The Eyre Family

Milkshakes

2012-01-27T16:40:00.002-08:00

I am a terrible speller. When I was younger I hated spelling tests. When I was a teacher I hated giving spelling tests. I think they are dumb and stupid and do not make someone a good speller. Some kids are naturally good spellers. Mine are not. They have to really study to learn their words and in the process there is much fighting, whining, tantrums, yelling, crying, and arguing. Computer time was taken away and replaced with studying for spelling. Last week I was Mean Mom because I made them study their words over and over and over again. I gave oral quizzes and written quizzes. And then came the bribe. If they passed their test with an A or B they would get to go get a milkshake after school today. And hallelujah they did it! It's the highest grade on a spelling test Trevor has gotten this year. Hopefully now he'll have a little more confidence in himself to pass the rest of his tests. Colin has been doing well the last few weeks, but it's always good to keep that child motivated. When they came home from school today they were happy and smiling and excited. And I was excited to take them for their reward. I was a proud Mom, a nice Mom. Sometimes all they need is a little push, a little something to get their minds in the right place, to give them the incentive they need to work hard for something. And next time they have a test, I hope their incentive will be that they want to study because they liked the feeling they got when they saw their grade; when they saw what came of their hard work.

Subway Art/Prints

2012-01-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

I didn't know what subway art was until I was visiting teaching and saw a cute Thanksgiving printable in a frame. Then I started looking up "subway art" online and on pinterest (addicting!!) and discovered it was something I was already doing! There are a few blogs/websites I love looking at for ideas for home decorating and jonesdesigncompany.com is one of my favorites. She has a business where she sells printed art and I have stolen some of her ideas and made things for myself at home. I've also gotten ideas from other places and with my scrapbook software I've made my own. I am not a very crafty person so when I can make something to decorate my home with I get super excited. I have ideas for more thing and hopefully soon I'll be showing off pictures of my re-decorated downstairs bathroom. I love this house and I love doing things to make it "ours". (Top picture - Logan wanted a picture of us. Isn't he so cute? Home Sweet Home was my first print, I got the idea off Jones Design company. Family Rules - I did this on a canvas with blue and yellow, but when we moved I wanted something nicer in a frame. Dave printed it off at work so I could get the bigger size. The quote from The Family: A Proclamation was an idea I got from Sugardoodle...I tried to print theirs off, but couldn't get the color I wanted in the size I wanted so I made my own. I got the monogram idea from Jones Design as well. I needed something red for the boys room. I just need frames and then they can go up.)

Birthdays

2012-01-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Around here, January is the start of our family birthday season. Logan's birthday is first, then mine is 8 days later, after that we have Trevor in March and then Dave and Colin in May. For Logan's birthday this year, he kept telling me he wanted a party with ALL of his friends. We've been doing a playgroup lately so I invited all the moms and kids over on Friday for lunch and playing and cupcakes. Logan had a great time and it's so nice to see him with so many good friends! When we moved into this house I was worried Logan wouldn't have any friends, but he's made some great ones. On Saturday Logan want to go to McDonalds for dinner and then we came back here for cake and gifts. The video of him opening his gifts is so cute! My mom got him the garbage truck he's been wanting since before Christmas. It was a great day for him and he was so excited to be 4. He started Sunbeams in church and do so well in Primary and in his class. Here are some fun facts about Logan * He loves Backyardagins and will sing and dance while he watches the show * When we walk the boys to school he has to carry a lunchbox and backpack like his brothers * He comes in our room every night and sleeps on the floor because he said he gets scared in his room * He loves building things with Legos * He likes doing "homeschool" with mom * He likes hugs, not kisses I love the time I get to be home alone with Logan. He is such a fun kid to be around and always so talkative. He used to be very shy but he is coming out of his shell and really turning into such a great kid.

Bikes and Cub Scouts

2011-12-21T11:13:00.001-08:00

Some people might find it odd that in a house full of boys there are not a lot of sports going on. We don't watch sports on TV, the kids don't play on any teams and never have. Trevor said to me once, "Mom, I'm more of an indoor kid," which is why it took us so long to get him to finally learn how to ride a bike. Trevor would rather be inside playing computer games, reading books, playing imagination; anything other than being outside doing a "sport". But he's 8 and it was time. I told him and Colin a while ago that if they wanted a friend birthday party this coming year they had to learn to ride a bike first. Trevor, of course, had to argue, but Dave and I remained firm. And two weeks ago we took the boys to the church parking lot and told Trevor he was going to learn to ride a bike. And he did! He picked it up so quickly and he was having fun. I make him go out and practice every now and then and he's getting better every time. He doesn't ever want to go out and ride bikes with his friends, he's not interested in taking a ride around the neighborhood or over to Grandma's house. He'd rather stay indoors. And that's okay with me. I don't mind having an indoor kid. But at least now he knows how to ride a bike and he knows he did it all on his own. One thing Trevor is interested in is scouting and last night he got his Wolf award as well as a gold and silver arrow point. He likes doing things from his scout book and getting awards and accomplishing something. He always looks forward to getting more awards, advancing and moving up in scouting. And he wants his Eagle award. Even as an 8 year old kid he talks about someday when he gets his Eagle. I look forward to the day when I have all of those Mother's pins from all of my boys and I can see what they grew into because of scouting.

Gift giving

2011-12-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving we were talking about Christmas and what the kids wanted as gifts. As they rattled off a list of toys Trevor spoke up. He said, "Christmas isn't about getting lots of gifts, it's about being together with your family and being nice to people." That one comment seemed to set the mood for our Christmas this year. We choose to do the 12 Days of Christmas for our neighbors who live across the street. Dave and I had recently talked to the husband and wife who live there and both mentioned how their disabled son really enjoyed the Halloween treats we dropped off. We thought it would be fun to secretly drop off gifts for their family to make it fun for their son. The kids have really enjoyed getting into "Ninja Mode" and sneaking across the street to drop off a gift every night. Sometimes they will hear whoever opens the door yell out Thank You but mostly they run back in the house chattering of how good a job they did not being noticed or seen. Colin has really gotten into the Spirit of Christmas this year as well. The other day he told me he was going to make gifts for his brothers. He made something out of Legos for Logan and then wrapped it up with computer paper. He made a couple of things for Trevor and yesterday I noticed something for Dave under the tree. I couldn't resist so I opened it up. Colin made his dad a drawing book out of paper. He colored a cover and wrote "scare" (scary) on it. Inside was blank paper so Dave can draw monsters and other "scare" pictures. I must admit I got a little teary eyed looking at that and knowing that right now, instead of wondering what he is getting for Christmas, Colin is more focused on giving thoughtful gifts to his family.

Slow cooker dinner

2011-12-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

Almost every Sunday I use my crockpot to cook dinner. We get out of church at 4 and it's nice to have something ready to eat. One of our kids' favorite dinners is Spaghetti and Meatballs. I love it too and it's so easy and cheap. I wanted to make it for Sunday dinner so I looked for a recipe to make meatballs in the crockpot but some of the comments people made on the recipes said the sauce got greasy or the meatballs were too soft. So I made my meatballs the way I always do in the morning (baked in the oven) and then before church I put them in the crockpot with sauce so they would be hot and ready to eat when we got home. I usually just use Hunts canned sauce because it's so cheap and tastes pretty good, but this time I added a can of diced tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic that were minced, some minced onion (I used my dry, food storage ones) and some dried basil, oregano and salt and pepper. The sauce came out so good and the meatballs were so moist. It was one good plate of spaghetti and meatballs. And it was so easy. I told Dave that was how I was going to make spaghetti and meatballs for now on. And if I were just a little smarter I'd make a big batch of meatballs and freeze them so I had everything ready to go next time. I love easy dinners, but I love them even more when they taste like you spent a lot of time cooking. I love when my boys tell me I made a good dinner and when they ask for more. Cooking is something I really like doing and when the people I cook for enjoy my food it makes me feel like I accomplished something pretty great.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

The week before Thanksgiving we had a visit from Dave's mom and dad and sister, Christy. The kids were so excited to see their grandparents and aunt and we had a fun night eating dinner together, visiting, playing with the boys and singing songs. On Thanksgiving we spent the day at Valley of Fire with my parents. The boys loved going hiking and climbing on all of the rocks. We saw ancient writing on several rocks and tried to figure out what the pictures meant. We ate lunch at the end of the hike and then once we got home the kids and Dave relaxed while I made dinner. We had a small dinner that night with my parents: a roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, rolls and chocolate-pumpkin cupcakes for dessert.

We set up the Christmas tree and decorations and the boys had fun going to the park, riding bikes and playing with neighbors, watching movies and having a sleepover in our bedroom. We enjoyed the long weekend and Dave and I took advantage of the sales and went Christmas shopping. We even bought a new kitchen table, something we have been wanting since we had Logan and needed a bigger table.
At the beginning of November we had the boys write down things they were thankful for and we tried to remind them of all of the blessings they have. They wrote down things like: the Earth, church, hands and feet, the military, family, Heavenly Father and Jesus, toys, and video games.

Book Basket

2011-11-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

In our rental house our family room was upstairs. We had the TV and couch in there as well as all of the toys. When we moved I was looking forward to having a family room downstairs, close to the kitchen, where we could hang out. But we didn't really hang out there. We'd go upstairs to where the TV was because we were used to that. We have no TV in the family room; we only have one in the whole house. But I wanted something in the family room that would get us in there, that would make the kids want to sit on the couch and hang out there. I also needed a place to put our library books so we wouldn't lose them and that was where I got the idea for a book basket. Baskets were on sale at Michael's one day so I looked around and found this one. It was big enough to sit on the TV stand and hold all of our books, but small enough for the kids to pull down when they wanted to look for a book to read. I love the basket. I love that we can keep all of the library books in one place (even school ones so we can find them fast before school on library day) and that we have something to do in the family room that does not involve sitting in front of a screen. Sometimes after dinner Dave will read books with Colin for his homework while I clean up. Sometimes Logan will grab some books and sit on the couch and tell me to come read to him. Sometimes Trevor will sit in the middle and read to both his brothers. And there have been times when the whole family has been on the couch reading books we got from the book basket. There's nothing better than sitting with your whole family reading together. And there's something great about seeing your kids choosing to read.

Halloween

2011-11-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. We love the spooky decorations, pumpkins, costumes and everything else that comes along with it. Colin REALLY loves Halloween and will often plan and prepare for it months in advance. This year was filled with friend and school parties, the church trunk-or-treat and trick-or-treating with friends. And while they traded candy the day after, the boys were already planning what they wanted to dress up as next year.Colin as a mummy and Logan as a ghost for the Trunk-or Treat.

Trevor as a ninja this year.

Colin walking in the school parade.

The boys before trick-or-treating. Logan dressed up as a Vampire Tiger.

My little missionary

2011-10-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

A week ago today five girls were walking home from the park. There were three little girls ages 5 and 6 and two teenage girls. It was after 6:30 so it was dark out, but the girls were on the crosswalk. Unfortunately, a car did not see the girls walking across the street and hit the three little girls. We heard about it on the news and when the names of the girls were released, one of the names sounded familiar. When we got to school on Monday Colin's teacher confirmed that one of the little girls in the accident, Amelia (Mia), was in her class. That day the class made cards for Mia to send to the hospital, but that afternoon, she passed away. When Colin went to school the next morning his teacher let the parents know they would be telling the kids and there would be grief counselors at school to help if needed. When I got home that morning I kept feeling like I wanted to be at school. I wanted to see Colin and his classmates and make sure they were okay. One of my friends offered to watch Logan and I went into school. When I got to school his class was at recess. I went outside and met his teacher on the blacktop. She told me she had talked to the kids as soon as school started that morning and that some of them were having a hard time knowing their classmate and friend had died. Then she said, "But I think Colin's comments and positive attitude really helped the class. He said, 'I believe that she'll get resurrected because Jesus was so we'll see her when Jesus comes again.'" I have worried about him this whole week, worried that he would be sad or not understand, that he would have feelings he didn't know how to express. But instead, I saw his kind heart and his strong, sweet spirit. I told him he was a missionary for telling his class what he believed in and he liked that. Dave and I have always said that Colin is a very unique child. He is goofy and has a wild imagination. He will sit quietly for hours in his own world drawing. But we have also always noticed that he has a very kind and giving heart. He wants the people around him to be happy and he will often give up something he wants in order to make someone else happy. This week I was reminded how grateful I am for the things I have been taught, for the knowledge I have and that I can teach my children. Even at a young age they know more than we realize. I think they are smarter than we were at their age and stronger. Sometimes Dave and I wonder why we read scriptures or say prayers at night when it seems like no one is listening or being reverent. Every Sunday morning we wonder if we should just stay home and not go to church because everyone is fighting. But we do all of those things because we know we need to teach our kids. We do it so that they can be good examples to their friends and so they can be ready for whatever it is that comes their way. We do it because at any moment, even at the young age of 6, they are going to need those lessons to help them through. These kids are going to go out and do amazing things and no matter how pointless it seems at times, we need to keep teaching them because it is sinking in.

School pictures

2011-10-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

I don't like buying school pictures. They are too expensive and a lot of the time I don't like the way the kids look in them. Their hair gets messed up, their smile is off, they have chocolate pudding on their face from lunch. So I took some pictures of the boys before school and this is their picture for the year.

Trevor: age 8; 3rd grade; Mrs.Martin's class

likes: having friends in his class, doing homework on the computer, recess, playing with Colin on the playground this year, art, music, library, PE (sometimes. He liked playing golf last week).

Trevor is doing great this year! He said 3rd grade is really hard with a lot of challenging work, but he's getting really good grades. His goal for the year is to get the A/B honor roll. Trevor has really matured over the summer and his behavior in class has been excellent. He likes his teacher and has a lot of friends in class that he's known since kindergarten.

Colin: age 6; 1st grade; Mrs. DeVoid's class

likes: eating lunch at school, the big kid playground, art, music, PE, library, doing science, playing with friends.

Colin has really enjoyed 1st grade and he has a great teacher! He has made a lot of new friends and his classmates are all so nice. He enjoys learning new things this year but it was a little difficult getting used to being at school all day. He's doing great in his subjects and comes home every day with fun stories from school.

Logan: age 3; pre-pre-school; Mom's class

likes: going to the library and the park, going grocery shopping, reading books, playing with Legos and computer, watching Backyardagins, riding his bike, walking to school with his brothers and carrying a lunchbox like they do.

Logan enjoys being home with me but really misses his brothers. Every morning we walk Trevor and Colin to school and when the bell rings, Logan has to give them both big hugs. He LOVES when they come home from school and he has a buddy to hang out with. He likes doing "homework" when his brother's do and he can't wait to go to school for real!

When you stop looking...

2011-09-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since we moved I've been looking for bedding for the boys' room. My mom and I have looked everywhere at every store. You would think red, white and blue would be easy to find. But no. Either we would find something that was super expensive or not so super cute. My mom did find some comforters at JC Penny that she ordered for their beds. They were really cute, but when I washed them the colors faded so badly and they looked horrible. So we took them back and kept looking and looking and looking. Finally I told my mom I was tired of looking so I forgot about it and decided the boys were fine with mismatched bedding. Then, yesterday after going to Rod Works with my mom and sister my mom asked if we could also go to Home Goods. I've only been to that store once so I wanted to go look. As I was wandering around the store I found a section that had kids' stuff. I saw this quilted throw pillow that was striped blue, red, white, green and brown. It was really cute and I showed it to my mom and said, "If only we could find something like this for the boys' beds!" So we looked around and found three quilts that matched the pillow! I was so excited I was jumping up and down in the store laughing. And I was so excited to get them washed (they didn't even fade!) and on the boys' beds. My kids love them and I love them. I love it how when you finally stop looking for something you end up finding it.

First submission

2011-09-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

I love to write. Ever since I was little I would write stories. Some I have finished, some I have not. I took a creative writing class in college and I loved that class. My teacher was interesting and taught me a lot about what I needed to know to make my writing better as well as about getting published. One of the most important things that teacher gave me were his comments on my work. On my poems he critiqued what I had written and gave me ideas on how to make them better. On my screen play he told me my form was perfect, and that my scene was interesting and a great beginning to a good story. On my short story he had a few comments on things I needed to fix and then told me to submit it to the school literary magazine for publishing. But I was too scared to do that. I never submitted my story and sometimes I'll think back and wonder why. Since I've been married I haven't finished anything. I will start stories and get half way or not even half way and then I'll just stop. Then I'll get another idea and start a new story and do the same thing. I have lots of good beginnings, but nothing finished. A while ago I started reading a blog I stumbled across. It's someone who worked as a publisher who gives advice to writers. I love reading it because I have learned a lot about writing as well as what it takes to get published. And this blog has made me want to work on my writing more and be more serious about it. And so today I submitted my first story ever. It's for a short story contest on this blog; a Christmas story. I think what I wanted the most was to take this first step. To get something out there to see if it's even good, to see if people even like what I write. I know once the voting starts I'll check the blog every day to see if anyone voted for my story and to see if they left comments. But if they hate what I write maybe it will help me to write better the next time. I just know now that I can finish something, that it felt good to finish something and it was exciting to send it out and see what happens. If you want to submit a story for the contest or vote on the stories go to this link. I won't tell what story is mine. It's not a "who has the most friends and can get them to vote for their story" contest. It's about choosing the best stories and not worrying about who wrote it.

Art Gallery

2011-09-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

One of the things I was looking forward to the most this new school year was the chance for Colin to have art class. Over the past few years Trevor has done some really amazing art projects in school so I'm excited to see what Colin can do since he loves art and Dave and I are convinced he has real talent. Last night I was looking through Trevor's art work and some that Colin brought home from school this week and I wanted a place to display it. But the fridge isn't big enough for all of the art they will bring home this year, so I came up with a good solution. I decided to make a wall in their play room their art gallery. Ever since we moved in I've been wanting to do something to that room to make it more fun, more colorful. I think this will be perfect. After I put their art up last night Trevor went in to look and came out with a big smile on his face. "Mom, someday our art will cover that whole wall." I hope so. And I hope with it up there they will look at it and be proud of what they did and excited to do more to hang on that wall.

Easy craft!

2011-09-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

I am not a very crafty person. But it's always around this time of year that I get the desire to try something crafty. I've made a few cute things for my house, but what I've really been wanting are some wreaths to hang on my doors. But wreaths are expensive to buy, so I went online and looked for something to make myself. I came across these super cute yarn wreaths. Just yarn wrapped tightly around a wreath (I used a straw one since it was the cheapest, but if you try it just be sure to keep the plastic on) and then some flowers added to make it look more fall-ish. I love how they came out and they were super easy to make. A few episodes of Friday Night Lights on the Wii and I was finished. I love how they turned out; I love how they dress up the front door. And now I want a bunch of pumpkins sitting outside my door to go with my new wreaths. And I want the inside of my house to smell like pumpkin pie. And I want it to be cool enough to walk to school in the morning and not be a hot, sweaty mess by the time I get home. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

Good things

2011-09-01T12:36:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I get so caught up in the things that seem to be going wrong that I forget about the good things. I will be so worried about making sure things are running smoothly that I forget to just enjoy the moment, to smile and laugh, to be a little silly and let things happen. There are so many little good things going on and I know that is what I need to focus on. Here are some of the good things right now:
Spending the day with Logan now that the other 2 boys are in school all day
My gas tank is half full and the last time I got gas was on August 1st
Being able to go swimming after dinner every night
Hearing Colin's stories about his first week of 1st grade - he loves Art, Music and PE class
My boys fall asleep now as soon as their heads hit the pillow
My house stays cleaner longer now
I have a list of things I want to get at Michael's (who knew I'd ever be crafty?)
It was cooler when we walked to school this morning
The other night all three boys asked for seconds at dinner

1st day

2011-08-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

I was crying over the weekend thinking about the kids going back to school. I think it's hardest sending them to 1st grade since they are gone all day. And I was getting that "I'm going to be all alone" feeling and it was making me a little sad. I even ran into Colin's teacher at the grocery store on Saturday and started crying while I was talking to her. Usually I am so excited for school to start and to have a little time at home when all three boys are not here and I can actually get something done and keep the house clean. But it's also hard knowing they'll be away from me most of the day and that their teachers, not me, are going to get to see their faces light up when they learn something new or when that light bulb goes off in their little minds. It's hard sending them out into the open and not being there all of the time to watch over them and keep them safe. But they need it and so do I. My kids didn't care about new clothes this year so I didn't really get them any. Trevor got dressed this morning in a dirty shirt he wore on Saturday but I got him to change. Colin wanted to wear his kindergarten class shirt from last year. They both have a lot of familiar faces in their classes and Trevor is super excited to do homework this year. His teacher is going to try a new program where they do homework on the computer. Perfect for that kid. And now it's just Logan and me at home. What a day we've had. I got the kitchen cleaned, I've gotten three loads of laundry done, we went to the library, read books, had lunch together, played the computer together. I am loving the one on one time I'll get with Logan and I think he's enjoying getting all of the toys to himself. He's been non-stop playing all day. And now it's almost time to go pick up Trevor and Colin from their first day. Wow, that sure did go by fast. Kind of like how fast they seem to grow up.

Restaurant-style French Toast

2011-08-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

I love French toast. Every week we have breakfast for dinner and French Toast is one of my favorites to make. And the kids love it. But I always wish I could figure out how to make my French Toast at home taste more like it does at restaurants. Yesterday I figured it out. I saw a recipe online where you make almost a pancake batter to dip the bread in. Then you cook it like normal and it comes out all golden brown and delicious. I made strawberry-blueberry syrup to go with mine. So yummy. My kids asked for more, and then some more. Here is the recipe. Make it this weekend or on Monday for your kids' back to school breakfast!

Fun mom

2011-08-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who is a really fun, creative mom. She does things for her kids like drive in movies (in her living room complete with cars made from old boxes), backyard campouts, pajama days, outings, crafts, super fun birthday parties and holidays and on and on. She is crafty and homemakey, smart, creative and she is the best mom I know. I'm not a really fun mom. I'm not very crafty or creative when it comes to kid stuff. But today I had a vision. I was out swimming (the kids didn't want to swim so I went out alone and did some water aerobics - swimming alone is SO NICE!) and when I was done swimming I was walking around my backyard. We have a lot pf palm trees and I don't really like palm trees, but today I noticed that in the back corner of the yard there is a really nice shady spot that is a little like being in a tree house. I thought how nice it would be to sit there and read. Then I thought how my kids needed to get away from the computer and go outside. So I built them a fort out back in the nice little corner of the yard. Just chairs and a blanket. But then I added snacks and drinks, their stuff animals and the books they like. I wrote a secret message and dropped it off on the computer table. And right now, my kids are outside, in their secret lair, in the middle of the jungle reading books and hanging out. Maybe I am a fun mom, after all. Maybe I can even take some of our old boxes from moving and make some cars and we can have a drive in movie this Friday. Thanks Tricia! You inspire me.

My new favorite dinner - thank you Pioneer Woman

2011-08-17T10:36:00.001-07:00

There is a dish at Outback that Dave and I love. It's called Alice Springs Chicken. It's so delicious. It's this grilled chicken with a honey-mustard sauce; the chicken is smothered with mushrooms, bacon and cheese. Mmmmm. We usually split it, usually go pick it up and bring it home to eat. We've gotten it on special occasions like when the kids are not home and we are. But, it's expensive to go out dinner so we haven't had it for a very long time. A while ago I came across this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's blog. It looked delicious and it sounded a lot like the dinner from Outback we like so much (minus the mushrooms). I tried it a few times and really liked it, but last night I tweaked the recipe a little bit and liked it even more than before. Did I just say I "tweaked" a recipe from The Pioneer Woman? Yes. I sure did. Her food is great, but I don't think she would mind me changing it a little bit. And I am giving her full credit.

The sauce: The last time I went to the store all I could find was Honey Dijon mustard and last night I didn't have enough for the full 1/2 cup. So I used 1/4 cup Honey Dijon and 1/4 cup regular mustard. The rest of the sauce I kept the same (and it is sure yummy).

The chicken: Before I marinated the chicken I reserved some of the sauce. My husband likes to dip his meat.

Cooking: I don't know why but I hate cooking chicken in a pan on the stove. So instead, I grilled my chicken and it came out so perfect. Then I put the chicken on a baking sheet and spooned a little of the honey-mustard sauce on each piece, then added the bacon and cheese; put it in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. Oh and I cook my bacon super crispy.

It was the best dinner. I served it with warm potato salad and roasted broccoli. It was so delicious I don't think I'll need to go to Outback anymore. And maybe next time I'll try it with the mushrooms. I think The Pioneer Woman should try it with mushrooms, because I know how much she loves them.

My favorite pictures of us

2011-08-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

Dave and I celebrated our 10th anniversary this year. Some of my favorite pictures are the ones of the two of us. Once, when we had first started dating Dave's roommate, Blake, wanted to take some pictures of us. We went up to Mt. Charleston for an afternoon and he took pictures with one of those old fashioned cameras that used film. No editing required. What he took was what we got. He took some great pictures that day and for Christmas that year Dave gave me a frame with three of the pictures we took that day. That frame is in our room now. The one here is my favorite picture of the two of us. My very favorite ever. I think it's because we were newly in love. We were happy and we had all these possibilities and future plans ahead of us. Even though we weren't engaged yet, I think we both knew we were getting married. Blake also took our wedding pictures. I loved how excited we were to sit down and look at the proof sheet and pick the wedding pictures we liked best. We got some good ones. The two here are my most favorite of all. I just like how simple they are and that they focus on us. In our bedroom all of the pictures we have are just of the two of us. We don't have a family picture or pictures of the boys in our room. Our room is all about us. I love keeping it just our place, where we can go and look at these pictures we took so long ago and remember how it all started. And I love that the look Dave has in his eyes in these pictures is still what I see when he looks at me today.

Fun summer

2011-08-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

It's getting close to school starting again and I keep thinking about how much we've done this summer. We moved, we went on 2 vacations, spent time with family and friends, went swimming almost every day, celebrated Kids Day with my parents and my sister and her kids, we've gone to the library, had little outings here and there. I LOVE that we have the pool. It's been so fun to watch the kids learn to swim and really enjoy it. And it's nice when they are bored to tell them to get their swimming shorts on and go jump in the pool. We love when friends or family come over to swim. We still have a few weekends to have friends over and enjoy the time off before school starts, though. It's been such a fun, busy summer. Here are a few pictures of some of the things we've been busy doing:Dave and Colin at the Las Vgeas mini city in Lego Land. The boys could have looked at this stuff all day long. Logan actually climbed the fence, into the Las Vgeas land and tried to play with a Lego truck.
You can tell my the look on their faces that the boys were getting tired. It was a long day but we had a great time. We went with some friends of ours and really enjoyed the time we spent at the park. Colin loved the roller coasters and there was something for all of the kids to enjoy. We'd love to go back again before the kids get too big.The boys' bathroom! I painted it one afternoon and then recruited my dad to put up beadboard. I love how it turned out. Now I just need to get some decorations for the walls and some new towels. We'll put hooks on the beadboard for the boys' towels. I can't wait to decorate another room in the house.

The biggest little family in Reno

2011-07-18T07:47:00.001-07:00

A while back we found out that Dave's sister, Debbie, and his brother, Don, would be in Reno at the same time this summer. We made plans for Dave to fly to Reno to be there as well, but last week, a few days before he was planning on leaving, we decided we'd just all drive up so the whole family could go. Here was our weekend:

Thursday - leave Vegas at 3; stop for dinner at 6, then back on the road and make it to Dave's parent's house by 10:30. Hug everyone, get the boys in pjs and the floor ready for them to go to sleep. Everyone asleep by 11:30

Friday - Up and getting ready by 7. Visit with Dave's sister, Debbie and her 3 girls. Help make breakfast. Dave's sister, Christy and her son Zach arrive and the baby sister Stephanie comes. More hugs. We start eating because the rest of the family is late. Dave's brothers and their families finally get there. More hugging. More eating. The dad's take the kids outside to play. The girls stay and make sandwiches for lunch. We head to the marina to play at the park, swim, play in the sand and eat lunch. Cody gets rescued by the lifeguard. Home to get ready for family pictures and get on the t-shirts Dave's dad had made for everyone. Off to take family pictures. After pictures we discover Carrie's car got broken into and her purse is stolen :( Back to Dave's mom's house. We hang out and talk, the kids play. BBQ for dinner, talent show, brownies and homemade ice cream.

Saturday - Debbie leaves at 7 that morning to fly home with her girls. Breakfast. Take kids to park to play. Meet everyone at Dave's mom's house. Eat leftovers for lunch. Make plans for the day. Go to car show. Kids play in water and get soaked (and Colin was wearing pants). Go watch dirt bike races. Go to Stephanie's house. Make more plans. Go to Andy's house for BBQ. Kids watch movie and play, grown-ups outside talking. Make dinner. Eat. Talk, eat some more. Go home. Go to sleep.

Sunday - up by 7. Eat breakfast, pack. Leave Reno around 9, stop for lunch around 12:30, get home around 5.

It was a great family reunion. So good to see family we have not seen for 5 years. The kids were able to meet cousins they have never met before. We decided it won't be another 5 years before we get together again.

Testing....testing....

2011-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

A while back, I got a letter from the school nurse. It said that Colin had a hearing test at school, did not pass it and I needed to take him in to see the school district audiologist. I took him in twice to get tested. He thought it was super fun and loved going. It was recommended that I take him to an Ear, Nose, Throat doctor for further and more advanced testing. At first I didn't think it was a big deal. He could hear fine. The audiologist told me he could have trouble hearing the "s" at the end of words or the "th" sound or whispers. But still I wasn't too concerned. Then we went to the movies last week to see Cars 2 and throughout the movie Colin had his fingers in his ears claiming it was too loud and hurt his ears. So I called an ENT doctor and got him in. He went in today and they did similar tests the audiologist did, the results were a little different. The doctor wants a different test done next week and then it's back to see him a week after that to see how the results were. All these tests. But, as we left the doctor today, Colin licking his Watermelon Tootsie Pop (I didn't even know they made those in watermelon) he said, "That was fun! Can we come back?" I'm glad he liked it.

Home sweet home

2011-07-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

Trevor said the prayer last night before bed. He said, "Please bless our house to be like the temple." That is what his lesson was at church. When he said that I smiled because I had a lesson on that the week before and I remember during that lesson thinking about this house and comparing it with where we've lived before and knowing that there is a different spirit in this house. It has nothing to do with the house itself, but more with what we've omitted from our house. We've done things a little differently here which, I feel, has allowed us to have more peace and love in this home. Over the last three weeks that we have lived here I have seen my kids play together more and get along better. They spend more time quietly playing in the playroom or their bedroom, they spend more time reading or drawing. I even catch Trevor sitting on his bed flipping through his scriptures more often than he used to. Dave and I even use our time better and I've been more patient with my kids, more calm with them. And the only thing that has changed, the only thing we have done differently is that we no longer have the distraction of the television. Dave and I decided when we moved to no long have cable. We wanted to save money but we also wanted the kids to watch less television. I will admit using it as a babysitter, as a way to keep my kids busy so I could get things done. But I have since realized what a distraction it used to be and how little control I really had over what my kids saw when they watched TV. My kids still watch cartoons or movies through Netflix on the Wii but now they watch one show a day instead of 20 and they only get to see the things Dave and I have picked for them. And I think one of the biggest blessings is that they no longer see commercials. I feel like we disconnected from the world a little bit and I love what that has done for our family. I don't want to raise my kids in a bubble where they never get to see or know what's going on around them. I don't want to deprive them of things or protect them so much that when they leave our home they have no idea what to do because they haven't been exposed to things. But what I do want for them is to know that their home is different. That when they are out in the world and they get overwhelmed or hurt, angry, frustrated or a little beat up, they can walk through that front door and feel that something here is different. I want them to think of our home as a safe haven, a place where they are loved and protected, a place where they can escape from the worldly things. I want them to want to be home. It really is amazing to me that one little thing like the television can change the feeling and the atmosphere in our home so much. And that being a little more disconnected is bringing our family a little bit closer together.

Water babies

2011-07-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

When Dave and I first considered this house to buy one of the things we worried about the most was the pool. We were nervous about living in a house with a pool especially since our kids did not know how to swim. They've had swim lessons, but they've not had a lot of time swimming and were not too comfortable in the water. But, the more we talked about it, the more we thought maybe a pool could be a good idea.
We brought the kids swimming before we moved in. That was about three weeks ago. That first day swimming Trevor wouldn't put his face in the water because he was still a little scared and he didn't like getting his ears wet. Logan just played on the top step of the pool and had no interest going any further into the water. Colin was more adventurous, but still nervous about going too deep and drowning.
Since we moved in, the kids have gone swimming almost every day. And every day they've gotten more and more comfortable. Yesterday I took a video of them swimming for the first time. I mean really swimming. They are learning so fast and they were so excited with their new skills. I think they'll just get better and better and before we know it we'll have three little fish.

House pictures

2011-06-27T12:37:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of our new house (sorry about the random order) The Master bedroom. I love how much space we have!
Master bed

The boy's room. It's hard to see but we got all three beds in and they each have their own drawers for their clothes. They also still have a lot of floor space if they want to play. The playroom is across from their room but it was super messy so I didn't take a picture.

Our pool!

Backyard

Kitchen/family room

Kitchen - I want to paint the walls a different color and I want to paint the cabinets white and get new counter tops....eventually.

Family room - our new couch!

This is supposed to be the dining room off the entry, but it's going to be our office.

"formal" living room

There is still a lot we want to do to the house, but the previous owners left it in such good shape that it looks great the way it is. We eventually want to re-paint and add more of our own personal touches. It's so nice to have a house of our own again and to make it ours. We're so grateful for this house.

We Moved!

2011-06-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week it's been. Yesterday we decided that we were going to spend the night at our new house and not wait until Saturday when we were going to officially move. So the whole day was spent throwing things in boxes that we were going to need, taking beds apart, getting clothes and bathroom stuff, gathering up enough food and dishes and toys. By the end of the night I was exhausted like I've never been before. My fabulous husband managed to bring a ton of stuff over to the new house, loading and unloading everything on his own. Logan slept in our room, no one fell asleep before ten and by 6 I was awake to go back to the old house and get the stuff from the extra fridge to bring over to the fridge in the kitchen so we could have breakfast. It's been a whirlwind and everyone is on edge. It's stressful and tiring and some of the kids are having a hard time with the change. Even with all of the packing and moving we did manage to get a swim in this afternoon. I have to admit I LOVE having a pool. I'll post some pictures later when we get things in order. But for now we'll have to live with a little bit of chaos.

The TV debate

2011-06-13T17:58:00.001-07:00

I like watching TV as much as the next person. Maybe more. I love sitting down on my comfy couch at the end of the day and flipping through the channels until I find something interesting to watch. I love cooking and home decorating shows; The Voice is one of my new favorites; I love finding movies to watch; and I am a little ashamed to admit that those women who claim to be "real housewives" often find themselves on my television screen. A little while back the TV broke. The lamp went out so you couldn't see the picture. I put a big "Out of Order" sign on the TV and for 3 days it didn't work. I have to admit at first I was a little bummed. I wondered what I was going to do when I needed to fold laundry or how I was going to stop the kids from fighting. But after the first day I was kind of liking no TV. And by the 3rd day I was ready to just pretend the television never existed. It was so nice not having the TV, not having the ease of just plopping on the couch and vegging out for a while. But we fixed it and went right back to watching it. But recently we had a conversation with some friends who decided to get rid of their cable. They have a 2 year old daughter and they mentioned all of the things they have been noticing on television that they daughter sees that they never realized before. And then I started thinking about the things my kids see that I probably don't really pay much attention to. I don't want to be one of those families who shelter our kids so that they never know what is going on in the outside world (no offense to those people, though) but I do want to be more responsible for what I let my kids see and how much time they spend in front of the screen. I want there to be less things they want to watch and more things they want to do. Dave and I decided that when we move we're getting rid of the cable. We'll still have televisions so we can watch the local channels and movies, but we are both hoping that by not having as many channels our kids won't be able to go into the family room at any given time during the day and find a cartoon to sit and watch. I know it will be an adjustment for the kids, but I know they'll do just fine. And I have a feeling that they won't really miss it as much as they think they will. And neither will I.

Dancing

2011-06-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

I babysit my sister's son sometimes and this morning I caught him dancing with my boys. Of course he was dancing more before I got the camera rolling but he was still doing some pretty good moves. I'm glad he has three older cousins to play with. I think he'll have a fun summer with all these boys.

Best teachers ever

2011-06-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

School's out. What a week it's been. What a day. I was at the school three times today in the span of 3 1/2 hours. It's been a good year. A great year. My kids had the best teachers ever. Colin had Mr. Bryson for kindergarten and loved him. Colin did so good in kindergarten this year. He made a ton of friends, he learned so much and I can tell he changed in the way he looks at things and the way he does his work. His teacher commented on his report card that Colin's attitude towards challenging and new things has really improved and that he is a great worker. Colin really did an amazing job this year. After school he cried a little because his teacher probably won't be at our school next year so Colin thinks he will never see Mr. Bryson again. I am praying we will see him again. He was the best teacher for Colin this year.

Trevor had Mrs. Nix. On the second day of school Mrs. Nix called me to tell me about a meltdown Trevor had in class that day. By last week she was telling me how mature Trevor's gotten, how responsible he is now and how much his behavior and attitude has changed and improved. We love Mrs. Nix. She was amazing and knew exactly what Trevor needed. She was strict but kind and she loved Trevor and he knew she loved him. She really helped him gain confidence in his reading and writing where he's always struggled and he really improved in those areas because of her. She was a great teacher to him and a great support to me. I loved working with her and getting help from her and learning what I needed to do at home to help my son succeed. Trevor did not get the honor roll this year but he did have amazing grades and we're so proud of all he accomplished. Every year I pray my kids will be placed in the right classroom with the right teacher and this year my prayers were more than answered. Both my sons were exactly where they needed to be.

Content

2011-06-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we were driving somewhere and Logan asked if we were getting Trevor from school. I told him no, it wasn't time. Then he said, "Awww, I miss Trev. He's my best friend." Sometimes he is and sometimes he isn't. There are times when Logan likes Colin better, or when Colin wants to just play alone and not with his brothers. There are times all three of them fight and I wonder if they will ever get along and then there are times, like right now, where all three of them are playing together, getting along and including one another. I look at them and think how well they all fit. A little while ago I kept thinking about babies. I was seeing lots of new babies at church, I had friends announcing their pregnancies and I was reading a book about a woman who had 7 kids. I wondered if we had stopped too soon, if we were done having kids for the right reasons, if we needed a girl to balance things out. Dave and I talked about it and decided we'd think about it for the next week and then fast and pray. We had done this all before and felt good about what we had decided, but I almost felt like there was pressure around me. Things I would hear and see made me wonder if we were being selfish by having "only" three kids. But during that week I was blessed to really see my kids in a different way. I noticed things about them I had not noticed before and there was a peace in our home and in my heart when I thought about my family. And the answer came to me quickly, on a Tuesday afternoon, not a Sunday after fasting all day. I was going around the house picking up stuff to clean and in my head I heard, "Just be a good mom to the boys you have." And that was it. I was good. I was content and I stopped worrying. It didn't matter if my friend had just had her fifth baby or that I had several friends pregnant with their fourth baby. It didn't matter that the lady in the book I was reading had 7 kids, that Dave's mom had 7 kids or even that I used to think when I was younger that I wanted 4 or 5. I have 3 great boys and I needed to be happy and focus on what I had. And they are good boys. They are crazy and they fight, scream, yell, talk back, hit, disobey and all that other stuff. But they also do so many good things. They have good hearts, they are sensitive to other's needs, they say thoughtful prayers and ask interesting questions and they are kind and loving. And when they are asleep they are the sweetest things ever.

Field Day

2011-05-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Friday was Field Day at school. With 8 days left of the school year it was the perfect day for some fun events and water games. The kids all had a great time and I was glad I got to go to school to see the boys participate. It's always fun going to school to see them. I have loved the teachers my boys have had this year and all of the things they have been able to do at school this year. It's been a great year and even though we are looking forward to the summer and all of the things summer will bring I think the boys will really miss the friends they have made and their teachers. They both love their teachers and it's sad to see the year coming to a close.

Fine Arts Festival

2011-05-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Every year at Trevor and Colin's school the kids have a Fine Arts Festival where they show off things they have learned throughout the school year. They show off art work they have been working on and every grade learns a dance that they perform for their parents. During the month of April the kids also learn about a different country and they share what they learn with the rest of the school by doing "Culture Walks". Colin's country was New Zealand and Trevor's country was Vietnam. One night Trevor had to eat dinner with chopsticks for part of his homework. The dance festival is always fun to go to. The kids get so excited to show off their dance and Colin was especially excited since it was his first year. He talked about his dance for weeks, telling us all about it and what a great dancer he was. Trevor thought it was gross that this year he had to dance with girls and hold their hands. But he did a great job. Here's a little clip of part of their dances. Trevor is the one in the red shirt. His class has only 4 girls so he had to dance with a different class. I think they both did an awesome job. I love going to school seeing the different things they do.

Spring Break

2011-04-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

I always imagine that school vacations are going to be super fun, full of smiles and laughs and exciting times. Family outings and fun trips and good memories that the boys will look back on and smile. But in reality, school vacations are more like super lazy kids who don't want to get dressed or get up from the couch, their eyes glued to the TV, moans and groans when I suggest we turn the TV off and go outside to get some fresh air. We never have big plans, but instead we do just little things here and there. We did have some smiles and laughs, we had lots of fights and plenty of tears. For Spring Break this year we had a babysitter for a few hours while I did my Easter shopping, the kids had the afternoon at the park, we spent many hours in my parent's backyard playing basketball, digging to the center of the earth, swinging and pulling kids around in the red wagon. Colin went to the dentist, twice in one day. I cleaned the house only to have it get messy again not even 24 hours later. We called the Tortoise Pet Hotline and were visited by a very nice girl who taught us many things about the desert tortoise and told us we took excellent care of Milo. She then took Milo with her and away to a conservation and research area where the boys were told Milo would be very happy and have many friends to hang out with. Colin cried, Trevor fake cried and Logan cried because everyone else was crying. We had Popsicles, dyed eggs (a very first for my boys) and they helped Dave mow the lawn. I finished my desk! I love the way it came out and now I have to fight Colin for it. He wants it for his drawing desk, I want it for my writing desk. I am not sure if we can share. Today is a picnic and egg hunt at the park and tomorrow Easter dinner at my parent's house. Somewhere I need to fit in an Easter lesson. It's was the most exciting week, but all in all we had a good time. Sometimes it's nice to just relax and have no plans and just do whatever you feel like for the day. But I am looking forward to Monday. I think I do better with schedules and busy kids.

Crafty

2011-04-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

I decided today that I want to be more crafty. I don't mean arts and crafts with my kids. No, no, not that at all. I am really not good at that kind of stuff. What I want to be able to do is make things for my future home-to-be. Lately there is a blog I love. The girl is always making cute things for her house to decorate with: wreaths made of book pages, pillows made from rugs, and all kinds of other cute things. I look at her blog and see how she has set up and decorated her house and it's so cute. Some of the stuff she does I would never do in my own house. I mean she has one room that, to me, looks like a grandma, a very old grandma, decorated it and it's not my style at all. But she has such good ideas and lately I have been planning things I am going to do for my new house. Some of the things I want to do will just have to wait until we move. I'm not going to make a bunch of stuff now and the have to pack it up. But something I've been wanting to do for a long time has been to refinish an old desk we have. It's Dave's desk. Well it was his mom's desk and he got it and when we got married he brought it with him. It's not the cutest thing in the world and I decided that before we moved I wanted it to look cute. So I went to Home Depot today and got my stuff and got started. I am half way done. Everything needs one more coat of stain but I am already liking how it looks. And it was fun! And it wasn't too hard! And I did it all on my own! I can't wait to do more stuff for my house. Here's a sneak peek:

Before

During

After pictures to come later this week! I can't to see how it all comes together

Trevor's baptism

2011-04-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Trevor got baptized on April 9. It was a great day and we had a great turn out of family and friends. Trevor did so well on the musical number all the kids who are getting baptized sing together and when it was his turn he got right in the water and did not hesitate at all (he's been very nervous because he has a fear of water). It was truly a wonderful day, one I will not soon forget. The spirit was strong and Trevor made us all very proud. He even said to me yesterday, "Mom I can't lie anymore because now I have the Holy Ghost so I will know if it's a lie or not." Nice.

Trevor with Grandma and Grandpa Eyre (they came in from Reno for the occasion).Trevor and his handsome brothers posing for pics before going into the churchDave and Trevor before the baptismTrevor with his friend Luke and Aaron (Aaron is his friend from school. They have been in class together since kindergarten and Trevor really wanted Aaron to come. We told Trevor he's already being a good missionary!)

The Potty Train Express

2011-03-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

I dread potty training. It was the hardest, most frustrating thing I ever did as a new mom. When Colin came around I did not want to do it. I tried with him for a while but he wasn't getting it so I stopped. Then a few months later we tried again and he was trained in about a week or 2. With Logan I just didn't want to do it again. We're busier now and I knew I would need at least a week where we were home all day. But with the boys in school and errands to run I just didn't know when I'd have the time. Logan's been going pee in the toilet for a while now, just not consistently. I never pushed it or encouraged it, just let him go when he wanted and got excited when he did. I heard stories from friends who told me their 2 year old boys were potty trained and I felt like I was behind somehow. But then they told me how long it took (1 or 2 months) and I was not ready for that. A while back I decided to try and potty train Logan over Christmas break, but the first day he had like 5 accidents in a row and I was not going to do that. I pretty much wanted Logan to train himself. I wanted to just wait until he totally wanted to do it. On Monday we jumped on the Potty Train Express. Logan asked to wear underpants like Colin and Trevor did. He had some in his drawer that we kept around for when he was ready. We put them on and the rest of the day he went to the bathroom in the toilet. He had a few accidents but he did pretty good for the first day. Tuesday was even better. We took the boys to school, went to Target and he stayed dry the whole time. He had maybe 3 accidents. And he went good ol' number 2 all by himself. Today was even better. One accident all day. He pretty much trained himself. But don't think I'm bragging here. I'm not. I'm just letting everyone in blogging land know that it's okay to have a 3 year old in diapers still. For real. It's okay if everyone else has kids younger than your kid potty trained already. It's totally okay to wait until you kid is ready to potty train. I am sure some of his success has to do with being the youngest and seeing his older brothers go. But I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that this was very low stress, no pressure at all, no expectations, no worries. If he went, great! If not, oh well, we'll try again. I sure wish I knew all of this 5 years ago when I potty trained Trevor. Who cares what other people do? Who cares what they say or think? All that matters is what's best for you and your kid. Raising kids is hard enough. The last thing we need to do is put more pressure on ourselves and our kids to be like everyone else. I love my Logan. I love that he did it all himself.

Testimony

2011-03-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

I ran into Trevor's Primary President at the grocery store last week. We were chatting and we were talking about Trevor when she said, "Do you know my favorite thing about Trevor? I love the questions he asks. He wants to know for himself if what we're saying is true." I took that as a compliment. Last night for our Family Home Evening Trevor picked a story from the new Friend magazine to read. It was about a little girl who told someone the things she believed in. I asked the boys what things they learned at church or in the scriptures that they believed were true. They both made some comments and then I asked, "What about Joseph Smith? What do you know about him." Colin said, "He prayed and saw Heavenly Father and Jesus." Then Trevor said, "Well, I don't know if I believe that. I know he went to the Sacred Grove and said a prayer but I'm not sure he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus."

Now when he said that I got worried. Did we not teach him well enough? Was he not going to be ready to be baptized in 2 weeks? But then the words of his Primary President came to me and I realized he needed to know for himself. Dave and I asked Trevor what he needed to do if he wanted to know if that really did happen to Joseph and he said he needed to pray and ask. I was talking to him about how to pray for that and he said, "I think I already have the answer. I feel good right here (he pointed to his chest) and I hear 'yes, yes, yes' in my head. So it's yes. He did see them." And I knew that was the beginning of my son gaining a testimony of his own.

Date night

2011-03-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Dave and I had plans to go to my friend's house for a homecoming party for her son. He just got home from his mission. Dave got a babysitter and I suggested we go to the party for a while and then go on a date. We decided our date would consist of going to RC Willey and Home Depot. Not super romantic but we've been wanting to go to those 2 places without the kids for a while now and this was the perfect opportunity. We want to get a new kitchen table when we move and we wanted to look at paint colors and see what furniture there was, get some ideas of prices and see what we might like. We found a table we liked and then we were just looking around for fun when I saw this denim sectional. I just fell in love with it. It looked like a pair of comfy jeans. I have ALWAYS wanted a denim sectional but I could never really find the right fabric. But this was it. Exactly what had always been in my imagination when I think of what I want my family room to look like. We didn't buy anything but it was sure fun to look. We got some ideas for paint for the new house and we had fun walking through Home Depot and dreaming about what our kitchen will look like someday. It was a fun date. A fun night to spend together and do something we never get to do. It was fun to go out with Dave and dream and imagine what we're going to make our home into.

Wonder Woman

2011-03-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

With three boys (oh, I mean 4) in the house there is often talk of Super Heroes, fighting skills, super powers, magic, bad guys and all of that good stuff. The other day when I came out of my room dressed in my new Wonder Woman t-shirt my boys' eyes got wide. "Who is that?" they asked. I told them she was a super hero, one that I loved when I was little. "Well what does she do?" I proceeded to tell them all about her golden lasso, how strong and fast she was and how she could stop bullets from a gun with her wrist bands. Needless to say they were impressed. When I told Trevor I used to pretend to be Wonder Woman when I was little he smiled. He runs around the house imagining he has powers and he fights off the bad guys, so I think he was glad to hear that when I was little I did the same thing. Putting on my Wonder Woman t-shirt brings a little smile to my face. I remember watching that show when I was little and then dressing up as best I could to look like her. Yellow construction paper for the crown, a jump rope for the lasso, some red boots from my mom's closet and scrunchies for my wrist bands. The first time I wore this shirt Trevor kept saying, "We should call you Wonder Mom!" Because Moms are a lot like Wonder Woman, right? We might not fight bad guys but we get bad kids to behave, we fight dirt and germs when we clean the house, we can magically make a sad kid smile and kiss hurts to make them go away. We can quickly, in almost a whirlwind of speed get three kids (or more) ready for school or church or whatever and get everyone out the door so we're not late. We can take a few ingredients from the pantry or fridge and make up a dinner that everyone will eat and they will think it took a lot of planning. And some of us even train in the mornings or evenings to get stronger and improve our speed. I like being Wonder Mom. I like my kids looking at me like I really am a super hero. But I can't take all the credit for the shirt. My friend had it first and I had to copy her. So, thanks Jen!

Happy Day

2011-03-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Toady Dave was over at our new-house-to-be to see the new pool fence going on. That's right people. The house we are getting has a pool! And now it has a fence to keep the kiddies out when we don't want them in. A few weeks ago we signed a contract to do a lease-to-own with the current owners of the house. They are both retiring and moving to Cedar City and they called us one day and asked if we'd be interested in buying their house. They knew we had moved out of the ward under circumstances that weren't very happy and so they wanted to see if we wanted the opportunity to move back. We love their house. It's close to where we used to live, it's right around the corner from Trevor's good friend, and one of Colin's friends from kindergarten lives 3 houses down. The house has 4 bedrooms and a bonus room. I has a big kitchen which I can't wait to start cooking in and a HUGE master bedroom. I love the floor plan and love that the laundry room is it's own room and not connected to the garage. The current owners will be moving out in June as soon as school is out (she is a teacher) and then we will slowly move things over and we'll need to be out of our rental by July first. We are so excited. It will be so nice to have a place that is ours again and to know we will be there for a long, long time. I like feeling settled and grounded. I just wish June would get here just a little bit faster.

The Suit

2011-03-11T13:18:00.001-08:00

Today is Trevor's 8th birthday.
I wanted him to have a suit when he got baptized and my mom offered to buy it. On Saturday we went to a clothing store so Trevor could try some on. He was not too excited. The comments we heard that shopping trip: "This is so boring", "I don't want Grandma to see me naked", "Are your eyes closed?", "Can we go now?", "Are we done yet?" And we didn't even come home with a suit. Nothing really fit him right since he is so skinny. Then my smart mother offered to go to a store and buy several suits in different sizes and then Trevor could just try them on at home. And we found one that fit perfectly. It's not too big and he can grow into it. I am also glad to have 2 other boys below Trevor. This will be a good suit to hand down. When I was done with Trevor last night after having him try on the different pants and jackets I sent him away to play. I put the suit back on the hanger and as I did my eyes started to tear up. I wasn't sure why. It was just a suit. But then I realized that it's the first suit. The next special one will be when he turns 12 and gets the priesthood. Then he'll get another one when he turns 19 and becomes a missionary. Dave and I have been married 10 years this June and it's gone by so fast. In another 10 years Trevor will be 18 and graduating from high school and getting ready to leave for 2 years to serve a mission. I think those years are going to go by fast, too. He was my first baby and now he's turning into a young man. He's not so little anymore. He said something the other day about how soon he'll be as tall as me. How is that possible? It must be so strange to wake up one day and stand face to face with your child. And then to notice that you look up to him, instead of him looking up to you. And here I go crying again. I just don't know how he got so big so fast.

Celebrity Sighting

2011-03-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

I have seen very few celebrities in my life time. The first one was in Washington DC. I was a senior in high school and it was school trip. We were in the Capitol building and we got into an elevator. Then this guy steps in and my friend said, "Hello, Senator Bono." I didn't even know who it was at first until when he stepped out of the elevator my friend turned to me and gushed, "We were in the elevator with Sonny Bono!" The second time I saw someone famous I was at the mall with my sister and we were leaving the mall and she swore we were walking behind Robin Williams. So we walked a little faster and followed him out of the mall and into the parking lot. It was indeed Robin Williams, complete with a body guard. He's super short. Anyway, the third time I saw someone famous was on my honeymoon. Dave and I were staying at a hotel close to the Los Angeles airport. We would be leaving for a cruise the next day and we wanted to go someplace fancy to eat. We were told to go to a particular restaurant in the airport and we were told lots of time famous people ate there on their way in and out of town. So we get there, get our table and ask the waitress if she had served anyone famous. She said she had but that she had to treat them like everyone else. Interesting. So Dave and I are sitting there and we look over and at the very next table (and these tables were close together) was no other than Ian McKellen (I didn't even know his name back then). I remember Dave leaned over to me and said, "Isn't that the guy who plays Magneto in X-Men?" We had just watched the movie so we both look and it was! We were so excited. We kept watching him the whole time. It was the coolest dinner ever. So today I was at the auto shop getting my car's oil change and a smog check and in walks this guy and I look at him and think he looks just like this chef who I know has a restaurant here and was on Top Chef as a judge a number of times and then on Top Chef Masters. And then I listen to his conversation with the lady behind the counter and I knew it was him. It was Rick Moonen! But after my initial excitement I thought, "Even people on TV have to get their cars fixed just like the rest of us."

Sharing rooms

2011-03-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

When we lived in our previous house we remodeled the upstairs and closed off a loft so we could have enough bedrooms upstairs for the boys. We had Trevor and Colin in one room and Logan in the other. Then, when we decided we wanted a guest room downstairs, we moved all three boys in a room and used the other room as a play room. It worked out pretty well. As we've been talking to the boys about moving we keep trying to figure out what do do about rooms. Should Logan still get his own room? Should we let Trevor have his own room? We had it all figured out and then last night changed our minds again. I was reading a blog, trying to get some decorating ideas when I came across a post where this woman had all three of her boys sharing a room. She said she loved it because no one felt left out and they all got to be buddies while they were young. She said she would probably not always keep it that way but while they were little, why not? So it got me thinking. I asked the boys what they thought about all three of them sharing a room in the new house. They liked it. They really liked it. They liked that they could all be together, that they could have a room with just their toys and another room for just the couch and TV. It's not set in stone but I think it's a great idea. Dave and I like the idea of them sharing, even when they are older. And the rooms in our new house are bigger so it won't be too bad for all three to be together. Hopefully it will work. Hopefully they will love it.

Getting your kids to eat

2011-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

Logan is a very picky eater. He would eat cereal all day if I let him and sometimes I do. He loves snacking during the day and by dinner he is either not hungry or else he doesn't want anything on his plate. He's left the dinner table before not having eaten anything and I am sure lots of kids are that way as well. One of the rules I started when my kids were little was that if they are hungry for dinner they eat what I make or they don't eat anything. I love it because eventually they will be hungry enough to try things on their plate and that has often led to the boys learning they actually do like something they thought was yucky. Recently, Colin (who was pickier than Logan) has been trying more and more foods and eating more at dinner each night. Last night I made cranberry chicken for dinner, green beans and rice. When everyone was finished eating Logan had yet to start. He ate a few green beans (a real shocker) but had not touched anything else. So I looked at him and said, "Did you know that chicken gives you big, strong muscles? And rice makes you run super fast?" Logan immediately put chicken in his mouth and proceeded to flex for me showing me his muscles were getting bigger with each bite! He ate all of his chicken and then tried his rice. By the time he was done he's eaten almost all of his dinner! This incident reminded me of the time I told Colin that Batman's favorite food was green beans to get him to eat his veggies (and he did). I sure felt like one smart mom last night. I wonder if I can work my magic on Logan again tonight.

Navajo Tacos

2011-02-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

You would think I was the Pioneer Women with all the recipes I've put on here lately. I'm not turning this into a food blog, but when you've got something good you gotta share it. I have had several friends (and missionaries over for dinner) who have never had a Navajo taco before. They are delicious and should be enjoyed by all. I was introduced to these delectable things in college. I remember the day well. It was my first year away at SUU and my roommates had gone out to get food. I did not go with them but stayed home to make spaghetti or something else that was cheap and easy. When they got back, though, I could not believe what I saw. A big, huge, golden brown piece of fry bread topped with what looked to me like a taco salad. What was this? I had never before seen such a thing! After questioning my roommates I was told it was a Navajo taco and it came from a drive-in called Hermie's. But I did not immediately go out and get one. No. I am very sad to say it took another year before I finally got myself to Hermie's and ordered this most wonderful food. But once I did finally have one I was hooked. I got mine the same every time - with everything except onions (raw onions = blech). I think the most I ate Navajo tacos was the summer I stayed in Cedar to go to summer school and finish up classes so I could get to my student teaching. That summer we had them all of the time. And each time they were as delicious as the first. After Dave and I got married I learned that he grew up eating Navajo tacos. It was one of their favorite meals as kids. I then learned from his mom how to make them and started making them at home. I have since simplified the process and they are now one of a favorites at my house (well, except that Logan and Colin only like the fry bread plain, but anyway). Here is my recipe.

Navajo Tacos

1 package Pillsbury Reduced Fat Grands Biscuits (believe me when I say you'll put that fat right back in)

ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes

toppings for tacos (lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, avocado...you get the picture)

Cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add black beans, canned tomatoes and taco seasoning. Stir to blend. Add about 1/4 cup water (more if the mixture seems to dry). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer. While the meat is simmering, heat vegetable oil in a skillet on medium heat. Separate the biscuits and roll out to flatten. When the oil is hot, fry the rolled out dough until golden brown (it will cook about 1 minute on each side). Drain on paper towels.

Place fry bread on a plate. Top with taco meat and any toppings you like. Eat with a fork, not your hands. Mmmm, mmmmm, good.

Pizza Night

2011-02-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

The other day Dave told me he was going to have his scouts over our house so they could do some planning. And he wanted me to make pizza for everyone. At first I though, "Oh, pizza?" But then I thought, "Oooo, pizza!" When I first started making my own pizza I would make just pepperoni because that is the only thing the kids would eat. Then, I realized that I needed to make what I wanted too. It's okay to do things for ourselves every now and then. We don't always have to do things just for our kids. So I started making a delicious "grown-up" pizza. It have the normal sauce and pepperoni and cheese but I like to add onions, mushrooms and green peppers as well (and olives but I forgot to buy them). But I don't just throw the stuff on and then bake the pizza. Those things taste way better if they are cooked first. I heard on a cooking show once that when you have brown on your food it makes it taste better. Well that is so true! I like to saute my veggies in olive oil and butter and make them soft and a little brown. Makes it so much better. Way more tasty then just throwing raw veggies on a pizza.For tonight I'll be making three pizzas: pepperoni, BBQ chicken (use BBQ sauce instead of pizza sauce, then add sliced chicken, pineapple, red onions and of course cheese) and the one I like to call Supreme. I hope we have enough for everyone. I've been known to eat quite a few pieces just on my own. Here is the recipe so you can have pizza night this week and make one for your kids and one with what you want on it.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust (from Cooking Light cookbook)

2 cups flour (I use half white and half wheat)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 package quick rise yeast

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

3/4 cup warm water

Throw it all in a bowl and mix it up. I've mixed this by hand before (see, it's so easy!) but I usually just throw it in the Kitchen Aid. Mix it up until it forms a ball of dough. Place it in a

greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about an hour. Then top with your favorite

toppings and bake at 450 for about 12-15 minutes. I have recently discovered that if I put the pizza on the bottom rack in the oven the crust gets crispy, but if you like a softer crust put it on

the top rack.

The veggies for my Supreme pizza all chopped up.

In the pan with salt and pepper. Salt and pepper just make everything taste better.

All cooked up. Notice the brown. Makes it so yummy. I could just eat this by itself right now.

I've got a secret

2011-02-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

I just have to say it. I want to tell everyone, but we're trying not to, just in case. You know how it is. You've got some big news but you want to wait a while and make sure that it's still going to be news in the near future. You don't want to jinx yourself until everything is settled and final. But it's exciting and fun and keeping it to yourself is a little hard. You make little hints here and there to people, to see if they will catch on, if they will say something. "But, honey, she ASKED me so I HAD to tell her." But in the back of your mind you wonder if it's too good to be true, if once you've told everyone it will really still be happening or if you'll have to start saying to people, "Oh, no, that's not happening anymore." So anyway. Something good is happening and I just want to say it. Ready? Okay, here we go. We're moving! We found a house (well, really it found us) and we're hoping that if everything goes through we'll be moving in June. A new house for our 10th anniversary. What could be sweeter than that? And hopefully this will be THE house. The one we stay in for a long, long time. The one we raise our kids in. The one they leave when they go on their missions and come back to for vacations from college. Once it's all finally final, then I'll give more details. And hopefully that will be very soon.

Secret Recipe

2011-02-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

I don't know who reads my blog. Some friends (thanks for your last comment Erika!), my sister-in-law, maybe just my mom. But I like to write and so when I figure out something to write about I put it on my blog. I know some blogs are like journals for some people, some are scrapbooks, some dedicated to recipes and a million other things. Mine is kind of a combo of it all. And today I am sharing a new secret recipe I recently fell upon by accident. Someone probably already figured this out but for me it's new so I am going to share.

The last time I made taco salad for dinner we had a bunch of leftover taco meat. And since my husband did not want to pack a HUGE bag full of everything that makes up a taco salad and take it to work for lunch I decided to pop the extra meat in a Ziplock bag and stick it in the freezer for another day. Yesterday, after going grocery shopping and spending my $34 in Smith's Rewards I realized I needed to make something for dinner that night. I wanted to get away from buying pizza every Friday and I didn't want the kids eating cereal for dinner 2 nights in a row. So I looked through my pantry to see what I had (and what I was not going to use for dinner the following week) and I came across everything I needed for chili. So I get going with the cooking and when I open the freezer to get out the meat I came across my bag of frozen taco meat. Why not? It's already cooked, it's seasoned and it might make my chili taste a little better. Well it did

not make my chili taste a little better, it made it taste a whole heck of a lot better! It was so delicious! The flavors, the spices, the extra kick from the taco seasonings. Mmmmm. Trevor asked for seconds and then literally licked his bowl clean, Colin even ate FOUR BITES. Yes, four! That is really saying something coming from that kid. So there you have it, my friends. The secret to super yummy chili is leftover taco meat.

Operation Monday Clean Day

2011-02-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

Three weeks ago we had a holiday from school and I had a sick Colin. When he threw up that afternoon (in the toilet, thank goodness) I decided I needed to clean and get some germs out of my house. Well, I started cleaning and I didn't stop. I decided to just do the whole house in one day. I dusted (something I don't normally do and I'm not embarrassed to admit it), I swept floors, I mopped, I cleaned counters and mirrors and toilets, sinks and tubs. Then I vacuumed. Then I threw away crap and junk. Then I looked around and I loved what I saw. I had a clean house. The whole house all clean at once! When does that ever happen? The rest of that week I was busy taking care of a very sick Colin and then a sick Logan. We went to doctor's offices and other medical places for tests and I did not have much time for things like cleaning. So when the next Monday rolled around I decided I would do the same thing again. I decided that every Monday would be my cleaning day. In the past I would clean a little each day, but by the middle of the week (okay, by Tuesday) I would be tired of cleaning. Who wants to clean every day? I had other things I wanted to do. So with my new cleaning schedule I got to work. And what would you know, by cleaning the whole house on one day I feel like the house stays cleaner all week. It's easy now to just pick up here and there during the week, and do little things. And when Monday rolls around some of the things I cleaned the week before are still clean! What? Something stayed nice and neat for a whole week? Yes, ma'am it did. I'm happy about my new schedule, happy that after almost 8 years of being a stay home mom I am finally figuring things out. For me, this is really working and for now I am really loving it. And here are a few of my favorite things that help me get the job done (my NEW Bissell Vacuum that I love so very much; my Steam mop that makes mopping this nasty tile floor that I hate a little more bearable; and Method Multi-Surface cleaner in Pink Grapefruit - as Colin said, "Mmmm, that smells so good.")

3 years old

2011-01-21T16:50:00.000-08:00

Logan recently had a birthday! Here are some things about Logan:

he loves playing with cars - he will line them all up in a row, he makes them talk to one another and he loves taking his cars into the bath with him
his favorite movies are Cars and Toy Story - he will watch those movies over and over again and never get tired of them
he loves watching TV - he is a TV junkie and his favorite shows are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Curious George and Phineas and Ferb
Logan loves going to Nursery on Sundays. He love, love, loves it
Logan enjoys playing quietly by himself in the playroom while his brothers are at school
he LOVES books and has to be read to every day - before he goes to bed he will sit and look at books in his bed until he is ready to fall asleep. Lately he likes to "read" on his own - he will say the words he remembers or tell what is going on in the pictures
he is a super picky eater, but he does love cereal, yogurt, apples, cheese sticks, ham and cheese sandwiches, chips. All day long he says to me, "Mom, I'm hungry again."

Logan is such a fun boy to have in our family. He has a good personality, he is funny and smart and sweet. He loves his brothers and he is definitely a Mama's boy. It's so fun watching him grow up and seeing what type of boy he is becoming.

Snow!

2011-01-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it wasn't really a snow day but it did snow for a couple of hours. And real snow. Not slushy rain. Big, fluffy white flakes. It started around 7:30 and lasted until about 10. It was fun to watch through the window at the white flakes coming down. And they were coming down pretty good. It didn't stick over here, but it was fun while it lasted. I drove the boys to school in it and then drove to the store. Logan loved it. He kept sticking his tongue out to catch the flakes like his brothers showed him earlier that morning. The boys liked looking at it more than being out in it and I realized that they are just like me. They don't like being cold. But it was still fun while it lasted.

Christmas Letter

2010-12-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

I did not do a Christmas card this year. I am sorry. I hope our friends out there don't think we're ignoring them when they open their mailboxes day after day and do not find a card from us. This blog post will have to do.

These pictures are the ones we just got done. They are hanging on our wall. I love them and I love my friend Celise who came over and took pictures in our home in the attempt to get our boys to actually cooperate in front of a camera.

We've had a year of ups and downs and recently it seems like the blessings are pouring out on us. We have learned to appreciate the things we have and to stop worrying about the things we don't have. Our family is what is most important and we have been trying to just focus on that. Through the hard times this year, sicknesses, losing our house, struggling with money and other issues we have been through the Lord has blessed our family in so many ways. We always have enough for what we need and when times start to get difficult something comes along to lighten our load or help us to remember what matters most. We have 3 amazing boys! At times they are wonderful and loving and a joy to be with. At other times they are difficult and frustrating and demanding. But we love them no matter what. The Christmas season is always full of magic and wonder, peace and love. We're trying to teach our children to be like Jesus as we get closer to the day where we celebrate His birth. If we can have His peace and spirit in our home then we will have everything we need. Merry Christmas!

The house that built me

2010-12-07T19:21:00.000-08:00

There is a song I hear on the radio that I just love. It's called "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert and of course I cry when I hear it. I pretty much grew up in the same house my whole life and so I can relate to that song. And I want for my kids what I had. A house where your roots got dug down deep. When Dave and I got our first house we knew we would not live there forever. We knew it would be the starter home, the one we started a family in and then moved along when we started to grow too big for it. And we loved that house. It was a good house. And we had fun looking for it. Our second house (pictured above) was supposed to be "the house." The one we raised our kids in, the one they came home from college to visit and home from their missions to. And we had fun looking for that house. I remember when we first walked inside we both got that "this is it" feeling and we knew that was the one for us. But things happened and that house is gone. And now we're looking again. Except this time it's not so fun. It's stressful and frustrating. There is a lot of waiting and unknowns and more waiting. And all of the houses we've looked at I haven't had that "this is it" feeling and that is really bugging me. I want the right house, on the right street, in the right neighborhood, in the right ward to raise my boys. But then I was thinking today and I thought it's really not about the house. Not really. I mean we want a house we like, one that fits our family, something we'll enjoy. But really, it's about who is in that house. The family we are, the friends who enter. That is what is going to build us, build our boys. Not the house, but the people who enter in it. Now all I need to do is just remember that and all will be well.

Thankful

2010-12-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

We went out to lunch on Saturday with Dave's parents who were here in town visiting. When the waitress came to the table I noticed she was limping. I had just been to the foot doctor and got my foot all wrapped up so I wondered what was wrong with her. The next time she came to the table I asked why she was limping. She told us she tore a ligament in her knee. I mentioned it was too bad she had to work with a hurt knee and her response was, "The doctor didn't want me to come to work but I begged him to let me work. I am the only one who takes care of my kids so I have to get paid." At that moment I was so thankful for my husband. So thankful for the work he does for our family so I can stay home with our children and so thankful for his knowledge and skills that have always allowed us to pay our bills. We don't always have money for the things we want, but we always have money for the things we need. I have been reminded so often these past few weeks of how blessed I really am and it's something that I've needed. I love how the Lord knows what we need and when we need it. I love how He shows His love to us in even the smallest of ways and how those moments stick with us through the tough times to pull us through.

Recent Happenings

2010-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

The other day I looked back to my blog one year ago to see how things were back then. So much has changed! A year ago we were just finishing up with the changes to our house and we had decided to take the loan modification we were offered and stay there. The boys all shared a room, Logan had just transferred from a crib to a toddler bed, Trevor was struggling in school with reading and writing, Colin was in preschool and still throwing fits and tantrums. And now, one year later much has changed. Here are a few things that have been happening around here:

Trevor's brought his reading and writing grades up to 77%! We're so proud of his hard work and so happy he has a great teacher.
Colin gets a "green" at school almost everyday. I think there have only been 2 or 3 times he's come home with a yellow. And his dancing skills are very impressive thanks to the dancing they do in class.
Logan loves nursery, loves when his cousin Gage comes over, he loves being the "baby" of the family, but we're trying to convince him that he's a big boy.
We are looking at houses and discovering that buying a house that is a short sale is actually a very long and frustrating process. We'll see what happens.
We're looking forward to a visit from Dave's parents the day after Thanksgiving!
I recently did a girl's weekend in St. George with my college roommates and we decided to make it an annual event (and next year we're all getting massages).
Dave registered for an accounting class and has decided to go back to school to get his accounting degree. I told him he has to get straight A's.

Dave and I very often will comment on how very blessed we are and that despite the difficulties we've had in the recent past we know that we are very lucky to have all that we do. We are looking forward to seeing what comes in the near future and we are happy that we have the family we do. As the boys get older I love them more and more. I enjoy listening to them and watching them. I enjoy the things we get to do with them. When we were getting ready to move from our house back in March Dave always said to me that no matter where we were, if we were together that was all we needed. And, like always, he was right.

Halloween

2010-11-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

My kids love Halloween. They loved driving around the neighborhood looking for houses that were decorated and they constantly made plans for costumes and trick-or-treating and trading candy. We usually decorate the house with a graveyard, but this year (because everything was packed away) we kept the decorations simple and decided to just take out a couple of things. The week of Halloween was full of parties at school, church and grandma's house. Unfortunately, that week was also full of the stomach flu. But all three boys had it the same day so it wasn't too bad. Trevor and Colin enjoyed their school parties and going to the church trunk-or-treat (I stayed home with Logan who was still a little sick from the flu) and then trick-or-treating to all of the scary house (some a little too scary for Logan). It was a fun holiday but Dave and I both decided that next year, no matter where we're living we are going to go full out for Halloween. After all, it's all about making good memories for our kids.

Star Student

2010-11-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Colin is Star Student of the Week this week at school. He was so excited when he came home and told me it was his turn to be Star Student. Yesterday we made this poster that he presented to his class today. Here are some of the things on his poster:
Favorite things: Legos, Halloween, Spaghetti and meatballs
Things he does not like: throwing up, macaroni and cheese, scary movies
What he wants to be when he grows up: Donut Man or a Toy Maker
If he could have three wishes he would wish for: the Dr. Bones Color Lab toy, Popsicles, and every Lego.
I got to go into his class today while he presented his poster. It was fun seeing him tell the class about himself and Logan loved sitting on the carpet with the rest of the class. I'm so glad for good teachers this year who are making school so enjoyable for my kids. And it's nice when your child gets to feel special. I think those are things they always remember.

School picture day

2010-10-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

School picture day was last week (I think) but we had just sent some cute pictures to Grandmas and Grandpas so I decided not to buy any this time. And, the last 2 years when I have gotten Trevor's pictures his smile comes out all wrong, his hair is messed up and it's just not that cute. So before school on picture day I told the boys to sit right down and I took pictures of them. Now even though I think Trevor is a super cute kid, his two front teeth are just sad right now. I am sure one day he will grow into his teeth (or else he'll need braces to get everything nice and straight), but for now he is going to have to go through that awkward stage of all of the teeth falling out and coming in funny. So here are their pictures for the year. Of course we couldn't leave out Logan - and darn it, I didn't even fix his hair that morning!

Disneyland!

2010-10-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

For my dad's 60th birthday he decided to take all of his family to Disneyland! Here are some of the highlights of the trip: Logan seeing everything for the first time (and being scared of almost all of the rides except for the rides in Bug's Life); Colin saying, "That was awesome!" after going on Pirates, the first ride we all did together; seeing how they changed the Haunted Mansion ride to Nightmare Before Christmas for Halloween; seeing my kids hanging out with their cousins; being able to hang out with my siblings, their spouses and my nieces and nephews; seeing my grandma go on all of the rides with us and the happy look on her face as she took everything in; watching the fireworks from our hotel window and hearing the boys' reactions; seeing a bride get into her Cinderella carriage and Colin saying, "See Mom this place is magic!", beating Dave BIG TIME on Buzz Lightyear; watching my bro-in-law run around the park all weekend getting fast passes (we were so organized); my boys not fighting and getting along so well; my boys asking to go to the Lego store over and over again (they kept calling it LegoLand); Dave massaging my feet each night; being with my whole family for a weekend.

Disney Dance

2010-10-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

We went to Disneyland this weekend and before I post the pictures and tell all about our trip I have to post just one thing first. While we were there Colin and Logan were dancing fools. When they would hear music around the park those two would start bopping their heads and moving around. A few times they just got out there and started dancing and I was smart enough to get it on video. It was so entertaining and funny to watch but the part I loved best was that they just wanted to have fun and they did not care where they were or who saw they just wanted to dance.

Our new baby

2010-09-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our neighbors came by with a little baby they wanted us to adopt. It was a baby turtle and they wanted to make sure he got a good home. The boys were way excited to have a pet and after much discussion we decided to name him Mylo. We found a good place in the backyard for him to live and he seems happy there. I told the boys he will be hibernating soon and that turtles don't come out very often, just to get food and water and explore a little. But they are still really excited for Mylo to live with us. And Mylo will be the only pet these boys will ever have.

"Mom there was a skull in that cave!"

2010-09-24T18:50:00.001-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend I insisted we do something outdoorsy and fun. I wanted to be in nature and get out of the heat so we went to Mt. Charleston to go hiking. I packed a lunch and snacks and drinks and we piled the kids in the car and headed off. "Where are we going?" Dave asked me as we were half way up the mountain. "I don't know. Let's just drive until we see a hiking path," was my reply. Dave hates when there is not a plan, but he didn't say anything and he kept driving. Then I saw it. The Robber's Roost sign. My dad had told me about it before. An easy hike for the kids with a cave at the end. We parked the car and got out, walked across the street and started our hike. The weather was amazing, the air was cool and it was beautiful up there. We told the boys to look around and notice all of the things around them. I noticed how easy it was to go on a family hike now that Logan can walk, now that he wants to walk and no longer wants to be held or carried. It was fun and enjoyable and at the end there was a cave. Colin wanted to go into the cave very badly; Trevor, not so much; Logan, not at all. Colin went into the little cave and looked around and claimed he saw a skull in there. Trevor looked in but came right back out. As we looked around and then found a spot to eat our lunch I was happy. We had fun with the boys and I had fun watching them. I love the way they interact with one another, the way Dave imagines and plays with them. I love that they are buddies and that they like playing with one another (most of the time) and that they help one another out. That day was not super planned out, it was not some big, elaborate end-of-the-summer trip. It was small and simple and sometimes that is just what we need.

Light

2010-09-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

On the second day of school Trevor had a meltdown in class. His teacher called me to talk about it and I started to worry that it was going to be a terrible year with him getting into trouble and not liking school. When he came home that day I sent him to his room for a time out for the way he talked to his teacher and told him I'd come and talk to him later. I was upset with the way he acted at school but I knew I had to approach this situation in a way that would make things better and not worse. After saying a quick prayer, I spent some time thinking about what I needed to talk to Trevor about. And then it came to me. I needed to remind Trevor of who he was. When I went into his room to talk to him he was a lot more calm and I knew he was ready to listen. After talking about what is and is not appropriate at school I told Trevor what I thought he needed to hear. I told him that when he was a baby and his dad gave him his baby blessing he said something so special that I have never forgotten it. He said that Trevor would be a light to the people around him and that people would be happy just by being around him. I told Trevor what it meant to be a light and told him that he needed to smile and be happy so that the rest of his class would be happy too. The next day Trevor came out of school smiling. He said, "Mom, I smiled today and I let my light shine!" He told me not all of the kids smiled back at him, but I told him that he just needed to keep doing what he knew was right and being a good boy. And he has. Sometimes I think we all just need a little reminder of who we are and what it is that makes us "shine".

Provence fabric

2010-09-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

When Dave and I went to France we visited the area known as the French Riviera or Provence France. It's the area close to Italy, right along the Mediterranean. One of the things I remember about that trip and that area was the amazing fabric I saw. Everywhere we went, on the streets, at the market, there would be these racks of fabric for sale. They were beautiful and bright, colors of blue, yellow, red and green. I loved seeing them and I kick myself for not buying something when we were there. But Williams-Sanoma has table cloths that remind me exactly of the fabrics I saw on the streets of Nice. I often look at them online and dream of the day I can throw one of them over the table in my kitchen or dining room. Now that we are renting a house I keep thinking about how I want to decorate when we get a house of our own. I have always loved yellow and blue, but lately my eyes have wandered to red as well. How well these primary colors go together. How fun to have a bright and cheery kitchen. I am not at all good at home decorating nor am I crafty at all, but in my head I can see a cute kitchen with these colors. Maybe someday. It's fun to look and imagine, it's fun to plan and discover all of the things you like and want. And it will be fun, once we have a house, to get on with the decorating.

If you don't have it, make it!

2010-09-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

Dave is gone all day today (and all night) for Youth Conference, so I invited myself over to my mom's for dinner. I told her I would bring dessert and I wanted to try something easy and new. I recently came across a new recipe blog that I love. Easy and simple recipes, but creative and fun. It's call See Jane in the Kitchen. I have a link to it on my favorite blogs. The other day I ran across a recipe called Fudge Cake Bars. It looked so good, but when I read the recipe I realized I had everything to make the bars except for sweetened condensed milk. Then, by some miracle, I came across a post on Everyday Food Storage that showed how to make your own sweetened condensed milk. Someone was trying to tell me to make these bars. So today I set out to make the milk and then the bars. So easy and simple and I did not even have to go to the store! Hooray for food storage and for smart girls who share their recipes.

Sweetened Condensed Milk:

1 Cup powdered Milk

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Butter

1/2 Cup boiling water (put in microwave for 45 seconds to bring to boil)

Mix everything in a blend and blend until mixed well. (I had to scrape the sides of the blender a few times to get it all combined)

Fudge Cake Bars:

1 yellow cake Mix (I am sure you could use any flavor, so experiment!)

2 eggs

1/2 Cup Oil

1 recipe (or 1 can) sweetened condensed milk

1 Cup Chocolate Chips (I thought of using 1/2 peanut butter chips, but I thought about it too late. I am sure any kind of chips would work)

Combine Cake mix, eggs and oil. Press 2/3 mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. In a microwave safe bowl microwave milk and chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir until melted or microwave another 30 seconds and stir again (I only had to do it once) Pour over crust. Sprinkle rest of crust over chocolate. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden brown. (The original recipe says these freeze well.)

I could not resist and I had a small piece right from the oven. Super yummy! Next time chocolate cake mix and peanut butter chips!

Summer's End and First Day of School

2010-08-31T13:56:00.001-07:00

The last week of summer I tried to do a few fun things with the kids before they had to go back to school. My friend Jessica and I met up at the Springs Preserve one day to take the kids since they were free in August. They all had a really good time, despite the heat. They loved seeing the different desert animals, looking for bugs and playing with everything. It was fun to get a few hours out of the house and have my kids entertained. We also ate lunch at Dave's work a few times this summer. The boys LOVE going to work to eat with Dad. They get to sit at the big conference table and Dave always draws them pictures on the computer they can take home to color.

The first day of school came quickly and I was happy as can be. Trevor started 2nd grade and his teacher is Ms. Nix. Colin started kindergarten and has Mr. Bryson for a teacher. Colin had an amazing first day of school! He was afraid he would be bad at school but when he came out with a stamp on his hand he said to me, "It was so easy to be good, I don't think I have to be bad anymore." He had a lot to tell us about school and all of the things they did and talked about. I think he will really enjoy it. Trevor had a good day as well, but told me they did a lot of work and it was not always fun. He said he had fun at lunch and at recess and PE. He has a few friends in his class so that is always nice. We talked about how he needs to work hard and that even if school is not fun he still needs to go and always do his best. He is hoping the work is not too hard this year and that he gets good grades. I think Trevor has the hardest time with change so I think as he gets into the routine at school and knows what to expect his days will go better.

France

2010-08-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have always had a love for things French. I think it started with ballet. Learning the names of steps in French and what they mean in English. When I was in high school I took French for two years and then when I got to college I had to take a foreign language as a part of my Bachelor of Arts Degree. I actually got a minor in French because it was just three extra classes I had to take which included a French literature class, that I am happy to say I passed with an A. When I did my student teaching I taught a French 1 class and I loved it. I was not fluent by any means, but I knew enough to teach those kids. We had fun, we played games, and they learned. And those kids told me they had liked the way I taught. The teacher who supervised me in that class was named Barbara Edwards. On my last day of student teaching in her class she gave me a gift. She gave me a lovely make up case that she said was for me to use when I took my trip to France. I loved Barbara. She was so happy, kind and sweet. She always smiled. She was encouraging and supportive. She died in one of the planes that were hijacked on 9/11. I was happy I had the chance to know her and to work with her. When Trevor was a year old and I was pregnant with Colin, Dave and I went to France. My friend Pam was living in Nice at the time and I knew if we did not go then we never would. We didn't go to Paris or Lyon or any of the other places I had dreamed of going when I studied French in school, but we were there and that was good enough for me. We spent a week eating baguettes and strawberry tarts. We walked around the city of Nice and watched the people and loved the look of the old buildings. We visited museums and enjoyed the architecture, both old and new. We walked along the Mediterranean and stuck our feet in. We shopped in open air markets and tasted French treats, paninis and pizzas. We took bus tours of the city and stopped at places that interested us. I loved hearing everyone speak, I loved trying to understand what they were saying and trying to speak back. I would love to go again, but if I never do I am glad for the trip I did get.

Lovely

2010-08-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Last week in my Bountiful Basket I got corn. Of course I wanted to grill it for dinner this week, but when I shucked it I was amazed at how pretty it looked. It was white and yellow and just so lovely. I could not stop looking at it. Yellow is my favorite color and that corn just caught my eye. So I took pictures of it. I had to it was so pretty. And after I grilled it, it was so yummy!! And to go with my corn I made an equally delicious oven roasted BBQ chicken. I even grilled a nectarine and tossed it into my fruit salad. Mmmm. We had a good dinner that night. And no one argued when I ate the last piece of corn. I had to have it. The grill does amazing things to food. I can't wait to see what we get in our baskets this time. And if you want to know what the heck Bountiful Baskets are go to their website and check it out. It's such a good deal. And you always run into friends when you're picking up your stuff. Fun times. http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/

Colin even liked dinner that night! But when he saw his corn he said, "Why does it have this black stuff on it?"

Dinner help

2010-08-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

We've been getting Bountiful Baskets lately and I have a bunch of stuff in my fridge that I am not sure what to do with. I have a ton of tomatoes, green peppers and onions but I know I'll never use them fast enough before they go bad. So I decided to do some dinner bags. I chopped my green peppers and onions and put them into freezer bags so I can use them when I make chili or chicken tortilla soup. I sliced green pepper and onion for another bag to use for fajitas (I'm making those on Sunday). And my mom told me that I could chop up tomatoes and freeze them. The tomatoes can be added to spaghetti sauce or canned diced tomatoes to add a "fresh" taste. I put everything in smaller freezer bags and they are all portioned out to be just enough for one recipe or one dinner. There was a cooking show that used to be on called "Make Ahead Meals". In that show the host showed how to make a menu for the week and then at the beginning of the week choose one day to prepare everything for the week and have it ready to go. Vegetables and meat would get chopped up and placed in storage bags or containers so that when you were ready to cook dinner everything was prepped. It's a great idea, but not something I do. Sometimes if I have time in the morning or afternoon I will make up my casserole or dinner and put it in the fridge so that at dinner time I just have to put it in the oven. That is a great time saver and especially good for those busy nights where you are helping kids with homework or have places to go. That might be something I'll try and start doing more of. I think with 2 kids in school now I will need to be more prepared and little things like this will help make dinner time much easier.

Beach video

2010-08-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

I figured it out. Here it is. Short but sweet and the kids love seeing themselves in "movies."

Sunbeam

2010-08-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

This is how our Family Home Evenings usually begin:

Cooking

2010-08-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

When I was visiting my friend this past weekend we were sitting up talking one night about stuff. We got on the subject of grocery shopping and what we make for dinner. I said to her, "I love cooking dinner. It's my time. It's when I get to do something I really enjoy, when I get time alone. It's relaxing for me, it makes me happy."
I think my love for cooking must have started back in my mother's kitchen. I remember sitting watching her cook and wanting to help. I always say to Trevor, "I learned how to cook by watching my mom cook," and it's true. A lot of what I make for dinner for my kids are things my mom made for us. And often times I don't need recipes because it's already there, already known by watching and doing it a hundred times before. When my little sister and I were the last ones home my mom told us we needed to start making dinner. We did and even though my sister was already a better cook than I was, I learned a lot from those dinners we made together.
In college I learned how to take simple ingredients and make a meal. My roommate Jamie and I would combine our food and I would make something of it. It wasn't always fabulous and gourmet, but it was good for what we had. But I really started to love cooking when I lived alone. I live alone for a year before I got married and that was the year I started making a menu. Each week I would sit down and decide what I wanted for dinner that week and I would make a menu, then my grocery list. And when I lived alone I made dinner for myself almost every night. I tried new recipes, I grilled outside, I tried new food that I had never tried before and I started watching cooking shows. I would get excited thinking about what I would cook for dinner that night and when I sat down to eat, very often alone, I always felt proud of what I was able to do.
I'm not the best cook and I don't make very fancy meals, but it's something I really do enjoy. There are very often days that are filled with things like laundry, cleaning toilets and vacuuming, listening to fights, changing diapers and all of those mom things that are not always fun and exciting. But when I can stop all of that for a moment and step into my kitchen and cook dinner I start to feel like I'm really doing something. And even when no one seems to like what I made, at least I got my time.

Beach trip

2010-08-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

Dave and I met Jeremy and Susie Sewell when we were newlyweds. I had just been called to be the Young Women president in our ward and Dave and I were sitting in church looking around at the members, trying to decide who I should choose as councilors and a secretary when we saw a new, young couple sitting a few rows ahead of us. I knew instantly she needed to be my secretary. I didn't know who she was, but I knew I needed her. That was how we met Jeremy and Susie. They lived in the same condo complex as we did and they were assigned as our home teachers. We really enjoyed our friendship with the Sewells, and 9 years later we are still good friends. Jeremy and Susie recently moved to California for a new job opportunity so a few weeks ago, on Facebook, Susie and I made plans for us to come and visit. We left on Friday and had a fun weekend at the Sewells' home. Our kids played and stayed up very late, the adults talked and visited. Saturday we went to the beach, then out for ice cream, then went back to their house to make pizza for dinner. It was a short trip, but a nice break; something our family needed. I love when the Lord sends you friends at different times in your life and how some of those friendships just get better as the time goes by. Here is a video and some pictures from our day at the beach. Of course I forgot to have somoene take a picture of our family together. Oops.
Okay, so no video. I don't know why but it won't load. But Trevor and Colin LOVED the ocean. Logan, not so much. He just stayed on the blanket and played in the sand.

Your brother is your best friend

2010-07-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

I've been noticing lately that Colin has found a new friend in Logan. I first saw this a couple of weeks ago when Dave took Trevor to a scout activity with him. The house was peaceful and quiet as Colin sat downstairs and drew and Logan played with cars upstairs. And then the two came together and started playing with one another. They played nicely, there was no fighting and they were both laughing and smiling and having fun. Then, a few days ago I saw it again. Colin and Logan off together playing while Trevor was busy doing something else. Yesterday, before dinner, Logan wanted to go out and swim. He wanted friends to swim with him so he ran upstairs to get his brothers to come out. All three of them played for a while but in the end Trevor ended up coming back in the house leaving Colin and Logan to play. They get along so nicely. I think they have a great new relationship building. Not just brothers, but now they're becoming friends. I just hope Logan isn't too sad when Colin goes off to kindergarten in a few months. At least they will have some time together each afternoon until it's time to pick Trevor up. It's so nice seeing your kids getting along and being friends. Dave and I say all of the time to them, "He's your brother, and he should be your best friend." My greatest desire is that the three of them grow up close, that they grow up as friends.

Attempt at family pictures

2010-07-18T13:53:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to a park with a friend and her daughter and attempted to take some family pictures. As soon as we got out of the car the boys wanted nothing to do with taking pictures. Although we did not have their cooperation, I was able to find some pictures I really did like because they sure did capture our boys' personalities.

Nesting

2010-07-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

I never really went through that nesting phase when I was pregnant with any of my boys. That need to clean and organize, to get make room for one more. But I don't think that feeling comes just when you're about to have a baby. I think it comes at all different times in your life. For me it came a couple weeks ago after I went grocery shopping. I went alone since that Monday was a holiday and I ended up buying way more than I usually do. I'm sure it was because I was able to walk slowly through the store and really look at everything instead of hurrying and getting everything in my cart as quickly as possible because I had kids screaming, crying, complaining, fighting, or running away. When I got home to unload my groceries I realized I didn't have room for everything. And then I got that feeling. The need to clean and organize, the strong desire to make room, to make it all fit nice and neat. For the next hour or so I cleaned out the cupboards in my kitchen, then made my way to the hall cabinets where I keep my food storage and finally the hall closet where I have more food storage. By the time I was done everything had a place, a home. Things fit and I discovered, once I rearranged a bunch of stuff, that I actually had extra room. Now if only I felt the need to clean and organize other parts of my house.....

I like it easy

2010-07-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

I love finding easy recipes I can use for my family. Things that are simple, don't take a lot of time - dinners my kids will like. Some of my favorite places to go for easy recipes are: Kraft Foods, The Pioneer Woman and Tasty Kitchen. I can get really easy and simple recipes that taste good and don't have a hundred different steps or expensive ingredients. I know, some people think you need to expose your kids to new things so they will like different things. Well, let's be realistic. I don't have the time or the money to try a bunch of stuff my kids "might" like. I don't see anything wrong with making easy dinners my kids will like. If I like it and they like it and my husband likes it than it's a keeper. I also love time-saving cooking ideas. The best idea I ever got was on a food storage website. The tip was this: when you buy ground beef make sure you get it when it's on sale in the bulk packages. Then when you get home cook it up, drain the fat and put into freezer bags in 2 cup portions. You can freeze it and when you need something for dinner, pull out the bag, pop it in the microwave to defrost and you've got cooked ground beef for tacos, pasta, whatever. It's the best trick ever. It makes dinner time so easy and you save a bunch of money if you bought it on sale. I just did this tonight and I got 4 bags which is 4 dinners for $10 which comes out to $.50 a serving. You can do the same thing with chicken (bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes, shred or chop it up then freeze in 2 cups portions. It's ready the next time you need cooked chicken for a casserole, enchiladas, chicken salad). Right now The Pioneer Woman has quick, easy meal ideas. Take a look and you may just get inspired. You may just wow your family the next time you get home late and need dinner on the table in 20 minutes. Then they will all think you are supermom. And you are.

We have no Princess movies

2010-07-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

The boys wanted a movie for tonight. They wanted "The Spy Next Door" but it was not at the Red Box so instead Dave brought home "The Princess and the Frog." Really? I told him they were not going to like a Princess movie, but Dave said, "But it's a cartoon." Yeah, but it's a Princess movie. They were disappointed when they heard what movie they got for the night, but they were good sports and we all settled on the couch (except for Dave since he had game night with the guys) to watch the movie. They laughed at some places, they liked the bad guy, they loved eating their popcorn, but by then end I could tell they were not too impressed. They didn't really seem to like the singing parts and their eyes were glazing over a little by the time we got to the marriage/happy ending. They seemed glad when it was finally over and I told them we'd try and find their Spy movie tomorrow so we can do a re-do of Family Movie Night. I used to love all of those movies when I was a kid - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White. I loved Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid, but thank goodness Disney started making movies like Incredibles, Cars and Toy Story. I mean, what did families like mine do way back when there were no Disney movies for boys? Because, really, what boy cares about if the glass slipper is going to fit, or sits on the edge of his seat waiting for the prince to come and wake up the sleeping Princess with a kiss? Yes, we've got all of the movies little boys like and none of them have a Princess as a character. We're all boy here in our house. So, none of my kids will ever want to sit and watch Anne of Green Gables with me; I'll never have a kid to go watch chick flicks with. But that's what my mom and sisters and friends are for. And I don't mind that the movies we get aren't usually the ones I would pick, but we always end up having fun and when you're watching a movie with your kids sometimes it's more fun watching them than it is watching the movie.

Swimming Lessons

2010-06-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

Trevor and Colin have been taking swimming lessons for the past 2 weeks. There is a girl who just graduated from high school who is a life guard and also teaches lessons at her house. I heard great things about her so I called and got the boys signed up with her. Their last lesson is Friday and Colin has loved it. He told me he wanted to do swim lessons every day. After the second lesson Trevor decided he did not want to do it anymore so Colin got a couple private lessons and he did so well. He is now very comfortable in a swimming pool and he knows how to stay safe and have fun. The other day Logan was out back swimming and Colin decided to join him. After a few minutes I looked in on them to see Colin teaching Logan how to kick. It was the cutest thing. Colin was giving Logan swimming lessons. Luckily, I got a video of them.

Money Jar

2010-06-29T12:28:00.001-07:00

I was at a baby shower on Saturday and as I was talking to a friend she told me about her recent vacation to Lego Land. I told her how I have been wanting to take the kids there, but I needed to figure out a way to save up some money for it. She told me she had a vacation fund and she secretly put money there until she had enough. So I started to think of a way we could save money for a vacation. Then, when I was at home, my eyes fell upon our giant money jar. It's one of those big, huge Sparklets water bottles. There is some money in there already so I thought that would be the perfect place to save our pennies. I made a sign for the jar so we all know the money in there will go towards our Lego Land trip next year. I think it will be fun to put change in there and see how much we get in a year. Colin is way excited. He keeps telling people about our money jar and that we're saving up for a trip to Lego Land. We might not save up enough to cover the whole trip but I am sure that money will go a long way in helping us have a fun vacation next year. It's always nice to have something to look forward to, something to plan and work on. It just makes life a little more fun.

Friends

2010-06-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

I called an old friend of mine tonight to chat. I called to ask her a question about someone she knows whom I now know, but we ended up talking about life. She told me what was going on in her life and all of the changes she is making. She told me about being scared because she is going to quit her full time job in order to go to school full time. She told me about being worried about her math and science classes. We've been out of high school for 15 years now (seriously?!) and she is starting from scratch. But I told her she'd be okay and if she needed help she knew lots of people who could be there for her. She told me about her new calling in church and what she was worried about and frustrated with. Then she asked how I was. She asked about our new house and the new ward. She asked about my kids and how my family was doing. We talked about making plans to get together with the other girls we have known for forever. I think of this girl and I think of my life and I can't remember her not in it. I don't have a memory of when I didn't know her. And that is the same for many of the friends I still have today. Lately I've felt a little lonely for friends. Not that I don't have any, but sometimes they feel so far away, even when they are not. I don't take the time to always pick up the phone and call a friend like I did tonight. I have not talked to this girl since we went out to dinner back in April or May, but when I called her tonight it was so nice because it was like talking to my sister. And that is what she is. We grew up together, this group of girls who I love so much. And the reason we're all such good friends, the reason we can be so close even when we don't talk all that much is because we're like sisters. And every time I am with them or talk to them I am always uplifted. They always say something I need to hear, they always make me happy to be me. The Lord put them in my life for a reason and there is something special about the friendship we all share. We're all very different in so many ways but we have a common thread that seems to keep us knit together. And I know that thirty years from now, or even more, I'll feel the same way about them as I do now.

Cupcake Date

2010-06-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

The other night Colin and I were sitting on the couch together watching Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. As we watched the introduction of the different bakers Colin kept asking, "Is that real?" I kept telling him over and over it was real. Then he said, "Do you know where that muffin shop is?" (my kids call muffins cupcakes and cupcakes muffins - I'm not sure why.) I told him I didn't know where the ones on the TV were but I said to him, "I do know where there is a cupcake shop where we live." He got all kinds of excited. During the whole rest of the show (he stayed and watched the whole hour with me) he kept talking about going to the cupcake shop and getting a cupcake but just me and him. He said, "Not Dad or Trev or Logan. Just me and you, Mom." So, by the end of the show I had him convinced that he and I would go on a date, a cupcake date, to the cupcake shop. He wanted to go right then, but I told him we would pick a day and write it on the calendar and we'd have something to look forward to. In the past Dave has taken the boys on little father/son outings. He's planned a day and done something simple like going out for ice cream or taking one of them to the park or to run errands with him and then getting a treat. I always said it was good for them to spend time with him since he's always at work and I'm always home with them. But I never thought that they might need some more one on one time with me. I see them all day, everyday, but sometimes that's not what they want or what they need. Colin has been saying a lot lately, "Mom, I just want to cuddle with you." But then Logan will come along and push Colin aside. It must be hard when someone else always seems to be getting the love and attention you want. I took Trevor with me to the library and the store on Saturday and it was fun being with just him. They are different when they are alone with me or Dave. When they are the only kid they are different and it's nice. It's nice to just talk to them and pay attention to one kid, instead of having to try and divide your time and attention between all three. It's not just them who needs the one on one time with Dave or with me. I think we need it too. It's just nice to be alone with a kid who is loving the attention.

Summertime

2010-06-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Trevor has been so excited for Summer Vacation. I remember when I was a kid I also looked forward to the days where I could be lazy and ride bikes with my friends, have sleepovers in the middle of the week, eat ice cream and Popsicles, watch TV in the middle of the day and go on family trips. We don't usually have big things planned for our kids, but this summer we have a few things that should make it fun for them. A couple of weeks ago Dave was called to serve with the 14-15 year old boys at church and help with their scouting. There are already camping trips planned and he decided it was time to buy a tent. Dave went out on Monday and bought a tent that will sleep the whole family as well as a pool for the kids. We decided we would take the boys camping a few times this summer and we set the pool up today so they could swim. They did not have patience to wait for it to fill up all of the way so they got in and played for a little bit. It will be nice to have, something for them to do to cool off and get out of the house. In the coming weeks we'll have trips to the library, splash parks, friends over to play, camping trips, and at the end of the summer a family reunion in Reno. Happy Summer!

Thanks Aunt Debbie and Hooray for Trevor!

2010-06-01T10:07:00.001-07:00

For our birthdays this year Dave's sister, Debbie, sent us gift certificates to Baskin Robbins. Yesterday, after taking the boys to a splash park (LOVE those places! Wish they had them when I was a kid) we went to get ice cream. They loved looking at all of the the different flavors and deciding what toppings to put on. It was a fun treat and we still have some certificates left over! So, thanks Debbie for the cool treat on a hot day.

Today was Trevor's awards assembly. With the school year coming to a close tomorrow, I look back over this year so happy for the teacher Trevor had. His teacher has been teaching school for over 20 years and she loves it. You can tell by the way she talks to the kids, the way she works with the parents, and the way she runs her classroom that she knows what she's doing and she does it because it's something she really enjoys. Trevor's teacher was very strict in her classroom rules and the way she graded, but it was what he needed. He was challenged this year in so many areas but he learned so much. He did not get straight A's, did not get just A's and B's but he did so well and we are so proud of him. He struggled in writing all year and when he brought home progress reports and report cards with C's in writing he was so excited. He knew he worked hard and brought up his grade. I have seen so much change in him this year with the way he reads and writes. It's been so fun to see him learning. I have loved working with his teacher. She has been so supportive. She has been honest with us and has helped us as parents to help Trevor in the things he needed. She looked for the good in Trevor and worked with him on what he needed to improve. Today when she was presenting her awards she started to cry. It just shows me what a dedicated teacher she is and how lucky I feel that Trevor had her this year. Trevor got awards today for attendance and improvement.

Moving on up!

2010-05-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

Colin had his last day of preschool this week. All year they have been talking about their graduation day which would include a swim party with cake and ice cream. He's been talking about the swim party for weeks now and when the day came I knew it would be so freezing cold! But the kids swam anyway. He had a great time. I am so grateful for his teacher this year. She was so patient and loving and kind towards him. Colin was not always the easiest kid at school for her but she never gave up on him. I love the way she encouraged him and how much he learned in her class. More than learning colors, numbers, shapes, letters, I am glad he learned how to control his temper a little better, how to follow rules and get along with other kids. I'm so glad for good teachers who do for my children what I can't. Here is a little video of his graduation program.

Cranberry (or Apricot) Chicken Recipe

2010-05-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

I've had 2 requests for this recipe. It's so easy and very tasty. It came from a cookbook called "Don't Panic...Dinner's in the Freezer." You can make this sauce ahead of time, put it in a freezer bag with the chicken, freeze it and then use it another day. This is also one of those recipes you can mix up in the morning and keep in the fridge and the pop it in the oven when it's time to cook. I love doing that - it makes dinner time so much easier. The Apricot Chicken was a recipe my sister gave me. I don't know which one I like better. Sometimes I want the sweet apricot, other times the tangy cranberry. So here it is:

Cranberry (or Apricot) Chicken

1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (or for Apricot Chicken substitute 1 cup apricot jam)
1 cup Catalina dressing
(for Apricot chicken add a can of pineapple chunks, drained)

Mix above ingredients in a small bowl. Cut up 1 pound chicken (or more if you have a bigger crowd to feed) into bite sized pieces. Place in a baking dish. Add the sauce and mix together. Bake, covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Stir and remove cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

I always serve this dish with green beans and chocolate milk for some odd reason.

Look at what I got!!

2010-05-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

I went grocery shopping today like I do every Monday. As I was walking around the store I noticed 2 women shopping together. I always like to see what people buy at the store. I think what you have in your grocery cart tells a lot about you. My cart would say I go shopping once a week, I have boys who like cereal and drink a lot of milk, who love apples and cheese. My cart says I like to cook and I cook dinner almost every night for my family. So I look in the cart of these two women and I see things like Raman noodles (I think the last time I bought those I was in college), 4 bottles of ketchup, some cereal, a carton of juice, a half gallon of milk (seriously, that's all the milk you needed?). Then one girl says to the other, "I can't wait to see how much you spend. And you'll have to take a picture and put it on your blog." So it made sense. They were shopping with coupons, trying to save more than they spend. And that's all good. I think it's great that women take the time to go to different stores, to buy just what's on sale and just what they have coupons for, to save a ton of money. But I just don't like doing that. I like buying what I want to buy when I want to buy it. I don't go crazy. I'm not a crazy shopper who spends tons of money. But I do have a family I need to feed and I think I do a pretty good job. I've seen the pictures where people will show what they bought at the store and then say they spent $10 but saved $50. Woo Hoo!! That's great. But I always look at those pictures and think, "But what are you possibly going to make for dinner with that?" Who knows, maybe they have a freezer in the garage full of stuff, a pantry overflowing with food storage. But so do I. I just think if you're going to take a picture of your groceries then you also have to share what you're cooking for dinner that week. Because I'm curious. So here's my stuff and my dinner menu for the week (and yes, this is all I need for a the week, I will not be going to another store this week for anything else, because I've got it all here.)

Items bought - 74 (including non-food items like deodorant & diapers)

Amount Spent - $125.84 (each week I spend between $100 and $130 on everything. Sometimes I will go to Target for household items, but I usually just go to Smiths and get it all)

Amount saved - $30.51 (from using my Fresh Values card, no coupons!)

What I'll make for dinner this week - mac and cheese (homemade, not the box) with roasted broccoli and fruit; Cranberry Chicken with rice and green beans and chocolate cobbler for dessert (yes, I said chocolate cobbler); shredded pork tacos with black bean salsa and Spanish rice; breakfast burritos (I try and do breakfast for dinner once a week); meatloaf with mashed potatoes, rolls, gravy and some kind of veggie.

Take a closer look

2010-05-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

What is it about looking into a pair of eyes? I mean really looking? Isn't there a saying that the eyes are a window to the soul? I don't know what it is, but I love (LOVE) looking into my kids' eyes. It all started with Trevor as a baby and the way people would comment on how blue his eyes were. His eyes always stood out and he'd get lots of compliments. So it made me want to look even more. Then came Colin and even though his eyes are blue too, they are not like Trevor's. They are different and when you look into them you see something different. And Logan - sweet Logan with his one eye that is 2 different colors. At first I was the only one who could see it, but now it's something I point out to people when they see him. When I look into their eyes, though, I see them in a different way. It's like you really can see inside of them a little more, into what they may be thinking or feeling. I feel a little more connected, a little closer to them when I look right into their eyes. Every now and then I'll say to one of them, "Come here, I want to look into your eyes." I love that moment. They will come over and smile and let me look. And in that little moment I feel like I know them a little better than before.

Colin

2010-05-11T15:30:00.001-07:00

Colin turned 5 last week. Dave always says Colin is a very interesting child. He has his own unique style of doing things, but at the same time I can see how he looks up to
others and the way they influence him. Colin is influenced by Trevor in the way he uses his imagination and in the way he plays. Sometimes those two play so well together because they are very in sync with one another and what the other is thinking. Colin is influenced by Dave in his interest in art. Colin loves to ask Dave to draw things for him and then Colin will try and draw it himself later. There are times when Colin has seen something Dave did and he's tried to copy it. Colin loves whatever his dad loves: computer games, drawing, TV shows or movies. I think Colin is more like Dave than he thinks. I have seen some of the pictures of Dave as a child and he looks pretty interesting himself. If you've seen Colin lately you will see that he loves bracelets. He wears about ten at a time, most of them rubber bands that he gets at my parent's house from their rubber band ball. He wears them because Papa wears them (my dad). He loves Papa and wants to be like him and the bracelets are his way. I just love Colin to death. He is cute and funny. He says things that just make you stop and wonder how such things got into his head. He is creative and still likes to be held and to cuddle. He's still little but when I look at him I can imagine the day when he is bigger than me. So Happy Birthday to Colin. I think our family is just a little more interesting because of him.

My attempt at being crafty

2010-05-05T13:05:00.001-07:00

A while back I was blog-hopping and I came across a post for a cute craft. It was called a Family Rules canvas. I thought it was super cute and that it might be something I could actually do myself. It's been in the back of my mind and yesterday I decided I wanted to make my own. So I went online and put "Family Rules canvas" into the search and came up with a ton of sites where people have made their own. I knew for me simpler was better so I typed my rules on my computer, went out to Michael's today and bought all of the things I would need. Now, I know mine is not all fancy or crafty. It looks a little plain-Jane, but that is me. I wanted it to be blue and yellow and I wanted it to be hung in the playroom/TV room. I love how it turned out. If you want to make one of you own I suggest just googling "Family Rules Canvas" and looking at the different ideas and seeing how other people did theirs. It's super easy and did not take me very long (probably because I'm a little impatient and I always seem to rush a little) and it only cost $15 since I had to buy EVERYTHING and since I didn't have a Michael's coupon because I very rarely go there. But it was fun, it turned out way better than I expected and I think Dave will be very impressed with my craftiness. (I ended up buying a 12x16 canvas but you can do them as big as you want.)

Charged Battery

2010-04-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dave and I went on a date on Saturday night with some friends. The girl listened to my story of how my camera battery charger was mistakenly thrown away and she said she had an extra one! Yesterday my sweet friend brought me the charger and I now have a working camera again. Just in time for upcoming birthdays and Mother's Day (which they all happen to fall on the same day this year). So yesterday when the battery was fully charged I put it into my pink camera and voila! It worked! I was able to upload my pictures (upload? download? what is the difference?) and now I am ready to share. Here are the real pictures of our rental house. I think we did a pretty good job recreating most of the rooms to look almost exactly like what they did in the old house. This house has almost the same layout which is nice, but what is not nice is the tile. Yucky tile. But all in all we are enjoying it here. We are starting to really love the ward (each Sunday I like it more and more because we're meeting so many nice people), we have super nice neighbors, I love all of the big huge trees and lovely green grass as we walk to school or to the park. It's really worked out well. And we do still have a guest room for any of the Reno Eyre's who want to come and visit!

This kitchen is smaller than my old kitchen, but I have found that all of my stuff fits and sometimes it's way easier to keep a smaller kitchen clean! I think the best thing is that we got rid of a lot of junk before we moved so we moved in mostly with just the things we need. This is right off the kitchen and it's supposed to be the family room. However, because of our huge television and entertainment center it would not fit every well in this space (and the tile was yucky) so we made it the office. It works so well and I actually love having the TV and playroom together, upstairs.

This is our HUGE upstairs bonus room. We loved this room. This room is the reason we wanted to rent this house. The kids love having a TV in their playroom and it's nice that the whole family can be in here at the same time reading, playing, watching a show. It's turned out to be my favorite room of the house.

Family Pics

2010-04-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Celise took these....she said it was the wrong time of day (notice the squinty eyes) so we're going to try again. Different time of day, different location. But I still think these are cute. I sure have the most handsome boys ever!

Photo Shoot

2010-04-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

My friend, Celise, posted on FB a few months ago that she had just bought a new camera and was going to be working on starting a photography business. I immediately volunteered my family for practice. Celise wanted some time to work on figuring out her camera and learning a little about photography so we planned to do a photo shoot in the spring. I wanted to do the pictures at Floyd Lamb Park. I have seen pictures of friends taken there and I thought it would be a lot of fun. So Saturday was the day and as we drove out to the park we noticed signs advertising a festival. So the park was out. We ended up just driving to a park near by and Celise tried to get some shots in, but the boys were too busy trying to run away to play on the playground. After the shoot was over Celise suggested we try again at a different location and she wanted to try in the evening to get shots in different light. I happily agreed. The new location will be Spring Mountain Ranch and we decided to make it a fun family outing complete with picnic dinners and time for the kids to play. It's nice having talented friend who want to practice their talents on you. Hopefully we'll soon have some nice, new pictures to post.

Pictures of house

2010-04-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

So we moved into a rental house. Some of you have been asking to see pictures so I thought I'd post some today. Now get ready, because I think you will be impressed with my decorating abilities. Here is the kitchen...The Family roomThe upstairs playroom and TV roomTrevor and Colin's roomLogan's roomThe master bedroom

As you can clearly see my camera still has a dead battery. Dave is now sure that he threw the battery charger away when we were packing, since at the time he was not sure what it was. So I need to go buy a new one, but I just keep forgetting. One of these days. But for now these pictures are sure fun to look at.

My Grandpa

2010-04-01T19:37:00.000-07:00

My grandpa passed away this week. I haven't cried about it until tonight when I was in the car alone, on my way to Target to get Easter stuff for the kids. I am not sure why I started crying then; probably because I finally had a quiet moment to let it all sink in. I think I've been too busy the last couple of days vacuuming, doing laundry, taking care of coughing kids, changing diapers, attempting to make cookies and everything else that goes on in a normal day. I keep reading posts my cousins are leaving on FB or talking to my sister and hearing how everyone is doing. I was wondering why I am not as sad as they are. Maybe I wasn't as close to him as some of them, or maybe I have been too distracted. I thought back to when my friend Aimee died and how hard it hit me and how much I cried. But tonight, in the car, I just started thinking about him. I thought about his smile. He always seemed to have a smile on his face, well except for when he was at ball games yelling at the refs over mistakes he wanted to make sure they knew they made. I thought about a day when my sister and my cousin and I were at my uncle's house sitting out in the sun and my grandpa came up and just looked at us. I remember asking if he wanted something and he said, "I just have the most beautiful granddaughters." He used to come to the football games to watch me cheer. I remember the 50th anniversary party we threw for him and my grandmother and how I hoped I would someday have a party like that with the man I loved. I thought about my wedding and how my husband had asked my grandma what their wedding song had been. Dave made a CD of wedding songs and when my grandparents' song came on they danced. I watched them dance and they looked so happy and so in love, all those years later. We celebrated their 60 anniversary on Saturday and he passed away a couple of days later. He was a good father and husband and he taught so many things to his children and grandchildren. I know my dad is who he is today because of my grandpa and for that I love him so much. I have always loved my last name, always loved being a Faircloth and having people tell me they knew my grandparents, or my aunts, uncles, or dad. It's a good name to have, a good family to belong to. My grandpa loved his family and it showed in everything he said and did. When you were with him you felt like you were the favorite. He did a lot for a lot of people. I was talking on the phone tonight to someone who knew him and she said such nice things. It made me realize that everyone who knew him must have loved him because that was the kind of person he was.

Give-away!!

2010-04-01T17:11:00.001-07:00

I never win anything. Well, I did win something once. In college I entered my receipt when I bought my books into a drawing and won a backpack which turned out to be a duffel bag. I don't know if I still have it but I was pretty darn excited that I won. There are lots of blogs and websites that do give-aways. I always see the stuff and then see that tens of thousands of people have entered and I think, "I have no chance of winning so why even try?" But lately, I've been checking this one particular blog because there are always really good give-aways. I mean bake ware, pots, mixers, all of the fancy stuff I want to buy but never would buy because it costs too much. So I saw this today. This pretty little yellow mixer. I already have a mixer like this (well mine is almost 10 years old because I bought it with wedding money....wow, that's old!) but mine is blue and this one is yellow. My favorite color. So I entered along with over 20,000 other people and still counting. I know I'll never win, but it's worth a try, right?

Long time, no post

2010-03-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

We moved. In the process of moving I can't seem to find the charger for my camera battery and since my camera battery is dead I have no way to get my pcitures onto my computer. So, that is the reason for no new updates. One of these days the charger will have to show up....I am hoping anyway.

How cute is this?

2010-03-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

This is just cute. There is nothing more to say.