Sadie's First Steps

(Sorry that it's sideways, not sure how to fix that.)

Summer can be Exhausting

Tired Tate

Dog Days of Laundry

(Photo taken exactly as seen by housewife, no staging involved)

7-Layer Salad

Because we can't eat watermelon every night for dinner.

Mix 1 C. Mayo and 1 C. Sour Cream with 2 T. sugar

Choose 6 things from this list: (The bold are my favs for this recipe)

• Bite-size pieces of lettuce
• 1 C. diced celery
• 1 C. chopped green onion
• 1 C. chopped pepper (any color)
• 1 C. shredded carrots
• 1 10 oz. pkg. of frozen peas (thaw, not cooked)
• 1 C. grated *cheese (maybe more if you love cheese)
• Bite size pieces of ham or bacon (Some use 1/4 C. hormel bacon bits on top)
• Cooked small macaroni or seashell pasta
• Chopped tomatoes

Layer a 9X11 glass dish starting with the lettuce and your other favorites from the list above.

Spread the Mayo mix last. (I like to sprinkle with a little paprika seasoning on top of this)

It's a good idea to sprinkle your grated cheese on top too. *Save the cheese as one of your last layers. The amounts are just estimates you may need a little more here and there depending on your family's tastes. There are many variations to this recipe add whatever you like. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers.

This recipe can be made quickly with many interruptions, using one arm, dealing with a fussy baby, having hungry children around you, and phone calls.

Hardest Part: Cooking pasta and chopping your veggie choices.

My 7 Layers (Pasta not shown)

My little helper

The Plum Tree-Dedicated to my Mom

Look what your grandkids are doing in our front yard.

Eating and picking plums.

We have a "delightful" plum tree.

Just the kind you love so much.

The kind of tree you work hard at keeping alive.

??Bakugans??

What are these things?

My boys are very excited about them.

They got one for doing their daily jobs all week.

They are the latest fad since G.I. Joe.

Some of you may know what they are, if you don't; find out.

Your child will want one for Christmas.

Be careful bringing them as a present to a child' b-day party;

the b-day child either has 17 already or will receive 17 at the b-day party.

Thinking of you Steven!

Watermelon and the Magical Dinner Fairy

One of my favorite childhood memories is eating watermelon with my family. We would eat it all summer. My mom has "the gift" for picking out the best watermelon. My dad also picked out his share of great watermelons. He has "the gift" too. Simple memories: nothing planned, expensive, or full of non-stop entertainment. Just eating a good watermelon, together.

The other night when it was dinner time, Chris was due home any minute. I had not made dinner. I wanted too, but nothing looked good to make. Sadie had her usual fussy dinner hour, just wanted me to hold her. I was hot and tired, and just hoped the magical dinner fairy would arrive to make, cook, serve, and clean up dinner. She did in a way. I gave everyone a big piece of juicy watermelon. Dinner was served and it was delicious. P.S. I don't like the white seeds in watermelon. I still spit them out. Seedless grapes are seedless. But, seedless watermelon still has seeds. I know I'm the only one and I'm weird, but I miss the black seeds. They were big and easy to spit out. It was part of the fun of eating watermelon.

Happy Pioneer Day!

Lisa South, “The Journey,” Ensign, Jul 2008, 27

They began And rejoiced— Buried tiny bodies in shallow graves, Wept, and began again.

They entered the valley With joy— Beat crickets off their vanishing crops, Starved, wept, and began again.

They built their homes With gladness— Prepared them for burning against an approaching army, Wept, and began again.

They endured to the end. They set the example. Fighting our own crickets and armies, We weep, remember, begin again—

And rejoice.

Take the Guilt Away

Was I Living the Gospel Fully?

By Carolynn R. Spencer

Carolynn R. Spencer, “Was I Living the Gospel Fully?,” Ensign, July 2009, 71

My scripture study would have to wait. All three of our sons had awakened—and much earlier than usual. The youngest, Caden, then 18 months old, was screaming in his crib. I went into his room and saw instantly that he was sick.

Thus began a Monday of one challenge after another. At one point, shortly after I had changed Caden’s clothes and tried to feed him, he flung a large jar onto the floor, spilling applesauce everywhere and sending shattered glass across the kitchen. As I was cleaning up the mess, I thought about all the things I wasn’t getting done: family history, service, home storage, missionary work.

“How in the world can I do everything I know I should be doing when I am barely managing the basic tasks of my day?” I wondered. By early evening I was exhausted, but I set aside discouraging thoughts during dinner, family home evening, and the boys’ bath and bedtime routine.

Finally, with the children in bed, I sat down to do what I had not had time for earlier. I picked up the May 2006 Ensign, which was open to a talk by President Henry B. Eyring titled “As a Child.” My eyes fell on a passage I had previously marked: “To keep the blessing of [changed natures] in our hearts will require determination, effort, and faith. King Benjamin taught at least some of what that will require. He said that to retain a remission of our sins from day to day we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally” (Liahona and Ensign,May 2006, 17).

Immediately, I again felt that I wasn’t living the gospel fully. I wondered, “How can I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally when I can scarcely take care of my own family?”

That’s when I experienced an overwhelming feeling of divine approval. It was so clear, precise, and tangible that I knew I had to write it down so I wouldn’t forget. I could see my day replay in my mind—full of feeding the hungry, doing laundry to clothe the naked (I changed Caden’s outfit multiple times), gently caring for our sick baby, helping our five-year-old prepare a family home evening lesson on missionary work, and then discussing the power of example with my family—in other words, helping people spiritually and temporally.

The impression flowed with such an overpowering feeling of peace that I knew the Lord was telling me He had accepted my offering. In caring for my family, I was fulfilling the admonitions of King Benjamin and President Eyring.

Love this Article, Love it.

This is my life right now.

Now, I can relax, I'm doing the best I can. If you read this post, take more guilt away, you read your scriptures for the day.

(Thanks to Sister Gagnon for sharing this article in my ward Relief Society on Sunday.)

How-To Fake "Having it all Together"

Wear a chunky, colorful, beady necklace that matches your outfit.

Big earrings or a fun, chunky bracelet work well too.

(But not all at the same time, 1 Big chunky piece of jewelry does the trick!)

• This fake "Having it all Together" look works best in casual settings. When normally tired, run down mothers look and feel sloppy. Below I describe situations with young children, but I believe this philosophy works for all women no matter your season of life.

• The next time you're at the grocery store with 4 kids because it's summer. Wear a big, chunky necklace. When the kids are running up and down aisles, crying about candy, disrupting the other shoppers. The shoppers will quickly notice your necklace and know you have it all together.

• When you're at the neighborhood park, and your children are whining loudly because they are bored quickly, hot, hungry, forgot their shoes and the bark chips hurt their feet, or the baby is eating the bark chips. The other mothers at the park will see the necklace, and think to themselves,"Wow, there is a mother that has it all together."

• Of course, you can use this trick in more formal settings, like church. When your kids are irreverent all around you, or causing other disasters around the pew or in their primary class, or for you personally with your church calling. The jewelry will give you the appearance of "Having it all Together". It also serves as a great toy for boys and girls of all ages to keep them quiet. (Watch out they don't pull too hard on beads, keep a Ziploc bag in church bag just in case.)

• Other situations this works well for:

1. Pregnancy
2. Bad Hair Days
3. Bad outfit Days
4. Any public situation when children are with you, especially if you have to do any type of business transaction.
5. Visiting your husband at work
6. The library visit
7. Girls Night Out
8. Date Night

**Special Note, you can get cheap, chunky jewelry at any store like Walmart, Target, etc.**

Go to the clearance section. No need to spend a lot of money.

It will look like you did, though.

I'd rather be Maria, after all.

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be beautiful and gorgeous.

Graceful and stunning.

Instead I was short, clumsy, & silly.

People said I was cute, but I didn't want to be cute,
and it made me feel bad to hear it ALL the time.

Like I was a little 2 yr. old with pigtails or something.

Then, I discovered the character Maria. . .

She won the guy, her kids loved being around her, she climbed trees, wore drapes, had a bad haircut, frolicked in lakes, sang songs, did puppet shows, had confidence, loved nature, respected her husband and a father's role but spoke up when necessary, protected her family, and climbed every mountain.

Everything that I would like to be.

Maybe being cute isn't so bad after all.

Happy Birthday, Colt!

Go to this website to get your free coupons for a converter box. www.dtv2009.gov/

Hair - One of Katie's Life Mysteries

I cut my hair short, short. It's great and I always love it. It is easy,

except

You have to use lots of hair "product"

( I think hair product is such a funny word. Can't I just say goo?)

I have to use a lot of hair GOO when I have short hair. Also, you have to go in about every 4-6 weeks for a hair cut. Which I find a kind of a pain. I hate spending a lot of money and time on my hair. I know most of you feel it is well deserved and something every woman needs, but for me $40 + is way too much and anything longer than an hour makes me feel nervous, as I sit there thinking about all the things I could be doing with my time.

My dilemma: I had a good hair lady, but she is expensive. When I had long hair I could go about every 4 months. She would give me such a good cut, wacking off all my thick hair that I could go longer than cheap haircuts. She gave me my short cut. Then to save money I went to the local beauty school. In the past, I have had great, trendy cuts for only $8. I went to the beauty school for a trim with my new short hair. . .BAD, BAD, one of my worst ever cuts. She didn't know how to start, was so SLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. After an hour, my hair looked exactly the same, Still Shaggy, and Beehiveish. Finally, she called over the professor of the school, and the professor cut my hair in 10 min. Flat. Anyway, I don't know what to do. Go back to my expensive lady, whom I trust? Find someone cheaper who is good with short hair? Or try the beauty school again, because it was just one bad experience, and you always get a new person?

Why do we have to worry about hair? That is a mystery to me. I think we look nice with hair, but why do we have to worry about it and take care of it all the time. My other mystery is why do we have to eat 3 times a day everyday. I love food, I think it is delicious and heavenly. But why everyday? It is so much work, thinking, planning, shopping, organizing, cleaning, dishes, etc. Maybe I will become shaggy and eat potato chips from now on.

Sadie's 1st Pigtails!

An Amazing Sunset

Our home is a couple hours away from a great lake town in the mountains. We enjoy going there as a family in the summer and even in the winter for snow activities.

We happened to be there this weekend, on the way out of town, we saw this sunset.

Breathtaking, so colorful, one of the best I've seen in my lifetime. Truly Great.

My little photos on this blog hardly do the real sunset any justice.

(I keep trying to do bigger photos on my blog with no luck, oh well)

Sunset's are to me one of life's miracles. They always remind me God's love for me.

The realities of heaven and the creation.

My Favorite Movies

I can watch these movies over and over again. They have all given me great enjoyment and helped me to see others and the world in a better light. I think some of these movies have helped me become a better person. Some have just been for laughing, which always makes my life better. Others have cheered me when I especially needed it. The list continues to grow. I love movies! Some of these are old and new, in black and white or animated.

• The Gods Must be Crazy
• A Room with a View (old and new)
• Pride and Prejudice (All of them)
• Rebecca
• Vertigo, Jimmy Stewart
• Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart
• To Catch a Thief, Cary Grant & Grace Kelly
• Houseboat, Cary Grant & Sophia Loren
• The Bourne Series, Matt Damon
• Dances with Wolves
• Out of Africa
• The Painted Veil
• Life is Beautiful
• Chocolate
• Ferris Bueler's Day Off
• Noises Off
• Notting Hill
• About a Boy
• Anne of Green Gables
• One Fine Day
• Ocean's Eleven (The first one)
• Jerry Maguire (Watched BYU version)
• Shawshank Redemption (Watched BYU version)
• Nacho Libre
• Emma ( All versions)
• The Sound of Music
• It Happened One Night, Clark Gable
• Harvey, Jimmy Stewart
• The Very Thought of You
• You Can't Take it With You, Jimmy Stewart
• Waking Ned Divine
• Finding Nemo
• North by Northwest, Cary Grant
• Cactus Flower, Goldie Hawn
• It's a Mad, Mad World
• Barefoot in the Park, Robert Redford
• Disney Sunday Night Movies from the late 80's-early 90's
• Parent Trap I
• Her Alibi, Tom Selleck
• Clue
• Swiss Family Robinson
• When Harry Met Sally (I watched a tv version)
• Dan in Real Life
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• Robin Hood (Disney Animated)
• Last of the Mohicans (Edited BYU version)
• The Scarlett Pimpernel, Jane Seymour

(I know there's more I just can't think anymore) I might have to do a 2nd list another time. See FREE movies in your town this summer with your kiddies ClickHere:www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx

Sadie. . . Walking? NO!

Some have asked if Sadie is walking, the answer is NO. Sadie is 14 mons. My 3 other children all walked a day or two around their 1st b-day. She is behind.

The good news is: She would rather be on two feet than down on all fours. Her favorite thing to do is let mom and dad walk her around, using both hands. It's hard on our backs, mom and dad tire easy, and if we put her down; she cries until we walk with her again. We also catch her standing up on her own all day throughout the house.

If we try to walk with her with one hand or strongly encourage her to take a step, she cries and promptly sits down. It could be any day or it could be another couple months 'til she walks. We eagerly await the day she decides to walk, in the mean time we have sore backs.

Summer Survival Tip #2

Buy a bunch of these boxes. I love these. They are easy to make. I can add extra "fresh" ingredients too. Like frozen peas, or tomatoes, and cheese, etc. Use them for you family or a summer get-together with friends. P.S. I know we are suppose to be creative and make our own pasta salads. But mine never turn out as a good. I like Betty Crocker's seasonings. This way requires less thinking and planning.

We made it to the Beach, Yea!!

(We did not build the above sandcastle. We found someone else's great work our first night on the beach. The boys promptly tried to destroy it. We were lucky to get a picture of this great sandcastle.)

(This is how we build a sand castle. Do you like it?)

We saw Flipper and Shamu, too!