Valentines Day, Tainted Peanut Butter and Dave Ramsey

The kids and the cute Valentines table they set!

I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day. We sure did! Tyler's birthday is the week before Valentines Day so Tyler and I usually go out for dinner and do our romantic date then and we celebrate Valentines Day with the kids. I spent the day running back and forth between both Reilly and Kameron's classes as I was helping with both parties. I had Ailey with me and she was absolutely thrilled to be at school and going to the parties. School Valentine Parties have sure changed since I was a kid. Gone are the days of just having heart-shaped sugar cookies and punch. Reilly's class had a chocolate fountain (with pineapple, strawberries, pound cake, marshmallows, graham crackers, and pretzels for dipping) and chocolate gelatto from the local Italian restaurant. Delicious! They also had crafts, games and goodie bags. Kameron's class also had quite a spread with a fruit tray, veggie tray, cheese plate, cupcakes, sugar cookies, chips, and pop. They also had crafts and games. I was explaining to the kids that back when I was a kid..."the olden days"...we only had cookies, punch, and handed out our valentines and we LIKED IT (in the voice of a grumpy old man)...we didn't have crafts, and games, and chocolate fountains!!

There is also an obscene amount of candy that is handed out. I explained to the kids that we used to only get conversation hearts with our valentines or a sucker if you were lucky. I remember dumping out my hearts and picking out the ones that said the appropriate thing for the appropriate person and sticking them in the little envelopes with the Valentines (valentines don't even come with envelopes anymore). I remember taking quite a while finding just the right valentine for each person on the list. I would find the special one that would let that special someone know just how I was feeling about him and then I would pick out conversation hearts that reiterated those feelings. I always picked out the Strawberry Shortcake ones (the kids were shocked that Strawberry Shortcake was around WAY BACK THEN). I remember picking out one for Brad Roper (my crush of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade...he was dreamy) that said "You are berry special!" I loved getting my valentines and would scrutinize all the messages and the conversation hearts. The best valentines were the ones that said "I love you...from your Secret Admirer".






Later on when I lived in Springdell it was a tradition there to deliver your valentines to all your friends on Valentines Night. Ding-and-Ditch was the method that was used. I used to love to open the door and see a pile of valentines on the door step. We did this up through Junior High and High School. Once I got a big fabric covered heart-shaped box full of chocolates from my 6th grade boyfriend and neighbor Mike Bills. Very exciting! The boys in the dell would play pranks on me and my friends. Many a time I would open the door and see a shiny valentine and go to grab it and suddenly the valentine would jerk away from me and I would hear hysterical laughter from the bushes where the boys had it one a piece of fishing line. One year it was a valentine, the next a candy bar, and then next a dollar bill. Some how we fell for it every year. My boyfriend from 9th grade and neighbor Rex Nielson did give me the dollar bill that year and wrote on it "Rex + Kristin" which I glued into my journal!! AW...young love!! Interesting side note...after I moved away to Kansas City Rex dated Vanessa's (from book club) sister, Julie, for a few years. I was crushed! Small world though huh?






Now that I've had my little trip down memory lane...I will return to this Valentines Day. We usually do a "fancy" dinner for the kids with table cloths, cloth napkins, the good dishes, candles etc. The kids always want homemade heart-shaped pizzas for dinner along with the funky pretzel strawberry jello salad which is weird yet surprisingly good. They pick out a few other things to go on the menu but pizza and pretzel salad are must-haves. This year the kids decorated the table (See above photo)...then we put out their Valentine surprises on their plates. We had fun!






Onto the tainted peanut butter...some peanut butter was recalled last week due to salmonella contamination. Imagine my surprise when the very tainted peanut butter in question was in our pantry half-eaten. Could that have contributed to our illnesses of last week? Who knows? After totally FREAKING out and spending an incredible amount of time inquiring into the digestive habits of each member of the family I came to the conclusion that we were all ok...thank goodness. I had several phone calls from 3 different members of my family warning me about the bad peanut butter and then they were all shocked that I had actually purchased the "Great Value" peanut butter. "Why?" they all chorused "Our family only eats Jiff"!! (Isn't it funny how families even years later are still loyal to the brands they used as kids??) Well I usually always DO buy Jiff (extra crunchy) but thanks to my budget and that dang Dave Ramsey I have purchased the "Great Value" (which turned out to be not-so-great) brand for the past few months. Scary!

Also thanks to Dave Ramsey I will have to wait a lot longer for some new flooring in our Kitchen and Living Room. We got our tax return on Friday (yes...we are THOSE kind of people who do our taxes very early) and we got Tyler's bonus on the same day. So we were feeling very rich indeed. I was ready to fly off to sunny somewhere and was busy plotting all the ways to spend the cash when I was brought back to reality by good ole Dave Ramsey whose mantra is to PAY OFF DEBT!! Which of course we needed to do. So by Tuesday our wad of cash was gone but quite a bit of debt wiped out. I had been whining to Andrea about not getting my new floors at book club and she told me that paying off debt was going to feel so much better...guess what...she was right! The floors will have to wait a bit longer.

I've Been Tagged!! 6 Unusual Things About Me

I was tagged by Kelly A. so here it goes! I hope you all can take the excitement! ;) I had to dig deep for these.

1.) Robert Redford gave me a torte for my 12th birthday! (Pipe down all family and long time
friends!! You knew I had to get it in here somewhere. Hey-I left it off my 100 list!). This is truly my big claim to fame. But it really isn't that exciting. Growing up in Provo Canyon we spent a lot of time at Sundance and my parents became friendly with Robert Redford. One day my parents were up there and he invited them to something and they said they couldn't go because they had to get back home for my birthday party. He had the chef from the Tree Room (a restaurant at Sundance) box up a big fruit torte and then "Bob", as he likes to be called, gave it to my parents to give to me and told them to tell me "Happy Birthday" from him.

2.) I have a heart murmur.

3.) I was a candy striper. My mom is a nurse and has been a hospital administrator for years and I always thought I wanted to work at the hospital...until I did this gig. It started out wonderful. I was given the very "prestigious" job in the candy striper world of a "runner" this came with a walkie-talkie--very cool-- to a 13-year-old. My job was to run things here and there usually to the lab. Well I had been bragging about my prestigious job at the hospital for weeks and finally my dad asked me what exactly I did there. I went on and on about the walkie-talkie (so I could be reached anywhere in the hospital) and hierarchy of the candy striper world and my lofty position etc. Then my dad asked me what exactly I carried to the lab. "Well" I said very self-importantly "I am the one who carries the stool samples". I awaited his look of awe and respect. Only to see him on the floor laughing hysterically!!

Dad: "THAT is your job?"
Kris: "yes...what is so funny!"
Dad: "You carry @#$%???? More hysterical laughter.
Kris: (Appalled) NO I DO NOT!!!! I carry stool samples.
Dad: What do you think "stool" is??
Kris: I don't know but it isn't THAT!
Dad: OH yeah it is...ask your mother.
Kris: Mom??
Mom: hysterically laughter...yes!!
Kris: I quit!

There is my candy striping experience in a nutshell...but I wasn't allowed to quit and had the pleasure of being a stool-sample carrier for quite a while!

3.) The squeaky sound cotton balls make gives me the absolute willies. My family loves to torture me by grabbing cotton balls and then squeaking them in my ear! Oohh! I have the shivers just thinking about it.

4.) I have extremely damaged and scarred eardrums. When I was a kid I had a lot of ear infections and then I had tubes and then still had lots of ear infections afterwards. My ear drums have ruptured numerous times. Whenever I go into the doctor and they look at my ears they usually gasp and several times have grabbed other people to look at the apparent horror. I have failed every hearing test I have ever taken and probably will eventually need a hearing aid somewhere down the line. Tyler and I laugh that I will probably go deaf and he will probably go blind (due to his diabetes...but his eyes are actually perfect...don't want to scare his family) and then we will have to communicate Helen Keller style. :)

5.) My best friend from college, Tiffany, and I were hit on by Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz at Sounds Easy Video in SLC. Could never look at "The Mailman" the same way again.

6.) I once was using the restroom at a busy gas station in SLC. The door didn't lock and my "so-called" best friend Tiffany was supposed to be guarding the door. Something caught her eye and drew her away from the restroom...was it a pretty butterfly Tiff?? Something sparkly?? (I'm not still bitter) anyway some guy opened the door and there I was in all my toilet glory. I started screaming for him to shut the door. But he just stood there laughing! Finally my screams brought Tiffany back and the guy took off still laughing and then proceeded to tell it all to his friend on his way to his car...who then also started laughing!!! As a result I check, double check, triple check the locks on public restroom doors!!

Ok there are 6 unusual things about me....now I "tag" Andrea, Carolyn, and Alisa!!

Kirk and Feminine Hygiene 101

I have been sick for days and finally feel good enough to sit at the computer and I have been catching up on all my favorite blogs!! Poor Tyler he has been our nursemaid! Tyler got this virus originally...fever, cough, chest cold...and then passed it into Kameron, me, and then Ailey. Reilly has been the only hold out so far. Tyler has been keeping track of all our medication doses on a sticky note and making sure that everyone stays on schedule. I woke last night to him trying to convince me to take some medicine and drink some Gatorade which I was apparently refusing to do...and he was asking me if I wanted to "boil my brain"due to my 103 fever...his cliche-talk is too funny! Thanks mom for stopping by with lunch and lots of cold beverages! You are the best!

O.k. onto my topic...my brother Kirk. When I first started my blog I received quite a bit of mockage (is that a word?? It is in my world) from my brother and sisters. Lots of "Are you going to put this on your blog", "Careful she'll post that picture on her blog" "blog schmog...who cares about your blog!!"All in good fun of course. Then over Christmas I was blog-hopping and found a picture of a girl wearing a T-shirt that said "No one cares about your blog!" (I don't remember who that was or whose blog I was reading) anyway I found it hilarious and told Kirk about it and he dryly told me that I needed to purchase one of those... in case I forgot I could just look in the mirror! :)

Anyway a few weeks ago Kirk called me very excited...he had started a blog...and he was addicted to checking his blog and reading blogs and he wanted me to know that he was sorry for mocking me!! I would post his link... it is hysterical... but it might offend delicate sensibilities (my Nana reads my blog!! Hi Nana!) and it is on a creepy web "space". Anyway Kirk connected with lots of old friends even several from Texas that he went to elementary school with and so he wanted me to check out the pictures of his friends. It just amazes me that these obnoxious little boys have turned out to be men...nice men...productive...contributing to society men...even dads! I was laughing seeing pictures of Kirk's elementary school pals Corbin and Darren and it brought to mind the subject of my blog...

Kirk about age 10

One day Kirk and his buddies were noticed sitting on the curb examining something very intently. He was spotted by one of his sisters who thought they looked suspicious and called for more sisters to come and check it out. Kirk was holding something white and slender in his hand and was talking very animatedly. He seemed to be describing the different parts and structure of the object. His little buddies, Corbin and Darren, were quite fascinated and were leaning in close to hear every word and to get a good look. Three big sisters pressed their faces to the window to determine what it was they were holding. Suddenly Kirk handed identical objects to his friends. He then appeared to be demonstrating something. He lifted his object into the air and seemed to launch something out of the chamber into the street. This filled the boys with excitement and they too launched things out of the slender white objects into the street! Three sisters' mouths dropped open in HORROR!! Realization dawned. Three big and ANGRY sisters flew out of the house screaming, yelling and flailing their hands wildly. Three little boys stood frozen on the spot with tampons in their hands and a look of sheer terror on their faces.

"Those cost money you little freaks!!" screamed Kristin.

"WE ARE TELLING MOM!! You perverts are going to pick those up RIGHT NOW!!"yelled Stacey.

"YOU ARE DEAD!!" said Kelley in a tone of pure ice.

"RUN!!!" yelled Kirk.

Three little boys took off for the nearest bayou or pond... places filled with slimy texas creatures where big sisters refuse to follow.

But I am happy to report that they are all experts on the secret world of feminine hygiene having experienced Kirk's tampon 101 class. ;)

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New pictures of Kaiden...isn't he adorable?

Check out the Vans!!

There is something so profound about seeing your siblings become parents!!

P.S. Kelly...I got your "tag" I will do it tomorrow and hope that my fever addled brain can think of 6 more things!! ;)

Our little Fashionista

Ailey on Sunday...a rare day that she isn't in pink

Ailey is one of those girls who comes out of the womb a girly-girly. She looked like a little pink rosebud and pink has truly been her signature color ever since. She likes everything that is fluffy and froo-froo. Reilly was not that way. She wore lots of reds and blues. She wore little high tops with jean skirts...not Ailey.

We joke that we think Ailey is either going to be a fashion designer or a jewelry designer. Even though she is only 2 1/2 years old she is very interested in clothes and jewelry. She notices what other people wear and comments on it. She will go around telling people "I like your outfit", "I like your necklace" , "I like your earrings", "I like your shirt" etc. My sister, Kelley, wears lots of great jewelry and once she was holding Ailey when Ailey was 18 months old. Ailey was playing with her necklace. Ailey kept asking Kelley "What's this?" and Kelley would answer "A necklace" This happened a few times and finally Ailey got frustrated and said "NO!!! What rock??". Kelley and I were shocked and Kelley answered "An onyx" and Ailey said "oh ok".

Ailey and Aunt Kelley

Once we were downtown and going past this expensive clothing boutique and Ailey kept saying "There's Ailey's jacket"..."There's Ailey's jacket"...I was ignoring her and told her that she didn't need a jacket because it was warm and she got mad and said "NO!! At the store! There's Ailey's jacket". I looked and there indeed was a gorgeous jacket. Ailey then said " Go get it. That's Ailey's jacket!"


She loves to help me pick out my earrings and shoes. She actually has great taste and picks out earrings and shoes that really do match what I am wearing. She can tromp all over the house in my high heeled stilettos that I can't even walk in. It is hilarious.


A couple of Sundays ago Tyler was going through his closet and pulled out an old pair of dress pants that he bought when we were dating and that had been crammed in his closet ever since. He thought there might still be some life in them (there wasn't) Tyler hates to throw something away if there might be the slimmest possibility that he would wear it again. Anyway Ailey came into our bedroom after Tyler had put them on and in a horrified voice asked him "Where did those come from??" Tyler asked her "Don't these look ok?" and Ailey replied very seriously "NO!" Ailey then called me into the bedroom to show me what Daddy was trying to wear and asked me also in a horrified voice "Where did those come from??" Needless to say Tyler didn't wear the pants and they went into the donation pile.



Then last week we were downtown after dropping Reilly off at ballet and we drove past a bridal shop. They had a bunch of wedding dresses and other dresses in the window. From the backseat Ailey pipes up with "I love those formals!" Our jaws dropped and Tyler and I asked each other "Did she just say what I think she said?" I ask her again "What did you say?" and Ailey replied with "I SAID I love those formals!" She was completely serious! She's two! How she even knows that word I have no idea!! It is crazy and just a little bit creepy. Where is all of this coming from? Not from me! I live in jeans and flip-flops and we have already established that Tyler is "fashion-challenged" ;)



Maybe I should add a side bar to my blog for "Ailey's Fashion Tips" :)

Happy Birthday Baby!!

I love this picture of Ty and Kam! They were out with John flying his hawk. (John is a falconer). Great picture taken by Jason.

Today is Tyler's 36th birthday...wow...time goes by fast. When we met I was 21 and he was 22. Now it's 14 years, three kids, a few gray hairs (his not mine), one mortgage and one suburban later.


I've decided to list 36 things I love about Tyler...this was very difficult because there are so many things I love about him...all his little quirks...and since I have so much practice from doing my own 100 (hello narcissist) I wanted to just keep going but I will leave it at 36.



1.) He's HOT!!

2.) He's my best friend

3.) He is the BEST dad ever...I am actually jealous and wish I had a dad like Tyler. I tell the

kids all the time how lucky they are to have such a great dad.

4.) He is EXTREMELY smart

5.) He's really strong...I haven't had to carry anything heavier than a jug of milk in 14 years

when he's around.

6.) He's a gentleman...he actually opens doors, pulls out chairs...this took a lot of getting used to

for this independent girl (He actually used to get mad because I would jump out of the car

too fast...but that was 3 kids and numerous baby paraphernalia ago).

7.) He carries numerous baby paraphernalia

8.) He takes good care of himself. He exercises and eats well. This Dec. he decided to lift weights

and get really buff. I am already liking what I'm seeing!! Now he frequently asks me to check

out the "gun show" (his arms).

9.) He is cheesy (see #8) He frequently speaks in cliche...if discussing someone who has a

drinking problem Tyler will say they are "on the sauce" (this causes me MUCH amusement).

His cheesy cliches go on and on.

10.) He is a hard worker

11.) He values my staying at home and will do whatever it takes to make it happen financially.

12.) He supports me in all I do...and believes in me more than I do myself.

13.) He's romantic...last year he sent a local radio station an amazing email about what a
wonderful wife and mother I am and how much I sacrifice for our family and the radio station
delivered roses to me...I had NO idea.

14.) His nicknames for me (that I dare to post) are "cutie" and "beautiful".

15.) He was apparently born without any sensation on his face because he can have food all
over it and not feel a thing. Even though the rest of the world is like "Dude! How can
you not feel that!!)

16.) He loves my family as much as I do!!

17.) He has curly hair and big blue eyes

18.) He is a computer genius and fixes everyone's computer for them. This blog would not exist
without his help. (Me: how do I post pictures on my blog again?? Tyler: Is this MY hobby
or yours!!)

19.) He eats revolting things like bread and milk all mushed up in a bowl...I think this is a "Utah"
thing. Gag!

20.) The sound of paper being folded gives him the willies...NO ORIGAMI FOR HIM! :(

21.) One of his nicknames is "10 seconds delay"...very frequently I will have just been saying
something and approximately 10 seconds later Tyler will repeat the exact same thing I just
said but as if it is a new thought!! (This does NOT amuse me!)

22.) He isn't afraid of poop or puke. He will always change the most disgusting diapers and one of
my favorite memories of him is standing buck naked on our bed ladling vomit (yes...he
was actually using a ladle) from a pool in the center of our bed (thanks Reilly!) into a large
bowl! (I'm laughing right now just thinking about it!)

23.) He asks me frequently "So...what happened on "Days" today?" (A man after my own heart)

24.) When we go to a restaurant and I don't like what I ordered but I like what HE ordered Tyler
will always trade plates with me! (This happens surprisingly often)

25.) He has gained 30 lbs of sympathy weight with all three pregnancies

26.) He thinks I'm beautiful, smart and funny and tells people!!

27.) He's a reader (thank goodness) If we run out of things to talk about in our "golden" years
we will always have books.

28.) He read the "Outlander" Series for me and loves it as much as I do and even recommended
to one of his friends!! Tyler feels he identifies in every way with James Fraser...red hair,
blue eyes, strength, cunning, intelligence, power and other "skills" :)

29.) He is a music "rainman". I have yet to EVER discover a band before he has...he collects
music, loves to talk about music, has more CD's than anyone I've ever seen. Thinks of his
Ipod as a member of the family!!

30.) He is humorous but isn't known for being funny...although he thinks he is hilarious! He feels
I don't "get" his particular sense of humor. When he does bust out with something funny the
kids all chime in for him to "test his blood". (He's been diabetic since he was 8 and oddly
enough as his blood sugar goes down his humor level rises!)

31.) His other nickname is "spoon man"...he has two of the most GIGANTIC big toes I have ever
seen!! They look like giant serving spoons! It is quite a sight. (Maybe I shall have to snap a
picture for the blog) This particular trait has been passed onto all three of our kids. Our
babies can be identified in a crowded nursery by our family members on big toes alone!

32.) When I met him he refused to eat mustard or pepper because he heard in a high school
science class that they turned your stomach red. He told me all of this and I replied with
"So...big whoop!" He has been eating them with gusto ever since!

33.) He loves me for who I am .... issues and all! This could surprise you but I DO have a few!! ;)

34.) He is secure enough in his manhood to run to the store for ONLY tampons, Ibuprofen and
chocolate!

35.) He will make all of the phone calls I don't want to!

36.) He claims to loathe Mrs. Beasley (our pug) but I think that deep deep down he
is secretly fond of her!

Happy Birthday Tyler!! I love you!!

The Tri-Birthday Party

Tyler was one of the "birthday boys"!

This weekend we traveled down to Stacey and John's house for a "Tri-Birthday" celebration which became a "Quad-birthday" celebration due to the arrival of little Kaiden. John and Dane's birthdays were 2 weeks ago and Tyler's is next week so we decided to celebrate them all together. We had a great time. Stacey is a wonderful hostess and we spent our time stuffing our fat faces and laughing...and squealing over our new nephew. We talked to Kirk, Jayme and my mom numerous times and Kirk sent several cell-phone pictures. Jayme put the phone by Kaiden so the "aunts" could listen to him cry and tell him we loved him.

John is birthday boy number 2

John turned 38 this year, Tyler turns 36, and Dane turned 2!! John and Tyler picked their favorite meals for the extravaganza (Dane didn't really care this year). John picked a hot spicy seafood gumbo!! Fabulous! Tyler picked the meal he picks EVERY year... Chicken Enchilada Casserole. John picked an eggnog pound cake with a strawberry/raspberry sauce and whipped cream for his cake and Tyler picked a brownie mocha torte (this is the cake I requested pretty much every birthday when I was a kid.) SO GOOD!


Ty..getting some help "blowing out" the candles...I had to resort to number candles...36 wouldn't fit on the torte!! :)

Dane is little "birthday boy" number 3...he was too tired to care.

Kelley and Jason...such a CUTE couple!!

All the cousins had a WILD time playing together. By the end of the day...with no naps...Ailey and Dane had about had it!

Aunt Kelley in her element!!

Tyler and some of his loot! I particularly like the picture of Ailey below...finger up her nose!!

My Brother is a Daddy!!

Kaiden...not even an hour old

Check out my new nephew Kaiden Bradford!! I am so excited. He was born on Saturday and weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and was 21 inches long. He had a rough journey but he arrived safe and sound. Poor Jayme was in labor for 37 hours!! Kirk is absolutely beside himself with joy. You just can't explain what parenthood is like...it has to be experienced. That absolute intense rush of joy when you see your child for the first time and that feeling of barely remembering what your life was like before they were born even when they are only hours old. Love is a powerful thing!

Tyler and I are VERY excited for our second little nephew!! We waited a long time to be an aunt and uncle. It is so much fun!! The kids are ecstatic for their new little cousin.

Congratulations Kirk and Jayme!! We love you!!

Ballet Observation Week

Reilly with Sara...one of her instructors

Last week it was Ballet Observation. This only occurs once a year at Reilly's ballet studio. Parents can watch classes but it is through a one way glass so as not to disturb or distract the dancers. Then on Observation Day parents are allowed to actually sit inside the class and film/take pictures of their child. This is Reilly's 7th year of ballet...hard to believe. She is in 2 different levels. She is in Level 3 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and she is in Level 3A (pre-point) on Wednesdays. This meant that we got to observe two different classes on two different days. It was fun to see her progress up close. Her pre-point class is really amazing. Reilly has gotten so flexible and graceful. It's unbelievable the difference a year can make.








Her teacher for pre-point is the Director of the Studio...her name is Dodie (I didn't get any pictures of her). She works the girls really hard but Reilly LOVES the class and Dodie. Sometimes Dodie would sub for Reilly's regular teacher last year and we would hear her just yelling at the girls and Reilly would stagger out exhausted. Now Reilly is used to her and really loves the challenge of trying to impress Dodie. This class is really disciplined. If the girls are late they have to stay outside the studio until the class is done at the bar so as not to disturb them and if they aren't properly warmed up they have to sit out the class. Reilly seems to be thriving in the class though and can't wait for Wednesdays. It was fun to watch her.



When Reilly was little she used to tell us "Look at me! Look at me! I'm a ballerina!" and she would run around leaping and spinning. Ailey loves ballet too and will also say "Look at me! Look at me! I'm a ballerina!" But Ailey will hold onto something and lift her leg up and down like she is at the bar!! It is so funny because she is imitating a "realistic" ballerina!

Reilly is in the center

Reilly balancing...they have to hold this position for a really long time!

Snow Snow and More Snow

My little snow bunny...Ailey

We got a TON of snow between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. I am personally getting tired of driving in it, shoveling it and freezing in it. But my kids and husband are LOVING it!! For breakfast on Saturday morning we had a nice healthy meal of gingerbread cookies with frosting!! The morning just seemed to call for it...and then they were out the door! The roads were too bad to head to our three favorite sledding locations: my mom's, John and Ade's, and the lake and we knew all the local hills would be totally crowded so they settled for our own yard.

The sledding hill...it's a bit steeper than the picture looks

Our side yard has enough of an incline to sled down...a little tame...but great for the little guys. Not enough excitement for Reilly our little "extreme" sport girl...she decided to take a few runs on the stairs from our deck.

A definite butt-buster!!

Tyler and the kids at the top of the hill

Going down...

Even Mrs. Beasley got in on the fun

Ailey and Kameron

Our snowy backyard

Saturday night Tyler and I hung out with my mom, Kelley and Kirk. We decided to go see a movie. Kelley and I have been wanting to take my mom to see the movie "Because I Said So" with Diane Keaton. This movie would've been SO appropriate!! A few months ago my mom broke up with her "significant other " of seven years, Mike, because he was too much of an "old man/couch potato" (My mom is the most active, energetic woman I know... She can run circles around me!!) She is now testing the waters of online dating after much coaxing by several of her single friends. My mom just had some pictures taken of her by one of her friends and she wanted to get me and Kelley's opinion on her "profile". There is a reason kids shouldn't be privy to their parents dating!! After about 20 minutes of hysterical laughter...not on her part...she is quite a catch and any man should BE so lucky as to get to date her but from some of the "interesting" men that were profiled. (There were several good prospects too!)

Check out my HOT MOMMA!! Go Mom go!!

Can you believe she is just standing in front of her friend's white garage door??

Unfortunately "Because I Said So" wasn't playing at any theaters...and we all couldn't decide what movie to see... so when we got to the movie theater the girls went to one movie and the guys went to another movie. We saw the movie "Dream Girls". I liked it. Jennifer Hudson did an amazing job! I'm glad I went with my mom because Tyler would've HATED it! He went with Kirk to see "The Hitcher". We had a great time!

Tonight is Stacey's Dining Divas Dinner that is being filmed for Rachael Ray!! I can't wait to hear how it went!!

Exciting news!! Carolyn is in YW's now!! Yay!!

VERY SCARY...YW Photo Shoot

The night before last Valynn and Jayni came over for the MOST hilarious night. I was laughing until I was crying. We are preparing for New Beginnings (a night for the young women, their parents, and all incoming young women...to explain YW's, Personal Progress, and to kick off the new year). This year for New Beginnings our theme is "P.P.U" (Personal Progress University). We are going to have a collegiate theme and liken it to Personal Progress. Our invitations are "Acceptance Letters" to P.P.U. We are going to make pennants, balloons, and banners that will welcome the girls and their parents to "Student Orientation". The girls are to bring their "student handbooks" (personal progress books). Jayni, our president, will be the "Dean" and Valynn and I will be the "guidance counselors". Incoming beehives are the "freshman" etc. The girls have to declare a major (pick a value to completely finish this year), their 10-hour project is their "thesis". YW theme is our school "motto", Scripture Power is our school "fight song" and we are hoping to convince one of our advisors to dress up as a torch (our school mascot). We are even rounding up some of the parents to sing in our "alumni choir" complete with risers and robes. Anyway...it is taking ALOT of planning. We have about 16 girls...most of whom are really struggling... and our goal as a presidency this year it to raise the bar for the YW program.


So that brings me to our VERY SCARY photo shoot!! Can you guess who we are??

P.P.U.'s Homecoming Royalty...so scary!!

****ATTN TIFFANY Do you recognize your luscious mint green dream of a prom dress****

Jayni and Valynn came over the other night and we got "glamorous"...thrift store prom dresses except for the mint green one that belonged to my best friend from college Tiffany (that my girls us as a "princess" dress)..."dress-up" tiaras and jewelry, LOTS of blue eye shadow, bright red lipstick...pretty SCARY! Yes...we will be blowing this beauty up to have on display at New Beginnings. Tyler was our poor photographer!! Not only did we do still shots but we also shot two "live action" commercials. (We are also going to take some action shots of our bishopric as P.P.U's championship basketball team).

We are filming some of the girls who have completely finished a particular value and have them talk about their "major" and what they have learned from it and then throughout the video we will be breaking in with "mini-commercials" like..."and now a word from our Homecoming Royalty". We are doing one for the campus bookstore and the "pretty clothes" they have for sale (in which I am doing an "Elaine from Seinfeld" type dance) and one telling everyone to go and buy Homecoming Tickets and if you buy two you get a discount on teeth cleaning from Dr. Finn (a dentist and one of the dad's of our YW) See next photo!!

We WILL be rounding out the night on a spiritual note...we got an AWESOME speaker to talk to the girls about the importance of personal progress and the difference it can make in their lives and then Jayni and the Bishop will also speak. It's taking a lot of planning but I think it will be worth it.

Three Day Weekend...Yay!

The kids are out of school for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Tyler had it off too. We have had a fun and busy weekend. I finally ended up cutting Ailey's hair. Kameron had cut it into a terrible mullet over Christmas vacation. Then Ailey had her surgery and I couldn't take her anywhere to get it fixed. Once she was well enough to go somewhere I doubted she would've LET anyone cut it. So her hair has remained in a mullet for weeks. Luckily she had enough hair that I could gel it into one very sad little ponytail. This weekend I couldn't take one more minute of it and got out the scissors and went to work. I am no hairstylist but I think it turned out pretty cute...maybe a tad Ramona Quimby...but still pretty cute. She has enough natural curl that it flips upon the ends and doesn't look too bad.

Ailey mullet free!!

Side view

The back

Kameron was feeling very handsome on Friday and wanted me to take his picture in his "favorite" outfit. He is very into anything "pirate". Uncle Kirk went to Utah and brought him back two awesome pairs of shoes. Kirk used to manage the Vans Outlet in Park City and so on a quick trip I asked him to grab a pair of Vans for Kameron (Kam is a BIG Van's fan). Kameron as a little toddler had a pair of the red and white checkerboard slip-ons and he has been devoted ever since. Kirk came back with not one pair of Vans but two!! He said it was buy-one-get-one free but I have my doubts. Kirk is sweet like that!

Kameron's favorite outfit...the shirt even glows in the dark!!

Cool shoes!

Saturday night was Stake Conference. Tyler and I went to the "adults" session and then afterwards had a great "date night"! It felt like forever since we had been out ALONE! We decided to go eat at Twigs. It was romantic and cozy and WARM...the temp. that night was around 5 degrees. We love Twigs and ordered some great food. I love their signature fries...they are garlic fries with a hit of cayenne and fresh basil on the top...then you dip them in a gorgonzola cheese sauce. YUM! I also love their Creme Brulee (my favorite dessert). It was fun to be out...just the two of us!! We were even all dressed up. Too bad I forgot my camera!

Today we wanted to do something fun since everyone had the day off. We wanted to do something outside but were limited since the weather is still in the single digits. We decided to brave the cold and drive out to a gorgeous lake near us. Tyler had heard that some bald eagles were nesting at the end of the lake. We drove out to this gorgeous bay...the weather was beautiful...sunny and blue skies even if very FRIGID! We saw five bald eagles. Two males and three females. They were flying and soaring over our heads and out over the water. It was beautiful. We walked around for a bit and took a few pictures but it was COLD!










After that we went into town and got some much need hot chocolate!! We did some shopping. I hit a few of my favorite thrift stores...nothing too exciting. I did find one really cute little vintage turquoise jewelry box with pink satin inside to sell at our next Sisters Creed event. But that was it. Then we drove back to our town and decided to get something to eat. The kids have been BEGGING us for weeks to go to Ron's (a hamburger joint)...you all know my feelings about hamburgers...YUCK! But they do have really good onion rings and milkshakes so I was persuaded. Ron's has been open since the 1950's I believe. The owner..."Ron"...was LDS and so this was the place to stop at in the 60's when my mom was a teenager after Church dances and other events. My grandparents LOVED this place. My favorite thing to get from Ron's is their butterscotch milk shake...so good! So we stopped there to eat. But to my DISMAY they no longer make butterscotch milkshakes and they used to have really good fry sauce to eat with your onion rings and they no longer make the same recipe. I think the place has new owners...no longer "Ron's " family and it wasn't nearly as good. But that didn't stop us from eating a whole ton of junk!

So now I am off to make sure everyone has their homework done and things ready for school. Reilly just informed me that she has a report on MLK Jr. due tomorrow and needs to use the computer...AAaahh! Good thing we had a Family Home Evening lesson on him last night!

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!!! What an incredible man. His "I have a dream" speech chokes me up every time I read it.

Also... Happy Birthday John (my brother-in-law) and Dane (my sweet nephew)!! Hope you Sykes had fun in Walla Walla!!

Salt in the Dining Divas Wound...


I am once again bemoaning the end of my cooking club Dining Divas. It will be a year next month since we called it quits. Kelley and I miss it a lot. Stacey's group is going strong and the other day she called me to tell me her "good news"...her Dining Divas group is going to be featured on the Rachael Ray Show!!! I am really happy for her...seriously...I am...ok...just a tiny bit jealous...ok ALOT jealous... that her group has turned out so great and that our group turned out so lame. I guess RR is doing a show on cooking clubs and one of Stacey' s D.D. members sent in information on their group and were contacted by RR's producers. They are filming their next gathering...on January 21st. I am not sure when it will air. Way to go Stacey and the Dining Divas!!



P.S. Even the struggling Houston Chapter of Dining Divas has pulled it together and are going strong...the injustice of it all!! ;)

Now onto Rachael Ray...I am really bugged by her. Why is she so popular? Everytime I hear her say "yum-o" or "spoonula" I want to throttle her!! But national TV is national TV...yay Stacey!! Now if it were Paula Deen (my absolute fave...I daydream about what if she were my mother-in-law...how much fun we would have cooking together!!)...back to my point...if Stacey's Dining Divas were going to be on the Paula Deen Show I would be REALLY upset!! I am very proud of Stacey. Dining Divas has been her "baby" for years and it truly is an awesome club and I am happy that she is getting the recognition she deserves. Way to go Stac!

Tuesday night was Book Club...yet another great gathering. I love going to Kari Ann's house. She has the cutest house and I love looking around trying to get decorating ideas. We all brought food to share and she did the cutest thing...I am totally stealing this idea. She did a hot chocolate bar. She had marshmallows, whipped cream, peppermints and all different flavored syrups. It was SO good...and such a cute idea.

The book we read for January was:



I absolutely LOVE this book!! I highly highly recommend it. It is the perfect gift to give a friend/sister/mother or to buy for yourself to read and re-read. It is also a really quick read which is a nice little bonus. If you want a really professional review read Lucy's. (I really think Lucy should become a book critic). But here's what I thought about it...this was my second time reading the book. The first time I read it I was around 18 and getting ready to leave for college. My mom had read it and really liked it and had suggested I read it. (She has always had two copies of this book...one she kept at home and one she kept at her office). I read it and liked it and even took notes and wrote down favorite quotes from it. (I actually found my old franklin planner and the notes that I took...it was really fun to read). When I read it at 18 my parents were in the process of getting divorced, my family was moving from Kansas City to Houston, and I was getting ready to leave for BYU. Most of the quotes I wrote down were about separation.

"Parting is inevitably painful, even for a short time. It's like an amputation, I feel a limb is being torn off, without which I shall be unable to function. And yet, once it is done...life rushes back into the void, richer, more vivid and fuller than before" Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

I also had a few that I wrote down about trying to figure out who I was and how I mattered to the world.

"...When one is a stranger to one's self then one is a estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others". Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I remember crying on my bed, while reading the book, thinking...Anne Morrow Lindbergh really GETS me. Reading it again at 34 it was a like a whole different book and this time I was laughing reading it thinking...Anne Morrow Lindbergh really GETS me.

She compares the different phases of a woman's life to different sea shells. I loved the analogy of the oyster shell. That would be the married/raising a family stage. She describes it as very ordinary looking...rather lumpy...embedded on a rock...with things attached to it. She talks about how it reminded her of a house full of children, toys and bikes everywhere, with friends spilling out, noisy, messy and chaotic. That sounds so familiar!! She talks about how women's lives are so full of responsiblities, meals to be made, housecleaning, kids to be taken care of, pets, hobbies, friends, children's friends, activities, children's activites, committees and husbands that women rarely take any time for themselves to be renewed. So that quote that I wrote down when I was 18 about being a stranger to one's self means something totally different at 34.

I also really liked how she described the different stages of marriage. My favorite quote from this read-through was:

"Love isn't gazing at each other...it is standing side by side and looking in the same direction"

I think this book has had such appeal and longevity because it is full of universal truths. We, women, are more alike than we are different and that it even transcends time and generations. I can't wait to read the book when I'm 50 and again at 80 and see if Anne Morrow Lindbergh still GETS me...somehow I think she will.

100 Things...

O.k. Lucy...here is my list. I loved yours and Carolyn's.

1.) I have three kids.

2.) I married my best friend.

3.) I would've never thought growing up that I would be a stay-at-home mom...I
was ALWAYS going to have a career AND have kids. (Now I wouldn't trade being at home for the world).

4.) I attended BYU and majored in Psychology.

5.) I went to four different high schools.

6.) I am the oldest of five kids.

7.) I am the first-born daughter of a first-born daughter of a first-born
daughter...and my first-born was a daughter...cool huh?

8.) I hate the Midwest.

9.) I love the South.

10.) I like to travel.

11.) I am a worrier.

12.) I love to read.

13.) I like historical fiction.

14.) I think about characters from books I read years ago and wonder
what they are doing now.

15.) I always daydream about some cool or interesting scenario to fall asleep at
night.

16.) I love exploring new cities.

17.) I lost 50 lbs on Weight Watchers.

18.) I am a 95% vegetarian...I rarely buy meat and can go weeks without eating
it.

19.) I am easily annoyed.

20.) I love sunny days.

21.) I love seafood.

22.) I love soap operas...I only watch one now...Days of Our Lives.

23.) A secret only Tyler knows...I have subscribed to Soap Opera Digest...I love
it!

24.) Rock Star Energy Drinks are my favorite beverage...bad habit...I know!

25.) My first job was working at "Top Dog" a hot dog shop in the mall in Kansas
City which Tyler constantly confuses with "Hotdog on a Stick" and has
asked me several times if I still have the outfit...wink wink!

26.) I hate pizza...except for pizza Margarita.

27.) I love to go junking...garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets, antiques
stores...I love all things vintage.

28.) I love reading people's blogs...even if I don't know them...I am very curious
about other people and how they live.

29.) I LOVE Food Network!!! Paula Deen is my favorite! I also like Barefoot
Contessa and Everyday Italian.

30.) I subscribe to the Paula Deen Magazine.

31.) My ancestors are from Scotland and Germany.

32.) People ALWAYS ask me if I am part-asian...NO...Not that I know of...maybe
there is missing link somewhere out there.

33.) I get "special" treatment at Asian restaurants...see #32.

34.) I love tattoos...Tyler has a big one on his back...he got it before the "no
tattoo" edict.

35.) I am neither a night owl nor an early bird: I like to sleep late and go to bed
early.

36.) I dated Tyler because I thought he looked like a wild "bad boy"...long hair,
earring, tattoo, grungy...and inside beat the heart of a good little Mormon boy!!
(He was once pulled over by the BYU campus police while riding his mountain bike through campus because they thought he looked "suspicious"...Ha Ha!!

37.) I love all things Scottish.

38.) I hate carbonation...Rockstars are the exception...I HATE soda. I like
lemonade and fruit punch.

39.) I have a great sense of humor...if I do say so myself.

40.) I like to work-out and have done so regularly since my junior year of high school.

41.) I hate mayonnaise.

42.) I am afraid of cats!! I am not the only one...so is Kelley (my sis) and our friend Meghan.

43.) I am not afraid of spiders or bugs. I am the "spider-killer" at our house.

44.) I am TERRIFIED of mice/rats...just thinking about them freaks me out!

45.) I am an adventurous eater...I will try anything once and pretty much have.

46.) I love foreign language and have an aptitude for them...I took German for 4 years and French for 4 years...French is my favorite. I have read a novel in French (my claim to fame)...it was very thin.

47.) I hate touching people's feet.

48.) I am obsessed with earwax removal...particularly of my own family members.

49.) My favorite author is Diana Gabaldon.

50.) I love chips (corn and potato)...I have zero control eating them. I rarely buy them unless I need them for an event...if there are any left overs I make Tyler take them to work.

51.) I hate melon of any kind!!

52.) My favorite class in high school was British Lit.

53.) I am horrible at math.

54.) I can't drive a stick shift.

55.) I am obsessive/compulsive.

56.) I HATE McDonalds...except for the orange drink...yum!

57.) My favorite color is pink.

58.) The time that I lived in Springdell truly defined the person I am today. I learned who I am and what I am made of while living there. I believe God had a plan for my life and that the people I met there and what I learned there were all a part of His plan for me...so many of the gifts I have in my life today can be traced to that defining period of my life.

59.) I hate indecisive people.

60.) I love to cook--I don't like to bake.

61.) I've never been stung by a bee.

62.) I never had a cavity until I was 30.

63.) I had braces for 4 LONG years!!

64.) I love names...naming things, the meaning of names, baby name books.

65.) I hate the month of January.

66.) I love summer and fall.

67.) I hate winter and spring.

68.) I hate milk and NEVER drink it.

69.) I love pedicures...but don't like nail polish on my fingernails.

70.) Tyler and I talk AT LEAST 4 times during the day on the phone.

71.) I am not good at small talk.

72.) I hate church functions.

73.) Family is #1.

74.) I am close to and truly adore all my siblings.

75.) I am obsessed with Sting...I LOVE HIM!!

76.) I am oddly talented in that I can rhyme...all the time. I can also make up little funny songs...and poems on the spot...much to the amusement of my kids.

77.) I like crafting and making things...but I can't sew. New Years Resolution for 2007.

78.) I want to learn to Latin Dance...New Years Resolution for 2007.

79.) I have to have a "white noise" machine on to sleep at night. I keep it on the "train" setting.

80.) I love boating, water, and the lake...but I hate water skiing.

81.) I love going to brunch.

82.) The Office and Lost are my favorite T.V. shows.

83.) I am sarcastic.

84.) I swear...New Years Resolution for 2007.

85.) I didn't go to church until my senior year of high school.

86.) I cherish my time at BYU...I loved the social aspects of it but hated the conformity.

87.) I hate calling people--I love talking on the phone--just don't like calling.

88.) I am addicted to Carmex...used to be Blistex until one of my pregnancies when the smell and taste of it made me sick.

89.) I hate the smell of toast--we don't own an toaster.

90.) My feelings get hurt easily.

91.) I love polka dots.

92.) I love Thai food.

93.) I hate the flavor of "Chocolate Raspberry".

94.) I love Art and Art Museums.

95.) My favorite snack/comfort food is my mom's homemade Chex mix with only cashews in it.

96.) My shopping "heaven" is the Homestead Stores in Fredricksburg, Texas.

97.) I love nachos...Tyler and I are on a quest to find nachos as good as Diego's nachos in Provo.

98.) My dream is to live here June-Dec. 31st and then live in the South Jan.-May 31st.

99.) I want us to live in a house on a lake.

100.) I have never been offered drugs...and have always been ready and wanted to "just say no!"

101.) This is for Tyler...just so there can TRULY be "101 Dull Details" (see my very first post)...I hate pulp...it makes me gag!