Black-Eyed Girl

Poor M got a black eye the other day. She was at her cousins' house while we were all out to dinner. The kids were all outside playing Ghost in the Graveyard. She went to tag S and at the same time, he turned around and they ran into each other. When we got home her poor little face was so swollen and she got a black eye almost instantly. She was a good sport about it. And, of course she got her black eye just in time for picture day!

BYU Museums & Brick Oven

The kids were out of school on Friday, and DH was surprisingly able to get the day off. So, we got up in the morning and headed out for a day of fun! We took the kids to BYU to go to all the fun museums there. We also went out to eat at Brick Oven. The kids were well behaved, we ate good food, made great memories, had a wonderful time, and enjoyed our family time together!

The "boys" waiting for their pizzas.

Me and my girlies!

Standin in front of a Liger at the Bean Museum.

Inside the mouth of a giant crocodile at the Earth Science Museum.

My foot next to a T-Rex.

In front of the Art Museum.

There was no photography allowed inside so we took pictures outside instead.

Jumping off the wall. These were so fun to take.

J at the Museum of People and Cultures.

I'm A Workin' Woman

So, last week was my last week babysitting. And today I started a new job. I got a job at my kids' school working as a math and reading tutor. Today was busy and a little bit crazy. I think it'll be that way for a while until I get into a routine. I will only working part-time which is perfect.

This is a big change for me, and I had quite a bit of anxiety over it. I LOVED watching Corbin and being home, but DH felt like I needed to be done. I cried every day last week trying to figure out what to do. First, I decided to be a substitute teacher for the district. But that didn't feel right. I had a sick feeling in my stomach, and every time I thought about it something didn't click. I was worried about way too many things.

So, then I decided that I would just keep babysitting. But, then I felt guilty like I wasn't listening to what DH was saying. He told me he wanted me to do what would make me happy. I thought babysitting was that thing.

Well, a few days later I remembered that the school was hiring a tutor. I went and talked to the principal and he hired me the next day and asked if I could start on Monday (today). I said yes, and here I am.

This decision was the only one that didn't either make me feel like I would puke all day, feel guilty or anything else. This decision felt right. It'll be an adjustment for sure. But, I think it'll be for the good. I will miss Corbin terribly, but he won't be out of our lives. We will still pick him up and let him come play or take him to McDonalds, or whatever. I didn't think my life would take this turn right now, but it sure did. I hope it'll be a good turn and what our family needed.

Have You Ever. . .

I saw this on my sisters' blog and thought it would be fun!! You should do it too! Just copy and paste the 200 statements then bold the ones you have done!! Hope you enjoy it!! (and make sure you use a lot of exclamation points, it makes everything more fun)

The idea is to highlight the things you have done out of the 200 items on the list.
The things I have done are in yellow!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone - verbal not physical
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe.
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in a historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Ran a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

What have you done?

Praying Mantis

What is it with kids and bugs?

My kids have had a huge fascination with bugs lately. They played with that tomato worm a while ago. And then we were at the park a little while back and they caught this praying mantis. They played with it for a long long time. Even the girls who were a little bit curious. S was the brave one and let it crawl all over him. He did get a little freaked out when it started to climb up his neck. At one point, he did a little freak out dance and the praying mantis went flying off. Then he picked it back up and did it again. He was hilarious. I think after a little bit though he realized that he liked it much better when he just held the praying mantis in his hand. That little bug kept the kids quite busy for a long time.

Who knew kids could be so happy and content playing with bugs?

My Two Neices!

We've had 2 beautiful additions to our family in the last 2 weeks. Two of DH's sisters had babies. Alexa Jane (on the right) was born Aug. 28 and Sidney Jo (left) was born just 10 days later on Sept. 7. Both moms and both babies are doing well. Aren't they so cute?! You can't tell I'm a proud and excited aunt can you?

My Two Little Friends

These are my friends' kids, Sammy and Avery. I love them to pieces. They are such cuties. I'm not sure why, but they always want to come play at my house, even if my own kids aren't there. And of course, I'm kind of a sucker and always let them. Who could say no to these two cute faces? The other day we had both their families over, and they came out with lipstick all over their face. They thought they were so cute, and so did we. I had to get a picture!

Sidney Jo

This is my SIL Brenda who let me go to the hospital when she had her baby. I was SO excited. I've been to one previous birth, but didn't really get to see the entire delivery. So, to be able to see this one was amazing. I've always been very interested in the whole birthing experience. I think the whole thing is such a miracle.

This is sweet little Sydney Jo, who came into the world at 9:10 last night, weighing 6 lb. 15 oz. and was 20 inches long. She is such a cutie, and looks like her sister. She has 3 older sisters, and 1 older brother who are all going to love her so much.

Proud mom, sweet little baby, and excited aunt!

This was such an amazing experience for me. I'm so glad that Brenda let me come and witness the miracle of life. There is nothing like it.

Cold Stone Girls Night

My cute friend Denice called last week and asked if I wanted to go out to ice cream with her. I of course said yes because I can never pass up a chance to get some ice cream!! Well, it didn't end up working for that night, but we finally went last night. Two of our other friends' April and Lena came along too. I LOVE Cold Stone! It is so yummy! We had fun hanging out and enjoying our treats without little ones crawling all over us. It was a nice break. Yeah for good friends and yummy treats!

Chocolate Croissants

I saw this yummy recipe and made it for breakfast this morning.

It was so delish! We loved it.

12 unsliced croissants

2 c. milk chocolate chips

1/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. milk

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. half-n-half

3 tsp. vanilla

~Cut a slit in each croissant. Fill with 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips. In a shallow bowl combine sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Whisk in milk until smooth. Whisk in eggs, cream and vanilla. Dip croissants in egg mixture. Place in baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes.