I love vinegar!

So I'm back. Finally. My excuse? How about 2 weeks in Portugal. Yes, the country. It was there that I learned how much I liked the taste of vinegar. Here is how it happened.... So I'm at a restaurant and I get a salad for part of my meal...just a little background information: I don't speak Portuguese. But Shayne does. He went to Portugal on his mission... I don't know how to say ranch in Portuguese and I wasn't about to ask Shayne to embarrass himself and me by asking so I went with the vinegar and olive oil on the table. Okay. So YUM. From then on I was hooked. The rest of the trip I wanted nothing more than vinegar. I even devoured a bag of salt and vinegar chips. Normally I would have thought, yuck! But not any more. Actually I ate other things which were also very de-lish. So thank you Portugal for introducing my taste buds to something they had been lacking.

Okay, so you probably are also wondering about my trip besides the food. It was awesome. We were gone a day under 2 weeks. My little sister Sadie came down to watch our girls for the whole time. Yes, she is amazing and the girls couldn't have had a better time. Thanks, Sadie! (and Christian, and my mom, and Shayne's mom for also helping out). Also, one of Shayne's mission companions, Ryan came with us. Weird? Not at all! He is awesome and made our trip 100 times better. Have any of you seen The Amazing Race? You know how there is always couple that is constantly fighting and arguing and yelling how much they hate each other? That would have been Shayne and I (well not the hating part). If Ryan had not been there, I would have had to take a more active role in the decision making (I'm horrible at that and Shayne is too. Bad combo) and then the navigating. Now that would not have been pretty. Can you imagine me trying to read a map and road signs in Portuguese? So, thank you Shayne and Ryan....my job of sitting back and enjoying all the sites couldn't have been any better if I planned it myself.

Shayne did a great job travel logging our whole trip on his blog, so you should really read about it there. But here's a few pictures.

We had a day layover in London. We walked everywhere. It took me a little while to adjust to looking the other direction first when crossing the street. [You know how the drive on the other side of the street there.] Let's just say we are very lucky I made it home safely. Thank you London for thinking of me when you painted the direction to look ON THE ROAD.

This is Flat Stanley. Clayre had us take him along for the trip. You can see Big Ben and the British Parliament in the background. That view is from The EYE.

While in London, we also got to see Wicked. Sooo good!

In Portugal we drove around in this little car. It was perfect because the roads are tiny and you can park pretty much anywhere you can fit...so sidewalks, freeway exit ramps, even blocking other cars is free game. There are huge roundabouts everywhere. When it came to driving around, let's just say we were all glad I didn't have to drive.

Most everyone there lives in huge apartment buildings. Some look very shabby with clothes drying on lines out the windows...you would think the poorest people lived there. Not so. Pretty much every building had clothes out drying. Even the wealthiest don't have dryers. This is a picture of one of the church branches. It looked like a warehouse on the outside.

We got to see a lot of amazing sites. Century old castles, Roman ruins, and even a chapel made of human bones. It was amazing to be around so much history.

But the best part was meeting amazing Portuguese people. Families and friends that Shayne knew from his mission. That was great. I of course had to endure conversations in Portuguese and every now and then a translation from Shayne. But it was still great. I also really enjoyed watching Shayne. He did an amazing job speaking Portuguese, amazing because it has been 14+ years since his mission. We had a great time together. This trip was a nice break from our busy lives. I don't think I have laughed so much and so hard in a long time. I can't wait to go back.

Santa's List

I'm trying to decide what I want my children to ask Santa for for Christmas. Yes, you read that right I like to decide what they want... I do this nicely of course with a little persuasion...and some sneakiness. Gasp! Terrible, right? No, not really. They are none the wiser and are as happy as could be on Christmas morning, since they are getting what they/I wanted. This couldn't be any more win-win....until of course they grow up and realize I have been brainwashing them their whole childhood. Ooops!?

So... does anyone have any great ideas?

Side thought: Some of you may be thinking Christmas lists now, in November? Too late or too early? I'm not sure which of you think which. So I put both. Well, anyway...Shayne and I like to have the girls write Santa a letter asking for 1 item around this time of year, so later if they change their minds (after we have already purchased the item) we say, "Oh, maybe you can ask for that next year. Santa has already gotten your letter and has been busy making that toy for you." Yep. Great parenting tip! No more panicking a week before Christmas.

It all comes down to a toothpick

Sometimes as a mom, I feel guilty that I don't make my kids fun and exciting snacks. You know the kind that have faces and shapes, lots of colors, and maybe even variety to them.... and then of course they are very healthy for you.
One day it came to me ... something very simple...an idea that turned out to save me from all that work. A toothpick! Yep. This simple tool is brilliance. So now snack time or even lunch time is like a party every day.
Here it is.. easy just 2 steps::

Step 1: cut some food in small chunks. Ex. cheese, strawberries, or my kids favorite apples (sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar).
Step 2: get out the trusty old tooth pick. And wahh-law.

It's amazing how a simple sliver of wood can be the difference between..."boring old apples for a snack again"- t0- "Yes! apples! Yummy!"

WARNING: I must admit here: I only have girls so the urge to poke, jab, or pierce someone does not happen at our table. If you have boys....well...good luck to YOU!

Wouldn't you like to know

I've been tagged by my hubby, Shayne. So here are some things you've all been dieing to know about me.

Places I've Worked:
1. WIC as a breastfeeding peer counselor
2. Truitt Middle School as a 7th grade math teacher
3. MLMS as a night time custodian
4. USU University Inn as a desk clerk and night auditor

Places I have lived:
1. Logan, UT.
2. Houston, TX.
3. Mesa, AZ.
4. St. George/ Santa Clara, UT.

Guilty Pleasures:
1. sneaking in a nap
2. eating handfuls of milk chocolate chips throughout the day
3. hurrying to put the kids to bed so Shayne and I can.... watch t.v together (especially Thursday nights)
4. not having to cook dinner, therefore not having to clean up afterwards

Favorite T.V. shows:
1. 30 Rock
2. The Office
3. CSI (Las Vegas)
4. The Closer
5. Amazing Race and Survivor

First things I thought when I saw/met my significant other:
1. He's cute.... to bad he is dating my cousin (Brooke)
2. If he only got to know me, he would like me. - I always thought I was the kind of girl guys would like to marry, but not to date.
3. Who puts milk in their ice cream? -I do, now.
4. He's funny.

Favorite Places I've been on vacation:
1. Seaside, OR.
2. Disneyland, CA. /San Diego, CA.
3. Logan, UT.
4. Portugal- leaving in a few weeks (I've never been out of the country...no, not even to Canada or Mexico)

Favorite Restaurants:
1. PF Changs
2. Mongolian BBQ
3. Outback Steakhouse
4. In and Out

Favorite Books:
1. Vampire series by Stephenie Meyers
2. Emma
3. These is my Words
4. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series

Talents:
1. Talking and talking while running (I never run out of things to talk about...even during a 20 miler.)
2. Falling asleep when my head hits the pillow- nightly around 10:30 (even if I take a nap during the day)
3. Making others feel good about themselves by telling them all my flaws
4. I am really good at packing our van up before we go on a trip

Things I like:
1. DVR
2. Conversation
3. running
4. one-on-one time with my girls (individually) and alone time with Shayne
5. eating foods not made by me

Things I dislike:
1. Planning meals for the month
2. End of the month Budget review (or really anything money related)
3. That I'm a little too sensitive sometimes
4. The fact that I enjoy a little drama (Does that make me a drama queen? Please no.)

Goals for the future:
1. Try to go a whole day without calling/or IM Shayne at work
2. Boston Marathon in April
3. Not get sucked into confrontations with Parly
4. Watch more t.v. (thanks to DVR)

I tag: Amy, Kristi T., and brother Marty

Halloween 2007

Getting everyone in costumes this year without spending a cent. Priceless. Literally. Here's how it ended up looking:

Maggie: Halloween Princess- used the dress that all the girls have worn on their 2nd Halloween. $0

Kate: Porcelain Doll- or China doll as she calls it. Used a dress that we got from Shayne's cousin, Athena who wore it when she was a little girl. $0

Clayre: China girl- used the costume from Clayre's dance recital last year and the real Chinese paper umbrella was a gift from Brooke. $0

Parly: Bride- used her white baptism dress and my wedding veil. $0

Shayne: Old Man- clothes came out of his closet, YES he shaved 1/2 his head, cane brought over by Susan. $0

What a cute and cheap family.

Love comes in a Box

So the other day I made Hamburger Helper for dinner. In my defense, Shayne wasn't coming home for dinner and we needed to hurry so the girls could go with Nanny Susan to Wizard of Oz at Dixie High School. Anyway, the girls loved it! Yes, the musical and the Hamburger Helper. Here is the conversation we had at dinner:


Clayre: "Mom, how did you make this?"
Me: "It just came from a box."
Clayre: "This box is genius."
Parly: "Clayre, sometimes you just make me giggle."

Again, to be the Best Mom Ever....really isn't that hard. It comes in a box.

Worried? Don't be

Have you ever wondered what my kids are doing while I am "blogging"? Yes, of course you have.

Okay, technically most of my kids are at school/preschool (at least for a few hours), so it is just Maggie and myself at home. Here's a little glimpse of how Maggie keeps herself busy while I am in a computer trance:

Yes, that is a doll stroller. (above)

Yes, she is sleeping on tile.

Such a cute thumb sucker.

Can't her mom just pick her up and put her in her crib? No, that would require me to get up from the computer.

Mom's Out

I just got back from a "Mom's Out" weekend. It was at a cabin in California, and by cabin I mean pretty much it is just surrounded by trees. There is nothing "cabinish" about this 6,000 sq. ft. luxury home. To see pictures see this blog.

My sister invited me... so I was there mostly amongst strangers. I knew a few people... some of Em's sister-in-laws and some from going to this annual trip two years ago, but mostly new faces. There were about 17 women in all. Sooooo.. that meant, lots of different and interesting (some even possibly: coo coo) personalities AND that meant for lots of fun. I enjoyed sitting in on a lot of conversations... and sometimes even adding to them.

The favorites of the trip: Panini sandwiches, apple stuffed croissant French toast, amazing Mexican tacos, white chocolate-cinnamon-caramel-apples (Yes, I made these....don't seem so surprised. They are actually quite easy to make....and they turned out to be more than just my favorite of the weekend. Although I probably did eat the most. I'm glad I got to contribute something.) I know it looks like most of the favorites are food....so I'll move on. Sitting or rather "hanging out" in the hot-tub (a little bit of a subliminal there, funny...if you got it), watching movies, taking walks and then a hike back up...before and after all the eating, getting a massage (they had 2 massage therapists come up on Saturday). This was my first massage - yes, I was a massage virgin and everyone enjoyed that fact. This was the perfect time and place to get a massage and it definitely was a highlight of the weekend. But I have to say the best was: all the fun girls I met. I laughed and laughed all weekend : my favorite of the trip.

So, everything was fine at the home front. I don't think the girls even noticed I was gone. They called me once just to ask where one of the clues to a treasure hunt I made was, and once I told them they were off.... I love you too. You can read more about their weekend on Shayne's blog here.

Favorite time of Day

So yesterday I went to get Maggie from her nap. I usually know when she is awake because there is a very loud banging coming from her room. This is from her rocking her crib back and forth which in turn hits against the wall. Side note: This is the same crib we have used for all the other girls...it is a little on the getting-quite-old-and-almost-falling-apart side. We just hope it lasts for our last...Maggie. Back to the loud banging...you might say just pull it away from the wall. Well, we would have to put it in the middle of the room in order for it to not bang a wall...it sways from all sides a lot. So it is safer in a corner, touching two walls and a dresser. Mother of the year, right here!

So...I went in to find Maggie very much engaged with a sun spot that was on the wall. She was trying to grab it. And each time she did this she would move in front of the sun ray and thus make the spot disappear. Of course then she would move back and it would reappear. This little dance repeated over and over. It was so cute. It is at these are the times.... I am reminded.... Of how glad I am that: I was the one that got to witness such a sweet moment and not someone else.


Going along with the Mother of the year bit. After our drive home from Logan (6 hours) I took Maggie out of her car seat and noticed that she was wet all over. How? I just figured some of her milk from her sippy cup had leaked. Not so. When I changed her into her jammies I also changed her diaper...I have never seen a fuller diaper... and I have had 3 others. Sorry Maggie. So I should either 1. Change her once during the trip or 2. Get a bigger diaper size for trips. What would the Mother of the year do?

Time to move to Logan

We just got back from a weekend in Logan. It's always fun to go up north and visit my parents...and 3 of my siblings + spouses. There is always great company and always great food. Probably too much food. But I'm not complaining.

It was really great to go this time of year. It's so beautiful in Cache Valley in the fall when the leaves have changed colors. As we drove through Sardine Canyon we oohed and awed over the red and orange trees, yes even the girls look up from their movie for a second to gasp once or twice. It was there that I realized that this is the time of year I need to live in Logan. Now? I know what you are thinking: wouldn't you rather live there in the summer when the temperatures are much more bearable. Okay, yes. But here was my thought for a second anyway: See, I am not a very festive decorator. My kids have asked me why we haven't put up any Halloween decorations yet, since every house around us has and then some. So if we lived in Logan, with all the leaves changing colors, etc., there would be no need to decorate. Your house already looks festive. You wouldn't have to buy any hay bales, corn husks, pumpkins, fake spider webs, or fake leaves because you already have those in your yard. Well...at least we would have the right color of leaves and probably the spider webs...and then those other things if we lived on a farm or at a pumpkin walk. Sooo... This is why I said it was only my thought for a second. Regardless.....there are two facts here: 1. Logan is gorgeous this time of year. And 2. I am not a decorator festive or not. Annnd let's add 3. I'm all about doing things the easy way.