Update 2012

Just an update on our insane lives:

Maki turned 38 in January. Scary thought, no?

We had some snow.

I made some really big cookies. Corn flake crunch, marshmallow, and chocolate chips.

The kids got some quality sunshine in between storms. And also some quality Wendy's lunch.

This is what Lu wants to do every day, all day long.

That's all I've got for now.

Pay It Forward

I spent a much-needed weekend away from home this past weekend. I will go ahead and say it:  it was an awesome time. It was the first time I've ever been away from all three of my kids and my husband at the same time. On top of that, I spent the weekend in one of my favorite places--Seattle. What made this weekend particularly special, however, was the reason for which I made the trip. 

A year and a half ago, my mother passed away suddenly. (Some of you know she was already dying of cancer, but her actual cause of death was congestive heart failure and a massive heart attack caused by the cancer drug Herceptin.) I say suddenly, but the final twenty or so hours of her life were particularly painful and difficult. Through it all, there was one person by her side, right up until she breathed her last breath. (My sister was also there for her last few hours.) This friend had driven from Seattle to Logan a few days previous for the sole purpose of caring for her during that round of chemotherapy. She was the one who broke the news to me of my mom's dire situation. She didn't leave town until after the funeral, at which she gave the most beautiful memorial to my mom.

Her name was Yuko Johnson, and she passed away last week after her own years-long battle with cancer. She was one of the most impressive people I have ever known. She is the reason I went to Seattle this weekend. I said this past weekend was awesome. It may be strange to say that of a funeral weekend, but it just was. 

When I arrived in Seattle, Yuko's husband and daughter welcomed me into their home and we had a very nice and heartfelt visit. Chris's family, of course, was there, and Yuko's friends came and went as the day wore on. I have known Yuko for twenty or so years, and it was absolutely lovely to learn about Yuko from people who knew her even longer and from other times and places of her life. I enjoyed visiting with Tia, her daughter, and being able to recognize the many things she must have picked up from her mother. The one thing that impressed me the most was that there were so many people in the world who absolutely loved this woman. She was a true friend to all these people. I won't go into a lot of detail about Yuko's life, but I can attest that it was a particularly full and dynamic one.

I wish I could have given her a big hug before she left. I suppose that I will get my chance someday. 

By the time it was time for me to return home, I was refreshed and ready to face my crazy life again. I also had a heart full of gratitude--that I had Yuko for a friend, that I was able to meet and make friends with so many of her friends, and that I have her as a teacher and example. Heck, I was grateful for being able to travel so far away, even if it meant having to submit to a full body search at airport security because I absolutely refuse to go through the full-body scanner. 

Here are some photos from the weekend. I searched all my digital photos for anything with Yuko in it, but I had nothing, unfortunately. This is Yuko's sweet mother-in-law and some of her friends. One traveled all the way from Germany. The tall girl in the middle is Yuko's daughter who just returned from and LDS mission. (She also has a son who is currently serving a mission in Brazil.) We made Japanese curry for lunch. Delicious food, warm company, lovely lunch.

This is at her graveside service. I was so glad and honored to be invited. Yuko's daughter is on the far left, and the rest of us are friends from all over the world.

I know that I am now refreshed and can better do my day job on a basic level. I hope to be a better wife, mother, sister, and person. Yuko, I hope to be a bit more like you.

Mata au hi made.

Birthday Card

Dear Mom,

Happy 61st Birthday! I don't know if birthdays from this life count where you are now, but I am thinking of you all the same. Maki is, too. So is Jessica. We miss you.

Love,
Katie

Found My Camera

Blog title says it all.

My bro participated in a charity event. Fundraiser for the Denver Adult Down Syndrome Clinic, which is an essential part of his life right now. My brother is the bomb, apparently.

 Here he is with some Denver Broncos cheerleaders, and below with none other than Miss Colorado.

Here he is with some Denver Nuggets dancers. He was pretty busy that evening, as he was also part of the main entertainment. Some of the clients of the organization put together some dance numbers and performed them. The best, though, was that Maki danced with all of these very nice, lovely ladies that evening. It was fun!





A couple of years ago, I enrolled Ellie in ballet classes. After a few months, I realized it was a total bust. She was not loving it, to say the least. I gave her a year off and now we are back at it. Here is the first day of ballet (and tap and tumbling) lessons, part II. We hope it sticks this time.

This child can't not pose for a photo.

A week later, school started. It was a very exciting day, since it was Ellie's first day of kindergarten.

I had to throw these in here, just to balance things out.

Unfortunately, for this date and time, this is all I could get of this guy. Hey, at least he's wearing pants!

Waiting for the bus. I'm only partially joking when I say that I selected the kids' elementary school based on the fact that the bus will take them to school. (I can be one lazy mama!)

Have a good day at school!

Despite the fact that I grew up where I grew up, I am one who makes a point of staying away from nature as much as possible. (Not quite as bad as Monk, but I definitely sympathize with his position.) I believe that there is such thing as too much nature, and that threshold isn't very high.

Today, however, we made a short trip into nature--the Garden of the Gods, to be exact. It was, of course, beautiful. Despite the intense heat, it was a fun and worthwhile family activity. It was made even more worthwhile afterwards when we went to Rudy's for lunch/dinner. Yum....mmm....

It was a good day. It's been a good summer. I don't think I'm ready for it to be over.

Filler

Dear World,

I have been a terrible blogger. At this point, I don't think I can even call myself a blogger. (Which begs the question, what is the definition of a real blogger, anyway? But this is not a topic for this particular blog.) I rarely post. Currently, I have left off part III of a 3-part series on my family's vacation that we took in May. I will repeat, I am a terrible blogger.

My current excuse for not keeping up is that we recently purchased a new computer. While I am loving this change (we are now converted Mac users), it has turned my world upside down. Not just learning to use the Mac, but transferring files, etc. (Thanks Dr. Doctor Dirty!) Add to that, the fact that I hate the camera that I currently own, and if you know me, you know that if I have taken a dislike to anything, it's bad news for that item. In this case, it means that (a) I can't find the stinkin' device; and (b) even if I had the stinkin' thing in hand right now, it might not make a difference because it hasn't been working due to some possible abuse it has experienced at my hands. (I mentioned that I have taken a dislike to this thing, right?)

Anyway, the newest photos are not currently accessible. I apologize. Here is a cute photo just to keep you reading. (Old file photo.)

That reminds me, I need to deep clean my kitchen. Well, my house, really. But then, what's the point? I have 3 kids, the oldest of whom is 5 years old, the middle of whom is 3 years old and has a Y chromosome (if you have a child with a Y chromosome, you know the implications), and the youngest, of whom is as much trouble as 2 or 3 of the middle child. Youngest of said children doesn't even have a Y chromosome. Oh, and she bites.

To continue with the futility of cleaning my house--Judd is in the process of potty training. Long story short, the world is his potty. More specifically, my hardwood floors are his personal toilet. (Clorox is currently my best friend.) If you know my son, you are currently thinking, "I can see that." Personally, I would just have him stay in diapers because potty training is the pits. (Second only to breast feeding, in my opinion. Le Leche League, please refrain from commenting, ever, on this website.) However, I have 2 major motivators driving this thing:  (1) 3-year-old child poop really stinks and (2) he starts preschool in a couple of weeks. I'm up against a deadline here. (In case you're wondering, Jake still holds his breath when he changes the kids' diapers.

Anyway, here's to hoping that my next blog post is all about the Chuck-e-Cheese potty training victory party. Oh, and here is my message to the world about potty training:

Makers of toddler underpants, please make them so the picture is in the FRONT. If the picture is not in the FRONT, my child has to wear his underpants backwards so the picture will be in FRONT. He has a very difficult wedgie he futilely adjusts all day long because he has to have the picture in FRONT. Thank you.

Here is another gratuitous photo:

Because I am a terrible blogger, this is all for now. I promise to one day finish my travelogue. I really need to find my camera, upload the photos, and break the stinkin' thing for good.

In case you're wondering, that is the same cabinet the kids are playing in. Currently, all three kids disappear into that cabinet on a daily basis. I need to get a photo of that. Where is that stinkin' camera?

Tribute

It's almost Father's Day, and I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my mother. Late, I know, but I was not able to do this on Mother's Day. Please indulge me.

The photo is of her when she was about my age, maybe younger. This is one of the many ways I remember her. At this age, she was vibrant and full of life. A terrible cook, though. I used to dread meal times. Don't worry, she got better at it. By the time I was a teenager, I actually looked forward to her meals.



On our recent trip to Japan, I found myself buying and eating things just because they were things that reminded me of my mother. I found, also, that that was something some of her friends did also. My mom had a real sweet tooth. She loved Japanese sweets that were filled with or made with anko (sweet bean paste).

I credit my mom with many things in my life. Here are a few:

+ I'm a pretty decent piano player. My mom sacrificed to make sure I got my lessons. (We didn't have disposable cash when I was a kid.) She also didn't give me a choice about the matter, and I'm glad for that. I think of her every time I sit at a piano.

+ My tastes in food. I like salty things and sweet things. Oh, and spicy things. Basically, the kinds of foods she preferred, I prefer.

+ The confidence to do the things that I've done. Many things that I have done, I did because she said I could do it. I guess that's a mom's job, right?

The list could go on and on.

It's been a little over a year since she died, and I still think about her all the time. I think I still miss her as much as I did a year ago, but it doesn't hurt nearly so much. Ellie still remembers her vividly. It's amazing the things she recalls--like the park they used to walk to every day the summer that she lived with us.

I just wanted to say "thanks, mom, wherever you are," on this not-Mother's Day.

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