Gingerbread personalities

Last week for family home evening, we created gingerbread people in small teams. Kelli came up with the activity and we were pretty excited to play. As we split into teams and began to build our g-people, certain personalities of team members slowly began to emerge.

Our g-people guidebook was given to us before we started our creations.

The teams were split as follows:

Hunter & Leslie
Cooper & Kurt
Mike & Gracie

Kelli was the manager of the activity and Molly was the taste tester.




Kelli handed out the bowls of frosting in the following order: 1st to Hunter & I, then Kurt & Coop & Finally Gracie & Mike.

As soon as Hunter & I received our frosting, I was ready to win. Hunter started dipping the cupcakes, but I didn't feel he was going as fast and efficiently as he could, so I took over. Hunter could care less and started eating accessories and playing with Molly. When Kurt & Coop received their frosting, it took them (Kurt) about 5 minutes to plan out what he was going to do while Cooper kept begging to get started. Mike and Gracie got their frosting and went to town, with little forethought of a final product.



If this was a timed race, Mike & Gracie would have won. They were the first to finish even though they received their frosting last. Hunter & I (basically just me) finished close behind while Kurt & Cooper (really Kurt) took forever to finish. As the leader of my team (not appointed of course), my goal was to create a gingerbread person that closely mimicked the book picture with a couple of original ideas. I think Kurt's goal was to create the most perfect frosting lines in the history of this field while making sure the accessories were symmetrical. Mike & Gracie's goal was to decorate with grandiose style, throwing anything they wanted on.

In the end I think we all accomplished our goals.

Identity Crisis

On Friday, after helping students in one of our computer labs, a student came up to me and asked if I was the "technology expert" for the middle school. Kurt happened to be visiting me at the moment, so I deflected the student toward him but it did make me wonder about my new identity as a working mom. Who am I? Last year at this time I would have quickly replied, "I'm a stay at home mom, wife and student". I'm now a mom, wife, student and teacher, but none of those labels really capture who I feel I am.

I was visiting with my Grandma and she was telling me that she can't think of one thing she is an expert of. I feel the same way. People who are true experts in their field cannot separate their identity from their expertise. They are so entwined they can't be completely distinct. Those people win the Nobel Peace Prize, have highly successful careers in the arts, are the top of their field in athletics, etc. My identity is one of a dabbler. The closest thing that defines me is my religious beliefs. They are tied to my soul and cannot be untangled. Other than that, I have a lot of things I feel comfortable with but not one thing I solely focus on. I'm okay with that.

So when people as me what I do, the list is too long to name. It's as if they are asking me to bundle all of my interests and intriques in a few short words. It just can't be done. I'll let all the experts of their fields continue to make impressive and sometimes frightening societal changes while I work in the background doing good where I can and learning from others. What do I do? I'm a dabbler. What are you?

Routine..new & old

What do frantically shopping for jeans that will fit Cooper, buying a pair of jeans for Hunter in the hopes he will wear them at least once, and traversing retail establishments looking for that last elusive pencil case have in common? It's school time again and it's bigger and better than ever.

Hunter is a senior. I think some dust just flew in my eyes. How can it be? This I know for sure: Senioritis is a real ailment and Hunter is stricken with it. On his first day of school, hold on tight people because this is going to come as a huge shock to you, he wore basketball shorts. The shorts are new. The shoes are new (as usual). The shirt...is old. He's just that kind of kid.

Cooper enters the 5th grade and we were able to enroll him in a school near my job. He has been belly aching about getting back to school all summer and I'm fairly certain he couldn't have waited a second more. He wore his new jeans and hoodie, but the shirt is older. Taking after his older brother, he'd decided the more shiny the shoe, the better.

I'm back in school with a double dose. I began my fantastic job as the Technology Instructional Coach at East Middle School and I started my new semester at BSU. I know I'm still in the honeymoon stage of my job, but I LOVE it. I move fast, really fast. Lunch lasts 10 minutes at the most. My tasks are diverse. Unfortunately, the glitz of my job has overshadowed my normal love of my grad classes. I'm delving deep to find some motivation.

Kurt, Cooper & I ride to our various locations together every day while Hunter heads to seminary (early morning for the 1st time). Gracie peeked her bright eyed head out for a goodbye on the 1st day as well. My busy life was just amped up and hopefully we, as a family, can rise to the challenge.

Reception at Hotel Fairhurst

It was a grand event. The stage was set in her favorite color with a sprinkle of flowers and a puff of balloons.




140 cupcakes adorned the triad of tiers and a chocolate fountain bubbled and pulsated with delight.





We were all there to honor our good family friend, Barbara Lee Raynes and her new groom, Lincoln. My grandma was a hostess beyond measure as she mingled and mixed with friends old and new.




It was such a magical evening that guests arrived 30 minutes early and stayed 30 minutes late. What a wonderful time was had by all.

Back in Blackfoot

Family reunions. Gotta love 'em. Kurt, Cooper & I headed to Blackfoot, Idaho for the Lon & Ruby Lott family reunion. As you know, my sister also lives in Blackfoot, so we had a partial sister reunion as well. I would love to share all the photos I took at the Lott portion of the weekend, but I was always so freezing cold that getting my camera did not appeal to me.

I will say this, some of my more daring family member joined in a human pyramid that weekend and I know a certain scrappin' sister-in-law took a photo. I'm really hoping she will email it to me (both sides) so I can post it.

The reunion just wasn't long enough. I feel like I got a small dose of Lotts and a small dose of Pearsons, but not enough of either.

I did take my camera to the park when Misti & I took the kids. So, those are the pics you get. I have to mention the fact that every night we came home smelling roasty and we just pulled that aroma with us into the Pearson household. Many of you know my niece Bostyn tells it like it is, so it did my heart good when she would lean toward me and take in a long sniff and exclaim, "You smell goooood". For some reason no one else in the Pearson family backed her up.

One more thing. I did get some Pirates Booty from Misti and this delectable chex/golden graham/coconut/almond/gooey snack from Jen. If you beg, she might just give you the recipe.

Punctual...Oh how I wish

We were supposed to leave town an hour ago. Here we are. Things happened. Things out of my control. I'm Type A and punctuality is very important to me, but...

• There was a glitch in Kurt's payroll software and he couldn't leave work until it got fixed


• Kurt did not pack a single thing last night


• There is a weird sound in the van we are going to have to look at (when he is done packing)


• We still need to eat dinner at some point
  

Why is it when you are leaving town, something is bound to bog you down? (Catch the rhyme?) Wish us luck and hopefully no tornadoes will track us down. I'll report on our adventures or misadventures soon.

(Right now I'm using all my mental energy to help Kurt know what he needs to pack next. He said he was done 10 minutes ago. Still waiting....)

I cannot believe it is August and, oh, how things have changed!

Sometimes, when I'm writing posts for the blog, I wonder if I'll ever be able to come up with something interesting to write about again (interesting to me at least). What I have found is I have a lot more to write about the more frequently I write because the longer I wait the more experiences dissipate and become an unmanageable mess. So today is a fresh start with a rewind beginning.

REWIND: July ended on a high. I'm officially employed which means I'm excited, nervous, anxious, relieved and very busy. My job title: Technology Instruction Coach. Can you imagine a better job? When technology and creativity combine, the possibilities are endless.

I finished my summer classes. This summer marks the end of me ever taking classes full-time again. I'll take one this fall. ONE. It seems strangely fabulous.

I went to Moodle Boot Camp. I love saying that because people either pretend they know what I'm talking about and just nod and say "uh huh" or they ignore me and swiftly change the topic of conversation.

I went to the pet and doll parade with my sister, Laura and kids in tow. If you don't have this type of parade, it's where children can get dressed up and/or dress up their animals or dolls and be in a parade. It adorable.



July also signified the end of summer for Hunter. He has basically been gone the entire month working. It's great because he is never anywhere he can really spend the money he is earning. Sadly, his car broke as well.

Another incredible event occurred in the Fairhurst commune in July. My sister Kelli joined me in my current decade..the 30's. I'm on my way out and she is just starting the journey. My sister Misti and my grandma and some wonderful friends surprised her with a chocolate party.





TODAY: There was so much more that happened in July, but it's already fading away. So let's talk today. Today I went to the doctor's office to get a TB shot for the school district. While I was there I was able to hear a man tell about recently getting bit by a rattlesnake and having to walk miles to his vehicle afterward. He said you don't die, it's just very painful. Is that true? I don't plan on testing his theory. I don't really believe it anyway...I think he just got lucky.

I also had to go to the County Superintendent to get an official seal on my MT teaching license. I was SO happy I was able to walk right past the incredibly long line at the motor vehicle dept to the one lone stall for the Superintendent. It was worth all the glares and hateful glances.

Did you know it's Beanie Baby time at McDonalds? Cooper is well aware of it, so today I ordered myself a happy meal so he would get 2 little goodies. Is that against some McDonald rule or something? I did feel a tidge guilty about it.

For the next 2 days I have more Moodle training here in town and then I'm off to the Lott reunion this weekend and to see my sister Misti & her family. I have one more wish floating loudly through the universe and that is hoping my house will sell. And it will.