Confessions of a Redhead

The Kitchen House

2011-10-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

I loved this book! The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. I do enjoy historical fiction, so if that's not your thing you might not like it as much as me. BUT...I loved it! Here is a link to Goodreads. Decide for yourself.

There are a lot of critters in Texas

2011-09-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

I looked long and hard for the best picture. This was a nice and ugly one. Scary huh??

There are wild boar that live in the woods behind my house. They are ugly. They leave nasty looking poop around in the empty lots around my house. And now...2 nights ago...they dug around my trees and around in my flower beds. I don't like it. They get their ugly little (well big) tusks in the dirt and mulch and root around for grubs or something. I have heard of people that sit up and wait and hunt these little buggers. I even heard of somebody hunt it with a bow and arrow and then roast it. I don't know if that is true, but I've heard it. It supposedly tasted good. GROSS if you ask me, but I don't like them digging up and messing up my flower beds. What to do?? I don't think Scott will be strapping on a bow and arrow to go hog hunting anytime soon, but we may get desperate. Just kidding. I'd pay somebody to do that. Someone said moth balls might help keep them away. I guess I'll have to do some research.

Our scorpion issue, you'll be happy to hear, is much better. Janer recommended this stuff call Cy-Kick. I purchased some off of Amazon. It works like a charm. In fact I just found a little tiny dead one. No more falling scorps from the air vent, landing on Scott. :)

Still NO SNAKES Mom! Have I ever told you the PEOPLE here in Texas are the best. Love. the. people. in. Texas!

Seriously...

2011-09-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from the first day (or the first week for some children ;) and some pictures of Hope while we were in Nauvoo over the summer. Just cuz.

My friend Melissa took both of these pictures (Hunter and Hayden) and I like them. Thanks to Melissa for sharing!!!

I love my kids, but sometimes they drive crazy. It's funny/annoying when you can see your own worse faults in your children. I stress out. There I said it, I do I stress out. When I am in a frenzy I'm sure I am very annoying. Two of my sweet, darling, lovable children stress out as well. Hopefully, the younger two will be spared this fault. But oh heaven help us all, between the toner in the printer, stressing over band, not understand something in math, just too darn much homework, AND making everyone "find the time" to read the scriptures and pray together...I am worn out tonight. Spent! Glad tomorrow is another day. Luckily, all ordeals were solved and everyone was calmed and soothed before bed. Including the mother, that internalizes all. I have some Grey's Anatomy to go watch.

I may be approaching 40 but....

2011-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hannah as Mrs. Peacock. She made her little head piece.

At Hope's preschool, to check the kids in and out you have to scan your finger. Last year, I had lots of problems especially in the winter time scanning my finger...it just wouldn't scan. There were others that had the same problem I had, but it happened quite a bit for me. One day, I had this lady (she was older, maybe a grandma) tell me that "as we get older our finger prints fade." :0 What????? As I get older, I'm not that old, I thought!! I think it's just dry skin!!

Pretty much out of nowhere a few weeks ago the bottom of my foot started to hurt. I'm thinking plantar fasciitis. I had taken to wearing my flip flop Crocs to walk over to the school to pick up Hayden and I had some thin little junky Adidas I was wearing as workout shoes, and they weren't of good quality. I had a lady in yoga class tell me, "when we hit middle age tendinitis starts to creep up." Whatt????

Well, I'm happy to report, I have bought myself some Burts Bee's lotion that comes in a handy little dispenser (my homemade variety is a little greasy for multiple uses during the day) and I have had NO trouble with the finger scanner AT ALL THIS YEAR. So, take that lady at the preschool. My tendinitis was good yesterday, woke up hurting again today. I continue to stretch and ice. (Frozen water bottles are a wonderful little tool to use if you suffer from this pain as well...FYI) My stable, but cute Nikes are my BFF's for a while. I went to Kohl's to buy some cute walking shoes, but they were too old lady"ish". I refuse. My Nike's are great, until I find another NON all-white alternative.

I might be approaching middle age, but I'm not going to use that as an excuse to let my body fall apart around me :) Good new?? My triangle is in good shape!!!!

Talk to me Mommy!

2011-09-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have found myself saying "I used to do this" or "I used to do that". Blogging was one of the them. I'm not going to say that. I still want to blog. Present tense. After you haven't blogged for a while, it's hard to blog again. I have almost blogged so many times, but then I always get side tracked or second guess myself.

Boo! I have blogged again. Goal for today, maybe this week?? To slow down and enjoy the loves of my life. This morning I got a call from a friend. We were discussing YW stuff for church. I talked on the phone 3/4 of the way to preschool. Usually, I try not to talk on the phone when I take Hope to pre-k, it's our time together. But this morning I had some business to discuss. Hope kept trying to say something, and I'd have to tell her "just a minute". Finally, she had enough and she told me to get off the phone, I wasn't talking to her on the ride to school and she missed talking to me!! I immediately got off the phone and talked with my girl. I felt like a crust. It got me wondering, do the most important people in my life feel the most important? Always room for improvement, right?

Summer

2011-06-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hannah put mascara on Hope because she wanted to see how long her lashes looked. Hannah is my budding photographer :)

Last day of school pictures for Hunter, Hannah and Hayden.

"Mom, you said we are going to the pool today, right? So, I don't need to go out and tan." That was said with a big smile...like I know I'm weird, but I'm still wondering. Guess who said that?

Okay, ready for a quick recap?

Maybe, I'll start with a funny story. The last day of school was Friday, May 27th. I woke up feeling...like I was pregnant, really, but I'm not. I went to Hayden's class party not feeling my best, but not terrible. While there, I started to feel worse, and needed to sit down. My friend Brenda came over and we were chatting. Then IT hit me. I felt really sick really fast. I swallowed and hold Brenda I was not going to make it to my car. I grabbed the garbage can, hid in t he corner, Brenda had my back , literally blocking me from others, and I barfed! Luckily, it was a loud 3rd grade end of the year pizza party so no one heard my retching. Gross. But funny. I grabbed my bag of barf and hit the door. I had just picked Hunter up from his last final so he was with me. He didn't even know I had a problem, so I think my secret was safe. He was too busy entertaining the 3rd graders.

Today is Friday again, one week of summer under our belts. I think I have established summer does not = no bedtime. I think 10 pm is a fair bedtime on most nights, later for sleepover nights. You can read a book in your bed after that, but you need to be in bed. Hope's bedtime has not changed FYI, so I still have to get up and get moving and take Rocky our for a walk. Do they know who their Mother is? Do they really think it will be a good summer if I'm constantly tired and in need of some "Heather" time?

I've got volleyball games, scheduled pool dates, recital, football Fridays, EFY, trek, and vacations all calendared out. (at least for now) Oh yeah, did I mention we are moving at the end of June between our Chicago trip and our Camas, WA trip? The owners decided they wanted to move back into their house, we went looking, and boom we found a house and the rest should be history in a few weeks. I'm trying not to feel extremely overwhelmed. It's not really working but, I taking lots of deep cleansing breaths and packing...books only so far. But, I have a lot of books.

catching up

2011-03-02T11:57:00.000-08:00

I found this one day last week. It made me laugh.

Now she has a cell phone AND and ipod touch! Her life is now complete :)

Hannah and her friend Hannah from Washington taking pictures of each other. Hannah came out for Hannah's birthday. It was a surprise for both girls. My friend Shellie and I had been working together. Shellie woke up her Hannah that Thursday morning at like 3:30 am and asked her if she wanted to go see Hannah in TX!!! She was totally surprised. We picked her up at the airport and then surprised our Hannah. Hannah T. and Hope were up on Hannah's bed hiding when Hannah got home. I told my Hannah to go clean her room. She went up (very reluctantly :) and out popped Hannah T. WOW!! Was she ever surprised!

I have an office that never seems to have any pencils. So, I bought a 12 pack of my favorites and told the kids DO NOT touch. Well, a certain 4 year old touched. After a couple weeks, there were only 4 left in my pencil holder. One day I walked in and she had cut the erasers off the pencils. GRRRR!! I asked her why???? And she "didn't know". I told my parents about it a few days later. When they came for a visit last weekend...guess what they brought? New pencils and a pack of erasures!! We had a good laugh.

If you ever feel like you might be spending too much time on the computer...just have your husband wipe out all your "favorites". We have both gotten iphones recently (me:Christmas him:just 'cause he was up for an upgrade and iphones went down to $49) and he was messing around "sinking" (is that how you spell that word) his phone and it got all sorts of messed up. I went to my "favorites" and none of my "favorites" were left. What the what??? I had started (again after we got a new computer after we moved) a nice collection of random websites I liked to check. I was pretty annoyed at first, but now I'm looking at it like spring cleaning for my computer.

Oh well....moving on...Hannah just turned 12 on February 24th. We had a fun party that Friday night. Here, let me tell you all about it. She invited 14 people, so the cake decorating competition that she wanted to have was a no go. So we did a Survivor party. Pretty much the perfect party idea for her and her age group. The girls came in and got bandannas, divided up into tribes and then we started the games. I tried to do a mix of word games, memory games, balance games, physical games, and eating challenges. Just like in the real game. Some favorites: I made mud (chocolate pudding with Oreo and gummy worms) the girls got a glop of it and couldn't use their hands. When I asked the family what gross food thing we should make...pretty much all of them said "a green smoothie". I tried not to be offended. :) So, Scott prepared a smoothie that was pretty disgusting. Onion, kale, radishes, peppers,uhhhhhh what else? I know there is more but can't think of it. No fruit. Oh yeah some celery. It was gross. A couple of the girls got sick. Pretty great.We had something lined up one right after the other for 1 1/2 hours. Then, they all went home. Great party!!

back to nursery I go

2011-02-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm going back to nursery. I don't really want to but...that's my calling and I'm going to go and be chipper about it. And try and love those little babies. I was called into nursery six months ago. The first 4 months I worked with the older kids ready to go into primary. And don't tell anyone, but I really got to like it. I was doing all sorts of fun things with those kids, crafts, lessons, books, games blah blah blah. Then in January, I got a new assignment....the baby nursery. I was less than excited about that. They don't do much of anything. First of all, the room is in the back country of the building. I see NO ONE except a few parents. Second, it's the babies and they cry and my back hurts sitting on the floor for 2 hours holding crying babies. I still don't have a helper because apparently this is not a fun calling and nobody will accept it but me. There got that off my chest. I was sick 2 weeks ago and last week was stake conference. So, I'm going back today looking on the bright side.

I just have to say...

2010-12-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

Several times recently, I have been looking through magazines and I have happen upon this one model. Every time I have seen her, I have taken a second look and said...REALLY? I saw her again while I was working out on Friday in a magazine, and I thought, THAT's IT!! I had to find out who she was and what the deal was. Her name is Georgia May Jagger. Yes, Mick's daughter. Her mother is Jerry Hall. She is a "hot" up and coming model. She is the new face of Hudson jeans and Rimmel of London. She has a pretty face, lovely figure, and the UGLIEST teeth I have just about ever seen. I think the first time I saw her, I thought she had fake teeth in. If you saw her with her mouth closed, you wouldn't think twice. But she likes to show off her teeth, and apparently so does everybody else. But really? Those teeth? I realize everyone doesn't have perfect teeth. But these teeth? I don't get it. It's just funny to me. Our society is so obsessed with perfectly white, shaped teeth. Everybody and their brother in Hollywood has those veneers. And the fake lashes (and or Latisse), fake boobs, injections blah blah blah. Why do they love her teeth? Very interesting to me. What do you think?

It's the thought that counts.

2010-12-13T19:45:00.001-08:00

Last year, I helped my friend Julie make a TON of caramel apples. Like in the hundreds. There were 4 of us, we all made like 6 batches of caramel in the days leading up to the assembly day...each batch made 25 apples....each batch of caramel took an hour to make. So, it took a lot of work. We assembled ALL day one Saturday last year. We dipped them in yummy toppings. We packaged them professionally. They were gorgeous, and they were delicious.

Fast forward to this year. I decided I'd make some lovely gourmet caramel apples for teachers' gifts. I bought apples today and assembled all my supplies. I chopped Heath bars, crunched pretzels, and toasted and chopped almonds. I even spent an hour making my caramel. You stir and you stir and you stir and you stir...all to have everything happen temperature wise in like the last 5 minutes. Everything was going lovely, until I realized that my goal temperature was 235 NOT 335 as I had mistakenly read/thought. I think I stopped around 240 but I panicked and I'm not sure. Needless to say, I was only able to squeak out 9 apples, before the caramel cooled and you couldn't possibly dip anything in it. The nine I made are very pretty, but watch out you will break a tooth on them. I am tired and worked on those darn things for over 2 hours. Hope's teacher and Hayden's teacher are still getting them. I might wake up in the morning and not be able to pass them out as gifts this year, but for right now they are good enough. I feel bad, they will NOT taste as good as they look. But this year, it's the thought that counts. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Happy Birthday to Hope

2010-10-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Hope's birthday party last weekend. The pictures are all sorts of messed up time-line wise, but blogger makes it so hard now to move your pictures around. It didn't used to be that way. So, here is the party story, a little messed up but still here. The pumpkin balloon game in the back. Each balloon was filled with something. **Note to self-kids like candy better than glitter!**

Kids coloring the masks. I bought these little wooden masks at Michael's that the kids colored with markers. They were very successful. They kept the kids busy for like 20+ minutes. And in the world of 4 years olds, that's an eternity. The kids also painted little pumpkins.

I'm not sure why the witch on the right was crying...she must have thought her nose was too big...or too green.

These witches were the hardest ones to make, too the longest too. I couldn't get my food marker to work, so most didn't have any smiles/frowns at all. Stupid food marker.

Cake pops! I think I have figured them out now. Hannah was my helper on this project. She helped me one entire afternoon. We made 75 cake pops that day.

The one picture of me that was taken. NEVER any pictures of me, do you have the same issue?I'm usually the one taking the pictures.

Little mummy wraps and grilled cheese pumpkin shaped sandwiches for the main course. Very kid friendly.

I bought soda for the party, it matched my color scheme.

First cut into the fondant cake. I made marshmallow fondant, so it was a little smooshier than the store bought kind, but it tasted much better.

She was so excited to get this present "my own computer!!".

From Auntie Hayley.

All smiles.

My very first attempt at decorating a cake. I have made plain cakes plenty of times, but my first time trying to decorate. The fondant really wasn't very hard. I really didn't have any idea what I was doing, I just made it up as I went along. But overall I was happy. Learned a lot that's for sure!

I found these two spiders the morning of the party. I was sweeping up, I knew the spider on the left was there (I think it's the same one that was on my outside chair from before, he just moved). I was going to have Scott move him, but I was sweeping all around him, I came out like 2 minutes later...to find the tarantula on the left crawling around right where I had been!!! I must have stirred it up, but I'm just so glad it didn't crawl on me, I would have messed my pants for sure. Kids liked seeing them, and Hunter released them back into the wild the next day.

Little Alice in Wonderland. She had a great day!!

poor carebear

2010-10-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

Poor Carebear. Rocky chewed this a month or two ago. Funny thing is Hope still loves it. I'm thinking about sewing that eye closed along with the nose. But not so sure. It makes me laugh when I see it. Although, he is loosing his stuffing at a quick rate :)

I bought myself this new baking cookbook. Holy cow. So, I started by making puff pastry. One of the cooking blogs had this puff pastry and peanut butter and chocolate treat. Made them, very tasty. But then I made these little treats. BEST cookie ever! I thought it was so pretty too. They are those palmier cookies, or butterfly wings. They are puff pastry with sugar. DELICIOUS. I made homemade cream cheese filled Danishes out of the same cookbook. I thought I had died and gone to heaven a little bit. I have been baking and delivering to people. The bishop drove Hunter to seminary a few times over the last couple of weeks... and I delivered pastries to him. I must pass out to others or else I would get really big. These things are so good, I have very little control. But so fun to make.

Hope's 4th birthday is coming up on the 19th. We are doing a Halloween themed party this year. Halloween parties are fun to plan and put together. I have been all sorts of crafty. Martha Stewart and I are BBF. I made her invitations, and actually had fun doing it. That Martha has some good glitter. I'm planning on making 3 different cakepops for the celebration. Do you have this book? I'm planning on making the witches, ghosts, and pumpkins. Last night I didn't sleep very well, because I was mentally planning. I had some good ideas last night and can't remember them all this morning. I swear I should put a journal by the side of my bed for times like that. I'd feel better to write it out, plus I'd remember all my good ideas in the morning. Win win.

Enchilada Pie

2010-09-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

I miss a lot of things about Washington, I'm not going to lie. One of the things I miss is recipe club. About 20 of us would get together every month or two (depending on the month), you would be assigned a category...appetizer, main dish, side dish, or dessert. Then you would make your dish, bring the recipe and come for a night of food and friends. I think I will eventually start my own recipe club up here. We had some real foodies in the group, so I got several real "keeper" recipes.

Some nights were incredible, some nights not so much. I would take everybody's recipe that night (so as not to make anybody feel bad ;) but honestly some I would recycle and NOT put into my recipe binder. Sorry, but it's true. Only the goodies go in there. You know...only the ones I really loved. I made Heather Schow's Enchilada Pie again the other night and felt that it was blog worthy. I changed it up a little bit from her original recipe, and it was so stinking good+easy+low clean up!! So here follows my version of the Enchilada Pie:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (15 oz) can mild green chile enchilada sauce (a change from the original, adds a different flavor from the regular red sauce)
1/2 cup water
a bunch of corn tortillas **I think I used about 15-20** You could use flour tortillas, that's one of the changes I made, but it's NOT as good...I do enjoy the corn tortillas!
3 cups mozzarella and Colby Jack cheese (total)

Brown meat and onion in large skillet (I use a large cast iron skillet so it's a one pot deal). Drain off grease (I cooked the meat until it was mostly done, put it in a colander and drained THEN added onion and finished cooking, that way you get rid of most of the fat, but still have the onion flavor infused into the meat) Add tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, and water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove 2/3 of the sauce into another bowl. Leave 1/3 of the sauce in the skillet, layer on top of that corn tortillas (enough to form a layer covering the whole skillet with some over lapping), then 1/3 of the sauce, cheese; then repeat. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes until heated through. Slice pizza style into triangles. Serve with sides of shredded lettuce, sour cream, olives, tomatoes, or anything else that you fancy.

It's good stuff!

Change of Heart

2010-09-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

Excuse the bags under my eyes in this pictures. It was our last day of moving AND I was saying goodbye to my friend Julie. Not a very good day.

We have lived in this new ward since July 1st ish. Scott got a calling a while ago, but I had not. A woman called and asked me on Sunday if I wouldn't mind subbing for her in nursery on Sunday...strange, I thought, that she would ask me of all the people in the ward to choose from and all of the parents of the children in nursery...I had this feeling...I already had an appointment for before church set up to meet with a bishopric counselor. I already knew something was coming. While I was getting ready for church, I knew what my new calling was going to be. I even told Scott that's what it was going to be. He kind of laughed and said I was totally jumping to conclusions. How could I jump to that conclusion with that little bit of information??

Because, somebody was helping prepare me, that's why. I might have cried if he sprung that one on me totally unaware. I didn't want to be in nursery. Didn't want to be isolated in nursery in a brand new ward. Nope, no thank you. Scott didn't give me what I was looking for when I told him. He was way too supportive and positive. ;) I texted my friend Julie and she gave me exactly what I needed and wanted to hear. She did manage to make me smile. Felt a little better. Still moaned and groaned a large part of yesterday.

But I woke up this morning feeling much better. Dare I say change of heart??? We will see. But I am looking on the internet getting some fun ideas. Wish me luck. After all, if I'm going to do something, I might as well do one hell of a job!!

my version of NYC popovers

2010-08-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

I might need this pan now.

Made these popovers tonight for dessert. With this butter, except I used marionberry jam, because that's what I had. They were very good. I did not have a popover pan, so I just used muffin tins. I filled 9 tins with my batter. My only wish/complaint was that there wasn't more. EVERYONE ate one and then we were staring at each other... hoping nobody else wanted the last three. We split them, but I will certainly double (if not triple) that recipe next time. I would definitely triple if that was our breakfast. Just thought I'd share!

NYC

2010-08-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Pictures by Jane The food of NYC did not disappoint. Favorites??? I don't know if I can pick. Those french fries and hamburgers from Shake Shack hit the spot, not once, not twice but...three times. The Cuban corn on the cob was super tasty. I even googled a recipe for it. We all had our share of cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, YUM! We walked into John's Pizza and I remember I had eaten there with Scott a few years before. Although, that picture is from Patsy's and it was delicious too. I had never had a popover before, and now I'm afraid no popover will ever compare to the one we had in NYC with strawberry butter. I have found recipes for those treats as well and plan on making them soon. Not only did Jane take most of the pictures, this was her 5th time to NYC, so she led us to all the good eats. Thanks Jane!

As we were walking the streets of NYC, I looked up and saw this cute dress. It was in a shop on the second floor, that you had to be buzzed into. This dress cost $1400!! Cute...but not that cute. Jane did take my picture and I sent Scott a text telling him about all the money I just saved.

Most of you that know me know that we trekked over to NJ one day to check out the Cake Boss. When we arrived the line to get into the bakery WAS HUGE. Not a single one of us felt like waiting in that line, so we asked around and got a recommendation for a good deli close by. Sarah and I got these huge "Big Paulie" sandwiches, and we both ate them up. Not everyday do you have a prosciutto, sun dried tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese sandwich. After lingering for about and hour and a half at the deli, we set off for NYC. However, as we passed the bakery, this white navigator passed, and people were yelling "hey buddy hey buddy". We snuck around to the back alley, and who was there??? Buddy and his little elves, I mean helpers. They were loading some cakes into delivery vans. Buddy and Frankie stayed out for a little picture session. Good times!

On Friday we went and saw Memphis. Very entertaining! Good story and great music.

The rats in the city were huge. I knew they were there, but I didn't expect to see them as much as I did. The first night we came out of the subway and we were walking, only to spot several at the end of the corridor scurrying about. For the most part, they stayed down by the tracks. But they were huge. We saw one lady buying rat traps in a Time Square Walgreens. Yuck. Those necklaces come from a vendor that we saw in a Brooklyn flea market. He made necklaces out of old coins, then he would put some kind of charm to go with it. The one that spoke to us, was this old subway token and the RAT charm. I thought it was very cute.

I sported my sensible shoes around NYC. Except for Sunday, and I had a skirt on. The Dansco shoes kept my feet happy all day long. Here we are in Brooklyn, we came to this pier to get some ice-cream. I also ate a handmade pretzel and a shaved ice. Usually not a huge fan of the shaved ice, but it was hot and it sure looked good that day.

So, that is just a little glimpse into my trip to New York City. Thanks to Carrie, Becky, Sarah and Jane for all of the good times!

2010-08-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

It was taking way too long to download the pictures the other way, so I just "blogged this" from picassa, and it was much faster.

More pictures of the Japanese Gardens.

I thought this place was very beautiful.

2010-08-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hope and Liam. Liam is my friend Julie's little guy. Hope and Liam love each other. I have about 20 pictures of them kissing and/or hugging each other. This was the day before we left, they were saying goodbye. Eventually, Liam tired of all the hugging and kissing, but not Hope. Toward the end she would say...."Just one more kiss Liam!". Liam would kiss and Hope would say, "ON THE LIPS LIAM". Is it so wrong to arrange a marriage? They would be perfect together and I so love Julie.

Taken off my front (well my old) porch. Loved looking out and seeing those deer.

Here we are at the Japanese Gardens in Portland. From the first day I lived in Camas, I wanted to go to the Japanese Gardens. Not sure what took me so long to get there, but...I was going before we moved. When my Mom came to visit right before we left, I took her and all the kids. Hunter had just gotten his screws removed a few days before. He hobbled around on crutches. But we made it to the Japanese Gardens, and boy am I glad we made it.

dilemma

2010-07-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

I'm in the middle of trying to decide which pictures (from our last family photo shoot) to print...and put on the walls. I want to do a bunch of them in the canvas wrap around, but they can be $$ and I want them ALL that way. When I like something I really like it ;) Hope is asleep, Hunter and Hannah are in WA, Scott and Hayden are at a Round Rock Express baseball game. I need another person's opinion, and since I don't have it, I decided to blog. Makes perfect sense to me. But anyway, I have a nice big spot to do a big family shot, and then perhaps some single pictures of each child separate. Would it look weird to have one canvas and the others in frames? That would be a cheaper alternative. What do you think?

Family pictures...first you have to decide what the heck to wear, then you have to have them taken, then you have to decide which ones to print. Funny story: I rode down to the place where we were having our pictures taken with wash clothes shoved between my shirt and body. I'm a sweater. Not so much because I'm hot, but when I'm stressed...watch out! Just thought you should know that.

Found a preschool today for Hope. I liked it. She liked it, and Hayden asked if he could go there to school. He was really impressed with the indoor play structure and slide. Texas knows how to do preschool. 9-2 and it's not a co-op. That makes me rather happy. Not that I don't love and cherish the time I spend with Hope, I do...but she will love it, and it sounds kind of nice to have a few hours a week all on my lonesome.

We are all doing good. I have upgraded from "fine". I guess for a while everything was "fine". Hunter started commenting on how "oh it's fine again..." I have cried a few times, felt lonely a few times, been overwhelmed a few times. But overall, things are coming into place, and life is looking brighter again. Still miss WA (alot), but that's okay. I embrace those feelings and try to move on. I'm off to read my book now. Good night.

Green is my favorite color

2010-06-11T13:55:00.001-07:00

I have been drinking green smoothies for a long while now. If you are interested look here or here for starters or not, but you should, just saying. I don't remember when I started, but a while ago. I usually make a green smoothie at lunch time. I eat a few smallish other things to get some protein in, but I honestly have developed a taste for them. I like my green smoothies. I also make a yummy citrus smoothie in the morning with all kinds of different citrus fruit, honey, and yogurt. We drink that instead of OJ now. I just got a good deal on a Blendtec and I'm very excited about it. I had been using a regular blender which was fine, but this is nice. It made my smoothie really...well smooth today at lunch.

Anyway, I want to tell you about something else I have been doing/drinking. Back in April I went to this class at Relief Society. I went because I was teaching a class. I taught everybody about all my homemade lotions, potions and cleaning supplies. I learned some stuff about sprouted wheat that night. Like how to do it and how easy it was. It's super healthy for you to eat it, and easy. But as I was doing research on sprouted wheat later that night and the next day(I even found and made some sprouted wheat bread recipes) I started learning about wheatgrass too. I was really amazed. The benefits are really amazing. The funny thing is how easy it is to grow. First you have to sprout it, then once it's sprouted you let it grow. I have bought some little trays, but I also grow it in an 8x11 Pyrex dish. All you do is cover it for a few days, and let it start to grow, then take the cover off and let it keep growing.

But a few weeks ago, I went into the eye doctor because I was having trouble seeing. Never a good thing. So, I went it and had my eyes tested. My eyes had improved!! and I was over being over corrected with that prescription. That has never happened to me, if anything my eyes have gotten worse and worse over the years. I was really excited and thinking this was truly a miracle until Hayley told me the same thing happened to her a few years ago, and she isn't drinking the wheatgrass juice. But I will pretend that didn't happen to her, and continue to think the improved eyesight is due to the drinking of the wheatgrass juice. Scott even drinks it when he is home. I have all kinds of cleaning up to do on that boy.

The other thing I noticed, is...less gray hair. I used to sit and pick out gray hairs EVERYDAY. I started to tell myself I had better stop or else I was going to get patches of bald. But I haven't been picking lately, and I haven't been noticing as many gray hairs. Seriously. I had a patch in the front of my head that was pretty gray. Yes, it was very small, but it is gone. I don't know, it's not a miracle cure all, but I am noticing some interesting changes.

I don't know, I'm not super obsessed about it or anything, I just find it to be very interesting. The whole idea that food can almost be viewed as a medicine or a purifier. You know? I do eat 7-10+ fruits and vegetables a day. I try and eat super healthy and nutrient rich foods. I do eat plenty of treats though too. So, I'm not perfect. I just made chocolate chip cookies the other day, so...take that for what it's worth. I just love to eat good, real, whole foods. I do view my body as a machine, and I'm trying to fuel my machine with the best possible fuel available. I have been spending a lot more on groceries though. Eating healthy can be expensive. But that's a whole other blog post, that I could go on and on and on and on about.

You'll need to

2010-06-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

read the previous post to understand what I'm about to say. I was trying to not be so long winded buy my entire shower I was thinking about what I didn't say that I wanted to say. So, here it is...

I was embarrassed about my toes until I felt that lady checking me out. (You might be thinking enough about the toes, but it's symbolic for my I think so bear with me.) Then, I got kind of bossy. I told her I was a runner and I had lost my nails training for Hood to Coast. That made me feel proud, no more embarrassment. She told me I could get a fake nail put on there to make it look better. That made me feel kind of pissy. I looked at her with her fake blond hair, her fake nails and her fake boobs, and said yeah I could, but the podiatrist said I could get a fungus under there and I don't want a fungus. That shut her up quick. She didn't want to chat about a fungus. I put my foot up on the bar proudly from then on out. I don't care what she thinks. Why should I. I am who I am nail-less toe and all. I kicked her skinny little butt in that class. She kept needing the teacher to come over and correct her posture. Not me, I got compliments on my form. Carrie remembered my name was Heather.

I would not recommend...

2010-06-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

putting eggs into a pan, going to take a quick shower, leaving the eggs on, and then taking 2 of the kids to the dentist while the EGGS ARE STILL COOKING! Yesterday was early release (can I say that is one thing I will be happy to get rid of) and the kids had dentist appointments at 2. They get home at 1:40 and it's at least a 20 minute ride. At 1:20 I still hadn't showered so I needed to move it. I thought I'd put some eggs in to hard boil, my kids do enjoy a hard boiled egg, before I left so they could have a nice snack when we got home. Well, I forgot all about the eggs. Hunter gets home at 2:45. EXCEPT, Hunter was supposed to go to a track end of season party. Yesterday, Hunter said he just had a feeling he should come home, he just didn't feel like going to the track party that day. SO not like him either, he does enjoy a good party with junk food. He came home to the smoke alarm going off, and a smoke filled house. No fire, just smoke. He took the eggs off, they were done by then, and opened all of the windows. What if he would have gone? I'm just so thankful that boy was listening! Scary to think of what could have happened. My windows have been opened airing the house out. The smell is just about gone.

So, in a very long winded way, I just wanted to say how blessed I felt that everything was okay. Because really, I don't see how a fire didn't catch. And come on...Hunter not wanting to go to the track party...it's like too good to be true. I'm so watched over. On the way home, when Hunter was finally able to get ahold of me, I was upset. Shakey almost. I couldn't believe I had done that. By the time I got home, I pulled into the garage and was about ready to charge into the house when I looked down, and there was Hope's little purple head band. Just sitting under my feet on the little car carpet. I have looked for that head band. Looked and looked and looked, even in my car. I had given up on ever finding it about a month and a half ago. But it was just like somebody said, see bad things happen but things will be okay. I felt like it was Heavenly Father's little way of giving me a little pat on the back. After Scott lost his job, I blogged about a game I had played and really liked and wanted to buy. But Scott was out of work, and we weren't buying expensive games. A few days later, I was having a particularly bad day, and on that very day I got a package. One of my dear friends sent me that game. I immediately started to cry. The ugly cry. I called my Mom first, to tell her. I was crying so hard she didn't even understand me. Then I called my friend to thank her. Heavenly Father used her to answer my prayer, and to let me know everything would be okay. We are blessed so many times in so many little ways, that I'm afraid I don't even notice sometimes.

Moving on to less important matters...I went to the podiatrist a few days ago. Well, the good news is I didn't have a fungus. I do feel so much better about that. But I did loose my left toenail and some of the right. I've have a bandaid on the left for months, because I was afraid it would rip off. You could see damage (from all the hill running from before) on my nail (it was a line). The left was a lot worse and had pulled away all the way down to the bottom. Great, just in time for sandals.

I went to this brand new studio in Camas/Vancouver called Barre3. I loved the class, it was pilates meets voga meets ballet. LOVED IT! The teacher had the most amazing body. Of course they just open in time for me to move, but I walk into the class hoping to leave my socks on...only to be told it's a bare foot class. GRRRRRR. Oh well, I took my socks off and said oh well. The class was completely full and I had somebody right next to me. We had our feel all up in front of us on the bar and stuff. I felt the lady checking out me toes. I leaned over and told her I was a runner and lost my nails. I felt like telling her to stop staring!! haha At least it wasn't a contagious fungus. But it is ugly :( When something is embarrassing/obvious, I'd rather just get it out there so she could stop wondering. Nice. I did really like the cork floors, maybe someday I'd put those in someplace.

My windows are all open and I'm cold. Yes, cold because it's cold and damp here today, my windows are open and I'm still in workout clothes. Why can't I live in a place with a "normal" climate haha!!

Random thoughts

2010-06-01T19:14:00.001-07:00

1) It's been raining a lot here. Winters aren't bad here, it's spring that gets old. In the first part of the the spring I was all smiles thinking that all was perfect here. BUT, I must admit, the rain is getting old. I have talked to several people that have lived here for many years, and everyone is saying this was the rainiest May ever. I'm trying to look on the bright side of things, like Austin will be sunny...

2) Scott just called me and told me I HAD to watch a show. It's the Biggest Looser Family Show. He just called a second time, to make sure I knew I had to watch it. He said I was "just like Jillian". I'm not sure he meant that as a compliment. I know who she is, but I have never watched the show. I think I will watch the show just to see how he sees me. ha.

3) There are 4 cookbooks that I really want to buy right now. I am waiting, taking a deep breath, and letting a few weeks pass by to see if I still want all 4. I'm waiting I'm seeing. Only 3 out of 4 are at the library. I checked that one out, and think I'd like to own it. Although, my library doesn't charge overdue fines, maybe I'll just keep it for a good long while. Looked at 2 more at the bookstore, and think I'd like them a lot. But probably don't NEED them. Haven't gotten my hands on the fourth yet, so definitely won't buy that one... yet. Maybe the Round Rock library will have them. Or, maybe I will treat myself. Haven't decided. Just thought you should know.

4) Hannah's dance recital is the week after school gets out here, and I still need to buy tickets, and she needs a Goldilocks wig.

5) School gets out June 17th here. The packers come on June 28th. The kids get ripped on about a month of vacation. Bummer for them.

6) Hope has stopped taking a nap again (a week now with no nap). She stopped all summer last year, but when the kids went back to school she started napping again. School isn't out, but she isn't sleeping.

7) I have mice in my garage. In true Heather fashion, I bought six traps. I wanted to buy double that, but talked myself down. I put peanut butter in them all, and set them. Most if not all peanut butter is gone, but none of the traps snapped. (Yes I set them right!) There is poop on my food storage, and one of my bags of oatmeal had a hole. I'm feeling really grossed out. My neighbor caught (really killed) SIX IN HER HOUSE. At least I'm not her. I would not be able to sleep. She put her cast iron skillet in the stove...and the next morning there was poop in the skillet. Mice are a problem here, in the spring, they don't like our May showers either. Just to clarify, I don't have mice in the house, ONLY the garage.

8) I have a toe nail fungus. There, I said it. Me...the girl that wears flip flops in a public shower. Why me? It all started when I was training for Hood to Coast. The trauma to my nail left me weak! Remember the mice? I'm feeling very creepy crawly these days. All in time for my big move to Texas, where I could wear sandals most months out of the year. Lucky me :)

9) Lastly, Hope was frustrated with me and just called me a "Monkey Lady" hahahahaha.

Just so you know

2010-05-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to update anyone that still reads. We sold the house last week to a family at church. We are packing up and moving the end of June. We have found another house, and I have only seen it in pictures! Scott moves in on June 1st. I went to Costco with my friend today, and was really tired after. Hope slept in my bed last night and coughed and kept me awake, so I took a little nappy while she was napping. I woke with a start...WE ARE MOVING! Sometimes I have a hard time with reality and it hits me suddenly haha. I have been eating crazy healthy and my body feels really good. Just thought I'd throw that in. :) More about that later. Kids are walking up the street now.

Hayden turns 8

2010-03-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

For Hayden's birthday we had a party at the movie theater. We had cake and ice cream, saw the movie Diary of a Whimpy Kid, and then we got to take a tour of the movie theater...a behind the scenes look. It was pretty darn interesting I must admit. I enjoyed the tour much more than the movie ;) Hayden is now 8! Where did the time go? You know what I loved best about that party? It wasn't at my house. You've got to love the 8 year old boy... in small doses :)

low balls

2010-03-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

I do, I like her show and I like her style. In my perfect world everything would be perfect just like her. On Sunday, we had an open house. Some lady mentioned to the realtor something about when we moved out of the house how we had staged it. I don't remember exactly what she said. Alls I know is, I cleaned the crap out of this house on Sunday morning, and I think it would have made even Martha proud.

Some annoying person wanted to see the house at 4 o'clock that day. The open house ran from 1-3... I said yes because that's what people who are trying to sell their house do. Those same annoying people made an offer on our house. It was a total low ball offer. Practically insulting. No, not practically, it was insulting. Plus, they wanted my refrigerator, washer/dryer, big screen TV in the game room and my fire place logs. I am feeling a little bitter. We didn't even counter. We simply said NO. I hate that the market has taken such a nose dive here. It just sucks.

After talking to Scott, I immediately called my Mom and Hayley (Hayley is in Chicago right now) to vent and say some very inappropriate 4 letter words. Because quite frankly who else can you say them to?? Of course, they got me laughing. My Mom said we should have countered with an offer that was even higher than the list price. Hayley said we should respond @*&% +%#. There that made me feel better. A little profanity goes a long way in my book. Thanks girls!

After I got off the phone, I put on my robe, turned on the TV and watched a little Martha. I think I'm liking her right now because my life is a little chaotic and she is so...orderly. It's comforting. Sounds weird, I know, but I'm weird. I have printed off this recipe, it did look really good. **Chocolate Pudding Icebox Cake**

steam cleaner

2010-03-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

I got this Wagner steam cleaner a couple of weeks ago at Costco and I love it. It comes with different attachments to do different cleaning jobs. But it is so good on the wood floors I can hardly stand it. Oh, and the bathrooms??!! I got it when it had an instant rebate (which I love) so it was only like $55. A steal if you ask me. I'm sure other steam cleaners are perfectly perfect, too. But I do love my steam cleaner and I thought I'd share.

MY HOUSE

2010-02-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here it is tomorrow already and Scott is leaving for Texas. I just can't believe it. This week has been so busy getting stuff done I have hardly had time to be sad. The adult acne on my chin is proof that I have been under a bit of stress...coupled with my period. It's not good. Scott says it makes me look young (like a teenager :). Looking on the bright side of things, this house is still in good shape so there aren't lots of things to do. Just the "your house is going to be photographed" pressure of picking up piles, and getting rid of non-essentials. For me, this is when I start pulling away from MY HOUSE. It stops being MY HOUSE so much when I start taking out and putting away MY CRAP. Sometimes I wonder if we are doing the right thing trying to stick around until the end of school. I just hate the thought of pulling the kids this time around. It will be about 4 months of the split family living, which I hate. Which I hate even more this time around because it was so nice having Scott around 24/7. If by some miracle the house sells quickly, we just might have to move out to Texas before the end of the school year. (The average time on the market here is 6-7 months, so I'm not extremely worried) But we are pricing this house to sell sooner than that...so we shall see. Anyway, I must go, today is obnoxiously busy culminating in Hannah's birthday sleepover party tonight. What was I thinking?

It's official

2010-02-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

Scott signed the papers today...we are moving back to Texas. We'd love to stay here, but this area is very hard hit, and there aren't any jobs. There were a few places we targeted in the old job search and Austin was one of them, so I'm thankful we are at least moving someplace we'd really like to live!! I told Scott (probably 7 years ago) to "look in Austin, I'd like to live here". Well, he finally listened. He starts on March 1st. The plan for now is to let the kids finish the school year, and then we will make the move. I pulled them last time, and feel like we need to let them finish the year up this time.

Mouthgasmic

2010-02-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine here has this word...for things that are really good. I did get a little chuckle when I heard her use it for the first time...mouthgasmic. You know when you bite into something and you are making all those...well sounds. Hmmm, Ohhhh, Hmmm this is so good. And you go on and on, you know. When you have a mouthgasm.

So, my Mom (while she was laid up at home) started watching Martha Stewart again. She kept blabbing about how much she was enjoying her show. So I said, if she is enjoying that show so darn much, I best be DVRing that thing. So, I did. One of the first days I tuned in Ben Ford (Harrison's son, who is a chef with his very own restaurant in CA) was on. He made this delightful little chocolate cake.

Do you like chocolate cake like I like chocolate cake? There is cake, that I don't really give a hoot about at all, and then there is MOUTHGASMIC chocolate cake. I made the Ben Ford tasty little morsel chocolate cake tonight for our Valentine's celebration. I think as I was eating that cake Scott may or may not have given me a funny look. It was so good that I thought I best share with all of ya'all. (I am headed back to Texas, so I better get the ya'alls going haha)

Find recipe here. **Note** I did not add peppermint anywhere to this cake. Since I didn't add the peppermint candy to the topping, I added a little bit extra sugar.

I miss rubbing your ears

2010-01-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

Way back in October (ish) when we first started thinking about getting Rocky, I could rationally think that getting a puppy right then and there might not be the best idea. You know, because Scott had just lost his job and blah. Sitting here, looking back I am very glad we listened to my gut instinct and got that dog. I like him. He still smells like a puppy. I enjoy going for walks. He has been a great distraction in this somewhat hardish time in our lives. Really, it hasn't been that bad, but you know. Anyway, he lost his first tooth tonight, and I had a burst of love for him.

Also, funny story. Scott was out of town for a couple of days (job interview :))) and it went well) and he was talking to Hope on the phone the second night. Remember she loves to rub ears. She said, "Daddy you need to come home, I miss rubbing your ears!" Ohhh, I just had a little burst of love for her, too.

Must go, Modern Family is on!! Please tell me you watch that show!?

Ticket to Ride and the bad case of gas

2010-01-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Last night some friends had us over for dinner. It was delicious, but it gave me a stomach ache, more like a side ache, really. Like...really bad. We were playing this really fun game "Ticket to Ride" and I was trying to play it cool. Trying. But I started sweating...and rocking...and pushing on my side... I thought I was going to die. I finally asked what it felt like when you had appendicitis. Poor Heather just had some really bad gas, I guess. I don't typically suffer from "the gas" so much. Annie got me a Tums. I was really appreciating the Tums last night. I've never had a Tums before. Not to worry, it was the kind way high up in the intestines, so I never embarrassed myself. (just so you know :) The reason for all the discomfort? Not sure, other than 1) I didn't eat any lunch 2) when I got home from church I made myself a green smoothie (green smoothies don't usually give me ANY problems) 3)it was white pasta, white French bread and iceberg lettuce for dinner. It must have made for a toxic brew. Hunter said that I ate "normal" food and it made me sick. I must be used to a little more "roughage" than that. As I was getting ready for bed last night, I asked Scott if he was embarrassed of/for me that I had that particular problem in front of friends. He said he thought it was endearing. hahahahahaha

I don't really know why you had to know my personnel business, but now you do. The reason for this blog is to share this game. Have you played before? It was really fun, and it has been added onto my list of things that must be purchased after Scott gets a job.

I never said I wasn't a little bit of a freak...

2010-01-13T13:52:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago, Hunter approached me about this upcoming debate they were going to have in class. There are several vegetarian girls in his class, and the meat eaters and the vegetarians were going to debate...if we as Americans should adopt one day a week that would be meat-free. Now, I have tried "Meatless Mondays" and have learned not to ever, EVER call such a day "Meatless Anything". Because I do have some carnivores in the house, and see anything "meatless" as sub par. I do continue to serve up "meatless" meals occasionally, but I certainly don't call it anything. Hunter is one of the inflammatory ones, he will say things like..."Oh Doctor Oz must have told you that blah blah blah". While I did enjoy Dr. Oz on Oprah occasionally, I haven't watched his show once, shameful. And since being introduced to Dr. Oz, I have come upon some much heavier stuff, Hunter. Thank you very much.

So, anyway, we discussed the debate. At first, he thought the vegetarians wanted to make a meatless day mandatory. You know pass a law. I told him that, I didn't think that would ever happen. But who knows, with all the health care stuff being debated...the way we eat does make us sick. Then, the next day he came back, and said that they just wanted people to take a pledge. Oh...well that changes things for me, I told him. You know me, I said I thought it would be a good idea. And really, I left it at that. I have learned not to cram things down people's throats. People will figure stuff out when they are good and ready to figure stuff out, and nobody listens to you otherwise. But I am still going to finish my blog post. hahaha

Hunter disappeared upstairs for awhile, he was doing some research. He came downstairs with a puzzled look on his face. "Why do we eat meat anyway?" I started to laugh, he was beginning to see the light. I am not a vegetarian, nor do I think I will be anytime soon. But I do think the way we raise poultry, beef, and swine is disgusting. Let me be specific, I don't think eating meat is disgusting, I do however think the way we currently (in the United States) raise most of our meat is disgusting. Days before Scott lost his job, I was days away from paying and picking up my 1/4 of a grass fed cow. After he lost his job, I did indeed pull the plug on that, but I can't wait to fill my freezer with the grass fed cow and chicken from Paul Jack's Farm.

After Hunter left, I did a little research of my own.
I want to read this book, but I'm a little scared. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll tell you all about it. My hope in telling you about this and the other books and stuff below, is not to gross you out and/or make you feel bad about the stuff you may or may not eat. But I think, if more people know about our food industry and how what we eat affects us, they would want things to change too.

Are you interesting in learning about the food you eat? 'Cuz it's not just meat that gets me in a dizzy. Read some books!

This cute little book, I start with, because it's kind of an overview of many other books. It's a good, thought provoking book that can be read in 20 minutes, or so. Many, if not all of these other books I have blogged about previously, but I'll put them up again...just in case you might be interested this time around.

a couple of Christmas pictures

2010-01-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

My cute new hat from my friend. At the very bottom of the present pile, there was this lone present from "Santa". At first I thought Scott had secretly worked with my friend Lisa to obtain this hat. She had one similar, and I loved it. But after the blank stare from Scott, and his comment to the kids that "I must have bought it for myself", I knew it was my friend. I love it. This picture is mostly for my Mom who has wanted to see it since Christmas. I posted a picture of it MOM!!! :)

DVD from my Mom and Dad

All the kids sleep together on Christmas Eve. Just like when I was a kid, all the girls would sleep together. Good memories!

Christmas morning, we had just checked and made sure Santa had come.

Hope got lip gloss from Hannah. We all had lots and lots and lots of lip gloss...all day long. I was surprised there was some left at the end of the day.

Hayden got this hat from Hannah for Christmas, and Hayden wanted to see what Rocky looked like in it. haha

A few recipes for you to try...

2010-01-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

Picture thanks to Pioneer Woman

Pictures...thanks to Joy the Baker!

MMMMMMMmmmmhhh, I tried these pancakes this morning, egg nog pancakes. The were delicious, spectacular, everyone in my family liked...if not loved them. Even Scott said they were good. I do love a good buttermilk pancake that is really thick and high and oh so good. You will note, that it isn't even Saturday OR Sunday, and I still made pancakes. You gotta love that Joy the Baker.

Here is another recipe that I tried... last night, Pioneer Woman's homemade ranch dressing. I don't even bother with store bought dressings anymore. Dressing is so easy to make up yourself, and keep in the fridge, and it's so much better than anything you'd buy!! If you like ranch, try this one, it's a keeper!

Like Mother like Daughter

2010-01-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

My Mother told me as a child I liked to change my clothes. I also liked to have my nails painted, but I remember wanting it off right away. But Hope...that Hope likes to change her clothes. Hope walked into her room a week or so ago, and proclaimed that her room was a mess, she needed to pick it up, uhhhh you mean I (as in the Mother) needs to pick it up. I'm talking she has already changed out of her jammies, that she put on after bath...probably like 10 times. I'm not kidding. It used to be a few outfit changes a day, now, I can't even keep track. She just now came out in an outfit that has been taken out of her drawer because it was too small and put away in a garbage bag, waiting for me to take care of. Well, now it's just more fun for Hope. Today, as Kohl's I found (on clearance 80% off!!) Cinderella jammies. The fancy kind. As soon as I saw them I knew she'd love them. Because did I mention, most of her clothing changes revolve around jammies. Mostly, not all.

You know what else I bought today at Kohl's? A shirt that I had already bought for Hope that I couldn't find and I was SICK of looking for it. Over the last couple of weeks, we couldn't find: 1 pair Fancy Nancy slippers, 1 pair jeans, Hannah's green Abercrombie shirt, and a shirt Santa brought Hope. The other night I was sick and tired or sort of looking and being annoyed I couldn't find said items. I looked and found them all...except that shirt. Don't forget I am compulsive, and when I say I kept thinking and looking I mean it. Finally, I just had to tell myself it got thrown away, and to STOP looking. I looked for just a minute today when I got back :). Hope took the tags off the new shirt, and that was that.

I don't know what people do that don't work out...or how they must feel. I was feeling a little on the crappy/crabby side this morning. It didn't help that,I sat down at spin and the instructor wanted to take an informal poll on how we thought the economy was doing. A lot of people raised their hands when she asked if they thought it was better. I about fell off my bike raising my hand when asked if we felt worse. But then, about 15 minutes into the workout, my whole mood changed. I started chatting with my friend next to me, and to Scott on my other side. I swear I'm addicted to the endorphins that are released during exercise. Thank heavens for exercise. And thank heavens I didn't impulsively cancel my club membership when Scott lost his job. 'Cause I almost did. That would have been pure madness. I went through a time when I was very miserly. I didn't want to spend a penny on anything that wasn't necessary. I had a friend, who has been in my place before, and she told me not to act poor, because I'm not. Some of the best advice I received. Granted, there might be a time when I am poor (in a year or so, and Scott still doesn't have a job) cutting back on some things is essential to spread what we have out as long as possible, but days like today...thank HEAVENS for the gym and spin class. Because, girls I worked it today!! I'd like to think I was the reason those spin room mirrors were all fogged up.

Oh, I must go because Hope is telling me she can't find any pajamas, seriously? At least I haven't tucked her in yet, that's when I may get a little grumpy. Scott and the boys are at the Trail Blazers game tonight, it's Hope and I that must solve the dilemmas of not a thing to wear!

Hush up I'm busy!

2010-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

I just did a little experiment...I sat down at the computer. I wasn't even 1/2 way through my sister's post when people started telling me they needed things. Grrrr. I just had to yell and say I was BUSY!

I have decided to put blogging back on my list of things to do. I have been feeling guilt. Guilt because I don't scrapbook (Hope does have a scrapbook STARTED, but just started no where near caught up on anybodies) I don't journal either. So, my blog was it, as far as keeping track of the day to day stuff. I have a terrible memory, so if I don't write it down I don't remember it. So, I will be blogging again.

Just so I don't forget, I have really chapped lips ( I think something is not working right in me, I drink more water than most everyone I know, so that's NOT it) Scott is still out of work. He does have an interview someplace that would take us away from WA. Hmmmm. I like my life here, why oh why can't things just stay the same? Hope is now a Sunbeam. She was not excited at all to start in Primary, but seemed just fine yesterday, and was all excited afterward talking about her new teachers and class. She was really impressed because the husband (in the teaching duo) could touch the ceiling. Impressive. I don't like my baby growing up. Not one little bit. More to come I promise, the Indians are getting restless, after all it is dinner time!! (for the 100th time :)

Thanksgiving 2009!

2009-11-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hayley and Garrett came for Thanksgiving this year. We had lots of fun AND lots of treats. She EVEN made homemade Oreos!! Yum. No Mom and Dad this year, Mom's back is really bad and she couldn't fly. We missed you Mom and Dad. G and H brought the Great Dalmudi and we had fun playing that.

This is our new little baby....Rocky. My Uncle Ron's dog was the Dad (he was born is CO, hence the name...ROCKY!) My Uncle Ron's dog had a litter of puppies in January, and at Hayley's wedding he asked if we wanted one. Scout was sick, and I told him no. But I started getting a hankering really bad. I called my Dad up and asked if he knew if Ron had anymore puppies coming...he said yeah I think he just had some. So, I called my Uncle and the rest is history. We picked Rocky up on Friday and have been busy ever since. Lucky for us, my Uncle was driving to see my Aunt in Northern Washington, so he brought him to Hermiston, OR and we met outside a gas station.

The Thanksgiving table. My friend Shelly was over, her kids were with their Dad for Thanksgiving, so she joined us. I tell you this, because she is taking the picture, and you might kind of wonder.

Hannah made these cute name cards for everyone. Hey, if I'm not scrap booking, at lease we can use that paper for something cute hahaha.

Hayden and Rocky. He has been really cute with Rocky. He really wants Rocky to LOVE him.

This is me hold Rocky for the first time. Hannah took this picture. I cried when I saw him he was so cute and little.

Public Service Announcment

2009-11-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

This "stuff" works. I'm sure you have all seen Brooke Shields in those adds for Latisse, the medicine that grows eye lashes. I always wondered if it really worked. Well, I saw a friend the other night that I hadn't seen for about a month or so. I noticed her eyelashes...they were SO long. So long, in fact, we teased her about her eyelid getting tired because they had to blink those looooong lashes. So long, in fact, that they seriously cast a shadow upon her face. She told me she had been using a generic for Latisse for about 12 weeks or so. Well, it worked that's for sure. I came home and did a little research on the side effects because I had heard it can turn your light eyes brown. It can indeed to that, it's called permanent iris pigmentation. It can also cause: lid pigmentation (darkening of the eyelid), hair growth outside the treatment area, and eye inflammation. She did say her eyes had been a little burny and red. Hmmmm, too bad I like my green eyes. They need to do a little more work on the formula for me to become a user. But WOW her eyelashes were sure long! The things were are willing to do/risk for beauty, isn't it amazing??

recipe club

2009-11-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

I have a minute. Scott went on Hayden's field trip this morning. Hope is downstairs, she just finished up a "fashion show". My friend gave her a bag of clothes. Most are still too big AND summer dresses...but she does not care one bit. She is just like me when I was little. My Mom tells me I changed clothes a million times a day. So does she, her room is proof :) She is now downstairs playing dolls, and she was tucking her dolls in (on top of the Costco toilet paper package). I told her she was a good Mommy. She said she wasn't a Mommy, she was a girl. Then she said she was a "toy mom" at least she knows fact vs fiction. **Oh and do you let your 3 year old, who was already dressed in clothes that fit, wear her slightly too big summer dress to the gym because she wants to AND because she dressed herself? I don't know. I fear my standards are lowering :) **

I went to recipe club last night. It's where a bunch of girls get together, bring a recipe to share and sit around and chat (and of course EAT!). I love recipe club. Anyway, last night's theme was Holiday Favorites. My friend Denise brought this recipe for stuffing. I thought it was delicious and thought I'd share. I'm always looking for new and better recipes for the holiday tradition. I'm kind of picky about stuffing, I'll be honest, usually I think Stove Top tastes better than a lot of stuffing. But not this, it was tasty!

Spicy and Sweet Sausage Stuffing

2 sticks real butter
1 onion
4-5 celery sticks
3 pkg cubed seasoned stuffing mix (I used the Marie Calendars brand)
2 Rolls of Jimmy Dean Bold Sausage (If you can't find bold, do 1 regular, 1 hot) brown, crumble and drain on paper towels.
1/2 c. sliced almonds
3 1/2 cups chicken broth or more if you like it more moist

Saute the onion and celery in the butter. Add in rest of ingredients. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add 2 pkg chopped craisens and 4 peeled, cored and chopped granny smith apples.

Whobody knew?

2009-11-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

A shout out to Carrie and Hayley for being my remote IT support! Thanks for the advice ladies. Who knew?? :) Obviously Carrie and Hayley and probably everybody else but me hahaha.

Anyway, I will tell you a funny little story about Hope. The other day she was playing with her little princess figures. All of a sudden she is saying very loudly, "Whobody moved my Cinderella?" Translation: somebody moved Cinderella, who was it? She invented a new word. I do miss when kids grow up and stop saying cute little mispronounced words/made up words.

**Just a side note, Hope's look on the picture above, is approximately the same look as when she was saying "whobody did it?"** Just thought you should know + I needed to test out my new computer skill.

So, I will blab here!

2009-11-05T17:24:00.001-08:00

Please tell me you are all watching Modern Family! I do so enjoy that show. Also, did you catch the remake of "V"? I must admit I did an eye roll when Scott and Hunter said they wanted to watch, BUT it was rather entertaining.

I posted some lovely photos in the previous post. I hate now how on the posting page when you put pictures up...it doesn't show the picture, it's the picture code or whatever. Do you have that, too? It is rather a bother, and I can't really blab about each picture like I'd like to. Grrr.

So, I will blab right here. Hayden was 007 this year for Halloween. Really, he just wanted to carry an airsoft gun (not loaded of course) Hope, was many things (lots of different dressing up parties this year) but for the actual night she put on a Barbie dress-up and some wings. I even put on a little make-up, she was in heaven. Hannah was a hippie A large group of her friends gathered and they went out together, with the rest of the street kids (and some parents) following along (Hope included) I think she wanted to go all by herself, but oh well. Hunter stayed home and passed out candy. He was being a party pooper...what? you'd think he had a broken ankle or something.

Speaking of the broken ankle, he did get his cast off a day or so ago. Believe it or not! After 4 short weeks the doctor said "kids are amazing". They really do heal so fast. He is, however, having a harder time walking than he thought. I think he thought he would immediately start playing basketball or something. Darn it all. I have been using some of my PT skillz on him though. He should be better in no time. You know it.

Anyhoo, I must warm up dinner. Leftover chili is on the menu, I love leftovers. I did make fresh corn bread though. Today was the official start of "the season" for me. I wanted to play Christmas songs on the piano. I'm getting in the mood. Hot chocolate is sounding good. Not to mention, I saw a Golden Retriever puppy picture on the back of a Target add today, and ran up to show Scott how cute he was. He rolled his eyes (big time) and said "NO DOG!" Oh course not now silly, but someday :)

October pictures

2009-11-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures for you. Hope's birthday party, Hope helping to make her cupcakes, Halloween, Hopey's 3 year old pictures!!

The Hiding Place

2009-10-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

"The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it." James Bryce

I was asked to host a book club for our ward. Initially, I struggled to find just the right book. It's the first book club discussion. So, I wasn't sure who the participates would be. I wanted something that appealed to many, but wasn't BORING. And I did NOT want to read a church book. Sorry, I just didn't. One day, it hit me, why not The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom?? Have I been glad I did. Or that someone had a hand in helping me select it, if you know what I mean. If you haven't read the book here is a nice link to see what I'm talking about.

I feel like I learned so much more the second time reading this book. I happened upon the quote above about the worth of a book. I have known that Scott losing his job is part of a bigger plan. There wasn't a good reason for him to lose it. He had his "numbers" in fact, he was 165% for last quarter and already at 95% for the next. But this book was so very helpful in reminding me, of a couple things. First, God is in charge. We need to have faith and things will work out. What I have a little bit of trouble with, is that I know things will work out, I just want them to work out how I want them to work out. You know? I could go on and on with this one, but I think you get the point. We all have struggles, I'm trying to learn as many lessons from this one as quickly as I can :) I loved learning all about Corrie's life lessons. "In darkness God's truth shines most clear."

The second thing that really stands out for me with this book is the attitude of gratitude that Corrie and her sister Betsie have. Betsie and Corrie, by some miracle, had been allowed to keep hidden (in the concentration camp) a sweater to keep them warm, a bottle of medicine, and a bible. Betsie was sick and Corrie was thankful that she had this medicine for her sister. However, her sister couldn't stand to see others in need, and they would share the medicine with all that needed it. It really was a miracle, because the medicine should have been long gone after all the use. Every time they went to the bottle there was medicine. Until, they got some other medication, and then Corrie couldn't get another drop out of the bottle.

But it's the story of the fleas that I love. When Corrie and Betsie first get moved to a new barrack, they are with a group of women who are miserable, fighting and live with fleas infesting everything. Right away Betsie is thankful, that they were placed where they were, so they could help heal these women. She is also thankful for the fleas. Corrie initially remarks about how she couldn't feel thankful for the fleas. But she soon changed. The women in that barrack were allowed a lot of freedom from the guards, because the barrack was so infested with fleas. Corrie and Betsie were able to teach the women. Then Corrie saw that we should indeed be thankful for EVERYTHING. That has been a good lesson for me, being thankful for all of our opportunities, and our struggles!

I'm still here...and Happy Birthday to me!

2009-10-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Scott's new full time job is looking for a full time job. That uses the computer. SO, my blogging, facebooking and net surfing have been severely limited. There are times when the computer is free, but with blogging if I don't do it when I feel like it, I just don't feel like doing it at all. Scott does have some leads, but we are certainly still waiting.

Before I forget, my friend made a cake for a birthday celebration (mine, my birthday was on the 20th) It was some of the best cake ever. I have made (and blogged about) another chocolate cake with peanut butter cups stuck to the side. This was different because it had cream cheese frosting and layers of melted peanut butter between the layers. Hello??!! EVERYTHING is better with cream cheese frosting. Here is a picture of the heavenly creation. And here is a ">link so you can make it ASAP. Beware, take it with you to a party...because you will want to eat the entire thing once you start!!

**the link didn't work try this**

I have printed the recipe and will add it to my file. Plus, I've added the Picky Palate to my favorites, thanks Picky Palate!!!

looking on the bright side of things...well trying anyway

2009-10-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

Quick catch up...Scott traveled a lot in the beginning of the month for work, so I was busy busy with the kids. You know how it is, having to be 2 or 3 places at once? Good times.

Anyway, Hunter broke his ankle playing football on like...hmmmm the 2nd of October (it was a Friday). At first, the coach saw a bruise on his shin, and iced that. It wasn't until Hunter said, "Uh, it's not my shin that hurts it's my ANKLE!" that Scott realized it might be a little more serious than "taking a helmet to the shin." The coach's response to Hunter's comment..."Son, your shin feels better because we have been icing it." Oh...great...thanks. Scott did the ER trip that night and found out he had broken his ankle. I took him to the Orthopedic doctor expecting him to cast it and send us away for 6-8 weeks, when he said Hunter's ankle would need to be operated on. It was right in the growth plate, and needed some help to heal right. So, that was Tuesday, surgery was scheduled for Thursday.

On Wednesday, I was at a Primary Presidency meeting when I get a call from Scott telling me I need to come home. He didn't want to tell me why, he just wanted me to come home. That's never a good sign in my book, so after a little yelling :) he tells me. He had just got laid off from Sharp. I told him I'd be right home. Hung up the phone, and proceeded to say a very bad word. Talk about your very worst nightmare.

Hunter's surgery went very well. He is on the mend. He is getting to do a lot of reading, crossword puzzles, math puzzles etc. I printed him a math puzzle yesterday, that I looked at and went....hmmmm. My boy is smarter than me.

Within an hour of being laid off, Scott had updated his resume and started networking. He knows a lot of people. Hopefully, all of this networking pays off.

I (we) are trying to look on the bright side of things, like...we have no debt, our cars are paid off, we got some severance pay, lets see what else, I don't have to take Hope to Costco with me, I can run in the afternoon when it gets warm, fall is a beautiful time of year here, I have lots of friends and family who love me.

Apparently, I had more to say...

2009-10-01T15:09:00.001-07:00

I made another green smoothie today. I used (my own recipe): 2 handfuls of spinach, banana, apple, 1/2 lime (whole thing!. This smoothie was so fresh tasting! So much better than yesterday. Understandable, spinach is a lot more mild than kale. I read a book today while Hope napped, the whole thing. It was very interesting. All about why we need more greens in our diet. It was called Green for Life.

Read all about the amazing benefits of adding (lots) of greens to your diet. At least 2 large handfuls a day. Iceberg lettuce doesn't count. You know what does? Spinach, basil, parsley, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, arugula, romaine plus lots more. I would never go on a complete raw food diet, but it's very interesting to read lots of different books about our food, and take the best from all these different opinions. They all have something good to say. For instance, I could never eat ONLY local food. There are some people(localvores)that will only eat food that is grown/raise 100 miles from their house. I do think that is cool, I did grow a garden and eat out of it this summer and I do like to shop farmers markets. BUT, that would also mean no citrus, bananas, and greens in the winter. We are buying 1/4 of a grass pastured cow this month (and chicken) from Harmony J.A.C.K. Farms. For some of the benefits of grass fed meat go here or read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. My point is, to not devote yourself to one way of thinking...but be balanced and glean the best from lots of different theories.

I made these Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burgers last night and they were VERY good. Do try!

2009-10-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well, since I have done that boot camp at least 3 times since I posted about it...maybe it's time for a change. It's not that I haven't wanted to blog...

Anyway, here is a little sampling of what's been going on in that head of mine.

First of all, I came really close to buying one of those really expensive blenders. I have been wanting to make those "green smoothies" But spending up to $500 on a blender...?? Just couldn't do it. Although, I made my first green smoothie yesterday, and I had to work very hard at blending it up. Life would be a lot easier with a $500 blender. Here's the one I made yesterday: 5 leaves kale, 3 apples, 2 cups water, juice of 1 lemon. I'm not going to lie and say it was delicious...it wasn't. But it WAS way better than I thought it was going to be. It made enough for all the kids to sample (they were completely grossed out), Scott got a swig, and then two of my neighbors were lucky enough to be around and partake.

I'm sure you are so interested in the green smoothie, and WHY I'd even make such a thing. Well, I'll tell you but not now, playgroup is in 15 minutes, and I still have to shower. There is never enough time, but I'll blog more later. I was sick of "Heather's Boot Camp" on my blog!

Heather's boot camp

2009-09-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

run 5 minutes easy at first (warm up) then moderate pace (on the repeat run, fast past)
jump rope 5 minutes (fast pace, high knees)
suicides length of the gym (push it!)
5 minutes side squats across the gym and different plyometrics (leap frog, wall jumps, high skipping with BIG arms)
5 minutes rowing machine (keep the pace quick, my arms were burning by the end)
a ton of weighted squats (a bunch until it burns)
Versa T rainer (this machine we have at my gym, you lay on your stomach and pull your body weight up)

repeat

Finish with 5 minutes killer abs. I did different plank type ab exercises today.

The workout took me about 1 hour 5 minutes. That's including a quick stretch.

I'm not training for any event right now, so I've dropped down to running 2 times a week. I'm spinning a couple of times a week, but I have missed a boot camp type class. Instead of paying extra to do a boot camp style class with a personnel trainer...I'm doing it myself. I get a better workout anyway, made just for me, by me to meet my goals. Just thought I'd share. It kicked my butt.

Karma

2009-09-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was in a bad mood. I didn't sleep well, I kept hearing coyotes. I don't know why, I have never been woken up by coyotes...but they kept me up the other night. Anyway, I was a big fat pain in the butt. I made Hayden cry, Scott even called me Belinda. (remember she is my alter-ego) I was rushing around trying to get everything done. I got to the gym early, so I could leave early and come home and shower and then rushed back out the door to Costco and Sports Authority. Both places are ALL the way across the river about 15 minute away. I pull into the parking lot, grab my purse, and realize my bag is way too lite...I left my wallet in my gym bag! uhhhggg. All my rushing around for nothing. I went home and took a nap with Hope and said "Forget it!" Costco still hasn't happened, but you know what? We aren't starving.

Ahhhh!

2009-09-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh! Back to school...it felt good to get into my old routine of getting kids off to school, picking up the house, then going to the gym. Hope even took a nap this afternoon. The house was clean and quiet, until 4:00...then same old same old. But it was nice for a little while :) It was nice having the kids home again, too. Hopey missed her brothers and sister aka "the kids". She even talked to them on her cell phone (old cell phone not working ;) and told them all about the bus cake I made, and she told them she missed them and wanted them home.

Heart attach for a big fat dummy

2009-09-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

Funny story...
So, last night I was reading on FB, and this lady was talking about results from Hood to Coast. "OH good" I thought, I wanted to check and see how we did. I look on there...and I see my team...we are sitting at 16!! I'm like, "WE GOT 16th place in our division!!" I was so excited I was jumping around and yelling. I even go down and tell Scott and the rest of the family. Meanwhile, I am jumping up and down waving my arms. He knew...he said he already looked. He didn't seem nearly as impressed as I felt. But that didn't stop me from being as excited as if I had won the lottery. Just for your info, there are 1000 teams on H2C, I was on an all women's team. There are about 8 different divisions of teams, come to find out later. So anyway, after my little celebration, I got up to see just how many teams were in my division...see my Dad had asked how many teams there were. My Mom said, "There were 1000 teams!!" I knew we weren't 16th out of 1000, I thought it was out of at least 100. Well, no. It was out of 30 :) 16th out of 30 not 16th out of 100+. Still damn good. hahahahahahahaha!!!

Back to school is almost here!

2009-08-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

This is our last summer night. We had back to school night this afternoon/tonight. First, we went to the brand new elementary school. How I love the new school. It's so pretty. Both kids got good teachers. Hannah is in 5th now, and she will have three different teachers. She has her "besty" in her class so she couldn't be any happier. Hayden got the teacher everybody wants, so I'm super excited. She is supposed to be hard, and we already have a homework assignment ;) We went to back to school night for Hunter as well. I got to check out his teachers and they all met with my approval. I will say his science teacher, Mr. Hunting, looked about 12. It's not even his first year teaching. I must be getting old. I was a total looser parent and didn't have any of the forms filled out so he could get a ticket to receive his schedule. Luckily, my friend was giving out the tickets, and I promised to turn in "my assignment" on Wednesday. I have never been to a back to school night at Skyridge, so I didn't know better(last year we were at Disney) and I assumed the first day was fine. OOOOps.

We got all the sports schedules for Hunter, Hannah and Hayden. It looks like Tuesdays and Thursdays are going to be crazy. I will need to be 3 places all at once. No problem!!! Hannah's practice is held at a Middle School about 20 MINUTES away!!! Yuck! That's at 4:45, Hayden's practice is 2 minutes away, but it's right at 5. Hunter needs to be picked up from football practice right at 5. Hmmmmm... I'm working on different carpools so we can make things work. Goodness.

My parents have been here (they watched the kids for Hood to Coast) and they leave tomorrow. It was fun having Ma and Pa here for a visit. I'm off to go fold laundry, and make my bed. I love clean sheet Monday!

Hill to Coast wrap up

2009-08-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

It's done! I had a great time at Hood to Coast. It was hard as can be, but lots of fun. My team started at 8:30 am on Friday, my van didn't start running until about 1ish. Times are very mixed up for me. I was in a Hood to Coast vacuum. Eating, sleeping even exercising were all done at very strange times and places. I ran my first leg at about 3ish. Then we had some time off while van 1 ran their second legs. We ate dinner and chilled and we were back at in at about midnight. I was the second runner in our van. My middle of the night run was the one I was nervous about. Good reason too, it SUCKED!!!! a)it was in the middle of the night b) it was all uphill. And by uphill I mean up a mountain. About 10 minutes in, I thought what the heck?? Then I hooked up with this dude John from DC and we chatted, then we hooked up with some other person, and we just chatted and complained until we were up the mountain. Finally, at the end it was downhill, and downhill never felt so good. I was so happy, proud, relieved, pooped, excited to be done with a run. I had some Gatorade, which made my "stomach" a little sick ;) After some Imodium all was well. After our second legs, we parked the van and slept for about 3 hours. It felt like heaven. Then we were out for our final leg. I was wanting to just get it done! I didn't know the other ladies in the van so well before, but got to know them quite well during the race. We had a great van. 3 of the women had done the race many many times. Two of them wrapped the van like none other. The LaCamas teams were the "Head Hunters" so we had a crazy jungle/pirate/skull theme. We had people taking pictures all day and night. They packed us each a little backpack full of fun stuff, and made us shirts and matching hats! Loved them. I am not really very sore, we were all very careful to stretch and use "the stick" after each run. I have soaked in Epsom salts and have taken a nap today. I'm feeling good. That's all for now, I'm off to make a little dinner and pick up the house (just a little).

Wish me luck..."not break a leg" though

2009-08-27T19:54:00.001-07:00

Wish we luck, I'm going to go pack for Hood to Coast. Wait, I don't need luck on the packing...just the running part. I'm excited and nervous and maybe dreading the middle of the night "very hard" run. I went to the dentist yesterday, and (he has run it before) he asked me my legs. When I told him what legs I was running...he got all weird and asked me what I knew about my second leg. I told him I knew it was going to suck, it was uphill, in the middle of the night, and very dusty. He gave me a mask to wear (you know the kind dentists wear). But I am the type of gal that imagines the very worse, I have been running some really ugly hills. I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised. The hills I think I can do...it's the middle of the night. I'm going to be tired. You know the other thing I'm worrying about? My contacts. When should I take them out, when should I put them back in? I'm bringing my Croc flip flops so my feet don't have to touch anything gross. I'm not worrying about any makeup except mascara. I don't want anyone to think I'm sick or anything. (When people see me without mascara for the first time...they always look twice! Damn those blond lashes!) Oh shoot, I need to go wash my sports bras. I don't want to start smelly. I am going to be very smelly. My workout shirts are those fancy ones that hold onto all the stank. I'd wear perfume, but I don't want to be that girl. I just want to get on with it already!!

2009-08-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

Have you tried these? I think they are mighty good. It's like a tart/tangy jelly center covered in dark chocolate. You must enjoy the dark chocolate to fully enjoy this snack. Just saying they are tasty.

I want these

2009-08-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

I have heard lots of good things about this red cookbook, they didn't have it at my Costco today, but they did have the blue one. I flipped through the blue one, and it does look good. Lots of good hints and suggestions throughout. I think I need them. ****A note to all of my sisters, please do not buy this cookbook :) Christmas is coming.****

Does anyone have a Valium?

2009-08-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

Kidding hahaha :) I'm just tired. I took all my children plus Hannah's friend Hannah back to school clothes shopping. It was rather hellish, I must say. The big kids were all pretty good. But Hope...oh my. I brought the stroller, but she doesn't sit in it. She'd want to walk or have me carry her. Of course, right? The mall wasn't so bad. The real melt down started at Kohls, I got lots of pity looks as I was carrying her screaming through the store. (I took the cat boots off, heaven forbid) However, pity turned into something else entirely at Famous Footware, where the salesperson had picked up one too many times today. She wasn't so patient with my little one, who just wanted to try on shoes. I'm just glad that's done! She did fall asleep in the car. :)

Now, what to make for dinner? I'm afraid the San Fran trip has sucked all my menu planning brain cells right on out of my head. HMMMMM, I can't do omelets again...

Julia Child makes an omelette

2009-08-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LWmvfUKwBrg&hl=en&fs=1&">

The movie was great. I came home and googled Julia Child, and found this little gem. I have made many omelettes, but never made an omelette like that, until today (that's what we had for dinner). It was so easy, and so good. Way better than how I used to make them. Try it! Meryl Streep deserves an Oscar, that woman can do anything.

Hello?

2009-08-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hello??? Last year the first day of school was the day after Labor Day which was like the 2nd. So, I just magically assumed that the first day back would be the day after Labor Day...or the Wednesday because I did remember that the first day back was a Wednesday. Oh no, the first day back is before Labor Day on the 2nd of September!! I'm sure at one time I knew the correct date, after all I even have the back to school night marked on my calendar. But in the back of my mind...I was thinking the first day of school was the 9th or something crazy. I do believe my kids got gipped on 2 weeks of vacation compared to the Tomball schools. I am NOT complaining ;) This next week is our last full week of summer. I can't believe it. School supplies are all bought...and spread all over the dining room table. Hannah needs shoes, everybody needs jeans, nobody really needs shirts, and since socks apparently are disposable...everybody needs socks.
Hunter 8th
Hannah 5th
Hayden 2nd

Next year:
Hunter 9th
Hannah 6th
Hayden 3rd

I can't believe Hunter will be in high school and Hannah will be in middle school. Yuck!

I'm taking/dragging Scott to see Julie and Julia or whatever it's called. He is being a good sport, and not complaining (at all) because I really really really want to see it.

Got zucchini?

2009-08-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

It's hard to tell just how big these are, but trust me they are huge!!

Right about now we have more zucchini than we know what to do with. We pick the big bad ugly zucchini not to eat, but to play with. Hunter and Hayden have "zucchini ed" people (ding dong ditch, but you leave a zucchini). Hayden and his friends like to use the big ones for air soft gun shooting practice. We have even carved some up. I have cut the small ones and put them in just about anything and everything. Not to mention bread and cookies. I don't think I'll buy a zucchini at the store ALL winter long! If you want to feel like you have gardening success...plant zucchini.

I watched my neighbor's kids today (she watched mine while I went to San Francisco). OMGoodness, is it time for school to start yet? Soon. I finally feel like I'm back in the groove after my girls trip to San Fran. Boy, does it take a few days to get your feet back under you.

Last night Scott and I went for a late run. I had run 6 miles earlier that day, but needed some night running/training. It really wasn't so bad, and this is coming from someone who gets grumpy past 9. I had book club last night and I even had a full tummy. I was tired starting out, but once that heart starts pumping, you are awake. Amazing how that works. Hood to Coast 1 week from today. I really just want to get it done. I think I'm prepared/ready as I'll ever be, so bring it on!

I went to my friend's Silpada jewelry party tonight. I didn't think I'd buy anything but left with a new cuff bangle bracelet. Well, didn't actually leave with it, payed for it, and it comes next week. Maybe I'll wear it for Hood to Coast, kidding. I don't think it would go with my Head Hunter singlet (super ugly shirt we had to buy for our team). Totally rambling now, goodnight.

My little Giada

2009-08-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

For several months all Hope wanted to watch on TV was Max and Ruby. I like Max and Ruby so that was fine by me. In fact, I think we all kind of liked Max and Ruby...bigger children have all been know to sit and watch M&R...with Hope;) Well, I started DVRing Giada's new cooking show on the Food Network, and Hope has watched. Now, she wants to watch Giada as much as she wants to watch Max and Ruby, that's saying a lot. For many weeks she had been into "making recipes". Making recipes=making messes, really but it keeps her busy and happy. Really, anything can go into a recipe. Cheerios, nuts, crackers, berries...then she likes to freeze it. Everyone must sample, too. It's delightful. Now, she has found a fellow chef to bond with. "I'm like Giada" she now tells us as she is wiping up some concoction. Hope describes things she eats as "tasty and delicious" or "tasty and sweet". She is a funny girl.

Ice Cream

2009-08-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, do you like chocolate and peanut butter ice cream? If the answer is yes, then you must make this ASAP. Joy the Baker does not disappoint with this one. I'm just passing this good treat along. It tastes like frozen pudding...with peanut butter.

Another favorite ice cream recipe is found here. Just saying...if you are in need of a treat here you go!

Testing

2009-08-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

This is my same blog, just a different address. Testing to see if this works.