December Recap

Just like everyone else, we’ve been busy (I think) getting ready for the holidays (or something like that!)  Here’s a little photo review of the month.

    

Those cupcakes were from Wendy Paul’s 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes.  They were the Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes and they were divine!  Carlos gobbled up as many as he could which is saying a lot because he’s not much of a sweets kind of guy.  So yummy!

We had a great Christmas and hope you all did too!

For Grandpa and Grandma

New Christmas PJs from Grandma and Grandpa!

Oh where, oh where has my sanity gone? Oh where, oh where could it be?

My children have really been one on lately. I don't know if it's the "excitement" of the holidays or the full moon we just had (I'm not kidding, but that's another post) or what, but I've sworn to never enter Walmart with them again (we'll see how long that wishful thinking lasts) and Walmart may never let me enter with them again!
I remember how, when we were kids, my mom would go to Walmart to shop and would disapear for a few hours. There weren't too many other places to go in Vernal but she would just wander around the store all by herself for that time. Now I understand why. I'm guilty of taking way longer than I need to on the rare occasion I get to shop by myself. It's a delight. Carlos doesn't even like to send me on "quick" errands because he says I'll be gone for a couple of hours. That's exagerating. Usually.
So, tonight, Jaiden locked me, my mother-in-law, Austin and himself in his room as we were taking them in to bed. We were all in pajamas and barefoot. His door has a lock on it and we turned it around because he kept locking us out. It doesn't open from the inside without a key.
Well, he did this once in the summer and I was barefoot and in pajamas then too. It was also in the morning so anybody watching got to see me sit on the window ledge for about ten minutes getting up the nerve to manuever my way out of the window, which is above the stairwell leading to the basement. They also got to see me run around the house and go in through the garage.
Well, tonight, it was too dark so nobody would have been able to see much had I had to do that. But there was no way I could have climbed out, barefoot, onto the slippery railing and jumped onto a snow-covered stair and ran barefoot around the house. It was too dark and dangerous and I guess I'm a wimp. So, I threw toys at my neighbors house where they have a patio and door. Not all of them made it and some are on their roof. I threw toys and yelled until they heard and came to our rescue. Thank you so much! Sorry that we had to resort to yelling and throwing things at 9:30 at night!
Ah, the adventures.

A Few Random Comments for People Who will Probably Never Read this Blog

Dear Self-Proclaimed Shopping Cart Enforcement Mother and Son at Wal-Mart,

I'm sorry that I lost my temper after you rudely asked me to move the cart that I had placed in between the cars because there wasn't a shopping cart storage thing anywhere close to where we were. Even after you saw me look for one and even after you saw me struggling with my flailing four year old for nearly ten minutes just trying to get him into his carseat because he was going balistic (for the FOURTH time in Wal-Mart), this particular incident because he wanted to sign HIS name at the checkout. I guess that your sitting in your car for several minutes and just watching me wasn't enough for you, you just had to see if you could push that last button by having your 12 year old tell me to move the cart and then allow him to make disrespectful faces and gestures and you make them yourself when I told him that he could move it himself. Well, it worked. You pushed that last button. So, I'm sorry that I lost my temper. Kind-of.


Dear Kind Lady in the Home Depot Parking Lot:

Thank you for kindly taking my cart and putting it away so that I could "take care of my kids." I will always remember that.

Dear Repulsively Cocky Guy at the Gym:

Seriously, if you feel the need to "flirt" with a cute girl on the bike next to you, please keep your voice down so that everyone within a 15 foot radius can't hear very clearly all that you are saying, even over the noise of the machines and weights. Especially when the conversation consists of your detailed description of the circumference of your waist and thighs and what size of pants you had to buy to get them over your thighs. Or your 8000 calorie diet that you were one, down to the details of each meal. Or anything else promoting your self and your muscles. Maybe she was enthralled with your monologue but I was disgusted. Thanks.

Things of Thanksgiving

These pictures are some of the things from our Thanksgiving Day.  They are also things for which I am thankful.  Enjoy!

A pre-dinner treat:

 

Yummy things to drink and eat:

 

A little ZUMBA!:

 

Watch out!  The dog is going to lick us!                                                          I’m thankful for my cute kids, not necessarily dogs:

 

My cute hubby, even when he’s “Pretty in Pink" while carving the turkey:

 

Zachy sitting so cute in the make-shift highchair and eating so well by himself (unlike my other children):

 

Austin’s cute faces:

 

My cute “cowboy”:

 

Beautiful sunsets:

We had a fun day with Carlos’ family and had lots of yummy food.  We  were definitely tired by the time the day was over.  And Carlos’ mom and I even got up early and were at Wal-Mart by about 3:45 am.  She got the TV she wanted and I got the $3.00 character kid’s pajamas I wanted!  Then we went to K Mart and after I took her home went to ShopKo.  I did sleep for  awhile after I got home but Wow!, I was so tired all day. 

Yesterday afternoon, we took the kids to see Planet 51 and we got some ice cream before the movie.  It was a fun time.  I’m thankful for my family!

A Quick Update

I’ve not been purposefully slacking in my bloggerly duties, I’ve just been really busy.  I know, I know, it’s such a disappointment when I don’t update regularly.  I’m Ready to fall asleep now as it is.  So, I’ll try and slowly catch ya’ll up on the goings on of our life at this point in time.  I’m rambling.  Anyway, here’s something.

We went up to Logan on the first for little Ava’s blessing.  She is so beautiful!  Here’s how she felt about the whole situation (headband-CUTE!, dress, lots of people, etc.)  though:

Here’s how Zach felt about the yummy food- Give me more!:

 

 

Here’s how Jaiden and Austin felt about eating – NOT INTERESTED!

 

Here’s how others felt about eating- Good Stuff!:

  

Several of us (ok, a bunch of us) stopped to see Sara and Neil’s beautiful Sydney and their cute apartment.  Then we came home.

Halloween

I didn’t get any good pictures like I wanted because the batteries died in both of my cameras.  The boys weren’t too impressed by my costume and Austin didn’t want to dress up.  Zach’s hat wouldn’t stay on and Jaiden’s shirt didn’t match because I didn’t get the matching one washed.  But they still had a fun time and Carlos was glad to have the day off because he usually has to work.  We went trunk or treating and then stopped by our old neighbor’s to see all of their MANY spooky decorations.  It was fun!

This is the only family picture (because the battery died) and not a great one, but oh well!

   We weren’t very fancy but oh well!  The kids still had fun!

Video of the Stander

Read the post below for details and pictures. Here's a video of Zach in his stander:

…And He’s Off!

Zachary’s stander came today.  He looks so stinkin’ cute in it.  It’s such a tiny thing, especially compared to the one we’ve been using.  Even though it took a few times adjusting everything (thanks to his therapist), he seemed to really like it and caught on really quickly that he can actually move around in this thing.  It will still take a lot of practice to learn how to really go, but we’re all excited.

Jaiden was so cute when they brought it.  He wheeled it all over the house and wanted to write Zach’s name on it and when Zach woke up from his nap, Jaiden took it in to show him.  He calls it his wheelbarrow.  Jaiden is really good about taking care of Zach and helping him and it was so cute to see him as he showed Zach his “wheelbarrow.”

Cupcakes and more cupcakes

I love fall. But it is really bad because it really puts me in a baking mood. So, I bake and bake and bake.... it's a good thing we have neighbors to share with! Both of these recipes are from Wendy Paul's book, 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes.

These are the Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes. I didn't have strawberries so I used rasberries instead. Super super yummy. Everyone loved them. I gave some to my neighbors and sent some to work with Carlos. And what to do with the little bits of cupcake leftover from scooping out the middle?...

Make Trifle!

We had a Halloween food night for Relief Society and so I made the Harvest Pumpkin Cupcakes but baked them in my mini bundt pan (LOVE IT) and then stuck two together to form a pumpkin. I tinted the cream cheese frosting orange and thinned it a little so I could pour it over the pumpkins. I used a green candy slice cut in half for the stem. I also sprinkled orange glitter sprinkles on top. I thought they turned out cute and they tasted good too! There were a lot of cute ideas that people brought.

Nobody Doesn't Like Sara Lee

I could have sworn that whenever they sing the little jingle at the end of a Sara Lee commercial, that they say "Nobody does it like Sara Lee." That's what I have always believed. But today, as a parked at Orson Gygi and looked across the street, the building there said "Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." I stand corrected!

Check out these retro commercials and see what you think, just when they say that specific phrase. And get a laugh in the process!

Thanks, Aubrey, for the Inspiration

For some reason, it had never occurred to me that I could bag just a little bit of corn.  I always thought that I had to have at least a small mountain of the stuff before I could do that.  So thanks for helping me to see the stupidity of my ways! 

I got about 35 ears of corn for $.10/each and got some bagged.  It didn’t come out as creamy as a like but still tastes really good.  And of course, I had to get pictures.

Here are some of the finished bags.  And the pictures prove I did it!  Yay for me!