susan. It is kind of like being at the temple. We come home happy. We know we are loved.

Easter Lesson

2010-03-29T21:53:00.002-04:00

Tanner has had several Easter lessons this week. At school, at home and at church. He's not really grasping that Jesus was killed. When his teacher in primary talked to his class about Jesus being nailed to the cross - Tanner questioned why they didn't use tape.

Little Women

2010-03-25T23:27:00.003-04:00

Tonight, I took my girls to see the musical "Little Women" at Pickerington Central. We know some of the students in the play. So you might say I am biased - but it was awesome!

I was greatly surprised by the humor in the script and the acting and singing were great. So if you live close by - I highly recommend it! It is playing Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Goodbye February

2010-03-01T13:03:00.003-05:00

It has been a long month. I know it is really the shortest month of the year. But February 1st was 4 snowstorms, 5 snow days and 28 days of little sun ago. Each of these pictures deserves a post but the month is over and I need to let February go. It is time to move on.

We ended the month with a bang. We had about 20 seminary students over for dinner and a movie. We watched "The Testament." I loved our discussion after the movie. I had prepared to focus on the students and their joy of living close to our Savior. Very quickly the discussion turned to their desire to share the gospel with their friends. They always exceed my expectations. These kids are amazing.

The most life changing experience of the month took place when Tanner realized that he loves being out in the snow and loves sledding. It was wonderful to watch him and Grace go sledding on the hill in our backyard. Five is a magical age. He is able to do so many things on his own now. I love it!
I believe this has been the snowiest February on record for central Ohio. We had a total of 5 snow days, 2 two-hour delays and one early dismissal. Steve came home early (5pm) one night and spent the evening on the hill with the kids. Eliza and I stayed inside sipping hot chocolate. We were all happy.
Grace and Steve attended the Father-Daughter dance at Grace's school. There is always a theme and my dear husband is always so good to dress the theme. He has dressed up like a guy form the 50s, 60s, and has been a cowboy and a movie star. This year's theme was a night in the Orient. Steve and Grace enjoyed dinner with several friends before the dance. I hope my girls will always be this wise in who they choose to date.

Forgotten Fun

2010-02-11T21:18:00.003-05:00

We moved into this house 5 years ago. Tanner was a baby and had major throw up issues. Anytime he cried - he projectile vomited. We dutifully cleaned everything the best we could - but after a year of lots of throw-up and spilled milk - our carpet looked and felt horrible.

I co-hosted a baby shower at my house and was so happy when my friend, Catherine blew up 50 balloons and just threw them on my floor. It covered up the mess and I was tempted to keep the balloons there permanently.

We made a plan to replace the family room carpet when Tanner turned 5. We assumed by then it would be safe. So during the fall, we shopped for carpet and found the softest carpet we could in our price range. It took a while to get the carpet in - so we anticipated the change for about a month.

The weekend before the carpet was put in - Hannah and her friends colored a little bit on the old carpet and then colored a lot on it with permanent marker. They were giddy. It was like watching 3 year olds finger paint for the first time. The next morning, Tanner was shocked to see the carpet colored - but anxious to add his own picture. Everyone who entered our home that weekend - signed the carpet. I loved looking at it for the 48 hours we had until it was changed. I don't think we will start a trend (I love my new soft carpet) but the markered carpet was so much more fun to look at than the boring, awful, stained carpet we lived with for 4 years. Maybe I should have let them color it earlier.

By the way, Tanner christened the carpet about a month ago when he had the flu. Thanks to stainmaster - it cleaned up beautifully.

Snow Day!

2010-02-09T11:01:00.003-05:00

Second Snow day of the school year. I'm already at "make your own hot chocolate and I'm taking a nap" mode. Perhaps, I would be in a better mood if the school district would call the snow day before my poor seminary students made their way to my house. Most of my own children were wide-awake and ready to go for the day. Perhaps I am grumpy because my sweetheart may get stuck in NYC tonight. Preemptive worry, disappointment and grumpiness are my downfall. I think the Book of Mormon calls them "vain imaginations."

So I am taking a deep breath and changing my mood and locking myself in my room to read a new book, Jenny sent me. The book is "Left to Tell" about the Rwandan holocaust. Not a happy-go-lucky kind of book - but an incredible story of hope during worse things than a snow day. I think my children will be glad I did. Thanks Jenny for the escape that I need today!

Never Too Late

2010-02-03T10:44:00.003-05:00

Is this too late to remember Christmas? Holy Moly, I think there are still some Christmas trees lit - and there are still Christmas lights up around town - so I will not feel bad about this.

We went to Alabama for Christmas. We usually go there right after Christmas - but this year all of my siblings were going to be there.

Can you see the beautiful weather? Even with the colder than usual temperatures - it was still a break from the Ohio gray winter we love here.
This is the whole family at "Dreamland". Great BBQ in Birmingham. They claim to be the best - but we have never really tested that claim for ourselves. . . maybe a project for our next trip!
Christmas morning. We were all excited to talk to Brock who is in the Philippines on a mission for our church. Tanner was as patient as he could be while the Stringhams talked to Brock, and he waited to open presents. Breakfast was a good distraction. Grandma and Grandpa have always had a big breakfast on Christmas morning that had to be cooked, eaten and cleaned up before we could open presents. They tried to teach me patience and the excitement of anticipation. I mostly remember having a stomach ache. Steve and I have modified the tradition a bit. But it was fun to experience it as a parent.
On Christmas Eve, we had a surprise visit from Santa! He gave all the grandkids Alabama t-shirts and listened to their wish lists. Everyone was so happy to see him and talk to him.

The best part of the visit was hearing the cousins all laughing together and enjoying each other. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great Christmas!

Spiritual Communication

2010-01-24T18:49:00.003-05:00

Our Relief Society Lesson today, was about seeking spiritual guidance. It was based on a talk by Elder Scott, given at the October General Conference. Several people shared wonderful stories that had dramatic consequences because they listened to the spirit. I have very few of those stories in my life.

While sitting there, I had the feeling I get when I need to share my testimony, and I didn't raise my hand. I was completely sure of what the spirit was prompting me to share, but I let the opportunity pass, thinking it was nothing of significance to anyone in the room. But now I have been thinking about it for a couple of hours. And I realize I do this a lot. Because I get nervous speaking in groups, even friendly groups like my sisters in relief society - I don't like to. Even when the spirit is prompting me.

So I realized that I needed this lesson for many reasons. And I will be pondering this talk and the things I heard a lot this week. However, when I think of what I know I was supposed to share - my heart begins to race and I am hoping that if I write it down here - I can be relieved of this feeling of failure to follow the spirit.

Several weeks ago, I was kneeling in prayer, asking for help with one of my children. I didn't know how to help her. As I prayed, I used the same words I have said a thousand times, "please guide her. . . please guide me. . . please help me. . ." I distinctly knew that I was asking for the wrong thing. The spirit gently whispered, "I am always guiding her, I am always helping you. You need to pray that you will understand and follow the direction I give."

I was given a new understanding. And I have been striving to listen more and understand more.

Obviously, from my experience today in Relief Society, I am still working on this.

I love this part of my church. I love that we discuss gospel principles with each other. I love that I leave there wanting to try a little harder and do a little better.

This is my favorite quote that we discussed today. It helped me better understand how my fears get in the way of following the promptings I receive:

The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride. When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeño pepper. Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other. In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit.

- Elder Richard G. Scott

Christmas Wishes Simplified

2009-12-21T11:01:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas!

My children are not sure that the holidays are really here - because I am not stressed out this year. I have simplified a lot of things, including the Christmas cards we usually send out. I am not sending any this year. So if you usually receive one - please know that we still love you and we are thankful for all the people in our lives.

We have been extremely blessed this year to spend time with people we love. We have been reminded this year that life is all about families. Our little family. Our big extended family. Our ward (church) family. Our school family. And our community family.

Taking care of one another is the most important thing we do. Our Savior's life and atonement is the greatest example of "taking care" we know of.

We hope this Christmas season is filled with love and hope and reminders of our Savior's desire to care for us all.

P.S. Most fun family picture ever. It took several rides up and down in this elevator before we got everyone looking up in the right place at the right time.

Feeling the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-20T21:25:00.002-05:00

Tanner was a little nervous about his big preschool nativity production. He was happy to wear a crown and be a king - but he told me several times he was a bit nervous about all the people.

This was before the program, while all the kids were waiting to go into the chapel.
This is Tanner with his teacher Mrs. Ross. Regular blog readers may remember that Tanner calls her Mrs. Frost. (Yes - we have had his hearing checked)
Throughout most of the program, Tanner moved his shoulders back and forth which made his robes sway back and forth. It looked pretty fun.
We love Tanner's preschool, his teachers and this sweet program they performed for all the families. It helped me get in the Christmas mood. And provided lots of laughs. The donkey swinging straw at Joseph was humorous and Joseph's bob and weave moves were impressive.

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-15T21:34:00.002-05:00

Don't you just love it when your friends include you in their fun family traditions? Especially when there is a guaranteed humongous mess at the end of the night. We have the Peines to thank for a great night of Gingerbread house building. We found out pretty quickly that the Dads were a little competitive with the house building. Melissa who is quick on her feet and all about the kids ( I learn a lot from her) quickly built smaller houses for all the younger kids so they could create their own masterpieces.

Erin and Eliza entertained the crowd (or at least themselves) while the Dads were monopolizing the candy and icing.
The rest of the kids had several costume changes, performed a puppet show, ran up and down the stairs a million times and cried all the way home. (Maybe that was just Tanner who insisted we didn't stay long enough)
The finished houses, interestingly reflect their owners. One was all about the landscaping. One was perfectly decorated and fancy. One had a well designed and sturdy portico built out of extra parts. And ours had pets. Ok - so ours doesn't reflect us. But I will give some stress-relief aromatherapy stuff to the first person who can match up the families to the houses correctly. (My point of view is correct, of course.)

Grace's Christmas Programs

2009-12-15T18:35:00.003-05:00

After being in the school district here for nine years, we were excited when Grace came home from school to tell us they were performing a holiday program that we could attend. This is a first. She has been singing the songs since Halloween. The kids all did great with their parts.

Grace has been so happy to be in the same school with Avery this year. These two have been friends since they were babies.
Grace informed me the day before the program that she had a speaking part. Luckily, right before I took the picture above (which was 10 minutes before the program) - she let me know that she was the first speaker - otherwise I might have missed it! So many parents stood up to take pictures when the curtain opened I almost did!
Grace played in her Christmas Piano Recital. She has been taking lessons for about a year now. She played "Go Tell it On the Mountian". She did great! She said the piano keys were a little sticky. The recital was at an assisted living home. Some of the residents came to listen. This picture includes Grace's wonderful teacher, Kierre. She is one of the most talented people I have ever met. She arranged a beautiful orchestral piece for our stake conference. It was the most spiritual rendition of "I love to see the Temple" I have ever heard. I wish I had a recording. Her musical talents are incredible - but her teaching talents are amazing too. She also inspired Grace to quickly memorize and understand some of the Articles of Faith. Yes, we love her!

NYC - Finally!

2009-12-13T19:44:00.004-05:00

For 9 years, Steve and I have been talking about this trip to New York. When he first started with BBW he went to NYC about once or twice a month. During the last 18 months, he has been there every week for several days. (He may say I am exaggerating, but I don't think I am.) So, finally we made this trip together! It was wonderful to finally see his office in SOHO and see where he eats lunch and shops when he is here. I also got to meet people he works with and put names with faces of people I have heard about. It was kind of like meeting a new version of my husband for the very first time. And I fell in love again. He took charge. He led us through great, unique shops and to fabulous restaurants. Thinking about it now makes me chuckle - because that is kind of how I felt on our first date. 18 years ago, he was showing me around his hometown, Heber City, taking me to the fish hatchery, cascade springs and local "hot spots" : )
We were blessed with great weather and enjoyed all our walking. We saw some awesome Christmas windows and lights around the city.
I am so glad we have this picture with Steve and Lisa Willes. It is because of them this trip actually happened. We talked about it with them over the summer and planning it with them forced us to do it! It was so fun to be with them. Lisa was one of my lifelines during grad school. Both of our Steves were working on their MBAs in Los Angeles at the same time. We both had two little girls and did some fun things together to stay sane. (scrapbooking and eating carmel treasures come to mind.) Whenever we see each other - we just pick up where we left off. It was so great to catch up on their lives and adventures. This trip had definite moments together that we will laugh about for years. A couple of french women come to mind. . .
I wish I had more pictures. I loved: Bryant Park (especially the banana and nutella crepes that reminded me of Paris), The Met, the candelabras at La Esquina, the tree-lighting at Vice Versa, Wicked, private breakfast in the lobby of the Dream Hotel, watching the elderly tourists take pictures of themselves with the naked statue at the Time Warner Center, little kids dressed in uniforms on their way to school, coconut crusted halibut at Amma, Rice to Riches, and so much more. I can't wait to go back!

This trip was brought to you by the letter M. M is for MY MOM who stayed with our children and helped them feel like they were on vacation too.

Mrs. Frost

2009-11-17T07:18:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, while the whole family was in the kitchen, I asked Tanner about a project we had to do for preschool. This was the conversation:

T: Mrs. Kilgore and Mrs. Frost gave us a leaf to decorate.

Me: Do you mean Mrs. Ross?

T: No! Mrs. Frost!

Me: Tanner, your teacher's name is Mrs. Ross.

T: I call her Mrs. Frost.

The girls all looked at him. Steve asked Tanner if Mrs. Frost calls him Billy. At first Tanner was mad about the giggles from the girls. Then he just shrugged it off and muttered, "I call her Mrs. Frost." All day yesterday, the girls called Tanner, Billy. He didn't seem to care. I hope Mrs. Ross doesn't care.

Would you eat here?

2009-11-10T09:14:00.004-05:00

While in Cincinnati last month we were looking for a place to eat breakfast. Would this place lure you in with its catchy name? I know squirrels aren't the usual roadkill we see in Ohio - but I can't help picturing dead squirrels when I see this sign. And restaurant names often give an indication of what you will be eating there. At Hoggys we eat pork. . . at Longhorn we eat steak. . . Pollo Loco we eat chicken. . . you get the idea.

What About the Cowboy?

2009-11-05T10:18:00.004-05:00

Grace was the star of Trick or Treating in our neighborhood this year! When was the last time you saw Santa on halloween? (Department Stores don't count!) So people were a little surprised to see this little Santa on this "Beggars Night!" (local tradition, two days before halloween. . . don't get me started. . . ) People called out and said, "Great costume!"

At the beginning of the night Tanner yelled right back, "Thanks!" Steve noticed that as the night went on, Tanner realized that people were pretty much just talking to Grace. Several people wanted their picture with her. Finally, some adult dressed up as Bert (Bert and Ernie) yelled from across the street, "Love your costume, Santa!" Without hesitation, Tanner put both arms in the air and hollered back, "What about the cowboy?"

What about the cowboy? His mom didn't get a picture of his red cowboy boots - but his Dad did draw an awesome mustache on his face. (Tanner wishes he had done it with a Sharpie.) So the cowboy got a lot of candy and will be fine. But I wish he could have stayed innocent the whole night, believing everyone was cheering for him.

I'm glad Grace had the star treatment for the night. It was a joy to listen to Grace tell my Mom (the one who gave her the whole costume) about how much fun she had being Santa. I can safely say, that for my Mom, who cares very little for this event called Halloween, this was the best Halloween ever.

Happy Birhtday Grandma!

2009-10-30T10:35:00.006-04:00

My Grandma is celebrating her birthday today. At least I hope she is celebrating! I cannot be with her today - but wish I could be. I was thinking of all the important events in my life and realized Grandma has been there or close by for most of them. Grandma was there for my baptism and confirmation. (I assume my baby blessing but I have no recollection of that.) She was in the temple with me the day I made important covenants there. She was in a different temple with me when I was sealed to Steve for all eternity. Her handsome husband (my Grandfather, who I still miss) was the sealer who performed the sealing. And she was pretty close by for two of my four children's births. That pretty much sums up all the important events in my life!

However, a few months ago - Grandma was not just around - but she was the REASON for the latest event I will add to my list. Until this day, Grandma had met and shaken the hands of all the prophets since Heber J Grant, except for President Monson. My sister Jenni mentioned this to a friend of ours who has frequent meetings with the prophet. He arranged for this "event" to happen. We were told that President Monson would be in-between meetings and he would come out and greet Grandma during the meeting change. We imagined that we would see him for 5 minutes tops. When we saw President Eyring and President Uchtdorf come out of President Monson's office, I got my camera ready. I was ready to snap a bunch of pictures in the few minutes she visited with him. We were a little surprised when President Monson invited us into his office and pulled chairs around his desk for the 5 of us. (My parents and sister Jenni were also there.) We were in greater awe when we were leaving his office over an hour later.

President Monson shared with us many stories and bore testimony that the Lord works miracles through his servants to bless the lives of others. The best word I can think of to describe this hour, is one that I never use, "delightful." We laughed as he and Grandma shared funny stories. He showed us things around his office that mean a great deal to him. (The first thing that he showed us was a picture of his dear wife.) And he told us about the artwork throughout the office and meeting rooms. It was truly delightful. I knew I was in the presence of God's spokesperson, our prophet. What an incredible blessing! Thank you Grandma!

President Monson, showing Grandma this painting of Christ by Heinrich Hoffman. I believe he has had this picture of Christ in his various offices since before he was a mission president.

President Monson hoped that the picture of Christ would be in this picture. I didn't dare speak up and tell him that he was blocking the picture. I do love that it looks like the light of Christ is surrounding him. I did feel the love of my Savior as he told my grandmother that the Lord has a special love for widows.

Father's Day in October

2009-10-10T18:41:00.005-04:00

I know it's October but Steve received his Father's day gift today. In June, I booked a "Canopy Tour" of Hocking Hills. I booked it for today - hoping that there would be nice fall weather and some color in the abundant trees we would be zipping through. My hopes were fulfilled and we had an awesome time. It is a bit pricey in my book. So we can't do it often. But if we could I would want to. And I want to take all my kids, friends and family.

There were 10 zip lines and several rope bridges.

13 Heroes

2009-09-24T21:36:00.000-04:00

These are the latest heroes in my life. These are the cheerful, amazing teenagers I get to spend time with every day. They come to my house every school morning at 6am for seminary. We are studying the Book of Mormon this year. They are all in high school. Some have jobs. Some have lots of homework. Some have team practice and other activities for hours after school. Some have lots of responsibilities at home. All inspire me to try harder and be better.

Ohh?

2009-09-24T10:31:00.000-04:00

Hannah has been to EFY , started high school and been to a few dances this summer. After every one of these events, she came home and told us of meeting boys. When the boys she met found out she was 14, they would often reply, "Ohhh" while nodding their head. We heard this story multiple time this summer. A few weeks ago, we were all at Barnes and Noble. Hannah and Eliza were both in the same area and Eliza heard a conversation between Hannah and an unknown boy. Eliza burst into laughter when the boy said "Ohhh" and admitted she didn't believe that it really happened the way Hannah said until she witnessed it.

Should I make her where a badge that says, "I'm only 14!" ?

This is a picture of Hannah with her cousin Nora (the only other Brown-Eyed Lange girl in the family).

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-09-23T10:03:00.000-04:00

My Mom is the best at a lot of things. Especially at everything that has to do with mail and wrapping presents. We all get birthday cards before our birthdays. Random packages arrive in the mail from her with just what you need. My favorite packages arrived while we were living in an apartment in South Pas. She would tuck rolls of quarters in whatever else she was sending to use for our laundry. Having to take two toddlers into the bank to get quarters was a chore. So when those quarters would arrive - I felt so understood and loved.

My first year at BYU, she asked me about a current event in the news. I knew nothing about it. The next day when I went to pick up the mail I was excited to find a new subscription to USA Today. I don't know who loved it more - me or my roommate Sara.

Mom is an expert package wrapper. Presents always look like a piece of art when she wraps them - She takes great care to make things (not just presents) beautiful. So I am sad to say that her card from me will probably be late and I can't think of the last time I wrapped her a present. I have to admit that my wrapping skills are not like hers. In fact - more than once I have allowed a mother at a birthday party to believe that my child wrapped the present and it was really me.

But I hope I have inherited some of her other great traits. Mostly, I hope that I can be the kind of friend that she is to others. Everyone could use someone like her in their lives. I know I am blessed. Happy Birthday Mom. I hope the card gets their soon.

Sad

2009-09-22T21:22:00.003-04:00

In 10 days, Steve has had 1 hour with the kids. And this is where they spent it. They are sitting in his car parked in our garage while he is on a conference call. Sad.

So while I have been enduring life without my comic relief (Steve), dear friends told us that they are placing their house on the market and moving out of state. I won't name names. But I am still getting over the Woods moving. And they moved two years ago. I get teary thinking of our lives here without my children's Ohio-grandparents. So like this post says - I am sad. And I will probably wallow in it for a little while.

Golden Friendships

2009-08-04T10:04:00.006-04:00

When your children are small, there is a great need for friendships that will help you survive those crazy thoughts you have. Like: "Why did I pray for this life with these children? Will I ever finish a meal and not have to clean up the floor and wipe down the chairs? Am I really meant for motherhood?"

I've been blessed with friends who remind me to find the joy in motherhood. Utah gave me the chance to meet up with some of these friends:

Tara. Tara was one of the first people we met in South Pasadena. Her daughter Morgan called my toddlers Hannahliza. She showed me the ropes of California living. She was the first person I knew that actually cooked polenta at home. When we lived by each other - she had a Disneyland pass and would sometimes go there for lunch. We worked together in Young Women and her sense of humor kept me sane as I was dragging my toddlers to every YW activity while my husband was in grad school.
This moment was a tender mercy. Steve and I were walking around BYU campus with Tanner. And I heard this lady say my name. I looked closer and it was Tara with her gorgeous children and Mom! We had not seen each other for 9 years.
Michelle. Michelle and I worked together. We were in the same ward. We were pregnant together. Our babies were born a few months apart. I think after I quit work, we talked to each other on the phone almost every morning. I have pictures of these cute girls wearing princess dresses playing in the sandbox together. Michelle is an incredible seamstress and still sitting in our dress-up box, are two twirly skirts she made for my girls. The skirts were their favorite dress-ups because they were so fun to dance in.

There have been so many friends who have helped me through those rough spots of mothering. I know I have been blessed and I am still being blessed blessed with people (not all are mothers) in my life who help me be a better mom. To all of you - I say THANK YOU!

A Few of My favorite Things About Utah

2009-08-04T06:38:00.003-04:00

Spending time with the Kimballs. Sara and I were roommates in College. Our parents were friends in college and we are hoping our children will be college roommates. We wish they lived closer. . . We were lucky enough to be in Salt Lake at the same time and spend a day together. We took our kids to the art museum at BYU.
Spending time with the Caldwells. I remember when each of the Caldwell children were born and they remember when all of my kids were born. They have 3 girls and one boy and so do we. Stepping into their home for dinner was like we have never been apart. Catching up and watching all the kids play spoons was great fun. I wish we could do it more often!
Spending time with the Woods. We miss them in Ohio. Tanner could not stop giving Shelby hugs. We spent time at temple square with them and also at their home in Santaquin. I highly recommend the church art exhibit at the conference center. Tanner spent his time telling Shelby and her friend how he created each piece of art.
Spending time with my parents and the Stringhams. Uncle Butch and Aunt Karen hosted a wonderful dinner for us and then we went to the stadium of fire on the 4th. I love to see all these girls together. The time was too short. And I wish I had a picture of Butch and Karen.

Spending time with all the Langes. We hiked to Donut Falls. Went to the zoo on the busiest day of the year. Enjoyed spa services (in Amy's dining room). Rocked out to rock band. Analyzed the color of our personalities. And pondered where to meet in two years.

My kids loved "living" with and down the street from cousins for the month. Their aunts and uncles are wonderful and we wish they had a daily influence on their lives. So we soaked up what we could and it will have to last for a little while.

Lessons from My Father

2009-06-03T22:48:00.003-04:00

My first economics lesson took place when I was about 10. I remember talking to my Dad about why everyone didn't have the same amount of money. I innocently asked why the government didn't just print enough money for everyone to be rich.

I don't remember exactly what my Dad said, but I knew that it would be bad for the economy and that it would take away people's incentive to work hard and that would take away the good feelings of accomplishment we can get from working hard. I knew that it wouldn't work. The Econ section of my college American Heritage class also taught that printing money would not help an economy.

So why is the US trying to fix our ailing economy by printing money? Oh I know, some people will say that is not what they are really doing. But it is what they are doing. And it is not going to work. Money will be spread around. Some people will be better off for a season. Obama will get votes from people he spread the money to. And instead of my innocent dream of everyone being rich - everyone will be poorer. Except for a few. Thanks for the lesson Dad. I wish others had wise dads to listen to. And I wish more who do have wise dads would listen to them.

Super Powers

2009-05-27T19:09:00.002-04:00

We have a new spiffy Target in town. It has a new layout that I am getting used to. Everything is still clean and if I HAVE to shop - it is my favorite place to go. Last night I took Tanner there to buy some new shoes. HE found the ONLY pair of spiderman tennis shoes in the whole store - in his size laying on the floor. I was hoping for something less powerful looking - like fake chucks. But wow! Was he ever excited about the spiderman shoes. I guess I only have a few more shoe buying trips where he will pick out super hero shoes (I hope.) So we put the shoes in the cart and we did a loop around the store towards the exit.

At the end of the food aisle is the frozen food section. Picture Lots of freezers with the see-through glass. And they are dark. Target is "green" and doesn't have the freezer lights on all the time. But Tanner notices that if he walks in front of them - the lights magically turn on. He starts slowly, testing his "powers". Every time he steps into an aisle half of the lights brighten the cases of food. He steps further into the aisle and the remaining freezers are illuminated. He holds out his arms as if they have the power of Moses' staff or Harry Potter's wand. Luckily, we were the only ones in that corner of the store and he was able to light up the entire section. He was incredibly excited. I was laughing. I was wishing I could somehow take a picture of the whole experience.

As we walked toward the registers to pay for his new shoes, he talked about his super powers. I felt kind of like a kid walking out of an elevator, having pushed all the buttons.

May Dance

2009-05-24T19:38:00.006-04:00

Hannah came home from school one day in April, distraught over the plans for their "May Dance". She is on student council and was concerned about the lack of planning that was happening. She asked if I would join with some of the other Moms and help plan it and make it happen. The girls drew a picture of what they wanted the gym to look like and I am happy to report that we made it happen. I love the other moms that we worked with and the girls had a good time. Eliza didn't appreciate the 3 hours of decorating - but Tanner thought it was a party!

We made 6 of these lanterns. The girls mixed the cement with their hands. The paper lanterns were lit up with battery lights. The post is pvc pipe.

Hannah and her friends

Eliza and her friends

My girls.

I went over during the dance to help with concessions. Wow! There was a wide range of clothing there. It looked like the red carpet at a Hollywood awards show. There were dresses of all shapes and sizes. My girls looked gorgeous and I was thankful we were able to find cute modest dresses.

Changes

2009-05-08T09:58:00.003-04:00

The title would indicate something big. These are the big things happening at our house.

Eliza got a new "do".

It makes her look older and I am not sure how I feel about that.

Hannah got her braces off.

Yahoo! Funny how the braces came off as soon as the last payment for them was made. . . Coincidence? I think not. Beautiful? Yes.

These two beauties are not written about much in my blog. When this was pointed out to me - I asked one of them about some recent events and asked if she would like me to write about them. She screamed and laughed "NO!" So I just want to publicly declare my love for these two incredible people in my life who I try not to embarrass. They help me survive when Steve is gone. They make me laugh. They make me think. They amaze me with their kindness and their big brains. I hope they never question my love for them as they question why they are not written about in the blog.

Song Gives Hope

2009-05-06T13:20:00.004-04:00

We gotta be polite today

Surprise mom with a song for her birthday

We gotta do right for our family

We gotta be polite

This is the sweet little song Hannah and I heard while standing outside Tanner's room. He had been sent in there for being mean (hitting someone). We had to hide so that he wouldn't see us. The song kept going but this is all that I wrote down after we got caught and he stopped singing.

It gives me hope that one day he will not think that hitting is an appropriate way to get girls attention.

This Made Me Laugh

2009-04-29T23:29:00.000-04:00

Picture of the Month

2009-04-28T23:51:00.001-04:00

My nephew in the Philippines.

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way Home

2009-04-18T23:13:00.004-04:00

This morning, Steve and I went to Perry OH. One of the girls that I love and adore, that I once worked with in Young Women, got married and had an open house there. It is 3 hours away. We decided to take Tanner with us. About half way up there - Tanner yelled, "Are we going to Grandma and Grandpa's?" (Last week we drove to Alabama.) He did well the rest of the way and had a great time with all the kids who were there.

On the way home, Tanner informed us - that he needed a bathroom break. Steve stopped, filled the car with gas and then took Tanner into the bathroom. We got back on the road and drove for about 10 minutes. Tanner then, piped up in a panic and said,"I have to go to the bathroom again!"

We were not close to a convenient exit - so Tanner waited and we found one. As we drove off the exit - Steve turned to me and asked, "So do you want to take him this time?" I burst into laughter. Let's see. 3 girls =10 years of me taking the children to the public restrooms EVERY TIME.

I was still laughing when they got out of the car. I had to call my friend Jenny to share my funny story. I am still laughing.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-14T20:14:00.004-04:00

We had a wonderful Easter Day. After a dinner of "Easter Enchiladas" we got in the car and drove to the temple. A while ago, in a conversation with Tanner, we realized that he had never seen our temple. It is on the other side of town - and the only time we see it - is when we are going there. So Grace and Tanner do not ever see it. Our Stake President has challenged us all to have a temple experience with our families this month because the 10th anniversary of the Columbus temple is coming up. It was great to just walk around the grounds with them and talk a little bit about the temple and why it is so important to us.

I am so thankful for the atonement and that our Father in Heaven is so loving that he has provided a way for everyone to have the blessings of the temple (joy, happiness and eternal families). I am often baffled by Christians who believe that if a person misses out on the gospel here in this life - there is no other chance for that person to attain eternal life. God is so incredibly merciful - his plan provides every possible opportunity to turn our hearts to Him. He want us to return to Him. I was reminded in Relief Society that He is not just sitting by the door waiting for us to open it. He is constantly knocking. Constantly beckoning. Ever searching. Wanting us home. Gathering us into His fold. But we must choose. He loves us enough to allow us to choose.

I have a hard time allowing my children to choose. I am thankful my Father in Heaven has infinite wisdom and love for me and my family. I hope my children will all choose to be worthy to go inside the temple and enjoy all the blessing promised there. I hope that they will follow the Shepherd.

Why Tanner is My Favorite Son

2009-04-01T07:50:00.002-04:00

This morning Tanner said, "Mom you look like a teenager." I know - this is the boy who thinks "forever" is the length of time it takes us to walk through the grocery store and he is the same boy who more than once questioned if there was a baby in my tummy.

But for five minutes I imagined that his perceptions are true and that I have the youthful appearance of the 18 year old that I sometimes feel like. And then I remembered that I am grateful that I am not a teenager. Between my own teenagers and my seminary kids, I am often reminded that I would never go back. Even if it meant I could have my 18 year old body back.

Lies, Lies, Lies, Yeah!

2009-02-16T17:38:00.007-05:00

There were lies told yesterday in Primary. And my children are responsible for them.

Our primary presidency gave each family a spotlight sheet to fill out at the beginning of the year. One Sunday afternoon while Steve and I were napping ( I love our new early schedule!) my sweet children sat around the kitchen table and filled out the "Lange Family" spotlight. Here are some highlights:

Who are the people in your family?

Mom, Dad, H, E, G, T and a dead pet fish

Where are your favorite places to visit?

Alabama, Utah and Canada (We have never been to Canada.)

What is a favorite family Christmas tradition?

Lighting the menorah (Do I need to explain? While we do believe in the miracle that the menorah represents, we don't have one in our home. . . )

What are your favorite things to do together as a family?

Go to separate rooms and watch TV. (To be honest - this is not a lie - we do enjoy TV and we don't usually all sit in the same room while watching it -- but do you think I would have put this down if I had been the one to fill this paper out?????? NO WAY!)

So when we read this together as a family we all laughed a lot and I tucked the paper away thinking I need to ask for a new one. So you can imagine my surprise when Grace told me we were the spotlight family. HMMM. . . I think Steve got a big chuckle out of this one.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T16:40:00.002-05:00

Steve told me today that I am complicated. (in a very loving way.) I don't appreciate flowers. I don't wear jewelry. And I am trying not to eat sweets. So I think special occasions are made difficult for him - in trying to find a gift that pleases. The easy gifts are not things I appreciate.

However, as I explained to him, I love his everyday gifts. He does laundry. He irons his own shirts. He is a great father. He encourages me to do challenging things. He loves our children and he loves me. Not to mention that he provides for all of us financially and gives me the joy of being home. So flowers don't make me weak in the knees. And glittery jewelry is soooo tiny for the price. (I'd rather have new furniture.)

But my heart does beat faster when I hear the garage door open at the end of the day. And he is still my favorite person in the world to spend time with. So Happy Valentine's Day Babe. I am thankful that you give me precious gifts every day of the year.

Sound of Silence

2009-02-04T15:28:00.002-05:00

So there is a woman of a questionable state of mind who has intentionally given birth to 8 babies. At first the media was in a frenzy. So excited about this news. Then they found out that this woman doesn't have a husband or the financial means to care for these babies.

People are questioning the ethics of the doctors. People are questioning her motives. She may appear on Oprah or other major networks for a fee.

What I want to know is - Where are all the "women activist groups" to support her decision. If it was a woman who wanted to have 8 abortions and the media was criticizing her - there would be lines of women outside the hospital with signs of support. There would be women on the news talking about her rights to make decisions about her body. Because they think it is all about the woman - not the future of the babies. SO WHERE ARE THEY?

If you know me - you know where I stand on abortion. And I think this case makes my position even stronger. It IS all about the babies - Not about selfish women. The silence speaks volumes.

Snowdayy.! by Hannah

2009-01-28T12:08:00.004-05:00

So as you can see we have gotten a lot of snow and ice. School got cancelled around ten last night and mom cancelled her seminary class around four yesterday. Grace had a sleep over last night also assuming we wouldn't have school. This morning I made cookies for breakfast, they were delicious. Above are just some of the pictures I took of the icicles. At least we have power today.

Okay so while I'm on I'll give you an update on me. This week i officially dropped out of band, because I wasnt planning on going to New York at Thanksgiving or to South Pas for the New Year when im a freshman. Wrestling season is almost over(I was a stat), I'm sad, but glad its over. Overall, I'm good, happy, enjoying 8th grade, and sick of snow. Story of my life. Love you all.

-Hannah

Really?

2009-01-23T13:17:00.002-05:00

So the democrats want a tax evader to head the treasury department. Really? He is the best they could come up with?

And Obama is now handing over my money to groups that promote and perform abortions. And he wants to send all the terrorists home so they don't have to suffer in prison.

Really? These are the changes the american people have been hoping for?

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2009-01-21T19:58:00.002-05:00

You know it's cold when you decide not to fill up your gas tank because you don't want to stand outside in the freezing cold air for more than 30 seconds. Looks like Friday will be the best day to fill up. Hope I don't have to go anywhere far until then.

Favorite Christmas Gifts

2009-01-16T18:15:00.004-05:00

Tanner gave me this for Christmas. He made it at pre-school. Mary and Joseph are made out of toilet paper rolls and the baby Jesus is made out of a packing peanut. Perfect.

I have had a few friends comment on my nativity sets. One is fancy, one is sentimental, Several are for the kids to play with. This is definitely my favorite.
Tanner got a remote-control tarantula from Grandma and Grandpa. This gift definitely got the loudest scream of excitement. He had seen this several months ago in a catalog and talked about it for a month and then didn't talk about it during the weeks leading up until Christmas. We weren't sure if he would be excited. . . He was! He has scared a few people with it and that has made him laugh. That is a "Lange" thing.
This is not a picture of a gift - but a "FIRST". Hannah attended her first stake dance while we were in Birmingham. She looked gorgeous in her new black dress (That she bought with her own money). And she went to a dance where she didn't really know people and had a great time. Her ease in new situations and willingness to meet new people is amazing to me.
In October, Grace expressed a desire to be Santa Clause for Halloween. We looked for a costume and could not find one. I did not give this another thought. Her Grandma, remembered this desire and found one and gave it to Grace. She is counting the days until Halloween. She is trying to talk Tanner and some neighbors into going as reindeer.

Christmas Catch-Up 1

2009-01-16T17:34:00.003-05:00

Our favorite moments of Christmas break included family, warm weather, sunshine and feeding fish and swans and ducks.

Grace took this picture of me and Steve. I love her reflection in Steve's sunglasses. We had fun on the boat with Dad, Tanner and Grace. The weather was sunny and the swans followed us all over the lake. Tanner loved feeding the swans. He would throw out a piece of bread to them and then shove a piece into his own mouth.
While we were in Birmingham, we went to the "Zoo Lights" It is often TOO COLD to go to the zoo lights in Columbus - so we thought it would be awesome in the warm weather. When we first went to the zoo lights in columbus - we kind of laughed because the lights pale in comparison to temple square in Salt Lake City. Well, the lights at the Birmingham Zoo were about as amazing as the ones in our neighborhood. And I wouldn't pay to see the ones in our neighborhood. But at least it was warm.
The day after Christmas we drove to Birmingham. Tanner is the only child we have that has annoyingly said, "Are we there yet?" In about the 8th hour of our drive he started to yell, "This is taking forever!" On our drive home - he started saying this about 30 minutes into our trip. The day after our trip - I took him to the grocery store. In aisle 2 he started to say, "this is taking forever!" Forever around here is getting shorter and shorter.
Christmas morning we had to wake up Tanner to go down to the tree. We had a fun morning and spent the whole day with just our family.

Oh Holy Night

2008-12-24T21:57:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve is almost over. I love Christmas Eve.

I have more memories of Christmas Eve than I do Christmas Day. For a time when I was young and my family lived in Utah - we drove several hours to my Grandma and Grandpa Vans for Christmas Eve. The whole family (cousins, aunts and uncles) would sit around one huge table. The table's base was the pool table. There wasn't a kids table - just one huge gathering and I loved it. My grandfather would also give his children Father's blessings that night. It was peaceful and I loved it.

When our family moved away from Utah - we had Christmas Eve with friends who were like family. Those nights were wonderful - because we had time after the big gathering to have time with just our family. My Dad would give us Father's blessings and we would sing a few hymns and read the Christmas story from Luke. I loved it.

Since we have been married - we have spent very few Christmas Eves with family. So we have become extremely thankful for those friends who have become family. Tonight we went to the Williams for dinner. And for the second year in a row Susan and Jay gave all the kids pajamas/robes. But before the tearing open of the packages, there was ten whole minutes of wonder. We listened to "Oh Holy Night" - my favorite Christmas Carol and "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" my favorite hymn. Susan asked us to think about why Jesus lives for us.

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

I know he lived to be the ultimate example for us. He lived so that we would learn about our Father in Heaven and desire to live with Him again.

He does teach us how to love. Who to love. How to forgive and Who to forgive. Every day that is our challenge. I am thankful for friends and family who are so good to us and follow the example of our Savior.

Merry Christmas to all, may you have a Holy Night!

P.S.

And to my father who is probably just now starting to write his annual Christmas poem - Get to bed! (but not until it's finished - because it is my favorite part of Christmas morning!)

Simple Prayers

2008-12-16T14:36:00.003-05:00

"Thank you for this great life"

"Please bless Santa that he will arrive here safely"

"Please help Grace to not get headaches"

These are just a few sweet things Tanner has recently said in his prayers that we know he has not heard us say. No need to worry about Grace - she is healthy. . . probably because of his prayers.

It's Your Birthday, Hannah!

2008-11-30T09:27:00.004-05:00

Hannah has had an eventful year. She went to Amsterdam and Paris with all the Van Kampens. She spent a few weeks in Utah with the Langes and attended BYU Volleyball camp. She was thrilled to be in Utah when her newest cousin, Tyler was born. She went to girls camp for the second year. She helped me stay awake and alert on our drive to and from Alabama. She played on the 8th grade volleyball team. She ran for and made student council. She earned a spot on the yearbook staff. She babysits a lot. She is now doing stats for the wrestling team and is in a select band that will perform in December.

She is a busy girl doing great things. More importantly, she is a wonderful daughter. She enjoys the benefits and suffers the brunt of being the oldest child. She is a kind older sister who is still amused by her younger siblings. We love her and hope this is a wonderful year.
Hannah with cousin Nora.
Hannah with her volleyball teammates. These girls saw a lot more of Hannah than we did this fall. This team of girls work great together and made watching volleyball a blast.

Goooo Cougars!

2008-11-03T13:21:00.006-05:00

Ok - these pics are in reverse order. . . but you will get the feel for the exciting day we had. It was gorgeous weather and the stadium was sold out.

After the game, we waited for Brock by the locker room. He came out and signed autographs.

Dad, Mom, Jenni and Me. The last BYU game I was at - where I took a picture like this was September 1990 at the BYU - Miami game and we beat them. This win was just as exciting.

The night before the game we went to the football fireside. All the players sang "We'll Bring the World his Truth." Coach Mendenhall and his wife gave great talks. And one of the players also spoke. They spoke about being disciples of Christ. It was wonderful to hear all of them talk about football in a real-life perspective. They had just lost to TCU. Coach Mendenhall spoke about their QUEST for perfection. He said some peoeple who don't really get what they are about - will think that the quest is over. But it is not. Their quest for perfection is in every aspect of their lives and is about always improving and doing their best.

I didn't post a picture of it here but the inside of the door to the locker room says "RETURN WITH HONOR" I love this team.

Weekend in Utah

2008-10-31T07:59:00.002-04:00

I took a very quick trip to Utah last weekend. There was not a moment of down-time from the time I arrived until the time I got back on the plane - except for a 15 minute nap I took at my Grandma's house on Sunday. Every minute was wonderful. Every minute was spent with people I love and miss when I am home.

I was so happy to finally see Mom and Dad Lange's new home. It is perfect for them. It was great to see them and Hilary. It is fun to picture the Nobis cousins walking down the street to see them whenever they want. (And I do have to picture it in my mind - because I didn't take any pictures of the Nobis cousins!)

I loved my first glimpse of our nephew Tyler. He was born in July. His brother Zack was anxious for me to count his fingers - all eleven of them! Jake showed me his Harry Potter puppet and Rachel told me a secret. (shhh. Rachel was going over to Grandma's that afternoon to bake cookies - she was hoping for peanut butter!)
I got to see Nora and Jonah and their new big-kid beds! They impressed me with their fast running, sharing and reading. My favorite - was when Nora put a book in time-out. I think that is what they do - when they have a toy they both want at the same time - so they don't fight over it. Smart parents to teach them that.
Jenny and I went to dinner and she was gracious to make some other visits with me.

We went to see the Caldwells - where I got to meet Matt and Noah. The only picture I have of that visit - is of Mallory in her wedding dress - I didn't think I should post that here - since she is getting married in December. . . It was wonderful to see them.

Jenny also got us tickets to Glenn Beck. He gave a great 1 hour show about the state of the world. It all come down to - use common sense, you CAN make a difference and the only person we can REALLY trust is GOD.

I am still waiting for the Woods to announce that they are moving back to Ohio. . .

We celebrated my Grandma's 97th birthday. I wish this was a better picture. It was great to see my Maughan cousins. We missed you Matt. When we sang "Happy Birthday" Grandma requested that we not add "And Many More". No one did. But she could. She is wonderful. It was great to get a hug from her.
The MOST exciting moment of the trip came when we (My Mom, Dad and sister Jenny) gathered in Nate's (Brock's friend) living room and he opened his mission call!!!! He is going to the Tacloban Philippine mission.

What are the chances that in July we would schedule this trip to Utah on the very day that he would receive his call in the mail? Brock let us know in the morning that the call had arrived. He carried it around from noon until after football practice at 5. WOW. I had the joy of being with my sister for the 5 hours before he opened his call. It reminded me of the the Christmas Eves when we would all sleep in the same room and try to pass the time because we couldn't fall asleep. SOOOO much excitement.

I witnessed a tender mercy from the Lord. He let Jenny be there in person. It didn't have to work out that way. Everyone would still have been just as excited. But it was a blessing to see the mom who: helped him run football drills, ironed his white shirts, guided him in his eagle project, and made sure he got to church every Sunday; it was wonderful to watch that mom watch him open his mission call. Brock will be a great missionary. I am so proud of him.

Camping - Lange Style

2008-10-30T07:35:00.003-04:00

Lange Style Camping consists of: Arriving at friends camp site at 10am, taking pictures of children in front of friend's tents, cooking hotdogs over the campfire, hiking around camping area, roasting marshmallows, eating smores, And packing up and going home at dark, sleeping in own beds inside warm home.

Grace's Baptism and Confirmation

2008-10-28T12:32:00.007-04:00

Grandma Lange came from Utah to be with us for Grace's Baptism and confirmation. She gave Grace this cozy blanket to remind her of her baptism date and to remind her of the comfort the Holy Ghost will give her if she asks.
Grandma and Grandpa VK came from Alabama and Rudy came from Chicago. They brought her new scriptures and a CTR ring. We love having family around.
Steve baptized and confirmed Grace. We were so thankful to have Grandpa and many friends join in the confirmation circle. I wish I had a picture of Grace with all the priesthood holders who participated. She has so many good examples of good men in her life.

Susan Spoke about the Holy Ghost and gave Grace a huge orange lolli-pop. She talked about the gift and the experiences Grace would miss out on if she never opens the lolli-pop. She compared that to the gift of the Holy Ghost. To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost we need to do our part and ask for his help.

We are thankful that Grace is baptized and thankful for all the friends and family who shared with us this special day.

Goosebumps and Tears

2008-10-14T23:56:00.003-04:00

Go to byucougars.com and click on the video for "Janice Kapp Perry Birthday". You will see what I mean.

I am so thankful that Brock earned a place on this team. (He's the tallest one on the front row.)

There was also a GREAT article in USA Today today about the team. It is a team like no other.

Happy Birthday Grace and Grandma!

2008-09-23T11:24:00.007-04:00

Grace turned 8!! 8 is great! Grace is Great!

We celebrated Grace's birthday at the Pickerington Central versus Pickerington North football game at Crew stadium. She got to be with a lot of her favorite people - so we enjoyed a fun evening.

We are all looking forward to her baptism next week. She had an interview with the Bishop and he said she is ready! I believe she has been ready for a long time. Grace really tries to make good choices and is often looking for ways to help other people.

Last week - I was picking up our friend Susan from taking her car to be fixed. Grace usually looks for any reason to spend time with Susan. So she was happy when I invited her to come with me. She hopped in the car and then we drove to Susan's house so we could follow her. As we drove back by our house - Tanner was in the driveway looking kind of lonely. Grace asked me to stop the car. She said she would go play with Tanner so he would have someone to be with and hopped out of the car. Tanner's smile let me know that she had done something wonderful for him. Her smile showed me that she did it out of love.

Grace is a lot like my Mom. They both are wonderful to the people around them.

I don't think I have been with my mom on her birthday since the year Grace was born. But I want to tell her Happy Birthday and I wish I could be with her today! She is my rock. She is the one I talk politics with. I can brag to her about my kids and she will agree with my every word. She tells me to buck up when I am feeling inadequate or down. She loves my husband and reminds me to like him when I am upset with him. She teaches me about friendship. She hates shopping as much as I do. (Except I have noticed that if she is with grandchildren or shopping for grandchildren - it seems to make her happy.) She loves the gospel. She loves the temple. She talks to my kids on the phone - just to see how they are doing and what is going on in their lives. She love me. If I listed all the things she has done for me or taught me - I could write a very long book. But these are the things that mean the most to me today. I love you Mom! Happy Birthday!

Hannah I Love You, Hannah I DO

2008-09-23T11:17:00.002-04:00

Hannah's been reading my blog and told me yesterday that there is not enough "Hannah" in it. So I am writing this to tell her that I love her just as much as all the rest. And I also want to remind her to go look at her baby book, scrapbook and the five boxes of pictures that were taken of her in her first 3 years. : ) I say that with love.

Hannah, 10 years from now, Tanner and Grace WILL come to you and complain that they don't have a baby book, a scrapbook OR any pictures from the age of 3 months to 3 years. Just tell them to go read the blog.

all my love,

mom

Something More Exciting To Focus On

2008-09-18T11:31:00.009-04:00

I am tired of politics. I know who I am voting for. Nothing anyone says or does at this point will surprise me or change my mind.

On to a more uplifting subject to read and hear about --- BYU Football. byucougars.com is my new favorite website. Buckeyes are so last year. : ) (I know - those of you that know me know I never have been a big fan.) But if you want to cheer for something really great you should start paying attention to this team, their coach and what they stand for. This interview linked below is awesome!

Bronco Mendenhall on the Jim Rome show

Happy Birthday Grandpa Lange!

2008-09-16T10:37:00.001-04:00

My first memory of Dad Lange is washing dishes with him after the first Lange family Sunday dinner I attended. Steve and I had just started dating and he took me home to meet the family which I thought was a big deal. To Steve it wasn't. He would have taken anyone home who wanted to go. His home was that kind of place. Friends were always welcome. Hugs were given to all but a fuss was never made.

My kids always loved to visit Heber because Grandpa would honk and wave to everyone he saw. People would wave back and smile. It was like being with a celebrity. Oh yeah. He is a celebrity. We loved watching him ride with the city council in the parade. We smile when he introduces us to complete strangers and tells them how wonderful we are.

Dad, you have had an eventful year this year. We hope this coming year is full of peace and good health. Thank you for being so good to us and our children. Our children carry your name - we hope they will always carry your goodness. We love you! Happy Birthday!

Catching Up

2008-09-15T21:54:00.003-04:00

September has gone by really fast. Grace missed the first few days of school because she was sick. I started teaching seminary at 6am every school day. Hannah is playing volleyball. Eliza is playing tennis. They have matches on opposite days. Grace is taking dance. She is supposed to be taking piano but I haven't figured out how to get there and make it to everything else and breathe. And Steve is traveling a lot this month. So this is a quick catch-up of what is going on in Ohio.

This was the last day of summer. And the last day of an empty square on my calendar. I love empty squares.
Labor Day Parade. We went to cheer on our friends who were in the parade for various reasons. NOT to get candy. Someday my children will learn that parades are not all about the candy. But it will not be in Pickerington.
Tanner and I took a trip to the zoo with Amy, Gabby and Josh. The three did really well together. I was packing some snacks before we left home. Tanner saw that I had only packed two bags of goldfish. He told me to pack another bag so they wouldn't have to all fight over the goldfish. Smart boy.
This is our new pet, Fred. He is a webworm and is now in a cocoon in a jar in my kitchen. The day we caught him, Tanner and I were at the store. Half-way through the store he asked me if I thought Fred was missing us. I assured him Fred was OK and thought to myself, "Fred is probably thankful that the earthquakes have stopped for a season." Tanner likes to shake Fred. We have a picture of Fred because Grace is the star-student this week. And the "fill-in -the- blank poster has a square for a pet. My children usually have to leave that square blank. And I am OK with that.
This is my roof. And notice the missing shutter. While the missionaries were over for dinner, eating in the dark, we watched the shingles fly off. And people in cars slow down in front of our house and stare. At one point, most of the shingles were sticking straight up. The 70 mph winds gave us quite a show. I think I know what I am getting for Christmas.

Seventeen Years Ago. . .

2008-08-19T00:42:00.003-04:00

You could not have told me that life would get better than it was. You could not have told me that the sleeves on my wedding dress were too poofy. You could not have told me that my hair was too big. You could not have convinced me that I could love Steve any more than I did then. But I do.

Seventeen years ago, I could not have imagined the joy these 5 people would bring to my life. This life I am living is better than the life I dreamed of when I was seventeen. Thank you sweetheart for helping me laugh when I get too serious. Thank you children for being so patient while I learn this mothering thing. You are the best!

P.S. Someone asked what Steve gave me for our anniversary. He organized the seminary room, hung up the white board and cleaned out 4 cupboards of toiletries. And he made me promise not to stash anymore half used products. To my defense - due to his line of work - lots of products end up on my bathroom counter that I don't request or purchase. . . but I do promise. Thank you for helping me with my projects.

He's Four

2008-08-07T00:21:00.002-04:00

Wow! This boy is loved!

He had a great day with calls from loved ones and visits from friends and lunch with his sisters and Rudy. The Greens came over for cake and ice cream.

Four things I love about this boy:

* He tells me, "You're the best!"

* He always wants to pray.

* He sings to himself when he is playing.

* He says great words like "mo-lawner" for lawn-mower

Happy Birthday Grandma Lange!

2008-08-05T15:13:00.003-04:00

August 3rd was the big day - but I didn't make it to the computer to wish her a happy birthday. Happy Birthday Mom!

This family picture has taken on new significance since a year ago when it was taken. Mom And Dad have moved from Heber. We can no longer describe them as our Heber Grandma and Grandpa. We will miss their wonderful neighbors, Dairy Keen, the best side of Timpanogas and drives through Provo canyon. But we are thankful they are close to all the family in Salt Lake and we look forward to visits there.

Thanks Mom for all you do for our big family!

Happy Birthday Dear Dad!

2008-07-30T23:16:00.003-04:00

This is for my Dad who is now in his 73rd year. That means today is his 72nd birthday. This picture has a story. Our family has watched Rick Steves travel shows for as long as I can remember. On the train to Paris, Jenni and I spent our time reading the Rick Steves book about Paris. We planned out our days according to his suggestions.

After we arrived in Paris - we all split up - and went to our separate hotels. My Steve and Dad had cell phone service - so we said we would just call each other in a little while. While we were waiting in line for the taxis - Dad told us that we should have the hotel address written down for the drivers. So Steve and I both took copies of our reservations with us. We had to take two taxis to our hotel.

Mom and Dad and Jenni and Rick and kids had to split into 3 taxis to get to their hotel. It was pouring rain and kind of crazy. Rick and Rachel ended up in a taxi together but didn't have the hotel info with them. Dad had just told the driver the address as they go into the car. Several minutes later the driver asked where they were going. They didn't know. So they had the driver take them back to the train station. Meanwhile the others are at the hotel wondering where Rick and Rachel are. And they are praying that they are OK.

Rick and Rachel discover a small miracle with their baggage. Somehow - my Mom's bag that she carries all of her travel info in -is with them. Rachel, who has watched Grandma refer to her incredible organized records of reservations and information, reaches into the bag and pulls out a copy of the hotel reservation. So they get a taxi and get to the hotel.

We (the Langes) had no idea this was going on. We were at our hotel unpacking, resting and planning. Sooner than expected, we get a call from my Dad saying that they are all in the lobby. We go down to see them - get filled in on the miracle that brought them back together and then Dad tells us that his phone is not working in Paris and they didn't know which hotel we were in - so they used some clues and came to find us.

So back to the picture - All 11 of us leave the hotel, turn left, walk 20 feet and guess who we see on the street? Rick Steves! Because of where we were and because I had been reading his book all day - it was like seeing an actor that stars in your favorite TV show. But more exciting. It had been a crazy day. So we all took a picture of Dad and Rick Steves and an unknown frenchman.

I know I was a little starstruck to see Mr Steves. But really my Dad is the star of this show. Because of Him we were on this trip. Because of him I am addicted to chocolate. Because of him, I'm a bit stubborn. Because of him, I appreciate Van Gogh. Because of him, "Rear Window" is my favorite movie. Because of him, I moved a lot in my childhood which made me more outgoing than I would have been. Because of him, I had the hardest summer jobs ever! Because of him, I see a glimpse of the love my Father in Heaven has for me. What more could he give me? Thanks Dad. Love you.

Kampen Continued

2008-07-27T10:13:00.003-04:00

The little yellow building is the smallest house in Kampen. There is a sign at the end of the street that points it out to visitors. While we were walking over to it - we witnessed a crime. A bunch of teenagers were throwing water balloons out of the building next to it. Several people on bikes were spooked and nearly hit. I wish that was the most devious behavior teenagers could think of.

This was another encounter with public toilets. Evidently -you put money in the slot - go inside - the doors swing shut and lock until you push a button on the inside for it to open. There was a sign on the outside, warning parents to not let young children go inside alone. We couldn't get it to work. The doors kept swinging open and shut. There are so many things that could go wrong with this system! The low-tech urinal down by the canal was much more useful for the guys in our party. There really was a urinal there- that was not code for "they used the canal" although I am sure that is where it went.

And notice the beautiful window above the public toilet. I bet the people who live there were happy about this modern convenience placed right in their view!

Kampen

2008-07-27T09:30:00.002-04:00

This is Kampen. We don''t have any ancestors that we have traced to this town but our last name means "from Kampen" - so we feel a love for this town. It sits on the Ijssel River in Eastern Netherlands. Growing up - we always had a framed map of Kampen hanging somewhere in our house. Because we moved a lot the location changed - but I remember it hanging over the fireplace. . . I saw it every day. So it is fun to come here and feel a connection to this place.
Grandma and Grandpa Van Kampen in Kampen with Natalie, Eliza and Rachel
We arrived on Sunday afternoon. It was refreshing to see all the shops closed and hear music coming from one of the old churches we walked by. We were happy that an ice cream parlor was open. The ice cream was awesome. I know some of you are thinking - it couldn't be better than Cold Stone or Graeters -but it was. I had a flavor that translated to "Grandma's yellow cake batter." It was awesome.

While we were in Kampen, we walked along the banks of the river, where large sail boats are docked. Behind us is ultra-modern looking drawbridge that is a contrast to the old city. Actually, in the first picture of this post - you can see a drawing of the drawbridge on the top flag hanging between the buildings.

Kroller-Muller Museum

2008-07-27T09:01:00.002-04:00

The Kroller-Muller is located near Otterlo. It is inside the Netherlands largest state park. We did enjoy the museum - but the highlight of the visit was riding bikes from the museum to the exit of the park. I love the picture of Eliza and my Dad at the museum.

Amsterdam

2008-06-29T08:38:00.004-04:00

The train and tram systems are very efficient. I think this is an exciting thing to experience - when you are used to traveling by car everywhere.

While riding on the train, Rachel revealed to us that she had her own supply of condiments for the day. It is not common to have ketchup in restaurants there - or at the pommes frits (french fry) stands on the street. So Rachel took matters into her own hands which thrilled Hannah who has an addiction to ketchup. We found this out from friends at school who give her all of their ketchup packets at lunch. They are only allowed to take 2 packets with their meals. The other tip-off to this addiction was the ketchup splotches on her clothes every day. . . Back to the train - Rachel acquired (stole) these from the breakfast buffet at the hotel.

This is the memorial to Anne Frank. It is located right by the church that Anne could see from the window in their secret annex. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the Anne Frank house. If you ever get a chance to go there - I highly recommend it. If you can't get there - and want to see it - the website is very well done. The thing that stayed with me the most from the tour - was the last thing you hear before you exit the museum. Anne's father is on video and he says that he didn't really know Anne before he read her journals. He encouraged parents to have their children write about their lives, their feelings and their dreams. He didn't address the challenge of sharing those journals with each other while we are still alive - I guess that is up to us.
After the tour we headed to PC Hoofstraat. It is the "Rodeo Drive" of Amsterdam. We were not going shopping - but we were eating at a restaurant not far from there. Rudy, Kellie, Mom and Dad, Jenni and Rick met some friends for Indonesian food. Steve and I took all the kids to a Pizza place across the street. We ate outside and Brock and Steve enjoyed the show of the high-end luxury cars going by. After lunch we did stroll down Hoofstraat. We oohed and ahed at some fancy things - and more cars.

This is the park area right behind the Rijks Museum. That is me and Hannah by the M. We went to the Van Gogh museum by the same park. I have always liked Van Gogh's paintings - probably because my Dad loved Van Gogh. We had several prints of his hanging in our home while growing up. We saw the originals here.

Cousins in Holland

2008-06-29T00:04:00.002-04:00

Eliza And Natalie

Hannah, Natalie, Rachel and Eliza in Kampen

Brock, Eliza, Rachel, Jenni and Hannah. Do you think Brock would fit in this car?

alkmaar 2

2008-06-28T23:45:00.003-04:00

Alkmaar

2008-06-25T23:34:00.002-04:00

The Cheese Market. Once a week in the town of Alkmaar, they hold the cheese market. This picture doesn't show all the pageantry that goes with the cheese selling and weighing. We got there a while before it started. I told the girls to follow me because I thought we could get a better view on the other side of the square. I was on a mission for a good view. I wasn't paying attention and walked right through the middle of a public urinal. And yes, there was someone in it - using it. (The urinals are 6 foot tall half cylindars with a drain in the ground that give someone a little privacy as long as no one walks through. . .) I backed out of my shortcut before the girls knew what was happening. They had a good laugh after I explained why we couldn't take the shortcut.

This is the best canal ride in all of Holland. The bridges are so low - you have to duck to make it under without hitting your head. We were all laughing so hard - we hardly heard the tour guide.

We were actually on the floor at times. Our boat wasn't full - so we had room to spread out. When our boat was docking - we saw a boat leaving that was completely full. I don't know how they all got low enough to not hit their heads.

Steve and Jenni ducking for their life and laughing

Views from the boat

Delft

2008-06-25T22:58:00.005-04:00

This is the 9 passenger van (stick shift) that Steve got to drive all over Holland. On our first day with the van, the girls named it the party van. I think it was a valiant effort to make it a fun ride. Somewhere in the two hours of being stuck in traffic our first outing - we realized that it didn't have air -conditioning as promised and paid for. It did have great windows which allowed for great views and it was fun to ride together as a big group. . . and the driver was handsome. So no complaints here. And when you think that $4 a gallon is steep - think of the Europeans. Its been over $9 a gallon there for some time.

This is Delft - where the blue china is made. More importantly, it is where my great - great grandfather was born. When we arrived - most of the shops were closed. Like I said - we had been stuck in traffic for a while due to an accident. The walk into the city was beautiful. We probably have 40 pictures of this town. Details if architecture, window boxes with flowers, church towers, canals, bridges and a few funny signs. But it takes a while to load - so these are my favorites.
There were unique rooftops and facades in every city we visited. My favorite pictures in every city include rooftops. Every shape, size and color.

Arriving in Amsterdam

2008-06-25T00:17:00.007-04:00

We were greeted at the airport by my parents who brought the girls tulips. After the "all night" flight we were happy to see them and know there was a bed to crash into not far away.

There is a chime that goes off in the Schiphol airport that sounds just like a clock my Grandma Van Kampen has in her house. So the airport felt very welcoming.

We checked into our hotel and slept for a few hours (we love the starwood heavenly beds) and then headed into Amsterdam by train.

We met Rudy and Kellie for dinner at a food court type place and then headed to the flower market. A whole street of beautiful flowers. We thought the marijuana starter plants would make interesting gifts for everyone at home - but would send mixed messages - and we knew we couldn't get them through customs.

We ran into the missionaries after we left the flower market. One was from Park City and the other was from Missouri. Rudy made several trips to the grocery store. As we walked around we marveled at all the bikes, quaint storefronts and how easy it was to get around. Amsterdam is a big city but feels relaxed.
This is the Dam Square in Amsterdam. The architecture is beautiful and the people were very friendly and helpful.

8 Days a Week

2008-06-13T11:36:00.001-04:00

I know, I said I would post info about our trip - but this is funny and I have to write it down.

Last week, Tanner was in the tub and he was trying to wash off a tattoo he had on his leg. It wasn't coming off. He looked worried. I asked him what he was doing. He said, "I have to get my tattoo off by Sunday or Tuesday or Latter-day."

We have two years before kindergarten to get that cleared up.

Happy 49th Mom and Dad!

2008-06-10T12:05:00.000-04:00

This month marks my parents 49th wedding anniversary. We celebrated in a big way - because next year my nephew will be serving a mission. My parents wanted us all to be together in Holland. My father's grandfather was born in Holland. He (my Dad) and my brother both served missions for our church there and speak Dutch.

So for my Dad and Mom who have traveled there many times - it is a special place that they wanted to share with the grandchildren. We had 4 wonderful days together - 13 of us - seeing the beautiful Netherlands.

A highlight for my parents was going to the Temple there with all their grandchildren who were old enough. (Grace and Tanner stayed home with our dear friends and had as much fun as we did.) We were able to join a group of youth from the international branch in the Amsterdam Stake. It was great to be there together doing temple work for Dutch people. When my Dad served his mission there - it was common for the missionaries to serve as District (smaller than a stake) Presidents. My dad was the District President of the Amsterdam District and to see the growth of the church and to now have a temple there is a great blessing.

In the days to come I will write about our other adventures - but I just want to say Thank You Mom and Dad for a wonderful experience! Thank you for sharing your love for travel and other cultures with all of us. You are incredible parents. We are so glad that you are "ours"!

Iris Green McCleary

2008-05-25T21:18:00.000-04:00

Kaylene called last night to share with us that her mom, Iris had passed away.

Iris was like a Grandma to me. I have so many memories of her and Ken.

- Having malts at their house on my birthday

- Staying with them while my parents were out of town

- When I was about 4, Iris and Kaylene took me to have my picture taken - and we gave the picture to my Mom for Mother's day (at least that is how I remember it.)

- I believe she is the one who told me that my Grandpa Rhees had passed away because were were with her when he died.

- I sat with her at church the day my brother had his mission farewell because I didn't want to choose sides with my relatives. . .

- Ken was driving the first boat I remember riding in.

- Iris took me with her to see Grandma Green. Grandma Green gave me a beautiful doll.

- One night the electricity went out at our house. Our parents were gone. Ken and Iris came over to check on us. I remember them telling us to NOT light any candles. They knew my siblings well.

- They took me and Jenni with their family to a cabin up the canyon. The cabin had a fancy outhouse.

- Iris was there the day I was confirmed and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Ken and Bryan stood in the circle.

- Iris and Ken invited me to dinner while I was at college. It was nice to have them around when my parents lived across the country.

- The first time I saw the temple square lights was with Iris and Ken.

- Iris and Ken shared their incredible vegetable garden with us on numerous occasions.

- Iris went with me wedding dress shopping.

- Iris made my first temple dress. It fit me perfectly. She also made me a matching temple packet. I still use it and think of her when I am waiting for the session to begin.

- Iris and Ken were there when I was sealed to Steve in the Salt Lake Temple.

- We lived in their rental house (that was the house I remember in my childhood) when Hannah and Eliza were babies.

Iris and Ken. Ken and Iris. Thank you for being so much a part of my life. Ken has asked that in lieu of flowers - we do something kind for someone in remembrance of Iris. I will.

The Lost Eliza Post

2008-05-22T11:55:00.000-04:00

On April 19th, I wrote this post and then couldn't get it to publish. I gave up on it after a few days - but just tried it again and it worked. So a month late. Happy birthday again Eliza!

12 years ago today, I was at home with Hannah. We were making dinner and anticipating a visit from Steve's mom, Kathy who was in Salt Lake for the day. While Hannah napped - I was watching the coverage of the anniversary of the Oklahoma bombings. As they read the names of the victims -I remember becoming sad and thinking " I'm glad this baby won't be born today."After dinner, Kathy, Hannah and Steve went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather we were having. As I watched them out the kitchen window - I realized that I was feeling really uncomfortable. I kept doing the dishes. Contractions were starting to take my full attention. The phone rang. It was Kathy's sister. She wanted to talk about something - I couldn't keep my mind on the conversation. I apologized and told her that I thought I was having contractions. She asked when the baby was due. I told her, "in three weeks". She told me not to worry - it was too early. After we hung up - I was worried. I couldn't finish the dishes. And all I could think about was that I wasn't ready. Steve came in, I called the doctor and we packed a bag. The whole way to the hospital - I kept thinking, "please not today.'But she was born at 10:0 something that night. It snowed pretty hard that night. I spent most of the next morning alone. And Eliza was in intensive care. The doctors didn't know what was wrong. My mom was at the temple. Steve was home asleep, not aware that her condition had worsened and I felt alone and scared. The two people that I usually turned to were unavailable. So I turned to my Heavenly Father. I cried to him. And I talked to him in a way I never had before. I look back on that day and the first year of Eliza's life with gratitude. The tender mercies that we experienced were small and large. The miracles we witnessed were many. It all seems like it was a million years ago. I didn't want her born on that day. It had been a sad day. But now this day is a joy to remember.Eliza has taught me a lot over the years. And there is so much to love about this incredible girl.
She is totally unique. She has her own sense of style. Her own sense of Humor. And I love her.

Old Mans Cave

2008-05-21T11:55:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago, we had a beautiful day off school - which was nice because our spring break was cold and rainy. . . we drove an hour to Old Mans Cave and enjoyed several hours of hiking around. Incredible scenery:rocks, trees, waterfalls but I think the kids remember most the snails they found by the waterfall. Lots and lots of snails.

We did have a learning experience on this little trek. After hiking around for about an hour the path just seemed to switch back and lead back to the parking lot where we started. Half the kids wanted to just go home. It seemed like we had walked on all the paths available. But then we saw a trail heading straight up a hill. It was getting pretty hot and the kids weren't sure they wanted to hike up the hill. I wasn't ready to go home. I wanted to see more so I made a declaration that we were going to go to the top. We walked and it got a little steeper. About half way up I took out the only water bottle I had brought so everyone could have a swig. It was gone. One of the girls had had a good drink. So we were thirsty and hot. There was murmuring. But we made it to the top.

We were in the middle of a campground and just a few yards from the path was a drinking fountain. Everyone had as much water as they could drink and we headed down the hill. While coming down the hill - we saw a path that we hadn't noticed. It was the trail that led to the beautiful waterfall and snails. . .

Later that night, as Grace was getting ready for bed, she said, "I'm really glad that we hiked to the top of the hill even though I didn't want to." I asked her why and she said, "because we found the water fountain and that is what we needed."

I hope all my children learn that it is often the hard things we do that provide us the things we most need. Someday, I will remind Grace about our hike to the top of the hill and how thirsty she was and the water fountain we found. And I will tell her about Jesus and the everlasting water he provides. I pray my children will find the fountain and drink.

The Song that Almost Destroyed a Family

2008-05-20T18:37:00.000-04:00

F-R-E-E that spells free. Credit report.com baby.

Let's just say that two sisters were singing it and one sister was sick of it and now it is stuck in my head.