For the Grandparents....

Dang, I am some issues with uploading my pictures, that is why they are such different sizes, I don't favor Harrison over Alyssa, or her over him, for that matter. Oh well - here are some pictures you missionaries!!! We love you.

Back to the blogworld

Yes, as many friends have pointed out, I have been MIA from blogger. Why? Nothing too exciting, just life. I was going to take pictures of some of the projects I have been working on latley to share, but my camera needs new batteries and I am too lazy to put new ones in right now. I will share later. Anyways, I have been up to -

• hosting a Superbowl Party
• crafting, crafting, crafting
• Young Women stuff - there is so much going on in our YW program right now!
• Enrichment stuff - I was on the dinner committee last week. I am seriously crazy to volunteer to do more stuff for church right now! At least it was fun. We went to the visitor's center after dinner and the new Temple President, President Clark, spoke to us. It was lovely. Then we watched the film that the Easter Pagent people put on describing the making of the pictures of Christ's life. And then saw the pictures. You should go to it! Stephanie Pratt's husband, Aaron, is in one of the pictures. The pictures are amazing. My favorite two are the Baptism ones. John the Baptist and Jesus - well the people portraying them - looked so happy in it!
• Art Masterpiece
• playing with my kids
• reading some fantastic books - Nicholas Sparks, Dr. Laura, and John Grisham are the best!!
• shopping garage sales
• taking care of sick kids - AGAIN
• disinfecting the entire house - which also means tackling mountains of laundry too
• taking sick kids to the doctor's and the pharmacy
• getting Valentines - for Harrison's teacher and teacher's aide I bought some bubble bath and attached a note that said, "May your Valentine's Day Bubble over with fun!"
• watching season 3 of LOST on DVD and now season 4 on TV
• fantasizing about Matthew Fox and Josh Holloway - really, I had a dream about Matthew Fox, I LOVE when that happens!!!!
• practising the piano - didn't know I can play? Well, I haven't for YEARS. My cousin Stephanie asked me to accompany her on a solo at her neice's Baptism. After much bullying - just kidding - I decided I would do it. So, I have been practicing so much my arms and hands ache, but I think I can pull it off. The Baptism is this Saturday, so I will let you know how it goes.

I think this just about covers it all. I will post some pictures of the crafts soon if you want. Hope you don't think I am crazy and all because of my celebraty (sp) crushes -

do any of you have celebraty crushes?

Do any of you love LOST?

Do any of you do something fun for your kid's teachers or friends or honeys for Valentine's Day?

Do any of you play piano? And would love to come play at a Baptism this weekend? PLEASE?

And in case I forget:

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

In loving memory...

of our beloved Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, 1910-2008.

This man has meant so much to me. Every conference since I can remember, he has been there with something enlightening and inspiring to share. I am so grateful for his service. I already miss him, but am happy to know that he is now with his sweet wife. I feel calm about this and am ready to sustain and support President Monson. I will miss President Hinckley greatly, he was a huge influence in my life.

Positive Outlook

I am totally upset because I hate being sick, especially when Todd is sick too. We are pretty pathetic right now. I was feeling so sorry for myself, but then I decided feeling that way wasn't going to do any good. Then I remembered my Great Grandma Hallock. We all adored her and her wonderful, positive outlook on life. So, in honor of Grandma Hallock, here are some positive thoughts on my current situation:

1. Tylenol 3 makes me feel warm and tingly. I told ya we had awesome doctors.
2. We are blessed to have all of the means to even go to a doctor and get prescriptions.
3. SoapNet plays back to back episodes of Beverly Hills 90210. Right now they are showing the last season. I have become reacquainted with the gang and have a learned a few things.

*Steve got married and has a baby and they all live in the Walsh home. Interestingly no Walshes are on the show the last season. Funny, because I thought the whole premise of the show was about the Minnesota family trying to make it in Beverly Hills. Even on Tylenol 3 I couldn't make sense of that.

*Dylan's dad didn't die in that car explosion. Instead he went into the witness protection program.

*David and Donna still love each other.

*Even though I have never found Luke Perry particularly attractive, there is something about Dylan's rebellious nature that makes him pretty, dare I say sexy?

*Despite what I thought as a ninth grader, 90210 is not the best show ever.

4. Now onto to serious stuff, yet still positive. My Dad and brother were able to come by and give us blessings. How awesome is that?

5. My parents came and brought dinner over again.

6. My Dad did the dishes and threw away the trash.

7. I realized, while resting these past few days, all of the many blessings that I have: from living in the United States, to my membership in the Gospel, to having a husband and family who support me in all of my goals and ambitions.

Thinking positively has really helped me feel better physically. I can't wait to be well and I pray that my kids won't get it, but even if they do, I know that we can take care of them. I think that it was positive thinking that helped Grandma Hallock live such a long life. I am so grateful that she was a part of my life for so long. She passed away when I was 23. How many people get to be with their great-grandparents for that long? This one's for you Grandma!

NO WONDER....

I feel like I have been hit by a mack truck!!!

I have strep throat. Oh wait, it gets better - Todd has it too. Luckily our kids seem healthy. They are quite happy running a muck around the house while the two of us lay on the couch watching soaps and cable movies. THANKFULLY my Mom lives a block a way and she is going to make sure that we get a good dinner. There is nothing better than having your Mama take care of you when you feel sick. This is one of the silver linings in this situation.

The other one, which I have to share with ya'll, is our wonderful doctor's office. Skyline Family Medicine is run by the nicest, most caring people. There is Dr. Green, who lives in my parent's ward - yes we live a block away from Mom and Dad, BUT we are not in the same ward. Anyway - Dr. Green is a great man. Then there is Sabrina, aka PA Anderson, she just totally rocks. I love her. I usually see her because she takes care of "womenly exams". She is so wonderful. I really feel like she cares. She loves my kids and takes care of them too, along with Dr. Green.

Get this, they have urgent care hours between 7 and 7:25 am for prior patients. Being a prior patient, I went there first thing and was taken care of in about 20 minutes. Now Todd has never been there, but when I told him I have strep, he decided he should go get checked out. So, he called and they got him in an hour and half later. Most times that I call when I think either myself or one of the kids are sick, they get us right in. What's better than that? I went to the #1 pediatrition while living in Las Vegas and the average wait was a little over an hour. Guys - Skyline Family Med even does well check up visits, flu shots, and they have a Sonora Lab place in their front office! Now, and we won't need this anytime soon, but just about the only thing they don't do is OB stuff. So, these people are our family's medicinal wonders.

So, if you are looking for a new doctor, don't hesitate to call them. 924-4422

I also have to thank you for all of your comments on my last post. You know, I always make a menu for the week, I just have issues actually getting those dinners onto the table. Hopefully, when I am well again, I will get the hang of it. In fact, www.executivehomemaker.com has some excellent ideas that I may try.

Well, "Posieden" is over, I think I will steal the remote from Todd now and watch some good old General Hospital!

The Witching Hour

Am I the only Mom who HATES the hours between 4 and 7 pm? I call this the witching hour at our house. The kids are cranky and needy. I am tired. I need to get dinner on the table. The kids are hungry. I just realized that I don't have the ingredients to make ANYTHING - even though I spent a fortune at the grocery store the weekend before. I could go on and on but this has gotten to be somewhat of a nightmare for me and the family.

What to do? Do any of you have any advice?

I have thought of a few ideas...

Get a new toy box of some sort and fill it with activities, movies, and toys that the kids can only play with during the "witching" hour. I can start playing with them and then after they are engrossed, go make dinner.

Don't make dinner at all. It will become my new diet! Nah - maybe just do Crockpot dinners and make a salad earlier in the day to go with it.

Have Todd get takeout on Wednesdays - that's Mutual Night for me.

Do a REALLY detailed shopping list and menu - and stick to it.

I really need some input here. I don't want my kids memory of dinner time to be of a weeping, mad Mom. Oh and what in the world am I going to do when they are older and may be starting ball and dance and so forth? Sometimes I just don't see how people with older/more kids than I do it....and with a smile on their faces.

These are a few of my favorite things...

I love, love, love my family. What's more is I love spending quality, fun time with them. We went on a hike this weekend and all of us a had a blast. Everyone did a good job hiking too - even Lyssa! Arizona is so beautiful, so I enjoy the cool weather because we can stay outside longer to enjoy it more!
My family, my life...

I am so happy that my kids love each other!!
Hey a picture where I don't look half bad!


So, funny thing, on the way home, we all totally relaxed and chatting about how great our day was and how we want to go back and hike more because it is so nice to be outdoors. Then Todd sees flashing lights in the rearview mirror and it is a Sheriff! Crap!! So, Todd was pulled over because he was driving too SLOW!! Ha, maybe we were too relaxed? At least we didn't get a ticket.

So another favorite thing is Todd's new found obsession with making pies. He watched the kids for me while I went to a parent teacher conference and when I came home, he was making a coconut creme pie. What the?? He was quite happy about it and it tasted so good. So this weekend I had him make some more. The funny thing about this is Todd doesn't really cook, he makes the best pasta dinners, but that's it. So it is a new thing, but a favorite thing. I hope he keeps it up.


My last favorite thing to blog about right now is the Bountiful Baskets food co-op. Check it out, www.bountifulbaskets.org We have been eating a lot more produce because of this and it is all so yummy too! And cheap!! You can't beat the price. This really helps me with my goal of being more frugal too. And, I am keeping up with both of my goals for 2008 too.