it was by Christmas, then it was when she turned 5. Last week I started asking her in the mornings if she sucked her thumb during the night and she would say no. I noticed she wasn't doing it during the day either. Then the other day she said "Do you know why I stopped sucking my thumb? Because the soap in the bathroom makes my thumb taste yucky." Evidently the Bath and Body Works Cherry Blossom Hand Soap that I put in the bathroom last week did the trick! I sure am glad she didn't figure out that she could just use another bathroom that had "normal" soap in it :)Monday, March 17, 2008
Brynlee Got A Barbie
it was by Christmas, then it was when she turned 5. Last week I started asking her in the mornings if she sucked her thumb during the night and she would say no. I noticed she wasn't doing it during the day either. Then the other day she said "Do you know why I stopped sucking my thumb? Because the soap in the bathroom makes my thumb taste yucky." Evidently the Bath and Body Works Cherry Blossom Hand Soap that I put in the bathroom last week did the trick! I sure am glad she didn't figure out that she could just use another bathroom that had "normal" soap in it :)Saturday, March 8, 2008
Guilty as Charged
Me: So Brynlee, I found some things in the garage by the boxes. Do you know what it was?
Brynlee: What?
Me: No, I'm asking you....do you know what I found by the boxes?
Brynlee: What boxes?
Me: The ones that are in front of the van by the stairs.
Brynlee: Oh.
Me: So what do you think I found?
Brynlee: I don't know.
Me: I found some apples and pudding.
Brynlee: Oh.
Me: Did you put them there?
Brynlee: No (if you could just see her face...it was her "oh crap, I just got caught and I'm totally lying" face)
Me: Landon, did you put apples and pudding in the garage?
Landon: No.
Me: Ashlee, did you put apples and pudding in the garage?
(Now I knew the answer would be no because I never give Ashlee apples because she doesn't like them)
Ashlee: No.
Me: So Brynlee, you're not going to get in trouble if you did it. You'll get in trouble for lying to me but I won't get mad if you put the apples and pudding in the garage. So did you?
Brynlee: Yes.
Me: (thinking to myself, yeah, I thought so) So why did you put them there?
Brynlee: I didn't want them.
Me: When you don't want to eat something, just tell me. Someone else might want it or we can save it for later when you might want them. We don't need to waste food.
Brynlee: Okay.
Now, the thing about this conversation is that it is not a new one. Brynlee and I have had conversations like this in the past. She has thrown away a granola bar that I told her she couldn't have (I knew she woudn't like it) but she got anyway and didn't like and I found later in the bathroom garbage. Eventually she fessed up when I told her she would get in more trouble for lying than for getting the granola bar I told her she couldn't have and then wasting it by throwing it away. So I guess she thought I wouldn't find it if she hid it in the garage instead of throwing it away. Hopefully she will learn her lesson this time....but if you know Brynlee, you're probably thinking what I'm thinking.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Food Stash...
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Lego Maniac
When I handed it to him when I finished it, the two sweetest words came out of his mouth....thank you! It's so nice to hear that! It seems like when they're really little you keep telling them "say thank you" and you know it's paid off when they say it without the prompting! Such a sweet little boy!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
TAGGED...again!
Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag at least three people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the fun begin!
Okay so here are RANDOM facts about me you may not know.
1. I love anything chocolate and peanut butter...PB M&Ms, Reese's PB cups, Christie's PB bars....mmmmmm!
2. I love filling out forms.
3. My children's names are in alphabetical order by age....Ashlee, Brynlee, Landon, and Trevor. (Thanks, Stephanie, for this one!)
4. I am afraid of the open water...oceans, lakes...I'd much rather swim in a swimming pool. I was hyperventilating when we went snorkeling in Hawaii last year! It didn't make the whole breathing through the snorkel thing very easy! I spent more time laying on the beach while Rob enjoyed the water!
5. I've lived in 5 states (Virginia, Texas, California, Arizona, and Utah) and one other country (Korea). My family adopted my cool, hilarious, "little" :) brother David when we lived in Korea.
6. I have to read the obituaries in the newpaper everyday. I think reading about people's lives is interesting. Maybe that's why I enjoy blogging as well!
I tag Gena, Hydi, and Julie. Have fun girls!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Trevor is 2 Months Old
Monday Night Monopoly
Saturday, February 23, 2008
CAUGHT THE MOUSE!!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
6.0 EARTHQUAKE!!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Stromboli
I made Stromboli for dinner tonight, based off this recipe. I was looking for a calzone recipe originally, then stromboli fever hit me. They're really similar food items, just the calzone is a pocket, whereas you roll up a stromboli.I used our favorite pizza crust recipe, Jay's Signature Pizza Crust, which is big enough for two pizzas. I made a full recipe of the dough and split it in half to make two stromboli. I used roast beef, turkey, and ham since that's what lunch meat we had, plus monterrey jack, swiss, and parmesan cheeses. Ashlee actually liked it, so that was pleasantly surprising. Some other recipes I found called for italian sausage, onions, peppers, olives, mushrooms, etc.
Roll out the dough about 12" by 10"
Layer on the meat and cheese, leaving about an inch around the edge
Sprinkle on italian seasoning
Roll it up (starting from the skinnier edge)
Set it seam-side down on a pan sprinkled with corn meal.
Brush on egg white or olive oil and add poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic salt, parmesan, or whatever you feel like on top. You may add some decorative knife cuts if you'd like. (I did and it kind of split open and oozed out, which isn't actually a bad thing if you like crispy dripping cheese like I do.)
Bake on a pizza stone at 375 for about 35 minutes (or just on the pan if you don't have a stone).
Serve with marinara or spaghetti sauce to dip it in.
Friday, February 15, 2008
P.S. Not quite so perfect!
Hauling two boys around to 5 stores looking for a new snow shovel (and other little last minute things for dinner) since I broke ours while shoveling the 6 inches of snow on our driveway at 11:00 pm is not fun. Oh, and every store is sold out of snow shovels. Maybe I should be looking for a snow blower instead :)
Rob left to go to Ogden around 4:30 to pick up our van that was being fixed. We've been having problems with the transmission. He took it to a mechanic here in town and they quoted us $2700 to replace the transmission...yeah, I don't think so considering the stinkin' thing is only worth about $3000! So Rob called his uncle who works in the service department at a Dodge dealership in Ogden. He said he could do it for $1600 but when we took it down there on Monday night, they discovered that they only needed to fix a leak and fill it with transmission fluid. Yeah, we were really getting ripped off by that first guy! Uncle Craig did find some other things wrong when doing a general check over of the van but the final bill was only $1200 for fixing the transmission, exhaust leak, water pump, some clockspring thing that was under warranty from a recall, and some gaskets. I know "only $1200" isn't pocket change but it's better than $2700 to only replace the transmission.
Since I was left with the truck and had to take Ashlee to ballet, Rob took Landon with him and Brynlee went to a friend's house. So here's the fun I had with the truck...hold on, it's gonna be a long ride...
Since we never drive the truck, the recycling container and trash can and stroller and kids' scooters are parked behind it. Side note: 15 minutes until ballet lessons start and it takes 10 to get there... So I move those out of the way.
Get Trevor's carseat (without base) and Ashlee on her booster buckled in...not too easy since there isn't a whole lot of room to squeeze all that on the bench. Finally get everyone all buckled up and take the keys out of my purse...crap, the truck key isn't on my keyring. Try to get out but wait, the stupid door handle is broken so I roll down the window (no, it's not an electric window) to open the door from the outside (this is why I hate this truck!). Get the key and start backing out and have to manuever my way out of the driveway since the whole thing isn't shoveled (remember my store hunt above!) Reach up to close the garage door but wait, there isn't a door opener in the truck. Get out (again, roll down window, open door from outside), run into the garage, push the button, run and jump over sensors while ducking to miss the door. Okay, 10 minutes, we can make it right on time. I look at the dashboard and we are on empty...please, make it to ballet!
On the way we're at a stop light and I hear sirens. I look in the rear view mirror and a firetruck is coming. Since I was so frazzled I move over into the right turn lane to get out of the way and now have to go through the university. So since this is getting way too long I'll spare more details...end result, Ashlee was late to ballet. Off to the gas station...I make it there and fill 'er up!
Arrive home from ballet and remember I don't have a garage door opener...or a key to the house on my keyring! Text Rob to see if he is close to getting home (he has no minutes left on his cell phone so he won't answer it...another long story since he changed plans after the university changed their policy for paying for employees cell phones and now has to watch his minute usage) Decide to go to a neighbor's house since it is getting dark and cold (oh, and Trevor is crying because he is ready to eat!) Get a text back and they are about 25 minutes from home.
It is now 7:00 and the pizza still needs to go in the oven. Luckily it only took 10 min. to bake. The rest of the story is below....and I go to bed with the stress headache! I'm sorry this is WAY too long but I hope you got a glimpse into our not so perfect life!
Oh, and I've had a bit too much fun posting so much lately. It's my outlet and I feel like I actually get to "talk" with adults instead of being in my house all day with the little ones! I now need to go clean my house since my friend is coming from Boise with her 4 kids for the weekend....oh HAPPY DAY!!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentine's Day
(Thanks, little buddy, for letting mom get a little bit more sleep!)
After I finished feeding him, I made heart shaped pancakes for the kids for breakfast.
Then for dessert we had Baked Hot Chocolate (a recipe I saw on Good Things Utah a couple weeks ago)...to DIE for!
After dessert we had a little "I Love _____ Because..." session. Each person had their own heart with that saying on it filled in with their name and everyone had to tell one thing why they love so and so.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Few Pictures
The girls in their bubble bath on Sunday. Rob turned on the jets and the bubbles kept growing!
I LOVE these pictures of Trevor and Grandpa B. Thanks to Uncle Dave for capturing this moment!

The girls using Uncle Dave as their jungle gym. I always feel so sorry for Uncles and Grandpas when they come over. My kids seem to think they need to climb all over them!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
21 Down, 25 to Go!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Landon's Room
Friday, February 8, 2008
"Spring" Cleaning
Monday, February 4, 2008
Trevor's Blessing Day
Trevor shared his special day with another event...yes, Super Bowl Sunday! Rob got a projector from work and we rearranged the furniture in the living room for all to enjoy the game. If you can't tell from the picture, the "screen" is above the piano and it's the same width as the piano. It was pretty fun to have a "big screen" for the game...
Rob, Trevor, Dave and Russ enjoying the game...oh wait, I think Trevor is snoozin'.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Ow, Charlie, That Hurt!
My friend emailed this to me. It's from You Tube and I laugh everytime I watch it. It's SO hilarious! I just love the little boy's accent! Gotta love kids!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Curry with Basmati Rice
Vegetable Curry
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup cubed butternut squash
1 cup green beans, trimmed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 cup broccoli or cauliflower florets
1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
PREPARATION
Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven. Add curry powder and cumin and stir for 1 minute until aromatic.
Add onion, carrots and potatoes and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add squash, green beans and broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened. Serve with Basmati or whole grain rice.
Serves 4-6 [original recipe]
I didn't have squash or green beans, so I just left them out. In talking to one of the Indian programmers that work for me, he said that they never put broccoli in curry, so I guess you'll need to leave that out if you want to be more authentic. We happened to not have any onions, but I did have half a leftover shallot from when we made Dave's French Dip recipe, and that worked out great.
Herbed Basmati Rice
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons margarine
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion tops
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Thyme sprigs (optional)
PREPARATION
Melt margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add rice; stir well. Add water and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in green onions, basil, and thyme. Sprinkle with cheese; garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.
Serves 4 [original recipe]
This is the recipe I used for the rice, but I didn't have green onions or the fresh herbs, so I just put in dried herbs. I cooked it in our rice cooker. Make sure you actually get basmati rice, not regular rice. Ooh, it definitely makes a difference and makes the house smell sweet. If you've been in an Indian restaurant, you'll recognize the smell right away.
Cereal, Cereal, and More Cereal!
- 4 Fruity Cheerios
- 6 Yogurt Burst Cheerios
- 2 Plain Cheerios
- 4 Curves
- 4 Oatmeal Crisp
- 2 Trix
- 3 Kix
- 3 Cocoa Puffs
- 4 Total
When I totaled what I paid on the 4 transactions and divided by 32, it came 77 cents per box!! SWEET! I told Rob I should just keep doing the little routine and see if the coupon still keeps printing each time. Maybe I should try for a year supply! :) I also got 5 boxes of different varieties of Life from Lee's Marketplace...but these weren't as good of a deal...$1.40 per box.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Smiley Boy!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Birthday Girl
Friday, January 4, 2008
*2 Weeks Old*
It's hard to believe Trevor is already 2 weeks old! He had his checkup this morning and now weighs 8 lbs. 1 oz. ...little chunker! A neighbor who works in Labor and Delivery came over last night and I was telling her how big he looks and she said, "The funny thing is he is still probably smaller than some of those babies that were just born." How true...Ashlee was 8 lbs. 8 oz. so I guess he is still a "newborn" size...they just grow too fast!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Good As New
Ashlee went to the dentist yesterday and she has a front tooth again. I think it looks pretty good...it even sticks out a little bit from the other one just like her real tooth did before it broke! She wasn't lucky enough to get her mother's perfect teeth (that one's for you, Mary Anne!) The dentist has mentioned before that she'll probably need orthodontic work when she's older. He made it shorter than the other one since it hasn't grown in all the way. I just hope it isn't too short and ends up being shorter when it does grow in all the way...but I guess they can fix that if that's the case. He said when she's about 18 and her mouth is done growing, they can fix anything that needs to be redone.

