My think...

The following is a conversation I had with Brooke a little over a week ago.

"Mama, I talk in my think, it changes.  I'm thinking all day Mom."

"What do you think about?

"I'm afraid to tell you this.  This is what I am thinking. I think it everyday, and I like it."

"Well, what is it?"

"This is my favorite thing in the whole wide world, to have a life saver.  It has buttons on it, and when I push them, it changes my whole family.  My family gives me whatever I want.  I want it to happen, but it won't."

(No, it won't happen, but it never hurts to dream.  Sometimes I wish I had a button I could push and get everything I want, like a good night's rest, or a wide angle lens, or an external flash, or a Wii, or an end to world hunger, the list goes on...)

Here's Your Sign

I just hate stupid people.

They should have to wear signs that just say I'm stupid.

That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you?

You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like, "Excuse me...oops,

never mind"

"I didn't see your sign."

It's like before my wife and I moved from Texas to California our house
was full
of boxes and there was a u-Haul truck in our driveway.
My friend comes over and says, "Hey, You moving?"


"Nope."


"We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week. Just to see how many
boxes it takes."


"Here's your sign."


Why can't they get the picture? Why don't they understand?
We're not dealing with the planet of apes, we're talking about the
modern man.
So you people with them itsy bitsy teensie weensie tiny minds...
Here's your sign. Here's your sign.


A couple of months ago I went fishing with a buddy of mine, we pulled
his boat
into the dock, I lifted up this big 'ol stringer of bass this idiot on
the dock
goes, "Hey, yall catch all them fish?"
Nope.
"Talked 'em into giving up."
"Here's your sign."


-Bill Engvall

Do you ever wonder why some people even bother opening their mouths?  I know I do, like exactly four days ago standing in line at Old Navy. I was with three of my four cuties waiting in a line that seemed to go on forever, praying that no major catstrophe would take place.  I guess before I continue with my story, I should introduce you to my dear sweet daughter Emma.

For those that know Emma, you know she is absoultely adorable, full of life and joy.  Emma also is very much an independent thinking, free spirit, preferring to do almost everything herself; she also could care less what anybody thinks of her!  Though her personality lends itself to some meltdowns and whine fests, we still wouldn't trade her for anything!  Just her little smile and voice brings a smile to my face, and I love her hugs!  Anyway, you may also know that I believe in allowing my children to dress themselves, and you may also know that I don't mind going out in public with my children dressed in very "creative" outfits; I obviously also don't care much about what other people think.  My children's self confidence and increasing independence mean more to me than someone else's opinion; it must, because Emma often leaves the house with two different shoes on her feet, sometimes not only is she sporting two different shoes but they are often two right shoes or two left shoes.  On this particular day, Emma was sporting a pink sandal, a pink and brown flip flop, jeans, a shirt that was a little small (that she was determined to wear), and a little blue jean jacket; she thought she looked quite cute thank you very much, but I digress. 

As we were standing in line, I heard from behind me,

"Ma'am, did you know that your daughter has on two different shoes?" 

Without giving it much thought, I turned around and stated,

"Yes, she dressed herself today, and she is very proud of herself.  On the days she dresses herself, we just look at her and say, 'You look beautiful'. " 

I then turned back around and continued to stand in line, not feeling that the woman needed any more explanation or any explanation for that matter.  If it doesn't bother me, and I am the mother, why should it bother her?!!!! 

Maybe next time though, the exchange should go something more like this:

"Ma'am, do you know that your daughter is wearing two different shoes?"

"Nope."

"I haven't looked at my child at all today; I don't even know how she got here."

"Here's your sign!"

Free Range Farm Field Trip

As promised, here are the pictures from our field trip; the Thursday before Thanksgiving, the girls, Colton, and I went with the MOPS group to visit a free range farm.  The pigs and goats were fenced in, but the chickens and a mean, had the nerve to gobble at and scare my sweet Emma (hope they killed that sucker for Thanksgiving), turkey were running free.  They gave each of the girls a bag of chicken feed to feed the chickens with, which was fun once Emma learned not to throw the feed at the chickens; no wonder they ran away from her for most of the trip, well, that, and she kept chasing them.  We also went on a hayride around the farm, and walked to see the pigs, as per Emma's request.  After seeing the farm and all the animals, we had a picnic, and the girls each ate their bag of animal crackers and hard boiled eggs they had been given.  We also went home with a carton of a dozen free range eggs; all in all, it was a fun,  learning experience, especially for this city girl!

Later that night we went home and turned these

into these,

and talked about how this

comes from these;

we then gobbled it all up, mmmmmm, delicious!

Sibling Love Caught in Time

Today,  three of the cuties and I went on a field trip with some of the ladies from MOPS and their children to a farm, which I will post more pictures of later.  For now, I share with you one of my favorite pictures of the day, which I fondly call 'Sibling Love Caught in Time' (yes it could have been more creative, but it is late; you will have to forgive me).  I think the picture speaks for itself.

There is no way...

...there was a mold when they made this little girl!

Exhibit A & B,

pictures of her latest fashion creation.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up!

Gotta love Swagbucks!!!!!

What can you earn with Swagbucks?  What is Swagbucks? Why don't you click on this and find out!

Basically, it is a search engine, powered by google, that randomly gives you swagbucks for searching, or for finding certain codes. You can also earn swagbucks for buying things, but it seems crazy to me to spend money just to earn points. I use ebates if I am going to buy something, but that was another post. Anyway, I cashed in my swagbucks for a $5 amazon giftcard, and then used my giftcard to purchase a year subscription of this.

Yes, fantastic, glorious FAMILY FUN!!!!!!

I combined a magazine deal they are having on amazon with my gift card, and paid nothing, which is good, since I will probably be spending a lot on all the craft supplies to make all the creative crafts in Family Fun! :)

What was he thinking?!!!

Imagine:

You are cuddled up with your eight month old trying to finish your Sunday nap, when all of a sudden you hear pounding on your front door.  You send your husband to the front door to investigate; upon opening the door, he is greeted by a police officer and firefighters (cop car and firetruck parked in front of our house). 

Sound like something out of a movie, 

a Dennis the Menace movie perhaps?

No, today it was not a movie, it was our reality. 

It seems, that this little boy of mine

decided it would be a good idea to call 911 and tell them that our house was on fire and his parents were sleeping. 

Upon hearing this, a firetruck and police car were dispatched to our home, both arriving at breakneck speed.  They rushed to the door, pounding loudly enough to wake the dead.  I still wonder if we would have a front door, if it weren't for Rich getting to the door in a very timely manner.

Once the culprit was located, and all was deemed to be well, the cop let Braden have it, and we let her; little did Braden know, that was only the beginning of many lectures that were to come. 

I, with full confidence in his abilities, turned over the discipline reigns to Rich, still trying to understand what possibly could have been going through Braden's head; I still don't understand what could have made that seem like a good idea, but I know he doesn't think it is funny now!

Braden is grounded for a week: no friends over, no television, no movies, and no fun, just jobs, jobs, and more jobs.  Braden also had to write a letter of apology, and make cookies, delivering both in person. 

I think he will have definitely learned his lesson after this week, and I'm sure one day I will look back and laugh about this.  For now though, I can only wonder,

What was he thinking?!!!!!!!

I can't imagine....

I can't imagine life without this bundle of cuteness in it!

Colton brings so much joy to all of us!  I mean, look at him, can you blame us for loving him?!!!  We can't help but to adore him!

 

Predictions

Last night this little girl

informed me that I have a baby in my tummy, a girl baby, and today she told me there were two babies, a girl and a boy.  It was a good thing, it wasn't this little boy

who made the prediction, because we all know what happened last time he predicted something; he was right, on all accounts!   Braden very nonchalantly, during supper one night about 17 to 18 months ago,  informed Rich and I that I had a baby in my tummy, and it was a boy.  Well, I did in fact have a baby in my tummy that time (which I discovered after taking a pregnancy test the next day), an adorable little baby boy who we now lovingly call Colton.

I guess Braden's predictions aren't too bad!  I just hope he hasn't taught his predicting skills to his little sister, not yet anyway!

A Girl, A Comforter, and Ebates

This is a story of a girl, a comforter, and ebates.  It all started when this girl

fell in love with this beautiful comforter; she just knew she had to have it!

(picture courtesy of JCPenney)

Considering that she was getting ready to get paid to take this boy's senior pictures,

she thought, 'I'm going to get it!  It would look awesome in our bedroom! I'm sure Rich will love it too, or learn to love it!'  Just to make sure, she scoured the internet, seeing if there was a better deal, perhaps another comforter that caught her eye, but she returned again and again to this gorgeous, have to have it comforter.

The comforter that was on sale I might add, the comforter that came with pillow shams and a bedskirt, a comforter that is reversible (of course I don't particularly care for the other side, too boyish), the comforter that even Rich says he liked (which probably translates to, can live with it or, it could be worse). 

Still, she debated back and forth, get it now or wait, and then she thought, 'The last time I got paid to take pictures, I spent the money on the kids and Christmas; I'm going to buy something for myself this time.' 

To lessen the guilt factor (mothers almost always feel guilty spending on themselves), she decided to first go to ebates. 

What is ebates?, the narrator pauses to ask.  Well, ebates is a fantastic site; you sign in, select the store you are planning to purchase from, follow the link, make your purchase, and you receive a % of your purchase back, which is then mailed to you in the form of a check.  Did I mention that ebates also has a list of codes for each store to help you save more?  Did I mention that ebates is free, easy to join, and a great way to get some mad money, or more if you do a lot of shopping?  If you want to join and see what all the fuss is about, check it out here.  For now, I must get back to the telling of my story. 

Well, to make a long story short, our sweet comforter obsessesd girl bought the comforter from JC Penney, through ebates, has a check for $8.90 headed her way, has a beautiful comforter in her bedroom, and numerous paint samples from Lowes on her wall.

Next time we will be telling the beautiful, yet fraught with olive hues, or perhaps pumpkin spice toned danger (decisions, decisions), tale of The Girl, Some Exquisite, Carefully Selected Paint, and Her Hubba Hubba Handyman Husband (try saying that ten times real fast).  Until then, our girl will be staring lovingly at her new comforter.

It came, it came, it finally came!

Here is the free, well, almost free Shutterfly book I ordered; I did have to pay shipping. 

If you want to see how to get your own, check here; after you finally follow the instructions, go here to collect your little, wonderful, treat!

Adorable!

Do you see this little boy,

and this little boy?

(same boy)

This my friends, is Gavin, sweet, adorable Gavin.  It seems Gavin has taken quite a liking to Brooke. 

On Sunday, during Sacrament meeting at church, the following conversation took place (as relayed to me by Gavin's mom Kim).

Gavin (said to his older sister Kylie):  "Brooke is adorable."

Gavin (said to Kim): "Mom, Brooke is so pretty!  Do you know why she is pretty?"

Kim: "No, why?"

Gavin: "Because she is a pretty princess."

Well, Gavin I concur; I think she is a pretty princess, a beautiful, loving princess, who even in the early morning,  still looks beautiful. 

And like all true princesses, she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

A Quick and Easy Halloween Decoration

I continue to see sooooooooo many projects I want to do, things I want to try, things I want to sew!  Alas, if I ran out and bought the supplies for everything I want to do, it would definitely break the budget!  To protect the innocent, I have tried to avoid Michael's, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby (good thing we don't have one close), and JoAnn's Crafts like the plague; I'm not sure how long I can do this though, because I must make the cute Halloween pillow idea I found, and I must make the adorable and simple Mod Podged Boo sign idea I found.  I really should stop looking at all of those adorable craft blogs I keep finding; they are addictive!  But enough about my addiction, in order to stay in the budget and still decorate, we decided to make window cling bats.  I thought if you can make snowflakes, why not bats using the same concept.  It is easy, cheap (only had to purchase one thing), and the cuties would have fun helping. 

For this project you will need the following:

(template is from familyfun.com)

First you want to take a sheet of wax paper and place it over the pattern; sorry I was so anxious to start, I did a couple before stopping to take a picture.

Second, you start tracing the pattern using your slick dimensional fabric paint.

Third, once you have made all the bats you need, let them dry for several hours; if you do this at night, they will usually be dry by the morning.  We made our bats this morning, so we hope to use them by late afternoon. 

Fourth, once dry (still waiting), slowly pull the bats off the wax paper and decorate like crazy.  You can put them on your french doors, your bathroom mirrors, your children's mirrors; have fun!  The best things about this craft idea are one, your cuties can be part of the fun,

and two, it lends itself to so many other ideas: make pumpkins, make ghosts, make snowflakes for Winter, hearts for Valentine's Day, shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, and whatever else your little heart desires!  Oh, I almost forgot, this craft is also cheap inexpensive.

Riverbank Zoo

Last Saturday, we went to the zoo on a field trip; it was Brooke's second field trip for preschool, but this time the entire family got to enjoy the fun, including my mama.  It was wonderful spending time together as a family, and I think because of recent events, I enjoyed it even more than I usually would have.  I caught myself staring more intently at their faces, soaking in all the moments, and taking as many pictures as I could (okay, that part is not new).  I've realized that tragedy also makes you want to hold on tighter to what you have, makes you more patient and more loving towards your children, and it helps you to overlook the things that really don't matter.  Having said that, here are some of the pictures from our family fun filled day.   

Sometimes...

Sometimes, something happens to you or someone you care about that rocks you to the core; it makes you rethink everything and how you are living your life.  Sometimes, something happens that is so sudden and so devastating, you can't quite wrap your mind around what has happened.  It makes you wonder if you are giving your all, taking time to enjoy the small and simple things, and if you are showing enough love to those that mean the most.  It makes you realize how quickly everything can be taken from you. In that one instant, life for you or someone is changed forever; it forces you to your knees, it tears at your soul, and it leaves you feeling helpless.  You want to make it better; you want desperately to make the pain go away, but only time can do that, time and the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

Without divulging a lot of information, I will simply say that some of our dear friends lost someone very close to them this past weekend in a car accident, a family who we hold near and dear to our hearts.  This beautiful woman who died was many things to many people: a mother, a daughter, a friend.  Her loss is sorely felt right now by so many people, and along with those feelings of loss, lessons are being learned.  As I contemplate what has happened, as I am having trouble thinking about much else, I think about those precious children that will now grow up without their mother.  I think about how, for now, she too is missing out on seeing her children grow up, and I ache imagining not being able to see my own children mature and develop, the agony of not being there to comfort them, to encourage them, to help guide them, to kiss their tears away, to laugh with them, to cheer for them, and look at their beautiful, innocent faces every single day!  As I continue to mull things over in my mind, one thought and one question persists, 'How would I live my life if I knew that today could be my last?'  Would I worry less and enjoy more?  Would I cuddle more and clean less?  As I ponder these questions and so many more, I am reminded, that we all need to live like today could be our last; sometimes it takes a tragedy to make us recollect something we already knew. 

If I Only Had Today

by: Hilary Weeks

It seems like I've watched a million sunsets

And stared at a thousand full moons
Sometimes it feels like I've been here forever
And sometimes it feels all brand new
I could never count the heart beats from the day I was born until now
But not a single word goes unnoticed By Him who breathes life in me somehow


But if there were no more tomorrows
If I knew that I could not stay
I'd know how I'd spend every moment
If I only had today


Chorus:


I'd hold you and listen
And I'd let the dishes sit in the sink
I'd tell you I loved you over and over
And for once I'd let the phone ring
Then I'd remind you of forever
And how our love would never change
If I' only had today


Lyrics:


I'd wake up before the sun did
And I'd watch as you quietly sleep
I'd pray for time to move slowly
Knowing the moment won't keep




All the gifts that heaven has given
Every blessing that's come my way
Wouldn't mean anything without you
So if I only had today



Chorus:
I'd hold you and listen

And I'd let the dishes sit in the sink
I'd tell you I loved you over and over
And for once I'd let the phone ring
Then I'd remind you of forever
And how our love would never change
If I' only had today




Lyrics:
There's no time like the present
Life doesn't come with any guarantees
The sun set and time won't wait
So while I have today




Chorus:
I'll hold you and listen
I'll let the dishes sit in the sink
Ill tell you I love you over and over
For once I'll just let the phone ring
And I'll remind you of forever
And how our love will never change
Because I have today

(Song from this amazing CD)

Why a Mother Should Always Keep a First Aid Kit Close By

This is why a mother should always keep a First Aid Kit close by:

On the way into Food Lion today, Braden (not listening) was running in the parking lot, when suddenly he tripped and fell. I immediately threw my purse down and took off running.  After assessing the damage I pulled out my trusty first aid kit and got to work, first stopping his nosebleed, then moving onto his skinned knee, and finally applying an Instant Chemical Cold Pack to his forehead (those are AWESOME by the way).  Moments like these remind me why I not only keep a First Aid Kit in my van but in my diaper bag; with kids around, you never know when you might need it!

Still Obsessed

Well, I am still obsessed and driving that bandwagon in search of the big sale, the big deal, the big enchilada!

Today at Food Lion I bought all of this:

for $121.10 and saved $110.04 by combining the store's sales along with coupons.

How sweet is that?!!!

Did you notice the steaks sticking out from under the chicken?  ($4.98/lb baby!) 

I would like to thank the academy...

Actually, I would like to thank all of those women out there who blog about the deals they find and share their research; I couldn't have done it without them!

Apple Festival

On Friday we had an Apple Festival to celebrate the end of our Apple Week at preschool (homeschool preschool that is).  We only have two cuties still doing preschool, Brooke and Ainslee, but it was still a lot of fun!  They bobbed for apples, counted apple seeds, ate homemade applesauce, did apple painting with apple halves, made apple crisp, drank apple juice, and then ate their delicious apple crisp (topped with cool whip of course).  I think they had a blast, and even Emma and Colton got in on the action; Colton mainly watched and sampled the cool whip for us to make sure it met his standards!

Obsessed

Obsessed?

Me?

Obsessed?

Never!

Okay, maybe I have become a little obsessed, with saving money!  I mean, really! Who doesn't love to save money?!!! I admit it!  I am on the bandwagon, the see how much you can save bandwagon!  I am driving the bandwagon baby, holding my coupons, and yelling, "Point me to the sale items!" 

A couple weeks ago, using coupons and the sales flyer, I went into Kroger, spent $104.61 on all of this food,

and saved $69.81! 

Now, can you see why I am obsessed?!!!

And I couldn't even fit all of the food I bought onto the table!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Halloween will be here soon!!!!!

Growing up, Halloween was fun, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite holiday (not even second on the list or third or fourth).  Now that I am older, it is still not my all time favorite; it is hard to beat Christmas, the Christmas Spirit, and the true meaning of Christmas,

but Halloween has considerably moved up on my list.  I think it has a lot to do with marrying this man.

Rich loves Halloween!!!!! 

He loves everything about it!  Over the years, his excitement for the season and the holiday has won me over; adding cuties to the mix has also made it more fun! 

In fact, we, as of last year, now have a new tradition, a mini family party at the beginning of October to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Halloween.  We eat festive food, watch a Halloween movie, and talk about all we want to do during the month to celebrate, discussing Halloween costumes too of course!  This year I splurged a little, and bought these,

so we could do this.

Now that it is official, it is time to pull out our decorations,

and start planning our ghoulish menus for this month; I think this book will come in handy, not to mention http://www.familyfun.com/.

Nose Blow Burritos

Veggie Vomit

Homemade Maggot Stew

Boogers on a Stick

Let the festivities begin!!!!!!!!!!!