To My Readers

Merry Christmas and
Happy 200th Post!

A while ago I was going to stop blogging. I'd started to slack and wasn't enjoying it like I used to. This blog was started to keep the Grandparents (who I dearly love) in touch with us on a regular basis. It wasn't until last April that it ever occured to me that it could be more than that. I recieved a challenge to make my blog an evidence that there is JOY IN LIFE. Since then I have diversified my blog from the picture updates of my children to include much more. When I got discouraged my husband showed my I could see my statistics for my blog. I have been amazed at how many of you are reading my blog. I have been inspired by this and tried to share more of myself.

To all of you who keep coming back to my blog to see what we've been up to...Thank You!  I find myself looking for fun activities and projects to do with my family in anticipation of sharing those experiences with all of you.  (And getting excited about finnishing a project and documenting the success.)  And when I have a terrible day I think how it really would be funny to share with you as looking back on the catastrophies of life give us a good laugh once they have passed.  So thank you for inspiring me, I enjoy sharing my life with you.

Perspective

As the mother of two little boys I have to admit that there are days when I would be happy to rent them out to the highest bidder just to give me a break.  And there are some days when I really wonder why we thought we could handle two little ones this close together.  These boys are starting to come into their own lately and can be very opinionated and stubborn (though they get both from me). 

I was starting to get very frustrated with them and even wondering what I was doing wrong for a while and was really in need of a change of perspective.  A couple weeks ago my littlest got the flu.  I was up with min until late at night.  My heart ached watching him try to sleep.  He'd wake up just long enough to vomit and then settle back into the towel I'd wrapped him up in and go back to sleep.  It didn't last long but it was sure hard on him. 

My older boy got that same illness but it wasn't as bad.  Ten days later, out of nowhere, he got a fever of 102.  I treated him with Tylenol but it didn't do much good.  The poor guy had a high fever into the night.  At 2:00 AM he got up to go to the bathroom and I got up to check on him.  His fever was still high and I was worried.  Long story short I didn't end up taking him to the ER and I sat with him for the next hour until his fever finally broke and he rested.  Again, it was very hard to watch him be so miserable.

So, since then I've had a little more appreciation for these little ones in my house.  I'm so blessed to have a full home.  These boys may be crazy at times but I am so grateful that they are well.  So, I'm hugging them a little more often and counting to ten before I get upset.  I even let them help make the chocolate pretzels (it was a little messy but they did good).  I am so blessed to have the love of the boys that live in my house and I hope they know how much I love them.

For those of you who are wondering, that is the neighbor's puppy.  It's so cute but I could not handle a dog right now.  It's been fun to get to enjoy him a bit without being responsible for him. 



Christmas Caramels Recipe

This is my FAVORITE Christmas treat!  I found the recipe on allrecipes.com  I've modified it a bit so this is the altered recipe.

Caramel Candies
2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 1/2 Cups White Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Butter
1 1/2 Cups Corn Syrup
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup + 2 Tbsp Milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan (atleast 5 qts) over medium high heat.  Heat to 240 degrees (soft ball stage).  Pour into a greased 9 X 13 pan.  Let cool for 9-12 hours before cutting.  I like to cut it into bite size pieces and wrap in wax paper like tootsie rolls.

I wanted to post a picture but they are gone so maybe next time.  Trust me, they're good.

This The Season

A couple of years ago we had a church activity with the ladies and the theme was "All Is Calm."  We made a sign with vinyl letters to take home to remind us of what we learned.  Christmas can be a real pain as it's far to easy to bury yourself in your shopping and to do lists and not get to enjoy the things that really make Christmas special.  So, in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for Christmas I'd like to share a few things that bring that Christmas Calm into my life and make me love this time of year.

1. Watching The Forgotten Carols- I love the music and cry every time.  My favorite is the song that talks about needing to find our way and how Christ is the Way.

2. Watching the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

3. Going caroling or delivering treats to friends and neighbors.  Try not to go overboard with the treats (I always do) and pick some people you don't know very well.  You will be surprised how good it feels to surprise people.

4.  Take your family to see Christmas lights.  Especially if you have little ones, this is a great way to slow down and enjoy something simple.

5. Go shop for some toys to donate.  I want to teach my kids about giving and what better time of year to do so.

6.  Give a gift to Christ.  After all, it is his birthday and what better way to celebrate than thinking about what gift you would like to give Him this year.  Write it down in a journal or on a notecard where you can review it and work on it (if it's self improvement related).  It should be something sincere and simple.

7.  Attend the temple or perform some other act of service.  Anything that gets you away from that to do list is great.

8.  Do 12 days of Christmas for your spouse.  Write down one thing you appreciate about them each day.  I am finding that my husband often gets forgotten in my running around and I really need to do better about making him feel loved and appreciated.

9.  Finish your shopping early and enjoy the Spirit of the season.

Well, none of this is earth shattering and I hope this will give you some ideas for how to make your season bright.  Our last two Christmases have been rather hectic so I'm challenging myself to keep the calm this season and not get lost in what there is to do.  Merry Christmas!

An Interesting Week

In the past week I had a two year old sick and spitting up (which caused three extra loads of laundry due to my incapacity to wait to clean it up each time).  Got a call from the Home Depot saying my new washer and dryer are on backorder, which is only a problem since I noticed the drying smells like something is burning.  Got sick myself and had to call my husband home from work.  Eaten four cans of lemon lime soda and a half sleeve of soda crackers and that was all in a two day period.  Cleaned up a broken jar of marshino cherries after being dropped by a toddler.  Woken up to a four year old who peed the bed and/or a two year old who stuck his hand in is diaper and made a mess every day.  Woke up at 4 AM just to throw up.  Lost my temper with everyone who lives in my house.  Watched my two-year old break the handle off my dishwasher (it is not functional right now).  And been too sick to go grocery shopping.

Looking back I'm sure glad we made it through the week so well.  We also had some good moments.  We visited a nativity exhibit, I cleaned out my fridge an freezer, my two year old held my hand while I vomitted (every time), my husband took care of most meals for an entire week and did a fine job of it, I got to watch several good Christmas movies, found a great substitute for my Primary class, watched the Christmas Devotional with my family and almost have my appetite back.  It really is true that frustrating times make you appreciate the times that are better.  So, here's to getting healthy and enjoying each day we have to live our crazy lives.

I Can Change

The saddest thing I've ever heard are the words, "I can't change."  There are several reasons this saddens me.  First, you are human.  You are equipped with the ability to think, to decern, to decide and to do.  You are given the ability to think for yourself and if you decide you would like to change something you have the ability to decide and do so. Not that it is always easy but it is possible.

Second, doesn't that say something about your view of yourself when you acknowledge there is something you don't like about yourself but you don't have the ability to do anthing about it?  Do you really think so little of yourself to believe that you are merely stuck just are the way you are.  Maybe I'm just crazy but I believe you have power to make yourself into what you desire to be.  Like rock is shaped by water running over it, big changes take time, and you must be persistant.

Third, this is just untrue.  As you gain experience through life you do change.  No one is the same person at 30 that they were at 20.  There will be some growth there and saying "I'm just this way" is failing to acknowledge the progress you have made.  Don't give yourself so little credit.  Recognize your accomplishments.  Celebrate the progress you are making and let it encourage you.

My sister-in-law is always saying "I can do hard things."  I love that saying.  Say it, say it again and continue repeating it until you believe it.  You will face hard things in your life wether it is from your own choices or the decisions of others but you can endure.  You can achieve happiness and success by having confidence in yourself and your ability to grow, change, and overcome.  So go and make those changes.

Crazy Kids

My boys are sure busy, and they're a little stir crazy right now so they can be pretty nuts.  I remember about a year ago I was talking to my sister about kids being crazy and she basically said, "If you can't beat them, join them."  I'm happy to admit that I have gone crazy.  We made halloween jello jigglers last week, made cookies (taste testing after adding each ingredient), built tents out of tables and blankets, made pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse, gone to Pet Smart to see the animals, laid under the Christmas tree just to see what it's like, read the same library books three times a day, and had cookies for breakfast...twice.  We'll see how it goes in the long run but loosing my mind so far has been a good thing.

 These are pictures we took one day when we were playing with the web camera on the computer.

Who's that cubby baby?

How To Fall Off A Roof

Our house has a slightly sloped roof and our two very large fur trees next to it.  We usually have several wind and rain storms in the late fall that blow the needles onto the roof.  About every three or four months the roof requires cleaning.  We finally gave in a bought a shop vacuum that converts into a leaf blower (an excellent contraption if I ever saw one).  I didn't understand why my husband bought this as we don't have many leaves to clear from the yard but it is probably the most used item stored in our garage.  We use the blower to clear fur tree needles off the sidewalks and porch which keeps them from getting tracked into the house.

Anyway, back to the roof story.  We use the blower to pile up the needles and then shovel them into leaf bags and drop the bags off the roof.  I'm sure our neighbors enjoyed watching my husband and I out  walking all over the roof for a couple hours.  While dropping the fourth bag full of needles from the roof I lost my balance and down I went.  My back is killing me today.

Okay, I'm just kidding I didn't really fall off the roof but if I had I'd atleast have a good reason for feeling as bad as I do today.  When I got down we moved the bags into the garage to keep them from getting rained on and falling apart.  I lifted wrong on one of the last bags and strained my back.  I've spent the last 24 hours wishing I didn't feel so old (and I'm really too young to be thinking that).  The worst part is I'm sure I didn't learn anything from the experience as I'll be out there in a few more months doing the same thing again, and maybe next time I really will fall off the roof and have quite a story to tell. :)

Dream

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'

George Bernard Shaw

When I red this I thought of my husband.  I am always the one to say, "Why?" and he is always saying, "why not?"  Being a mother there are many situations where the "Why not" rarely ends well but I'm more refering to a way of thinking here.

I tend to be very pessamistic when I think of what is possible.  My husband, who happens to be a mechanical engineer, sees the world so differently.  To him everything can be broken down, simplified and understood (and many times explained).  As such, he never seems to be overwhelmed by a situation or a problem because it can be reduced to it's components and worked out.  He is also very solution driven.  He's spends little time agonizing about the problem and sets straight to work on a solution. (This used to drive me crazy when we were first married and I would complain to him about work, only looking for a sympathetic ear and instead I got 100 ideas of how to fix it.) 

I've always admired how his way of thinking seems so uncluttered by emotional bias and emotionally charged logic (which is NOT logical).  As I look forward I want to be more open to all the possibilities life has to offer and not be overwhelmed by the problems.  Oh, and dream big!

Ladies Night

Not so long ago I thought it was absolutely rediculous that women got together to go out for dinner or have ladies night.  I just didn't get it.  I remember telling my husband that if I was going to go out I would rather go out with him.  About a year ago I played volleyball on a church team and really enjoyed spending time with other moms.  They decided we should all go out for a combined birthday dinner as we'd had several birthdays (including mine) during our volleyball season.  I still had mixed emotions but liked that I had the excuse of a birthday to go anyway.  Little did I know what affect that would have.

Here are several reasons to organize a ladies' night:
1.  It's amazing how much better the conversation is when not inturrupted by children.
2.  You have an opportunity to gain some great wisdom from others' life expereinces.
3.  Sharing experiences of motherhood, family and life in general can be therapudic.
4.  Everyone needs to laugh and getting together with friends is a great way to unwind.
5.  Sharing conversations with friends on a good day leads to having someone to call on a bad day.

I went from being a sceptic to being an instigator!  I'm amazed at the strength I gain from having good friends and am always surprised when I have a conversation with someone and end up finding a solution to a persistant problem through their experiences.  A get together can be very simple or very elaborate.  Here are some ideas for planning a gathering:  Meet up at a restaurant, host an evening in your home and have everyone bring snacks to share, start a book club, plan a service related activity (making cards, sewing blankets), organize a sports team for a city league, host a game night, or even go second-hand shopping (thanks Melanie for this one).

I love my husband and my boys.  They are the world to me.  There are times when I need to socialize with women who understand what I'm experiencing as a wife and mother, it's in my blood.  I just got back from one tonight.  My husband is out of town so I got a babysitter, one mother had come from urgent care where her 3-year-old got staples in his head, another had been there earlier today to get stiches out of one of her kid's heads and we could all appreciate how crazy each other's lives are and laugh about it for a few minutes before returning to work at it some more.  So, don't feel like you're neglecting your family just plan a night and do some socializing.  You never know what will come of it.

Mohawk

My little one just turned two-years old.  He is a very busy boy.  I've made it a habit to give him a mohawk before cutting his hair each time and as a bonus you get to see me in my PJs.

One of this boy's favorite pasttimes is playing with the microwave.  My simple solution is unplugging it.  The other day I had plugged it in to warm something up in the morning and forgotten to unplug it.  About an hour later I heard a strange buzzing noise.  I ran in and unplugged it.  As soon as it was turned off I saw smoke coming out of the vent and looked to see a large nano bug on fire.  I grabbed the baking soda and threw half the box on the fire. 

This whole time my little one watched.  He looked very fascinated by what was happening and didn't react until after the fire was out at which point he started to cry.  I think he was only upset because he wanted to blow it out.  Here is the fried bug.

Batman Is In Charge

Apparently wearing a cape makes you "in-charge."  Atleast that's what my four-year old tells me.  I must admit it is a very powerful piece of suiting material sewn with black thread and attached with industrial strength velcro but I'm not sure if it is strong enough to shift the balance of power in this house.  If so, it's MY TURN TO WEAR THE CAPE!

My four-year-old just informed me that, "Batman is in charge."  We also had an indepth discussion about how super heros were pretend.  This was after he asked what the green stuff was in the spinach stuffed shells and I told him all superheros need to eat spinach to keep them strong and healthy.  (This was during lunch.)  Shouldn't I have been the one explaining superheros were just pretend?  He also just informed his younger brother that they are supposed to live together in the bat cave.  They are now riding tricycles around the house talking into blocks they have used to make phones to call their "super friends" and "the bad guys."  The most interesting part of all of this is my kids have never seen Batman.  I guess they did see one espisode of the Justice Legue when we visited my sister and played with their bat cave.  I guess that's all it took.  They were born to be super heros.  Oh yeah, I forgot, I am a Superhero (see previous post entitled "I Am A Superhero") so they must get it from me. :)

Five Little Monkeys On A Swing

Having friends is a great thing, you get together and enjoy each other and it is really great.



Until someone realizes it's getting crowded...and someone wants you to all look at the same person and smile all at the same time and then it is no longer fun.

What is it about kids that they all want the same toy at the same time?  I guess it's human nature to desire something that someone else wants but as an adult that can be dangerous and expensive. I guess that's were learning to be content comes in.  I've so grateful to have friends who are such a good influence on me and who teach me so much about life, motherhood, and friendship.  I hope I always have too many friends to fill my swing. :)

Stingrays?

My children love to sing and they do so often and it's generally as loud as they can.  The other day I had Pandora radio on a Kid's station when Beyonce's "Single Ladies" came on.  It was a version done by the girl chipmunks (which apparently made it appropriate for children???).  It was a busy morning and I didn't think anything of it until later in the morning when it came on again.  The tune is horribly catchy, the kind of song that really gets stuck in your head so naturally I was concerned. 

Later that day, and agian today, I heard the boys singing (to the tune of "Single Ladies") "Oh, the stingray, oh, the stingray."  This is only one of the many songs that I've heard an alternate rendition from my kids.  Another of my favorites is "Nephi's Courage."  "Laman and Lemuel said he should not apply, Nephi was courageous and he did not apply."

I've found that I too have a talent for making up songs and it's been fun to use it.  For example there was a Rebecca Black song entitled, "Friday,"  our version is, "Sunday, Sunday, go to church on Sunday.  Primary, primary Yea, Nursery, nursery, Yea!"  I think that's my favorite so far as it gets everyone moving on Sunday morning.

It is a blessing to have music be such a part of our lives and I never tire of hearing my children sing.  Even our almost two-year old gets involved.  He's still working on forming words but will belt it out like he knows every word.

Bowling

For several months I've wanted to take the boys bowling as I anticipated it to be thoroughly amusing. We went to visit the Kings in Perry and got our chance. The little one was very unhappy and cried the first hour we were there. I was NOT amused. Then he peed all over me and enjoyed the remaining time. He really liked the ball return and always wanted to get his own ball all by himself.

The larger one I tried to have use the ramp to help him but he soon figured out that no one else was bowling like that and tried that instead. Each time he crept a little farther down the lane before letting the ball go. A few times he dropped the ball before he got there. It was really fun to see him get the hang of it.


So, as it goes with little ones the first hour was quite frustrating and the remainder of the evening was pleasant.  I'm so glad I didn't give up and just take my kids out or we would have missed out on the good ending.  Thanks to Grandma, Grandpa and Cherise for their help and their patience.

I Am A Superhero

I spent the better part of the afternoon sewing a Batman cape. This cape had been promised a month ago when we found a Batman shirt for Halloween. I bought the material and have been putting it off for a while now. After perusing some internet tutorials I decided on an idea and set to work. It didn't take long to realize the small one needed to go take a nap for any progress to be made. The larger one got his hands into it a bit but was kept busy holding the pin cushion. In the end I remebered why I rarely sew but was very pleased with the finnished cape.

 So, I've decided I am a superhero. The following is a list of my super powers:

1. Sewing random items without use of a pattern (this power only works once a year).

2. Healing bumps and bruises with a kiss (this only works on my own children).

3. Making a meal for four with only one chicken breast.

4. Reading story books without getting out of bed (this usually happens when I'm under the weather).

5. Going from bed to out-the-door in 30 minutes (including eating and bathing).

6. Making chocolate chip cookies in 30 minutes from "hey we should," to "Mmmm."

7. Leap over lego buildings in a single bound (or any other toys that are scattered on the floor).
8. Get excited when someone mentions tax season. (Believe me it's super.)
9. I'm a wiz at Disney trivia.  It must be a super power becuause I'm not that much of a nerd. :)

8. Balance on a swiss ball. (Well, flying was out of the question.) Okay, so I can't really balance on an excercise ball either but my 4-year-old got a great picture.

Well, there you have it, my list of super powers. I encourage all of you to think about what your super powers are and make a list. Then you might consider something you'd like to add to your list and work on it. You never know what awesomeness awaits you!

Redfish Lake

If I had to design heaven I'm pretty sure it would look alot like the Sawtooth National Forest. This Summer we spent a weekend at Redfish Lake Lodge. It's one of my favorite places. It's beautiful country and I just can't get enough of it.

Upon arriving at the lake you must put your feet in and do some wading. It's strange but everyone I've ever taken to the lake has done so. It seems to just draw you into it's cool caress. (Wow, that was super cheesy, but true.)  Just look at it, doesn't it just beg you to jump into your computer and go there?  Actually it's probably covered in several feet of snow right now so wait until Summer.

The hiking is superb offering opportunities for short day hikes

and longer trips for the more adventurous.

(Excuse the alignment of this picture as it is stubborn and I gave up on fixing it.)  By the way, that is me and it's super exciting because I didn't think I could carry him.  Yeah for chiropractic and Yoga! 

The lake is 4 miles wide and almsot 1 mile long so it's great for water skiing, kayaking, canoeing and swimming. My favorite part of the lake is the shallow end by the lodge. You can walk out about 100 feet out and the water is still only to your knees.

Thank you to the Kings for a wonderful weekend in the mountains!

Millions of Peaches

I have always loved peaches, not just any peaches but homecanned peaches that were canned when the peaches were so sweet and perfectly ripe that they are irresistable.  Last summer a lady from church did a series of canning classes.  She taught us to make apple pie filling, cooked ground beef, cooked cubed chicken and peaches.  I had ordered a box (24 lbs) in anticipation of learning to do it myself.  When we got the peaches I put most of them in my fridge as it was another two weeks before the class.  We ate many of them as they ripened and enjoyed them immensely.  The day of the class I took my peaches and spent the evening with about 8 ladies canning them.  The result was beautiful, perfect jars of Eastern Washington peaches that we ate throughout the past year.

The oppotunity came to order peaches this year and I ordered three boxes as my Uncle  had said he'd like to have some.  My friend Kari had asked me to teach her to can peaches so I ordered another two boxes.  These boxes were 24 lbs each and I was feeling rather ambitious.   Long story short we ended up with over 100 lbs of peaches that needed canning.

Luckily I talked to a few people who gave me some tips to processing large amount of fruit.  (I'll do another how to blog another day.)  I had set aside time for canning that week and it was my main priority.  Monday morning I started cleaning house and by the time it was clean enough to use it was 1:00.  I was determined so I started in.  Kari came over and we got three batches done that day.  Tuesday I ended up needing to can more as they were very ripe and I worried we'd loose some.  I had boxes of peaches all over my dining room and everytime I turned around my littlest had a half-eaten peach in his hand.  He was our quality control guy. :)

So, Tuesday I got four batches canned and that left three batches on Wednesday.  Kari took the lead on Wednesday which was a life saver as my little one had a meltdown at about noon.  I spent the afternoon holding him until he fell asleep while Kari continued.  The small one went down for a nap and we finnished up.  I would not recommend to anyone with small children to try to can by themselves.  Having a friend makes it so much more pleasant especially since one of you can keep going while the other wrangles kids and the kids keep each other occupied.

The end result was 80 quarts of canned peaches.  They are delicious and well worth the work.
 

I Am A Mormon

We were asked to create a profile for Mormon.org which is our church's website for those who want to learn more. It really got me to thinking about what my religion and my relationship with Jesus Christ mean to me. I wish I had taken more time to ponder my answer but I'm a very "get it done" kind of person and was eager to mark it off my list, so I'm going to take a moment to share with you my answers and add a bit.

About Me
I grew up in a small farming town in Southern Idaho. My parents taught me to work hard and that helping others was a very important part of life. When I graduated college I took a job in the Seattle area and looked forward to persuing a career. I met my wonderful husband here and am so glad I somehow mustered the courage to leave Idaho. I am very surprised where my life has taken me and look forward to seeing what the future will bring.

I should have added: I love animals and I love to bake. I've been on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe for several years now and keep coming back to Grandma Betty Lou's recipe. I love good food. I love to sing and have always had a big voice. I spend my days chasing my kids and participating in a pre-school co-op where I have learned that I love to teach. I'm a first class penny pincher and thrift shopper and I am a Mormon.

Why I am a Mormon
I was born into a Mormon family. My father is the kindest man I've ever known and I know that a big part of that is his desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ. My mother is a woman of great faith. I can't explain it but I just always knew that she had a close realationship with the Savior and it was something that is greatly important to her. Through time I have come to know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and have expereinced the power of prayer as I've been guided in the decisions I've made. It is through God's love and His guidance that I am who I am today.

I should have added: When I was a teenager I had been invited to find out for myself if the gospel was true. By then I'd had several experiences where I had felt good about what was being taught and knew it was the Holy Ghost helping me feel that what was being taught was true. I remember being at my first girl's camp, we'd had a evening meeting and many had shared their experiences and feelings about the gospel. There was such a feeling of peace there that I did not want to leave. That is the first of many times I remember really feeling that it was true.

How I live my faith
One of the most important things I want to teach my children is to be kind to everyone. Jesus Christ taught so many valuable lessons during His lifetime and this, to me, is key. The world can be very difficult and even cruel at times and if I can take a moment to lift someone else or make their day a little brighter than I have done what Christ would want me to do.Through my participation in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I've had many opportunites to serve others. I have taught young children, taken dinners in to the sick, tended children, and shared many conversations with sisters who are struggling. My life has been enriched by these expereinces and I've grown closer to Jesus Christ.Some would say I was born into this church but I say it's a decision I make everyday to live the way Christ would want me to live.

I should have added: I have always had a fear of failure and an even greater fear of making incorrect decisions as I know how much that can impact the rest of my life. When it came time to make decisions like where to attend college I sought answers through prayer using the pattern of studying out my options, making a decision, praying if that was the correct decision and paying attention to how I felt while asking in prayer. I was guided in that decision and many others. During my Junior year of college I started to feel like I should serve a mission which absolutely terrified me. I spent several months trying to explain to God that I was unqualified to serve a mission but still felt like I should go. I understood from then on that if God wanted me to go that He would help when I asked for it. There have been many things in my life I've taken on that I've felt unprepared or unqualified for including a wonderful husband and two beautiful children. As I face my challenges I find peace in knowing that help is only a prayer away.

I Hate My Computer

I had just finnished writing an insightful, upbeat, clever blog post and in my attempt to copy it into word and spell check it I deleted it. The wierd thing is that I deleted it merely by selecting it. Apparently if you hold down the shift key and push the up button to select it automatically deletes it if you go one line too far. It gets better, this is not the first time that it has happened to me so I should have known better.

So, instead of an attempt to recreate my clever, insightful, upbeat blogpost of a mere few moments ago, here's my angry rant. YOU STUPID PROGRAM!

Okay, I'm better now. The weather has been gray lately and I'm combatting it by hiding in a book. I'm reading Little Women and it is a wonderful book. I love their manners, their work ethic and their simple way of life. I'm sure I'll be blogging about it soon.

So, the only other thought I have for you today is, if at first you don't suceed, be angry for a moment and then move on. Okay, that's not a good lesson. If at first you don't suceed, lower your expectations and try again. :)

Potato Brocolli Cheese Soup Recipe

As the rainy season begins it's time for soup. I'm not really into soups but when it rains it's just the best thing to eat. I got brave yesterday and tried a new recipe, which turned out to be a winner. We're now rating new recipes at our house between one and five stars. One being, let's not eat that again and five being, that was so good let's eat it again next week. This soup scored a 4.5 star rating. It was full of vegetables which was my favorite part. It calls for 2 cups of onions so if you don't like onions (David) you probably won't like this. Click Here for the Recipe. I froze some, wondering if it would keep so I could make double batches and keep some for another day. I'll let you know how it goes.

Update (9/30/12):  This is still my favorite soup.  To make it easier I will post the recipe here along with some tricks to make it go faster.

3 cups broccoli (I have used frozen and fresh, both good)
I steam the broccoli and save the water to use in the soup.
2 cups onions, chopped
2 Tbsp margarine
2 1/2 pounds potatos pealed and cubed (I've used red, yukons and russetts, all good)
5 cups boiling water (from steaming the brocolli)
4 cubes chicken bouillon (I use 2 cubes of the Mexican bouillion/soup base)
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheddar cheese to garnish each bowl

Steam broccoli.  Saute onions in margarine (10-15 minutes).  Add potatoes, water and bouillon to onions.  Cover and boil until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add brocolli.  Puree half of the soup mix in a blender (or use a submersion blender).  This gives the soup its thickness.  Season with salt and pepper and top with cheese.

The original recipe calls for 3 cups of cheese but this soup doesn't need it.

Going For Rides

My boys love to go for rides.

Boat rides...

Bike rides...
Train rides...

Wheelchair rides...

And 4-wheeler rides.

If it goes, they want to be on it. They spent much of their vacation time riding (even on people when we went hiking and took turns carrying them). Thank you to all our family that made our Summer vacation special this year. As for the future, I'm just along for the ride. :)

Okay, so I do stear my own destiny but life is a journey and some days it does feel like I'm just along for the ride. Good thing I like the rush of hanging on and seeing where life will take me becuase that seems to be happening alot lately. Life is crazy but it's good. I just talked to a friend last night who has an 18 month old and is wanting to go back to work (despite her husband's protests). I'm so blessed to be where I am right now. It has been hard to keep up with theses kiddos lately but it's the best decision I've ever made and in case anyone was wondering it was not an easy decision or one that I took lightly. As time goes on I'm learning so much about myself, what it means to be a family and how God feels about us as His children. It has been the hardest, craziest, most rewarding thing I've ever done. I often have days when I alternate between terrible frustration and happy moments but that's just part of the ride.

Free Stuff

I love getting stuff for free. I got a coupon in the mail the other day for free chicken nuggets at Burger King (which is my favorite fast food). We went to Dessert Book's ladie's night and got a free photo album. I have a freind that gleens bread and I often get free bread items. There's just something about the alure of free stuff that sometimes drives me to great lengths to get that free benefit.

My favorite freebees right now are pre-school helps. I just stumbled onto a great website for worksheets for preschool it's www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com. The gal who put this site together even has themed packets and from what I saw it's all free. I am using her getting ready to write worksheets for my preschool. She also has great activities that teach basic skills.

Another website I like for free stuff is www.ziggityzoom.com. I've found some activities and crafty projects there I really like and plan on using for pre-school this year.

I am amazed at how much I love teaching these little ones, and I didn't always feel that way about it. I spent much time over the past couple years working with young children and now that I have good resources and have learned to play to my strengths we have alot of fun. (I was even considering starting a pre-school.) I am currently part of a small group of moms doing an informal co-op for our four kids. We each take a week and spend the 1 1/2 on Tuesday and Thursday doing activities, songs, crafts and worksheets all centered around that letter. If you are considering doing this I would highly recommend buying a book with alphabet based or theme based activities. If you don't want to invest in materials, check out your local library (great free stuff :))

Happy hunting all that free stuff!

Being the Mom Part 2

I have always had a special place in my heart for Sister Sheri L. Dew. I heard her speak throughout my dating years and felt she understood my frustrations as a single young adult. I have always revered her for her understanding of what it means to be a righteous woman and to not be held back by our circumstances or lack of certain opportunities as she has not been blessed to marry or have children. In her times of trial she sought out understanding from the source of all truth and shared what she learned.

"our Father has entrusted us as women with His children, and He has asked us to love them and help lead them safely past the dangers of mortality back home.
Loving and leading—these words summarize not only the all-consuming work of the Father and the Son, but the essence of our labor, for our work is to help the Lord with His work...motherhood [is] “the highest, holiest service … assumed by mankind.” "

"we are all mothers and we have always been mothers. And we each have the responsibility to love and help lead the rising generation." Yes, she said, ALL of us. "We are all mothers in Israel, and our calling is to love and help lead the rising generation through the dangerous streets of mortality. Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us." As I think about my life I am so greatful for the mother who bore me and so many mothers that "bear with me" on a daily basis. I am ever under the influence and care of countless friends, sisters, neighbors and leaders, righteous women who influence my life for good. Some are younger than me, some have a home full of children, some have much more life expereince than me but they have all touched my life. I know that I will would not be the person I am today without the woman who bore me and the women who bear with me.

"Never has there been a greater need for righteous mothers [women]—mothers [women] who bless their children [others] with a sense of safety, security, and confidence about the future, mothers [women] who teach their children [friends, nieghbors, associates] where to find peace and truth and that the power of Jesus Christ is always stronger than the power of the adversary."

"As mothers in Israel [righteous women who know and understand their purpose], we are the Lord’s secret weapon."

So this is a call to arms. Every kind word, thoughtful action and compassionate deed are striking blows to an adversary that will be defeated. Let's go out and show the world what it means to be a woman of God. Vamos a la battalla!

(Quotations from General Conference Address October 2001)

Tough Love

This is my parent's dog. His name is Dooley. He has ripped apart many things including a number of garden hoses that had to be mended. When my sister gave him this bear everyone was surprised to see he played with it and carried it around but never tore it apart. I took this picture one day after I'd seen him come through the back yard and was afraid he's caught Mom's cat. Imagine my relief to see it was only a stuffed bear.

Anyway, I've been getting many lessons on tough love lately. I have been asked to teach the nine-year olds at church and they are a handful. I was warned I'd need to be tough on them or they'd be out of control all the time. We set rules, set consequences and I set my expectations high. I've only tought these kids twice and I'm amazed at how they are responding to my "tough love." This comes naturally to me as I've always said, "I'm a fighter, not a lover." But I'm also realizing how sensative these kids can be and how badly I want to see them suceed. I love working with these kids and look forward to seeing them grow throughout the rest of the year.

I'm always amazed as I take on new challenges with a calling how much I learn that is vital to my progress as a wife and mother. I love being in the Primary organization and having the opportunity to see Women of God interact with children on a weekly basis. They are kind, loving and have great expectations for these kids and it shows in everything they do. In essense these kids are that dog's teddy bear and we are all holding onto them as tight as we can so we don't loose them, yet being sensative to the challenges they face in their lives and always loving them. I am honored to be trusted to teach this rising generation and help them come to know the truthfullness of the gospel.

The Age of Adorable

I'm pretty sure that toddlers are cute on purpose. They get to a certain age where they can smile at you and just make you melt. Could anyone really resist a face like this?

This age of unbelievable adorableness seems to coincide with the time they're learning new skills and becoming very curious about the world around them which, more often than not, leads them to trouble. I'm pretty sure that God did this on purpose.

Case in point, if I found my sweet three-year old sitting on the bathroom sink painting a picture on the mirror with toothpaste he'd be in big trouble. So why is it that when I find my almost two-year old doing that the other day and saw the look of sheer joy on his face it somehow made it okay that he'd just made a mess.

It is at this age when they drive you crazy and melt your heart often. This is the age when they come looking for you just to make sure you're still there, they give frequent kisses just to see you smile and their laugh is impossible to resist. These high points are what keep you from loosing your mind with all the trouble they put you through. They make all the time spent washing clothes, scrubbing floors, picking up broken things and changing diapers worth it.

This is the age when they become endearing to you. This is when you learn that you'd do anything to keep them safe and happy. This age of adorable lasts about two years and then they really become little people with minds of their own but by then your love for them is so deep it givens you a firm foundation to build your relationship. This foundation is unshaken by tantrums, protests, and the occasional fight. Yep, God knew what He was doing.

Gardening

The leaves changing, the holidays coming, the last of the garden vegetables, it's just a great time of year. My husband would also add the grass not growing anymore and requiring weekly mowing. :) The garden has been such an adventure this year. To be honest, I thought we were crazy the day we dug up a 4'X16' patch of grass in the lawn to put in a garden bed but I had decided that's where I wanted it and my husband helped me get it done and we filled it in with dirt, compost, a little steer manure and some top soil. The other day we went out and picked tomatoes, dug potatoes and picked some squash. Home grown produce just tastes so much sweeter and I've really enjoyed seeing how excited my children get when they get to help harvest whatever we've grown. For dinner last Sunday we had potatoes from the garden and blackberry slump and most of the blackberries came from a small wild patch growing in our yard. We've also had zucchini bread that was made from our neighbor's zucchini (Thanks Sonja!) I also love pumpkins but have had no luck in getting them to grow the last two years I've tried. Hopefully after having such a good season this year I'll be a little braver with the gardening next year. Here's some things I've learned:

1. Peas need something tall to grow up. Mine were 4-5 ft tall this year and fell over.
2. Peas and beans do better if planted directly into the ground. They don't need to be started early.
3. For whatever reason plants I buy small and plant early do better than larger plants put into the garden later.
4. Slug killer is a must for anything that grows on the ground.
5. Size matters. Our yellow zucchini grew huge but weren't tender inside. Pick it small and give the others a chance to grow.
6. Water tomatoes from the ground, not above, and evenly.
7. If you put stuff in pots you have to water it. I know, this is a no brainer but I forgot about some plants I had in the garage and they will only come back a few times from being wilted before they give up and die.
8. If you don't fill the space with something you plant, weeds will move in. Someone suggested covering with cardboard or newspaper topped with grass clippings at the end of the growing season. To prep for the next year you just till it all into the soil. (Mulch or compost works too.)

I'm pretty sure that's the extent of my gardening knowledge. I'm looking forward to next year when we get to try even more things.

Black Berry Slump Recipe

I have no idea where my friend got this recipe but I found a very similar one here. The slump is kind of like a cobbler so it has a crisp crust on top with juicy berries underneath. We have blackberries that grow wild in our area and I found a park that has bushes loaded with them. Free food just happens to be one of my favorite things. Thanks, Angela for passing this recipe along. It's simple and delicious and I'm looking forward to trying it with other berries.

BLACKBERRY SLUMP
4c fresh blackberries washed and drained
1c sugar divided
1c flour and 2 tbsp for berries
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
3/4c whole milk
3Tbsp of butter melted divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss berries with 3/4c sugar, 2tbsp of flour and 1 tbsp melted butter in 5-6c deep ungreased baking dish. In small bowl sift 1c flour and remaining 1/4c sugar salt baking powder together, add milk and remaining butter, whisk until smooth. Pour over berries, bake until golden brown 40-45min. Cool on rack for at least 20 min.

Update (9/3/12): I made this recipe again for blackberry season.  I just love that the berries grow wild in our area.  They sell for about $5 per pint at the store and I get them for free.

Nostalgia

The great thing about having a family that has deep roots is that when you grow up and move away you come back to visit family and get to take frequent walks down memory lane and take your children to visit some places full of memories from your own childhood.

And sometimes you even get to share them with some of the people who made them special when you were a child. This is my grandmother. She is AWESOME. She came with us to the park where I spent time playing as a child, next to the tennis courts where I spent everyday after school at practice for months in High School, down the road from the library where I worked the Summer after I graduated from High School.

There was something really special about seeing them play on the same toys that once entertained me and I came to understand the true meaning of nostalgia.

I'm looking forward to many more adventures with my children sharing many of my favorite places and memories.

Teaching Letters to Children

Kids are so curious and eventually they start to show interest in things that they will retain.

After colors and shapes the next natural thing is numbers and letters. Two of my favorite tricks for teaching letters involves food. The other day I had some left over frosting from cupcakes so we got out some plates and I drew letters on their plates. Before they were allowed to eat them they had to attempt to identify them. My younger one isn't that advanced yet so I'd say the name of the letter and he would repeat it. The kids loved it and the sugar high afterword wasn't too bad.

Another eadible idea is Ceez-it Scrabble junior. They make crackers with upper case letters printed on them. I was suprised how excited my almost four year old was when he got to identify the letters before eating each one.k
One more idea is sugar cookie letters. The kids love to help roll out and cut out the dough and you can get a set of cookie cutters fairly inexpensive. If you're not into sugary sweets you could do play dough instead. This also works well for teaching shapes.

One last note, I stuck to upper case letters and it didn't occur to me to teach lower case letters and sounds at the same time. I've been told by teachers the kids use the lower case letters more than upper case when they begin to learn to read. Enjoy eating your letters.

Being The Mom Part 1

About once a year I go onto Amazon.com and buy cheap books. Every year I add a few more to my collection and usually get a few Christmas gifts ordered while I'm in there. Last year I bought a book entitled Being The Mom, by Emily Watts. The author was recommended to me by my sister. I've decided to do this as a multiple part serious of blog entries so I can share some of her "10 Coping Strategies I Learned by Accident Because I Had Children on Purpose."

My favorite strategy, and one I really needed right now was "Accept Life as a Glorious Adventure Full of Gifts for You." My husband can attest to the fact that I do not like the unexpected. I have spent much of our married life trying to plan things out enough so I'd be mentally prepared to handle anything that might come up. Wow, no wonder I was such a mess the two years of my first child's life as they are all about the unexpected.

In this stategy Emily explains that part of being the mom is finding ways to enjoy the things you "have to" do. The laundry, housework and cooking is never going to go away but there's no reason to make if feel like such a burden. She mentioned how amazing it is that our children have enough clothes that some of them can sit in the bottom of a hamper for a week before they are missed. When things become normal to us we no longer appreciate them.

My brother-in-law was visiting with a college student from a foreign country the other day and the student was telling him how people eat crazy here. He comes from a place where good food is not plentiful and many foods are availible only during certain times of the year. Here we have fresh fruits and vegatables availible year round and we always have meat and yet, we're buying and eating junk food with little or no nutritional value.

This is from the book, "For a while I lived with the illusion that life would get easier as I got older, but it doesn't. The scenery changes, is all. If we make it successfully to the next level, we get a whole new set of problems to tackle, and we learn to be grateful for the tools we've picked up along the way that enable us to cope. And if we're smart, we recognize that there's no magical plateau that represents "winning," but that the joy is in progressing from level to level and advancing farther than we would have imagined possilbe."

She continues, "The happiest people I know are the ones who seem to approach life from a problem-solving perspective rather than a problem-resenting one ." Wow that's a pretty simple shift that makes a really big difference. I've really seen this in my husband, he's a fixer and he's really happy.

One more thought from Emily, "A story has to have conflict in order to be any good [maybe that's the way it is with our lives as well]. Joy comes not from having a pain-free life but from conquering the obstacles even when they are painful."

I told my husband the other day that the past year has been the best year of my life. Thinking back on the past year we've potty trained a three-year old, had a one-year old enter the terrible twos early, struggled with teaching Sunday School, and had a difficult divorce in the family. I think this is definetly true for me. I've found joy because I have faced hardship. In Ether 12:27 the Lord explains, "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men..." We are here to enjoy the adventures and experiences of life and each time we grow we are taking it to the next level. The real challenge is for us to realize our need for divine help in our lives and ask for it and when we do to stand back and watch what the Lord has done with you. It is an amazing and humbling experience.

3-Year Olds Say the Darndest Things

We spent alot of time in the car on vaction and I was surprised at the things we heard. Here are a few that I jotted down when we were driving through Idaho.

I have to teach my bunnies that running away is not funny. (Because he's never heard anyone say that about children.) :)

There are holes in the clouds. (Because where we live the clouds are rather solid.)

My bunnies are crazy! (This little guy was told he could have a bunny from Grandma's house so when we saw one he just knew it was his and we had a long discussion about bunnies.)

Grandma has to take me for a walk to save my bunnies because they're in a dangerous were-old (that's how is sounded). With bad guys.

Now the almost two-year old is learning to talk and he keeps us guessing what he's thinking most of the time but we sure enjoy them. Both sets of grandparents express how quiet their homes are afeter we have left. Is that because they miss us now that we're gone or it was too loud for them when we were there? :) We love you all!

How To Plan A Family Reunion

We just had an AWESOME family reunion.

Here's the matriarch of the family. The one who made all of us happen. :)

WE LOVE YOU GRANDMA!

I had to laugh as going through my pictures there was alot of eating and visiting giong on.
A big thanks to Angie for coming up with most of the fun activities and everyone who helped to run them (which was just about everyone). It really was fun. Here are some highlights.
This is me giong down the adult sized slip and slide. SO MUCH FUN!

The kids had a wiggle car tournament that ended with a mother-child team race which was hillarious. By the time we left we had really gotten good at those wiggle cars.

So here are some of the how-tos that were used.

The location was easy as we have family with large yards but a park would have worked as well.

Meals were assigned to specific families who made assignments.

Each activity was spearheaded by a couple of people who ran it. Activities were simple, inexpensive and fun, they included: Paint ball target practice with blow guns, campfire songs and stories with s'mores, wiggle car races, a teasure hunt for the kids, Wii bowling tournament, slip 'n slide, bounce house, movie night and lots of visiting and eating.

Someone also put together a recipe book with family pictures for everyone to have to take home with them. It included addresses, pictures a recipe from each family (the two recipes I've tried so far were awesome). There was also a family tree poster with everyone's pictures on it. Also, there was a slide show that had old family pictures that went back to Grandma's parents and had recent photos of all the family.

I hope this will inspire someone else to put together a family reunion. I was so glad my Sister and Cousin put this all together. Here's to more next year.

The Whole Armor of God

I've been teaching the 12-14 year old Sunday school class for the past 20 months and I have loved it. The theme given by our Sunday School President this year is BUILD THE SHIELD. I loved this theme and it was something I felt very strongly about during my time teaching. We had many discussions about how we are fighting a battle in our everyday lives and we choose if we stand with Jesus Christ or if we are in opposition. Taking upon us the whole armor of God is a big part of that and we had several lessons on that and a Family Night activity. Aparently this comes up alot because when I was making these props my three-year-old asked me what I was doing I said, "Making armor," to which he replied, "Oh, the armor of the Lord."

Everyday we are assulted by the forces of evil and I wary of the fight and had been wondering if there is ever going to be a time when it gets easier to make correct choices. I had been struggling with this for a while when I found my answer:

Elder Richard G. Scott gave a conference address (October 2010) entitled "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character." He said the following, "a consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression." I was amazed at how clearly this answered my question. By consistently doing what is right we are, in effect, building our armor which eventually become so strong that we are resistant to sin and transgression. So the answer is to continue to do in faith.

My prayer is that as I continue to fight my daily battles that I can teach these young ones so they will have that strength and desire to fight each day in the cause of the Lord.

Three Year Old Perspective

If you've ever wondered how a three-year old sees the

world just give them a camera and let them show you.

I must admit I was surprised by the subjects of the pictures.

Especially when it was a chair.
So, this happened without my knowledge...
Yes, that's me out mowing the lawn...

But I'm glad I got the chance to see the world through my three-year old's eyes.

Chicken Stuffed Mushroom Recipe

Rub 1 Chicken breast with rosemary
Grill or bake until cooked completely and chop finely
Prepare 1/2 box of stove top stuffing according to
directions on the box

Stuffing:
Chicken breast
stuffing
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 c mozerella cheese (optional)
1 egg
Mix ingredients (hands work best) and set aside.

Remove stems from 4 portabellos mushrooms
brush both sides lightly with olive oil and place
cap side down on baking sheet.
Fill mushrooms with mix and top with parmesan cheese.
Bake on broiler 5 minutes or 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Done when cheese melts and starts to brown.

I was a little worried this recipe would be hard but it was
simple and turned out delicious and sorry I didn't get a pic.

Kingly Visit

We were so blessed to get a visit from the Logan Kings.

The sun came out for 15 minutes that day and we enjoyed every moment of it.

The snap-pops left over from the fourth got used up and were enjoyed by all.
Thanks for spending the day with us!

Natural

I don't know what it is about kids and clothes but they seem to be happier without them.

Right now my little one likes to take off his pants. I'm not quite sure what prompts it

but it's been happening quite often lately. He also runs away after I put his diaper on

before I get a chance to put his clothes on. Just look at that smile.

My older one doesn't usually have a problem keeping clothes on my older boy but this day he was playing dress up and the previous costume had special pants so when he moved on to the next costume he wasn't wearing much. The other day I went back into his bedroom and he'd pulled all his clothes out of his drawer and tried them all on before deciding what he wanted to wear.

Dutch Oven Roasted Orange Chicken Recipe

We've been working on our dutch oven cooking skills lately (by we I mean my husband finds a recipe, I do the shopping and he cooks it up). I just wanted to share another new recipe we had a bit ago that is one of my new favorites.

This recipe came from ScoutORama.com

Dutch Oven Roasted Orange Chicken Recipe
IngredientsWhole roasting chicken 5-7lbs Sliced oranges,apple,lemon Butter Milk Salt & Pepper Orange peel lemon peel Orange Juice Dried Mild chilli peppers
EquipmentLarge Dutch Oven
InstructionsWash chicken and pat dry slice & quarter two large oranges, one apple and one lemon. Squeeze juices overtop and stuff fruit inside chicken cavity Chop dried chilli’s and stuff in cavity along with the fruit add a dash of orange peel and lemon peel Combine 1 stick melted butter 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup of orange juice to brush on skin Salt and pepper to taste Place in foil lined Dutch oven and bake at about 350 for about an hour and half or until the leg joint moves free and clear juice is flowing from the joint.
Comment The skin should brown nicely from the milk, butter, juice marinade. You can add carrots and potatoes if you wish.The dired chille's will reconstitue and give provide just a hint of pepper flavor that works well with the orange Cooking times vary depending on conditions. I recommend using a foil casserole pan or extra foil in the bottom of the oven to aid with clean up. The orange juice will caramelize and is a bear to clean.

We actually used chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken and cooked it in the oven (because it was raining outside) and it just had a really great flavor. We also ommitted the dried chilis (they weren't on my list to buy).

Happy Cooking!

I Love Daddy

Oh, dear daddy, do you know how much your boys adore you?

I think everyone knows how much kids love their moms, they are the ones that are called in times of crisis at any age. They are the ones that offer hugs and words of comfort. I spend quite a bit of time snuggling with my kids and I just want my husband to know that even though they want me (only when something is wrong) they really do adore him. You can see it in their eyes.

This post is dedicated to my dad, my husband and all the dads out there who take time for their kids, who are excellent providors, worthy priesthood holders and great leaders in their homes.
WE LOVE YOU DAD!

A Haircut

Every summer I give in and get a haircut. There's just something wonderful about

a change and I think I lost about two pounds with this one. It's funny because I

looked in the mirror the other day and thought I was my sister. (This is positive

because she is cuter than I am.) :) So now I'm ready for summer!