A Super Family of Monkeys

Epic Trip

2010-07-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

We started planning this trip with just wanting to get out and visit our Grandmothers and other family, but it soon morphed into an Epic journey of crossing the United States.

We started this journey at the Puget Sound. Eventually we'll get to the Rhode Island Sound, so instead of going ocean to ocean, we're going sound to sound.

The kids actually started the journey about two hours before we left. They were so excited they sat in the car, waiting for us to be ready and eating half the candy we had been saving for our trip.

Just traveling 9 hours from our home we saw mountains, plains, deserts, lakes, rivers, gorges, more mountains. It was amazing how fast the scenery changed.

We stopped here by the Colombia Gorge for lunch. We got out of the car and the first thing we saw was sign saying watch for rattlesnakes. We braved the rattlesnake infested area and hiked all the way up to these statues.

It was a little scary on the way up. The ground was rocky/sandy. It was even scarier on the way down.

After this picture was taken, Lura jumped off the rock, losing her balance and almost fell down the cliff. It was a looooooooooooonnnngggg way down.

Everyone made it up there. Sam stopped a quarter of the way up because he didn't want to see the horses and it was really, really hot. (We were shocked by how hot it was, just 1 hour before we had stopped at a fruit stand and it had been nice and cool, perfect weather). Sam eventually made his way up, but only because he demanded to know why it was taking us 20 min.

We made it to Missoula last night and will spend the next couple of days in Yellowstone.

My one talent

2010-05-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

My only true talent is braiding hair. I have three boys and a little girl who doesn't like braids. Bummer.

Helpful Info for the Greek Hero

2010-04-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

"If you are a Greek hero be warned there are no happy endings for you. You really have to be warned there really are almost no happy endings for Greek heros." - Super A

It's Been a While

2010-03-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we had a good working camera. I'll have to update our life in a blur later in exchange for this post which will feature Super L's special surprise that I've been working on a couple of min. here and there. I finished it Sat.

Here's the back

I wanted to add a video of the twirl factor, but Blogger has changed it's format and I can't find a video symbol.

I used Sewing Clothes Kids Love To Wear by Nancy Langdon.
This is not a dress to put together in an afternoon. It's a dress that takes a couple of days, so be prepared. Love the results though and Super L does too.

Super L's First Day of School

2009-09-03T17:04:00.001-07:00

The new backpack (Aunt Sarah must be jealous).

The long walk to the bus stop

Waiting (the bus was 15 minutes late)

Getting off the bus after a great first day.

Super L says, "My first day of school was great. I learned the stuff that my teacher knows is dangerous like sticking scissors in your mouth. Making friends is easy all you have to do is say hi and talk to people."

Getting Ready for School

2009-08-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

We're preparing a study area for school.

We still have some work to do . . .

We'll get some stools, lights and maybe a small desk for Joshua.

Ape Caves

2009-07-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

We went to the Ape Caves. Super A says, "I forgot, all about the Ape Caves. I was so disappointed that there were no man eating apes, to feed Samuel to. I went through a narrow cave and saw a cavern at the end.

(the picture makes it look bigger than it was)

"Only super S and I could fit back here. I wish super L was here."

Super S Says"I made to the very end of the cave and it was tiny.

"The cave was dark and cold, very cold. Also little drops of water, actually big drops of water, kept falling on my head. (but there were no giant fish)"

Super L says, "This little hole was the littlest hole. Last year I was 6 and I could barely fit through the hole. This year was the greatest year meeting new friends. At the big cave it was good, a couple drops fell on me. I tripped and fell, but I am OK. That cave had a small tunnel at the end but I didn't get to see it. "

Super J has nothing to say but this is what he looked like while he was playing in the small tunnel that is a lava casting of a fallen tree. . . .

Here is a picture of all of us.

Super A's B-Day Party

2009-07-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Super A finally had his party today. It was a GAMMA-WORLD party

Super's A and his quests in the time machine.

They were transported to the post-apocalyptic world of 2559. Where they fought a mutant three-headed frog.

Good thing they were wearing the strange black plastic armor.

They defeated the mutant monsters, repaired the time machine and made it home in time for cake and presents.

Super A’s Rust Experiments

2009-04-02T14:03:00.001-07:00

Rust Experiment #1:

We wanted to know how metal rusted so . . . we put nails in water, boiled water, oil and air.

After 48 hours the results were . . .

1 Nail in oil . . . No rust what-so-ever

2 Nail in water . . . Bottom of the jar was stained with rust and the nail had a little rust

3 Nail in boiled water . . . Some rust in water and the nail was really rusty

4 Nail in air . . . tiny bit of rust

Conclusions: Nails rust in contact with water and air. Oil may protect nails from rusting. Air may make nail rust because of water vapor in the air. Water makes nails rust given enough time.

Experiment #1.5:

We wanted to know if vinegar would take the zinc off of a galvanized nail. We soaked the galvanized nail in vinegar until it stopped bubbling (it took a while before it started bubbling). Then we put the pre-soaked nail and a galvanized un-soaked nail in water.

Results: After 24 hours

1 Galvanized nail pre-soaked in vinegar: Is rusting.

2 Galvanized nail not soaked in vinegar: not rusting.

Conclusions: Zinc came off of the nail soaked in acid. Zinc is a very good way to prevent nails from rusting.

Experiment #2:

We wanted to know if oil would prevent a nail from rusting and if salty water would make a nail rust faster. We put a nail in oil that was floating on top of water, with part of the nail in water and part in oil. We put another nail in salty water (water mixed with 1tsp of salt) and a third nail in plain water.

Results . . . come back tomorrow.

Today

2009-03-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

Super J has been spending a lot of time here.

And our house is definitely starting to smell. We are running out of clothes because all I do is wash Super J's clothes.

We made these cool playdough cookies today. I was totally inspired from another blogger. I wish I could remember who that blogger was. If it was you feel free to say so! Here's the recipe.
Ours look nothing like the recipe's, but what we truly make with playdough (except for mine, I tried to make it look like the recipe, because that's how creative I am with playdough).

This pic. is of the stuff Super A made. The thing in front is a bow and arrow. The ball at the end of the arrow will explode into fire when it hit's it's target. The thing just behind the arrow is the guy that shoots the arrow. I don't know if it uses it's arms or legs for shooting.

Here are pictures taken after I put Super A in charge of taking pictures of the cookies.

That's pizza on her face. We had just eaten lunch.

The flour we used for the cookies.

Cookies going in. You can also see from this picture our top secret pizza sauce recipe. Shhh... and how often I clean the oven. Again shhhh...

I guess there was other stuff on the table? Oh wait, that's the floor.

A pot? Hmmm...that has nothing to do with the cookies.

And what the heck is this???? I didn't even know we owned something this shade of yellow! If you know what it is you win a prize!! But since your answer will be non-verifiable we won't actually be responsible for sending you a prize. Seriously though, don't let this stop you from guessing.

I am racking my brain as to what this is.....

Sweaters

2009-03-12T13:15:00.001-07:00

I found these two beautiful sweaters on Linky Thursday from StacySews. (Link to StacySews is no my sidebar). I would love t make them. They are gorgeous. I'm afraid, though, if I were to start making these beautiful sweaters they would just end up halfway done and then they would sit for 5 or 6 years before I'd get around to finishing them...or not.

Starting and Finishing

2009-03-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

My friend is so close to finishing the Sew Liberated Apron that I've been helping her with. She'll finish up the bias binding at home. Look how nice it turned out!! The other side is a nice rich brown color. (I didn't get her permission to put her face on my blog, I hope it's alright that I put her body on it.)

Seeing her apron makes me want to make another one exactly like hers!

The gift group I'm starting will start with b-day crowns. I've never made one, so I played around with felt while my friend was working on her apron. Super J's birthday is next month so I started with his crown. Not sure I really like it. It's a good thing I started a couple of weeks before teaching the class!

Super J started and finished his pin project. I'm always finding myself saying things I never thought I'd say. Like today when I told him to put on his shoes and he could come back and play with the pins. You should know this was a lot less dangerous than what he wanted to do which was sticking the pins into the crown as I was sewing it in a super strong machine.

Super L also started and finished a project. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but she worked on it for 3 1/2 hours. I think it maybe a castle of some sort? She says I can take a picture of it when she's done. (She took the pic. herself, it is her creation after all :) )

Good News

2009-03-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

The good news: Super J doesn't use diapers and loves his underwear!!! YAY
The bad news: Super J doesn't use the potty and I think the house may be starting to smell. BOO

What Have We Been Up To?

2009-03-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

Let's start with Valentines.

Look all the sweet presents from my family.

This is a craft apron going to a girl who participated in a swap with me. (I've had it done for a while and will send it soon). I hope she likes it.

The next two pictures are of birthday presents. Super L picked out fabric for the letters.
The pillow case was for a boy who is active in all sorts of sports. You can't tell from the pic. but one of the fabrics has hockey stuff on it and another has bowling pins/bowling balls. (I spelled his name wrong, luckily I only had to add an extra T ).

Super L and I made this doll from Stitched in Time. I'm not sure if I like it, but Super L was so excited to give this gift! She stuffed the legs and arms and helped pick out the hair. She really wanted to keep this doll, but she also really wanted to give this special doll to her friend.

We stuffed this little doll into this cute bag that looked like a purse.

I don't have a picture, but I also hemmed two pairs of pants for a young missionary.

I am teaching a friend how to make this Emmeline Apron. Here's mine.

Here's the other side.

Super A went with Super L to her school's Sleepy Read. It was a little sad, (for everyone else that is) to be the only homeschooled child there to win one of the three door prizes.

And last, Super S was selling personal potato stamps for 25 cents. Interested? We were!

It's hard work getting the cuts just right.

Here's my personal stamp. Now everyone in the family will know who this note is from. oooohh, I've just had a great idea for a Christmas presents!!

So, this is what we've been up to. What have you been up to?

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-02-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Mom. Happy Birthday to you!!!!! And many more.

Smoking, Whisky and Wild Wild Women

2009-02-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

Friday night the boys had a couple of their buddies over for games and a movie. They decided to watch an old Pink Panther movie on netflix. We love netflix and have, at the moment, the Muppet Show with Peter Seller. We thought we would watch the Muppet Show first as a "short" before the real movie. Well....guess what Peter Sellers sings about, any of you remember? Watch this and you'll know what I was feeling when I turned and looked at the boys who were watching intently. Yep, cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women. Do you think anyone's parents will let them come back?

Full of Advice Friday (only on Sunday)

2009-02-15T17:27:00.001-08:00

Do not feed the mice. (You know, like don't feed the bears).

Full of Advice Friday

2009-02-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

I have lots of good advice,(or so I think.) And since I have so much of it I think I'll share.

My first bit of advice comes from years of having kids that wear socks. You should make sure that all of your socks are the same no matter if you have a girl or boy. For example I just buy the Hanes (not affiliated) white crew socks....for everyone. This way even if your washer and dryer eats one or two socks, or your kids have half of them hiding under their beds or covers it won't matter, you'll still be able to pull similar socks out of the basket, that you meant to fold and put away, the first couple of tries. It doesn't matter so much if it's the same size as long as you can get it on the foot and the child is wearing long pants.

Now sometimes a pair or two of socks will slip through your door and be different than the white crew socks. Maybe it has pink butterflies or Thomas the Tank Engine, (again not affiliated). This happens and is no fault of your own. (Here we blame the Grandparents who love their grandchildren so much that they even want to bring them joy through socks). No need to worry you can still quickly pull socks from the basket all you need is a pair of these.

Boots. Yep boots. Kids love boots and moms should too. These babies hide a multitude of, unmatching sock, sin. So every child should have one pair of boots, that fit, at all times.

That's my advice for today. Stay tuned next week when I disperse even more mom wisdom to the masses.

Edited: I had every intention of posting this last Friday, but couldn't find my camera to take a picture of the boots. I still can't find the camera, I did, however just learn how to edit the size of the pictures.

Spaghetti Dinner

2009-01-28T18:06:00.000-08:00

Super A wanted spaghetti for dinner. So I googled Spaghetti Sauce Recipe and this is what I got;
Spaghetti Sauce Recipe . Well, that's actually the recipe we used, but if you click spaghetti sauce recipes they have a list of other recipes for different kinds of spaghetti sauces. If you go to the top and click on recipe network you get all sorts of different themes: chinese, sandwiches, apple pie, etc. We'll be trying a bunch of these recipes over the coming weeks, they look so good.

After looking at the recipe, I decided that Super A could make dinner. I cut up the onion and garlic. Super S ran out to the garden and picked some fresh oregano and thyme, (can't believe they're still alive it's been so cold), it wasn't quite enough so we put in the full tsp. of oregano. We didn't have green peppers, so we used some italian stewed tomatoes with green peppers. And because we had it, we also added 1/2lb. of sausage and 3 mushrooms. He stirred and added ingredients..Then let is simmer for 45 min. Piece of cake.

This recipe was delicious. It made enough for all of us,6, with a little bit leftover for Super Dad for lunch tomorrow, I think....might be close. The best thing about this recipe is that we have most of the ingredients around all of the time, and for just being regular ingredients, it was a yummy, yummy dinner. We decided as we were eating that Super A should be in charge of spaghetti from now on, because of course it's not just the recipe it's the cook that actually determines the yumminess of the dish.

The State of Things

2009-01-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here in the Northwest we have had some major layoffs, through Microsoft (1,400 people laid off to rise to 5,000 in coming months) Boeing (10,000 are supposed to be laid off) and Starbucks (I don't know if it was just here, it was probably all over the country). And it's not just these companies. I have friends who's husband's or wives are being laid off. They go in on Monday morning and go home a little while after.

How is the rest of the nation doing? I can't imagine that it's just us.

Well, we've been tightening the belt around here for a looooonnnngggg time, it feels like. Canceling cell-phones, (which we really only had because of Super J) going back to cheap landlines. No stopping at fast food (we really only did this about once a month, maybe). Baking my own bread or going without if we've run out and it can't be homemade. Trying to use every leftover (trying being the key word here, because sometimes I just forget what's in the fridge). Thinking maybe Netfix needs to go. (Shhh, don't tell Super Dad, he love Netflix!)

What are you doing? Give me some good ideas. (please)

We've been working on getting our credit cards paid off for a while, and I think that we will be seeing the end of the tunnel in a little less than a year (we hope) if all goes well. Just in time for us to pay for Super Dad's bachelor, master, and doctorate degree. We are a little worried, but hopeful that we will survive this period in time. Someday our children and their children will look back and draw strength from the courageous things we will do here and now.

Color Blind

2009-01-27T22:17:00.000-08:00

So, I have a brother that's color blind. I always wondered what he could see. I found this site through another blog. You have to put in your own digital photos. I couldn't get the cut and paste thing to work with blogger, but here are my thoughts on what I saw. First I used a photo with vibrant reds, greens and blues. Red turned out brown, green turned out brown, and blue was still a blueish. Okay so here are my thoughts, holy schmoly!!! I never knew how sickly we all look with out red and how in the world can my brother tell the difference between grass that's alive and grass that's dead just by looking out the window? It looks the same, people!

Go check out this site!

Oh the Pain, Oh the Ecstacy!

2009-01-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

That's right it's that time of year.....Derby Night!!!

Derby Night is one of my favorite nights. There are many tears of joy and many tears shed from dashed hopes from boys and their dad's. It is one of the happiest and saddest of nights.

Well let's get right down to it, shall we? Super A's car did not do as well as he hoped. We always tell the kids that you can do the car for design or speed, but not for both. (That's always worked in the past, so please don't tell me you can have it both ways and screw-up the thing we tell our kids so they won't feel so bad when they lose.) Super A's design is suburb.

It has a space theme going on. Stars on the top, along with Neptune, comets on the side, and a rocket towards the back. Super A thought it turned out better than he could have hoped. He was quite sure after he saw all of the cars that his would win the design award. It was the coolest car there. (You can judge for yourself, but please keep your opinion to yourself).

The cars this year were fast! Really, really fast. Surprisingly fast.

Super J did not move from this spot the entire night. Sometimes he was sitting, sometimes standing and sometimes laying on his tummy.

It was a good night!

Food Pantry

2009-01-19T17:33:00.000-08:00

At our house we are trying to gather a three month food storage and a long term storage for emergencies. I am gathering recipes and trying to figure out how much we will need to carry us through an emergency. So I know I've probably posted this link before, but I really like this blog! So I'm linking to it again! http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/ Check out some of the recipes. They are easy, fast and can easily be put in the pantry for fast meals or long term storage.

Making Stuff

2009-01-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

I'd like to document the stuff I finish, just to see how much (or little) I get done over the year.

So to begin with, I started and finished two nursing covers

and 6 burp cloths this week.

The brown nursing cover should have been done months ago for a friend, and the the blue one (along with all the burp cloths) go to dear friends who live fairly close, (they live about an hour and a half away) but I haven't seen in over a year. (The husband called a couple of weeks ago to ask if he could commission me to make burp cloths. Silly man, of course I'll make burp cloths!! As a gift!!! Commission!! Hhmph!!) Their baby isn't due for another two weeks so I'm done early!!! Super Dad will take their present up next weekend.

This is the first of the baby presents this year. I can think of 6 women right off the top of my head that will be having babies.

Mouse Update

2009-01-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

We have caught 5 mice since Sunday. We can still hear them underneath the sink behind the dishwasher. We can still hear them coming out at night. We can still see the little presents that they leave for the Super Mom. Thank-you that is all....

P.S.
There will never be a picture for this type of post.
Edit: Make that 6

Girl Scout Cookies

2009-01-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

I never buy Girl Scout Cookies, but Super Dad used to buy three or four boxes. Since the prices have gone up, he buys less than he used too, sometimes just a box. He likes Girl Scout Cookies so I always feel bad when we can't get even one box. I found this really great site surfing blogs of blogs yesterday after school. It had several Girl Scout cookie recipes. Super A decided to make them for Family Home Evening. They are super good and surprisingly easy to make!! Thin Mints. They went pretty fast. Go make some right now! We'll be trying out the other Girl Scout recipes in the coming weeks. This site even has a recipe for vanilla wafers. I love the internet!

2009-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:00

I went to IKEA on Tue. to buy something to help organize the laundry area. I'd decided to buy two 30" kitchen cabinets with shelves and no doors. When I got there I found straight corner base cabinets for $10.00. $10.00 for just the cabinet, no legs, no shelf, nothing. For $42 (base cabinet, legs, and shelf) I got this (I had the laminate counter.) So now I'm airing my dirty laundry.

After thinking about it for a couple of days, I went back to buy one more cabinet. ( Our kitchen is is kind of on it's last leg). When I got there I decided to go ahead and get two. I then perused the as is section (always a dangerous thing to do) and found these.

$5.oo couch cushions!! Talk about luck! I needed cushions for the couch I'm re-doing. If any of you have ever priced foam you know how insanely expensive it is. So, for $10 more dollars I got my couch cushions!!!

Couch Update

2009-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Super S and I worked on the couch a bit yesterday. I still have a way to go, but new cushions make the couch look and feel sooooo different. I'm still trying to decide whether or not to keep the wing things on the side. I'll write more about where I found the cushions later. Right now we are gathering all of our mouse ridden stuff to take to the dump.

Rockets

2008-12-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

It was supposed to be windy all week, but around 11:00am Super A came running into the bedroom, where Super Dad was studying, to tell him there wasn't any wind outside. So off we went about an hour later to shoot rockets.

Everybody, but Super Mom, took the long walk with Dad out to the launch pad.

There was much stuffing of wadding and parachutes, "me turn"s,

showing off of rockets,

and exciting moments!

Joshua

2008-12-26T13:52:00.000-08:00

We are amazed at the things Joshua can do. For a child who 's supposed to have some mental retardation and some kind of cerebral palsy, this kid is amazing! The only real concerns we've had is his speech. He is an extremely quiet kid. He's been in speech therapy for a while and is progressing slowly. This week though he has exploded with sentences. We still have to listen really hard to know what he's saying, but hey...progress. We thought you'd like a video of him. Right before this video he was singing about how his hoo hoo hrain (choo choo train) was ready to go. He loves to sing! We are truely the luckiest family on earth!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2008-12-25T17:08:00.000-08:00

We hope you had a Merry Christmas!
We had a great time! Everyone got what they wanted (or what Santa knew they wanted even though they asked for different stuff).

Super Dad and I noticed this summer that Super S' bike was getting a bit too small (they seem to grow all of sudden, don't they). So, Santa got him a cool bike! His old bike will be passed down to his younger brother.

(almost all the presents under this tree where handmade or sent by my Mom!!! She filled our tree!)

Super S and A both received these cool robots from Grandpa!

Super A has never asked for anything for Christmas before. This year he asked for a slingshot. Santa happily brought him one with instructions to talk with his parents for the safety precautions. Sorry, no picture of that Super A can be a little hard to pin down.

Mom, do you see in the picture they're wearing the pin holders? They've been wearing them all day. They really look nice and we are so sad we won't be using them at Disney World next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa knew Grandpa was bringing Super L a beautiful american girl doll and made her matching pajamas and skirt for Christmas.

She also received a beautiful handmade dress from my mom. When she pulled it out of the box I almost lost my breath. I knew it would be a pretty dress, but this is gorgeous in person!!

The details are incredible!! You should see the sleeves on this dress... and the underskirt! I'll have to take a closer picture! Really Mom, you've out down yourself!!!

If you're wondering what's all over Super J's face, he had a healthy dose of chocolate for a before breakfast snack.

Super J has been coveting his older siblings back-packs. He has been having hard time learning how to talk, but one of the words he found important to say is back-pack. So, Santa brought him Disney Cars back-pack.

He loves it! He also got this great cars blanket that he immediately wanted to wear.

He also got couple of small cars and some Thomas the Train DVDs. He loves trains and calls them hoo hoo hrains. We are so glad to hear his voice!! So anything that makes him talk excites us!

Super S and A weren't as excited about getting clothes for Christmas as Super L, but Super J after opening up the clothes Grandma sent jumped up and proudy showed us his clothes that were exactly like his big brothers! I think this picture says it all!

So those were the highlights of our Christmas. We spent the rest of the day with dear friends who we forgot to take pictures of, and Grandpa.

We missed the rest of our family though and hope to see everyone soon!

Hey Mom...

2008-12-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

They love them!!!

AAAAHHHHHHHHHH

2008-12-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 6 this morning to Super A throwing-up. If Super A had one power it would be the power to throw-up on everything. His bed, the floor,his brother's bed, sheets, blankets, the other side of his room, under his bed, on the ladder and railing from his bunkbed. He did all of this while being in one spot. He did not even try to get to the toliet. He did not even move from the top of his bed. It's truly amazing.

While cleaning up the floor, ladder, railing, etc. I hear Super L yelling from the next room, "I saw a mouse, I saw a mouse. It touched me AAAAAHHHHHH" She comes running into her brother's room screaming there was a mouse.

What ensued next was/is a mad frenzy of getting rid and cleaning up a bunch of stuff. I even heard mention that parents may be so stressed out that Christmas may be cancelled. (Super Dad explaining to Super S why he should help clean up) Hah!!! As if! I didn't stay home from Disney World just to have Christmas cancelled, (athough we have one mnore person who hasn't had the flu yet so maybe Christmas will have to be postponed....NAAHHH). (I have been trying to get rid of stuff for a long time, but my time is split between homeschool, housework, RS, dinner, lunch, breakfast, and appointments for Joshua, so sometimes tryng to clean up and get rid of the extra stuff in this tiny house is a bit frustrating.)

Yes I love the holidays.... (okay, I really do love the holidays but....good grief).

Tatting

2008-12-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to tat for a while, but the using an embroidery needle was a little painful. My MIL gave me a VISA gift card for my birthday that I spent half on my anniversary and half on tatting needles. I'm pretty excited. I got an assortment of sizes. I'm not sure when they'll show up.

I've been wanting to recreate a table runner that my Great Grandmother made that has tatting around it and now I'll be able to do that. YEA!!

Thanks Mom!! (Thanks to my Mom to!!! I bought a white shirt to go out in on my Anniversary and still have a little leftover...I'll probably buy the rest of the materials for my runner project). I'm so excited!

Still Snowing

2008-12-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

The title says it all. Still snowing. We're going to try to get out today and do some last min. shopping, and get to fed-ex, but I don't know if we'll make it.

2008-12-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

I thought you all would like to see what it looks like where we are. Now, keep in mind that we rarely get this much snow.

Church was canceled, so Super Dad took this opportunity to take the kids out and play. (They couldn't go out previously due to the flu). There was a 1/2" of ice over all the snow. So no snowman.

Here's Super Dad

Here's Super J. We can never find matching gloves at our house, thus one blue and one pink.

I told him to put on a coat, but he may be a little warm from the three pair of pants that he's wearing to keep dry.

She wishes we had a good climbing tree.

Super J came in a little earlier than everyone else due to cold hands.

He really likes hot Chocolate. Pure Joy!

Super S came in next. He's showing his cold hands. He has a special treat for you guys a little later so check back in, in a couple of hours or tomorrow.

Being Released

2008-12-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday the Stake Pres. announced that the three wards in our building are going to be switched around. The Relief Society President from our ward is moving over to a different ward, which means I'll probably be released from my calling as first counselor (in charge of teachers and the Sunday lessons). I'm happy and sad about this. Happy 'cause I hate meetings, and calling people and stuff like that, and sad because I just got some really great training and learned what I was really supposed to be doing. Super Dad keeps telling me I haven't been released yet so I should stop worrying about it. (Yep, just call me a whiner).

So what about that drawing class? Haven't even looked into it.
So, how's that for all that whining I did a couple of weeks ago?

Now I'm off to finish the white elephant gifts for my MIL Christmas party.

Robot Business

2008-12-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

Super A and Super S are thinking about going into a robot building business. This is how it works. You buy the accessories and then pay them how much it costs to build it. If it doesn't work they keep give you all your money back except a quarter or they build it until it works. And if you tell them how to build it they will build it for you are pay you for your robot plans.

-Told to me by Super A

Poems

2008-11-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

Trees
In the spring leaves
Will bud with
Pretty flowers all in bloom.
A tree is pretty
In the spring.

It is summer. Leaves
Are green, fruits are
Nesting, bees
are buzzing tree to tree.

It is fall and leaves
are brown and
orange and red. Birds are
leaving from
from their nest.

Winter comes. The trees
are bare.
They are now sleeping
Hibernating
Waiting for the spring.

My Bike
My bike is red
It's tires are black.
I like to use it
It goes fast

My brother's bike
Is shiny blue.
He uses it
To go fast too.

My sister's bike
Is pink and white.
She likes to ride
In the light

The Grass
The grass is green
It goes woosh
And blows in the wind.
Then later
In the summer
The grass is brown.

Super S sat and wrote these poems at the dining room table, one morning this week, trying to stall starting on schoolwork. Pretty Good for just wasting time.

I want to know everything

2008-11-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I taught a lesson on education and learning. I realized once again that I want to know how to do everything. I find it incredibly frustrating that I don''t have time to do it all. I find it frustrating that when I do have the time I am too exhausted to do anything. I see many women on the internet who are doing all the things I want to do and wonder how they can do it all? I am extremely jealous.

I've been studying how to be an effective teacher and one of the things I've learned is you should decide what you want your students to learn/feel/or do after the lesson. As a teacher, you must have a goal for your students and anything that does not support your goal should be nixed for ideas that will support your goal.

My first thought is to apply this principle, the principle of setting a goal and nixing anything that would not propel me towards my goal. Unfortunately, I live in a world where small people depend on me for almost everything. I am the center of their universe. My decisions affect their lives. Have I missed my chance for growth? Or is my growth intertwined with the growth of my children?

While it is true that my growth is intertwined in helping them grow and learn, I think that God expects us to keep learning about the world around us. He expects us to learn new skills that benefit not only us, but the community around us. I don't think the skills that we want to learn at the moment are always the skills that the Lord needs us to learn for the best benefit of ourselves or those around us. So, that leads me to this place. Right now I should focus on becoming a good teacher, to lead the teachers that I am responsible for and helping them to be the best teachers they can be.

I should stop pining over things I don't have time for, knowing that I will get back to those skills when the time is right. (Or should I try to fit them in 5 min. here 10 min. there?)

I do plan on taking a drawing class at a local community college in about a year and a half. I think I might have a spare evening then.

Homemade products

2008-10-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

I've been making my own laundry detergent for while now. I started by using this recipe

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above

½ cup washing soda

½ cup borax powder

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

But I didn't get really good results with it. (But I've heard that lots of people do, so give it a try if you're inclined.) And it takes a really long time to make and requires a really big container. I usually ended up using one big stock pot and whatever other large container I had at the time. I then found that it lumped up quite a bit in the month or two that it took to use it up.

I then tried a larger concentration of Fels Napa, Borax, and Washing Soda. It was a no go, so I did a combination of store bought and homemade.

A couple of months ago I decided to try this recipe:

Powdered Laundry Detergent

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated - you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

It just didn't seem to work as well as people were saying.

Then I remembered reading that one person added 1/4- 1/2c oxyclean to this mix and had good results. I tried it and is works great. Still use about 2 Tbl. I love it and it is so much cheaper than store bought detergents!!! It does take a while to grate the soap, but if you have a food processor you can grate the soap and then use the blade to cut the soap into smaller pieces. Easy Peasy!! And Cheap.

This recipe seems to last about a month and a half. I made my last recipe 10/25 and will report back when I finish it. There are 6 in my family. I probably do 5-10 loads of laundry a week.

Preparatory work

2008-10-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

I told myself that I would try to do 15 min. of work on the couch a day. I may have to extend the time. Once I get going I want to finish the job I started.

My first project was to remove the skirt. I used this tool (I don't know what it's called) that is used for pulling staples out of the floor (you now for when you redo your flooring.) It was pretty handy. If I could get the staples out just a little with a screw driver, I could rock the rest of the staple out with the curved part of this tool. I think it took me about 45 min. to get the skirt off.

Can you see the white spots? I think it may be some kind of mildew or mold. The whole skirt is spotted with it. I wonder what I'll find underneath the main body fabric.

Here's me taking off the back of the skirt, half way done.

Done. Here's the back of the couch. Look how much better the back fabric looks!! It looks new.

Here's the front. Hmmm...maybe I will keep the wings. I think it will look pretty cute once I'm done. I'm not convinced that the navy blue microsuede that I bought, to redo a couch a couple of years ago, is really the right style for this couch, but that's what I have. Can't you just see a sweet gathered skirt? I don't think the microsuede will gather. I can just imagine one of those new designer fabrics like Amy Butler's or Anna Corner's fabrics on this couch. On the other hand, a nice neutral will always go with different designer pillows. (Less expensive too.)

Next the back will come off. Then I'll be able to see what innards need to be replaced. I'm thinking just batting will need to be replaced (judging by the smell.)

Oh just so I remember the skirt was 65" in front + about 4" for folding the edges and 33" on the side.

Craig's List Couch

2008-10-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here is what the CL ad said:

Ethan Allen Hide-a-bed couch, green.
Not ugly! No stains or holes. Mattress in good condition.

So if there are no holes in this couch just what do you call the lack of fabric on the cushions and right inside arm? Hmmmm...

We bought it anyway. It's not my ideal couch, but it is a sturdy and I don't know if any of you realize, but it is really, really hard to find small couches. This one is 69" and fits perfect in our tiny house. It's about 10 year old and smells like old cushion foam. The smell was undetectable at the house we bought it at, but at our house, when you are sitting on the couch it can be a little overwhelming.

So it is a little old fashioned. I'm not sure if I like the "wing chair" look, (the kids love this look and think it's the best part of the couch) but it's growing on me, kind-of. I found a couch on the internet exactly like this where the owner pried off the wing things and changed the shape of the arms to a more modern look. It looked pretty good. I kind of like the small arms so I don't think I'll change that, but I am thinking since I need to take off the back foam (remember it stinks) I'm thinking I'll change the back to loose cushions.

My second idea is to still remove the wing things, but instead of making loose pillows keeping the back flatish like it is now.

My third idea is to leave the wing things (since the kids love them) and .....haven't gotten that far yet.

One thing I love about this couch is the bottom cushions don't move. Since we put it in the living room Sat. night we haven't had to touch the cushions! I'm wondering if I do put loose cushions on the couch if this will affect that, but I doubt it will because I'm thinking the reason they don't move is because the foam is a tight fit.

I think eventually I'll replace the mattress. The guy told me in one of the e-mails that the mattress hadn't been used more than 10 times. WRONG!!!!! It has been more than that by evidence of the extra egg cart mattress added to the mattress and sheet and pillow stuffed in there. I wonder if he was just a clueless husband or a liar trying to offload this couch.

Anyway, that is neither here nor there because I bought the couch. (size, size, size and hide-a-bed meant everything to me.)

So opinions please. Should I keep the old fashioned look? (It will be harder to slipcover and I'm not sure I'm totally up for that) or should I pry of the wings (and go the easy route) and make it look a bit more modern? I will be replacing the bottom cushions no matter what. (One or two bottom cushions?)
Oh yeah, Even though I'll be taking the couch apart I won't really be reupholstering it, I'll probably staple on muslin to keep everything in place and slip a slipcover over top it.

3 month supply

2008-10-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I've been trying to gather items for our short and long term food storage.(I'm not doing a very good job. We seem to go through our storage quite quickly.) I found this really great site called Preparedness Matters. It has recipes for food storage items and talks about how important it is to be prepared for life's temporal challenges. I've been checking the site every couple of days and have never been disappointed with the ingenuity of the recipes, like just a couple of days ago a recipe for chocolate chip cookies with white beans was posted. It looks like the white beans is a substitute for shortening. REALLY? Amazing! Did you know you could can butter?? Me neither. Lot's of helpful information on that site!

Well, today I was visiting and saw this link. You have to go and take a look!! Not only can you use it to help gather your 3 month food storage (which is what it's designed for) but you can also use it for a grocery shopping list and to list the price you usually pay for the items so you can get the best deal. It keeps track of the things you have and what you need to buy, your menu and the ingredients. You really have to check it out!!! AND IT"S FREE!! FREE!! FREE!! Did you hear me?? FREE!! It's ingenious! Be sure to watch the tutorial.

So I haven't yet checked out the rest of the site, but I will check it out tonight after I put the kids to bed.

It's October!

2008-10-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's been that way for a while, but now it truly feels like October. The kindergartners have taken their annual trip to the pumpkin farm today.

The boys and I met up with Super L on her field trip and watched her get lost in the hay maze, had a hay ride, and watched as she picked out the perfect pumpkin. She found the pumpkin in less then three minutes. Pretty fast! Both Super S, and A took f o r e v e r to find their perfect pumpkins when they were in kindergarten.

Only Super L was able to get a pumpkin today. We have a planned date and time for our next family trip to the pumpkin farm and on that day we will all get pumpkins for carving.

Regarding the last post, The boys had absolutely no help coming up with their movie idea. Super S has been thinking about the skit for about a week and a half. We had no idea what it was about until they actually did it. Super Dad did the video while I went on errands. I just about died when I came home from errands and watched the part of the clip where economy eats the $700 billion. Super Dad and I now go around the house saying,"economy, economy...."

Saturday Afternoon Taped (You know, like Saturday Night Live)

2008-10-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

We've been listening to the news a little too much.

Dinners

2008-10-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Here are the dinners I made from the 30 Day Gourmet.
1 lasagna
3 meatballs
4 tacos
2 maybe 3 chimichangas
2 parsley parmesan chicken
2 crispy rice chicken
2 or 3 santa fe chicken
1 country chicken pot pie (we ate this as soup a couple of days ago and it was good)
2 baked chicken fingers
2 chicken in a pot (we ate this last night, not my favorite, but edible and, everyone ate it)
2 Chicken Tetrazzini
2 pork barbecue

I have plans for broccoli cheese soup, quiche, and I bought 15lbs of potatoes for side dishes. I'm also planning on doing some breakfast meals and, if I can find some good recipes, lunch.

Now all I need to do is get every room cleaned up and organized and I'll have tons of free time. Hahahahahahah

2008-10-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

Things I wish I had to make cooking multiple meals easier and faster. (Mostly faster).
2 or 3 smaller cookie sheets (to fit in freezer)
2 0r 3 more 9X13 glass dishes
2 gallon freezer bags
food processor
snacks and movies for kids
another old crockpot
One more large pyrex bowl
containers that can be used in the freezer and oven.

I'll keep my eye out for these things at Goodwill.

Things I wish I had done
counted up all recipes that needed cooked chicken and cooked it the night before.
Emptied out freezers before cooking
Don't buy bread until all meals are cooked.
redo how I organize meat not yet cooked in the freezer

Oh yeah, did I mention I also made yogurt yesterday too. We love yo-cheese, we substitute it for cream cheese. I'm hoping to learn how to make mozzarella in the future.

Now I feel like I'm behind in homeschooling for taking the last day or two to make meals, but I think in the long run it will free up lots of wasted time, worrying and trying to find ingredients for dinner.

At least, 6 more meals will be added today. I'll need to rearrange the freezer before I can fit any more meals in it.

Whew

2008-10-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

19 meals, three broken bowls, waffles, apple bread, 32 large cookies and three days later...I'm not even close to being done. I still have 20 more pounds of chicken in the fridge. Both older boys have helped in the last couple of days to get meals prepared. Sam spent an hour cooking 4lbs of chicken on our little goerge foreman grill and cutting it all into bite size pieces. I would not have gotten nearly as much done today without his help! The nice thing about my kids helping (other than they are really, really helpful) is I get to talk to them one on one. That's nice! I like that!

I really like the new cookbook! We had chicken potpie tonight without the crust, so it was really just soup, but it was so good! Just the right amount of salt and nice and thick for cold, rainy days, just like today. Everyone ate dinner tonight, which just doesn't happen all that often anymore, so two thumbs up!! I'm glad I made a double batch to freeze. While we were eating, Super S said he hoped that this was one of the worst recipes in the book, that way we will be eating really, really good dinners for the rest of the month.

We actually used the recipe for tacos Saturday night and again everyone ate dinner without complaining. I think I've found our family's new favorite cookbook. It only took how many years?Glad I bought it.

Sorry, no pictures of the meal making or the dinner. I'm sure most of you know what those two things look like anyway. :)

Gotta go plan my day and rest up for schooling and meal making. Wish me luck. It's too bad I'm not Super Woman! Then I could do it all before the meat starts to go bad.

Hope they don't come take them away

2008-10-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

I have to tell you this while I'm thinking of it. Let me preface, I have some pretty imaginative kids, past teachers have said unusually imaginative (meaning immature, but whatever, they're kids!)

So my BIL is taking some classes to become a counselor and needed to have some pictures done by children. He had to have certain things in the pictures. I think they were a house, a tree, and something your family does together.
When I heard this I said, "So he wants us to find some kids?" (We know lots of kids) Super Dad replies that our kids are going to draw the pictures, except for Super J who just scribbles. I said it couldn't be done, There was no way our kids wouldn't draw something weird. Us as aliens, or monkeys flying out of the sky or...I don't know, but there was no way. Super Dad called the kids in from playing outside and tells them what to do and that I said it couldn't be done and to prove me wrong. So they start to draw and every once in a while you'd hear a giggle, giggle. Obviously these pictures were good and funny!!

Super A finishes first and runs over to show me his pictures. (Wish I had taken a pic. David maybe you can get one for me,) He proves me wrong. He draws a picture of the family together, doing something. Can you guess what we were doing? Hah, you'll never guess. Go ahead try. Nope. Nope. Nope. Do you want to know?? He draws his family standing around the living room watching paint dry. Yep, we watch paint dry as a family, cause you know, we just paint our rooms around here all the time, for fun, just to watch paint dry. And it doesn't end there cause there is one of us not standing around watching paint dry. It's Super J. He's actually flying (actually shooting, because there are flames coming off his legs) off into space, presumably to find a family that is more fun than ours. And then on the other side of the paper he draws a tree which if I remember right was growing out of his body, with a house about to fall on him. Hmmm were's Super J when you need him?

Super S' is quite a bit better at least he drew us at the zoo, with only the elephants escaping and pure pandemonium about to ensue when we all realize that we are about to be trampled.

After looking at those pictures, I can't remember what Super L drew. I think it had something to do with rainbows. It must have been a little weird (not as weird as her brothers) because I insisted on Super Dad giving his brother Super J's drawings which are just scribbles that Super J tells me, after he draws them, are ice cream and trains and planes and cows and doggies. NORMAL stuff.

I'm sure they'll be taking those pictures apart piece by piece, really trying to understand why it is that Super J is big while Super Dad is itsy bitsy and just why Super Mom is standing so close to the wall, while it's drying. Let's just hope Freud doesn't come up in the discussion.

Birthday Fun

2008-10-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

So, I know you've been dying to see what we did for Super L's birthday. Here it is. There were eight girl's in attendance (the perfect amount ir you ask me!) The girls had cake and lemonade on china and played old parlor games like button, button, who's got the button, musical chairs, mother may I and tag. (Obviously the last two aren't parlor games.) There were two girls that were hesitant about being at our house, but they warmed up pretty quickly as we started playing button, button who's got the button. I have to say, I was surprised at how difficult this game was for the girls.(This may have been partly my fault, I might not have explained the game right.) They didn't really get it 'til we were just about done with the game. They loved playing musical chairs and tag, but, again, had a hard time with mother may I. It was a lovely day! We all had a great time! I was grateful that one of the girl's mom decided to stay. She was a big help and it was so much fun meeting another mom from Super L's class!

Here's the table before everyone arrived.

I made fondant for the first time. It was a lot easier to make than I thought. I found the recipe on Allerecipes.com. (Love that site!) It was a bit sticky. I had to keep "flouring" the fondant with powdered sugar so I could roll it out. When I lifted it to put on the small cakes it
s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d like crazy. Even though the little cakes turned out okay, I was glad that I wasn't taking them to a real event where people over the age of 14 would see them.

2008-09-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Goodwill Addict

2008-09-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

After finding my new (to me) Kitchenaid, I've become a Goodwill Addict. I find the best kitchen stuff there. While others are worried about a Depression I keep spending money at a good clip at Goodwill. (I console myself by reminding myself that I've never been a shopper or a big spender.) I've decided I'm done now. I must never go in there again (at least for the next couple of months) Here's what I've found in the last week.

Crockpot $3.00.
I was sitting with too older women while they discussed slow cookers about a year ago. They praised their little old crockpots. They talked about how their food never tasted burnt and always came out tasting great. They had both had new crockpots in the last few years and ended up giving them to their daughter-in-laws, because thier food always tasted burnt. Well...my food always tastes burnt. Even though my big crockpot says it has a low and a high setting, I don't believe it. I think it only has one setting, high. So, for three buckaroos I got myself a little old crockpot. I made a roast with it yesterday. The roast turned out so-so, but I don't think it was the crockpots fault. This big 9lb. roast was mostly fat. It was soooooo fatty that I could feel my arteries clogging as I shredded it for bbq-ed beef. No kidding! As I was checking on the slowcooker, throughout the day it had liquid bubbling up out of it. This liquid turned out to be fat that solidified onto my counter as it cooled. Didn't taste burnt though so two thumbs up!

Pyrex bowels $6.00
I think I overspent. I was pretty sure these were a pair, but the girl rang them up separately, I should have said something, but come on I just got the deal of the century with the kitchenaid and thought I'd cut them some slack. (But that's the last time cutting slack.) I do like them and have needed some nice big bowls. We've used them almost everyday since I've bought them.

Colander $4.00
Again kind of a lot, but I have seen these nice strainers for a good amount retail. We really needed a nice big one. We have a yucky plastic one that loses quite a bit of spaghetti every time we use it for pasta . Another plus, I love the color!

I now have the colander and the bowls displayed on my garden window in the kitchen. I think they look pretty there. (A whole heck of a lot better than the dead fly I found while wiping it down in preparation for putting up something pretty!)

I would show you but I can't get the blogger picture thingy to pop up.

In other news there is no way I'll be getting the doll done for Super L's birthday, so I told her we would work on it in the coming months together. I do have the totally synthetic inside of the head made up. (Again I would show a pic. but blogger seems to be having a problem.) The kind of doll Super L and I want to make is similar to the waldorf dolls. Waldorf dolls are made out of all natural stuff, the inside is stuffed with wool and the outside is made from cotton knit. Do you know how hard it is to find wool?? Really hard, at least for me. I've checked craigslist and online. All the places I found would sell you the raw unwashed wool, which I take to mean, it would need to washed and carded before I could use it. I don't have a carder! Although my grandma does, or she used too, but she lives way across the country so that's a no go. Oh well, I suppose I'm okay with totally synthetic. I don't really have the money to spend on it anyway....*sigh* especially since I've spent almost every dime at Goodwill.

Birthday Wishes

2008-09-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

Super L and I were surfing the internet when we found these dolls. They are gorgeous!!! Lura wishes she could get one for her birthday, but since they cost about the same amount as two weeks of food she will not be getting one from us. Super L and I decided that I could try to make a similar doll, but that it would probably be her only birthday present since it will be a little expensive and time consuming. They are having a free drawing for the dolls, so sign up, all you friends and family who have girls.

A Week at a Glance

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

Playing with and helping friends.

Eating a sandy dinner.

Very sandy.

Hoping no one, who passes by after we leave, has to go to the emergency room.

Trying to find shoes hidden away for safe keeping.

Who can forget the deal of the century? $17.99

Making cookies with Super L from a cookbook given to me by my mother a long time ago.

Making 54 english muffins.

Cooking, freezing and poking holes in them.

Climbing in

and out

Setting up camp, and camping.

And haircuts for all males in the family!

And many more things!
Whew....who knew it was such a busy week?

2008-09-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

So this is the couch on craigslist that I love. I can't seem to get the image to copy so just press on the couch link. I'm wondering if they forgot that they posted the couch on craigslist or if they've already sold it. I've kind of shot them a bunch of e-mail saying I was interested, but nothing...

The couch is exactly what I've been looking for. It's the perfect colors and has a fold out bed. I hope they call or e-mail soon. even if it's to tell me they already sold it.

Stats

2008-09-17T22:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I just figured out how to look at my stats. It seems a lot more people have checked out my blog than I thought, but guess what....apparently I have the plague (or am the most boring blogger on Earth) because most new, who I do not know, people stay for less than 5 sec. That's right 5 sec... and never return. (Or haven't yet) How can that be? Did you just make a wrong turn somewhere in blogland? And you quickly had to turn around?? Don't you like to look at my cute children??? Don't you like to read about early morning newspaper routes and how we wash clothes by spraying them off in the backyard??? Or the deal of the century??? Or wait, all my grammatical errors and words forgot to delete?? Noooooo???!!!!

Well if that doesn't excite you, Super S has a real treat coming up. Bionicle stop animation,(Is that what it's called) hopefully it will also have something to do with Mudlantis. Surely, surely you can stay for like, let's randomly say...hmmm...7 sec. 'cause there's no way that the stop animation movie will be longer than that!!! So... stay for 6, or 7 sec next time, hopefully we'll have something more exciting for you.

Hope you all know I'm just kidding...ummm about everything. I'm not totally sure that we can get the stop animation to work and even if we did....really would it be any longer than 5 sec. :)

Feel free to comment..or not. (Thanks Becky in advance. You know, for commenting. :) )

Cinnamon Rolls

2008-09-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

I found the best cinnamon roll recipe through blogland a couple of months ago. It's here at TheLittle Red Hen. They are soooo good. I try to remember to substitute a cup or two of whole wheat flour for the white so it's not too sweet. When you do that, you need to reduce the amount of flour you put in because whole wheat tends to be a bit heavier than white flour.

My SIL came tody and I showed her how to make the dough for this recipe. Bread is fairly easy to make, but it seems that there is a little bit of a learning curve. I'm a little bummed (although so glad she'll be able to enjoy bread whenever she wants) because I was just thinking this morning that I would bring cinnamon rolls to our next Christmas party for the white elephant game we play. (Don't worry Sarah, I'll figure something else just as good...maybe not just as good, but okay:) ) Any good ideas?

Oh, also I'm trying to get my SIL to do a once a month cooking marathon with me with this program. I was surfing blogs when I found this mom's blog. Her food looked so good. I e-mailed to make sure that this is where her recipes came from. Most of them did, but she did say that she found some on her own. I've looked at this site several times, and thought about buying the book, but worried that it might not be that good. (I've read a couple of OMC books and haven't really been impressed. One in particular was difficult to sift through the information and the food was not really all that good. For a little while I just did it myself with the information I learned from the different books, but it's been a looooong couple of years and I just want someone to have everything figured out for me.) I may have to bribe my SIL with reusable grocery bags or....Hmmmm.... I know I have a great pattern for a doggie bed. You love your dog don't you???!!.... ;)

Score

2008-09-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

I never get good thrifting deals! (I think it might have something to do with never going thrifting. but whatever.) Lately I've been trying to get ready for potty training and as I do not want to pay big bucks getting potty training stuff for last baby, I've been going into Goodwill quite a bit. The first time I went in to find a potty chair Super L and I walked out of there with a whole set of Mary Englebrights "Afternoon Tea" dishware. $15.00. 8 of everthing!! 8 dinner plates, 8 tea cups, 8 saucers, 8 dessert plates and 8 nice size bowls. We picked it up thinking we'd use it for her birthday party, and any other fancy party she wants for the next 10 years. No potty chair. Went to Walmart and bought one.

Today we went in to find a baby that pees. We came out with a Hobart made Kitchenaid. I can here you all gasp now...Noooo. Yes! I even plugged it in to make sure it works. How much did I pay??? Can you guess??? $100.00.....lower. $50.00.....lower. Lower.... $17.99....*gasp* I know!!!
I even plugged it in to make sure it worked. It did. It had the bowl the whip and the bread hook. The pee doll was totally forgotten. I see a Walmart run in my future. *sigh*

I scrubbed it down with soft scrub to get off all that brown stuff that old appliances seem to accumulate, but other than that it looks pretty good!!! Everything else is in the wash and when it's done I'll take it for a test run!!

Oh yea....I sooo scored!!! We'll see what Super Dad thinks. We are on a pretty tight budget. Any good Kitchenaid recipes???

Tatting

2008-09-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

I learned how to needle tat a couple of months ago. It is not that hard. I really enjoyed it! It takes a special needle that is almost like a sewing needle, but for two major differences. 1. the needle is the same size all the way across, meaning it doesn't increase in diameter towards the eye of the needle. 2. It is dull where a sewing needle is sharp.

I just used a regular embroidery needle to tat. It really hurt! I kept poking my fingers and sticking the needle up through the skin of my finger. I didn't make anything huge just a little ring with picot edge. I would have made something bigger if it wasn't for that sharp point.

I'd show my work, but have no idea where I put it.

I've looked for tatting needles in all the regular places, you know Joann's. Michael's. That's about it for the craft stores here. I have looked online, but shipping seemed to cost more than then the needles. (Can anyone bring themselves to pay more in shipping than they do for the actual product???)
So here I sit, while I could be tatting, well not really..... I have kids coughing over everything, undone dishes from quickly going to the beach last night and not cleaning up, sand everywhere, laundry needs to be folded and 2 two year olds fighting and crying over what the other has. So, no I wouldn't be tatting right now. Oh yeah, I need to make or go buy a wedding present, and make a nursing cover to hand over to the head of the Super Saturday commitee for a class I'm teaching in Oct. Nope wouldn't be tatting today. Maybe I'll quickly get the kids dressed and go garage saling. Yeah, I have time to do that.......

Too many titles to post

2008-09-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of pictures to share, lots of things to catch up with, but first things first. This is what happens when you are to tired to deal with tired whiny children at dinner time, I didn't get a picture of the actual children playing in the mud. (I should have.) There was mud everywhere!!!!! (What was I thinking?)

Second, do you think her mom will be adverse to me bleaching the pink shirt? I did prerinse, see?
I just don't think the mud will come out.
Third, how do you get blackberry stains out of super cute (super expensive) gap pants?

In my defense how was I supposed to know she'd vehemently spit it out and wipe it on her pants?

Two year olds are soooo unpredictable!

Super L's first day of school was a couple of days ago. She didn't want me to take her to school, she wanted to ride the bus.
Here she is getting onto the bus. The shirt she is wearing is so cool!! She picked it out while school shopping with Grandma. I'm not sure if you can see it, but it has a horse on it.

Lastly we spent Labor Day at Ape Caves near Mt. Saint Helen. I was still struggling with migrianes, but luckily the 4-5 extra strength gel tylenol every couple of hours helped quite a bit. (Anyone know if you can overdose on tylenol, 'cause 1or 2 is just not going to work!)

So, look at this. Our friends had picnicked here before. Near the picnic area were lots of these little caves.

There was a cool little path that lead to this cool little cave that you could go down into and come out about 15 or so yards away. It was really dark! And a little scary. We all went through. Super S went through first and then Super A. I got in there and thought,"O MY GOSH I can't see a thing!!! There is no way I can crawl through here! And then I saw a little pen light. Super Dad was sitting toward the middle shining a little light and taking pictures of the kids as they went through.
(Sorry for the strange layout of pictures. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to get the pictures where I want them. I thought getting the pictures up at this moment was more important than getting it perfect.)

Sassy Apron Swap Received

2008-09-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Look at the super cute apron I received from Nichole , It has snowmen pockets with a purple twirly fabric for the apron on one side and twirly purple pockets and snowmen fabric for the apron on the other. How cool is that? I love this Apron!!! I'd like to know how Nichole knew that my house, after November, is full of snowmen, and how did she know that I've had this exact pattern in and out of internet carts for the past 6-7 months (maybe longer, I really love this pattern!!!At least I think it's the same pattern,, Is it the Scalloped Apron Pattern? ) How lucky am I??? I am soooo lucky!!

Nichole, I love this apron!! Super L (my little girl) Thought it only fair that if I got the apron she should have the potholder, no deal, she then said that we could share the potholder, that sometimes she could use it and sometimes I could....hmmm... I could do that. (She's not allowed in the oven, by the way). You did such a nice job! I love it!! And will be using it alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank-you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) If you haven't received your apron I hope you get it soon!

Sassy Apron Swap Done!

2008-09-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Finally done!! I sent the apron off today. Sorry no pictures. I sent my camera to the hospital so a friend of mine could make sure she had pictures of her baby before they sent the baby up to Children's Hospital. That's a whole different story. I have had a terrible time getting the swap done. I had most of the apron done by the last week in August, but that last week I spent with nauseating, dizzy migriane. I didn't get anything done that week. We did go up to Ape caves on Sat. and had a wonderful time, but I did wonder throughout the trip if there was a way to overdose on tylonel. Anyone know. How many tylonel to you have to take to overdose, 'cause there is no way that just two or even three will kill my migraine. And again, life is just one thing after another. I e-mailed Lucy, the girl in charge of the swap, telling her I would have my swap done and sent by Sept.3, the 4 by the latest, did it happen ...no, because I have had a million things pop up that needed immediate attention. Things like taking my friend's little girl, or making sure that a friend of mine who has been in and out of the hospital and needs a little bit of support is okay and has doctors appt. and will be getting meds changed or visiting with my friend from Hawaii who is visiting her parents for a couple of days, or ...yes the list actually goes on, but you probably don't want to read about it. I don't really want to think about it, because I am DONE with the APRON!!!

I hope my swap partner likes it...I hope it fits, I'm a little worried. I think it will fit, but then I start to worry again. I totally made a mess of her package. I was trying to hurry before 12, because I knew if it didn't get it sent before that I wouldn't be able to send it until Monday. So I was hurrying and wrote her last name down wrong. The recipe that I was supposed to send fell out of the package and I found it after getting back from the post office on my front porch. At this point I'm hoping I sent it to the right address. I meant to send little treats for her kids or at least little baby stuff for her cute little twin baby girls, but no it just wasn't happening, nope, nope, nope, nope. And I couldn't wait till I had a moment, because really I have two extra kids now and I'll have another in just a little bit and there is no way that I'm taking two children under three (and all my other ones) anywhere...just how old do you think I am? I'm not a young mother anymore, I'm ooooollllllddddd and can't remember how you take lots of toddler children anywhere. So all that to say "Patricia I'm still really, really, really, sorry!!! If my world were perfect (not even perfect just less hectic) at the moment I would have soooo added cute stuff to your package and your apron and potholder would so not have had so many mistakes...please trust me on this, and don't go looking for the mistakes, because yes they are there.

I'm done, thanks for listening...

Enjoying our last few hours of summer vacation

2008-08-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Last day of paper route

2008-08-21T14:26:00.001-07:00

10 days without a post! It's been a busy and tiring 10 days!! The weather was perfect! The last few days it was somewhat rainy and cold, but just a light rain not a a drizzle and the cold was fixed by a sweatshirt with a hood.

Do you see the smile? Super J was smiling right before and after this picture. They were more tired the last day, but still smiling! They didn't want to go, but go they did. (What choice did they have? They couldn't stay home by themselves!) What troopers!

This picture represents the beginning and the end of the paper route for the boys, Super S crying with a stomach ache, and Super A thinking about the money he'll earn for Disney World.
Super S has a very hard time falling asleep at night and waking in the morning, but he got up every morning, although not happy about it, and worked till he was done.

We are so proud of the all the kids!! They all worked very hard despite the early mornings and the sore tummies from waking up so early! Even Super J worked handing us rubber bands to put around the papers and then put the papers in the cart to take to our cars. He even helped push and pull the huge cart!! (With help of course!) At one point I wasn't throwing the papers under the table, for him to get so he could put them on the cart and he got very upset with me. He then reached as far as he could onto the tall table, where I was folding them, and got a paper and had to balance it on his forehead to be able to pull it down! Very impressive if you ask me!

The older Super Boys and I have even toyed with the idea of starting a route. They would love to earn a little money. Super Dad is not entirely convinced that after gas we would really make anything, and the boys and I are not entirely convinced that we could continue to wake up at 2:30 every morning for longer than 10 days and still be able to get anything done during the day.

Everyone's sleepless nights end tonight except for Super S'. Poor boy. He has an EEG tomorrow to check for abnormalities that could mean he is still having partial seizures. He has to stay up until midnight and wake up at 4am so he'll be able to sleep at his 1pm EEG appt.

2:30 in the morning

2008-08-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

If you want to be exact this picture was actually taken at 3am. You can't see it, but Super J has a huge grin on his face, behind the pacifier. Ben went to wake up the two older boys at 2:30 and these two monkeys is what he got. They were so happy to be woken up (not being sarcastic!) There were some moments of heartbreak when L learned we would not be using our bikes to deliver the papers, but in all these two were very,very happy to be awake and going somewhere!

Can you see how happy they are? Crazy kids! Our fear is they will want to be awake at this time even after we stop the paper route!

Oh...I should tell you these pictures were taken in the dark. The flash really gives a lot of light!

Paper Route

2008-08-10T03:14:00.000-07:00

I am helping a friends with their paper route for the next two weeks. Boy it's early!!

Thanks Everyone

2008-08-02T21:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone said yes to my linking! Thank-you!

Consensus was that you don't need to ask to link, only if you want to use a picture. I also learned it is a little rude to link to a blog if your blog is by invitation only and the person you linked to is not invited to join.

So the best thing that came out of asking to link is that everyone e-mailed me back. It was like having a movie star e-mail me!! They called me by name, and then wrote something to me!!!
I don't really get into actor attraction, in fact I can barely remember their names and if I do remember their names, I have no idea what their faces look like. So feeling all a flutter about these internet gals is a little strange for me, but so exciting! It's kind of like moving to a new school and coming home and telling your mom you think you made friends. Very exciting!!

Linking

2008-07-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

So what do you think? Super Dad says I need to ask permission to link to someone's blog. I think he may be right, but haven't done it yet. It is a little creepy not knowing who is linking to your blog. Better get right on it.

Sorry to all those I linked to and haven't asked yet. Please forgive me and let me link...

Laura,Laura,Laura

2008-07-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

Laura my cousin....I lost your e-mail address and your blog address. I lost it a while ago. Remember when I called a couple of months ago.... I kind of lost the nerve to tell you that once again I had lost it. But.... part of it was not my fault, both our computers broke down, we couldn't get any information off of them before they died, well that's not entirely true, Ben was able to save his doctorate work.

Please, oh please if you haven't lost my blog address or e-mail will you please send them to me.

You may ask why I don't call, well, that is a good question, I don't know why I just don't call except it seems so much easier to expose myself to the blogging community as the ditz and phone-a-phobic that I really am!:)

Blog/Kids

2008-07-27T09:30:00.001-07:00

There is very little difference in having a blog and having kids. I feel like I'm talking to myself.

birthday fun

2008-07-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

So far today the kids have played on the nintendo and their gameboys, we've found a fun park to play at while looking for the blueberry park, we also saw a ton of geese and some sunbathing turtles, while looking for the blueberry park and we found the blueberry park. The blueberries weren't ripe yet so we'll go back in a week or two. Super Dad is out grilling the hamburgers so we can have an early dinner. More pictures tonight of the party cake and birthday boy!

Another Burial Dress

2008-07-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is my second little burial dress within a week. The Relief Society President knew I had just made one and asked me to make another just in case the little family did not have one. This is their first child. I started it late Monday night and finished it Tuesday morning. The Relief Society President told me yesterday they already had a dress for the little babe, so we'll put the dress I made in our RS closet as insurance that it won't happen again.:) I'll also be making a little boy outfit to put in there too.

My camera does not do this little dress justice. It is actually much prettier. My house gets terrible light.

I'm glad that I can make these dresses in hopes that it provides some comfort, but I think I'm done making these for people I know. It's just too sad. Brings my families past right up to the future. All I can see, while making these dresses, is Jonathon's birth, death and burial. And while I do think of all the good things, I think of all the sad and angry parts too. It's just to hard.

At least my next sewing project will be the full apron swap. Something fun is needed following these last two projects!!

On a happy note it's Super S' birthday and I'll have some pictures for later!

Science Camp in Review

2008-07-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Monday: Making Airplanes and Taking Measurements
Tuesday: Experimentation and Observation with water, ice, salt, sugar, sun and heat
Wednesday: Inventing balloon gondolas, Failing and succeeding
Thursday: Following Procedure, making silly putty
Friday: Using cabbage powder to discover what is an Acid and Base. ROCKET LAUNCH!!

The kids spent a little time everyday working on rockets.

We had a BLAST and I think all thirteen of the kids did too!!! There were some days that I forgot to take pictures. The Rocket Launch was one of them. Bummer

2008-07-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

I finished the burial dress late Tues. night. I planned on adding embroidered flowers on the skirt of the dress, but couldn't find my embroidery floss. I do think it really needed something at the bottom, but I just didn't have time to look and spend more time on the dress. :(

I'm not entirely happy with the sleeves. My friend asked, after I had cut out short sleeves, to make them longer to cover the baby's little hands. I didn't have enough fabric to recut the sleeves so I cut the bottom in a bell shape sleeve and added it to the top. What I forgot was the top sleeve was meant to be gathered with elastic. I should have tapered the top sleeve down and then added the bottom sleeve. At least the mistake will allow the mom to easily slide the babies arms in, it sure does look a little funny though.

I like how the wrap turned out. The back and the top crossover are gathered at the skirt and the underneath crossover was sewn on straight without gathering. The skirts are just long rectangles. As I was putting it together I was wishing I had cut the skirts in an A-line shape instead of rectangles, but again did not have any more fabric to recut. I'm not sure that it really matters though, because the baby is so small I don't think it will make much of a difference.

While there are a couple of things I wish I could change, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, especially since I didn't really have a pattern, and I was deciding how to put it together while I was doing it. I told my friend if her cousin didn't like it that I wouldn't be hurt and would donate the dress to the NICU. My friend told me today that her cousin thought it was very pretty and wanted to keep it. The baby will be buried on Monday. My thoughts and prayers are with the family in this sad time.

Ups and Downs

2008-07-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

We started Science Day Camp today. It didn't go as well as we hoped, but it wasn't horrible either. One little boy fell off the big toy and landed smack on his head and face, and a couple hours later this same boy gets shot with one of those pressure guns right in the eye.

Some kids worked well together, some didn't work with others at all. And most of them wanted to get their science stuff done and play.

Favorite things; trying to figure out how many balloons it takes to lift a toy, and electron tag.

Dislikes; measuring the paper airplanes and measuring the distance in which they flew.

We were done an hour early, so tomorrow we'll plan more for the kids to do. I think most of the kids had fun.

After camp, I took a couple of min. to start on a burial dress for a baby that was stillborn. I think it's fitting to make this dress after the post about the lilies. The kindness of others is what we remember most about the death of our little boy. I'm pretty much making up my own dress. I wanted it to be kimono style so it will be easy to get the baby into. I also wanted it to be pretty and look a little like a baptismal dress. I hope it works! I'll be working on it tonight and will hopefully finish tomorrow night after camp. I'm thinking the funeral may be Wed. or Thurs.

I've just been so sad lately, in the past couple of weeks a friend of mine lost a baby to a ectopic pregnancy and another will most likely lose her baby right after birth to a severe heart defect and then this. I should say that I don't actually know the family who's baby daughter just passed away, but I do know her cousin, who is helping to make the arrangements. I offered to make this dress, because I know how hard it can be to find burial clothes for a tiny baby and how expensive they can be. And really who wants to be shop for burial clothes for their little baby?
Wish me luck that it will do justice to this little angel.

So, after returning home from returning the helium rental, and trying not to cry for all of these families who are struggling with death and loss, I came home to....drum roll please...

MY SWAP PLACEMATS!!!!!!!
WOOHOO !!!!!!!!

What better way to snap me out of my sad little thoughts!!! And guess where they came from?? All the way across the Atlantic, across the United States and across Washington State to me in the Puget Sound. Yes, all the way from the UK.

Debbie,

I love, love, love them. They are so me. And to prove the point they are totally me, my neighbor came over to see the placemats and declared they looked just like me!!!! They really are so pretty!! And look how beautiful they look on my table!!

View sammonluraammon's map

Taken in a place with no name (See more photos or videos here)

How in the world did you know I love lamb!!! I don't have it very often, but I love it when I can get it!! I can't wait to try the recipe. I think you must be partly psychic to have made and sent things that are sooo perfect!!! Tell me truthfully...what's in my future???:)

The kids loved all the goodies you sent. My oldest, who turns 11 next week, picked up the Tudor book and declared it a really cool book and will be reading it for bed time tonight. The three younger kids loved the pencils! They are so great. We've already picked out a couple of recipes we want to try from the Devonshire recipe book. We just have to wait until the weather is cool enough to turn on the oven. You were so sweet to send my family little gifts! Thank-you!!! I hope the person who gets my placemats loves them as much as I love mine!!!! So when are you coming to the United States to visit??? I'll make sure all my laundry is put away, and that holey old couch is out of the room, and you can stay with us! !!! We'll go see the Washington Rainforest and Pike Place Market in Seattle!!!

Lots and lots of Love,

Sarah

Couch Love and Hate

2008-07-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

This is my living room. Don't mind the mess, I made the kids move out of the picture so I could take it. I love this sectional. I got it from an Ikea garage sale thing a couple of years ago. It fits really well in this small living room. It also goes really well in the garage that was converted into a family room before we bought the house. I love it!

This is what's in the family room now. It's a well made hand-me-down, it's comfortable, has down feathers, my mom is allergic to it , it's to big for my house (it's a very large sofa)and has looked like this for the three years. Yes, you heard me right, albeit it's been in different stages these three years, and it's not like I wasn't really busy with a horrible pregnancy, baby in the hospital and homeschooling two boys and entertaining a child who should've gone to kindergarten (missed the cut off day by a couple of days) and a toddler.

When I began the holes in the cushions weren't that big and every cushion had a cover. Now I'm missing one cover and the holes are getting pretty large.

No more. I want to get rid of it. I don't care that it is a good couch with good bones. I don't care that it can be reupholstered, (obviously not by me) I don't care anymore that I've bought it two sets of fabric to make it work, because it would be cheaper to fix it than buy a new couch. I don't care!!! I just don't want to look at it anymore!!I just don't want to feel guilt about it anymore!!! I want it out of my house!! And just so you know, I've been feeling this way for a while! I just can't make it work! There are a lot of things that I can make work, but I can't make this work, just can't do it, and don't want to try anymore. I want it outttttt!!!!

If any of you want it feel free to say so and come get it! Just leave a comment and it's yours!! I'll save it for you instead of tricking someone to help me put it in my friend's dumpster if she has room.

I remember my grandma once told me that she took a summer and reupholstered a couch and by the time she was done she wished she had just bought a new one. At least she finished it!!

Lovely

2008-07-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

This is what I woke up too Friday morning. Some little monkey got a hold of my glasses!! Let's hope when I take them to be fixed they can fix them or have an extra pair laying around!

Luckily the day ended with shooting off rockets. We couldn't find our camera, but trust me when I say...It was really cool!! Unfortunately, Super Dad's parachute worked, gliding it into the blue yonder in which we could not find it after it landed. Fortunately the boys rockets exploded and crashed and we were able to bring those home safe and sound to use another day. A little ironic, don't you think?

Day Lily

2008-07-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Do you see this lily? This lily was given to my MIL, by my aunt, after our first born son passed away. My aunt gave one to us, but we were college students and our apt. was tiny, and this flower, while really pretty, is extremely stinky! We ended up throwing it away after a month or two, because it was a stinky reminder that everyone around us had beautiful children and we had nothing.

My MIL planted it in her front yard and when she moved she dug it up and put it in a pot. Every year we couldn't believe that it kept coming up. Last year she insisted on us taking this plant home. Super Dad took a couple of the corns (really small bulbs) and planted them in other places. Some of them bloomed this year and some of them are too small and will bloom next year.

What really surprised us is that in years past the lily always bloomed white and it usually bloomed in April right around Easter, but this year (it was a cold, rainy spring) it didn't start blooming till the beginning of July and the first blooms, bloomed this beautiful dark pink color, the later blooms a lighter pinkish/white. They are gorgeous!!! And instead of a terrible stinky reminder of something we had not, it is now a reminder of the kindness of my aunt and many others who showed kindness to us in that time, and the care that my MIL took in taking care of this beautiful plant, waiting for the time when we could love and appreciate this beautiful flower.

The Swap is in the Mail!!!

2008-07-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

I'm all done! The last three weeks have been crazy busy! The first thing I started this month was the swap placemats and the last thing I did this month was the swap placemats.

I am so glad they are done! I hope my swap partner loves them! I did want to add a table runner, but with having to start all over again, I just didn't have time. Oh well. I do think it was worth starting over I like these so much better!

They're not perfect but done!! What a relief!! I was surprised at how stressed I was picking fabric and such. I was paralyzed. My swap partner said her kitchen was muted red, orange, green, blue with black and white. I'm not exactly sure what muted colors are. That really stumped me. So I sent an e-mail back, but didn't hear back 'till just a couple of days before the swap was over. *sigh* I hope she still likes them! I was thinking you couldn't go wrong with strawberries and daisies in the middle of summer.

This project was a big pain in the beeeeehiiiiind!! !I do wish the book would have had the yardages or the amount of fabric needed for the projects. That would have made things a lot easier. When I started figuring out how much yardage I needed I was shocked...shocked by how much fabric I needed!!

I think the grid on my cutting board is off. My rectangles look so crooked, but when I place them back on the grid they are right on. I took a lot of time trying to get the placemats more square. I did an okay job, but again not as nice as I would've liked. At some point, you just have to send what you have and chock it up to experience!

It may be time for a new cutting board, but they are really expensive and the one I use is only about 2 years old, maybe less and I bought a big one. I think that was a big part of the frustration for me! I should not have had screwy rectangles.

Alright, I'm done complaining now. I am now wondering if I cut all my threads off. I'm not sure that I did. I was so busy Monday trying to get the swap finished and having to do a bunch of other things that day that I'm now wondering if I got everything cut off. If I didn't ( and there's a good chance I didn't) please swap partner forgive me!!!!

On to other subjects Super Dad and I are holding our first ever Science Camp next week. We are soooooo excited!! We'll be playing with rockets, helium,balances, graduated cylinders. We are going to have a great time!!!

Swap disaster

2008-07-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here's my preliminary placemat for the swap.

It's much cuter in person. It is green twill on this side with a strawberry pattern and blue jean on the other. I'm not sure that I like how crooked it is, although it's not as noticeable on this side as it is on the other.

You can see just how crooked it really is. I'm not sure what happened. I am usually so careful when cutting out. I think the fabric may have stretched out quite a bit while rotary cutting.

My choices thus far are:
1. Try to straighten it up.
+ I don't lose all that machine
embroidery that I spent the last
month on.
- I lose sizing.
2. Keep the front and go get fabric for
new back
3. Scrap it all and go get new fabric that
won't stretch at weird angles.

What do you think?

Working on SWAP

2008-06-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

I let my kids have the week off of school. We'll start again Mon. Maybe Tues. since Monday is Super A's birthday. This means that I can focus on the SWAP or cleaning my house or looking at the internet, because my foot hurts,'cause I think I might have a planters wart on it. (It really, really does hurt!! But I don't want to drive all the way to my doctor 20 min. away, pay my co-pay, and then be told to go get the medicine over the counter.)

My placemats are comin' together. I haven't been able to get to know the person I'm sending my placemats and napkins too very well, so I hope (crossing my fingers) that she likes what she gets!!!

So, for the sake of the person sending me placemats,(because I'm so nervous about sending my placemats out) I just want you to know I'll LOVE ANYTHING you send!!! My everyday plates are white from Ikea, and my house is multi-colored, from baby blue walls to apple green. I just hung up the Alexander fruit fabric in blue in my kitchen window.

I also just made myself an apron with browns and aquas.

Oh, and one in goldy-yellow and green.
I L O V E Colors any kind. Doesn't matter!! I'm just excited to get a package in the mail!

2008-06-15T17:31:00.001-07:00

I made a bunch of bags for prizes at a baby shower. I think the prizes were too big. I had never made the bag before and didn't realize how big they were. They turned out cute. They are all variations from the Bend the Rules sewing book. I really like the book and may have to buy it. I keep borrowing it from the library, but the amount of time that it stays at my house I feel a little like I'm hogging it! The top one was my favorite!! I was really sad to let that one go, but it just was not in me to make another bag!!!!!!

I'll be making more of the top bag, but I'll be putting more interfacing in it to help it stand up.

Please don't mind the weeds. It's been a very rainy, cold, spring. We haven't really had a chance to go out and work on the yard.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

2008-06-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

I love you Dad!!

It's Still Raining!

2008-06-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it hit the all time high of 66 degrees....inside the house! I gave up and turned on the heat today. The wind howled most of the evening. It seemed to stop about the time I fell asleep. Today's not as windy, but it is still grey and rainy and cold!!

I JUST WANT TO BE WARM!!!!!!! I JUST WANT TO SEE THE SUN ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS!!!!Is that to much to ask for? BBRRRRRR

I'm off to find another sweater.

I just joined a SWAP

2008-06-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

I'll be swapping place mats and napkins from Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. This is the second swap from her book. The first was a pleated bag. Just looking at the photos of those pleated bags makes me wish I had joined, but really they are so beautiful I'm kind of glad I didn't. I'm not sure mine would have been so nice!

I have a great idea for the place mats! I can not wait to get started!

There have been a couple of swaps that I've wanted to join recently, but I just didn't think I had the time to do it or the creativity. Seriously... have you seen all the creativity in blogland??? It's amazing!! Where do people come up with their ideas?

2008-06-01T13:17:00.001-07:00

Super J has either a sinus infection or allergies. I stayed home from church because every time I looked at him he had gads of snot running into his mouth. It was really gross. I couldn't send my little boy into nursery like that. Plus he slept terrible last night and Super Dad and I knew he would get a better, much needed nap with everyone gone. I'm definitely taking him to the Doctor tomorrow. I won't leave until the Dr. gives me antibiotics or allergy meds.
Would you like to see what I've been doing the last two days? Here it is.... LAUNDRY!!!
(Pretty brave airing my dirty, I mean clean laundry, huh?)

These days laundry makes me want to cry. I find clean clothes on the laundry room floor, on the kids floor and in the hallway dirty from being stepped on. They are the same clothes over and over. I think the kids throw them out of their dressers or knock them off their hangers trying to get to the clothes that are comfortable or have some cool pic. on them.

Why, I ask you, do I keep all of these clothes if they don't wear them and I have to keep washing them over and over and over? It drives me nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, here is my solution. Everyone gets 4 short sleeve shirts, 4 long sleeve shirts, 4 pants, 4 shorts and church pants and a long and short sleeve shirt for church. This list looks a little long to me, but I think it will be the right number of clothes.

As of right now, I have two very full bags to take to Goodwill and one very full bag to give to my SIL for hand-me-downs. I still look around me and want to cry. It doesn't seem like I've really diminished the mountain of clothing. You saw the picture. I still have clothes in the dryer, odds and ends on the floor. (I made the kids go get every stitch of clothing to be washed and put away or gotten rid of. I'm not so sure that ways a good idea.) At this point I wish I had taken everything to the laundry mat. I could have been done in just a couple of hours and gotten rid of the clothes we didn't want in one fell swoop. Oh well, live and learn, I'm sure that eventually I'll have to do this again. SIGH

Theirs

2008-05-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

A girl and her horse*

A girl and her dog*

A boy and his big brother

A boy and his new big boy bed

*Animals not actually hers.

Cottage Industry

2008-05-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about starting a business. I have an etsy shop, but haven't made anything to sell yet. Sew Liberated has come up with the most beautiful aprons and has offered to sell a cottage license to make and sell her patterns. What I have to do is send her a couple of pictures of my work. Most of my best work is done for others and is given away. I've been trying to decide what I should sew to show that my sewing skills are good enough to sell.

So in that frame of mind, I made this quick little dress for Super L this weekend. I picked the pattern, she picked the fabric. It is very sparkley I think we are both happy.

The back is actually cuter than it looks in the picture. I have plns make this again. I've already thought of several new variations.

Speaking in Church

2008-05-10T23:14:00.000-07:00

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!! I love you my Mothers! I love you Grandma

I am speaking in church today, and since I called my Dad, my Grandma and my Great Uncle yesterday with help I wanted to post my talk. I hope it is okay. I hope that I got all the information correct and did honor to the one whom I spoke of. (Is that the correct usage of whom?) I'm a little nervous letting you read it. I am not a natural writer or speaker, like my husband. I really have to prepare and even in preparing I think my writing is found wanting. (Is that the phrase? I'm always getting things mixed up.)

President Hinkley quoted E. T. Sullivan saying “When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home and of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart, and she puts it into the baby’s mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies.”1

And those babies, I should like to add, will become forces for good or ill, depending in large measure on how they are reared. The Lord, without equivocation, has declared, “I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth” (D&C 93:40).

In the Teachings of Joseph Smith it says, "A mother’s influence extends from generation to generation. Upon you depend the training and the direction of the thoughts and the inspiration of the hearts of your children, for they drink into the spirit of their mothers, and the influence of the mother over the children is the most enduring impression that can be made.

My Great Grandmother was an incredible woman. Speaking of my Great- Grandmother, my grandmother said this, "She was the smartest woman I ever knew. She always knew just what was appropriate in every situation and new just what to say in every situation. She was very active in her church, she gave many sermons and in fact was great orater and was a sought after speaker in her woman's group. She was a reader, my grandmother said she gave marvelous book reports to her woman's group of the things she read and learned in them.

My father grew up in a very rough family of boys. One of the memories my dad treasures is the times his Grandmother would come and stay with his family. My Father would go to her bedroom and find her reading her scriptures She would move over for him and he would climb in with her. She would then read aloud from the Holy Bible. This was a place of peace, of snuggling with his Grandma and feeling the peace that comes when reading the Holy scriptures in a confusing world. My uncle when asked to right an essay in grade school wrote that he knew God lived because his Grandmother knew him personally. Her great presence and her strong testimony of God helped her family know that there is a god and that he loves them.

President Monson quotes the Savior when he gave a talk about the three goals that should guide women.
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
He goes on to say, "A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members

I think the most influential story comes from my Uncle Howard. I had heard my Grandmother tell this story that she had just heard about a year of so ago and wanted to get all the details right. I called my Great Uncle Howard yesterday he is very old and is very sick with cancer. He was in great pain, and it took a while for him to know who I was. He had his wife get on the phone so he could get the details straight.

In the winter of 1944 My Uncle participated in the Battle of the Bulge. This was Hitler's last offensive on the Western Front. My uncle and his outfit had been fighting for 2-3 days without rest. My uncle said the fighting was intense there was constant fire dropping all around them. It was bitterly cold, being that it was winter. There were many that were hurt or dead all around. At the end of the three days they were released to go and rest. My uncle said he always wanted to be alone. He did not want to be around the other men's nasty language. He wanted to be alone to read his Bible which he always had on him while fighting. He found a quiet corner to sit and started opening up his Bible. He said there was one man in particular who's name was Shermy, he was the foulest loud mouth of them all. This man thought nothing of using the Lord's name in vain and constantly cursed violently. This man approached my uncle and said loudly, "Read Newt, read." (Newt was my Uncle's nickname.) My Uncle protested loudly, "GO AWAY Shermy, Go Away." Again Shermy called for him to read. My Uncle in desperation wanting to be alone with the scriptures yelled, "If you don't get away from me I'll break this rifle right over your head!"

Shermy stepped back, and yelled in anguish, " Look at you, you goody goody God's looking at you and saying he's one of the good guys." And then Shermy turned to his out fit and said," He has something that this squad needs, and we need it bad and he won't share." In a split second my Uncle looked straight at the ceiling, and prayed, Lord you pick it." And what happens with so many situations, he opened the Bible and read the 91st psalm.

such great words of comfort to the battle torn men.

(Isaiah 54:13) says, “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” .

Now these men never met my Great-Grandmother, but they felt her influence through my Uncle. The scriptures spoke peace to their hearts. And all because a mother taught her son where to find peace in a world full of mayhem and destruction while he was a boy safe at home in those quiet, and not so quiet moments of a busy household.

Quoting President Hinkley "And those babies, will become forces for good or ill, depending in large measure on how they are reared"

T his is the greatest gift that I think my grandmother gave her children and my father and his brothers, she gave them the gift in believing that God is real. Her hand has reached far into the future to influence me and my children, her example and love for her Savior is a beacon in my life.

I am sure that as you enjoy your day that you too will remember those women before you, who exerted a great influence upon your life for good.

Spring light

2008-05-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

This is what we see from our front window. Notice the tulips. I got those for mother's day a couple of years ago. This is my favorite view in the house. I just love this maple tree.

Merry Sunshine

2008-05-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

Merry Sunshine

Good morning, merry sunshine,
How did you wake so soon?
You've scared the little stars away,
And shined away the moon.

I saw you go to sleep last night
Before I stopped my playing.
How did you get way over there?
And where have you been staying?

I never go to sleep, dear one,
I just go round to see
My little children of the East
Who rise and watch for me.

I waken all the birds and bees,
And flowers on my way,
And now come back to see the child,
Who stayed out late to play.

My mom used to sing this song to us when we were little, but she didn't know all the words. Well. here they are mom! I don't know who the author is but it is such a sweet song.

2008-05-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Don't try any of the recipes except the homemade tortillas and the turtle beans (we didn't make those). They were awful! The flan was kind of like eating sweet quiche (I kind of wonder if because my eggs were bigger if I should have halfed the eggs.) The churros were disgusting. No fault of mine, I followed the recipe to the T. I'll have to keep looking for a good churros recipe, Super S loves them!

Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

In honor of Cinco de Mayo we are having a Mexican feast tonight. Homemade tortillas made by Super L, tacos made by Super S, black turtle beans made by Super A, and flan and churros made by Super Mom! Super Dad doesn't know yet, so he doesn't have a job. :)

We can hardly wait. Just thinking about the menu has made our mouths water!

I found the churro recipe here. http://www.xmission.com/~dderhak/recipe/churros.htm
We're even going to try the chocolate sauce!

All the other recipes are found here. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/family/specialfeature/cinco-de-mayo/

We'll try to take pictures, but we have terrible lighting, and we might eat it too quickly to have anything to take pictures of.

Summer's a Comin'!

2008-05-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

WOOHOO! It worked!! Our garden is growing!! Look what we've got so far!

Lettuce! You can't really see it in the picture, but we have a couple of red lettuces coming up.

Peas! My favorite garden vegetable. Mmmmmm!!!

Spinach! Don't they look good in those perfect rows?

Peppers! These are still growing inside until the weather gets warmer.

We also have pumpkins and cucumbers growing, and a couple of sunflowers. It's just so exciting!!! I LOVE SPRING!!!

2008-04-19T10:40:00.001-07:00

Look what I made for my SIL! Super L calls it a diaper purse. It's not perfect, as you can see, the closure is way off center, but it is my first one. I don't know what I did wrong there, but... I already had the snaps on when I discovered the mistake. Oh well, once she puts diapers and wipes in it no one is really going to notice anyway. Right??! They'll be to busy looking at her cute baby.

I think she'll like it. She mentioned the last time I saw her that everyone with a baby seemed to have one and she really wanted one. (It's way better than the lame toy we gave her baby, because I didn't know what she wanted or needed, and I was paralyzed with not knowing.) I hope she likes the fabric, when I asked what colors she wanted I'm pretty sure she said she didn't care she just wanted one. I hope that's true!

My second hope is that she didn't break out her machine to try making one herself! Ah, who am I kidding? She has two young children and a baby!!! Hmmm....Nahhh

I'm going to have Super Dad send it this afternoon.

It was fairly easy to make. I made a boxy bottom, but I think next time I'll do it flat, like the bottom on a grocery bag. I may also change the closure but...I can fool around with that later. I have a bunch of baby showers coming up, I usually do burp cloths(It's surprising how hard it is to find good burp cloths!), but I think this might be my new baby shower gift. Fast, easy and very little fabric! This is a great thing to make if you've left everything to the last minute, like I seem to do, and need to scour your stash!

Dinomite

2008-04-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Here's Super J's birthday cake. I've made better cakes, but this was one of those kind of days. You know the kind of day where every time you turn around somebody is into something. Needless to say, I spent much of the day cleaning lots of somethings up.

Super J's birthday!

2008-04-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of the big boy on his birthday. We celebrated his birthday the night before. His big sister feed him cake for breakfast. And just where was I? I was in bed thinking, " Ohhh, so early...just 3 more min." Yep... three min. later and my two youngest had fed themselves cake for breakfast.

Happy Easter Everyone!

2008-03-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! As always, it's raining today. I can't remember the last time the sun shone on Easter. I didn't mean to complain, I really wanted to show you the dress I made Super L. I've been working on it off and on for three weeks. THREE WEEKS!!! I guess I've been working off it more than on it. Ha Ha

It's from an Ottobre a couple of years ago. I wanted to make the little pinafore to go with it, but just didn't get a chance. Hence the little fabric flower. Something that pink really needs something, anything to break up the pink. The picture doesn't really do the dress justice It's much cuter in person.

What do you think?

SICK!

2008-03-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

We have been sick all week. I'm a get it done with all at once kind of person, so it is killing me that everyone is having there own personal day of being sick!

I would post pictures but some little monkey has run off with the camera and I'm currently trying to find it!