The Zoo

I know, I know. How many times have you seen me post pictures from the zoo on my blog. Well, since I love my zoo pass, we go there often. This time is a bit different though. Kyra took most of the pictures. So, I am sharing with you her view of the zoo.

I LOVE my boys!!!

Tinkerbell

I have a tendency to collect patterns. I love them. I have spent way too much money over the years on patterns but, I find them so enticing. It isn't that I necessarily use them. A lot of times, I just look at them and imagine the day that I have time to dedicate to them.

However, I have made a decision that I am going to put an effort into making things from the patterns that I have accumulated. Some have looked amazing. Others, not so much.

This is one that turned out kinda cute. Having done it once, I know how I am going to do it differently next time but, for a first time shot on a hair clip, not bad in my never to be humble opinion.

Three Days Until They Are Back On Track Again

Photo Tag

This Picture Has A Story
Here are the rules:

*Open your first photo folder.

*Scroll down to the 10th picture.

(if you dont have 10 in that one, then go to the next folder that does).

*Post that photo and the story behind that photo on your blog.
*Tag 5 friends to do the same.

This picture was taken last year during the grape harvest. Every fall we go over to my parents house and help them pick grapes. They have a TON of grapes in their backyard and we love to participate in the grape fest. For years, my dad has taken care of these grapes and seen them all the way from grapes to jelly. Last year, he "retired" from his post as jelly master and the honor fell to me. Now, my kiddos and I are into the jelly making.

Dreaming of a Cheap Christmas

I am the oldest of 8 children. Growing up was amazingly fun as we always had someone to play with. I remember Christmas time as being the best time of the year. I loved the traditions that we had. The elves came to visit, we made cookies and sugar cube castles and went downtown to see the lights.

Christmas day was amazing. With so many kids, the presents under the tree looked like they piled 8 feet tall. Then again, when you are six, you have such a sweet innocent perspective on life. I know that my parents went to every single effort to make sure that we had an amazing memory. And.. they did it all on a minuscule budget.

Now that I am older and have a family of my own, I am getting a very small glimpse into the lives of my parents. I will never know the full extent of what they went through. They didn't have the money that we have (and we are not Rockafellers by any stretch of the imagination) and they had nearly three times the amount of children that I do. The holidays must have been such a stressful time for them.

We never knew that though. We thought that we were rich. We thought that we had it all. We were excited for every single little gift that we got. I remember stories of my mom spending the night in the parking lot of Toys R Us so that I would be able to get a Cabbage Patch Doll for Christmas. One year I asked for end tables for my room. Yes, I know that that is an odd request for a 15 year old. Knowing now how much furniture costs, I am overwhelmed with the fact that my parents delivered on that gift.

I look at the generation that we are raising now and honestly, I think that most kids are overly spoiled. Mine included. We have more toys in just one area of the house than I did all of growing up. I want to work on that this year and start to tone down Christmas.

It is a hard task to accomplish when we are in a generation of more is more. It is hard when all of their friends are getting an amazing amount of gifts. Expensive gifts at that. It is hard because deep down, I wish that I could get my kids every single thing that their hearts desire. The reality is that I can't. And that is ok. I actually believe that we learn a lot in life by not getting everything that we want. I think that it is a good experience for kids to learn that not everything is given.

It is Christmas though and I would like to do what I can to help them have an incredibly memorable season. So, I am putting myself to a challenge. This year, I am going to try to see how inexpensive I can do our Christmas. My children do have a couple of requests that they would like to have. It is of course, the Zhu Zhu pet which is the Tickle Me Elmo of the year. But, I am trying to make Christmas a little smaller and a little more calm. For Kaeson, I am getting him Halloween costumes. Yep, they are on clearance everywhere and that boy loves to dress up! Kyra is getting handmade gifts from mom. She is very into her American Girl knock off doll and wants outfits. Now, that is one thing that I can do.

However, I am curious and putting the question out there. I want to know how people are budgeting Christmas. I am curious to know how you plan to get everyone taken care of.

New Side Bar Item

If you haven't already noticed, I added something to my sidebar (giving you a second to glace over and see what has changed.) This is a welcome change in my opinion and will remain as a permanent fixture.

A while ago, I was advised that in order to get the most out of life and to be happy, I should think of 6 things every day that I am grateful for. I have succeeded in doing this most days. With the upcoming season of Joy and Gratitude, I decided to start sharing my feelings.

Now, of course, my children are at the very top of my gratitude list but, I wanted to dig a bit deeper to see things that have helped me or that I have taken for granted in the past. Some of them may appear to be trivial or flippant but, to me, they really are things that I am glad that I have in my life. I plan on sitting down at the end of every day and letting you know just exactly what has enhanced my life even if it was in just a very small measure.

What a Weekend!

So, if you go on and read the next blog, you will find out that my house became a bit of a mess over the weekend while we were off having off track fun. Well, the house is getting much much better seeing as how the kids are in bed and I have a new Netflix movie here that I am watching while I work. I just wanted to take a little bit of a break and blog. I really need to catch up on all of the Franco Happening.

Soooo... the whirlwind of the weekend that preceded the mess. We are starting with Thursday mainly because I can't remember what happened before Thursday :)

Thursday:
*Play date at my house.
* Zoo with friends
* Piano lesson
* Ballet Lessons
* Custom outfit orders for Christmas

Friday:
*Errands, errands, errands
* Zoo again. This time with different friends and with the Benadryl and asthma inhaler!
* Dinner
* Kids off to the movie. Mom off to the fabric store!
* Custom orders

Saturday:
* Primary program practice
* Cats taken to the Humane Society Shelter (sniff and kinda sad but necessary)
* Mom's birthday party
* Kids off to Wheeler farm
* Mom off to grocery shop and maybe a stop at the Body Shop
* While running downstairs to get something for dinner, Kelty empties three boxes of cereal all over the floor.
* Custom orders

Sunday:
* Primary program
* Teaching relief society (both kind of emotional and that drains you)
* Drive sister home
* Sunday afternoon drive with kiddos.
* Movie and family room picnic
* Kids to bed
* Mom exhausted from the week
* No custom orders.

What A Mess

I am sitting here enjoying a Sunday evening movie, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" with my cute little kiddos. They are absolutely entranced and I can't blame them. It is quite a fetching film. I, myself, haven't seen it over 20 years. But, I digress.

As I sit here with my kiddos in tow, I am a bit discouraged with the state of the house. It is a little lack luster. The kiddos have been off track for 2 weeks now and that means Christmas vacation times 3! It is a series of constant entertainment and outings. We have had movie days, park visits, long walks, art projects, Halloween, the zoo, the farm, and the list goes on and on. Needless to say, we have lost our edge, our groove and our schedule. With the thought of making every moment a true moment, the house has gone to the wolves.

Now, when the kiddos go to bed in a few minutes, I will get to work to clean up our mess and get ready for a new day. I have been doing a great job with keeping up on the day to day but, boy, did off track catch me off guard this time! Now, if I can just keep my motivation up until after the kiddos get tucked in!

Growing Up!

I still can't believe that she is 7. Isn't she getting grown up!

He CAN Smile

I finally found a way to have Kelty smile without that scrunchie face grimace. I asked him to show me his teeth and I got the cutest little smile out of that pudgy little face. I loved it. Oh, and by the way, this is his favorite hat.

Willy Wonka???

Last year, at Halloween time, we had so many trick or treaters that I had to start divvying what the kids had collected to hand out to the passing by trick or treaters. My neighbors all give out full size candy bars, bags of popcorn, chips or drinks. We stick with the mini sized candy bars or skittles assortments. This year, we had quite the opposite. We only had about 15 or so knocks at our door. I wonder why.

I wasn't too concerned. I handed out a healthy dose to each child that came by and sent them on their way. Well, apparently, all of my neighbors had the same idea and my kids came home with SCORES of candy. We have never had this much. EVER! I have invited everyone that has stopped by to fill their pockets and purses. I have let my kiddos have more than what they needed to have and still I am stuck with a file folder box filled 3/4 full of candy. And it is the good stuff. It is the chocolate!

So, this year, I am doing something different. Tonight we are going to put the rest of the candy out for the candy fairy in hopes that she exchanges it for a toy. I will let you know how it goes. However, if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and grab a handful or two!

To Decorate or Not to Decorate.... That is THE Question

I am just going to throw this question out into the void of interspace and see what the read is. How soon should one decorate for Christmas? Halloween is over and yet Christmas is so far away.

I love Autumn. It is by far my favorite season. I love the colors, the ambiance in the air and the yummy scents. I love to be able to take an afternoon walk in the fresh crisp air. I love the leaves, the pumpkins and the flowers. I would decorate my house for this season all year long if I could.

HOWEVER... I don't own a single fall decoration. Isn't that sad. I wish that I had those gorgeous autumn leaf garlands and sparkly pumpkin thingies that they sell at Tai Pan trading but, I don't. Every year I promise myself that I am going to hit the after season sale and snatch up all of those fabulous 90% off deals and have an amazingly beautifully decorated house the following year. However, those are still pie in the sky dreams and have yet to happen. Why??? Because I have a huge family and this is about the time that I kick my Christmas shopping into high gear.

So, that leaves me with my dilemma. My Halloween was all put away after everyone left my home Halloween evening and my house is in the need for a spruce up. Is it too early to start putting out a bit of the Holly Jolly? Is it bad that I am skipping right over the one holiday that we have to celebrate thankfulness????(one of my huge pet peeves)! I will spare the Christmas tree until after Turkey Day but, how do I fill that empty and void holiday space in the middle?

Be Impressed

If you want to scroll ahead to my previous post, it will tell you a bit about some of the craziness that has been going on here at my home the past several weeks. It has been a bit of an epic adventure. I will tell you this, I have learned through all of this that I actually can cook and I am not bad at it.

To help deal with a lot that is going on, I have been tyring to hone in on my nearly non existent culinary brilliance and come up with some new and fun things. Now, admittedly, none of them are my own recipes, but I am darn proud of myself that I have been able to do them on my own. Here is a random sampling of some of the things that I have been cooking up here at the house.

* Apple Crisp
* Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
* Amazing homemade bread
* Grape Jelly
* Grape Pie
* Grape Syrup
* Caramel Corn
* Sweet and Sour Chicken
* Chili
* Funeral Potatoes
* Sugar Cookies
* Homemade Pizza

Now, those are only some of them. However, after looking at this list, I am beginning to put two and two together and have come up with the solution to my sudden unwelcome addition to my hips. I think that the combo between the stress and the remedy for said stress is the culprit of the extra five or so pounds that I have found clinging to my hips and tummy. Hmmm. I am thinking that I need to rethink my solution to all of this. In the mean time, I am just excited that I am finally getting a bit of a groove going on in my kitchen.

Dealing With Stress

As a lot of you know, I have had a lot on my plate lately. Isn't it funny how quickly things add up and all of a sudden you look around and go, "Whoa... Where did all of this come from?" Well, that has happened to me. Let me give you a small story.

A few weeks ago, my sister was in a bit of an accident and cut off the top of her thumb with a paper cutter. I was called and immediately rushed to the hospital. I arrived with my hair still wet and carting along Toad (he was picked up shortly thereafter but, he still had to go with me.)

After several hours, the surgeon came in and unwrapped my sisters very bandaged thumb and I guess that it was a bit too much for me at that moment. I am a bit ashamed to admit that I felt myself going woozy and announced to the room that I was going to pass out and did just that shortly after. Now, I am quite upset at that because I have seen much MUCH worse in my life but, at that moment, it was just too much. As quickly as I could, I collected myself from off the ER floor, apologized to those in the room (my sis, my mom and the surgeon) and stood back up with renewed vigor.

The surgeon teasingly asked me if I was done with my drama moment so that he could refocus on my sister. I told him that I was fine and that it was just that I hadn't eaten that day. I am sure that he knew I was covering up my embarrassment because on my laptop bag there was a half eaten sandwich but, he didn't let that one go. "NO, it is not because you haven't eaten, it is because you saw a bloody finger." Everyone laughed. Yep, I was caught. Quickly trying to cover up my loosely woven story, I retorted for everyone to give me a break, I was having a bad day. Again, poor phrasing on my part. The surgeon again looked at me and said, "Your sister is sitting here with half a thumb and YOU are having a bad day." Touche!

However, what he didn't understand was what had preceded that visit to the hospital. Let me give you a short and sweet recap of SOME of the events leading up to my dramatic monopolization of the ER attention. And in no particular order I give you the reason behind my stress.

* The trials that I am already going through plus..... * Medical emergency with my sister * Water being turned off for two days due to clerical error * Kaeson failing yet another eye exam * Brother getting married * Toady cutting off his fingerprint at previously mentioned wedding * Toady falling on his headboard and severely cutting up his lips, gums and tongue *Lice outbreak in Bear's kindergarten class to which Bear fell victim * Mountains of laundry, hair washing, vacuuming and sanitizing everything due to that outbreak * Rush to pick and juice the grapes from my parents back yard before the freeze * Playing catch up with Nena and her math studies * Internet issues * Phone issues * Trying to figure out how to work from home * UEA weekend

Yes, those were seriously all things that happened the week preceding my sister's accident. Now, I know that none of my trials compared to hers but, you have to admit that that was a little bit out of the ordinary. So, if you have noticed me being not quite my chipper little self (although I really am trying to be) just know that I am trying. I look back at that week, and the couple of weeks that have followed it and I just have to laugh! How is it that you get it all at once? You gotta love life and the things that it throws at you!