Jordan is obsessed with speed!

It all began with cheetahs... Dogs used to be Jordan's favorite animal. Then he discovered that cheetahs are the fastest land animal and his allegiance changed. The only drawback is the fact that you can't have a cheetah for a pet! Of course with parents who are allergic to dogs, he can't have one of those either.
Recently, when asked what he wanted to be when he grows up, he said a jet pilot would be first choice, a race car driver is second choice, and someone who runs races would be third. In other words, anything that will let him get up some speed!


From 2006: A cheetah cake and a costume Mom had to make because they don't sell cheetah costumes for halloween.

Last Sunday was a Jenna day...

Mommy: "Jenna, lets go have a bath" and then the phone rang!

Yes, you guessed it! That is one of Christian's hat looms. Don't know how she got it on but we couldn't get it off without a generous amount of conditioner and pulling off her superglue scab (dang it!)!

Needless to say, she's stuck with a scar and we were late for church!

A gift to give the child of a parent you don't like

Another type of toy for kids to love and parents to hate. Add it to all the noisy lazer guns, pottying dolls, low budget movies, and zombifying video games (all of which we have)!

I now have three, count them, three containers of water on my kitchen counter with something slimy in them. When they reach their final enlarged size, are they fun to play with? No, they're just slimy. And they have to stay in water for how long to achieve their full growth potential!?!?!! A whole week!?!? I guess we'll have to eat out!:)

P.S. Lest anyone feel I am pointing a finger, I must explain. We have given these as gifts! I let my own children buy two of them to give to their siblings. Who can resist a cheap toy that instills such excitement and anticipation? It doesn't mean I have to like them!

My Mother Letter

As I posted in a previous blog (Mother Letters) I wrote a letter to contribute to a Christmas gift one husband gave to his wife. He asked anyone willing to write a letter to his wife with words of encouragement, experiences, etc. I decided to copy the letter I wrote here so that I would have it recorded for myself and my family. If you would like to know more about the project, click here. There are some amazing thoughts from mothers around the world. BTW, he received more than 500 letters!


Dear Mother,

As I contemplated this challenge of summing up motherhood into a letter, I realized what a monumental task it is. Defining motherhood and ourselves by extension is an impossible task. As I began my blog, in the “about us” section, I felt forced to define our family and by extension myself. At different points in my life I have defined myself as a student, teacher, friend, girlfriend, missionary, waitress, wife, mother, housekeeper, chauffeur, cook, room mother, director of plays, writer, translator, church worker, and the list goes on and on. I wish I could come up with a definitive label for myself (in my mind) that encompasses all that I am now and have been. Sometimes “stay at home mom” doesn’t begin to describe me. I love being a mother. I also realize that sometimes I need to feel like a woman, sometimes a wife, and often a validated individual. Maybe I am looking for a definition that isn’t just what I do but all that I am. I guess I am just ME! and some days that is more than enough!
I have done many things in my life, from living without indoor plumbing or electricity in a third world country for 8 months and learning to truly love the people, to teaching 4th and 6th graders. I have to say, striving to be the mother I want for my children is by far the most difficult thing I have ever done. It stretches my creativity, patience, and coping skills beyond limits I ever imagined and I don’t even have teenagers yet!
As for advice, the thing I am striving for most in my journey of motherhood is to keep the big picture in mind and tailor my goals and reactions to each challenge accordingly. I try to ask myself if this will really matter to who my child will become in the future. Is this a skill he/she will really need or just something I want.
I lose my temper frequently and many times realize after the fact that “I made a mountain out of that mole hill” but then I try to forgive myself and move forward. Most of the time the forgiveness part is the most difficult. Forgiving ourselves brings me to the other bit of advice that I try to remind myself of...we needn’t be too hard on ourselves. Even mothers are imperfect and on our own journeys to better ourselves each day. I believe that God made children with short memories and forgiving hearts for that reason. Oh, and stop comparing yourself to the wonder mom down the street. She doesn’t show you her dirty bathrooms and the tears she cries on hard days. It is a good thing God doesn’t judge us by our perceptions of the neighbor moms! As I strive each day to do my best, I pray often to my loving Heavenly Father and ask that he make up the difference between my best efforts and everything my children need. I have faith He will, because I know He loves them too. A personal relationship with Him goes a long way to feeling His loving presence in your life.
I recently heard a wonderful talk given by a local church leader that helps me to keep my perspective. He said that instead of making lists of “things to do” make it a list of “people to love”. Nearly everything we do affects someone. It would be a much better world, a happier family, a happier heart, if the things we do every day were done with love for the people they affect. I read a post about a lady who folds laundry this way. As she folds each article of clothing she thinks of something she loves about the person it belongs to.
We are trying to teach our children that our love is best demonstrated by our actions, not just saying “I love you”. How much more love could exist in our homes if all the “to dos” were done with love for members of the family in mind?
Finally, take a break once in a while. Everyone needs to find the individual inside the mom once in a while. I find that I am more patient and loving when given the chance to miss my children once in a while.
Keep your chin up. Keep trying and know that there are many other mothers out there cheering for you as well as a loving Heavenly Father who wants you to succeed in creating your own happy ending with your family.

With love, from a small part of your own cheering section,
Brooke
Mother of four ages 8, 6, 4, 14 months

Though this letter is full of things that rarely resemble my real day to day life, it has helped me to write them down and read them often to keep my perspective. I would highly recommend writing your own "mother letter" whether it is about yourself, about the mother you hope to be one day, or about your own mother, wife, sister daughter etc.

Christmas memo to myself

I had a little holiday stress this year! Okay, a lot. I started out last night with a blog post in mind. In this blog, I would write down all the things that I wouldn't do next year to make December less stressful for me. I wanted to cut out many things so I can listen to more music, watch more holiday specials, bake cookies with the kids, see all the lights, etc. etc. etc. Things that would help me have a more relaxing, fun month. Then I began thinking over the past few days about the things I have chosen to spend my time on.

I worked to have a service filled brunch for the ladies in my family to start the season. We worked to add to the fleece blankets our family has been making all year for the homeless.

I then began various homemade gifts for the children: some fairy skirts for Emma, a PVC building set and a car mat of our neigborhood and town for Jordan.

We then progressed to a couple of sets of 12 days of Christmas for neighbors in need of a little cheer and encouragement.

We worked to put together a meaningful Christmas party for our extended family, complete with a nativity for the children.

And finally, we put together luminaries for the families on our street, as has been our tradition for the past 5 years.

As I evaluated the things that help me keep the true spirit of Christmas and teach my children to serve and have the love of Christ in our home, I have changed the ideas I would like to leave in order to improve my Christmas season next year. Rather than eliminate these types of service in order to allow more leisure time, next year I want to do the following to feel more joy in the service we are rendering.

• Make a plan and stick to it. Often I begin early, shopping, crafting, planning with a peaceful week leading up to Christmas in mind. This is all well and good until the whole starting early thing gives me a false sense of security and I add more projects. I don't need to serve less, just prayerfully plan the ways in which I serve, considering what will bring the spirit and provide those warm fuzzies I love to get this time of year. Then stick to the PLAN.
• Make Christmas Day plans one of those things on the planning early list. I work so hard to prepare everything leading up to Christmas that we often find ourselves without meaningful plans for the day or even any food in the house. I know the hang out in your jammies to open presents etc. is crucial, but must the kids wear the same pjs to bed that they woke up in because we never had a reason to get dressed? How depressing! On the subject of food, one word... crockpot! Who wants to spend time in the kitchen when the house is full of toys to play with! However, we have learned from experience that a family cannot survive on candy alone, not that we wont test the theory over and over and over... So plan the food!
• I want to make sure Christmas Eve activities really emphasize the true meaning and story of Christmas. Again, planning!
• And maybe I will choose one secret service next year rather than two. And I think I will make it a one time thing rather than something we have to get out and deliver every evening like the 12 days of Christmas.
• Finally, I need to remember to pray to have the spirit of Christ as I work on my projects rather than the feelings of stress.

Now the trick is to believe myself! I asked Paul to remind me of some of these things and he said okay with a chuckle which is to be translated "I'll remind you, but it wont make a difference in what you do."

Fellow rednecks, go green!

You know you're a "green" redneck when you create snowpants for your toddler from recyclable plastic bags! supplies:

• 1 large plastic shopping bag


• duct tape (I used clear packing tape but on reflection, duct tape would be more in keeping with the redneck persona.)


• 2 quart sized bags

Cut up the middle of the bag from the bottom and use duct tape to create an inside seam for the legs. Cut holes for their feet. If your kid doesn't have boots, then use the duct tape to stick the small bags on the bottom, sticking the "legs" inside.

To keep them warm, put them in long underwear with or without bum flap (non-redneck translation - thermals) . Aint she a cute little stinker?then sweats, (shoes if you aint got boots) and finally, your most beautifulest, home-crafted snow pants using the handles over the shoulders as straps. Top with a coat and mittens and they're ready to play.

Jenna really wanted to play outside with the other kids and we are trying to hold out until Christmas hoping Santa will bring new snow clothes, so.... I got creative. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the ziploc bags would be so slippery. She ended up face down in the snow and that was the end of her snow day!

To stitch or not to stitch

That was our dilemma! Jenna fell and hit her head on a corner and had a hole in her forehead!











This is not surprising to any of you who are aware of her addiction to climbing. She loves to walk around on top of the kitchen table and last week learned how to climb the ladder to Christian's bunk.
Anyway, we debated whether to take her for stitches, requiring anesthetic, or to superglue. We superglued Christian's lip when he was about 2 years old and it came out great. I can hardly see the scar even when I really look for it. We consulted our wonderful friend and neighbor who is a doctor and he suggested supergluing would work fine. So for now, she has superglue on her head. That sounds like a mother's nightmare under other circumstances doesn't it?

The Christmas Story (according to Emma)

Emma's sunbeam teacher told me that Emma was telling the Christmas story to her class. She confidently explained that Joseph took Mary on a trip, built a fire for her and they roasted marshmallows. Baby Jesus had a marshmallow too!

For family night tonight, we are going to use our puppets to tell the Christmas story together. Can't wait to hear her part! :)

*Later in the season Emma was telling me the story again. Marshmallows were a big part of the story as before. Baby Jesus liked them so much he ate the whole bag. It also included the star which was raised and lowered by Mary and Joseph when they saw the shepherds and wisemen coming.

Prequel - Murphy's elves have struck!

Paul convinced me that I needed to record our Murphy's elves escapades from the beginning to portray the week in ALL it's glory. He had to remind me of many of the details as I had blissfully blocked them from my conscious mind.
Last Sunday, we had quite the afternoon...
It all began with the perfect Sunday dinner (fast Sunday). I had to go visiting teaching so Paul finished up the potatoes and gravy while Christian put the crescent rolls on the pan. The timing was perfect, I arrived home to a wonderful dinner on the table.

Then the elves came, invisible, but real nonetheless. We were about to sit down to eat when my nose detected something bound to disrupt everyone's appetite. As I took Jenna upstairs to change the nuclear waste, Jordan was playing with his silverware and knocked over his entire glass of milk. The milk promptly soaked everything including the cushion on my chair. We cleaned up and finally sat down.

We began serving the children and got them started and Jordan spilled his milk AGAIN! We cleaned up and sat down to serve ourselves. I had not even had one bite when Jenna threw up all over. With heavy heart, I put down my fork to clean up her chair, strip her down, and change her clothes. Meanwhile, Paul was being plied with requests (whines) for seconds from the other kids.

I made Jenna some cereal and sat down to feed her. We were minus the tray and buckles which had to be disinfected (practically burned) and so she was flailing. If you've noticed the pattern here, it will not surprise you to learn that she managed to smack the bowl of cereal coating me and herself! I had now had eaten a total of 2 bites and was getting ornery. I yelled in surprise and scared her. As I worked to quiet her, Paul was arguing with Emma about "trying just one bite". She put the offending bite in her mouth and promptly threw up!!!

When Paul and I finally were able to eat, we only had enough appetite to choke down a few bites of ice cold mashed potatoes and roast beef. We didn't dare even take the time to reheat because we didn't know what would happen next. We vowed the next week we would be having PB&J, cooking a large meal isn't worth it.

As you can imagine, we couldn't imagine that those darn elves had more in store for us but we were Oh... So... Wrong! Well, there they are, the events leading up to the day that sent me over the edge.

Murphy's elves strike again!!

I can't believe how lucky we are (said through gritted teeth)! I thought everything was on track for my annual Ladies brunch that I host for my family. It's supposed to be tomorrow. Last night we were watching the season finale of the 2nd season of Lost (yes we are new addicts, and get to watch 4 episodes a week) with bated breath. We heard one of the sounds a parent dreads most... "cough, cough, bleah, Mommy" Yes, you guessed it, Christian threw up all over in his bed (the TOP bunk). My barf challenged husband stood in the doorway for moral support with his nose plugged, apologizing and promising to put on the clean sheets as soon as I got the mess cleaned up. I won't go into detail but suffice it to say a sticky dustpan was involved. Luckily, Christian is now old enough that for the other 4 times last night he was able to make it into a bowl and we just had to take turns emptying and rinsing. Then, this morning Jordan woke up saying he wasn't feeling well. As I wondered if it was just sympathy/don't feel like school today symptoms, he ran to the bathroom and...yep!
Now I have: 12 guests expecting a party, 11 toys strewn across the floor to step on, 10 ornaments to put back on the tree (Jenna), 9 times to refill cups of Gatorade which threaten my carpet, 8 floors to clean, 7 loads of stinky laundry, 6 presents to wrap, 5 slimy flushes and a toilet that needs to be cleaned, 4 kids at home while trying to clean for the party, 3 dozen cookies to make, 2 barfing boys, and 1 headache from too little sleep. My own friggin' version of 12 somethings for Christmas.
Where are those real elves when you need them? I think we have Murphy's elves at our house. No matter what we do, how we plan, something unforeseen always seems to happen. I even had to wipe off the inch thick layer of dust before I could put out my decorations. What's up with that? That's enough to kill any one's Christmas spirit despite my favorite Christmas music blaring in the background. In my world, I would have the elves come in and clean up the night before we are ready to decorate then I can have that Hallmark moment when my beautiful, clean, well behaved children smile and laugh gently as we lovingly place our decorations in the perfect spots.
But... until that happens I guess I had better pour some more Gatorade, sort the laundry, and find a clothes pin for my nose as I head off to clean the bathroom. As for my party? I will have to see if the barfing stops in a respectable amount of time to be able to Lysol everything before tomorrow.


P.S. For anyone concerned that the tone of this post is quite different than I usually write, be assured that I am fine and coping. I have used this as a way to blow off steam and try to find some humor while in the throes.

Girls hairclip storage

I needed a way to store hairbows and flowers that wouldn't crush them. I came up with the following solution. I bought a colored embroidery hoop, wrapped ribbon around it, and hung various ribbons down from it. Now I can clip my flowers and bows without crushing them. I hang it on the side of a dresser or closet door with a removable 3M hook.

It works for me! Check out what works for others over at Rocks in my Dryer.

Our new family pictures!

We haven't had our family pictures taken for over 2 years so we decided it was about time! Paul's niece Lori took these pictures for us and I think she did a great job!

Santa, Heavenly Father, and Jesus are watching

It's an amazing thing when your 3½ yr old is able to set an example of priorities. As we discussed the fact that Santa is watchingshe thought for a few minutes and decided to make her bed. As she finished, she turned to me and said "Mommy, Jesus is watching me too." As I smiled and confirmed that He is and loves her, she said "He came back to life again" I asked her where she thought Jesus was. She didn't know and so we talked about that He is with His father, Heavenly Father. She promtly replied, "Heavenly Father is watching me too." As I assured her that He is and loves her she nodded and went off to play. What simple faith and insight. We enjoy Santa around our house but it is important to remember that "Heavenly Father and Jesus are watching too" a fact that we should remind our children and ourselves of every day.

"They Forgot Thanksgiving"

I had a rather satisfying moment the other day as I walked through WalMart with the kids. As Jordan looked at all of the Christmas decorations that had been put up the day before Halloween, he shook his head and said, "They forgot all about Thanksgiving." This helped me to realize that the thankful lists we made, our thankful tree, and the many Family Home Evening Lessons about gratitude and Thanksgiving had touched them. I am glad I stayed strong in my refusal to put up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, no matter how tempting. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! However much there is to be grateful for at Christmas time, how many people we can serve, and how much thought we put into our gift giving, I want to maintain the importance of a day specifically dedicated to appreciating all the blessings God has given us. Just because the world does not commercialize Thanksgiving, I don't believe it has any less importance. I firmly believe that many problems of the world could be solved with a little more gratitude and less selfishness. If I can teach my children to count their blessings and feel true gratitude, I feel I will have given them a wonderful gift.

"May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."
--Thomas S. Monson, "Finding Joy in the Journey", Ensign, Nov 2008, 84–87

Happy Thanksgiving

The Sweetest Gift

As a follow-up on my gift giving post, I just read about an amazingly "thoughtful" Christmas gift being given from one husband and by extension mothers all over the world. This husband,"Danny" is requesting letters of encouragement from mothers everywhere to compile and give to his wife. She is a mother of small children and he wants to let her know how much he loves and appreciates her and to encourage her in her journey as a mother. He is also offering to send mothers who have writtenletters, a copy of the compiled letters after Christmas.
Check out his site here: http://www.motherletter.blogspot.com/
I am off to compose a letter myself.

My Gift Giving Philosophy

I have a rather old-fashioned view of gift giving. I look at giving gifts as an opportunity to think about the things I admire and appreciate about that person. I want to consider what stage of life they are in, what may make their lives a little easier or bring moments of enjoyment for them.

I have received many, many thoughtful gifts over the years. Most of them weren't particularly expensive or extravagant, but most of them showed thought and planning. I admire a person who has the talent for being a thoughtful gift giver. Some of the most memorable gifts I have received:

• As a poor college student, my sister sent me a whole roast beef dinner in the mail including the potatoes, carrots, onions, etc!
• At the airport, leaving for my mission, I received a warm homemade loaf of bread which was wonderful for the verrry long detour we had to El Salvador and couldn't leave the airport. The only other thing to eat was out of a candy bar vending machine. What an inspired gift.
• When I had the February blues, I was given a beautiful bouquet of spring colored roses that brought spring into my kitchen
• For Christmas one year, we were given a small, golden, lighted Christmas tree made from small dodads that had meaning for us (seashells, smurfs (loved them when I was little, many a story there), our initials, glasses etc.) We learned that the giver had spent much time searching the thrift store small toy bins for just the right objects, glued them onto a foam base added lights and spray painted it gold. It is beautiful and makes me smile every time we unpack it
• Another Christmas we received a handmade story quilt and a story book. Reading stories on the quilt every night of December has become a family tradition.
• A hot, homemade apple pie for my birthday was an unexpected pick me up.
• The last season of my favorite guilt show on DVD (nope, I won't tell you what it is and you can't make me!)
• My frugal, practical mother always had a bunny for anything... I especially loved the Groundhog Day Bunny, or the St. Patrick's Day Bunny. Any occasion was free license to give a gift. It wasn't expected, just a nice surprise. She even bought "bunny" gifts for herself sometimes.
• My Daddy made me a beautiful handmade dollhouse complete with a post banister and hand split shaker wood shingles. Unfortunately, I did not appreciate it like I should have at the time, something I regret as I wish for a dollhouse for my girls.

I want to teach my children thoughtful gift giving. I think thoughtful gift giving inspires gratitude for gifts received as well. On those rare occasions, when I am on top of things, I talk to the kids about what they think the recipient of their gift would like. Sometimes we have to emphasize that their 5 year old girl friend would probably prefer a Polly Pocket set over a robotic transformer or set of pokemon cards.

I strive to be a thoughtful gift giver, though I am not as successful as I would like. I guess it is the procrastinator in me. It is difficult to find a truly thoughtful gift at the last minute. In fact, more than once, I have found myself at a superstore 15 min before a party or wedding frantically searching for SOMETHING to give.

I appreciate having my gift lists made in advance to enable me to ponder through the haze of my life and thus attempt to show others that I value and appreciate them. Now, I must give a disclaimer.... If you receive a gift from me that makes you go hmmm and wonder "WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?", know that I must have had a moment, day, week, month... and I will attempt to do better next time and still value you!

Thoughtful gift giving works for me. Head over to Rocks in my Dryer to see what works for other people.!

WFMW - Road Trip Fairy

We have a wonderful little fairy that visits us on road trips. She has an irridescent rainbow dress, violet hair, beautiful wings that fly fast enough to keep up with us on our trip, can be invisible when she wants (Mom has only seen her once), and of course a magic wand! She purchases and wraps small gifts (usually dollar store items) that can be played with or occupy children in the car. Each child's gifts are wrapped in a specific paper so they know which are for them. When we stop for a rest, every couple of hours or so, the kids can search the car to see if the Road Trip Fairy visited. This keeps our children occupied and surprises that are ongoing. It also cuts down on the "are we there yet?" and "He's touching me!"

The Road Trip Fairy works for us! For tips that work for others visit We are THAT Family

Our little schemer

Tonight at dinner Christian said.... "Mom, will you try to do a back handspring so we can videotape it? Then if (said with little doubt) you mess up we can send it to America's Funniest Home Videos and win! You could get a lot of money...."

WFMW - Toys worth buying!

Over at Rocksinmydryer Shannon has a weekly poll called Works for Me Wednesday. This Wed. she has asked us to suggest some of the favorite toys that we have bought and would recommend for their attention capturing and holding capabilities. Here are a couple of favorites around here.

Hyper Dash - This is a great portable fast paced active game that is adaptable to all ages. My kids love it and it gets them up and moving which is always a plus! It was recommended by meckmom (http://www.meckmom.com/2008/07/20/two-fun-family-games/) and I take that as a really great sign! My only regret was not buying the Hyper Dash Double Dash because it would be fun to have two going at the same time and the flexibility of using it with larger groups. You can find it on sale here: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Planet-46001-Hyper-Dash/dp/B000TTPEXU

GeoTrax - If you have boys (mine are 8 & 6), you know about the fundamental need for speed and building things! This combines both.We have tried HotWheels race tracks as well as many other brands. Paul always wanted really cool racetracks as a kid and my theory is he is buying them now as a "big boy". Needless to say we have owned and gathered dust on many a racetrack! I like GeoTrax because it is interactive and can be rebuilt many different ways. The best part of a racetrack is laying it out, planning, building, and testing to see if it works. If mom or dad has to put it together and the child just watches the cars go round and round what's the fun in that? Another great thing is that GeoTrax are a gift that can continue to the next birthday, holiday, reward, etc. because you can keep adding sets.

Now for the down side... The sets are bulky and require storage space. We have also found that the remote will turn off and on our DVD player (how freaky is that?) They must be on the same wave length. So.. my advice is, if you have boys, throw out the toys (ie. racetracks) they don't play with, get you a big tote and make room for GeoTracks. And if by chance the remote messes with the other electronics in your house, don't tell the kids. Ours liked to stand around the corner with the remote while we were watching a movie. Their obnoxious creativity runneth over!

Now my question... Christian wants a webkinz or a Tamagotchi? How uncool am I that I don't know anything about these other than they don't come cheap? Anyway, if you have experience with these I would love your opinion! Are they worth the $ and more importantly, will they drive me to tighten my straightjacket?

Now check out what everyone else said over at Shannon's site! (http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2008/11/works-for-me-to.html)

Halloween and Fall in full swing!

Here are some pictures from Halloween. They are usually so cute! Christian is a dementor (too bad his nose was itching!), Jordan was a Vampire (minus the teeth because he couldn't eat candy with them, would have been a plus in my mind), Emma is Cinderella (did you expect anything less?), and Jenna is our cute dalmation puppy.

The kids got so excited to jump in leaves they couldn't wait for the neighbors giant maple to drop so we raked up the few we had.

Emma's running away....or not

Emma and I just had an interesting encounter. She had determined that she is big enough to use "sharp knives" as she dragged a stool over to the cutting board. As we discussed the fact that she needs to be much bigger before she is ready for this particular hazard over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, AND OVER!!! (Her preschool teacher who has been running a preschool with multiple classes for years described her as the most stubborn child she has ever met.)

As we both became incresingly frustrated, she gave me the classic "If you don't let me ____, then I will (won't) _______. Doesn't every kid pull this out? But, she's not even 4 years old yet! Unfortunately she has very experienced coaches in this reasoning.
Her ultimatum was this: "If you don't let me use sharp knives, I won't live here anymore!" I paused to see her reaction to what she had said and to take a deep breath. I then watched her face as I asked her where she would live. The realization of what she had said was visible on her face. I then reassured her that we would miss her very much and Mommy would probably cry for days and days, maybe even forever, if she chose not to live here and be a part of our family anymore. We then talked about all of the things she can do such as make her bed, get dressed, put away clothes, unload the dishwasher, etc. and how fast she is growing up.

As I finally distracted her with what to have for lunch and the chocolate milk I made, I thought the discussion was ended. Halfway through her lunch, I was sitting here at the computer checking email and she came to me crying. When I asked her what was wrong she said "I don't want to live somewhere else." I held her on my lap and assured her that Daddy and I will always love her and want her with us.

It's nice to know that she will be staying a little longer, at least until the next time she wants something else beyond her abilities or maturity.

Good thought on "Things to Do"

We went to our adult session of Stake conference on Sat. and enjoyed it very much. One thing that struck me was a challenge that our Stake President presented. He said that instead of making lists of "things to do" make it a list of "people to love". Nearly everything we do affects someone. It would be a much better world, a happier family, a happier heart, if those things were done with love for the people they affect. I read a post about a lady who folds laundry this way. As she folds each article of clothing she thinks of something she loves about the person it belongs to.

We talked about it with our children and reminded them that our love is best demonstrated by our actions. How much more love could exist in our homes if all the "to dos" were done with love for members of the family in mind?

Wanda Witch Party

We had a great time last night. Last year I found party plans for a Halloween "amazing race" type party. I wanted to do it last year but had our little Jenna on Oct 9th, so we did it this year. I recruited my friend Dahlene and we began planning, remaining anonymous. Everyone wore costumes to earn extra points. So, there were a whole bunch of crazy costumed adults sprinting through town last night. We started at the church with cauldrons for each team and the clues led them to other locations from there. Each team had to find their colored "brew ingredient" at each location:

• find a hollow pumpkin in a large pumpkin patch, clue inside
• guess the movie the American Film Institute voted the scariest at a local video store to receive a skeleton
• pull Ziplocs containing a toad, glow sticks, and of course a clue, out of a pond
• find spiders hanging from a bridge on a walking trail
• find a tree trunk that looks like an owl to get eyeballs
• follow ribbons in a riverbed to find snakes in the grass

The final clue was a map without street names and only a house number that led to the "Grand Witches Council" at Dahlene's house where we tallied points, ate homemade chili, hot chocolate, cider, and homemade rootbeer around a bonfire. Then we announced ourselves as the witches and awarded the golden broomsticks to the couples of the winning team.

We had so much fun watching our team, and others in passing, deciphering clues, working through frustration, trying to guess the hosts, and really having fun. They have already tried to recruit someone else to plan the party for next year! I loved planning this party and really would recommend it to anyone interested! Here is the link: http://www.meckmom.com/2007/09/06/wanda-witch-the-ultimate-halloween-party/

She also has some other great things on her site, so be sure to browse around. If there is anyone in the Kaysville area who is interested, I would be glad to share our clues and details about what we did.

My only regret is that I forgot my camera, of course!

WFMW - Dry Goods & Emergency Storage

I have discovered that having 5 gallon buckets with screw on lids to store my flour, sugar, and wheat in my pantry is a wonderful time and back saver. Those cannisters that sit on the counter not only, do not hold enough, but they attract dust like nobody's business! I found my buckets at WalMart. They are a little bit of an investment but well worth it.
I recently found brightly colored lids and bought one with a bucket to use for an emergency 72 hour kit. Not only can you pack a lot of stuff in it but it could be used to haul water or even as a potty if needed wherever you end up in your emergency situation. (Obviously not both!!) That's what works for me! Check out what works for other people over on Rocks in my Dryer!http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2008/10/works-for-me-ch.html

Bryce Canyon 2008 - UEA weekend

The weather couldn't have been more beautiful for our trip. We enjoyed hiking Navajo Loop. Our kids are great hikers. Jenna loved the pack and Christian, Jordan, and Emma hiked it all! We attended a Ranger program about stars and then Paul and Christian were able to go look at Jupiter, Twin Stars, and Andromeda through telescopes. The stars are incredible there without any light pollution. On a moonless night, from dusk to dawn, you could see 14,000 stars. Compared to the city where you might see 300, that's a lot of stars!!
The 3 older kids all earned their Jr. Ranger pins. We were proud of all they learned.
It was a quick trip but we really enjoyed ourselves!

Some key phrases from our trip:
"WOW", "OH, WOW"
"Are we there yet" repeated frequently.
"He's bugging me" (wailing)

"Can I have a snack?"
"I don't want to see Bryce Canyon, I just want to swim in the pool"
"Take a picture, take a picture!"
"Remember, we're making POSITIVE memories" (Paul and I reminding ourselves)
"That was fun!"

Get rid of that extra can!

No, this is not a diet tip, though I do have some of that to get rid of too!
We finally got rid of our extra city garbage can. Our family of six plus a garden can really produce some trash. We were paying extra every month to have an extra can. Unfortunately, unlike other cities, we do not have free recycling (oh, how I wish). Recently, our neighbors started a contract with a local recycling contract and so we decided to look into it too! We are now the proud owners of one garbage can and two recycling cans! We have never filled our one gabage can since we started recycling. I do forsee filling it when we pull the garden. But normally it is only ½ to 2/3 full. On the other hand, our recycling, which is picked up twice a month is always overflowing. So... now we have exchanged the cost of the extra can for the recycling pick up and sleep much better at night knowing that we are contributing much less to our landfill. It works for us. Check out what works for others at http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2008/10/works-for-me-sc.html

Happy Birthday Jenna!!!

WARNING!! Proud mother alert. I fully intend to brag shamelessly here.

Yesterday Jenna turned 1! I can't believe how the time has flown. So today, I want to record a little about her. She was born on Oct 9, 2008. She was so eager to come into this world, she tried to come 7½ weeks early and put me on bed rest for 2 weeks. What a challenge that was with Paul working 6 days a week and 3 other young children, but we all pitched in and made it work. We were in and out of the hospital until she was born exactly 3 weeks early. It was surprising how big, strong, and healthy she was. She has been early and running ever since. She took her first steps at 10 months, 9 days, and was running two weeks later. She learned to climb over the barrier we had on the stairs before she was 11 months old and so now she is a pro at getting up and down the stairs.

She loves to eat, especially finger foods she can feed herself. Among her favorites are roasted chicken, peaches, apples, corn, and grapes (obviously cut into small pieces). Up until this point she has been too busy to talk to us much. She says Mama, Dada, Bi (binkey) and makes a few other noises that we have figured out the meaning of. We half expect her to break out into complete sentences one of these days since she hasn't done anything else by halves.

She is always watching everything around her intently and taking it all in. She works really hard to try to keep up with her brothers and sister.

Having 4 children is not easy, tests our sanity and patience, and provides more chaos than we imagined but, Jenna is such an important part of our lives. Our relationships are stronger and happier with her a part of our family and we are grateful for her! WE LOVE YOU JENNA!!!

My 6 Quirks

My friend Dahlene posted this on her site and since I don't have to pin down anyone else to ask them questions I thought this is the one for me. So here goes:

1. I am normally a very loving, affectionate mother but I cannot stand to have my children touch me at the dinner table. I know it's strange, but I see those sticky, crumb encrusted little fingers coming at me and...oh the horror! I also hate it when they touch me with their feet under the table. I just need my space when I am eating, is that too much to ask? Unfortunately, my children know of this quirk of mine and use it like anything else they know annoys me... mercilessly.
2. I can't read just one book at a time. I have to have several books from different genres going at the same time. I know I need to cut back when, in my dreams, the vampire starts spouting gospel truths or the pile on my nightstand threatens to bury me alive in bed.
3. I am an incurable pack rat when it comes to school supplies or teaching materials. Even though I don't have any plans to go back to teaching I can't get rid of my teaching materials and in fact continue to collect them. It's a sickness really.
4. If you think I am a pack rat about teaching materials, I am positively obsessed about books! (see #2) Just ask anyone who has ever tried to help us move. "Another box of books!!!"
5. I was a tomboy and proud of it. The only times my mother could wrestle me into a dress was on Sunday and picture day. By 4th grade even picture day required pants. I was a champion tricky bar expert, and won the cartwheel contest in6th grade, hands down. I climbed trees, high walls begged me to walk on them and jump off, puddles had to be jumped in, dirt clods had to be thrown, and the only bike for me was a dirt bike. I still love to hike, rappel, snorkle, ride bikes, dig in the dirt, look for bugs, and like, are you ready... snakes! Jeans and t-shirts are my preferred choice and not just because I am a mom to 4 young children. I am however, somewhat proud to say that if I want to, I can still "clean up" pretty good.
6. And finally, #6, my secret shame, laid bare for all the world to see (at least the 5 people who read this blog) are you ready to be horrified? sick to your stomach?..... Shoe shopping. It's not what you think. I hate it. I would rather scrub toilets and my stove top (both of which are waiting for me right now, but this is more fun) than go shoe shopping! There it is, all my shame laid on the table. Some may wonder if I have some of my wires crossed (definitely), or if I am missing some vital piece of female DNA (see #5). I don't know, but I just don't understand the love affair involved in shoe shopping. In fact, over the years, Paul has bought most of my shoes. Whew, it's out! Judge me as you may, but I'll never take it back!

I am sure Paul would have a completely set of quirks that he would list for me, but this is my list and I have approved it!

Free Handbag?

Okay, who can't use more handbags? I thought I would enter this contest and by putting their site on my blog I get extra chances to win. So here is the address: http://www.handbagplanet.com/ I don't know what the chances are of winning but it is worth a shot. Thanks Cami for posting it. I hope someone we know wins!

Let's Go Out and Play!

Some houses try to hide that fact
That children shelter there.
Ours boasts of it quite openly--
The signs are everywhere.
For smears are on the windows,
Little smudges on the doors.
I should apologize, I guess,
For toys strewn on the floor.
But I sat down with the children
And we played and laughed and read.
And if the bathtub doesn't shine
Their eyes will shine instead.
For when, at times,
I'm forced to choose
The one job or the other,
I want to have a lovely house,
But first I'll be a mother.
--Author Unknown

For Jordan with love

WHAT IS A BOY? by Alan Beck
Boys come in assorted sizes, weights, and colors. They are found everywhere – on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older brothers and sisters tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.

A boy has the appetite of a horse, the digestion of a sword swallower, the energy of a pocket size atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of Paul Bunyan, the shyness of a violet, the audacity of a steel trap, the enthusiasm of a firecracker, and when he makes something he has five thumbs on each hand.

He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, the boy across the street, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday school, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.

Nobody else is so early to rise or so late to supper. No one else can cram into one pocket a rusty knife, a half eaten apple, three feet of string, an empty Bull Durham sack, two gumdrops, six cents, a slingshot, a chunk of unknown substance, and a genuine supersonic code ring with a secret compartment.

A boy is a magical creature – you can lock him out of your workshop, but you can’t lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you can’t get him out of your mind. Might as well give up- he is your captor, your jailer, your boss and your master – a freckle faced, pint sized bundle of noise. But when you come home at night with only the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them with two words – “Hi Dad!”

General Conference packet!

I found this packet that an amazing lady posted on her blog! It has activities updated with all of the changes to this point. It's worth a try! I am thinking we may give rewards (bribes) for how much they can fill out. That way I may actually get to listen.
Here is the link:
http://coloroftheskyinmyworld.blogspot.com/2008/09/october-general-conference-packet.html

Here is another great one! http://deseretbook.com/conf.pdf

Thank goodness for creative people who are willing to share their time and talents.

Fun fall activity

My kids have a hard time this time of year because I wont let them get out Halloween decorations and activities until Oct 1st and the novelty of a new school year has worn off. Yesterday was a Saturday in which friends were scarce and imaginations were dormant. In other words, Mom was going nuts! So we pulled out this fun activity to make suncatchers. It was easy and the kids had a good time. After I did the cutting, Emma even had a blast making her own creation. In fact, a friend came over while we were in the middle of it and they told them they could play after they finished.

All you need is:

posterboard or cardstock, tissue paper, clear contact paper

Draw a large leaf or apple shape on posterboard. Cut it out. Then cut out the center in the same shape leaving a frame border. Cut two pieces of contact paper big enough to cover your shape. Stick the shape on to one piece of contact paper and then cut small squares of tissue paper and overlapping them, fill the center of your shape. Then cover with the second sheet of contact paper. Hint: contact paper is easiest to get smooth if you start from one side and work to the other. Don't worry if it isn't completely smooth, just make that the back.

Hang in a sunny window!

Boy Noises

Over the last few months, I have been pondering a phenomenon. I first noticed it one day when, as I watched my boys play, I heard absolutely inhuman sounds coming from their mouths. Sounds like schooo schooo, and pwuuoooh, and other sounds that I cannot even attempt to type. These sounds are emitted with practically any game they are playing, whether it is playing with rocket toys or waltzing with their little sister. This is strange enough but then I tried to make these sounds myself. I physically cannot do it right! Paul on the other hand, is the Jedi Master of "boy sounds". Thus, I am convinced it is linked to the Y chromosome.
Most of the time I find this talent fascinating considering the many variations, intonations, and situations in which they are used. However, I will admit that there are times that the consant barrage of sound against my brain can be mind numbing.
For you mothers without the pleasure of having boys (having boys verses girls would be a good topic for a later post). I highly recommend some quality time listening to little boys play. It's fascinating! I say mothers, your husbands wont find it the least bit unusual because it is part of their genetic make-up. He may, however, find it interesting to watch you attempt to mimic the sounds. Paul finds it hilarious!

Stain removal secrets no one told me!

I learned a couple of cool tricks for stains in the laundry that I wish I had known. Maybe these are common knowledge but I think everyone else in the world thought it was common knowledge and forgot to tell me.
For blood, go find yourself an 88 cent bottle of Hydrogen peroxide and pour some on. Delight in the bubbles, (laundry always makes me a little insane.) then wash it away!
For other stains such as grass, dirt etc., spray with Shout then rub area with Ivory bar soap. Don't ask me why but Ivory works wonders!
Now I wish someone could tell me how to get crayon out of clothes that have been through the dryer!

My good idea for Sunday

My kids love Color Wonder books and markers. We took them to church for them to color during sacrament meeting but I didn't like the idea of Backyardigans or The Incredibles invading the spirit available for them to feel. Then I found that a kind lady had put together all of the activity and coloring pages from the Friend at this website: http://www.ldscoloringpages.net/ and an idea came to me. We bought one of the blank Color Wonder drawing pads (about $3.75 at WalMart) and I took some time to print pages from the website onto the Color Wonder paper. They still get the joy of using Color Wonder materials without the worry of marker on their church clothes.
Today, Paul (I was incredibly sick at home) gave them one sheet each. He gave Emma a coloring page and the boys a hidden picture each and they lasted about 20 min. with the one page! We don't get out any entertainment stuff until after the sacrament. Hopefully these will help our children stay in the right frame of mind as topics from the pulpit filter into their minds. I get discouraged when I feel they are not listening and understanding the wonderful spirit there but I am often surprised at what they do pick up.

3 year old shoe addict?

Lately, Emma has taken to telling us stories full of woe about her lack of footwear! She already has more shoes than her mother but is convinced she needs a sparkly pair of pink flip flops and new black shoes because they are almost too small. Paul told me that just a couple of days ago she was telling him about all the shoes she "needs", all eight pairs of them! This would be in addition to the 8 or 9 pairs she alreadsy has! It doesn't matter if we are going grocery shopping, if she hears we are heading for a store she asks if she can get a new pair of shoes. It was heartbreaking for her when I bought new shoes for the boys for school and she didn't get any. They needed them, she didn't. Not to mention the fact that I had just bought her a pair the week before!
I don't understand where she gets it from! I for one, hate shoe shopping and am perfectly content to have a 2 or 3 pairs for each season, including dressy shoes. I know I am abnormal but that's the way I am. Soooo, the only thing I can figure out is that she gets it from her father, who has consequently bought most of my shoes too, because he hates it when I steal his! (Don't worry, my feet are not freakishly large, his feet are small.)
I worry about the teenage years! We can't afford to have a shoe-a-holic, not to mention the closet space!

Why in the world...

I was in the shower this morning and noticed that my shower/clock/mirror/radio that Paul uses for shaving has a snooze on it. I began pondering, as I often do in one of the only quiet places in the house. I asked myself, "Why would you need a snooze button in the shower?" Do many people sleep in the shower? I have found myself feeling drowsy and sleepy (I am not a morning person) but never to the point where I would feel I needed an alarm! Maybe this is for people with narcolepsy? Maybe there are people who enjoy sleeping upright in the shower? Wow, their sense of balance must be amazing. Are you one of these talented people?

On the other hand maybe there are men who like to shave while taking a long leisurely bubble bath and tend to doze off, making them late for work.

The mirror certainly isn't for women who shave, we prefer to look at the body part we happen to be shaving to avoid very bloody accidents similar to the amount of blood present in Psycho. (Why is it that your ankles and shins bleed more than any single body part should? Not to mention that the bleeding is almost impossible to stop.) Just ask my mother how much a shin can bleed. She has a great experience! When as a newlywed, she allowed my father to attempt to shave her legs. He only got one swipe! But that's another story.

Wow, that was a big ranting tangent. Anyway, who would deem a snooze button a necessary addition to this type of clock? Any ideas?

Another use for garden tomatoes

Christian requested I post this "recipe" because he has declared it one of his new favorites. He ate he ended up eating the equivalent of over 2 whole tomatoes tonight.

I just sliced some tomatoes in thick slices (about 4 per tomato) sprinkle on salt, pepper and crushed oregano leaves. Top with grated mozzarella cheese and broil until the cheese melts a little.

I know it's a real tough recipe that would give even you Martha Stewarts out there a run for your money but we got 4 out of 6 thumbs up! (Jenna isn't quite ready yet and Emma has decided she doesn't like tomato seeds. We'll keep giving them to her anyway! :)

Blog post on blogging

As you can see I have been contemplating the way I use my time and wondering if this blog is taking too much of my time. As I thought about the benefits of my blog, I realize there are many.
It helps me gain perspective on the happenings of our busy family. I am better able to find humor and see the big picture. This helps me to overreact less over the realatively small things when considering the "big picture".

I am recording things from our everyday life that serve as a family journal for all of us. I know I will treasure these records in my older age.

Blogging also gives me an opportunity to share stories and pictures with my friends and family.

Reading others' blogs helps me to know them better, and gain insight into who they are that I might not get otherwise in casual relationships. And I can learn things vicariously so I don't have to experience EVERYTHING for myself.

And finally, as Paul would say: It's cheaper than therapy!

So, fellow bloggers, BLOG ON!!!

New thoughts on Mary and Martha

I recently followed a link to a woman's blog who amazingly has 12 children. The motto she has for her blog is "Trying to find the mary buried in the martha". This got me thinking. This is a scripture story that I have always loved. Jesus gently reproves Martha that although she is doing good things, she is missing something better. She is missing the opportunity to sit at the feet of her special guest, which would be an unforgettable experience to cherish long after her other work and service are forgotten. Mary understood that.

Later, that same Mary anoints and washes Jesus' feet with costly oil. When reproved by one of the disciples, for 'wasting' the oil instead of selling it and giving the money to the poor, Jesus said "For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always."

Though this story has always reminded me to make time for Christ and the gospel in my life, I had a glimmer of insight into other special guests in my home which represent opportunities for unforgettable memories to cherish, guests that will not always be here with me. I have four beautiful children who will be children for such a short time. I have only a short time to revel in their enthusiasm, wonder, and love before they will move on to bigger things. Though I have many good things to occupy my time and even more costly, my energy, I need to make room for more of the better, more laughter, silliness, wonder, and joy, the things we will remember and cherish.

First Blood!

We had a couple of firsts this past week.

Jenna fell down. That in it self is not new, all the bruises and scrapes make her look like an abused child. What was new however was the split skin on her eyebrow. It's the first time we've had some heavier bleeding with her. Head wounds always seem to bleed a lot. It seems to be healing just fine and hopefully will not scar to leave a hairless line in her eyebrow.

Our other first was the first bloody accident on the trampoline. I know what you're thinking. "Oooh, trampolines are so dangerous!" but at least it happened at home instead of the neighbors. Actually, it didn't happen on the trampoline at all. Jordan, our kamikaze child jumped off the tramp onto the grass as he has since the second day we got the thing. (It takes too much precious time to climb down the step ladder.) Unfortunately, little sister Emma decided to try it too. I was in the kitchen trying desperately to catch up on the dishes after our foray into salsa making (see previous post) when she came pounding on the door screaming. At first I thought she had just split her lip but on further examination realized she had bitten her tongue badly. Her two front teeth had gone about half way through her tongue, leaving two deep gaping holes separated by a little piece of flesh. It was bleeding very badly and I wondered what to do as I cleaned her up and tried to talk in a soothing voice despite feelings of hysterics. I was amazed that she was crying more because she was angry at Jordan for "teaching me that trick" than because she was hurt.

Somewhere in the recesses of my brain I remembered learning that they don't stitch tongues. (Actually, I later found out they do if they are shooting blood or about to fall off. Thankfully, neither of these applied to this situation.) I tried to call our neighbor the physician but he wasn't home and so I called our other neighbor the nurse. She confirmed that it wouldn't do any good to take her in and told us to just flush it with a salt water solution periodically and that her tongue would heal completely within 72 hours. We are so blessed in our neighborhood to have so many kind people, so willing to help.

I am sorry to say I doubted the diagnosis until I saw her tongue this morning. It is amazing! It is at least half way healed! Evidently it is because of all that blood we have flowing around in our heads.

So, all is well once again and everyone is healing. Paul and I just hope that two important lessons have been learned:
1. Little sister is always watching, looking up to you, and wanting to follow in your footsteps.
2. Just because someone else is crazy enough to do something, doesn't mean you should!

SALSA! SALSA! SALSA!!!

Our tomatoes are coming on (finally, it took longer because we planted late this year) which means it's time to make salsa! I love it fresh. I thought I would share our additions to my sister Laurie's recipe:

10-12 tomatoes or
2 qts bottled tomatoes (drained), chopped
1 bell pepper (we use red), chopped
1 med purple onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped
2 tsp lime juice

We add:
1-3 tsp vinegar
1-3 tsp sugar

We like to put tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds until the peelings slide off, but you can leave peel on if you want. We are trying roasted garlic this year, smells good. I'll add on the verdict if we like it better! ~~We really are enjoying the subtle difference roasting makes. We did learn that it takes more than when it is raw because roasting makes it more mellow tasting. The best salsa is made without exact measurements. Every batch will be different depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes and the heat of the peppers. Taste as you go and find your own favorite combination!

SALSA! SALSA! SALSA!!!

I actually have a friend who likes salsa more than we do! She eats it with a spoon and drinks the juice at the bottom of the jar. You know who you are! :)

P.S. I am adding this to the Over-used Recipe Swap

Our Royal Family (according to Emma)

Last night as Emma and I were getting to the end of our bedtime routine, she said, "Mommy, I am a princess." I replied, "Yes! Yes you are! In so many ways." Then she said, "But we need a King. Daddy can be the king, and you can be the queen. Christian can be a prince, Jenna can be another princess, and Jordan can be Indiana Jones." Oddly enough, upon reflection, Jordan would probably be happiest as Indiana Jones. When I asked him he gave me an enthusiastic "oh, yeah"

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

I also made this recipe a couple of days ago and finished the leftovers for lunch! The whole family liked this one. I did add some yellow crook-neck squash and a little garlic to mine and used Hillshire Farms sausage (you know the ones that are shrink wrapped in an oval shape).
http://workitmom.com/bloggers/orderingdisorder/2008/08/07/pasta-with-broccoli-and-sausage/
Check out her recipe for hummus as well! I really liked it with whole wheat pitas. Too bad it was too "healthy" for the rest of the family.
I enjoy her recipes and sense of humor; though she does have some colorful language as she describes some of the cooking instructions (not too bad, I would be careful about letting my kids cook from her site).

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

I am always looking for new recipes and so I thought I would share some of our family's favorites. I am making this tonight. This recipe has been adapted from two different sources: my friend Bethany and this site http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/crockpot-salsa-chicken-recipe.html (great crock pot site) but since she got it from someone else and I am combining them, I am claiming the following recipe as mine!

6-9 chicken thighs, or 2-3 breasts
1 can rinsed black beans
1 cup chunky salsa
1 cup frozen white corn
3 T lime juice
1 T chili powder

The Directions. Put your chicken in the crockpot; mine was still frozen. Top with the rinsed black beans, salsa, and corn. Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. Cooking time will vary depending on whether or not your chicken is frozen, and how big the pieces are.If you decide to use breasts, increase your salsa by 1/2 cup. Breasts are drier than thighs.
Serve as taco filling, as taco salad topping, or even enchilada filling, etc. Leftovers freeze great in a freezer bag!

Don't you love a recipe that people can eat at different mealtimes? I have parent teacher conference at 6 pm and Paul doesn't get home until after 7 pm. It's one of those nights! I'm just glad it doesn't happen very often for us. I feel it is so important to have meals together as a family!