Ezra's scrunchy nose

Taylor used to do this face too. He does this all the time. Especially when his daddy has him and he wants me to get him- he'll smile and scrunch up his nose. I think it is hilarious- part of his magical smiles :)

Ezra is going to be famous

When Jeebs went into advertising I told him that he better get our kids into commercials or print ads or SOMETHING!! :) Well, he hasn't delivered. Wednesday I got a call from my chiropractor, which was weird that my chiropractor was calling me, anyway- she wanted to know if she could use pictures of Ezra getting an adjustment in a brochure she was trying to put together for her business. HA! She sounded kind of apprehensive about asking, but I was completely fine with it and excited that my little man was going to be famous! Well, he's gotta start somewhere right? LOL So Monday I am going to take him in for his adjustment/photo shoot. I know it's just a brochure- for a very small chiropractic business- in New Bern- probably be seen by 50 people- but I'm excited :)

I should be writing my talk...

I have been gathering quotes, scriptures, and stories for my talk on Sunday, but I still don't know what angle I want to approach my subject from. Soooooo, I'm gonna post on my blog :) I have been meaning to post these for a while and now I have finally downloaded them. Cagey started taking karate with Taylor at the first of the year. It is the most hilarious thing. Cagey is a bit of a spazoid. He is getting better at focusing though. I hope karate will help him more with his concentration and coordination.Cagey is so dang sweet. I took Taylor to the dentist on Tuesday to get her first cavity filled. Cagey was pretty jealous that she's gotten to go to the dentist twice and he hasn't gotten to go at all. While we were waiting for Taylor to get done Cagey said, "Mommy, I want a cavity." I told him that he definitely did not want a cavity. Then, I heard Taylor screaming "I WANT MY MOMMY!!" I jumped up and we all went back there to reassure her that everything was okay. She got through it and after a quick trip to Walmart we went home to make lunch. I asked Cagey to ask the blessing and he said in his prayer "please bless Taylor that she won't get any more cavities." I guess after he actually saw Taylor getting her teeth worked on he realized that one does not want cavities :)

"Tutu" cute...

While I was trying to find some inspiration for my ribbon wands I made for nursery I found this adorable little thing




I really want to make some tulle pom-poms now. And, I had an idea for a little girl baby shower. "Tutu cute" for the theme and have one of these as your banner to look like little tutus!! Oh man, the cuteness. If this were Tater's thing I could do some kind of cute little girly tea party and use these as decoration somewhere, but this is NOT her thing ;) Anyway, I gotta stop looking for things to craft on the internet because I always find even more things I want to make. Then I get frustrated because I don't have time or patience to make any of it!

Speaking of not having any time to do any of this...I took Ezra for his checkup today. We're a little behind because he was so unhappy about his vaccinations last time and I'm still not completely sold on vaccines anyway. He is now 8 months, 20.1 lbs. and 28 1/2 inches long. Wow. When did he get so old? I guess when I was making all those stinking flowers for Christmas :)

Just a quick thought...

Maybe I should do a workout blog. I've tried so many workout videos. I really like my Firm workout- I have a 16" step that they call the "FannyLifter" and I must say it really does lift one's fanny. I have done them since after Taylor was born. I did them 3 times a week for all but the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy with Cagey- and I had the easiest time losing my baby weight after Cagey. I tried to do them this time around, but the stepping killed my pelvis and so it was either be up and be active most days or do a workout one day and be down on the couch for 3 while my pelvis recovered. I opted for the first, but I am paying for it now. I got a new workout on ebay- a Jillian Michaels one- Burn Fat and Boost Metabolism cardio blast. LOVE IT. The first time I did it I thought- this is impossible I am going to die, but now I can do it and I'm even pushing myself even harder. I just got the 30 Day Shred today. I did the first level 20 min workout- while I think it's good if you need a quick workout- I like the cardio blast one a lot better- much more challenging, but I will try the level 2 and 3 and see how they are.

Okay- this was supposed to be a quick thought- oh well. This is what I was going to post. So in a completely unrelated subject...I have made a discovery- a very delicious discovery. I have posted my grandma's brownie recipe on here before and now I have a new and improved option for frosting them. Last Friday we had the missionaries over to eat. I always try to make a dessert when we have people over. This time I was trying to make up for the fact that we were just having potato soup. I know boys like meat and I just didn't feel like going to the store to get said meat, so I opted for potato soup because I wouldn't have to go to the stinkin' store. So- it turned out to be a CRAZY day. Ezra fell out of his highchair- I knocked Cagey off his chair while trying to make some rolls that he was helping me with- then I knocked Cagey and Ezra's heads together accidentally- then Tates had art class that I had to take her to and pick her up from. AGAGHAHG Anyway- you get the picture. I ran out of time and energy to whip up chocolate buttercream from scratch. I happened to have a thing of bought vanilla frosting in the cupboard for a school project I was going to do with Tates. I know, horrors!! Bought frosting!! I had to swallow my pride and asked jeebs if I should just frost them with that junk and he said yes. I reluctantly took it out of the cupboard and then remembered the NUTELLA I had gotten Jeebs for Christmas that was still in the cupboard. OH YES and HEAVEN was born. So I am finally getting to it. Mix those puppies together and frost your brownies with them. It is delicious and evil and the nasty bought frosting doesn't taste like nasty bought frosting anymore. OH man- ya gotta try it. I know you probably won't, but if you do- let me know :) and you can thank me later or curse me later when you can't fit into your clothes anymore- which ever one :)

Failed FHE

I've got to post this before I forget about it and this one is for the books. Yesterday Jeebs told me he had an idea for family home evening- I was excited that we actually had something planned in advance- it's usually an impromptu reading of a story in the Friend. He wanted to discuss emergency preparedness- more specifically and evacuation plan for us if the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night. We started with a scripture in D&C talking about how the Lord wants us to "prepare every needful thing" and have a "house of order." So far, so good. Then Jeebs asked the kids what they would do if in the middle of the night they heard this...(he pushes the test button on the fire alarm) Percy immediately cowered behind my legs and was shaking so hard he was vibrating the couch. After asking what they would do several times and not hearing the answer we wanted them to say- Jeebs started explaining that they should get out of the house as fast as they could through the door that is closest to them. In the midst of the discussion, Tates starts getting a little freaked out. We kept explaining that this would probably never happen, but we needed to be prepared and have a plan. Then I made the big mistake of asking what they would do if they couldn't get out of their rooms. I asked Cagey first- "Cagey, what if the fire is in the hallway and you can't get out of your room, what do you do?" Cagey answered simply "Die." LOL At this point Taylor just lost it. She was crying uncontrollably. Good grief. Cagey thought we were going to die and Tates was so into the hypothetical situation she was FREAKING OUT. Last task of the night was to practice. Jeebs simply wanted us to practice getting out of the house and meet at our previously discussed meeting place outside. By this time though- Tates was so freaked out she wouldn't go in her room without one of us still in sight. So I stood in the hallway while the kids went (very reluctantly I might add) to pretend they were asleep on their beds. Jeebs yelled "Fire, fire, fire!" and they jumped up and ran outside- Taylor sniffling the whole way. As we went back in we just had to laugh about our yet again failed FHE. Don't even get me started about the time we got locked inside the Raleigh, Temple gate!!!!!

Right Now..

Jeebs and I are watching 24. It makes me have panic attacks, so I'm trying to distract myself by blogging and checking other websites. I've been wanting to post another one of my own recipes on here for a while and I think now is a good time to do it. This is my favorite super tasty spinach salad. I started really trying to lose weight the week before Halloween and I started making and eating this salad just about every other night. Most of the time I didn't have cheese, but when I gave myself a little leeway I added the cheese and YUMMMO. Okay so-

Spinach Salad (these are approximate measurements)

1/2 bag baby spinach
1/2 can mandarin oranges
croutons (however many you allow yourself on your diet:)
shredded asiago cheese (again, just how much you allow yourself)

Vinaigrette: (I make enough to have some extra so again approx. measurements)
2 tblsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tblsp minced garlic ( I used dehydrated and just rehydrate it)
salt and pepper
4 tblsp Olive Oil

Add the vinegar to the minced garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. While whisking with a fork add the olive oil or just mix it up in a bottle and shake. Shake shake shake:) Dress and enjoy the yumminess and healthiness of all that spinach. Let me know if you try it and what ya think. Next time- Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rollo LOL LO ok enough. Oh and my tortilla recipe that I found online ages ago- it's very easy and very tasty. I might post that one if anybody wants it. I've been looking at too many blogs. good grief. Back to my real life...

Today is my grandma's birthday. She was one of the best people in the world. My new calling is Music Leader in Primary and I am really enjoying it. But, every week I think to myself "I wish I could call grandma and ask her for some ideas and some help." She made the cutest things and had the best ideas for Primary. I just need to work on honing my inner grandma a little better. And, is it bad that I wanted to send half of senior primary to their parents yesterday? Geez louise! Anyway, Happy Birthday Grandma- I miss you and I am thankful for the great legacy you left behind.