Tis the Season

I've got a couple of sickies at my house. No flu, just your run of the mill cough, fever, and runny nose. Today is Ruby's 3 day missing school. Albuquerque Public Schools is positively ridiculous. I call the attendance line and leave a message that she will be missing school and then I get 2 or 3 phone calls and 10 emails to me and David saying that she was out sick and that I need to contact the school secretary. I did! That's why you know she is sick. I don't need you to send me 12 reminders that my child is absent from illness. It's insane. I will never claim that APS is educating my child well.

Another Little Godsey

We have another little Godsey baby on the way! We are really excited for a new baby. Ruby checks often to see if she can tell if it's growing. Jeffrey of course has no clue what I am talking about. Right now I still feel completely sick and horrible, but in the next few weeks I should be feeling well enough to get excited and enjoy my pregnancy. I have really mixed feeling about posting anything about pregnancy on my blog. I know that during times of frustration over my struggles to get pregnant I felt like every last blog had the floating baby counter that just reminded me that I couldn't get pregnant with my own. And yet I knew that they should celebrate, because every baby is a precious miracle. So I will not be posting pregnancy updates on this family blog. You can still come check in on the Godsey family without endless posts about me and the growing baby. Instead I will be posting all things pregnancy on http://justjenabq.blogspot.com/ I don't know if it makes a difference to do it this way, but it is my small attempt at sensitivity for women who like me, may at times find it difficult or painful to be faced with so much baby blogging. I look forward to preserving the experience, and if anyone wants to know more you can check in over there.

Award Winning Bread

So, some know this little secret about me, some don't. When I was 12 years old I started making bread at the Evergreen State Fair because Dad sold Bosch and other kitchen machines. We sold the bread, but the smell is what drew people in, so we always made bread. After leaving the house at 19 years old I didn't make the bread again until Jen tricked me into it. This was probably 4 years ago now that she tricked me. The Relief Society was doing an emergency preparedness fair, and wanted someone to show what you could actually make with wheat (since everyone stores it but it seems most don't know what to do with it). So I was volunteered by Jen to make the bread ... that I had never made for her, and hadn't made for 10 years. I of course did not have a written copy of the recipe, I did it from memory since I had made it so many times in the past (I remembered it slightly wrong, but I still do it the "wrong" way since it turned out well). It was pretty hard to feel manly when the Relief Society sisters were complimenting my on my bread in the halls at church. Also, I had one comment when we had friends over and I was holding Jeffy and serving some bread that I was the "perfect Mormon wife". I didn't feel too manly after that. But I didn't let these deter me.

So Sister Fastle from the ward was taking entries for these baking activities at the fair, and wanted me to enter my bread. I almost didn't make it, I had 2 minutes to spare for getting my bread in. I entered it into two contests. The first was the Wheat Bread contest (just best straight up wheat bread). You can see the results below.


Yep, 1st place.

The second contest I entered into was the Fleishmans yeast contest. It was for any recipe using Fleishmans yeast. I just figured I'd run down grap some Fleishman's and enter for both while I was going through the trouble to enter my bread. Results below:



Yep, second place. I should have taken a picture of the winner. It was cinnamon rolls. Mine didn't come with frosting, so I was already at a severe disadvantage.

So I apparently have award winning bread. What is funny is I have been asked for the recipe, with hesitation, in case I keep it a secret. Do people really do that? Maybe I should keep it a secret .....

A little Backpacking

Dave and I went on an amazing backpacking trip this weekend. This was our 10 year anniversary trip. Our anniversary isn't until November, but that is a really cold time to go on a mountain backpacking trip so we did it now. And oddly enough, it was my idea. I know that most people wouldn't find backpacking a romantic 10 year anniversary trip, but for me it was just perfect. I was alone with my husband far away from the cares of the world and surrounded by more beauty than I could even take in. We had a a day where we didn't even see another soul for a total of 10 hours. It was like we were the only two people alive. There was no stress, we did nothing but talk to each other, hike, and take it all in. I highly recommend it.
This is where we started, Panchuela Campround.

Pecos Baldy Lake

The first day we hiked 10 miles in, to Pecos Baldy lake. We had some rain and hail throughout the day, but we made it by 3pm and set up camp.


The second day we hiked 3 very hard miles over to Truchas peak (13,ooo ft)and then came back to our tent rested and hiked another 2 or 3 miles to Panchuela creek where we stayed the second night.




Day 3 we hiked our final 8 miles from Panchuela creek through Horsethief meadow and back out to Panchuela campground to our waiting car.


Gorgeous Horsetheif Meadow

We did it. It was roughly 26 miles total in three days. I don't think my calves have ever hurt so bad, but it was wonderful. And we couldn't have done it without my lovely sister Camila who willingly came and watched Jeffery and Ruby. Thanks Cam!I also have to add that I couldn't have done it without my very rough and tough husband who carried a 50lb pack so I could manage my 20lb pack. I didn't have half a chance if I had to carry more gear. He takes good care of me, even if it means carrying a ridiculously heavy pack up very steep hills after many hours of hiking. I love you, and I loved our trip. Let's do it again sometime.

Isotopes Baseball

We went and did a fun family night at the Isotopes Baseball stadium. It was our very first time, and it was a lot of fun. It was an event put on by Dave's work. We went and had dinner there at the park and then watched some of the game. Jeffrey was very content to be there, even though he had no clue what was going on. Ruby had no interest at all and asked about 50 times when we were going home followed by a loud "this is boring". We managed to keep her busy with Barbie songs on the iPod. I loved it, it took me back to the Tacoma Tigers days with my Dad. Sometimes on the weekend, spur of the moment, my Dad would load us up and head out to the stadium. I can't watch baseball on TV, but there is something about being there for it that is really amazing. I love the national anthem, that crazy "announcer" voice, the clapping, the cheering. It's so all American.

First Day of School

Ruby's first day of school was today. She was not a fan. She said - I don't really like 1st grade. She explained that there was no self election. Which translates into not having any play time. Ah, the harsh realities of 1st grade. Kindergarten's over sister, time to hit the books. That first day back to school is always the longest!

For Emily

Hey Em,
I was only there in Utah briefly and I haven't been able to be there for you much as a friend, but I just wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I wrote this for you.

It's Too Soon

It's too soon to be okay, you don't have to be that strong.
Your heart has been broken, a little piece gone,
and it won't ever be the same.
In time you will change, you'll get used to that ache,
and more often forget that it's there,
But for now its okay to let yourself feel
the full sadness and pain of your loss.

Life keeps on going, we can't make it stop,
and we can't undo the past,
But we can take our time and carefully think
how to best heal our tender hurt heart.

Our tears and our meltdowns don't show that we're weak,
or lack enough faith to press forward.
It's proof of our love and utter devotion
to family and friends in our life.

So take all the time that you possibly need,
feeling fine can wait for tomorrow.
We love you, support you, and pray for your strength
to carry your burden so heavy.