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!