TLC and more

To Halloween...or NOT to Halloween!

2010-10-30T09:40:00.006-06:00

I'm back from a year 'sabbatical' from blogging. In this past year I broke my leg, adopted 2 kids, helped my mom through her kidney transplant, visited family and friends and spent every day indoctrinating myself in the world of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). In January of this year my two adopted children were diagnosed with RAD and our lives have never been the same. More on this story later, but for now I am in a good place with a wonderful therapist, great private school (behavioral service oriented) and lots of resources and great, supportive people in my life...but not everyone! :D

The topic today is Halloween, which I will preface by saying I don't like it. Never have, don't see the benefit and while I do participate I could easily give it up with no regrets. Last year we had all our children participate in the Trick-or-Treat night, church party, Trunk-or-Treat and class parties. At the time it was out of control but I was helpless to control it.

This year, I am better equipped to handle this holiday and others. The Big Easy and I have decided to not have our two RAD kids participate in any Halloween festivities. I feel good about that. Why? Because I know, as their mom, that participating brings no benefit to their mental health and emotional security. I can feel people's judgment when I say they won't be attending the class party or going out with our 3 healthy kids around the neighborhood tonight. "How can you prevent them from having fun?", "It's an American Institution", "It's unfair that you let some of your kids do it and not all of them", "What kind of mother are you?"

Fortunately, I'm used to the last feeling/statement - and I'll tell you what kind of mother I am. I'm a mother who lives every day with 2 children who do not trust or love me. I am a mother who spends every ounce of our family's financial, emotional and spiritual resources to help these two kids get the help that they need to be successful in life. I'm the kind of mother who has long-term vision for all my children and while it may not seem 'fun' or 'fair' in the moment - I ponder how every decision I make for them will affect their lives as adults. I'm the mother who is caring for children who didn't have someone looking out for their best interests early on in life. I'm the mom who cleans up the pee, poop and listens to them yell/scream/cry at me when they don't get what they think they 'want'. I'm the mother who loves my children and will fight fiercely for them.

So, A&S will not be dressing up or trick-or-treating this year. Yes, it's not fun for them. It's not fair to the family that we don't all get to go out together. It's not fair to me or The Big Easy that one of us has to stay home and have an early night - but we see the greater good. And honestly...does anyone really believe that there will be emotional scarring for not getting oodles of candy? pretending to be someone you're not? or being scared out of your wits!? These 2 kids have had enough 'tricks' in their short life before joining our family that a lifetime of 'treats' will not cure that. What will cure it is consistency, love, affection, bonding, and trust in a Mom that will look out for their best interest and have vision for their future. I'm that kind of mom.

Sincerely,
The Halloween Grinch!

2009-10-04T08:48:00.002-06:00

We had a storm last week - and the temperatures dropped drastically...so we are left with a garden full of green tomatoes. Now, I love fried, green tomatoes but I can't cook that every night and doubt seriously it's that good for you. I ran across a recipe for green tomato relish on Farmgirl Fare and while I wasn't thoroughly convinced at the onset that it would be yummy...it definitely would save our hard work with the tomato plants. It turned out absolutely scrumptious! Eric was sad that I bottled it all and didn't save any out for him to eat last night with tortilla chips. So, if you have any green tomatoes lying around - you can whip up a batch and try it for yourself, you won't regret it!

Farmgirl Susan's No Sugar Green Tomato Relish
Makes about 3 pints
Recipe may be doubled; increase cooking time by 10-15 minutes

2 lb. green tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 lb. white or yellow onions, chopped
3/4 lb. sweet red peppers, cored and chopped
1/2 lb. tart cooking apples, such as 'Granny Smith', cored and chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup 5% acidic organic raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon kosher or sea salt
4 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded if desired, and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Combine the tomatoes, onions, peppers, apples, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a large, nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about an hour.

Stir in the jalapenos, cilantro, and cumin and simmer for 5 more minutes. Carefully purée the mixture using a stick blender (I can't say enough good things about my KitchenAid Hand Blender—it's one of the best things I ever bought for the kitchen) or in a traditional countertop blender (in batches if necessary) until still somewhat chunky.

If canning, return the puréed relish to a boil, then ladle the hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Store in a cool, dark place.
10 calories, 0g fat, 60mg sodium, 0g fiber, per Tablespoon

Produce Parade

2009-09-27T00:03:00.009-06:00

Two years ago, I posted some of the more 'unusual' produce that sprang from our garden. You may remember this - aptly named "The carrot with a tail" (D'Art's idea):

Or the "octopus carrot" seen here:

So this year I'd like you to meet "Rick" and "Tony"
- they're rather 'snooty' as you can see:

This is their distant cousin "Jimmy" - he has quite the proboscis...

And can have quite the mean streak when pushed too far!

Bet you never see these in the supermarket aisle....'pear-shaped' cucumber
and its curvy sidekick!

Our one and only green pepper - looking down on our tomato harvest.

BUT - this was our first year growing melons!
We got crenshaw and cantaloupes that turned out really tasty!

The pumpkin vine, underneath the front window, took off and is producing 3, nice "Baby Bear" pumpkins. Perfect for pie-making.

And one lone little straggler who isn't going to make it to jack-o-lantern status or even a pie. Maybe he'll decorate the table or at the very least a neighbor's yard. Look out cul-de-sac!

Labor Day

2009-09-26T23:29:00.006-06:00

The summer rushed right past me - woosh! Did anyone else feel the breeze!? We were busy with day trips, camps, a myriad of appointments for foster parenting, swim lessons, swimming, hanging with friends and just hanging out in general. School started and we were all glad to be back to our routines

Over Labor Day, we were lucky enough to have family come to visit. We spent our time doing nothing elaborate - but boy, was it rejuvenating! Our favorite event was an afternoon spent up in the mountains. It was just a group of us, some picnic supplies, long picnic benches, some card games, a wonderful breeze and lots of laughter. There is nothing finer to me!

Happy Labor Day 2009!

Home-made Hawaii

2009-06-29T11:53:00.006-06:00

We were supposed to go to Hawaii last February. That was before we started doing foster care and had 5 kids to watch around sand and water (and the expenses to go along with it!). It would have been fun....the kids have often reminded us that they missed out!

Every once in a while a good idea pops in my head and I actually follow through with it - today was one of those days. I was pulling flowers off my pansy plants and there was quite a pile. I thought, "Wow, those could be strung together to make leis". "Nah, that would take too much time...the flowers are wilty...the girls will think it's dumb" was my self-talking response. Nevertheless, I sat down and decided to go with it! Here's the materials:

And here are the very happy recepients (well, the 2 out of 3 girls I can show you right now):

I pulled out the slip 'n slide, mini blow-up pool and the sprinkler for the trampoline. I filled up the little plastic sink with water and told them to have at it...we were having a Hawaiian STAYcation! We will grill for dinner and I'm playing Hawaiian music on Pandora.com. Now I'm off to make smoothies for the tourists!

This guy doesn't seem to be as convinced...maybe he needs some flowers in his hair!

P.S. We are moving from foster care towards adoption for the 2 kids in our care...we hope to have it completed by the end of summer. Updates to follow and lots of pictures when we're through! :D

Whoosh! There it is!

2009-04-13T07:52:00.011-06:00

How does time go by so fast!?!?! Well, for me, it goes a little something like this... (a pictorial review of where the time went)

First, this girl had her 10th birthday:

Then you throw in a little of this:

And every day after school (when it wasn't SNOWING!) there was lots of this:

AND THIS:

On St. Patrick's Day we couldn't find Shamrock Shakes so we ended up making our own and started a new family tradition like this:

Another little girl (my baby) had a princess blow-out birthday party like this:

And this past weekend my good hubster made sure the kids got to do this:

And then yesterday there were attempts to take nice Easter photos that ended up looking more like this:

That's where I've been for the past 2 months - how about you?

TGIPIFF!

2009-02-20T09:47:00.003-07:00

Thank Goodness it's Pay It Forward Friday!!!

A good friend (yes, you know who you are!) had a "Pay it Forward" challenge on her blog. I gladly raised my hand to receive a lovely gift from her and in return agreed to do the same right here! So...the first five folks to leave comments will get something handmade from me. I can't promise what it will be - maybe something sewn, scrapbooked, papered, baked, typed, printed, etc but it will definitely be from the heart! I CAN promise that it will be free of crayon marks and fingerprints from 5 little urchins that live within the four walls of our home!

The rules:

1. leave your comment with a link to your email if I don't already have it

2. you must agree to pay it forward by doing the same on your blog, or if you don't have a blog on Facebook or email

3. wait patiently for your handmade item

4. pay your own item forward!

Isn't the domino effect grand!? Happy paying!

January Update

2009-01-23T13:57:00.003-07:00

It's the 23rd already! Isn't it still the first week of the New Year or something like that!? What happened here??? I had some really good intentions to start this new year with a blogging bang and be really faithful and devoted to writing weekly at least and here we are at almost the end of January and hmmm....I'm already behind!

In a nutshell here's what I've done so far this month:

2009 came in with a tiny bang - rung in at 10:00 pm (EST) for the little kids and for me I fell asleep on the couch at around 11:35pm while watching TV. Oh, the good old days when I could stay up well past midnight!

I turned 42 and interestingly enough it doesn't feel that much different than 41, yet!

School went back in session and there isn't enough woo hoo's or Woot Woot's! in the world to cover that one!!! Christmas break was 'too too much' of everything!

My foster daughter went from 3-years old to 4-years old, although if you ask her how old she is she will hold up one finger and say "One". Hmmm....sometimes it's four, sometimes five and occasionally four. She has the bestest, curliest hair you've ever seen. Here's a photo - I love to wrap my fingers around it and twist it for relaxation purposes.

I started a "Women on Weights" program at our local community center - lifting weights twice a week (plus cardio 4-5 times a week). Yep, just me and the fire men in the weight room...it's a tough gig but I've got to get my 'me' time in!

We've hit a major bump in the 'foster care' road this past week - more on that later, but it was bound to happen. I've discovered that there is support for any situation and I value my family, husband and friends even more during the lows!

Big D started cub scouts - I don't like it but I love him and I do enjoy seeing him get excited about the activities and badges. I'm not going to be a den mother though...so whoever makes those types of calls and requests, let it be known!

American Idol is back on and Lost has returned - can I hear a Woot Woot!

I have made a commitment to do more blogging - don't get all excited and hopeful about seeing something every week but I figure even once a month will be better than last year! I also am planning on 'slurping' last year's posts into a hard-bound book and calling it my journal. Whew! can get that monkey off my back and not have to worry that I'm a complete failure in the scrapbooking, family history, personal history, letter writing and journaling campaign! Seems 2009 is looking up!

Birthday Boy

2008-12-26T07:56:00.005-07:00

This little baby boy has a birthday today - he's turning 8.

This little baby boy is still as cute as ever except he's grown quite a bit taller and will be passing up his mom before long.

This little baby boy doesn't have his curls anymore because he likes keeping it short - a #2 shield with the clippers.

This little baby boy still does toilets and hardly grumbles when asked to help clean the bathroom.

This little baby boy loves Lego Star Wars on Wii and it was his favorite toy yesterday from Santa.

This little baby boy can play the piano like nobody's business - who knew that those little chubby hands would turn long and slender, just right for playing piano.

This little baby boy still has huge dimples in his cheek and chin and now that he's a bigger boy he's completely unaware what that will do to girls some day.

This little baby boy has the most amazingly blue eyes that still can do his mom in when she's trying to say 'No' to him - it never works!

This little baby boy turned out to be a great big brother and is still a good little brother - who doesn't mind being 'girl trapped'.

This little baby boy can play soccer and basketball and is a really fast runner.

This little baby boy has grown up to be a wonderful son and loves his family and Heavenly Father.

This little baby boy is having a birthday... Happy Birthday Son!

This little boy has a birthday...

This one pictured here!

Father in Heaven bless him,

Throughout the coming year.

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear baby boy

Happy Birthday to you!

Love you Always,

Mom

Compromise

2008-12-24T07:58:00.004-07:00

We are finally done wrapping all of our Christmas gifts - woo hoo! Growing up, Santa never wrapped our Christmas gifts. We would wake on Christmas morning and walk out into the darkened room lit up by the Christmas Tree. Underneath the tree, each of our presents would be grouped in a pile next to our stockings. They always looked magical in the glow of the twinkle lights and we would race to find our stocking so we knew which pile was ours. (It was pretty obvious the year I got my favorite 'Puddin' doll and my brother got a GI Joe.) It wasn't until my younger brothers were much older that Santa started wrapping gifts and putting them under the tree. With 7 children, I think it might have saved Santa a little bit of time, at the Covey household, just leaving them unwrapped.

The Big Easy, on the other hand, grew up with Santa wrapping all his Christmas presents. He said the fun for him was not knowing what was inside until the wrapping paper was completely off. They took turns watching each other open gifts and the fun was guessing what each odd-shaped box would hold.

When we started having children of our own we had to decide what we would ask Santa to do - wrap or leave them unwrapped??? I have to admit that unwrapping a gift does add quite an element of surprise and suspense. We started with our oldest and had Santa wrap the majority and leave the biggest toy out - or the one that might have to be put together or odd-shaped. That tradition has continued. We compromised - now Santa wraps them all and if there is something that is too unusual to wrap or needs to be put together in order to be played with on Christmas Day, he leaves that out. Like our youngest's play kitchen last year and the trampoline in it's huge box. I think it's a good arrangement.

With six children this year I think Santa has his hands full for the gifts at our house. Even though I think each child will get a modest amount of gifts - when you add that up its a lot of wrapping! I've talked to several friends and family members and its funny how there really is a 50/50 split on how everyone grew up with Santa wrapping or not. I bet there's been a lot of compromise happening through the years where gift wrap is concerned. Happy wrapping! (or not!)

The eyes have it!

2008-12-19T09:39:00.007-07:00

It's Birthday time around our household! Not only is it Christmas next week and our anniversary tomorrow but....it was this guy's birthday last Saturday, the 13th of December:

And it's this guy's birthday today (our littlest guy that we're being foster parents to):

And next week, the day after Christmas, is this guy's birthday - he's turning 8 and will get baptized on January 3rd!

I'm thinking that besides the fact that we're completely broke, partied out and overrun with gifts by the end of December - I'm pretty much surrounded by some cute guys! And what about all these eyes!???? In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a sucker for eyes and it's hard for me to say "no" when they flash their baby blues, browns and greens at me!

I like free stuff!

2008-12-15T11:47:00.003-07:00

I'm all about freebies - and you (or I!!) could win a Cricut machine or an iPod Touch! Bloggled is trying to save our blogs by backing them up (what a concept) and making them into books (another great concept!). Today only, you can register for free, link to them on your own blog, add a RSS subscription or add them as a friend on Twitter or Facebook for chances to win. There's supposed to be a drawing ever 2 hours. I don't know about you but I wouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth! :D

Clean Up on Aisle 5!!!

2008-12-03T09:38:00.002-07:00

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. My sister and her family drove up from Arizona for 4 days. I am so grateful they did. The last week or so my glass wasn't 'half empty' it was pretty much bone dry and needed to be filled up. I've been trying to do some self-care and Eric has been doing a great job of pulling his half of the yoke but I still needed a pick-me-up.

I can't say that we did anything amazing or spectacular during our time together as a family. But the point...was that we had family around us. Someone to share and lighten the load. My children had cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents to love and dote on them. My biological children who have recently been feeling neglected and alone were reminded that they have special people who know their entire history and think they are pretty awesome. My foster kids were introduced to yet another group of people who are healthy, normal and also think they are awesome. I had my sister - who I adore beyond words - just a stone's throw away. We saw Twilight together, laughed about caterpillar eyebrows, had our walking therapy sessions, made chocolate gravy and quesadillas together and hugged and loved each other (hopefully enough to last us 'til the next time). I got teary eyed watching my oldest daughter stay up late with her favorite girl cousin talking, eating snacks. making crafts and watching movies. She couldn't get enough girl/cousin time.

My cup was filled to overflowing. It filled every inch of my heart and spirit and spilled out onto those around me. Love's like that, you know - it touches everyone in the vicinity. If you want to help with the clean up - be willing to bring a tissue or two - but only if you have a cup to wring them into!

Twilight - The Movie

2008-11-22T10:15:00.002-07:00

Okay, I'll admit it - I saw the movie at midnight the day it opened. I was actually in my seat about 11:00 pm on the 20th - in anticipation of the 'grand opening'. Me and several hundred of my closest, weirdest, middle-agiest mostly female friends. The theatre was packed with fans of the books and what I assume to be caterpillar eyebrows. I have a bias towards Robert Pattinson - the guy cast as Edward - his eyebrows are too bushy to be Edward. I'll admit that right up front, I thought he was all wrong for the part and I'm sticking to it! My not-so-professional opinion of the movie:

Goods:
Cinematography - location, awesome! The shot of them climbing in the trees was magnificent
Bella - cast well and Kristin Stewart is a fine actress for this role
The role of the father - he was younger than I pictured and I liked it.
Jacob - not bad, could have done more in the picture
Edward - eyebrows still distracting but there were times he 'grew on me' especially the biology class scene when the scent of Bella first hits him.
Forks - quaint and perfect

Bads:
Length of the film - it drug on and on and on
The Cullen family - not enough of them
Victoria - should not be talking
I don't want to hear the word 'spider monkey' used as a term of endearment ever again!!!
The 'venom sucking' scene in the dance studio was laughable and I don't think it was meant to be...laughed out loud when Bella's eyes crossed!

Uglies:
Eyebrows on Edward - did I mention that already?????
Alice - her baseball throwing stance - hello???what's with the pointed toe???
Bella's prom dress...could they not have found something more suitable and beautiful!?
The kissing scene in the bedroom - where was all the romance leading up to it!?
All the women in the theatre screaming at the top of their lungs for every little thing - come on ladies, get a life!!!! (Oh wait, I was there too but not screaming, mind you!)

I could go on - but will spare you. I loved the books and while dissapointed with #4 and the movie - still think they are refreshingly new in their concept. Will I see it again? Probably? Will I buy it? Yes. Will I meet Robert Pattinson in a dark alley with a waxing pot and linen strips? Most definately!!

Falling for Soup

2008-11-13T11:49:00.003-07:00

I love soup...there I've said it! Fall is the perfect time for me to dust off some old 'tried-and-true' recipes and also launch into some uncharted territory with soup cooking! All growing up my favorite was potato soup that my mom made with home-made french bread. It's still a great one but here's my favorite (and a real kid-pleaser) for the moment!

Cheeseburger Soup

1 lb ground beef

3/4 Cup chopped onions

3/4 Cup shredded carrots (I buy them pre-shredded)

1 tsp Dried Basil

1 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes

4 TBSP Butter

3 Cups Chicken broth

4 Cups diced, peeled potatoes *

*(if in a hurry - I buy the frozen breakfast potatoes with green pepper)

1/4 Cup All-purpose flour

2 Cups Shredded Velveeta Cheese (or cubed)

1 1/2 Cups Milk

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/4 Cup Sour cream

In a large saucepan brown the beef; drain and set aside. In the same pan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 TBSP butter. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes) Add broth, potatoes and beef. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a separate skillet melt the remaining butter. Add flour to butter; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add the flour mixture to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for approximately 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Serve.

Thankful for 5!

2008-11-11T11:54:00.003-07:00

This past weekend I participated in the Telos Turkey Tri 5k in Orem. It was my fifth 5K - and I can hardly believe it! My good friend, Clint, did the actual sprint triathlon: run 5K, bike 10 miles and swim 350 meters. I was so proud of him!!! I had toyed with the idea of entering that part but knew I wouldn't be ready - good thing I know my limits (well, at least where chocolate is not involved!). I finished the race and while I don't know my time, it doesn't really matter. I was surrounded by hard-core racers and triathlon athletes. I know that I stick out like a sore thumb - not having the body of a 41-year old who's been running/biking/swimming her whole life. Rather, the body of a 41-year old who's just started running and is grateful just to finish without collapsing.

I am extremely grateful for a Heavenly Father who made our bodies so forgiving. Who knew that you could actually change your body shape and make-up this far into life? Every time I run a little further and am less winded than the time before, I give thanks. When I walk/run up the hills I am grateful that I have legs to carry me, lungs that work right and a will that's been strengthened by a powerful belief. I know that my Heavenly Father wants me to be healthy, strong and happy - He's helping me through each race I've entered. It's something I wish that I'd done sooner in life, but it's better now than never!

I have to stop myself from comparing to the wrong crowd - instead I think about all the folks who don't even enter races, whatever the reason. I think about all the times I sat on the sidelines admiring people who could run and yet didn't feel motivated to join them. Wow! I'm one of those people now and despite coming in the end of the 5K, I couldn't be happier. I'm holding out the banner for all you sitting on the sidelines - if I can do it, you can too!

Halloween

2008-11-01T08:12:00.006-06:00

It was a perfect day! The temps were in the 70's during the day so there was just a slight chill in the evening. There were plenty of fall leaves to crunch while walking around and I had 6 kids to oooh and aaaah over their cute and costumed selves.

I truly love fall - many people get invigorated by spring but for me it's fall. Growing up in Arizona we didn't really have 4 seasons - just 2, hot and not-so-hot! I always dreamed of beautiful trees changing colors, leaves piled up in the yard - perfect for leaping and driving down the street and watching leaves swirl around and behind the car.

I got my first taste of a true and lovely Fall when I lived back east. There are so many trees and the chill in the air plus autumn leaves were a magical mixture to me. While I love Arizona - I was thrilled when we moved to Utah that my lovely autumn dreams were coming true again.

I couldn't help snapping some photos yesterday - but they just don't do it justice! You'd have to have crunch-o-vision, smell-o-vision and feel-o-vision to appreciate these fully. Just take my word for it - it's perfect!

Out of Eggs????

2008-10-28T10:41:00.004-06:00

I don't know about you, but there's been many times I set out to bake something only to discover that I was out of eggs. (And too lazy or not enough time to go buy some more) Here's some substitutes and tips that were given me by a friend. I'm planning to print it off and stick it in my favorite cook book!

Preparedness Tip - Inexpensive Eggs for Food Storage: Eggs are essential basic cooking ingredients, but have a short shelf life and powdered eggs are expensive. Wendy DeWitt, who created food storage recipes for the Mesa LDS cannery, said unflavored gelatin mixed with water makes inexpensive eggs, and cornbread I made with unflavored gelatin that was over 10 years old was delicious! 1 lb of gelatin will make 192 eggs (16 doz). It's much cheaper if you buy in bulk; I get mine from bulkfoods.com.

To Make One Egg: Stir 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin with 3 Tbsp cold water until dissolved, then add 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp very hot water and stir. Decrease liquid called for in your recipe by about one-fourth cup to compensate for the added water from the egg.

Other Egg Replacement Options:
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. potato starch
1 egg = 1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1 egg = 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or squash
1 egg = 1/4 cup puréed prunes
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. water + 1 Tbsp. oil + 2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg = 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed simmered in 3 Tbsp. water
1 egg white = 1 Tbsp. plain agar powder dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water, whipped, chilled, and whipped again

Egg Replacement Tips• If a recipe calls for three or more eggs, it is important to choose a replacer that will perform the same function (i.e., binding or leavening). • Trying to replicate airy baked goods that call for a lot of eggs, such as angel food cake, can be very difficult. Instead, look for a recipe with a similar taste but fewer eggs, which will be easier to replicate.• When adding tofu to a recipe as an egg replacer, be sure to purée it first to avoid chunks in the finished product. • Be sure to use plain tofu, not seasoned or baked, as a replacer. • Powdered egg replacers cannot be used to create egg recipes such as scrambles or omelets. Tofu is the perfect substitute for eggs in these applications. • If you want a lighter texture and you're using fruit purées as an egg substitute, add an extra 1/2 tsp. baking powder. Fruit purées tend to make the final product denser than the original recipe. • If you're looking for an egg replacer that binds, try adding 2 to 3 Tbsp. of any of the following for each egg: tomato paste, potato starch, arrowroot powder, whole wheat flour, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, instant potato flakes, or 1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 Tbsp. flour.

The New 'Brady' Bunch

2008-10-21T23:16:00.005-06:00

We are the von Pingel bunch! 3 kids + 3 kids = 6 kids. 3 boys + 3 girls = 6 kids. Only difference? no Alice to help me out!!!

The first few days have been full of ups and downs. The kids got here Thursday night and it was eerie how quickly the little ones fell into calling us "mommy' and 'daddy'. Even though it makes us feel good, it is a red flag that they are not more confused and distressed - at least about living with a new family.

All of the school-aged kids were out of school for 3 days so we have been nice and cozy 24/7. There has been quite a bit of rivalry between the 2, 8-year old boys and the 2, 3-year old girls. Apparently I should have predicted the need for two of every princess, Dora and My Little Pony item I've ever bought! Big D is adjusting to not being the only boy any more plus sharing a room and his toys for the first time. Our baby girl is also having a hard time adjusting to not being the baby and having to share her parent's attention. We are all adjusting to a little guy in diapers and needing lots of care while eating and getting places. I spend most of my time playing referee. A close second is cooking and cleaning up. (My groceries have never disappeared this fast!)

The newest additions have attachment issues and most likely been exposed to things in their little lives that no child should ever have to be exposed to. They cry easily and the oldest is very stubborn and the pickiest eater! The younger two have a hard time responding to and being cared for by Daddy sometimes...somewhere they have been hurt by a male adult. I know the oldest has a 'shell' for protection and it has served him well thus far. We are praying that love, consistency, togetherness, therapy and good boundaries will help them all do a little healing while in our care.

I have resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to get a thing done for myself for awhile. I have also resigned myself to the fact that I'm happy and content to be mothering 6 children and receiving even more kisses, hugs, "Mommy!" calls and laughter than I thought possible. Just call me Carol Brady!

Anticipation

2008-10-14T21:16:00.002-06:00

Remember the old way ketchup used to come out of bottles?? Slowly and took its own sweet time. Sometimes you'd have to pound on the bottom of the bottle, shake it, stick a knife in it - turn it over to see if it was near the edge and pound yet again. But oooohhh...it was worth the wait!

Life is like that for me lately - ever since hubs and I decided to become foster parents. We've been waiting, pounding, prodding, hoping, looking and pounding again in anticipation of children being placed in our home. Just when we were about to give up (and go for mustard) we got 'the call'.

The wait is going to be over on Thursday - 3 kids are coming to join the clan. Now that they're on their way I'm nervous, scared, excited, hopeful, fearful and happy. We will be doubling our children and they will by far outnumber us! It will be an adventure in parenting and loving - and while this is only the beginning, I'm sure that when I look back on this time it will have happened all too suddenly and will have been definately worth the wait.

Just like ketchup always is!

Happy Morning!

2008-10-13T10:37:00.001-06:00

I'm off today to a cottage warming party! (It's virtual and anyone is invited!) Click the button to the right to see some delightful quilted cottages, get some tasty recipes and warm your toes by the fire!

2008-10-06T06:45:00.003-06:00

I love pencils! The smell, the look, the unsharpened ones, the sharpened ones, plain No. 2's, colored ones, red ones for marking papers, decorated and designed ones...they're all good! I saw this article and learned a lot - hope you do too!

20 Things You Didn't Know About ... Pencils
By Dean Christopher Discover Magazine

1. There is no risk of lead poisoning if you stab yourself (or someone else) with a pencil because it contains no lead -- just a mixture of clay and graphite. Still, pencil wounds carry a risk of infection for the stabees, lawsuits for stabbers.

2. Also, bad juju for anyone linked to Watergate: In his autobiography, G. Gordon Liddy describes finding John Dean (whom he despised for “disloyalty”) alone in a room. Spotting sharpened pencils on a desk, Liddy fleetingly considered driving one into Dean’s throat.

3. Graphite, a crystallized form of carbon, was discovered near Keswick, England, in the mid-16th century. An 18th-century German chemist, A. G. Werner, named it, sensibly enough, from the Greek "graphein," meaning “to write.”

4. The word pencil derives from the Latin “penicillus,” meaning -- not so sensibly -- “little tail.”

5. Pencil marks are made when tiny graphite flecks, often just thousandths of an inch wide, stick to the fibers that make up paper.

6. Got time to kill? The average pencil holds enough graphite to draw a line about 35 miles long or to write roughly 45,000 words. History does not record anyone testing this statistic.

7. The Greek poet Philip of Thessaloníki wrote of leaden writing instruments in the first century B.C., but the modern pencil, as described by Swiss naturalist Konrad Gesner, dates only to 1565.

8. French pencil boosters include Nicolas-Jacques Conté, who patented a clay-and-graphite manufacturing process in 1795; Bernard Lassimone, who patented the first pencil sharpener in 1828; and Therry des Estwaux, who invented an improved mechanical sharpener in 1847.

9. French researchers also hit on the idea of using caoutchouc, a vegetable gum now known as rubber, to erase pencil marks. Until then, writers removed mistakes with bread crumbs.

10. Most pencils sold in America today have eraser tips, while those sold in Europe usually have none. Are Europeans more confident scribblers?

11. Henry David Thoreau -- American, but a confident scribbler all the same -- used pencils to write "Walden." And he probably got them free. His father owned a pencil-making business near Boston, where Henry allegedly designed his own pencils before becoming a semi-recluse.

12. In 1861, Eberhard Faber built the first American mass-production pencil factory in New York City.

13. Pencils were among the basic equipment issued to Union soldiers during the Civil War.

14. The mechanical pencil was patented in 1822. The company founded by its British developers prospered until 1941, when the factory was bombed, presumably by pencil-hating Nazis.

15. "Je suis un crayon rouge." After the 1917 Soviet revolution, American entrepreneur Armand Hammer was awarded a monopoly for pencil manufacturing in the USSR.

16. More than half of all pencils come from China. In 2004, factories there turned out 10 billion pencils, enough to circle the earth more than 40 times.

17. Pencils can write in zero gravity and so were used on early American and Russian space missions -- even though NASA engineers worried about the flammability of wood pencils in a pure-oxygen atmosphere, not to mention the menace of floating bits of graphite.

18. Those concerns inspired Paul Fisher to develop the pressurized Fisher Space Pen in 1965. After the Apollo 1 fire, NASA banned pencils in favor of his pen on manned spaceflights.

19. The world’s largest pencil is a Castell 9000, on display at the manufacturer’s plant near Kuala Lumpur. Made of Malaysian wood and polymer, it stands 65 feet high.

20. At the other extreme, engineers at the University of California at Santa Barbara have used an atomic force microscope as a kind of pencil to draw lines 50 nanometers (two millionths of an inch) wide. Just because they could.

Who Knew!?

2008-10-04T07:42:00.002-06:00

It's the little things that count...makes a day/week/month/year/life easier! Try this and see! Happy Weekend!

What is it about them???

2008-10-02T11:53:00.006-06:00

Doughnuts or donuts - I love them! I prefer Krispy Kreme over Dunkin Donuts. I like filled donuts but not with custard, only creme frosting. I like cake/old-fashioned type donuts the best, especially blueberry or spice. There are two places in town that make amazing doughnuts: the Lehi Bakery and a locally-owned grocery store, Kohlers. I can't walk into the store with Sophia without her asking for a donut (and boy am I glad she does - it gives me an excuse to have one too!)

Today they had fall-colored icing with sprinkles. Sophia said the plain part looked like a pumpkin. They were soft and melt-in-your-mouth. I have to admit that I've never made donuts. I guess it's too quick and easy to buy them in the store (oh yeah, and they're not good for me! did I mention that!?) But, I found a recipe that I think I'll need to try - maybe for a cool autumn day when I have some extra time. Just hope they turn out as good as they sound and maybe I'll give Krispy Kreme and Kohler's a run for their donut money! (let me know if there are any adventurous donut makers out there)

Apple Cider Doughnuts

For the doughnuts:
1 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat or nonfat work fine)
Vegetable oil for frying

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider

For the doughnuts: In a saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, gently reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed (with the paddle attachment, if using a standing mixer) beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are completely incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn the dough onto 1 of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still wet. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Place the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (You may re-roll the scraps of dough, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)
Add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Have ready a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels.

For the glaze: While the cut doughnut shapes are in the refrigerator, make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners' sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

To fry and assemble: Carefully add a few doughnuts to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn the doughnuts over and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels after the doughnuts are fried. Dip the top of the warm doughnuts into the glaze and serve immediately.

The Bad News (Don't look if you don't want to!) Per doughnut: 201 calories, 3 gm protein, 33 gm carbohydrates, 6 gm fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 200 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber

Peaches, Peaches, PEACHES!!

2008-09-21T18:49:00.007-06:00

We've been inundated with peaches from our very own trees! One of the selling points of the home we're currently in was the storage, back yard and the fruit trees. We have two plum trees and two peach trees. Sadly, the previous owners planted them but never got to see them bear fruit and reap the rewards...happily we do!! The very first summer we were in the house we had peaches and this year was our 3rd summer enjoying the 'fruit' of someone else's labors.

We have put very little money into them other than some water and spray for bark beetles. Very little effort has produced an abundance! This past week I started to pick some and was fully intending to let them stay on the tree for another week or two. Mid-week we had a storm roll in with high winds - just as the winds picked up I noticed peaches were falling from the tree. RATS! I hurried outside with the kids, boxes and a ladder and pick all the peaches. I wish I could say that my helpers were extremely helpful but that would be misleading you! My oldest did hold the bag and carried many of them to a box. The younger two were easily drawn to the nearby trampoline. All in all we got 6 boxes full and a Trader Joe's bag. (This was after losing about 30-35 that fell off in the last week and slugs got them plus the 100 or so my hubby thinned out at the beginning of the season).

Luckily, this past Saturday had nothing scheduled other than an early morning volleyball game. Our peach 'taskmaster' kept us busy all day: blanching, peeling, cutting, mixing and bottling. Gratefully we had two friends and my parents come over to help. It was quite a job! We divided our spoils with all those who participated (think Little Red Hen!) Our half was 20 quart jars of peach halves, 11 pint jars of peach slices and 8 jars of jam. I love the way they look stacked up on the shelf!!!

Peach cobbler was on tonight's menu for dessert - so yummy! Here's our favorite recipe:

Fresh Peach Cobbler, the Absolutely Best Ever Recipe #61366

Fruit Mixture
6 tablespoons tapioca
6-7 cups fresh peaches, sliced (or equivalent canned peaches)
1 cup sugar (omit if using sweetened canned peaches)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cobbler Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Cobbler Topping
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cinnamon, to taste
nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine tapioca, peaches, sugar (if used), cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Pour the fruit mixture into a buttered 9" X 13" baking dish. In a bowl mix thoroughly the ingredients for the Cobbler Dough. Spread over the fruit mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together DRY cobbler topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the cobbler dough layer. Then pour the boiling water evenly over the cobbler.
(Do Not Stir.) Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean and top has a golden crust.

I still have a little over a box calling my name, "Wash me...peel me...chop me...make me into jam!" Guess you know what I'll be doing tomorrow...but that's peachy keen with me!

Woo Hoo for Cake Mix Extender!

2008-09-19T08:42:00.003-06:00

I posted this simple recipe earlier in the year for extending a cake mix! Today I put it to good use as I made cupcakes for the school carnival.

I was supposed to make 2 dozen and knew that the cake mix would leave them puny and definately wouldn't give me any leftovers for the little gal that hangs out with me all day! She can't keep her 3-year old hands off the cupcakes when I leave the room for a minute (Imagine that!) So...the cake mix extender worked like a charm - I got 2 dozen regular-sized cupcakes and 2 dozen mini cupcakes out of one mix! Woo hoo!!!

I was debating how to decorate the cupcakes - they are for a cake walk at the carnival. I didn't want to bring just plain ones (the kind that sit there until the last kid has finally won!) and definately don't have time to do the fancy schmancy stuff (nor would I want to since they are going to be scarfed down in 30 seconds flat!). So, yesterday I was in the BYU bookstore and saw these:

Yes, I am taking the easy way out by plopping one of these little critters on top of each and every cupcake. Now, the only debate is whether they should be sitting on chocolate frosting or vanilla dyed red!? The cupcakes themselves are devil's food. I really don't think it'll matter in the end. I'm fairly confident that the tarantulas will be the 'draw' and not the flavor of the cake and frosting. In all honesty, I'll probably go with whatever is on sale when I get to the store later this morning...but then again...maybe a mini cupcake or two will find its way into my belly and I prefer chocolate! (Of course!)

Lists of 100

2008-09-15T12:53:00.002-06:00

My good friend Stephanie posted a list on her blog - 100 things every good omnivore should try at least once. The original post was found on http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ and after reading her list I thought it'd be a quick and easy post to add my own - saving the results for future generations to come and maybe expand my horizons (and list). Post your own results or at least your score in a comment! My Score: I've eaten 46 of the 100 items, won't eat 22 so that leaves 32 things for me to put on my 'to do' list!

The original post:

"Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers."

Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. (I made mine red...meaning Stop! Do Not Pass Go! and NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS! - Teddi)
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush (have even made it at home!)
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi (mmmm...yes!)
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (have 4 varieties growing in our garden!)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (thanks to Eric, yes indeedy!)
28. Oysters
29. Baklava (learned to make it from a Deaf, Greek friend)
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (at Boudin last year during RID Nat'l Convention)
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut (would or could eat them every day!)
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear (my grandma used to make prickly pear jelly)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (sadly, yes!)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (absolutely!!!!)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (delightful!)
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict (can make this at home too!)
83. Pocky (crunch, crunch!)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (delicious fried with potatoes)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I'm hungry now! Guess I'll have to settle for the tuna fish sandwich w/peppers I have prepared! Bon Appetit!

My Summer Vacation is over!

2008-09-12T13:31:00.010-06:00

How quickly 3-months can pass when you're having fun! This past summer was full of all kinds of good things! I think my 50 lb weight loss has given me the confidence, finally, to try lots of things that I always wanted to do but never would. Mostly because I was afraid of how I'd look from behind while running...or dying of exhaustion from exercise, HAHAHA!

The summer started off with a big bang when we headed to Arizona to visit some family. The main point of the trip was a concert featuring this guy!

That's George Michael for all you young'uns out there born in the late 80's or early 90's (although you should still know who he is!) I got to go to the concert with Stephanie M. and my sister - it was so much fun!!! Gorgeous George performed some of my old favorites and some new ones as well. We were good girls and didn't take our cameras in but we wish we would have! We had fabulous floor seats - thanks Brad and Stephanie! and the whole thing was a celebration for Stephanie's 40th birthday. And DID WE CELEBRATE!!! There was much dancing, singing and general good vibes had by all! This is what it looked like although I didn't take this photo:

One of my favorite moments was his singing "Freedom 90" - which unbeknowst to me has been viewed as an anthem for the gay community. Who knew!!!??? (Shows how much I don't pay attention to the lyrics sometimes.) Anywhoo - we were shouting it out with everyone and I think it really fired me up to get free this summer. So here's a sampling of what I did:

Ran (and I mean walk/ran) my first 5K, the Freedom Run in Provo, after starting to run the week before:

And subsequently ran my 2nd and 3rd 5K's (plus my fourth 5K this past weekend - and yes, my time is improving!)

Rode the medium-sized and super-sized zip lines at Olympic Park in Park City. (I'm the middle rider)Hiked to Timpanogos Cave with the 3 kids and my niece - what was I thinking!? But we made it up and back in one piece. I also overcame my brief internal bouts of hysteria thinking about going into the cave but made it out alive and well! (We were actually grateful for the cool temps in the cave after the heat during the hike up!) Gotta love this picture taken by one of my kids - I am looking oh so fine, dontcha think?

Sprinkle in trips to "This is the Place" village, Stadium of Fire with Blue Man Group and Miley Cyrus, Temple Square in SLC, a Xango party, watching "The Drowsy Chaperone" with my niece, all the foster parent training courses (32 hours worth), work, presenting at and attending 2 conferences, farmer's market, gardening and fun times in the backyard kiddie pool and slip-n-slide! WHEW!!! It WAS a full summer!

Another highlight was marked by the "Breaking Dawn" release party at BYU - fun times with family and friends (and our specially designed "Team Edward" t-shirts. I actually won a door prize as well - toot toot!)

I loved every minute of it - how good it feels to be so free!

A Hero never dies

2008-06-16T10:57:00.002-06:00

Last week was our local UTRID (Utah RID) conference. I am the secretary for the board and so was very involved with planning and carrying out all the things that come along with pulling off a 3+ day conference. I also presented a 3-hour workshop on Friday and Saturday. I would have done it for free but was paid for my time and given a gift as well - it was a book which I'd been wanting to read. The book was "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow. I had heard about the lecture, the book and seen a television show about Randy. (You can google his name and find more information about him but he has been given a limited time to live because of cancer.) The book is inspiring. I started reading and am halfway through. I have to stop at the end of each chapter to keep myself from sobbing at the sweetness, poignancy and clarity it has brought to my thought process this weekend.

This man, who I have never met and will never meet, is a hero. Not because he is dying and doing it with such grace and dignity. Not because he has written a best-selling book and been seen on national TV and everywhere else. He's a hero because he took the time to document some profound lessons he learned for his children. His children are very young and will not have many memories of him - he loves them so much and is taking great care to do the very best he can to leave a lasting legacy for them. His wife, Jai is a heroine. Without knowing anything about her, outside of what he's written - she is amazing. I don't know if I would have her strength of character and courage - but I hope so.

You can watch the actual lecture he gave here I found a video of a short address he gave to graduates at Carnegie-Mellon. It is sweet and profound...all the things a good address should be. Don't miss the end of the clip - it says it all.

Some Things Never Change - Part I

2008-05-28T09:19:00.006-06:00

Better late than never (HAH!) but at least I'm still here! We took a vacation to Disneyland a couple of weeks ago and I've been wanting to blog and post about our fun! While we all physically came home on the 11th - my youngest continues to vacation there 'in spirit' every day since. She gathers her Disney stuffed animals, talks constantly of the rides, wears her Minnie ears and watches Disney movies just to keep the magic going. I can't say I blame her...it is the Magic Kingdom after all.

I've always had a love affair with Disneyland. I've never been to Walt Disney World or any of the other Disney Theme parks but Disneyland will always be near and dear to my heart. I am fortunate that my parents shared the magic with me at a young age and we went several times while growing up. Here's proof:

That's me on the left and my brother, Sean on the right. Yes, I did have to point it out just in case you zero in on the short haircuts missing the mini dress (is that a dress!?) altogether. By the date stamp on the photo it was taken June 1971. I was 4 years old and my brother would have been 3 years old. It was obviously summer - poor Sean had to wear long pants - Mom! where were the sandals and shorts for the love of all things cool!? Luckily we were in no danger of having our necks and ears covered in sweat or hair for that matter!

We are standing in front of the entrance to Disneyland park - the Mickey Mouse flower sculpture hasn't changed...still there! Mickey hasn't aged a bit - he must have a terrific skin care regime! Here's another one from the same visit:

I don't know if these '3 Little Pigs' characters still exist in the park? or anywhere else in the Disney video collections for that matter. We also met this guy...

I love this photo - looks like I'm pulling as far away from "The Big Bad Wolf" as my mom would allow me to while still remaining in the photo! But the real reason I love this photo is that it shows the Matterhorn in the background, the Skyway ride, the old booths and some nifty neat-o 70's clothes if you get a good gander.

My favorite rides at Disneyland back then were: The People Mover, Journey to Inner Space, America Sings, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty's Castle (walk through), Bear Country Jamboree, It's A Small World and The Tiki Room. Sadly, many of those no longer exist.

However, I found the coolest website that shows pictures of those long, forgotten rides and describes them and when they were taken out of circulation at Disneyland. Take a trip to Yesterland for a jolt to the past for those of you as old as I am and wishing for the way 'things used to be'.

I love the smells, the sights, the sounds and the magic that exists there - Walt Disney knew what he was doing. Yes, they have to be pulling down some big bucks every day but I think it's worth it - my memories were worth it for my parents and now I'm making new ones which leads me to Part II...

Swapping

2008-05-03T08:29:00.006-06:00

One thing I enjoy quite a bit and have done for years is 'swaps'. I started doing things related to scrapbooking: paper, embellishments, yarns, ribbons, etc. I stopped for quite a while after accumulating too much stuff and also because I found that often I would get partners who didn't follow through or sent stuff that they wouldn't want to receive.

Recently I started back up again but this time it's sewing related items. Dotee Dolls and the latest was a lunch box/bag swap. Here's what I sent to my partner:

I used some tutorials found on the internet. The insulated lunch bag and water bottle carrier were quite simple and turned out quite nicely. My youngest really liked the fabric and thought they were for her and didn't want to part with them. I promised her I would make her a water bottle carrier for our vacation next week.

I received this lovely package from my swap partner:

I did not take a good picture but the bag is fully reversible and in all my favorite colors. It is nice and roomy to hold a couple of lunches and books for reading (she included a magazine to get me started!). The shape reminds me of the Trader Joe's re-usable shopping 'bucket bags' - my favorites. You can check out her blog to see better pictures and the inside: Lunch Box Swap from Pink Chicks

After my promise to make a water bottle carrier for my baby girl - I made some adjustments to the sizes in the tutorial for the bottle carrier. I needed it to fit a 'pint size' 8 oz. bottle. I also added an internal strap that Velcros over the top of the water bottle to keep it from falling out - should the little tykes start doing somersaults or cartwheels while wearing their carriers. (Oh yes and I made 6 more for friends and cousins - a total of 7 princess-themed carriers.) Here's what they turned out looking like:

I like them...they like them...we'll see if they hold up to the true test of trekking through Disneyland. I'll let you know!

Beautiful

2008-04-15T08:42:00.002-06:00

I have been MIA the past couple of weeks - at least from the blog world but not in my real world. I had a big Enrichment activity at church, baby shower for my 3rd grader's teacher at school (I'm the room mom) and last weekend was a conference that I presented a workshop at and interpreted as well. It was a joint venture between AMPHL (Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses) and UTRID (Utah Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf). It was a really long day but as a member of the UTRID Board we had donated our interpreting time to support the conference. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the conference went and the turn out was much higher than I expected. I had a great time with my fellow 'terps' - getting to know them better as people, laughing and seeing them working. We usually only see each other at meetings and I was so impressed with their skills.

Anywhoo...during my workshop introduction I was telling the participants how long I've been interpreting (and reminding myself) - over 18 years and sometimes it startles me! I have so much to learn still and I look at other interpreters and think "I'm never going to be that good"! Being an interpreter was not a conscious career choice but more a path that was placed in front of me and like a moving sidewalk it just kept going. Here I am all these years later. It's been so rewarding and yet every assignment is a challenge. I take a big breath right before starting an assignment and internally wonder if I'll be up to the job. I guess for the most part I must be or I wouldn't still have work constantly coming my way. For that I'm grateful.

I still remain fascinated and a little starstruck at times with the Deaf community and their language. Yes, I understand it for the most part but there are still those times when I struggle. I enjoy it most when I can just sit back and watch - not interpreting for anyone. It rarely happens but when it does - wow! If you've never had a chance to check out the website for D-Pan... you should! It's amazing and here's one of their most recent artistic ventures! Whether you know sign language or not it's beautiful and if you do know ASL - prepare to have your heart strings pulled!

The Bachelor: Lehi Calling

2008-03-28T15:02:00.008-06:00

There's a new guy in town - his name is

Charming, Prince Charming.

Some of you may remember him from his earlier work in the Disney film, "Cinderella" and he's making a comeback! In our house, we have been partakers of the Barbie ~~frenzy~~ trend for many years now but I must admit that very few male versions have crossed our door. I don't know why...I'm assuming it's because they're less glamorous, their wardrobe is lousy, their hair is molded or maybe they just need better PR folks working for them on the cartoon break commercials. Either way - they've been a bit scarce around here. However, last week was our youngest daughter's 3rd birthday and she's been asking for a "Daddy Barbie". So...while Ken, Beast, Prince Antonio (of Barbie Island Princess fame) and Prince Philip were all in the running - in the end Prince Charming won the spot as "MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR" in our household.

Here he is surrounded by his gal pals - you may recognize some of them...(don't hate them because they're beautiful!)

From left to right we have:

Erica from "The Princess and the Pauper" Barbie movie - the brunette who looked an awful lot like the blonde princess, Analiese...hmmm....uncanny? I think not! She can sing up a storm and has a button on her back to prove it! (If you've seen "The Bachelor: London Calling" recently you'll know that singing is apparently the 'in thing' this year). Go Erica/Analiese!

Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" - also a birthday gift and as you can see she is presumptuously sporting a wedding gown (the nerve!). One small thing you may, or may not, be able to notice in the pic - her head is almost twice the size as Charmings. I don't know about other parts of the U.S. but here in Lehi, that type of genetic dominance may just give her a leg up!

African American Barbie - the $4.99 variety purchased as a 'hush up and I'll buy you this' moment during an especially stressful trip to Wal-Mart. She is especially talented as her legs are permanently ~~'tattooed'~~ painted purple. She has benevolently been given a gown to wear for just this occasion. What a gem!

and last but certainly not least our beloved and every perky...

BARBIE! - I do believe she was once a Princess Somebody or Other and has now been demoted to wearing the African American Barbie's tutu (minus the purple tights). She is unfailingly beautiful, can't stand on her own and can easily snap under the weight of her own upper torso - however she is prized for her lovely locks.

Whatever is a man to do???
But wait....what's this!?????

Some last minute ~~entries~~ purchases (our lovely birthday gal got a gift card and cash from her grandparents). As in every good reality show there's always a twist!

Ariel! The beloved Little Mermaid - fresh out of the ~~package~~ water and wearing only her fins and a bikini (and lovely hair that changes color when it gets soaked in cold water).

and

Barbie Mariposa! - still touring in her just released (Spring 2008) movie! She is absolutely stunning with magical 'pop-out' wings, lace-up ballerina type slipper thingies and flowers in her very long and lustrous locks (complete with pink brush). What a stunner!

Wow...this is going to be a nail biter right down to the bitter end. Stay tuned to see what becomes of our lovely ladies and the lone bachelor (who, by the way is anatomically incorrect but has six-pack abs....go figure!) This could get ugly...Who will get the rose (or lose a leg) first!? You won't want to miss this!

The Ties that Bind

2008-03-14T08:11:00.004-06:00

February was quilting month over at one of my favorite sites: Sew, Mama, Sew. They did all sorts of tutorials and highlights of different quilt blocks and lovely finished projects. I admire the handiwork that goes into quilting and hope that someday I will have the time to be able to piece together a quilt top and do the machine or hand stitched quilting for what I consider a true 'quilt'. In the meantime...I love doing tied quilts. Here is our family's latest project:

I grew up on these kind of quilts and it's truly the only kind I know how to do with any sort of efficiency. I thought that's how it was done growing up...the quilt stands and the sound of thread being pushed and pulled through layers of fabric and batting. I would crawl underneath the quilts and grab the needles sometimes pushing them back up to the top when my grandparents couldn't reach to the middle. Some of my earliest memories are of helping tie quilts.

I still have a quilt that was made for me when I was little and my children have tied quilts I made for them when I was pregnant. So, this winter I decided it was time for them to learn how to tie a quilt. I found a flannel sheet set on sale at Target - fell in love with it's bright, bold colors and set to work. Luckily, my sister-in-law has a set of quilt stands and clamps that her mother gave her so I borrowed them. It took up the entire free space in our downstairs basement living room to set it up. After some fudging with the pillow cases to fill in the space on the fitted sheet (after removing the elastic) it was ready to be used as the backing. The Big Easy and I tacked the pieces and batting to the frame. He had never done such a thing either so it was also a learning experience for him. One of the hardest decisions was where to place the ties - the fabric had an all-over pattern so we just needed to choose which 'snowflake' to use. We settled on a red one that was easy for everyone to spot and seemed to be closest to the starting edges. I showed my two oldest (9 and 7) how to start tying and once they got the hang of it - I showed them how to chain the ties together. They were quick to pick it up! Many memories came flooding back as my youngest (2 1/2) was crawling underneath the quilt and grabbing at the yarn and shaking the frames.

It didn't take us long - the 4 of us tying at the same time. There were times of frustration when the yarn got knotted, the needles came unthreaded, the yarn wouldn't pull through the fabric or spots were missed. But overall I think everyone actually enjoyed themselves and we were working together on something and making it with our hands! We 'popped the tacks' off the edges and the quilt was tied. Lots of 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' as we saw our pattern come to life. Later that day we headed to the fabric store together to choose the binding (yes, I know... can you imagine me at the fabric store with 3 kids and the hubster!??). Originally, I was thinking a flannel would go nicely but everyone fell in love with the feel of the minky fabrics. We picked a green that looked like it would go well. Over the next couple of days I cut the binding and sewed it on. The fabric was nice and stretchy and so, so soft!

I put the quilt upstairs for its true test....would it get some use? Since that day I can gratefully report that it is always unfolded and laid out on the couch! (I fold it back up every night before bed) Used mostly by me and often by the kids. It is warm, large enough for me and all the kids when watching a movie on the couch and a nice pillow when folded up! The best part...we all had a hand in it! I love seeing the random little knots on the back side and the few ties cut just a tad too short. The other day my son said, "Mom, aren't you glad we made this quilt?" I said, "Yes, why do you say that?" His response? "No reason...I'm just glad we did, too!" Ahhhh.....the quilt making baton has been passed.

PSA...

2008-03-11T10:29:00.003-06:00

And now we interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this brief public service announcement....

Just thought you should know. It's never too early to start talking to your kids about the important things. Consider yourself warned!

I'm a Laugher...Not a Lover!

2008-03-07T13:33:00.002-07:00

Okay, I'm not a cat lover...I can admire from a distance and can totally accept that other people have them. Just not gonna have one in my own home (...cue whining, complaining, tears and fit throwing times three...ready, go!) However, this video was posted on Cute Overload and I laughed myself silly - thought you needed a good laugh today, too - Yeah YOU!!!

Have a good weekend!

Introducing.... Dotee Dolls!

2008-03-03T08:43:00.003-07:00

I was made aware of a new craze hitting the crafting/sewing world - Dotee Dolls. They are cute, sassy, quirky and sometimes ugly! They were created by a woman named Dot who lives in Australia. She had no idea it would become such a hit and that women all over would pick up her idea and run with it. So who caught the bug??? You guessed it! ME! Here is my very first gal:

Introducing "PENNY":

And here's a close-up of her face. She has lovely blue eyes and a silver beauty mark to book! Check out that lovely head of swirled silver button hair!

One of the 'trademark' features of the Dotee Doll is the beaded 'tail' and the hanger at the top. This little lovely was made from a bunch of Valentine fabric scraps and beads I've had hanging around forever! I had such fun pulling her together and it was very cathartic! If you'd like to make your own you can find the tutorial on Dot's site. Dot also does lots of other beaded and embellished art dolls and ATC cards - lots of eye candy if you have time to check her out!

I truly did not want to let "Penny" go - but the reason I did her was for a swap. So...the next morning after her photo shoot she was packaged up for a very long trip to Malaysia! Happy landings Penny! I should be receiving my very first Dotee -to keep -shortly and will post a pic after she arrives - I believe from the UK. Aren't they cleverly cute! Feel the Dotee luv and have a Happy Monday!

Too Much Disney lately...

2008-02-21T13:17:00.011-07:00

I think I've heard (heaven knows I don't actually see them they're just always on in the background as I go about my daily activities) too many Disney movies lately! I've got the soundtracks running through my head - especially Peter Pan and wishing on a star. I stumbled on this site and found several things that I would want to have if I could stop growing up and be a kid again (oh yeah and had all the money in the world)!

For example...Here is where I would lay my 'Lost Girl' head at night...

($2,000.00)

And I would sit here while I read stories to the other 'Lost Children':

($350.00)

And it's a toss up about what I would wear out on the island...could be this:

($80.00)

or this:

($198.00)

But would definately be accessorized with a pair of these:

($28.00)

The mermaid lagoon would welcome me - tail and all:

($48.00)

All of these lovely items are indeed for sale at Chasing Fireflies and don't you think for a second that every one of them wasn't in my shopping cart just on the off chance that I got a million dollar windfall in the mail today...or, my ship came 'toot tooting' into the harbor....or the tax return check was going to be earmarked for tons of unecessary and completely frivolous items for a spoiled little 3-year old. Of course we'd think absolutely nothing of dropping $2400+ for fantasy items like these (cough, cough)...just ask Eric! LOL

A gal can dream can't she??? That's what good ol' Walt Disney was all about - thanks Walt!

"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do." - Walt Disney

Another Mile Marker - #9

2008-02-17T19:36:00.002-07:00

Then...

...and Now (Today, to be exact!)

8 years seperate the two pictures and while some days it seems like a lifetime in many ways it seems like just hours ago. I marvel at how much you have changed physically - and never notice it on a daily basis until I stop to compare these kinds of photos or look at old videos. We used to clap as you played "Pat-A-Cake" or sang princess songs - yesterday we clapped and cheered as you ran up and down a basketball court trying to make a basketball shot! I used to read you "Goodnight Moon" now you read to me from your latest issue of American Girl magazine. You used to watch Cinderella over and over - now it's Hannah Montana, Zach and Cody, That's So Raven and I took you to see "The Spiderwick Chronicles" on Saturday night with a girl friend.

You're now ordering off the adult menu at restaurants and picking out your own clothes every morning. You will let me brush your hair - but only if I do it the way you want and it has to be 'just so' with no clips, pony's or bows. You still like to sit next to me or Dad and have us scratch your back or head. You still love to watch tv or movies until late at night and don't like going to bed until you have to! You're doing great in school and have lots of friends. Gratefully your great laugh and giggle haven't changed...just gotten a little deeper. You still love to draw and play imaginative games with your stuffed animals and dolls. "Littlest Pet Shop" toys are some of your favorites right now.

I wish I could say that I had been the perfect parent these past 9 years - I haven't but I've tried hard. I can say that I've loved you to the best of my ability and done all I can to give you opportunities to learn, grow and try new things. I miss the little baby and little bitty girl that danced around in her princess dresses. I do enjoy this new almost 'pre-teen' with her wit and sarcasm...the sass that has been there since day one! I love the things we do together - just us girls. I love your art work and the stories you bring home from school - you amuse me!

It scares me to think you're half-way to the big 18 that will bring you to leaving our nest and out into the adult world. Wow! Exciting for you and nerve racking for me! Better get started on imparting some more wisdom, nagging, cajoling, loving, cuddling, praising and enjoying every precious moment until my next 'then' moment! The "NOW"s are coming way too fast!

Happy 9th Birthday Big Girl!

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T09:59:00.001-07:00

I found this cute page in a magazine a while back - love the picture and the quotes are good reminders that many of us have probably heard before.

Happy Hearts Day!

The Darndest Things!

2008-02-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Parent/Teacher Conferences for our oldest daughter and our son. It's always a pleasure - luckily we have great kids with good minds and hearts who love school (so far so good...we're up to 3rd grade!). Anyway - during our daughter's conference the teacher gave us a true 'gem' that she'd had her class make. It's a booklet titled "Third Grade Words of Wisdom". She used popular cliches and cut off the well known endings and had her students fill in the blanks and illustrate their new 'sayings'. Here is our daughter's sayings and illustrations. (We enjoyed the drawings as much, if not more than the words). She wanted to add a disclaimer that she didn't have enough time to color them all in. So now you know! Prepare to laugh!

If I'd only known if was the gift horse's eye I was trying to avoid all this time and not his mouth - ugh! and I'll try to remember that 'freezer trick' next time things get too hot! Out of the mouths of babes...words to live by!

Tripped and Fell!...down Memory Lane

2008-02-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

I was reading one of my favorite blogs this morning Confessions of a Pioneer Woman and she was talking about 'morning people'. I am not truly one of them - more of a mid-morning person myself. Anywhoo...that led me to thinking about my dad waking us up with a "Good Morning Captain" straight out of the 70's show Captain Kangaroo and my reply of "Good Morning Mr. Green Jeans". Which in turn led me to a quick search on You Tube to see if by chance they had any clips of Captain Kangaroo's show. Lo and behold - the beauty of You Tube!!!!

Don't they have everything!? My youngest DD sat glued to this clip and wanted to watch it 3-4 times - it still has charm! They just don't make things like this anymore. Boy, did it bring back memories! I had a Raggedy Ann doll just like that big one and think my sister did too! I remember watching this dancing bear on Captain Kangaroo. Probably this exact episode because I loved me some Captain and loved Raggedy! A double treat! I was a total child of the 70's. In a quick 'google' search I saw that the Captain Kangaroo show continued until the 80's but I would have been in high school by then. I remember the moose, the rabbit, the ping pong balls, Mr. Green Jeans....great stuff! Anyone else love an old man in a red suit (not Santa - though loved him too!), a naughty bunny and a guy in green? Raise your hand and don't be shy about it!

Balance and Inspiration

2008-02-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

My Dad sent me an email this morning with a video clip that brought me to tears - you can read the background and see the video here:

Extraordinary Couple Win Dance Contest!

Chinese modern dance competition. This lady has one arm and the guy has one leg. The lady, in her 30s, was a dancer and had been trained as one since she was a little girl. Later she got into some kind of accident and lost her entire left arm. She was depressed for a few years but then someone asked her to coach a children's dancing group. From that point on, she realized she could not forget dancing. She still loved to dance and she wanted to dance again. She started to do some of her old routines, but by losing an arm, she also lost her balance. It took a while before she could even make simple turns andspins without falling.

Then she heard about a guy in his 20s who had lost a leg in an accident. This guy also fell into the usual denial, depression and anger type of emotional roller coaster. She looked him up (he was from a different Province) and persuaded him to dance with her. He had never danced before and to dance with one leg? Are you joking with me? No way, he thought. But she didn't give up & finally he reluctantly agreed, saying, "I have nothing else to do anyway." She started teaching him dancing 101. He had no concept of using muscle, controlling his body, and a few other basic things about dancing. When she became frustrated and lost patience with him, he would walk out. Eventually they started training. They hired a choreographer to design routines specifically for them and their handicaps. They danced so beautifully and powerfully that they legitimately beat all the others in the competition! They truly are incredible. Now enjoy watching them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLVRQCjh8c

I was quite emotional watching this video clip - for a variety of reasons. I am not a trained dancer but took many years of dance lessons. I've often wondered what my life would have been like if I had 'stuck with it' - or better yet if I'd had the drive and motivation to truly make it happen in my life. I wonder what would happen if I had the drive and determination that these two people in the video clip exhibit? and applied that in different aspects of my life?

It takes incredible balance just to walk (ask me I know! as I often trip and hit my legs and arms in the house) - can't imagine dancing without a limb. But doesn't daily life take balance in many aspects? It's good to be a balanced person and it requires such a concerted effort some days to keep from tipping over and losing it all. That reminds me of one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movie musicals: "Fiddler on the Roof"

Tevye: A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!

Ahh....Tevya! That's right! Traditions, rituals, faith, customs, habits, routines, schedules and all those little daily things that keep us going. I hope you've been inspired. I have and will be pondering it some more. Now go forth - have a day! Be inspired and make it better for someone else!

Drum Roll Please...We have an Apron Winner!

2008-02-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did things the old fashioned way and cut up all the 293 comments into individual strips. I used a bowl since a knit beanie wouldn't have allowed me to show you all the lovely comments.

Yes, I allowed my almost 3 year old to pull a strip out 'randomly' - she had no clue what I was doing and I do mean that literally! "Why mommy the papers?"

And the winner is.....

Ben and April !

Congratulations! I was overwhelmed with the 293 comments I received on the giveaway! I know some people think it's just the 'gimme's' talking - but I like to feel the love! Come back again some time and I'll be posting next week some more about where the aprons come from and how you can make your very own. To those of you that asked - I don't sell them, just make them for my family and friends but would be happy to direct you on how to make your own! It was a fun carnival and now I'm spent! Ya'll come back now ya hear!

"Ben and April said... Beautiful apron!!! Thanks!"

Leave Your Winter Blahs - It's a Carnival!!!

2008-01-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Check it out! It's a Giveaway!

There is a Bloggy Giveaways Carnival and I have decided to participate. I spent lots of time (okay only about 30 minutes on and off while being interrupted by a 2 and 1/2 year old) trying to figure out what I would giveaway and decided to stay with my apron theme.

I will be giving away a Fabulous Friday Night Apron!

I have one already made up that is almost exactly like the one pictured above. (Check out the slide show for some of the other ones I made during the holidays.) I also have some great "Elvis" fabric and some adorable pink striped spring fabric that would look terrific made up into an apron. The winner can take their pick of the pre-made apron above or tell me what their favorite color combination or theme is and let me get to work.

I will take comments until Friday night at midnight (MST) and the winner will be drawn (from a knitted beanie) Saturday at 8am (MST) and posted shortly thereafter or as soon as we finish breakfast; whichever comes first.

Make sure to include your email address in your comment if it doesn't link directly to your blog or website so I have a way to contact the winner.

Happy contest giveaway perusing! And make sure to check out the bloggy carnival for lots more giveaways!!

It's a Keeper - Cake Mix Extender

2008-01-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had this experience? Once in a while you stumble upon something that is so simple and you wish you'd found years ago? I had such an 'Aha! moment a few months ago while looking for recipes on the Internet. I've often made cakes that didn't quite fill the pan or made cupcakes that are a smidgen small. I've also wished I had 1-2 extras for hungry little ones. (my kiddos are always clamoring for cupcakes that I'm taking to school or church and sadly disappointed when they find out there's none for them.)

Here's a simple solution I found: A way to make a bigger and better cake mix. Makes a 13x9 pan come out very high and moist and makes 2-3 extra cupcakes.

Cake Mix Extender Recipe

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

Mix all together. Add to your already mixed cake mix batter. Bake per directions but may need and additional 5-10 minutes longer to become done.

For more fun tips on everything from organization and recipes to cleaning - check out a fun blog Rocks In My Dryer. It's "Works For Me Wednesday" over there and you might just find something you've been wishing you'd find for years!

Clap your hands...Tink is back!

2008-01-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

They opened a Disney Store a couple of weeks ago at a mall near us. Guess who hadn't been until a couple of days ago? Guess who was only to happy to take their sweet little 2-year-old-princess-loving-sweetie in to check out the Disney Wonderland? Guess who got sucked into the Disney Princess Vortex? Guess who was only to happy to shell out $40+ for a brand spankin' new (albeit on clearance) 'coscume' (that's costume for those of you unfamiliar with 2-year old language) of Tinkerbell and shoes and a crown! I have to say all the sparkle, pink, Disney Musak playing in the background and the friendly customer service put me into some kind of Mickey Mouse stupor! I don't know how to act..."take me to your coscumes"! I swear I think they pipe pixie dust into the air ducts - Disney crack if you will! I tried to show my sweetie all the cute, less than $10 items she could take home but it was all about the 'coscumes'. She really wanted the Cinderella 'coscume' displayed in front but since that was full-price (heaven forbid) I was able to convince her that the Tinker Bell, frilly, green, tutu was a much better alternative. She was so happy with the purchase and hugged the bag out to the car and couldn't wait to get home and try it on. I was almost as giddy as she was waiting to see what it would look like....precious!...adorable!!!...cute!...stinkin' cute even! and then these immortal words utter forth from the mouth of my now freshly adorned and minted Tinker Bell..."Where's My Wings?"...

Ack! For $40+ couldn't the Disney powers-that-make-princesses-to-be include the wings!? Nope, obviously not! It included the tights and the fabulous Tinker Bell cameo pin and all the glitter and fairy dust on the tutu but no wings. I bought the shoes and crown but didn't think to get wings. Oh well...Not going back...you know as well as I do what will happen...we'd leave with a Cinderella 'coscume' next time!

She has continued to 'mention' to everyone who passes by and sees her costume that 'I have no wings' - sad isn't it!? I pulled some wings from a different costume but she's no dummy and while she tried them on, probably for my sake, they just didn't 'fit' and they were removed after a couple of minutes. Not the right color or size I'm sure.

The Big Easy may have had an 'eye popping' moment over the price but there was no denying the cuteness factor or her face lighting up when she wears her 'coscume' and prances around the house. It is the first thing she puts on in the morning and we have to practically peel it off of her at night. I love it! I am enjoying every minute of my baby girl being a full-fledged, card-carrying member of the prissy princess club! Dress it up baby Tinker Bell!

They're making a comeback...Apron's that is!

2008-01-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

I made 12 of them for Christmas, that's right....12!!! Actually a few more if you count the 3 I made for the kiddos out of the IKEA Christmas kitchen towels - okay, I was a smokin' hot apron maker for the holidays. Most were made using the Vanilla House Designs "Friday Night Apron" or "Sunday Dinner Apron" patterns. Very easy to use, both of them - but I prefer the sexy, sassy look of the Friday Night one (see one lucky recipient sassin' it out in hers in the slide show). I think aprons are making a revival (nah, I KNOW they are!). I wish I had more and I wish I had some antique and retro ones that I know we played around with as girls that belonged to mom, Granny and Granny C. Who would have known!?

There is a cool site devoted to the apron and all things apron'y' (is that a word?). They are having a giveaway of a cool book about aprons. If you go to their site and make a comment you can be entered in the give away. Check it out: http://www.apronista.blogspot.com/ Hmmm...all those aprons and not one for me - there's a problem with that. I've got some sassy "Elvis print' fabric that needs to be made into an apron and picked up some adorable striped fabric on our anniversary trip. I think it's time for me to get a new Friday Night Apron. Whatcha think?

8:00 am and all's well

2008-01-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yep, 8:00 am on New Year's Eve and I'm awake to verify that all's well in the computer kingdom and at least in Lehi, Utah. We were able to ring in the New Year last night at my brother's house...the first time every one of us made it to midnight! It was a Christmas Miracle! Everyone was so tired and the kids were getting their second winds running around like loons with balloons after a round of attempted balloon animal making gone awry. The two, 2-year olds, surprisingly were the best behaved of the bunch and about 11:45pm it was all about the 'poppers'. Big Easy had purchased some of those little poppers and sadly, that was the highlight of their evening. We had to take 'baby steps' to midnight...staving them off with Dick Clark's "New Years Rockin' Eve". Poor Dick needs to retire, he looks like an animatronic from Disneyland.

After a long commercial for the new season of "Lost" the show came back on and it was suddenly 11:58pm. The vP's threw on their coats and shoes (so we could leave as soon as the festivities were over), watched the ball drop in Times Square - none of the kids realized it was pre-recorded and headed out for the total of 3-minutes it took to pull all the poppers and litter the front porch and snow with confetti. It was so freezing cold it was hard for the kids to enjoy it. My littlest refused to even consider holding one or pulling the rip cord. We piled in the car and headed for home watching neighborhood fireworks the whole 1/2 mile home. All vP kiddos were in bed by 12:10 am. BE and I took a bit longer to unload the car, clean, pick up, transfer laundry and finally collapse around 1:00 am. We had a good night - too much good food: homemade buffalo wings, dips, hamburgers, freshly made french fries, Martinellis, chocolates, egg nog and assorted snacks.

2007 was a good year! 2008 will only be better. Topping the resolution list for all is to lose 30 lbs by the family reunion in August. D, T, BE, Nana, Pops and I are all 'in' on this one. If we pull together it can be done. Gotta 'de junk' the house. I pray all challenges can be met with my backpack full of emotional and mental tools at the ready and if my bag is empty I will be able to find friends and family behind me with bags full. My wish for all of you is the same and more. The hills and valleys will come - may we have our heads up to see them! TTFN!

The Shouting is Over!

2007-12-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Christmas came in a blizzard...luckily Santa drives a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer otherwise he may not have made it! We were blessed, yet again, with an abundance of gifts, good food and time together with family. The favorite gifts were a kitchen for the littlest chef in our house, a trampoline that won't be set up until our yard is thawed and uncovered in the spring and "We got a Wii!"

I felt misty eyed and teary at two special gifts - the first from The Big Easy, a huge picture frame that held 30 photos. He had taken the time to find, print and display some of our favorite Disneyland pictures from our many trips over the years. I knew he had been working on something but couldn't figure out what he was doing...it was his 'handmade' item and it was indeed heartfelt and special. It is a treasure I will place in my craft room or the family room so we can admire and remember.

The second gift was from my parents and something they got for each of their children and their families. It was a complete set of the family genealogy and temple work that had been done thus far. It is a treasure. Tucked in the front cover is a letter from my mom that I haven't read yet. I saw it and knew that I would need a Kleenex and some 'alone time' to do it justice - not amid the wrapping paper toss and shouting that was happening. I will have to shovel out some time today so I can read it. It also includes some other special thoughts from Dad and Mom - what a lot of work and something that has no price tag.

I felt a lot of satisfaction in making a lot of my gifts this year. I think next year I will try harder to find things I can do for the kids as well. I plan on doing the 'handmade holiday thing' again. Whether it was received in the same spirit it was given, I may never know...but I enjoyed it! I am a little 'let down' to not have a pile of things to be working on, but D'Artagnan has requested a robe for his Birthday (that's today!) Got to get sewing...

Snow!

2007-12-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

It is C-O-L-D here! We got a major rain-turned-snow storm over the weekend. Why does snow have to look so soft and fluffy - like I want to lay down in it and roll around it??? NOT! It sure is pretty to look at when it's falling and when everything is newly white. However...I have the hardest time getting warm (must be my Arizona native blood). It does help with the Christmas spirit though. Monday night we made sugar cookies from a new recipe taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks website http://www.thepioneerwomancooks.com/- super yummy!

I'm still cranking out the gifts for Christmas - finished up two aprons for the kids' teachers using the Sunday Dinner Apron pattern by Vanilla House Designs. That brings my total apron count to 10...2 from this pattern and 8 from the Friday Night Apron pattern. I love the aprons - they are so easy to make and turn out so cute! I have had a terrific time finding fabrics to suit each person's personality and the sassier the fabrics the cuter the apron.

I found a set of dish towels at IKEA (3 for 1.99) that I turned into aprons for the kids to use while making Christmas sugar cookies. Will post pics of them here soon. They are super excited to have their very own aprons and my son wanted his right away to wear to dinner. I explained that it wasn't necessarily an over-sized bib but for cooking/baking purposes but then again...why not!? My oldest daughter and I made a sock snowman tonight based on the advent activities found on the Bella Dia activity advent site: http://belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/christmas_book_activity_advent/index.html. She named him "Oatmeal" - the 'cast off' name from Frosty the Snowman. He is adorable and we had a great time. Wish there were more hours in the day to do all the crafty activities available for the holidays!

I sent off all my out-of-town packages this week and the 'hand-made' items for my brothers and brother-in-law was a spice mix a la "Emeril Lagasse". I put the mix in little glass jars found at IKEA and wrapped in fabric remnants. It wasn't quite as labor intensive as the aprons but since most of them enjoy BBQ'ing and have turned out to be excellent cooks I think it'll be well received.

I have a couple more aprons left to make for Mom and one SIL and need to find a cutesy tootsie pattern or make up one for my little one. She will most likely get a kitchen from Santa (SHHH!) and I found some adorable pink fabric that would make a perfect kitchen apron to go with it! A new robe is the latest request from my son - perfect for the birthday bear to bring him (his birthday is the 26th). Anyone have a great robe pattern or tutorial???...

Holiday Recipes

2007-12-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

I've been in such a sewing and creating mood lately that I've almost neglected my cooking and baking. I love the smells of the holiday season - especially those tried and true recipes that can catapult me back to time spent with my brothers and sister growing up. Chocolate gravy is one of those, eaten every Christmas morning and often again on New Year's morning. Another is cheese balls that my grandma and mom would make to give away on a tray surrounded by crackers. We always looked forward to the extra (odd ball, cheese ball) that would be left for us to snack on as we waited for Santa.

Cheese boats are another 'family recipe' that not many people have heard of. I come from a small town in Arizona, Globe. I grew up with everyone making them and knowing what they were - we made them for fundraisers and sold them! My mom tended to make them only at the holidays and for the last several years The Big Easy and I have made lots of them and given them away to our friends and neighbors. The kids would help with scooping out the bread and enjoy either eating it, throwing it or saving it for the ducks and birds. We would put 6-8 in a freezer bag and attach instructions for how to heat and eat. We've gotten lots of compliments, requests for recipes and "You're making cheese boats again this year, aren't you?" Sadly, since moving to Utah we haven't made them but maybe next year we'll get back in the 'boat' making mode. Thought you may like to try them this holiday season or any time during the year you need to try something new!

Chocolate Gravy

1 Can Evaporated Milk
1/2 Square Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Baker's Chocolate)
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Heaping Tbsp Corn Starch
1/2 Can Water (Use the Milk Can)

In a double boiler or a pan that will not burn easily - mix milk, water and square of chocolate. Stir often until chocolate is thoroughly melted. (To prevent burning, be sure to stir continually if not in a double boiler) In a separate bowl mix sugar and corn starch together. Add just enough water to make a thick mixture. Bring chocolate mixture to a boil and when it is boiling add in the sugar mixture. Continue lightly boiling and stirring until it thickens. (Hint: if it is not thick enough, to a pudding like consistency, you can mix a little more corn starch with water and add to the chocolate). Serve over baking powder biscuits. (We always just follow the recipe on the Bisquick box!). Split the biscuit in half, top with a pat of butter and pour on the gravy, enjoy!! Yum, Yum! Makes a small recipe enough for about 2-4 people.

Cheese Ball

2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
2 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp pimento
1 Tbsp finely chopped green pepper
1 Tbsp grated onion
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
dash of salt
few drops of Tabasco
1 1/2 - 2 cups of finely chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients together. Divide into two and form into balls. Roll each ball into the pecans until coated. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill. Serve with crackers and enjoy!

Cheese Boats

1 lb. Longhorn/Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can El Pato tomato sauce (hot tomato sauce) if you can't find- use 2 cans regular
1 small jar diced pimentos
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine
1 large can diced green chilies
1/2 Cup olives, chopped fine
1 bunch green onion, chopped
4 tsp. vinegar
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 and 1/2 dozen french rolls (you want a nice crispy crust so they'll hold their shape)

Combine all ingredients, except rolls, in a large bowl. Take the rolls and slice off their tops so you have a nice 'lid'. Use a spoon or fork to scoop out the insides leaving a thin shell all the way around, leaving the sides intact. (Save the bread you take out for bread pudding, croutons or bread crumbs). Carefully fill each roll with the cheese mixture. Place the 'lids' back on each roll and wrap in a square of aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese is melted (approx 20 minutes). *NOTE* These can be frozen before heating and then heated for a longer period of time when ready to eat.

* I often remove them from the foil and place on a cookie sheet before cooking to crisp up the bread. If you like crispy outer shells this is just the thing for you!

Handcrafter's Holidays Meme

2007-12-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

Well in case you are wondering - it DID snow over the weekend, Friday night to be exact! We had a breakfast with Santa Saturday morning so it was just a perfect intro to him riding in on his sleight. Our youngest did not enjoy meeting Santa and was terrified of the whole experience - a duplicate photo of last year's crying snapshot. It's a keeper!

I did finish two the Amy Butler bags for Morgane and her sister but the package to France has not been sent off. We are still in search of something unique for her brother - what do you send a French young man in his early 20's??? We'll have to track down something asap! I spent all day today decorating the inside of the house - putting up two trees this year (one upstairs and one downstairs). The upstairs in a noble fir and smells so good. It is decorated with hand-made ornaments and traditional colors and breakable (but cheap) glass bulbs. The downstairs is our artifical tree and full of our 10-year collection of ornaments. It was so fun to pull them all out this morning and reminisce the beginnings of each one. How far we've come and yet how far we still have to go. (The Big Easy and I will celebrate our 10-year anniversary this month!) My sweet little 2-year old was very eager to help place ornaments and did an excellent job - didn't break a one. She tenderly grouped like items together in low spots on the tree and didn't complain when mommy rearranged a few of them to other spots. The other two came home after school to a 'decorated' house and it was heart warming to hear their 'oohs' and 'aaahs' as they ran around re-discovering all their beloved ornaments, stockings, favorite Christmas books, stuffed animals and knick knacks. It made every maddening moment of decorating worth it. We decorated a pre-packaged gingerbread house kit (our first ever). Went smoother than planned despite a caved in roof. Hope it's still standing in the morning.

I love the website "Sew, Mama, Sew" and thought I'd get to answering the questions for their Handcrafter's Holidays Meme:

Do you have a favorite gift that you love to give?
Every year Santa puts a toothbrush in our children's stocking and a Lifesavers Book (just like he did when I was a little girl!)

If you’re making gifts this year, what are you making?
(See the photos)

Name one thing on your personal wish list.
A Clover bias tape maker and a gift certificate to Broadbents (a 100-year old department store here that has the most fantastic assortment of quilting fabric not to mention tons of other odds and ends.)

Do you make and sell things that would make fantastic gifts?
Not yet - maybe next year if things go over well this year LOL

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
We always have a family talent show on Christmas Eve. The kids often showcase their instruments and singing abilities. The adults do some goofy things like lip synching and playing kid-sized trumpets and pianos. My dad always reads Luke 2 and my mom always closes by singing "O Holy Night".

Have you started any new traditions with your family that you didn’t practice growing up?
Wrapping gifts - Santa never wrapped our gifts when I was a kid, they were always just laid out when we went in the room. I think it's more fun to have them wrapped.

What do you love most about the holiday season?
Doing things together as a family whether it's just the 5 of us or with our extended family and friends. We are so lucky!

What do you like least about the holiday season?
When I feel stressed about getting 'bigger and better' and allow myself to get too materialistic

Anyone close to your heart that you’ll be missing this year?
Just those family members in Texas and Arizona that we won't physically be with - but in spirit we will!

What is your favorite holiday food?
Chocolate gravy. We have it every Christmas morning. People think it's weird but we've never had anyone that tried it, not like it. Think warm chocolate pudding on baking powder biscuits. We make the biscuits from scratch - split them in half, top with a pat of real butter and pour on the chocolate gravy. Served with a slice or two of ham and a glass of milk. YUM! It's a family tradition that's been done as long as I can remember and I'm going to be 41!

Santa's Workshop

2007-11-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

It's going to snow today - hopefully (said with fingers crossed). I can only remember one, maybe two, white Christmases in Arizona growing up but I always wished for them. I have my craft room filled with projects I'm working on for Christmas and I've gladly dubbed it "Santa's Workshop". Goodies for extended family, kids, mom, dad and the Big Easy. I have many of them completed and hanging in the closet. I hope to post pictures soon. I have to get off a package to France by Monday. I decided to work on some "Stash and Dash" bags by Amy Butler for Morgane and her Sister, Aubrey. I figure even French girls need stylish little bags to hold their makeup and essentials in. I found a darling little cowboy print at Broadbents last Saturday and fell in love with "Olivia Pig" prints in black and red. Got to get to work...

Sew, Mama, Sew! blog has been posting tons of tutorials (one a day for the month of November) on things to sew for the holidays. I can't keep up with all the fun things I'd like to sew. If I can get these things done that need to be mailed - then I can spend time on the projects for those can be worked on up until the last minute. The house is still not decorated and the tree needs to be put up - probably Saturday. I'm 'de-briefing' from Thanksgiving and the dissapointment from getting B.E.'s test results on Saturday. There is lots of unsurety in the future of what to do regarding pharmacy school (or not). Luckily, crafting makes me relax and brings a happy air to my soul. The Big Easy needs a hobby! smile!

Like a Lemming

2007-09-17T18:52:00.000-06:00

Not wanting to be left out of the current trends (albeit quite a late joiner) I think I'll actually post to the blog I set up over a year and a half ago. It seems the thing to do...

Wher am I now? It's almost 7:00 pm - an hour to go until the kiddos bed time (not that I'm counting down or anyting). The Big Easy is gone to class - where he is every night straight after work. Luckily, I'm not bitter or resentful (hah!) and I handle being a single parent at night with such finesse and grace (double hah!) Truth be told, I'm hiding out in the computer room to catch my breath and sanity while my kids tear up the other room. It's either that or someone's going down - better me than them. At least the walls are still standing. No one's crying yet...at least not me :D.

Where have I been today?

Costco for the mundane: toilet paper, facial cleanser and the outrageously cute princess costume that kiddo #3 (aka spoiled rotten) did NOT need but I purchased anyway for $30 and now have buyers remorse. Should I take it back? She's only 2 1/2 once!? And she's my last one - my last girl - she's really into Princesses! What if she hates them next year like her older sister? and all I'm stuck with is a pirate/ninja/ghoul? Okay who am I kidding, I want to keep the costume - just wish it came in my size and it was really okay for a 40-year-old to parade around in it all day like a 2-year old. It's not so cute when a grown woman wears it all week is it? You can see why the little girls like it, can't you? (of course the Disney marketing gurus are brilliant) but the magic of it all is spellbinding. Back in the day when I still believed in my somedays...oh yeah where was I?

On to the dentist for 'color matching' on the crowns that will be cemented in a week or so (holding my breath for that day - did Cinderella every go to the dentist?) Got impressions for the bleach whitening trays for my teeth - oooohhh hope everyone has had that experience! It's so very much fun having that goop slopped and shoved all over your mouth! Not to mention feeling like all your teeth are being slowly yanked out when they remove it. However, I have visions of white (okay, whit'er') sparkly, Princess-like teeth after I get the trays, bleach every night, gag and finish after a few weeks). The price of beauty.

Macy's to return a 'tampered with' foundation to the Estee Lauder counter. Yesterday, I opened my brand-new bottle of foundation to find it full of a floral scented lotion and then further down in the bottle (yes, I dug in with Q-tips to see what was under the lotion) was the foundation mixed with lotion. DISGUSTING! And to boot had to go show up to church 5 minutes late, sans foundation! Fortunately, for her, the saleswoman was very pleasant, apologetic and helpful. I got a 2nd 'free gift' and went on my merry way (take heart - there really are some responsible customer service people out there!). The kids get out early from school on Mondays - ugh! WHY MONDAYS!!!! But after homework it was on to dinner, clean up and here I sit.

Where am I going tomorrow? More of the same with the kids: making lunches in the morning, it is picture day so everyone's hair and clothes must be clean and in order, kids are driven so scoottering won't muss the hair, breakfast, Yo Gabba Gabba (a very annoying new kids show for the little Princess) so I can hopefully shower and get makeupped (with my new and completely untampered with foundation) by 10:00am - that's my goal. Kiddo #1 has a new sculpture class starting tomorrow that she is dying with anticipation - we are all dying for her to start so we can stop hearing about it starting! I am hoping to start book #3 in the Twilight series "Eclipse" - Edward and Bella are waiting for me. I'm almost hesitant to start it because I know it's the last one for a while. The other two I read in the past 4 days. After this book is done - don't know where my next literary escape will be. I'm open for suggestions.

This entry was very 'surface' and skin deep - I'll probably be able to dig deeper when I'm less concerned about the walls and the chaos happening in the next room. TTFN!