General Conference packet!

I found this packet that an amazing lady posted on her blog! It has activities updated with all of the changes to this point. It's worth a try! I am thinking we may give rewards (bribes) for how much they can fill out. That way I may actually get to listen.
Here is the link:
http://coloroftheskyinmyworld.blogspot.com/2008/09/october-general-conference-packet.html

Here is another great one! http://deseretbook.com/conf.pdf

Thank goodness for creative people who are willing to share their time and talents.

Fun fall activity

My kids have a hard time this time of year because I wont let them get out Halloween decorations and activities until Oct 1st and the novelty of a new school year has worn off. Yesterday was a Saturday in which friends were scarce and imaginations were dormant. In other words, Mom was going nuts! So we pulled out this fun activity to make suncatchers. It was easy and the kids had a good time. After I did the cutting, Emma even had a blast making her own creation. In fact, a friend came over while we were in the middle of it and they told them they could play after they finished.

All you need is:

posterboard or cardstock, tissue paper, clear contact paper

Draw a large leaf or apple shape on posterboard. Cut it out. Then cut out the center in the same shape leaving a frame border. Cut two pieces of contact paper big enough to cover your shape. Stick the shape on to one piece of contact paper and then cut small squares of tissue paper and overlapping them, fill the center of your shape. Then cover with the second sheet of contact paper. Hint: contact paper is easiest to get smooth if you start from one side and work to the other. Don't worry if it isn't completely smooth, just make that the back.

Hang in a sunny window!

Boy Noises

Over the last few months, I have been pondering a phenomenon. I first noticed it one day when, as I watched my boys play, I heard absolutely inhuman sounds coming from their mouths. Sounds like schooo schooo, and pwuuoooh, and other sounds that I cannot even attempt to type. These sounds are emitted with practically any game they are playing, whether it is playing with rocket toys or waltzing with their little sister. This is strange enough but then I tried to make these sounds myself. I physically cannot do it right! Paul on the other hand, is the Jedi Master of "boy sounds". Thus, I am convinced it is linked to the Y chromosome.
Most of the time I find this talent fascinating considering the many variations, intonations, and situations in which they are used. However, I will admit that there are times that the consant barrage of sound against my brain can be mind numbing.
For you mothers without the pleasure of having boys (having boys verses girls would be a good topic for a later post). I highly recommend some quality time listening to little boys play. It's fascinating! I say mothers, your husbands wont find it the least bit unusual because it is part of their genetic make-up. He may, however, find it interesting to watch you attempt to mimic the sounds. Paul finds it hilarious!

Stain removal secrets no one told me!

I learned a couple of cool tricks for stains in the laundry that I wish I had known. Maybe these are common knowledge but I think everyone else in the world thought it was common knowledge and forgot to tell me.
For blood, go find yourself an 88 cent bottle of Hydrogen peroxide and pour some on. Delight in the bubbles, (laundry always makes me a little insane.) then wash it away!
For other stains such as grass, dirt etc., spray with Shout then rub area with Ivory bar soap. Don't ask me why but Ivory works wonders!
Now I wish someone could tell me how to get crayon out of clothes that have been through the dryer!

My good idea for Sunday

My kids love Color Wonder books and markers. We took them to church for them to color during sacrament meeting but I didn't like the idea of Backyardigans or The Incredibles invading the spirit available for them to feel. Then I found that a kind lady had put together all of the activity and coloring pages from the Friend at this website: http://www.ldscoloringpages.net/ and an idea came to me. We bought one of the blank Color Wonder drawing pads (about $3.75 at WalMart) and I took some time to print pages from the website onto the Color Wonder paper. They still get the joy of using Color Wonder materials without the worry of marker on their church clothes.
Today, Paul (I was incredibly sick at home) gave them one sheet each. He gave Emma a coloring page and the boys a hidden picture each and they lasted about 20 min. with the one page! We don't get out any entertainment stuff until after the sacrament. Hopefully these will help our children stay in the right frame of mind as topics from the pulpit filter into their minds. I get discouraged when I feel they are not listening and understanding the wonderful spirit there but I am often surprised at what they do pick up.

3 year old shoe addict?

Lately, Emma has taken to telling us stories full of woe about her lack of footwear! She already has more shoes than her mother but is convinced she needs a sparkly pair of pink flip flops and new black shoes because they are almost too small. Paul told me that just a couple of days ago she was telling him about all the shoes she "needs", all eight pairs of them! This would be in addition to the 8 or 9 pairs she alreadsy has! It doesn't matter if we are going grocery shopping, if she hears we are heading for a store she asks if she can get a new pair of shoes. It was heartbreaking for her when I bought new shoes for the boys for school and she didn't get any. They needed them, she didn't. Not to mention the fact that I had just bought her a pair the week before!
I don't understand where she gets it from! I for one, hate shoe shopping and am perfectly content to have a 2 or 3 pairs for each season, including dressy shoes. I know I am abnormal but that's the way I am. Soooo, the only thing I can figure out is that she gets it from her father, who has consequently bought most of my shoes too, because he hates it when I steal his! (Don't worry, my feet are not freakishly large, his feet are small.)
I worry about the teenage years! We can't afford to have a shoe-a-holic, not to mention the closet space!

Why in the world...

I was in the shower this morning and noticed that my shower/clock/mirror/radio that Paul uses for shaving has a snooze on it. I began pondering, as I often do in one of the only quiet places in the house. I asked myself, "Why would you need a snooze button in the shower?" Do many people sleep in the shower? I have found myself feeling drowsy and sleepy (I am not a morning person) but never to the point where I would feel I needed an alarm! Maybe this is for people with narcolepsy? Maybe there are people who enjoy sleeping upright in the shower? Wow, their sense of balance must be amazing. Are you one of these talented people?

On the other hand maybe there are men who like to shave while taking a long leisurely bubble bath and tend to doze off, making them late for work.

The mirror certainly isn't for women who shave, we prefer to look at the body part we happen to be shaving to avoid very bloody accidents similar to the amount of blood present in Psycho. (Why is it that your ankles and shins bleed more than any single body part should? Not to mention that the bleeding is almost impossible to stop.) Just ask my mother how much a shin can bleed. She has a great experience! When as a newlywed, she allowed my father to attempt to shave her legs. He only got one swipe! But that's another story.

Wow, that was a big ranting tangent. Anyway, who would deem a snooze button a necessary addition to this type of clock? Any ideas?

Another use for garden tomatoes

Christian requested I post this "recipe" because he has declared it one of his new favorites. He ate he ended up eating the equivalent of over 2 whole tomatoes tonight.

I just sliced some tomatoes in thick slices (about 4 per tomato) sprinkle on salt, pepper and crushed oregano leaves. Top with grated mozzarella cheese and broil until the cheese melts a little.

I know it's a real tough recipe that would give even you Martha Stewarts out there a run for your money but we got 4 out of 6 thumbs up! (Jenna isn't quite ready yet and Emma has decided she doesn't like tomato seeds. We'll keep giving them to her anyway! :)

Blog post on blogging

As you can see I have been contemplating the way I use my time and wondering if this blog is taking too much of my time. As I thought about the benefits of my blog, I realize there are many.
It helps me gain perspective on the happenings of our busy family. I am better able to find humor and see the big picture. This helps me to overreact less over the realatively small things when considering the "big picture".

I am recording things from our everyday life that serve as a family journal for all of us. I know I will treasure these records in my older age.

Blogging also gives me an opportunity to share stories and pictures with my friends and family.

Reading others' blogs helps me to know them better, and gain insight into who they are that I might not get otherwise in casual relationships. And I can learn things vicariously so I don't have to experience EVERYTHING for myself.

And finally, as Paul would say: It's cheaper than therapy!

So, fellow bloggers, BLOG ON!!!

New thoughts on Mary and Martha

I recently followed a link to a woman's blog who amazingly has 12 children. The motto she has for her blog is "Trying to find the mary buried in the martha". This got me thinking. This is a scripture story that I have always loved. Jesus gently reproves Martha that although she is doing good things, she is missing something better. She is missing the opportunity to sit at the feet of her special guest, which would be an unforgettable experience to cherish long after her other work and service are forgotten. Mary understood that.

Later, that same Mary anoints and washes Jesus' feet with costly oil. When reproved by one of the disciples, for 'wasting' the oil instead of selling it and giving the money to the poor, Jesus said "For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always."

Though this story has always reminded me to make time for Christ and the gospel in my life, I had a glimmer of insight into other special guests in my home which represent opportunities for unforgettable memories to cherish, guests that will not always be here with me. I have four beautiful children who will be children for such a short time. I have only a short time to revel in their enthusiasm, wonder, and love before they will move on to bigger things. Though I have many good things to occupy my time and even more costly, my energy, I need to make room for more of the better, more laughter, silliness, wonder, and joy, the things we will remember and cherish.

First Blood!

We had a couple of firsts this past week.

Jenna fell down. That in it self is not new, all the bruises and scrapes make her look like an abused child. What was new however was the split skin on her eyebrow. It's the first time we've had some heavier bleeding with her. Head wounds always seem to bleed a lot. It seems to be healing just fine and hopefully will not scar to leave a hairless line in her eyebrow.

Our other first was the first bloody accident on the trampoline. I know what you're thinking. "Oooh, trampolines are so dangerous!" but at least it happened at home instead of the neighbors. Actually, it didn't happen on the trampoline at all. Jordan, our kamikaze child jumped off the tramp onto the grass as he has since the second day we got the thing. (It takes too much precious time to climb down the step ladder.) Unfortunately, little sister Emma decided to try it too. I was in the kitchen trying desperately to catch up on the dishes after our foray into salsa making (see previous post) when she came pounding on the door screaming. At first I thought she had just split her lip but on further examination realized she had bitten her tongue badly. Her two front teeth had gone about half way through her tongue, leaving two deep gaping holes separated by a little piece of flesh. It was bleeding very badly and I wondered what to do as I cleaned her up and tried to talk in a soothing voice despite feelings of hysterics. I was amazed that she was crying more because she was angry at Jordan for "teaching me that trick" than because she was hurt.

Somewhere in the recesses of my brain I remembered learning that they don't stitch tongues. (Actually, I later found out they do if they are shooting blood or about to fall off. Thankfully, neither of these applied to this situation.) I tried to call our neighbor the physician but he wasn't home and so I called our other neighbor the nurse. She confirmed that it wouldn't do any good to take her in and told us to just flush it with a salt water solution periodically and that her tongue would heal completely within 72 hours. We are so blessed in our neighborhood to have so many kind people, so willing to help.

I am sorry to say I doubted the diagnosis until I saw her tongue this morning. It is amazing! It is at least half way healed! Evidently it is because of all that blood we have flowing around in our heads.

So, all is well once again and everyone is healing. Paul and I just hope that two important lessons have been learned:
1. Little sister is always watching, looking up to you, and wanting to follow in your footsteps.
2. Just because someone else is crazy enough to do something, doesn't mean you should!

SALSA! SALSA! SALSA!!!

Our tomatoes are coming on (finally, it took longer because we planted late this year) which means it's time to make salsa! I love it fresh. I thought I would share our additions to my sister Laurie's recipe:

10-12 tomatoes or
2 qts bottled tomatoes (drained), chopped
1 bell pepper (we use red), chopped
1 med purple onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped
2 tsp lime juice

We add:
1-3 tsp vinegar
1-3 tsp sugar

We like to put tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds until the peelings slide off, but you can leave peel on if you want. We are trying roasted garlic this year, smells good. I'll add on the verdict if we like it better! ~~We really are enjoying the subtle difference roasting makes. We did learn that it takes more than when it is raw because roasting makes it more mellow tasting. The best salsa is made without exact measurements. Every batch will be different depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes and the heat of the peppers. Taste as you go and find your own favorite combination!

SALSA! SALSA! SALSA!!!

I actually have a friend who likes salsa more than we do! She eats it with a spoon and drinks the juice at the bottom of the jar. You know who you are! :)

P.S. I am adding this to the Over-used Recipe Swap