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eight years

/ Jo Bird / 3 Comments

Like most Americans I can remember clearly the events of my day on September 11 2001. I was a student at ISU and I remember my roommate turning on the radio in the morning after the first crash. We watched the second plane crash on tv and then I left for class.

I’ll never forget walking home from class and seeing my roommate sitting on the front porch, cell phone in hand and despair in her face. Her cousin was in one of the Towers and no one had heard from him. He was killed that day.

For the sake of those who suffered a great loss that day I would never wish to go back. But for the sake of those of us who have forgotten all the kindness and unity we felt as a country, I almost wish we could.

So on the anniversary today of that terrible tragedy I want to pay tribute. I want to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and the families they left behind. But I also want to pay tribute to the compassion we are capable of as a country.

messy messy

/ Jo Bird / 4 Comments

I had such a clumsy messy day yesterday. I tried to cook Talapia in the microwave and it exploded, after only a few seconds!

My bag of flour was damaged in transition from grocery story to home and now there is flour all over the floor of the van.

When I opened my delicious Cascade Ice drink it fizzed all over my hand, arm, and skirt.

That doesn’t quite cover the damages done but you get the idea. It was jut one of those days.

But thank goodness when a mysterious tupperware of brown leftovers jumped out of the refrigerator and spread itself across the kitchen floor, Misha came to the rescue. I’d much rather swiffer the dog-licked residue than the entire gooey disaster.

Europe

/ Jo Bird / 3 Comments

I am intrigued by the tulip fields in the Netherlands. I am intrigued by a great number of European places and interests. I want try it out.

I want to experience Europe.

I don’t mean I want to take an intense ten day vacation across the Atlantic to see the Eiffle Tower and Swiss Alps. I want to live there.
I want it so badly. I can’t explain it but I just want to get to know the people. See things differently. Ride the Eurorail and eat cheese all the time.

Speaking of cheese, I want to sort out all the stereotypes. I want destroy preconceived notions. I just want to be someplace foreign. But not just anywhere.

I’m not sure why I don’t feel this way about Africa or the Asian world. I’ve been to South America now and while I feel there is a great deal to learn from those folks, it is Europe that my heart longs for.

the cannery

/ Jo Bird / 3 Comments

Our church has an amazing welfare program to assist members in need. It is run in great part by volunteers. The other day Marisa and I spent our morning canning peaches at the Garden City Cannery.

It’s such a feel good experience all around. It seems to me that a sense of humor is a requirement for the full-time employees and volunteers. At one point a rubber rat came floating down the conveyor belt and fell into a can of peaches. (No worries, I’m sure it was sterile.) Marisa screamed and I looked up to see the supervisor getting a good laugh at our expense.

Since four hours is a long time for this prego to go without eating I took a break halfway through. In the hallway they set up a table to with homemade bread and various samples of jam and jelly produced there at the cannery. While snacking I read a quote on the wall. I have a terrible memory and had nothing to write it down with so I will have to do my best to re-quote it. Forgive me Jean Christensen because your words were very eloquent.
“Ultimately I find that I only matter when I matter to someone else. I am only whole when I have divided myself amongst all those who need me. I stand the tallest when I have stooped down to help another. I can only find myself when I have lost myself in service.”

It’s in the air and I can’t resist

/ Jo Bird / 5 Comments

Several years ago shortly after we were married I discovered something about Richard and decided it was a crossroad. I concluded that I must choose to either tolerate this interest of his that occupied him for hours on Saturday afternoons, or I could embrace it. I decided to embrace it.

My foundation for a love of college football had been laid after attending a few BYU football games with my older brother and sister. The Cougs love their football team and it’s contagious.

The first personal step in my conversion was Richard and I signing up for a co-ed flag football team at ISU. We had a great time (despite the turf burns) and I learned for the first time what a first down was. After understanding the fundamentals of football it became much easier to watch a game.

But what has really deepened my love for the game has been jumping on the BSU bandwagon since we moved back to Boise three years ago. Now I love this time of year and I love watching the anticipation in Richard’s eyes as Game Day approaches. This year I saw that same anticipation in Cameron’s eyes with all the talk of Bronco football, and of course whatever excites Cameron excites Eli. Thanks for not disappointing last night Broncos.

**And now I am going to do something that I usually frown upon. I am going to post several pictures that are all basically the same but different enough that a mother feels compelled to post them all. The great game-day gear was provided by my loyal Bronco fan mother-in-law.

pre-school

/ Jo Bird / 7 Comments

Cameron started preschool this week. It’s pretty much a win-win for all involved.
Cameron: Gets four hours a week of play time with kids his own age, snacks, crafts and of course we hope he is learning something.
Me: I get to be the parent of only one child which makes running errands less complicated and one-on-one time with Eli more achievable.
Eli: The poor boy is so used to playing “as instructed” that I think he is going to enjoy two hours twice a week to play as his little heart desires without big bossy brother.

September

/ Jo Bird / 3 Comments

I’ve been in denial about the end of summer. Since no one around here is attending school I had defined Labor day as the end of summer. Well, I was devastated to learn that the SnoCone shack was operating on a different schedule. As I pulled into the gravel parking lot where I have been indulging all summer in icy goodness, the shack was completely absent. No sign that it had ever existed.

It was a sad moment because I was craving something fruity but also because I had to come to terms with Fall. I love Fall and I am looking forward to pumpkins and football, but I am sad to see the tan on my little boys toes fade away.

To my great fortune, Moxie Java seems to be in my camp as far as when summer ends. As I turned my van around to go home I saw painted in the window of the coffee shop

“Italian Sodas $0.99 ALL SUMMER!”

A raspberry Italian soda was just what I needed.

game night

/ Jo Bird / 5 Comments

We had a pretty quiet weekend around here. Saturday night we played games with the boys. Games with a four year old and two year old can be a bit tedious. Of course interspersed with the torturous monotony there are moments of hilarity, but generally speaking the pleasure is all theirs.

Halfway through the first round of Candyland Richard suggested that we rig the cards. Those who have played know the frustration that comes with drawing the gingerbread card when you are within reach of Candy Castle. He said that if we rigged them once and never shuffled we would be free of such bad luck. But I insisted that we play honestly. On principle.

We feel bad about our impatience with our two year old who still can’t quite identify colors and our four year old who has a trouble following the sequence of the rainbow trail. Combine those factors with their short attention spans and it is a disaster for the nerves. Can any other parents relate?

By the time we got to Cootie I was willing to compromise a little on the rules for the sake of expediency. Eli was getting bored.

Yeah, that’s right. It was for Eli’s sake.

if only I were that clever

/ Jo Bird / 4 Comments

The other day when I titled my post something about Big Bird I seemed to have misled some readers. If only I were that clever to introduce my pregnant self as Big Bird. I AM a big Bird these days. After seeing this expectant Jersey cow at the fair I decided I would quit saying I feel like a cow. She looked so huge and miserable. I’ve got it easy compared to her. Seven pounds? Bring it on. Her offspring will likely weigh more than my four year old.

domesticity gone trendy?

/ Jo Bird / 10 Comments

Harvest time has hit the blog universe. I saw that everyone was freezing corn and decided I had to do it too. Is it just me or are these domestic pursuits (canning, gardening, knitting) making a comeback? Maybe we can blame it on “these tough economic times” or maybe stay-at-homers are looking for better ways to spend their time and relieve the guilt associated with our facebook addictions. In any case, I find these pursuits very gratifying for many reasons.

One reason being that I’ve read research that concludes that children involved in the production of their food are much more likely to eat it. (Particularly helpful in the vegetable category.) So I had the boys help me husk the corn.

Another reason is that the flavor of homegrown produce has a superior quality, even after freezing or canning. And without the preservatives, BONUS.

I was lucky to get a great deal on this corn, making it an economical blessing as well.

And then of course I’ve said over and over that hard work pays dividends in the form of self-worth. And hard work it was! I was feeling pretty good about myself when my head hit the pillow.