things on my mind

1. wondering if my house will ever get cleaned up.

I really don't think so.

2. artistic integrity. apparently I crossed the line. when is it okay to copy someones idea? maybe never. but really, aren't most things out there a version of something else?

can't dwell on this thought. it makes me get crazy.

3. I thought I bought a bag of peanut butter m&m's when I was in the states, but not sure where I stashed it. maybe my mom took it out of my bag at her house? hmm. I could use some of those right now.

4. I am doing good with the running. but not getting any thinner.

hmm. could be all the chocolate.

darn it.

5. I want to make some more quilts. for what? I don't know. but I am itching to sew some.

6. I bought this pattern, and want to make a bunch of them too.

7. survivor tonight. I missed it last week- due to my trip. so I am excited to catch up.

8. I want to make some yummy cookies. and eat them . hmm. why am I not losing any weight.

oh ya, I eat too many sweets.

9. too bad I really don't think I could stop that. that would be hard.

10. there is a Time out for Women here this weekend. and I am not going. and I am okay with that. but time away sounds good. but I guess I did just have a long weekend last weekend. and I sure do have a lot of stuff I could do around here.

11. okay, I am going to clean. and make some cookies.

and see if I can find some thread that matches a quilt I just pinned up and need to quilt. then I might do that this afternoon.

12. or I might just use white thread. I'm not picky.

13. boy, I have some random thoughts. and a lot of things I should be doing. must get off this computer!

look alike

so, I got my hair cut while I was in Rexburg.

it was fun.

the girl who cut my hair is Kelly McCaleb's sister- Nicole.

her little shop was cute. and she was so sweet.

and she said my hair was like Kirsten Dunst.-and not that she had ever cut Kirsten Dunst's hair, but my hair is what she thinks hers would be like. I thought that was funny.

it was fun.

then I kept bugging my sister Shelley that my hair was just like Kirsten Dunst, and don't I look like her- and I was basically driving her crazy-

but isn't that what big sisters are supposed to do?

and then we went to Kohls- and this sign was in the parking lot, so I had to get a picture.

(can you see the similarities? I think she meant the curl, and thickness. but it was fun while it lasted)

but my hair looks a bit wacky, and not a bit like Kirsten Dunst.

but it was cute, and sadly, will never look that way again.

in fact, Cory didn't even realize I had gotten a hair cut- because I basically just styled it like I always do.

my favorite store

I have a new favorite store.
unfortunately, they are only in the states.
but it was so fun- and I will be back, that's for sure!
it is called Real Deals.-
and we found some real deals.
really cute decorating things- like this sign that will be in my laundry room. they had really big ones- just like this, but room in our car was limited, so I got the smaller one. but just as fun. and of course- stars. because I have a thing for them.
and I liked how this one was a bit different- with the longer points at the bottom.

and this sign was on for really cheap. and I love it.

I hung it in my dining room, but cory says it is misleading. your eye follows the arrow - to nothing. I wish I could hang it above my fridge, but that just doesn't work. I might have to find a new place for it.

and this one- man, I could be a rich woman if I could really collect on that! it is a big sign- hanging in my hallway.

so fun. if I had more time, and space, and money - of course, I could have had a very, very fun time at that store. just my style, and the prices were very reasonable.

I like this store. it is so choice.

if you have the means, I highly recommend checking one out!

today

I'm home-
after a lot of driving- we got home late last night-
I didn't even get all my goods unloaded from the car, so I need to make a trip back to my mom's to see what I left in their car. and figure out where to put all the fun decorating items I bought, and them probably sew for a very long time to use up some of the tons of cute fabric I picked up.
will post pictures- soon!

where I am going...

1. there will be a DI. - because thrift stores are always fun.

2. there will be a Sonic. ( and I am so getting some sonic ice. yum)


3. there will be Porter's craft store.


4. there will be a Joann's. and I hear they are having a sale that ends on Saturday. yay!


5. there will be a target. so much better than Walmart.

6. there will be a college I attended for 2 years.


7. there will be a girl I hear does amazing hair- that I am going to check out.


8. there is a new temple there


9.I really hope it is nice and warm there


10.it is a long drive, but I will be doing it with my parents and my sister Shelley.


11. I made some meals that are in the freezer, so my family can enjoy my home cooking even when I am not home.


12. I really need to go and pack!


13.so- where am I going? if you guessed Rexburg, you are so right!

earth day

in honor of earth day, I am going to -
reuse- we are having left overs for supper- hurray!
reduce- use less electricity tonight and go to bed really early- again.
I was in bed, lights out at 8:45, probably asleep at 8:46. the kids were probably all still awake, but I was so sound asleep, it just didn't matter to me.
recycle- I think I will go out and put all the milk jugs I have been throwing out the back door for a while now into a garbage bag (or two)- and stash them in the garage- out of every day sight. we are saving them until June when we can get a refund for them!
I think we should buy a barbeque with the money.
okay, I don't know that we have that many milk jugs, but maybe enough to make a nice dent in the price of a barbeque. yum. I do love to eat barbequed food.
happy earth day!

too early

so so tired.
I switched my seminary days- with the other teacher,
so I could have Friday and monday off,
which were supposed to be my on days-
because I have big plans for the weekend.
big fun fabulous plans.
(which I will reveal at a later date)
but right now, it is only 7:30, and I really, really wish I was already in bed.
do you think my kids will let me get them to bed in the next 10 minutes so I can get into mine?
yah, I don't think so either. but one can dream.
oh, dream. I wish I was.
in my bed.
dreaming.
but I probably should get a lesson ready for early in the morning first.
oh, how I love seminary.
I really love that in just over a month it will be done for the year.
oh bliss- waking up at 7 am. instead of 5:30.
that is way too early for me.

field trip recap

I learned that all day field trips are about a half a day too long.

on Jeds I was definitely done at lunch time.

maybe because I got reprimanded by his teacher for leaving thier group- when they had all gone to the bathroom, to follow another part of the school group to an auditorium where we all met up a few minutes later anyways. sheesh. I felt like I was just one of the kids. forced to follow the crowd. - I just wanted to tell her- I am an adult, and I can handle 5 kids. really. I can.

and I also was annoyed that I had to stay with my group- even though there were about 4 groups that were together- at all times- so when, for example, I had to go to the bathroom, I had to take all 5 kids, and they had to stand outside the bathrooms waiting for me. hmm. I didn't think they were any safer there unsupervised than if I had left them all at the booth with the whole group looking at the cows for 2 minutes. I don't get it.

but other than that- and the one crazy kid in my group, it was kind of neat. and I got Jed to pose with all the animal statues that were in all the booths.
isn't he so excited about the pigs? They had 2 pigs in a pen that were 8 months old- and were huge! crazy.

and the cows. there were a few different cow booths- one for beef, one about milk, a booth about eggs, one about chickens- where the adults got to hold a chick and the kids could pet them. and there were hand sanitizer stations everywhere- which was good, but the kids got a bit crazy with them by the end of the day.

then- the Aviation museum the day before.

good times.

there is a gift shop there, so before the field trip they suggest that each kid can bring up to $10. a few times I heard kids saying they really wanted more money. to buy what - I just don't know. most kids bought a foam plane that was pretty cool- and cost $3, or a propeller toy that was $2, but of course some kids had to buy 3 of whatever because they had money and had to spend it. I found that quite funny.

so, the kids got to sit in a fighter plane, while the tour guy showed them the controls. pretty cool.

and I saw this on a plane- right before the words was an arrow - pointing up to where the jack was stored, but I thought it was kind of funny.

and I think my field trip quota for the year is filled. maybe I can still go on one with Sadie's class- but definitely not a full day one. not this year anyways.

13

1. due to a lack of parent volunteers, I got to go to the Aviation museum with the grade 6's today. all day. it was okay. I think it was good because I didn't have to ride the bus. I drove because I had to drop Maggie off at my mom's house.

2. bus rides are yucky.

3. I am glad I was never bussed as a kid. although we did live pretty far from the elementary school. maybe we should have been bussed. but we were tough kids. kids now a-days - not so tough. I did catch a bus to high school, but it was a city bus, so it doesn't count.

4. an tomorrow- due to a lack of parent volunteers I get to go to an agricultural fair with the grade 4's. all day. not sure how it will be.

5. but I do have to take the bus. I hope it's a scholar hauler.

6. The weather has improved since Tuesday. thank goodness. but it is still a bit chilly for my taste. we had to go outside at the museum to look at a couple of airplanes, and it was very cold. yikes.

7. I learned a bit about airplanes today. (it wasn't a total waste!) I learned that now a-days, pilots don't actually have to fly planes to get their license. they only have to fly simulators. that is kind of a scary thought.
The guy was telling us his son got a job for some airline a while ago and had to fly a big plane with only 3 people in it, and land it 7 times, then he got the job. he said it cost about $5ooo an hour. and that is why they only have to fly simulators now. so I guess it makes sense.

8. and the guy was talking about that Hudson River crash a while back, and how well the pilot handled it. that is comforting. it was interesting. apparently the pilot landed the tail in the water first, which was good because then the jets both landed in the water at the same time, because if one jet went in first, the plane probably would have sunk.

9. I guess I did learn a bunch of stuff.

10. I wonder what I will learn about farm animals tomorrow.

11. so, when we were down south for Easter we got pictures taken by Rebecca Cooper- and she put a sneak peak on her blog here. check them out if you want. kind of fun. I can't wait to see them all- we did some fun stuff!

12. I was trying to be very good today and not eat any junk food- since easter and the chocolate everywhere I have not been very good with abstaining from the sweetness, and I was doing good. but my sister was in the states, and she brought me back a big bag of peanut butter m&m's. and I am not doing so good any more.

13. I have seen peanut butter m&m's up here, they used to be in more places, but now I only can find them at Sobeys, but she got me a big bag, for a fraction of the cost here. so delish!

I think I should head to the gym for a bit tonight.

today

500

first things first-
we put the names in a bucket- and I had my sweet, young, beautiful assistant pull out a name, and this is the name she got- Shari! now your two girls might have to share! (let me know if you want me to mail it to you or just hold on to it until we see you guys!)
Thanks to you all for entering- that was fun. I still have much more yarn, and maybe later on I will crochet up another one to share the love!

Easter was nice. the drive was not too bad. we hooked up the DVD player, I knitted and slept.
the town of Stirling has an 'easter egg hunt" which really is a 'pick the candy up off the ground' but my kids love it. and check out the haul!
tons of sugar. and tons of candy wrappers all over the house. sorry about that grandma!

the three bluish tin buckets are ours. I spray painted them without knowing that I really should have primed them first. I am hoping to fix them up and paint them again, and maybe get the kids names in vinyl lettering to put on each bucket. that would be fun.

I headed to walmart this morning to see if I could get some choclate bunnies to stash in the freezer for future fondues, but all the easter stuff was gone. wow. all for the better, I guess.
Jack is sitting by me harrassing me because he wants to go to Walmart and spend all his money. he can't stand to have it and not spend it. but he wants to buy a shoot-em up video game, and I am not too keen on that. not good.

alright. back to life. I have a few etsy orders that I need to get knitted up- yay! and a house that needs cleaned up.
the weather man said it might snow tonight. what is up with that? craziness.

13

1. it is supposed to reach a high of 14 degrees today. woohoo!



2. I made these little bird nests for Easter, and for my seminary kids, and of course for my kids!



all you do is melt 1 cup of chocolate chips, 1 cup of butterscotch chips, then you add in some chow mein noodles ( but make sure they aren't rancid- like the ones I had were! yuck. I did run to the store- for the second time yesterday and get some good ones!) then shape into nests on some waxed paper- when they harden add some yummy chocolate eggs! sweet.


3. we are getting family pictures taken this weekend! I am so excited. I have a couple of fun ideas which involve mustaches and suckers. so fun.


4. but getting to those pictures, and 0ur grandma's house first requires a 6+ hour drive. not so fun.


5. since our spring break trip, Maggie has taken to not only pooping in her diaper, but peeing too. and every time I try to talk to her about this craziness she covers her ears. the little stinker. I keep hoping one day it will all just click, but that day is sure taking a long time coming. I think I will have to take some drastic action- after our next trip. for sure. so tired of it all.

6. I am on track with my 5K training. I can run 6 minutes- mind you, not 6 minutes straight, but 6 minutes interspersed in 24 minutes.- but that is okay. next week we build up to 10 minutes running. I am actually excited for that. crazy, I know!


7. my sister who lived in Virginia is back there visiting right now. surely she is going to Joann's and Target, Kohls and Chipotle. probably a stop at Trader Joe's. oohh. I miss those places. someday maybe they will come to Canada, hopefully. but I am not holding my breath.

8. something I never thought I would see- on my boys-

but his blond streaks are pretty subtle. Jed got the leftover color on his head. he has a big chunk of light hair. funky. I hope this doesn't become a regular thing. no boys of mine can color their hair more than I do! I mean, really!

9. today- must tidy up. nothing worse than coming home from a trip to a messy house. yuck.

10. but Maggie is helping me out- she is mopping my dining floor right now! I love it!

11. the next time I post will be my 500th post. wow. that is a lot of blogging going on.

12. so, I thought for fun I would give something away! how about this sweet little crocheted bag! I made up two for my girls for easter- instead of a basket this is what they will be getting. but this pink one just doesn't match with their Easter dresses. egads! so one of you fine readers are welcome to it!

13. just comment- tell me anything- maybe how much you enjoy reading all my posts! hee hee. or maybe if you have a favorite post. or maybe just say hi.

and on Monday we will pick someone to send it to!

twinners

when I went to pick up Maggie at the play place at the gym this morning,
I peeked my head into the park area to call her,
and a worker lady had already told her that I was there,
then she told me that she didn't even see us come in together,
but Maggie looks just like me, so she knew she was mine. hmm. am I really that cute?
too fun.

fun with clay

very cute.

lots of detail. what an artist!
um- the world? maybe?

I see a lot of potential!

clay is pretty fun.

and now the colors are all blended together into a big blob.

which is fun, until they all get mushed up into brown.

not so fun.

13

1. it was warmer. there was less snow. yay!

2. but the day we left was chilly. and we passed through a town where it had recently- like that morning snowed a few inches! but it was melting and slushy everywhere.

3. then I got back home and there is still tons of snow. but it is melting. slowly.

4. Maggie woke me up this morning and made me come to the front window to see the remains of a plant from our front garden that we can now see because the snow is melting. it was exciting.

5. isn't she cute?
6.on our way home we stopped in a city at Value Village. and had a good time. but it would have been even better if I had no kids, but you gotta do what you gotta do. bargains were found. good times were had by all.

7. Jed got these glasses at a thrift store. he calls them his Napoleon Dynamite glasses. he thinks he is pretty styling. the big boys bug him about them. but I think they are secretly jealous.8. two more days of spring break. Jack is dying to go to West Edmonton Mall. I think I would die if we did go. yikes. west ed on spring break? madness.

9. Joannes house is very tidy. my house is not. but I am thinking I will enlist my kids help and get my house to a tidier state today. I know that that means we need to get rid of some of the offending clutter. that could be difficult. but I will try my darndest.

10. and I am making cinnamon buns today. yum. just thought I would share that fact. and if you came here I would share the buns too.
just saying.

11. the dresses I was making for the girls for easter involved Shirring. and I tried it, unsuccessfully. I followed the instructions on the pattern, but it wasn't happening. then I looked on the internet to see if there was anything I was missing. and there was. use a large stitch size- like 5. it works like a charm. in case you were wondering.

12. Sadie by the pink door. why is it when you are other places you see all kinds of great places to take pictures, but not so much at home?13. this was on our drive home. probably not such a great idea to take pictures while you are driving. Just saying. but we didn't crash or anything like that. phew. Cory is leaving this afternoon with some youth and a friend to go to General Conference in Utah. after my little (comparitively) drive, I am glad it's not me. especially since they are not planning on shopping. I mean, really. what is a trip to Utah without stopping to shop? not the trip for me!