Greenwells in Africa

It's been a well-kept secret (by my neglect;) that my fam cameos in the Signing Time videos 1, 2 & 3. I took the ASL classes in college and later, my roommate, Ray (Rachel de Azevedo, now Coleman )had the deaf daughter. I felt ripped-off and she thought I was nuts! Making lemonade out of lemons, which is naturally her strong-headed style, she used her music and family business sense and began what is now an international super star, Signing Time!

So, she begins these movies so American children (Ha! Small beans now) can communicate with her child. It's huge and they are TODAY teaching deaf school teachers ASL in Ghana, Africa on a 10 day trip. (They and Signing Time fans raised over $16,000 to send a handful of people to do this mission). Rachel, her husband Aaron, daughter Leah, cousin Alex (another star of the show), and other members of the family and business are paddling with gators, being mobbed by people who want to see white people and stroke their hair?!, meeting with famous deaf college grads, eating-who- knows-what and braving 100% humidity to teach others how to communicate in ways never imagined in African Deaf schools. Let's give them a cheer or two!! I posted Ray's link to her blog so you can read her journal first hand. It's education and exciting.

So this leads me to my kids: Donovan is getting pelted in the head by a football playing with Rob, in Africa! Harrison plays with a plane and signs, "airplane", drinks milk and signs, "fish" in Africa! and last, but not least, Ivy does the classic gag on the banana (a Signing Time fave) for audiences in Africa! Mind you she was 9 months old. She'd probably do it today too- actually, she still does at 5 years old. You can see each one of us and all of us together in 2 & 3. Lots of my family and neighbors are featured throughout all 13 or so videos.

Fun times! Love y'all, Jess

Backyard skiing & Happy Place

Whatta Day! We took the kids sledding to a nearby elementary school. I've scoped out the slopes beforehand and saw that I could practice skiing, so I loaded up and we took everyone for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (observed) adventure!

Haven't been on skis since I took the boys and myself for lessons at Alta-probably 3 years now. The lessons were a blast and I recommend them for everyone. Especially you moms out there that are searching for something to prove to yourself (yes, you're tough- you've had babies:) and you can learn anything you set your mind to...you can tell your body to do anything you set your mind to too) and a bit of exercise to boot. Anyway, the school hill adventure just made me want to ski more and my kids got to see mom in-action. I think they believe I'm a bit less boring today. Harrison chimes in and says, "I never thought you were boring!" Aw, thanks, H.


Now, to my "Happy Place": This is my creative space. Normally the room off of the garage is designed to be a storage area, you know lockers for coats, winter gear and backpacks. Not mine. I knew it would be a while until we finished the basement here at our house and I would need a creative space. So, I converted this area into my scrapbooking/quilting area. Rob and I spent 2 hours on Saturday night- following a beautiful date to the BYU museum, PF Changs (wowzers!) and then a quick trip to Home Depot for shelving supplies- building this amazing space for me to hide in, I mean create in :) This was just as much fun as the date places!!! I loved doing this "do-it-yourselfer" project with Rob and we think we need to start a show for novices named, "If We Can Do This Anyone Can" or "Winging It." Soon I'll put in the last top shelf and have some more matching boxes, but until then, I'll be doing ward quilt blocks and making cards and just leaving them on my table- just to see what that feels like*

Things I don't ever want to live without:

*Totino's 99 cent pizzas- I'll still eat them when I'm rich

*Phase 10

*My iPod

*Lysol

*A.m. yoga with Rodney Yee

*Goofing off with girlfriends

Signing Off, Jess

Moments

Let's talk about moments: We hear life's made of them. They can be wonderful, fleeting, excrutiating and even healing. What I learned today while in the bath (tomorrow it will be doing dishes or driving home from car pool) is that we need nothing more than THIS moment to teach us what it is we need to know. I realize that this moment is exactly what I've been looking for to teach me. I've even been waiting for it.

I've had a few moments this week, the excrutiating ones aforementioned, and I want to say,

I appreciate that I woke up and saw them for the teachers they are. I've been waiting for a ton of bricks to fall on my head, yet the questions have been inside of me the whole time. Anyone read "Way of the Peaceful Warrior"?

Moments that made me smile today: Chris Rice, "When did you fall in love?"; Guacamole Pringles; Mary Engelbreight magazine; Organizing my creative space in my home; Francis Cabrel's CD ," Samedi Soir Sur la Terre"- There's just something about love songs in French;)

Debbi, thanks for the call yesterday. You amaze me and I love our connection.

Love, J

Mi Vida Loca

It's the small things that crack me up, the every day things. So Rob and I are driving to our parents' house and we 're driving behind a truck. I look at the license plate cover and it says,

"Let's put FUN back in Funeral!" I love it! I took a picture and showed my mom right away. That's what I'm talking about; the little laughs.

And then, I'm at a graveside service, this isn't funny, but driving out I see a mini-Christmas tree next to a headstone. I'm thinking something's not right here. Well, check it out: It looks like an elementary school model of a tree with its own solar system. Now that's funny:) Plus I think there's an overwhelming number of homes in Lehi that look like Christmas threw-up all over them with their yard deco. (Does the Nativity really need to be guared by a giant wooden bear AND a toy soldier!?) I'm just laughing to myself thinking I've won the Wright family house pic for 2007- Last year Jared won with a photo of a home in Sullivan, MO with the house lit to the hilt and every inflatable Costco display imaginable! In your face, bro!

Stick Your Head in and Take a Whiff!

Look Familiar? This, my friends is the lucious bag of good ol' assorted American bon bons-yes, candy. I had to pull out the camera and click and blog because smelling this very bag of candy sent me back into my childhood. Yea, I know, we do this every Halloween, but this time it was special. I took this bag down from the pantry and performed my ritual "taxing of each child's Halloween candy", but what happened was a welcome surprise: The smell reminded me of BEING a child, opening my pillowcase and practically wanting to move in! I love the candy, but the collective smell is the important thing I'm adressing here. The mix of M & M's with Laffy Taffy even with the happy Smarties smell mixed in. Ohhh, I can just feel the rush of adrenaline as I realize the whole bag is mine and I can consume or make it last.

Visit what makes you remember BEING a child. Is it a fragrance, a soft touch? Or the pictures of your Grandma, old clothes and favorite toys. I love to remember what it felt like to not have cares of the world and the most pressing thoughts I had were, " who to play with?", and "what will the weather be like today?"

To My One Adoring Fan, Kati:

Amid the holidays, family staying with us for New Year (bro Jared and his crew), Ivy having surgery (tubes in and adnoids out!) and cleaning, cleaning, partying and more cleaning is this moment to breathe and update the blog.

To all in bloggerland: It's all about love. I'm telling you, let go and love. I am working on being a better mom, making memories and loving the hubby the best I know how. And you know what's happening? Life feels better- and who doesn't want that? Call it cheesy, call it psycho- babble, but it works.

Alexandre Dumas rocks too. I'm researching so I can read the Man in the Iron Mask. It will be worth it! To tell you the truth, it's the only reason I remember to get on the net right now. Thanks for your comment, Kati, it reminded me to update:) Signing out. I'm reading. J