Macie Boosies

Backing up a little bit....I'm finally getting around to Macie's birthday post. This time of year is always full of hustle and bustle, so it's not surprising that I didn't have time before now to post it. Her birthday was December 18th.

What can I say about Macie?! She has so much personality!

~She is feisty (I suppose that comes from starting her life out that way...seems she had to fight to live, so she might as well be feisty for the rest of her days!)
~She has a high tolerance for pain (she once had her fingers caught in a glider rocker and didn't make a peep as it was rocked over her tiny fingers over and over!)

~She is animated (you should see the goofy faces she can make!)
~She is a cuddler
~She tells what she thinks (is ALWAYS telling me that she loves me)
~She's a follower (that could be good or bad!)
~She can also be a good leader
~She's a planner (always cooking up schemes haha)
~She's a babysitter (sooo good with Ava)
~She's a fake burper (can't actually burp due to the nissan surgery)
~She is a tooter (again, because she can't burp! It has to come out somehow right?!)
~She is a laugher
~She is a songbird (she thinks we can't hear her while singing in her room, but we love it)
~She is a lover of Hannah Montana
~She is a lover of CHOCOLATE! She has eaten about 3 pounds of it just this Christmas season alone!
~She is a big lover of BROCCOLI!
~She's a beautiful spirit sent to us at just the right time and we are grateful for her every single second of the day.

Here are some random pictures that are my favorites of her.....

First here I am pregnant with her and Ricky at 30 weeks along. I delivered them about 3 days later...can you imagine how big I would've been had I gone another 10 weeks?! Whoa! Excuse the way I look...it was in the hospital just after I woke up that day...plus it was 12 years ago so give me a break will ya?!



Insert baby picture here. Ok....no baby picture has been inserted. For the first few months of her life, we kept her indoors due to her condition, so she didn't get any professional photos taken. I didn't get any until she was much older and would you know it....I can't find them. What kind of mother am I?!

Anyway, here are some of my favorites of her after the baby years:







It's not that visible in the post, but I love this picture because both of her front teeth were missing!



And now for some recent photos of the newest YW in the N.M. Ward.......

See? She's a big time cuddler!


And here she is just yesterday after she got new highlights in her hair, that she paid for herself by the way. Why do they have to grow up soooo dern fast?! Next thing I know she will be married with kids of her own!





And of course I can't forget that she shares a birthday with her twin...my "sweet boy" Ricky. The photo was when he was a couple weeks old. That's my dh's wedding ring on his arm in the photo. He was only about 4 pounds when he died. He may have only lived for 3 months, but we will never forget the impact he brought to our family. He is missed more and more each day, but dh and I are blessed to know we have a perfect child just waiting for us. He was too perfect to be here on this earth very long, but he did the work he was put here to do. He stayed just long enough to make sure that Macie would be healthy and enjoy a full life. I'm not going to get in too deep on this subject since this year seems to be a bit sadder for me than the past few. I always have the "what ifs" and "should have beens", and this year is no different, but I know where he is, I know he is safe and happy and I know that HE knows I love him and miss him. And that I did all I could do to keep him here but it wasn't the plan that Heavenly Father had for him.

Ok, enough of that sappy stuff!
Next month I'll have another birthday post, but for Molly. She is jealous that Macie was first, so I had better gather some pictures of her too! haha

Paper Palooza

Christmas is over...thank goodness! The mess was actually quite tame this year. We didn't spend too much money on the kids, so there were less gifts. I have to trick the kids every year before the big day though. They find the gifts that I hide EVERY time! They also tell each other what they are getting so I have to make sure I shop alone. Grrr. This year I hid the gifts in a great place on....um....guess I had better not tell where that is in case they read my blog! But they never did figure it out. Yesssss.

Like I said, they didn't get as much this year though.I creatively wrapped the gifts that they did get so as to not give away what they were. My kids are really good at knowing before unwrapping. I double wrapped, triple wrapped, wrapped in strange shaped boxes etc. As the kids get older, the gifts change from too many toys to electronics etc, so it was kind of nice to not have tiny pieces of Polly Pockets all over! But, the mess will begin again as soon as Ava gets a little older. That's ok though....she is just one kiddo. We used to live in a toy store, but it's getting better now. Now I just live in Aeropostle and Old Navy stores. They all love clothing this year. Well, not Mr. B. He prefers his xbox and hockey gear.

Anyway.....anyone else take a picture of their paper palooza mess? I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and enjoys the new year :)

Jesus is the Reason

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus"
~Elder Neal A. Maxwell


Merry Christmas everyone!

Try it Tuesday will return next year (snicker).....January 1, 2008.

Edit: P.S.....I really want the Willow Tree Nativity set someday! I'm putting it on my wish list. It's beautiful. I admire the one my sister has whenever I see it.

Try it Tuesday

To meringue or not meringue

Ever tried these? I looooove them. I'm a huge fan of Miss Meringue. I can't buy any flavor locally except the rainbow vanilla, so I have to order these babies or head over to GR at World Pantry to buy them. Each tub costs about $4.99. Kind of pricey, but worth it for a once in awhile treat. For those watching sugar....fugettaboudit. These are obviously all sugar.

My favorites are:
Triple Chocolate Chip Classiques



and....
Mint Chocolate Chip

I can have 4 cookies for 2 WW points. Miss Meringues are tasty when they melt in your mouth. Mmm. I take small bites, let them melt and then munch on the mini chocolate chips that are left. Mmm. Yes, I'm very detailed :)

There are several kinds of MM's:
Mini's
Classiques
Chocolettes
Madeline's
and Macaroons

A serving of the mini's is about 14-15 cookies for 2 WW points. There are several flavors of each kind. I think the vanilla taste like the tiny marshmallows that are in Lucky Charms cereal. Yes, sweet as heck and full of sugar. I've made my own mint meringue cookies at home that are ok, but I prefer MM's. I DON'T suggest buying the sugar free versions. Ew. No...double EW. Not even remotely worth it. The fat free versions taste great though. I've never tried the chocolettes, Madeline's or Macaroons. Check out the website if you want more detailed info on these. www.missmeringue.com
So if you want to try the rainbow vanilla (just tastes like their regular vanilla) then head to Walgreens. That is the only place I've been able to find them. Target and Meijer used to carry some other flavors, but I haven't seen them in almost a year at either store. Big bummer.

I also suggest trying another brand of meringue cookie if you can get your hands on them. Barry Peaks. Super Walmart used to sell them in a cute little plastic cup. They had 100 peaks for 100 calories. I carried them in my purse to the movies for a perfect little 2 pt snack. Lately I've found these at dollar stores, but not in the cup...just in small bags. They aren't as sweet as Miss Meringues which might be better for those who like less sweets.

That's it for this week. I have no idea what I will try for next week. Maybe those new honey mustard Pringles!

Which direction do I go in???

I need some help! I realize I'm asking at the last possible moment, but I can't seem to come up with an idea for a teacher gift for my kids teachers this year! I am doing the, "rootin' tootin" one for a guy teacher (give a can of rootbeer and a can of baked beans with a tag saying, "Have a rootin' tootin' Christmas!"), but I don't think that one is appropriate for all the female teachers for some reason...hee hee.

I could use some ideas from you bloggers out there. I've looked at several blogs including the ones that I even posted about, but I'm just not feeling it yet.

I'm usually not too bad at picking out gifts like some people,
<----(think A Christmas Story), but I'm guilty of giving things in the past to teachers only to realize now that they probably didn't like them! Example: I've scoured the internet and have realized this.....teachers don't usually like to receive anything with apples on them, they don't like mugs, ornaments or even chocolate! I wouldn't dare give them an apple related thing but I've been giving them
Godiva chocolates for the past few years. Just a small box of them, but still better than cheapo chocolate. I'm still thinking that would be a good idea wouldn't it?? How can chocolate be a bad thing?!

I did read more than once that teachers enjoy getting thank you notes or any kind of handwritten card or drawing from the child. Hmmm.

So based on that, only thing I can think of to give Mr. B's 3 teachers is some sort of written note made in a nice way (digiscrap?). I was also thinking that it would be a good idea to go that way this year because I'm really low on cash. Thoughtful, yet cheap! That's me! My idea might include having him write a note to his teacher (who is our friend from church ya know) saying how he would spend a million dollars on her if he had it to spend. That could have cute results.

So what do I do for the girls teachers now? They are both in 5th grade and have several teachers. Keep in mind I'm not made of money, so gift cards are definitely OUT. I figure most people who will read this will have teacher gifts to give so.....can you help a sista out by letting me snag your idea?????????

Molly's Moment

I keep posting photo layouts etc of Ava and not enough of my other kiddos. I really do love them all equally, so here is one of Miss Molly! She had a 5th grade choir concert on Tuesday at RPI.

JC curled her hair and we put a splash of lipgloss & blush on. They all had to wear white tops and black pants so they would match. She had been practicing her Christmas carols for the longest time. Weeks! She did a wonderful job singing with her group. It was hard to take pics of her actually up there singing (tall people in front of me....note to self: get there earlier next year for a better spot!), so we took one of her afterwards. Molly has a great singing voice and I can frequently find her writing her own songs. She also likes to scrapbook and draw like her Mamma :)

My life with R.....a couples tag

Using Caity's tag, I'm posting my own answers of my life with my dh. The photo is one of my favs of us from a few years back. We've switched weights tho! Haha. He is thinner and I'm fatter after having Ava. Oh well. I also like the photo of us on the sidebar where we are dancing. It's not the most flattering of me, but we were happy and having a good time that night and it shows on our faces. Ok...here we go:

How long have you been married? 18 1/2 years!
How long did you date? 4 years before we were married
How old is he? He's 39 just like moi, but he is 7 months older than I am.
Who eats more? Well, duh. Him of course. You should see him eat a grapefruit. I swear he inhales it. There is NO chewing involved! He also can't get just a #4 or something at Mcdonalds. He has to add a fish or chicken sandwich to it. Quite the piggy, yet I'm the one who is pudgy!
Who said I love you first? He did. We waited to get to know each other before throwing out that word. Then the day came. We were driving in his car and he had to pull over to the side of the road. Out it came. I said it back and then our friend Alicia in the back seat who was sleeping, sat up and said, "It's about time!"
Who is taller? Him. He isn't really tall though by any means...I think he's about 5' 10", but I'm only 5' 3" at the most!
Who sings better? Well, I guess that would be me. But I bet if he would sing more often and louder (he's a quiet hymn singer in sacrament), I would know. He's quiet, but I know he can sing on key :)
Who is smarter? Oh HIM for sure. I've been beaten with the stupid stick.
Who does the laundry? Me of course. But he's been known to put in some of his work coats once in awhile, but I usually end up finishing them for him.
Who does the dishes? Again, me of course. I think I caught him doing it one time at someone else's house trying to be nice.
Who cooks dinner? Me, but he does all the grilling. He also makes things in the George Forman when he feels like it. He says I'm not the best cook, but I sure can bake! True. I'm not that bad at cooking, but I sure could improve!
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Him. At our last house, I was on the right, but in this house I'm on the left because it's closer to the bathroom. I'm a frequent pee pee-er.
Who pays the bills? Mostly me. Depends on the bill though. Sometimes he will go pay a place that he owes, but I mostly pay the utility, mortgage etc.
Who mows the lawn? I've never mowed a lawn in my life! If he doesn't do it, my 9 year old son does :) That little man does a great job too!
Who drives when you are together? 99.9 percent of the time it's him. I hate to drive when he's in the car because he makes me nervous. I will drive on trips when he gets too tired though.
Who is more stubborn? We are equally stubborn but in different ways and over diff things.
Whose parents do you see the most? Well, his parents live in our town and my Dad lives 45 mins away, so I guess his. My Mom died in 2002.
Who proposed? He did on the beach in the dark after the 4th of July fireworks.
Who has more friends? Oh boy. It used to be that he teased me that he had more and I was a boring homebody. But actually, he just has more acquaintances and I have more true friends. He knows SO many people, but they aren't really his friends that he would do things with or confide in. I have more confiding friends. Speaking of that...who is up for a GNO?!!! I need to get away!
Who has more siblings? Me for sure. He has 3 siblings, and I have 7.
Who wears the pants in the family? Well, I'm wearing a nightgown right now, sooooo........no, really...HE obviously does, but he takes my opinions into consideration when I can convince him to listen! Haha.


Ok, I'm adding one more question:
Who kissed who first? He did. He did it on our first date when we were in Farrells Ice Cream shop. I had my finger in one of those blood pressure machines and then he kissed me. My blood pressure shot up! Awww...sappy huh?!

And that's it. I'll save more mushiness for a post on our 19 year anniversary in May :)

Try it Tuesday

Impossibly good? You bet!



I'm sure other people have tried these way before I did, but if it's new to me, it's perfect for Try it Tuesday.

Flat Earth Fruit and Veggie Crisps are delicious in my opinion! Ok, I only tried 2 kinds, the Tangy Tomato Ranch & the Garlic & Herb Field...but they were fantastic!

Here is the low-down on these babies:
The company, Flat Earth, by Frito-Lay, boasts this about their crisps:

*Just like the recently reviewed Nabisco Garden Harvest toasted chips),each 1-ounce serving contains a 1/2 serving of fruit or vegetables *Naturally baked crisps
*No artificial preservatives
*Low sodium
*Made with real fruit and vegetables

They come in these flavors:
-Wild Berry Patch
-Peach Mango Paradise
-Farmland Cheddar
-Garlic & Herb Field
-Tangy Tomato Ranch
-Apple Cinnamon

I bought the two 6-ounce bags (yes, I realize these aren't near as big as a bag of regular potato chips) for $2.50 each at Target. Each bag also had a coupon for $1 off, so I only paid $3 for 2 bags. Oh...and you can also get a coupon for $1 off by checking out the website, www.impossiblygood.com. They have a cute interactive page with lots of information. If you choose to not use the interactive part, you can just click the low bandwidth button.

The crisps are much bigger than Garden Harvest chips and they are tastier! I'd pick Flat Earth over Garden any day. My favorite of the 2 that I tried is the Garlic & Herb Field. Sooo tasty. The Tomato was delicious but not ranchy enough in my opinion. But don't get me wrong...they were great. I'd love to try the other kinds soon. Target sold all the flavors except the Peach Mango.

The website says the main ingredients are rice flour and potato flakes. Each kind will have their own veggies or fruit included.


The nutritional's aren't that fabulous considering I can eat the same amount of Doritos for the same points, but I'd rather get some veggies in with no transfat and no preservatives by eating the Flat Earth.

All the flavors have pretty much the same nutritional's per 1 ounce serving....
130 calories
4.5-5 grams fat
1-2 fiber
19-21 carbs

That's 3 WW points for 1 ounce.

And for those who can't have MILK (you know who you are!)...you can have the Apple Cinnamon or Peach Mango only. Sorry. But I bet those are tasty too.

So all in all....Flat Earth Crisps *ROCK* in my book!!! Well, the only way they could be truly "impossibly good" is to make them fat free and zero calories! Then pigs really could fly!!

It's her birthday!

I haven't seen my friend Tami in soooo long...but she is still the best friend I could ever ask for! I have to pay homage to her on her 29th (hee hee) birthday!

We had some good times growing up and there were tons of pictures to choose from, but I went with the ones from the photo booths. There were several taken at different times, so I guess we really liked these crazy booths!

These 2 photos were labeled August, 1985 at the Eastbrook Mall. I don't think they call it that any more. Is it even a mall now?





This one had no label, but I think it might have been taken at Cedar Point in 1985 or 1986.

This last one was probably in 1985 also. I don't think I've ever had hair as short in my whole life as I did back then. It was a temporary "try it" for me. I prefer long hair, but Tami always looked good in short. Maybe I was trying to copy her since I looked up to her so much :) Or maybe I got talked into doing it by some person who now lives in Georgia!!!! Yeah, that was it....haha



Anyway.....
I doubt Tami will ever see this post because she doesn't get online much, but I've been thinking about her lately & wish her fun and relaxation today with a splash of chocolate :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMI!

Thanksgiving rewind.....

Beep, beep, beep...back up the truck! I realize it's Christmastime, but I have to rewind to November and Thanksgiving Day. I loved the, "I am Thankful for" poster that Megan and Caity did, so I borrowed the idea for my own family. I hope M & C don't mind! Thanks a bunch! It's a neat idea.
Anyway, my family and I had tons of fun writing what we are grateful for. Some were serious, some spiritual, funny or frivolous. My favorites to read were:

*Lights (our power had gone out recently)
*Water (our water pump went kaput on us the day before Thanksgiving)
*The Gospel
*Turth (one of my kiddos misspelled the word, "Truth"....I love it!)
*Dinosors (my nephew is in love with the "sors"..hee hee)
*Vitatops! (hmmm...wonder who wrote that one)
*Camera to caught all our moments (again... one of my kiddos)
*Xbox and Wii (Mr. B of course)
*Miss Nelson (Mr. B's teacher at school...also a friend of ours)
*Jesus Christ
*Doors (Ugh...teenagers...she probably also wrote, "locks" on there somewhere too)


Miss M wrote soooo many things! What a grateful little girlie!



My sister Sheri who always has a grateful look on her face. She makes everything uplifting and fun. Of course I added her name to the poster :)

Try it Tuesday

Say it with a KISS
I said I might try the seasonal Hershey Kisses this week didn't I?! Well, yippeedoo, I had fun with this one! Everyone knows that I'm a chocoholic. I might be trying to lose weight, but I've learned that I can still eat my favs without going overboard.

Here is what I tried yesterday...and today....and will probably try again tomorrow..hee hee

Mint Truffle Kisses


These were pretty good, but I've had better :).The kisses are dark chocolate with a creamy green mint center.I can't say they were anything extra special though. I love chocolate and mint together, but these were a tad bit bitter. I'd prefer to stick with a York patty or the new 3 Musketeers Mint. Even Palmer brand has a tastier mint chocolate than Hershey's. I might not be a big fan of Hershey mint truffle kisses, but I'm still going to try plopping one of these critters into my diet hot cocoa today! I bet that will taste mmmmm.

Candy Cane Kisses


Now these little babies are something to try again! I wasn't expecting to enjoy these because there isn't real milk chocolate in them. BUT...they are truly yummy! I think they taste a bit like white chocolate with a minty flavor. The most unexpected surprise was the candy bits inside! YUM! Little pieces of candy cane made my day! Ok...maybe I better set my sights higher if this were to be the highlight of my day. Anyway, I say TRY THESE before they are gone for the season.


Hot Cocoa Kisses


These were the least impressive of the 3 Kisses. I shocked myself by not liking them as much! Wow. I figured these would be great, but they aren't anything special in my opinion. They are milk chocolate with a creamy center. They actually remind me of plain old truffles. I'm not sure what I was expecting hot cocoa flavored to taste like, but personally, I'd rather have normal Hershey Kisses. Brycen agrees with his Mom and wouldn't even finish the one that he took out of the bag.

So there is my opinion of the seasonal Hershey Kisses. Now it's your turn to go out and get them....or heck, just come over to my house and try mine so I won't eat them all! Oh, and did you know that Hershey Kisses came to be in 1907? And they think the name, "Kisses" came from the sound that the machine would make while manufacturing the shaped chocolate candies. Hmm...interesting.


Seen in an online ad: Krispy Kreme snowman doughnuts! Shaped like a cute little snow person.I guess you can special order them with your choice of fillings for an extra $1.00 a dozen. Get 'em fast because they are only available until Dec. 31st.

Winter has arrived in our town!

Double click to see closer view. I'm going to have to learn how to make em bigger (if it's even possible)


Boy, are you all going to be so sick of me posting layouts of Ava! Haha. But today seemed fitting to post this one since it's so snowy, windy and cold outside. Ava isn't out in it though....poor little thing has a fever,diarreah and a barking cough. I hate the sickies!