Live chicken or canned poultry

Well the chickens are gone. After much deliberation and waying their worth and work we were more than happy to give them to friends of ours in the ward who were looking to start up a flock. Holman alone was sad, he said he liked everything about them except for when he stepped in their poop. I don't think he remembers all the times I asked him to collect the eggs followed by growning. I talked to the girls about how they felt about not having anymore chickens, Bella said, "frankly I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders." I think that is how every parent feels when a family pet finds a new home, they may miss them but the weight of having yet another responsibility is lifted.

So in another effort to become self reliant and be more prepared Benjamin and I have started pressure canning. We have canned a ton of chicken for way less than you can buy it even at Costco. We have canned chicken, steak, beans and potatoes. Canning is great because if the power goes out the food in the freezer won't last years like the canned products do. With canned products you don't have to reconstitute anything. The steak is particularly very yummy with very little prep the family can be eating stroganoff in less than 20 mins. Now that's my kind of meal prep!




This was the fruits of our productive Saturday, we are awesome.

I've got spirit, yes I do, I've got spirit, how bout you!

I have always had mixed emotions about spirit week at school, when lots of kids participate and you have a great look it can be lots of fun. But...... when there is nobody dressed up it is like wearing a Halloween costume to school on the 30th. I remember in the first grade it was cowboy day for spirit week and my mother who is the queen of costumes had "the perfect outfit." I had a vest, bandanna, pigtails, jeans and knowing my mother probably even chaps. But that was not enough, my mother also drew in freckles on my face. I remember thinking I already have a boat load of freckles why is she drawing on more? That was a long day at school.

Then there was the time in middle school when Lindsey and I dressed up for Halloween in the seventh grade, I guess it wasn't cool to do so because when my sister Hillary pulled up to the middle school parking lot and we saw no one dressed up we begged her to take us home. Why would she do that, when she could tell us to get out of the car, it would be alright and while giving us this uplifting speech lay on the horn so everybody would stop and stare? Priceless. To make matters worse Hillary and her friend were dressed up as Hari Krishna's (yeah look it up) complete with bald wigs. What did they care they were seniors in high school. Seventh grade, we all remember middle school!

Yesterday Bella announced that starting Monday it would spirit week at school, and that tomorrow would be mismatched day, she started planning her outfit. But when she awoke this morning "she couldn't remember" if it was actually spirit week so she opted not to dress up. Olivia on the other hand was very excited about being mismatched. She chose a neon colored long sleeved cowgirl shirt with camouflage shorts and mismatched shoes. She was feeling good. When we were leaving the house to catch the bus she mentioned that her teacher never announced spirit week, I began to feel nervous for her. When we got to the school bus stop I noticed that no one else was dressed up. Yes it would have been smart to have her pack other clothes or at least have a spare shoe, so her shoes could be matching. When she was leaving the car I told her she could call me for anything that she may need at school today....I didn't tell her directly to call if she was the only one dressed up, because at this point she didn't notice she was looking odd. Hopefully I planted a rescue seed. After I drove away I called Suzie (yes I should have called her first) to see if it was spirit week she said it was for the middle school but not sure if it was for the primary school. If it wasn't for the primary school then Livvey has joined the ranks of "Spirit Week" victims. Have you been a spirit week victim? If so, do share :)

Update: I asked Liv how her day went she said it was great. I asked how many kids in her class dressed up, she said none. Lets hear it for independence.

Your gonna want to plug your nose

Soccer season has officially begun, and since Holman said, "Mom soccer is my sport" we thought we would give this sport a try. Unfortunately Livvey and Bella are on different teams so I have three practices to take kids to. Luckily there is only one park in the town of Benson population 5,000, so I don't have to coordinate locations just time. Holman and Jared are on the same team, their team consists of five players, the other three players have already played on a team before (when did they start at 2?). The games are quite fun to watch, three on three, no need for a goalie, parents are just happy if they make a goal in the right direction. Bella and Sydney are on the Blue Devils team they play seven on seven (unless the coach doesn't realize he has 8 players on the field, we went almost an entire game with one more player, don't feel bad for the other team they still won).

Sadly Liv doesn't have a cousin on her team, but don't feel bad for her, she has plenty of confidence. We were at the park playing on the swings waiting for the next practice to start, when Liv was off to the side by a tree. A cute little boy ran up to her and said, "Hi, Olivia." To which she replies, "Your gonna want to plug your nose, I have to fart." Then she let it rip. I was stunned waiting to see what the little boy would say or do. He just smiled and said, "Hey lets go down the slide" then they both ran off to play together. I was shocked never would I have admitted that that was what I was in the corner doing, much less to a boy and in the 1st grade. Later I talked to Liv about it and told her I was shocked that she told the boy her private business she said, "yeah I was shocked that I shared that too." Belle and I couldn't stop laughing about it, she said she would never have admitted that, and would have denied it at all costs, now that's more like me. But like Benjamin always says that girl is our spice.

(note I apologize for such a graphic description, I know some families never say the f**t word, to which I will reply, bless you.)

Our Three Phantoms

We have three phantoms:

1) A car that breaks down only when I am driving. Literally it is like the gas pedal has disappeared and I just have to kind of coast to safety.

2) We have a mysterious pipe leak in our Tucson home, don't you love paying for home maintenance (especially when you don't live there)? I think I could rent the rest of my life, let someone else take care of things, help them get rich, we are not meant for money.

3) The ghosts are back in our Tucson home as well. Our renters recently had the Ghost Busters come and take nightly pictures of the house to see if they could catch the apparitions, wow that sounds like a Scooby Do episode.

Fun times.

My mantra this week: "There is nothing like fear for distorting perspective, and nothing like gratitude for restoring it."


I am grateful my car phantom only works part time. I am grateful that i don't have to live with a leaky pipe. And I am grateful the ghosts stayed in Tucson, I guess they are too good for a double wide :)

A Toast to Preference

I cook, I clean, I do laundry, I drive here and there, I tutor, I listen and pay attention, I am a nurse, I am a cheerleader, I am a soft place to fall, I am a mother.

I have a few minor requests. One of the kids chores is to set the table. Finally, I stated a want of my own (notice I didn't say need), I requested that the cup that is set above my plate be a glass one.

I do not like plastic cups, so sue me. If given the choice I will choose a glass cup to drink from every time. If I am at a friends or relatives house and they hand me a plastic cup I will not think twice about it. In my own home where I know that the sturdy glass cup awaits I will reach for it every time.

So now when the kids set the table they always say something like, "Don't forget to get the princess her glass cup" or "you know who wont drink from a plastic cup". I admit once I stated my request I made fun of it too, like "looks like someone doesn't know the difference between glass and plastic" and then of course the kids would groan. Everyone is welcome to drink from a glass cup at my table, kids included its just a better way to live, I mean drink.

As for being a princess, I don't know many princesses who would tolerate ten months of port-a-potty use with limited electricity and water. I guess sleeping in a lumpy bed full pf peas would not phase me, but dinning on a delicious meal only to toast it of with a plastic cup would sure make me turn up my nose.

What is your princess/prince preference? (not your cup preference per se, but preferences in general).

First day of school and bag of love

Here are some pics of the kids first day of school. Bella is in the 3rd grade now and has enjoyed her first week so far. She loves meeting up with her cousin Sydney at recess and before and after school to play.



































Olivia is in the first grade and is pretty much a live version of Junie B Jones (a children's book series about a precocious little girl). When I went shopping with Liv to get school clothes and a new back pack, I realized she had a very specific vision of what she wanted her pack back to be. We ended up at Ross in the purse section so she could pick a large handbag for her back pack. My little six year old insisted on carrying a black leather-like ladies handbag. It was the same price as Bella's "normal" backpack and I figure if it helps her self esteem to carry that, it was ok with me. Benjamin was beside himself with her choice, he couldn't help but smile and say that girl is our spice.







































Holman's first day of school he insisted on wearing this




















Overalls that were two sizes too small, without a t-shirt and with a cowboy hat. I told him that wasn't going to work so he compromised with throwing his robe on. What a team player.




















I did manage for him to put on a regular shirt and cut the overalls so now their overall shorts. Parkin hasn't really noticed their absence but likes to be a part of the picture process.

A whole lot of ugly going on

Oh my we went to Breakers Water Park with our good friends. We had a great time, but boy was there a whole lot of ugly going on. The swimsuits or lack thereof were amazing. I just had to make a list of top ten questions about my experience.

10) Why is it that little chested women somehow think it is attractive to flaunt the lack of cleavage they have? Sweetie just because it isn't there doesn't mean that others need to know for a certainty that it is not.

9) How is it that parents let there little girls run around in little "band aid" bikini's? Come on mom, you wouldn't let your son run around in a thong, would you?

8) Why is it that all the female lifeguards choose to wear a two piece?I am pretty sure having that extra piece of fabric in the middle will not make you go slower in the water.

7) Why is it that as a society we find it acceptable to have teenagers who are "life" guards. I mean we are putting our trust in a generation that is barely aloud to operate a moving vehicle, and has higher insurance because their reflexes are not quite developed and they sometimes make reckless choices ( i remember). The human brain is not fully developed until after the teenage years! With the economy being so bad can't we have the trickle down effect move its way to the swimming pool.

6) What is the purpose of a pornographic tattoo on your back, the person who has it can't even look at it!

5) Now time for a statement, tattoos are dumb and look trashy. "Mommy why do you have a boa constrictor wrapped around your leg and Tinkerbell flying around on your back? Cause mommy likes snakes and fairies.......

4) Are white bathing suits a good idea? No they are not

3) Is there really such a thing as the Hulk? Yes Benjamin and I saw this dude who had a severe upper body but apparently he didn't know where the leg weights were at the gym. Bless his chicken legs. (Hey I can't just rip on the ladies)

2) Were the waves that lame when I was a kid? I seriously remember giant waves that were awesome, is it a child's memory? Or have they cut down on the cost to run the waves and reduced its power consumption? How can I find that out?

1) And the biggest question that Benjamin and i talked about is................ What is it about the presence of water that brings people to practically wear nothing? It is not the sun that does that, people don't generally walk around parks on a hot day half naked. It is not like bathing suits are made like they were decades ago, they dry fast, so there is no need to reduce the amount of fabric being used...Why oh Why.

The views expressed in this blog represent a woman scorned by the banking industry and as such she is bitter about many things. She does promise to lighten up by weeks end.