Primary plus

Just in case you ever wanted to know what 84, 4x4 blocks looked like... :)
We made these for our primary children. I think they turned out fabulous!!! The curly wire is for them to put a picture of their family or the temple or Jesus. It was one last attempt to reinforce the theme for the year. The one that says FAMILY is for Jake from Kuna Lumber. He was super nice and cut the last 15 on his miter saw for me. We are going to take it to his family and carol. Our daughters are friends so it isn't too creepy. :)

Teacher gift

B loves her first grade teacher! We put the Nike on the heart because her teacher loves Nike. She can use it for a picture or the wire is stronger on this block it will hold a few sheets of paper up while she types at her computer. That was a great run on sentence. :)

These were crazy easy once I finally sat down and did them. I know my children didn't eat lunch until 3:45pm that day but I was on a roll, in the groove...and they lived. :)

"Frosting the Snowman"

This has been a very musical Christmas season. My daughters are determined to learn every word to every Christmas song. In the mean time they make up what they think they heard!!! It makes for very entertaining days. Well, little C will not be left behind, he is convinced that it is frosting the snowman. I LOVE IT!!!!

Technology...who knew?

SO, my computer crashed a while ago. I lost my camera software and can't find my CD to re-install it. In the mean time I have been taking pictures still. Today I remembered that my computer has an SD slot. Good job KAT!!!
Keep scrolling there are several posts!

Holiday fun

Canning...

So, lots of tomatoes this year. :) We picked, dried, froze and canned them. These pictures tell all. :)

Random cuteness

C and D's birthdays

Am I THE coolest mom or what?

Halloween

So, we had Alice in Wonderland, Tinkerbell, The Conductor from the Dinosaur Train, Count Dracula and don't ask what I was. :)

How does She...Giveaway!

Hurry over to How does She for a great giveaway.
Craft blocks, Great Harvest Bread--12 loaves, a Flirty Apron and a scarf.
You can click on the link to the right under Places I like to visit...

When one door closes...

So, I lost it today~!!!
I am sure it had nothing to do with getting up early to get all of my Christmas shopping done in one fail swoop! My children were slamming their bedroom doors tonight. This action FRUSTRATES ME!!!!! Mostly because I don't want to pick up a severed finger and rush someone to a hospital. Partly because I don't want a finger to get pinched. and slightly because I don't want the darn door to break!!!
Needless to say we have had many conversations about slamming the door. Well, when it happened tonight I started screaming about how I don't want someone to get hurt and how many times do I have to ask? I wanted to play a game with you tonight but you are showing me that you need to go to bed early!
"I am trying to be a good mom, fun and happy and it is NOT working. I am terrible at this!!"
I went in the living room to pout (yes, I am 32--remember the lack of sleep? :))
B came in with big tears in her eyes and says,"Mom, I just want you to know that I think you are doing a great job being a mom."
I don't deserve her. I don't deserve any of my children. :)

DAY OF FASTING AND PRAYER FOR AMERICA

I received this e-mail and I thought some of you might be interested. I have shortened it quite a bit but here it is.

The United States of America is a choice land, a nation that was founded by our forefathers who were divinely inspired by God the Father Almighty.
As the year 2009 soon comes to a close, we the citizens of the United States of America finds ourselves facing many challenges.
We MUST turn to our Savior.
We are asking that all who read this message that have faith in Christ designate Sunday December 6, 2009 as a day of fasting and prayer for America.

I know that through faith all things are possible.

FREE BOOKS!!!

Who doesn't like the sound of that? :)
I received an e-mail from my MIL that gave me this info. I checked it out and it worked. GO to http://deseretbook.com/free. and download your own copies of these books.

1. Please Pass the Scripture (John Hilton III).
2. What I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was Single (by John Bytheway).
3. Women at the Well (by Richard and Jeni Holzapfel).
4. Digging Deeper (by Robert Eaton).
5. 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know (by Brent Top and Bruce Chadwick).
6. Growing Up: Gospel Answers About Maturation and Sex (by Brad Wilcox).
7. Saving Kristen (by Jack Weyland). (fiction)
8. The Hidden Path (by C.B. Andersen). (fiction)

It looks like this section is always here for reading a chapter or two but the free downloads are only for a short time.
Enjoy!!!

Just a friendly reminder... :)

So, I just wanted to remind everyone of the upcoming General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It is Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Check your local listings for channels or the BYU channel on satellite.

Just in case anyone wants to investigate the church in the comfort of your own home. :)

I absolutely LOVe this weekend!!! I know that God has given us a living prophet today to lead and guide us. Come listen to what he says.

I am SO Blessed!!!

I had a bit of a meltdown the other day. You know the kind(or maybe you don't) when it feels as if you will never make it. The one when you realize that inspite of all you think you are trying to do to be a perfect wife, mother, teacher, confidant, chef, couponer, taxi driver, house keeper you still aren't very good at any of it. In fact you are terrible. Ever been there? Well, this time. I called a friend who I think has it together. I asked her very pointed questions about what she does on a daily basis to keep it all working. She was a little taken back because she had "lost" it the night before. :) We are all so similar. Well, after we both smiled we decided that it really comes down to our focus. If we accentuate the positive then things might stay on course longer. I realized that it has been awhile since I have counted my blessings. Don't worry I won't name all of them one by one right here. :)
Suffice it to say that I am blessed!!!
My husband and children are wonderful!

IT'S FAIR TIME!!!

Hey everyone!!!
If you make it down to the fair, stop in and say hello.
Chris will be there all week and I am there every evening!!!
Yipee!

THIS MADE ME SMILE--I am proud to be a WHALE

Whale or mermaid


Recently, in large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:

¨THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?¨

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans).. They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don't have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, ¨Holy Cow, look how smart I am.¨

Forever Moms

My friend Elizabeth just blogged about a group that she belongs to that teaches parenting skills. It sounds great!!! I just wanted to let you know that I added it to my "places I like to visit list". Check it out.

B

D

C

S

Happy Birthday Little S!!!

God does not love us because we are lovable, have a pleasing personality or a good sense of humor, or at rare times show exceptional kindness. In spite of who we are and what we have done, God wants to pour out His love on us, for the unlovable are also precious unto Him.

Elder David B. Haight

Movie in the Park

So, last night there was a movie in the park. Journey to the Center of the Earth--the Brendan Fraser one.
We didn't have to drive it was right here in our small town!!! The little ones loved it! They are doing two more, watch for more info.

FREE PANTRY 72" from Shelfreliance!!!

I love this company!!! I think this is a GREAT idea!!! I am still working on getting food to fill the shelves so I haven't purchased mine, yet. :) Maybe that is putting the cart before the horse...:) Shelfreliance is giving away one of their fabulous shelving units!!!! Go to http://www.shelfreliance.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/10/free-friday-pantry-72/
to enter!!!! It ends Friday and there are only 650 people entered. You definitely have a chance. :)

It’s time to give away some more of our fabulous shelving! This week we’ll be giving away the Pantry 72″ ($359.99 value) to one of you lucky people. Like its name suggests, the Pantry 72″ was created for pantry storage. Featuring our patented front-loading technology that automatically rotates cans on a first in first out basis, the Pantry 72″ is among the most popular food rotation systems we offer. Don’t forget to enter before noon Friday, July 17th. There are two ways to enter:

1 • Post a comment on this blog post and tell us which of our shelving systems is your favorite and why. No worries, you don’t have to own one to have a favorite!

2 • Add our button to your blog. Then write another comment on this post with the link to your blog. To add the button just add an html widget/gadget to your layout and paste this code inside of it:

Hmm hmm hmm hmm to me!!!!

After going back and forth I finally decided to post this picture of me. :) The debate is that I don't look that great. It is kind of frustrating. You all know that I don't wear much make-up and that my pony tail and I are inseperable but I was busy all day so I never got around to getting beautified. :) On the other hand there should be some record of how I looked on my 32nd birthday. Who knows maybe this is the cutest and skinniest I will ever be. If I don't document it now... hehe Thanks for listening. I also wanted to share that it was one of those good days. :) Playing with my kids and really enjoying them. We had nowhere we had to be and noone cared what we did or did not get done. :) If you have ever seen the movie Charly. They are in the yard playing and the mother is shelling peas. Charly asks her if it is always like this and the mother smiled and said no, this is just a good day. :) I love the moments that make it all worth while and I was lucky enough to have a whole day. :)
I don't know if other families do this but... I was raised taking a picture of christmas and birthday loot. :) I am wearing most of what I received. Below you will find a pic of me and my SINGING TELEGRAM!!!! That is right! My in-laws sent these sweet gentlemen over to my house to sing happy birthday to me! It was great!!!

And now the moment you have all been waiting for...the recipe for SNICKERS CAKE.

After years of making it I nailed it this year. I will tell you how to make it and you can't take shortcuts. p.s. I don't know who Vernalisa is, but you must give credit where credit is due. :)

Snickers Cake
Compliments of Vernalisa's Recipe Index

1 box German Chocolate cake mix (any chocolate is good)

1 pack Caramels (small pack) (DON'T use ice cream topping!)

1/2 cup Butter

1/3 cup Milk

6 oz. Chocolate Chips (I like Milk Chocolate)

1 cup nuts, chopped (any nuts are fine but make sure they are roasted NOT RAW, salted is also a bonus. I use peanuts)

Mix the cake as directed. Pour half of the batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake in pregeated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Melt caramels, butter and milk together. Pour over baked mixture. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over caramel mixture. Pour remaining cake batter over top of all and bake 20 minutes at 250 degrees.

Enjoy warm or chilled. :)

Hip Hip HOORAY!!!

So, all of those horror stories about Credit Card companies being horrible and mean...LIES!!! WOW!!!
(This is a super long Post, you can skip the details and just know that things are good.)
Please don't judge me:
We have a few credit cards. When I say a few I mean three. All of which have been cut up in our attempt to do our "Total Money Makeover" One of which is completely under control. Meaning that it is well below the limit and hasn't been late in a very long time. The other two are a dreadful mess!!! I haven't been answering the phone lately when the 1-800 numbers call. :{ I received a letter last week stating that if I called they could work with me. I mustered up the courage this morning and called. I spoke with a gentleman and he was VERY friendly and then his supervisor, female, was EQUALLY as friendly!!! They were able to change my 29.24% (gasp, I know) interest rate down to 0% locked in for 5 years (gasp again, I KNOW!) They lowered my minimum monthly payment and things looked rosy. Well, I asked if there was anything they could do about my husbands account (yes, with the same company). They looked at it and did the same thing!!!!! I know those of you who have escaped the credit cycle are shaking your heads that I am excited about the next five years but I have NO intention of having these balances for this long! I know the road to HE** is paved with good intentions but until I have completed this goal that is all they are. :)
With my new found courage I thought I would try to call my mortgage company and locate some lost funds. Lost funds you ask? Yes, we made a few partial payments and they seem to have been misplaced. Why haven't I tracked them down yet? Well, when I did call they told me they were there and they would be applied. Every time I called it took forever and I always seem to have a crying child in the background. Today was the day to get them applied. When I called there was more there than I thought and it took all of ten minutes to get it done!!! I am on cloud nine!!!!! If you read all of this than I hope it inspires you to either stay out of debt or try again to get free of this craziness that somehow many think is normal and OK. Try calling your credit card companies and asking for a lower interest rate. It worked for me. :) WAHOO!!!

I almost forgot to add that I know these things happened today because we have been faithful in paying our tithing and increased our fast offering. :)

Dear Glendale California

Hello
A few months ago I added a feature to my blog that tracks, in a very rudimentary way, those who have visited my blog. I am able to see who is on, where they came from and where they left via my friend list.
I see that you come from Blogger.com alot. I am wondering if you are Blogger headquarters and you are just monitoring things or if you are a real person. I have noticed that you visit some of my friends one day and then another day you visit my list of other blogs who I don't know either but I follow. If you are a real person I would love for you to leave a comment and let me know that you are real. If you are a crazy stalker person. Please let me know so that I can go private and alleviate this. If you are indeed someone that I know or should know or even know through a friend then welcome. It is good to have you. :)
Kat

We Live!!!

For some reason I was thinking it had only been a month but alas, it has been two.
So, as I am sure most of you have realized...blogging is alot like journaling and scrapbooking. Which means, for me, that when you get behind you get frustrated and just quit! :) You feel like you need to go back and update everything and then it is overwhelming and then a little one NEEDS you so you walk away, never to return...
I have included a few pics from the last two months and we will not go into detail. Remember a picture is worth a thousand words. :)
(In no particular order)