Teacher Gift

Today is Lyndsi's last day of school. Yay!!! We've been trying to decide for some time to come up with an inexpensive but lovable gift to give to her teacher. Here is what we decided on:

What can I say? I'm addicted to these adorable Black Apple dolls! This is Granny. She comes with a jar of brownie mix. Mrs. McDougall is always telling the kids that she is an old granny, so I thought it'd be fun to give her something to do on the break with her grandkids. While they're all playing "baby" dolls, she can play with her "granny" doll and then they can all bake together. Ok. Maybe it's a little corny, but I like it.

5k Update

I did it. I finished my goal to run the stake's 5k. I did the route in 26:02 and now before anyone gets to excited-it wasn't a true 5k. When I mapped it at home it was only 2.71 miles. Still, that means I can do a mile in just under 10 minutes. No too bad for 6 weeks of running. A BIG shout out to JEN, though, who came in 2nd in the womens!!! Way to go!!

Life in the fast lane

Wow. Since I took up running life seems to have also picked up speed. I think it's more that I'm becoming more balanced now than taking on more things.

Last week I ran my first 5k (well-first one running anyway). Our city had their annual Country Fest and that included the run. I signed up 2 days before and the night before I started questioning my sanity. The morning of I was happy to see my running partner there and we were able to finish in our goal time of 30 minutes and some seconds. I finished 8th in my age and about 41st overall. Tomorrow is the one I've been training for and it's a harder course. I have been working hard this week doing distance with the hope that will make it easier. We'll find out in the morning if it worked!

There will be more kid-family related posts to come. I promise.

Spring Recital

Here is my beautiful ballerina at her Spring recital. She had an amazing teacher. It was so much fun to see how she's grown as a dancer.

Morning or Night

I am a night person. Always have been. My mom is a night person all her sisters and their families seem to be night people as well. I married a morning person. His parents are morning people and so are their parents. I now have kids and the oldest is in school and am finding a need to switch over to the morning people. Is it possible?? I think so. I actually am making the switch ok. At night I'm feeling tired at a reasonable time and it's not as hard to get up anymore when the alarm clock goes off. It's been nice.

I found this article on MSN about making the switch over this morning. Kinda fun.

Weekend Fun

I am always amazed at how busy our weekends can be. And our kids are still little! I can't imagine what life will be like in 10 years when everyone is off to some camp or other, work, out with friends, etc. It was a great weekend though.

Lyndsi had her spring dance recital on Friday night and did a beautiful job. I am so proud of her and how much she has grown as a dancer, performer and kid by taking dance. She had a wonderful teacher who definitely rubbed off a lot of her gracefulness on these sweet little 6 year olds. They danced to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and I am going to link the video as soon as we get it online

We also took a trip to the cabin on Saturday. Jeff's dad has added both a zip line and a rope swing. The kids were completely entertained watching their crazy uncle Neal ride it upside down and backwards. (The guy is part monkey and part cat, I swear.) After watching Grandpa and Dad swing a few times on the rope, they decided to try it, with help of course. (Remember, these are the kids who were nervous on just about everything at Disneyland.) Then, out of the blue, McKay wants to try it on his own and then Lyndsi did. They loved it! In fact, they enjoyed it so much Grandpa took them back 2 different times during the day to swing some more (after the first time).

Part of why we went to the cabin was because of my niece's Gabby's blessing, which meant cousins!! I was pretty lazy this weekend with my camera, so no pictures of the blessing festivities (I'll have to bum some of my in-laws.) I did get a cute on of Sophie holding my other niece, Tes. All of a sudden, Sophie loves babies and wanted to hold and play with them as much as she could.

And, last but not least-Fathers' Day! It kinda got overshadowed by the cabin and blessing, but we still love Jeff lots. We got home a little earlier than planned so we grilled some chicken and had leftover salads from the afternoon and opened presents (a couple of movies and a new polo shirt from the family, a placemat from McKay that he made and a soccer key chain from Lyndsi). After the kids went to bed, we turned on Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" (one of his gifts). McKay asked him this morning if it was still Fathers' day and was sad when Jeff told him it was only 1 day. McKay proceeded to smother him with kisses all morning. I think he had a good Fathers' day!

Check it out!! Foods and photos have been updated!! Wahoo!!

Groceries

I am so impressed that so many of you stay below $100 a week!! Needless to say, I"m sure we all know that it's a difficult task. I myself spend more than I want to on groceries, but am always looking for ways to cut back-coupons, ad matching, etc. I'm hoping my yearly attempt at gardening will be much more fruitful (literally) this year than in years past and I hope all the local farmers have the same luck.

I was skimming through an issue of the Wall Street Journal a week or two ago and came across an article that stated something to the effect of gardening is the new trend. People are getting stung by rising costs of groceries and are turning to their own backyards for help. I laughed when I read this recalling Pres. Hinckley's counsel (and several other prophets I'm sure) to plant a garden and to be self-sufficient.

Last year my mom and I bottled apples-something neither of us had done before but was one of the best things I've done. We have used them constantly. They stayed tart and semi-crisp (more firm that I thought anyway). They've been great for a snack was money is tight or to blend up into less expensive and more nutritious (hopefully) applesauce. Trust me these little guys have gotten us through. I most definitely will do this again in the fall.

Farmers markets are great too. And so is the cannery, although I'm not sure if they are always cheaper. Of course, we can't forget Harmon's, Smith's, and Macey's huge semi-annual caselot sales to help us stock up. (Seriously-I got pork and beans for 29 cents a can. It was very exciting. :) )

What are all of you doing to save $$ on groceries?

Surprise!!

I had to try uploading a video-trying to expand my horizons and all. Since we haven't titled our videos other than the number they were assigned, we are all in for a great surprise (myself included!). Pop some corn, sit back and enjoy!

Shhh...Don't tell!

The bunk beds are finished and up in the girls' room. We're still minus a bunk board and mattress for Sophie, but Lyndsi has settled in quite comfortably on the top bunk. She loves it! I haven't finished the ladder yet, and seriously thought I'd be sticking her up each night and pulling her down in the morning. But, she can climb up there and get down without my help at all and isn't the least bit nervous about it. Wahoo!! I am so glad we put bunks in there. Once we get the crib down, they will have so much more room to play and we'll start moving some toys back up so we can finish the basement and...Oh sorry...I'm rambling. Ok. I went to Target the other day to find them some new sheets and came across the most absolutely darling quilts and had to get one for each girl. (Thank goodness for violin students who made it possible to splurge like that! Couldn't have done it without you guy!!) I have had them hidden away in my closet for 2 days now so I could surprise Lyndsi. I was so glad to get it on today. Now if Kindergarten would just be done for the day....



Here are the before and after pics.



Before (She did have a mattress on here at one point):




















After:

A Pair of Drowned Rats

Or mommies. The 5k training continues. Apparently in rain or shine. It dumped buckets of rain on Jen and I as we ran 3 miles today. I was soaked about half way through. Jen made it a little longer thanks to some sheltering from a jogging stroller she was pushing. It was a great run though and I think I'm actually getting better. We did 3 miles in 31:18. Not a world record, but definitely a personal one.

Yesterday I was painting bunkbeds (another post) and was determined to get them set up by nightfall. I was trying to push lunch time back as far as possible so I could get just a little more done. By the time Jeff got home for lunch (about 1) this is what we found. They had made themselves lunch and set up a whole picnic outside. They really did a good job and didn't make a big mess.

Last but not least-flip flops. Sophie wore her first pair the other day and did a pretty good job keeping them on. Too bad it's raining and cold today. She looks pretty cute if I do say so myself!

Sunday Happenings

Like most days, today was crazy, fun, frustrating, tiring, silly, etc. But, there were some cute little things I'd thought I'd post (for my own record).

Lyndsi-got burned with a curling iron while Dad was trying to curl her bangs. (Seriously, how cute is that of him to try and help? :) )

McKay-Threw Stinky (his elephant) into a tree. Why? To catch the green lizard that was up there.

Sophie-All through my friend's very sweet testimony Sophie was standing on my lap shouting, "Cami! Cami! Cami!!" with as much enthusiasm as an almost 2-year old can muster. She would not be quieted.

Glad to be a mom and have this crazy-fun life!