Sloppy Joes

We had sloppy joe's last night for dinner and they were goooooood!  I have several cookbooks in my cupboard above the stove, just ask my husband.  It drives him nuts!  Not only cookbooks but pieces of paper that I've either printed recipes on or written recipes on.  They're always sticking out and falling out all over the place.  But there are certain books and recipes that I turn to over and over again.  One of those being my ward cookbook.  And, lucky me, I just got a new one!  Can't wait to dive into it and find new treasures.  The sloppy joe recipe I'm about to share is from the old one, however.  It's a gem, I tell you.  Hope you love it as much as we do. 

1 lb hamburger
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. green pepper
1/4 c. chopped celery
1 can tomato soup
1/4 c. ketchup
1 T. vinegar
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger with onions, peppers, and celery.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer 15-20 minutes.  Serve on your favorite bun. 

We like to put shredded cheese on it as well.  This recipe freezes really well.  Enjoy!!

Favorite Gifts

Have you ever seen this?  It's the Playskool Busy Ball Popper.  B got it for Christmas but the other kids like it more than he does.  It's hysterical.  Even Anthony and I have fun with it. 

"YES!  I got a earth ball!"  She asked for one and Santa delivered.

One of C's favorites, although I'm pretty sure B's car stroller is his very favorite.



See what I mean?



A had asked for Lulu but was content with a walking kitty, which she also asked for.



Lanie, American Girl Doll. 



My favorite gift of 2010

I wish I could have bottled up the excitement my girls had to give this to me.  Isn't it sweet?  My new house... part of our permanent Christmas decor from now on. 

Leading up to Christmas and beyond

This is our tree this year.  Nothing fancy but we love it.  My mom and dad have started a tradition of giving each child a new ornament each year.  Sometimes it ends up being a set of ornaments.  Our tree is filling up more and more each year.  Up until this year, we have used small Christmas-y stuffed animals as fillers for the tree where needed.  Each year we seemed to use less and less.  They weren't my favorite so I can definitely say that I was happy to not have to use them this year.  (Last year we only used the stuffed animals since C was such a Curious George.  We didn't want to take any chances.)  We love each and every ornament on our tree.   

I've made gingerbread men a few times before but I really think I need to make more of an effort to make them every year.  The girls had so much fun decorating them..... and eating them too.  They are delicious!  The recipe I use is the recipe that Anthony's grandmother (whom I never had the privilege of meeting) used.  Everyone that tries them says they are the some of the best they've ever tried.  Chewy, not hard... just the way I like 'em!  As much as I'd love to share the recipe with you, I just don't know how Anthony's family would feel about that.  It feels almost wrong to share this one.  Sorry, you'll just have to let me bake you some ;)

We were able to go to three different family parties.  It's complicated.  At one of them, the kids do the nativity scene.  K was asked to be Mary this year, a role she was more than excited to take.  H (angel) and A (shepherd) got to choose from the costume box and B was asked to be baby Jesus.  Ha ha!  I had to laugh when my aunt asked.  We only see most of this side once a year.... at the Christmas party, so I knew she had no idea that she was asking my 9-month old, 25-pound monster to be the baby Jesus.  I informed her that he would probably break the prop but she assured me that it would be fine. 

I'm pretty sure this is the biggest baby Jesus in history!  Notice his feet hanging off the edge....  Ha!

Christmas Eve..... Santa had to have some cookies and the reindeer need carrots.  The kids really wanted to leave 9 carrots, one for each reindeer, but I assured them that the reindeer don't need that much all at once.  Normally that would not have sufficed but it did.  I don't ask questions, I'm just grateful to not have wasted 9 carrots.  Don't mind the weirdy in the background.

Look!  Santa Claus made it to our house!  (The tricycle is C's, the car is B's.  C was pretty sure that he needed B's car on Christmas morning.) 

I hope Santa was as good to you as he was to us.  My favorite?  Scroll down...

 Not this but this is cool too.  Santa left a note after eating all the goodies.

Here it is!  A new can opener, YES!  I can make dinner again.  But this wasn't from Santa.  It was from a relative.  And actually it wasn't my favorite gift.  I'll post the real favorite in a separate post.  It's precious! 

Christmas Angels

If you're like me, you never stopped believing in Santa.  I was 12 and in the sixth grade before I realized that Santa wasn't the legendary figure I'd known since birth.  Rather, he was a symbol of Christmas, a feeling and part of the Spirit of it all.  Being as old as I was I had my share of friends that made fun of me for believing.  They all "knew" years before I did.  I never thought I'd truly "know" until I was grown and had a family of my own.  In fact, I remember telling a friend of mine that when I had kids, I would wait up for Santa to come.  If he didn't, I would have a stash of presents... just in case.  That is truly how I thought I would find out. 
There's just so much dissapointment, tragedy, and loneliness in the world and I didn't want to let go of such a fantasy as Santa Claus.  What a representation of how Christ truly is.  Think about it, a man that goes around spreading Christmas cheer, loves children so much that he would spend the entire year getting ready for one sleepless, exhausting night of traveling around the entire world to deliver presents to every boy and girl.  A man that truly represents selflessness.  He expects nothing in return.  Only asking each boy and girl to be good.  Is that not what Christ does for us, only on a much more spiritual level?  He gave us the most selfless gift and expects nothing from us, only asking us to try our hardest to be like him.  And yet, he knows that it is impossible.  He only asks that we try.  

In so many ways, Santa Claus is that example of selflessness and giving.  I refuse to let go of that.  Often times I hear of parents wanting to eliminate Santa Claus altogether from their children's view of Christmas.  They are so afraid that believing in Santa Claus makes the holiday too commercialized and worldly.  I suppose, if you let it be, that can be the case.  However, I am definitely PRO-Santa!  I think believing in a man such as Santa can be a great tool in learning about Jesus Christ and all that he represents.  We try to incorporate that into our holiday as well.  Have you ever read the book I Believe In Santa Claus?  If not, I highly recommend it.  Santa lives!!  He may not "live" in the sense that we think of as children.  Obviously, he doesn't slither down the chimney, ride in a big red sleigh, or have a reindeer with a nose that glows to help him find his way in the fog and dark.  He lives!  He lives through us, the parents, the neighbors, and anyone else that has selflessly given a gift.  He even lives in our children.  I see the light of Christ in my children's eyes far more often than I see it in anyone else.  I also see the spirit of Santa Claus (another great representation of Jesus) in their willingness to serve and give during the holidays. 

Now to the hard part of this post.  It's never fun or easy to admit when things are rough.  We all have trials in this life and we all battle demons.  Some have lighter trials than others and sometimes life just isn't fair. 

As I write this, I write so that others may know that the Spirit of Christmas lives, not so you will feel sorry for us.  I really just want everyone to know that when all hope is lost, it really isn't. 

2000
Anthony and I have been married now for 10 years.  In those years, we've had financial difficulties.  We started out as poor newlywed college students.  We both had jobs but neither of us made much money.  That first Christmas was a meager one.  I don't remember the gifts but I remember that we both wrote a letter to each other and it was the most treasured of all the gifts. 

2001
By the time our second Christmas rolled around, we had little K and I had quit my job to be a full time mom.  Anthony worked hard as a framer (construction).  He had moved up in pay and we had sufficient for our needs.  At that time, we lived in a basement apartment.  Christmas was fun that year.  I surprised him with a set of golf clubs and he surprised me with a stroller and carseat combo for the baby.  It was fun! 

2002-2003
The third and fourth Christmases were unlike any I had known up to that point.  We had moved to South Carolina with my parents who had moved out there for my dad's job.  Anthony was working at Sear's about 30 hours per week, going to school full time, and he was also teaching early morning Seminary at the church (which was about 40 minutes away).  We didn't see much of him at that time but between the student loans and his job, we were able to provide the kids with what they needed and get ourselves a little something too.  Baby A had made her entrance into the family by that fourth year. 

2004
Year number 5 was a rough one.  We had just moved back to Utah from South Carolina and although Anthony was able to get his old construction job back, we had a hard time keeping up with all the bills.  Luckily, that year the only thing K had asked for was "books and a pack-hack" (backpack).  My mom graciously provided a backpack along with some other fun things and by chance, a cousin of mine called me to let me know that she had ordered a set of books from QVC and wanted to know if we wanted to give them to K.  PERFECT!  Baby A was still so little that she didn't even know what was going on.  My mom and dad provided her with a few little things too.  That Christmas was not elaborate at all but it was fun.  We were living in an apartment. 

This was also the year that someone had snuck into our apartment and left a whole mess load of badly needed groceries.  I can't tell you how hungry we were at that point!  We opened our apartment door one night to find the grocery bags, full of groceries on our kitchen floor.  I don't know how they got in, and I don't know who it was but we are forever grateful!  Christmas Angels, I tell you.  They also left a baby doll cradle for the girls. 

2005
That next year, Anthony had just barely (and I mean barely, barely) started his own framing business and we had just bought a house (moved in December 5th).... same one we're in now.  Business started out GREAT and Christmas was fun.  Baby H had joined us by that time. 

2006
The following year, things were still rockin' and rollin' with the business and we spent more on Christmas that year than we ever had (or have since).  It wasn't extremely outlandish or anything but we had good one.  We were even able to help someone out that needed it.  Paying it forward from the year that we needed the help.

2007
After that, things took a turn for the worst and the business plummeted with the market.  No one was building houses anymore and we went from a steady flow of income to absolutely nothing at all.  It was horrible!  That year for Christmas, we were able to scrape a few bucks together and have a great Christmas.  There weren't a lot of presents that year but the kids didn't notice.  They were just excited that Santa had come. 

2008
Baby C made his entrance that year and, once again, things were tight.  Still no job, just odd jobs here and there, hoping and waiting for the market to pick back up.  It never did!  Between the odd jobs and selling unwanted items here and there, we were able to scrape by and pay some of our bills.  But what were we going to do about Christmas?  A few Christmas Angels stepped in that year.  A friend of mine from high school brought over a Christmas card with $250.  I don't even know how she knew.... We hadn't been in touch for years!  We also had some friends that brought us an envelope with some cash in it, claiming that someone had asked them to give it to us anonymously.  We're pretty sure that it was from those friends themselves. 

Not only that but twice that year, people left anonymous envelopes of cash on our porch.  They did the whole doorbell ditching thing.  One of them contained either $400 or $500.  I don't remember, I just remember it was a pretty large amount.  We still don't know who to thank for those.  I'm sure it was someone in our ward but we'll never know for sure, I suppose.  We were able to pay some more bills and Santa was able to come.  Christmas would have been a no go that year without our Christmas Angels. 

2009
This was the year that our wonderful ward stepped in.  My Relief Society president called and insisted that the ward help us out last year.  As hard as it was to accept the help, we knew that without this help, Santa would be a no-show.  More Christmas Angels!  Anthony was in the process of becoming an insurance agent at this point.  He passed the test on December 15, 2009!  What a blessing that was!  And he was appointed March 1, 2010 after the two month training. 

2010
It's always hardest to talk about NOW....  We've received help in the past and we will always be grateful for the help we've received.  This year has been no exception to the struggles we've had.  It's been another rough year but the thing is, I don't know that many outside our families know.  That's what makes this year so different. 

Anthony is doing great in his business as an insurance agent.  He's hit every goal that Farm Bureau has set for him and beyond.  But starting a business is hard.  It costs a lot of money to keep it running and since he's not yet getting residuals, things have been pretty tight.  He's absolutely LOOOOVING his new career and that's great! 

We've known that this year would be tight for Christmas but we had no idea how tight it would become.  And we certainly didn't expect anyone else to see a need to help us out with Christmas this year.  We hadn't solicited for it.  So, imagine my surprise when, just before Thanksgiving, my RS president calls once again and tells me that someone in the neighborhood wanted to help us out with Christmas.  She didn't give me a name, only saying that they wanted to help and they wanted a list.  Anthony was less than thrilled that he would have to accept help yet again but graciously accepted.  After all, he realized that things were tight and not going to get any better before Christmas.  What we didn't realize was that these people were going to provide everything that Santa would be bringing.  We had only thought they were "helping".  Turns out, Santa would have been a no-show if it hadn't been for them.  Things have been much tighter than we had anticipated.  They gave us more for the kids than we could have ever hoped for. 

We found out a few weeks ago when they called to deliver the gifts.  I won't divulge the names because I don't know how they would feel about that but I have to give credit where credit is due.  So, I want to thank these mortal angels for their generosity and kindness.  The time and money they've spent to make sure my kids have a wonderful Christmas will never be forgotten.  And although I am unable to pay them back in money, I can promise to pay it forward someday when I am able.  Anthony and I are forever grateful.  After all, where would we be without these special people in our lives? 

Are you seeing a trend here?  All of these angels in our lives have been our Santa Claus!  He truly does exist, he is a great representation of the Christmas Spirit.  He expects nothing in return for his kindness.  

Remember Jesus' birth this Christmas.  He truly is the reason for the season!  The gifts we receive are a representation of the gifts the three wise men brought to him in that lowly stable. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Uh-oh

This happened on Thanksgiving but I have to post it, I just do.  You may not find it to be as hilarious as we all did.  We're easily amused.  What can I say?

Meet my cousin, Spencer.... or at least meet his wedding ring, which is stuck in a 2-liter soda cap.  It's brand new.  He and his wife only got married in September.  He just wanted to see if it would fit.  It did!  Perfectly.  Maybe a little too perfectly. 

Several people tried to get it out, including yours truly.  It wouldn't budge.  It took the expertise of another cousin of mine, Jordan.  He was able to free the ring from the death grip of the cap. 

 His poor wife was not very amused.  Can you blame her? 



Stray

THIS.... showed up on our doorstep one night about a week and a half ago, hungry and freezing.  What was I supposed to do?  Yep, we fed her (we're 99% sure it's a her).  And now she's ours.  UGH!  I'm allergic but when the husband falls in love.... there's no turning back. 

The kids fell in love too, especially A.  She's a kitty lover to the max.  She's asked for one for years, then cries when she's reminded that Mommy is allergic.  Amazingly, I haven't had any problems with her.... yet.  But I'm also very careful to wash my hands after touching her.  She started out being called Stray but now we call her Sissy. 

Now, the question is, can Santa get away with not leaving a Furreal Friends Lulu My Cuddlin' Kitty Cat.  This is the second year she's asked for one.  She's not getting one but I'm hoping the real cat will make up for it.  She's getting a Lulu's Walkin' Kitty, though.  That's works, right?  She asked for that too. 

Now we just need to get Sissy used to her "big brother and sister" we call dogs.  That oughtta go well.  ;)  Only one run in so far.  Poor kitty!

What to do when the "Tooth Fairy" can't find the tooth...

Loose teeth around here are a highly anticipated event that lasts a very very long time.  My kids have been blessed cursed with my strong roots that just won't let go.  Our teeth are loose for a quite a while before they decide to let go and give the permanent tooth a chance at some daylight.  In fact, usually we have the shark syndrome where the permanent tooth shows up behind the loose one.  We get to have rows of teeth like a shark for a few weeks. 

Both K and A had to have their bottom two teeth pulled by the dentist.  The rest just like to take their sweet time.  I don't know what it is.  Frustrating, that's what it is.  They go for weeks trying to eat while avoiding the area with the offending tooth, and usually fighting some tears along the way because they bite wrong and it hurts.  But the darn buggers just won't let go! 

Finally, this tooth of little A's got the best of Anthony.  He asked her if he could just tug on it a little and then he would be done.  Instead, he yanked the thing right out.  Poor little A!  She cried but hey, that meant that the Tooth Fairy was coming... it's always so exciting around here. 

Around here, the best Tooth Fairy is not of the female variety.  I've tried, and I've failed.  Every stinkin' time that I try, I wake the child up trying to reach under their pillow to find the tooth (placed either in a baggie or an envelope), and replace it with a dollar.  Whose idea was that anyway?  Why do they have to put it under their pillow?  Wouldn't the top of a dresser be so much easier?  I mean, really.  Let's think about this, people.  I've tried getting my girls to go for this method but they have been brainwashed to believe that there is no. other. way.  The tooth goes under the pillow and there is no discussion.

So, after having to explain each time that "I was just checking to see if the Tooth Fairy has come yet," we decided that Anthony should have a go at it.  He makes a much better Tooth Fairy than I.  And so, the male Tooth Fairy was born! 

Usually it's a no-fail process.  It always goes off without a glitch at all but this particular night was different.  K decided to let A sleep up on the top of the bunk bed with her, on the inside.  We tried to get them to at least trade places but with no such luck.  By the time Anthony went in to make the switch, the girls were in completely different places, the blankets were askew, it was pretty much a mess.  Poor Anthony searched and searched the bed.  In the meantime, I was wondering what was taking him so long.  Turns out, he couldn't find the envelope with the tooth at all.  It was MIA! 

Well, if your kids are like mine, it would be such a devastating thing for the Tooth Fairy to not make it on the night they actually lost the tooth, but even more so for "her" to not take the tooth.  I don't know why it is such a big deal but it is.  So, what was I to do?  I had to think fast, well as fast as I could think at 1:30 a.m.  This is what I came up with, just tweaked my handwriting and came up with the most pixie-like name I could think of.  Pretend it's great!

Christmas Around the World

One party down, a couple more to go!  Don't you just love this time of year?  The parties are always so much fun.  I'm not sure if it's the party itself or the food involved that I love most.  It's a toss up, I think. 

Just wrapped up with Anthony's family party.  I think it was a success, overall.  The planning of it was maybe a little more dramatic than anyone would have wished for.  No one could agree on whether or not there should be a theme, whether we should eat at a restaurant or at someone's home, or how to do the gift exchange.  Should we go dollar store?  Should we set a limit?  Should we do homemade gifts?  In the end, we opted for a theme (Christmas Around the World), a Chinese Buffet place for dinner and later meeting at my house for a program, and dollar store gifts (although some went a little higher).  All I know is the less expensive the better for us!

It really turned out to be pretty fun.  Each family (well, four out of seven) chose a country and did a little research to find out about the Christmas customs and traditions of that country.  We learned about Germany (ours), Ecuador, Mexico, and Australia. 

While researching for German traditions, I remembered a tradition my cousin had told us about a few years ago.  She served her mission there and actually lived there as a young child for three years... military brat.  She had told us about St. Nicholas coming on December 6 and leaving candy in the childrens' shoes.  So, this year, we had our kids put their shoes in front of the fireplace... I had heard that he will actually come to the U.S. as well.  There just aren't very many people here that know about it  ;)  When the kids woke up December 6th, lo and behold, there was candy in the shoes.  Kind of weird, who wants to eat candy out of the stinky shoe?  But it meant that they must have been good little kidlets.  Otherwise, St. Nicholas' servant, whose name I can't recall at the moment, would have left them a switch.  Hmmm, sometimes I think they could definitely use a few of those around here, especially for little C.  But then I look into those big brown eyes when he says, "Sorry Mommy," and I just melt.  Why does he have to have such big brown, beautiful eyes?  They get me every time!  The cute little STINK...

I think it's a tradition we'll keep up.  Now the trick will be trying to remember every December 5th.  It was fun to hear about all the traditions from around the world.  Another one that I thought would be fun is one from Ecuador.  It's not really a Christmas tradition, more a New Year tradition.  My brother-in-law, who served his mission in Ecuador, said that they take a popular icon or something that represents the last year and make a BIG papier mache (sp?) model of it.  Then they burn it!  I can't remember if they do that on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.  It would just be fun to try something similar to that.  Maybe not quite as extravagant as theirs.  He said one year, when the movie Titanic came out, they (the people, not him) made a gigantic ship about 50 feet tall and a whole block wide.  HOLY COW!  Can you imagine?  Ours would have to be a much simpler version but it would be fun I think.  What do you think?  Have you ever thought of implementing someone else's traditions into your family?

Answered Prayers

What else is there to say?  I will forever be grateful for all the miracles we've been blessed with this Christmas season.  As much as we would love to be on the other end (giving instead of receiving), we feel blessed to have such wonderful and amazing people in our lives.  Someday, when we are able, it will be our turn to pay it forward..... I can hardly wait!

Thank you to all the angels in our lives!!

Cheese, please!

Anthony and I have been married now for 10 years.  It's so weird to say that because it still feels like he proposed (for the third time) only a year ago..... or so.  By year 10, you feel like you pretty much know a person inside and out.  I am no exception, I had him figured out long ago and he's introduced me to some things that he grew up with that I thought were kind of weird.  And the opposite is also true.  I've introduced him to some strange things from childhood as well. 

Nothing too out of the ordinary, I suppose.  Here's an example of our weirdness:

Anthony grew up putting evaporated milk, you know the kind in the can, on his oatmeal.  I've tried it, but it just doesn't float my boat.  On the other hand, I like to microwave my plain M&M's.  Laugh it up, I know it's... shall we say different? but there's just something about the hard candy shell bursting open when I pop it in my mouth and having the melted chocolate coat my tongue.  Mmmmm!  Dang, I wish I had some now!!  Plain M&M's are just blah any other way. 

Well, the other night, as we were deciding what we should eat for our midnight snack (we have one at least 7 times a week :) he came back into the living room with none other than a big blob of melted cheese.  No joke, after seeing that the cupboards and fridge were pretty much void of anything even remotely snack-ish, he chose a big blob of melted cheese.  I gave him the "you're kind of a weirdy!" look and he asked if I'd ever tried it.  Of course I have, melted on casseroles, nachos, burritos, etc.  I've eaten melted cheese plenty of times!  He insisted that I try it.... PLAIN!  I reluctantly obliged.  Can I just say, it is heaven!  Holy cow!!  I never knew eating plain old melted cheese could be that heavenly! 

He proceeded to tell me that, growing up, his mom would get very upset at all of the kids because she would bring home a big brick of cheese and they would each cut a big chunk off and melt it in the microwave.  There would be nothing left. 

So now my question is, why didn't he tell me about this little piece of heaven earlier? 

Snapple Facts!

Remember when I told you about the Snapple lids?  Well, now it's time for your daily dose of Snapple Lid Facts!  Ok, I won't really give you a daily dose.  I only have 5 lids at the moment and we're not Snapple drinkers around these here parts so until I get more....  Now I'm kind of wishing I had the other 50-75 that I threw away.  Hmm, bummer!  Well, here they are...

1. Snails have teeth!  (I'm curious about this one)
2. A chameleon shoots out its tongue to catch prey at speeds faster than a fighter jet. 
3. The plastic things on the ends of sholaces are called aglets.
4. All scorpions glow!
5. Strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges.

And there you have it!

Loot!

I won't name any names but I have a relative.  So what, we all have relatives right?  Well, this particular relative of mine is notorious for bringing us JUNK!  No joke, every time he comes to visit, he brings us either a shoe box or a bag full of..... garbage.  95% of what he brings to us and the kids, ends up in the garbage.  He gets this junk at trade shows in Vegas and such.  It's just expected that when he comes, we get the garbage can ready for another load.  He means well, he really does.  But if we kept everything he brings to us, we would be drowning in stress balls, hotel napkins, miscellaneous magazines, and Snapple lids. 

This sounds silly but it's true.  About a year ago, he brought us a small box full of Snapple lids.  There were probably 50-75 of them.  Why?  Because they had "fun facts that (we) could use for homeschool."  Don't get me wrong, useless trivia has it's place but Snapple lids?  Really?  In that same visit, he brought a mess load of hotel napkins.  "The kids can use them to learn to read."  Ok, the kids need to learn to read, yes, but do they really need to learn to read "The Tropicana, The Palms Resort, Bellagio, etc?"  OH!  And plastic cups from all these hotels as well. 

Before I go on much further, I must say that the kids think it's Christmas every time he comes!  You know how kids are.  Anything that is a gift is awesome, right?  They know when he comes he'll have a box full of surprises for them.  Anything from watch faces that he's found in the gutter (no joke), to old beat up cell phones he found in parking lots, to pieces of ribbon about 3 inches long (what would I do with that?), or even toys that he finds in miscellaneous places.  Broken frisbees, action figures, etc.  I've never taken pictures of our loot before but I thought what the heck!  Now, mind you, this is actually a "good" run. 

• 2 Vegas mousepads
• Chinese (or maybe Japanese?) "green" bag
• Utah magazine of events going on around the area (expired)
• stress ball (only one pictured but there were probably about 12)
• Deal or No Deal Bag
• back of a cereal box
• dirty white hat
• National Geographic paper (I don't know what it is for)
• action figure (found in shuttle he drives for work)
• spoon from a box of cereal
• 5 more Snapple lids
• 2 very large t-shirts that we will never wear (Anthony has plenty, trust me)

I really hope this does not sound like a bash to this relative of mine.  He really does mean well and all.  It's just so interesting to see what he is going to bring each time.  The kids get to have a good time with all of it while he's here and the rest of the evening.  After they go to bed, I gather it all up and it either goes in the DI box or in the garbage.  We really do appreciate the gesture.  It's the thought that counts, right?  What is your opinion?  Should we ask him not to bring junk anymore or do we let him continue, let the kids have their fun, then throw it away? 

Not everything he brings is junk, mind you.  About 5% is actually worth keeping.  Sometimes he brings a hat that Anthony will wear or a cool keychain once in a while.  One time he brought a Nike football that he found while running at the local high school track there in Vegas.  It's now Anthony's favorite!! 

Thankful

I'm a day early but I may not get a chance to post tomorrow.

What am I grateful for this Thanksgiving? My family is the thing I am most grateful for. Even though I sometimes complain and get frustrated with them, each one has taught me, or is currently teaching me something.

I've always said that "patience is a virtue... it's just not one of mine". And I believe that when I pray for patience, Heavenly Father doesn't just bless me with patience. I believe he blesses me with opportunities to be patient. Believe me, with 5 kids and a husband, I've had many many opportunities to prove to my Heavenly Father that I don't need any more. To show him that I've mastered patience and he can start bombarding me with opportunities for the next virtue to be mastered. I get the feeling, though, that I'm not mastering the patience thing because the opportunities just keep coming. I've got a long way to go.

Along with patience, I'm currently taking a look at what each individual child teaches me, just by being themselves. So, here it is.

K--She teaches me kindness and gratitude. She has always been so selfless and giving. K has never been ungrateful for anything that someone has given her. Everything that is given to her is treasured and she accepts it the best the giver could offer. I love this about her. It makes me happy that she is able to make others happy just by being grateful.

A--What a firecracker! This girl is fire and ice. She'll tell you like it is...
Anthony: "Money doesn't make you happy."
A: "Well it kind of does."
This is what I love about her. Sometimes she can hurt people's feelings but I love her persistence. If she knows she's right about something (or thinks she's right), she'll fight to the death to make it known. I know that's not always appropriate in every situation but it teaches me to be more persistent in standing up for what I believe. I tend to be a doormat sometimes and I'm always worried about hurting other people's feelings or offending them. A teaches me that it's ok to fight for what I know is right.

H--Patience! Not necessarily the kind of patience mentioned above, although she certainly tries that as well. I'm talking about her patience. She is such a peacemaker and is so patient and loving. When little C is causing trouble and getting into his sisters things, which is often, she talks to him in a loving voice (usually) and tries to get him to stop. All the while, the other two girls are screaming at him to stop trying to take matters into their own hands. She teaches me that it isn't worth getting all upset about. H usually gets a better response than her sisters. Patience is a virtue that she definitely possesses. (Wow, that's a lot of s's)

C--This little guy teaches me to never give up. He is the poster child of the "never give up" campaign. His determination is unlike any I've ever seen. Everything has to be done by him. No help is accepted. Getting dressed for the day is the perfect example. He'll go find his own clothes, put his pants on (they're always first, and ususally backwards), then move on to the shirt. The shirt sometimes poses a bit of a problem for C. He always puts his arms in first, then his head. He's got a huge melon and some shirts just don't like to stretch enough to get over it. In an attempt to get the shirt on, he usually ends up with his face sticking out of the hole even though it should be the top of his head first. He then panics and starts screaming and I know that he's in pain. The shirt usually starts tugging at his nose and ears but when I walk over to try and help, he screams at me and says, "No, MY SHURN!!" as he pushes me away. Translation: No, my turn. So I back off and after a few more seconds of whining about the pain and wriggling the shirt a bit, it finally pulls over his head and he's satisfied. What if the clothes are on backwards? This happens more often than not. I simply say, "Your shirt (or pants) is on backwards." To which he replies, "Back-herds?" Then he proceeds to take off the backwards item and turn it around. He's a determined little stink. NEVER GIVE UP! The task is always accomplished.

B--My sweet baby! He teaches me to appreciate the simple things in life. It always amazes me that a baby can play with the same toy or two over and over and over and love it the same as he did 20 minutes before. Or see the same faces over and over and get so excited! He just enjoys life, the simple things. The things I take for granted every day are the things I should appreciate the most.

Anthony--Yep, I consider him one of the kids too, sometimes. What does that goofball teach me? He teaches me that hard work and diligence is happiness. Anthony is the hardest working man I know. He goes stir crazy if he's not working. His happiness comes after a good hard-working day when he can come home and say he did his best and worked his hardest. The play time is so much more rewarding after good, hard work. I love that man!

I love all of my little stinkers too. It may not always show and I have a lot yet to learn but I couldn't have hand-picked a better family to call my own. Where would I be without them? I am so grateful for all that they teach me and that despite all of my many faults, they still love me.

Tell me I'm not the only one

Do you have one child that is more selfish needier than the rest? There are days I just want to pull my hair out! And she and I... we have words, many many words. By 'words', I don't mean bad words. Just arguments discussions.

Well, if you ask my kids, I say 'bad' words all the time. The 'S' word (2 of them, actually). I'm gonna say them. Plug your ears!



Stupid

&

Shut up


It's not that I mean to say 'bad' words. Some words just don't sound that bad until you hear them coming from a child, especially your own child. I don't know, there's just something about it. And I don't tell them to shut up. It's usually to the dogs. We're always yelling at them to shut up. They do this weird howling thing and it's really annoying. It starts out a bark, usually at someone walking by with another dog and then transitions to this really loud howling.... thing. It's as if they think they sound great! Do they think they're singing opera? What's the deal?

And we don't call the kids 'stupid' either, just for the record. It usually comes out of frustration. Like, "This stupid dishwasher isn't washing properly." or "I can't get this stupid jar open." Therefore, my kids tell people that I say the 'S' word. Then I have to explain what the 'S' word is and it's all sorts of fun!

Well look at this! How did I go from talking about my very headstrong child to telling on myself? *Sigh*

Weather Man Bloopers

Darn it! I was looking forward to this "blizzard" we were supposed to have. If I had been planning to go somewhere I most certainly would not have looked forward to it. But I was planning to stay home all day. Snuggling up next to a nice roaring fire, reading a book, watching a romantic Christmas movie, a giant mug full of hot chocolate and whipped cream (not the spray kind), cuddling up to my handsome husband... it all sounded so delightful. And then I remembered...

Oh yeah, I have kids! And I love each one.

Besides, the weather man lied! Not completely, but still, he got my hopes up. The storm blew in, just like he said... it snowed, just like he said... it came fast, just like he said... and it probably wouldn't have been fun to drive in, just like he said. It just wasn't as severe as he made it sound. Maybe it's strange that I'm upset about this.

Really, it's just silly. I love spending time with my husband, strange as it may be. I absolutely loooove it when he takes a day off from work and can spend time with me us. Anthony thinks it's weird. He never says that but I don't think he enjoys the time with me as much as I enjoy being with him. Maybe I'm just one of those people that hates to be alone. My kids are great company but there are times I need more than conversations about Barbie and Littlest Pet Shop. Oh, and milk! C loves milk more than I could ever tell you.

But darn it all, I wanted a storm, a real storm. Oh wait! The more I think about it, the more I realize how unprepared I am for such an event as a power outage. What if the storm had taken the power out? Would I have been happy about it then? Hmmm, maybe not. No candles, no flashlights, and I'm scared of the dark.

But I still want my storm, as long as the power doesn't go out. The weather man and his bloopers. He needs to work on that!

Don't forget the rolls!!

It's an important part of any Thanksgiving spread. It would be a crime to forget them. Wouldn't you agree?

I admit, this is not the roll recipe we use every Thanksgiving. I have two cousins that bring the rolls each year but this is the recipe I would use if I were ever put in charge of this portion of Thanksgiving dinner, 4 times over because we always have a very large crowd to feed.

This is the recipe I turn to when I need rolls for dinner or something. They are so yummy and easy. The best part is that the dough is made in the bread machine. I suppose you could do it by hand but why? Unless of course you don't have a bread machine. Thanks to my cousin (a different one than the ones mentioned above, I have many) for this recipe. They are better than Rhodes, I swear!

Bread Maker Rolls

1 c. warm water
2 T. margarine or butter
1 egg
3 1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. yeast (1 pkt)

Mix and rise dough on dough cycle of bread machine. Punch down and roll into 24 equal balls of dough. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

A new season?

They say there's a time and a season for everything. I believe Anthony and I have moved into the next season within our ward. When we first moved into this ward, we were welcomed with more than a few open arms, everyone was excited to have us. The ward was chuck full of empty nesters and just a few people with younger kids. They were so excited to have little tiny kids again. K was only 4, A was 2, and H was 6 months. C and B weren't even a thought yet.

Just to give you an idea of how excited people were, the very first time we came to church, we were nervous. During Sacrament Meeting, Anthony and I looked around and realized there were almost no little kids. But after the meeting, we were smothered by tons of people and they were so excited to hear that we were the family that had just moved in. I think that's actually an understatement, they were elated! The very next week, they called a nursery leader so my little A could attend nursery. That's how crazy it was, not even a nursery! I hear all the time about ward with 2 or even 3 nurseries because there are just so many kids. I felt bad for the nursery leader, having to miss out on Sunday School just to spend time with my little A. But she didn't mind, or so she said, but I believed her.

A few months later, the stake divided it's boundaries differently in an effort to make sure every ward within our stake had enough priesthood holders, high priests, and young men/women. As a result, the condos, that were originally in another ward, were put into our ward. A lot of younger couples with little kids live there which made our primary (and nursery) much larger.

And slowly, over the last five years that we've been here, more and more younger couples have moved into the homes, too. Which has made a huge difference in the size of all the faculties in the ward.

I think that because we were one of the first of the younger families to move in, we were befriended by many different ranges of people in the ward from many different walks of life. I can't tell you how great that was for us. We have made some great friends. This ward has been such a blessing in our lives. We've lived in several different wards during our marriage and this one has got to be our favorite. There were no cliques. It's hard to find that within a ward, especially here in Utah. It seems that people tend to clique off with those of their own age and have about the same ages of kids and such. It makes sense, but it's kind of sad. We have made some really great friends here. Some of them are our parents' ages, some are newlyweds, some have teenagers and some don't have kids at all. Some are married, some are single, and some are the teenagers themselves. We absolutely love it!

Sadly, I see it changing a bit with some of the younger families/couples in our ward. Maybe they don't realize what they are missing out on by secluding themselves within their own group. Some of our best memories have become the ones we share with our friends in the ward. The wisdom that comes from our empty nester friends and the ones that have great life experience, is irreplaceable. This is where our new season comes in. We have transitioned from the "young couple" with just a couple of kids to the, well I don't know what to call it, the not-old-but-not-young couple with the 5 kids. It's kind of strange.

Hopefully, they (and especially I) can reach out to one another and other members of the ward and share our lives to an extent. I, most certainly, am not the best at doing this. Many of the friendships in our ward have come as a direct result of either Anthony's outgoing nature or just because people were so excited to have a young family in the ward, they invited us to do something.

I am shy. Realizing that many people tend to misinterpret shyness as rudeness, I know that I need to be more outgoing and put myself out there. Here's to more friendships!

Cranberry Fluff

Cranberries!... the best part of Thanksgiving! Most people would disagree, I am sure, but for me, it's not Thanksgiving without it.

I remember the second Thanksgiving we were married, Anthony and I went to his family's Thanksgiving. The table was set, the food was out, everyone was seated, and the blessing was given. I'm sure it was a beautiful blessing, although I don't remember a single word that was uttered. That was 8 years ago, give a girl a break! What I do remember is opening my eyes and the first thing I looked for was the little dish of cranberry sauce. There's always a dish (or several in my family), isn't there? Maybe it's strange but the kind I like best is just plain old jellied cranberry sauce. Whole berry is great too, and even homemade is good but just give me a can of plain ol' jellied cranberry sauce and I'm happy... as a peach!

Anyway, there was not a single dish of cranberries in sight. It was forgotten, left on the counter somewhere, I was sure! It had to be, it was the only explanation.

Being that I was shy around them at the time, still am sometimes, I admit, I leaned over to Anthony and mentioned that I didn't see the cranberries anywhere.

He said, "Hey Ma, where are the cranberries?"

Do you know what she said? Any ideas? To my devestation and disappointment, she said, "I don't have any. Nobody likes them."

*GASP*

What? Nobody likes them? These people are mad!! I knew Anthony didn't like them but I had no idea that no one in his family liked them either! What had I married into? A very sad Thanksgiving, indeed.

Not really though, the company was great and it was a lot of fun. I just now know to bring my own can of jellied cranberry sauce when we have Thanksgiving with Anthony's family.

And that is my cranberry story. It's just not Thanksgiving without them.

Now, here's a recipe with cranberries in it. It's quite simple, really! This recipe was added to the regular Thanksgiving menu on my side, probably about 5 or 6 years ago. My aunt picked it up somewhere and I went nuts over it. LOVE IT!


Cranberry Fluff
1 bag of cranberries
1 c. sugar
1 pkg marshmallows
2 lg whipped cream

Add 1/4 - 1/2 c. water to cranberries and sugar in a blender and blend. Let sit for 1 hour. The cranberries have a natural gelatin in them so letting them sit allows it to firm up a bit.

Fold in whipped cream and marshmallows. There you have it!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Dear Santa (revised)

I need to apologize for my last letter to you. I hope you read blogs because that's where I am writing to you from. Since I'm a woman, I suppose you expected me to write again and tell you that my list really wasn't only one item long. Either that or I would change my mind completely. You must get that a lot!

But, fear not! I am not changing my last request for a longer November. I neeeeeed more time. But I am definitely adding to my list. Are you ready? (And don't be surprised if I add more later.) Greed is really not the issue here. These are all things I'm in need of. Honest and truly! How could anyone go on without:

• Microwave-- as you probably know, my old one is no longer functional as a microwave. I'm sure it is useful for other things but being that I am not a pyrotechnic (sp?) I am just not sure how to make the flames that dart across on the inside useful. And it makes really funny noises as these flames are being shot! I'm pretty sure it's not safe. But, it's your call!
• Can Opener-- We've only had one our entire ten years of marriage and it's not working very well any more. It's not an electric one. And I'm not asking for one that is. Just another simple, hand held can opener will do. Ours has been good to us over the years but I think it's basically dead. It's used all of it's 9 lives (or however many can openers have) and the kids can no longer help us with that part of dinner. It's a sad story! It takes Anthony and I way too long to open one can with the darn thing.
• Bookshelf-- When you first come through the chimney on Christmas Eve, look to your left and you will see our awesome bookshelf that we bought at IKEA just a couple short months ago. I believe it's called the Billy bookshelf and it's a brown-black color. We love this bookshelf. Billy just needs a friend. Poor Billy's shelves are overflowing and we need a pal to help him out, carry part of the load. If you could just leave his twin for us, that would be GREAT!
• Laptop-- I know this one is a stretch. I really am grateful for the computer I'm using right now. It's functional but it is sooooooooo slow! The only time I truly enjoy blogging and blog hopping is when I'm on Anthony's laptop. Unfortunately, he uses it for work so I only get to play on it late at night. And besides, he doesn't say it often, but he's not really a fan of my use of it. He's afraid I'm going to get a virus. Sheesh!! Would I do something like that? And he doesn't like me downloading my pictures onto it.
• Camera-- Another stretch, I know. I love my little point and shoot digital camera, I do! It's a pocket sized one which makes it very convenient for stuffing in the diaper bag and having it handy for unexpected photo opportunities. But, since I'm not a photographer and don't know what I'm doing as far as setting up a picture, I would love a nice big SLR camera, like Kortney's. (It sounds like an oxy-moron, I know) One that I can learn on and most importantly, I can do those cool pictures where the background is blurred and only the subject is in focus. That way, I can LOOK like a photographer. It doesn't matter what's in the background because it will be blurred anyway. VOILA!!
• Curriculum & Books-- Once I have Billy's twin set up against the wall, I'll need a few more books and some curriculum I've been wanting to get for some time now. Homeschool is so much more fun with lots of material available. Hopefully this one isn't too much of a stretch. Just a little will do.

Santa, I want you to know that this is subject to change, with or without warning. I am a woman. I have a hard time making decisions. You're a busy guy and time is running short (but hey, if you grant me that longer November, you'd buy yourself a little time too), so hop to it, sir!

Thanks for humoring me,

Brooke

Dear Santa

All I want this year is a longer November. Do you think that's a possibility?

Thanks,

Brooke

Unknown Traditions

We go out to my mom's house for dinner every Sunday evening. Certain things have become tradition; while at my mom's, we always watch America's Funniest Home Videos and playing a game of cards is almost always a given. I consider those "traditions". We also have other traditions for different holidays and such. But one such tradition was unknown to everyone... except my mom, apparently.

On Halloween, which fell on Sunday this year, we learned of this said tradition. As we sat there, eating our delicious soup that my mom had made, she casually mentioned to my grandpa that she always made chili every year on Halloween. My sister and I were sitting next to each other, across from Mom and Grandpa. We both whipped our heads around to look at each other as if to say, "She did?"

I don't know how to get the humor of this situation in a blog entry but just for the sake of having it written, I just have to. Kortney, my sister, and I laughed and laughed. My poor mom looked at us and declared that it was true. She always made chili on Halloween. I don't know where Kortney and I were every Halloween when this chili was being served, all I know is that neither of us remember chili on Halloween... ever! In an effort to get my dad on her side, my mom turned to him and said, "Didn't I? I made chili every Halloween."

We about died when my dad smirked and said, "Uh-huh, sure!" My dad's cousin and his wife happened to be there that night too. I'm pretty sure they didn't think it was nearly as funny as we did. But my poor mom was just fighting to make us remember this tradition and it just wasn't working. The next thing I know, I've got a breadstick flying at my head and birdie finger flying my way also. Oh Mom, I love you! She just happens to remember things that no one else remembers, and I mean no one else. She's so funny. Love her!

I may not remember the chili but my family has got some pretty fun traditions. I hope to get some of them written here. They mean a lot to me.

Thanksgiving... it's almost here!

If I had to choose my favorite holiday, I would have to choose two. Christmas and Thanksgiving. I think for me, the two are almost one big holiday, separated by several weeks. But getting ready for both takes a lot of time and preparation so it feels as though they are one. Once the Thanksgiving feast is all put away and over with, everyone starts thinking about Christmas; Black Friday, Christmas music, gingerbread houses, trimming the tree, and lots of parties. They're both all about family, get-togethers, and showing gratitude. I am so excited! Love this time of year.

I want to share a few recipes with you that are always part of our Thanksgiving. Doesn't every family have certain things that just have to be a part of the meal or it just doesn't feel like Thanksgiving? So, over the next couple of weeks, I'll share some of these recipes. Maybe you'd like to try them and they might become a tradition in your family. Or maybe you have one that you'd like to share.

I'm not a photographer (or even close to being one) so if I take pictures, they may not be great. Just grin and nod your head, people. Pretend they're wonderful and we'll all be happy! Now, the question is, which recipe will I share first? Hmmm, stay tuned...

A Great Idea!

I had to hurry and write this (at midnight:45) so I wouldn't forget. My sister-in-law was at my house today watching the Utah vs. TCU game while our hubbies were attending the game. Sadly, the Utes lost... by a landslide! But, better luck next time, right? Let's hope so.

While she was here, she told me about something that she has going within her ward. I thought is was such a great idea! There's a group of 4 ladies (she is included) in her ward that get together once a week and help each other. What a novel idea, no? They rotate homes and whatever the hostess needs done on her week, they do. It can be anything from painting a wall, cleaning a house, sorting recipes, pulling weeds, folding clothes, etc. If the hostess doesn't have anything in particular that needs to be done, they can just get together for a couple hours of scrapbooking or something of the sort.

It's simple, really. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones I never think of on my own. And simplicity is sometimes perfection. Why do we always try to make things more difficult than they need to be?

I just loved this idea and had to share!

~GO UTES!~

For those of you that don't already know, my husband is a HUGE University of Utah football fan, and today is their biggest game to date this year! They are playing TCU and it is intense! ESPN Game Day is here in Utah doin' their thing. Anthony is soooo excited!! It's like Christmas around here. He didn't go to bed until 3 a.m. and he was up again at 6:30 watching the coverage on ESPN to see what's going on. Get some sleep, for cryin' out loud!!

Part of the reason he was up so late is because we were putting together his giveaways for the game. It's the blackout game so he is giving black "Go Utes" wristbands along with a chance to win a pair of season tickets for next year! Pretty cool, right? Just be one of the first 100 people to get an insurance quote from Anthony and you'll be entered to win!! AWESOME!! So, if you live in the state of Utah and want a chance at this awesome prize, not to mention a chance to possibly save $$ on your insurance, give him a call. His phone # is 801-577-9212. This promotion runs through the month of November but hurry so you can be one of the first 100!!

Be sure and mention this promo so you'll be entered! Oh and GO UTES!!

Farewell, old friends

Poncho Herman & Lynette Hattie

Remember me mentioning that I am cleaning out my basement? Well, in my quest to get rid of junk, I decided that, as much as I love these old chums of mine, they have been unloved and sitting in a box for way too long. The time has come for another child to embrace them. So, I took a picture and sent them on their way. Lynette Hattie ended up in my kids doll box but Poncho Herman, sadly ended up at the DI (thrift store).

These are the only two toys I kept from my childhood, and each one has a story.

Let's start with Poncho Herman. Once upon a time, when I was about 6 years old my two bottom teeth became very loose, as teeth tend to do. But when the roots wouldn't dissolve, it became apparent that those stubborn teeth needed some coaxing. So, my mom took me to the dentist. To calm me down and get me ready to have my teeth pulled, the dentist let me choose a toy from the toy closet. Dentists were very generous back then, I guess. My kids don't get things like that. They only get silly little bouncy balls or little sticky hands or something else equally useless. But hey, it keeps them happy.

Anyway, as I sat in the chair, the dentist asked me what I was going to name my new dog. Without any hesitation at all, I proudly declared his name to be Poncho Herman. I remember my mom laughed and laughed but let me explain why I named him that, as that is a peculiar name to say the least.

The coolest people in my life, at the age of 6, were Peewee Herman and my Uncle Poncho. Hence, the name, Poncho Herman. Gotta love it!!

Now, let's talk about Lynette Hattie. She was my very first Cabbage Patch Doll. I was probably about 5 or 6 when I got her from none other than Santa Claus! I looooved my new doll! She was my best pal. Over the years, I acquired several more Cabbage Patch dolls. All of which had names equally as beautiful as Lynette Hattie.

Actually, the plan was always to name my kids after my Cabbage Patch dolls. Unfortunately for my kids, Anthony wouldn't go for the names I wanted. ;) Too bad! Here's how it would have played out.

"K" - would have been Lynette Hattie
"A" - would have been Dina Melva
"H" - would have been Faline Dawn
"C" - would have been Ed Gilbert
"B" - would have been Carl Mac

If only I could have convinced my husband...

Taco Soup

Don't you just love soup season?  I do.  I love cool evenings and hot soup, it's just the perfect combination.  The kids would rather have hot chocolate with the cool evenings.  That's great too but there's just something about soup.  

Here's a fabulous recipe that we really like at our house (even the kids).  So easy and tasty!  Try it and enjoy!  I promise you'll love it!

1 lb. hamburger or ground turkey, browned (I like turkey best)
1 chopped onion, cooked with meat
1 lg can diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 can kidney beans, do not drain
2 cans corn, do not drain
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 pkg taco seasoning

Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Garnish with sour cream, tortilla chips, and cheese.  It doesn't get any easier than that!

Buffy

This is another post from my other blog that is just too good not to be shared.  I admit I am very naive, about almost everything.  Gullible, maybe? 

As embarrasing as this story is, it must be told. So, when Anthony and I were dating, I told him about a dog that my grandma used to have when I was little. Her name was Buffy. She wasn't the smartest of dogs, so I'm told. But a little while after she (the dog) had passed, I asked Grandma what kind of dog Buffy was. My cute grandma smiled at me and said in her most convincing voice that she was a "Buffy Dog". Well, that didn't sound quite right to me so I turned to my mother and asked her to tell me what kind of dog Buffy really was. She smiled and said that she was indeed a "Buffy Dog".

Ok, if two people that I really trust, mind you, tell me it's a "Buffy Dog" then it must be a "Buffy Dog", right?  Why not?  There's a breed called Bull Dog so I let it go.

Over the years, I would repeatedly ask what kind of dog Buffy was and each time the response was the same. And these are people that I should be able to trust. Should I not? Mom, Grandma, aunts, uncles (they were all in on it).

Anyway, I'm telling Anthony about Buffy one day (I was 19) and he just so happened to ask what kind of dog she was. Well, when I told him that she was a "Buffy Dog" he got a really confused look on his face and informed me that he knew her name was Buffy but wanted to know what kind of dog she was. Again, I let him know (and I was very serious) that she was a "Buffy Dog". He smiled his most "I feel sorry for you" smile and informed me that there was no such thing. I smiled my know-it-all grin back at him and politely informed him that there was such a thing and he should ask my grandma.

The very next time we saw Grandma, I reminded Anthony to ask her what kind of dog Buffy was. (That was a mistake). He did. And do you know what she said? "She was a Lhasa Apso!"


WHAT????? Are you kidding me? I was mortified. My face was redder than a red pepper. I told dear old grandma that she had always informed me that Buffy was a "Buffy Dog". She laughed harder than I'd ever seen her laugh (along with everyone else because it was at a family gathering) and she said that she didn't know I had believed her all those years. I guess she thought I'd figured it out. How naive can one be? And for a long time, that was the story she told.....to anyone that hadn't yet heard it. What a nerd I am!

I will forever refer to Lhasa Apso's as "Buffy Dogs".

This post needs a TITLE.. Help please

Ok, I'm going to give you the scenario without the details.  Please help me with a title so I can write the whole story.

Here's the jist of it. 

-Sunday Dinner at Mom's and Dad's house
-Mom brings up a "tradition" that no one seems to recall
-Everyone teases Mom about said "tradition"
-Mom isn't very happy
-Teasing continues and a bird goes flying

Now I need your help!  Even if I don't know you, whether you've visited my blog before or not, and even if you think you have no business at all commenting on my blog.... YOU DO!  I'm asking you to.  Please!  I love comments and visitors.  Now, get to work, people!  TITLE me up!

Also, don't forget to vote on my random poll of the week.  Who has the best FRENCH FRIES?

Our Very Large Heads

This post is one from my private blog that is just too good not to share. It will definitely help you get to know us a little better. We're weirdies, I know.

Is it any wonder that our kids are always in the top percentile for their head size? Not really, considering that we are their parents. Little C's head isn't even on the chart anymore. I've always known that I have a large head for a girl. None of my guy friends' hats EVER fit me. They were always a bit snug and made me feel like my eyebrows were being lifted a couple centimeters too high. And Anthony's hats always felt comfortable, if not even a little big on me. Which led me to believe that both of us have larger than normal heads.

I've always heard that the average human head is about 8 pounds. Sounds about right. But I'm always complaining that hats don't fit me and that I have such a big head. So about 2 years ago, I decided....(before I tell you what we did, you have to know that we realize we are the biggest nerds on the planet, and you will think it's so ridiculous)....but I decided that Anthony and I should weigh our heads. So each of us in turn lied down on the ground and put only our heads on the scale. Mine weighed 9 pounds. That's a big difference from the average head. Think of a pound of hamburger. Huge! So I was whining about the weight of my head and was worried that Anthony would put his head on the scale and it would weigh the same or less than mine. I would have been mortified to have a bigger head than my husband. So he did it (all the while thinking I was the biggest geek for making him weigh his head) and guess what his head weighed.... 12 pounds!! Can you believe it? We were laughing so hard. Think of FOUR pounds of meat. We're so weird, I admit it.

But anyway, about a year later, before church one Sunday we were talking about our large heads again and decided to weigh them again. Guess what happened! Anthony lost half a pound and somehow my head found the half a pound that his lost! My head is gaining weight. How does that happen? Eventually our heads are bound to meet in the middle at about 10 1/2 pounds.

I know that if you're reading this you're thinking about what a strange couple we are. But hey, we're easily entertained. Nothing wrong with that! And as weird as you think we are, I know there are those of you reading this that are going to pull out your own scale and weigh your own heads tonight. Whether you admit it or not, I know you're out there.... let me know what happens!

What a DAY!

Oh it started out alright. I was minding my own business, cleaning the basement. Our house is officially on the market now, but honestly, not truly ready to be. It's a disaster! But, I figure I've got five kids. People will just have to understand that I can only do so much.

We are taking the week off from school work to get the house in order. It's getting there, we're all excited. I think we've taken a small thrift store's worth of "stuff" to the DI. Truly, I think we could have opened our own small thrift store. Probably about 4 or 5 truck loads, no joke. Pretty sad! One day, while looking around my house to assess the situation, I thought, why in the world do we have sooooo much crap!! It was scary. It's all been here forever but up until just the other night, I couldn't part with most of it. Something snapped in me! Right now, there are about five boxes of "crap" and other assorted things that won't fit into boxes, to go to the DI. Right now! I want them gone, like yesterday! I need them gone so the kids will stop going through them and asking me why I would get rid of such precious treasures. They've actually been pretty good about it this go-around. I think they've realized that the less crap there is, the more fun they have. It's amazing how that happens, no?

As I said, I was cleaning up and this afternoon, while talking to Anthony on the phone, I slipped on the top stair down to the basement and fell down about 6 or 7 stairs! OUCH! I'm pretty sure my toe was hyperextended (that can happen, right?) and I have a small rugburn on my arm.

Then, my 6-year-old daughter, decided she wanted to act like a teenager. I swear I get glimpses of those years in her. It scares me! I'm not supposed to have teenagers yet. Why must I deal with the attitude at such a young age? Really, 6? Her mouth gets her into trouble quite a bit. She's not cussing, of course, but she loves to yell at Anthony and me as we try to discipline her. That's where most of the trouble comes. According to her, I love all my other kids much better than I love her. She was grounded today so she was unable to play with her friends. It's true that she is grounded far more often than the other girls. She's also the most defiant, head-strong little thing you've ever met, but oh-so-cute! She really is a lovable little thing. With her sisters and friends, she's a bossy little stink. What do I do about that? She doesn't like to give compliments, it's embarrassing. She gives up easily if she's not the best at something (funny thing is, she's one of those kids that is pretty good at anything she tries), and her bossy attitude makes it hard for her to get along in groups. She's great when she's one on one with..... a pushover. Maybe that sounds terrible but it appears to be true. Not quite sure what to do about that kid. Any suggestions?

Needless to say, we battled tonight. After a long talk about love languages, she is doing much better, and so am I. But boy, it was rough getting to that point. Time outs, sent to the bedroom, tears about piano... WHEW! I'm exhausted!!

Today was one of those days that a mom feels like running away. Do you have those days?