I Tried to Escape, But Was Bitten by Twilight

It all started a year and a half ago. I was working at the therapeutic boarding school with some fantastic teenagers, ages 14-17. There was this one eccentric girl who everyone loved, or hated, for her quirky behavior. She spent a lot of time reading before "lights out" each night. One evening, I was walking the halls to tell the girls goodnight, and I heard this girl calling my name with excitement. I walked in the room and she started gushing over the book in her hand... Twilight. She went on and on about how this story about vampires was the most romantic and intense book she had ever read, and that the main character, Edward Cullen, was a dream. She was literally bouncing around on the bunk in excitement as she described the plot and read little excerpts. One of her roommates, annoyed with the ramblings, yelled, "ENOUGH, it's just a book!" I walked away giggling at her overly enthusiastic reaction to, what sounded like, a silly high-school love story about bloodsucking vampires.
I did not think about the book again until a few months later. It seemed that suddenly everyone around me was reading a copy of it. At first, I thought it was just a Utah thing, because the author is a graduate of Brigham Young University. Then I realized it was some type of phenomenon ending up in the hands of my friends, my co-workers, every girl in the treatment center, my neighbors, the babysitter, my hairstylist, the girl on the park bench. I mean, who wasn't reading this book? Oh, yeah....me. During this time, I made the decision that I just wasn't going to read it. Maybe, I just enjoyed the shock on people's faces when they asked if I had read it, and I said, "no".

Fast forward to August 2008. I was on a weekly trip with my kids to the local library. I am sure I don't have to tell you what book the librarians were discussing in the background. Alright, so it wasn't Twilight, but it was Breaking Dawn(the fourth book in the Twilight series). My mind flashed back to a discussion with my neighbor the previous day, in which she claimed she could not put the books down. Was there really no escape from this? I finally forfeited, handed my card to the librarian, and checked out the darn book. So, here I am, caught in the same trap as every other female on the planet. For seven weeks I have been enthralled by the story of cute, clumsy Bella and her sexy vampire boyfriend, Edward. I have to admit, I have not been this much into a book since Harry Potter(remember that Elise?). I finished the last page of the final book last night. I am proud to say that I can finally get on with my life. Well, at least until the movie premieres on November 21.

Oh Touche!!

There are two things you need to know before reading this little excerpt: My Dad is known as Grandpa Kennedy to my kids, and Brigham Young University is referred to by many people as the "Y". Now that I have you updated, you will get the humor in the following story. Oh, and for those of you unfamiliar with blogging, the most recent posts are always posted at the top of the page. So, if this is the first time to my blog, you need to scroll to the bottom and read up. Alright, so back to my story...

One of the things I love most about my Dad is his sense of humor. He logged on my blog last night and read the section about the BYU game. Now, I could have guaranteed that the response I would receive from him would be incredibly witty, but I think the one he gave was just too good not to post: "Did you consider that the reason Kennedy won't put "Y" at the end of her name, is the same reason Christopher won't say "Ute" at the end of commute?" Good one Dad!

This One's For Grandpa Kennedy

Fall, in Northern Utah, is when the big football rivalry begins. It is incredible how seriously people take college football. Homes start displaying their football flags, people decorate their cars, and you can't go anywhere without hearing fans discuss the latest scores. Although there are quite a few universities throughout Utah, you might think that only two exist during football season; Brigham Young University(home of the Cougars) and University of Utah(home of the Utes). I graduated from Brigham Young University, so obviously we know which team I am siding with, but I am sad to say that the spirit of BYU does not run in my family. My Dad(a graduate from the University of Utah) and my brother-in-law, John, are U of U fans, and are sure to remind me of it often. That is alright, we must accept the faults in everyone, especially our family(just kidding). Needless to say, I was thrilled the day Christopher came home from school and declared himself a true blue BYU fan.

The other day I was working on spelling homework with Christopher. I usually tell him the word and he writes it down. Halfway down the list, the word "commute" came up. Christopher thought about the word for a moment, and started to write. He wrote C..O..M..M, and then he stopped and looked at me with a smirk. I asked what was wrong and he said, " Mom, I just can't finish spelling this word". I was confused, and asked, "Why?" He laughed and said,"Because it ends with UTE". I laughed. That's my boy!!

An acquaintance of ours heard that Christopher really wanted to go to a BYU game, and was gracious enough to give us two tickets he was not using for BYU vs. New Mexico. Steve and I decided it would be fun for me to take Christopher. The day was a chilling 40 degrees(you might notice we are quite bundled up), but we had a great time. They announced that there were 64,105 people in the stadium that day, and the excitement was incredible. Christopher appeared quite amused by the crowd yelling, stomping their feet, and singing. His review of the day....AWESOME. Oh, and as a footnote, BYU won by a landslide.

What's Really in a Name?

When Kennedy gets her mind set on something, it is very hard to persuade her differently. I would call her a little stubborn. "They" say that the challenges you gave your parents during childhood will eventually come back to you three-fold from your own children. If that is the case, I better start succumbing to the fact that Kennedy will always be right. Today, Kennedy was occupying her time by writing cards to her friends. On the outside of each card she carefully wrote her name. I noticed that each time she wrote her name she left the "y" off of the end. Trying not to ruin the excitement of her achievement, I gently reminded her that her name had a "y" at the end. Kennedy, looking at me as if I needed to go back to Kindergarten and learn my letter sounds, confidently stated, " My name does not end with a "y", it ends with a "d". She then proceeded to prove her point by sounding it out..."Ken-ne-dee, da-da-dee". I tried to explain that without the "y" she would be Ken-ned. She was not buying my interpretation of the English language, and hence I surrendered. So if, by chance, you one day received a letter from Kenned...that would be our daughter.

How Big Is the Tooth Fairy?

For several months, Kennedy has been anxiously awaiting a loose tooth. She could never see the fairness in Christopher being the only one to collect money for his teeth falling out. I can't count the number of times she approached me and stated, with great certainty, that her tooth was loose, although a simple finger test clearly indicated the opposite. So, needless to say, I was surprised the day her front, bottom tooth actually wiggled. I thought she would be thrilled with the new development, but after weeks of wiggling the tooth around in her mouth, and dreading the actual action of it falling out, I think she was reconsidering if a dollar was really worth it. In the end, she was elated with the hole in her mouth and the tooth in her hand....until I brought up the subject of the Tooth Fairy's size. It was the big night to place the tooth under her pillow, and she was trying to determine the perfect spot to leave it. Kennedy stated that she should put it toward the side of her pillow, so that it would be easier for the Tooth Fairy to reach. I, assuming that everyone thought the Tooth Fairy was tiny, told Kennedy that it probably did not matter where she set it because the Tooth Fairy was small enough to go under her pillow. Placing the thought in her head, of a small fairy floating around the room while she slept, did not go over well. Kennedy started to cry as if someone just scared the living daylights out of her. When I asked what was wrong, she started screaming that the Tooth Fairy was not tiny. Apparently, she has always imagined the Tooth Fairy as a normal sized person with wings, which seems a little bit creepier to me. Who was I to argue? I mean, I have never really seen the Tooth Fairy myself. Have you?

The Soccer Season

October is here and soccer season just came to an end. Christopher had a lot of fun playing this year. He and his teammates did extremely well, competing against some challenging teams. They won a lot of games, but were most excited to win the last game by one point. Christopher was also chosen to be the goalie for part of the final game, which added to his excitement. I really loved going to the games, enjoying the perfect fall weather, and playing the role of soccer mom. Of course, when is it not enjoyable for a mom to watch her child having fun? I must give kudos to Steve for being an excellent soccer dad, attending every game, and ensuring Christopher got to practice on the nights I had to work. Thanks to the coaches and other parents, who made fun and learning the priority...not winning.

Remember the good ol' days of Kindergarten?

Kennedy has made the big leap into Kindergarten this year. She has been anxiously awaiting this day since her pre-school graduation last Spring. Not a day passed throughout the summer that I didn't hear the question, "When does Kindergarten start?" and "How long is three months...two months....three weeks....?" The biggest deal was getting to ride the bus just like her big brother. Luckily, the bus stop is directly in front of our house, so the cutting of apron strings wasn't too harsh. I do admit a slight bit of anxiety on the first day, when I witnessed the bus circle around the neighborhood with the children still inside, thirty minutes after school was suppose to start. Apparently, the bus driver did not quite know the bus route, and was randomly driving the neighborhood searching for kids. I did have to chuckle at a mini-van that was trailing close by, apparently driven by another concerned parent. I could just picture the expression on the mini-van driver's face as the bus stopped at the same houses over and over. I am glad to announce that the bus driver has finally figured out his job and the kids are arriving on time. Kennedy was not happy with the bus driver for making her miss singing time at the beginning of class. Oh, the good 'ol days of Kindergarten.

Why the Blog?

So, doing a blog has been one of those things on my "to do" list for awhile now. You know, the "to do" list you are almost certain you will accomplish in your optimistic state upon first waking in the morning. The "to do" list that has not even reached one percent completion by mid-afternoon, because you forgot about the other five hundred more important have-to-do's that seem to fill your day. The "to do" list that is taken over by the thought, "What did I do?" by bedtime when you fall asleep exhausted. Well, today is the day I hit the computer and see what develops from this page hidden in Internet obscurity. What brought me to the realization that this might somehow be important? Well, three things actually:

1. My dear friend Elise, and incredible niece Sara, are months into their blogging. Both have told me I should start one. They are two wonderful mothers, busy raising young(babies and toddlers) children. If they can find the time, I should have no excuse. Plus, I hope that by showing you I can do this, maybe some of you will start a blog of your own.


2. I feel our family needs to do a better job keeping the people we love updated on our life. The friends and family we live miles away from, who always ask why we don't write or call more. I figure if we have a central location for updates and pictures, everyone will feel more connected. Though I can't promise this blog will be exciting, at least you will be able to picture my children at their actual age.


3. The first two reasons have always been there, ever since the idea of blogging seemed to be something I would want to do. Something happened this past month that really changed things for me. My sweet friend Katie Bates died of a drug overdose on September 20. She was just 31 and left behind two precious children who she loved dearly. She was beautiful, fun, and full of life. I had not seen her for a few months, but thought of her often. I cried a lot over the hole her passing left in my heart. Her death seems tragic to everyone, because it was preventable. One of the many things I have learned working with teens at the therapeutic boarding school is that addiction has a terrible grasp on those it affects, whether you are 10 or 82. I know Katie put all her strength behind the battle, but in the end addiction won. At the funeral, the speaker noted a conversation Katie had with her mother where Katie stated that she wondered if she was really ever loved. Of course she was. Her funeral, overflowing with people, was testimony to that. Why didn't she know what she meant to everyone? I hope Katie now knows how much she was loved by me and those that surrounded her. I love my dear friends and family, and I hope this blog shows the truth of that in some small way.

Katie's Obituary

Kathryn Jane PackardOur beautiful Katie Jane passed away on September 20, 2008. She succumbed in her battle against addiction. Katie was 31 years old. It was very important to her that we acknowledge her drug addiction so that others might read of it and know the dreadful consequences that follow addictions.Katie was born on January 18, 1977 into the loving arms of her family, who had awaited her arrival for years with hope and anticipation. She was a talented little girl, putting on shows for family gatherings and belting out her favorite songs to the amusement and delight of her audience. Her signature song was from Annie, Tomorrow. As a child, Katie loved musicals and would play the soundtracks over and over again, particularly South Pacific and, of course, Annie. Katie married Yancy Childs in 1996. They were later divorced. He is the father of her children.Katie had a very noble, sensitive soul. She was kind and accepting of others. Motherhood was what she considered her greatest achievement. She was until very recently employed at a private facility. She loved the girls at the facility and found joy working there.Katie was the mother of Madilyn and Noah Childs, who survive her. She tried very hard to lead a happy productive life. However, the evil shadow of addiction loomed heavily upon her. This mortal existence was a very hard experience for Katie, and her family takes comfort in knowing that she is now free from the torment of addiction. She leaves a void in the lives of her family, who misses her terribly. She left so soon. Our faith in our Heavenly Father and Savior is strong. We do not doubt that she was met by her many friends and family who adore her and that she is in their care even now.She is survived by her children, Madilyn Childs, 12, and Noah Childs, 9; her parents Brent and Janet Packard of Springville, Utah; her grandfather, Layton B. Jones (Bernice) of Gig Harbor, WA; her sister, Christine Wilkey (Kim) of Herriman, Utah; her brother, John B. Packard (Antonella) of Saratoga Springs, Utah; her nieces Alexandra Wilkey, Abigail Wilkey, and Hannah Wilkey. She is preceded in death by her grandparents F. C. and Lela Packard of Springville, Utah and her grandmother Aurora Jones of Holliday, Utah.Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 11 a.m. in the LDS Chapel at 55 North Main in Springville. There will be a viewing held Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 E. 200 S. in Springville. Interment will be in the Evergreen Cemetery.Her family requests that instead of flowers a contribution be made to a fund for her children, Madilyn and Noah Childs, at Central Bank.