Merry Christmas

Well we are home in Seattle for the Holidays. I'm not going to promise any posting the week and a half we are gone. I'll try but we'll see. I hope all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday, which ever you choose to celebrate.

Fudge

Well I got this recipe from a friend and I think it's great. It's made with one of my favorit candy bars

Symphony Bar Fudge

2 c. heavy cream
4 c. sugar
3 king size symphony bars, broken into pieces (she used the one with toffee and almonds, very good!)
1 c. butter, room temperature

Mix cream and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for about 8 minutes until soft ball stage.
Meanwhile mix butter and chocolate (she suggested using a kitchen aid or something of the sort)
When cream and sugar are ready pour into the butter and chocolate mixture and mix until glossy
Put in a greased 9x13 or you could use a cookie sheet if you want thinner pieces and refrigerate to set.

I think when I make this I might use the plain symphony bars and get a bag of heath toffee pieces (that they have by the chocolate chips and baking stuff) and almonds and chop them up, that way there are bigger pieces. I've never made fudge, not much of a fan, or not enough to make it, but after trying this I think I will. I hope if anyone tries to make it, you enjoy it as much as I did.

Predictability and Consistancy

I'm a person who likes to know what's going to happen, at least with my life. I like things to be consistant and I like to be able to predict what is going to happen. I don't know why I am still this way. Since I've been married my life has been anything but the sort, unfortunately. After 5 years, you would like that I would learn to deal with the surprises life has in store for us better, but that is not the case. Three years ago we made a decision that would make our life even more unpredictable and consistant, and I often wonder why. It was something that the Lord told us we needed to do, so that's why we did. But if I knew what we would go through in the process I would probably never do it again. My husband decided to start his own company. At the beginning I never knew when he would be home, or if he would be home. I didn't know if some disaster would happen and I would have to go through the labor and devlivery of our first child alone. There was so much I couldn't predict of expect. I couldn't expect him home for dinner, I couldn't expect him home by the time I put S down, I couldn't expect him to be home by the time I went to bed, or even when I got up in the morning. Things have calmed down a bit, and I know (on most days) what time he'll be home rougly, and that he won't be working on the weekend. So why is that I write about this today? Well, because we have had some things happen that couldn't be predicted that in turn leads me to stressing out. My husband ended up working a full day and then some on Saturday, which is our only day just to ourselves, which upset me a bit, but it had to happen. It was either go in and fix the problem or have the company go under, most likely. Also this month some unpredictable things happened with regards to the company that leaves Christmas at little less than desirable (at least the worldly, present part of it). Needless to say my life has been thrown a lot of curve balls lately, and for someone like me it's not wanted or appreciated. I know miracles can and do happen, I just hope they happen soon. My life is more stressful than I like and wish it would all go away. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for this time of year to reflect more on my Savior and all he has done for me. I just wish I could do it not so stressed

Confessions of a stay at home mom Friday

1. I have a lot of anxiety today, for a few reasons (which I won't talk about), and want to eat to "make" it better. Knowing that won't work, I'm trying my best not to give in.

2. I'm still not ready for Christmas

3. Since child number two came around, often I have hard time staying up past 9

4. I'm looking forward to the new year, and hope it is better than this one

Seven Sevens

Seven Sevens

I have been tagged by Princess Mom


Seven things I hope to do before I die:

1. Be better than I used to be at Sign Language
2. Start up our non-profit organization and have it do as well as I think it would
3. Travel
4. Grow old with my hubby
5. Watch our children have children and hopefully their children have children
6. Buy a house
7. Own a Bed and Breakfast

Seven things I cannot do:

1. Stay mad at my kids forever
2. Enjoy seafood (I try, I just don't like it. I've given it several tries and continue to do so when my hubby orders it, just in case if my taste buds change, but they don't)
3. Sew, I wish I could, and I wish I could find someone that would teach me
4. Go a day without hugging, kissing, or saying I love you to my kids or hubby
5. Put up with stupid people who do stupid things
6. Be a shopaholic. I don't like shopping, I get in and out and leave.
7. To go along with number 6, enjoy shopping during the holidays. Don't get my wrong I love to give gifts, but I hate the crowds and people wondering mindlessly not knowing what they are going to get and blocking the aisles. I'm very impatient.

Seven things that attract me to my spouse (significant other, best friend)

1. He has opened my door since the first time I met him, and he doesn't just do it for me, he does it for all girls! It's something for a man to open a door for a women he likes (men will do almost anything for a girl in the beginning), but I think it's more impressive when they do it for every women/girl, even when there are no feelings involved
2. His knowledge of almost everything (very smart)
3. Saw in me things I couldn't (the good things of course)
4. His relationship with his Savior was/is the most important thing to him, followed closely by me and the kiddies
5. Thinks I'm a great cook
6. Gets along great with my family and really loves them
7. He was better than what I ever thought I'd end up with

Seven things I say often:

1. Mama loves you!
2. I love you!
3. Are you sticky?
4. Who's my baby boy?
4, Who's my baby girl?
5. Who's so handsome?
6. Who's so pretty?
7. What should we do for dinner?

Seven books or series I love:

1. Les Miserables
2. Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright (good quick read, I did it in one day and that's even as a mom of two)
3. Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will
4. Standing for Something
5. Peace Essays of Hope and Encouragement
6. You are Special
7. Any sort of cook book

Seven movies I could watch over and over:

This one was hard, so I tried to think of all the movies we have and think of my favorites

1. Oceans Eleven
2. Beautiful Mind
3. Little Rascals
4. Toy Story
5. Toy Story 2
6. Mr. Hollands Opis
7. Drumline

Seven people I want to join in this Seven Sevens meme:

Myself being new to blogging, I don't know many bloggers, and I don't think many people read my blog. But I'll put down people I'd like to hear responses from, and I”ll try to come up with seven

1. My sister-in-law, Cori (who I think should start a blog, because I know she has stuff to say)
2. Princess Mom, who I got this from and gave me the idea to start blogging
3. Marie one of my bestest friends, who I also think would be a good blogger
4. Melissa
5. My mom
6. Not knowing enough about this meme thing, I don't know if it is for women only, because lists I've seen only have women, so out of ignorance I'm going to put my hubby
7. Any one who reads my blog and wants to join the club and pass it on

Shew Fly

Yesterday while getting ready in the morning I saw something flying around my bathroom. Since I didn't have my glasses on, I could only see a blob, so I assumed it was a moth. After putting my glasses on I realized it was a fly. The first thing in my head was, I've never seen a fly in the winter? Where did that come from? I didn't even know flies exist in the winter, at least where it is cold. Needless to say I took care of it before it could escape to some other part of the house and get lost.

Christmas Trees

Or should I say Holiday Trees? I don't know if any of you feel the same way I do, but I think this is a bunch of crap. Some people take this PC thing way to far. How does changing it to Holiday Tree really make things better? Do people really put up a tree and not celebrate Christmas? And besides, I bet there are tons of Americans who celebrate Christmas, but not the religious part of it. They celebrate the toys and goodies and the santa part of it, and not the birth of Christ our Savior. So in my opinion you should be getting mad about places having a tree in general, not what it is called. Excuse me if I'm being ignorant and there are people out there that get a "Holiday Tree" and not celebrate Christmas, I just don't know of any (but doesn't mean they exist). If it's about the fact that you don't celebrate Christmas and don't want anything to do with it, well that's just not going to happen. Stores are always going to make a big hoopla out of Christmas, whether they celebrate or not, it's about the money. Cities put up lights on their main street, have horse and carriages, it screams Christmas everywhere you go. People are forgetting what this country was founded on, Religion. People came here for religious freedom and to be able to worship God in the way they pleased. This country was founded on a belief in God. After all our money says "In God We Trust". I wonder what our fore-fathers would think of all of this? I find myself to be a pretty tolerant person, but Holiday Tree? I just don't understand it. There are so many things, in my opinion, that would be more beneficial putting your time and effort to fight for. What about child abuse? Alcoholism? Drug abuse? If we put our effort in fighting for these things our country would be a far better place, than if we were to fight for the Holiday Tree. I know people say you aren't suppose to mix religion and government, but I think this is more about what holiday the majority of the America celebrates. I would be supportive if the majority changed and other holidays were celebrated that I didn't celebrate. Next thing you know we won't celebrate Thanksgiving, even though that really doesn't have to do much with religion. I don't think we can come to an agreement which everyone will like, so what do you? Please the majority or the minority? It'll always be a Christmas Tree to me!

Mama S

Well this weekend we went to a family Christmas party. There was a small gift exchange between the little kids. The people who had S's name were very late, so he was stuck with out a present. How do you explain that to a 2 and a half year old? So we let him play with B's present which was a baby, that she isn't old enough to play with. So was content with that for awhile. His present eventually came, which made him happy. Well we got home and brought the toys in the house. He's been playing with the baby as much as he has with the tools he got. Well this morning S was watching TV with the baby by his side. When B got out of bed I changed both S's and B's diaper and was getting ready to feed B. She is now 4 months old, so S has seen be breastfeed countless of times. Well he said his baby was hungry and unzipped his pj's and attempted to nurse the baby. That is the first time he has tried to nurse a baby, which in ways I'm surprised he hasn't done it earlier, since he sees me do it several times a day. I thought it was really funny and laughed so hard I almost started crying. Have any of you mom's had anything like this happen before.

Confessions of a stay at home mom Friday

1) I still don't have my shopping done

2) My kids are still in their pj's and it's almost noon

3) There are no Christmas decorations up in our home (we aren't going to be around for the holidays, so I think what is the point)

4) My house is cleaner than it has been in a while (because we are having people over tonight, we should invite people over more often if it'll make me clean)

5) I'm glad it's Friday, even though we have a pretty busy weekend

Thank you Thursday

1) I'm thankful for the holiday season and the joy it brings to most people, I wish I could say all

2) I'm thankful S slept good last night even though no one else did

Well I'm going to make it short for today. We had a tough night at our house and for who knows what reasons B didn't sleep, so that means neither myself or the hubby did much either.

Little different than the norm

I grew up with two things very different than most of my friends, and there wasn't much I could do about it, or willing to do about it. 1) I am left handed. Which means my handwriting is not as nice as most, I wish it were, and I thought about trying harder and that only last for a few minutes and I think that saving time is better than making it look pretty. 2) I have curly hair. I always hated it for the most part. Some people with curly hair and just blow dry it and ta-da it's straight. Mine takes a little or a lot longer to get straight with out being poofy or frizzy. So needless to say I don't do my hair straight often. As a kid I wished I had straight hair like everyone else. It was so pretty and easy to maintain. Often times I wished I was right handed, just because that meant I would probably have nicer handwriting. I've come to accept both. I don't hate my hair any more, but I don't love it. I wish my handwriting was nicer (I have met a few lefties with nice handwriting). Why is it that as kids we dislike these things? Maybe because we are taught from all different places it's not good to be different. My little girl looks like she might have some curls in her hair and that makes me excited. Why? I hated my hair as a kid, so why am I excited about something I disliked as a child? She also tends to favor her left when it comes to grabbing things and trying to roll over, and that makes me happy too. Yet again, why? Maybe it's because that means she is like me. It's hard for me to see in my children who they look like, so maybe that gives me some comfort that they are mine, even though I carried them for over 9 months, who else's could they be? I love my mom and love the fact that people say I look like her and I remind them of her. So maybe I would like that same flattery for my daughter, and hope she thinks it is as much of a compliment as I do. I hope I can teach her it's ok to be a little different and especially when it comes to the hair, deep down most of the straight hair people really wished they had our curls any way.

Candy Canes

Well yesterday I had to run an errand and took the kids with me. S was lucky and the people working at the place gave him a candy cane, which made him really happy. He was nice enough to wait until we got home to open it, like I asked, so we wouldn't have a mess in the car. He started chomping away. To my surprise when he got down to just the hook, and looked at me and said "U" and the sound it makes. S, knows his letters and the sounds they make fairly well, but it surprised me he was able to see it in a non-traditional way. After he said "U", he then turned the candy cane and said "C" and the sound it makes. It made me happy that he has an imagination and can find ways to use what he knows in your not so typical way.

Low expectations

I've found that either parents expect less of their children or I expect too much of my children. Either case I'm not going to change and let my kids get away with things that I don't think are appropiate for certain situations. In my opinion there is a time and place where kids need to learn to sit and it all starts at home. We require S to sit at the dinner table and eat with us until we think he has ate enough food. So he has learned that sometimes he just needs to sit. I bring this up because we went to church yesterday and there are always the same parents that let their children do what ever they want whenever they want, which I feel distracts me and others getting what they want out fo the meetings. I think it's simple, if your child is screaming, take them out so others can enjoy. S does pretty good for a 2 and half year old, but yet he has learned from the time he became mobile that there are certain times and places we expect him to sit and be still and quiet. I had a conversation about this with my parents and my dad brought up a good point that we think we need to tolerate more than we really do. I hate to be one of those parents that people look at and say "I can't believe they are letting their child do that and doing nothing about it!" I hope my kids turns out better because I have expectations of their behavior and remind them of them when they forget or slip.

Confessions of a stay at home mom Friday

1) I don't like to make beds

2) I look forward to the weekend so I have more help around the house, especially this weekend since the hubby worked about a 24 hour day on Wednesday and has just been catching up on sleep, so even though he's been here in the evenings I can't really ask him to help much

3) I like to get emails, it makes me feel like I'm important (as long as it isn't junk email)

4) I really need to clean my house, maybe this weekend.

5) I still have a lot of Christmas shopping to do!

Thankful Thursday

1) I'm thankful that my kids sleep good (for the most part)

2) I'm thankful I get to go home for Christmas

3) I'm thankful my frineds, especially Marie who's been there for me through think and thin

4) I'm thankful my husbands gets to do what he loves and has his dream job

5) I'm thankful for power doors on my car, it makes life a lot easier running around with the kids