Feed. Pray. Drive...My life in a nutshell.

Look What I Made!

2012-02-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

I feel like one of my kids, showing my art project to someone! But I love this wreath that I made last week! It was super easy to make and made me feel all Valentinesy! You can find the tutorial here at mine for the making. It was so fun, I just might make another for someone else....

Beautiful Creatures

2012-01-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

I love the books, but of course I am referring to our three girls. Yes they made me throw up for about 23 months total. I lost countless hours of sleep. Don't even get me started on the number of diapers I have changed. But these little girlies (not so little anymore) sure fill our home with lots of love, laughter, and joy (also tantrums, crying, millions of lost ponytail holders, and countless pink items; but I digress). Anyway, here is a little visual catch up on the female side of the Pyper clan..

Ellie and Bekah

Bekah

Ellie

Rachel in her show choir costume.

What's for Dinner?

2012-01-31T17:58:00.000-08:00

So since this is supposed to by my version of a journal, I thought it would be a good idea to keep track of some of my daily stuff. Like cooking. Which we all have to do several times a day. I love a good roast chicken. So here is a naked chicken! I am probably breaking some kind of chicken nudity laws, so let's dress it up a little!

Rub it all over with olive oil, kosher salt, and ground black pepper, and 400 F and about 1 and 1/2 hours later...

Voila! Yummy roast chicken! Now what to serve with it? Thank goodness for Pinterest! I found this great recipe to try on there the other day--parmesan roasted potatoes.

Gather your ingredients, yukon gold potatoes, paprika, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

Cube the yukon potatoes and then toss with the

olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper, and cheese.

This is what you end up with...yummmmmmm.

Of course, every good meal needs some greens--this is one of my favorite and easiest salads

Gather up some mixed greens, with spinach preferably, feta, dried cranberries and pecan pieces.

Yummy greens, now add the toppings: pecans, cranberries and feta. Which for some reason I didn't take a picture of. Just pretend there are some crumbly bits of white cheese on there.

And now the secret weapon:

This dressing is FABULOUS! Girard's champagne vinaigrette-- and the best part is, you can get it right here in Enid, OK in our little ol' Walmart! It really enhances the tart of the cranberries and the sweetness of the pecans....Go get some! And enjoy! And have some tomorrow for lunch! Now, what is for dinner tomorrow?

Chinese New Year Singing Time

2012-01-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

from photobucket-robinkingcullen

I decided to put my singing time ideas on here. Or the ideas I got from looking at everyone else's fabulous blogs! :) Tomorrow we are going to have a Chinese New Year singing time. I got this great idea from i heart primary music and added a few twists. She suggests we play rock, paper, scissors with a child and if the child wins, we let him pick a gold coin with a song on it. If we win, then we all review As a Child of God. Since I could not find any gold coins on a Saturday night, :( I thought I would make a few of these:

from marthastewartliving.com

Felt Fortune Cookies! I do have felt around from one of my many craft project remnants! I am going to put the names of different songs inside as fortunes. We will probably sing As a Child of God with some different "ways to sing" cards, just to mix it up. I also thought it would be cute to put these in a takeout box, so I picked one up at Hobby Lobby.

After primary is over, I am going to give the kids one of these:

I am putting a fun size starburst on there. Once in a while it is good to reinforce learning with food, right? :) If you want to make some for yourself you can download the file here> Also, you can download the fonts from here and just make your own! I used Shanghai and Chinese Zodiac. Have fun!

Kitchen Treats

2012-01-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

So we all know that I love to create. And cook. And often I create through cooking. I love to make things that bring happiness to other people. So when I saw this fabulous idea for hot chocolate on a stick, I knew I had to try it! So here is my first attempt at making this treat.

I just used ice cube trays for the chocolate mold-not super cute, but the only thing I had to use.

So maybe I don't have a bright future as a chocolatier, but I know where to find cute stuff to wrap treats in!

Glassine bags from garnish, one of my favorite new online stores! Even their receipts are cute!

And of course, I had to put the marshmallows in cute packaging as well! I used peppermint mini marshmallows, and vanilla caramel marshmallows.

clear candy tubes from garnish

I put everything in this super cute kraft box and tied it up with a bow! Who wouldn't be excited to get this in the mail? I hope it tasted all right. Although, I think some of my nieces and nephews just ate the chocolate right off the stick instead of making it into cocoa! :) Whatever works!

kraft boxes from garnish

I hope to send a few more treat packages out this year. Just for fun! So you know that I am thinking of you!

Booing

2011-10-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture for this one, but for one of our activity days, we made some boo bags. I thought this would be a fun service project. I was able to pick up some little halloween colored cloth bags for 4/1.00 at Michael's and also a big container of sticky foam halloween shapes. They decorated the bags, made a card, and then we filled them with candy and little halloween treats I picked up at Target, sticky hands, pencils, spider rings. We then left a goody bag for each house in our cul-de-sac. The girls were very giggly and had a great time going out on their stealth missions! They all took a bag home to boo someone in their neighborhood. It was a fun time!

Send in the Clowns...

2011-10-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

And I just happen to know some! Look how cute they are! Daddy and Ellie were the hit of

Bekah's circus birthday party last week.

We did lots of fun games--like the balloon relay! Bekah is trying so hard to pop her balloon! I think it took her a while!

Here is one of our clown assistants setting up the Can Knockdown. She had to do it like 5 million times! It was a very popular event!

I had to show off my powerpoint skills--I made cute signs for each activity. I am sure it took me way more time and effort than a lot of other people, but I am happy with the way they turned out!

The donut eating contest was another hit! It was very fun to watch the girls try to get their donuts into their mouths without hands.

The birthday girl with her birthday cake. Which you can't see because it was so windy that we went into the garage to light it and then it took so long to light that the litttle paper bunting I made caught on fire. Oh well. Thank goodness there was a clown around to put out the burning flag with a squirting flower!

A group photo with mustaches, big lips and clown noses!

Rachel did the face painting--thank goodness she can draw! I would probably do just smiley faces!

This is the prize table where the girls traded in their tickets for prizes like clown noses, chinese finger traps, pencils, candy, rings, etc.

Our treat table. Popcorn, cotton candy, caramel apples, cupcakes, and chips. And little packs of animal crackers. Most of the cheetos blew away because it was so WINDY! So did a lot of the cotton candy.

The girls got to guess how many pumpkins were in the jar.

Another favorite was the potato sack race! Here is Vaughn giving the girls instructions--they loved this game and did it several times each.

And once again, our clowns! Vaughn actually taught himself how to make several kinds of animal balloons! What a great hubby!

Of course, everything did not work out the way I planned it! It was so windy we didn't even put up balloons or streamers. I was doing party prep until the very last minute because I procrastinated some of it! And the cake caught on fire. And all the cheetos blew away. Did I mention it was WINDY! But overall, we had a good time and it was a great afternoon!

Activity Days

2011-09-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

So one of my new callings is the Activity Days leader! I am so excited to work with these great girls. For our first activity last week, we had an Unbirthday Party! I made this cute little bunting for the sheet cake I picked
up. Of course, the icing colors totally don't match, but I didn't have much to choose from. Just look at the bunting instead!

We also played the white elephant present game. I just picked up several things from the dollar store. And we also played hot potato. That one is always a hit! Why is it so nerve wracking to think that you will end up holding the object when the music stops? It was a fun way to start off the year and we also sang to Ellie, since her birthday was just two days away. We passed out calendars and a parent letter and then played duck,duck, goose until time to go. I think I sent everyone home on a sugar high! Hopefully, they crashed as soon as they got home and went to bed!

Things I Cannot Live Without

2011-09-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

...well, I could, but who wants to?

(in no particular order, except for the way they came into my mind)

1. A good mattress--let's face it, we spend a third of our lives there! It should be good!

2. Chocolate--in many different forms. Cheesecake is a good one. So is a Cadbury Fruit and Nut Bar.

3. Diet Coke--I was never a soda drinker. In fact, I once got in an argument with dad p over whether or not Pres. Hinckley meant to say that we don't use any caffeine in a tv interview. Of course, that was before I had babies 3 and 4, and found myself driving them around in a state of narcolepsy. Enter Diet Coke. Now, it is just an addiction. I admit it. I don't care.

4. My husband--Last night for my scripture study I read one of Pres. Monson's talks from general conference. He talked about how we should be fiercely loyal to our spouses. (Why isn't it spice? Mouse/ mice, spouse/spice. Just sayin!) I may not be the best wife ever, but I married the best guy ever and that makes up the difference. And we have a plaque in our room that says, "I chose my love; I love my choice." Still do. After 19 years.

5. Target--Do I really need to elaborate on this? I think it is because the whole store is eye candy for me. It is RED--my favorite color. They have so many cute things--even ordinary things can make you smile if they are cute! Like hand towels, or kitchen rugs, or shower curtains, which I use as tablecloths because we have a square table.

6. Silence--I don't know if I will ever have enough of this.

7. Clean sheets--Especially if they were dried in the sun. Mmmm. That doesn't happen very often out here. It is too windy, humid, dusty, etc.

8. The smell of something baking--currently, it is pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

9. Exercise--If I don't sweat a little, I am just grumpier. Everyone likes me better when I have gone to the gym that day.
10. My children, although I hope that one day they won't actually LIVE with us anymore!

11. Really scary and crazy murder mystery/thrillers--Reading about complete psychopaths makes me feel like not such a bad human being. Plus, I love the puzzles. And the twists. And the surprise ending. But mostly I love thinking, " well, at least I didn't kill anyone and then mail little pieces of them to their family today." Sometimes that is the only good thing I can think about myself.
12. My sister--My mom always said how much she wished she had a sister. I have one. My girls have two. Can you have too many? I love that I can call my sis in mid-rant and she instantly knows what is going on! Plus, I don't have to explain my crazy family to her. Or my kids. Or my military lifestyle. And she sends me cute packages. Always with chocolate.
13. A great hairdresser--I love it when you can walk in and say, "Just do something" and it turns out fabulous! Brandy is like that! Want her number?
14. DVR--Seriously. Who can stand to watch commercials? I love that I can watch 10 episodes of Frasier in a row. Or save my crazy murder shows for when my husband isn't home. He doesn't get as much enjoyment out of them. Probably because he doesn't need to compare himself to lunatics to feel better! :)
15. Air conditioning--I know our electric bill was over 400 for the months of July, August, and I am betting September. But we had to live without power/air conditioning for 24 hours. It is SO worth the money.
16. Pajamas--I have a fetish. Or an obsession. What is the difference? Psych class was a long time ago. Anyway, I own a ridiculous amount of pjs. Yet when I go to Target, I want to buy pjs. If I don't buy pjs, I buy yoga pants. Or sweats. Yep, I am that girl from What Not To Wear. The one who always looks frumpy. I just want to be comfortable. Or I am just tired.

I am sure I have many more items to add, but it is time to feed the monkeys and head out the door to see #13!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes in a Jar

2011-09-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to send college boy some homemade goodies and I came across this recipe online.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes in a Jar

First, you need some 8 oz. canning jars. These are the wide mouth ones, so they are short and squat. Grease with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Then make your peanut butter mixture. I thought this would be super complicated. It's not! It is just peanut butter and powdered sugar. Mix well.

Next, make your cupcake batter. I cheated and just used a devil's food mix. You can use your favorite recipe for chocolate cupcakes, if you want.

Fill each jar with 3-4 tablespoons of cake batter.

Then add a scoop of the peanut butter goodness. About a 2 inch ball. It should look like this.

Then add a few more tablespoons of batter on top of the peanut butter stuff.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the top springs back when you touch it.

And then...
I should have a picture of the finished product here, but I forgot to take one. When they come out of the oven, you could frost them, or pour melted Dove chocolate over them. I topped them with chocolate chips, thinking that they would melt and spread. Didn't happen. So next time, Dove chocolate it is! They were still pretty tasty! And I was able to just twist on the lids, wrap them in bubble wrap and mail in a flat rate box. That is important, since they were heavy and I didn't want to spend 40 dollars on shipping!

Here is the complete recipe:

12 8 oz canning jars with lids
Canola oil spray
8 oz. peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 recipe cupcake batter
8-10 oz dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the inside of the jars with oil. Mix peanut butter and sugar until smooth. Roll or scoop into 2 inch balls. Scoop 3-4 T batter into each jar, then the peanut butter ball, then top with 2-3 T. batter. Bake on cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes. Remove and put chocolate on top. Spread.

yummy treat

2011-09-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

We had some friends come for dinner and I made this awesome ice cream cake! The recipe was from southern living august.

Yum. It is 106 F right now. I could sure go for this.
Here is the recipe and the link for southern living.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

Parchment paper
Devil's Food Cake Batter ( I used a box cake mix)
1/2 gal. mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened
10 chocolate wafers, coarsely crushed
Chocolate Ganache
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, thin crème de menthe chocolate mints

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Prepare Devil's Food Cake Batter, and spoon into pans.
2. Bake at 350º for 12 to 14 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, peel off parchment paper, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
3. Place 1 cake layer in a 9-inch springform pan. Top with one-third of ice cream (about 2 1/3 cups); sprinkle with half of crushed wafers. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining cake layer and ice cream. Freeze 8 to 12 hours.
4. Remove cake from springform pan, and place on a cake stand or plate. Prepare Chocolate Ganache, and spread over top of ice-cream cake. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Southern Living
AUGUST 2011

my audition for design star!

2011-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at reupholstering furniture! Okay, not reupholstering, but I made slipcovers for my couch and chair and a half. I found a great ebook at pink and polka dot that was awesome!

Pay no attention to the bottom. I am waiting for more fabric to be delivered so I can do some kind of skirt for the bottom. Love that I can just throw them all in the wash!

What have I been up to?

2011-09-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

About 5'2"! Hee hee. Seriously, I can't believe how long it has been since I have blogged. Since this is supposed to be my journal, I feel doubly guilty. So. Here are some of my recent projects:

This is a cute flower arrangement we used for a prize at a RS meeting this summer. We had an ice cream social. I just used carnations tucked into florist foam and topped them with a red hard candy ball.

Here is another decor item for the same event--this one is my favorite kind---EDIBLE! It is made of whoppers, mini marshmallows, and the same round red candy.

Here is another view. Yum.

This one I am especially proud of. Why? Because instead of stalking other people's blogs and stealing, I mean borrowing their ideas, I came up with this one all on my own! Maybe there is a little creativity in my tired old brain, after all! I made a snack mix out of goldfish, white cheddar popcorn, teddy grahams, pretzels, raisins, m&ms, and honey roasted peanuts. Then I put it in this cute galvanized pail. Here is the cute factor--this was for a back to school party, so I used alphabet magnets to spell out "snack mix" on the side! Centerpiece, snack, and food label all in one!

spring treats

2011-03-16T12:34:00.001-07:00

So, since it is spring break, I thought it would be fun to make some spring treats with the girls. Here is my attempt at white chocolatedipped oreos. I tried to say T hearts V, but I don't have a very steady hand. They still turned out cute, though! And Vaughn ate them all. :) Here are some other variations we tried, pink with white pearls, white with pink pearls, chocolate with sprinkles.

Then we did rice krispy balls--and dipped them in chocolate and/or sprinkles. My favorite was the Ghirardelli chocolate melted with peanut butter. Mmmm.

Then we had to try this cute cute idea I saw on a party blog: bacon and eggs! Made with 2 pretzels, a dab of white chocolate, and a yellow m&m. I think I need to have some people over for brunch just so I can make these for favors!

Here is partner in crime #1, Bekahroo!

And partner in crime #2, Ellie!

If you need something sweet, just let us know! We will send you some!

Monday morning musings

2011-03-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

So, did you know that you can have tennis elbow even if you don't play tennis? Or that you can throw up several times a week for almost a month without being pregnant? Or that within one week your husband, son , and daughter can all injure themselves?

Actually, I do not play tennis, but I do have tendonitis. In my left elbow. I am right-handed. Apparently, all the work I do around the house has me doing the heavy lifting ( literally) with my left hand-washing dishes, moving laundry in and out of the dryer, lifting stuff. I think I use my right hand for the fine motor and my left for all the brute force work.

I am not pregnant. But I did throw up and feel nauseated for a long time. After 3 pregnancy tests (and seriously, vaughn had a little surgery right after Bekah was born!) and a couple visits to the doctor, we came up with sinusitis and severe seasonal allergies. Who knows? But I am feeling better and vomit-free for almost a week now!

On to the injuries: Andy dislocated his left elbow at soccer practice (again). After a week in a splint, the doctor pronounced him fit for normal activity and ready to play as soon as his special bionic elbow brace comes in. Vaughn hurt his back shoveling snow for about two days straight. He is much better, but he is no fun on muscle relaxants. Mostly because they knock him right out. Rachel rolled her ankle right before a soccer game, went on and played in the game, and then a couple of nights later in another game, was on a break, streaking down the field, when an opponent slide-tackled her right into the injured ankle.

May I just point out here that I did not go to nursing school? If I have to see another ice pack or administer one more dose of motrin I just might go on strike. Not really, but SERIOUSLY! These people are killing me, what with their needing to be fed and taken care of and their incessant breathing! Did I just say that out loud? Okay, enough ranting.

It's not like a tsunami just swept our whole lives away. (But really, could we all just be healthy for one day, at the same time?)

In other news, Andy has been accepted to BYU! And BYU-Idaho! But not BYU-Hawaii. He is surprised by that. I tried to tell him that BYU-Hawaii is for people who don't live on the mainland, but I think he is disappointed to not spend the next year surfing, I mean studying, in Laie.

Today is the first day of spring break. Check in with me later this week to see if I have lost the rest of my mind!

Sweet Sixteen Surprise!

2011-02-18T13:49:00.001-08:00

We Got Her! Rachel's birthday isn't for a couple of weeks, and since I knew she would be on the lookout for birthday surprises, we had her party on Wednesday night.
She thought she was just going to a regular youth activity--Iron Chef at the community center on base.

Here she is with some of her cute friends!And here are some of the yummy treats we had!

Chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting.

Chocolate dipped strawberry marshmallows.

Chocolate cake pops. Yum. And homemade oreos.
Here is Rachel's Sweet Shoppe.

Here are the cute water bottle labels I ordered from Chickabug.com
It was a fun time! I am glad Ellie is only nine! :)

What to do on a snow day

2011-02-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

I love comfort food. And hibernating. And cooking with my kids. (Okay, maybe not so much the last one, but it is getting better now that they don't throw the flour all over the kitchen.) So I love it when we have a snow day like we did last week. We made homemade chicken and noodles. Yum. Here is my noodle apprentice Bekah, rolling out those morsels of goodness.

Here are the noodles drying on the counter. Andy actually made half of them. Impressive, huh?

Tender noodles and broth.

The finished product--chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes with peas. Mmmm.

Here is the recipe for your next snow day:

Homemade Chicken and Noodles

Place one whole chicken in a large pot with an onion, some large carrots, and half a bunch of celery. Toss in a generous pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, and then turn heat to medium low. Simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Take all the chicken off the bones and set it aside. Discard veggies. Meanwhile make the noodles.

I make a large batch:

5 eggs

4 cups of flour

4 teaspoons kosher salt

4 Tablespoons milk

Mix well with fork, and then with hands until it forms a ball. Roll out about 1/4th of the dough at a time. Roll as thin as you can get it, frequently dusting with flour. Cut into several widths and stack them on top of each other. Start at one end and slice the noodles as thinly as possible. Repeat with remaining dough. Let dry on the counter while soup is cooking.

When broth is ready, bring to a boil and put all noodles in the pot. Bring to boil again and then turn heat down to medium. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Add chicken and chicken bouillion or chicken base, to taste. Also, salt and pepper if desired.

Make some mashed potatoes and then put the whole thing together. Put your pjs on before eating because you will go into a carbohydrate coma. This is fabulous with petite peas right in the bowl and with homemade rolls.

Question answered

2011-02-10T16:20:00.001-08:00

So I was wondering why my purse weighs so darn much...

Here's the answer! Yes I filled half a jar with change. I am going to the bank tomorrow to see how much was in there!

YUMMY!

2011-01-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

So lately, I have been avidly following my new favorite blog,http://www.bakerella.com/ . I saw these awesome cheesecake pops and just had to try them! First you start with a cheesecake. I baked mine, but I think it would be just as good with Sara Lee! Then after the cheesecake was refrigerate for a while, I used a small Pampered Chef scoop to make little balls. See! Here they are. I put them in the freezer for about an hour until they were nice and firm.

While those were chilling, I unwrapped some chocolate. The recipe called for almond bark, but I just couldn't do that to my yummy cheesecake. So Dove chocolate it was. I wasn't sure how well it would work.

Here are some naked Doves. I melted them in the microwave for about 90 seconds, stirring in between.

Then, I stuck a lollipop stick into a cheesecake ball and dipped it into the melted chocolate. Try not to "sample" too many. Really. I dare you.

I put them on waxed paper and put them back in the refrigerator for a few more minutes.

Here is the finished product! I was very happy they weren't a disaster, and my tummy was happy, too!

If you need a cheesecake recipe, this one is fabulous! I just didn't make a crust, since I was going to scoop it all into cheesecake balls.

Cheesecake (from http://www.bakerella.com/)

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

3 eggs

8 oz. sour cream

1 Tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream the sugar, cream cheese, and flour with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy.
On medium low, add eggs one at a time, mixing well with each addition.
Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Pour in 9x13 pan and bake for about 45 minutes.
Remove and cool.

Nativities

2010-12-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

I love nativity sets! They are such a great reminder of what the Christmas season is all about. I have been collecting them for a while (hint, hint!) I thought I would document some of them on here, since I may never actually do this in my scrapbook or journal! This is one we made at Enrichment in Kansas a couple of years ago. It is vinyl on a glass block. I usually put a candle behind it.

This one I bought several years ago at a craft fair in Washington. I love how simple and cute it is.

This one was sent to us last year, I think, by Kendall and Lainie. It is adorable! And doubly so, since Bekah took it upon herself to label each block with its name. If you look closely, you can see that the star block says "star" in her cute kindergarten handwriting!

This one I made forever ago when we were in pilot training. I actuall made three of them, one for us and one for each of the siblings whose name we had that year. Needless to say, by the time I go to stuffing and sewing ours, I was starting to hate Christmas! But the kids love to play with this one and it has been chewed on by all of them.

This one I bought here in Enid in 1995. I love how simple it is and the kids loved to play with this one, too.

More pix on the way!

Christmas-ness

2010-12-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

Here is my first attempt at a homemade wreath! It smells good, but it is a little homely. However, I love the way it looks with the door wrapped in candy cane paper!

You will notice a little guy in the corner of our doorway. Thi is Spike, our garden gargoyle. Ellie decided that once we took out the garden, he needed to watch over our front door. However, he scares a lot of people, me included, with his ferocious face, so we softened him up a little with a Santa hat!

On my birthday, I made my very own gingerbread house. I know, it isn't fancy, but I got to decide where to put every piece of candy! After 4 kids, that is no small feat! (They got to decorate their own. But Ellie still askd if she could help me with hers! I said no. Mean mommy.)

Here is a picture of my attempt at a festive fireplace. Picture it at night with all the candles lit. It is much prettier.

And finally, what the holidays are all about: Playing scrabble apple with your dad, and a 3-foot-long piece of licorice wrapped around your head!

We have had a great time partying like lunatics. My sis and her family just left yesterday to continue their move to Illinois. We are trying to recover. :) We miss all of our other family and friends, but it was great to have some loved ones here for my birthday and Christmas!

The Christmas Can-can

2010-12-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

If you have heard this song by Straight no Chaser, you know how funny and true it is! I thought I was way ahead of schedule for christmas, but I also thought I wasn't that far behind on blogging! :) Just some random Christmas musings:

I love the smell of Christmas! I actually have some pine garland outside that I am going to make wreaths and stuff out of this week so it will smell like Christmas.

I am still hoping against hope for a white Christmas--I think it is going to be 70.

I am very excited about my sis and her family spending the holiday with us on their way to Illinois. It is so much more fun to share family traditions with someone you are actually related to!

I am excited to make my very own gingerbread house on my birthday--my design, my candy, my own choice of sprinkles etc. Silly, but it is the little things that make us happy.

I am very grateful for this season of JOY! Life would be bleak if we didn't have the Savior and I think it's great to celebrate his birth in as many ways as possible. And involving as many different kinds of sugar as possible.

Stay tuned for some pix and more postings. I have missed keeping in touch with all three of you who actually read this! :) Happy baking!

Camping, Ho!

2010-06-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

I must say, it takes a lot of work to get campers out the door, both Scout and Girl. Now I am left in my house with just two small girls and two small girl dogs! I see lots of movie nights in my future, along with manicures and trips to the pool!

BTW, I found the most amazing blog today; well, it is amazing to me because all the things I would like to work on are contained. Where do people find the time? Anyway, it is http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com/ go check it out! I could have spent all day there just browsing and downloading!

OOPS! Missed these pix.

2010-05-16T20:41:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple more pix--I stink at uploading stuff. And I can never get it in the right order! Here is the cake we made for the party--it was yummy, even though raspberries aren't in season and we had to use strawberries.

Here are Vaughn's parents, and me and the new Lt. Col. Pyper.

2010-05-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

Just getting around to posting the promotion pictures!

Here is Vaughn taxiing in from his flight. We did the whole ceremony on the flight line right after he landed. (Anything to get out of wearing blues! :) )

Here is Vaughn right after climbing out of the jet. Is he the sexiest guy, ever, or what?

Our friend, Dean, administering the oath for Lieutenant Colonel.

There are lots of kids in the foreground--we were fortunate enough to have many of our friends come out and celebrate with us!

When a noncom gets promoted, they get punched on the arm, because that is where they wear rank. Dean had all the kids come up and punch Daddy, even though his rank is on his shoulder.

Andy, Rebekah, Vaughn, Ellie, and Rachel

A quick family photo on the very windy flight line

This is a picture of Vaughn with a couple of his BYU ROTC buddies--and Dean, who also went to BYU. We are all here in the same ward. It is a lot of fun!

It was a great day, and we are so proud of Vaughn for all his hard work and his service to our country! Now, when does the raise kick in? :)

Prom Pix

2010-04-20T13:41:00.001-07:00

Here they are! Some pictures of Andy's Junior prom. Here he is with his lovely date:

Helping her into the Corvette:

Andy and Daddy(guess who's taller):

Here is our handsome boy:

Luckily, everyone and everything survived the night intact, including my nerves!

Priceless!

2010-04-12T09:06:00.001-07:00

Tux rental: $82.00
Corsage: $24.95
Dinner for 2: $30.00
The look on your son's face when you pull up in a minivan as he is walking up to his prom date's front door: Priceless.

Sorry, Andy! We just wanted to see them all dressed up, but our timing was really bad. (They got to take his date's dad's corvette to the prom, too! )

40 things We Like About Daddy

2010-04-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am married to a 40-year-old! Let's ignore the fact that I passed that milestone a long time ago! :) I had the kids write down things they liked about their dad and they are so cute I wanted to share them! So here they are:

1. I like your pancakes
2. I like my song that you sing (Bekahroo)
3. I like your cooking
4. I like going to the pool with you
5. I like going to the park with you
6. I like helping you
7. I like your jokes
8. I like your hugs
(Bekah)

9. I like his dinners.
10. I like going on bike rides with him.
11. I like to do sudoku puzzles with him.
12. I like his stinky juice. (aftershave)
13. I like it when he takes me out of school for lunch.
14. I like it when he plays clue with me.
15. I like it when we play "buck-a-roo"(this involves climbing on daddy's back, holding on for dear life, and trying not to get bucked off)
16. I like that he buys me chocolate.
(Ellie)

17. I love his smile.
18. I like to play sports with him.
19. I like when he tucks me into bed at night.
20. I like to eat out with him.
21. I love to sing songs with him in crazy harmony.
22. I like to play Phase 10 with him (even when he beats me).
23. I love him!
24. I love his testimony of the gospel.
(Rachel)

25. I like that you've adapted to accept my unruliness.
26. I like how excited you are for the little things that happen to me.
27. I like your facial hair. It's a prime example for any young boy.
28. I like how you show your faith in the gospel through your life.
29. I like how you raised me. Good job.
30. I like how you put others first.
31. Your enthusiasm spreads throughout the world like swine flu.
32. You go through diet Dr. Pepper like poop through a goose.
(Andy)

33.I love his happy, sunny disposition.
34. I love his soft, sexy kisses. :)
35. I love what an amazing father he is, and that he made me a mother.
36. I love his thoughtfulness.
37. I love his desire to do what's right.
38. I love his backrubs!
39. I love his patience, and that he can always make me laugh.
40. I love the way he loves me!
(me)

there you go! We love Vaughn! Happy birthday, honey! Hope you enjoy your Alaska fishing trip!

I.Am.Tired

2010-03-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

I wonder if I could legally change my name to that, like some famous pop star. That way everyone wouldn't have to ask me how I am, because let's face it--I AM TIRED. I think it is a disease you catch when you have your first baby. I am still looking for a cure. Chocolate helps. So do long, hot baths. And massages. And days off. Of course, I can usually only get my hands on chocolate. Everything else is just a fantasy! *Sigh*. That's all for now. Because...you guessed it! I am tired! :)

did you think to pray?

2010-03-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

I did, but as I was praying for my precious children, I heard one of them screeching at the other one followed by some violent sounding noises. Does this mean I should stop praying and go intervene? Should I pray for divine intervention? Or is this the Lord's way of saying, "Seriously? You think you have 5 minutes for spiritual communion? Get real and get to work, girl!" I just don't know! :)

a project

2010-03-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

So, I have been asked to teach a class at our stake rs conference in May. I am teaching "Today while the sun shines". Other than being a slightly annoying song, the theme is supposed to be things we can do to prepare while we have time. So, I came up with this:

Five things we can do each day:
T: Talk to Heavenly Father--pray
O: Add some OIL to your lamp by doing scripture study
D: DO something for someone else--service with a smile!
A: Be ACTIVE--this has two parts, exercise and being actively grateful, or counting your blessings
Y: Do something for YOU

I figure if you can squeeze these five things into your day, then you can handle pretty much anything that life throws at you. So, to put my money where my mouth is I am going to do this for six weeks, until the conference and keep a journal.

So far, I have found that it is really hard to actually get on my knees in the morning and pray. Usually, because I am launched right into the morning insanity. I try to pray with the kids, and Vaughn if he is here, but to be still for any time at all is really hard at this time of day! I do pray a lot through the day, (usually for help in not killing the kids!) but I am going to work on this.

Anyone else want to add anything? I am sure you all have great ideas! Please share! :)

Spring Break is Over!

2010-03-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

Of course, I celebrated by waking up with a migraine! It was nice to have some quiet. We had a big snowstorm last weekend. Ellie came in on Saturday morning, and said "Is anyone else in shocking surprise, besides me?" It was very cold, though, and not much fun to play in. It is almost all melted and I finally hung up my Easter wreath!

Funny quote

2010-03-12T18:55:00.000-08:00

I saw this sign in Hobby Lobby:

"Inside me is a skinny girl, just screaming to get out, but I can usually shut her up with cookies!" Hee hee! :)

Question

2010-03-11T14:20:00.001-08:00

Does anyone else ever feel like going on strike? Maybe it is just me! I wonder how long it would take my family to notice! :)

Every Grouchy Inch!

2010-03-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

It was Halloween. It was neither dark nor stormy. I, however, was both. After a day of crazy running around to soccer games, laundry, errands, and trying to get to the ward Trunk or Treat on time, I was GROUCHY. My hubby came over during a lull in the insanity (otherwise known as trunk or treat) and asked me how I was. I think I grimaced at him--he told me I was beautiful. (Does he actually believe this or is he in denial?) I said I was feeling very GROUCHY! He came over and kissed me and said, " I love every grouchy inch of you." We went right back to our insane cycle of sugar, costumes, and oh, yes, getting ready for church the next day! But what he said stayed with me.

Later that night when I was in bed, I realized that Vaughn was just showing me, as he often does, Heavenly Father's love through his own. I am sure that God loves me when I am grouchy, but I just don't feel it as easily as when I am not. I am grateful that I have a husband who can see through all my prickliness to the person that is trying to come out! I am so glad that we are loved when we are grouchy, or mean, or selfish or dishonest, because that is what gives me hope! Anyone is lovable when they are pretty and clean and nice. But if I can be loved when I feel at my worst, then I really am worth something. And I am grateful that the Savior is there to help with not just the "major" sins, but with all my little shortcomings and weaknesses that keep me from becoming what He knows I can be. I am glad that He loves every grouchy inch of me. And did I hit the jackpot in husbands, or what?

Happy Birthday Rachel!

2010-03-06T17:16:00.000-08:00

Can't believe that I have another soon to be driver! Rachel turned 15 today! I can't believe how old that makes me feel. But we are blessed to have such a beautiful, amazing, smart, athletic, good, funny, and talented daughter! And yes, when she starts dating in a year, I will be there cleaning my gun!

Another consideration for my mother of the year nomination...

2010-03-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know some of you are shocked, but I definitely don't fall in the mother of the year category :). Mostly because I am a lunatic. Here is yet another example of why I won't be making the nominations list.

Last night I was at the KFC drive thru with the little ones. Vaughn was night flying and Andy and Rachel went to Tulsa for some away games. We waited an inordinately long time for the lady in front of us to get her order. The girls thought they would pass the time by reading all the signs they could see. Good practice, right? It was all going swimmingly, when they decided to play word games with the signs. Like Kmart, became KKart. And Kentucky Fried Chicken became Kenfrucky Fried Fricken. You can see where this is headed, can't you? Well, I could, too, and I tried to head them off at the pass. "Look, what is that sign across the street?" Eventually, the dreaded word tripped off the tongues of my innocent little girls. I HAD to intervene. I gently explained to them that they had inadvertently said a bad word. Ellie asked, "What bad word?" I had to spell it for her. And then tell her to never say it again.

This morning, when I was recounting this hair-raising parental experience for my husband, he looked at me and said,"So, you taught the girls the f-word last night, huh?" AAAGGGGHHHH!

It's already March!

2010-03-02T17:21:00.001-08:00

And my last post was in February! Yikes! However, I am on here more frequently, which was the whole point of making a resolution to try to blog daily. Nothing earth-shaking to share, only that I went down to the temple in OKC today. I also managed to drop in to Target! My favorite store in the whole world! So there you go: the eternal and the purely temporal all in one shot!

Do Not Disturb

2010-02-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

Bekah made me a "do not disturb" sign. Yesterday, she had a friend over from school and they were playing puppies. They made their own "do not disturb" signs so that they could take a "puppy nap". I remarked that I needed one of those. I guess she heard me because tonight she made me my very own sign to hang around my neck. I don't know if any of my children understand the concept of "do not disturb", but I appreciate the thought. Now if I could just get my hands on some noise-canceling headphones...and some chocolate! Oh, heck, I can always get my hands on some chocolate!

Ellie's Special Day

2010-02-24T17:05:00.001-08:00

I know it has been several months, but here are some pix from Ellie's baptism day! Thank you Aunt Trisa for taking beautiful pictures! Ellie and Andy are almost exactly 8 years apart, so Ellie decided to have Andy baptize her. We were so happy to have Grammy and Grandpa Pyper and Halmoni, along with Aunt Trisa and Kaili and Jesse all come!

This is one of my favorite pix ever! It was a great day and I hope she remembers it forever.

Still resolved!

2010-02-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

What did I tell you? I had a good run of two or three days of blogging in a row there! :) My excuse is stake conference. For all of you who live in la-la-land, also known as Utah, we actually have to drive an hour-and-a-half each way to go to stake conference. After driving there Saturday afternoon and then again yesterday, pretty much our whole weekend was gone. It was a good meeting though. I do wonder if we get extra credit for distance? :)

I am trying to catch up on some of my blogging so here is a picture from Halloween. Ellie and Bekah entered the library pumpkin contest. It had to be a character from a library book. Ellie chose the Rainbow Fish and Bekah chose, you guessed it!, Pinkalicious! I thought they turned out really cute, but they didn't win. We sure had a good time making these little guys.

Quote for the day

2010-02-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

I have been reading a lot of C.S. Lewis this year. I always loved the Chronicles, and the Screwtape Letters, but I am amazed at his understanding of our relationship with God, and each other. Here is one of my favorite passages:

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nighmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations....There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours....Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses." C. S.Lewis , "The Weight of Glory"

I wish I could remember this every minute of my life! Especially when I am tired, out of patience, and my children want one more drink of water, or one more spread of the blankie, or "she is copying me"!!! I am afraid I don't treat them with much reverence at that point...I am too busy trying not to kill them! But I guess just not killing them is not enough, I must not WANT to kill them! :) Perhaps reverence will come with the next forty years of experience!

What is up with curling?

2010-02-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

I have no idea how they play it or what the rules are, but if I stumble across olympic curling during the day, I can't turn it off. Maybe because I can't imagine doing anything like that. I imagine myself curling...I would have to yell at someone to get out of the way of the rock, and someone else to pick up their dirty socks off the ice, and someone else to let the other one sweep because I asked her to do it! I guess that is why I am fascinated--it is light years away from my crazy life! I don't think anyone in my house sits as still as the person who pitches? throws? whatever, the rock, ever, unless they are asked to clean something! :)

RESOLUTION!

2010-02-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

So, the whole reason I started this blogging thing was so that I could not feel guilty about not writing in a journal every day. However, I haven't blogged since October! I feel guilty. Anyway, I decided to make a resolution (OK, I know New Year's was like 6 weeks ago, but I have been busy!) to blog every day. Even if it is just a sentence. So that at the end of the year, I can get it printed and have a journal that my grandkids can laugh at in 30 years or so! So, if you show up and I haven't blogged, feel free to send me a guilt-inducing email or reply! Whatever it takes! :) And, getting on here once a day seems a lot easier than running a marathon, or giving up chocolate, or not yelling at my kids--you know I won't keep any of those resolutions!

Funny quote

2010-02-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

"Masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting!" Just read this on a website and I just had to laugh, because it is so true! Maybe I am the only one who feels this way, but since I am not normal, how would I know? :)

a couple of projects

2009-10-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

I made myself a little message board for the laundry room door-- maybe I will actually use it! :)

I ordered this vinyl saying back in February, and finally painted the board and put it on there today! of course, those of you who know me, know that I just had to add a little something!

Here's the other end of the board! :) Now, feel free to come visit us and actually see them hanging up on the wall!

Someday my prince will come...

2009-09-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the Princess Ball at Leonardo's. We looked around for a prince, and we found one! Here is Princess Bekah with her handsome escort.

Princess Ellie and her favorite guy!

I can't believe how grownup the girls are getting!

I did it!

2009-08-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today, I flexed some of my creative muscles. Okay, I totally copied right out of the Pottery Barn catalog! :) I didn't want to pay 60 bucks for this cute topiary, so I headed to Hobby Lobby today and grabbed some stuff. After school, the girls helped me put these together. They turned out pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself. And I only lost a little skin off of one finger from the hot glue!

We did it!

2009-08-24T17:29:00.001-07:00

We surprised Andy! It is his 16th birthday soon, and as usual he said he didn't really want a party, blah, blah, blah. Well, we thought 16 was too big a birthday to just have a cake at home, so we pulled together a supermassive 16th birthday party! One of Andy's best friends gathered lots of intel for me and I was able to invite a bunch of kids from school as well as all of the youth from church. It was a great night of glow-bowling and muse! Andy getting ready to blow out his sixteen candles.

Opening presents.

Birthday smile!

Andy running around right after he walked into the bowling alley and we yelled surprise! He just started running around high fiving people! Happy Birthday, Andyman!

What we have been up to for the last few weeks (Or why I am driving around with a bra in the door of my car)

2009-08-17T15:32:00.001-07:00

Seriously, you know your life is busy when you can't clean the car out. Okay, so here is the story. On the way to pick up a family in our ward from the airport a couple of weeks ago, my bra was driving me nuts! When I am already tired, stressed, etc. it just takes a little bit of pressure on my shoulders (like from bra straps) to spiral me into a major headache. I figured it was late at night, and we all wear so many layers now, that no one would notice. Of course, I couldn't find a good place to put it so I tucked it into the pocket in my door. This was the day after Mom and Dad P came to visit. So I was pretty busy the next few days with them, and trying to get stuff ready for school etc. They left on Monday and we started really trying to get ready for school. Open houses, orientations, supplies, pictures, and all kinds of excitement. Wednesday was the big day! That night we went to the baptism of our friend, Nina. She is an amazing person and we loved getting to know her! Sadly, she left on Friday for Georgia to learn how to fly a new plane. Ellie cried herself to sleep that night. I spent any time I wasn't doing school stuff with the kids trying to do Eagle project stuff for Andy. I bought paint, weed-killing cloth, lava rocks, brushes, cleaning stuff, food, water, garbage bags...Of course, not all in one trip. I think I went to Lowes 6 times last week and Walmart too many times to count! Saturday morning we hauled everything over to the church and by noon everything was done! I am so grateful for all the support and help and encouragement, financial and otherwise that we received. We have a great bunch of youth in our ward. Andy and Rachel turned right around and went to Stillwater (1 1/2 hours away) for a fireside and a tri-stake dance. By the time everyone was home and in bed I was ready to die of exhaustion. Sunday was it's usual mishmash of church, choir practice (both before and after church) and dinner with some friends. My house is a disaster. I have been putting off changing the oil for like 7000 miles. So, tonight after picking the kids up from soccer practice and throwing dinner in the oven, I went to get the oil changed. I noticed on the way that I still had a bra in my door, and I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the oil-changing guys. So, I stuck it in my purse. I wonder how long it will live there? (By the way, I do have other bras, so it's not like I have been running around braless. But who would even notice? Who looks at a frumpy 40-year old mother of four with bags under her eyes the size of suitcases?) Anyway, stay tuned for adventures of Tami's traveling bra.

First Day

2009-08-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of school! For the first time in 8 years, I have no one at home during the day! Well, except for the puppy that we are still trying to potty train! This is a picture of Ellie and Bekah after school in front of the Grizzly. (They are Glenwood Grizzlies)

Here is Ellie, our cute new 3rd grader at her desk in her classroom! She is getting to be so grown-up that she didn't want me to take a picture of her with her teacher this year!

Here is Bekah, our newest Kindergartener! She loved her first day! She actually goes to school in the part of the building that was the original schoolhouse! It is little and red and very cool!

I actually took a nap today! With no one interrupting me, poking me, or asking if I was going to get up yet! I think I could get used to a little solitude!

Chaos reigns!

2009-06-30T18:15:00.001-07:00

I don't know why I ever thought that summer would be less crazy! Is it because I feel like I need to get everything done that I didn't get done during the school year that I am still nuts? Or could it be that I still have many cupboards and closets that I literally took the contents straight out of the box and shoved into the cupboard and slammed the door? Or could it be that I feel like I should take my kids to the pool every day and create great memories for them while trying to do everything else to keep the house going? Oh, and Vaughn is going to be gone for like the next 4 weekends. All I know is I am going to Target for some retail therapy tomorrow! Because I don't have enough STUFF in my house! :))

A new blog

2009-04-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

I started another blog---middleagedmommyblogs.blogspot.com--feel free to pass it on to your friends, neighbors, the lady whose teenager is throwing a tantrum in the checkout line... Hopefully, it will be a place for those of us in the throes of parenting hormonal teens and/or preschoolers (like me) to swap ideas or favorite methods of torture. Come check it out!

An addition to the family!

2009-03-27T11:18:00.001-07:00

No, I am not pregnant! We do, however, have a new "baby"!

This is Sugar, Rachel's new puppy. She is a West Highland Terrier and she is about two months old. She showed up on our doorstep on Rachel's birthday, along with Daddy! (Yay!) We are enjoying being a complete family again, and also the antics of the puppy. She drives Sara nuts.

In other news, you can see, if you look really hard, that Rebekah has lost her first tooth! She was so excited to have a visit from the tooth fairy! It has been a very eventful couple of weeks.

Currently, we are awaiting the arrival of a huge snowstorm later today. Don't worry, I stocked up on bread and milk! It is parent-teacher conference day for all the girls, so they are all having a pj day. I have stew in the crockpot and bread rising on the counter and we are nice and snug. The little things in life are really what make it so great! Hope you are all well!

When being positive is a bad thing...

2009-03-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

That would be when you are in the clinic with your child (the only one not to have the flu yet) and they are doing a swab to test for flu. Of course it was positive! Actually, maybe it was a good thing, because Rachel was able to get the very last box of Relenza left at Walmart and is feeling so much better today. So now we are four for four on the flu front. Andy and Rachel have both had the stomach flu. I am hoping that Ellie and Bekah skate out of that one. Whine, whine, moan, moan, gripe, gripe, murmur, murmur. Okay. I feel much better now. Although, I have still not come down with anything...Keep me in your prayers!

Top Five Ways to Spend President's Day

2009-02-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

This list is not for the faint of heart!!!
Of course, those of you who know me, know that I am your classic overachieving mormon girl supermom wannabe, so I did them all! But you may not want to try this at home!

Idea number one:

Drive your husband to the airport. :( It was nice to spend a few hours together as a family this weekend! Vaughn sent me this great picture of an airport cop on a Segway (Paul Blart?)

Idea number two:

Take your son to the ER for IV fluids due to hyperemesis, otherwise known as puking up your guts every 30 minutes all night long. Actually, you won't be taking your son to the ER, since you are on your way to the airport (see Idea Number 1), so you will have to call one of the three people you know to have them come and rescue your son, who you thought could hold out until you were back from the airport, but alas, got sicker and sicker. Thanks so much Carol (our bishop's wife) for dropping everything to spend part of the day with someone in the ER that you AREN'T EVEN RELATED TO!

You can tell Andy is trying to be positive but he was pretty darn sick.

Idea number three:

Give your daughter a bath in the jacuzzi tub to try and break her fever, which she is on day 6 of, due to influenza, not the stomach kind, just the good old make-you-and-your-mom-miserable-for-10 days-kind. Rebekah was also a participant in this fun, but was just starting to get better. (On a side note, do you give the ibuprofen to help them feel better, only to have them run around like lunatics and not get any rest until the fever hits again? Or do you just have them stay feverish and feeling yucky until bedtime, but at least holding still? All these years being a mom, and I still don't know which is better.)

Idea number four:
Wash everything you can get your hands on with the sanitary setting on your washer. No explanation necessary. Also, Clorox wipes, Clorox hard surface spray, baking soda, peroxide, flamethrowers, and just torching the house are great options for cleaning.
Idea number five:
Enjoy a piece of cheesecake from Olive Garden.
I know, I know. Who would even think of Olive Garden on a day like this? Well, it was on the way to the airport, and we ate very quickly. No matter which way I cut it, I wasn't going to get home to take Andy to the ER for about three hours, so 20 minutes for lunch with my hubby before he left us for another month didn't seem like asking too much. I will admit that I was stressed about the kids the whole time and it wasn't even the black tie cheesecake, because they were OUT! (Could this have anything to do with me? See previous post--Hmmm.) And I think you will agree, that after a straight 8 days of feverish kids, plus the puking, plus all the driving, medicine giving, and nursing around the clock, I deserve some chocolate!

Luckily, we are all on the mend. Although Vaughn came down with strep about 2 days later, and Andy is in the throes of influenza as we speak. Not the stomach one! However, due to my previous experiences with Ellie and Bekah, I figured it out much sooner and got him to the Dr. today. He just started showing symptoms last night, so they were able to start him on antivirals.

I plan on blowing up the house tomorrow. I can't think of any other way to kill all the germs. Amazingly, I am still relatively healthy. Sane, no. But still in one piece.

I actually feel really blessed that we live in a time where we have ibuprofen and popsicles, or things could have gotten really bad! Perhaps you can see why I haven't posted for a while? Hopefully, things will get better and I will be able to send all of my children to school next week, every single day. *Sigh* It really is the little things that make us happy, isn't it? :)

Hope you are all well. If you aren't, I hope you get better soon! If you are, I hope you stay that way!

My other love...

2009-01-30T16:35:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know Vaughn know that I have an amazing husband! I could not love anyone more, but anything else... I must confess! I love chocolate! And since I am currently without my husband, this is a way to medicate my pain! Also, a way to reward myself for getting through my crazy, ice-stormed, housebound, grouchy kids week. I walked right into Olive Garden and asked for a whole Black Tie Mousse Cake to go. Yes, the whole thing. It's much cheaper that way. :) I am thawing a slice for tonight and saving the rest for other chocolate emergencies. Like when my sis comes to visit next week! I must have looked particularly desperate, because the counter lady put in not a fork, but a SPATULA! What, she didn't think I could eat it fast enough with a fork? What was she trying to say to me? Oh, well, only two more hours to bedtime and then some chocolate bliss (or at least as close as I will get to such a state until I get to see my hubby again). Call me if you need a piece!

Salty Caramels

2009-01-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

A couple of you asked me for this recipe-- I totally stole it from my SIL Laurie's blog. She is a fabulous chef! We spend lots of time talking about food! :) Anyway, here is the recipe-- I think we are making another batch tonight or tomorrow.

Mary's Caramels
2 C heavy cream
1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
2 C sugar
2 C light corn syrup
1/2 C butter
kosher or sea salt for sprinkling
Combine cream and condensed milk in a double boiler and scald. {We did this step in the microwave.} Combine sugar and syrup in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Let mixture boil with lid on for 2 minutes. Remove lid, add butter. Gradually add cream mixture a tablespoon at a time to boiling syrup, stirring constantly. Do not let boiling cease. This process should take approximately 20-25 minutes. Cook to 230 degrees or until a firm, soft ball is formed in cold water. {This usually takes about 20 minutes after all the cream is added.} Remove from heat and pour into a buttered, shallow pan about 11x16. Sprinkle lightly with kosher or sea salt. Wait till cool and firm, then cut with a buttered knife into small pieces, wrap with waxed paper.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Puppies and Papertrails

2009-01-18T14:53:00.001-08:00

This is what happens when your 5-year-old gets hold of your brand new stack of sticky notes. She spent quite a while doing this while I was cleaning the kitchen the other night. By the time I noticed, it was too late to do anything but take a picture! I asked Bekah what I was supposed to do when I needed a sticky note, and she said to just grab one off the floor, of course! She thought she was being so helpful by putting them within easy access! This is what happens when your 13-year-old gives the dog a bath. Poor Sara is so abused and loved to death by everyone in this house. You can see how resigned she is to her fate. She does look really cute, though!

We are plugging along. I came home to an interesting smell yesterday. Apparently, while I was getting my hair done, Andy decided to bake some cinnamon rolls. You know, the Rhodes kind in the aluminum foil pan. It would have been great, but he put them in the Microwave! for 30 minutes! I guess after ten minutes, he was notified of the smoke spewing from the microwave by Ellie. He decided that he had made a mistake and decided to try another batch, this time shortening the cook time to 10 minutes--but wait, they went right back into the microwave! Needless to say, our house is still smelling a little bit like a fire. :) I think we are going to have some serious cooking lessons for the next couple of years. Hopefully, we will have a smoke free week! (Why doesn't any of this stuff happen when Vaughn is here? Hmm...)

The most wonderful time of the year!

2009-01-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

That's right, the kids go back to school tomorrow! :) I am not ashamed to say that I am happy to send my kids to school! We are driving each other nuts after 3 weeks of moving, unpacking, Christmasing, and "vacationing". I think everyone, especially mom, can use a little time apart. We also sent Vaughn on his way today, to do his instructor refresher course. I thought it would be fun to make him a little treat, so I attempted homemade caramels last night. They turned out pretty darn good! My sister-in-law put the recipe on her blog a few weeks ago, and I was happy to try it! The kosher salt sprinkled on them is fabulous! I also thought it would be fun to try and show what my kitchen looks like. It is still pretty bare and not very organized behind the cupboard doors, but hopefully, that will change soon! I love the red, but I don't know how well it shows up on the computer.

We had our first dinner guests last night, and it was fun to have a little more room than we have had in the past! We have a few pix on the walls and most of our stuff is put away. I just feel like I have a lot of decorating and homemaking to do to make it really comfy. Hope everyone is having a good new year. I hope to get our family newsletter out soon, but we might end up doing Valentine's cards like last year!

Joyful and Triumphant!

2008-12-27T09:16:00.001-08:00

Well, Christmas is over and I thought I would just do a quick update.

Our move was totally insane! We ended up not fitting all of our stuff in the moving truck, so at the last minute Vaughn went and got another small trailer to pull behind his pickup. We stuffed that full, as well as the van (which was getting towed behind the moving truck) and every square nook and cranny in the Tacoma, which I drove with Rebekah and Rachel. Vaughn and I (and Andy and Rachel, too) spent different nights up until the wee hours, packing, painting and cleaning. We are so grateful to neighbors and friends who spent many hours helping us pack the truck, and paint and clean. I was panicking the last hour before our inspection, because we were still trying to empty the house of a few more things, and then sweep and do all the last minute stuff. I just kept praying that we would get it done, and people kept showing up to help! THANK YOU! We are truly blessed with good friends. We finally made it out of town and headed down to Oklahoma. We had one small glitch when we missed the turnpike and had to drive all the way to Salina and then down to Enid. It only added about an hour to our trip. :)

We pulled into Enid around 11:30 and went to weigh everything. I weighed the rig I was driving and then went to our friends' house to pick up some bedding so we didn't have to unpack anything. I grabbed the blankets, got back into the truck and headed down the street. I had to turn the truck around, which wouldn't have been a problem, except I HAD A TRAILER ON IT and I am terrible at backing up a trailer. Plus, it was freezing cold and icy. I acted out the Austin Powers 47 point turn for about 30 minutes. Then I gave up and waited for Vaughn to rescue me. He came and backed up the truck and trailer, and we all drove to our new house. It was only 1 am by this point! We all collapsed (okay, I collapsed, the girls ran around like crazy people for about an hour!) and went to bed. It was quite a feat. Luckily, unpacking only took several hours and we were able to return the truck and trailer by 6 pm that day.

That is the triumphant part of my story! The joyful part is that we got to spend Christmas in our new home! We are mostly unpacked, somewhat organized, and almost recovered from the aches and pains of last week. It is fun to see Christmas decorations that have been in storage since we went to Korea. It was exciting to learn that Santa was able to find us, even though we haven't been in the same place for the last 4 Christmases!

Now, on to more unpacking, organizing and enjoying of the season. At some point I hope to be able to find our camera, and share some pix of our new home. I have no idea when that will be. Hope you all are having a great holiday!

Forty and Fabulous???

2008-12-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to me! Unbelievably, I am forty years old today. I woke up feeling all stiff and achy. I am hoping that is due to all the moving stress and exhaustion, coupled with the unpacking and Christmas baking, rather than my advanced age! I am grateful for having had a pretty great life. I have a wonderful husband, beautiful children and the gospel. What else is there? Okay, I am also grateful for chocolate and fuzzy socks! Hope you are having a great day and enjoying the anticipation of the season!

Catching up

2008-12-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

So this week has been nuts! I started it off by driving down to our new house in Oklahoma. It is very exciting to think we own a house now! I went down to paint a little bit and try and organize utilities and schools and stuff. Of course, when I do a road trip, you know there is going to be some excitement. You won't be disappointed! I had a very interesting drive home! It started off with me trying to back out of our garage. I pushed the button to open the garage door, but realized it was already open, so I hit the button again. I thought the door had lifted all the way back up, but when I heard the crunching noise...I noticed I had knocked off one of the racks on the top of Vaughn's truck! Remembering my past experiences with things not being securely attached to the roof, I went to my friend Brenda's house and her husband kindly removed the rack all the way. (Apparently, it just popped off, it's not actually broken! Vaughn says he did the same thing in the car wash a little while ago, so I don't feel so stupid). So, I finished all my little errands, packed up, and headed out onto the highway. Now, it had snowed quite a bit the day before, and I had put the truck in 4-wheel drive. I wanted to see how clear the roads were, so I waited until I had driven on the highway for a few miles, before I pulled over to unlock the hubs. I was feeling so self-sufficient and competent as I turned the hubs on the driver's side, went around to the passenger's side, did the same and continued back to my door, only to find it LOCKED! Yes, I had locked myself out of the truck, while it was running, it was 10 degrees outside, and my coat and cell phone were on the seat. I think I stood there staring at the lock for a good 5 minutes, because I just could not believe what had happened. It took me about 10 minutes to get someone to stop and help me. These two wonderful gentlemen in a pickup pulled over and tried to call the police, who said they don't help in these situations. Then one of them noticed that the window in the back of the cab was unlocked and we could open it from the shell. Yay! However, none of us could fit through the window. They tried reaching the locks, and the door handles with no success. Then I had the brilliant idea of trying to use my flatiron to grab the locks. You haven't lived until you have seen a guy in his big coveralls and boots trying to use a flatiron as pincers to grab a door lock. Alas, it didn't work! They dug around in their truck and found some Gophers, the things you can pick up stuff of the floor with. Those also weren't strong enought to lift the lock, but finally, my rescuers hit on the idea of pulling the keys out of the ignition! Hallelujah! I am so grateful to them for stopping to help a crazy lady! How stupid do you have to be to lock yourself out of your running car in the middle of nowhere? Anyway, I made it home and we are madly packing. I had to take a time-out, though to make this yummy treat
Brownie candy cane lollipops! They are for the ladies I am teaching my lesson to tomorrow at church. And of course, we had to take a break from packing for Vaughn's graduation yesterday!

I am very proud of him, and though I don't love all men in uniform, I love THIS man in uniform! He is the bomb!

We are excited about a lot of things in our new house, but this is the best: our walk-in closet!

It's HUGE! The picture doesn't do it justice. I will take one with the kids in it so you have some idea of how big it really is! My friend Brenda thought it was another room!

This is one wall in my nice new BIG kitchen. Except I painted the walls, not the tile, candy apple red! It's going to be fun to have Christmas here!

Well, that's all for now. Back to the chaos that is my life, and hopefully, we will be moved in by the time I post again! Merry Christmas!

2008-11-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I was going to wait until we were in our new house to get all of our Christmas stuff out, but I couldn't stand it! So we have a few yuletide objects around the house. This is one of my new favorites. I love to collect nativity sets, and this is the one I got this year. I love how all the animals are stacked up to see baby Jesus! I am sure they were just as excited to meet their Creator as all the humans. Probably more so, since they don't get caught up in all the other stuff that humans do. I like how the baby is looking right back at the animals, too.

And here are our brand new stockings from Pottery Barn Kids. I have been coveting these for the last 3-4 years, and finally decided I would get myself a nice housewarming present! I have a feeling there will be a lot of those.... Anyway, I know it's a horrible picture, but I think I am the only person on the planet left who doesn't have an SLR camera (what does that stand for anyway? Superb Lens Rigging? Shoot, Load, Rewind?) you will just have to put up with the poor quality!

We had a good Thanksgiving, and I went out and did a little shopping yesterday. I love this time of year. I think everyone tries to be a little kinder, a little more helpful, a little more polite. Okay, except for those crazy people in New York who trampled people to death! But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, ....

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are looking forward to the Christmas season! I promise to post more often, although, I noticed everyone else has posts sitting there from like three weeks ago! I guess we are all starting to get crazy busy.

It is snowing today, and the girls are trying to go out and play! I guess that means I am on hot chocolate duty! Have a great Saturday and enjoy the season!

Grateful

2008-11-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

This morning, or rather, in the middle of the night, I was awakened with a throbbing head. I could feel a migraine coming on, but I thought if I could sleep through it, it might not become full-blown. I tossed and turned and counted sheep and finally got up to take some Motrin, since I knew that my prescription for my migraine meds was refilled, but still waiting at the pharmacy! I was so grateful to find one little pill still in the box, and went back to bed. I was just hoping to stave off the pain for a couple of hours, and then finish my Relief Society lesson prep, put dinner in the crockpot, get the girls ready, you know--all the normal Sunday stuff. Well, I finally dozed off and woke up feeling quite a bit better at 11:30! Yikes! We had to leave for church in an hour! I hurried and showered and came downstairs expecting chaos. Instead, I found that my darling husband had fed everyone, put dinner in the crockpot, put the rolls in a pan to rise, and was even peeling potatoes so that when we got home, all we had to do was boil them! Wow! I felt very blessed, and relieved! I am so lucky that I have such a great partner! He really knows how to take care of me and cherish me! I decided that I want to try to post some things I am grateful for these next couple of weeks--and he is number one! Thanks, Vaughn for being such a great husband! You are my favorite!

Recipes

2008-11-12T14:55:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know I am really behind on this, but a couple of you asked for some recipes, so here they are!

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

1 can whole kernel corn, drained (15 3/4 oz)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15 oz)
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 c. minced fresh cilantro
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. lime juice
1 T. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Adjust salt and lime juice to taste. Refrigerate until serving time.

***A couple of things about this recipe:
This is actually half of the original recipe, if you make the full amount it is a ton of salsa.
Microwave your limes for about 10 seconds before you juice them. They will release so much more juice this way!

Tami's Famous Korean Hot Wings

5 lbs chicken wings or drummettes
flour
salt
pepper
oil

Mix flour with salt and pepper. Coat wings with mixture. Fry until golden brown. Dip immediately into sauce.

Sauce
1 cup soy sauce (kikkoman is the best flavor--don't use lite!)
3/4 cup sugar
1T. minced garlic
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1/2-1 T. crushed red pepper flakes--adjust heat to your preference

Whenever I make these for a party, fini flight, etc., they go like hotcakes. Make a double or triple batch if you are serving a lot of people. Especially young pilots or missionaries!

Outrageous Brownies (without coffee!)

1 lb. unsalted butter
1 lb. plus 1 package (12 oz) semisweet choc. chips/divided
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 T. non-dairy creamer
2 T. vanilla
2 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. flour, divided
1 T. baking powder
1 t. kosher salt
1 1/2 c. diced walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 13x18x1 1/2 pan.

Melt butter, 1 lb. choc. chips, unsweetened chocolate. (I do this in the microwave in 1 minute increments). Cool slightly. Stir together eggs, creamer, vanilla and sugar. Add to warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temp.

Mix together 1 c. flour, baking powder and salt. Add to chocolate mixture. Toss walnuts and remaining 12 oz. chocolate chips with 1/4 c. flour. Add to batter. Spread in pan and bake for 30 minutes. Halfway through baking , lift pan slightly and drop to remove some air from batter.

Cool completely before serving.

Enjoy! Let me know if I forgot anything!

The Holy Grail

2008-11-05T17:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, for me, the Holy Grail is (if you haven't guessed it already) organization! I love things in stacks and rows, preferably sorted by color! Yes, I confess, I am Monkish in heart, but piggish in reality. Actually, it's just my kids who are pigs, or as Andy puts it, "we are aspiring pigs!" So, I just thought I would share with you one of my favorite websites: Organizedchristmas.com. Crazy as it sounds, I love to be organized for Christmas, too! Actually, I find it more doable to be organized for this one annual event than in every other aspect of my life. So, click and enjoy! It has tons of free printables and lots of great ideas! If you like to stack your canned soups by flavor, this is the site for you! Let me know if you find anything fabulous that I missed! (Okay, I am playing around with the text options, but I am still such a novice, you'll have to forgive me!)

Random Questions

2008-11-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

I know these might be crazy, but do you ever wonder...

where are Max and Ruby's parents?
Why do I always end up with only half the socks I put into the washer?
Why do my children think that the couch cushions are an acceptable alternative to the garbage can?
Why is it as soon as I pull out my sweaters, the temperature jumps to 76 degrees?
Why do your children only wake up early on Saturdays?
Why does everyone think my brain has a catalogue of the location of every item in this house?
Why does baby breath smell so good?
Why do I have to keep having my period, plus the migraines and cramps, when we are done having children? Isn't there an off switch somewhere?
Why is it that my husband can look at me with no makeup, no hairstyle, in my baggy sweats at the end of a long, hard day and tell me I am more beautiful than the day I married him? Is he delusional or losing his eyesight? Or hoping to get lucky? :)
Why is it that just when you are at the end of your rope, ready to strangle your preschooler for taking everything out of her dresser, that she chooses that moment to put her arms around you and say, "I love you, mommy!"?

I don't have any answers to these questions. I just wonder if anyone else is out there asking them?

And I really do want to know what happened to Max and Ruby's parents! It is very disturbing!

trick or treat!

2008-10-31T17:33:00.001-07:00

We love Halloween at our house! Tonight, we had several neighbors over for a potluck before trick-or-treating. For some reason, I couldn't get Bekah to smile normally! She was way too excited! They have been out for almost two hours, now! I think we are going to have a lot of candy!Here are Ellie, the snow princess, and Bekah, the ballerina fairy (in flip-flops) right before trick-or-treating starts. This is Rachel and her friend, Kayla. They were a big help, giving out candy so I could clean up! They are also beautiful witches!

Here is Andy in his costume--I know he looks just like a teenage boy, but...

there's the punch line! He is such a clever boy!

I hope you all have a fun night and eat lots of chocolate! Happy Halloween!

Two things I didn't think I'd see in my lifetime...

2008-10-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Andy--with a new hairdo. This is what your teenagers do after you go to bed on Friday night.

Yes, a clean and organized pantry. I had to document it, because this will only last for approximately 4 hours and 32 minutes. But it is so beautiful to look at!

Tagged!

2008-10-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

Vaughn after the triathlon this spring

I was tagged by my sil, Marianne to answer some questions about my hubby. I don't know how many people care, but here goes!

Five things my husband, Vaughn, loves.

1. Me

2. Our kids

3. Flying

4. Heavenly Father

5. Serving our country

Five things on his to-do list:

1. Finish his master's (he's over halfway there!)

2. Get all the kids sleeping through the night all at once.

3. Hear his wife say, "No, I'm not tired, actually!"

4. Go back to Hawaii soon.

5. Make everyone around him happy, all of the time. I must say, he is pretty good at this one! And okay, the Hawaii trip is on my list, but since he like to make me happy, we will be going to Hawaii again sometime in the next few years!

Five snacks he loves:

1. Seven-layer dip

2. Homemade salsa and chips

3. Homemade oreos

4. Caramel brownies

5. Pretty much anything I cook :)

Five things you may not know about him:

1. He plays a mean game of Old Maid

2. He is the favorite visitor at Ellie's school during lunch time--everyone wants to play with Ellie's daddy

3. My dad made him catch a fish with a fly rod before he could marry me

4. He obsesses about his weight more than I do about mine

5. He is more naturally maternal than I am--I learn a lot about being a good mother by watching him with the kids

Five places he has lived:

1. Salt Lake City

2. Korea

3. Alaska

4. Georgia

5. Oklahoma

Five quirky things about Vaughn

1. He has to do a sudoku puzzle to fall asleep

2. He has a pathological fear of doctors (actually, pretty normal for a pilot. if you have a cold, you can't fly, so they hate to go to the doctor)

3. He can make me laugh when no one else can--not really quirky, but one of the reasons I love him!

4. He loves to tell the kids "childhood stories" --thus encouraging them to repeat a lot of the crazy, and dangerous things he and his siblings did as children

5. He is the most determined person I know--if he wants to do it, he will. End of discussion.

Five people to tag--answer these questions about your hubby (do I even have 5 people reading my blog?)

1. Amy

2. Jen

3. Amanda

4. Ruth

5. Laurie

Room for Rant!

2008-10-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

I know it's hard to believe, but Koreans don't always translate everything correctly. :) So, last year, we were going onto Camp Humphries for something, and there was a huge sign, right outside the barbed wire, facing into the post. It said, "Room for Rant". Obviously, they meant room for rent, but I realized that is exactly what I need! A room to rant in, just once or twice a day. Or even every other day, depending on how crazy my life is. Don't get me wrong; I love my life! I have an amazing husband, great kids, and no really huge problems. It's the minutiae that kills me!

Like, why is it that everyone piles their clothes around and on top of, but never in the hamper? And why is it that no one else in the house has inherited the ability to install a new roll of toilet paper? And why can I leave a sock, or a barbie, or a paper plate, or any other object on the stairs for a few days just to see if it bothers anyone else, and I find out that I am the only one bothered by my experiment?

Perhaps this is the real challenge of motherhood: we deal with the minutiae of everyone else's lives. I can deal with the big stuff: 9 months of puking, chronic depression, son getting hit by a car, husband gone for long stretches of time. It is the moment when I am trying to get the seam in my daughter's sock to lie exactly parallel to the tops of her toes that sends me over the edge! And why hasn't anyone invented some frickin' socks that don't have any annoying seams on them!

So, I need a room to rant. I am sure you do, too! Feel free to use this blog as your room to rant! I am happy to let you scream at me, in italics and bold, and let you get it all out, so you can go back to being the keeper of the cheerios, the minder of the minutiae of all mankind! And, once in a while, I will rant, too!

Now, I have to go and pick up all the stuff on my stairs. I don't know why I keep running that experiment....

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

In the middle of our crazy househunting adventure, we took a trip to the pumpkin patch with our friends Isaac and Molly. We love fall!

Here are the girls hanging out at the pumpkin patch!Ellie showing us her Jack-o-lantern smile! She has lost about 7 teeth this year!
Bekah carrying around the pumpkins in a little pint-sized wheelbarrow.
The pumpkin parents
Rachel, Bekah, Isaac, Ellie and Molly

We're (Almost) Homeowners!

2008-10-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

Yep, we took the plunge this weekend and went househunting! And we bought a house! Of course, a million things could go wrong before we close but we are excited to know where we are going to be spending Christmas this year! Here are a few pix of our new home:

From the street

The master bedroom

Bedroom

Bedroom/office

Backyard

Kitchen

Kitchen dining area

Living area

Formal dining area

September Blessings

2008-10-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Ellie and Bekah! I can't believe I forgot the camera at your party, but here are some cake pix from home. We are so glad to have these little ladies in our lives. They exasperate and delight us every moment of the day!

Bekah blowing out her cupcakes! She is a big 5 years old this year!

Ellie making a wish! She is 7 this year!

Urgent Vs. Important

2008-10-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

I was at the gym this morning (I actually felt human enough to go) and was reading O magazine. I love a lot of things about Oprah, although I don't agree with all of her values, I think she does a lot of good. That is neither here nor there, because I just need something to distract me from the pain when I am working out. Anyhoo--I read this article about making time for the things in our life that are important, not just the things that are urgent. It sounds like such a great concept...unless you are a stay-at-home mother of four trying to keep everyone alive, help your hubby through his master's, and prepare to move in two months. How do I decide what is urgent but not important so that I can weed it out of my life? Isn't being a mom surrendering to the idea that everything in your life is urgent and important? For example, I have to go potty, (hypothetically, although I am sure it will become a reality sometime soon) definitely an urgent situation, and an important one (I need healthy kidneys as much as the next girl!), but my little girls are trying to take each other's head off over who gets to play with the Barbie carriage--urgent and important! (This is NOT hypothetical, but a frequent occurrence in my life--just substitute different children and different objects to fight over). How do I choose? Here is another one, this one real and occurring in a couple of hours--I need to get Ellie ready for her soccer game, take her there by 4:45 and be prepared to cheer for the next hour. I also need to pick up Andy from soccer practice down at the high school and transport him to Ellie's game, since he has been helping coach her team, also at 4:45. Both things are urgent and important and impossible to accomplish while maintaining any semblance of sanity. This could explain why I feel crazier with each passing year of motherhood. Maybe that is what motherhood is--doing the urgent, the important and the impossible with little if any recognition (seriously, I don't expect anyone in society to acknowledge what I do has value, and my kids won't appreciate it until they are at least 25) and with the least amount of collateral damage, especially to my kidneys. Which reminds me, I need to go potty, and take the brownies out of the oven, and pick up Andy for a dentist appointment...

Here's to all of you amazing, beautiful women doing the most urgent, impossible and important job of all: being a mother to your children! I am in awe of all of you!

And seriously, if you have any good tips on how to clone yourself....

Fire Stations and Fractures

2008-09-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, we are on our second broken arm of the year. Rebekah fell off of her scooter about 10 days ago. She cried about all of her owies, but seemed okay. I noticed that her wrist was swollen and she was favoring it quite a bit. She said it didn't hurt, but last Monday we took her in just to make sure it was okay. Now she has a bright purple cast! Just in time for her birthday pool party last Saturday! Oh, well.

She went with her class to the fire station on Friday. Notice her bright purple cast in the photos!

We loved meeting Felipe the fire dog! And climbing on the big trucks! And that big old fashioned fire hose at the top of the post. Stay tuned for birthday pics!

If the Savior Stood Beside Me...

2008-09-21T17:11:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to share this story for awhile. You all know how crazy Sunday morning can be, right? Well, this past February, my husband had the flu and I was trying to get all 4 kids out the door for church. My sister happened to be visiting, to pick up her husband after a tour in Iraq, and we were trying to get over to lodging to pick her up. I spent 20 frustrating minutes trying to convince Rebekah, my 4-year-old, that in order to put her dress over her head she would have to unbutton it. Bekah tried to prove me wrong, shrieking and crying the whole time. I must have said, "Can I help you? Will you let Mommy help you? Please let me do it!" about a million times. Okay, by the end I was screaming it! And I finally took matters into my own tentacles and yanked the dress on, pulled on the tights and got us all out the door. As we pulled up to pick up Trisa and her kids, the Primary music cd was playing the song "If the Savior Stood Beside Me". I briefly told Trisa about the fabulous mothering moment I had just had, and then I asked her,"Do you think if the Savior had been standing there that I still would have screamed at my daughter?" Without hesitation, she said, "Oh, yeah! I don't think it would matter! Especially if he was just standing there and not helping with the tights or anything!" I don't mean to be irreverent, and of course, Christ would never just stand there! I am sure He would have calmed Bekah down, and then calmed me down, and helped everyone get ready. I am just glad that my sister knew about Sunday morning madness, and how easy it is to lose perspective, because there is so much opposition, that even the presence of the Savior might not keep me from screaming so hard that my throat hurt! Maybe one day, I will actually get the hang of this mothering thing, but it's nice to know I have so many wonderful people to share the journey with! And a Savior who will not only forgive me for my impatience, but actually loves me in spite of it and will carry that burden for me if I can just give it up to Him.

So one more Sunday down, only 676 to go (until Bekah turns 18). Maybe by then, she will be dressing herself! Or, I could have become a calm person! Hmm...I wonder which will happen first!

There's a monster under my bed! (Or 4,381 crayons)

2008-09-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so after my gym workout today, I decided to use the remaining 51 minutes of Bekah's preschool time to clean under the girls' beds. I know--I am a very brave soul, but somebody has to do it! At least every three months, or the clutter starts to ooze out everywhere else in the house! Here is what I found! (all numbers are prone to exaggeration depending on my frustration level)

Approximately 27 notebooks, folders, and journals
7 coloring books
4,381 crayons, colored pencils, and markers
4 unopened boxes of crayons (24 ct) that they took from my school supply stash, because they couldn't find any crayons!
17 lbs of trash
53 dust bunnies
a bag of potato chips, unopened
about a ream of paper touting the global warming crisis from Ellie's earth day. last year; how about they just don't print anything about global warming and save a few trees that way!
several tootsie pops, sticky and dusty
a granola bar, in several pieces
157 elastic bands, this is probably why I can never find an elastic band to do the girls' hair and consequently have spent approximately 3,000 dollars on hair accessories this year alone!
one of my journals, with notes from our last stake conference that I have been looking for, everywhere (that is another post)
half of Ellie's wardrobe
42 stuffed animals
57 books

I think it is safe to say that we are blessed--with lots and lots of material things. Which I am planning on throwing away, paring down, or selling in the base yard sale in a couple of weeks. Actually, I am just trying to make some room for their birthday presents!

Does anyone need a crayon?

Bittersweet memories

2008-09-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago, today, I was awakened by the hungry cries of our new baby girl. We had just brought her home from the hospital the night before. I picked her up, took her downstairs, and we settled on the couch for her feeding. I turned on the tv, thinking I would just watch an infomercial. The first tower had just been hit and the news commentators were trying to find out how an airplane could have not seen the building. They still thought it was an accident. A few minutes later, I saw the second plane hit and all of a sudden the world had changed. I watched this horrible attack on our country and felt a wordless grief for all of those people and their families. On the other hand, I was holding this sweet, new life in my arms and I was so happy to have her with us. I don't think I will ever forget that moment: I knew in an instant how fragile our lives are, and yet, I wanted my daughter to embrace and love this world.

This morning, I was driving home from the preschool run, when I passed all the elementary kids doing their "Freedom Walk". I think a lot of them weren't born when 9/11 happened, and most of them certainly won't have any memories, but they are more patriotic than a lot of the country. They watch their dads and moms, and sometimes both parents, go off to fight for the freedoms that we enjoy, and to fight for other people to have some of those freedoms. They spend a lot of birthdays, holidays, and school activities with just one parent. I am amazed at the sacrifices that military families everywhere make everyday. I know that we are one of them, but I feel like our contributions have been so small compared to most of the people we live around. I have a lot of hope for the future because of these amazing people around us. Thanks to all of you for what you do, everyday, just because you know it's the right thing to do!

I hope you take a minute today and think about what really matters, love, life, and family, and the freedom to enjoy them.

So, what do you do all day?

2008-09-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

How many of us have been asked this question by our kids, our spouse, or women who are either newlyweds and have no children, or work outside the home? I thought I would keep track of what I did today. Sorry for the tedious detail, but I am sure someday I will enjoy finding out what I did with my time!

5:06 am--alarm goes off, brush teeth and go potty

5:07 am--wake up Andy for seminary

5:10 am--stumble around kitchen finding breakfast stuff

5:15 am--start cupcakes for Ellie's birthday treat today

5:25 am--put in first batch of cupcakes

5:30 am--check email

5:35 am--start checking out the front door to see if Andy's ride is here

5:36 am --doublecheck that he has all his soccer gear

5:37 am--panic that he might forget his wallet and not be able to eat lunch; he confirms that he has his wallet

5:39 am--look out door

5:40 am--look out door, tell Andy his ride is here

5:45 am--start second batch of cupcakes, finish up with computer stuff

6:00 am--make eggs and toast, for me with a big Diet Dr. Pepper, eat while loading my brand new iPod shuffle with songs (I got a new one for our anniversary to replace the old one I lost this summer; I told V. it would last much longer than flowers!) so I can start running again today

6:15 am-- go out to car to get Ellie's presents from hiding place

6:20 am-- go upstairs to wrap one present, run right into Ellie; she goes back to her room so we can come in and sing to her

6:30 am--gather the other girls and Vaughn and go in and sing Happy Birthday to Ellie

6:45 am--get girls dressed (this means I negotiate for about 10min with Bekah about what she wants to wear--usually it is something that isn't clean or we can't find)

7 am--downstairs for breakfast, we all are dressed at this point, something of a miracle

7-7:30 am--make lunch, nag at the girls, check backpacks, nag at the girls, do everyone's hair and teeth, nag at them to put on shoes

7:29 am--realize that the kids have ortho appts today and that I can't go to the gym

7:30-7:40 am--get all the girls in the car (yes it really takes us ten minutes to get in the car!)

7:45 am--drop off Rachel

7:55 am--drop off Ellie

8:10 am-- arrive at Bekah's school, spend a few minutes reading while waiting for school to start

8:30 am--drop off Bekah

8:45 am--arrive home and collapse onto my bed, since I don't have time to go to the gym, I might as well catch a few zzzs

9:44 am--wake up and go to PX

10:25 am--pick up Rachel for ortho

10:40 am--pick up Andy for ortho

11:00 am--drop off kids and go to Sonic for a diet Coke with lime and 4 motrin for my splitting headache

11:20 am--pick up Bekah

11:30 am--back to Ortho to pick up kids, wait for Andy until 11:45

12:00 pm--Wendy's for lunch

12:30 pm--drop off Andy, Rachel

1:00 pm--frost cupcakes, start cake

1:10 pm--listen to messages, Rachel has her first soccer practice tonight at 6pm.

1:30 pm--put cake in oven, walk to Ellie's school and drop off cupcakes

2:00 pm--come home and blog so I won't forget what I did today

2:15 pm--take out cake, clean up kitchen

2:15-3:00 pm--wrap presents with Bekah and try to finish mini-scrapbook for Ellie

3:00 pm--go to commissary for dinner stuff

3:30 pm--home to open presents with Ellie and get ready for Andy's soccer game

4:00 pm--herd the cats for the soccer game

4:30-6:00 pm--watch Andy's game. He does great; has several shots, but doesn't score.

5:55 pm--try to restrain husband from climbing over fence and onto the field when Andy drives in for a shot and the goalie takes him down with his elbow to Andy's jaw. I thought Vaughn was going to have an aneurysm!

6:00 pm--take Rachel to her practice at the next field over, take Andy home

6:30 pm--come home to a naughty dog who got into the garbage! start dinner, frost cake

7:00 pm--steaks on grill, Ellie's favorite! Her favorite foods are tomatoes and steak!

7:30 pm--dinner

7:45 pm--scriptures

8:00 pm--cake and ice cream

8:10 pm--bath and pjs for me... why am I so tired?

What I learned from this:

I am grateful that I have a car to drive everyone around to their activities. I am grateful that I have children to wake up and celebrate birthdays with. I am grateful that we have the means to have them involved in activities they enjoy. I am grateful that I have so much food to eat that I am chubby enough that I need to exercise. I am grateful that someday my children will have straight teeth. I am grateful that my husband has a job right now that allows him to come to some of our kids' activities, even if I need to feed him Alka-seltzer afterward. I am grateful that we are all trying to live our lives to the fullest, and that I can be a stay-at-home mom. Although, was I even home today? :)

Rebekah's First Day of Pre-school

2008-09-02T16:49:00.001-07:00

Here is Bekah with her new teacher, Mrs. E!

Here is Bekah on her first day at a preschool run by a local church here in Leavenworth. She just missed the kindergarten deadline, but really wanted to go to school, so here she is!

Here she is at her desk!

Here is the big girl in front of the bear by their room. Notice the fabulous princess backpack. How could she not have a great day with that kind of an accessory? I enjoyed my 2 hours and 50 minutes of child-free time by going to the gym, taking a shower, and going back to the school. But I didn't have to wait for anyone to get into the car or put on their seatbelt, or have a tantrum because she couldn't buckle it but didn't want help, or I helped her and then she had to unbuckle it and then buckle it again! I think I might get spoiled!

Happy Birthday, Andy Man!

2008-08-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here is Andy, just having blown out his candles. He is moving so he is a little blurry.

This is the awesome cake my friend Jodie made for him:

I think this is Andy's version of making a wish!

This is our little guy on his first birthday, 14 years ago! I can't believe how time has flown! We love having Andy as part of our family. He is a great big brother, and as you can see a great, big brother! I think he is almost as tall as Vaughn, now! He brings lots of sunshine and laughter to our home, and is very good at calming down hysterical females (moms and sisters!) Happy Birthday, Andy!

You would be surprised!

2008-08-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

So, we were at the park last night for family night. We played soccer for a little bit and then I went to swing with the little girls. We were all in a row next to each other, pumping away. I was happy to be there, in the moment, with my Ellie and Bekah. Let's face it, I was happy that my backside can still fit in the swing. Anyway, there we were all swinging away, and Bekah said, "look, I can swing myself!" I said, "look, I can swing myself, too!" Ellie said,"You would be surprised at the things that mommies can do!"

I thought about this for the rest of the night. I think we are all too hard on ourselves as mommies, and it is important to think about the things that we can do! I have spent three years solid being pregnant, and puking for most of it! I am preparing for our 18th move in 16 years of marriage with no complaining! Okay, there is some complaining, but I could be so much worse! :) I have spent countless hours, days, months being a single parent. I have coached, team-parented, and organized countless sports, team parties, and rainy practices! I still love to cook. I love to make and preserve memories with my family. I try really hard to be, just like I know you all are, Supermom! I don't always make it, but next time you look in the sky, and see something... is it a bird? is it a plane? No, it is a crazy mother of four, swinging as high as she can, and she might just surprise herself with what she can do!

She's not heavy...

2008-08-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

We took a big family hike up to Delicate Arch the day after the 4th of July. And I mean big... it was Vaughn's family reunion so there were lots of us. It was also hot. Did I mention it was July? We all plodded our way up there, but we didn't have a lot of water and everyone was pretty tired. Ellie started to wilt and whimper on the way back down and Andy just picked her up and put her on his shoulders. What a good boy he is! I love how he is always so good to his sisters. Okay, he occasionally goads Rachel past her limits, but he is such a great big brother and we love having him in our home! Only three more years till college! :( Moments like this make motherhood worth all the insanity!

Broadway in the bedroom...

2008-08-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

So, I walked into my room the other night to give the girls a bath, and this is what I found...looks like a Barbie broadway revue! I asked Bekah what the Barbie's were doing, and she said they were doing ballet. I think it's more likely they are doing a number from Camp Rock or High School Musical! Life with girls is so fun!

First Day

2008-08-18T15:02:00.001-07:00

Here is Ellie at her brand new desk!

Here is Ellie and Daddy (and Bekah) walking to school last Monday. She is getting to be so big! Second grade is a big deal!

What happens while you are trying to do the dishes

2008-08-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, those are my two youngest daughters, Ellie (6) and Rebekah (4) strapping on their bike helmets, putting on winter coats for extra padding, and then sliding down the stairs on Ellie's old science fair display board. You can't say they aren't creative! I wonder if they are going to survive to adulthood!

On the Road Again, Literally!

2008-07-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

So, here is an important lesson I learned a few days ago: Don't drive in flip-flops! Why, you may ask? Because, your car-topper might suddenly blow open on the freeway and then you will be running up the road trying to get all your belongings out of the way of the oncoming traffic! Okay, let's back up a little bit. So, my sister and I were heading off to visit our little brother in Montana. We were both antsy to get on our way, and when the key to my car-top carrier wouldn't come out of the lock, I figured we could just leave it in there. (Mistake #1) I wiggled it and tried to pull the lid off and decided it would be secure for the drive. My dad offered to bungee it closed, but I thought we would be okay. (Mistake #2). So off we went to Butte, Montana. Things went great for the first two hours. We had five kids hanging out in the van in relative contentment, and Trisa was just drifting off to sleep...when BAM! We came around the corner of a big mountain and got slammed by a huge gust of wind blowing all the way from Texas. The carrier completely blew open and stuff started to bounce all over the freeway at 80 mph. Ellie's suitcase, Bekah's suitcase, a Wal-mart bag with barbies, my running shoe (just one of them), oh... and Rachel's saxophone. And, the car wanted to roll over from the sudden lateral forces! I pulled over and hopped out of the car. I found myself sprinting up the road in flip-flops, trying to curl my toes, so I wouldn't trip on the front of them, you know? It was like some crazy, extreme relay: run up the road 50 feet, throw a suitcase to the shoulder, run 10 more feet, throw a suitcase to the other shoulder, run 20 more feet, grab the sax case, the sax, the neckstrap and move those to the side of the road. Wait while the UPS semi runs over the neck of the saxophone (flatter than a pancake!), then run out and try to salvage Barbies, barbie accessories, and my running shoe. Alas, Ken got decapitated and we lost several of the accesories. I think I won the relay, because I successfully dodged traffic and recovered 70 percent of the saxophone! It was rent-to-own, do you think I could take it back and say we don't want it anymore? Hmmm. I am so grateful that we were blessed enough to make it to Curt's in one piece/several pieces, and that Heavenly Father watched over us, even though we forgot to have our usual prayer before we hit the road. We did have one right after I tied the carrier shut with a tow rope. So, lesson learned, I will always accept bungee cords when offered! I hope one day my children will appreciate how dedicated I am to their happiness! I really tried to get every last piece of Barbie I possibly could! :) Life is never dull with us! So the car-topper had a funeral and we made it all the way back to Kansas without any other incidents. I don't know if I want to ever take a road trip again!

Rub-a-dub-dub, 3 Girls in the Tub!!!

2008-07-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

Okay, so here I am in Idaho house/dog/babysitting for my brother and also crashing here because my parents' house is too small for all the family trickling in this weekend. Kelli, my cute niece, started crying her eyes out because she misses her parents. I had the brilliant idea to put the three girls, Kelli, and Rebekah and Ellie in the jacuzzi tub. She perked up at this and we turned on the water. Thirty minutes later, the girls were all in and the bubbles were going. We had put in just a little bit of body wash to boost the bubble factor. I left the room for a couple of minutes. I know! HUGE MISTAKE! I came back to this! Actually, it's hard to tell from the picture, but the bubbles are up the walls, halfway up the blinds and all over the floor. It took me 45 minutes to get rid of all the suds. But the bathroom is really, really clean now! Sorry, Chris and Cindy! :) And, Kelli stopped crying! I however, may not!

Mother's Day a month late

2008-06-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of you missed this when I sent it out last year, so here it is again, my crazy Mother's day talk I gave in church. Hope it makes you smile and know you are not alone! Love, Tami

I have to admit it: I dread Mother’s Day. I know it is supposed to be a day
to honor and celebrate the women who give us life. I never had a problem with this particular holiday, until I became a mother. Now, it is a day of comparisons: me to my Mother, me to the mothers sitting on the next row, me to the mothers in the mother’s day talks who never raised their voices, who were angels and perfect examples to their children. I come up woefully short in my comparisons. When I prepare a talk, I usually turn to the scriptures for help and inspiration. Well, the women in the scriptures range from Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Jezebel. I think I fall somewhere in the middle. But mostly, they are women who were married to great prophets, or were prophetesses, or raised young men who had unshakeable faith. Do I really have anything in common with these people? Can you see Saraiah telling Laman and Lemuel to stop arguing or she was going to have to turn the camel around? Or one of the mothers of the stripling warriors telling him that she just didn’t feel like writing a talk about motherhood after spending 30 minutes cleaning up wet, shredded toilet paper that was adhering to every square inch of the bathroom?

I am an average mother. I get cranky, tired, and overwhelmed. I feel inadequate and humbled by the responsibility I have to raise Heavenly Father’s children. Frequently, I am at my wit’s end, out of patience, and wishing I could take the day off! If someone put my life into the scriptures, I would be considered one of those parts that wasn’t translated correctly!

But here I am, with all of my weaknesses, the mother of four beautiful children that have been sent here in the last days. Heavenly Father thinks I can do this job. After much reflection while cleaning up the shredded toilet paper, I think that I am starting to learn a little about this calling that we call motherhood. Here are 10 things I have learned in the relatively short time I have been a mother.

I know that his is what Heavenly Father wants me to be doing. For most of my youth I had a huge desire to be a missionary. I put my papers in exactly 90 days before my 21st birthday. I studied my scriptures. I kept every rule and worked and prayed. It was an amazing experience. And then, 18 months later, it was over and I had to come home. I was having a rather rough reentry into normal life. I couldn’t imagine what else I could possibly do that was remotely as important to what I had just done! I taught at the MTC and loved being there in the cocoon of the Spirit talking about the BOM and how to love your investigators. One day, I was called to be the Relief Society president in our student ward. When the bishop set me apart, he told me that although Heavenly Father appreciated the great service I had had as a missionary, there were even greater things that he needed me to do. Shortly after that, Vaughn and I were engaged and I began to understand what greater things the Lord had in store for me.
I know that being a mother has nothing to do with giving birth. Adam gave Eve her name, which means “the mother of all living” before they had ever left the garden of Eden and become parents. Mother means to nurture. Women give birth but never mother, and vice-versa.
I know that the inside of your t-shirt hem makes a great Kleenex.
I know that the best thing I can do for my children is to love their father. This has been said many times about the reverse. Partnership is essential. Single parenting is not ideal. In the proclamation on the family, it states, “ The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.” Children come from the union we have with our husbands. They need to feel secure within its framework.
I know that the toilet paper-changing gene remains dormant until a child leaves home.
I know that I can teach my children to love the scriptures. I can introduce them to the perfect example, Jesus Christ, and his teachings. I can teach them about great missionaries like Ammon, prophets like Nephi, and Isaiah. Each one of them has a great biblical namesake who is a wonderful example.
I know that I am assisted by angels, both heavensent and earthbound. The Spirit often lets me know of dangers, physical and spiritual, that are threatening our family. Sometimes, I think I am literally helped by angels. When Vaughn and I were starving college students with a small baby, we had a car that had a dying battery. Vaughn solved the problem by push starting the car and letting it accelerate as we went down the huge hill we lived on. One day he called me from work for a ride. I strapped Andy into his seat, turned the key, and nothing happened. You know me, miss I-can-do-anything!. I tried to push start the car, just like my husband did, by sitting in it and pushing with my leg. Of course, I wasn’t strong enough to make the car move. So, I got the brilliant idea of getting out of the car and pushing it from the hood, backwards. Imagine my horror, when not only did the car start to move, it went hurtling across the parking lot toward a dropoff down to the lower apartment buildings. The back wheels went over, but the front wheels caught. I frantically ran to the car and pulled Andy out of his seat. Thank goodness the Lord protects our children from their parents! Other angels in my life are my husband, sister, and many friends.
I know that the sweetest perfume in the world is that of a newborn baby’s breath, the sweetest sound is that of my children laughing, and the sweetest sight is my children sleeping, all four of them, preferably before 8:30!
I know that Heavenly Father appreciates my efforts. I know that the Savior can understand what it is like to be tired, to have heartaches, to suffer body and spirit. King Benjamin tells us in Mosiah 3:7 ,” And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.” Surely, somewhere in his experience He also felt morning sickness as well!
I know, now, in just a small measure, how much my Heavenly Father loves me. With all of my sins, shortcomings, pride, and imperfections, I am amazed at the depth of love I have for these children He has blessed Vaughn and I with. I delight in their joys. I ache for their disappointments. I worry about their choices. I want to teach them the right and watch them choose the right. Their father and I were promised we could have each other and them forever, and this is the promise that keeps me going. If I, who is so imperfect, am able to feel so much love for them, then how much more does our Father love us, who is able to love perfectly? I am grateful that as I teach my family about God, I have been taught about his overwhelming love for me.

Speaking of Chaos...

2008-06-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

My name is Tami, and I have a messy purse. Yes, I am baring my soul, or rather, my handbag, to all of you. The chaos of my life extends even into my shoulder bag. Or maybe that is where it begins? Here is what is in my purse:

A loose twenty-dollar bill

8 commissary receipts totaling $730

2 px receipts totaling $51

2 walmart receipts totaling $48

Various fast food receipts

A Lowe's receipt for $110

6 Target receipts for $450

My new contact lens prescription (which reminds me, I need to order them)

Eye appt. reminders for me and Rachel, both were in May

A receipt from Jeni's ice cream in Columbus, Ohio (the salty caramel is fabulous!)

Airline ticket stub from Columbus, Ohio trip

Two empty contact lens boxes (I had to take to the eye doctor)

One bottle of ibuprofen

Three lipglosses

One tube of neosporin

Two barrettes

One little girl hairbrush

Five melted milk duds (from seeing Iron Man the other night, I snuck in some candy and it melted in my purse. Must be karma)

A book of stamps

Some cold stone creamery coupons

A printout of the shinguards my son wanted from Dick's sporting goods

A band concert program

A large bag of skittles, half-empty

My checkbook

My wallet, filled with other receipts I haven't even looked at yet! I only counted the loose ones in my bag!

Four shopping lists

My cell phone

A little bag with my akoya pearl necklace ( I wondered where that was!)

This could be why I can't find my cell phone when it rings! By the way, I did clean out my purse as I was listing everything. Although, if I had to leave in a hurry, I probably would have shoveled everything right back in until a later time. :) Notice that I didn't have anything useful, like a pen or some paper to write on. I guess I could always use lip gloss and a receipt! So now you all know. I have a messy purse, and I am okay with that. Sure, I would love to be clean and organized in every area of my life, but if I have ten extra minutes, I would rather hang out with my husband, or take a bath, or scrapbook, than clean out my purse. I think it is a great snapshot of my life and everything that I try to do in a day.

So, what's in your purse? :)

Here We Go!

2008-06-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

I have finally decided to get on the bloggin' train! I really enjoy visiting blogs of my friends and family and catching up with them that way. Also, I have had many people tell me I should write a book about all my crazy motherhood experiences. That is not going to happen. Why? Because I am too busy having crazy motherhood experiences. So, I thought if I had a place to write those all down, even if I am the only one to ever read them, it might be good for my sanity, at least. Now we come to the title of this blog. You have heard of the book Profiles in Courage, right? Well, that was about really remarkable people doing amazing things. This is just about one crazy, on-the-edge stay-at-home boring mom and wife doing incredibly mundane and everyday things, but with exceptionally clever and devious children thrown into the mix! It might still be boring, but it's my life and I love it/hate it/love it! What can I say? I am a girl and I am fickle. So, stay tuned for more from the madhouse!