Showing posts with label I Love Rick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I Love Rick. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
September 18th - ballet and Daddy Daughter campout!
This camping trip was Lauren's first in the camper. She did great! Ashlyn on the other hand, threw up - for no apparent reason - all over herself, her bedding and the mattress. Yum. She was completely fine the next rest of the night and all of the next day but what a mess!
Here are some highlight pics:
The most beautiful bouquet I've ever received!
Here sissy...
Thanks to Ryan Jones we have a fish!
Best. Walking Stick. Ever.
Rick and Lauren (this was when he was growing out his beard for Halloween to be Amish - and later to be Wolverine - it did not make until Halloween!)
First ballet class...
Friday, November 21, 2008
"I'm a real boy!"
Well, a real engineer anyway. :) Rick will officially no longer be a Mechanical Engineer, Associate on Saturday. He's now Mechanical Engineer, Senior - so be sure to comment when you see his sig change on his emails. ;o)
Yay Rick! We are SOOOOO proud of him and are so glad that he can feel that same appreciation that we feel for him confirmed and his hard work validated in such an awesome way by his peers. Congratulations babe!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Just one more reason...
...why I have a Label for my blog entitled "I Love Rick". It is for posts when I just want to remind myself of why I am so lucky. Or if I want to brag him up a little. It can also stand for "Why Rick is So Cool - but Sorry He is Taken".
Here is our water storage. I found some water containers that someone was selling in another stake and was happy to pick some up and add some longer term water storage to our supply. Rick has set it up in our food storage room on a rack. That in itself is kinda cool, but wait until you see the other side!
Yes, there are spigots to easily get to our water. But wait there's more! He has rigged this up to our sprinkler system so that each time the sprinkler is run our water storage is aerated and rotated! No wasting a huge vat of water each year when you need to rotate your water! He is a genius and I'm so grateful his crazy little mind works in ways I could never imagine.
State Quarters
I know this is random - but that's what my Random Erikaness category is for right?
Rick has the "United States of America Coin Collector's Map" - we found in the dollar spot at Target. It has a spot for all the state quarters that have been released. He is now missing just 5 and I would love to give these to him as a present. He's so hard to shop for - he really doesn't want anything I can afford (new house, large guns, cars/motorcycles, pool table, lifetime supply of Mountain Dew/Alpine Cider/Martinelli's/NesQuick etc.) but I know he would love to finish up his map.
So I'm sending a plea for help - Any chance you have a Delaware, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana or Hawaii sittin' in your coin purse with nothin' to do?
Rick has the "United States of America Coin Collector's Map" - we found in the dollar spot at Target. It has a spot for all the state quarters that have been released. He is now missing just 5 and I would love to give these to him as a present. He's so hard to shop for - he really doesn't want anything I can afford (new house, large guns, cars/motorcycles, pool table, lifetime supply of Mountain Dew/Alpine Cider/Martinelli's/NesQuick etc.) but I know he would love to finish up his map.
So I'm sending a plea for help - Any chance you have a Delaware, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana or Hawaii sittin' in your coin purse with nothin' to do?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Missionary Tales
Rick is gone again to Alabama and so I thought I'd pass the time remembering how cool he is and reading his mission diary. :) He was an amazing young man and I love to hear how excited he was and how committed to his mission and to serving the Lord. I found some funny stories in a book put together by his mission president. The missionaries wrote in weekly to the Pres to report and share what had happened that week. There were 80 some pages so I didn't read the whole thing but there were two that caught my eye as I was skimming:
Elder & Sis. Woodbury - Rockaway 1 - Dec 11, 1994 - "NEW CONVERT ADVERTISES - HAS 5 ATTEND HER FIRST FHE - We had just given Tina Jordan the second New Member Discussion, ending with the commitment invitation to "organize and conduct a family home evening next Monday."
Tina lives alone. She runs her real estate office from her home. Her only daughter, Debra, died at the age of 14. Tina's husband ran off with a woman from Japan. Bur fervent and imaginative Tina believes that if living Apostles ask her to do something, God will open the way for her. So last night as we reviewed, she casually apologized for mis-timing her first FHE, but resolved to do better next Monday evening. Puzzled, I asked if she had held it alone. "No" she said, "I just told the group that next week I would be better organized." I asked "which group is this and how many?" She said "Five!" "You mean you had five of your relatives come and share FHE with you?"
"Well, no," she apologized, "I just advertised and got only 5 people off the street, but next time I'll have more." Tina apparently not knowing that it wouldn't work, wrote with a crayon on the side of a cardboard box that each Monday night from 6 to 8, she was holding FHE, a gospel discussion, and that anyone wishing to share it with her was welcome to come. She taped it to her front window. She was late getting prepared, but right at 6 pm, a man from Trinidad, with his wife and teenage daughter, knocked on the door. When she was a little slow to open, he ran around the back and knocked again. He was anxious for FHE. After a brief introduction and planning for the following Monday, as they were leaving, two other young women knocked on her door. Now she has 5 for next Monday. How many more may come.
Next time any member says that they can't hold FHE, because it is too hard to get all the family together, I will relay this story and ask "Have you tried advertising?"
Elder Mavy/Nicklaus - DL - Uniondale 11 Sp - Oct 3, 1994 - "NO FEAR - BIKE ACCIDENT AND BIKE THIEVES - A car knocked my bike out from under me. Both myself and the bike were OK. Then about 30 minutes later, I was held up by a couple of teenagers with a knife, who wanted my bike. I started asking them "find out" questions and they eventually gave up saying "You ask too many questions!" and lost interest. I never once felt afraid for myself or for losing the bike, which I had no intention of ever giving over. I felt that the Lord protects us when we are obedient and hard working."
:)
Elder & Sis. Woodbury - Rockaway 1 - Dec 11, 1994 - "NEW CONVERT ADVERTISES - HAS 5 ATTEND HER FIRST FHE - We had just given Tina Jordan the second New Member Discussion, ending with the commitment invitation to "organize and conduct a family home evening next Monday."
Tina lives alone. She runs her real estate office from her home. Her only daughter, Debra, died at the age of 14. Tina's husband ran off with a woman from Japan. Bur fervent and imaginative Tina believes that if living Apostles ask her to do something, God will open the way for her. So last night as we reviewed, she casually apologized for mis-timing her first FHE, but resolved to do better next Monday evening. Puzzled, I asked if she had held it alone. "No" she said, "I just told the group that next week I would be better organized." I asked "which group is this and how many?" She said "Five!" "You mean you had five of your relatives come and share FHE with you?"
"Well, no," she apologized, "I just advertised and got only 5 people off the street, but next time I'll have more." Tina apparently not knowing that it wouldn't work, wrote with a crayon on the side of a cardboard box that each Monday night from 6 to 8, she was holding FHE, a gospel discussion, and that anyone wishing to share it with her was welcome to come. She taped it to her front window. She was late getting prepared, but right at 6 pm, a man from Trinidad, with his wife and teenage daughter, knocked on the door. When she was a little slow to open, he ran around the back and knocked again. He was anxious for FHE. After a brief introduction and planning for the following Monday, as they were leaving, two other young women knocked on her door. Now she has 5 for next Monday. How many more may come.
Next time any member says that they can't hold FHE, because it is too hard to get all the family together, I will relay this story and ask "Have you tried advertising?"
Elder Mavy/Nicklaus - DL - Uniondale 11 Sp - Oct 3, 1994 - "NO FEAR - BIKE ACCIDENT AND BIKE THIEVES - A car knocked my bike out from under me. Both myself and the bike were OK. Then about 30 minutes later, I was held up by a couple of teenagers with a knife, who wanted my bike. I started asking them "find out" questions and they eventually gave up saying "You ask too many questions!" and lost interest. I never once felt afraid for myself or for losing the bike, which I had no intention of ever giving over. I felt that the Lord protects us when we are obedient and hard working."
:)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
Apple Pie Bars
Rick has requested these for Father's Day. He is certain that I have made these before for him since we've lived here. Two to 4 years ago he says. I can't remember this at ALL! I've found a recipe online but I'd really like to make him whatever it is he is remembering. Did any of you give me a recipe? Or see one on a site that we both frequent? Or remember me mentioning this at all? I'm stumped. I can't imagine that I would forget making this. It seems like a lot of work. I do not enjoy rolling out pie crust (I can never get it the shape I want) and cutting up a bunch of apples seems a lot of work. I should remember making this!
Monday, May 19, 2008
More housework
Well, it took a while for our household budget to recover from the bathroom and all of that drywall but we finally have built it back up to the point where we can do some more work.
Rick rented a rotohammer (little jackhammer thing with different bits) to bust up some more walls.
You may recognize this wall - most of you reading have stayed in this room at one point! Here's the hole he made for the water to come through to the outside sprinkler box. The 2nd pic is a close up of the hole since the flash washed it out in the first pic. He drilled it bigger to fit not just the copper pipe but also some electrical wire. Only after he returned the tool did he try and fit them both through the hole and discover it wasn't big enough. Oops! Tony (our independent contractor friend) came to the rescue and let Rick borrow his hammer to finish up the job.
The other item we needed to take care of with the rental was this chunk of concrete next to our steel beam. This is the beam that will need to be reinforced in order for us to take out the lally column (those silly columns in the basement that hold up the house). So we need to make room for our new addition in the concrete.
Here's what Nathan thought of it:
:) Actually he was just trying to avoid the camera. He thought the tools were cool.
Rick rented a rotohammer (little jackhammer thing with different bits) to bust up some more walls.
You may recognize this wall - most of you reading have stayed in this room at one point! Here's the hole he made for the water to come through to the outside sprinkler box. The 2nd pic is a close up of the hole since the flash washed it out in the first pic. He drilled it bigger to fit not just the copper pipe but also some electrical wire. Only after he returned the tool did he try and fit them both through the hole and discover it wasn't big enough. Oops! Tony (our independent contractor friend) came to the rescue and let Rick borrow his hammer to finish up the job.
The other item we needed to take care of with the rental was this chunk of concrete next to our steel beam. This is the beam that will need to be reinforced in order for us to take out the lally column (those silly columns in the basement that hold up the house). So we need to make room for our new addition in the concrete.Here's what Nathan thought of it:
:) Actually he was just trying to avoid the camera. He thought the tools were cool.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Rick has a good day
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mothers' Day!
I want to wish you all the very best mothers' day! Mine was very nice - Rick really tried to make it special by making a bunch of my favorite yummy foods. It was very sweet! And Ashlyn made me a beautiful vase and tissue paper flower in school. That is one great thing about having someone in school now - I can look forward to awesome homemade gifts!
Hope you were made to feel special today ladies - because you are!
Big kisses,
Erika
Hope you were made to feel special today ladies - because you are!
Big kisses,
Erika
Monday, May 05, 2008
Rick-less
So as of this past weekend we are back in the Land of Rick! And so happy to be there! Rick spent the last week in New Orleans checking out a new kind of weld for the rocket. A friction weld - never been done before apparently and he was super excited to see it. I was not super-excited to be by myself for a week, and the kids missed Daddy a lot, but we made it!
In a nutshell, I wouldn't recommend New Orleans. There are more girly clubs than you can shake a stick at and even worse they have people (men and women) outside trying to lure in the passersby. Gross! That's a den of iniquity that will certainly be sinking into the sea before the millenium. Move if you live close by.
Rick was so uncomfortable! I felt so bad for him there all alone. He was so anxious to talk with us that week and even more so to come home. I can't imagine what it must have been like. Other than that, he loved the work part of it and decided he is a fan of jumbalaya, but not gumbo. I had him bring back some beignets from Cafe Du Monde so we could taste the New Orleans doughnut. It's good - but its just fried dough with powdered sugar. Better to make your own and not have flat, hours-old beignets, even if they are authentic.
Well, we're glad that's done and have a new love for Heavenly Father's plan that parents come in twos!
In a nutshell, I wouldn't recommend New Orleans. There are more girly clubs than you can shake a stick at and even worse they have people (men and women) outside trying to lure in the passersby. Gross! That's a den of iniquity that will certainly be sinking into the sea before the millenium. Move if you live close by.
Rick was so uncomfortable! I felt so bad for him there all alone. He was so anxious to talk with us that week and even more so to come home. I can't imagine what it must have been like. Other than that, he loved the work part of it and decided he is a fan of jumbalaya, but not gumbo. I had him bring back some beignets from Cafe Du Monde so we could taste the New Orleans doughnut. It's good - but its just fried dough with powdered sugar. Better to make your own and not have flat, hours-old beignets, even if they are authentic.
Well, we're glad that's done and have a new love for Heavenly Father's plan that parents come in twos!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Stuck
Well, this is my blog after all. And even though I can't vent quite like I could in a journal (this is public after all) I definitely like to spread in a bit of my personality so that you all get a taste of life with us.
I made Angel Chicken in the crockpot and I opened it up to stir it so I wouldn't burn the edges (we cooked it on low for longer than it needed to keep it warm for Rick). Well, the lid was nice and warm and had condensation from cooking. Ahem. Just so you know - don't put a warm, wet crockpot lid down on a flat surface where it can cool and create a vaccuum.
Cuz even prying with a knife that puppy's not coming off. At least not until you call your husband to give him a laugh at work and (instead of following your plan where it cools enough that maybe you'll have a chance to pry it off) he tells you to just slide it over to the edge of the counter and *presto* off it comes!
I made Angel Chicken in the crockpot and I opened it up to stir it so I wouldn't burn the edges (we cooked it on low for longer than it needed to keep it warm for Rick). Well, the lid was nice and warm and had condensation from cooking. Ahem. Just so you know - don't put a warm, wet crockpot lid down on a flat surface where it can cool and create a vaccuum.
Cuz even prying with a knife that puppy's not coming off. At least not until you call your husband to give him a laugh at work and (instead of following your plan where it cools enough that maybe you'll have a chance to pry it off) he tells you to just slide it over to the edge of the counter and *presto* off it comes!
Monday, March 03, 2008
We are now into March!
Let's see... I'll try to give a quick update on the family... My sweet little (taller than me) sis is once again being laid off. Do you know anyone in Biotech? She's a Microbiology major and she does NOT like working in Quality Control for food plants and the like. She prefers sciency/medicine things. :) I'm sure that's just the descriptive she would use!
I am back in the yuckies of sickness. This week I made it to our Young Women's activity with just a stuffy nose but then I came back down with a hacking cough (I was up for THREE hours last night before I gave in and took cough syrup. Whatever the studies say - it works for me. It's wasn't instantaneous but I did finally get to sleep just before 2am.) We are going on 3 weeks now - give me break!
I'm scheduled for a doctor's appt this Friday(group B strep test - pray it's negative so I don't have to have that IV). I'll be 37 and 1/2weeks - getting closer! If you haven't been around a pregnant lady in a while - Group B hangs around sometimes in the general baby delivery area and isn't a big deal unless you're pregnant. Then it can pass to the baby during delivery and cause all sorts of yuckiness. I hope that I don't happen to have it - I'm a bit worried since my immune system seems to be broken that my body might have a greater propensity to be streppy!
Rick is now into aromatherapy. I borrowed a book for him from the library on massage for pregnant ladies and it gives TONS of info on essential oils and how to custom mix oils for everything that ails you. He made up some spray with water and Lavender oil and has been spraying it around the house religiously. I'm not sure if this is because it has antiseptic properties and he doesn't want to get sick or if it's because of its calming properties and he thinks I'm cranky. He even put some in the bath with the kiddos! He also has made up some massage oil for now and for when I'm in labor. I'm not sure if it's going to work though since I can't SMELL ANYTHING! It's driving me bonkers! Cooking and eating have lost their appeal and I'm not cooking anything tasty on purpose so I don't waste it on a day when I can't fully enjoy it.
Rick was also released and then recalled as a counselor in the Stake Young Mens Presidency which means he will still be super busy each week. He has a lot on his plate!
He also spent a good deal of the day Saturday cleaning up the garage. Nothing is organized, really, like the painting stuff isn't with the rest of the painting stuff and the gardening stuff isn't by other gardening stuff, but things are moving onto shelves and off of the floor! And it looks really great! We now have room for the little car in there if we want. And I can now walk out to my freezer without feeling like Indiana Jones stepping on the stones to spell out "JEHOVAH" in the Last Crusade movie. (Meaning I am not risking life and limb - there's a lovely wide cleared area to walk on).
Nathan is now all done being sick! I figured out last week that the "tired red eyes" he's had from being kept awake with Ashlyn's coughing at night was actually pink eye - the last vestige from his cold from a month ago. Good thing we were all staying home anyway or we might have been spreading this nastiness around. Man, this is a virus that doesn't give up easily! This morning he woke up with not a trace of pink so I think next week we'll all try and head to church! I haven't been for 4 weeks (or maybe 5?) either keeping sick kids home or being home sick myself. Since Rick has had to be at all our stake's ward conferences (7 wards) he was only able to take each kid to church during that time once each. So we are all eager to get back and be spiritually recharged.
Ashlyn still coughs occasionally throughout the day but nothing anymore at night. I'm racking my brain trying to remember how many nights we had a problem with her to see how many more I might have ahead of me. :) But then I remember the "adults get it worse than kids" comment from that news program I mentioned earlier and I wonder if it even matters. We had her 2nd parent/teacher conference this past Thursday and she's still doing fine. Her teacher says she still has problems following directions. Not that she's contrary, but she'll go ahead and start on a worksheet or assignment without looking or listening for directions because she thinks she knows what she needs to do. :) Sounds normal to me! Other than that her reading has really improved - she is absolutely amazing! I can't believe she's just 5 and a 1/2 and has the skills she does!
Baby's still alive and kicking. :)
And after all my anticipation for this past Saturday's paycheck - nothing. The paycheck isn't representative b/c of a mileage reimbursement that was included so I still don't know what taxes will be and therefore don't have the data to plug into the IRS's withholding calculator. (Which was down for maintenance anyway!). I took a look at last years tax returns and the tax tables and did my own figuring, though. They can't take that away from me! :) Looks like with the new baby we'll need to pay about $300 in federal taxes for the year (we've already overpaid by about $700 dollars) and $1155 in state taxes. Isn't that messed up? The state allows us basically no deductions. All we get to deduct from our federal taxable income are our 529 contributions. I want a state child tax credit. :)
That's about it! We are looking forward to March! Lots of good stuff - Mom turns ancient, I mean 60; Easter; St. Patrick's day; and a new Baby!
I am back in the yuckies of sickness. This week I made it to our Young Women's activity with just a stuffy nose but then I came back down with a hacking cough (I was up for THREE hours last night before I gave in and took cough syrup. Whatever the studies say - it works for me. It's wasn't instantaneous but I did finally get to sleep just before 2am.) We are going on 3 weeks now - give me break!
I'm scheduled for a doctor's appt this Friday(group B strep test - pray it's negative so I don't have to have that IV). I'll be 37 and 1/2weeks - getting closer! If you haven't been around a pregnant lady in a while - Group B hangs around sometimes in the general baby delivery area and isn't a big deal unless you're pregnant. Then it can pass to the baby during delivery and cause all sorts of yuckiness. I hope that I don't happen to have it - I'm a bit worried since my immune system seems to be broken that my body might have a greater propensity to be streppy!
Rick is now into aromatherapy. I borrowed a book for him from the library on massage for pregnant ladies and it gives TONS of info on essential oils and how to custom mix oils for everything that ails you. He made up some spray with water and Lavender oil and has been spraying it around the house religiously. I'm not sure if this is because it has antiseptic properties and he doesn't want to get sick or if it's because of its calming properties and he thinks I'm cranky. He even put some in the bath with the kiddos! He also has made up some massage oil for now and for when I'm in labor. I'm not sure if it's going to work though since I can't SMELL ANYTHING! It's driving me bonkers! Cooking and eating have lost their appeal and I'm not cooking anything tasty on purpose so I don't waste it on a day when I can't fully enjoy it.
Rick was also released and then recalled as a counselor in the Stake Young Mens Presidency which means he will still be super busy each week. He has a lot on his plate!
He also spent a good deal of the day Saturday cleaning up the garage. Nothing is organized, really, like the painting stuff isn't with the rest of the painting stuff and the gardening stuff isn't by other gardening stuff, but things are moving onto shelves and off of the floor! And it looks really great! We now have room for the little car in there if we want. And I can now walk out to my freezer without feeling like Indiana Jones stepping on the stones to spell out "JEHOVAH" in the Last Crusade movie. (Meaning I am not risking life and limb - there's a lovely wide cleared area to walk on).
Nathan is now all done being sick! I figured out last week that the "tired red eyes" he's had from being kept awake with Ashlyn's coughing at night was actually pink eye - the last vestige from his cold from a month ago. Good thing we were all staying home anyway or we might have been spreading this nastiness around. Man, this is a virus that doesn't give up easily! This morning he woke up with not a trace of pink so I think next week we'll all try and head to church! I haven't been for 4 weeks (or maybe 5?) either keeping sick kids home or being home sick myself. Since Rick has had to be at all our stake's ward conferences (7 wards) he was only able to take each kid to church during that time once each. So we are all eager to get back and be spiritually recharged.
Ashlyn still coughs occasionally throughout the day but nothing anymore at night. I'm racking my brain trying to remember how many nights we had a problem with her to see how many more I might have ahead of me. :) But then I remember the "adults get it worse than kids" comment from that news program I mentioned earlier and I wonder if it even matters. We had her 2nd parent/teacher conference this past Thursday and she's still doing fine. Her teacher says she still has problems following directions. Not that she's contrary, but she'll go ahead and start on a worksheet or assignment without looking or listening for directions because she thinks she knows what she needs to do. :) Sounds normal to me! Other than that her reading has really improved - she is absolutely amazing! I can't believe she's just 5 and a 1/2 and has the skills she does!
Baby's still alive and kicking. :)
And after all my anticipation for this past Saturday's paycheck - nothing. The paycheck isn't representative b/c of a mileage reimbursement that was included so I still don't know what taxes will be and therefore don't have the data to plug into the IRS's withholding calculator. (Which was down for maintenance anyway!). I took a look at last years tax returns and the tax tables and did my own figuring, though. They can't take that away from me! :) Looks like with the new baby we'll need to pay about $300 in federal taxes for the year (we've already overpaid by about $700 dollars) and $1155 in state taxes. Isn't that messed up? The state allows us basically no deductions. All we get to deduct from our federal taxable income are our 529 contributions. I want a state child tax credit. :)
That's about it! We are looking forward to March! Lots of good stuff - Mom turns ancient, I mean 60; Easter; St. Patrick's day; and a new Baby!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Valentine's Dance!
Our church always puts on a Stake (lots of congregations in the same geographical area) family dance in February. This was the Saturday before Valentine's this year and the day that we got back from out night alone. It was a blast for the kiddos - even though this was day one of what was to be Nathan's first cold this year.
Here is Rick dancing with the kids (in the shirt that he HATES but he knows I LOVE!). He must have the best darn shoulders out there! He looks so yummy in anything that accentuates that (or hugs the chest - another personal favorite of mine). He's built like a super hero! Triangle Man... Triangle Man...
Here we have Ashlyn decorating the black paper they had the walls. Such a fun idea!
And here's Nathan doing the same...
And finally, here's Olivia's mommy. She's showing Ashlyn what it would like if her mommy was cool and could dance with any semblance of rhythm.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Valentine's Day is coming soon!
We started out Valentine's week (as a lot of you know who are LUCKY enough - hee, hee - to be in my email address book already know) with an FHE about how much Heavenly Father and Jesus love us. We talked about all the blessings they've given us and how it's all b/c of their love for us and desire for us to be happy.
Then we had my favorite Red pop from Rite Aid (I have no idea why I love it so much, but I could seriously take a bath in the stuff!), steak, baked taters and green beans with bacon and 'shrooms (some of our family's favorite foods).
And I have to note, again, how much my testimony and love of having a Family Night each week has grown and been reaffirmed this week as something that is SOOOOOO important. I can't think of another night recently when I have felt LESS spiritual and more prone to drowning my kids and/or myself than this past Monday. Usually I could point to a few specific events, but this time it was just a culmination of a lot of little things like not listening and being inconsiderate to one another. I would like to say that I did great at not being a hag - I didn't yell or scold or get mean - but we did have a lot of "I'm disappointed" and time outs. By the time Rick got home I was such a ball of nerves that the last thing I felt like doing was talking about anything spiritual - least of all Love. But we have been promised so much is we do our best to be consistent and do it anyway. “Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellowmen, and trust in our Father in heaven. It is our promise that great blessings will come to all who conscientiously plan and hold weekly family home evenings.”
Who doesn't want that, right? So I gave the lesson, sang some songs, played a matching game about the blessings we have. And you know what? The difference when we finished was like night and day. When you talk about gospel principles you have the Spirit attend you and touch your heart. What an awesome thing! Most times the hard thing is the right thing and you'll be blessed so much more abundantly than the effort you might extend. It was so nice to regain that family unity and love that we had chased away earlier.
Allrighty...
In our continuing LOVE fest this week we'll be having Marlboro Man sandwiches (for Rick and anyone else who would like to give it a try)from the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog tonight. . .
Then we had my favorite Red pop from Rite Aid (I have no idea why I love it so much, but I could seriously take a bath in the stuff!), steak, baked taters and green beans with bacon and 'shrooms (some of our family's favorite foods).
And I have to note, again, how much my testimony and love of having a Family Night each week has grown and been reaffirmed this week as something that is SOOOOOO important. I can't think of another night recently when I have felt LESS spiritual and more prone to drowning my kids and/or myself than this past Monday. Usually I could point to a few specific events, but this time it was just a culmination of a lot of little things like not listening and being inconsiderate to one another. I would like to say that I did great at not being a hag - I didn't yell or scold or get mean - but we did have a lot of "I'm disappointed" and time outs. By the time Rick got home I was such a ball of nerves that the last thing I felt like doing was talking about anything spiritual - least of all Love. But we have been promised so much is we do our best to be consistent and do it anyway. “Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellowmen, and trust in our Father in heaven. It is our promise that great blessings will come to all who conscientiously plan and hold weekly family home evenings.”
Who doesn't want that, right? So I gave the lesson, sang some songs, played a matching game about the blessings we have. And you know what? The difference when we finished was like night and day. When you talk about gospel principles you have the Spirit attend you and touch your heart. What an awesome thing! Most times the hard thing is the right thing and you'll be blessed so much more abundantly than the effort you might extend. It was so nice to regain that family unity and love that we had chased away earlier.
Allrighty...
In our continuing LOVE fest this week we'll be having Marlboro Man sandwiches (for Rick and anyone else who would like to give it a try)from the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog tonight. . .
along with the makings for sub sandwiches. (For the ones for whom this doesn't seem like heaven on a bun). Ashlyn is one I'm betting will head for the subs fixings. We recently bought a sub home from our overnight date and, I tell you, I have never heard a girl gush like she did. She was full of "Can we eat this every day?" "This is fabulous" "I love this special sandwich". It was adorable. So, since we aim to please here (at least until #3 comes and I don't have the energy to remember my name) we'll include this in our LOVE fest week too.
I am going to assemble little goodie bags/buckets for Rick and the kids and my visiting teaching gals today - and hopefully deliver them tonight before the snow falls. Why do we need a snowstorm for Valentine's Day? I just don't get it. Oh well, with temps up to 60 today we are melting quite a bit of snow so I guess we need to replenish our stock. :) We just can't have bare ground! It would go against all that Colorado stands for!
We'll be making Pretzel Turtles and Hugs this year again because they are so kid friendly and tasty! I don't want to have to buy anthing special so this year we will be using what we have - pretzels with caramel Kisses (that I already have so I don't have to buy Rolos) and either walnuts or M&Ms on top. Hopefully I can get this done this afternoon so we can have a fun "kids and mommy" time. I don't think we'll be doing sugar cookies this year (which seems a shame since I have all these cute cookie cutters) but who knows! Maybe I can justify it if I give them all away. I just don't like having all the sweets in the house to much on and I don't like the example it sets for the kids.
We are also giving Rick the last of his Valentine's blocks tomorrow! So far he says he "loves" them (as he was instructed - good man) but that they look funny in his cubicle b/c they are "girly" colors. Well, I told him he wouldn't a man to be giving him Valentine's blocks - he's getting them from his wife, so girly colors are what he's going to get! :) I know he does like them though - b/c he sees how thrilled and smiley the kids and I are to give them to him. Sometimes the value of the gift is seen in the giver you know? It may not be your favorite but it's given with so much love and adoration you can't help but see it in that light, feel that love, and be happy. So yay for pastel hearts and loveable husbands!
Also tomorrow we'll be having our annual Heart Pizza (our little Papa Murphy's knockoff), more Red pop (yeah, I know, but I CRAVE it!), and salad. I have red melamine (sp?) plates, heart-decorated tumblers, heart-shaped serving dish, and little heart-shaped mini cake pans all ready to go! I haven't decided what's going to be for dessert - maybe brownies? I think that the baby should be introduced to chocolate cavity cake - mmmmm.
We'll also go through our LOVE fest envelopes (did you check them out at meckmom.com?) and reading our Valentine's. What a fun holiday! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate LOVE!!!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Here's to hoping Rick continues not to read the blog
Here is his Valentine's Day present from me (currently drying on the kitchen table). If you know Rick like I know Rick - you KNOW he's going to gush and cry and love this to death! :) Or something. Starting tomorrow I'm sending one block each day to work with him as a countdown to Valentine's Day.
He cut the blocks for me but doesn't have a clue what they are for except that he is to display them at work and say "Aren't these lovely? My wife gave them to me because she loves me so much! I adore them!"
My Christmas Break
Before the new year we each wanted to get cracking on projects. Rick busted his tail on the bathroom and I spent a day making all the birthday cards (and a few Thank You cards) that I'll need this year. Curse Glen and RC for having 9 children! (Just kidding - we love all of them! But it's kind of like a math lesson in exponential functions to make cards for the whole clan!) 
Lots and lots of work. 
With the combo of tile saw, the smell of sealant and the nonstop hum of the fan Rick worked his way into a migraine followed by a week-long headache followed by another migraine. I had him go to the doctor and now we are the proud owners of prescription migraine medicine! His wifey was a little concerned that he might be incapacitated at a critical time (say the end of March) and be unable to drive - now she feels much better! And even better - we hope that this will make it so that Rick doesn't have to suffer any more!
Here we have a picture of the whole lot.
If you look closely you'll see yours! See how much I love you?
Lots and lots of work. 
With the combo of tile saw, the smell of sealant and the nonstop hum of the fan Rick worked his way into a migraine followed by a week-long headache followed by another migraine. I had him go to the doctor and now we are the proud owners of prescription migraine medicine! His wifey was a little concerned that he might be incapacitated at a critical time (say the end of March) and be unable to drive - now she feels much better! And even better - we hope that this will make it so that Rick doesn't have to suffer any more!
Here we have a picture of the whole lot.
If you look closely you'll see yours! See how much I love you?Thursday, December 13, 2007
Foul Soup
We decided that we would use up some turkey by making Foul Soup (which would be RC's Chicken Dumpling soup to the rest of the world). I always make this after Thanksgiving to use up turkey (hence our multi-meat title) and, of course, at other times during the year. Sick people love to get a new twist on the basic Chicken Soup and always ask for the recipe.
Well, today Rick helped me out while I was finishing up a project and made the soup for me. I pulled out some of our yummy Make-Ahead Crescent rolls that I had frozen from Thanksgiving and let them rise all day in the kitchen. I just asked Rick to pop them in the oven when he put the dumplings in and I thought we had a great game plan going for a fabulous dinner!
The soup recipe is pretty imprecise as far as amounts go - I always add more stock than the recipe calls for and just cut up the veggies until it looks good to me. I told Rick that. Well - this was HILARIOUS! First, Rick is not a fan of veggies so there weren't that many in there. But that was only the first surprise I had and definintely not the biggest one.
Here is the soup in all its glory. What are you looking at you may ask? Well, you are looking at about 3 inches of "dumpling" and about 3 inches of soup underneath (I dug some out for the picture). I literally laughed outloud when I took the lid off of the pot! I asked Rick what he did to the dumplings because I had never seen them form up in one solid mass before. Now I'm not the perfect cook - I've seen them dissolve into the soup b/c I messed up while dropping them or didn't have the soup at enough of a boil. I just had never seen such a huge layer of "dumpling".
Oh my! Rick was going off the C.W. Welch addage which goes something like "If a little does a good job, more does it better!" He figured since we added more stock that he would DOUBLE the dumpling recipe! :) Hee-hee. The dumplings are a pretty generous amount as is but I guess I haven't made this recently enough for him to remember. Wow! It was like eating dumplings with some turkey and an occasional vegetable pressed into them. Not bad - but not what either of us expected!
Well, today Rick helped me out while I was finishing up a project and made the soup for me. I pulled out some of our yummy Make-Ahead Crescent rolls that I had frozen from Thanksgiving and let them rise all day in the kitchen. I just asked Rick to pop them in the oven when he put the dumplings in and I thought we had a great game plan going for a fabulous dinner!
The soup recipe is pretty imprecise as far as amounts go - I always add more stock than the recipe calls for and just cut up the veggies until it looks good to me. I told Rick that. Well - this was HILARIOUS! First, Rick is not a fan of veggies so there weren't that many in there. But that was only the first surprise I had and definintely not the biggest one.
Here is the soup in all its glory. What are you looking at you may ask? Well, you are looking at about 3 inches of "dumpling" and about 3 inches of soup underneath (I dug some out for the picture). I literally laughed outloud when I took the lid off of the pot! I asked Rick what he did to the dumplings because I had never seen them form up in one solid mass before. Now I'm not the perfect cook - I've seen them dissolve into the soup b/c I messed up while dropping them or didn't have the soup at enough of a boil. I just had never seen such a huge layer of "dumpling".
Oh my! Rick was going off the C.W. Welch addage which goes something like "If a little does a good job, more does it better!" He figured since we added more stock that he would DOUBLE the dumpling recipe! :) Hee-hee. The dumplings are a pretty generous amount as is but I guess I haven't made this recently enough for him to remember. Wow! It was like eating dumplings with some turkey and an occasional vegetable pressed into them. Not bad - but not what either of us expected!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
The wise man built his house upon the rock...
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