Current guilty pleasure

Mike and I are having at-home date nights 3 nights a week! We put the kids down and then watch American Idol off the DVR. If we are lucky, sometimes there are treats in the house and it's like dinner and a movie! Don't say we don't know how to have fun!

Tonight, Mikey is in Denver again, and so I put the kids to bed at 8:00p and watched the rest of Idol all by myself! Not as fun, but I enjoyed the quiet time. I did feel a little guilty about putting the kids down early, but they were all asleep within minutes.....yes!

We are loving the hometown fav, David......Go Murray! I don't know about the girls.....

Not a creature was stirring...except me!

Sushi friends = sushi happy!

When do you think I'll learn?

We were lucky to go out with our good friends, Darin & Elise J (and their 3 week old baby!) tonight for Sushi! We sat at the sushi bar and had 10 rolls ($115)! We sat for 2 hours and had great conversation and yummy food.

The big problem was.....I drank Diet Coke.

For the past couple of years, caffiene kills me. If I drink it too late in the day, I can't sleep. I don't buy it for home, but when we go out to eat, I love a d.c. Well, I downed about 5 tonight. So, here I am blogging at 12:30am.

Kids sleeping

Hubby sleeping

Train horn blowing in the background

I spent a good hour blog 'researching'.

Changed the laundry.

I didn't have to clean the kitchen because of the fabulous babysitter, Brooke.

(When she got here, Brandon pushed me and said, 'Go, Mom')

And I'm exhausted.

Brandon has gotten up every night this week.

When you aren't used to that anymore, it starts to wear on you a little.

I'm anxious to go to sleep because Mike & Amanda are skiing all day tomorrow

and I have to entertain Syd & B

all day long

by myself

Which means I have to be awake

which means I might need another

Diet Coke

Curses

Along those lines

So, I was blog stalking....now I prefer to call it researching for ideas. I came upon this gal http://web.mac.com/rochelleht1/Rochelle_Tallmadge/Blog/Entries/2008/2/17_How_to_be_the_Center_of_Attention_at_the_Grocery_Store.html
(ok, I don't know how to make it small and cute, like click HERE for the link.) Anyway, she has a 3 month shopping supply on this post and recipes with food storage. I have seen her blog before and she is so cute! I have printed the lists off and plan to try some out! See, my emergency preparedness is going to be part of my day today! Oh, and maybe a shower....

Did you feel it?

When I went to bed last night, I was a little freaked out at the color of the sky.

I know it sounds weird, but when the tornado hit a few years back, I remember distinctly the color of the sky as we were downtown where it hit.

(We, luckily, were at the food court in the basement of the mall. After lunch, we were headed to the temple for a wedding (hi Phil & Kellie!)

We came out of the mall amazed at what we saw!).

Then, when we had our own little personal funnel cloud a couple of years ago that destroyed our playhouse and picked up our big swingset and crushed the fence,

I remember the color of the sky that day.

Last night, I even commented to Mike that I was a little freaked at the sky.

Then, for a brief moment, I thought earthquake.

No, I'm not psychic! Just maybe paranoid.

But, this morning, Nevada got hit by a 6.5 earthquake!

It happened around 7:15a this morning and I was in the bathroom and could hear the door bouncing against the doorjamb. I even called out to Mike,

who is doing that?

He was in bed and could feel the bed bouncing and wondered if one of the kids had climbed in with him!

Our little Amanda is very, very concerned about earthquakes and other major weather catastrophes, but went to school, thank goodness.

It makes you think a little bit more about how prepared are we for the inevitable earthquake that will happen here. I told Mike that if he doesn't ski this weekend, let's do a little inventory on our preparedness.

Maybe letting Amanda that we are prepared for an emergency will help her feel comforted.

I know that Californians are used to these things. And I have felt at least one other earthquake in my life. We hope that everyone in the area of Nevada that was hit is fine. I just get the feeling that these are warnings or little wake-up calls, and I'd better have my head together and my emergency stuff together so I can take care of my family!

Might as well Jump!

Brandon NEVER STOPS jumping! Jumping instead of walking,

jumping on the couches,

on the beds,

on ME!

So, I broke down and bought him a jump-o-lene! It's been a long winter all cooped up inside and this boy needs to move! He loves the 'jumping thing' and his sisters do, too! The only problem (besides having to use manual air for most of the blowing up instead of a pump) is that it's bigger than I thought. Here's Mikey manually blowing this 'toy' up! Doesn't he look annoyed?
My plan was to leave it in the fam room so he could be jumping while I'm doing day to day stuff. It really needs to be in the basement, but I don't think Brandon will go down there without me since it's unfinished and cold.

Cousins are for giggling!

We also were lucky to take Kate & Elyse home with us on Sunday night (after Gibby popcorn) for a sleepover! There wasn't school on Monday because of President's Day and the girls picked up on the possibility of a sleepover very quickly!

Brandon, Elyse and Sydney gave up and fell asleep around 11pm. I have no idea what time Amanda and Kate went to sleep, but the next day Amanda fell asleep while watching tv. A tell tale sign that she and Kate were up giggling for a long, long time!

Rog & Coze came up to get their girls about lunchtime, so we all headed for Arby's (Mikey had to work). We had a good time hanging out together. It's fun to see how our kids love to hang out! Here's a tip though: Don't try the cheesecake poppers...they aren't worth the calories!

Random Thoughts for Today

I finished the Book of Mormon today! Yea me! Mike and I started reading together...he finished 3 or 4 months ago, I finished today. Slow and steady wins the race. Well, I wasn't steady or I would have finished sooner. I even read to Sydney & Brandon today. Does that count as our family scripture study? I hate when Mike is traveling on business. I really miss him. He is my best friend and I want to see and talk with my best friend every day. Every Wednesday, I get one hour that all my kids are engaged in activites that take them away from me. I was really looking forward to my hour tomorrow because I don't need to run errands and wanted to sit home by myself and do something or nothing. Is it Karma? I got a call from the gal I visit teach wanting me to babysit her toddler while she gets her haircut tomorrow. She's desperate....guess what time she needs me?

I love how Brandon plays with his cars. Lining them up along any smooth surface and racing them along. The best part is when he does it on the kitchen floor just as I'm preparing lunch/dinner and he gets frustrated with me for being in HIS way!
I'm sad that such a cute face has a little cavity! I'm worried about the trama of filling it next week.

I have been thinking about some of my friends who are struggling lately. I know I cannot help except to pray.

I love popcorn Sunday nights at my parents house.

I love how Sydney is doing her own hair and think it is so cute when she decides not to have bangs, slicks them back and puts her flower clip right in the middle to hold them back!
I love that Amanda went to school today without any problem! She is a beautiful girl and I think she's finding her "happy" at school again.
I do not like to trim box tops....I trimmed 1,353 last night until midnight when Brandon got up for an hour party with me!
My kids are starving because I didn't feed them breakfast because I was reading...no, finishing the BoM. Did I trade something good for something I should have been doing?

Cookies the Brando Way

Brandon melts my heart!

I was feeling guilty cleaning the bathrooms while Brandon sat in front of the t.v. all morning (or maybe I needed an excuse to stop cleaning the bathrooms!), so we decided to make cookies! (These are the valentine cookies we were going to make last night, but I was too tired after dinner). He was so good at helping me put the ingredients in the mixer. He was a pro turning the mixer on and off for me.

Here he is smelling the yummy cookies! This is right after he tried to lick them all.

Then, he put on the sprinkles and did just the right amount!

Time for a taste!

Picking up the cookie gets your hands messy...

Here's a better solution. The problem solving of a two-year-old!

I love you, Brandon!

Post Homemade Valentines Day

(I know you all are wondering how Mike's homemade Wii turned out....I got something way better! Read on....)

I have to say that yesterday was so extremely busy. Somehow, I had to be to both the girl's classes during the day. I didn't have a sitter for Brandon and so he went with me all day which is hard on a 2.5 year old. I also had to teach lessons, go to the grocery store and drive 2 carpools which didn't leave any downtime. I was so glad that I had a sweet gift from Mikey to get me started on this crazy day!

I was so glad that my cute, cute hubby set his alarm, got up early and made me breakfast! His famous, yummy omlet, complete with juice and toast! He was trying to surprise me with breakfast in bed, but I was up trying to get a shirt ironed for him. He cleaned up the whole kitchen and left me a sweet card on the counter. Thank you honey! I loved your gift and thoughtfulness and I probably wouldn't have had time to eat breakfast (or lunch) at all yesterday! I love you so much!

I gave Mikey a couple of homemade bookmarks because he is an avid reader....usually reading 2 to 3 books at a time. I put pictures of the kids on one with a quote about how wonderful fathers are and I put the poem from the card he gave me on the other bookmark with a big I Love You!

Our girls were sweet making a ton of cards for us and even helped Brandon make one. Mike had brought the kids home those big old Hershey kisses and I brought them some stuffed monkeys that whistle-woo-woo. They were very happy! Even though I don't like the 'commercial pressure' of this holiday, it was a great day to remember how much I love these wonderful souls who share my life!

Loving this quote....

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someones garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." -Marjorie Hinckley

Can you say, Cabin Fever?

Today I decided that Brandon and Sydney are sick...sick with Cabin Fever!

I came to this conclusion when I saw them jumping on our bed singing, 'Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All The Way!' Luckily, it's warm here today (mid-40's) and so I rushed them outside for some

sunshine therapy!

It worked!

Sydney was loving riding her new bike 'really fast.'

It's about time we take off the instruction booklet and cardboard from around the wheel, don't you think?
And Brandon is still a little pro on his trike!

We had a good time in the sun while waiting for Sydney's bus! We even got to chat with Nicole and her kids for a minute. They stopped by when they saw that we were outside!

That's what I miss about warmer weather... spontaneous playing and chatting with our friends!

Fun and Flu

Mike & Brandon with Snowbasin (the mountain with the sun on it) in the background.

We went on our little ski weekend that I won a few weeks ago. We stayed at Lakeside Properties in a great condo. (Mike & Amanda have been using the free ski passes I won). Friday night we ate at The Oaks, which is a local fav right outside the canyon. It was amazing to sit in the booth and look out the windows at how high the snow is-higher than the windows! Saturday, we just relaxed. Mike & I came down to see the worldwide training because our Stake Presidency was all about getting 80% of the each ward there. Then, we headed back up. We mostly just relaxed, watched movies and hung out together. The girls were all about the hot tub! They would get handfuls of snow from the deck and put it in the hot tub, bring it back up and make ice sculptures. Quite the activity that kept them busy for a long, long time.

Don't look at the Mama in her swimsuit.....

Sunday, we checked out and took a little ride around Huntsville, etc. and up by Monte Cristo. We ended up finding the Huntsville Monastery. They are famous for their honey, but we didn't even see anyone because it was closed for Sunday. We do plan on taking a trip back there during the summer. They even have times that you can see/hear them chant, which would be a neat experience, I'm sure. We stopped for lunch at a little Mom & Pop place that made real french fries...the kind my Mom and Dad would make growing up! They had a big fireplace to warm the room, and since they served your food on paper plates, when you were done, they would throw your plates in the fire!

Sunday afternoon, I started getting queasy and by 4 o'clock was down in bed and out for the count! Full blown stomach flu. I was glad it was Sunday so Mike was home to help me. But, I'm sure he wasn't glad because Monday morning he was down and out for the count! Today, we are back to our normal rountine, still wiped out, but are once again vertical and not worshipping the porcelain god. I'm just hoping the kids skip this one.......

Valentine's Day Advice

I had suggested to Mikey that we give homemade gifts to each other this year. I just thought it would be fun to switch it up a bit. Apparently, he's been on the internet looking for suggestions on what to make me. So, if you are stumped about what to give your Valentine, maybe Mikey's list will help.

When I checked e-mail this morning, this is what I found:

From Mikey:

"Found this interesting....

Things Not to Get Your Sweetie for Valentine's Day

For Him:

1. Avoid soaps, lotions, potions, anything that smells like candy.Unless it's actually candy.

2. Flowers. He just doesn't understand why you would buy him somethingthat he has to a) nurture and b) nurture. If you simply must, a cactusmight pass--but remember, he wants a gift that can take care of itself.

3. Unfun tools. Yeah, he gets it. You want him to shovel the snow. Donot buy him a shovel to drive the point home. (Large noisemaking powertools excluded.)

4. Dinner. It's a blatant cop-out. Saving him the 80 bucks does not aromantic gesture make. A gift should come in a box. (Unless it is akitty or a pup, which are other things you should not get him. See rule#2).

5. An electric razor. If he wanted one, he would have bought it forhimself (and of all the gadgets, this is not likely one he's coveting).Ask yourself: Do you want him to buy you a razor?

6. Boxer shorts. To men, they're truly utilitarian. No frills. Nostyles. (Same goes for socks.)

7. A tie. Dude, he's not your dad. So unless you plan to tie him upwith it and give him his real present, ditch the old standard"

Shortly after another e-mail arrived:

From Mikey:

"Found this on the internet too:

The Perfect Gift for Her:

1. Tickets to the big game

2. A new road bike...one that is conveniently too big for her.

3. New skis...that are conveniently too big for her."

4. New golf clubs...that are conveniently men's clubs.

5. Punch cards to Davis and Valley View golf courses.

6. Four wheeler for snow removal.

7. House cleaning supplies.

8. A trip to St. George with just her....and the kids.

9. Nintendo Wii

10. A new dog.

What do you think? Doesn't he have some great ideas? I'm wondering how he's going to handmake a Nintendo Wii..........

Cute Brandon Moment

Brandon and I went shopping today. When we got home and were unloading the car, Brandon told me he would get something out of the back seat. I asked him if he could get it and he said, 'I a strong boy, Mom.' Sooooo cute and I don't know where he learned that! But it made me smile!

Ego boost...

Try not to laugh when you read my true color! Wanna try this test? http://web.tickle.com/rd/50651/color/index.jsp?testname=colorogt&resultid=G

Jill, your true color is Green!
You're green, the color of growth and vigor. Good-hearted and giving, you have a knack for finding and bringing out the best in people. Green is the most down-to-earth color in the spectrum — reliable and trustworthy. People know they can count on you to be around in times of need, since your concern for people is genuine and sincere. You take pride in being a good friend. For you, success is measured in terms of personal achievement and growth, not by status or position. Rare as emeralds, greens are wonderful, natural people. It truly is your color!

Fun filled Saturday!

Our planned Temple night got cancelled at the very last possible moment on Friday. I had the babysitter here and was just about to leave when Sydney threw up! Plan B-take the babysitter home, pay her a little for her trouble, call Mike to bring home take-out. Poor little Sydney was sick a few more times and when we put her to bed at 7:15pm, she was out like a light! Act 2 included Brandon throwing up in the middle of the night! A whole bed change for Brandon, then a half a bed change from when we was in our bed and we were in for a no sleep night! He gets scared of the dark and he made me turn on the TV and would wake up and scream whenever I would wake up in a fog and try to turn it off! I finally was able to turn it off at 6:30AM!

Mike had planned to take the girls skiing Saturday and ended up just taking Amanda. They had a grand time and skied the gondola all day which Amanda LOVES! A little lunch at Needles Cafe, which is pretty high up on the mountain, a few more runs and they were worn out!

By the time they got home, the other kids were feeling a bit better. We got ready and headed to our family favorite restaurant, Tepanyaki, for a little sushi and hibachi grill!

We owe a big Thanks to G&G Gib for taking Brandon for the long evening as Mike & I took the girls to The Blue Man Group. We got some free tickets from Mike's work, which we were glad about because we weren't sure we would have paid to see this show! Sydney was upset from the moment we had to walk from the parking garage. It was too loud for her and she finally put herself to sleep during the show to avoid having to experience it any longer! (She gets pretty upset and is really hard to handle-any suggestions? I know one: don't take her to things like this, right?!) Amanda enjoyed parts of the show, but some of the rock-out songs were just too unfamiliar and long and weird! They did some fun things like pull audience members on stage and the whole show was set up around learning to be a megastar. There was a on-screen manual that show us various concert movements like 'raise the roof' or jump up and down.

I found an entry on another blog that talked about seeing this same show and she felt the same way! So, I'm not feeling bad that we are old and didn't really get the whole thing.

The nice thing is that all the kids fell asleep in the car on the way home! No one else threw up! And we did have some fun with the family!

Got Snow?

I just want to say that I am grateful for our

SNOWBLOWER!

I used to give Mike the hardest time about getting one because our house in Murray had such a small amount of sidewalk.

When we moved here, I surprised him our first Christmas with a snowblower!

And we are so grateful we have it this year!

We got another 5 or so inches last night

(with more storms expected in the next few days).

Mike gets up like a kid on Christmas and goes out to blow snow at 7am.

The hidden blessing of our snowblower is it makes it possible for us to serve our neighbors. When he was done with our driveway, he went next door to our new neighbors who don't own a snowblower. Then, he went to our friend's who are out of town and did their driveway. The girls are tending this neighbors cat, so they were able to go over before school and feed and play without drowning in the snow. Then, Mike went across the street to our neighbor whose hubby is out of town. Then, down to another neighbor who also doesn't own a snowblower and finally to another neighbor who was out shoveling. By eight o'clock he was done and came in to get ready for work. I'm sure by the time our neighbors left this morning, they were grateful for our

Snowblower and it's Operator, too!

I'm proud of my hubby for being willing to be late for work to help out our neighbors.

Love ya, babe!