We're finally getting our Christmas Cards out this week. (I've been trying to get them out for over 2 weeks... however my pictures I ordered chopped off our heads so they had to be reordered).
If you'd like one, send me your address. In the move and broken phones we have lost most of our addresses. :( I think we however, have most family addresses just need friends addresses.
18 December 2009
16 December 2009
Another something i did...
I was given lanterns that had brown plastic, paper bag looking covers to put out in front of our house for Christmas. However..... they were starting to look really shabby so between 9:30pm-12:30am, I gave them a make over-- all twenty of them. It wasn't hard, it wouldn't have taken me so long if i didn't have so many interruptions!! I'll get a close up tomorrow when I have better light. Now they look much better!! AND it looks like we have a runway for santa to know which house to land on!
oh and i also made these cards from scratch all by myself. I gave them to the sisters we weren't able to get a hold of last month to visit teach. not the best... but not too shabby considering i'm not very crafty...
06 December 2009
Recent projects
Besides being sick, planting grass in our backyard (which is QUITE the project), painting our upstairs, working on our December Enrichment activity, having two different sets of family come and two different thanksgiving dinners, AND being sick for 3 weeks... I have also been working on these projects.
I made tutus for Abby and some nieces for Christmas with Lee Ann's help. Here's how they turned out:
Here's the FHE Charts I made for our family and Marla's for Christmas (we have her family this year... Andrew's family takes turns for which sibling you give presents to that year. last year was Katie's family, this year was marla's family). Anyway here they are:
and here's what the name magnets look like:
I also bottled a few left over apples and cranberries i had from Thanksgiving:
AND last but not least I've been getting good deals on citrus backs through a co-op I do called www.bountifulbaskets.org. They do a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies for $15, with the basket you can also buy other things among them is a 22 lb citrus pack, which I have gotten. I haven't however been able to use the grapefruit limes and lemons up fast enough SO... i juiced them. I put the lemon and lime juice in ice cube trays to have for later. The grapefruit juice was gone the next day-- amazing how that works. Also, when Lee Ann and Terry were here they told me about kefir. It's some pretty cool stuff, similar to buttermilk. They're grains that you stick in your milk to ferment. They're supposed to be very good for you. If you don't know what they are, you should look them up. There's a bottle of kefir (green lid, looks like a white bottle because you can see the milk through the mason jar) on the left side of the ice cube tray picture. I've been making that daily too.
I made tutus for Abby and some nieces for Christmas with Lee Ann's help. Here's how they turned out:
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| From 2009 November |
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| From 2009 November |
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| From 2009 November |
Here's the FHE Charts I made for our family and Marla's for Christmas (we have her family this year... Andrew's family takes turns for which sibling you give presents to that year. last year was Katie's family, this year was marla's family). Anyway here they are:
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| From 2009 November |
and here's what the name magnets look like:
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| From 2009 November |
I also bottled a few left over apples and cranberries i had from Thanksgiving:
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| From 2009 November |
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| From 2009 November |
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| From |
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| From 2009 November |
AND last but not least I've been getting good deals on citrus backs through a co-op I do called www.bountifulbaskets.org. They do a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies for $15, with the basket you can also buy other things among them is a 22 lb citrus pack, which I have gotten. I haven't however been able to use the grapefruit limes and lemons up fast enough SO... i juiced them. I put the lemon and lime juice in ice cube trays to have for later. The grapefruit juice was gone the next day-- amazing how that works. Also, when Lee Ann and Terry were here they told me about kefir. It's some pretty cool stuff, similar to buttermilk. They're grains that you stick in your milk to ferment. They're supposed to be very good for you. If you don't know what they are, you should look them up. There's a bottle of kefir (green lid, looks like a white bottle because you can see the milk through the mason jar) on the left side of the ice cube tray picture. I've been making that daily too.
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| From 2009 November |
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| From 2009 November |
Thanksgiving!!!
For our Thanksgiving weekend we were blessed with the presence of Andrew's parents, Terry and Lee Ann. By thanksgiving, all three of us had been sick, and I had been sick for almost THREE WEEKS by then and still counting. (I only stopped being sick two days ago... and sick is really relative). Despite sickness we enjoyed chatting, getting projects done, going to the science museum, Spaghetti Factory, riding the light rails Andrew works on, and celebrating our second Thanksgiving dinner (that was still salty but not as bad as the first) with them.
We had a wonderful thanksgiving, full of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry jello sauce, relish trays, cheese balls, green beans, pies-- not 1, not 2 but THREE pies-- pecan, pumpkin and cherry but most of all... my rolls!!!
I got to open my Christmas gift from my in-laws early this year. I was given 50lbs of hard red wheat.. but what do you do with 50 lbs of hard red wheat?? You grind it with a mill to make flour... but how do you do that without a mill?? I don't know!!! because with the wheat I was given a grain mill for Christmas. And since then I have been making my own whole wheat whole grain breads. I even used it with barely and made my own Barely Flour... Between my bread machine and my mill, I'm set to bake!! and so excited to try it out.Thank you Miles, Lee Ann and Terry for getting that for us!! we love it!
Switching back to the Grandma and Grandpa Orton being here, Abby loved having them around. Reading stories to her, sitting on their lap, helping them with whatever they were doing and all their hugs and kisses were some of Abby's favourite things. We definitely love Grandma and Grandpa Orton and love having them around.
Thanks for traveling all the way down here and celebrating Thanksgiving with us G-ma and G-pa O!!
Now if only we could convince Grandma and Grandpa SMITH to visit... we'd be set!
We had a wonderful thanksgiving, full of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry jello sauce, relish trays, cheese balls, green beans, pies-- not 1, not 2 but THREE pies-- pecan, pumpkin and cherry but most of all... my rolls!!!
I got to open my Christmas gift from my in-laws early this year. I was given 50lbs of hard red wheat.. but what do you do with 50 lbs of hard red wheat?? You grind it with a mill to make flour... but how do you do that without a mill?? I don't know!!! because with the wheat I was given a grain mill for Christmas. And since then I have been making my own whole wheat whole grain breads. I even used it with barely and made my own Barely Flour... Between my bread machine and my mill, I'm set to bake!! and so excited to try it out.Thank you Miles, Lee Ann and Terry for getting that for us!! we love it!
Switching back to the Grandma and Grandpa Orton being here, Abby loved having them around. Reading stories to her, sitting on their lap, helping them with whatever they were doing and all their hugs and kisses were some of Abby's favourite things. We definitely love Grandma and Grandpa Orton and love having them around.
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| From 2009 November |
Thanks for traveling all the way down here and celebrating Thanksgiving with us G-ma and G-pa O!!
Now if only we could convince Grandma and Grandpa SMITH to visit... we'd be set!
I am thankful for...
As a tangent (because I'm great at tangents), I used to have to run (well.. let's be honest... walk/jog) several miles, (I don't know how many, but it was several) to our field for Soccer in High School, which was not at our school.
One Sunday our YW President (Christy Perkins) had talked about spending a day having a constant prayer in our hearts about what you were thankful for. I liked the idea and spent the whole run saying out loud what I was thankful for. After about who knows how long, I ran out of good things to say and just started saying anything random thing I could that caused an impression in my mind (it ended up being more like "I'm thankful for this dirty oily, soap-filled, disgusting river I'm running by").
My coach, Mr. Trefts, got sick of hearing me say things like that, yelled at me (no joke, yelled at me)... but if you knew Mr. Trefts who's a great loving man, whom I miss, it was a loving yell-- if that's possible (I know it's an oxymoron). I don't remember exactly what he said, but from memory I'm sure it was along the lines of "*yell yell yell* it's great to have gratitude but not to say in insincerely *yell yell yell*". Since then, I have never really made lists or anything of what I am thankful for, I keep it mainly in my prayers and my heart.
But I am thankful for our many blessings the Lord has poured out on us... for a husband who loves and cares for me. For my daughter, Abby who brings light and more love than imaginable in my life. For a beautiful home that I never want to leave. For my zoo- I mean pets-that entertain. For electricity-- what would I do without you! For being a member of the LDS Church and the knowledge and blessings it brings into my life. And for my Saviour who died for me on Calvary, that I might be able to live with my family, friends and Heavenly Father again for eternity.
One Sunday our YW President (Christy Perkins) had talked about spending a day having a constant prayer in our hearts about what you were thankful for. I liked the idea and spent the whole run saying out loud what I was thankful for. After about who knows how long, I ran out of good things to say and just started saying anything random thing I could that caused an impression in my mind (it ended up being more like "I'm thankful for this dirty oily, soap-filled, disgusting river I'm running by").
My coach, Mr. Trefts, got sick of hearing me say things like that, yelled at me (no joke, yelled at me)... but if you knew Mr. Trefts who's a great loving man, whom I miss, it was a loving yell-- if that's possible (I know it's an oxymoron). I don't remember exactly what he said, but from memory I'm sure it was along the lines of "*yell yell yell* it's great to have gratitude but not to say in insincerely *yell yell yell*". Since then, I have never really made lists or anything of what I am thankful for, I keep it mainly in my prayers and my heart.
But I am thankful for our many blessings the Lord has poured out on us... for a husband who loves and cares for me. For my daughter, Abby who brings light and more love than imaginable in my life. For a beautiful home that I never want to leave. For my zoo- I mean pets-that entertain. For electricity-- what would I do without you! For being a member of the LDS Church and the knowledge and blessings it brings into my life. And for my Saviour who died for me on Calvary, that I might be able to live with my family, friends and Heavenly Father again for eternity.
Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner with Dan, Christina & Family
Ok, time to update our blog. It has been almost 3 weeks since my last post... 3 BUSY weeks. My goal for today is to get my blog up to date so there'll be quite a few posts today. Here I go...
On the 20th of November Daniel and his family came from San Diego to visit us. They had to help cook, my house was a mess and the dishes weren't done but we still enjoyed having them over, hopefully they enjoyed being over.
We were able to play a few games, listen to Aaron babble (something we haven't really heard from him before), have a few laughs... and did I mention I had been sick with a cold the previous week and was still sick when they came? -- such love to come any way.
However, they showed their true love by eating my food. I have to admit everything was too salty. They didn't admit it, but I know it was. Normally when I'm sick everything tends to be salty. I tried to lay off the salt but still managed make everything too salty. We tried to eat left overs but couldn't... it was too salty as left overs.
Oh and as a side note. My mom's allergic to mushrooms. My sister is allergic to mushrooms... and apparently, I am too.
Normally I just get a really bad headache and conk/pass out an hour or so after I eat them.. however this day there just so happened to be cream of mushroom soup in Christina's delicious green been casserole. I ate the casserole and as the night progressed so did swelling and difficulty breathing. Nothing too serious... just what Andrew and I think to be pre Anaphylactic shock.
I think with the allergy and being sick with a cold, it made my reaction ten times worse. I didn't go to the hospital or worry too badly about my situation (I did however not stay at church the next day from feeling sick)... so it wasn't too serious but none the less something I need to be more careful about eating. Needless to say, Andrew finished her wonderful tasty (it really was good!) green bean casserole.
And thanks to the Smith's for coming. We love when family visits.
On the 20th of November Daniel and his family came from San Diego to visit us. They had to help cook, my house was a mess and the dishes weren't done but we still enjoyed having them over, hopefully they enjoyed being over.
We were able to play a few games, listen to Aaron babble (something we haven't really heard from him before), have a few laughs... and did I mention I had been sick with a cold the previous week and was still sick when they came? -- such love to come any way.
However, they showed their true love by eating my food. I have to admit everything was too salty. They didn't admit it, but I know it was. Normally when I'm sick everything tends to be salty. I tried to lay off the salt but still managed make everything too salty. We tried to eat left overs but couldn't... it was too salty as left overs.
Oh and as a side note. My mom's allergic to mushrooms. My sister is allergic to mushrooms... and apparently, I am too.
Normally I just get a really bad headache and conk/pass out an hour or so after I eat them.. however this day there just so happened to be cream of mushroom soup in Christina's delicious green been casserole. I ate the casserole and as the night progressed so did swelling and difficulty breathing. Nothing too serious... just what Andrew and I think to be pre Anaphylactic shock.
I think with the allergy and being sick with a cold, it made my reaction ten times worse. I didn't go to the hospital or worry too badly about my situation (I did however not stay at church the next day from feeling sick)... so it wasn't too serious but none the less something I need to be more careful about eating. Needless to say, Andrew finished her wonderful tasty (it really was good!) green bean casserole.
And thanks to the Smith's for coming. We love when family visits.
19 November 2009
Quote for the day
I got this in my email today. I liked it a lot. And so this is my message to you today:
"For those who are discouraged by their circumstances and are therefore tempted to feel they cannot serve the Lord this day, I make you two promises. Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day with your whole heart. Your circumstances may not be improved in all the ways which you desire. But you will have been given new strength to carry your burdens and new confidence that when your burdens become too heavy, the Lord, whom you have served, will carry what you cannot. He knows how. He prepared long ago. He suffered your infirmities and your sorrows when He was in the flesh so that He would know how to succor you."
--Henry B. Eyring, "This Day", Ensign, May 2007, 89–91
"For those who are discouraged by their circumstances and are therefore tempted to feel they cannot serve the Lord this day, I make you two promises. Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day with your whole heart. Your circumstances may not be improved in all the ways which you desire. But you will have been given new strength to carry your burdens and new confidence that when your burdens become too heavy, the Lord, whom you have served, will carry what you cannot. He knows how. He prepared long ago. He suffered your infirmities and your sorrows when He was in the flesh so that He would know how to succor you."
--Henry B. Eyring, "This Day", Ensign, May 2007, 89–91
15 November 2009
Recipes
I have uncooked ham sitting in my freezer waiting to be cooked. I would eat it but I haven't found any recipes involving ham that I like. So I'm asking, if you have a good ham recipe-- send it my way!
Also... i have 3.4 lbs of kiwi in my fridge, if you have any kiwi recipes send them along too. As well as anything involving cucumbers. I have a lot of cucumbers but I don't like to eat them plain...
so start sending some recipes my way!!! thanks
-cucumbers
-kiwis
-ham
Also... i have 3.4 lbs of kiwi in my fridge, if you have any kiwi recipes send them along too. As well as anything involving cucumbers. I have a lot of cucumbers but I don't like to eat them plain...
so start sending some recipes my way!!! thanks
-cucumbers
-kiwis
-ham
Little moments with Abby
Water:
abby: "mom... MOOOM!!!!! WATER!!!! WATER!!!"
me: "what? did you leave water running" (an unfortunate common occurance)
*abby grabs my hand and drags me outside*
abby: "MOM! WATER!!!"
..... ......
me: "yes dear, it's called rain".
crazy desert child.
Rat:
abby: "MOM!"
*silence*
abby: "MOM!!!"
*silence*
abby: "MOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOOK!!!"
mom in an annoyed "don't wear out my name" tone of voice: "what is it abby?!"
*mom looks. mom screams in a unpleasant, high pitch, squealed, shrill cry*
mom: "ABBY DON'T TOUCH!!!! THROW THAT OUTSIDE NOW!"
*abby holding a flattened, dried out bloody (dry blood, but still blood) RAT that she had in a toy shovel but had picked it up with her hands to show me*
abby: "but mom! look!!"
mom: "i SEE, throw it out NOW"
*abby, confused and slightly nervous, puts rat on couch arm rest instead of outside*
*mom grabs shovel and shoves rat on the shovel. then chucks over the fence*
*shiver *
(i hate rats!)
Bunny!
abby in angry and slightly frantic, scared voice: "MOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
mom: "what is it abby?"
abby: "mom! bunny!"
mom: "what are you talking about?"
abby: "MOM! Maddie! Shelby!!! mom!!!"
abby *SHRILLED VOICE*: "MOM BUNNY!!! LOOK!!
*dogs running a-muck. lapping the yard with her pink stuffed bunny. playing tug of war. ripping the bunny apart to shreds with little white cotten flying in the air*
abby with a look 3 times more serious than in the picture to the right: "DOGS! bad dogs! maddie shelby-- NO!"
*takes the bunny away, rounds the dogs up, kicks them both in the bottom and then shoves them into time out*
Abby takes her stuffed animals very seriously. And she's VERY good at taking action to keep those dogs in line! Don't mess with abby or her stuffed animals.
abby: "mom... MOOOM!!!!! WATER!!!! WATER!!!"
me: "what? did you leave water running" (an unfortunate common occurance)
*abby grabs my hand and drags me outside*
abby: "MOM! WATER!!!"
..... ......
me: "yes dear, it's called rain".
crazy desert child.
Rat:
abby: "MOM!"
*silence*
abby: "MOM!!!"
*silence*
abby: "MOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOOK!!!"
mom in an annoyed "don't wear out my name" tone of voice: "what is it abby?!"
*mom looks. mom screams in a unpleasant, high pitch, squealed, shrill cry*
mom: "ABBY DON'T TOUCH!!!! THROW THAT OUTSIDE NOW!"
*abby holding a flattened, dried out bloody (dry blood, but still blood) RAT that she had in a toy shovel but had picked it up with her hands to show me*
abby: "but mom! look!!"
mom: "i SEE, throw it out NOW"
*abby, confused and slightly nervous, puts rat on couch arm rest instead of outside*
*mom grabs shovel and shoves rat on the shovel. then chucks over the fence*
*shiver *
(i hate rats!)
Bunny!
abby in angry and slightly frantic, scared voice: "MOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
mom: "what is it abby?"abby: "mom! bunny!"
mom: "what are you talking about?"
abby: "MOM! Maddie! Shelby!!! mom!!!"
abby *SHRILLED VOICE*: "MOM BUNNY!!! LOOK!!
*dogs running a-muck. lapping the yard with her pink stuffed bunny. playing tug of war. ripping the bunny apart to shreds with little white cotten flying in the air*
abby with a look 3 times more serious than in the picture to the right: "DOGS! bad dogs! maddie shelby-- NO!"
*takes the bunny away, rounds the dogs up, kicks them both in the bottom and then shoves them into time out*
Abby takes her stuffed animals very seriously. And she's VERY good at taking action to keep those dogs in line! Don't mess with abby or her stuffed animals.
05 November 2009
Halloween Pictures
We went trick or treating with our friends, the Lawton's, in Gilbert, AZ. Abby had a lot of fun and started to understand how to trick or treat because of all the older kids around to show her. She really enjoyed getting all that candy. And she had "ick o eat" and "anx" down pat by the end of the night.
Hannah Lawton is the skeleton, Sam Lawton is the fairy, CJ Lawton is spiderman, and Abby is the cat.
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