My Handsome Boys

Of course, I'm partial, but I think these are some pretty handsome boys! I'm only 2 months late in getting Cason's birthday photos done but they were worth the wait (we were waiting for a bad haircut to grow in).

Amazing Scrapbook Sale

For those of you in Utah - I received my notice of the spring Making Memory Warehouse Sale. For those of you who have never been - it's amazing! If you scrapbook at all, it's worth checking out. Enjoy and think of me while you are there :)

Warehouse Sale Hours
Monday, March 31 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday, April 1 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday, April 2 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday, April 3 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday, April 4 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

The location of the warehouse sale is: 1168 West 500 North (behind Memories) Centerville, Utah 84014 (Centerville Exit, West of I-15)

PLEASE PARK ON THE STREET. Disabled Accessible parking will be available in the parking lot. Please obey Disabled Accessible parking rules. PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES WHEN YOU PARK. The City Ordinances specify no parking within 15 Feet of a Fire Hydrant and 30 Feet from a Stop Sign. The local police will issue parking tickets for these violations. Our neighbors have been very understanding so please be considerate and do not park in front of their business entrances.

WE WILL BE PUTTING NEW PRODUCT OUT EACH DAY to help alleviate the congestion we have had the first morning. Lines tend to be long through the early afternoon on the first day. WE HAVE ADDED MORE CHECKOUT REGISTERS and will do all we can to shorten the wait. We are having the sale indoors as always. We will have an Express Lane, for those purchasing 20 items or less. There will be one line (airport style) to feed all registers. Out of respect for all sale attendees, please do not save places in line. We will accept credit cards, but cash is always the quickest and easiest. Please have your ID's ready when paying with check or credit card.

STROLLERS AND OTHER WHEELED DEVICES (except WHEEL CHAIRS and WALKERS) WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE SALE AREA ON Monday UNTIL AFTER 2:00 PM. We want to make this a safe environment for everyone. Due to the large number of people we anticipate, please leave your strollers and other wheeled devices outside or in your car. Please note we will not be providing a child play area. Please plan to keep your children with you at all times. Be aware the lines and the wait can be very long.

Ahhhh, the joy of 70 degrees!

Let's be honest...I have no idea how I will ever live anywhere but Vegas. It's true! I now require high doses of sunshine. While the rest of the country is still blanketed in snow, we are enjoying SPRING and it didn't come a day too soon for me!

On Saturday our ward had a pizza lunch at the park, followed by kick ball. This is a photo of Kaitlyn and Cason, right in the midst of the action. Note Cason's "ready stance". Everyone played, old and young alike, and it felt great to be soaking up the sun and fresh air!

Then yesterday I picked up the kids from school and we went directly to the park. I even brought the kids that we bring home in carpool - we all just needed to be outdoors. We only had an hour, but I wished we'd had more and so do the kids.

Jake experienced the swings for the first time and he giggled and giggled and kicked his legs and giggled. He made it very clear that he wanted to go high and the minute he wasn't going high enough (for his standards - plenty high for moms) he would scream for more.

What fun!

Happy Things...

There are things in life that make you smile...I realized last week when the kids were all in shorts, that toddling babies wearing shorts make me smile. Look at Jake's cute little behind and the way the "shorts" go down to his ankles. I smiled all day, every time I caught of glimpse of my toddling boy wearing his warm weather wear :)

52 Blessing Project Week 8 ~ MUSIC

I feel that throughout my life, MUSIC has been a remarkable blessing. I have had many unbelievable experiences back in my "previous life" when I was blessed enough to live and breath MUSIC as part of my daily life. During High School, MUSIC truly was my life and I think that the chance to constantly be performing uplifting MUSIC not only helped develop my appreciation for MUSIC, but actually created in me the person that I am today.

I no longer have the chance to perform the MUSIC, but my love for MUSIC has not diminished. I seldom listen to the radio when I'm in the car. I prefer my selection of CD's of calming MUSIC that bring peace into my life and into my day. The same holds true for our home stereo - the kids know that by days end, the only MUSIC allowed is something instrumental or spiritual in nature. It uplifts me and brings a spirit into the home that can be invited by no other means.

I may not have all the MUSICal talent that I wish I had, but isn't MUSIC appreciation a talent? I do claim to have that talent.

A couple of my favorites that I never tire of include Jon Schmidt

and anything by Paul Cardall

The Evidence Is In ~ She's Growing Up...

There are things that our kids do that cause me to pause and realize how much they're growing up. It seems that I've had more and more of these realizations as of late.

This morning was another chance for me to marvel at how big Kaitlyn is getting. She completed her first SCHOOL REPORT and handed it in today. Wasn't she just learning her colors and numbers just yesterday?

My Expanding Waist

It's now official! I can no longer button my pants. The jeans will hang in there for a couple more weeks, as I can still use the elastic band trick to get them closed. But the khakis have a snap so there is no button hole....what's a mom to do? Have we really come down to maternity clothes as my only option? Uuuggghhh!

Two Yummy Pasta Dishes

I haven't posted a recipe in a long time. I'm always pulling new recipes off the internet and trying new things - thank goodness my husband is patient and doesn't care what I cook. But with Rich on his "specialized eating plan", I'm left with not much of a desire to cook, much less experiment, because I know I'll be the only one eating what I make.

I pulled myself out of my cooking funk long enough to try these two, truly delicious recipes from Giada De Laurentiis (food network). I was at the gym watching her prepare these dishes and probably gaining weight for just watching - I had to come home and try them and I'm SO glad I did. I will be making them both again often and thought I would pass them along.

This first one is SO SIMPLE! I love anything with balsamic vinegar and that vinegar taste comes through in this dish - it seems to be such a fancy side dish, but could not be easier to make. I served it as a side to some salmon and balsamic veggies. Oooh, yum! I just finished the last of the leftovers for lunch (I told you I'm left to eat them right now).

Ravioli with Balsamic Butter

• 18 to 20 ounces store-bought ravioli (cheese, mushroom, or squash)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts (I did NOT use walnuts!)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This next one is what Giada referred to as "adult mac and cheese" - who can resist? I cut the recipe in half and served it as our main dish and it made plenty for our family, with leftovers - so take that for what it is worth.

Creamy Baked Fettuccini with Asiago and Thyme

• 1 pound fettuccine pasta
• 2 cups grated Asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
• 2 (8-ounce) containers creme fraiche
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
In a large bowl combine the 2 cups Aiago cheese, creme fraiche, Parmesan, thyme, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and pasta cooking liquid. Gently toss until all the ingredients are combined and the pasta is coated. Place the pasta in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes and serve.

(Both photos from Food Network....)

Updates to our blog....

Please take note of our baby name poll...we are down to two girl names, of which we both really like.
We are really stuck on boy names. We have come up with three, but aren't feeling strongly about any and are still taking suggestions - Rob and Laurel, you guys are good at the boy names, why haven't we heard any suggestions from you?

Also, to note, I did update my weekly quote - one week down and I didn't forget. Yea for me!

52 Blessing Project Week 7 ~ WATER

Last week I expressed thanks for the blessing of technology, and in doing so touched on a convenience that we all enjoy. This week my "convenience" is even more basic. Sometimes we take the most basic things for granted, until we no longer have them. Nothing drastic here, but I'm grateful for WATER. Living in the mojave desert, I'm probably more aware of this being a blessing than, say, when I lived in Oregon. WATER is something we completely take for granted and just expect to come out of the faucet when we turn the knob.

Yesterday we finally got around to replacing our dishwasher. We had a plumber come over to install it, and estimated that it might be a one hour job. So the water for the house was turned off and the project began. Six hours later we were still without water, without an installed dishwasher and with a broken main valve to the water in the house. At that point I was grateful for my supply of bottled WATER. The kids and I went out to dinner, because we couldn't prepare dinner without WATER (and a kitchen that was torn apart). A little later the kids went to bed without even brushing their teeth - all due to no WATER.

Maybe my gratitude seems silly, but I was really grateful to turn on the shower this morning and have WATER flowing again. I'm grateful that I have access to WATER. I'm grateful that my WATER is clean. I'm grateful that my WATER comes throughout my home's plumbing and that I don't walk long distances to provide my family's WATER. There are probably more in this world without those blessings than there are with them. I count myself blessed to be one of the "haves" when it comes to WATER.

That's it for my ramblings - I bet you're thirsty by now. Go get a drink!

Forts are for Sleeping

Don't we all remember making forts as kids? Forts are the best! And it just so happened that fort building was on our calendar for Family Fun Night this weekend. We were a bit in short supply of blankets, due to it still being winter and most of our blankets being on our beds, but we came up with enough to make a pretty impressive fort in Cason's room. Of course, the best part of the fort building is then sleeping in them. So that is what the kids did - and yes, they did actually sleep!

52 Blessing Project Week 6 (all caught up!) ~ TECHNOLOGY

Today I spent Jake's morning nap scanning old photos and then sorting and labeling them - all for the sake of some generation to come, I'm sure. The photos were far from professional, so as I sat cropping them and correcting the faded colors, I thought what a blessing TECHNOLOGY is in our lives. We rely on it at every turn.

I've said it before and probably shouldn't admit it, but when I was in college I had a profesor who made us do everything over the "new" internet. The class syllabus was online, we submitted all our papers via email, assignments were given via email. I was so overwhelmed with this class because of his focus on TECHNOLOGY and I told everyone who would listen, "just wait, in five years nobody will be using email!" How ridiculous was I?

Anyway, if it weren't for TECHNOLOGY I couldn't enjoy....

• Spell check -which hasn't been working on my blog this past week. So sorry, I know I'm a horrible speller!
• Bill Pay - how much are stamps going for now? Oh, nevermind the price is increasing again next month.
• Email - my favorite form of communicating, since it can be done during naps without waking the baby :)
• Digital Photos - I can snap away and don't have to worry about developing the film....
• Google Maps - enough said.
• Ebay - I'm a fan, but my allegiance is slowly siding with Craig's List.
• Froogle - What's that catch phrase, "why pay more?" - and, yes, it rhymes with Dougall.
• Blogging - hello!

52 Blessing Project Week 5 (catching up) ~ PROPHET

What a blessing we’ve witnessed this past week with the announcement of our new PROPHET, President Thomas S. Monson, and his counselors ~ and thus the fifth blessing I want to recognize. We are blessed as Latter Day Saints to have a method in place at the passing of a prophet that puts the Quorom of the Twelve in position of leadership until the calling of a new prophet. There is no confusion or competition during this time and I’m grateful for the Lord’s hand in the leadership and guidance of our Church. It seems all the more inspired as we are in the midst of the political elections and as I've watched the political headlines and the confusion and accusations, it has only made the events of the last week all the more remarkable.

God bless these men in their service.

I'm Taggin You!

I'm starting a tag - I mentioned in my random blog last week that I got an adorable purse/bag off Becky Higgins site (more specifically from Karlee's Kreations)

Now I need to fill it.....so I'm tagging all of you (girls) - dump your purses and take a photo. Post the photo on your own blog and write a list of what was in the purse. Help me out by telling me what you can't live without.

Mom - don't dump yours out. Homeland Security would be knocking on your door if they knew everything you carried in your weapon arsenal - we'll just keep that a family secret :)

A Boy's Gotta Climb...addendum

I posted Jake's climbing NEED last week. Here is an update, just since that post....

The chair was at the table - he dragged it across the floor, tipped it over and climbed in...

The slide at Pump it Up...he took his socks off all by himself and started climbing.

Next up, Kilimanjaro...

52 Blessing Project Week 4 (catching up) ~ HEART

The fourth blessing that I need to acknowledge is a strong HEART. This is kind of random because it seems to have a lot of meaning to me. Y It begins as recently as this past week, when he had to return for a level 2 ultrasound on the baby. It seems that on our last ultrasound to access for fetal development they had been unable to determine a 4 chamber HEART. Although I was 99% sure that we would have this additional ultrasound and find everything was fine, I was also brought to some quiet consideration that there could be a chance, due to heredity, that our baby could have a HEART problem. I went in on Monday and was grateful to have the ultrasound show, clearly enough for even me to see, a healthy four chamber HEART and realize that there are families each day that don’t get that same good news. Y I’ve sat in the pediatrician’s office with both Jake and with Cason, as brand new infants, when the pediatrician has told me that there was an audible HEART murmur and that referral to a pediatric cardialogist would be necessary. With Cason I shed tears at the news. With Jake, I was a bit more prepared. Both boys went to the cardialogist, Cason’s condition was a bit more serious but has improved to now be an “innocent” murmur – the same diagnosis Jake had in the beginning. I’m grateful that both my boys have strong, healthy HEARTS. I dare say that Cason’s HEART, murmur and all, is perfect as he has a tender, loving HEART that touches me and amazes me nearly daily. Y I myself was born with an Atrial Septal Defect, which was pretty benign except that I went to Primary Children’s Hospital every couple of years for a day spent in testing and updates. I was told as a teenager that the time had come to surgically repair my HEART. The Lord was aware of me and with His guidance, I am sure, we were able to take advantage of a new surgical procedure that resulted in my needed HEART surgery without having to undergo open HEART surgery. Without that surgery to close my ASD, pregnancy would have been extremely risky and probably discouraged. I look at my children each day and am thankful for the repaired HEART that made my ability to become a mom a reality.

Y Last week I had reached my breaking point, as mom, with all the arguing between the kids. So for Family Home Evening on Monday we talked about love and specifically related it to the problem we were having with getting along. The kids spent the FHE activity time cutting out 80+ HEARTS out of construction paper. They then posted HEARTS on each of our doors, as a reminder that in our home we want to have love. As they hung their HEARTS they told me how they would show love to one another. All week these HEARTS have been a sweet reminder to me and, thus, why my reminiscing tonight about HEARTS.

52 Blessing Project Week 3 (catching up) ~ SUNSHINE

These weeks are just flying by, right? I'm half way caught up and then my ramblings will go to just once a week.

Today's blessing may seem a bit on the light side, but it's late and I'm tired so I'm keeping it quick. Nevertheless, I really am grateful for SUNSHINE and more specifically WARMTH. Living in Vegas we get sunshine year round, but during the winter the bright blue skies are there only to mock me when I step outside and the bitter cold hits me. I know that most of my family/friends aren’t overly sympathetic of our 40 degree weather (and, no, I would not trade any of you living in Utah) but it’s cold and after a couple of weeks with wind that felt like a knife cutting through you, I’m grateful for the warming temperatures that allow me to venture out to get the mail without dread. Today we were in the 60's and it was wonderful - I took the kids to the Springs Preserve for just a quick visit and we spent the bulk of our time there in their outdoor exhibits. Yeah for the SUN!

52 Blessing Project Week 2 (catching up) ~ MELANIE

Yesterday was the birthday of my oldest, dearest friend MELANIE - so she is blessing #2. There is a saying about a FRIEND is someone that knows everything about you and likes you anwyay - that's "my" Mel! And it just so happens that she flew into town last night, so I'm heading off to spend the day with her....so there will be pictures to post of that, I'm sure! Here are just some of the reasons that Mel is a blessing in my life: o We've KNOWN each other since the 7th grade. Do the math - that is 20 YEARS! o Mel's ENTHUSIASM for life - in 7th grade it was exhibited by the largest bows and earrings you've ever seen. 20 years later she dresses up each Halloween and takes treats to all of her accounts - she still has that enthusiasm that we wish we could bottle and sell. o She has been my TRAVEL BUDDY - I think I have been on more vacations with Mel than anyone and we travel well together! The trips began small with the science trip to California or the Christmas shopping trip to NYC, but they have extended to a Caribbean cruise (just for the heck of it), Cabo San Lucus (we got to meet the American Embassy), Hawaii (our post marriage trip), back to NYC (for our 30th birthdays), and innumberable trips to Bear Lake. Oh, Mel was even my partner in crime on my road trip to Oregon 9 years ago to land me a husband! o Mel has contagious CONFIDENCE - I've always admired her ability to do anything. Whether it was standing on the stage of a beauty pageant or telling a potential boss to give her all of his dead accounts, just give her the job - Mel exudes confidence. She has brought me out of my shell when I'm with her and is patient when I return back into my shell the minute she leaves :) o We were ROOMATES for nearly two years - those were dating years, so they count as dog years I think. She was the best listener and cheerleader I could have had. I also learned how to live with someone else that you love dearly but are different from - it prepared me for marriage to learn to love the person and ignore the behavior (right Mel?) o Mel lives her life POSITIVELY – Mel has had far from an easy life, but with each new challenge she looks to the possibilities of the future and does so with the glass 1/2 full. o Mel's WISDOM extends beyone her years - she is a wise friend who has wonderful advice. It's not always what you want to hear, but just give it 24 hours and you'll realize that it was what you were meant to hear. Don't you all wish you had a lifelong friend as great as mine - now you know why I've kept her around for 20 years and why she is my 2nd blessing.

52 Blessing Project Week 1 (catching up) ~ RICH

I guess I'm five weeks behind on my 52 BLESSING PROJECT - please bear with me as I play catch up for the next few days... My first blessing that I want to acknowledge is my RELATIONSHIP with RICH. This fall it will be 10 YEARS since we met and the relationship has changed a lot in those 10 years. I read once that it takes 12-15 years just to learn to live your life with another person, that up to that point you are just two individuals living your separate lives together. I’m glad that our relationship has made it these 10 years and I am HAPPY with where we are. Some of the highlights of our relationship are: · Our shared ECCENTRICITIES – We're abnormal -I admit it. In our desire to recycle, to compost, to grow organic berries nobody has heard of, our finances, having no TV or video system, our parenting style, etc. - we don't follow the mainstream and isn't it great to find someone that you can be abnormal with? · Rich is a home body and is content to spend time as a FAMILY. With me he reads sappy Richard Paul Evan’s books out loud before we go to bed and he is agreeable when I get strange movies from the library. With the kids he is just happy to be dad and can't start his day without snuggling with the kids in bed. He doesn't need to travel far distances, he just wants to be home. · Rich is such a great support in my efforts to RAISE THE KIDS – whether it’s attending Ed Week parenting classes, helping to plan Family Fun Night, conducting Family Home Evening, or just being present for scripture time. I’m grateful for his role. · He is a HARD WORKER and takes care of our needs. I've never doubted that Rich will do what it takes to provide for our physical needs and, with five kids, that isn't easy. It's wonderful to know that we will always be cared for. THANKS Rich for being my 1st blessing....I Love You!

Kaitlyn's Birthday Photos

I finally picked up Kaitlyn's birthday photos from Target this morning.

They turned out so cute!

I'm feeling guilty because I totally spaced Cason's appointment, so I need to reschedule, but he had a bit of a bad haircut after his missed appointment and I'm waiting for that to grow in a bit. So his birthday photo's may end up being closer to 1/2 birthday photos....