Thursday, December 31, 2009

Sepia Scenes: Christmas Was A Hit!



Every year a bowl is quietly passed around my ever growing family.  As each member of the family reaches into the bowl they swirl around all the little folded pieces of paper until they feel that they have mixed them efficiently enough to get the person that they want.
When the small papers are opened and their secret person is revealed all the fun begins.  For an entire month we scheme and plot and plan what to give our secret person.  We also have a month to see if we can trick anyone into revealing who they drew out of the bowl.  My kids didn't quite get this concept.  Everyone knew who they had. ^shrug^ maybe next year.
This year my husband drew out my nephew TIG's name.  I watched and waited until something was slipped to see what we should get for him.  One afternoon he went on and on about how much he loved "The Christmas Story" and how he would stay up for the full 24 hour marathon that was on TV at Christmas time.  Well the wheels started turning, and a gift idea was born.
I was going to get him that leg lamp.
But it proved to be more difficult than I had hoped for.  So, after talking to Kevin about the idea of a BB gun he jumped right on board.  We started looking online and then at the store trying to find something that we thought would work.  That's when we stumbled across this beauty!  It couldn't have been more perfect!
So Christmas Eve arrived and the presents were sprawled under the tree with their pretty papers and shinning festive bows.
When it was my nephews turn to open his gift, Kevin handed him a small cylinder shaped gift and told him that we had heard a rumor about how much he like the "Christmas Story" so we decided that it would be fun to give him a few things from the movie.
As my nephew tore into the package he found to his surprise a bottle of BB's.  My husband continued, "Now we didn't want you to shoot your eye out with the actual gun so we thought you could just throw these at things and no one would get hurt."
His parents laughed and said that he used his grandpa's BB gun all the time.
TIG tore into his next gift and exclaimed with excitement.  It was the movie "A Christmas Story".
"Alright, now I can watch it all the time."
After a few seconds he started to sit down and Kevin interrupted him mid sit.
"Oh, wait, what's that behind the tree?"  He teased him.  TIG ran to the tree and circled as best he could until he found the package in question.  Waisting no time on the pretty paper he tore into it with the energy that only a ten year old boy can possess. 
"Whoa, it's a Red Ryder BB Gun!!!"  He exclaimed with a huge grin spreading across his face.

For More  Visit Mary T at Sepia Scenes.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Sunday Funnies: All I Want For Christmas

I know I'm a day late.  Sorry, I've had a hard time getting to the computer this last week with the holiday and all. 
Anyway, back to the story...

A few weeks before Christmas when the idea of receiving a gift had reached a fever point with my three year old, she wandered into the room where I was folding laundry and sat down with that gleam in her eye that told me I was going to hear a continuation of that ever growing gift list.
She sat beside me and took my hand in hers, and looked up through her soft brown eyelashes and batted her eyes at me once or twice as a smile formed on her cherry red lips.
"Mommy," she said.  "I know what I want for Christmas."
"You mean besides the Pooh Bear Computer, Leapster, horses, and a new puzzle?"  I asked in mock curiosity.
"Yes, I want a Purple iPot.  And Crystal (her imaginary friend) wants one too."
"A 'Purple iPot', huh."
"Yes, I REALLY, REALLY want it.  Do you think Santa will bring me one?"
"Well 'Purple iPots' may be hard to find."  I said sarcastically.
"But I really want one, and it would be sooooo fun to have one."
"What exactly is a 'Purple iPot?"
"Oh, it's a sculpture."  She replied in a very buisness like tone.
"Oh," I said as I tried to hold back the giggles that were trying to erupt.
So later that night just out of pure amusement I decided to google Purple iPot.   This is what I found...


I had no idea they started this young.  Am I in trouble?


Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. You can leave your story in the comments box if you would like. Or if you decide to do a post on your own site just mention it in your comment and I'll be sure to come check it out!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Jolly Old St. Nippolas



Here's Wishing You The "Breast" Christmas Ever!
Check out more Wordless Wednesday Fun at wordlesswednesday.com!




Since December has started I have found that I have had less and less time to post anything on my blog. And I am going through withdrawals. So I have decided to post a wintry or Christmas picture every day this week. I hope that I will be able to come back to this wonderful community when the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's is over.


Thanks to everyone for being such great friends and neighbors! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Heidi

Monday, December 21, 2009

Angels Among Us





Since December has started I have found that I have had less and less time to post anything on my blog. And I am going through withdrawals. So I have decided to post a wintry or Christmas picture every day this week. I hope that I will be able to come back to this wonderful community when the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's is over.


Thanks to everyone for being such great friends and neighbors! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Heidi

Sunday, December 20, 2009

By Small Steps They Become Men




Since December has started I have found that I have had less and less time to post anything on my blog. And I am going through withdrawals. So I have decided to post a wintry or Christmas picture every day this week. I hope that I will be able to come back to this wonderful community when the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's is over.
Thanks to everyone for being such great friends and neighbors!  I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Walking In A Winter Wonderland


There is nothing so peaceful as freshly fallen snow.
All sound becomes hushed and reverent.
The crisp cool air dies down.
Allowing a moment for time to stand still.


Since December has started I have found that I have had less and less time to post anything on my blog.  And I am going through withdrawals.  So I have decided to post a wintry or Christmas picture every day this week.  I hope that I will  be able to come back to this wonderful community when the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's is over. 

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Christmas Tradition: Australia, I Need Some Help!!!!

Hello everyone out there in bloggy land.  This is a totally random post but I need some help.
You see every year for Christmas Eve my family picks a country or culture that we use as a theme for the evening.
We find out what their Christmas Traditions are and then we learn a little bit about their culture and history.  This year my oldest daughter decided that we needed to spotlight Australia.  So if any of you wonderful and lovely folks that reside way down under happen to find this little blog post (I know there are a few of you) would you please, please let me know what some of your Christmas Traditions are?  I would like to be able to play some games that are commonly played, and I would like to know what Australians like to eat.
Thank you to anyone that can help!  Until then I think that Google is going to become my best friend!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Ruby Tuesday: Tackling Mishap




Yes we are huge BYU fans here at my house so I couldn't resist posting this and getting in that jab at U of U.

But somethimes I think this is how my life is.  I try to tackle a problem head on and end up trashing myself.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Sunday Sentiments: The Nativities

I thought since this was such a sentimental time of year I would change Sunday Funnies to a kinder more gentle post.  (Plus nothing really funny happened this week, hopefully something will happen for next Sunday)

In the shadow of the Creche lies a newborn babe, swaddled in tightly wound clothes of the purest white.  A mother's angelic face looks down on her heavenly child as a strong supportive hand rests on her shoulder, it's owner letting her know that he will do all in his power to provide and protect.

Several years ago my mother-in-law started attending an event every December where a group of families would gather together and bring with them a nativity that they owned. 
There was always something new and different at each one of these wonderful evenings and my mother-in-law seemed to really enjoy attending this as a way to start off the holiday season.

A few years ago they stopped hosting this event and it has, like many traditions, gone by the wayside.  But my MIL seemed to have a new interest as she started shopping around the holiday season.  She started picking up nativities and started a collection of her very own.  Instead of going and seeing what new pieces someone else has discovered, she started picking up new and wonderful sets of her own each Christmas.

It has been so fun to watch as her collection has grown in size and number.  Her nativities are of all shapes and sizes, made of several different mediums such as wood, ceramic, porcelain, and glass.  They are beautiful and each one is unique.

I love to watch as the grandkids discover the new nativity that she has picked up.  Every time we visit and a new nativity has been added the grandkids stare and absorb all the details of the newest set, and then they have to look at all the other sets, and then they want to touch them and explore them in any way that they can.



I think that this has been a wonderful thing for me and my kids to see how much my MIL loves the setting of Christ's birth, and how she has placed it as the focal point of her Christmas.  If only all of us could let Christ be the most prolific part of our own holidays I think that all the hustle and bustle of the season would settle into a still and quiet night on which we could celebrate our Savior and all that He has done for us because He loves us.  I think that if we used that day for worshipping and a renewing of our promises to be faithful to Him, that the world would see peace and prosperity instead of war and recession.

But I also know that this is easier said than done.

Thank you for your inspiration and your example Grandma!


Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. You can leave your story in the comments box if you would like. Or if you decide to do a post on your own site just mention it in your comment and I'll be sure to come check it out!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Sepia Scenes: Pioneers, Pickles and Pies!










Every year for Thanksgiving we go to my husband's Mom and Dad's to enjoy a wonderful dinner with all the family.  My kids love to see their cousins and I really enjoy visiting with all the adults. 
Every year my daughter's also insist on dressing up as pioneers, since it was in honor of the pioneers and Indians that we have this great feast.  I only got a picture of my oldest, K, with her bonnet on, IZ wouldn't leave hers on long enough for a decent picture and we don't have a bonnet that fits EM anymore.  So she wore a BYU beanie.  It worked.
EM's favorite part of dinner was pie, more specifically, the whipped cream.  I think the kids ate half a pie with an entire bowl of whipped cream.
It was great!


*******As pointed out by my lovely mother, and then by my loving husband, yes I screwed up, I live in Utah and we have pioneers here.  Yes I do know that it was Indians and PILGRIMS that were really in attendance at the first Thanksgiving.  Thank you for looking past my blond moment.*******

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday Funnies: Movie Maddness

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

There Was A Big Fat Turkey Down On Grandpa's Farm:



I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!
And I hope that you stuffed yourselves silly!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Sunday Funnies: The Secret Box

"Mommy, what's in that pink stripped box in the top of your closet that says Victoria Secret?"  I was a little speechless when I heard these words come out of my seven year old daughter's mouth.

"Um, why?" I asked.

"Well, it fell on the floor and there are some weird squishy things in them."

"Well honey, they're fake boobs."  I replied hesitantly.

"Why do you have fake boobs?"
Why am I having to have this conversation right now, she's only seven she doesn't even have boobs of her own yet!

"Well, when mommy got married I had to wear them so that my wedding dress wouldn't fall down."  I felt I had to be honest.

"Well how do you wear them?"

"Uh, you just put them in your bra."  I said as quickly as I could

With that uncomfortable conversation out of the way I thought the topic was closed.  So I went to get EM who was downstairs for this entire exchange (thank goodness) to get her dressed for the night.

About ten minutes later as I was putting them to bed and I was sitting on EM's bed.  She started patting my bulkier than usual sweatshirt. 

"What are you doing?"  I asked her.

"Where are your boobs mommy, I can't see them."

"Apparently they're in the box on the floor of my closet EM."

Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. You can leave your story in the comments box if you would like. Or if you decide to do a post on your own site just mention it in your comment and I'll be sure to come check it out!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Photo Story Friday: I Swore I'd Never Say That

What do you do in the exact moment that you catch yourself acting just like your parents?  I know when we are all in our teenage years we swear very strongly that "I will never be like my dad!" (or mom depending on the moment) We all said it, and as we have grown older, married and had children of our own we swear we will still not be like our parents.
So what do you do when you catch yourself midstream in a sentence that you know you've heard come straight out of you father's mouth?
 

Last night after dinner it was homework time.  But my girls felt like it was still time to play and that they were being picked on.  Well they probably were, I know I felt that way when I was a kid too.
But the parent prevailed and everyone was seated around the freshly 409'd table and started their individual homework packets.
After about 10 seconds they were tired of it.  And started horsing around.  I tried and tried to get them back on track.
For the next half hour an intense battle of wills ensued.  I won over the 5 year old and she finished her 6 pages of homework.  But that 7 year old has developed an attitude and her ONE page of homework was still uncompleted at the end of the 30 minutes.
I was furious and frazzled by the end of the 20 minute mark becuase I just couldn't get her to bend to MY will!  So I gave into the anger that was bubbling like lava in my brain and slammed my fist down on the table a few times to make sure that my point was getting across "If you don't stop horsing around and finish that homework I'm going to..." 
And that's when the moment hit.  I very vividly remember sitting around an old sign board set up on saw horses in my dad's paint room in the basement of my childhood home.  There I was with my 4 other siblings with our homework laid out around us while my dad stood and painted a sign at one end of the room. 
I remember horsing around instead of doing homework.  And I remember my dad taking as much as he could and then when the last straw broke, he would turn around, face beet red and he would pound his fist on that old board (which would send all of our homework and pencils flying-much more impressive than just a boring old table).  And shout, "If you don't stop horsing around and finish that homework I'm going to paddle your butts!"
And well, we would get to our homework.  And I would swear that I would never be so mean when I was a mom.  My kids wouldn't have to do homework unless they wanted to.  And I swore, I would never be like my dad!
So last night I found myself eating crow as those exact same words were flying from my unthinking mouth.
What did I do?  At the time, nothing.  I couldn't show my kids that they had gained the upperhand, right.  So I did what any parent would do.  I laughed hysterically when the kids weren't around!
And then I realized how grateful I am to my dad.  I am grateful that my dad taught me a good work ethic.  And how important it is to do something well and to do it right the first time.  My dad is a very quiet man (unless we had pushed that last nerve over the edge).  He doesn't have a lot to say most of the time.  But whenever we needed help with anything he was there for us showing us the most rational way through the problem.
I could say so much about all that he has taught me and all that he has done for me.  But mostly I am so grateful for the example that he has alway shown me.
And I would love to be just like him.
Thanks dad, for everything.  (Even though I know you don't read my blog, so I will have to tell you one day.)




PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and Sue

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Sepia Scenes: Tumbled



In a small canyon not far from my home is an old ghost mining town called Standardville.  There once stood a grand Post Office proud and strong.
Even the most sturdy of stone is eventually worn down by time.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Preference Ball Horror





The ugliest thing I've ever been forced to make for a high school dance.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Ruby Tuesday: Frosted


Can you guess what it is?

If you'd like to join in the fun with Mary, visit Ruby Tuesday!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Photo Story Friday: What Goes Around Comes Around

I have made a very important discovery about blogging.  Whatever you put out there in cyberspace has a way of coming back to you.  On some occasions I have really enjoyed the outcome of this particular principle.  But I find myself this week wanting to take this little gem of advice and smashing it with a backhoe.
Let me explain. 
Do any of you remember this little picture that I posted a while ago, so cleverly titled (or so I thought) "Evidence of State Budget Cuts"?


Well, I recently discovered this little picture floating around in someone else's postings.  I don't remember where it was and I don't really care that someone snagged this particular picture.  I got a kick out of it and I hoped that it would bring a smile to someone else's face. 
I have decided that someone at my city's Construction and Fix It Department somehow stumbled on my little picture and didn't think it was very funny.
And neither did God, apparently.
These two have gotten together and conspired against me.  Leaving me helpless and in a mess.
Wednesday night I went to a training meeting around 6:30, had a very wonderful time, and then came home in a wonderful mood only to discover this:


Now for those of you that can't tell what that is, its A LOT of water spraying like old faithful up out of the ground in front of my driveway.  This little discovery had me running like a mad woman into the house to get my husband. 
We live in a marshy area of town and we frequently have MAJOR flooding issues when the ground gets too wet.
Well we called all the appropriate people to try and get our new geyser taken care of.
After 2 hours of waiting, a few city trucks finally showed up, this was about midnight.  They told us they'd have the whole thing fixed before my husband had to leave for work at 6:00 the next morning.
Yeah!  I thought, how efficient they are!
Well, this is what we found in the morning, it took them 4 hours to do this:


Yes, it took four hours to locate my power line and insert 4 blue flags that showed where the water was shooting up from.  Oh, yeah, and it took 5 workers to get that far.
I was a little irritated.  That's all I'm going to say.
I came home from running kids to school with the knowledge that I was going to have to clear everything out of my basement that I wanted to salvage after the flooding began.  But to my surprise 2 City workers had shown up with a backhoe and had started tearing into the ground.

I set to work on my basement and they continued to dig, and dig, and dig.  12 feet under the surface of the earth they discovered the problem.  A shattered main water line.  They assured us that all would be taken care of within a matter of hours.

Two days later, I'm still clearing out my basement and my driveway promptly drops off into a 12 foot deep hole.  I have contaminated water and haven't done my dishes in three days.  That same water has to be turned off during the afternoon while they "work" at the problem and then turned back on when their shift ends.  Which because of budget cuts isn't very long.


Who's laughing now?  Not me.  Or my dishes.  Or my living room stacked to the ceiling with everything that we own.  Or my poorly bathed children. (please don't turn me into social services!)

So in the end I have decided that if I can't post anything nice I won't post anything at all.
(See God I apologized, now can I please, please, please get my water fixed?)

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and JENNIFER

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ruby Tuesday: Getting Ready For Apple Pie



If you'd like to join in the fun, visit Mary for Ruby Tuesday!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Sunday Funnies: The Killer Dream

Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at my blog.  If you'd like to play along, look through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. Either leave your story in the comments or send me a link to it and I'll come check it out!


(Sorry B I had to twist your title. Hope you don't mind.)

Last night my 7 year old K came in to my bedroom in a rush. The noise that she made as she entered the room was enough to have me wide awake and the rest of the neighborhood as well.
As she approached the bed she said in a shaking voice "Mom, I had a nightmare!"
"Oh, I'm sorry." I said as I pulled her up into my arms and tried to calm the shaking that had taken her.
"It was a scary dream, I dreamed I had to bake you. And I had to shove you in this really big (is she trying to tell me I'm fat?) oven with a fire. And then you wouldn't get out."
"Well was that because I was already dead?" Ok, ok I know that this didn't help the situation but sometimes things just leap out of my mouth before my brain really thinks about what I have just let plop out of my mouth.
"I don't know mommy. But I promise that I won't kill you again." She said as she hugged me tightly.
Well I guess its good to know that my daughter never plans on dressing me and stuffing me with Mrs. Cubbison's stuffing and shoving me into a giant oven to be baked until I'm well done.
Makes me wonder what on earth I've been letting my children watch...maybe it was that episode of NCIS and the amount of baking I've been doing the last several months.  And this is her way of telling my I'm spending too much time with my cooking range that would better be spent with my children. ^shrug^
Anyone out there that is a child psychologist (or not), please help me out here. Or is it already too late?

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Photo Story Friday: Twelve Hours Of Halloween

So to celebrate Halloween coming to an end I decided to do a post dedicated to the Carnival from last Friday.  I promise this will be almost the last one.
So to start off I decided to do a little quiz, now its not hard so don't freak out and get sweaty palms just because I said the word quiz.  This one is a no brainer, I'll even make it multiple choice.

Question:
What exactly was Heidi for Halloween?


A. A mom that has gone far too long with no sleep.

B. Elvira

C. Was supposed to be a Vampire but EM the three year old dropped her fangs on the bathroom floor and there was NO WAY she was going to put them in her mouth after they touched that!

D. A wife who accidentally walked in on her husband using the bathroom going #2 after eating the night before a plate of Mongolian Beef with extra garlic noodles, a twelve pack of Mountain Dew, and chased later that night with a glass of milk and a bran muffin, or two, or four, he may have lost count.
(Can you guess who came up with this suggestion?)




Ok now think about it really hard and leave your answer in your comment.

Now for all of you that are just dying to know how the Carnival turned out I have composed a terrible wonderful song to help you get the whole picture.
Now just hum the tune to the Twelve Days of Christmas for a moment and then you'll be ready to begin.

The Twelve Hours Of Halloween

In the twelve hours of Halloween
When Chaos reigns supreme, I had

12 pounds of pumpkin


11 kids puking


10 Auction baskets

9 11 was called

8 Michael Jackson's


7 kinds of sweets


6 games of Bingo


5 hours of Cleanup

4 cow parts in jars


3 daughters with swine flu


2 fire alarms buzzing

And 1 lost preschooler!


There, I hope you got a feel for how the day went.  Other than the fire alarm going off and having to clear all the kids out of the school twice in 20 minutes the day went pretty well.  And I have to say the Fire Marshall was very understanding, and so was the wonderful young man that answered the 911 call.
Did I mention that I took a Xanax when I got home?

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and Emily

Neno's Award: Thank you Anni!


I received this very flattering award from the ever kind and considerate Anni over at Hootin' Anni's. Her site is filled with the most wonderfully entertaining posts. And if anyone is deserving of this friendship award it would certainly be Anni. She has really reached out in friendship to me in the blogging world and has made me feel very welcome here. Thanks Anni, you are too sweet!


Here are the rules for this award:

Neno’s Award—-Rules and Regulations
1. As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
2. To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.

3. Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
4. Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
5. Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.

6. Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
7. Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.
Now...to pass this on to others who I feel really likes the same concept of 'loving to blog':

This is a very hard one for me, there are so many of you that I would love to give this award to. I just sent quite a few people an award not to long ago so I think I will just pick a few this time and I will probably choose someone that I didn't last time. :0)

I have to admit that I do LOVE blogging. I rarely go a day without looking several blogs. I'd say I was addicted but I could stop anytime I wanted to. Really I don't check the computer three or four times a day to see what everyone else is doing. I don't pretend that my children aren't screaming "MOM, she pulled my hair" in the background as I peacefully visit my new found friends. It's not a problem, I PROMISE!

Anyway why I love blogging is simple. I am a stay at home mom and I need to talk to adults every once in a while and blogging is a great way for me to meet other people to talk to. I love visiting so many of you and hearing about what you are doing and what's new in your lives. I also have a serious obsession with pictures. I love looking at pictures and taking pictures and blogging provides a wonderful way for me to view lots of photos and also to share a few (or a lot if I'm being honest) with someone. They may not be great, but they make me happy.

So I guess that right there is a great way to sum up why I love blogging, it makes me happy.

Thanks to everyone who stops by and makes me smile everyday! I appreciate it more than you could ever know.  I wish I could give this to everyone that comes but I promised to keep it to three.
And the winner's are:

Honey at Honey Mommy
Ralph at Airhead 55
Cecily at My Chaos My Bliss

Thanks so much for making great conversation and starting friendships over the web!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Smile Pretty For The Camera



Oh, come on, you can try harder than that!


Photo Hunt Challenge: October


Here are my enteries for October's Photo Scavenger Hunt with Kristi at Photo Hunt Challenge and thank you for hosting!
This was a crazy busy month so my pictures aren't the greatest.  And I've used a lot of them in post's through the month.

1. A Fall Activity

Picking Pumpkins


Fall Hikes


2. A Fall Treat



3. A Harvest







4. Leaves



#5 Fall Colors



6. Something Orange



7. Something Spooky






8. A Cemetery



9. A Costume



10. A Black & White Photo



11. A Critter



12. Symmetry



13. Contrast

(An old time swinging belt bridge and a modern cement bridge over the same river)


14. Texture



15. A Logo



16. Something Neon






17. Something Inspiring



Beyond the Grave



18. Something Entertaining






19. Something Fast (childhood)



20. Something Slow (time)