Little Leprechaun

This is the leprechaun trap my Grandma Kenney made. The cloud has a plastic cup behind it, and they are strung up with a string. Leprechauns are trixy little things, so they see a pot of gold, a rainbow, and a sign that says Do Not Touch, and they just can not resist!

Side view-- As you can see, the leprechaun got away, with the pot of gold, but he lost a few pieces on the way out. He left candy, as well (gold candy! he was trying to trick us to thinking it was real gold!), but the kids ate that quick. Much faster than mom and the camera could be there ;)
We had a fun day. We had burritos for dinner, haha, but the day before was green pancakes, and incredible hulk pasta (white shells and cheddar pasta roni with pureed broccoli mixed in), then St Patty's breakfast was green eggs. As well as a bunch of other green food days (more eggs, pancakes, etc). On Friday, I made corned beef, potatoes, carrots, steamed cabbage (YUCK, and cleaning the pan almost made me vomit), and for dessert, Irish Potato Pie. It was fun, must say that Irish food is not all that exciting. Plus meat that says on the package that it is good till June.... you know something is wrong with that (it had sodium nitrites or nitrates, can't remember which...). But it was good for a day.  Maybe we should adopt some Italian holiday. I guess we can celebrate Cinco De Mayo, which is so funny to me, since why does any one in the US care when Mexico gained their Independence? Do they celebrate Quatro De Julio??? BUT alas, just another day to celebrate something and throw a party. So I may have to come up with something for that, if I have the energy for it.

A Long While Coming

Wow. I just can not believe it has been over a month since I have posted. I think life is so crazy busy in November and December (but mostly November with all our boutiques and my two older kids' birthdays), I think I am going to get a chance to relax after January. Really, it is not so! Valentine's Day is just right around the corner, so if anything is going to be sold, it needs to be made right away. So I maybe relaxed for a week. Darn.
So the last while has been busy! I did manage a short getaway, but it was not much of a vacay. We arrived at like 7 am, then my darling husband decided he deserved sleep more than I, so he went to bed. Well, the part you missed is that we left about 2:30 am, and I DROVE THE WHOLE WAY. I seriously wanted to bash his head in. It was such a tough drive emotionally, for some weird reason. It was long and boring. I had been nauseated for the whole day or two before and had only a little popcorn and a few saltines. On the drive, we I listened to some books on CD. I started with a Clive Cussler. Bad news for the middle of the night with an ADD driver. I had the hardest time getting into the book. I came to the conclusion it is because he presents like 5 different plots at the beginning and eventually they all intersect and make sense. For some reason, it was just not happening. So mid-drive, I switched to a Richard Paul Evans book. It is easy to get into and pay attention to something where your feelings are tangled! Anyway I really wanted a munchie yummy to keep me alert as well (I was not tired, just BORED. I drank like 500 mg of caffeine via crystal light, and had to stop like 4 times to pee. DERRRR. Pills next time.) but I was sick. So the next day, I waited till 10 then kicked Jody out. I sometimes wonder where guys are from. DUH. Sick, tired wife. Let the lady sleep. Nothing new, I guess.  Anyway, so I decided to try some more saltines. They made me sick. I did not throw up and spent a few hours wishing I had.  I spent all night very close to the bathroom. The next few days, little food was eaten and I was very tired, so I did not do much. We came home. Fun fun, eh?
So exciting. Well now I am getting St Patrick's decor made. We have sold a bunch already- who knew? I love the holiday, just a fun, useless holiday, with a fun parade (as in long and kind of boring, with lots of lame fliers, some drunk peeps, but LOADS of candy. Not too long, and it is fun for the kids!) I will be missing the parade for the 2nd year in a row.  Last year, Aid was brand spankin' new, so I stayed home for that part and met up with the crew after. This year, Erica is having her Junior Recital (Flute; She is a music major at BYU) that afternoon and she asked me to "cater" the refreshments. I will most likely be baking all morning, unless I make the stuff the day before (most likely). I am doing sugar cookies and cupcakes- with a  surprise in the center :)
I am also in charge of the Activities Committee, and we have an activity coming up -- Rosecrest 2nd Ward's So You Think You've Got Talent.  I hope it turns out great and I don't flop! EEEEK. I have been nervous since only a few people signed up, but praise the Young Women, their sign up sheet is the most full.  I think the AC is going to provide a thank you for everyone who participates!!!
Well, I need to go to bed. I am going to try to sleep early, wake early before the hoodlums and EXERCISE. I hope I did not just jinx myself, but this FAT has got to come OFFFFFF. I weigh what I did before I was pregnant with Ethan (oops) but I can not fit into ANYTHING from then. Shirts are too short, belly is too fat for my pants. GRRRRR. I might start documenting my losses, so I am accountable to someone, but. .... ... I am not sure.
OOOOHHH!!!! So a year ago this weekend, as in the Sunday a year ago, I taught Primary for a girl in my ward who was out of town. They were not too bad, actually, but I was UNCOMFORTABLE. I was having contractions, albeit random ones. Then later in the day, they turned regular and we headed to the hospital!  As in around right now. So, I have a day before that is really a year ago, but it was Sunday last year, so that is what got me thinking. I remember chatting with people about when I think I will go, etc! Funny. My baby is almost a year old!!!!!! CRAZY how time flies. This year has been ROUGH. Here is hoping to a better year!

Photo Session Giveaway

I still need to upload more of my family's pictures we had taken the day after Christmas, but I have been too lazy. Soon. Until then, our photographer is having a giveaway, so I thought I would post about it. She was really nice, very accommodating, has great ideas, and affordable. I felt bad for her because between shoots, we got warm in blankets and the car, but I am SURE her hands were just about to fall off! Head on over to her blog to check out her FABULOUS giveaway! HAHHA or don't cause then I will have better chances to win :) LOU LOU Photography.

Oh okay I will upload one or two now. My kids have not had breakfast yet (it is almost 10 am...) so I have to be fast! GRRR I sat here for ten minutes and the uploader was giving me trouble so maybe later...

Baby Bro

Fifteen years ago, sometime in the middle of the night, my mom woke up to find herself in a bloody mess and she and my dad rushed to the hospital. I woke up the next morning with my Grandma Harrison there, and I actually remember her cleaning or something. Probably the mess in the bed. SUCH a good mom. Who would even offer to clean that up?! So anywho, my mom was rushed into emergency c-section; the only anesthetic was local (anesthesiologist was not going to be there fast enough? I guess. Some of this is from memory of a 15 yr old). Folks, my anesthesia worked less than it was supposed to, and it was uncomfortable. I can not even imagine the amount of pain she went through to bring him into the world (not to mention the ambulance trip she took during the pregnancy cause she had a seizure and stopped breathing...). This was an interesting time cause I just hated her, but looking back (tears rolling down my cheeks...) I guess she just trucked through the only way she knew how (and I now know that this was a hard recovery for her). I remember sort of being happy she was going to be in the hospital for a few days- and even more, she would be off to the UVRMC NBICU, since Joel was due March 4th (1995)- because then the neighbors were bringing in yummy food and I did not have anyone to ground me. Now I sort of feel bad for feeling that way, but really, it is just a reminder that teenagers think very differently from adults! Perspective is different because experiences and daily cares are different.

Anyways, so eventually he came home and he had a sleep apnea monitor and oxygen attached to him, and that monitor would go off ALL THE TIME! L O U D! In the night, sometimes my parents would sleep through it, and miraculously I would wake up {I really sleep deep, or at least I used to before my own kids' monitors were alerting me of awake kids all the time} or even when he was not on monitor any more, I would go get him and rock him in the living room on the recliner. He would squirm all over the place. It actually started my no-sleep-with-kids policy. But I enjoyed spending time with him. I took him to Kelli's house, changed his diapers, babysat, etc.

I moved to Kansas for a few months and when I moved home, I remember I had an appointment to get my hair done and I said to him- you know you will be sitting there for like an hour or more waiting for me??? And he was like yeah, sounds fun. Now I think what the heck! I let a 5 yr old kid sit in the front of a hair place while I WAS IN BACK getting my hair done for that long? On a busy street in Orem? I would never let Ethan do that! But he was there when I was finished, sitting in his chair, reading a magazine (I am sure a nice good child friendly one...) Good times. Now he is 15, plays with my kids, so helpful, nice to be around, cute, fun, etc.

Happy Birthday Joel!

Family Pics

Cool!

Facebook is sick of be posting (hahaha) so I am posting this neat trick here. I read some comments on it (lots of negatives. I think many people have nothing to do but bag on people online) and I think this would be a great way. I like options, so I would give it a try.

Merry Christmas!