Dinner

So yesterday being Sunday (fast Sun.) I wanted to go a little more out of my way to make a nice dinner.  So I got a turkey roast, made homemade rolls, stuffing, some veggies and thought it was going to be a great dinner.  Well, I somehow forgot how I always have trouble with turkey roasts- how they never quite turn all the way white inside and because I'm such a freak (major) about salmonella I cook them longer and longer waiting for the meat to turn white.  This time however I had my trusty thermometer, yet still it wasn't getting to the correct temp, so finally after everything else was done I got impatient and just put it in the microwave for a few minutes.  To make a long story short(er), Michael ended up asking the kids if they liked the "turkey jerky" we were eating.  -they even all smothered it in BBQ sauce trying to make it a little better.  To their credit, they ate it, but after a little C said "I like it, but it's kind of too hard to eat."- nice.

Fast forward to dinner tonight.  I decided to try and make up for last night.  So it was fajitas with fresh bell peppers from the farmers market, corn on the cob, refried beans, guacamole, and pineapple salsa.- yum!  So we sit down to eat and halfway through the meal I've asked C politely if he'd PLEASE chew with his mouth closed- he's been having difficulty with that lately. After not stopping at all, I finally said that if he did it again that he would be excused from the table and have no more to eat tonight.  Still it continued and I not wanting my child to go hungry kept saying things like "what should you be doing?", "remember." etc. Finally, enough is enough, call it tough love (for table manners), I said that's it your done.  So B, A and I are eating and B is complaining about the little bell pepper in her fajita.  I told her just to eat that one and if she ate it with her chicken that she wouldn't even taste it.  She of course saved it for last and as she took little tiny bites of it would kind of gag and drink some water and be all dramatic about it.  I told her she needed to eat it- so after taking a big bite, chewing, gagging, drinking water and swallowing I thought she made it.- except about 5 seconds later she PUKED!  Gross!!!  All over her clothes, chair and floor.  UGH!  What could I do but die laughing.  So that ended my dinner, she cleaned up her mess and then happily ate her corn on the cob (what she really wanted), and A just sat there eating chips and guac and salsa oblivious to it all.  Hmmmm, maybe it will be takeout for us the rest of the week.

Halloween Memories

Ok. Now that we're into my favorite season. . .Fall. . . and my favorite month. . . October. . .and my favorite holiday. . .Halloween. . .I thought it would be fun to hear some of your favorite Fall/Halloween memories! I always loved decorating the house. It was so much fun to put out all of the pumpkins, spiders webs, and all-around Fall things. I loved my dinosaur costume that I put a hole in, 'cause the tail dragged on the ground while I was trick-or-treating. I loved playing with all of the costumes the whole month of October. There were so many fun things to put on and play around in!

Anyway. . .I just thought maybe some of you might have some fun memories too!

Relaxation, please!

We all know that life can be exhausting every now and then. I'm feeling a little worn out these days, but not too bad. But I wanted to know what are some of your favorite things you guys like to do to relax? What do you like to do for your "me" time? And what helps you feel better and gives you the extra boost to keep plugging along? Does that make sense? :)

Calling All Mom's.....

I know that I've already talked to a few of you about this, but I need some help! I need some suggestions on boy movies for Boston! The other day he chose to watch Gilmore Girls as his top pick... and he sits through an entire episode! I don't want to make him girly in any way, so if you have any suggestions, send them my way!! Also, since Christmas and his birthday are coming up, and ideas for toys that he might like would be appreciated as well! Thank you!

Poison Control

Can I just say whoever thought of the 1-800 line to poison control is a genius?!!  As a mother I've called it my fair share of times, and after I do, I am so glad I did.  -If for nothing else, the peace of mind.  So here's a shout out of gratitude to whoever you are, for your ingenius idea and the thousands (at least) you've saved because of it.  -Have YOU called it lately?

All Good Things...

Must come to an end, at least for a little while.  We love, love, loved the Olympics.  The athletes were amazing, the hope and peace the Olympics bring to the world are a blessing.  We can't wait for Winter 2010.

Olympics

Seriously, are you watching this?!!!!  Amazing!!!  Go USA!!

Olympics

Aren't these pictures Gorgeous!!!

I am SO excited the Olympics have started!  I LOVE watching them.  I hope you all saw the opening ceremony, it was so amazingly beautiful.  I can't wait to see all the events and root for our country!  I also love all the feel good stories they tell about all the different athletes. Go USA!

See more of these breathtaking pictures here: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/2008_olympics_opening_ceremony.html 

It's here

I've got it...do you?!

Time to Upgrade

Hey Everyone,

I need to upgrade my cell phone. It is very close to the end of it's small life, especially since C threw it down this morning and broke the top off. So, if you will, please answer these simple questions (and please don't hold anything back, this is a very important decision):

1. What kind of phone do you have?

2. Do you like it?

3. What would you recommend?


1. I have the Nokia 6103.

2. I mostly like it, but I always have to turn it up all the way to hear anyone talking on it.

3. I would recommend it again, unless there was something a little better out there.

Take a look at this!

Wow, I never thought missionaries would be seen as eye candy, but take a look at this calendar: http://mormonsexposed.com  -I thought it was a joke at first, but it's the real deal. Quite hilarious if you ask me!

The Dark Knight

So we saw the new Batman this weekend, and I must say I was very impressed. It was well written, had great acting, great directing ,and worth two thumbs up. The Joker is kinda creepy and it's a pretty long movie- 2 1/2 hours, but wow, what a movie! Have you seen it? Let me know what you think!

Cereal

This is kinda random, but as I looked in my cereal cupboard this morning, I realized I have the same cereals I always have. Like: Honey Nut Cheerios, Captain Crunch, Princess Gems (Disney's version of Lucky Charms), Rice Krispies (only for treats), and Honey Nut Shredded Wheat (sooooo good, but you can only eat a small handful of them. They make you really regular!!). Of course I like them, but what if there's more out there? What if I'm missing out on the best cereals around, just because I don't think to look for something new in the cereal isle??? So, tell me. . .what are your (or your kids) favorite cereals?? (Let's not discuss hot cereals. . .that's just disgusting!) Help get me out of my cereal rut!!

Texting

Ok. . .just wondering who out there can/cannot, will/will not text. Since mom has been bitten by the bug, I was wondering who else out there has a texting plan. Kinda random, I know, but worth knowing!

Beauty Tips

Here are some fun and interesting beauty tips I found.  http://lifestyle.msn.com/beautyandfashion/makeupandskincare/articlecosmo.aspx?cp-documentid=8382008&page=1

POTTY TRAINING!

So, we're about to hop on the potty training wagon. Before we started I wanted to get any advice, ideas, ANYTHING from everyone. I'm a little intimidated about the whole thing, so really, give me everything ya got! Tell me what worked best for you. I look forward to all the advice. Wish us luck :)

A Great Rental

I'm looking for a good rental out there.  We haven't rented any movies lately and so I'm wondering what I'm missing.  Any great suggestions?  

Favorites

Favorite Magazine?  I really enjoy Family Fun, and Real Simple.  There are others that are fun to read, Wondertime, Country living (I sometimes sneak a peak at mom's), the Readers Digest and I do enjoy scanning the crazy tabloids in the check out line.  Any must read magazine's out there?

Book of the Week

So I thought it might be fun to have people post about different books they've read/are reading that they really enjoy- it's always nice to have a great book recommended. So my choice for the week is The Thirteenth Tale by by Diane Setterfield. She is really an amazing writer and this book takes you on a wild ride. Just when you think you might know what's going on, you keep reading and find out you were completely wrong. It's a great read. Warning: this might not be for everyone there are some disturbing topics like incest. But overall it really is an amazing book. Happy reading!

Stroller Power!

I'm sure you've all heard all about it, but I just love this class. I have the most amazing instructor and I am amazed at my progress throughout the course of this class. My point in posting about it is that I encourage all you mom's with little babies out there to find a class in your area. The babies love being outside, and it's a way to exercise without having to find daycare while you do it. You get to meet other awsome moms and just have a great time while trying to get back into pre-baby shape. -Not that you hotties need it, but it does help you feel better, relieve stress and sleep better. There are all kinds of these classes, some of the names are stroller striders, baby boot camp, etc. Just google the name and see if there's one in your area, or just start your own group with moms you know- it doesn't have to be anything too crazy, just get out there!- You'll be amazed to see how great you feel! FYI- I've been doing this class for about 9 months now and it was soooo hard in the beginning, I'm glad I stuck with it- although I still find it tough a lot of the time it's totally worth it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to everyone - especially Mom. You have all blessed my life in so many different ways. We are so blessed to have such an amazing Mom who has made - and continues to make- so many sacrifices for us. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and that you all know how much you are loved and appreciated for all you do.

Gas Prices

Gas here is $3.89 (and climbing) for regular unleaded. I was wondering, how much is gas where you are?

Cinco de Mayo

I found this craft one year in the Family Fun magazine and I've been making these to celebrate Cinco de Mayo ever since- OK so we don't really celebrate the day other than these cute little pinatas, but they were so cute I couldn't help myself, and pretty easy to make. I usually just fill them with a little pack of fruit snacks or something simple like that. This will be the 4th year or so running that we've had them- everyone likes a reason to celebrate! http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11215

Favorite Books

Children's books that is. I was wondering what are some of your favorite children's books? For me and the stages of kids right now there are a few different ones: Baby- Moo, Baa, Lalala, Going to bed book, Hug. Little older- Fancy Nancy- these are hilarious and perfect for any Princess, and The Magic Tree House series is a huge favorite here- and there's tons of them. There's a few off the top of my head. We love books and are always up for great suggestions for fun ones to read! So let's hear it!

Birthday Parties

Here's a great website I found for ideas for b-day parties. You can click on pretty much any theme and get great ideas- but my favorite is the winner's circle, it will list theme winners and what age the child was, and what year they won. People come up with some pretty amazing ideas!
birthdaypartyideas.com

Going Green!

With the world focusing on the need to go 'green', I was curious as to what all of you think about it. I believe that there is a problem, and that what little we do really can help. So, I'm posing the question 'What are you doing to be greener?'
I changed all of my light bulbs to compact flourescent bulbs. I keep lights off unless I'm in the room, and if there's enough natural light, I just use that. I am trying to be better about walking places instead of driving. I live in a small enough town that I don't need to drive everywhere. Most places are only a mile or a little more away from me. There's no excuse to waste gas. I ride my scooter when the weather cooperates. It gets 110 miles per gallon, so I save a lot of money that way. I don't use bottled water anymore. I have plenty of Nalgenes (even though they're going to give me cancer now) I can refill and reuse. I try not to waste water. I turn the faucet off when brushing my teeth, and am trying to take shorter showers. I would like to get cloth bags for groceries, but I haven't made it there yet. Soon, maybe.
These are things that I'm working on. I'm just wondering if you think it's something we need to worry about, or if you think it's just a bunch of propoganda. Let's hear it!

Favorites

OK, here's another favorite for you- What's your fav. TV show? Now that the shows are starting to come back on (after the writers strike), what are you most excited to watch?- Or have you been able to enjoy a fav. show despite the strike?

New Idea

I came across this when I was reading about spring cleaning. I thought it was a great idea because not only do you get to get rid of the tacky dish soap bottle, but it works well too! I bought a little bottle like that to try it out, and I love it! It's an inexpensive way to make your kitchen look better.

Swimsuit season is upon us....

Where do you go to buy swimsuits? Any good online places or regular stores that you would recommend? I never have luck in this area which is why it has been FOREVER since I bought a new suit. Since we live a mile from the beach though, I thought I better start looking for one. I hate swimsuit shopping...it just reinforces the dramatic changes my body has gone through the last 8 years. Please help me.

Thank you's

So I was just writing some thank you notes and having my children make some also and it made me think.  Some people never write thank you notes, it might be time constraint, they thank people in other ways, or it just isn't something they think of to do.  How do you feel about thank you notes, do you feel they are a must, is a call or thank you in person enough, or do you feel it isn't necessary at all?  I am just curious.  I read an article once where one person went on and on about how thank you's should be hand written on special paper with heart felt messages, others thought a simple written note on whatever paper was fine, while others said a thank you shouldn't be expected, that's not why you gave the gift and you should just give it without expecting anything in return.  I think each person had a good point to their argument- I also thought it was a funny topic for an article. 

I have always for the most part tried to write them (there have definitely been times I've missed), and never really thought a whole lot about it.  So today when we were all writing some together it just made me wonder.

Sports

So did anyone see the college basketball championship game last night?!! It was AWSOME!! As exciting as I could have hoped for! It was well worth the watch, the kids even stayed up to watch it with us!
So how many of you are into watching sports? Playing them? Which sport is your favorite? I'm guessing that growing up in a house that had various games on all weekend will have turned some away and created fans out of others.

Favorite Color

To go along with Jaime's "Favorites" theme, I wanted to know what everyone's favorite color is! Thanks!

ApRiL FoOlS DaY!

Happy April Fools day! Do you guys do anything fun to celebrate? We don't... but someday I want to! I know the Family Fun Mag. has some good ideas, but what do you do?!

ANTS

So every March for some reason we get a few ants. Not swarms, just 4 here 2 there, all in the kitchen. It drives me crazy. I get the two on the shelf and a few minutes later I see two others crawling on the side of the cupboard. And have you ever really paid attention to them? Ants know how to hide when you're going to squish them, they know to stay hidden just long enough for you to be tired of waiting for them. They also play dead, I'm not kidding, I have seen quite a few lay there looking squished and dead only to pop back to life when they think I'm not looking. It's CRAZY! (Or maybe they're just making me crazy!) Anyways, so with little ones in the house I don't want to use poison in my house, so I read that they hate the smell of vinegar. So I wipe down the counter, cupboards, etc. with the stuff and it's true, they don't come back for a while- until it dries and the smell is gone. So, it keeps the whole ant farm from coming - but what about the annoying 2 or 3 roaming?! I finally read that if you leave little piles of corn meal out they will take them and they can't digest them, so it will kill them and they won't be back (takes about a week). So here I am 5 days into the corn meal experiment, so far no ants- I'm hoping this is it, then again it is almost April when they decide to leave every year anyways. Oh the woes such little bugs can cause!

Easter Plans

What is everyone doing for Easter? Any fun traditions that have been carried over the years? Any new ideas to start? Can you believe it's already here? I don't think I've ever had an Easter covered with snow--6 inches of it!

We are going to as many egg hunts as we can today and then will dye our own eggs tonight. If we're lucky we'll probably make some sugar cookies and decorated them. We'll wake up bright and early tomorrow for the egg hunt before church. Last year the Easter Bunny left clues for the kids to find their baskets. It was a big hit. We're not sure if that is going to happen again this year.

I printed out pictures of the Easter Story from the Gospel Art Kit to put in eggs that the kids will find along with their regular eggs. I wanted to have fun with Easter, but also tie it back into the Resurrection and Christ. We also printed out one big picture of the Resurrected Christ and are going to cut it up into a puzzle and hide the pieces in eggs for them to find and then put the puzzle together after we find all the pieces.

That's what we're doing this year. What about you guys?

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patty's Day!! Anyone do anything fun today? Everyone wearing green I hope? Watch out for those tricky leprechauns, they like to turn things green in our house!

Favorites

OK, let's hear it! What's your favorite treat?

Dancing

I don't know what it is I love so much about dancing, but there's nothing as great as getting your groove on and shaking your thang! I just LOVE it! The energy, the music, how your body can't help but move to the beat! So I've come to find there are many girls who like to dance but their boyfriend/husbands won't do it. I feel so bad for them, I mean dancing is fun, but dancing with someone you're totally attracted to is quite an experience. So tell, me, is it just me, or do you love to dance? What about your significant other, is it a prerequisite or are you ok if he's not into getting his groove on on the dance floor? I just never thought a whole lot about life without dance!

Wackee Six

Do you guys remember that game, Nertz that we used to play? I think it disappeared once Ronni left for college and we haven't seen it since! Well this game is just like Nertz, but has a different name! We love it and I recommend it to anyone who loved Nertz!

Butter and Bruises

So at church today, a couple was telling us that to prevent bruises from showing up after a bonk or something, to rub some butter on it and it won't bruise! Isn't that funny? On the way home from church, Kaden fell and bonked his head. He had a big welt when we got home. So I rubbed some butter on it and I think it's working!
Another lady at church said that if your baby has a bad cough and since we aren't allowed to give them cough medicine anymore at such a young age, to rub Vicks Vapor Rub on the bottom of their feet and then put their socks back on and it should almost cure the cough! Other ladies in the room said that this really works! Just some tips for the day! :)

Motherhood

I found the most hilarious site, you all have to check it out- whether you're a mother or not you'll get a good laugh out of it. The mini shows are based on real stories from real moms and you just have to check it out. The link is www.inthemotherhood.com
Let us know what you think!

It's that time again....

For me, the one thing that's almost as bad as swimsuit shopping, is trying to find the right pair of jeans. It's time to find some new jeans, and I need HELP!!! We could all benefit from this, I'm sure! So, tell me where you have had the best luck finding your favorite jeans - ones that are comfortable and durable as well. Any other tips? Let's hear all your advice.

Bad Day. . .

I think I just experienced one of the worst weeks of my life. (Last week, up until today) So, it got me thinking. . . let's hear some of your bad days, and how you dealt with it! It would be great to hear! (Kinda weird, I know, but it would help to know that all of you perfect ladies have bad days too!!)

Locks of Love

I am at the point where I need to get a new haircut. My hair has grown long enough that I can donate it to Locks of Love where it will be made into a wig for children who suffer from long term hair loss. They will be cutting off about 12 inches of hair, so I need to come up with a short hairstyle that would look good on me. I figured since you all know me pretty well, you might have suggestions. Pictures would also be helpful if you can find one. Just email me the pictures. I'd like to get it cut soon, so any help I could have would be FABULOUS!

Thanks!

Favorites

I thought it might be fun to hear about everyone's favorite things. Lets let this week's favorite be makeup.

Dates

Ok, put on your creative hats, what are some of your most creative (or just favorite) dates. -That you have done or might just want to do. Sometimes when your married it's hard to find the time/energy to keep the fun dating nights alive, so I thought I could maybe get some ideas. They can be simple or elaborate, anything goes! Let's see what everyone can come up with- we could all benefit from this!

Something New

What do you all think of the new look?!

Recipes

I recently discovered a new website for recipes. It is called topsecretrecipes If you haven't already heard of it, you should go to it and give it a try! I made the IHOP pancake recipe on Saturday and it was really good! :)

The Spiderwick Chronicles

I went and saw the Spiderwick Chronicles last night with some friends. It was such a fun movie! Magic creatures, goblins, green slime, tomato sauce bombs (my favorite!), and so much more! I definitely give it two thumbs up! I but wouldn't take young kids to it, but that might just be because I'm a wuss! Although, there were some young kids there that really liked it. So maybe it's just me! Anyway, fun movie!

Bed Wetting

Any ideas on how I can get Kaden to stay dry during the nights?

Valentines Day

Does anybody have special traditions they do on Valentines Day? We want to make all of the holidays big and special in our house and I would love ideas! Also, I'm going to throw a little v-day party for Boston and his friends! If you have any suggestions on games to play/ things to do, pass them my way! Thanks!

Super Bowl Sabbath

Who's watching the Super Bowl tonight? Which team are you routing for? Who doesn't really care?

Poor Baby. . .

Ok. My friend just had a baby. They named him Shackleton Lawrence. C'mon. What are people thinking when they name their offspring? Don't they know that they name they bestow upon their child can either make or break them? Possibly cause them to come home with black eyes and bloody noses? Be made fun of all throughout their school carrers? Do they think that they, personally would have wanted to have been named such a name?

I know that you all have friends (and family!) that have given their children an unfortunate name. Let's hear them! (Then maybe I won't feel so sad for my friend's kid!!)

You should all check this out. It's a little video about President Hinckley that's really good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC0W0ZVI9ak

For all you Bloggers....

For a while, Ben and I have been saying that we wish there was some way we could somehow print our blog, since it is a type of journal for us. I actually came across a site last night (through blog hopping) that will let us do just that! I'm so excited about it! You can download your blog directly to the program and it will put it in a book for you. You can add and delete pictures and text, which I think is great. AND to make things even better, the pricing is pretty reasonable. Just to give you some idea, I heard about a girl who had put her blog in a book and it ended up being around 240 pages and it cost about $70. So, if you're interested, check it out! The site is: www.blurb.com. Just thought I'd share!

1st Birthday comin' up...

I was wondering if anyone had any fun ideas for Caleb's first birthday coming up in a couple of weeks? What did you guys do for your kids when they turned one? I am not looking for anything huge, but I thought it would be fun to hear ideas from you as to what we should do. It is during the week, so we're planning on just having a small family party with cake and ice cream. I can't wait to hear what you come up with!

HAIRSPRAY

We watched HAIRSPRAY for our family movie night last night and I just thought I'd put out a quick plug for the movie. I really liked it. It was a great story line and I loved all the characters and the actors who portrayed them. I also thought John Travolta did a great job pulling off a woman, which made the movie even better for me! I loved the message that being different was OK and that we shouldn't be ashamed of who we are and stand up for what we believe in. The music was great too! I now want to wake up every morning singing "Good Morning Baltimore!". By the end of the movie, I was dancing right along with them and trying to get K to dance with me (W and B fell asleep by the end). I probably am the last to see it, but if you haven't seen the movie, I definitely recommend it!

By the way, we found the redboxes out here too! Thanks Whit and Ben for the tip!

Girl Scout Cookies!

Just so that all of you know, Girl Scout Cookies are being sold RIGHT NOW! If you haven't had an adorable little girl come to your door, feel free to email me, and I'll get what you want from the girls in my troop. They are $3.50/box, but they are for a good cause. My girls have been saving up for the past 3 years for a trip to Disneyland, and this is their last ditch effort at raising enough money. So. . .look on the internet for what you want, and let me know! Thanks!

FYI: They are only sold for 2 weeks, so it goes by really fast!

Sisters Weekend

So, what's going on with the Sister's Weekend? Did we ever decide on a date? Is it for sure May 16-17? I just want to make sure so I can start making plans. It may seem early now, but May will sneak up on us so fast! Let's get planning! How much money do we need to bring? Where are we staying? What are we going to do? Should we start doing Sun Dances so it doesn't rain on us? What airport should we fly into? Should we coordinate to arrive at similar times? Just throwing stuff out there!

MISSING:

A box full of drawings, letters, and other interesting tidbits about our cousins!

Where's the cousin box? Want to get it going again?

CPR

So a really scary thing happened this week. On Friday I was with my stroller class when a young woman was jogging by (not with my group) and collapsed. She was not breathing and had no pulse. Luckily a woman in our group was a nurse and she started CPR immediately. It took 10 min. for the fire department and paramedics to get there and she still had no heart beat. It then took them another 10 min. or more to finally get a heartbeat. She was transported to a hospital and is still in critical condition. The cardiologist that examined her said that the women that performed CPR saved her life. It was a very scary event, and a great eye opener. I witnessed CPR literally save a life. I have been certified in the past but am not currently, and this event has inspired me to get CPR certified again. This woman was in her early 20's, you never know when or where you might need to use it. Especially having young children I would hate to have something happen and not know what to do. I encourage everyone to brush up on or take a CPR course- you never know when or where you might need it.
Also, when the incident first happened 4or 5 moms were trying to call 911 on their cell phones and no one could get through. I was at an emergency preparedness meeting once and was told that it is very difficult to get through to 911 on a cell phone- if at all, and that we should program in our cell phone our local fire or police department number for emergency purposes. This was almost a year ago and I luckily had programed our local fire department in my phone. When no one could reach 911 I called it and got right through. Someone was able to talk to me about what was going on, tell me what we should be doing, and get firemen and paramedics to us. Everyone should have a fire or police number on their cell phones for emergencies.

Yummy/ Easy Taco Recipe!

This recipe is super easy and is delicious as well!

Ingredients:
Roast
Big Jar of Salsa (We use the Pace Picante HOT salsa)
Corn tortillas

Taco Toppers:
Cheese
Shredded lettuce
Tomato's
Olive's
Etc!

Directions:
Brown the outside of the roast in a pan like you do when you make Mom's roast. Once it's done, put it in the crockpot and pour the jar of salsa all over it. Cover and let it cook on Low 6-7 hrs or on high 4-5 hrs. Then cut it up if it's not fally-aparty and serve with your fixings. We like to fry the tortillas just like you do for A. Theatta's enchiladas.

Tip:
A good way to use the leftovers is to make Floutas! All you do is spoon some of the meat into a tortilla, roll it up, and use a toothpick to keep it together. Then fry it in oil and ta-da! It's ready! Just serve it with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc. (The tortilla's texture will be like a chimichanga) They are so tasty and have the perfect flavor from the meat! Enjoy!

Banana Cookies

This is my friends recipe. I haven't made them yet but they sounded good to me.


3/4 c butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 mashed bananas
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 c flour

Frosting
6 tbl brown sugar
4 tbl evaporated milk
4 tbl butter

For cookies: combine wet ingredients above in a mixer then combine dry ingredients in a second bowl and add to wet mixture. After all ingredients are mixed drop spoonfuls of dough on greased cookie sheet and cook in 350 degree oven until done. Frost cookies with recipe below:

For frosting: add ingredients to pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla and enough powdered sugar to make a good frosting.

Recipies

Here are two new recipies I tried recently and really liked! I encourage you all to try them as well! I don't have pictures so just imagine they look great! :)

Oatmeal Pancakes:

1c oats blended in your blender until powdery
1 c white flour
1/2c wheat flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 eggs
2 c milk
2 T. brown sugar
5 T. butter
mix and cook!


Hamburger Stew:

1 1/2 lb hamburger browned and drained
1 onion browned
1 green pepper
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots cut into small pieces
1 qt. water
1 tbs. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs. parsley
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 pkg. beefy onion soup mix
2 cans V8 juice
1 can corn (pour juice of corn and kidney beans in with it)
1 can kidney beans
6 oz tomato paste
5 peeled potatoes cut into fourths
Combine everything into a big saucer and cook on the stove

Recipes

So I'm in desperate need of some recipes, why doesn't everyone post a recipe from a meal they made this week (pictures of the finished product would be helpful), even if it's a recipe you think everyone already has. My family would appreciate it!

Friends

So I read an article (in a baby magazine) about the "5 Friends all moms need". I thought it was pretty interesting. The five different types were The Role Model- obviously someone you admire and want to be more like and has experience, the Twin- someone in your same circumstances that you can relate to (midnight feedings, tantrum stage, etc.), The Spur of the Moment Friend- someone who is willing and ready to go and do at any moment- especially when we just need to get out of the house and chat with an adult. The Rule Breaker- someone who doesn't live by the "how to correctly raise your children" book- definitely a good friend to have, makes you feel like you don't have to do everything by the book and your kid is going to be ok. And the Best Friend's Mom, the mom you end up connecting with and becoming great friends with through your children. There was also another needed friend- the childless one- this friend helps link you to your former life, gives you a break from 24/7 kid thinking and loves your kids without giving advice.
I hadn't thought of the importance of different types of friends before and how they can offer new insight and help in life. And although I don't think I "need" these exact 5 types of friends, I think that I really do need some and can be at least one of them to someone else. This also goes for regular life- with or without children. There is a purpose to friendship and you don't always have to have the "twin" friend to be happy, there are so many different people to connect with that can add substance, insight and joy to life. I LOVE FRIENDS!!!!

Twilight

I finally got around to reading Twilight. I finished the first two books in 1 week - now I'm just waiting to get my hands on the 3rd. After reading, I now know why it's such a hot topic! I am really enjoying them! So, just for fun the other night, I went to Stephenie Meyer's website, and found that they had listed the actors who were chosen to play Bella and Edward for the upcoming movie. Take a look here: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com (just scroll down and you will find the pictures).

What do you think?

As a little side note, if you haven't read the books, READ THEM!!

HELP!!

Alright ladies! I need your advice/help with 2 things:

1. We're trying to wean Lydia from the bottle. It hasn't been going so well. She won't drink milk in ANYTHING besides a bottle. Not even with a straw (her new fascination). So I need advice on how we could make the transition a little easier for all of us. Any suggestions??

2. So, this one is driving me CRAZY! Lydia has been having a really hard time playing on her own lately. She won't play anything unless Ben or I are there playing with her. Any suggestions on helping her become a little more independent? I know it's partly our fault, but we'll take any advice we can get. I'm looking forward to your help!!

Calling all those Decorating Guru's!

I wanted your opinions on how I should decorate our basement. It is a nice big open room. We have our computer down there and also my sewing machine. I want it to be a fun and inviting room for kids to play in with their toys and just a nice room to hang out in. I know the pictures aren't the best, but hopefully you'll get some ideas of what I can do. Eventually I would like to turn it into a TV room but we don't have the $$ right now to get another couch and stuff, so I need to do something else with it and make it functional with very little or no money. The pictures are taken from each side of the room to give you an idea of what it looks like. (By the way, excuse the mess and the entertainment center on the back wall is not going to stay there.) Thanks in advance!

Movie

So we just watched a pretty entertaining movie called Stardust
We didn't really know what to expect and at first were wondering what in the world was going on, but in the end, we loved it. It's one of those enchanted movies (it made me think a little of The Princess Bride), a little crazy, but a lot of fun. Watch it, it's worth the rental, and you just might be pleasantly surprised!

Welcome

Welcome to a new informative and hopefully fun blog. The more info the better, books, recipes, games, party ideas- adult and child, opinions, health, shopping, movies, whatever comes to mind. This is a blog about life, the craziness, the fun, the "I need to know" and whatever else you want it to be. So add your two cents and we'll see what we can create.