HECM ~ Join Now!

I am simply in shock. I only get the newspaper on Fridays and weekends so I don't really stay completely up on the news. I was reading the paper this morning while I ate my breakfast and I lost my appetite.

I read about this.

I tend to think the PETA people are a little wacky. They are one of many groups of people that seem a bit extreme, that I don't see eye to eye with. I understand that these folks want to protect animals but they have taken it way too far now.

Breast Milk Ice Cream? Seriously?

Here is a quote from PETA

But it's not all about us humans. Animals will also benefit from the switch to breast milk. Because, like all mammals, cows only give milk during or after pregnancy, in order for humans to constantly milk them, they are forcefully impregnated every nine months. Many live in filthy conditions and are forced to give 10 times more milk than they would naturally. It's truly an awful life.

Last time I checked, Mothers are the only PEOPLE that produce breast milk. Mothers would need to be forcefully impregnated for nine months to supply milk to Ben & Jerry's. They sell tons of ice cream. That is a lot of milk people.

Where are Alicia Silverstone and Pam Anderson? Why aren't they rushing forward to offer to be forcefully impregnated and donate their milk?



That is why I am forming a new group. HECM! Humans for the Ethical Care of Mothers! We must stop PETA before there are warehouses full of Mothers lined up with breast pumps attached to their chests. What about the poor Mothers?

PETA....you can SUCK IT!

Take the poll at the top right of the page please!

Christmas In September

I am getting so excited! During our quick trip to Denver last weekend we went Christmas Shopping at Kazoo Toys. We had the best time picking out gifts for the kids' based on their interests and favorite things. Mallory is very artistic and loves to read. Alex is enthralled with Thomas.

I wanted to share some of the great items we found:

Calvin is currently working very closely on a top secret mission for the space program so we got Alex this really cool rocket. I love that this toy is headed to the Moon! We also got him some new Thomas train cars. Arthur and Annie & Clarabel.

Because of Mallory's artistic abilities we decided to get the Lace Em Up Dragon, Wooden Animal Nesting Boxes, The Big Fun Activity Barn and a couple books.

We also got them some poster paints, giant paint brushes and the spill proof paint cups. We are still trying to decide if Alex is going to get a Train Table....the boy has lots of stuff and nowhere to put it!

Because of my cyber friend Jessica, I discovered the best blog in the world! It is called 100 days to Christmas and it is perfect for anyone that likes to plan or can't get enough of Christmas. You will find more ideas and things to do to get ready for the holiday. Go check it out!

Edited to Add:
I just found this great craft project! It is a Cookie Sheet Advent Calendar! What a great project to make with the kids.

Christmas in September List of Things To Do:

1. Make a list of ingredients for bath salts and add them to my iPhone list app.

2. Go over gift list and order at least one present.

3. Go through Holiday Recipe Book....decide on treats to be made.

4. Make a list of people to make treats for. (neighbor's, Calvin's co-workers, Mommy Friends)

5. Figure out a time to visit Micheals for decorating ideas.

6. Sew cutecrows for front porch. (like a scarecrow but not scary)


Halloween Update:

Alex is going to be a Train Engineer. I know, you are totally shocked! I want Mallory to be something cute...but I know what October in Utah is like and it will be chilly. I'm looking for a cute cat costume because she recently got her temper in and she growls like an angry kittie!

I am also looking for a bread recipe to make for my neighbors. Something fall like and yummy. Anyone have a great recipe they would like to share?

Prayers Needed

Our friend Tracey needs prayer.

She is the woman who took such wonderful care of Alex while I was having Mallory.

Tracey and Alex...look how white Sam was!

She is in the ICU here in Utah because of a bowel obstruction. She has had two surgeries and has some tissue damage. They are saying that she could be in hospital for 6 weeks or more.

Please pray for Tracey that she gets better and there isn't any long term damage!

Thanks everyone! I told her husband Brian that Bloggers are miracle workers!

For The Love of Thomas

You know Thomas don't you? If you have a toddler you know that Thomas is a Tank Engine. Our little boy, Alex....loves Thomas. He could sit and play with his trains all day long and sometimes....he does.

Earlier in the summer I heard about Day out with Thomas and when I checked on it, discovered that Thomas had just been to Utah the weekend before. We were bummed.

On Wednesday, I checked the Thomas schedule to see if he would be in Denver when Alex is scheduled to go to there with his Dad. This is when I discovered that Thomas was going to be in Denver in three days. I told Calvin. I tell Calvin lots of things and I really never know if he hears me or not, so I was extremely surprised when he said we should go.

I am not a spontaneous person. I need to plan things and pack a week before I take a trip. I decided that making a memory with our son was more important than my need to plan. So, Thursday afternoon, I bought our tickets and Friday morning we left for Denver.

The kids did great on the 10 hour drive and were so happy to see their grandparents and uncles.


Saturday, we left the kids' with Nana and we escaped for some couple time! And what do you do when you are parents and you have someone to watch your kids for a few hours? We went to Cherry Creek and shopped for Christmas presents for the kids at Kazoo & Company Toy Store. This store is amazing! Then we went to TOTT's in Lakewood for a yummy lunch.

In the afternoon, we went to Day out with Thomas! It was at the Colorado Train Museum so there were many trains to see and climb on. Alex was getting pretty irritated with us because we kept showing him all of these little trains but we wouldn't let him touch them. We finally came across the tent with the train tables and he had a ball...until a kid stole his train and he dissolved into a puddle of tears. We took him to the GIFT SHOP to cheer him up and bought a bunch of stuff...some will be for Christmas.

See how happy he is!

Finally it was time for our ride on Thomas and then he was happy and excited. We had such a great time and we were so happy that we could do this with him.



We dropped Alex off with the Grandparents and we went on a date. To our favorite restaurant....Maharaha in Boulder! The food was fabulous, the company was wonderful and we got to be alone again! You may remember that I was devastated a few months ago when I thought this restaurant had closed. Denise at Eat,Play,Love told me that Maharaja was alive and well in Boulder. Thanks Denise!

Bright and early Sunday morning, we headed for home! We stopped in Loveland to visit with my best friend Anne and her family. Her boys are growing so fast!

Here is the tired little boy, all tuckered out after a busy weekend.

We finally arrived back home around 7 pm and we were exhausted. But it was the good kind of exhausted because we were so happy. We are so glad that we took this little trip and that the kids' did so well. We are completely homesick for Denver now. Colorado feels like home to us and we hope someday....we will move back!

By the way, we purchased a portable bed/tent for the kids to use when they visit Nana and Poopa and it has worked out great! Alex loves sleeping in it. It is called the Pea Pod Plus and you can find it here!

To my Denver friends: I am so sorry that we didn't have time to see you. It really was a whirl wind trip....37 hours!

Daddy's Little Girl

My baby girl went on vacation last weekend.

Her Daddy has season tickets to the Denver Broncos and he took her to Denver with him. She had a lovely time.....visiting with Nana, Poopa, Drew and Rob. She ate grapes and blueberries and spanish rice. She watched Bunnytown and colored.

And she missed her Mama.

Mama (that would be me) had serious separation anxiety. I had the hardest time letting her go and being without her. I don't know if it is because she is my baby....or because she is a joy to be around.

Erick, on the other hand was pleased that she was gone. He played so hard and with so much concentration that he did not want to take breaks for meals or to go to Target to buy a new train. He reminded me so much of his father......

Can you find Sam the lamb in this picture?

But venture to Target we did. We bought a Thomas the Train treat bucket for Halloween and an orange VW bug matchbox car (he couldn't decide on a train). I made a big deal about buying Thomas the Train underwear for him since he pooped and peed on the potty on my Birthday but alas....he is again, not interested in Potty Learning.

Sunday, was Calvin's 45th Birthday. We got him a new Bronco jacket and the 2008 players hat. His family got him a Bronco watch so he looked like a big ol dorky fan at the game. He went to the game and had a great time with his childhood friend Alan. The Broncos won in the last two minutes! He says it was one of the best birthday's he's had in a long time.

Mallory and Calvin flew home that night and I couldn't sleep until my girl was home. Calvin brought her in from the car and I hugged her, kissed her and put her to bed.

You're the end of the rainbow,
My pot of gold,
You're daddy's little girl
To have and hold.
A precious gem
Is what you are,
You're mommy's bright
And shining star.

You're the spirit of Christmas,
My star on the tree,
You're the Easter bunny
To mommy and me.
You're sugar you're spice,
You're everything nice,
And you're daddy's little girl.

So Nervous!

I feel like a teenager this morning. I feel just like I did when I was in my teens and I wanted to see Rick Springfield or Michael Jackson in concert. My stomach is in a big knot and I am feeling very anxious and nervous.

All of this is because I am going to try to purchase some tickets.

At 10 am.

I really hope I get some good seats and that it doesn't sell out. I wonder if I should use the computer or call? Oh man!

So...what fabulous show am I so excited about? You will probably laugh when I tell you.

BACKYARDIGAN'S LIVE!

You see....our family LOVES The Backyardigan's. We know all the songs and we watch every episode. Mallory could identify the characters when she was a year old! I am so excited that we are going to TRY to take them to this.

Daddy and I love live theater so this will be a great introduction for the kids. To share something we love with them. I'm about to cry...I am so happy!

Now....if I can just get some great tickets! Wish me luck!

UPDATE:

I am so excited! I got front row orchestra! Row A! We will be able to smell the Backyardigans!

The Day My Oprah Dream Died

Oprah is largely responsible for my move to Denver to start my new life. I had watched her show religiously when I was in my abusive marriage and she gave me the tools I needed to get out of a bad relationship and make it on my own. My dream was to someday be in the audience for one of her shows.

yep...I used to be a blonde.

After moving, I made some wonderful friends at work. Misty ended up being one of my best friends because we had so much in common. We were young, single, beer drinking ladies! As I got to know her better, I realized that she was super high maintenance. She refused to sit in the backseat of a car...ever! She carried Kate Spade Handbags that cost more than my rent. She was addicted to buying department store make-up and had all of these storage containers on wheels to store it in. She would only drink Starbucks Coffee and she had fake nails, a fake tan and fake hair color. Then something happened that just floored me. She agreed to dog/house sit for a family but she had demands! First of all, $50...Cash. Then she had to have 3 bags of Cool Ranch Dorito's, 1 1/2 lbs of Smoked Deli Turkey and Baby Swiss (it had to be from the deli), 12 pk of Diet Coke, 12 pk of Coors Light and a loaf of Honey Wheat Bread.

The end of August 2001, the new season of Oprah was getting ready to tape and I was checking her website for the upcoming shows. They were going to do a show about High Maintenance Women and wanted viewers to write in about people they know. I told Misty that I was going to write a letter about her and she just laughed.

On Labor Day, we went to The Taste of Colorado in downtown Denver and I missed a call on my cell phone. I didn't recognize the number and there wasn't a message. A short time later....that number called again and it was a producer from The Oprah Winfrey Show! She loved my letter and they were considering us for the show. I couldn't believe it! I was beyond excited! We would both be on the show...me as the long suffering friend of a High Maintenance Woman! They asked us to send a photo and to be expecting the call about our travel arrangements. The show was scheduled to be taped on September 13th!

I thought this had to be the most amazing birthday present of my entire life. I was going to meet Oprah. I was going to be ON my favorite show. How did I ever get so lucky!

And then on my birthday, September 11th, I drove to work listening to the horrific tragedy that was taking place in New York City. All day we listened to the radio at work and the phone that I answered 500 times a day was oddly silent. And then when it did ring, it was the producer from The Oprah Show. They were canceling our show and didn't plan to tape it at all because it was no longer appropriate. Sorry.

I was crushed. The 9-11 terrorists not only killed all of these people but they prevented my dream from coming true. And then I felt terrible for being so upset about my little dream when the dreams of thousands of people where ending. Their lives cut short and the lives of their loved ones ripped apart. I guess this is why I take 9-11 so personally.

A few weeks later, we finally went out to celebrate my birthday. I got on stage at Sing Sing in Denver and sang head, shoulders, knees and toes (not knowing that someday I would sing it to my children) and I met some Colorado Avalanche players at a bar and Misty would ask them to sign her ample bosom with a sharpie marker. What kind of high maintenance woman does that?



The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. ~ Benjamin E. Mays

And so I have a new dream....of seeing the Oprah Show, from the audience, with my husband. I dream of going to Chicago and enjoying the city with him. Anyone want to babysit?

Being friends with Misty taught me many things. How to feather my nest, how to pour the perfect beer, that I deserved the best, some friends are really enemies in disguise and that sometimes...people pretty up their outsides to try to cover up an ugly inside.

Super Yummy Donuts!

It is a well known fact that I love donuts. Donuts hold amazing memories from my past. When I was a kid, I would help my Dad on the weekends. It always included starting the day off at Daylight Donuts and a carton of Chocolate Milk. Then years later, another family bought Daylight Donuts and they had a Chocolate Covered Long John with a cream cheese filling. Oh my goodness....I loved those!

Note to self: try to make those someday...they can't be that hard!

Now days, I love a Raspberry Jelly filled Bismark. What is your favorite donut?

I decided to make donuts for the kids this morning and they were a huge hit! They got lots fo NUM NUM's from the children. These are so easy and so yummy! I could have eaten all of them...but I am a good Mommy, I shared.

Homemade Fabulous Donuts...and Holes

Tube of Biscuit Dough
1 cup (or more, depending on your pan) Vegetable or Canola Oil
Cinnamon and sugar mix or frosting of your choice

Very carefully open the biscuit can and lay out the biscuit dough. Flatten each one with your hand and using a small cutter, press a hole in the center of each biscuit. Make a pile of donuts and holes.

Heat a pan over low/medium heat and add 1 cup of oil. You may need more, at least enough to cover half of the donuts while cooking.

Start with the holes and cook them for about one minute. The bottom will be golden brown when it is ready to turn. Cook for another minute on the other side. These cook very fast....so pay close attention. Use tongs to remove them from the pan to a paper towel to drain and cool slightly. Repeat with the donuts, 3 at a time until donuts are all done.

Put the donuts on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture or frost and sprinkle.

Enjoy!

My Bum is Broken

It has been a rough 6 days....

On Thursday afternoon, I fell down the basement stairs while carrying my Dyson. Don't worry the Dyson is fine. My poor rear end, however, is not. It is broken and has a crack in it.

I have bruised my tailbone and I can't sit for very long. It has made blogging nearly impossible. Thank goodness I have my iPhone so that I can keep in touch with the outside world while not sitting directly on my bum.

The reason I was carrying my Dyson down the stairs was because I had company coming. Imagine how upset I was that I couldn't finish getting my house ready because I couldn't bend over and walking was rather painful.

Note to my in-laws: If my house was not as clean or organized as usual, it is not my fault.

Thursday night, Calvin took over. He went to the store, cooked dinner, cleaned up dinner, got the kids out of the water outside (dang puddle) and then got them ready for bed. At 8pm, he collapsed on the couch and asked....How do women that work outside the home do that?

Mom's are awesome! What can I say?

So....our visit with the family went great. We ate well and had a nice time.

Alex thinks Poopa's beard is scatchy!

Nana wishes she had a sippy cup!

Uncle Robert loves his Mally Moo!

Those are some mighty big shoes to fill Alex!

Poopa bought the kids' a bench!

Three generations of Fred!

Proof that I am Funny

I think I'm pretty funny. I make myself laugh all the time and Calvin rolls his eyes at me which means he thinks I'm funny but doesn't want to admit it.

Now I have proof that I am funny. I'm not as funny as Phil Wilson but I am very close.

Jamie at Blonde Mom blog had a caption contest the other day and my comment was chosen as 'the runner up'.

Go here and check out the great picture and my caption.

Christmas in August!

Wow...that month went by so quickly, here it is time to do some more Christmas planning! I am feeling pretty good about what I have done so far....although I need to devote a whole day just to figuring out the Elf situation.

Christmas in August List of Things to Do:

1. Order two Christmas presents. I need to order a book from Amazon so I am going to find two Christmas presents to buy so I can get FREE shipping!

2. Pick the bath salt recipe that I am going to use for a couple presents.

3. Order another jar from Crate & Barrel ( I bought one to try and it is going to work out great!)

4. Transfer my lists to my iPhone.

5. Watch The Polar Express!



In the back of my mind, I am also thinking about Halloween. I need to devote a day to that planning to. Who's with me?

Fun Extravaganza ~ H

We were a wee bit lazy this week.

Mommy got a new purse! I love that it has a little pocket for my iPhone. Aunt Bobbi says that Green is the new Black for fall. And she knows everything about purses and shoes.


We started out the week without a car because Hubby's car broke down Sunday afternoon (so much for that lucky Praying Mantis) so he had to take the family truckster to work.



Luckily, the car was fixed by Tuesday when we went to the Tree House Children's Museum with our Family Helper, Natalie. This was to be our last play date of the summer because Natalie starts 9th grade on Monday. We are going to miss her like crazy!








The children's museum has a great little room with two train tables in it. Alex loves trains and this is were he wanted to spend his time. Without Mommy. He kept leading me out to the door and giving me a little push. And one time he walked me over to a nice cushy chair and instructed me to sit while he returned to his trains. When more children began to arrive, he was very cross with them for playing with his trains so I convinced him to go see the drum room. He loved that for about 10 minutes before returning to the train room. I once again convinced him that a spot of tea would hit the spot and then we had to go because Mommy was flipping exhausted!
I only got to spend a short amount of time with Mallory...but during that time we went to the 'market and kitchen' area. She loved shopping for food but wanted nothing to do with cooking anything in the little kitchen. She and Nat had a lovely time together! Note to Poopa: Do you recognize Mallory's outfit? It is the one you bought for her. She looks so cute in it!


Before we left the children paid a visit to the one room school house. This is where I got a glimpse of the future.

Mallory.....immersed in her studies.


Alex....gazing out the window.

Wednesday, we had Toga Night. I bought these great silk squares from the internet ( I have going to dye them different colors) and the kids wanted to wear them.


Thursday was Mommy's Field Trip and I found out that Brother Horton came by again. I'm really puzzled how that man knows every single time that I am out of the house for an extended amount of time so that he can come over and work on my husband. I think I'm being tailed by the LDS church!

Friday, we rested because Mommy got home at 1 AM.

Saturday, we went out looking for a big boy bed for Alex. We found one we like but still aren't sure....we sure do miss American Furniture Warehouse in Denver. We stopped in at Sonora Grill in Downtown Ogden for lunch and I was horribly disappointed. We had heard that the food was wonderful so we had high expectations. Table side Guacamole sounded just fabulous but turned out under-spiced and bland. We ordered the lunch sized portions of Camarones Mojo De Ajo (prawns in garlic sauce with greens and rice) and Lime Chicken with Coconut Rice. Both dishes lacked flavor and were not worth the $14 price tag. I did enjoy the two salsas' and giant tortilla chips. And the Granada Mojito was great. I told Calvin the only reason I would come back would be for a cocktail before a movie and he reminded me that you can't do that in Utah...you have to order food. Welcome to Chutah!

That reminds me. Our new phrase when we discover something ridiculous or humorous about Utah is....Welcome to Utah! Well, Alex is a parrot lately and he coined our NEW phrase.

Welcome to Chutah!

Chutah is what he calls pizza.....

We got great news this weekend! Nana, Poopa, Uncle Drew AND Uncle Robbie are coming to see us next weekend! We are so excited! We have not seen them since Christmas.

Speaking of Musicals

I had the pleasure of sitting next a very nice older lady from Sandy last night. She told me that they had been up to Idaho on a little vacation and stayed at a really great Bed & Breakfast. I just googled it, like she told me to....and it is really cool!

Lions Gate Manor

All of the rooms have a theme, such as Persian Dream, Roman Bath, Victorian Suite, Secret Garden and Medieval Chamber. But the best room is called The Phantom's Lair and it is all about The Phantom of The Opera! I loved this musical and the movie so much! What a great idea for a room.

From the website....

Amenities:

• A 100 square foot Theater Room all decked out in red velvet curtains, complete with the phantom's pipe organ, surround sound, sub-woofer, and more!
• Christine's dressing room vanity with full length mirror (the one through which the Angel of Music sings to her).
• Other special features that will be better experienced than talked about here. The Phantom"s Lair will be most appreciated by those who are familiar with and enjoy the Phantom of the Opera.
• 10 foot ceilings
• A King-sized bed with luxurious pillow top mattress
• Imported hand-carved furniture
• Air-jetted bathtub featuring chroma light therapy and optional aroma therapy
• Large tiled shower
• DISH network/TV/DVD and internet
• Sound-proofing in walls, ceilings and floors
• Lush wall to wall carpeting
• Zoned central air conditioning and heating
• A delicious breakfast

Click here to see pictures! This place is only 111 miles from me and I would love to sneak away to this place with my hubby!

About Last Night....

I love Musicals! I was introduced to them for the very first time (kind of) on the most romantic night of my life. It was November 1, 2003....we had only been dating for a few weeks, when Calvin took me on a date in Downtown Denver. We ate a delicious meal at Gumbo's and then we walked to his favorite Irish Pub. We were wrapping up our evening and walking back to the light rail station when we passed The Hotel Teatro. I mentioned how I have always wanted to stay there. Next thing I knew, we were walking into the lobby and checking in!

The next morning, we happened upon the Denver Performing Arts Complex. We looked at the information on the upcoming Broadway Musicals and then Calvin purchased season tickets for us!

For three years, we attended all of the Broadway Musicals that came to Denver and even saw Mama Mia in New York. We loved dressing up and enjoying a night out on the town, going to our favorite restaurants before the show. I enjoyed this new part of my life so much and I would have never experienced it, if not for Calvin. He turned me into a thoroughly modern Connie!


That is why when I found out that my friend Loralee was performing in a production of Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Pickleville Playhouse in Bear Lake all summer, I knew I had to go.

Last night was the night. I had been giddy with excitement all day and couldn't wait for 4 pm to come around so that I could head up. I met Loralee at Costa Vida for dinner (YUMMY, Sweet Pork) and then we headed out to Bear Lake. It is such a beautiful drive and the Lake is the most amazing shade of blue!


Loralee had to be there early to do her hair, make-up and sound checks and she let me go backstage! I'm sure that she had no idea....but I was so happy and excited that I almost peed my pants! It was amazing to watch everyone getting ready and they were so nice to me. You heard me. Some Mormons were very nice to me. Here she is before the show...that would be TWO Diet Cokes in her hands. It is a dang shame there isn't a lick of caffeine in there. Pickleville Playhouse does not serve caffeinated beverages!

And here she is with Miss Flannery! Doesn't she look stunning?

Thoroughly Modern Millie is a great show. This cast is just wonderful. Everyone has the most spectacular voices and they are probably the best looking group of people I have seen in one place in Utah. I had to keep reminding myself that I was in a little cabin theater and not Broadway in New York! I waited patiently for Loralee to make her appearance and I was blown away. She is a classically trained Opera singer and she is amazing. And she is so dang funny! There was another character that I loved from this show. He played the role of Ching Ho and he is the cutest! Imagine if you will, someone 6 foot 4 inches tall, playing a chinese man. He totally pulled it off and I told Loralee that I might be crushing on him a little. Note to husband....I love you and would never run off with a cute little Mormon boy.

Well, Chistopher ended up needing a ride back to Logan and I found out he is 18, just graduated from high school and getting ready to go on his mission. That's right, I'm old enough to be his very young mother!

I staggered in the house at 1 am and dreamt about the show all night! I had so much fun and it was such a thrill for me to be backstage with all of these amazing people. It is an experience that I won't soon forget and one that I desperately needed. Being home with two small children can be very monotonous and sometimes you just need a little adventure to feel like yourself again.

Thank you Loralee for a great evening! I can't wait to see you in your next production.

Photo Credit

Nanny Cam

A month ago, for our 4th Anniversary, we hired our regular babysitters and we went out to dinner. We don't have a Nanny Cam because they are two very nice Mormon girls and we trust them. On my Mac there is a application called Photo Booth and you can take pictures or record video with it. I often record the kids dancing or saying funny things. Today I was getting ready to record the kids in their cowboy hats and I noticed a recording that I didn't recognize. It was my living room in the video but I didn't know the person in it. I was a little startled.

And then I recognized them....our babysitters! Then were playing around with my computer and recorded themselves. It is really funny!

Fun Extravaganza ~ G

I decided to change up this whole 'letter of the day' plan. We are now doing letter of the week. This week was the letter G....lots of great things start with G. Girls, Gum, Green and Grass.

On Monday, we made frozen Grape pops. They were very refreshing on a hot summer day!


On Tuesday, we made some postcards from cereal and other boxes. Alex and Mallory colored on the back....we love sharing our artwork with our family!


On Wednesday, we went to Orton Park and Alex got pushed around by some kid (again). Not sure what is going on around here....but these kids need to be learning some manners! I'm getting ready to research and tour the private schools in the area because I do not want the kids going to public school with these hooligans. Homeschooling is looking really good to me.


On Thursday, I discovered that Alex is truly trying to ignore me. He tore pieces of a paper towel and stuffed them in his ears.


Friday, we went and had lunch with Daddy. We stopped and picked up burgers and shakes from Burger Bar in Roy and ate on a blanket outside of Daddy's office. Daddy loved showing us off to his co-workers.

Check it out....Daddy and Uncle Robert in twenty years!

On Saturday, we made Smores in the microwave and Alex and Daddy loved them so much that they told Mommy that they loved her very much!

This morning, we went to Lowe's Home Improvement store because Mommy needed more potting soil because someone keeps unpotting her plants. We checked out the new snow blowers and Daddy wished for one so he wouldn't have to break his back shoveling snow this year. Mommy commented that if we buy one, it will not snow. We discovered that Lowe's is a great place to entertain the kids' and it is free!



When we got home....Calvin found this on the driveway.

Supposedly, finding one of these is a sign of luck, a good omen. Unless of course, you are a bug or her husband.

** ** ** ** **

I am excited for this week....I am going on a Mommy Field Trip! Thursday night, I will be traveling to Bear Lake to see my wonderful friend Loralee perform in Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Pickleville Playhouse. She plays Muzzy Van Hossmere and I'm so excited to hear her sing!

Uh-Oh SpagettiO's

This is my weekend to do the food shopping for my family. Every two weeks, I go through all of my recipes and select a plethora of tasty meals to make for them. I put much thought into this and try really hard to make several new recipes a week.

I can no longer do this. There will be some changes around here......

On Tuesday, while I was grilling chicken and vegetables, Alex escaped from his spot on the couch where he and his sister were watching the Yo Gabba Gabba episode about sharing.

I found him upstairs, slathering Vaseline all over his legs and arms. Alex has very dry skin and we put special lotion on him everyday....apparently he needed more.

I chased him around the kitchen trying to remove as much Vaseline from his limbs as I could. Calvin came home in the middle of this and said he would handle it. I went back to preparing dinner.

I called them to the table and discovered that they had all been outside, under the deck in the dirt pile. Vaseline + Dirt = Mommy drinking Wine!

** ** ** **

Yesterday, I am grilling dinner again. This time the kids are outside. They have lots of toys out there and generally play nicely. I am in and out of the house...grilling and cooking noodles on the stove.

I come out and don't find the kids. I find them under the deck in the dirt pile....but at least there isn't any Vaseline involved so I let them play there.

A few minutes later, I come outside to find this.



And then Mallory fell....




And this is why we will be having SpagettiO's for dinner from now on.