Pride and Prejudice Birthday Party

"What a fine thing for our girls!" --Mrs. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice



My friend Gena and I threw our friend Lady Laurissa a Pride and Prejudice Birthday Party at my house. She is a huge fan of Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Charles Dickens. (We have great conversations in the mornings while we walk!) It was so much fun to plan. What an elegant night! I decided to make a dress for the occasion, and it made it even more fun for me. Wearing it was transformational (is that a word? I like it!) Previous to putting it on, the house was in mad chaos, and I was not being my best self. Seth was not impressed with the haggard woman he had come home to. Ten minutes later, I came down fully dressed with hair curled and up, smiling sweetly, good tempered and mild mannered. He said, "Oh, I knew it was the curlers making you that way."

Beforehand we made elegant bookmark invitations to invite people to come. I made my house look as period accurate as possible by researching on the Internet and through watching Pride and Prejudice (sigh, Collin Firth...) I hid lamps, Cd's, stereos, and covered things with elegant tablecloths (like our shoe covey, and oil monitor) I tried to make everything look as simple and bare as possible, while adding doilies and frills to corners, and vases of fresh flowers. We also had candles lit in all the rooms.
At the party everyone came in and drank herbal tea and coco, while sitting on the couches. We also had chocolates on a stand on the coffee table. We then progressed to dinner which consisted of cucumber and butter crust less sandwiches on white bread (which was the elegant sandwich of the time according to my source--Wikepedia.) We also had quiche, fresh fruit, lemonade, french bread and jam, among other delectable goodies.

We played a couple games. The first was a quiz on Pride and Prejudice. The winner got a box of chocolates. The loser got one of my spare copies of the book Pride and Prejudice. We also played "Place the Hat on Darcy" (similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey.) The winner of that got one of my spare copies of Sense and Sensibility.

I think this will become a yearly tradition. Next time I am definitely hiring a couple maids and a photographer! It was hard to be elegant, in servitude, the leader of the games, and take pictures of everything going on! But sooooo much fun!! Here are some more pictures of my house I thought I'd post (especially since it will never look this clean again!)

You Can't Believe Your Eyes!

Don't faint, but it has been less than three weeks, and yes, you are hearing from me again! We had a great experience this weekend though, and I just keep thinking about writing about it. It had such a huge impact on me personally, I just feel like shouting it to the world. So, here it goes--Friday night single and married people in our area between the ages of 18-32 were invited to go and listen to Elder Bednar, Elder Anderson, and Elder Zwick of the seventy. Seth and I went with another couple in our stake. No, I didn't meet them personally and get their autograph--that was not what was so great. In fact, we were the last row in the very back of the gym. It was a question and answer session with around 1500 people. Elder Bednar told us he would not be the teacher, but the Holy Ghost would be doing the instructing. And he was. Through that meeting the Spirit taught us each what we needed to know and answered each of our questions in our hearts. That was what was so amazing. In a room full of so many people we all went away with the knowledge that the Lord loves us, he knows us, and we can be better. And the amazing thing was it's not anything new. Years ago, before I got married, before I had kids, I used to feel love and guidance from the Lord everyday. I used to take long walks, I'd sit and read my scriptures, I'd ponder and pray, I'd go to Seminary, Institute classes, firesides... Now, my days fly by, my prayers are often hurried, I get a verse in here and there throughout the week, and I don't even get to sit through sacrament meeting. I have wondered why the Lord moved away from me. Why has he left me alone? What has happened? I have wondered that for years. Friday night a light went on. The formula is the same: read the scriptures, ponder, pray. I'm the one that doesn't take the time to find Him anymore. But I realized Friday night that I can still have that. All I need to do is invite the Spirit into my life more.
I didn't realize I even had questions, until the meeting started. But I did, we all do. Seth and I have been struggling with our noisy kids in church, and where do we belong in our ward? Through a single man's question of 'where do I fit in at church?' I learned we all feel that way, and that I am going to church for the wrong reasons. It is not about fitting in, although that is wonderful when it happens. We go to show the Lord we love Him. We take the sacrament, and one day we will meet Him again. We want to be right with Him. It is about our personal relationship with the Lord.
That was just one of the questions that brought peace to my heart. With how troubling the world is, I think we all went to the meeting half expecting some kind of amazing instruction to prepare for the great and terrible last days. (I mean, you'd expect that living in Nevada and California, right?) What I got instead was hope, peace, and feelings that the world is a wonderful place to live in. The leadership of the Lord's church is optimistic. I feel inspired and excited to move forward. I don't feel alone.
I got to see Elder Zwick a bit closer up today at Stake Conference. I got asked to accompany the choir with my viola. I sat behind Elder Zwick on the stand. Afterwards he told me thank you. Seth was home with sick kids. It has been a full weekend, but very uplifting. I feel much more ready for the weeks and years ahead.
We also went to the lake on Saturday. The kids got to ride in our friend's boat and wade in the water. They had a blast!
I added a song Seth really likes lately. This guy from Norway won the Eurovision contest with this awesome fiddling song. It's like a circus act.

I Flew the Coop

Okay, I'm a slacker. It's been since March since I've posted anything. We are doing great--no news is good news, right?

Maybe I'm in denial that time is really going by. I turn 30 in 3 days. I don't know if I'm ready. In some ways I feel like I've been 30 for the last five years, so now it will just be official. Kids really age you. Especially Len. Wow he's full of energy. The sad thing is, he's just like me, so I can't complain about it.

I have actually had a really FUN month, which is probably why I haven't written. In April I flew to Utah, all by myself. My sister threw my a birthday party at a restaurant in Salt Lake and I was able to see so many dear friends and family. It was such a blast! Then I went to a 2 day writing conference with LDS Storymakers in Provo. My mom went with me. It was great! I met Matthew Buckley (I loved his book "Chickens in the Headlights") and Joann Arnold (who knew our family really well when I was a little girl.) I learned so much about creative writing, it was like cramming a semester in 2 days. See, I graduated in English, but I wrote papers about Feminism and lots of other stuff that I hardly remember now (kids again.) I've missed writing, creating English papers, so I decided to learn more about creative writing. A friend told me about the conference. I hadn't been around so many English geeks in a long long time--it was refreshing. Like heaven. My sister and Dad said it sounded more like...well that other place.

My biggest regret from the trip is I didn't take a single picture!!! Argh!!...And also that I thought this one guy was a terrorist before I got on the plane--I feel a little silly about that now...but that's another story. (At least I didn't beg the stewardess to let me off like SOMEBODY I know who also shares my plane paranoia.) Let's just say thoughts of death wouldn't leave my mind until I was safe on the ground. Then I got in the car with my mom. And the thoughts of death continued.

I also got to hold my new nephew in the hospital--my brother and his wife had their baby while I was there! And my other brother was there for drill, so I got to stay up late laughing and talking with him. It was the perfect vacation. I came home totally rejuvenated. A little too rejuvenated. I didn't want to cook or clean for a week. Now I'm back on schedule though. It was a nice way to celebrate turning 30.

I also played in a symphony concert this last weekend. I loved the music from it. So, that is what you are listening to if you have the sound on. Of course it's different in real life, and some of the arrangements are slightly different, but you get the general idea.
love, Robbin

Easter with Jensens

Eliza's great-great Grandma "Honey"









Accordian Mosh Pit.

Easter in Caineville

We were able to spend Easter Saturday with my family in Emery County, and then head down to Caineville to spend a few days. It was Seth's first Easter home since before his mission. I love Easter with my family, so I have sort of hijacked it. We even spent it in Emery when we were engaged. It was a great weekend though. The kids loved hiking. Grandma and Grandpa Peterson even came with us. I loved seeing family. Eliza took the picture missing my head. I thought it was great.

Random Pictures

Dr. Seuss and other tales of medical horror

It is Monday. I love Mondays. They have become my favorite day of the week. Long ago, in a far away place, Fridays used to be my favorite day. But no more. The weekends only mean more work for Mom. On Mondays everything returns to normal and I have time to get stuff done! Today, I was in an especially playful and happy mood. However, the boys woke up immediately bored and fighting. They also continued lamenting about the mending I didn’t completely finish on Saturday. I had neglected to get the most important sewing projects done, obviously—the millions of dolls and stuffed animals with popped seams that were creating a stack in my laundry room the size of Mount Lassen. Len was comforting his poor horse whose tail had been ripped off 3 months ago. He told me we needed to take him to the doctor. That’s when the idea hit me that we could take care of boredom by playing doctor, and maybe I could get stuff done in the process.
We set up office—our staff consisted of 2 doctors, 1 nurse, and a surgeon (me.) After a while Len started calling me “Dr. Seuss.” He and George brought the patients to me via ambulance (or a “canoe-ee” was what Len called it), which was actually a Rubbermaid container lid. They wrote on a chart, weighed the patients, listened to their hearts, took temperatures, told me what had caused the wounds, administered anesthesia gas, and lots and lots of shots! We had a meeting beforehand to talk about what we were going to do, and they busied themselves while I sewed up the patients. They also took care of their animals and dolls while they were in recovery. I was amazed how quickly the morning went by, and how I was able to get all the mending done, keeping the boys and Clara totally entertained and mess free for hours!
I made sure to write on the patient’s chart after each operation. It was quite entertaining to read through. Thought you might enjoy.

Mr. Horse—
Emergency surgery, disconnected tail. Could not recover tail. Reconnected fur where stuffing was seeping out. Anesthesia gas was administered, after totally unconscious, and local anesthetics were applied via shot.
A tooth was extracted as well.
Quick recovery—was walking around and playing again before anesthetic had completely worn off.

Mr. Alaskan Bear—
3rd degree tears on left leg and hip seam caused by “big boy’s class at church with Daddy.” Deacons can be detrimental to a toy—he is lucky to be alive. He may reconsider attending church in the future.
Stitches given, as well as brain surgery by Dr. Len. Dr. George gave lots of power shots to help him recover quicker.
Nurse Clara was a bit temperamental and possessive of the clipboard. Might consider replacing her in the future. A pen was thrown, and unwanted shots were applied while she screamed. Also, I received an injury during surgery when I poked myself with the needle. Everyone quickly administered to it and a band-aid wasn’t required.

Miss “Anna” doll—
Only local anesthesia seemed needed to reattach left leg. Was alert throughout surgery. We ran out of “broken leg” medicine, but Dr. Len was able to find more. She seemed fine after recovery, but had to be suddenly rushed to the hospital “because she was about to die.” Unfortunately, she did not make it. However, Dr. Len was able to locate some “poison medicine” as an antidote, which helped Miss Anna come back to life.

Miss “Jubie” doll—
Popped seams on right shoulder, right hip, and posterior of left leg. Preventive repair also done on posterior right leg. Surgery was long and intensive but all went well. Post-surgery therapy recommended due to psychological damage from being in darkened cupboard for 4 ½ years.
Nurse Clara took suddenly ill during the surgery also. Dr. George found the necessary elixir and administered through shot.

Purple Lizard—
Gaping wound in tail. 13 stitches required.
Future rehabilitation therapy will be needed to return flattened tail to original state by moving stuffing downward.

Clifford Dog Pillow—
Small hole creating problems. No anesthesia was necessary because of pillow’s fear of “hurty medicine.” Recovery was quick, and was able to go home immediately.