Learning a New Skill

Today was the Eiffel Tower's Anniversary (inauguration March 31, 1889). I had some ideas of things to do- build a model out of popsicle sticks, watch the movie Ratatouille. Some times things just don't work out, though. I did succeed in making chicken cordon bleu. And Jeremy checked out Tangled from the library, so the kids got to watch that. I had every intention of making french bread to go along with our chicken cordon bleu, however I chose this day to try out our wheat grinder for the first time instead of just using all Turkey Flour (Lehi Roller Mills' bread flour). It's a hand crank grinder. I had to read the instructions, wipe it down before using it, put the parts together, all to find out that our table is too thick to clamp it to (I'll try it on the counter some time when it's not so messy). So, Jeremy got creative and brought in an old keyboard tray that no longer works on our computer desk, but we still use it for a flat surface for crafts or drawing. Anyway, we clamped it to that and set it on the table.

Of course it would wiggle for a child trying to grind wheat, but I got creative, too.

As you can see, Jr. was very interested in learning this new skill.

Don't you love it when kids want to help out?

Spring

6 months ago, we celebrated the beginning of Autumn up at Big Springs in Provo Canyon. Last week we decided to celebrate the beginning of Spring up there.

I have to admit, the beginning of Autumn looked a lot more like Autumn than the beginning of Spring, which looks a lot like Winter still.

Here are some pictures to see the difference (the first pictures in each group are September, the second are March):

Oh and here are some fun comparison shots. The first pictures in each group are not September, they are October (the day before the baby was born), but the second are March.

It's amazing what things can change in 5 or 6 months.

The KAT's Meow

Star Wars has been big with us lately. The kids are getting quite familiar with the characters and their names.

We were talking about how Chewie is short for Chewbacca. One time Nichole couldn't remember his name so she asked, "What's his name?" When I had a confused look as to who she was talking about, she said, "Long for Chewie?"

Something on a Stick Day 2011

It's an annual tradition for us. Corn Dogs for Something on a Stick Day, March 28. Sometimes we do a little more. One year, we also had pickles on a stick. That was fun. This year, we of course ate corn dogs.

Then I used my rubber chicken lollipop holder to enjoy a sucker.

When I got it years ago, it came with packaging that said, "A tasty treat on a classic shtick" or something like that. And speaking of shtick, we decided to watch Megamind while eating. Slap"stick" and plenty of shtick in that movie.

After Jeremy went to work, the kids and I put construction paper circles on popsicle sticks with the words "Go" on the green one and "Stop" on the red one. We then played "Red Light. Green Light."

What other ways can you think of to celebrate this holiday?

A Generous Thought

In the September 2009 Relief Society Broadcast (part of the October 2009 General Conference), Sister Beck shared the following about welfare and compassionate service:

"Our compassionate service and assistance with the welfare needs of individuals and families are an outgrowth of visiting teaching. A Relief Society president learns of the needs of people in her ward through visiting teachers and her own visits to ward members. Sometimes she organizes us to help others, and at other times we serve “according to [our] natures,” following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Many years ago I learned from Sister Camilla Kimball, wife of President Spencer W. Kimball, to “never suppress a generous thought.” By following her counsel, we can know with certainty that our Father in Heaven knows us personally because He sends us to be His hands and heart to those in need. As we do so, our faith in Him is strengthened. "

I've always liked that quote from Sister Kimball- "Never suppress a generous thought." My husband and I often quote it to each other when we've spoken out loud something we've thought of doing for someone else. We've found it a blessing to support each other in this way.
One day, Jeremy asked me to sew a rice warmer (you know- heat it up in the microwave then use it to warm whatever body parts you need- sometimes it's just relaxing) for one of the sisters he home taught who had been troubled with arthritis during the winter.

I was able to base it on a rice warmer a friend gave me for Christmas one year, with four sections so the rice doesn't get bunched up in one area. When Jeremy took it over to the sister, she was so happy. It was just what she needed. As soon as he left, she immediately put it in the microwave to use it.
I am grateful for those opportunities to support my husband when he is prompted to do good and I appreciate that he does the same for me.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

O.K. A magic towel, right? Oh cool, it grows in warm water. Well, are there any special instructions besides just putting it in warm water? Let's check the back.

What? Wash separately before first use? Uh, kinda defeats the purpose there, doesn't it?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been wanting to try a cookie recipe that my sister-in-law-in-law shared on her blog, two hands, but we ran out of peanut butter and when we got more we ran out of chocolate chips and when we got more we ran out of peanut butter again. Etc. etc. etc. Well, last night Jeremy picked up a new container of peanut butter, so while he and Nichole went on a field trip to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point today, Jr. and I had a chance to make these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Yumm yumm.

Rae let me know they take about 10-15 minutes in the oven (depending on the oven). And they are easy and great to do with kids.

I love bonding time with my son.

Catch of the Day

Joy Is...

watching your children play with the same toys you played with during your childhood.

Pass the Pigs, anyone?

Middle of the Night Conversation

Jr.: I wanted to eat a candy cane in my dream, but you ate it all.

Mommy: You wanted to eat a candy cane in your dream but I ate it all?

Jr.: Uh huh.

Mommy: I'm sorry.

Jr.: And I couldn't talk.

Speaking of Plants

Everyone is doing pretty well. Some may even need to be transplanted to bigger containers already. Here they are:

parsley

oregano

basil

Sunflowers (Jr. on the left, Nichole on the right)

romaine lettuce

tomato

pumpkin

banana pepper (not quite ready to be transplanted)

The KAT's Meow

Nichole: Why do plants need to be healthy?
Daddy: Why do people need to be healthy?
Nichole: I said plants. Why do plants need to be healthy?
Daddy: Why do people need to be healthy?
Nichole: Umm… carrots?

Now, Give Me a Nice Smile

Stone Soup

In the story, "Stone Soup," a town comes together to contribute what little food they individually have in order to feed everyone.
For dinner, we made our own version of stone soup... minus the stone. Jr. helped me chop up vegetables while Nichole was at school. I added ingredients (a little bit of everything) to make a big pot for Jeremy and me before he went to work.

Then I gave Nichole and Jr. each a pot to make their own soup. We read the story while the water heated up

then the kids added ingredients they wanted from what Jr. and I had out on the table. Nichole's soup ended up very simple (no vegetables- I got her to eat some carrot sticks later). Jr. got caught up in the excitement of adding ingredients; he didn't think about actually eating it later (which he didn't eat much).

One of the neat things about this (besides my picky little girl actually eating her dinner) was that we got to try out some of our fresh parsley, oregano, and basil.

Just a little bit, but it's exciting to have them big enough to even use a little.

St. Paddy's Day 2011

And how did we celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year? With... FOOD! Green food.
This morning Jeremy got to try out his new pancake pen. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for the birthday money.

Green St. Patrick's themed pancakes.

For after school snack we made crispy rice treats in the shape of shamrocks. Can you believe that our set of 101 cookie cutters we got for Valentine's Day doesn't have any shamrock cookie cutters? Well, we adapted.

And for dinner- fettucini alfredo (green sauce), steamed veggies (I wanted more than just broccoli, even though it's the only one that was green), and green colored flavored sugar water. Jeremy called the dinner, "fettigreeni." Tee Hee.

The baby and I are getting over being sick so we didn't go beyond fun food for celebrating this holiday. But the kids had fun. And if they didn't, they couldn't hold it against us because tomorrow, March 18, is Forgive Mom and Dad Day.

Tacos and Beyond

Here's what I learned in elementary school: When you're talking about money, the dollar and cent symbols go in different places next to the numbers. The cent symbol goes after the number. The dollar symbol goes before the number. For example, if something costs 99 cents, you would put either 99¢ or $.99
Imagine my surprise then, when we moved to our current home, we saw a local taco place waving their sign next to the road

and a few months later, they had banners to advertise.

This went on for years. They even got a new sign for waving next to the road.

Have I been mistaken all these years or is this just a new way of doing dollars and cents I didn't know about?

Beware the Ides of March

You know how I mentioned before that our family likes to find reasons to celebrate? Well, today is March 15, the Ides of March. In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Caesar is warned to Beware the Ides of March. In order to celebrate (because like I said, we love to celebrate), we had Orange Juliuses

and salad with Caesar dressing.

Then Jeremy put on a travel show about Caesar's Rome. This was Nichole's reaction:

Ha Ha Ha Ha. Yeah, we had fun today.