They are sabotaging me

So for family night on Monday we did a little cleaning. And organizing. And I made my kids help so they could earn their "treat". I know, I'm mean.

We took care of some boxes just sitting around in the basement and cleaned up the food storage area that had been out of control for a while. I shop, send the boys down with the grocery bags to storage, but then I forget to go organize it.

Anyway, it also needed done because we had been noticing occasional ant visitors over the last couple weeks.

During the cleaning session Strider noticed an opened package of something, probably inviting the ants. We got it cleaned up and all was good.

This morning I was helping the kids with the family room and we started to vacuum. Jedi asked if he could also vacuum the "crackers in storage". Knowing that hubby just did that, I asked him "WHAT crackers in storage"? I looked into the shelving area and saw a two foot long trail of Cheez-its.

"Mom, I was making a trap for the ants".

It worked. We had lots of visitors.

The kids are sabotaging me.

Getting to Know You

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

No one in particular

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Sunday during a very touching song that the Primary children sang to the Bishop for his birthday.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Yes, I suppose.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Cooked Ham from Costco

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
yes, 4.25

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I think so.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Never! :)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS
Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
NO!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Life or Cracklin' Oat Bran

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Like emotionally? No. Physically, somewhat.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Changes all the time. Now it is Blue Bunny Lemon Berry Pound Cake. Oh boy!!

14. WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
How confident they are. It bothers me when people make excuses for themselves all the time or spend lots of time apologizing for themselves.

15. RED OR PINK?
Pink.

16. What don't you like about yourself?
I am very undisciplined. I always do what I want to do, not usually what I need to do.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
I'd say my Grammy. I'm surrounded by family, but there's something unique about how your grandma loves you. When she is gone, no one else loves you just like that.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
I don't care.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
White capris and bare feet with lavender colored toes!

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
I finished off a pitcher of OJ.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The dishwasher running downstairs. Everyone is asleep and I should be too.

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Navy Blue.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
When I'm preggo, I dislike most of the smells around me! LOL Right now I want DH to get a new shaving cream because I can't stand to be near it!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My BIL Jacob.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I stole it from someone. Lame, huh.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH
College Football and Pro Basketball are a tie.

27. HAIR COLOR?
A medium ash brown, streaked with a healthy amount of emerging gray.

28. EYE COLOR?
Blue.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Pasta. Potatoes and gravy. Cheesecake.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings now. Used to be scary stuff when I was younger.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Bourne Supremacy on DVD

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Turquoise.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Cheesecake or chocolate.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
My sisters.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
??

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Old Testament (Judges) & The Seamstress

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
don't have one right now

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
part of Miss Universe

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
Just one? My children getting along. Birds in the morning. Country Radio. Silence.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Neither.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Jamaica.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I have lots of semi talents. I can cook, I can sing, I can craft. I can bargain hunt. I can hit a diaper shot into a trash can from across the room. I can put soccer socks and shin guards on in the right order. I can dress a barbie. I can soothe boo-boos and dry tears. Does that count?

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Somerset, PA


Now for the tagging part.

I tag Ash, Wend, Jess, Sonja, Danika, Rachael.

Menu Plan Monday

On Monday this time!! Look how unbelieveably organized I am.

Monday: Chicken Broccoli Casserole w/ rice

Tuesday: Five Minute Southwest Layered Salad

Wednesday: Pancakes

Thursday: Spaghetti

Friday: Chicken Cordon Bleu with baked potatoes



I also want to round out meals this week with some homemade bread, carrot cake to use up some carrots, and lots of strawberry banana smoothies!

For hundreds more meal ideas, visit Organizing Junkie!

Ok, I need to hire someone

I know my homemaking skills aren't the best. I lack. I have a messy house more often than a clean one. My kids don't complain. I guess they don't know anything different. (And I haven't done laundry in a week).

But there is a real problem when I walk to the washer to start a load and I am hit by a spiderweb in the face. And arm. Yep, stretched right across my laundry room. Yay! My feeling of confidence as a homemaker is soaring!!

I know I should have probably never revealed that to all of you, but I'm all about keepin' it real around here.

Happy Blogiversary

Oh yes. It all started one year ago today. My life and yours, changed forever.

July 10, 2007

He He.

Amazing

One of the most inspiring stories I have heard in a long time. What a woman.

Don't pass it up just because it's nearly 6 minutes long. When you have time, watch it.

Kaziah

7 Things that would tip me off to a problem around here

1. Two rooms clean...simultaneously

2. A pause in the constant summer bickering

3. Every dish clean...at the same time

4. No child in my bed at any time during the day

5. Weed-free flower beds

6. More clothes in drawers than in hampers

7. "MOM!! What other chores can I do to help?!?!?

Happy News

New baby on the way...EDD 1/30/09

Maybe I'm just bad at keeping secrets. Or maybe I'm tired of making up excuses for my feeling lousy and being exhausted. But yes, we are adding one more to our family. We are so excited!

We have known for a while that there was another small one to come to us, but for whatever reason it took a bit longer than expected (Princess will be almost 4). We are so thankful for this blessing, though, and look forward to rounding out our family and feeling complete.

So that's why my posts have slowed down a bit, and a lot less substance overall. But now you can understand!

Weekend fun

We had a great time on the 4th, seeing the parade and camping in Mount Pleasant. Sister's in-laws are very nice and hospitable people. They were so kind to feed us and show my kids how to saddle up the horse to take a ride.

We are such city slickers; one of the highlights was seeing them herd their sheep from one pasture to another. Very cool.

Strider and I are wondering what it would be like to live on a farm. It sure is neat in those small farming towns.

Here's a couple slide shows for your enjoyment.

Hometown Parade

Jorgensen Farm

Happy Independence Day

Yes, I took that picture. That was part of the finale at our hometown fireworks display last year.

I love fireworks. This year for the first time we will watch them in a different town, but I'm looking forward to being with my sister.

If you look on the sidebar over there >>>>> you'll see my list of recent books read. I have had a bit of fascination with holocaust survival stories lately, as the last three books were all from WWII Germany and Poland. I want to whole-heartedly recommend In My Hands that I just finished yesterday. It is so far my favorite historical book on the subject. It's a real story, which is different from Striped Pajamas and Book Thief, and it probably why it was so good to me. Reading these things leading up to July 4th has been interesting as well. What a hopeful, scary, admirable, unstable world we live in. Yet I think it's always been that way. Maybe it's getting a bit worse, but evil has always been evil, and good ultimately prevails. Sometimes the righteous suffer but God is watching.

I love my fortunate circumstances. I love that I can wake up every day and choose what to do and say. Happy Birthday, America!!

Good eats

Tonight I knew I wanted a chicken dish.

I decided on this:
Garlic Chicken Farfalle

It was truly out of this world. My family totally loved it and so did I. I followed the recipe exactly (okay, I did cut the bacon in half. One pound seemed like a lot), which is unlike my normal "this 'n that" chef self.


And I'm posting our extraordinary dessert, too. I woke up this morning and knew I just had to have Blueberry Junk, my friend Sonja's famous 5-star dish.




I didn't have Dream Whip on hand and I wanted it so bad today, that I dragged all four kids to the store and paid full price for the stuff so I could make the yummy deliciousness.




Here ya go:

Blueberry Junk


2 C Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c butter (melted)
2 envelopes Dream Whip
1 C cold milk
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese (softened)
1 can blueberry pie filling


Mix crumbs and butter. Pat into bottom of 9x13-inch pan. Don't bake.

Whip together Dream Whip and milk until stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; stir. Cut cream cheese in small pieces; add to Dream Whip mixture and beat well. Pour over crust. Spread evenly and then top with pie filling. Refrigerate. Keeps well.


MMMmmmmmm