My Favorite Things in 2009

I got to go to a way fun party at Deonne's house last night with my best friend Claire.  What a great time we had tasting peoples favorite recipes, and sharing our favorite things.  I learned so much from these incredible women whom I hadn't met until last night.  They all were amazing, and had such neat ideas.  I'll share some of there ideas in another post someday.  Here is the things I shared which most of these things I'm sure you have already heard about but it was fun to think about the things that helped me progress and make things enjoyable last year.

My Favorite Things this year:

Babysitting Co-op 

            Got a bunch of girls with children who swap babysitting with each other.  Saves us tons of money and headache on finding a babysitter.  We swap coupons for babysitting.  1 coupon = 1 hour per kid of babysitting.  We also have date night coupons as well.  Get more details about it at: childrenareworthit.blogspot.com

Bountiful Baskets

            Get fresh produce for your family at a great price.  I love the variety, the price, and the spirit of healthy eating.  There are a few sites in Cache Valley and more to be opened soon.  It is really hard to get a basket because the demand is so high.  But every time I get one I love love it!  http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/

Google Calendar

            This great tool online can make individual calendars for all the members of your family.  I have each person a different color so it’s easy to see who has an event that day.  It also has a task list that you can put due dates on.  This has helped me organize my life a little better.

Heather’s Recipes

            This year I put all my recipes on the computer and then printed them in small three ring binders.  Thanks to Deonne the formatting was a breeze.

Breakfast Schedule

            I was so tired of cereal for breakfast because I didn’t plan anything we organized our breakfast so every

Monday-Cold Cereal Tuesday-Hot Cereal    Wed. - Eggs    Thurs. - Hot Cereal     Friday-Yogurt and Muffins            Saturday-Sugar Cereal            Sunday-Pancakes, Waffles etc.

Kids and Mom’s Job Chart

            Made a simple excel sheet, laminated it, and the kids mark daily their jobs with a dry erase marker.  Mom’s helper boy is on their everyday so I can pick something that I need help with that day.  Sometimes it’s things they do on their own and other times they work along side me.  No Wii, TV, friends until all their jobs are complete! 

Mulligan Card

            Our kids practice their instruments before school every morning.  Most of the time they do really great, but there are days they need a break.  We give them two mulligan cards a month and these can be used at anytime they feel like they would like a break from practicing. You can do this with jobs at home to.

IPod and ITunes Playlists

            I decide to orchestrate my date with different playlists to help me program my mind and body to do different tasks.  I have a Clean up Kitchen playlist, get ready, kids focus (help my little ones do their jobs), e-mail declutter, desk cleanup.  I’m currently going to experiment with a new scripture study playlist.  The music of course fits the job and also gives me an automatic timer to say “Hey you are done with this task lets move on to the next” 

Favorite Websites

            Saving money when ordering online:  www.retailmenot.com

            Tracking your weight loss goals and other things:  tickerfactor.com

Counting calories, fat intake, or even just seeing if your getting enough fruits and veggies:  mypyramid.gov/

            Watching my favorite show when I want:  www.hulu.com

            Listening to fun music:  http://www.pandora.com/

Allowing myself the time for Self-Care

            Taking time when I need to take care of myself (running, reading a book, blogging, temple worship, prayer and study, shopping whatever I may need at the moment) It helps to have a friend or husband who can be there to take care of the kids sometimes.  

Pumpkin Waffles

Waffles:                                                                                              Syrup:

2 cups flour                                                                            1/2 cup butter

1 TB cinnamon                                                                     1 cup sugar

1 TB sugar                                                                              1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp nutmeg                                                                       1 tsp corn syrup

2 TBS baking power                                     Boil these then take off heat then add:

4 eggs separated                                                                     1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cup milk                                                                        1 tsp vanilla

1 cup pumpkin (can use squash as a substitute)

3/4 cup butter

1 TB vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients. Mix egg yolk, milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff. Combine liquid and dry ingredients. Fold in egg whites.

I got to vent!

This toy claims that it encourages early music-making and it even has a song on the back of the box for the child to try out.  The musical "scale" is C major.  The problem it's way out of tune!  So bad that the G is really a F#.  Even Traeden can tell the scale is off.  Here is what the scale sounds like C, D, E, F, F#, A, B, C We bought two because Devin loved his xylophone as a kid.  Well both have the F# issue and one of the xylophones has  two high C's next to each other.  The second xylophone plays C, D, E, F, F#, A, C (very muted),C. So muted that it doesn't ring at all.  This was very disappointing to me so when I called Fisher Price to explain the issue they laughed at me and said it's just a toy, it not suppose to be musical.  Well I say, I don't want my children learning the sound of a C major scale wrong.  Plus any song they try to make on the toy is going to sound wrong, That is not going to encourage music making or a sense of accomplishment.  Don't buy this toy!

Fisher Price will let me return them both for vouchers to buy other fisher price toys but I have to pay the shipping of course.  All I can say is I'm not pleased with Fisher Price Today!

Conrad's Birthday

The girls at the B-day party

Eating peach cobbler

Baby Lily (she is so small and cute)-Danny and Melissa's new baby girl

Homemade Corn dogs-way to thick I'll have to keep working on that recipe!

Birthday Boy-7 years old!

The Boy's cake for the fellers bake off-celebrating 100 years of scouting. They did this all by scratch-blueberry cake.

We went to my parents this weekend for family night so Conrad had a little birthday celebration with the Titensors and then tonight we invited over Deonne and Greg's family for peach cobbler.

We put up Conrad's height up on the wall and he is as tall as Traeden was at 5 years old. Crazy how much shorter he is, it will be interesting to see if Conrad shoots up later and get his height when he is older like Devin did.

Conrad 7th birthday poem

Can do anything he puts his mind to

Obedient

Not a procrastinator-(he likes to get his homework and jobs done quickly so he can play)

Really smart

Awesome violinist

Dedicated to friends and family

Today I was called as the ward organist and ward music coordinator. So I not only play the music but I will get to pick out the hymns and musical numbers. So I'm excited to have some new opportunities learn. I've always wanted to play the organ. At one time in my life I said that someday I would like to play in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. I don't know if that will ever happen but now I at least the opportunity to develop that talent.