Karen And Kissable Kids

Holiday To-Do List

2011-12-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

First of all I want to congratulate my son on his photography entry (see previous post.) He won an award and went to District. Hooray! OK, now check out this blog, now back to my blog. :)
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-to-do-list.html Just gotta find me a frame and pick up my prints at Costco. In the meantime, here's what I plan to put on it. Enjoy!

Our Holiday To-Do List:
-Festival of Trees (Always the very beginning of December - they have all sorts of tree, wreath and amazing Gingerbread House displays, a Kids Korner, yummy treats and crafts to buy all to support Primary Children's Hospital. If you've never been, put it on your calendar for next year)

-Decorate the Christmas Tree (check!)

-Watch Polar Express and drink hot chocolate (check!)
-Make personalized ornaments (almost checked!)
-See Temple Square Lights
-Make fudge
-Visit Santa
-Make Wish Lists to send to Santa
-Enjoy eggnog ice cream
-Read Christmas books (next year I plan on wrapping them and opening one a night - at least that's what I told myself last year)
-Sing Christmas hymns
-Donate food to the food drive
-Wrap presents
-Decorate Gingerbread House
-Deliver Neighbor Gifts
-Mail Christmas Cards
-Build a snowman
-Go skiing & sledding
-Watch "It's a Wonderful Life"
-Read the story of Christ's birth
-Make Christmas Jell-O
-Ward Christmas Party
-See the new Christmas movie (why does popcorn taste better in the theatre?)
-Make fresh homemade snow cones
-Christmas Morning French Toast Breakfast Casserole
-Stake Christmas Fireside
-Learn to play a Christmas song
-Make caramel popcorn
-Ice skating downtown
-Gardner Village’s Elf Scavenger Hunt
-Play games until midnight to welcome the New Year!

What are some of YOUR favorite Christmas traditions?

Fall colors

2011-11-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

My 11 year old has recently gotten interested in photography. I want to share with you the picture he took recently for a Reflections contest at school. Story behind the picture: We drove up the canyon several times to try and get a picture of the leaves changing colors. Did I mention my camera is 5 years old and I've never learned how to use it? I don't have the time. I love it when I get a perfect picture with my camera. Anyway, the canyon was gorgeous, I wish we'd driven up there sooner to see the changing colors - this is our first year doing it and we've lived here 11 years. Sometimes we got up there late so it was too dark and the pictures didn't turn out right. It's just not the same as seeing it in person. Anyway, I went to get the mail one afternoon and low and behold, this tree in our yard was starting to explode with color. It reminded me of those "firecracker" or "rainbow" popsicles I used to love as a kid. I ran inside and told Jeremy and he shot this picture.

It made me think, "God is truly amazing." He made all these beautiful things for us to enjoy - in our own backyard. He gave us variety. I enjoy it, marvel in it, and I'm thankful to a Supreme Creator for letting me realize it. Someday I'm going to ask him, "How did you make green leaves turn yellow, red then brown?" Amazing...

Running, running, running

2011-10-18T18:19:00.000-06:00

I love how her left arm swings but the right doesn't. Thank heavens for squeaky shoes, I haven't lost her yet.

Summer recap

2011-09-19T08:01:00.002-06:00

We were gone almost all summer, seriously. I think we were home a total of 10 days in between mid-June and the first day of school. My mom shattered her ankle in May and so I packed up my kids and headed up to Bear Lake to help her get thru the summer. We were also gone for two family reunions during that time. My mom manages cabins up there during the summer for family vacations.

www.bearlakelodge.com

It was a good year, meaning busy. She was short on maids so while I went and cleaned places every day she would keep an eye on my kids while doing paperwork. My oldest is pretty good about babysitting but they all get tired of each other after spending all day together in a smaller place. Thank heavens for DVDs, video games, books and Bear Lake raspberries. The first month she needed quite a bit of help because she was still in her wheelchair so I did most of the cooking as well. She tried to do as much as possible but it's hard getting around with a wheelchair. She's recovering much faster than we anticipated. She can now walk around a little even though she has 15 screws and 2 plates in her leg. It's truly been a miracle.

During Raspberry Days we had a 2-day break so we went and enjoyed the festivities. The kids were happy about that. The beach was almost nonexistent this year because of the high water levels and it was COLD. We went to the beach once and that was enough, I didn't want to go again. We got to do a bunch of "firsts" this year like ride the big bike, have shaved ice, enjoy the parade, shopping, ride the race cars, and go on a 10 mile hike. (My boy scout is passing off his hiking merit badge so I was his travel buddy - since then we've done two more 10 milers and are doing the big 20 miler next weekend.) We forgot breakfast and remembered after mile one (should've gone back.) 2 hours later we got to the KOA market and loaded up. At mile 8 we found a bush of wild raspberries and thanked heaven for the angel that planted it. LOL

Also during the summer, my cousin Loren got married to a sweet girl named Samantha in the Salt Lake Temple and they had their reception in our backyard. We got home the day before to clean the house and left the morning after for Bear Lake again. Super fun party - I would totally do it again. Isn't she gorgeous - what a lucky guy!

Relief Society Birthday Dinner Idea

2011-08-31T21:00:00.012-06:00

I just wanted to share what we did for our Relief Society Birthday Dinner last March. I always like looking around for new ideas so here's one that might work for your ward. I threw out my back a week or two before the dinner (not fun with 5 kids - my house quickly became a disaster zone) so our RS President and Coordinator took over and did a fabulous job putting together a wonderful evening. The night of the event, I felt well enough to go hobble around. I took 4 Advil when I got home but it was worth it. I wish I would've taken pictures, sorry.

Charms on magnet card as placecard and take home gift. On a 3x4 scrapbooked card there was tied a little high-heel charm they could add to a bracelet or key chain so they would remember the night.

High heel cookie cutout frosted so cute in a clear bag as a dessert or take home gift. A lady in our ward decorates cookies for her job so she helped make them deliciously fancy.

Visiting Teaching Skit put on by the presidency and committee. The RS President played her part and our 1st counselor played a sister that needed to be visit taught. Then we had pairs of sisters come "visit" her (each pair wore a different kind of shoe). The skit was similair to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkG1W0GeF_c It was hilarious!

We decorated the tables with different solid colored tablecloths and dollar store girl's dress up shoes. The tables were already set to save time. We did a potluck dinner since budget was tight.

Also on the stage we had a tower of shoes. We asked sisters to donate gently used shoes that we could give to the Humanitarian Center later. We ate dinner, did the skit and then we did a service project - we tied strips of fabric onto new dollar store flip flops that we donated the next day. The best part was getting to sit down and enjoy dinner and talk with each other. We're always so busy with our lives that we never take the time to stop and really visit. That was my favorite part.

Upstairs - Little Kids & Craft Room

2011-07-07T09:28:00.000-06:00

My mom broke her leg so we've been helping her out quite a bit and I'm making a quilt for our family reunion. We've been busy. This summer is going by way too fast. Here's the rest of the pictures of our "new" house. Sisters Room - my 8 year old loves to practice gymnastics in here and it's big enough that she can. She loves to read so I put together all my old bookcases from my childhood room and now she has a library wall.

Four year old's room - still need some more IKEA kids furniture. There's a mini tramp in the corner and from the stud rings we hang a trapeze bar - sometimes it's in timeout because it gets too wild in there.

Craft Room - My old kitchen table is on the other wall but it still had stuff on it. It was our wedding gift from my Nana. I also have a hutch and counter-desk that was hers. In the old house my craft room didn't have a closet so I am LOVING that! There's the quilt I should be tying right now.

The kids love the new house and all the space. They enjoy playing hide-n-seek since there are so many places to hide. I imagine we'll stay here as long as we can cause moving is just too hard.

Upstairs - Laundry & Master

2011-07-06T17:00:00.000-06:00

First of all I have to say that the upstairs laundry room was a huge seller for me. The idea of not having to haul stuff up and down stairs... *sigh* I bet you a woman thought of that. My 8 year old keeps her sewing machine and craft stuff in here like paints and playdough. There's also a wash sink in here.

Master Bedroom - that's a Cal King and yes, our baby still sleeps with us. I love watching her wake up so bright and happy every morning and it's fun to cuddle with a freshly bathed baby as I go to sleep.

Master Bath - big enough to live in. I think our bedroom at our first house WAS actually this size...

Everyone but me has used that jacuzzi tub. Someday... someday.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

Don't you love it when you find a poem or song that says exactly what your heart wants to say? This is from Janice Kapp Perry. I originally found it in the book "Fathers of our Faith." You can find the story behind it here: http://www.ldsmag.com/index.php?option=com_zin&view=author&id=99

under her published articles.

I can understand how much Heavenly Father loves His children because I have an earthly father who loves me. Thanks Daddy! Have I told you lately that I love you? I love you whole bunches! XOXO Forever & Always ~Karen

"My Father's Faith"

A father's faith can bless his little children
And help them rise above life's daily storms.
A father works each day to keep his dear ones
Ever protected, safe and warm.

My father's praise can send my spirit soaring
And help me see the good I may achieve.
My father's trust can fill my soul with courage
And help my doubting heart believe.

My father's tears can somehow say, "I love you"
When words fall silent in his tender heart.
Through daily acts of service and caring
His deepest feelings he imparts.

My father's prayers can call down heaven's blessings
And keep his children walking in the light.
His constant strength is steady as a lighthouse
That brings me safely through the night.

My father's arms can offer consolation

When I, in sorrow, turn my heart toward home.
His loving voice resounds within my being
To help me know I'm not alone.

My father's eyes can see past faults and failings

And still imagine all I may become.
And when I fall he's there to walk beside me
To tell me I can overcome.

My father's love will shine through generations -
A gentle force that guides me through the years.
My father's faith will be my inspiration
And make my path to heaven clear.

(Janice Kapp Perry, 2008)

Main floor part 2

2011-05-17T15:10:00.003-06:00

Troy's office with his new massage chair that he's in at least once a day. The computer desk was a mess so no picture of that, sorry.

Kitchen - half the cupboard space as the old house so
I'm still working on that.

It looks clean now but ask my kids, it never looks like this and
luckily you can't see the floor.

Family Room

LOVE this backyard. Plenty of shady places for the kids to play and there's a little bench hiding in that back corner - perfect place to steal a kiss.

I have plans for this garden but it's raining every day the next couple of days so I can only blog about it for now.

Main floor

2011-05-17T15:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to our home! Here are some pictures of the main floor. My 4 year old spilled half a bottle of baby powder upstairs and tried to clean it up with a blow dryer (he said the Holy Ghost made the mess, not him) so it might be a while before I post pictures of the upstairs. :)

Front door

Inside - front entry & living room

Living Room

Dining Room

Basement part 2

2011-05-17T14:40:00.005-06:00

Here's the rest of the basement:

13 year old finally has his own room

Game table with spinning middle - games are in that armoire

Man cave - 2 reclining sofas and a reclining leather rocker - very comfy.

New Home Pictures - Basement

2011-05-17T14:00:00.001-06:00

I love going into other people's homes to see how they decorate and organize things. I'm still not done decorating but I know our extended family would like to see our "new" home. Here are some pictures of the basement.

Our old dresser painted black now for our 10 year old son

His bed - I need to make a black headboard

3/4 bath

Cold Storage - half that stuff is my mom's that she needs to come get so I can fill it up with our year supply of food and toiletries.

I LOVE the food storage shelves.

There's another longer wall like this to the right.

100 day Book of Mormon Reading Challenge

2011-05-05T13:11:00.000-06:00

In our Relief Society we started something new and wonderful - a Book of Mormon reading challenge! Last year we did a 6 week challenge so it ended up taking around an hour every day to get it done in time. This year we wanted to mix it up a little and make it easier. Somewhere, someone in our presidency found this 100 day challenge. I love that it has a thought for every day and a question to ponder so it makes you STUDY instead of just READ. Simply submit a comment with your address and I'll email you the pdf file. (I haven't figured out how to do a link to it on blogger - if anyone knows how to do that please comment.) We cut them and put them together as booklets with a whole punch in one corner and held it all together with one of those metal rings. You could pass it along to your ward's RS presidency or make one for yourself to do this summer.

Home Sweet Home

2011-04-29T17:42:00.000-06:00

Moving is CRAZY. I'm still delirious from it all. Do I miss the old house? No, not really. It served it's purpose and we really did need a bigger house. Do I love the new house? Emphatically YES! (Less emphatically said on cleaning day.)

Did I mention that we "swapped" houses? We bought a home 4 houses down the street from us and she decided to buy our house. Financially convenient since neither of us had to pay realtor commissions. We're friends now to say the least but it was still crazy trying to move in and out at the same time.

I'm almost unpacked. I'll get pictures on here ASAP. Just wanted to let everyone know I'm still alive and slowly getting back to real life.

First Birthday!

2011-04-23T18:00:00.003-06:00

Today's extra special because you turn ONE!

You'll eat cake and ice cream and have lots of fun.

It seems like yesterday you were brand new.

And now, there are so many things you can do.

You'll light your first candle and we'll make a big fuss

To be sure that you know you're precious to us.

Today's extra special because YOU turn one!

(Happy Birthday Baby! I love you whole bunches!)

Winter Cleaning

2011-02-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I talked and he convinced me that we really do need to move. We don't fit in our house anymore meaning there shouldn't be 3 boys in one small room. And he'd like to park his Jeep in the garage... for once. OK, OK. Hence the Winter Cleaning. I don't want to move junk. So I've been going thru closets, re-organizing, throwing stuff away and I have to say...

It feels SOOOOO great!

We're giving away as much as possible and throwing away all the junk we've accumulated. The house seems bigger and cleaner already. :) House repairs are slowly getting done too. So that's why I haven't been blogging regularly lately.

Did I mention we found a house we love? I HATE moving. I hate keeping the house clean so other people can come look at our house but I'm actually looking forward to it now because of this "new" house. We haven't placed an offer yet but we're getting ready to. In the meantime, lots of cleaning going on at our house. Hubby got rid of 4 trash bags full of clothes to give to the homeless shelter. And I found Big Sister's old clothes (I thought I got rid of cuz we were "done" and they are perfect size for Little Sister. Don't need to shop for her for the next year. :) Hooray!

Now go clean your closet and let me know what you find! I promise, it will feel so good!

December Recap

2011-01-22T20:47:00.001-07:00

She's crawling which means this is all you're going to get because she's getting into stuff again.

P.S. We had a fun week-long winter break at our cabin Bear Lake (that's where this video was shot)

Christmas Books

2010-12-21T14:46:00.002-07:00

I've been wanting to do this for some time. Each year the kids get a book for Christmas but this year we are reading one book a night for story time. Hopefully next year I'll remember to wrap them up like presents and then we can pick one from under the tree each night.

Here's a list of some of our favorite Christmas books:

1. A Night Without Darkness: A Nephite Christmas Story by Madsen (I still cry whenever I read this)

2. An Animal's Christmas Eve by Wiersum

3. Morris' Disappearing Bag by Wells

4. Snowmen at Night by Buehner

5. My First Story of the First Christmas by Buck

6. Who Is Coming to Our House? by Slate

7. Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect by Schneider

8. The Gift of the Magi by Henry

9. The Polar Express by VanAllsburg (we watch the DVD and have hot cocoa)

10. A Christmas Dress for Ellen by Monson

11. The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey by Qojciechowski

12. The Littlest Angel by Tazewell

13. We Were There by Bunting

14. The Crippled Lamb by Lucado

15. This is the Stable by Cotten

16. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess

17. The Berenstain Bears Save Christmas by Berenstain

18. Christmas Oranges by Bethers

19. One Wintry Night by Graham

20. The Three Gifts by Orr

21. This Is the Season Beloved of the Year by Dewey (love the artwork!)

22. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Numeroff (this feels like my life right now, LOL)

23. Grandfather's Christmas Tree by Strand

24. The Night Before Christmas by Moore. We play a game with wrapped dollar toys - whenever the word THE is said, you rotate the gift around. Then before bed we read Luke 2 from the Bible and then sing a couple of Christmas hymns acapella with only the Christmas tree lights on.

This year for myself I've read Evan's latest, "Promise Me" and I really enjoyed Freeman's "A Christ-Centered Christmas". Last year my favorite was "The Nativity" by Gaskill and a little booklet called "The Christmas Scene" by Maxwell.

What's YOUR favorite book to read at Christmas time?

November Recap

2010-12-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

Almost every year we go down to Arizona to visit with both sides of our extended families. Thanksgiving Day is with my family and the day after is Young Thanksgiving at my SIL's house. The kids love playing with their cousins and we really enjoy the warmer weather. We've also rode in El Tour de Tucson a couple of times which is always held the weekend before Turkey Day. It's a great ride for a great cause and it's well-supported. This year I did the 40 miler and Troy did the 109 miler, and we both didn't train nearly as much as we should have, like... next to nothing. We just did not have time. But my dad convinced us to stick to it. I rode with my cousin Julie. We drove up just as the 40-milers were starting, traffic was backed up so we were late. Oops. So I put the car in reverse and drove a couple hundred yards to the closest parking lot. :) We jumped out, got on our bikes and started the race without ever going across the offical starting line. A mile into it we ran into my dad and Troy who were doing the 109 miler together. The were exhausted at that point but I had to get back to my baby ASAP so I kept going. My brother Mark was doing awesome and was quite a ways ahead and we thought for sure he'd finish first. I tried to keep up with Julie but she trained for this and was hopping on the back of people's tails to draft and I can only draft behind people I trust so she lost me after 10 miles. I kept going. Then about 15 miles from the finish I see the shirt of my brother Mark. I almost spanked him coming up from behind but didn't want him to crash into me. LOL He had gotten leg cramps and was hurting. I couldn't go much faster so we stuck together and I pulled him for 5 miles. At one point we pulled over, let our bikes down and laid down on our backs on the sidewalk. We were beat. It was fun to ride together and finish together. My dad and Troy weren't too far behind so we hung around for a picture. My cousin Julie came in first - she's amazing! She's also getting married on 1/1/11 and I couldn't be happier for her. Before she left to go home we made sure to ride our favorite bike ride - the Saguaro National Monument East Loop. It's like a Disneyland ride on a bike. I LOVE it!

October Recap

2010-12-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Baby K - 6 months old

E and her friends at the Fall Festival

Our Jack-o-Lanterns

Oh, and here's a short video of N saying his part for the Primary Program:

My New Baby

2010-10-12T16:53:00.000-06:00

She sparkles in the sunlight (no, Edward is not her father)

And that new baby smell? Yep, she's got it.

She's everything I've ever dreamed of and wanted... in a car. ;)

*sigh*

I think I'm in love!

September - Baptism

2010-09-20T19:49:00.001-06:00

E chose to be baptized and we couldn't be more proud of her. Our children receive their own set of scriptures on their baptism day as a gift from Mom and Dad. She was so excited. Afterwards we had dinner at our place. Our theme was Rainbows since her favorite song is, "I Like to Look for Rainbows" which talks about baptism. We had lots of rainbow balloons, rainbow cupcakes, rainbow jell-o salad, etc. Later than night, Grandma Y. got babyK to giggle. Too cute!

August - 8 years old

2010-09-20T18:58:00.001-06:00

E had her 8th birthday so that meant a party with lots of friends at Incredible Pizza. She also had her summer recital which baby K loved watching. We went up to Bear Lake again for a couple day with Grandma and Grandpa - thanks for the campfire dinner and dessert! Kids went back to school. I can't believe I have a middle-schooler now. Scary!

July - summer fun

2010-09-20T18:52:00.001-06:00

We didn't get as much done as I would've liked this summer. A new baby will do that to you. We had fun up at our cabin in Bear Lake though. Played outside a lot with our new backyard playsets. I did manage to take the kids downtown via TRAX since they begged me to. I still can't believe we all survived. What was I thinking taking 5 kids downtown by myself? I had to nurse K on the way home and no, I didn't care that the train was packed. Yes, I had a nursing cover but I still got a few strange looks. I was to tired to care though.

June - 10 years old

2010-09-20T18:41:00.000-06:00

J’s Birthday Memories:
Ate French toast for breakfast, went to Classic Skating –Skating on blades, jungle gym, bounce area and Blast Zone, Grandma M. came when we got back from Panda Express (Oh how I hope they have Orange Chicken in heaven...), Ipod touch came after that – took 4 hours to try to get it working, got card from Grandma Y. in the mail, Rumbi for dinner, Walmart for Ipod skin, Ate poppy seed cake, then Mom slept like a baby.

May - Blessing Day

2010-09-20T17:00:00.000-06:00

I meant to post this sooner then forgot - that seems to be happening a lot lately. Her blessing took place Memorial Weekend. We were fortunate to have so many of our family come. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun celebrating.

Super Saturday

2010-09-20T16:43:00.000-06:00

I love to share ideas with others so here's what our ward is planning for this year's Super Saturday - it's a wonderful day filled with crafting, learning new things and socializing with other women. We'll be having Soup and Salad Potluck for lunch . What have you done at Super Saturday that you love? I'm always looking for more good ideas!

Super Saturday Classes & Crafts

Knitting Class – taught by Valerie
Valerie will teach how to knit and pearl. You’ll learn how to make long-lasting washcloths that are perfect for home or for a gift. Please contact Valerie to find out what size needles to bring and what type of yarn will be best.

Digital Scrapbooking Class – taught by Brooke
Brooke will teach how to create a simple scrapbook layout, how to make your own Christmas card, and how to make a simple gift using Photoshop. She will also share a few photo editing tips if time permits. Bring a laptop if you have access to one. Brooke will teach using Adobe Photoshop Elements and will provide instructions on how to download a 30-day free trial. If you don’t have a laptop, come with a notebook and you can take the tips home and try them out on your desktop!

Advent Muffin Tin – taught by Cindy
Count down the days until Christmas with a treat inside each muffin cup. This craft is $6 if you bring your own mini-muffin tin and $11 if you need one. Supplies to bring with you if you have them: scissors, rubber cement, paper trimmer, corner rounder.

Family Home Evening Binder – taught by Michelle
This binder includes FHE lessons on the 6 B’s and the 10 Neglected Virtues that Will Heal our Hearts and Homes. Each lesson includes sheet music, activities, stories and additional information, including visual aids, for some lessons. $11

Mom’s Long Magnet Board – taught by Karen
27 inches x 8 inches. Display your latest snapshots on this darling magnet board with saying, “These are a few of my favorite things” $16 or $19 with extra scroll accents

His Presence Camelback Board
15 inches x 7.5 inches. Cast iron star on painted board with vinyl saying, “The magic of Christmas is not in the presents, but in His presence” $17

Decorative Frame – taught by Stefanie
Provide your own unfinished frame with a 2.5 inch flat unfinished border or pay an additional $4.50 for a 5 x 7 or $7.50 for an 8 x 10 frame.

Personalized Marshmallow Roasting Stick
The Roasting stick will be $3.00 each. 36 inches long. Please specify name for vinyl name

Look what I made

2010-09-12T18:02:00.000-06:00

I found a little time for myself and so I finished up this cut little number. Your lookin' at over 200 balloons, and yup, it took more time than I thought it would. I plan to hang it up whenever it's somebody's birth-week. I got the styro wreath at Hobby Lobby with a coupon, had to order the birthday wording online from Hobby Lobby and then I mounted it on red and then white cardstock and attached everything with floral pins which I got at Walmart. My daughter loved it even though it wasn't finished in time for her actual birthday. Better late than never, right? That seems to be my motto nowadays. :)

Happy Birthday!

This summer...

2010-09-01T19:53:00.001-06:00

My boy turned 10
My daughter turned 8

and I have a four month old already. Where did summer go? I now am the mother of a middle-schooler (scary since I remember being that age very clearly). Oh, and I discovered Nutella. How I lived without it before I'll never know. Oh wait, that's the bad news. I think I weigh more now than I did when I came home from delivering baby#5. If you haven't tried Nutella, go buy some and spread it on whole wheat bread. De-LISH!

Motherhood

2010-07-06T21:53:00.000-06:00

Made me cry and I'm sorry to say- laugh- while the dad was saying the prayer. You'll see why. Enjoy!

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Chicken Pasta Salad

2010-06-15T10:58:00.000-06:00

This recipe is one I could eat all day every day. I served it at the luncheon for our families on K's Blessing Day. It's easy to make too - gotta love that!

Chicken Pasta Salad

4 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken (or 3 cans of chicken)
2 cups diced celery
2 cups purple grapes, cut in half
20 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 cups diced fresh apples
8 oz. box of bow-tie pasta cooked and then drained with cold water
¾ cup slivered almonds (optional)
¾ tsp pepper with a dash of Thyme
1 cup mayo
2 cups Kraft cole slaw dressing

Mix all together in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours till chilled.

Baby K's Slide Show!

2010-06-01T12:27:00.000-06:00

I know, I know

2010-05-26T20:17:00.000-06:00

She's a month old and I haven't posted any new pictures of her. Don't worry, I've been taking some and having some taken as well. She just loves to be held and I just love having a baby in our house again. It's like stealing a glimpse of heaven when I look at her tiny face.

Babies truly are miracles.

Honestly I don't know how I would have survived this past month without the help of wonderful friends, awesome neighbors and my dear family. I feel like the Little Caesar's ad, "Thank you, thank you!"

This weekend is not only Memorial Weekend - it will also be a Memorable Weekend for us. Little K is getting blessed. :) Check back soon and I'll have pix of that. In the meantime, here's my favorite picture I took last week. When she nurses, she almost always has her little pinky up. She KNOWS she's a princess.

"This is my good side Mommy"

She's here!

2010-04-25T20:11:00.000-06:00

2 days old, finally home!

Our new baby girl arrived earlier than planned. I've always had to be induced with all my other children so when I woke up at 1:3oam on Friday and didn't feel well I got up to walk around and noticed I was having regular contractions. "Am I really in labor?" I thought. After an hour they were still 3-4 minutes apart and getting stronger each time so I called my doctor and he said to go in and get checked at the hospital. I honestly thought they would check me, send me home with a pill and just tell me it was false labor. As we got there the contractions got harder though and they said I was at a 5. Guess we're having a baby! I had all these plans that day to deep clean my house before my parents came, get a pedicure, and 10 other things on my to-do list before she came. We checked in at 2:45am and she arrived at 4:38am after a few pushes. No epidural. 6 pounds 12 ounces and 20 inches long, she is definitely the tiniest baby I've ever had. It took us 2 days to name her because our list of names was long and we just couldn't decide. After awhile though I thought of a completely new name and I called Troy and he said, "Yeah, I thought of that one too this morning. I like it!" He brought the kids over later and asked how they felt about it and I quickly wrote it down on the birth papers before I could change my mind again. We had a few minor concerns with her so we had to stay 48 hours in the hospital.

During that time I thought how truly blessed I am to be a co-creator with God... How amazing pregnancy and the whole birth process is... How something so little and helpless can make your heart melt and how you can fall in love unconditionally almost immediately. It's impossible to not not believe in God when you see a newborn baby - with perfectly created bodies. Today I wish to express to the world how thankful I am to my Heavenly Father for this miraculous gift!

~Karen

Challenge

2010-04-13T11:18:00.000-06:00

Our Relief Society is doing the Book of Mormon challenge again. We read the Book of Mormon in just 6 weeks - interestingly enough it ends right before I'm to be induced. This time I wanted to challenge myself a little more so for FHE a few weeks ago, I challenged our family to read together every night and it has been such a blessing. The kids stop and ask questions and we've had so many great discussions. Granted, it takes twice as long and sometimes the little ones fall asleep but it's been well worth it to take the time together to study the gospel as a family. I challenge you to read the scriptures together with your family every night and see what great blessings come from it. I find it funny that when my kids ask how many chapters we need to read that night and I say, "four", they say, "that's all?" :)

By studying the word of God we will feel the love of God in our lives. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the lesson that I gave when we issued the challenge to our RS sisters:

"Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord." ~from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet

President Gordon B. Hinckley promised members who read the Book of Mormon that “there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God”.

Elder Holland's talk in the October General Conference was so inspiring as well. Here's the link to it: http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-28,00.html It reminded me of Bruce R. McConkie's last talk when he said:

"And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person. I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."

Let us feel the great influence this book has to offer. It was written for us, for our day. The blessings that come from reading the Book of Mormon are too great to pass over. Let us feel the change in our lives as we read daily from it. This is my testimony and I share it with the world. ~Karen~

Only 5 more days...

2010-04-02T18:33:00.000-06:00

...till these fabulous people come home! My parents are serving an LDS mission in Santiago Chile and after all those big earthquakes I can't WAIT for them to come home. It'll be hard to let my kids get the first hugs when we see them a few weeks later since they'll return to Arizona and I can't travel that far with a 9 month prego-body. Love you Mom and Dad!

Freezer Meals

2010-03-19T21:00:00.000-06:00

As a pregnant mom I'm a little concerned about what we're going to be eating for dinner after the new baby comes home. You never know how the recovery will be. I'm hoping that this one will be just as easy as the last one but I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket. Instead I'm putting lots of dinners in my freezer. I've done once-a-month-cooking before and yes, it saved me time and money. However, it took a lot of time to prep and cook all those meals so I wasn't religious about it, however, I do enjoy having my freezer full. All these recipes serve at least 6 people and will last 3-6 months. The hardest part for me is remembering take out dinner the day before so it can thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Here's the menu:

1. Chicken Enchiladas (not spicy) w/ salad
2. Black Bean Soup w/ chips and salad
3. Quicky-Sticky Chicken w/ rice & cooked carrots
4. Easy Lasagna w/ salad and crescent rolls
5. Cousin's Chicken Pot Pie w/ salad
6. Honey BBQ Ribs w/ cole slaw and baked potatoes
7. Parmesan Crusted Chicken & Rice w/ salad
8. Ham & Scalloped Potatoes w/ salad
9. Honey Lime Chicken w/ broccoli and carrots
10. Mustard Thyme Tilapia w/ mashed garlic cauliflower
11. Nana's Chicken Supreme Casserole w/ salad
12. Tator Tot Casserole w/ cooked sugar snap peas and sliced carrots
13. Annie's Corn Chowder w/ Rhodes rolls
14. Honey Apple Pork Chops w/ baked potatoes and broccoli
15. Beef and Bean Casserole with tortilla chips

If you DOUBLE each recipe then you'd have a month's worth of meals! Keep in mind that most of these are in freezer bags and if you freeze them flat, they stack quite nicely and you'll be suprised at how many you can fit in your freezer. Here are the recipes:

Karen's Chicken Enchiladas
1/4 cup chopped onion or 1-2 Tbs dehydrated onion
2 Tbs butter
4 ounce can diced green chilies
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbs milk
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
Twelve 7-inch flour tortillas
10.75 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup Colby Jack, Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese (pick your favorite)

Cook the onions and butter over medium heat till soft. Remove from heat and add 1 Tbs of the chilies but save the rest for later. In bowl combine cream cheese, 1 Tbs. milk and cumin. Add the onion mixture and chicken. Stir until combined. Spoon 3 Tbs. of mixture onto each tortilla then roll up and place seam-side down in greased aluminum baking dish. In another bowl combine soup, sour cream, 1 cup milk and remaining chilies. Pour this evenly over the tortillas. Cover top with freezer foil. Put grated cheese in ziploc bag and tape to top of foiled dish. Label: Let thaw overnight in fridge then cook at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Bake another 5 minutes till cheese is melted. Serve with salad.

Black Bean Soup
1/3 cup dehydrated onion or 1/2 cup diced fresh onion
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 cup Red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, NOT drained
4 oz. can Diced Green Chiles (use half if you don't want it spicy)
¾ cup Dehydrated Carrots or 1.5 cups sliced, cooked carrots
1.5 tsp. Ground cumin
3 cups Chicken Broth
Four 15 oz. cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar

Heat oil in large, deep saucepan. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool and place in freezer gallon bag being sure to get out all the air. Place that bag inside another bag to prevent freezer burn. Label: To serve, thaw overnight then just dump in your crockpot on warm to low all day or simmer in a pot on your stove until heated thru. Serve with tortilla chips.

Quicky-Sticky Chicken
8-12 Chicken tenders
2 Cups Apricot Jam
2 Cups Bar-B-Q Sauce (we love Tony Roma’s Carolina Honey)
2 Packets Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and begin browning the chicken. Mix together the remaining ingredients and then pour over the chicken. Let cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is thick and bubbly. Put in gallon freezer bag then freeze. Label: Thaw overnight in fridge and then heat till warmed thru or place in crockpot on warm/low setting all day. Serve over rice and with cooked carrots.

Easy Lasagna
1 pkg. uncooked penne pasta
1 lb. cooked ground turkey with a little seasoning salt, drain the fat and let cool
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
½ cup real parmesan cheese and add more on top later if you'd like

Place all ingredients in gallon freezer bag. Label: Pour into 9x13 pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serve with crescent rolls. (See? Totally easy. I know it's not really lasagna but it tastes similar so that's what I call it.)

Cousin's Chicken Pot Pie
1 lb. cubed chicken
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
Two 9-inch unbaked pie crusts

In saucepan combine chicken, carrots, peas and celery. Add water to cover. Add 3 chicken boullon cubes and some seasoning salt. Stir and let boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain into colander over bowl and set aside - you want to reserve 1/2 cup broth. In another saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft. Stir in flour, S&P, and garlic. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over low heat until thick. Remove from heat and add the 1/2 cup reserved broth. Let chicken and liquid mixtures cool, then place into freezer gallon bag. Label: To serve, thaw overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Warm mixture in microwave or on stovetop. Place mixture in bottom pie crust (you won't use all of it, it won't fit). Cover with top crust, seal edges and cut away excess dough. Make several slits on top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. (You may wish to cover with foil after 20 minutes so it won't brown too much.) Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve with salad.

Honey BBQ Ribs
3 lbs boneless pork ribs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbl liquid smoke

Place pork ribs in bottom of slow cooker. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours. Drain and discard liquid. Reduce heat to Low. In a bowl, combine garlic salt, pepper, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Mix well. Pour over ribs in slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 3 hours. Remove from slow cooker and allow to cool. Place in freezer bag. Label and freeze. To serve: Thaw overnight in fridge. Heat until hot throughout. Serve w/ coleslaw and baked potatoes.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Rice
1 pound chicken breasts seasoned with S&P
2.5 cups cooked rice
1 pound broccoli, steamed (buying frozen usually cost less)
Sauce:
2 cans (10¾ ounces each) cream of chicken soup
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 can chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Topping:
1 package crushed buttery crackers (such as Ritz)
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bake chicken in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour covered with foil. Cut chicken into cubes. Reserve broth and mix with the sauce ingredients, blending well. Put this in fridge until ready to use. Cook rice. Cook broccoli in microwave for 8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes. Spread cooked rice in the bottom of 9 x 13-inch aluminum freezer pan. Pour half the sauce over the rice. Top the sauce with broccoli, then chicken, and then the remaining sauce. Mix topping in a plastic bag and sprinkle on top of casserole. Wrap casserole with foil and freeze. Label: Bake covered at 350ºF for 30 minutes then uncover and cook another 10 minutes till lightly browned. Serve with salad.

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Two 5 oz. boxes scalloped potato mix (Betty Crocker)
4 cups boiling water
4 T butter
¾ cup milk
2 cups cubed ham
12 oz. bag frozen French green beans
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Stir sauce mix from scalloped potatoes package into large pot of boiling water with butter. Pour over potatoes. Stir in milk, ham, green beans and cheese. Place in freezer bag, squeeze out air and seal. Label and freeze. To serve: Thaw. Place in greased baking dish. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes at 400 degrees. Uncover and top with more shredded cheddar cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts. Serve with salad.

Honey Lime Chicken
2 lbs chicken tenders
1/2 Tbl garlic salt
1 Tbl peanut oil
20 oz can pineapple rings
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbl lime juice
2 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl cornstarch

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt. Brown saucepan with small amount of oil. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add one fourth of the pineapple juice to skillet (save the rest for later). Cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes until chicken is golden. Remove chicken. Add honey, lime juice, soy sauce, cornstarch and remainder of pineapple juice. Bring to boil. Cook and stir until thick and clear, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Allow to cool. Place chicken, pineapple rings and sauce in freezer bag. Label and freeze. To serve: Thaw overnight in fridge. Heat until sauce is hot and bubbly and chicken is heated through. Serve with cooked broccoli and carrots.

Mustard Thyme Tilapia
In a mixing bowl combine:
3 Tbs parsley
3 Tbs white wine vinegar
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1.5 tsp thyme
1.5 cups chopped onion
1.5 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
In a gallon-size freezer bag, add:
6 fresh or frozen tilapia fillets

Pour marinade over the fish, seal the bag then shake to coat evenly. Force any air out of the bag and re-seal. To prevent freezer burn, place inside another freezer gallon size bag. Label: Thaw overnight in fridge. Remove fish from marinade bag throw away bag and marinade. Grill or broil fish for about 7-8 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily. Serve with mashed garlic cauliflower.

Nana's Chicken Supreme Casserole
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 pkg. frozen broccoli florets
2 large carrots cut in strips
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup grated cheese

Place chicken halves in single layer in large casserole dish. Place carrots and celery in also. Season with salt & pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. When warm, drain broth and save for later. Make sauce with soup, mayo, lemon juice, ½ of reserved broth and grated cheese. Mix. Cook broccoli just under time. Pour everything into a gallon freezer bag and freeze. Label: To serve, thaw overnight and pour into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes uncovered. You can top with additional grated cheese if you'd like for the last 5 minutes. Serve with salad.

Tator Tot Casserole (adapted from the Duggar family's recipe)
1 lb. ground turkey, cooked, seasoned with Lawry's seasoning salt and drained
3 lb. bag tator tots
2 cans cream of broccoli and cheese (my change to the recipe)
1 can evaporated milk

Mix soup and milk in small mixing bowl. Put all ingredients into a gallon freezer bag, squeeze out air, seal and freeze. Label: Thaw overnight in fridge then bake at 350 degrees in 9x13 pan for one hour uncovered. Serve with cooked sugar snap peas and carrots.

Annie's Corn Chowder
(My friend Annie made this when I was sick and now it cures me like Chicken Noodle Soup)

Combine and cook till tender:
2 cups boiling water
2 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups diced ham
1.5 tsp pepper

In a different pan combine and stir until smooth and thick:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk

Then add:
1 cup grated cheese
1 can corn, drained
1 can creamed corn

Add this mixture to the vegetables. Let cool then place in gallon freezer bag, squeezing out any air. Label and freeze. To serve: Thaw overnight then put in warm crockpot on low all day or on cook on stovetop till warmed thru. Serve with Rhodes rolls - these are delicious freezer rolls found only in Utah! Serve Creamies or Fat Boys for dessert if you're a true Utahn.

Honey Apple Pork Chops
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup apple jelly
4 Tbs ketchup
4 Tbs water
4 Tbs. chopped onion
4 tsp brown sugar
3 tsp sweet pickle relish
2 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Whisk ingredients together. Divide mixture in half. Place half of it into a quart size freezer bag and seal. In a gallon size freezer bag place 8 boneless pork chops and the remaining half of marinade. Squeeze out air and seal bag. Place this bag and the quart bag of marinade into another gallon freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Label: Thaw overnight in fridge. Heat over to 400 degrees. Remove chops from marinade place in baking dish, discarding marinade and plastic bag the chops were in. Place in oven and baste with remaining marinade as needed. Bake for 30-45 minutes until done. Serve with baked potatoes and broccoli.

Beef and Bean Casserole
1 lb. Sautéed ground beef, drained and cooled
½ c minced onion
½ c diced celery
6 oz. can tomato paste
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
½ c water
2 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. thyme
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
32 oz. can pork & beans
salt & pepper to taste
*Later: 1 cup Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, shredded

Add all prepared ingredients together in a gallon-size freezer bag. Seal and place inside another freezer bag. Place shredded cheese into a sandwich bag and place inside the 2nd freezer bag as well. Freeze. Label: Thaw overnight, then pour into casserole dish and bake in oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. *Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Emergency Car Kit

2010-03-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Another list? Yep, I love lists and I love checking them off. Sometimes I'll start a to-do list and even write things I've already done that day so I feel like I've accomplished more that day. LOL Silly, I know. Anyway, my parents were in Chile during the 8.8 earthquake (they are serving a mission in Santiago for our church and come back next month) and that got me seriously motivated to double-check all our food storage/emergency preparedness and I found myself lacking in the car. I used to just throw extra food from the 72 hour kits in there, a thing of TP and some water. Jumper cables are in there... somewhere. You get the point. So I came up with this detailed list and now I know that wherever we go, we'll be prepared for almost any disaster that may happen.

Emergency Car Kit Contents

Water in 2 liter bottles, 1 per person for 3 days
3600 calorie bars, 1 per person for 3 days
(these can withstand extreme temperature changes & last 5 years)
Wool blanket and space blankets 1 per person
Emergency tube tent
First aid kit
Breathing masks
Multi-tool and work gloves
Jumper cables
Tire pressure checker and inflator
Light sticks
Hot packs/warmers
Emergency ponchos
Portable radio/charger/flashlight combo -no batteries required
Map of local area
Whistle with matches inside and compass
Duct tape
Container for it all – heavy duty with lid and clearly marked with this list
TP, diapers, baby wipes, baby carrier
Trash bags heavy duty
Hard candy
Playing cards
Mini Book of Mormon

P.S. Everything but the water fit nicely into a large 18 gallon sterilite container. I was able to get most of the items at Emergency Essentials which is close by (see http://emergencyessentials.com/), the rest at Walmart and Dollar Tree.

Free Hair Bow Tutorials!

2010-03-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.hipgirlclips.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=31_135

If you have girls or know someone who does and would like to make some hair bows, I just found the best free tutorials for how to make all sorts of hairbows. Check out the link above and their prices are great for the supplies you'll need to make the bows. I know what I'm going to be busy doing next Craft Night!

I made myself a (little) 20 page booklet with Word so I won't have to sit in front of the computer to make the bows. LOL These bows would look cute on those crochet headbands or nylon headbands and for older girls, attached to hair clips. Can you tell I'm a little excited?

Roasted Veggie Penne Dish

2010-03-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

This delicious dish serves 12 hungry people and tastes great served with garlic parmesan bread. We had fresh strawberries for dessert. Yummmm!

Ingredients:

16 oz. pkg. penne pasta

24 oz. bag frozen California blend vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower & carrots)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 onion, peeled and cut into cubes

1-2 tsp. garlic powder or you could do a couple of pressed cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups diced ham

shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl combine all vegetables with olive oil, garlic powder and S&P to taste. Toss to coat then pour on a large baking sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes in oven till roasted. While this is cooking, boil some water and cook the penne according to directions on package. Then dice your ham and prep the garlic bread. Once the veggies and pasta are done, combine it all in a very large bowl with your ham and it will be a huge mound in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toast the garlic bread for 5 minutes in the same temperature oven. Enjoy!

Hospital Packing List

2010-02-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Let's be honest - nobody likes to wear those thin hospital gowns and nobody looks good in them. So I whipped up this cut little number to cheer me up when I go to deliver #5. I got the free pattern online from http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/hospitalgown.php I lengthened it a bit. This would make a great gift for anyone who has to spend time in the hospital. Below is my list of things to take for delivery. LMK if you think there's anything I should add.

Hospital Packing List

Infant Car Seat (leave in car)

Nursing pillow
Extra pillow

In diaper bag:
baby shampoo, lotion & powder
2 receiving blankets (I know they provide these but don't you hate how all your kid's newborn hospital pictures look exactly the same?)
4 burp cloths
baby hat
baby nail clippers
baby wipes and diapers
2 onesies & socks
2 sleeping gowns/outfits for baby
going home outfit for baby & hair bows

In Rolling Suitcase:
robe & slippers
2 pair undergarments & socks
menstrual pads cause the hospital's are awful
nursing & sleeping bra
homemade hospital gown for delivery
2 pairs comfortable pants & tops
going home outfit for me
Charged cell phone
Camera and extra batteries
Video camera and charger
Purse with I.D. & insurance card
Baby journal/scrapbook for footprints
Books - Nursing Mother's Companion & Book of Mormon
Activities – card games, knitting book/kit by Klutz (I've always wanted to learn)
Snacks – fruit leather, etc.
Breath mints and gum

In Toiletry Bag:
face wash stuff
shampoo & conditioner & body wash
washcloth and towel cuz I don't like thin, bleached, rough towels
razor and lotion
deodorant
toothbrush and toothpaste
nursing cream
hair brush, bands, clips & hairspray
hairdryer & curling iron
chapstick & makeup
nail clippers and nail file
prenatal vitamins
dirty clothes bag
MP3 player - last time this was how I got thru labor w/o an epidural. My OB thought I was listening to Enya - nope, Van Halen! He got a good laugh out of that.

Presents from baby to kids such as a new book and a gift card to their favorite fast food place.

Baby Sewing Projects UPDATE

2010-02-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know you can go to JoAnn's and use a JoAnn's coupon on fabric, a Robert's coupon on thread and a Michael's coupon on a pattern or any other non-fabric item? And all in the same transaction! I love it... *sigh* Anyway, here are a few pictures of the baby sewing projects I've been wanting to finish:

*Girly Mei Tai (pronounced may-tie). The hood flap is made of that super soft bubbly fabric and can be used to cover up baby's face when she's sleeping. This can be forward/rear facing and you can do a front carry or back carry. It's lightweight and my favorite way to carry babies. The wrap is the most comfortable for longer treks though. I'll post a picture of that once baby comes since it's just a really long piece of stretchy fabric with a middle panel for decoration. Wrapping it is the tricky part.

*Fleece pouch - I had enough leftover to make another one to keep in the car and a scarf for E and later a baby hat (not sure what size to make it so I'm waiting) Cost for each pouch = $5. Maybe in the summer I'll make a reversible cotton one with a cute pattern but fleece is just so easy to use and it took me less than 10 minutes to cut & sew these 2 pouches using a french seam.

*I love the double-crochet lavendar afghan I made but I always wanted to make a Granny-Square one so I chose pink and did a scalloped edge again.

Healthy Breakfast

2010-02-19T18:41:00.001-07:00

Here's another one of my favorite recipes to make - Healthy Granola! I like to add Craisins, cinnamon and sometimes coconut. We eat it as a breakfast with milk and never as a snack - I've seen people do that but it seems too messy. We try to have this once a week. Remember to store it in an airtight container or heavy ziploc bag. I made some this afternoon and my kids thought I was making cookies because it smells so good. Enjoy!

In a very large bowl combine:

8 cups old fashioned oats

6 cups crispy rice cereal

2 cups wheat germ (found on the top shelf by the boxes of instant oatmeal)

In a separate medium bowl combine and mix:

1 cup water

1/2 cup oil (I prefer canola)

1/2 cup applesauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup honey (local is best since it will help with your allergies, cool huh?)

2 tsp salt

1 Tbs vanilla (I love the real stuff we got in Mexico)

2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Pour this over the dry mixture then toss till everything's nice and coated. Spread onto 2 cookie sheets and cook at 225 degrees for 1 hour, then use a spatula to stir it up and spread out again. Bake for another hour. Let cool then add:

2 handfuls of Craisins per pan

2 handfuls of shredded, sweetened coconut per pan

1 handful of crushed nuts like almonds or pecans per pan

Deacon

2010-02-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Our oldest turned 12 recently so we had a big party at Classic Skating. Grandma Young and Troy's sister and most of her family made the trek from Arizona to be here for the special occasion. The cousins had so much fun playing together, especially the 2 girls.

In our church, when the boys turn 12 they have the opportunity to receive the Aaronic priesthood. It's a big honor. Besides holding the priesthood, they collect fast offerings, pass the sacrament, help take care of the church building and for more info you can go to http://www.lds.org/ to learn more about it and what it means. Here are a few pictures we took:

In the money machine at Classic

I have 2 priesthood holders in my house now!
Note: I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant- hence the crop-job

It was fun having family come and visit

Last Saturday we got to take him to the temple to do baptisms for the dead with some family file names. After they were stamping the date on our cards, I realized, "Hey, it's Grandpa Young's birthday!" Grandpa would have been 86 this year. We miss you and love you Grandpa!

New Baby

2010-01-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

I'm an Aunt again! Congrats to my oldest brother and his wonderful wife, my first sister-in-law. So happy for you and the grand miracle of life! Isn't he cute?
“Babies are such a nice way to start people.” — Don Herold

"What do you do all day?"

2010-01-27T10:35:00.001-07:00

As a SAHM I don't talk with adults much, therefore whenever I get asked that question I'm a little shocked, just a tiny bit insulted, and I don't know where to begin. But today I got that question and it took me several minutes till I finished my answer.

Have you ever tried to cook, clean and do laundry for 5 extra people? It takes time. Add a little community service thru church and your children's school, scouts, band, piano and other extracurricular activities, help with homework and you'll never have time to say I'm bored. "You cook all their meals?" Uh yes otherwise they'd eat grass and twigs and that stuff doesn't grow fast enough. All I could think was, "Are there really people out there that eat EVERY meal out? Do they not know it's cheaper to make it themselves?" Granted I have to go to the grocery store a couple times a week to refill our fridge with fresh produce (I'm scared for when my boys turn teenagers because they can already eat as much as I do). We now run 2 loads of dishes a day, about 2 loads of laundry per day, and I'm still trying to find time to deep-clean the rooms and don't get me started on the growing list of home-repairs that need to be done cuz there's no way I'm paying someone else to do something I can do for free. That's the only way I can afford to feed and clothe everyone. If you want to make it more challenging duct tape bricks to your feet and a watermelon to your middle because that's what pregnancy feels like most of the time.

The truth is, yes, sometimes I just feel like sitting down and watching a 30 minute show or reading a book and eating chocolates. (V Chocolates has the best milk chocolate caramels with sea salt sprinkled on top just in case you're wondering.) But please don't judge me - I deserve a break after potty-training all day and cleaning up someone else's you-know-what.

The job's tough, the pay sucks but the rewards are heavenly when I see my freshly-bathed children fall asleep with clean clothes and a full belly.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have 3 bathrooms to clean, 3 loads of laundry to put away and some wallpaper to take down.

Quarantine

2010-01-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Wait, did I spell that right? :) I went to help out at the school today for the school's first Spelling Bee. Unfortunately I couldn't be one of the judges because 4th thru 6th grades were combined and Z was one of five kids chosen from his class to be in it. So I got to watch. They started out with about 45 students. He ended up getting third place overall and the tricky word was quarantine. I totally forgot my camera and my phone was dead so I took this picture when he got home. I'm so glad I married a smart guy cuz I'm pretty sure he didn't get it from me.

What's for Dinner?

2010-01-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.makeandtakes.com/homemade-tamales-are-worth-the-work

Tonight for dinner, I'm attempting to make tamales for the first time. It looks easy - just takes a long time. Above is the link for the recipe with lots of pictures. I'll let you know how they turn out! What's something you've never made but would like to someday?

UPDATE: There's a good reason why people BUY these instead of make them. They took almost an hour to wrap up! I loved the chicken mixture though so I'm going to swap that into my enchiladas next time I make some.

Afghan finished

2010-01-15T04:43:00.001-07:00

Couldn't sleep so I finished the decorative edge on the afghan and still couldn't sleep so... I made a hat. Tried to go back to bed for an hour, didn't work so I took a picture and ta-da! Here it is:
Maybe now I can go to sleep?

2009 Year in Review

2010-01-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

A little late but here's a taste of what we've done this year. 2010 is sure to be even more eventful what with my parents returning from their mission, Z becoming a deacon, E getting baptized and the new baby's blessing. I can't wait!

Saving money by cooking at home

2010-01-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of my New Year's goals is to save more money this year. I've been doing pretty good with price-matching, couponing and rebates but in order to save even more I know it's best when I cook from scratch. I recently saw that a 10lb. bag of pancake mix at the grocery store sells for $7. This homemade version below costs a fraction of that and it's a little healthier too because it has wheat in it. I store this in my fridge and try to use it at least once a week when we have pancakes or muffins.

Homemade Bisquick Mix:
In a LARGE mixing bowl combine 5 cups whole wheat flour, 5 cups white flour (you can adjust this however you want to get your family used to it). Add 1/3 cup baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon salt then stir around really well. Add 2 cups butter flavored shortening and use a pastry blender till crumbly (you'll get a nice arm workout). Store in airtight container in your fridge for up to 6 months.

"Now what do I do with it?" you ask.

Pancakes:
In mixing bowl combine 2 cups mix, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla. This works well with powdered eggs as well and no one will know the difference! Cook on a hot griddle like you normally would. I like mine with a thin smear of peanut butter and some syrup. Other times I like a thick layer of applesauce and powdered sugar on top. Add some turkey bacon for a side and everybody's happy.

Blueberry Muffins:
In mixing bowl combine 2 cups mix, 2/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons oil, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 mashed banana to make it moist and after mixing it all fold in 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen). Pour into a regular muffin tin (greased or use the paper liners) and cook in preheated 400 degree oven for 13-18 minutes. 425 degrees for high altitude but you'll want to check it and possibly cover it with aluminum foil the last 5 minutes so as not to over-brown the tops. Is that even a word? Oh well, you won't care once you're eating them. I like serving them with hard-boiled eggs. Kids LOVE cracking eggs.

There are few things more rewarding than being able to say, "I made that". As women we love to create and share. Cooking is a great way to do that. Now go get on your apron and try these new recipes!

Just because it's homemade doesn't mean it's cheap

2010-01-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

I just got back from JoAnn's. I used several coupons and the other stuff I bought was already on sale and yet... I still spent more than I thought I would. It would've been cheaper to buy the dresses at a store but I want my daughters to have a dress made by their mother for their special day. I'm making E's baptism dress and the new baby girl's blessing dress. Now I'm terrified because I've never sewn satin before. I just have to keep telling myself, "I can do this". I feel like a big, pregnant blue engine looking at a big mountain made of white satin.

M4865 is the blessing dress and M5793 is the baptism dress (I'm doing the sleeved version but tweaking the design just a bit by adding a sheer skirt overlay) Check out these cute patterns (I got them for $1 each)

BTW, I've almost finished the shimmery lavender afghan (just need to decide on a decorative edge), made the diaper bag New Year's Eve and I've cut out the burp cloths so those should be done this week. Oh, and the carseat cover is done too. Check them out!

Baby Sewing Projects

2009-12-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

Can I just start by saying it is so much fun planning for a baby girl? I'm a little giddy at the moment. Here's my list of things to sew:

*Mei Tai pronounced may-tie. The last one I made was gender neutral but it would be nice to have something that screams "GIRL!" I want to add a hood, pocket and have it rounded at the top since my last one didn't have those features. Here's the one I have now that was a lifesaver (and a workout) when we hiked last summer: (half the time he fell asleep) *Quilt & burps. I found some cute pink "bubble" fabric that's so soft and cuddly.

*Carseat cover (basically a blanket that attaches to the handle part) Below is the tutorial but I'll add flowers where it attaches to the handles and jumbo rick-rack around the hem. You use a whole yard for each side. http://awednesdayafternoon.blogspot.com/2009/04/summertime-car-seat-cover.html

*Slipcover for the actual carseat. I found a used one for $30 yesterday - see below. (They are still selling it at Walmart for $150 - score!) The dark brown matches the fabric perfectly so I'm just changing the pattern part. Took me awhile to cut (no pattern) and pin (we had canned soup that night for dinner... at 8pm) but I'll hopefully get it sewn in today. Here are before and after shots: *Nursing cover with boning - done! I made it reversible and did ties instead of D-rings. I'm not that well endowed so I adjusted the boning to 12 inches that way it's not gaping open for EVERYONE to see but I can peek & baby can still breathe. http://www.shannonmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2009/04/nursing-cover-tutorial.html

*Coordinating diaper bag. I like the tie on the nursing cover to I'll add that to the bag handle. I have a secret bag-craving. If I wasn't married, half my closet would be full of different bags.

*Might make a reversible wrap carrier. These truly are the most comfortable and versatile but it's tricky getting it wrapped on w/o getting the tails dirty. I just need to find some brown jersey knit for a decent price (use a w/ a coupon) and it won't take me more than 15 minutes to "decorate" it. Check out http://www.etsy.com/shop/loveyduds She has beautiful designs in case you don't want to make one yourself.

*Last but not least, I need to make a white blessing dress and crochet a blessing afghan. I'm thinking lavender would be pretty.

Product Recommendation

2009-12-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

I never do this but... this is so cool! This Jeep stroller is the new Wrangler Unlimited g-edition. The g stands for green - the fabric is made from 40 recycled 16 oz. water bottles... How cool is THAT? It's good for up to 50 pounds, has 2 side pockets, 1 back pocket and undercarriage storage area for mom and 2 little side pockets by the kid so they can keep a few small toys nearby. N is a little tall for his age (3) and yet there's still room for him to use it another year or two. He's been falling asleep in the car lately and it's really hard to carry a sleeping toddler when you're pregnant so I needed something like this. It's great for taller people so you're not hunched over and it's an umbrella style so it will fit in any car. It came with a travel carrying case but it also has a tough fabric handle on it so you can easily carry it comfortably with one hand when it's folded up. Did I mention it's only 16 pounds? N has been sitting in this for the past hour watching a Christmas show on TV. It's obviously comfortable and it also reclines. "OK, ok, where can I get it?" you ask? I ordered mine yesterday, got free shipping and it came within 24 hours. LOVE IT!

http://www.diapers.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=20907

The most wonderful time of the year

2009-12-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love the way fresh fallen snow sparkles in the morning light - truly mesmerizing.

I love watching my kids rush to play out in the snow for 10 minutes then come inside begging for hot cocoa only to go back out again just so they can come back in another 10 minutes for MORE hot cocoa.

I love going to Festival of Trees and know I'm supporting a good cause. I was exhausted near the end but the kids seemed to have fun. N went in the bubble machine 6 times!

I love finding the perfect Christmas gift for someone and imagining their faces as they open it Christmas morning.

I love seeing my neighbors and visiting with them as we deliver neighbor gifts - we never did that in Arizona. Is that just a Utah thing? If so, I'm not leaving.

I love seeing the lights at Temple Square and listening to amateur singers perform beautiful songs that touch my heart and remind me of the true meaning of Christmas. (My brother Scott came with us.)

Thanksgiving

2009-12-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

I think we should have bought our own plane when we first moved to Utah. We go down to Arizona at least twice a year and the drive down is OK but going back is brutal. My favorite part driving south is coming thru this canyon area and then it suddenly opens up completely to a view of the Grand Canyon. My favorite part coming home is driving around point of the mountain and seeing the Jordan River and Oquirhh temples amidst the see of sparkling city lights. Draper seems to be hiding the best because you have to wait and look to the other side.

This Thanksgiving we drove straight to Safford to spend time with the Young Family. This was our first year without Grandpa and my nephew is on his mission as well so we didn't even try to ask Grandma if we could do a group picture. The food was great as always, too much pie (as always) and we tied and finished a quilt to give away. The cousins had a blast playing together. Sadly, this is the only picture I took that day. I ended up making the shirt & skirt the day before we left... crafting sounded so much funner than cleaning the bathrooms.

Things I am thankful for today

2009-11-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful my pregnancy fears are starting to dissipate as I am now able to feel the baby move throughout the day. Creating life is truly a miracle and I feel so blessed to be a co-creator with my Heavenly Father. I don't feel worthy or prepared to take on the responsibility of raising another child but I also remember I wasn't prepared for the first one and how that would change my life. Motherhood is a constant learning process. I'm thankful that I have dirty floors to clean, that I have loads of laundry to do almost everyday, and that I have mouths to feed - I can't imagine life without my children. They make me grow in ways I never imagined. (And I never thought I would use algebra again but it's true - you'll later have to teach your children how to do it)

I'm thankful to have my new 72 hour kits ready to go and it's been nice that my kids have had an array of "free snacks" to munch on whenever they're hungry. It's such a peace of mind knowing that we are prepared should any emergency arise.

Saving the best for last... I am so grateful for our Savior's eternal plan of happiness. I have so much more to learn about the gospel but I try everyday to become just a little more like Him. Sometimes I fail, sometimes I move forward, but I'm always trying my best. I'm thankful that families can be sealed together forever in His holy house because otherwise this earthly life would be for naught. Sometimes it seems easy - pray, read your scriptures, go to church, keep the commandments. Sometimes I get caught in the "thick of thin things" and forget what's really important. This life is test and the time is passing quickly. I ask myself, "What have I done with the time the Lord has given me today?" and challenge you to ask yourself that same question and then... do something about it.

School and Birthday Pictures

2009-11-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

My baby boy turned 3 recently. We had Mickey Mouse waffles, went to our favorite children's museum, Discovery Gateway, then bought fun stuff at Build-a-Bear. He fell asleep on the way home. I think his pictures turned out so cute though I may be a bit biased. The next day the kids brought home their school pictures and thankfully we won't need to do any retakes. E's teeth are all falling out at this age so I begged her to PLEASE remember to do a sweet, closed-mouth smile. Gotta love that age! Our last trip to the dentist resulted in 3 repeat visits for cavity fillings and sealants. The one kid who didn't get cavities this time? "He'll need to get braces next time." Thanks for the warning.

N now likes to put his food that is on his plate into his drinking cup. Then he'll tell me, "Mom, look! Mmmm, Licious!" Umm, yeah, that looks real delicious sweetheart. :} The other day I was tending 5 year old twins and we were talking about their preschool. The boy said, "I get to ride the bus to the Helementary school". I couldn't help but laugh - I've never heard anyone make that mistake. I tried to correct him by saying, "You mean eLLLLementary school?" He couldn't pronounce it right so I gave up. Kids say the darndest things don't they?

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T14:52:00.000-06:00

Don't you hate it when you almost finish a post and then make one slight edit on the Html and your post gets cut to 1 paragraph and your pictures are gone? Yeah, me too... Blogger needs an "undo" button, seriously. I also need to get a lock on my camera case since my almost-three-year-old can now pull it out and take pictures and change the settings to low resolution. Not good... I'm too tired to re-write so feel free to use your imagination. Happy Halloween! (I need some chocolate now)

Picking pumpkins at Farnsworth Farms Festival

Witch, Pumpkin, Z the werewolf and J as Darth Vader

Waldo & Wenda (I even had striped tights.) Wow, we look like dorks
Z's
Hubby's
J's N's
E's
Mommy's

Mom's Whole Wheat Bread

2009-09-30T17:59:00.000-06:00

I made a few small adjustments to this but there's no real taste difference - I'll explain later. I remember my mom would make this only a few times a year. However, she would get out her heavy duty wheat grinder and grind her hard red winter wheat from the LDS Cannery. Then she'd mix up batch after batch of this recipe until all the countertops were full of loaves of bread. She'd slice them with her electric bread slicer (yep, I have one too) and bag them and put them in the extra freezer for later enjoyment. The house smelled wonderful when we came home from school. Don't you love how memories can flood your mind when you enjoy food? Now when I make this, the first loaf gets eaten within 5 minutes. I try to give one or two away and the last loaf is to save for the next day's sandwiches or eggs & toast breakfast.

Mom’s Whole Wheat Bread
Karen’s version of Joyce McCown’s recipe

In medium bowl combine:
5 tsp. yeast, ½ cup warm water, and 1 Tbs. honey. Set aside. I know this is just to proof the yeast and that I could probably just add it later but I like to stick with tradition.

In Bosch mixer, with dough hook, combine:
5 cups Whole Wheat flour (I use hard red winter wheat), 3 cups white flour, 5 cups hot water, and 1/3 cup Vital Wheat Gluten (my optional add-in)
Mix for 10 minutes to make gluten work and to allow yeast to rise.

In another medium bowl combine:
2 beaten eggs (those poor eggs), ½ cup canola oil, 1/3 cup honey (if you buy some from your area it will actually help relieve your allergies - cool, huh?), 1 Tbs. salt, and 2 Tbs. lemon juice (I found that this is a natural dough enhancer that helps the wheat rise). Mix and combine with wheat/water mixture in Bosch. Add yeast mixture. Scrape down sides. Gradually add 2 ½ cups wheat flour and 2 ½ cups white flour. Mix for 5 minutes to knead. Take out of Bosch and put into a large, greased bowl. Cover with warm, damp towel and let rise till double (1 hour where I'm at). After 1 hour, turn oven on to warm setting. With greased hands, punch down dough and form into 4 loaves, brush tops with PAM as well and let rise in pans till double (30 minutes in warm oven). Leave the pans in the oven and turn it from warm to 350 degrees for 30 minutes more. Remove from oven after cooking time then brush tops with butter and wrap in towels for softer crust.

It may look difficult at first but once you get used to making it, it's a breeze. I don't even need to look at the recipe anymore. Besides, what's better than to walk in your home and smell bread baking?

My daddy likes his with honey. My oldest son likes his with strawberry or raspberry jam, no butter. My Nana liked hers with sliced sharp cheddar on top and toasted. My grandma would put a thin layer of peanut butter on hers. The rest of them like it with butter. I'm good with any of the above because it reminds of those people I love. What do you like to put on your homemade bread?

Living Christ Craft

2009-09-24T21:49:00.001-06:00

Here is the "craft" I did for our last Enrichment Craft Night. I got the frame at Walmart for about $15. The rest of it cost $8 since I had 50% off coupons for Robert's craft store for the 11x14 matting. I love that place. I got the green matting that has the burgundy inside. I had to take all my kids in to 2 different Robert's stores but it was worth it. I got Greg Olsen's "Beautiful Savior" 3x4 prints at Deseret Book. I cut them out then we just placed them on the matting with double-stick tape. The Living Christ paper was free at the Distribution Center. This would make a great Christmas gift.

My kids aren't very good at keeping secrets

2009-09-23T15:15:00.000-06:00

One of my children accidentally spilled the beans. However, the kids are very excited to meet their new sibling on (but preferably a little before) April 30th. I went in today and saw the heartbeat and got a tiny little picture on the ultrasound but I thought this picture above looked more visible. My parents are supposed to get back from their mission to Chile the first week of May. I wonder if they'll be able to come back a little earlier than planned?

Here we go again... :) Where's my pillow? I need a nap.

*Update: It looks like my parents are going to try to come back mid-April. That will give them some time to go home, see my SIL's new baby, then hopefully come up here to watch our kids while I deliver. Hooray!

First Day of School & Belated Birthday

2009-08-30T20:49:00.000-06:00

My 3 oldest had their first day of school which was on Wednesday. They're holding up their fingers to show which grade they're going into. They're all laughing at me because right at that moment, our sprinklers sprayed cold water all over the back of legs. At least it got some good, geniune smiles out of them, right? Nathan was sad for 5 minutes but I felt like I was on vacation - it was so quiet and I got SO MUCH done. I cleaned, read a book (uninterrupted) and took a cat nap.

I finally got my daughter's birthday pictures taken, a week late. Oh well. We were too busy having fun at Lagoon and I was too tired when we got home. She lost ANOTHER tooth so she looks a little goofy. What a fun age!

Finished rag quilt

2009-08-30T07:51:00.000-06:00

Here's the first quilt I've finished since being inspired from the quilt show I went to a few weeks ago. For those of you who scrapbook, do you recognize the print? It's from My Mind's Eye and I have the matching paper. *Heaven* I was going to do a gathered hem but after a couple HOURS both threads broke from the strain so I did pleats and it was done in no time. I've only washed it once so it still has some fuzzies on it. I have enough leftover of the pink polka dot to make a matching nightgown for winter. My daughter's so excited.

Now I'm starting my son's scrap quilt. We had some "discussions" about fabric choices yesterday at JoAnn's: I really don't think he should be sleeping with pictures of skeletons/skulls/all black. He's only 9 for crying out loud - isn't that supposed to happen when he's 17? Anyway, here are the pictures of the front and back. Enjoy!

CTR blocks

2009-08-21T16:24:00.001-06:00

These are come cute little wood blocks we're making for a craft night at my house next weekend. I'm posting pictures here to share since I'm always looking for cute LDS Super Saturday ideas. I love vinyl lettering!

Quilt Inspiration

2009-08-12T14:45:00.001-06:00

Museums are a great way to stay cool in the summer! Yesterday we drove to Springville and after 30 minutes of driving around numerous contruction zones we found the Art Musuem where they are doing a Quilt Show. I forgot how much I LOVE quilts! Here are a few that have inspired me. I now hope to finish at least one quilt a year. (Most of these look they need to be done by hand) Feel free to click on them to see them a little closer.

This was based on Gordon B. Hinckley's 6 B's. I saw one just like this at Raspberry Days in Bear Lake and couldn't help but walk right up and start touching it. So fun!

Eric Carle quilt - E's favorite

Twilight Quilt - hilarious that they did this. They're gifting it to Stephenie Meyer! (No, I'm not doing this. I just thought it was interesting. Some of the pieces look like origami)

Flower Garden aka Honeycomb. Paper piecing by hand sounds so time-consuming but I thought it would be a great way to use scraps on our long car-trips to Arizona. The artist made it with her mother using 40 different patterns of fabric, 777 hexagon pieces (thank goodness it wasn't 666 - you were thinking it too...) and it was all pieced, quilted and bound by HAND in 3 months. It was a large crib-size quilt. I also like how she double-bordered it.

This one stood out to me because the artist used shimmery gold thread - see it? There was a small wall-hanging, peacock-colored quilt with irridescent beads. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of it.

Whole Quilting - this would be awesome done with double wedding ring design stitched on it, don't you think? Talk about a lot of work though...

I was telling my boys the different designs, themes, fabrics and techniques used when some ladies commented that they were happy to see my older boys so interested in the quilts. I love art - It can be symbolic, it can change your mood, and I always wonder what the artist was thinking at the time... what caused them to want to create that particular piece.

On another similar note - if you live in Utah - you have to go see the traveling exhibit at BYU Museum of Art. Steinhilber has some really fun ways to make art out of everyday items. http://moa.byu.edu/fileadmin/moa/steinhilber/steinhilbersplash.html It ends on 8/22 and is an excellent way to get your kids interested in art. We especially enjoyed the "circular balloon wall art" and "blowing styro-peanut corner." Every piece is untitled so those are just the names I use to describe them. The "heat lamp" and "stacked chairs" I could've done without but there are always a few pieces in modern art that I just don't get. (Like at NYC's MOA they have a lamp in the corner of a room. It's just a... LAMP IN THE CORNER, who cares? It took what, 5 seconds to do it - that's not art sweetie. Build it all with forks and then I'll be impressed) Sorry to end on a grouchy note - I must need chocolate or something. :)

Groovy Green Goddess aka Shrek Smoothie

2009-08-11T08:49:00.000-06:00

Check out this super yummy breakfast. Your family will never guess the mysterious green ingredient. Tell them you used green apples and green grapes. Then after they've finished add, "Oh yeah, and some spinach!" Thanks to www.crunchydomesticgoddess.com for the recipe.

Serves 2, don't try to double it - it won't fit.
Ingredients:
1 banana, cut in chunks
1 cup grapes
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 apple, cored and chopped
1 and 1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup flax seed or wheat germ
Optional - ICE. Gives it a nice chill.

Directions: Place the banana, grapes, yogurt, apple and spinach into a blender. Cover, and blend until smooth, stopping frequently to push down anything stuck to the sides. Pour into glasses and serve with funky straw. Heck, why not watch Shrek?

Long time no blog

2009-07-28T16:41:00.000-06:00

We really have been busy with all our summer activities and yet I'm already planning my to-do list for when school starts and I have some ME-time again. You know me and lists:

*Potty train my baby boy
*Walk/Bike/Run every day with N in stroller or bike trailer. Also put him in a gym class of some sorts - he already likes to do front flips off the couch and onto the love sac.
*Get all the kids into swim lessons. I'm hoping it won't be so busy once school starts.
*SCRAPBOOK - I feel sooo far behind
*Quilting - all the kids need new, bigger quilts and I want to do a patriotic one for picnics.
*Finish painting the inside of the house: ceilings, doors, trim and touch-up.
*Deep clean every nook and cranny. It's true what they say: Cleaning the house with kids still in it is like shoveling the driveway in a blizzard.
*Temple at least once a week and get my scripture reading in every day.
*Index 100 names per week. This is my newest thing. You transcript old census files so temple work can be done on them. Check it out at http://www.familysearch.org/

I must say that one of the funnest new things we've done this summer is HIKING every Friday. It's just gorgeous around here and it's fun for the kids & they get some fresh air. Here are some of our favorite places we've gone:

*Cascade Springs up American Fork Canyon. Very pretty with little fish and butterflies.
*Ensign Peak - a little steep in some parts but the view is to die for! You gotta go, now. There's so much wonderful history up there as well in the lower memorial garden.
*Bridal Veil Falls - short, paved and just plain fun since there are snakes & squirrels along the way. The kids liked Krispy Kreme donuts on the way home as their reward for the long drive.
*Cecret Lake - I spelled it right, really. Last year there was still snow up there in July. Salamanders in the little lake up at the top = pure bliss for boys.
*Red Butte Gardens - there was a free day. I love freebies.
*This is the Place Park - another free day. It was packed with people.
*Donut Falls - it was packed when we went on the 4th of July weekend. I'd like to go again so we can go all the way to the top and see the actual part where the water falls into a hole in the rock. Hence the name, Donut Falls.
*Mt. Timpanogos - kinda steep but worth it for the view. I recommend the cave tour if you don't have a baby who's afraid of the dark. Last year, N woke up crying and the tour guide hurried us thru the rest of the tour since no one could hear him speak above N's terrified cries.

Ensign Peak:

Look for my upcoming post about our trip to Ouray, Colorado. We had so much fun there. If it wasn't so cold in the winter, I would consider moving there.

One more side note: Z and J both moved up in their piano books. Hooray!

Relief Society Enrichment Ideas

2009-06-21T18:04:00.000-06:00

I thought I would share what our ward is doing for Enrichment and hopefully ya'll will share what has worked well in your women. I love swapping ideas!

Quarterly Enrichment Meetings:

These are the big, all-out ones that we provide child care for and it almost always involves delicious food. We try to get all the women to come to these.

1. Birthday Dinner celebrating RS B-day. We did this potluck on Earth Day and did it as green as possible. We asked our Stake RS president to give a short talk. We also played a 60 Second Social game where we had each sister ask the other a few questions (from a list we provided). After a minute, one side would rotate down so they ended up talking to 1/2 the ladies there. It was so much fun! It was hard getting the ladies to stop talking and move on down the line. Then for dessert we had a variety but it had to include green lime Jell-O in it. :)

2. Service Auction. I'm excited to bring this back again. Sisters come with homemade crafts or goodies OR they can auction off services such as babysitting, cleaning, lessons, etc. Then there is a list of ways to earn points such as 10 pts for visiting teaching this month, 5 pts for every child you've had, etc. They tally their points then use them to buy things up for auction. We're going to try to get an older but fast-talking gentleman to come be our official auctioneer. Last time we served food storage desserts & appetizers like pinto bean fudge and fruit smoothies from canned fruit and powdered milk.

3. Humanitarian Project. I've spoken about it before but White Elegance has AMAZING prices that can't be beat on their Humanitarian kits that you can assemble and turn back in to them or to the Humanitarian Center. Not sure which one we'll do yet.

4. Progressive Dinner. My mother's ward did this and women carpooled together. I started it in my ward when I was Enrichment Leader and it's stuck around. It's potluck and you separate into groups then go to one house for appetizers, another for main course, another for salads. RS provides rolls and paper goods and a short Christmas program at the end with dessert served and a small gift is given.

Enrichment Activity Groups:

These are smaller groups of women who would like to meet together on a regular basis and is headed up by someone who will organize it and tell people what, when and where.

1. Temple 1st Tuesday of each month 10am session. Babysitting swap available.

2. Book Club 1st Thursday of each month at 7pm. Preferrably books by General Authorities. Some books we've done are: Sheri Dew's book "God Wants a Powerful People", Beverly Campbell's book "Eve and the Choice Made in the Garden of Eden", Ferrell's book "The Peacegiver", Truman Madsen's "The Temple: Where Heaven Meets Earth"

3. Scrapbooking & Crafting 4th Friday night each month 6:30-9:30pm. Finish up leftover projects and offer one optional project per month: April- Explosion boxes, May- glass etching, June-Quiet Books, no July (Pioneer Day). Sept-Living Christ frame, October - Vinyl FHE board, Nov- large vinyl clock, No Dec (Christmas Day), Jan- jewelry, Feb - fridge photo magnets, Mar- Glass block w/ vinyl, April – pillowcases, May - Capri Sun bags, June – Table Talk ?s in IKEA jar w/ vinyl, no July (Pioneer Day), Aug- Cute Aprons, Sept – Family Memories Game, Oct – flannel rice bags, Nov – vinyl family chore chart, no December (Christmas). Yes, I'm in charge of this group - can you tell? :)

4. Quilting Bee. No cost, donations and helping kids welcome. 2nd Thursdays 7-9pm. Tied quilts are donated to Humanitarian Center. FYI, cheapest place I've found to get stuff is Walmart. Flat sheet for the backing, high loft batting and a top fabric that has a pattern so I don't have to mark it.

5. Cooking/Food Storage. Summer canning (such as making jam), Rotation/Room Ideas, 72 hour kits, etc. Held quarterly.

6. Single Sisters Group – They come up with ideas for the single sisters in our ward such as lunch dates, movie nights, going to a museum or art show, etc..

7. Summer Walking every Tuesday and Thursday 9-10pm around the neighborhood.

8. Summer Hiking Friday mornings with kids, easy hikes. This one's also mine. Email me if you'd like the list of locations or you can google it for your area. I love living in Utah! The kids have so much fun in the great outdoors and it's even funner doing it with other kids.

Summer Fun List & a new addition to our family!

2009-06-02T19:32:00.000-06:00

Every year I get so excited for school to end so I can grab my kids and go on lots of field trips. Each year we do a few new things and try to do some of our old favorites as well. I'd thought it would be fun to share with you some of the things we have planned for this summer:

Mondays are designated Cleaning Day but we'll also go for a bike ride to a park for a picnic lunch. We're still keeping up with piano lessons as well. And of course, we're doing Family Home Evening every Monday night.
Tuesdays are Craft & Cooking Day. We'll do a craft project & I'll teach the kids how to make their favorite thing to eat.
***Our Summer Crafts are: decorate a photo frame, tie-dye shirts, sew a tote bag for library books, stepping stones, sew PJ pants, clay creations, and door hangers.
Wednesdays have Storytime in the morning at our library. I already got the info for summer reading programs at the library and Barnes and Noble. Then we're off on a field trip.
Thursdays are reserved for Yard Work but in the afternoon I'll take them swimming.
Fridays are hiking days and date night. Once a month we'll take a kid along and make it their special night to have Mom and Dad all the to themselves and we'll let them decide what they want us to do. (I always wished as a child that I could tell my parents what to do...)
Saturdays are Field Trip Fun days (see list below) and hopefully Daddy will be able to come along.
And Sundays are a day of rest which I will need by then. :)

Some of our old favorite things to do are:
*Do some boy scout activity patches for J
*Swimming at the Rec Center - they have an indoor playset that's fun but it gets loud.
*Go camping in the backyard and at our Ward Campout
*Children's Museum & Clark Planetarium & play in the water feature
*Church History Tour - Museum, visitor's center, BY Musuem, etc.
*Liberty Park & Tracy Aviary & Salt Lake library where they have themed reading coves.
*Thanksgiving Point Gardens and Dino Museum (coupon)
*Gardner Village (for Sweet Afton's free fudge sample)
*Living Planet Aquarium (discounted first Monday evening of every month)
*Farmer's Market Saturday mornings downtown
*Provo for the Museum of Art, Krispy Kreme tour, McCurdy Doll Museum (still don't know how I'm going to drag my boys in there.)
*Hogle Zoo & This is the Place (FREE on July 10th)
*Wheeler Farm
*Red Butte Gardens (FREE on Pioneer Day and Sept. 7th)
*Natural History Museum (FREE first Mondays of the month with activities after 5pm)
*Bowling, Classic Skating Center, Mini-golf (I love my Entertainment book!)
*Boondocks (just once or twice on their $12 Tuesdays)

Some NEW things we're doing this year are:
*Ogden- Dino Park, Treehouse Museum and possibly iFly to see my almost 9 year old fly in a wind tunnel (coupons for all!)
*Cabela's - apparently they have a ridiculously sized fish tank
*Build-a-bear (coupon!)
*Fishing. Free (no license required) on Saturday June 14th
*Park City - Alpine Slide, Human Maze, Legacy Launchers, and Little Miner's Park
*Pottery class at Color Me Mine with a coupon
*Cooking Class at Young Chefs Academy with a coupon
*Go to Bear Lake for a 10k and during Raspberry Days (I'm so excited!!!) for a 5k
*Seven Peaks - still looking for a coupon
*Cowubunga Bay which is brand new. Not sure if it's worth the money... I have a friend who said if I go at 6am for a TV shot next week our kids can get in free and play for awhile. We'll see if they wake up that early...

You won't believe it but it really does all fit into 3 months. We're also going to AZ for my neice's wedding - I feel so old when I say that. Oh! And Jeeping. Phew! Don't tell my husband I put that last. I really am excited to try out our new Jeep rubicon once he gets it lifted and the 3rd row seat put in. It's our new "baby". So much easier than giving birth to a real baby. LOL Isn't he cute? Now we can all fit. We used to have to drive two cars down and then pawn off one of our children to a friend. The 3rd row can be forward/rear facing. Cool, huh? They were having a sale, Troy was able to bargain it down further and they threw in an Entertainment package, a sleeping bag, fishing pole and MP3 player. Moab, here we come!

P.S. If anyone's interested in a white Liberty, call me! :)

Coke Cake

2009-05-22T10:50:00.000-06:00

So here's a new dessert I tried and all the kids loved it. Maybe it's because I only buy soda twice a year. It's on the rich side. We used caffeine-free coca-cola. :) You should be able to just click on the picture to see it pop-up to the larger size.

Again, sorry no picture of the actual cake. It was so fantastic there wasn't a chance I was going to stop and grab my camera. Never get between me and chocolate! :) Isn't it a cute way to scrapbook your recipes though? I got the recipe from http://www.kevinandamanda.com/ This is J's favorite recipe now.

Stretch your Dollar

2009-05-13T09:37:00.000-06:00

Here are my notes from our Enrichment class we did on saving money: (I added a few ideas of my own as well)

Subscribe to up to 4 Sunday newspapers so you can get multiple coupons. If you live in Utah, I have a neighbor who can offer you a discounted price on this AND you get a visa gift card you can use anywhere if you do more than 2 papers. The more papers you buy, the greater your gift card amount. I like to keep my coupons organized in a binder with baseball card holders. In the front I also have my Best Prices Sheet which I made by going to a few stores and writing down the prices of items I normally buy. Now I know where to buy what for the best deal and when the ads come out, I know if it's really a sale or not. Great sites that tell you where and when to use these coupons in conjuction with grocery store sales are:

http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/ They have a Utah forum with Screaming Deals.
http://www.grocerysmarts.com/ use code: g84clh You can find printable coupons here as well
http://www.utahcityguide.com/new/guru/index.asp for Utah’s Grocery Guru’s weekly deals

*Did you know you can stack store and manufacturer coupons on one item?
At Kohl’s you can also stack their “15% off” with “$10 off any $20 purchase” coupons which recently came out in the mail. (They expired now but do this a couple times a year - we go to the clearance section at the end of season and with the coupons, it almost feels like stealing: $2 for a tee or $6 for a jacket, then use the coupon... you get the idea)

Walmart will price match other stores advertised prices. Great if you only want to go to one store. I do this almost every time I go to this store. Half of the items are usually the same price or a better deal. It helps to be organized when you go to checkout.

Catalinas are coupons that print out at the register. You can use them on your next shopping trip.

For free/almost free Prescriptions consider using the gift cards for transferring prescriptions. These are found in Target ads, Smiths, as well as other stores.

Beer companies are offering amazing rebates on various items. Some end up being totally free. And the best part is you don’t have to buy the beer! You can find these on posters on end caps of the grocery store aisles or in the beer section. They are on tear pads. Most of them are located at Smiths or Albertsons. They come and go but summer and holiday seasons are a great time to look for them.

Clothing: ShopKo and Sears have a Kid-Tough Guarantee on their store brand of kids clothing. If they wear out, just take them back and get the same size item. Sometimes you have to save the receipt so be sure to check out the details at each store. Great for boys who wear out the knees in the pants and even better if you have more than one of the same gender child. ie: 11 year old wears out the size 10 pants, go back and get them exchanged and now your 8 year old has new pants! Consignment or Thrift stores are also a great place to get a good deal on gently used clothing. Also, it's a great way to recycle. Whenever we travel down to Arizona, I try to stop at the shops down there. $2 for shirts, $5 for shorts/pants. Garage sales are even better and you can usually barter down the prices. Our neighborhood does an annual garage sale every June so everyone waits till then and it is packed! A realtor does the advertising for us in the paper and offers a pod afterwards that you can fill with your leftover stuff which is then donated to Deseret Industries.

For a great deal on fresh, local food think about joining the Community Food Co-op. In Utah, you order before the middle of the month and get your fresh local food the last Saturday of every month. It helps a great cause. Google it to find out more. You have the option of picking up your food at a location closer to you if you join a team.

Entertainment: At the library, you can place holds on new books and movies and watch them for FREE. If you can't wait that long, try the $ theatre. Ours just changed their day to Wednesdays. Another free way to watch movies is to go to http://www.insideredbox.com/. They used to have weekly Monday codes for a free movie but during the summer they will be changing to monthly. Entertainment books are great for buy one, get one free offers.
Boondocks offers $12 Tuesdays in the summer. Some local attractions offer free days thanks to ZAP (Zoo, Arts, Parks tax). If you plan on going somewhere frequently (like the Children's Museum or Zoo) it might be worth your money to get a yearly membership. Better yet, tell the grandparents it would make a great gift for Christmas/Birthday gift!

With all the money you save, you can maybe even go to Paris! That's what my neighbor is doing! I think I'll buy more scrapbook supplies (with a coupon of course)!

Free Kids Meal Days

2009-05-13T07:42:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I've been busy with couponing and finding other ways to save money. All I can say is, I love beer rebates! You don't even have to buy beer! In the past 2 1/2 months I've gotten back over $200. Love it! I recently put together an updated list of where kids eat free/cheap in our area. Search it out if you don't live in Mormonland. Each city has different days.

Fuddruckers- Mondays after 4pm $1 kids meal per adult meal

Joe’s Crabshack- Mondays kids eat for 99 cents. Two per paying adult

IHOP- Tuesdays after 4pm 2 kids eat free per paying adult

Mayan- Tuesdays 1 free kids meal per paying adult. Great shows!

Fazoli’s- Tuesdays 5-8pm kids eat for only 99 cents

Denny’s- Tuesdays after 4pm 2 kids eat free per paying adult

Chick-Fil-A- Wednesdays 5-8pm 1 free kids meal per adult combo purchased. They also get a ticket for free ice cream and they have activities for kids to do. *Remember to ask for a stamp card and earn your way towards more free kids meals!

Carl’s Jr.- Wednesday nights 1 free kids meal with purchase of a combo meal

Second Piano Recital

2009-04-12T17:37:00.000-06:00

So the kiddos had another piano recital - hence the reason we hung around for Easter instead of heading down to Moab for Easter Jeep Safari week.

I tried but can't find the cord to upload the video I took. During J's performance N made a move to go out the Emergency Exit door so it was a little jumpy. They all graduated to the next level of piano books. And of course, J has already played ALL the songs in his new book... in one day.

Other than that life has been busy with my calling and I re-painted our living room, kitchen and family room in one week. The trim & doors look so much better in a semi-gloss ultra white. I love it! I had my neighbor help me finish it up since I had a craft night for some church women. We made birthday and baptism explosion boxes. I love the store Pebbles in my Pocket! They have some cute ideas for Young Women as well. http://www.pebblesinmypocket.com/ Check them out!

P.S. I finished the Book of Mormon challenge - Six Weeks Closer to Christ. It was so much fun marking up my new scriptures and it's become a wonderful habit for me to carry them around and read whenever I have a free moment. This book changed my life and every time I read it I get new insights. It has brought more peace into our home and I am thankful for that. Now I'm starting the Old Testament and am going to try to read about 13 pages a day.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T17:28:00.000-06:00

We made some yummy Easter Breakfast rolls this morning and they were so easy. This would be great for a FHE lesson on the Resurrection!

1 package Rhodes Texas size rolls, thawed
1 package large marshmallows
1/4 cup melted butter
6 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Flatten each roll and place marshmallow in center of roll and wrap the dough around, sealing the seams really well. Brush top with butter then sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Put in warm oven to rise for 1 hour with shallow pan of HOT water underneath. After one hour, remove the water pan, turn on your oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes. Just like Christ's tomb on Easter Sunday, these rolls will be empty inside!

Makes 24 servings. We usually only do a 1/2 recipe, then use the rest for dinner rolls that night.
*I would've included a picture but they were so yummy - we ate them all! :) Z says this is his favorite recipe now.

Scouts and Biking

2009-04-03T09:17:00.000-06:00

So much has happened this past week that I'm starting to forget it all:

Our oldest graduated from Cub Scouts and had his Arrow of Light ceremony. We're so proud of him. We worked really hard to get all those activity patches and pins. He loves Boy Scouts now that one of his friends came in.

My daughter learned how to ride her bike! She had seen her friend outside learning to ride her bike with her dad so she grabbed my husband and told him she wanted to learn how to ride her bike... right now. So out they went and we got lots of pictures of the two of them trying. Troy said she kept leaning against him - it didn't matter which side he ran along. So the next day she sees our boys out riding their bikes and so she asks Daddy if he'll come help her. "Not right now" since he was a little tired from yesterday's learning experience. So about 10 minutes later I went outside to get something from the car and I glance down the street to check on all of them and she's at the end of the street just riding along all by herself! So I ran inside, told Troy and grabbed my camera. Z had coached her through it and it was all just so amazing.

And now I can't remember the rest... lol I just know... Life is good.

Great deal on Humanitarian Kits

2009-04-01T18:38:00.001-06:00

We've done Humanitarian Kits before for church. Spent lots of time looking for the best prices and had to shop at several different places to get the best deals on each item. This year as a family we plan to do a couple different kinds of kits for Family Home Evening since a few weeks ago I took the kids and toured the Humanitarian Center downtown and I almost cried when I heard about how babies are being sent home from the hospital wrapped in only newspaper, that children can't attend school if they don't have their own supplies, and that because people lack basic hygiene items in disaster circumstances illness spreads too quickly.

So I was very excited when I saw that White Elegance has kits that you can buy, assemble and then deliver back to their store or a Bishop's storehouse - all for less than wholesale. I can't come close to their prices! So I thought I would share: http://whiteelegance.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=29

It takes about 2 weeks (sometimes less if they already have it in stock) till they ship you the kits, or you can pick them up from their store and save yourself S&H. You can order just a few for FHE or large orders for church service activities. I'm so excited! This means we can do more kits and help more people. Check it out and do some good!

Hygiene Kits $4.91
Newborn Kits $9.11

School Kits $7.08

Food Storage Challenge update

2009-03-24T16:05:00.000-06:00

I should have chosen a shorter month not to shop for food... like February. I never, ever thought I would crave salad. Last week, my neighbor, who knew about my challenge, was so sweet and brought over a head of lettuce and a tomato. I ate them w/o dressing! Tasted so yummy. That satisifed me for a few days.

Saturday we went to the temple and drove with our neighbors and the wife asked my husband, "So Troy, how are you liking Food Storage Month?" He didn't even know what she was talking about. I explained what I had been doing and he said he hadn't even noticed! Wa-ha-ha. Of course, he goes out to eat for lunch every day and honestly, he's not so good at noticing changes. Still love him though. :)

Then today I started CRAVING salad again. That and crunchy cucumbers, carrots (which we had just run out of) and what I wouldn't give for a fresh crisp gala apple... Guess it didn't help that I was watching Twilight. So I thought, "why am I doing this again?" I KNOW I have enough to survive but do I have to deprive myself? No. So I decided to jump into April early. Too bad I don't have an indoor garden. I bought some fruit trees and plan to start another square foot garden this summer. I think I'll try the challenge again in the middle of the summer. It was making me nervous having a fridge that was only 1/4 full. I learned I have a bit of OCD when it comes to having things stocked.

I love Costco... *sigh* So what food do you think you wouldn't be able to live without?

Good Goal

2009-03-21T14:19:00.001-06:00

Recently our Relief Society Presidency gave out personalized letters that invited every sister to come closer to Christ by reading the Book of Mormon in just six short weeks. I've never read the Book of Mormon that fast before and I have to say that this first week has been a challenge. Things come up and I'm sure Satan is trying very hard to discourage us from finishing together. Don't worry - I won't let him do that to me, I'm too stubborn. LOL I know that only good can come from this.

I'm up for the challenge, are YOU? You can choose to read a certain number of pages or a certain number of chapters each day. There are many sites online that offer calculators and on http://www.hinckleychallenge.com/ you can get a little blog tracker for fun.

Only good can come from reading the Book of Mormon. You can do it! If you're hesitant, ask yourself "why?" Sure you might have to give up watching your favorite show every night. But what good is that TV show in your life... seriously. It's always good to evaluate your priorities every now and then. LMK if you're up for a good challenge and we can have a cyber party when we finish! :)

"Don't you wonder what would happen if we treated our Book of Mormon like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we spent an hour or more using it every day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the "text"?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
Oh, and a few more things- Unlike our cell phones, one Plan fits all.
Unlimited usage.
No roaming charges.
You always have reception.
No weak signals AND we dont ever have to worry about our Book of Mormon being disconnected, because our Savior already paid the bill!" --Author Unknown

72 hour kits

2009-03-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

N's excited because it's that's time of year again! I love listening to General Conference. That weekend we break open our 72 hour kits and gobble them up. We also assemble our new ones. I've been doing this for several years now and found that I like to put in things that require NO cooking and NO preparation. My kids won't eat MREs and the lemon butter squares would get boring after one day. Here's what we plan on putting in our kits:

6 people in our family times 3 days = 18 of everything except 32 granola bars and 180 candy

Breakfasts we have a breakfast bar and OJ packet.
Lunches we have beef jerky, 2 granola bars and fruit punch packet.
Snacks we have fruit leather or fruit snacks.
Dinners we have a small V8, protein bar (don't worry, I know the Twisted bars in my picture were recalled. We won't eat them) and grape juice packet. You could do a hot cocoa but then you'd need hot water. We have buddy burners in our backpacks but prefer not to use them.
Treats we have hard candy and gum wrapped in foil so the minty fresh smell doesn't spread to all your food. AND it keeps your gum fresh and soft. We kept ours a year one time and it was still soft

When shopping remember to check expiration dates!!!! It only needs to last 6 months (till the next General Conference). It would be a good idea to put in a prepaid phone card as well as some quarters. This all fits in a gallon size freezer bag. Don't forget to include a meal plan paper in there so they know when to eat what.

Breakfast: Breakfast bar, orange juice packet
Lunch: Beef Jerky, fruit punch packet, 2 granola bars
Snacks: Fruit leather/snacks
Dinner: V8, protein bar, juice or hot cocoa packet
Treats: 3 hard candy and 1 stick of gum

Put any leftover food in your car. This is great if you're stuck in traffic or the kids say "But I'm starving Mom!" We also keep a 2 liter bottle of water in our car as well as TP and trash bags. Extra outfit, diapers and wipes are under our baby's seat. Just in case...

Future Craft Ideas

2009-03-10T09:30:00.001-06:00

I'm just posting this so I remember what I want to do. And it's always fun to share...
Here are my crafts/projects that I would like to complete this year, in no particular order:

Quiet Books – 6x6 sheet protectors tied really well with double colorful ribbons thru the hole punches
-My Favorite Colors – use that background color then take pictures of them wearing/ surrounded by that color.
-Temples of the World – include at the end picture of our family in front of the temple saying FCBTF or lyrics to I Love to See the Temple.
-Follow the Prophet – pictures of each prophet and what their focus was during their time.
-My Gospel Standards – Mormon Ads on patterned colored paper with Primary Gospel Standards at the end.
-Articles of Faith – Print of each AoF on clear paper w/ picture of what it’s talking about framed in background.
Jewelry - Make green button bracelet, earrings and headband for E for St. Patrick’s Day.
Pillowcases for E – I'm missing July, School and Halloween. http://www.mormonchic.com/ has the pattern under their Crafty section.
Glass Etching my name on the bottoms of my glass casserole dishes.
Neating/Cleaning Apron with pockets and handtowel sewn on.
Vellum picture and quote on glass block. Saw these at Quilted Bear and LOVE them.
Flannel Rice Bags can be used for hot/cold packs. Year-round versatility. Need the quote that goes with it if gifting it.
B&W Memory Plates to hang in my scrapbook room
Capri Sun beach bags, purses, wallets, sunglass cases, etc. http://www.mormonchic.com/ has the pattern for the purse. This makes a great recycled gift and it's waterproof!
Rag Rug – braid strips of old cotton fabric rolled like double sided bias tape, then whipstitch together thru braids.
Twin Size Denim Quilts for my boys
Flannel Rag Quilt for E
Quilted comforter OR duvet cover & tall bedskirt to cover food storage for Master bed.
4th of July themed picnic quilt
Modge Podge fridge magnets and more for the growth chart. Get the big round magnets.
FHE vinyl board
Use the 15 3x4 cards from Greg Olsen's “Beautiful Savior” at Deseretbook to make "The Living Christ" paper with Savior Pictures on the matting.
Twin size basic tied quilts to donate to Humanitarian Services. Check out their Current Needs list on http://www.providentliving.org/
And...Finish the denim tiered skirt I started many months ago... lol

I'm seriously thinking of making one of those old-time quilt frames that you used to see at Quilting Bees. I found a pattern online and have a jigsaw so I think I can do it. Right now I have a small PVC type one and it's OK but I have to move it often.

What are some things YOU want to make this year?

Clarification

2009-03-06T18:45:00.001-07:00

I meant "no shopping for food" in my last post. Not shopping at all might push me over the edge. LOL

Especially since I got Robert's 50% off coupons in my email box. Hooray!

I'm the crazy wheat lady in my ward

2009-02-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wow! This Crystal is one amazing woman. She's even coming out with a book in March that's filled with wonderful recipes that use mainly food storage items. I'm now a huge fan of whole wheat cookies, blender wheat pancakes and cookie clay dough. Check out her website at http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/ You gotta try these recipes! I taught part of a Wheat 101 Enrichment and it was a piece of cake thanks to this website.

I was so inspired that I've been working really hard these past 2 weeks and I can now say that we finally have our year supply. (This includes long-term and short-term food items as well as basic necessities like TP, soap, laundry & cleaning stuff, shampoo, etc. ) We could live off our food storage for 6 months and my kids wouldn't know the difference... I don't think they'd ask "Hey Mom, where's the salad?" Unfortunately some things only have a 6 month shelf life like fruit snacks and graham crackers. :(

My challenge this month of March is to NOT shop. Well, only once and that's because Macey's is having their annual sale starting Wednesday and it includes powdered eggs that are $6 off their normal price. So other than one #10 can, I'm not shopping. I challenge you to work on your food storage and see if you can go one week, then one month w/o shopping. This is a great way to see what you're missing in your food storage.

Fat-Free Fake Food

2009-02-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

So a new thing in Primary that they just started doing is Second Sunday Sundaes. Any children with a birthday in that month get to go to the Primary President's house after church on the 2nd Sunday for icecream sundaes. I made up this fake sundae to display so the kids would remember to come. The icecream was a styrofoam egg covered in a mixture of modge podge and light cream paint. The white frosting was tricky. I found that a mixture of cheap shaving cream, modge podge, a little white flour to thicken it and more white paint look nice. I used a frosting tip for this but it didn't turn out as nice as I would've liked. The chocolate drizzle was harder since I didn't have the right brown color. I did modge podge, paint and then thickened it with white flour and stuck in in a ziploc bag and squeezed it out of a cut corner. The cherry is actually dried playdough covered in glitter red paint. The cherry stem is the only real thing and I poked that in before allowing the playdough to dry for 2 days. It was stuck on with a toothpick half in the icecream part and half into the cherry. Pretty fun, eh?

Terrific Time in Tucson

2009-02-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

I'm warning you now, this is long and has lots of pictures. Ready? :)

I took the kids out of school (along with their homework) and we all went to Tucson for over a week. The kids did their reading in the car between field trips and they were good about practicing piano every day. J even learned how to play a new song from his cousins "Star Wars" music book.

We drove down all day Thursday and got in after midnight so we slept in for Z's birthday on Friday. We went and picked up our Tucson Attractions passports at Park Place (this saved us over $40) and played there for awhile then saw Inkheart since he's read all the books. I want to go read the books now, the movie was very interesting. Then we picked up his cake and icecream (I love Costco) then had a party with family and friends. It was fun visiting with everyone!

Saturday was my neice's baptism and what a special day it was. I should have taken more pictures but was too caught up in the moment. I made this exploding box and had some beaded crocheted white socks inside with a poem tag.

Sunday we got up early to drive to St. David for morning church then hung out with them and the rest of the Young side. We played a new game Wits and Wagers that was fun.

Monday we went with my brother's family to Kartchner Kaverns. This is hands down the best cave I've ever been too and very well protected. I only wish we could've taken pictures inside. Next time we'll do the other room that wasn't open. The Rotunda/Throne room was outstanding. After lunch we headed to St. David to help paint/re-model a bit then back to Tucson for FHE with Greg & Misty and their kids and my other brother Mark & his new wife Michelle and their new puppy Hank joined us.

Tuesday we went to the International Wildlife Museum, San Xavier Mission del Bac (picture below) and the Tucson Children's Museum. We'll definitely go to the Children's Museum again and we'll remember to bring quarters for parking. Took us 5 minutes to search the car for coins! :)

Wednesday we drove way over to tour the Biosphere 2. So cool! I've always wanted to go. We brought along our lunch every day and this saved us a lot of money as well. That afternoon we went to the Tucson Botanical Gardens. The Butterfly Magic exhibit was the best. Definitely worth the extra $ and we got some cute pictures, learned about composting and saw a mutated saguaro.

Thursday we went to Sabino Canyon (they ONLY take cash and no, they don't have an ATM anywhere closeby) and rode the tram all the way up for the tourist info then stopped at shuttle stop 6 for a picnic lunch and played in the water. The boys found a little cavern they had fun playing in. Later we headed over to Reid Park Zoo and saw an albino (white) peacock with its feathers displayed. It took my breath away.

Friday I starting working in the kitchen since my SIL wants to remodel the house while my parents are on their mission in Chile. I hate wallpaper... That afternoon we drove to Safford for a Surprise Birthday Party for my 85 year old father-in-law. Boy were they surprised to see us again. They thought we drove home. All part of the surprise plan... Troy got this funny picture since everytime I tried to take a picture, my MIL had her eyes closed.

Saturday I spent the whole day stripping... wallpaper. :) I did take a break halfway for lunch. I grabbed my kids and 2 of my brother's kids and we got lunch at Eegee's (yummm) and ate over at Aqua Caliente Park.

Sunday I woke up at 5am, and after trying to go back to sleep I got up at 6am and we left by 8am to drove home. We got in about 8:30pm. I missed my pillow... and my showerhead... and my laundry detergent.

OK, I'm done. Now I need a vacation to relax from all this vacationing. :)

Today was a long day

2009-01-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

(This picture is from one of our Primary Activity Days)

Shortly before church started I found out that I would be released as 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency and called to serve as 2nd counselor in the Relief Society. I regretfully left Primary and those sweet adorable children that I loved teaching and serving. There just wasn't enough time for me to give them all a hug goodbye so I asked them all to reach their arms out wide and then wrap their arms around their little bodies and told them it was a hug from me and that I would miss them all dearly and that they would have to sing really, really loud next week so I could still hear their angelic voices. After being set apart and grabbing a quick dinner we had our Great to Be Eight and Priesthood Preview Programs.

I know our bishop is inspired and I would not have accepted had the call not come from the Lord. I must have a lot more to learn. I'm very excited though to work with our new presidency; they are an amazing group of women. It's going to be hard to change how I teach though and I'll miss teaching my own children during Sharing Time.

Too bad I can't do both callings...

Goodbye Sam

2009-01-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

E's hamster passed away in his sleep. I used to have a bunch of hamsters growing up and at one point I think we had over 100 with a family in the bathtub, another family in the shower and the rest in several large glass tanks. That's when my mom said we needed to get rid of some so we sold them to local pet shops. I never had a hamster live more than 18 months so I was really surprised when "Sam the Hamster" went past the 2 year mark. We got him full-grown and he ended up living over 2 years and 5 months! That has to be a record, don't you think?
Tonight it's cold and rainy and Sam and his cage disappeared to heaven during bedtime storytime. We'll miss you Sam!

Now onto saving the planet!

2009-01-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

It's been over a year now since I've been "Greening my Cleaning" and I must say it's saved me a lot of money so I thought I'd share some of my favorite recipes for you all to try. The ingredients are dirt cheap and work pretty darn good especially when you add a little elbow grease. Borax is slightly toxic if ingested so keep that up high along with any essential oils you may use to scent your cleaners.
Dishwasher Detergent
1/2 borax and 1/2 baking soda. Put in sealed container. Use 2 Tablespoons per load or more if you have hard water.
Rinse Aid
1/2 water and 1/2 white vinegar. The vinegar smell goes away as soon as the dishes are dry.
My Favorite Laundry Detergent
This stuff smells so good. You may need to use Clorox 2 on tough stains but this will get your clothes clean. Finely grate 1 bar of Fels Naptha laundry soap (in the laundry aisle). You could use Ivory soap or a vegetable based glycerin soap if you have a Natural Foods store close by. Put 1 cup grated Fels Naptha flakes with 1 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda (NOT baking soda) and 1 cup borax powder. Shake it up in a closed container. If you're using something other than Fels Naptha, just add the whole grated bar with 1 cup each of soda and borax. If you'd like a different scent add some drops of your favorite essential oil. I find I like orange and lemon the best. Tea tree oil has an anti-bacterial effect! Anyway, use just 2 Tablespoons per full load. This costs about 2 cents per load instead of 15+ for regular detergent. I just saved myself over $100 this past year!
*Instead of Downy you can add 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water to your downy ball for the same anti-static effect. This will slowly strip off the waxy build-up from those dryer sheets.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
My least favorite thing in the world... So add a splash of white vinegar to the bowl. Then sprinkle some baking soda on your toilet brush and scrub around. (I like to save my Parmesan grated cheese containers and reuse them by putting baking soda in it.) If it's bad feel free to let it sit while you clean the rest of the bathroom then scrub it again.
Tub and Sink Cleaner
Save that grated parmesan cheese container (clean it out first) then put in baking soda. Sprinkle on whatever surface you want clean then scrub with a wet scrub brush or rag then rinse clean with water. If you want something like that Soft Scrub brand all you need to do is sprinkle salt on the wet surface. Cool, huh?
Window Cleaner
1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water works best but I've also tried club soda and that works too. Windex is mostly water and ammonia. That stuff just gives me a headache and if you accidentally mix it with anything that has bleach in it you get toxic fumes. TOXIC people!
All-Purpose Cleaner
Mix 2 Tablespoons white vinegar and 1 teaspoon borax in a small bowl. Add 1 cup hot water and stir till dissolved. Let cool then put in 16 oz. spray bottle. Add 1/8 cup Palmolive or Ivory liquid soap then fill to the top with water. If you want an anti-bacterial spray add 15 drops tea tree essential oil.
Disinfectant Cleaner
Fill a 16 oz. (2 cups) spray bottle almost all the way with purified water. Add a few drops of Palmolive soap and 30 drops of tea tree essential oil. Did you know that Lysol spray is legally considered an insecticide? Yike! Who wants to breathe that?
Furniture Polish
1/4 cup olive oil, 4 Tablspoons white vinegar and 25 drops of lemon essential oil and no ozone-killing aerosol can! Hooray!
Other Ideas to Try
We have a carpet cleaner that comes in handy for flu season or potty training season and I've found that instead of buying the carpet cleaning solution all I have to do is put in a few Tablespoons of Clorox 2 with 1 cup hot water and I've made my own!
One more thing: We use the foaming soap dispensers for our bathrooms. If you buy the concentrated liquid soap and use 1-2 Tablespoons and fill the rest with water, and shake really well, you've made your own for a lot less money.

*Last note: Please use washable rags and NOT paper towels. I guess I'm an official tree-hugger now... we haven't had paper towels in our house for months. It took awhile to get used to but now I don't even think about it. And I don't mind NOT paying for it either. I have better ideas on how I want to spend that money, don't you? So right now I want you to print off these recipes and mix them up, your grandma would be so proud!

2008 Year in Review

2009-01-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

Journal Jar

2009-01-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

What a great way to start the new year and record your personal history! There are 376 questions but some may not apply depending on your age so there's enough for each day of the year. I have another version too so feel free to email me if you'd like a copy of it.

You'll need a quart canning jar with lid and ring, a small piece of cloth, some raffia and the following material. The idea is to cut the question in strips and place them in the jar. Put the material under the ring on top of the jar, and tie raffia around the neck of the jar with the card “Recipe for: My Life History”. This would make a great visiting teaching or birthday gift.

Print these strips on beige paper. The tag that goes on the outside of the jar was printed on tag board in beige and tied with beige raffia. The card was trimmed with pinking scissors and cut in an rectangle shape with one end rounded.

The person takes out one strip a day and uses that to write a journal entry.

The card that goes on the outside of the jar says:
Recipe for My Life History
Combine a generous slice of your life history, a dash of nostalgia, several cups of facts and feelings and deliciously interesting questions. Draw one slip of paper. Take a few minutes to enjoy the memories. Paste or write the question at the top of a blank page. Fill in your answer. Don't worry about your handwriting or spelling - just tell your story. This product was prepared to preserve your life as a message. Enjoy the scrumptious, home-made memories that celebrate something very important - YOU!

1. Are there any family heirlooms in your possession? Tell about them and how you came to acquire them.
2. Are you involved in any clubs or extra-curricular activities? (Sports, dance, choir, etc.)
3. Are you pleased with what you look like? If you could change any part of yourself what would it be?
4. Between the ages of 5 and 10, what was your favorite activity?
5. Describe a childhood birthday.
6. Describe a childhood Christmas.
7. Describe a favorite childhood friend and some things you did with him or her.
8. Describe a favorite vacation in your married years.
9. Describe a time when you felt the spirit very strongly.
10. Describe a time when you lost myself in the service of someone else. How did it feel?
11. Describe a trip downtown as a youngster.
12. Describe a typical day during your high school years.
13. Describe a typical day during your Jr. High years.
14. Describe a typical day in elementary school.
15. Describe each member of your family.
16. Describe getting a Christmas tree as a child, when did you put it up and decorate it?
17. Describe getting a Christmas tree with your family as a child. How did you decorate it? When did you put it up?
18. Describe one of your favorite recipes and tell where it comes from.
19. Describe one of your spouses (significant other, best friend, etc.) favorite recipes and tell where it comes from.
20. Describe the downtown of your childhood at Christmas time.
21. Describe the most serious illness or accident that you have had.
22. Describe the perfect autumn day and what activities you enjoy.
23. Describe the perfect spring day and activities done on that day.
24. Describe the perfect summer day. What would you do on that day?
25. Describe the perfect winter day. Tell about an activity you would do on that day.
26. Describe walking down the main street of your hometown.
27. Describe you Sundays as a mother/father or as a child.
28. Describe your conversion to the gospel.
29. Describe your cooking skills and your favorite thing to cook.
30. Describe your cooking skills as a newlywed.
31. Describe your favorite clothes.
32. Describe your first 'crush'. What was the person like?
33. Describe your first home as a young couple.
34. Describe your mother's wedding dress - what do you know about her wedding?
35. Describe your perfect spring day. What do you like to do outside?
36. Describe your Sundays as a mother/father or as a child.
37. Describe your wedding day.
38. Describe your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, suit etc, if male.
39. Describe your yard as a child - did you help with the yardwork? What are your memories?
40. Did it snow much when you were a child - tell something about it, what did you do.?
41. Did you and your father share an interest in any special activity?
42. Did you and your mother share an interest in any special activity?
43. Did you belong to boy/girl scouts or 4-H? Tell about your experiences.
44. Did you go camping? Tell about your experiences.
45. Did you go to college or have vocational training - where and when?
46. Did you have a bicycle and what was it like?
47. Did you have a childhood hideout - tell about it.
48. Did you have a childhood hide-out? Where? Describe it.
49. Did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents? Tell about it.
50. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy? Tell about it.
51. Did you have a favorite subject in school? One you dreaded?
52. Did you have a favorite T.V. show as a child or youth? Or radio show?
53. Did you have a favorite toy as a child? Did it have a name? What memories are connected to it?
54. Did you have roommates or companions? Tell about them and the things you learned living with others.
55. Did you or your father share any interests together? What and why?
56. Did you receive your education somewhere other than school?
57. Did you serve in the military? If so, where and when?
58. Did you wish you had more brothers or sisters? Why?
59. Do you and your father share any interests? Tell about your relationship.
60. Do you and your mother share any interests? Tell about your relationship.
61. Do you enjoy your everyday life? What's it like?
62. Do you have a bicycle? What is it like?
63. Do you have a favorite author? Who? Why? Tell about favorite books as a child, youth, adult.
64. Do you have a favorite General Authority? Who and why?
65. Do you have a favorite magazine? Describe it and the kinds of things you learn from it or enjoy about it.
66. Do you have a favorite sport, talent, etc?
67. Do you have a special school memory (high school or college)?
68. Do you have a testimony? Write down the things you do believe and know are true.
69. Do you like rainstorms? Why or why not?
70. Do you like school? Why?
71. Do you like to go to the theatre? The opera? The symphony? Which do you like best? Which production did you like best and why?
72. Do you recall any outstanding family trips or summer holidays you experienced as a child?
73. Do you remember a special birthday party you've had, given or been to?
74. Do you remember any of your four grandparents? Any greats? What were their names? Any memories that you have.
75. Do you wish you had more sisters or brothers, and why?
76. Draw a floorplan of your home and label the rooms.
77. Draw a funny picture about something that makes you laugh!
78. Draw a picture of anything that you are afraid of.
79. Draw a picture of the house you live in.
80. Draw a picture of what you play with at the park.
81. Draw a picture of what you want for Christmas or what you are giving you mom.
82. Draw a picture of what you want to be when you grow up.
83. Draw a picture of what you would buy if you had all the money in the world.
84. Draw a picture of your best friend.
85. Draw a picture of your family.
86. Draw a picture of your favorite activity to do outside.
87. Draw a picture of your favorite birthday present.
88. Draw a picture of your favorite color.
89. Draw a picture of your favorite holiday.
90. Draw a picture of your favorite outfit to wear.
91. Draw a picture of your favorite pet or animal.
92. Draw a picture of your favorite place to go.
93. Draw a picture of your favorite scripture story.
94. Draw a picture of your favorite thing to do in the summertime.
95. Draw a picture of your favorite thing to do with Grandma or Grandpa.
96. Draw a picture of your favorite toy.
97. Draw a picture of your room and what makes it special.
98. Draw a picture of yourself as a baby.
99. Draw a picture of yourself dressed in your Halloween costume.
100. Draw a picture of yourself.
101. Draw a picture using your favorite color.
102. Draw picture if yourself as a baby.
103. Has anything major happened since the last time you wrote in my journal?
104. Have you ever been sick? What made you feel better?
105. Have you ever had a crush on someone? Who? Do you still like him now? Describe him, and what attracts you to him.
106. Have you ever learned something from being in an argument with someone? If yes, Why?
107. Have you ever stood up for what you believe, even when it was very hard? Tell about it.
108. Have you ever written a story, poem, or song you would like to add to my journal?
109. Have you met or worked with any famous people? Where, when, etc.?
110. How did you become engaged?
111. How did you feel about school?
112. How did you first meet your in-laws?
113. How did you like being the oldest, youngest or middle child? What were the advantages or disadvantages?
114. How did your father spend his time supporting his family?
115. How did your father spend his time?
116. How did your mother spend her time?
117. How do you feel about death? Tell about your philosophy of after-life.
118. How do you feel about dentists? Why?
119. How do you feel about doctors? Why?
120. How do you feel about winning? Losing?
121. How many are in your family? Do you wish you had more brothers and sisters?
122. How old were you and your spouse when you were married? How old were your parents when they married? Describe plans, hopes, etc., at that time.
123. If I've received my patriarchal blessing, what is the most significant part to me?
124. If you could be a flower, which one would you choose and why?
125. If you could be a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Why?
126. If you could be an animal, which one would you choose and why?
127. If you could change any part of myself, what would it be?
128. If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind would you choose and why?
129. If you could have your favorite dinner for your birthday, what would it be?
130. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Why?
131. If you could watch a video over and over, what would it be and why? What is it about?
132. In what kinds of extracurricular activities did you participate in school?
133. List all the costumes you have worn or characters you have been for Halloween.
134. List each of your Aunts and Uncles. Tell one thing about each of them.
135. ONE WORD on how to live successfully.
136. Share a principle you have learned, or one you have taught.
137. Tell a courtship story about your parents, how they met etc... Tell the same
138. Tell a courtship story about your parents, how they met, etc. Then tell the same about you.
139. Tell about a favorite trip or vacation.
140. Tell about a favorite vacation from your childhood.
141. Tell about a fishing or hunting experience.
142. Tell about a frustrating experience that you have had with a car.
143. Tell about a frustrating experience you've had.
144. Tell about a special Birthday party you've had? Given? Or been to?
145. Tell about a special date you had with a boy/girl friend or your fiance.
146. Tell about a special date you had.
147. Tell about a trip your family took that you particularly enjoyed. Where did you go? What did you see?
148. Tell about all the places you have worked.
149. Tell about anniversaries, celebrations, trips, and gifts.
150. Tell about any ancestors that you know about. Names, dates, etc. for historical purposes and any stories about them.
151. Tell about any conditions surrounding your birth that you are aware of. Tell any interesting stories about your beginnings, how your name was chosen, etc.
152. Tell about any General Conference talk that you can still remember.
153. Tell about any interesting or important visitors to your home.
154. Tell about any pets you had as a child.
155. Tell about dreams, expectations, and hopes you have for each of your kids.
156. Tell about each of your children's names, birthdate, where, doctors, circumstances surrounding the birth - raising them in the home - problems, joys etc.
157. Tell about exciting experiences in young women, scouting or whatever.
158. Tell about family reunions.
159. Tell about favorite games you played as a child.
160. Tell about home cures or old wives tales, hiccups, toothaches, earaches, arthritis.
161. Tell about how, when, where you learned to drive.
162. Tell about religion practiced in your home - faith promoting stories, etc.
163. Tell about retirement -- When, where, what will you do with your time?
164. Tell about schools attended, special teachers, friends, classes, activities, humorous situations, achievements, etc.
165. Tell about some of the most notable people in your hometown.
166. Tell about some of your neighbors as a child; as a youth; as an adult.
167. Tell about the birth of your first child. Then about each of the others.
168. Tell about the changes you've seen in your lifetime: society in general, technology, fashion, fads, morality, politics, etc.
169. Tell about the house(s) you lived in during your childhood. Do you remember the addresses or phone numbers?
170. Tell about the houses you lived in during your childhood.
171. Tell about the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you.
172. Tell about the places where you have worked.
173. Tell about your civic or political activities.
174. Tell about your dad's job and/or your grandpa's.
175. Tell about your early romances.
176. Tell about your family traditions: Christmas, birthdays, graduations, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, hunting, weddings, etc.
177. Tell about your father - personality, characteristics, stature, coloring, talents, temperament, family stories about him, etc.
178. Tell about your favorite Aunt or Uncle.
179. Tell about your favorite friend and why they are special to you.
180. Tell about your favorite pet ... what kind of animal? When did you get him/her? Why do you like them?
181. Tell about your favorite uncle.
182. Tell about your first crush.
183. Tell about your grandchildren - how many? Names? How you feel about being a grandparent?
184. Tell about your life as the children left home - new interests what did you do with the extra time - -new employment, moves, hobbies, etc.
185. Tell about your life as the children left home. New interests, what you did with the extra time, new employment, moves, hobbies, etc.
186. Tell about your mother - personality, characteristics, stature, coloring, talents, temperament, family stories about her, etc.
187. Tell about your own family traditions. Christmas, birthdays, graduation, fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Mothers or Fathers Day, weddings, funerals, hunting etc.
188. Tell about your own family traditions: Christmas, birthdays, graduation.
189. Tell about your parents' philosophy of raising kids, discipline, rules, etc.
190. Tell about your teen-age social life - your friends, dances, dating, outings, church functions etc.--
191. Tell all about your favorite friend and why they are special to you.
192. Tell how you feel about water - playing in it, seeing it, using it. Tell about various bodies of water you have seen and an experience or feeling.
193. Tell how, when, where you learned to drive and any memorable experiences.
194. Tell something about each of your children, their personalities, their talents and traits that make them different and special.
195. Tell something you enjoyed doing with your Grandma or Grandpa.
196. Tell the things your parents have told you that you did when you were a baby.
197. Tell the words of a song from your childhood. What memories does it bring?
198. Tell what you know about the day you were born.
199. Tell where you went to school - list teachers, subjects, friends.
200. Tell your favorite joke, or about something that makes you laugh.
201. Tell something you enjoyed doing with your Grandma or Grandpa.
202. The Lord gave everyone talents. What are some of my talents?
203. Thinking back was there a teacher who had a great influence on you?
204. Were there any events -- world, local, or personal, that changed your life?
205. Were you ever in a drama, speech, sport, pep or glee club, etc.? Tell about it.
206. Were you responsible for any household chores? What were they? Which did you most enjoy? Least enjoy?
207. What am you studying this year in Primary, Sunday School, or Seminary? Do you enjoy it? Do you feel the spirit there?
208. What are my favorite family holiday traditions?
209. What are my goals and dreams?
210. What are my goals for making it back to live with my Father in Heaven?
211. What are some events that are happening in the world right now? (Include newspaper clippings).
212. What are some of my jobs at home?
213. What are some of my talents?
214. What are some of the events that are happening in the world right now? (include newspaper clippings)
215. What are some of your favorite smells? Why?
216. What are the things you love and admire most about my father?
217. What are the things you love and admire most about my mother?
218. What are you frightened of? Why?
219. What are your favorite colors, flowers, foods, activities, hobbies?
220. What are your food preferences and how did they come about?
221. What are your most deeply and imbedded values?
222. What are your most precious and deeply imbedded values?
223. What brings you the most peace and why?
224. What can frighten you the most and why?
225. What can you remember about the day you were baptized?
226. What childhood experiences do you remember, (funny stories, accidents, memories playing etc.)?
227. What church callings have you had and which did you enjoy the most?
228. What color was your house; your bedroom; your living room as a child?
229. What convinced you most in your choice of a spouse?
230. What did you do as a child that got you into the most trouble with your parents? How did they handle it?
231. What did you want to be when you grew up?
232. What did your father do for a living? How did he get to work, what time did he go, and get home? Did he take a lunch? Who did he work with?
233. What did your grandfathers do for a living? Did your grandmothers work too?
234. What do think about television?
235. What do you fantasize about being or doing?
236. What do you feel has been the most significant world event that has taken place during your lifetime and why?
237. What do you know about my Savior? What are my feelings about Him?
238. What do you look like?
239. What do you remember about shopping with your mother? Any particular stores? What was your favorite store?
240. What do you remember about yourself as a teenager? What was important to you? Your dreams? Goals?
241. What do you think about movies? What is your favorite movie and why?
242. What do you think brings good or bad luck?
243. What do you think of myself?
244. What do you want to be when you grow up? What will you be doing?
245. What do you want to do after you get out of school?
246. What does my bedroom look like? Do you share a room? Are you comfortable in my room? What do you like best about my room?
247. What does the mail mean to you? Are you a good letter writer? Who do you or have you corresponded with?
248. What games did you play in your house or neighborhood?
249. What has been a General Conference talk that has had an impact on me?
250. What instrument do you play or wish you could play?
251. What is a favorite board game or computer game and why do you like it?
252. What is a favorite family place to go with your spouse and kids?
253. What is my favorite area in nature?
254. What is my favorite Christmas memory?
255. What is my favorite food? When you cook for my family, what do you enjoy making most?
256. What is my favorite scripture and what are my thoughts or feelings about it?
257. What is my favorite sport of activity to do at recess?
258. What is my favorite thing to do at home?
259. What is my full name and who am you named after? It you could change it, what would call myself?
260. What is my full name and who am I named after? It I could change it, what would I call myself?
261. What is my home life like? Write down ways you would want to change or strengthen it.
262. What is my most favorite thing to do a home?
263. What is my primary class like? Who's in it? Who's my teacher? What's my favorite thing about my teacher?
264. What is my seminary class like? Who's in it? Who's my teacher? What's my favorite thing about my teacher? What am you studying this year? Do you enjoy it? Does the spirit thrive there?
265. What is my YW class like? Who's in it? Who's my teacher? What's my favorite thing about my teacher?
266. What is the best Christmas present you received? What is the best one you gave?
267. What is the biggest lesson in life you found to be true?
268. What is the most adventuresome thing you have ever done?
269. What is the most exciting place you have ever been to? What makes it exciting?
270. What is the most important lesson, message, or advice you've learned that you'd like to pass on for others to profit from?
271. What is the most trying experience that ever happened to you?
272. What is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you? The worst?
273. What is the one invention you could not live without and why?
274. What is the valuable principle I've learned through my experiences with others?
275. What is the weirdest dream I've ever had?
276. What is you best and worst subject in school? What do you like and dislike about them?
277. What is you favorite holiday? How do you celebrate it?
278. What is you favorite Saturday activity?
279. What is you favorite thing to play at the park?
280. What is your advice to those younger than you.
281. What is your best and worst subject in school? What do and don't you like about them?
282. What is your child-rearing philosophy?
283. What is your father's best trait? Worst? What traits do you share?
284. What is your favorite animal? Tell why.
285. What is your favorite book? What do books mean to you?
286. What is your favorite color and why?
287. What is your favorite holiday? How do you celebrate it?
288. What is your favorite Saturday activity?
289. What is your favorite scripture and why?
290. What is your favorite thing to play at the park?
291. What is your greatest joy, your greatest sorrow?
292. What is your mother's best trait? Worst? What traits do you share?
293. What is your personal secret of happiness?
294. What is your principle occupation and what circumstances led to it?
295. What is your room like? Do you share it with someone? What makes it special to you?
296. What is your secret for good health?
297. What is your secret of happiness?
298. What kind of extra-curricular activities did you participate in at school?
299. What kind of music do you like? What is your favorite song and why?
300. What kinds of extra curricular activities did you participate in at school?
301. What kinds of foods do you consider to be "picnic food"? Where do you like to go to eat it?
302. What kinds of sports did you play; did you watch; did you like? How about now?
303. What lessons did you take as a child? Did you carry any over into adulthood?
304. What makes each of your brothers and sisters special? Be specific.
305. What makes you feel good (occasion, food, person, etc.)?
306. What personality trait do you admire most and why?
307. What pets have you had? Which one was my favorite?
308. What political party comes closest to representing your own point of view?
309. What special things did you do with your father?
310. What special things did you do with your mother?
311. What things do you enjoy doing today that you also enjoyed as a child? Describe them now and differences, similarities, etc.
312. What was a favorite place to go with your family when you were young?
313. What was the first piece of furniture you bought?
314. What was your favorite Saturday activity as a child?
315. What was your most embarrassing moment?
316. What was your worst, really embarrassing moment?
317. What were the favorite places to go with your family when you were young?
318. What were your father's best traits? His worst? The traits you share?
319. What were your fears, expectations, and anticipations about getting married?
320. What were your mother's best traits? Her worst? The traits you share?
321. What would you give yourself if you had all the money in the world? What would you give your family?
322. What would you like to be remembered for?
323. What's my best subject in school?
324. What's my favorite Christmas memory?
325. What's my favorite Christmas present you remember getting?
326. What's my least favorite subject in school?
327. What's my most favorite movie, book, poem or song?
328. What's the best thing I've ever done with my life?
329. What's you favorite movie? Why do you like it? What's it about?
330. What's your favorite thing to do in the summertime? Why?
331. What's my favorite Christmas memory?
332. What's my home life like? Write down ways you would want to change or strengthen it.
333. When was you most proud of myself?
334. When was you the most proud of myself? When were my parents most proud of me?
335. When were my parents most proud of me?
336. Where did you live as a child - town, country, suburb, etc.?
337. Where did your grandparents live? What was their home like? Did it have a certain 'smell' or 'look' or 'feel'?
338. Where did your parents live when they were first married? Tell about other places they lived as well.
339. Where do you go to school, what grade are you in, who is your teacher?
340. Where do you like to go to eat out? What do you order?
341. Where do your grandparents live? What are their homes like? Do they have a certain smell or look or feel?
342. Where is my most favorite place to go, what is it like?
343. Where is the most exciting place you have been and why?
344. Where were you and what were you doing the day the first man landed on the moon?
345. Where were you and what where you doing the day of the Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion?
346. Where were you and what where you doing the day of the coup in the USSR?
347. Where were you and what where you doing the day President Kennedy was assassinated?
348. Where were you and what where you doing the day the wall came down in Germany?
349. Where would you like to live most of all and why?
350. Where would you like to vacation most of all and why?
351. Were you responsible for household chores? What were they? Which did you enjoy most/ least?
352. Who am you closest to in my immediate family? How did our relationship grow?
353. Who are my church leaders?
354. Who are my young women teachers right now? How have they taught me the values?
355. Who are some of my "school friends" and what do we do together?
356. Who are some of my favorite people? Why?
357. Who is my best friend? What is she/he like?
358. Who is my favorite General Authority speaker? Why?
359. Who is the prophet of the church right now? What are you learning from him?
360. Who is your favorite teacher? Why? Can you remember and tell about a special teacher?
361. Would you choose differently if you could choose your occupation again? Why? How? Any advice?
362. Write a description of your husband or wife.
363. Write a want ad that best describes you if you were for sale.
364. Write a want ad that describes your father.
365. Write a want ad that describes your mother.
366. Write a want ad that describes your significant other.
367. Write about feeling loved and by whom.
368. Write about how a prayer was answered.
369. Write about some of the places you went with your father.
370. Write about some of the places you went with your mother.
371. Write about something you are grateful for. Make a list and count your blessings.
372. Write about the most interesting thing that happened since the last time you wrote in you journal.
373. Write a description of your husband or wife.
374. Write down your favorite scripture story.
375. Write something nice about your family that they do that makes you happy.
376. Write your testimony of life, marriage, and religious beliefs.

Primary Ideas

2009-01-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

I should mention that we have about 120 children so we divide them by Junior and Senior Primary. Senior Primary goes to the classroom first while Junior comes into the Primary Room for Sharing and Singing Time. Then we switch.
We also rotate WEEKLY who does Sharing Time and an assigned class takes the last Sunday. This way we only have Sharing Time about once a month and the kids don’t get tired of us and we don’t get burned out.
Presidency Meetings
First of all let me say that I love our presidency. Our President is a kind, professional and caring Primary President and I instantly knew that when she was called that she would be a perfect person to show love to our primary children. I love working with her. She is organized in our meetings and we always include an opening and closing prayer and usually a spiritual thought to start us off on the right track. We find the more meetings we have, the better prepared we feel and more connected we are to our children and teachers needs.
Conducting Sheets
I used to be one of the secretaries (we have 2 since we have over 120 children) and I loved this format. It was double-sided and kept in our conducting book. (I’m now the Second Counselor) I liked that it was double sided because you could open the conducting book and see in one view exactly what was going on that day. (I hope that makes sense…)

(YOUR Ward Name) Primary
Junior Primary
(10:20 – 11:10)
Date:___________________ Conducting:______________
Welcome & Hello Song if there’s anyone visiting (recognize substitutes)
Birthdays:___________________________________________
*Announcements:______________________________________
Prayer Song: Your Primary Chorister’s name
Prayer: _________________________________
Scripture: _______________________________
Talk: ___________________________________
Primary Presidency’s Message: (by person conducting)
Fast Sunday: Member of Bishopric introduces the new month’s theme
2nd Sunday: Article of Faith - discuss meaning & let kids pass off
3rd Sunday: read First Presidency Message from The Friend
4th Sunday: Apostle Spotlight (in back of conducting book)
Sharing Time:____________________________
Singing Time: Your Primary Chorister’s name
Primary Panda:_________________________________________
Reverence Child for Junior Primary:_______________________

**(Page 2)**
Senior Primary
(11:10 – 12:00)
Welcome & Hello Song if there’s anyone visiting (recognize substitutes)
Birthdays:___________________________________________
<——Announcements: (SEE LEFT *)
Opening Song: Your Primary Chorister's name Scripture:_______________________________ Talk:___________________________________
Article of Faith:___________________________
Primary Presidency’s Message: (by person conducting)
Fast Sunday: Member of Bishopric introduces the new month’s theme
2nd Sunday: Article of Faith - discuss meaning & let kids pass off
3rd Sunday: read First Presidency Message from The Friend
4th Sunday: Apostle Spotlight (in back of conducting book)
Sharing Time:____________________
Singing Time: Your Primary Chorister’s name
Reverent Prayer:_________________________________
Reverence Child for Senior Primary:_______________________

*So... Reverence Child is someone who was being reverent that day. The following Sunday they get to go early and stand on the stand and the Bishopric Member conducting recognizes and thanks them for reminding us all to be reverent. They get a wristband reminder and a phone call the Sunday before. It helps to keep a record of who has done it so you don’t have Johnny B. Good up there every week.
Birthdays? The Sunday before their birthday we have them come up to the front and sing a Primary birthday song to them. They then receive a Golden Ticket birthday coupon that says:
"This Golden Ticket is good for a piece of candy and a handshake from the Bishop"
We printed it on goldenrod colored paper and had cute clip art on it. We were able to fit 5 on one sheet of paper. The kids LOVE this and it’s a way for them to know and be comfortable meeting with our sweet Bishop.
Teacher Appreciation
Our teachers used to get a piece of REISEN candy on a small paper that said “You are the REISIN we are celebrating today, happy birthday!” This we would give to them along with a scripture bookmark from Distribution Center.
For 2009 we decided to do something different. We went and got “What I Learned from Kindergarten” 5x7 papers found at Deseret Book that we got discounted because we bought over 50. I made it framed with red cardstock and added a strong magnet on the back. You could even add a ribbon on the top front if you like.
We also do Teacher Appreciation Parties at least once a year to let the teachers mingle and enjoy good food. Sometimes we’ll do training and reminders as well. They normally have the regular lesson and then during Sharing Time they go into the overflow area for their Teacher Party. We also like to invite our “Friends of Primary”—those who have substituted and helped make our Primary work.
Roll
We find that when we keep roll, the teachers have more time to teach their lesson. During Sharing Time our secretary records who is in attendance. We save money on folders and time because we don’t have to distribute or collect rolls.
Primary Panda
This was continued on from the previous presidency—great idea gals! At Build-A-Bear they got a black and white panda bear and had him dressed up in a missionary outfit. We put him in a Sterlite container with a handle. We also include a notebook binder with this letter pasted on cardstock inside along with a notebook and pencil. (This is only for Junior Primary children.) We have a jar that has every child’s name on it and each week we read the letter then the child who HAD Primary Panda gets to pick a new name and hand it off to the next child.

Congratulations!
Your child has been given the opportunity of taking home Primary Panda for one week. Please make sure that Primary Panda makes it back to Primary next week so that another child will be able to take it home.
The 2009 Primary theme is “My Eternal Family.” We hope that Primary Panda will remind your child to follow God’s plan by making right choices. Please help him/her do this, and record your experiences on a page of this notebook.
We will share this information in Primary to help the children understand how they are blessed by doing what’s right and
making good choices.
With Love,
The Primary Presidency

(Example Letter)
January 1st, 2009
I loved having Primary Panda at my house this week. He helped me to remember to share my toys with my friends and to be nice to my sister. I hope I will always make good choices.
Johnny B. Good

Reverence Ideas
Our amazing secretary puts together new binders each year and includes along with the manual and pictures the following:
Ward Phone List, Primary Substitute List, Lesson Schedule, Sharing Time Schedule and Monthly Themes for the year, and in the back some Reverence Ideas and Coloring pages… just in case. She also includes “Teach as Jesus Taught” from the Teaching Guidebook, 4, and also Time-filler Ideas.
Quarterly Activity Ideas
*Meet Your Teacher Breakfast with spotlight papers
In January we have all the kids come one Saturday morning and we have the Bishopric make and serve pancakes (you’ll love it!) and we have juice, milk and fruit as well. The kids sit at their new teacher’s table and learn about their teacher and then start to fill out their spotlight papers:

Spotlight Trivia Sheet

Child’s Name ___________________
Parents _______________________
Phone # ______________________
Birthday ______________________ place photo
Birthplace _____________________ here
Food allergies ___________________
Favorite food ___________________
Favorite candy __________________
Favorite vacation _________________________________
Where has he/she lived? ____________________________
Favorite sport/hobby _______________________________
# of brothers__________ # of sisters __________
Pets? ___________________________________________
Favorite thing to do _______________________________
Hobbies/Lessons/Instruments ________________________
Interesting trivia about your child ____________________
_______________________________________________
Anything else? ___________________________________
_______________________________________________
Please return to (name of your Primary secretary)

*Water Day—this was a fun summer activity that we held at our neighborhood park. We had 4 different stations with different relays or games. We had popsicles, lots of ice cold lemonade and extra sunscreen on hand. Quite a few extra neighbor kids showed up!

*Service Idea—Each year we do a month-long food drive for the Food Bank. Jiffy Lube then matches that donation pound for pound! This is a great way to remind children how blessed they are. November is a great month for this. 2009 we’d like to do Soles for Souls where the kids donate their old shoes to this great cause.

*Talent Show—We host a Ward Talent Show every year and have everyone come and share their talents/crafts/accomplishments for that year. It’s way fun! We record it on video and then after our Primary Program is over we show the video for Sharing Time and have them sit on blankets and have little goody bags with popcorn, goldfish, pretzels and Swedish fish.

Baptism Ideas
Since being called as Second Counselor, I’ve searched a bit and found that I really like these ideas below. I also highly recommend attending Scout Training and Roundtable Meetings.
Great to be Eight is planned in January every year and this is a great time for the kids to come and learn what will happen when they are baptized and learn about Cub Scouts and Activity Days. We go ahead and do Priesthood Preview as well, just 1/2 hour after G2B8 finishes up. Great way to get 2 things done in 1 night.
We used to give white towels to the children for after they came out of the font. We learned we were not supposed to give gifts from the Primary. I personally like to give gifts so I go ahead and do it but mention to the child that the gift is from me to them and that I am so proud of their decision to take upon themselves our Savior’s holy name. For 2008 I would go and visit with them and give them their papers and remind them to pray, read their scriptures and come to church, remind them what they are promising to do and what the Savior promises them when they are baptized. I would then remind them that Heavenly Father is our king and that makes them a princess (or prince) and would hand them a ring pop. (Every kids likes candy, right?) I then remind the parents that now is a great time to have their FHE lessons centered around this important upcoming event.

*Here are some of my favorite LINKS to websites when I’m trying to find more ideas. Of course we always try to use church-approved resources first found on lds.org but when we have a little leeway, we like to see what’s on www.sugardoodle.net or www.eprimary.dk or www.deseretbook.com/fhe

Some of my favorite money saving ideas:

2009-01-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

1. Make a budget and stick to it!
2. Do you really NEED to upgrade to a new car? Do you really need a second car? Learn how to do your own car maintenance to save labor costs. Bike or walk when you can. You’ll save gas $ and enjoy the free endorphins that come with exercising regularly.
3. Buy generic items and save the difference. So many people don’t even look to see how much they are paying for their food items. Also, take advantage of food sale items but also know when it really is a true sale.
4. When shopping, ask yourself, “Do I really need this or just want this? How many shoes does one person need? Think of the starving children in Africa who if they’re lucky have one complete outfit and one pair of shoes.
5. Have a “Change Jar” where you store extra change from the week to save up for big items or donate it to a charity at the end of the year.
6. Learn to cut your children’s hair, do you own nails, and have you spouse give you those priceless massages instead of paying $xx (and tip!) at the salon.
7. Forego the expensive vacation this year and visit local area attractions instead (no flight, rental car, or hotel fees). Go to your Visitor’s Center because sometimes they have coupons or locals-only deals.
8. Don’t buy books or rent videos; go borrow them for free at the library. Our library lets us reserve items online so I just walk in, pick up my items in the hold area and I’m out in a minute. Sure, sometimes I have to wait a few weeks for a new book but patience pays.
9. Bake your own bread and eat healthy foods from the cannery and fresh fruits and veggies from your local farmers market instead of junk food and sodas. I wonder if some great-grandmas in heaven are shocked most women don’t even know how to bake bread today.
10. Eat out less. Bag your lunch. Drinking water is free and good for you too. I only buy soda maybe once a year and the kids know that it's a special treat not a staple in our diet.
11. Coupons! Use only if you plan on buying that item anyway. Usually it’s still cheaper to try the generic brand.
12. Breastfeed your babies. You’ll save yourself hundreds of dollars, bond with your baby on a regular basis, never have to wash and prepare bottles - those diapers won’t smell so bad and the spit up stains will wash out easier.
13. Generic diapers, again I could’ve save a few hundred dollars with my first kid if I had only tried them out. My favorite is the Walmart brand Parent’s Choice. If you can, cloth diaper you’re children. It took me several times and different diapers but we love g diapers and use washable inserts and wipes with them. I wish I had started with my first child and not my fourth.
14. Get your clothes on sale or buy consignment. Most of the fun comes from finding that great bargain! Even better- you can swap clothes around with your extended family. It’s fun seeing the new babies wear my toddler’s old clothes.

Thanks to a hard-working husband and these ideas, I have been able to be able to stay at home and watch my children grow up. That’s worth more to me than all the money in the world.

Emergency Preparedness

2009-01-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

I really loved my previous calling in church as an Emergency Preparedness Specialist. Yes, I store food like a pack-rat (under beds and in closets) and actually drink powdered milk and use my whole wheat *gasp* :)

The most important thing is to rotate and EAT what you store. My grandmother and mother spend a lot of money getting their year supply but hardly ever used it and we ended up throwing it all away this past year. Nobody wants to eat anything 30+ years old.

Always start with a 72 hour food and water kit, then make an emergency kit for your car/work. Next you'll want to store water in your home. 55 gallon barrels are great if you have room to safely store them. Recycled soda bottles work great too. You'll need 1 gallon per person per day. After that you can get non-perishable food items that you already eat like canned soup, vegetables and fruit, PB&J, cereal, etc. Then add basics like wheat, flour, oats, rice, pasta, sugar, and powdered milk stored in #10 sealed cans. The people at the LDS Cannery are so helpful. Visit www.providentliving.org to find one near you. Work yourself up to a year supply. An easy way to figure out what you eat is to write down what you eat for one month then multiply it by 12. Every time you go to the store just buy a few extra cans. Another important thing to store is TP, soap, shampoo and other basic necessities. Some people who have lost their jobs are so thankful they followed the counsel to "get their houses in order." My biggest problem is we're always using our food storage so I have to keep track of what we eat so I know what to buy to replenish.

Items in your 72 hour food kit that will last 1 year if stored in cool, dry place:
(Just remember to eat it every October General Conference. We do this but the kids tend to go thru it in 2 days but I could make it 3 days if we HAD to in an emergency)
Tip: Wrap your gum in aluminum foil to prevent smell from spreading to other foods!

72 Hour Kit Meal Planner (Put this in with the food so you can make it last 3 days)
BREAKFAST 1 breakfast bar (Kelloggs brand is yummy) & 1 hot cocoa packet
LUNCH 2 granola bars, 1 beef jerky, 1 apple cider packet
DINNER 1 protein bar or can of soup (with pull-tab lid), 1 small can of peaches or fruit leather
SNACK 4 pieces of candy, 1 stick of gum
Don't forget your water bottles! All these items you could eat without heating if you had to.
If you want to round it out more you could always add a large can of V8 :)
*When shopping: Multiply all these items by 9 to get 3 meals for 3 days.

My Comprehensive 72 hour kit

¨ BIG backpack or duffel bag to hold everything
¨ mini set of scriptures
¨ compass and map of local area
¨ change of clothing in Ziploc bag and pair of sturdy shoes
¨ 72-Hour Food and Water Supply (at least 2 liters of water per person per day)
(It's best to use non-perishable food that doesn't require cooking)
¨ water sanitation tablets
¨ solar/handcrank radio with flashlight & extra batteries (test it every 6 months and replace batteries as needed)
¨ whistle
¨ 100-hour emergency candle
¨ 12-hour lightstick or flashlight with extra batteries (need 2 sources of light)
¨ multifunction pliers/pocket knife w/ can opener for food
¨ mess kit: plate, utensils, and cup
¨ wool blend blanket
¨ emergency sleeping bag
¨ (3) 20-hour hand and body warmers
¨ poncho with hood
¨ tube tent
¨ waterproof matches
¨ firestarters (need 2 sources of fire)
¨ tri-fold shovel
¨ nylon utility cord
¨ leather gloves
¨ duct tape
¨ memo pad and marking pens
¨ mini-sewing kit
¨ chapstick with sunscreen
¨ toilet paper
¨ soap
¨ 2 washcloths (one for personal use, one for dishes)
¨ toothpaste and toothbrush
¨ baby wipes (no showers unless it rains)
¨ feminine items and/or baby items (diapers, formula)
¨ prescription/medications
¨ first-aid kit
¨ basic first-aid & CPR booklet
¨ antibacterial gel
¨ sunscreen w/ insect repellant
¨ flat-fold stove & sterno can fuel
¨ several large trash bags for various uses
¨ important papers in Ziploc bag: financial documents, photos of family members, driver’s license, etc.

*Have child’s kit contain at least food, water bottle, emergency blanket, flashlight, change of clothes and ID card.

I highly recommend First Aid, CPR, and CERT training as well. When I went to do it they were offering CERT training for free and once you completed the program, you got to go and have First Aid and CPR certification for FREE! Call around to your local Fire Stations to find out.

Things to Do in Mormonland

2009-01-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

If you ever have a chance to visit, here are some things you won’t want to miss:

Thanksgiving Point has amazing themed gardens and a Children's Garden "next door." Close by is the largest Dinosaur Musuem in the world. In the summer you can see the farm animals or do shopping in their little village. The Harvest is an excellent restaurant for a date-night and there's a small movie theatre close by.

Liberty Park—if only I had known about this sooner… Tracy Aviary, a famous bird park, is great. They have a bald eagle and every other bird you can imagine there. Also at the park, a huge all-abilities playground and a carnival area open during the warmer months and what’s really fun is the water area, it’s made to look like the Salt Lake Valley. The knee-deep water allows the kids to float balls down from the different canyons and into the Great Salt Lake with downtown blocks and State street running all the way thru. Pretty cool! They also have a wide running path all the way around, only 1 mile, but the park feels much larger. 900 South and 600 East is the north entrance.
Temple Square—There’s always something going on downtown. We usually take TRAX, the electric train, and the gardens are always outstanding and the mirror pool in front of the temple is beautiful. You have to go during Christmas just to see the lights. Family History Library, Church Art History Museum, Conference Center (awesome tour info), Joseph Smith Memorial Building (great views and two delicious restaurants) and the Lion House restaurant (to die-for rolls) are all right there as well.
The Gateway—Just to play in the Olympic Plaza and see the water shoot up to the music. Great for summertime play.
Discovery Gateway is a children’s museum that I could spend all day in. The kids absolutely love it and it’s even interesting for adults.
Hogle Zoo—this will give you a little workout if you’re pushing a stroller. It’s a big zoo with awesome bird shows, has a newly remodeled playground area and a mini train you can ride on for a nominal fee. On the far east side of Salt Lake City near the mouth of Emigration Canyon across from This is the Place Heritage Park.
Can you tell I love it here? After 7 years, we finally went to Lagoon and I took the big boys skiing for the first time at Beaver Mountain. :) It's a 2.5 hour drive to Bear Lake but we love it there. Visit http://www.bearlakelodge.com/ for vacation rentals for your next family vacation. Elk Ridge is our favorite! :)
Early December we go to Festival of Trees. It benefits Primary Children’s Hospital and there are fun crafts for the kids, amazing decorated trees and gingerbread houses and other crafts you can buy and yummy food of course.
My newest thing is finding when the local museums offer free days! Search it out in your area!
And oh my, what beautiful mountains we have here. I bought a backpack carrier for N so we could go hiking. There’s a great book we borrowed at the library that’s called “Best Hikes for Kids in Utah” or something along that line and has all the distances, routes, what to look for, etc. in it. The kids loved hiking up to Cecret Lake and finding a mountain of snow in the middle of summer!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2009-01-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! The night before we played "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and they got new Christmas PJs. (N's ears don't normally stick out like that, I just thought he would look cute as an elf.) We made a new recipe of whole wheat chocolate chip cookies (thanks for the recipe Sarah R.!) but Santa only got 3 by the time I could stop the kids from eating them all. I was so good Christmas morning and only took a few pictures. I've had to force myself to cut down on my picture taking since it takes forever for me to filter thru 100+ pictures for a 2 page scrapbook layout for one event... Anyway, I digress...

This year, for the first time, we ALL stayed up till midnight to celebrate the New Year. It helped that we had Panda Express to enjoy along with the following movies: Space Chimps, Wall-E and Iron Man. By the time we finished the movies, it was midnight and we watched the ball drop on TV. J was disappointed - "They don't break the ball?" Guess he thought they would THROW the 5 million dollar ball to the ground. That would be more exciting... The kids had fun watching the fireworks from the window since it was a chilly 18 degrees outside.

First Piano Recital

2009-01-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

The kids had their first piano recital a few weeks ago and they did fabulous! My oldest was first to play and said he was nervous but he played his piece perfect. A few kids after that had a hard time so that made my other 2 pianists realize it was OK to not be perfect. J of course showed off and played his piece as fast as he could. They have a wonderful teacher!

Welcome

2009-01-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

I enjoy reading blogs but have never had the desire to create one since I already had a website. After spending a couple of hours updating it, my husband informed me that it wouldn't publish to the web for some reason and that I would need to find a better (modernized) way to post to the web. So here I am! I'll try to put a lot of my old website stuff on here to make everyone happy.

Please excuse my inexperience at blogging techniques as I'm new at this and don't have a lot of free time to learn. I'd rather spend my time with my children or I'm too busy cooking, cleaning or scrapbooking.