Stampin' Out Ignorance

I just have to start by saying, "You have to be kidding me!" There is just no way I heard this...

I was at Wal-mart and needed to buy more of the Christmas stamps to send out a few more Christmas letters. When the employee said that they didn't have any, but that they had Kwanza and Hannukah stamps; I was a bit upset. Irrationally, I was thinking that they just didn't carry them. Then one of the other employees, in an attempt to right the situation, told me that Kwanza and Hannukah are the same as Christmas, so it shouldn't matter that they didn't have any Christmas stamps . I looked at her (a bit baffled) and said, "you're kidding, right?" Hannukah is a Jewish holiday and they don't believe in Jesus Christ, and Christmas is the Christian holiday celebrating his miraculous birth. The poor employee looked so confused. I said also that Easter is not the same as Passover. I wanted to finish stampin' out her ignorance by saying that the 4th of July is not the same as Mexican Independence Day. However, I stopped with Easter simply because I thought she might actually say "duh." And if she didn't, I may have either gone into a tizzy over the fallen state of our culture, or just climbed over the counter and taken away her badge explaining that she needed to go back to grade school before she should work with the public.

It turned out that they do carry Christmas stamps, but had just sold out. Thank goodness that was the reason, or I may have gone into another rampage!

HEAVEN HELP US ALL! Please tell me that my friends know that Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanza are all different.

That little white stuff

Our cousins Linda and Matt visited from Colorado recently. In their generous ways they extended the normal invitation to visit them in Colorado sometime. Maddie was excited at the thought of going to Natalie's house! We also explained to her the greatness of Colorado snow. A few days later, Maddie asked when the snow would come to Texas. I responded that snow doesn't come here very often. She started to cry and declared that we must go to Colorado to visit the snow. It took me a minute to realize why she decided Colorado had her snow. (I didn't instantly remember the snow discussion with Linda and Matt.) I had to add this discussion in honor of Maddie and her childlike joys and hopes. She was so excited when she woke up this morning to a dusting of the white stuff right here in Texas. When I say dusting, it was barely even that. You could see whiteness in the crevices of the rooflines. Well, that was enough to feed her need. Her wish for snow came true, at least true enough for a five year old. May all of our simple wishes come true this season. And may we, like a little child, find our needs met even in the simplest ways. I hope that when I ask for something grand, I can see that a "dusting" is enough. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

History Fair

Brandon participated in the History Fair this year. His project was on Lieutenant James H. Doolittle. He is one of Brandon's favorite WWII heroes. We all learned a little bit more about him, and our appreciation for all war heroes grew while doing this project. Just thought it fitting to add this experience this week in honor of Pearl Harbor Day.

Fall Happenings

We have had an eventful month. Whitney turned 12! She was so excited to start going to Young Women's at Church. She had a fun birthday party with several friends. Audrey also had a birthday. She is 8 now. She had a wonderful baptism day. Grandma Beech flew out from Arizona to be here on her special day. We had several family members and friends attend her baptism. Then, of course, there was Halloween. We enjoyed beautiful weather at halloween parties and trick-or-treating. What a great month! Now we head into Thanksgiving, and we have so much to be thankful for. Especially our friends and family that influence our lives for good each day. I hope you enjoy the pictures below highlighting the best parts of our autumn!

Six Quirks

So, I've been tagged. I have to inform the world of six quirks that I have. I am not sure I want to do this, or that you want to know; but here goes.

1. I hate dirty laundry. I hate it so much that I do laundry everyday.

2. I love to check the weather of places that I have lived, or where I have friends living. I don't know why, but I am fascinated by weather...

3. I love planning trips to Disney World. I think it is almost as much fun as actually going. So, for all of you planning a trip. I don't mind helping. TOURGUIDEMIKE.COM is your friend!

4. Whenever someone is speaking, I try to figure out how I would say that in Sign Language. I am not even very good at ASL, so most of it is just spelling.

5. I can't stand misspelled words. It makes my kids crazy because I make them study so hard for their spelling tests. I know I shouldn't worry about it so much with today's technology, but it drives me crazy when I see misspelled words.

6. I am a picture maniac. Not of myself, of course, but pictures of everyone else are great. I love to put them here on my blog and scrapbooks, etc. Another thing that makes my kiddos crazy.

Now you know 6 of my many quirks. Hopefully, that's all I ever have to tell you. I now tag: Jayne, Marissa, Sarah, and Lara.

You may think I'm a slacker

However, there is a reason for no blogging lately. We have been way too busy. Here is our update:

-Brandon enjoyed a campout with Dad and his Webelos Den at Lake Texoma. It was the weekend of Ike, so much preparation was to be had.


-Murphy's 5oth birthday! Fireworks and all....



-Whitney is cheerleading and having fun with the girls. You can't be in Texas, and not learn about football.


-Preparing for Audrey's upcoming baptism.



-Our neighborhood Fall Festival complete with bounce houses and a train ride.


-I've been taking an online scrapbook sketch class, too.



-We all got really sick to boot.
Thankfully, there are no pictures of that hideous week.

So, now you're caught up with the major stuff. I'll try to do better this coming month! HAPPY OCTOBER!

Back to School

It is that time of the year when the school bus sound returns and the smell of new clothes sweeten the air. Yep, the kids are back in school. This is the year when my baby starts kindergarten, and my oldest goes to middle school. Wow, are we growing up! I have to say that only half of my kids were excited about the new school year (I bet you can guess which half...). We are happy with all of their teachers and the exciting adventures that await them this year. Whitney is enjoying learning the clarinet and getting to switch teachers for every class. Brandon is excited about the 5th grade camp coming up, and learning guitar. Audrey is a big 2nd grader, and is still doing piano. She can't wait to start activity day girls next month. Maddie loves going to school with her big brother and sister. She is sooo tired at the end of the day, but always looks forward to tomorrow! I hope all of you are also having a great start to the new school year!

Family is like chocolate

Mostly sweet with a few nuts. We had a great family reunion in Nashville, TN. Thanks to Kevin and all his efforts, we had fun visiting and playing with the Beech family. The kids enjoyed time with their cousins, and were already asking when would be the next reunion before we even got in the van to come home. Highlights of the week were: AAA baseball game (where Whitney got 4 out of 5 foul balls, Brandon and Alex did a dizzy guitar race, Jeremy did a flipper race, Maddie won Wendy's burgers for a year, and all the kids ran the bases), the children's science center (Sherrie and I both braved the painful "moonwalk" simulator, swimming and sleepovers. It was loud and crazy, but very memorable - even to the hotel guests! Here are some pictures from our reunion:

Summertime

I always loved going to Six Flags over Texas when I was a kid. Even though it was always hot and crowded, it sure made for a fun summer day. So, of course, I want to pass along those experiences to my kids. We went to Six Flags last week. It was definately hot (100 degrees) and a little crowded. We had a great time. Whitney and Brandon each brought a friend to go, too. Whitney got brave enough to ride Batman and Shock Wave. Audrey even rode Shock Wave. She was sorely disappointed that she was too short to ride Batman. They all (except for Maddie) also liked Tony Hawk's Big Spin and Runaway Mountain. Maddie loved the swings, Yosemite Sam, Roaring Rapids, and the Log Flume.

Double Digits

Happy Birthday to Brandon. He is 10 now. I can't believe he is in double digits already. He had a fun birthday at Main Event playing Laser Tag with his friends. Wish ALL of his friends could be there.

This week's menu

Okay, so here is the plan for this week. I'll include recipes when I can.

Monday: Roast, potatoes, rolls (Sunday leftovers)
Tuesday: (Not cooking because we will be up at Mom and Dad's)
Wed.: Peachy Chicken, rice,and a salad
Thurs.: Tangy Cherry Chicken
Friday: Tomato basil pasta nests, crusty bread, salad
Saturday: Cook out at Mom and Dad's with Uncle Steve and family

Recipes:
Peachy Chicken
3 chicken breast halves, 1/2 cup flour, salt and pepper, 2 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 can peach halves (drained).

Shake chicken pieces in bag with flour, salt and pepper. Brown in butter and oil. Place browned chicken in a greased 3 qt. casserole dish. Combine orange juice with vinegar, sugar, basil and nutmeg. Pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 375 for 1 hour 15 minutes or until tender. Baste often. Then, place peach halves between chicken pieces, baste well and bake uncovered for 15 minutes longer.

Tomato-Basil Pasta Nests (courtesy of Rachel Ray)
salt, 1 lb. angel hair pasta, 3 Tbsp. EVOO, 5 garlci cloves (minced), 1 medium yellow onion (chopped), 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (try using with italian seasonings), 20 fresh basil leaves, 3 Tbsp. pesto sauce, 1 cup grated Romano cheese.

Cook the pasta until al dente. In a skillet, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes. (Do not carmelize the onions). Stir in the tomatoes and heat through. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Wilt in the basil and turn off the heat. Stir in the pesto sauce. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Sprinkle in the cheese, tossing to combine. Grab a meat fork. Stick the fork into the pasta and bring up a heaping forkful. Turn and twist the pasta, using your palm to guide it a bit to form a nest.

Tangy Cherry Chicken (courtesy of Rachel Ray)
3 Tbsp. EVOOm 4 chicken breast halves, 1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves (chopped), salt, pepper, 1 small red onion (finely chopped), 2 celery ribs (finely chopped), 1.4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 3 TBSP cold unsalted butter.

Preheat largen nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 TBSP EVOO. Season the chicken liberally with half of the thyme and salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm. Return the skilled to the burner over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 TBSP EVOO. Add the onions, clery, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 - 4minutes until veggies are tender. Add the water and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, dried cherries, and remaining thyme and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat off. Add the butter and whick until melted.

Try 'em if they sound good to you!

Menu Madness

Well, after a few weeks of just throwing last minute meals together, I finally sat down and planned our menu for the week. This is my normal routine. However, with kids home and playing way too much; I haven't kept up with my habit. So here is our little plan for the week:

Tonight: steaks, potatoes, steamed veggies
Saturday: Hamburgers, baked beans, cantaloupe
Sunday: Tomatoe Chicken Italiano on egg noodles with rolls
Monday: Breakfast for dinner with pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit
Tuesday: Chinese Chicken Pizza with salad
Wed.: Ravioli Carbonara with Garlic bread and veggies
Thurs: Meat and potato salad

Well, that's about it. I am happy to have a plan for the week.

Happy 4th

Happy Independence Day to everyone! It is such a blessing to live in this country where we have opportunities and freedom. It is such a choice time and place to be. On that note, we celebrated the 4th in an All-American fashion. It was complete with swimming, volleyball, Bocce, hamburgers, hot dogs, glow necklaces, and fireworks (of course). Thanks to our friends, the Andrus's, for including us in their festivities. I hope everyone had a fun holiday as well!

Summer Fun

We had a fun play group and a FHE at the Splash Pad in Allen. We do enjoy the sunny warm weather we get in Texas. Just thought some of these pics were cute, so thought I'd share!

To Grandma's house we go....

Audrey and Maddie enjoyed a few days together at Grandma's house. Some highlights included: swimming, riding on the mower with Grandpa, working in the garden, eating at McDonald's, going to the library, and playing with the new toys. Audrey and Maddie both came up with some cute comments about being away from our home and being at Grandma's house. I laughed at their theories, so I had to share. When Maddie asked if she could have a cookie, Audrey piped in by saying, "You can even have two. We're at Grandma's house!" When Audrey asked Maddie if she brushed her teeth, Maddie replied in a similar fashion, "But, we're at Grandma's house."

When I got there last night to pick them up, I asked Audrey if she missed me. She said, "Not that much." I was mixed between being sad, and laughing.

It is nice to be near family again. I know the kids are making great memories and strengthening family ties. Thanks to my mom and dad for making great efforts to spend time with their grandkids.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks....

Sadly, the ball season is coming to an end. Whitney, Brandon, and Audrey all had a great season learning new techniques and making new friends. We can't wait until the fall to do it all again!

School Days, School Days, the Good Ole Golden Rule Days

The last day of school couldn't get out soon enough if you asked the kids in this house. They all had a fun last day, and made great memories! Congrats to my kids for all doing so great this year even with a move in the middle of it all!


Kelsee, Lauren, and Whitney at the 5th grade graduation. Whitney had a great year. She earned the presidential award, and will be going into the honors math program at the Middle School. She is also attending a Summer Institute for Gifted Students. It is pretty difficult to get accepted into this program. Yeah for Whitney!



Brandon loved his time at field day. It was a muddy mess! Brandon also had a great year with all straight A's. He is looking forward to a great 5th grade next year!



Audrey and Maddie also had a good year. Audrey was at the top of her class in reading and math. She is very ready to go to 2nd grade. Maddie finished her speech class and preschool, and is counting down the days until going to Kindergarten!

The greatest gift I ever had, came from God; I call him Dad!

I couldn't help but take a minute to honor Kevin this Father's Day. He loves this blog, and I am sure this will surprise him. I remember our first night out in the world with our first newborn daughter. He took such care and caution driving us home from the hospital. You would've thought he was an old man driving around in the dark. He took great care at every stop, every bump, and every move. As we have grown as a family, and he has grown as a father; Kevin has taken great care to make sure we are safe and sound. It his unfailing devotion to our family that inspires me to be better than I am.

Kevin as a Dad:

He is patient



He is a planner

Formula One Races - just Daddy and Brandon

He sets high standards



He is a supporter


He is a teacher


He is a listener


He is a dream maker



Happy Father's Day, Kevin. We are so lucky that you are ours.

The greatest gift I ever had

I've been tagged

My sister tagged me again. So, here goes. How To Play This Game of Tag: Post these rules on your blog.List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

3 joys:

1. Of course, my hubby.
2. And the kids, usually.
3. Living in TX once again.

3 fears:

1. Natural disaster
2. Losing a family member
3. Missing an opportunity

3 goals:

1. Catch up on my scrapbooks (moving slowed me down). I am thinking about switching to digital.....
2. Build up our food storage.
3. Have a fun, not much travelling, summer. (We travelled to TX from MI for the last 2 summers)

3 current obsessions/collections:

1. My kids' softball and baseball games. It has been busy, but fun to cheer them on.
2. Learning how to make DVD's. (I think my Father's Day DVD turned out nice.)
3. Reading the Twilight series. I'm on book three.

3 random/surprising facts about me:

1. I love the weather hot. My sweet spot is 85-95. The other day the news was talking about how hot we have been, and that it is unusually warm for June. I had been thinking just that morning what nice weather we've been having. Maybe it is hot, but it doesn't bother me. We drink lots of water and lemonade, and always have popsicles on hand. The best pool time we've had was late in the day when the water warms up a little.
2. I like scary movies a lot. Watching them with Kevin is even better simply because he scares easily. It almost makes the movie a comedy for me at that point.
3. I love to work on family history. However, it has been years since I've done much with it. I am sure the bug will hit again soon.

I now tag:
Jacqueline, Sarah Paxton, Jenn Chiara, April, and Jen

Dallas Zoo

Maddie and I went to the Dallas Zoo with her playgroup. It was such a fun day. She waited all day to see the elephants. (She has a stuffed one. She wanted to give it a chance to say hi to its family.) When we got to the elephants, the doctors were working on her. A few days later, we were listening to the news on our way to the gym. They had announced that the elephant had died. I didn't think Maddie had heard it. When we got into the child center, Maddie announced that something really sad had happened. Not sure what she would say, I was very curious. With tears in her eyes and tightly hugging Ella, she said that the elephant had died. It was sooo sad. She still talks about it.

Memorial Day Weekend Pictures

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a fun weekend just spending time outside and barbecueing lots. We went on some bike rides, and went swimming. Jenn and her friend, Natalie, went to a Tanya Tucker concert. It was so much fun just hanging out and laughing at all the weirdos around. This weekend was a much needed break from the daily routines.

DC Slideshow

trip to DC

Kevin and I had the opportunity to go to Washington DC for a long weekend getaway. We had a nice time sightseeing without kids. Kevin really enjoyed touring the Capitol, while I enjoyed the Supreme Court and Mount Vernon. It was also nice to sneak in a visit with Kevin's sister, Sherrie, for an evening. We also got to see his brother, Bryce, and family at a layover in Minnesota.

Spring in Texas

Many of you have heard of our spring storms. It has been a bit crazy, but we are getting used to it. The kids get a little nervous, but I love the big thunderstorms. However, there was a tornado 4 miles away. That got my attention.

Besides the storms, we get lots of sunny warm days. The kids loved flying kites at Grandpa's house. Audrey was quite the pro! The kids are all getting involved with baseball/softball, so we stay pretty busy. We enjoyed a fun Rangers game on Monday night for FHE. The Rangers lost, but it was fun to be at the ballpark all together.

Anyway, hope you enjoy some of our springtime pictures!!!!

I've been tagged

My sister, Jayne, tagged me, so here goes.

Where were you 10 years ago?
I was 24, and living my last days at BYU. I was a Head Resident in Heritage Halls. My hubby, was finishing up his JD/MBA, so we were preparing to move to Michigan for his first career job at DaimlerChrysler. I was very pregnant with our second child, Brandon. Whitney was a year and a half old. She was the light of my life, and went with me everywhere except for work meetings. I didn't think I would ever look back and miss those days. However, Trace Adkins sings, probably from experience: "You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back. You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times. So take a good look around. You may not know it now, but you're gonna' miss this." I really do wish it hadn't gone by so fast.

5 things on my to do list today:
1. Work out
2. Exchange a sweatshirt for Whitney
3. Take Maddie to pre-school
4. Take kids to piano
5. Take Brandon to baseball practice (unless the storms rage)
Basically, I am a taxi driver!

3 Bad Habits
1. I clean too much
2. I am a perfectionist
3. I like to use exclamation points everywhere!!!!

4 places I have lived
1. Sanger, TX
2. Provo, UT
3. Mexico City, Mexico
4. Rochester Hills, MI

5 jobs I have had
1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Resident Assistant at BYU
3. Head Resident at BYU
4. Laundry worker at BYU
5. Mom to 4 kids (the hardest job by far!)

5 things people don't know about me
1. I love country music. That is probably not a surprise to some of you.
2. I wish I could have a horse, and ride it all the time. I had one growing up. She was a big part of my childhood, and some of my best memories are because of her.
3. I loved living in another country, and would love that opportunity again. For sure, my husband and I will serve a mission after retirement. That may not be to a foreign country, but you never know.
4. I started working on my masters degree a few years ago. I would like to finish it someday. Somehow, mom jobs took over my time for now.
5. I enjoy cooking. I want our home to be filled with wonderful smells. I love to have family dinner although it is usually crazy around our table. I guess it is the thought of a nice family dinner most nights that I like. I have definately made some flops, but hopefully that can be forgiven. My favorite recipes are: whole wheat bread, meatballs with mango chutney sauce, Honey chipotle pork chops, asian pork loin, and some Thai cuisine. I think it would be fun to take a cooking class and learn lots of new things.

I now tag my friends: Marissa Hatch, Jennifer Chiara, and Sarah Paxton!

School daze!

Last week, I went to kindergarten round up for Madison, my baby. I can't believe that after almost twelve years of babies in the home, my littlest one is off to school. To make matters worse, our school district only provides all day kindergarten. I feel like a year was stolen from me. However, Madison is really ready to go to school with her brother and sisters. I will miss her terribly.

Last week, I also took Whitney to the middle school for Band Instrument selection (she chose clarinet). Another mommy milestone all in one week. I can't believe we have a child going to middle school in a few months. She is also very excited for the chance to make some decisions in her education. She will be in the honors math program as well. She was also selected to do a summer gifted program at the middle school. Surprisingly, she really wants to go. I am proud of her, and am missing our calmer baby years.

I love the quote I read today, "You don't have to look far to find a miracle. What could be more supernatural than a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, an egg yolk into a chicken, an acorn into a mighty oak." I would like to add to that. What could be more miraculous than a little baby growing up and leading independant lives separate from me. I love watching my children grow, and just hope that I have given them all the tools they need to be happy and succesful individuals.

Check out my Slide Show!

Snow in Texas

Texas, it's like a whole other country. At least that's what the tourism commercials say. Where else this close to the Mexican border can you get a great snowfall in March? We definately get some crazy weather. I guess it fits with all those crazies down south!

Year of a Million Dreams

February was so exciting! We went on a great trip to Disney World. We went with our good friends Terry and Robyn Malone and their four kids. We also met up with another family that we've known forever, the Petersons (with their 5 kids). We were quite the crowd, but what a great experience. We had unbelievable weather, and made unbelievable memories. Whitney and Brandon loved Expedition Everest. Audrey rode Rockin' Roller Coaster for the first time, and loved it. Maddie's favorite was Winnie the Pooh. We hardly ever waited in a line thanks to Tourguidemike.com. Gotta love Mike! (maybe I should get a little endorsement package, hmmmm?). I just loved spending time with family and friends. However, I loved all the big rides, and of course the Cinderella lunch with my two little princesses. Of course time with the family topped the list for Kevin, but his favorite had to be when Audrey got to be on stage to become a Padawan on the Star Wars set. She really took it to heart, and got the best of Darth Vader! Kevin's camera was rolling the whole time. He probably took over 1000 pictures, but we'll spare you. These are a couple of our favorites! I'll try to figure out how to add a video later.

My first BLOG

So this is my first real blog! I love reading my sister's and friends' blogs, and love to see the pictures. I think it is a fun way to stay connected. I am not one to write a lot, but I love pics and videos.

As most of you know, we made a move to Texas (Jenn's childhood stomping grounds). The adjustment has been going extremely well, although we often speak of Michigan and our life there. I am sure that is true of anyone whenever a move occurs. We love the weather and definately having family around. We stay busy as usual. Kevin serves in the Young Men's Presidency while Jenn serves in the Relief Society Presidency. The kids are really busy, too. Whitney does piano, softball, spanish class, swimming, and soon band. She has put scouting on hold until she is more settled. She was just placed in the honors program for middle school starting in the fall. Brandon is into baseball, scouting, piano, and whatever boy things dad wants to do (shooting, camping, hiking, jeeping, formula 1). He is doing really well in school, and is at the top of his class. Audrey is our big first grader, and loves it. She is an excellent reader, and reads to Maddie every night. She does piano, brownies, softball, and swim team. Maddie just turned 5. She will be in kindergarten this fall. She loves preschool and primary. She is also in swim lessons.

That is just a little update for us. Look for more news later.