To my sweet Kate..

Happy Birthday my cute Katiebug! I cannot believe she is turning 4 - time sure does go fast. Kate, Kate, Kate - I am not sure where to start in describing this sweet girl. Those who know my Kate - know what I am trying to say. She is full of spunk and is definitely her own person. She is going to be one of those girls (of course much later in life) that all the boys like because she loves to play and get dirty but can turn around and be a princess. She is not afraid to voice her opinion and let you know when she feels she is not being treated fairly. She has a voice - and she will be heard!!! Kate is also one of the most "feeling" people I have ever met. She can sense when you are not happy or when you are not feeling well - and she wants to make it right! That girl - she just gets people! She loves princesses, dancing, dolls, playing with her brother and cars. There is not a shy bone in that girl's body and she loves to be at the center of everything! She is my sweet Kate - and she makes our family perfect! I cannot imagine our lives without her. She brightens my day and I am so grateful she is a part of our family. Again - Happy Birthday Kate!! We love you!!

Late Merry Christmas

This is late - but I just wanted to wish everyone a great holiday season (since "Merry Christmas" is over.) This has been a good year for our family - a bit stressful at times, but good. The most important part of this season to me is family - things are nice, but this season would not be the same without our family. We had a great Christmas this year - spending Christmas Eve with my family at my brother's house, Christmas Day at Andrew's moms house and at the Blackburn's. We had so much fun - but I was so tired by the time we got home Christmas night that I left my house a mess (Christmas stuff everywhere) and basically passed out for the night. The kids had a great time as well. They enjoy seeing their cousins and lets be honest here - opening presents! I tried hard to remind them what Christmas is really about - and I think both Thom and Kate really started to understand that Christmas isn't about the presents but about Jesus and about giving and being together as a family.

Something cute that Thomas said: We were at my parents helping them to decorate the tree. We were basically finished but Thomas kept going back for more ornaments. Grandpa told him that we were done and that there was no more room. Thomas in a very excited voice proclaims, "Grandpa, I can't stop! I am having the time of my life!"

So with that - Late Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I hope your Christmas was beautiful and you were able to get all you needed - not just physical gifts but those spiritual gifts you need as well. Take care everyone I appreciate your friendship and support of my family and of me!

Buttermilk anyone??

Can I say yuck? My husband is a great fan of buttermilk - I can't stand the stuff. Thomas has even tried it a few times and gags every time (you would think he would learn???) Anyway, Kate wanted to try dad's buttermilk today so he let her and she drank about half of his glass. When she came up for air she had the silliest smile on her face - like she had just tasted a piece of heaven (Corney I know). Anyway she looks at her dad and says
Kate: That's so tasty
Dad: I know- but Thom and mom don't like it
Kate: (says while giving dad a big thumbs up) that's okay - you and I can just be the buttermilk girls!!!
Dad: Thanks Kate - I would be happy to be a buttermilk girl???

Serves him right - that stuff is nasty!

Quick Update!

Hi everyone - just an update on me for a change. I am going in for surgery next Wednesday - hopefully it will be a simple out patient- but I am not keeping my hopes up for that one. I have another humungo cyst that needs to be removed (not as dangerous a type as last time) but it is causing me quite a bit of pain... and because of last time, they want to take it out just in case it is something more. So - I will keep you updated on what is going - just please keep me in your prayers!!! Thanks everyone!

Rock on babies!!!

How cute is this!! Thanks to Bryan, my kids got their first taste of Rock Band a few Sundays ago. It was so fun! Andrew, Bryan and I were in the kitchen and I poked my head out to this scene - my little rock stars! Anyway, we had great fun that night with great dinner and awesome entertainment.

Thanksgiving was great fun this year. Dad came home from the hospital and we were able to celebrate a very tasty Thanksgiving all together. Just an update on dad - he is doing really well. He is no longer using crutches or a walker and is only using a cane. His doctor and PT have been extremely surprised at how quickly his recovery is going - though Dad is not as convinced we are glad to see him recovering as quickly as he is.

On the home front, just a little plug for Thomas - he was awarded Principal's Pride this week for a great little comic strip he wrote. Thomas has been doing so great in school this last month his teacher said that he really deserved to be honored. The school held a little presentation and gave him a certificate and a prize for his hard work. We are very proud of him!! Way to go Thom!!! Also, Congrats to Marci's son, Hunter, who was also given an award this week as well!

Thanksgiving

Several of you out there have posted a grateful list and I thought that was a great idea - so here is mine.

1 - I am very grateful for my sweet husband. He is a wonderful father and my best friend!
2 - I am grateful for my children. Children are amazing - the love they give and the joy they bring to my life is indescribable! I am so grateful we have our 3 and cannot even imagine life without them.
3 - I am grateful for the gospel. I know there are those who believe differently, however even the knowledge that there is a God or a higher being brings great fulfillment to one's life. For me, it brings hope that there is a purpose for me here - and for that, I am grateful.
4 - I am grateful for family. The last few years have really brought to my mind the importance of being connected with family. I appreciate all the help and support we have received from our family - and without that, we would not be where we are today.
5 - I am grateful for my job. I hate working!! But, that being said, I know that the career I have has been a great blessing for our family and has helped me to grow personally as well.
6 - I am grateful for holidays. This time of year is really one of the only time that we are together as a family. Holidays are not about the presents but being able to spend time together and to just enjoy each others company.
7 - I am grateful for the house we live in. Andrew and I had a rough beginning in this area - however, despite our tiny quarters, we both feel this is where we need to be right now. We almost sold our house (believe me -it was a tempting situation because I am wanting a bigger place) but felt that there will be time for bigger places later and we should stay where we are.
8 - I am grateful for friends. To all of you who read this blog - thank you for your friendship! You are all important in my life and I appreciate your love and support of my family and of me.
9 - I am grateful for fun!! Life is so stressful so much of the time - that I am truly grateful for the chances to just take a brake!! Even if it is just to watch a movie, play pool, hang out our friends, etc.. Being able to relax is so important and I am one who enjoys taking full advantage of that!
10 - I am grateful for my health and the health of my family. This year -everyone is doing fairly well. Dad just had his surgery - but is recovering. His cancer is gone and he is doing so much better. We have had a couple of other hospitalizations this year for other sicknesses (pneumonia, kidney infection, etc)- and it is nice to know that everyone is finally getting better - and for that I couldn't be more grateful!

Update

For those who know my dad - just wanted to let you know that he had his knee surgery on Monday and everything went well. He is still recovering in the hospital and is in a lot of pain - but he is making progress. He is supposed to be released on Thursday just in time for a good Thanksgiving dinner!! - YEAH!! But, it will all depend on his progress today. If he is unable to meet certain markers - he will be sent to a rehab unit for a few days. So...I will keep you posted. Thanks to everyone who has been in contact with him -sending him well wishes. He truly appreciates it!!

Conversation with Thomas today...

Mom: Thomas, what do you want for Christmas?
Thomas; A DS (Nintendo - no way), Lego's Indian Jones WII Game, Batman WII game, Hulk WII game, Spiderman WII game (see a pattern) - and a Cow Pooper!!
Mom: WHAT??
Thomas: You know like dad has...
Mom: Dad has a cow pooper??
Thomas: You know, that thing he got that poops out candy..
Mom: Oh...I got it (stupid little toy he got from our friends) - too funny!

Like I always say - Kids are so awesome!!!

Eight is Great tag!!

My friend Megan sent me this fun tag, so I thought I would give it a try - and of course pass the fun along!

8 Shows I like to watch
1. House (Andrew's and my new favorite show)
2. Without a Trace (recently replaced as my new favorite show)
3. House (again - I know)
4. Grey's Anatomy
5. Deal or no Deal
6. House (not even kidding)
7. Iron Chef America (stop laughing)
8. and you guessed it...House!

8 Restaurants I like to eat at:
1. Tepanyaki Steak House(by far my most favorite place to eat)
2. Market Street Grill
3. Cinnagrill
4. Litza Pizza (downtown location only)
5. Famous Daves
6. Olive Garden
7. Fortune Cookie (awesome chinese food by my house)
8. Jalisco's - Best mexican around!!

8 Things that happened today
1. I got up and got ready for work
2. Got all my kids up and got them ready
3. Helped Thomas with his homework
4. Sat in a meeting ALL DAY LONG!!!
5. Played Sudoku in the meeting - all day long - hehe!
6. Followed up on Mattie's Dr.'s appt.
7. Ate a really good dinner at my parent's
8. Wrote on my blog!

8 Things I am looking forward to:
1. Thanksgiving
2. Two weeks off over Christmas
3. Going to bed!!!
4. Mattie walking
5. Future family vacation
6. Kate's dance recital
7. Thomas' Christmas concert
8. Spending time with my family!

8 Things on my wish list:
1. NEW HOUSE!!! (Someday - this will happen)
2. Being out of debt
3. Vacation with kids to Disneyland
4. New (and bigger) car!
5. Losing weight!!!
6. I want new carpet in my current house (unless of course I get a new house)
7. Lots of new clothes!
8. More money... (I can't think of anything else)

8 People I Am Tagging
1. Misty
2. A'Lisha
3. Tahnie
4. Nikki
5. Angela
6. Aunt Veneta
7. Marcie
8. Myra

Soup Recipe #2

Sorry this is so late in coming -but I left my laptop at work this weekend so I couldn't post anything!

Anyway - this week's recipe is my own Chili recipe. The thing with this recipe is that it is so easy!! You can add whatever flavors you want to make it as mild or as hot as you want.

1lb Hamburger
1 onion
1 green pepper

Brown meat with onion and green pepper. Make sure to add salt and pepper and some season salt to the meat. (For those who don't like veggies - you can leave the pepper out and use onion salt - it just won't be quite as good! ;0)) Add to this mixture:

280z can diced tomatoes (you can half if you want)
1 large can diced chili peppers (optional but highly recommended)
1 14oz can tomato sauce
2 cans of beans of your choice (I prefer Kidney or black - or a combo!)
1 can condensed tomato soup (sounds weird - trust me!!)
2 Tbs Chili powder
2 Tbs Cumin

Mix all together and let simmer for 20+ min. Add additional salt and pepper and spicy seasonings to your taste. I have substituted 1 package of taco seasoning for the spice as an experiment and really liked the way it turned out -just another option! If you need more hot spice - add a jalapeno or use the rotel diced tomatoes - be careful though - those are REALLY spicy! Anyway, serve over rice (trust me on this one too - my favorite way to have chili!) with some nice shredded cheese. I also always buy the cheap Jiffy corn bread mix to have with it. This is one of my kids favorite things - but we do keep it more mild at our house - I am a bit of a weenie when it comes to spice. For all those frugal individuals out there - this meal will feed our family of 5 for two good meals and costs around $10.00 to make. Enjoy!

Interesting experiences...

Yesterday Helen, Andrew, and I went to see the Body Worlds exhibit in Salt Lake. Can I say - it was awesome! Any of you who feel a little squeamish about this - don't! You don't realize how amazing the human body is until you see something like this. Every thing in our body is so precise and needed to make our bodies work. You see these displays that show the inner workings of our bodies - with all of these blood vessels (millions and millions of blood vessels), muscles, bones, etc... - all there for a purpose! I am not sure how anyone can think we are all here by chance - not possible! Anyway - it was a great exhibit and I would definitely recommend it to everyone! About half-way through, Andrew and I thought that even Thomas might find this exhibit really cool - which means we may be going back. Thanks Helen for taking us - we really enjoyed it!

Andrew and I were walking around Costco yesterday waiting for his tire to be fixed when I got a call from Thom's teacher (never a good sign!). He informed me that Thomas had a really hard day - he was not able to sit in his seat, couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he was HANGING FROM THE COAT HANGERS (just to name a few things)!! Wow - I looked at Andrew (who was in charge of Kate and Thomas yesterday) and asked if he remembered to give Thom his pill. He went pail when he realized he had not - and we both started apologizing profusely to his teacher. That will not happen again! I was hoping to be able to start backing off on the medication a little, but I think that this may not be the right time. I am going to start looking into parenting classes that teach behavior modification types of things to help us help Thomas more - so maybe if it does happen again - it won't be such a bad thing. Anyone have any ideas of where I can find this stuff?? If you do - let me know!

Something tasty!

I love soup!! I don't know what it is - but it is probably one of my most favorite meals. Soup, in my opinion is the only good thing about winter (minus the holidays of course!!) That being said - I have decided to increase my stash of soup recipes and try a new one every week. If I like the recipe - I will post it - if not, I will still post it! Anyway - this first recipe is from my friend Nicole (with some of my own additions) - hope you like it!!

Cheesy Potato Soup
2 carrots, grated
1 medium chopped onion
3 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
5 C chicken stock/ broth
½ t salt
½ t pepper
¼ t garlic powder
1 Stick butter
8 T flour
4 C Monterey jack cheese, grated
4 C milk, enough for thick sauce

Cook vegetables and seasonings in broth 40 minutes, until tender. In a separate pan, melt butter, whisk in flour and add milk. Bring just to a boil, remove from heat and add cheese. Add this cream mixture to your vegetables and enjoy!

Ok - "souper easy and souper tastey!!" (I know bad joke - haha!) This makes a ton of soup - which is good if you want some left overs for lunches etc... For those who don't like onions, I have a family friend who used to put a whole onion in the soup while cooking for the flavor and than take it our for her very picky kids!! That would definitely work here. Also, if you want a really smooth texture - you could always blend it in your blender and know one would even know there were onions or carrots in it. My kids loved this soup! Thomas, who usually doesn't eat, ate 3 bowls! This is definitely a keeper for our house. FYI - for extra flavor -Andy added a spoon full of sour cream - which was pretty tasty too!

Random thoughts... and some cute pictures

Here are some of the photos from Halloween. This first one is of Thomas' class during their party. I was a "room-mom" for his class and got to help in the classroom. It was a lot of fun!!



This couple are parents of one of Thomas' friends. Talk about crazy.. This man is 6ft 4 and last year he was an Umpa Lumpa (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) - Pretty funny!!

Thomas was Darth Vador!! If you look closely, he is wearing a ribbon from the Costume Contest we had at the ward the previous night. He was very proud - (it was actually his dad's - but he felt he contributed so he could have the ribbon!)

The Chicken - yeah, that is Thom's teacher!

Mattie - who was a beautiful cow!! We kept trying to teach her to Moo -but instead learned to say "Hi" That works...

My nasty pirate- I am so proud!!

Princess Kate - If you ask her who she is - she is Princess Erica from the Prince and the Pauper - yeah - a Barbie Movie. I had no idea that is what I was getting her - but she couldn't have been happier.

I am sitting her tonight - really wanting to write something but not really sure what to write. Things have been rather calm here the last several days - thank goodness! I was getting tired of all the craziness the last few weeks. I guess just some things that I want to mention...

The kids had a great time on Halloween. First we stopped by my work and did a little "Trick-or-Treating" - in fact the kids filled two buckets with candy. We than traveled all over the valley to show the kids off in their cute costumes. We ended the evening at my parents house. We enjoyed soup and Andrew and I took Thomas out for even more candy. Katie had decided that she had had enough and wasn't about to go out again. So we went for about an hour and than Mom and Dad had had enough. It was a great night - kids had fun and so did mom and dad. After we got home, we promptly put the kids to bed and I threw away about 3/4's of the candy. I know my kids and I know they definitely won't miss it.

We experienced our first snowfall yesterday and I was horribly unprepared. My kids wanted to play in the snow and we didn't even have any gloves. So...after obtaining all necessary winter wear - the weather turned warm. Oh well, at least we are now prepared (thanks grandma!!)

Work... what can I say about work?? Hmmm - BORING! Now that my conference is over, things have gotten really slow. I hate slow - I would rather have things be busy than feel like I am wasting my time. I have been working on a training about our fee schedule. I have been studying RBRVS values, CPT codes, Medicare Modifiers - confused? So am I... Anyway, putting this training together has been very taxing and frankly more boring than doing nothing. However, I can tell you anything you need to know about our policy in using our medical based fee schedule. I will definitely be glad when this is all over!

Last thing - can I tell you how glad I am that this election is over. We have a new president and we are about to start a new venture. I am not sure how it will all turn out but I will support him as our new president and hope that he will lead this country in the direction we need to go.

So sad!! These are the only two pictures I can get off my camera from Halloween! I need my honey's help!! Oh well, when I can ever figure out how to get the pictures off the nice camera - I will be sure to post them. Below is our fun pumpkin carving night. My old camera has seemed to "eat" the rest of the pictures - so this is what we have for now.

More Pictures...

Here are some more of our pictures. I am really pleased with how they turned out. This first one is my most favorite.

Cool Website

Okay - I am not sure if I have mentioned this before - but I found this great site for menus - www.e-mealz.com It has been advertised lately on the local radio stations, however, my family has been using this site for over a year. I love it!! It gives you menus based on the ads in your grocery store. It has a menu for Wal-Mart as well as one for Smiths. It also has a general menu that you can use anywhere. I use this menu for my off weeks in the CO-OP. Using this menu has helped us save a great deal of cash when it comes to our food bill. I think on average (this is including baby food and formula) we are spending about $95.00 a week to feed a family of 5. The menus are easy and they are different so you are not eating the same thing time and time again. They also have a regular menu (for 4-6 ),weight watchers menu, a low-carb menu, a low-fat menu, and menus for 2-3 people. So... if you can beat that price for groceries - let me know how you do it- because I am very interested. Also, the CO-OP(http://www.crossroads-u-c.org) for November has some great stuff - with no fish (I put that in there because some of you were worried there is always fish - btw-there is hardly ever fish )! If you are interested in the e-mealz website - let me know and I will send you my log-in and password so you can see for yourself. Also, I don't know if I have any out-of-staters who read this - but you don't have to be a Utahn to use this site - it is for everyone!

Things I am greatful for...

First and foremost - I am thankful for my family. We had a rough weekend this week. Andy ended up in the hospital for observation due to pneumonia. He has been sick for over a week and was not getting better. His doctor finally told him that since he was not responding to two coursed of antibiotics - something else could be wrong. Thank goodness - nothing else was. They said most likely it was viral and would just take longer to get over. I am so grateful for the family that stepped in this weekend to help us out. We got the kids taken care of and I was able to spend the time at the hospital with Andrew.

Next - I am grateful for the idea that all good things must end.. I know that is weird but, I have been working very hard over the last several months to put together my agency Annual Meeting - and it is finally over!! YEAH! Life will be much less stress and more relaxed for the next several months (until I start planning for the next one). This was probably the best one I did - I received so many compliments about the workshops and awards - it was great to know all that hard work was appreciated. But again - I am SO glad it is over.

Finally - I am grateful for children! Today was our ward's primary program. Thomas and Kate did their part as well as my little class of five and six year olds. They all did great. The spirit was strong and the members in the congregation were obviously touched. There is something great in a child's testimony and I felt very honored to be a part of this. Again - thanks to the grandparents who came to support my children in their program.

Well - this week was a tough one - and we still survived! It is funny in life how when you are in the midst of "stuff" you think - how am I ever going to get through this... But when it is over, and you can look back - you think, "this wasn't so bad - and I am grateful for the experience!"

Some pictures!

Some pictures of our cute kids!

We had our family pictures taken the other day. Above are just a few of what was posted on her blog - http://www.tamdeephoto.blogspot.com/ Thanks to Marcie who had her website on her blog. She was so reasonable ($75) and the best part is we got the rights to all our pictures. I am still waiting for our CD - as soon as I get that, I will post more pictures!

It's Over!!!!

Today was the last football game of the season - can I shout HURRAY!!! Not that I didn't enjoy going -it was fun - but getting everyone up and dressed(warmly) and out the door by 7:30 on a Saturday was getting a bit much. That being said - Thomas was awesome! He was the only one who scored on his team and he was thrilled!! His coach came up after and said that kid belongs in sports because he is so fast (I know I am bragging just a little - but I am just being a proud parent for one second!). He is fast - I think because he is so thin but muscular - he can just whip right past everyone. Anyway, the season is done and we have a new favorite sport in our family. Andrew did get to help coach the team this last game because the coach was out of town. He had so much fun out their running with the kids - I think we may have found a new prospect for a coach next season - I guess we'll see! That being said - to everyone who kept asking to know when his games are - SORRY! I didn't mean to not tell you - I just forgot. This season was so fast - that I blinked and it was over. Next year - I will be sure to post the schedule!!!

Thomas has our quote for today...

Preface: We are driving home from the game and Thomas is watching the streets go by and says: "Streets go in every direction don't they mom?"
Mom: "Yes, honey - there are streets that lead everywhere"
Thomas: "Mom, the world is like a giant Maze!"

I have decided that kids can be very profound and not even realize it. How true is that statement. The world is like a maze. We are put here to find our way. We have been given resources (the Gospel, prayer, parents, friends, others, etc.) to help us through this maze. Some people choose to use it and find the finish quickly and successfully - others choose to ignore their resources, and take so much longer to reach the finish (and sometimes don't even reach that finish point). The finish can be whatever you need it to be: happiness, contentment, spirituality, etc. Hmm - maybe that is a stretch and maybe I am not saying it right. But for some reason - his statement really meant something to me today. Kids are awesome!

My proudest moment?????

Here is a conversation I had with Kate yesterday.

Kate: Mom (calling from the bathroom) - I need you to come wipe my bum
Mom: Ok - I will be right there
Kate: (After Mom is Finished) Thanks Mom - I sure needed your help
Mom: No problem Bug - don't forget to wash your hands
Kate: Mom, I love you so much - you are the best "wiper" I know!
Mom: Thanks???

Hmm - there is nothing else to say...

And it rained and rained and rained

So on Saturday it became very clear to me why I was trying to get Thomas to play something besides football - they play in rain, snow, or sunshine. Baseball - it rains, you delay the game. Soccer, it rains - you delay the game. Football - it rains - it's 35 degrees - THE GAME MUST GO ON!! I have not been that cold for a very long time. I thought we were going to miss the rain and have to deal with just the cold - but no - 15 minutes into the game the downpour began. I was very glad to have remembered our umbrellas and our VERY WARM outdoor ware - because we needed it. But, again, even with saying that - it was so fun to watch. Yes, our little team can be compared to "The Bad News Bears" but they sure try hard and they have lots of fun - after all, that is what counts! I decided with all of this that I am not a quiet sports mom - I like to yell...a lot! ( A trait I can say that I definitely got from my mom.) You have to cheer these little guys on - they need to know they have support out there - even when the weather stinks. I should give a big nod to my parents and to Andrew's mom - they all showed up for his 8:00 am game (who has games at 8 - please!!!) in the freezing rain. Ahh - the joys of parenthood!!

More Pictures

I found some cute pictures of the kids so I thought I would post them...


I am not sure why I like this so much - but this is Thomas doing homework. Can you believe it?? He is old enough to do homework - Way cool !

We went to the dollar store the other day and let the kids pick one thing - Thomas got a police "set" which included these silly little binoculars and badge.

My pretty Kate - all ready for dance! If you look close, you can see her first casualty by her eye.

MMM - Chips!! Mattie loves her teeth. Gives her a whole new variety of things to experience - including biting her brother (hahaha) !

Andrew said "smile for the camera" and this is what he got. She was getting very bored at the football game and at this point was really ready to be done.

Mattie's newest talent = SPITTING! Yep, she spits all the time - especially when you are trying to feed her cereal. It is so great (Jen says in a very sarcastic tone)!

Football, football, and more football...

Ok - I guess I am officially a soccer mom. But not really a soccer mom - more like a football mom, but I really think that still counts!! Thomas had his first game on Saturday and it was so fun! He is pretty good at this football stuff! Even though his team lost, Thomas did get the only touchdown for his team. AWESOME!! Anyway, we do have a few things to work on - such as flag football does not mean tackle (no matter how rude the other kid was), when the whistle blows the play is over and you cannot tackle the other kid (no matter how rude he is), and when the other team makes a touchdown - you cannot tackle the other kid (no matter how rude he is)! So, once we get the whole meaning of "flag" we will being doing good. By the way, Thomas was not the only one who was forgetting it was flag football, however, he was the one I was noticing because he was my child - and I think you notice your child more than others. So, for the next 5 weeks this is what we will be doing 3 days a week...and I love it!!

Everyone else is doing fine but me of course - I am sick, again! I got some nasty cold that has knocked me flat. I hate being sick because I am not a good sick person - I hate it when I can't get things done and I just get plain crabby!! Oh well, it is starting to go away and I am beginning to get my energy back.

Kate got her stitches out this last week - and again she didn't cry. However, when it was all over she looked at me and yelled at me. Told me that it did hurt and that it was my fault. Oh well, I can live with that...

Mattie - she wants to walk - I don't want her to walk. I am holding her back I know, but I am not ready for that one yet. I need her to be a baby for a little while longer - is that too much to ask??

Another Crazy Weekend!

We are now an official family with kids (whatever that means)- we have had our first incident involving stitches!!! However, it was not Thomas that experienced this great event, it was our dear little Kate. We were just getting ready to load up the car after our weekly trip to Costco, when Kate was running to help her Daddy and tripped on her own two feet and fell smack on the edge of the cart. Nice gaping wound about 1/2 inch from eye. We were very glad Grandma Helen was there with us because we gave her the other two kids and rushed Kate to the emergency room where they promptly gave her 3 stitches. I have to say though, that my little Kate is about the bravest kid in the whole wide world. She did not cry one bit when they were giving her the stitches. She let them bind her arms and she let them stick that nasty shot right in her wound and she did not even let a scream or fight them off. I was so impressed!! I kept telling her that it was okay to cry - but she held in there!! What a cool kid!!

On a better note - Thomas started football this Saturday. I tried hard to get him to play baseball or soccer but he was insistent on playing football (his cousin Jake plays football and he loves his cousin Jake) - so here we are. It was kind of fun watching these 1st and 2nd graders run around a field not knowing what the heck they were doing. Thomas caught on pretty quickly though and was grabbing everyone's flags left and right by the end of the event. Kind of fun - I think I could get used to this! It is so fun watching your kids excel at things they really love. Thomas with football - Kate with her dance. I really think this parenting thing get more fun the older they get.

The things kids say!

So Kate, Thomas (He is sick!), and Mattie were at Grandma Helen's today because our babysitter was out of town. Thomas and Kate wre playing basketball with some friends when Kate decided that she was done and wanted to play with something else - She also felt that everyone else there should be done as well. She started getting really angry when no one would follow her lead that she got off the toy she was playing with, stomped over to her grandma and promptly said, "They are ruining my life!" She than stomped her way inside. Holy Cow!! Where does she come up with this stuff. I have never seen a kid that comes up with the crazy stuff she does! I have decided that I am going to start writing this stuff down - because she will never believe me when she gets older!!

Anyway, I finally got some pictures from the fair - all I can say is that my kids are dang cute!!! (no biases here!)

Fair Happenings...

This weekend has been a crazy one as usual. On Friday we decided to take the kids to the fair. It was so much fun!! We brought our double stroller so Kate had a ride as well as Mattie and we spent a better part of the afternoon and evening exploring. We watched a really cool reptile show, a hypnotist, saw real tigers, went in a fun house, had fair food, watched a rodeo, and saw lots and lots of stinky animals. The kids were thrilled to be there and to see all the sights. On Saturday - Andrew and I finally had a much needed date night. We went to see the new movie Traitor and ate at McCool's. It was so nice to get out and just spend time with each other. All in all it was a great weekend. It was pretty relaxing for me which is definitely something I needed.

I do have pictures of the fair - but we are having difficulty with our digital card. I will get them posted as soon as Andrew figures out the problem.

1st day of school

Ok - where does the time go - does anybody know? I ask this simply because I just got back from taking my son to 1st grade. I cannot believe he is old enough to be going to school all day. I have to admit that when I droped him off - I cried!! I can't believe it - I didn't cry for kindergarten but there was just something different about 1st grade for me. He was so cute with his new clothes and new backpack - and I thought, "my baby is no longer my baby!" Maybe it was that realization that he is growing up and becoming his own little person that made me a bit emotional. He was pretty funny about the whole school thing though. We got to the fence for the school and he told me just to wait there and he would walk by himself - he got about 3 steps and turned and looked at me and said, "Mom - your not coming?" - in a very panicked voice (I guess forgetting he told me not to just seconds before). So I walk with him but he would not let me hold his hand!! He was worried other kids might see - I thought kids were older when they stopped wanting to hold your hand. That was probably the biggest bummer for me! He wants to be so independent but was not quite ready for it. He wants the moral support to make it to class - but just don't hold his hand (and heaven help try to get a kiss or a hug!) Oh well - I am excited for this new school year. He has an awesome teacher that I think will really help him grow even more. Most people don't realize how shy my Thomas is - but he sure was brave today! I was very proud as I watched him line up and walk in those doors with his other classmates to start his first day ( last year I would have to stand in line with him because he was so shy!) What a great kid!

What a day!

Well - my little Mattie has been sick for the last 5 days. High fever and just darn right ornery! We took her into the doctor on Monday and they said she had Hand Foot and Mouth Disease. Apparently pretty common among little ones, however, we were told there was not much we could do. Than yesterday, she began having these strange twitches which started wigging me out so I called her doctor and she said to take her to the ER - so off we went!! We got there at about 5:00 pm and they took us back to a room at about 7:00. We waited and waited and waited and they finally decided that they should draw blood - which they did via an IV (just in case they needed to give IV antibiotics, the didn't want to poke her multiple times). However, the IV didn't work in either hand (after multiple attempts which included multiple pokings) so they put it in her head! Yes - her head!! Did anyone else know they did this - it was not to pleasant for mom, however, Mattie didn't really mind after all the poking was done. Apparently that is one of the best places to put IV's for babies. Anyway, after all her pokings and tests - they decided that she has a kidney and urinary tract infection. The twitches were actually a symptom of the kidney issues. So that being said, we ended being admitted last night for observation and just barely made it home. Mattie is doing much better and is as feisty as always. Thanks to all those who pitched in with kids - Grandma Helen, Grandma Bonnie, Beth. You made life much easier the last 24 hours. I will post a picture of Mattie's head bow (i.e. IV) as soon as I have a chance to download pictures.

Summer is all but gone...

I came to the sad realization today that summer is just about gone. I can't believe how fast the last couple of months have gone. I was dropping Thomas off at Summer camp and his teacher reminded me that we only have one full week left and camp is over. Thomas was not too happy about that because he told me this morning that he is not "very ready to go back to school yet." I had to remind him that summer camp was just that - camp in the summer and when summer was over it was time to go back to school. So - because summer has disappeared so quickly - I have not even had a chance to buy any school stuff yet. I guess that is what we will be doing this weekend. Thank goodness for pay day!! I had some cute pictures of my now mobile Mattie but I can't find my cord to download them from my camera - so they will have to wait for another day. By the way - A'Lisha - Kate was so excited to get her birthday party invitation in the mail that she slept with it. I can definitely say that you made her day!!

Pioneer Day and other things...

This last week has been crazy as usual but at least we got a break in the middle. On the 24th was Pioneer Day and we were able to spend the day together as a family. We were rather lazy in the early part of the day - just hanging around the house and making a quick trip to Costco - but in the afternoon we took the kids and met all the grandparents over at West Jordan Park for a picnic and relaxing afternoon. It was so fun to just hang out and have fun as a family. The kids were able to play at the park, we played Bacci Ball, and basically we just spent time together. After the park we went home and did some fireworks with our neighbors. It was a great day!!

Now for those who are interested in the Co-op I talked about a few posts ago - way cool!!! Kate and I went to pick up the food today and can I say WOW! First of all - I could not believe how many people were there from all walks of life. The pick up started at 9:30 and the line was down the hall and around the corner before we got there at 9:25. They have several different options to choose from - thoush we chose the Standard Share for our family. For $46 (which is 2 shares at $23 a piece) we got 2lbs of salmon, 4 lbs of chicken, 2 lbs of hamburger, 2lbs of ribs, 4 mangos, 2 heads of romaine lettuce, 4 green peppers, 10 apricots, 10 peaches, 16oz of rice, 2 loafs of whole wheat bread (from Stone Ground - can you say yummy!!!), 2 heads of Califlower, 2 bags of carrots, and 6 ears of corn. We also bought 10 tamales for $5 extra!! Way cool!! What a great deal - everything is organic and is bought from local producers. The meat is actually from a real local butcher not from the supermarket. I think we will be doing this again. I was really impressed with the quality of food that was given for the price we paid.

20 year tag!

20 years ago....
1- I was 11
2- I was just getting ready to start the 6th grade
3- I had a really cute (but rather dumb!) dog names Muffin
4-I played Softball for the Red Devils....

10 years ago.....
1- I was getting ready to start my senior year at BYU
2- I was helping my bestfriend get ready for her wedding (I can't believe it has been 10 years)
3- I went to Florida with A"Lisha and Amy Byron (actually in September)
4 - I turned 21

5 years ago....
1- My Thomas had just turned 1
2- We were living in a nasty little house in South Jordan
3- I started my Masters Program at Utah State
4- I taught the Laurels in our South Jordan ward

3 years ago......
1- My little Kate was born
2- lived at my parents
3 - Moved from the worst apartments ever to be created (student housing - hence why we lived at my parents)
4- Became a supervisor at work.

1 year ago....
1- Was pregnant with Mattie
2- Was getting ready to send my husband off to the Army (not a great time for me!)
3- My honey came home from the army! (best day of my life!!)
4- Thomas played soccer for the first time (what a hoot!!)

So far this year I have...
1- Had my little Mattie
2- Gone on a trip to Montana
3- Been called to teach the 5 and 6 year olds in primary (heaven help!!!)
4- watched my children grow and become amazing little people

Yesterday I ....
1- Went to work
2- Talked to my friend Audrey who I haven't talked with in like 3 months!
3- Made awesome chicken enchiladas
4- Played outside with my kids

Today I ...
1- took my kids to their daycare
2- am at work
3- will be leaving work early
4- will make dinner again!!

Tomorrow I will...
1- Have fun with my family!!
2- avoid watching the parade on T.V. (can I tell you how much I hate parades!!)
3- watch fireworks
4- SLEEP IN!!

In the next year I will....
1- still be working (bummer!)
2- Go on a family vacation (not sure where)
3- Hopefully get new carpet!!
4- watch my children keep on growing!!!

Everyone else is...

Okay - Misty and A'lisha - this is fun!! So I thought I would give it a try as well!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re post these instructions on your blog, and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty fun to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you!

New Pictures

'These are some pictures my dad found when he was cleaning out his camera. The first one is at Halloween (no duh!!) and the second one is Katie's dance recital. My kids are so dang cute!!! The new family picture (top right) was taken at Adam's wedding at Red Butte Garden. We couldn't get everyone cooperating at the same time - but it is still cute.

Some cool stuff!!

OK - so I received this email a couple of months ago from a lady at work and didn't think anything of it until the last couple of days. She was passing on information about something called a food "co-op". I was cleaning out my email box when I rediscovered this email. I looked into it a little bit more - and can I just say WOW!! For all of those out there who like a good deal and are into saving lots of money on groceries - check this out!
http://www.crossroads-u-c.org/cfc/index.html

You place your order by the middle of the month and at the end of the month you go and pick up your food. They have different things available every month but it is all fresh and I pay about half the cost. The best part about it is that there is no income requirement and it is all run by volunteers. You have to agree to volunteer two hours a month doing anything (helping at the co-op, helping at your kids school, scouts, other church callings, etc..) and that is basically your payment for the service. Neat concept that has apparently been going on for some time. So... try it out and let me know what you think!

Also, I found a new great recipe for all of those who are not interested in heating up your kitchen. I saw this on Good Things Utah and thought I would give it a try. Everybody loved it!! - Including picky Thomas who even ate the burrito with lettuce. So here is the recipe (side note... Best place to buy rotisserie chicken is at Costco or Sam's club because it is the best price as well as I just used the cheapest BBQ sauce I found at the store - and it was great!) Also - it does feed more than 4 people as suggested as well as you can make it go further by adding more beans and corn - whatever suits your fancy!

Enjoy everyone!!!

South West BBQ Chicken Burritos
Ingredients
1 2-lbs. roasted chicken, skin discarded, meat removed from bones and shredded (4 cups)
½ cup prepared barbecue sauce
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
½ cup frozen corn, thawed, or canned corn, drained
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 leaves romaine lettuce
4 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas2 limes, cut in wedges
Preparation:
1. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, barbecue sauce, beans, corn and sour cream; stir to combine. Cook until hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Assemble the wraps by placing a lettuce leaf in the center of each tortilla and topping with one-fourth of the chicken mixture; roll as you would a burrito. Slice in half diagonally and serve warm, with lime wedges and a side of coleslaw.
Serves 4.
Nutrition Information Per serving: 353 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 82 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrate; 33 g protein; 5 g fiber; 579 mg sodium

Happy Birthday Thomas!!

I am dedicating this post to my son Thomas because it is his birthday! Those of you who have known Thomas since the beginning are probably sitting there as amazed as I am that he is 6. Wow - time sure does fly. I am not sure where to start when it comes to this little boy. He is and will always be my miracle baby. As many of you are well aware, when I was 16 weeks pregnant with him I had to undergo major surgery to remove a tumor the size of a football from my ovary. To this day, I strongly feel that he is the reason that I am here today. I have this horrible fear of doctors, and when they said I had this "cyst" on my ovary I froze and refused to see a doctor. Well, getting pregnant with Thomas forced me to deal with the issue and get it taken care of. He is everything to me and I will forever be greatful to him for him being here.

To discuss a little bit about his personality - Thomas is probably one of the most active children I have ever met - He can out run anyone anytime and any where. He is like this little engine that never runs out of energy - until nightime when he basically just passes out. He is such a brave boy and a great help to his mom. He loves his sisters (most of the time) and is very willing to help out especially with his baby sister Mattie. Thomas has a love of legos, star wars, and Xbox. Thease are about the only things you can get him to sit still for for long periods of time. He also is one of the most excellent bike riders I have seen. He can get that thing going so fast I think mostly because he has no fear of getting hurt - definitely not like his mother. I have always felt that he will do great things. I know every mother feels that way about their children, but there is something in Thomas that tells me that he is meant to be here at this time to do something great. I can't wait to see what that is.

To all those who have helped Andrew and I in raising this sweet little boy - thank you!! Grandma Bonnie and Granpa Bill, Grandma Helen, and Julie and Adam - thank you for your time and love for Thomas. He may not understand the great influance you have had on his life, but I do and I will forever be greatful to you. I look forward to many more great and wonderful times with this sweet boy. Happy Birthday Honey - I love you!!!

Alright already!!!

Okay - I have been officially tagged twice -by both Misty and A'Lisha. So I will go ahead and tell you 8 quirks about me (this is really hard by the way - requires too much thinking!!)

1) I hate answering the phone at work. I don't know why - but I always have. Not only do I not answer the phone very often, I don't check my messages very much either. Stupid - I know. But I can't help it. I even tell everyone - if you call me you may not get an answer for a couple of weeks - email or IM is always your best option.

2) Cooked carrots - disgusting!!! I love raw carrots - but cooked ones are so gross. People always say they taste the same - but really they don't. I also think it is a texture thing - they are rather smooshy and frankly they smell bad.

3) Watching re-runs of "Without of Trace." I have to say that this is one of my new favorite shows - and I only watch it at 10:00 at night. Hello - it makes me stay up way to late -but I can't help it. I have decided though that watching this show at night helps me to unwind - from my very busy days. Also, I know this show is on during prime time as well - but it is just not the same for me. I am addicted to the late night showings on TBS - oh well what can I say.

4) KSL.com - I love KSL.com. Not only can you get the news - but I love to look at the classifieds. I do that almost daily - though I have only bought one thing in over 2 years from the classifieds. Pretty funny - I am not exactly sure why this is fun for me - but it is not a day without browsing the KSL classifieds.

5) I love looking at houses on the MLS - and no, we are not looking at moving yet. This has become quite a passion for me. I can probably tell you what areas have the most houses for sale, what the average is in the area and what schools your kids would go to. I have way too much fun doing this - and you never know when the information may come in handy.

6)I hate opening mail. When I get home, I will look in the mailbox to see what is there, and if nothing good is there - or there is a bill or something - I leave it in the mailbox for my husband. (I just wrote that and realized how dumb that is - now that is quirky!) I have nothing else to say about this.

7) I love phone games. I have Suduko and Mahjong on my cell phone and play them whenever I am in a meeting - because it is the only way I can pay attention. I think part of my son's ADHD problems come from me - I swear I am getting more attention deficit the older I get. I can't just sit somewhere - I have to be doing something - always!!

8) My feelings get hurt way to easy. I hate that about myself. I take things too personal and than I feel bad if things don't happen the way I think they should. This is something that I try to work on and can usually mask pretty well - but it is very hard for me to not get upset if things happen - even if they were unintentional.

Busy Busy Busy!!!

Ok - the last 2 months have been ultra crazy!! I have been to every little part of the state as well as I just got back from a fabulous (but quick) business trip to Montana. I can now breath! This time of year is really hard because of all the trainings and conferences that happen to hit all at the same time - as well as my yearly grant report. Seriously - I would really be ok with spreading things out a bit - sheesh!! Anyway, kids are doing well - Mattie has 2 teeth. They literally came up overnight. Maybe our "drool fest" will be on hold for awhile since her teeth have come in. We will see - I do seem to remember though, from past experiences, that some teeth do mean more teeth are coming - aghhhh!! Oh well - she is still so dang cute that it makes no difference anyway.

Well - Thomas has officially finished Kindergarten!!! Yeah - we made it. I can't say it was an easy year, but seeing the awesome changes Thomas has made makes the challenges worth every minute. He is matured so much and the fact that he is reading is soooo cool. He is such a smart kid!!! He is very ready for first grade - and was very ready to start yesterday. I had to be the bearer of bad news and tell him that he would have to wait for a few months to move on to another grade. He was not to happy about that but forgave me quickly when I gave him his new X-Box game (Lego Star Wars - HATE IT!!!). He was thrilled to have it - I have to say that I really can't stand it - it gives me a headache. Oh well - as long as he is happy I don't really care.

Kate is my newest fashion Diva. She has a comment for everyone's clothes. She will proudly tell you if she thinks what you are wearing is "icky" - If she didn't look so much like me I would wonder if she was really my child!! She is a priss - but a dang cute one!!! Her grandma Bonnie gave her the cutest flip flops (from Smiths marketplace - on sale for $3.00 - for all those interested) and she squealed like I have never heard before. She wore them all evening and I finally had to sneak them off her feet after she fell asleep. Crazy!!

Life is good - Andrew and I are proud parents of practically perfect children - what more could you ask for!!!!