Spice and all that's Nice

My Birthday is Postponed

2011-05-16T07:31:00.000-05:00

Just want to inform you that my birthday will be postponed until further notice. Not because I'm putting off turning (cough) 31 but because how I'm going to spend my day today is not how anyone should have to spend their birthday.

Tomorrow we are having the appraisal done on our house and after a weekend with a houseful of extra kids I'm going to be spending today cleaning it and in the words of Annie, making it "shine like the top of the Chrysler Building".

Bubs woke up around 4:15 AM came into my room and said "happy Birthday Mom" I said thank you and thought...how sweet. Well around 4:30 AM I heard him sobbing in his room. When The Doctor asked him what was wrong he said "I have the worst sore throat ever". Well, the only time people use that phrase is when they are suffering from strep. The Doctor to a look and he most definitely has strep. So, I will get to take my son to the doctors office today. The boy probably came into my room today to tell me he wasn't feeling well and then decided to suck it up and tell me happy birthday and let me sleep instead. After a dose of IB profen he is sleeping the morning away.

I cancelled my Birthday lunch with some girlfriends and my Birthday dinner date with The Doctor. So, if you want to wish me a happy Birthday today that is fine but just know, today is not my birthday, at least not this year. I will be celebrating later at a date that is TBA. Now I'm off to go scrub some toilets while I still have 2 kids sleeping.

Use of Time

2011-05-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

We have been in and out of town a lot in the last few weeks. Life has been hectic, as usual, and I haven't had the time to post here in a while. Well, that really isn't true. We all have the same amount of time in a day, 24 hours, and we all get to choose how we spend those 24 hrs. I have chosen not to post blogs but instead have chosen to spend time with friends before I move, keep my house clean for showings, and do some crafts.

The baby blanket on the left I made for my childhood friend who is having her first baby. The one on the right is for my niece who is having her 3rd baby.

Every year I think "I'm going to make teacher appreciation gifts early" and every year teacher appreciation week comes up and I have nothing. This years gifts I made pretty quick. I took composition books and re-covered them with paper.

The other gift I made but forgot to take a picture of was a sweet thoughts bowl of chocolate. I went into the kids classroom and spoke with each child and asked them what their favorite thing was about their teacher. Then I went home and printed off what they said on mailing labels. I then put the labels around a piece of Hershey's nuggets chocolate. All the chocolates went into a glass bowl I picked up at the dollar store. I then made a flower and had it stick out of the bowl. "Sweet thoughts for a sweet teacher" was written in the center of the flower. It was a big hit.

I have finally finished crocheting an afghan for my father for his birthday. I will have to post a picture of it later because I don't want to spoil it for him. However, here are a few teaser pics.

Time Flies with Big Changes

2011-04-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

Life has been happening so fast lately. I can't believe April is almost over and my kids only have 30 more days of school. In the last month some major decisions and changes have been made and planned for. Before I say what has been going on I need to preface a little.

The Doctor and I have been married for almost 11 years. All but one of those years one or both of us have been in school. That is the path we chose since The Doctor is well....a doctor. June 30th marks the last day of his medical residency and then we will finally be out in the real world. This is the first time it is up to us to decide where to live when we are done. Picking which medical school to attend was determined by which one out of two we got into would be cheapest. Then, where we did residency was decided by a "match". Well, now it is up to us.

We began by trying to determine what sort of lifestyle we wanted to live post schooling. We know we want to get back to a part of the country that has 4 distinct seasons with each one lasting longer than at least 2 weeks before it changed. We want to live in a place that is on average cooler than where we are. We love the cooler weather or at least having it cool down in the evenings. A place closer to family, not too close, but close enough we could still be involved in the big things. I would love to live on a small piece of land (bigger than a lot in a neighborhood) and have chickens or some other type of farm animal. We want to be close to mountains for camping, hiking, and fishing.

With these things in mind we knew we wanted to be back west. Last fall we started applying for jobs in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Alaska, Idaho, and even Arizona (had to appease the parents). We received 2 job interviews (most of the others already filled positions or didn't have any openings) in Anchorage, Alaska. We were super excited about the prospect of living in AK. The interview with one of the groups went well, we got the job offer and signed the contract. For the last 5 months we have been making arrangements to move to AK. We bought plane tickets to go house hunting, reserved the moving truck, and sold quite a bit of furniture we didn't want to move. Things were moving along.

A couple of days after we got back from Spring break another physician that The Doctor had worked with during medical school called to say they had a position open up with their group and asked if we wanted to come out for an interview. The job is in Idaho and at first we completely wrote it off because we had already signed a contract with Alaska. And come on, who lives in Idaho? It is way more fun to tell people you are moving to ALASKA then it is to tell them you are moving to Idaho. The reactions to AK range from "are you crazy?" to "awesome, I'm coming to visit".

Well, after letting it simmer for a couple of days we decided to go ahead and head out to Idaho. We only had 2 full days there so we had to make it count. The Doctor spent the first day interviewing and touring the hospitals and surgery centers while I went out with a realtor to check out the area. I think I had a more fun day doing walk throughs on 10 houses. The next day we both went out with the Realtor to show The Doctor the 2 houses I had narrowed it down to (assuming we were to move there) as well as one more house that we found the night before driving around.

The third house (the one we found driving around) was the perfect house. I was in love. The Doctor also fell in love with the job. Sure it pays less than the one in AK but the cost of living is less. If we move to AK we would not be able to afford buying a house that would meet the needs of our large family. In Idaho though we could buy my dream house. The house I would want to live in the rest of my life. I was sold right then and there. The job has the types of cases The Doctor wants, good hours, and a great working environment. The house is on 1.45 acres, has chickens, a garden, and fruit trees. Plus it is located at the end of a culdesac with neighbors that are members of the LDS faith like us. The small city is 6 hours away from our family which is much closer than if we were living in AK. Things seemed too good to be true.

Well, a couple of days after we got back we were given the job offer and decided to accept. We are still sad that we will not get to live in Alaska but, vacationing to Alaska could be better. We wouldn't have to deal with the dark winters. We are mourning the loss of the adventures we had planned in our minds of camping, fishing, and hunting moose and bear in Alaska. However, we feel Idaho would be a better situation for our family and they have pretty great fishing and camping there too.

So, the reason the blog has been lacking in posts is because we have been busy making some pretty big decisions. We are content with our decision and are so excited to be moving onto our next adventure.

wow this post was really long. If you stuck with it thanks.

Spaghetti Splatter

2011-04-11T10:39:00.000-05:00

WARNING: Do not leave spaghetti sauce unattended on the stove heating while you go check FB "really quick"

Yoplait Review and Recipe

2011-03-29T10:50:00.000-05:00

Yogurt and I had a love hate relationship. I loved the flavors but could not stand the texture of fruit chunks in the cup. For this reason I used to pass up on yogurt. That is until I discovered Yoplaits dessert flavored yogurt. No need for me to worry about the fruit chunks here and I get to enjoy the flavors of my favorite desserts at a fraction of the calories. There are so many flavors to choose from like: Apple Turnover, Red Velvet Cake, Boston Cream Pie, Bannana Cream Pie, Black Forest Cake, Lemon Cream Pie,Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Raspberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Shortcake, White Chocolate Strawberry, and my favorite Key Lime Pie.

Since March is National Nutrition Month I encourage you to snack on your favorite Yoplait yogurt instead of cakes and cookies. Maybe you aren't as interested in the dessert flavors as I am. Well, with varieties like Yoplait Light, Yoplait Original, Yoplait Fiber One, Yoplait Kids and Yoplait Delight Parfaits. Each product offers different benefits, and loads of variety, to make eating well a no-brainer. Here are five great ways to ‘get your snack on’ with Yoplait this March!

Start spring off right with Yoplait Light’s Two Week Tune Up Plan – Replace breakfast and lunch with a cup of your favorite flavor of Yoplait Light, a whole grain and a piece of fruit and you could lose 5 pounds in two weeks. Go to Yoplait.com for full diet details.

Get more calcium with Yoplait Original style yogurt - Now with two times the calcium of the leading yogurt (50 percent of the Recommended Daily Value) in one convenient 6-ounce cup*, Yoplait Original style yogurt is committed to women’s health, offering a product that has even more of the calcium women need for strong, healthy bodies. Grab a free cup while supplies last during the Million Cup Giveaway on Yoplait on Facebook!

Try the newest flavor from Yoplait Fiber One – Yoplait Fiber One’s new Blueberry flavor yogurt is packed with filling fiber, calcium, vitamins A and D, real fruit and the great taste of blueberries. With only 50 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat, this deliciously creamy yogurt won’t break your calorie bank.

Stress less over snack time with Yoplait Kids yogurt – With a wholesome and fun snack like Yoplait Kids yogurt in the fridge, you can feel good about what your children are eating at snack time. Yoplait Kids provides an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, and has 25% less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt**. With yummy flavors, and favorite friends like Dora and Lightning McQueen on the packages, Yoplait Kids is a hit with moms and children alike.

End the day with a Delight Parfait from Yoplait – Even with two luscious layers providing a double shot of rich and creamy yogurt, these 100 calorie indulgences from Yoplait contain only 1.5 grams of fat per serving. Now available in two new flavors, Chocolate Éclair and Cherry Cheesecake, you can enjoy a dessert that’s 100 percent guilt-free.

*Leading yogurt has less than 25% Daily Value calcium per 6 oz.
**Yoplait kids has 9 grams of sugar per 3oz. the leading kids' yogurt has 13 grams of sugar per 3oz.

As is the case with most things these days, Yoplait is on Facebook. If you "Like" Yoplait on Facebook you can keep up with the latest news and great opportunities to save on your favorite Yoplait products.***Coupon offers for Yoplait yogurt are not valid in all states.

I am a fan of Yoplait both in life and on Facebook however, by posting the above information I have a chance to win a prize provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

You don't just have to eat Yoplait yogurt from a cup. You can incorporate it into your recipes to make some delicious food for your family and friends. I was browsing through the recipes at Yoplait.com and came across this recipe for Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad. My mouth started watering when I saw it.

Layered Caribbean Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

1 (6-oz.) container Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free Piña Colada Yogurt

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning

Salad

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 (15-oz.) can Progresso® Black Beans, drained, rinsed

1 1/2 cups diced peeled ripe fresh mango

1/2 cup chopped seeded Italian plum tomatoes (1 to 2 medium)

4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (8 medium)

1/2 cup cashews

Fresh edible flowers, if desired

Directions
1. In small bowl, mix all dressing ingredients until well blended.

2. In 3- or 4-quart clear glass serving bowl, layer all salad ingredients in order listed, except cashews and flowers. Spoon dressing evenly over salad; sprinkle cashews over top. Garnish with flowers.

4 Years of Living

2011-03-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

We have lived in our current house for 4 years. Looking back and the changes we have made has been fun. Here is a picture tour of our house 4 years ago and now. The left side is 4 years ago and the right side is current.

We put flower beds in front and along the sides of the house. The tree is a crepe myrtle and is fire cracker red when it is blooming.

The kitchen. For showing purposes we took the leaf out of the table to make it smaller. The chairs that are on the right in the current picture get taken out of the house. We have replaced the vinyl floor with tile and added a few decorations.

We sold the coffee table, old tv, and entertainment center and upgraded to a newer/modern version.

The game room has had quite a few changes. We re-arranged furniture. Sold the futon and the rocking chairs. got a different entertainment center and a new tv.

The table is now in our bedroom serving as The Doctor's study desk. We no longer have the computer upstairs and all the craft stuff is in my bedroom closet. The room is really big and spacious for the kiddos to play.

The girls room was painted. new bedding was purchased and the crib is in storage. KMae sleeps on a crib mattress that gets pushed under Na's bed during the day. We look forward to getting her, her very own bed with the new house. Most of the baby toys were sold at a garage sale.

Bubs room went from bright colorful toddler room to a room with a cal king bed. He is the one that gets kicked out of his room when company comes. We were going to buy him a new bed then decided to get ourselves a new bed and move the old one into his room. He likes a big bed and I frequently find him sleeping with 10 cars circled around him.

I never took a before picture of our bedroom because it was never fully unpacked until last month. That's right, I still had boxes from when we moved in sitting on the floor. Plus, our bedroom was always the dumping ground for the last of the stuff that needed to be cleaned before people came over. Ahhhh it is so nice to have a clean and organized bedroom. Yes, I should have done this 4 years ago. The cowhide and the longhorns were our treasures picked up from our time spent living in Fort Worth.

Vacation at Last

2011-03-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

I have been so busy lately getting my house from this....

to this...

that I have negelcted blogging.

Actually, that first picture was from when we retiled our kitchen floors last year and moved everything into the family room. It has not been that bad since then...at least I don't think so. We are moving this summer and I have had my work cut out for me in preparing my house to go on the market. I didn't realize what hoarders my husband and I were. We got rid of so much stuff and probably will have so much more to get rid of just before we move. I finally have my house the way I have wanted it for the last 4 years. Ahhhh it is nice. I will do a picture tour later. After all the work I put into it I needed a vacation bad so we went here...

The beaches of Destin, Florida were welcoming. It was our first family vacation in 8 years where it was an actual vacation. No work, weddings, or funerals involved. Just my family, the beach, pool, and a condo. It was amazing. I'll post pics later. Until then, just look at this white sand beach and crystal waters and imagine you are there soaking up the sun.

Fantasy Job

2011-03-02T17:11:00.000-06:00

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a paid focus group. If you didn't already know, you can get paid for your opinions. Anyway, the moderator asked us to introduce ourselves by saying our name, where we were born, and what our fantasy/dream job would be if we weren't doing what we are doing now. The first thing that popped into my mind was be a stay at home mom and raise my kids. This is something I have always wanted to be able to do and I'm doing it. I couldn't use that as my fantasy job. I was put on the spot and could not think of me so I said a "marriage and family therapist". What? how boring. What kind of fantasy is that? Sure I want to go back to school in the next 2-3 years and become a MFT but is that my fantasy job. I still couldn't think of anything...until others started saying what they their's was and then all sorts of ideas popped into my head. Here they are in no particular order.

Author- children's, or mystery novels.
massage therapist
Chef
I would love to have Samantha Brown's job and travel the world.
Food critic
write reviews on spas and retreats
Singer (this is a big fantasy because I really can't sing)
Dancer

What would be your fantasy job?

TROUBLE=KMae

2011-02-25T07:41:00.000-06:00

I'm quite certain that if you look up the word Trouble in the dictionary there will be a picture of my youngest KMae right next to it. I think it is her mission in life lately to make sure we do not get our house in perfect condition before we sell it. In the last couple of weeks she has managed to:

get into wet paint and paint her bedroom furniture.
paint her body.
Draw on my bedspread with a purple sharpie.
Draw on the recently painted wall with a ball point pen.
Pee on pretty much every surface in my house (been my worst yet to potty train)
Put gobs of shampoo on her hair and all over the bathroom floor sans bath time
Dump gold nail polish on my bathroom floor.
Dump out Grandpa's pill box (fortunately she only partook of the Vitamin E)
Color with oil pastels and crayons on Na's bed spread.

Kmae and KBaby six months ago getting into my Scentsy testers.

Yesterday I was folding laundry and enjoying the company of my parents who are in town.

Kbaby (KMae's best friend) and KMae were upstairs playing with the doll house and their baby dolls....or so I thought. My dad went upstairs and discovered the girls had dumped the contents of his daily pill box all over the floor. Pills were scattered across a 3 foot patch of carpet. There were big brown ones and itty bitty pink ones and a slew of colors and sizes in between. A few we could tell had been tasted (they were slobbery) but not consumed. I count my blessings only a Vitamin E was not recovered.

While my dad was cleaning that up I was on my way to put the girls in time out when I discovered they had taken about 20 of my Scentsy bars from inventory and had them all open and arranged on the floor so they could smell them. I am glad I have such little fans of my business but, I wish they would wait for me to assist them in smelling the scents. When they got done cleaning up that mess I see Na's art kit open and laying on her bed. Next to it were scribbles in crayon and oil pastel.

I am sure there are many more things I have yet to discover. This child is a walking tornado. It is compounded when Kbaby comes over to play. Most of the above occurred with her friend. These two should not be left alone together.

I should add that, with the exception of the pill box, I take some responsibility. The items gotten into should have been placed out of reach of tiny hands. The pill box was placed on the top of a dresser but the girls flipped over a tub and climbed up to get it.

Click here to read about a lesson learned.

Choose a prompt, post it on your blog, and come back to add your name to the link list below. Be sure to sign up with the actual post URL and not just your basic blog URL (click on the title of your post for that URL). For good comment karma try to comment on the three blogs above your name!!

The Prompts:

1.) Lesson learned!

2.) What did they get into now? Describe a time your toddler got into something they shouldn’t have.

3.) Describe a time when someone was proud of you.

4.) Write a poem about something you are looking forward to.

5.) Watcha’ cookin? Share a recipe.

OWOH Winner Winner!

2011-02-17T07:06:00.000-06:00

I am so sorry for not announcing this yesterday. Things are a little crazy in my house right now. We are having the carpet replaced in the entire house and I have been boxing up all the loose ends as well as trying to clean because my in laws are coming in town today. So, for the moment you all have been waiting for. The winner of this lovely hat is....

Number 111

CathyH from Cathy Horner Collage Art.

I have notified Cathy so hopefully she will contact me. If I don't hear from her in the next couple of days I will draw again.

Our Love Story

2011-02-14T09:05:00.000-06:00

BYU Preference March 2000

In honor of Valentine's day I've decided to share "our story". It all started one fall semester 12 years ago at BYU. I was a sophomore and The Doctor was a fresh returned missionary. For some crazy reason I was a declared Biology major which meant I was taking 2 Chemistry and a physics class in one fun semester. I'm sure any of these classes on their own would be fine but when your first priority was a social life it made studying and learning quite hard. The Doctor was a pre med major so naturally we had to take some of the same classes.

I sat nervously in the middle of the lecture hall of my first chem class on the first day of school and in walked this tall, handsome, lean machine. And I mean tall...6'7" tall. Compared to my 5'4" he towered over me. After mentally taking note of how good looking this man was I chided myself and said "you wouldn't have a chance. Tall guys go for tall girls".

Later that day I settled into my seat in physics and low and behold the same guy walked in. Once again I told myself he was out of my league.

Wouldn't you know it, the next day I found myself passing him on some stairs, he was going down and I was going up, and he smiled and said hi. I held composure even though my insides were jumping all over the place. I was on my way to get a drink. When I made it back to the classroom who was sitting there? The Doctor. I couldn't believe it. This class was a much smaller class so I knew we would have to meet and talk. Well, as the semester progressed The Doctor and I became good friends (after all, he was out of my league). He, another guy, and I ended up having 4 classes together that semester. The 3 of us became study buddies. Because I did not feel I had a chance with him I totally let my guard down. During study sessions we would talk about people we were dating and give relationship advice back and forth. If he had a bad date I heard all about it. By mid semester I had a steady boyfriend and I went as far as setting The Doctor up on a date with my taller roommate. We doubled and went and saw some Disney cartoon I believe at the $1 movie. I didn't find out until later but it drove The Doctor crazy to see me with my boyfriend. At the time he didn't understand it either because he had told himself that I was too short to date. He had a strict 5'7" or taller rule.

Shortly after Thanksgiving my boyfriend and I had broken up. The day after we broke up The Doctor took me on my first snowmobiling adventure. It was a blast until I crashed. That is another story all together. This little adventure was the first time the thought of me and The Doctor dating popped into my head.

Christmas break came and a guy I dated in HS was getting home from his mission. The Doctor of course new all about him. As is typical for most foreign return missionaries the guy was a little weird (sorry if you are reading this but you were). I remember calling The Doctor the first night I saw this other guy. I didn't know it at the time but he was on a date with his girlfriend but he still spoke with me.

After Christmas I changed majors which meant no more classes with The Doctor. I assumed our friendship would wither. One time in January I remember running into The Doctor in the library and asking him when he was going to ask me out. He replied "when are you going to grow taller".

In February there was a holiday weekend. HS guy drove me and another friend of his home for the weekend. We had a great drive and I thought finally the weirdness was ending. The Doctor took his girlfriend to the family cabin (with the rest of the fam of course) for a weekend of snow mobiling. When I got back in town The Doctor called me and said he had just had the worst weekend. Apparently his girlfriend stayed inside the cabin the whole weekend knitting and didn't go out and play. I told him that's what he gets for dating someone 9 years older then him. He then told me he needed to go have some fun and he was coming by to pick me up and we were going miniature golfing. We told ourselves this wasn't a date because he still had a girlfriend. We were just 2 friends going to have fun together. For the next 2 weeks we "had fun" together. We went bowling, played pool, went roller blading,....basically everything his girlfriend wouldn't do.

March brought Preference (BYU's girls choice dance). All of my roommates were going and I wanted to go to but didn't know who I preferred. I couldn't ask anyone from church because tongues would wag and my last boyfriend was in the same ward (congregation). I decided to ask The Doctor because we were just friends and he wouldn't read anything into it. Plus, he still had a girlfriend. I knew The Doctor didn't like to dance so I picked the Heber Creeper for our date. The Heber Creeper is a train that moves slowly around the mountains by Heaber and Dear Creek. They had a couple of cars set up for dancing and a couple passenger cars for sitting and talking. The Doctor and I spent most of the evening sitting and cuddling on the passenger train. No kissing, no hand holding. We just sat with his arm around me and talked non stop for hours. This night I knew there was chemistry between us and I wanted more then friendship. I found out later he felt it too.

The next day was a Sunday. I was in my apartment and really wanted to see him again. My roomies were there along with some of the guys from another apt. They all told me I should call and invite him over. So, I did. He sounded distant and pre-occupied while I spoke with him. I invited him over and he hesitated and then said sure. I hung up feeling deflated. When he arrived an hour or so later he told me he was in the process of breaking up with his girlfriend when I called.

Tuesday we skipped classes and went to Nutty Putty Caves together. We had our first kiss in the middle of a dark cavern. It was an awkward first kiss that left plenty of room for improvement. We practiced a few more times in the cave.

Friday I remember doing dishes in the kitchen and he was sitting at the table. I was discussing how excited I was that I got into an Apartment with my freshman year roommate that was close to campus and affordable. He looked up and asked "what if I ruined your plans?" He then told me how he has been getting the impression he should marry me. A couple weeks later I took him home to meet mom and dad. He asked Dad for permission to marry me. We got engaged officially engaged one month later on April 13th.

Nov 2010

I am so glad he decided to change his rule about dating 5'7" girls. I did however receive many bad looks from tall single girls on campus when we walked hand in hand. The way I see it, my sister married a man who was shorter than her so I was completely justified in marrying someone taller. The best part of the whole thing is we were always just naturally ourselves together. There was no awkward new dating because by the time we started dating we already knew so much about each other. He had even seen me in my glasses which is a very BIG deal. Things just flowed naturally and they do still today. We complete each others sentences and speak just what the other is thinking. I now know why I was a Biology major for 3 semesters. Had I not been I may have never met the perfect man for me.

I Survived Paint Ball

2011-02-08T07:28:00.000-06:00

We went paint balling on Saturday and I survived. It was fun. All the girls in the group were pretty apprehensive at first. It of course helped that the first person we talk to said it hurt way worse then she thought it would. Once we got the safety training and geared up it was game on.

Our group of 6 got mixed in with a bunch of other small groups making one large group between 30-40 people. We divided into teams and went to battle. At the location we went to you have 10 minutes of play where you try and shoot other people while they are taking aim at you. One hit and you are out. What really stunk was the fact that my gun got hit to knock me out twice. I suppose I should be grateful it was my gun that got hit and not me because one of the times I was walking to the dead box and I wasn't paying attention and I got hit by "friendly fire" on my mask and my hand. Getting hit on my fingers hurt worse then child birth. It stung and bled. My little pinkie is still bruised and tender today.

I wish we had more time to play and I wish we had purchased more paint balls. It would have been more fun had I known everyone playing. It also would have been great if there was more of a point, like play capture the flag at the same time. I wouldn't think twice about going again. I highly recommend wearing baggy clothes as a beginner. They tend to cushion the blow.

WW Points Plus is Still a Plus

2011-02-07T15:25:00.000-06:00

You know how sometimes you are so excited about something in the beginning but then the "honeymoon" phase wears off and you are not as excited? I have previously written about Weight Watchers Points Plus program and how I loved it. Well, I have been doing it for just over a month and I still love it. I started the program on Dec. 28 and since then I have lost a total of 16.4 lbs. I have been losing on average 2.3 lbs per week. I haven't even started exercising yet. I was going to throw fitness into the mix 2 weeks ago but then my kids got the flu and then I did. As soon as I'm recovered I'm going to start Zumba and biking. I need to get my body toned for the beach in March.

The reason I'm still excited about WW Points Plus is it works. I don't feel restricted. I have the power to choose what I eat and how much I eat of it. I don't know about you but if I tell myself I can't have something I want it even more. So, instead of telling myself I can't I say I can but just a little. I'm really learning what foods I can have self control with. My homemade chocolate chip cookies are dangerous. I have a hard time stopping at one portion. I did however buy Girl Scout Cookies and I have found that because they are in a box I can seal up and put out of sight I can handle stopping after just 2. We still order Papa John's Pizza every weekend. Instead of eating the Hawaiian BBQ (which happens to have one of the highest point values) I eat the Garden Vegetable pizza. And not just one slice either because, who can stop at one slice? I have 2 slices then I usually eat a small salad or some fruit along with my pizza.

Adding flavor to food helps too. Every morning I eat an English Muffin with a scrambled egg inside. To add a little flavor I substitute flavored Laughing Cow Cheese (usually chipotle or sun dried tomato) for butter on my English Muffin. Before I baked Sweet potato wedges the other day I drizzled a little olive oil on them and then sprinkled them with Italian seasoning. So much better then plain sweet potatoes.

My point is, it is totally doable. You can have your pizza and cookies. The choice is yours.

Snow Day

2011-02-04T21:48:00.000-06:00

I would never have thought I would have lived to see a snow day in south Texas. Hell really has froze over. It only snowed a 1/4 of an inch but it was the layer of ice beneath the snow that caused the problem. I guess there is no real need to have plows and sanding trucks when you only get measurable snow once every 20 years. Needless to say, my kids were thrilled to not have to go to school. The added bonus was The Doctor was post call so he got to spend the day playing with us.

Unfortunately I pulled my camera out only to realize the LCD screen had been busted and the thing won't take pictures. I believe my kids were using it to stand on to get a little taller. So, I had to take pics using my daughters camera which is not the best quality.

First we bundled up in our warmest clothing and took a picture to prove that we did actually have snow. See how my son isn't wearing a coat? Crazy head. He did put one on later.

One of the kids came up with the idea to have a snowball fight. That lasted as long as it took for one of them (Bubs I believe) to get hit in the neck (on the first throw). He came in crying about it being cold. The snowball fight was his idea too.

Na gave making a snow angel an honest try.

Then when the Doctor got home he made a little ramp at the bottom of our driveway. The kids took turns riding their tricycle over it. Then we pulled out and under bed storage bin and tried to sled. Didn't work out so well. But you know what does make a good sled? The huge city issued recycle bins. The Doctor took pics with his phone and they haven't been uploaded yet. But, picture flipping the big blue recycle bins on their sides with the wheels facing down. Hop on like you are riding a horse and you are good to go. The kids did that down our driveway for around 45 minutes. Great times.

I did burst Na's bubble though. We are moving to Alaska in June and I had to make sure my kids understood that this would probably be the only snow day they got in a really long time. When it snows in AK they don't cancel school. Na started crying and stomped up the stairs yelling "stupid Alaska. Stupid snow, I don't want to move." She has been so excited about the move until this point. Hopefully when she sees they make ice rinks with the basketball courts on the playground she'll be happy again. Here is one more difference. When the weather is below 40 degrees F. here they make the kids stay inside for recess. In Alaska, when the weather reaches -10 degrees F. they cancel recess. I am definitely going to be spending some big money on winter weather accessories next fall.

Everything was of course melted by noon but it was great having an extra day to just play together.

One World One Heart

2011-02-03T17:15:00.000-06:00

Last year I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in One World One Heart: OWOH. It is and event where bloggers from around the world get a chance to meet each other by hopping around from blog to blog. To encourage people to travel the WWW participants do a giveaway or a door prize for those who leave a comment. I found so many wonderful blogs last year and am always impressed with the creativity and the writing styles of so many. I am very excited to participate again this year. This is the fifth and final year though so hopefully it will go out with an incredible amount of participants. Lisa over at a Whimsical Bohemian is the creator. If you are interested in participating please visit her blog and follow the instructions. The event only goes until February 17th so you better hurry along.

For those who have found my blog via OWOH, welcome. Let me introduce myself. I am a stay at home mom married to The Doctor. We have 4 beautiful children ages 3-9, Na, Bubs, LuLu, and Kmae. This blog is really my way of sharing my random thoughts on motherhood, housework, and everything else associated with my home and family. Some stuff is just my opinion and other stuff is fact based. If something I share helps at least one person then I am grateful. For last years event I had just learned to Knit so I gave away something knitted. This past year I learned to crochet so guess what? I will be giving away something Crocheted. How about this cute hat? Actually, not this hat but one just like it.

So, here is what you need to do if you would like to win a hat like this one.

Leave a comment by 10:00 PM CST February 16, 2011 and include and email address where you can be reached should you win. I will announce and contact the winners on February 17, 2011.

If you would like, please specify the size you would like the hat to be.

Happy blog hopping!

The 5 Senses

2011-02-03T16:33:00.001-06:00

Taste, touch, see, hear, and smell make up the 5 senses. It isn't until one or more is impaired that I truly appreciate the fact that most days I have all 5 senses. I had the flu this last week and the only sense that remained fully intact was my sense of touch. I have severe congestion so I haven't been able to smell and oddly enough, the congestion has affected my ability to taste as well. Food just doesn't have the same flavor. I'm blind as a bat with out my contacts and I managed to get pink eye so I wasn't able to wear my contacts. I have a pair of glasses but they are the wrong prescription. They help some but I would not trust myself to drive with them. I also lost a bit of my hearing to the congestion as well. I feel like I've had earmuffs on all week.

These senses work hand in hand to allow me to enjoy life. They can also keep me safe. I learned a lesson this week too. If I don't have my sense of smell or sight, sometimes taste is not my best option.

It was a very cold (for South TX) morning. Around 20 degrees out. My neighbor's cat, Pumkin, looked so cold so I let him come in to warm up. He promptly ran upstairs and made himself comfortable on my bed snuggled up to my sleeping toddler. Because I was sick, once my older kids got on the bus I went back to bed. I didn't want the cat in my bed so I carried him into Bubs room and placed him on his bed. 5 minutes later Pumkin made his way back to my room and snuggled in by my feet. Whatever, I was too cold and sick to care.

An hour later I jumped in the shower and got dressed. My eyes were feeling better so I put my contacts in. I went downstairs to turn on the TV. We got a nice big TV for Christmas and an entertainment center to put it on. The rule is, nobody touches it or placed anything on the entertainment center. Well, I was horrified to see something wet and dripping down the right side of the screen. My thoughts immediately turned to my kids and the bubbles they were blowing in the house the night before. I suppose I could have easily missed it if I had my glasses on. I went up closer and couldn't visually tell what it was so I decided to touch it. It was not the consistency of the bubbles. It was a little thicker and maybe a little sticky. I then thought maybe it was cough medicine. Why would cough medicine be on my TV you might ask? Well, with KMae anything is possible. I tried to smell it but with no luck since I was all stopped up. So, I couldn't tell what it was by touching, seeing, or smelling. Obviously I couldn't hear it so I decided to taste it. I stuck my finger in a little bit and licked my finger. I can't really describe what it tasted like because gratefully my taste buds were clouded but I can tell you this, it was a little bitter and I knew instantly that it was not anything my kids had put on the TV. I had an image pop in my head from something I witnessed a couple days prior.

We had a garage sale and were cleaning up. In my lawn were some boxes. Pumkin walked up to the boxes lifted his tail and sprayed the box. He was marking his territory on the box. Never in my life had I seen a cat do this before.

With this image in my mind and a bitter taste on my tongue I knew instantly that what I had just tasted was not bubbles or cough medicine, how I wish it were, but in fact cat urine. What solidified my discovery was when I let my cat in the house she went over to the spot (post clean up) and was sniffing it like crazy. Apparently Pumkin was not too happy with me removing him from my bed so he decided to let me know by marking my brand new TV. Well my dear Pumkin, you are no longer allowed in my house no matter how cold it is outside.

Paint Ball

2011-02-03T15:57:00.001-06:00

Watch this little clip....

It was my memories of this scene from the movie 10 Things I hate about You that was in my mind when I purchased a Groupon a couple of months ago to go Paint balling. What was I thinking? I'm sure I was thinking something along the lines of "won't my husband think I'm cool if I take him paint balling? It will be so fun and romantic. After all, we can make out while we are covered in paint." It was such a great idea I talked two of my besties into buying tickets as well.

So, this weekend we are finally going to redeem these coupons. The place we are going to does not provide balloons filled with paint but actual paintball guns with paint balls loaded in them. Since it is an outdoor field and it has been cold I'm pretty sure I'm going to be calling them "pain"balls. So, I will be stepping out of my comfort zone this weekend and stepping into the unknown. At least I won't be alone. My girlfriends will be just as uncomfortable. My only advantage is my experience shooting shotguns.

I'm sure we will look just like this as we are playing.

Procrastination

2011-01-06T08:30:00.000-06:00

Why is it when I (and I have a feeling many of you do this too) have so much to get done I find my self wasting a lot of time doing other things. I avoid what needs to be done until the very last minute. I am such a procrastinator. We have a realtor coming over Saturday to see our house and come up with a plan for getting it sold and my house looks like a tornado has come through it.

I have laundry needing to be folded across the couches. Papers scattered everywhere. And lots of boxes filled with who knows what. We are currently going through everything to decided what to keep and toss and it always takes time plus it makes everything worse before it gets better. So, here I am sitting at my computer writing a blog, reading blogs, and stalking Facebook. I need an intervention.

What keeps you from doing what you need to do?

Weight Watchers Points Plus--Love It!

2011-01-04T07:49:00.000-06:00

Hello. My name is Julie and I am overweight. There, I took the first step. I admitted there is a problem. Now, I'm working on the solution, losing weight. I am not a dieter. I don't believe in doing the quick fix/lose weight yo-yo stuff. Several years ago I tried the South Beach Diet. I lost 20 lbs in 3 months but I had to give up everything I loved and I was miserable. The first 2 weeks were the worst. That was my first experience with dieting and my last. If that is what they are like, it is no wonder why people never stick with the plan.

There is a new fad diet out now called the "HCG diet". I know of several people who are on it and yes they are losing weight and they are doing it relatively fast. I can see how cutting your food intake to 500 calories for the first week or so would do it. Heck if we all did it we would all loose weight. I just don't think it is good to put a hormone in your body that gets you banned from athletics if it is found in your system. Just my thoughts though.

I have researched many different weight loss remedies over the years and have come to a conclusion. Unless you modify your eating behavior/habits then any weight you gain on your diet will be put back on when you stop dieting. What is needed is behavior modification.

So, with my goal in mind to loose weight I joined Weight Watchers. They have a new program out called Points Plus. Basically you are allotted a certain amount of points a day to consume based on your age, height, and weight. The goal is to eat all of your points but not go over. What I love is that fruits and most vegetables are 0 points. When configuring points they look at the amount of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber and item has. Obviously you want the item to have more protein and fiber and less fat and carbs. You are also given a weekly points allowance (49 pts) for those little "splurges" you need.

I am modifying my eating habits. I am basically still eating the same food I love but I'm changing it up a bit. For example: I love having an egg sandwich for breakfast. I would scramble an egg (no extra stuff) and put it between two pieces of buttered bread. Now I still scramble an egg or egg whites and place it between slightly buttered lite English muffin. I also grab a piece of fruit. I find it very satisfying and filling.
One of my favorite snacks is dipping pretzels into cream cheese. Well, now I dip my pretzels into laughing cow cheese. To me the Laughing Cow Cheese tastes almost the same as cream cheese.

The idea is to have a more balanced diet. Eat more fruits and vegetables, have whole grains, and eat lean protein. I have been tracking my portion sizes and my stomach has shrunken. Eating more fruits has taken away a good chunk of my sweet cravings. When I do get a sweet craving I found that Extra bubblegum in a dessert flavor does the trick. The mint chocolate chip flavored gum is my favorite.

I love being able to eat the foods I love and still loose weight. Last week I still had my chocolate chip cookies, limited to 3 instead of my usual amount, and I had ice cream. In my first week on this new plan I lost 5.6 lbs. I know I won't loose this kind of weight every week. In fact it isn't healthy to do so. But it sure is nice to see results with out having to suffer to get them. I know this is a lifestyle I can adjust to and live with.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T07:52:00.000-06:00

I sort of took a several week long break from blogging. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It was fun having the kids home for 2 weeks but it was also nice putting them on the bus this morning. It is much easier to keep my house clean when they are at school most of the day. I need to get used to keeping my house clean and picked up...I mean really clean and picked up. We are preparing to put our house on the market. It is a lot of work. The sad thing about it is I'm finally getting my house the way I have wanted it for the last 3 years.

This makes me think about one of my New Years Resolutions. I have the same I think every year. Every year I think "this year is going to be different, I'm going to really do it right" and every year I fail. I have some motivators this year. One of my resolutions is to get organized. Nothing like trying to sell your house to get you organized right? So, The Doctor and I have been going through everything and deciding: keep, sell, or thrash. I find it is much easier to get rid of things I have been holding onto with this move because we are moving to Alaska. Now the items have the potential of costing me more money to move them around since we will be charged by the space we take up when we move.

It is freeing to be getting rid of so much stuff. I love moving for the fact that I get to reorganize a brand new space but I hate it for all the work it is to get out of the old. What is it you like or dislike about moving?

Malem Bedwetting Alarm Review

2010-12-07T07:46:00.001-06:00

I was beginning to think Bubs was never going to be night time potty trained. He is approaching the age of sleepovers and I didn't want him to have to wear a night time pull up while he was over at friends. More importantly, he didn't want to have to wear pull ups either. The problem is he is a deep sleeper. He has even slept through our house alarm going off. We would wake him up several hours after he had fallen asleep and sometimes he would already be wet and other times he would stumble to the bathroom and stand in front of the toilet and sleep. I would have to splash water in his face to get him alert enough to pay attention to what he was doing.I finally broke down and spent the $120 and purchased a Malem bed wetting alarm. I read the reviews of it at the Bedwetting Store and figured it was worth a try.

There are a couple of different models. Some just have a single alarm sound, some have variable alarm sounds, and others have vibration with alarms. I opted to buy the one that vibrated as well as had variable alarms, the Malem Ultimate. The benefit of this alarm is he can feel the vibration as well as hear the alarm. The variable sounds means every time the alarm goes off there is a different sound to it making it so he doesn't learn to tune the alarm out.

The first night he slept through the alarm 3 times. Each time I would hear it from my bedroom and go to his room and wake him up. The next night the alarm went off once and he slept through it. Night three when the alarm went off he stopped mid stream and made it to the bathroom for the rest. For about 2 weeks he was dry every other night and stopping mid stream when he heard the alarm on the other nights. After 3 weeks he remained dry every night. He would either wake up and go or be able to hold it all night. We had pretty fast results with it which I was quite pleased with. I believe the general guidelines Malem has set up is allow 12 weeks. We are now on week 9 or so and he has remained dry every night since the end of week 3.

If you have been wondering about purchasing a bedwetting alarm or wondering what to do for your child who is still wetting at night, I highly recommend this alarm. Prices vary depending on the models but you can expect to pay between $80-$130. I ended up getting mine at Amazon because I got the free shipping with it.

Now, if I could just get my two year old day potty trained. I wonder if I could use the alarm on that...?

Where does the Time Go?

2010-12-06T08:30:00.001-06:00

Where does the time go? One minute I have 8 hours to do something and the next I have 10 minutes. Can someone please find my year? There are only 3.5 more weeks left in the year and I don't know what I did with the rest of it. Sure, there are a couple of big events that I remember...2 week vacation to Utah, and Arizona in the summer and a 2 week trip most recently to Alaska and Arizona. I guess I can fill in the rest with school, cleaning, and watching TV.
I thought once I got 3 kids into school life would be less busy. Boy was I wrong. My kids aren't even involved in sports or music lessons yet (this will come next year). I have found that the time I thought I would have has been spent trying to catch up on all the things I'm behind on. Which in turn puts me behind on the things I should be doing. Plus, I feel the need to volunteer at my children's school once a week, which takes a couple of hours. I started a crochet group that meets at my house once a week and that takes a couple of hours as well. At least when the afghan we are working on gets finished we can go to meeting once a month instead of 4 times.

Having 3 kids in school also means having to remember the due dates of all their projects. Fortunately my Kindergartner doesn't have any but my pre k student comes home with a "family project" once a month. Don't get me wrong it is fun to do but when I get it on Friday and it is due Monday I have to re-arrange the weekend schedule to add one more thing. Na is in the gifted and talented program at school. I'm so happy my child is "gifted and talented" but this means more work on her end which translates to more due dates to remember and more work on my end. Currently we are trying to make a 3-d replica of The Forest Spiral building.

The guidelines for making it are as follows:

Bigger than a shoe box but still able to fit on a desk.
Make it from items you would find around your house = don't spend a lot of money.
Make it impressive.

I am more stressed about this project then she is. Just trying to determine what materials to make it out of stressed me out. Once the decision was made to make homemade clay I relaxed. However, we started piecing it together last night and this morning there are cracks galore as it is starting to dry. I'm sure once we get it all assemble we can hide the cracks with paint. This replica is going to be very heavy. I can tell I will be the one carrying it in. At least we came up with the idea of putting the clay around hollow items so it isn't as heavy as it could be. I just hope and pray the clay will be dry by this weekend so we ( I mean she) can start painting it.
At least now I can check Write on Blog off of my list of things to do.

Surviving Black Friday

2010-11-24T10:52:00.000-06:00

Black Friday has got to be the only day of the year I actually love to shop. I get a thrill from getting great deals and getting done with all my Christmas shopping in one day. What adds to my excitement is seeing how fast I can get in and out of a store. I typically try to go to just 3 stores, Lowes, Michaels, and Walmart. Lowes has the best deals for gifts for The Doctor. Michaels is of course for me. Then walmart I price match all the deals at the other stores plus take advantage of their deals. Here is how I survive Black Friday.

Thanksgiving day I lay out all the ads. I place the ones advertising items on my list in one pile and toss the others. Then I go through and see which store has the best prices on items. I will make a master list of the things I want, how much they are and at what store. When I go to Walmart I have all the ads with me and know which ad to price match for which item.

Once I know what I want I will coordinate with a buddy. Last year it was The Doctor and we had a blast. This year we will be with more family so there will be more of us which should make things easier. We divide up who is responsible for getting which items and then we meet back at the front to check out.

I usually arrive to Walmart an hour before their sales begin. I grab a cart and place all the items I am price matching in the cart and then I stash the cart down some aisle, usually cosmetics or even bedding. I carry with me a big bag that I can carry on my shoulder. Trying to push a cart through the crowds on black Friday is insane so I just put my items in the bag. I can weave in and out of people much faster. As I am making my way through the store I seek out the "hot ticket" items on my list that are sure to go fast. I then station myself by the most wanted item but in a way I can grab and go to the next place as fast as possible. Meanwhile my partner is at the other side of the store doing the same thing.

While we usually have the cheap movies on our list we don't stress if we don't get them because they can be a time warp if we try and maneuver around the hoards of people digging through them. Typically we have everything we want with in 15 minutes and are checked out in another 15 minutes giving us plenty of time to get to the next stores before they open. The last 2 years I have been in and out of all my stores and home in 2 hours. This gives me plenty of time to stash the goods before the kids wake up.

Black Friday holds the excitement for me that Christmas morning did for me as a child. I get such a rush and I enjoy picking out all the gifts at most excellent prices. This year I may even get in on the cyber Monday action.

Talented People

2010-11-09T13:28:00.000-06:00

I have found I am surrounded by talented people. Some I know some I do not. It is a little overwhelming to visit other blogs and see what these amazing women are doing. I am not uber crafty but I can craft. I enjoy doing them. I paper craft, knit, crochet, rubber stamp, mod podge...you name it I have probably tried it. Sewing is a talent I need to increase. One day I will get a new sewing machine...or fix the one I already have. Here are some blogs I have recently visited and they leave me feeling a little inadequate in my crafting/baking projects but they also leave me inspired wanting to do more. If only I had the budget and time to do them in.

Life Frosting
The Dainty Daisy
WhipperBerry
Prepared Not Scared

Still Here

2010-11-08T07:45:00.000-06:00

I'm still here. I have had a busy past couple of weeks and have not been able to blog as often as I like. I'm in the middle of a few projects too. I'm currently participating in this and have people coming over twice a week to work on it with me. I am also working like crazy making baby blankets and such for all the new babies my friends are having. So far I think this pink blanket has been my favorite.

I just started chaining until I felt the blanket was wide enough and then did a sc row followed by 4 dc rows then another sc row. I repeated the pattern until it was long enough. The flowers I got from this book. The hat pattern I got from McKinley's Closet. I think it is my absolute favorite hat to make. I attach the flower to a french hair clip so it can be removed and added to a head band, or other hats.

I also made this pumpkin hat for myself. I needed something to wear to my church's trunk or treat so I found the pattern I loved and bought it. Sorry for such a bad picture but you get the idea.

Hopefully I will get back on track with things but seeing as we are heading into the holiday season I think things are only going to get crazier.

Be Respectful

2010-11-03T07:50:00.001-05:00

I was looking through blogs in my google reader account and came across this post in a blog I follow and it got me thinking about bullies. There is so much hatred going on in the world today. I don't like it. I don't like how it makes me feel and I don't like how it makes others feel. When I think of all the bullying that goes on in school because a kid wears glasses, is too fat, is poor, is not athletic enough etc. it makes me sick. I hate when I get treated differently just because I'm a "Mormon". When people get to know me they see that I'm an nice, genuine, and honest person. Before you judge someone take the time to get to know their true colors.
While I may not agree with the homosexual lifestyle the men and women who live this way are still human beings. They have a right to be treated with respect just like anyone else.

Pillsbury Sweet Moments Giveaway Winner

2010-10-29T09:26:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Dave and Stephanie for winning the Pillsbury Sweet Moments Giveaway. Don't forget to head on over to Pillsbury and email your special someone a coupon to get $1.50 off their purchase of Pillsbury's new Sweet Moments. They are so delectable.

I went used Random.org to select the winner but I can't get the picture to upload for some reason. But The number chosen was #3.

I want to thank My Blog Spark and Pillsbury for providing me with a prize pack as well as the one Dave and Stephanie have won.

Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives

2010-10-26T07:51:00.001-05:00

You may have noticed various items in your grocery store are going pink. It is Breast Cancer awareness month and everywhere I look I see pink. I never really thought much about breast cancer. I know that since I am a woman I am at risk (yes I know men can get it too) but I know that some women are more at risk than others. I think my daughters are more at risk than I am because there are several people on my husbands maternal side that have suffered with breast cancer. It is because of this that I am trying to get more information and help out where I can. I can not give a large or even small donation at this time to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation but, I can change my shopping list a little here and there.

If you look in your yogurt section you can see that Yoplait yogurt has pink lids. Yoplait has agreed to donate $0.10 per lid that is turned in. They have guaranteed that they will donate at least $500,000 and up to $1.6 million the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This is Yoplait's 12th year doing this and over the past years they have contributed $25 million as a result of Save Lids to Save lives. While I may not have the money now to make a donation I can help out one lid at a time.

I know there are some of you out there who do not like to eat yogurt straight up. Well, there are many recipes that include yogurt as an ingredient. Check out Yoplait's website for some great ones. Last week I hosted a My Get Together for Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives. I invited several of my friends and everyone brought a different dish made from yogurt. I made the Key Lime Yogurt Pie which was lite and fresh. Another guest brought this very rich and oh so yummy Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake. We also had a pasta salad, muffins, and cookies all made using yogurt.

If you would like to participate in Yopait Save Lids to Save Lives here is what you can do. Purchase Yoplait products that have pink lids. I noticed the Yoplait frozen smoothie mixes have a "lid" you can cut out. Clean the lids and place them in an envelope addressed to:

Save Lids to Save Lives^©
P.O. Box 420704
El Paso, TX 88542-0704

These products are on the shelf for October only and all lids need to be mailed in by December 31, 2010.

Clean Your Room

2010-10-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

Do you find yourself, like me, constantly telling your kids "clean your room"? My children's rooms tend to always be in disarray. We spend a good portion of a Saturday morning cleaning their rooms and by Tuesday they are a complete disaster again. I have some kiddos who think that as soon as they get tucked in to bed and the door is closed it is play time. I walk in their room in the morning and it looks like the toy box threw up. KMae is in the wonderful phase of changing her clothes 5 times a day so there are piles of clothes. Or, maybe the dresser took a look at what the toy box was doing and had a gag reflex.

Why oh why can't my kids clean up their room? Oh, do you think it could be because their mamma's room reassembles the after math of a Texas Twister? I try to keep my room clean, I really do but in the process of cleaning up the rest of the house my bedroom becomes the dumping ground. There are boxes filled with things that need to be "put away" lining the perimeter of my bedroom. In the mad dash to get the downstairs looking de-cluttered and clean I pile things in boxes and haul them up to my room. The reason my room is so lucky is because it is generally "off limits" when people come over. I'll even lock the door so people don't "accidentally" wander into it.

Alas, my husband is attempting to clean up on his own and I'm down here writing about it. I suppose I should go and help out. After all, my parents are coming to visit next week and I don't want to her my mom say "go clean your room!"

Tired of Body Fluids

2010-10-19T11:21:00.000-05:00

This post may be gross to some but it is true. I am tired of body fluids. They are a part of a mother's life though. I'm trying to potty train KMae. For the most part she does pretty good but once everyone gets home for school I tend to forget that she is in panties and she gets so excited playing with her siblings that she forgets to make it to the bathroom. I now need to clean my carpets.

LuLu came home yesterday and I could tell by looking at her that she wasn't feeling well. With in an hour she threw up. Fortunately, she only did it the one time but that was enough thank you very much. My couch cushions got a thorough cleaning.

Bubs is a deep sleeper. This came in handy when he was a baby but now that he is getting older it is a problem. He sleeps so deep that he doesn't wake up to use the bathroom. I can't let him fall asleep for a nap on the couch because he will have an accident. Well, in an effort to get him out of the Good Night pull up I purchased a malem Enuresis alarm. It is a little box that vibrates and makes fairly loud alarm sound whenever it senses moisture. Night 1 he slept through the alarm 3 times which also meant I had to wake him up and get him changed and change the bedding 3 times in the night. I love waking up to a full load of laundry that needs to be done. Night 2 the alarm went off once and fortunately he did somewhat wake up. Night 3 he stayed dry but last night he slept through the alarm twice. It is an awful sound and I have no problem hearing it and waking up but he just sleeps through it and I have to stand him up to get him to wake up. When it went off last night I was so disoriented. I hopped out of bed and walked to one of my bedroom walls right next to my bed and searched for the button to turn off the noise. I guess I thought it was the house alarm or something. We don't even have a keypad in my room for the house alarm but I was desperately trying to find something to stop the noise. When I woke up enough to realize what I was doing and what was going on I stumbled to his room where he was still asleep. Oh I hope this gets better. It can take at least 6 weeks to see results. Once we have completed 6 weeks I'll write a review.

I have been battling allergies which is causing my eyes to water and noise to run. Seriously, I've had enough of the body fluids.

Pillsbury Sweet Moments: Review and Giveaway

2010-10-18T09:57:00.000-05:00

At the end of a long day, which with 4 young children is about everyday, I like to reward myself for making it to the end. When the mad dash to get the kids in bed is complete I find myself sitting on the couch in the quiet of my house with something sweet in hand. This sweet something is usually chocolate. There is something about chocolate that just melts the stress away. I will usually will bake a pan of brownies or about 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies. There is a problem with this though, I won't stop at just one brownie or cookie. Before I know it a 1/4 to a 1/3 of the brownie pan will be gone or I will have eaten 6 cookies. This does not help my figure in the least bit. I have become aware of a solution to this problem.

Last week Pillsbury, through My BlogSpark sent me a Sweet Moments prize pack. Included in this pack was a Sweet Moments t-shirt, set of 3 magnets, a cute neclace, and a coupon to receive a free pack of Pillsbury Sweet Moments.

I have seen the new blue packages in the refrigerated section before but I hadn't really checked them out. I'm glad I have now because they are the perfect solution to my over snacking on the sweets.

The Bite-Size Brownies are perfect to grab for on the go snacking. They have a layer of fudge or caramel filling on the inside and coated with chocolate on the outside. I decided to try the fudge filled ones. They are rich so 2 was all I really needed to kill my craving and they contain only 60 calories each. That is much better than a 1/3 pan of brownies. My husband and I agree that these are much better than baking an entire pan of brownies when all we really need is one or two of these bite-sized gems.

My husband and I enjoyed Sweet Moment Molten Lava Brownies together one evening. They come 2 to a box so you can have one now and one later or share one with a special someone. They are individually packaged. All you have to do is remove the plastic film from the top and warm it up in the microwave for 15 seconds. Molten Lava Brownies come in fudge and rich caramel. We had the caramel variety and it melted in my mouth.

These new Sweet Moments make it easy for you to enjoy your own sweet moment alone or with your special someone. If you would like to make someone elses life just a little sweeter you can send a special e-card that includes a coupon for $1.50 off one package of Pillsbury Sweet Moments Brownies by visiting Pillsbury.com or Pillsbury's Facebook Page. You will also receive another coupon for yourself.

Pillsbury, through My Blog Spark is also giving away a prize pack like the one I received to one of my lucky readers. All you need to do to be entered into a drawing is post 1 or 2 comments below and tell me who you are planning on sending a sweet moment e-card and coupon to and/or tell me who in your life deserves a "sweet Moment" and why. Make sure you also leave a way for me to contact you should you win. That's it!

Leave your comments by 10:00 PM MST October 28, 2010. I will then select a winner using random.org and the winner will be announced on Friday October 29, 2010.

Now go have yourself a Sweet Moment!

Special thanks to Pillsbury and My Blog Spark.

Mormon's are Christians

2010-10-18T08:52:00.000-05:00

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

The Third Article of Faith does 3 things. The first thing it does is point out that members of the LDS faith believe Jesus Christ is the Savior. One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon shows this.

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 2 Nephi 25:26

The second thing is it states that all mankind may be saved. The atonement is not for just a few people, it is for all mankind. It does however say may be saved meaning it is up to us to decide whether or not we want to accept the gift of the atonement.

It is also contingent upon the third thing this article of Faith points out. It is not enough that we just believe in Christ and the Atonement, we have to obedient to laws and ordinances of the Gospel. Here are some scriptures I feel support this.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matt 7:21

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26 (James 2:14-26 explains it deeper)

There are many who feel Mormons are not Christian. According to the Mirriam-Webster online dictionary a Christian is someone who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Dictionary.com has this to say:

–adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or derived from Jesus Christ or His teachings: a Christian faith.
2.
of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ: Spain is a Christian country.
3.
of or pertaining to Christians: many Christian deaths in the Crusades.
4.
exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike: She displayed true Christian charity.
5.
decent; respectable: They gave him a good Christian burial.
6.
human; not brutal; humane: Such behavior isn't Christian.
–noun
7.
a person who believes in Jesus Christ; adherent of Christianity.
8.
a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ: He died like a true Christian.

I believe in Jesus Christ. He is my Savior and it is through him that I can return to live with him and Heavenly Father again. I try everyday to live my life in accordance to his will. I am grateful for the gifts and blessings he gives me.

Past posts that may be of interest.
What I Believe
The Godhead
Innocent at Birth

Juggling

2010-10-14T07:43:00.000-05:00

All I need to do is look around my house and I can see that I have too many balls in the air and I'm having a hard time keeping them all going. I have a Scentsy order still sitting in a box needing to be taken into my inventory. I have an empty Pampered Chef box waiting to be taken to the recycle bin. I also have several Pampered Chef orders that need to be delivered. I have stacks and stacks of papers I need to go through. These stacks contain everything from junk to bills and school papers. I have a bunch of Scentsy business supplies looking for a final resting place. I have two baskets of laundry needing to be folded and put away (the clothes have been in the baskets for 3 days now). My kitchen contains a sink full of pots and pans. I think you get the picture. I'm just doing a little bit here and there to stay a float. Please tell me I'm not the only one who occasionally (for me more often then I'll admit to) has everything piling up around them. Today is the day. I've got to get control of some things. So, my post on the 3rd Article of Faith is going to have to wait so that I can put the thought it deserves into it.

And just a heads up. I'm going to be doing a review and giveaway on Monday of something yummy so stayed tuned.

Innocent at Birth

2010-10-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

Simply put the second Article of Faith means we are responsible for our own selves. I am not held responsible for Adam's transgression and neither are you. We are not born as sinners. You cannot sin if you do not know or understand what sin is and babies deffinately do not understand or know what sin is. Here are a few other scriptures which state we are not responsible for the sins of others.

Deut. 24:16, "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin."

Ezek. 18: 20, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

Fall/Winter Child Car Seat Safety

2010-10-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine posted this video on her facebook page. I thought it was worth sharing because I know I have buckled my kids up with their winter coats on. So, take your child's coat off before you buckle them up to make sure they are snug as a bug in a rug.

The Godhead

2010-10-12T08:32:00.000-05:00

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

As stated in the 1st Article of Faith, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do believe in God. We also believe in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost. What sets us apart from most of the "main stream" religions is we believe they are three different entities. They are not one person in 3 different forms. There is God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

To me this makes sense and here is why. In the New Testament, Jesus makes reference to his father multiple times. There are times when God the father speaks to introduce his son. The first one that comes to mind is when Jesus was baptized. The other neat thing about Christ's baptism is the Holy Ghost was present too.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:16-17

And again later when Jesus went up the mountain with Peter, James, and John: Matthew 17:5 "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him ." There are many times recorded in the scriptures where Christ talks to his father or about his father. If Christ and God are the same person then why does Christ pray to his father?

Modern revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22) has taught us that God and Jesus Christ have a body of flesh and bone just like us and that the Holy Ghost is a spirit. In Genesis chapter 1 it says in verse 26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". Well, I don't know about you but I have a body of flesh and bones and if I'm made after the same image of God then he must have a body of flesh and bones too.

Many people believe that we worship Joseph Smith and not God or Christ. Let me correct this notion. Joseph Smith was the first Prophet in the latter-days. We honor and respect him but we do not pray to him or worship him. We worship God and Christ. We pray to God in the name of Christ.

As always, feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts or questions on the matter.

What I Believe

2010-10-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

My neighbor was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last month. This is my church. It is the church I have gone to since birth. This is the first time I have experienced one of my friends who wasn't already a member get baptized. What a glorious day it was for both her and me. It was not an easy decision for her. She did not take the decision lightly. My neighbor was born and raised in China. There they are taught from birth that there is no God or Christ. When she moved to the states as an adult it took her 5 years of living here to become a Christian. Afer her son was born she realized she needed more.

Over several months the sister missionaries, The Doctor, and I worked to teach my neighbor the Gospel. I could see how certain Gospel principles rang true with in her. I could see how her spirit was lifted as she learned the Plan of Happiness. What really impressed her was the Church's views on family.

After studying and praying she knew the Church was true and she wanted to be baptized. She invited many of her co-workers to her baptism. Most of them declined because they thought she was crazy. They even told her they couldn't step foot into a Mormon building. I think they thought they would be cursed for doing so. The thought occured to me that there fear came from a lack of knowledge. A lack of knowing the truth of what we believe because many other religions preach falsities about what we believe. So it is with this in mind that I have decided to do a post about what I believe, what members of my Church believe. There are 13 basic principles, or Articles of Faith that we believe.

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Those are the basic principles of my faith. Over the next several weeks I will post on each individual Article of Faith and give further details about each one. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. Asking questions is how we gain knowledge. I will try and answer to the best of my ability or refer you to someone who could better answer your question.

Welcome Fall

2010-10-11T08:35:00.000-05:00

I think fall officially started a couple of weeks ago but it is showing it's face in my part of the country now. We have finally had temperatures below 90 degrees and the evenings are actually cooling off to the 60's. I looked out my window today to see some leaves are beginning to fall off of my Peach tree. I can hear leaves rustling down the street with the gentle breeze. At last it feels right to change my scent in my scentsy warmer to a fall scent like Autumn Sunset or Pumpkin Roll. I love fall. I'm so glad it has come and brought me a little chill in the air (at least in the mornings).

A New Woman

2010-10-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed I haven't posted for the last few weeks. It is partly because I have been busy but mostly because I haven't been motivated. If I didn't know I wasn't pregnant I would think I was. The last couple of weeks I have felt so tired and unmotivated. This is usually one of my first signs that I'm pregnant. I was starting to think maybe I was battling depression but I wanted to do things I just didn't have the energy to complete them. I would start something and then get weak so I would stop. It finally dawned on me that my Iron is probably low. I am anemic and am supposed to be taking iron pills. The pills I have in the medicine cabinet expired in 2008 so they aren't as potent and I just gave up taking them.

Yesterday I decided I couldn't take it anymore so I went to my local drugstore and purchased a brand new bottle of Iron and a box of EmergenC. When I got home I mixed up my EmergenC (vitamin C helps the body absorb iron better) and took an Iron pill with it. I did the same thing after dinner. This morning I woke up and didn't need to hit the snooze button 5 times. I feel like a brand new woman. So, with my new found energy I must get off the computer now and finish the tasks I've started and didn't finish.

Disapointed

2010-10-07T12:46:00.000-05:00

I hate when I have my hopes high or really look forward to something only to be disappointed. Last television viewing season I fell in love with Glee. I love music and dancing so when I saw there was a TV show that combined both I was happy. There were a few episodes that had some questionable material but all in all when the episode was finished I can say I laughed and my spirits were higher. I was so looking forward to a new season.

picture Source

Well, the new season has come and the happy feelings are gone. The last 2 episodes have left me embarrassed, ashamed, and I felt like I needed to wash my eyes and ears of the things I bore witness too. I can no longer tell my friends and family how much I love this show. I'm disappointed in myself for not turning the shows off. I'm also disappointed in the writers and producers who feel it is okay to lure me in with goodness just to dash it away with trash.

I am no longer a Gleek. I have canceled my DVR programming to record it. I have better things to do during that time then to let my mind be filled with idol worship and sexual innuendos.

Letter to the Football Players

2010-09-21T19:27:00.000-05:00

Dear Brigham Young University football players and the San Fransisco 49Ers,

     I understand the season is just beginning but I have a huge favor to ask. Could you please make it a winning season because I'm not so sure my marriage will survive a season of games like the last ones you just played.
     I don't know if you realize this or not but your success and failures have a dramatic affect on my husbands personality. When you win all is right in the world. My husband is in his own little happy place and I get to go shopping. When you lose I get to hear my husband go over every single play as if he were the coach. He mopes and mourns his loss for days.
     After this last weekend my children and I are really missing their happy go lucky daddy. So, please pull out a win here soon because it would be nice to see some sunshine following my husband again and I could really use a new pair of shoes.

Sincerely,
wife of a devoted fan.

House Rules

2010-09-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

Everyone has rules with in their own home. Some make sense like, no bouncing/throwing balls in the house. There was one rule in my house that I really didn't like. "No shoes on the carpet". Seems simple enough and for those of you who are OCD or neat freaks (which is not necessarily a bad thing) this probably isn't a big deal for you. I hated always having to think about taking my shoes off to just run upstairs and get something really quick. If we didn't want to take off our shoes my dad had a little basket of booties we could put on over our shoes. It was so embarrassing to have a party and have everyone with their little blue booties on.

picture source

The other rule tied to this one was no barefeet were allowed on the carpet either. We always had to have socks on. It wasn't until recently I realized the reason for the rule and, when we move, or the next time I get my carpets clean, I'm going to implement this rule in my house.

Think of where you walk in your shoes (public restrooms, grass where animals have been, etc) and then think of all the stuff that gets stuck to your shoes then transfers to your carpet. My carpets look so dingy right now and it is because we just walk all over the carpet in our shoes throughout the day. The reason we had to wear socks was so our body oils didn't get on the carpet. If the oils are on the carpet then dirt has something to stick too.

When I look at how dirty the water is when I clean my carpets it is incentive to remove shoes before walking on carpet. Plus, it means I can go longer between cleanings too. So, the next time you come to my house and I hand you some booties to put over your shoes you can thank my Dad for the idea.

What rules house rules did you think were stupid only to determine later on that they weren't so bad afterall and have implemented them in your own home?

My Dream House

2010-09-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

(picture this house minus the alpacas. source)

The Doctor finishes his medical residency next year so we are in the process of finding a job which means a new place to live. I have wasted many hours looking at houses online in places we may or may not move to. Not to mention the houses I'm looking at today most likely will not be available next summer. We would love to just get back to the mountain west but. I've looked in Arizona, Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Texas. It is amazing how different the housing is across the country. In one place a house within our budget gets us a 3-4 bedroom house approx 2500 sq ft and in another location for the same price we could get a 3500 sq ft house on 5 acres with a pool. All of this looking has really got me thinking about what my dream house would look like.

I want a white farm house on at least one acre. The house will have charcoal shutters and a red front door. I dream of having a covered porch that wraps around from the front to the back of the house. Several rocking chairs and perhaps a swing will grace my front porch perfect for relaxing on summer evenings.

When you walk through the front door a music room/living room will be on the left and perhaps a formal dining room on the right. Straight ahead will be stairs taking me to the second floor. To the right of the stairs is the path strait to the kitchen. A big kitchen with granite countertops, dual ovens, and a sink that overlooks the back yard. There will be plenty of counterspace for entertaining. To the left of the kitchen (connecting to the music room/living room) is the family room. Off the kitchen to the right will be the mud/laundry room.
From the front foyer there is a hall that leads to the right past the formal dining room. Down this hall will be The Doctor's office/library. In addition to a desk it will have floor to ceiling bookshelves which will be filled with our favorite books. There will be 2 big fluffy reading chairs by a window. Further down the hall will be my office/craft room. Built in shelves and drawers will house all my rubber stamps, inks, papers, yarn, and fabric.

The upstairs of the house will have 4 bedrooms and 2 or 3 bathrooms. The master bedroom will be more of a master suite. There will be room for a bed as well as a nice sitting area. The master bathroom will have a big jacuzzi tub and a dual head shower.

The basement of the house will have a game room complete with a pool/ping pong table. A home theatre would be nice too. I will also have a great big room for storage. Half of the room will be for food storage and the other half will be for what ever else I have to store.

This house is just a dream for now but hopefully one day it will be a reality.

Labor of Love

2010-09-07T11:36:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Labor Day. It is supposed to be a day to rest from your labors but many people, like us, take the day to do projects around the house. The Doctor took the time yesterday to perform a labor of love for me. He cleaned out the inside of my van. I can't believe I'm actually showing this picture. I'm quite embarrassed. I decided it would do 2 things by me sharing. 1. Those of you who have a vehicle that resembles this know you are not alone. 2. those of you who manage to maintain a clean van can feel grateful yours does not look like this.....(GASP!!) This is the trash from our summer excursions. For some reason my children feel the need to throw everything on the floor instead of bringing everything out of the car. I'm usually in too big of a hurry and forget to remind them to bring it out. The Doctor started the cleaning around 8:30 AM and finished around 3:30 PM. That didn't even include washing the outside of the vehicle. When The Doctor does a project he makes sure it is done correct the first time. So, he hauled out all the trash, vacuumed the carpets, scraped all the gunk out from where the bench seats hook in, removed melted crayon, and shampooed the carpets. Cleaning the carpets is what took the most time. He had to do it about 4 times before the water resembled a clear brown over a murky muddy brown. Once it was transparent (still brown though) he determined it was good enough and he was never going to get the water crystal clear.

I'm happy to say my vehicle is now clean and we will no longer be eating in the car....at least for today and maybe tomorrow.

Warehouse Stores Make me Happy

2010-09-02T09:46:00.003-05:00

Warehouse Stores are great for getting good deals. I do quite a bit of my food shopping at Costco. I learned, again, yesterday that warehouse stores are good at getting you deals on more than just food.

The Doctor and I have been needing an upgrade on our cell phones so the other day we went into our provider store to look. The phone The Doctor wanted was $199 and the phone I wanted was $69.99. We decided to walk away and really think about the purchase before we did it because we just don't have that kind of money right now.

We went to Costco to get a few items and passed the cell phone kiosk they have. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the phone I wanted for just $9.99. The Doctor's phone was for $149. Of course we had to sign another 2 year contract to get them at those prices but, we have no plans on changing providers since we have been with this one for 10 years. Anyway, the phones also came with a car adapter, hands free piece, and a carrying case, all of which we would have had to purchase separately at the dealer store.

We discussed it for a little bit and decided to move ahead and upgrade our phones. So, now I'm happy because I have a QWERTY phone which means I can write a simple text in seconds instead of minutes.

Chicken Monterey

2010-09-01T09:02:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from a lady I went to church with as a kid. I made it for my husband when we were first married and it was a hit. Super easy to make and it tastes great.

Chicken Monterey
6 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
2 cans cream of chicken soup
12 slices Monterey Jack cheese
2-3 C. Stove Top stuffing
1/2 C. butter, melted

Place chicken in lightly oiled baking dish. I cut my chicken into bite size pieces so I don't have to cut it up later for my kids. Plus, by cutting it up I use less meat.
Top each breast with a slice of cheese.

Pour soup over chicken and cheese sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle melted butter over stuffing.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Just 10 Minutes

2010-08-31T12:29:00.002-05:00

I don't like cleaning all day. I'm sure I could do it if I really wanted to but I don't. Sometimes I'm so busy making sure my downstairs is clean that my upstairs gets completely neglected and looks like a tornado has been through it. It is to the point of driving me crazy but I don't know where to begin so I have come up with a plan. I'm going to set the time for 10 minutes and work on one room for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off I will move onto the next room and so on until I have worked in each room. If I feel like cleaning more I will continue. If not, I will do it again the next day. Eventually my upstairs will be clean and it will be easier to maintain with just 10 minutes a day per room.

Problem Solved

2010-08-24T11:35:00.004-05:00

We are out growing our house but have to stay in it for at least 10 more months. Na gets to share a room with her 2 little sisters. The girls bedroom is pretty large. So there is plenty of room for their beds plus, a dresser, book shelves, toys, and a place to play with all the toys. There is one problem with all of these girls with different personalities and at different stages in life sharing a room. At least a problem for Na. She is at a point where she has her "special" things and her little sisters get into them and destroy them. She doesn't have a place of her own.

This last weekend we gave her a safe place for her things. The bedroom closet is hers. We switched doorknobs with one that has a lock and key. She now has the ability to lock her closet and keep her stuff safe. I have a key too just in case she loses hers or so I can get in there if needs be. This will work until we move next year to a bigger house where she will finally be granted her own room.

First Day of School

2010-08-23T14:11:00.006-05:00

(Lulu, Na, and Bubs standing outside their school. Na didn't want me to walk her to her class and I told her too bad. It is my right as her mother to walk her to her class on her first day of school and I plan on doing it until she enters middle school)

The day has finally come to send my kids back to school. I love this time of year. Could be my love for school supplies and organization stuff that goes on sale this time of year but I think it is more because my days get a little less crazy. I love my children and I love being with them. What I don't love is the constant mess that follows them where ever they go. I call them my Texas tornadoes. I have yet to master getting them to clean up after themselves. So, when they are in school my house will look the same all day long. What little mess they make after school they get cleaned up before bed.

Today I've been reading the FB statuses of many of my friends. I think all but one have been along the lines of the separation anxiety the parents are feeling having their kids gone from them all day. I admit, I went through this when my oldest started Kindergarten. I watched the clock all day long the first week. After the first weekend I was fine and ready for her to go back to school. Am I a bad mom because I didn't watch the clock all day? Am I a bad mom because I want my children to be at school? These thoughts have been entering my mind today and just as the guilt starts to creep in I remind myself that my kids are smart and I have raised them to be successful independent children. My children are capable of many things because I have allowed them to be. I know my kids can make it through a school day with out me. I also know that they are surrounded by many loving and caring adults who who want what is best for them just like I do. However, when they get off the bus in a little bit, I'll be waiting with open arms and some cookies to hear all about their first day of school.

Brain Fried

2010-08-19T15:35:00.002-05:00

It could be the heat or my 4 children draining my energy but I'm just brain fried. I have so many things I want to blog about but I can't summon myself together to put much thought into it right now. Hopefully when school starts on Monday and I have only one child at home I will be able to put more into words but for now, be patient and know that I haven't forgotten my blog or it's readers. I just need a temporary break to get my brain back to normal function again.

Cleaning Your Microwave

2010-08-17T10:22:00.000-05:00

I used to never cover my food in the microwave and it left quite a mess. I hated cleaning it so I decided it was time to start covering the food when I used the microwave. Even when I cover it though some food manages to escape and leave it's mark. I used to use some kitchen cleaner to wipe out the microwave but hated the smell and residue it left behind. Well, today I tried a new method that my friend told me about. I actually think it is pretty common and I'm sure you have heard of it but if not then I guess I'm doing my job in sharing it. So, here is how to clean your microwave with out chemicals.

Place a microwave safe bowl filled with water in the microwave and microwave it for at least 5 minutes.
Let the bowl sit in for about 2 minutes after the timer beeps to allow the steam to collect on the walls.
Take a washcloth and wipe the walls clean. The steam loosens the food so it just wipes away.
I think (I haven't tried it yet) you can use a touch of vinegar too to help eliminate extra grease and deodorize.

Copy Cat Burrito

2010-08-09T10:02:00.003-05:00

The other day I was craving a new flavor. One I could only go out to eat to get. Then I remembered a recipe I saw last week from Crystals Cozy Kitchen for Mexican Style Burritos.
Here recipe called for Beef Carnita but I didn't have any beef on hand. I wanted to use chicken. This led me to think some Cafe Rio chicken sure would be nice and then I remembered there were all sorts of knock off recipes for it online. So, I went to Kalyn's Kitchen and found the recipe for the Cafe Rio Chicken as well as the Cafe Rio Rice. She also has the recipe for the cilantro dressing but I didn't have all the ingredients to make that.

I was a little worried that the rice was going to be super spicy since it called for a can of chopped green chilis but it was perfect. My kids gobbled it up and I heard lots of "mmmm" and "yummmm". This dinner got me several high fives.

To make my copy cat burrito I used the Beans from Crystals Cozy Kitchen, the chicken and rice from Kaylyn's Kitchen, and some frozen corn. Since I didn't have dressing my husband put salsa on his. I like sweet more than hot so I decided to add a touch of Ken's Steakhouse Sweet Vidalia onion dressing to mine.

One of these days I should really learn to take great pictures that make the food look more appetizing.

Cool Idea

2010-08-04T10:11:00.003-05:00

The other day my kids wanted popsicles and *gasp* I didn't have any. So, we cut a slit in the top of the yogurt lid and stuck a popsicle stick inside. Two hours later they had yogurt pops. I'm sure someone else has done this before. The best part for me, my kids thought I was so smart....at least for that day.

When I Asked You....

2010-08-03T14:37:00.004-05:00

to take out the trash I didn't mean smash it further down into the can so more trash can fit on top. This makes the bag tear from the weight of the trash when I pull it out to do to what I originally asked you to do.

When I asked you to fold the towels and put them away I didn't mean shove as many of you can into the drawer so it no longer opens.

When I asked you to pick up your toys I didn't mean pick them up and move them over by a foot or two.

When I asked you to put your shoes on 10 minutes before we were leaving the house I didn't mean watch 10 more minutes of TV and then run around crying to find your shoes while I'm heading out the door.

When I asked you to clean up the paper crafts you pulled out that doesn't mean stack them in a pile and place it by the computer.

It seems I need a translator in my house.

The Doctor's Wife

2010-08-02T09:17:00.002-05:00

I don't remember dreaming I would marry a doctor when I was little. It was not on my checklist for my future husband. I did have an assignment in a class in college where I had to write about my life 20 years in the future. I wrote that my husband would be a cardiologist. I think I chose that field because I knew they made a bunch of money. I didn't really believe I would marry a doctor.

Well, about 10 months later I got married. I didn't marry a doctor. I married a man who was pre med. We finished undergrad at BYU together. Then we went to medical school. By "we" I mean he went to school and I supported him but anyone who is married to a med student knows that both of you are in it together.

Now we are in our last year of residency and I am married to a doctor. I'm still trying to get used to it. It has its advantages and disadvantages.
When I get sick and can't get in to see my regular doctor I just tell my husband. He gets an attending to write an antibiotic for me. The disadvantage is he's seen so much worse than a sore throat so I get no sympathy.

Another advantage/disadvantage I came across this past weekend. Some family members(my side, not his) will no longer consider you family, you will be known as "his wife". This can be an advantage if you don't care to be related to this part of your family. But it is a disadvantage when you do care to be related to this side and they choose the "Doctor". I will give an example to help this all make sense.

(side note before I tell the story. If by chance individuals involved read this, please know I'm not offended in any way. I find it humorous)

This past weekend my Aunt and Uncle celebrated their 5oth wedding anniversary. A momentous occasion. We went to their celebration. Upon walking in we find my Aunt visiting with some friends so we go and congratulate her. She didn't introduce me to the people she was with but instead introduced her nephew as "the Doctor" in the family. Shortly thereafter "The Doctor" left the circle to visit with some cousins and at that point I was introduced as "the Wife" of "The Doctor" and also as C's (my mother) youngest daughter. About 30 minutes later we were standing near my Aunt again conversing with her daughter when she interrupted to introduce her sister, whom I have never met, to "the Doctor". I was standing right next to him and wasn't introduced until 5-10 minutes later when she had stopped talking about "The Doctor". Now, any one of these instances alone does not mean anything but, when I put these 2 together with something I experienced earlier in the week I see a trend. I was at Walmart earlier in the week and ran into an older couple from my church. They stated "so you are married to R and A's nephew." I corrected them saying that I was their niece and he was married to me. So, somewhere along the line I became known as the wife of the Doctor and not their niece. Trust me, this may have some perks to it down the road.

I'm sure when we finish residency I will be known as "the Wife" in many other circles. I'm okay with that because in my home I'm known as Mom and that is more important than any other title I could hold.

Lesson's Learned from a Sunburn

2010-07-29T07:00:00.003-05:00

The prompt I chose for today's writing assignment is
1.) It was a bad burn. Tell about the worst sunburn you ever received. How did that happen!?!

When I read this 3 sunburns I have had immediately came to mind. I'm sure I've had more but a specific 3 sunburns stand out in my mind. The most recent one stands out because it was, well, recent. I forgot to put sunblock on while I spent the day at a water park. I also remember when I was 7 years old and we were in Hawaii. I must not have put the sunscreen on well because my day spent on the boogie board was evident on my back side. I remember it was hard sit for a while. This made me think of another sunburn I got which made it hard to sit. And this is the sunburn I'm choosing to write about today.

I will begin by saying I was a pretty good teenager. I'd like to think that I was a teenager most parents dream of having. I wasn't one who "hated" my parents. Sure there were moments I hated their rules but now that I'm a mom I'm very grateful. I'm pretty sure I would not be labeled a rebellious teen. However, I did have one or two moments of rebellion. One such moment left me with a pretty good sunburn.

Quick note to My mom and Dad who as they are reading this are discovering I did have a few secrets in my teenage years. Be grateful I didn't rebel in more ways and breath a sigh of relief that, in my opinion, I turned out great.

The details leading up the sunburn slip my mind as I can only remember the actual sunburn. So here is what I speculate the situation was. My parents were out of town...maybe it was the time they went to New Zealand and Australia with out me...and I was staying at my best friends house. It was take your child to work day and since my mom was a stay at home mom we decided to go to her place of work for the day. We put on our bathing suits and decided to work on our tan. Baby oil seemed like a great way to darken the skin. Instead of darkening my fair white skin it fried it in the sun. I was red and it hurt bad. Anything that touched it made my skin tingle with pain.

The day after was worse. I had to put clothes on to go to school but clothes just rubbed the skin and made it hurt even worse. I was a very modestly dressed teenager. I always wore shirts with sleeves and my skirts and shorts were never more than 2 inches above the knee. I don't even think I owned a tank top. My friend wasn't as conservative as me and she had this adorable sun dress hanging in her closet that I thought would be perfect to wear with my sunburn. It was sleeveless so my poor burnt shoulders would be able to breath. The dress was also a bit shorter then what I was used to wearing. It hung loosely all over so I didn't have to worry about the clothes bringing me any more pain. I borrowed the dress and off to school I went.

What I didn't plan on was how high the dress would rise when I sat down in the plastic school chairs. Did I mention the back of my thighs were burnt? When I would sit down in a chair the skirt would raise leaving the back of my thighs bare and touching the plastic chair. I discovered real quick that my skin would stick to the chair and every time I moved or got up it felt like my skin was tearing off. I went through my day sticking to chairs and grimacing in pain. Oh, and a back pack on bare burnt shoulders....that was pleasant too.

I learned a lot of lessons from this experience. 1. as with cooking, oil heats up real fast and can lead to a burn. 2. Had I worn a longer flowing skirt my legs could have been free of tight clothing and they would not have stuck to the chair. 3. Had I worn sleeves my back pack wouldn't have rubbed the skin on my shoulders. There is always a place for modesty even when sunburned.

Rainy Day Park Play

2010-07-28T12:42:00.007-05:00

Today I met up with some girlfriends at our local playground. It was hot and humid when we arrived. The kids emptied one and a half boxes of Capri Suns and were starting in on the water bottles with in the first 30 minutes. Then the clouds rolled in and blocked the sun and a refreshing breeze helped to cool things down. Before we knew it, it was sprinkling. We decided it was just a light rain and would pass soon so the kids continued to play. Gradually the rain became harder and the other mothers and kids at the park were running to their cars. My girlfriends and I just sat there under the pavilion enjoying the cooler weather and our kids laughed and played in the rain. There was no thunder or lightning so we saw no need to leave.

The park transformed into a water park in a matter of minutes. Puddles formed at the bottom of the slides and Bubs enjoyed seeing how high the water splashed when he hit it. The climbing structures became a ship that was caught in a storm. The shredded tires below them was the dark sea and it held all sorts of deadly creatures they had to get by. It was fun just sitting and listening to them play in the rain.

At one point the rain stopped and we continued talking and enjoying our time. Out of the blue came a deep rumble and the dark clouds rolled in and dumped rain. It came down in sheets. Since the thunder had arrived it was time to load up and head out. As I was standing in the rain unlocking the van doors I was wishing I had the automatic sliding doors or at the very least doors with power locks. By the time we got in the car I was almost just as wet as the kids. It was a great day at the park.

Moral of the story: Don't let a little rain keep you from having a good time at the park. If there is no thunder and lightning enjoy your time.

One Dress Now and 26 Years Ago

2010-07-27T09:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I took LuLu to get her pictures taken. She picked which dress she wanted to wear and it happend to be the dress I wore for my Kindergarten pictures. Looking at my picture I'd say my daughter looks older at age 4 then I looked at age 6.

It was fun sharing this moment with my daughter. I'm grateful my mom saved a few of my childhood outfits that I didn't manage to destroy being a kid.

Happy Pioneer Day

2010-07-24T07:49:00.003-05:00

On July 24, 1847 the first group of Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley free of religious persecution. July 24 has since been known as Pioneer day in Utah and the Latter Day Saint culture. This Holiday is only second to the 4th of July in terms of celebrations in Utah. Throughout the LDS church today, stakes, wards, and branches (different congregations) are all doing activities today to celebrate the pioneers. Our Stake is having a Latin Pioneer activity. We are learning about the Saints that have come from Latin America to our city and how it has blessed the area here.

Pioneers are not just people who pushed handcarts across the Country. Pioneers are anyone who were the first to do something. They paved the way for us to do things. So, if you are not LDS I encourage you to take the time today to celebrate the pioneers in your life.

The video above was created by a childhood friend Emily Pond Ricks. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Bye, Bye Binkie

2010-07-22T17:47:00.003-05:00

There comes a time when a child just looks ridiculous sucking on a pacifier. For me, it hits right around the age of 2 1/2 years. When I see a child older than that walking around in public sucking on a pacifier it tells me the child is in charge. Now, this is strictly my opinion. My children all had pacifiers. I start to wean my children at 12 months. At this age they don't get to have their pacifier in public (except for church because the Binky does wonders at keeping a kid quiet). Once they hit 18 months of age I don't allow my kids to leave their bed with a Binky. They get to have it at nap time and bed time. It is a great way to help my children soothe themselves to sleep. Eventually though, they have to learn to fall asleep with out the aide of a Binky.

This time has arrived for KMae. She shares a bedroom with her 2 older sisters and they will be starting school in about 6 weeks. I figure if she is going to be crying herself to sleep it would be better to do it during the summer. At the beginning of last week she had 3 Binky's. One fell in a clogged toilet and rather than try and sterilize it I tossed it. One was left outside at a friends house and is now growing some black stuff inside of it. It got tossed. This morning she walked up to me and handed me her Binky and walked away. I took the time to snip the tip of it. I have found this to be the easiest way to wean a child from a Binky. It is easy to tell the child it is broken. She can see that and accept it. Here are some of the other methods I have tried.

For Na: One day when Bubs was a couple of weeks old I desperately needed a nap. I put Na (almost 3 years old) in her bed with her Binky and went to lay down with Bubs. Na decided this day she did not need a nap. I tried talking her into it but she wouldn't budge. Finally out of desperation I gave her a choice. I said "you can either go get in bed with your Binky and take a nap or you can go throw it in the garbage and stay up". I thought for sure she would go take a nap rather than throwing away her Binky but she didn't. She proudly threw it away and she got to stay up. At bedtime she asked for her Binky and I reminded her she threw it away and she accepted that and was fine.

For Bubs: One day I just got tired of seeing Bubs (maybe 2 yrs old) with a Binky so I took him to Build-a-Bear and he shoved all of his Binky's into a dog we named Binky. Once we got back to the car he was crying for his Binky and trying to rip open the dog. At bedtime when he asked for it I gave him the dog and he through it across the room. He cried for several nights for his Binky. It wasn't until a year ago that he started liking the dog. This was not the best idea because he knew his Binky's were there he just couldn't get to them.

For LuLu: Before KMae was born I knew LuLu needed to be weaned of the Binky or she would be trying to steal it from the baby. So, I read about the tip cutting and gave it a try. She understood broken and accepted it. I'm hoping it works the same for KMae.

What are ways you have used to wean your child from a Binky? I'll keep you posted on how successful it is for KMae.

Heaven on Earth

2010-07-22T09:59:00.003-05:00

“How far to heaven? Just open your eyes and look. You are in heaven” -Shankar

Our trip this last June to Utah reminded me that I'm in Heaven when I'm surrounded by my family. We had a wonderful time at the family cabin just the 6 of us. I love seeing the world through the eyes of my children. They are each a little piece of Heaven on Earth for me.

Homemade Play Dough

2010-07-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

What do you do if it's raining outside and your kids need something to keep their hands busy? Have them play with play dough. You don't have any on hand? Not a problem. Make this homemade play dough in as little as 10 minutes. My children love to play with play dough. They will sit for hours creating snakes and cookies. It's fun for them too because I let them help add the ingredients.

Play Dough
1 C. flour

1 C. water
1/2 C. salt

1 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. cream of tartar

Mix together in 2 quart pan. Add food color if desired.
Stir constantly over medium heat until the entire contents form a ball around the fork or whatever you stir with.

Take off stove; pour out to floured surface. Carefully knead to smooth texture. Kids love to watch and play with it warm.

Keep it in airtight container and it will last longer than the store bought kind.

I have my children play with the dough on plastic place mats for easy clean up. I don't have the mess on the table and all I need to do is wipe down the place mat.

Air Conditioning Maintainance

2010-07-14T10:27:00.004-05:00

Summer is in full swing and the last thing you want is a broken air conditioner. Here are a few things I have learned over the years to keep your A/C working so there is no need to call the repair man. I should say that I do not know how an A/C unit works or all the technical terms.

The filter is a big key in how your A/C functions. You should replace your filter according your your A/C instructions. If you have no idea then the best thing to do is replace it once a month or every other month at the most. When the filter is full air cannot pass through. This makes it so air can not circulate with in the unit. This can cause many issues one of which is the unit not working efficiently leading to higher bills. This also can cause the unit to freeze up. Which is what I'm willing to bet is the main reason most A/C repair men get called.

The big freeze (as I like to call it) happens when your unit is running constantly to keep up. My idea on how this happens is this. If you have a dirty filter and the air can't circulate then condensation builds up and then begins to freeze. And you can't push air through ice. So, the first thing to do when your unit is not blowing cold air is to turn it off for a couple of hours. While it is turned off find your filter and replace/clean it. You might have to leave it off for some time to get the ice to melt all the way. After several hours (2-4) turn your unit back on and see if you have cooler air. You also might want to check for water from the ice melting and clean it up. It can cause quite a bit of water damage if you don't catch it. If it still doesn't work at this point then call the repair man.

The big freeze happened just a few weeks ago to us when we got back from our vacation. The unit was on constantly trying to cool the house from 88 (vacation setting) down to 75. It happened last week to my dear friend. She already had the appointment set with the repairman and was calling me to complain about how hot it was. I suggested she turn it off for a few hours. Sure enough, it worked and she cancelled her repairman and saved some money.

Clear the Air

2010-07-09T14:03:00.002-05:00

Utah is starting a clear the air campaign. They could really use it since the mountains that surround the valleys there tend to trap the smog. I'm proud to say that my big brother is part of the campaign, the ad campaign that is.

Biking, skate boarding, walking, taking the bus, and carpooling are all great ways to help clear the air. What are some other ways you can think of?

My Bucket List

2010-07-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

I didn't think this would be hard but it was tricky after #50. I have lots of traveling to do.

~~Get Married in the Temple~~
~~Become a mom~~
travel to England
visit all 50 US states
swim with dolphins
visit a country south of Mexico
Scuba dive
visit the Great Barrier reef
Travel to New Zealand
Serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Go on a cruise
~~Get a college degree~~
go to massage therapy school
go to cosmetology school
Go to culinary arts school
Go to China
attend the Olympic games (summer or winter)
Take a cake decorating class
knit socks
Go para sailing
Be on the Amazing Race with my husband
Take my children to Disney World
Drive from coast to coast in an RV
See the worlds largest ball of yarn.
Visit New York City at Christmas
Go on an African Safari
Have an apt 1 reunion
own a house on some land.
Visit Paris
write my life story
Visit Jerusalem
Visit Spain
Go on a week long vacation with hubby with out the kids
Take ballroom dance classes
Learn to clog or tap
Learn to water ski
Get my kicks on route 66
Visit Graceland
visit the Grand Ole Opry
~~Try Escargot~~
Visit Rome
go Back packing
~~Learn to crochet~~
Visit all the LDS Temples in Utah
Make a wedding cake
write/publish a children's book
see a performance on Broadway
attend a live performance of Les Miserables with my husband
Pet a tiger or lion (I love big Cats)
View a whale in the wild
visit Egypt
~~Ride a camel~~
Tour my husbands mission to Venezuela
Take a boat across the Panama canal
visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa
visit the Taj Mahal
Visit Stonehenge
Visit the Great wall of China
Visit Ground zero
climb to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Ride a Trolley in San Fransisco
Drive across the Golden Gait Bridge
Travel to Antarctica
Visit Machu Picchu
Tour the White House
Drive across the Brooklyn Bridge
Eat Belgium chocolates in Belgium
Drive a motorcycle
~~Dance in the rain~~
~~Go White Water rafting~~
Have at least 50 followers on my blog (almost there)
Own a purse that costs more than $10
Take a homeless person out to lunch or dinner to a place that doesn't serve fast food.
See Wicked
Go fishing in Alaska
~~Go deep sea fishing~~
Own a hot tub
Own an unpractical yet amazing pair of shoes.
Stop biting my finger nails
~~Camp at the Grand Canyon~~
Go Polar bear swimming
visit a rain forest
see Punxsutawney Phil
See the Eiffel tower
~~Witness a miracle~~
Visit Time's Square
Ice skate in Central Park
Go surfing
Bungee Jump
Attend the Nauvoo Temple
Knit an adult sweater
Go shopping on Rodeo drive
Own a cabin in the mountains
Own Snowmobiles
Own 4-wheelers
Get a dog
See Angel falls up close
Be debt free
Catch a shark
~~Write a bucket list~~

Scentsy Retired Fragrances

2010-07-07T16:37:00.005-05:00

Many of you may know but for those of you who don't, I'm a Independent Consultant with Scentsy Wickless Candles. I love these candles. I love that I can leave them on 24/7 and not have to worry. I love that with over 80 scents to choose from I can pick a scent to match my mood or the weather. I love not having to deal with an open flame around my children and cat since it runs off a light bulb. The month of July has even brought me more to love. Scentsy has brought back 20 of their most popular scents that have been discontinued. Some of which were discontinued before I became a consultant. I can hardly wait to try some of them.

Apples & Pears
Pears come first, then crisp fall apples. Fall/Winter.
SB-ANP
Banana Nut Bread
Right from the oven with ripe bananas, nuts, and
spices. Bakery. SB-BNB
Blackberry Bushel
Juicy, ripe, bursting blackberries. Fruits & Flowers.
SB-BKS
Cappuccino
A warm cup of espresso with frothy steamed milk
and creamy vanilla. Favorites. SB-CAP
Cashmere
This sheer floral bouquet combines Moroccan
jasmine, lily of the valley, and bergamot. Romance.
SB-CAS
Cheerful Day
Sunny lemon, white grapefruit, and mandarin with
French verbena and wildflowers. SB-CHE
Eggnog
With warm, spicy tones of nutmeg, rum, and cream,
this scent is a holiday favorite. Fall/Winter. SB-EGG
Eucalyptus
Soothing, medicinal, and fresh.Nature. SB-EUC
French Vanilla
Sweet, buttery vanilla. Bakery. SB-FVA
Fried Ice Cream
Vanilla with a nutty touch, along with
cinnamon and caramel. Bakery. SB-FIC
Key Lime Tortilla
Lime and kiwi combine for a south-of-theborder
sweet treat. Scent of the
Month. SB-KLT
Leather
Rich leather scent reminiscent of an old-fashioned
leather shop.
Spring/Summer. SB-LEA
Luscious Lemon
Light, creamy lemon. Fruits & Flowers.
SB-LUS
Mysterious
Spicy, fresh and woody, this masculine
fragrance evokes strength and vitality.
Romance. SB-MYS
Newborn Nursery
Dreamy scent that evokes memories
of cradling your little ones. Favorites.
SB-NEW
Pink Plumeria Passion
Hawaiian island blossoms with exotic
delicacy. SB-PKP
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and
nutmeg. Fall/Winter. SB-PUM
Sizzlin’ Coconut
Tempting mix of cinnamon, coconut
milk, and rich vanilla. Bakery. SB-SIZ
Strawberry Sweetie
A fruity delight of juicy strawberries
sprinkled with sugar and vanilla. Fruits
& Flowers. SB-SBS
Watermelon Patch
Sweet, vine-ripened watermelon. Fruits
& Flowers. SB-WMP

If you are interested in any of these scents that are available for a limited time or any of the other 80+ fragrances please visit my Scentsy site and view an online catalog. If you email me your orders I'll pay your shipping and handling costs, a savings of 10%.

I Get It

2010-07-05T13:48:00.004-05:00

I have many friends who are addicted to their diet drink. During the school year my best friend has her routine of dropping her kids off at school and then going through the drive through at Mc. D's or Sonic to get her diet drink (hold the ice so there is more ). I assume this addiction is related to the caffeine in the beverage and they need it to get through the morning since they don't drink coffee. I don't drink caffeine so perhaps this is why I don't get it. Or at least I didn't get it until a few weeks ago.

I still don't drink caffeine but ever since my trip to Utah I have found my own addiction to Root Beer growing. My in laws had several bottles of it and we seemed to have some with every meal. Once I got back home I found myself craving root beer. I think about it while I'm eating breakfast. I think about it when I'm eating lunch. I think about it while I'm doing just about everything. Yes, I have stopped at Sonic to get a root beer. I'm trying to control this craving but, when the grocery store gives me a 12 pack for free just for buying some meat I'm going to take it by golly. Just a second...I need to go get a can now.

Ahhhhhh. That's better.

It's that moment I take the first sip. Everything stands still but the bubbles dancing in my mouth and down my throat as I swallow. It is cold and refreshing on a hot summer day. The blast of flavor is invigorating compared to my usual water. While I don't think I will be frequenting my Sonic or Mc. D's on a regular basis to get the beverage I can understand why my friends do. I'm going to get control of this addiction before it takes control of me....just as soon as I finish this can.

Happy 4th Of July

2010-07-04T18:42:00.001-05:00

I'm so grateful for the freedoms I have. Happy Birthday America!

Doing Gods Work

2010-07-02T09:04:00.002-05:00

Things are always a little more crazy around my house in the summertime. With all 4 kids home there is more bickering and more whining and I get worn down quickly. But videos like this one give me the strength and the inspiration to continue doing my best. I love my children and I love being a mother and I'm so glad God saw me fit to be the mother of these 4 little angels.

What I've been Working on

2010-07-01T11:00:00.002-05:00

I found a new crochet hat pattern I love to do.

Burned

2010-07-01T10:57:00.003-05:00

Just thought I would throw out a reminder: wear sunscreen. I spent several hours at Sea World yesterday and remembered to put sunscreen on my kids but neglected myself. It was an overcast day so I didn't think much of it. Well, I thought of it all night long as the bed sheets touched my skin.

To Follow or not to Follow

2010-06-29T13:18:00.002-05:00

This is the question I ask myself every time I come across a blog that has a post I really like. Should I follow the blog and add it to my google reader or just hope I remember it for the next time. I have around 100 blogs in my reader right now and sometimes I just don't have the time to read them all. Well, most of the time I don't have the time yet I find myself spending way too much time in front of my computer instead of in front of my children.

There are a few blogs I no longer wish to follow. Not because they aren't good but because their topics don't apply to me in my life right now. It is very daunting to see I have 100+ new blog posts to read each day. It leaves me overwhelmed. Now, I know I don't have to read them all but if I'm not going to read it then I really don't want to see it.

So you are probably thinking "why don't you just unsubscribe?" Well, I've tried. I have clicked unsubscribe. I have click on do not follow. I have done everything I can think of to stop following and yet, every time I open my reader account they are all still there. So, I ask, do any of you have any other ideas on how I can remove blog subscriptions from my reader account? I promise if you help out it won't be your blog I part ways with. :)

Hook, Line, and Sinker

2010-06-23T15:25:00.005-05:00

This is a phrase that is often used with fishing. It is also used with sales. A salesman waves the bait in front of a potential customer. The customer takes the bait and the salesman catches a big one. I take the bait quite frequently. Fortunately I have a husband who rescues me from the hook. He takes the bait too and I rescue him from the hook. Occasionally though, we both take the bait and we get reeled in together. Seven times out of ten we take the bait that is dangled in front of us by door to door salesmen. I have written previously about a time we purchased Clean and Simple from a salesmen at our door. It turned out to be a good purchase. I love it and use it all the time. We have bought meat from the creepy guys who drive the beat up trucks with the freezer in the back. That has turned out good for us. The only time I can remember something not turning out good that we have purchases was a discount card for an oil change place. The only reason that didn't work out is we forgot we purchased it and never used it.

Well, recently I have seen an infomercial for Zumba Total Body Transformation and I have been hooked and reeled in. I love to dance. If you were to look in my house at least once a day I can be seen shaking my groove thing, usually when cleaning. I've done Zumba before at the gym and loved it but we canceled our membership since the gym wasn't close. I'm so excited to get the DVD's.

I paid $72 (including tax and s/h) which is more than I like to pay for things but, there is a 30 day money back guarantee which I plan on using. If I don't loose 10 lbs or one dress size in 10 days I'm going to return it. I do realize this is contingent on me actually doing it for 10 days but I'm actually looking forward to it. So, when I get them I will keep you posted because I'm sure many of you have been tempted to give this Zumba work out a try.

My husband has also been caught by the P90X craze. Fortunately for him, he has had several friends and relatives that have tried it and sworn by it so his was an acceptable risk and he is very excited about it.

What bait has caught you? I want to know. Was it a good buy or a bad buy? Please leave a comment with either a link to your review of a product you purchased or write a quick comment about the bait you took.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

2010-06-21T09:55:00.003-05:00

We made it back home from our two week trip to AZ and UT. During our time we experienced all sorts of weather. We went from 115 degree weather in AZ to 34 degree weather in the mountains of UT and experienced everything in between. It even tried to snow on us a little. The 2 weeks went by really fast but when we got home I realized we were gone for quite some time. I tried to have the house all clean before I left but missed a cup with about an inch of milk left in it. It was my husbands which is probably why I missed it. Well, there were some fruit flies that made it into the house and as you can imagine with us being gone for 2 weeks and the AC being set at 84 they decided to multiply and replenish in my house. There were eggs, maggots, and fruit flies swarming the cup when we got home. I made him clean it up. So, the next time you leave for vacation don't leave a cup of milk out on the counter. I know we won't make the same mistake again. It is good to be back in my own bed and with my own things. Now I just need to get back on a routine for the summer. I'll be back to blogging tomorrow.

Tips to get Children to do Chores

2010-06-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

When I was growing up I was fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you look at it) to have an older sister whom I shared a room with who liked to have things clean and tidy. I never had to clean my room because my sister always did it for me. She was constantly moving around the entire house helping my mother out with different tasks. When she was around 14 years old the neighbor paid her to clean her house. And today, my sister still has the same work ethic in her own home. She doesn't go to bed until everything is in it's place. I think my sister was born with a clean gene which some how passed me by. So, the point of this story was to show that some children clean and do chores with out having to be asked, they see a problem and fix it. Other children, I fall into this category, need incentive or lots of reminders to get things done. Here are a few ideas for getting children to do chores.

Sometimes changing your wording is all that needs to be done. Instead of saying "go clean your room" try changing it to sound like something fun. Say something like "I'm going to set the timer for ___ minutes and if you can clean your room and beat the clock then we are going to do XYZ." The incentive can be whatever you want it to be, extra story at bedtime, go outside to play, special time with mom, etc.

Create a duty chart and let your children know that the TV and video games don't get watched/played until the chores are done. Don't' forget to rotate the duties weekly.

Make it fun by making a game out of it. Beat the clock is one my children love. We often create toy chains or book chains which are like an assembly line. One child picks up the toy and then passes it down the line to the last person who puts it in place.

Music can make things fun and move faster. My children always know when I'm in the cleaning mood when I put on my upbeat dance music. Put on some up beat children's music and show them how to clean to the beat.

Make sure the chore is age-appropriate. It doesn't make sense for me to have a 2 year old unload the dishwasher since she can't reach most of the places the dishes go. However, she can set the table if I pull everything out for her.

Before you just start assigning duties to kids explain to them why you are doing it. They are smart and will be able to understand the amount of work for one person to run a house is too much and it would be easier if everyone pitched in. They just need it brought to there attention and explained at a level they can understand.

There are so many ways you can teach children to do chores that I'm sure I missed a bunch. Please share what works for your family.

Giving Children an Allowance

2010-06-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Giving children and allowance has many benefits.

Teaches money management skills. Don't just hand your children money. Make sure you teach them what it means to save. Teach them to pay a 10% tithe and to place 10-20% away for savings. Help your child determine a goal for their savings. For example, if there is a new video game they want explain to them how much money they need to get that game. Place a picture of it somewhere where they can be reminded that that is what they are saving for. Teaching these skills when they are young can help them avoid money problems as adults.
Avoid having them ask you for money all the time. When your children have their own money to spend and they ask you for something from the store you can just remind them they have their own money.
Teaches children the value of money. How often do your children see you handle actual money? I know mine only see me with credit cards and checks. Giving children cash helps them see that when it is gone it is gone.

So, when should you start giving an allowance, how much should you give, and how should you do it?

Most children learn about money at school when they are around 6 years old. At this age they can better understand the concepts associated with money management. But you can start teaching the concept of paying for goods as early as 3 years.

The amount to give varies from family to family. I have heard half of their age in dollars or a dollar per year of their age. Some families can afford more while others need to stick with less. Do what is best for your family. Older children may be responsible for buying their own personal toiletry items so make sure the allowance covers the cost of those items and leaves a little extra money for spending.

How often you give the allowance depends on the age of the child. Young children should be paid weekly while older children can be paid bi-weekly or monthly to teach long term budgeting.

I personally believe you should not tie allowances to chores, at least not the chores that need to be done just because your child is a part of the family. You shouldn't pay your child to clean up the toys they left out, make their bed, put clothes away, etc. It's better to remove a privilege if they fail to do those chores. But, make a list of extra chores they can do that pay like, raking the leaves, wiping the base boards, dusting the blinds, etc.

Remember, it is better to start an allowance when the child is younger than to do it when they are a teenager because you can solidify good financial habits early.

Organizing your Recipes

2010-06-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Tired of searching through dozens of cookbooks for that one recipe you liked so well? Put an end to searching by creating your own master cookbook.

Start by going through each cookbook you own and record each recipe you like to make. Type them into the computer and save them under categories like appetizers, desserts, main dishes, and so on. You can even add clip art or your own pictures if you choose. Once you have all of your recipes typed up then print them off. Place each page in a plastic sheet protector and then in a 3 ring binder. Add several extra sheet protectors to the binder for new recipes you will find. Now all you have to do is keep your binder of recipes in the kitchen and when you find a new recipe add it to the book.

Creating your own master cookbook will not only save you time, it will also save you space from storing all of the cookbooks you own but only use a couple of recipes from. The next time you are going on a trip where you will be cooking you just need to grab your binder and you have all of your recipes with you.

Snack Pack Winner!

2010-06-09T09:34:00.003-05:00

The winner of a $25 Costco Gift Card and a Sunny Days Snack Pack consisting of Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars and Simply Fruit Roll-Ups is...... #4 Lau. Congratulations! Thanks to everyone who participated. Also want to give a big thanks to General Mills and My Blog Spark for providing the giveaway items.

Delays

2010-06-07T20:37:00.004-05:00

I'm visiting some family in Arizona right now. We were actually supposed to leave today for Utah but yesterday our AC seized in our vehicle and died. No AC in AZ is no fun. Today got to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm grateful we were able to spend the time at the pool instead of at the car dealership with the car getting repaired. $1200 later we have our van supposedly fixed. Well, it blows air but it isn't cold. One would think $1200 would get us an ice box. We drove around for 10 minutes and the air maybe got to be about 5 degrees cooler than outside. So not happy right now and the dealership is closed so, we either have to stay here another day or we can leave tomorrow and take the vehicle to another dealership since the work is under warranty. I think we are going to press on and leave around 4 or 5 AM that way we are out of AZ by the time the temp gets really hot. So, why am I telling you this? This means I can't post the results for the $25 Costco gift card and Snack Pack giveaway until Wednesday so, if you haven't already entered you can do so still. Go here to do it.

Not Me and I Don't Know Have Moved In

2010-06-03T08:16:00.004-05:00

It seems lately I can't find anything I need. My house can be a little chaotic (yes Dad I know it might be more than a little ) but for the most part I know where everything is in the chaos. I think it must be a mom gift. I'm sure you have experienced this gift in your life too. Hubby calls out "hon, have you seen my blue shirt with the white stripe?" You immediately reply "it's draped across your chair under your red shirt" or some other obscure place that you saw it. You just know where things are. Because of this you are frequently asked where things are. I must not be on top of things as much as of late because there have been 2 things that I desperately need to find.

I went to gather the library books and DVD's to return them and I can't find Strawberry Shortcakes Big Journey anywhere. I managed to find the case but not the DVD itself. I ask the kids who pulled it out of the DVD player (the last place I saw it) and I get a chorus of "Not Me". I ask the kids where the movie is and get another familiar reply of "I Don't Know." So the search begins. I look in all of the DVD cases we have which is a significant amount. I look in all the DVD players and computers. I look under the DVD player, VCR, TV, and even behind the entertainment center. My search yielded one find, the Alvin and the Chipmunks DVD that has been missing since March but still no Strawberry Shortcake. After searching for all the renewal time I get I have accepted the fact that it is lost. Not Me and I Don't Know have taken the movie and are forcing me to pay the $16 fee to replace the DVD at the library. I went to pay for it yesterday and the librarian was nice enough to tell me I could probably find the DVD cheaper elsewhere and then just bring it in. He renewed the movie for me for another 3 weeks so I could find it. Thanks to EBay I only spent $9 and Strawberry Shortcakes Big Journey will get here sometime next week.

The DVD isn't the only thing I Don't Know and Not Me have taken. Our neighbors have been out of town and they have asked us to get their mail. The key was left in my hand and I placed it on the bookshelf by the door. Well, sometime during their 2 week absence I moved the key to my purse so I could get the mail when I was out. I remember getting the mail a week ago but for the life of me I could not remember where I put the key after that. One would think I would put it back in my purse. I couldn't find it in my purse. I asked the kids if they saw the key or if they new where it was and again they blamed Not Me and I don't Know. Well, our neighbors came home and came to collect their mail and sadly, I did not have a key to give them. Yesterday I even went as far as pulling my couch away from the wall and cleaning out underneath it. That was scary. I'm surprised a little mouse family wasn't living under there with all the accumulated trash. It would have made a nice little home. Anyway, I ran out of places to search and decided to give my purse one last look through. Low and behold, Not Me and I Don't Know had not taken the key this time. It was me. I had placed it in a small little pocket that didn't empty out when I held my purse upside down and shook it.

I just heard a big crash and I have a feeling Not Me and I Don't Know are up to something again.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $25 Costco gift card and a Nature Valley/Fruit Roll Up snack pack.

Last Day of School

2010-06-03T07:46:00.002-05:00

The last day of school has arrived for us at last. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm glad to not have to get up at 6:30 AM every morning. It will be so nice not having a schedule. My son was in half day preschool and his session was the second half of the day. For one school year my scheduled revolved around whether or not I could get Bubs to school on time or be home in time for when the kids got back from school. I look forward to next year when both Na and Bubs are in school full time. Alas, Lou Lou will be going half day. I like schedules but there are sometimes I just like to be spontaneous and the school schedule doesn't give much flexibility for that.

The children however, are not as excited. Na loves school and learning. She told me this morning she is so sad to be leaving her teacher. She loves her teacher and I'm grateful for Mrs. R. and what she had done for my daughter this year. Na thrives with a schedule. I'm going to have to come up with some sort of schedule for Na to last through the summer. She has to know what we will be doing ahead of time and if I change things up a bit she has a minor meltdown. We have made progress though because the meltdowns used to be major. Bubs just loves to be with his friends. I can tell I need to make lots of play dates.

I bid farewell to this school year. It went to fast but I know the summer will go just as fast. So, I better get off the computer and enjoy the last day of a semi-quiet house.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $25 Costco gift card and Nature Valley/Fruit Roll Ups snack pack.

Bamya (meat and Okra Stew)

2010-06-01T12:08:00.005-05:00

Last weekend Na had an event called Egypt Unwrapped. This was the end of year party for GT. She got to dress up like an Egyptian. We were supposed to make her costume but everything was too crazy around the house so I ended up making it by clicking "buy" on EBay. As part of the event the children were supposed to research Egyptian food and either create their very own recipe or find one they liked and bring it to the event to share for dinner. We found the recipe for Bamya and decided it was the winner. I think only 2 spoon fulls were taken at the event. The Okra on the top must have scared the kids off. My family however loved it. The recipe says to serve with rice but I decided to mix the rice in to make it easier to serve at the event. So, here is the recipe.

Bamya (Meat and Okra Stew)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
2 pounds (1 kg) stewing lamb or beef, cut into 1 in cubes
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup (6 ounces /185 g) peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup stock (beef) or water, or as needed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-1 1/2 pound (500-750 g) okra
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat an oven to 325° F (165 C).
Heat 4 tablespoons butter or oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Working in small batches, brown meat, turning constantly, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a baking dish or stew pot.
Over medium heat, sauté onions in fat remaining in frying pan until translucent, 8-10 minutes Add garlic, cumin, coriander, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and optional mint. Stir well.
Pour over meat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and bake in preheated 325° until all liquid is absorbed, about 1 1/2 hours.
Taste and adjust the seasonings. Meanwhile, prepare the okra as directed in note below. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter or oil in skillet. Stir in okra. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring gently.
When meat is finished, arrange cooked okra on top in a spoke pattern. Sprinkle lemon juice evenly over the surface. Re-cover the dish and return it to the oven. Bake for 35 minutes longer. Add stock or water if the mixture seems too dry. Serve very hot.
Serve with rice.

Tips: To cook okra so that it is not slimy, cut off the conical tip ,and soak in red wine-vinegar for 30 minutes, allowing 1/2 cup vinegar per pound. Drain, rinse and dry the okra and proceed with the recipe. Another method is to trim the tips, then put into water at a rapid boil for 2 minutes. Remove and rinse with very cold water, drain and pat dry.

I'm sure there is going to be a way to prepare this dish in the crock pot. I might need to experiment with that. I did cook it in the stoneware from my crock pot and used tin foil to cover it since my lid was not oven safe. Our favorite way to eat the left overs was warmed up and rolled in tortillas with salsa. I think the next time I'm going to slice the okra up and mix it into the stew as well.

Nature Valley and Fruit Roll-Ups Review and Giveaway!

2010-06-01T07:00:00.003-05:00

For many of you summer time has arrived. We still have 3 more days of school. I'm looking forward to leaving for a much needed 2 week vacation the first day of our summer break. We are going to be driving 14 hours our first day to arrive at my sisters house in AZ. After a couple of nights there we will be driving another 8 hours to our final destination in Utah. With 4 kids I think you can imagine the amount of times we need to stop. One thing we will not be stopping for is snacks. Gas stations have over priced food so I make sure to stock up on plenty of snacks my kids will love.

In the past I have stocked up on crackers and fruit snacks. The fruit snacks are for those desperate times when I just need them to not cry for just a little bit longer because we are almost to that next stopping point. There is no nutritional value in them and they are not filling in the least bit. The crackers are good but they leave a big crummy mess behind. My husband and I love to snack on trail mix and the kids want it too but, we always find the nuts that have slipped through their fingers.

Last week General Mills, through My BlogSpark sent me a Costco Sunny Day Snack Pack to try and review. I'm so glad they did. I now have some new favorite snacks that are perfect for our upcoming road trip.

I received a large, 48 ct., box of Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars. These bars are 100% natural and they have 25% more fruit and nuts then the previous version. They are packed with almonds, peanuts, raisins, and cranberries. I love that it is trail mix in an easy to handle bar form. I don't have to worry about the nuts falling between their little fingers and all over their seats and floor. These bars are also filling and will be good to fight off hunger in between meals. Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars even satisfied my child with the picky palate. Another bonus, these bars are only 140 calories and have 8g of whole grain per serving.

My gift pack box contained 2-42 ct boxes of the Simply Fruit Roll-Ups. These are definitely a healthier alternative to the original Fruit Roll-Ups. These will be replacing fruit snacks in my house. Simply Fruit Roll-Ups are made with 90% real fruit and fruit juice. And guess what? If you have a child who won't eat fruit, hand them a Simply Fruit Roll-Up because eating just one of these equals one serving of fruit. They will think they are getting a treat and it will be our little secret. This snack has only 50 calories per roll and they are gluten-free. My children loved being able to take them to school for their snack. They come in 2 flavors, strawberry and wildberry. My kids went wild for wildberry which is fine with me because I love the strawberry. Make sure you have some wipes handy though because like most fruit roll-ups, hands will get sticky.

If you are looking for the perfect grab and go snack for your summer vacation, lazy days at the pool/beach, or everyday life, then head on over to your local Club Store and stock up on Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars and Simply Fruit Roll-Ups.

Better yet, you can win your very own Sunny Day Snack gift pack (48 ct Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars, 42 ct Simply Fruit Roll-Ups, and a $25 gift card to Costco. That's right, a $25 gift card to Costco so you can stock up on even more summer snacks.) from General Mills on behalf of My BlogSpark. Here's how:

Mandatory: Leave a comment sharing your families favorite summertime snack and make sure to leave an email or a way I can contact you if you are the winner.

For more entries you can leave a comment for each of the following:

Become a follower of Spice and all That's Nice and leave a comment saying so. (if you are already a follower just say so)
Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave the link in a comment here.
Tell me what your favorite summertime activity is.

You must be 18 years old to win and live in the US.

You have until ~~10:00 PM MST June 7, 2010~~ 10:00 PM MST June 8, 2010 to leave your comments. I will be doing the drawing after that and posting the results on Wed. ~~June 8, 2010~~ June 9, 2010

*It may take a while to get your comments posted but, they will be by the deadline. My computer access is sketchy over the next couple of days.

Managing Housework

2010-05-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Face it, housework is one of those things that is never done. Once you complete one task it is on to another while all of the work you just completed is being undone by someone else in the house. There are methods of doing housework which make it so you aren't cleaning every second of everyday. Here is one such method.

Begin by listing all of the tasks that need to be done on a daily basis. This list should include but is not limited to: Wash dishes, sweep kitchen floor, make bed, tidy bedrooms, and tidy family/living rooms.

Now list things that need to be done on a regular basis (every couple of days or once a week) like vacuum floors, mop floors, dust, laundry, clean bathrooms, deep clean kitchen, etc.

Once you have your housework listed in those two groups it is time to divide the housework up among the days of the week. You have your daily chores and those never change but now you need to assign the "regular" jobs a day of the week. For example:

Monday: Deep clean kitchen, mop kitchen floor, washes kitchen rags.
Tuesday: Wash kids laundry, vacuum
Wednesday: Wash adult’s laundry, mop
Thursday: Dust, go grocery shopping and run errands, vacuum floors
Friday: Clean bathrooms, wash bath towels and sort through papers.
Saturday: Clean bedrooms, wash bed linens
Sunday: Enjoy the day off.

You may have more or less tasks to assign depending on your household. Now, the key to having time for you is only doing the assigned task on the assigned day. You must complete the everyday jobs before you move onto the assigned day jobs. Some days you might not be able to complete all of the assigned day jobs due to illness or other unexpected events. If this is the case, don't play catch up on another day; wait until the day rolls around again or until you have extra time you don't mind using. When you feel comfortable, start adding in the monthly tasks (tasks done once a month), quarterly tasks (things done every 3 months), bi-annually tasks, and tasks done once a year. Once you get into a rhythm you will find it easier to maintain your home.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Cute as a Bug Card

2010-05-21T14:13:00.003-05:00

I previously mentioned a new stamp set I got in a post about the phrase "cute as a bug." I finally got to use the set today. It takes me forever to make cards when I'm the one designing it so, I cheat and copy cards that other people have made. This card I copied from megala3178 who posted it at Splitcoast Stampers. I love, love, love it and, I think it is way cuter than a bug as is the baby whose mother will be receiving this card.I'm grateful to those of you who share your creative genius so I can re create it myself. I used different colors and paper but the layout is basically the same.

No Knead Bread

2010-05-18T08:45:00.001-05:00

I love to bake bread but sometimes I don't want to go through all of the work involved. A friend of mine sent me this and it looks like my type of bread. It looks like it would be something easy enough for kids to do alone.

No-Knead Bread

1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.

1 1/2 tsp salt Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Declutter and Organizing your Home

2010-05-18T07:23:00.000-05:00

How a home looks on the inside is often a reflection of how the owner feels about themselves. De cluttering and organizing your home may be a daunting task but as you work through it you will feel better about yourself and your home. Here are some tips for getting started.

Do you have a room or a closet which the door always remains closed and if a friend opened the door you would be mortified by what they would see? You are not alone. It doesn't have to be this way. Start with this room or closet within this room. Start small and pick a corner of the room and start there. Pick up something and make one of three choices: keep, give away/sell, or trash. Create three piles.

Keep-Items to keep are items which you use often and they have a purpose.
Give Away-Items to sell or give away are items which still work and someone else could find a use for. Sell the item in a garage sale or donate it to a charity.
Trash-Items to trash are items which are broken (that you will never fix), no longer have a purpose, or just plain garbage. You would be surprised at how much paper you can accumulate.

If you have the ability to do the entire room in one day great. If not, work on a section each day until the task is complete. Once you complete this room move onto the next until eventually you have cut back on the clutter through out your house.

Don't let it get so bad that you loose control and end up on a show like this.

Cute as a Bug?

2010-05-14T07:11:00.003-05:00

I received a new Stampin Up Stamp set yesterday titled Cute as a Bug. It made me think, cute as a bug? Really? How many bugs have you seen that are cute? Is this bug cute?

Or how about this bed bug?
This big guy is pretty cute right?

I've heard people use the phrase "cute as a bug" to describe a new baby. Maybe they are using the phrase and being completely honest. Let's face it, some newborn babies really aren't that cute. They look like little aliens. So, maybe someone is trying to sound like they are giving a compliment when really they are just being quite honest when they say "oh, he is just as cute as a bug".

Speaking of babies...I never understood the phrase "slept like a baby". Babies wake up every 2-3 hours to eat. I don't want to wake up that often I'd rather sleep like the father of the Newborn baby. You can count on him snoring through the middle of the night feedings and diaper changes. Yep, I want to sleep just like him, not a newborn baby.

Review of Hunts No High Fructose Corn Syrup Ketchup

2010-05-13T11:50:00.004-05:00

I will admit that when it comes to selecting foods for my family I'm not one to care if it is organic or not. I read labels when it comes to calories, fat, vitamins, and such but I don't really pay attention to the ingredient list. There has been a movement lately to cut High Fructose Corn Syrup out of foods. I'm not sure I understand why. I haven't really read or researched it. I do know that there are studies saying it is bad for you but there are also studies counter acting that. With that said, I recently tried Hunts Tomato No High Fructose Corn Syrup Ketchup. When it comes to flavor, it has it. It tastes like ketchup to me. I usually only buy Heinz. I do know that I don't like the store brands I have bought in the past but the Hunts tasted great to me.

When looking at the ingredient list and comparing it to Heinz ketchup it looks like Hunts removed the HFCS and added sugar instead.

Both brands have the same amount of sugar grams and sodium. The Hunts has 5 more calories and 1 more total carb.

Really, if you care about the HFCS and don't want it in your food then Hunts is an excellent choice of ketchup. As I sit here typing this I'm tasting both. Heinz is a little thicker but when it comes to flavor I think the Hunts tastes slightly more like tomatoes and Heinz is a little "tangier". I don't even think that is a word so I'm adding it to my dictionary to mean: more tangy.

I think it is time for me to put the ketchup down and do some research on HFCS pros and cons.

The Importance of Having Fun as a Family

2010-05-11T12:00:00.001-05:00

I get so wrapped up in the tasks of running a household (laundry, dishes, cooking, etc) that I forget to just take the time and have fun with my kids. A couple of years ago my nephews received a Nerf Dart Tag game for Christmas and my husband and I had so much fun playing with them that we went and got our own. I came across a box today that had the game in it and pulled it out. We only had 2 guns and with 5 of us able to play it just wasn't enough. So, we loaded up and went to the store and bought 4 more guns (an extra for when the baby is old enough). We got all dressed up in the Velcro vests, loaded our guns and just had fun shooting at each other and trying to dodge incoming bullets. It was great to spend time as a family laughing and having fun. Everyone was enjoying themselves. Because of this time together I feel like we created a great memory and strengthened our family ties.
I'm not saying you have to go get Nerf guns and shoot each other but find something that your family likes to do together and do it. It will bring your family closer together and create lasting memories. Plus, it's good for children to see their parents relax and have a little fun.

Paid Focus Groups

2010-05-10T15:20:00.000-05:00

I have previously mentioned getting paid to take surveys and getting paid to mystery shop but did you know you can get paid to be a part of a focus group? There are many companies willing to pay individuals to be a part of focus groups which study everything from consumer products to health care. As always, you may encounter third parties wanting to charge you for a listing of these companies but you can find all of these companies on your own. I have found 2 sites though which list these companies free of charge.

Check out Volition and Paid Focus Groups and register at companies near you. They will contact you when there is a group they want you to participate in.

I have participated in 2 different groups so far. Both were fun and enlightening. We met at a location and they gave us snacks and drinks and then we gathered around a table and discussed the topics at hand. I got paid $100 for 2 hours of my time with the first one and $70 for 2 hours the second one. And, they pay in cash at the end of your time. I can't wait for the next one.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

2010-05-07T07:19:00.005-05:00

I always procrastinate doing teacher appreciation gifts but really, not by choice. The school always lets us know the dates the first day of the week and then I work frantically all week long making the gifts.

For Na's teacher we actually gave her the ABC Scentsy warmer and 2 bars of wax instead of something homemade. Unfortunately she can't use the warmer at school but she still loved it and I'm sure her home will smell great during the summer.

Bub's teacher will be receiving a cute box filled with some homemade cards. His teachers aide will be getting a clipboard.

I also made a clipboard for the art teacher and the GT teacher. Next year, or maybe next week, I will make boards for the music, PE, and Science teachers. For instructions on making the clipboard go here.

Want something smaller? For a tutorial on making a chocolate nugget box go here.

Letter to all New Moms

2010-05-06T08:23:00.003-05:00

Dear New Mom,

Congratulations on your new arrival! Your life as you knew it has changed forever but as you look down on your little bundle of joy you know just like I knew, it changed for the better. If there is one piece of wisdom I could pass onto you it would be: Remember, this too shall pass.

The lack of sleep in the middle of the night will eventually pass. The first night your little one sleeps through the night you will wake up in a panic thinking something is wrong but you will soon realize your baby is managed to sleep 6-8 hours straight.

The crying does stop. Eventually they will go from crying to whining to grunting. Just be patient, it will pass.

If your baby spits up, about the time you start solids regularly it will slow down and eventually stop.

When your baby is crawling and putting small things in their mouth remember, this too shall pass (so long as it is actually swallowed and not stuck).

Most importantly, the time your little one is little will go by all too quickly so take the time to just enjoy your baby, because this too shall pass into a teenager.

Love,

a Mom who wishes the time wouldn't pass so fast.

To All the Moms

2010-05-04T16:01:00.003-05:00

This Mother's Day I will be thinking about my Mom. I'm so grateful to her and all the sacrifices she made that I didn't realize until I was a mother myself. I will also be thinking about all the other Mother's in the world who serve as an inspiration of motherhood to me.

Click here to read the Nie Nie Dialogues

Learning to Crochet

2010-05-03T08:15:00.006-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I won an adorable crocheted hat from The Mommy Trials. It inspired me to learn to crochet... again. I learned to knit a year ago and I tried to teach myself to crochet in December but gave up because I couldn't get my fingering or tension right. After receiving this little masterpiece I knew I couldn't give up forever. So, I got lots of books from the library and set myself to task. The book that helped me the most was How to Crochet for Dummies.

I'm now feeling more confident in my crochet abilities and can't stop crocheting.

The first project I crocheted was this adorable cap. I couldn't stop at one though so I actually made 3. Here Kmae is modeling the hat I made for her.

Assured in my hat making abilities I switched gears and made this baby blanket for a nephew that will be joining the family this summer.

I'm excited to see what other patterns I can find and make.

My friend tells me I have crossed to the dark side now that I'm doing a lot of crochet. I still prefer knitting because I think it is easier to do the different designs and it looks prettier. However, I can finish a crocheted piece much faster and it is so much easier to fix my mistakes.

If you don't know how to crochet you can still get your hands on hats like the one I won above by visiting Mommy Trials Etsy shop Stylish Sweethearts. She also sells some beautiful car seat covers too.

Online Privacy

2010-04-29T17:39:00.002-05:00

Keeping your identity and personal information private is becoming harder to do especially if you belong to online social communities and such. There is an online directory, Spokeo where people can search for other people using a phone number, name, or email address.

I search for myself by my name first. When I did this it had listed the information I had listed under my profile/info on Facebook. It also graphed my credit score, our income, the average income of the people in my neighborhood, the average house value for my neighborhood, and so much more.

I searched via my email address and I saw pictures of my kids that were uploaded to Picasa and my blog. It even showed items I had purchased and items that were on wish lists for Target. If I had a paid membership of $2.95 a month I'd have access to the full report which would show all of the sites my email address was registered with.

The search via my phone number pulled up my address and the info on my neighborhood.

I don't know about you but I don't want just anyone to have access to this info. If you are like me then you need to remove yourself from this listing. Do this by searching for your name then copying the search result URL for yourself. Click on the privacy link at the bottom of the page and then follow the instructions of pasting the URL and so on. You need to do this for each way people can search for you: name, email, and phone number.

Go to http://www.spokeo.com/ to search and remove yourself from this listing.

In a Cooking Rut

2010-04-27T13:51:00.003-05:00

I'm getting tired of making the same recipes over and over. I'm on the hunt for some new ones and just know that those of you who read this blog have some great recipes. So, I'm asking you for your family's favorite recipe. I would love something easy but I'm willing to put in the work for the really good stuff.

Last year I typed up all my favorite recipes and compiled my own cookbook. I printed it out and put it in page protectors and a 3-ring binder. Now I no longer have to search through all of my cookbooks for the recipe I want to make. For everyone who shares a recipe with me, I will email you my recipe book that I use. Some of the recipes I have shared on this blog and others I haven't yet.

So, share a recipe with me and I will share a bunch with you. It's a win-win situation.

Please leave me a comment with your favorite recipe or a link to your favorite recipe and tell me why you love it.

Easy Meatballs

2010-04-27T13:41:00.003-05:00

I came across a meatball recipe a month or so ago on a blog I was reading. I'm apologizing now because I can't find the blog again to give the blogger credit. I did however find the recipe at the Kraft foods website. My kids loved these meatballs and they are super easy to make. I served them over noodles with some brown gravy. I think next time I will serve them with marinara over spaghetti.

(before baking)

Meatballs

2 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/4 cups water
2 eggs

HEAT oven to 400ºF.
LINE 2 (15x10x1-inch) pans with foil; spray with cooking spray. Mix ingredients until blended; shape into 32 (1-1/2-inch) balls, using 1/4 cup for each.
PLACE 16 meatballs in each prepared pan. Bake 16 to 18 min. or until done (160ºF).
COMBINE half the meatballs with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce or Creamy Brown Gravy. Cool remaining meatballs; freeze for later use.

The Truth.....

2010-04-26T15:38:00.001-05:00

about why my house isn't as clean as it could be. My Dad forwarded this poem in an email to me today and then promptly called me on the webcam so he could watch me laugh as I read it. Yes, I laughed, and yes, the truth hurts.

Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell meWhy my house is such a messHe asked if I'd been 'computering',And I had to answer 'yes.'

He told me to get off my butt,And tidy up the house.And so I started cleaning up...The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.That really did the trick...I was just admiring my good work.

I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops - I foundA real absorbing siteThat I got SO way into it - I was into it all night.So nothing's changed except my mouse.It's as shiny as the sun..I guess my house will stay a mess.....While I sit here on my bum.

Hello Again

2010-04-26T07:28:00.002-05:00

No, I didn't die. I've just needed a blogging break. We have had a busy month at my household. My brother came with his family for spring break. The day they left we removed the vinyl floors we had gracing our kitchen and laundry room. We spent a week with a concrete floor. It was quite lovely. Then we worked feverishly tiling our floors. Yes, we did it ourselves. I will say my husband deserves most of the credit for cutting and laying the tiles. I'll take the credit for the grout work. The day after we finished I had to hurry and get everything back in place because my in laws came into town for a few days. Then we went out of town for a few days and then my parents came into town for a week. Ahhhhhh. Everyone is gone now and my house is slowly recovering. I just needed a few days to just breath and do other things. I'm back now and ready to catch up on all the blogs I've missed reading and writing.