A Fun Day With Grandma Carole and Grandpa Neal

Last Thursday my Grandma and her sweet husband, Grandpa Neal, as my kids call him, were in town. They were staying at Circus Circus, one of my kid's favorite places to go. So, we drove down to the strip and met them there. We had such a fun time with them. This is the second time we have been able to do this, they came last year also. Like I said, my kids just love the place, and I, well... tolerate it for their sake. I have to say, I do like watching the Circus acts, some of them are really incredible. I swear I am allergic to smoke though, cause everytime I go in a casino I get the worst headache and start feeling sick. Then, as soon as I am outside, I start feeling fine. So, of course the kid's insisted on going to the Adventure Dome to ride some rides. They each got to pick two, and Dillon had to pick the Canyon Blaster roller coaster. I didn't want him to go on it alone, so I went with him. Let's just say that it didn't help my nausea or headache one bit! In fact, I was pretty much sick to my stomach and dizzy for the rest of the day. The whole time I was on that thing, I not only was screaming my brains out, but thinking to myself, "I am too old for this, I am too old for this!" Dillon was laughing at me, because he said I screamed way more than him. :) Aside from the not feeling so hot, it really was a fun, fun day. I always look forward to family visiting. It makes it easier to be away, when you get to see people every once in a while. Thanks so much for the fun, Grandma and Neal! We love you!

Dillon is 9 Year's Old!!!!

I'm a little slow posting about Dillon's birthday, it was actually on March 9th. I wanted to wait until I had all the pictures from his party first, which he didn't have until Friday. I can't believe my little, well, my not so little boy is 9 years old! It truly does not seem possible! I remember every detail of when he was born. He was the cutest little baby I had ever seen. He had the BIGGEST, most beautiful eyes.... Dillon has grown into such a handsome and smart boy. He amazes us with his intelligence, and especially with his ability to memorize pretty much everything. For years, he has been fixated on Dinosaurs, and knows everything about them, and now he has moved on to sports, mainly Football. He fills us in on scores and stats daily. Lol ;) Dillon is such a sweet and sensitive boy. His teachers in school have always praised him for being so kind to everyone. Dillon is an excellent student and is always on the Honor Roll and was just recently nominated for Student of the Month by his peers. He is involved in Baseball right now, and is improving with every practice. He also enjoys being in Cub Scouts, and is currently working on his Pinewood Derby car with his Dad! We are so proud of Dillon and all of his accomplishments, he is a great son, and we are proud to be his parents. Happy Birthday, Buddy!

Dillon asked to have a Football Party this year. He specifically wanted a Utah Utes helmet cake. So, me being the crazy person I am, stayed up until 3:30 in the morning on Friday creating his cake. Even though it was a big pain in the you know what, I think it was worth it, cause it turned out pretty cute. The party was a success, I think all of the boys had a lot of fun. They played touch football, and a couple of games- hot potato with the football, and toss the football in the bucket. After the games, we ate "football nachos" (tortilla chips, nacho cheese, chili, and halepenos), cupcakes, and drank our "football water bottles". Then we sang Happy Birthday, and Dillon blew out his #9 candle. Presents came next, and boy, did he get some great stuff. I think he has every kind of football imaginable now.... I decorated the tables to look like football fields by covering them with green table cloths and then using white duct tape for the yard lines. I had a lot of fun planning the party, and I hope Dillon enjoyed it... he is definitely worth all of the work. :)

Fun and Healthy Lunch Ideas Class

Last night I taught a "Fun and Healthy Lunch Ideas" class at my house. It was really fun to find ideas and try them out. Anyways, I thought some of you might be interested in some of this stuff.....

Fun and Healthy Lunch Ideas

* Quesadilla Pizza’s-
Kids love anything that tastes like pizza. Take a tortilla, cover with pizza or spaghetti sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and any other topping that your kids would enjoy. Cover with another tortilla and cook it like a grilled cheese sandwich. Cut into wedges, and pack it in your kid’s lunch.

* Bagel Face Sandwiches-
Take a bagel and spread with cream cheese. Arrange any toppings that you like into a face shape on the bagel. Use toppings such as green peppers, olives, tomatoes, sprouts, and lunch meat. Wrap in plastic, and pack in kid’s lunch.

* Frito Pie-
Pack canned or homemade chili in a thermos. Send a bag of baked tortilla chips (store bought or homemade), and some shredded cheese. Have your child layer the chips and cheese in the bottom of the thermos cup, and top with the chili. Enjoy!

* Homemade Tortilla Chips-
I use the Tortilla Land uncooked flour tortillas, you can also use regular flour tortillas. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Arrange on cookie sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Try brushing a very small amount of olive oil or cooking spray on chips and then sprinkling cinnamon sugar or parmesan cheese on top. If you try the cinnamon sugar, send the chips along with a container of applesauce for dipping in your child’s lunch.


* Deli Rolls-
My kids love these! Take a slice of deli meat and wrap a slice of cheese and a pickle spear inside.

* Cookie Dippers-
Kids love to dip! Send vanilla wafer cookies along with a container of their favorite yogurt to dip them in.

* Fruity Marshmallow Kabobs-
You can use drinking straws for the skewers, by pinching the end of the straw together so that it will poke through the fruit. Alternate putting chunked fruit and large marshmallows on the skewer. I like to use the flavored marshmallows to add a little variety; they have chocolate, strawberry, and coconut coated ones. Wrap in plastic and send in your child’s lunch for a fruity treat.

* Protein Balls-
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
½ cup nonfat dry milk powder (you may also use vanilla protein powder)
½ cup raisins, chocolate chips, carob chips, yogurt chips or whatever you think would be good.
¼ cup honey
Graham cracker crumbs

In large bowl, mix all ingredients except the graham cracker crumbs. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls. Roll in graham cracker crumbs and refrigerate. Makes 24. YUMMY!

* Cookie Cutter Sandwiches-
Any sandwich cut with a large cookie cutter; star, heart, dinosaur, animals, etc. will become an irresistible treat!

* Pin Wheel Sandwiches-
Spread your child’s favorite sandwich filling onto a tortilla. Roll it up and slice it into small pieces. Our favorite fillings are peanut butter with jelly or banana slices, or lunch meat with cream cheese, or scrambled eggs (made with salsa) with cheese and sour cream.

* Cheesy Stars-
Use a small cookie cutter to cut cheddar cheese pieces. In a separate bag provide crackers or apple slices. You can also use the cookie cutter to cut bologna, ham or turkey.

* Bugs on a Log-
An old favorite with kids- Fill celery with cream cheese or peanut butter and top with raisins or craisins. Stick two of them together to form a log.

* Bean and Cheese Roll-ups-
Fill tortilla with refried beans and shredded cheese and roll.

* Ocean Yogurt-
Buy a large container of yogurt and spoon it into smaller containers that fit into the lunchbox. To make it fun, add some blue food coloring and tell the kids that it is ocean yogurt. Pack with some fish-shaped crackers. (Also, try green food coloring to make the yogurt alien slime)

* PB & J Spiders-
To make regular PB & J’s more exciting; turn the sandwich into a spider! Use a large glass to cut a circle shape from the already-made sandwich. Add eight pretzel-sticks for the legs and 2 chocolate chips for the eyes.


* Drinks-
Fill small plastic water bottle about 1/3 full with water, and freeze overnight. Add fruit-juice concentrate to the bottle in the morning. It will mix with the water as it thaws. It will also keep the food that is in the lunch box cold, and it will be ready to drink by lunch time.

* Strawberry Cream Dip-
1 Pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup strawberry jam

In a medium bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the yogurt and jam, continue beating until smooth. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving. Hint: Use reduced fat cream cheese and low-fat yogurt, and serve with fresh-cut chunks of cantaloupe, honeydew, or pineapple, and apple slices and whole strawberries. It all works!

* Pizza chips-
These are similar to the homemade tortilla chips only with a different spin.
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 package (1 ¼ ounces) dry spaghetti sauce mix
10 (8 inch) tortillas
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the butter and spaghetti sauce; mix well. Spread evenly over on side of the tortillas then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place on baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chips are golden and crispy. These are terrific as is or served with marinara sauce for dunking.

* Fruit Roll Sushi-
1 tablespoon butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups crispy rice cereal
4 (4 ½ inch0 square fruit roll-ups
6 assorted licorice or fruit twist sticks, cut in half crosswise

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until completely coated. On a flat surface, unroll the fruit roll-ups. Spread equal amounts of the cereal mixture over each roll-up, covering the entire surface and packing the mixture flat. Place 3 different –colored licorice or fruit twists in the center of each and roll tightly into a log, sealing where the edges meet. Squeeze the rolls gently to secure. Trim the ends and slice with a serrated knife into ½ inch pieces. Serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Preparation Tip: To give your snack the most variety and color, use different-colored and flavored fruit roll-ups and licorice or fruit twist snacks. And if you can’t find different- colored licorice, you can even use gummy worms or fruit snacks.

CrAzY Hair Day!!!

Last week was Reading Week for Dillon and Ashlynn. One of the fun things they get to do during the week is have Crazy Hair Day. Samantha has reading week this week and her Crazy Hair Day was yesterday. Here are some pics of the CrAzInEsS!

Paul Harvey's On Air Prayer

When I learned that Paul Harvey had passed away I was a little sad. I remember listening to his "The Rest of the Story" program all the time. I was reading some stuff about him this week and came across the prayer that he offered on the air. Boy, did he hit the nail right on the head.....

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God , and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God.'

Relief Society Lesson

It was my turn to teach today in Relief Society, and as I have said before, I like to post my talks, lessons, etc... because I use my blog as a journal. I enjoyed teaching this lesson, it gave me an insight into the Prophet Joseph Smith that I had not seen before. He was a great man, with great character and depth.... and this is definitely displayed in his writings.

The lesson today was out of the Joseph Smith Manuel, Chapter 29. I started out the lesson by having Marissa play Joseph Smith's First Prayer for us on the piano. She did not play it quite as everyone was expecting, she actually played it very out of key. She then played it the correct and beautiful way, as everyone sang along. The reason that I had her do this was to demonstrate the difference between something that is harmonious and peaceful, and something that is "ugly" and uncomfortable. This little demonstration led into the lesson which was entitled, "Living with Others in Peace and Harmony". One of the desires of the early Latter-day Saints was simply to be allowed to live their religion in peace. This did not happen, as we all well know. In 1833 the Saints were forced to leave Jackson County, MO just 2 years after dedicating it as a place of gathering. In 1836 they began moving to northern Missouri. Most settled in Caldwell County. Far West which was the county seat became a thriving Latter-day Saint settlement. Just 2 short years later in the fall of 1838, tensions similar to those that they experienced in Jackson County arose. Mobs and militia once again began to attack and harass the Latter-day Saints. The prophets mother Lucy Mack Smith shared this moving account about her son:One day the Prophet was visiting his parents’ home in Far West, when a group of armed militiamen came in and announced that they had come to kill him for a supposed crime. Lucy Mack Smith, the Prophet’s mother, described his gift for peacemaking: “[Joseph] looked upon them with a very pleasant smile and, stepping up to them, gave each of them his hand in a manner which convinced them that he was neither a guilty criminal nor yet a cowering hypocrite. They stopped and stared as though a spectre had crossed their path. “Joseph sat down and entered into conversation with them and explained to them the views and feelings of the people called Mormons and what their course had been, as also the treatment which they had met with from their enemies since the first outset of the Church. He told them that malice and detraction had pursued them ever since they entered Missouri, but they were a people who had never broken the laws to his knowledge. But if they had, they stood ready to be tried by the law. … “After this, he rose and said, ‘Mother, I believe I will go home. Emma will be expecting me.’ Two of the men sprang to their feet, saying, ‘You shall not go alone, for it is not safe. We will go with you and guard you.’ Joseph thanked them, and they went with him. “The remainder of the officers stood by the door while these were absent, and I overheard the following conversation between them: “First Officer: ‘Did you not feel strangely when Smith took you by the hand? I never felt so in my life.’ “Second Officer: ‘I felt as though I could not move. I would not harm one hair of that man’s head for the whole world.’ “Third Officer: ‘This is the last time you will ever catch me coming to kill Joe Smith or the Mormons either.’ … “Those men who went with my son promised to go disband the militia under them and go home, and said that if he had any use for them, they would come back and follow him anywhere.”1 Speaking the truth in a kind, forthright way, Joseph Smith overcame prejudice and hostility and made peace with many of those who had been his enemies.Question: Can anyone think of any examples of someone remaining calm and peaceful in a difficult situation?A couple that were discussed were, Abinadi, and Martin Luther King. I also brought up the fact that I admire so much how the leaders of our Church handle the constant scrutiny and criticism. They always handle situations with the utmost tackt and dignity. I have never known any Church leaders to show anything but respect for people of other religions or faiths. Just last week I watched a video clip that was e mailed to me by a friend. It was an interview with Elder Russell Ballard, and Elder Quentin Cook. The goal of the interview was to dispel some of the myths surrounding our faith, they wanted to present a fuller picture of our faith. A few subjects that were discussed included; Proposition 8, Temples, Baptism for the Dead, and how we are not part of the Reorganized Church that practices polygamy. In the interview, Elder Cook said, "We feel enourmous respect for other Faiths". I was very impressed with the interview and have included the link in case you would like to view it.http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6616644The interview was a perfect introduction to another section in the lesson which was about cultivating harmony in our communities by respecting the freedom of all people to believe according to their own conscience. We discussed different ways that we can honor the rights of others to "worship how, where, or what they may". Some of them were: to listen and try to understand, to find common ground, to be respectful, and to not talk negatively.We discussed what it means to be a Peacemaker. Joseph Smith described it so well. The one thing that hit me the most though, was that we should be like little children. We ended the lesson by discussing the importance of refusing to find fault one with another. How often do we judge or find fault with others unfairly because of something that we have heard, or thought we heard? I asked this not because I am immune to this, but because I am as guilty as the next person. I would though, however, like to make a much greater effort to be respectful and mindful of other people's feelings. I think that this is something that as Relief Society sisters, we can be especially aware of. We need to be mindful and considerate of eachother, and for sure not say things that could be hurtful or damaging to another sister in our ward. I challenge all of us to work to have more peace and harmony in our lives and to always strive to be Peacemakers.

Dillon and the Haircut

Most of you know that my kids and I pass out fairly easy. Well, here is just how easy it is for Dillon to hit the floor..... Every time Dustin cuts the kids hair, he either passes out or almost does and then Dustin has to catch him. Today was no exception, it was way past due for Dillon to have a haircut so Dustin decided to attempt it. Sure enough, Dillon started complaining that he was dizzy, and that he couldn't see, and that his stomach hurt, and yadda-yadda, and then his face and lips turned white as a ghost, and Dustin had to catch him and lay him on the floor in the hallway. He then got him a chair and had him put his feet on the chair. EVERYTIME! This happens every single time he gets his haircut.... What the heck? We always make sure that he has eaten and that he drinks water, but it still happens. This time, I was actually laughing my head off, because it was just, well, comical.

This is the amount of hair that was actually cut BEFORE he passed out-



White as a Ghost!

Feet UP!

I am reminded of a video clip that has often been used to describe our family..... Take a look & Enjoy a laugh on us! :)