It's that time of year!!

I realized yesterday when I was putting the kids' tennis matches into my phone that it is March, and it is the start of the High School tennis season (hence the birth of this post) and that means that the end of the school year is a mere 3 months away.  As I entered each match, I slowly began to hyperventilate a bit.  

This is not new.  This happens every year about this time.  Don't get me wrong - I LOVE tennis season, and I'm excited to see how Kristin and Trevor do this year as both of them were quite successful last year.  I'm excited because I will see people at the matches that I don't get to spend a lot of time with otherwise and sitting courtside watching our kids play is ideal for doing a little catching up.   And of course, the beginning of March means the daffodils are beginning to bloom, and the forsythia is in FULL bloom and the grass is greening up in the field (this time of year it actually looks better than our lawn!) and it is actually light when I drive to seminary in the morning, and Spring is just around the corner.  Who wouldn't be excited for that?

The panic comes as I realize that another school year has FLOWN by.  That is what I am NOT ready for!  Not that I don't want to have my kids around during the summer, not at all.  One more school year in the past means they are that much closer to graduating.  In point of fact, Kristin is all but graduated.  (Did I mention she is a Salutatorian?  So proud of her!) Senioritis is strong, and she is signing up for housing, and getting a summer job lined up and she has a countdown on her phone to keep track of the minutes/seconds until the big day. Having a senior is my usual panic attack times two - deciding about announcements, planning a party, mentally preparing myself for her to leave, knowing the summer won't go fast enough for her all the time, and for me part of the time (if I'm being honest here!)  I've been here before and survived, but I don't love it, and certainly don't look forward to it.

So, I think to preserve my small amount of sanity, I'd better remember to breathe deeply when the familiar feeling starts, to try to take it one day at a time, and try even harder to enjoy the journey and all the things that I truly do love about this season of the year!  

Along with the calendar entries, I think I better set a few (a lot) reminders of my intentions.  That may be my only hope!!

How to buy a refrigerator...by John and Michele Rietz

Our shiny, brand new refrigerator

To say that we have a hard time making decisions and actually following through is a HUGE understatement!  So, for us to actually have a new refrigerator purchased, brought home and installed in our kitchen, well, that is news-worthy if anything ever was.

Our old refrigerator is original with our house (1992) and although it still kept our food cold, it was only a matter of time before we would have been shopping around for a new one.  It was already a little moody, and more than once froze our poor lettuce and a few other unsuspecting vegetables.  So, we decided to be proactive and buy a new one before we were desperate and HAD to buy something on a moment's notice (see above:)

Follow these steps for a fool-proof way to select the perfect refrigerator for your home.

1- Measure your space and determine it is not tall enough for one of the new full size French Door models.
2 - Become discouraged and stop even thinking about it. (Do steps 1 & 2 several years ahead of time)
3 - See a counter depth fridge at a friend's home and open the conversation again.
4 - Stop in at an appliance store and see how much more money a counter depth fridge is, for less capacity.
Repeat step 2, but only sit on it for about a week.
5 - Stop at the appliance section of Home Depot and re-visit the issue.  Realize that you actually have the height necessary.  Do a little happy dance!
6 - Look at several fridges at different appliance stores and find one you really like.  Check the reviews on-line to find out how many people regret buying it.  Stop dancing.
7 - Invoke the powers of the Refrigerator Fairy to just drop the perfect one in your kitchen.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 several times.
8 - Finally find two models that are the right size, have the right features and are even on sale.  Decide to go ahead and give in on the Stainless Steel fight because you really like the 2-drawer freezer idea.
9 - Measure the space you have to get the appliance through to get into the kitchen.  Realize you would have to take it up and over the bar!  (Remember the first part of Step 2? and Step 7?)
10 - Look at the options you have left.
11 - Realize there is also a potential problem with the cupboard next to the refrigerator.  Do a little measuring and confirm those suspicions.  (By now you are automatically reverting to Steps 2 and 7.  No conscious effort is necessary.)
12 - Go look one more time at what seems to be your one and only option.  Confirm that it is, bite the bullet, and hand over your credit card.
12A - DO NOT LOOK AT ANY REVIEWS!
13 - Wait to receive the call that it is in at the store, ask a friend for help to pick it up (with his pick up) and get it into your kitchen ASAP.
14 - Share your "fool-proof" method so others can benefit from your experience.

You are welcome.

And if any of you remember this post from a while ago, you'll notice the front of my new fridge is pretty empty.  I am making a conscious effort to NOT put stuff on it for now.  Just to see if I like it better.  We'll see...

"Uncle"

As a general rule, I consider myself pretty good at adapting to change.  I know it is a necessary part of life, and yet, occasionally, there comes a situation that I just can't embrace.  This is the story of when I had to recently cry "Uncle".

The story starts about a year ago.  We got serious about changing our 23 year-old countertops as the old ones were, well, you can go here if you really want to see them.  (They were beyond starting to look worn out, so the color wasn't the only reason they needed to change.)

Not being ones to rush into things, we finally got the new ones installed in June, and got the backsplash installed shortly there after.  I love the new look.  I think it suits our style very well and I feel like our kitchen has come into the 21st century.  (Yes, I know there are still orange cabinets.  Do not be looking for those to change anytime soon.  I guess I have to change my statement to say that "part" of the kitchen is now in the 21st century!  :)  There were a few things I wanted done differently, but as I didn't get my way, I will just have to continue working on getting over those.  :)  

One thing, though, was a problem from the minute I started putting things back on the countertops.  My beloved KitchenAid would NOT slide under the cabinet in its usual spot!  No way, no how!  Believe me, I tried.  There was one space it fit, but it was across the room.  Now, I my kitchen isn't huge, but it also isn't a galley kitchen, so across the room was a big adjustment.  I was left with 2 choices when I wanted to use my mixer - 

1 - Use it where it was and make trips back and forth for supplies and ingredients, or

2 - Carry it to the bar which is more conveniently located to most things. (I know, not the heaviest appliance in the world, but still not feather-light either!)

They were both workable ideas, and I tried them both for about 6 months, but a few weeks ago, I finally threw in the towel, tilted the mixer enough so I could get it under the lip of the cabinet, and cried "Uncle", really loud!  There it will stay.  It will not come sliding out every time I want to use it.  It will be harder to clean up spills and spatters, blah, blah, blah.  I know, first world problems and I should just be grateful I even have a KitchenAid, because believe me, I use it and I love it!  But...the spoiled part of me is still a little ticked at the whole thing.  Ticked and a little suspicious of why there is one part of the kitchen it WILL fit in, when it won't anywhere else.  It must mean the countertops and/or cabinets are not truly level, but I'm going to pretend that isn't a possibility and not waste my time trying to figure it out.  I'd rather waste it ranting about the fact that it plain doesn't fit where I am used to it being. Because, if you can't change it, the next best thing is a good rant!  

Apparently, I cannot adjust to change in all things.  

Now, I guess, the only thing I can do is figure out how to embrace this and move on...(I'm working on it!)

Welcome Home, Sister Rietz

L - R -  Grandma and Grandpa Rietz, myself, Kristin, John, Amber, Grandma Sollenbarger and 1/2 of Trevor. (Sorry Trev)    And do you see the pink poster?  The Utah clan sent their good wishes!!  And yes, we left MANY sparkles in the airport. Luckily, we got out of there before anyone really noticed!! :)

There is a LOT to catch up on here on my blog, (nothing new there).   There is a trip to Scotland and England to report on, our Thanksgiving holiday in Utah, a shingles breakout, a broken wrist, and who knows what else. Despite being behind, I had to do a quick post about our newly returned sister missionary!!

Monday, the 30th of November, 7:40ish pm, Amber's plane (finally) came in to our little airport!  We got there early, (I demanded it!  What would be worse than getting home from your mission and not having anyone at the airport to meet you??), and of course, her plane was late!  But finally, it came, she was one of the first ones off the plane, and she's here!

She loved her mission in the California Rancho Cucamonga Mission.  She cried when she was released.  She is getting used to not having a schedule, praying for investigators and less-actives, and wearing regular clothes.  She misses her companions.  Although she hasn't said as much, I'm guessing she would love to be back in California, planning the day, spending her time sharing the gospel, and testifying of the Savior and His atonement.

But as all good things do, her time as a missionary came to an end, and its time to move on to bigger (maybe not better) things.  BYU-I is just around the corner.  Classes, dates and other social activities will soon replace the things she has been doing for the past 18 months.  It will all be good.  For now, she is enjoying spending time with her family, decorating for Christmas and catching up with all the happenings from the past 18 months that we forgot to write her about!!

We're so happy to welcome home our returned missionary!!

All the Light We Cannot See

Our library participates in a community-wide reading program called "Everybody Reads".  The idea is to choose one book that anyone can read - a really large-scale book club of sorts.  The author is invited to speak at several meetings around the region.  (This is not a new concept.  Many people have been doing it for years.)  

This year, the book was All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr.  As it happens, the friendly book club I am a part of read this book earlier this summer.  I don't believe there was any connection to the "Everybody Reads" program.  It was more a matter of one of the members saying, "I'm reading All the Light..." and the rest of us saying, "Hmm, maybe we should read that for next month".  Or something to that effect.  

Sidenote #1- Several of my reader friends told me not to read this book.  You can read my original post about this book here.  I will reiterate that I am very glad I read this book.  The writing is beautiful, and although it is incredibly sad, there is also goodness, and that for me outweighs the sadness.  I am currently re-reading it, and since I already know where the very sad parts are, I am just skipping them, and enjoying the rest of it!  Ah, the joys of re-reading.

Sidenote #2 - When this book was picked for the program, I think it was just a very well-reviewed book.  Since then, it has won the Pulitzer Prize!  I'm pretty sure he could have backed out on his committment to our very small library, but he stayed true to his word and the date was set for November 12, 2015.

The evening finally came.  Last Thursday, Anthony Doerr came to Lewiston, and I actually got to hear him speak, and get two books signed by him.  One for myself, and one for my sister who also loved the book.  It is a VERY late birthday present for her, although she knew it would be late, and to be accurate, my presents to her are ALWAYS late, so its nothing out of the norm. :)  My good friend, and fellow book club member, Heidi, and I signed up, a month or so ago.  I was a little nervous I wouldn't make it because Kristin had her wisdom teeth out that morning, and I knew if she was having a hard night that I would stay home.  She assured me she was fine, and I made it!!  

I was unsure what kind of speaker he would be.  His picture at the back of the book doesn't really give any indication.  In a nutshell, he didn't disappoint.  The program was only an hour - a 1/2 hour of him talking about his 10-year journey to the completed novel, and another 1/2 hour of questions.  (Oh, how I wanted to ask him a question, but my head was completely empty!  Why didn't I even just ask him to read a favorite part to us??  Blast!!  I also could have listened to him for longer than an hour, but I suppose speaking at 4 different events in 2 days is exhausting, so I mustn't be greedy.

He had audience members read 10 quotes that chronicled his journey from conception to finish.  One of my favorites was this quote by Alexander Solzhenitzyn.

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” 

  Mr. Doerr wanted his readers to develop empathy for Werner, a main character who is German, and trained at a renowned school for boys and later served in Hitler's army during WWII.  I would say he acheived his goal.  

I could gush on, but I will end by saying that I'm quite certain I will never be in the same room as a Pulitzer Prize winner.  It was a truly wonderful evening, and I'm grateful I was able to be there.  

A look at September

As so often happens, I get behind on my blog, and have to settle for a few favorite pictures to document exactly what has been taking up my time that I intend to use for blogging.  

This month has been no exception, and I give you a condensed version of September, 2015...

What would Autumn be like without soccer?  I really couldn't tell you, as I have been going to soccer games in the Fall for longer than I can remember!!  Sadly, the light at the end of that tunnel is growing brighter by the year!  The LHS girl's soccer team just celebrated the Seniors as part of their last home game on Saturday.  Seven girls who have played together for at least 4 years, and in the case of a few of them, most of their young lives.  

Ashley, Kristin, Allison and Miranda, Soccer Storm - circa 2004
(Be still my heart!!  How cute are these little girls?)  This year, these girls played teams consisting of several of their current LHS teammates.  How fun would it be to have taken pictures of all of them back then??  One more note - Kristin loved this blue uniform and wore it A LOT!!  She was such a funny duck back then about clothes!!

Kristin, Rylee and Ashley, LHS Soccer Team - 2015
A trio of beautiful girls

Michael, Kian, Ashley and Kristin, Soccer Storm - circa 2008
Hard to believe these kids are all graduating this year!!

Just one of this girl's many talents!!

Beautiful!!

They can't wait to graduate!!!

 More on soccer in a minute, but let's take a break to catch up on more September happenings...

Ashley and Chelsie came to visit and brought their 4 little guys with them!  It was great, and although it went by really fast, it was an unexpected treat to have them come!!  

We...

...went to the park and played...

...rode scooters on the pump track...

...rode scooters on the walking path...

(Carter even got in on that action)

...cheered on Trev at his soccer game...

...felt protected by our resident Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle... 

...and spent a rainy afternoon indoors, which included playing in the teepee the girls played with as children.  I couldn't help snapping a photo of the kids doing the exact thing their moms used to do...

I know I am missing T2 but he chose not to participate

We didn't do too many exciting things, but also managed to have a pizza night, watch the real-life Cinderella movie, find a house for next summer's vacation, and have a few nice chats to boot.  The girls also took advantage of a little nap here and there.  An added perk when Nonna is around. :)  The only bad part about the trip was the fact that Trevor and Kristin were both so busy with soccer, they didn't get to spend much time with our visitors.  Kristin actually skipped school one morning because she had two away games while they were here, and literally only got to spend a few hours with them.  There wasn't much we could do about that, just the way it was.  :(

Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to our Stake Conference this month!  Kristin had the opportunity to help give him his lunch for the trip back up to Spokane!  She came in the house after she got home and said..."Best. Day. Ever!".  That is music to this mama's ear!!  I'm grateful she knows the importance of modern day apostles and prophets, and what a blessing it is to have been in the presence of Elder Oaks!!

Of course, there are a few other things that have been going on this month, unfortunately, no pictures are available, but they are happening nonetheless...

Seminary is in full swing.  I'm getting to know my class, and loving it!  We are studying the Old Testament this year!!  Yikes!  I'm just taking it one day at a time.  And yes, it is still relentless, but I'm also grateful for the calling!!  It is amazing!!

Yoga is still happening, although I took an unintended break in August!  Too much going on.  It feels so good to be back at it!!

And just life in general has been moving along at a pretty fast clip!  I thought it would slow down a bit after school started, but I should have known better!  Silly me.

Kristin had a great final home game.  She assisted on both goals scored by LHS!  She has loved her time as a Lady Bengal!!

Trevor in his game against Moscow.

Another stroll down memory lane...Hayden, Cassidy, Kristin and Alyssa.  Boys and Girls Club soccer, 2006
Especially poignant as Hayden was involved in a fatal helicopter crash this summer.  A tragedy too great for words.

I made posters for each of the Senior girls.  There is glitter from one end of my house to the other, and much in between!  :)

So there is the Reader's Digest version of September.  As you can see, it was a great month!!

My Summer Reading Program

This has been a summer of reading.  I don't know if I'm just so tired at night, all I want to do is read.  I don't know if I'm making up for not reading much during the school year as Seminary takes A LOT of my time and energy.  I don't know if I just decided that's how I wanted to spend my time.  Whatever the reason, its what happened, and I'm not complaining.

Here is a quick run-down of what I consumed this summer with a brief synopsis of the book.  If you want to know my opinions of these books, check out my reviews on goodreads.com.  It would be redundant of me to go into too much detail here as I just updated my list last week.


This is a collection of essays written by the author at different times of her life.  I listened to this book on audio.  She was the narrator.  That was a good thing.





  

Each of these books stands alone.  My friend lent me all three, and I enjoyed each one.  They have just a touch of mystery to them.  Not taxing, but very engaging.  All three are my kind of summer read.


A middle-aged woman loses 10 years of her memory after a fall at the gym.  It was very thought provoking for me.  (Note - this didn't pass my language test, but I was very invested in the story)


This may be my favorite read of the summer!  Several people told me I shouldn't read this book, but it was the July selection.  I'm so glad I read it.  It is the story of two young people in Europe during WWII.  Beautifully written, and sometimes so heart-wrenchingly sad.  War is not pretty.  The author is coming to Lewiston in November!  I'm so excited!!  (One character in this book also broke my language rule.  Again, I was too invested at that point.  My language rule seems a little tenuous at this point, but don't worry, its still there.)


Middlemarch may be my favorite classical book.  I was intrigued in this book when my sister told me about it.  The author compares events in her life to those that took place in George Eliot's novel.  To me, it was more of a biography of G Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans) with comparisons to Rebecca Mead's life sprinkled throughout.  I listened to this book on audio and really enjoyed it.  It was just different than I expected.


If you have trouble pulling up a familiar name or remembering a word as you are speaking to people, this is the book for you.  It is comforting to know those issues don't immediately mean you have dementia or Alzheimer's.  This book also contains good advice on things to do to help keep your brain in good shape.  A quick read that is well-worth the time.


I need to give this book another chance.  It is a fable of sorts that I'm sure has a good message.  I just read it too fast because it was due at the library and I had renewed it several times.  I will give it another try and report back.


This was a much-anticipated read, and I will admit I was a bit disappointed.  I think I had read a lot of the concepts because I follow Gretchen's blog, and she presented a lot of the ideas in that while she was writing it.  It has some good ideas to help you figure out what kind of habit-former you are, as different techniques work for different tendencies.  (I'm an obliger, thank you very much.)  I recommend it although my blurb here doesn't really sound like it.


This is an inspiring story of a young boy in Africa who figured out how to build a windmill and bring electricity to his village.  I read the young reader's edition, so I can't speak about the other version.  I liked hearing how he read and experimented and gathered discarded items to make his dream happen.  It is hard for me to imagine anywhere not having electricity in my lifetime, but that is just my first-world ignorance.  I'm not a very global thinker.


I have been wanting to read this for a while, and checked it out this summer and it sat on my nightstand for most of that time.  (Other books just kept taking precedence.)  It was a VERY quick read.  It is the story of a young couple who lives in the woods.  Something quite traumatic happens and the story line is the result of that event.  The author has only written two books but I have loved both of them.  (The other one is The Bird Sisters, which I am revisiting on audio right now, and still enjoying.)

That wraps it up.  It has been a good summer reading-wise.  A little fiction, a little non-fiction, and a variety of plots and topics.  Life is good!!