The Life and Loves of Brittany

Don't give up on me, I have just been busy!

2012-01-23T11:27:00.001-06:00

I know it has been a long time since my last post, but Ihave been very busy and my blog had to be put on the back burner. We havesettled into Draper, Utah quite nicely! Thomas and Lucy are in school andenjoying it (as much as kids enjoy school). I have also started taking classesand that has drained all the extra time I can find. I am taking a 5 credit mathcourse and as of now it’s not hard, just time consuming. (I have actually beendreaming in numbers and equations, YIKES!) James just came back from Houstonlast week from running his second marathon. He improved his time by 18 minutesand getting ready to sign up for another one. Thomas has also taken up runninglike his dad. Thomas and I go out in the morning and go for a 30 minute run (4times a week) and he wants to run in the next 5k.

We are living in an apartment complex right now and can’twait to start house hunting in a few months. We are hoping to move into our ownhome in September. Let’s hope we can!!!! So right now we feel a littletemporary, but James’ job has been fantastic. All in all life is going great.We still have our drawbacks but what is life with a little trials? Anyway, Ibetter get to my homework. (Those math problems aren’t going to solvethemselves.)

Getting Through Hard Times.

2011-08-31T20:37:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had to go through something so difficult that that you didn't even want to talk about it? Well that is how I have been feeling this last year. I have tried to keep a stiff upper lip and put on a good face but a person can only handle so much. James lost his job earlier this spring (he was given a one year contract to find another job). It has been a rough road to travel down. We already weren't very happy with Texas but this really put it over the edge. James has been looking for a new job for almost 2 years now. I guess what I am trying to say is that life has been hard. James' ego has been severally bruised and we have been very unsure about our future. We have had to trust that the Lord is aware of us and something will work out. I keep thinking that in a week or two we would have some good news. But then months have gone by and nothing.
So with all this going on our car broke two different times, we have had sick kids, James went through surgery, an ER visit, and busy (very busy) church callings. I have been feeling like it is all I can handle. I have been trying to tell myself that trials and adversity help me to grow and progress as a person. Well, I have felt growth. James and I have been closer than ever. There are times that I wish James would just say everything is going to be fine, but he's going through this just like me.
We felt like we were supposed to move to Texas. We have strengthened our family and feel like we are more grown-up than ever. I want to apologize to all of my friends and family that I have talked to these last few months and not shared about our problem. This has been such a painful process that talking about it hurt too much.
But I am not telling you all this to make you depressed and down. This story ends happy. James was just offered a job in Utah!!!!! (In South Jordon at Roseman University)We are super excited and don't have all the details but the one thing I know is the job starts October 1st, so, soon. Now life is going to go from busy to hectic. But it is a good hectic! We will keep everyone posted on details. Thanks and the Lord does bless you when you try to do what is right.

Happy, Happy Birthday Dylan dear!

2011-05-10T19:22:00.002-05:00

Today is my sweet baby's 2nd birthday. Really he doesn't even know what is going on today. We went to the doctor and had his well baby check up. He is now 30 pounds and going strong. Dylan got one shot and a blood draw and he didn't cry once, amazing! He was more fascinated with the needle then scared of it. Really he is just the strong silent type.

Anyway, Because of his shot today he has been kind of on the grumpy side. We debated if we should even celebrate his birthday today. We already decided to have the cake and stuff in a week when James' brother will be here (it's also closer to my Birthday). So we thought we would give him one gift and save the rest for later. Which is exactly what we did.

There is this Pixar movie, Cars (maybe you have heard of it?). Well, it is Dylan's absolute favorite movie. Not only is it his favorite, he loves all things cars. He loves any food, t-shirt, or picture of the Car's characters. [Side Story: Every time I go grocery shopping he loves to look for anything with Lightning McQueen on it. He's the main character in Cars. And since Cars 2 is coming to theaters on June 24th (yeah, we are excited!) he is in just about every isle, go ahead, check. Because of that we have gotten Cheez-its, Cars Mac and Cheese, and Cars soup. I am a sucker!]

For the last few weeks I have been on the hunt for the perfect "Cars" gift. I wanted to get him a Cars toddler bed set but I really didn't like any of the sets out there. So I made my own. I had to be a bit sneaky and make it without him seeing, but he loved it! After getting the blanket we put it on his bed and he has been sitting in his bed for the last 45 minutes. The funniest part is that after being in his bed for about 2 minutes he took his "blankie," (the blankie that has been with him through thick and thin) and tossed it on the floor. If you look in the picture it is right there on the floor, tossed aside like a pair of dirty socks. It's sad how quick these kids grow up. (I am sure he will accept his blankie into his inner circle again, someday.)

So Happy Birthday to my little baby!! I sure do love you "Buby"!

By the way, can you guess what other gifts he might be getting for his birthday?

Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T07:07:00.000-05:00

There is a quote that I really like that says: "You think it is an overnight success, but if you look closely, most over night successes take a long time." –Steve Jobs

Lucy in her pre-k room
5 years old

That is Motherhood. Being a mother is a lot of hard work, tears, patience and love. I am so blessed to have the sacred role of motherhood, to be a “co-partner with the Creator himself.” I am grateful that I have been taught by my mother and I am grateful that I can teach my children with the help from my husband. I feel honored to have this responsibility and I don’t take it lightly. I love my children so very much. My prayers, hopes, and dreams are filled with them.

Dylan in Fort Worth
18 months

Speaking to a room full of women Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: “Do the best you can through these years, but whatever else you do, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones.

Thomas at the Houston Aquarium
6 years old

“You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you, and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and weep over their responsibility as mothers, ‘Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.’ And it will make your children whole as well.”

This picture was taken the summer before we
were married.

The next time someone inquires what I do or asks me to describe myself, I will say with confidence and with joy, “I am a Mother!”

To all you Mothers out there... Happy Mother's Day!

The Tooth Fairy

2011-04-27T11:24:00.001-05:00

Thomas lost his two front teeth. One he lost during dinner and the second was so loose I tried to convince him to pull it. Finally about 5 minutes before bedtime I yanked it out. (Does that make me a bad Mom?) His grown-up teeth are already poking through. But the best part of all of this was that Thomas wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy. This is his second letter to the TF. In the first one he asked her what she did with the baby teeth. She wrote back that she took the teeth because baby teeth are the main ingredient in fairy dust. She then sells the dust to other magical creatures. (I have turned this house upside down looking for the letter.) Thomas LOVED it. This time he asked the tooth fairy if she would give him some fairy dust. And this is what she wrote back:

Dear Thomas,

Thank you for your baby teeth. The two front teeth are very important. These two teeth will make some excellent fairy dust for my business. I would love to bring you some fairy dust. I do not have any with me tonight that I can give you, but the next time I come I should be able to bring you some. I only pack enough fairy dust each night to collect the teeth that I need. Keep brushing your teeth, they look very healthy! You are a very good boy. I hope you can buy something fun with the money I gave you. I hope you have a very good day!

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

Thomas can't wait until he looses another tooth.

By the way, for some reason the the Tooth Fairy's signature looks an awful lot like gold embossing. Also, the gold sparkles on the letter and envelope seemed to resemble my gold eye shadow. I wonder how that happened?

Hippity Hoppity

2011-04-25T17:05:00.001-05:00

I know I should have blogged about this about two weeks ago, but I was still in the "testing" mode. This little project really turned out to be really cute and the kiddos LOVED it. I tried it once in college, but this is the first time with the "Easter Bunny."
I grew wheat grass in an Easter basket. It is really simple to do, you just need to think ahead. I got a large, cheap basket, lined it with a garbage bag, and put a layer of vermiculite in it (you can get vermiculite at normal gardening stores, but not in the garden section of Target or Wal-Mart). Be careful with the vermiculite, you don't want to inhale it, it is very light and easily becomes airborne. Many places say to use potting soil, but you run the risk of it getting a "fertilizer" stank(basically it smells like poo, do you really want your house to smell like poo Easter morning?) Moisten the vermiculite until it is wet but there is not standing water. Then put a layer of wheat or grass seed on the vermiculite. Trim back the plastic bag below the edge of the basket. Set the basket near a sunny window. I would spray the grass with a spray bottle daily, depending on how warm it is. I tried to put the basket in a room where the kids wouldn't see it, but they found it about two days before Easter. Anyway, I loved it so much because I didn't have to fuss with that horrible fake grass and this was so much better for the environment. We don't do much for Easter but we always get a little bit of candy to share. Sorry I didn't post it earlier, but at least this will give you a good idea on what to do for next year.

Great-Grandma's Favorite Bundt Cake

2010-12-15T15:29:00.010-06:00

This cake is our family's favorite, and I thought that this year I would share it with our friends and co-workers. The thought of making 20+ cakes seemed crazy but I figured out a way to package them perfectly. In a jar. I made the cake normally and then filled each jar about half full. Baked them in the oven and they turned out fantastically! Then I put the sealing lids on them and waited for the "pings" (they took a while to come but it was so great to hear them.)

The cake is normally in a Bundt pan, but this did the trick. Here is the normal recipe for the cake. If you feel adventurous you can try the jars. Happy Baking!

(If you are reading this and thinking, "Where is my cake in a jar?," then you are probably not very good friends with me or live too far for me to hand deliver it. Most likely the latter.)

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix (the more chocolate the better)

1 pkg instant chocolate pudding

1/2 C. white sugar

1 C. sour cream

3/4 C. vegetable oil

3/4 C. water

4 eggs

1-2 C. chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 bottle caramel ice cream topping

1 C. chopped pecans or toffee chips (depends on your preference)

1-2 C. Chocolate chips

1/4 C. cream

Combine the first 8 ingredients until well mixed and moistened. Pour into your favorite Bundt pan and bake in oven 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and pour can of milk and caramel sauce over cake. Allow to completely cool. Remove from pan onto serving plate/platter. Melt the last cup of chocolate chips with the cream. Drizzle generously over cake and then sprinkle pecans or toffee chips over cake.
Very moist, delicious cake. Enjoy!

Yield: 12 to 16 servings (depending on how many chocolate lovers are there)

Leave a comment if you made it or or will make it. Thanks!

New Christmas Tradition!

2010-12-09T14:09:00.003-06:00

I did not think of this on my own, but I love the idea. I wrapped up 25 Christmas books (most of which James got from his library) and every night the kids unwrap one and we read it as a family. I have really loved doing this and the kids love it too! It's a bit of work in the beginning but well worth the effort. Here is where I got the idea. Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T11:01:00.003-06:00

Thinking about my blog I didn't want my last post, which is so negative, to be up there anymore. Things have been getting better. I joined the gym here and I have been going 5-6 times a week. I love taking the "me" time.

Also, at this time of year it makes me reflect on all the things I have to be grateful for, most importantly, my Family! I am lucky to a part of my children's lives.

I love them so much and try so hard to be a good mother for them. I am grateful for James and the love we have for each other. Life really is perfect when he is around (or at least the hard stuff is bearable when he's around).

I am also grateful for The Church of Jesus Christ, the direction it gives me and the knowledge that my family can be together forever. I am thankful for Jesus Christ and for His atoning sacrifice for me. I have so much to be grateful for at this time. Now as Christmas is coming and people get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of gifts I hope that I can remember to be grateful for life's greatest gifts.

There is so much to be grateful for, go out and give thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Life can be hard!

2010-10-26T12:27:00.002-05:00

This last month has been hard for me. Things have just been really unsettling right now. James has been interviewing for new jobs, I am doing the Halloween party, and I have been trying to go running. I guess when I write it out it doesn't seem that bad but it sure has felt stressful. I have decided to only worry about the things I can control. I guess in life that is all one can do. I have upped my running schedule and James and I going back on the diet. The diet worked and we felt better on it. So as far a goals here goes:

1. Run for 30 minutes 5 times a week

2. Eat 600 calories or less every meal (that does not include fresh fruits or plain veggies)

3. No cake, donuts, CANDY (yes Halloween candy too), or any other types of sweets

4. Nothing fried

Really everything seems pretty reasonable except number 3. Today is my 8 year anniversary and what do I do with all my chocolate?

The Ever After Frock Halloween Grosgrain Giveaway

2010-10-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

The Ever After Frock Halloween Grosgrain Giveaway

Apron Giveaway!

2010-09-20T11:12:00.002-05:00

My friend Martha guided me to this blog and I am intrigued! There are recipes galore and I am in heaven! I have been spending the morning scrolling through all the fun posts. I thought I would share this giveaway with everyone. I hope you enjoy and best of luck!

Yoga, Run, Abs, Yoga, Run, Abs

2010-09-17T08:57:00.002-05:00

I know that my last post suggests otherwise, but I took the week off from running. James was gone for half the week and I had a sick baby all week. But that doesn't mean I can't run and work out this next week. Now that James is home, and its cooling down, I think it will be a bit easier. So it is the same as last week.

1. Do yoga 4 times this week.

2. Go running at least 3 times this week.

3. Do the abs/buns workout 4 times this week.

On a side note, after the last few movies I have watched and books I have read I am grateful that I live in this day and age. History has shown us that being born a woman stinks. This isn't a new revelation to me, I am just glad I am alive now and not then. And that I am not in the American wild west in 1850, England circa 1150 a.d. or even the middle class suburbs of 1950's. All times are romanticized by authors but I know the truth-it wasn't fun for women!

I have to do this again.

2010-09-10T07:23:00.001-05:00

I am really irritated with myself. This last summer I worked really hard to run, do yoga and get fit and now I have lost all motivation. I am now running once, maybe twice, a week. All the work I have done will go to waste if I don't do something about it. The only thing I can think about is to be accountable to my blog, it worked in the past. I am going to put my goals on the website and then check in at the end of the week to see how I did. Let's hope this works!

1. Do yoga 4 times this week.

2. Go running at least 3 times this week.

3. Do the abs/buns workout 4 times this week.

There is a bright light, a little hope. Lucy, 4 years-old, has decided to be a runner for Halloween. If that is not encouraging I don't know what is.

Yeah!! He's walking!

2010-07-22T16:13:00.000-05:00

Okay, so not walking completely but at least he is trying. That's a step, right? (excuse the pun)

By the way, I love it how Dylan claps for himself. He is so proud, as are we.

Dilly Dance

2010-06-04T09:05:00.000-05:00

This video is too cute. This is Dylan's version of dancing. I Love it!

Tender Mercies

2010-06-01T10:16:00.000-05:00

Life has been a bit crazy. Yesterday, James and I thought we would take a quick trip to the mall for some shopping. We got a flat tire on the way down there. We changed the tire and then the spare blew out. Finally, after an hour, the car was towed and a brand new tire was put on. We are so glad that we have a cell phone. It made life a little easier.

The amazing part was that my friend Jaime pulled up as we were getting the car on the jack. I couldn't believe that she was inspired enough to go shopping. Yes, shopping can be inspiring. She asked if she could take the kids (I ended up going with her too) which was great! Had the kids stayed with the car we all would have been stuck on the side of the freeway in hundred degree weather for about 40 minutes. Instead, the kids and I went to Sam's Club and Bath and Body Works. Poor James stayed with the car and suffered the heat and waited and waited.

All in all everything is fine and there weren't any major issues. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father was looking out for our little family and sent some mercy. We are so blessed.

So as far as my workout goals, I was not very successful last week. I got my running in but not the yoga. This week is going to play out a little differently. We have a family reunion in 6 weeks, therefore I am doing a crash diet and extra workouts to look good for the reunion. Once at the reunion I will calm things down a bit. So goals this week are as follows:

1. Abs of steel, 15 minutes 6 days this week

2. Running, 30 minutes 5 days this week

3. Yoga, 30 minutes 6 days this week

4. 1600 calorie diet

Wish me luck, with school ending this week I really hope I can do this.

Running

2010-05-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

I didn't complete my goal. I ran only three times last week and did yoga three times. In my defense it was my birthday this week and I did a lot of baby-sitting for some friends that are now gone. -boo hoo :( I hope that I can do my goals this week. My goals this week are the same as last. Wish me luck.

1. Run 4 times this week, 30 minutes each time

2. Yoga 4 times this week, 30 minutes each time

On the road again.

2010-05-14T07:08:00.000-05:00

I have taken the last few weeks off from running. I am not really sure why but I have felt the affects from not exercising and I am ready to get back in the saddle. With my monumental birthday coming up it made me think that I want to be a person of movement. Plus, I feel a hundred times better when I workout. My goal this week is to run four times and do yoga. Let's see if I can do it. I hope I am not setting myself up for failure. Wish me luck.

1. Run four times for 30 minutes each time

2. Yoga four times for 30 minutes each time

Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!

2010-05-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

I Love Lost! James and I are in disagreement about what happened to the characters in the last episode. Will we be seeing more of Sayid? How about Lapidus? Please comment and let me know what you think.

I need a second (and third) opinion.

2010-05-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

Are his eyes blue? Green? Or both?

What do you think?

(by the way do you see his third tooth?)

A Red Letter Day!

2010-04-17T14:16:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I ran my first 5K today! It was really fun and I can't wait to do it again. There were about 100 people that ran in this race and James was able to place 2nd in his division. Good for him!!! They had some "technical difficulties" and therefore had the time for only the first twenty five that crossed the finish line. Unfortunately, I was not in that "elite" group (hey at least I wasn't last.) So I guess it is better that I don't know my time, because it was a hilly course. So I didn't place in my age group (I was running against all the fit college girls) but maybe in a few months when I change divisions that might change. (Although I was probably the first lactating woman to cross the finish line. That has got to count for something, right?)

A Camping we went.

2010-04-09T03:51:00.000-05:00

For Spring break we went camping with some friends we have here in Texas. We froze at night but had lots of fun. Dylan wasn't too fond of the paddle boat ride (which we just about lost our camera on), but everyone else had a BLAST! We need to go again now that the nights are warming up.

Happy Birthday Lucy!!!

2010-04-08T03:31:00.000-05:00

I want to wish my sweet little girl a very happy 4th birthday. We will be having a princess birthday party this afternoon with some of her friends. Lucy is a little spitfire bright star in our family and I love her tenacious spirit. She loves picking flowers for me and loves animals, especially puppies. She has a great sense of taste and will accept nothing less than chocolate. I love her so much and I am so grateful and honored to be her mother!

April Fool's

2010-04-06T08:41:00.001-05:00

Dinner: Cupcakes (meatloaf and mashed potatoes, Buttered noodles (julienned Zucchini), and Sunny side up Egg (Pureed cottage cheese and a peach), Surprise Colored Milk

Dessert: Sushi (rice crispy treats, fruit roll ups and dried fruit)

I Crossed the Bridge!

2010-04-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

About ten minutes into my run there is a hill, a big one. I am always afraid to run down it because I will have to run back up it. At the bottom of the hill there is a bridge, and a little beyond that there is a house that I use as a landmark to indicate 1/2 of a 5k. I have only run down the hill a handful of times. On Friday I went all the way down to the 1/2 5k marker, then turned around and ran home. I ran my first 5k (3.1 miles) in 41 minutes. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. James and I are going to run in a real 5k in two weeks. I am really excited to train for it. I hope to beat my time of 41 minutes. That puts me at my goal for this week. I will run four times this week, each time running my 5k in hopes to improve my time. I will supplement my running with 30 minutes of Yoga. Wish me luck, anytime I add another goal to running I come up short.

1. Run a 5k 4 times this week

2. Do Yoga 4-5 times this week, 30 minutes each time

*Coming soon* April Fool's Dinner pictures, camping, and Lucy's Birthday!

This is the Week!!!!

2010-03-21T20:54:00.000-05:00

My new year's resolution has been to run for thirty minutes, 4 times a week. I have been on a ten week program to get me to running 30 minutes straight. This is the week I have been working for. I have been doing the program faithfully and this week I will be running for thirty minutes straight (hopefully). If I am successful I will get a pedicure and maybe a manicure. If not, then maybe I will treat myself next week. So here is hoping I can do it. I highly recommend the program. Here it is if anyone would like to try:

Each week of the program, do your run/walk workouts on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and take Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday off.

10-WEEK TRAINING SCHEDULE

Week 1
Run 2 minutes,
walk 4 minutes.
Repeat 5 times.

Week 2
Run 3 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat five times.

Week 3
Run 5 minutes,
walk 2.5 minutes.
Repeat four times.

Week 4
Run 7 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat three times.

Week 5
Run 8 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat three times.

Week 6
Run 9 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice, then
run 8 minutes.

Week 7
Run 9 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat three times

Week 8
Run 13 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice.

Week 9
Run 14 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat twice.

Week 10
Run 30 minutes.

By the way, this week I am just going to do the running for my goal. I think that will be good enough.

What is my problem?

2010-03-15T08:15:00.001-05:00

I really think I have the "running thing" down, but when I add ANY other goals to that I fail. I was able to run this week. Actually, I ran 5 times this week, and by Friday I was tired. As for my other goals I have failed. I don't know why I can't do the throw downs or the Abs of Steel. It just doesn't happen. I think I need to change my approach.

This time I am going to try a new angle, food. On top of running 4-5 times this week I am going to eat 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables a day. The average American diet has about 14 grams of fiber. The recommended amount is 25-30 grams fiber per day. And I know that I don't eat enough fruits and veggies.

Here's the challenge:

1. Run 4 times this week-30 minutes.

2. Eat 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day

Babies really do a number!!!

2010-03-06T19:16:00.001-06:00

I know I haven't been in the best of shape, but with running I have really improved. I went to the doctor this week and found out I have lost two pounds in two weeks and three pounds since December. But better than that, my clothes are starting to get really loose and all of my pants aren't even staying up. Crazy, huh?

I also realized that I love running. I never thought I would say that but I miss it when I don't go and I look forward to my runs. I love it. I made my goal of running 4 times last week and I will carry that over to this week.

As for the throw downs--that is a different story. My stomach muscles are shot after three pregnancies and it is going to take a lot of work to undo the damage. I only did them twice last week. So this week I will up the ante just a bit and throw in some Abs of Steel workouts. We'll see if that will be a bit nicer to my tummy. Here is this weeks Challenge:

Run 4 times this week, 30 minutes each time (maybe even five if I feel so inclined)
Do two sets of "throw downs" 3 times this week
Do 15 minute Abs of Steel workout-twice

The Sun will come out Tomorrow...(More like this week)

2010-03-01T08:10:00.001-06:00

I took last week off from running, thanks to some of my friend's advice. I used the week to recover from a nasty, lingering cold. And yes, I still have it, but I can't rest anymore. I went running on Saturday and loved it. This week is going to be similar to last week. I am going to run 4 times this week. The first time being this morning.

Also, I am going to do "throw downs" with James every night this week. Now before you dirty minded people start getting carried away, throw downs are when you lay on your back and the other person stands at your head. You hold on to their ankles and lift both legs up to your head. Then the person standing "throws" or pushes your legs down to the floor and you have to not let your legs touch the floor and then again raise your legs up. My roommate in Logan taught them to me and it is a VERY effective stomach exercise. Go ahead try them, they are hard, huh?

Anyway:

1. Run for 30 minutes, 4 times this week

2. 2 sets of throw downs 6 days this week

I have had better Weeks.

2010-02-21T14:02:00.001-06:00

I did not make my goals this week. Life has been pretty busy around here. I was sick all week (and still not better) and I have been working on two callings. Like I said, crazy! But I did get my running in last week, just not the spot training. So this next week I am going easy on myself. I will just do the running. Once I get that down solid maybe I can add something else.

So here it is:

Running for 30 minutes 4 days this week.

Should be easy, right? Anyway, wish me luck!

My new goal.

2010-02-14T16:30:00.000-06:00

I have been running for the last 6 weeks. I have been posting my goals here but I have decided to move over to my blog. This week my goal is to run 4 times this week and do my abs/buns of steel workout four times this week. So here it is:

1. Run for 30 minutes 4 times this week

2. Do 15 minutes of "Abs/buns of steel" 4 times this week

I am not sure how I will do because I have been sick for the last few days. I guess only time will tell. See you next week.

Bedtime Stories

2010-01-28T10:25:00.000-06:00

Always, when I have a million things to do, Lucy does the cutest things. She wanted to play house and I was the daughter. It was time for me to go to sleep and so she decided to tell me a bedtime story. I was lucky enough to record it. I think if we let her she could talk forever. Enjoy!

**UPDATE**

So really sad, I tried to upload the video and for some reason I completely deleted it. I was really bummed. So here James is trying to get the story from her.

Cheers

2010-01-11T07:47:00.000-06:00

Sorry to be such a dud on my blog. I have been taking a break from blogging and I am still not ready to come back. I have been focusing on my kids, scrapbooking, running and my new calling (Relief Society Secretary) Not to mention James' new BUSY calling. I am sorry I haven't posting anything in a while and I didn't want my last posting to be so "blah." Now that you know where I have been you can stop worrying. I still like emails and phone calls (and I am still checking other blogs.) So farewell for now, -cheers.

Blah!

2009-12-16T11:04:00.000-06:00

Blah, blah, blah blah blah.

Thank You Perspective!

2009-11-13T11:21:00.000-06:00

Now if only they can make something for The Office and Facebook!

More than meets the eye.

2009-10-29T08:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we were getting ready for dinner when the power went out and we hear three loud booms. I stuck my head out and heard that the booms were coming from up the street. We all came out of the house and visited with the neighbors. I concluded that it was a transformer and 30-40 minutes later the power was back on. When I picked James up from work I told him about our exciting afternoon, then Thomas chimed in: "I am going to tell Jorge at school it was a transformer. He likes Transformers. He wears a Transformers t-shirt sometimes and he will think that is neat."

I LOVE having a little boy!!

Hair for Locks of Love

2009-10-24T16:32:00.000-05:00

I just donated my hair to Locks of Love. I had been growing my hair out for several months and it was getting unmanageably long. It was fun getting it all chopped off today. It turns out that although there are rules to donating to Locks of Love, they are not as stringent as I once thought. I took pictures of the whole process (well, the cutting part of it).

Here is the before. My hair hit about the middle of my back.

And the chopping began. She was about to pull out a chainsaw to cut through it all.

The lovely ponytail. I hope it can help another little girl.

My final short cut. I was glad that it wasn't as short as I thought it would be.

I love having the freedom of short hair. It feels so great. So, if you have the patience, I recommend donating a pony tail. It was great fun. As a side note, you would think I would have donated my hair once we moved to Texas at the hottest part of the year. Oh and I did get a new hair dryer and I LOVE it!

Sad, So Sad!

2009-10-18T16:28:00.000-05:00

I had to give a talk in church today. I was really nervous so naturally I woke up insanely early. I figured that since I couldn't sleep I would blow dry my hair straight. My hair is super long, long enough that...well, it's long. So I was half way through drying my hair when the unthinkable happened. My hair dryer was slipping into the sink, so I stopped it and in doing so, knocked it into the TOILET!!!! I hurried and unplugged it and tried to shake out the water. It was gone, my wonderful hair dryer was dying, and quick. I just stood there in horror as my favorite bathroom appliance coughed, sputtered and then died(and smelled like melting plastic). James didn't believe me when I told him how sad I was. How many things do you have from 10th grade and still use it? This was my last. Oh how I will miss this dear, dear friend!!!!! So I am now in the market for a new hair dryer. Any suggestions? I am getting a new hair cut at the end of this week and I have to have a new hair dryer before then. Sad, so sad.

On My Wishlist.

2009-10-16T08:55:00.000-05:00

Here is a little gem of a website that I stumbled upon and there are so many cute things. The site is called 2 Little Mammas. I love the baby bundle, it sounds so perfect for my diaper bag. Also, I really like the CARe Seat. I wish we had that for our little Geo. Instead we were scrubbing the car about every six months. And everything is so cute. There are also tutus, lunch bags and another favorite-hair accessories. So if you have some time check it out.

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-14T06:41:00.000-05:00

These dresses are so adorable how could I not try and win them? This is a MUST SEE!!!! Believe me. Enjoy. Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

It starts early...

2009-10-13T08:51:00.001-05:00

So we have this tradition at family night. Right after we discuss all the things we are doing in the week we have Thomas stand and report about how school is going. Lucy also has to report about her day/week. We have started recording them because we hear the funniest things in their reports. Here is a little excerpt of Lucy's report.

Luckily the family night lesson was about babies and so we were able to answer her question and transition into the lesson pretty smoothly. Anyway, we love our kids so much and we just love doing family night. The kids look forward to it and they also like having responsibilities in F.H.E.

I think the only draw back (if you can call it a draw back) is that I try to make new and different desserts for the treat. The problem is that we have so many leftovers that it turns out to be my Tuesday morning breakfast. Like, last night I made these pumpkin bars, oh they are so good. I highly recommend them, just make sure you have lots of people to help you eat them.

Rainbow Cupcakes

2009-10-06T02:43:00.000-05:00

Since Thomas' first birthday I have been excited about taking cupcakes into school. This year I was finally able to do it. I wanted to make it special, so I did a bit of research. I first got this idea from a theme on iGoogle. I thought, "what in the world are rainbow cupcakes?" So I then did a search for them, apparently they are pretty popular. The first site I stopped at was Our Best Bites and her pictures were beautiful! I then checked with James to make sure that rainbow cupcakes were boyish enough. Once I got the okay I went to baking. I tried to take as many pictures as I could-with my new camera it was really fun. I love how pretty these turned out, and they went over well with all of the 4/5 year olds in Thomas'' class. (and they tasted great too!)

Proof!

2009-10-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

I don't know how she did it but my sister-in-law got Dylan to laugh. This video was taken about 2 weeks ago and ever since I have tried my darnedest to make him laugh. I have gotten some good smiles but yet to get a giggle. I am glad I have the video as proof otherwise I wouldn't believe he does laugh. Well, enjoy! (Dylan doesn't really start laughing until about 30 seconds into the clip.)

I am so Cool, not really.

2009-09-17T12:17:00.000-05:00

I just had a great time yesterday at the Jason Mraz concert. It was an outdoor concert and lots of fun. We couldn't find a baby sitter so the kids ended up coming with us. And other than staying up late, they had a great time too. The kids danced on the lawn in front of us and they were more entertaining than the concert (although I am a bit partial to them). Dylan SLEPT through it! If you can believe it, I worried a bit about his hearing but it's fine.

Anyway, back to the concert, lots of fun. Jason Mraz is a great performer and really good music. The music is kinda jazzy/blues, reggae, rock, a little rap, and folk-if that makes any sense. He is most famously know for "I'm Yours," which is a really good song. I posted it below, Enjoy.

Oh, When we came home I called my sister in Las Vegas to tell her how cool I was that I went to a "hip" concert. She had to point out that if I have to say that then I am not cool. Ouch!

A Very Merry Birthday!

2009-09-16T02:54:00.000-05:00

This posting is to help my friend, Sarah, celebrate a very special birthday. We have been friends since we were in diapers.

My parents moved to Kentucky when I was about a year old

and we met Sarah's family there.

We were great friends as little children, but her family moved to Connecticut and we moved to California.

We feebly tried to keep in touch through snail mail (back then that was all that existed) but being a kid I wasn't very good at it.

Then, when I was eleven years old my parents told me we were moving to Connecticut-3 miles from Sarah's house. I am so lucky that she was there for me in my teenage years.

We never had many classes together but we had a locker next to each other. Also, it was great having another LDS friend in high school. There weren't many of us Mormons in school. Other than my family, Sarah has known me longer than anyone else and we have been through it all together.

We got married within three months of each other and we each had baby boys four months apart from each other.

Sarah, have a very happy birthday and don't let numbers bother you, you are only as young as you feel! I am glad you are going through "this birthday" before me, let me know how it goes. Best Wishes!

Need an idea for Dinner tonight?

2009-09-14T07:37:00.000-05:00

This recipe is my own invention and it went over very well with the little critics.

Thomas: "Mama, this is the best chicken I have ever had."

Lucy: "I love it, I mean, I like it." (which is good enough for me, she ate it.)

It's really simple to make and I made it with all things I had on hand. Here it is:

Kitchen Sink Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 small bag of bacon bits (real bacon) or 6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1 onion, sauteed
2 slices of ham, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp corn starch
pepper to taste

Directions:
Place the chicken in a baking dish and set aside. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and make sure the corn starch evenly coats everything. Place the mixture over the chicken. Place dish in the oven and bake at 350* for about an hour or until the chicken is no longer pink.

That is it. I like it served over mashed potatoes with a side of veggies. The next time I think I am going to add fresh mushrooms to the mix. We like it, and the next time we have guests I am making it for them. So if you try it, tell me what you think.

A shout out on Grandparents Day!

2009-09-13T03:50:00.000-05:00

Today is Grandparents day and in celebration of said day Lucy dressed up as a "grand-mud-er."

We love our grandparents! Enjoy!

I love Technology!

2009-09-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

We got our new camera in the mail and I LOVE IT! Our last camera was pushing 6 years old and these days that is geriatric. How amazing to have a camera that actually takes the picture when you push the button-instead of a 3 second delay. The camera is so fast and the pictures are so clear. When we got our first digital camera we would take a ton of pictures to make sure at least one turned out. Now we don't need to take so many picture because almost every shot turns out great. We just need to find a place to store all of them. So as I get to know the new features and the photo editing software, I will share the pictures with you. Here is a picture of my smiley boy. He is the most pleasant baby ever. What a joy, my cup runneth over.

How to be a Good Babysitter.

2009-09-08T21:23:00.000-05:00

It has finally happened—we found a babysitter. Not just a teenager to come over and hang out with the kids but a good, engaging babysitter. We had a hard time finding the right sitter after we lost our favorite to a new job in Oshkosh. (We miss you Sharon!) Then the move to Texas really left us all alone in the babysitting hunt. We tried a few but no one really felt right, until we found the girl across the street. I have compiled a list of qualities that we like in a good sitter. The sitters that didn’t make the cut were lacking in one or more of these areas.

Like Children and babies—a surprising amount of people will babysit your children and not even show a remote amount of interest in children, especially your children. Parents spend there lives taking care of their children. They think their children are the cutest, funniest, smartest and all around best kids in the ENTIRE WORLD (no joke). When a person doesn’t show interest in the best this world has to offer, parents notice.

Be friendly and nice to children—Parents think their children are smart, but children are smarter than their parents think. A child can tell when you are nice and when you are not. Plus, golden rule here, this should be a no brainer.

Be enthusiastic and act like you want to be there—this kind of goes with the first two, don’t look at it as just a job. For the kids it is a fun time when Mom and Dad are away, so try to make it as such. Bring a game or activity that the kids have never played.

Arrive early—unless the parents are picking you up, then be ready to go when they come. If you have an anxious mom who wants to go over a few last minute details, you will need time. Plus, the parents want to enjoy their date/meeting/night out with out worrying about being late.

Clean up messes, games, dishes etc.—generally speaking parents try to clean up before a sitter comes over, sometimes working all day to make the house presentable. So when the parents come home from their night out, they would like to have the house in about the same condition. (to win really big points, do the dishes, they REALLY like it)

Play with the kids, don’t just watch a movie—it’s not everyday that the kids have someone come over to the house to play with them. And movies are something that parent use to try and get the kids out of the kitchen while dinner is being made. It can be a good distraction but the playroom is not going to play all by itself.

Stick to the parents schedule, somewhat—parents give you a schedule for a reason, if they say the kids can’t stay up, they really can’t. But that doesn’t mean put them to bed an hour early either. The parents have to deal with the children in the morning and bedtime is everything. Plus, children thrive on routine, and when there is a new person putting them to bed, the routine is the only thing that is the same, kids like that stability.

Last but certainly not least…Be honest—you may think that the parents only want to hear good things about the evening, but they don’t. They would rather hear the truth about if the baby cried inconsolably for an hour than “he was a little sad, but he calmed down.” Or they want to hear, “no, Lucy didn’t eat any dinner” (that must be why she is up at 2 a.m. crying that she wants something to eat) instead of “dinner was fine.” With all lies they are pretty obvious and parents know their kids, and kids will let their parents know how things went, one way or another. So it just looks bad on the sitter if they lie.

I know this looks like a long list but we have had so many not so great experiences with sitters that it’s so refreshing to FINALLY have one we like. Thank Heavens!

What do you think?

2009-09-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have been playing around with many of the blogspot settings and got some help from CBOTB. Do you like it? I love some of your blogs that are so cute and scrapbook like-I figured I should jump aboard. I know it always takes me a while to accept the inevitable but I do eventually. And Lucy will be sad that she is no longer featured on the blog but I will make up for it by posting more pictures. So please give me your imput. Thanks!

Hooked on a Feeling

2009-09-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

It doesn't matter what kind of mood I am in when I hear this song, because it always makes me smile. And who better to bring it to you than the Hoff. I love the part when he starts to fly (flap his arms.) Bluescreens (head shaking in shame). So I give you the Hoff to start your labor day celebrations!

Big News from Texas!!!!

2009-08-30T20:00:00.000-05:00

When we moved to Texas two months ago we thought the water tasted a bit funny. It was drinkable but just a little after taste. We got use to it and thought nothing of it. Well a few days ago every time the water was turned on I could smell it, and it tasted GROSS. I complained about it to James and he said that it tasted and smelled fine. I thought I was going crazy. Even when we went out to eat I could smell and taste that swampy flavor. I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. Then I thought, "well if James can't taste it and the kids don't care, maybe I have changed." When I am pregnant I have a heightened sense of taste and smell maybe that was it. So guess what....

A water main broke in town and made the water have a strange odor and flavor. If you boil the water it goes away but the water is still safe to drink without boiling. I am not crazy and I am not pregnant. Big relief!!!!!

Oh and the big news is that James and I have the same callings here in Texas that we did in Chadron. I am doing the program and newsletter and James is first counselor in the Elders Quorum.

So long Dear Friend!

2009-08-29T07:09:00.000-05:00

Friday night at 4 p.m. we said goodbye to a dear friend-our house.

Our home in Chadron treated us well and was perfect for us. It was the first home we ever bought and we will miss it terribly. We bought the house the same week that Lucy was born. In the time we spent in that home we went through the life challenges of health (an appendix, broken leg, and countless colds), family (visits with grandparents, a miscarriage, and a new baby), and weather (hailstorms, tornadoes and wildfires).

We started our chocolate parties in this home and cultivated our first garden. We dealt with burst pipes, and routine home repairs and even upgraded the dishwasher, remodeled a bathroom and did some demolition. We will truly miss our large kitchen, square footage, fully wired entertainment room, cool basement

and FABULOUS backyard.

We hope that the new owners can love the house as much a we did. We hope that they will be able to enjoy the grapes, elderberries and the apples, too. We will miss you home!

The Tag Blanket-reinvented

2009-08-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

I don't know what compelled me to make a tag quilt but I wanted to make one. This one is a bit different. I wanted to make something that was interesting and had lots of texture. This is super soft and puppy themed. I had to pry it out of Dylan's hands just to take the picture, he loves it so much—just what I was hoping. I made it with clear thread (to hide mistakes) and it proved more difficult than I thought it would be. The supplies cost about $7.50, but in the process of making it I broke a sewing machine needle. So that is what? $2.50? Then, when I took pictures, I broke our 6 year-old camera (at least I got the pictures before the camera broke). So, I would say this little tag blanket cost us about 100+ dollars. With a price tag like that I am glad Dylan likes it so much.

My Poor Baby

2009-08-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

Thomas is sick. Yesterday he came home from school and kept saying that he needed some medicine because his tummy hurt. Shortly after that he threw up, three different times.

The part that just broke my heart is he went up to James and said,

"Daddy, I am sorry, I can't play rough house with you. I am sick."

What a sweet little boy.

EEEWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-26T07:48:00.000-05:00

I like Texas, I do, but I have had to get use to one NASTY fact: cockroaches. We find and kill a yucky bug about once every two to three days. I was complaining about the bugs to a friend here and she asked me what the cockroaches look like. They are HUGE, about 2 and 1/2 inches, fat, and round. They are so gross, but there is an up side. We have the "good" kind of cockroaches, if there is such a thing. Apparently, the big ones are better because they are coming in from outside looking for something to eat (I think they are called a tree roach). The little ones are the kind that take up residence in your walls and infest everything. So I still hate them (sorry Wall-E), but I guess it could be worse.

I just can't wait!!!

2009-08-25T08:52:00.000-05:00

The Office is having their season premiere on September 17th. In Celebration of one of the best shows on television I have posted a clip of one of my favorite YouTube videos. I hope you enjoy and I just can't wait to see a season of fresh pranks! (I would have to say my favorite one is the "bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica)

Hooray for James!

2009-08-23T21:42:00.000-05:00

James ran his first 5K and I am so proud of him. He came in first in his age group (30-39). The kids loved to cheer their dad on as he ran by and Thomas even told me that he wanted to run when he grows up. We (the kids and I) walked around the area while we waited for all of the runners. Lucy was unfortunate to find a red ant hill, but other than that we had a grand time cheering on our dad. There is another one in September and he will be running in that one too. We can't wait.

The First Smile

2009-08-22T18:48:00.000-05:00

This is the first smile we got on camera. Dylan is a very content little baby but not really all smiles and giggles. His most smiley moments are at five in the morning, so getting a camera is not on the top of my mind. He will be four months old on September 10th and we are glad to finally have a picture of him smiling.

Kookles Nursing Cover GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-08-19T08:35:00.000-05:00

Kookles Nursing Cover GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Our Pretty Pretty Princesses.

2009-08-14T07:32:00.000-05:00

For Lucy's birthday in April she got a game named Pretty Pretty Princess. It turns out that this game has been quite popular at our house, and not just with Lucy.

I'm Back

2009-08-13T10:28:00.000-05:00

After 5 months of not having internet at home-I have FINALLY connected again with the rest of the world. So now I can blog and post all the things we have been doing these last two months. Yipiee!

I can be dangerous when I'm bored!

2009-07-31T03:46:00.000-05:00

Now that is not to say I don’t have a lot to do, because I do. I have cleaning, laundry, unpacking, exercising, and the insurmountable dish pile in the sink. But who wants to do those things—not me. In my attempt to avoid my daily duties I have made a TON of sweets (some which I have blogged about here and here along with: cake, chocolate chip cookies, almond joy fudge, and Bundt cakes) and I did something I thought I would NEVER do. I cut Lucy’s hair—audible gasp. What person with no training cuts their daughter’s hair? And I don’t just mean an inch off the bottom. I gave her layers, and shape—the whole shebang. I think it looks cute. Yeah, it’s a bit crude here and there but it looks how I wanted it to. Maybe I should have become a hairdresser. I might have been rich. Oh, and by the way, see the white skirt, I made that too. Can you tell I have really been trying to avoid my daily chores?

Cinnamon Rolls in 20 Minutes!

2009-07-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

I know it sounds crazy and I feel so stupid for not thinking about it sooner. At the store you know those canned cinnamon rolls that taste so processed? (I know them so well because I would make a batch every time we would show the house to make the house smell good.) Well, those rolls are just a biscuit with cinnamon, sugar and icing. So I just made my favorite biscuits and shaped them into cinnamon rolls and voila--cinnamon rolls. The kids got a kick out of eating cinnamon rolls for breakfast and I was able to make them with wheat flour and I snuck in some flax seed. So next time you don't know what to have for breakfast, try cinnamon rolls in no time. Yum!

Pan Dulces

2009-07-24T09:23:00.000-05:00

Being the mother of 3 little kids I have seen a lot of Sesame Street episodes. On Sesame Street there is a movie clip of a girl going into her Tio’s (uncle’s) bakery to make pan dulces. Ever since seeing that clip I have wanted to try pan dulces (sweet bread). Well, I have an RSS feed of Allrecipies.com and yesterday pan dulces was the recipe for the day. So I made some bread yesterday and pan dulces is so yummy. I read that you are supposed to eat it with coffee but since I don’t drink coffee I just had it by itself. It stands alone as a yummy treat. I couldn’t keep the kids away from it. This morning they are all gone. So if you are in the mood to try something new here is the recipe. Also, here are some reviews of the recipe. The good thing about this recipe is that you will most likely already have the ingredients. Enjoy.

We're Here!!!

2009-07-02T16:15:00.001-05:00

We have made it to Texas. It is hot and the cockroaches are HUGE! We are slowly unpacking and our little rental is starting to feel like our home. I can't wait to be settled! Let me know if you need my contact info.

First Bath!

2009-06-22T04:01:00.000-05:00

Need I say More?

Lucy and Animals!

2009-06-19T03:55:00.000-05:00

Lucy is a sweet little girl that loves animals. When James and the family went to Mount Rushmore she got to see tons of different animals. Here she is with the burros on Iron Mountain Road.

Who's Guilty?

2009-06-17T03:35:00.000-05:00

I thought this picture was priceless. Thomas and Lucy are here with their cousions Kyle and Breanne. Grandpa Lawson caught these kids just a little too early in the morning.

The Circus, an unenthusiastic yeah.

2009-06-15T03:39:00.000-05:00

We heard that the circus was in town and thought, "the kids can't miss this. We HAVE to go." Well, it was the type of thing that is meant to drain the money out of your pockets and we had not budgeted for that type of fun. So first, I had to say no to all the things that the kids wanted. Luckily for the kids, we sat next to some friends that were nice enough to share their Cotton Candy. Second, it was a bit rainy. Aren't circuses in tents? I thought so. The rain got worse and worse and a fun filled night at the circus turned out to be a cold, wet, short trip to see an elephant. Someday we will really see the circus. On the bright side, we learned that Lucy is a huge fan of Cotton Candy (does that really surprise anyone?)

Dylan's Baby Blessing

2009-06-12T15:29:00.000-05:00

Dylan's Blessing went really well and we were glad to have Grandma and Grandpa Lawson and Brooke and her family to celebrate with us. Here are two pictures of our happily growing Family.

Confessions of an Over-Stressed Mom

2009-06-06T14:27:00.000-05:00

Wow, the jump from two to three kids has been crazy. But I am so grateful for this new little baby. I feel like I can appreciate so much more. A thoughtful call, ten minutes with my book, or kisses from the kids. I love being a mom and Love being Thomas, Lucy, and Dylan's Mom. Not every day goes great and I am learning to let go of control (or the feeling of being in control. I have a theory that I was never in control, I just thought I was). I am trying to just soak up all the joy motherhood has to offer and not let everyday stresses over rule my life (and that can be hard with the up coming move). I guess what I am trying to say is I am trying to find joy in the journey. I just remember what President Thomas S. Monson said that someday I will miss the toys scattered, the piles of laundry and the fingerprints EVERYWHERE! (That talk can be found here)

Our New Little Man!

2009-05-10T11:05:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the World

Dylan Lawson Britsch

May 10th 2009

2:05 a.m.

7 pounds 1 ounce

20 1/2 inches long

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2009-05-10T08:58:00.000-05:00

I got the best mother day gift anyone could ask for, an adorable little boy! He was born at 2:05 a.m. He is a little guy at 7 pounds and 1 ounce. I can't wait for everyone to meet him. We are still working on a name, but we have some ideas. Pictures are to come, check back often! Oh, and I also got some roses and tulips from James and the kids. Aren't they nice?

The Waiting Place

2009-05-06T10:02:00.000-05:00

That is where I am right now. Dr. Seuss was right, it is not a good place to be. We are waiting for the baby and waiting for our house to sell. We are waiting to move and we are waiting to send out news. Just waiting.

From Oh, the Places you'll go!

The Waiting Place......for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or a No or waiting for their hair to grow.Everyone is just waiting.Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pantsor a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

Excitement on Tax Day!

2009-04-18T14:11:00.000-05:00

April 15th generally comes and goes without a second thought except for this year. It turns out I had some preterm contractions and earned a night at the hospital. We are fine now, it's just that the baby is a touch too little to be greeting us right now (34 weeks). So I am learning to "take it easy" and keeping the baby in. It was a small scare and we are hoping to see the baby soon, mid-May.

Yeah, It's Done!!

2009-04-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

Lucy Is Potty Trained! Yippiee! So I decided that I was done buying diapers, so I stopped using them. All day today Lucy has been wearing big girl underpants and she hasn't had one accident! We even made a trip to Wal-mart, still no problems. She is still wearing a pull-up at night, but at least we have ditched the diapers. Now how do I avoid diapers with this next baby? Still haven't figured that one out.

Hooray for underpants!!!!

Happy Birthday, James!

2009-03-18T09:36:00.000-05:00

So I am so sorry it is going to be a lot harder than I thought to keep up with my blog. Without the Internet at home I have to bring all the pictures and stuff with me. It stinks. But I did promise I would post about James' birthday. It was fun. We went out for Mexican, went to the movies, and ate cake. His birthday cake of choice was a Fudge Ribbon Cake, which is a dense chocolate cake with Cheesecake swirled throughout it. The only problem is that a "Leprechaun" got a hold of the cake and turned the swirls green. Every bite I kept expecting a hint of mint. But it was good no the less. I will try to post a recipe soon.

Imagine it looking something like this only green: So The birthday was fun and the cake was good, but the surprise that I made for him was a mint truffle. It was a recipe that I found on Bakerella. They are so simple to make and oh so yummy. you have to try them. They are made from mint Oreos, cream cheese, and chocolate chips. For a decadent treat you can't get anymore simple than that. Here is the recipe, enjoy!!

Our trip to the Ballet!

2009-03-10T20:43:00.000-05:00

We were lucky enough to get a private ballet performance. We thought that it was so good and entertaining that we recorded an excerpt and decide to share it with everyone. We hope you can enjoy it as much as we did.

As A Result...

2009-03-09T14:01:00.000-05:00

Well, we have decided to cut our tv and internet services. As a result I have had time for projects. I have made a tiered skirt for Lucy and a rag quilt for the new baby. Both were so easy that I can't wait to get more fabric and make more. I just wish I had more choices for fabric than just Wal-mart.

I have also been able to make something for James' birthday on St. Patrick's Day but I can't post about that until after his b-day. (I don't want to give away any surprises.)

Oh No....!

2009-03-08T06:34:00.000-05:00

We caught Lucy in the lotion AGAIN! Of course it had to be the expensive Eucerin. Just imagine how the rug, couch, and surrounding blanket looked. What a mess!

What's So Funny?

2009-03-06T06:38:00.000-06:00

I was looking through some old pictures and found one that brought back a flood of memories. When my sisters and I get together we can not stop laughing. I guess it has been happening since we were little. I think I am about five or six in this picture.

What is it with Zoos?

2009-03-04T06:42:00.000-06:00

One thing people may not know about our family is that we love zoos. Every place that we live we find a way to go to the nearest zoo. While in Nebraska we have found that we have been to the Denver zoo quite a few times. So with our latest trip we saw a theme developing and I thought I would share.

This first picture is the summer of 2005.

This second picture was taken in September 2007.

And Finally, this picture was taken February 2009. It seems we are averaging every other year.

Can it be done?

2009-03-03T02:45:00.000-06:00

Today I am attempting the impossible. I am going "unplugged" for a whole day. I am going to turn off my computer and television and unplug both of them. At least I'll have the phone and therefore will not "fall off the face of the earth" (well, I hope not).

So here goes my first social experiment. I will have to be creative on how to fill my day. I know that my house has been suffering, maybe I will start there. Has anyone else done this? How did you do? Any tips? You might have to call because I won't be able to read responses (well maybe not until Wednesday).

New Month, New Trial

2009-03-02T10:55:00.000-06:00

This month we are again trying to potty train Lucy. Anyone who has attempted this knows how frustrating it can be. So far we have been successful with #2 but we have only been working on it for about two hours. Any suggestions? Ideas? Help?

When I potty trained Thomas it took about 6 months. Once I found his motivation, it worked. When he had accidents he lost television and computer privileges. After that, he was potty trained almost overnight. The only problem is that Lucy couldn’t be more different from Thomas. So I am really up for any ideas anyone can spare.

Our Picky Eater!

2009-02-27T09:54:00.000-06:00

As a mother of toddlers, I am constantly worried that the kiddos aren’t getting enough proper nutrition. I was told by a far off source that if a child is lacking protein, carbs, and/or vitamins they will crave and eat those foods to fill that void. Boy is that off. Needless to say I have a picky eater, a VERY picky eater. Every meal we would put veggies and fruit on the lunch and dinner plate and every meal they would go untouched (unless they floated in the drink.) I tried not to make too big of a deal out of it, thinking that someday she would get curious about the “other” side of the plate. But when I found out that she was becoming deficient and it was affecting her health, I knew I had to take immediate action. So here are some tools that I have used to help solve my dilemma.

“Deceptively Delicious” book—it’s a recipe book by Jessica Seinfeld teaching mothers to sneak in veggies and fruit into everyday “kids” foods. I still serve the green beans with the spaghetti and meatballs but I don’t stress out that they don’t get eaten. The spaghetti is now fortified with wheat pasta, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and spinach. I LOVE trying the new recipes and inventing my own with the added veggies. In all honesty, the food tastes good and we are finding it fills us up a lot faster than before (we are getting added veggies, too).

“Eat this Not that” book—this book is comparing the pre-prepared items in the grocery store. It is teaching the consumer (me) that just because it looks or says that the food is healthy doesn’t mean that it is (and it tells you why so you can make an informed decision). So now I am taking this book to the store with me and every time I buy a premade dinner, bread or juice. I then consult my new healthy food reference and make the best possible choice. I love it because it brings a new challenge to the food shopping trip and I can still get my chocolate and sugar fixes (and not feel guilty.)

The Snack Boxes—we bought a small Tupperware for each of the kids. We let them decorate it and color them. I then put the boxes in the fridge filled with good choice snacks. Now when the kids want a snack they can go into their box and grab which ever suits their fancy. Each snack is the proper portion size and since I control what goes in there I only put the best in there. I only fill them up once a week so once it’s gone, it’s gone. So when snack time rolls around I am not scouring the cupboards and then settle for fruit snacks or the eighth cookie that day.

I am still in the beginning stages of this uphill battle but I thought I would share some of the things that I have found that works. Do you have a picky eater? Do you have any advice? Let me know what you think?

Cool Song

2009-02-25T15:17:00.000-06:00

I thought this was a really cool video. I think Kay is my new favorite artist. I hope you enjoy.

Drama, Drama, Drama!!!

2009-02-02T08:59:00.000-06:00

I don't mean to sound negative but I am SICK of going to the emergency room. I was privileged enough to make another visit yesterday (Sunday) just as church began. It turns out that my silver ballet flats don't have very much traction when it comes to black ice. So after sitting down in sacrament meeting for about two minutes we decided to make a bee line to the ER. Luckily I only came away with a sprained wrist, but that doesn't take away the pain. Under normal conditions they would prescribe some feel good drugs but because of Aloysius Hector the III (the baby) I have to brave this arm with over the counter Tylenol, (an unenthusiastic, yeah.) So I would post more about this unfortunate event but I am one handed and I need to elevate my injured appendage.

Need a pick me up?

2009-01-26T18:11:00.000-06:00

Any time I am feeling down I think, "if only I could have someone there to pick me up." I think this is my answer. I hope it makes you feel better too! There are some more funny videos at Failblog. Just make sure you click on the G-Rated stuff.

It's Unofficially official!

2009-01-24T10:10:00.000-06:00

James accepted a job offer in Texas! Yeah! The best part is they don't want him to start until the summer so, we will have time to sell the house and have a baby. We are really excited about it and can't wait for the warm weather!

Here's to do it yourself!!

2009-01-19T11:42:00.000-06:00

Toilets get a bad rap because they handle all the stuff that we don't like to think about. In reality, as long as they are clean, they are not that bad. When our toilet started to run a month or two ago I thought, "oh great there goes another $100 to the plumber." Now, I know the plumber has to make a living too, but January is not the month to have to call a repairman. So I got brave, did a little research, and found out that toilets are an easy and simple mechanism. It just took about 15 minutes of reading, cleaning and repairing. It didn't even cost a penny. So now I feel like I can fix anything, and our toilet doesn't run now.

"It's Morning!"

2009-01-17T10:46:00.000-06:00

Every morning our little Lucy wakes up in the best mood. The first thing she says is, "it's morning" and then she todles into our room and says, "Mama, it's morning. Dada, it's morning." We love her cheerful, happy spirit!

Wow, What a Month!!!

2008-12-27T17:30:00.000-06:00

I can not believe that this month is almost over. I have been super busy so I have neglected my blog, I am sorry. December is a busy month for everyone, but it seems to have hit me hard this year.

Grades were FINALLY posted on the 22^nd and I am happy to say I got straight A's. A Brittany first. That is not to say that there wasn't a lot of sweat and tears involved, because there was, but at least the final grades were worth it!

So I was going into Christmas pretty excited, that is until Thomas opened three gifts and all of his stocking stuffers a week before Christmas. That was a stress beyond belief but we survived that too. On Christmas Eve we told the kids they we are having a baby and they both wanted to sit next to the baby while we watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Christmas was going well until I ended up in the hospital at 7 a.m. with the stomach flu. Our family was shown the true spirit of Christmas as a family in our Branch brought over Christmas dinner and several people offered to watch the children, even on Christmas. But that was only a little detour from our Christmas celebrations.

I think the cutest part of this all is when I came home from the hospital Thomas wanted to see the new baby. The next 5 months are going to be long for him.

Anyway, I just wanted everyone to know I have not disappeared. I have just been very busy and I plan to be more attentive. Thanks for reading and let me know how your holidays turned out.

But, to end on a better note, I have been feeling the baby kick! Yippee!

Our Chocolate Fiesta!

2008-12-01T11:24:00.001-06:00

On Friday, the 28th, we had a blast at our house.

We pulled our our chocolate fountain and had our annual Chocolate party.

Our guests brought food that ranged from strawberries and bananas to cheese and bacon. We played a few games and had a good time visiting with our friends.

Next to Thanksgiving, our chocolate party is our favorite part of November.

Chocolate, Chocloate and more Chocolate!

2008-11-25T10:56:00.000-06:00

In Celebration of my Chocolate Fiesta on Friday I want to share a story with you that will get your taste buds salivating!

A guy found a bottle on the ocean, and he opened it and out popped a genie, and he gave him three wishes. The guy wished for a million dollars, and poof! There was a million dollars. Then he wished for a convertible, and poof! There was a convertible. And then, he wished he could be irresistible to all women... poof! He turned into a box of chocolates.

What's that?

2008-11-18T21:39:00.000-06:00

Lucy was at my feet reading books while I was cleaning today. In her animal book at every page she would say, “What’s that?” and I would respond a monkey, bear, dog, etc. She knew all of the animals, but asked anyway. So when she got to the crocodile I responded saying, “it’s a bird.” Lucy retorted, “No mama, that’s a Cayman. Caymans live in the water.” I was quite taken back; I think I was about eighteen before I knew about Caymans. What a little smarty!

It's Coming up!!!!

2008-11-17T18:00:00.000-06:00

The thing I love most about Thanksgiving is that it is one holiday away from Christmas!!! I love everything about Christmas, especially the tree. This year I have decided to do something new. Instead of bringing out all of our normal ornaments I have decided to make my own. Now we have had a pretty tight budget this month, but I was able to make all of these ornaments for about $5 TOTAL. I bought some oranges and apples and dried those out (needless to say, our house has been smelling Fabulous!!!!) and glued a few nuts together. So now I am up to about $4. I bought a remnant of fabric for a dollar to accent the ornaments. I had the buttons and string and made a button garland (it was going to be popcorn, but could you imagine the mess.) I made the little "gingerbread men" out of cinnamon, applesauce and Elmer's glue. Finally, the giant star tree topper--I made from sticks found on the ground in the park. So now I am all ready to decorate the tree. Sadly, I won't be doing that until the 29th of November, but I will post and let you see how it turns out. The only thing I want to add are some candy canes, but I will wait until we are on next months pay check. So what do you think? Have I given you any ideas? I was even thinking of picking up some pine cones and putting those on the tree too, but I think I will wait and see how it looks. I don't want to overload the tree. (a little side note: This is just a sampling of the ornaments I have made. I actually have a ton of each. I couldn't take a picture of all of them because the apples are still drying out.)

I finally did it!!!!

2008-11-12T15:01:00.000-06:00

I was inspired by my friend Shaye. I have made myself six shopping bags to use while grocery shopping. I have gone to the store with them twice now and I LOVE them. I just keep the bags in my car and pull them out when it is shopping time. Once I have brought in my groceries I hang the bags on my door so I can't forget to put them in my car. I no longer have to worry about the tons of shopping bags that fill up my cleaning closet.

Making the bags were so easy to make that I am embarrassed that I was so intimidated about making them. I found the pattern here at the green bag lady's website. And the best part about it was I didn’t spend a penny on the bags. I used thread that I already had and the fabric was an old shower curtain (which made SIX bags, one with an extra pocket.)

The kids love having a job to bring the bags into the grocery store and I really feel like I am helping out the environment by not wasting the many plastic bags. I have felt like I have needed to do this for a long time. I am glad that I have FINALLY taken a step to improving the environment.

I get mixed responses from the checkers at the store. The first girl thought they were brilliant, beautiful and that I should sell them for $5 a piece. Another checker kept trying to put my groceries into a plastic bag, and I had to keep taking them out of the plastic bags and put them in my eco friendly repurposed bags. It irritated be at first but I will try to get use to impatience.

I highly recommend everyone taking the step to make and use these FABULOUS bags. I tell you what, if you want some bags but don’t know how to make them, I will GLADLY make some for you—only if you promise to use them. I think they would make wonderful Christmas gift, too.

The Joys of a Democracy

2008-11-11T09:29:00.001-06:00

I don't know if there are any American Idol fans out there, but I know I watched the show religiously. This kind of reminds me of the recent elections. Sometimes we can feel this way when the one we root for doesn't prevail. I guess I am happy I was rootin' for the winners. Enjoy the drama!