Book Club- Coming Soon to a Town Near You ( Well near me, at least)

Hey, all you blogstalkers out there, who is interested in coming to my book club? If you are interested, please cast your vote for what day of day of the week, or month, like the second Tuesday of each month. Or whatever. If no one is interested in getting smart and literafied with me, then I will just be more literafied than you. So, vote on a day and if you have a book suggestion, then say so.

The localish library usually has a bookmark with the must reads for the year, and I usually want to read at least half of them, so there will be some classics, but we will mix it up.

So who wants to?

Food Storage, the Obsession

So does anyone have a good food storage inventory system or ideas for one? I think that I started one for my mom when I was in high school. I never finished it. I didn't realize how much she needed it, or I guess I would have. I was a little bit clueless, until about a year ago, (that has improved some, but still working on it) and didn't understand the system that I was making her. I got confused about half way through, I abandoned the project. Wow, how many of those do I have lying around? Unfinished projects, that is.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope its fun and festive for your families. I am glad for the cold weather that has made it feel like Christmas, the peppermint hot cocoa that has made it taste like Christmas, and all the lights that make it look like Christmas. I am especially glad that I have such fantastic family, near and far, and that I have my own wonderful little family that delights me so often, and vexes me maybe oftener. I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and wish I were better at sharing. I have good friends and everything I need. What else could I ask for? Well, I am sure that Collin would say I am a little more demanding than I am letting on. So have a great holiday and be safe and know that I am having a Merry Christmas.

As if ONCE isn't enough..

So, I am sleeping peacefully in my bed, when lo and behold, I hear, "Mommy? Mommy? I need some help." Well, Sam had too much koolaid and not enough bathroom time. Apparently. Unfortunately for me, I had piled every extra blanket on his bed, and had to dig to strip it. Seriously, work like that at 1:30 am is enough to make anyone cuss. I refrained, but then I must have been really in control when at 6:05 am, I hear, "Mommy, I think I wet your bed." Isn't there a rule about only one accident a night? Is it really possible that he is so tired (that was his excuse) that he can't wake himself up? I mean I have nightmares about finding toilets. Always have. For example, I am searching for a bathroom, and I find one! Yay! I walk in and it appears to be a locker room or maybe even a dressing room of some sort, and there are like 50 toilets randomly placed around the room. No privacy (who would want that?) and I never can find a clean or functioning pot. Or they are so large, I don't dare sit on it, because I could fit my whole family in that thing. Well, I don't dream about leaving important and very neccessary articles of clothing anywhere but on me, I dream about gross, unwelcoming toilets. I wonder if Samuel does. He no longer likes "SAM" by the way. That isn't what they call him at school, you know. Well, off to bed I go, and if I my sleep gets disturbed, you will know about it.

Monster Baby

So if anyone has any suggestions on how to keep a 2.5 year old in his bed, will you let me know? I have used up all the ingenuity that I can muster, and need ideas!

Six Years of Sam: The Funniest Boy Alive

I should go Pro

Attention! Attention!!!! Everyone, I want to announce that I finally found what I am really good at. Do any of you ever feel the need to be really good at something? Like that one thing that you are known amongst your friends for? Well, indeed you should congratulate me hardily! I found mine. I am fantastic at botching a good haircut. Sam's in particular. I should get an award for giving a child the most haircuts in 24 hours.

The days of wild hair are back. Its official, I stink at cutting hair. Too bad for my kids that I am cheap. My hair is proof. I won't horrify you with pictures.

Pumpkin Patch at School

Well, Samuel participated in the annual pumpkin patch at his school. Let me just say that this is a family affair. It is expected that the parents help. And Sam painted and help mold things, but Collin and I did the majority of the labor. It was a fantastic family project. I was sad to find out that we did not win anything. The build up was so great, and alas, my dreams were dashed. Its okay. He was more excited about the box of candy he got for participating (I won mom!) than the savings bond.

There were tons of cute pumpkins, and the cutest decorations. Hahahah.
One day I will get over it, but it won't be today.

I feel like a new woman now that the Halloween events are over. Though my counter is still full of junk, and the laundry mountain grows ever more treacherous. Jacob is sitting up and learning some eating skills. Cooper has learned to be annoying and loves to read his favorite book "It's Potty Time!" and Sam is learning all about letters and Star Wars. If I could harness his desire for that into the Book of Mormon, we would be set.

Eight Years, Who's Counting?

So this is all I could dig up. My faves were not available. They were at the bottom of the photolanche I experienced whilst digging these bad boys out. I don't know how to be serious so I am not writing anything like that. Just thought you dolls might like to see what we looked like PreK.



I do have a great hubby and a fantastic family, I am grateful. That is our first date at chuckecheeses, if anyone wants to know.

Hot Pizza: Come and Get It.

So our eight year anniversary was yesterday, and if I get super crazy, I might dig out a picture so that you can see how my hair is still the same. JK.
Collin had to work late, and things are super craze around here so we decided to celebrate with crunchings and munchings another night.

Auntie Eve came over and she ordered pizza. After a while, I heard a very persistent horn honking. I looked out the window, saw the driver in the car, and thought, "Well, the porch light isn't on, maybe she is scared." A good option, I am scared of the dark, maybe she is too. Well she seemed stuck. Fozen by fright perhaps? Nope.
Well, she started yelling something and Eve went out. For a while. I heard the lady say a few things, but thought they sounded out of place and was sure I misheard. Then Eve came back in with the pizza. The lady had been honking for a while, said she.
Any guesses why she couldn't deliver it to my door herself? Apparently Pizza Hut only delivers to the driveway. The delivery gal said she couldn't get her WALKER out of the back because of the hill and the dark. Awesome.
I wasn't put out, but it was amusing and a first. Apparently its hard to get young drivers with the gas prices.
I think its great she's out there doing something. I am also glad for the laugh. Pizza Hut doesn't discriminate, but it's lucky I didn't need a walker to get to the driveway.

Fall Break Camping Trip

You might ask where is Sam on this fantastic vacation of ours? We sold him for some silver. No, he was either taking the pictures or running with the kids from the neighboring campsite. He is in many pics, but I am not willing to expose myself in such a way to the general public. Much to many's ridicule, we camped nearby at Blue Springs. We had never been together with the kids, and we had never used out tent, so it was a practice run. It worked out really well after I got done being mad about everything not being done my way.

Jacob was a superb camper he first day and a half. Then he stopped taking naps and serenaded the campers with his wailing. Sam is always happy to leave us. He informed me that the neighbor's campsite was cooler because they had a big truck and a trailer behind it. And a dog. Well, he will never think we are exciting if that is his criteria.

Cooper was obsessed with a stray cat, and wanted to know all about where it was going to drink milk from a bowl and see it's mommy. He has no fear and wandered wherever he wanted. Very glad we weren't right by the water.
My awesome cook of a husband is wearing my tee shirt. Why won't he wear my jeans? They are men's. Well, not those, but anyway, he cooked everything for us and I had never cooked a hot dog on a fire before. When you make a comment like that, people (Collin) think you know nothing about camping. Not true. I am an expert camper. I mean, I do know how to burn marshmallows.
And yes, that is Jacob sleeping outside of the tent. He loved it in and out. He did fuss some, that had everything to do with his tummy and not the camping. We had a great time, the weather was perfect, and our kids loved it. And it started with a fight. Sounds like a family vacation to me.

Freeze Tag

To: Monique Phipps

I don't mind the tag, however, I would rather have done the other one!

6 Quirks of Amanda (only 6? I have ten times that!)

1. When I am done eating, everyone is done eating. This one is unfortunate for Collin because, He usually isn't done because he was cooking or holding a babe aloft. When I swallow that last bite, I set to cleaning up and moving on to the next item of business, whatever that may be. This was brought to my attention on our camping trip, so I resolve to improve.

2. I debate and debate when spending money. When I was in high school, my momacita gave me some money ("to buy sombrero and some papaya, lets go to carnival and dance the night away"*) to buy clothes and shoes. I walked the mall for at least three hours trying to decide which shoes were the best deal. The best look for the best price. I spent $50 on my shoes. The difference was only $5. Was that time worth the $5? Then I drove down the road and dropped $115 on a pair of Birkenstocks. No bargaining there. Still, I debate and its usually about $3 or less savings. Hours of scouring the internet, just to be able to say, "I got a deal!"

3. I don't like to talk to people. I will way out of my way to not talk to people. I can write notes, and email, but I am a social coward.

4. I am a color nazi (thank Collin for this one). Indeed, I do not have matching skills for my own clothes or my boys, but Collin's are equal to mine. He wears this one shirt ( blue, black and white plaid) with brown pants. To me it doesn't match, but I get questoined constantly about matching clothes. I can't even tell black from navy blue, butI insist other people's clothes match.

5. I am a know it all. I try really hard not to be, but I can't help it if I know everything about everything!!! I find myself inserting comments where common sense should tell me to stop. Before its all over, I usually have to stop the conversation and say " You know, I don't really know if that is true. Sorry about that."

6. I have a very distorted memory. I remember things very different than they really occurred. Like this: "Hey Collin, remember when I used to eat so healthy? Nothing but veggies and fruit all day and then fantastically balanced meals? And I excersized like everyday? Really you don't remember it? It was like when Sam was a baby, and it was awesome." Well, if we really examine the situation, I felt like it was two months, but it was less than two weeks. Great resolve I have, huh? I can't believe that he didn't remember those 11 days of our almost 8 year marriage, while he was in scholl and working 3 jobs. Deadbeat.

Here are the rules:

Link the person who tagged you

Mention rules on your blog

Tell about 6 quirks of yours

Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same

Leave a comment to let them know

I tag the unfortunate following:
Carrisa
Holly
Lindsay Lo
Manda
Huggy Bear
Maria