did you know that this would happen??

i threw a blanket in with my laundry ... that i THOUGHT i had washed before.

it appears that machine wash was not an acceptable way to clean it ...

have you EVER seen anything like this happen before!?
what a mess!!
I ended up vacuuming out the washer ... and then the dryer a few times!!

i got time!!

i do it all the time ... i'm constantly over booking myself - i need to be more realistic.

today i had a dr. appt. for easton at 10am [don't even worry - my 15 month old baby is the size of an average 2 year old!!], elyssa's kindergarten starts at 12:30, i wanted to help nicki with her christmas lights and then feed the missionaries (and our neighbor) ribs for dinner.

technically that sounds doable. but not for me, apparently.

i talked andy into taking elyssa so i didn't have to come back up after the dr.'s appt. i headed out the door at 9 to take abi to school then drop elyssa at grandma shaw's/andy's office, arrived 8 minutes late to our 10:00 appt. (no biggy), then to nicki's. she had to pick up carson from school and get the rest of the lights and extension cords for her roof. we had lunch, put the baby boys down for naps and headed outside.

[i feel i need to interject here that yesterday i climbed on her roof to do the 'reachable' portion of the ceremonial christmas lighting ... today was to be the daredevil/rock climber hang from the 'fall arrest' tie off on the roof to attach the 'un-reachable' portion. call me crazy, stupid, extreme - whatever you call it ... i don't think i'll be doing that again real soon. i did NOT fall - didn't even slip, but i psyched myself out and couldn't do it ... and besides, it started to rain on me after i finally got myself all tied in, roped off and ready!! BAH!]

in order to pick up the girls on time i would have needed to leave nicki's at 2:30 - so i asked andy (again) to open up his BIG ol' heart and pick them up. he's the greatest. [did i mention that yesterday, while i was on nicki's roof, he was taking elyssa and ammon to music and movement at the Y and then feeding them and then dropping elyssa off at school and then putting the boys down for naps and then picking the girls up from school ... all so that i could be a friend and pretend to be brave on nicki's roof - something that he didn't want me doing in the first place...]

i left nicki's house at 3:10 ... it's a 45 minute drive to my house. i was planning to feed the missionaries my mom's yummy ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls, then have pudding for dessert. i called my mom, "how long does it take to cook ribs?"

"boil them for an hour, then bake them in the sauce for an hour and a half ... why?"

"so if i start boiling them at 4:15 ... they won't be ready to eat until ... 7:00??"

"right ..."

"i'm supposed to feed the missionaries at 6!!"

"that's not gonna happen i'm afraid."

"k, thanks ... talk to you later!"

i called andy and he talked me into doing it anyway "the missionaries can wait a little bit."

to make an exceedingly LONG story short - i'll give you the highlights (btw: dinner turned out just fine even though it wasn't ready to eat until 6:45.)

first, ribs boil over when you leave the lid on - and it's stinky when the grease gets down under the burner!!

second, don't cram too many potato peels down the dispose-all at one time, MUST CHEW SLOWLY! i fully clogged the drain. (thanks for coming at just the right time, chad!!)

third, kitchen counters work best when their cleared off!

fourth, check the box when making/mixing pudding packages. for instance, instant pudding and cook 'n serve CAN'T be mixed. (missionaries will eat anything though)

fifth and last, people that you invite into your home will ALWAYS eat what you make (even if it's not the greatest meal they've had put before them) and they are the ones that i'm aiming to please!

i got time - what can i do for you!?

i'm on board the good ship 'Gratitude'

Teachers, testimony, time to think, and taste buds
Home, happiness, handsome husband, and hands
Answers to prayer, apple blossoms, and family
Nieces, nephews, and naptime
Kisses, keepsakes, and kindness
Savior, scriptures, songs, and silliness
Granny, grandmas, and grandpas
Inspiration and imagination
Vacation, vacuum, and volume control
Internet, identity, and islands (I’ll see one some day!)
Nature, Noel and North Pole
Giggling, gathering, giving

easton gets a haircut

sunday morning my darling babiest turned into a little boy, haircuts grow them up for some reason i can't explain! he was born with reddish hair -

we were hopeful that it would stick around ...

look at that smile

daddy did most of the buzzing

shower time - wash all that hair off

(he puts his hands like that everytime he showers ... too funny!)

He's so handsome - but not red.

look what i'm up to now!

as you may have noticed, i added a picture and a plea to my sidebar ... please take notice! i am in desperate need of a new camera and the christmas money allocated for mommy is almost spent - i feel it's in my best interest to EARN the money to pay for it!

i thought about asking the 'girls' to get it for me, since the 'boys' already purchased the kirkland signature 'santa, sleigh and reindeer' and the 4 tier buffet server from costco for me! but changed my mind since the one i want is $189 - a little steep for their little wallets.

i have been making signs for myself and for friends for the past few years and really have fun with it ... i have tons of fun fonts and would love to make one for you! right now i have 14 "families are forever" vinyl lettering phrases (like on the picture to the right) to put over a last name. but if you have other ideas of signs you'd like to have made, feel free to send your requests my way. i am willing to mail them - hurry before the Christmas rush!

and thank you for your support!

catching up ...

i've been to the gym 2 days in a row!! i can hear you cheering me on! thank you!
let's see ... where to begin ... i have been religiously reading the many blogs that i frequent and have had a few laughs, good hearty chuckles, many 'tender moments', seen fantastic photography and even teared up. thank you for sharing your lives with me and for waiting for me to finally catch up!
it's NOVEMBER, people! T-minus 41 days until 'the most wonderful day of the year'. i am busily getting things set for mass decorating coming this saturday, when the trees out front will be lit, the eaves will shine with icicle lights, and my front door/porch will be adorned with many a-christmas decor! the elves are fast at work making certain that all the gifts are made to proper specifications and preparing the reindeer and the sleigh! it's busy work but the elves love their work! how do i know you ask?! well, i am one of them! i have been an elf for lo these many years and since i now have children of my own ... i get to work throughout the year - preparing for Santa's sleigh ride.
i know - you all think i'm a little nutty, what with all the talk of elves and santa ... it's not even Thanksgiving yet! ah ... thanksgiving ... i will soon post a "gratitude" blog ... in which i will express my love of that particular holiday. Thanksgiving at the North Pole is DEFCON 2.
right now it's somewhere in the neighborhood of defcon 3 or 4 ... certainly have left 5 in the dust ... right about Halloween!
this IS a most wonderful time of year when the world is suddenly caught up in the spirit of gratitude, giving and loving!
i want to keep up with my chores around the house (and at the North Pole) as well as keep you posted on the goings-on here. i have a myriad of craft projects that i'm working on and will post pictures as they are finished. my plan is to post at least 2 times each week for the rest of the year. wish me luck! and see you soon!

what flower are you?

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

"Mischief is my middle name, but my first is friend. I am quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

saggy baggy elephant

in march of 2006 i was lamenting my impending birthday (30th) and the fact that i am no longer the fit, perky, cute 18 year old that i imagine myself being ... i titled it "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"

last night i had a flashback ... i was brushing my teeth in preparation to get in bed. i looked at myself in the mirror and thought 'holy elephant' [because 'cow' just wasn't big enough]. Andy was perched on the throne painting medicine on his foot, he looked up at me and chuckled.

"what?" i asked accusingly.

"nothing."

"what's so funny?" as i adjust my top to cover the 3 miles of saggy cleavage.

"i'm not laughing."

"yes you did, i'm a saggy baggy elephant and you think it's funny."

"you are not an elephant."

we went on with the banter for a few minutes until i finally walked away and laid down. i have an appointment with the personal trainer at the Y on saturday and that will be the first day of the rest of my life. when my birthday rolls around next year i will be at least 20 lbs lighter and on my way to the 'fit and cute' that i remember. as for the 'perky' ... i don't know that i'll ever get back there ... tube socks are a family trait and i feel that i am doomed. but a good bra makes a world of difference.

wish me luck in my endeavor ... and i'll check in with my stats - you can hold me accountable!

and speaking of time ...

the 'fall back' time of year is fantastic (except that kids bodies dictate their sleep and when the clocks get turned back ... they don't sleep in.)

on sunday morning we 'fell back' to standard time and it has me thinking about time - using time wisely, wasting time and how i'm spending time.

i have recently worked up some 'chore charts' for myself and schedules ...

i just joined the YMCA that is literally across the street. (there is free childcare when i am exercising - why has it taken me SO long to join?!) i plan to workout 3-5 days a week. i'm hoping that it will motivate me to get off my fat butt and make it not so fat ;)!

i am working to get my van parked in my garage - it is still full of boxes from the 'moving-not-moving' exercise we had this summer.

i'm trying to get my house back to a 'showable' state ...

it's the time of year when i have 35 projects started and nothing finished ... i would rather not be that way this year! today marks 50 days 'til Christmas and i'm shifting into high gear.

i would really like to be using my time more wisely.

what are your tricks for using your time most wisely?

break out the Christmas MOVIES!!

we watched Polar Express first!

this is my favorite time of the year!!