10 Days Until Forever

Well we really stink at this whole blogging thing...forgive us for our downfall!  I apologize for falling off the grid, but that's bound to happen when you're planning a wedding in two months!  With the wedding now 10 days away, I'm experiencing mixed feelings; a combination of excitement, nerves, and hoping I don't forget about any last minute details.  I'm sure my big sister and anyone who has ever participated in the planning of a wedding can relate. Surprisingly, though, I have felt relatively calm for the last couple weeks and even still I don't feel like I'm overly stressed (I may change my tune in a week or so!).  Most of the big things are taken care of, so all that remains are minor details.

It's really interesting to look back at the beginning of this whole process and laugh at how stressed I was for the first few days after we got engaged.  The list of items that needed to be taken care of was overwhelming, and having people ask "So what are you doing for this or that?" was really freaking me out.  I kind of wanted to just dig a little hole, crawl in and say "Someone else plan it...I'll come out in a couple months for the ceremony."  But then the control freak designer in me would never be able to do that...haha it's just not how my brain works!

I think it took me about a week (and lots of calls to my mom, sister, and maid of honor) to get over the initial freak-out.  The Saturday after Jared and I were engaged, I spent the day dress shopping with my best friend and we magically found a dress that I fell in love with.  It was the last dress I tried on and it was PERFECT!  And the best part?  NO alterations whatsoever.  I got to buy it off the rack and take it home that day!  Needless to say the relief of having found a dress so easily helped me calm down and take things one at a time (not to mention the fact that Tori is the best and made me a wedding binder complete with checklists and a countdown).  Since then the planning has gone fairly smoothly for the most part.  With each new element came a new set of worries, but we're now in the home stretch and I'm just ready for it all to happen!

In the midst of all the planning, though, almost everyone who helped me has said that all of this stuff doesn't matter so much, and the really important thing is that Jared and I love each other and we're going to be together for eternity.  And I couldn't agree more!  I think that perspective has helped me keep my focus where it needs to be instead of getting all caught up in the unnecessary details.

All in all, I feel so grateful, excited, and extremely lucky that I get to be with Jared for the rest of my life and beyond!  He is the love of my life and I couldn't be any happier! (Pardon the cheesy gushing...but it's true!)  Here's to 10 DAYS LEFT until the best day ever!

P.S. Photo credit goes to our awesome brother-in-law A.J. Jones!

Butternut, Birthdays, and MY Winter Wonderland

Is it just me or has it been weeks since we've posted ANYTHING on the blog... oh no! It's NOT just me! That actually happened--- or rather didn't happen... Sorry again for the inconsistency. Good thing Christ set an amazing example of patience right!?...

I am SO excited for the holidays! Any one who knows me can tell you that I am the biggest Christmas fan in the world! I love the music, the atmosphere, the lights, the Spirit, etc. etc. etc. It may be my favorite thing in the universe---okay I like strawberries a lot too! Anyway! Thanksgiving break is almost here and winter is officially here because we got our first snow in Bend today! It was really interesting to drive in it- to say the least! But this morning when I woke up, and I saw the snow outside, I had a new hope for the day! The stunning white blanket froze the air and warmed my heart. Even though I was already getting up over 15 minutes late, I wasn't stressed out or cranky. I just hurried into the shower, put on a fun outfit (at least I thought it was fun but whether it actually was or not is left to be determined...), ate some chocolate Chex (which is absolutely delicious by the way!), and went out to my car 20 minutes after I should have left. (Now, you really should know about my car... It's a 19 eighty-something Toyota Tercel that I'm pretty sure has been totaled at least 47 times. My parents bought it for Lauren when she was 16 for 300 dollars... that's a red flag right there! The heater doesn't really work, you have to pull the windows up and, sometimes you have to push it to make it start... It's fantastic. My car's name is Suzy the Little Blue Coupe, Suzy for short. Suzy has had a new problem lately where she'll jolt or buck like a horse when you start her and then she'll die right in the middle of traffic! That's been her funnest quirk yet! I'm not complaining! I'm grateful to even have a car! I just think it's hilarious! So I have to start the car and let it warm up for at least 5 minutes, sometimes longer depending on how cold it is, before I can go. Suzy does have four wheel drive but needless to say I was nervous about the jolting on the ice...) So, when I went out to the car this morning, I saw that there was at least 4 inches of snow on the ground! So it wasn't just one of the mamby-pamby snow storms that's gone by 8 o'clock in the morning. Thank goodness, my car didn't jolt on the ice! It just slid around a lot! I'm not one of those girls that thinks it's super fun to do doughnuts in the parking lot when it snows. I like adventure as much as the next gal, but I'm the kind of girl screaming bloody murder when the car is spinning out of control. But somehow, I was unusually calm as I slid around the round-abouts and down the hills. When I finally did get to seminary, I got a text from a friend saying that perhaps that snow storm was meant just for me. Maybe it was selfish to think that, but it just  made me think about everything that had happened this morning. Things that usually would have made me scared and unhappy, didn't bother me. To me, the snow was one of God's tender mercies. It told me how much He loves me and how much He wants me to be happy. I felt His love for me, His daughter, literally falling from heaven. In seminary we talked about the Atonement and I couldn't help feeling the Spirit so strongly testifying of how much my Father in Heaven loves me. All day long, I watched the snow fall out the window and I felt the joy that comes with feeling the Spirit all day long. I truly felt the Spirit of Christ, or the true Spirit of Christmas. I felt so blessed! I love the gospel so much! I love how that no matter what is going on, big or small, God will always find tender ways to bless us and tell us that He believes in us, we just have to open out eyes to see them. I put a blank piece of paper up on our fridge labeled "God's Tender Mercies". Everyone is my family just writes the little things that God has done for them that day. It has helped me as I look at how much He is blessing each and every one of us. It helps us as a family open our eyes to see the blessings falling from the clouds in our path for us to find. What better way to remember the things you are grateful in this beautiful Thanksgiving season then recognizing all the little things we all too often overlook.

Because I was feeling so incredibly blessed today, I wanted to share those blessing with those around me. Specifically, one of my best friends' had her 17th birthday today. I made her a cute little "display" for the table we sit at during our study period.

 

It was kindof silly really, but it was just a little way of me showing her how much I love her. I filled that vase with snow ( last minute backup that she ended up loving), hung a little banner I had made from some skewers sticking out of it, made a thoughtful card, and a cute little present. It really wasn't anything that special ( and shhhh... didn't cost me a cent) but I just knew that she was so happy about it. It made me so happy to see her happy from that small thing I had done for her. She appreciated it even though it wasn't very significant.

 I wonder if that is how our Heavenly Father feels when he blesses us in those little ways, like letting the light turn green when we pull up, or letting the snow fall in November. Maybe we can catch a glimpse of what He experiences when we give things. I just love His plan! It's so perfect and so full of love and joy!

 

 

I made this with some scrapbook paper Chanel left lying around before she left to live her life of awesomeness and so I may have snatched it... Anything cool I have is something my sisters forgot to take with them :)

 

Saw these super simple bows on Pinterest! They were so fun! Just get some ribbon, hot glue the edges so the make a flat oval, squish the middle together and hot glue a piece of ribbon folded in half on it. Then glue a hai clip on the back and- BOOM! Cuteness! (If you have any questions about making these, just comment below)

 

 

If you're feeling all warm and fuzzy inside because of this post (yay! That's what I wanted!) then it's probably time for some warm, creamy soup to eat with your family by a blazing fire while talking about beloved memories. I had the most amazing soup the other night at the home of some wonderful old family friends. It's absolutely to die for good! And of course gluten free! So I couldn't very well keep it too myself!

 

 

Butternut Squash Soup



 

1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch pieces

1 pear, peeled, cored and sliced

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

2 teaspoons tomato paste (we've used tomato sauce too)

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Sour cream (optional topping, but for my dairy free buddies, I like it without)

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray, or cover evenly with olive oil.

Place squash, pear and onion in a bowl with a little olive oil and toss to coat. Pour onto pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, 45 minutes is good.

Place vegetable mixture in blender (in batches if you have a small blender) adding broth and puree.  Transfer to medium sauce pan, add tomato paste and spices. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

 

(This also freezes and reheats very well so you can make a double batch and it will keep up to three months!)

 

 

 

Have a wonderful week and notice all of God's tender mercies in your life! He loves you!

42 Days until Christmas!!!

It's a Great Day to be ALIVE!

Well it has been an interesting two weeks!  And I promise, I have a perfectly good reason for why I haven't posted the past two Wednesdays.  I've been...shall we say...indisposed.  It's kind of a long story so I'll just give you all a short synopsis.
On Wednesday the 17th I left work with the best of intentions; I would write my blog post later that night as soon as I thought of an interesting topic.  But alas, my plan was foiled by my getting in a car accident on the freeway that evening.  I don't actually remember anything from Wednesday night from about 7pm until midnight or so when I woke up in the hospital because of the concussion I received in the wreck, and even the memories from that night are somewhat foggy.  Needless to say, I spent the next two nights in the hospital with a fractured pelvis and various cuts and bruises all over the left side of my body.  I worked with a couple of physical therapists over the next day and a half to start walking with a walker and was released from the hospital that Friday afternoon.

Luckily, after going home I had lots of people to take care of me including my wonderful boyfriend as well as my mother and aunt who drove through the night on Friday to get here.  I was out of work for a week and a half, which almost drove me crazy!  But now I am back to work in full force, and I've started to walk without the assistance of a walker or cane in the past couple days.  For having a broken pelvis I'm doing quite well!

Although I would definitely not recommend an experience like this to anyone, it's definitely been an eye-opener.  We were in a car accident that could have - and probably technically should have - killed us and yet we are both alive and well (mostly), with injuries that were minor compared to what they could have been.  I know it's super cheesy, but it has helped me appreciate the little things that make life awesome.  There are so many blessings granted to us that go unnoticed until they're almost taken away before we even acknowledge their existence.  It's a sad fact of life.

Sorry my post is short and very very late, but to anyone who happens to be reading, I hope that you'll take a second today to remind yourself of one little blessing that you don't usually notice.  And once you've thought of it, thank your Father in Heaven for that blessing!  He has given us so much to be grateful for, and all too often we forget to thank Him.  So take some time to do so today, and hopefully every day from now on!

Traffic Light Music Makers

I love my group of friends here in this small town!  We do so many fun things together with our young kids.  One of the many things we do is a "Music Makers" group every Monday morning where we sing songs, dance, read books, do an activity, and even have snacks.  We switch off hosting in our homes every month, and leading every week.  Today just happened to be a day in which it was held at my house, and I was leading.  Our theme for the month of September has been transportation, so I whipped out my Pinterest app and went searching for a craft and a treat to go with the theme.

This is what I found:

 And here is how mine turned out:

SUPER CUTE, right???  Just graham crackers, nutella, and M&M's.  They were totally easy to put together.  And the kids loved them!!! Definitely a quick and easy Pinterest WIN!

I didn't find a craft that I could get put together in time, so what we did was make some paper traffic lights...

Most of our kids are between 2 and 4, so I tore the colored paper and drew circles on the black strips ahead of time.  All they had to do was glue!  It was a fun project.  I love doing things like this with my kids!  Learning can be so fun.  My kids enjoy the projects, and I enjoy finding them, setting them up, and watching them as they learn and grow.  There's something so magical about it!

Now, do I find cool projects and have a new one for my kids everyday?  No way!  I am just like anyone else.  I have good days and bad days.  Pinterest mom days and monster mom days.  I'm not perfect.  But every day is a new beginning!  A chance to be better, and do better, than the day before.  I hope that is one thing that I teach my kids through my imperfections: there is always a chance to change for the better, as long as you have a sincere desire!  I want to be the best that I can be in all I do.  I don't care whether I'm better or worse than anyone else at a particular skill (although, I will admit that I do sometimes catch myself in those thoughts of, "I wish I could be as good as _____", or "I'm a terrible mom.  I'll never be like _____"...if you hear those thoughts in your head....STOP IT!  It isn't worth your time).  What's really important is being better than yourself.  It's not always easy to remember...but when you do, it can feel so freeing!  Just be your best self!

Sorry if this post is a little boring today.  But I'm snuggling a sick baby as I write, so I'm a little distracted.  But next week I will be sharing my first experiment with freezer meals!  I'm super excited to share this with you!  So tune in next Monday to hear how it's been going.

If cavemen didn't try new things we'd still be smacking rocks together...just for fun...

I'm so sorry my two sisters are slackers! Please don't give up on us! We're going to figure this blogging thing out yet!

Speaking of figuring things out, as promised here is a review from the bubble dance last weekend! Some do's and don'ts just so you know:

 

I know it's hard to see, but that stuff that looks like snow is actually bubbles...

DO- Put the bubble machine up on the ceiling! (Don't ask me how they got it up there...or how they got it down for that matter...) The foam pouring from the ceiling was a HUGE hit and kids may have actually been fighting over standing under the "bubble fall."

DON'T-be a loser and not dance... Unfortunately, at the start of the dance when things were still pretty slow, quite a few people weren't having enough fun to satisfy themselves and so they left. Not only did this take away a few desperately needed boys, everyone who saw them leave felt silly for staying. Never be "too cool" to make something awesome! And if you ever have a bubble dance or party, make sure that even if you think it's horrible, make it fun! Even the pioneer children played games and had fun while walking across the plains!

These are some of my friends who are were actually super awesome and dancing, I just had them pose as if they were hating every moment of the dance, to prove this very point!

DO- Play amazing music! My dad did a fantastic job of making sure all the music was up and running. When you have music that is appropriate and keeps an atmosphere where the Spirit can abide, everyone has so much more fun!

DON'T- Wear your favorite pair of hot pink high top sneakers to the dance if you don't want to get them wet... I made this mistake not realizing that bubbles and water kind of go hand in hand... So either go barefoot or wear shoes that can get wet! Lesson learned!

 

DO- Put cool lights everywhere to make the bubbles look really cool! The light refraction something-or-other in the bubbles is so impressive! (Sorry, it's Friday... I could perhaps explain the scientific way the light works in the bubbles on another day...)

DON'T- Do a belly flop into a pig pile of bubbles. NEWSFLASH! This just in- they actually don't cushion your fall at all! I didn't try that one, but another kid did and I don't believe I saw him dancing much afterwards... I suppose you could try it, but please wear proper safety equipment and consult your doctor.


We learn from everything we do, even when it fails. I am so glad that my dad had the courage to try having a bubble dance! It was a blast! It could have been so awful, and for some people I suppose it was, but we tried something new and exciting and we got new and exciting reactions. I am coming to see the importance trying new things even if it's scary and uncomfortable. If birds never stepped off a limb, how would they know they can fly?

In the last few months, I have tried something new that I never thought I would be interested in: photography. I'm not taking classes or anything, I just started to TRY. I've taken a lot of really bad pictures. I'm sorry to say, I still take some pretty bad ones, but I'm getting better and better as I try more and more. This week I had a photo-shoot for one of my very dear friends. Then, I got a simple editing app and edited the pictures. They are no where near professional, but I hope to get there someday! I am now considering photography as a career because I love it so much. Being able to capture precious moments of God's gifts of beauty here on Earth is truly amazing. I never would have known how much I love this new thing had I not just decided to try it one random day.

So am I saying that everyone must become a photographer? No, but I am saying why not try something crazy today? Just for fun! I know life gets hard. Trust me, I can definitely testify that life is very challenging, but never forget to enjoy the moment, step out on a new branch, and who knows, maybe you'll fly.

Current Events, Bubbles, and Behind the Scenes

I hope all of you are having a fantastic week!

Please forgive us for missing our post dates sometimes! As I'm sure each and every one of you know, life gets busy and crazy things happen, so sometimes you don't get to everything you need to.

This week I had the opportunity to research a current event for my social studies class. When I signed up for Friday, September 19th, I had no idea that it would come up so quickly! I had a vision in my mind of how amazing my current event presentation was going to be and how everyone would be thinking, "Oh my gosh! That girl is so smart and so cool! I wish my current event was that sweet!" And then, some cute boy would say, "Hey, you know, she's so cool I think I'll ask her to homecoming!" And the rest would have been history...but... it didn't exactly work out that way! Last night I spent hours looking for any piece of news that wasn't extremely depressing and scary! Website after website, story after story, all about killers and angry people and war. I finally found an article about how there seems to be a new trend in the media of messages telling teenagers, especially girls, to be themselves and to not worry about how they look on the outside. This was the only "event" I could find that didn't make me want to crawl under my covers with my teddy bear! My presentation today most definitely did NOT win me a homecoming date, but I did learn something from all of this. In this final dispensation, the world around us has become a scary place. It has been prophesied by prophets that these last days will be difficult for those trying their best to keep the commandments of God. The standards of the world, and the standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are very far apart. As a high school student, I can testify of this! I see it in the lives of my peers every day. The world and the "current events" of today are depressing and they are scary. What is important to remember is that God knows this and He has saved His strongest children for these last days when He knew He could count on us to share the gospel and be a light to the dark world around us. We have a responsibility to stand strong and shine the light of Christ to those around us who are searching for strength in all the confusion.

Shine the light!

Today was a long Friday, but thoughts of the exciting weekend kept me going! Tomorrow there is a stake dance, and I cannot tell you how excited I am! I LOVE to dance and so getting to do so in a wholesome environment with all of my friends is heaven on earth! You'll never guess what the theme is... bubbles, soap, foam, etc. I know it sounds crazy, but it's going to be fantastic! My dad who organizes the dances (at least the good dances!) around here, has had this idea for a bubble dance for years, and tomorrow his dreams come true. He bought some special bubbly stuff and we are going to fill up a pavilion with foam and then set up laser lights everywhere to shine into it. The bubbles send lasers everywhere! Then you add music and a bunch of energetic Mormon teenagers and you've got a recipe for success! (Want to see how this actually turns out? I'm pretty interested myself! Check out my post next Friday when I'll post pictures and tell you all about it!) But, there is no way any of these wonders could have been possible without my dad being amazing and spending countless hours approving and finding music, decorating, coordinating, testing and fixing lights, untangling cords, etc! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find music that doesn't have cuss words, doesn't suggest immoral sin as acceptable, and has a danceable beat? Then find enough of it to fill an entire dance! Let me tell you from many hours of experience searching with my dad, it's really hard! I think that sometimes we take for granted all the things around us. Most of them didn't just come out of no where! People had to spend hours and hours sacrificing to make them wonderful for us. Just like a play, the people backstage don't get the applause but they do most of the work. I can see just how many hours are spent on these dances, so when people complain about them it makes me sad because they just don't realize how hard my dad workes for them. So, this week, maybe try to take a moment to appreciate the people behind the scenes who make the show worthwhile.

My Life May Not Be Pretty, But It Sure Is Beautiful!

So, I know I'm a day late with this post...but maybe after you read it you will understand why.

This was me this morning...

My kitchen is a complete disaster from trying to make, and can, homemade applesauce with wormy apples and broken equipment last night.

I have big bags under my eyes from being up until midnight to do the aforementioned task, and feeding/snuggling my fussy baby the rest of the night.

I am in desperate need of a SHOWER!

Make-up?  Does left-over mascara from yesterday count?

The drawers in the background are open because my 2-year-old daughter prefers them that way. (I'm sure that some of the cupboards not visible in this picture are also open....if not all of them.)

I am eating a delicious, nutritious bowl of...you guessed it....fruity pebbles, since I had 2 minutes to eat before I needed to be somewhere (and, as a nursing mom, it is kind-of important to eat).

The counter behind the sink is covered in junk...because no matter how often I clear it, it seems to magnetically pull things onto it.

Under my feet, the kitchen floor is covered in crumbs, sticky applesauce drips, stuck dried cereal, and all sorts of other treasure.

As I sit to write this, I am constantly interrupted with fits of screaming or a dirty diaper to change.

It's not a very pretty sight!

Such is the life of a mom.  Working mom, stay-at-home mom, single mom, married mom, or even a stay-at-home dad!  Life is messy.  Life with kids is even messier!  Wanna know what keeps me going?

The beauty of life.

The pure and utter joy found in these eyes as they learn to take their first step, write their first letter, or just when they notice you noticing them.

The love of a devoted husband, who works so hard every day, and still makes time to wrestle on the floor with his kids that have been anxiously waiting for him ALL DAY!

The peaceful calm that comes from quality time spent with those you hold most dear to your heart.

God's daily "tender mercies", like a home, food on the table, the love of family and friends.

The pure, unending love of a Heavenly Father and a Savior that sacrificed so much for imperfect me.

These are the things that life is made of.  Sure, exploding kitchens, late nights, rough days...they are all part of it, too.  I don't believe that will ever change.  Even when my kids are grown and gone.  When that day comes there will be trials that are different from those I'm experiencing today.  But I believe there is beauty to be found in every stage of life, and in every circumstance.  Sometimes we just have to look past the chaos that is so easy to see, and find the moments of gold.

May we all take more time to notice the things that are truly important.  Let us hold onto and cherish those things to get us through the pandemonium created by everyday life.  Let the world tell you what it wants to: you need expensive clothes, perfect children, more money, or maybe a nicer house to make you happy.  But more and more I am finding that lasting happiness comes from worrying less about the world and what we don't have, and worrying more about the things that are right under our noses that God has blessed us with.

Happy Tuesday to you all!  I'm signing off to clean up a potty accident and tickle my son until he cries... ;)

First Week of School Adventures with my Biggest Fan!

In case you are wondering how my first week of school is going, I can tell you in one word- humbling and enlightening. Okay, that was two words, but let me elaborate. Every day, I wake up at 5 AM (quite honestly more like 5 thirty...), shower, choose an outfit (which can take a while!), do my hair and makeup, go downstairs and eat a rushed breakfast, grab my pathetic little gluten free lunch and I'm out the door (hopefully) by 6:15 to be at Seminary on time by 6:30. Many people may ask, why would any teenage kid get up to go to a church class at 6:30 AM!? Sometimes I wonder myself, but then I remember why I go to seminary. Seminary is by far the best part of my day. It is one hour where I can feel the Spirit and discuss the scriptures with my peers. What better way to start the day off than with the Spirit? If you know any youth that are struggling with getting to seminary, please encourage them! Seminary changes lives and once they feel the beauty of the gospel they'll want to be there!

In my short experience as a junior in high school, I have learned so much about the gospel. Every day, my one mission is to follow the Spirit. I've found that when I have the Spirit with me everywhere I go, I get excited about learning and I want to be there. I can see the worth in others that I could never see before, and I can see ways in which I can help them. Each day I try to live with no regrets. Every time I refuse to follow a prompting, I regret it. I always wonder, "you may have changed their life if you had the courage to say hi to them. But now you'll never know because you were too afraid." It is the worst feeling in the world knowing that you have "feared man more than God." If you are ever blessed with a prompting of the Spirit, take the opportunity! Don't let those blessings pass you by as I have done on far too many occasions. No regrets!

I have also learned that life truly is an adventure! I had the wonderful opportunity to go white water rafting with some of the other youth in my ward last weekend. I had never been before, and so I was understandably nervous about the prospect of flying down a white frothing rapid with absolutely no control, being led by the will of merciless water. Images of the headlines the next day flashed through my mind: "16 YEAR OLD GIRL KILLED IN RAPIDS LABELED 'EASIEST RAPIDS IN OREGON'." I just knew I was going to die! But I said a prayer that everything was going to be okay and as we shoved our raft off the shore my fear washed away and faith took over. With faith, life is fun! I stood on the front of the raft going down incredible rapids and flipped of a makeshift slip 'n slide and did every crazy thing I could. I'm not saying that if you jump off a cliff and just have a lot of faith everything is going to be okay. (Please don't try it!) But I am saying that with God on your side, you don't have to be afraid of everything. You can have fun and be calm knowing that everything is going to work out. I am a rafter! I am also a treasure hunter! Talking with one of my friends today, we discovered that life is a treasure hunt. God had created this beautiful plan in which everything works out and He leaves little nuggets of spiritual gold all over the place. He guides us to find it and celebrates with us when we take pride in our accomplishment. He put the gold there, and he brought us to it, but we still celebrate our victory! He wants to find all the pieces and see the beauty in every day life. We just need to follow the path he has put us on and we will find the goodness in everything.

Beautiful view of the river rafting last weekend!

So, as a super adventurer, of course I must have fans. There is one fan in particular that with every passing day I see more and more how much she is not only a fan, but my biggest supporter. Let me tell you what her morning schedule looks like...
Wake up at 4:45, go into Chara's room and try to make her stir a little bit, 15 minutes later do it again, get ready for a rushed shower, go back into Chara's room and use a little more force in my voice. Take a shower, choose an outfit, and check on Chara to make sure she didn't fall asleep in the shower, expertly do hair and makeup, try to wake up my 13 year old son, James. Repeat as many times as needed. Run downstairs and make a beautiful breakfast for the children, run Chara's lunch out to her car before she drives away without it again. Stuff a few bites in my mouth and then off to work.
If you haven't already guessed, this is my mother. She does so much for our family, I don't even know how she does it. My mom isn't perfect, but she loves us so much. As we get back into our morning routines, please take an extra second to remember the many long hours spent by your mother. The world may say that taking "the mommy track" is a cop-out or something that only uneducated, weak women choose. I can say right now that I know two mothers very personally who work harder than a lot of women out there and they are anything but dumb or weak! This week I have realized that someday when I become a mother, I can only hope to be as amazing as my mother and my older sister. The examples of righteous mothers are all around us. God has emphasized the importance of mothers in our world today. Take a moment to appreciate all that your mother has done for you. I don't mean to sound preachy, but they truly are our biggest fans. Thanks for everything Mom!

One thing my Mom does that makes her the very best mom EVER is she makes this stuff called Polenta. It's basically corn meal, but polenta just sounds fancier. It is one of the best gluten free, dairy free, soy free etc, breakfast recipes out there!

Adventurer Approved Polenta
4 cups water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbls. butter
1 cup polenta

Boil water, butter, and salt. Add Polenta on medium heat. Whisk together until it starts getting thick. Cover, reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. While cooking, add a couple of tablespoons of agave or honey. A double batch makes a loaf. Put the mixture into a loaf pan and refrigerate. When it has fully cooled and the loaf has a kind of jello-y texture, take it out of the pan and slice it up.

From there, it's your choice!
I like to fry it in a little bacon grease and serve with agave on top like syrup. When frying it, be patient, it takes a little while to get it crispy on both sides. You can also top it with honey or maple syrup.

James likes to mash it up, add a little water on low heat and put some coconut milk and agave in it after it's heated so it's like gluten free cream of wheat! You can also heat it up in the microwave. Both ways it's delicious! It's great for school mornings because you can make the loaf ahead of time and just store it in the fridge and use a few slices every morning. If you have any questions, just make a comment below.

Kid approved and fantastic!

Thanks Mom for a great polenta breakfast every morning!

I hate The Notebook...let's watch Star Wars and eat junk food!

Well I'm probably going to make every other female in the world hate me in this very first sentence, but I'm just gonna be real; I really can't stand the movie "The Notebook".  Go ahead, say I'm not a real girl and I'm deprived and need therapy, but I have only seen that movie once and I hope to keep it that way.  Something about it just makes me want to gag.  Maybe something's wrong with me, but when it comes to chick flicks I would much rather watch a romantic comedy than a super sappy love story.  However, even that isn't always my first choice.

I'm going to let you in on a secret...I'm kind of a big nerd (just kidding, it's not really a secret to anyone who knows me). :)  My favorite movie(s)?  Star Wars, hands down.  As my best friend would say, "NERD ALERT!"  I have definitely gotten in nerd arguments with my girlfriends because they think Star Wars is dumb and they just want to watch chick flicks...they just don't understand!


I'm not entirely sure why I ended up loving Star Wars so much.  Maybe it's because the original trilogy reminds me of my childhood (we were really cool and had the shiny gold Special Edition boxed set on VHS).  Or maybe I've just always had this deep-set desire to be a lightsaber wielding Jedi knight.  Whatever the reason, if I have the option, I will almost always go for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or some other movie of that sort.  Maybe I just like Harrison Ford... ;)

It may be a little worse for the wear, but man this was the coolest thing back in the day!

But at any rate, any kind of movie you watch requires a snack...preferably popcorn.  Sometimes, though, you need a change from the overly salty-greasy-buttery variety you find at the movie theater.  I got this recipe for Jell-O Popcorn last Summer and it is addicting!  I would munch on this all day long if I could.  Not to mention that it's super easy and you can make any flavor you want (my personal favorites are raspberry, strawberry, and lime, but I've also tried lemon and mango).  It's  a lot like that candy popcorn you can buy at the grocery store except you have more flavor options and it's WAY cheaper.  The popcorn can either be popped in an air popper or on the stove with just a tiny bit of oil to keep the kernels from burning.  Sorry I don't have any photos at this point in time because I haven't had the chance to make it recently, but it will happen soon!  I've got a couple boxes of Jell-O just waiting in my kitchen cupboard.

Candy Jell-O Popcorn

8 cups popped popcorn (1/2 c kernels)

1/2 stick butter

3 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 Cup sugar

1 (3.5oz) box flavored Jell-O

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  

2. Heat butter and corn syrup over medium high heat until butter melts.  

3. Stir in sugar and Jell-O and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat and let simmer 5 minutes.  

4. Pour over popcorn and stir in a large bowl.  

5. Spread on foil-covered and greased cookie sheet, bake for 10 minutes (trust me, you'll want the foil for easy clean up...otherwise you end up with one very sticky pan).

The baking at the end isn't 100% necessary, it just depends on if you want sticky popcorn or not.  The baking helps caramelize the candy coating so it's less sticky and messy.  Just let it cool for a few minutes before eating of course!

And clearly the last step in this process is to pop in an episode of Star Wars, sit back, and enjoy nerding out with your fantastic popcorn!  Enjoy, folks!  :)

When the Cat Wets Your Bed...You Make S'mores

My kids go to bed in their own beds really well.  But usually, by morning, one or all of them are in our bed.  I don't even notice them coming in anymore.  They're just there when I go to shift in the middle of the night.  If they wake up before me they just play around my bed until I'm coherent enough to call myself "awake".  Well, a few days ago I woke up to my 4-year-old son playing by the side of my bed, and I noticed that his pajama shirt was all wet down the front.....so I asked him what happened.  He proceeded to tell me how he had been holding one of our two five-month-old kittens on the bed, and that he had squeezed it so hard that it peed on him.  At first, I laughed!  Just the prospect of squeezing someone so hard you make them urinate makes you giggle a little bit.  And then it suddenly sank in that there had to be cat pee ON MY BED!  I popped up and inspected the sheets.  Yep...there was cat pee...on my blankets and in my mattress.  Ugh!!!  If any of you have cats, you know how their pee STINKS, and that stink can last for a long time!  It's horrible!

So I searched the internet for what to do for my poor mattress.  I found this idea, and decided to try it. (If you click the link, it will open in a new page. Or you can read my description of it below.)

For me, it was definitely a success!  So I thought I'd share:

How to Get Cat Urine Out of Your Mattress


Things you'll need:

• Paper Towels or Towel
• Wet/dry Vac (Optional...I didn't use one)
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Baking Soda
• White Vinegar
• Water
• Dish Soap
• 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

 Step 1: If the urine is fresh, blot up as much of it as you can!  Use a towel or paper towels and press and hold all over the spot until you get most of it out.  You can also use a wet/dry vac if you'd prefer, but I didn't.  If it's an old stain, or already dried, skip to the next step.

Step 2: Put a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% water in your liquid measuring cup, and pour a small amount onto the area (She recommends approx. 50 ml--or about 1/4 cup).  Then continue blotting (as described above), or use a wet/dry vac.

Step 3: Sprinkle a good handful of baking soda over the area.

Step 4: Mix 1/4 cup of the 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 tsp of dish soap.  Drizzle that over the baking soda and work it in with your fingers or a scrub-brush.

Step 5: Allow this to sit for about 15 min.  Then blot the liquid out of the mattress again.  (She says, at this point, to NOT use a wet/dry vac...just blot.)

Step 6: Leave the mattress to dry thoroughly.  I left it with a fan blowing on it all day, and that worked fine.  You could also put it out in the sun to dry, use a hair-dryer, or a heater.

Step 7: Use your fingers or a brush to break-up the dry baking soda, and vacuum it up!

Ta-Da!!!  The smell was gone!  And my mattress even looked a little whiter in that area.  ;)

To get the smell out of the blankets and sheets (because just a regular wash didn't do it like I thought it would), I poured the vinegar/water mixture on the spot and sprinkled some baking soda on it.  I let that sit for between 15 & 30 min, and then washed it normally.  Once I did that, the smell was gone!  *Happy dance*

This happened again a few days later (minus the loving squeeze), and I used the same method.  I am loving this!  Although, I'm not-so-much loving the reason that I have to use it ...

After a long day of cleaning cat pee, you need an easy-to-make, sweet snack.  What could be better at the end of Summer than S'mores?  (Okay...so they're s'mores bars.  But that makes them even better!  Not as messy to eat!)  I found these on Pinterest, here.  I just tried making them for the first time, and they are DELICIOUS!  I can't stop eating them!  (This could be a problem...)

Here's the recipe:

Golden Graham S'mores Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 bag (10.5 oz)* miniature marshmallows (abt. 5 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) milk chocolate chips
• 5 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 box (13 oz)** Golden Grahams cereal (abt. 8 cups)

*This is what the recipe called for, but my bag was only 10 oz.  I added a few large marshmallows I had on hand, because I LOVE to have my treats TOTALLY covered with chewy goodness.
**This is what the recipe called for, but my box was only 12 oz, and it was just fine.

1. Grease 9x13-inch pan.  Reserve 1 cup of the marshmallows.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and remaining marshmallows over low heat.  Have your 4-year-old stir it until it's completely melted. ;)
   
   
3. Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla.
4. Add cereal to the saucepan.  Stir until completely coated with the melted chocolate mixture.  Stir in remaining 1 cup marshmallows. (Or, if you're like me, you'll forget this step...in which case you can sprinkle them on top later.)

   

   Yes, I believe in child labor. Jk.  But seriously, this is a great recipe for kids to help with!

5. Grease either the back of a spoon or your hands (or your kids hands) and press the mixture into the 9x13 pan.

   

   The kiddos love to help!

   

   I forgot to stir in the full marshmallows, so I sprinkled them on top.  That's my daughter trying to sneak a marshmallow...silly goose!

6. Cool at least 1 hour, or until firm (or dig in...I couldn't wait!)
7. Store loosely covered at room temperature (That is, if any survive to see the next day)
    

YUUUUUMMMMMMMM!!!  These are so good!  And my kids loved helping me make them.  It was a good "quality time" activity.

Pinterest WIN!!!

Go whip up a batch for yourself, and let me know how they turn out!  I'll read your comments while I slowly take small bite after small bite, and pretend that I'm not eating the whole pan!

Back to School: It's All Fun and Protien Bars...

It's September! Time to start actually accepting that school is starting and there's no way of getting around it. I was very anxious for school this year, with my health seemingly stable I was afraid to once again offset the precious balance. Whenever someone would ask the dreaded question, "So are you ready for school to start?!" I would say to myself, "Seriously? No! Who is ever actually ready for school to start at the end of a glorious summer? Definitely not me!" I dreaded the early mornings, the homework, the stress, the cussing in the halls, etc.

This year however, after failing at trying to trick myself into thinking that it wasn't going to happen, I decided to do something about my anxiety at the prospect of starting school. I prayed that I would find the strength to make it a good year and that the Lord would comfort me and soothe my fears. In my daily scripture study over the next few days, I focused on school and what I could do differently to change my situation. Through those nights of study, God gave me strength and faith. Somehow, every verse I read directly related to something that made me nervous about school. One by one, the fears slipped away, replaced by faith in a wise Heavenly Father who I know will protect me. Through this process, my testimony has grown and most of all, my faith is fuller! I know that when we trust God with our weakness He will take us and make us stronger than we ever thought we could be. I am most certainly not perfect, and I still have a very long way to go to become like our Savior Jesus Christ, but I do know that God has prepared a proven successful path to perfection. He takes us every step of the way, never leaving us alone. If we do the things He asks, it's a no brainer, we will be blessed beyond measure and be worthy to live with Him again. He has given us so many tools to keep us on His chosen path, including scripture study and prayer. They seem like simple, almost trivial commandments, but what a difference they make in our lives! The scriptures have strengthened me so much in my life! Do not let them go to waste! They were prepared for our day and what a blessing they are. I can testify of the strengthening power of daily scripture study and sincere and honest prayer.

So once again comes the question," Are you ready for school to start?" but now I can answer with a valiant "yes!" I am excited for early morning seminary, learning new things, testing my limits, and missionary opportunities. I may still have small fears of what this year holds in store for me, but every time I worry, I remember that God is driving and the road is a beautiful one. If I let Him take the wheel then He will surely lead me where I need to go. I know now that whatever comes my way this year I will be able to do it with Christ.

Read Ether 12 with a journal ready to write down impressions and feelings

Another thing that I know will help me get through this year are...protein bars! We have this amazing recipe for gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, soy free, egg free snack bars that are great for lunches and after school snacks! These kid-approved bars are not only a good source of brain power, they're really good even if you're not gluten free! I haven't met anyone who didn't like them. Affectionately known as "Birdfood Bars" around our house, we always make sure to have some in the fridge.

Practically Perfect Chocolate Protein Bars

1/2 cup honey (I prefer agave, but it's all a matter of taste)
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup raw cocao (or cocoa powder)
1 tsp. vanilla (gluten free)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seed

Grease an 8x8ish pan. (Depending on how thick you want the bars to be you can choose an appropriate size pan) We often use coconut oil to liberally grease the pan because they like to stick.
In a medium size sauce pan add oil, honey, and cocao. Bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Allow the sauce to boil for one minute to get kind of syrupy.
Remove from heat (or turn to low heat) Add all remaining ingredients, stir until evenly mixed in syrupy stuff.
Pour into greased dish and refrigerate to harden.
Cut into squares and store in a closed container in the fridge or freezer.

We have tried replacing the seeds with nuts and they are just as delicious! We used pecans and almonds but you can experiment with anything! And if you end up loving this recipe and making it a lot (which I know you will!), you can save a little money by buying the seeds and coconut in bulk. Most of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery store but for some (cocao or maybe ground flax) you should be able to get them at any health food store.

Read lessons learned from my first week of school and more next Friday!

Look Like an Idiot: Bad Pointers for Landing the Job

Happy Wednesday everyone!  The week is half over!  This coming Sunday marks two months since I started my new job as an interior designer with a commercial furniture dealer, and I couldn't love it more!  I feel incredibly blessed to work in a great environment, doing what I love most.  But sometimes I wonder how I ended up getting this job in the first place...considering the first impression I must have left here.

At this point I get to tell you all a story.  It's definitely an embarrassing one, but one that I and my co-workers and supervisors will never forget.  After a couple months of job hunting following my initial move down to Salt Lake, I had landed a job interview that I actually felt was getting me somewhere.  I had an interview with the HR representative on Monday and she asked me to come back for a follow-up interview with the branch manager and an AutoCAD drafting test the following day.  Of course I was thrilled, but I wonder if my excitement ended up being my undoing.  I pulled into the parking lot, ready to crush this interview, to march in there and show them that I was the one they wanted for the job.  After I parked and threw my keys in my purse I said one more silent prayer before getting out of the car and locking the door.  As soon as I stood up and shut the door, though, I noticed that the weight of my purse was not present on my shoulder.  It took about half a second for me to realize what I had just done and turn in horror to see my purse containing my keys, phone, and wallet still sitting in the passenger seat of my car.

No...no no NO!  How could I do that?  How?!  Granted, this was not the first time it had happened and you'd think I would have learned, but apparently I'm not quite that smart.  But why that day, of all days?  I frantically tried to think of a solution before deciding that the best thing to do would be to stay calm and go about my business, do what I came there to do and worry about the keys later.  So I did just that.  The interview and test went well, and I had almost forgotten about my mistake until it was time for me to leave and my interviewer asked me if I had any more questions for him.  "May I borrow your phone to call the police department?"  I'm sure he must have thought I was crazy until I said "...I locked my keys in my car."  He was very gracious (and amused, I'm sure) in letting me use the phone, but once I made the call I was informed that the SLCPD will not unlock your car unless there is a pet or child inside that can't get out.

So there I was, looking like a complete moron in front of a potential future employer.  Lucky for me, everyone in the office was very understanding and soon four of the men were outside, two trying to unlock the doors with wire coat hangers and two holding umbrellas because it also just so happened to be raining that day - of course.  After about twenty (somewhat humiliating) minutes we met with success and I was free to go!  Oh what a glorious moment that was.  I was finally able to leave and wallow in my embarrassment elsewhere, leaving my future co-workers to chuckle at what they had just seen.

Obviously, in the end I was offered the job.  Maybe it was because of my awesome skills or maybe it was out of pity for my idiocy...either way I'm here and I will now forever be known as that girl who locked her keys in her car.  I suppose there are worse things to be remembered by. :)  But a situation that could have ended horribly turned out not being as bad as it could have been.  So don't lose hope!  Everyone does dumb things every once in a while.  All it takes is a clear head and the ability to roll with the punches.  Just because you've done something that seems terribly embarrassing to you doesn't mean that it has to drag you down.  As one of our beloved Disney movies tells us, "Keep Moving Forward!"

So here's my '(Bad) Tip For Getting The Job':  Want to be unforgettable at an interview?  Just make yourself look really stupid and you just might land the job!

Attack of the Squash Bugs!

On a beautiful July morning, I ventured outside to water my growing garden.  As I sprinkled the pumpkin plants and completed my daily progress inspection, I noticed something very odd...some kind of beetle was hanging out on a leaf of MY plant.  Upon closer observation, I found a few more on the same plant.  This being my first garden, I had no idea what they could be.  I don't even know what possessed me to do research on it since bugs are really everywhere outside, and I believe most are harmless to your plants.  Luckily, I did do some research, and identified these creeps as Squash Bugs!

These guys are nasty!  I still don't know a lot about them except that they slowly kill your plants somehow.  But I was not about to let that happen!

So I did a little more research.  I found out that they lay eggs on the bottoms of your leaves.  And sure enough, I found a bunch.  This picture even shows a little baby one (That spider-looking thing with a green tushie...that's what the babies look like).

And so the battle began!  My husband had some kind of bug powder in his shop, which he sprinkled on the plants, and I did a daily egg hunt.

At first, I tried to scrape the eggs off the leaves with a stick.  Those suckers DO NOT like to come off.  In fact, I ended up ripping the leaves more than scraping the eggs.  So that was out the window.  But in my efforts I did manage to scrape off some into the soil, and that was that.  Then I learned that even if you scrape the eggs off, they can still hatch on the ground (oops...).  Further, that these guys winter in the soil and come back up the next year if you don't completely annihilate them!

Then I found this genius method somewhere on the internet (of course, I can't find it now, but if the gal who posted it ever sees this, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  You saved my life!  And all the credit for this idea goes to you).  All you do is take a strip of duct tape, press the sticky side to the eggs, and peel.  The eggs COME RIGHT OFF!!!  It was a miracle!  It did take me a couple tries to get an entire grouping with one peel, but once you get the hang of it, it is quite easy.  Sometimes the stinkers put the eggs right in the little crook between two big veins in the leaf, and it can be hard to get the eggs off.  But just keep trying at different angles.  I have yet to leave an egg on a leaf because I couldn't get it off with the tape.

Now, this next step is crucial...once you've gotten all the eggs you can find onto the tape, roll it up and seal it in a little Ziploc baggie.  Then you can toss it with no worries!  I even dispose of the few adults I find (the powder really did take care of most of them) in the same way: stick them to the tape, roll it up, seal, and toss.  But that's just because I can't stand the crackling "squish" noise that comes with squashing them.  So I improvised.

I am still fighting the battle.  I don't know if it ever will be completely resolved, but for now I am happy keeping it under control this way.  It's not too hard to just bring the duct tape with me every time I water and do a quick inspection.  Half of the time I find nothing for a while, and suddenly see a few adults or a couple groups of eggs at a time.  I still have a lot to learn about squash bugs, and gardening in general, but I found this to be a very satisfying "ending" to this season's squash bug war.  I hope something I've shared can help you in your own potential battle of the squash bugs.


Do any of you have more tips on dealing with squash bugs?  Maybe some natural preventative tips?  I'd be interested to hear them!  Just leave a comment below.

Heaven-Sent Banana Pancakes..and many other blessings

This is my first time ever posting on our blog and I am so excited for this new opportunity! I cannot even pretend to be as cool as my sisters, but I'll do my best!
I guess I'll start with introducing my "story." In February of 2013, when I was fifteen years old, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was completely devastated at the news and I was out of school for weeks. I was forced to be humble and put my faith in the Lord. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had during that challenging time to come much much closer to my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. My family was a tremendous support to me. I can speak from experience that whatever you are going through, however worthless and weak you may feel, God is always aware of you and He has a plan you. Sometimes it's like climbing a mountain, you know deep down that the summit is up there, but you can't see it. You feel exhausted and you want to give up, but God knows your potential better than you do. Don't stop! You can do anything with God.
Anyway, after a year I had things well under control and I was finally feeling a little more comfortable with my new condition. I felt like I knew what I was doing and I had quite a few ideas of how the rest of the school year was going to go. But God had a better plan for me. In February, I started feeling constantly and extremely fatigued. I couldn't drag myself out of bed in the morning and then, if I found the strength to go to school, I would come home and crash. It got worse and worse until it got to the point where some mornings I felt that I couldn't move my legs at all. As a dedicated runner, this was a very frightening thing. Once again, I was forced to rely on the Lord. After months of searching for answers, I was diagnosed with celiac disease, which basically means I am extremely gluten intolerant. Unfortunately, the diagnosis didn't really solve any problems immediately. I went on a strict gluten free diet but my energy didn't return and I was then trying to juggle two life changing diseases. That was the hardest time of my young life. After a few weeks I also found that I was lactose intolerant and unable to eat rice, beans, and potatoes. But once again I found tremendous support from my wonderful friends and my amazing mother and family. I have been blessed every day with renewed energy and strength and now, I am closer to God than I ever could have been had I not been given the chance to endure what I did. Sorry, I know the whole story is kindof a downer.
But now, despite the fact that I have 2 life-long diseases, I live a beautiful life full of blessings. I am a (somewhat) normal kid with ambitions and desires and passions. It's still very hard but I know where I'm going and I know who I'm following. I am living proof that Heavenly Father loves his children and strengthens them through trials designed just for them. These trials have blessed me with testimony and experience.

 This picture was taken this summer when my Dad and I climbed Mt. McLaughlin. I am so blessed to be able to climb! Especially with someone as amazing as my father!

I took this from the summit. The hike is hard but oh so worth every moment!

Sooooo, one of the many blessings in my life has been...banana pancakes! I know it sounds crazy but I truly appreciate this recipe (tweaked by my mom about 50 times now). It's the best recipe for gluten free, dairy free, sugar free pancakes you'll ever find! If you are going gluten free, or looking for a dang good healthy pancake, or you don't know how you got here but you just happen to be reading this random blog, please give them a try!

Heaven-Sent Banana Pancakes!

2 mashed overripe bananas
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp. baking powder
6 Tbs. almond flour (or tapioca starch-tapioca makes them a little more dense but more banana-ee)

Whisk together, cook on griddle as a normal pancake. Cooks slowly at 300-325 degrees.

Try them with any combination of butter, maple syrup, agave syrup(my personal favorite), mashed berries, whipped cream etc.

Makes 12-14 four inch pancakes. (6-7 carbs per pancake)