In Sickness and In Health...

I have committed to quit drinking Mt. Dew. Some of you know of my lifelong struggle with this. And it's actually very pathetic! But that's my lot in life. It's not a lot, but it's my life. :)

I've gone 7 days without a soda! Well, I had one bottle of Mt. Dew right before our date on Saturday because I was starting to feel really sick and I needed a kick to make it through the night. There is NO WAY I'm not going out with Bret if I can help it!!! BUT, except for that one soda, I haven't had a single can of pop in 7 days!!! This includes ANY other type of soda too! I haven't seen the weight pour off, but I know why it isn't doing that yet. In an effort to "get off" the Mt. Dew, I allow myself a chocolate shake. Stop Laughing, it works!!! Now I need to find something to get me off chocolate shakes.... Hahaha. Not really!

I am expecially proud of myself because I have been VERY sick and the only thing that I wanted during the past 4 days has been my soda. There's nothing like a strong drink to clear your head and quiet your upset tummy. But I resisted the temptation.

Anyway, I just had to share that with you all! Wish me continued luck!

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS!!!!!

I am the PTA Secretary and we are REALLY looking for Crafters who would like to come and buy a spot to sell their things. You will only spend the $50 and keep ALL of your sales! There is going to be a lot of traffic through the school this night. The craft fair will be in the cafeteria and there will be a Carnival going on in the back of the school. Everyone has to walk right past the cafeteria to get to the back. :)

Please, if you are interested let me know or call the contact (Valerie)!!! It's a way to earn some extra money for Christmas!! Thank You!!!

Oh and feel free to post this on your blogs too or tell anyone that makes/sells crafts!

What's Left After A Raging Party (Livvy Style)!!

Yesterday we went to Greg & Jackie's for my Nieces' birthday party and it was SO fun!! There was a blow-up bouncy thing and face painting and cake and lots of lots of kids!!! :) And as you can see (sortof) Aunt Jackie painted Livvy the most cutest puppy face ever!!! This picture is from this morning though so almost all of it has worn off. She wouldn't let me wash it so we kept it on for bed. I would have posted a pick when it was fresh and super cute, but although you'd think that at least one of 8 adults would have brought a camera to commemorate the party - we didn't. Morons, all of us!! I am the smartest moron though, I at least had a camera ready to take and sitting by the presents to carry out to the car. The kids grabbed the presents and not the camera. It was left at home. :(

Giving my kids.....

a little bit of my childhood!

Last Saturday Bret and his BFF, Duane, planned a sand volleyball night at this park near us. They invited TONS of families from the Ward and we weren't sure who would show up. It was very causual and "whateverish". We had about 10 families come and it was SOOOOOOO much fun!!!
The volleyball nets were in a big sand pit with 2 courts side-by-side. Some of the adults played on one court and all the kids (about 20) played in the other one in the sand.
We all stayed out till late and as it grew dark I looked over at the kids. Their ages ranged from 2-12 and they were all interacting and playing and connecting without adults bugging them. They were close enough to keep an eye on, but far enough to just be themselves.
It reminded me of when I was a kid and we would stay out late in the summer and run around the neighborhood as a large pack of wolves (crazy and free). We'd play games like tag & hide-n-seek. Or run around in someone's front yard because their mom wouldn't let them leave the yard after dark. :)
It was amazing freedom and I didn't think about how great it was to be with other kids without adult interaction until I watched all the kids last Saturday. You know, you get all those emails passed on to you about the beauty of the old days. And I get sad sometimes about the fact that my kids will never have what we had. BUT I often tell myself that when they are 30ish they'll have emails (or something more hightech) passed around about the good old days of WII's and MP3 players. About the freedom of antibacterial everything and life lessons like 9/11.
But it makes my heart happy that I got to provide for them a little bit of MY childhood. That freedom and connection with other kids!!
They had so much fun! All the kids worked together to make a pile of sand as tall as Elizabeth's waist. I wish I had brought my camera! The big kids were even burying the little kids in the sand and the little kids were LOVING it!!! LOL - I think we'll have to do it again soon. :)

Would You Do It For A Pancake Snack?!

How can you pass up the opportunity to use that comment as a Title for your post?!

This morning we had Grandma Pancakes. My mom makes these pancakes and my kids LOVE them!!!! In fact, when we visit Jake tells me that he is most excited to have Grandma Pancakes. She even makes real cool shapes!! (sometimes you have to tilt your head and squint your eyes) :)
Every once in a while I make Grandma Pancakes for the kids. A few months back my mom saw these things you can use to pour the mix into and tada there's the shape! SO simple!!! I RARELY make shapes for my kids (I'm a horrible, lazy mom). But now I make them all the time!!! I even invented my own shape - PacMan. And for all you other horrible, lazy moms, here is how you do it. Just make a normal circle shape and then slather it in butter and lastly (the hardest part) take a bite! I'd like to say that I actually put thought into that shape (I've reached new levels of pathetic!!) but it happened because I made a few of the shapes (Mom, if you see more get them for me, I'll pay you for them) and then I made a few circles too. I gave each kid a shape and a circle. Jake walked up and saw Livvy's plate (the circle had a bite out of it) and he said, "Hey, I want a PacMan too!!!!"
Accident is the best invention! LOL

During breakfast Elijah said, "Mom, don't call me 'Elijah' any more. Instead call me Pancake Boy. Like Scooby Doo only with Pancakes."
I then said, "Would you do it for a Pancake Snack?" (You know, like a Scooby Snack, only with pancakes) :)

Oh Wyoming!!!

Yes Mom, you heard correctly - Wyoming!!!

Let me explain for the rest of you.
Many years ago in a time far away there lived a family. There was a hard-working father, a righteous mother, 4 completely ordinary (bordering on boring) children, and one completely amazing, sweet, beautiful, dazzling daughter. Lets call her "Stephanie" (all names have NOT been changed). LOL
This family lived through much hardship. They moved often and yet through all the trials they found joy in one another. Until that fateful day! The day they moved to Wyoming!!!
Mother looked around the desolate wateland and declared, "Wyoming shall be my new curse word!"
And hence the tradition was started within the family that when a particularly nasty word was needed to express oneself, WYOMING was used.

(present day)
Now, do you understand my post title?! Let me expound on it.

HOW MUCH WYOMING MONEY DO YOU PUT INTO A PIECE OF WYOMING VAN!!!???!!!! I don't even care at this point if its paid for. :(

Yet again we have run into a bit of problems with the van. When we left for church on Sunday it wouldn't start. Later that day we jump started it and Bret drove it around for a little while to get it charged up again. During his jaunt around the neighborhood the wipers came on and off, the lights flickered, and things went chaotic. I do NOT have, nor do I want, a magic van!!!!
The electrical was down. We took it in and I've had one Wyoming of a week with only one vehicle and having to be at the school every morning to help with vision and hearing testing. Our "one" vehicle won't even fit our whole family in it and Bret works until 10:30 some nights so I can't take him to and from work if I need a vehicle. (By the way, I HATE hassle of any kind)!!!
We got the van back on Wednesday and within a block I realized there were still problems. We took it back, got it fixed AGAIN and took it home. Then Thursday morning I get up to take the kids to school and as we are driving along I notice that there are more (other) problems. :( ARGH!!!! WYOMING WYOMING WYOMING!!!!! (Insert any or all curse words into that wyoming phrase)

When is too much $$ to put into a piece of junk? I think we just might find out my limits with this one.

So sweet Mom, kind Nikki, and gentle Jen (she's not really "gentle", that just sounded cool with "Jen") - please be patient with me while I hide from the world when I can and cry when I can't!!! I promise to call you each when I can deal with more than what is on my plate right now. I'll tell you - the van problems are only half of it. I'm just ultrabusy and frustrated. :(

A Very Nice Day

Well, it has been a very nice Labor day for us over at the Little house! While Bret was at his buddy's house drafting for the Fantasy Football, the kids and I planned a Surprise Family B-Day Party for him. It wasn't any grand thing, but something for the kids to do. His Birthday isn't until tomorrow, but we all have a very busy day so we did it today. The kids and I decorated the house and made a special dinner for him. We made Crab Stuffed Chicken. Bret LOVES seafood, but I VERY VERY VERY rarely cook it. I can't stand the stuff!!!! In fact, when I was pregnant with Elizabeth he'd always eat Linquine and Clam Sauce. The stuff was sooooo nasty and made me sooooo sick that he wasn't allowed to eat it while I was pregnant. :)
So, anyway....
I took chicken breast and pounded it out. Then I rolled crab meat in the middle and added some salt and pepper. After cooking that over the stove I made a very creamy green onion type of sauce to pour over the chicken. We also had Caesar salad and garlic bread. It was a very rich and fatty meal!!! Once a year, right?! :)
Then we all played games and goofed off. It was a nice fun day together! I sure am grateful for my little family! They bring me such joy and contentment. :)
We had a neat scripture reading tonight to top it all off. There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon that talks about Helaman and the Stripling Warriors. Before they go into battle Helaman talks about how they poured out their souls to God that they would be delivered from their enemies; that they would be able to protect their cities and their people.
I stopped at this point and asked the kids if they had enemies in their lives. They all nodded and I asked them what their enemies were.
"Bullies," Elijah replied.
"Satan's temptations," was Elizabeth's response.
We named off a few more and then I continued and asked them what are the "cities" they are trying to protect.
"Our Family!" Jake called out (I say "called out" because Jake just isn't a quiet boy - he shouts everything he has to say!)
"You're RIGHT!" I said and he smiled.
We talked about how special our family is and that they have to fight their enemies in life to keep our family strong and together. Then I read the next verse which talks about the peace that Helaman and his Warriors felt and they knew in their hearts that they would be protected! :)
I told the kids how important it is for us to pray everyday to conquer our enemies and in return Heavenly Father will help us feel peace in our hearts and the strength to handle those "enemies".
(sigh) There was such a calm, sweet Spirit around our little family as we read these scriptures.

Yes, it was a very good day today! :)