Randomness and great ideas I've come across...

Hilarious magnet at my cousin, Sacie's house.  She collects hilarious magnets :)

Did these letters for Pippa, my niece, and painted the tree branches.  So fun.

This is the BEST idea since sliced bread!!!!

LOVE it when my flowers don't die on me!!!  (Now, this pic is from a little while back.  It looks a bit different right now...don't ask)

My friend, Natalie and I decided to purchase some herb plants and then share them.  She has the Rosemary and I have the Thyme, and then we split the other herbs :)  Isn't that an awesome idea? I know.  (Well, I saw it on Studio 5, so I can't take all of the credit) Now I need to start actually cooking...

Don't you just LOVE this homemade cake plate???? This was at my friend, Holly's house.  I NEED to make one of these.  Very soon.

Check it out.  LOVE being organized.  These are my paint colors in my house.  How easy access is this? So you put some of your paint into quart sized containers and then every time you need to do a touch-up because your child drew all over the wall with permanent markers or something equally horrifying, it's so simple.

I'm jealous

Some of you will really think I'm a freak for blogging this. First off, Anya has an ear infection. Definitely not jealous of that. Poor little monkey. But I'm glad we know now why she's been so high-maintenance for the past week or so! If it's not one thing, it's another. I swear she's been sick her whole life. Next time, summer baby for SURE.

Anyway, she gets to have this DELICIOUS pink amoxicillan morning and night. Do any of you have fond memories of this bubble-gum flavored nectar of the gods? I surely do. And still LOVE it and think it's the best tasting medicine!

So I'm basically just jealous she gets to have it. I wish they would make Advil in this format, so every time I had a headache, I could have a syringe-full of bubble-gum goodness. Yummy.

OK, done with my weird post.

You Know You've Let Yourself Go When... (part 2)

So I laughed really hard when my sister posted this on her blog. Only problem, I said, is that it was way too shot. So here is MY continuation:

You know you've let yourself go when:

- You realize that your "nice" clothes (you know, "jeans" lol) really don't get too much wear and tear

- You get excited when these go on sale:

(this is because your "daily uniform" consists of sweatpants and t-shirts (although I try to wear "cute" sweatpants at least. I have two pair of these and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. They are the best fitting ones ever. I want more but they're kind of expensive...)

-You can't wait for the weather to get warmer because then you'll actually shower and get ready more than twice a week

-Going to Walmart or Costco is the most exciting part of your day (even if that means struggling with the kids...at least you're out of the house!)

-"Poop" and "pee" and "potty" are words you use often...and NOT just with your kids

- Your 2-year old daughter puts lip gloss on more frequently than you do

-When people come by unannounced, the state of your house rather than the state of yourSELF is what you're most worried about

-You dress your kids in cute outfits but you stay in your sweats

-Your kid lives on a steady diet of chicken nuggets, ramen, and ketchup (but she did have some broccoli with her ramen today!)

-You NEVER go to the mall.

-You really feel like you are saving money at Kohl's

-Spending 20 bucks on clothing for your kids is OK but spending even 15 on clothing for yourself sends you on a personal guilt trip

-You can't remember if you brushed your teeth this morning

-You realize you miss that teeth brushing thing a lot in the morning

-When you didn't wear makeup today...why wash your face at all tonight?

-When you look in the mirror, you seem to bear a striking resemblance to one of those paparazzi pictures of Oprah without her "TV mask" on...

-Your idea of exercise (that you keep reassuring yourself with) is lifting a carseat and hauling children around

OK now that you all think/know I'm gross...I hope we can still be friends.

Help With the Diet Plan

So, I'm 8 lbs. away from my "goal weight" which is what I've weighed most of my life, actually...before kids :) It's not a hard goal to achieve or anything but when you gain 50 lbs like every other year...lol...

In this weight loss period I've become obsessed with:

OK, the CLOSEST and BEST thing a nutrition bar has EVER come to deliciousness :) In this case, delicious cookie dough. WHO could ask for anything more??? 180 calories. A good snack actually, although I do try to keep my snacks at 150 cal...but no big deal.

Also delish. I eat these like it's my job. OK, in moderation, like one a day, for a snack. 140 calories of YUM. I find that the crunchy bars are a little more satisfying than the chewy ones you can wolf down in less than 10 seconds :)

And some of you may find this "gross," but if I wasn't LDS, I'd TOTALLY be a coffee drinker. But since I strive to follow the Word of Wisdom, I have to settle with:

Sweetened with the BEST sweetener out there (seriously, Splenda, you need to take a hike):

With about 1/3 cup of soymilk (I'm still off dairy for the baby....fun) it makes a great 30 calorie drink whenever you want :)

And a lot of times for dinner, I make fajitas with:

Other low-carb tortillas don't even compare. And then I can have TWO fajitas instead of one :) 70 calories per and 4 carbs (although I'm more into keeping track of my calories than I am my carbs so...)

And then there's literally the "wiggle room." Great ad campaign, I must say, (as an advertising major in college, I notice these things...) and great snack for when you have the munchies (like after dinner for me!). 10 calories for the jell-o and 15 calories for 2 tablespoons of fat-free cool whip.

And I had to add this, so you would all know... I'm NOT perfect :) : (not that you really thought I was or anything)

But at least it's caffeine free! I've never really noticed the effects of caffeine and can't tell any taste difference...

And as far as exercise...I haven't "found the time" to do it actually. Until now. I'm going to start doing this (tonight):

Now that both kids are a little more scheduled and starting to feel better from the two illnesses that have plagued my house/neighborhood/ward. I'll let you know how it goes.

But, I have to say my motivation to do this came from my major jello jigglers. What is it with post-pregnancy and my butt?? It's like so gross. I need to firm it up, that's for sure. I have Mexico and Alaskan Cruise this summer to prepare for and I need to not look gross in a bathing suit! (Alaskan Cruise will include indoor pool...)

BUT every week I have a day off when I eat what the heck I want.

Anyway, just thought I'd post something that's NOT about my kids!! Hooray for me! And it will be funny to look back and see all the stuff I like to eat...

Eclipse!

SO, I have to say it feels GREAT to have your name drawn when you enter to win ANYTHING...and that's exactly what happened a couple of weeks ago at Kneaders (only the BEST bakery EVER...the french toast breakfast...there is no comparison...) for tickets to see Eclipse.

Jordan couldn't go, so I HAD to ask one of my bestest buds, Natalie...especially since TODAY is her bday! Kneaders rented out a theater and they had popcorn and sodas for all of us. It was a fun time, even if both of us preggers needed to pee through the whole movie, we made it through...

Thought the movie was great actually!! It was definitely of a higher calibur than the first two (esp. since the second book was a total snooze..... and the third (Eclipse) was probably my fave) and it had a good combination of action, romance, etc. etc. Romance was a little cheesy, like all chick flicks, but you gotta have some cheese in your life, right?? Makeup was a lot better, action was really good, and Bella didn't bug the heck out of me like she did in the last movie.

Has the dad...Carlisle....always had that weird almost English accent? Maybe I didn't notice it in the first two films. Who knows....

Kinda in Love with this...

LOVE the show, Chuck on NBC, Monday nights...and who knew the actor, Zachary Levi (the sexiest nerd on television) could sing?

Love this song too, and Katherine McPhee...

Enjoy :)

Mother's Day is coming up...

Can I just say how IN LOVE I am with his charm jewelry???? It's too late to order in time for Mother's Day, but who needs a holiday to BUY THESE.... :)



You have to check out the site: http://www.thevintagepearl.com/

Honey, I can totally let you know which ones are my favorites, but we kinda have to find out what I'm having next AND pick out a name before the order. It'll be a while I guess...

Weaning = No Fun.

Today I dropped her last feeding (the nighttime one) and it's really depressing. I know this may sound cheesy or weird to those of you who don't/haven't nursed a baby, but I love nursing her and feeling that closeness and that bond. But apart from that, the WORST is the feeling that she is now growing up, and soon she won't need me anymore.

That is my fear. I'm having a hard time thinking about how she will grow up, leave home, not talk to me every day, not give me a hug every day, not depend on me anymore. I don't want her to be a teenager one day and maybe not like me all the time, or care about me. I don't know if any of you feel or felt that way about your children, but I find myself having this same fear all the time. Am I crazy?

And dropping breastfeeding is yet another part of letting her grow up.

OK, I think I'll go cry now...

All I have to say is...

There is a God. And he is against the Obama healthcare reform plan.

NEW MOON!!!!

YES. I went. With all the other GROUPIES. On opening night. (not at midnight the morning of though, don't worry...)

Actually, Jordan and I went with some of our bestest neighborhood friends :)

My review:

LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT. Even though I HATED this book!! At least, I liked this book the least out of the others. But the movie was AWESOME. I want to see it again!! Like right now!

I liked the first one and I knew this one was going to be better since there was a bigger budget, etc. but I was still even surprised at how better it was than I thought!

10 Things I liked the most:

1. The phrase that Bella used to describe how she was feeling with Edward gone, "it felt like someone punched a hole in my chest" was only used 2 TIMES in the movie. That was much better than like 57 times a page in the book...

2. The makeup and effects were WAY better, although the golden contacts were still a little much...could tone it down some.

3. The movie flowed soooo much better--Twilight was so disjointed.

4. The music was so much better too. The music in Twilight was a little weird sometimes, and very deliberate.

5. The acting was much better--Rob and Kristin were way better in this movie. Taylor Lautner is still not as good of an actor, but maybe he'll be better in future movies.

6. It stayed completely true to the book, which is important--except cut out a lot of crap Stephanie Meyer rehashed a million times in the book, so makes a better movie!

7. Ok, the part where Jacob takes his shirt off and he's RIPPED... so funny--the girls in the theater went wild, of course (not ME, claro!) and it was funny, this guy in the same row as me shouted out (right after Jacob takes off his shirt, and the girls are swooning) "and now the pants!" It was hilarious!

8. Um, it was cool to see Edward with his shirt off, but I wish they would've made him wax his chest :)

9. Loved the wolves. They were really cool.

10. And last of all, ummmm... I just loved it. I need to see it again. Then maybe I'll have 10 MORE things to say. :)

MLB. Ugh.

Can I just say I HATE major league baseball finals??? It seriously monopolizes the whole Fox network during this time of year. My coworker used to tell me that I single-handedly keep Fox in business with how many shows I watch that are on Fox, so you know where I'm coming from, right? I've been so BORED with TV all WEEK!!

Maybe I'll read.

Or actually do some work. That would be better. At least I'd get paid. Ok, now off to work.

Bright side: So You Think You Can Dance is still on. (even if this season isn't...well, I'm not LOVING it yet, let's be honest.)

My Two Cents--Prop 8

I just thought I'd share this...I am upset about what this world has come to. The legality of gay marriage isn't just about unions between same-sex couples, but it will change the way our children learn about marriage in schools, it will change the requirements for those performing marriage, and it will change the moral center of our society. It's just setting us up for a slippery downhill slope...

What is more sad is that a lot of members of our church still do not accept what the church's position is on this legislation. It is so strange to me, since I know that when the prophet speaks, the discussion is over--we don't make the rules, God makes the rules. We can't change what our Heavenly Father has mandated as His standard for us. Yes, it's hard to be an "outsider" in our world today and it's hard to take this position with many friends (yes, I too have these friends) who are gay. But, my testimony is that I can't make the rules, and His law trumps whatever I may think or feel. He knows all. He sees the whole picture. And we must obey.

From "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," we read that "The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan." and also "We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife." And we can't forget how this is a proclamation to the WORLD, not just to members of the church! This is a proclamation to all of God's children--including those in California.

Anyway, this article made me really sad, but really reinforces how "peculiar" a people we are in our society. From http://www.foxnews.com/:

Tom Hanks, an Executive Producer for HBO’s controversial polygamist series “Big Love,” made his feelings toward the Mormon Church’s involvement in California's Prop 8 (which prohibits gay marriage) very clear at the show’s premiere party on Wednesday night.

“The truth is . . . a lot of Mormons gave a lot of money to the church to make Prop-8 happen.” “There are a lot of people who feel that is un-American, and I am one of them. I do not like to see any discrimination codified on any piece of paper, any of the 50 states in America, but here's what happens now. A little bit of light can be shed, and people can see who's responsible, and that can motivate the next go around of our self correcting Constitution, and hopefully we can move forward instead of backwards. So let's have faith in not only the American, but Californian, constitutional process.”

When informed of the "Forrest Gump" star's comments, Kim Farah, a spokesperson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, said "Expressing an opinion in a free and democratic society is as American as it gets."

Bill McKeever, a rep for the Mormonism Research Ministry, added, "Personally, I find it un-American to tell people that they shouldn’t vote their conscience. Hanks said he doesn’t 'like to see any discrimination codified on any piece of paper.' Considering that just about every law discriminates in some form or another, makes this comment ridiculous. Hanks’ comment shows that he very much believes in discriminating against people with whom he disagrees. I may not agree with Mormon theology, but I certainly defend their right to express their opinion."

I love what Bill McKeever says. Perfect. Anyway, I may not make any friends with my two cents here, but I felt like I should say something.

**Update: Tom Hanks later apologized for his comments and said that "un-American" is a word not to be used lightly, and that Mormons are entitled to their opinion and to "vote their conscience."

Twilight

OK. I saw it this past weekend. I read the books--loved them, except for the 2nd one because Edward was almost nonexistent. Not that I have a "thing" for Edward or anything--I'm not in the "Twilight Moms" group or anything lame like that, but I just prefer him over Jacob.

Anyway, I was slightly dissappointed just because the clips I saw really did surpass the overall movie experience--they were better than seeing the whole thing--does that make sense? Plus, I mean, it did kinda look more like a made-for-TV-movie... the budget just wasn't there. BUT next film, they'll have the budget, so it should be better! (even if it is based on the lamest of all 4 books :)-sorry Ariel :)

I'm not a Nazi about all of the left out details or anything...I realize a movie won't be JUST like the book with all of the details intact and actually would have rather seen LESS if it meant the movie would flow better! I just felt like it was really choppy... and I wasn't totally impressed with Robert Pattinson's portrayal of Edward. In some scenes he was great, in other scenes, he wasn't so hot. Kristen Stewart did a great job portraying Bella though--she was a total "stick in the mud" just like Bella.... haha.

Was REALLY glad there were no screaming teenieboppers in the theater though. Loved the smooching scene :) Thought that was perfect... Loved most of the characters--they did a great job at portraying what the author had in mind. Not sold on Edward yet though--some of his facial expressions...ughhhhh!!!! I hear I'll like him better if I see it again, haha.

Overall, thought the character portrayal was really good, screenplay was so so--just too choppy...they fall in love in like 1 day, it's weird...and parts where it was like "oh we need to stick this in the movie" and it's there, no rhyme or reason, and in totally the wrong place! And the cinematography left a bit to be desired, but that's all about budget.

I Just Can't Help It.

For those who know me...well, I'm not too impresssed with our democratic candidate who already thinks he's president. In fact, I might have to move to another country if he is elected! The media just LOVES him, and he is traveling the world as the next best thing to sliced bread! Or, more audaciously, as a "MESSIAH" to all of us little people who can't govern ourselves--we must rely on the government to control everything, because they know best...right.

I saw this picture and song on one of my favorite websites, http://www.glennbeck.com/:

Barack loves me this I know
For the media tells me so

Citizens with big doe eyes

We are dumb but he is wise

Yes Barack loves me

Yes Barack loves me

Yes Barack loves me

For the media tells me so

One more to go! Finished Eclipse...

This book was much better than the last. Although I really hope Jacob imprints on someone ELSE in the next book!!! The ending of the book was especially good--really enjoyed all the fighting, haha... but hopefully there will be a final standoff with the Volturi in the last book--that would complete the series!

What do you guys think...should Bella be "transformed" or not? I think she should sometimes, but then I think she shouldn't sometimes...sometimes she annoys the crap out of me, but at the same time I realize that maybe because she's just immature and 18 (especially regarding the love triangle...can't have it both ways, Bella!!)...and then I think maybe she's not ready. Anyway, that's all. Excited to hear about what you think though!

New Moon...what a long book...

Ok, I have to say that reading this book was like reading the section of the Isaiah Chapters in 2 Nephi OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!! It was soooooooooo boring most of the way through. Maybe I'm just way too into Edward. If I heard Bella describe the "hole in her heart" one more TIME, I was going to HURL!! And not just because I'm pregnant!!

Sometimes Bella kind of annoys me...she's so...well, let's just put it this way, my husband thinks I'M difficult... I don't think he'd be able to handle her :)

Reading the third, and it's much better :)

Smells Good...

So, I had a Scentsy party on Thursday. It was great...although I still have to decide between all the GREAT smells! Basically, with Scentsy, you purchase a warmer (it's electric so it doesn't require a tealight underneath or anything) and then you purchase little blocks of different scented waxes to put into your warmer. It's great, because it's less expensive and the warmers are really cute :)

I had Jordan put in a pile the ones he liked. Then, I separated from that one the ones I liked. Here are my top 12:

1. Sunkissed Citris
2. Cranberry Mango
3. Cucumber Lime
4. Coconut Lemongrass
5. Snowberry
6. Bayberry
7. Home Sweet Home
8. White Tea & Cactus
9. Camu Camu
10. Cranberry Bread
11. Toasted Apple Butter
12. Bergamot & Tarragon (whatever THAT is!!)