Visiting a Farm!!

Grahm and Charlotte just love animals. They can make you feel like a bad parent for not letting them have some animals at the house. Grahm wants a cat, a dog, and a hamster (for in the house). Charlotte would take a dog, a cat, a lamb, a horse, or anything that moves.

Last week a sister in the area invited us to her farm for the morning. We enjoyed the animals and friends. Then sat in the warm sun and had a picnic. Grahm would have stayed all day. I am surprised he didn't ask to move in - I am sure he will next week when we visit another farm.

Taking a picture of two wiggly creatures was tough. I did not get a single one. Maybe I should switch cameras?
Grahm had time to get some "practice" in so he will be ready this summer.

Things You Missed, Part 2

Not having to mow the lawn or weed eat, free babysitting, Grahm hoping that just because you are coming home the "new food" wont stop, Jayce learning to roller skate and even though he didn't want to - ended up loving it, Charlotte and Lucas kissing, Charlotte making fast friends with Greg because she misses you, homemade chocolate chip cookies, Grahm trying to pull a fast one, millions of hugs and kisses, the boys doing dishes so they could make you cards (unloading and loading and cleaning up the BBQ pork they dumped on the floor - I was letting them do it their way - they did a great job), throwing up in the middle of the night, Falafel, Charlotte starting to let me know when she pees, more pudding pops, the usual - dirty diapers, Lego messes, Charlotte's signature Ya, peanut M&Ms, late night sewing, Saturday morning snuggles,

I promise....
That the second we see you we will slather you with hugs and kisses, (especially really long hugs - that say - don't you ever leave me for that long again).
The kids will be super noisy and crazy just for you.
Charlotte will run back and forth in the house, giggling and smiling to get your approval.
The boys will talk over each other at a 100 miles an hour recounting each adventure you missed and asking you to do a million things.
To have a babysitter for the next night, so we can escape and talk to each other (see above).
To cook you anything you want, so no chicken.
That the first time I do your laundry I will appreciate your clothes being in there (the next time, not so much).
To snuggle you until you reach an internal temperature of 104 (I still think that is brain safe) and then I will retreat to my side of the bed.
Not to grab my keys and run out the door yelling - "your turn" or "see you in a few hours".
Not to overwhelm you with 5 weeks of honey do's (I will wait until the next day!!!).

Falafel - It is so Easy!!

After eating at Juniper 61 and Cafe Lulu I have fallen in love with Falafel (along with many other good friends). Since we will not always be able to run down the street and grab some when I get a hankerin' (just wanted to use that word) I decided to learn how.

I started of course with a google search. This gave me thousands of recipes and some background.

Falafel - is a Middle Eastern dish (from Israel, Egypt, etc...) and it is "fast food". The next time you are in the Middle East and run into a McDonald's - order a McFalafel - sounds yummy.

I decided to give it a try the other night. We got home from soccer practice at about 5:30 pm and we were done eating by 6:30 pm. I had done one step the night before, but this is fast and easy!!!

This is essentially the recipe I used (I compared 3 recipes and whittled it down to the common ingredients among them).
1 cup dry Chickpeas, soaked overnight (don't use canned - can be too mushy)
1 onion
2 Tbsp Cilantro
2 Tbsp Parsley
1 tsp Salt
2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Cumin
Salt and Pepper
~4Tbsp Flour
1tsp Baking Powder

Place drained chickpeas in food processor and onion, parsley, cilantro, salt, garlic, and cumin, Process until blended - not pureed. Sprinkle in baking powder and flour - pulse to combine, You want to be able to form balls without it sticking to your hands. Refrigerate (I only put it in for a few minutes - we were in a hurry).
Form small balls or patties and fry (375 degrees).
[options: coriander (some recipes referred to it fresh = cilantro others the seeds), hot peppers, options are endless.

I did not have time to make pitas and I can't find any worth buying. So we ate it on the side of a salad drizzled with Tahini. I love Tahini - but Juniper 61 does not use it - a recipe from Jess King does -but I could only find it in a large bottle. So skip the Tahini unless you are going to start making lots. You need a feta yogurt sauce - any ideas?

Jayce liked them and Grahn said he would try it again as a sandwich.

Pic to come when I make it again!!

Blessings!

Over the past couple of weeks I have had so many friends offer to help in so many ways and it has been so comforting to know that if I needed help, it was only a phone call away. I have received e-mails, phone calls, friends who have fed my children while I ran an errand and so many other ways. Thank you everyone.

Today I was royally spoiled rotten.

It started this morning when a dear friend came over with her three little ones. I was able to talk to an adult face to face, wahoo!! The kids played so well and did their best to ignore us. It was a nice relaxing morning - I didn't have a thing to worry about.

Then this afternoon I was ordered out of the house by the another wonderful friend- it was to get my grocery shopping done with out children. I was done in about 40 minutes (and this was with an extra trip back in) instead of the usual 1hour to 1.5 hours it usually takes. I had a few minutes to kill before Jayce would be let out of school so I read a book - no interruptions. Then her husband showed up and mowed the lawn and did the weed eating (I hate trying to start those contraptions). Again, my children were completely entertained by friends and I was able to visit. They also brought us dinner - which was so yummy. Charlotte has not been eating much of anything lately and she ate almost all of it. Jayce at 3 of them.

Then this evening we were visited by members of the Elders Quorum. They made sure the boys were minding and helping out. They shared some scriptures with us and prayed.

My heart is so full! Thank you to everyone who has remembered us in your prayers! They are being answered. We are truly being aided by angels; those seen and unseen. I suddenly thought of that poem footsteps in the sand, the part where the person asks why at times there was only one set. I find it interesting that they didn't even know there were being helped. I don't think I realized I needed until the service had been given.

Like I said my hear is full and I don't want to forget the sweet expression of my Father in Heavens love that I have received today. The Lord is very aware of each of us and lifts us even when we don't know we need it.

Ladies - kiss the man in your life and offer a prayer of thanks for the blessing that he is.

17 more days!!!!

Dress up!

I remember playing dress-up in my Mom and Dad's clothes with my sister Erica. It was fun to pretend to be them and make up other fun games. I am sure I spent most of the time bossing Erica around, notice who is dressed up in Mom's clothes and who is in Dad's! (Pics to come soon - I hope)

The other day while folding laundry Grahm and Charlotte decided to put on some "dress-up" clothes. They did not really get to playing -but mostly marching about and making cheesy faces. These are some of the moments to cherish.

Feeling it at Church!

In all my years of attending church (click here for LDS info)- never has sacrament meeting ever meant so much to me as it has the last 4 years. I am a firm believer in you get out what you put in. You have to be an active listener. It is my responsibility to feel the spirit and to learn - not the speakers responsibility. However, in the past few years I have started to question my stance.

When I attend other sacrament meetings (not my home) I do not feel the spirit as strongly. I am still wrangling 3 kids, sometimes I even have more help. I do not feel that my mindset is vastly different. So, I have often wondered, Why? Why this huge difference in the general spirit of the meetings? Is it the number in attendance, the more the harder to feel the spirit? That does not seem to make sense, but was the conclusion that I was arriving at, until today.

Today as I listened to my friend teach us about service from the heart, I understood what has made the difference for me. Here at home were the numbers are small, each person who teaches is my friend whom I love. Every word they utter is the heart felt words of a friend. I care immensely about their life experiences and the thoughts they have to share. I find myself during the week reflecting on the words they spoke. Do I listen more intently? I don't think so, but the words of a friend have more weight.

I believe I have found myself a challenge when the time comes for us to move and we find ourselves lost in the crowd. I will have to serve more and learn more about each person. That way each person who teaches is a friend and not just someone I go to church with on Sunday.

Many of you are probably shaking your head and thinking this is the same principle they have taught us about reading our scriptures. They are the Lords words and if he is a beloved friend and father then his words will have more meaning to us and we will have a greater thirst for them. I just had not thought to apply this to my regular church meetings.

Metamorphosis School!

Thanks to our great friend Turk Peterson, we had the pleasure of learning first hand the transformation of caterpillar to butterfly.

Nessa (short for Vanessa) emerged from her cocoon early on May 13. We tried feeding her some syrup. She only crawled through it, and made me worry we had ruined her wings. So we quickly took her outside so she could finish drying and find food when she was ready. Her are some pictures of our beautiful butterfly.
Her home!


All stretched out.

The next part, you have to view like a flip movie.

So proud of his butterfly!


Oh, its moving!




Cool, its still moving!



Right about this time I realized we were about to have a freak out. I snapped these pictures in succession as fast as I could. Nessa was moving quickly. I had to stop taking pictures to calm him down and remove her to some where safe.

Things you missed this week.

2 new teeth, lots of dirty diapers, she told me potty and I didn't realize that was what she said until she was already wet, Night at the Museum 2, "firepower", Cafe Rio dinners, Gunpowder chicken, Grahm accidents in their many forms, Jayce took a soccer ball to the face - kicked by an adult and no tears!, Jayce claims his special field trip lunch was "not healthy", Grahm is worried about the mermaids getting you (the mean ones from Peter Pan), being told that I don't know how to lead music, Charlotte hugs the phone, she calls Daddy regularly and points out the front, lots of Lego's, Lego comics, chocolate pudding pops, fever, runny noses, smoothie pops, the night I was frustrated and needed a time out - so I was going to take one -I told them to just go to bed - I was planning on coming back when I could deal - and Grahm started crying and this is what he said when I asked why because "we will die if we don't say our prayers", Orange Granitas,


Tonight I am missing you terribly. I know that this is just a moment in time, but I am very tired and thus teary. I am lonely and have heard things that have hurt my feelings. I need you to tell me that the person is an idiot and that I should not pay any attention. Its not the same when I say it. I miss you commenting on how clean the house is, it always makes me feel good that you notice and care.
Mostly I am in desperate need of a hug from you. I have commented several times this week on how hard the lot of house wife is. I would never trade it for another job. Sometimes I just wish I could have a few hour break and have the work still get done and not be waiting for me. Or to just leave and not have the work constantly whispering that it needs done. I have realized that for the few moments when you wrap your arms around me - I get that. I get my deliverance, I feel peace, safety, love, rest, and reassurance. Everything I need to pick up and keep going.

A Crafty Husband!!

I don't thing husbands like being called "crafty". I am only helping my Dad with a little ribbing.

I do think that Jason is talented with his hands in so many ways...

For his Christmas present I gave him a Damascus Steel Knife from Two Finger Knife (it will get you extra points from your husband). You can have them finish the knife for you or you can let your husband do it. Jason finished his while we were in Idaho and of course wanted to make more.

He made a knife for his Dad and one for my Dad. He fancied them up by adding a gold inlay. His Dad's has a 3 initial diamond monogram and my Dad's has his cattle brand. His Dad's handle is made from burled maple and my Dad's from Amboyna (I guess Ferrari uses it inside their cars).

Some back blogging!!

A couple weeks ago I was guilted (not a word) by a friend of mine. I told her I had once again forgotten to bring her baby gift with me to church. She quickly forgave me and told me that she could wait for anything handmade from me. Haha!! I thought, I have only once made a baby gift for anyone and sorry - but yours is store bought. However, it made me start thinking about making something for all the new mothers. So, I quickly made a game plan. Here is what I did one week.
I made two pair of boy shoes, first time - I like how they turned out.


I also made Charlotte a spring coat.

So, if you are having a baby any time in the near future - you will get a pair of baby booties. Sorry to spoil the surprise.