Name::Sarah Jean"Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center."
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Name::Sarah Jean
Recent Entries
Archives
Daily Reads
Credits
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Her first published story
H wrote this and asked me to spell check it. She also gave permission to "make her famous" by posting it on the Internet. "Where people I don't even know can read it!"Once upon a time there was a girl named Hailey. She went fishing and caught a fish but it was no ordinary fish. It was a magic fish.
He said, "Let me go and I will grant you a wish."
So she let the fish go. The fish said, "What is your wish?"
She said, "I would like...a nice house with a pretty garden."
The fish said: "Your wish is granted" and swam away.
Hailey went home and found a nice house with a pretty garden. She didn't like it, so she went back to the fish and said "I want a castle."
And the fish said, "Your wish is granted." And so she went home and found that.
The End
Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 7:42 PM :: 3 Comments: 
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A, B, Meme!
From Sassy Lime,
Accent -- Midwestern, clipped, with occasional long o=oos, like Canadian/Minnesotan (soory, going oot, etc.) I don't know why. I think it came from my Muum, really. I've never lived in Minnesota or Canada.
Bible book I like -- Only one? Genesis I love lots. Also the poetry in Song of Solomon, Isaiah and Revelations. Can't pass up the gospels and Acts. Can't choose.
Chore I don't care for -- Again...only one? Dishes probably top the list.
Dog or cat-- neither. I like cats. But not enough to own one.
Essential electronics-- ...this is becoming a theme. Computer, dishwasher, laptop, cell phone (love/hate relationship), automatic thermostat dealy.
Favorite movie-- Probably a tie between What About Bob and Heathers. Love that dark humor.
Gold or silver-- either. Mixed. Whatever.
Handbag I carry most often-- I don't. The planner is da lub.
Insomnia-- not since giving birth to my first child.
Job title-- Civilizer of nations, beating heart and causeway, former milk bar and live-in care facility, teacher, agent for change, secret agent in the war against evil, reading coach and mentor to some of the most brilliant minds of the next century. Or, if that's too long, Mom.
Kids-- 3, big H at age 7, little T at age 4, and little E at age 3.
Living arrangements-- I live in a suburb that used to be a small town, in a house that used to be a horse field, with a husband that used to have more free time, and three children that used to be in my dreams, and now wake me up every morning.
Most memorable moment/time-- Laboring, birthing and holding my son and daughters for the first time, my wedding day, my miscarriages, feeling the plane touch down in Utah and feeling like I was finally home when I moved here for college, realizing I might die (twice!) and asking God to let me stay.
Naughtiest childhood behavior-- Unbridled capitalist spirit
Overnight hospital stay-- twice for babies and once with a stroke.
Phobias-- Insanity, addiction and drowning
Quote -- "To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done." --Richard G. Scott
Religion -- LDS, and Christian. I asked my dad when I was a kid what a Christian was and if I was one. He said a christian is someone who's trying to follow Jesus Christ. So I am a Christian.
Siblings -- 3 sisters and 1 brother. I'm the oldest. And yes, I am always right.
Time I wake up -- 7 in the summer, 8 in the winter (sunrise)
Unusual talent -- the ability to change my weight (+/-10-15 lbs) at will, given a month or two.
Vegetable I refuse to eat -- cooked spinach or "greens"
Worst habit-- chocolate. le sigh.
Xrays-- I don't think I've ever had one, except dental. But I have had MRIs done...does that count?
Yummy stuff I cook(or make) -- Mmm. I bake like it's going out of style. Homemade bread, rolls, cookies, cakes...I've been craving almond macaroon brownies and double chocolate cookies lately.
Zoo animals I like most-- I don't like zoos, really. Poor animals look all sad and lonely.Tag yourself and join in! let me know in comments that you're playing!
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 7:14 PM :: 3 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Thirteen Books I'm Reading this Summer
graphic from Moodswing Creations~!
Thirteen Books I'm Reading this Summer Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
- A Storyteller in Zion by Orson Scott Card (nearly done)
- Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews (done!)
- 101 powerful promises from the Book of Mormon by Wayne Brickey (in the middle of)
- A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle
- Blue Truth by David Deida (we'll see-this was recommended to me, but I'm a bit dubious now that I've read the reviews on Amazon)
- Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
- Women's Ways of Knowing
- Writing Romance byVanessa Grant
- The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
- Wild Mind by Natalie Goldburg
- some kind of science fiction or fantasy...I'm thinking either Victoria Strauss' Awakened City (probably need to reread The Burning Land first) or maybe something Harry Potterish to get ready for school starting.
- a few LDS romance novels: By Morning Light, An Unexpected Love, A Time to Dance, etc.
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 12:41 PM :: 7 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The Perfect Soda
So, here's the thing about me and soda. I drinks soda the way most people drink alcohol. Maybe a cold one on a hot day, or a glass at a party. Romantic evening with the hubby, I might even put away two. I've been known to nurse a can of 7up for 5 hours. I just am not that into soda pop.
(Note on the picture to the left. Not me. Just in case you were wondering. A "bollywood" celebrity endorsing 7up. I also endorse 7up. I look not nearly as shapely when endorsing, however.)
But I am on a quest. What...is your quest? To find a soda that makes me happy. I've noticed in my quest for happiness, that several other members of my demographic (young, LDS mothers of small children prone to bouts of depression and ennui) self-medicate with Diet Pepsi to stay energized and happy. The combination of sugar and caffeine is mildly addictive, but legal and socially accepted. So, I thought I would try the Diet Pepsi cure and see how it went.
I failed to account for one small issue. I HATE DIET PEPSI! Uugh! I cannot stand it. The sweetness, the bitterness, the nagging feeling of WHAT THE HECK AM I DRINKING!? It's brown and has "natural caramel flavoring". WTH is that? And it's brown. I don't like drinking brown stuff unless it is clearly chocolate.
Thus began the highly-not-so-scientific search for the perfect soda.
Requirements:All cola-type drinks (Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Royal Crown, etc.) are eliminated. So are their derivatives: Vanilla, Cherry, Black Cherry, Cherry-Vanilla, Lime, Blackberry, etc. Nothing covers the cola taste enough for me.
- Caffeine
- Diet version (I have this fear of gaining lots of weight or ruining my teeth permanently, which apparently does not outweigh my fear of getting cancer from aspartame.)
- Reasonably available (My actual all-time favorite soda is Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale (caffeine free), which is nearly impossible to find except in December. Blond Hunk loves Mountain Dew Code Red, which is simply subject to shortages from time to time.)
- Taste!
Also eliminated: Mountain Dew. It's YELLOW, people. YELLOW AND FIZZY! Looks like you're drinking urine. On the same basis, Mellow Yellow is gone. No root beers.
Finally, a late entry pulled ahead: Sunkist Orange Soda! Did you know this had caffeine? Neither did I! But it does. I think I've found my perfect soda. I'll keep you posted on the efficacy as a short term antidepressant. Cheers!
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 1:08 PM :: 3 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Slip and Sliiiiiide!
Grandpa set up a slip and slide in the backyard for pioneer day and then pushed his screaming, giggling grandchildren (and youngest) down it for an hour. What a grandpa! Turn on the giggle soundtrack and enjoy!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 8:45 AM :: 3 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Yun-man!
E of the 3 has a new alter ego. It is: Yun-man. As in, 'You're in big trouble, yun-man!"
He will occasionally appear at the top of the stairs and shout, "Yun-man! No spilling!" Which means, of course, that he has spilled something.
I hand him a rag and say, "Clean up, young man."
"I'm not yun-man, Momma. Yun-man spilled."
Yeah. Right. "Clean up anyway."
After which he will take the rag and proceed to berate Yun-man about his sloppiness.
I love yun-man.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 10:56 AM :: 1 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Friday, July 21, 2006
Why is that couch there?
H: Why is there a couch there, mommy?
Me: Where?
H: Over there, beside the road.
Me: Oh. I don't know. I guess someone left it there.
H: Maybe so people would have a place to sit.
Me: Maybe.
H: You know, if they ran out of gas or something.
Me: Hm. I guess so.
H: Remember when we ran out of gas, Mom?
Me: Yes, I do.
H: Wish we'd had a couch to sit on.
(Actual couch may vary from that pictured.)
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 11:34 AM :: 1 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Lightly Nerdy?
Is that like medium-fat? Whatever...it's what I am. So I remember manganese! So I keep memory sticks in my pocket! Gimme a break!
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 4:32 PM :: 5 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Popsicles!
I finally found the great popsicle molds. Actually, Sassy found them on an evening grocery shopping trip. We had these when I was a kid, so we could have nutritious, cheap juice-sicles instead of kool-aid on a stick. So here they are, filled and ready for the freezer.And, enjoying the pops. Yum!
All this, and they were only $1 for the set of 4. I bought 2. Of course.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 3:02 PM :: 1 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Something for my Muum
So, my Muum is getting pretty good with the camera. She took a nice shot of her daylilies in the yard, and I loved it so much I had to make a new banner for her.
I'll try to get this one actually up on her site.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 8:50 AM :: 1 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Friday, July 14, 2006
Now I don't drink coffee,
but even so, this is very close to my life. Enjoy!
If You Give a Mom a Muffin
If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
So she'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound of
Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for the checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.
She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on
Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are,
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.
Written by Kathy Fictorie
Based on If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 4:01 PM :: 1 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Monday, July 10, 2006
4th of July Carnival
Fourth of July weekend is MAGNATUDE! We went to the carnival on Monday, and had fun.
Too high! Too high! I canna change the laws of physics, Cap'n!
Snow cones and a bag of cotton candy...life doesn't get any better than this.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 1:10 PM :: 3 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Sunday, July 09, 2006
5 Things Meme
5 Things in my Closet5 Things in my Fridge
- clothes...not that many. I don't like to press clothes.
- a pelvic model, and other accessories for teaching childbirth classes
- craft supplies: canvases, hot glue gun (somewhere in there), yarn, paint, etc.
- half-finished paintings
- books--books are kind of omnipresent in my house. It's a sickness.
5 Things in my Car
- strawberries that are turning
- a wierd jello I made for 4th of July, no one touched, and I can't bring myself to bring out and make my kids eat.
- a complete lack of mustard
- three separate opened containers of sour cream. I really like sour cream, and can never seem to find it when I'm looking
- sparkling cider that is from 2 years ago. Non-alcoholic, but for how long?
5 Things in my Purse
- 2 car seats
- about 3 cups of popcorn (sigh-Grandmas...what can you do?)
- books on tape (I told you. But there are no books in the fridge, did you notice that?)
- a tape deck and stereo, not connected to the car
- a bunch of stuff that didn't sell at our yard sale that I can take to the D'n'I tomorrow!
I don't feel like tagging, so: 5 Things I didn't realize I loved until this week
- I lack a purse. I carry a planner. It contains...plans.
- also, at least 2 pens.
- coupons for $1 off Viactiv vitamins, $10 off a vibrating toothbrush (how much do they COST?), buy one get one free pizza, etc.
- a calculator. Because I told my 9th grade math teacher I was done, and she just didn't believe me.
- a memory stick. I'm techy like that.
- My new Wonder Woman T-shirt--it's comfortable and sexy and makes me smile. It has a boot on my shoulder, too.
- Our teeny-tiny branch library--it's air conditioned and no one seems to mind that my kids are not quiet.
- Orlando Bloom. Pirates...ok. Will Turner...mmm. (watch for the blond hunk as a pirate for Halloween)
- Neon glowy bracelets for 4th of July. Safe and fun. No sparks to catch precious blankies on fire.
- Black Forest Cherry Cobbler in a dutch oven.
- And a bonus! Cottonelle toilet paper. Really!
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 8:20 PM :: 0 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Fun with PaintShop
I'm not an artist, but I am a geek. So these are for my mom and sister. Anybody else wants one, I'll give it a whack. No promises you'll like it.No. I don't know why one is bigger than the other. Her geekiness is working on that one. I suspect it has to do with file sizes.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 8:33 AM :: 4 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
What's for Dinner Wednesday-Teriyaki Chicken!
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
1 large can pineapple chunks
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 T. molasses
2 T. brown sugar
1/4 oil
3 T. cider vinegar
1 t. garlic powder
6 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
1 bell pepperDrain the pineapple chunks, saving the juice, and set the chunks aside. Mix the juice with everything but the chicken and bell pepper. Marinate the chicken breasts in the refrigerator (I use a freezer bag for the whole thing--works great) for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
Drain the marinade and (make the blond hunk) grill the chicken. Slice the chicken and the bell pepper in to strips and serve with the pineapple over rice. This got 5 stars from our picky band of future food critics.
This recipe from the book: Lion House Entertaining (see link below). If you aren't from Utah, the Lion House is where ritzy wedding receptions get held in Salt Lake City. Something especially romantic about being married in Brigham Young's house? I don't know. But they are famous for their fabulous food.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 5:40 PM :: 0 Comments: ---------------------------------------
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Reading, Can't stop to Blog
The Alchemist's Daughter by Katharine McMahon-a fascinating, tasty read, led to:
Isaac Newton by Kathleen Krull (a kids book, but a good starting point for understanding Newton)
Escape to Paradise by Michelle Ashman Bell - LDS romance novels...the potato chips in my literary diet
Teaching Children Joy by Linda and Richard Eyre - becoming a reference book, hooray for the joy of obedience
Organizing for Your Brain Type by Lanna Nakone - intriguing take on it. I still prefer Morgenstern
The Articulate Executive by Granville Toogood - assigned reading, I'll let you know
Lion House Entertaining - mmm, teriyaki chicken on the grill and the recipe for the illusive "perfect roll"
Forcing Amaryllis by Louise Ure - what was I thinking? Probably won't finish this one.
Posted by Sarah Jean :: 8:46 AM :: 2 Comments: ---------------------------------------
