Gluten Free Bread

Bought a "Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Bread Mix" for Ryan, 

and while it doesn't taste bad, it just looks so sad!

When Bob says to pour batter into a 9x5" bread pan, don't fool him with an 8x4".  It won't turn out so pretty.

***note to self:  Go ahead and use an 8x4" pan...just use TWO of them.  :)  

Needless to say, it's a good thing Ryan takes his lunch to work in a brown paper bag.  I'd wear one, too, if I looked like this.

Achieve a goal

It's something I strive to do every day.  Achieve a goal.  Any goal. It could be as simple as taking a shower, or as involved as reorganizing our food storage.

I also encourage my boys to do the same.  It can be simple, complex, easy, hard, monotonous, or new; but it must be something.

Tanner and I set a goal in September to practice the piano every day for 20 minutes.  We also have set a goal for Tanner to learn to swim by the end of May.  This might be more on the part of my desire for him to have some sort of musical education and get some energy out while learning a valuable skill, but still.  A goal is a goal.  The first one has been more of a challenge, and to be frank, we haven't practiced since January.  But Tanner is making great progress on the second one!

Tanner started swimming with the Idaho Falls Swim Team at the beginning of March.  We have an amazing coach, who is much more patient than yours truly.  In fact, I had the awesome experience of swimming in a Western Zone meet in Hawaii in 2001, with coach Denise, known lovingly by Tanner as "Coach A'nise".  She is simply amazing with children and has Tanner wrapped around her little finger.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we are up and out the door by 7:25 am so we can be to the pool, dressed, and ready to go.  He 'swims' from 7:35-8:20, and I'm loving EVERY minute of it.

A recent goal has been for Tanner to 'go underwater' and be completely submerged without having a tizzy fit.  Together, Tanner and I made a chart, and even bought a Lego set as incentive.  For two weeks, Denise and I have been building up his confidence...and you know what?  It has paid off.

Today, Tanner achieved an awesome goal.  He was my brave and courageous little boy that went under water THREE times!!!

He earned himself a Lego set, and has been playing with it since we got home.  In case you can't do the math, that's about 10 hours.  The boy has barely stopped long enough to go to the bathroom, and eat  meals.

Check out the 278 13 pictures I got this morning.

That is the face of 'sound effects'. 

Luggage truck driver dude with a mullet.  No kidding.
 Legos have come a long way in the last 20 years! 

He figured out how to 'read' the 'distructions' and
put each creation together WITHOUT my help!

Yes, he built this ALL. BY. HIMSELF.
I did a little staging, but he put it all together!

"Cargo plane about to crash land!"

"Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

"Engines have power!"

"Safe landing....everybody off!"

The 'distruction' book had more pictures than instructions,
so he took EVERYTHING apart, and made new creations for seven hours.

Showing Taylor the tool that takes apart the Legos.  

Where were these little tools when I was a kid?
 I was the designated 'Lego Biter' to get them apart for my brothers. 

Taylor was pretty amused, but was good not to touch anything...

...only when Tanner said it was "okay" did he dare get close to it!

Today has been a beautiful day.  Tanner and I haven't fought AT ALL, and neither have Tanner and Taylor.  Come to think of it, it's been quite nice and quiet!  Taylor watch Tangled 3 times, and Kortlen played with the cardboard lid to a paperbox while I cleaned and did laundry.  (Don't worry, tomorrow will be MUCH different.  They're gonna have to EARN their 'free' time!  But it was nice while it lasted.  LOL!)

Now, if I could find something that could keep Taylor's attention BESIDES a movie, we'd be accomplishing yet another goal.

P.S.  Anybody have a box of Legos that you're tired of stepping over or your kids are tired of playing with??? I'd be willing to buy them and take them off your hands for you!!!

{to do}

I am actually excited by my {to-do} list this week.  I've been in a sort of down-n-out funk for the last few weeks, but I am determined to not be a downer for everyone who has to be around me.

This week I get to:

...have a few kids over to play most the day because their mom is on bed-rest.  I'm very excited to have them come, because my kids will usually do better with someone else to play with.  Plus, I usually feel better by serving...it's like a sweet elixir to raise my spirits in a most wholesome way.

...get to make my first funeral potato casserole for a funeral!  I know this sounds silly, but I am excited to be able to help with this!  The 'regular help' is all gone for spring break, so now's my chance! I just have to make it and drop it off...but I'm so thankful that I CAN help, and am ABLE to.

...organize and de-clutter.  Hopefully in preparation for a move! (nothing in the works other than numerous applications, but if I'm ready for 'that day', then it'll be less stressful, right???)  There are seven large totes full of seasonal clothing in our garage, all belonging to children who live in this household.  There is NO reason that three little boys under the age of five should have seven totes of clothes.  So, it is my BEST intention to go through them THIS WEEK!  And either sell or donate that which was rarely worn and probably won't be worn.  If anything, group them into the correct sizes and seasons.

...prepare to be spiritually fed and uplifted.  A friend linked to THIS SITE in preparation for this weekend.  WHAT is this weekend???  It's the 181st General Conference for our Church, where we get to hear the inspired words of our Prophet, leaders and those who have been asked to talk to anyone who will listen.  You don't have to be a member to hear what is said, or feel of the wonderful Spirit of Christ and His teachings.  It's held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, but is broadcast throughout the world via internet and satellite.  If we can't get it on the tv, we'll watch and listen to it at byutv.org or at lds.org.  Join us! (Need a little something to keep kiddos both young and old occupied?  Check THIS out.  :)  )

...love on my husband, who is rarely home anymore.  He's working so hard for his little family; we are SO  excited that he gets to have both Saturday AND Sunday off this weekend!  I plan to make some delicious gluten free meals so he can enjoy himself as much as we will.  I also plan to let him have some daddy-son time.  *giggle*  And maybe a nap each day.

...get in some needle & thread therapy with some freshly dyed muslin.  It's been hanging on a kitchen chair for a week now, and I can't wait to sink my hands into some quick stitching!!!

...and maybe even clean my kitchen.  Like the kind of clean I did the day before Kortlen finally came...the kind that results in cupboards being emptied, wiped clean, and reorganized, complete with some new food storage!  It shouldn't be too bad, where I just did it eight months ago, but still, that was eight months ago and it desperately needs to be done again!

"If there is a task to do, do it with a smile!  Do more than you are asked to do and go the second mile."  A song my mother would frequently sing when we were dragging our feet at anything...so I hope to be able to do my tasks with a smile and go a second mile to boot!

never mind.

Never mind about it being spring.  We have 3 inches of NEW snow outside and it's STILL snowing.  

Gotta love IDAHO!  

Spring is just around the corner

We desperately needed out of the house, so we headed to the funnest park in our area, and the closest one, too.  By the time I got down and reassembled the bike trailer, realized all the tires on my bike, the trailer, and Tanner's bike were FLAT and the gas stations's air compressor was not functioning; I decided to bag biking to the park, and we walked.

It was a balmy 41* F this afternoon, and by golly, we're gonna make good use of the sunshine!  There were just three rules the boys needed to be reminded of:

1.  Stay by mommy holding onto the stroller, especially when walking down the street. (While cutting through the cemetery, I'm not as worried.  It's a pretty quiet place, if you know what I mean.)
2.  No sand.  Period.
3.  When I say it's time to go, it's time to go.

Both Tanner and Taylor were agreeable to the rules.  Kortlen didn't have a choice.  

I was even a nice mommy and let them drag sticks and play shootin' games with their whip-like branches on the walk there.  And home.  (milestone for mommy!)

We. Had. A. Blast!!!  Despite my blown-out pictures, I think the smiles tell all.

I can't believe how perfect his eyes are!!!
If only he wasn't doing something so silly with his mouth.  LOL! 

Kortlen loved watching his brothers!!  They had him giggling pretty good when they were in the swing and they'd  go back and forth, back and forth.  By the time I snapped this shot he and I were both pretty much done.  After all, it was only 41*.

After freezing for 20 minutes, I decided it was time to get warm by walking back home...so home again, home again, jiggity jig we went.

Later that night, it snowed.  Just a skiff, but still.  Glad we were able to get out and get some nice cool air in our lungs!

Dislike

I dislike job interviews that "went really well!" but don't result in a job offer.

{8 months} and little boy funnies (picture heavy!)

Besides forgetting that he turned 8 months old on the 15th, things didn't start out so well for Kortlen's 8 months pictures...Instead of taking pictures, I should have laid him down for a nap.

He did NOT want to look at me!  He's a very curious baby, and rolls EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE to explore.  And I'm just fine with that!  He can sit pretty well, finally, but I know what comes next....CRAWLING!

After a quick feeding he was a little more compliant.  Granted, I had to give him the 'dummy tit' (thank you dad, for the terminology), but if it saves me mine, then he can have it whenever he wants!  LOL!

♥♥♥

***FUNNY:  Tanner and Taylor are playing on the floor right now, and Tanner asks me, "Mom, how do mommy tittys (kittys) and daddy tittys make baby tittys???"  me: *eye-roll* "Maybe when daddy gets home we can talk about that!"  Tanner: "Well, maybe we need to go to grampa Crandall's and watch the tittys at the barn".  me:  BWAHAHAHA! 

♥♥♥

Okay.  Back to baby Kort'w'en.

We got him busy with a new toy, that I made from some scraps from another upcoming post.  He LOVES this 'thing'!  He played with it all the way to Boise and back this weekend.  (Katelyn and I felt so bad for him, because when he wasn't sleeping, he was doing crunches in his car seat for most the drive...he wanted to sit up SO badly!  We also discovered he makes the funniest baby Chewbacwa sounds.  LOL!)

He is the most content and happy baby I know.  He was pretty chill in the car for over 10 hours.  He will play with anything.  Even a wrapper left on the floor...but when you take it away, he has a major melt-down.  It's hilarious.  Last week I'd give him something just to take it away so I could see his face get all scrunched up.  It's pretty amusing.

He's *trying* to crawl.  It's a movement that's been in the works for about a week.  And he gets himself stuck in the most awkward and silly places.  He makes us laugh, all day long!

I do wish he'd take a different binki, and that he'd be okay with dropping a feeding or two at night...because I'm tired of being tired, from being up with him every 4 hours...this weekend, it was every 2, and you know how you don't want to disturb the peace you cave and feed 'em anyway?  Yeah.

Other than that, he's a dream baby!

Wrist Wallets

I saw these floating around out there in the blogosphere, and thought my boys would LOVE them!  They're always picking up treasures for their pockets.  Tanner has four pint mason jars FILLED with treasures.  *eyeroll*  Plus I needed a birthday gift for Tanner's friend.

So after a somewhat expensive trip to the fabric store for some therapy,  I cranked these babies out.

Looks like my next project is patching knees ... or making shorts.

Depends on if I do it sooner or later!

What would your kids put in a 'wrist wallet'?

Top o' tha mornin' to you

Tanner was dead-set on catching a Leprechaun so he could make three wishes.

So last night we made a trap.  We set it up in the kitchen so we could hear the clickity-clack of shoes on the floor should our gold try to disappear.  Everyone went straight to bed.  *Miracle!!!*

We must have been REALLY tired, because we didn't hear a peep last night.  Lucky sure was sneaky...  He slipped in through our back door, and took off his shoes!  He must have guessed that I'd appreciate it, given all of our shoes were neatly lined up on the rug.

When he got to the top of the ladder, he figured out we wanted to trap him, because he found a way around our trap door.

Turns out Lucky is a nice leprechaun, and wanted to share his treasures, so he left the boys a little note explaining that he had left two golden coins each on the piano.

Tanner was sorely disappointed to find out that we didn't catch Lucky, but I assured him (all day long) that it would be pointless to build another trap until NEXT year.

__________

On a side note, we tried green milk...didn't fly.  LOL!

Foot prints are made from a mixture of cornstarch, water, and green food coloring in a dish large enough for my fist.  I made a fist, and with the outside of my fist, made the feet, and made toes with the tip of my finger.

Clean-up was REALLY easy, as it had dried by morning, and easily swept up.  I will need to wash the floor, as there are faint outlines of green feet, but I did a test spot, and it comes up pretty easily from my white tile.

Sneak Peek

...of the pictures I turned out this weekend can be found HERE. I've gone through 1/3 of the first card...and have a good 40 amazing pictures just from that...I think it might take me more than a month to get through the other 1200+ pictures.  LOL!

I'm off

...to shoot a wedding today.

Wish me luck.  Say a little prayer for me!

Manual is my new friend.  It pretty much rocks.  I've had so much stinking fun playing with the settings and getting the perfect pictures this week.

Assignment for the week:  Numbers, amongst other things.  These are all SOOC.  Straight out of the camera. I did resize them, but this is it folks.  Super excited how they turned out!!!  

Peach Fuzz

You see it on newborns, you see it on adolescent males.  You even see it on three year olds.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULD BE SHAVED OFF!!!

This is AFTER I had held a tissue on it for a few minutes...Tanner was screaming from 'all the blood'.  LOL! 

After family home evening, I was a bit frazzled.  To say the least.  I threw the boys in the tub, and thought no harm in letting the big boys play while I fed the baby so he could go to sleep.  No different than any other night.

However, tonight my boys found my shaver, and their dad's.

Taylor took care of the peach fuzz on his upper lip.  See???  Oh wait.  Lips themselves don't HAVE any peach fuzz...ouch.

And now he's gonna pay for it.

Those nicks sting....But you gotta learn some how, some time.

(I remember being 11 and sneaking into my dad's shower to use his shaver on my legs...I had a swim-meet that weekend, and had heard all the older girls talking about their 'shaving party' for this big meet.  I wasn't invited, but that didn't mean I had to have hairy legs for my races!!!  Sorry Dad.)

Needless to say, the shavers will be put even higher than on the caddy hanging on the shower head from now on.