Amber | Life Elevated Mom

A force to be reckoned with

January 7, 2011 by Amber

Hadley. She is a wonderful, wild girl.

Sometimes I see so much of myself in her that it frightens me. The good (fun), the bad (opinionated) –it’s all condensed in one six-year-old package that I hope will turn out so much better than I ever was.

While she loves dressing up and looking like a girl, she does not like girl things. When I shop for her toys, I go to the boy section for dinosaurs and animals.

But on a recent (and rare) shopping trip to a department store, she was delighted to follow me around trying on clothes. We spent about a half-hour smelling perfumes, after which she signed, “I just love being a girl.”

She should totally write a song about it.

Hadley is a terribly complicated little thing who has loads of friends but is not afraid to tell it like it is, occasionally stepping on toes.

Or knocking people over.

Case in point: recess.

“I usually just like to play with the boys at recess,” she professed to me the other day.
“Why is that?”
“The girls don’t like playing my games. The boys do. They’re fun.”

I knew what game she was talking about. She and Bode LOVE Super Mario and his dinosaur sidekick, Yoshi. Haddie invented a game, Yoshi, where she (or someone else) chases kids around the school grounds trying to tag them whilst yelling “YOSHI HUNGRY!”

Gotta recognize the creativity in that kid.

Problem is she has allegedly recruited so many kids to play that it grew rough and violent. Another confession:

“Our teacher banned our whole class from playing Yoshi.”

I didn’t know whether I should be upset or proud.

We recently introduced the kids to A Christmas Story, my all-time favorite holiday movie. I’ve wanted to watch it since I babysat two of my rambunctious neighborhood boys and they announced they asked Santa for a BB Gun for Christmas.

Here’s for hoping their Santa’s reaction is the same as the one on the movie.

Hadley’s favorite part of the movie was when poor Flick got his tongue stuck on the frozen pole.

“What was it they said to dare him, Mommy?”
“Double-dog dare.”

All night long, she kept quizzing me, trying to commit it to memory.

I pray for the playground kids now that The Hurricane has returned from Christmas break.

Filed Under: Hadley, Humor Tagged With: Nintendo

Back to the grind and my forray into Indian cooking

January 6, 2011 by Amber

After a wonderful winter break, the kiddos are back in school. I am amazed at how much work I can finally get done in the three hours Bode is in preschool.

I may just go into shock when he’s in school full-time.

To those mothers who feel lost when this milestone hits? Welp, ICan’tRelate.

Because these are treasured, fleeting days, I try my very darnedest to get my work done before they wake up in the mornings and while they’re in school. That way when they come home, we can delve into whatever activity we have planned.

This month, they’re doing swim lessons twice a week. My little fish Haddie is progressing toward joining the swim team next year. And Bode? Welp, he flunked the Minnows class last summer because he refused to put his face in the water.

And yep, he gets that from me.

We’ve also been spending time in the kitchen. Bode made chocolate chip cookies for the first time yesterday and I’ve been cooking up a storm from my new Indian cookbook Jamie gave me for Christmas.

Though I’m trying to figure out for whom that gift was really designated.

I remember once upon a time when I wanted frivolous presents. My, what a difference a few years make because this bureau was what Jamie and I gave each other.

Y’all can have your jewels and fancy electronics. This organizational system for our mail and miscellaneous items has given me a much needed gift: sanity.

I wish I could say my ethnic cooking is going as well. The last few years, Jamie and I have become moderately obsessed with Indian food. Every time I return home to Calgary (where there is a large East Indian and Pakistani population), I curse that I never capitalized on it in my youth. Not only are there some killer restaurants but our grocery stores are chock-full of glorious Garam Masala-esque products vs. the Mexican-heavy offerings in the U.S.

It seemed only natural to learn how to make our own so on Tuesday, I attempted Adraki Murgh Tikki (ginger chicken bites) and Naan Bread. Last night, I made our family’s favorite to celebrate back-to-school: Chicken Tikka Masala.

I pride myself on being a pretty good cook but Indian food calls for entirely different ingredients that will require me to track down a specialty market. And then there are the funky methods of cooking include cheese clothes (huh?), “Tadka” (tempering), “Dum” (steaming) and Tandoori. Normally Naan bread is made in a clay oven but knowing the book is targeted to Gringos, the author suggested broiling it on the top rack.

I don’t know if you’ve ever done this but here’s a little insight: Food gets done VERY quickly when using this method.

And yes, dinner was served when the smoke alarm went off.

Next stop: Our local Indian restaurant.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

Christmas in pictures

January 4, 2011 by Amber

As chaotic as it is to travel for Christmas, our vacation was surprisingly low-key. We spent a few days with Grandma and Grandpa, which, of course, included Christmas morning.

The pillage of the stockings.

We opened most of our presents before flying to Utah but Santa was in charge of bringing the most desired presents. A Criss-cross Hot Wheels Track for the boy.

And Zhu-Zhu pets for the girl.

These battery-operated hamsters are about as close as I’ll ever get to allowing rodents in my home.

I am remiss I didn’t get more pictures of Jamie’s family, especially these darling cousins.

Though getting them to pose together was nearly impossibly because Berkley kept rubbing in the fact that she can crawl.

Of course, a trip to Salt Lake City over the holidays would not be complete without visiting Temple Square, arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth at Christmastime.

Our Christmas miracle is that not one of us got sick. However, we somehow still got blamed for infecting Jamie’s sister’s family when she came down with strep the day we left for Park City Mountain Resort. I mean, just look at this clan. Do you really think we’d be capable of such a thing?

Then again, don’t answer that.

Filed Under: Family, holidays, Utah

How to realize your true potential in 2011 (just call me Oprah)

January 3, 2011 by Amber

I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions for the primary reason that I’m not good at keeping them. Don’t get me wrong: I’m a goal-making, ambitious gal but I’ve never met a New Year’s resolution I liked, primarily because there seems to be a healthy dose of guilt associated with not keeping it.

Well, with the exception of the year I resolved (and learned how) to use chopsticks.

Lesson learned: Aim low.

As I’ve been reflecting back upon 2010, I’ve been amazed at how incredibly blessed my family has been professionally and personally. The year kicked off when I was chosen as Microsoft Office’s accredited blogger at the 2010 Vancouver games. Our whirlwind has not stopped as we’ve traveled the world and have learned invaluable lessons at home.

In fact, so extraordinary were our experiences that I’ve been dreading 2011, thinking, “I can’t possibly top the year we’ve had,” or, for the first time in my life, I’ve been filled with worry,”This must mean the bottom will be falling out soon.”

Both sentiments are an anomaly for a glass-half-full kinda gal.

Then, I saw the light. I was deeply moved as I read Oprah’s January 2011 editorial in O magazine. She talked candidly about the end of her show’s 25-year run and the fear she initially had about launching a network of shows on OWN (which debuted January 1):

In July I read a Vanity Fair article about the making of Michael Jackson’s album Thriller. The piece quoted some of Michael’s friends saying that one of the his biggest mistakes was never realizing that Thriller’s becoming the number-one-selling album in history was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. And because he didn’t realize that, he spent the rest of his life chasing that success.

Reading that was a big aha for me. The reason I had wavered was fear: I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to duplicate what I’ve done. But as I thought about Michael Jackson, I began to see that not only can you not duplicate success, you’re not supposed to. Every new endeavor is created out of the quality of energy you bring to it and is meant to be its own thing.

I totally get it.

I spent my final semester of college on a study abroad in the Middle East. Our campus was on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and we traveled frequently around the region. We floated in the Dead Sea and slept in cabanas by the Sea of Galilee. We roamed through Petra’s ancient wonders in Jordan and we climbed Mount Sinai to witness the sunrise. We marveled at the Great Pyramids and sailed the Nile at sunset.

Upon the completion of my studies, I stopped over in Europe with a few of my friends. We backpacked five countries in two weeks and had the time of our lives. One of our final destinations was Switzerland. We stayed at a hostel in Interlaken, the country’s outdoor Mecca. After a day of rafting the mighty Lütschine, we talked late into the night with some fellow travelers.

One of them was named Ralph. He was charming, athletic and drop-dead gorgeous. He was a mail carrier from Australia who had saved up his money for a year-long adventure abroad. He was going home the next morning. Feeling remorseful about the end of my own travels, I asked him how he thought he would adjust back to his humdrum life after being given a glimpse of the world. His answer still resonates today:

“Before this trip, I was always planning my next great adventure. It has taken this trip to help me realize there is so much close to home I have yet to experience. My next great adventures will be in my own backyard for many years to come.”

Whether you’ve had one of the worst or best years of your life, here’s to a New Year that is not dedicated to topping the “old” but ushering in whatever “new” lies in your path. And for expressing gratitude for what you already have.

Filed Under: travel

Good ’til the last drop (of 2010)

January 1, 2011 by Amber

We arrived home Thursday after a frenzied Christmas vacation in Utah. Normally, we plan New Year’s Eve get togethers with our friends but this year we decided to lay low.

Waaaaay low.

I spent the day unpacking and duplicating Jamie’s sister’s glorious New Year’s Eve meal: Pork Tacos with Avocado Poblano Guacamole. I made the most amazing wassail ever and we topped off the evening with homemade chocolate chip crumbles, ice cream and dulce de leche. New Year’s morning, we had waffles with fresh blackberries and whipped cream.

Forget partying. New Year’s festivities should be all about the food.

We finally got our 84″-inch HDTV fixed ($350 later) so that evening we snuggled in the basement watching The Lord of the Rings. When we emerged, it was 8:30 p.m. and I announced, “Let’s watch the ball drop.”

Of course, it was too early but in my early-bird opinion, waiting ’til midnight is highly overrated. We found the countdown to 2010 on YouTube and did our own.

The kids didn’t know the difference.

Neither did I, really.

They went wild, chanting “Party Party Party!” as we jumped on the bed and did the bunny hop. At one point, Hadley interrupted our festivities and said, “Wait. This is a lame party. We don’t even have any friends here.”

And then she went back to her lame party.

To demonstrate just how lame it was, I even tried to spruce it up at dinnertime.

Me: “Should I set the dining room table with the nice China?”
Jamie: “No, I don’t want to have to do dishes. Let’s just do paper plates.”
Me: “You never do the dishes. I do.”
Jamie: “As always, I’m just looking out for you.”

Here’s to more glorious lameness in 2011.

Filed Under: holidays, Humor, Jamie

Mario and the Mommy Bubble

December 28, 2010 by Amber

With plenty of downtime over winter break, we’ve had plenty of Wii time (something I only allow in moderation on school days).

I was quite enjoying myself letting the kids go to town on Super Mario when they decided to adopt me as their charity project.

“Mommy, we’re going to teach you to play Mario.”
“But you’re both so good. There’s no way I can possibly keep up!”
“We’ll start with the easy levels.”

And that they did. If you ever want to be impressed by your kids, see what they’re doing on their computers and video games. I was particularly amazed at Little Bode’s aptitude.

And horrified by my lack thereof.

Whenever I would die, my mushroom would be resurrected in the form of a bubble the kids needed to pop so I could continue playing. You wanna talk about things you never thought you’d say as a mother?

“CHILDREN, GET MOMMY OUT OF THE BUBBLE…NOW!”

Though believe me, there have been days when I wished for Said Mommy Bubble.

The kids were amazingly patient but I never quite caught on. I figured false confidence would be a good strategy so I started endlessly praising every bad move I made.

Finally, Hadley had enough:

“Stop saying you’re awesome, cuz you’re not.”

Excuse while I go back to my Mommy Bubble….

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

This Mommy Blogger’s Holiday Confession

December 27, 2010 by Amber

I have systematically and unconscionably bitten the heads off every single gingerbread man in our house.

Psychopath?

Filed Under: holidays, Humor

It’s Christmas [Eve] in the [Salt Lake] City

December 25, 2010 by Amber

Since we’ve been married, Jamie and I have alternated spending Christmases with my family and his. Unfortunately, plane tickets are $800 to the Motherland so we were relegated to spending them in Utah. In so doing, we missed my brother Pat’s epic Christmas sweater with battery-operated lights.

Oh wait. This is it.
Though they’re pretty much the same thing.

Jamie’s sister did a fantastic job hosting Christmas Eve. You know that one chick…what was her name again? Oh yeah: Martha Stewart. Well, she has nothing on Tammy Porter who got her start working at the global interior design firm, Gensler.

I’m willing to bet Martha didn’t dine on Pork Tacos with Avocado Poblano Guacamole, Mexican sodas and Sticky Pudding with luscious caramel sauce.

And let us not forgot our darling twin cousins. During our previous attempt at cousin pictures last summer, Bode let Ava do a face plant.

They fared much better this time around.

Back in Canada, Christmas Eve is THE MAIN EVENT with a compendium of appetizers, a gift exchange, the left-right game, playing the bells, a Christmas story and more irreverence than I care to admit.

The year bum darts was introduced was definitely a low point.

Wanting to integrate some of our family’s traditions, Jamie’s sweet sister suggested we do a gift-exchange game at the last minute, which sent Jamie and I scrambling to local stores for just the right gifts. We decided to do a repeat performance of the White Elephant Gift of the Year we introduced last week: a picture of The Great Pumpkin.

I explained the rules and because we had a much smaller group (eight people), I declared we would only do two trades per round. Well, bless their hearts, that crazy Johnson clan misunderstood and thought I meant a gift could only be traded twice and then it was off-limits.

Such corruption of my beloved games is equal unto my reaction when, shortly after Jamie and I got married, they declared the Rook is to be played high and not low.

I have not been able to play my beloved card game with them ever since.

Turns out the joke was on us because Jamie’s pumpkin picture was the very last picture to be chosen and in a twisted turn of fate, he was the one who ended up with it.

He said it was the very best gift exchange ever.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Filed Under: Family, holidays, Humor, Jamie, Utah

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

December 24, 2010 by Amber

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

It started with Bode’s stellar performance at the ward Christmas party. When he wasn’t jostling for position, he was doing this:

At least he showed up. Hadley was M.I.A. for the performance. Her exact location still has not been accounted for.

Speaking of whom, she is DELIGHTED she is finally old enough to wear the coat that Cousin Emily passed down to her years ago. Never mind that the weather has been snow-less and balmy in Denver.

Of course, climate is secondary when it comes to high-fashion, as was evidenced at the Nutcracker a few years ago.

And finally, I may be biased but the Christmas outfits my mom bought Hadley and Bode may be quite possibly the cutest ever. I mean, a TUX? His girlfriend Abigail (featured biting her nail in the top photo) was all over him at church.

OK, it could be because his mom Eva and I were trying to push the two of them together.

It’s never too early.

Hadley and Bode before church on Sunday….

You’ve come a long way, kids.

Let’s hope that rings true for us all.

======

As many of you know, I attended BYU, which is located in Provo, UT. The city’s beloved Provo Tabernacle was ruined by fire last weekend. But this painting “The Second Coming” by Harry Anderson was the only thing that was salvaged from the ashes.

A burn pattern like that is no coincidence.

Let’s remember what the season is about….

Merry Christmas!!!!

XOXXO

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, holidays, Humor

Spreading Holiday Joys

December 23, 2010 by Amber

At the very last minute, I decided to send out our annual Christmas newsletter yesterday.

Only it hasn’t been so annual as of late. It’s the first time I’ve sent one in a few years. The reason is simple: I have a blog. And anyone who loves me reads this blog.

Or isn’t online.

Or is a loser.

I’m kidding but only kind of. 🙂

I did it partially out of guilt. We have received an onslaught of Christmas letters and cards, which have brought joy to my mailbox this month. But, then I realized that many of the people are not active on Facebook, which is the primary way I keep in touch.

I designed the newsletter using a nifty holiday template from Microsoft. Here’s a little shout-out for them. This week, I’ve been reflecting back upon 2010 and when Microsoft Office selected me as their winner of the Winter Games Contest after so many of you voted me to the finals.

It was one of the highlights of my entire life. Putting my foot in my mouth when I met Wayne Gretzky and having Matt Lauer steal my moment in the spotlight are second-to-none experiences.

I got home from the Olympics and then nothin’. I heard nothin’. It was like Microsoft and I broke up in a text message but without sending an actual text.

Then out of the blue, I got a Christmas care package with Microsoft Office ’10 (on the exact same day my Beta expired), a How to Train Your Dragon DVD, and fun miscellaneous games for the kids.

I mean, really what are the odds I’d receive the package on that day of all days?

You’ll find Microsoft & me under the mistletoe this Christmas.

Wayne Gretzky might be there, too.

===================

On another note, I have fallen in LOVE LOVE LOVE with this family’s Christmas video and have already told the Lord of the Gourds we need to up our game next year:

[vimeo 17455653 w=400 h=225]

Here Comes Santa Claus – A Christmas Video Greeting from Jared Foster on Vimeo.

Talk about making my “Elf Yourself” efforts pale in comparison.

Filed Under: holidays, Humor