Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for moose tracks ice cream, warm summer sun, good books (preferrable read while soaking in that warm summer sun), bear hugs from my kids, dates with my love, going barefoot in the grass or sand, the smell of lilacs and plumerias, good friends, laughter (especially Grant's infectious 2 year old laughter), good health, down comforters in the middle of winter, my house right after I've cleaned it (for the 5 minutes that it lasts), my cell phone, freedom, family,

my Savior, life and all of the blessings that it brings.

What are you thankful for?

Enjoy the following video clip and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuwid8_O8dk

and the secret ingredient is...

The other day at lunch Garrett, Grant and I were eating leftover lasagna. This was the conversation Garrett and I had:

G: Hmmm, (as he picked through his lasagna) is there squash in here?

Me: No

G: Bikini?

Me: You mean zucchini?

G: Oh yeah, zucchini (sheepish grin)

I just keep chuckling about it, so I had to record it.

Nerdy Mom

The other day as I was driving Ty and Shayla to school, Ty told me how embarrassing it is when I send a note in his lunch. His football buddies try to steal it away and tease him about it. Okay...so no more notes. He's only eight, but I'm already embarrassing him. How is this possible? I thought it wouldn't kick in until middle school. I used to be so cool...I was the expert on everything, and now...

Actually, it started REALLY early with Shayla. Last year I promised Shayla I'd come to lunch with her (she was in Kindergarten) and she was so excited. Well, I had a crazy morning of errands, worked out at the Y, and didn't have time to shower after my workout. I had a choice--skip lunch with Shayla or run over in my workout clothes and keep my lunch date with her. Well, I chose to keep the lunch date, thinking she would rather have me there than skip it just for my pride. Wrong! As soon as she saw me she said, "Mom, your hair is all messy!" She then proceeded to tell me to take my ponytail out and it would look better. Once that correction was made, she seemed okay enough with my appearance to still be excited about having lunch with me. I just thought I had at least 5 years before I had to watch my every move around my kids at school and with their friends.

I remember when I was 12 or 13 The Little Mermaid came out and my Mom took all seven of us kids to go see it. We didn't go to the movies a lot, so we were pretty excited. We went to the store first and each picked out our favorite treat to sneak in with us (you remember those .10 boxes of lemon heads, jaw breakers, etc.), and then settled in at the movies. I remember being SO embarrassed when one of my younger brothers/sisters (can't remember who--but it was probably Jacob) dropped their candy and you could hear it rolling all the way down to the front of the theatre. And then you could hear my little bro crying because he lost his candy. I was trying to sink into my seat so that I wouldn't be seen. And now I look back--what was the big deal? We make much bigger scenes on a daily basis now just going to the grocery store. A few tantrums, spills, scenes...that's nothing! All in a days work :) And you know what? I think it's good for my kids to have some healthy humiliation via their mom -- I'm pretty proud of myself that I can embarrass them so well already. It builds character, right? I think it means I'm doing something right :)

So maybe I'll still sneak an occasional note into Ty's lunch. I told him I'd just put it inside his sandwich and he'd have to eat it to know what it said. He just rolled his eyes. Can't wait until he's a teenager. As for Shayla, she loves getting notes in her lunch, so at least someone appreciates me...for the time being (as long as i fix my hair and put make-up on). Sheesh, who knew it was so tough out there for a nerdy mom.

Grant Funnies

Grant is entering such a fun age. He talks like crazy and is always cracking us up.

He got a free yo-yo at the pumpkin festival we attended, and was thrilled with it. He kept calling it his yo-yo-yo, which made him sound like a little rapper.

He loves to "read" books and uses a really funny monotone voice. Hmmmm, is that what I sound like when I read to him? (sorry, couldn't get video to load).

He is his father's son. The other day he was sitting on Tyler's lap as he checked the football scores on the computer. Grant pointed to the Broncos logo and said, "That Broncos...who that?" (as he pointed to the opposing team logo). Tyler couldn't have been prouder :) ( he also knows the Packer's logo--smart kid!)

Lucky Mama...

So, I've never thought I was an extremely lucky person, but lately, I've been on a winning streak. I've won 3 contests in the past month if you can believe that.

1. Best dessert at our ward chili cook-off. I made a strawberry ruhbarb coffee cake and won a $10 gift card to Culver's. Frozen custard and cheese curds, here I come! Hooray!

2. Free facial at a spa (valued at $55) from Boomerang Kids--a local kids consignment store. This will be my first time having a facial--I can't wait!

3. $50 gift certificate to the Orchard Restaurant from my bank.

So this winning streak reminded me of the last contest I won 2 1/2 years ago. I was 9 months pregnant with Grant, and saw a local hunting shop that was having an open house with free pizza and pop. Tyler was out of town, and I thought it would be the perfect free dinner for us, so we stopped by (looking a bit out of place), ate our pizza and pop, entered a drawing and left. Lo and behold, I get a phone call telling me I had won a compound bow! I didn't even know what a compound bow was, but I won! I went in with all 3.5 kids to pick it up, and found out I had to be fitted for it, which was hilarious considering I was so pregnant. The shop owner asked if I was a hunter and I just laughed. I think he knew I had just come for the free food. So I decided to send Tyler in for it because I knew I'd never use it. I told Tyler he could keep it if he wanted to take up bow hunting or sell it and use the money to buy the road bike he had been wanting. I think he sold the bow for $450 on ebay and put that towards his new bike.

So, I'm thinking about taking a little trip to Vegas to earn money for the kids' college funds :) Anyone want to join me?

By the way, here is the winning recipe from #1 above. It is delicious served warm with ice cream.

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1 box yellow cake mix, divided
2/3 c. packed brown sugar

2 T. cold butter

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

2 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 1/2 c. finely chopped rhubarb

1 1/2 c. sliced fresh strawberries

In a bowl, combine 2/3 c. cake mix and sugar, mix in butter until crumbly. Add walnuts. Set aside. Place remaining cake mix in another bowl. Add eggs and sour cream. Fold in rhubarb and strawberries. Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle w/ reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Gratitude

I am so grateful for my Savior and my husband. Words cannot express how I feel right now, but I will try.

It has been a hard week. I'm so glad it is over, and have hope that next week will be better. On Monday Shayla woke up with a fever, so we snuggled her up in the van as we drove off at 7am to take Tyler to the airport. He had a business trip all week and wasn't getting home until Saturday afternoon. Well, to make a long story short, Shayla passed her fever/flu on to Garrett, and then me and then Grant, and I was taking care of sick kids all week, and not getting much sleep. I'd fall asleep, only to wake up with a sick child, finally get him/her back down, start falling asleep when someone else would wake up and we'd start the whole process over again. By Friday morning I think I was delerious. That's when Tyler came home and rescued us. He is my hero. He asked me if I wanted him to come home, and I told him no, we'd be okay, and I knew he still had things he needed to be at through Saturday. He got off the phone with me, scheduled his flight home and called me back saying he was coming home anyway. How I love my man. He knew I needed him here more than I could say. He got home, picked up my Tamiflu prescription, tucked me into bed, then tucked the rest of the kids into bed and took care of them all night so I could sleep. I slept for 10 hours straight and felt human again when I woke up. Everyone was feeling so much better we were still able to enjoy Halloween and all of the festivities and candy that come with it. And although Garrett has had a relapse today and his fever is back, I know that we are on the mend.

I was studying about Faith in Christ last week and that was such a blessing. I think it was the only thing that got me through. I read that faith is a principle of action--both mental and physical. I thought about that for a long time. What is mental action? I've always thought about the physical action, to act on the promptings and answers we receive, but mental action is a bit more abstract to me. I think means that our thoughts are more powerful than we think. That our faith in Christ needs to be so solid that even when we don't get the things we pray for and desperately need, that our faith should be strengthened in knowing that our Heavenly Father has something even better to teach us and give us through our trial. That thought helped me immensely last week. I tried to thank my Father for the strength to take care of my kids, and for the perspective to know we would eventually get better, and we would make it through. And then when I couldn't do it anymore alone, he sent my husband home to take care of me.

I know my Savior lives and is aware of my every need. He has felt every pain or sorrow I have ever felt, and he understands and loves me perfectly, imperfections, weaknesses and all. I know my prayers and heard and answered in the way that will be eternally best for me. I am blessed.

One of my favorite scriptures: Romans 8:31-39

"31 ...If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.