Pi Day

I pretty much have a hard time celebrating holidays I can't find or justify a reason.  St. Patrick's Day is one of them... so I came across a friend on Facebook mentioning Pi Day.  Officially Eistein's birthday.  and given it is off the beaten path I loved it even more.  My mind raced what I could make for dinner.... Sheppards Pie?  not really excited about that nor do I think the kids would eat it, thus making it a fun celebration a bust.  Chicken Pot Pie!  I got to work.  when the kids got home I laid into all about Pi day and announce we would be having pi for dinner and pi for dessert.  Garrett was the most excited about it, which surprised me so I enlisted his help to put together the apple pie.   this silly little gimmick got dinner made and eaten with little to NO complaining.  Now THAT my friends is a holiday worth celebrating over and over!  Happy Pi Day! March 14.

Chicken Pot Pi

Apple Pi

Halloween 2011

Garrett made this shield. We tried to buy one at a local costume store, we tried to buy one online.... they are all out.  I tried to talk him into the idea that props just get in the way of candy collecting and not to bother.  But would be REAL if he didn't have the sheild, Capt America is all about the shield.  so with a plastic garbage can lid, sharpies, and several sheets of paper; he taped it cut it into a circle, drew the circles and star and colored it in.  I though it was going to fall apart in the rain, but it worked out perfectly and he loved it.  Perhaps the best costumes are the ones you dream up and make yourself rather than buying the package.

Captain America

Hippy Chic

Savanah always has some kind of funny pose to pull off.  LOL

Christmas 2009

I am tired of reading about my pathetic "broken camera" so I am going to attempt to catch up. Enjoy!

Katelyn and Garrett both had concerts. Katelyn is loosing steam with band. The high school band program is, well, simply pathetic. Approximately 29 members; 5 clarinets. Makes me disappointed because my high school experience was totally enhanced BECAUSE I was in the band. :( On the otherhand this was Garrett's first concert and he was great, so proud of himself. I wasproud of him too. I am glad he likes playing the trumpet. Savanah had a dance recital. Instead of a traditional P.E. class, they do P.A. = performing arts, some yoga, dance rountines, and creative movements. The quarter final was this recital; 3 minutes student choreographed group dance number, and school performance of Thriller. Students are involved in the whole process, stage, makeup, costumes, etc. It was a great night.

On to Christmas, with no family in town the day is all ours. We open specially set aside presents on Christmas Eve..... and if you ask the kids they already know, they

are pj's. Sometimes I change it up. One year I got everyone bathrobes, other slippers or cozy socks. But always something extra new and cute for Christmas morning pictures.

I asked Savanah to wrap a few things I had stashed for Jamie. I told her to

wrap everythingseparately since dad wasn't going to have as many things to open as

the rest of us. (only because he gets $$ things not quantity, I still love him

the mostest) Well, she follows instructions to the letter, quite literally. One of the presents was a pair of new shoes.

I got a replacement camera. A welcome improvement from the big bulky previous. Now I have one that I can fits in my purse, like I prefer, so I can catch lots of candid moments. Jamie treated me to new washer an dryer; cherry red front loaders. It was a bit more than he bargained for because he had to tear apart the wall and remove the cabinet, and move gas line to move the dryer vent just a few inches. But I SOOOO LOVE my new washer and dryer. :)

I can also report that Santa no longer visits our home. I still fill stockings and this year I left them on the kids bed posts, that way there was no need to get up early and disturb anyone who wanted to sleep in. and it was WONDERFUL to be a little more laid back Christmas morning. Katelyn hated it and Savanah and Garrett thought it was fine. Katelyn wants to hold on to Santa..... LOL. To keep things interesting, I hide a pickle ornament somewhere on the tree. Who ever finds it first gets an extra gift. This year it was Borders gift card. Katelyn found it, again, so naturally the Savanah and Garrett are claiming cheating and no fair. Seriouly, if it isn't fun I dont want to do it either. I just want to create happy memories and good times.

Katelyn made a wishlist early in the season. All shewanted was clothes (not just any old thing will do, had to be from certain stores), jewelry, shoes, and make-up then the keep dreaming items like car and computer. RIGHT! I was not about to pull the trigger and buy her clothes without her input. I had great coupons on Black Friday for the 'approved stores'; American Eagle and Aeropostle so I took her shopping. She was a little reserved at first, we don't do this too often, but it didn't take long for her to warm up. To her disappointment EVERYTHING was wrappedup and put away until Christmas morning. It was a long month of begging. She also really appreciated, water bottle and arm band for Ipod.

Savanah also got the shopping trip for clothes. We were pleased to find out the girls where the same size! YEAH, the wardrobe just doubled for them and I don't have to buy as much :D. Savanah had one thing on the top of her list... Watercolor pencils. she also appreciated some perfume, and make-up.

Garrett is all about Legos and Star Wars. Grandpa Jay sent some Legos for Christmas and he was so excited. He still remembers playing Legos with Grandpa in his basement. His dresser is now covered with vehicles, flying ships, submarines and weapons. Jamie and I were shopping at the Mall for a date night and stopped in Pottery Barn and saw the giant light saber. It was the best wrapped present at the tree, no one had any good guesses about what it could be, and Garrett was so excited to unwrap it.

Santa has always brought our family a few gifts that we can enjoy together. Usually board games, movies, camping equipment, tickets to theater. Santa longer visits but Jamie and I are still going to do this for our family. This year we enjoyed playing Pictureka, Wii Fit, and and additional laptop.

Decorating for Halloween

Halloween is not my favorite holiday. I have never really enjoyed dressing up to go beg for candy. the idea of candy got me out there as a child, but I could really do with out it as an adult. It is cold, uncomfortable, you walk forever, only to get home to look through the loot and realize that your neighbors must have bought their candy last minute because you got more than a fair share of the yucky candy: Tootsie Rolls, Milky Way, and Whoppers. I would buy my kids 3 bags each of whatever if they would just give it up; but they enjoy it so I decided to suck it up.

Savanah, Garrett and I spent Conference weekend cutting out these bats while we listened to the prophet. Then we put them up at the front door and coming out of the fireplaces. I got lots of compliment at the bookclub I hosted in Oct. too. What do you think?

Garrett dressed up as a soldier this year. I order some PT fatigues on line.... he chose an AF shirt and I special ordered some dog tags for him since he and Savanah were nearly having a knock down drag out fight out a pair we got free from a Mariners Baseball game. Sheesh!

Halloween 2009

Savanah has been asking for pumpkins all month. we live just up the hill from a little farm that grow various crops for u-pick every year. sometimes strawberries, somtimes corn, usually pumpkins and then Christmas trees in Nov/Dec. Everytime we drove past she would mention to me that we still needed to get pumpkins. Frankly, I was hoping she would forget about it. Carving them is just so messy, and I am not too keen on spending hard earned money to just trash in a couple days b/c they mold. But she insisted and I knew she would have fun. I took Garrett and Savanah after school one day to pick a few out. They had fun looking for just the perfect shaped pumpkin and Garrett was intrigued by the ghost pumpkin variety, he just had to have one and he knew that he just had to carve a ghost in a ghost pumpkin. I bought some ornamental grass to stick in the top of one jack o'lantern. I thought that would be clever. LOL

Savanah thought that standing like that helped her do a better job. She used a stencil for the mouth and free-handed the eyes and nose.

Garrett was running to the sink to wash his hand EVERY time he pulled out a handful of 'guts'. LOL

Thanksgiving 2008

After spending 2 weeks in Utah with my dad in ICU. We were invited to enjoy Thanksgiving with friends of ours, Jim and Sarah Thatcher. I was so thankful not to have to find a turkey already thawed out and shop for all the fixin's a day before dinner. Sarah asked me to bring rolls and then clarified by saying, "do you make rolls?" of course I do. She also asked if it would be alright if I could bring one of my yummy salads. Now, my sisters know that I like to collect salad recipes and like different kinds of salads, but I was surprised that Sarah knew this about me. I don't do the traditional salad, its got to have some extra zip to it. I made a strawberry spinach salad. Probably not anything the pilgrims had in the early days, but it looked pretty and tasted even better.

From New Album 12/4/08 8:39 PM

From New Album 12/4/08 8:39 PM

1 pkg baby spinach
1 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 english cucumber, sliced
1 pomegranate, seeded
toasted pecans
top with dressing just before serving.
Dressing:
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbl. lime juice
1 Tbl. oil
2 Tbl. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. poppy seeds