Happy Halloween

Just a little Halloween wish for you! (...that I totally stole from Angie over at Leaping Thru Life. Thanks Angie!)

Thibis ibis my bobbum libip!

Bill Cosby

Click here to see what I did this morning. I've never had a filling before and now I am the proud owner of FOUR!!! Yes, I said four. And there are more to come.

I don't even know if this link works. Smart people get a neat little YouTube window with the video right there. Will someone who knows how to do this please help me? I didn't used to think I was dumb....I'm reconsidering.

Absent

I have been absent from the posting scene for a few days. I got nothin' to say. I'm going to the dentist tomorrow....maybe I'll blog about that.

Breakfast - The Meal of Champions

The photo above shows my plate from a breakfast buffet last July. I got to choose everything I wanted and I DIDN'T have to cook OR clean up! I was so excited that I took a picture. (by the way, that coffee cup up in the left hand corner? not mine. it belonged to the lady next to me. juice for me, thanks.) I also took a picture of my favorite dessert at that same hotel. Good food makes me giddy. (I don't get out much.)

I saw this question in a recent post on Mom to the Screaming Masses
And now I'm asking you because I'm curious:

If you could have anything for breakfast, anything at all that you wanted without fear of gaining weight, raising your cholesterol, or - let's be honest - having to COOK said meal, what would it be?

Belgian waffles, light and crispy with soft centers, piled high with sweetened strawberries or blueberries and fluffy whipped cream?

Eggs Benedict, covered in sunny yellow, buttery rich Hollandaise sauce. with a side of asparagus tips?

Bacon, crisped exactly so, with browned buttered toast and fluffy scrambled eggs?

French toast, gleaming golden brown, with real maple syrup filling in the cracks of the bread and running down the sides?

Now, what did you really have?

Your opinion please...

I'm in the market for a new camera. (I like to pretend that I can afford one.) I want something a little more advanced than my good old point-and-shoot Sony. I want to stay with digital, but nothing too difficult. My boys play a lot of sports. (Maybe you've noticed.) I want to take "action-shots" that aren't blurry. I want to zoom in a little closer so I can actully see which kid is mine.

Do you have a favorite brand/model/flavor? What's your favorite thing about it? What's your least favorite thing about it? What should I be looking for? Your comments are appreciated. (I need to figure all of this out before I mail my letter to Santa.)

Wordless Wednesday

Treehouse Museum

Over UEA Weekend we took a little fieldtrip to the Treehouse Museum. I only took the 3 youngest kids because for some reason #1 & #2 aren't really into make-believe. Hmmmm.... We had lots of fun and I spent most of the time just trying to keep up with them! There are lots of fun things to do there:

You can make dinner.


Sit in the Oval Office


Paint a picture.


Er... I mean, a masterpiece.

You could also....

Star in your own puppet show.


Play a little game of chess.


Have a "castle guys" battle.


Paint the sandstone.


Draw a dinosaur.

And last but not least you could....

Dress up like a firefighter and drive the rig.


Build a train track and try it out.


Slide down a tunnel through the center of a giant tree. (It's dark in there!)


Take a quiz on the 50 states.


Or just pose for a picture.


Whatever you do. You're bound to have fun!

If it comes with an insult, it shoulda been free.

Last weekend my boys had a basketball camp. And since it was UEA Weekend (no school Thursday or Friday here in Utah) the camp started pretty early each morning. Okay so it wasn't THAT early but whatever. After dropping the boys off I found myself ALONE (which hardly ever happens) so I decided to pick up a few things at the store. Remember how I said it was early? Well, I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store with wet hair and NO makeup. I rummaged through my glove box and found an old sucker stuck to a hair clip/claw thingy, twisted my hair up in the clip and stuck my sunglasses on top of my head. I said a little prayer that I wouldn't run into anyone I knew (I was 7 miles from home) and headed into the store. Did I mention that I hadn't even brushed my teeth yet?

I got the items I needed and took a detour through the "beauty aisle" and picked up a clip that claimed to "make hairstyles fuss-free". Just what I needed. I scanned the checkout stands for the shortest line and unloaded my stuff. The checker-girl first spent a full 35 seconds getting the plastic grocery bags unstuck from each other, then proceeded to scan my groceries at the rate of cold tar while I kept an eye out for people who might recognize me. Sheesh! Could she GO any slower?

Let me take you on a little side trip here....side trips are my specialty....You know when you go grocery shopping and at the checkstand you grab a bottle of Dr. Pepper? The clerk will ask you if you want to keep it out? (Assuming you will be needing it ASAP)? Okay, that said...

When the checker got to the clip thingy I planned to purchase, she scanned it and still holding it in her hand, she looked up at me and tipped her head (like my dog does when she is studying something). Then she says to me,

"Do you, umm, want this... now?"

Nice! I felt like a million bucks! I didn't know what else to say, so I took it and put it in my purse. Oh, the nerve!!! When she came to the hairspray I purchased she held it for a moment like she wanted to say something and then thought better of it and put it in the bag.
Hello! I was just insulted by a 17 year old grocery clerk!

Jinxed

I'm not going to blog about BYU anymore. I think I jinxed them.




And while I'm at it. I better get out of this Van Halen t-shirt before I jinx the band and they break up.

Heaven help me.

3 MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1 large coffee mug
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour into mug.


Put it in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be scared. That's why you picked a big mug.



While it's cooking clean up any evidence...or they'll know....and then you'll have to share. Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate.



You COULD cut it in half and share it if you wanted. But why?

Don't forget the icecream. And lick the plate when you are done.

My 11 year old son got up at 6:12am this morning and made this for his breakfast. He cleaned up every speck of evidence. Smart kid.

I never really wanted a dog...wonder why.

Maggie was standing below my kitchen window desperately trying to get my attention. Anyone's attention. She was SO proud of herself. She brought us a gift.




So, do we let her keep it? Or do we need to take it away?

BYU 21 New Mexico 3 ........that would be 16 straight wins my friends

Last weekend KJ took the boys to the BYU v New Mexico game. They had a great time and because they have *sweet* connections they went down to meet the players (and even parents of the players) after the game. Good times.

#1 Fui Vakapuna- BYU Tailback


Mr. Unga introducing the boys to his son #99 Victor Unga- BYU Center


#45 Harvey Unga


The boys & #45 Harvey Unga- BYU Tailback


Their *sweet* connection would be having friends who are relatives of a "friend" of BYU Defensive Tackle #94, Brock Richardson. (did you catch all that?)

This is my life...

On Monday I think we'll have "Laundry Home Evening".

Was That My "Out-Loud" Voice?

Gotta give credit to Tiburon for this idea! I won't steal her awesome picture and I'm giving it a different title. So here goes...

Was That My Out Loud Voice?

1. Ya think!!?!!

2. Shut-up or you're getting out. And I'm not slowing down.

3. This new prescription smells an awful lot like skunk!

4. I want to shoot that donkey...stupid useless creature.

5. Nice blinker butt-head!

6. We DON'T say butt-hole!

7. It's not a fashion show...it's a dead moose.

8. I heard you get up early this morning and I felt a little pang of guilt...I hurried and went back to sleep so it would go away.

These next two are courtesey of my 4 year old.

9. Holy Hotness Batman!

10. I just opened it up and it fell out!...What's YOUR problem?!

Taking a Poll

Do you let your kids ride on these things?

Am I just a mean mom? These rides are always strategically placed in front of places I generally go when I'm in a hurry. Grocery store, Mall, etc. So my kids always beg and I always keep walking.
But when Grandma is around...the kids win. Grandmas are nice. Moms...not so much.

So tell me, am I the only one who hates these? The only one who thinks they are a waste of time and money. Am I going to look back on my child-rearing days and say, "I should have taken time to stop and smell the roses." (or um...I mean ride the ponies?)
Do tell.

After the sugar high comes the "crash"

Recipe:
Load your kids up on Wendy's french fries and sugar.
Wait a few hours...

(Not necessarily a bad thing. No?)

Sweet Tooth

What's your opinion on the "Year Round School-Track System"?

Personally I like it!
During our track break we took a little fieldtrip to the "Sweets" Candy Factory! The tours are free and VERY well done! They like you to call ahead and they give you a time-slot. They ask everyone to put on a lunchlady hairnet and even provide the strollers for the young-uns.
We had a very nice/knowledgable tour guide (I think my kids were hoping for an oompa-loompa) who gave us samples at almost every stop along the way! I couldn't believe the amount of sugar in that place! They actually have a pipe system that brings it to all of the kitchens! (Could I get one of those please!!! Hot water....cold water...pure sugar!)

At the end of the tour they give everyone a free bag of taffy and set you loose in the "candy outlet store". By the time we got home we were definately on a sugar high...

I highly recommend this tour! (and yes, exactly half of those kids up there are mine!)

Tag

7 Random Facts

1. I don't usually "do" tags. I even cut them out of my shirts.

2. I have a dog, but I'd rather have a cat.

3. I've lived in Utah my whole life and never been skiing/snowboarding...but my boys snowboard.

4. We built this house nearly 10 years ago and I still have boxes in my basement that I haven't unpacked. Outta sight....outta mind!

5. I was a HUGE tease as a kid. I tormented my sisters mercilessly. I think they have since forgiven me because we are all great friends. They may need therapy because of me. But I hope not. Cause I really like them....now.

6. I like to spread Raspberry Jam on my Grilled Cheese sandwich. It's not gross....I promise...just try it!

7. Growing up, I lived by the railroad tracks. We used to sneak under the fence and duct tape pennies to the train tracks. Then after the train passed we'd go searching for them. We usually found them, although they were a little sticky from the melted tape.
I would kill my kids if they EVER tried this. Do you hear me kids!?! Don't even THINK about it!!!

Since I really don't "do" tags. Feel free to tag yourself.

Unexplained Absence

I apologize for my absence....I wasn't in jail. (Although I think I'd rather have been... was that too much information?)