"King" ly Adventures

The Truth About Love

2012-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

I remember well my college years. They were full of acedemic ambition and desires for a bright future with a family of my own. I remember many times feeling very alone and wondering if I would ever reach my desired goals for a future family. I remember wondering what was wrong with me. As I prepared to serve a mission I was aprehensive and doubted my ablity to meet the challenges that would certainly come. I had no doubt that I was where the Lord wanted me to be and still had many questions about life in general and how God felt about me.

In October 2004 during a world wide meeting for church I was touched by the remarks of John H. Groberg. In his talk entitled, "The Power Of God's Love" he explains that we seek to be loved because we long for the love of God that we felt when we lived with Him before we were born.

The following are bits from this talk I'd like to share with you fro Valentine's day (all from this talk):

There is no shortage of love in the universe, only in ourwillingness to do what is needed to feel it. To do this, Jesus explained we must “love the Lord they God with allthey heart, …soul, …strength, and …mind; and they neighbor as thyself”

…trying to find love without helping and sacrificing forothers is like trying to live without eating-it is against the laws of nature andcannot succeed.

God is anxious to help us feel His love wherever we are.

When we understand who God is, who we are, how He loves us, andwhat His plan is for us, fear evaporates.

…just as rockets must overcome the pull of gravity to roarinto space, so we must overcome the pull of the world to soar into the eternalrealms of understanding and love.

…our joy now and forever is inextricably tied to ourcapacity to love.

Being filled with God’s love is the most joyous of allthings and is worth every cost.

When filled with God’s love, we can do and see andunderstand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filledwith His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoidcontention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising evento us.

Jesus Christwas filled with unfathomable love as He endured incomprehensible pain, cruelty,and injustice for us. Through His love for us, He rose above otherwiseinsurmountable barriers. His love knows no barriers. He invites us to followHim and partake of His unlimited love so we too may rise above the pain andcruelty and injustice of this world and help and forgive and bless.

I testify that when we are ready, His pure love instantlymoves across time and space, reaches down, and pulls us up from the depths ofany tumultuous sea of darkness, sin, sorrow, death, or despair we may findourselves in and brings us into the light and life and love of eternity.

It is my sincere hope that as we celebrate Valentine's Day this year we will remember that the world's view of love is not the important perspective and instead of worrying over the gifts or events of the day focus on feeling God's love for you and how you can help others feel that love.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe

2012-02-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Someone pinned this recipe on Pinterest and it turned out amazing. It is from this blog. They have some other yummy looking recipes they've shared too.

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
4 ounces sliced ham
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

I served this with steamed rice as it was a little saucy.

Don't Kill My Dreams

2012-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

When I saw this picture it reminded me of the scene in Rocket Man when he is in the dryer pretending he in a spaceship. That reminded me of Despicable Me when Mr. Gru has flash backs into his past when he dreamed of building a rocket and flying to the moon. His ambitions were crushed by his cynical mother with comments like, "I'm afriad you're too late, NASA isn't sending the monkeys anymore," and other discouraging remarks. I often find myself in pesimestic mode and am sure I've made comments to my family and friends that have only served to disourage them. For that I am truely sorry. We all need a little encouragement.

I've also learned that I have a hard time accepting compliments. I'm sure we could all make a long list of the things we need to work on but let's try focusing on our successes for a change. Let's see, I love teaching in the pre-school co-op once a month, I enjoy being a Primary teacher, I have almost perfected Matt's favorite chocolate chip/raisin oatmeal cookie recipe, I joined the ward choir, I try to make myself availible to help others watch their kids, I love to read, I keep a fairly clean house, I keep my blog up (most of the time), I can touch my nose with my big toe on both feet (I haven't always been able to do that), I have potty trained one child and I'm doing better everyday in figuring out what life is all about.

I challenge you to take a moment today to count up your successes and smile at how great your life has been. It takes practice to be content with yourself and I know I can get there.

Joining the Band

2012-02-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

I over heard my four-year old say to my two-year old the other day, "come get ready to be in the band." I wasn't sure what they were doing but braced myself as it can get pretty hillarious with them. This was the end result. Aparently they've been watching modern culture quite closly and know how band mates are supposed to dress. Lately they really enjoy dressing up and the vests and ties have become a favorite (probably because they are not tucked away into the dress up box). So the next time you need to dress up my four-year old is ready to get you all dressed up and maybe someday they'll even let me join their band. :)

The Most Amazing Snowman

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Since we live in an area that rarely gets snowfall we were pretty excited to see the couple of inches that fell this day and took advantage by making snow angels and building a snow man. This was the little one's first snowman and he was more interested in clearing the snow off the swingset than building the snowman. The day afer this we got about six more inches of snow. The boys kept checking out the window to see if the snowman was okay. At one point he had fallen over and we went out and rebuilt him. After the snow came the ice followed by several days of rain. Eveything was a slushy mess and in a few days there were almost no traces left of the wintery weather.

We watched as our snow man slowly melted away. It was sad to watch him go and my oldest suggested we bring some of the snow into the freezer to save it for another day. I did manage to talk him out of that. We enjoyed our winter adventures and last Friday we had a sunny day (it was 40 degrees) and we went to the park to play with our friends.

The Ice Storm

2012-01-30T07:57:00.000-08:00

This day was crazy. I've never seen an ice strom before and when we woke up this morning there was a thick layer of ice on everything. The power lines had a layer as thick as these plants. The weight of the ice eventually caused some of our tree branches to break off and when it started to melt the ice made huge crashing noises as it fell onto our roof and yard. Despite how crazy dangerous it was it was really quite beautiful. It was so still that morning and everything was shimmering. Our front yard looked like an ice rink (not that we tried it out) and our care was also covered in about 1/4 inch layer of ice.

These flowers were some of the strangest of what I saw. I'm not sure what kind they were but they looked almost like a daisy and the ice balled up on the end of them until there was more ice there than flower. It's pretty amazing that such a phenomenon exists.

There was one snap dragon plant (yes I still have snap dragons in January, crazy, I know) that had some blossoms on it and it looked so strange cased in ice.

I guess the lesson in this one is to enjoy the beauty even in the craziest of circumstances. As a cause of the ice storm over 200,000 people lost power and some were out for as long as five days. Many are still cleaning up fallen trees and branches from their property and Matt said the wood recycling place had a long line when he went on Saturday. Me, I'm just glad to have power again and am appreciating it a little more.

Weathering the Storm

2012-01-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

Our area was hit by snow, ice, wind and rain last week and we were out of power for four days. We spent most of that time at my uncle's house which was really fun. On top of the weather issues I had a bad stomach flu that held on forever. It's been nice to get back to "normal" at our house though I throughly enjoyed having a change of scenery for a few days. A big thanks to all the friends and family that checked up on us and those who helped out with the yard clean up from the tree branches that fell from our trees. I have some amazing pictures from the ice storm but will have to get my camera back before I can share them.

A Little Help

2012-01-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

My little one is to that age where they want to "help" with everything. This often ends in a mess.

This particular day I was making some chocolate covered marshmallows. My little one wanted to help and not only that, he wanted "puppy" to help too. Puppy ended up tucked into the strap of the overalls where he could see everything that was happening. The small one was thrilled that he could help and even more excited that he didn't have to let that puppy out of his site in order to do so. And there wasn't even much more mess to clean up afterward that normal. Here's to more adventures "helping."

To My Readers

2011-12-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-07T17:03:00.001-08:00

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

2011-12-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-29T09:00:00.001-08:00

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

2011-11-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

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?

2011-11-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

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 makeing 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

2011-10-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

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.

Going For Rides

2011-10-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

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.

Nostalgia

2011-09-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

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 teh 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

2011-09-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-25T20:44:00.001-07:00

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

2011-08-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

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!

Halloween???

2011-08-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

My three-year old is big into playing pretend. I love watching the things he comes up with.

I'm working on building up my costume bag and occasionally add something to it after

a trip to the second-hand store. Inevitably this leads to the kids getting out the costumes

and it feels a little like Halloween. It sure is fun.

This one is a newborn outfit that he just had to try on.The day this hat come home with us for the next two hours

everything was on fire and needing to be rescued by a fireman.

The cowboy outfit has gotten the most use so far and comes with an authentic, "Howdy."

This spider is my other favorite though it usually gets worn backwards.

This little one had it on backward and when I turned it around he tried

to pull the spider off. "Hey, that's supposed to be on there!"

Wild Children

2011-08-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

I've always known I have wild children but some days it really shows.

We have some friends that have Harleys who came by one afternoon. Jacob was really into it and even got to go for a ride.

Of course, they both had to get their picture taken on both the motorcycles.
And it was an adventure they won't soon forget.
Thanks Ross and Diane!

By the way, since we have friends with cool motorcyles our neighborhood thinks we're cool.

Whatever, I think we're cool. :)

To Good Friends and Neighbors

2011-07-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

I'm so greatful for all the good people in my life. We've had such a funny summer so far and the weather has NOT made if fun, but the people we've shared it with have. Thank you to so many of you who have taken time to swap kids, stories, fireworks, home grown produce and unknowingly lightened my load. The people in our lives really are what make it great.

Especially when they are pirate friends!

On a side note, I'm also very greatful for our family and look
forward to spending time with them very soon.

Brothers

2011-07-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

These days one boy can't do much of anything without brother wanting to be involved.

This day there was only one box so I had to go find another so they could both have a train.

This day I had turned around because there was some heated debate going on,

they were fighting about who got to drive the "space ship." Too funny.

Luckily there was no need for sharing this day, although it was

hard to get them to stop at just one cupcake.
I forget how literally children take you when you say "go get in the tub."
Now I'm a little more careful about specifying apropriate atire (or the lack thereof).

Field Trip

2011-07-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

We had a Pre-school field trip to a Park with animals. The kids

got to pet several and we took a wagon ride.

These were the wildest animals we saw there. :)

The kids were looking through the fence at the chickens.
The highlight of the trip was this awesome tree thats roots sprung up into other trees.
It gave a whole new meaning to "family tree."

Another Home Video Creation

2011-07-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is the first home movie compilation of both the boys. We haven't taken much video lately but we sure do enjoy what Matt comes up with when he puts these together.

Pay attention to the background music, it's silly and fun. Enjoy.

Caution

2011-07-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I try to live my life with an appropiate amount of caution and teach my children to do the same. It's always funny to me how much time and money protecting our children from things like the possiblity of a car accident and yet fail to see the simple things that endanger them every day.

I'm having a really hard time with the dangerous things they do every day like using the cupboard knobs to climb up on the sink or the dresser and wrestling with each other which leads to someone in tears about half the time.

I am learning that I cannot protect my children from everything. They will always find something that can hurt them and some of the time you just have to let them fall or crash so they can learn (even if the screaming when it happens breaks your heart.)

So here's to all the moms out there trying to keep their children safe. Hang in there Mom, they know you love them and they'll know that even when you're not there to pick them up, brush them off and send them on their way.

Family Night Treasure Hunt

2011-07-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

I decided this year we wanted to keep our Easter Sunday more focused on the Resurrection. My solution to this is to participate in an egg hunt the week before and save the treats for a Family Night treasure hunt (and it gave me an extra day to get it ready.)

I used clues with pictures since the boys are too young to read and they each had about five clues before finding their treasure trove which were in dollar store buckets that are great for afternoons at the lake digging in the sand.
It was a fun family night activity. I need to do activities like that more often.

I Can Do It

2011-07-03T05:00:00.001-07:00

This baby is thrilled at all the new things he can do on his own. Slides are one of his favorites. I thought it would be fun to do a play by play to show you how he gets the job done.

Climbing up is the easy part.

Then you have to get into the sitting position, it's a little tricky.

Then, just to be safe he lays on his belly. This allows for better speed control on the descent.

Now the only thing left is the dismount.

And that is how it's done!

In The Strength of the Lord

2011-06-30T05:00:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite talks right now is from Elder Eyring. The talk was given in Conference of 2004. What really impressed me about this talk is he explains why it's so important to do the gospel basics in our lives. Whenever we have a problem in our lives we always look for something of a solution and he points out that we need strength in our lives and to get that strength we need obedience.

It specifically mentions the strength we recieve in our lives through prayer, scripture study, attending church meetings and serving in the church. The way he addresses these basic things really stuck out to me the first time I read it and I keep coming back to it whenever I am struggling. Here's just one excerpt:

"the test a loving God has set before us is not to see if we can endure difficulty. It is to see if we can edure it well. We pass the test by showing that we remebered Him and the commandments He gave us. And to endure well is to keep those commandments whatever the opposition, whatever teh temptation, adn whatever the tumult around us. We have that clear understanding because the restored gospel makes the plan so plain."

Really, take some time, click on the link and read this talk.

In The Strength Of The Lord

Delays

2011-06-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone out there that takes a moment to read my blog.

Sorry the posts have been a little unpredictable as to timing lately as I was having trouble getting them to post. I believe the problem has been fixed.

Also, they've added a spell check feature so I can learn to spell, or at least know when I've made a mistake.

Cousins

2011-06-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

It isn't often we have family come to visit and we all enjoyed it.

The kids were always fighting for spots on the bean bag...

...and April's lap.

This is what happens when Moms are away.

Thank you to Lindy for making the trip to come visit. We love you guys!

How To Get Kids To Eat Vegetables

2011-06-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve been attempting to improve our eating habits lately and we have made some good strides. As with any changes there are always things that just don’t work out the way you expect. I was trying some recipes that use vegetable purees cooked into foods to trick children into eating healthy.

The first day I did this I made a sandwich with a cottage cheese and sweet potato mix that you cook in a waffle iron. I love the idea of making grilled sandwiches in a waffle iron, they really get crisp and have the potential to be great. The filling for my sandwiches was too runny as I bought baby food to use for the puree. We sat down to eat and we had these sandwiches and green beans. My husband told me they weren’t very good and the boys tried a few bites before abandoning the idea of eating dinner, then I brought out a can of green beans to eat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my kids eat green beans that fast. My husband pointed out that the goal of the whole exercise was to get the boys to eat more veggies so this was a success, just not in the way I had intended.

I could have said this was a fluke but the next day I tried another new recipe. The recipe was too complicated for a week night and I should have known better. The main dish turned out okay and the boys ate a little but once again the broccoli on the side disappeared quickly followed by a reminder by my three-year old that I’d promised edamame with dinner. Once again the veggies became the main attraction as both the boys eagerly ate up the soy beans. So a thank you to my friends who have encouraged healthy eating. I hope my future endeavors aren’t quite as entertaining.

One Man's Scraps...

2011-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, I had a period where I made tons of recieving blanket and a few rag quilts. This was before I'd learned how to minimize scraps and I ended up with tons of squares left over. A friend of mine encouraged me to put something together from the left over and this is what came out of it.

I love that it has bits of all the projets I've done. It's the most ambitious sewing project I've ever done and I think it will be a long time before I get motivated to piece something again. I do have to admit it turned out pretty cute.

On The Hunt

2011-06-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Our pre-school co-op combined with another pre-school for an Easter egg hunt.

It was fun to see the kids so excited.

Even the little ones got in on the action.

After a bit the kids decided they needed to play.

I was surpised they left some eggs out to go play.

The weather was amazing and we ended up staying quite a while.

A special "Thank You" to Savannah for putting this together.

Paparazzi

2011-06-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

If I ever become famous and have camera people chasing me around sneeking pictures it won't be a problem. Since we got married my husband is always catching me off guard. The first couple months we were married we found a couple disposable cameras in our apartment which he quickly used to take pictures of me. Here's a sampling of the shots taken by my personal paparazzi.

This was a day I was out moving the car...and giving a driving lesson.

Here's me being my glamourous self...paying the bills.

Both the boys are obsessed with sitting in my lap right now, it's the best seat in the house!

Wheelbarrow

2011-06-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Look Mom, we finally got awheelbarrow! So, it was impossible to not enjoy bringing this into the house to assemble it. Matt loves putting things together (I only take things apart :)), and the boys enjoyed helping.

It was fun to watch our three-year old really get into helping out.

He even got to do some all by himself.
It's sure a good thing we have a wheelbarrow. We've put it to good use and are looking forward to working on some bigger summer projects.

Chicken Artichoke Casserole Recipe

2011-05-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Okay Mom, I'm going to take my own advice and do what Mom says. Just kidding but you did ask for this recipe so here it is.

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
6 Tablespoons butter, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-once) can chicken broth [I used 1 3/4 cup water and a mexican bullion cube]
1 (7.5 once) can artichoke hearts, drained
Dash salt
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup light cream [I used 1 Tbsp of butter and enough milk to make 3/4 cup]
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese [I never buy fresh I use the bulk powder from WinCo]
1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for about 2 minuts; set aside. [I did this at the end of baking the casserole as I don't like cold mushrooms.] Cook chicken breasts in simmering chicken broth over low heat for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. [I cubed the chicken before cooking it to cut down the cook time.] Drain broth, reserving 3/4 cup. Cut chicken into cubes. Place cubed chicken and artichoke hearts in a greased 8x8-inch pan. Lightly salt; set aside. In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour until well blended. Add cream and reserved 3/4 cup chicken broth and stir constantly over medium heat until thickened. Stir in the 1/4 teaspon salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and rosemary. Pour over chicken and bake at 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with sauteed mushrooms. Makes 4 servings.

[I used only 3 chicken breasts and I think you could safely omit the artichoke without affecting the flavor much. We served it with steamed brocolli and califlour which went really well in the sauce. I loved this sauce and have served it over elbow macoroni.]

Just My Size

2011-05-28T05:00:00.001-07:00

We're all about things that are kid friendly which means being the right size and I'm always surprised at the places they are finding to sit. The small one has been sitting on this baseboard heater for a while now he once sat on the bathroom one naked and jumped up and said, "Hot." When something is just the perfect height for sitting it's hard to resist.

The boys love to be outside and as we've been getting our garden spot ready they've been busy using shovels that are just their size.

Hey there buddy, can you tell me what size is just right...Oh, I see.

I originally bought this rug for in front of the front door but we soon found it was just the right size for little boys who need a little "time out."

When there's work to be done this pint size worker is there with the tools in his size.

Crab Souffle Recipe

2011-05-25T05:00:00.001-07:00

My husband is adventuresome when it comes to food. One day he found a recipe and asked if I could pick up some crab meat. (He's always asking me to pick up random items, some of which never get used as we can't remember where the recipe was we wanted it for.) So one day we decided to try this one.

This really looked good with the orange (imitation) crab meat and green onions.

You think this looks good now, it looked even better after it was baked. Although, if I did it again I would set it in a bread pan as it wasn't round when it came out of the oven, but it tasted good.

I have always enjoyed cooking with my husband and hope he will continue to find new recipes for us to try so we can do some cook "king" together. :)

A New Pet

2011-05-22T05:00:00.002-07:00

"Mommy, can we keep it, Pleeeease."

Daddy was out mowing the lawn while brother and I were watching him out the dining room window. As he came by he stuck something up on the screen of the window. It was this little guy. He sat there for a while before brother and I came outside and Daddy asked if I wanted to hold it. I love frogs and was glad to make a new friend. I walked around with it for a bit and he just sat on my hand. I even tipped my hand and waved it around and he didn't fall off. After a bit I became a little worried that this little frog was stuck to me and asked Daddy to get him off.

Cherry Blossoms

2011-05-19T05:00:00.001-07:00

One of the perks of living here is that the cherry blossoms come on for a week or two in early spring. This is usually when everyone has terrible cabin fever from the winter and it really is a pick me up to see the beautiful blossoms everywhere.

My goal is to take a picture of my family with the blossoms every year and someday we'll have a timeline of the kids growing with a snapshot each year with the blossoms.

Hi Hat Cupcake Recipe

2011-05-16T05:00:00.001-07:00

So, I really like to bake, probably because I really enjoy eating baked goods. In October of last year a friend brought me a cupcake. I had never seen such a thing before. It was a double chocolate cupcake with a marshmallow frosting with a hard chocolate coating. I shared it with my husband and was glad I did as it was very rich and delicious. Ever since then I've been contemplating trying it myself so for our Easter dessert I did. Here's a picture of the finished product to wet your appetite.

I used a boxed cake mix (in the future it would be better to do a homemade recipe that makes a heartier cupcake as I smashed some of these while dipping them). The recipe for the frosting and coating came from Martha Stewart.com . I had to read a couple of blogs of people who had done it (I liked bakerella best) successfully before I got brave enough to try it.

In my first attempt at the frosting I accidentally omitted the 1/4 cup water and it turned into a ball of gritty goo. I got frustrated and made a few phone calls before I realized what I had done. When the frosting was supposed to be "done" I wasn't sure I had gotten it hot enough and was worried it wasn't stiff enough to stand on its own. This is what they looked like after I piped the frosting onto the cupcakes.

They went into the fridge for about 1/2 hour before I attempted dipping them and was worried that the frosting would fall when I tried to dip them. Regardless, I looked cute (Thanks for the apron Alyse, it's my favorite!)

The dipping process was a bit messy and I was still skeptical it was going to work out.

I don't know if I've ever been happier to see a recipe turn out well. These are delicious. They were fairly time consuming (especially since I had to make the frosting twice) but well worth the effort.

I found out that my friend uses the too much chocolate cake recipe from allrecipes.com for this cupcake which makes a delicious cupcake that is sturdy enough to hold onto when you are dipping the cupcakes.

Time Out For Women

2011-05-13T05:00:00.002-07:00

What an amazing weekend! I was blessed to attend this Women's weekend with Lindy and Koral and bump into several friends I didn't know were going. It was like being on spiritual steroids for two days and by Sunday evening I was starting to go into withdrawl. :) So I've comitted to try an experiment and see if I can keep on that spiritual high for a while. I'm working out the details but I've already seen some improvement the first of which being that I'm spending more time with my children.

The theme for this year was "Become." The challenge for the conference was to tap into our potential and work at developing a talent. Each guest shared something they are going to do as part of their challenging themselves. I was impressed with how creative they were and how much they relied on inspiration (and gave credit as such) to come up with these idea. It's always amazing to me when we have a desire to do how willing Heavenly Father is to give us some work to do.

The musical guest was the group Mercy River which I got to know through my Hillary Weeks station on Pandora. (Wow that was three endorsements in one sentence.) I was really impressed at the stories behind the music. They showed that the Spirit teaches through music and on Friday night Micheal McLean expressed the same sentiment that the Lord uses music to teach him. This really resinates with me as I am more teachable through music than any other means and my testimony of the Savior has been greatly strengthened through music.

To sum up the experience, I laughed, cried and left feeling very uplifted. One of the speakers challenged us to look for the the things in our lives that uplift and enlighten us and learn to fill our lives with more of those things. Something that also stuck out to me was learning of an experiment that Benjamin Franklin did with the 13 essential virtues. He worked one for a week and moved on to the next, he discovered that as he focussed on one thing that problems he'd had with one he'd worked on in past weeks would pop back into his life. The speaker compared it to spiritual wack-a-mole. He commented that it is really the Savior who helps us change. I'm workign to become more aware of my need for the Savior as I do desire to make steady improvement in my life.

Super Heros

2011-05-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is donut eating man. I know, it's an amazing super power.

Next we have bucket sitting man, he can sit on buckets of all sizes.

This is helmet man, he can turn any household item into protective gear.

And last, but not least, we have blankie boys

who sometimes need their binkis.

Good Timber Poem

2011-05-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

This poem was from a Sunday School 12-13 manual. I really like it and wanted to share.

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind, the stronger trees,
The further sky, the greater length,
The more the storm the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.
By Douglas Malloch

A Little Bruised

2011-05-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, I was inspired by reading other blogs (this is really Jodi's fault) when they shared stories and I felt like I really got to know them and have comitted to do that a little more often myself. I also need to be printing my blog as it turns into a pretty cool journal with pictures.

I have two little boys that are always finding new and interesting ways to injure themselves. They usually require someone to come pick them up, brush them off and tell them that everything is going to be allright. They come out of the experience a little bruised and hopefully a little wiser (this is unlikely).

Being what I deem a Full-Time Mom (like there's anyother way to be a mom) has its share of learning experiences, some of which are very painful. Two days ago I had one of those days. I had the worst day ever with my toddler. I spent the day arguing with him and tryign to get him to listen to anything I say. The situation only got worse as I lost my patience, raised my voice and fell apart as my frustration took over.

By the time my husband got home from work I was at a real low. He came in and did the equivilant of picking me up, brushing me off and told me everything was going to be all right. The next day I was feeling a little bruised and hopefully a little wiser.

Being a mom is a game of extremities. You have days where nothing seems to go right and you have days when you are grateful you haven't missed those wonderful childhood moments. As I watch my children grow I feel the weight of the responsibility I carry to teach them what they need to do to find happiness and after several seeming failures there's a moment when a child will do something so right that you are assured you're doing somethign right. Let us hold onto those moments and press forward knowing that all the work is worth it.

Gardening Indoors

2011-05-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

We decided to start our plants at the beginning of April this year. We bought a kit (which the plants quickly out grew) and went to work. It was fun especially since the peas sprouted within three days and we've continued to watch them grow.

This is what they looked like after being thinned and left in the sun as much as possilbe. The date is April 22 and they are ready for a new home. We're working on our garden spot and hopefully will get them out there today.

On April 23 I planted the peas and beans into the garden spot, that night it froze but they were covered so we'll see if they survive. The garden spot sure looked good with all those plants!

My Little Painters

2011-04-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I'm feeling brave and decide to let the kids paint, which reminds me it's about time to do it again. The results vary but this time we got some good painting in.

The baby missed the paper a bit but he sure looked good.

The pictures are hanging up on our wall and I don't think I'll take them down anytime soon.

Shelf That

2011-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, when we moved into our house we set a goal to update the closets. For a year we lived without much place to put things as my husband dutifully worked away at them when he had time. The past two months he's been making frequent trips to the hardware store to purchase shelving and here's the finnished product. Well, we still have four sets of doors to paint and two still need to be hung. Anyway, I love having the shelving in. So much useful space!

As with most projects there is a downside. The boys love to climb on the closet shelves and when we had the pre-school group here last Tuesday the kids pulled every box of toys out of the shelves and dumped most of them out. They even managed to climb up and get the ones off the upper shelves. Oh well, you can't win them all.

I Don't Believe In The Easter Bunny

2011-04-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

I know some people are big on holiday fun and look forward to doing all the fun, silly holday stuff with their kids, I am not one of those. As I try to figure out what I want to accomplish through holiday traditions. I've read several articles and parts of books that discuss the importance of having traditions and all the benefits that come with them. Traditions build good family relationships and on and on. Yes, I believe that it is important to have holiday traditions but I do not beileve in the Easter Bunny.

I struggle the most with finding appropriate tradition at Easter and Christmas. I do really love both of these holidays (I love food and these holidays have great treats that I really enjoy making and eating). The part I struggle with is keeping things in the right perspective. These holidays are really about the Birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we approach these holidays I feel my attempts to emphasize the importance of the Savior's mission are inadequate, to put it mildly.

My three year old came up to me about a month ago and said, "Jesus died so we can live again." Wow, he sure got it right. As I continue my mission to find meaningful traditions I pray that the Savior can be a more prominant part of my everyday life and that these holidays can be an opportunity to celebrate what I have in my life because of the sacrifices He made for me.

Pre-School Fun

2011-04-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, this wasn't pre-school but we popped popcorn without the lid for Family Night. This was the first, but not the last time we've done this. Last night we were putting the popped kernels back in so the air from the popper would make them fly.

The next two are our caterpillars we painted and decorated at pre-school. These caterpillars are still hangin' around our house as they're too cute to put away.

This is my "big boy pirate." In this picture I asked him to make his hand into a crook (like Captain Hook) and say, "Aargh."
This picture was taken at our pre-school Valentine activity. We made hats out of paper plates and decorated sugar cookies.

Kid-isms

2011-04-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I found a bumble bee dead in the yard. Knowing what and interesting specimen it was I saved it to show the boys. The following conversation ensued: Me-It's a bumble bee. You can touch it. Jacob reaches out still unsure if it's a good idea.

Me-It's dead so it won't move.

Jacob- When is it giong to be done being dead?

Me-It will always be dead.

Jacob-Oh (with a very puzzles look).

A few week ago we had the following conversation:

Me-I'm Daddy's wife.

Jacob-Who's my wife?

Me-Who do you think is your wife?

Jacob-Daddy.

I went on to explain that he doesn't have one but will pick one out when he gets old enough.

Jacob-When I get big will you be my wife?

Jacob has really been a charactor lately. He is always making up songs that somehow end up being bout Jesus and ending with a prayer. I'm amazed at the things he's picking up on, altough he still hasn't figured out how to keep brother from biting him when he's upset.

Daniel loves books. His favorites right now are those that have animals as he's been working on animal sounds. He also love to throw things and we're working on getting him to throw balls and not everything else.

Both of the boys are having a bit of a digression right now as Jacob wants to be carried and Daniel wants to be spoon fed. I can't complain too much as they both still go to bed without complaint which is a huge blessing. He gets more vocal everyday and can say "ba" (ball) "day-doo" (thank you) "eese" (please) "day-tub" (Jacob). He still relys alot putting up a fuss when we guess wrong as to what he wants. He is very snuggly right now and loves to be held and give kisses.

Jacob is excited to be in the primary program this year and we just got the song list to help him learn them. Daniel is excited about nursery or he would be if he knew it was coming. I caught up with Daddy and Daniel in the hall way between Sunday School and Priesthood and Daddy had Daniel running laps out in the hallway to get him settled down before going into Priesthood meeting.

Both the boys love to talk on the phone and the computer to the grandparents and we're looking forward to seeing all of you in a couple months.

Answers to My Questions

2011-04-11T08:50:00.001-07:00

Well, to put it mildly it's been a roller coaster lately. I've never liked February this may have initially had something to do with Valentine's Day (or single awareness day as it was known to me at times) but probably has more to do with the terrible cabin fever that infects those who live in places where the snow doesn't melt until far into Spring or places where it rains 9 months out of the year (except last year when it rained for 10 months instead). I hate to admit that I'm having a hard time and have really spent much of my gloomy days in denial that I was grumpy. There are several things I've been pondering alot lately. First was how to bring the Spirit into a class of 12-13 year old Sunday School students who aren't always paying attention. Second, how to I treat my family in a way they deserve with love and kindness and serve them on a daily basis witout complaint. Third, how can I find more peace and joy in my life when there are days I feel like a slave. Fourth, when will my injury stop holding my back from getting things done. In High School I had a seminary teacher who challenged us to prepare for general conference by coming up with a list of questions we would like to find answers to and then listening for those answers during conference. I've done that several times and began forming the above list about a month before conference. I also set a goal to read the November Ensign before the next conference came. I was unprepared to find the answers as quickly as I did. I'm always amazed at reading through these messages that seem to keep everything so simple. I've decided that women in general seem to overcomplicate their lives and the gospel helps us to prioritize and let some things go. So I'm giong to share a few of the things that changed my perspective. Part of my trouble is caused by wasting away my time on useless things. For example I enjoy watching TV which is a great way to relax at the end of the day but there are days I spend 4-5 hours in the afternoon watching. I've struggled with this and many other little things and thought, "why can't I just tell myself no?" "Why is it so hard to do the right thing?" "Will this ever get any easier?" I am happy to say that I did find an answer. "A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently reisistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression." This was a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott ("The Transforming Power of Faith and Character," Ensign Nov 2010, 43-46.). He talks about the cycle of developing faith and character and how developing one will lead to strengthening the other. Anther thought that got me was, "the central problem (of mortality) is character building-which is not a product of logic, but of faith in ideals and sacrificial devotion to them." Hmmm, I think that will change the attitude with which I face my next hardship. Okay, one more, "Your happiness on earth as well as your eternal salvation require many correct descisions, none of which is difficult to make." I'm always impressed at how a man inspired by God can take my problems and make them seem more managable and help my fight the discouragement of my simple life. I'm so very grateful for the blessing that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been in my life. I'm starting to understand how it really does affect all facets of my life. One final thought from Elder Scott, "If you have determined to live righteously, don't become discouraged. Life may seem difficult now... You are making better progress than you realize." It is my testimony that I can be righteous. I can make good decisions everyday and as I make those decisions the power of the adversary is deminished. We are fighting a war everyday to overcome Satan and WE ARE WINNING. To my fellow warriors, keep the faith, fight the good fight and remember we're all in this together.

In The Buff

2011-03-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

It didn't take long for the boys to figure out that sitting in front of the heater is warm.
This was the hair before I cut it. He had a nice Baby Mohawk.

If you look closely you can see how long Little Brother's hair is in the back.

I don't know why but tub pictures are always cute.

Laps Are For Sharing

2011-03-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Laps are great for playing.

Okay, so this one is the wrong side of a lap, but still functional.

Apparently clothes are optional for lap sitting.

Cold laps also still work well.

Laps are an optimal position for a sneak attack kiss.

And some babies are small enough that two will fit on one lap.

Laps work much better than chairs because their arms hold you.

And they are great for reading stories. (In fact that's the only place we read stories at our house.)

Laps are also great for cuddling.

And Grandpa and Grandma laps are always the best!

Cars & Puppies

2011-03-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

The boys loved playing with the dog.
This was the first time ever that Little Brother got near a big dog and hasn't done it since.

And this is the puppy we adopted and brought home with us.

This is the wiggle car that made me laugh until I cried the first night at Crozier's.

And this is the car that got us there. I look at our little car and still can't believe that we spent that many hours in it during our long visit.

Thanksgiving

2011-03-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Little Brother was so snuggly when he was this age and always giving kisses.
Not to be outdone Big Brother had to get some snuggles in too.

Little Brother was the first one ready for dinner.

Then they went to go work off all that good food.

Thanks to Sandy and April for such a beautiful, delicious Thanksgiving.

Sounding Off Against Violence

2011-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Fellow countrymen,

I am horrified at the act of violence committed this morning. When our country was founded the principles it was founded upon allowed us to have elected government officials. We are given avenues to voice our opinions and are protected by law that we may always have that right. Violence against elected officials is an offense against the system that all of us participate in each time we vote. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE! Violence is NEVER justified, especially in this manner.

I'm reaching out to community leaders, parents and other concerned citizens this morning to work against any violence in our society. The rights we have been given to bear arms and express our opinions are privileges and should be treated as such. There is never justification for acts of violence like this. Take a moment to express your support against violence of any kind, especially those who are serving our country whether it be as a politician, service man, a member of a police force, or a teacher.

Sincerely,

Jamie King

I Love The Mall

2010-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love to go to the mall, not because I like to shop, because there is a playground.

The raft is always a hit...
We had some good friends come along...

Baby "D" liked this truck...

and he climbed up into the tree.

This was actually on Baby "D"'s birthday. He really enjoyed it. I can't believe how fast he's growing and how much he can do. Yeah for birthdays!

Turkey Cake Pops

2010-12-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've recently learned something about myself, I don't care much for craft projects but if you can eat it suddenly my interest is peeked. This led to a preschool treat...cake pop turkeys. They turned out cuter than I had pictured and once I got the hang of it they went together really quickly. Thanks to Banessa for coming over to help me make them.

These turkeys were entirely edible. The cake pop is the standard cake/frosting mixture which we dipped in chocolate. I dipped a small marshmellow in chocolate for the head which had to set to keep from sliding off. The feathers, feet and beak are candy corn cut up and we used white sprinkles for the eyes. These do have to be eaten within a couple of days as the candy corn broke the seal on the cake pop and after a few days starts to dissolve.

These are the cake pops we made at Super Saturday, with models eating them. The Cupcake...
The snowman...who wasn't as cute after he got his head bit off...

And my favorite, the penguin.

Every Christmas I try to find new things to dip in chocolate. These cake pops are made of a yellow cake crumbled and mixed with store bought frosting. They were super yummy and it opened the door to all kinds of cute ideas.

Boys Will Be Boys

2010-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

So, of course they like to wrestle...

and somehow they think that the two of them can win against Dad...
and then he carries them in to go to bed. :)

They just love Daddy...

And they never want to let him go.

This would work alot better if the baby would hold on.

Baby Tricks

2010-12-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Look...I can take my socks off...

I can empty out this cupboard and check out the plumbing...
I've been shelved:)...

I can help cleaning the frosting off this beater...

And I can reach this...

And I can reach anything up here, well, only the first six inches of counter.

What will I do next?

Family Night Cup Cakes

2010-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Pumpkins

2010-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite holiday traditions is carving pumpkins. I was joking with my husband about how wierd it is that we have entire fields of pumpkins that we are going to gut, cut faces in and put a candle in for a couple of days before we throw them out. What a strange way to use food. Anyway, it's a fun tradition. Uncle Sandy was the party planner this year.

Daddy was feeling this pumpkin's anxiety as he got ready to impale it.

This wasn't how I'd planned it to turn out but the first eye turned out like a cat so why not?

Here's the Ooch. She was the pumpkin planner. These pumpkins were huge.

Here's the three that got put out before it started to rain. Sorry Ooch, I didn't brave the rain again to get a picture of all four of them out there.

"The Park"

2010-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Uncle Sandy got us discounted tickets for the "Fright Fest" at Wild Waves. I thought it would be fun for the kiddos since we didn't go to the Fair this year.

The baby was getting up close and personal with this dragon. Maybe he'll be a dentist...

This was the scariest vampire I've ever seen.

This was the noisiest cat I've ever seen.

These are the cutest gouls I've ever seen.

After watching these kiddos I think they could use some driving lessons.

The Ferris wheel is always a hit.

And there were even a couple of rides the baby could ride.

Without hesitation they chose the ATV. Good choice.

This was my personal favorite. My three-year-old adores Bob The Builder and was terrified of him.

This was a fun ride. The kids watched from a distance and I screamed my head off.

Halloweek

2010-11-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

I've never been big into Halloween but I really enjoyed it this year. We dressed up several times (when I say we I mean the kids). We still can't decide if this is a horse or giraffe.

Apparently this giraffe or horse was made for walkin'.

And every horse/giraffe needs a cowboy/sheriff.
This is one of my favorites. We left the cape in a freind's car or there would be pictures of the baby in this one too. Instead he just wore the shirt to the ward party. It was so much fun.

This dinosaur was last year's model. It barely fit him but I had to get a picture anyway.

And here is the cute hat baby. He's just so cute. I bought this hat in anticipation of winter travels.

#3 B-Day

2010-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Boy was I excited about my Birthday! I got to help Mom make, frost, and decorate the cake.

I got two rounds of birthday spankings as Papa Ron had sent some up for me.

The next day I spent all day playing with my new toys. I like to play this one on Mom's bed because then Daniel can't reach it to pull on it and break it.

This was the next day when I was eaten by a shark!

Don't worry I climbed my way out. He couldn't beat me! We actually became friends and he moved into my bedroom where I slept inside for the next week.

More Birthdays

2010-11-22T14:52:00.001-08:00

Hey You! Do you even know it's your birthday?

Dad blew up balloons, Mom's making your cake...
That cake's pretty good eh?

Well, you don't have to eat it all at once.

Who put that balloon in your shirt? Daddy!

Video of eating cake to come...

Look What I Can Do!

2010-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the walker I use when I want to go fast. This day I was supervising Daddy who had gone down into a hole in our closet. I don't know where he went but I was waiting to make sure he came back. Big brother went down there too. Mommy got upset when he disappered so she made him come back. Don't worry, Daddy came back out too.

Brother kept shining this light down the hole looking for Daddy.

Big brother is super into putting his toys, books and papers into things.
I think he's just really afraid if he leaves them around I'll eat them.

I can ride this all by myself! Sometimes I can even get off without falling over.

Mommy says I'm much to little to be doing all these things but that doesn't slow me down. I love exploring and trying new things, except sippy cups, when there's milk involved it should be warmed up and put in a bottle with a chewy top. I love to chew!

Look At Me!

2010-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm such a cute baby. I'm learning so much so fast.

Now I can build with blocks...

Stand up by myself...

Ride this trike, with a little help...
Climb up into this cupboard...

and push the buttons on the VCR.

I've been so busy lately I'm totally exhausted at night and sleep like a log. What will I learn next?