Brrr...

We're experiencing a c-c-c-c-cold snap right now. It reached -17 degrees F this morning. I don't know if it was colder last night or not, but that's brrrrr. We stayed home from Gillette Sp. Mtg today. I have a pretty good cold going with a cough, so we decided not to go. We sure look forward to our guests coming tomorrow. I have to go into M's office and help his receptionist get the Longaberger baskets filled with all the goodies he's giving to his 2008 customers. All for today...time to get off the computer.

Sleepy Boy and another Sunrise

Jonathan was tuckered out one day...yes, it doesn't happen very often that he actually takes a nap in the afternoon. Daddy must have been very impressed to take this pic. But doesn't he look so peaceful?!
Another sunrise...according to my husband, if you get a chance to see a sunrise about once every ten days in your life, you will get to see about 2,400 sunrises. I didn't do the math...I figure I'll enjoy all the ones I get to see.

RRRRobin Hood!

Jonathan got to watch the animated version of "Robin Hood" one evening. Now he's really into it. The next day, (while I was supposed to be sewing basket inserts for the Longaberger baskets Michael is sending out to 2008 customers), Jonathan asked if I could make him a Robin Hood dress. I looked all over the house for a big green t-shirt I could just belt for him. No luck! Then I spotted a pair of green sweat pants that was slated for cutting for rags. Perfect! So I cut off the legs, slit them up the seams, then sewed it all together, realized I had just made a perfectly good bag but NOT a tunic, ripped out what I had just sewed, bit back a few bad words, (said a few in spite of myself), made several other attempts, ripped out a few more seams, growled a few times at my sweet boy who was getting impatient for his "Robin Hood dress", made lunch, put Annisia down for a nap, then managed to finish the tunic in just under 4 hours! Yes, you read that right...4 hours of my life making this thing. Man was I stressed out! Sewing machines and I do not have a very good relationship. They have always been a source of stress for me. Just ask my mom and my home economics teacher! Seam rippers and I, on the other hand, have a very bonding relationship! Yep, we are like apples and pie. I really think I should have invested in an ergonomic handled seam ripper...
Here he is, with his quiver (a Basmati rice bag), and bow (handle off of a basket and shoelace). His arrows were raspberry stalks cut last spring so they were nice and dry.

He wore it the rest of that day, the next 2 days, and took it off (under duress) to go to Bible study. I think he likes it. He still wants a hat and shoes to look more Robin Hood authentic. We may have to wait until Aunty Leilani comes to visit to do those!

Thanksgiving

This is the sunrise we awoke to Thanksgiving morning. Wasn't it beautiful?

I made the dinner rolls...the recipe is at the bottom of the post...they were great! And my apple pie turned out pretty good. At least it was pretty...(heehee)!

We had the day with Michael's family.

Pumpkin Cloverleaf Rolls

“The herb flavoring is subtle, but the texture is rich. In fact, these pull-aparts are sweet and buttery enough to please even the most stubborn self-proclaimed vegetable hater – despite the fact that they’re made with (shhh) squash.” (Family Fun magazine, November 2008)

3¾ cups flour, plus more for sprinkling
1 package or 2¼ tsp instant or bread machine yeast
1 tsp salt
¼ cup milk
¼ cup honey
½ cup canned or frozen and thawed pureed pumpkin or squash
1 large egg
½ cup warm water
8 fresh sage leaves, slivered (or 1 1/3 tsp dried leaves)
½ cup (1 stick) butter

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, and salt and set it aside.

Pour the milk into a microwave-safe bowl or 4-cup glass measuring cup and microwave it on high for 30 seconds. Whisk in the honey, squash, egg, and water. (The liquid mixture should be less than 110°; anything hotter might kill the yeast.)

With a fork, blend the squash mixture into the flour mixture until you have soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Two hours before baking, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 6 sage leaves into the dough. Melt the butter and set it aside in a small bowl. Divide the dough in half, and then divide each half into 6 portions. Divide each portion into 3 pieces. With floured hands, roll each piece into a ball and dip it into the melted butter. Place 3 balls in a muffin cup. Continue until 12 muffin cups are filled.

Drizzle or brush each roll with ½ teaspoon of the leftover melted butter and then sprinkle them with the rest of the sage. Let the rolls rise in a warm spot (at least 70°) until they’re double in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. The 3 balls of dough will rise together to form a cloverleaf shape.

Heat the oven to 350°. Bake the rolls until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

24/7 MOMS

Hey all you moms out there! Check out this site. It's kind of neat for us 24/7 moms. They are doing a giveaway each day until Christmas.

Happy Birthday, Janice!

It's my sister Janice's birthday today. The video says it all...

Kenna and Mollie's visit...

Kenna and Mollie (Lana and Craig's kiddos) came to stay the night. First they had to get all the go vehicles out and ride up and down the driveway.

Then they all nicely posed for me...

And we returned to the warmth of the house. Mollie and Annisia are hamming it up in the loft...

...while Jonathan and Kenna play "kitty" and, er, pirate?!

Then Michael got home. Everyone loves Michael...he is fun to play with. All the kids got chair rides. First Kenna...

...do you see the glee?!

Then Jonathan...

...Mollie...

...and Annisia. A good time was had by all.

Fever and snow play...

Well, it was fever time again. Let's back up. Tuesday the 11th, I had the flu. Throwing up, etc. Michael stayed home from work, luckily, as I was in no shape to take care of the kids. Wednesday morning, I was still dizzy (no comments from the peanut gallery!) but by about 2pm I was feeling pretty good. So! Thursday morning, I took the kids to story hour at the library. Jonathan wouldn't sit on the cool rug they have for the kids; he just hung out on my knees. Then he didn't want the snack (Scooby bites...(shaped like bones!) and raisins which are a favorite) then said he had to go to the bathroom. I asked him if his tummy hurt and he said it did. Uh Oh! So off we hurried to the bathroom, me rushing, rushing the kids, in a sort of hurried voice, trying not to overdo the panic I was feeling (thinking he was getting what I had 2 days before) yet wanting to be in the safety of the bathroom if anything happened. False alarm...he just really had to pee. Whew! But he was sort of off...The kids went to Gramma and Papa's on the 17th and Gramma noticed he wasn't really himself. His eyes get droopy and red-rimmed when he doesn't feel well. Well, Tuesday night, the 18th, Jonathan came running into our room crying, "Daddy, I am so hot!" He had a temp of 102.3, so Michael ran a big bath and in they got. That was the cycle for the next couple of days. Tylenol, 3 hours later...Motrin, 3 hours later...Tylenol, etc. Baths in between whenever Jonathan requested them. The highest his fever got was 104.5. This time, he was really good about taking in liquids. Not like the last time. But, Ugh and Double Ugh...I hate fevers.

However, Jonathan surprised me Thursday morning (the 20th) by asking to go outside. Now, it had snowed a little overnight so he was excited. But it was a little windy (of course!) so I was hesitant. But into their snow gear they got, new helmet included for Jonathan, and out they went. Jonathan wanted to ride his bike, so he got it out of the garage. I went out to snap some pics and it was cold! I came inside and looked up the weather on the computer. It was 26 degrees (F) with a 21 mph wind bringing the RealFeel temp to 7 degrees! And my feverish kid really wanted to be out there! Crazy kiddo!




They had fun, along with some frustration with the slippery snow and its incompatability with training wheels, then came in.
My sweet Jonathan smiling for the camera. He took a pic of me too, but it wasn't worth posting. He's much cuter!!
This was taken Saturday, the 22nd. Jonathan wanted a "purple coffee" (purple gatorade slushie, basically. Do you think I drink too many iced coffees?!) But he was still feeling cold and had a low grade fever. So he was dressed in a turtleneck and sweatshirt and wrapped himself up in a woolen blanket while he drank it. Goofy boy!

Happy Birthday, Lana!

The title says it all! Renee and I drove up to Sheridan where Lana, Rosa and Lisa work. We then surprised Lana at work and 'napped her for dinner and a bit of shopping. I got a new trendy purse out of the deal. That's what happens when you have trendy friends!

This is the frame I decorated for Lana for a b'day gift. It turned out really cute.

Do ya think?

Do you think they see us on the computer too much?

But when Daddy comes home, there are camel rides for everyone! WooHoo!

Smiles and books after a bath (notice Annisia is reading the Big Machines book?!)

The kids outside for awhile one morning. I couldn't resist this pic. Annisia looks like she is so bored, thank you! They are enjoying their snack after a little bike riding.

Getting Ready to Ski...

Well, the Sports Lure had their annual Ski Sale. Michael got himself outfitted for snowboarding and we got Jonathan a helmet and goggles. He gets to learn to ski or snowboard this winter if he continues to listen well. After we spent a bunch of money at the store, they gave us some passes to the Teton National Research movie, "Under the Influence", a ski moving similar to the Warren Miller ones. (Notice I said "similar", not "as good"...) Anyways, it was fun enough. Jonathan loved it. He really enjoyed seeing the crazy guys doing jumps and all that other stuff that scares the life out of me. Here he is modeling his gear and acting like he's in the movies.

Thermopolis!

We traveled over the pass to Thermopolis one Saturday. It is the home of the "World's Largest Hot Springs". The kids had a blast. Michael did too. I could do without the smell, but it was fun to see the kids enjoying the time. It is really cool to go to the outdoor pool when there is snow on the ground and enjoy the naturally warm water. Here are a couple videos of the kids coming down the slide.

Then we went over to the playground, ate a little lunch and then the kids played on the equipment. Annisia loves to slide and is quite fearless. Jonathan discovered the really cool spiral slide thing.

Annisia sporting her "coy" look. Silly girl!

Then we went on a little walk, but Annisia was so tired by then (it was about 3:30pm and she still hadn't had a nap), she didn't want to walk anymore. So I carried her back to the car and Michael and Jonathan walked to the bridge in the top photo. Some lady was kind enough to take their photo. I love it! It's a very sweet Daddy & Son photo, isn't it?!

When we got home, we had pizza, baths, and books. Have any of you read the "Magic School Bus" books? They are fun; Jonathan loves them.

Followers...

I added a "Followers" spot here. Do you like it or is it annoying?

Mothering is an Adventure.

This is something I wrote for the MOPS newsletter in September. Our theme this year is "Adventures in Mothering". Enjoy!

MOTHERING IS AN ADVENTURE

Mothering is an adventure I think you’ll agree,
full of little kids voices saying, “Mommy may we
swing on the swing set; play in the sand;
hunt some mean gophers or antelope, and
be excavators and dig a big hole?
Hey, Mommy, can I have a snack in a bowl?”

Mothering is an adventure. We all know it’s true,
full of little kids voices saying, “Mommy will you
build me a train track going up a big hill?
Will you read me the story about, um, Jack and Jill?
Mommy, did you know my swing’s a skid steer?
Did you know I have hunted a lot of mean deer?”

Mothering is an adventure. I don’t think I’m alone
when I want to tell everyone about my little son
who uses couch cushions as ice so he can go skating
and escape or catch sharks and mean seals who are waiting.
And my daughter who wants to be just like big brother;
she loves dolls and tools, to the humor of her mother!

Mothering is an adventure and not just for the kids.
It’s daring for us to give them cups with no lids.
It’s a challenge for us to keep quiet when they hit heads or knees,
and not call 911, but just say “Whoopsie!”
It’s exhilarating for us to experience all of those firsts.
It’s plain fun to be parenting despite all of the “worsts”.

Mothering is an adventure I think you’ll agree
full of hours and hours of “Mommy and me”.
Mothering is an adventure. I don’t think I’m alone
when I say it is best when Daddy comes home!

Family time in ND

The last day in ND, remember this is taking the place of our normal trip home for Thanksgiving, we went into the town where 3 of my brothers and 1 sister live. We met Rodney and Wanda and one of their sons, Shaun, for lunch. Here is Shaun with his motorcycle. Looking pretty cool, eh?! It's a beautiful bike, and he really acts the cool part well...(heehee)

Then we went to Janice and Paul's place where we had the pleasure of spending some more time with Alan and Anthony, and later Cassie, Duane and Vicky, Jordan, Dallas, and Aaron, and Uncle Lowell. Jonathan and Annisia enjoyed the play time. Annisia really took to Aaron and Jonathan enjoys anyone who will let him be a boy, beating up on them, jumping around, you get the picture.

It was fun to see Cassie. Her mom dropped her off for a few hours. She is such a beautiful girl.

The kids, Jonathan, Annisia, Anthony, Cassie

This was taken a few days after we got home. Kayla came over to make us dinner. What a treat!