I was tagged....

1. If you could go back and tell your teenage self one thing, what would it be?

This too shall pass.

2. Did you do any extra curricular activities in high school?I kinda skipped that whole "highschool" part, does waiting for the phone to ring count?

3. What did you do with your free time? After babysitting?.... I was a theater geek.

4. Coolest thing you did as a teenager. I went to Michael Mc Leans house in Utah for a cast party.... Got goose bumps yet?

5. Did you have a boyfriend in high school?When did I not have a boyfriend? no I wasn't a hoochie....

6. Songs that come to mind:No Doubt: Don't speak, Natalie Imbrulia: Torn, B-52's :ROck Lobster, Anything CHicago, Bon Jovi: ALways, Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack

7. If you could change one thing, what would it be?I wouldn't have got that perm in 7th grade..that's when all my problems began...

8. What did you think you would be when you grew up? A mom, and an actress, I toyed with the idea of selling Avon...

9. Picture of self.

Like I"m going to show you my awkward years....Oh wait I'm still in them..

10. Craziest thing you did in high school.Got Married...well it was practically, highschool age, I was 18

I tag De Ann, Chelsey, Jenna, Nicole and whoever else wants to be tagged

Just the girls

SO It was Family Night last night, and after Bartel's game ( he hit a homer with Dad pitching to him...still not sure how that happened) We headed to our Friends Chalon and Brent's house. The guys went to get food and the ladies of course took care of the off springs. I really am convinced that my friend Alysan has some dark issues with inflicting pain on innocent bystanders. She seems to get a thrill out of hearing her victims shriek with pain. I think in her previous life she must have been a dentist....or a personal trainer. I am referring to her innocent "hey let's give you a message" idea. Light and feathery, that's what I like. She was all but light and feathery. If I didn't have any back muscle issues before, I do now! She kept saying doesn't this feel good??? Hmmm ...are you talking about the elbow in my back or the karate chopping action going on by 3 different people? She kept talking about the toxins in my body that she was "working out" I'm pretty sure it was just a bone that she was trying to work out, only she didn't know it was a bone. She also has this wicked laugh that makes me laugh and it's really hard to laugh when your laying on the floor on your tummy and someone is sitting on your rear pounding out your "deadly toxins"!! Then she started on my head and I could just feel my hair growing in size, (I didn't think I was going to be able to get my head thru the shirt hole when it was time for bed!) I did however have support from my daughter. Annie kept rubbing my face and hands and saying "it's ok mom" and she was right I survived another round of torture from Alysan. You're probably wondering why I continue my friendship with this "Alysan"... I just can't help it, she's so darn likeable!!Getting big
Bigger.... does anyone else think I look prego here???!!
Holy Big Texas Hair!!!
Alysan and Annie cuddeling after the manhandeling

Ready for the lake!
Co-co modeling her new ity-bity-teeny-weenie, white polka dot tankini!
No, she didn't eat a load of bricks, I hope these help her float because they look as if they would sink her right to the bottom of the pool!

Another Poem

So I have been a little down lately, and about a week or two ago, I e-mailed this poem to my sister in law to use for a talk. Well I found it in my desk drawer and read it again and it made me smile so I thought I'd share it with you. I wrote this for a relief society lesson a couple years ago the lesson was about loving who you are....I'm still working on that...

Beauty Queen

Mirror, mirror, on the wall.
Why aren’t I fairest of all?

I could be a beauty queen,
Make all heads turn when I enter the scene.

But what to do? And where to start?
I feel so young….and I’m falling apart!

My skin’s a mess, first oily, then dry.
I want to be young! But wrinkles don’t lie!

And look at my hair, how my roots have grown out!
What if I see a friend when I’m out and about?

And see these clothes? They are soooo last season!
Mr. Blackwell would toss them without any reason!

Oh, look again, I just broke another nail.
Well, they are dry and brittle and thin as a rail!

And speaking of thin, did you read the latest news?
The things to wear now…are only size 2’s!

That would be great if that were my size.
I say as I eat my burger and fries!

I’ll just start my new diet on Monday! I say,
What’s a few more pounds and one more day!


And then I’ll be trim and fit as a fiddle!
My worries will fade along with my middle!

Then I will be happy, my problems will flee.
Everyone will adore and want to be me!

The mirror interrupted, “ no, you’ve got it all wrong.”
“You’ve had the makings of a queen all the long.”

“Your heart is good, and your spirit is sweet,
your words are kind to those you meet.”

“Physical beauty is all fine and dandy,
But in going to heaven, it won’t come in handy.”

Oh, dear mirror, I’m afraid you are right.
The time I have wasted, the day and the night!

Obsessing and worrying about looking better!
Trying to be perfect, right down to the letter!

So maybe a size 2 I never will be,
But I still can be happy just being me.

Up and running!!!

Ok, I did it, "Is this made with love?", my new blog is up! I'm excited about this new form of killing time! I have a recipe posted and will continue to post as I make things and take pictures. Enjoy!!

isthismadewithlove.blogspot.com

Pictures for Jenna

SO I was flipping thru our camera and found these pictures of the kids from the night before. Now the ones with Bartel and the distorted face pics? We wnet to visit the new baby horse and he started getting itchy. I told him not to itch... Then we ran over to visit Sir Loin, and it got worse and worse.....Even after 2 doses of Benedryl and a claritin he still was puffy the next morning. He didn't think so though, he got up and was like "yeah I'm back to normal!" I was like "are we looking at the same face?" I played along I didn't want him to be self conscience and not go to school, (one time he wouldn't get out of the car because he didn't like his hair!! I gave him the choice to get out of the car, or sit on his bed all day.....he chose to sit on his bed..and that he did) SO he gets to school thinking he looks back to normal and one of his friends mom say's " Bartel what happened to your face bud?"....great...

Now the stair racing? Ok, I admit I've actually done this with Annie's crib mattress and talk about a rush! Good times!!

So apparently this is what goes on when the babysitter is over.....
No wonder they always beg me to call our sitter...
So this is before it got really bad...how was I to know he was allergic to hay....
Bartel with our future freezer resident, Sir Loin.
Annie and the new baby horse
What a good mommy, I was carrying our puppy in this and she wanted to try it out...
This is Co-co realizing that the front door is rapidly approaching and her speed is not decreasing!

Blog Names??

ok, here are a few so far , tell me what you think....

- Mixes and Mingles- We could call it M&M's (as in cake mixes and venting!)

-A Quick Cup of Cocoa! (food and chatting)

-Lunch with my girlfriends. (more food and chatting)

-Made with love (this is a line my husband always uses, " I can tell this was made with love.")

-Sugar Coated (like a confection, and embellishing too)

-Honeys Corner ( my grandkids are going to call me honey instead of grandma)


Ok, enough for now it's your turn.

Second Blog???

SO I'm thinking I may start up another blog....Yes I know it seems like everyone nowadays has a blog or two but, I was thinking about making this one strictly recipes, made up, shared, altered, whatever. Sharing daily dinner idea's etc.. I also thought I would write some random thoughts down too. And maybe include my goofy poems there . Therefore leaving this one more of my family blog...it doesn't always have to be about me!!-not too sure how I feel about that though... So I guess maybe we'll try it out and I'll let you know when it's up and running. I have a few thoughts for names, but if you'd like to take part in naming the new blog, just leave your idea's and if I choose your witty name, I will give you a special tribute and a lifetime subscription to my blog! Now remember it's not going to be just recipes, it will be girl talk too, so let those creative juices flow!!

Remember when?

During my ride home last week from carpool my little neighbor and I talked about braces, she had just gotten her bands changed and was proud to show off her new black bands. I then began to say how I wanted braces or a retainer so bad when I was little. In fact I would bend paperclips to fit around my teeth. I even once went as far as borrowing my friend Sherece's retainer....ewwe. I know so gross it didn't really fit, the roof of my mouth was taller then hers....TMI huh? Then last week I found out that you could melt a jollyrancher in the microwave and mold it to your mouth...Cool huh? I shared this new found news with her and she just looked at me like I was crazy and asked me to please unlock the doors so she could get out of the car... I think I scared her I did have a little too much enthusiam. Not that I'm going to try it, I just thought that was interesting. (I'll let you know how it goes!)

So it just got me thinking about the good ol'days. And the things I miss from when I was much younger. I thought I'd shared some of things with you today.

-Remember when it was cool to wear 2 pairs of socks (preferably 2 different colors) over your stretch pants?

-Friendship bracelets!!! How many did you have?

-BFF necklaces or rings?

-Stake Dances...and dancing with the boy you thought at the ripe ol' age of 14 was "the one."

-Top Gun...when Tom wasn't weird (sherece you know you loved him)

-NKOTB!!! Yes there I admit it I was a "new kid on the block" junkie. I had so many pictures from "Teen Beat" magazine all over my walls!! I can't believe my mom put up with that!! I loved them and I wanted a NKOTB t-shirt so bad I would have a reoccuring dream about it!!! I never got it sadly....I still want one.

-TGIF I swear I lived for "Full House" and the shows that followed every Friday night.

- Our school went thru a few "what are you bringing for lunch?" fads, one of them was a bagel and cream cheese fad, another was pepperocini's (oh yeah you were cool) and my favorite the BLT. Forget about potential food poisoning they were dang good. I never had one packed in my lunch but, my friend did and she shared with me until her mom found out I was eating half her lunch, she then began packing me my own!! Thanks Mrs. Farris!

- Side pony tails!! Not the cute low slung ones of today, I'm talking Deb from "Napoleon Dynamite". Up there for everone to see. Wave that ponytail proudly!!

- Handball at recess need I say more?

- "The Crimper" I had long golden hair that looked awesome crimped especially if you didn't brush it out afterwards. Bless my mom's heart for taking the time to do that for me!!

-Short skirts with biker shorts!!

- The "Step" hair cut for boys...you were especially cool if you had multiple steps.

-Slumber parties and t.p-ing houses...I once got grounded for doing this for a month...ok, we did a little more then t.p the house....I don't want to talk about it...

SO these and many others are things I've reminiced about...

What are your fond memories?!!

Oh yeah, strwaberry shortcake, poundpuppies, smurfs, and thundercats!!! Ok, I'm done!

Another one bites the dust....

SO last night, I was at Chalon's house. We had our boys practicing with the pitching machine (they have a game tonight,and might I add that Bartel did very well) So Chalon, Alysan and I contribute to making dinner for everyone (I brought icecream sandwiches....shocking and so unlike me, it was one of those days..) So I get my plate of food ready, when Chalon says "hey you should bring food over to BArt" he's across the street, oh great idea, so I go and bring him food, chat for a minuet and then back to Chalons. Well by the time I got back, the party had moved outside and the girls were watching the boys hit. So I grabbed my loaded plate of salad and chicken, and head on out the door. "COme over here and sit" yells Chalon who is on the teeter-totter. Apparently it has a pin that can be stuck in it so you can sit without fear of launching the other person in the air or worse falling to your embarrassment to the hard ground.....So I the trusting person I am, say ok. I do a gradual sit as if to make sure it's steady and once again I am reassured by Chalon.."it's ok sit" well, I sat all right, all the way down to the ground with a hard thud, my plate of lettuce and chicken went flying and the next thing I know I'm on my back and trying to be ladylike in my sun dress because the men and boys were directly across from me hitting balls. I haven't laughed so hard in my life, Alysan took one look at us, hearing all the commotion, and was on the ground laughing, and I like an idiot just laid there with food all over. I think it 's safe to say that the pin was not securing the teeter-totter afterall. Is anyone really surprised by this though? I mean really.....This is my life.

Dish Pan Hands

Scrubbing, mopping, slicing chopping, and rougher then a mans’
Dry and scaly, cracked, and fraile-y, another case of dish pan hands.

I lotion and slather, and dry after I lather, but nothing does the trick,
For I am soft for a minuet, another job I begin it, and my lotion doesn’t stick.

I think I am destined, my dryness not lessened, no matter what I do.
To forever be in need, of a kindly deed from a manicure or, two.

But I haven’t the time, to stop and unwind, and give my hands the attention,
That they so badly deserve, I haven’t the nerve, because I have kids…..or did I mention?

The latest activities

So Bartel is really enjoying being on the A's. He's still a bit leary of the pitching machine and who wouldn't be? He took a ball to the face during a trip to the batting cages in a freak accident when the ball came off his bat and left him with a bloody nose....He must be my son. Last week Bart was able to make it to a game and was kinda keeping watch from first base when Bartel had a disagreement with the runner on third about which team was winning. Our friend Brent was behind the boys when he heard Bartel tell the the "enemy" after a moment of score disagreement, "Don't make me get my dad, he's standing right over there." What the?...... What happened to my sweet peacemaker?!!! Brent thought it was pretty funny, Bartel was totally serious.

WE went on a river rafting trip to the upper Salt River this past week...That was quite the experience I"ll tell ya'. Besides the freezing cold water, tight and oh so fashionable wet suit, near death experience, sleeping in a tent, and don't forget the "groover"-the potty bucket, it was actually quite enjoyable! Really we had a great time and we went with a great group, Alysan And her inlaws. What a fun bunch they were, they talked about anything and everything, we laughed so much! So great food and great company. Though I'm not packing my bags to go next week or anything, I am glad we did it and I can cross that off my "bucket list". Now this groover I mentioned....You may be wondering "so why do they call it the groover?" Does it make you want to dance? Do you dance to the groover? Apparently, before the bucket with a toilet seat (which is a step up) they used to have to potty in this metal rectangle box with a lid. And when you finished going potty, it left "grooves" in your bum...Hence the name...."Groover". So we had to find a place to go #1 somewhere behind an ample bush, large rock, or anywhere you wouldn't be seen by the occasionaly passer byer. And you could only go #2 in the groover. "leave nothing behind" were the rules of the river.... Now, anyone who knows me knows that I would have a problem with all of the above. I can't go pee-pee in my own bathroom unless the water is running, I hate public bathrooms and try no to use them if I can help it, if someone walks into a public bathroom when I am in there I get automatic stage fright, and all progress is halted. Too much info? Sorry, I just want you all to know what a trooper I am. Did I use the "groover" ? Did I say to heck with the rules and just dig a hole? Did I even go? I'll let you figure that one out. I was very happy to get back home to my own bed and potty.

We did have one really scary moment on our trip where we were flipped out of our boat while trying to pick up another passenger form the other boat. Everyone was thrown out into the rapids and I was stuck under our boat and just when I though I was going to be able to get to the surface, I was sucked under the other big boat. I seriously did not know if I was going to live or not. It was pretty scary and I thought, "this is so me, I would be the one to die under a boat!" How unromantic! But I have to give credit to my mother in law who told me when I got home that she had a bad feeling when she found out we were going, and she continued with this feeling while we were gone and prayed for us the whole time!! I think she might of saved my life. Thanks mom.... I'm so glad I'm not dead. That would suck.

Just waiting for that dang ball to roll into his glove.....
Best-lookin' kid on the team...

Yes, that is a protein bar between my..... I store lots of stuff there, if you need it, I probably have it .

Erin and Alysan-(the waxer) she too stores stuff in her....... Erin and Randi, the wannabe "river rats"