Is It Possible

to be in love with a vacuum? Because I am. Here's the story... Grandpa + Grandma Miles were earning a vacuum. Yes, earning. That means they needed to have 10 friends see a presentation and then after 10 friends saw the presentation they had to find one person to buy one. Only one. Not one of the ten. Easy enough right? Well, we have no money. We were happy to be one of the ten [well, not exactly happy, I mean... who really wants to sit through a vacuum presentation. Really]. Funny thing though. I'm usually really, really irritated with the whole presentation system. This time though I wanted to vacuum my entire house. And clean all of my carpets. Sweep my floors. Dust my baseboards. Leave the vacuum running for days to clean all the air. The lady said, "here, try out this attachment." And I said, "okay, I'll be back in half an hour." Next attachment, same thing. It's magic. I want it. I really, really want it.

I used to have a craft room

that looked like this: Girlie brought me a disk that she wanted to watch and I knew it just had photos on it so I tried to talk her out of it, but she's not really one to be swayed. So we "watched" it. This particular photo was taken in 2007 and it was titled, "Who made this big mess?" That was back when I used to tag and title my photos after I took them. And then true to form I would promptly lose them in a pile of disks that I always know are there but have no idea what's really on them. Anyway, just wanted to say that I used to have a craft room. These days I'm not even sure if I'm going to have a bedroom for much longer. Hmm. I'm thinking it was right after this that I sold all of my paper scrapbooking stuff. I miss having a craftroom. Even if it was a big mess. Seriously.

Just A Few Reasons Why

I am going to be working on this for the next 10 days. As you can see, we really need it. Really.

Blessed

I know I said I was taking a break, and I am. I just needed to share this photo of my Dad's crash with you all and say that I know Heavenly Father is looking out for each and every one of us. I am so grateful for that knowledge. My Dad is a firefighter/paramedic and works with the heavy rescue team [a couple of years ago he saved a guy from a highrise when the scaffolding holding the crane he was operating collapsed], he's a motorcycle riding, guitar playing crazy man and I love him for it. A few years ago he bought this flying machine and has loved it. Now he talks of getting a "backpack". Based on what he says I assume this is basically a flying machine without the go cart. I'm not really sure but it would involve running and jumping. Like I said... crazy. Anyway. This is what my mom said happened: "I thought we ought to let you know that Dad got himself tangled in some power lines today. He flew to Echo Bay in Overton and was on his way back. Over Riverside he saw Cliven Bundy watering some fields so we went back to wave. Not paying attention he throttled up to get over a fence and wrapped his chute around the power lines. It flipped him up then crashed him straight down. We are blessed that he is only sore and not really hurt or electrocuted. It could have been really bad. The power boys had to repair the line. Only one house lost power. They said it flipped the braker when it broke the line or he would have been shocked. He wasn't thinking straight and got right out to undo his extra gas tank that was leaking. Thank the Lord for your Dads safety tonight in your prayers. He will be sore for a few days but he says he's fine. " Enjoy the Journey

2.for.Tuesday

warning: this one's a little different than usual... one: I keep thinking how much time I waste. I am a wanderer. I wander my house aimlessly. I can't decide what to do next. As I scroll through my list of amazing things I've encountered I can't decide what to share with you. I can't decide how to put together my family book. I've got to get my family book done. Really. It's time. One day I'll think, "I'll just slap a bunch of full bleed photos into a book + I'll order it + it will be done + I'll love it." And I'm sure I will. So why haven't I done it? I'll tell you why. It's because of all the insanely fabulous pages out there. Inspiration everywhere. I can't handle it. I think I need to take a break. Really. I just need to step back and finish something already. Medications are not helping. I need real drugs. None of this, "yes, it's okay to take while you're nursing" crap. Seriously, I've got six old school school chairs + birthday banner + family book + *A's* scripture bag + my apple picking tote + fabric to recover grandpa's rocking chair + a couch and chair that need to be recovered + baby booties + a long overdue baby name + a recipe book + a coloring/doodle/baby book + a prize for Mel + cleaning cards + My Father's Dragon summer book club + a stack of fabrics intended for summer dresses + who knows what else is lurking in my unfinished stack of great ideas... two: today I went to the temple and did initiatory work for 9 Marias and 1 Lilian. What a whole lot of amazing promises and blessings and [for those of you who can] if you haven't done this for a while, you should. I decided today that I need to be reminded of these on a more regular basis. It had been so long for me. I had totally forgotten. I need to remember. enjoy the journey

2.for.Tuesday

I think it's about time for a new banner. I'll add that to the to-do list I'm avoiding at present. Last night I told *B* there are so many cute + happy things in the world. I want to make them all. I'm afraid that I would then fail to view them as cute + happy only. They would then become another thing I'm packing around with me. Another thing on the dining room table. Another thing in the storage room. Somehow, I've got to resolve this issue. I'm aimless + bored when I purge it all out and go on a fast. I'm overwhelmed and overly hard on myself when I binge. What to do? What to do?

one: count yourself happy + score it. This is a good thing to think about. I got 15 due to my lack of a hot shower + my yummy lotion is in the car [where I usually am when I realize that I forgot to put on my yummy lotion]. What are your daily luxuries? Do you treat yourself well? Do you recognize the good in life daily? I love Molly Irwin. It's true. She inspires me regularly. In fact, maybe today will be Molly Irwin day. I think it will...

ha! I thought this next sharing was Molly Irwin too [and therefore would make this Molly Irwin day] but, it's not. It's Brooke Reynolds of Inchmark Journal [formerly of Martha Stewart Kids + Martha Stewart Living so of course I love her too].

two: magical thinking. Honestly, this is such a fun and simple idea and totally do-able. I tend to jot down the funny things on scraps and leave them lying around the house. It's always fun to run across them weeks later and have a good laugh, but I like the idea of being able to go to them when I need to [I also like the idea of having them in a safe + contained + findable location]. So naturally, she is brilliant for having designated a jar for them.

this is just a funny side note that I've saved to share and now seems like a good time. It's a video clip from Conan O'Brien [that is Conan O'Brian, right?] + I think it's hilarious. Everything's amazing, nobody's happy.

Enjoy the journey!

+ enjoy the spider webs too... even though they're made with what little white thread you had left and a sunday shirt is missing a button...

I have a problem...

I am addicted to e-bay. Really. I've started watching for fun old cameras and when you're watching they send you e-mails: Such and such is ending soon. Don't let it get away! If the current bid is super low I'll think, "wow! I wonder if I could win it for $9.00?" and I will. *B* is ready to cut me off the computer. Today I received a package in the mail with this in it:

It was a little bit of a wake up call for me as all sorts of bad scenarios played out in my mind. This is a fun shade of pink, but it is not the item I bought and paid for. Not to worry though. It has all been straightened out, but I think I need to stop with the e-bay watching. I'm getting quite a collection...

enjoy the journey!

What I Did Today.

The other night I was feeling like I never get a solitary thing done. The house was bugging me. The kids were bugging me. I was bugging me... *B* made a list of the things I had done that day. I snorted and said it's really pathetic when he's trying to cheer me up with a list and the best he can come up with is "the bed is made." But, he made his point. I do things. I made a list yesterday and another today. I'm working on feeling good about what I do everyday and trying not to focus on what I don't do... This is what I did: *I* brings in the girl because she's crying. I nurse her then get up/dressed + fix her breakfast. "encourage" *I* to do his a.m. pegs + get him off to school. put whites in wash. vacuum the girls floor and gather her toys so she can play. pick up in bathroom + empty garbage + scrub the floor + swish brush around in toilet + gather supplies to mop floor. the girl is crying. rock the girl. phonecall from PTA pres. re: yearbook checks. phone call from *B* + chat. strip *A's* wet bedding off for washing. decide toilet needs more than swish. really scrub toilet. rock + nurse the girl + put her down for nap. clear breakfast dishes + load/start dishwasher + pull labels/glue off babyfood jars. phonecall from Melissa re: soccer cleats for *I* + *A* goes to play. check soccer schedule for jersey color + remember after game snacks. eat cookie + drink water + work on list. clear + wipe table + sweep kitchen/dining room. the girl wakes up. feed her. lunch call w/ *B* I eat noodles. clean + play with the girl..."where's your ears?" she grabs them and smiles then claps when I cheer for her + she falls asleep. freshen up levis in drier. work on Erin's box... eat two cookies. sucked into summer hairstyles on the www. >>> check e-mail >>>listology 1001 books to read before you die >>>shelfari shelf browsing >>>schedule AmX payment >>>pay utilities >>>set up mortgage auto payment plan phonecall. fold levis + whites in to dry + *A* wet bedding in to wash. girl awake again. feather headband how-to on MJ Trim >>>checking out favorite blogs >>>random crown search >>>awesome knitting pattern >>>tell myself "GET OFF THE COMPUTER!" phonecall from Melissa re: *A* make it home? he did. then he left again. hmm... should I be worried about him? *I* home. work on homework. try to motivate him to do jobs. he disappears. *A* bedding in to dry. rock the girl. start dinner + *B* home + eat + guys go to soccer game. give the girl a bath in the kitchen sink + put on jammies + rock + cuddle + nurse + she falls asleep. work on Erin's birthday. guys home + March Madness + boys wake up the girl + boys to bed in trouble. e-mail >>>answer Erin's question "who was your first kiss + how old were you" + get *B's* answer >>>start blog post. put girl in crib to cry + cut *B's* hair + rock the girl to sleep. watch end of Villanova vs. Duke + Missouri vs. Memphis games + have few bites of icecream... It has been really good for me to have this awareness. I did get some things finished and I got a lot of things started. While it's true that the table needs to be cleaned off again + the floor has crumbs on it again + the sink is full again, I can see now and appreciate that it was done. Three days ago I would look at the house and feel frustrated because I knew I had been going all day but nothing seemed done. Today I know I had a full day and can see the humor in the crazy randomness of my life. I am enjoying the journey. finish post + go to bed.

San Diego

I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around life right now, but I promised so you got it! I've been meaning to change my banner for a while now, so that's what I did... with photos from San Diego. Jessica Sprague (same person who is doing the class on my to-do list... and hopefully yours too. After all, it is free)... Anyway, she has a fun (and free) template download for photoshop here. Just choose your photos and "wrap" them around the gray boxes using ctrl-g. I cropped it to get my banner. That's two things off my to-do list. Good job me! Photo info (left to right): *I* with the Belugas, Mr. Stand-on-One-Leg, *A* with a starfish, *A* loves the zoo, *I* nose to nose with an orangutan, *I* trying to pet the dolphin, Grandma petting the dolphin. I realize the crop cut out too much of the starfish picture, but that's just how it is. The girl is howling and I don't have time to fix it right now. I'll add that to the list. More to come eventually... Enjoy the Journey

And Photos to Go With It...

I thought you deserved the photos I wanted to share but couldn't supply because my internet service provider was down (aka: my neighbor!... for the record, they did say it was okay).

1. Yes, she's growing like a weed. We try to get our tummy time in but she usually throws up all over and then that's the end of that. I hoped to get a smile out of her, but it didn't happen this time.
2. The first grader with his best friends. I'm sure glad he has good friends.
3. no photo... because I'm anti.
4. don't they look yummy? I am quite proud of us and VERY grateful for the help we received from *B*s parents.
5. art journaling is a new love. I don't feel the pressure. when I find something I think would be fun I drop it into a bag of stuff I'm collecting to use and when I get an idea for a start I grab stuff out and throw it together. this one is a collection of Dove Promises. and yes, I really did eat the whole box.
6. babynames. I didn't even start. I will post a picture though... someday.
7. paid to take pictures. amazing. I might seriously consider it. this one is of melissa & her mom & her sister (who is tan from spending summer school at BYU Hawii). they're super cute and I don't think they'll mind being on my blog.

so, that's it.

enjoy the journey

If I have to...

I don't even know where to begin to tell about life these days... I've checked out (with the exception of a few random bursts).

1. the girl is growing like a weed. Two weeks ago she weighed in at 15 lbs. and was 24 inches. She is definitely ours. So far she still has beautiful bright blue eyes and her daddy is really hopeful that she'll keep them. Brother #1 had the same eyes but they've mellowed to a greyish blue now. Her hair is looking auburn/red at the moment. If I had to guess I would say she has a lot of my early days look about her. I have pictures of my 1st b-day and my hair is reddish. Maybe she'll follow my lead and start with red, move on to blonde, then to dirty blond, then to auburn/dark blonde. Then again, maybe she'll have dark dark hair like her daddy and bright baby blues like her momma. Isn't that what we all dream of? Unless of course you've got it!
2. School started. We've got a 1st grader this year. He likes riding his bike to school. He especially likes being in charge of himself. Don't tell anyone, but on the days I work I set the timer and tell him that if his friends haven't come by the time the beeper goes off he needs to hustle to school alone. He loves being his own boss for 2o min. He got 100% on his first spelling test.
3. I am kicking myself daily for being the PTA treasurer. Maybe it is an easy job eventually, but truthfully, nothing is really easy when it requires large chunks of time and you've got a nursing baby/small family. Stupid.
4. The cannery was giving away peaches (literally), so we got a bunch and made jam. 54 pints of it. I'm seriously considering taking some and trying to sell it at the farmers market tomorrow. They we're also selling really beautiful looking ones for $0.35 lb. We couldn't pass that up either so we bought 100lbs or so and canned 70 qts. so at least we have peaches in our food storage!
5. I've been taking a couple of art journaling classes on line and have really enjoyed them. I've done a few things...
6. I decided that I'm going to get my "best of" book for 2007 put together. Then I'll really have permission to play.
7. After I get two baby names done. I keep forgetting about them. I promise I'll do it. Maybe I'll do that now (when I'm finished giving this update).
8. I got paid to take pictures and was totally freaked out about it but suprisingly I enjoyed it and even more suprisingly they loved the pictures. I was so glad!
9. It's just me and the girl again this weekend. I have a huge to-do list and, as you can guess, I'm not getting any of it done.
10. Why is that not surprising?

There you have it. My top ten update!

Enjoy the journey!

What's Up?

I realize it's been a while. I've been wandering. I went to PTA convention... it was boring, but the company was fun and the key-note speaker was a riot. Shannon Hale (author of Goose Girl and a few other books on my list). Definately a highlight of the trip. Glad to be home, having a hard time getting back into the swing. *B* had my house torn apart when I got here. He had good intentions, but... well, my house is torn apart. Sadly, all of the things that need homes are mine and it's stuff I'm not ready to deal with right now. Put it back in the storage room! There is no longer a storage room. It has become the food storage room. The once was craft room is now the baby room and I have no place to hide my junk. It's really very sad. Something good of it all... I found the notebooks I made for the boys and can start transcribing all of the scraps of paper I have around with funny things they say and do. I've actually gotten started on that. Last night I copied all of the, "took first step" type notes from the five calendars that have been on my book shelf and I tossed the calendars. Just need to keep going. Someday I will also do something bigger and better. I will make a book for them to look at and enjoy. I will. I found this for those of you that want to join in the twenty-five project. That's this Sunday you know. If you need a little more direction/focus you could choose a color and just shoot things of that color. Hula-Seventy did it for a week. You could just choose your favorite. Here are some examples from her Pink/Red Thursday:

If you'd like to! If you do it make sure you document what it is and why it's important. You know, it's the story too! Let me know so I can be proud of you!

Enjoy the Journey!

Here's an Idea...

In my 20 min. surfing (that has "suprisingly"/consistently gone longer than originally planned) I found this idea... "Starting this Friday, the 25th of April, our masterplan is to photograph the day in full, then document that day in a scrapbook. And the same on the 25th of May, the 25th of June and so on…for an entire year. By then, we will have captured an entire year of life as we live it, with the changes, celebrations and obstacles that come our way. I would love for you to join us." Shimelle has designated the 25th of every month to scrap your day. Yes, I realize that I am no longer a scrapbooker, but am still having issues about getting my stories told in a way that is fun and non-obsessive and non-stressful and non-mess creating. I've still not found it. Blogging helps, but I like to look at and touch things. HMM. Anyways, I thought this might be fun to try. If you want to try it with me... Do you love that I keep changing my mind? The 365 project, though a very cool idea, isn't happening. I've not been able to find myself blogging and telling the stories I'd really like to keep. I have problems with follow-through... have you noticed? The link above will take you to Shimelle's Scrap Your Day introductory page. She gives a lot more details about it and some instructions you can choose to follow (or not) as well as a supplies list if you want to do what they are doing (it has something to do with a 15x7 spiral bound calendar by Making Memories). They started April 25th, but I don't think that really matters! So, the BIG QUESTION: Can I committ to carrying my camera all day on the 25th and write about it? Well, we'll just see. I think it might be fun. Come and play with me! Enjoy the Journey! PS: Shimelle has my number today I guess, I've added a link (under Check It Out) to a series she did in February called "Write it down". They are just journaling prompts (one for every day in Feb.)to tell stories and get you thinking about things past and present. It would only link up the main page so you'll have to scroll down to her 1/31/08 post to get to the begining of the exercise. It must be idea day.

Yes, It's Wednesday

But I can't find my journal right now. *B* helped me clean the house this last weekend (as he usually does). So... I love *B*! Today I was elected PTA treasurer. I actually chose the job early as one that would be acceptable in lieu of getting stuck with something that would cause me a lot of greif and stress. I hope it works out okay. They are having Utah PTA convention next month and Shannon Hale (author of my newest favorite books: Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, Book of a Thousand Days, and Princess Academy) is a keynote speaker. I told Melissa (elected Secretary... with some prodding) and Kim (newsletter & Hospitality) that we need to have a girls break and go hear Shannon Hale. Who cares about PTA Convention? Anyway, I'm thinking that I'll see what this PTA thing is all about and maybe suggest we conserve our resources and switch to a PTO next year. I'm gathering my ammo! I also signed up to decorate a teachers/administrators door for Teacher Appreciation Week. I have no idea what they usually do and asI was checking out some of my favorite blogs before going in search of ideas I was inspired by this: It's from Elsie's blog. What do you think? Wouldn't that be a cool door if it said, "you rock!" or "We love you!" or something similar? I think it's very simple and cute and I would write on one of the stickies, "just a note:" I love the simpleness of it. I think it's the winner! Whew, that was just too easy! Lastly, I've been returned to the Primary Secretary world. The current secretary and I have traded jobs. I am so glad! Enjoy the Journey!

Hello Again!

Hi! It's been a while. I've not been feeling the greatest. I hope you all had Happy Valentine's. I went to the school and helped in little man #1's class... they passed out Valentine's and had a little sugar rush party. This one game really had them all going. They had 30 seconds to stack as many conversation hearts as high as they could. The little man was doing great but he'd always push for just one more and the tower would topple. After a few rounds he was so frustrated. I felt so bad for him. He's way too much like me. Too perfectionistic or whatever. We just need to learn to leave well enough alone. *B* had school on the 14th so we celebrated on the 15th. He took me out to Texas Roadhouse and then we went and saw 27 Dresses it was a cute movie. We both really liked it. I had to laugh though, because I kept having to fight the tears... it's these stinking pregnancy hormones... the poor girl just got stepped on way too much. Today a lady knocked on my door and said that my boys were naked and that she completely understands since she has boys of her own... she was just worried about perverts. Yeah, me too. I swear... who told my boys they don't have to wear clothes if there is water around? They had stripped down (and the neighbors 4 year old grandson too) and were playing in the irrigation water running down the gutter. I honestly didn't think it was warm enough for that yet, but there they were. I wasn't up to fighting with them so I got their swimsuits for them. No more naked! The next time I looked out they were covered in mud. I just can't win! A special prize for all you readers from Redbox... free DVD rental. If you haven't tried the redbox you should. Can't beat $1 movies. All you have to do to get the free rental is type in the code: DVDONME when you check out. You'll still have to swipe a credit card just for identification purposes (and so they can charge you a dollar if you keep it longer than 1 day) but hey... free movie. We just watched No Reservations last night. We both really enjoyed that one too. I love that you can now rent the movies on-line then just go swipe your card and pick them up. No more having to scroll through the movies to see what's there and what isn't (sadly, the free codes don't work with on-line rentals). We really like movies at our house. Lastly, I just uploaded more [365] photos. My photos are totally lacking in creativity and... something. Oh well, at least they're there.

My First Give-Away

In an attempt to de-clutter my life I've decided that if there is something here that I don't "love" anymore I am getting rid of it. Regardless of how much I paid for it. So, with that said... I've got eight plates from Pier 1 Imports that I thought I loved once and have since decided that maybe someone else could love them more. Here is a photo:

I think the colors came through fairly accurate. They're cream (but no yellow tones), with a red'ish brown antiquing that could possibly be called brick. They are the 11" diameter dinner plates. Four of the plates have been used and have a few small chips. The other four, as you can see, are still wrapped from when I bought them 3+ years ago. So, if you have red kitchens/ dining rooms or would just like eight matching plates, let me know and they're yours... next time I see you!

Enjoy the Journey

Pesto...Yum!

I love pesto! I made pesto! The guys of the house did not like pesto. Bummer. I have a basil plant growing in my kitchen window and about two months ago it finally had enough leaves to make pesto. I cut it way back and mixed up the pesto but the smell wasn't so good so I had to store it until last night (I'm finally past the "that doesn't smell so good... I can't eat it" stage). We had ravioli with pesto sauce... actually, I had ravioli with pesto sauce. The little men had ravioli plain with a little pile of pesto at the side of their plate that they tasted but didn't like. *B* had just plain ravioli. I don't even know if he tasted the stuff. So, for the pesto lovers out there. Don't hassle with making it yourself. Go to Pier 49 and get it on the Embarcadero pizza (don't forget the artichoke hearts)! Or, go to Pasta Factory and get pesto on your build your own lunch special (don't get the creamy pesto... YUCK)! Or, go to the Pizza Factory and get the Gusto pizza (leave off the squashes and red onion and add the artichoke hearts... I think. It's been a while. I prefer the Embarcadero at Pier 49). Or, you can purchase small jars of pesto sauce at grocery stores, but if no one else is going to eat it... I don't know what the shelf life is once the seal is broken. It might not be worth it. I guess if you weren't crazy like me and thought you had to grow the basil in your kitchen window and just splurged on fresh basil it wouldn't be such a big hassle... hmm... still probably not worth it since I would have to throw most of it out unless I ate pesto every day for two weeks (that could do more damage than good). And now, the point of this rampage... I made my own pesto and ate it. Cross another one off the list. Enjoy the Journey! P.S. I just found that you can download the instructions to the "Greatest Love Story Ever Told" book. It has some prompts for telling your story. Click here to see it! Enjoy!

It's Official.

I mailed my hair today. I can say I've done one good thing in the world. So, I'm all alone tonight. *B* broke one of his fillings out so he went to the dentist in Cedar to get that fixed this afternoon. He figured that since he was going he might as well take us all and stay the night so he could go ice fishing with grandpa tomorrow. That would have been fine except I am singing in a women's choir for our stake women's conference and the practices are at the worst time possible... every Saturday from 11:00-12:00. Our dear neighbor Lil is the director and she has so much to do and so little time and they never go anywhere so that is really a great time for her. I won't complain though... it means I am home alone. I had Cafe Rio chicken enchiladas for dinner, and I've got a movie, Stardust, that Melissa told me was really good, and I bought some Rocky Road ice cream to make a mock milkshake. I love me some rocky road with milk in it! I have a few things to answer from past posts...

1. Belle asked how to create a link (Belle, I can't read your blog anymore! What's up?): just highlight the text you want to link up, i.e. if I wanted to give you all info on the movie Stardust I would highlight Stardust and then up in the tool bar there is a green earth with a chain link on it... click that and it will open up a box to type the address fo what you want to link to. I usually open up a tab and go to the sight I want to link so I can just copy and paste the address it's lots faster and there's less chance of typo's. It's facil!
2. *B* loves my hair and loves even more that I don't get mad at him anymore for laying on it/pulling it. I've chopped it off twice before now, so he knows it grows fast and knows just as well as I do that I probably will never make it to the salon to get it cut again anytime in the next three years so he's smart to just let me be happy with it... if that's what he's doing!

And that's it. I'm thinking about taking an online class, the greatest love story ever told, about you and your significant other... I could really use some prompts (if you check out the link just know that I am only interested in the class, not the kit... I'm still not going to be a scrapbooker any time soon). I'm cheap though, if any of you have great prompts that would help me tell our story (and even ones that *B* can use... I'd like us to do it together) let me know. I'd like to keep my money in my pocket, but I also want to make my life as simple as possible... do less you know! Maria inspired me to read back in my journal to find *B* sad to say there is little of him there, but I'm glad for what is. I need to document the rest before it's gone forever. I swear I am just like my mother (who says she can't remember anything from our childhood... man that really ticks me off)! So ladies, write down your stories!

Enjoy the Journey!

So... Basketball...

Yep, I played basketball last night. I am the coach/coordinator for our ward and therefore am obligated to play. I hate dread it. It has been a long time for me, and last year we had no subs and I thought I would keel over from a heart attack every time we played. This year I have exercised twice in the last four months (on Thursday of last week and Tuesday of this) and honestly, I'm in no shape to play basketball... even if it's just women's church ball. I truly think that is worse. I was trying to explain my dread to *B* and he just didn't get it. Seriously, is there anything more frustrating than just running back and forth from one end of the court to the other? I didn't think so! And now, the truth: it wasn't as bad as I expected. I had them combine us with another ward in the hopes that we would have subs and we ended up with eight players. Fun? I wouldn't go that far. Tolerable at best. Cross another one off my list (well, almost). As some of you already know, I've cut my hair off. Approx. 12" is sitting in my window sill waiting to be sent to locks of love. When the sending part is done I'll cross it off. I attempted to take a self-portrait today so you could all see it... of course, little man #2 had to be part of it... open mouth and all. Enjoy the Journey!

Cross One off The List

So, I finally printed off a copy of my list so I would be looking at it regularly (every day) and it's helping. Today I get to cross off the whole wheat pancake recipe... yes, I realize that it also says waffle, but I'm going to cross off the pancake part and feel good about it dang it! I tried the recipe in the waffle maker and it worked okay. I'll still play with that and eventually I'll get to cross off the waffle part to, but for now, wahoo for me! For those who would like to try the recipe, I got it from my friend Melissa and it is easy and yummy and best of all, it really is whole wheat. As in, scoop whole wheat kernels out of your food storage bucket, whole wheat (but don't be scared...you don't have to grind it, this is done in the blender). Finally, a use for all that wheat they tell us to get!

And that's it (please ignore my typos)! I just mixed up the dry "add" ingredients and had the eggs and oil ready then added them to the blender the last 30 sec. or so to mix them in. It worked out really well and the boys are loving them. They had them for breakfast and now are having them again for lunch. It's a large recipe... you shouldn't need to double it unless you're making a whole bunch and even then you'd probably have to do two batches because of the size of most blenders. I love it! Enjoy!

Enjoying the Journey

P.S... does anyone know how to convert a pancake recipe to a waffle recipe?