I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!

SO I STOLE THIS IDEA FROM A FRIEND (THANKS SUZI) AND AM SOOOO EXCITED TO FINALLY HAVE IT ALL DONE! My girls had so much fun doing this. And I am even learning to love my Mac for all the fun things it can do. This was a learning process for sure - and took waaay too long. But I think it was worth it! :)

Christmas 2009 Part I

This is for Grandma & Grandpa that live in far away lands - so they can see the joy that they brought to the girls. :) Thank you - from the girls. :) FOR THE REST OF YOU THIS WOULD BE EXTREMELY BORING!

(Wow Christmas is messy! :)

Here is Kaylee - on the mad dash for the Gifts. :)

She woke up first. :) She got first choice on which "Swimming puppy" she wanted.

This is Kaylee, happily Playing with her BrOwN puppy.

We actually had to wake Mia up! It was like 9am!

This is Mia, taking the BrOwN puppy from her sister, because she didn't like the Dalmatian that was left. "I don't LIKE polka-dots!" she screamed. THIS IS A CLASIC KODAK MOMENT!

Mia, being the oldest = strongest physically (at least for the early years) of course RippED the puppy from her sisters arms. OH MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This is a very upset Kaylee, because her puppy got swiped. (Yes we are the parents who let their kids duke it out and only intervene when the noise is bothering us. This time we got to take amusing & entertaining pictures of it all! )

Dad's logic of "Santa gave YOU the polka dot puppy Mia" wasn't working. Mom of course is amazing and her keen eye caught the answer to the problem. I simply told Mia (in that excited mom voice that most always makes kids listen) that the puppy was the GIRL puppy because it had a necklace with a heart. It worked. :)

Moments later I asked Mia which puppy was hers. "This one!" she said proudly holding it up, "I LOVE POLKA DOTS!" Oh yes Mom 1 kids 0! :) (But happy, and completely unaware that I keep a tally 1 to 0 is just this mornings score. The Running tally is like 9,984 to 26.) Later she did notice that Kaylee's had a necklace too. But it didn't have a heart - so really it was just a "collar" (Mom 2 kids 0) Kaylee is of course oblivious to all of this talk :) And for once, got her way over her big sister. :)

I hope that everyone's Christmas was wonderful and filled with happy memories. :) (I personally prefer some pretty funny fight type stories. :) They make my favorite memories. :) Don't worry all you Mollys - we will get all mushy later :)

Seriously it was a wonderful Christmas, thank you to all the friends and family for your wonderful thoughtful gifts, treats and fun times we have enjoyed!

My favorite part has been teaching my girls about the Birth of our Savior, and watching them light up as they learn about He who made it all possible for us to truly find happiness. May your Christmas be filled with HIS spirit! Merriest of Christmases!

Christmas stories to remember 2009

My girls both love Chocolate. They come by it honestly. They like it early in the morning like their mother, in the afternoon and right after dinner - like their mother :)

One morning I came out of the shower (Mia was at preschool or that little mommy would have never allowed it!) to see this:

Her little face covered in chocolate. (This is a bit after I am sure some rubbed off on her shirt, some toys and the couch. . . )

So I asked her what she was eating. She replies "Chocolate!" I was certain she had eaten some special peanut butter dove I was given. So I scolded her for eating mom's chocolate.

We soon left to pick up Mia, and upon walking into the kitchen, we discovered what she had REALLY eaten! The ENTIRE ADVENT CALENDAR! And it wasn't like it was just a few days before Christmas. We were 12 DAYS OUT!

Mia began the scolding, "Kaylee you are not 'possed to eat all of the chocolate! Bad Kaylee! Bad Kaylee!"

"I not Bad Kaywee," She protested, in a sweet, almost convincing innocent voice.

"Bad Kaylee! We were supposed to eat 1 at a time, together and share! Bad Kaylee. Now Santa isn't going to take away your presents."

"I not bad Kaywee," she repeated with the same calmness and austerity in her voice.

For some this is a repeat, but I need to "journal" it. :) I do print these out for our blog journal. :)

Mia came in one morning and snuggled up to me in bed. (Much nicer than being woke up by an alarm!) (Although I normally hear, "Mom, I am hungry" or "Mom, the sun's up!" - to which I mutter "ok, ok give me two min. ) For those of you judging me (Tammy) I only have 6 more months to do this before I have to get a kid up for school - so like ice cream every night in HS I will enjoy it while I can. Besides, I am often up for an hour or two early in the morning and then catch a quick "snooze" at 7 am - 7:30/8ish. :)

So anyways . . . Mia has been "Mary" for the past weeks. (Nice break from the princesses or Dora) She came in and put a baby doll in bed with us. I said, "what is this?" she smiled and said, "Mary's baby." Kaylee came in to join us and we played a wrestled for a while.

Then Kaylee got this mischievous look and grabed Mia's baby Jesus and bolted for the door.

"Hey, SWiPER NO SWiPe ING!" I called after her.

She looked at me puzzeled, "I not Swiper!" . . a pause. . . "I osif!"

Now I am puzzeled, then Mia translated for me "She is Joseph"

How cute is that? I guess Joseph is allowed to "swipe".

Bib O Matic

So I found the GrEAteSt thing EVER. Haven't found anymore and set out to make my own now. :) I call it the Bib O Matic. :) You keep this handy dandy clip in your purse always. (I keep it in my unmentionables zipper section.)

When you are at a restaurant you simply pull it out and clip a napkin (cloth or paper) to it and you have a BIB! :) No more dirty bibs being carried around - no more having a kid with stains on their shirts cause you stopped for ice cream :)

I LOve LoVe mine.

It can also be a pacifier clip if you have the "ring handle" pacifiers.

Anyways, if you LoVe LOve someone too, you could get them one for Christmas. I made some extras. I am asking $3 for one. Seriously a GreAt gift for the mom who has everything! :) Course they kinda need a baby - toddler. I use mine for Kaylee ALL the time and Only WISH that I would have found mine sooner. :)

Let me know if you are interested.

Please don't feel like you have to have pitty on me to buy one though. I simply bought the clips in bulk cause it was most ecinomical. So I am like Why No Share THE LoVe!?

So I am. )

Right Now I have these two styles. I also have BYU ribbon ones too. :)

Do you know what your kids are reading in school?

PLEASE TAKE action. If you are concerned about what our children are being asked to learn and read - and you don't want them reading books about prostitution, incest, and sex in bathrooms etc - YOU NEED to click on the link below and then DO SOMETHING. IS THIS A LIST that is on your kids reading list? It is a national organization so it might be.

I went to three of the big companies sited that fund this program and stated my outrage and asked them to pull their funding. If enough of us do this - maybe they will listen and this can be put to an end. The companies sited were, KPMG, Pepsi and Eastman Kodak.

I will include a sample of what I wrote below if you would like an idea. I am NOT great writer - just trying to help.

PLEASE take some time to get educated. Seriously, many passages from the books recommended COULDN'T EVEN BE SAID ON TV, so there is NO WAY MY CHILD should be READing IT!

I will look into ways to contact others - I am still learning about this stuff! :) If you would like more info when I find it, shoot me an email. Thanks!

Sean Hannity & Michelle Malkin Break Media Silence on Fistgate & Obama’s Dangerous Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings (Video)

via Gateway Pundit by Jim Hoft on 12/9/09

MY LETTER I USED

I have recently learned of the GLSEN reading list, suggested for our children by Kevin Jennings and others. I have also learned that Kodak is a long time Sponsor of this GLSEN. Although it may have had good intentions at one time - the GLSEN program needs to be DEFUNDED. Please withdraw your funding and find a good cause for your sponsorship. Please look into the matter as a company and make the right decision. The 7 -12 grade reading list has very sexual material in it. Promoting things such as incest, promiscuousness, prostitution and THINGS SO bad that they can not even be said on TV. If it CAN'T be said on TV, IT SHOULD NOT BE SUGGESTED TO CHILDREN TO READ - especially by a national organization such as GLSEN. If I do not learn that Kodak looks into the matter and withdraws funding, I will be left to assume that such ideas are supported by the Kodak company. As a mother, I will of course, make sure that my friends and neighbors are aware. Thank you for your time. I do trust that Kodak is a family company and that it holds our kids in the highest regard - and will do the best thing. Thank you
--
Kristina

FEEER CUTE

So I helped a friend make these for a her girls hair clips. Her bows and flowers and things. I am jealous now - cause it is way cuter than mine now. :( But dang I's gots some talent :) jk.

I should of done a zoom on the red ribbon - it is cute and loopy - gotta love texture. :)

I should make some and sell em :)

Gotta know

Just a quick thought I had : I need to know - am I the only one that does this?

When I hear & consequently picture (I am so visual) something gross and bloody like - like sticking your hand in a garbage disposal and someone flipping the switch - I cringe and CURL my toes - like if I pop them it will relieve the tension of my brain's mental image.

Is this a normal reaction? Or am I a FREAK?

These are the things i post late at night. . . thanks suzi for the mental image!

Procrastinating house work AGAIN!

Just thought I would upload a few thanksgiving pictures. :) I loved this thanks giving because #1 I got to relax. Pat, Sean and Leah did most all of it! :) I only had to make rolls. :) SAWeeT! And most of all because we all went to the park after turkey and played kick ball. :) Mia was pricless. She would kick the ball and then go running after it! Like she was supposed to "beat the pitcher" to the ball. :) Loved it. It was a load of fun. I even got to play a little game of hoops! :) That was lots of fun too. Even if they did play on the short hoop. And even if I was totally dressed like a GIRL. So should have stuck to my PJ's I always wore when I first married into this family :)

Anyways, it was a blast. Sorry, Brooke about your finger. I can't believe that your 31 year old uncle would swat his 12 year old niece! That is just terrible! Next time just put the bruit on your team! :)

More Info

thanks tammy for this additional link with more helpful information (especially the orange parts at the bottom - link to all of our senators. I didn't know that a letter was better than an email. Stinking worth 50 cents I guess! :)

http://pedalingfast.blogspot.com/2009/11/53we-do-not-want-this-tax-spend-path-to.html

YOU HAVE TO ACT!

So if you didn't know, the Health Care thing passed the congress. Our last hope is that it will get stopped in the Senate. You should CALL/EMAIL your senators and ask them to respect your vote and vote no on the bill. Or thank them if they already are. There is a website "As a mom" (http://asamom.ning.com/) and it is a great tool to get you more in the political know how. Anyways, on it someone listed all of the senators that are "on the fence" for the Health Care bill. (The congress only passed it 220-215) It was SUPER close - In fact ALL republicans but ONE voted against it and even 39 democrats voted against it. Basically it passed because there were more democratic congressmen.

I don't care if you are dem or rep. if you read up on the health care bill being proposed it is just simply BAD NEWS. I mean it might SEEM good at first, but the money it will cost (despite their promises) will be much like how we are paying for the Social Security of the older generations - and we will never get it. Our children will be so in debt, it will be scary. We will be too - we just might be able to push it off long enough to avoid it. That is what they (the white house) is betting on anyways.

So if you would really like the government to tell you when you can and can't go to the doctor. What you can and can't have done. If you would like that kind of control given to the power thirsty people in the white house - do nothing.

Other wise call. I got this list of the on the fence senators, if you know of ANYONE in their states, please urge your friends to call/email them. And they can tell their friends and HOPEFULLY it can be a vote of the PEOPLE and not of the pocketbooks and what kind of kick backs the senators may get if this passes.

Here are the Senators that are on the fence. We must write,call and email them. Numbers of key senators: Sen. Mary Landrieu (LA) 202-224-5834 Sen. Blanche Lincoln (AR) 202-224-4843 Sen. Mark Pryor (AR) 202-224-2353 Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) 202-224-5323 Sen. Joe Lieberman (CN) 202-224-4041 Sen. Jon Tester (MT) 202-224-2644 Sen. Byron Dorgan (ND)202-224-2551 Sen. Ben Nelson (NE) 202-224-6551Sen. Bill Nelson (FL) 202-224-5274 Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME) 202-224-5344 Sen. Kent Conrad (ND) 202-224-2043

For another good blog and info on it click on Tammy's blog and click on the blog she gave.

Yes, I AM that kinda MOM

So, in my "little town" there is only 1 food place with a play set. they have a McDonalds - no play yard - LAMEST thing ever~~

Anyways, it's mostly ok by me because I hate those nasty things! I know what kind of germs infest the place because I have been with or heard of moms bringing their kids to McDonalds for a fun outing cause "they have been sick home all day" to you moms, i am sorry, but I strongly despise you - even my friend ones!

But today, I took my kids to the only one in town. And as I was enjoying my chat with my mom-in-law, Mia (4) came running out crying hysterically (never found out why) So I decide it is time to check on Kaylee (2) and I see her timidly standing on a step with kids flying by her. She is trying to come down, looks a little sad - but nothing drastic. Just before I walk in, out of the blue this boy just walks past her and PUNCHES her in the gut! Kaylee did NOTHING but be small so this stinkin' little boy just punched her cause he could! Kaylee of course started balling and MOMMA BEAR came out. I wanted to Yank if off the play set and put him in the corner - but there were to many kids and it was to far to climb after him. So I scolded him. He looked at me so I am 98% sure it was the right kid. And I took my crying baby out to hold her. IAM SICK OF PARENTS THAT DON'T DISCIPLINE their KIDS! Seriously I was a teacher - and have seen what spoiled little snots people are raising now a days.

That said - maybe that is just how "boys are" you are thinking - I say it is just an excuse.

So once the I matched the mommy to the boy - i gave her a talking to too. YES THAT IS THE KIND OF MOM I AM. (Someone needs to educate) Oh yes, and what did she do, the same thing as she always does I am sure - which is why the kid is a snot. "oh johnny, if you can't play nice then . . . " blah blah I walked out. I didn't need to hear any more of that.

WANNA know what I would have done? I would have taken that stinking ice cream cone from his hand, trashed it and he would have sat in a corner for a while. YES THAT IS THE KIND of MOM I am. I have really well behaved girls. They aren't perfect - but they aren't punks.

In fact, As I was writing this I had to take a break to DISCIPLINE Mia. CAUST THAT IS THE KIND Of MOM I AM.

(Mia had actually Bitten Kaylee! She has never done that! I asked her why, she told me, and I told her it was wrong, then I explained it was a bad enough thing that she had done, she was going to get spanked, and hard. Then I turned her over my knee and OH YES THAT IS THE KIND OF MOM I AM. (cause she needs to know when things are really serious.) And then she went to the corner. (THOSE are great by the way - cause they have them EVERY WHERE. Stores, church, school, friends. . . ) After wards we talked about why you would NEVER ever do anything like that. That is was a bad thing to do etc. I also hinted that Santa would be making a note of it. Her comment back was that if she kept it up she wouldn't be able to go to disneyland either. OH YES! Teach them, and then they will even come up with better punishments. :)

Sorry about the soap box. I am pretending to write to that mother. :) Made me feel a bit better!

More Halloween 09

Because Halloween is so Not just one day of the year. . . ;)

Because I simply HEART scrapblog.com :)

I HEART scrapblog.com :)

Halloween 09

Happy Halloween! So after a few outfit changes, the girls finally decided on these halloween costumes. :) (I am way too cheap to pay for Halloween costumes. I am more of a look around the house and see what you can multi task :) - so these are grandma bought last year and a hand me down from Brooke/Brinley Thanks! :)

Mia had a Blast. She would run up to the houses and say Trick or treat :) They both did pretty good at saying thank you. Kaylee would always say "Happy Halloween" as we left, but rarely did anyone understand her :(. We only went around a block and a half - and so not every house. Kaylee was already telling me that she wanted to go home after about house number 8. :)

MY JILA!

A friends blog reminded me of this fun story, but it was more than a year ago. :) We were in the van and Mia kept asking "Mom, I want My jila!" I am like your what? She kept repeating herself again and again. ;) (UNLIKE KAYLEE WHO WILL REPEAT HERSELF 10 TIMES AND NEVER GET MAD - SERIOUSLY) Mia got more angry with me each time. After about 8 tries of trying to figure out what she wanted, I gave up. She kept mumbling/yelling in the back, I tried to ignore her. Then I looked at the only thing I hadn't asked her about, and held up her back pack. "YEAH! MY JILA! MY JILA!" Although I was happy to figure out the drama, I was angry that she stinkin' hadn't just said BACKPACK because she knew that word. Come to find out she had been watching DORA, and they teach her spanish. So I had to sit down and watch a few episodes with her so I could avoid any future problems. (IT WAS TORTURE! ) Stinking educational shows teaching the kids things that their parents don't know. Sick and WRONG I am telling you - SICk and Wrong! (Oh, yes Muchila is backpack in spanish. hence MY JILA?)

Happy Pre-Halloween!

My girls had some friends over, had fun playing dress up. Here are some pictures. :)

And here are some videos for your viewing enjoyment. Kaylee has a surprise for you at the end. :) I am such a proud mama!

There are two more videos to come. But I need to edit first> :)

Happy Halloween >:-)

Arguing with Idiots

So I was went looking for this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5vr1V9D8oA

Found it, and was SHOCKED by the stupid people commenting on it. Maybe it is because I am a math major, I can over look spelling, but not math mistakes! :) Anyways, watch the video - there's more that goes in to WHO will actually benifit (sp?) from the Health Care proposals. (Big Drug Companies, AARP, SEIU . . . ) I am ok with health care reform, just not for GOVERNMENT controlled heath care. Can you say SOCIALISM? Anyways, let me explain the math, just to be clear. 10% of americans men die of prostate cancer (actually if diagnosed with in the last 5 years it is close to 0%) (Health care has improved that much for us - not for UK - no change in last 5 years) Anyways, if 10% survival rate increases by 604% - the word BY means to multiply in math. Meaning that 60.4% die in UK. And his statistics are correct. I Googled Both US & UK prostate cancer statistics and read. (just a page each) Here are the highlights:

FOR THE US:

"About 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. "

If you were diagnosed with in the last 5 years survival rate is nearly 100%

Diagnosed with in the last 10 years it's 91%

FOR THE UK:

"Around 7 in 10 newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients now survive beyond five years. In the 1970s it was only 3 in 10."

"Prostate cancer death rates have not changed significantly in the last ten years, unlike incidence."

So what that means is #1 Glenn Beck's numbers are correct #2 The US has gotten better at treating Prostate cancer - the UK by the last line above (from it's own website) has not. (At least they have since 1970) :)

Not to put the UK down - but just to show WE DON'T WANT GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE.

Your wallet can't afford it (unless you are a government dependent lazy bumb anyaways)

Your Health can't afford it either.

The longer version (it is long) is

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/31795/?ck=1 (you can really watch the last 10 min. but all of it is good. :) esp the end.

I hesitated not posting until Wed just so you all could get a good laugh at my post yesterday. :) Check em all out if you haven't. Well, cause I am smart and funny !:) lol

Shopping Diet

I tried a new diet today. I call it the shopping diet.

This super mean friend of mine (if I call her that anymore) let me know that there was such thing as a pumkin spice kiss? and candy corn kisses? I didn't even know they existed. But, while at walmart for a small errand, I crossed by them. I picked up a back of carmel apple kisses (i think it was) and felt joy. I actually got a small high from the thought of trying

one. Then by the next isle I came to my senses, picked up a different flavor, then put them all back. (I am embarrassed to admit that I have Halloween candy in my freezer from 2 years ago. It is part of my "year supply" I would hate to go with out - and don't worry I won't give it out to your kids this year. :)

Anywho I think that I should try this "shopping diet" more often. I got the joy of finding a great thing, then by putting it back, I got a high of "choosing the right" ;) or exercising self control. I might exercise it a lot more :) Just put random things in my cart and then put them back to make myself feel like I have SUCH control.

Of course

, various clearance items did make it into my cart. :) I love having my Christmas shopping done by Oct. With out fail. :)

I should probably write a book about "The Shopping Diet". Oh yeah. I have a great Idea for a reality series too. "Wife Whisper" I teach women how to budget. :) But since right now I am a mommy, it

will take time to get those things going. . . Just incase you get any ideas, I have sent my attorney $ to secure a patient. ;)

My White Trash Budget Decor

So I told my sister that I would post pictures of my most recent projects so here we go. :)

This is a Square Wreath I bought at Good will for $1. It was a bit scary at first, but I painted some of the styrofoam "berries" that had lost their coating with fingernail polish (thanks Lisa) and it looks good from a distance. If you get close, like when you are opening the door to come in, it may appear as though a dog chewed on a few. :) But hey. The "Harvest" was made to hang from a hook, but my Wreath needed something, so this little $2 item I painted in 5 min worked nicely. The ribbon was 50 YARDS for 4 bucks So I put this whole wreath done at $3.08 Not bad. :)

Next on the Right we have my dollar store scarecrows from two years ago. They normally adorn my door, but had to move over for the new wreath. I decided to put them up like scare crows are supposed to be. Problem: No stick high enough to keep them from being watered - so I put an old broken swiffer handle with a old broken broom handle. Attaching together with rolled up hard plastic and good old duck tape. Impressive because The poles were the same size and wouldn't fit inside each other. So for $2 and some brain power, cute enough. But that was all ruined when my sister called them poll dancing gay scarecrows. NOT COOL. :)

Here on the left is a cute little candle holder I found at ross. I thought 6 candles was over kill. So I recycled and old hydranga arrangement and quite like the finished product. The candles are kid smart, because they are LED battery powered - but-flicker-but-dipped-in-wax-too-look-real candles. Since I had a coupon with those, this was a little more than the first two, but a total of about $16.

I have a super cute new one I am going to work on once I put my garage back together. :) I stole the idea from Kelli and LOVE LOVE it. Will have to post sometime. :)

So all this has got me wanting to post my other Money savin' creations. :) You may not be as impressed with me as I am - but that's ok. I get inspired looking at other peo

ples decor blogs. Maybe I can inspire someone on a budget. :)

Found this on the side of the road for free. Painted it black. Love it. Stores a ton and was less than $50. Most of the money was spent on the hard ware - and I haven't even put the bottom handles on yet. :)

Below is my Daughters Room. I read this saying and fell in love with it. Of course I would have done vinyl had I had my great price lady I do now. But the hand written turned out ok. Boards I stole from my father in law. Hand cut her

name out of

foam :)

Speaking of Foam. That is what I put on top of the curtains I made for her room. Cheap for sure! :) I glued material on 1/2 of them too.

Next up is Kaylee's room. :) Not much to show off. I did her crib set, only cost 20 to make which was nice. :) But I love this wall set because I stole it from a vinyl party but they wanted some $50 bucks for just vinyl that stuck to the wall. I got to do it 3-D and cheap style for about $22. Maybe less, it has been a while. :) And her name I am just impressed cause I painted it all on my own. Cost $3

Lastly are my flowers. I copied this from my friend Deanna. Little out of season now, but I love the fresh colors. It was my spring piece. Little spendy for me, but I was committed. :) So I think about $15 for this one.

So there you have it. My recycle me and cheap decor. :) The curtains behind my flowers were only $15 a panel. :) Just a side note. :)