The simple things

that make your day


and a CHRISTMAS water cup!! (perfect timing since my other broke)

 Pretty yarn

 and a beautiful and extremely happy girl-who doesn't care what other people think! LOL

Hope your Thursday is a great one!

Pumpkin Chili-details

Yesterday I saw that the weather today was going to be cold and rainy.  I LOVE IT!  So I decided a nice warm comforting meal was in order for the menu tonight.
Yes, it is autumn...so what could be better than pumpkin chili?!!!

Adapted from this recipe

I added 1lb extra hamburger, a 64 oz container of v-8, extra spices and beans and did a whole can of pumpkin instead of half.

So kind of funny,  I went to the store to get bell pepper and onion because somehow I was actually out! *gasp*

While there I realized no cans of beans - well they wanted $1.50 for 1 can of beans!  yes, so at 1am I was starting a pot of beans last night.

Then today, I realized, no pumpkin pie spice! LOL  so I made some up from this recipe here

the only thing not from scratch was canned tomatoes and the canned pumpkin...maybe next time I should remedy that!

Looks great and smells divine!  I can't wait to taste it.

Brown 3 lbs hamburger

Add 2 Tbsp of Pumpkin Pie spice...I made my own

Place hamburger and 1lb cooked beans in your pot/crockpot depending on your method of cooking

Add 2 cans diced tomatoes, or more if desired. and 1 1/2-2 Tbsp Chili powder

1 29oz can of pumpkin puree and 1/2 cup sugar

Sautee 2 green bell peppers and 2 onions

Add to mixture

64oz of V-8 or other vegetable juice

Cook/simmer on stove top for 1 hour

or 8 hours on low in the crockpo

cool days makes me long

for a sweater!  I wonder how many years it will take me to actually knit myself a sweater.  or a cardigan.  or something wooly just for me!  I always knit for everyone else, but I tell you, the thought of a sweater for myself is daunting.

The days are turning cool-wonderful days for curling up on the couch with my down comforter and book.  cool days that bring big pots of chicken noodle soup for the family (yes, with joyous cries of excitement!!)  this is truly my favorite time of year, and I hate how quickly each day passes.  why can't it be October for 2 months or more? lol

things are crazy it seems.  7 kids means everything is insane.  Kaitlyn started highschool this year and it is weird having 2 of them there! Next year Noah will start.  And the fees for highschool are insane! Holy cow!  Even just to be in men's choir cost Conner $75 on top of supplies.

Speaking of Conner, he gave his first speech as a DeMolay state officer a few weeks ago.  He did a great job!  I was so proud of him. 

Homecoming 2011- Conner and Tiffany!

Homecoming 2011-Kaitlyn and Will

Kaitlyn and Conner

Speaking of Conner, I forgot to mention-he broke his arm in July.  And not just a break, he broke it good!  Was going down hill on a little razor scooter, got going too fast (paramedics estimate about 30 mph) lost control and fell forward.  His arm snapped on impact, then his head hit and he was knocked unconscious.  They said it was good his arm hit first or he might not have made it with the impact to his head-  He had a compound break of both arms in his bone and had to have surgery.  2 plates were put in his arm and he was in the hospital for several days.  Here are his incision and the area where the bone broke through the skin.

pretty gnarly scars he has now! 

Summer time....

It seems like June went by in a blur--the girls had Grand Session for Job's Daughters in Pocatello....if you don't know what that is...hundreds of teen girls, hormones, drama....nah! LOL  it wasn't that bad!  Our Bethel did an awesome job this year and we had a lot of fun!  They compete in their ritual work, music, dance etc.  Kaitlyn placed in black and white photography for a photo she did of Harrison.  And Hannah did AWESOME on her novice competition and only missed 4 points total!  that is HUGE....I am so proud of her.

Kaitlyn was drawn as Idaho Grand Bethel Representative to the Philippines.  Here she is with her medallion:

We all had a great time and their bonds of sisterhood were greatly increased!

Conner was appointed the Idaho State Junior Councilor for DeMolay,  and I can see busy times ahead of us! LOL

Noah had his surgery, he had over a 50% occlusion of his throat.  He is doing well now-we have his follow up next week.

I am looking forward to some down time with the family...only 2 months and they will be back in school-and yes the time is flying by faster than I can keep up with!

Hannah, the night of the Miss Idaho Job's Daughter Pageant

someone let the crazy in!

It seems like the last few months have passed by in a whirlwind of "crazy time"
I can remember bits and pieces..like in snapshots of time.  but not the whole picture.    Between Jobies, DeMolay and other Masonic stuff, we have been insanely busy-especially when you just add in life in general.

I couldn't even begin to do it justice as a recap, so I will share a few pictures and a few hi-lights to get caught up!

Conner and Noah attended DeMolay Conclave this year in April.  This is a statewide event for DeMolay.  Conner was awarded the hugest honor:  DeMolay of the YEAR!!!  Out of all the boys in Idaho, he was chosen.  Here is a newstory on it:
Local Youth Wins Idaho DeMolay of the Year

I cried.  Shawn cried.  Conner cried.  Sweethearts and boys from his chapter, along with other parents in the room cried.  He was so humbled, shocked, and appreciative.

Other things I can remember:  kaitlyn was elected Guide in Jobies.  The installation of officers is May 21 at 2pm.  Noah's surgery was delayed, but we will be getting it soon. 

Other than that, i leave you with photos....

VOTE! Cupcakes for a good cause!

So I am sure you have seen me mention baking pumpkin muffins on my blog.  That wonderful recipe is courtesy of my friends Sandi!  They are seriously to die for and we look forward to them every year-and yes, they are devoured in minutes!

Well, Sandi has done it again!  She created this cupcake for a contest to benefit the American Heart Association.  Not only is it gorgeous and sound divine-but it is also GLUTEN FREE!  Yes, this is a huge deal! Yummy gluten free baked items are really hard to fine...and yet, she created it!

This is a personal mission for Sandi.  Her grandfather died at the age of just 54 from heart disease.  This had a big impact on her-and winning the contest means a donation in her grandfathers name.

Can you help?

Every 24 hours you can vote-no log on or registration required...just go out, click vote, and you are done.

Do it for the cupcake lady.  Do it for a great cause.  Or just do it because you want to be nice-but DO IT!

My annual list

So Shawn has been bugging me like crazy the last few days to make my list.  Not that I really want him buying me anything this year...but if it will make him be quiet, I will post! LOL

So here is my annual wish list....

Target makeup brush set (hard white case, $19.99-only in stores)

a new makeup bag-like what I have now but in different colors

MAC makeup gift card


a pretty scarf to go with my aqua hat

30 days of Thanksgiving

 

Last year, I did 30 days of Thanksgiving throughout the month of November on Facebook.  Every day I would post something, no matter how small , that I was thankful for.

It's November 1st which means the start of my "I am thankful" month of posts....  I will copy them all here and post this on the last day of November.

1st: Today, I am thankful for Harrison's sweet toddler boy kisses....they can always bring a smile to my face, even on the most rotten of days.

2nd: Today, I am thankful for my spouse who loves me and treats me well. I know I can always count on him to support me in my decisions and lift me up when I am down. He is a good person that is honest, devoted, loving and fun. He is my friend, my love, my life

3rd: Today, I am thankful for the right to have my own thoughts pertaining to
our government and country-and for the ability to express them freely
without fear of reprisal. Some people do not even have that.

4th: Today I am thankful that I can be there for a friend in her time of need.

5th: Today, I am thankful for Harrison. He came into this world 3 years ago today-a surprise pregnancy that at first was very hard for me to accept. He has brought me so much joy, love and smiles-and I am forever grateful for him. Happy Birthday Harrison!

6th: Today I am thankful for my amazing kids. They bring me so much happiness and I enjoy just being with them. I consider them not only my children, but my friends and I value our closeness and love our time together. They teach me something new everyday

7th: Today, I am thankful for my friends. I know they are always there for me-to lend a hand or a listening ear...or to just have fun with. They are the best!

8th: Today I am thankful for the house in which we live....the heat that keeps us warm, the clothes on our back and the food in our cabinets. Such simple things that we take for granted each day-but makes a big difference in our lives.

9th: Today, I am thankful for the doctor's office that is less than a mile away from my house. We have been there so much in the last few weeks-and I am glad that the medical care was accessible and easy to get to.

10th: Today, I am thankful for insurance that saved me over $450 the last few weeks on prescriptions.

11th: Today, I am thankful for my knitting skills. Not only is it awesome to be able to create beautiful and practical projects-but it is also helps me keep my sanity and brings me a lot of peace and satisfaction....as long as I am not tempted to poke someone with a needle when I am ticked!

12th: Today, I am thankful for Univ. of Idaho's decision to bring their law school down to Boise. It gives me better access to get my law degree-and means that I can be a true "divided" fan with my bachelor's coming from Boise State!

13th: Today I am thankful for a good head on my shoulders. For the ability to learn, to grown, to think clearly and make good decisions.

14th: Today, I am thankful for my yarn, fiber and fabric stashes! They keep me well stocked when I need to do a craft ♥

15th: Today, I am thankful for my bathroom being so close to my bedroom-it means I have a smaller area to run when I have to throw up. And I am thankful for my dd who is keeping an eye on the boy for me

16th: Today, I am thankful for an awesome mother who taught me so much growing up...how to love, how to be a good friend and most of all..taught me how I wanted to be a mother to my own children. I love you mom. ♥

17th: Today, I am thankful for my professors that give extra time outside of regular classes to do online classes as well. Without them, I wouldn't be finishing my education right now

18th: Today, I am thankful for the Job's Daughters. It has already taught
Kaitlyn so much. Her self confidence has grown tremendously, she had
made WONDERFUL friends and learned a lot about herself. We have a wonderful bethel of girls-and I love them and appreciate them all so much!

19th: Today, I am thankful that the kids Thanksgiving break started today! I am excited to have a week to spend with them! ♥

20th: Today, I am thankful for the eye doctor. I cannot imagine life for me or those who have worse vision than ME if we didn't have this ability to correct our vision problems!

21st: It's one of those days where I am finding it hard to do a thankful post. So I will just say that I am thankful for my life, and those that I have in it.

22nd: Today, I am thankful for the 99.5 on my final in my computer.most.hideous.horrible.boring.time consuming.ever class! I am so glad that class is OVER!

23rd: Today, I am thankful for the great messages learned while watching the holiday cartoons. Service to others and gratitude for what we have. It is a wonderful lesson for all to hear.

24th: Today I am thankful for my son with aspergers. He has taught me so much about love and has brought to me the appreciation for the simpleness of a hug or an "I love you" ♥

25th: Today, I am thankful for my large family-there is always someone to hug, always someone to talk to and share with, and a whole lot of love, fun and craziness going on in my home. I wouldn't have it any other way. ♥
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my family and friends. I hope your day is filled with family, love, thanks and peace.

26th: Today, I am thankful for my level of patience. :-D

27th: Today, I am thankful for all the wonderful Jobies and DeMolay kids that are in my life.  The girls are like my other daughters. They are crazy and loving and fun and such a joy to be around. They teach me a lot. The boys are fun and rambunctious and a great thing to have around my serious boys!
So today, I am thankful for GREAT kids! ♥

28th: Today, I am thankful for books. Reading is an integral part of my life. It helps me to learn, to imagine, to relax. I am thankful for the writers that come up with the story lines and for the ability to print those stories on paper and to be available for purchase. I LOVE BOOKS!

29th: Today I am thankful for my creativity. I am an artistic thinker and I love that it inspires me in color, design and creation.

30th: Last day of my 30 days of Thanksgiving posts. Today, I am thankful for all my wonderful friends that joined me in this challenge. I am thankful for the experience and what it has taught me. I am thankful for the reminders of what is important in life. So, I am thankful for my friends, my family, my life. I hope my friends will join me again next year ♥

Frozen

Wow - the weather has just been insane!  First, the summer started really late, with cold rainy days into JULY!  Then the summer was short and it seemed like September was more cold than it was warm.  October busts out with WARM days!  Halloween comes around and it is the warmest on record for awhile..and then BOOM.  Ice cold.  I swear it was the next day!  It feels so cold outside that I feel like just staying in all the time so I don't have to go out in it! LOL
Halloween was fun this year.  Shawn and I actually dressed up and went to a friends halloween party.  the kids got to go trick or treating in their neighborhood while we visited.
November marks the start of the craft show season!  Stacy and I had our annual spree together where we hit a ton of them in one day.  Didn't really buy much (no money! LOL) but the point of it was to have fun, which we did.

I am busy with working on handmade gifts for the kids and for swaps - this is one of my most favorite times of the year!


Kaitlyn passed her proficiency in Jobies!  I was so proud of her-she did an awesome job.  She amazes me so much.  Harrison just turned 3.  I cannot believe that much time has gone by.  It seriously just seems like yesterday that I was still pregnant with him

Enjoy your autumn season!! (it sure feels like winter here!)

What are you thankful for?

I feel like the pebble, thrown into the lake that makes a wave--the wave that filters further and further out to reach more around it.

Last year on facebook, I made November my month of gratefulness.  I posted a "today, I am thankful for...." post everyday.  It got hard at times to think of something that wasn't frivolous,  but I made it through and it helped me to appreciate even more the people in my life and the things that I have.

This year, I am doing it again.  When I posted today, I found that there were several friends that posted after me on their own page a thankful post!  A few even asked if they could copy me - to which I gladly said YES!  I want my friends to participate!  As they day has gone by, I have seen more and more people posting as the idea spreads and every post brings a smile to my face as I realize that I helped them to do this!

...I hope they enjoy it and learn as much from it as I did!  Will you join us too?  30 days of thankfulness!  I challenge you to do it!

A New Imagination Mover

couldn't resist.....enjoy! LOL

New food blog

Hey friends!!! Since posting about food on this blog seems to be all I do now a days...we decided to start a new food blog so I can get back to posting regular stuff here! Come check it out:

Our Big Green Table

Breast Cancer Awareness

A year ago we went through a breast cancer scare due to an abnormal rash on my breast that they could not figure out. I was 34, a mother to 7 kids and I was scared.

I underwent a large biopsy on my breast where they took off a chunk of skin on my areola. It was painful. It was emotional. It was something I never want to go through again.

I had a huge outpouring of support from friends. Phone calls and hugs and messages that meant so much to me and helped get me through this as I felt like my world was falling apart. Every day I woke up, afraid to get the phone call that said “you have cancer” – I constantly thought “what if?” and “why?”

Thankfully, it came back negative a week later. But for those 2 weeks – I lived in hell. I thought I was going to die. I thought I was going to leave my children alone on this earth without their mother to be here for them. To hug them and kiss them and guide them and tell them how much I love them every day. I suffered, a lot of times in silence because I knew that my husband didn’t know what to say. What can he say? It will be ok? It won’t be ok. I could have cancer. I could lose my breast. It could spread. I could die. There are just no words that can make anything ok at that point.

Women, get your mammograms and do your breast checks, and if you don’t know how to do it-FIND OUT! Women should not have to go through this. NOBODY should have to go through these emotions and this pain and fear and worry. This month is breast cancer awareness month. If you want to do something to raise awareness-talk about it! If you have a story, please share it with others! THIS is what helps bring awareness all around. Spread the word. Share your story. Be a friend. Share. Care.

Meal plan monday

Breakfast:
Oatmeal with fresh peaches and vanilla soymilk
Apple spice pancakes and yogurt
Celebratory Autumn porridge
cereal or muffins with fruit
Comfort casserole (overnight baked in the morning casserole)

Lunch:
veggie pot pie
pumpkin muffins with cheese and grapes
noodle soup
Pita sandwiches (hummus, feta, chicken or grilled veggies-whatever we have left over)
Egg salad sandwiche

Dinner:
Vegetable fried rice
Veggies and dumplings (this is SOOO good from vegan family favorites)
garlic alfredo with french bread and maybe salad
vegetable lentil soup in the crockpot with homemade bread
massur dal with jasmine rice

extra/snacks:
homemade granola with homemade yogurt and fruit puree'
spice bread from moosewood low fat...aafke's spice bread
smoothies
fried potatoes.

School is starting everywhereI

My classes started again on Monday. I was NOT ready for the summer break to end. That means I have to get my mind back into think mode again!

I registered the kids for their new schools here in Meridian. Conner is a freshman this year. Among the normal english and some weird history they do here he is taking Geometry, French, Debate and a few other courses. He is most excited to be able to take Psychology and Sociology his junior and senior years. He decided against football this year so that he will have time to do driver's ed after he finishes up his Eagle Scout project (all but done! just have to submit some final papers!) He also is planning on rugby later on in the year.

Kaitlyn is still homeschooling. Noah is the middle school. His registration took the longest as we had to have a sit down with the school nurse and go over his bee sting allergy. We had to make an emergency plan in case he gets stung. The school will have one of his epi-pen's in the office so that they can administer it to him if needed. That takes a load off my mind as I don't have to worry about Noah doing it himself.

The 3 little girls are at the same elementary school and it looks great! Bella is so excited about going to school all day now. It isn't very far from our house either so they can walk.

Between the new house, unpacking, the yarn business and life-I have been extremely busy! We had our first council meeting for Jobies last night and will have our first meeting next Wednesday. We found out that Hannah gets to put her papers in in October and she is just thrilled.

I haven't had much time for knitting lately. Too much with the move and settling in. Our new house has a lot of fruit trees and we will have a huge garden area next year. I am so excited.

A few pictures till next time.

Dream Shopping day...

having fun and looking at some beautiful stuff....my dream shopping list that I'd love to buy for myself

This gorgeous quilt: Would love to use it for just meditation-I am learning to do this for relaxation and it helps me go to sleep!

This great wallet: I know she does customs. I'd be tempted to get in some of my favorite fabrics-although this one is pretty cool too!

a custom order with this lady for this AMAZING fiber. I would probably pass out if I were lucky enough to get it!

a mama messenger bag from this lady with either the tree of mushrooms applique-and lots of patchwork! (seen HERE )

too many buttons to count from TessaAnn

this awesome laptop bag from this store

this amazing ring


so what are you drooling over on Etsy right now?

meal plan (before) monday!

OK, so this is going to be a heavy meat week for us. It is just too hot to cook on or in the stove, so we are sticking to the grill and crockpot this week!

Breakfast: assorted muffins/yogurts/cereals/oatmeal
lunch: sandwiches, bean burritos etc

Dinner:
Turkey/apple burgers on the foreman with salad
Grilled chicken with baked potatoes (in the crockpot!) and assorted fresh fruits
rushville burgers (all bbq beans and cabbage! yummy)
beans/rice
grilled chicken and veggie salad
no hurry vegetable curry.

whew. 3 nights of meat? not sure how I am going to like that one!

asperger's sucks

most of the time I am pretty good at keeping a smile on my face. I can deal with the tantrums. The lack of understanding and the constant re-explaining of things so that his brain can process it.
I can deal with his anger and his inability to calm down. I can deal with the fighting and the strife and just the everyday "stuff"
Because that is just a part of dealing with my son who just happens to have aspergers.

But today, I am floundering. Only a few hours into the morning I am in tears and wishing for the night so that I can go to bed and not have to deal with it.

I am wishing for that one small piece of extra patience that I am needing and not finding.

I love him. And yet today, it is just too much.

Asperger's sucks.

Meal plan monday

oh look! I made it today to post our plan for the week! Quite the ordeal it seems lately! LOL

breakfast:
assorted cereal, muffins, yogurts, fruits.
also doing cream of wheat berries with cranberries and cardamom in the crockpot via FRESH FROM THE VEGETARIAN SLOW COOKER

lunch:
nothing new this week. we are winging it and using leftovers and fresh produce. kids favorite way to eat!

dinner:

vegetable dumplings via vegan family favorites
chicken tacos in the crockpot
israeli couscous salad from fat free vegan
overnight crockpot black beans with homemade bread
massur dal with jasmine rice

assorted fruits/veggies/salads to accompany.

we had a really busy weekend! Took the kids to the renaissance faire in Meridian and had fun.






and then we went to the Lavender Festival and had a blast. We picked lavender, sampled lavender "nemon-name" (lemonade via harrison) and got to sit and just enjoy the beautiful farm while we sat in the shade.

Noah was a huge help and really did good in cutting the lavender. I was very impressed with his willingness to help.

Breastfeeding in public is NOT bad

Welcome to the July 2010 Carnival of Nursing in Public

This post was written for inclusion in the Carnival of Nursing in Public hosted by Dionna and Paige at NursingFreedom.org. All week, July 5-9, we will be featuring articles and posts about nursing in public ("NIP"). See the bottom of this post for more information.

***

I will never forget the humiliated feeling I had the day I was asked to cover up while breastfeeding my son in Wal-Mart. He was my 7^th child, but only the 2^nd child that I was able to successfully breastfeed. I thought I was a very strong woman and would never encounter anything like it. And then, it happened.

Harrison was a few weeks old and had a pretty rough start. He was born with silent GERD and spent the days crying a lot. He was in a car accident when he was just 10 days old that totaled our vehicle. Our moments throughout the days went back and forth between me holding him constantly on my chest while I tried to sleep sitting up, or wearing him in a sling. Either way, he was upright and being held all the time. He also had difficulty breathing, so I never covered his face while nursing as to not restrict his air flow.

I had to go the store for Christmas shopping, so I loaded all 7 kids up in the van and off we went to Wal-Mart. As happens with young babies (he was 1 month old at the time), he needed to eat while we were there. I looked for somewhere to sit and could not find an empty bench, so I went to the changing area in the middle of the store. I proceeded to sit quietly with the other kids and nurse him. The ladies that worked back there just smiled at us, and I like to think nodded approvingly. Within a few minutes a man walked by and made a comment of total disgust and I was approached not even 2 minutes later by a store manager. She said to me “'ma'am, if you are going to do that, I am going to ask you to please cover up with a blanket or something" I froze. I was in shock. I felt sick to my stomach and started to shake. I responded “sorry, no I won't-but thank you” The other 2 employees and the shoppers (there was a lady from my church right there) all made comments like "you are fine honey" etc. to me and I continued on: "I have a legal right to sit here and feed him!" The manager then said "I realize that, but some man walked by and was uncomfortable" to which I replied "well that isn't MY FAULT!"

The manager left and the other ladies (the Wal-Mart employees) offered me support for what I was doing. I then got really upset and started to cry. I asked for the employees name and said I wanted to make a complaint. They immediately got me a manager who basically offered me platitudes and said she would address it. I told her that I had planned on doing a lot of shopping that day but I was now going to leave and not spend my money there. I even called the corporate offices and was basically shot down.

As I was leaving the older woman employee came over again and told me how proud she was of me for feeding him like that. When she saw my tears, she gave me a hug. I will never forget that lady.

To this day, my eyes still well with tears when I remember the situation and how I felt. I was totally covered. I am very modest. What was so offensive? Why was it ok for their employees to have shirts so low their breasts are hanging out, but I could not breastfeed my son while totally covered without enduring harassment?

I am proud of myself for standing up and saying NO to being asked to cover up. But I am also equally sad for how that experience made me feel about breastfeeding that day-like it was shameful or dirty. Breastfeeding is a beautiful gift that we give to our children. That should never be taken away from us.

Welcome to the Carnival of Nursing in Public

Please join us all week, July 5-9, as we celebrate and support breastfeeding mothers. And visit NursingFreedom.org any time to connect with other breastfeeding supporters, learn more about your legal right to nurse in public, and read (and contribute!) articles about breastfeeding and N.I.P.

Do you support breastfeeding in public? Grab this badge for your blog or website to show your support and encourage others to educate themselves about the benefits of breastfeeding and the rights of breastfeeding mothers and children.

<center><a href="http://www.nursingfreedom.org/p/carnival-of-nursing-in-public.html" title="Carnival of Nursing in Public"><img src="http://www.babydustdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/inip1.png" alt="Art by Erika Hastings at http://mudspice.wordpress.com/" border="0" /></a></center>

This post is just one of many being featured as part of the Carnival of Nursing in Public. Please visit our other writers each day of the Carnival. Click on the links below to see each day’s posts - new articles will be posted on the following days:
July 5 - Making Breastfeeding the Norm: Creating a Culture of Breastfeeding in a Hyper-Sexualized World
July 6 – Supporting Breastfeeding Mothers: the New, the Experienced, and the Mothers of More Than One Nursing Child
July 7 – Creating a Supportive Network: Your Stories and Celebrations of N.I.P.
July 8 – Breastfeeding: International and Religious Perspectives
July 9 – Your Legal Right to Nurse in Public, and How to Respond to Anyone Who Questions It