Utah Mom Blog & Mommy Blogger | Life Elevated Mom

You know your dinner has reached a low point when….

April 15, 2010 by Amber

First, there was my obsession with pumpkin.

It was triggered during pregnancy and over the course of the last several years, I have made numerous pumpkin dishes including pumpkin gnocchi, enchiladas, shakes, yogurt, cookies, fritters, doughnuts, soup and so much more.

I have now moved onto coconut.

Coconut milk’s lineage descends directly from the gods. Thai food is resplendent with its goodness but when I stumbled upon a recipe for coconut macaroon pancakes last night, I knew we were a match made in heaven.

If you’ve ever made macaroons, you know there are a lot of eggs with very little/no flour to bind the ingredients together. This is not a complication when you plop them on a cookie sheet but when you have a macaroon pancake recipe that requires flipping?

My pancakes were the very antithesis of the above photo.

I adapted this recipe. I say adapted because the first few batches were a disaster. I was unable to flip them and most pancakes were broken into about four pieces. It was not until I added additional flour and a bit of coconut extract that they started resembling actual pancakes, not the cat’s kitty litter.

I piled the broken pieces on a plate, dreading my food-critic family’s reaction. I formulated a plan.

“You know how we were learning about when the Prophet Samuel called David to replace Saul as king when he was only a lowly shepherd boy?”

(Jamie, Hadley and Bode looked at me suspiciously.) “Yessssss.”

“Well, just remember what the Lord told him: ‘…Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.'”

Got any favorite coconut recipes you’d like to share, particularly ones that do not involve flipping?

Filed Under: Humor

No longer just The Pumpkin Widow

April 14, 2010 by Amber

Jamie just got called to the Bishopric in our ward.

For the non-Mormon readers of this blog, roughly translated this means I am now a widow.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have non-paid clergy. A Bishop is called to preside over our congregation of roughly 200-400 members. Two counselors are called to the Bishopric and various responsibilities are delegated to them as they assist in the spiritual and temporal welfare of our ward.

Between time-consuming Sunday meetings, the Bishopric attends various activities and events during the week. Jamie will be heavily involved in Scouting. This would have been a dream come true when I was a wee lassie and in love with all the Scouts in my ward.

It’s a bummer Hadley is too young to reap the benefits.

We have known about Jamie’s new assignment for a couple of weeks but it was not made public until Sunday. A counselor from the stake presidency made the announcement and told him to “say good-bye to your wife and children and come join us here on the stand.”

The counselor later joked he meant for the duration of the meeting (and all subsequent meetings) but not indefinitely.

At least I think he was joking.

There was one thing that troubled Jamie about the assignment and I knew exactly what it was: time. He’s already been putting in long hours growing his web development business. Add to that the start of pumpkin season and a ~~nagging~~ wife who gently reminds him of his family responsibilities and he’s already been feeling overwhelmed.

Something’s gotta give.

And I was kinda maybe hoping it would be large and orange.

“We’re going to have to tighten up our budget,” he proclaimed.

His solution is to work less.

And not in the pumpkin patch.

It was my first test as The Good Wife and I passed. I smiled, nodded and thought I could surely only visit Target once a week instead of daily.

And then there is the issue of my behavior. After Stake President Jones asked Jamie if he would accept this new assignment and he agreed, I queried,

“Does this mean I have to be good now?”

I, of course, didn’t listen to the answer.

Filed Under: Humor, Jamie, LDS

The Kites of Death at the Arvada Kite Festival

April 12, 2010 by Amber

Saturday was about redemption.

Four years ago, my husband Jamie and I attempted to fly the expensive stunt kites we had requested for Christmas.

And four years ago, our then-baby Hadley repeatedly escaped death as our kites dive-bombed the ground at speeds fast enough to kill, welp, a small child.

It was our first and only attempt at kite-flying.

Last weekend, I decided it was time to resurrect Said Kites of Death at the 8th annual Arvada Kite Festival. There were prizes awarded for the highest, smallest, largest and most visually appealing kites but my ambitions were simple: I wanted to learn how to simply fly one.

For those unfamiliar with stunt kites, they are a complicated species. With two different lines to manoeuvre, figuring out which line to pull at the exact moment the wind takes it is about as easy as passing college physics (hence the reason why I took it three times).

My husband Jamie conveniently had a prior commitment so I recruited my children and four unsuspecting house guests who were visiting from Arizona. When we arrived at Robby Ferrufino Park, hundreds of kite-flying enthusiasts and spectators were gathered to watch the colorful creations soar.

I assigned guests Ray and Val to the stunt kite while I assembled the $10 Target kite for my kids. My strategy was to let my friends figure out the stunt kite and then impart their greater light and knowledge upon me. In the interim, I would blissfully lope across the field with my Kite for Dummies.

Only this dummy couldn’t get it up in the air.

You know: the kite that was supposed to be easy.

All around me, kites were kites were soaring but no matter how much I ran, jumped and prayed, my kite refused to take flight. When I was at the height of my frustration, my string got tangled up. As I was unraveling it, a gust of wind swooped my kite up, rendering my efforts fruitless.

“Stay down,” I barked at my kite.

I stopped. What was I saying? The kite had finally taken flight on its own. I released it higher and higher to the sky, yelping with glee. I was finally giving the nearby 3-year-old and her flimsy Dora the Explorer kite a run for her money.

All $2 that it was worth.

Val and Ray, on the other hand, weren’t having much luck. Even though they had a few successful launches, they were unable to keep the stunt kite airborne for more than 15 seconds before it became a crash pad for some unsuspecting kite enthusiast.

Who, not surprisingly, was never enthusiastic about the crash landing.

Help was needed and it came in the form of Mike Shaw who took pity on us. This prize-winning entrant in the Grand National Kite Festival played a large role in originally bringing the Arvada Kite Festival to fruition.

He patiently explained the strategy behind the stunt kites and shared his own “kiting” journey with us. He has more than 40 kites, many of which he sewed himself.

“So, if there is any wisdom you could impart on me about learning to fly the stunt kite today, what would it be?” I queried.

“Don’t try to learn at a crowded festival. You’ll probably kill someone.”

Touché. Better luck learning next year.

Just not at the 9th annual Arvada Kite Festival.

Filed Under: Colorado, Humor

Bode: Pink-lovin’, Thrill-seekin’ Man of Mystery at Park City Mountain Resort

April 8, 2010 by Amber

I’ll admit it: I baby Bode. In my defense, independent and spirited Hadley never let me do it so having a child who so willingly submits to my affections? I’m all over it.

Or rather, him.

He’s a sweet, loving and snuggly kid but also kind of a woosy.

Note: Please don’t judge him by the pink tent. It’s an unfortunate consequence of having an older sister, though he admittedly was drawn to this pink umbrella.

While Hadley was begging to ride the roller-coaster when she was 18 months old, I couldn’t drag Bode on the merry-go-round until he was 3 because it was “too scary.”

It could also be that he shares his father’s aversion to fast-moving rides that are operated by people you would not entrust to feed your fish, let alone your life.

At Park City Mountain Resort, Bode came into his own. We stayed at Silver Star, the most gorgeous three-bedroom condo I have ever laid eyes on. It was there that he claimed the top bunk.

We’ve never been able to convince him to even climb up there in the past.

Then, he kicked major booty in PCMR’s Signature 3 skiing lessons and proclaimed, “I go fast like Bode Miller.”

But the real shock came when he boldly declared he wanted to ride the Alpine Coaster, a cross between an alpine slide, a roller coaster and his worst nightmare.

Jamie and I gave him several opportunities to back out but Bode was determined. I rode with Hadley and Jamie took Bode. We reasoned that there was a brake in case of emergency.

Hadley, of course, squealed with glee the entire way and I christened her “Adventure Girl.”

Right after I managed to bring my heart rate back down.

As for Bode? Not only did he have the time of his life, he kept shouting out, “Go faster, Daddy.” The only time the kid cried was when the ride was done and we told him he could not do it again.

Of course, his sister took care of that for him. During evening prayers, she thanked “the nice lady who got us tickets to the alpine coaster.”

When we ran into “the nice lady” Krista (PCMR’s Marketing Director), Hadley sweetly thanked her. And then manipulated her to give us more tickets.

Hadley and Bode are already plotting their strategy for our return trip this summer.

Filed Under: Bode, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, skiing, travel, Utah

Possibly my best line ever to deter the children from asking me to do something when I’m busy

April 8, 2010 by Amber

“Mommmmy, I need help.”

“Don’t call me ‘Mommy.’ Call me ‘Daddy.'”

“Huh? OK, Daddy, I need help.”

“I’m not Daddy. You can go find him downstairs.”

Filed Under: Bode, Humor, Jamie

Spring Break, Utah Style!

April 6, 2010 by Amber

I am still digging myself out of the hole from my 10-day absence and have house guests arriving on Thursday.

This just means I’ll be 10 feet under for a while.

Spring Break in Utah was marvelous. We had the most glorious powder days skiing Park City Mountain Resort and were surrounded by friends and family.

One night, I went to dinner at my favorite restaurant, The DoDo, with my dear friend Kristy. Another day, I took my kids to my Alma Mater BYU to hang out with my surrogate mother/former boss, Patty, and go for a stroll down memory lane. The kids indulged in ice cream from the Creamery and had Swedish fish and praline fudge from the bookstore’s candy counter. And not to be forgotten are the Twilight Zone’s glorious strawberry bagels.

It would appear my best college memories are about the food.

Another day, I played volleyball with one of my BFFs, Lori. We met on the first day of our freshman year on the Natural Science Field Expedition. For two months, we explored the Western United States, giggling about boys and backpacking the most epic destinations. She later married one of our best friends and they just bought a beautiful new home in Utah County.

Lest you think it’s la vie en rose, allow you to assure you it is anything but when you play volleyball with her competitive entourage. I should know. I used to be one of them and once upon a time was even honored in the Calgary Herald’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Note: this is all VERY past tense.

She invited me to join them one morning and I agreed, forgetting one minor fact: I have not played competitive volleyball in seven years.

These women play five days a week.

I will spare you the gory details. Just know that the level of soreness and knee pain was equal unto my memorable bobsled run.

I would have liked to have visited more friends but this trip was mostly about family. We played with Jamie’s sister and her beautiful twin girls who were born on my birthday.

Let’s pray there is still hope for them.

We had a family dinner with extended relatives one evening and the children also hung out with their Great Grandpa Smith.

My parents were in town for General Conference and for the first time in years, I spent Easter with them. Jamie’s mom graciously invited them over for dinner and the kiddos had a grand time bouncing from grandparent to grandparent.

Which basically means they were lavished with candy and presents.

Fortunately, I didn’t come out of it too badly myself.

Stay tuned for details of when Bode became a man at Park City Mountain Resort and be sure to share what you did for Easter!

Filed Under: Family, Humor, travel, Utah

Easter Egg Hunts in a Communist Society

April 4, 2010 by Amber

A Johnson family tradition is to duke it out every year at the community Easter egg hunt.

It’s been a long road. When our daughter Hadley was little, she mistook the eggs as “pretty balls” and hucked them in the air. Then there was the year we couldn’t drag her off the playground equipment. Another Easter, both kids simply raced past all the eggs and ran in circles.

Now that my children are 3 and 5, this was OUR year. They finally understand that inside those cheap plastic eggs are candy and toys.

Glorious treats that Mom and Dad did not have to stuff.

There was still a lot of snow and muck on the ground. Being the good mother I am, I had outfitted them in clothing befitting of a polar bear club/mud-wrestling competition.

I am nothing if not prepared.

But the organizers surprised us all and moved the Easter egg hunt into the adjacent recreation center. Instead of setting the children loose at the same time, we were admitted into the arena in waves. Bode had the advantage and was among the eldest in the 0-3 age group, as was Hadley in the 4-5.

Remember that I mentioned it was our year?

The children chomped at the bit as they waited at the starting line like thoroughbreds at a race track. A volunteer explained the rules.

“When the whistle blows, you may run into the arena. Your children are allowed five eggs a piece.”

Five eggs a piece? What’re we: a communist society?

When the whistle blew, all the children tore off the starting line. There were hundreds, if not over a thousand eggs for each age group. It was obvious that the five-egg limit would not be an issue as pretty much every child I saw greedily walked away with baskets spilling over with eggs.

I, on the other hand, got nothing. You see, the volunteer had also made sure to emphasize that parents were not allowed to pick up eggs. I didn’t murmur about the ban on parental involvement because I figured it was aimed at me.

In my defense, I was *this* close to finding the golden egg in previous years.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, holidays Tagged With: Easter

What Are Your Summertime Travels?

March 31, 2010 by Amber

The kids and I are currently in Utah for Spring Break. Jamie will join us at a later time. After all, one of us needs to stay home to work while the rest of us play.

I’m just glad it’s him.

After that, our whirlwind travels will be officially over until summertime.

Mostly because pumpkin season will take over our lives in April.

I’ll admit it: I’m always thinking about the next trip. Now that my kids are bit older and intrepid travelers, this is going to be a banner summer. Some things in the works:

A visit to the grandparents in Utah. Salt Lake City, that is. Sweltering Southern Utah is the last place you’ll find this heat-hating Canuck.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Shockingly, we have never spent time at Glenwood Springs’ famous hot springs. We’re excited to do that and more by checking out the Glenwood Cavern Adventure Park, replete with a Tram, Laser Tag, Cave Tours, 4D Ride Theatre, Thrill Rides and what I’m sure will be my personal favorite: Demon the Bull.

Crested Butte, Colorado. During my family’s Tour de Colorado last summer, Crested Butte was our favorite stop. The Crested Butte Music Festival + The Wildflower Festival + the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Nature Camp + the best views in Colorado = an unparalleled Colorado vacation. A repeat performance is definitely in order.

Another attempt at camping. The last couple of experiences have not exactly been memorable (read about my nervous breakdown here).

As for the trip I’m most excited about?

My generous mom rented out a beach house for a week in the Outer Banks. My entire family will be coming from all corners of North America for seven glorious days at the beach. Our house has great amenities such as a private swimming pool, game room, basketball, volleyball and much more.

But 18 people (with seven of them under age 6) living under the same roof for seven days?

During hurricane season.

Except for some great blog fodder.

Do you have any fun plans for summer?!

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, travel, Utah

Parenting 101: The Art of Lovingly Bribing Your Children

March 29, 2010 by Amber

Parents have very strong opinions about what they refer to as bribing their children.

I prefer to look at it as an early lesson in action and consequence. If you do something, there will either be a reward or a punishment.

If that is bribery, sign me up.

Potty training my daughter was a nightmare because there was nothing in this world she wanted enough to make her do it (to see that long, sordid journey summarized in one painful post, go here). Treats? Forget it. New toy? Whatever. Revoke beloved cat privileges? “Just make sure to feed him during my absence.”

Parenting the most spirited and stubborn child in the world is a battle of the wills. Since starting kindergarten, she has regressed and we have gone through a new set of challenges. We have also been potty training my son, both of which have caused me to wave a white flag in frustration.

Until we met Super Mario Bros Wii.

There is something about that creepy little mustached man that is like crack cocaine for my children. From Day 1, their reaction has been the extremes: Euphoric when they win, meltdowns when they lose.

But most importantly: I finally found the one thing that would motivate my children to action. Neither are allowed to play Mr. Super Mario unless they are both accident-free.

In the bathroom, that is. There are plenty of near-accidents in the perilous Mushroom Kingdom.

Positive sibling pressure has been a good thing as they encourage the other to go. I.e. “Do you realize because of you, we can’t play Super Mario?”

OK, so maybe it’s not always positive but it is the only thing that has actually worked. And if the Wii can train my kids to go pee?

I’m all about bribery, especially if it results in a catchy marketing slogan for Nintendo.

Filed Under: Humor Tagged With: Nintendo

Spring Snow Day in Colorado!

March 24, 2010 by Amber

Gotta admit it: Even though Denver’s dump of snow put a crimp in my road-biking plans, we’ve been loving it Chez Canuck. When school was canceled, we invited over some of our neighborhood besties and made cinnamon rolls.

Had a rousing tournament of Super Mario Bros.

Evidently, personal space is not an issue when crowding around the Wii.

And then we played to our heart’s content outside. We built a killer snow fort and obstacle course.

I had my 1,204th attempt at making a snowman. Little known fact about me: even thought I grew up in the Great, White North, I absolutely suck at making giant balls of snow. I often blame it on Denver’s non-pliable powder but when I saw a neighbor’s perfectly rubenesque snowman, my competitive fuel was fired.

And yes, I realize I am pretty pathetic if a mere snowman ignites my competitive drive.

In my defense, my husband’s obsession started with just wanting to grow the biggest pumpkin in the neighborhood.

I started out strong as the snow cooperated. After that, I really have no excuse because in the end, my snowman resembled a cross between the Leaning Tower of Pisa and E.T.

In a desperate, last-ditch attempt to save face I decided props were the answer. Any guesses on who is my celebrity snowman?

Hint #1: He recently got accosted with a golf club.

Hint #2: I christened him with an extra-long Pinocchio nose made out of “wood.”

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, Humor, outdoors