go go vandals! oh AND broncos, of course

We got together with the Bodily's and watched the BSU/IDAHO football game on Saturday. It was a BLAST!! The kids ran around throwing the BSU footballs while we parents chatted and ate really good food! The kids all played really well together, I just hope that we didn't wear them out. We sure are grateful for good friends!

As you can see, we are a "MIXED FAMILY" as half of us are in Vandal garb while the other half of our loyalties lie with BSU. We can't make up our mind, I guess!

scary preschool

When I had the Little Learners over at my house a couple weeks ago, our letter of the week was 'G'. I incorporated Halloween by making it fun and scary time! It was so fun, we did 'G' for GHOST and GHOUL. They all came dressed in their costumes. We danced around to The Monster Mash and Purple People Eater. We ate scary finger foods, played Hot Air Balloon (where you can't let the balloon touch the ground and have to keep it in the air) and watched a Halloween cartoon inside our Haunted House! (my living room) We had a fun time!

can't remember the name

I've been trying to find a book for the, um, several YEARS.  I have been wanting to find this book for Ryanna to read but the only problem is:

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THIS BOOK!

I THINK I read it when I was 9 or 10 years old.  Since I have many friends that are so book savvy and are involved in "Bookland" I'm challenging this qwest. 

Here's what I know about it:
1) The main character's name is Shirley.
2) She's either in 5th grade or early Junior Highish.
3) She has a baseball clock in the book and when it sounds, she has to THROW it at the wall to turn it off. (I know it's a funky thing to remember, but I thought it was so COOL)
4) It was a scholastic book order book

Please, my fellow bookworms, please help me find this book! I haven't ever seen it at a library, I've never seen it in any book orders and haven't been able to locate it.  Help!

five hundreth post!

Quinientos. Cinquecento. Quinhentos. Cinq cent. D.

Whether you say it in Spanish, Italian, Porteguese or in Roman Numberals, it means the same thing! This is my 500th post.  I have had something to say, share, vent, rant and rave about 500 times! That's a lot of words.  That's a lot of AIR!

In honor of my 500th post, I'm going to put all the names that previously have left comments on my blog into a hat:

(there are more names that I didn't include in the picture, so if you don't see YOURS, fear not!!!)

My half-dressed helper picked three initially and then he dropped the other two in his hand...

I'm going to pull out ONE name and send a $10 giftcard from Walmart! I know not much, but it will help with Christmas!

And the winner is............

.............................................................DRUMROLL PLEASE!............................................................

BROOKE ANDERSON!

Congratulations!

To everyone: THANK YOU for all your support and comments, I always love hearing from friends and you all make my heart warm.  THANK YOU for listening.  Here's to another 500 posts! (yikes, let's hope I don't run out of things to say!)

beautiful gift ideas

My mom has lots and lots of goodies that she is selling!! Really excellent quality and wonderful selection.  I can't wait to go shopping at her house.  If you need directions, CALL ME or EMAIL ME!

You have to see it to believe this, it's all genuine and REAL!

It's like what I imagine HEAVEN to look like, honestly.  I love it!

one pumpkin, two pies and a big mess

After church, I was resting.  I love my rests after church.  The kids and Ryan decided that they would make PUMPKIN PIE from scratch...

.....STILL IN THEIR CHURCH CLOTHES!!!

The cooked the pumpkin that they picked at the Pumpkin Patch a couple weeks ago, made the dough completely from scratch and then made two pies from it.  I was very impressed, go Ryan! They turned out very scruptious.  Who says that lawyers can't cook? Not me.

What does this mean? ONE HUGE MESS!! I had teeny, white footprints all over the kitchen and dining rooms.  Oh well, the house smelled yummy and I was rested.  I didn't care!

I love this picture.  How many faces do you know?

this is me bragging

Can I just brag a little bit? I haven't had a single piece of Halloween candy!

I have been trying to regulate and stabalize my blood sugars and my moods, so I decided that I would try a little experiment and go without sugar!

So far, I've been without sugar since 10/15/09 and haven't had a single piece of CANDY!

The weirdest part? I don't crave it.  I don't want it!

It's a very weird feeling for me, because I LOVE the stuff.  I haven't hidden it, I have it very accessible and within my reach.  I see it several times a day as I'm preparing meals and snacks for the kidlets, but I just breeze right past it. 

While I'm at it, I thought that I'd try living without processed bread too.  Yup, haven't had any of that since 10/15/09 either! Go ME!

christmas in a cup

There's nothing I love more than a nice cup of this! I love it when it's so chilly outside, but my hands are clutching a hot and toasty mug, warming my very soul.  I love the taste, the smell, the memories of winters past, all of it.  It's Happpiness.  It's Joy.  It's Christmas in a Cup.

wow, that's a lot of posts

I have been apart of the blogging world for nearly 2 1/2 years.  That amounts to lots and lots of posts.  I'm coming up on a milestone number of posts and decide to party Oprah style.  I'm going to host the first and probably ONLY 

500th post GIVE-AWAY!!!

I am coming up on my 500th post! FIVE HUNDREDTH post.  That's amazing.  I've had something to say, share or vent about five hundred times.  I talk a lot!

Leave a comment and I'll enter your name into the drawing.  Then, as my 501st post, I'll name the winner and send you something very nice and homemade!  

real or fake, I love my bag

Oh yeah.  This is my latest find at Deseret Industries for $5. 

FIVE BUCKS!!!!

It's a Coach purse, it's got the label with the series number in it, the coach label stamped in all the right places and it's completely awesome.  It's from the Patchwork Dufflebag Tote collection, Series 10018.  I LOVE it!

I love my purse.  It's an excellent addition to my collection! A girl can't have TOO many purses right?! Ryan's figured this one out!

kids being kiddish

Here's a conversation that I overheard this morning:

Dawson- "Ryanna, you FORGOT to flush the toilet.  That's so gross."

Ryanna- "Daaaaaaawwwwwwwsoooooonnnnnnnnn, you don't have to say it in an ADULTISH way!!!"

Silly kids!

no more halloween...sniff

I LOVE the After-Halloween Sales!! I got some majorly good stuff for next year for cheap cheap cheap!!

On the flip side, I always HATE putting away the Halloween decorations, it's so sad.  I LOVE Halloween and look forward to it in 360 days...but who is counting??

take a deep breath

Ahhhhh! There's nothing like a little R & R to get away from it all like up in the mountains! My sweet friend Alicia let me talk her into dragging me along this weekend for an escape. It was just what I needed after the emotionally-trying and very difficult week I dealt with.  We ran up North a little ways, up to the mountains.  It was HEAVENLY!

This is where I slept.  Isn't it just cozy and CHARMING?!! I fell in love with my nook.

These are some of the sights that I had to capture.  I wanted to know the story and history behind everything, as I'm always captured with such intrigue with places like this.  This little gas station has since been closed. 

This used to be an old mill down on the riverbank.  Most likely used the water for electricity or something.  I'll have to do more research to find out for sure about it.

I was absolutely fascinated by this one-room schoolhouse.  It is still in use and has 10 students ranging from K-6th grade.  I was enchanted! Not sure when it was built, but it still is in good working order and looks quite cozy.

Silly Alicia! Playing on the teeter-totters!

Yes, she got me on the four-wheeler and I enjoyed myself!! I'm getting one when I grow up. 

Looking down on a very deep and un-railed canyon.  I'd hate to be the person to fall down that.

On our way home, we stopped by a cemetary and visited my little cousin's grave.  It was a peaceful and wonderfully quiet moment as I found her headstone.

She passed away from SIDS when I was only a teenager and I remember playing my flute by her grave after the funeral.  I remember she was a beautiful little baby, and she was loved.

Isn't this sky gorgeous? While I visited the cemetary I looked up and took a deep breath, and admired the sky.  It was quiet up on that hill, away from all the people and noise of the city.  It was a perfect moment.

All in all, it was a wonderful getaway.  I recharged my batteries and feel ready to meet this new week head on.  Ahhhhh, nothing like the mountains to help clear your head.  I think I'll make this a monthly thing!

dear germs

Dear Gross and Disgusting GERM bugs,

Why do you feel it is necessary to invade my home? We cover our mouths when we cough, we wash our hands after we pick our noses, and are constantly santitizing.  Here's what damage you have done thus far:

- Ryanna had a fever of 103 degrees and didn't eat for 4 days.

- Dawson has an ear infection and fever.

- Carter has the croup and is miserable; therefore making ME miserable.

- I have had this nasty cold for 3 weeks! Why can't you just GO away now?

Pack up your little germy luggage and go!

With Anti-bacterial Love,

Angela