Holey Knees and Dragonflies

Our First Toy Drop

2012-02-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we completed our first ever toy drop. We joined The Toy Society, and made a drop.
My girl is very interested in sewing these days and it seems there is an abundance of little stuffed toys floating around here. What to do with all of them? Hmmmm, a toy drop was just the answer I was looking for.
It works like this, All toys must be handmade, include a toy society letter and a tag, and must be dropped in a place where a child can find it. Then you take photos of the drop and post them to the flicker group. The photos are then assigned a drop number and will be posted to the DROPPED section of the Toy Society Blog. The recipient can do the same thing and they will be posted to the FOUND section of the blog.
Here is a description of the Toy Society from their Blog. visit the toy society
"The Toy Society spreads love throughout the streets of the world. Nothing to it really just a bunch of handmade toys looking for a nice home.

What started as a small street art project in Australia is slowly spreading around the world.

Should you come across a member of The Toy Society on your travels collect them up and take them home with you! But don't forget to let us know about it here."

This whole Project gives me something to do with all of those hand made things my daughter is creating, and gives her an outlet for all of that creativity.

Our First DROP!

This is Sophia, she has been sitting in a little bin in our craft room for about a year. Such a lonely girl! I really hope she found a sweet little girl to play with.

We left her at the library in the JF picture books section on a shelf where she would hopefully be found quickly. We included a letter from The Toy Society and the envelope said " OPEN ME".

Currently we have a few little jelly fish, and 3 birds ready to be put into their little bags and be dropped. Elyssa is making a mouse as we speak!

Decisions, Decisions

2012-01-04T23:02:00.001-07:00

The hubby keeps a photo in his wallet. Yes, just one.

A photo of his babies. He does a little mini photo shoot with the kids and his motorcycle. All of his babies in one shot. And then he gets one wallet size, to carry around with him everywhere.

My problem is that I am having a hard time deciding which ones I want enlarged. There are so many. I just don't know what to do. Maybe I need a really big copy of all of them. I probably should narrow it down to just one or two or three. Ok maybe 3 would be a good number to have.

One of the girl.

One of the boy.

And one of them together!

Perhaps something fun?

Oh decisions!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

So December has come and is nearly gone! Christmas came with it. And sadly it has gone too. Here are the pictures that we get to keep to remember our Christmas 2011.

Firstly The last weekend of November found us at the Festival of Trees, a fund raiser for the Primary Children's Hospital in SLC. It is a huge event with so many decorated trees, in every theme you can imagine. Very inspiring! Plus they had gingerbread houses, quilts, wreaths, mantel displays, gift boutiques, and an area for mini trees. My mom and I went and we took Elyssa with us. We were so exhausted by the time we left, but we had a ton of fun. So that means I had to come home and get our tree up the next day. We wanted bright colors this year but also some animals. I saw an idea on pinterest that I just knew we needed to make. In early November,we went to our local thrift store and dug through all of the toys to find the little plastic animals. They only charged us $1 for a basket full of them. Then we came home and glittered them and put them away until time to decorate the tree.

The next thing we did was to make crystal snow flakes. Borax Snow flakes, they were so easy to do and doubled as a science experiment.

And about that time we had the tree up so we were able to hang them. Our decor is relatively simple and not too involved.

Another idea I found on Pinterest and decided would have sufficient impact with very little work involved. Hanging different lengths of different colored ribbons on our mirror and tying ornaments to them. And on the same mirror just below the ribbons is my favorite piece.

With our stocking below that. We don't fill our stockings, they are purely for decoration.

The next weekend My mom and Elyssa and I went to another expo to do some shopping, and just hang out. We had a lot of fun. and found some nifty, inexpensive gifts.

Justin and I went to his company Christmas party at the little America Hotel downtown, always a fancy affair, we look forward to having this date night all year.

Then there was the night I got to go and take photos for Justin's brother and his family such fun times!

Then it was on to the cookie baking.... Justin's schedule changed so we had some adjusting to do while he worked nights for a bit. This was the perfect time for me to bake and decorate cookies. Kept me occupied while he was gone in the evenings.

and when it was all said and done I had 10, gallon sized ziplock bags full of cookies.

Elyssa made a few cookies worth mentioning,

Well we have Adam and Eve apparently before the fall...

And our Chickens made the cut.

And these cookies I made for a friends who gets to have that long awaited reduction!

Happy Bra shopping D.A.

Dixie doodle decided sleeping under the tree was her new favorite thing to do.

Elyssa made several of these drawings for her brother and aunt and uncle.

Ashton LOVES his!!!

Christmas Morning, The most beloved gift.....

a rolled up raw hide chewy of course!

And Christmas night, after our movie (Marley and Me)

Time to learn a new song, Deuling banjos.

Pear Frangipane

2011-12-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe for a pear tart that is pure HEAVEN!
It is simple, has few ingredients and fast!

Using your food processor makes it go really quick.

Pastry
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp. cold butter cut into pieces
2 tbsp. ice water

In a food processor bowl combine, flour and salt. Pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and pulse until a ball of dough nearly forms. Gather into a ball and wrap in plastic, chill 1 hr. (less if flattened)

Preheat oven to 375*F
Roll out dough and place into a 9" tart pan, pressing dough up the sides. Bake 20 minutes, let cool.

Frangipane
6 tbsp. butter
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup ground almonds
2 tsp. flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
3 soft, ripe pears, (peeled, cut into halves lengthwise, and cored)

In food processor bowl combine butter and sugar, process til smooth. Add almonds, flour, cornstarch, pulse to combine. Next add egg and egg white along with the extracts. Pulse until well blended. Spread frangipane in cooled crust, slice pears and nestle into the frangipane and spread the pears out. but do not separate them.bake 40 minutes or until the frangipane is set, and golden brown.

Easy project makes a great gift!

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

LOVE, that is it.
ok, well maybe a camera and some kids and some frames. And in about 2-3 hrs you can have a timeless gift ready to go.
First I printed out some letters on cardstock. I used the letters L-O-V-E. I printed them using the Georgia font, at a 700pt. They turned out great.

Next I had the grand kids line up and I took the pictures out side in the freezing cold. I had each kid hold each one of the letters. And I took multiple photos, just to make sure I got great ones I could use. So that would mean a minimum of 16, but in reality I took about 120 pics in 10 minutes. (Why was our photo shoot so short? Because it was about 20 degrees outside and we were FREEZING! And Ice crystals were starting to fall out of the sky.)

Then I went in and cropped and edited them. I wanted black and white photos so it was really easy to do. Next I uploaded to Costco.com and had 8x10's printed out. I picked them up added some cute frames and voila! Beautiful, meaningful gift. I was so happy with the way they turned out.

This is an awful picture of the finished product. They look so cute and this photo does not do them justice.

So, to see the photos how they really appear see them below.

I was really close to the kids and tried to take shots that were from the waist to the top of the head or a little higher. Also I wanted to get their personalities to shine through the photos. I did not care if their eyes were not wide open, if they were having a genuine laugh going on. I was teasing and snapping photos and making the kids laugh as fast as I could.

I also looked for interesting backgrounds, knowing we were going to do the photos in black and white, I wanted some visual interest. Texture!

I think this is a project anyone can do if you have the time to plan ahead and have a few hours.

IT!

17 years!

2011-12-11T23:40:00.000-07:00

Can it be 17 years have gone by?
17 years with my best friend!
17 years of love and joy!
17 years of wedded bliss to my wonderful husband!

Happy Anniversary Justin! I love you, more each day!

Wow, it has been a slow few months on the blog front!

2011-12-11T22:59:00.004-07:00

So much to do and so little time to do it.... that has been my motto lately. Our homeschool year has me busy! I don't seem to be able to keep up with the laundry much less the blog. I am going to make a concentrated effort to do the pictures of the month starting in January. I have missed doing that series this year!

Tomorrow I am going to share a project that I created for my mother in law for her birthday. I got the idea from Pinterest. However I did not know how easy it would be. I am thrilled with it and can't wait to share it.

I also want to share a few recipes, the ones that are easy for this time of year. But that will have to be in the next few days. Tonight I am exhausted!

Zac Thomas Images

2011-11-08T09:52:00.001-07:00

Everyone has that person in their lives, the one with an amazing talent, the talent you wish you had. Well Zac Thomas is that person for me. His images are amazing!!!! He has a giant camera and takes awesome photos with it. But the images I am talking about today are from his iPhone. You can check out his website here.
Check it out just in time for Christmas. I know you are going to find an image for that person who just has everything, or that person who is so hard to buy for. Or maybe you will find one for yourself. So go on and check out his site, and tell him I sent ya!

Plus he is hosting a contest here. You really do want to check this one out I Promise!!!

let's be honest here....

2011-11-04T13:48:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been trying to be more conscious of not being so judgmental. It is something that

I struggle with. I have tried to ask myself, How can you help instead of judging, and if you can't then just don't think about it at all, Or pray for this situation or individual. Sometimes it is so difficult to do that.

Well for the last 3 days, I have been judging the gentleman in the photo below. I don't know how he can just sit there in his hoodie all day. Every time I look out side, he is sitting there just doing nothing. Probably smoking, wasting his time and money instead of supporting his baby.

Ugh!!! It has me frustrated!!!

Today I walked outside and just watched for a minute. And what I saw was ugly. He was not there anymore, or rather he was. But he wasn't what he seemed.

Yep, just take a closer look and you will see it too.

I realized that the "Man" I had been judging so harshly the last 3 days was in fact not even a man but a seat out of a car. The Ugly part comes when I realize how "quick to judge", I can be sometimes. I wasted precious energy and resources on my judgmental attitude of this neighbor. How do I feel about the whole situation? Ridiculous! to be sure. Confused... I could have prayed for this individual but in the end I would have been praying for an empty chair. I need to pray for my own eyes, to see things the way Christ would.

P.S. I am also making an appointment with the optometrist ASAP!

have you seen fish face?

2011-10-12T10:35:00.000-06:00

Recently I discovered Pintrest, and I am addicted!

I don't know why it took so long to discover, but I am happy that it finally happened.

If you don't know what Pinterest is you MUST go check it out.

While browsing the boards on Pinterest, I came across a photo I just could not stop staring at.

Check it out.

(I tried really hard to find a credit for this photo, I found it on pinterest and followed it to a few other websites but could never find the owner, my leads stopped at Tumblr.)

Isn't that photo fun?

It just so happened that while pulling all of the harvest/ halloween type decorations out. My daughter also found the makeup.

We decided to try it out. Please keep in mind that I am in no way, shape, or form, an artist. We did what we could for fun, and we liked the out come.

Here is our version.

We had a lot of fun making goofy fish faces!

Next time I will try harder to make it look like a fish.

spoiled dogs

2011-09-20T23:08:00.000-06:00

Don't judge me.... I feed my dogs table food every once in a blue moon. They are never fed from the table, but every once in a while there is a little bit of steak left over that I just can't bring myself to throw out or re-heat in the microwave for lunch tomorrow. So I feed it to the dogs, and they are so patient as you can see below.

They have never eaten from a fork before.

So I was extremely surprised by how well they did.

They had better manners than some adults I know.

First it was Dixie's turn. She is our pound puppy.

Then it was Bruiser's turn.

Bruiser is my mom's dog and he gets table food all the time, even ice cream.

He is a special dog, he was attacked by a pit bull and lost his left eye.

Then Skye puppy got her turn.

She is old and missing front teeth but that did not stop her from enjoying her steak dinner.

The dogs even ate the little bit of zucchini and carrots I had on the plate.

It was a sweet read

2011-09-05T20:37:00.003-06:00

Recently on one of my trips to the library, I picked up a different kind of book.

I was kinda desperate for an easy read. Something with a bit of humor and something I could put down and not worry about not getting back to right away. Well, as it turned out I grabbed this book by Gesine Bullock-Prado. Yes, the sister of Sandra Bullock. I did not realize that at the time however. It wasn't until I was about a quarter of the way through it that I re read the author's name and put it together.

This book was a great summer read. The only real problem that I had with it, was that it really made me want to bake, and in a bad way. I was desperate to get my hands in the dough of some sweet confection. One of the recipes she shares is for Zwetschgendatschi or German (Bavarian) plum tart.

I had purchased some plums a few days before I came upon the recipe. But the kids had eaten one and turned up their noses because they were not very sweet. I ended up letting those little plums sit on the counter for a week and a half before I decided I had time to make a plum tart. I was very afraid that I had waited too long and my plums were better off as chicken feed. But they seemed to be in good shape if a little soft and juicy.

I was going to make the recipe from the book but realized at the last minute that I did not have quite enough butter on hand. So I reached for my trusty little Taste Of Home Cookbook. I looked up tarts and right there was another recipe for German Plum Tart, and it used a lot less butter. I now had enough. This recipe was super quick and easy. The hardest part was waiting until I could cut into it.

After all was said and done I had a gorgeous plum tart to take to my meeting that night. And let me tell you it was so YUMMY!

I think I am addicted to Zwetschgendatschi!

I thought the short crust would be soggy but it was not,

and the flavors were so so good together.

Here is the recipe that I used.

You can use any kind of stone fruit, peaches, apricots, plums.

6-8 ServingsPrep: 10 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 egg yolk
3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds plums, quartered (about 4 cups)

Directions

In a small bowl, cream butter and 3 tablespoons sugar until light and
fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time,
until mixture forms a soft dough. Press onto the bottom and up the
sides of a 10-in. pie plate.
Arrange plums, skin side up with edges overlapping, in crust;
sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or
until crust is golden brown and fruit is tender. Yield: 6-8
servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 237 calories, 13 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 57 mg cholesterol, 117 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein

Hand Delivered

2011-08-22T10:07:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I heard a knock at the door.

It was in the evening, and I was not expecting anyone.

As I opened the door there was a woman standing there with a package.

It was a very pretty box tied with a ribbon.

She asked if I was Stacey and I replied yes.

Then she told me that she was hand delivering my apron swap package from her mom.

I was shocked but excited too!

When I finally opened the box,

I went through all of the goodies and then opened my apron, saving the best for last.

Here is the beautiful Apron that Susan made for me.

The theme was cocktails.

I think this pretty much fits the theme.

And it is so colorful and bright.

I know this is the apron that is going to get me through the winter blah's...

It is so summery and cheerful.

And now I am really wanting to do some baking, in this apron.

These are the goodies that were tucked into the package.

Crystal light Margarita flavor (really tastes like a real margarita too),

2 margarita glasses, a cute little coin purse that matches my purse,

2 dish towels (there is nothing like having fresh new dishtowels in the kitchen), an adorable little pink flashlight with flowers, and a few drink recipes.

Susan did and Awesome job of putting my apron package together.

I love every last bit of it.

And my apron is AWESOME!

Thank you Susan!!!

You can check out her blog at this address

http://shabbyandfrills.blogspot.com/

Hot mama Apron Swap....Cocktails edition.

2011-08-09T12:58:00.000-06:00

My partner received her package so it is safe for me to post about the apron.

The apron I finished in record time, and then had to wait to ship off.

I had a very difficult time finding any cocktail related fabric. Included in her package I sent a cocktail recipe book published in the 1955. It was blue and pink and also had cherries in the illustrations. That was my inspiration! I found some blue, ruffled, garter lace and let that be the special addition that made it just a little on the spicy side. I made it with extra long ties to be able to tie it in front.

I found a cute martini applique at Joann's and put it on the front pocket.

Then I made some cocktail glass markers/charms.

They are pinup girls. I tried to stay with the pink and blues.

Also because it was end of July all of the cocktail themed items were either on clearance or gone, to make room for Halloween items in the stores. So finding the perfect tuck-ins, I had in mind, ended up being a huge challenge. But in the end I was very happy with the package I sent off. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did putting it together!

Christensen Family Reunion 2011

2011-08-02T01:25:00.001-06:00

This year we went to Palisade State Park,

for the annual Christensen Family Reunion.

Palisade Lake is a very small lake,

but the natural beauty draws me in every time.

This is the first place that my husband and I went camping when we first started dating.

This is where I fell in love with the idea of camping.

This is my favorite campground of all time!

Sadly although it was the family reunion,

I did not get photos of many people.

But I did get lots of photos of the great outdoors.

You can walk all the way around the lake.

This lake is where I first realized that my baby girl was going to be a nature lover.

She was 3 years old and she stood on the beach with a net and caught minnows for hours on end.

She is the child who I had a very hard time trying to entertain and keep happy.

And the minute she saw the thousands and thousands of minnows she was hooked.

Well see for yourself, she is still at it. And the tradition continues every year.

My nephew Micah, and Grandpa.

Elyssa and Dixie sitting in a tree.

Blue dragonflies were everywhere!

And apparently trying to make more...

This is the first photo I took when we arrived.

Such a cutie for bug!

He was the brightest green grasshopper I have ever seen.

I was very fortunate to get this shot just before we headed for home.

We were walking the Lake Shore Trail, and he stopped for a quick photo shoot.

Elyssa has a good eye for things in the water.

She spotted this little water snake.

Justin reached down and snagged it for a quick look.

I was super impressed how he grabbed it so quickly, in one swipe, with his bare hands.

I have better photos but I am going to spare the folks who have a phobia. (no close-ups here)

Daddy trying to get some minnow fishing time in.

Ashton was absent from this trip.

It is the first trip he has missed.

He was at youth camp in Idaho.

They went river rafting.

It was very strange not to have him with us.

But we all had many stories to share when he returned home.

One of These Things is Not Like The Others

2011-07-20T15:57:00.000-06:00

Our Chippewah started laying last Saturday.

Her first egg is the one on the left in the photo below.

Her second egg is in the middle, just slightly bigger than the first egg.

But what about the egg on the right? It is bigger and a different color....

That could only mean that our Oreo, started laying eggs today!!!

I am so excited!

This shows eggs from Americus, Chippewah, and Oreo.

Elyssa, holding Oreo's first egg.

She said the egg was the same color as her...

Finally, we are getting somewhere with this egg laying business.

Just 2 more chicks to go! Bob and Sprout are only about 16 weeks,

so we still have some waiting to do.

decisions, decisions.....

2011-07-19T00:08:00.002-06:00

Hmmm, I am trying to decide between 2 different posts.... The Ugly, After Dinner-Carnage post or The Beautiful, God's-Paintbrush post. Is there any conceivable way to choose between Negative and Positive. I like to think that I am a positive person. However, sometimes writing is therapy. And immediately after seeing the carnage I was able to see the beauty in something else. So maybe it will just be better to combine the two?

Family dinners are the norm in our house. That means every night you better be to the table when I call you in for dinner. We don't eat in the living room or the family room or our bedrooms. We eat as a family at the kitchen table. That is another post altogether. Anyhoo, after dinner Ashton gets up from the table and walks just into the living room area. There he stops cold and exclaims, "HOLY COW!!!"

My first thought is "uh oh". But I had no idea, what exactly, I was going to find on the other side of that wall. We were all a little hesitant to check it out.

It was

"The Death of a Snowman"

And it took less than 30 minutes for that little scoundrel,

to find a stuffed snowman in the basement.

And proceed to tear the stuffing out of him.

I was kind of shocked.

But I know what a beast this dog can be on certain days.

A few days ago she had one of my chickens.

(don't worry she made it through with out a scratch)

The same day she chewed up her first cord.

I am pretty sure she got zapped!

The same night she choked on a penny at 4 in the morning.

So, I am just about ready to sell her to Cruella DeVille!!!!

She is SOOOOO lucky that we love her!

Ugh what to do?

I guess there was nothing I could do,

but walk into the other room and grab my camera,

and document the death of the snowman.

And immediately after that I needed to get away from the carnage.

It is a good thing the sun was setting and I have a new Polarizer for my camera.

It gave me something positive to dwell on.

THE EVOLUTION OF A SUNSET

Color Therapy,

from my front porch to yours!

enough to keep away the vampires...

2011-07-13T00:16:00.002-06:00

I harvested about one-third of the garlic in the garden.

About 10 heads worth. They smell incredible!

I want to make marinara and bruschetta.

Pasta with a garlic butter sauce with a little white wine.

Ohhhh, and stir in some chicken.

I want garlic bread.

The leaves alone are so aromatic,

I had to take them out of the house and hang them to dry outside.

This is our first time growing garlic and I think it has been a success.

In 3 weeks I will go out again and harvest the rest of the garlic.

I think this is the easiest crop I have ever planted.

The bugs stay so far away from this plant!

I may need to plant garlic around all of the edibles.

But how to plan for that?

Something I must ponder....

Our 4th of July Celebration

2011-07-06T10:33:00.000-06:00

Good food, great friends, some fireworks and live music...

I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

These pups stayed by the cookies and guarded them. Bellies flat on the floor, noses touching the container. But they did not bother them one bit. It was hilarious to watch them, watching the cookies.

Fun was had by all.

I just wish I would have gotten a photo of our flag,

when all of the fireworks were going on overhead.

But my camera died.

I took a dish to share that I think I will be making again. As I was waiting to check out at the grocery store I picked up a magazine to see the front cover. It had pictures of stuffed Jumbo pasta sea shells. They looked yummy, so I decided to make them.

Appetizer stuffed shells

1 box jumbo pasta sea shells

1 bag frozen meatballs

1 lb. mozzarella cheese (shredded or cubed)

1 jar marinara (use your favorite brand, mine was homemade from last years harvest, that is what I had on hand)

1 small can tomato paste

1/2 cup water

Parmesan cheese (shaved or grated)

2 tbsp. Italian seasoning to sprinkle on top.

Cook pasta according to directions on the box. Drain, set aside.

Mean while microwave the meatballs for a few minutes until completely thawed and set aside.

Bring pasta sauce, tomato paste, and water to low simmer and let cook 10 minutes.

In a 9"x13" baking dish spread about 1 cup or more of the sauce, enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

next start filling the shells with 1 meatball and 1 cube of mozzarella cheese. Line them up fairly tightly in the pan. When they are all stuffed, pour remaining sauce over the top of the shells. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Then microwave for 5 to six minutes until heated through. It is too hot to turn on the oven right now so use the microwave if you feel like it.

The sauce was very hot so that cut way down on the microwave time. This was most definitely the easiest recipe for stuffed shells I have ever made. Also it made a great appetizer. I will be making these again and serving them for dinner with a nice summer salad and a crusty loaf of french bread. It was such a quick and easy recipe.

From the Strawberry Patch

2011-06-28T10:09:00.000-06:00

Elyssa has been harvesting her strawberries.

This is the 3rd year she has tended the strawberry patch. Grandpa gave her 16 small plants, and now they are huge and spreading out. She picks her berries morning and evening and washes them, takes the tops off and puts them in a freezer bag, and then freezes them until she has enough to make strawberry freezer jam. This will be the first year she will have enough.

A few days ago she picked 56 berries in one day.

And they smelled SO... SO... SO... Yummy!

They were sweet and juicy, and perfectly ripe.

Last night we did make freezer jam.

With very little supervision from me, she did an awesome job.

Sadly I don't have a photo. I will try to get one very soon.

Last year she made her very first batch by herself,

it was Apricot Freezer Jam.

I love that you can make freezer jam with 3 ingredients,

and very little sugar compared with traditional jam making.

More fruit, less sugar is a good thing!

Americus Eggs and the New Ladies

2011-06-10T17:15:00.000-06:00

Fresh eggs

Americus giving the stink eye!

These are our new ladies, Oreo and Chippewah. We think Oreo is a Barnevelder, and Chippewah is a golden laced Wyandotte. I am not sure if this is the case. If any of you Chicken expert out there know what they are please feel free to let me know what I really have.

Oreo and Chippewah are 18 weeks old.

I love the colors of Chippewah's hackles.

Eggs

2011-06-08T09:22:00.000-06:00

We have a wonderful chicken, Americus, that lays Wonderful Eggs.

She is like clock work. If she lays an egg at 7 am on Monday, I know I can expect an egg at 9am on Tuesday.

She has to take a day off once a week to rest,

I could sure learn a lesson from her.

Then it is back to the old routine of laying and egg.

The day she takes off,

makes for a bigger egg the next time she lays.

The girls have arrived!

2011-05-24T23:25:00.000-06:00

My Hens are here.

Meet Hen #1, because we don't have a name for her yet.

We are waiting on J to name her, so until then she is #1.

This little one is Sprout.

She is 2 months old, this is Elyssa's chicken.

She has a twin that Ash, named bob....

This is the west side of my coop and the egg door.

The roof is copper colored metal over plywood.

I have a big copper star I may put out here and change up the look of this side.

Not sure I am completely happy with it.

I want an Americana look.

I may incorporate more onto the door as well.

Here is my chicken, Americus.

This is a picture of the south side of the coop and the run.

Bgawk!

I have been watching several different ads lately,

waiting for the right kind of chickens at the right price.

Yesterday my BIL messaged me to tell me one of his students,

was trying to get rid of his chickens.

And did I want them?

Of course, I jumped on it,

he just wanted to give them away.

So I ended up with 2, eight week old chickens.

Then as I was watching the ads yesterday,

a guy was trying to get rid of 2 hens free.

I called on it but I was too late someone else had claimed them.

However late last night he called me to ask if I wanted them,

because the other person never showed up to claim them.

I jumped on it and picked them up early this morning.

Tonight I went to close up the coop and all 4 hens were on their roosts.

I was completely amazed.

But I was flabbergasted when I checked the nesting boxes and there was an egg.

Our very first egg!

We had the chickens less than 8 hours and we had our first egg!

Amazing!

time to play catch up...

2011-05-19T10:45:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since we got home from St. George. Well about a month. I feel like I have been playing catch up the whole time. So much has been going on around us and just trying to keep up is a bit overwhelming some days. Especially after our super laid back months, being away from home.

And we brought a puppy with us! So add that to the mix and it has been busy. I am constantly running around trying to rescue my bra's and underwear from that dog! What is it with dogs and under clothes? Really, My best bra?!? Dixie did you really have to chew up both cups?

We have been spring cleaning, and I must have got it bad, because I am tossing stuff into the donation pile left and right. I vacuumed the whole house the other day, I cleaned out the spice drawer (it has been bothering me for a while), I organized my food storage area (HUGE accomplishment). Cleaning up the school room/office/hobby room, tough job, I am making small bits of progress though.

Other things I have been up to?

I built a chicken coop (now if the rain would stop so I could finish it! pics coming soon). The more I read about and research having chickens, the more excited I get! My dear husband was a tremendously wonderful help in building the actual coop! I could not have done it with out his expert help. All I had to do was tell him exactly what I wanted and he helped me get it done. Just a bit of trivia here... Did you know that the city of Diest, in Belgium actually handed out chickens to their citizens to help cut down the amount of waste going into the land fills? Chickens will eat anything humans will and also lots of things they won't.

I started couponing again, this time on a much larger scale. My goal is to be an extreme couponer. In the last 2 weeks I have purchased 48 boxes of pasta. They were all free with in-ad deals and coupons. Last Sunday I went to Smith's to use up the last of my coupons for pasta and a few other things. My total bill came to $0.12!!! that was a savings of 100% for 10 boxes of pasta and a tube of toothpaste. That was at the first store. At the second store, I purchased: 1 bbq sauce, 6 boxes of pasta, 1 sunny delight, 2 quaker quakes rice snacks, my total was $2.27 cents! So in total I spent $2.39.

I have so much cereal from my past attempts at couponing which were fairly meager and my last 3 weeks of couponing, that I am not quite sure where to store it all. I most definitely want to take some of it to to the food bank at the church. Along with some of the pasta and 84 razors I have purchased.
My goal is to have enough food on hand that if my husband gets laid off from work we will be able to survive with out it being a huge burden to him. We have definitely seen that side of the barrel before. Construction work is feast or famine. The other goal is to have enough on hand that I can help out others going through similar situations.

Also I am helping throw a baby shower for the dear young woman who was the first ever to baby sit my children. She lives in England now but we are having a shower for her anyway. Her mom and I will be hosting this Baby-Shower-in-a Suitcase if you will. Her mom and dad will be headed out to England shortly after and will be taking all of the baby shower gifts and a video to the new parents and baby. That shower is the first weekend in June.

Lastly I have been involved in a renewal of wedding vows ceremony that will take place a month from now. I will be catering it.

Well I guess that pretty much sums up what is going on around here and why I have not blogged in a while. I promise to do better just as soon as I get my girls (hens) and get them settled in their coop.

Meet the Newest Member of Our Family

2011-04-15T18:00:00.000-06:00

This is DIXIE

She is a puppy about 12 weeks old.

We got her from the Cedar City animal shelter

She instantly "adopted" Justin and would not leave his side

She is supposed to be a border collie ~ heeler mix

but she is so small we wonder?

Dixie is the perfect fit for our little family

She is sweet and energetic, while being cuddly and loveable

Resting, Leaning, Longing... Lessons I'm Learning.

2011-04-06T10:39:00.000-06:00

Today is 60 days that we have been in St. George, Utah. Literally our home away from home.

I have learned a few things, some of them were gentle reminders.

Of course I have a lot to process now.

When we learned Justin was going to have to work in St. George, it was extremely emotional. I was completely 100% confident that God would provide for us. My faith in God never waivered. What I expected or wanted from God was my own idea of how he should provide. I was not outright demanding. I was just overwrought with emotion and thought that if we just stayed put He would provide. What I did not expect was that His provision would be perfect. It would be the the most magnificent gift of rest, and renewal in many ways. The only way for me to get that rest was to leave the city.

I remember my first thought, that I was not going to stay behind while my husband was so far away. If you can call 4 1/2 hours "so far away". I remember feeling like people were going to judge me because I could not be with out him. But I had some wonderful encouragement from some beautiful ladies letting me know that what I was doing was absolutely right. My place was with my husband being his help meet. There was absolutely no reason for me to stay behind. I am a stay at home mom, I home school my kids, all of my outside responsibilities could be handled by other people if I would just be willing to give them up. So I followed my husband. I stayed with him. My job has been to make sure all of his needs are met. He is well taken care of. We see him only a few hours a day but at least we see him. We are a complete family minus the dog. It has been one of the best decisions of my life! I can't imagine him having to work 10 hour days and then travel home on the weekends. He would not have time to rest up if that was the case.

The move was extremely emotional. I was a mess to say the least. We had 2 days notice and we needed to pack everything we would need for the first few weeks. I had the hardest time focusing on what needed to be done. I had offers from my sister-in-law, to come and help me pack. Problem was I did not have the slightest idea what needed to go. I learned that you absolutely can live with very minimal supplies. You can make do with what you have on hand. And if all else fails find the local dollar store.

Watching God work in our favor from the very first moment was incredible. I found a place to live that miraculously opened up the day before we needed it. And it is a beautiful retreat. In a place we would never be able to afford to stay, if it were not for the long term arrangements.

It took me about 3 or 4 weeks to process everything that had happened. Learning to unwind and settle down was very difficult. So I took up crochet. Needing to have a small, portable hobby. Come to find out doing crochet has the same effect on the brain as meditation, who knew?

I have found now that what I wanted and what I needed were not one in the same. I never saw my provision coming. Sure we knew it was God's hand that kept Justin working but what I did not see was that I needed a break. I was on a path leading to serious burn out, and a bad attitude was just the beginning of it manifesting itself. That vacation I had wanted so bad was right there under my nose I just had to realize it. It only took me about 45 days... Sure we were taking every opportunity to hike and swim but it was my mind set that had not caught up.

Now I am looking at the last 2 weeks of our stay here. And it is with mixed emotions that I look at going home. Part of me wants to stay here forever, that part that wants to be in the warmth. The other part of me so anxiously wants to go home, that some days I can barely stand it. I think about the garden and the chicken coop, things that need to be done before it gets too far into spring. I am learning patience I suppose. Sundays are the hardest, I miss my church family. I feel out of the loop, so to speak.

It has taken about 45 days for me to realize that spiritually I feel like I am dry as the desert, fitting isn't it. I know that I am in a season of renewal. I see it and long for it and I know it is happening, just as spring is beginning. I am newly opened to things God wants me to learn, unfortunately I am a slow learner. Right now I am going to lean on the Lord, as I have been, until we are settled at home. I know He knows what is best for us. What we need! I am not worried about Justin's job situation.

His provision is perfect.

Monster Jam in Vegas

2011-03-31T00:08:00.000-06:00

The trip to Vegas seemed to take forever to get here and then before we knew it, our vacation was over. We do get to keep all of the fabulous memories that came with it though.

Our good friends Jon and Meagan invited us to join them for the Monster Jam World Finals. A few pictures, ok a lot of pictures, of our fun time together in Vegas.

Hot Wheels Cars

One of Elyssa's favorite trucks. The other one is Monster Mutt.

The "girls" with Madusa.

Justin's pick "The Avenger"

Ashton's pick "Grave Digger"

Back in our room after the day in the pits,

we were resting up before dinner and the monster truck show.

The show was at the Sam Boyd UNLV arena.

We were not disappointed!

Monster Mutt

Day 2 in Vegas found us at the Harley dealership.
We could not leave with out a t-shirt.

Next stop The Strip.

We needed to make a stop at the M&M store,

and the Coke Cola store.

Early dinner was found at Caesar's Palace, they have a Cheesecake Factory.

Justin needed to leave Vegas to go back to St. George,

because he had to work the next morning.

I stayed one more night at Sam's Town with the kids. Jon and Meagan drove us back to St. George the next day on their way back to Salt Lake.

This very last picture was taken before Justin left. Then his camera died or I would have kept it to take more photos.

After dinner Justin and Jon took the monorail back to the vehicles. Justin left Vegas and John picked us up at the Flamingo. We went to the Treasure Island Show but it was awful. It was a little too grown up for the kids. Too many girls dancing with too little clothes on. If you know what I mean.

Next up was a trip to Circus Circus. It has to be the dirtiest place on the strip, but it has the best midway for the kids. And They have a Krispy Kreme donuts, McDonald's and loads of gift shops inside. We were so exhausted when we finally headed back to our rooms around 10pm. That was just under 12 hours of walking on the strip.

The next morning we had breakfast and checked out of our rooms. We were fortunate enough to have a room right next to Jon and Meagan. That was very convenient!

We loaded up and headed back to Utah. A quick stop in Mesquite and then a short drive to St. George and we were home. Jon and Meagan traveled on to SLC. It was awesome being able to hang out with them. We had so much fun and it was much needed.

DIXIE Rock Hiking

2011-03-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Elyssa caught this lizard. It was gently released back into a protected area away from the hikers

Las Palmas......Enjoying the Outdoors

2011-03-23T06:30:00.001-06:00

A Picture Post

I didn't know that Palm Trees have teeth, Some might cal them thorns or defense mechanisms, but the only way I can describe them is to say they have TEETH! have a look...

They finally heated the outdoor pools for the weekends so we have been spending some quality time there. Just working on our tans.

Crochet CrAzY!!!

2011-03-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

When we made our way to St. George, I knew I neeeded to have a portable easy craft/hobby to keep me busy. So I started making cotton dish cloths. I have made so many. I am still messing around with the size shape and borders to see what I like the best.

Twelve of them are pictured here. I sent 3 more to my apron swap partner, gave 2 away to my sister in law, and made 3 miniature ones for baby wash cloths and gave them away as a gift this past weekend. I have made 2 more that are not pictured here.

They are a fairly generous size.

My favorite is the orange one with the red and blue stripe, pictured in one of the photos above. When I completed it I thought of a certain Mrs. Charlotte B. Christensen. If she sends me her address I will send it to her!

Hot Mama Apron Swap Chickens

2011-03-19T06:00:00.001-06:00

My apron swap package arrived in this Very Lovely box.

Inside I was treated to some spectacular goodies, including but not shown, Lindt chocolate chicks, and some chocolate eggs. (I had already eaten them and shared them with the kids)

My Partner Kerry, sent me some pot holders with recipes printed on the back, chicken napkins, chicken embroidery transfers along with the floss and some needles, a chicken pin cushion, an egg timer for hard boiled eggs, an egg flipper, a cute card,

AND MY APRON! I just love the bright autumn colors and the green.

Thanks Kerry!

The Mica Pit

2011-03-17T06:00:00.002-06:00

One Saturday we drove across the Arizona border into the back country. Not very far... but we were going to a mica pit.

I had the hardest time photographing the sparkle of the "Glitter Hole"

But Ashton did a much better job of it once I handed over my camera.

There was so much mica I did not know where to start or what I was looking for. I ended up just doing a bit of hiking for a while and looking around at the neat mica pieces in every shape and size. I watched the kids and Justin dig and pry the pieces they wanted. About the time we were ready to leave, the kids were digging out huge pieces of mica. And then Uncle rick helped Elyssa pull out some really really big pieces!

For the Birds.....

2011-03-15T22:41:00.000-06:00

We love to feed the birds and we have a lot of fun just being outside. There is something very peaceful about sitting on the bank of a pond and feeding the various creatures that flock to you. I have no idea what some of these water birds are called but I have never seen them before.

Then you have the turtles that just swim over to get a snack.

At a different pond we encountered this funny little guy.

All shimmery and black.

Then we got a little bit brave.....

Until we got bit! There were no tears but this greedy bird did leave a good scratch.

February 2011 photos of the month

2011-03-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

I know most of these photos are repeats but there are a few new ones too!

I made this apron for my latest swap.

Unfortunately I accidentally deleted the one

with my beautiful sister in laws head in it. oops!

This is a close up of the fabric.

I have just a little bit of it left so

I might make myself a potato baker bag or something...

Ashton took this one. He loves his Yo Yo's

Maybe I will take more pictures this next month.

A boy and his Wii remote....

2011-03-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

I woke up around 6 am the other day to pack Justin's lunch before he left for work.

I walked into the living room and Ashton was sound asleep with his Wii Remote.

This boy is a sleep walker and talker.

It was funny to see this but not really a surprise.

There are days when I can't wait to get back to normal life,

you know when we get to go home.

Because this boy will be back in his own bed in the basement

and I won't have to listen to him grinding his teeth every morning in his sleep.

St. George picture update part 3

2011-02-17T23:01:00.001-07:00

Happy kids! My favorite kind.

A nice sunset. I did a drive by shooting to get this one.

We found an awesome park, less than a 2 minute drive from our place.

It is Cottonwood Cove park, and it has awesome play equipment.

Like this torpedo spinner.

And this funky swing.

The entrance to the park is a stone tunnel with a rope bridge.

It also has some traditional play equipment with a twist.

And the best part is the REAL rock climbing wall.

More interesting climbing structures.

The background of this picture has one more structure that was a lot of fun.

After the park we drove another 2 minutes away to the Tonaquint Park and nature center.

Where we went bird watching and Elyssa picked up a few feathers.

There were some Gorgeous ducks and other water birds that would not cooperate with me.

I hope to go back and get a few pictures of them.

I also saw a finch or sparrow with a bright red stripe on the top of it's head.

St. George picture update part 2

2011-02-17T05:00:00.008-07:00

All of these photos were taken at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

You can visit their website here .

It is the largest animal sanctuary in the U.S. We chose this as our first weekend outing in southern Utah. Elyssa was missing her dog terribly and we thought if she could connect with some other animals it might help. The Sanctuary is in Angel Canyon, and had 1700 animals the day we visited.

Waiting for our tour to start. More gorgeous blue skies.

This cat is Scotty, he was born with his eyelashes turned in against his eyes. Every time he blinked his lashes would scratch his corneas, as a result the vets ended up removing his upper eye lids, and he has very poor eyesight. He also had a funny little fang that stuck up out of his mouth.

This cat was very calm and quiet. He only had one eye.

And our very favorite was Marni. She was a 9 year old lab/pit mix. She was so sweet. The kids and Justin absolutely adored her. We would take her home if we could.

The Sanctuary was Absolutely AMAZING! Clean unlike any other I have ever been to. Organized beyond anything I have ever witnessed. Cats with feline lukemia had their own building. Cats with special needs their own building, older cats had their own place. Same with the dogs, small dog buildings, large dog buildings, older dogs buildings. They even had places for dogs who would rather live alone or with just one buddy. They had 42 puppies in the nursery and they would eventually graduate to puppy preschool. They had bird buildings and horse haven, piggy paradise for pot bellied pigs, bunny housing, one sheep. A horse that has had a prosthetic leg for 17 years.

This sanctuary took in 20 of Michael Vicks dogs. I think 2 of them are under court order never to be adopted out. 6 have been rehabilitated and adopted, and the others still live at the sanctuary. The sanctuary employs approximately 480 employees, and has an operating cost of $100,000 per day.

The Pet cemetery was beautiful and extremely peaceful. They have placed over 1000 wind chimes in the cemetery as well.

If you are planning to adopt an animal this is an awesome place to do that. Each animal comes with a life plan folder that has all of their known history and of their time at the sanctuary. Plus they are available for sleepovers if you are staying in the area.

The tour is free and takes about 90 minutes. I would highly suggest taking the tour if you are in the St. George or the Zion National Park areas. You can also rent cabins in the sanctuary and volunteer.

St. George picture update part 1

2011-02-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

After a 10 days in St. George. I have about 150 photos on my camera. I have selectively deleted a lot of them. I told the kids I am only keeping the ones I like the most. Here are some of the pictures that I feel capture the essence of our life here so far.

This is the palm tree directly outside our front window.

The skies are this beautiful blue most days.

School must go on

The Condo

A sweet girl asleep in our nest , she was coming down sick.

I let her sleep in extra long.

Stay tuned for part 2

How this adventure started

2011-02-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

For a lot of our friends and family this is something you have already heard. For many others I have not had time to explain or relay the latest news, so here it is.

Last Thursday, February 3rd, Justin was given a choice at work. He could stay and finish out the job with a guaranteed layoff 2 weeks later. Or he could go to St. George,UT and work until April and possibly have work after. He has been a foreman with this company for nearly 6 yrs. They gave him 1 hour to decide. It was so tough and super emotional for us. He knew we didn't have a choice. So we had 2 days to pack up, find lodging, and get down here so he could be to work that coming Monday morning. I was completely unfocused on Saturday and felt like I was stuck in park. It was so hard to figure out what needed to be done. Needless to say I was overwhelmed and having trouble processing everything.

It has been a hard transition. But we are adjusting. So much goes into a move and we had so many things to figure out before we could leave. No matter all of those details I see God's hand all over this.

Everything about this temporary move has been a God thing!

Originally we were going to stay in our travel trailer. It is tiny and I was having a hard time figuring out how we would do it. I think Justin could see that I was stressed about it, so he told me to find a hotel for the first 2 weeks. (As it turns out this is snowbird country and we would not be able to get an RV space if we wanted to. And the prices were just as much as the place we are in now) As I was looking I knew I would have to take my crock pot and make do with cold, microwaveable or crock pot foods. We knew eating out every meal was not a possibility. Most places had a mini fridge and microwave. That would have been doable. As I was searching for hotels I found some decent rates. About $59/night. A MOTEL WAS DEFINITELY OUT OF THE QUESTION. At some point I felt like I needed to look into Condos or furnished apts. The very first place I found was St. George Corporate Housing Website. I was able to find us lodging in some luxury vacation condos for $39/ night, as long as we paid for a full month, in advance. You are also supposed to book at least 30 days in advance. I called 2 days before our arrival, they told me they just had a 1bd 1bath open up the day before. He put us right in the open condo.It was exactly what we needed. This is so much better! At least we have a full kitchen, and plenty of space. The other BIG thing is the bed!

For years I have had trouble with my back from a car accident 10 years ago. Going to bed was like going to my own personal torture chamber. Last Valentines day my husband bought me a sleep number bed. It has been a huge blessing! I sleep at night and I don't wake up in pain. I LOVE my bed, I call it my nest. I was nervous about the bed we would have here but I was willing to deal with what ever I had to, to be here with Justin. This bed is so comfortable I have been able to sleep through the night and I don't hurt in the morning. That in itself is amazing to me.

I have also finally been able to warm up. For months I have been wearing my hoodie and a sweater all day everyday, along with my slippers. It is definitely not warm here but it is warmer than SLC. I have not had to wear extra layers just to keep warm. I am able to stand in the sunlight, if I get chilled.

That is the other thing the sun is is out everyday here. I feel so blessed to have this experience. I needed the sunshine!

I know there are people out there that don't understand why I could not just stay home and let him come to work here. He could always come home on the weekends or I could have come to visit him. For me that was never an option. Suffice it to say I have abandonment issues. I know it, I recognize it, I try to deal with it. But it is what it is. On another note we are extremely close! In 16yrs., I have only ever been away from him on those occasions when he has gone hunting, or the 2 ladies retreats I went on less than 2 hours away from home for the 2 nights I was gone. I feel like I can also make it easier on him not having to wonder if we are ok. He works 10 hour days. I like being able to make sure he has a hot meal when he gets home and all of his needs are met. I have gotten some really nice messages from friends who are completely supportive of my decision to come down here. It is extremely encouraging.

The kids are having a great time here as well. They brought their scooters and everyday several times a day they go on a long scooter ride. They find Palm tree branches and pieces. E has collected lots of rocks already. Ashton has a rash all over his hands and arms not sure what it is but we are trying to figure it out. They love the pool too. Constantly they are asking to go hiking, or go to the park. Every morning they get up and do their school work, without any prompting from me. E was super depressed yesterday. She misses her dog terribly.

We are almost done with our first week here. I will try to keep updated so that the posts are shorter next time. Life here moves at a much slower pace than at home. I think it is because of the elderly population. There are a lot of them staying here for the winter so we try to be very respectful. We want to be quiet, and not make much noise so as not to disturb them.
I guess that's it for now.
The next post will be a picture post watch for it.

Featured on One Pretty Thing!

2011-02-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Purple Zebra Baby Shower, I helped design and host, was featured on Feb. 7th, on One Pretty Thing. You can check out the website here. Or you can go here to see the original post.

One pretty thing is a great website. It is a compilation of crafty, DIY, crafty foods, make over projects, baby shower and wedding ideas, all from creative bloggers.
It is one of those sites I check out daily if not more often. It is a great way to get inspiration, and find the latest trends in the craft world. I Love to see all of the wonderful things those talented people come up with.

St. George, Utah

2011-02-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

Here I sit in a new place. I won't call it home...Yet. But it is a temporary dwelling place. A shelter. And yes it is lovely. There are palm trees just outside my front window. The view from the balcony is nice too. But Home as in my House... Not quite. However if I think about it, Home is where the heart is! And my heart is sleeping in the other room trying to rest up before his first day on a new job. So I suppose in some way I am home. Here is a picture of where we are staying. Las Palmas Resort at Green Valley.

Well Peeps I am exhausted!!! I was up at 6 am to finish packing, loaded the car and truck, cleaned out the fridge, went to church, drove 5 hours to St. George, unpacked everything, watched part of a movie on tv, caught up on my facebook and emails, and posted this on my blog. So I am off to dream land. I will keep you all updated soon!

Valentine Cookies? Ooh la la!

2011-02-01T10:17:00.001-07:00

So I was wandering around the blogosphere today and came across some cookies from How does She.

They were called Valentine cookies rated "G", "PG", "PG-13"

Follow this link to see them. HowDoesShe.com

Any how I realized that they were the same cookies that I had done with a friend for a lingerie bridal shower in October of 2009. I didn't realize that they would make a great Valentine cookie, for your sweetie. (but not for the kids classroom party at school)

Here are the cookies we came up with. I really loved how they turned out. How Does She has some great ideas on creating things with lace.

You really should check them out if you plan on making these cookies.

We bagged and dressed them up, with a tag. Then handed them out as favors.

I think I had more fun making these cookies than any others I have ever done. And I assure you they were definitely a hit! I think a few of the ladies took one home to their hubbies.

I have linked up to

January Photos of the Month 2011

2011-01-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

So I decided to go ahead and continue with the photos of the month. I think I am too lazy or busy or something like that to do the popular 365 photo challenge that everyone seems to be doing these days. I figure that this method worked for me last year so I am going to continue with it.

Icicles 2 different days, 2 different ways.

E's latest sculpture, a mouse with swiss cheese. Actually I was thinking a cute little mouse but what she gave me was more like a rat!

Ash, thought that the dog needed reading glasses.

My world covered in snow looking like a giant marshmallow.

E, Made a dog house from a box. The dog never did go inside!

One more sculpture. Give a dog a bone!

Tag your it!

2011-01-24T23:38:00.001-07:00

1. Four shows that you watch:
~ Chuck
~ The Middle
~ Better With You
~Modern Family

2. Four things you are passionate about:
~ My Husband
~ My Kids
~ Being a servant
~ My God (not last but the foundation)

3. Four words/phrases you say a lot:
~ Are you kidding me?
~ Seriously?
~ That's ridiculous!
~ I love you!

4. Four things you've learned from the past:
~ Not to worry about tomorrow, it will take care of itself.
~ Live in the moment.
~ Laugh every chance you get.
~ a Night out with the girls makes me a better wife and mother.

5. Four places you would like to go:
~ somewhere warm
~ california
~italy
~spain

6. Four things you did yesterday:
~went to church
~ went to lunch
~spent the afternoon alone with my husband
~ made cookies

7. Four things you are looking forward to:
~ spring
~ chickens
~ getting my craft/ school/ office organized
~Fresh Garden tomatoes

8. Four things you love about winter:
~Sweaters
~hot tea
~my electric blanket
~ When the snow covers everything and it looks like a giant marshmallow

Toasty Fingers Glove Swap update

2011-01-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

So I received my package yesterday. I LOVED IT! I ended up getting longer pink gloves with cute buttons on the side. Burt's Bees moisturizer, Dove and Lindt chocolates, Tazo Zen tea which is my most favorite, and Tazo Awake tea, all packaged in a cute little basket.

This is the swap package that I sent to my partner Jen.

It had a necklace, tea, bandana, hat and scarf set, 3 pair of gloves, 2 pr. funky socks, hair ties, key chain mirror, and nail file. I had a lot of fun hunting for swap goodies.

Here is the pictures Jen sent me of her wearing her swap goodies!

And Jack got the bandana which I think looks adorable!

For all of you ladies that came to swap, Thanks! I hope you had fun.

beautiful cold

2011-01-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

I am not the type of person who finds much to appreciate in the bitter cold winter months. However the girl in me likes all things sparkling and shiny. The first day after a snow fall and the world looks like a giant marshmallow covered wonderland. And when the sun hits it just right, it sparkles! I appreciate that.

And when the sun finally comes out of exile and shines it's beautiful light on the long icicles hanging from the eves. I appreciate that! We just came out of a deep freeze. 16 or 17 days below freezing, and now we hit our much deserved January thaw! These pictures were taken the day before the thaw started. We had ice and snow sticking off the house about 2 feet and then it started it's beautiful icicle formations from the edge of that. Some were under the icy overhang.

The view from my kitchen window.

This one is eye level. you can see the longest of the icicle formations. Before it was all said and done this one was about a foot longer than shown. Directly behind the brown bottle, the ice is encasing the main electrical service wires coming into the house. When J went out to clear some of this on Saturday, the whole gutter came down. It was a huge long block of ice. Fortunately when it fell there was no damage done.

December Photos of the Month

2011-01-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

Here they are, "better late than never", I always say.

The kids filled the advent house with Lego mini figs.

I think this will end up being a Christmas card next year!

Skye LOVES playing in the snow for 5 minutes.

Our tree this year. mostly paper hand made ornaments.

A few lights and a popcorn garland.

Christmas cookies, some of the ideas came from blogs I follow.

Others were our own designs.

Experimenting with my camera. I never got the desired effect.

Not happy with the technical aspects,

But I love the way this photo makes me feel. Cozy!

Snow on December 30th, 2010 at 6am.

Snow Babies on December 30th, 2010 at 8 am.

Snow Babies on December 30th, 2010 at 8:50 am.

(E with her cousin S)

Well that was the last installment of the "2010 Year in Photos" I'm not sure if I should continue to do it or not. I really enjoyed it. I didn't think I would follow through with it for the entire year. BUT I did! I wonder sometimes if I could do a photo of the week post? too much work? Not enough dedication? Maybe if it ain't broke I shouldn't try to fix it. I will have to ponder this for a few days.

Toasty Fingers Glove Swap

2011-01-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

This swap closes Wednesday January 5th. Sign up by leaving me a comment in the post just below this.

Toasty Fingers Glove Swap

2010-12-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

I believe it is time for a SWAP! I was blog hopping a while ago and came across a great swap. I loved the idea of gloves and goodies. So I have decided to host my own swap and see what kinds of creative people are out there. Basically it is cold outside so it revolves around gloves and mittens. Add in some really creative additions and you have a care package to brighten up the cold gloomy days of winter. So what do you think? Would you like to Swap? I have a limit set on the swap. You must spend a minimum of $5 on your package of goodies. Every package must have at least one set of gloves or mittens. There are so many great winter clearance sales going on right now. I think you might be able to score some great things at a very good price. Also you can make some of your goodies too. I would be really interested to see what you all come up with. How about a knitted beanie? Sugar scrub for your hands? Home made soaps? A nice moisturizer. Let's try talking about other tuck in ideas such as that great book you just finished and want to add to your package or some new slipper socks, a pretty scarf. .. Or some book marks, custom made greeting cards. How about chocolate? I am thinking things that make you feel warm inside. Cocoa or tea any one?

Ok so here are the details. If you would like to be part of this swap please leave a comment, on this blog. If you are reading this from face book, wander on over to my blog and leave a comment. You need to leave me an email address. After you comment, I will be sending you an email right away, send it back to me with the questions answered and you will be ready to be paired up. The swap sign up will close on January 5th. I will then send you an email with some details about your partner on January 6th.
All packages need to be sent out by January 12th. You will be required to email me when your package has been sent out and when you receive your package as well.
Also I would encourage you to blog about your goodies and send thank you notes to your partners.

Time Line Recap:
Swap entry closes January 5th
Partners emailed January 6th
all packages need to be sent out by January 12th

Oh, December you are going by too swiftly!

2010-12-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have not been able to sit and blog much between the snow, cookies, baking, Christmas activities including all of the shopping and wrapping etc. And I have been making pots of hot cocoa for the kids like none other. I learned a while back to run plain old water through my coffee pot and when the kids come in they are all ready to go, just pour some hot water into their cups and they are warm in no time!

Skye puppy loves the snow too, for short periods of time. She loves to rub her face in it and then eat it!

Our tree is pretty much all decorated with hand made paper decorations. Elyssa and I are doing a Little House on The Prairie curriculum this year and we decided we wanted to make all of the ornaments. But just when you think it is going to be all home made looking and you pull out all of the lights and only 2 strands work. You don't have any other choice except to pull out the rope light sitting under one of the kids beds and throw that on the tree too.

Skye loves the popcorn garland and we have caught her a few times munching on it.

This has to be one of my all time favorite photos! My beautiful ADVENT house all decked out with Lego mini figs. I knew it would only be a matter of minutes from the time I got out the Advent house before the kids started to fill it up with little Lego people.

Let the cookie pics begin! Oh my, we had fun doing cookies this year. As a matter of fact instead of doing 1 huge cookie session. We had 2! Some of the cookie decorating ideas came from blogs that I follow or from pictures in magazines but most of them were our own.

Me, creating my signature snowman cookie.

These pics are from the second round of cookie madness.

I am trying to keep everything as low key as possible this year. Of course there will be baking and shopping and wrapping, all combined with the normal dishes and laundry. But I am not going to stress that every single person I know, did not get cookies and I pledge to leave some behind this year for my family! And I will make fudge again, but if it doesn't turn out, I'll not freak out, but frost some pumpkin bread with it. This year I want to focus on the real meaning of CHRISTmas!

Merry CHRISTMAS Everyone!

A Social Network Christmas

2010-12-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

I have just discovered Wordle!

2010-12-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever used Wordle before? I stumbled upon it today and I feel like I have a brand new toy to play with.
This is the first thing I created I am excited to print it out and frame it. First I have a bit of playing around to do. If you get a chance check out Wordle.net for your own fun. You won't be sorry I promise!

16 WONDERFUL years

2010-12-12T00:00:00.001-07:00

Today is our 16th wedding anniversary!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. It seems like only yesterday that we renewed our vows.

I think a picture post is in order.

November 13, 2010

Early November 2010

October 2010

July 2010, After15 years I finally got him to paint my toenails!

( it was only because I was exhausted and could not reach my feet)

He taught me how to weld Spring 2010

We renewed our wedding vows December 12, 2009

Tattoos, November 22, 2009

Waiting for our Tatts

Halloween 2008

Our Tree

Alpine Loop Ride, Fall 2008

Checking to see if his temp gun works, his crazy hair, my patience!

2008

August 2008

July 2006

November photos of the month post

2010-12-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well it is the second week in December and I am finally going to post my November photos. I think I am getting back on track with things.

We have been graced with spectacular sunsets, right out our living room window. I love to take photos of the sky, whether it be raining or blue with puffy clouds or rich with striking colors.

Elyssa is my sculptor. She can sit for hours sculpting with her clay. She made this one afternoon. Sometimes I will let her sculpt while I am reading her literature, portion of her school work, to her. A while back she did a face that looked like Van Gogh. Now she comes up with this cute little parade of penguins. I don't have room in the house to store all of her sculptures so I encourage a catch-and-release type of practice. Sculpt and release! We are not using a clay that dries either so they are not a permanent type of art.

The next day this guy showed up.

I decided to try out a mini photo shoot in the front yard. I hoped that with the leaves and the colors it would turn out great. Although they did not turn out exactly like I wanted them to. I am happy with the results.

That is all for this month's photos.

random heavy thoughts part 2 (or something like that)

2010-11-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

I do feel as though I should continue writing. It is my saga (I have a tiny bit of drama queen in me) and I think it will be therapeutic to put into words what has been going on in my head. If it seems too much like I am complaining or whining, I apologize!

So I had some thoughts that I feel I need to get out and that is why I sit here at 7:30 am writing it out.

I thought I needed to begin where I feel it all started and see where it goes from there.

Last October a little over a year ago.

I was helping to plan a wedding, well more accurately I was catering the wedding. A huge affair. One of the biggest weddings I have ever done. Because you see I have only done 2 and they were both really big! Any how there was a ton to be done and I had the most amazing crew ever. I felt like I had everything organized.

I not only did the wedding reception, but also the rehearsal dinner, and helped with the bridal shower as well. Mind you I am not complaining I am just trying to put things in perspective.

Check out these bridal lingerie shower cookies we came up with.

Then 2 weeks after the big wedding Justin and I renewed our wedding vows and had a large ceremony, which was extremely stressful for me. Happy but stressful! the first wedding was right before Thanksgiving and my ceremony was like 3 weeks later. I had not even thought about Christmas at this point.
Check out these pics

I forgot to mention that between the above photo

and the photo below, we got our tattoos! Instead of exchanging rings.

Yesterday I grounded my kids, They were forced to clean their rooms. In the meanwhile I got sucked in to helping just a little bit. And in Ashton's Closet there was a gift we received when we renewed our vows. It felt like my birthday! I had no idea it was even there!!! I don't even remember receiving it. Justin just laughed at me. So I really do believe I am or was going crazy.

Eventually Christmas rolled around. Not quite sure how it all went down, I know we apparently survived because I am still here. I don't remember a whole lot about it though.

So during this whole time I was homeschooling my kids. I had the kids enrolled in a virtual academy, using the same curriculum I always had. However the staff at this particular School made things extremely stressful for me! I was constantly upset with them and under a ton of pressure. Needless to say we did not re-enroll with them this year.
Well, as spring of 2010 rolled around I started having heart palpitations and what felt like mini anxiety attacks. I still get a few now and again but basically they have subsided. I went through test after test and even had to wear a heart monitor, but I am in good shape! Nothing wrong here.

During the summer break I was completely convinced that I was going to get my whole house in order and get all of my office/school room/craft room organized. I even got myself started on the fly lady program! Swish and swipe the toilet and sink everyday....shine your sink every night....get dressed to shoes first thing every morning....Monday home blessing hour....
well that lasted until July 18th!

I didn't mention that during this time I also had a major role in planning 4 huge Baby showers!

Christa had twins, shower was in March.

Natalie had a boy, shower was in May.

Erin had twins, shower was in September

Mandy is having a girl, shower was in November.

So far a really busy year! But if we back up a bit, I will tell you about that day in July. The day after my 34th birthday. The day when I was called and told my baby sister was in a Life Flight chopper on it's way to the University Hospital. I was worried but determined not to freak out YET.
She was in the hospital for 36 days, her injuries were extreme. She was on life support, for the first 6 days, in a coma as well. She broke her back, had a brain injury, broken pelvis, internal bleeding, had her spleen removed, and part of her intestines as well. I practically lived at the hospital for the first 18 days of that. Then we decided taking turns would be easiest. It came at a bit of a cost though. My daughter is extremely clingy now. She is 10, and she used to be able to have sleepovers away from home. But not anymore. She just can't handle it.

After Abi got home from the hospital my mom had to leave town for 10 days. She needed the break too. Abi, moved into my house. She was a good patient. Caring for someone with her extent of injuries is exhausting. Even though she could eat and take care of her most basic needs, I felt like I was always on guard. I had to shower her, do her hair, change her dressings. At first it was me doing the work but I soon got her to start helping. She was able to wash up and I only needed to do her hair which was a whole other emotional mine field, she lost a ton of hair every time we washed. Getting her out of the shower was another matter entirely. She had lost so much weight that she would just freeze, she was skin and bones. It was the end of August and I would have to turn on the electric blanket and get the bed good and warm. Line it with towels, help her to the bed, get her brace off, cover her in towels and the electric blanket and watch her shiver for an hour. Then we would redress her wound and get her dressed. I want to take a nap just thinking about it!

Then my husband went hunting in early October. I always go crazy overboard with the emotional baggage I have, when it comes time for him to go hunting. I cry, I give him hell. Well this year was different. He asked if I was ok when he was getting ready to leave. I told him, "I'm fine, in fact I don't have the energy to care that you are leaving." And that was not a lie and it was not being mean it was just the truth of where I was at. I was empty of anything even remotely resembling myself. I had to get through everyday of this last year on auto pilot, what ever that is.

I really don't know if I was depressed or exhausted or suffering from Mono, maybe all three. But what ever it was/is I hope it is over and I want to make sure I don't go back there ever again.

So Much more seems to be happening or happened and I just don't have time right now to put it all down. I am still homeschooling my kids, and this time around I am enjoying it!

Right now it is time for school, and then I have to figure out what dessert I am taking to Thanksgiving Dinner, go shopping, take back my over due library books, etc....

You know they say, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". I want to look into the future and say, "See there, you survived that hellish year and look at you now!"

just some random heavy thoughts and a cranberry vinaigrette recipe

2010-11-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

Where to even start????
I have been going through a ton of stuff lately (not the kind you throw out, but the emotional stressful stuff) well, for the last year I suppose... So many things have been overwhelming or lacking (spiritually speaking) which can be over taxing in itself. I don't exactly know where to begin or what to share. I almost feel as if I have been just existing for the last year and I actually was sharing with one of my girlfriends that I feel, I have been in survival mode. I know a lot of you out there can relate. Maybe I was depressed or overspent but for sure I felt like something in me was broken. I almost felt like I was going crazy at times.

Today feels like a turning point.

I can tell you that I have been sick this last week. And for some reason I am feeling so much more relaxed, now that I am getting over this gunk, than I have in a very long time. Maybe because I took a whole sick day yesterday and went back to bed after breakfast. I just feel different today, I have energy and I feel like I am actually looking forward to this holiday season.

I had my Hubby get out the tree today (don't know what I would do with out that man! He loves me so well!). I have been making ornaments as well, cute paper ones. Elyssa and I are doing the Little House on the Prairie curriculum and thought it would be appropriate to make our own paper ornaments and also some strings of popcorn for garland. We are still going to put on white lights, just because I think candles are a bit overboard, haha. That is a whole other kind of stress I am not willing to get myself into.

I went to church today like I do every week. And I usually have a ton to do while I am there. The same was true today. Maybe a blanket of snow covering everything and making it look beautiful helped make the change I am feeling. (Did I mention I hate winter and snow?) Maybe it was my praying "God, Help me feel joy again." over and over and over again. Do you know how hard it is to pray when you feel spiritually constipated?

What ever the change I feel different today and that is to say, I was laughing all the way home with my kids and husband. We had a great time at Costco... Weird right? I feel rested and at peace, and at church I actually felt like I was not there to serve coffee and make the sound board do its job. But I was there to worship. I feel like there is something freeing up in me. I admit I danced a little back there in the booth. Not holy-roller-dancing-in-the-aisle kind of stuff but dancing none the less.

And when I went down to put a load of laundry to wash, even there I felt a sense of joy, accomplishment, and well being. Hmmm, I think the winds of change are blowing. I even put in another load after the first one. Crazy, I tell ya. Did you know I lit some candles too? I am going to have to reign this thing in a little before I pull a muscle or something.

(Did you count how many times I put the words feel or felt? me neither. I think there are too many. I know I am not supposed to rely on my feelings but that is the only way I FEEL like I can express what I am trying to say.)

Well I guess I better just stop now and give it all some time to sink in so I am going to leave you with a recipe for cranberry vinaigrette. This is great if you have a can of cranberry sauce that you need to use up.

In a food processor combine:

1/2 can cranberry sauce

1/2 an onion

2tsp Italian herb seasoning

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1/4 cup sugar

and process until pureed

next add

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Process until well combined.

The End Result

I served this over salad greens with crumbled blue cheese, croutons, and some diced apples or pears. Throw on some candied nuts or sunflower seeds if you have them on hand.

Purple Zebra Baby Shower and fancy caramel apples

2010-11-10T00:00:00.004-07:00

I just helped to host a baby shower for a friend of mine. I had a hard time coming up with a good shower theme. So I decided to go with the nursery theme. It tends to make it unique to each shower guest of honor. Her nursery colors were purple and zebra. Which I think are adorable together. The problem I had was making sure it stayed looking like a BABY shower and not a bachelorette party.

I was able to pull it off using light pink as an accent color. This shower was done on a very tight budget, but I don't think you would be able to tell. I used fabric 12x12 inch squares on the center of the tables, then spread a mound of shredded metallic gift bag filler in the middle of that. Then I put gift tissue wrapped toilet paper rolls in the center of that, and sprinkled the table with purple star confetti and pink heart confetti.

The Lunch Buffet table had a purple table cloth and more zebra fabric as a table runner. I originally wanted to use gift wrap but could not find any zebra print gift wrap.

We served Chicken salad croissant sandwiches, Egg salad Croissant sandwiches, Garden tomatoes stuffed with chicken salad, Tortilla chips with mango and avocado salsa, Cream puffs drizzled with pink and purple Chocolate, green salad with cranberries and almonds, pink fluffy fruit salad.

Pink Lemonade was served with sprite added to give it a little fizz, and for color, some limes.

And last but certainly not least... Caramel apples!

It is the season for a good caramel apple and these did not disappoint. First I made the caramel, the secret to getting the caramel to stick is to keep the washed and dried apples in the fridge until you dip them. They need to be super cold.

After I dipped them in caramel and rolled the bottoms and sides in chopped nuts, I put them back in the fridge for a few minutes. Then I melted some extra dark chocolate chips in a ziplock baggie. I cut off the tip and drizzled on the apples and then put them back in the fridge again. It only take a couple of minutes in the fridge because they are cold to begin with. After the Dark chocolate I used white chocolate and pink and purple chocolates, You can get these from Wilton in the cake and candy making section of almost any store. They are candy wafer melts. Lastly I felt that they needed a bow so I tied one on each stick. I presented them on a tray if the guests wanted them during the shower but while we were playing games I bagged them in clear cellophane baggies from the dollar store, and gave them to the guests as they were leaving. Can I just tell you the smell of these are divine. I had to hold a tray of 20 of these things! Let me tell you they are heavy too.

Here is the recipe for the caramel. It is seriously just as quick and easy to make this recipe as it is to UNWRAP all of those little caramels.

1/2 cup butter cubed

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

dash of salt

1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

10-12 popsicle sticks

10-12 med. tart apples

1 cup salted chopped peanuts.

Note: I used about 20 small gala apples 2 1/2 inches. They are sold in a bag every where right now. This recipe covered all of them. I also used Sea salt and added about a teaspoon because I really like the sea salt caramels that are popping up all over now as well.

In a large heavy sauce pan, melt the butter, add brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture come to a boil, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads about 240 degrees, firm ball stage. Remove from the heat stir in the vanilla.

Insert popsicle sticks into the apples. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture, turn to coat. dip bottom of apples into the nuts, set on greased wax paper, to cool.

Yield : 10-12 apples.

October Photos of the month

2010-11-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Look at me trying to get all caught up!

October

Is the month of tricks or treats..... hence my first story!

My husband was trying to light the bbq for me. It was Sunday, October 31st. I kept telling him to get his face out of the bbq away from the grill. He just gave me that, "I'm a man I know what I am doing" look. Well suffice it to say a fire ball came straight out of that bbq right into his face. We both jumped back, and I admit I screamed like a girl. He got singed everywhere, his eye lashes and brows, arms, beard, mustachio, hair, behind his ears. And it smelled horrid. I laughed until I cried. Ok, after I made sure he was alright, I laughed until I almost wet myself...

The kids decided they wanted to be gnomes for halloween, here they are posing as grumpy gnomes.

Our good friends Christa and Jesse brought their kids to a get together we went to and they brought the twins as Thing 1 and Thing 2, little marshal was the cutest cowboy but some how I failed to get his picture. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Christa was not even the tiniest bit afraid to spray the babies' hairs blue.

Seems like the only time Justin and I get a picture together is if we are going out on a date night. Which are far and few between!

Our Pumpkin Carving Party, end result. Fun was had by all and JJ brought his famous homemade chocolate chip cookies. They were YUMMY!

I had to have a hat for a Madd Hatter tea party, it was our version of a ladies night out combined with a halloween party. This is the hat I made out of a Winco paper bag, and scraps that I had lying around.

Julianna wore this hat to the tea party. Her sister wore it while skating in the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It was a hit and got passed around a lot.

Some people are going to think I am going to hell after this next picture.... yes I dyed my daughter's hair blue because she wanted it done and because it is just hair. I even put a little bit of blue in my own hair.

I painted a butterfly on my face again this year for halloween. It kinda matches the blue in my hair too.

That is it for October! See the post below for September.

I have also taken a ton of photos for November already so I will be getting all my ducks in a row for that post at the end of the month. I want to do a post on the baby shower I just hosted for my friend Mandy as well. and put up the recipe for caramel apples.

September photos of the month

2010-11-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well my computer had technical difficulties and that is all I am going to say about that. Anyway all of my photos were on that computer, so I was not able to put up a September Photos of the Month Post. I am happy to announce that my regular computer is up and running again thanks to my wonderful husband. So with out further adieu,

SEPTEMBER

I signed up to participate in an Apron swap, It was my first time ever and I was really excited because the theme was Alice in Wonderland. Let's just say things did not go according to plan and I was not able to participate. The sign up was right before Abi's accident. Anyhow the hostess of the swap contacted me after seeing my post about Abi and told me that she had people who had volunteered to be an Angel and create my apron and send it to my partner for me. It was an incredible blessing and a wonderful surprise when I got a package in the mail a few weeks later with my apron and goodies in it. In the box was a copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a set of heart shaped measuring spoons, a mad hatter necklace, Alice and the rabbit paper dolls, and some hand made note cards. Along with a gorgeous apron as well.

My husband organized a campfire worship and we had a good turn out. We set up a campfire pit behind the church, put out a few tables with some lemonade. Everyone brought treats and snacks as well as hot dogs to roast and we all had a great time singing around the campfire.

Cheva, Nate, Scott, Danjuma, Justin

Abi, Jolene

My good friend had her baby shower after her twins were born. I had picked up this vinyl wall stickers for part of her gift. It brought me to tears to see that she put it on the crib.

My kids have been loving the game cuponk, only we are too ~~frugal~~ ok cheap to purchase the real thing. So we made up our own. Only ours consisted of a 44oz. drink cup, and 6 ping pong balls. We have enjoyed it so much that we decided to make some for birthday gifts. We decided that we could not use a drink refill cup from the gas station because that would be a bit tacky. So we went to the store and scoured the aisles for something suitable. We came up with this box, which just happens to have a convenient locking lid, about $3. and 6 ping pong balls, about $5. In total the game costs about $8 to make and saves about $7 off the retail price of the Cuponk.

We made up our own trick cards and included them in the box.

Well I guess that about wraps up September!

a foodie contest count me in!

2010-11-04T10:39:00.003-06:00

I would like to give this contest a try so here goes! I could use a little bit of adventure !!!!

I just need to answer a few important questions first.

Q.Why do you want to compete in this challenge?
A. Adventure in the kitchen, it sounds like so much fun.
Q.Limitations of time/space notwithstanding, whose kitchen would you like to spend the day in & why? Julia Child, Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, James Beard, Marie-Antoine Careme, or The Swedish Chef?
A. Oooh tough decision....Julia Child, I used to sit and watch her on television as a kid before there was anything like food network. Saturday afternoons I would be glued to the television waiting to see exactly what creation she would come up with.
Q. What morsel are you most likely to swipe from family & friends’ plates when they aren’t looking?
A. anything with cheese on it.
Q. Sum your childhood up in one meal.
A. Enchiladas, fresh homemade beans and tortillas, Spanish rice.
Q. The one mainstream food you can’t stand?
A. Mayonaise

Wish me luck I am super excited to enter this contest. I will keep you posted as to the results. For more info on the contest click on the Iron Foodie badge above.

Justin's most excellent idea!

2010-11-03T05:05:00.002-06:00

O K! I realize I am probably on my own here but I have a terrible time remembering that I have put a load of laundry to wash and/or dry. I just don't seem to be able to run down there and change it out, most of the time. My kids do their own laundry. And the 10 year old has a hard time remembering she put a load in to wash. Ashton generally remembers he has a load washing but he forgets to take it out of the dryer. I asked Elyssa the other night if she had a load in the washer and she had forgotten about it, but it was too late to put it to dry so I told her she would have to remember first thing in the morning to get it drying. I absolutely hate that mildewy smell from the wash that has been forgotten and then it seems like I have to wash it a couple more times to get rid of the smell before I can dry them. Can you see the vicious cycle going on here?

Justin was listening in on this conversation and he said to Elyssa, "We need to get you a necklace to wear when you have laundry washing!"

Well an Idea was born and I am going to show you what Elyssa and I came up with.

This project cost me a total of $2.25 because I already had the waxed twine.

I went down to Michael's and picked out 2 wood cut outs that had already been painted. We went with a Duck for the wash and turtle for the dryer. They were 59 cents each.

Then I picked up a bag of bells for 99 cents.

I had my husband drill a hole in each one and I wrote WASH or DRYER on each of them with a Sharpie.

I tied a bell around the neck of each cut out and then put the waxed twine on for a necklace. I made it large enough that even I could wear it.

It only took a few minutes to get the entire project completed.

I just need to put up 2 hooks in the laundry room to hang the laundry necklaces.

I am really excited to see how this works out for us.

Thanks Honey for a great idea!

I have not abandoned you! and Photos of the month

2010-11-01T11:02:00.000-06:00

I feel like I have totally abandoned this blog! It has been over a month since I have posted. It is just that I have been super busy and I feel like I never get caught up. I never posted my september photos of the month because my other computer died with all photos inside. My bad I know they should all be on disks or uploaded to a site somewhere or backed up on an external hard drive or something like that. Fear not they are not completely gone it just needs to be repaired. Well I will attempt to put an october photos of the month together even though I just feel like I have been interrupted.

And then my husband came up with a genius idea I will post about in a few days... I can't wait to show you what it is. I was so impressed!!!!

But on to the photos for October

I dyed my hair blue. not all of it mind you but a couple of streaks. And yes it is permanent but it's all good. It is just hair.

And Elyssa got some blue hair too.

The kids wanted to be garden gnomes for halloween. And I have to say this was the easiest costume ever!!!!

"Thing 1 and Thing 2" Christa and Jesse with their gorgeous little things!

Elyssa has taken up the clay and she love it. This was her Van Gogh.

My madd hatter tea party hat. I made this from a paper bag and scraps I had laying around.

This years halloween butterfly.

Thanks for stopping by. I will be posting that project my husband came up with in a couple days.

August Photos of the Month

2010-09-12T22:13:00.001-06:00

Holey Moley!!! It is September 12th, and I have not posted my photos of the month post. This is getting crazy...

The first photo is a picture of my husband and his brother on their bikes as they took a drive up the canyon. I did not get to go but they always try to take a few pictures. Justin is on the left.

My favorite practice picture yet. Sunflowers in the backyard, rising up out of the corn patch.

Our first real good garden fresh tomatoes. Ashton planted these TAXI tomatoes and they are yummy!

When Abi took a recreational therapy trip to her work, she ran into this couple. They are regulars and they have been following her story and missing her. They were thrilled to be in the restaurant when she made a surprise visit.

This tree was at the trail head on the way up to Doughnut Falls.

See the heart?

We sat on a bridge during our hike to get some photos.

When Abi had her "welcome home" party this was posted outside her work place.

One night there was a ton of lightning and Justin decided we should go and take photos at 11pm at night. We used to be so spontaneous before we had kids. It is so hard to get back into that! We went and we had fun. However we had a hard time getting any photos. By the time we got out to the Great Salt Lake most of the lightening had died down. We did manage a few though.

This is taken the same time and place as the last 2 photos only this was across the freeway and behind us. The moon was super bright and the clouds were really cool.

My refrigerator pickles.

I just really like the colors and the vintage look of this photo.

I am going to try to do better at taking more photos in September,

but alas we are already half way through!

Thanks for dropping by,

Stacey

Just kickin' back.....

2010-08-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

But only for a second so I can post some random stuff as I wait on the laundry.

The first picture is me kickin' back! This was on a day I had just returned from the hospital from visiting Abi and giving her a shower. I fell onto my bed in exhaustion and wanted to look at my photos on my camera. The result, me with my feet up on my headboard!

I took this photo of the sunflowers growing up above the corn Justin planted. Some of the flowers are now spent and the finches and sparrows have been picking at them.

All the time I spent at the hospital, resulted in my garden getting away from me!

Elyssa is in front of the patty pan squash, but to the left those are tomatoes and also behind the squash as well. They really are nearly 6 ft. tall.

This is my most favorite plant. I planted 4 Armenian cucumbers aka snake melons. I love them chilled in the fridge with some homemade dill dip. Or in a salad. I eat these everyday! Ashton calls this bush the foliage rocket, because I have it growing on a trellis I made of old branches in the shape of a pyramid. I picked 6 of these last night and they are all huge!

Last weekend we were going to take the kids to the lake before summer is officially over but the weather was going to be cooler than expected so we bagged the idea and decided to go hiking instead. We packed a lunch and headed up to Doughnut Falls. It was a really great day for hiking. On the way we stopped at this bridge to get some photos. Justin was setting up the timer on the camera, I think this is a test shot.

This is the waterfall, from the outside. See how the water goes through the doughnut hole?

This is from the inside!

After our hike we stopped to have lunch. And this guy provided the lunch time entertainment.

He really liked Ashton's BBQ potato chips and Elyssa's Banana chips. Oh! and Justin's Mt. Dew, only Justin refused to share that.

This was so random but I needed some therapy!!! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by,

Stacey

More Tomato Recipes

2010-08-17T15:17:00.001-06:00

Mozzarella Cheese (in this case 4 string cheese) and a 1/4 cup of Parmesan

A tablespoon of Pesto

1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

2 large garden tomatoes, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stir it all up! Let the beautiful flavors and colors come together.

Serve immediately! Do not refrigerate. It will change the flavor of the fresh tomatoes. This is a dish best consumed in one sitting. If you don't mind your tomatoes changing flavor then feel free to chill. My daughter loves this salad. She asked me to make it for her lunch today, after having it for dinner. Ashton and Justin say it is really good!!!

Roma Tomatoes

This is GOOD stuff

2010-08-16T21:36:00.000-06:00

There is nothing like a good old fashioned BLT!

Especially when the Bacon is extra thick.

The Lettuce is Crisp!

And the Tomatoes are Fresh Picked from the Garden!!!!

Put all that goodness on some toasted white bread,

And you have yourself one of the best combinations on the planet!

Oh BLT, How we love thee!

July Photos of the Month

2010-08-06T10:54:00.000-06:00

July

July came in with a bang! These first 4 photos are at a friends house for the Fouth of July celebration.

We had a blast!!! Thanks Jon and Meg!

Justin playing guitar

Ashton

I can't decide which of these 2 are my favorite

This next one is at This is the Place Heritage Park. Elyssa is doing a Little House on the Prairie curriculum this year and she needed some reference on pioneer life.

Abi's Accident was on July 18th. I mean Trauma Dragon's accident.

Sometime during the first week of exhaustion silliness ensued.

This was taken when they moved Abi out of SICU and into IMCU.

Our first harvest after the spinach and lettuce were done. 2 zucchini, 1 white patty pan squash, 1 green onion.

This is that same green onion. It was a monster.

Abi and I holding hands in IMCU.

The next photos were taken at Yuba Lake.

Justin taking pity on me and painting my last 3 toes.

This scorpion wandered right into our camp. We were in a group area and camped on the blacktop. There was a lantern on the ground as we sat around talking before bed. This guy was attracted to the light. I am ok knowing that there are scorpions out there and that they come out at night. I just stay on the path or at camp. But to have one wander over into my personal space, puts a whole new spin on things.

We had to share our beach with the cows. They only wandered through occasionally though. It was funny to see them on the sandy beaches.

More pictures from the hospital. This was after they moved Abi to the Surgical Orthopedic Trauma floor.

My baby brother and sister they are the youngest of the 6 of us.

Josh and Abi

This is what Abi thinks about this whole mess! Since this picture was taken she has not been this alert or chipper. She sleeps a lot and is exhausted.

Thanks for stopping by!

resting up.....kinda

2010-08-04T13:38:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I was pretty much forced by my husband to go to his family reunion. I am so glad I went it was a much needed rest and change of scenery. I knew I needed the rest but it is hard to leave when you are in the midst of the situation. My husband is extremely sensitive to my needs and has taken excellent care of me. I know it is hard on him to have to hold down the fort while working a full time job and also taking the kids to and fro. I know we needed to have time to reconnect as a family and my kids needed me desperately to bring some normalcy back to their little world.

We have not missed a family reunion in 17 years. Although I enjoy it I also know it is a lot of work to be able pack up everything needed. I usually make the menu and shop for the food and do elaborate meals. This year I was not able to do that and part of my hesitation in going was the work involved. I absolutely did not have it in me to do any packing or food prep. My husband was very sensitive to my needs and abilities. He bought hot dogs and we decided that we would just go with that for the weekend. Justin's dad decided to make breakfast casseroles and pre-made some biscuits and gravy. We had a microwave to warm up our breakfasts and it was an awesome idea. I was able to take the kids shopping the night before to pick out some snacks, that was very helpful. The hardest part was getting my clothes washed and getting them packed. Admittedly, I did not pack my clothes until an hour before we left. However the only thing that I forgot at home were some hair clips, which was easily remedied by sending some one into town to pick some up.

I feel so fortunate and grateful for all of the love and support poured out on us by Justin's family both near and far and all of those at the reunion.

The trip was a great success and I was able to rest and and get a grip on my emotions and stress level. It was really nice to swim in the lake and I loved sitting on the sandy beaches. I have photos to post as well but it will have to wait as I am not home but, at the hospital right now and I don't have access to them. I will also have to play catch up and do my photos of the month post. I am 3 days behind with that. oh well....

I stayed the night with abi last night and I am feeling very optimistic about her recovery, she is coming along so fast.
I know this post is a bit discombobulated but it is what it is.
Well that is it for now I will post more later.

2010-07-21T09:52:00.000-06:00

As you already know Abi was in an accident. We were posting updates on this blog but decided to give Abi her own space. This will be much easier to manage and it will allow her to manage it on her own when she gets well. She will be able to have a record or diary of what has been going on and she will be able to add her own insights as time goes by. You can always comment here or leave an encouraging word on her new email or her new blog.

That email address is:

Weloveyouabi@yahoo.com

All emails will be printed and put in a binder for her to read. We know that Abi will need all of the encouragement she can get in the days ahead. So leave some comment love here or on her new blog and then email her when you think about it!

her blog address is:

www.weloveyouabi.blogspot.com