That's Gross, Man!

New Blog

2010-07-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

I just want to let you know that I am done having so many Japanese comments posted on our blog and have switched to a new one. I'm hoping that this will do it - the change is better explained on the new one. So change the first part of the address to stanleypie and you will find us there. If those instructions are too vague, contact me and I will let you know what it is.

Maiby's Stuff

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

I don't like the formatting of the pics - it's changed from what it once was, and now it's a lot more difficult for me to place them where I want them, and there's always too much blank space. Darn it. but on to the posting...

Here is Maiby 'making a monster' with her pj's. She likes to make monsters several times a week, either before changing into pj's or when she has picked her clothes out before we come in to get her in the mornings.

The other night, she wanted to put on a 'show'. She lined the kid chairs up and put some dolls on them, and then made sure she had her mommy & daddy's attention and then started drumming on a few different toys. I didn't take a video, but the picture can give you the basic idea. It wasn't very long each time - she is a lot more embarrassed about things when Daddy's around and would only drum one or two times.

And here she is as an elephant.

Small Game of Catch-Up & Big Changes

2010-06-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Well, things are still going great here in Michigan. We love our new apartment, and James is enjoying his job. And the more I get to know them, the more I like them, too.

Here is a surprise that James received from his work a few days before he started:

And on his first day, he brought home a baby blanket personalized with Scout's name and date of birth.

We have found a great beach at Tunnel Park, and Maiby LOVES the water, even though it's been around 60 degrees each time we've gone in.

Here's a picture of our happy baby, learning to laugh. It's super cute.

As for the change I mentioned, this is the before:

Here's the in-between:

And the end result!

Oh, and this is why they say not to keep bottled hair dye around for too long. We are just glad that we weren't at church when the bottle of BLUE dye exploded in the bathroom, so we were able to clean it up right away. This is the ceiling.

Terms of Endearment

2010-06-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

In the past few months, Maiby has started calling a lot of people 'honey.' At first, I tried to get her to stop, because it was mainly me and it was a little bothersome. But then she started using it for a lot of people, especially when she wanted to know what was going on. "Whatcha doing, honey?" or "Whatcha need, honey?" Then it started getting pretty cute.

It's on longer honey, now, and I'm not sure how I feel about my 2-year-old calling me "babe".

Frustration

2010-06-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

So we have had internet at our place for about a week now, and it's great. But it has one major flaw - we get kicked off ALL THE TIME!! We are using a router, so we thought that maybe the concrete walls were interfering, even though there aren't doors between where the everything is set up, but even when we directly connect the computer to the modem it still kicks us off.

The point of me writing this is to let you know that I am reading my friends' blogs and trying to comment, but more than half the time they won't load (or load without the pics and background), and then they won't load correctly so I can't leave comments when I try. So congratulations to my friends who announced their upcoming third child, hooray to those who are moving closer to home, the Cirque du Soleil date sounded like a blast - I love those guys (we saw Mystere in Vegas), and I am enjoying a lot of other things that I've been reading.

I will keep trying and if we continue to have problems, we will be contacting our server or switching to another company...

We Love it Here!

2010-06-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

We have really been enjoying getting settled here in Michigan...but the humidity takes a lot of getting used to; it's like going to a sauna fully dressed when you go outside. Some days are better than others, but we are hoping to adjust before too long.

So the trip here was pretty good. Thank you to all those who helped James pack up the truck - he said it was quick and easy. We spent the first night out in Billings, Montana at the Country Inn & Suites. It was the BEST hotel of the trip, and also the cheapest. I would definitely stay at that location again - there were free cookies, it was really nice everywhere, the beds were SO comfy, the staff was great, and the free breakfast had a lot of variety.

Then we drove and drove again.

NOTE: If you ever drive through North Dakota, stop at a rest area even if you don't need it. They are the nicest I have ever seen!! They were all clean, smelled good, automatic, and most were inside a very nice air conditioned building. And my mom talked to a lady who was cleaning one of the ones that were pretty average, and she cleans them 3 times a day! That is not a job I would enjoy - it's hard enough to clean my own bathroom.

We stayed in Jamestown, North Dakota and then Tomah, Wisconsin the next two nights. Nothing too superb or spectacular, although we did find a mexican restaurant that we will not be going back to...it was not good.

We stopped in Chicago and visited with my aunt and cousin for a short time, and then got back on the road so we could pull into our apartment complex with just enough time to sign the lease before she closed the office for the night.

Our apartment is pretty nice. We have 3 bedrooms, an attached garage, and laundry just off the kitchen. I really like it. There are a few things that are not my favorite, though: carpet in the kitchen (at least it's industrial-type and not plush), the bathroom sinks are too low and I have to bend down to wash my hands, and they are constructed of concrete & some of the rooms don't have much padding under the carpet, so you can't stand there for too long. Also, the tub is a little smaller than our last place. But it's bright and clean and we get a lot of natural light all day. And we overlook a pond and can listen to frogs croak all night. James made a good choice of a place to live.

And we are ALMOST done unpacking...I opened all of our book boxes today and started sorting through which ones to keep packed (like my yearbooks) and what to put out on the shelves. Hopefully that will be completed tomorrow. And I found the iron, so I can start sewing again. Woohoo!! We still have 3 or 4 boxes in our bedroom and then need to finish working in Scout's room and then we are pretty much done. It's pretty nice to not be looking at a tower of boxes in the living room, especially after having them in our last place for a couple months before we moved.

And we have enjoyed our ward - they are very welcoming and excited to have us here. And Maiby had fun in nursery her first week, which is a big plus. She played with the kids and wasn't too scared to just be dropped off right away. Hooray!

So that's the catching up from us for our first week and a half here. James started work yesterday and has enjoyed it so far, but it's mainly paperwork and safety stuff.

We Made It

2010-05-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

So we pulled into our new apartment complex in Michigan with just enough time to sign the lease before the office closed. And we had great help unloading the truck on Saturday.

But there is NO WAY we would have survived the trip (make that me, since James spent the whole trip in the truck) without the two angels known as 'Mom/Grandma' that came with us to help with the girls. Thank you!

I Can't Believe It

2010-05-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

It's only a few more days until my years in Moscow end. I am a little sad about it, but the excitement of what is awaiting us is more powerful. I leave on Sunday, after spending 10 years here. I NEVER thought I would end up being here this long - it's the longest that I've lived anywhere in my entire life! I guess it's a good thing that I love it!

I moved to Moscow in 2000, as a 17-year-old college freshman, bright-eyed and eager for the opportunity to get a degree. And now, I'm leaving as a 27-year-old wife, mother, and recipient of a bachelor's and a master's degree.

It's hard to believe that so many things happened first here in Moscow - kissing a boy, cutting my own hair, living on my own, bouncing a check (luckily that's the only one), having a cell phone, James proposed here, and we have lived in 3 different places around town, 2 kids born here.

I love the way the town changes with the seasons - in the fall, the roads are crowded and it takes forever to get anywhere. In winter, there are big berms down the middle of the road from the snow. In the spring, people head outside and the frat boys on campus get out the kiddie pools, and then summer comes and the population seems to drop by more than half as so many students leave town. I will miss living in a college town; there are so many things to do, and many of them are not too expensive.

And I met a ton of great people and made great friends - some I lived with, some I knew at school, and some at church. And so many of them have impacted my life in great ways - they don't even know.

So thanks for the memories, Moscow! I will miss you. And hopefully we will make it back sometime to enjoy a burger at Zip's!!

Free Float Tube

2010-05-12T13:31:00.001-07:00

Is anyone in Moscow interested in a float tube? We tried to sell it on craigslist a while ago, but no one was interested. And we don't really want to move it (again). So if you want it, please call or email me and it's yours!

Free Money

2010-05-05T19:57:00.001-07:00

Looking for a chance to win $1000?! Go to Dave Ramsey's website here and register - he's giving away $1000 every day this month.

Good luck!

Scout

2010-04-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here she is, in all of her 7 lb, 14 oz glory!

And what a good big sister!

It's Here!

2010-04-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

We have a new daughter! She was born early Friday morning and we named her Scout.

Pics and such to come soon...after I find the camera cord.

It Doesn't Add Up

2010-04-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

When I moved to Moscow in 2000, I started school at the University of Idaho planning on majoring in math. That plan fell through and I ended up going in a totally different direction that was probably a lot more fun (credit for mountain biking and rock climbing - can't beat that!).

But even though I didn't get a math degree, I still know that having contractions for 26 days + being 4 days overdue should equal a baby, not in yet another day of waiting.

And waiting...

And waiting...

Congratulations!

2010-04-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

James and I went to the Student Achievement Awards for the University of Idaho tonight. He had been nominated for two of the awards, but they don't notify the winners ahead of time, so we didn't know if he had won or not.

He did!! James won the Richard Gibb Award, which is given to an outstanding non-traditional student.

Congratulations, James!

Perspective

2010-04-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling a lot better - emotionally and physically. We talked about the power of God yesterday in primary, and how prayer can help us feel that power in ours lives. Thankfully, I did as we directed the kids to do, and it has made all the difference.

And a big Thank You! to the friend who left a treat on my porch today - a great surprise to find after our shopping trip this morning!

Trials

2010-04-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

Some things in life are tough, and that's to be expected. The difficulty I have, presently, is trying to figure out what it is I'm supposed to be learning right now as I am experiencing some rather unpleasant realities. This morning as I was waiting for Maiby to finish her breakfast, I was looking through the Ensign and came across a great statement about trials. It's the article entitiled "He Will Take Upon Him Their Infirmities" by Elder Jean A Tefan.

In it, he references a scripture in Alma 7 that is about Christ. Verses 11 & 12 read: "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, tha the may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." Elder Tefan then goes on to say that he read those verses in a time of trial and shifted the hurt and fear that he was experiencing to Christ.

That is something that I have always had a hard time doing - I have been very independent since I was a small child, and it's hard to admit sometimes that I can't handle certain things (and I find that especially true when facing trials). When I am suffering, more specifically right now, it's hard to remember that others have been through the same kind of thing. But I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have that Christ has been through it - he experienced this pain and suffering for me. I am so thankful for His willingness to do that, and as I try to turn to heaven for the help I am seeking, I know I will find it.

What Makes Them Think It's Okay?

2010-04-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

I am SO upset!! Someone stole my dryer!

Don't people know that there are unwritten, but CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD rules when using a shared laundry area? And that one is you don't steal a dryer that is currently in use?!! Why would someone think it's okay to take my wet clothes out of a running dryer and put their own in?

It's not my fault they missed out on the 3 good dryers. I took my laundry over and had to empty 2 washers in order to use them, but the clothes had been sitting for a little while - a little bit mildew-smelling. So I put one in the laundry basket on the washer and one on the cleanest washer. And, as always, set an alarm so I would pick up my stuff on time. Then I went down and switched my laundry PROMPTLY (one washer was still spinning when I walked in) and used 3 dryers so I wouldn't have to go back after 1 cycle.

But apparently someone had other ideas. And I don't appreciate it.

If I were a big more vengeful, I might put their DRY clothes - that's the proof that they stole my 50 cents (the cycle had run its course when I went to pick up my stuff) - into the sink and fill it up.

(un)Fortunately, I'm not that vengeful and venting here and later to James is the only payback I will give.

Piece of Junk!!

SAHM's ROCK!

2010-03-31T15:14:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Dr. Laura's new book, In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms, and it is awesome!! James and I made the decision before we got married that once we had kids, I would stay home, and we have been blessed to be able to do that. But it's not always easy (as I'm sure you all know), and it's great to hear other people sing the praises of an often put-down way of life.

I love being able to experience Maiby's life first-hand, and not have a day care worker, family member, or friend tell me the cute things she did that day. On Saturday, we were hanging out at home and just enjoying spending time together. James and I were on the couch talking and Maiby was playing with her toys. One of her new favorite things is her 'list' - a small, 25-cent spiral notebook. She is always drawing in it. While we sat on the couch, Maiby came up and asked James if he wanted some soup (also a game she really enjoys, but that's another story), and when he said yes, she make a mark on her list. She kept asking if he wanted something else and would make a mark each time he said yes. Then she turned to me and started taking my order.

If that food had been truly ordered at a restaurant, we would've ended up with some interesting combinations - soup, cornbread, chowder, sandwiches, cookies, and more (unfortunately, I was told that milkshakes were not an option). It was so great, and without experiencing that first-hand, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much as I do.

Read this book - if I could afford it, I would buy one for all the wonderful women in my life, but as it is, I got mine from the library, and the book is still terrific.

Lucky

2010-03-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

We use the word 'lucky' a lot in our house, and in a variety of ways. Sometimes we use it in reaction to something that really is lucky, like getting a donut at the store; sometimes it's used sarcastically after something undesirable happens, like spilling dinner on your shirt. The point is, we use it a lot.

Yesterday Maiby and I went shopping. She is getting too tall for size 2 pants, and only had 2 pair of size 3, so we went looking for a couple more pairs. We stopped at the mall first to check out prices and look for some deals, but the cheapest we found were still more than I wanted. So off we went to Goodwill, where we bought 2 pair for $3 - what a deal!!

We got back in the car and I told her we would go to one more store (another thrift store that I hadn't been to yet), and she asked if we were looking for more pants. When I affirmed that we were, she said, "Lucky me, lucky me!"

I hope she always has such a good attitude.

C-A-K-E

2010-03-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

Maiby and I spent most of last week at my mom's house. On Tuesday while Mom was at work, I made some rainbow cupcakes for her to take to her class for St. Patrick's Day. On Wednesday morning, Mom was frosting the cupcakes while Maiby and I ate breakfast. Maiby wouldn't eat much, so I was trying to coax her to have a little bit more.

Then my mom, the ever-loving grandma, asked if Maiby could have some "C-A-K-E," to which I immediately said no (it was WAY to early in the day) and Maiby prompty said, "Cake?!"

We were both amazed at her comprehension and it left my mom wondering if we would ever be able to spell words out while still trying to keep a secret from Maiby.

Anyone Up For the Bible?

2010-03-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

So I just checked my email and then decided to look at the sites on my blog to see if there were posts to read by friends or others that I enjoy. I typed in my blog address CORRECTLY, and instead of That's Gross, Man coming up, I ended up viewing THIS site. I was quite confused and checked the address bar, which was correct. Talk about weird!!! So I refreshed the page and was directed to the correct page, with the familiar background and everything that I had been looking for.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Freebies for the Moscow Folks

2010-03-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

We have about half of our stuff packed up ready for the move, and there are a few things that we are not wanting to take, so if anyone in Moscow is interested, feel free to come over/call/comment/email and take what you want. I put links to a few things so you have a better idea of what they are:

-- charcoal BBQ (it's black and about 3-4' tall)
-- 6' bookshelf - the walmart special my Freshman year of college

-- Rush Hour DVD

-- Hymns CD's 13-14 (has all hymns #292-341 words and music)

-- small red zippered purse

It's not much, but it's the stuff that's headed to goodwill that I thought someone might be interested in. We will have it for a little while, so if you need some time to think about it, no problem.

Wedding Bells In the Air

2010-03-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

My little sister is getting married!

Congratulations on your engagement Stephanie!!

Making Rainbows & A Sad Day

2010-03-01T20:18:00.001-08:00

We decided to make rainbows the other day. For each color, Maiby was given the choice of hearts or circles, and then chose where to put them - which is why her rainbow has a front and back.

And here's my rainbow, out of half circles:

As for the sad day mentioned in the title, I finished my sewing projects that I told James I NEEDED to get done, so I had to pack up my sewing machine until after we move. I'm a little disappointed, but it will be great to have that stuff out of the way in the living room!

Things I've Learned from a Big Girl Bed

2010-02-28T16:06:00.000-08:00

So it's been a few weeks since Maiby started using her Big Girl Bed, and I have learned several things (I was thinking about this in the shower this morning, so I might not remember them all - that was a LONG time ago!).

-- It is possible for her to be happy all day without a nap.

-- Sometimes a nap in front of the door is better than no nap.

-- Maiby can take off her pj's herself and pick out her clothes before we come in her room.

-- She still needs help making the bed.

-- Her binky and bear are on the shelf before she picks out clothes - it's probably step 2 of her morning routine, after turning on the light.

-- Two weeks of not taking a nap takes it's toll on a little girl - she fell asleep in the car on the way home from church today and stayed asleep until we got in the house (she has not done that in well over a year!!)

-- There is hope that she will sleep in the car when we drive to Michigan WOOHOO!!

-- She just wasn't ready for a big girl bed when we tried before.

-- She loves the freedom.

-- We no longer need an alarm clock - she is up by 630 EVERY morning. And on days when we get up at 6, she's up & at 'em then, too.

--If I change my reading time to her quiet time, I can still read the scriptures every day; but remembering to do so is a problem again, since it's not first-thing.

How Do You Decide?

2010-02-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

What makes you decide when you need to take your kid(s) in to see the doctor? Maiby wasn't feeling well at the end of last week, and I think she's a lot better, with just a small lingering cough now and then throughout the day - basically I don't think we need to worry about it. BUT other people are telling me that I should take her in. She never had a fever higher than 99, is still pretty happy all day even without naps, and snot is no longer running out of her nose constantly. Would you take her in? What is the criteria you use to decide?

Minor Disaster

2010-02-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

Maiby and I went to visit my mom this weekend, since James had his Army stuff and I wasn't in charge of primary, even though she wasn't feeling too great since the middle of last week. She actually slept in the car on both drives, which hasn't happened in about a year, so things weren't too bad. Until she woke up on the way home, with about 30 minutes to go and decided that her new favorite phrase ("No, Mommy, no!") and screaming were the only acceptable options.

So we got home and went grocery shopping and then went to pick Daddy up from school, but he was staying late. And the second he told me that, I started crying. I'm blaming it on the hormones, but it wasn't very fun. I had been looking forward to seeing him and having some help with our recovering girl, but the two of us went home.

Before we went shopping, I had made some Crystal Light-type punch and it was sitting on the shelf in the fridge. When I was putting away the groceries, there wasn't enough room on the bottom shelf to put in the milk in the right spot after shopping, so I used the milk jug to push the butter over just an inch or two, and then...

red liquid EVERYWHERE!!

2 quarts (minus 1 1/2 glasses) makes quite the mess. It took 2 full-size towels and several paper towels to clean up the mess. I had been hoping that I wouldn't have to clean the fridge until just before we moved, but it's done! So I guess I can check that off the list, at least until May.

Luckily, as I looked at the red mess, I remembered a talk I heard year's ago at women's conference - there is a fine line between laughing and crying, and luckily I chose to laugh (but only in my head, because I still wasn't super happy). But it helped enough to put away the nagging thought of eating out that night.

Q & A's

2010-02-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

So I have been trying to think of some things to blog about; there are always different ideas in my head that I think about putting down on here, but I am way too forgetful to get even half of them on here. So here's a series of questions if you are interested in knowing a little bit more about me...

1. What is my occupation right now? Mommy!

2. What color are your socks right now? A beautiful shade of Invisible

3. What are you listening to right now? Music coming from outside, The Net starring Sandra Bullock, and my dad's tv in the other room

4. What was the last thing you ate? A small slice of white cake

5. Can you drive a stick? Heck yes, thanks to my husband's teaching ability

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My husband

7. How old are you today? 27

8. What is your favorite sport to watch on tv? Figure skating

9. What is your favorite drink? Strawberry milk, Dr Pepper, raspberry-flavored Crystal Light

10. Have you ever dyed your hair? Once or twice - I have tried almost every shade of red and orange available at Walmart, as well as bleaching a few times

11. Favorite food? Cake dough; McDonald's; tacos

12. What is the last movie you watched? St Trinian's (very weird), unless you want to count The Net (but I am only half paying attention)

13. Favorite day of the year? April 25th - because it's not too hot, not too cold; all you need is a light jacket!

14. How do you vent anger? Clench my fists, cry, talk it out with someone - depends on the situation and the day

15. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie & GI Joe

16. Favorite season? Not winter

17. Cherries or blueberries? Cherries

18. Living arrangements? Townhouse

19. When was the last time you cried? Not long ago, and over something silly

20. What is on the floor of your closet? Boxes, boxes, and more boxes, and a large green tote

21. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Carl

22. What did you do last night? Stayed up too late doing nothing with my sister

23. What are you most afraid of? Disappointing James

24. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese (BBQ sauce can't hurt, either!)

25. Favorite dog breed? The kind I don't have to own

26. Favorite day of the week? Depends on the week

27. How many states have you lived in? Five

28. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

29. Favorite flower? Gerbera daisy

30. Favorite song of all time? unsure - that is really tough to answer; it's probably country, though

31. Favorite book? Pride & Prejudice

32. Favorite color? Orange!

33. Favorite TV show? CSI

34. Name one thing on your bucket list? Drive an original hummer

35. Goal for 2010? Have a smooth move and settle in quickly

36. Favorite store to shop? Kohl's, Target, Walmart, Aeropostale

How about you?

My New BFF (for now)

2010-02-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

I'm told to lay on my side, something about 'it's good for the baby' - but what about the pain in my belly?! It is so uncomfortable to sleep on my side because it needs support as it grows and grows without an end in sight.

And then the genius inside my head spoke up and said "Take Maiby's pillow!" Good idea, genius, because it is EXACTLY what I need. A regular pillow is too much, but this dolly pillow is perfection, and I am now sleeping much better.

Don't worry; Maiby doesn't know I took it, and she has another one that's identical, so everyone wins!

Big Girl & Valentine Cookies

2010-02-14T20:08:00.000-08:00

We made pink sugar cookies yesterday to take to some neighbors, and we let Maiby decorate three with a little pile of frosting. She did pretty well, and then enjoyed them.

And she is now using a big girl bed! This is night #2...so it's still inconclusive. But her naps have been non-existent since earlier this week, so hopefully she gets used to it soon.

We got the bed from my aunt when she had a yard sale, and it came with a sheet set and a blanket, which you can tell she absolutely loves:

Cereal

2010-02-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

Don't forget - it's the cereal sale at Rosauer's! More than 14 different kinds, all for 1.69!!

Paper Snowmen

2010-02-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Three days a week I watch Maiby's friend while her parents are in class. The other day we decided to do a craft project:

I'm not sure if it was the same day or not, but I was sitting by James on the couch the other day and he said, "Oh, cool!" So I looked over to see what he was talking about, and he was happy that the backrest for one of Maiby's toys fit just right:

Never a dull moment around here, huh?

Nothing Much to Tell

2010-02-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

Well we've had a lot of home time this past week; Maiby was a little sick starting on Friday, but is finally back to her usual happy self (hallelujah!).

I've just been packing boxes, sewing, and reading. I can't believe how slow-going Vanity Fair is - I've been reading it for a week and just hit the 100-page mark earlier today. Which leaves me about 600 more!! At least it's a good book, and Thackeray is a pretty entertaining author.

So that's the news on our home front.

Latent Talent?

2010-01-23T11:53:00.000-08:00

I made a discovery a few weeks ago, a latent talent that is only doable during pregnancy...

I used to have a great belly - seriously, I loved it. Before Maiby was born, it was tiny and toned and I had a great innie/outie belly button. When I was pregnant with Maiby and my belly grew, my belly button never stuck out, but it did get as flat as it possibly could. It was a little strange looking. And as soon as she was born, it became an innie that never again saw the light of day.

Until I became pregnant again. Now, at 7 months, it is not flat yet or sticking out, but it's getting there. Back to the talent - the other day I was looking at my belly in the mirror and tried to see how far I could suck in my baby belly (last time no one knew I was expecting until 22 weeks because I didn't show much and could suck in what did show). And then I decided to try to push out my belly as far as I could, to see how big I could get.

Low and behold, I developed an outie! What did I do? Tried it again and then ran and found James to show him my new trick.

So now I can have a pregnant outie, but only occasionally; we'll see if it stands the last bit.

Feeling Great

2010-01-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

Today I attended my first prenatal water aerobics class. It was so fun! I loved it! And it's not very pricey, either, which is great. If you're pregnant and live in the Moscow area, you should come. It's $25.50/month for 2 classes a week, 4-5 pm at the Gritman Wellness Center. I thought that I would be exhausted tonight, but I am actually feeling really good and am looking forward to Thursday's class.

Classic Books in 2009

2010-01-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

I forgot about updating my book list on here, and I hunted it down this morning so I could post all the ones I read from it last year. It's mainly for my brother who gave me the list.

Mansfield Park -- Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey -- Jane Austen
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall -- Anne Bronte
Wuthering Heights -- Emily Bronte
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking Glass & What Alice Found There -- Lewis Carroll
The Professor's House -- Willa Cather
Frankenstein -- Mary Shelley
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -- Mark Twain
The Island of Dr Moreau -- H G Wells
A Christmas Carol -- Charles Dickens
Madame Bovary -- Gustave Flaubert
The Wind in the Willows -- Kenneth Grahame
The Scarlett Letter -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

and I attempted Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce, but it was TOUGH going, so I gave it up...it's written in a strange style and I had no idea what was going on after 30 pages. I will try it again someday.

2010-01-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

So for some reason I was nominated for the Kreativ Blogger award from How to Become a Zombie in Two Easy Steps (thanks, Sun!); I'll tell you right now I feel she has earned the honor more than me. And as part of accepting the award, I am about to reveal 7 things you probably don't know about me.

1. I have learned to play many instruments in my life: alto sax, bassoon, clarinet, piano, organ, a little bit of guitar and flute.

2. I have had a variety of hair colors in the last 10 years. Anything from bleach blonde, orange, about 15-20 shades of red, pink, blue, green (when the blue was fading), and several shades of brown.

3. I have cut my own hair twice. From longer-than-my-shoulder to less than 4 inches. It's surprisingly freeing.

4. Cake dough is one of my favorite foods of all time; when I am not pregnant (because my husband gets mad about the raw eggs when I am), I tend to reserve almost 1 cup of dough to slurp in the 30 seconds after putting the cake in the oven.

5. I enjoy video games; I have beaten Super Mario Bros 3 on the regular nintendo (I didn't own one until I got married, so it's a relatively new feat), and have been thoroughly enjoying the New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii in the last month.

6. My second toe is longer than my big toe on each foot. It has always really bothered James. And to try to convince him that it was a positive feature about me, I made a powerpoint presentation soon after we started dating. It was about 10 slides long and full of pictures of my feet and other feet I found online that looked like mine. Great fun.

7. I have a master's degree. And the proof can be found on my diploma, which is hidden away in a box somewhere in our house; the plan is to frame it someday...

Now for my nominations (these are some of my favorite blogs), in no particular order:
1. K8 at the Foutch Coutch
2. Jade at Stellmon-sters
3. Jennifer The Craft Patch
4. Melissa at A Kiwi & an Eagle
5. Maaike at The Sixty Minky
6. Keri & crew at Sew Incredibly Crafty
7. Leslie & crew at Side Notes

And the rules for the seven of you are as follows:
1. Thank the person giving the award
2. Copy the award to your blog
3. Place a link to their blog
4. Name 7 things people don't know about you
5. Nominate 7 bloggers
6. Place a link to those blogs
7. Leave a comment letting them know about the award

Coincidence or Conspiracy?

2010-01-11T22:12:00.000-08:00

When we got married, we were given a set of measuring spoons from two people. They were both nice and we liked the look of them, so we kept both. After realizing how convenient it was to use more than one set at a time after needing some from the sink, I opened the second one.

It wasn't long after that when I needed a Tablespoon for a recipe and grabbed one. It was bent at the handle, so I decided to gently bend it back. Unfortunately, as soon as I put a minor bit of pressure on the handle, it snapped off. Irreparably.

But we had a second set, so no big deal, right? Right. Until a few months after that we lost the other Tablespoon in an unfortunate incident with a disposal. Tragedy.

So we bought another set of measuring spoons, even though I know that 3 tsp = 1 Tbls, but it's so much easier to pour liquid from a big container (think milk or oil). And right before Christmas, our last Tablespoon attempted suicide. Luckily, James rescued it from the imminent disaster when he noticed something down the disposal. Take that rotten fate! We'll see if it survives the move in a few months...

Twiggle Box

2010-01-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

Anyone interested in some inexpensive goodies for your little girls? Check out a new website:
www.twigglebox.com
They have tutus, headbands, hats, clips, and much more! The prices are amazing, and so are the owners.

Copy Cat

2010-01-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Maiby is getting really good at mimicking. A couple of days ago, James was rubbing my shoulders and since she wants to be involved in everything, Maiby came up and started rubbing my elbow with both hands. It was so sweet. And she's getting so much better at talking, too - it's so neat to hear a tiny little voice say "I love you" and to understand that she still doesn't get the difference between me/you when she talks. She is always saying "carry you?" when she wants me to pick her up.

Are You Prepared?

2010-01-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite preparedness blogs is having a giveaway, and it is pretty good. If you are interested in getting your things in order in case of an emergency, check her out. She has easy-to-follow plans and ideas that take things just one step at at time. At the very least, head on over and enter the giveaway...

Totally Ready

No Excuses

2009-12-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoyed spending it however it turned out for you. We had a great time, and Maiby especially enjoyed being able to spend two days at each grandparent's house last week.

No Christmas card this year, though, and I have no excuses (although a good one could be that we never did get a family picture taken). Better luck next time!

Enjoy your New Year's celebrations!

Eggnog-Frosted Nutmeg Sugar Cookies

2009-12-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

These cookies are delicious! They are a great complement to any holiday party - the spices give them just a hint of traditional holiday treats. Sorry, no picture; I don't want to find the camera and put it on the computer.

2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c butter, soft
1 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 Tbls eggnog
3 1/4 c flour

Beat butter in large bowl with mixer 30 seconds. add sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, eggnog, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divde dough in half. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to 1/4" thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are slightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Spread with Eggnog Icing (recipe below). If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Makes about 24 (but I ended up with 41).

ICING:
In a medium bowl, stir together 3 cups powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Stir in enough eggnog (or milk) to make an icing of spreading consistency.

An End to the Cookie Parties

2009-12-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday, will be our final cookie party. Come on over at 315 to try a recipe that uses Egg Nog...should be tasty!

Latest Cookie Recipes & Tree Pics

2009-12-09T22:11:00.000-08:00

Today's cookies were Christmas Sandies. They turned out pretty good. I sent them with James to his test tonight, and they were all eaten, so I guess that's a good sign. Another good sign is there are no eggs, so if you're pregnant, you can taste the dough without any fear!

1 c butter, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 c finely chopped dried cranberries (use a food processor, and I would cut this down to 3/4 or 1/2 cup)
2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
white, red, and green nonpareils

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Beat butter with a mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in berries, lemon peel, and any remaining flour.

Shape mixture into 1/2-, 3/4-, or 1-inch balls. Roll dough in non pareils. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 10 minutes for 1/2" balls, 13 for 3/4" balls, and 15 for 1" balls (although mine were 1" and I only baked them for 13 minutes, but my oven runs hot), until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

Ooey, Gooey, Chewy S'more Bars - these were delicious! I think they would have been a little softer at the end if I would have used the 9x13 pan as suggested, but it was in the dishwasher, so I improvised with 2 smaller pans, so my crust was a little thinner that it would have been.

3/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c quick oats
1 c graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 c mini marshmallows
1 1/4 c semisweet or milk chocolate chunks (I used both types of chips)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x9 pan with foil that extends over the edges of the pan. In a large bowl, beat butter on med speed for 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour. Stir in oats and cracker crumbs.

Reserve 1 c of the oat mixture. Spread remaining oat into pan (use back of large wet spoon). Bake about 15 minutes until lightly browned. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over warm crust. Top with chocolate chunks. Dot remaning oat mixture over chocolate and mallows.

Bake about 20 mins more until top is lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using edges of foil, lift uncut bars out of hte pan. Cut into bars. Here's the finished product before cutting:

And just for good measure, here is Maiby and James putting her special ornament on the tree.

Free Bed

2009-12-08T07:57:00.000-08:00

If anyone in the Moscow area is looking for a toddler bed, we are giving ours away...it is a blue race car bed and includes a mattress and a Winnie the Pooh sheet/comforter if you want it as well. We will be putting it up on craigslist next week, but we figured if we knew anyone that wanted it, you can have dibs.

Cookie Party

2009-12-07T06:57:00.001-08:00

So we took down our desktop to make room for the Christmas tree, and with James' schedule being extra busy and school is ending, it's a little more difficult to find time to use his computer, so I haven't posted last week's recipe yet. But I have a couple minutes right now to let you know that this week's party will be on Wednesday at 315 again. We will try out Christmas Sandies, and I will post both recipes together before Sunday.

Picture with Santa

2009-12-05T11:43:00.001-08:00

Walmart is doing their free pictures with Santa again this year! I think today is the last day, at least for the Moscow Walmart...just go before they are done (I think it's at 5) and head back to the restroom area. Your kids can talk to Santa and then get their picture taken and you can pick the finished picture up later.

Cookie Party

2009-11-30T22:59:00.000-08:00

This week we will be trying out some Ooey, Gooey, Chewy S'more Bars. Wednesday, 315.

I Was THAT Guy

2009-11-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

Early Saturday afternoon I found myself enjoying New Moon with a couple in-laws. It was great; I enjoyed it all. Although there was one part that was not my favorite and caused a few dirty looks and I'm sure numerous bad thoughts to be directed at me.

I turned off the volume on my phone before the previews - all the way down, not even set to vibrate. And then, what happened? Near the end of the movie, my phone started singing!! I couldn't believe it. The people next to me did a few huffy breaths "How DARE she!" And as I struggled to open the zipper pocket that held my phone (and conveniently, it was stuck and took me several minutes to get it unstuck). Of course, I didn't try to answer the phone - I turned it off before I got the pocket open - and then decided that I had better turn it off all the way to avoid any more ringing. Too bad I didn't remember that my phone sings as it powers down!! Ridiculous!!

After the movie was over, I looked and guess what?! NO MESSAGES, NO MISSED CALLS!! I couldn't believe what was going on!

So I did a little investigating, and what did I find? I had an appointment on my calendar, complete with an alarm set so I wouldn't forget the note that I left myself. Too bad I didn't know that silencing the phone only silences the ringer - not any other alarms.

If you happened to be in the Lewiston theater for the 1 pm show, I apologize for the interruption, and have turned off the extra ringers permanently on my phone.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Filling

2009-11-19T19:25:00.000-08:00

Sorry, no picture today - I forgot until it was too late. But the cookies turned out to be delicious, and the red color was very pretty.

1/2 c butter, soft
1 c packed brown sugar
2 Tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour (I added an extra 1/4 cup after the 1st batch came out of the oven)
1 1-ounce bottle red food coloring, or 2 Tbls

Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Alternately add flour and buttermilk in several increments, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in red food coloring.

Spoon dough from a rounded measuring teaspoon 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on sheet 2 mins, then move to wire rack.

When they are cool, spread Peppermint Filling on flat sides of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down, pressing lightly together.

Peppermint Filling -
In large bowl, combine two 3-ounce packages of cream cheese**, softened; 3 Tbls butter, softened; and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Beat with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups powdered sugar. Add milk, 1 tsp at a time, to make a filling of spreading consistency. We also crushed up some peppermint candies and added it to the filling (the recipe says to put them on top, but we liked it inside).

**I think this is too much cream cheese - our filling turned out pretty good, but you could definitely tell there was cream cheese in it. I think next time I would use 1 1/2 packages of cream cheese.

To store, layer the cookies between sheets of waxes paper in airtight container. Store in fridge up to 3 days. Let stand at room temp 15 minutes before serving.

Next Cookie Party

2009-11-17T18:43:00.000-08:00

This week we will be making Whoopie Pies!! Isn't that a great name for a cookie? My magazine has about six recipes to choose from, and the one that won out this week is Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Filling.

Come on over Thursday at 330 to play, talk, and enjoy some delicious cookies.

Latest & Greatest

2009-11-16T18:26:00.000-08:00

We've got great things happening at the Grossman house!

James has been offered and accepted a job for after graduation in May!! We are super excited to know what we are doing and where we are headed.

Where, you may ask? Michigan! We've never been there, but hear it's a great place. And next summer we will know what it's like to live there.

And who is this great job going to be with? Leprino Foods, a major mozarella cheese manufacturer. We have heard and seen great things about them, and James is looking forward to working for them.

Woohoo!! What a great feeling.

Mint Crinkles

2009-11-14T16:55:00.001-08:00

Obviously I messed up the name in the last post, BUT the cookies are pretty good.

3/4 cup finely chopped layered chocolate mint candies (about 24) - I used Andes mints

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

extra mints for the tops, chopped (I think I used 12 or so, but next time I would use a few more, probably about 15-17)

In a heavy small saucepan, heat and stir the 3/4 c chopped mints until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on med to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until well combined. Beat in cooled chocolate, eggs, and vanilla.** Beat or stir in the flour. Cover and chill 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

(** So my bowl is kept in a cupboard that stays really cold, and it was still cold when I was using it, and it made the chocolate get hard pretty fast when I added it, so some of the cookies had big chunks of chocolate when I was rolling them into balls - just something to watch out for)

Preheat oven to 350. Roll into small balls, about 1 1/4". Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until edges are set (the tops should crackle - hence the name). Sprinkle a few pieces of the remaining mints on top of each cookie and pop them back in the oven for 1 minute. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 36 cookies (this is pretty accurate - I ended up with 33).

Store between layers of wax paper in tightly covered container. Store at room temp 24 hours or freeze up to 3 months.

Enjoy!

Cookie Party #2

2009-11-11T19:12:00.001-08:00

It's about that time again...we will be doing Mint Crispies (or something that is really close to that) on Friday at 330. Come on over and bring your kids if you've got them!

Thankful Advent Pieces

2009-11-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

I know a few of you wanted to get the list of "We are thankful" activities for my fall advent calendar. If you are interested, you can get the list HERE.

Even if you don't put together a calendar or a book like I did, it's still a fun list of things to do during each November.

Ginger Cookies

2009-11-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came over yesterday to make cookies; Maiby and I had a great time, and the cookies turned out really well. I had to change recipes because right before people showed up, I looked at it again and saw it was supposed to be chilled for 2 hours, but I had another Ginger Cookie recipe that I'd never tried before. They are delicious! (We didn't use the glaze.)

Frosted Ginger Cookies

3/4 c butter, softened

1 c white sugar

1 large egg, beaten

3 Tbls molasses

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 c flour

1/4 - 1/2 c white sugar for rolling

Glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350

In mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.

Mix in beaten egg. Add molasses and stir until the mixture is uniform in color.

Add the baking soda and salt, and stir well.

Sprinkle in the spices. Stir until they're thoroughly incorporated.

Stir in one cup of the flour, mix it all up and then mix in the 2nd cup of flour.

Measure out 1/4 c sugar and place in small bowl. When it gets low, add more as needed.

Break off pieces of dough and roll into 1" balls. Roll in sugar and place on greased sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet and then move to wire rack.

When they are cooled, make the glaze.

Combine the sugar and juice. If it's too thick to drizzle, add more juice. If it's too thin, add more sugar.

Drizzle the glaze on the cookies.

Let the glaze dry before you store them. It should take 20-30 minutes.

YIELD: 6-7 dozen (although we ended up with 4 1/2 dozen yesterday)

This recipe came from one of my favorite authors, Joanne Fluke. She writes murder mysteries about a lady that runs a cookie shop in Minnesota, and after every few chapters, there is a recipe. I have copied down about 30, but only tried 3 or 4, but all that I have tried have been delicious. I definitely recommend the books. So far there are twelve, and she has a website: HERE.

This recipe was found in her latest book, Plum Pudding Murder.

Christmas Cookies

2009-11-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have a magazine that is filled with a ton of recipes for different Christmas cookies, and I have decided to attempt making a new kind each week to test them out. If anyone is interested in coming over tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) at 315, you are welcome to chat and have the kids play and test some cookies fresh from the oven.

This weeks cookie: Gingersnaps

Halloween & an old project

2009-11-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

So, almost 2 months later, here is a picture of the project that I was asking for the fabric scraps for. I made a doll blanket for Maiby, using yoyos and buttons to sew them on. I have never quilted a blanket before, so don't look too closely; it was made with love.
For Halloween, Maiby and I dressed up as Thing 1 & Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss. I figured that since she likes matching so much that the only way to get her to wear a wig was to wear the same thing. I made the wigs from some yarn (and if anyone in Moscow wants the remaining yarn, I don't crochet, so it's available). We had a great time at the ward party, but we didn't take any pictures there.

You can see a bit of the baby bump in this one.

Such a cheesy grin!

My Girl

2009-10-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

So I finally got the camera and computer to cooperate, and here are a few pics of stuff I've been working on. I finished my Thanksgiving Advent Calendar. I can't remember where I found the list of activities and tried to find it online again, but I don't know what happened to the link. Sorry to whoever you are, but thanks for the list of activities!

Each page has two or three leaves on it, and then the daily activity is on a small strip of paper. Each one starts out with "We are thankful for _____" and then has an idea of something to do that goes along with what we are thankful for.

Here is my cutie wearing her Halloween dress (finally). The first time we put it on her, she cried and cried, so we let her take it off. But I convinced her one day to put it on, and now she loves it. And it is a lot cuter on her than it was on the hanger.

Here's the dress coat that I made. It took some convincing to keep it on, but then she looked down and noticed that it looks like a dress, and immediately liked it.

And two Friday's ago, our neighbor invited us over to decorate Halloween cupcakes. Here are three of Maiby's five. She had so much fun, I had to make her stop, which means her last cupcake was covered in candy since she didn't want to get down. It was a lot of fun. Thanks Hannah!

Catching Up

2009-10-23T20:39:00.001-07:00

So I have been busy sewing and sewing and sewing the last little bit. I made 2 wigs out of yarn for Halloween, which turned out great. And I am excited for their debut on Saturday! Hopefully Maiby still enjoys wearing hers then; I have been telling her it's a hat, and since mine matches, she has been agreeable to wearing it.

And I have started a Thanksgiving Advent Calendar. As I was looking for fabric in my closet, I came across some yellow felt that was from a project that didn't end up being finished, and it was cut up into book size, so it's going to be an advent book. I have almost finished putting the leaves on, and then I need to put on small pockets on the leaves and sew the pages together. Then the picture will be posted.

I also made a super cute coat for Maiby...after she put it on, she really liked it because it looks like a dress. For those of you in the area, she will be wearing it on Sundays to church.

Besides the sewing, we have been enjoying the fall weather and the chance to go to the indoor park a little more often. I love that place.

And we had our book club meeting this week, where we discussed the book "Follow the River". And I just want Ashley to know that I really, really, REALLY love my husband, and my daughter, too; I just think they are the greatest people around!!

Mysterious Noise

2009-10-12T19:38:00.001-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween, and at the suggestion of my husband, I'm going to share a mysterious noise that I hear just about every day. Every afternoon, between 12:30 and 4, something sounds like it hits the back of our house. Sometimes it is loud, and other times not so bad, but it doesn't fail - it reverberates either on the window or the a/c cover. So strange. And it's not a new thing - it's been happening basically since we moved in. There have been a few times that I have jumped over to the window as soon as I heard it, but there was nothing in the back to explain the noise.

Talk about strange...

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2009-10-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

I LOVE change. Have I mentioned that before? A new haircut or color, clothes, furniture arrangement, book, recipe, season, holiday, calling (usually) - I love them. I love moving, having a new place to live, figuring out how we are going to cram all our stuff in a small location without it feeling crammed.

And lucky for me, a change - I guess several - have arrived:

---- It is getting cooler, it is now October, so HOORAY for Halloween decor! That's right - it's out and up and looking great. We also rearranged the living room, so it feels like a totally new place. I am not a big fan of putting everything up against the walls, but it feels so much bigger now with how we have it set up. I love it, even if the tv is all the way across the room from the couch. It's not like it's much more than 10 feet...

---- We are adding to our family. Some of you know, and some don't, but we are going to have another baby in the spring. It looks like we will not be finding out what it is, so you will just have to wait 6 1/2 more months like the rest of us.

---- I have been feeling a lot better. I'm only getting sick 3-5 days a week instead of 7, which is great, and it's not lasting as long, which is also great. I'm certainly looking forward to the next trimester, because it's usually the best (says the woman with prior experience of 1).

---- Everyone is invited to stop by and make their own tombstone. That's right, it's back. The pens and black cutouts are waiting for any visitor to make a tombstone to hang in the front window for everyone to see. It was so much fun last year - we had the bishop, many friends, sister missionaries, and came very close to getting a man running for the state senate - up on the window with their self-made paper tombstones. Don't worry - you don't have to put your name on it, as long as you color it somehow. It was so fun we continued it with stockings at Christmas time last year.

---- I spent my birthday money. That's right, the wait is over: I bought a game. It's "Carcasonne" - a tile-building game. We played it once with some friends and had a great time. If you like Settlers or games like it, you would enjoy this one. And the great thing is that it didn't use up all of my money, so I also bought a Christmas Cookie magazine today. So fun, and such delicious-looking, tempting goodies from BHG.

---- And in a few weeks, we will celebrate our 3rd anniversary! Woohoo!

Hooray for October!!

Bringing out the big guns

2009-09-27T15:17:00.001-07:00

My daughter is a hunter. Well, at least she has a little practice on the shooting range.

Yesterday we went down to Lewiston, had lunch/breakfast at the (family) restaurant, walked around the fair a little, and then went back to James' parents' house. Maiby took a nap, I sat down with Grandma to relax, and James and Grandpa ran some errands. Then when Maiby woke up, they took her shooting so we didn't have to worry about taking her to the women's broadcast.

And James helped her fire a .22 - twice. That's right, my little darling girl has shot a gun at the ripe old age of 2 (did I mention she's only been 2 for 2 1/2 weeks?). But she had fun. And she was wearing noise guards on her ears, so her hearing is still great.

But we need to work on telling the truth - when I got back last night from the broadcast, I asked her if she shot the gun and she said no - twice. At least she wasn't being purposefully dishonest.

I wish we had a picture, but we left the camera in Moscow yesterday, so we'll all just have to imagine it.

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

2009-09-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, it wasn't chicken, and it wasn't dinner, but I got the call tonight - I won a cupcake from the Cupcake Company. I had never heard of them before Lacey posted about the giveaway (thanks, Lacey!!), and then Heidi called and I won! It was delicious - Banana Carmel flavor. I got home, took a picture to show you all, and then James and I split it right down the middle. Woohoo! Thanks, Heidi!

You can check out her cupcakes here.

Exciting Nights Ahead

2009-09-21T17:36:00.001-07:00

Well, the time has come, once again, to let everyone know how very much we like tv at our house. I know I have mentioned it at least once on here before, but tonight starts the BEST week of tv since last spring, with all the season finales...that's right - it's season premiere week. So turn off the phones and don't try the doorbell - just kidding - you're welcome to come join us if you want, just don't wake the sleeping girl upstairs when you do.

It all starts tonight, with the 2 hour premiere of everyone's favorite doctor - House. But this is not just any cranky night at the hospital, oh no - it's the first day of his stay at the loony bin.

And tomorrow it's NCIS and the start of NCIS: Los Angeles; if you follow this show, the last I saw is that Ziva is left behind in Israel. And tomorrow is also the first episode of the Good Wife, but it's at ten, so we will be in bed. But if you watch it, let me know how it is.

Wednesday is Criminal Minds - is the boss dead? The highway killer was in his house and we heard a gun shot...is everything about to change?!

Thursday is one of my all-time favorites, the original CSI, and if I saw the face correctly on the one preview I have seen, Sarah is back, and the whole office gets shot up everywhere. Following that is the Mentalist, which has been moved from it's convenient night of Tuesday to a time that is inconvenient for those of us who love it and have an early bedtime...so we will be watching that online (hopefully, since DVR is not in our budget).

Writing this out really makes us seem pretty sad, but it is what it is. There is only so much you can do when you have a child asleep in bed and all your favorites are available. And I won't get in to Friday or the weekend, because generally speaking, there aren't superb shows that we watch consistently - it's just a 4-day obsession with us.

So if you're interested, come on over, but if not, expect the ringers to be off on the phones.

It's All Over - Now What?

2009-09-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

So our week of birthday's is over, and so now I am wondering what to do...we had a great time at Maiby's birthday parties (one at my mom's, one at our house - not planned that way, but that's another story). And then James and I both had our birthdays, and they were nice, quiet days. But the question is what to do with the money I got. Our parents are so nice, and now we each have a small amount of cash to spend on ourselves, but the dilemma I have is that I have NO IDEA what to spend it on. Maiby and I spent some time at the mall, Walmart, and Hastings this week and I thought of the possibilities: shoes, new book, movie, clothing, game, next installment of Gilmore Girls, among others. But I can't make up my mind. So the reality is that I will probably hold on to it for a month or two and then finally make up my mind - that's how it's gone in the past. Any suggestions?

Cheapies Galore

2009-09-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Do you have a Rosauers? Is it still Thursday before 7 (I think) where you live? Head on over for some great cereal - at 1.69 a box!!! That's right, it's the big cereal sale today, and I just got back with 3 bags of cereal - 17 boxes for under $30. Can't beat that. My receipt says I 'saved' 2.30/box, which I say depends on where you normally shop, but for a few hours today, you just can't beat it...and I'm not doing this to benefit Rosauer's in any way - I usually have a difficult time remembering when the sale is.

Back to How it Was

2009-09-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Well, our poor little sleepy head has had a relapse, and it's going much better for everyone. That's right, Maiby is back in the crib. We will try for the big girl bed again in a month or two. After her waking up one night and refusing to go back to sleep for almost an hour, I finally put her in the crib, and she fell asleep soon afterwards. That was 3 or 4 nights ago, and our nights have become peaceful once again, with everyone sleeping as long as they should and Maiby waiting until 8 to get up. And her naps are back to at least 2 hours. I don't know about your kids, but mine has a difficult time being happy if she doesn't get at least 12 hours sleep at night and a 2 hour nap. I love it, since it makes for a happy girl (and happy mom by extention), as well as predictable time to get projects done that I don't want her involved in.

Wishes for Chaffee

2009-09-06T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here's to the birthday boy:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAFFEE!

Hope your day is superb.

Click here to continue

Click here to start over

Big Girl Bed

2009-09-04T06:55:00.001-07:00

Maiby has used her big girl bed for 2 nights now, and I'm wondering if we should continue...she just wakes up SO EARLY and then is whiny all day long. If she is out of bed again at 730 this morning, she will be getting 2 naps today. She needs more sleep than she has been getting, and since she went to bed late last night, there is no way we will be able to function well this morning without her sleeping until after 8.

We thought it was so great yesterday, even though she got up a little early, because she doesn't know how to open her bedroom door, so even though she could get out of bed, she would still be stuck in her room until I got her out. Well, that was true for just that one night; yesterday I was catching up on some sleep, since I didn't get to sleep much on vacation and got to bed almost 2 hours late the night I came back and up early so I could do laundry and have clothes to wear...so I was taking a nap on the couch yesterday afternoon when Maiby was napping, and then I heard "MOM!" So I bolted awake and told her to stay put. Where was my darling girl? At the top of the stairs; apparently, the door is no longer a problem for her. So last night we put the baby gate up right outside her door, just in case she decides to get up in the night, so she doesn't go down the stairs in the dark.

Hopefully we can stick with this...she really likes being out of the crib.

Running, Running All Around

2009-08-25T20:34:00.001-07:00

Poor little Maiby - she has caught the bug and her diapers are running all over the place. It is SO GROSS!!! And we are about to make our next trip to the laundry room to wash everything a 2nd time; I'm hoping the OxiClean does it's job, as well as the Shout, so we no longer have brown blankets and onesies...we went in to ReadyCare today and I guess it's going around, along with a little projectile vomiting, so beware. No fever, though, so that's great.

I will be honest - we have been really lucky with Maiby and this is basically the 1st time we have had to deal with diarrhea. And if I had my way, it would be the last FOREVER. Poor girl didn't even eat her dinner, or breakfast. Hopefully she starts feeling better soon and enjoys her BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apples, toast) for the next couple of days.

So I suppose we will watch a movie or two tomorrow.

'Tis the Season

2009-08-21T13:14:00.001-07:00

Does anyone else feel a 'money bug' at this time of year? There are so many big purchases for students right now - tuition, books, clothes, supplies, and a variety of others, depending on your circumstances. And we are feeling it. We sat down earlier this week and went through our budget of how to spend the money coming in and going on this semester - if our previous decisions are working out and what we need to save to meet our goals. But we are sure feeling the spending bug. There is apparently no problem in our heads with the economy; this semester is the most we have spent on books - ever! Even my graduate books were not as much money as we just forked out for James.

All I can say is I hope this is a temporary bug and we can get back to feeling normal and that our budget is not too effected by this sickness. (And I also hope you don't catch it, too!) Wash your hands, I guess, and keep on smiling as you swipe your card again and again for the major school purchases.

Going Big

2009-08-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday James had the day off, so we went down to Lewiston in the hopes of spending some time on the water. We were not disappointed, and Grandma even volunteered to watch Maiby so we didn't need to take her on the boat and worry about the sun scorching her. It was great. I went on the slightly-flat tube - it has been determined there IS a hole somewhere, so we felt every bump and skimmed the surface on one side while dipping down on the other. But luckily, the first time around when we almost tipped, Josh fell off and the tube corrected itself. But the 2nd time, we were not so lucky. I am the only one that got injured all day, but it's not too bad. I have a bruise on my rear from Josh's foot, and a scrape down my nose, which we are blaming on Josh, but in reality I'm pretty sure it was me. We had a great time, but after the crash I was done, so I got back in the boat and just enjoyed riding around the rest of the time. James got up on one ski for a while; it was a great day, and a nice time before he starts school next week.

Wanted: Your Leftovers

2009-08-14T06:14:00.001-07:00

No, no - I am not begging for food. But I am wondering if anyone in my neighborhood has a fabric scrap or two they would be willing to give up. I need 8 pieces that are approximately 6x12 inches. I am working on a b-day present for Maiby and have gone through all of my fabrics, but didn't quite have enough. So if you have some you are wanting to ditch, throw them my way. We could even make a trade - but you could have a larger piece of a leftover of mine, since there's not a whole lot one can do with a couple 12x6 pieces.

A Little Idiosyncrasy

2009-08-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

So over the past few weeks, I have become aware of a small oddity that I do without even realizing it or meaning to, but now that I know it happens, I have realized it is often.

Every time I go upstairs (which is at least 20 times a day), I don't put my whole foot down. I tip-toe up the stairs; even when I am carrying Maiby. It is not something that I mean to do; for some reason it is natural. The only times I don't (unless I notice and make a conscious effort to put my heel down) is if I am carrying something really heavy or burdensome, like a full laundry basket.

Weird.

What's wrong with this picture?

2009-08-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

On Monday, I opened a new box of cereal, and as I was pouring, I noticed something was wrong with it. Can you tell?
No red or purple berries!! And it is not part of a contest, darn it - but at least it was delicious.

Weekend of firsts continued...

2009-08-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Maiby had her very first camping trip this weekend, too! She loved it, of course - what little kid doesn't like the chance to play in the dirt all day long and not get in trouble for repeatedly hitting trees with sticks or banging the top of the water cooler? Not mine, that's for sure.

Here's James using our tent for the 1st time - it was a wedding present, I'll admit, but at least it has been used before our 3rd anniversary that's coming up soon...

Maiby really enjoyed having fun with Uncle Jordan - they pounded on the top of the water coolers together...
...and played with a squirt gun for at least an hour! He would squirt her, and squirt it into her mouth, and when it was empty 2 minutes later, they'd head over to fill it up. Again and again. And he had fun, too!

We were camping at Dworshak Reservoir, which was really fun. James' parents brought their boat, so we went out, of course. And I went out on the tube, which is the first time in about 10 years, and I liked it a lot. It was the type that you sit up on, and can have 3 people together, which I liked a lot better than the kind that you lay on your belly and kill your arms by the time you are done.

And the last first happened yesterday, which technically isn't the weekend, but since we were camping on Monday, then Tuesday is pretty much still the weekend, right? James and Maiby built a fort!! Outside view:

And inside:

Weekend of Firsts

2009-07-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

Maiby and I took a quick, unexpected trip up to CdA to visit my mom today after we dropped James off for this Army weekend. And it was worth it; mainly because Maiby just adores my mom and can't get enough of her - she gives her the best and longest hugs ever. But she also got to experience a few new things:

Grandma finally talked Grandpa into putting in a swing in one of their trees. It was a hit.

And Maiby got to help Grandma make cookies! Chocolate chip, of course.

Mixing it up.

Having fun.

And Grandma loved seeing the many taste-tests that went on.

Casting Call

2009-07-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

This is an open casting call.

The roll: Running Partner

Days: MWF

Time: 6 am, duration of 30-40 minutes

Location: Indian Hills area and/or Latah Trail

Experience not required - I just started Amby Burfoot's beginners program, which mixes running and walking until you are running for 30 minutes at a time

Direct inquiries to Missy, by phone or email

Pioneer Day Celebration

2009-07-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night we went to the stake primary pioneer activity. Here's Maiby in her pioneer dress. I did not even have to unpick ONE STITCH of the zipper - it's a first for me. (Of course, that one stitch only applies to the zipper and not necessarily to any other part.)

James took Maiby around to the different stations, and he made her a handkerchief dolly. Did you even know that my husband is crafty, too?

Beating Jade to the Punch

2009-07-26T16:41:00.001-07:00

I am surprised, since Jade is always so willing to share in disgusting-ish stories of family life, that a small tidbit has been left off her blog. So I will sweetly share:

Friday night, we went to the stake primary party at the church, and as it was winding down, I went to find James. He was talking to Ben, who was holding his sweet daughter in his arms. While we were talking, Tonnelle reached up and wiped something on Ben - a booger - right on the edge of his mouth!! Eeewwww. But really, really funny. We all (including Ben) had a good laugh, which James and I continued to enjoy on the car ride home.

I'm On a Roll

2009-07-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

So I have been getting projects done this week like no other...and it feels great. Most of them are crafts, and a few have been ideas/in the works for a while, so this feels really great. Yesterday I made a pioneer dress for Maiby to celebrate the 24th; we don't party quite like the 'Days of '47', but the primary activity should be fun. Look for the picture later on. I also learned a super easy way to make a pioneer hat out of a sheet of plain white paper.

I also started a new craft blog last week, so I can have my ideas and projects in one spot. Feel free to drop by: http://www.neatosquito.blogspot.com/ - so far there are not too many posts, but if I can keep the momentum I've got going right now, it will fill up soon.

Here's a question that's totally off the subject: has anyone else been disappointed with Winco's bananas in the last month or so? They are not turning yellow at home - just an ugly green-brown and going mushy from the inside out. The one I cut up over my cereal this morning was half mush (purchased Monday), and the one I gave Maiby didn't look too good, and she didn't finish it. I think I will have to stop buying them there, since it's been the last 3-4 times that they've been bad (and since I buy them every Monday, I think that says something).

And here's a picture of my favorite girl just to round it out. She is starting to like the camera.

Pics of Maiby

2009-07-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

Here is Maiby at Uncle Sam's birthday party at the beginning of July...learning to pick cherries off Grandma & Grandpa's tree with my cousins girls.

And having fun on the 4th with her new friend Elvin in his pool.

Boys are such a mystery!

2nd Attempt

2009-07-18T23:59:00.001-07:00

Here I go, off to bed...again.

Still not feeling tired.

Wish me luck.

Tomorrow we will know, as long as I'm not down here in another hour, right?

No Sleep Tonight?

2009-07-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it's an hour past my bedtime, and I cannot sleep. And apparently, neither can my daughter. Since going to bed four hours ago, she has woken up at least twice every hour. Luckily, I have only needed to go in twice, but it does not bode well for tomorrow, especially since James is out of town and it's tough to keep her happy during sacrament meeting as we wait for nursery.

Do I just have too much on my mind? It's hard to keep track of everything that zooms in and out of that place, it's hard for me to decide. Sometimes I find it interesting to trace back my thought process; you would not believe how thinking about the dishes one minute somehow leads to joining the circus two minutes later. I don't know how I get these crazy ideas, but a few will stick and not leave for a long time.

Not that it is so easy for me to fall asleep every night, but I am usually at least tired, and am generally unable to keep my eyes open after 1030; it was almost tough to get through Harry Potter on Thursday, and I didn't have a chance between 11 and 12 when James was packing for his Guard weekend. Oh, well, I will just have to grin and bear it, or frown and be grumpy (but let's all hope for the first one, since I am teaching sunbeams tomorrow and a grin would be very helpful!).

Cooling Down

2009-07-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

I need to cool down my posting; yesterday I was over-excited about my last post and I hurt someone I love. That was not my intention, and I apologize. Nothing about your family or your experiences offends me; I hope you understand that. I am having a hard time seeing the president trying to push things through congress so fast that no one has time to figure out what is going on before it's done, and I can only think of a few ways to get my opinion out there (blogging and writing my representatives being the main ways), but that doesn't mean I necessarily think before I do.

So that's the end, for a short time, of my government posting, and I promise that the next time I post about it, I will not aim it at someone I care about.

more of the same... (last post edited)

2009-07-16T17:11:00.001-07:00

And where do you propose the money should come from? Should hard-working millionaires foot half of the proposed cost? That is ridiculous; most people who make that much money a year worked hard to get to where they are and should not have to pay for everyone else. And do you really think that the $1 trillion estimate will stay that (dare I say it) LOW? I don't think so. Look at how the bailout money got out of hand so fast; wasn't there an initial limit on how much money we were going to give away to help the failing companies?

And do you know what kinds of things are in that bill? Sure, they say we can keep our private insurance, but as soon as they start the national healthcare, it will be illegal for private insurance companies to change their policies - they won't be able to fix any problems that they have. I am not saying that healthcare doesn't need reform, but this is not the way to do it. Do you ever listen to Glenn Beck? Sometimes he is a little too far gone, but I think he is right on the money about national healthcare, and he's not afraid to say how crazy everyone is sounding.

We pay for our healthcare every month, and I know how hard it is (even for a young and healthy family) to make those payments. We are lucky enough that James gets scholarships every year that will cover those costs - that money goes into our savings account so we can pay our monthly premiums. It's tough, but we don't want to have to go without it, just in case we end up having a problem. Don't think I couldn't put $200 a month to good use, but I won't risk it.

And I know that we (the general public) will be footing the bill in taxes or in higher premiums. But we can't make healthcare part of the bill of right's, which is being proposed. I am not saying that people don't need help, and that I have a problem taking care of the poor. I AM saying that the government should not be in charge of it. It is a big step on the way to communism. Ezra Taft Benson, as the secretary of agriculture, said (of speaking with Nikita Kruschev): "As we talked face to face, he indicated that my grandchildren would live under communism. After assuring him that I expected to do all in my power to assure that his and all other grandchildren will live under freedom, he arrogantly declared in substance, 'You Americans are so gullible. No, you won't accept communism outright, but we'll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you'll finally wake up and find you already have communism. We won't have to fight you. We'll so weaken your economy until you fall like overripe fruit into our hands.' (My source here).

psst...Universal Healthcare is NOT the Answer - pass it on!

2009-07-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Obama and other proponents are trying to pass universal healthcare - please contact your government representatives to let them know how you feel. Tonight I sent an email to my senators and house rep; if you live in Idaho, here's the contact info:

Walt Minnick (house of rep): www.minnick.house.gov/contact/index.shtml

Mike Crapo (senate): www.crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

James Risch (senate): www.risch.senate.gov/webform.cfm

Look up universal healthcare and get some facts and tell them that it's not the answer to the problems with the healthcare system. If you're interested, you can read my letter HERE.

Like Father, Like Daughter

2009-07-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

We love tv in our house. A little too much. But we do try to limit the amount that Maiby watches. There are always times when you get a little bored watching tv, no matter how much you like it. Admit it, you know what I'm talking about.

This is what happens when James gets bored:

If you don't know from experience, let me just say that it's REALLY entertaining to look over at your husband and see his belt strapped around his head like a crown or around his foot. But on the day of this photo, it was too difficult to get the belt out. So the phone became the boredom distraction.

I wasn't able to get a picture of it, but I will try next time she has it, but the other day Maiby and I were watching a movie and I looked over and she had a slinky around her neck, like a multi-colored, really wide necklace. It was so darn cute. She had put it there and then forgotten about it, much like the phone on daddy's head.

But she really likes the pirate eye patch that came with the slinky in a birthday party favor bag:

That was a smile, really; the elastic kind of makes it look like a drimace, but she was happy.

Breakdown

2009-07-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

Poor little Maiby had a tough time this afternoon. We took her to the mall to find a new pair of shoes because I discovered last night that she has blisters on the top of her pinky toes from her old ones. And I haven't been able to find the same style in the bigger size for the past month or so that I have been looking for them; apparently everyone else in town needs girls' size 6. BUT our trip was not successful. Whether due to hunger or not a long enough nap or some unexplained change in her natural behavior, she had 3 meltdowns at the mall. So we all left empty-handed and not so happy. Better luck tomorrow...

This is Getting Ridiculous

2009-06-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

FYI- This is going to be a bit of a ranting post, so please forgive me; if your time is not worth reading about someone else's ranting, I won't feel bad if you hit the back button on your browser now. Seriously...I wouldn't ever know you did it, and it won't hurt my feelings one bit. Here goes...

James has not been paid by the Army since March. MARCH!! Can you even believe that?! We didn't realize it for a little while, since we have direct deposit and somehow about a year ago, we no longer get a hard copy of his checkstubs (but that's another rant for another time). Here's the deal: at the end of May/first couple days of June, I was looking at some financial stuff and realized that I hadn't paid tithing on our Army checks in May and April, so I went online to look at the paystub and noticed that WE DIDN'T GET PAID!!!! How does that even happen? So I told James and he called the guy you call about these things, since the Army is all about the chain-of-command, and he said he'd take care of it.

Well, James also mentioned the problem when he was in Boise for drill a couple days later, to a couple of Major's. That may not mean much to you, but being a Major is a pretty high (the rank is O4, so they have some pull when it comes to stuff like pay). And supposedly, pay problems are a BIG deal in the Army, but apparently not to the 4 people that James has contacted. He was told to give it a week and a half by one guy, and then to contact him. Well, it's been three, and here's the kicker - James doesn't have his contact information. I know, I know, it won't be too hard to get it, just call the sargeant that is involved and get the number from him....I would think that the captain who has been trying to recruit James to a special program would feel like it would be a good idea to make sure the pay goes through would be an added incentive to sign up for what he's offering, but no.

So my big idea came to me one night as we were getting ready for bed. I suggested that I contact the lady in Lewiston who is the family support person; she would know who to talk to, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping me out. James said it's not a good idea, since she works across the hall from a colonel (2 ranks above the majors), and so many people would get into trouble. We are not out for blood here, just the money that's due. (Did I mention that our life insurance is taken directly from our paycheck? So that hasn't been paid, either. I had to write a check for that from our savings to cover an expense that I've never had to worry about before.) I told James I would wait another week before contacting this magical source, and I did. That great day came today. I was really excited, thinking that we would be rolling in the money, until Wednesday comes and the rent is due. So I got up and ate breakfast, watching the clock and trying to decide if she goes to work as early as the Army personnel (being a civilian working at the armory, it's a valid question), and finally made the call directly to her line.

But a man answered, and it sounded like he was speaking Spanish. So I asked for her, and was put on hold for 3 or 4 minutes. Really; this is not an exaggeration. He finally came back on and said she's out of the office, and it may be a vacation for the rest of the week - he didn't know. NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!! I had no idea who he was, so I just left my name and number and said I had a question for her. I was devastated. Everything I was hoping for disappeared. So it's back to the waiting game. James has again contacted the same 4 people that he has approached before, and I am waiting until tomorrow to see if she is really on vacation. If so, I am just going to ask my question of whoever is on the phone and see if they can refer me to someone who can get the problem solved.

If worse comes to worst, does anyone know if Legal Aid is willing to take on the Army National Guard??

Hero of the Day...

2009-06-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

So I went shopping tonight at Winco while James put Maiby in bed, and then he went to go play bball at the church. Then I heard her crying a little later, so I went up to give her a hug and say goodnight. Imagine my surprise when I found her standing up and had her poor little knee sticking out between the bars, unable to pull it back in. I couldn't help her by myself, so I hurried over to the neighbor's house. Thank you, Janette, for helping me get Maiby's leg out!! The funny thing is that as soon as she was free, Maiby reached for Janette and gave her a big hug, and then I took her so Janette could go home, and she tried to get back in her arms....is that really my daughter? My shy little girl who ignores people who speak to her?

Thanks, Janette, for being home and willing to help me in my time of need!

House Party is AWESOME!

2009-06-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks, houseparty.com and Domino's Pizza for letting us host a great party. I was selected to receive the American Legends House Party on Saturday. If you don't know about houseparty.com, you should check it out. You can register to win a party for you and your friends. Here's how mine went:

--register to try to win a party

--get selected to host the American Legends Party

--receive a party pack in the mail containing: $75 gift card to purchase domino's pizza, coupons for friends, the 'you gotta be kidding!' game from zobmondo, pen and paper pad

--order pizzas and invite friends

--enjoy FREE pizza and get to try the new American Legends flavors

It was a great party. A bunch of people came; we cut up the pizzas into 16 slices, so everyone could sample whatever flavor they wanted without having to eat a whole pizza to do so. It was fun. Thank you, Domino's and Houseparty!! I am definitely going to stay a member and try to host other parties for free.

Do You Store Food?

2009-06-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this fantastic giveaway from ShelfReliance! They are starting to do regular giveaways, and what better way to start than with a BIG ONE....check it out here for your chance to win.

Yardwork & Baby Shower

2009-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

We were pretty busy working on a few projects. The first one was just outside our front door. We had an ugly area that had 2 plants and numerous weeds, but mostly dirt. The problem was that whenever it rained or snow melted from the roof, it would drip in the dirt and splatter our front window and door with mud, so our house always looked dirty. Now we (hopefully) have solved the problem. What was this grand, and not-as-cheap-as-I-wanted solution? See for yourself:

Ugly pugly,

but with good structure.

Small bag of weeds I pulled.

Tools used:

bricks.

Making sure it's level.

It sure is great to know that I married such a handy man!

Completed, but needing another plant.

That will come later (if at all)...

Close-up of the 'patio'; we love it!!

The next thing on the agenda was a baby shower for James' sister. They didn't know if it was going to be a boy or girl, so we waited until after she was born to have a party. The theme was "A Star is Born." After I made the prototype invite, it wasn't my favorite. I really wanted to continue the theme, but it was kind of bugging me because it didn't have the right feel to it. James suggested putting on the sunglasses, which totally made the invite, since that's the type of star I wanted. (Otherwise, it felt a little sacrilegious, since that's the name of a Nativity movie).

You're invited!

The star of the show, Katherine.

We put an 11x14 blow up of this on the wall.

Star diaper cake as table decor.

And a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting,

all decked out for the star.

Here's the spread (right to left, since that is how they went):

green salad & the best ranch dressing ever

rolls for small meat and cheese sandwiches

cheese

meat and olives

yellow m&m's in star dishes

mini cupcake star pops, sans the stick (basically look like brownie bites)

star cake

It was a great party. We had a lot of fun, and Katie was passed around and around. Next time I try the cupcake pops, I will try the actual cupcake shape like in the demo. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of my finished project! Oh, well. I guess I will just have to make them again. They were a big hit, though, if you're looking for something delicious and simply adorable. Find directions here.

Ideas Needed

2009-06-04T06:58:00.001-07:00

Does anyone have ideas as to why Maiby woke up last night about 10 times, and cried and cried and cried? Or any ideas on how to help her if it happens again? It's not very fun to head to bed and then be delayed by about 2 hours...

Sweet Girl

2009-05-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

Would you believe that my daughter has cleaned up my mess the past two days, WITHOUT BEING ASKED??! I can't even believe it. She is so helpful around the house. Wednesday & Thursday mornings I was reading on the couch before Maiby woke up, and then I went to get her. While I was making breakfast, she disappeared, and I found her in the hall, trying to put my blanket back in the storage box! And yesterday I told her to grab her shoes so we could leave, so she moved them and placed Daddy's where hers were, so they were out of the way. So, so sweet!

I also couldn't believe it when we went out to the playground today - she can climb the ladder alone!! Not steps with a railing, a 6-step ladder! And she wasn't afraid. She did it perfectly 4 times, and had a little trouble the last time, but didn't let go when she slipped. Amazing!

Food and Sit-ups

2009-04-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made a dinner that I have been thinking about having for a while. Have you ever had the Applebee's dish Southwestern Wrap or something like that? It's delicious. One of my favorites. So I made up a recipe and we ate them for dinner. Have you ever made tortillas?? Neither had I, until tonight!! And they were GREAT. Although, they did turn out a bit small. If you are interested in trying it, here is a recipe. It's not the one that I wanted to try, but the internet wasn't working very well and I couldn't get to the one on the Food Storage Network. I will try that recipe another time and decide which one is better.

They were supposed to end up being 8-9" in diameter, but in reality they were more like 5-6". But delicious!! And I added spray to the pan, since we don't have the iron skillet. Try it!

Also, the other day James was doing sit-ups and Maiby wouldn't leave him alone. I was able to get a cute picture of it. Enjoy. She thought it was one of the funnest things ever. (And yes, 'funnest' is a word, and that's how it's spelled...)

Crafts

2009-04-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today I made a new bag to carry my things to and around church. For the past several years, I have used a small bag that I bought on clearance from JoAnn's. It worked pretty well, but it's been difficult to keep my scriptures and manual in it, so I have been wanting a slightly larger bag. Well, this bag is a bit more than 'slightly larger'. I used a McCall's pattern and prior to sewing I hadn't realized how big it was. But I really like it, and am excited to use it in a few days!!

And last week, right before I cut my finger, this is what I made: cookie cutter organizers!! I am very pleased with how they worked out. I have a lot of cookie cutters - I have a 101 piece set that came together, as well and many others that have been purchased over the last 9 years. But until I bought the kit this year, it's been easy to keep them in a small container or two. But after opening the 101 pieces, they wouldn't all go back in and close the lid. So I designed some bags and now at least they are cute! I love them. Here's the before picture of the ones that aren't in holiday storage:

And now they are separated according to type: