Sentiments by Sophia

weekend update

Weekend update...

Friday ~ Doug and I shopped, had lunch at Chili's, did some honey-do list projects and then went to Noodles and Co for dinner since the kids were at Nana's for a sleepover.  We actually got it to go and came home to eat and just relax together.  Very casual! Love it!

Saturday ~ the kids came home first thing in the morning.  Doug and the kids did some projects while I spend the day re-preparing my lesson! As I tried to paste a quote at the end of the COMPLETED lesson from another website, my Word program shut down and lost the entire lesson!  THE ENTIRE lesson!  I'd studied ten conference talks for this lesson, had quotes and notes and I was sick!  Even a complete System Restore did not recover my lesson.  It's somewhere in cyber-space for eternity, but it's all good.  I enjoyed studying most of the day.  Saturday night, Kelly brought Zaylee over for a sleepover.  It was almost bedtime when she got here, so after her dinner and bathtime, everyone went to bed and Doug and I watched a movie. 

Sunday ~ I had my lesson gathered and everyone ready for church when I got a phone call from the Relief Society President.  She was calling to let me know that I was being released from my calling.  This means that I will no longer teach the monthly Relief Society lessons.  I've been teaching for almost 2 years and it's someone else's turn.  I have loved this calling because, and I admit is is selfish, with each lesson, I've learned more than I could ever share in 40 minutes in a group setting.  For almost two years, I've spent an hour or more a day studying specific gospel topics and thinking about my upcoming lesson.  I'd like to think that I could continue with this practice on my own.  However, I'm human and know that, without serious discipline, it would be a hard thing to do.  I'm excited for the new teachers to have this opportunity.  The ladies that were called will be wonderful.  There's one thing for certain, where callings are concerned in the LDS Church...nothing lasts forever. 

The funny thing was that Doug, who is our ward Sunday School President, walked back into the chapel at the beginning of Sunday School. He told me that the 14-15 year old class had no teacher today. (Who knows what happened there?)  He was gathering his scriptures to head that way to "wing it".  I asked if he needed help and he jumped at my offer.  Between the chapel and the classroom filled with Quayd and his dozen peers, I had offered to just teach my Relief Society lesson (or a toned down version)  to the youth.  So, I got to teach my lesson twice!  Cool beans!

After Relief Society, several sisters expressed appreciation for the lessons I've taught over the past two years.  Several people asked if I was sad.  Of course, I hate not being able to continue with my favorite calling ever, but ask me in a few months and whatever my next calling is will probably be my new favorite calling ever, so, no, not sad.  I tried to give my 200% every lesson, so I walk away feeling great about the experience!  Next!

Sunday dinner was entertaining as always, when Zaylee is around.  She doesn't miss a thing in any conversation.  We were talking about a friend who has new boxer puppies. She was dishing herself up on fifths of the peas and corn, when she said, "Gwammie wikes big dogs.  But, I wike wittle ones.  I wike wa-was."  Wa-was?   What the heck is a wa-wa?  She said, "It's a wittle dog, Gwammie!"  Then, Gracie realized that she meant Chihuahuas.  Please pass how a three year old knows these things?  She's a pill!

A few pix from the weekend:

Here's Zaylee in her new "princess dress"  or "pwincess dwess" as she called it. I couldn't get her to stand still long enough to take a picture!  She must have spun a hundred circles before church.  Cute dress, but a pain for her to sit in during Sacrament!  TOO much fabric!

 

Here's me, just before church.  I was taking pix of Zaylee and ZJ took this one of me.  Using Mom's camera is a treat to all the kids.

 

And my last photo is the photo of the day challenge.  I took the camera into Chili's so that I could take a photo of my lunch.  It wasn't until we were done with lunch that I remembered to take the picture.  The challenge ~ something you ate.  I had in mind a photo of it before it was gone, but here's what we had left!  (I can hear Liza reading this and saying, "Mom, you're silly."  And that makes me smile.  Here's what we ate ~ fajitas.  Shrimp and chicken.  And a side salad, no onions, with a side of honey chipotle sauce. My favorite!  Oh! And about six glasses of ice water, filled to the top with ice and lots of lime.  It really was pretty before we ate it all gone!

It was a great weekend, one of my favorites in a while.  This week, I'm helping a friend decorating for the stake Relief Society function, as well as doing a tablescape of my own choice.  Just one.  I'm still not sure if I want to do something springy or duplicate a favorite that I've done at home in the past.  Other than that, it's a quiet week, preparing for Madi's shower, a few lunch dates, gearing up for a root canal next week and hmmmm... starting the prep for the new roof.

Life is good.  Aaahhhh!

Green & Night

Green~ This photo taken by my amazing niece, Brooke Snow, last summer is one of my favorites ever of Zeej.  When I thought of a Green photo, there's not much chance of me taking one today in this valley.  So, this lovely summer photo is a great reminder of what is just 16 weeks ahead of us!  Summer!

26 ~ Night ~  I know, it's old news, but this is my favorite night of the year ~ Christmas Eve.

Life is a gift. Never forget to enjoy and bask in every moment you are in.

Stupid Human Tricks

Previously posted in March 2007

Liza and Buddy came over tonight to watch American Idol with us. Between songs, Liza received a text message from work. She manages a restaurant, as I’ve mentioned before. This afternoon, one of her servers came to her with a credit card slip that had been signed, "Help, I’ve been kidnaped." Liza said that her first reaction was that it was a joke. But, then the more she thought about it, she felt that they shouldn’t let it slide. She called the owners , who, in turn, called the police. Tonight, while watching Idol, Liza received a text message from the owners telling her, "Always call the police. Better safe than sorry. The guy is fine except for a citation for disorderly conduct."

As Liza told me the story, I was dying! My thoughts, paranoid person that I am, were of Elizabeth Smart and the boys just found back east and all of the movies that I’ve ever watched where they write the message on gas station bathroom mirrors in lipstick or soap. How sad that times are such that we actually have to stress and worry about things like this.

HOWEVER, how sad that a person would make light of a situation as potentially serious as this. I’m fine with him getting a ticket. NOT FUNNY.

We all do stupid things, at some point and time in our lives. I’ve written before about my own personal stupid human tricks, like the time I made up my own little driving signs. I do little stupid things every day... like looking for an hour for the glasses that are sitting on my head, driving all the way into town and leaving my money at home, forgetting what it was I drove into town to buy in the first place. But, those are not deliberately cruel tricks. I’m sure that this guy thought he was being cute and he’s probably really ticked (hopefully, at himself) that he ended up with a ticket. Big Oops.

A few weeks ago, I experienced a situation where I could have easily blown a gasket at someone. I wanted to, that’s for sure. But, everything in me said not to. I listened to that still, small voice and let things slide. I even wrote a nice little letter to the person letting them know how I felt. But, when I finally came face to face with that person and the situation came to a head, it was so blatantly obvious to me that this person had nooooooooo clue that they’d been so offensive and rude. Clueless. I put my little letter and handmade card back into my purse and came home to tell Doug just how oblivious she was to her actions. I’m still in shock that she could be so unaware.

Doug reminds me often that most people are well-intended and would never deliberately be that hurtful. Just when I’m ready to "let someone have it", I hear his often quoted thoughts on the matter and tell myself to act, not react. Tonight, I couldn’t help but to compare these two "stupid human tricks"... one totally intentionally, one not so much. Tonight, I’m grateful for a husband who has the wisdom to influence me so positively. Tonight, I remind myself to think before I act and to ask myself "Would this reaction or that behavior be considered my own stupid human trick? Enough said.

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.

I tended Zaylee all afternoon.   Before her nap, we usually lie down together and I sing with her.  For the first time ever, she asked me to tell her a story instead.  After the story, she noticed my cookbook, which I planned on looking through until she fell asleep.  Doing anything to prolong the nap, she asked me to read her a story.  I explained twice, that it was a cookbook, not a story book and told her that it had recipes to help Grammie cook.  She asked me, "Gwammie, will you wead me a wecipe?"  So, I read them to her... "Flour, sugar, cream cheese, salt, chocolate chips.  Mix it in a bowl,  put in in the pan.  Take it out.  Eat it all up."  We did this over and over and over, recipe after recipe, with "Eat it all up"  until she fell asleep.  When she woke up, she came into the gallery, cookbook in hand, and said, "Gwammie, I wuv apple pie.  It's my favorite."  So, we opened it and she read me a recipe for pie, beginning with salt and ending with "Eat it all up."   For the rest of the afternoon, she had to share recipes from "the wittle book" ... "Salt, cwokwit chips, put it in the oven, eat it all up."  I adore this child. She makes me smile.  ;)

It's Friday!  My favorite day of the week!  Doug and I get to spend the day together alone.  I love it!  We have no plans for the day, so who knows what it will bring!  I do still have invitations to make and a lesson to teach this weekend, so those two things will be on the top of my "to do" list!

A little catch up on my photo of the day challenge... good thing I'm not accountable for having them on time!  This week has just been too crazy! 

21 ~ A favorite photo of myself... This photo is probably my most favorite of all the wedding reception photos.  Not the best photo of myself, but it is telling and that is what I love about it!  I love my Liza!  I can't believe that they are just weeks from their seventh anniversary!  And I am most thankfuly that I'm much healthier, thinner and feel younger than I did then!

22 ~ Where I work... This could be my kitchen, the laundry room or anywhere in our home, but my gallery is the one place in our home that is really as my own.  It's also the room that the entire family gathers because it's where I am.  Although the nice entertainment system is in the family room, more often than not, if we watch a TV show, it's in here.  This is the place that I listen about the details of the kids' day at school, I pay bills, that I study, blog, plan and create. It's were friends who drop by for a moment to visit come in and retreat. It's where the girls often take naps on the window seat while I am doing my thing, whatever that thing is at the moment.  It's where Doug winds down and we talk. It's where I get my lotiony foot massages at night!  I guess if a wife and mom is a counselor, a listening ear, a planner and a friend, this room is my "workspace."  And I love it!

23 ~ Shoes.  Fifteen years ago, I bought my first pair of Borns and wore them until the soles were paper thin.  The most comfortable shoes I've ever owned.  It was a sad day when I finally had to toss them.  Worth every penny.  (I remember that they were about$80.) Last fall, I bought another pair, red ones even, for $5 at the local thrift store.  Mind you, this germaphobe does not do "used" shoes.  I'd gone into the DI, looking for some random thing and happened to notice these shoes sitting on the shelf, looking brand new.  I noticed the Born label inside.  And they were red!   I bought them, brought them home, disinfected them, just to be safe and put them away until the weather cooled.  About six weeks later, Natalie and I were shopping together and she commented, "I love your shoes."  I said, "Thanks!  Five bucks at the DI, can you believe it?"  She asked,"Was this recently or about six weeks ago?  I said "Yes, how'd you know?"  She replied, "I donated them.  I was cleaning out my closet and noticed that I never got around to wearing them, so I donated them."  Whodathunkit?  I love these shoes even more now!  And I'm proud of my DI find!

24 ~ Inside Your Bathroom Cabinet ~ Here's my bathroom closet.  I have to laugh because I have cleaned the cabinet as I gathered stuff for the organizing class this week and until I saw this photograph, I didn't notice that it's time to replace the shelf liner!  Since I've had organizing on my mind, here's a few tips to go along with:

Keep BabyWipes in your bathroom for cleaning around the base of the toilet and behind the seat after you've cleaned the inside.  You can just toss the wipes and not worry about washing "kucky" clothes, as Zaylee calls yucky things.

Utilize the wasted space on the walls of your closet to hang curling irons, flat irons and blowdryers. 

Fold towels all the same way and tuck them onto the shelf the same way, with the folds on the outside.  It's simpler to grab a towel when needed and prevents the whole stack from coming with the one being removed. 

If you have mulitple bathrooms, color co-ordinate towels.  Use pastels in one bath, darks in another.... it reduces the likelihood of one bathroom ending up with no towels because they are all in another bathroom.

Use storage containers as much as possible.  Baskets for hair items, body lotions, etc...

The blowdryer is tucked into a mugholder that is meant to attach to a table while you are scrapbooking.  It's quite functional for the blowdryer!

The three drawer container is my personal toiletries...  The drawers are labeled "Hair, Body, Face".  I just pull the whole drawer out and place it on the bathroom counter when I put on my make-up.  I can see everything at one glance.  No plundering through the makeup bag for the right color eye shadow or trying to find the eyeliner at the bottom of a makeup bag.  The hair drawer has hairspray, my brush, comb, pick and a 6x8" handmirror.  This drawer is off-limits to the kiddos, so I always know where my things are.  The body drawer has my toothpaste and brush in a tray, lotion, razors, etc...  I LOVE this system!

The long bin on the right side on the upper shelf  is filled with lotions, sunscreens, alcohol... things that are in tall bottles.  Containing them like this keeps them from toppling over and possibly spilling onto the shelf.  It's must easier to slide out the tray and choose what I'm looking for without knocking over several bottles.

That's it.  Lots of latenight rambling.  It's 1Am and I need some sleep!  Enough said!

Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love.

a house of order

I'm so excited!  Just got home from my organizing class and I feel very good about it!  There were lots of good positive comments afterward, including my favorite, "I've got to go!  The dollar store is still open for 2o more minutes!"  That means that someone was inspired!  HAPPINESS!  I took it as a compliment when I was asked if there was anything left at the house.  It took me about six hours to gather and collect everything I needed, but only an hour to set it up in order.  It was worth the effort the teach the principles!  I do love teaching anything I'm passionate about!  Friend, Suzanne, took this shot of me in the middle of my presentation.  I always have to laugh when I see photos of myself while I'm talking because I'm so animated!  Wonder where Gracie gets that from! 

I had several emails and requests to put my notes on the blog today, but most of them could be found by looking back into the archives for January 2011 (just click on Archives and it will bring up January), when I blogged about organizing a different room each day.  I will include my handout quotes though, below.  I truly believe that homemaking and housekeeping are two completely different things and I'm honored to have the privilege of making our house a home for my family. And as I said earlier in the class, the more we are organized and efficient in our housekeeping skills, the more we can focus on our making our houses homes where we can teach and nurture our families!  Enough said!

Order is the shape upon which beauty depends.

 

Mothers who know are nurturers. This is their special assignment and roll under the plan of happiness. To nurture means to cultivate, care for and make grow. Therefore, mothers who know create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes. Another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence, therefore, LDS women should be the best homemakers in the world. Working beside children in homemaking tasks creates opportunities to teach and model qualities children should emulate. Nurturing mothers are knowledgeable, but, all the education women attain will avail them nothing if they do not not have the skill to make a home that creates a climate for spiritual growth. Growth happens best in a "house of order" and women should pattern their homes after the Lord's house. Nurturing requires organization, patience, love and work. Helping growth occur through nurturing is truly a powerful and influential role bestowed on women. Julie Beck

A good home is never an accident.

Homemaking as I view it, falls into two major divisions; homemaking and housekeeping. Homemaking takes into account the spiritual values: love, peace, tranquility, harmony among family members, security. It makes a place of residence a spot to which family members can retire from a confused and troubled world and find understanding and rejuvenation. It's character is quietness, it evidences good taste, culture and refinement. Men, women, and children alike have their individual contributions to make to good home and family life and each shares in it's benefits. Housekeeping involves the world of keeping a house clean, orderly and well-managed. Belle Spafford.

We live here and it’s the living that matters.

A home that is orderly and well-cared for and that invites the Spirit of the Lord builds confidence and pride in the people who live there. They feel more comfortable and peaceful. It is also a place where their faith and tesitmony can grow. Such a home requires the efforts of everyone who lives there and reflects the concern that family members have for each other. It is a home that evidences industry and hard work.

 

Home is an invention on which no one has yet improved.

Homemaking is not just baking bread or cleaning a house. Homemaking is to make the environment necessary to nurture our children toward eternal life, which is our responsibility as parents.  Dallan H. Oaks.

Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are always hurrying.

  

  Good order is the foundation of all things.

A few other highlights of the day:

• ZJ stayed home from school today...to help me and because she wasn't feeling so great.  I may not get the Mom of the Year Award for that decision, but we had a great day together, talking and having fun.  We ran to Subway and split a sandwich, which was very special time together.  She was a tremendous help because as I've mentioned before, there is not an inch in this home that she doesn't know.  Whenever something's missing, we ask Zeej and she always responds with, "Oh, it's right here."  Sometimes it's things she shouldn't know!  ;) 
• Another highlight of the day was Quayd walking in from school and his very first words were, "I'm home, Mom!  What can I do to help!?"  And he meant it. 
• Another highlight, just before beginning the class, I got this text and words of encouragement from Liza:  "You'll do great!  Like Frosted Flakes!" 
• I'd made dinner last night so that the family would have a good meal while I was at the class and when I came home, Doug had the kitchen company clean.
• After setting up for the class, I spent 90 minute alone in the church with my computer, studying my Relief Society lesson for Sunday.  It was nice to have some quiet alone time to focus on the lesson, knowing that I was all prepared for the presentation and ready to really review what I've already prepared for my Suunday lesson, my next fire!
• Following the class, Denise, Wendy and I went to Chili's for a latenight dinner and some girlfriend gab time.  I love my friends!  It was good to relax and just gab.  When we got home, Doug had unloaded most of my truck and everyone was in bed sleeping soundly. I have put away half of my home, but will do the rest in the morning when I don't have to tiptoe around to do it.
• Thursday's agenda:  Put away my home, study my Relief Society lesson and make shower invites. Lunch with a friend! 
• The wind outside is blowing fiercely.  A tree branch just hit my window and I jumped out of my chair.  Will we awake to snow?!  I'll sleep good tonight! Life is just plain awesome!

One last quote for the day:  Why do anything unless it is going to be great?

tic, tic, tic... that's my body clock racing away

If anyone were to come to my home today, they'd not be invited in!  I've gathered things from every room in the house for my organizing class tonight.  I'm excited to share my favorite homemaking/cleaning/organizing tips with friends and neighbors.  A few friends who aren't even in the ward have mentioned that they may come too.  It should be a fun evening.  Then, I'll spend the day on Thursday reassembling my home.  

This meeting, for years, was called Homemaking Night.  Doug always teased, when I was the Homemaking counselor in the Relief Society Presidency, that, for me, it was "Homewrecking Night" because I took the house apart to do whatever displays or classes or decorating necessary.  I'm just happy to share things that I've learned, and as always, I like to use visuals to teach because people remember much more when they see the actual case in point than just hearing it read from a list.  

I spent the day gathering and organizing my notes and my stuff for the presentation.  Denise and I did meet at Chili's for lunch but we kept that brief. It was a busy day and I never did get to the nap that I'd promised myself!

The next few weeks is going to be insane!  

• Tonight the 22nd ~ the organizing class
• Thursday the 23rd ~ reassemble my home and study for my Relief Society lesson and lunch with a friend
• Friday the 24th ~ make 50 invitations for Madi's bridal shower, date day with Doug
• Friday the 25th ~ more lesson prep, shower prep, family time
• Sunday the 26th ~ teach Relief Society
• Monday the 27th ~ Stott's birthday
• Tuesday the 28th ~ lunch with Denise, a meeting with a teacher and starting prepping for Thursday
• Wednesday the 29th ~ do a practice run of the tablescape I'll be doing on Thursday and gather everything for the other displays I'm helping with
• Thursday the 1st ~ decorate the Stake Center displays for a Relief Society Celebration
• Friday the 2nd ~ date day with Doug after reassembling the house again
• Sunday the 4th ~ host a Sunday dinner with special guests!
• Monday the 5th ~ I'm getting a root canal and new crown placed on top and grocery shopping
• Tuesday the 6th ~ cooking for the shower, making favors and finishing touches
• Wednesday the 7th ~ Madi's shower
• The rest of March includes getting a new roof, a weekend trip to the ranch, the wedding, two birthdays, the LDS Young Women's Broadcast in SLC, LDS General Conference and spring break!

I've had so much on my plate that sometimes I space what day it is.  I work fire to fire, as always, and as long as I know what's next, I'm good to go.  Saturday afternoon, I had a scare when a friend called to apologize for missing my class last Wednesday.  I was confused until they specified my organizing class.  I explained that the class is next week, not last.  They insisted that it was last Wednesday, the 22nd.  I pointed out that the 22nd was next week.  But, for a split second, my mind wondered, "Did I miss it!?!?!  Surely they'd have called and asked where I was?!?!?  What if I got a call like that and wasn't ready!?!?!?!?!?"  PHEW!  (I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who forgets what day it is.)

Then on Sunday morning, our Home Teacher dropped by with a loaf of warm bread.  He teaches the men the same lesson that I teach in Relief Society on the fourth Sunday of  each month.  He asked, casually, "So, are you all ready with your lesson today?"  I said, "No, it's not till next Sunday."  He insisted, "No, it's today." I said, "No, today's the third Sunday.  Our lesson is next week on the fourth Sunday."  All the while, my brain was thinking, "It is the third Sunday today, isn't it?!?!?!?!?!  I teach next Sunday, right?!!?!?!?!?!?"  YIKES!!! I'm in overdrive! I'm busy, just the way I love it.

I'm two days behind in my photo of the day challenge.  Yesterday's challenge was "Handwriting".  Here's mine... a quote written in my planner a few years ago.  Not practiced,not edited, I just opened a page in my planner and here's what I found, not even on lined paper... it is one of my favorite quotes ever.  Enough said!

It's not enough to be busy. The question is: what are you busy about?

extra long, extra fun!

Typepad lost this twice while I was trying to post.  Sorry, no spellcheck tonight.

We filled every moment possible with fun and games this weekend!It was awesome to have everyone home for four long days!

Friday ~Carol, Madi and I went to Bountiful, near Salt Lake City, and found Madi's wedding gown and lots of other trimmings for her upcoming wedding! Lots of fun, lots of laughs, lots of coconut M&Ms and perfect weather for shopping. FUN DAY!

While I was shopping, Doug and the kids went and picked up Jason, who is their half brother, Kelly's fourth child, who was adopted by an awesome family here in the valley when he was a baby. This was the first time that Jason has ever been here alone with our family and words can not express how excited Quayd was to have a boy in the house. Quite often, he feels outnumbered by the girls, so this was his weekend! Doug took the kids swimming at the High School pool while I made cowboy rollups and a fun "Kid" style dinner.  They were exhausted from swimming, so they all slept right when their heads hit the pillows.

Saturday ~ I made German Pancakes for breakfast and Doug took the kids off hiking up the canyon. We hadn't had much snow for weeks, so the kids had a great time exploring and then sliding down the hill on their bums...no sleds, just their slick coats. (You can always tell when Moms are not there, can't you?)

After hiking, Doug was called into work for a few hours, while I took the kids to the Fun Park for skating, climbing in the maze and games.  Can I just say that the Fun Park was crowded and smells like a locker room. But, the kids didn't mind at all.

After they cashed in all of their tickets and chose their prizes, we raced off to Pizza Pie Cafe for dinner and a fun visit with Jason's family. We feel so blessed to have Jason in our lives and love his family like they are our own! Doug got off work just as we were saying goodbye, so he missed out on the visit and met us at Pet Smart. (ZJ's favorite store in the valley.) As soon as Doug arrived, we headed to Carol's for a fun night of movie watching and treats at Carol's.

Side story: While shopping with Madi and Carol on Friday, I quoted a line from Top Gun. I could tell that Madi didn't recognize it and when I told her that was from Top Gun, she said, "What's Top Gun?" That was the wrong response! I teased her pretty much the entire rest of the day, expressing my disappointment in the fact that she, my 21 year old bestie, didn't know what Top Gun was and I insisted that we would be watching it together the next movie night, which we already had planned for Saturday. She was dying at the thought of watching an 80s movie! And then Taylor, who's 16, also dreaded that I was "forcing" them to watch this lame movie from the 80s. Taylor said she'd give it five minutes. It took eight, but, they were both loving it before long. We had a fun time watching it while the kids watched movies in the game room.

As we had walked into Carol's, I noticed a few snowflakes starting to fall. We were shocked when we walked outside after our movie night, after midnite, and it was snowing. Hard. Blizzard like conditions. We drove home in the wind and snow and Doug and I were both so excited to see a real winter storm... our first since November 13th! It was beautiful! Check out our Olive Garden. No editing for this photo, that's the lighting from the street lights and the traffic light that we were stopped at.

When we got home, from the far end of the valley, said prayers with the kids and realized at 1AM, that Doug's van was still in Logan at Pet Smart...right behind this Olive Garden! We'd driven right past it and forgotten completely in our excitement for the snow! (That's also when Doug filled my gas tank.) Realizing that there would be snow plows in every parking lot overnight, we knew that we needed to get the van rather than leave it until morning. So, we tucked the kids in and Doug and I drove back to Logan in the blizzard for his van, talking on our cellphones to eachother the whole way. It was almost three before Doug and I finally wound down enough to get to sleep! A short night, indeed, but a fun one! We loved our late night drive in the snow!

Sunday, after church, dinner and Doug's long nap, we played games with the kids, teaching them to play Scum. Quayd's not usually into cards, but this turned out to be a requested "can we do it some more" type game! Fun stuff. Everyone was pretty tired from our late night before, so we all went to bed at 10:30 on Sunday night.

Monday, we slept in until the phone rang and then got ready for lunch. We let the kids choose and ended up at Chili's.Imagine that.  After lunch, games and a trip to Walmart (you know that they were calling the shots), we came home and just to chill together the rest of the afternoon, watching movies while I did laundry. A completely casual and fun weekend. Since we had not gone to the ranch, which was anticipated for so long by everyone, Doug and I let the kids choose most of the activities for the weekend, so they called it a winner! Happiness!

The highlight of the weekend for me was when Quayd came in and gave us hugs, thanking us for such a perfect time. Love it!

Another highlight for the family was our Sunday night dessert. Another Pinterest Recipe. Oh my word! This is divine! And no cream cheese...however, I'm thinking cream cheese frosting would only improve it.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.  Enjoy!

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.  Enjoy! SOOOO nummy!

Life is really really good!

Always be a little kinder than necessary.

too busy to blog

I'm late blogging this morning, but that's because I slept in with my sweetie!  The kids are still sleeping.  We've made the most of our long weekend and still have more fun planned for today.  So, this morning, a quick photo of the day and I'm off to make waffles!

Things I hate to Do ~ Get Gas!!

I would rather run out of gas than stop at the gas station.  It makes no sense, I realize.  It's just one of those things that I do not enjoy doing.  I hate touching the handle of the gas nozzle.  It's germy.  I always wrap a paper towel around it.  I hate standing there in the cold or the heat waiting for the tank to fill. I hate that it takes time out of where I'm trying to get to.  Consequently, my tank is either full or running on fumes because I go as long as I can between the two.  I hate paying for it!  $96.06 to fill my tank! I could think of many more fun things to do with that moolah!!  I think that the only other place I dislike going more than the gas station is the bank and the Post Office.  These three places try my patience more than any other.   Well... except Walmart!  Don't get me going!  Wait, I already am.  Annnywaaaaaaaay, this photo was taken of my sweetheart, who insisted on filling my tank in a blizzard, since I was getting low.  I told him that I would just do it on Monday and he, knowing how much I enjoy the task, said he'd get it for me then.  Truth of the matter was, he admitted, he loves being outside in the snow.  Have I mentioned that this was taken at 1:00 in the morning!?  I love this man!  And have I mentioned that I loved this storm!?  We're off to play on our last day of winter break!

A good time to laugh is any time you can.

 

photo a day...

17 ~ Time ~ A long weekend, full of fun and adventures!
 

18 ~ Drink ~ We got five inches of snow last night!  A much needed drink for our valley! 
HAPPINESS!

Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

simply put...

Outside my window...it's a little grey and there is a leaf barely dangling from one of the cherry trees, blowing ever so slightly.
I am thinking... about the lesson that I'll be teaching next Sunday, the organizing class I'll be teaching Wednesday and the shower I'll be hosting in a few weeks.
I am thankful for...Carol, Wendy, Natalie and Denise.
From the kitchen...I will make some "love snacks" for Quayd and Doug's next adventure.
I am wearing...my jeans, a striped turtleneck and socks
I am creating...a wedding in my mind.
I am going... to be crazy busy for the rest of the day.
I am reading... several books for my lesson.
I am hoping...that the kids are having fun up the canyon with Doug right now.
I am hearing...myself crunch a coconut M&M.
Around the house..it is quiet.

Love cures people - both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.

something new

Photo of the Day ~ something new.  Oh, how I wish that this photo was of something fun and wonderful.  Instead, it's a brochure for shingles and floor coverings.  The floor coverings are fun, indeed.  However, they only come after we pay for the new roof.  A roof is a tad more important than new floor coverings, according to my husband.  He assures me that it would be a priority to me if the roof started leaking into my living room.  As usual, he's right.  We expect to begin the new roof at the first of the month.  We hope to beat the snow that isn't waiting for spring to arrive.  ;)
 

It's going to be a crazy, busy, fun weekend!  Keeping it short and sweet today!  The goal is to be asleep before 11.  It'll take a miracle!

wednesday

One of the kids favorite dinners is a teriyaki bowl with broccoli.  (My kids choose broccoli over fries at Chili's.  You'd think that they were related to Doug, right?)  I was in the mood for french bread and teriyaki bowls, so I baked some bread and made this tasty crock pot recipe for dinner.  There was barely any dinner conversation between the MMMMs and the AAAAHHHs.  And it taste as good as it looks!?

CROCK POT TERIYAKI CHICKEN

about 8 - chicken tenders
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup cold water
Hot cooked long grain rice
Steamed Fresh Broccoli 

Place chicken in crock pot.  In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened. Shred the chicken with two forks and combine with the sauce.  Scoop cooked rice into a bowl.  Add steamed broccoli on top of the rice and then cover with the chicken and sauce.

I attended what I hope will be my last maturation program at the elementary school. ZJ was dreading it since she said, "I already know about periods, Mom."  Boy, based on her answers whispered to me during the presentation, she learned a lot.  I had to laugh... they are still showing the film that they showed when the bigs were young!  

I totally missed the first episode of Survivor!  I'll watch it online but I couldn't believe that we weren't waiting at the TV with a big pizza party!  I don't watch enough TV to know what's upcoming and somehow missed the memo.  Oops.

Photo of the Day ~ Phone... here's my iPhone,  most used aps on the first page.  The only one missing on that page is the LDS Tools ap, which is basically, a ward phone directory.  Love it.  Yes, I'm hooked on Words with Friends.  I'm taking a Facebook break so I need to move that one. Notes has my lesson, my shopping lists and stuff that I don't want to forget.) And then, there's Pinterest.  I love that ap because you never know when you may need a decorating, parenting, reading, good quote tip!  Seriously, how did we live without it?   And my most used ap is probably the clock.  I set alarms for everything!  I'd give up my planner before my phone these days.

We are totally excited about the long weekend!  And it starts at 3:15 today!  HAPPINESS!!  Life is GOOD!

Valentines, a soapbox (uh-oh) and a few other ramblings

My photo of the day challenge ~ Heart.

I had in mind all week what I would photograph for this challenge until Quayd walked in from school carrying this carnation and his artistic little heart card.  He had taken his money to school to buy me a flower and was surprised when he was paged to receive a flower of his own from a secret admirer.  My favorite part of his long story about the flower was that kids were all shocked that he had a flower today "because I don't do the girlfriend/boyfriend thing and everyone knows it."  He's determined that he'll not start dating until he's sixteen, and then to group date.  To hear him talk about the other kids "in relationships" and describe it as "totally lame when you're this young", makes this mama proud.  Anyway, he made the Valentine heart for me and the note on the back of it was just as sweet as could be.  I love this tender-hearted boy.  This was, indeed, my favorite Valentine this year. 

A few other ramblings:

• Soapbox time:  I apologize upfront.  I love Whitney Houston.  Always have.  BUT.  If I hear the chorus to "I'll always love you" once more in the next decade, it will be too soon.  I'm sorry for the loss of her amazing talent.  I'm sorry that her mother and daughter will have to go on without her.  But, I'm really frustrated that we live in a world where the media has treated her death as though she were a martyr for some good cause.  If she did, indeed, die of an overdose of any kind of drugs or alcohol, legal or not, it was an even more tragic loss, yes. And I do understand addictions.  I have witnessed them up close and personal in my own family as I grew up, so I am not judging or downplaying her illness.  But, seriously, Networks? People die every single day...moms, dads, sons, daughters, soldiers, law enforcement officials, innocent children. People who didn't abuse drugs and alcohol.  I don't mean to sound heartless or uncaring, but honestly?  In my opinion, the media should select better examples for the children/youth of America to put on the martyr block.  Just saying.  Again, I love Whitney and am heartbroken for her family.  But, this media hype, seems to me, is way over the top.  (And one last thought... Nancy Grace is just downright rude.)  Stepping down from the soapbox now.
• Our ward young men and young women offered a Valentines Day Service ~ From 7-8:30, parents could drop off all of their kids under 12 and have that time to celebrate Valentines Evening, while the youth entertained them at the church with games and activities.  Quayd and Grace had a blast.  ZJ went to help tend more than to be tended.  She'll be eleven in a few weeks and she is dying to be 12, so that she can attend Young Womens with her sister, so this was a big treat for her!
• ZJ's pudding Valentines were a big success!  As I looked at yesterday's blog, I realized that I'd never posted the photo of it.  Oops.  That's what you get when you're running on four hours of sleep!  Here there were:
  
• In the next five weeks, I'm teaching an organizing/cleaning class, teaching my Relief Society lesson, hosting a bridal shower, being a wedding planner for Carol's daughter, Madi's wedding, helping decorate for a stake Relief Society Social, enjoying two three day weekends with the family home, getting a new roof and somewhere in that time, I've got a few projects to complete.  Every time I think about going from a daily planner to a week at a glance planner, life happens and I realize I couldn't function without it.  Oh, thank heaven for Franklin Planners!  I may even ask for a new binder for Mother's Day!
• I miss Buddy.  A LOT.  Especially on days when I move the desktop computer to Doug's office space and the router and modem are in the gallery and I can't figure out how to get the wireless to work and I have no phone in the gallery for a week and Buddy's not here to drop by on his way home and set things up for me. and and and.  I miss Buddy a lot. 

Life.  IS.  Seriously. SOOOOOO.  GOOOOOD.

The only people with whom you should try to get even with
are those who have helped you.

life happens

For Family Night, we discussed our options for President's Day weekend.  We'd been planning, for weeks, on going to the ranch for the a four and a half day weekend.  However, several unexpected things have come up.  That's what happens in life, we explained to the babes. We did offer a Plan B that was so inviting that the girls were actually opting for it.  Quayd, not so much.  He's missed the ranch immensely since last July and was terribly disappointed that Plan A was taking a backseat.  

When I went down to kiss him goodnight, we had a little talk. He'd gone to bed, feeling all alone since everyone else had voted to spend the weekend at home.  He expressed his frustration with "changing plans".  I explained to him that change is a big part of life, giving several examples of changes, large and small, that have occurred and how in the long run, they were for the good.  I also upped the ante for him, giving him more "reason" for staying home and he seemed more happy to roll with it.  

Life happens, I kept telling Quayd.  In thinking about changes, the biggest change in my life was going from empty nest to mom of three toddlers in a day.  We brought our grands and daughter home when she was having troubles and our lives changed forever. It was also the best change in my life. One things for certain, every day will bring about some change!  So.  We might as well embrace it and make the most of every little surprise that life offers!  

Case in point:  This morning, after skipping breakfast, flossing and brushing twice, I went to my dentist for a cleaning.  When I arrived, I asked if he had time to fill what I thought might be a new cavity.  Who'd have guessed that before I left, my dentist removed an old crown, did what needed to be done inside the tooth and sent me out the door three hours later with a happy gas buzz,  a temporary crown, $729 that I'd not planned on spending at all and a lip that refused to co-operate with a straw, while sipping my apple drink  a matinee with Denise.  Yep, life happens.  Expect change!  Enough said!

ZJ was quite tickled to see her Valentines come together.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute! The treat is "Snack Pack Puddings".  The quote, "I'm "pudding" lots of Love in this Valentine!"  ZJ thought of it.  I'd planned on "I'm pudding you at the top of my Valentine's list."  Doug, who, as Gracie called it, was in one of those "funny dad moods", had us rolling as suggested a few of his own, that had us all laughing.  Here's a few:

 

• Sarcastically: Here!  Choke on it!  (Keep in mind that Doug is the GranolaMan who'd give carrots or apples for valentines instead of sweets.  It was appropriate coming from him.)  ;)
• Don't eat the paper!
• Here!  Have some SUGAR!
• "I'm putting some SUGAR in your valentine!"
• Well, you're kind of okay.
• and my personal favorite...I'm putting lots of like in this Valentine.  (She's only ten, Babe!)

I had planned on sharing a beautiful photo, along with the recipe for that tasty cinnamon bread I'd made but my mind was on other things!   So, here's the recipe and pinterest photo.

Great Harvest Cinnaburst Copycat Bread

 

1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk

1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon yeast (1 pack)

1/3 cup oil (I used veggie oil)
1/2 T salt
1 egg
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup cinnamon chips

In mixer combine yeast, sugar, and warm water and milk; let bubble for about 5 minutes.  Add in oil and egg. Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix and then add salt.Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until it comes away from side of bowl. Add the cinnamon chips when it gets close to the right consistency. The dough will be very sticky but the softer the dough the lighter the bread. So use the least amount of flour you can handle. Let rise in mixing bowl for about 30 minutes. Form into loaf (or whatever shape you want).Let rise and additional 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  Makes 2 loaves  ENJOY!  My personal breadbaking tip:  For softer crust, immediately after removing from the oven, brush the entire outside of the loaf in melted butter and then wrap in a towel.

 And the last few days of photos from the February photo a day challenge...

10 ~ Self-Portrait  Here's me.  Taken after a long night with only four hours of sleep, almost 3 hours with a nitrous mask on my face in a dental chair and a crying in chick flick matinee.  This is as real as it gets.  And can I just ask why everyone else looks so cute in photos where they hold the camera out and shoot?  I hate that look on myself!

11 ~ Makes you happy.  Is there any question what I'd photograph?  Well, if Doug had have been home from work, he'd have been in the picture too!

12 ~ Inside your Closet ~ Here's my gallery/craftroom closet.  Too much stuff!   But it is organized.  ;)

13 ~ Blue.  I walked  through my home and honestly, with the exception of Quayd's room, there are only two blue things in my home.  One is a quilt that I made years ago and other is a small blue tin, part of a set.  Blue has never been my color.  But, this photo is what came to mind when I thought of the word "blue".  It hangs in our entryway.  The beautiful blue sky above the Logan LDS Temple on one of my three favorite days in my life always makes me smile!  Day One ~ the day I married my sweetheart, Doug, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple!  Two ~ the day that Liza married her sweetheart, Buddy, also in the Logan LDS Temple.  Day Three, this photo,  the day that we became a family with the babes.  I love that all three of my favorite days of my life took place under a the beautiful blue skies inside the temple!  Families are Forever!

Happy Valentines Day!

To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven. 

aaahhhh!

Friday date ~ Doug and I and Stott and Wendy celebrated Valentines Day together, early.  Doug and I have done this for years, to avoid the crowds.  It's much more relaxed and casual, which beats waiting hours for a table.  We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse and to a movie.  Great date night!

Movie ~ the Vow.  This has to be one of the best movies I've seen in quite some time.  It's clean, it's tender and touching, it's based on a true story.  I love it!  When we came in, the kids asked how our date was and Doug said, "I think that Mom will be buying that movie as soon as it comes out in Blue-Ray."  He's right!  A must see, great chick flick!  AND Doug loved it too!  I'm thinking that Denise and I will be seeing it for a Monday matinee.

Zaylee ~ spent Saturday night with us and went to church on Sunday.  She's so dang fun to have around. We baked cookies together as soon as she arrived because she's come to expect that. Later in the evening, we went to the B's and watched Breaking Dawn.  I love watching Zaylee play with Miki.  They get along so well.  Although, in church, they were a little competitive for Grammie and Grampy's attention.  We can't get enough of either of them.  We always laugh when they are together in church, wondering if people look at them and realize that they are half-sisters.

Whitney ~ It was in the afternoon on Saturday that we heard the news of Whitney Houston's death.  What a sad and tragic loss.  And yet, a part of me gets so angry when I think of how many amazingly talented people have given up their lives because of their addictions.  

Family ~ Doug and I raced home from church to load the Expedition with half of my kitchen and head back over to the church to prepare for our family fireside for my favorite niece, Jocelyn.  Doug and I decided a few years ago that we would host a family gathering for each of our nephews and nieces when they return home from their LDS missions.  Jocelyn shared her photos and adventures from her 19 months in Houston,Texas, spanish speaking mission.  It was fun to hear the details and just as much fun to watch Quayd enjoy the stories.  (The younger cousins hear these great experiences, both good and bad, because someday, the hope is that they'll serve missions too!)

Doug and I were quite surprised at how many successes she had to share. Also, some very fun experiences, that really show Jocelyn's cute optimistic personality.  She's a doll!

Joc brought a new "friend", Jeremy, to the fireside.  He is a cute boy and I saw some little Valentine arrows floating around them both.  The first moment that we met, he walked up to me and said, "You must be Sophia."  Scary!  Actually, he really was great with names and remembering who was who.  ZJ and Gracie were not amused to see him holding Jocelyn's hand.  She grabbed Gracie and said, "Look!  He's holding her hand!  He's stealing Jocelyn's heart!"  She was really concerned because Jocelyn is both of my younger girls' real favorite cousin and I don't think that they are ready to share her with a boyfriend!  ZJ said, "But, Mom!  We just got her back!"  They really missed her while she was away!  I just love that Jocelyn is someone that they admire so much!  She really is a great cousin!

Food ~ For the refreshments, I asked a few family members to bring homemade breads and spreads.  We had some pretty tasty treats!  Plus, Jocelyn made a nummy mexican drink from a mexican flower.  We had about 60 people there, so it turned out to be a pretty fun evening!  I baked four loaves of a very tasty cinnamon bread and four loaves of whole wheat bread.  I'll photograph and post the recipe for the cinnamon bread on Tuesday.  It was so dang good!

I'll post my last few photo of the day pix tomorrow.  It's after midnight and I'm ready for bed!  It's been a busy and long weekend!  And more important, a perfect weekend!

Be better than you were yesterday!

roots

Previously posted in February 2008

Lately, there's been talk in our home about moving.  Not that we want to move.   We love our home.  We love the LDS ward that we live in, the friends that we've made here, enough that I can't picture myself leaving it.  I would love to have one large room for entertaining and we've talked about different options and solutions for that need.  But, the word "move" just isn't appealing.  Who wants to start over on anothernew mortgage?  We also would hate to leave the beautiful fruit trees that we've planted over the years.  I love this home.  It's not huge.  It's a ranch style home on a nice size lot.  We've grown a pretty decent garden for the past several years, done lots of decorating and painting, made it totally "ours".

This is the longest I've ever lived anywhere in my life.  It really and truly is "Home" to me.  I was thinking about the homes that I've lived in and how often we moved when I was a child.  The fact that we never stayed anywhere more than two years in my childhood made it quite simple for me to "stick around" anyplace during our first years of marriage.  About every two years, I'd get the itch to move. Doug and I were pretty free spirits and adventurous.  That was then.  HOWEVER. We grew up and began to dig some roots when we purchased this home.  Since we've been in this home, I fill that "urge" to move by painting or moving rooms.  It's what I do.  Doug tolerates it.  He's grateful that $50 worth of paint and a few days of furniture in the halls while I do it satisfies me because it's so much less expensive than moving to a new home and starting over!  (It's also a great way to dejunk!)

As a child, we moved so often.   Most kids would learn to put up walls with moving so much.  Not me.  Instead, I made it my purpose in life to make friends everywhere we went and to keep them.  Today, I still have contacts and friends from most everyplace we lived since 1971.  Not that it matters, but for my own records, and since it's 4 in the morning and I've nothing else to quietly do, I thought I'd make a list of where we lived.

1.  1958 ~ I was born in Baltimore, Maryland. We lived in a two story apartment, which I rode my tricycle down the stairs on moving day and my front teeth went through my lower lip.  I still have the scars.
2. 1960 ~ My parents moved to the home built by my father and grandfather in Pembroke, NC.
3. 1961 ~ Dad worked and we moved for a while to Winston-Salem, NC .  My dad built the LDS Chapel there and was introduced to the LDS Church for the first time.
4. 1961 ~ Then his work moved us to Greensboro NC.
5. 1962 ~ They moved back to Pembroke NC. where he built another LDS Chapel.
6. 1965 ~ They "started over", we ended up living in Glen Burnie, MD. (They always "started over" to get away from Dad's women and friends.)
7. 1967 ~ After that, my parents "started over" in Miami Florida.
8. 1968 ~ They bought a home in North Miami Beach  Florida.
9. 1969 ~ That wasn't working, so we moved to Lorain OH.
10. 1969 ~ Then we moved to Elyria OH. to live near Mom's two sisters.
11. 1970 ~ That still wasn't working, so we moved back to another area in North Miami Florida. Mom divorced Dad.
12. 1970 ~ She remarried and we moved to Ft. Lauderdale FL.
13. 1971 ~ She and her new husband bought a business so we moved to Hollywood FL.
14. 1971 ~ They decided to move to his home town in West Virginia. 
15. 1971 ~ We were all miserable there and went back to Hollywood FL.
16. 1971 ~ After a while, they decided to move near Mom's family and start another business in Elyria OH. (Try this when you are a teenager.  NOT FUN!)
17. 1972 ~ They hated winter in Ohio so we moved back to a new home in Hollywood FL.
18. 1974 ~ He turned out to be creepy.  They divorced so we moved into another home in Hollywood FL.
19. 1974 ~ It wasn't what Mom wanted and she decided to look for another place to rent during the interim in Hollywood FL.  It was being rented by the man she would eventually marry.
20. 1976 ~ After they met, I met Doug. I graduated from High School. We were in love, living 2000 miles apart, so I moved to a student apartment in Logan UT.
21. 1977 ~ My roommates were insane!  So, one of them and I moved to a little home in PRovidence UT.
22. 1977 ~ I married Doug and we bought a mobile home on USU Campus Trailer Park in Logan UT.
23.  1977 ~ Summer came and we moved that trailer to Malad ID to live part of the time.
24. The rest of the time, we lived on the Corbridge family ranch northeast of Soda Springs ID.
25. 1978 ~ After a while, we moved to Mendon UT while Doug went to college.
26. 1978 ~ We needed more room because we were expecting Dale, so we bought our first real home in Smithfield UT.
27. 1981 ~ Doug was offered a position with a young company and we were located in a beautiful brand new home in Elyria OH.
28. 1982 ~ It was much too big and we bought a home in Grafton OH.
29. 1982 ~ The business was not growing fast enough and we wanted to be back home near family in Utah and came home to Richmond UT.
30. 1983 ~ We needed more room, so moved to Smithfield UT.
31. 1985 ~ We were offered a tremendous deal on Doug's mother's home so we moved to Hyde Park UT.
32. 1986 ~ Long story but, we moved to Logan UT to live across the street from our best friends.
33. 1987 ~ We found the "perfect" home for our needs at the time up the street.  So, we bought another home 8 doors up.
34. 1991 ~ Doug had a "career move" and we moved to an Amish Farmhouse in Millersburg IN.
35. 1991 ~ We bought a home outside of Goshen IN.
36. 1992 ~ We had an offer to buy a home that was closer to civilization from a friend we'd made in IN, so we took it.
37. 1994 ~ We just wanted to come home to Utah, so we moved back to North Logan UT. HAPPINESS!
38. 1998 ~ An old friend that I ran into three times in a week at the grocery store told me they'd just listed their home and that I should come and see what she'd done to the house.  I did and knew that we were supposed to buy it the minute I walked in.  We moved into this house on tax day that year and I swore that I'd never move again unless it was in a beautiful box up to the cemetery up on the hill above town.

I meant what I said.  I love where we live.  I love our  little home.  I love that everyone who enters it compliments, not just the decorations, but the "spirit" that is in our home.  It's us.  It feels good.  It feels right. I'd love to have one room that is larger.  But, other than that, it's perfect for us and we are surrounded by people who we've grown to love and care for as if they were family.  Not, as if.  Theyare family.  And so.  I have no desire to move anyplace right now. 

All three of our bigs spent some time living in this home.  This is the only home that the babes have known.   It's the place that I've grown the most and learned the most valuable lessons in life and that Doug and I have settled and planted some roots.  I get asked often if it was hard moving around so much as a child.  Not really.  I didn't know any different.  But, today, at fifty, I know better.  We've talked about this.  If Ed McMahon were to come knocking today and offer me the big house on the hill, I'm 99.9% certain that I'd ask if we could build my great room here instead.  If he said no, I'm pretty sure that I'd just say, "No, thanks.  I like it here."  Roots, for me, have become more important than a new home with vaulted ceilings and a three car garage.  Enough said.

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."

valentines

Today's photo challenge:   Front Door ~ Here's ours.    

After I wrote about not wanting time to pass too quickly yesterday, Carol pointed out that Quayd could actually get his drivers permit in less than a year!  That's just plain wrong!  

Here's the banner that I created for friend, Marilyn, last week.  I made a smaller version for myself, but hers is adorable!

I'm excited to help ZJ make her Valentines this weekend too!  Pictures on Monday.  This is ZJ's last year of Valentines exchange since she'll be in middle school.  She tells me that last year's Valentines are still being talked about, so she has a high level of expectation for this year to be the best in the class!  Here are last years.  

I've purchased the makings, now I just have to get to it this weekend.  

This weekend, Doug and I are hosting a family fireside for my niece, Jocelyn, to share her mission experiences and photos with us all.  There will be 70 of us there between the both sides of her family.  It should be a fun night!  We've also got two dates planned, tending Zaylee and some projects around the house.  It will be a fun and busy weekend.  Love it!

A smart person knows what to say.  A wise person knows whether to say it or not.

phantom and five

I'm excited that tomorrow my live London performance of Phantom of the Opera DVD will be here! Yagottaluv Amazon Prime!  I know what I'll be doing this weekend!  Can't wait!

Speaking of which, Oh my word!  I love this.  Friend Chris shared this on Facebook and it literally took my breath away.  If you've got nine minutes, turn up the volume and enjoy!

 I got a great laugh from the first comment following the video.  

Dear Nick,
Please leave some talent for the rest of us.

Sincerely,
Everybody

 

Five ramblings:

1. I spent my day, working on a project in the gallery, preparing for both of the lessons I'll be teaching in the next few weeks, entertaining my brother for a few hours and having Mom and Rick come for dinner.  A calm day at the Corbridge's.  
2. I've got a painting project today!  
3. I've listened to all that I can about Josh Powell.  The story gets more and more twisted and my stomach hurts.  I should know better!  
4. Today's photo challenge was "Sun".  However, there was no sun.  None.  At one point, while I was running Gracie to school, there was a dot in the sky in the midst of dark clouds, but by the time I got home, the dot was gone and it was just grey.  It actually tried to snow today.
    Tried.  The joys of winter in Cache Valley. 
   
5. While lying in bed between alarms, I was thinking about a goal I'd set for myself...not to wish time away.  I've always said, "I can't wait till..."  As I was lying there thinking about how time flies, about how the past fourteen years have flown by (since Quayd was born), I reminded myself again not to wish away time.  Just minutes later, Quayd came into my room and commented that he'd figured something out.  He said that when he is waiting for something, time takes for.ev.er, but when he has nothing to look forward to, it goes by fast-fast.  I told him my thoughts and we decided to both try to enjoy the moment and not wish them away.  I love the wisdom of my sweet boy!  Before he left, I told him that I'm proud of him and that he is really and truly a good boy.  As he walked out of the room to get ready for school, he turned and said, "Thanks, Mom.  You're awesome."  Definitely the highlight of my day!

Happiness is the ability to recognize it.

this, that and cookies!

• I found these cookies on Pinterest this morning and couldn't wait until the afternoon to do my baking.  The cookie jar was down to one cookie.  When the kids came in from school, all three said, "I knew you'd bake cookies today!"  ZJ said it before she was all the way in the door.  Cookies in the cookie jar is a necessity in our home!  ;)  I loved these cookies before I baked them because just because they have cream cheese in them.  But, after they were baked, OH MY!  I will seriously never bake another Tollhouse.  The fact that there is no shortening in them is one huge bonus, but the cream cheese made them just as moist as can be.  I also loved that there was much less baking soda in thre recipe, which made them have less of a "bite".  This will be our new regular chocolate chip cookie recipe!  This batch made about 60 small cookies.  Next time, I'll be doubling it! 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips  (I use mini-chocolate chips and only used 1 cup because they go so much further) 

Preheat oven to 375.  (I baked them at 350 because the first batch at 375 browned the bottom far too quickly.)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In mixer, blend butter, sugar, egg, cream cheese, and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing with each addition, until all are incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.  Drop dough by the spoonful onto sheet, at least 1 inch apart.  Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. 

Note: Dough can be refrigerated until firm, then rolled into a log and frozen (in air-tight freezer bag) for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, let thaw 30 minutes to 1 hour (until soft enough to slice); slice in 3/4″ wide disks and bake.

My photo challenge for the day:  Button.   No explanation needed.

   

•  I have been just heartsick since the story of Susan Powell's children dying in that fire on Sunday afternoon.  It seems that each time the news is reported, the story worsens.  As I sat down to blog on Monday night, I'd just heard the update on the autopsies of the boys. It's rare that I can't even express my thoughts.  But. It's unspeakable.  I can not count the prayers that I've said for this family over the past two years, but in the past two days, I think it's been more.
• I'm so over winter.   I feel like we were deprived of the most beautiful season of the year.  It's still not arrived, but I've decided it's time for spring.  Deep sigh.
• Rick called me to ask for a ride in the afternoon.  Conversation:
  
  Rick:  Hey.  Are you home yet?
  Me:  No, I'm just dropping Denise off.
  Rick:  Good!  Can you call me when you're almost here and I'll wait outside for you.  Then, you can drop me off at McDonalds on your way home.
  Me:  Sure, but, you do realize that McDonalds is not "on my way home."  (Mom lives five houses from me.)
  Rick:  Yeh, but it will be if you pick me up and drop me off on your way."
  
  Okey dokey, then Rick.  I'm really enjoying the time and conversations with my brother.  We had a good chat in McD's parking lot.  Rick and I have never been very close and this has been an eye-opening experience.  He's seeing things that he's never realized about our mom, things that I never realized either, until living near her.  Let's just say, we're bonding. 
•  Our Young Women New Beginnings program was lovely.  The theme was Arise and Shine Forth and it was just adorable.  There were white lights strung from the ceiling, bright yellow pompom flowers hanging and all of the decor was bright yellow.  They really went all out. I am so so thankful for these leaders who spend so much effort in behalf of our young women, especially since I have a daughter who is a part of the group.  ZJ went along with us and she can't wait until she turns twelve.  She's got 13 months to go!  I'm excited for her too!
• Speaking of ZJ, I've begun plans for her new bedroom for her birthday.  My girls are pinterest-addicts too!  Help me!  I love that my girls get into decorating as much as I do!
• A very quick sentiment:  I love today's quote!  With so much negative happening around us, it really does help to turn off the news, avoid the negative and focus on the positive in your life.  I honestly could not stop crying after all of the negative happenings on Monday until I realized that I just needed to take a step away from it all and focus on the positive things in my world.  It made all the difference.  Just sayin'.

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

I'm speechless.  It's rare, but true.

Photo of the day:  Dinner ~ BLT Pasta Salad, DELISH!

12 ounce corkscrew shaped pasta
1 cup milk
12 ounces lean bacon 
4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks 
2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (Fresh was fabulous!)
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced 
lots of salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
Spring Mix Lettuces, lots! 

Directions

Cook the pasta, following the package directions.  Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.  Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain, but reserve 3 tablespoons of drippings in the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper.  Crumble the bacon. Toss the bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.  Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and green onions with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Serve at room temperature.  Enjoy!

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

super!

Friday, Doug and I met with our CPA. Uncle Sam won't be as generous as he was last year, but then again, we didn't buy a new furnace this year.  Now, if we received rebates on things like anti-biotics, toilet paper and cough drops, after our last six weeks, we'd be getting a huge refund!  ;)  Thankfully, we are all finally over our worst winter bug ever!  After taxes, we met Denise and Clint for lunch at Chili's.  Denise and I talked to each other while Doug and Clint talked engineering, camping, man talk.  Later in the evening, we met Stott and Wendy for a quiet dinner,  Later, Doug and I agreed...we are so blessed with amazing friendships! 

Saturday, after contemplating it for weeks, I decided to empty my gallery closet, which is ceiling to floor storage containers.  I went through every drawer, container, and such to consolidate and dejunk as much as possible, while watching The Terminal and then skyping with Liza.  I was only half-way done when Zaylee arrived for a sleep over.  Plus I had a plethora of SuperBowl food to cook, requiring a trip to Lee's Marketplace first.  In other words, I stopped mid-project (something that drives me insane!).  I finished cooking SuperBowl food at 1AM.  I laughed at myself because I was so tired that when I went to shut down the laptop, which was on my kitchen counter, I grabbed an avocado, thinking it was my mouse and wondered why it wasn't working! 

Liza was home alone for the day in Arizona, so we Skyped for four hours while I cleaned the gallery and she did laundry.  At dinnertime, I ordered Pizza Hut online for us both. As Zaylee set the table, I brought the laptop into the kitchen and set it up on a barstool at the table, so that Liza could "have dinner with us". We ate our pizza "together" as a family. It was almost as good as having her here, but like I told her, I was missing the hugs.  We've grown to love Skype.  I miss my girl.

Zaylee still doesn't quite get Skype.  At three, she knows that Liza lives far away in AZ now, but with Skype, she thinks Liza is inside the monitor.  Before dinner, while the laptop was still in the gallery, Liza left the screen for a sec, but Zaylee could hear her talking.  She said, "Wiza, where are you?"  When Liza returned to view, Zaylee got all excited, "Hey, Wiza, you want to play Hide and Seek!?"  Then she told Liza to count to ten.  As Liza was counting with her eyes covered, Zaylee yelled from behind the Lazy Boy, "Ok!  Now, say, Ready or Not, here I come!"  Liza asked "Is she under the desk?  Is she behind the closet door?...."  Zaylee was just cacklingbecause Liza "couldn't find her".  Not able to stand the suspense anymore, she popped her head over the back of the chair.  Then, she said, "Now it's your turn to hide, Wiza!"  Liza ducked out of the camera view and Zaylee was actually looking for her under the desk, behind the door and chair until Liza peeked her head partially in camera view and Zaylee said, "I see you!"  Liza and I were rolling!

One other cute little Zaylee funny:  As I was finishing cleaning up the kitchen, Zaylee saw the Peanut-butter Chocolate Popcorn and asked "Please, I can have some Popcorn Salad?"  Apparently, if it's in the big red bowl, it's salad.  I heart that three year old!

It was one of my favorite Saturdays in a long long time!

I had this entry typed to this point before church and the Superbowl. As I was closing up the laptop before we left for church,  I had the most random thought about how one piece of tragic news could turn all of this Super Bowl excitement into absolutely nothing, compared to real life.  Only hours later, as we arrived at Carol's, the news had been released that Josh Powell had blown up his home in Washington, killing himself and his two sons. SO SAD.  My first thought when I heard the news was that those sweet little boys were welcomed by their mother "on the other side".  (And for Josh, well, hmmm.  I'm thinking that his welcome might not have been so joyful.)  Not making light at all.  The boys were on my mind through much of the SuperBowl party.  Such a tragedy.

On a lighter note:  Carol and I figured that our first Super Bowl Sunday together was when Madi was just a baby.  She'll be 21 next week.  Since our first Super Bowl, we've had children, grandchildren, Carol's husband died of brain cancer, two my kids have married, two of Carol's have upcoming weddings,  Kelly's divorced and remarried, Carol started teaching school, and between the both of us, we have lived in ten homes.  Time flies! And we hope to continue for a lot more! The food was fabulous, as always.  Carol and I had decided to each try, at least two, new recipes.  We had quite the tasty spread!  I've already shared a few recipes but will add more later this week.  We did miss the Caspersons (Carol's married niece), who've just recently moved to the Washington.  We texted with them throughout the game and at the end, since they were watching it an hour later than us, we all sent them a text simultaneously, with our own made up final score and winners, none of which were the same or accurate!  A fun game day, indeed!  I love Super Bowl Sunday.  Mostly, I love Carol.

Lastly, my Photo of the day catch-up for the weekend:

Friday:  Hands

These are my favorite hands in the world ~ Doug's.  They are the hands that work so hard to support our family, to rub lotion on my feet nightly, to help me do honey-do tasks, to hold mine when we watch tv together and to touch me gently or flirtatiously just to remind me that I'm loved.  They are the hands that pushed our children when they learned to ride bikes and that lay upon their heads when they need a Father's Blessing.  I love these hands.

Saturday ~ Stranger 

We've owned this movie for years and I'd only seen it once.  At the theater all those years ago.  Seriously, if you've never taken time to watch it, it's so worth the two hour investment.  It's Tom Hanks at his best.  A tender story that really defines the word "stranger".  LOVE it.

And Sunday's photo challenge ~ 10AM

Normally on a Sunday morning, at 10AM, I'm studying a lesson or making breakfast for the family before church.  This week, with our Super Bowl party in the works, I was making this nummy peanut-butter chocolate popcorn.  Recipe on the cooking blog later today!

A long Monday entry, I realize.  But, life is good and there's much to remember and celebrate.  Enough said!

True friendship is felt, not said.

On family differences

PREVIOUSLY POSTED IN APRIL 2007... adding right now...HOLY COW, things have changed.  I'm so thankful for my dad and the Bell family connections that have been made over this past year.  AWESOMENESS!!

Holy cow.  This entry turned into a most serious one.  Deep, even.  Sorry to get so personal.  But, it's hitting me hard, the need to express these sentiments.

First and most important, my thoughts and prayers are with the Gallagher family who lost their precious son, Joey, last night.  Joey short 12 years on earth have ended and has to suffer no more.  I will continue to pray for peace and comfort to his family.

A strange thing happened yesterday.  My dad called.  I've shared before that I've had very little contact with my dad since I was twelve years old.  I love him because he's my father, but he never was much of a dad.  My own children had never met him until two years ago when Liza was married.  Since then, we've probably talked more than we had in the previous almost thirty-five years. 

So, he called yesterday.  We chatted for a bit and he seems to be getting his life in a better place than it's been since he and my mom were married.  He's made some huge progress in "growing up". I was pleased to hear this progress. Afterwards, I said a prayer of thanks, asked that he'd continue to stay on this much improved path and went about my day.

Two hours later... Dad calls again.  Twice in one day?  "Darlin'." (in his wonderful southern accent)  "Your cousin, Kelly, had a beautiful baby girl this morning!"  (My "Cousin" Kelly, is actually, my only living cousin, Kent's daughter, which makes her my second cousin or cousin-once-removed, but in the south, everyone's your cousin, even if they are umpteen times removed.)  I was pleased to hear the report of this beautiful baby girl with two inch long black hair looking like Pocahontas.  We chatted another moment and hung up.

Here's the strange part.  My dad called to tell me that my "cousin", whom I've never met, had had a baby.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I was tickled for Kent to become a grandfather again.  I adore Kent.  Always have, always will.  BUT, Kent, and his brother, Keith were my only two cousins.  Keith died in a motorcycle accident about five years ago.  I could count on one hand the times that I'd seen either of them since I was a child.  But, I feel a closeness to them both.  I mourned Keith's death, as though we lived next door all of our lives.  They are my kin.  My only kin on my dad's side.  Yet, I found out about his death because I happened to call an hour before his viewing.  But, my dad... he called... to tell me family news.  This was just so odd.  I hung up and thought, "How is is that I'm forty-seven years old and have had only three phone calls in my entire married life to tell me family news?"

I speak with my mom every single day, usually two or three times.  (Sometimes, admittedly four or five or six.) Liza and I speak or text each other every single day.  But, my dad and I speak a couple of times a year, if that, up until recently.  And he called me to tell me family news.  For the first time, in my entire life, I felt a different kind of connection with my dad and his family.  Since my grannie passed away, the only contact with my dad's family is when I call them.  Family ties are so important to me that it's worth the effort, even though it's never reciprocated. And yesterday, dad called me. I'm  stunned.

Family dynamics are so strange.  I have only one sibling, a brother, and we are not close.  Doug has five siblings and though we see each other often and know that we are there for each other if ever needed, we could still improve.  I have a wayward daughter who I've not seen in two years and have only hear from twice.  It hurts.  I have a hippie son, whom I adore but we are as different as night and day.  I guess what all this rambling leads to is the fact that even though families are raised together, in the same homes, under the same circumstances, we're each so different.  Very different.  My brother and I have nothing in common, other than physically.  My children, well, that's plain obvious.  My southern family, I adore.  They're a different religion, a different political party... I've grown up from the outside looking in after my parents divorce, but, they are my family. The differences are so not as important as the relationship. Over the years, I've been grateful for the connection that I've had.  I've cherished it, even the differences.  As strange as it may seem, with all these differences, my family is the most important thing to me.

Letting the petty things get in the way of the relationships that really matter is so wrong.  My cousin, Keith, he was gone in a moment.  A sweet little boy named Joey suffered from cancer for months, his every breath counted and he's gone.  We just don't know what tomorrow brings.  I'm being bold in saying that if you are reading this today, and there is someone in your life that things aren't right with, someone that really matters but you aren't acting like it, pick up the phone, knock on their door, send them a card or letter.  Let them know that they do, indeed, matter.  Do it today.  Don't wait until it's too late.  Don't wish you had have.  Do it.  Even if they don't respond positively or the way that you'd like, you can know that you made the effort.  Then, maybe the next time you "connect", it won't feel so strange.  Maybe it will feel right.  Hopefully.  More than enough said.

“True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you.”

one word CAN make a difference

Denise and I had the funniest/strangest experience yesterday.  We laughed all day long.  I caved and Denise and I went to lunch.  But.  Not to Chili's and I'm still Pop-free one week, which was the main reason that I didn't want to go out to eat all week.  It's much easier to not drink pop when I'm at home.  SO. I'm good with it.

Denise and I had debated all morning and finally decided to go to Black Pearl, a local "Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar".  They've been open a few years and we have always loved the food, but were never satisfied with the service, so we've not been in for at least a year.  As we entered the restaurant, we noticed a sign, "Under New Management", so we were encouraged before we even were seated.

We had a pleasant conversation with a beautifulyoung server before she took our order. She explained that she'd only been working there for a week. Denise ordered her favorite, Tiny Spicy Chicken.  I debated for a bit between Kung Poa or Cashew Chicken, but opted for Cashew Chicken because I prefer cashews to peanuts.  After our delicious Hot and Sour Soup, the server brought out our entrees.  Our mouths were watering.  Denise asked for a little sweet and sour sauce, so the server went to get it as we surveyed our food.  I took my first bite, which was heavenly, but I noticed that the nuts on the top of my veggies and chicken were not cashews but peanuts.  When our server returned with the Sweet and Sour Sauce, asking how everything was, here's the rest of the conversation:

Me:  I'm sorry, but I think that I got the wrong order.  These are peanuts, not cashews.
Server, looking concerned:  Oh, I'm sorry, I'll go and speak with the manager.
Seconds later, server returns: I just asked them and they said that they use peanuts.
Me, stirring through it thinking that she meant peanuts, along with my cashews and finding none:  Well, then that's not cashew chicken.  That's peanut chicken.
Server:  It's cashew chicken.  They just use peanuts.
Me:  Well, the menu should state this.  It could be really dangerous, if a guest has peanut allergies.  My son-in-law would become very ill if he ate this.
Server, apparently thinking that I had food allergies:  Oh, would you like me to take that back and bring you some without peanuts?
Me:  No, thank you.  Then, it wouldn't be cashew chicken or peanut chicken.  Actually, I was hoping for some cashews.   This is delicious, I'll just have it, but, seriously?  This is really the strangest thing I've ever heard of in a restaurant.  I think that they need to change the name on the menu.

The server didn't seem to be too worried.  Denise and I were just shaking our heads in disbelief.  SERIOUSLY?   That was it.  I ate it.  It was delicious, but seriously?  Cashew Chicken with peanuts and nocashews?  Even my kids said, "Then why don't they call it "Peanut Chicken"?  Like I told Doug, that'd be like going to Chili's and asking for Chips and Salsa and getting Chips and Ketchup.  And what's worse, I have to wonder, if they use peanuts for chicken, what were they using for chicken!?!?! 

After Doug was home, I shared the story with him and he was laughing out loud.  He said that I really should have spoken with the manager.  So, I called the restaurant and asked for the manager or owner.  The woman who answered said that he wasn't in.  No, she didn't know when he'd be back.  No, she didn't know if he would be there tomorrow.  I asked,  "Well, what's his name, so that I can ask for him when I call again."  She said, and I kid you not, "I don't know."  I repeated, in shock.  "You don't know your boss's name?"  She insisted, "No, I just work part time."  I am not sure which I was more surprise by... peanut chicken or someone who doesn't know who they work for????  Too funny.

I really love their food. I will speak to the manager. I highly doubt that we'll return again anytime soon.   Here's the biggest laugh of my day.  I'd taken my camera along with me, so that I could be on the look-out for today's Photo Challenge.  The challenge was "Words".  This afforded the perfect opportunity.  Hence today's photo of the day and my "word".  One word can make a difference.

And since I received several requests for the list of the photo of the day challenge, here it is:

Laughter is the corrective force which prevents us from becoming cranks. 

choices

Recently, I was told a lie.  The teller is a good person, an honest person, a person that I've always considered a good friend.  I'm certain that they thought that a lie was "okay" because it would cause less problems in the long run, than telling the truth.  I was shocked and hurt because I knew the truth and because I've always trusted this person. Actually, I think that the person even knew that I knew the truth.  BUT.  Because I really care about this person, I choose not to get angry, to react or to confront them.  I simply let it go.  Didn't even bat an eyelash.  (Although, I would be lying myself if I didn't admit that my tongue was almost bleeding from biting it!)  I may be a bit more "on guard" with this person in the future, but I am letting it go.  In my old age, I'm learning.  Even a year ago, I'd have had a much different reaction.  Wouldn't it be great to learn life's little lessons when we were young!

This past year, I've learned much about myself by witnessing a friend's painful "growing experience".  One of the most valuable things I have learned, is that festering over an issue isn't going to change a thing.  As you hear so often these days, "It is what it is." I'm learning to take a deep breath and repeat it.  It is what it is.  Or as my cute niece, Lindsay says, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."  Well, she says that to her pre-school age children.  But, guess what?  It applies to grown-ups too.  We do get what we get.  In life.  We can choose how we'll handle it.  But, most assuredly, throwing a fit, whether we are three or thirty-three or fifty-three is not ever the right solution.   

A week or so ago, I came across this little story on Facebook and I've seen it posted a few other times since. 

The timing was perfect as a little reminder to me.  I know that I've said this many times before, but every now and then, we all need little reminders, right?  We choose how we deal with each and every challenge, trial,] or situation in our lives.  It's not always easy, but choosing joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth, we will always come out the winner.  Enough said.

Next...

I decided a few weeks ago to take a little February Picture a day challenge. The Day 1 challenge photo was "Your View".  Now, a lot of people may have taken pictures today of their view out the window.  But, I chose to take this photo below, of my sweet boy, Quayd and his friends before they went to the LDS Temple.   These are six of the sharpest boys I know. They are Quayd's closest friends and this mom is thankful that they are!  They, so far, are all making good choices!  They are dependable, trustworthy, fun-loving.  They do everything together and have fun doing it. When I dropped Quayd off at the church, the boys, who'd all been together on the school bus just an hour before, did this crazy little handshake and greeted each other like they'd not seen each other for months. A few minutes later and a few blocks away, I noticed a boy walking down the street alone in, dressed very "gangsta" and looking very alone.  I said a little prayer of gratitude that Quayd was where he was, with the boys he was with.  So, my favorite view today:  I'm blessed to have a sweet young son, who's growing up far too quickly but, so far, is making good choices and making his mama proud. I heart him. 

(left to right:  Jayden, Quayd, Dennison, Josh, Chandler, Chase)

To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. 

Wednesday Ramblings...

• Happy February!  The weatherman informed us that we are not past what is commonly referred to as "the dead of winter".  I had to laugh.  We've not really had winter yet.  Even with the three small storms we've had since fall, we have barely had enough snow to cover the ground completely.  I'm remembering the April 1st nine inches that came two years ago and the 31 inches that came on March 6th a few years before that.  As much as I love snow, I'm thinking I could pass on that again. 
  
  
• A SuperBowl recipe:  I think I'll need to try this one that Liza sent this to me today.  She LOVED  it.  Here's the text, exactly as she sent it:

1 Box Frozen Spinach-defrosted
1 Cream cheese-softened
1 Ranch Packet
Pepper if desired.

French Bread or crackers

OH BABY!

• Mitt Romney is one step closer to being the Republican Presidential Nominee.  Whodathunkit?  Newt and Cain?  Seriously?  Mitt's got a lonnnnng road ahead of him, regardless.  Where this election is concerned, we all do.  ;)
• After much discussion and debate with Denise, even though it was Tuesday, we actually stayed home, had lunch and played cards.  I made grilled tuna sandwiches with provolone and cream cheese.  AND I drank water. Two more days.  But, I'm thinking I'll just stick with the water, for good.  Again.
• I'm so excited to have heard that The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall is being released in DVD next week!  I love Phantom!  Always have, always will.  Seeing it live was one of the thrills of my life.  Then again, it's a thrill every time I listen to it.  I can't wait to watch the live performance with the girls!  ZJ is almost as excited as I am! 
• And that, is all I have to say today. Life is good!

a day in the life

We had a phonecall from Dale letting us know that his beloved dog and partner, Chanterelle, had passed away.  She has been part of the family since Quayd was a baby.  She was so smart and had more personality than any dog I've ever known.  Dale raised her from birth and I honestly do not think that Chanti every realized that she was a dog.  We tended her for six months when the babes were very young.  They napped on her belly, rode her back like a pony and she took care of them like they were her own.  I'd trust Chanti before any other animal I've ever known.  Pit bulls get a lot of bad press, but I believe with all my heart that if they are treated with love and respect, they will return it like no other.  It breaks my heart to think of Willow and Dale not having her there by their sides any longer.  Doug called her "Wonder Dog".  I adore this sweet friend and she will always hold a piece of my heart.  We love Chanti.  Enough said.

On another tender note:  Quayd had a rough day.  We decided to use our Family Home Evening time as a teaching moment and it turned out to be one awesome and impactful experience. I love it when that happens!  We discussed how the body has different parts and all of them are equally important... if we were all the foot, where would the eyes be? Then, we talked about how Heavenly Father created us each to be so different...some of us are artistic, some musical, some compassionate, some with people skills, some book smarts....   Then we talked about how it would be if we were all the same. If we were all like me, we'd have treats all the time, never have any messes and we'd probably would be too scared afraid of germs and danger to be adventurous in the world. If we were all like Doug, we'd eat wheat and potatoes, never have treats,  and probably fall off some cliff that we were hiking the top of.   This got a little wild and brought many laughs.

Doug asked the kids to name some of their talents and then, what they thought they were on a scale of 1-10.  Doug, then, made the point that Heavenly Father only makes TENS.  He did make the point that I was the exception because I am a twelve.  I love this man.  But, mostly, I loved that Grace determined that she will be a twelve when she's a mom too.  Love Love LOVE it.  They captured the message though.  We each have our own strengths and weaknesses and we are all valuable just the way we were created.  As I was saying goodnight to Quayd, he said, "That was a pretty cool Family Home Evening, Mom.  I liked the lesson.  Thanks."  A mommy moment, indeed.

For our treat, I made another Pinterest find, Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats.  WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE best version of Rice Krispies I've ever tried.  They were even better than the Oreo ones!  Here's the recipe:

Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats

1/4 cup butter

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp  molasses

2 tsp cinnamon

1 (10.5 oz) bag miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Butter a 9x13 dish, set aside.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Make sure that the heat is low and constantly stir.  Stir in salt, molasses, and cinnamon.  Add marshmallows and stir constantly until marshmallows have completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour the Rice Krispies into a large buttered bowl and pour the marshmallow mixture over it, stirring until evenly coated.  Spread evenly into the 9x13 dish with a buttered spatula.

At this point, I just let them cool and frosted them, then cut them into squares, rather than the next step because we had them eaten in less time than it would have taken to shape them.  Allow to cool several minutes, then cut while still slightly warm.  Using your hands, round edges of cut squares by cupping your hands around the edges and gently pressing.  

Allow to cool completely then pipe Cream Cheese Frosting over tops of Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats.  Optional, dust the tops lightly with cinnamon.  I used a light dusting of cinnamon sugar.)

.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Stir in vanilla.  Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth and fluffy.

Note: I used only half of this frosting and it was still a little too much... and that's coming from the queen of cream cheese!

One last thing...thanks for the encouraging emails (and the teases) about my not eating out for a whole week and not drinking pop.  I'm proud to say that I survived the day without going out to lunch and drank a lot of water.  Instead, I ran some errands with Natalie, baked bread, studied and had a long visit with another friend.  And I'm still alive!  Now, Tuesday... well, we'll see how it goes.  ;)  Enough said!

Truth and Honesty is the oldest and most powerful of all of the human values.

Weekend update:

We did nothing all weekend long...other than church, I never left the house.  Doug worked and I did some fun paper-crafting, watched a few ollllld DVDs, played a bit with the kids and that's about it. Doug and rotated who went to church for which meetings because ZJ woke up feeling queasy, which is apparently going around.  Several people at church mentioned it too.  Lovely.  I did have fun making a fun Valentine's Banner for friend, Marilyn...so much that after I was done, I decided that I needed a smaller version for myself.  A sneak peak yesterday, I'll post the rest in February!

 A few ramblings....

• I have decided that I'm ready for spring.  If  it's not going to be winter, it might as well be spring, right?  ;)  Still waiting for that blizzard and am reminded of about six years ago when we got 30" of snow that came in one overnight storm in March a few years ago.  I loved that storm but would much prefer that kind of snow in January, thank you.  
• ZJ is A.MAZ.ING.  She's the most right brained child of my six.  She received a sewing machine for Christmas.  I've taught her a few basics, but she comes upstairs with stuffed animals, Barbie clothes "that are modest", all sorts of things.  She's a scrapbooker, a seamstress, an artist, a writer.  Now, she's a "mender".  Doug asked her to mend something for him.  And she came upstairs with her jeans on for school last Friday, having sewn on her own patch. It will last only one washing, but she said, "That's okay, I can change it that way."  I love it.  I heart her.
  
  
  
  
• A cute new couple in the ward, spoke in our Sacrament Meeting.  Darling.  Married six weeks.  As she was speaking, Quayd knowing that cinnamon rolls were on my agenda and couldn't stop thinking about them, quietly leaned over to me and said, "Mom, I think that they need some cinnamon rolls to welcome them into the ward."  I'm not sure if he was being thoughtful or assuring that I make them.  Gracie offered to help with dinner (I heart her too) and that changed the menu, so I'll be baking tomorrow.  The boy needs cinnamon rolls!
• I was asked to sign a "release" paper for Quayd to begin taking Seminary next year.  Seminary is a Scripture Study Class that LDS youth grades 9-12 take daily.  They get to take the class during school hours as an "released-time" elective.  It's a great learning opportunity for them.  I love Seminary and was so grateful for the things I learned "way back when" because I'd just barely joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and knew nothing.  LOVE Seminary.  Do NOT love the fact that my boy is old enough to be taking it!  First Seminary and next thing ya know, we're talking dating and graduations and a two year mission.  It's all happening so fast!  I heart my boy!
• I've challenged myself to notgo to Chili's for one week.  Not just Chili's but to not eat out for one week.  AND to not drink pop for the whole week either.  It's frightening, I know.  ;)  I've done well so far.  No pop or anything purchased since Friday at noon.  Denise called at 10:15 Sunday night.  We were so strong and committed at the beginning of the conversation.  We can do it.  We can.  Then, by the end of the call, we were saying, "Well, we'll see tomorrow. Call me in the morning. Well, you have to go out to to to the post office, so we may as well go out since you're already out. Maybe we could go someplace else.  Maybe we can just not drink pop but still go to Chili's.... "  Yeah. We'll see how this goes.  Such willpower. 
• February tablescape is set.  I couldn't wait.  More of that willpower.
• I feel a painting spree coming on.  Just saying.
• Life is really, really good.


It is better to have a life of "Oh, Wells" than a life of "What ifs".

Ready for a little L-O-V-E

Do small things with Great Love.

Organizing the Living Room

Previously posted in January 2011.

Note:  Today, I'm talking about a living room that's more of a company living room.  I'll talk about family rooms another day soon.  I do realize that not everyone has both.  Also, after a few emails yesterday, I'm prefacing today's organizing entry with this precursor... These ideas are what I've found to be helpful in my ancientness and old age for me, in my home.  They are being suggested as helpful tips, but I realize that they may not work in your world.  Thanks!  ;) 

 

 

 

 

The living room is like a window that looks into your personal world. It offers a peek inside your life.  We don’t live in the living room.  It's where company comes to visit.  The living room speaks volumes to the stranger at your door. Is it clean and inviting? Is it a cluttered mess? It’s the public place. It represents and speaks so much about your family and your lives.  It's a great place for you to "speak" you.  Family photos, musical instruments, books, decor are all things that are telling of you and your family.

 

 

The living room should be, in my opinion, the one room in the home that is always clean, vacuumed and dusted.   I realize that not all homes offer the option of not having a TV in the living room, but if at all possible, I recommend it.  When company comes, you want to spend time visiting with them, not competing with the volume of the TV.  It’s also not an eating room, unless it's a party. Not eating in the living room protects the carpet and the best furniture in the house, plus is a major part of keeping it company clean most of the time. In our home, it’s the room where we have Family Home Evening and family prayer. So, this room, in our home, the calm and peaceful room. Just that fact, alone, helps keep down the rough-housing that takes place in other parts of the home.   It's also not a room for homework or projects, but it's great for reading and napping in the sunshine.  Designating your living room for specific purposes is essential in keeping it organized and clean.

 

Here’s a few tips on keeping the living room organized and to maintain the feeling of peace and calm in the living room.

 

Here’s a suggestion for the brave soul. Completely empty the living room of all décor, books, magazines, pillows, throws, plants (live and other) and other “stuff”. Clean the room and then put things back. Think carefully before you return every single item to the room. Is it something outdated that could be replaced by something better? Is it something that could be put away in a scrapbook instead of hanging on the wall because it’s so old? Does it need a new frame? Does whatever you’re about to bring back in need polishing? Scrubbing? Soaking? Tossing? Is it time to start fresh completely? Of all the rooms in the house that you dare attempt this, the living room is the one!

Go through the room and dejunk of all clutter and useless items.  My philosophy is that if it doesn’t enhance or have a purpose in the room (whatever room we're talking about), it doesn’t belong there.   Junk does not enhance any room.

Newspapers can be read and then stacked in a basket or container or another room. Piles of magazine and catalogs can also be stored and stacked elsewhere (if they must be kept). Baskets are great and inexpensive containers for magazines, catalogs and newspapers.  But, even better, stack them in the garage until you're ready to make a trip to the recycling bin.

If you have musical instruments, they are likely kept in the living room, which means that there’s usually sheet music and books to go along with them. Make sure that you have a container of some sort for music. You don’t need to store every piece of music ever purchased near the piano, just the ones that are played frequently and that are current. We have a large square basket in the corner of our living room. It's worked for twenty years.  We call it the “scripture basket”. This basket stores scriptures, the hymn book, the children’s hymnbook and current pieces of music being played. It contains things well and enhances the room.   Try it!

“What-nots”, as my Grannie always called them, are perfectly stored and displayed in the living room. But. Don't over-accessorize the room with whatnots on shelves, tables or walls. Remember that the more you have, the more you have to dust. If you have a collection, a wise investment is a hutch of some sort to keep them safely displayed and it cuts down on the dusting immensely. Where whatnots are concerned, less is better. Less dusting, less worry of things being broken. (This is one of the only issues I have with having so much Christmas décor… it is cluttery!)

 

Keep the living room in tip top shape. Don’t have broken furniture and décor in the room. It doesn’t mean that you have to purchase new everything. Just display your best in the living room. I love the old HGTV show, what was it called, where they’d do a 3 minute segment rearranging furniture in a room. Those ladies would go around the home and pull odds and ends from other parts of the home to make the room look fabulous without spending a dime!

Keep updated photos in your living room. With technology today, even old faded photos can be enhanced and reprinted for near nothing to look like new! And dust your frames!

 

Even more important than the bedroom, laundry does not belong in the living room! Fold your laundry near the laundry room.

 

 

Stereos and electronics are commonly found in the living room.  Electronics are dust collectors, for certain, so keep them dusted frequently.  Keep cords and cables behind and hidden as much as possible.  Have a container for remotes.  If your stereo is in the living room, have an organized system for containing CDs.  If a disc comes out of the stereo, make sure it goes back inside the case, then make sure the case goes back into it's place.  Piles of CD cases are cluttery.  Contain them.

Arrange furniture to make it as comfortable as possible for visiting. Have the seating arranged to allow guests to be facing each other comfortably. Do not crowd the room with too much furniture. (That’s a hard one today because furniture is large and older homes have smaller rooms, mine included.)  Get rid of old broken pieces of furniture, even if it can't be replaced quiet yet.

Make sure that lighting is at it’s prime for reading and visiting. Dust lampshades often. Replace bulbs immediately when they burn out. Make sure that plugs and cords are safely out of the way.

If shoes come off at the front door for the family, have a receptacle for them, rather than huge piles of shoes tossed everywhere to welcome your guests when they visit. A large basket near the door will work. Also if coats come off at the door, a coat tree would be a wise investment. And last but not least, “JUST SAY NO!” to backpacks being dropped off at the front door!

If you enter more often through your front door, a hall table or secretary would be a wise investment for depositing mail and keys as you walk in the door. Never place your keys anyplace but in that container, so that you don’t waste precious time looking for them.

 

Again, clear away magazines and books, frequently. If you have a bookshelf in the living room, dust it regularly and make sure that it doesn’t become a collecting spot for other “stuff”.

 

If you have books in the living room (which it’s a great place to read, so why wouldn’t you?), then have a contained and designated spot for them. Whether it’s a book basket or a bookshelf, keep them together. The book basket is a great idea for families who frequent the library. Store all library borrowed books in the basket and when it’s time to go, you won’t be searching the house for them.

 

 

Keep batteries in clocks! A lot of us are clock collectors today. I love clocks and have clocks everywhere as décor. If you have clocks, keep them running.

 

If you have a mantel, use it as the focal spot in the room, not a gathering place for junk.  Don't overload it with a ton of decor.  Don't store keys, batteries, mail on it.  It's not a catch-all. Keep it simple and easy to dust.

 

Dust your blinds. Vacuum behind your curtains.  It's amazing to me how the spiders just know this is a safe place for their webs! Wash living room curtains, if they're fingerprinted. Wash your window sills. Clean the windows.  Of all the windows in the house, this one should be the cleanest.

Clean under the seat cushions. After you celebrate all of the things that you find, vacuum the inside of chairs before replacing the cushions.

 

 

Dust and clean lampshades, ceiling fan blades and clean all lightswitches.

 Again.  These are some of my successes in organizing our living room.  I hope that they can benefit others, as well!  Life is most certainly good!

 

 "In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves … self discipline with all of them came first."  Harry S Truman, U.S. President

five on Friday

1. Quayd, speaking to Go-Go, our, as of late very naughty, Malti-Poo.  "You is kind.  You is not so smart.  But, you is important."  Love that boy.  He makes me laugh.
2. I'm so over my January decor.  I pulled out the Valentine's bin today, but Grace informed me that it's too early for Valentines Day decorations.  Obviously, she's not been to many stores lately.  Easter Stuff is in bloom.  (no pun intended.)
3. Still no more snow.  Enough said about that.
4. Today's hot tip on Pinterest was on boiling eggs.  Whodathunkit?  Here's a new how-to:
   
   Fill a pot with water and set the temp to high. Add desired amount of eggs making sure the water covers the entire egg. Bring it to a boil. DON”T CONTINUE TO BOIL. Once it begins, remove it from the heat and put a lid on it. Set your timer for 15 minutes.  Ding! Pour the hot water off and immediately fill your pot with cold water. Add as much ice as you can to this water. If it melts in a few minutes, add more. The water should be icy cold when you put your hand in it. If not, continue adding ice. 
   
   After about 10-15 minutes (no set time), pour NEARLY all of the water off reserving about an inch.  Put the lid on and now it’s time to play bumper cars. You heard me, shake those babies bumping them together back and forth. You’ll look ridiculous, but I promise it’s worth the goofy look so you’re not peeling each one under cold running water. Just continue to shake, shake, shake for about a minute and voila! When you remove the lid nearly all of your shell has fallen off the egg and they EASILY peel off without peeling the egg off.  Store them in a ziploc bag (dated-because they have a week long shelf-life) in the fridge. 
5. It's the weekend!  A day date today, but Doug has to work on Saturday, so there'll be no latenight movies this weekend, but I do love Fridays!


Do one thing every day that makes you happy.

 

 

a confession

And now, a confession.  I am teased often about my anal housekeeping habits.  I always respond the same ~ if I weren't organized, I'd lose my head.  And my keys.  And my planner.  And my shoes... well, you get the picture.  BUT.  One thing, which I alluded to recently, that I am not the best at is laundry. 

I do keep up on it and I have a good system for keeping it organized, that's not the problem.  I am not a good laundress.  My mother, on the other hand, is a laundry queen.  She loves ironing.  She is a bleach fanatic.  The woman bleaches and washes sneakers regularly.  Everything she owns looks brand new and is always sparkling white.  Sometimes, the smell of bleach in her house makes your eyes water.  But, unfortunately, I never learned this "talent" from my mother.

In actuality, Mom never taught me one single thing about housekeeping.  I was raised in a sterile environment with plastic on the furniture, white carpeting, glass and mirrors everywhere.  Mom worked all day and apparently, after Rick and I went to bed, she stayed up all night cleaning, because there was never a thing out of place. Honestly.  Before I married Doug, I had never cleaned one toilet, washed a window or done any other housekeeping skill, other than washing dishes a few times and there was that one pair of jeans.  (And I didn't do that right, ask Mom.) 

The reason that I had never done any of those homemaking chores was because Mom wanted them done "right".  "Right" meant her way and her way was the only way.  Heaven forbid that we fold a towel wrong.  So, she did it all herself.  I'm here to say...BIG PARENTING MISTAKE.  (This is not a Mom-bash.  She taught us lots of other good things, such as hard work ethics, go the extra mile, be generous and kind to strangers, help those in need.  She just didn't want anyone doing her housework!)

When I married Doug, it didn't take me long to discover that an ugly ring develops in the toilet if it's not cleaned often, that ovens get dirty, floors need mopping regularly and so on.  I went to our little town library and checked out every homemaking book I could get my hands on.  (As I recall, there were three...one of which was my first Homemaking Bible, Daryl Hoole's "The Art of Homemaking".)  I read these books cover to cover and took notes and read them again.  And I learned.  I asked questions and observed every woman who I admired for their homemaking skills and learned more.  I took classes on homemaking and home management and got proficient enough that after a few years, I was asked to teach the classes.  I'd learned something well enough to teach it.  Cool beans.

I digress.  To this day, I have never mastered laundry.   I'm just plain and simple not good at it.  Again, I get it done efficiently.  I have an organized laundry room.  But.  My socks and unmentionables are never look like new.  Gracie's zebra striped shirt turns grey after a few washings because is it a dark or a light?  White collars on hot pink... well, I just try to not buy things like that.  I'm more of a solids gal.   And then there was this little faux pax, about five years ago, that I'm still horrified about.  I didn't realize that I'd left a tube of red lipstick in the pocket of this special white dress.  I tossed it in the dryer to get out any wrinkles and ten minutes later, this was what I found!  I still cry when I think about it.  
 
Back to the big confession. I have a huge laundry phobia.  Silly as it may seem.  After over 14 years of serving in Relief Society Presidencies, always in the Homemaking department, I have neverwashed the Relief Society tableclothes.  Not once.  Ever. I have always managed to "allow" someone else the "privilege".  For those reading this who are not LDS, you should know that the Relief Society tableclothes, used at most church functions that involve food, are near sacred.  (Not spiritually sacred, but as in prized, cherished, treated like gold.)  The Relief Society President gaurds and protects them with their lives during their tenure.  They loan them out with great reservation and near sacred covenants that you will gaurd them the same, while they are in your possession. I've never lived in a ward that this wasn't the case.  (Justifiably so, because they are expensive and it would be easy to lose track of them or have them not cared for properly or be unavailable when needed.)

So, two weeks ago, when I called our Relief Society President to ask to use the tableclothes for the stake dinner that I was decorating for, she brought them over almost immediately.  (She's a loving, gentle lady and, she didn't even ask for one of my children as collateral.)  She carried them in, folded neatly in a clear storage container, labeled "Smithfield First Ward Relief Society" in permanent marker on the lid.  I cautioned the whole family to not touch the bin, as soon as she left.

Two days later, as soon as the big Stake gathering ended, I gathered them up, along with the help of a member of our Stake Presidency, making certain to count and double count and checking for any serious spots that might need immediate attention, then, put them back, in a bundle, into the storage container. When we got home, Doug carried the container down to the laundry room for me.  And.  For the past ten days, I've stared at it with fear. 

I've been mortified to wash the tableclothes.  I'm 53 years old and seriously afraid of these 12 round pieces of sparkling, white polyester.  What if I permanently set a spot in the dryer?  What if one gets torn in the washer?  What if there's a tube of red lipstick in the dryer? I even considered asking Mom to wash them!

Last night, I stayed up far too late.  It was after two when I climbed into bed.  Doug gets up at 3:55.  I had a good two hour nap but when we woke up, for some reason, the tableclothes were on my mind.  "What if Nyla drops by this morning to pick them up?"  They were just screaming my name from the laundry room.  I got up, went downstairs, removed the tableclothes from the container, checked every inch of every one of them for spots, took a deep breath and washed them. In hot water.  With a little bleach.  Then, I tossed them into the dryer, after checking it for crayons and lipstick or any other foreign objects, and dried them for only a few minutes, for fear that they'd shrink and be more like doilies when I took them out of the dryer.  I folded them neatly and returned them to the bin to return to our kind and wonderful Relief Society President.  All is well.  I really do need to get over this fear.  

So, why do I write this diatribe about tableclothes.  A few thoughts come to my mind:

• We let ourselves worry about the lamest things.  Most of our fears are never come to pass.  There really are enough serious issues in life, why do we let ourselves get worked up over the trivial.
• When we have a fear, the best way to conquer it is to just do it!  Rather than letting something paralyze us, move forward.  Take it on!  What's the worst that could happen? 
• Learn from your mistakes.  Mistakes, generally speaking, don't kill us.  Even with all that red lipstick on my beautiful white dress, I'm still alive.  And I know I won't make that mistake again!
• Teach your children how to work.  Zaylee,  who is barely three, sets the table every night.  Last night, when I said it was almost time to eat, she went straight to the drawer and pulled out the placemats, set them in place and continued to set the table, down to the salt and pepper.  Never be afraid to teach your children age-appropriate responsibilities.  Everyone can and will benefit from their knowledge and skills.
• And last, but not least, if you've ever had a desire to write a book, "How to do laundry well " is a great topic idea.  I'd buy it.

Enough said. 

If you stumble, make it a part of the dance.

a taste of summer in January

The babes had the day off for Parent Teacher Conferences, so we had a very casual day at home after I went to the school.  Gracie and I spent some time playing on Pinterest together.  She's still not got her own account because Facebook doesnt' recognize her name when she tries to log in, even though Pinterest has sent her an invite.  We're waiting to hear from their "Help People".  She can't wait!

I found an "interesting" recipe on Pinterest and was anxious to try it.  WOW!!!  MUST SHARE!  Here's the coolest thing about this recipe... it's 130 calories for one cup!  This is truly a LOT of good in such a small amount of calories.  Doug took one taste and said, "We need to have this once a week."  And most simple to make...just how I like it!  And it's so healthy!

Crab and Roasted Corn Salad

 12 oz. lump crab meat (I bought imitation and chopped it very fine in my food processor)
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half (I cut them in fourths)
1 large avocado, diced
2 hot peppers such as serrano or jalapeños, diced fine (seeds removed for mild) (I used one large)
1 1/2 cups roasted corn kernels (I roasted them in a skillet on the stove top until they were brown)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 limes, juice of (or more to taste)
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (I used a little more)
salt and fresh pepper to taste (I used lots)

How's that for lots of alterations!  Here's how:  In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

In a large bowl combine chopped crab meat, avocado, tomatoes, hot pepper and corn. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.  ENJOY!

I shared part of this with some friends, who stopped by after dinner and it was a hit.  We ate it on Townhouse crackers like crab salad, but it can be served as a main dish.  Seriously, healthy, low-fat, and so so tasty!

And now a quick ten list because it's 1:05AM and I'm more than ready for bed!

Ten things I did today:

1. Made a tasty dinner
2. Baked Peanut Blossom Cookies
3. Went to Parent Teacher Conferences
4. Had a Coke with Nat
5. Played a few games
6. Had some time with the kiddos
7. Hugged and kissed my sweetheart
8. Had a paradigm shift.
9. Went for a ride with a friend.
10. Cleaned the bathrooms.

Nine things I didn't do today:

1. Didn't connect with Dad.
2. Did not do laundry
3. Did not pay a bill that I really need to remember to get around to
4. Did not go to Chili's
5. Did not see Denise
6. Did not overeat
7. Did not exercise
8. Did not read
9. Did not get to bed early enough.

Eight things I will be doing on Wednesday:

1. Having lunch with Denise
2. Paying that bill
3. Ordering Melaleuca
4. Charging my camera battery
5. Going to Best Buy
6. Exercising
7. Making Tomato-Mac soup and cornbread
8. Returning tableclothes to Nila

Seven people I spoke with on Tuesday:

1. Wendy
2. Natalie
3. Carol
4. Denise
5. Nikki
6. Kaylene
7. Troy

Six things I ate today:

1. The nummy salad posted above
2. a Grilled Chicken wrap
3. some crackers
4. about 1 cup of Pepsi
5. a lot of water
6. a Peanut butter cookie

Five things I'm thankful for today:

1. Our wonderful furnace
2. My food processor
3. My husband's willingness to work hard for our family
4. My dad's latest cancer-free test results
5. My camera

Four little life lessons from today:

1. Sometimes you do all that you can do to fix something and then you have to just let it go when you know that you can't do anymore.
2. Friendships are treasures, not to be taken lightly.
3. Teachers are among the hardest working individuals in our country.
4. My husband is a gem!

Three things I'm looking forward to:

1. Going to the ranch soon!
2. Breaking Dawn in DVD in just a few weeks.
3. Friday day date with Doug!

Two things I need to give more attention to:

1. Walking every chance I get!
2. Reading more, Pinteresting less.

One laugh from today:

1. I was working on my iTunes Playlist revamp and a rather wild rock song from the 70s came on.  Quayd was next to me at the other computer with the headphones on.  He could hear my music, stopped what he was doing and asked, "Mom?  Is that appropriate?"  Too funny.   Love that boy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

everything

I typed this entry three times and for some reason, when I hit publish, TypePad surprised me with a previously posted entry, losing what I'd typed tonight.  Grrrr.  Forgive the typos and poor grammar.  I'm too afraid to touch anything but publish again.

Recently, I was asked a question that really made me think.  "What kind of blog do you have?"  Not sure what they were seeking in an answer, I asked for more specifics..."You know,  a decorating blog?  a cooking blog?  What kind?"  After much continued thought, even after my answer, I realize that my blog is a cooking blog, a decorating blog, an organizing blog, an entertaining blog, a movie review blog, a personal journal/scrapbook blog, even a blog about my biggest blunders.  My blog is an everything blog.  And tonight... that's what you get... a little bit of everything.  My main goal for my blog, after seven years, is that one day, my posterity can read and feel that they "knew" me and that every day, there's something of benefit for someone.  And some days, that someone is myself.  It works for me.  I so appreciate the many blogging friends that I've made through the years!  Enough said.

And now for a little of that "everything" I was talking about.

A response:  After yesterday's little post of Liza's "haircut emails", I received several requests to show a photo of the haircut.  I'm sorry.  I considered it but decided that it might be someone's brand new haircut and they may feel terrible knowing that Liza thought it was cute for a troll doll.  (wink-wink) 

A Zayleeism:  While I was playing with Go-Go,  Zaylee was very entertained, just belly-laughing until I made a comment like, "Grammie is such a dork."  Zaylee stopped mid-laugh and said, "No, Gwammie!  You not a dork!"  I teased, "Oh, is Go-Go a dork?"  She said, "No!  Gwammie!  Go-Go's not a dork.  Girls are not dorks and dogs are not dorks!  Just only boys can be dorks!"  She's barely three!  Where does she come up with these things?

Klutz in the Kitchen: In the past week, I've shared the details of the broken Corelle Cup in the crock pot full of Chicken Soup.  I've not shared that I ruined a double batch of Rice Krispie Treats by petrifyingthe marshmallows.  I ruined Wendy's jello salad by squirting aerosol whipping cream on it just before a Relief Society dinner and within seconds, it turned into liquid mush.  AND.  I made our favorite salad ~ spinach, mandarin oranges, craisins, mozzarella cheese, poppy seed dressing and sunflower seeds.  When I poured the cup of sunflower seeds in to the mix, I also poured myself a handful and discovered that they were rancid.  One month old and rancid.  $15 of salad into the disposal.  Sadness.  Even Doug couldn't eat it!  Sometimes, it's just better to order in.

Dinner: This tasty recipe, found on Pinterest a few weeks ago was our Monday night dinner.  SO good and very easy!  I took a quick photo before they were all devoured!  And the best part of the meal was that when every bite was gone, I announced to the babes that they had just eaten one very large onion and one very large green pepper.  Gracie proudly responded, "I know!  I saw that!  And I had one bite without a pepper and it wasn't as good as the others."  SCORE for the onions and green peppers!  Happy day!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons steak sauce (I used Worchestershire)
1 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls  (It made enough for 10 at our table)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded

In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

Split open rolls and remove most of the soft insides, leaving a bed to hold the meat mixture. Toast the rolls and set aside.  (We skipped this step because we love Lee's Ranch rolls.) 

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the cheese.   Enjoy!

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

A new product:  I went to the Scentinel Candle Retail Store for some new post holiday scents.  Oh my!  They have a new "not on the shelves yet" product ~ Cheesecake! Mixed with Apple Crisp, my home smells divine! Oh, my, Oh my!  The Oatmeal Cookie will always be my favorite, but seriously, check it out asap! 

Weather update:  It's snowing.  Again.  Most of the day.  Less than an inch of little teeny tiny crystally pellets.  Now, it's getting colder and we're getting black ice.  Such a strange winter. Please pass a blizzard.  A real one, please.  Oh my.  I just heard the snowplow drive by.  One question:  What's it plowing?

Be so happy that when others look at you, they become happy too.

weekend stuff

Weekend update:  Friday, day date with Doug.  We fell in love with Chili's new Sweet and Spicy Chicken.  It's to die for! Friday night, double-date night for Doug and I to Cafe Sabor with Stott and Wendy.  After dinner, I went south to Carol's.  I'm VERY excited to be hosting a bridal shower for her daughter, Madi!  A late night with Carol, gabbing, planning and somewhere in the middle, we watched Abduction, the Taylor Lautner movie.  WOW.  Suspense from the get-go.  He could be the next Tom Cruise with his stunt abilities.  And that smile.  He's a cutie.  I actually forgot that he was Jacob after a few minutes. 

Saturday morning, Doug and I were lying in bed thinking about his need for a home office.  Our home has five bedrooms. We need one more.  Somewhere in the conversation, I had this idea.  A BIG idea.  A few years ago, my mom moved in after her cancer diagnosis.  At the time, I had a new mission-style computer cabinet in my then scrapbook room.  To give mom a main floor guest room, we moved the hutch downstairs, with the help of six very helpful friends.  However...they teased, "when you want it back upstairs, don't call us!"  Moving it was a nightmare!  We knew that it would have to be disassembled to bring back upstairs.  I digress. 
And so... I had this idea... let's disassemble and then move that cabinet back upstairs, then rebuild it in our room and move my armoire downstairs to replace it in Quayd's room.  Again, this meant disassembly, not to mention emptying cabinets, changing dressers and their contents, rearranging other furniture and more.  At first, Doug had that "deer in the headlights" look.  Then, after some discussion, we agreed that, yes, it might mean a day of labor to get it done, but then once done, he would have a perfect solution.  He would no longer have to "set up and break camp" every time he needed an office and he would have the privacy that he's missing when working at the kitchen table or in my gallery. 

Long long story short... by the end of the day, we were enjoying Pizza Hut dinner and Doug, now, has a lovely little personal space of his own.  And.  Best of all!!!  He can close the door on this hutch and I don't have to see one bit of clutter!  The one space in the house that is and always has been "off limits" to me and my cleaning obsession is Doug's dresser and desktop, when he had a desk.  So, this is a great win-win solution.  He has his space and when he's not working at it, he closes the door and it looks lovely!   It was a huge, full-day project, but Doug was very happy when it was done.  As we reassembled, there was much teasing... my philosophy, "if it doesn't enhance the space, it doesn't belong there."  He came up with all sorts of things that he thought could be enhancing... tools, boots, all sorts of things up to "enhance" his globe.  NOT.  I love that this man makes me laugh every day.

We finally had a beautiful little storm on Saturday.  It was snow, then slush, then rain all day until later in the afternoon when it started snowing THE biggest snowflakes I've ever seen in my life.  Everyone was talking about how huge they were.  We're talking tennis ball size snowflakes!  BEAUTIFUL!  We only got a couple of inches of snow and then it turned very cold and the snow became crunchy and icy.  Still, it's white!  More snow expected this week.

Best laugh of the weekend:  Grace and I found a cute haircut on Pinterest.  Well, I thought it was cute for me!  So, I sent the photo to Liza.  Immediately, I started receiving several emails from her in this order:

Liza:  For a formal dance?
Liza:  For a troll doll?
Liza:  For a baby?
Me:  Cackling now.
Liza: For a Chia Pet?
Liza:  For DAD??!!?!??
Me:  Choking and coughing now.
Liza:  Hehehe.  I think I am funny.
Me:  You just made my blog.
Liza:  Oh dear.

I guess I'll pass on the haircut.  BTW, Gracie is most excited about setting up her own Pinterest account.  She's my decorating girl.  

Sunday, we enjoyed a celebration of the return of our favorite niece, Jocelyn (not to be confused with favorite neices Tessa, Brooke, Lindsay, Liz and Becky and the younger girls...) from her LDS mission to Houston Texas.  Jocelyn really has a special place in the hearts of my girls.  They were thrilled.  The meeting was wonderful and the family gathering after was lovely.  Dinner was excellent.  Catching up with family is always the best.  We actually drove back home to grab my camera and I never took a single picture.  Bad Aunt Sophia.

One other special moment for me was the sweet note I received from favorite niece Tessa, thanking me for my help with her wedding.  My favorite thing, she referred to me as her "own personal fairy Godmother".  I'll take that as one of the best complements I've ever had from anyone in Doug's family.  Sweet.  I heart Tessa and Kellan.  I know that the wedding was in November, but I couldn't pass up a chance to post another shot of my lovely niece and her sweet hubby!

It was a great weekend!  What more can I say?  Life is good.

What you do today can improve all of your tomorrows.

snowballs or snowflakes?

Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things,
but just look what they can do when they stick together. 

Bathroom Organization

Previously posted in January 2011.  

The first and most important step you can take in dejunking and reorganizing your bathroom is to go through every inch of the room, and get rid of everything that isn't being used.    Grab a large black plastic trash bag and you'll be surprised at how quickly you can fill it.  Get rid of every outdated prescription, old half full bottles of conditioners, lotions, bath oils, broken brushes and combs and make-up.  Empty every drawer, cupboard and shelf completely.  Before replacing things on the shelves,  if needed, line the drawers and shelves with fresh contact paper or drawer liners.  Then, re-determine the purpose of each storage area in the bathroom.  Will the drawer be for cosmetics or first aid?  Hair care or manicuring?  Will the shelf in the closet or under the sink hold towels?  Decide what will work the best in use and in keeping things organized in the future.

Mini storage containers are especially excellent in the bathroom for sorting products rather than just having a shelf full of "stuff".  Example:  I have a 24" long plastic basket that is about 6" wide and fits perfectly along the edge of the shelf in my bathroom closet.  This contains all liquid soaps, body washes and lotions.  Another smaller plastic bin holds bar soaps.  Another holds headbands and larger hair accessories.  Assign different containers individual purposes.  Some suggested sorting ideas:

• Lotions and skin care
• facial care
• hair care
• manicure
• first aid
• cosmetics

A few tidbits:

• There are some pretty clever ways to store toilet paper.  A basket on the back of the toilet tank will hold a few rolls.  A large tall thin decorative trash container works.  I just store mine in the cupboard next to the john.  They are out of sight, kept dry, close when needed. 
• If closet space is limited, a basket with rolled up washcloths or handtowels sits well on the top of the toilet tank. 
• A separate plunger is a neccessity under every sink in the home.  Each plunger should be labeled on the handle with a permanent marker, "Guest bath", "Downstairs bath", "Master Bath" and especially the "Kitchen" plunger, which should be stored under the kitchen sink!  Plunging the sink isn't so bad when you know it's not the pooey plunger.  No one wants to have to race around the house to find the plunger when the one bathroom is flooding over with who knows what onto your floor. Plungers aren't pretty, so store them out of sight.  And if it doesn't fit under the sink, you're actually "allowed" to cut the wooden handle down enough that it will. 
• Under the bathroom sink is a great place to hang a paper towel roll.  It can be used for cleaning the mirror, that last wipe after cleaning of the toilet (especially that little strip of porcelain between the seat and the tank), or just for little hands instead of having the kids grab a huge bath towel and toss it in the wash or leave it on the floor after they dry their hands. Just make sure to have a trash can near by for used ones.
• A great way to store a blowdryer or curling iron is in an wooden or metal toothbrush holder that has the little cup hole in the center of it.  It can be mounted inside a closet wall and is convenient to toss the tool in the hole without worrying about melting or burning anything.  Another way is to hang hooks inside the bathroom closet and just hang the irons and dryers.
• For the gazillion hair clips, bows and barrettes, hang a 1" wide piece of ribbon to the back of a closet door.  Clip them on for easy access and storage.  Have a huge basket that larger ones can just be tossed into.
• The best tool I've ever found for pony tail bands is a metal ring that they can slip onto easily.  It's a cool little gadget and the girls actually think it's fun to put the ponies onto it, so that helps.  Fun gadgets always help.
• A hamper or laundry basket is a neccessity in any bathroom.  If there's no place to put them, the clothes and towels will always end up on the floor.  Face it, with kids, even if there is a basket, they will sometimes still land on the floor.  But, a basket helps immensely, even if you're the only one picking up!  Baskets seem to have more success, because, things with lids require the extra step of opening.  One step less, just tossing things into a basket is more simple.  Store it out of sight in the bottom of the bathroom closet.  
• Fold towels the same way and when they go onto the shelf, "aim" the folds all to the outside of the shelf.  It makes it easier to grab a towel without grabbing the one below it and looks much better on the shelf.  They'll look just like the linen department at your favorite store!
• Medications should not be stored in the bathroom.  The bathroom is the warmest room in most homes and by far, the most humid.  Heat and humidity both shorten their shelf life.  Storing them in the kitchen is better for the meds, as well as your clutter control.
• If you have several members of the family sharing a bathroom, assign a color to each person.  Then, have colored towels, a baskets/containers, washclothes, toothbrushes... everything...in the same color. This avoids confusion as to who's is who's.
• A few winters ago, after repeated rounds of the flu, I purchased little pencil container for each of the babes at Staples.  Each child gets their own container filled with their own toothpaste, toothbrush and floss.  Germaphobe that I am...I thought about how we put our toothpaste directly on the toothbrush and we all share the toothpaste and we toss them all in the same container or on those little toothbrush holders that collect germs and leftover toothpaste and dare I say it, spit.  That's a guaranteed way to share your cold and flu bugs.  It's been a great discovery for keeping down the germs and organization.  Make sure to toss them in the dishwasher for an occasional sanitizing.  The pencil holders are stored inside the medicine cabinet, out of sight like they should be.  (Again, if it doesn't enhance the look of the room, it should be put away.)  (By the way, ZJ decorated hers with stickers.)
• As mentioned a few days ago, a drawer in the bathroom, easily accessible, is a great place for a little first aid "station".  Bandaids, a few topical ointments that kids are not afraid of, some wipes... most kids will enjoy being their own doctor for little owies.  This helps assure that what you need will be where it's supposed to be when it's a real emergency, prevents unnecessary messes in the bathroom and saves a lot of crying to Mom when they can do it themselves.
• The little plastic three drawer storage containers are great for a bathroom.  They fit under the sink.  One drawer can be assigned to each child to keep their own personal hygiene items.  Label them!   They are also wonderful under the sink for containing things like feminine hygiene products and extra hair care products, soaps and body washes.
• Hang a shower caddy over your shower head.   Don't clutter your tub/shower with 21 bottles of shampoo, conditioners and body washes along the edges of the tub, in the window and in the corners.  If multiple people are using different products, purchase individual caddies that they can put in and out of the shower and return to it's home after use. 
• If your kids are small, have a drip-dry type basket or mesh bag to hang in the tub and whatever fits in it will be plenty if bath toys.  Rotate the bathtoys, if necessary, but there's no need to have that many toys in the bath. 

My three favorite bathroom ideas are these:

1. Have a clock in each bathroom.  It helps inkeeping track of time when you're getting ready or when you are leisurely soaking in the tub with a magazine and bon-bons.  (We all know that happens so often.)  What other room are you usually worried about how much time you have before doing something?   It's also nice to say, "Ten minutes!" and know that they can keep tabs on the time too.
2. Hang an extra spring type shower curtain rod inside your bathtub on the back wall.  This is a great place to hang towels to dry and not have them all over the bathroom.  Plus, it's a wonderful way to hang wet swimsuits, damp clothes, snowsuits, wet socks and gloves rather than having them clutter the entire bathroom and making carpets wet in other rooms.  Honestly, you'll think that this was the best $10 you ever spent on organizing.
3. And the last is to purchase the big coat hooks and hang them on wall behind the back of your bathroom door, if possible.  One hook for each person that uses this bathroom.  Then, as previously mentioned, give everyone their assigned color towel.  But, first... sew a four inch long piece of heavier ribbon (canvas is great!) at the center of the long side of a towel.  This will act as a "hook" for the towel, but not interfere with folding them out of the dryer.  Each family member can hang  their towels after use and the "hook"/ribbon helps it stay secure.  This stops all arguments of who left their wet towel on the floor, who didn't clean up the bathroom.  The same works for washcloths and hand towels, as well.  

And my bonus tip for a nice bathroom... do not tea-stain an americana quilt in the bathtub and then use fifty cleaning products together to try to remove the stain from the tub.  My tub lost it's finish because I mixed cleaning products that weren't meant to be mixed.  Lesson learned.

Inspiration is like a bath.  It doesn't last and needs to be had frequently!

 

Two good things... very good things!

Here's two of my most recent organizing projects.  I have died and gone to heaven!

In the bedroom... Jewelry.  I have a fishing tackle box, a real jewelry box, a cute earring holder and a large hanging necklace holder.  BUT.  The necklaces were always getting tangled.  A while ago, I was in Carol's daughter, Taylor's bedroom and saw this idea.  I couldn't rest until I tried it myself. While admiring Taylor's cute walls, we discussed this great idea and Jamie, Carol's niece/my friend, commented that her necklaces were always so hard to get to that she rarely wore them.  "I guess if I organized them like this, they'd get worn more!"  And that, my friends, is what inspired me!  There's days that there's no time to untangle or sort through.  With this system, it's just grab and run.  Love, love LOVE it! 

Here's my "how-to" (or should I say, Doug's?):

We bought a 4'x8' pegboard at Lowes.  ($18)  We had the guy at Lowes cut the board into four boards, various sizes for different locations. (free) This one is 32" wide, just  a bit narrower than my bedroom door.  (I don't have a walk in closet, or it would be there.)  We also purchased one eight foot long 1"x2" board and asked the guy to cut it into eight 1' pieces.  (80 cents!) $19 = the makings for four jewelry boards.  Once home with the pre-cut boards, Doug simply measured and found the center of the pegboard,  then, found the center of the 1x2" board, lined them up to match and drilled it into place on the wall with 3" grabber screws...one 1x2"board at the top and one at the bottom of the pegboard, to give the pegs the space needed away from the wall.  DONE. FINI!

Thanks to Lowe's free service of cutting the boards, it took ten minutes total to mount!  And then came the fun part.  I purchased a "Value Pack" of peg hooks at Lowes for $9.  I would not do that again.  Many of the pegs were odd sizes that I would not use.  However, while buying lightbulbs at K-Mart, I happened upon a package of 40 one inch pegs for $2.79!  SWEET!  All the same size and two shapes.  You can place the pegs anywhere you'd like and rearrange them as needed.  Organizing the jewelry was the best part! 

A few random thoughts about the project:

• One of the boards that I cut is for Denise.  She has tons of earrings.  For hers, I'm cutting a piece of heavy gage wire mesh ( with squares that are about 1/2") and will be hanging it from four pegs on the board, so that she can hook her earrings into the mesh.  SIMPLE!  I'd be doing the same if I didn't have my wonderful Rodworks hanger,  I took this photo the day I purchased it, a few years!  Today, it's almost full.  When it is, I'll add the wire mesh to my pegboard, like Denise's.
  
  
• Hanging this pegboard on the back of a door that opens and closes regularly would probably not be a good idea because the jewelry would be swinging with the door and end up closed in the doors or flying off the hooks.
• Painting the pegboard the same color as the wall would be simple, however, I opted for white so that I could see the jewelry better than had it been on my chocolate brown wall.  Taylor's is pink, like her bedroom and looks awesome!   For her, at 16, a jewelry maker, it does double duty as room decor!
• In the "Value Pack", there were a few hooks that had loops for hanging tools, like screwdrivers.  I used those loop hooks to hang my sunglasses and a mini-flashlight.  When the kids have taken all of the other flashlights in the house out to the trailer, I'll still have mine in a place that I could grab it, even in the dark!
• The total cost of one board ~ $5.00 per mounted board, plus 30 hooks for $3.00=$8.00!!  We have enough pegboard for four boards, so Denise, and both of my girls get one too!

My next project was even more simple. This plastic/canvas shoe rack was another Lowes purchase.  (I looked everywhere and liked this one the best.)

This has truly made kitchen organization heavenly.  By removing the odd shaped items, rarely or occasionally used items and larger items from my kitchen drawers, I'm not having to shuffle through all of them to find the basic ladles and spoons.  I purchased this shoe organizer at Lowes for $10.  Doug removed the old mounted Rubbermaid foil and plastic wrap organizer that was very tired from the inside of the pantry door, giving me an entire wall full of space! The items now stored in this organizer are simple to access, no more sorting and in clear view once the pantry door is opened.  Doug asked, "what happens when the plastic tears?"  We buy a new one!  If it lasts only a year, that's less than eighty cents a month to not have to waste time or poke or cut fingers while plundering in search of a chip clip!

A few thoughts about this:

• First, the aluminum foil on the top row drives me insane because I want it at the bottom with the Ziplocs and parchment, but Doug said that the foil would be more sturdy at the top. Men are so smart. ;)  The others boxes remained at the bottom because it was easier access for the kids. who use them as much as I do.
• Storing the cords/plugs for my electric appliances like this just makes me want to do a happy dance in the kitchen!  No more tangled mess or pulling out three before you get the right one! 
• The other items, top to bottom, left to right:
  
  Those awkward shaped tupperware funnels that don't fit anywhere.  (I'm a believer in duplicates of items that you frequently use), Pampered Chef tongs, which I love but they won't lie flat in a drawer because of the little handle poking up (awkward shapes are perfect in this!), all of the accessories to my Hand Mixer and then the beaters. 
  
  Three different types of icecream scoops, PC Melon Baller (btw, this scoops the perfect amount of pizzelle batter!), the PC apple/peeler/corer/slices and then two other apple tools.
  
  PC Pizza Cutters (I have two and they are both always in use for everything!)  candy thermometer, biscuit cutter and chip clips.  (Every kitchen needs about 3 dozen of these.  Most of mine are in use all the time.  Having one place for them, you don't have to waste time searching when the pretzels are left open!
  
  PC Cookie Press tips, the Cookie Press (which I've used for cookies about three times ever, but use for deviled eggs and stuffing cream cheese frosting into strawberries often!) The odd shaped item is my old fashioned southern style chopper.  (I've never seen one in a store in the west but I use it as much as my food processor.) Pampered Chef Garlic Press.
  
  Bottom Row: My canning jar lifter and pickling spice/tea ball.  (Both should have been put away with the canning goods last fall, but somehow ended up in the drawer.  I'll know where they are when I need them next fall, though.  Then the parchment, Ziplock sandwich and gallon size bags.

This system is awesome because my drawers are less cluttered and it's much easier to find spatulas and spoons than ever before!  Love it!  Ten bucks, a little time dejunking and voila!  LOVE LOVE, LOVE it!!! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE an organized home!  Enough said!  Have a great weekend!

Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

 

a wish (happy birthday, miki!) and a goal (project time!)

Mikelle is two years old.  The B's had us over for her little birthday party last night.  She was just fun to watch, as she discovered her stack of gifts and walked around passing them out to everyone in the room.  To me, Miki looks like a little Hummel figurine.  She's a doll.  Doug and I were discussing with Stott and Wendy just how how amazing it is that two years have gone by since we sat together in that hospital room, praying for all to go well with the birth and adoption.  And go well, it has.  Doug and I give thanks each and every day for Stott and Wendy and the love that they have shown Miki, as well as our family.  She's spoiled rotten!  And we wouldn't want it any other way.  It makes Doug and I laugh everytime we see her.  She's starting to talk up a storm and my favorite thing to hear her say is "Grampyyyyyy!"  She drops everything when she sees me to ask, "Where's Grampy?!?"  It's precious.  I don't mind playing second fiddle to Grampy at all!  Many of our other friends comment frequently that this was one adoption where two families, literally, adopted each other, not just one family adopting a baby.  So so true.  And So So wonderful!  We love the B's.  We love Miki.  We love being family and are grateful to this sweet little girl who brought us all together as family.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKI!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So.  I wonder.  If this were my laundry room, would it always look like this?
 

 I know me.  And I know that if this were my laundry room, no one would be allowed to put any dirty laundry in it because I'd want it to look this perfect all of the time!  I have a friend who's laundry room is larger and more beautiful than even this.  It. Is. A.MAZ.ING.  She has eight children.  They built one of the most beautiful homes I've ever been inside.  It is meticulous.  When we walked into the laundry room, my first words were, "Does it always look like this?"  Her answer was "Pretty much."  She then explained to me that each of her children had laundry responsibilities and it helped her with keeping up on things. 

I have five (well, six, because I wash as much of Zaylee's laundry as I do my own) people to keep up with.  My laundry is the bain of my existence.  I do keep up with it.  I do keep the laundry room functional.  BUT.  It's tiny.  It's crowded and, because I'm so anal about keeping the house company clean, the laundry room tends to become the "catch-all", requiring more attention than a place for sorting and folding laundry.   And for the record, company is never welcome in my laundry room.

SO. I have a new winter goal.  I'm going to go through my laundry room, do some serious dejunking and then do some actual decorating.  Currently, it's the only white room in our home. I don't have new appliances.  I won't be getting them anytime soon. And it won't end up looking anything even close to the room above.  But, I can do better.  And I will.  And I may even take a picture when I'm done and share it. We'll see how it goes.  A public self-challenge.  Nothing like it to get motivated, right!  Besides, it's winter.  And I needed a little something to keep my busy, right?  Enough said.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

if you can't say anything nice...

It's been a very rough day. As a result, I'm sharing ten happy thoughts for the day.

According to the latenight weather report, "Twenty-four hours from now,we'll have seen several inches of snow."

   2.

Homemade pizza.  MMMM.

3.

The laundry is all done.  (Till tomorrow.  LOL)

4.

American Idol begins tonight.

5.

My niece, Jocelyn, is home from her 19 month LDS mission!

6.

One of my all-time favorite comments ever: Seriously Soph??!! LOL. do you EVER post a recipe without cream cheese? You should just name your blog, Cream cheese and us..LOLPIMP!! Looks good though!

7.

A new Tom Hanks movie.  Not even sure of the name of it but Julia Roberts and Tom. Bound to be good.

8.

Did some major dejunking in the gallery again.  Some days I think I should just empty it all then I remember all of the fun projects I can complete by simply opening those bi-fold doors.

9.

Five little words ~ "And this too shall pass."

10.

Did I mention that it's supposed to snow ~ serious snow!?

Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.

 

a few things I'm loving these days...

Hugo.  Seriously, I love this movie.  I'd bought the book, Hugo Cabret for Quayd's birthday two years ago.  It's quite unique.  It's a thick book that looks intimidating until you open it and see that over half of the book is filled with amazing illustrations.  When I heard that it was going to be made into a movie, I had told the kids that we'd go and see the movie once everyone had read the book.   Grace finished it today.  The movie is like nothing I'd ever seen.  Apparently, Martin Scorsese's grandchild was reading the book and was so enthralled that he became interested and the result is this film.  It's wonderful.  Intriguing, exciting, outstanding.  I highly recommend it for anyone of any age.  It's got the technology of today, but the feel of an old-fashioned "Heidi".  We saw it for our family activity with the B's and loved it.  It comes out in Blue-Ray in April and we'll be buying it on the release date.  Loved it!  And if I'd have known Jude Law was in it (remember I don't watch previews), I'd have been there on opening day.  Love him too!  Again, it's an amazing story.

Chili's began serving from their new menu today.  If you're looking for a tasty lunch, the new guiltless chicken salad in a honey-lime vinaigrette is a must try!  LOVED it!  The new Philly Steak and Cheese sandwich is on the best bread I've ever had in a restaurant... however, I'm thinking that this one is probably going to be one of their highest calorie lunches.  Oh, but don't was all need an occasionally guilty pleasure?! And if you like fire and spice,  try the new grilled shrimp tacos.   (Note:  order a glass of milk with them!)  Also, their new Oreo Molten Lava Cake... divine.  We do love Chili's!  Especially the Logan Chili's!

Another new love... Melaleuca has a new shampoo and conditioner, Affina, that I'm totally loving.  I don't often push my husband's business on the blog, but seriously, it's awesome!

Great Customer Service... I called the company that I'd ordered the paper plates from to let them know that I was so disappointed in the quality of the product.  I commended them on their excellent service, their speedy delivery and the other products, but those plates.  A huge disappointment.  The customer service lady thanked me for calling, acknowledged my disappointment and then offered me a credit for my next purchase within a year.  I insisted that I'd not called for a "freebie" but to let them know.  She appreciated my feedback.  I think that most companies do... good and bad.

Jalapeno Jellies:  I think that I posted this photo during the holidays. I got it from friend, Marilyn, while we were having dinner in December.  When she gave me two jars of homemade jalapeno jelly and showed me this photo, I did a happy dance!  (Although, I think that you need double the jelly after taking this beautiful photo!)  Friend, Natalie, also discovered a tasty store bought jalapeno jelly at Costco that is to die for!  I sent Doug to the store to pick up a  jar during the holidays and he came home with a jar of dark green jalapeno jelly that looked more like pickle relish.  Even though it wasn't nearly as pretty, it was pretty tasty.  We've discovered jalapeno jelly on cream cheese and crackers, jalapeno jelly on salmon, jalapeno jelly on whole wheat pancakes (remember, I'm married to GranolaMan).  He's not suggested it yet, but I'm waiting for him to put it on ice cream.  (He already thinks that is why Sweet and Sour Sauce was invented.)  Regardless of Doug's concoctions, it's a must have in the refrigerator these days!

A new recipe:  I wanted to share this very tasty and super simple recipe that I'd made for a treat on Sunday evening.  They are rich and sweet, which I'm sure is why they suggested 1" bite-size pieces.

1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 cup butter
1 egg

First layer:  Mix cake, melted butter and 1 egg.  Pat into the bottom of a 9x13" pan. 

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs

Second layer:  Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 3 eggs until smooth and creamy.  Pour and spread on top of first layer.  Bake  at 350' for 40 minutes or until browned.  Cool completely and cut into 1" squares.  Top with fresh strawberries in glaze or caramel sauce or chocolate.  Enjoy!

And last but not least, have I mentioned Pinterest in the past few days?  Okay, I admit.  I'm hooked.  Love that I can find any recipe under the sun, any crafty creation, any beautifully decorated room, any awesome quote in seconds.  I love it.

 And this quote, then...enough said.

weekend update and a sentiment

The Stake dinner was awesome.  The food was fantastic, the program was hysterical and the decorations were quite nice, if Ido say so myself.  The girls helped me with the decorations after a dozen men had set up the tables.  It took us only three hours to set everything and clean up behind ourselves.  The girls love helping anytime, but something on a big scale like this was even more fun for them.  I was pleased to see how well they worked together.  After we were done, we had to go out and celebrate with a little treat.

There was only one "issue" ~ I'd ordered the plates over the phone, while looking at the website.  There was no indication of the size of the plates and the woman on the phone assured me that they were 9" dinner plates.  They were so small and flimsy that I was embarrassed!  Cute, but POOR quality! Huge disappointment there, especially since they were not pricey!  In the future, I'll stick with Hobby Lobby's quality paper goods.  Regardless, everything looked lovely and I've already been informed that I can plan on decorating for next year's dinner, as well.  Love it!  That was quite the compliment in itself!

The rest of the weekend included watching Larry Crowne with Stott and Wendy, time with the kiddos, dessert with the B's after church and dinner and a little Mission Impossible marathon with the kids. 

However, my favorite weekend moments of the weekend didn't even happen directly to us.  The first two took place in our Sacrament Meeting.  Both were father/son moments and did not involve Doug or Quayd. Stott and Wendy's oldest son was ordained as a priest last week and was able to bless the sacrament for his first time, along side Stott.  I was so touched to see them side by side performing this sacred ordinance together.  (Later, Stott told me that he'd leaned over and said, "Watch, we're going to make Sophia cry."  He knows me too well!)  The other moment was when our Bishop's Counselor acknowledged his own son after his returning missionary "report".  These two 6'plus men embraced in the most tender hug.  Again, I cried.  I love men who aren't afraid to show their emotion!

And my other favorite moment was hearing Liza share the details, after teaching her first Relief Society lesson ever.  She told me that the nerves were gone and the lesson went well.  I was thrilled to hear ever word of her report. 

I thought it was interesting, as I reviewed the weekend in my mind, that the happiest moments of the past few days had nothing to do with things  or money.  They were about relationships and service and love.  Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?  Enough said.

There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day.

check!

Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.

mastering the master bedroom

 

 Originally posted in January 2011

Today, I'm continuing with thoughts on the Master Bedroom.  Being that there are 24 hours in a day, we spend (or should for good health) at least one third of our lives in the bedroom. Whether you have a luxurious suite or a small master bedroom, whether you have a firey romance or are alone, this space should be your sanctuary. It should be a place where you can escape from every “hat” you wear and be yourself, where you can rest easily and walk away feeling renewed.  First, a few of my thoughts on what the master bedroom should and should not be, and again, these are just my thoughts and opinions. Here's my bedroom this morning.  It's not a large room, but, it's sufficient for us.  Doug made the bed all by himself because I got up an hour earlier.  (Note:  I've taken down my swing and have a rocker instead.)

The master bedroom should not be:

 

• The place you fold your laundry or iron your clothes
• the place that you do your daily workout (or, in some cases, hang your clothes on the unused equipment
• The place your children do their homework or play video games.
• The place where you do business or set up an office.

The master bedroom should be:

• The place where you rest
• The place where you escape
• The place where you can go for peace privacy ~ whether it’s for romance or a serious discussion or to simply discuss without interruption
• A place of peace, love and harmony.

 

Here are a few tips for organizing and conquering the master bedroom: 

• The first tip about a master bedroom (or any bedroom, for that matter) is make your bed! You can have the most lovely room in the world, but if the bed isn’t made, it’s not clean! It only takes a minute.  In our marriage… whoever gets out of bed last makes the bed. We usually get up together in the mornings, so Doug does his side and I do mine together. But, on the mornings that one of us is up earlier, the other makes it. The bed is the largest object in the room. As in any room, if the biggest object is a mess, the room doesn’t look clean. So, simply, make it. You’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something before you even get going every morning!
• Assess your bedroom. Is it peaceful? Is it a catch all? Remove any items in the room that should be in another room. Ironing boards and laundry baskets full of clothing belong in or near the laundry area, not the bedroom. Exercise equipment, especially unused, should be in a family room , spare bedroom or the garage. I remember a friend, who had more clothes hanging on her treadmill than she did in her closet, joking that it had become her closet.  If you're not treading on it, get it out!  Even if you are, seek another place for it.  Dishes do not belong in the bedroom. If you take in a snack, don’t just sit the dishes down when you are done, return them to the kitchen immediately.
• DUST! Bedrooms get forgotten often where dusting is concerned. But, again, this is your sanctuary. If you can write your name on the nightstand, it's time to dust it.  If you aren't dusting the bedroom, ask yourself why?  Is there too much stuff on it?  Electronics are dust magnets and create even more dust, so clear off as much as possible and simplify this task.  This is your haven and you deserve a clean place, just as much as your company does in the living room. Teach your kids the same and encourage them to dust their rooms too, while they still think that dusting is fun.
• What’s under your bed? With Rubbermaid and Sterilyte products so affordable, especially in January (they are a hot selling item on sale at most box stores this month), there’s no reason to not put that empty space (or should be empty space) to work by storing seasonal items under the bed in storage bins. Swimwear and gear under the bed in winter. Skiwear in summer. Sandals in winter, boots in summer.
• What’s on your nightstand? If your nightstand has the last four years of O magazine and People stacked next to it, it’s time to do some serious dejunking. If you can’t bear to part with the magazines, then go through them and pull what it is you think you can’t live without and toss the rest. Most magazines are 80% advertising anyway. You can condense that 18 inch stack into about 1 inch to be filed. If you don’t get around to filing it in a month, toss the stack. Besides, did you know that you can find most everything that is in the magazine highlighted online the next month anyway?
• Get rid of any outdated prescriptions. It’s not a good thing to keep old meds around these days anyway. Even the best of friends can fall into prescription drug addictions these days. Don’t leave things around that would be a temptation to anyone. Get rid of old meds as soon as they are no longer needed.
• Don’t let your nightstand be busier than your bathroom vanity. Cosmetics belong in the bathroom. One bottle of lotion will do, you don’t need every flavor Bath and Body Works offers next to the bed.
• If your nightstand does not have drawers, consider investing in some sort of decorative container to store products that are used by the bed specifically. I purchased this little “secretary” at TJ Maxx for $15 because it had a scratch on the side. It’s one of my favorite things in my house. Inside one drawer is a notepad and pencils for when I have a bright idea in the middle of the night and my earphones. I listen to Conference talks every night before bed and sometimes, I don’t want to keep Doug awake. The other drawer has personal items. Doesn’t that look a ton better than a bowl full of “stuff”.
• Also, one other thought on nightstands… I read a few years ago for C-pap users, a great idea is to store that C-pap machine in a drawer of a nightstand. Have a hole drilled in the back of the drawer and the back of the dresser. Store the C-Pap and it’s supplies inside and open the drawer for use at night. GREAT idea! No ugly machine hovering on the nightstand.

Dressers:

• Put away your clothes! This is a simple task that takes about fifteen seconds extra. If your drawers are clean and organized, if your closet is not overstuffed, hanging things up or putting them away is not a difficult task. Again, get rid of clothes that are not being worn, that are torn, that don’t fit. Toss tired bras, mismatched socks, the swimsuit that you hope to fit in again. (If you lose weight, you deserve a new one!)
• Again, don’t overstuff those drawers!
• Perfumes and lotions have a  shelf life.  If you've not used them in the past year, the scents begin to stale.  Don't just keep them for the pretty bottle's sake unless you plan on running them through the dishwater on a regular basis.
• Also, my frequently stated candle rule applies, especially in the bedroom.  Say it with me, if you've read the blog, you know what's next... "Candles are to be burned, not dusted."
• Separate clothing in individual drawers, as much as possible. Socks, undies, stockings, t-shirts, short sleeve knits, long sleeve knits, sweaters, pants, work-out clothes, pajamas. Hang nicer clothes. My friend Natalie hangs all t-shirts and says that it simplifies her life immensely because the drawers are not full of wrinkly shirts, but neatly hanging all the time. She hangs them right out of the dryer. Love it!

Speaking of bedrooms… I read an article two years ago stating that most burglers go straight to the bedroom nightstand and dresser drawers. If you have valuables, these are not the places to store them. Try storing cash behind a photo frame on the wall, or inside a boot in the closet. Just don’t stash it so well that you forget where you put it!

Books … if you are a reader, a stack of current things you are reading or the next book or two on your list will suffice. Your bedroom should not be the home library.

A bedroom, if it has room, needs a chair of some sort… a place to sit down and put on your nylons or for him to put on his shoes. That chair should not look like a laundry pile. If possible, a lamp nearby would make this part of the sanctuary, mentioned above. It’s also a great thing to have in your room if you have teens. When they come in at night from a date, they have a place to sit and tell you about their evening.

A change receptacle is another need in a bedroom. As you get dressed and empty pockets, having a place to drop the loose change is a great idea. There’s not clutter and it’s also a great way to save money for a fun reward… maybe a getaway!

Have a hamper or laundry basket in your bedroom.  It can be stored in the bottom of the closet, but it's essential for staying on top of clutter.  Use it!  Toss dirty clothes into the basket and take it to the laundry room daily, then bring it back to it's home for the next day. 

If you don't have a large bedroom or a lot of storage space in your room, a storage trunk can be helpful, as well as a great decor.  I picked up the wicker trunk (at the foot of my bed) at a local thrift store for ten dollars.  It stores extra blankets and bedding and also provides an extra place to sit.

Get a jewelry box or some way of organizing your jewelry.  (I think I'll do a whole entry about jewelry later in the month.)  Rather than having all of your jewelry just tangled together or tossed on a dresser, find a way to organize it.  Necklace boards, tackle boxes, even a piece of 1x2 board with pegs, nails or hooks.  But, don't clutter your dresser with piles of jewelry.  And get rid of earrings that are missing a mate, necklaces with broken clasps or take them to the jeweler and have them replaced if it's worth keeping.

There's just a few ideas to help in the master bedroom.  Look through magazines and decorating blogs for great bedroom inspiration.  Imagine yourself settling into a spacious (because it's not cluttered, not because of square footage) room and relaxing in a peaceful, calm spot that was created just for that purpose ~ relaxing!  Imagine yourself not having to trip over a laundry basket, not having to move clothes before you can sit down, not lying on the bed and looking up at cobwebs in the ceiling fan or corners of your room.  Doesn't that sound divine?  It is!  Enough said!

 

Order is the shape upon which beauty depends.

 

 Originally posted in January 2011

Today, I'm continuing with thoughts on the Master Bedroom.  Being that there are 24 hours in a day, we spend (or should for good health) at least one third of our lives in the bedroom. Whether you have a luxurious suite or a small master bedroom, whether you have a firey romance or are alone, this space should be your sanctuary. It should be a place where you can escape from every “hat” you wear and be yourself, where you can rest easily and walk away feeling renewed.  First, a few of my thoughts on what the master bedroom should and should not be, and again, these are just my thoughts and opinions. Here's my bedroom this morning.  It's not a large room, but, it's sufficient for us.  Doug made the bed all by himself because I got up an hour earlier.  (Note:  I've taken down my swing and have a rocker instead.)

The master bedroom should not be:

 

• The place you fold your laundry or iron your clothes
• the place that you do your daily workout (or, in some cases, hang your clothes on the unused equipment
• The place your children do their homework or play video games.
• The place where you do business or set up an office.

The master bedroom should be:

• The place where you rest
• The place where you escape
• The place where you can go for peace privacy ~ whether it’s for romance or a serious discussion or to simply discuss without interruption
• A place of peace, love and harmony.

 

Here are a few tips for organizing and conquering the master bedroom: 

• The first tip about a master bedroom (or any bedroom, for that matter) is make your bed! You can have the most lovely room in the world, but if the bed isn’t made, it’s not clean! It only takes a minute.  In our marriage… whoever gets out of bed last makes the bed. We usually get up together in the mornings, so Doug does his side and I do mine together. But, on the mornings that one of us is up earlier, the other makes it. The bed is the largest object in the room. As in any room, if the biggest object is a mess, the room doesn’t look clean. So, simply, make it. You’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something before you even get going every morning!
• Assess your bedroom. Is it peaceful? Is it a catch all? Remove any items in the room that should be in another room. Ironing boards and laundry baskets full of clothing belong in or near the laundry area, not the bedroom. Exercise equipment, especially unused, should be in a family room , spare bedroom or the garage. I remember a friend, who had more clothes hanging on her treadmill than she did in her closet, joking that it had become her closet.  If you're not treading on it, get it out!  Even if you are, seek another place for it.  Dishes do not belong in the bedroom. If you take in a snack, don’t just sit the dishes down when you are done, return them to the kitchen immediately.
• DUST! Bedrooms get forgotten often where dusting is concerned. But, again, this is your sanctuary. If you can write your name on the nightstand, it's time to dust it.  If you aren't dusting the bedroom, ask yourself why?  Is there too much stuff on it?  Electronics are dust magnets and create even more dust, so clear off as much as possible and simplify this task.  This is your haven and you deserve a clean place, just as much as your company does in the living room. Teach your kids the same and encourage them to dust their rooms too, while they still think that dusting is fun.
• What’s under your bed? With Rubbermaid and Sterilyte products so affordable, especially in January (they are a hot selling item on sale at most box stores this month), there’s no reason to not put that empty space (or should be empty space) to work by storing seasonal items under the bed in storage bins. Swimwear and gear under the bed in winter. Skiwear in summer. Sandals in winter, boots in summer.
• What’s on your nightstand? If your nightstand has the last four years of O magazine and People stacked next to it, it’s time to do some serious dejunking. If you can’t bear to part with the magazines, then go through them and pull what it is you think you can’t live without and toss the rest. Most magazines are 80% advertising anyway. You can condense that 18 inch stack into about 1 inch to be filed. If you don’t get around to filing it in a month, toss the stack. Besides, did you know that you can find most everything that is in the magazine highlighted online the next month anyway?
• Get rid of any outdated prescriptions. It’s not a good thing to keep old meds around these days anyway. Even the best of friends can fall into prescription drug addictions these days. Don’t leave things around that would be a temptation to anyone. Get rid of old meds as soon as they are no longer needed.
• Don’t let your nightstand be busier than your bathroom vanity. Cosmetics belong in the bathroom. One bottle of lotion will do, you don’t need every flavor Bath and Body Works offers next to the bed.
• If your nightstand does not have drawers, consider investing in some sort of decorative container to store products that are used by the bed specifically. I purchased this little “secretary” at TJ Maxx for $15 because it had a scratch on the side. It’s one of my favorite things in my house. Inside one drawer is a notepad and pencils for when I have a bright idea in the middle of the night and my earphones. I listen to Conference talks every night before bed and sometimes, I don’t want to keep Doug awake. The other drawer has personal items. Doesn’t that look a ton better than a bowl full of “stuff”.
• Also, one other thought on nightstands… I read a few years ago for C-pap users, a great idea is to store that C-pap machine in a drawer of a nightstand. Have a hole drilled in the back of the drawer and the back of the dresser. Store the C-Pap and it’s supplies inside and open the drawer for use at night. GREAT idea! No ugly machine hovering on the nightstand.

Dressers:

• Put away your clothes! This is a simple task that takes about fifteen seconds extra. If your drawers are clean and organized, if your closet is not overstuffed, hanging things up or putting them away is not a difficult task. Again, get rid of clothes that are not being worn, that are torn, that don’t fit. Toss tired bras, mismatched socks, the swimsuit that you hope to fit in again. (If you lose weight, you deserve a new one!)
• Again, don’t overstuff those drawers!
• Perfumes and lotions have a  shelf life.  If you've not used them in the past year, the scents begin to stale.  Don't just keep them for the pretty bottle's sake unless you plan on running them through the dishwater on a regular basis.
• Also, my frequently stated candle rule applies, especially in the bedroom.  Say it with me, if you've read the blog, you know what's next... "Candles are to be burned, not dusted."
• Separate clothing in individual drawers, as much as possible. Socks, undies, stockings, t-shirts, short sleeve knits, long sleeve knits, sweaters, pants, work-out clothes, pajamas. Hang nicer clothes. My friend Natalie hangs all t-shirts and says that it simplifies her life immensely because the drawers are not full of wrinkly shirts, but neatly hanging all the time. She hangs them right out of the dryer. Love it!

Speaking of bedrooms… I read an article two years ago stating that most burglers go straight to the bedroom nightstand and dresser drawers. If you have valuables, these are not the places to store them. Try storing cash behind a photo frame on the wall, or inside a boot in the closet. Just don’t stash it so well that you forget where you put it!

Books … if you are a reader, a stack of current things you are reading or the next book or two on your list will suffice. Your bedroom should not be the home library.

A bedroom, if it has room, needs a chair of some sort… a place to sit down and put on your nylons or for him to put on his shoes. That chair should not look like a laundry pile. If possible, a lamp nearby would make this part of the sanctuary, mentioned above. It’s also a great thing to have in your room if you have teens. When they come in at night from a date, they have a place to sit and tell you about their evening.

A change receptacle is another need in a bedroom. As you get dressed and empty pockets, having a place to drop the loose change is a great idea. There’s not clutter and it’s also a great way to save money for a fun reward… maybe a getaway!

Have a hamper or laundry basket in your bedroom.  It can be stored in the bottom of the closet, but it's essential for staying on top of clutter.  Use it!  Toss dirty clothes into the basket and take it to the laundry room daily, then bring it back to it's home for the next day. 

If you don't have a large bedroom or a lot of storage space in your room, a storage trunk can be helpful, as well as a great decor.  I picked up the wicker trunk (at the foot of my bed) at a local thrift store for ten dollars.  It stores extra blankets and bedding and also provides an extra place to sit.

Get a jewelry box or some way of organizing your jewelry.  (I think I'll do a whole entry about jewelry later in the month.)  Rather than having all of your jewelry just tangled together or tossed on a dresser, find a way to organize it.  Necklace boards, tackle boxes, even a piece of 1x2 board with pegs, nails or hooks.  But, don't clutter your dresser with piles of jewelry.  And get rid of earrings that are missing a mate, necklaces with broken clasps or take them to the jeweler and have them replaced if it's worth keeping.

There's just a few ideas to help in the master bedroom.  Look through magazines and decorating blogs for great bedroom inspiration.  Imagine yourself settling into a spacious (because it's not cluttered, not because of square footage) room and relaxing in a peaceful, calm spot that was created just for that purpose ~ relaxing!  Imagine yourself not having to trip over a laundry basket, not having to move clothes before you can sit down, not lying on the bed and looking up at cobwebs in the ceiling fan or corners of your room.  Doesn't that sound divine?  It is!  Enough said!

 

Order is the shape upon which beauty depends.

Making my own blizzard...

UPS delivered, everythings ready!  I'm excited to do the decorating and enjoy the dinner!  Here's a little sneak peak at the project that will be part of my decorating.  I made these cute little snowball candles, which will be part of the centerpieces.  They took me about 30 minutes to make twelve, start to clean-up. 

You will need:

Spread out some paper,  Hold a candle by the wick with one hand.  Spray on the adhesive while spinning the candle slowly with the other hand.  Immediately, dip the candle in a bowl of epsom salt, making sure to cover the entire candle, sprinkling some over the top and sides, as necessary.  Pick up the candle again by the wick, respray it and redip it once more to make sure it's totally covered.  Allow to dry completely. I've made these candles before using Decoupage, but again, why?  The spray adhesive is so much more simple!  The candles were $1.25 a piece at Hobby Lobby, in the value pak.  The spray glue was $6.99.  The Epsom Salt is less than $4 for this 4# bag and I used less than 2 cups.  Very inexpensive!  And here's the finished product:

And finally, the finished product, for the dinner for 240 members of our LDS Stake...

A new Zaylee quote:  Go-Go our little Malti-Poo was sniffing around the "Go Fish" cards that Zaylee was playing with on the floor.  Zaylee, in her own little "RED" personality, said, "Go-Go, NO!  You can't play with these,  they are only for the big kids."  That pretty much sums up what Zaylee thinks she is. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Life is good when you see the good in life.

Oops and a few other emotions

Disappointed:  I was so excited when I woke up this morning to the smell of a most nummy Chicken and Vegetable Stew.  I'd cooked it the night before and added the noodles while cleaning up after breakfast.  Just at about lunchtime, I went to check and see if it was time to turn the crockpot to warm.  I opened the cupboard just above the open crockpot to grab a glass and add a little water.  As I grabbed the glass, this Corelle cup got bumped off the shelf, hit the crockpot and shattered inside the stew.  You can only see a few of the little white shards in the picture but, when I picked up the broken cup, there were a gazillion little shards.  If you've ever broken a piece of Corelle, it doesn't break, it pulverizes into these little slivers of glass like a lightbulb. SADNESS.  I had to toss the entire meal.   I wasn't sure which I was most disappointed about... $15 of ingredients down the drain, the time spent chopping and preparing or missing out on what promised to be one nummy dinner! 

Amused:  I posted this experience on Facebook and one of my funniest friends ever, Helen, commented, "Now you can call it"Cup of Soup". Lol have a good day!"  THAT made me cackle! 

Respectful:  The funeral of Ogden Police Officer Jared Francom, a member of the special narcotics strike force, shot and killed last week, was laid to rest today.  The tributes were moving and tender.  There were officers from across the nation, thousands of flags lining the streets of Ogden, the entire procession was humbling.  I'm grateful for those men and women who put their lives on the line to protect each of us from day to day.

Stunned:  Zaylee absolutely blew me away while I was making snowflake decorations with my Cricut for the upcoming Stake Dinner.  She watched me cut three large flakes and then, as always, said, "I can do it."  I'd been letting here peal the little cut pieces off the mat from the snowflakes.  I said, "No, this is a Grammie toy."  She insisted, "I can do it!"  I was just putting the mat in to cut another one.  She said, "Gwammie, look.  You push this button.  (And she hit load mat.)  Then you push this rectangle.  (She hit Repeat last cut.)  Then you push this big circle.  (She hit cut.)"  When it was finished cutting, she said, "Now, you push this button on the corner." (She hit unload mat.)  I couldn't believe it.  Gracie and Doug witnessed it too.  She is a smart little cookie... more often than not, too smart! 

Tickled:  Earlier in the afternoon, she was having her "Gwampie tweet".  That's the fresh fruit Doug always gives her when he walks in from work.  Today, it was a sliced apple with peanutbutter.  I thought I'd a little zip and gave her a spoonful of Nutella beside the peanutbutter.  "Gwammie!  You knowI wuuuuuv cwockwit!"  I do love this child!  Being her "gwammie" makes me happy!

Grateful:  I spent a lot of time on the phone with Liza while she prepared her first Relief Society lesson.  She's been asked to sub this coming Sunday and is as excited about teaching this lesson as I get about my own.  She's worked hard on it and is already well-prepared. I was touched several times as she shared thoughts that confirm to me what I already know... Liza and Buddy are make this mama proud.  They are actively growing, they want to do good and be their best.  Liza was full of "good news" today and all I could say was "tender mercies" over and over.  I'm so proud of those two!  I actually told her today that I didn't mind them living in Phoenix, because I see how happy they are and the growth that they are experiencing. 

Uncontrollable:  Two words:  Dang Nutella

Anticipating: I've spent much of my time this past few days preparing for the Stake Dinner.  The decorations are coming together quite well.  I created a very simple, cute craft for the tables while Zaylee was napping.  I'll share details on Monday.    Now, I'm just waiting for FedEx to ring my doorbell and I'll have everything together!  It's all gathered and ready to set up.   I'm using a "Snowy" theme, which Doug asked if that was wishful thinking on my part.  Absolutely!

Did I say, Dang Nutella?  Enough said.

The state of your life is nothing more than
a reflection of your state of mind.

silence is golden

It was one of those days.  A certain "theme" seemed to follow me right through my day.

 This morning, while visiting with a friend, they shared something that would have definitely been best left unsaid. It was a bit more than I needed to know about someone else and their personal situation.  I practiced a little lesson taught by a friend...said, "That's really unfortunate."  I said no more.  They got the hint and said no more.

Later in the day, I had an "encounter" with a professional where I knew that silence was best.  When I woke up, I was in the mood to "Give em a piece of my mind".  That's how I was raised.  "Tell 'em exactly what you're thinking and leave nothing unsaid."  I'm here to testify that this is not always the best thing to do.  As a matter of fact, I'm here to tell ya that, in most cases, it's better to just count to three.  Or a hundred and three.  Today, I counted.  And it paid off.

Even later in the day, an unexpected visitor dropped by.  This visitor had quite the tale, sharing a recent "adventure" where they experienced some very negative happenings.  Doug and I looked at each other and could see that this conversation was about to "go south" rapidly.  We cautioned the visitor that there was a child in the room.  The visitor continued, sharing far more details than Doug or I needed or wantedto hear.  First, I sent one of the children out of the room on "an errand"  (You know... the proverbial "Can you run and grab this or that so you don't hear what's about to be said" errand.)  That wasn't a big enough hint for the storyteller.  They continued.  At one point, I blatantly said, "Um, I really don't want to know these details."  We were assured that it was "okay".  Next, Doug interrupted with, "Okay, next!"  (Normally, Doug asks, "How 'bout those Jazz?")  The "storyteller" persisted and insisted that they would finish the story, literally telling the final details on their way out the door.  As we closed the door, Doug and I looked at each other and agreed, "We could have lived without knowing anyof that."  Storyteller went away feeling quite proud, I'm certain, that they'd shared "all the gory details".  Ew.

And then, later tonight, one of the kids came to me and confessed that they'd shared something about a sibling with a friend that they knew they shouldn't have.  "Only part of it, though.  But, I should be consquenced because I shouldn't have said anything at all."   Thankfully, our children are learning that some things are better left unsaid.  No consequence was given.  They'd done that on their own just by confessing to the sibling and me.

Years ago.  YEARS.  I was involved with a group of women.  The leader of this group had an influential husband in our community and she was "privy" to more "juicy gossip" than most of the rest of us.  Once, while we were working together on a project, a prominent person's name came up and she shared a "story" about this person.  It was absolutely the worst piece of gossip about this person or any other that I've ever heard.  EVER.  Almost thirty years later, I see that person and this story still comes into my mind.  The story was so vile that I didn't even share it with Doug ~ not even to say how aggravated I was that I knew the story at the time.  I've never repeated a word of it to a soul. Not that I'm so good or wonderful to not talk, but this story was potentially destructive and damaging. AND IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD.  Enough said about that one.

And so.  My thoughts of this day have been about how important silence really can be.  Here's a few points that I've pondered today:

• I believe that silence is a great example of self-control, strength and wisdom.
• I believe that there are times that talking too much can be destructive to, not only the person being talked about, but to the person doing the talking.
• I believe that unsaying something is literally impossible...like collecting dust in the wind.  Once words have been spoken, no amount of explaining or apologizing will allow those words to be forgotten.  Forgiven, perhaps.  But, rarely, if ever, forgotten.
• What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. And sometimes, even if you witness it with your eyes, it's still best to keep quiet. 
• I believe that sometimes your silence is the only way to silence someone else.  Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.  It’s quite difficult to gossip single-handedly.
• I believe with all my heart that that still, small voice speaks most clearly to us when we are quiet and listen.  The scripture verse, "Be still, and know that I am God" is powerful.


Silence is the true friend that never betrays. 

ten

Ten things I did today:

1. Ordered the papergoods for the Stake Dinner that I'm decorating for this weekend.
2. Went to Sam's Club to pick up more things for the dinner
3. Had lunch at Chili's with Denise
4. LOVED the new Philly Cheese Sandwich on Chili's new menu
5. Had a lovely much-needed two hour experience with my friend/foot zoner
6. Made a tasty dinner
7. Washed our bedding
8. Taught ZJ how to sew a "tube" and turn it inside out
9. Gave a Family Home Evening lesson on using good language
10. Hugged Doug for a very long time in the kitchen

Nine people I talked with today:

1. Carol
2. The CPA’s receptionist
3. Denise
4. Scott ~ the High Counselor over the Stake Dinner
5. The bank
6. Liza
7. My Relief Society President
8. Friend Liz
9. Dad

Eight things I was grateful for today:

1. Liza's gratitude.  She's started baking homemade bread without a mixer.  I sent her a little surprise ~ a bulk size package of dry yeast.  She called when she got home from work and her first words were, "You love us."  I knew that she'd received the yeast.  She's a very gracious daughter.
2. Denise's friendship.  I am blessed.
3. Marilyn, my footzoning friend, who never ceases to amaze me with her wisdom.
4. Gracie's prayer tonight.  "I'm thankful that we are such a happy family."  A mama moment indeed.
5. Doug's hug.  He didn't have to say a word, just held me for about five minutes.  The best medicine in the world.
6. My new camera.  Isn't the midday moon beautiful?
7. Five of my six children were sweet and kind to their mama today.  (I only spoke with five of the six, so that was battin' a hundred!)
8. ZJ is serious about learning to sew.  She's determined and loving every step of her journey.  I'm excited for her.

Seven things I ate today:

1. Chili's new tasty soup.
2. Chili's Philly Steak Sandwich
3. Five.  Exactly five.  Chili's Chips with Avocado Ranch dressing and salsa.
4. A Burrito
5. A very tasty salad
6. A spoon of Nutella.  (Okay.  Two.)
7. Pepsi.  (No amount to be mentioned.)

Six things I said today:

1.  I love you!
2. Thank you.
3. You're amazing.
4. Why do I do this to myself?  (Dang Nutella.)
5. I can't find my keys. (They're having a sleepover at Chili's tonight.)
6. No, I don't want to leave a message.  I'm still waiting for him to return my call from last week's message.  (I was getting a little cranky, can you tell?)

Five things I should have done today that I didn’t:

1. Put away the rest of the laundry  (It will still be there when I wake up.)
2. Called ZJ's piano teacher about changing her lesson day.
3. I should have run back to grab my keys at Chili's, but I'll be there for lunch tomorrow.  They'll still be there too.
4. I forgot to buy spray adhesive while at Hobby Lobby.
5. I didn't order some photo prints for my mother.  Oops.

Four things said to me today:

1. "I'm sorry, he's not available right now.
2. I love you, darlin'.  (I heart my dad.  He always tells me that.)
3. Can I come and have you teach me to be organized?
4. Mom, you know everything.

Three things that shocked me today:

1. There's not a snowflake "anything" to be found in this valley. There's barely any Christmas stuff left anywhere.
2. My sister-in-law's sister's husband was just diagnosed with Stage 2 Colon Cancer.  Arthur is in our prayers!
3. It was C-O-L-D!

Two things that I’ve GOT to do tomorrow:

1. Buy Spray Adhesive
2. Make some "snowballs" 

One thing I want to remember about this day: :

1. A few minutes of the afternoon when I felt like I really understood something/someone.  It's something I've been praying for for quite some time.  Clarity, today, was a gift... a tender mercy.  Enough said.

All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered;
the point is to discover them.

Weekend update:

Friday:  Day Date with Doug.  Lunch at Chili's and Mission Impossible 4.  OH MY!  If you love action, sitting on the edge of your seat and looking at Tom for two hours, this is the movie for you!  LOVED IT!

Friday evening, we went to Carol's for a "last time get-together" with Jamie and Ryan before they move to Seattle.  It will be sad to see them go.  SuperBowl Sunday came up several times because it's what we do together every winter.  We will miss them!


Saturday, we finally got a little snow!  A little!  But it was enough to get out and take some pictures at about 7:30 in the morning.  Beautiful morning.  The temple is a perfect shot any time of year.

This home is one of my favorites in Logan.  It is beautiful any time of year.  As I was driving by, I got a chance to visit with the owner while he was shoveling his and a neighbor's walks.   This quaint little street just feels like it should be somewhere in Europe.  I drive through it often, just because it feels like stepping back in time.  Love it!  I've decided to take pictures every season of this home.

Saturday evening, we got together with Stott and Wendy to watch the Help.  Stott hadn't seen it yet. I struggled with this movie the first time at the theater, but I love it more each time I watch it now.  Beautiful story.  We've come a long way baby!

Sunday, I substituted for Quayd's Sunday School teachers, who were out of town for the weekend.  It was a fun opportunity because the lesson was the beginning of the Book of Mormon.  I love the Book of Mormon!  I love talking about it.  I love teaching about it.  The kids seemed to capture it.   Fun stuff!   Angela taught a "perfect" and much needed lesson in Relief Society, then, Stott and Wendy's oldest son was ordained to be a Priest.  Miki is a crack-up.  She just loves her Grampy!After church, we went to Carol's for dinner and a movie.  Planet of the Apes.  I'd joked that you couldn't buy my ticket and popcorn and pay me $20 to go and see this movie.  But, it really wasn't at all what I thought it would be.  I wouldn't buy it, but it's worth watching.    The kids liked it.  Dinner was great!  But, most of all, time with Carol is always the best!

That's our weekend.  Busy, busy, cold and lots of together time.  That's what matters most.

I also wanted to make a correction.  Mom had shared a recipe in December.  When I made it, I'm certain that she forgot or something.  BUT.  Here's what I created on my own and they were a hit all weekend!

Nut Balls

1 cup Nutella
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in large bowl until creamy and smooth.  Chill.  Roll into balls and then roll in chopped/ground pecans. Enjoy!  (this recipe makes about 80 nut balls.)

Last year, at this time, I was going through every inch of my home, dejunking and doing my winter organizing.  This year, I did it earlier in December, so I'm focusing on some other goals.  I do love January.

This week:  Decorating for a Stake Dinner for 240 people, studying my Relief Society lesson, preparing for an upcoming organizing class I'll be teaching, creating a few little projects, some sewing, some cooking and doing a little catch-up reading.  And somewhere in there, probably a few games, lunches at Chili's and a little Pinterest.  Life is good!

The more you know who you are and what you want,
the less you let things upset you.

think about it...

You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it.  Be thankful for it.

digging in

Previously posted in January 2011

Yesterday, after weeks of non-stop gatherings, I decided that I needed a day to myself.  I left my cellphone in the car and took the other phone off the hook.  Solitude!  I spent the day downstairs,  dejunking in the babes' rooms.  Three giant black trash bags later, they were done and ready to be reassembled, about the time the kids got home from school.  I've decided that doing it alone is better than having their help because they don't mourn the loss of every candy wrapper that you toss! 

When we were all done, we picked Doug up from work (remember his battery was dead yesterday morning) and Gracie got her final part of the birthday celebration ~ dinner at Wingers.  Actually, it wasn't dinner she was so excited about, but the giant piece of asphalt pie.  We discovered last night that Wingers no longer gives asphalt pie to the birthday girl, no it's a scoop of icecream with sprinkles.  So, she got both.  The end of the 12th birthday celebration.  ZJ is already talking about what she wants for hers in March.  Life just never slows down!

Let's talk dejunking...

Today, I'm talking about drawers (and I don't mean your undies.)  I took a walk through my home and counted yesterday.  I have 71 drawers in my home.  That's drawers, not shelves and that's not counting file cabinets, storage container drawers and portable stacking drawers.  I don't know if that's an average number, but it's a lot of places that need to be checked frequently and kept in order.  If I give every one of those drawers five to ten minutes of attention, that's about ten hours just to organize my drawers.  And if you check them often, once they are organized, you can keep up on them in a minute.

 Think outside of the box... or drawer in this case. Pretty much, anything that can go on a shelf can go into a drawer, as long as it fits. If you don't have built-in drawers, invest in a few IRIS carts or plastic stacking drawers.  You'll find that they come in very handy!  My kids each have IRIS carts for their toys and "stuff".  It makes life so much easier for them.  Gracie has a drawer for her belts, one for her rubber stamps and art supplies, one for her Liv Dolls, one for her Polly Pockets, one for her purses...  this way, there is a place for everything.  Labeling them helps even toddlers with clean-up.

Open the drawer and empty it completely.  Determine the purpose of this drawer and only refill it with things that fit that purpose.  Most homes have a junk drawer (or two or six).  But, you don't really need six junk drawers of you designate each drawer with a purpose and stick to that.  Here's a few drawer ideas.

• school supplies - not for your office supplies, but for the kids' items that they tend to look in your supplies to borrow.  If they know that they have a drawer with things for them, they'll be less likely to get into yours.  This drawer is in our entry way, central to everyone and it's used frequently.  I didn't do a thing to clean it up before taking the picture but put the lipbalms in the big tray instead of letting it float. (The lipbalms are there because it's so dang cold in the mornings that they need to put it on just before walking out the door to the bus stop, so, it's a natural place to store it...in the entryway.  Store things at their point of use.)  For the most part, this drawer looks like this all of the time.  Having a few organizers in the drawer is like saying "Put that in here" to every item.
• cleaning supplies - rags, sponges, special cleaning products and tools like a squeegie, magic erasers, etc...
• jewelry - a drawer, separated into sections just like a large jewelry box is easier to get in and out of.
• medicine/first aid ~ We have a first aid kit, but if you have kids getting into it often, it becomes a mess.  So, I have a small drawer in the bathroom that has triple-antibiotic, bandaids, wet-wipes and a few things for the kids to doctor themselves with.  Why have the stress of getting after them for dumping out the first aid kit on the counter and leaving it when they could just open a drawer, grab a band-aid and only leave the wrappers?  ;)  (I believe that most humans are born with a natural trait of not  throwing away bandaid wrappers until they become mothers.  Hence, children and men never do it, so why fight nature?)
• cosmetics/toiletries -if possible, it's awesome to have each person have their own drawer for bathroom items.  Even if it means purchasing a little stackable set of mini-drawers so that they can have their own personal items stored and not all over the counters.  If you have kids sharing a bathroom, this is an answer to much contention.  Storing their personal items like brushes, deodorants, medications... in their own drawer will keep the counters free of clutter and cut the contention in half, as long as they stay out of each others' drawers.
• gift-wrap/party supplies ~ if you have the space, a drawer is great for this purpose.  Scissors, tape, some tissue papers folded neatly, cards or gift-tags, all stored together to make one step wrapping.  This can save you time and energy. 
• winterwear - this is a must have!  Every home needs one.  Store all mittens, gloves, skicaps and scarves only in this drawer.  Anytime you find misplaced items, toss them into the drawer.  It's so much more simple than looking through every drawer trying to figure where the missing glove is.  The kids will even get the idea and help on this one because they are the ones who wear and need them the most.
• sock drawer ~ I remember hearing a mother of six children share this tip.  She has one giant sock drawer in her laundry room.  All socks are folded and stored in that drawer.  For the entire family.  She didn't have to spend her time sorting and separating.  The whole family reached in grabbed their own socks, as needed, and they were always contained.  I thought it was a great idea.  (It's actually where I decided that it it worked for socks, it would work for hats and gloves.)  I don't use this idea, personally, because Doug and I are on a different floor than the laundry room,  but I do have a container for socks that come out of the wash without mates.  Then, on a weekly basis, we have a "sock convention" where we all gather, dump the container, match our socks and everyone puts their own away.

I also have an extra chest of drawers in my laundry room.  The room is small and tight, but this dresser helps immensely!  I keep extra linens in one drawer, winterwear (see below), a drawer of tableclothes and a drawer for Zaylee's things (a change of clothes and a few of her little toys.)  You can pick up an old dresser at a secondhand store or Craigslist for near nothing and put it right to work. 

Use containers to separate sections in each drawer.  If you can't afford to purchase separators or containers, use shoe boxes or cups or bowls.    But, keeping things separated makes them easier to find.  Just think of all the rolls of tape, batteries, paperclips, sticky notes that are replaced when you know that you have some somewhere.  This is my "junk drawer" but it's really not a junk drawer.  It's the "adhesive" drawer... nails, glues, tapes, wires, tacks and a few other odds and ends used when attaching things. Again, having little containers inside a container keeps things organized.  The dollar store has a gazillion choices of inexpensive storage containers.  (Notice the little purple game in the drawer has nothing to do with attaching, but, this drawer, in my gallery, is a great place to hide a toy that kids are arguing over!)

A few other thoughts about drawers:

• Once emptied, do not put items back into the drawers that are broken, torn, have missing pieces or parts, that don't fit and most important, that don't get used.  If it's not been worn or used in the last six months (or season), more than likely, it's not going to be used.  Get rid of it!  Donate it.  Pass it along to someone else who may need it.  If you can't bear tossing it, cut it into pieces and make a cleaning rag out of it.  "As my granola husband says, "You won't owe the earth an apology if you recycle it."
• Don't over stuff drawers.  It pushes the bottoms out of them and ruins the furniture.  If your kids have so many clothes that they can't fit in the drawers, then they shouldn't be trying to make them fit.  If the drawer doesn't close easily, it's got too much stuff in it.  One of my friends/decorating and organizing heroes, Mary Ann, has a very limited wardrobe by choice.  She believes that you don't need fifty pair of shoes and a hundred outfits.  Her wardrobe is simple and classic.  Her walk-in closet, which is the size of ZJ's bedroom, is perfectly clean and in order because she chooses to simplify by not owning so much "stuff".  I  took her advise last year and tossed over forty shirts out of my closet and it's still overflowing!  I've never missed one!  Simplify!  (By the way, going through my clothes and dejunking again this winter is one of my January projects!)
• Seasonal things should not be stored in drawers along with the everyday used items.  Things like swimsuits, ski clothes, Christmas socks... you get the picture.  Store those in containers out of the way.  Why go through them day after day, moving them from one place to another when you won't be needing them for nine more months?

That's just a few of my own thoughts on drawers.  What are yours?  Stay tuned for the next few weeks, every day, I'll be sharing my favorite dejunking/home organizing tips! 

We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once.