Kid Quotes

Maddie goes "pee-pee" on the toilet and I overhear Benjamin (who is still not potty trained) saying "Maddie, I am SOOOOO proud of you!"

"Every prayer I have asked has been answered with a yes" - little Brandon "Except when you ask to be a superhero" -Ethan

"I want to snuggle with Mommy" -Ethan (what Ethan says nearly every night when it is bedtime.)

"You and Daddy are my best friend."-Benjamin

"I want to marry Lego Star Wars. I want to marry the Wii." -Ethan, in expressing his love for his favorite Wii game and the Wii itself.

"Mama, wanna come dance with me in the other room?" -Benjamin (We have an electronic piano in the other room. My kids love to turn on the music and have us all dance! I am sure it is quite the sight!)

"I have a new friend and I have a new brother. A DOG brother!" -Brandon Michael

Mommy, when I marry you, I will be a Daddy! -Benjamin

"Mom, can I take this popsicle and eat it outside?" Why, it is SO cold! "Because then I can draw with it!" -Ethan

Hello Texas!

OK, I lied!!! My husband Brandon and I went to Texas, to celebrate his Mom's 60th birthday with her (as a surprise!) I definately didn't want to ruin the surprise by posting about the upcoming trip. We took our youngest son Dylan with us, and left the other four children at home for the weekend. (Thanks to my parents for watching the kids most of the day until our babysitter Kourtni could arrive there tonight!) We had to promise to take our children to Texas this summer to see everyone. Little Brandon was quite upset about missing the trip. How sad, it is cheaper to get a babysitter than get four other airline tickets.

Anyway, the rest of Brandon's family was waiting to start some festivities at a restaurant tonight, and it was great to see his mother's look of surprise to see us arriving at the restaurant in TEXAS to meet her!!! A great surprise. Here are some pictures from the restaurant tonight. It was fun to work on decorations for her 60th birthday. Brandon's siblings, Todd & Krista are excellent in the decorating/hosting department and it was fun to learn some new decorating ideas/hosting ideas from them. Anyway, it will be a great weekend. We are spending tonight with his parents playing the Wii---BOWLING! How fun. I am telling you, the Wii is the best money spent!!! Great family fun! I am SOOOO grateful we have this chance to spend time with his family. In a way it is nice to go just us, to have more adult time to socialize with his family!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Nana getting some Brandon love!
Nana and Dylan--all smiles!
A first meeting for Nana and Dylan
Nana, Papa, and Benjamin
Happy Birthday Mom Woodruff!
The invitation to her party (I blocked out addresses and phone #'s--you don't want that stuff on the internet!) Isn't it cute?

Today is my Mother-in-Law's Birthday!!! Yesterday, we got in the mail, the invitation to a birthday party for her birthday! So cute, I am sad we will not be there to celebrate with her!

One thing I love about my mother-in-law is her craftiness. I have always appreciated the hand-made card. My mother-in-law is the queen of sending the cutest cards for every event that are homemade and beautiful. I keep them in hopes to reproduce them. This last Christmas, she sent out the greatest card ever! It is truly my favorite Christmas card of all-time. I am a sentimental person, so I thought this card was just so sweet, and it was great to see her children "young" and "older". I took some pictures of this card for you to see! Isn't she so creative? I love her creations (not just her son, but also her craftiness!)

I also appreciate what a great woman she is. She always looks beautiful, and is kind, caring, and sensitive. I also admire her strength. She was a military wife. Much of her time as a wife and mother, was spent alone. My father-in-law, a marine, would be gone for a year at a time or more, through much of their lives. During this time, she was an excellent mother, RS president, and also got a degree in teaching. She truly did it all, and did a great job of it! I don't know where and how she found that inner strength; but she did it! She is a very strong person and I admire her for all she has done! Besides all that, she is fun to be around. She is a great person!!! Happy Birthday Mom!

My favorite card of all time!
In that little sack on the front, on a tag, is the childhood picture of her three kids. (My husband Brandon is on the right in both pictures!!)


The inside of the card (I put the tag from the front so you could see them both.) LOVE IT!

The Death of our Beloved Prophet; President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008)

I am saddened by the death of our great prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley. He was an incredible man and a prophet of God. It is so comforting to know that God does have a spokesman on this earth to let the world know of God's will. I know that Gordon B. Hinckley was that mouthpiece on this earth. He had such a strong spiritual presence. Through listening to him speak, the Spirit of God was felt, and you knew this man was speaking the truth. I am grateful that God has kept this same structure on the earth that He had in ancient times as we see through the Bible. God has always appointed prophets and apostles (as seen in the Old Testament and in the times of Jesus Christ on earth.) It is comforting to know that this structure was re-established on the earth through Joseph Smith, and that God speaks to us today also through a prophet.

Here are some excerpts from an article from the Deseret News about our prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley:

President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through explosive growth during his more than 12 years as president, died at 7 p.m. today of causes incident to age, surrounded by family. He was 97.
He traveled the world during his tenure, which was marked by a number of significant milestones, including the "Proclamation to the World on the Family," construction of dozens of small temples and the creation of several new quorums of the Seventy. He called for increased fellowshipping of new converts and reaching out to other faiths. Church membership has grown from 9 million to more than 13 million members during his administration.

His ministry was characterized by a strong desire to be out among the people. He traveled more than half a million miles and spoke to hundreds of thousands of members in more than 60 nations, employing his mastery of electronic media to bring unprecedented press attention to the church.

His proposal to build small temples launched what some have termed the most ambitious temple-building program in world history. Some 122 temples are now in use and nine more have been announced, or are under construction. His goal of having at least 100 temples in use, authorized or under construction by Jan. 1, 2000, was accomplished with the dedication of the church's 100th temple in Boston on Oct. 1, 2000.

At the 171st Annual General Conference in the spring of 2001, he announced creation of the Perpetual Education Fund, a loan program to help young Latter-day Saints in Third World countries.

He then set out to visit as many church members as possible in their homelands. He continued an ambitious travel schedule throughout his stewardship, urged the members to get their houses in order and warned against pornography and maltreatment of spouses and children. The "Proclamation to the World on the Family," that he announced in September 1995 gave Latter-day Saints a ready reference for their beliefs on family life, and has been used as a model by international organizations seeking to preserve the traditional family.

Sometime soon, following President Hinckley's funeral, quorum members will sustain a new church president. If historical precedent holds, the quorum's senior apostle and president, President Monson, will succeed President Hinckley.

Standing under a larger-than-life statue of the Prophet Joseph Smith, President Hinckley said he approached the new assignment over the then-9 million-member church with "overwhelming feelings of inadequacy." Despite human concerns about such a calling, he realized "this is the work of God. He is watching over it and will direct our efforts if we are true and faithful."

A reporter asked President Hinckley: "What will be your focus? What will be the theme of your administration?"

Instinctively, he answered, "Carry on. Yes. Our theme will be to carry on the great work which has been furthered by our predecessors.

"We are particularly proud of our youth," he added later on. "I think I have never had a stronger generation of young men and women than we have today. ... They are going forward with constructive lives, nurturing themselves both intellectually and spiritually. We have no fears or doubts concerning the future of this work."

In his first address to the general membership during the 165th Annual General Conference on April 2, 1995, he urged all to move forward and become more Christlike.

"The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"This is a time to be strong.
"It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth and the importance of our mission.
"It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow.
"It is a time to be found keeping the commandments.
"It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain.
"It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike."

He also expressed gratitude for his wife and family and brought laughter when he said, "Sister Hinckley and I are learning that the so-called golden years are laced with lead."

He continued: "But I still experience a great, almost youthful exuberance in my enthusiasm for this precious work of the Almighty.

"I love the people of the church, of all ages, of all races and of many nations."

In his closing address that afternoon, he admonished the Saints to "go forth with new energy."

Likewise, he noted, missionary service is a personal labor with the missionary teaching and bearing witness to the investigator, who must search and pray alone if he or she is to gain a knowledge of the truth.

To the young men he warned that immoral acts of any kind will introduce an ugly thread into the fabric. "Dishonesty of any kind will create a blemish. Foul and profane language will rob the pattern of beauty."

After his sustaining, President Hinckley embarked on a legendary travel schedule that took him around the globe. He was the most physically vigorous man to take the church's helm in recent history. "I spent one night in the hospital in my life," he said early in his administration. "I was past 75 when that occurred. That doesn't mean I'm ready to run a 100-yard dash."

During General Conference in April 2001, he showed a cane he was using to the congregation, saying he was using it because he had a touch of vertigo. Even so, members often wondered aloud at his stamina, which he attributed to God's blessing. He rose early, exercised daily, read several daily newspapers to stay informed, and was often asked to address various business and professional groups.

He was the first church president ever to provide wide access to the media, garnering unprecedented publicity and goodwill for the church. He met with Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush at the White House and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation's highest civilian honor — by President Bush on his 94th birthday in 2004.

A biography, "Gordon B. Hinckley: Go Forward in Faith," was released in November 1996. Another biography, "Gordon B. Hinckley — Shoulder for the Lord," was released three months earlier. "Standing for Something" was released in early 2000. "Stand A Little Taller" was released in October 2001. Another book, "Way to Be," was released in August 2002.

Our Sunday Night Family Tradition!

Every Sunday night, after dinner, we all watch "America's Funniest Home Video's." Our kids just think it is the funniest show in all the land, and it is so fun to watch them all laughing their guts out. It is also cute how they all snuggle up on the couch with their Dad. Don't you think?

A Valentine from 1944!

I got a copy of this sweet letter from my Grandpa Hall to my Grandma Hall. I just thought it was so sweet, kind, and loving. My Grandma Hall is no longer alive, and my Grandpa is suffering from Alzheimer's. I think what I find so sweet about this letter is that my Grandpa, as long as I have known him, is a man of few words. He never talked a lot. He was a quiet man; a scientist. I have also often heard about the strong, happy marriage he had with my Grandma. My Grandma, I saw as a strong woman, who said what she thought, and was hard on the exterior, but had a lot of love on the inside. To read this love letter from my Grandpa to my Grandma really touched my heart! Also, the little girl Sherlene that is discussed in the letter happens to be my mother. Cute, huh. I thought this was a precious discovery that I never want to lose; so here it is:

May 7, 1944

My Dearest Ida-Rose,

Being away from a sweet wife like you for 12 days certainly makes me appreciate you. I sure miss you, especially at night. When I go to bed I recall how warm & cozy it is to snuggle up to you & put my arms around you & kiss you. It's then when I'm the most lonesome & homesick. I don't like sleeping alone. If I ever get out of the Navy, remind me never to sleep without you again. I think provisions should be made aboard ship to accomodate (Dad's spelling) Navy mens wives; that is, at least Seaman First Class Hall's wife. Boy, I'd give a hundred bucks to be walking out under the stars with you tonight & then spend a nice cozy night in bed with you, sleeping in until noon tomorrow. But, ah me, it's a lonesome me that hits the sack at 21:30 tonight & then hits the deck at 05:00 tomorrow morning. By the way, how is our cute little girl? Kiss her for her daddy then tell Sherlene to kiss you for me. Well honey I'll go to bed tonight & dream of you. You do the same & we'll have our dream together. You pray for us & I'll pray for us & we'll soon be home together fulfilling our dreams for a home and making other plans for our future & happiness. It's about time to go to bed so I'll end here with all my love, kisses and affection for you peaches.

Your admiring husband,

Tracy

XOXOXOXO

How sweet is my Grandpa!!! Who knew he was such a romantic? I knew he was good at Chemistry; I guess he knew how to create it at home too!!! So this is what goes on in the heads of all these quiet, reserved, sweet men! Well, maybe not all of them, but yes, my Grandpa was quite the romantic!

A Mission Call!

My Aunt and Uncle were just called to be mission presidents! I am happy for them and hope that one day Brandon and I get to serve a mission together. That would be such a great experience. I thought it was just great; I heard it quoted that my Uncle said he is excited to serve a mission once again; but this time he is able to take his "girlfriend". How cool is that! ONE DAY! (My Aunt is my Mom's sister; for those who might be wondering!) Currently their call is to Albania; but could possibly change. Exciting!

Ravenous Reading!

Right now, I am just devouring books. I think it is the cold. (Or maybe it is because I am no longer devouring food at the same pace---maybe I am switching addictions? If so, I like the switch!) After the kids are in bed, I just love to snuggle up in bed with a book and read, read, read! My latest read, which I really enjoyed finishing last night was "The Book Thief." Another historical fiction book! I definately would suggest this book. It is long, and a bit puzzling at first (which I found intriguing) as death is the narrator! A little odd, but enjoyable! The characters of this book are very endearing!!! The author of "The Book Thief" is Markus Zusak. I definately would add it to your "To read" list!

Oh what a day!

Well, today was my man's Brandon day off! What better way to start our day than taking four of our five children to Dr's appointments where three of them are getting shots! We all had to go to manage them all; and let me tell you, seven people; especially five LIVELY (lets just call it that for the time being!) children in a small Dr's office-------WHAT A BLAST! Wow, after about 2 hours going through all the well-checks, shots, etc, we had DEFINATELY worn out any welcome we had. Luckily, I had made a hair appointment for the afternoon; which helped me to relax from the crazy and disturbing morning at the Doctor's office! Thank goodness for those relaxing moments which help to get you through the mayhem!

What color crayon are you?

A mission companion, Brittany, posted this on her blog, and I thought it was fun, feel free to take the little quiz!

You Are a Green Crayon

Your world is colored in harmonious, peaceful, natural colors. While some may associate green with money, you are one of the least materialistic people around. Comfort is important to you. You like to feel as relaxed as possible - and you try to make others feel at ease. You're very happy with who you are, and it certainly shows! Your color wheel opposite is red. Every time you feel grounded, a red person does their best to shake you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorcrayonareyouquiz/

Oh what a night...................

(From l to r; Traci, Sally, Jen, Kourtni, and myself)
That's a song by the way! But it wasn't THAT type of night! It was a fabulous much-needed Girl's Night Out! It all started with Weight Watchers, then on to Applebee's, and then to go see the movie "Juno." The company was great (Sally, Jen, Traci, Kourtni), and so was the movie. JUNO is SUCH a fabulous movie; a definate must-see! I loved it; it is funny, happy, sad, bittersweet, witty, and beautiful! You must see it! To check out how Weight Watcher's went, you will have to check my other blog.

"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan"

"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See

This book just looked interesting, so I had to read it! It was a fun book to read, and I loved being brought to another place and very different time through this book! This book sent me on a fictional adventure through nineteenth century China! Fascinating! I really enjoyed this book; a look at a friendship lasting a lifetime!

Diet Food Review, Part Two!

Check out my weight loss blog to see my diet food review; part 2!

Magic Lasagna Noodles do work in the crock pot!

OK, they are not magic, and maybe everyone and their dog knows about this, except for me, until now! I have just discovered (thanks to an aspect of Jessica Seinfeld's book) that there are no-boil lasagna noodles (can be found at Walmart, or probably anywhere!) You just put them in your pan and put all your lasagna toppings, and that way it cuts out some major time. Well, in light of this, I decided to see how these "no boil" noodles did in the crock pot!!! So, I made my own random lasagna. I used a lot of tomato sauce (PREGO), many boxes of the no boil lasagna, LOTS of mozzarella cheese and normal cheese, and put it in the slow cooker (ON HIGH) for 3-4 hours or so. Como se dice----Fabulous? My husband and children raved about this recipe!!! It was freakin' delicious, I even had to eat some!!! (Not weight watchers friendly!) Great though for a comfort food; especially when it is SOOOOOO cold outside!

I have been wanting to do slow cooker recipes with pasta but don't want to have to boil the noodles----LAZY ME! So, these no boil lasagna noodles may be a good solution if you want to add pasta to a slow-cooker recipe. If anyone else has any ideas about cooking pasta in the slow cooker without having to boil the noodles first, please let me know!!!

TV!

I just had to reply to my friend Jen's blog entry "What are you watching?"

Our current favorites include:
---The Amazing Race (just finished!)
---Wife Swap (always amusing! for the voyeurist in me! It is always interesting to see how other families live!)
---American Idol (it is so fun to watch this with my sons Brandon & Ethan! We all get a good laugh out of it!)
---Intervention (LOVE this show!)
---The Biggest Loser (good to gain motivation; although it was a little depressing to see most of them losing 10-15 lbs. their first week!)
---Adoption Stories (they are a couple years old and I have seen them all, but they make for "feel good" TV---can be found on Discovery or Discovery Health!)
---I was LOVING the Sopranos (edited on A & E---but have watched most of the seasons now, most are repeats at this point, although I have yet to see the last season or two!)
---we are BIG Survivor fans and are excited for the next season!!!

I think I am the only person in the universe that HATES "the Office!"

I would love to know what the rest of you are watching----maybe I can get tuned into something I have not been aware of!!!

January Snow!

Well, this was a great way to start off our "off-track" time. Due to year-round school, the kids get 3 weeks off right now! What better way to spend our day than playing in the snow!!!

Ethan & Brandon

Benj & Teddy

Maddie Pie
Ethan eating the snow

Maddie

Teddy jumping to grab a mitten!

Brandon!

Maddie

Benj

Benjamin shoveling!

A Delightful Dog!

Our sweet Teddy!



I am just loving our dog Teddy. He was custom-made for our family! He is just such a good, sweet, obedient dog! He has brought a lot of happiness to our family. I love seeing Teddy scamper in the snow. He is so cute, and he was just made for the snow with his great coat. The dog is all fur. I am so glad he is housetrained, and doesn't bark, and is so well-mannered and good-natured. This is the way I love to have a dog!

It looks like a blizzard outside today; even for Utah standards! Finally, it has stopped snowing. Since all my kids are out of school for the next three weeks, maybe we can build a snowman today!

A New Blog

I am sick of bogging down my family blog with my weight loss info and journey, so if you want to continue to view my weight loss journey, here is the link Laura's Weight Loss Journey!

Leslie Sansone Walk Workouts

I attended a ward workout session on Friday morning, and they did Leslie Sansone's "Walk away the pounds for Abs (3 miles)." I was impressed with it. I love this option for working out! You don't have to take a lot of space, you can do it indoors, and the time seems to fly (always a necessity for me). I would highly recommend this DVD (I just purchased it and a couple others on Amazon---free super-saver shipping!) Hey, it's cheaper than a gym membership and takes up much less space than a treadmill, and like I said, it is fun! (Our treadmill is still living in our garage!!!)

I find it funny that Weight Watchers doesn't call "it" exercise. They suggest you "move more." It is probably smart as many of us heavy people are scared of "exercise!" So, I guess I should say, I will be trying to "move more!"

Govind Armstrong's famous Short Rib Sandwich!

Gayle on Oprah, was in love with this sandwich, one of these days I am going to make this scrumptious recipe. Until then, I will just dream about it.

It's the sandwich Gayle flew 2,000 miles to try! But you don't have to fly all the way to celebrity chef Govind Armstrong's L.A. restaurant. Bring some of Table 8 to your home with this mouthwatering recipe.


INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. grapeseed or canola oil
2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 carrot, cut into large dice
1/2 celery, cut into large dice
1/2 onion, cut into large dice
6 medium garlic cloves, cracked
1 cup red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)
Sachet, see below
3 cups beef broth
2 pounds loaf of sourdough bread, cut into 16 slices
12 ounces Bel Paese cheese, sliced thin
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. pickled red onions
4 tsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tsp. grapeseed oil

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Beginning with a large saucepan or braising pan with a lid, heat the tablespoon of grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear the short ribs on either side until caramelized and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan. Add the carrot and celery to the pan and cook for 5 minutes over the same heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook together until caramelized, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed. Add the short ribs back to the pan and deglaze with the red wine. Add the sachet (see below) and, stirring from time to time, allow the wine to reduce until almost evaporated, about 6 minutes. Pour in the beef broth and bring thebraise up to a boil. Put the lid on and place in the oven for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

After the first 2 hours of cooking time, remove the lid. For the next hour, baste the short ribs every 15 minutes, leaving the lid off. Cook for an additional hour, until very tender, for a total of 4 hours cooking time.

Pull the short ribs from the oven and allow them to cool in the braising juices for at least a few hours. Carefully transfer the meat to a plate and strain the juices through a fine sieve, then allow the fat to rise. Remove the fat. Using a dinner fork in each hand, lightly shred the meat along the natural grains in a pulling motion from the center outward, and set aside.

To prepare each sandwich, begin by preheating the oven to 350°.

Take two slices of bread. On the bottom slice, place a layer of cheese (you'll want approximately 1 1/2 ounces for each sandwich, just enough to cover the bread to the edges), then top with 1 teaspoon of Pickled Red Onion, spread to the sides. Place 1/4 cup of the pulled short ribs on top, add another layer of cheese, and top with the second slice of bread. Brush each completed sandwich on top and bottom with 1/2 teaspoon butter.

In a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon of the grapeseed oil and allow it to get nice and hot. Place 2 sandwiches in at a time and flip so they will absorb the oil on both sides. Weight them down with a small sauté pan. After 1 minute, flip the sandwiches, return the weight, and place directly in the oven. After 2 minutes, remove the weight. Flip the sandwich one final time, and cook for 1 final minute. Pull from the oven, slice diagonally, and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Ethan the Penguin!

Ethan, my little penguin!
At school, they made little costumes today. Ethan made this penguin costume for himself! So cute! Benjamin also wanted to dress in the outfit!!!
My little penguin Benjamin!

School Classes

This entry is just for the "book" that I will publish. I thought the kids would love to look back at their school classes one day, so here are their school classes and picture. Brandon is in 2nd grade, and Ethan is in Kindergarten.

Weight Watchers

OK, I was totally dreading the weigh in this week. I was SUPER-NAUGHTY, eating at Tepanyaki, and even getting double noodles; among other naughty choices. I am thinking maybe my naughtiness will show up next week! I was shocked; even with my naughtiness I lost 2.6 pounds. I think my body is just a week off. I have got to be super good this week! I am feeling motivation, so that is good.

Some Weight Watcher tips:

I even asked them tonight to confirm: the Veggie delite sandwich at subway (6 inch) is only 4 points. I get the grated cheese, get it toasted, and it is divinity! I highly suggest this when you are needing to "eat out" or partake in what tastes naughty! I get one at least 2 times a week.

Also, Taco Bell bean burrito, or soft taco, is reasonable in the point department if you are needing a fix.

A tip that someone gave tonight, that I will definately be trying this week: Papa John's De-Lite Pizza (with just cheese) is only 3 points a slice. WOW! That will be better than the nasty frozen cardboard pizza I had this week from Lean Cuisine, and I really need that pizza fix. So, this is my cure!

Anyway, it feels good to be moving in the right direction weight wise!

Oven-Baked Pork Chops!

Oven-Baked Pork Chops with Rice Pilaf and Broccoli
ONLY a 2 star recipe. Not a hit with the kids. Adults appreciate it, but sorta' not worth it when you have 5 children, who don't eat it well!

This whole cooking thing is turning into a fun, daily adventure for me! It gives me something creative, different, and fun to think about and discover! That is always helpful when I get so easily bored of the daily routine. Today I really stepped out of my comfort zone, actually cooking meat in the oven, which I do not do very often. Prior to today, I have only ever cooked side dishes, or baked goods in the oven. I usually rely on Brandon to grill or the crock pot to cook meat. For some reason I have had "oven fear" when it comes to meat. So, we shall see how this one goes! It was quite a fun recipe to put together, and the kids enjoyed "helping" me to make an even bigger mess than I was making by myself! I will let you know how this recipe ACTUALLY turned out; once again, I sorta' messed with an Internet recipe! I also hate to measure out things, so everything is always "approximated." We will see how that works for me! (Unfortunately this is not a WW recipe, so I will only try a bite, especially as I get to weigh in tonight. EEK!)

OVEN BAKED PORK CHOPS (about 9-10 chops) Remember, they are always better at Costco! (Or maybe it is that they have 2 baby seats at the front of the cart, so I can actually take 4 little children to the store at Costco!)

2/3 chopped onion (approximately)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup melted butter
1 cup hot water
3 cups of breadcrumbs (or cubed white bread)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 and 1/2 cups of milk

Brown the chops on both sides in heavy bottom pan (a little butter can't hurt too much!)

Mix onion, poultry seasoning, butter, and water
Mix that well with the breadcrumbs or cubes
Put a couple tablespoons of topping on each chop
Mix soup and milk and pour it all over the chops

Cook at 350 degrees for an hour or until chops are tender!

I will let you know the result; as soon as I know!

Now that we have a family of seven, it is quite economical to cook these types of meals! It always seemed a waste to cook a big dinner for 2 kids who wouldn't touch anything "different." Now, it is a lot more fun. The kids have been great about eating my concoctions. My husband Brandon does too, although he still struggles with basic vegetables. It was so funny. Last night my two oldest kids were THRILLED that I cooked spinach. They kept saying "Yeah, spinach." No lie! My kids actually love vegetables. Meanwhile, my husband started gagging on the spinach. He just hates vegetables. So maybe my book from Jessica Seinfeld on "Deceptively Delicious" will be more helpful in getting my husband to eat vegetables!!! SHHHH don't tell him my evil plan!

VERDICT: My husband really liked it, but the kids were scared of the topping. I should've just scraped off the topping and just served the meat cut up. They liked the meat, just not with all the extras.

Take a peek!

I just so enjoyed my cousin Emily's blog entry: "What a year"! You must read it, I thought it was so clever; I would love to hear everyone's quotes for last year and their hopeful quotes for the future year!!! So, go take a peek at Emily's Blog ! Enjoy! I especially enjoyed the photo at the end of the entry! So classic!

Great Movie Option!

I thought I would share this, my husband told me this the other day! Within the last couple of days, Netflix has begun offering an option for unlimited downloading of movies; included with their monthly fee! What this means, as I am not speaking too clearly, is that for families like ours that are notorious for losing, scratching, and never returning movies in a timely manner, no longer have to worry about this problem. We can "rent" a movie online, and it will be downloaded to our computer. So, there is no "actual" movie to lose, scratch, or have to wait to recieve in the mail! Instant gratification! Since you don't have to wait to send them out or recieve them, that is EVEN better! I am just thrilled about this option. Anything that helps you not to have to keep track of things is DREAMY in my mind! What is great, is because the amount of movies available for downloads is currently limited to about 6000, you still get the "by mail" selections also. All this at just $16.99 a month. Como se dice "Sign me up"?

The other great thing about Netflix is that you can cancel anytime, no fees or club membership!

I like the ability to download movies for my kids (I will have to take a look at the available selections and see if they are any good!) Even if the options are not so great right now, give it 6 months or a year and I am sure it will be fabulous!

MY HUSBAND BRANDON'S COMMENTARY ON THE MATTER:

None of these services require any special equipment to view on your PC. However, if you want to view on a TV you will need a video card and cable to connect your TV to the computer.

Netflix has a variety of plans that start at $4.99 up to $16.99 a month. The $16.99 plan allows for unlimited movies downloaded each month and 3 at a time DVD's at home. They have about 6000 movies today that you can download and watch.

Apple has not released their version of downloadable movies. It will start in February. You will rent a movie for $3.99 or $2.99. You have 30 days to watch it once you rent it and can watch it as many times as you want in 24 hours. It is anticipated that Apple will have the best service in the future since they have partnered with all the major movie studios.

Amazon has rentable movies and movies that you can buy. The prices range from $.99 to $29.99 to rent and purchase. The rentals are good for 30 days and you can watch it as much as you want in a 24hour period.
All of this is pretty new but will be much better as time goes on.

Laura's Response: Gotta love America, competition, and better products for the consumer as a result of all that competition!!!

Girls and Dogs just want to have fun!

In this picture, Maddie reminds me of a young Cindy Lauper singin' "Girls Just want to have fun." She was just so excited to go and play outside! The dog was also having a blast running outside in the snow. Teddy is a dog made for the snow with his plush fur jacket! Benjamin has been throwing fits all day; which doesn't make for the cutest of pictures! Dylan has been fine, but prefers the indoors at this stage! And you guessed it, Ethan is playing Wii Star Wars, while Brandon works hard in school!

Wednesday "Field Trip"

Date: Wednesday, January 16th
Time: 12:30
Place: Riverton McDonald's (2002 West 12600 South)
This week we are going to the Riverton McDonald's. I know this is far for many of you, so I understand if you don't want to go that far for of all things "McDonald's." In case you do want to come, we will be meeting at 12:30, and the address is 2002 West 12600 South. See you there!

A Kind Deed!

Someone in my ward, Sis. Laura Hamilton, did the nicest kind deed for me. She asked at church yesterday, if she could pick up my son Ethan from Kindergarten every day. She has a son the same age, in a different class, so she goes every day also. I offered to trade off the ride thing. She said no, she goes anyway, and wants to relieve me of this duty! How great is that! Packing up all 3 babies in the car every day to go pick up Ethan, I admit, is not my most favorite task! She even came to my house today to firm things up, and meet little Ethan so he won't be scared. I must say, this is such a great, kind, daily gift for me. Thanks Laura! People like her just remind me to be aware, there are people that I can help out, and I need to try to be aware of that and make that effort as she has done with me!!!

Babies, Babies, and more babies!

Maddie loves to improvise. All my dishtowels and scarves now serve as blankets for her dolls. I enjoy seeing her play with her dolls. It is so cute!
Benjamin just loves Diego!!!!! I think he has been a bit jealous of Maddie and all her babies. He frequently will steal a baby from her or grab a stroller from her and start wheeling it around. Whenever we hear her shrill shreek, we can bet that someone is messing with her babies. (Ethan also loves to steal her babies just to make her scream!)

Lunch!

Well, I have been very bad food wise this weekend. I am scared of weigh in day!!! That will not be a good day. I guess that is the point, I have to take responsibility for my bad choices!!! Anyway, for lunch I had this Lean Cuisine Stouffer's 4 Cheese Pizza. It is 9 points in WW. Let's just say this. It is definately not "pizza" in the real sense of the word. Second, it didn't quite come out looking exactly like the picture which looks fairly divine. Yeah, this is not the "stretchy, gooey, yummy" type of cheese! It did OK, for its purpose, but left me craving the real thing. Although that might be a result of making bad choices this weekend!!!

First Steps!

Dylan's first steps!
Our little Dylan just took his first steps. Here are some pictures of my baby taking those first steps!!! Daddy was proud to be the one little Dylan was taking those first steps to get to!!!

Lazy Sunday Evening

Benj and Teddy

Who doesn't like being woken up with a kiss?

A sweet sleeping Benj
Madison!
Brandon & Ethan & the Wii

Well, we don't get home from church until evening practically now. So, here we are at around 5:30pm, with the kids just having eaten, and as you can see TIRED! I just love a baby sleeping. Benjamin loves to curl up in the Halloween quilt I made and fall asleep. The dog decided to keep him company, and wake him up from his nap with some kisses! BTW, I am just loving this dog. He is truly housetrained, DREAMY! They also have him trained to never bark, or go upstairs! Loving that! He is just such a pleasant, sweet dog. I am in love. Teddy is perfect for our family. To have a great dog again is FABULOUS. We had another great dog (Shelby) many years ago who died of a brain aneurism. It is not fun to see a dog die; especially convulsing. After that we tried a couple dogs that did not work out! Gotta' love KSL and Craigslist---that's where we found our dog Teddy!

A Dog Brother!

I went to help in little Brandon's class today. I returned to the school to eat lunch with him, and pick him up early. While eating lunch, I told him I had a surprise for him, and we would leave school a little early. Then I took Brandon on a little adventure to possibly pick up a new dog.

Well, my children/husband have been begging me for a dog for forever. Now that I am feeling a touch of wiggle room in my life, I decided, under the right circumstances (which arose today!) I might be game for this experience.

The Conditions:

1-The dog MUST be housetrained. 3 kids in diapers are enough for me in the training department. I cannot take an animal relieving itself all over my house.

2-Everyone needed to know the dog would be on probation to make sure he truly is housetrained.

3-I didn't want an expensive dog! (Especially since it would be on PROBATION!)

Little did Brandon Michael know that I had been checking KSL and Craigslist over the last couple weeks for a dog. We had missed on a couple opportunities (I am glad now) but had finally found a dog that seemed to fit our needs (there was no picture, and I was hoping that the description wasn't a lie!) So, I was a little scared of what I might find!

I explained all the rules, responsibilities, and warnings (that this dog was on probation) to Brandon on the way up. When we went to pick him up, the owner informed me he was two years old, and is well-trained. He can get a little excited when he meets new people, but besides that is well-mannered, completely housetrained, and is a great dog! The previous owners are moving and can't take him with them! Lucky us! This dog was FREE and came with everything (kennel, food, leash, collar, even doggy toothbrush and paste!) He was a very well cared for dog! Hopefully, Teddy will remain this way at our house!

On the way home, with the dog in tow, little Brandon said "I have a new friend and I have a new brother. A DOG brother." I thought it was so cute. Little Brandon has been longing for a dog for so long! I remember how much I wanted a dog growing up and how thrilled I was when I finally got my "Teddy!"

It certainly does not hurt that his name happens to be Teddy (the name of my childhood dog) and even resembles my old Teddy. My childhood dog Teddy was a Chow-Chow. Our new Teddy is a Pomeranian. Both Teddy's have that tail that loops around on top, and both have quite the furry mane! New Teddy is a two year old, who is red and white colored. He is a little bigger than most Pomeranians, but is sweet and I am already falling in love. This is the dog for me! (Let's hope I still feel that way in two weeks!)

Being with son Brandon for lunch at his school! (telling him about a surprise awaiting him!)

Flashback to school lunchroom!
The ride home with our new "dog brother" Teddy!

Teddy
Meeting the family!
Getting some dog love!
Brandon bonding with Teddy!