Snake River Mama

Owen's Skiing Day

2010-03-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a little boy. His name was Owen. He went skiing. At first he kept on falling but then he got better and his brother and sister took him up on the ski lift with them. But at first his ski kept falling off. On the second time he went up on the ski lift his ski didn't fall off anymore. And then they went down a couple more times. The children also had lunch. After lunch they kept on skiing. Then it was time to go home but then his dad lost his i-pod touch and the family went back to find it but they couldn't find it so they went back to the car and then they got back in the car and then they went to the store and had a snack and then they went back into the car and found out that the brother was sitting on the dad's i-pod! Then they went home. The little boy Owen felt good because he had fun going skiing. THE END

Why Dr. Suess is the Bomb

2010-02-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

Today, in a rare moment of selflessness in which I forced aside my own agenda, I pulled Elliott onto my lap for a story. I always find at the end of the day that these pockets of togetherness were usually the best times. (A nod to Jim Trelease, my own mother and so much darn good children's lit these days) Books line the shelves in Elliott's room. Beatrix Potter competes for space aside Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle and Tomie DePaola. Today, however, Dr. Suess won. Green Eggs and Ham. 50 vocabulary words, I CAN READ IT BY MYSELF, part of the Beginner Books collection from Scott's childhood. The copy he held in his hands, learned to read and before that colored in. (Elliott enjoyed the moment of thinking of his Papa as a naughty boy!) Who knew we'd all come so far from 62 pages of brilliant phonemic manipulation? And that 50 years after it was first published our children would find, in spite of the on-demand lives they live, that insistent Sam-I-Am still makes us all smile. Who ever thought of green eggs or green ham unless they were lost at the back of the fridge? And the nonsense of it all . . . those impossible creatures, trees and cars who were just a little too funky to be part of the real world. Perhaps its timelessness is in the conflict. Who hasn't resisted trying something new? And what child hasn't felt the fervor of their unrelenting, vegetable-pushing parent?

Even the big kids who drifted into the room today were drawn in. They paused in their play, captivated by cadence and pictures to stand and await the conclusion they've known since they were two.

Thank you, thank you Theodore Geisel. Yes we would read you in a box and we would read you with a fox and we would read you here or there. Yes, we would read you anywhere!

YUP, I'M CUTE.

2010-02-14T22:51:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a new baby to school me about blogging. Trusting that this addition might lure you back into my blog, I thought you'd like a peek at David, the new Galer. David is adorable you are thinking. But that's not all. In 9 weeks David has eaten all that he could consume, (sometimes more---in which case he kindly returns it), worked on staying awake longer and at more acceptable times of the day, efficiently evacuated his bowels at acceptable and unacceptable times of the day and night as well as learning a myriad of other cute baby tricks.

Tune in next time to read another installment of 'Yup, I'm Cute.'

Owen, You're the MAN!

2008-08-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

Spent and hour tonight trying to create a slide show for all you Owen fans out there who couldn't make it to his birthday bash today. It's great to learn new things. This really didn't turn out like I thought it would. I expected the slide show, which I had to use Picasa to create after uploading the pictures from my camera, would be embedded in the text of this post and you would be able to view it full screen. Hmmmmm. . . as you can see this is a sidebar feature and just a tad on the tiny side; put on your glasses, mom! Nonetheless it was kind of fun. (I know, it's an enviable existence when uploading photos is my entertainment) Okay, and one final note---if you go to Picasa there are captions to explain these sometimes complex, perplexing photos. I also thought the captions would be part of your blog experience.

I know many of you were hoping for a play-by-play of the Olympic Events, gold-medal winners, five-year old meltdowns and exquisite gifts but really, I'm just a little bit tired. So, we'll let the pictures speak for themselves. I do feel it imperitive that Harry has honorable mention for making his first and almost flawless cake for Owen. It was from a box, but he read the directions and executed them independently. For those who know Harry, this is the ONLY way to learn something new.

Owen, you really are the man. Thanks for gracing our lives these 5 years with your peaceful ways and boundless affection. You've always had a calming affect on us. I loved tonight when you said, "My gym teacher told me today that when we breathe like this (demonstration of hard, labored breathing) that our heart is getting stronger." You're a great listener. We should all be just a little more like you! Happy Birthday.

2008-08-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

Whoever decided that August 20th was a reasonable day for children to return to school has forgotten how much fun it is to be a kid in the summer. Alas, I alone cannot decide when it's time to re-commence the adventure of formal education, or at least the condemnation of six hours of seatwork so last Wednesday my little chickens returned to their institutes of learning. For Owen it was his first day of kindergarten. He's slipped in under the radar since he's still only 4. (Actually he's safely before the cut-off date of Sept. 1st; his birthday is---tomorrow, but I just like using that expression 'under the radar') Madi's out to conquer 6th grade and Harry's happily into 3rd with one of his favorite teachers from last year.

This seems really uncool to admit but I'm one of those moms who rather enjoys having my children home for the summer and relish MOST days of them trundling about underfoot. I like summer reading, lemonade stands, bike rides to the park, soccer, swimming lessons, unexpected science experiments, art projects, mud cookies, letterboxing, scrabble tournaments and all the other surreptitious occurences that seem to materialize when the weather's warm and no one really has to be somewhere at a certain time. Sometimes we just talk and sometimes we just yell but stuff happens and things are said when life isn't just about what has to happen. It's a lovely turn of events to see how children behave when the pressure is off. After years of gaps in their maturity and interests Madi and Harry discovered their friendship hiding behind rivalry. Owen discovered Elliott and I think they all discovered how cool it is to have one another. I know I'm jealous as only an only child can be. I still can't escape the summer without feeling that we didn't do enough of any of the above but I think we did the summer mostly with style.

So, here they are clad in their new school duds, ready to impress or maybe to be impressed. They're perhaps more thrilled to go to school on this day than they will be for the rest of the year. I still consider the je ne sais quoi aroma of new pencils, erasers and crayons mingled together in my pencil box to be a thrilling portent of good things to come; a new friend to make, a crush to develop, cursive to learn, Shel Silverstein to discover, encyclopedias to crack open, mastery of the monkey bars, and with trepidation, the hope of growing up just a little bit more. So to all the vicissitudes that a new school year holds---here's to my chickens! In their words---'You Rock!'

a RUSH

2008-08-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

In a moment of vanity I thought I would hop in on this celebrity photo shoot with some of Idaho's favorite multi-sport athletes. You'll notice that I'm completely dressed down but still trying to convince you that I might have been part of this great relay team that won first place. Really though, you'll have no problem spotting me in that first snapshot. I'm the one in the yellow cap who looks like I'm drowning. Thanks for the good times ladies.

You've had a birthday----shout hooray!

2008-08-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

This post feels like it could be an acceptance speech from the Academy Awards of birthdays. I want to thank all of you who wished me well, gifted me, called me, facebooked me pedicured me, babysat for me and in any way made me feel like an excessively important person today. I hope I return the favor on your special day. Most of all I have to go live to let a very amazing little girl named Madi know how unbelievable and exquisite her gift was. So, aside from the birthday-charm of these photos, you must know that the three-layer devil's food cake with vanilla-buttercream frosting was made entirely (except for a few sweeps of frosting by Scott) by Madi, a girl of many and uncommon talents. And this ain't no 'Easy-Bake' creation but rather a carefully selected recipe made with butter, unsweetened chocolate and cocoa from 'America's Test Kitchen' cookbook; made in pans lined with parchment with ingredients appropriately at room-temperature, precisely measured and perfectly blended. Even I haven't made a cake like this. It was rich, tender flavorful and heavenly. So try as you'd like to duplicate this, but the wizardry is really in the hands of a tiny kitchen-elf. She is not for rent. Thanks, Madi, for a gift of heart and sustenance. Thanks to 3 little boys who showered me with kisses, lavishly suggested that I could be a model (a hand model---of course ) and added to my I-tunes collection. (Owen, please don't accidently spend all my I-tunes money on Exit Stage Left by Rush again this year!) So, here's some pics from a great day and underscoring it all is a priceless man who always makes me feel like I could win the Academy Awards.

Oregon Optimists

2008-08-11T20:40:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes you just have to do something when the mood strikes you? That's not really a good way to run a blog but obviously I've resorted to such measures. Sporadically writing doesn't really represent the absence of activity in our lives, just maybe the inconsistency of the author of this story. But to satisfy all of you lurkers starved for this long-awaited entry, hungry to know what's

happening with the Galer clan, what the latest trends are in savvy, hip-homemaking: tonight is the night! Refreshed from our 9ish day vacation to the Oregon Coast here's a brisk re-cap and posting of photos.

It's always amazing how little we need to survive and how most of that can be collected in a matter of hours, crammed into plastic totes and duffels and arranged in the limited space of an 8-year old Toyota Sienna. It felt so liberating to spin off down the freeway with so little to encumber our family---just a round of rousing camp songs, car bingo and well-planned snacks. Liberation turned to confinement with each potty stop and the realization that the momentary siesta from stuff we'd created was quickly unraveling as the contents of snack baggies and backpacks made their unsightly and sticky way across the interior of our car. Let me just say the $100 spent at Wal-mart on a little device called a portable DVD player was the most well-spent money of the entire trip.

15 hours later (I think it was 1:30am) we arrived at the beach. Late indeed but we tumbled into the Paul's beautiful beach house in Pacific City with the relieved sense that the week held no schedules, no routines, no expectations aside from the hope of good seafood and lingering days at the beach. There was renewed bonding for all family members and we loved watching the four children play and romp and watch way too many movies and eat more than a sensible amount of ice-cream. Everyday.

Firsts or almost firsts for each person included: Scott: No internet. Though this did induce daily walks to the library with the hope that their connection was active. Trish: Enjoying Scott cooking dinners (fish tacos included!). Okay, maybe not a FIRST but definately worth mentioning. Madi: Making friends with a dunganess crab (see photos). Really close friends. Harry: Loving Mo's clam chowder and making friends with a mermaid. Really close friends. Owen: Walking the streets of Portland at 11pm at night after eating pizza in a bar. (It's a long, long story) Elliott: Everything! It was all a bit of magic watching him see sand, sea and all of it's attendant pleasures for the first time. 'Beach! Oregon! Beach house!'

Wishing each of you could have had a moment of what we enjoyed---here's some pictures to transport you there!

Oh yes, and on the way home we were all the more wise! Two days of driving instead of one. A hotel visit in Pendelton, Oregon, with a pool. Fewer camp songs, more movies and less looking behind me to see if the contents had exploded. They had.

OH NO! TOO MUCH SNOW!

2008-04-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

April in Rexburg falls hard on the expectations of those of us from slightly warmer climes. While this picture was actually taken in December near the Tetons, in April we are still greeted daily by the last remains of dirty, gray hills of snow. Drifts of crusted snow dot the landscape reluctant to melt, reminders of our struggle against nature and time. We've passed Easter, General Conference and Spring Break fooling ourselves indoors in short sleeves, looking out at the gray expanse. Such denial and expectation however breeds a lovely appreciation and keen awareness of the signs of spring. We love a dry driveway, the song of a robin, a newly found patch of grass, crocus peering up and snow squalls that melt before they touch the ground. We love the renewal of life we feel as we celebrate the resurrection of the Savior and hope for our own ongoing rebirths in the messages of our church leaders heard this weekend at General Conference. We love soccer, outside, in winter coats, with snow banks saving wildly kicked balls from getting too far away from us. We love any day the temperature hovers around 40. We love knowing that tennis and soccer will soon start and that school will be out just in time to really shed layers.

Weather aside, the winter here was divided into three happy epochs; pre-Rexburg Temple dedication, the Rexburg Temple Open House and it's attendant flurry of activities and post-Rexburg Temple dedication; i.e. actually attending the temple. To members of the LDS church the temple is the ultimate expression of our faith, a symbol of eternity and what we consider to be the House of the Lord. Inside we perform ordinances that bind us for eternity as families and make covenants with God that will enable us to enter His presence after we die. We loved taking our children inside during the Open House as they will not return again, and then only on a limited basis, until they are 12. It is almost glorious beyond description and the feeling there unparalleled with that in other earthly structures. Elliott said Jesus ('jee-jee') for the first time in the temple. And, as we say, 'Out of the mouth of babes,' Jesus really is of central importance in the temple and in our faith.

And now, as Harry insists we declare: SPRINGTIME FINALLY!!

2007-11-01T21:21:00.001-07:00

Candy bandits, Halloween thugs, Spirits of the Night----they were really cute! Actually October 31st, 2007 probably made Halloween history for the Galer family. Not only were all costumes completed before Halloween, trick-or-treating was almost all completed before dark (thank you for the extension on daylight savings!) two neighborhoods canvassed and the intake of delectable chocolate treats was large enough that children were easily coerced into parting with Reeses, Almond Joys and M&Ms without us having to sneak them on the sly. And, as you can see from the picture the weather was mild, for Rexburg, defined as no wind, no snow and temperatures above 30 (at least when we began). Highlights included watching the adorable and fearless sea monster who quickly followed his big sibs to doorsteps begging for treats, happy to consume them still in their foil and paper wrappers. The best spook awards went to the two seemingly stationary monsters seated outside of one house that suddenly sprang to life when Harry touched their arm, and the spook alley at Atkinsons, scary enough to bring Elliott to tears. And the best quote of the evening was from Owen, who, wearing thin on formalities dispensed with the traditional 'Trick-or-Treat' salutation to simply asking, 'So, what kinds of candy do you have?' The evening ended with our tradition of sharing a fabulous bowl of Helene's split-pea soup with the Benevidez family, at our house, bread and salad, but, come on, who are we fooling? The main course of the evening (the early evening, late evening and the next morning) was CANDY! Harry has shown forth much fiscal savvy and self-control as he sold his candy to Scott for $5 after eating a few favorites claiming (a bit unbelivably) that he didn't want to get a cavity!

2007-10-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

I have 3 e-mail accounts. I set the last one up on my own. I check my e-mail daily and I even respond to personal messages in a timely fashion. I know how to forward e-mails, do bcc, cc and I'm pretty certain I know what a jpeg is. I've uploaded pictures to wal-mart and my cell-phone is usually charged. I even learned recently how to answer my voice-mail. Things really got crazy this week when Scott set up my facebook page, complete with questionable political views on my profile and a dreadful and unapproved photo of me after the RUSH triathlon. Honestly all of this is a little empowering for this stay-at-home mother of four with a lapsed teaching certificate. So while I usually defer to Scott to lead my hand through cyberspace today I decided I was just going to do this blog thing on my own.

Here's a little photo of my children outside the remarkable Salt Lake Public Library this summer. L-R: Owen (4), Harry (7), Elliott (1) and Madi (9). They're all really adorable, especially when captured in the quiet stillness of a photograph, although I think you can sense just a bit of their energy. Their gain in energy seems always to be my loss!

This morning after a 5:15 run I hurried to get everyone ready for school---dropped Madi off at the Middle School for Fiddle Club, ran Harry and Owen to the Book Fair at the elementary school, bought books, dropped Owen off at Preschool, ran back to the middle school to hear Madi fiddle for a little Halloween concert (she's quite the virtuoso) and then back to home to dress-up Elliott for the Halloween story time at the library, back to the preschool for their mini-bake sale (4 pumpkin cookies made by a bevy of chubby preschool hands and 4 quarters later) and then off to the storytime with two little boys. Home to clean up the morning mess and take a breather until 5pm. The dawn of Halloween. We plan to trick-or-treat in two neighborhoods which means I'll be on candy elimination patrol for the next couple of days. We've got one sea-monster, two jedi-warriors and 'Red' from the movied Hoodwinked in tow. Photos to be posted---soon.

So whether you enjoy reading this or it's just a little page of our family's story I'm looking forward to keeping up this newest dive into the technology pool.

2007-06-13T21:36:00.000-07:00