Thursday, January 31, 2008

Calling the Rodebacks!!

Nicole my sweet cousin, this is just for you. I can never get into your blog!!! I feel so dumb! What am I doing wrong please help me!! You can e-mail me, I just really want to see that baby and know how your doing. Thanks for all the comments, you're great for my self esteem!! Love Ya!!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Why I love my Chi flat iron...(and makeup)


This is my "I'm too sexy to smile" look...I try to do this one often....



Holy scary cow!!! The real me without a flat iron and makeup.



Tribute to Mommy's

A few months ago I wrote this and sent it along to some of you. I thought it might be a pick me up that we all need sometimes. If you've seen it already ignore it, if not enjoy and know, no one is perfect.



Mommy Dearest?

I am in no way shape or form a weathered actress. I’m not even a slightly worn actress. It’s true I had my brief stint (if you can call it that) on stage as a youth. How I miss those days…. I guess I can be dramatic at times, and I suppose signing off homework while pretending I’m signing an autograph may seem a bit abnormal. (at least it is to the teacher who sent home a note stating that while she appreciates my wishes for “the best of luck in life”, a simple initial would suffice.) Some people are so touchy.

SO as I was saying, I am not an actress, yet I find myself “acting” like one at times. Not in the sense that you might think either, I don’t have meals brought in (unless you count the relief society sisters when a child has been born) I don’t demand a certain brand of water at a certain temperature before I can drink it, (well, I do admit, that I don’t drink tap water, but it’s mesa, who does? And I might have suggested that we not plug in the water cooler, because it hurts my teeth, but that’s not asking too much right?) This is not sounding well, what I mean is I am a nice person and it seems like at times my family brings out the absolute worst of me. Only it’s not really me. Make sense?
Sometimes, I really feel that I am morphing into “mommy dearest”. And you know, I don’t like wire hangers, I think they are ugly, the thin wire puts an unattractive line in some of my clothing, and you could never even have all wire hangers that match anyway because they are not sturdy enough for the heavy winter coat that I wear once a year when I go out of town. Now, just because I want to rid my closet of these undesirable hangers, doesn’t mean I am going to take my frustrations out on my kids and clock them in the head with the hangers and then drag them to the bathroom where they will spend all night scrubbing the floors with comet. But dang it, I do get upset with my kids. And I feel like Miss Hannigan. In fact, I probably am a closer match to her then “mommy dearest”. Mommy Dearest was always put together in the public eye and made everyone think she was the perfect mom. Miss Hannigan was a complete horse of a different color, and I feel that if I did my genealogy, I could probably trace my roots back to her. I too feel like I’m surrounded by “little girls” and all of their “stuff”. Though I am not a drunk, my gracefulness, or lack of it would make a stranger question my sobriety at times. I fall and trip more then a women of my age (or any other age for that matter) should. I don’t always get a shower everyday, there I said it, now you can too. I go out in public with no makeup or yesterday’s makeup on. And I don’t care. Some day’s I’m in my workout clothes all day long!- And I don’t even work out! But if someone I know see’s me, they automatically assume “she must work out” not because of my body, but because I dress the part. Also, I don’t always like my job. Sometimes I get jealous of the “working outside the home women”. They have “real places” to go, “real people” to see, and “really important” things to do.
I on the other hand, have to find places “to go” so my kids don’t wee-wee in an inappropriate spot, or me for that matter. What the heck are “real people?” I’m only familiar with, “The Wiggles”, “The Doodlebops”, and the gang from “Sesame Street”, and I know for a fact that they are not real, (Santa and the Tooth Fairy are a rare exception, everyone knows they’re real.) And my “really important things to do” consists of : showering-which I can’t even manage to do consistently, making sure my kids stay alive and somewhat happy, laundry, dishes, homework- if you thought homework for you ended when you finished your last class, think again!, Shopping for dinner, actually making the dinner (microwaving counts too), cleaning again, baths, etc. and over and over and over again. These are important things, but because they do not have to be so structured, and the intensity level is based upon whether or not you are late picking up or dropping off a child, they are sometimes looked at as an “easier” type of job.
Bologna….., bologna, turkey, ham, whatever you want to call it, it’s just not true. Our job is hard, and intense, I’m certain I could do it better, and that is the daily goal, to be better then I was the day before. It just doesn’t always happen, because life happens, and other priorities like trying so hard to keep a tidy house that I yell and don’t play with my kids ever. Happens quite a lot actually.
I find too when I don’t take “me time” (I know, I didn’t know what that was either I had to Google it) I’m even grumpier, more bitter, perhaps a little bi-polar, who knows, the point is, we don’t have to be “Mommy dearest” we can be “Mother Theresa”- ok, that’s going a bit far, just choose a mother of your liking (and if it’s “mother Theresa”, more power to you) June Cleaver, (with a name like “cleaver” she just may be violent so be careful with this one) Donna Reed, (who sadly was an alcoholic in real life) Samantha Stevens from bewitched (who played Lizzie Borden who, killed her parents with an ax- I’d be leery of this one too) I swear I didn’t plan this. Just pick a mother worth admiring, like your own, everyone has something we could use, or learn and remember this is your first time being here on this earth and your learning and growing, and remember that goes for your little ones too.

Love Randi

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

What's for dinner??

Ok, real quick. I've been visiting a new blog lately that I found thru my friend Lisa's blog. It's called "Picky Palate". What a great blog. It's right up my alley. Great recipes and pictures. I've already made her Fire roasted tomato soup, grilled cheese, and the chocolate cookies with the white chips in them! Yummy. And tonight I'm making her mozzarella stuffed meatball sandwiches, and bruchetta and peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies. Oh my goodness!!
I'm making my own spaghetti sauce for this one and I'll let you know how it turns out. But I already tasted the bruchetta with the roasted garlic...mmmmm. It's good. Worth the hour long wait. So visit her blog if you get a chance, everything looks awesome, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the recipes. Oh, by the way for the grilled cheese, I didn't have any spinach, so I added tomatoes and that added a nice fresh taste. Bon Apetite'

So what are you having for dinner??

A Day Of Farewell's



So I've postponed telling everyone our sad news...Well, I guess it's sad based on who you ask. We gave Lucy back to her mommy!! I know, I know, I'm sure some of you are already posting the hate comments and alerting PETA. Don't worry, I didn't just drop her off at a park and drive off as fast as I can....It does happen though, I won't mention any names (you know who you are.) I just couldn't handle it. The mess, the dirtiness, the knowing she was going to get bigger, the feeling guilty because she was outside and we were inside. She is in a better place now, and will be adopted by a family that deserves her. Were the kids sad? A little, but in the same breath they were asking for another sandwich. ( I told them during lunch) Guess they got over it pretty quick.


Now, another farewell. Annie is down to her last diaper! We are trying to potty train, not going too well. She wee-d on the wood floor. And the coffee table...don't ask. I'm trying to get her all set up in front of the T.V with a cold beverage, her potty chair,her movie of the month, (hairspray) and blanket to keep her warm and modest. Nothing... Not a drop...Until, we decide to give the ring around her bum a break, and then she decides to go..just not in the right spot. so we went to Walmart to pick out some "potty training prizes!"...Nothing. But dang her little bum sure looks cute in her princess panties. We'll keep trying.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Where's Lucy?


Ok, I promise I won't be one of those pet owners who love their dogs more then their kids,and talk about them constantly, but it was kinda funny when I left to do errands today, I put Lucy in the laundry room with the bare necessities. Well I ran by school and picked the kids up and they asked where Lucy was. I told them at home in the laundry room. Well they ran to the room when we got home, and came back to me, saying she wasn't in there. "Of course she is, she can't open the door." They assured me she wasn't there and then I heard a bunch of laughing. She had climbed into the laundry hamper!! I have no idea how she did it or how long she had been in there, but there she was just as content as could be.

Good 'ol Paula Deen

I Love Paula Deen, and I have been looking for a yummy Buttermilk Pie Recipe like this one. It's so easy to make. I Like that it doesn't have a flaky crust to deal with. And it's sweet enough on it's own, but feel free to add your own special touches like fresh fruit, chocolate sauce, or my favorite, buttermilk syrup! Just a little slice goes a long way!
Buttermilk Pie

1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. bisquick
3 eggs beaten –no substitute
1 c. buttermilk
1tsp. almond extract
1/3c. butter melted

Mix until moistened. Pour into greased pie plate Bake @ 350 for 50 mins.
*if you do not have buttermilk . Use 1 cup of milk and 2 tsp. vinegar mix and let sit out for 1 hour- you’ll be good to go.
You can top with fruit and whip cream.



Annie and Lucy.

Bartel and Lucy.

Meet "Lucy Van"



Our family has a new addition as of last night. This is Lucy. Lucy is a pure bred lab. I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads and asking the same questions I'm asking right now..."what the heck were they thinking?!"

I'm not sure what came over me, all I know is that she's awful cute and now we are a "real family" with a "real camping companion" with "real dog responsibilities."

The kids promised to share in the work load and to play with her.....I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Ok, so I'm trying to figure out this whole new world of blogging, and I really want a cute home page. SO any tips on how to acheive that would be greatly appreciated. I also want to start posting some of my favorite recipes and pictures of them, and any comments from those brave souls who actually try them would be greatly appreciated! Also feel free to send recipes of your own for me to post- with your name of course, I wouldn't try to steal all the credit!!

Let those creative juices begin to flow!!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Up To Date!













SO this year is already beginning to tick away. It seems it was just Christmas!






So to catch everyone up, here's what's been going on in the "Van Fam."



1. Christmas was great, as was our 10th anniversary.



2.Bart gave me a playstation....Along with Sing Star 80's edition and American Idol! We stayed up until midnight, and sang every song, I knew it was time for bed when I couldn't talk anymore.



3.Garrett got married to his new wife Kellie, she's sweet and will fit in just perfectly with our family.



4.Co-co has lost both front teeth, so sad for mom, but she does sport the "toothless" look very well.



5.More craft projects and back into a routine after 10 days in St. George without my family (except Annie).



6. Buns hurting, started running again. Inspired to run a marathon...in the future.



That's all for now, we are all well and happy to start a new year.