Looking On The Bright Side

One very constipated four-year-old=various remedies (I'll spare you the details)=one little boy freaking out and running around the house naked=finally having an excuse to purchase a carpet cleaner.

My Latest Obsessions

THE CONFERENCE ENSIGN: This last conference was especially amazing. So many of the talks seemed to be aimed right at me


READING: My latest obsession? Who am I kidding. I have always loved to read. I just wouldn't be me if I wasn't in the middle of reading something. I am just about to start on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I love the various movie versions, but have never read the book.

COOKING: Sometimes I love it. Sometimes I can barely stand it. Lately I've been obsessed with it. I have been experimenting with lots of new recipes, the best of which were these banana muffins. Super yummy!

Unfortunately, not all of my cooking attempts turned out so well. At least someone enjoyed this sausage and mushroom quiche.


CLEANING: I have been super obsessed with cleaning lately and am proud to report that I spent 24 hours lastweek cleaning/doing laundry. My obsessive compulsive side requires :) me to log all my cleaning hours. I should add a disclaimer though that the cleanliness level of my house doesn't always reflect my hard work. My kids are awfully good at undoing my cleaning efforts.

SOAPMAKING:Makenna and I have had a great time making melt and pour glycerin soap lately. Hopefully, we will advance to cold process soapmaking someday. Soapmaking has been a fun mother/daughter activity. We are giving them away as Christmas presents. The pictures are not actually of the soaps we made. Stay tuned for those later. I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats, right?

Crunchy Cookies

I REALLY wish I had a picture to go with this post! Unfortunately, I didn't think about taking one until it was too late.

This morning I decided to make pumpkin shaped sugar cookies to take to California for Thanksgiving. Not traditional Thanksgiving fare, but I needed something that would survive tomorrow's six hour trip. Besides, Makenna doesn't like pie. Unbelievable, but true.

Anyhow, I had already made the dough and was busy flouring the table when Kevin came in. I had planned the cookie making to be a quick solo project, but Kevin got excited when he saw what I was doing and went to grab the rolling pin. We worked on the cookies for awhile and were just putting the third batch in the oven when I looked down and saw that he was totally and completely covered in flour from head to toe. And that wasn't the worst of it. I looked down at his hands and saw that they were absolutely filthy. Now I'm not talking about a little grime here. I'm talking about totally caked and thick with mud. He had been playing outside earlier. Needless to say, the cookies will not be traveling down to California with us tomorrow. However, I am going to let my kids eat them. I was serious when I said that I am a laid back mom. :)

Cute Conversations

Kevin: "Mama, what is a slave?"

Me (trying to explain in language he might understand): "It is a person who is trapped by another person and has to do lots of work."

Kevin: "Like flying?"

Me: "Umm......sure....and cleaning the house and working outside."

Kevin: "Why does Santa have a slave?"

Me: "Oh, a sleigh!"

Another Christmas conversation-

Jonathon: "Mama, wouldn't it be silly if Mommy and Daddy were really Santa Claus and they put cookies out for Santa Claus and then ate them themselves?"

Happy Halloween

House Update

People keep asking me what happened with this house. We were outbid. :( I'm sad about it, but hopeful that we will be able to find another great house.

Photo Booth

As I was browsing through my Sister-in-law Becky's blog today I came across these pictures of my kids. They were taken at the photo booth at Becky's fair-themed wedding reception. I couldn't resist stealing them.