Not the night of all nights

Quite possibly the funniest moment of my life happened tonight, well at least for this moment the funniest.  Relief Society birthday dinner party (nothing like the night of all nights).  My life saver Jolene Cash and I made 3 different salads for the event.  We did all the prep work at home and then mixed them at the church.  I had made 2 different salad dressings, one was a basil dressing and the other a lime tarragon…..both so delicious I considered eating them for lunch as soup.  (Oh and P.S. both of them from My Foster’s blog here)

OK so if I was a clever writer this would come out so much better.  I was giving instructions to someone as to which dressing went with which salad.  Jolene walked over and said, “are you sure this is the tarragon one, it looks like the basil?”  I said, “yes I am sure, they look the same”.   We discussed it for a few minutes.  She then tasted them both and said to me, “I really think this is the basil one”.  I gave her a disgusted look and said, “I know which one is which, I MADE them.  I then tried the one she was insisting was basil and started laughing hysterically.  I had forgotten that I had switched the containers I had made them in.  Oh boy did we laugh and laugh and laugh.  I told her, “Like I always say, never believe anything I say.”

May not be funny to anyone else, but we thought it was the best moment.  Good thing she was there or else two huge salads would have been ruined!  I would never make it through these activities without her, and actually I wouldn’t want to be at them without her.  We are two peas in a pod.

Our own version of Plates and Palates, it was so so good.  I would never have noticed that we had 3 green salads on green plates, but you know, people who know that kind of stuff did!

I didn’t get a picture until the clean up was almost done.  One hour set up, that was the best part!

Here and There

I still can’t just upload my photos to my computer without me doing a lot of steps that I don’t always remember……therefore I am not blogging very much.  Hopefully something will change, either the ease of uploading or me remembering to blog!

Apparently the dinner was too hot and spicy for Jacob.

Jonah and Ellie having a sleepover and some fun with chocolate pudding.  I think Jonah first got some on his face so then Ellie had to get it all over hers.  They enjoyed themselves very much!

Brando getting around a late night game that I didn’t let him go watch with Nate.

Girls trip to Midway a few weeks ago.  Me, Bethany, Jen, Aliska and Katie.  We didn’t do much more than sit and read and talk and EAT.

Long Sleeves

Why have I ever bought my children long sleeved shirts?  They won’t wear them,  and by they I mean Brandon and Jacob.  I used to get so mad at Brandon for not wearing the nice, cute shirts I bought him.  Now I know not to EVER buy him long sleeves.  Jacob begged for a certain long sleeved shirt a couple of months ago.  I bought it for him.  Then I bought him one for Christmas.  He has worn them about 2 or 3 times.  Every morning he puts on a short sleeve t-shirt and I ask him about the shirt he HAD to have.  He yells that is is too hot at school.  I need to just accept it like I have with Brandon.  I have some great never worn long sleeved shirts if anyone wants some.

On another note, Jonah was being so helpful the other day and helping Brandon clean his room.  I left him putting clothes away in his dresser while I went to get in the shower.  As soon as I got in the shower Jacob started yelling at me to get out because Jonah had pulled the dresser over on him.  I jumped out, threw on my robe (good thing I have one, which is only ever worn in times like this), and ran imagining Jonah’s little smashed body.  Luckily for Jonah’s little size and the way the drawers were opened when it fell he was not hurt too badly.  The poor little thing.

Lessons learned this week…..don’t buy Brandon and Jacob long sleeved shirts and don’t let Jonah help put away Brandon’s clothes.

Valentines

I don’t do holidays very good.  I don’t know why, but I run around like crazy on every one.  I didn’t even have that many extra things happening on Tuesday, but I ran like crazy all day and evening.  I make the same dinner every year, Chicken Parmigiana.   I also always make sugar cookies which we then deliver to people.  This year I didn’t make the cookies because Brandon is following an eating plan that doesn’t allow for cookies.  I could have made them, but I am trying not to tempt him too much or fail him.  It was a good thing I didn’t because I don’t know when I would have made them!  I have been seriously missing the sugar cookies.  I still check the porch several times a day to see if anyone happened to drop some off….even though the day is long over.  Anyways I was crazy and thinking I am not doing this anymore, we will just have pizza on valentines day from now on, and then Jacob tells me how much he loves Valentines day and he loves the dinner we have and that we eat it by candlelight.  So, yes I will continue to do it.

I gave them all a very small gift and Jonah acted like I had given him a million dollars when he saw the hot wheels car attached to his balloon.  He is so easy to please!

One of these days I am going to learn how to not be crazy every holiday!

Superbowl

***This is a very delayed post because I have been waiting for my camera to upload to my computer, something is wrong and I can’t get any pictures! 

We usually go to a superbowl party at Nana and Grandpa Peter’s house (Tiffany’s parents).  This year with Nana out of town awaiting the arrival of a new baby and the fact that her two sports loving sons moved away was the perfect opportunity for Brandon to host his own party.  He was very excited about this.

This was his party.  He extended the invitation to those he wanted to come.  Planned the menu.  Kind of helped get the house ready.  Made the cake.  Realized again that it takes a lot to host a party.  Got irritated that I wanted him to be setting out the plates, cups, food, etc….while he was watching the National Anthem being sung.

The party was a hit.  He has been watching episodes of “Cake Boss” on Netflix and came up with his idea of the perfect superbowl party cake.  He recruited his good friend Megan to come and assist with the decorating.  They spent several hours having a great time making the cake.  By the time it was all said and done Brandon had spent 4 1/2 hours on the cake.

I love the look on Megan”s face here.

He even had a little contest for people to guess the score of the game.  How in the world Tiffany, who knows nothing and cares even less about sports, won we will never know.  She was thrilled to win a box of Mike and Ike candy.

We all had a great time at the party and I think Brandon should throw more!

She is Famous

I refer to my BFF often, but I probably have never spotlighted her enough.  When we were in high school she would talk about how she would one day write a book and be on Oprah.  She is well on her way with this dream, except for the part about Oprah….I guess she better pick another talk show to be on.

Tiffany is a board member, author, trainer, planner and I don’t know what else for

http://powerofmoms.com/ (I wish I knew how to make their little symbol here instead of this link, that would be way more impressive)

She has a wonderful blog that gets a lot of attention

http://ourmostofthetimehappyfamily.blogspot.com/ (I must ask her how to do the little HERE mark that links to a site)

Her half birthday tradition was featured on a very popular blog this past weekend

http://blogs.babble.com/kid-scoop/2012/02/04/half-birthdays/

She has had several articles published in print for the Deseret News.  She has been published on sites that I don’t even know what they are.

And of course she is often published on ksl.com, but the home FRONT PAGE??????

 http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=18011902&nid=1010&title=my-story-after-tragedy-you-really-can-laugh-again

Just in case there is anyone in the world who knows me and I didn’t already tell you to read the article about me!  We laughed and laughed and are still laughing about us being on the home page of the most visited website in Utah. 

I take it for granted that I have such an amazing BFF.  For the past 21 1/2 years we have been right by each others side (I am sure many people got sick of seeing us together in college), we see each other about 2 times a week on average and talk at least every other day (except for on weekends, only if it is a special occasion), we are VERY different and VERY the same at the same time.  We have 3 children who are the same age and best friends themselves. 

Yes, I am blessed in many ways.  She is one of my greatest.

Stop Drop and Roll, Meet me at ZCMI, ROR always!

Beating January

Ways to make January go by faster:

Go to lots of Jazz games….went to 5, done.

Spend many hours either on the phone or sitting on the couch talking to Tiffany…..done.

Pretend like I am as good of a cook as My Foster and assist her at a cooking class…..done.

Go to St. George and run a half marathon…..already know that is done.

Go to wedding receptions, dinner at Nana’s, have friends over for dinner…..done.

Watch Brandon and Jacob play in several Jr. Jazz and deacons ball games…..done.

Remember my baby James on his day and try to explain to Jonah that he has another brother……done, and of course he doesn’t understand.

Spend a week taking care of sick Jonah, a day of sick Brandon, a day of sick Jacob and now a sick me…..done.

And even though we have had a very mild winter and the sun has been shining I still need a warm vacation!