Thursday, January 31, 2008

I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could. . .

Robin wrote this a couple of weeks ago in English. I really liked it. I know it isn't very big but I hope you can read it.












Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Melindaboo!!


When I came home from living with Mark and Robin my senior year of high school, it became a Sunday evening tradition for Mindi Larkin and I to hang out together. We talked about boys and watched movies and ate at Del Taco and made long distance phone calls and listened to the "slow songs" tapes that Mindi had recorded and worshiped the Brat Pack and lots of other things I can't write here because my kids read this blog and sat on our rock over looking the city . . . happy memories.

She was the first to know about Paul. I was the first to know about Russ.

I remember one time up on our rock, I was talking about getting out of there. I couldn't wait to move away and leave St. George in the dust. I was shocked when I realized that I had totally offended Mindi. She told me how much she loved St. George and the area around it and how she never ever wanted to leave.

I usually see her when we are visiting St. George and we have kept track of each other through Sara. Now she has a blog and I can see what she is up to all the time.

We just call that blue. . .

This website is one of the kids' favorites. This particular email is a family favorite and is referred to as often as the Simpsons.

Monday, January 28, 2008

President Hinckley


Elder Holland was here for Stake Conference this weekend. He talked about President Hinckley and the remarkable life he has led and how we have been so blessed with him as our leader.

The youth in our branch dressed up for school today.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Activity Days

One of the jobs I do at church is Activity Days. I work with the 8-11 year old girls in our area, twice a month, making goals and doing activiteis to acheive those goals. At one point only one girl was coaming consistantly so I have included 7 year old Sara as well.


So far we have:

learned to knit hats on a loom

made journal jars

learned to lead music

collected cans of food as a service project

tied blankets as a service project


I have really enjoyed working with these girls.

Just one . . .


Sunday, Gloria was unhappy with the oatmeal offered for breakfast. I told her that was breakfast and she didn't have to eat it but she wasn't going to eat anything else until after church. I told her that made me sad and that I didn't want her to be hungry. She perked up and said, "Don't be sad mom, I can just take extra sacrament. "

Friday, January 18, 2008

Mmmmmmmmmmm!

We are going through a cold snap and I have been wanting something warm and cozy to feed my kiddos when they come in cold and hungry. The other day Erin Stanley (one of my fabulous sisters in law) blogged about chicken and dumplings , it looked perfect! I made it for dinner last night. Wow! it was such a hit! I have never made chicken and dumplings before as a matter of fact I haven't ever eaten chicken and dumplings before, so not only am I feeling very smart this morning, but I can't wait for lunch so I can have the little bit that was left over. This is definitely a new favorite at the Rodgers house.


Thanks Erin!

Belated Birthday


Happy Birthday Jordan Anne!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

20 years!!

I love you my sweetheart!
Thank you for giving me this most wonderful life, that has been more fun and full of adventure than I ever dreamed I could have.
You are the BEST!
























































There's nothing you and I won't do . . .

I Melt With You
By Modern English

For Valentine's Day last year Paul downloaded every version of this song he could find for me. My favorite is a actually a piano solo. We emailed Cory Gabel, who wrote it and asked if we could buy the sheet music. He said it wasn't for sale, at least not yet.

This is the sweet 80's video



Updated (and more watchable) video

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Almost the last one . . .

Forever and Ever Amen
By Randy Travis

This song was realeased right after we were married. It always brings back happy memories.

Our Songs # 9

Thank You
By Dido


Our song #9

Your Love is King
By Sade


Monday, January 14, 2008

Our songs # 8

Arrested
By Rupert Hine (Better of Dead soundtrack)



Our songs #9

I Only Have Eyes For You

By The Flamingos



At the last military ball we went to, after everything was cleaned up and everyone else but the the D.J. had gone, Paul and I danced alone on the giant dance floor to this song.



Saturday, January 12, 2008

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Rodgers

Josh would have turned 13 today.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Our songs #7

You had to know The Cure would be in here some place.



Pictures of You
By The Cure




Another song Rachel?? Really??

Bangs
By They Might Be Giants

This song makes me laugh every time I hear it. "To swing concordant angles as you incline your head." I love that!

The rest of the lyrics are just a s great and are posted after the video which I am disappointed with. It was the best I could find.



Bangs
Above your eyes your hair hangs
Blow my mind your royal flyness I dig your bangs

Bangs
To drape across your forehead
To swing concordant angles as you incline your head

Once with a girl I fell in love sometime ago now she had...

Bangs
Are that on which the world hangs
I'm only holding your hand so I can look at your bangs

Bangs
Are like a pocket t-shirt
As casual as that while fully intentional

And in case you think I'm here cause I like making chit chat
Just remember what I said the money's under your hat

Bangs
Are that on which the world hangs
I'm only holding your hand so I can look at your bangs

Bangs
Above your eyes your hair hangs
Blow my mind your royal flyness I dig your bangs

Bangs
To drape across your forehead
To swing concordant angles as you incline your head

And although I like you anyway, check out your haircut
A proscenium to stage a face that needs no makeup

Bangs
Are that on which the world hangs
I'm only holding your hand so I can look at your bangs
I'm only holding your hand so I can look at your bangs

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Happy Birthday Robin Bobin!

"Oh to be the mother of a daughter! Let all womanhood rejoice with me!"

Elisabeth Cady Stanton in a letter to Susan B. Anthony after the birth of her daughter.
























































Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Little Paul ran over my house.


Did you know Paul and Robin both have their driver's permits? Well, they do, so over the past few months we have had more than one harrowing experience in our cars. The highlights?? My car was scratched up and my front axle was broken in half (thank heaven for warranties) and Robin and her dad were almost decapitated when Robin jumped a curb and hit a huge chain draped across a parking lot entrance.


Then last night Pauly pulled the truck into the garage and didn't stop until he had put a big hole in the wall. We ran out to see what he had done and stopped him because he didn't know he had even touched the wall and was about to keep going. He said, "I thought I still had two more feet." He would have ended up in our dining room. The two Paul's spent their last day of Christmas break patching the wall.












another love song

U2 All I Want Is You

This is another one from when we were first married. We have both loved U2 since forever. Of all our U2 favorites, this is the best love song.

When Paul was in Iraq I couldn't stand listening to this. For months after he came home, I could listen to it, but not without sobbing into my hands.

The video for this song is too weird, so this is a live performance. I'm not sure when it was recorded but it must be older because Bono isn't wearing his sunglasses.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Two more love songs

We love Peter Gabriel.

In Your Eyes

This has been one our favorites for years and years. This is the original video. I think the it is distracting (I find all of Peter Gabriel's videos distracting) but this is definitely one of our songs. We love it.






The Book of Love always makes me cry. This is a more recent addition to songs we love and I 'm sorry it is connected to a not so great movie but we love it. I couldn't find a good video for this. I like that this shows the lyrics.



Friday, January 4, 2008

Our songs

I'm feeling romantic this month, thought I'd share a few songs with you.

INXS Never Tear Us Apart

They came out with this song just after we were married. The video made us laugh last night when we were looking things up on You Tube, because we remember it being very, very cool.

We love this song.



We love that this was filmed in Prague; of course we didn't know that back then. We recognized it last night.

At one point we only lived 3 hours away from Prague and visited there several times. We were visiting the Jewish cemetery in the video when 3 year old Daniel wandered off. He was missing for about 30 minutes. I found him about 3 blocks away after we had looked all around that cemetery and called the police. Some very kind people had found him and were keeping him in their store. They heard me calling him and they came out and motioned that they had him. They had called the police too.

Not a very happy memory but one that makes up the last 20 years for us.

When I took Jordan and Jenny Bushman to Prague we had to smuggle tiny Dan out of the country. (A story for another time.) Dan has quite a history in the Czech Republic. Maybe he'll serve his mission there.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

2008

WOW! 2007 was a busy year for us. when I look back I can hardly believe we got through it all with our sanity still intact (no jokes please).

Here's a little 2007 rundown:
Paul resigned his commission (sad)
Job search (interesting)
Paul was hired to work for Target (great)
We said good-bye to the military (really tough)
We bought our first house (scary and exciting)
We moved (seemed familiar)
We became chicken farmers (hmmmm)
Gloria started school this year (boo hoo or yahoo?)

Any one of those things would have made this a big year but whew! I'm exhausted.

I was thinking 2008 would be a little quieter but we have a lot to look forward to.
Here's our 2008 rundown:

20th anniversary,
Robin 17, SAT, ACT, college applications, driver’s license, a car??
Paul 16, Priest, Eagle Scout, driver’s license,
Dan 11, soccer, football
Sara 8, baptized,
Gloria 6,
A trip to Utah??
Christmas in Mexico again??


What fun!! Wish us luck!

Happy New Year!


Did you eat your black eyed peas? I made U.S Senate Bean Soup and used black eyed peas for the beans. It was yummy and now we'll have good luck in 2008!

My sister in law Erin is my source for this recipe. It is a staple in our house in the winter (and on election night). It is perfect for using up the extra meat when we've had a ham or a pork roast.

U.S. Senate Bean Soup
Yield: About 6 cups
(This soup has been on the U.S. Senate restaurant menu since 1901.)

Pick over, rinse and soak:
1 1/4 Cups small dried white beans, such a navy or pea

Drain and place in a soup pot along with:
7 cups cold water
1 small ham hock

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat , and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the ham hock. Discard the bone, skin and fat; dice the meat. Return the meat to pot along with:
1 large onion, diced
3 medium celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper

Simmer until the potatoes are quite soft, 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher until soup is a bit creamy.