I have debated weather or not to post this, because it almost feels like I am robbing my family of the best recipe in the world. This is sooooo incredibly good it is crazy!
One warning....it truly is almost impossible not to eat this non-stop, and this recipe makes about 3 loaves, maybe more,.....so maybe cut it in half so you don't gain 30 lbs and come running after me with a butcher knife.
(I posted a picture of the cupcakes I made out of this recipe, not too pretty,but we ate them all in... actually I won't say... lets just say it was fast and I almost died running that week)
PUMPKIN BREAD/MUFFIN RECIPE
1 lg can of pumpkin
2c. veg. oil
4 1/2c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cloves
4 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 c. sugar
5 eggs...yup, thats right FIVE
mix ingred well
350 for 1 hour (bread) 25-30 min for muffins
Thats it, pretty basic and simple.
If you top the muffins with cream cheese frosting and choc chips, you can basically call it cupcakes. Words can't describe how good that is.
This Is Where It All Begins
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Trick or Treat
.jpg)
(You might want to turn up the volume...)
As I mentioned in a previous post...I am a holiday fanatic. I LOVE THEM!!! I just get so excited and all sorts of giddy over each one. Halloween is one of the favorites because of all the cute costumes, fun carnivals, pumpkin patches, school parties, candy, etc.. It also marks the beginning of the big holiday season ahead. Wahoo!
Aside from it being one of the most busy weeks I have had in a while, we are having a great Halloween week!!!! It is fun to be busy, when it is fun stuff. It started with Ben's rockin' awesome birthday party, then moved on to the ward Halloween carnival, next up.... the preschool Halloween party, and then the big sha-bang....Halloween night, the traditional orange dinner, some serious prep with costumes, and out the door for some intense trick or treating. Yippee! Hooray for Halloween!
These are probably the best pictures we will get...the kids get so excited in their costumes they just can't seem to sit still. Of course, we will try to get more tomorrow night. The fam. picture was taken at the ward carnival. Mary actually had a blast, but in the picture she is being shy.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Ben's Birthday Bash!
Ben's Birthday is on Monday (tomorrow), but because it will be his first day of school, we decided to celebrate it this weekend. We had a Birthday party open house for him Saturday night. It was soooooooooo much fun!!!
Here is the day in a nutshell...
(night before we eat at Olive Garden to carb. load for the upcoming run, celebrate Ben's Birthday, and to eat GREAT food. Yummy! Thanks Ryan for treating all of us to Ben's birthday dinner).
(ok back to party day)
Everyone slept in..we stayed up past midnight...again. Fun times, fun people.
10:00am
I take off for yet another long run, 18 miles this time. I feel great! Olive Garden worked and the carbs are working full speed ahead.
12:45pm
I am sooooo excited, because at mile 16, I am still doing great mentally, my breathing is fine, I am still happy, my brain is working as far as I can tell, and I didn't have to take any bathroom stops....miracle I tell ya, miracle!!!! I love you Olive Garden.
1/2 mile later I hit the wall and want to die.
1:00pm
Ben, Ryan and the kids find me with about 2 miles left to give me propel and a banana. So sweet. Drink the propel, can't stomach the banana.
1:20ish pm
I arrive home to a cheering and clapping crowd standing on the sidewalk. (my fam and Ryan). I crawl around in the grass for a while moaning and trying anything to get my legs to stop screaming. Feel like an idiot, but sooooooo glad it is over...wahoo!
1:40pm
I get a calf massage from Ben, ice the legs, take drugs (the good kind) and we take off for Garden of the Gods.
2:00pm
Get to Garden of the Gods....check out all the big red rocks and stuff. We show Ryan the sites, let our dog drag us everywhere, ect. We walk around the paths and soak it all in. What a cool place to see.
3:45pm
Last minute Sam's club stop to get stuff for the party.
4:30pm
Get home. Need to clean a very dirty house, decorate, bake three cakes, shower, clean up the kids, dinner, etc., all in 1 1/2 hours aaaggghhh!!!!!
4:30-6:00pm
Somehow accomplish all of the above. Ryan...you are seriously a saint!! He helped scrub our house, vacuumed, helped feed the kids, decorated, and pretty much saved us! Ben was also a very good sport to help clean for his own party. Good guy!
6:00pm
THE PARTY BEGINS!!!! We had a total of 21 adults and 22 children in our home all at one time. Total: 42 people.
It was what I like to call "sweet chaos." It is absolutely crazy, but so much fun. What can be better than having your home bursting at the seams with people you love and want to be with. It was awesome!
6:30pm
Ben blows out candles and we dig in to cake and ice cream. Becky begins to feel the effects of the long run (basically my brain shuts off). Because of this....no pictures!!!! Not kidding, I did not remember to take a single picture. If I could turn back time folks, this would be the time. We had so many friends here, and so much fun, and no pictures to document the event. AAARRRGGGG!!!! I completely spaced it, among many other things. I think I will start calling this a disease. Seriously, I can't remember things on the days I do long runs. Weird! We did however get some video footage, so that counts for something. Maybe I will play the video, push pause, and take pictures of the T.V.
6:30-11:00pm
People laughing, cake being eaten, toys flying (literally), balloons popping, lots of noise, kids yelling, lots of friends, lots of party. We love you Ben! Happy Birthday!
11:00pm
The last guest goes home. We all collapse on the couch and don't want to move an inch. We all feel warm and fuzzy from such a great night. We feel sooooooo blessed to have so many wonderful friends here. And to have some family close by as well. What a wonderful gift. Thanks everyone for helping to make such a great Birthday for Ben. Ben...again, you are so loved, Happy Happy Birthday Benny dear.
11:15pm
Ryan is the first to go upstairs and check out the damage.
11:16pm
We hear a very loud "HOLY COW....OH MY....IS THIS REALLY POSSIBLE, ECT.!" I just cringe and try not to think about it.
11:20pm-can't remember...but it was late.
Clean up a HUGE mess. Looked like a tornado hit the house...not kidding. I had NO idea we have that many toys. We are STILL finding toys all over the place.
Sometime after 1:00am.
Go to bed finally! Wahoo! Sooooo exhausted. Bed is so warm and comfortable.
1:30am
Sam wakes up crying....I remember someone telling me he ate three cookies (big cookies) at the party....you know how it goes from here.
The End
Here are some before and after pictures...it's all I have...pathetic, I know.
Some of the pictures are dark, I have no idea why. The house was so amazingly clean! I was so proud, so I did what all dorks do, and I took pictures. At least I remembered to take pictures at that point in the day.
BEFORE
Family room...check, all clean. Wait...what on earth is the dog doing in the house!
Living room...spotless
Clean toy room....very rare
Sam's room...you can't see it, but it is so clean, I love it!
Mary's room. Again you can't see it, but oh, so clean.
Here is the day in a nutshell...
(night before we eat at Olive Garden to carb. load for the upcoming run, celebrate Ben's Birthday, and to eat GREAT food. Yummy! Thanks Ryan for treating all of us to Ben's birthday dinner).
(ok back to party day)
Everyone slept in..we stayed up past midnight...again. Fun times, fun people.
10:00am
I take off for yet another long run, 18 miles this time. I feel great! Olive Garden worked and the carbs are working full speed ahead.
12:45pm
I am sooooo excited, because at mile 16, I am still doing great mentally, my breathing is fine, I am still happy, my brain is working as far as I can tell, and I didn't have to take any bathroom stops....miracle I tell ya, miracle!!!! I love you Olive Garden.
1/2 mile later I hit the wall and want to die.
1:00pm
Ben, Ryan and the kids find me with about 2 miles left to give me propel and a banana. So sweet. Drink the propel, can't stomach the banana.
1:20ish pm
I arrive home to a cheering and clapping crowd standing on the sidewalk. (my fam and Ryan). I crawl around in the grass for a while moaning and trying anything to get my legs to stop screaming. Feel like an idiot, but sooooooo glad it is over...wahoo!
1:40pm
I get a calf massage from Ben, ice the legs, take drugs (the good kind) and we take off for Garden of the Gods.
2:00pm
Get to Garden of the Gods....check out all the big red rocks and stuff. We show Ryan the sites, let our dog drag us everywhere, ect. We walk around the paths and soak it all in. What a cool place to see.
3:45pm
Last minute Sam's club stop to get stuff for the party.
4:30pm
Get home. Need to clean a very dirty house, decorate, bake three cakes, shower, clean up the kids, dinner, etc., all in 1 1/2 hours aaaggghhh!!!!!
4:30-6:00pm
Somehow accomplish all of the above. Ryan...you are seriously a saint!! He helped scrub our house, vacuumed, helped feed the kids, decorated, and pretty much saved us! Ben was also a very good sport to help clean for his own party. Good guy!
6:00pm
THE PARTY BEGINS!!!! We had a total of 21 adults and 22 children in our home all at one time. Total: 42 people.
It was what I like to call "sweet chaos." It is absolutely crazy, but so much fun. What can be better than having your home bursting at the seams with people you love and want to be with. It was awesome!
6:30pm
Ben blows out candles and we dig in to cake and ice cream. Becky begins to feel the effects of the long run (basically my brain shuts off). Because of this....no pictures!!!! Not kidding, I did not remember to take a single picture. If I could turn back time folks, this would be the time. We had so many friends here, and so much fun, and no pictures to document the event. AAARRRGGGG!!!! I completely spaced it, among many other things. I think I will start calling this a disease. Seriously, I can't remember things on the days I do long runs. Weird! We did however get some video footage, so that counts for something. Maybe I will play the video, push pause, and take pictures of the T.V.
6:30-11:00pm
People laughing, cake being eaten, toys flying (literally), balloons popping, lots of noise, kids yelling, lots of friends, lots of party. We love you Ben! Happy Birthday!
11:00pm
The last guest goes home. We all collapse on the couch and don't want to move an inch. We all feel warm and fuzzy from such a great night. We feel sooooooo blessed to have so many wonderful friends here. And to have some family close by as well. What a wonderful gift. Thanks everyone for helping to make such a great Birthday for Ben. Ben...again, you are so loved, Happy Happy Birthday Benny dear.
11:15pm
Ryan is the first to go upstairs and check out the damage.
11:16pm
We hear a very loud "HOLY COW....OH MY....IS THIS REALLY POSSIBLE, ECT.!" I just cringe and try not to think about it.
11:20pm-can't remember...but it was late.
Clean up a HUGE mess. Looked like a tornado hit the house...not kidding. I had NO idea we have that many toys. We are STILL finding toys all over the place.
Sometime after 1:00am.
Go to bed finally! Wahoo! Sooooo exhausted. Bed is so warm and comfortable.
1:30am
Sam wakes up crying....I remember someone telling me he ate three cookies (big cookies) at the party....you know how it goes from here.
The End
Here are some before and after pictures...it's all I have...pathetic, I know.
Some of the pictures are dark, I have no idea why. The house was so amazingly clean! I was so proud, so I did what all dorks do, and I took pictures. At least I remembered to take pictures at that point in the day.
BEFORE
Family room...check, all clean. Wait...what on earth is the dog doing in the house!
Living room...spotless
Clean toy room....very rare
Sam's room...you can't see it, but it is so clean, I love it!
Mary's room. Again you can't see it, but oh, so clean.
The Aftermath
AFTER:
These pictures don't even come close to the real thing (the chocolate in the carpet, the stuffed animals hanging by their heads off door handles, popped balloon pieces EVERYWHERE, crayons, sparkles, nail polish on walls and in carpet, balls, blocks, puzzles, dollhouse pieces scattered in every room, etc.) The size of the disaster was truly amazing. We didn't get pictures downstairs or the hallways before we cleaned them, but that was pretty bad too. So, you only get to see about 1/10th of the true disaster.
However messy it was though, we are so glad we had the party, and we will do it again for sure. Besides.. a messy house full of love and friendship is way better than a clean house that is untouched and unlived. It was sooooo worth it!
Again, sorry for the dark pictures.
These pictures don't even come close to the real thing (the chocolate in the carpet, the stuffed animals hanging by their heads off door handles, popped balloon pieces EVERYWHERE, crayons, sparkles, nail polish on walls and in carpet, balls, blocks, puzzles, dollhouse pieces scattered in every room, etc.) The size of the disaster was truly amazing. We didn't get pictures downstairs or the hallways before we cleaned them, but that was pretty bad too. So, you only get to see about 1/10th of the true disaster.
However messy it was though, we are so glad we had the party, and we will do it again for sure. Besides.. a messy house full of love and friendship is way better than a clean house that is untouched and unlived. It was sooooo worth it!
Again, sorry for the dark pictures.
Backpacking Trip
This week was a fun one around our house. Our good friend Ryan Dorman (currently living in New York) flew in this week and spent a few days with us. Pretty cool huh! It was so much fun to have him here, and we had some great times. We love to have visitors and it was so nice to have an extra person around to hang with. Ben and Ryan went backpacking/camping Thursday and Friday. Crazy! It is freezing!
They had a great time and got some awesome pictures. They found a herd of big horn sheep, they practiced their yodeling, played the harmonica, talked to the sheep, ate mac and cheese, brought back some rusty nails for me (how sweet??), and did all sorts of man stuff. I am sure I haven't heard some stories and probably never will, but hey, boys will be boys.
I stayed home with the kids and we had our own little party. We went to the gym (they love the kids room, and I needed to run), rented Scooby Doo's Halloween Adventure, made a fort out of the blankets, and I bought them their first happy meal ever! Yeah I know, mom rocks...for that night anyway.
Too bad they were up until 3:00am with stomach aches. Party over, no more McDonalds for them. Once was enough. I knew there was a reason we never go there.
Anyway.....Ben and Ryan got back safe and sound and all was well. Maybe I can get Ben to post more about their adventures, but for now, the pictures will do. Enjoy.
As for Ryan....come back soon!!!
They had a great time and got some awesome pictures. They found a herd of big horn sheep, they practiced their yodeling, played the harmonica, talked to the sheep, ate mac and cheese, brought back some rusty nails for me (how sweet??), and did all sorts of man stuff. I am sure I haven't heard some stories and probably never will, but hey, boys will be boys.
I stayed home with the kids and we had our own little party. We went to the gym (they love the kids room, and I needed to run), rented Scooby Doo's Halloween Adventure, made a fort out of the blankets, and I bought them their first happy meal ever! Yeah I know, mom rocks...for that night anyway.
Too bad they were up until 3:00am with stomach aches. Party over, no more McDonalds for them. Once was enough. I knew there was a reason we never go there.
Anyway.....Ben and Ryan got back safe and sound and all was well. Maybe I can get Ben to post more about their adventures, but for now, the pictures will do. Enjoy.
As for Ryan....come back soon!!!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sunday is... relaxing???
This is a typical Sunday at our house. (when we are not crazy busy with church callings or something) Mary and I always bake something yummy after lunch/dinner while Sam naps. Today we made pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting! Some were topped with chocolate chips. They aren't pretty, but oh wow, they were good. Hooray for fall and pumpkin everything!!! Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin milkshakes. aaahhh
While we are baking, Ben usually talks on the phone to family and friends. Then....well, just look at the pictures. Lets just say that on Sunday, bedtime comes early.
p.s. The primary program was today, and it was our first time having a child participate in it. It was so cute to see little Mary up there singing away, picking her nose, playing with her dress, waving to us over and over, and getting shy when it was her turn to speak. It really tugged at the heart strings. Sometimes life flies by a little too fast.
Friday, October 17, 2008
He's The Man!
This week we found out that Ben was accepted to Regis University, so he is now going back to school to get his Masters Degree in Business Marketing. Way to go Ben!
His first day of classes will be in a week....on his Birthday. No worries there, we will just start the partying a little earlier.
His first session of class will be every Monday from 6-10pm. Plenty of homework the rest of the days.
He will still be working full time through this, so we will be a busy family. The program will be a total of 20 months. 20 very busy months. Bring it on!
I am so proud of Ben for having the desire to keep on going and for pursuing his goals. Good Luck Ben! Love ya!
Here is Ben showing off his new school catalog (my request), and his best Nacho Libre impression (his request). Gotta love it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Little Mary Sunshine
For any of you that know Mary, you know that she is one spunky little girl. She LOVES dirt, sports, thrills, fast pace, bugs, tonka trucks, ect.
I don't blame her, after all, she is literally surrounded by boys everywhere we go. She has put up with a lot and has learned to hold her own pretty well. She has some great friends that are boys and they are good to include her and be nice to her, but sometimes you just need another girl.
I have thought it is pretty cute to have such a fun girl with quite the tomboyish personality, however I can't help but wonder sometimes.
Mary moved up to a new gymnastics class last month and it is all girls!!! FINALLY! She has been overrun with boys in gymnastics up until now. It is an advanced class and she is the youngest by a year, but they are all still great friends and giggle and laugh the whole time, when they aren't working their buns off! It is quite the class. She loves it! On top of that, she has a new, adorable and very sweet friend...Kate. They have a blast together. We have been so excited to have a girl her age around. Maybe these are the reasons for her major transformation.
Mary totally shocked me the other week when she asked if she could be a princess for Halloween! I wasn't sure she even knew what a princess was! I was pretty pumped, so we went all out. The dress lights up, she got make-up, a princess hat, ect. We can't wait for Halloween! She also decided that her doll house is a fun toy to play with. She plays with dolls, and she wants more! Santa is going to have to make some changes folks (the top of her wish list was a tonka truck followed by a bug catching kit)...we now have a girl.
Today she asked me if she could have bows in her hair for preschool!! I was in shock. Not only that, but she wanted pink and purple! I LOVE IT!!! (her hair is messed up in the picture because it was taken after park day and preschool..both of which she played so rough that her bows had to be replaced several times....lol)
We have also gone back and forth on what kind of Birthday party she wants this year. Because of so many boy friends, we have tried to think of neutral themes. Recently however, Mary is really really wanting a Strawberry Shortcake party. I am not going to push this one aside. If she wants to be a girl, by all means, I will let her be a girl. Her boy friends are all good sports, I am sure they will be fine.
Of course, she will never be the major girly type, and I don't really want her to be...I sure wasn't. She still loves bugs, dirt, sports, ect., but it is so nice to see that she is getting a balance now.
Bring on the pink, the dolls, the dresses and the nail polish! Girl power!
I don't blame her, after all, she is literally surrounded by boys everywhere we go. She has put up with a lot and has learned to hold her own pretty well. She has some great friends that are boys and they are good to include her and be nice to her, but sometimes you just need another girl.
I have thought it is pretty cute to have such a fun girl with quite the tomboyish personality, however I can't help but wonder sometimes.
Mary moved up to a new gymnastics class last month and it is all girls!!! FINALLY! She has been overrun with boys in gymnastics up until now. It is an advanced class and she is the youngest by a year, but they are all still great friends and giggle and laugh the whole time, when they aren't working their buns off! It is quite the class. She loves it! On top of that, she has a new, adorable and very sweet friend...Kate. They have a blast together. We have been so excited to have a girl her age around. Maybe these are the reasons for her major transformation.
Mary totally shocked me the other week when she asked if she could be a princess for Halloween! I wasn't sure she even knew what a princess was! I was pretty pumped, so we went all out. The dress lights up, she got make-up, a princess hat, ect. We can't wait for Halloween! She also decided that her doll house is a fun toy to play with. She plays with dolls, and she wants more! Santa is going to have to make some changes folks (the top of her wish list was a tonka truck followed by a bug catching kit)...we now have a girl.
Today she asked me if she could have bows in her hair for preschool!! I was in shock. Not only that, but she wanted pink and purple! I LOVE IT!!! (her hair is messed up in the picture because it was taken after park day and preschool..both of which she played so rough that her bows had to be replaced several times....lol)
We have also gone back and forth on what kind of Birthday party she wants this year. Because of so many boy friends, we have tried to think of neutral themes. Recently however, Mary is really really wanting a Strawberry Shortcake party. I am not going to push this one aside. If she wants to be a girl, by all means, I will let her be a girl. Her boy friends are all good sports, I am sure they will be fine.
Of course, she will never be the major girly type, and I don't really want her to be...I sure wasn't. She still loves bugs, dirt, sports, ect., but it is so nice to see that she is getting a balance now.
Bring on the pink, the dolls, the dresses and the nail polish! Girl power!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I WANT MY PANTS BACK!!!!!
Sorry if you are all sick of hearing about running. It is basically all I am doing right now. I have to, I am right in the most crucial, but most demanding part of training. It is nuts! I eat for fuel to run, sleep for energy to run, and run to well...be able to run longer.
5 weeks left! Yippee!
Obviously the weather is getting colder here, so on my runs I layer up. After a few miles, I start shedding layers. I normally place my extra clothes in secret hiding places (under bushes, behind fences, ect.)
WELL, on my long run last week, I did just that. I wore my FAVORITE pants ever and when I got too hot, I hid them on a fence and just ran with my shorts and sweatshirt. When I got hot again, I shed the sweatshirt and was warm enough to run in the usual shorts and t-shirt. No worries, no more shedding after that.
Normally, on my way back home, I pick up my clothes and tie them around my waist. This time however, I was so delirious..literally, and so sick (the cold/sinus infection I STILL have), I completely forgot about my clothes.
I didn't even remember them until a few days later...I freaked out for a while, then I forgot again!!! I think I am beginning to loose my mind. All of the blood in my body is in my legs from running too much. None left for the brain. Not good.
I finally remembered last night and we took off in the dark to try to find my favorite pants in the whole world, and my sweatshirt. We drove up and down research in the dark with no luck. And I could not remember where I had put my sweatshirt. Again..back to the no blood in the brain thing. I was soooooooooooo sad!
When we got home, I remembered where I had placed my sweatshirt, so we went back and there it was! (Thanks Ben for putting up with my brain farts.)Yippee! That was a relief, because it is non-replaceable. It is a sweatshirt I got at BYU-Idaho for doing a midnight 10k. Good memories.
Unfortunately.....my pants were not where I had left them. I am so bummed! I loved those pants! I saved for a few months to get them and I have taken such good care of them. I planned on wearing them to and from the marathon in the car because they are so comfortable and because they are my good luck charm.
Great..how am I supposed to run a marathon without my good luck charm. Dang!
Anyway....I want my pants back!
They looked just like these, but the Adidas stripes were a different color. (sniff,sniff)
5 weeks left! Yippee!
Obviously the weather is getting colder here, so on my runs I layer up. After a few miles, I start shedding layers. I normally place my extra clothes in secret hiding places (under bushes, behind fences, ect.)
WELL, on my long run last week, I did just that. I wore my FAVORITE pants ever and when I got too hot, I hid them on a fence and just ran with my shorts and sweatshirt. When I got hot again, I shed the sweatshirt and was warm enough to run in the usual shorts and t-shirt. No worries, no more shedding after that.
Normally, on my way back home, I pick up my clothes and tie them around my waist. This time however, I was so delirious..literally, and so sick (the cold/sinus infection I STILL have), I completely forgot about my clothes.
I didn't even remember them until a few days later...I freaked out for a while, then I forgot again!!! I think I am beginning to loose my mind. All of the blood in my body is in my legs from running too much. None left for the brain. Not good.
I finally remembered last night and we took off in the dark to try to find my favorite pants in the whole world, and my sweatshirt. We drove up and down research in the dark with no luck. And I could not remember where I had put my sweatshirt. Again..back to the no blood in the brain thing. I was soooooooooooo sad!
When we got home, I remembered where I had placed my sweatshirt, so we went back and there it was! (Thanks Ben for putting up with my brain farts.)Yippee! That was a relief, because it is non-replaceable. It is a sweatshirt I got at BYU-Idaho for doing a midnight 10k. Good memories.
Unfortunately.....my pants were not where I had left them. I am so bummed! I loved those pants! I saved for a few months to get them and I have taken such good care of them. I planned on wearing them to and from the marathon in the car because they are so comfortable and because they are my good luck charm.
Great..how am I supposed to run a marathon without my good luck charm. Dang!
Anyway....I want my pants back!
They looked just like these, but the Adidas stripes were a different color. (sniff,sniff)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Who woulda thunk!
O.K.
I heard all the talk about these "vampire books," and totally laughed to myself. I figured it was just a silly fad and that they had to be sooo cheesy! I really can't stand fads..they drive me nuts. I avoided them like the plague.
Well, on our trip to the Bahamas, I decided that I really needed a book. I cannot sleep anywhere except for a bed. Truly. I can't sleep in cars, airplanes, ect. Just doesn't happen. So, I went to a shop in the airport, and of course, the Twilight books were plastered all over the place. I decided what the heck, and I bought the first one.
HOLY MOLY!!! I finished the first one that day and finished the series by the end of the week. I stayed up until 4:00am finishing the last one. I must say, the last one was a little too "steamy," in my opinion, but still incredibly amazing!
I admit it, I am in love! I absolutely am a huge fan and I am literally counting down the days until the movie comes out. Heck, I even have dreams about them. Crazy...yes. It is even on the calendar right next to the day the 24 prequel comes out. It will be a great week!!!! Not to mention it is also the marathon week, so while I am healing up from my torture in Vegas, I get to watch some awesome movies.
So, here I am. Totally suckered into the Twilight fan club and loving every minute of it. Genius I tell ya, genius.
A shout out to Craigs list!
As many of you know, Ben and I basically get everything on Craig's list now. We got our hiking packs, our dog, Ben's skis, Ben's coat, Mary's dollhouse, Mary's bedroom set, our dresser, ect.
A about 9 months ago, in California, we got our first really nice set of gorgeous leather couches. Big splurge for us, o.k., actually it was our tax return money, but still a good chunk of moola.
We loved the couches, but needless to say, they were so nice, it made us all uptight. We could hardly sit on them without worrying about messing them up somehow. We would freak out when the kids even came near. Not good.
Obviously, not such a good idea for a young family. So, we posted them on Craigs list about a month ago. We gratefully sold them and, oh my, were we able to get some great stuff in exchange.
The first thing we got were some new couches to replace them. They are leather and they are the most comfortable things I have ever sat on in my life. WE LOVE THEM!! You just sink right into them. We will have to have a party so that all of you can share in the comfort. The best part is that we still had money left over from selling the other couches.
So we were able to hop on Craigs list and find a .....drum roll please....
PIANO!!! PIANO!!!! PIANO!!!! PIANO!!!! PIANO!!! PIANO!!! PIANO!!!!
I am so excited! I love to play the piano and I have missed it so much. It is an excellent piano and it is in awesome condition. We got such a good deal I am still in shock! Music has always been a big part of my life, so now with a piano in the home, I feel like our house is complete. I am so excited to start collecting music and to play it. It will also be fun to teach the kids how to play when they get older.
Yippee for Craigs list!
A about 9 months ago, in California, we got our first really nice set of gorgeous leather couches. Big splurge for us, o.k., actually it was our tax return money, but still a good chunk of moola.
We loved the couches, but needless to say, they were so nice, it made us all uptight. We could hardly sit on them without worrying about messing them up somehow. We would freak out when the kids even came near. Not good.
Obviously, not such a good idea for a young family. So, we posted them on Craigs list about a month ago. We gratefully sold them and, oh my, were we able to get some great stuff in exchange.
The first thing we got were some new couches to replace them. They are leather and they are the most comfortable things I have ever sat on in my life. WE LOVE THEM!! You just sink right into them. We will have to have a party so that all of you can share in the comfort. The best part is that we still had money left over from selling the other couches.
So we were able to hop on Craigs list and find a .....drum roll please....
PIANO!!! PIANO!!!! PIANO!!!! PIANO!!!! PIANO!!! PIANO!!! PIANO!!!!
I am so excited! I love to play the piano and I have missed it so much. It is an excellent piano and it is in awesome condition. We got such a good deal I am still in shock! Music has always been a big part of my life, so now with a piano in the home, I feel like our house is complete. I am so excited to start collecting music and to play it. It will also be fun to teach the kids how to play when they get older.
Yippee for Craigs list!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Hooray For Fall!!!!
Just wanted to say that WE LOVE FALL!!! Fall is by far the best and most favorite time of year in our house. We love the cold air. There is nothing like a crisp cool day topped off with soup, some baked yummy fattening, sugary pastry, hot chocolate and the smell of some sort of spice candle to top it all off.
Fall is the beginning of so many fun things! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a holiday fanatic...freak actually. Truly! If I had endless amounts of $$ our home would be decorated from top to bottom and inside out with holiday decorations. Cool decorations...not ones that are just thrown all over...but cool ones, that look neat. For now, I am just slowly getting a collection...hopefully a really really big one!
We love the beginning of so many awesome holidays and lots of Birthdays in our family as well. We love the gorgeous colors of the trees and the many many many drives through beautiful mountains. We love anticipating the snow and the cinnamon rolls that always come with the first snowfall. We love not being hot anymore. We love football games, snuggling by the fireplace, the beginning of school, warm snuggly sweaters and cute hats. We love anticipating family gatherings and making wonderful memories.
WE LOVE IT ALL...HOORAY FOR FALL!!!
Fall is the beginning of so many fun things! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a holiday fanatic...freak actually. Truly! If I had endless amounts of $$ our home would be decorated from top to bottom and inside out with holiday decorations. Cool decorations...not ones that are just thrown all over...but cool ones, that look neat. For now, I am just slowly getting a collection...hopefully a really really big one!
We love the beginning of so many awesome holidays and lots of Birthdays in our family as well. We love the gorgeous colors of the trees and the many many many drives through beautiful mountains. We love anticipating the snow and the cinnamon rolls that always come with the first snowfall. We love not being hot anymore. We love football games, snuggling by the fireplace, the beginning of school, warm snuggly sweaters and cute hats. We love anticipating family gatherings and making wonderful memories.
WE LOVE IT ALL...HOORAY FOR FALL!!!
This is hilarious!
Although this is so true and at the time, so frustrating, I believe that these are some of the things we will miss the most when the kids are grown and gone. Enjoy the moments!!!
Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 11 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the
last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and
be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.
Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to si de.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.
Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the
level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 11 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the
last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and
be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.
Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to si de.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.
Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the
level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
