Get to Know Me, Get to Know You

My brother did this on his blog and I really enjoyed reading it! Here's mine:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My grandfather's name is Julian and my grandmother's name is Suzanne. They combined the 2.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? It seems these days anything sets me off, even cartoons and commercials. That's what I get for having 4 kids. I get more emotional every time.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yep.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Hmm, ham, turkey, roast beef

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 4 of them

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would hope so. Everyone needs to feel like they have a friend, right?

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Probably more than I realize

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Doubt it.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Corn Chex

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? After being a gymnast and now hauling 4 babies around, sure I am. ;)

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Blue Bell Lemon Ice Box Pie (and then anything chocolate as well)

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? If they are smiling or not

15. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? That I'm afraid my shyness comes across as being snobby. I really am nice! I'm just really nervous being the one to start talking.

16. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My fam around the country and my best friends who are all over as well

17. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? blue jeans and tan slip-on type shoes.

18. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Piece of lemon cake

19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The whir of the computer and the fridge, Little Einsteins on Disney

20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Probably a soft pink or soothing blue or green. Hmmm, maybe a light warm yellow. So many choices!

21. FAVORITE SMELLS? Dh after he shaves, clean kids, chocolate chip cookies, mountain air

22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Ben

23. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? On a regular basis, none really. I love gymnastics, swimming and anything at the Olympics that's airing on TV.

24. HAIR COLOR?Brown

25. EYE COLOR? Green

26. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes, I can hardly see anything without them.

27. FAVORITE FOOD? Potatoes (I'm a meat and potatoes girl thru and thru), popcorn, chocolate

28. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings

29. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? at the theater--Elizabeth

30. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White

31. SUMMER OR WINTER? I like summer for vacations, but I love snuggling to get warm in the winter and all the wonderful holidays.

32. HUGS OR KISSES? With my kids and hubby they come together!

33. FAVORITE DESSERT? Brownie sundae

34. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Wild Swans, ADHD a Parent's Handbook

35. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mouse pad, we have the mouse with the trackball.

36. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Ghost Hunters (weird, I know)

37. FAVORITE SOUND? Sounds of nature, Ben's voice, babies giggling, kids singing

38. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles

39. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Which home? Let's put it this way, I've been to Canada (not any trips of consequence that I really remember--except Niagra Falls). I've never flown over any oceans.

40. HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I am an artist--painting, drawing. I also love to sing.

41. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Cedar City, UT

Now copy and paste and fill in your answers on your own blog!

Snow White

These pictures of Kate are at least a couple years old now, but I was playing with them in my photo editing program over the weekend so I thought I would share them since I don't get as many pictures of her on this blog. She's such a beauty and a sweet girl all around.

Kate as Snow White the first year we moved to Austin. Kate in Nana and Papa's backyard in North Carolina 2 years ago Thanksgiving. She was out helping with the leaves.

Be Still, My Soul

Today for the closing hymn we sang Be Still, My Soul. As the melody, harmonies, and words sang to my heart I remembered how much I have always loved this hymn. It is so peaceful, so solemn and beautiful. Here are the words:

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav’nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: The hour is hast’ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Last night we had the missionaries over for dinner and they shared a story with us before they left. I think it was called "Satan's Convention." I don't remember everything about the story or even what the story was, but I remember what it was about--the fact that Satan comes at us from every angle trying to keep that still small voice out of our lives. We seem to always need the radio on in the car, the TV, computer, a movie, a CD on in the house--always noise. How often do we have those quiet moments when we can just listen and the Holy Ghost can communicate with us those things we need to hear? I have to say those quiet moments are very few and far between in my life. This is one thing Satan has succeeded with in my life. There always has to be noise. So this week I'm going to turn off the TV when the kids aren't around, turn off the radio in the car, turn off the computer when I do not need to be on it and see how much I can listen to that still small voice I need desperately in my life. What a blessing it is to have that constant companion!

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side...

Second Round at the Pumpkin Patch

Tuesday we met our playgroup at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch. It was a really nice day for it with the cool crisp air and clouds. However, the leftover water from the huge amount of rainfall that came on Monday was very evident. Everything was wet and there was a lot of mud. Needless to say the kids loved this! The moms, on the other hand, did not. :) Oh well. You get over it real quick when there's nothing you can do about it! I got a few cute pics while we were there.

Yeeeehaw!

Carli stayed in nursery the entire time today!!! She was sad when I dropped her off, but then she must have settled down all right because they never brought her to where Ben and I were teaching the Marriage and Family Relations Sunday School class. I was so excited! I was going to just go in for the second half, but I peeked in through the peephole and there she was, sitting in her seat listening to the lesson. I was not about to ruin the whole thing. AHHHHH! I'm just so happy! :)

Fabulous Girls Night!

Tonight was my first time hosting Mavens, a group of friends who get together once a month for a girls night. It was so fun! I thought it might be fun to do a beauty theme night so we did pedicures and all had beauty tips to share (except for Laurie, but her tip was still awesome!). It was a total blast. We soaked our feet with rosemary mint foot fizzies and used a mint foot scrub lotion and then painted our toes. We even added flower stickers to our big toes. I'll have to get some pics of the finished toes from Katri, who took a whole bunch. Here are the pictures I got (only a couple).

Nicole, Rochelle, and Katrina--posing for a couple different cameras that were going off at the same time. :)

Katrina gets the royal treatment from Laurie. Katrina didn't want to ruin her brand new blue manicure (from a mommy/daughter date yesterday) to get the polish off her toes so Laurie was so kind as to help her out!

We also had some of my favorite "treats." I promised I would post the recipes so here they are!

Jalapeno Ranch Dip

16 oz. sour cream

1 Ranch dip seasoning packet

pickeled jalapenos (to taste--I put about 1/2 c. in)

a handful of cilantro leaves

Throw it all in the blender and blend it up! I also added a little buttermilk (you can use regular milk, too) to thin it out a little. Serve with any kind of tortilla chip (you can also use it in tacos, etc.) Enjoy!

Gooey Butter Cake (this has been a family fave for years and it's always a hit at parties)

1 yellow cake mix

1 egg

1/2 c. butter

*Blend together and spread on bottom of 9x13" pan.

Then blend together:

8 oz. cream cheese

2 eggs

2-3 cups powdered sugar

*Pour over the crust. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar as soon as you take them out of the oven. They look just like lemon bars, but they taste much better! ;)

Pumpkin Patch

We set out for a wonderful morning of fun! Well, we had good intentions anyway. :) It was so stinkin' hot and for some reason our kids decided to be upset about all kids of things. It wasn't all bad, though. :) The little girls enjoyed themselves and Brandon wandered around with 2 huge pumpkins in the wagon. He really wanted to bring them home, but at $30 each that was not an option. We did get home with some cute little pumpkins and some fun Indian corn. I plan to go back when it gets cooler in the next couple of weeks. It was a fun place! All the kids. We tried getting some cute pictures on the hay with some pumpkins. Megan was really not into it and wouldn't even sit. It was so hot!
Here's one without Megan altogether. The last one I only got because my camera is really quick and I shot it before she got out fo the frame. I guess the sun was too much for Brandon. Carli actually didn't want to get down! What a sweetie to stay for another pic by mom. This little swing was fun. Here are my oldest and youngest together. That doesn't happen too often! Kate riding the tractor trike. Carli tried it, too. Notice where the seat really is. Megan pulling her pumpin in the wagon. Brandon's huge pumpkins.

Impromptu photo shoot

I'm supposed to be cleaning and getting ready for Sisters and Salads tonight (a group I've tried to start in my ward to get to know sisters better), but I took these pics of Carli yesterday and I just had to post them. :) I put her hair in little pigtails and she just looked so darling! I do this a lot with Carli, don't I? I suppose she's a great subject, but she's also always home! I need to do some of the older kids, too. I'll work on that. Anyway, here are some pics.

I really need to start traveling

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city soul with a small town heart Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand And gorgeous Italian people - could life get any better?

What City Do You Belong In?

Fall Decor

I was so excited to put a little Fall into our home. It's been a process decorating this house and it is far from complete. I've really just begun, but a little goes a long way. Thanks to Hobby Lobby and their fall 50% off I grabbed some fun little things to dress up the mantle. It's not much, but I love it. :) Here it is!

I thought these wooden pumpkins were fun and would last a while.The little pumpkins and the leaves were from Hobby Lobby. I loved the leaves with some berries thrown in.