Reality

Ok remember that post where I was all talking about how awesome our tree was going to look full of original and meaningful ornaments created by me and my wonderful children?? If not, refer to my prior post. Oh yes I had a beautiful image in my head as I was planning to turn our home into a wintery wonderland. My vintage glam christmas tree was going to be the show stealler.

And here's reality folks.

 A) I went to 3 different stores and those glass ornaments with which to stuff with personal touches were not to be found. I gave up and bought dollar store ornaments. Still very lovely but way off my ornament-making track.

B) There are two sets of little fingers that like to admire the said ornaments and to prevent breakage and a possible hazards (historically my babito has not done well around glass objects) the ornaments had to be placed out of reach. I risked the garland and lights getting pulled on and covered the whole tree with those so it wouldn't have a naked bottom. Those lights and garland are now quite skeewampus.

 The result and reality is my Christmas tree is very UN-vintage and UN-glam like. But you know what? I'm totally Ok with that. The chillens had so much fun helping to decorate it and although I went around and replaced the balls since Caleb liked to put them all on one branch, it feels like us. Some day when our babies are more grown up we can have a picture perfect tree. But we have enjoyed looking at our ill-decorated sparkling tree every day for 2 weeks. I enjoy looking at it after the kids have gone to bed and the lights are dim and the christmas lights are bright. Its very relaxing and fulfilling.
And of course I have nativities and other christmas decor scattered throughout the house. I just love this time to reflect on the birth and life of our Savior. He has been such a strength to me and helped me through such hard, painful times. He really is my constant friend, always there to hear my worries, complaints, pleas, and thanks. One of the most comforting things about the whole Gospel thing is knowing that God knows everything and He has a perfect plan specially designed to bring me ultimate happiness. Things can go terribly wrong all around me but He is constant...always loving, righteous, and compassionate.
Wow...I seriously meant to just post a picture of our ugly yet endearing Christmas tree on here but instead I got all mushy. That happens. Frequently.

So lest I get busy, here is a Very Merry Christmas from our family to yours. We are grateful for all the love and friendship we have shared with so many of you throughout the years. We hope your Christmas is filled with fun, food, and family (what I affectionately refer to as the 3 critical F's)! 

If you would like to learn more about the Savior and my beliefs, here is your invite :)

Got 20?

See this meal?

That there took about 20 minutes. I kid you not. And pictures never do justice to food...this stuff was A to the MAZING!! It was basically my version of hawaiian pork but without all the grease creating a pool for the rest of your food to bath in. Hawaiian food makes me feel sick but Kiel loves it so I made this as a greaseless alternative and the taste was perty darn perfect. And yes, it took a total of 20 minutes. OK! Here's how this puppys done.

You need:

  approximately 3 LBS pork roast (I just got the cheapo one and it couldn't have been tastier)

a can of root beer or pepsi (I used pepsi since thats what we had on hand)

Salt n Pepper

Put a skillet on the stove and turn the temp to med-high. Pour a few tsp of oil and get it nice and hot. Then place your roast in the oil and sear the sides of the roast. This should just take a few minutes. You don't want to cook the meat, just turn the sides nice and brown quickly...it holds in the flavor and juices since you will be crock potting (is that a word?) this.

Put the seared roast into your crock pot and turn it on low. Pour the can of soda over the meat and cover. Now go to church or work or something for about 6 hours while the roast cooks. Take the roast out and shred it. Place the meat back in the liquid and cook for one more hour. The liquid should be gone at this point leaving very moist shredded pork. Add salt and pepper to flavor. Because Hawaiian pork is generally pretty salty, I added quite a bit of salt...I don't measure (sorry folks) but it was like a tsp...just taste it. If it needs more, add more.

Preheat oven to 400. Rough chop an onion (or two) and some red potatoes. Place them on a cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper over them and stir them a little so they are evenly coated. Place cookie sheet in oven and these are done when your rice is done...about 20 minutes.

Put your rice on to cook. I cook mine on the stove but if you're a rice-cooker person then whatev. It takes about 20 mins either way.

20 minutes later everything is done cooking and you have a ridiculously easy, fast, delicious- as in seriously delicious- hot meal. 

Oh, and there was still some left over so the next day I warmed it up and stuck it on a bun and added some bbq sauce. Ohminagoota. It was just as good as it was the night before. So make some extra.

Note to self: measure ingredients in the future for blogging purposes...

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm one of those people who start craving Christmas music in August. Before I see the pumpkins appear in stores I'm looking around for Christmas lights. Christmas means we are going to see family. It means Kiel will be off school and work. It means family time, singing around the piano, lots of sparkles, three 15 passenger vans full of my family caroling to all 96 people we know, cheerful shoppers, and possibly the best part of it all, Christmas candy. Lots and lots of it. So as far as I'm concerned, skip halloween all together, enjoy a little thanksgiving pie and then party like its Christmas the rest of the year. Yup. I released all inhibition and started playing Christmas pandora a month ago. I embrace you Christmas.

We picked up our new-to-us (i heart you craigslist!) christmas tree yesterday and that sucker is going up today. In the past we have always had a 2 feet tree that was the perfect size for our Wymount apartment and one package of mini ornaments and half a garland made that tree look a little crowded. So this year I'm going to make this 7 foot tree mine. White a red and sparkly. Glitter pine cones tied with sheer and white ribbons. And a monster bow on top. I'm making it all. OK not all but I plan on being ambitious. So with the help of Pinterest I've been collecting ideas. I also wanted to share this website with ya'll. Its fantastic. 101 christmas ornament ideas...it really helps the imagination to bubble over.

 As I get to creating whats in my head I'll try to chronicle them on here. I sure love to see and steal all your good ideas! All you crafty brilliant people you.

Some comparative thoughts

I had a realization this morning. I'm a writer- I write when I'm frustrated, when I want to remember something, when I'm confused- it helps me organize my thoughts instead of it all getting jumbled in my head. So here goes.

 As I was studying a talk from an Ensign my thoughts started going off on a tangent like they normally do and suddenly the question came to me, why do I always compare myself? Why do I compare myself as if my talents, abilities, style, IQ, value increase or decrease based on who I'm comparing myself to? When did my own progression become a ratio based on determined by others? I have often read others blogs or observed friends or strangers and thought, they are a domestic, patient mother of 4 with a booming party planning business on the side. I'm a fairly domestic, striving for patience mother of 2 but have no booming business to help pay the bills. I'm doing pretty good. OR- that lady has 3 kids, has a tush and tummy tight as Jillian's, has a lovely clean home and extensive talents. Geez. I'm a horrible person. OR {even worse!}- I swear that lady hasn't brushed her hair in a week and she has no social life. I ROCK! 

Seriously??! What a skewed perception of my own worth. Why do I strive to achieve someone else's talents, abilities, even physical appearance as if they determine my potential? I realized today that under those false pretenses I sell myself short- not because the other person's personal best is less than mine, but because we are all blessed with different talents, abilities and life missions that make us unique and useful in the eternal scheme of things. What a weight is lifted off our shoulders as we realize we are not in a competition, but assessing our own personal weaknesses to strengthen and our strengths to help the Kingdom of God on earth progress. We only have to worry about ourselves! Whew! So much extra time and brain space just presented itself. 

This is not the only time I have been hit by this realization. As I thought about it this morning I remembered several other times I have written down the same thoughts in my General Conference notes, journal, RS notes. Every time it hits me like I've never thought of it before but its just the profound, life-changing attitude and mindset that I need to adopt to be fully productive and happy. And then I forget about it a few days later and life is more stressful and unhappy than it needs to be until I remember this wonderful reality again. So how do I actually incorporate it into my character? No more comparing, unrealistic expectations and shallow judgement on myself...sounds awesome. Ideas? Have you adopted this liberating reality? How do you go about it? Its so easy to get sucked in to the overwhelming popularity of the idea of compared worth. or compared style. or compared abilities. I'm going to write
Am I doing my personal best?? 

on a piece of paper and hang it on the fridge. Simple reminders like that work for me. What works for you??

Be original...procrastinate!

No, thine eyes do not deceive you. Halloween is already passed. You missed it. Huge bummer.

Not. We had our church trunk-or-treat and chili cook-off party over the weekend so this is Halloween part 1. The party was a total success. All the different types of chili were so delish and the corn bread- to die for. Ha. But seriously, I've been asking myself why I don't make corn bread more often? I'm going to work on that kinda crucial flaw. And I have a killer corn bread recipe...the trick is sour cream in the batter people! The treat is moist and light deliciousness. I might have to post that recipe in the future. 

So here is how our party went in picture form:

Mr. Parks Man was originally a cowboy but after everyone congratulating me on the cutest back-woodsman they'd ever seen I changed my mind. He's a back-woodsman.

 I totally spaced the need for costumes until the morning of the party and then got so busy I forgot about them again until 30 mins before the party. I'm a slacker like that. No awesome mom award for me. But I gotta tell ya, Caleb didn't mind a bit. He loves trains so I broke out the recently emptied diaper box and cut a hole for his head and arms and then he helped me paint it red. We did a great job. You can even see the huggies baby through the paint. Then I made the details out of paper, cardboard, and tin foil and hot glued them on. He was so proud of his train costume. Works for me!

 This is our family picture taken at the ward party. Can you guess what Kiel and I were?? I'll give you hint: Kiel wore leaves on his jacket and I wore a chunky chain necklace. Yeah...no one else got it either. He was Pres. Bush and I was VP Cheney. Get it? HAHA! I thought the idea was hysterical but after telling some people who we were they asked, "who's Bush and Cheney?" Umok. Maybe not so creative...

 Although I might not receive the Best Mom Award for Caleb's costume, he did win the Most Original Costume award at the party. Go us and our originalityyyy! I'm actually not even sure what that means...no one else had one like his because they all had cool, real spiderman and superman costumes?? Whatever. We got a necklace full of M&Ms. So there shnazzy pants.

 Caleb played the cake walk game at least 46 times I kid you not. The poor boy has no matter of luck at all. 

 But eventually the nice lady in charge took pity on him and found his chair number and called it out. He won a cupcake.

 And shared it with Parks. Cause he's the best brother like that. See the frosting on his nose?? hehe

What are ya'll gunna be for Halloween?? I think Kiel and I should mix things up for Halloween day and come up with a different idea that people who are politically and citizenly challenged will still get. Also, am I the only one is getting shakey with excitement at the thought of all the yummy things my kids will bring home from trick-or-treating for me? Yeah? I'm pathetic? Ok. 

Happy Halloween!

3 ingredient pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

These pumpkin cookies are the easiest ever. And the most delicious ever. So moist and rich...Mmm! I'm suddenly wishing I hadn't eaten them all yesterday...then I could eat one right now instead of just salivating at the memory.

K here's how ya make em.

Gather your 3 ingredients: 16 oz can of pumpkin, spice cake mix, 2 cups of chocolate chips

 Pour cake mix and pumpkin into a bowl

 Blend.

 Reward the helper with egg-less cookie batter. WIN.

                                 Stir   in chocolate chips

 Plop on greased cookie sheet. These babes tend to stay fluffy so if you want them more flat squash them.

 Cook at 350 for about 14 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes (like 3ish) then transfer them to a cooling rack. Taste one and then do a happy dance for your success

 If you want a real wowzer- dress em up in a tasty cream cheese frosting.

 Cream cheese frosting is the simplest thing ever. Blend 1/4 cup of butter and 8 oz package of cream cheese (both at room temp) until creamy. Add 1 cup of powder sugar. Finally, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla. Baddabang! 

I guarantee you a whole new level of popularity...as long as you can muster up enough self control to share some of these before you eat them all!

Thoughtful Thursday

I love traditions. They make me happy. So I'm starting a new tradition on my blog called Thoughtful Thursday. Basically I'll just post a thought, quote, scripture, epiphany -something that stood out to me and touched my heart over the week. Without further ado, here's todays~

This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a time to be found keeping the commandments. It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our relationships. In other words, to become more like Christ.

-Gordon B. Hinckley

Yo hot bags!

Setting: Winter distinguished the sun, dropping our home temp to 50 degrees.

Kiel: I'm freezing. My toes are numb.

Me: Mine too. My joints are frozen and I can't move. 

This is where I had a light bulb moment as a distant memory popped into my head. My mom made us some heating bags when I was little and I would use mine all the time. 

I would heat mine up and hold it on my lap with my hands under it and stay so nice and toasty warm during the Idaho winters. At night I would warm it up and put it at the bottom of my bed over my feet. Mmm. Cozy.

This is basically the solution to all my problems. And they're stinking easy to make. It seriously took me about 30 minutes to make two of them. And they.are.wonderful! Also they are cheap and very useful. In other words, these would make a GREAT Christmas present. Just sayin.

Here's how its done:

1. Cut out two squares of fabric. This will be your bag.

 B. Place the fabric so the printed sides are facing each other.

C. Sew around your square leaving a 3 inch opening so you can pour in your filling. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end so your bag is nice and strong! 

 D. Trim the corners. This makes it so your corners are poiky. Like sharpish. You know what I mean. 

 E. Using your small opening, pull your bag inside out so the print is now on the outside.

 F. Make the corners sharp lookin. Pencils are great for this.

  You will want a funnel for filling the bag. If you don't already have one, Trader Joe ads work great. Just tape it in a cone shape.

 G. Now fill er up! I had my side-kick help me with this part. He had so much fun! Yeah, it made a little mess but his huge smile and careful shakey hands were worth it.

 Parks Man didn't help at all. He just sat there and watched. And then pulled everything out of the cupboards and tried to throw it in the bag too. 

  Fill the bag a little more than half full. You don't want it over stuffed!

 At this point I broke out my essential oils. Lavender calms and relaxes so now every time I heat up my bag I also infuse peace into my home. Love!

 H. I sprinkled a few drops of oil into my bag.

 I. Fold over the sides in the opening.

J. Yup. Pinch together. 

 K. Sew that holla sucka up!

 L. Nuke for 3-5 minutes and warm up those frosty fingers and toes!

Fabric: 

You can use anything COTTON. I used some of that snuggle flannel fabric from Joanns. 

Filling options: 

Rice -not instant!- I used brown rice because that's what I had on hand

oats

wheat

feed corn

beans

flax seed

barley

Hot bag purposes:

 heat and place on aches and pains for a soothing effect

place on tummy to relieve menstrual cramps

place on hands or toes to warm em up!

place at the bottom so its toasty warm when you get in

As you can see these things are totally awesome! And you totally don't know how you've lived so long without one. Well you've been freezing and aching. That's how. But now you don't have to anymore cuz you can totally make your own in no time! =0) 

Maybe just smile

My boys are sick today so I stayed home from church since Kiel is teaching the Priesthood lesson. After wasting a lil bit (Ok fine! A lot!) of time on pinterest I decided to dedicate at least some of the time I would have been at church to strengthening my spiritual self at home. I looked up the latest General Conference talks and decided to read You Matter to Him by Pres. Uchtdorf. What a blessing.

My life has been simply craptastic lately. Ok maybe not so much my life as my attitude. And that's crappy with a capital K. If you don't get that then you don't know my Grandma. Don't worry about it. Just move on.

Granted, there are some crappy things in my life that I've blown up into a generalization of the above sentence: I have a crappy life. The reality is I don't have a crappy life. I have a wonderful, blessed life! I just needed a reminder. Isn't God so good like that?? When you feel so slow, cold, emotionless, lost, weak...our Savior sends a little love note saying, "Hey, I'm still here. I still love you. I remember your name. I know personally what your going through and how deeply it hurts. But you know what? You still have all these beautiful things around you. Open your eyes and see them. Feel the love of your family and friends- they're there...I promise. But sometimes you have to pick up the phone and call them. And maybe this moment is actually really crappy. And that's OK. But there's a whole life time ahead of you that is unwritten. It can be as beautiful and happy as you make it. And I'll be cheering you on! Go make a happy life!" 

Ok, maybe God doesn't use words like "crappy" but I seriously felt all that. Sometimes, and especially when Kiel is so consumed with school and I become a single and (quite literally due to a lack of transportation) stay-at-home mom 24/7 and I get tired of it. Yes I believe that being a mother is God's greatest calling for women. I believe that it can be the most fulfilling experience if you put your whole heart into it. But I would not be honest if I didn't say that sometimes it.just.sucks. There are times when my wonderful calling of wife and mother feels like one long day that is repeated over and over. That day is filled with little tantrums, soggy diapers, laundry that is flung around the house instead of tidy stacks in drawers, and dishes piled around the counters splattered with evolving food that could constitute as its own developing race. That sucks. There are times when kids are cranky and I'm cranky and naps are cried through and dinner is pushed around the plate or thrown at the walls instead of eaten. That kinda sucks too. There are times when my best friend/eternal spouse and I can't manage to say a single nice, positive, and encouraging thing to each other all day- and the things we do say are several decimals above normal. That really sucks. The bottom line is sometimes life sucks and we sink in those moments thinking that our whole life is comprised of discouraging, failing moments. 

And then my Savior throws me the life-line and pulls me in. And wraps His arms around me and warms me up. I had one of those experience today. Yesterday, today, and maybe even tomorrow might be difficult, painful even. But Christ is with me through all of it. I can choose to face the bad with an optimistic attitude while embracing the good. I can even see a glimmer of lights in my future (those lights look suspiciously like Christmas lights!). Life is good- even when it sucks. If you're feeling on top of the world go help someone who's not feel more on up there with ya. If you're feeling down maybe helping someone else is still a good idea...who knows, it might be the solution you've been looking for. I'm going to go take my own advice now that I've found the motivation and courage to do so. Thanks Pres. Uchtdorf for the sweet reminder :)

Here is Pres. Uchtdorf's full message.

elimen-oh! peas!!

This little monkey is sooo grown up now. I know because he started school. Now he's a student just like his daddy. This makes the monkey very happy!

The Never Bored book {um, the most awesome activity book ever...in case you were wondering} came from costco and the other two books came from the dollar store. The foot is courtesy of Caleb.

The craft and learning supplies and all the containers came from the dollar store as well. Crayons, pompoms (awesome for so many things!! sort by color, number, or make crafts with them!), googly eyes, fabric paint, buttons, glitter glue.

All these learning tools fit right inside a plastic tote that I got at the dollar store.

With the start of school, I have had to get things a little more organized. Or rather, Caleb is now more organized. Here is what his new schedule looks like:

Yeah. We like music. For music time we sing all the songs Caleb knows. That's Caleb's favorite. For dance time we blast up pandora Disney and dance like there's no tomorrow. That is my favorite. Join us anytime.

For "explore your world" we usually go outside- weather permitting- and look for bugs, or certain plants, or colors, or we count things. Ya know, whatever.

And every Wednesday we go to story time at the library and then get a bag of books to bring home.

Basically, it adds positive, educational structure to our days and we all love it! No I don't stick to it like glue. I'm way too lazy spontaneous for that but it gives us something to work at, especially when a day is getting particularly wild or boring. 

Is this teacher not the luckiest in the world?!