Random Ramblings and Happy Birthday Emma!!

Have you ever coughed so much and so hard that you get cramps in your calf muscles? That's me today. Nice.

I wore a sweater last night! And I DIDN'T SWEAT!! Finally Arizona has cooled down to my liking. Bring on the winter :).

A few of us went up to the Mesa temple visitors center last night to see the movie about Joseph Smith's life. It was so good! Of course it's the same story we've heard again and again, but somehow it says something different every time I hear it. Last night my heart ached at the suffering of the children during the years the Mormons suffered persecution, mobs and government expulsion. I can't imagine being a mother in those times and watching my children have to suffer through that kind of violence. I also renewed my sympathy for Emma Smith and all that she and her family endured as a result of who her husband was. I owe her and all the early saints a debt of gratitude for their faith, endurance and example.

Finally, my own Emma turned nine last Saturday. I didn't forget to blog about her. I even started to write on Saturday night, but (here comes the excuse) I've had this awful cough since Thursday or Friday and have been taking Nyquil every night to help me sleep through it. So I've been d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g when 9:00 p.m. rolls around. So here are nine things I love about Emma, in commemoration of her ninth birthday:

1. She has the quirkiest sense of humor and always just wants to have FUN.

2. She wants so badly to be grown up. She has changed so much from the little girl she was a year ago, but she is still a little girl. She still likes to play with Polly Pockets :).

3. She loves mom time, which warms my heart. She told me this morning that she was telling her friends at lunch yesterday that I make all our jam - peach, raspberry, strawberry - and all her friends were jealous. I love that she was bragging about me!

4. She is a great big sis. She has her moments, of course, but she helps and plays with her younger brothers and sister so well.

5. She has an adventuresome spirit. She wants to try everything -- volleyball, tennis, cheerleading, rock climbing, hiking... she is up for anything. Again, the FUN factor!

6. She loves her family. This year she chose to have a family birthday party rather than have a friend party. To celebrate her birthday we went to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs as a family, then came home to have a pancake dinner (her menu choice).

7. She is a loyal friend. Sometimes I wonder if she's TOO loyal, but once you're Emma's friend, you're her friend for life.

8. She loves music, just like I did at her age. She always has her Disney Girls Rock CD playing in her room. And she loves to sing. And dance.

9. She sees the best in people and is such an optimist. In Emma's mind, no one ever has malicious intentions and the glass is always half full. Something I can definitely learn from my girl!

We are so happy you are a part of our family Emma! We just wouldn't be The Curti without you. We love you!!

Tragic and avoidable...

I just read a story in the Arizona Republic.

Yes, we still take the daily paper and read it at the breakfast table. Old fashioned I know. We don't have cable either. But we do have flush toilets - although you wouldn't know it if you consider the number of times our kids pee in the backyard. But I digress.

In 16 states the number of deaths due to drugs has outpaced the number of deaths in traffic accidents. SERIOUSLY?? Prescription drug abuse is becoming an epidemic. I don't think any of us has not been affected by the death of someone who was addicted to prescription medication. Have you? We have on several occasions.

We have seen too many friends die. Too many wives lose their husbands and kids lose their dads. This is NOT JUST A TEENAGE ISSUE! Interestingly enough, everyone we've known has been male, but I'm sure there are plenty of moms and sisters out there with this gripping addiction that often times starts out innocently enough.

I feel so helpless to do anything about it, so I rant here (I can't very well go talk about this to the four-year-olds playing in my family room right now). Raising awareness. There you go. That's what I can do. Throw away your leftover painkillers. Don't get a refill on your prescription for anyone else -- you NEVER know who might be addicted to these things. No one is immune! If you think a loved one has a problem, get them help. If YOU have a problem please get help. These drugs make your heart EXPLODE. They are more than just painkillers, they are killers. Period.

Spirit Week

This week the kids have been wearing all manner of "crazy" stuff to school. Monday was crazy sock day (we forgot until the last minute so they ended up just wearing some mismatched socks of mine - nothing picture worthy).

Tuesday, however... we took some pictures. It was Crazy Hair Day. Fisher was going for the Shark Boy look, and Emma had her tips painted black and white.

Of course, once I'd finished with the older kids, the twins had to have theirs done too. I was happy to oblige, but once Case got a look at his "crazy" hair, he started crying that he wanted "his haircut back." This child is particularly particular about his hair. So into the bath he went. Then Tess HAD to have a bath too. So their crazy hairdos lasted just slightly longer than it took me to DO the 'dos.

Today was my favorite. I had no idea how I was going to dress Fisher OR Emma for 80's Day (I guess it goes without saying that it was CRAZY 80's Day??) until I was falling asleep last night and it came to me in a vision. It's a tad bit scary how easy it was to do Emma's hair today. All the techniques for achieving that special look came back way too quickly. The picture does not do justice to the crimping job I've done, nor does it showcase the pink hair color that matches her shoes.

And you can't see Fisher's hair, but it is spiked perfectly. I just wish I had a way to attach a little rat tail to the back of his head :) And please note the rolled/pegged jeans. I'm especially proud of that touch. I only wish I had thought of making a RELAX tee shirt for Fisher before 7:45 this morning... that would be classic. There's always next year.

Mom and Dad, does she look a little like a 13-year-old me or WHAT??

random recent pictures

I was clearing off the storage card in my camera this weekend and found some of these lovelies that hadn't yet been shared here... enjoy :)


Case just had to have his hair washed in the kitchen sink like his sister, and we couldn't help but create some very appropriate formations with his hair.

The older kids had some friends over, which always seems to turn into a fort-making session somewhere in our house. This time it was using pretty much every extra blanket we own to enclose their side-by-side loft beds. It was actually pretty cool in there. I was just a little jealous -- it put my ping-pong-table fort I used to make as a kid to some serious shame.

Pig-nosed kids. Funny what a little scotch tape does to a person's face!

Honestly, ask these kids to pose for a picture and this is what you'll get. This picture was taken on their first day of tennis lessons. Don't they look cute? Howdya like to encounter Emma after calling a foot fault?

She's Craftyyyyyyy

That headline was for all you Beastie Boys fans out there. Shout out.

But that's not what I'm talking about. I really am CRAFTY after all! I said last week how I'm in crafty mode, but not really doing anything about it... well I did something about it! Check out this cute little Halloween countdown thingie I made with some friends this week (thanks for hosting Rochelle!).

And I canned pears ALL BY MYSELF! Julie, I broke in your pressure canner very nicely. You can now tell your mom it's been put to good use. I didn't even need Wyndi to help. OK I actually DID need Wyndi, but I struggled through with a couple of phone consulations, the Internet and only ended up with one second-degree burn on my left arm. Five hours yielded only 14 quarts of pears. Worth it? Yes. I bet my mom is so proud of me.

Here's the proof...

Hostage in our "small backyard"

A slide from Emma's PowerPoint, a school project entitled: Where I Live

My House
- My house has 11 rooms
- There are 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 playroom and an office
- There is a naked tramp in the small backyard

A naked tramp you ask?? Really, it's not what you think.

I took the pad off our trampoline yesterday because the Arizona sun had shredded it to pieces. This is our naked tramp.

I wonder how long it will be before the cops come knocking to check out our back yard.

Fall is (ALMOST) Here!

If you go out of the house before 6 a.m. you'll feel the cool breezes that signify Fall in Arizona is just around the corner. Other signs: Utah fruit is coming down in full force. I made raspberry jam yesterday (that is just CRYING for me to make some bread today -- nothing like homemade bread and jam together!), I've got a box of pears softening up for canning next week and I expect to get my peaches next week as well.

I'm forcing myself to wait until next week to bust out the Halloween decorations, and I'm in serious craft mode. Not that I'm actually DOING any crafting, but it's the time of year I really wish I were a crafter.

Anyone else itching for fall to be here already??