What's On My Mind...

I've noticed lately that it's really easy to tell what's on my mind & what's happening in my life just by opening my cell phone camera.  It is my planner, my notebook, my reminder, source of laughter and inside jokes with my family and friends.

Here is a sample of pictures from the last week....

Last Monday the kids were out of school and they helped me clean out & organize the Guest Bedroom, I still have to put away my sewing machine and fabric (that's what is in those boxes and blue container).  Otherwise it's now an official bedroom!

Also, price comparison....where do I really find the best deal on Peanut Butter?  Inquiring Minds want to know!

And while registering Tate for classes next year  I spotted this on the wall and sent it to Quinn because he wanted to decide if he was going to try track this year.

And here's where you really see where my head is, what books caught my eye while I was out...

 Can you read these? I took this snapshot of the table of contents page in a book of 2010 Women's Conference Addresses.  I didn't want the whole book, but know I can find the text of these talks on line.

Do you see a pattern here:
1-"When You Can't Do It Alone....Take the Savior's Hand" by Brent L. Top
2-"Divine Signatures....The Confirming Hand of God"  by Gerald N. Lund
3-and the talks "Seeing the Hand of the Lord in Our Lives",   "When Prayers Seem Unanswered", "Have Miracles Ceased"  and "Lessons of Faith and Courage from Emma Smith"


Hmmmm.....think I'm searching for something?   Thankfully I think I'm starting to find the answers I'm looking for.

And, of course this.....over and over and over again last week.   They say the ski resorts usually close around April 15th, and this year they may stay open until Memorial Day.   Something is definitely wrong with this picture....

Where is Spring?

Sigh....it's just not right.  And 5 more days of this ahead of us?!?  

Dinner and a Movie

The husband and I love to get out on a date at least once a week.  We have 4 of  our 5 kids old enough to be in charge while we're gone, so there's no shortage of "bosses" around here.  It's a great stage of parenting for us, after years of diapers, clingy babies, and tiny kids we're finally at a place where we can take a break and just be together every week.  

What do we do? Well, we're plain and simple folk, just getting out of the house, without kids is enough to make it a date.  Add a fun stop for dinner and it's a bonus.  Add a movie and it's a real treat!

Luckily Jeff and I are easy to please when it comes to our entertainment, honestly-we'll see just about any genre of movie.  Horror is the only one we both agree is off the table.  I like the suspenseful/scary movies more than he does, and he likes the action movies a little more than I do, but we're both happy to go and watch almost anything.

For a good long while there was a real lack of  movies worth the price of a ticket-even with our willingness to give *almost* anything a chance.  Thankfully, the tides are changing and some fun movies have hit the screen lately.  I thought I'd share a few we've seen over the past few weeks.


First we saw "I Am Number Four."  I wasn't expecting much, but we hadn't been to the movies in a long time, and thought we'd give it a shot.  It was much better than either of us expected.  I didn't love Dianna Agron (from GLEE) so much, but we both really enjoyed the pace of the film and the story itself.

This movie is a little sci-fi, part action, with a side story of romance, and a lot of fun.  It was exciting, and made me jump in my seat a few times (but not from anything gross or scary-just surprise).

The book the movie is based on has done quite well, and it's on my list to read.  I'm really hoping they have more of the story coming down the pipes, because we'd definitely go see them.

There was some swearing, and medium levels of violence.  Teenage sex is alluded to, but not shown, there are teenagers drinking alcohol in the movie.  Check out the trailer here if you're not familiar with the movie.





Here are some others we've seen---maybe I'll post my thoughts on them...if I remember!  What have you seen lately?  Recommendations?

Luck O' The Irish to You! And some daily business...

Those little green guys are sneaky, they get us every year, even before we get up!  

I said I wanted to  snap a picture, and this is what I got- a little more formal than what I'd had in mind, so I snapped another when they got down to business....

Good thing they didn't get the eggs too, Thane says it's because of their "armor" -lucky them, and us, I guess!














I didn't stop to take a picture before the older boys left-it was just too early for that!  Quinn left at 5:55 today-weightlifting before school, ugh!  Kiefer leaves every day at 7, I'm lucky to have breakfast ready in time for him to eat, let alone think about snapping a shot.

Tate leaves to catch the bus at 7:40, and Thane and Sage are lucky, their bus don't come until 8:25-though they usually leave around 8:15 so they have time to chat it up at the bus stop with their friends.  Everyone rides the bus except Quinn on weightraining days-then we carpool.  All three of their schools are on the other side of the freeway, so no walking to school.  Next year a new Jr. High opens just 1.5 miles from us, so Tate will be hitting the pavement, he's not so excited-I'm thrilled!  But he is excited that every student gets their own locker (right now most kids have to share-no backpacks allowed, so lockers are used all the time)   and he is CRAZY excited that every student gets their own Netbook computer.  That's right-every student gets their own computer.  They won't have textbooks, and all their homework, papers, etc... are supposed to be done on them.  Not so sure what to think about that.

I'm not satisfied with what they've said about filtering, which is basically "don't worry about it, we'll teach them how to use them appropriately."   Like that's going to work, we'll see-we still have a few months.


It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.  I've volunteered to be on the School Colors & Mascot Committee (looks like it's going to be Black, Silver & Purple and the "Thunder" with Thor as the mascot).   This is one of the first submissions we're considering for our logo.

 I know you're all going "Thunder" really?  But close your eyes & imagine the AC/DC song Thunderstruck playing (the beginning) with all the kids yelling THUNDER!  and it's going to be awesome.  We've even come up with some great t-shirts and other ideas.  And the colors were the kids #1 choice, and I think they are going to be very cool looking.  If you don't know the song click on the link above and listen to the first minute or so.

I'm also on the SNAP (Safe Neighborhood Access Plan) Committee for making sure there are safe ways for all the students to walk to school.  Right now there are no sidewalks on most of the major roads from the homes to the school, and since my kids will walk I really wanted input on this issue.

It's good to have something to do, I like being busy, and all this time of nothing has been killing me!

That was more "business" than I intended, but oh well!  If you've read all this then I hope you have a fabulous St. Patrick's Day and  the Luck O' the Irish is with you!!

How To...Make Up for a Cold, Rainy Day & a Ruined Field Trip

What do you do when the highly anticipated field trip dawns gray and rainy?  Too Rainy to go on an outdoor field trip.  Then to top it off you fall in the mud during recess and ruin your favorite pants and you have to wear the ugly ones in the Nurse's office or sit in the muddy ones until Mom can bring yours from home.   It all adds up to a "Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!"

There is only one cure in our house...homemade cinnamon rolls.  I was going to do a whole picture perfect post on making these and realized there are already a million of these up in the blogosphere.  The recipe I need to use when I'm in a hurry and want to make these is almost identical to the one found here: Everyday Cinnamon Rolls From "Our Best Bites"

She even uses my favorite tip, cutting the dough with dental floss for nice, even slices.  You can use string also-which is how my mom taught me, but I find dental floss cuts easier.

The other thing I love about this recipe is it just makes 12 rolls, just enough so that I don't eat too many!

This recipe is soooo easy, even those of us who are challenged in the kitchen can make them.  Don't be afraid!  I have to tip my hat to my friend Janette who taught me not to be afraid of yeast recipes.  Even when I tried to make her rolls and they failed miserably she didn't laugh, only encouraged.  And it was bad.  Picture enough dough to make 48 crescent rolls.  Now make only 8 rolls with all that dough.  Let's just try and forget, okay?

And the best part-sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of milk to let it all spill out.  And the hug afterwards



(although my boys will tell you the center is the best part.)

Vital Statistics

(Google images)

This week's letter for Miss Jenny's class brought many very cool words to mind, have you ever noticed how many intriguing words start with the letter V?   There's plenty, trust me!  With that in mind you may wonder why I chose to toss all those vital and vigorous words out the window and go with a more mundane subject-Vital Statistics.

Here's the scoop, I'm looking for a little help from all you great bloggers out there.  I use the Blogger in Draft format for my account here on blogspot, and it has this handy statistical counter.  Whenever I check this I'm confounded.  I just can't figure out why people visit and don't comment.  Now, I know I don't have fabulous recipes, or cool crafts, or fashionista looks to share, and I'm not looking to wage a war with anyone over number of comments collected.  But I have to say it really confuses me when I see over 100 people stopped and   read a post, and I have 2 comments.  where did all you come from, and why aren't you saying anything?

I have another statistics counter as well, because I love research and numbers, and seeing where readers are, and all that good stuff.  I like to see which posts are most popular, and which ones people don't stay on for long, and even what  they are using to view my blog.  Here are my stats for yesterday:

Pageviews by Browsers

Internet Explorer 71 (36%) Safari 49 (25%) Firefox 46 (23%) Chrome 26 (13%) chromeframe 2 (1%) SearchToolbar 1 (<1%) pythumbnail.py 1 (<1%)

Pageviews by Operating Systems

Windows 135 (68%) Macintosh 32 (16%) iPad 10 (5%) iPhone 8 (4%) iPod 6 (3%) Linux 4 (2%) Other Unix 1 (<1%)

Call me a nerd, but I love all that information gathering!  What I can't figure out is why if 196 people stopped by yesterday I only have 7 comments?  

I'd love to see who all 196 of you were, and where (or if) you blog, and get to know you.  I'm just stumped here, so I'm looking for help.  What makes  you want to leave a comment?  Please, please, please, leave a comment & enlighten me!

How To... Organize Your Spice Cupboard

I love reading blogs-for lots of reasons, but one of my top ten reasons is definitely to find smart new ways others do things.  So you can imagine my excitement when Christie over at These are a few of my favorite things announced a fun new link party  "How To Tuesday."  I knew I must join, and was stewing over a couple of possible posts, when I read a few of the posts already linked up & changed my mind.  Jessica, over at Everyday Romneys, posted a fabulous idea for how to use leftover Sunday Pot Roast to make yummy Pot Pie-brillant!  But she had a problem, her spice cupboard cries out for organization (go check out the picture of her kissing her Thyme, you'll see what I mean).  And I knew I had to help.

So here's the low down on how to organize your spice cupboard

1-Gear up and head over to your local Target (I'm a Target girl, but I'm sure Walmart has something similar to what I'm going to show you).

2-Head back to the area reserved for Kitchen organizers and gizmos, you'll find something similar to this:
(mine is the expandable version, which I LOVE)  (I found this picture here, http://storage.organizeit.com/storage/Spice  so if you really don't want to go to Target, you can order it on line, but who doesn't love a good reason to go to Target?)

3-Head to the checkout stand, doing your best to avoid these on the way:
(google images)   And just why is that these bits of chocolately goodness come out just when Spring is peeking around the corner, reminding you that it will soon be time to shed those big comfy sweaters and long pants?  It's not right, but I digress....


4-When you get home gleefully clear out the cupboard, giddy with excitement at the idea of your soon to be fabulously organized spice shelf-what, organization doesn't make you giddy?  Whatever....

5-Set up your spice shelf (which really means take it out of the box & place on the shelf)

6- Organize your spices whatever way suits your fancy (Mine are alphabetical, except for a couple of tiny ones I keep in the front).  Here's a shot of my cupboard-so easy to keep organized, I didn't even straighten this up, I promise, it's just that easy!



7-a close up of the side view, so you get the idea (I know, I said I keep the tiny ones in front-but I have to hide the cloves from my husband who despises them, so they hide back here)



There you go, it's that simple! Now, if only someone will show me the easy way to sew all those badges on a scout shirt-I've got another one to load up---ugh!

To Know or Not To Know...That is the Question

If you could choose, would you rather know what the future held-good and bad, or be surprised and just deal with things as they come?  That is the question my friend Jen posed over at her blog,  Denton Sanitorium.


At first glance, it seemed an simple dilemma, and more than likely one most people would answer the same way.  But the more I pondered the more I wondered if it's really so simple.  Is it really just a matter of knowing or not knowing, black or white?  Or are there gray areas, times when we are given to know what's coming, even time to prepare and adjust before it happens?  Even times when we don't know exactly what's coming, but know that storms are brewing and we must prepare.


I think it depends on the individual, and what's best for them.  I firmly believe there is a path and a plan for each person's life, one divinely guided and inspired. Not a path that is set in stone that we are compelled to follow, for we are free to choose how we live.  Rather, I should say there is a pathway that will lead us to be all that God knows we can be, if we so choose.  That path is not always easy, and it's not always the path we would choose for ourselves.   As we seek to know what is best for us, not best by our standards, but what will help us become that best version of ourselves we will be led to know what that plan entails.


I can think of many times in my past when I longed to know what was ahead of the next bend in my own path, yet my vision was obscured.  But I can also clearly see the way the Lord prepared me to know, accept and embrace each of those bends. I   have almost always known when something major was coming in my life, be it a move or a death in the family. Even smaller things, like the end of a beloved calling (or job/position in church service) or a child's painful disappointment have most often been preceded by a knowledge of what was to come.  


I haven't always listened to these cautionary and preparatory whisperings to my soul.  Sometimes in my pride and stubbornness I have turned a blind eye, refusing to believe what my heart knows to be the truth.  Those times have been the hardest.   Those are the times I've felt alone and wounded, bewildered at life.  Those are the times of my greatest pain.


I don't do well with surprises, I need time.  Time to adjust, time to accept, time to submit.  I know my Father in Heaven knows this about me, and He graciously gives me these whisperings.  He tells me to prepare, He guides me to study, to understand, and to know His will.   Then, when the challenge comes, when the winds blow, I am ready.  I can be strong and stalwart and steadfast.  


So, if I could choose to know or not to know, I'd choose neither.  I'd choose to keep things just as my Father in Heaven has taught me is best for me.   To have an inkling of the storm ahead, to know I must prepare and be ready for the next bend. Because while I haven't always known the exact time, or nature of that bend ahead of me, I've been ready for it.  As long as I listened, I've been ready.