A tribute to grandmothers

In April each year the Carol Morgan School has an international fair where the students study about different countries and their peoples. Each elementary class is assigned a country and the students learn about it. Kambrielle was very excited when she came home and told me that this year her class was studying Sweden. We looked up facts online, looked for photos and wrote reports. We were especially excited because one of my grandmothers is Swedish!

Last Thursday Kami came home very happy because she was chosen as the girl from the class to go and speak during the elementary school assembly about Sweden. Then I heard these words: "Oh, and by the way mom...I need you to make me the National Swedish Costume to wear during the assembly"

Panicking, I quickly googled the image and found that it was doable. I had one week to get the outfit done....not that easy here where they don't sell patterns! I felt fairly confident that I could do it, and was pretty happy that I could make it out of inexpensive cotton.....should I need to cut something out more than one time!

This is a photo of Kambrielle in front of her classroom. The flag of Sweden is in the background.

Her full outfit. She was so excited to have a long dress!

Kambrielle sharing her report in front of the school. She got really nervous right before, since the gym was full of students and parents. I was very proud of her! One of her favorite things about Sweden that she wanted to share was about ice hotels. She thinks that we should go there and stay in one this summer.......Don't think that will work!

As I worked this week on the costume, I thought about how thankful I am that my mom taught me to sew and encouraged me in it. I can't tell you how many things of mine she picked the stitching out of when I wanted to scream and throw them away. She learned from her mother, Elsie Butler Speer, who was a professional seamstress. My grandfather passed away when my mom was 2 years old. To provide for her four children Grandma sewed for people. Grandma Speer didn't have an easy life, but I have lots of happy memories of her. Grandma liked to go dancing on the weekends and so she would come over once a week and my mom would wash her hair and set it in rollers and style it for her. Grandma would often sleep over in my room and she would tell me stories about growing up in Texas; picking cotton in the morning, then riding her horse to school and then coming back and picking cotton in the afternoon. After my grandmother passed away I was in a gift shop once in Texas and I found the perfect gift for my mom. It was a ball of cotton, with the husk on it still that had been crafted into an angel.

I also thought of my Grandmother, Sylvia Erickson Pierce, while I was researching Sweden. Grandma Pierce's parents immigrated from Sweden to the Portland area. I grew up with stories of lutefisk (smelly fish that they actually sell and eat all the time here in the DR!) for Christmas. My Grandma Pierce was THE best pie maker. Her apple pie was my all time favorite. She was a great baker and we kids loved going over to their house. We would always get some treats and a can of soda, pretty amazing things for a kid! She and my Grandpa were very supportive of my and my brothers while we were growing up and I don't remember her missing any of my activities, even church ones that they didn't necessarily understand. I think of and miss her and Grandpa often. While my kids were growing up,they got a savings bond from Grandma and Grandpa every Christmas and some birthdays. When Kierstin went to college, she cashed hers in and used it to buy a computer for her studies. It was as if my grandparents were still there, supporting her as she took her next important step.

I am really grateful for the grandmothers that I had. They were so loving and caring to me. I also adore Kevin's grandmother. She has always shown me such love. I also really appreciated the time that we spent together, when we lived in Riverton Utah, since she was so close to us. I tried to do something with her once a week and she gave me such a good example of a grandparent who lives and loves the gospel. I have had some amazing talks with her and I love her! I miss seeing her, but we still get together when we are in Utah.

It hurts me now, as I think of the amazing memories that I have of my grandparents, that we live so far away from my children's grandparents. I feel bad that my kids don't have the one on one experiences with their grandparents that I had. When the kids were little they spent a lot of time on the phone with my mom and they loved that time. They are really looking forward to hanging out with the grandparents this summer!

So, thank you to my amazing grandmothers. I hope that my grandchildren will love me as much as I love you.

As heard in the car.....

The following were heard on the car ride home from church and while doing the dishes after lunch. Note, these were all discussed in utter sincerity.

Ever wonder what is going on in my children's minds? Take a peek:
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Kami: "Mom is lonely a lot. I think that she needs to get herself another man."
Other girls: " It is just that Dad is always at work"
Kami: "Yeah, that's why she needs two men. One to do the working and one to stay home and give her comfort all the time."
Me: "I think that is illegal"
Kami: "Well, I am going to do it when I grow up!"

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Kaitlin: "One of the kids in Sunday School was being so stupid. He said he just hates all gays. I told him, 'How can you hate all gays?' and he said he just did"
Kaitlin: " That is really ignorant. Do we hate all people that sin? Do we hate people who smoke because it is a sin? Do we hate Democrats?"
Me: "I didn't know being a Democrat was a sin!"

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Kaitlin: "Mom, when I graduate will you take me out for cheesecake?
Me: "Yes. We can do that."
Kari: "Will you take me for cheesecake?"
Me: "Maybe." (BTW Kari asks to go out for cheesecake at least once a week.)
Kayli: "Mom, when Kaitlin graduates we all need to go out to that really yummy restaurant. You know, it's called 'Outhouse'"
Me: "No, it's called Outback. We don't want to eat at the Outhouse Restaurant!"

~Kim

Evidence

I found this note on the countertop yesterday while making the lunches for the kids to take to school. Please note that the high schoolers had allready left for seminary while I was making the lunches. It looks suspiciously like Kari's handwriting. If something happens to one of us....you know who to blame.

Attitude

Tonight I wore pirate skull and crossbones earrings to the adult session of Stake Conference. Like this, but mine are gold.......

I am becoming a rebel.

~Kim

first generation church members

Church here is a lot different than at home.

No, the women don't have the priesthood (wait, in one branch on one of the islands a misguided leader DID do that) and the gospel teachings are the same.....but some times some strange things pop up.

I have to remember that most of the members here are first generation; meaning that they are the first person in their family to be baptized. This leads to some sweet teaching moments. About a month ago, a dad was blessing his baby. He went up to the pulpit to do the blessing and started talking, welcoming people, etc. The bishop pulled him aside of the microphone, with Elder Coleman, and the father was given about a three minute instruction on how to give a baby blessing. It was a sweet moment as this dad was given instruction and we practiced patience and love.

Forward to today. I was sitting in sharing time for primary, happy that the Primary Presidency had come today. Last week everyone was gone and so I got to do sharing and singing time. One of the counselors got up to do the sharing time. She is new in primary (since I have been here) and is a very visual, tactile person. She always has great visuals for the children to see and focus on. Today she was sharing how the scriptures and their teachings are a great treasure for us, better than earthly treasures. She had a beautiful red cloth draped over the table area and then placed a box in the middle of it with different jewelry pouring out of it. Great visual aid.......too bad the box was from a bottle of Johnny Walker.
~Kim

Fasting funny

Kambrielle began to fast when she turned eight in July. It is a huge struggle for her every month and she is trying to get through it.

This last Sunday she began way too tired....having teen-age sisters doesn't do much for her bed time. We just forget that she is only eight and let her stay up with us. And then we pay the price the next day.

So, Kami was ultra-tired and then went to primary and the substitute teachers brought everyone in class cookies if they were good. All the other kids ate theirs immediately and Kami held on to hers. So, here she is staring at these delicious cookies and knowing that she has to wait and wanting to wait, but wanting to eat them too! (Know the feeling?)

She started whining and whining and whining and........ Finally we had all had it! Kevin told her to find something to keep her mind off it and she cried "I did! I was practicing my Spanish on Rosetta Stone and it started a new lesson! It had me saying 'Ella come. El come. Ella bebe. El bebe' I can't stand it!!!!"

I burst out laughing......translated those mean; "She eats. He eats. She drinks. He drinks."

She just couldn't win.
~Kim

Newest Members of the Family

I have been looking for some kittens for the girls for the last two months. I told my friends Charmaine and Julie and they were on the lookout for a kitten for me. While at the vet, Julie found out that there was a mother cat that had just had kittens and that we could have one in three weeks, when it could leave its' mother. She took photos of the kittens, so that we could choose, and brought her camera to Girl Scouts. I showed the photo to Kari and Kambrielle and told them that Kevin and I had decided that they could get a cat. Kari about hyperventilated and cried right there at school. They went home and told their sisters and we had the happiest girls around.

Fast forward a few weeks........ The lady with the cats won't call us back. No kittens are available..............insert sad and disillusioned children here. You can't get kittens here like at home. You don't really see them on the streets much, or people giving them away. I don't know why you don't see them more, especially with all the rats that are here, but I have my suspicions......(think dinner meats)

Friday when Kevin got back from work in the early afternoon we loaded the girls into the van and headed off to El Arca, one of the pet stores here in town. They had two kittens.... and only wanted $210 a piece. They were a himalyan siamese mix. I asked the worker there if he knew of anywhere we could go to get a kitten that just needed a home. He looked at me like I was insane and shook his head no (of course, I did interrupt his computer games he was playing...)

We went to another pet store in town and they also had three kittens for sale. These were a steal at $278 for the black ones, or $334 for the orange one. Needless to say, we left there without purchasing anything. We did enjoy looking at the monkey they had for sale. It had an infant that was clinging to its' back and it was really cute. They won't sell them to Americans, is the rule, but I am sure that if I had the money they would sell it to me! (something about the way we can't bring them back into the US)

Kari suggested we try a pet store in a poor area of town, that we pass on the way home from Kevin's work. We headed back there and headed in to talk to the owner. They only had dogs, birds and fish. I asked the owner if he knew of any kittens and he was very kind to make some phone calls. I told him we didn't want a pedigree, just a kitten that needed a home. About 15 to 20 minutes later a man showed up on a motorcycle, holding a box with 2 very scared kittens. The girls immediately fell in love and, after a bit of negotiation, we left with 2 little girl kittens and spent about $27 for the two. Kevin and I decided that we would get two so that they could keep each other company.

We brought them home, bathed them, and fluffed them up. (They took the baths without a problem) Throughout the night the girls played with them, observed them and came up with names. The one with the gray markings is smaller, but more adventuresome. She goes exploring and gets into everything. She is named Sophia. The one with the black markings is much more timid. She jumps at everything and is learning to trust us. She is named Giuliette (Kaitlin wanted the Italian spelling of Juliette).

Hopefully the twice weekly baths and brushing them will keep my allergies at bay.
My eyes are itchy, but my children are happy!
~Kim