Garner Family Life

Abstract

2011-02-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

"To become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere. But once these barriers are broken, it will enter the realms of childhood visions and dreams." ::: Giorgio de Chirico :::

Austin was busy for 2 hours making this creation. I was happy because he gave me a chance to clean the house without a trail of toys being created behind me while I clean. I think I need to go to the store now and replenish my supply of paper plates, plastic knives, cups, and scotch tape.

The other day, Greta also was dedicated to making something cool. She spent a long time cutting out a mask for her to wear. She colored the whole thing black, then found a metallic silver sharpie of mine (not too happy about that on my table cloth) and continued to make herself an awesome mask. She taped it to her face.

Open windows!

2011-02-04T16:15:00.000-08:00

"You must position yourself in front of a growth curve, not in the middle, and not at the end, but at the inception and then realize that the window of opportunity is always closing so work like there is no tomorrow" ~Warren Buffet

I love this quote, because this describes exactly what we've gotten ourselves into, and exactly what we are so excited about! I just have to share this, not because I really want to "sell" you anything, but because it's too cool to keep a secret anymore. In fact, I don't want people asking me in the future why the heck I didn't tell them about this at the beginning.

You see, Cameron and I are quite often presented with business opportunities. Some actually sound like a good idea (like Menchie's!), and some we are quick to pass on. I don't like gambling. I don't like taking risks. However, I like to be "in" on something new and upcoming. (like Menchie's!) I like to be the first one to start a new idea or trend. I like to be the first one to have the latest technology. Well, one day Cameron came to me with a business opportunity he heard from his trusted friend. It was a multi-level marketing idea.

I do not like to do these kinds of things.

I don't like to sell to people. I don't like to make people feel uncomfortable and feel obligated to buy things. Can you guess what I told Cameron? No No No NO NO.

And then he told me what people are saying about this stuff. And how crazy they were after they tried this stuff. And then he told me that the company hasn't even started yet and we would be at the top of the levels. That peaked my interest a bit. But, I'm a skeptic. Cameron was about to get his hands on some pre-production samples. It consists of a day cream, a night cream, and an anti-aging cream. I thought, "What the heck is so special about this stuff?" Cameron tried to tell me that it had no chemicals in it, blah blah blah... I still wasn't impressed. He said, "Just try it for 3 days". So I did. It smelled kinda funny. Not bad, but weird. I was used to cream that smelled like flowers, and fruit, and girly things like that. The night cream smelled like oregano. I smelled like a pizza. When I went to bed, I decided that smelling like a pizza wasn't all that bad. I've often thought that people should smell like food :) The day cream smells like chocolate. Not bad, either! After three days were over, I really did notice a difference, but I didn't want to admit it. I really didn't want to get into this "multi-level" marketing company that I have never heard of. I felt more comfortable getting into Scentsy or Pampered Chef because they were everywhere. After day four, though, I couldn't hide it anymore. I really didn't want to ever be without this cream. In fact, I heard from our friend that it worked on their child's eczema, and on their rosacea. Well, I have been struggling for 3 years to get Austin's eczema under control. I've tried everything. I felt really bad when his eczema was inflamed, because when I put lotion on it, he would scream in pain because I was rubbing chemicals on it! I tried the lotion just a while ago, and you know what? It's gone. I didn't hurt him either.

Enough of my conversion to the cream. Onto the actual money I could make with this stuff. Being at the beginning of a "wave" like this could mean two things: it could go really well, or it could totally flop. The first pioneers of many companies like scentsy and avon are not multi-millionaires because of their foresight and risk they took. Cameron told me that we would get our money back plus some if we just signed three people up. That was good enough for me. I didn't mind taking that small of a risk for something that potentially be huge.

Well, this is where I stand now. I am definitely going to buy the cream every month and use it on myself and my children. I feel good about it. It really is amazing stuff that took 20 years in Croatia to create.

I really do feel like standing on top of a mountain and telling everyone about it, though. I just feel as though people would think I'm being insincere because I'm just trying to sell something. This really isn't the case. I really just want to share this opportunity with everyone around me so that we all can be blessed with this knowledge before the company even launches!

I was really pleased to hear that our friend who introduced this to us is already getting checks in the mail for the people he's signed up in his area. He is already bringing in $3000/month. The product launches on the 11th. I can't wait to see what the bottles look like and what it will be named!

If you are interested in this, watch this video and it will explain it all to you a lot better than I can. I will have samples of the cream after the 11th to give out if you want to try it for yourself.

Skin Care revolution from Kevin on Vimeo.

Welcome to the weirdo's blog!

2011-01-30T23:52:00.000-08:00

“Sometimes I wave to people I don't know. It's very dangerous to wave to someone you don't know, because what if they don't have a hand? They'll think you're cocky. 'Look what I got... This thing is useful. I'm gonna go pick somethin' up.'” ~Mitch Hedberg

Are you wondering why I chose this quote? Me too. It was just so funny and this post is really not about anything anyway. You can stop reading here if you want. The rest will be quite useless.

Oh. You're still here. You must have no life.

Someone mentioned my blog today. I was shocked that people actually read it! Well, except my mom. They have to be supportive and all. (hi mom!) Now I feel so much pressure to write something profound. Something witty. Something interesting. I have none of that, so I will just end with this.

Hey you! Yes, you reading this blog. Can you please look under there?? You heard me. Look under THERE. Right there!

... Did I make you say underwear? Ha!

Have I always been this weird? Youbetcha!!

Free play!

2011-01-16T23:39:00.000-08:00

“The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping up and down.” ~Rita Rudner

A wonderful friend of mine had a trampoline in her backyard. Her kids were grown, so she suggested that I take it for my kids. Sounds like a great idea, right? After all, it's free. That's what I thought. Now I know better.

You see, Cameron, myself, and my brother went to her house to pick it up. She lives nearly behind us, but it's a different neighborhood. We took ol' blue. That's a big, blue truck that we use to haul things. It's been in the family for many many years. Anyway, we walked into her backyard to see a gigantic trampoline. It was quite overwhelming. Now, before I go on with this story, you need to know that I'm lazy. And optimistic. Those two things didn't work in our favor that day. Cameron also likes to do the least amount of work as possible. My brother, however, is a bit smarter than the two of us, but we don't listen to him. That would involve too much work. Ok. Back to the story. I figured there must be an easy way to get this trampoline into our yard without taking it apart. The bolts were tight at rusted. It looked like more trouble than it was worth. After all, she did live VERY close to us. Sort of. Many thoughts crossed through my little brain. I had a vision of us just carrying it through the neighborhood. Down the street. That was quickly knocked down. Then, I thought of carrying it down the street to some stranger's house who happened to live right behind us, and asking them if we could just "throw" it over their fence into our yard. That was also quickly knocked down (whew!) Where did this leave us? Ol' Blue. Trusty ol' blue. It didn't need to be taken apart! We just had to somehow carry it out of her yard, (over her fence!) and then somehow prop it up onto the truck! For some reason, this idea was not knocked down by my compadres. Did I mention that this all took place at dinner time? Our stupidity was driven by hunger. That's my excuse this time. Well, our friends yard consisted of a huge grassy area where the trampoline was located, then a short 3 foot tall rock wall that led to a wooded hill that led to the fence. The truck was parked on the other side of that fence. Now, I don't know how the three of us actually managed to pick this thing up and get it over the fence, but we did. That's all a blur now. I told you, I was not thinking clearly. (did I mention my kids are also with us running in circles in her yard screaming??)
This brings us to the truck. We now have a huge trampoline sitting in the middle of the street next to the truck. The truck suddenly looked very small compared to this massive trampoline. And yet, we continued. The hunger was too strong. The kids were too crazy, and what were we supposed to do now anyway? It was in the middle of the street! We strategized for a while. We figured out which way would be the best to lay this thing onto the truck. Our conclusion was to set the trampoline at the end of the truck, and lift up the far end of the trampoline and flip it over onto the truck. Our idea was for the edge of the trampoline to actually be resting on the roof of the truck, while the rest is resting over the bed. This was a heavy trampoline. I'm not in shape. *sidenote* I am feeling a little embarrassed at what you might be thinking right now about my intelligence. I assure you, I have many strong qualities. Moving trampolines apparently is not one of them. *end of sidenote* Well, we went through with it. My brother and Cameron picked up the end of the trampoline. As it was standing up, it was towering overhead, and I had a bad feeling. Oh well, we continued anyway. I was at the side of the trampoline guiding the whole thing. As it started tilting toward the truck, gravity finally took over and it fell onto the truck. No big deal, right? It will just fall on the stretchy part that we jump on, right? Nope. Not this time. Our aim was so excellent, that the metal edge of the trampoline was perfectly in line with the back window of the truck. We all watched in horror as it fell in slow motion right into the window. Glass was everywhere. All we could do was stand there in silence. I heard gasps. I swear I heard the neighbors peeking through their windows enjoying the free entertainment. I smiled nervously. Oy. All we could do after that, was adjust the trampoline and slowly drive home in shame. Somehow we managed to get it off the truck and into our backyard. We had to buy a new pad for it, and a new net. That was 100 bucks or so. Then we had to buy a new back window for the truck. That was 200 bucks or so. Isn't that the cost of a new trampoline at Walmart?

It's amazing what we will do for our kids.

Our own potential

2011-01-09T21:26:00.000-08:00

“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential” ~ Winston Churchill

I heard about this video at Church today. It makes you think a lot about our real potential. Maybe we should all be blindfolded.

Disney here we come!

2011-01-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

"Ya see...the most fantastic, magical things can happen...and it all starts with a wish." ~ Jiminy Cricket

My kids are so excited. I'm so excited. Even Cameron is showing some excitement. (unheard of)

I can't contain my excitement! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If any of you remember, I went to Disneyland two years ago for my very first time. I left the kids at home. Did I feel guilty about that? Nope. Not one bit. I got to experience Disney for the first time without my kids dragging me down. I could act like a kid and go on all of the "big" rides. My mom and I went on Soaring over California 20 times. Why? Because we could! Oh. And I just couldn't get enough of that orange grove smell.

Do I loook guilty here?? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't think so.

Now that my kids are 5 and 3 (almost 4), I think they're ready to experience Disneyland for the first time. Now that I got my experience out of my system, I'm just excited to see Disney through their eyes! It will be really fun meeting princesses with Greta, and seeing pirates with Austin. This will be a trip they never forget. Oh. And I guess I might just take a little time to myself to enjoy a pineapple drink at the Tiki Room!

Arrrr!

2010-12-29T22:40:00.000-08:00

“Life's pretty good, and why wouldn't it be? I'm a pirate, after all.” ~Johnny Depp

This is what Austin wears when he is a pirate. Should I make him walk the plank?

Apples!

2010-12-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

"Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits." -- Henry David Thoreau

Every year, Puyallup has their annual cider squeeze. It's buckets of fun! We go there, buy a bucket of apples and a couple of jugs, and use one of the many cider presses available and make our own cider. The kids loved it. Here are some pictures.

Fair time!

2010-12-24T21:22:00.000-08:00

"All the really good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow." ~Grant Wood

Every year my kids wait for September to come. No, not because they're dying to go back to school, but because that is the time when new smells creep into our driveway. The smells are a mixture of fresh scones,cotton candy, hay, and horse manure. I've smelled these familiar scents at the same time every year my entire life. This is when we know it's fair time! The Puyallup fair is a pretty big thing around these parts. We usually go at least one full day. There are tons of animals to see and activities to do. There are a bunch of rides and games. But what's my favorite part of the fair you ask? THE FOOD! I can almost taste it now.

Please give me a moment...

Ok. Daydream is over. I usually come with a plan of what I'm going to eat. This usually includes hot fresh scones (the biscut ones) with raspberry jam, elephant ears, freshly made soft serve ice cream cones, roasted corn, fudge, and burgers piled with sauteed onions and mustard. Oh yeah. I'm drooling just typing about this stuff. When the fair is over, I feed my family salad for the next week to make up for the lack of nutrition I just exposed them to.

We took the kids this year and just let them lead. This meant we spent almost all day riding on rides and looking at animals. Now that I'm an adult, I like to wander around and look at all the collections that people have, the artwork, and the produce people have grown. I also like to visit the beekeepers society and dream of one day raising my own bees. There is a hypnotist show that's quite amusing that I like to see too. But, this year was the kid's year. For now I'll enjoy the fair through my kids eyes because I know that one day they will want to go with their friends instead of their parents.

It's been a year!

2010-12-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

"Fill the paper with the breathings of your heart". ~William Wordsworth

Wow. I looked at our blog, and noticed it's been a year since we've seen a post. It's been an incredibly busy year! I'm hoping to get back into blogging about our crazy and awesome life. I'll post a ton of pictures and catch y'all up on how our lives have changed over the last year.

Unfortunately...

I have a stack of presents waiting to be wrapped. So, here are a couple of highlights from the last year to hold you over:

1. Menchie's Frozen Yogurt opened up in two locations. Federal Way and Queen Anne. The third one is on it's way. This obviously has taken up the majority of our "spare" time. (who REALLY has spare time anyway when you have two little kids??) Menchie's is totally awesome. We love it.

2. Cameron is still working for Just Sports. He loves his job, and will probably never leave. He's busier than ever, but still makes time to be with his family and be the Young Men's President at Church. I don't know how he does it.

3. Greta turned 5! I really can't believe it. She's a super cute, super smart, super opinionated little girl. She loves to read and do math. (she chose math the other day over watching tv. Weird, huh?) Greta is in love with animals and babies. She also has a wild imagination and is a super big sister. She goes to a Montessori school for Kindergarten where she is thriving. I wish she would stop growing up so fast, though.

4. Austin turned 3! Actually, he will be 4 in April. It's hard to believe! He is a really amusing little boy. He has a heart of gold. He loves any kind of physical activity. He also loves to sing and dance. He also goes to Montessori school and is in the same class as Greta. They have an opportunity to grow close as brother and sister even as they are in school. I love that!

There's our live in a nutshell. This is going to have to do for now, because those presents are calling my name! Merry Christmas to all!!

Story time

2009-12-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

“Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

Michael Jordan

This woman is an inspiration to me everyday. You should read her story. It's quite interesting. Have a box of tissue nearby, and make sure you have waterproof mascara on.

Read her story here:

Stephanie Nielson - Chapter 1: The crash

2009-11-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

"Character and personal force are the only investments worth anything” ~ Walt Whitman

I downloaded a new CD called "nearer". It's amazing. It has an awesome rendition of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" that I love. This morning, I got out the hymn book and read along to the text while listening to the acoustic version on my stereo. By the time it was over, the book was covered in tears. It's such a moving text. Here is the poem written by James Montgomery.

A poor wayfaring Man of grief
Hath often crossed me on my way,
Who sued so humbly for relief
That I could never answer nay.
I had not power to ask his name,
Whereto he went, or whence he came;
Yet there was something in his eye
That won my love; I knew not why.

Once, when my scanty meal was spread,
He entered; not a word he spake,
Just perishing for want of bread.
I gave him all; he blessed it, brake,
And ate, but gave me part again.
Mine was an angel’s portion then,
For while I fed with eager haste,
The crust was manna to my taste.

I spied him where a fountain burst
Clear from the rock; his strength was gone.
The heedless water mocked his thirst;
He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
I ran and raised the suff’rer up;
Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,
Dipped and returned it running o’er;
I drank and never thirsted more.

’Twas night; the floods were out; it blew
A winter hurricane aloof.
I heard his voice abroad and flew
To bid him welcome to my roof.
I warmed and clothed and cheered my guest
And laid him on my couch to rest;
Then made the earth my bed, and seemed
In Eden’s garden while I dreamed.

Stripped, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment—he was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
But my free spirit cried, “I will!”

Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in His hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name He named,
“Of Me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto Me.”

James Montgomery

Here is a neat video: (wow. I just said neat.) (and I didn't delete it) (and I'm doing this weird parenthesis thing)

Summer vacation part 1

2009-10-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

“The beach is in our blood. Everyone in our family returns to the beach instinctively, just like the sea turtles.”
--Sandy Archibald

We went on two vacations this summer. We decided this would be a good year to do "cheaper" vacations and choose places we could drive to. Both vacations involved a big group of family wherever we go... that's the way to do it!

For our first vacation this summer, we went to the Oregon coast for a family reunion. It was a lot of fun!!

You will see from the pictures that it was very foggy. It was pretty cold too... at the end of July!! On our drive home, though, it was record heat in Portland, OR. You will see our thermometer says 119 degrees outside. I've never experienced heat like that. It was hard to breathe. I wanted to turn the car around and go back to the ocean!

Cameron wanted to try crabbing this year. He has this little fantasy of catching tons of crabs and "taking them back to the cabin, boiling them, throw them in the middle of the table with some butter and chow down". Yep. I've heard that one a few times, I can even quote it. (we've been married too long, I guess. The stories are recycling themselves) Anyway, we had horrible luck. Why? The world may never know. Maybe next year.

We took the kids to the Sea Lion Caves. That place is awesome! The kids really enjoyed themselves. I could have watched those sea lions for hours. The last time I was there, I was newly pregnant and the smell made me really sick! This experience was much better!

The kids favorite activity at the coast was playing on the beach. It was hard for me to watch them get covered in sand, but even with fog and cold, they could have played out there all day. They had a blast.

It was great to visit with lots of relatives I don't see very often. I have a lot of great childhood memories on that same beach we stayed at. Not much changed over the years. I hope to create some great memories for my children, too.

Mama's boy

2009-10-26T22:02:00.001-07:00

“A boy is a magical creature - you can lock him out of your workshop, but you can't lock him out of your heart.” ~Allan Beck

I think he's the cutest little boy I ever did see -- and he has a personality to match!! I'm in love...

These are all pictures from our Yellowstone vacation this summer that I have been too overwhelmed to blog about. Too many pictures, too much to talk about.

Chicken Bake {yum}

2009-10-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.” ~Thomas Wolfe

{I had to add that specific quote. I'm hoping that's how Cameron thinks too!}

Chicken bake: One of my families favorite recipes. I don't make it too often anymore. Before children, I used to make it a LOT. Now I see chicken nuggets more often on the table instead of these yummy treats. The other day, though, I was in the mood to spend a nice relaxing afternoon in the kitchen. I first made laundry soap, then carrot cookies, then chicken bake. It was a great day! Here is how to do make these.

Start by boiling (or baking or grilling or whatever method you want to end with cooked chicken) 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut them up into small pieces. Put them in a big mixing bowl with 6 pieces of chopped up bacon. I usually use turkey bacon or the ready crisp stuff. I hate cooking bacon. It's a mess. Then cut up a few green onions and throw those in the bowl. Then get some frozen broccoli and thaw it in the microwave and chop it up. Throw that in the bowl. Now, add a 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 bottle of Caesar dressing, and a couple of tablespoons of milk, and some pepper. Stir this up really good. Wipe the drool off your chin.

Now is the point where you need some dough. Like I said, I don't have a lot of time on my hands anymore, so I buy ready made dough at Winco. They make it fresh everyday and it costs me a buck. TOTALLY worth not kneading dough. You can make your own dough if you want. That's what I used to do. Roll it out into an oval like this:

Then just add some filling to it. Stuff as much in there as you can.

Sometimes I fold mine like a calzone, but this time I folded them like a burrito. I think I liked the burrito one better. Just fold in the ends, then roll it and seal it really good.

Make sure to set them seam side down. That will help with leakage.

Put them in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or so. By the way, these are HUGE. I try and try to make them smaller, but it never works out. Oh well. We end up stuffed and happy. With leftovers.

Dirty Laundry

2009-10-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

“Now they show you how detergents take out bloodstains, a pretty violent image there. I think if you've got a T-shirt with a bloodstain all over it, maybe laundry isn't your biggest problem.Maybe you should get rid of the body before you do the wash.” ~Jerry Seinfeld

I made my own laundry detergent. I know, I know... wipe that confused look off your face and let me explain a few reasons why. (then I will show you how I did it!)

I am a little obsessed (that word might be a TAD strong, but not by much) with a wonderful family by the name of Duggar. If you haven't heard, they are the family with 18 kids, and one on the way. They have a TLC tv show called "18 kids and counting" . It's on my DVR. Poor Cameron is so patient with me. He sits there every week and watches this crazy family do crazy things. I think he's starting to enjoy it, but he will never admit to it! About a year ago, I posted a recipe that I learned from the Duggars that involved ice cream sandwiches. I have made this dessert for many, many people and they all love it! It's super easy too. Well, one of the things I admire most about this family is the fact that they are totally 100% debt free. That's awesome considering the size of their family, and the quality and size of their home! They have a lot of tricks to cutting costs, and one of them is making their own laundry detergent. You can imagine how much laundry they have to do for 20 people! That just sends chills down my spine just thinking of it! I saw them make the laundry soap on one episode long ago and it has been in the back of my mind ever since. Then one day while browsing their website, I came across their recipe for the laundry soap. They mentioned that it cost them about 5 dollars to make, and lasts their family of 20 6 months or so!

Whoa.
I don't know about you, but I get a little depressed when I have to fork out 15 bucks for a stupid 48 load bottle of Tide.

I was skeptical. They looked like they had clean clothes on tv, but how did they smell? Maybe they were a stinky family. I did some more research. Come to find out, a LOT of people do this! Who knew? (not me, obviously) People were saying how well it worked. One girl in 7th grade made this stuff for a science project and compared it to Tide. She put beet juice, grass stains and dirt on two white shirts and washed them in both detergents. The homemade one worked better! Hmm. Is it worth 5 of my hard-earned dollars to try? You bet it is. I'm cheap. I like to home-make things. This is right up my ally.

Here is how I did it, just in case you are as cheap as me.
This only took 10 minutes or so to make, and it actually smells pretty good. It smells soapy. I read that you can add 10-15 drops of essential oils to it too. I might do that next time.

I went to my friendly neighborhood Winco to buy these three items: Borax, Washing Soda, and Fels-Naptha bar soap. These were all in the laundry detergent isle. The Borax and washing soda were just a couple of dollars per box, and I only use a cup and a half of a cup, so these will last me a long time. The Fels-Naptha was a dollar. I will have to buy this when I make another batch because I use the whole bar.

You have to start out by grating the bar of soap. I have a handy-dandy salad shooter. It took me 10 seconds to grate it into a sauce pan. It looked like cheese.

See? Mmmm.. cheese. Too bad it smells like soap!

Now you add hot water. Just enough to cover it will do. Now put it on low-medium low heat and stir it until it melts. Make sure there are no chunks.

This is what it looks like when it's melted. Smooth and foamy.

Now. Get a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. Add 1 cup of the washing soda to the bucket, and 1/2 cup of the borax. Add the hot liquid to that and stir until it's dissolved. Then add hot tap water until the bucket is full. Mine was a few inches below the top because I didn't want to spill it when I carried it. Stir it well and cover it. Now let this sit overnight until it turns into a goopy gelatinous goo. Put it in empty detergent bottles, or a clean milk jug. For front loading washers, add 1/2 cup to your wash. For top loaders, 1 cup.

Wasn't that easy? It was a good day. (not a good hair day though)

What's your mix?

2009-10-04T21:29:00.000-07:00

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." ~Ernestine Ulmer

{It's been a long time since I've blogged! I'll have to catch up on our summer travels and fun field trips in the next couple of weeks. It has been a long, lazy summer. I'm happy to finally get back into a schedule with school, piano lessons, and other activities. Life is getting busier, though.}

It is finally time to announce our next endeavor in life: Menchie's. We are opening our first Menchies in the next month or two in Federal Way. There will be many other locations in the greater Seattle area to come. What is Menchie's, you ask? It's just the hottest fro-yo place on earth! Everyone that tries Menchie's never goes back to those other places. What really separates Menchie's from the other fro-yo joints is that everything is self-serve, and is paid by weight-- around $.40/oz. There are so many flavors and toppings, it's unreal. I'm very excited to start this new adventure in life, and hopefully the community will be excited about it too!

Another cool thing that I am personally looking forward to is the community involvement opportunities we will have. Menchie's donates a lot of money every year to support local schools and other local organizations. It will be really fun getting creative with that. I already have big plans for the schools in Federal Way. I hope they're ready for us!!

When you get a chance, check out http://www.menchies.com/ . You will see the exact location of the store coming in Federal Way. You can also see all the choices of flavors and toppings available. We will have 12 flavors out at one time, and they will rotate. Including low-carb, sugar free and dairy free options. Yay for Menchie's!!!

Saltwater State Park

2009-06-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

"The tide recedes, but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand.
The sun goes down, but gentle warmth still lingers on the land.

The music stops, yet echoes on in sweet, soulful refrains.

For every joy that passes,something beautiful remains." ~Unknown

Last Monday night I heard a report on the news saying that the tides were so low that they had to cancel several ferry runs. This got me thinking... I remember people telling me about a place called Salt Water State Park that has some great beachcombing. It was about a 20 minute drive away. So, Tuesday morning I woke the kids up and informed that our "field trip Friday" is now "Field Trip Tuesday". We got to the beach around 11:00 AM. The tide was very low. At home, Greta is a little obsessed with bugs. She catches them, holds them, plays with them... I knew she would love to see some little crabs. We turned over rocks to reveal little crabs running for their lives. If we stood really still, we could actually hear crabs moving all around us. When the crabs were boring, we walked a little further to find a Geoduck sticking out of the sand. When we walked closer to it, it pulled back into the sand a little bit, but still stuck out. I touched it and it squirted water at me. The next Geoduck we saw, I had Austin touch it with his foot. I got it on video. We had a good time at Salt Water State Park and learned a lot about the ocean.

Words

2009-06-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

"Our language is funny - a fat chance and slim chance are the same thing." ~J. Gustav White

Words Greta likes to say:

hilarious

disappeared

humongous

important

certainly

adorable

dangerous

emergency

gigantic

Words Austin likes to say:

nothing

stop

arrrr!!

don't

nnnnnnnnnnnnnooooo

Wake up! Blueberry Muffins

2009-06-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

“Well, I can't eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would parobably get on my cuffs. One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.”Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (1895)

I had some extra blueberries this morning and an open schedule. That could only mean one thing: blueberry muffins! I had to take a picture quick before my kids ate them all!

Wake Up! Blueberry Muffins

1/2 c. butter, soft
1 c. sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/2 c. milk
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp. sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in milk. Combine dry ingredients in seperate bowl and mix well. Add dry to wet and stir. Fold in blueberries. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake 375 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Summertime food!

2009-06-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato". ~Lewis Grizzard

This is a great recipe. It makes a ton. It's great for a potluck or party, but I make it just for us in the Summer and we feast on it for a few days. We eat it with bread for a complete meal. Even my kids eat it! Now, the best way to make this salad is to use fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden. Mine isn't ready in June, so I had to settle for the grocery store.

“Epitome of Summer” Pasta Salad

1- 1lb. box Whole grain Penne Pasta (I like Barilla Plus) Cooked al dente
1 large handful fresh basil, chopped
2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 ½ c. mozzarella pearls (I get them at costco, about the size of a grape)
1/8 c. parmesan cheese
Pinch kosher salt
Pepper
Chicken. (I used 3 breasts halved and marinated in a little oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning, then grilled and chopped. I’ve also used a rotisserie chicken)
½ bottle Newman’s Own light Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mix all ingredients together with only ¼ of the bottle of dressing. Let it chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Add the other half of the dressing before serving.

Totally Krazy

2009-06-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

"We should practice and increase our habits of thrift, industry, economy, and frugality." - L. Tom Perry

Oh, man. I have 22 boxes of cereal, 39 boxes of Mac and Cheese, 10 bottles of juice, and 10 boxes of whole grain pasta in my pantry right now. Not to mention the countless cans of beans, fruit, vegetables. I can't help it. You see, I've become a Krazy coupon lady. I'm the person in the store you don't want to get stuck behind in line. My friend, Joyce, got me started with layering coupons with store sales. I first started with a website called The Grocery Game. It's a good site. I like it a lot, but it has a membership fee. (nominal though) I was "playing" the game exactly the way I was supposed to, and I was saving between 60-77% on my grocery bill every week! The only problem I found with the Grocery Game is that the list comes out on Sunday, and the sales end on Tuesday. That left me Monday or Tuesday nights (I cannot do this with a 2 year old and a 3 year old with me). It was becoming too difficult. I also noticed that the Grocery Game was leaving out a ton of Internet printable coupons, and leaving out how to get the best deal. Then, my (favorite) Aunt told me about a blog that I have fallen in love with. http://www.krazycouponlady.blogspot.com/. It's put out by a few ladies in the Boise area, but I have found that most of these sales are national. I have been getting amazing deals on stuff I need. A couple of months ago, people were getting Post cereals for $.18 a box! Today I got V8 fusion drinks for $.88/bottle. They're normally $4.99. Yep. I forgot to mention the amount of barbecue sauces in my pantry that I got for free. This is all so very exciting to me. I just love going to the store and spending 50 bucks and saving 100. My pantry is full. My freezer is full.

It feels so good. I just have to convince Cameron to buy me a bigger house to store it all in. Do you think that argument will work?

{wimpy}

2009-06-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows."-- Japanese Proverb.

I'm a wimp. I'm one of the biggest wimps I know. No, I'm not talking about screaming when I see a bug or a mouse or a snake. I can handle those. My fear comes from my mind... oh, this sick and twisted mind gets me into a lot of unnecessary trouble. Let me explain:

I went to the movies on Friday night with my Sister-in-law. We saw the new movie, "Obsessed". I picked it. Why? It looked interesting and not too scary. Overall, the movie was good, but at the height of the suspense, I felt very uncomfortable. I didn't like it one bit. As I was sitting there trying not to think too much about the movie so I wouldn't get too worked up, my mind wandered. I thought back to my trip to Disneyland in January. You see, everyone told me to go on the "Tower of Terror" ride. "oh", they'd say, "It's really not scary. My six year old loved it!" I reluctantly went. During the ride, I remember being really mad at myself because I was scared out of my mind. I was hunched over in a little ball while my mother next to me was laughing. Ugh. It makes me so mad when I think of how wimpy I really am! While sitting in that movie theater, I thought to myself, "I bet I'm the only one in this theater that is really scared in this not-so-scary movie".

I went to a movie with Cameron when we lived in Laie. It was "Signs". I sat through the entire movie clinging to Cameron with my eyes closed and my ears plugged. I can honestly say that I don't even know the plot of that movie.

So, let's sum it up, shall we? I don't like sad movies (as you read in an earlier post). I don't like scary movies. I don't like suspenseful movies. What does that leave? Comedies and Documentaries. Poor Cameron. As for rides, what do I like? Nothing that falls, gets too high, or is scary in any way. Oh. And nothing that spins because that makes me sick. What does that leave? "Soaring over California" and the occasional slide.

Sheesh. I might as well wear a pocket protector and have headgear. Don't tell anyone I'm a wimpy nerd, ok? It will ruin my reputation.

Summertime is here!

2009-06-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. " ~Henry James

It's been pretty hot for the past couple of weeks. It's been very nice to get outside and do lots of fun Summer activities! The kids have enjoyed "swimming" in the hottub and running through the sprinklers. I've stocked up on hotdogs and ice cream, eventhough the kids have figured out the ice cream man and come running through the house screaming when they hear "jingle bells" playing. (we have an odd ice cream man, but that's another blog post). Every year at this time, I wonder why we don't have air conditioning. I sure would like to be sitting here at the computer comfortably blogging. Instead, I'm dreaming of the nice air conditioned mall I will be headed to when the kid's movie is over. I think A/C would actually save us money, because it will cut down on the trips to the mall.

Do you think that is a winning argument for Cameron? I should've been a lawyer.

Field Trip Friday!

2009-05-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science." ~Edwin Powell Hubble, The Nature of Science, 1954

For "Field Trip Friday" this week, we went to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. What fun we had! My brother went a month or two ago and talked me into getting a year pass to the science center with him to split. Boy am I glad I did that! My kids LOVED it! We only got to see about 1/4 of the place, but we had fun.

My mom came with us, and she wanted "valet" parking. (she has a sore foot). We found some nice parking right at the Space Needle, and it was only $12 for 4 hours! Not too bad for Seattle parking, especially Valet!

When we got to the center, the ticket lady asked us if we wanted to see an Imax film. They're free with our pass, so I picked out a film called Under the Sea in 3D. The film was awesome. I would see it again and again. It was narrated by Jim Carrey. He's funny, did you know that? Even in a documentary he's funny. My kids kept reaching out for the fish. They kept the glasses on the whole time. At one point, Greta even pretended to swim through the movie. It was cute. 45 minutes long is the perfect length for my kids, too.

We also saw the butterfly exhibit. This was my favorite, and I think my kid's favorite too. It was awfully crowded, however. There were a few schools there. May is not a fun month for the Science Center or the Zoo. Too many field trip Fridays. Nevertheless, BUTTERFLIES EVERYWHERE! They flew right by our heads. They were right at our feet. Butterflies of every color and size. We were also able to see how they eat, and how they hatch from their cocoons. Very cool. I think the kids learned a lot.

The dinosaur exhibit was a little frightening to the kids. They didn't cry, but they were both clutching my hands and wouldn't get too close. I tried explaining to them that the dinosaurs were like big toys. They weren't buying it.

My only problem with the Center-- the food! They have a "cafe" there. It's more like going to a 7-11. No, it's worse. At least 7-11's have taquitos and slushies. Anyway, I learned next time to pack a lunch or go somewhere else for lunch.

After the Science Center, we walked around the Seattle Center area by the Space Needle. There was a big field with a "hill" for the kids to roll down. Greta can't resist a grassy hill. (I wouldn't even call it a hill, more like a slight incline, but it worked for them) There was also a big empty stage that the kids did a little dance on just for us. It was cute.

hh... Another Field Trip Friday down, so many more to do in the future! I really look forward to our Fridays!

Another Park!

2009-05-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” ~Michael Caine

This is another park we like to go to in Puyallup. To every park, there seems to be pro's and con's. It's impossible to me to find the 'perfect park'. Luckily, there are lots to choose from around here. This park in downtown Puyallup is called Decourssey Park. Or, the "duck park" as my kids call it. I have fond memories of this park from my childhood. My Granny used to pack up her day old bread and we would head to this park to feed the ducks. There are signs posted now that say you're not supposed to do that, so we just look at the ducks. We came to see if they had any babies yet, but we were too early. I think they should be born soon. So this park has a big pond with a nice path to walk around. There is a play area that we like because it has swings. The only issue is that it has pea gravel. Yuck. It gets in shoes and is so dirty. Bleh. There are also covered picnic areas and lots of area of grass. Overall, a pretty serene little park.

Sad Movies and Camping

2009-05-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

"Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong." ~George Carlin

"It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent." ~Dave Barry

"I got into an argument with a girlfriend inside of a tent. That's a bad place for an argument, because then I tried to walk out and slammed the flap. How are you supposed to express your anger in this situation? Zipper it up really quick?" ~Mitch Hedberg

{I just had to add all of these quotes. They were so funny, I couldn't pick just one.}

I don't like to watch sad movies. I've seen a few in my life. Life is Beautiful, Forrest Gump, West Side Story. These all stick with me. I can't shake them. Every time I watch a sad movie, it burns a little hole in my heart that can never be healed. I don't really understand why people would like to purposely make themselves sad. Why do we do that? Am I the only one that thinks like this? I would much rather waste my 2 hours being happy, or uplifted, or inspired. Yep. When it comes to watching something sad or depressing, you can count me out. (This also applies to any violence. Especially torture or violence against children or animals)

On to my next rant. I don't understand this whole camping thing that people purposely do. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE to be outdoors. I like to hike, see beautiful mountains, waterfalls, wildlife. It's so fun-- as long as I can go home and sleep in a nice comfortable bed, use a real toilet, and eat a hot meal. Why do people let go of all their comforts in life on purpose? I might have a theory. You see, when I was a young child, I remember taking off my sandals and walking on the gravel with my bare feet. It hurt a lot. We had "crushed rock", not the smooth pea gravel. This jagged rock would hurt with every step I took, yet I did this on purpose. Why? Because when I walked on the grass after walking on the rock, the grass would feel SO GOOD on my feet! It was worth that pain, so the ordinary grass would feel extraordinary!! Is that why people sleep on rocks and in the cold? Is that why we poop in a hole in the ground and eat canned beans? So when we get home we can appreciate the soft mattress and heated house? This is my only idea.

Speaking of camping. This is how we "rough it" We made a fire in the "desolate wasteland" part of our backyard and roasted marshmallows. The only problem is that we didn't have any large marshmallows, only mini ones. So, we made do with that. We also had mini Hershey's bars and graham crackers, so we made mini smores. Sounds good, huh? Nope. Mini marshmallows don't toast as well. The kids enjoyed it though. Here are some pictures.

I Joined....

2009-04-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

"For the first time ever, overweight people outnumber average people in America. Doesn't that make overweight the average then? Last month you were fat, now you're average - hey, let's get a pizza!" ~Jay Leno

I finally decided to join Weight Watchers. Let me explain a few reasons why:

1. I'm overweight. Yep. That's usually why people join Weight Watchers. Let me say, though, that I'm ok with however my body looks. I really don't want to look like a model, or even skinny. I just want to feel comfortable. I just want to be healthy. That's it.

2. I need support. I really can't do this on my own. I love food too much. Anyone who reads this blog knows how much I love to cook. That's not going to change, I'm just going to find different things to cook--- with the occasional apple pie.

3. My sister-in-law joined. Do you remember Jr. High when you couldn't go to the bathroom during lunch without 5 of your friends tagging along? I guess I'm still in 8th grade because it sure sounds nicer to have friends to come along. (I've outgrown the bathroom thing though. I would much rather be alone for that)

4. I want a haircut. I decided a few months ago that I was not going to cut my hair until I lost 30 lbs. I guess I'm punishing myself, or trying to motivate myself. Who knows. I'm sick and twisted, but there you go. It's getting long. I need a cut.

5. I LOVE healthy food! You can stop laughing. I'm actually not kidding. Vegetables, beans, whole grains... these are some of my favorite foods. Don't get me wrong, I also love a Big Mac and coke. That's where Weight Watchers comes in to direct me down the right path.

So here I am. Announcing it to the world. A little bit of me is hesitant because I can't fail now. I will look like a failure.

Happy Birthday, little man

2009-04-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

It's hard to believe it's been two years since Austin was born! What a joy he is. It's impossible to imagine life without this cute little guy. He's so sweet to everyone he meets. He says hi to everyone he sees. He loves anything to do with sports, cars, trucks, dinosaurs, dirt, and animals. He is a TRUE boy. He loves to climb, slide, run, throw. He could cuddle with is blankie and read books all day long. His smile is infectious. I'm so happy to call this little boy my son! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!

Reading!

2009-04-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

“Literacy is not, as it is considered in our schools, a PORTION of education. It IS education. It is at once the ability AND the inclination of the mind to find knowledge, to pursue understanding, and out of knowledge and understanding, not out of received attitudes and values or emotional responses, however worthy, to make judgments.” ~ Richard Mitchell

I bought Greta BOB books. I LOVE them. They are simple, entertaining, and short. For a long time now, Greta has enjoyed playing on Starfall.com. She learned her letters at a very young age from that website and the Leapfrog letter factory movie. She has always been teetering on the brink of actually reading. I knew I needed something that would push her over that last hump. The BOB books did it! She is now on book 3. I don't let her get out a new one until she can read it fairly well. She actually sounds out the words if she doesn't know what it is. What a little smarty! I'm so proud of her!

Primary Talk

2009-04-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

"You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart. " ~ John Ford

I was so excited the day Greta came home from church with a little note asking her to give a talk the next week. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. (kind of the same feeling I got when Greta got to bring the snack to Preschool the first time) I know. I'm easily amused. Her topic was about how her family members can help her. I was a bit worried about how she would act when she got up to the pulpit in Primary in front of everyone. We prepared her talk and we practiced it. The first time she practiced it, she did a great job but she was too quiet. I told her that she could be a little louder. This was too much criticism for her because that was the last time she practiced. When it was time to do her talk, she proudly walked up to the pulpit with a family picture in her hand. I held it up for her and whispered in her ear. She spoke very clearly and everyone knew what she was saying. It turned out great. I can't wait until she gets to do it again!

Come on, Spring... Where are you???

2009-03-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

"Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life." ~ John Muir

I'm going to feature a different park in this area every week or two through the Spring and Summer. I love parks! What an awesome place to go with the kids! And best of all, they're free! The first park I am featuring is one of my favorites - Bradley Lake. It's about 3 minutes from my house in a car, and 15 minute walk through the woods. It's a great walk to do in the Summer when the Huckleberries and Blackberries are in season because the best bushes with the biggest berries are found along that trail. My kids could spend half the day at the berry bushes. Most of the time, however, we drive. This park is huge. It has two large play areas, a big open grassy field area with a covered picnic area. There is a beautiful lake with a paved trail going all the way around. Many people fish in this lake too. This park is always busy with walkers, joggers, roller-bladers, dog walkers, frisbee lovers, LARPERS (so funny to watch). There are also baseball fields. My kids especially like the play area. There are lots of things to climb on, and lots of slides. The newest play area is also designed for handicapped children. There is a swing that can be used with just your arms and it has a seatbelt. It also has lots of ramps and puzzles and musical instruments to play. Away from the play area, there is a hill that is perfect for rolling down. Greta has figured out how to roll pretty well. Austin, on the other hand, scoots on his bum. It's cute. What a great park to have so close!

Taco Pizza

2009-03-05T15:06:00.000-08:00

"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. " ~Voltaire

YUM-O! I love taco pizza. It sounds so wrong, mixing Italian and Mexican, but this is SO GOOD! I buy the dough usually at Winco. The deli makes it there fresh everyday and it comes in a little ball for a buck. SO worth it. It's good too.

Pizza dough

1/2 can refried beans

Taco Sauce

pepperjack cheese, grated (just a little bit, like 1/8-1/4 cup)

1 lb. hamburger

taco seasoning

1/2 cup finely crumbled tortilla chips

lettuce, cut up very small, shredded is nice

tomatoes diced very small

cheddar cheese

Cook the meat and while it's cooking, chop it up with a spatula into VERY small pieces-- the consistancy of Taco Bell meat. It takes patience, but is worth it! Add the Taco Seasoning according to directions. Roll out the dough on a pizza pan with a bit of cornmeal underneath. Spread on the Refried Beans. Spread on Taco sauce, as much as you desire. Add only the pepperjack. Add the meat. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Check to make sure the underside of the crust is cooked. When it's done, add lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, tomato. It's always good to have extra taco sauce to add on top if you want. MMMMMMMMM!

Field Trip Friday!

2009-03-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again." ~Elizabeth Lawrence

Ok. I lied a little in the title. We usually do Field Trip Friday. I told my brother to take the wrong day off of work, so it ended up to be Field Trip Thursday this time. Our big thing was to go to the Seattle Aquarium. We did that. I wasn't impressed. My brother was bored. My KIDS were bored. It sucked. It cost us adults $16 each to get in. ARGH. The only thing that Greta liked was a diver guy in the fish tank. He waved at her.

So, after the boring aquarium, we thought we would spend some time along the Seattle Waterfront. We ate lunch at Ivar's. The kids fed bread to the Seagulls. We went to "Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe". Weird. REALLY weird. I had never seen a shrunken head before. It's really strange how they make those. My brother bought some mexican jumping beans for his daughter. Those were a hit. Then we just walked out on the docks and looked at the ferries and mountains and admired the view. It was a gorgeous day in Seattle. Blue skies, sunny and warm. Well, warm for February in Seattle.

After the waterfront, we decided to walk up to Pike's Place. This is one of my favorite places to be, especially on a sunny day. Greta wanted to see them throw a fish. Everytime we turned our heads, they threw a fish. ARGH. We admired all of the beautiful seafood and produce. I introduced my brother to the little cheese factory there called Beecher's. AMAZING cheese. It was featured on Martha Stewart. They make this macaroni and cheese there that it to die for. My brother hasn't had mac n cheese since he was a child. He was brave enough to try it again. He loved it. I did too, but I burnt my tongue. I couldn't wait for it to cool. We then moved on to Piroshky, Piroshky! I'm like a kid in a candy shop here. I was too full to get anything this time, but Nate bought one to try. He loved it. Right outside the Piroshky place there was a group of men singing on the street. My kids love all of the street performers, but these guys really intrigued them. My kids sat and watched them for at least 5 minutes. I gave Greta some money to give to them. We stopped by another man on the street who was making balloon animals. That made their day too.

Needless to say, Pike's was WAY better than that darned aquarium. Bleh. (I'm a little bitter)

Tiny Dancer

2009-03-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

"There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them." ~Vicki Baum

My sweet little Greta has always wanted to be in Ballet. Well, it finally happened for her. Her first class was last Friday at our local YMCA. She was so excited! Her little outfit was on two hours before we had to leave. She made me show her ballet videos on youtube. Well, the class happened. I don't think it was everything she was hoping it would be, but she had a good time. We ran into one of her classmates from preschool who is also in her ballet class. That was fun. They had a good time together. I looked like "one of those mothers". I took two billion pictures. Here's 1% of them:

Beef pie with herbed crust

2009-02-26T16:26:00.000-08:00

“Give them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight like devils.”
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) King Henry V

I made this for Cameron's birthday dinner. Everyone loved it. My mom is a little obsessed. I have to admit, though, it turned out even better than I had expected. Here is the recipe. I had about 1/2 cup of leftover brown gravy in my fridge that I also threw in. I have no idea if that actually contributed to the taste or not, but I had to use it up.

Meat Pie Filling
1 lb. stew meat
¼ cup flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
1 carrot, cut
1 potato, peeled and cut
¼ cup frozen peas
½ onion
1 can beef broth
¼ cup ketchup

In a pan, seer the stew meat with 1 tbsp. oil and garlic. After a couple of minutes, add the flour and coat the meat thoroughly. Add the can of broth to deglaze. Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat, stirring often. Put this into a Crockpot along with veggies (except peas) and salt and pepper and ketchup . Add peas near the end of cooking, so they don’t get mushy. Cook until it’s done, for a few hours. After it’s done, use scissors to cut the stew meat into small pieces in the crockpot. Just snip right in the pot. Put into a pie crust and bake 400 degrees until it’s golden brown- 45-55 minutes.

Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):
2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (30 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 - 120 ml) ice water
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

In a food processor, place the flour, salt, seasoning, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
Then remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator.

Two songs

2009-02-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

"Where words fail, music speaks" - Hans Christian Anderson

Here are two of my very favorite songs. I wish I could let you listen to them. I can't find the Cherie Call one ANYWHERE online. Sorry. You can read the lyrics! They're great. These are both beautiful songs that I could listen to all day long.

The first one is Restless Soul by Cherie Call. She has a raw folksy kind of voice. This is the type of song I would write if I could write and sing like she can. Instead, I just listen. The words speak right to me. They are exactly how I feel-- only much prettier.

Restless Soul(Cherie Call/Alexander Jenkins)

I think it's time to look inside myself
In truth I think I'm scared of what I'll see
Facing this discrepancy of what I am
And what I want to be
Staring at the mirror with this heartless gaze
I can read between the lines
That go along the forehead of this anxious face
That isn't even mine

Oh, my restless soul
Trying hard to take control
Worn out from standing still
Knowing what I am and hoping that I can find
A way to make it real

I think it's time to look inside my heart
To face the insecurities I hide
Still it seems so hard to struggle past the gates
That are guarded by my pride
Looking at the self that no one else can see
Maybe it was better to be blind
But the mirror in my hand is seen with different eyes
Reflecting only truth within my mind

Oh, my restless soul
Trying hard to take control
Worn out from standing still
Knowing what I am and hoping that I can find
A way to make it real

The next song is by Patti Griffin. I don't even know who she is. I think a country singer. I don't like country that much but this song is amazing. It was actually inspired by the last speech given by Martin Luther King Jr. Again, it speaks right through to my soul. Music in general does that to me. This song in particular. The lyics are so beautiful. The song is also. I was actually first introduced to it at the "Idol Gives Back" concert a couple of years ago. Kelly Clarkson sang it. I have added a video of each singing it. You can judge who you like the best.

I went up to the mountain
Because you asked me to
Up over the clouds
To where the sky was blue
I could see all around me
Everywhere
I could see all around me
Everywhere

Sometimes I feel like
I've never been nothing but tired
And I'll be walking
Till the day I expire
Sometimes I lay down
No more can I do
But then I go on again
Because you ask me to

Some days I look down
Afraid I will fall
And though the sun shines
I see nothing at all
Then I hear your sweet voice, oh
Oh, come and then go, come and then go
Telling me softly
You love me so

The peaceful valley
Just over the mountain
The peaceful valley
Few come to know
I may never get there
Ever in this lifetime
But sooner or later
It's there I will go
Sooner or later
It's there I will go

Ode to my Dad

2009-02-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

"There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself." - John Gregory Brown

Every girl loves her dad. I know that. That is why y’all won’t understand how wonderful a man my dad really is because he is MY dad… you expect me to think he’s wonderful. Well, let me pretend for a minute that he’s not my dad…………….. yep! Still awesome. Ok. Let me brag for a bit.

I’ve known Raymond since I was born. Before I was born, I was only told tidbits about his life—a life that most people wouldn’t care to lead. He was the youngest of many children. He was orphaned at a very young age and was forced to split up from his siblings and spend the rest of his childhood in various foster homes. He was never adopted. You would think that a person who has had so much trauma in his life wouldn’t turn out ok. Well, my dad was just born a great person, I guess, because he turned out just wonderful!

My dad is so smart. I don’t remember his IQ, it’s somewhere in the 150’s I think... He can do anything that he sets his mind to. He can build ANYTHING, fix anything, solve any problem. He’s a whiz at the computer. He built a really cool calorie/fat/carb/fiber counting program for my mom when she was on a diet. You can ask him anything about science, he seems to know it. (or he fakes it really well, I guess I wouldn’t know the difference) When Greta had her “crazy hat” birthday party, he had to think up an unusual hat. (he marches to the beat of a different drum) He ended up connecting two hard hats with tops together so the hat could be reversible. He wrote “happy” on one hat, then “birthday” on the other hat. It was pretty cool.

My dad is so kind. He never thinks twice about helping someone. He’s nice to everyone he meets and never has harsh words for anyone. He is so honest and trustworthy and forgiving. He helps me a lot with the kids. When I was pregnant, he would carry Greta everywhere because he didn’t want me to lift her. He is always helping us with different projects we have. We are always borrowing his stuff. He doesn’t complain about that. He worries about all of his children and truly just wants them to be happy. I know my dad would do anything for my happiness. What comfort that brings me that I always have someone on my side.

Man, this guy is funny! He has quite a sense of humor. He is always laughing or joking about something. He’s very witty, and can make anyone smile. I remember when I was a little kid, he’d have some loud music playing in the garage, and when a song came on that was exciting, he’d dance for me. He’d kick his legs up real high like a Rockette. He’d sing out loud to the music or just mouth the words. He still does this. It’s pretty funny to watch.

My dad loves to eat. You wouldn’t know it by looking at him. (I’m a little bitter he didn’t give me that gene) I know that if I cook something up, he will be right here to eat it. I can see a sparkle in his eye when I mention that I made a pie or a cake. He’s got quite a sweet tooth. Lately, he’s loved experimenting with his cooking. He’s always making up some sort of concoction. They usually turn out pretty good, too. He’s a little obsessed with Spam and Dinty Moore Beef Stew. I find it pretty amusing. At the beginning of the summer, he clears out at least an entire shelf out of the freezer and dedicates it just for ice cream. Now, he doesn’t eat just a scoop or two… he eats a very large bowl and usually tops it with some Hershey’s syrup. Also in the summer, he comes over and picks a bunch of huckleberries and makes milkshakes out of them for everyone. He’s also a little obsessed with berries. (and now my kids are too, thanks :P) Last year he picked a lot of blackberries and made syrup and froze a bunch. He’s tried growing raspberries in his yard, but they didn’t do so well, so he comes over here when they are in season and stands at the bush pretending to help my kids pick them while he stuffs quite a few in his mouth. This year we are going to drive to west Yellowstone and pick a bunch of wild blue huckleberries. He is going to bring his truck so we can load them in the back. *sigh* That’s a lot of berries!

This man loves my kids. Well, I guess he loves all of his grandkids, but mine are next door. My daughter used to cry for Papa when she was sad or hurt. Now she likes to go over there in the afternoons and play. Papa lets her type on his computer or his calculator. He plays chutes and ladders with her. He plays with little dolls in the playroom. He gives her dried fruit and nuts. They have a grand time together. He seems to have a genuinely good time playing with them, too. I’m sure one of my kids most cherished childhood memories will be playing with Papa.

I guess I could go on and on all day about my dad. That’s what daughters do. But this time, I think my dad’s extra special in everyone’s eyes, not just mine. I am so glad to have been raised by such a good man. I know that I am the person I am today because of his example and unwavering support in all the decisions I made, whether or not he approved, he always stood by me. I look forward to spending the rest of my life as his daughter, and then all eternity with him and our family. I can only imagine the huge mansion* that must be prepared for that man in Heaven because of what a valiant life he leads – full of integrity, honesty, love and compassion.

*Read “The Mansion” by Henry Van Dyke, written in 1910. Good book.

Can't Decide

2009-01-29T14:07:00.000-08:00

"The pictures are there, and you just take them." - Robert Capa

In two weeks, Iheartfaces.com is having a photo contest with the theme, "silly". I can't decide which one. There are two categories. One for babies and one for adults... Do you think the second picture can be for adults?

I {heart} my daughter

2009-01-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

"The great teachings unanimously emphasize that all the peace, wisdom, and joy in the universe are already within us; we don't have to gain, develop, or attain them. We're like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight. We don't need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we really are -- as soon as we quit pretending we're small or unholy." -- Unknown

I Heart Faces Photo Entry: Joy

Check out Iheartfaces.com! It's awesome!

Scaredy Boy!

2009-01-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

"Worry gives a small thing a big shadow." -- Swedish Proverb

Cameron was probably hoping that when we had a boy, he would grow to be a strong, tough manly-man. Well, I hope Cameron loves Austin anyway, because he's not... at least not at the age of 1. (almost 2!) Austin is scared of a LOT of things. The picture above is his first experience with snow - he hated it. Let me list a few things that Austin is scared of that really crack me up.

1. The phone. When the phone rings, he jumps out of his skin, drops what he's doing, and runs to me screaming in terror. Let me tell you, our phone ring is not loud. In fact, it's quite happy. People are going to wonder about me when my son is screaming in terror every time I answer the phone.

2. The furnace. Yep. We were sitting at the breakfast table when the furnace turned on. Again, it's not a loud furnace, it's not scary at all - it's just him. He jumped and screamed again. Sheesh.

3. Finger nail polish in the shape of finger nails. You can wipe that puzzled look off of your face. I'm explaining right now. You see, I took Greta to the nail place the other day so they could paint her nails. (i'm horrible at it) They did an awesome job! They were pink nails with little white and green flowers and sparkles on them. She was so excited!!! ... until a few hours later. The paint came off of her thumb-- in the shape of her nail. It was weird. The next day in the bathtub, she noticed that almost ALL of her "nails" came off and were floating in the water. Well, Austin noticed the floating "nails" and jumped up as fast as I have ever seen him move, and started screaming in terror. I'm wondering if he thought they were her finger nails? Anyway, tonight in the bathtub, he got in, was happy as a clam, until he saw a lingering nail that was stuck to one of their sponge toys. Wow. He jumped into my arms, all soaking wet, and started screaming. ARGH. This is getting old.

4. Men. Not all men, mainly strange men. Our wonderful friends, Jen and Kevin came over the other night for some games. Austin LOVES Jen. He LOVES Kevin -- from afar. Kevin was playing "sumo" with the kids. (sumo is a whole other blog post, folks) when Kevin started toward Austin. Again, he started screaming and ran to mommy. Poor kid. I hope he grows out of this soon so he doesn't get picked on.

MIA Gum, Clean house, Tuffets

2009-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

I feel as if I missed some important news story. Does cinnamon gum cause cancer or something? Has anyone else noticed that it's nearly impossible to find sugarless cinnamon gum all of a sudden? Extra, Trident, Stride, Dentyne, Eclipse, etc. used to make it... not anymore! I don't get it. I miss it! I might have to start buying my gum online or something!!

On another note, Cameron asked Greta what we should pray for tonight. She replied, "A clean house". (she's MY daughter) I laughed out loud, then said, "I WISH!! I love you..." Then she replied, "I wish I loved you too" *sigh* I love 3 year olds!!! Who need tv when we have so much entertainment right in front of us??

For those people who are interested in the stools, you can email my sister-in-law, Natalie, at teenietuffets@yahoo.com. They are handmade, even the stool. It's very sturdy, and doesn't tip easily. This picture is Austin's, and it matches his room perfectly! The tiger is his favorite animal.

Sucker!

2009-01-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

I think I'm a sucker for infomercials. Luckily, I don't have time to watch them very often. I just happened to be watching tv very early one morning when I came across an infomercial for a dvd set called "Your baby can read!" Yep. I was hooked. I bought it on ebay though, and saved 50%. We'll see if it really works like they say it does. Greta is very interested in learning how to read, and Austin is very interested in letters. I'll keep you posted!

Totally random

2009-01-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in traffic the other day, and a big Sara Lee truck drove by. You all remember the jingle for them, right? I sing it occasionally... so I thought. As the truck drove by, their slogan was on the side of their truck that read, "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee". Hmm... I have been wrong all these years! You see, when I sing the jingle, I sing "Nobody does it like Sara Lee". I have to say that I like my version better. Humph.

CUTE!!!

2009-01-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

My sister in law makes these really cute personalized stools for kids. Greta and Austin both have one and they love them! The photos really don't even do them justice. She also does painted letter blocks for the wall too, that spell a name or any word. Check it out! If you want one, let me know. Tell all your friends!! Link this on your blog!

http://s105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/nat122972/?action=view&current=49f7d880.pbw

The "Donut Factory"

2009-01-05T14:15:00.000-08:00

"Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?" - Homer Simpson

I've been trying to think of new ways to entertain the children. One day I mentioned to Greta that she might enjoy the "donut factory" to see how they make donuts. It's just Krispy Kreme. It's pretty cool for a 3 year old. To my surprise, it was very difficult finding a time to go when they were "hot". Apparently they just make them very early in the morning and in the late evening now. We are never out during those times so we had to make a special trip one night... WAY too close to their bedtime. They were wound up and short-tempered. I was too. The kids were so excited, I couldn't get them to stand in one place long enough to take their picture. I decided to take a video of Greta "helping" Austin. At one point in the video she says she's tired of picking him up to see the donuts. What cute children these little ones are.

Disneyland here we come!! Well, the kids are staying home, but whatever!

2009-01-02T22:17:00.000-08:00

"Your dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." - Walt Disney

Yep. My mom and I are leaving Tuesday to go to Disneyland. I'm not feeling guilty anymore. My kids will have their time. It's about time for this big kid to go. I've only been waiting 29 years! ( I can say 29 years now because it's my birthday today). We've got our trip all planned out. Well, sort of. We're flying stand-by, so we don't REALLY know when we're going. We don't have a hotel, because I can't decide on one, and I want to make sure the flight loads aren't too full before I commit to a hotel. We don't really know what we're getting ourselves into since neither of us has ever been there. We will survive somehow. I'm looking forward to having a really fun adventure with my mom. I'm so grateful that Cameron is such a great husband and loving father. He is taking the time off at work to be Mr. Dad while I'm away. He will have to take Greta to school, babysit the kids I watch a couple of days before and after school, cook, clean, (yes, Cameron, the house HAS to be clean or I'll sense it and won't have a good time!) break up fights between the kids, entertain the children, explain why their mommy went to Disneyland and left them at home... Yes. He will be busy! I have to say, that deep down inside, I'm actually pleased that he gets to taste a bit of my "life" for a few days. Motherhood is difficult at times. There are also many moments that I get to enjoy while Cameron is at work. I hope he gets to enjoy some of those moments too. I hope to have some great pictures to post when I get back!!!

2008-12-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas Bells

I HEARD the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It's Christmas. I'm sitting here in my cozy robe drinking a cup of my mom's homemade hot cocoa. Ahhh.... Peace at last. (the kids are asleep) As for the rest of the day-- beautiful chaos. I love to see Christmas through the eyes of a three year old and a one year old. My kids woke up at their normal time, thank goodness! We then led the children out to the living room to see their presents under the tree and their stockings filled with stuff. I then sat and took pictures while Cameron guided them through the sea of presents. Greta found her own under the tree. She can read her name, so she insisted on finding her own. She took her time unloading her stocking, admiring every trinket inside. She then set them down on the ground in front of her, lining them up so she can see them all. Austin just squealed with joy then moved on to the next present. After it was all over, Austin wanted to open more presents that were sitting there for other family members. He wasn't allowed to. He threw a fit. He kicked. He threw wrapping paper. It was adorable. I took a video. :) Then I looked around and wondered how I was ever going to clean up the mess made from the morning. *sigh* Another day.

After our family Christmas, we got the kids dressed and headed next door for round two. There, the kids were flooded with even more gifts and huge stockings. It was a fun morning, but exhausting. The highlight over there was Greta getting a homemade pillow from her cousin, Kalin. She opened it and hugged it and said thank you. Then she announced that if she pees on her pillow she will have another one to use. She is a strange girl. She never pees on anything. I guess she was just happy she had a backup just in case that ever happened.

After round two, we came home for a while. Austin took a well needed nap. Greta played with her new toys and camera. (thanks mom and dad!) Cameron watched TV. I sat and looked out the window. It was during this time that Cam discovered that our freezer in the Garage had been open for a couple of days and everything was defrosted. That was not fun news. I guess we're going to Costco tomorrow.

After Austin woke up, we headed to Cameron's parents for round three. By this time we were pretty tired of opening presents. Actually, the kids just wanted to play with their cousins instead of opening anything. We forced them to open Christmas presents. I never thought I would have to do that! They loved what the recieved, then they played. All of us adults just sat and listened to four wound up children running throughout the house with the sound of neverending musical toys playing in the background.

We came home. We bathed the children. We put them in bed. We crashed. I'm going to bed now. It's 9pm. whew.

Garner Elves!

2008-12-12T10:06:00.001-08:00

Make sure you pause the music at the bottom of the page!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Bubbles! Temple!

2008-12-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

"Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted." -Garrison Keillor

We had a fun Saturday morning. The kids played in the bath and blew bubbles!! I tried to take a picture that wasn't too revealing for the internet :) They had fun, anyway. I've decided that the bathtub is my favorite place to blow bubbles.

After that adventure, we drove up to Bellevue for a fun Saturday afternoon. We went to the temple. The kids loved running around. I got some cute pictures. It is such a nice place to be. We got to see the beautiful nativity they have up. (one day I will see Temple Square at Christmas time, it's one of my dreams) Until then, the Seattle temple will have to do.

After THAT adventure, we went to downtown Bellevue to "snowflake lane". Pictures will come soon... my batteries ran out, so Lydia took some with her camera... it was so fun!!!

Cutie

2008-12-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

"Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody thinks of complaining." -Jeff Raskin

Austin and Greta both LOVE starfall.com. Cameron and I LOVE that we have a touch screen computer!!!

Christmas time is here!

2008-12-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." -Agnes M Pharo

I'm so excited for this Christmas season! The kids are finally understanding what this holiday is all about, and I love seeing the light in their eyes when they see pretty decorations, or hear a new Christmas story. I decorated the front of the house on Friday, thanks to my dad! On Sunday we got the inside mostly done. We still need to buy a tree for the kids in the back. I got a train to go around it this year... I can't wait!! We have a beautiful wooden advent calendar in the back for the kids and two books, The Night Before Christmas, and The Three Trees. Both good stories! The living room is for me. My tree is one to remind us of Christ. Each item on there represents Him in some way. There are doves, trumpets, hearts, pinecones, bells. My favorite ornaments are these pretty pearly balls that have a different name for Christ used in the scriptures... there are 24 balls all together. I also have my nativity on my mantle. I looked for a clear nativity for years, and finally found it 2 years ago. I hope it lasts forever. It looks so pretty with the lights behind it. Overall, I think the living room is peaceful and serene. It's nice to just sit and listen to Christmas music in there. What a wonderful time of year!

Blog block

2008-11-29T21:23:00.000-08:00

"My candle burns at both its ends;
It will not last the night;
But oh, my foes, and oh, my friends --
It gives a lovely light." - Edna St. Vincent Millay

I don't think this has ever happened during the whole 28 years of my life. I have nothing to say. I have nothing to blog about. I have no witty opinions about anything, nothing exciting happening in my life... weird. I have been thinking about what to blog about for days. Nothing is coming to me. Then Cam told me to blog about nothing to blog about so here I am blogging about nothing. I wonder how long I can ramble about nothing... I'm sure SOMETHING has happened this week... let me just ramble some more and I'll get to a point.

Lets see... Thanksgiving was good. I made 4 pies: 2 pumpkin, 1 apple, 1 lemon meringue. I made stuffing for the first time in my life. It was really good. My brother fried a turkey. Yep. It was Thanksgiving.

Cameron is now out of commission until Christmas. I can't count on him to be around for anything because he is so busy at work. I'm used to it now. No big.

I'm planning on going to Disneyland in January with my mom. Yep. No kids. Isn't that horrible?? Let me explain: I have NEVER in my life been to Disneyland. I let people know this all the time. It's really a sad thing. What's worse is my Mom has never been either!! Ok. My kids are only 1 and 3. Can they go on all the rides??? nope. Can they go from morning 'til night??? nope again. Will they REALLY appreciate Disneyland at this age?? I don't think so. When they are 43 inches, we will all go as a family. Until then, my mom and I get to go on this well deserved vacation. Cameron gets to be a stay-at-home daddy for a few days. He will get a taste of what I get to enjoy everyday. :) Judge me if you will, but this is what is going to happen, and gosh darn it, I'm really excited!!!

Well, I cannot think of anything else to say. The kids are sick. I don't know why I put Greta is preschool. She keeps bringing home germs!!! Ack!

I was sooooo HUNGRY!!

2008-11-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

"If you understand the great plan of happiness and follow it, what goes on in the world will not determine your happiness." - Boyd K. Packer

OH man. It is really hard being a mother on a Sunday. I don't get to hear anything that is being said at church. In fact, I spend most of my time outside with one (or two on a bad day) of my children. I never thought I'd actually miss listening to the messages given in church. I do. OH. I DO!!! I am in Primary the next two hours after Sacrament meeting. Don't get me wrong. Primary rocks. I learn a lot from those kids, and they are quite amusing. However. I CRAVE adult conversation, enlightenment, support, and a good deep scripture discussion. Until last night, I was starving for some spiritual food. I mean I was famished, dehydrated, on my death bed.... Can I make it any clearer?

Then last night happened. Oh, what a wonderful night! We left the children with a (wonderful) babysitter. They had a great time. We were able to go to our Stake Conference adult session. Nobody knows why, but we had one of the Twelve Apostles there, Elder Russell M. Nelson. What a wonderful man. It really is an amazing feeling one gets when one of the 12 men on the earth that are set apart as Apostles is in your midst. I breathed a sigh of relief as I sat there and savored every word spoken. I learned so much. It's amazing how the talks given can speak personally to anyone who wants to hear it. The Spirit tells you exactly what YOU need to hear, and what you need to do. I left that building last night full. I hadn't even eaten dinner. I didn't need to. I was STUFFED with everything I have been needing to hear for a few years.

Then this morning happened. Oh, what a wonderful morning! I was dreading church this morning. The building was going to be overflowing with over 1000 people squeezed into every room in that Stake center. No nursery. Two children. Two hours. UGH. We decided not to sit in the Chapel even though the Garner's would have saved us a seat. Like I said, we are usually outside half the time anyway, and Greta wasn't feeling well which makes her such a *joy*. We sat in the Relief Society room and watched the talks on the TV for the first half. The kids were pretty good, and I felt relaxed because we were segregated in another room away from the speakers. The second hour we stumbled across the High Council room. There were only 2 people in there. Big comfy chairs! A white board for the kids to draw on! It was good. I was actually able to hear a talk. A good one, too. When it was over, I told Cameron that we should jet out of there so we wouldn't have to wait for an hour to get out of the parking lot. He mentioned that the door we were standing near was the door that Elder Nelson would be walking out of. We agreed to wait so Greta could see him in person. She REALLY wanted to. Cameron was right. Out he came. He started to walk the other way when he caught our eyes. I think he saw Austin first. He turned around and came to our family. I have to say that I am not very good at holding my composure, so I was at a loss for words. I had so many things I would have loved to say to him. I was screaming from inside myself. He looked at my children, said hello, then he looked straight into my eyes. Deeply into my eyes. He knew what I had to say. He knew how I felt. I layed my head on his shoulder. He kissed me on my forehead and hugged me. He simply said, "Thank you for being such a good mother." That was all I needed to hear. That was all he needed to say. His eyes were so kind, so gentle. What a wise man.

There is not a single cell in my body that doubts that what I am doing with my life is right. It feels right. I know it is. The Spirit quietly testifies that to me every time I do something right. I feel a warm swelling in my heart. In my soul. I am happy when I do what is right. My life is happy. My life is full. Anyone searching to fill a void in their life, to feel pure, overflowing joy, should open their hearts to the Gospel. To the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The only church with a Prophet, 12 Apostles. One that is organized in the same manner as the Church in Christ's life. What a blessing it was to actually meet one of these men.

I'm glad that I have had such a feast, because next week is another hard day at church. I know things will get better. The kids will learn to sit. (hopefully!) They will grow. I will not be forever in Primary. Until then, I will forever remember the day I felt like a little starving child, never knowing real nourishment until one day she was presented with a feast that far surpassed her wildest dreams.

I wish!!

2008-11-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

"When you play music you discover a part of yourself that you never knew existed." ~ Bill Evans

I love to play the piano. I don't get too much time to myself these days, so I miss it a lot. It's a good outlet for me. Anyway, I was sitting here wasting time while Cam watched Prison Break. (I can't watch shows like that... yuck!) I ended up on youtube and I found my all time favorite piano song played beautifully! It reminded me that I have the music for that song, and one day, I will learn how to play it. I can do the first couple of pages, but as I realized from watching this video, very ill indeed. (I think I watch too much Pride and Prejudice) It was sure a treat to hear it again the way it's supposed to be played, and through my nice Bose headphones too! Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UE5cQQltAI&feature=related

Yummy for your tummy!

2008-11-15T21:51:00.000-08:00

"Let them eat cake." - Marie Antoinette

We had a "craft night" with our lovely friend, Blossom. She brought these awesome cupcakes filled with carmel. Sheesh! I almost shed a tear over that beautiful cupcake. It made all my cares disappear. Cupcakes are awesome. Here's how they're made:

1 Spice cake mix
1 apple, peeled and grated
store bought carmel dip
cream cheese frosting

Mix the cake mix according to directions, then stir in the apples. Fill the cupcake pan, then drop a dollop of the carmel right in the center of the batter. These will drop down into the batter when they bake. Frost. Just be careful when you're peeling off the little cupcake wrapper when you are eating them. If you tear into it like you want to (cuz they're THAT good), the bottom will rip off, taking the carmel with it. This would be a travesty. Peel with caution. Show some refrain, already!

Through the eyes of a child

2008-11-14T21:38:00.000-08:00

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." -Pablo Picasso

We opened a can of worms. Greta BEGGED us to let her try our camera. We taught her how to use it, and she hasn't stopped since. She loves taking pictures! I'm so proud of her, I just wish we didn't have a nice, expensive, fragile camera! She is 3, after all. Here is what she came up with:

2008-11-13T15:52:00.000-08:00

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." - Barbara Jordan

Greta got her school pictures. I don't think I could have chosen a better outfit for the background! How lucky!! I love the class picture. The kids look so enthusiastic. Miss Vera is the sweetest teacher in the world.

New play area!

2008-11-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson

I'm very excited that the mall just 2 minutes away from us has finally put in a play area!! Now I can let my kids let off some steam on a rainy day, and I can just sit there, relax, and watch them play! They had a big opening day kickoff party. Cinderella was there. She sang songs. There were clowns doing face painting and balloon animals. There was a catered lunch by the Olive Garden. It was a great time! After the party, Granny took Greta to see Madagascar 2. It was Greta's first movie. She loved it, and got to go looking like a tiger thanks to the face painting! It was a long, exhausting, glorious day. I can't wait to go back! Oh, I forgot to mention the best part about it! It's located right next to Cameron's office! He can come out and say hi to us when we're playing. The pictures are from my cell phone, not the best quality.

<

Rainy Day

2008-11-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

Thy fate is the common fate of all;
Into each life some rain must fall.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

What to do on a rainy day? Jump off the couch into a pile of pillows, of course!!! We took all of the pillows from around the house, and made a nice soft landing place in the playroom for the kids. They had a ball, I enjoyed watching them. When that fun runs out? Bring the slide inside! Austin is so active, having this little slide cube thing gives him a safe place to release some of his energy.

I love Austin's "politician" smile. He's so cute...

Greta is worn out from jumping for a LONG time!

We wore out Minnie, too. She's falling asleep on the pillows.
I do love the rain, as long as I'm indoors. I love hearing it pound on the roof. I love looking at it through the window.

Hope Won

2008-11-05T22:04:00.001-08:00

"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people. - Eleanor Roosevelt"

For many people around the world, including myself, today was a bright new day full of hope and relief. Yesterday, when Barack Obama was elected President, was a historic day that sparked excitement all over to world. The prime minister of France called the results "the fall of the Berlin wall, times ten". I feel proud of all of the people that took the time to pay attention this election, no matter who they voted for. I feel it is so important to stay informed and be involved in politics, no matter how messy and silly it can get. I can feel an electric vibe that has swept across the whole nation, especially among young voters that I have never seen before. (in my looooong 28 years of life) I am so excited to see what is in store for us in the next 4 years, maybe 8! I'm sure Obama will make mistakes, his is a politition after all. I certainly don't agree with him 100% of the time, but I do know this: He is a leader. He inspires. He invokes hope for the future, and I am proud to have him as my President. I only hope that we all, no matter what party we follow, might band together and recognize our similarities, not our differences to make this a stronger country and a happier, safer place to live. That we might be able to help each other get through tough times and to keep moving forward. I hope that we might be able to look at other people through the eyes of God, as His beautiful children. I have two stickers on my car. One is "life is good". (actually it's a window cling) That sums it up for me in 3 little words. The other is an "Obama/Biden" sticker. This is a removable sticker, that I planned on taking off after the election... but now there is another that I want to add. I am really torn, because I really am not a bumper sticker person, but it has such a great message. Maybe I'll get a shirt or something:

Always check your children's homework!!

2008-11-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

(Mommy works at Home Depot, she was selling a shovel)

Lessons...

2008-10-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body." - Elizabeth Stone

As I go through my often chaotic day, many questions run through my mind about how I am preparing my children for life. Here are some of the questions:
1. Am I teaching them to be kind to everyone?
2. Am I teaching them to enjoy the simple pleasures of life?
3. Am I teaching them to look for something beautiful or postive in any situation?
4. Am I teaching them to love food, yet be mindful of nutrition and balance?
5. Am I teaching them that cleanliness and order is peaceful and secure?
6. Am I teaching them to be honest in every situation?
7. Am I teaching them to laugh?
8. Am I teaching them everything they will need to know for Kindergarten?
9. Am I teaching them to protect the environment and be mindful of their waste?
10. Am I teaching them to enjoy gardening and the joy that comes from harvesting the fruit of their labors?
11. Am I teaching them to love science and be curious of how things work?
12. Am I teaching them the love of reading?
13. Am I teaching them the right priorities?
14. Am I teaching them that they are children of God, and are loved more than they can ever fathom no matter what choices they make in life?
15. Am I teaching them that I will love them no matter what choices they make in life?
16. Am I teaching them that saying sorry not only makes another person feel better, but themselves too?
17. Am I teaching them that serving others will make you happy, serving yourself will not?
18. Am I teaching them that violence is never an answer?
19. Am I teaching them to seek out those in need and help them?
20. Am I teaching them the value of a dollar?
21. Am I teaching them the power of prayer?
22. Am I teaching them to be independant?
23. Am I teaching them that they will always have their family, so they had better like what they've got?
24. Am I teaching them the love for music, and the power it holds- good and bad- in changing lives, changing culture, changing the future?
25. Am I teaching them to be nice to strangers, but not be a target for predators?
26. Am I teaching them how much their parents love them and are dedicated to raising them the best way they know how?
27. Am I teaching them everything they need to know before I'm gone?

Motherhood is a stressful job. There is so much at stake. Failure really is not an option, so I must go on, living day to day, trying to instill in them the huge list of values they need to learn before they are on their own.

Pumpkin Patch!!

2008-10-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” -Henry David Thoreau

We went to the pumpkin patch for a field trip for Greta's preschool last week. It was awesome. I was so afraid it was going to rain, but it didn't! The kids got to take a tractor ride, see some animals, pick a pumpkin, and have a snack. It was a great field trip-- a little stressful for me trying to corral active Austin, but still fun. This last Saturday, we went to the same pumpkin patch, but this time with family. It's a tradition every year. It didn't rain this time either, but it was very muddy. Austin loved the puddles. There's something about boys and mud that I just can't fight. Greta didn't even want to pick up her pumpkin at her field trip because she would get her hands dirty. Huge difference. After we got our pumpkin and played in the barn, we went to the traditional pumpkin sling shot. You pick little pumpkins and shoot them into a large field with targets at the end. If you hit a target, they blow this big horn and you win a giant pumpkin and get to write your name on a board. I have been doing this sling shot for many years. I have always dreamed of winning. Well, on Saturday, my dreams came true!! I was SO EXCITED that I hit the bulls eye! Yay me! My niece took a video from her phone of the whole thing. I am proudly displaying my giant pumpkin on my front porch.

Fruity brain

2008-10-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

"Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting." ~Author Unknown

Cameron's mom, Fawnette, had brain surgery today. She had a tumor, and it was removed successfully! We are very pleased with the outcome, but there is a long road of recovery ahead of her. On a lighter note, we have been trying to explain what is happening to Greta so she isn't shocked to see her Grandma in the hospital. Well, Cam got out her human body book and had Greta point to where the brain is. He went on to explain that the doctor shaved a strip of hair off of her head, went in there and took out something about the size of a grape that wasn't supposed to be in there. Then she said this: " I'm going to see Grandma and laugh because she has a funny haircut." Then she grabbed Cameron's phone and pretended to call Grandma. "Grandma, you have a funny haircut! hehehehe! Did the doctor get the grape out of your brain? That's good. You're sleeping at the hospital tonight. That's so funny! hehehehe!" Yep. Cam got through to her.

My quirks

2008-09-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

My friend Amy tagged me and I am supposed to reveal 6 of my "quirks". To those of you that know me, you know that I'm a pretty strange person to begin with so it really wasn't a stretch to think of a LOT. Well, I'm going to post 3. If I do anymore, I might scare y'all away. (tangent: I say y'all a lot eventhough I'm from Washington, go fig.)

1. I'm scared of fish. Now, before you judge, if I look at a fishtank, I don't freak out or anything. I mean SWIMMING with fish. I really don't swim in the ocean or a lake unless I really have to. I did swim in the ocean a few times when we were living in Hawaii. Two seperate times I got a fish stuck in my swimming suit. And one other time I got a crab stuck in my swimming suit. (insert joke here, if you wish) The first time I went snorkeling I came across what I thought was a pretty large parrot fish. I was fine until it started swimming right towards me!! I paniced and clung onto Cam for dear life.

2. I sleep at the end of the bed. Not like a dog or anything... I mean my head is at the foot of the bed, the opposite of Cameron. I'm sure y'all are laughing out loud right about now, but it makes sense! The tops of our bodies take up a lot more room than our feet. I like to spread out my elbows and put my arms under my pillow. Cameron snores and breathes heavy into my face if I am up at the other end. I have tried sleeping at the top of the bed, but I find myself asking Cam to turn over in the middle of the night. I guess I just like my space. One quirky sidenote about Cam: He won't lay the way I do with his head on the end of the bed because he feels like he's laying downhill. One night I got out his 4 foot level to prove that one wrong.

3. I say "ghetto" a LOT. Everything is ghetto to me. When I call my brother's cell phone, the song "in the ghetto" sung by Cartman plays. I guess I really need to change that habit. My kids are going to pick up on it very soon. Greta already uses the phrase "freaking out" because of me.

That's it. Judge me if you must.

You know you're a Mormon when...

2008-09-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

You know you're a Mormon when you post a casserole recipe with "cream of mushroom" and "cream of chicken" soup. Luckily, this one doesn't have sour cream like most cassserole recipes out of LDS cookbooks and LDS friends. (I DONT EAT SOUR CREAM)

Ok, I actually got this recipe from a friend of mine back in Hawaii, Emily Hickmann. I have modified it a bit over the years, it's always been a favorite of ours. It is so comforting and satisfying. (quick sidenote from my random brain: I had no idea "satisfying" was spelled like this, it looks totally wrong, but I just spellchecked and it's right! I guess if you stare at a word long enough, they all start to look funny). Anyhoo... I was actually thinking of doing this in the crockpot one day, I think it would work really well. It needs to cook for a long time so the corn tortillas soak in the goodness. Here it is-- it has no name because I can't think of one that fits. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.

2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed (use canned or rotisserie works too)
1 12ish pack corn tortillas, broken up into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 onion GRATED (i use the salad shooter, best invention known to man)
salt and pepper
grated sharp cheddar cheese, or mexican blend, but cheddar is better in this one, in my opinion.
1 can black beans, drained

In large bowl, combine chicken, soups, milk, onion and black beans. Spray a 9x13 pan and add a little of the sauce mixture to the bottom. Then add 1/2 the broken tortillas. Layer with 1/2 sauce, then 1/2 the cheese. Then add another layer of tortillas, sauce and cheese. Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. mmmmmmmm!!!

First day of Preschool!

2008-09-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

Greta has finally left the nest. Well, at least for 2 days a week for 2 1/2 hours. I dropped her off this morning at 9. She didn't express to me that she was nervous or unhappy, but she was very quiet and timid. I have to say she was very brave, though. She stood in her class line with a very serious look on her face. When I picked her up, she was exhausted! She barely spoke a word.(very unlike my child) I think she had fun though. She was singing a song tonight about a worm and an apple. I think the theme this month is apples. I'm excited for Greta to start this part of her life. School is so much fun! I know she will do very well in school. Her teacher is a dear, too.

Happy Birthday to You!

2008-09-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

We finally had Greta's 3rd birthday party! It was really fun. It was a crazy hat theme. Greta loves to wear fun hats. Everyone had a crazy hat, some were very inventive. My niece, Kalin, did face painting for all the kids! Her Grandparents made homemade rootbeer, we had hotdogs and alphabet tater tots so everyone could spell their names. I was going to make a cake in the shape of a hat, which turns out really cute, but I was super busy last week, so we went to Costco. They have yummy cakes! There were lots of kids at her party, so we played a "find a hat" game, and they played on the swingset and the bounce house. Overall, I think Greta had a wonderful time. Her face just lit up when we sang Happy Birthday to her. I think I love 3 year olds. Austin's favorite part of the party was getting the punching baloons from the loot bags. He LOVES those things. One kid came up to me and punched the baloon right into me and I spilt my rootbeer all over the place. Now I have to start thinking about Austin's birthday in April.

Ode to a wonderful man

2008-09-08T21:56:00.001-07:00

I have a great husband! I probably don't say it as much as I should, but I do appreciate him everyday. Here are a few of my favorite qualities:

1. He's patient. I am not-- at all. He is patient with my impatience. I love that, and I need that. He's patient with my daughter who has my patience level. She needs that too.

2. He works hard. He never thinks twice about what he needs to do. If it's important, he gets it done. He just built a huge deck in our backyard and still managed to spend quality time with his family.

3. He's smart. I really don't think he realizes how darned smart he is. He excels at anything he tries. He's a computer genius, a business genius, and did I mention that he built a beautiful deck in our backyard? He didn't even make plans, he just figured it all out in his head and did it. He needs an IQ test. I'm guessing 140-155 for sure.

4. He can cook! He can even flip stuff in a frying pan without a spatula just by shaking it in that fancy way... I am a bit jealous, I admit. He makes GREAT omelets, okonomiyaki, fried rice. Anything he cooks turns out good.

5. He is a super dad. My children adore him. He adores them. I am pretty sure Greta will never become a stripper because she has such a strong father figure in her life. Austin will always have a good example of a man to follow. Fathers are so important. I think he realizes that and he makes every effort to make every moment count. He's going to be a cool dad. Our kids' friends will love him.

When I first met Cameron, I liked the fact that he seemed to be a hard worker and that he was such a good people person. I really had no idea what an excellent man I was marrying. I'm sure the future will only show me more of his wonderful qualities. Although he has already far surpassed my expectations. Thanks for being such a rock in our lives, Cameron. We love you!

Recipe.... the quickest, easiest dinner you will ever make!

2008-09-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Alright. I want all of you sceptics out there to read no further! For those with an open mind, let me let you in on a little dinner secret...

Pasta Bake

1 box penne pasta (I use Barilla Plus, it tastes GREAT)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pack (2 cups) of Mozzerella or Italian blend cheese
Parm. Cheese if you want

Pour the box of dry pasta in a baking dish. I use a big round baking pot that has a lid. Pour the sauce over this. Fill up the empty sauce jar with water about 4/5 full and dump that into the dish. Stir. Put this in a 350 oven for 45 minutes or until pasta has soaked up most of the water. Take it out, stir in the pack of cheese, putting a layer on the top of it too. Put it back in the oven, uncovered for another 10 minutes.

I make this on days that I teach piano a lot cuz it takes me literally 60 seconds to make. I have made this for company and they love it. You can add meat, or veggies to it to make it a little fancier if you want, but we like it plain with garlic bread and cooked veggies or a salad.

YouTube Rocks

2008-09-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

I thought this was very entertaining!! The guy that's speaking has a great accent too. Two lines I loved the most: "Rich Mormons with great hair," and "Believe me, the last thing we want is another wife"

Miscellaneous Madness

2008-09-01T17:11:00.001-07:00

This is my life in a nutshell for the past
week or so.

Greta had a birthday!! She turned 3 years old yesterday. She woke up saying, "I'm a big kid now!" Cameron was listing off a bunch of new things she gets to do as a 3 year old, and she got really excited and said, "I get to cook all by myself now!" I quickly shot that one down. For her birthday breakfast, she had dinosaur shaped almond butter toast with sprinkles on it and melon. She thought that was pretty special. She got a birthday present from her grandparents... a new tricycle! It's a really neat one. She loves to pedal it all around the cul-de-sac. At first, she couldn't steer very well and we really had to watch out for Austin. He almost got nailed a few times.

This is Greta today. I put her down for a nap and went outside with the monitor. I heard her talking for a while, then I thought she went to sleep. We came inside to see her sleeping in the hallway. She sometimes likes to open her door and wait there until someone finds her. I guess she got bored of that.

Ahh, my son. We do love him. The toilet paper holder has been broken for many months in the kids' bathroom. Cameron FINALLY fixed it! I was really happy when it was done, and I hung a roll on there right away. Not five minutes later, Austin walked into the back with the ENTIRE roll of toilet paper with him. We have a VERY long hallway. So, needless to say, I still don't use the toilet paper holder.

We had a surprise birthday party for Cameron's Dad on Saturday. Lydia, Cameron's sister, was in charge of inviting a few friends to come and I would be in charge of the food. Well, the list got longer and longer until we had nearly 40 people planning on coming. It turned out to be a big deal. We spent the whole day on Saturday preparing food for this thing. I made a pretty fun fruit platter though, and it only took 30 minutes or so. We had a good time, and now we have Greta's party to look forward to on Saturday. Sheesh. I'm getting tired of parties. September and April are big birthday months for my family.

Papa is building storage buildings next door. Greta got to help out and climb the ladder and go into the little attic and onto the roof! Then she and Papa found some yummy blackberries in the yard to eat.

I made yet another apple pie. I just can't see all those apples on my tree go to waste. Anyhoo, I know last time I said I used a Pilsbury crust because I don't like to make crust... WELL let me tell you!! I just found a great recipe that is very easy to do. So I thought I'd give it a try. You mix all the ingredients in the food processor. It was super easy. It tasted buttery and flaky, just as a pie crust should. It's on joyofbaking.com. For some reason the apple pie recipe on there won't open, so I just clicked on the blueberry pie and used that crust recipe. My family really enjoyed it.

My apple tree thinks it's Fall

2008-08-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

My apples are falling off the tree already. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE fresh apples off the tree. These apples are awesome to bake with. The problem: I don't crave apple pie and apple crisp in AUGUST. I'm still thinking about watermelon and blackberries. Well, I gave in today. I had to. I feel reallly guilty allowing all of those apples to fall on the ground and go bad.

We have the coolest apple peeler/corer/slicer thingy. I can make an apple pie in less than 7 minutes. (ok, I buy the Pilsbury crust. I HATE making pie crust)

After the pie was done, we shared it with my family. It was gone in 2 minutes. I should have made two. Blogging about this pie is making me hungry for another piece.

Anyway, I am posting my apple pie recipe. I get TONS of compliments on it, and it's so easy.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice enough apples to fill the pie. This depends on the size of apples you have. Just eye it. I heap my apples up pretty high because they cook down a lot. If you are using store bought apples, use Golden Delicous. It's the best type for this pie. I use my slicer thing, then slice them in half, so they are in little half moon shapes. Put them in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of sugar, 4 Tbsp. flour, 1 tsp. cinnamon, dash salt and I always add a dash of Pumpkin Pie spice for good measure. I don't know if it really makes a difference, but I seem to put that in everything. Stir this all up so all of the apples are coated. Put it in a Pilsbury pie crust. Add 2 Tbsp. or so of butter and dot the top of the apples with it. Add the top pie crust and cut slits in the top. Sometimes I use a tiny heart shaped cookie cutter to make the vent holes, then put the dough that I cut out next to the hole. It's pretty cute. Bake the pie for 45 minutes or so. My family likes the crust pretty dark. You might want to check it at 40 minutes if you like it lighter. Make sure you put a pan under the pie when you bake because it bubbles over.

I-could-die-right-now-and-be-happy-carmel-corn

2008-08-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Cameron had his Teachers over to watch a movie tonight and I made this carmel corn. SUPER EASY-- that's all I have time for anymore. It's all done in the microwave.

3 bags of microwave popcorn, popped, put into a HUGE bowl

2 cubes of butter

1/2 c. DARK Karo Syrup

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Pop the corn, put it in a gigantic bowl. Then melt the 2 sticks of butter in microwave. Add the Karo and sugar, stir to mix then put it back into the microwave for 6 minutes. It's important to put this stuff in a big bowl because it bubbles up a lot when it's cooking. When it's done, add the vanilla, mix. Pour it over the popcorn while stirring. stir until it's well mixed. Moan and Groan while eating it, don't think about all the fat and sugar you just ate. It's popcorn-- it's ruffage. :)

I took a picture, but it didn't turn out very well. Cam said I had the sunshade on my camera, so it is not clear and has a big shadow on it. Photography is not my forte.

Camping and future professions

2008-08-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

Cameron and I don't camp. It's not that fun to go outside and get dirty and cold and uncomfortable on purpose. That being said, we don't want Greta to miss out on camping experiences. Cam got out the tent and we borrowed a fire pit thing from my parents next door. They roasted marshmallows, made a comfy bed inside the tent, and proceeded to camp in the backyard.... It lasted until 10:30 when Greta had had enough and wanted her own bed. That's my girl! I'm afraid Austin would live outside if he could. Only time will tell. Let's hope he has good Scout leaders and friends who will take him camping.

On another note, Greta loves to play doctor. She will give any willing person a checkup, including all of her dolls. In this picture, we were having a family BBQ when Greta got out her Doctor's kit. She gave everyone a checkup and picked huckleberries and gave them "medicine". I think one day she could be a doctor. She is smart enough. Let's just see if her handwriting is bad enough.

Austin is going to be a pool guy. He likes to pretend to clean out our hottub with the scooper net thing. He would make a cute pool guy :) I'll have to make sure that never happens!

Go Mariners!!

2008-08-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Greta and I took my mom and my Aunt Babs to a Mariners game yesterday. I was really surprised, Greta was actually very interested in how the game works. It was a really fun experience. I bought her some Shishkaberries to eat. I only got one strawberry for myself.

Boys will be boys, girls will be girls

2008-07-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Austin finds dirt no matter where we are. Tonight he was having a blast over at Papa's house playing in the dirt and gravel. It was ALL over him. His hair, his face, his shoulders, legs and of course his new shoes. *sigh* It can't be stopped. We thought to turn on the sprinklers to let him run through at hopefully wash some of it off before he came into the house. This picture is taken AFTER the sprinklers has washed his face pretty good but you can still see some dirt around his face.

Greta, on the other hand, finds every opportunity to play with her babies. We were just about to turn on the Scooba to wash our kitchen floor, so we moved all of the chairs into the living room. Not two minutes had passed, when every chair was filled with a doll of some sort. One even had a blankie on her. I think they were all going to school. Many days I will wander the house and find babies in strange places "sleeping" with a blankie on them. She's cute. Baby was one of her first words.

One other note: The other day I was knocking on my teenage nieces door trying to wake her up in the morning. I knocked so hard and so long that it felt like I broke my knuckle. It swelled up and turned purple. This was a few weeks ago. I STILL can't knock on that knuckle. I told my family about it just last night and they pointed out that I knock different then they did. NONE of them knocked the same way as I do. I don't know where I learned it, but I thought my hand position was the same as everyone else in the world. I guess I never thought to check. I guess I'll have to practice. Here's a pic of how I knock.

Tragedy and life lessons

2008-07-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we got a call saying that some dear friends of ours were in a car accident. The Father, Craig and his daughter Ali were killed. Ali and I went to school together and sang in the choir together. Cameron grew up with the Walther family in our ward. They are the sweetest family. I know they are in a good place now and we will see them again someday. Luckily Ali's 3 children were not hurt and Craig's wife, Kathy was also not severely injured. As I have been pondering this tragedy over the last few days I have realized a few things: First, never take life for granted. My children now seem a little sweeter, my marriage a little more precious when I look at them from this new perspective. I will focus less on the negative and savor each and every day I have with my loved ones. Second, I learned to not feel so invincible. Ali wasn't wearing her seat belt. She was thrown from the vehicle. Craig was very tired from driving all night and feel asleep at the wheel. I do careless things everyday, not thinking that anything to happen to me. It always happens to someone else. So, from this tragedy I can take from it a new perspective on life and greater respect for the fragile state we don't realize we are living in every day.
You can read the press release here.

Selling the Jetskis sigh

2008-07-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

We just don't use our jetskis anymore since we have two little ones... they have to stay on the shore, and we need at least 3-4 adults to go everytime we want to head to the lake. We decided to sell them and just buy new ones when the kids are older. We miss them already. Here is our post: http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/763274742.html

Random Quotes

2008-07-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

I have lots of quote books. I love quotes. They're fun to read and sometimes contain a lot of wisdom. Here are a few that I like :

"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on". Henry Ellis

"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out." Anton Chekhov

"The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing." Marcus Aurelius

"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." Richard Bach

"I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is." Albert Camus

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Mohandas Gandhi

Trophy wife

2008-07-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

I was reading our friends, Mark and Patria's blog, and I LOVED her point she made. I thought I'd share it here too. Thanks for the insight Patria! :)

..."if a picture says a thousand words, then is there really any doubt who our First Family should be? "

Recipe I just tried!!

2008-07-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

I was watching TV one day about this family, the Duggars, who have 17 children. It's an interesting show. Anyway, they made this dessert that looked pretty good, but kind of wierd. We had a BBQ for the 4th and I thought I'd try it out then. EVERYONE loved it, and it took me less than 5 minutes to make! The leftovers were good day after day. (one pan feeds a LOT of people because it's so rich) Here's how it goes:

24 cheap ice cream sandwiches ( i say cheap cuz they are smaller)
8 oz. tub of cool whip (i actually would have liked to use 10-12 oz. you make the call)
2 king sized butterfinger bars, smashed
chocolate syrup
carmel syrup

in 9x13 pan, layer 12 ice cream sandwiches. Squish them in, they should mostly fit, maybe 1/2 leftover. then layer 1/2 cool whip, 1/2 butterfingers. drizzle on syrups. then repeat with more sandwiches, cool whip, butterfingers, syrups. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight it best. Cut and serve in little squares.

I hope you guys try this. YUM-O!

Strange people with strange kids...

2008-07-10T20:23:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows us knows that we are not ordinary people. In fact, we're a little wierd. Greta is starting to follow in our footsteps. Quite often we will put Greta to bed and she will come out of her room a few times before actually going to sleep. We've tried EVERYTHING to make this stop. She is sooo stubborn. It really gets on my nerves. Well, the other night, we put her to bed and 20 minutes later or so I hear her door open. She didn't say anything, just stood in her doorway. I stormed to her room, ready to put her back in bed when I noticed her pillow case on her head. (she has a travel sized pillow with a zipper pillow case) I couldn't help but laugh. I led her into the living room to show Cameron. I just couldn't be mad. Instead, I grabbed the camera.

THEN.... I put her into bed for a nap the other day. I think she is starting to grow out of naps so every day is a struggle. She takes a nap about half the time now. Well, it was a nice hot Saturday and I wasn't holding out much hope for her to take a nap. She just plays and talks in her bed for hours. This day she was wearing a new dress. Apparently, I forgot to take the size sticker off. She came out of her room saying, "mommy, look at my new glasses!" This is what she showed me. *sigh* No nap today.

Just to prove how weird we are, my brother made a picture of me when I was MUCH younger. He called it "monkeygirl". Yes. This is what my family does in our spare time. Sad, but true. ( I can't believe I'm actually sharing this)

Summer Potluck Recipe

2008-07-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

These are my Mom's beans. It makes a huge crockpot full. Perfect for a summer BBQ with lots of friends and family. I love these and are very easy.

Baked Beans

1 lb. Hamburger, cooked
12 oz. Bacon
1-cup onion, chopped
Two 31 oz. Can pork and beans
One 16 oz. Can kidney beans (drained)
One 16 oz. Can butter beans (drained)
1-cup ketchup
1 Tbs. Liquid smoke
¼ cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. White vinegar

Cut bacon with scissors and fry
Drain fat and place in crock-pot
Add hamburger and the rest of the ingredients

Cook for 8 hours on low

One other note on the "Creamy Lemon Pie" recipe. I made it for our 4th BBQ party today. I made one with lemonade and one with limeade. I'm thinking the limeade one will be good!

One year pictures, Farmer's Market, Swimming

2008-06-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

Austin turned one April 19th. It took me a while, but I finally got his 1 year old pictures done. They turned out pretty cute. He was cooperative for about 5 minutes, then it turned ugly so the photographer just gave up. She said she had some cute shots already. I'm so glad that the first year is over!! I love how much babies change and grow the first year, but I look forward to their independence when they're toddlers. He's now finally walking all the time. He crawled a LOT longer than Greta ever did.

On another note, we went to the Farmers market in downtown Puyallup a couple of weeks ago. It is every Saturday in the Spring and Summer. They sell fresh produce, flowers, crafts, furniture, and FOOD! There's live music and lots of fun things for kids to do. All of us enjoyed it.

One other thing to talk about. It's flippin' hot this week! We are NOT enjoying it one bit. We were driving in the car yesterday and it was registering at 103. Cameron is trying really hard to get the deck finished before his Grandparents come into town on Tuesday, but the heat is working against him. The deck is in the direct sun for most of the day. I didn't want him to get heat stroke so we went shopping yesterday afternoon instead :) I did fill up the little pool for Greta, Austin, and Simba. They were having so much fun I thought I'd take a few pictures. Well, the fun lasted for 5 minutes. I was sitting there talking to Lydia when I noticed most of the water was gone. I thought "how could they splash THAT much??" Then I looked at Austin... he had the plug in his hand. I put it back in to save the last couple of inches of water, but he just pulled the plug again!

Recipe

2008-06-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

My "second family", the MacDonald's, lived down the street from me when I was growing up. Mrs. MacDonald was such a great cook, I would practically invite myself over for dinner.... a lot.... she used to make this hamburger soup. I could smell it cooking from down the street.

Hamburger Soup

1 lb. hamburger
2 cups potatoes

2 cups carrots
2 cups celery

2 cups tomatoes
2 onions, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ qt. water

1 ¼ cup barley
1 ½ tsp. salt

dash all spice
dash pepper

2 tsp beef bullion

In a large pan, cook the hamburger until there is no pink left. Drain off any excess grease. Add the onions and garlic and cook until just slightly translucent. Add the water, potatoes, carrots and spices (bay leaf, salt, pepper, all spice and beef bullion) Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the celery, tomatoes and barley. Simmer at least another 15 minutes until the carrots and onions are tender.

Don’t eat the bay leaves (pull them out before serving)

Zoo, etc.

2008-06-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

zoo
We had a good time at the zoo yesterday with Uncle Nate. Greta got to feed the goat for the first time. Every other time she tells me she wants to then wimps out at the end so I end up feeding the goats which really isn't that thrilling to me. The goat noticed that Austin had some treats in his stroller cup holder and dove into that. I threw away all the treats, wiped it out with a diaper wipe, then rubbed it with hand sanitizer. The elephants and whales seem to be the favorite animals with both kids. I love having a zoo so close that we can just go for a couple of hours every week or so. This time I actually remembered to take the camera. etc.
Today I asked Greta what she wanted to do. She said she wanted to make cookies with me. Oh, Joy. I actually love to cook, but baking with a two year old and a one year old at your feet is not really very enjoyable. It took a LONG time. I took a picture of her mashing the carrots. She did most of that herself. She also likes to turn on the mixer for me.
We had a couple of weeks of really horrible weather. It was torture. The news was calling it June-u-ary. FINALLY Thursday was sunny and nice. Today we played outside for a long time. The kids love to play in the back yard. Austin is just learning to walk, and I think the grass doesn't feel very good on his knees so he tends to walk more often when he's in the grass. I turned on the bounce house for the kids, and Austin went on the swing. (Greta is afraid of the swing) It was a nice evening.

Finally, I found this really cool song online. It's all about the current Apostles. Greta LOVES to watch it. She can name a few of them already. I thought it was fun.

Good recipe for a hot day

2008-06-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

I LOVE THIS PIE. Quick, easy, full of flavor, refreshing... Here it is:

Creamy Lemon Pie

1 ¾ cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4 serving size) Jell-O Vanilla instant pudding
6 oz. lemonade concentrate thawed.
1 8 oz. Tub cool whip
1 prepared graham cracker crust

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with whisk for 30 seconds. Add lemonade concentrate. Beat with wire whisk 30 seconds. (mixture will be thick) Immediately stir in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours until set. Garnish with lemon slices if desired. Store leftover pie in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.

How to eat a Southwest salad from McDonald's

2008-06-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

I encourage anyone who reads this to print these specific instructions and run to your nearest McDonald's. You will not regret it. When prepared my way, and only my way, this salad far surpasses any other salad I've had even at the most expensive restaurant. It takes a few minutes and some effort, but WELL WORTH IT!

1. Order a Southwest salad. Now you can choose grilled or crispy chicken. My favorite is grilled, but both taste great. If you are brave enough, ask for extra "veggie mix" for your salad. This is the corn and black bean stuff. In my opinion, it requires a couple of tablespoons more than they usually put on the salad.
2. Cut your salad. Using your fork and knife, cut the chicken and large pieces of lettuce into smaller more bite-sized pieces.
3. Squeeze your lime over the entire salad.
4. Open Newman's Own Southwest salad dressing, evenly distribute HALF of dressing over the top of the salad.
5. Close the lid on top of salad and SHAKE. Shaking forward and back instead of up and down works the best.
6. Evenly distribute the other half of the dressing.
7. Close lid, shake again.
8. EAT!!

I see people in the restaurant not eating it this way, and I really want to stop and teach them. You won't believe the difference. I am expecting comments on this blog about your experiences after you try it this way. In my opinion, it's best followed up with a "cinnamon melt" for dessert. A flavor explosion meal.

Another Recipe

2008-06-05T21:04:00.001-07:00

I love this recipe. It's yummy. My kids love it. It doesn't "taste" healthy. I hope you guys try this one.

Vegetarian Pasta Shells

Filling - mix together:
1 package soft tofu (15 oz), mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1 package fresh baby spinach (5 or 6 oz)
1/3 cup grated parmesan
Garlic powder to taste
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar

Heat 1 large jar (25 oz) of red sauce until boiling, simmer for 10 min

Cook 1 package large shell pasta, rinse and drain.

Fill pasta with mix, place in caserole dish (or two). Pour sauce over the
top and sprinkle with additional grated parmesan.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

This is a double batch, so it makes a lot. I almost always make it double
because otherwise I have a half package of tofu I won't use. It freezes
well and makes great leftovers.

VACATION!!

2008-05-31T21:16:00.000-07:00

Wow. We just got back from a weeks vacation in San Diego. What fun! A friend of mine always told me that it's never really a "vacation" when you have children, just a change of scenery--- I have to agree. Although we had lots of fun, we found ourselves totally exausted by the end of the day trying to keep up with the kids. We stayed at the Welk Resort in Escondido. Very nice. It's good to have a lot of room and a full kitchen when you are there for a week with the kids. The pool there was really nice. Unfortunately, Greta was still too little for the water slide-- so I went on it myself. I just couldn't help myself. I went up the long staircase, stood in line, and looked around and I was surrounded by 7 year olds. Kind of embarassing. One kid behind me asked if he could have "cuts". I said no. Then he asked the little girl in front of me. She just rolled her eyes and said no. It was pretty funny. We were able to catch up with a few friends while in San Diego too. We were SOOOO excited to see the Ford's and the Dyer's. They are such great people and they have such cute children! They took us to this awesome little mexican restaurant in oldtown Temecula called Rosa's Cantina. Great food. I always appreciate good mexican food. Well, I think I'll just post a few pictures from this trip and call it a day. We left a messy house behind on our trip, and I still haven't caught up. ARGH. Cleaning is 100 times slower with these kids. I once saw a cute sign I wanted to buy to put on my wall. It said, "Cleaning the house while children are growing is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing." Cute. SO TRUE.

Recipe for the week!

2008-05-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd try something new on our blog. I'm going to post a recipe that I love every week. We all know how much I love to cook. I just thought I'd share with anyone who might be interested. I thought I would start out with one of my staples. Whenever I need to make cookies for someone, I make these. Everyone loves them! I have to make them only for the purpose of giving away, however, or I will eat the entire batch! (I'm really not kidding) Here it is:

CARROT COOKIES
1 cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
1 cup mashed carrots
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour

GOLDENGLOW GLAZE
juice ½ orange
grated peel 1 orange
1 Tbls. butter
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350˚.

In a bowl combine the shortening and sugar, cream until smooth and fluffy. Add the mashed cooked carrots, egg and vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt until there are no clumps.

Carefully add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Do not over mix. The batter should be soft and sticky.

Drop batter by the spoonful onto a grease baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until the bottoms are just about to brown.

Time to get ready to see Shamu!!

2008-04-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

This is Cameron so the blog is going to be short and sweet. We have scheduled a trip on May 23rd thru 30th to Southern California. We are going to go to the zoo and Sea World. We are excited to take the kids there. I hope to see the Ford's, Dyer's and anyone else in that area. Let us know if you are down there so we can set a aside some time to visit.

We want to go to Disneyland!

2008-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Greta tried on Cameron's old Mickey Ears the other day. Now she says she wants to go to Disneyland. Personally, I have never been and would love to go... it's just a matter of convincing Cameron. Maybe the cute picture will work :)

Snow day!

2008-01-30T10:54:00.001-08:00

Greta and Papa played in the snow. He taught her how to make a snowman and how to throw snowballs. Austin wanted to play too, but I didn't let him. What a mean mom! He just watched out the door. The next day, the snowman melted and Greta freaked out. She screamed, "Call Papa! He'll fix it!"

2008-01-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Go HAWKS!

2008-01-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

Big game today... we're a bit nervous. We're all wearing our Seahawks gear. Here's a pic of the cute kids.

Ghetto haircut, snow, etc.

2008-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Cameron and I thought Austin's hair was getting a bit long. I have some clippers here at home, so we tried to cut his hair ourselves. Actually, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, until the end.... I decided to use scissors around his ears to get it real precise. I think the scissors must have pulled his hair or something, but he squirmed and screamed really bad. Here is a picture of his haircut. I asked Cam if his store had any infant hats to cover up his hair until it grew back, but alas, they don't. I'm a bit embarassed.

On another note, we went on a family vacation at the beginning of the month to a little Barvarian town called Leavenworth. Greta was able to play in the snow to her hearts content. Personally, I'm not a snow lover, but it was a fun trip anyway. It was nice to just spend time as a family without any other distractions. The resort we stayed at was really made for summer vacationing. The pool and hot tub were outdoors, and we could barely see the parking lot because it was full of snow. There were very few guests there, and the restaurant was closed. The nearest store was 40 minutes away. :)

Well, the kids are growing fast. Austin is crawling now and pulling himself up on furniture. I'm sure he'll walk around his birthday in April. Greta is so sweet and has quite an imagination. I can't believe the sign up for preschool is only a month away! We're potty training, and working on the alphabet. She loves the website www.starfall.com. Hope all 2 of you that read this had a great Christmas and New Year. Come visit us sometime... or better yet, move nearby! :)

'Tis the Season to be busy...

2007-12-19T20:54:00.000-08:00

We have been so busy the past couple of months, I can barely see straight. Cameron goes to work about 6 in the morning and doesn't return until after the kids go to bed. Luckily, we can breathe a sigh of relief when Christmas is over... and when we get that beautiful Christmas bonus! I have a piano recital tomorrow for which I created a powerpoint presentation. Yeah. I don't know what I was thinking adding MORE things to do. Christmas morning will be fun, though. I asked Greta what she wants for Christmas, and she told me a puppy. I got her a puppy purse. I hope she didn't want a REAL puppy! That's not happening. Well, to all of you out there that read this lovely blog, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Here are some pictures. First, Greta helping us make rolls for Thanksgiving. She LOVES to cook! Next, Greta making a bed out of the tree skirt when we were trying to decorate her tree. Finally. It snowed at our house! Greta loved it, even if it was only for a few minutes before it stopped.

Garner Family Life

Abstract

Open windows!

Welcome to the weirdo's blog!

Free play!

Our own potential

Disney here we come!

Arrrr!

Apples!

Fair time!

It's been a year!

Story time

Summer vacation part 1

Mama's boy

Chicken Bake {yum}

Dirty Laundry

What's your mix?

Saltwater State Park

Words

Wake up! Blueberry Muffins

Summertime food!

Totally Krazy

{wimpy}

Summertime is here!

Field Trip Friday!

Another Park!

Sad Movies and Camping

I Joined....

Happy Birthday, little man

Reading!

Primary Talk

Come on, Spring... Where are you???

Taco Pizza

Field Trip Friday!

Tiny Dancer

Beef pie with herbed crust

Two songs

Ode to my Dad

Can't Decide

I {heart} my daughter

Scaredy Boy!

MIA Gum, Clean house, Tuffets

Sucker!

Totally random

CUTE!!!

The "Donut Factory"

Disneyland here we come!! Well, the kids are staying home, but whatever!

Garner Elves!

Bubbles! Temple!

Cutie

Christmas time is here!

Blog block

I was sooooo HUNGRY!!

I wish!!

Yummy for your tummy!

Through the eyes of a child

New play area!

Rainy Day

Hope Won

Always check your children's homework!!

Lessons...

Pumpkin Patch!!

Fruity brain

My quirks

You know you're a Mormon when...

First day of Preschool!

Happy Birthday to You!

Ode to a wonderful man

Recipe.... the quickest, easiest dinner you will ever make!

YouTube Rocks

Miscellaneous Madness

My apple tree thinks it's Fall

I-could-die-right-now-and-be-happy-carmel-corn

Camping and future professions

Go Mariners!!

Boys will be boys, girls will be girls

Tragedy and life lessons

Selling the Jetskis *sigh*

Random Quotes

Trophy wife

Selling the Jetskis sigh