Reason # 564 Why I love Colorado

Have a huge blizzard that drops 2 feet in 2 hours. Build a snowman with you kids in 50 degree weather the next day. Love it.

Sledding
It dumped a good 18 inches on us this weekend so we went out to enjoy it.

Every time JJ went down he covered his eyes. He likes to be in control:)
Lily pushing JJ out of his spot with Grandma

Jigglers

Ketchup! or Catch-up whatever

Lily LOVES dresses. She wakes up from every nap/night holding a dress she wants me to put on her. Its easier to go along with it then to fight. This magnificent outfit is to go out to..... THE LIBRARY! Oh Lily.

Lily riding her broom-backwards:) The weather has been pretty crazy 50 degrees one day snowing the next. Up and down for the last two weeks. Me an' my girls

I made some towels for my friend D' Mac for her TWINS! A frog and a duck.

I love my husband. He is so unselfish and loving. It is my birthday coming up and he went and donated plasma twice a week for the past two months to save up to buy me a Kitchenaid mixer. I have been telling Dave I wanted one for oh four years. I am so blessed to have a good man who is willing to sacrifice and work to make me happy:) Happy day!

Saturday was pretty much a perfect day for me. We woke up slow. We relaxed a bit. Then we walked outside to a BEAUTIFUL day. Dave took down the privacy screen in our yard. The previous owners had a hot tub, and I couldn't see the kids playing in the yard.

We hung out in the beautiful weather. Jensen played with...... TRAINS surprise.




Charley now almost five months giggled and smiled.

Lily pushed Charley off the blanket and wrapped herself up in it.
And Dave got stuff done:)

Later Dave worked on three computers at once. We had nap time then....
We went to Chuck E. Cheese! I've never been with kids, just a friend's 27?th B-day party trying to prove she is still young:)

We signed up a couple days before to be members and we got an awesome coupon for token. It was SO much fun. We had plenty of tokens thanks to the coupon. The kids loved being able to play anything they wanted and push all the buttons their little heart's desired.


JJ love driving the remote control train.

Lily ran from ride to ride focusing for less than 15 seconds then running on to the next thing. It was really fun following her.

All tuckered out relaxing with dad. It really was a wonderful day.

WE HAVE A CAMERA!

So I lost our camera last month and I finally fessed up and bought a new one.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. Jensen was so cute. I asked him what we should do for grandma. He decided to be SO SUPER SWEET and give grandma one of his favorite trains. I love that little boy. He wrapped it himself.

We also went to the Denver science museum. Here are some fun pics

This scan lets you walk across this walkway as it reads how much energy you use while walking. Dad bumped it to the next level and made it into a competition. He got a 10.4. It took quite a while and it was fun. I only tried once and got an 8. He was really proud of himself:)

How Lily and JJ dance differently. Go Go GO

I did it!

So my Beehives voted for what activity they wanted to do. 3 out of 10 voted to learn how to make candy. Harumph. I didn't know, how and I couldn't find anybody else who knew, so it was time for Library books and google searches, even contacting my old mission president's wife. Hard candy and lollipops are pretty easy you just follow the recipes. Then I moved on to toffee. I LOVE TOFFEE. I love almond roca, I love English toffee, I love Skor bars, and I was bound and determined to make toffee. Turns out toffee is pretty hard to make. I have tried at least 6 different recipes multiple times. I tried about 14 times to make a toffee that was hard yet not break your teeth hard. I DID IT! I do what I normally do and took bits and pieces from a bunch of stuff until it works. Well it did and it is TASTY!

Now I just need to figure out what to do with all this toffee!

Here it is if you have any desire to have yummy homemade toffee.

Soft Roca:
Coarsely grate 2 cups milk chocolate
Coarsely grate 2 cups almonds

Layer 3/4 of the almonds on a 13x15 cookie sheet


In heavy frying pan, melt 1 pound butter (must be butter). Add 2 cups sugar, and 1 cup whipping cream, cook on medium heat and stirring constantly (don't even think about answering the phone), with a flat bottom utensil. Keep the temp low- it takes a while so be patient
When the color of the sugar/butter mixture starts to change from the creamy yellow to a soft tan color, (If you have a candy thermometer it is somewhere between 280 and 300 degrees)pour evenly over the almonds and chocolate on the cookie sheet. . Sprinkle the remainder of the chocolate on top with the remainder of the almonds on top of the chocolate. Lightly pat the nuts into the melting chocolate. Place in refrigerator at least 24 hours. Break up and serve at room temperature.

Good Luck

So there I was....

At walmart. We have successful concluded a oil change/ grocery/ odd ends trip. My kids each have a clearance 2 dollar toy that makes them happy, makes them stay sitting in the cart, and we are almost through check out- Whew! So Lily decides she doesn't want her little tea set. Fine. Set it aside. I'm talking to the cashier and ERUPTION! Both Lily and Jensen explode with tears and crying and screaming and trying to leap from the cart. I'm trying to keep them from falling to their deaths, put my bags on the cart, and listen to what in the world they are upset about. I'm super embarrassed and I look to the other customers and the lady, in her late 30's, behind me is rolling her eyes at the other Customers. ROLLING HER EYES! How old are you 13? Excuse ME that made me extremely upset. I was so hurt and upset and just MAD. I'm already upset enough I don't need an adult to mock me and my kids like that. Have some patience and compassion!

I'm a good parent. I love and take care of my kids. I listen to my kids and I am not a jerk to them. My kids are 3,2, and 3 months. They are going to act like children because they don't get a toy they want. That lady however is an adult and she should be mature enough to understand how children act.

I called my sister after I left and we talked about all the nasty things I should have done or said to her. She came up with the best one. I should have turned and talked to her nicely about her trip to the store and ask her if every thing was going well for her. Especially since as soon as I got off the phone with my sister Jensen told me how the lady rolled her eyes at us. They understand way more than I'm comfortable with sometimes.

Anyway I'm done ranting. And next time I'll have a real zinger for someone with the patience of a knat for toddlers who want a toy.

Merry Christmas!
What a great opportunity to celebrate Christ and the wonderful blessings we have because of his life. I asked my beehives to memorize "The Living Christ" So I have been frantically trying to get my sloshy noggin to memorize it as well. Some of my favorite parts are:

"He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary's cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth. "

"We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—"built upon the foundation of . . . apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:20). "

"We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."

I made matching PJ's for everybody for Christmas Eve.


Lily had so much fun unwrapping. She helped everybody unwrap their presents. She got a little people house and a kitchen and some puppies.

Jensen of course got only trains and he was in heaven.

You know sometimes the box is more exciting than the thing that came in it:)

Charley started smiling. She is so fun to hold and look at.

I was wondering why this awsome kitchen was so cheap at Walmart. It was because it took my dad and the elder 2 hours to assemble. It should have said on the box "Monsterous amout of assembly required"

And Dave has been working on his miniature game Decent. He made this awsome 3-D game board. And he gets to play with his friends while I sit with the kids in the family room blogging and containing the kids. Merry Christmas Dave:)

Denver Zoo Lights

Dave won a year membership to the Denver Zoo at his work party. So we decided to go to the Zoo lights. It was really fun. The only unfortunate part was waiting in line for over an hour just to get in! It was a bit cold too. But we warmed up in the smelly zoo houses along the way. Grandpa was in charge of Lily. She is such a 2 year old. This is her pouting when we told her she needed to either hold hands or sit in the stroller.

Grandma had the idea of a leash and it worked remarkably well. Grandpa took off his belt and looped it around her pants.




JJ of course got to ride the train. He was a sucker for the train and the zoo map.