A Beautiful New Book

Just thought I'd share with you all a beautiful new book from the photographer of "Reflections of Christ", Mark Mabry. Don't know if it's out in stores yet, but it looks just as beautiful as the first. It is titled, "Another Testament of Christ" and apparently if you read Mark Mabry's introduction to the book it makes it even better.

Enjoy!

Friday Favorites...or not so favorites

Where has the week gone?

As much as loved having a long labor day weekend, having Monday off has really thrown me out of whack. I think I'm a day behind. Oh well...it's Friday, and once again there are many things to post about. A Day of Remembrance, a very UN-favorite, and a question...

First and foremost. 9/11/09. Eight years ago I remember sitting and watching the TV in stunned silence. I woke up, just like every morning, sent Kenny off to work, and went upstairs to work on the computer. The kids were still asleep, so I turned on the TV just to see what was on, only to see live coverage of the Twin Towers. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I never would have believed it. I called Kenny at work to see if he had heard about what was happening. They were watching coverage of it at work as well. In the days and weeks that past I was extremely proud of what Americans were doing to pull together as a country. As the years have past, it seems like that love of country, that love of our fellow countrymen has dwindled. People say we should move on, try to forget. I for one, will never forget. It's too important to forget. Not necessarily the terror involved in that day, but more the heroics of the day. The tragedy brought out the best in people, and that tragedy helped to show what a real American is. That is what we still need today. We need people who stand up for what is right; People who strengthen one another; People who work together because it's what they should do, not because it's what they're required to do. A big thank you to all the service men and women protecting our freedoms. May we as Americans do our part to preserve our freedoms here at home! God bless America!

Secondly...the UN-favorite. Is there anything worse than a sick kid? Yep...a sick kid that can't make it to the toilet! My Un-favorite of the day is PUKE. Yuck! Looks gross...smells worse...and it just keeps coming! And I thought I was finished with all of the laundry for the week!

Lastly, the question...I need some opinions on a domain name for my website. Keep in mind that it's a company that specializes in helping you create your own storybooks to preserve your most important memories and relationships. It also does photo storage, cards, calendars...all that stuff. With that in mind, which do you prefer:

A) just4youstories.com

B) mystorybookmom.com

C) herzandhizstories.com (It's supposed to kind of be a play on words...histories/his stories...do you get that??)

I can't make up my mind. Which one do you vote for? Which one would you remember???

Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites

Ok.....so it's "Favorites" Friday today, and I think there are probably a gazillion things that I could post about today...

My growing knowledge of texting terms :p (hehe...I had to ask Kenny what the colon and bracket was supposed to mean)

The start of BYU football (laugh all you want, but I love football season!)

Warm days and cooler nights.

The fact that I have 4 kids in school. (ok...technically, Rylen is only in preschool 3x a week but it's for 2 1/2 hours at a time....Do you know what I can do in 2 hours with only 1 child at home??? Well, neither do I cause the first time it happened was today, and I was in such bliss that I just sat and enjoyed the peace and quiet for way to long!) Speaking of returning to school, I'm sure I've posted my favorite "Return to School Commercial" at some point in time...but I'm gonna do it again because I just can't help myself!! I'm laughing just thinking about it...

I could post about all of those things...but I'm not going to.

Instead I'll post about something that might could (how'd ya like that english?) come in handy one day. I've been on a photography/photoshop/digital scrapbooking fetish lately, and my sis-in-law directed my attention to a website that combines all three. There are on-line classes, digital products, projects, galleries (for ideas), and even FREE (my favorite thing) tutorials and downloads for digital scrapbooking and photoshop. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite sites. I go to it when I have some free time and use the tutorials to help me play around with the pictures that I've taken during the week. I'm still horrible at it, but I have high hopes. If you're interested in learning about that sort of thing, I'd highly recommend www.JessicaSprague.com to give you a few pointers.

I'm Back

Did you miss me??

(This is the part where you say..."Oh my goodness, life was just not the same without you! I'm so glad you're back...yadayadayada"...and you make me feel missed!)

Ok...I know I'm not that interesting, but I just had to ask! (so just humor me!)

Well, I know it's Favorite Friday again, so for all you Utah mom's I just thought I'd post about favorite utah activity and a giveaway that goes in conjunction with it!

I'll admit it. I don't take advantage of Thanksgiving Point as often as I probably should. What with the Country Farm, The Gardens, The Museum of Ancient Life (Rylen's personal favorite), The Restaurants, The Golf Course, and the Theaters....not to mention the educational classes and activities for the kids...I should probably go more often. But with 5 kids, a hectic schedule, and a minimal budget, fun activities (that require money) are few and far between! If this situation sound all to familiar to you...I've got a solution for you. Two actually!

Two-Buck Tuesdays are Back!! Yep, that's right....$2 per guest per venue will get you a fun filled day at the Farm, The Gardens, or the Museum of Ancient Life throughout August. That's probably even cheap enough for me to gather up my gaggle of kids and head out for a fun filled afternoon!

And if that's not quite cheap enough....

Go visit Cindi at Utah Mom's Life! She's got a fun blog with entertaining stories, fun ideas, great tips, AND... she's hosting a great giveaway: Tickets for a family of 4 to enjoy all the venues at Thanksgiving Point!

Friday Favorites

Another week gone by...another Friday favorite coming up:

Today, I'm borrowing a blog idea from a friend...

What is one of the things the kids (grown up kids too) love the most about summer???

The Ice Cream Man!

My poor kids...I'm probably depriving them because they don't get to buy from the ice cream man; they're stuck raiding our freezer, which of course does not have the variety or the yummy goodness of the ice cream man's truck but it has the price that they can afford...Free! LOL!

Well, we're going to limit our conversation to popsicles rather than debate all of the other yummies available out there so....(although, I could do a whole paragraph on those rocket pops (the red white and blue popsicles) alone. Mmmm Mmmm Good...oops, now I'm getting my slogans mixed up!)

So, here's the million dollar question:

What three flavors of classic popsicles would you combine in a bag to make the perfect trio?? (And don't worry about including those nasty banana flavored pops....ewww!)

Me?? Green (love the LIME green ones), Purple (once you go grape, you never go back), Red (cherry-licious!!)

Friday Favorite

So...this evening I'll be posting about a favorite to beat all favorites (and it's free!!!)

I was catching up on a few friends blogs earlier tonight.  One of them happened to be all into coupon shopping  (I've tried but I'm not very good at it) and suggested going to the Krazy Coupon Lady to get some hints...so I went.  (What else did I have to do???...just make dinner, fold the clothes, write a blog, etc...no biggie.)  When I jumped over to the Krazy Coupon Lady the post right at the top of the blog spoke to me, "Real Krazies Need Real Chocolate...For Free!!"  Talk about music to my ears.  Two of my favorite things: chocolate and free...mixed together!  Can't get much better than that, and since it was two of my favorite things combined into one on favorite Friday, I couldn't let the opportunity to share such a sweet deal with all of you pass by!!

Here's how it works:

Every Friday through September Mars is giving away coupons for a FREE chocolate bar! Quantities are limited to 250,000 coupons per Friday...and yes if you're reading this right now the offer is still available TONIGHT, so make sure you go here to fill out the form and get your coupon for the yummy, chocolatey goodness of your choice!  Me, personally....I'll be going for the DOVE chocolate.  Mmmmm, Mmmmm, Mmmmmm.  And no, I'm not going to share!  (Too bad kids...save up your allowance and you can get your own!!!)

As a sidenote:  I think I've just become a Krazy Coupon Lady fan (It must have been destiny...what else would you call it when you stumble upon a blog with such a sweet opening post??)

Friday Favorites

Okie Dokie....so it's time for another favorite book post.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a tendency to read a lot of youth fiction books in order to preview them for my kids. I like to think of myself as the rating guide for my children's literature because, let's face it, there's a lot of stuff out there that says it's ok for kids and I wouldn't let my kids near it with a ten foot pole. For example, my 6th grader (and my 4th grader for that matter) both came home from school this year (on separate occasions) and asked to read the Twilight series. Apparently all the 6th graders at school were reading the series. It was all the rage among the pre-teens! Are you kidding me?? I mean,  I'll admit, I've read the series, and while it wasn't my most favorite in the world, the storyline grew on me, but SERIOUSLY? let my 4th or 6th grader read them??? I don't think so. Honestly, Jackson (6th grader) would not even enjoy the first book...too much mush!!! I also refused the request to read Brisinger...again, content. 

Anyhoo, to make a long post, short, suffice it to say that I'm just a little picky about what my kids can read, and with that in mind I'll share with you some of my favorite youth fiction series that I do allow my kids to read:

1. Fablehaven Series, by Brandon Mull - I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a little skeptical of books that I first find in Deseret Book (the LDS author kind...sorry, don't mean to offend anyone) but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series. They are great for kids between 4th and 6th grade. They have monsters, adventure, action, and even some moral lessons. Plus, at the end of the book, there is a Reading Guide that suggests questions for the reader to think about or things for multiple readers (ie. mom to ask kids when they're done with the book) to discuss. I like that!  There are currently 4 books in the series.  The first one got me hooked, and each successive one has only gotten better (I've read the first 3...the 4th is on my "to-read" list.) The first 3 books can be picked up at Walmart (in their youth fiction aisle) for about $5...and I would definitely say it's worth the money!  Book 4 is available at Costco for $11.99 (still a good price.)

Here's a little preview of Book 4

*Just as a note, Brandon Mull also has a book out called "The CandyShop War."  I've read this one too, and while I didn't enjoy it as much as the Fablehaven books, I still thought that it was good and it's appropriate for 4th - 6th graders as well!  It also has the reading guide at the back of it!

2.  Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series, by Rick Riordan - I picked up the paperback edition of the first book for Jackson at Christmas time.  I learned later, that his class was already reading it at school...oh well!  It's been a good addition to OUR library.  I started reading the series because my hubby picked it up one day, read straight through it, and loved it!  (He loves to read, but normally he doesn't enjoy the whole "youth fiction" genre.)  Anyway, that got me started and as I sit here writing, the other thing on my desk is the newly released 5th book in the series...just begging to be read (so if I all of a sudden stop writing you'll know what happened......

Oops...I'm back.  The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series is great for 4th - 6th grade depending on the reading level of the kids.  (I would probably recommend it more for 5th or 6th grade...although my 4th grader might have something to say about that.)  This is also a series with monsters, action, and adventure...Greek adventure.  It's about a young boy and Greek mythology (that's all I'll give away.)  Suffice it to say that if you have a kid (or you) that enjoys Greek mythology, you'll enjoy this series.  It's written quite cleverly...and like the Fablehaven series, each book gets better and leaves you (as my kids would say)  "dying" to read the next one.  Also, like Fablehaven, the first 4 books can be picked up at Walmart for about $5, and the 5th one is available at Costco for under $10.  Nice!!

I'll write about some of the other series/authors I enjoy later...but I've got a book to finish!  

If you've read any of the series I've mentioned, I'd love to hear your mombles about them.  If not, then read them and momble about what you think OR momble to let me know of any other book series/authors you enjoy or would be appropriate for pre-teens to read.  Happy Reading!!

Friday Favorite

A couple days ago I posted about my horrible luck with giveaways/contests.  Isn't the definition of insanity doing something over and over again even though nothing changes?...I suppose that's sort of me with giveaways.  I always enter, but never win.  I prefer to think of myself as optimistically persistant.  Well....

I'm excited to say that my persistance has finally paid off.  (How ironic is that???)  Yep, that's right...I actually won a giveaway prize.  Pretty cool!  I'm super excited about it and as such my "favorites" post is about my prize.  

Every so often I go back to my favorite blog design sites to see if they have anything new.  A couple of weeks ago I was doing just that and when I went to Leelou Blogs they happened to be running a giveaway...so of course I entered.  

Fast forward a couple weeks...and keep in mind that with me it's usually outta sight, outta mind.

Well, on Wednesday, I found myself back at Leelou Blogs.  I was scrolling through their site, looking at the new designs, when I came across a posting titled, "Winners."  Imagine my surprise as I read through the post and came to my name and comment.  Even when I read my name and comment I still did a double take (that should tell you how often I win things) and found myself thinking, "Gee, how funny is that...some girl out there with my same name would choose the same blog design that I like and write the comment I would write."  Duh!!!

Anyway...lucky me, I won a Leelou Membership.  My choice of 5 pre-made layouts that I can choose at any time. That should probably satisfy my need to switch things up...at least for a while!  

So, my official favorite blog designers are Leelou & Coley at Leelou Blogs.  Check out their site. They've got some really cute free blog designs and buttons to choose from, or if you're ready to put a little bit of cash into the blog they've also got so great options!!  The blog designs are easy to install and they come in a variety of 2 or 3 column designs.  These ladies are super talented!!

So, whether it's insanity or persistance I don't know...all I can say is that winning this giveaway has given me hope that maybe one day I'll win something else...I'll keep entering at least. Heehee!

Friday Favorite

Why do you blog? There are so many reasons: fun, work, time-waster, hobby, journal, etc.

One of the main reasons I do our family blog is for journal purposes. I've never been really good at writing things down on a consistent basis. I originally started our family blog so that our extended family could see pics of the kiddies and keep up to date on our family, but as time went on I realized that it was an easy way for me to keep a family journal. I tried scrapbooking...but I hate getting everything out, and then it takes me forever to think of something to do on each page...blah! I still do it every now and then, but it's not something that I enjoy doing. Blogging on the other hand, for me, is easy...and fast...and convenient...and the pictures are already available...and I don't have to try really hard to be creative...(you get the picture.) Keeping in mind that our family blog is our family journal, I got thinking how devastated I would be if something happened and all of that information was lost (which as we all know, can happen all to often with our advanced technology?!?)

Whatever your reason, I've found a couple of cool sites that might be of some interest to you. As I was blog stalking the other day, and just clicking on different links I found a couple of sites that look like they could be pretty cool. (*Note: I haven't actually used them yet, but I plan to.)

1. Bloggled - This is a site that offers a couple of different services. First and foremost, it is a site where you can BACK UP YOUR BLOG...FOR FREE!!! How can you say "no" to that?? Their goal is simple: To provide you with the best blog tools and features to make sure your blog information is never lost. Think about it...your time is valuable, you don't want to write your blog only to have it lost or deleted by accident. This service in and of itself, could give some valuable peace of mind...and save a lot of heartache if by chance something did happen! They are also working on a way to transfer your blog to a book...which is something I'm SOOOO excited about. It's not ready yet, but hopefully will be soon.

The next site starts where the other leaves off...

2. scrappingsimply.com - You know that blog to book thing...well it's available here! WooHoo! My kids love reading the blog, but I think that they would think it even cooler to see their names, pictures, etc. in a book, so I've decided that I'll continue keeping our family blog/journal and then have it made into a yearly book. (Tangible evidence that I've actually kept a journal.) I know that the kids will love to look through it and read the stories...even though they've already read them on the blog. It's like a whole new adventure when it's in a book in front of you! Anyhoo...I think their prices are pretty reasonable, but if the whole book thing seems to spendy, they have an option to just convert everything to a pdf file for the low low price of....(drumroll please) $2.95!!! Very cool!

Give them a try. See what you think!...and have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites

Is it a problem when I can't think of anything to write...especially on a day that I can write about anything??? I think I'm in a slump.

So what am I going to do?

I think I'll ask you what your favorite things are,

then I'll go sit down on the couch,

eat some double chocolate fudge brownie ice cream,

and veg...(incidentally, two of my favorite things!)

Here's to the ocassional slump!

Friday Favorites

I must say, this weekend, conference weekend, has to be one of my most favorite weekends of the year. Not only do we get to listen to the words and counsel of prophets and apostles but we get to do it in our pajamas!! WooHoo!

Seriously though, conference weekend is such a great ReSTaRt for me. The inspiring counsel given just gives me the lift that I need to renew my efforts, put the past behind me (as Pumba would say) and keep going. Plus, this year Kenny will get to take Jackson to Priesthood session! (I guess we're getting old!)

At our house we have a little conference morning tradition...although I think it's become less and less of a conference "morning" tradition now and turned into more of a conference "lunch time" tradition. We do conference breakfast (well now it's more like brunch) and get together with any family that's around or friends that want somewhere to go. Kenny becomes the chef for the morning...and he pulls out all the stops: bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, orange juice. (I normally make sweet rolls...so no, I'm not totally lazy!) We're so full by the time breakfast/brunch is over that we don't bother eating again until dinner (a late dinner that is!) It's a lot of fun. The kids are always up for something other than cereal for breakfast (that's what they get every other morning) and it's fun to get together with our family and friends to listen to conference.

I'll leave you with a recipe that I found on allrecipes.com (again.) Normally I just make the Rhodes cinnamon rolls for conference, but I found this recipe and really like it, so in an effort to be save money but still have something yummy I think I'll make these this year! (I've already tried it out on Kenny and the kids and they loved them, so I won't ruin conference morning by making these.) Also, this recipe was designed to use with the bread machine (hate mixing my own dough) but I'm sure it would turn out great doing it the old fashioned way too.

Soft, Moist and Gooey Cinnamon Buns
By: FionasMom

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons water
1/2 (3.5 oz) package instant vnilla pudding mix
4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup butter, softned
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (opt.)
1/4 cup raisins (0pt.)
1 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. In a bread machine pan, place the milk, beaten egg, melted butter, water, vanilla pudding mix, bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Selectthe Dough cycle.
2. When cycle is finished, remove the dough, and knead for3 to 5 minutes. Roll out to a large rectangle.
3. Mix together the softened buter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread over dough. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and raisins, if desired. Starting with the widest end, roll the dough into a log. Pinch to seal seams. Cut into 1/2 inch to 1 inch slices, and place in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Place in a draft-free space, and allow to rise until doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 35 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 - 20 minutes. To make frosting, mix the milk, confectioners sugar, softened butter and vanilla in a small bowl. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls.

*Just a note by me: To speed up the rising time of the cinnamon rolls, try preheating the oven to 200 degrees F...then TURN THE OVEN OFF...and put the sweet rolls in (covered by a light dish towel). This won't be warm enough to bake the rolls...just warm enough to help them rise faster!! (and enjoy sooner!)

Friday Favorites

It's Friday again, which means I get to pick a favorite subject to do a post on. So, let me think for a minute...(hmmmm)...(I know)...FOOD!! I love food. Especially, the kind with lots of sugar and chocolate in it. (I don't know...maybe I was deprived as a growing gymnast so I'm just trying to make up for it now! (probably not, since my grandma was always baking something yummy!)) Fruits and veges have their place too, but since this is a "favorites" post I'm gonna have to give way to the dark side and share a yummy, Yummy, YUMMY, cookie recipe that I just found. Jackee...this should be right up your alley!

I found this recipe at www.allrecipes.com and it was submitted by Debbi Borsick. Don't know who she is, but I could just run up and give her a huge hug for this recipe...LOVE it! I've made the cookies twice now...with a little variation, so I'll give you the original recipe and then share the variations on it afterwards!

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.


Now I'm not usually one to actually make my cookies from scratch, but I'm trying to make my dollar stretch a little farther so I figured I could cut the budget by ridding myself of the unnecessary cost of pre-made cookie dough. I usually just buy the ready made Nestle Tollhouse dough because normally I hate the way my cookies turn out, BUT, this recipe has given me hope! Hope that I won't need to buy my cookie dough anymore...because I've finally found a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I like! This is a cookie that has a little bit of crunch on the edge, but is nice and soft in the middle...and they stay soft after they cool...even after a couple of days! (if they last that long!)

Anyway...now for a few alterations and variations...

Alterations:
*use more vanilla - I would suggest 2 tablespoons instead of just 2 teaspoons
(this was a suggestion made by one of the people on allrecipes...not me (I'm not that ingenious of a baker/cook) - tried the regular vanilla with one batch of cookies, and then tried increasing it with another batch of cookies and liked the taste much better with more vanilla!)

Variation:
*try it using a different flavor of pudding - I made it once with vanilla pudding and loved it. Then I tried it with chocolate pudding (told ya I can't pass up chocolate)...again very yummy. I bet white chocolate pudding would be yummy...maybe butterscotch pudding?? My favorite of my experiments was combining the vanilla pudding cookie dough with the chocolate pudding cookie dough. I made half 'n half cookies...I called them Ebony and Ivory cookies (look how original I was being!! LOL!)

Quick Notes:
-Do not over bake these cookies! (I dare say...leave them in for 12 min. max!...they may not look completely done, but they are!
-When making the dough, combine the sugar and butter, then slowly add in the pudding mix until it is completely mixed into the sugar/butter combo...then add your eggs and vanilla.
-This recipe makes a lot as it is written (about 6 doz.) so I just made half the recipe...actually half vanilla, half chocolate and then combined them, so I guess I got tons anyhow. Halfing the recipe works just fine though!

Enjoy!!...and come back and tell me what you thought of them after you make and EAT them all!

Friday Favorites

Since I've started doing this blog I've found tons of fun little projects to put on my to-do list. This next project is not technically a "favorite" yet (because I haven't started...yet,) but I'm sure it will make it onto my favorites list, so I'm sticking it in my "favorites" posts.

My sister-in-law, Camille, got me interested in this little project after posting about it on her blog. (Thanks Camille!) She is a GREAT scrapbooker! I like to try occassionally, but I don't usually get very far. My new interest is in digital scrapbooking or digital photobooks. That's what intrigued me about this idea. It was initially set up for regular scrapbooking, but has been or could be tweaked easily to accomodate digital scrapbooking and photobooks. The project is called Project 365 and is designed by Becky Higgins. Basically, you take a picture EVERY DAY for an entire year and journal whatever you feel is important for the day. ANYTHING!!!

Personally, I think this project sounds fun...and there are a couple of bonuses for me.
1) It helps me keep a journal
2) I have an excuse to use my camera more, and I will be able to learn how to take better pictures and hopefully become better at photography in general.

If this project sounds fun to you, check out the Project 365 link. There is more info about it, some free downloads to do the project digitally, and even some alternative ways to do the project. Have fun!

Friday Favorites

Last night at our RS enrichment meeting we had a seminary teacher come do a presentation on centering our lives on Christ. He did a great job! Along with speaking he showed a slideshow of a song that I have never heard before. This is not his slideshow (I really liked the slideshow he did a lot better) but I wanted to share the song with you. The song is, "I Am" sung by Nichole Nordeman, and it has jumped up there on my list of favorites!



Pencil marks on a wall, I wasn't always this tall
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed
You watched my team win
You watched my team lose
Watched when my bicycle went down again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Elbow Healer, Superhero
Come if You can
You said, I Am

Only sixteen, life is so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10pm?
You saw my mistakes
And watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I'd never love again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper
Be my best friend
And you said, I Am

You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said forever to what lies ahead
Two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it is 2am
And when I am weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Shepherd, Savior, Pasture Maker
Hold onto my hand
You say, I Am

The winds of change and circumstance blow in and all around us
So we find a foothold that's familiar
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

When life had begun, I was woven and spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
And who can say when, but they'll dance again
When I am free and finally headed home
I will be weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer
Lord and King, Beginning and the End

I Am
Yes, I Am

Friday Favorites

Kid's love books. I love books. In fact, in what's left of my spare time you can usually find me reading a book...and guess what, it's usually a kids' book or a young adult book (I like to preview them for my older kids.) Today, I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite children's authors with you.


Tedd Arnold - He is both author and illustrator for his books. This particular book is one of my favorites of his. Love the rhyming and repetition, and of course the illustrations are great. My kids also like his books about Huggly (the little green monster.) Admittedly, I have not read all of his books, but my kids and I have both enjoyed the ones that we have read.

Audrey Wood - Kenny's grandma introduced us to these books and she has been one of my favorite children's authors since. She and her husband work together...she writes, he illustrates. Some of her books are funny. Some are serious. Some teach lessons. Elbert's Bad Word is one of my favorites...but King Bidgood's In the Bathtub is right up there too.

Doreen Cronin - I don't know if my kids have enjoyed these books as much as i have, but I think these are hilarious. I love the duck!

Robert Munsch - This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning Robert Munsch. Thomas' Snowsuit is one of my all-time favorites (I laugh just thinking about it,) but there are so many more good ones...The Paper Bag Princess (I had this book when I was a kid!) Love You Forever, Makeup Mess...to mention a few.

So there ya go...plenty of books to keep you and your kids entertained for a few days! Take a trip to the local library and check something out. You won't be disappointed!

Friday Favorites

When I was a little kid I used to listen to music as I went to sleep. I listened to the "Let's Sing Together" cassette tape (I'm getting old) every night for a long time. It got to the point where I could sing every song in the right order with all of the different voices. Funny enough, I can still remember many of the songs, the order, and the voices today...even funnier, Kenny used to listen to the same cassette and he can do the same thing. (I guess that means we were meant for each other!) My beloved cassette tape lasted through my first child (who I must say, loved it too) but then some mischevious little hands destroyed it. Since that fateful day I've searched high and low for something even comparable to my "Let's Sing Together" music...something fun, something churchy (so we can listen to it on Sunday), and something that the kids actually want to listen to. I've finally found it (well, technically I found it about a year ago) and because it is "Let's Sing Together" good, it goes on my favorite's list!

I guess times have changed. The kids would probably make fun of my favorite tape (if they could even figure out how to use it) but they LOVE to listen to these CD's. There was a point in time that Rylen would ask for them to be turned on every time we got into the car. I suppose you could say this is my "Let's Sing Together" tape made current! The kids' favorites include the Snowman Song and Peanut Butter and Jelly. Anyhow, if you don't have these already, put them on your list. The kids will love them!

Friday Favorites

Favorites.
Favorites!
Hmmmm...so many to choose from.
What will it be??
Ok, I've got it....
2 favorites...a long time fave, and a newly discovered fave!

1. Magleby's OR Magleby's Fresh (the take out version of Magleby's.)
Valentine's Day gave me a small taste of one of my favorite restaurants again...or at least a taste of their dessert! YUMMY!! I consider myself a chocolate connoisseur (ie. I've had my fair share of desserts, most of them chocolaty, over the years.) Anyhoo...for Valentine's day I got Kenny some of my (oops..HIS) favorite chocolate cake. It wasn't planned, but I happened to have to pick something up right around the corner from the restaurant that serves said cake and I couldn't pass it up. In truth, Magleby's is just one of those "special occassion" restaurants for us. It's kind of and indulgence, and definitely a little spendy (although Fresh is a little nicer on the pocketbook) but, oh, so worth it...for the chocolate cake alone. I would actually recommend Fresh more than Magleby's, but that's just me. There you have it. If you're ever out and need a bite to eat, give it a try. And don't forget the dessert. (Our cake is long gone but my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I'm tempted to go buy another serving of it for my daily chocolate dose!)
2. A blog was brought to my attention by a good friend of mine. (An aspiring author, who has a pretty fun blog herself. Winded Words...check it out when you have a minute or two. She's always got a new project or two going on and loves feedback on her ideas.)
Chocolate on my Cranium is a fun little blog with all sorts of ideas. I, specifically love the weekly FHE ideas...they're fast, fun, creative, and best of all, downloadable. Perfect for those of us who need a little help with family night. Go to her blog; click the FHE button at the top; choose which lesson you'd like to see/use/download, and voila...FHE in a pinch!

Friday Favorites

So, in keeping with the festivities of the week I've decided to post two favorite Valentine's Day things: A Chocolaty Treat and An Idea!

This yummy treat has been a family favorite for quite a while now, and no, we don't just use it for Valentine's Day, but Valentine's Day and chocolate are inseparable, so here you go...

Brownie Pudding Cake
(this is a Pampered Chef recipe...however, I'm sure there are other recipes just like it out there)

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/12 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 table spoon powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk,melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla; stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in 9x13 pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup coca; gradually stir in boiling water and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Carefully pour mixture evenly over batter in pan.
3. Bake 30 - 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 min. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Spoon into dishes.

Let me just say...this dessert is HEAVEN on earth served with a scoop (or 2) of vanilla ice cream!!

The next idea is brand new...for me (and although I wish I could claim credit for this one, I can't. All credit goes to Andy at Poppies at Play. She is incredibly talented and has some amazing ideas. Go visit her blog to see more of her ideas, and for those of us who are craft-impaired, she also sells many of her creations at PoppyGinger.)

5 Senses Basket
-Fill a basket with an item from each sense. For example:

• Touch: A coupon for a back or foot massage.
• Taste: Sparkling cider, chocolates, or make him his favorite dinner or dessert.
• Sight: Something sexy for you to wear later:) or a photo album of just the two of you.
• Smell: A nice smelling candle or lotion that you can use for the massage.
• Sound: Put together a mix of his favorite music, an iTunes gift card or a cd.

For a card you could say something like " I love you with all of my senses". There are lots of fun possibilities and you could really do it pretty inexpensively.

There you have it...some immediate Valentine favorites. Have fun! Enjoy! Happy Valentine's Day!