Deep Breathes!

Ok….so I know I’m not the only one who’s going through hard times. If you can…please help me simplify life by providing me with money saving tips and ways to simplify my life as a wife and mother. So I’m presenting a challenge to all of you….PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN….

I want ideas of how you simplify your own lives (it can be something as simple as how you keep organized….little tricks up your sleeve…whatever it is that you feel like you’ve got the upper hand on). AND…AND…AND…I really want to feed my family THE CHEAPEST yet HEALTHY way possible! So I need your help…

Everyone post a comment with one recipe that’s cheap and healthy (sorry no frozen pizzas). Along with the recipe try to give a rough estimate how many servings and what the cost may be. If you don’t know…still post your recipe if you think it’s a good price. (See I LOVE TO COOK, but in the past I’ve been making meals that include too many rare ingredients and they take over an hour to cook…NO TIME OR MONEY FOR THAT ANYMORE)!

I’ll start by killing two birds with one stone! Something SIMPLE and CHEAP to eat.

Tinfoil dinners (they’re not just for camping you know)….they are QUICK to prepare….AND HARDLY NO CLEAN UP.

I haven’t done my homework yet on cost…so I’ll guestimate…

Cut up chunks of potatoes (on sale 10lbs for $2.00 at Reams), Chunks of carrots (not pre-cut, on sale at Reams 2lbs $.99), onion, turkey bacon or turkey hotdog ($2.00) , add seasoning of your choice (we usually use something simple like steak seasoning). THEN THE BEST PART….cook it in portion sizes in the tinfoil (don’t forget to spray the tinfoil). That way you can leave the onions out or whatever else your kids won’t eat. My kids love this meal (we call it the Birthday present meal because they get to unwrap it). We let them eat right out of the tinfoil (with a plate underneath) but the plate rarely get’s dirty…so there’s no plates or pans to clean! CAN’T GET MORE SIMPLE THAN THIS MEAL! (Steak sauce or ketchup on top..yum!)

What are your ideas???

Placenta Head

Yes you read right…that’s my new nickname! So I’ve decided to keep my hair long for awhile. I usually grow it long, chop it off, then grow it long again. Deep down I really want to keep my long hair but I get fed up with how dry and unhealthy it looks when it’s long. But I found a product that actually helps…and I’ve noticed the difference right away! I didn’t realize what I was putting in my hair until Rich read the box to me (you know us busy moms…we just miss the details sometimes). YES MY MAGIC HAIR POTION IS ACTUALLY PLACENTA! But I’m not scared….although Rich is!

Every so often I like to ask Rich if he can think of something I can do to be a better wife or mother. The other day when I asked him he said jokingly “Well let’s pull out the list and see if you’re still living up to my standards”….YES…THERE REALLY IS A LIST! (When Rich got home from his mission he wrote down a list of qualities he wanted in a spouse. He claims I met the requirements of his list…but really I think he may have used white out on those things he knew he was going to need to compromise on). Anyway…I got a little nervous because I knew right near the top of the list was “SHE MUST HAVE HAIR THAT SMELLS GOOD”. Although I’m convinced my hair still smells good, I’m sure if Rich could go back and revamp his list it would include “And she can’t wear placenta in her hair everyday!”

In my defense, when I was in college in the health building on one of the bulletin boards was different recipes of how you could cook up your own placenta!!! At least what I’m doing has no odors or chunks of nastiness!

I feel like trash…

So two posts ago I wrote about Sadie letting me in on her secret crush…well so today she came home and said to me “Mom I can’t believe you wrote that I love Bennett on your blog!”….WHAT!!! Up until today she didn’t even know what a blog was…(because I always do my blogging after she goes to bed). She said that her friends at school were teasing her about it….I FELT AWFUL! Really what mother throws her daughter's secrets on the internet for everyone to see? Well I do…and I feel horrible about it. The worst part was when she said “Mom, I asked you to keep it a secret”….(when in my defense she only said “Don’t tell Bennett”…but still I should have known better). It’s just weird to be in this new stage of life where I have a child that REALLY KNOWS what’s going on. So farewell to the days where as a parent you can get away with little white lies to avoid arguments or tantrums…or in this case…GOODBYE to the thinking that my actions won’t cause my children embarrassment.

Not only do I learn WHAT NOT TO DO each day from my children. I also learn WHAT TO DO. I’ve always been so impressed at how quickly children can forgive and forget. After giving Sadie a big squeeze and an apology she was back to normal and was over it. I’m just glad I’m learning these lessons as a mother early on while forgiveness comes so natural to my kids.

(p.s. Just so you know I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY…I’m not upset by any means at the friend’s giving Sadie a good tease! The teasing doesn’t worry me…that’s is very normal…now having your mother divulge all your secrets…NOT NORMAL!!!)

Goodbye my friend!

We just had to part our ways…we had to say our goodbyes…she was just no good for me or my budget! So if you are needing to get a hold of me make sure you try me on my home phone because the cell is a goner!

Just in time for Valentines…

Sadie has found her true love just in time for Valentines. Here’s how I discovered this…

(Remember this picture from back in August? This is the lucky boy who has won Sadie’s heart!)……

Today this cute kiddo’s mom invited us to the Children's Museum with some free passes she had. I wanted the kids to be extra excited so I didn’t tell them where we were going or who we were going with. When we pulled up to their house Sadie started to giggle and then went really quiet. Then she said shyly…

S:  “Mom…I kind of have a secret I think I want to tell you.”

M: “Ok”

S: “Well I think I’m kind of in love with Bennett a little.”

M: “You are” (Trying not to giggle at her cute little announcement)

S: “Yeah Mom, I just can’t help it. He’s just SO HANDSOME”

M:   giggle…giggle…giggle

S: “He is Mom! He is REALLY HANDSOME!”

Hmm…what do you think his feelings are for her. Especially when you can catch her making faces like this all the time:

It’s so fun… yet shocking… that Sadie is already discovering boys. Just the other day she said to me…

“Mom you know my friend at school just had her FIRST TRUE LOVES KISS! She really did she kissed her boyfriend right on the lips”.

All of this talk about boys is so cute right now….in 10 years it’s not going to be so cute…so I’ll soak it up now while I can still smile about it!

Some pictures from the museum:

 

The highlight of the day…a real helicopter!!! It even made real load noises like it was going to take off. I could not get Mason out of it…I thought we were going to have to fly him home!

Stinker

Have you ever had a time in your life when you chose to ignore a prompting and you end up dealing with crap….well last night I ignored one and I literally ended up dealing with CRAP!

So I was in charge of the visiting teaching workshop for our Relief Society (church) tonight,  so I spent the whole day today completely stressed out trying to wrap up last minute things. Just as I was corralling the kids into the car with my arms full of stuff, a thought came to me… that I may want to put Mason in a pull-up diaper. Why??? I thought to myself. He’s been potting trained for a long time now and has NEVER once had an accident at church. But again the thought kept coming to me…”GRAB A PULL-UP”…but I was already running late and I was just being paranoid….RIGHT??? …….WRONG!!!!!

So the whole night I was up and down, in and out of the program…helping here and there. And right in the middle of my friend’s, Staci Knecht’s, talk (Who I asked to come speak…AND SHE DID AMAZING) I hear major commotion in the hallway. I thought to myself without looking to see who it was “Where are these children's parents…who really lets their kids run a muck when other people are trying to listen”….then I turn around to find MY TWO KIDS in the back of the room screaming and giggling. I ran back there and sternly asked Sadie “Why are you out of the nursery????” Then she says a little TOO LOUDLY… “Mason has sloppy poops all over himself”. Yep…sure enough…sloppy poops down his legs and up his chest and back.

REALLY this kid rarely…rarely…has accidents with poops yet he had to do it on a night where I was stuck at church putting on a program with no extra clothes or underwear (OR SHOWER!). So I ran him into the bathroom…stripped him down…gave him a quick bath in the sink (and of course washed the sink out….yuck) threw Kendyl’s SIZE 2 diaper on him (just large enough to cover what was most important) and sent him back to the nursery NAKED! He cried about everyone seeing him in a little diaper…But what was I to do??? So I gave him Kendyl’s blanket and told him to wrap up. But throughout the evening he must have become more comfortable with his nakedness…and apparently everyone else did too, because he ended up running all over the church in his skimpy diaper.

What a stinker…literally!

When Daddy falls asleep

This is what happened when Daddy fell asleep (I’m not complaining…could have been worse…MUCH WORSE).

(This video shows sleepy Daddy on the couch)


The kids went for the “Untouchable camera”…the… “It’s not a toy, give it back to us” camera. So it’s no surprise that they jump at the first chance to do some film making with this “forbidden” camera.

There were about 15 other videos made this day...but I figured I would entertain you with just one. Sadie mentions that Paige (our dog) peed on the carpet and that we cleaned it (I don't know why she said that...the dog has never peed on our carpet)...Wish I could say the same for Mason, BUT WE WON'T GET INTO THAT...THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER POST!

Love this girl…

I can’t get over how lovey dovey this babe is. She loves to cuddle at night…and I love to spoil her with cuddles. As soon as you whip out a camera she becomes the happiest baby giving the cheesiest grins…this picture captured it perfectly. I want my kids TO STOP GROWING, I want my baby to stay a baby….I’m really on the verge of tears…HELP!

P.S.

Here’s Kendyl’s latest growth measurements

12 months old…

3rd percentile on height, 3rd percentile weight, AND 95TH PERCENTILE ON HEAD CIRCUMFERNCE!!!! Do you think we have and Einstein on our hands??? Here’s the chart to prove it…

Cowboy take me away…

I hesitate to post this picture….I just know it’s going to make all you women out their jealous that THIS COWBOY is mine!  Rich slipped his work boots on last night to go move the car in. As he walked out he said “Hope none of the neighbors see me”….when really what he should of said was “Hope my wife doesn’t take a picture and post it on her blog for everyone to see”.  I just couldn’t resist….he’s just too cute even in basketball shorts and boots!!!

How I’ve missed you…

Bountiful baskets…please forgive me for neglecting you during the holidays. It was a sweet reunion today when I returned for your goodness.

Can you believe you can get all this produce for $15!!!

And don’t forget this deliciousness…7 Grain bread. 5 loaves of the best tasting bread for $10. Whenever we run out and Rich goes to make a sandwich with the store brand bread I usually buy….I think I nearly bring him to tears. Locations are popping up everywhere in Utah! My favorite part is how they have everything already in a basket waiting for you. You just run in and pick it up…no hauling kids down store isles with them BEGGING you for every little thing.

I love PRODUCE but I hate PREPARING it. Mostly because my kids won’t give me the time of day. So today I gave Mason a grapefruit and Sadie an Eggplant and told them to dress them up with faces to surprise Daddy when he opened the fridge. That kept them busy for a good 1/2 hour \’’/

Good thing I’m not a fan of grapefruit or eggplant because I don’t think they are going to let me eat their people. Mason really becomes attached to his veggie friends…this is what happened with the squash we grew in our garden this summer. It was more than a squash to him….it was his BABY!

Happy Birthday Angel Grandma

Happy Birthday Mom…we love and miss you so much!

Here’s a flashback to a year and a half ago…(Kendyl was of course in my belly). I love this picture. I hope my kids will always enjoy taking flowers to her grave as much as I do.

I Love Him…

Eight years ago I made the best decision when I choose to marry this man. Now I didn’t make the best decision when picking the day (the day after Christmas)….I know what were we thinking? Our anniversary ALWAYS gets overshadowed by Christmas. But really when it comes down to it, I don’t have regrets about the day….BECAUSE….it was the only day that worked at that time and our only other option was waiting it out until spring break. I’ve LOVED being married to Rich, so waiting it out would have been worse than going with Dec. 26th.  We’ve decided no more excuses though…next year we are putting our anniversary as a priority. At least we have rockin plans for Valentines!

I love Rich more today than on our wedding day. Don’t get me wrong, I was madly in love then too…but I was in love with the surface of a great man I knew he was. Now after experiencing so many things together I feel like I know him inside out and my love for him is so much deeper and meaningful. I love you babe….here’s to many more years of up and downs…but also many more years of loving memories!

For you Grandma Reeves...

It’s got to be fun being Grandparents in this day and age with the technology we have to catch every little thing that our kids do for them to see. This is for you Grandma Reeves….this is what happened just after the kids opened up their Christmas PJ's. Sadie put the nightgown aside for a moment, put the slippers on, and instantly started in on a ballerina dance. THEN MASON…the not so graceful child….struggled…not with any sort of Christmas dance…but just in an effort to put his jammies on.

Grandma, next year send Mason some instructions on how to get dressed in his PJ's. A couple of days after Christmas I was tired of seeing Mason run around in underwear ALL DAY so I told him he needed to get some pants on. This was what he came out wearing...

Sisters

 

Today I dressed Kendyl in one of Sadie’s old dresses….and all day at church I felt like I was holding baby Sadie.  There are some differences, (mostly because Sadie was two months younger in this picture so she still had some baby chubs) but they definitely have the same hair, ears….AND POSSIBLY THE SAME PERSONALITY! We love you baby girls!