In the mail today was...........

NEW Valentine's Day projects to do!!!  WHOO HOO!!
After doing the projects I had last week I decided I needed a few more for my living room because it looked kind of sparsely decorated. So I jumped on to my favorite decorating site, It's a Sign and ordered some more projects.

I can't wait to start them this week probably Wednesday. Here they are

If you noticed the one on the bottom right is the same one I did last week. Well that is because while I wasn't looking Bo took a blue Sharpie marker and wrote all over it, so I have to re-do it. Oh well.



Easy bird feeders

One of Bo's new favorite shows is called Wild Animal Babies. It is about some animal babies a skunk named Sammy, a beaver named Benita, a rabbit named Skippy and a owl named Izzi. They have a teacher or mentor named Miss Sally and I think she is a salamander. Every episode they explore different kinds of animals. Bo's favorite episodes they explore elk(of course), hippos, giraffes, and zebras. I even learn new things about the animals. They also show real kids learning about nature.

On one episode they showed the kids making bird feeders to feed the winter birds. It looked so simple and fun I had to try it. You take a bagel and cut it in half spread peanut butter on one side of it then dip it in bird seed. Then hang it from a tree with string for the birds to eat.

I went to my moms house and we made them with some of the grandkids.

Looks like fun. The date was wrong on my camera

We didn't hang ours in a tree because we have a little bird that stops by our porch looking for things to eat so we put it on our railing. I tied it to the post in case a big bird tries to take off with it. Hahaha.

This was a very fun and easy craft to make with the kids. They were so excited to make them and hang them up then watch for birds to come and eat their bird feeder.

Happy 5 years

Happy Anniversary to Tracy and I!! It is our 5 year anniversary today.

I have been thinking about when we got engaged and the events of our wedding this week.

Well we were only engaged 6 days before we got married. We knew we wanted to get married and so we thought why wait!

Tracy asked me to marry him on Sunday. I of course said YES YES YES!! We went into my apartment and called our parents and family.

On Monday we decided that we were going to get married on Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
My mom and sisters came and stayed with me and we picked out my ring and dress and bouquet all in 2 days. Now those of you who do not know me this is quite rare. I can't decide on anything very quickly. But I did. My dad came out too. He loves to go wedding dress shopping and we had a fun time picking one out.
I found us a place to stay and get married in Vegas on Wednesday.

We left for Vegas on Friday morning early. Stayed the night and then Saturday afternoon we got married. And the next day we headed home.

All of my family was able to make the 6 hour drive to Vegas, Tracy's parents and 2 brothers and their families came and our friends who we met at their house went. That was just enough people to attend and on such short notice.

It was such a fun time and I am glad we went to Vegas and got married. I would recommend it to anyone.



Past



Present

 We went to dinner last night for our anniversary because Tracy had the day off. This is self taken picture of us in my kitchen. I figured out how to use the timer on my camera. It was fun to get dressed in nice cloths and go to dinner with out the kids.



                                                          

5 Question Friday

Rules for 5QF: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then watch for the linky post to appear on Friday morning! And the biggest rule of all...the most important rule...the one you must follow to a "T": HAVE FUN!!

Questions for Friday, January 28th: (Special thanks to @bellismom, Jill, Nini, Colleen, and [inspiration from] Sandy for their question suggestions! I'd love to link you in a future 5QF, so if you have a question suggestion, head on over to my community to offer it up, or shout it out on Twitter [@5crookedhalos]!!)

1. If you had $1,000 to donate to a charity, which would you choose?

I would donate to St. Judes.

2. Snow days: Do you welcome them happily or are they a pain in your butt?

I HATE HATE snow so snow days are a pain in my butt. I don't go anywhere and it makes me nervous because I know if I have to go somewhere I will have to drive in the snow and I HATE to do that too!

3. What talent did you wish you had and why?

 

I wish I could sing better

4. Are you a news, politics or celebrity gossip junkie?

 

I like to know about all 3 but I would say that I like to watch the news the most. I don't do it that often.

5. What is your favorite "cocktail"? (Are you a beer person, a kiddie cocktail junkie, or perhaps your more the "Cosmo" kind?! Anything flies...doesn't hafta be alcoholic!)

 

My favorite drink was Pepsi but I haven't drank it for 3 years now a days my favorite and only thing I drink is good ole water. :)

Change begin by choice

I really liked this article and thought I would share it with you all.
 It is so hard to change our actions sometimes but if we don't nothing in our lives will be different. A definition of insanity is doing the same things but expecting a different outcome.

Change begins with Choice - by Jim Rohn


Any day we wish, we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.


We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, “The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves.” We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.


We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.


And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life: If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life. And it all begins with your very own power of choice.

Happy to be at home

When I was single and younger if you would have told me that I would be happy and content to stay at home all day and do housework I would have told you that you were crazy! I always wanted to be going somewhere or doing something exciting. Now that I am a married woman of almost 5 years and a mom some of my most enjoyable times are in my home.
This week I have been catching up on some housework that got neglected this past weekend. I did laundry, vacuumed and cleaned my kitchen.


As I was doing these chores I had the thought that I was very happy to be doing it all. I am very blessed to be able to stay at home with Bo. I am grateful I have a house to clean and take care of. I was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and I felt a lot of love. Love for Tracy, love for Bo, love for Brooke(my stepdaughter) and love for myself. I was truly happy to be cleaning my house. Bo was watching a movie while I was cleaning and he would come find me and I would give him a hug and then he would be on his way. It was a very peaceful feeling I had and I loved it.


Now this doesn't happen all the time and I am NOT I repeat NOT a neat freak or very tidy. I have been known to be messy to a point then it drives me crazy and I have to clean it up. But every so often I do have these moments when I love to clean my house. 

Have a happy Wednesday everyone!

100 Things

I saw this on a few blogs and I thought it was fun. So here is mine:


1-I am the oldest of 5 kids
2-I am married to a great guy
3-I met my husband at a Texas Hold 'Em Poker game
4-We were only engaged 6 days before we got married.
5- We have a 2 year old little boy
6-We have 2 Yorkshire Terrier dogs
7- I love to do puzzles
8-I am a stay at home mom and I work from home
9- I HATE to be wrong
10-I was 30 the first time I flew on an airplane
11-One of my favorite things to do EVERY SINGLE DAY is go get the mail!
12-I HATE when the mail doesn't come
13-I love to travel
14-I love sauce! I eat most foods just to eat the sauce with it. An example is hot sauce. I use 3 to 4 packets per taco or burrito from Del Taco or Taco Bell ect.
15-I HATE mushrooms and onions
16-I chose to have my son Cesarean Section. I knew having a child would hurt one way or the other so I wanted to choose my pain. There was no way I wanted to squeeze him out the other way!!
17-I have never lived farther than 115 miles away from my home town
18-We now live in my home town
19-I HATE the feel of cotton balls! When I touch them it gives me the chills and I want to lay on the floor and curl into a ball
20-Chickens and Turkeys scare me
21-I LOVED being pregnant
22-I have been out of the country twice soon to be three times: Bahamas and Mexico and Mexico again in May
23-My favorite pop is Pepsi
24-I haven't drank Pepsi for almost 3 years now or any soda pop
25-I love to watch NFL football with my husband Tracy
26-I watch football by myself when Tracy is at work
27-We are Broncos fans but my second favorite is the Patriots
28-My favorite TV show was Friends.
29-I cried on the last episode of Friends.
30-I have all 10 seasons for Friends on DVD but I rarely watch season 10 because I know it ends there
31-I HAVE to put my left sock on before my right and my left shoe on before my right. If I don't they feel weird and I have to take them off and try again.
32-My current favorite TV show is the new 90210
33-I loved Beverly Hills 90210 too
34-My favorite sport is Basketball
35-I played basketball in high school and my freshman year of college
36-I love pictures, my house is decorated mostly with pictures of our family. I think why buy a picture of someone I don't know when I can put up pics of people I love
37-I grew up on a farm
38-I was told I would never have children
39-My son is a miracle baby
40-We only use chemical free products in our home
41-I am a stepmom. 
42-My 14 year old stepdaughter just started to live with us July of 2010
43-Purple is my favorite color
44-I count everything. Everything I look at I count something about it like how many windows a building has
45-My favorite number is 3
46- I like all numbers that will divide by 3
47-I love the smell of rain
48-I love to leave the windows open during a thunder storm
49-My favorite and best Grandma isn't a blood relative, she is my mom's friends' mom. But she has been the best Grandma to me!
50-I love teeth
51-I am a Dental Assistant
52-I love to learn
53-I want to visit all 50 states. 13 down 37 more to go
54-Camping is one of my favorite things to do in the summer
55-My favorite food is Mexican
56-I have my own horse
57-Being a mom is the greatest blessing of my life
58-I don't really remember what I did all day before I had my little man
59-I actually enjoy doing laundry
60-I hate to vacuum
61-Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday
62-I rafted down the Grand Canyon
63-I almost drowned on the Grand Canyon
64-I Do Not like to have my head under water as a result of  #63
65-I love to laugh
66-I am very protective of my family
67-I love to play in the ocean of course with my head above the water :)
68-I broke both my arms at the same time when  I was 9 by jumping out of a swing
69-I didn't have any wisdom teeth
70-I HATE driving in the snow
71-I love peanut butter
72-My husband is 8 years older than me
73-I LOVE my Blackberry
74-I dropped my Blackberry in the toilet(it was flushed luckily!) 2 times in the same week and it still worked. My husband now calls it my poo berry
75-I love to cook
76-I don't like to bake
77-I am a Electrologist
78-I love to plant flowers in the spring
79-I love to plant a vegetable garden in the spring
80-I enjoy bottling fresh food out of my garden
81-One of my favorite foods is a tomato sandwich
82-One of my hobby's is painting ceramics
83-I started to do a lot of vinyl lettering projects too for my house
84-I am really close to my brothers and sisters and their families
85-I broke(trained) my own horse when I was 16
86-I like to hunt
87-I shot an elk this September
88-I use the best lotion known to man on this planet!! It's true, it has been tested this isn't just my opinion
89-Slow Internet connections REALLY REALLY irritate me!
90-I have the best parents in the World!
91-I collect salt and pepper shakers
92-I have always wanted to go to Maine and Oregon
93-I know I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me!
94-Top Gun, The Man from Snowy River, Footloose, Dirty Dancing, Grease, and Pretty Woman are some of my all time favorite movies
95-This has taken me longer than I thought it would to write 100 things about me
96-I love the smell of puppy breathe
97-Fords are my favorite make of Truck
98-I like it when Bo comes to our room in the night to get in bed with us!
99-Going to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned is one of my favorite things to do!
100-Being a wife and mom is my greatest blessing!!

Valentine's Day Projects (Made by you Monday's)

I just made some Valentine's Day decorations for my house. I have never really decorated for Valentine's Day or been a big fan of the day. But when I saw these decorations I had to have them!
I decided that I am going to decorate on Valentine's Day from now on because the pink and red colors really add the the bleak, cold and long winter.

Painted them

Modge Podged on some scrapbook paper

Put the lettering on and TA DAH they're done!

This is a fun new blog hop I found. There are some really cute projects on here. Click on the picture below to see them!

Region Champs

Yesterday was the Region Drill Team Competition held at our high school. Brooke is on the the team and we were all so excited to go and watch the girls dance.They did 3 dances: Military, Jazz and Kick.

Brooke is on the Kick dance team and I think this is their best dance :). The girls took 1st on all of their dances and 1st in Region. They work so hard everyday and  have amazing coaches!

I was a ball player in high school and I have to admit I didn't really pay that much attention to the drill team then. But now I go to ball games to watch the drill team dance at half time. It's funny how things change. Of course I like to watch the ball games too.

Now it's on to the State Tournament in February. Duchesne Talons are 7 time state Drill Team Champs! At region they announced that it is a State of Utah record. No other school has won that many times in a row!! That is so impressive and we are a small 1A school too! Go girls!!

Brooke holding the trophy

That's one proud daddy! Brooke made the shirts Tracy and Bo are wearing

Look at that kick!



The Duchesne Talons



I know this was kind of a brag post but I am so proud of Brooke! This is her first year at Duchesne High School and she has accomplished so much.

Happy Day

I am so excited for this day! It is going to be a good one.
I have been doing a lot of bookkeeping work these last few weeks getting ready for taxes that I really need to do something fun. Last week I read on my friends blog that she had some Valentine's Day projects to do. I looked at them and thought huh I should do some. I haven't really been big on decorating for Valentine's Day. I bought some plastic cling hearts and put them on my sliding glass door and they look so cute. They really make it cheery during this cold, cold winter.

I looked on It's A Sign website for some cute Valentine's Day projects and I found some. I ordered them and they came yesterday.

I can't wait to paint them and put them up. It will really look cute in my living room and give some color to the winter!

Another reason I am excited for today is because tomorrow is Region Drill Team. I am going to go get some good luck balloons and take them to school for Brooke. We got her a card and I am so excited to give it to her. We are so proud of Brooke for doing so well on drill team and in school. This is going to be a fun action packed weekend for us! The drill team is 7 time State Champs. We really enjoy watching them dance they are good!!



5 question Friday

Okay, carrying on now...welcome to Five Question Friday! The easiest, most fun blog hop around!


Rules for Five Question Friday: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then watch for the linky to appear Friday morning!


Questions for Friday, January 21st: (Special thanks to @thecoolestwife, Sharayha, Rachel, Angela, and Sandy for their question suggestions! If you would like to be linked in a future 5QF, head on over to my community to offer up your best question suggestions (We need more! Please!)! Feel free to shout 'em out on Twitter, too! [@5crookedhalos]...if you remember, try to use the hashtag #5QF so they are accessible for ever!!)


1. Where did you meet your spouse and did you instantly know it was love?

I met my husband at a Texas Hold 'Em poker game. This was the first time I had seen him there. When I walked into the room and saw him I thought(and still do think) he was the best looking guy I had ever seen! My heart got a little shock in it and I knew I wanted to get to know him!! So ya I think it was love at first sight.


2. What is your favorite room in your house?

My living room becasue it has pictures of my family in it. I love to put up pictures in my house. Not just ones we got taken professionally but snapshots too.

3. Can you wiggle your ears?

No I can't.


4. What is your evening ritual?

I get Bo his jammies on and we read a story and rock a bye. I go and lay with him in his bed until he falls a sleep. Then I come back out and sit with Tracy and we drink out evening herbal tea and watch a little tv then we go to bed, usually around 9:00pm.


5. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?

Hmmm I haven't really thought about this but I guess around 6. I used to like to sleep in but I can't really do that much anymore, being a mom and all.

Sleeping through the night

About the last 3 months I was pregnant with Bo I didn't sleep very well at night. Everyone would tell me oh you better enjoy your sleep now because when the baby comes you won't get any sleep. I would tell them oh well I don't sleep now so I don't think it will be a problem when he is born cuz I am used to it. WELL the difference is when I was still pregnant with him I could lay in bed and not HAVE to get up. After he was born I HAD to get up. Well he is 2 now and he has been sleeping in his own bed for about 6 months. He still doesn't sleep through the night and around 4 AM he comes into the living room and says Mommy come back here. It is so cute. So anyway the other night he slept the whole night through. I woke up at 4 AM however and listened for him. Didn't hear anything. So I layed in my bed and waited. Still nothing. So at 5 AM I got up and walked down to his room to check on him. He was laying on his pillow sleeping so soundly. He looked like such a big boy it brought tears to my eyes. I thought since he was born I have wanted him to sleep through the night so I could. But what happened when he did? Mommy couldn't sleep. I started to think will I ever sleep all the way through the night again or as a Mom will you always wake up to listen for your kids??

Bo sleeping with his blankey

Menu Jan 15th to Jan 31st

Menu for January 15^th to January 31^st 2011

On my last menu I had Mexican Meatloaf. You seriously need to make this for dinner!! It was so yummy. I absolutely LOVED the sauce and I'm going to make it in the summer for hamburgers and steak when we BBQ! I found the recipe on my friend, Jeannie's blog and I am so glad she posted this. Thanks Jeannie!!

Friday, January 15^th

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

This is from Better than Burgers Blog and it sounded so yummy and easy, plus Tracy LOVES French Dips so I had to try them

Sunday, January 16^th

Meatballs and Gravy served over rice or noodles

I have had this recipe for a few years and have never tried it but it sounded so good to me now that I am going to try it

1 lb ground beef

1/2-3/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 small white onion chopped

Salt and pepper

1 can Campbell’s golden mushroom soup

Sour cream for garnish if desired

1 1/2 cups egg noodles or rice.

Place ground beef in mixing bowl. Add parmesan cheese, onion and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with clean hands. Shape into 2 inch size meatballs. Coat the bottom of a 10-12 inch skillet with oil. Place the meatballs in skillet over medium heat. Turn meatballs with spoon to brown on all sides.

Empty soup into bowl and add 1 can of water to soup mix well. Pour soup over meatballs. Turn heat to low and simmer covered about 10-15 minutes.
While meatballs are simmering. Cook noodles or rice according to package directions.

Drain noodles and spoon meatballs and gravy over noodles or the rice. Add a dollop of sour cream on top if desired.
* I thickened the gravy with a little corn starch

Depending on size of meatballs can make about 12 meatballs
Serves about 4-6 people

Monday, January 17^th

Easy Sheppard’s Pie (this has cream cheese in it so I definitely had to try it!)

1 pound hamburger

2 cups hot mashed potatoes

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 garlic cloves minced

4 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup beef gravy

Preheat oven to 375. Brown meat in skillet and drain

Mix potatoes, cream cheese and ½ cup of shredded cheese and the garlic until well blended

Stir veggies and gravy into meat and place in baking dish

Cover with potato mixture and sprinkle with the rest of shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through

Tuesday, January 18^th

Easy Beef Teriyaki

Wednesday, January 19^th

Ham and Broccoli Casserole
Thursday, January 20^th

Spaghetti and garlic bread

This is an old stand bye

Friday, January 21^st

Left over’s

Saturday, January 22^nd     Brooke Region Drill Team

Pig Slop.

This is Tracy’s favorite meal, sounds funny but it is just macaroni and tomato juice with a little butter and salt. Very easy and really good too.

 We are lucky that Region is at DHS so I needed an easy dinner this night!

Sunday, January 23^rd

Tracy’s Hamburger soup

Monday, January 24^th

Lumpias. Yes we are having these again. They are so yummy and I made extra filling and froze it so this will be way easy to make.

Tuesday, January 25^th

Pork Tenderloin

Wednesday, January 26^th

Creamy Chicken and Potatoes

Boneless chicken breasts as many as your family will eat

Potatoes cubed as many as your family will eat

Cream of chicken soup

½ cup milk

Garlic minced to taste

Cayenne pepper couple of shakes to taste

Montreal Chicken seasoning to taste

Brown chicken in butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper and chicken seasoning

Put potatoes on bottom of Crockpot

Place chicken on top of potatoes

Mix soup, milk garlic, cayenne pepper and chicken seasoning and pour over top of chicken

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Thursday, January 27^th

Grilled Cheese and soup

Easy I know but they are also yummy

Friday, January 28^th

HAPPY 5^th ANNIVERSARY TO TRACY AND ME!!!

Going out to eat

Saturday, January 29^th

Beef Tacos

Sunday, January 30th

Ham steak with rice and a veggie

Monday, January 31^st

Left overs

5 question Friday

Welcome to Five Question Friday! An easy, peasy way to start off your weekend...and a fun way to get to know random facts about your fellow bloggers!

Rules for 5QF: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then watch for the linky to appear Friday morning! Oh, and HAVE FUN!!

Questions for Friday, January 14th: (Special thanks to Sharaya, Kate, Deanna, @trooppetrie,@ChelsVandy for their question suggestions! Wanna be linked in a future 5QF? Bring your awesome question suggestions to my community, or shout 'em out to me on Twitter [@5crookedhalos]!!)

1. What movie could you watch over and over again and not get tired of?

The Man From Snowy River and Top Gun

2. What's your biggest pet peeve right now?

People not taking responsibility for their actions and blaming other people

3. If you had to describe your best friend in five words or less, what would you say?

My husband

4. If you did not have to worry about money or go to school what would you do for a living?

 

I'm doing it, being a stay at home mom!

5. What is your one "splurge" item, that you will always buy, no matter the cost?New DVD's especially tv show box sets like Friends or the Golden girls.