28 Weeks

 A little photo of my baby bump. You know, for posterity sake. I am sure I had a realy goofy look on my face as I took it but the flash is hiding most of my face. Thank goodness. Still, it's worth saving huh? I didn't allow very many pics to be taken of me while pregnent with T and R. I am realizing now that I should have. The girls love to see me with them inside. And, seeing myself brings back happy memories. Not the "Holy Moly, I'm a whale!" thoughts that I feared at the time.

So here you go baby girl, yo' Momma and you. About 28ish weeks. (I am staring down 30 now.) I promise at least a few more before you are out of there. I was telling Talia about you a few days ago, about how small and helpless you will be when she first meets you, and how you will need her to help her grow and learn. Talia said, "Yea, she will be just a little bit. I think that is a good nickname girly! See you pretty soon 'Little Bit'.

Imperials and Sunflowers

Don't worry friends, this is not going to be another Derby night play by play. I will only note that our evening in Preston was profitable, we have another shiny trophy in our room, and that DJ had a real blast beating up his yellow Imperial. (Roo and I picked the color!) Here it is, amongst it's battered comrades, still chained to the trailer awaiting placement in the derby graveyard. Some go there to die (the hall of fame), others to await some summer day of resurrection when they shall be pounded, re-shaped, welded, charged, oiled, and painted anew to battle once more.

We went out to the scrapyard Sunday evening to take pictures of the cars. DJ wanted to document all the twisted metal and mud for his good buddy Bronson Twitchell, far away in South Africa serving the Lord. (But missing all the action.) The girls picked sunflowers. They grow like crazy out there around the junk. Maybe it's all the iron in the soil?

While the girls wandered around the automobiles I was pondering over these words:

"Thou who knowest all our weakness
Leave us not to sow alone!
Bid thine angles guard the furrows
Where the precious seed is sown.
Til the fields are crowned with glory
Filled with mellow ripened ears.
Filled with fruit of life eternal
From the seed we sowed in tears."

We are Sowing, Hymn 216

We sang this in Sacrament meeting after the missionaries spoke. Tis' a fitting narrative to not only sharing the gospel but motherhood, I think.

New Do'

The T-ster got a chop! She was so into having a new do' for back to school. I love running my fingers through her hair, it is so soft and silky. Drew, from Cookie Cutters did a good job of making it look thicker and fuller, as well as lay nicely against her neck. She looks so stylish.We are both excited to get her styled up for her first day. Kindergarten - watch out!

 I woke up next to this. My dearest child! How I love you! I wish you were more fond of your own bed, but I am touched when I realize how much you need me, and when you want to be close to me all the time.

Grandma and Grandpa Grange took the girls on a date monday night.They had pineapple pizza, played at the park and even got an ice cream cone. (Bubblegum!) DJ and I had a date of our own at Cafe Sabor. We enjoyed a Pina Colada and Sunrise passion fruit smoothie as well as a burrito the size of our first born! Family Night apart, but it still counts. We reconnected about 9:00 pm at the ball field to watch G-ma and the uncles play. Go team Grange!

Derby On!

Yes. It's the next chapter in the story of our summer. Another derby.

This one was as good as the last. DJ really showed up, as did all of the Granges. The main event was full of them. (Except Dev, sorry man. I promise your day will come!) Derby Dave, aka - Grandpa Grange won the the whole she-bang. DJ was second, thanks to some sort of miracle. His car looked like a pile of wreckage, but it just wouldn't quit! I guess it's all about what's under the hood. The heart of the beast was strong. (Isn't that the truth about a lot of things?) We brought home 3 big shiny trophies, they are on the fireplace mantle.

The girls spent the morning with G-pa and Demo (Daniel) and Dad at the shop. They were so grubby. This photo doesn't show the worst parts, pants and shoes. Geesh. There were the cutest little hand prints all over Grandpas station wagon though, pretty cute. Worth the red paint that I had to comb out of each head of hair.

DJ has had a lot to weigh down his mind the last few weeks, and some loneliness of his own. I was so glad to see a smile on his face Saturday night, it was ear to ear. He did get a battle wound, a sore for arm that got bashed into the steering wheel. Of course he is taking it like a man. I am sure it hurts more than he lets on. It is swollen! I am also sure that he will not give it a second thought when he gets behind the wheel for next weeks rumble.

Derby on!

There's Nothing Like the First Time

I planted corn this spring with nothing but faith. I didn't know how deep to put the seeds or how far apart to make the rows. When the sweet little stalks poked up through the dirt I weeded and watered and watched over them. (I hear that deer like corn.) Turns out that it doesn't take much more than that! The recipe inherent in those little seeds, put there from the beginning by the Lord did the rest.

We feasted this afternoon on our very own crop. It was FABULOUS! And I know good corn. Crisp and sweet, the kind that snaps into your mouth when you bite. I love the multicolored yellow ears. Oh dear, I could bust, I am so proud. I realize that I can't really claim it's creation, but by darned I did pull a lot of weeds from around the tender sprout-lings. And pick out the earwigs.

Roo ate 2 whole ears. She was all buttery! I had 5.

I lacked the for sight to plant each row a week apart, (and it rained so very much this spring that I remember only a few days where the heavens allowed a planting) so we will be eating a lot of corn in the next few days while the ears are at their best. I look forward to a good corn binging all year. I hope to buy a bunch from our favorite local farmer in a few weeks so that we can freeze it for later, but ours we shall eat, after all, there's nothing like the first time.

Good Dreams and Bad

I had a bad dream on Monday night. It didn't help that DJ was sleeping in a hotel in Elko, so when I rolled over to reach out and touch him and only found the Talia bug I felt lonely. (T is a good bed buddy but cannot comfort me the same way that my hubby can.
My dream was about the baby, and I couldn't find her. We were still at the hospital, DJ was supposed to be tending her, but he had turned his back for a minute and she disappeared. She was so tiny and  I knew she needed me, I looked all over and found lots of babies but none of them were mine. I would look in their faces and hold them, but I knew that they weren't my baby. I could hear her crying and I wanted her so bad. It was terrible!

I was so agitated when I woke up that it took me a while to calm down. I walked around a bit and got a drink so that I could wake my little 'tenant' and feel her wiggle around inside me. That always makes me feel better. (I had bad dreams when I was expecting my other babies too.) I find that I almost always have to get on my knees and say a prayer before my mind will let go and allow me to fall asleep again. Ahhh, pregnancy. Bitter and sweet.

I had another dream last night, this one was much less frightening but just as agitating. I was watching out my window and noticed a bus bringing people (big grown ups) home from school. Not just from any school either, fun school! The kind were you learn art and sewing and do design projects and get to create all day long. The bus was full of interesting, educated, and talented people, the kind I would love to spend time with. I was suddenly mad because I realized that I was enrolled and should have been in class that day. And the day before, and the day before that. I had missed 3 whole days! WHY? What had I been doing that was more important, how could I have forgotten that I was supposed to be in school? What had I missed? Oh, I was so frustrated with myself. I had sat around for three days looking out the window while the others learned.

Upon awaking and reviewing, this dream gave me a bit of a Revelation about myself. I have felt removed from the design community as of late. (Even though I had 2 client meetings this week and just got a slug of material for another custom bedding project.) I am so busy being Mommy that I haven't had as much time to indulge in my own loves. Sometimes I feel like the Me that was before I was Mommy is lost and frustrated. I want to create so badly. I crave the high I feel when I make something new.

Sigh. There is a season to all things. I am in the nurturing season. There are little bodies to grow and hair to comb and faces to be kissed. I am creating I suppose. Little girls.

I would really miss my little works of art if I had to attend school or work every day. Really I would! (But once a week would be sweet, eh?) I enjoy being the Mom, but breaks are hard to come by. So are alone dates with my man. Has it really been 2 months since we spent an evening together? Oh, yep. It has.

I took some pics of my recent projects, just to prove that I still get things done that don't include cleaning up after my family, or are under the demands of a client. The first is a preview of the girls bedding, it's a real miss-mash and I love it! The second is a sweet little re-do I did on an antique high chair I bought at a yard sale for 3 bucks. The last is a twirly skirt, complete with red tulle that I made for Roo last week. So far she won't wear it. She acts like it's strangling her and wants it off the minute I put it on. Maybe this one will go with me to Bunco next week.

The Spoils of War

The Rich County Rumble. That's what they call it. People arrive at least and hour early, most of them end up sitting on the hillside around the Laketown arena. Drivers families get a special spot near the entrance, behind the giant hay bales. Here is the girls with their cousin Keagen and uncle Deven. He is wearing an original family T-shirt, it says "Grange Destruction - drive it like you stole it."

DJ qualified for the Main Event by finishing in the top 2 of his heat, took 2nd in the Main and then came back and kicked butt in the Bach to the Last. We got pummeled with dirt, ate lots of Starbursts and got in our share of whooping and hollering.
Any sore feelings I had Saturday morning at 7:00 am when DJ kissed me goodbye to head to the scrap yard are gone. He brought home 3 big checks. Enough to pay off the Dr.! Money is NOT the reason he/we derby, but it sure does feel nice to be rewarded with a wad of cash now and then.



You may not be able to tell, but there are 3 cars on this trailer. "The Wedge" is a derby family must. I  love the looks it generates when we go through town. People gape! I don't love how much noise the truck makes while hauling it, and the jerky ride up the canyons. (Not as bad when you don't have a baby in the belly.)

After the Bash, and Daddy being pried off the 2nd place car he mangled, the girls rode out of the area with him in triumph. To their complete delight! I try to ignore all of the raw metal edges and let them enjoy the moment. There will be dangers, this is war after all.

A Weekend oh-Fair

I never imagined that I would be one of those folks walking through the dairy barn in August and telling my children, "These black and white ones are Holsteins, they make milk! See those pink sacks, that's where it comes from. Cows are nice, they won't bite ya!"

You see, I am a farm kid. Born and raised. No one ever told me those words, it was just something I knew, and thought everyone else knew too. Then me and my siblings started showing our best and most beautiful Holsteins in the 4-H program and spending time at the Cache and State Fairs. Ha! Was I surprised. I couldn't believe how clueless those barn wanderers were about animals. City kids!

My father's dairy farm is gone now and a new generation has come to his family. A generation that has never been in a milk barn or seen a calf born in the yellow straw or shoveled poop. Kind of sad how quickly a way of life can disappear. However, Dad only misses the fun parts. I know there were lots of things about farming that were not fun. 

Talia and Roo loved the cows, pigs, chickens and lambs at the fair. (Ruby was especially enamoured with all the horses at the Rodeo and the floppy eared bunnies.)  I am proud of my little batch of city kids.  

Ruby does some tire modeling. Me and DJ had fun explaining what all the equipment was used for. Talia really enjoyed the baler wagons and the swather.

Of course we dropped about $100 bucks to let the girls enjoy the flashy fair rides, see the rodeo and eat lots of hot dogs and cotton candy. I think I walked about 10 miles. Fun for all!

June & July in a Glance



My Mom used to keep our yearly calenders as a family journal of sorts. It was fun for us to look back over the year and see things written down for each of us, like "Sarah to Wellsville parade 8:00 am", or "Alex-Dentist 3:30", "Jenna-9th grade registration 4:00-7:00pm", "Elder Norr Transfer to Denton." We especially liked to see our own birthdays highlighted. Mom would write our name and age really cute and fill up the whole square. I don't think I have ever told her how much I liked that.

I know these pictures are a bit hard to read, but I think it's fun that a part of our summer 2011 is recorded forever. I realize that this isn't vital family information, but someday it might be fun to remember that I had Key Scouters meetings, and how many hours DJ worked each day, and when baby girl #3's ultrasound was (Every Saturday there is a faint green number that records how many weeks along we are!), and how many derby's we actually went to.

I keep all of my calenders too. My favorite is 2006, the year Talia was born. There are some pretty tender days to recall, like "Talia's 2 month checkup 10:00 am". However, eventually most of them end up as free artwork in my decorating schemes. This years calender is of light houses. I've already got an idea of how to use my favorite photo come December 31st.

FHE Grange Style

DJ got back into the valley late yesterday afternoon and 'had' to get to the scrap yard right away to get an axle under his derby car. The Bear Lake derby is Saturday and he will be spending the rest of the week in Elko Nv, so time is precious. We girls are reluctantly familiar with this situation, and know that if we want to get any Daddy time that it is going to have to be at the yard. So we picked up some Fredricos' ham and cheese salads and an order of garlic bread (Mmmmm!They do it right.) and joined him.

Other than the mosquito's that are the size of hummingbirds, the scrapyard is quite magical at night. In a twisted metal graveyard sort of way. The girls absolutely LOVE running around and climbing all over the equipment and cars. Pretending to drive the skid loader. Everything is so exciting and big at the scrap yard. How often do you get the chance to be under a car? (Hopefully not too many. right? Unless you're into that sort of gig, like my hubby.) Last night there were no less than 3 flying automobiles, waiting for Pablo to strip the guts out of them in the morning.

I promised the girls Frosty's from Wendy's for family night treat. I kept true to my word, even though it was almost 10:15 before DJ finished the necessary repairs and we locked the gate.Gotta love that summer "whenever" bed time.

I stayed up until midnight devouring the new Ensign. There is always something just for me. I am so grateful for personal revelation, and modern prophets.

Barefoot Farming

Against my better judgement, I let T and R play in Brother Johnson's garden while he flood irrigated. (Yes, we asked first, and yes he was totally cool with it!) They tromped around in the mud for about 45 minutes and squealed and laughed, disappearing all the time between the rows of corn and beans. Ruby kept saying, "Momma I sinking!" She fell down several times. See that little bottom? She is wearing my favorite floral printed pants and a white tank. Talia is in new checked Bermuda shorts and, uh huh, a white tee.

They had the time of their lives. Me and brother Johnson talked corn and pumpkins and let a whole bunch of water run under the apple trees and onto my lawn. Each girl got a good hose down when the fun was over. Turned out that I got Ruby's pants clean just fine, thank you Biz. Better judgement. Pooh.

Some Thoughts

DJ and I got to spend about 5 whole hours together yesterday! We went to a wedding. It was lovely. The bride was lovely, the food was lovely.  (Way to go Mitch! It's about time dude.) I am so glad that we have the opportunity to witness others sealing ceremonies, the words are so much more meaningful after you start building your life together, and you have worries and trials and responsibilities, and throw a little posterity in the mix!

Sometimes I wonder if I missed the fancy and freedom of my early 20's by marrying young. Other times I am terribly grateful that I didn't have to spend 10 years alone and searching.

You know how you can NEVER find your cell phone? Is it me? Is it pregnancy brain? It's getting really old. This is like, a twice a week thing for me. DJ doesn't understand how I could possible misplace it. (Hon, I don't wear it clipped to my hip like you.) I hope nobody needs me today, cause I am unavailable, please leave a message.

I am having issues getting video from my camera to computer. I need to spend some time today and try to get some videos loaded. Hope it will work because whenever I write about something the girls do I always think to myself that it would be so much better to actually see them do it again and again. Preserve that laughter, that youthful energy forever!

Today Roo said, showing me a rock she found in the grass, "What my heck!" Hilarious. Her voice has the most endearing pitch to it right now, totally 2 year old, totally her own. I want to bottle it up. Excepting the parts when she yells, "No!" to Talia at the top of her lungs. Not so cute.

I want to re-decorate a room so bad I ache. I am seeing so many wonderfully inspiring things, I could do my whole house again. I want to sew. I want to paint. I want to move furniture! Not even my pregnancy tiredness could hold me back if I just had a the $$$$. Even $$$. I am craving change! Funny how some people never want it. Fear it even. Me, I long for it. Mostly for the excuse to create something. New bedroom looks for the girls are looming on the horizon, but are still too far to reach out and touch. Patience Sarah.

I had better go and locate my little "posterity's." They were outside in the yard playing, but I have a suspicion that they are now at the neighbors house. Being adorable I can only hope. I really don't want my children to be the ones that the neighbors tolerate out of necessity. We are going for genuinely likable.

P.S. How long do you put off cleaning toilets? I am wondering how much I can get away with. I SO don't want to do that today. You know what's funny? I think DJ believes that they clean themselves. He says to me yesterday, when I was lamenting over the state of the bathroom while getting ready for the wedding, "It's not filthy, you don't have to clean it yet." Oh, yea babe. Take a real good look. Just because there isn't TP rolls and pantie liners littered around the commode does not make its clean. As long as he doesn't have to kick stuff out of the way to get to the throne every morning, it's clean.

P.S.S. I love you DJ!

Kiesel Round Up

Get ready for another re-cap.

Monday morning, 6:00 am I was up and packing my ham and Pepper Jack on whole wheat into a bag with some chips, water bottle and a granola bar. Time for Webelos day camp. I can no longer button my yellow scout shirt over my belly. You go Sarah!

We actually left on time, 5 ten year olds and two leaders at 6:30, despite the down poor. Good thing I brought 3 umbrellas and a jacket. Whew! It rained so hard we could hardly talk during the drive. I was white knuckled on the wheel. The two shots of the boys shooting bows above were taken at the only time I dared uncover my camera. Ok. So it wasn't that bad all day, I wish that I had a shot of us all together but this was really the only time that I remembered to take a picture! A little preoccupied I guess, with all the knowledge and enthusiasm richochetting off the canyon walls.

Thanks Sister Anderson from Providence 2nd ward for being a great partner and a really great friend. Thanks Jeff and Kira for trusting me with your new Durango. Thanks Heavenly Father for the rain on my garden and for bringing us all safely home from another summer camp and the BB gun range.

Sister Painting and Other Fun In the Sun

DJ told me today, "Did you know that people who spend time in the sun each day are more likely to get a better nights sleep?"

I am pretty sure he heard that little fact on the radio. I know he didn't read it somewhere, unless it was in the KSL news highlights. Cool though, I totally believe that. No wonder he sleeps like a log!

Me and the girls soaked in a lot of sun today, I look forward to tonight's sleep. Particularly because I forwent my nap to make a skirt for myself today. It is very stretchy! Just how I like it. We met Grandma Norr and cousin "Ty Man" at Merlin Olsen Park on center street in Logan this afternoon for wading and swinging and a real outdoor blanket picnic. The shade was divine, the stream was cold and clear and Roo got her fill of underdogs. (It takes a lot to fill her fancy for swinging!)

Later, the girls made this mess in the backyard. I was mowing the front lawn about 5:30-ish when Talia decided to cook up some good old fashioned mud exfoliate. The girls put it all over their bodies. Even the face! The photos were taken before they got so bold as to put it everywhere. They started off slowly while I snapped pics, as if to ask, "Are we going to get in trouble for this Mom?"

Their laughter was so wonderful and genuine. I realized that I rarely let them get really dirty. So, why not? Go for it chickies. They had a ball. The tub water was a little murky tonight.