The Bubblegum Pirates

Happenings

2012-02-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

I promised you last night I would finish up that post so here I am. It is currently 3:30am so I am hoping this makes sense. A lot of things have been happening with our family over the past month. Where to start...

Pepper: We took her to an eye doctor for her cross eyed problem and his diagnosis was Congenital Esotropia. If she was just far-sighted then she would just need glasses to correct her cross-eyed-ness but unfortunately that isn't the problem. We will be taking her down to Primary Children's to see a specialist on the 15th, and we're told it's very likely she will need surgery to correct the issue. I'm a little nervous, I won't lie. We've had Pepper evaluated by an early intervention team to help her develop her gross motor skills. She will be 11 months old in a few days and has yet to roll over more than once let alone sit up or crawl. Her fine motor skills are right on schedule for her age group, and her social skills are actually above average. Her muscles are very stiff. We were assigned a physical therapist who will be coming to work with her every week or so. The team hasn't given us an official game plan yet, so far they have just been to our home to get to know Pepper and do a few tests. They told us there are a couple of red flags, she failed her hearing test and obviously her eye test, and then the stiff muscles. We're hoping that her lack of gross motor skills are just an effect of her depth perception being off, and that she doesn't have anything more serious going on. She also had a very gunky nose on the day of the hearing test, and I was told that she may just have an ear infection, thus failing the hearing test. I'll be taking her to the doctor soon just to be sure. Other than those few things, she is doing just great. She has two cute little bottom teeth now and is eating most everything we eat blended up a little in the Magic Bullet(LOVE that thing!). She says Dada, Mama, Baba, and glurg(my personal favorite). If you say No to her she shakes her head. Cutest. Thing. Ever. She's kind of like having a little puppy.

Ashton fed her his fun dip lik a stix.

Jared is so incredibly cute and sweet and such a good boy. He is fascinated with all things having to do with the ocean. We purchased "Sea Monkeys" at the store on Saturday and yesterday they finally hatched. He is very very excited. He loves our aquarium. I put it on the bar so that the kids can watch the fish while they eat.

Dave bought me 6 new baby angelfish for Christmas!

We just got a 55 gallon tank with all accessories off of Freecycle (! I know, right?) and he is DYING to put the fish into it as soon as David finished the stand he is building for it. Actually we are all really excited about it. It is double the length of the one we have now!
Anyway, Jared has really been struggling with his homework. It has been such a nightmare for him. He just hates it. He can do it, and doesn't struggle with understanding it, it's just "sooo booorrring!" and he tries everything he can to get out of it or put it off. I've done reward charts, toys, treats, basically every positive incentive you can think of but it only lasts a day or two before he loses interest. He'd rather go to bed at 5:00 than have to do his homework. It seems like every night there is yelling from Daddy and tears from Jared and I don't know how to handle it! I spoke with his teacher about it last week and she told me she had no idea he was struggling with it so badly. I've told her a couple of times already. She did tell me that he is really behind the rest of the class in reading and that she literally has to sit directly in front of him and keep telling him to stay focused just to get him to do his schoolwork. She is concerned he may have a form of ADD and wants to have him tested for special needs. I very much disagree with putting him into resource. I told her to go ahead and test him, but he doesn't need to be put into the special needs class. When I told Dave he just about lost his head, he was put into resource as a kid and he said he felt like everyone had just given up on him. Jared is very intelligent, he just really struggles staying focused. I am considering taking him to his pediatrician to have him checked and then go from there. I know there are several people in Dave's side that have dealt with it. I'm hoping there is some kind of behavioral therapy that can help correct it, we absolutely will not be medicating our child.

Ashton is doing so great. I love that kid so much. He is very very friendly. Everyone at the grocery store we go to knows us because of him. He invites everyone to his birthday party in November. He already has it all planned out, and everyone is going to bring him Transformers. This is his usual dialogue when he meets someone new:
"Hi, my name's Ashton, what's yours? Oh, cool. Hey guess what, you can come to my birthday party and we live in a gray house and we have a blue car and a red truck, but if they aren't in the driveway you can't come over."

Currently we are working on boundaries and listening skills, and not interrupting people. He is extremely talkative, a lot like his mother was at that age:) His new favorite thing is playing Plants VS Zombies and I have to limit him to 15 minutes or he would just sit and play it all day. Funny kid. Most of the day he just plays Legos by himself in the livingroom. I'd really like to get him into preschool, but it's not the budget currently. He is so ready for school.

As a family we have been playing more games together. We just got Jenga and Candyland and they are huge hits. The boys are super excited to make paper hearts for Valentine's Day and hang them all over the house. I made this bunting out of old pillow shams and fabric scraps. I love VDay, if only for the reason that it's the one holiday I can get away with filling my house with tons of pink decor!!

My front door really needed something so I took an old chocolates box from last year and used only the bottom, pulling off the raised part, painted just the middle with a mixture of black & white craft paint, added a little scrap of tulle, and one of Pepper's felt flowers I messed up on. "Chalk" is actually a white colored pencil. Can you believe I don't own a single piece of chalk?? Neither could I.

I got adventurous last week and colored my hair dark. I LOVE it. I get so sick of boring old hair all the time. People always tease me and say I'm never "happy" with my hair, but the truth is, I get bored. Life is too short to be boring. Hellen Keller said "Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."

Here are some random pictures I took down at the river banks. The top two are straight out of camera, not edited at all. That is just how colorful it was. Moss is so cool.

As you can tell, (since the photos above were only taken a couple days before the ones below) the weather has been all over the place. It's cold, then warm, then snowing then raining, then sunny. I'll take any of it, I like variety. The boys got these adorable hats from Dave's sister and her girls for Christmas. Aren't they adorable? Where's mine I say? I want one!!

PHEW! I'm all caught up! Remind me to never go that long without blogging EVER again! I know some people think that blogging is a silly waste of time, and I had questioned that myself. But I lost everything on my hard drive in December, and all photos from 2009-Dec 2011 are GONE(let's not even talk about the videos we lost), so I am so so incredibly grateful that I have been such a faithful blogger and photo-poster. All the important photos are on here. I'm printing this entire blog into a series of hardcover books soon, so the kids can look at them whenever they want to. From the age of 12-18 I was a very faithful journal keeper, and I recently pulled them all out and spent a good 4 days reading them from beginning to end, and holy smokes. I learned so much about myself, and it felt so good to see how much I've grown and how my life is so much more awesome than I could have ever hoped. I haven't been very good about journaling since I got married, but this blog has been the closest thing for me. Of course I don't get very personal or talk about problems very often, but maybe that's a good thing. When I look back through the blog, I only see the happy memories, and the bad things slowly fade away in my mind. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Flowing

2012-02-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

My mind is so full of things tonight. I'm going to warn you, this is a novel. I sat down intending to post and get caught up on this blog but I checked the news on KSL.com first and now I cannot stop crying. I am so incredibly sad and devastated by the murder of those two innocent Powell boys by their father..ever since I heard the news yesterday I've been on the verge of tears and sick to my stomach. (story HERE) As more details emerge, it just gets worse. Charlie and Braden were the same ages as Jared and Ashton and the mere thought of it all just breaks my heart! I'm so upset by today's findings, which I cannot even write on here because it's so horrifying. My prayers are going out to the family, especially the grandparents, UGH I cannot even begin to fathom the pain and devastation...

Well, this is officially my first post of the year, and for me, 1 month is a long time to go without posting. 2012 has already been loads better than 2011, mostly due to a new resolve and new attitude. It has just felt so good, like a fresh start. I had several resolutions and so far have been keeping most of them, there are a few that just haven't been serving me so I let them go. Something I have learned about resolutions is that it's ok to mess up. It's ok to miss a day, just do better the next. I used to mess up or miss a week and then just get discouraged and give up altogether. One of my favorite resolutions that has been amazing for me is to eat mostly fruits and vegetables and cut out processed foods. I got a juicer off of Freecycle and my favorite thing to do in the morning after getting Jared off to school is to throw in 2 apples and 2 carrots and drink it down. I honestly feel so much better, my energy levels are great, I'm more regular(yeah, I blogged that!) and I feel good about myself because I'm eating the way I know I should be. Another resolution was to get an education. I have been feeling really lame the past 9 years because I know how much potential I have yet I haven't made an effort towards a formal education. Growing up I was an honor student and loved learning and yeah, even homework. I love learning. I soak it all in and it feels soooo good! SO, after applying for WGU and passing their admittance tests with flying colors, they decided I needed to have some college "experience" before they would accept me to their online program. So, after twidding my thumbs for a while and trying to come up with all sorts of reasons to just say "nevermind", I decided I needed to do something; anything. So, I am taking a math class at Bridgerland Applied Technology College. Yeah, I said MATH. Math is my weakest subject, and I have always been terrified of it. But after reading a chapter on overcoming fear from my favorite book , I decided the only way to overcome it, is to look it straight in the eye. And guess what? I am actually doing very well at it! Today I took 4 quizzes and got 100% on all of them! Granted, I had to start way back at long division and decimals, but I'm doing it! I think the left side of my brain finally turned on! I even won 13 out of 15 UNO matches with Dave last night, that never happens! (and if you think UNO isn't a game of strategy, you can go suck on a pickle because I was in the strategy zone!) I'm so glad I am going to Bridgerland though, because now I know for sure that I DON'T want to do school online. I work from home, which already takes enough attention away from my babies, if I was trying to fit in 4 hours of school a day from home everyone would suffer. It has been so nice to leave around 11am and get home the same time as Jared does. Dave doesn't have work yet, so for now, he is home with the kids. I just registered for the Interior Design program at BATC, and I am so excited to begin!

Moving along...New Years Eve Day was awesome. We went to visit my Grandma Grundvig(my Dad's mother)at her home in Kearns and ended up there all day. David got to fixin' stuff for her and one thing led to another and before you knew it Dave blew a fuse and the power went out! HAHA! He got everything fixed up for her and she was so grateful. Half the light bulbs in her house were burned out and she is having a hard time getting around and can't get to them. Her kitchen light/fan wouldn't turn on, her railing to her basement was about to fall off, and her two ginormous cat litter boxes in her basement were quite full, so she needed a little assistance. It was so great to spend some time with her, I got to know her a lot more and I asked her a lot of questions about her childhood and her family growing up. I learned a lot of things I didn't know. I love that my kids have a great grandma and that they can know her!

That evening, we went to Springville to spend New Year's Eve with our friends Ben and Rebekah and their boys, Braden and Ryan. We hadn't seen them in a very long time and it was so great to catch up and enjoy their friendship. We played games and ate TONS of awesome snacks and got tummy aches, the kids banged pots and pans outside at midnight, and spent almost the entire next day playing games and chatting. It was very refreshing. We really missed them!

That's all for now, my eyes are burning because it's now 2am and I'm just a little tired! I'll catch up more later, I have so much to tell you!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T17:41:00.011-07:00

We had a wonderful quiet Christmas at home this year. On Christmas Eve day, we took the kids to the mall and to their favorite restaurant here in Logan, Firehouse Pizzeria. It really is SO good. We made a gingerbread house and chilled out watching our new movie, Mars Needs Moms.

Then the missionaries came over for dinner. They were at our house for about 4 hours, and we didn't mind, but the boys were REALLY excited to open their one Christmas Eve gift that we told them they could open after the missionaries left. Well, Jared got sick of waiting for them to leave and got proactive..he got the kitchen timer out, turned it to 10 minutes and set it on the table in front of the missionaries and said "When this timer goes off, you guys need to leave." They thought it was so funny, they asked me to take a picture for them.

Afterwards, we read The Night Before Christmas and went online to check out Santa's location on santa tracker. He was getting pretty close, so the boys went to bed without a hassle. After the boys were asleep, Santa put their presents under the tree and ate the cookies and egg nog they left out. Dave and I watched a few different christmas episodes of our favorite shows on Netflix and we were off to bed.

We actually didn't get anything for Pepper this year, except we had the boys each buy her a gift and wrap it. She's still not ready for opening gifts yet, she just wanted to eat them. (Also, we're pretty sure she has lazy eye, it's becoming more and more noticeable so I'm going to have her checked out next week. You can see it in this photo..actually almost every photo on this post. haha)

December

2011-12-17T21:46:00.003-07:00

The days seem like they are speeding by and I can't seem to get a grip! Pepper just turned 9 months old and her first tooth finally popped through her gums! She has been very fussy, runny nose, warm forehead, all that business. I took these photos of her while she was having a rough afternoon. Poor little lady was so tuckered out from the hard work of growing a tooth that she fell asleep on the couch. She NEVER does that.

She is also holding her own bottle, HOORAY! Although I have to say, I still like to hold her sometimes while she eats because I love the way she snuggles up to me, gazes into my eyes and plays with my shirt. She won't be so little and immobile for long! She still isn't sitting up or rolling, but she scoots all over the living room on her back. Yesterday I looked over at her to see that she was eating the tree skirt. That's when I realized that I am okay with her taking her time at crawling. We are in for it when she does! She is *still* sleeping straight through the night, from 7:30pm until 7:30am. It's awesome.
I love these pictures of Pepper with my Mama. She was trying to eat Grandma's nose. Grandma is the only person Pepper will give kisses to.

Pepper also loves Elmo. She has a Elmo doll that sings and she flips out every time she sees it. Too cute. Dave has gotten really good at his Elmo impression as a result. I know because I hear it ALL DAY LONG. Please pray that Dave will get a job and soon!! He's driving me crazy!! hahahaha (that's my driven crazy laugh) It's like that episode of Spongebob where he takes Squidward in and keeps hinting to him to get a job...
Squidward: "Spongebob, the TV's broken!!!"
Spongebob: "That's another thing in this house that WON"T WORK! We'll have to find someone who's JOB it is to DO THE JOB!"

Yeah, we have similar dialogue in our home quite often.

The boys are BEYOND excited for Christmas. I'm so proud of my little guys, they are so sweet and don't ask for much. They each have one small thing that they would really like from Santa and they are so grateful for everything they get. Here they are writing their sweet little letters to santa. Of course Ashton doesn't write yet so I had to write it and draw it, per his request.

We haven't really set a high standard for Christmas presents. Every year we've only gotten them one thing plus whatever can fit into their stockings and they still get really excited. I just can't believe so many people spend HUNDREDS on each kid. It's ridiculous. I guess if you are one of those people don't be offended. I might be spending that much if I had it, let's be honest. It just kills me how everybody gets so stressed around Christmas time, I don't get it. Everybody is freaking out about getting their "christmas shopping" done and I'm like "who are you buying gifts for? Everyone you've known since the 3rd grade?" Honestly, we are planning on spending $70 total on our kids and we don't even have it yet, boohoo. But we are still gathering items for families in need in our neighborhood and we are pretty excited about it. We have a Libyan family down the street who have no FURNITURE, no VEHICLE and very little food. I see their little girls walking home from school every day, their clothing old and tired looking and I'm crying about my husband being unemployed and my car being broken down and having to drive an ugly old chevy pickup around town and boohoo my hard drive crashed and I can't get it back until next week and waaah waaaah waaah. I think we all get so caught up in our troubles or worried about our own necks and how much WE'RE struggling that we forget the reason for this "crazy" time. CHRIST. Jesus Christ, who would give the clothing off his back to someone in need. Jesus Christ who GAVE HIS LIFE so that we could learn and grow, and make mistakes, forget him and curse his name and become so incredibly selfish...yet have chance after chance to be forgiven and come back..Yeah, this was the talk I had to have with my hormonal self today after I wallowed in my petty tears all morning. Boo hoo, get over yourself. Oh my gosh I am so incredibly blessed and if I'm sad or unhappy it's nobody's responsibility but my own!

So...anywho...how about these frosty leaves? Merry Christmas everyone!

*afternote: Dave fixed our car! Woot!

Bunting!

2011-12-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing this type of stuff around lately and I think it's fabulous(which is a word I would never actually say in real life) so I pulled out my old t-shirts and scraps last night and made a christmas one. That old door looks so much happier now, dontchya think? Not sure about the sled though..but Dave climbed on the railing and hung it up for me and I don't think he'll be thrilled if I ask him to take it back down so soon. I'll give it another day. Ha.

p.s. Thank you Pinterest for this idea:)

Bathtime

2011-12-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

Deck The Halls

2011-11-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

The halls have officially been decked! Pepper loves the tree, she just stares and stares, unless you put her up close, then of course she wants to eat it. My favorite decoration we own is those old vintage skis. Nothing says 'winter' like skis! What is your favorite decoration you have?

That reminds me, we need one more stocking!

The Feast and the Museum

2011-11-29T13:42:00.003-07:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, first with Dave's side the week before Thanksgiving. Dave has a total of 12 kids(10 living) in his family and it's usually a pretty big gathering, but we were missing a few this year and although still nice to get together, it did feel like something was missing. For Thanksgiving Day, we went to my brother's house in Stansbury Park and stayed 2 nights. It was a lot of fun for the boys to play with their cousins and for me to be able to spend time with my siblings which doesn't happen very often. I come from a "yours, mine and ours" family and I happen to be in the "ours" group. My Dad has 4 kids from his first marriage and my Mom has 4 from her first marriage and then they got married and had my younger brother and I. My Dad's side lived with us here and there as teens while I was pretty little, and the only real time I got to spend with them was on camping trips and gatherings. I'm so grateful that I've had the opportunity to be a lot closer to my sister Becky and her boys and a couple of my nieces, but sadly, I don't even know the others that well. Thanksgiving this year was only my Mom's side and I really miss having get-togethers where EVERYBODY is there. Although I don't know my Dad's side as well, I still miss them and they are still my family. Anyways, we had a lot of fun with family in Stansbury Park. My brother, Lynn, was joking and asked when Dave and I are going to "gather to Zion" because they all now live in Tooele County; three of them are in Stansbury and one is in Tooele. Actually, I'd move back to Stansbury Park in a heartbeat! Anyways, I didn't take a single picture the entire weekend. I just really enjoyed sitting back and not worrying about getting the camera out. Next time we're together I will though, I would like to get a picture of all of the little cousins. I love that they are so close in age and that they get to see each other as often as they do. I barely even met my cousins as a child and they are all so much older than me. I'm glad that my kids have that opportunity. On the way home Saturday afternoon, we decided to stop at Hill Air Force Museum(that our kids get so excited about every time we drive by all of those huge airplanes!) The boys really enjoyed it but were anxious to get home so we only stayed for about an hour. I think one BIG boy enjoyed it more than any of us. He's never been so it was pretty exciting for him. PLUS, we had just finished watching Captain America at Lynn's house an hour before, so it was fun to see all that World War 2 stuff. As a child, my Dad had a friend who worked there and I distinctly remembering him letting me get INTO a couple of the big airplanes and getting to sit in the pilot seat. I remember leaving there wanting to be the next Amelia Earhart. I had thought that was just part of the tour, but you can't climb into any of the aircraft now. I guess I was just lucky to have a Dad with connections! Here are pictures from the museum. Enjoy!

Pepper 8 Months

2011-11-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Canned Paint

2011-11-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

I always hear people saying they love Pinterest, but they never actually DO any of the stuff they see. Well, I do. Mainly because I don't want the time I spend on Pinterest to be a total waste, like Facebook is. Only half kidding. Today we made paint out of condensed milk. It is thick and goopy so it doesn't drip and run. Ashton absolutely loved it. All you do is add food coloring to the milk and paint with it. Super simple, tons of fun.

I've Had an Epiphany..DIY Cleaning Supplies

2011-11-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little obsessed with cleaning supplies. I'm especially very picky about what I use to wash laundry with. It has to smell GREAT and work MIRACLES. And stain spray? Don't even go there girlfriend! With Pepper's adorable baby puke emblazoned on every.single.outfit...it has to be Shout all the way. Especially now that her favorite food is bright orange sweet potatoes, it's the only thing that has worked. And on my budget, it's pricey. (Not to mention Wal-Mart (*hisss) seemingly never has refills in stock!) I am also very OCD about not drying clothes that we wear in the dryer, it wears them out so fast. I hang every shirt and every pair of jeans(even Pepper's clothes and pajamas-that's how they fit her for so long, they don't shrink!) on a hanger in our bedroom. Think about it, you're going to have to hang them up anyway, might as well do it while they are wet and make them last 10 times longer! Liquid fabric softener is a MUST if you are hanging your clothes to dry or they get really stiff. So I've been reading about making your own laundry detergent, stain spray, fabric softener and various cleaning supplies all over the internet..and disregarding it. The fact is, I love the way Arm and Hammer's laundry detergent smells and cleans. I've tried EVERYTHING else. It is all I use. I'm thinking, come on, there is NO WAY home made laundry detergent smells good. It's probably old lady soapy smelling and weird. But Saturday morning, I ran to Walmart in the snowing and blowing wind for Shout, with literally $15 to spend on that and a couple of other cleaning supplies. Alas, they were clean out. I noticed the boxes of Borax and bars of Fels-Naptha on the shelf below the missing Shout bottles and knew that those were the main ingredients I would need to make laundry detergent...so, I decided to go for it. I grabbed one box of Borax for about $3 and a bar of soap for $0.97. I remembered an ingredient for DIY stain spray was Ammonia so I grabbed that too. (around $2) I knew I already had the rest of the ingredients(baking soda, white vinegar, liquid soap, lemon juice) so I literally spent around $7 total. With which, I was able to make FOUR GALLONS of laundry detergent, TWO GALLONS of stain spray, TWO GALLONS of fabric softener(I know, right?), one gallon of all purpose spray, and one gallon of toilet/tub cleaner. I also made about 2 quarts of powdered dishwasher detergent.

I used less than HALF of the box of borax, so I have enough to make another 4 gallons of laundry detergent. I bought a #10 can of baking soda a while back and only used half of that as well. I only used 2/3 of the bar of Fels-Naptha and have enough for 2 more gallons of laundry detergent. All of it it was SO simple to make, and FUN!! Dave came into the kitchen and told me I looked like a crazed mad scientist. I felt like one. It's a wonderful feeling, I will tell you!

Ok so you're probably thinking, "Alright, you made the stuff, that's great. But does it work?"

LOL Does it work. You're funny.

The first thing I was excited to try was the dishwasher detergent. (excited about loading the dishwasher, didn't know that chore could be connected to THAT emotion) I used one scoop. When I came back to unload the dishwasher a couple of hours later, I was beyond amazed at how sparkling clean the dishes were! We have honestly tried every kind of detergent, and the only one that has REMOTELY worked is the Cascade power packet things. And they are not cheap! We've even stopped using the dishwasher before and went strictly to hand-washing due to the fact that we end up washing the dishes over again because they don't get clean. So, yes, that stuff works. Really well too.

The next thing I tried was the stain spray. I was VERY skeptical about this one. There had been a pink and purple pile of puked on Pepper clothes(say that ten times fast!) laying in front of the washer for days at that point because I was out of Shout and couldn't get to the store for it. All I did was spray each item and lay it on the dryer, one on top of the other until they were all sprayed and then threw them into the washer. (so no soaking or letting them sit) I didn't use the new laundry detergent that I made yet because I wanted to make sure it was the stain spray that was working and not whatever was in the detergent. When I came back to pull the clothes out, I was pretty sure I would still be going back to the store for some Shout...But I was wrong! That homemade stuff really worked!!! It even worked on clothes I was given that already had 'set' stains in them! I am beyond excited about this! I'm a total nerd and have been telling everyone I know!

I usually use LA's Awesome Cleaner from the Dollar Tree because it works really well, but I noticed that I can't breathe when I use it and it makes me cough, so it cannot be healthy for our homes and children(and pets if you have them) Most of this stuff is edible, biodegradable and 100% natural! (smells sooo fresh!)

I used the toilet scrub on the toilets of course and also the sinks in my bathrooms and they are cleaner than they have ever been!

I'm gonna wrap this up now cause I'm getting pretty long winded about soap here, but I'll end by saying that the laundry detergent is amazing, and here's the kicker, it smells so good and so clean!! I didn't use any essential oils in mine because I didn't have any but I'm sure they would smell great too! Next time I might try that just for fun but it doesn't need it. So, without further ado, here are the recipes! (here is the site where I found them originally)

Surface Spray:

16 oz spray bottle
2 tsp. borax
¼ tsp. liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)
hot water

All Purpose Liquid Cleaner:

1 gal. hot water
1 tbsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. liquid soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)

All Purpose Abrasive Cleaner:

liquid soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)
2 tbsp. baking soda

Mix to make a foamy paste.

Refrigerator Cleaner:

2 tbs. baking soda in 1 qt warm water

Wipe down inside and out and rinse with a clean wet cloth.

Oven Cleaner:

Dampen with water
Sprinkle liberally with baking soda

Leave 20 minutes, then scrub until clean.

Microwave Cleaner:

½ c. vinegar
2 c. water

Combine in microwave safe bowl, heat on high for 3-4 minutes, remove bowl and wipe down inside of microwave.

Dishwasher Detergent:

2 c. borax
2 c. baking soda
4 little packages of unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid (or generic)

Mix together and store. You can substitute ½ c. of citric acid for the Kool-Aid but it’s harder to find.

Gorgeously Green All-Purpose Spray:

32-ounce plastic spray bottle
2 cups water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure castile soap (peppermint)
3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
20 drops tea tree oil
20 drops of lavender essential oil

Fruit and Vegetable Wash:

1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp. baking soda
20 drops grapefruit seed extract

Spray on produce, rinse after 5 minutes.

Fruit and Vegetable Wash #2:

1 cup water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. baking soda

Spray on produce, wipe after 5 minutes.

Drain Cleaner:

1 c. baking soda first
1 c. white vinegar second
1 gallon boiling water

Allow to foam for 5 minutes before adding water.

Window, Glass and Chrome Cleaner:

5 parts water to 1 part white vinegar, OR
1 c. water, 1 c. vinegar, ½ tsp. castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)

Toilet Bowl Cleaners:

Liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)
Baking soda or borax

Scrub with a toilet brush.

Tub And Tile Cleaner:

Apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe
Scour with baking soda

Soft Scrub for Fixtures:

½ c. baking soda
Castile soap
10 drops of antibacterial essential oil (optional)

Add enough castile soap until you have a frosting like consistency. Scrub, then rinse with water.

Mildew/Germ Killer:

2 c. water
25 drops of tea tree oil
25 drops of lavender oil

Spray on tile and do not wipe off.

Mildew/Germ Killer 2:

16 oz spray bottle
1 part hydrogen peroxide
2 parts water

Spray, let sit. Rinse after 1 hour.

Wood Floor Cleaner:

¼ c. vinegar
1 gal. warm water

Mop or rag should be slightly damp for cleaning.

Linoleum Floor Cleaner:

1 c. vinegar
2 gal. warm water

Mop or rag can be fully wet for cleaning.

Carpet Stain Remover:

1 part borax
10 parts warm water

Combine in spray bottle. Spray on stain, wait 5 minutes, blot with clean rag.

Carpet Stain Remover:

vinegar
baking soda

Mix vinegar and baking soda into a paste. Gently work into stain with a toothbrush. Let dry then vacuum completely.

Carpet Deodorizer:

Baking soda
10 drops of essential oil (optional)

Mix together then sprinkle generously on carpet, wait 15 minutes and vacuum.

All-Purpose Carpet Cleaner:

After vacuuming first,

1 c. white vinegar
3 c. boiling water

Blot mixture onto nap of rug with a wet rag, Dry and air thoroughly. Vacuum.

Air Freshener:

2 parts water
1 part rubbing alcohol
Essential oil

Mix in spray bottle, don’t spray on silks or delicates. Experiment with how much oil to add, but start with 5 drops.

Air Freshener 2:

1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice
2 c. hot water

Mix in spray bottle, don’t spray on silks or delicates.

Dusting:

Slightly dampened microfiber cloth

Furniture Polish:

½ tsp. olive oil
¼ c. vinegar or lemon juice

Mix in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces.

Scratches:

1 part lemon juice
1 part vegetable oil

Rub into the scratches and polish.

Rust Remover:

Sprinkle area with salt
Squeeze lime onto salt

Leave sit for 2-3 hours, then scrub w/ lime rind (or try Almost-Doctor Dan’s method).

Metal Polish (copper and brass):

2 tbsp. salt

Add vinegar until you make a paste. Rub on metal with a clean rag. Wipe clean.

Powdered Laundry Detergent:

1 c. grated Fels Naptha soap
½ c. washing soda
½ c. borax

For light load, use 1 tablespoon. For heavy or soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.

Liquid Laundry Detergent:

3 pints water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated
½ c. washing soda
½ c. borax
2 gallon bucket
1 quart hot water

Mix soap in saucepan with 3 pints of water. Heat on low until dissolved. Stir in soda and borax until thickened. Remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to bucket, then soap mixture, mix well. Fill rest of bucket with hot water, mix and let sit for 24 hours. Use ½ c. per laundry load.

Laundry Pre-treatment:

½ c. ammonia
½ c. white vinegar
¼ c. baking soda
2 tbsp. liquid soap or laundry detergent
2 quarts water

Mix in spray bottle. Spray spot.

Fabric Softener

6 cups water

3 cups white vinegar

2 cups hair conditioner (I used the .99 Sauve coconut kind)

Mix water, vinegar, and hair conditioner in a 1 gallon container; stir. Do not shake it; it will cause foaming.

Use the same amount you normally use in a rinse cycle or spritz it on a wash cloth and throw in dryer.

Bleach Alternative (Laundry):

¼ c. hydrogen peroxide

************************************************

HAPPY CLEANING!!!

Five.

2011-11-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Five years ago today..this little guy entered our lives and captured our hearts. Ashton is so incredible. He is the comic relief in our home and always good for hugs, kisses, and storytelling. We cannot believe our little man is 5 years old. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHTON!!

Here are 5 years of pictures:)

He was born on November 7th, 2006, 8 weeks early. He stayed in the NICU for 3 weeks.

Ashton's nursery

Blessing Day

The great licorice massacre.

Jared rubbed lotion all over his head!!

Mommy got in big trouble for this one! My baby dress.

Ashton today!

Ah Fall, How I Love Thee.

2011-11-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Best Craft Tip EVER!

2011-11-03T12:26:00.001-06:00

Mod Podge. It's extremely useful but also pretty pricey. What if you could make your own? You can! Saw this on Pinterest. (it's a great site, people!) Mix half and half elmer's glue and water and you've got Mod Podge! I went to Hobby Lobby and bought this "white glue" for $1.75 and mixed it with water and VOILA! I tried it out on some glass bottles I was putting labels on and it's awesome! Matte finish and everything. Who knew? Yeah, you're welcome.

What's For Dinner?

2011-11-03T11:58:00.001-06:00

As many of you know, for the last...several months I've not been well. I've been lethargic, nauseated and in constant nagging pain due to a couple of different health issues I've been facing. I've not been the Mother or wife or friend that I KNOW I can be..that I WANT to be. I was barely surviving. After my last ER visit last month, the one where all the doctors just shrugged their shoulders at me, I decided it's going to be up to me to get well. I believe that getting well physically can begin with our mind and our attitude. I have a good friend who has supported me, always texting me to see how I am doing, and constantly offering positive reinforcement for me to get better. I owe so much of my healing to her. Thanks Jesi, you've helped me more than you know! I've also begun taking SilverBiotics thanks to my wonderful father-in-law and I believe it is helping immensely. I have not had a single bladder/kidney infection since I began taking it and my pain has slowly dissipated. Call it a miracle if you will..I don't know what to call it but heaven sent! Dragging my butt out of bed early every morning has gotten easier and easier and I have finally started a workout routine. I'm monitoring my calories and I've got my thyroid leveled out FINALLY! I'm on ONE medication. I'm really really trying to do better and BE better. I love going to bed every night completely EXHAUSTED and sore, because it means I accomplished so much. Business has been great and I love staying busy. Sooo...

Every night I try to make something new. Here are a few of our favorites from October. If it makes the blog, it's delish!! You MUST TRY these recipes!

Cafe Rio Style Chicken Burritos

Now, if you're like us, you love Cafe Rio. I wanted to see if I could even come close to replicating their food so I did some Googling and found this SITE. I used the chicken recipe (shredding tip in recipe below) and the lime rice recipe, We made guacamole for the topping, which was AWESOME, but next time I'm going to try my hand at the tomatillo dressing. I added canned black beans, cheddar and lettuce. How good was it, you ask? Dave ate so much that he threw up. (that means it was FANTASTIC, I didn't give him food poisoning)

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients for the BBQ chicken

(you can also use pork or beef with this, it's so good!)

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp minced onions (I use dry onions)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 C vinegar *use apple cider vinegar
1 1/3 C BBQ sauce

I threw it all in the crockpot on high for about 4 hours. Once the chicken is cooked through, you can shred it. *Shredding tip: put the chicken breasts into your KitchenAid mixer with the paddle attachment and turn it on med for about 30 seconds. Shreds the chicken perfectly!* Then you can put it back into the crockpot on low until dinner is served.

You can buy rolls or hoagies for this recipe, but I recently obtained these cool hamburger and hotdog bun pans from a Freecycler and had to try them out.

Here is the LINK to the recipe I use for this.

I grill the insides of the buns before serving, it's so good!! You have to use butter too, no cheating!

Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup in Homemade Bread Bowls

This soup was soooo good. It was very filling and hearty. Here is where I found the recipe:

Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup Recipe - Food.com - 102674

I used real bacon instead of bacos, dry onion instead of fresh, omitted the celery & white pepper and made my own chicken broth from bouillon. For the bread bowls, just use the above recipe and form the bread into bowls. Let them rise a little bit longer on the final rise, makes them lighter.

Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Now, I know Halloween is over and you've probably already thrown out the seeds from Jack-O-Lantern carving, but in our house, baking the seeds is a jack-o-lantern-carving-night tradition we started a few years ago. We usually just clean them off and soak them in salt water, then spread them on a pan and bake them at 350 f. for 10 minutes. They are so good that way. But this year I tried something different and it turned out really well.

HERE is the recipe.

It's really easy. First you bake the seeds in the oven..meanwhile, mix the different spices etc together in a bowl. Next time I will omit the Cumin, 'cuz Dave doesn't like it. Weirdo. :b

When the seeds are done roasting, you put them in a pre-heated frying pan with oil, I used coconut oil (cuz it's good for you!) and sugar. I used BROWN rather than white. MMMM so good. Fry those babies up for a minute or two..

Then transfer them to the bowl of seasonings and stir until well coated.

AND done.

If you try these recipes, let me know how YOU like them!

Happy October!

2011-11-01T12:39:00.002-06:00

I have been making a lot of new goals for my life recently, and since New Years Resolutions are 2 months away, I have dubbed the month of November, NEWVEMBER!! One of my goals is to keep up on the blog. So here's the entire month of October in one post! Here are random pictures of Ash and Pepper!

Pepper turned 7 months old in October. She is starting to....um...use her hands and jibber jabber. That's about it. But, I am enjoying cuddling with her while she can't escape. :)

Ashton playing dress up. He's wearing a ninja turtle costume and a bee costume at the same time. I like it.

Last Monday, Ashton Pepper and I, walked with Jared's class to the Pumpkin Walk here in North Logan. It was a beautiful day and the kids enjoyed it.

Here are the boys carving their Jack-O-Lanterns. Actually, I ended up doing all the carving, they were too grossed out by the "guts".

I just can't get over the "concentration tongue".

On the 28th, we had a family Halloween birthday party for Ashton. I went all out and it was so much planning and a ton of work. I spent two weeks planning and three days prepping for it. It didn't feel worth it at times, but Ashton was so incredibly happy with it, it was worth it. I tried to do everything by myself, but got to a point where I just couldn't do it all.. two of Dave's sisters came over to help me and they were so much help!!! (yeah, even you Kimber!) I found all of my decorating and food ideas on..Pinterest. Love that site. My only mistake was not making sure everyone knew about the party. I usually do a FB invite, and an evite, and a printed invite, but this year I totally spaced out and only did a FB invite. So, needless to say, only a handful of people knew about the party. I felt so bad. Like an idiot if I might say so. It wasn't a complete fail though, we had plenty of children there and everybody, especially the birthday boy, had fun. Big thanks to all who came last minute. It meant so much to that little guy. Can you believe he's turning 5?

Brains.

We made mummies, zombie mouths, witch fingers and blood sauce, eyeball oreo truffles, and sand"witches". I meant to put tags on everything but...yeah.

Halloween night was fun. The boys went Trick-or-treating around our neighborhood...around and around...haha. (My kids would NEVER do that!!)

This is Abby, our favorite teenager and babysitter. She's seriously amazing. Pepper loves her Abby. Oh and unfortunately this is the only picture I got of Pepper in her mermaid costume. She was super grumpy all day, I think she might finally be cutting a tooth.

Then we went to Portage and Grandpa took the boys and I around in his Trooper and it was so much fun!! I love spending time with my Dad. I also got to see all of our Portage friends and got almost as much hugs as the boys did candy. Love that town.

Here are the boys analyzing their haul.

All tuckered out after an awesome Halloween.

Halloween Costumes (from scrap!)

2011-10-27T10:50:00.000-06:00

I am so proud of myself right about now. I'm not a very good seamstress. I try but it's not a strength I possess . My Mom gave me a bunch of old material peices that someone gave her, and from that and scraps I had laying around, I was able to come up with Ashton and Pepper's costumes. Can you guess what they are going as?

I friggin' SEWED that jacket and pants! HAHAHA Thanks to the sweet lady on you tube that taught me how to ease a sleeve into a jacket, I not only conquered my fear of sleeves, but gained the confidence to make pants too! Yay!

Hip Hip Hooray for Halloween!

Getting Festive

2011-10-26T15:02:00.000-06:00

Dave was so excited to decorate for Halloween this year. He was the one that urged me to get out the stuff. Usually September 1st hits and I'm rearing to go, but not this year. Once I got it all out I got really excited.

We made these apple shrunken heads on Monday night and we are so excited for them to shrink!! I found the idea on Pinterest.

We are having a spooky Halloween Birthday Party for Ashton on Friday night, I can't wait to blog about all of the cool stuff we have created for it!! (and I owe it all to pinterest!)

Pepper 6 Months Old

2011-10-26T14:14:00.001-06:00

The entire month of September, the only photos I took (excluding Oregon) were of Pepper. No kidding. I still don't have any updates on her progress, sitting, crawling, etc. She still does absolutely nothing, well, except pull hair. (I chose a great time to grow my hair out!)
So, in one blog post, here is Pepper in September, at 6 months old:)

Pepper got to meet her Great-Grandma Grundvig! Grandma said "I know someone who would just LOVE you!" I cried a little when Grandma started telling Pepper how much Great-Grandpa Grundvig would have loved to play with her if he was still here. I still miss him a lot. Pepper really loved meeting her Great-Grandma Grundvig, she was all smiles!

Oregon Adventure 2011

2011-10-26T13:57:00.002-06:00

Dave and I had another opportunity to go to the Oregon coast for business in the beginning of September. It was hard for me to leave Pepper behind, but really good for us to get away and spend some time (lots and lots of time..) together...trapped in a car..for HOURS AND HOURS. But seriously though, we had a chance to talk about anything and everything, and re-evaluate our goals and dreams. Running the business together has been amazing for our relationship. It's hard and grueling at times, but SO worth it. We love every minute of it. Here are pictures we took in Tillamook National Forest.

We finally reached the coast and it was breathtaking, as usual.

As you can see above, the fog was rolling in,

and by the time we got down to the beach, we were completely in the thick of it.

We went to Oceanside and had sandwiches at a little shop right overlooking the ocean, then headed down to the water with nothing but our hoodies and our camera (well, and the clothing on our backs, obviously). We were in thick fog cover and the beach was really cold. The water was even colder. The beach was really crowded for was Labor Day weekend. We walked along the shoreline, going north. We combed the beach for shells, found jellyfish, clams, dead crabs....

and clumps of seaweed littered with..ladybugs and grasshoppers. I'm not sure what they were doing there but I'm sure they had their reasons.

Hey look, it's me.

Dave decided that this family (below) were ghosts of a family that was drowned in the ocean. He can be very deep and disturbed at times.

Now, you can see how eerie it looks, the waves were angrily crashing against the rocks and the fog was cold and heavy. Dave and I, having no prior experience with the angry ocean, being naive Utahn's and all, decided it would be *fun* to race the tide and "go that way". So we went THAT WAY. It was getting later in the afternoon and we just kept going. We would wait for the tide to rush out and make a run for it, laughing and splashing, having a grand old time. We found all sorts of caves and crevices and we felt like two adventurers witnessing things unexplored by man. I suddenly realized that we hadn't seen people for a really long time..and that the water was getting deeper and stronger and it was becoming more difficult to race the tide. I now have complete and utter respect for the ocean. (I have not been that scared of mother nature since Girl's Camp of '99 when I got snowed into my tent and it collapsed on me.) I was able to make it back to a safe area without getting COMPLETELY doused (running as fast as I could through the waist-high waves, camera held high above my head), but Dave was not so lucky. He got trapped in a cave..

When he finally made his run for it, he was taken down by a wave and twisted his ankle attempting to avoid behind slammed into the rock face. It was intense. After we made it back to safety, Dave was triumphant.

A little bit humbled and shaken from our ocean experience, we decided to get out of that eerie fog and head up the coast to the Cape Meares lighthouse. We headed up the mountain and literally came up the road and out of the fog. This is what we saw. After a day of dark and grey, this was such a welcome sight!

Here is the lighthouse..

and the trail that leads to it..

Last year when we came here, it was clear and the view of the ocean was INCREDIBLE. This time we could HEAR the waves crashing but could only catch glimpses here and there.

Still so beautiful..this earth we live on..

There were spiderwebs everywhere, strung with pearls of dew.

On our way home the next day, we stopped and looked at the uh...thing...what's this called?? haha Oh the Malad Gorge in Idaho, "The Devil's Washbowl". (I totally had to Google that just now.) Gosh, I didn't even want to get out of the car at that point, I had such a raging kidney infection that I was at the point of vomiting and whatnot. Fun times. But, I got out and took these dizzying photos from the dizzying bridge(if you've been there, you know what I'm talking about!)

We had such a great trip, it was refreshing, but we were glad to be back home with our babies. Maybe next year we'll go back with the kids! (But not until we get a bigger vehicle!)

Catching Up

2011-10-03T13:57:00.000-06:00

I can't believe I'm almost 2 months behind on posting pictures! I guess I won't be getting the mommy blogger of the year award..booohooo. I have been working on this post for two weeks now and it's not going to be super wordy, just a lot of images. Our summer has been...interesting to say the least. I'm actually kind of glad it's over, we can move on to the next season and the phases that go with it. I'm sooo ready to move forward. But meanwhile, let's move backwards and take a look at just a handful of photos I took during the months of July and August shall we?

In the end of July, we got baby ducks! They were so much fun and so cute!! They are almost full grown now, it's crazy! (Pictures and video of them now coming on the next post!)

Pepper at 5 months

Pepper was given a Jumperoo by her aunt Becky(my awesome sister)and although you can't tell by her deer in the headlights expression, she absolutely loves it. She spends ALOT of time in that thing.

This is our attempt at making puff paints. I found the recipe via Someday Crafts and here is the actual link to the recipe if you want to try it. It was a mess but the boys loved it.

Hyrum Dam

Playing with cousins at Grandpa and Grandma Hawkes' house.

This is David's Dad and his brother Jesse whom we had never met and were so excited to meet. We spent an afternoon chatting and getting to know him and his girlfriend Paula and her motorcycle dog Cooper(who has his own blog, check it out!)

Jared's first day of 1st Grade!

Me. Because there aren't a lot of photos of me on here. I'm gping to make a better effort to be in more photos:)

THE END

Overwhelming DejaVu: one of those venting posts

2011-08-23T16:39:00.000-06:00

This time last year: I'm nauseated every second of every day. I'm getting excited for Halloween and decide to put up my prized decor early. There are bright orange pumpkins and little green peas in my garden and Jared is off to his first day of kindergarten. It's still warm out but I can sense the coming of fall in the air. I just painted my wall dark brown and hung an old door on it. Things are changing, big changes are happening, baby #3 on the way. So sick, but so excited. Hoping for a girl, praying for a girl, wanting nothing but a baby girl. {read about it HERE}

Today: My side aches every second of every day. The coming of Halloween and the thought of putting up my prized decor nauseates me. There are indeed bright orange pumpkins in my garden and Jared is off to his first day of first grade. It's still hot out, the swamp cooler is running full blast on me as I force myself to sit at my computer and work instead of lay on the couch in the fetal position and endure Ernest Goes to Jail for the 4th time this week. I want so badly to paint over that dark wall and turn that old door into a coffee table but I lack the energy. Baby #3, our precious 5 month old baby girl just went down for her 2nd nap of the day and I sit and listen to the whirring static of the baby monitor as I ponder. Believe it or not I have been nauseated for about 3 days now. Smells are getting to me and I have even dry heaved in the sink. If I didn't know better I would say I might be pregnant but it's not even a remote possibility. I'm having DejaVu! Everything is reminding me of this time last year and this time last year I was deathly horribly grossly ill with morning sickness! Hyperemesis Gravidarium. There has been a nagging pain in my side for about a month now. It began when I came down with yet again another kidney infection and has not left my side since (pun intended). I have had two ct scans, one with contrast dye and two x-rays, multiple blood tests and dozens of urine cultures. I have been to the ER so many times in the last month it's EMBARRASSING. Diagnosis? Renal Calculi. Kidney stones, infected stones, calcium deposits and crystallization in the kidney. Treatment plan? Do nothing..wait. The stones aren't large enough or in an area where they can be blasted using Lithotripsy..I just have to wait for them to pass on their own. Living in constant pain is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm dying!! (Of course I'll be fine, but I'm venting here.) I've got another infection now and the pain is pretty intense. I'm already on a course of antibiotics but that's just a band-aid fix to a deeper issue. I'm completely baffled as to the cause of all of this. I'm healthy. I'm positive (exclude current rant) and happy and I eat heathy and I drink water so much that I feel waterlogged most of the time. I believe in "our thoughts and words create our world" type of stuff and I also believe that we can create a dis-ease in our body by the way we think and believe but this is beyond my experience in the art of metaphysical healing! Frustration is an understatement here. It's really getting to me. One cannot shrink oneself into insanity. Yes, I want my pain to go away, but I refuse to go back on pain medications because I know how difficult it is to get back off of them. I debate about it daily. Dave got a job working 4 12 hour shifts and he also goes to school in the mornings so needless to say, my sanity and my reliability are needed here in this house. It's all me now. Today I am feeling so incredibly overwhelmed with the thought of fall and winter and spring...day after day, week after week of this..me..at home...every day..taking care of a home and kids and baby and a business, all while IN PAIN. Did I mention he will be taking our only car every day? (We're working on that.) Actually it's really not THAT bad..it's only for 4 days a week and we'll get to do fun things on the weekends..It's just about adjusting my plans and whatnot. I've been pretty good about adapting to change for the past 8 years..(being married to Dave has had it's share of changes: we've moved 13 times and had countless jobs) but this one has totally thrown me for a loop. I will adapt. I will roll with it. I guess at times in the buzz and busy of life I forget how extremely blessed I am, how I have so much and so much to look forward to. And, I guess, somehow I know it'll all turn out.
In other news, a week ago today I opted out of the world of fertility and underwent a tubal ligation. The admittance papers read: "Reason for surgery: Undesired Fertility". I feel a pang of...sadness mixed with a little bit of..guilt maybe..reading those words. So many around me right now are struggling to become pregnant..struggling to stay pregnant..and I have undesired fertility. We have been blessed with 3 perfectly healthy, beautiful children, and even if I could have another child without complications, I'm satisfied. I just wish I could give it to them it somehow. Put it in a little box and tie a ribbon around it.
Well, that's it for now and funny enough, I feel so much better since writing this post. My squishy little Pepper is sitting on my lap as I type and I can hear the joyous laughter of my boys drafting in through the open window. I truly am so blessed.

Caterpillars, Grasshoppers and Ladybugs

2011-07-21T14:29:00.000-06:00

I walked outside this morning to find the boys sitting on the porch with a mason jar full of murky water. As I get a closer look I see a slowly swirling extravaganza of baby grasshoppers, ladybugs..and one juicy yellow caterpillar. As I pour the wriggling,wet contents of the jar on the warm, dry cement, I explain to the boys that generally bugs can't swim. I rescue the caterpillar(which was a supposed to be a gift to me from Jared last night) and put him back into the empty jar with a nice green leaf to nibble on. He now sits in the jar on my desk as I work...a reminder of my beautiful boys..a reminder of my own childhood summers. I sent the boys off to Grandma's house today with high hopes of accomplishing some editing and business duties. Now here I sit with a squirmy baby girl on my lap, not really getting much of anything done, but enjoying every moment of her cooing and jibber jabbering...knowing it doesn't last long and soon enough she will be outdoors with the boys taking part in whatever naughtiness she comes upon. Summertime as a child is such a magical, exciting time, I remember summers as a small child so fondly, playing in the dirt with spoons and empty yogurt cartons and catching potato bugs and grasshoppers..I can still remember the smell of humid pickle jars that imprisoned dozens of spitting grasshoppers...I remember the sound of their bodies hitting the glass as they attempted their escape. I can still feel the heat of the pavement on my skin as I lay in the sun drying off from a dash through the sprinkler, with a root-beer flavored popsicle melting slowly in my small hand.These are the things I remember when I watch my boys playing in the sandbox, or playing in our canoe filled with water in the backyard. To a parent, it's just dirt and wet underwear...but to our children...it's magic. They live in a paralleled dimension..one which we cannot see or feel..fueled by imagination and energy..Oh how I miss the carefree days of summer as a child..but feel so blessed to be able to witness the joy and excitement as I observe my own children experiencing it. So, thank you, chubby little yellow caterpillar, for being a reminder to me today...that life truly is.. beautiful.

And, speaking of beautiful...isn't she?

Our Summer Checklist

2011-07-19T11:02:00.000-06:00

Before summer began, we had a lot of things we wanted to accomplish by fall. Here is what we've managed to check off our list so far..

CAMP IN THE BACKYARD

(Look at my sexy husband who can put up a tent while holding a baby.)
Nothing like laying in between my two little guys in a tent singing lullabies and telling "not too scary" stories.

EAT A WORLD RECORD AMOUNT OF POPSICLES

..wrappers all over the yard is a sure sign that it is summertime, keeping the ice cream man in business, and loving those "otto pops" as Ashton calls them..(he thinks they are like "Auto-bots")

ENJOY WATCHING PEPPER GROW

She loves the excer-saucer, hates tummy-time, and loves being outdoors. She's beginning to coo and giggle, which is way too much fun for our boys.

HIT THE LAKE INSTEAD OF CHURCH AT LEAST ONCE

We love porcupine dam. Went there last year and it quickly became one of our favorite places. Jared calls it "porkypine". This time there were butterflies everywhere having a "butterfly party". Last year we picnicked under to the big tree, and this year it was under water because of all the rain we've had.

SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY SIDE OF THE FAMILY

We spent the 3rd and 4th of July in Stansbury Park with my brother's family. On the 3rd we got to attend the ward I grew up in..ERDA WARD! I haven't been there in YEARS and it was so great to see so many of the people that affected my life in so many ways for the better. My sister had a darling baby boy the week after I had Pepper and she was having him blessed there in Erda. Afterwards we all got together at her house in Stansbury Park and hung out. Here is before mentioned darling-ness: Ryan.

This is Shrek baby, Ethan.

Pepper and her cousin Taylor just kickin' it.

It's so weird. In my family, it seems like babies are born in threes. It's kind of a different feeling for me, having a baby around the same time as my two sisters...I was like 8 years old when Jodi got married and I'm 7 years younger than Katie. I guess I just caught up with them! (Not really, these are both their 4th babies...I'm not going there!!)

My brother is just a big kid. He jumped with the kids for about 3 hours. They had so much fun playing crack the egg...

...until Jared "broke" his back.

I'm so glad Aaron is back from his mission. Now he gets to be in my blog posts!

On the 4th, we went to the good 'ol Granstville parade. I finally had an opportunity to say "It's raining on our parade" when... it rained. It was great, nice to cool off. Pepper slept through the entire parade, with this annoyed look on her cute little face..

TAKE JARED ON A SHOOT WITH ME

My friend was having her family sealed in the SLC temple and Jared begged to go, and since I didn't love the idea of driving 2 hours by my lonesome, I took him. The only problem was, we got there an hour early. We walked around the temple grounds a bit and had some fun, but by the time the family came out of the temple and I was doing photos, Jared was bored. He was hanging all over me and kept asking when we could go wish in the reflection pool..his cute little orange head photo-bombed quite a few, and I am just glad they are friends and not paying clients. The picture I WISH I would have gotten, was the one where I look up from taking reflection pool photos of the family only to find MY little redhead...pants rolled up, shoes off, WADING in the middle of the pool with the happiest grin on his face I think I've ever seen, collecting pennies. How do you say no to that?

HAVE THE BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY A SIX YEAR OLD EVER HAD

Ok so I didn't take pictures. There were ten, count 'em, TEN rambunctious 4, 5 and 6 year old boys at our house and I guess it just slipped my mind. It was so much fun!! I didn't even do anything fun this year, a sprinkler, popsicles, cake, ice cream and crocodile hats...topped off with a helping of Megamind=best day ever! All I have to show for it is this invitation. I used to be really into digital scrapbooking a few years ago and so I pulled it(along with my mad rhyming skillz) out for an invitation design. "Crocodile" theme.

GO TO CABELAS AND GET POP GUNS

Dave's niece got married on the 8th. It was in Orem and I was doing the photos..Wedding was in the morning and reception was in the evening so we had a lot of time to kill in between. We went to the Dinosaur Museum and the boys were totally into the gift shop, having so much fun, that when we saw the price of admission for the actual museum, we about choked. Yeah, I've been in there and it is worth it, but on our income right now, not feasible. So we drove across the way to Cabella's where the boys had pretty much the time of their lives shooting pop guns at the stuffed wildlife..so sad...I'm getting soft. I don't enjoy looking at dead stuffed creatures like I did as a child, but my children are heathen males..so yeah..they love it:)

TAKE LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES OF OUR PEPPER

I've only sort of accomplished this. It seems like every time I decide to get out the camera to take her picture, she's ready for a nap, and super cranky. Remember my last post about how she's cries a lot?? WELL, my sister gave me a DVD on the 4th called The Happiest Baby on the Block and I didn't get around to watching it until last week. I wish I would have watched it sooner!! I learned how to trigger her calming reflex and get her to sleep fast, and get her to sleep longer. She has been so happy! I think she just wasn't getting enough sleep and now she is. It has been so great. I insisted that Dave watch the video too and now we both know the tricks to put her right out. (And no, it doesn't involve chloroform) So here is my attempt at a 4 month photoshoot with Pepper, again, this is why I do mostly weddings and less babies:)

And here are two random photos from tummy time. She can roll from her tummy to her back so far..as of today, she weighs 13lbs 12oz and she's 25 inches long. She is in the 75th percentile for height(go figure) and 50th percentile for weight. Dave and I don't make no sissy babies. ;)

Well, that's that. It took me three days to write this post so read it slowly and make it last. I have a really hard time sitting at the computer in the summer let alone blog about fun things I could be outside doing. I'll save the blogging for the dreary winter. Happy July everyone!!

Summer

2011-07-07T18:36:00.000-06:00

We are having a fantastic, busy summer! I can't believe I haven't blogged in a month. Trust me, it's not because I don't have anything to blog about, I do, I do! We have been so busy with David in school and me *trying* to run our business as well as be at home with the kids... it's not easy, but totally worth it. I can't believe how much harder 3 kids is than 2. Two was CAKE! I've got two busy boys and one fussy little lady and I'm still learning how to balance it all out. June was a really hard month for me. Pepper cried and fussed all day every day. By the time Dave got home in the afternoon, I was DONE. I don't know ANYONE who can handle a screaming baby all day long and not go crazy! (if you do, please don't hold out, I'd be willing to PAY!!! No, seriously, like HIRE the person) But really, she is getting better. I'm learning how to deal with it better when it happens as well.

I also found out I was fat in June. Ok, I knew I was still a bit chubby, I just had a baby 4 months ago, it's cool, but I had no idea. Someone took pictures of me a couple weeks ago and I had the misfortune of seeing them. Come on ladies, I know I can't be the only one who feels this way. You see a photo of yourself, or your reflection in one of those damned mirrored elevators and you wonder why nobody told you?? LOL It's like when you go all day with a big huge nasty bogey hanging out your nose and nobody bothers to inform you. Although, after thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want someone to come up to me and whisper "Hey, just thought I'd let you know, your ass is still pretty huge." I'm not really the kind of girl that cries about something like this. I get mad. (Then I buy an elliptical and I have angry workout sessions while blasting the Black Eyed Peas) I am actually pretty blessed to be able to lose weight pretty quickly when I want to, and especially when I'm busy and active like I am now. Well, I leveled out in May and haven't gained or lost even one pound since. I couldn't figure it out until I started looking into the birth control I'm on. Bingo! I found out that one of the most common side effects is weight gain. I'm very happy that I'm not gaining, and I only have one month left until the shot wears off, then it's hello IUD and bye bye booty!!

So that's that. I've got a bazillion gajillion pictures to post but also a quadrillion photoshoots to edit and send out(which I am grateful for, so blessed to have work!) so I will have to delay posting all our summer adventures *so far* until later. Thanks for reading friends!

Sunday at the Park

2011-06-13T13:01:00.000-06:00

Bear Lake

2011-06-11T15:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we took a trip up to Bear Lake, which is only about a 35 minute drive from our home. I have never seen the lake so high before. Our usual beach area was really packed so we hit the south end. The boys didn't even touch the water (didn't expect them to, it's freezing!) but they played in the sand and found shells.

Dead lizard

Jared gave him a proper burial. RIP dead lizard

Freecyclin'

2011-06-07T13:29:00.000-06:00

If you haven't heard of Freecycle.org, you are really missing out! A friend showed it to me a while ago and I've loved it since. It's a website where people from your area post things they want to get rid of and also things they are looking for. It's a great way to keep stuff out of the landfills and find awesome treasures! I've met so many amazing people through it, and have been able to give away a lot of things that I can no longer use. I've given away loads of baby guppies, bricks from my yard, baby stuff, magazines, and more. I've really been grateful for it since David is in school full time and money is tight, I've been able to get some cool stuff and with a little elbow grease, repurpose and reuse. So far I've received about 100 children's hangers, 2 aquariums, Nintendo consoles and games, a boppy pillow, artificial trees, children's bikes, silverware, a tricycle, a stroller, a baby bathtub, solar lights for my yard, and my favorite so far...

this armoire! I've stained and distressed it, the only thing left to do is put the doors on! I'm very excited to be able to hide our swanky TV when we aren't using it!

The trick to Freecyclying is you have to be quick. If I'm not the first or second to email the person, I usually don't get the item. It's kind of like an auction, except instead of money, you just need to be the first to email and to actually pick the item up. The other day I got this tank just because the first lady to email decided it needed too much TLC and didn't want it. This is a 40 gallon tank! Yeah, it was COVERED in crusty saltwater residue and the caulk was blue from chemicals and starting to come off. For a couple bucks I got some aquarium caulk and re-caulked it. (this is the AFTER photo) I scraped the glass with a blade to get all the hard water off and used about a gallon of vinegar!

I painted the brown plastic black and also painted the hood.

And voila! I still need a background for it and Dave is going to build me a stand for it but I think our fish are pretty happy about the 20 gallon upgrade!

So this has nothing to do with Freecycle, but I'm pretty excited because I spent NO money at all on this. I finally painted the kitchen. It was kind of a sage green color and needed retouching anyways, so I got the leftover paint from Pepper's accent wall and mixed it with a mis-tint gallon of a nasty pinkish tan Dave got a while back and it was exactly the color I've been wanting.
Here is before...

And AFTER...looks so much better. Cabinets need to be painted white, that would look so great!

I also did an accent wall in our livingroom. Love it with all the brown I've been collecting!

Excuse the tent, we had a camp-in the night before.

I'm going to finish painting the rest of the upstairs with a nice warm tan color and then I'm DONE with projects for a while. I'm getting the photo business back in shape and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Especially since we're trying to break into a new market and do more work up here in Logan, and our client base is in SLC and Provo. I've been doing a lot of market research in my spare time (ha!) and I have some fun new marketing techniques I'm going to be implementing. It's actually a lot of fun, and I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't enjoy it at least a little bit, right?

Our Beautiful Saturday

2011-06-04T22:59:00.001-06:00

June is finally here...and warmth. We spent our day at First Dam fishing and playing in the water. It's so different for us now, having another little one to look after. David and I laid on a blanket under the trees with Pepper and watched the boys play, realizing how big they've grown and doing a little bit less worrying about them falling into the water and drowning. We're beginning to let them ride their bikes a little bit farther down the street, and climb a little bit higher in the trees. I think now that we can see the contrast between our tiny Pepper and our big boys, we're realizing that we've got to let the tether out a bit more. They aren't little tiny boys in diapers anymore, that's for sure! (watch the video..and please forgive my horrible videography skills!)

LOVE these photos.

How was YOUR Saturday?

Pepper: 12 Weeks

2011-06-04T13:35:00.000-06:00

You know that moment when your child giggles for the first time, and it's suddenly the best thing that's ever happened to you? Yeah, that happened to me today. AND I caught it on camera. Too bad it wasn't video..eh..I hate posting videos anyway.

Build and Grow Workshop

2011-05-30T16:05:00.000-06:00

Saturday morning we took the boys to Lowe's and they built biplanes. This was our fifth workshop and the boys love it. This time our cousins Ryker and Pierce came too. So much fun. The workshops happen twice a month on Saturday mornings at 10 am. You can pre-register online HERE.

10 Weeks

2011-05-20T13:21:00.001-06:00

Springtime In Portage

2011-05-19T23:39:00.000-06:00

I got a new lens during the winter and wanted to try it outside. I took the following pictures in my parent's yard in Portage Utah.

Cry Me A River..

2011-05-15T19:47:00.000-06:00

I have so much on my mind today..I figure blogging might help me to release it. We had kind of a...stressful week. As you know, David started school and work and I got really sick. I think it reached a climatic breaking point last night, as we were all really tired and I was feeling pretty sick. Jared has pink eye and a horrible cough. Pepper does this nightly ritual of crying from about 7 to 11, which we are used to, but last night it was a little bit more difficult to deal with. I have been trying to control everything, house, kids, Dave, finances etc and it was just making matters worse. I have been SO concerned about Pepper catching something and ending up back in the hospital that I've gotten myself all worked up into a frenzy. So last night I had a good cry and fell asleep on my bed. David took care of Pepper all night so I could rest. I was finally able to let go of everything. I realized that I am making my sickness worse by stressing out, so I decided that I'm doing everything that I can do, and left the rest to God. I think sometimes we try too hard to do everything ourselves instead of doing what we can and leaving the rest up to the Lord. I do it a lot and it never gets me anywhere. I woke up around 4:30am with my throat completely swollen shut and a crazy pain in my side. Ended up going over to the specialty hospital at 6am to get checked out. I felt pretty stupid going to the ER for a cold, but I felt strongly that I needed to go. I was actually very glad that I did because it turns out that I have a raging kidney infection, and not being able to get any fluids down my swollen throat was making me dehydrated. So, anyways, I got all taken care of and was home by 8, and slept until about an hour ago. I'm thinking this week is going to be a lot better. Even if all hell breaks lose, at least I can deal with it if I'm over this wretched virus. Pepper has been lethargic all day and now she's wheezing when she cries, I'm still worried about her but we'll be watching her closely and taking her to the Dr. tomorrow.

So anyways, that's my poor me story of the month..what's yours? I don't really love complaining on my blog because #1 The only people that want to hear about your poor health is your doctor, and your mortician(and maybe your Mother, mine is very caring) and #2 There is ALWAYS someone way way worse off than me. ALWAYS. And somehow I manage to find them in time to realize what a boob I'm being.

Ok, so moving forward. Here are some pictures from the week.

This is a common sight at our house, snuggles with Daddy.

Here is Jared being an "Alien".

Here are some better photos of the camera strap I made.

Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows

2011-05-13T13:19:00.000-06:00

I've been so sick this week. It's like a horrible cold..or something. I really think that we women should get a free pass from one sickness after having a child. Especially those of us who throw up our entire pregnancy. Who's with me on this? I think we should petition.

I guess the hard part about being sick is trying to take care of the kids. Mom to mom, I really respect you all right now. I usually have Dave around when I get sick, but now he's in school and I don't want him to miss any. It's quite an effort just getting the boys fed, getting Jared ready for school, and taking care of Pepper, who wants me constantly. I'm really grateful for my next door neighbors. They've been taking Jared to school for me quite a bit lately and it really is a blessing.

I'm feeling a little better today, now I'm just coughing, and trying my best not to pass this stuff on to Pepper. I've been watching her like a 'hawk'. (haha get it, "hawk" cuz we're Hawkes?) Sanitizer is my best friend this week. Still too fashionable to break out a face mask. At least I'm honest.

On a positive note, it is gorgeous outside today. Ahhh, the birds are singing, the sun is shining, and it feels like a brand new beginning. I took Pepper outside and we sat under the big apple tree out front..she got to hear birds singing for her first time. This is what I daydreamed about during my pregnancy. This is what got me through the down moments. I daydreamed about spring, sunshine, sitting in the grass with my baby girl, and listening to birds sing.

On a side note: Thank you so much to all family who actually read my blog! I mostly blog for myself and our little family as a way to document things, but I love sharing our lives with everyone. I discovered a couple of new family members have been reading this week and I was so excited to hear that! It really means a lot to me that you are interested in what I have to say, and all the shenanigans we're up to! Sometimes I really feel like I'm blogging to a void so it's nice to know that the people I most respect and love are reading all my nonsense. ;) Thanks also to all strangers and friends who read as well, especially those who comment either here or on FB. I love comments..*sigh*. Oh and I love friends. (I would love strangers too if I knew who they were)

I have a lot of pictures to post, but since I'm laying on the couch with my laptop and don't have them here, I will post some cell phone pictures. The quality is exceptional.

Jared is becoming quite the little artist. I'm loving his imagination. If you can't guess what this is then I don't know what to tell you.

Another sewing project using only scraps. I didn't use fusible fleece for the inside, so the fleece kind of bunched up in there, but it's acceptable for a first. It's a camera strap, in case you were wondering. I love the pocket, since I'm constantly losing my lens cap! Tutorial is HERE.

And this is Ashton the other day while I was sick. He told me he DID NOT like Sesame Street about 10 minutes before. Thank goodness for netflix! I know you're SO jealous of our TV. You'll get over it.

2 Months

2011-05-10T15:48:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I was watching a bit on the news about Natalie Norton who lost her 10 week old son, Gavin, to pertussis. It hit me especially hard because I have an online friend who also lost her son to Pertussis last year and I only saw a glimpse of how hard it was for her, I can't imagine how she was and is hurting over it. I was in Jonathon Canlas' photography class last year at WPPI, he took the photographs at little Gavin Norton's funeral, merely two months after his passing. Natalie, his mother, was in the room as well, seeing the images for the first time. There was not a dry eye in there as a slideshow was played of the funeral...so, rehashing that yesterday really made me appreciate my babies, especially Pepper, and the fragile age she is right now. I realized then that I need to spend more time with her, taking her in, memorizing her every detail, and just enjoying the stage she's in NOW. Lately I find myself thinking too far into the future, thinking "It's going to be so great when she's finally laughing...when she's crawling...when she's 4.." instead of just relishing in the NOW. Here are some images I took of all her little details and 'isms' at 2 moths old. Enjoy.

Make It/Love It

2011-05-10T14:25:00.004-06:00

First off, this was my Mother's Day gift from Dave. He asked me like a month ago what I wanted and I can't believe he remembered and actually got it!! Totally surprised, and very excited. And thus begins my obsession with sewing. (Honey, if you need any birthday/christmas ideas, my machine has really been struggling lately..hint hint) Dave just started tech school, and he will be out selling alarm systems in the evening when he gets home, so aside from taking care of the kids and home, I really need a hobby to keep me sane. I didn't know crafting could be so strangely addicting. I'm also going to be doing pictures here and there for people, mostly friends and family. I'm not quite ready to pick it back up full throttle yet. It is A LOT of work and I have a few little monkeys (and one big ape) who need their mama.

My Mother's day was fantastic. What a blessing it is to be a mother, and to be entrusted with these little stinkers. I'm so blessed to be able to spend so much time with my babies. They make life so beautiful.

I found a craft blog called Make It and Love It and I'm pretty much obsessed. Ha. Even now I went there to grab a link and totally got distracted by a cute stroller bag tutorial. Yeah, it's bad. So I used THIS tutorial to make this grocery bag holder for Pepper's room. It's nice to have bags handy at 3 am when she makes a poopy!! And I used to think these bag holders were only used by old ladies.

I have a few projects lined up for this week, if my machine will cooperate. I almost threw it down the stairs yesterday. So frustrating. This material is for a car seat canopy for my friend whose baby girl is due next month(shhh don't tell)

I purchased this fabric for my Mom and Dave's Mom's gifts...I'm not finished with my Mom's yet so I can't tell but I made Dave's Mom a crochet hook roll. She is always on the go and she likes to take her crochet stuff with her so I hope it comes in handy. It actually wasn't as easy for me to make as it looked in the tutorial which was actually for a colored pencil roll, I just modified it a bit..ok, a lot.

(Excuse the horrible 3am kitchen lighting)

I usually don't think about before pictures until I'm halfway finished with a project, but my Mom gave me this old drawer with dividers in it, she gave me the idea to make it into a shelf, so I did. This is the AFTER.

And then I put all my ribbon on it:) I am such a nerd right now.

I got this wood from Dave who got it from my Dad when he was cleaning out his garage and yard. Thanks for all the stuff Dad. We're making use of it. I had Dave cut this wood into two pieces. I didn't sand it or anything because I like the texture.

The wood peices weren't as big as the one in the catalog, so Jared and I came up with another dinosaur to paint. It was a lot of fun having Jared help out with it. He is so excited about his room.

Dave and I are planning on making these Pottery Barn inspired beds for the boys, using the plans from Knock Off Wood, minus the corner unit and stained dark like the ones in the catalog. The boys are currently sharing a full bed and they fight SOOO much. Ashton keeps Jared awake and takes the blankets away. It will be nice for them to have separate beds, the little stinkers. The paintings were inspired by Pottery Barn's Dino room..shown below.

I love the clearance section at Lowe's and Home Depot, and I scored this Valspar "Jalepeno Jelly" green paint for $1, along with the brown I used in the Dino paintings. I've finally decided on what I'm doing with the boy's room and this is the paint that I've wanted. This summer I'm going to paint an accent wall in their room in this color.

I stole this shelf from our living room to put in the boys room also. Until that wall gets painted, we need some green!! I'm making green curtains too.

Here is the finished product, I sanded them a little, stained and then wiped it back off. I love how they turned out, and so do the boys.

In order to redeem myself from that tiny dress I made Pepper that will never fit her again, I made a pillowcase dress out of the same fabric. I guess I need to learn how to read patterns again because I had to unpick this thing twice and it took me 3 hours to make. It was actually a lot simpler than the other dress I made. HERE is the tutorial with a printable pattern. Don't be like me, read the tutorial before sewing stuff together. The ribbon on the dress was my grandmothers back in the 60's I believe, it said 9cents on the package!

Dave got me these cabinets from a doctor's office he was helping his Dad remodel, they had mauve doors on them so I painted them white. Now all my craft stuff is organized. Heee! I'M A NERD AND I'M PROUD!!

Oh yeah, my Mom also gave me this awesome barn window frame and I put paper in the frames. Love it. AND I can change the paper out for different seasons and whatnot.

THERE. Took me three days to finish this post, and I was typing one handed.

I need to find a pattern for a baby sling.