8.31.2011

Super Sliders

I made these yummy little sandwiches for a Mom's Night Out I went to last week, and they turned out yummy. They're a lot like the Ham and Cheese version made with butter, poppyseed, onion, and mustard. The recipe is below, but if you want the full tutorial - go to No Biggie here.

via No Biggie


Super Sliders
-Bag of Costco Rolls
-2 Packages Sliced Roast Beef
- Sliced Swiss Cheese
Sauce:
- 1 Cube Butter
- 4 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Garlic Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Poppyseeds/sesameseeds (or 1 of each)
Cut the rolls in half and fold one piece of roast beef in half and one piece of swiss cheese for each roll. Place into a 9×13 pan making room for 12. Melt butter and mix all ingredients together. Brush onto rolls. The sauce makes enough for 2 pans/ 24 sandwiches. Cover pans with tinfoil and cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Update.


I just got a check in the mail for $110 in Unclaimed Property. I was hoping I'd get more information on what kind of Unclaimed Property it is, but it came with no description. I'm just happy to have $110 more in my bank account!

8.30.2011

Catch Up...

Hey Ladies...My life has gotten extremely busy lately and I haven't had a chance to talk to ya'all lately so I'm calling this post a "catch up" entry! Some of you may have noticed that I missed my day last week (shockingly horrible, isn't it?) Anyway, I am sorry about that and I am here to fill you in on what's been going on:

My mom was down staying with us last week and she and I killed our first Scorpion in the house. Scorpions are a huge problem here, and after our neighbor's five year old was in ICU for over a week for a bite, I have been literally panicked and having nightmare's of scorpions! Luckily our bug guy said our house was pretty clean of bugs which should make scorpions less attracted to letting themselves in. They are nasty little creatures and I have been searching every corner and crevice since to try and find his nasty little buddies. Luckily none yet, but I'll keep you posted on the scorpion situation. They are pretty dangerous for anyone under the age of eight!

Breckon started Kindergarten this week and he is really excited about it! His teacher was in the Air Force, has a graduate degree in Literacy, and is extremely cute so I think we are all pleased! Last night we did his homework and reading, and it reminded me of my days with Jordan (as a nanny in Connecticut). Boys are not meant to sit down and do worksheets, they would all rather be outside running around or teasing somebody. But we made it through day 1, and I'm hoping he will get used to the idea soon so we don't have one more power struggle around here! He is learning to read on his own and I am amazed at how smart he truly is! The girls and I have walked Breckon to school the past two days (1.5 miles round trip), and with the warm weather, pushing a double stroller is quite a workout!

Sadie starts preschool next week, and I am going to be going along with her as an assistant teacher. Annabel is coming too (she will sleep for an hour of it, but will join for the other hour and a half). It's so funny how I was so anxious for Breckon to be big and go to preschool, Sunbeams, etc. It must be because Sadie's a second child, but I am NOT anxious to send her anywhere. If Mandi hadn't offered me the job, Sadie would have spent her first year of preschool home with me- and I was kind of looking forward to that! I think this will be a lot of fun, and hopefully Annabel will participate and not be a distraction!

Kenny has been working for a few months now, but this Friday we will get our first full paycheck at full wage. I have dreamed of all the things we could buy if we didn't have so many bills and debt to pay off! Still fun though!

I met with the Bishopric last week to receive a calling. It's funny because all afternoon I had a feeling what it would be, and I was right...is that crazy or what? I guess sometimes you just know. Anyway I have been called to be the new Gospel Doctrine teacher in our ward. Our ward is made up of extremely educated people of all ages, and they certainly know the gospel. The other teacher is a surgeon, and has served as Bishop and Stake President. To say that I am a little intimidated is an understatement!! When they extended the calling, I honestly had to catch my breath. This is the one calling in the church that I have always been worried about. I asked if they were sure the Lord didn't want Kenny instead, but they laughed and said they were positive I was the one! My first lesson is in three Sundays, please pray for me!

On a final note, you are all a bunch of bums! Why doesn't anybody comment on anybody else's post? Are any of you even reading this blog? Something is wrong with my computer and I can't get my comments to post (it says I'm not a valid user, which is silly on a private blog, but something's wrong). Anyway- we all need to start commenting, and interacting...or what's the point?? I love you all!
Lacey

8.29.2011

Waiting for "Superman"


I could be the last one of us to hear about the movie Waiting for "Superman" but in the off chance one of you missed it I'm devoting my weekly post to it. Saturday evening Scott and I sat down to watch this movie having little idea of what we were about to learn.

The documentary, Waiting for "Superman," concentrates on four kids who live in difficult situations or areas and one who lives in a good area but struggles in school and hopes to attend college. All of these children have a passion for education and realize (or their guardians realize) the importance of removing themselves from the public school system in their area. The statistics for success in their areas (Harlem, LA, etc.) are staggering. All of the kids represented are applying to successful Charter Schools or an Academy and in the end only two of the five are accepted. You can't help but think the other three, even with an unusual excitement for learning, have nothing but an uphill battle ahead of them. It truly was heartbreaking to watch.

Focus is on the failing public school system and the success of these privately run (and often publicly funded) schools. The most eye opening and infuriating portion of the film was the power of the teacher unions (although, in some online reviews arguments were made indicating that the film was misleading when it came to the unions). According to the film, most teachers are awarded tenure after a couple of years of teaching and because of tenure no matter how poorly they performed as teachers they still had a job.

This movie felt very off when it came to our school system here in Utah. I realize that though some may fail, the majority succeed. Krista said she's be in the meetings where all of this has been discussed and we truly are in our own little bubble. Thankfully.

Also, the film didn't directly mention anything about the family influence, we all know the importance.  For some, there isn't a family who cares or their caring family have to put immediate needs first.

Next weekend when you are looking for something to do, this documentary is worth watching. We rented it on Comcast, but it's been out since last fall so I'm sure you can find it on DVD somewhere close?! For more information go here.


8.28.2011

Zucchini

I love fresh garden veggies in the summer. This year the pine valley garden seems to be producing an amazingly large amount of summer squash and zucchini. Even after sharing with friends and neighbors I have a never ending supply. I have found myself figuring out how to incorporate squash and zucchini into every meal....( Which can be tricky since savannah is my only child who likes these vegetables)...and thought I would share some ideas with you all.

Zucchini bread ( my freezer is full). I freeze grated zucchini to make bread later.
Chocolate cake
Choc chip & zucchini muffins
Sauté with olive oil
Dip in egg whites and roast in oven
Zucchini soup ( tastes a lot like broccoli soup). Savannahs favorite!
Grate and add to other soups
Grate and add to spaghetti
Grate summer squash and add to eggs (my kids didn't notice)
Zucchini lasagna (no pasta)
Breaded zucchini
Add to any Pasta
Stuffed zucchini
Casseroles
Breakfast casseroles with potatoes and sausage
Oatmeal zucchini cookies

I have found most recipes online. Let me know if you have other ideas!

Instructions for adding to the Recipe Page ...

Click on New Post.

Below the main tabs, you'll see New Post, Edit Posts, and Edit Pages.

Click Edit Pages.

Below the Recipe Page, click Edit.

Type the name of the recipe, and link it to the URL of the actual blog post.

Then it will appear under the Recipe tab of the blog.

You'll still want to Label each Recipe post with a Recipe label.

8.27.2011

Looking for a great book?

I love to read and enjoy all types of books. Sometimes a book comes along that leaves a impact. This one is definitely on my top ten list!


A brilliantly clear, optimistic book which shows how the great humane virtues can help in times of hardship and lead to a joyful, trusting, enriched life. When beset by a series of life-changing personal crises, psychotherapist Stephanie Dowrick remembered what she had learned early in her training: there are qualities-the great ancient virtues-that shape life for the better and can be called upon in times of need. Dowrick grounds her work in real lives and incidents, drawing on those times when people needed the strength provided by one of the virtues to move on with their lives. She ranges widely in Eastern and Western philosophy and spirituality as well as psychology to explore courage, fidelity, restraint, generosity, tolerance, and forgiveness. Is it possible to be generous and successful? Should we forgive someone who has hurt us deeply? Through stories memorably told, she shows that far from being dull or constraining, these virtues have much to teach us about honor, endurance, tolerance, steadfastness, and, above all, love.

8.26.2011

Wedding Luncheon

I hope everyone has had a good week! Rod called Michael the other day and told him that pics from our wedding lunchen were posted on the Hostess with the Mostess blog. I know this isn't a super exciting post but it was kind of fun to look at them and it brought back great memories.
Here's the link...
http://www.hostessblog.com/2011/08/creative-wedding-luncheon-with-vintage-cars-tissue-poms-izze-table-runners/

8.25.2011

Peanut Butter Bars (Grandma Marcia)

(Last Thursday I was at the parents house watching Will ride his bike outside checking my e-mail. I checked the blog and thought to myself, oh whoever has today is a dud, they haven't posted anything yet! Only to realize that night that the dud was ME! I was going to do a catch up post but didn't want to steal someone else's day.)
This recipe is from Grandma Marcia:
(and if you are a peanut butter and chocolate lover you will definitely love this!
Grandma used to make this for me for every birthday!
I would hide the whole pan so no one else could have any!)

Peanut Butter Bars:
Cream.... 1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Firmly packed brown Sugar; cream well.
Blend in.... 1 egg
1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Stir in.... 1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Quick Oats
Spread.... in greased 13x9 pan.
Bake.... 350* until lightly browned. (around 20 minutes)
then sprinkle with 1 Cup Chocolate Chips.
Let stand until melted, then spread evenly.
Combine.... 1/2 Cup powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
2-4 Tbl. Evaporated Milk; mix well.
drizzle over chocolate. Cool. Cute into bars.
Enjoy!


8.24.2011

eighteen25


Eighteen25 is one of my favorite blogs. Three sisters are behind it, and they always have cute ideas and free downloads. Here are some of my favorites from Eighteen25. Just click to read and then download.

Back to School
Fun ideas for everything back to school - parties, teacher gifts, decor, and more.
Subway Art 
I've downloaded and printed all of these. I put them in an Ikea frame and they're fun to have around all year long.
Fonts
All of these fonts are free and easy to download.


There are lots of other things to check out on this site. This is definitely one to add to your Google Reader. If you don't have Google Reader, you should. 

8.22.2011

Vinegar

For some reason I feel very 1950's bringing this subject up. But, I'm doing it anyway.

A couple years ago I heard some ladies on a talk show talking about all the ways that you can use vinegar in your home. Until then, I thought it was just a topping for brussel sprouts:-).

I thought you all might be interested in trying it out for yourselves...so here goes the list of places to put it to work:

1. Microwave: To clean out put a small bowl of vinegar in the microwave and cook for a couple minutes, or until the vinegar is splashing out a little. Take a rag and wipe down microwave, everything will come right off!
2. Grease: To remove grease from countertops or another area, just spray a little vinegar on the area and wipe.
3. Carpet: To remove carpet stains mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt and spray on area. Let it soak for a few minutes and scrub with damp cloth. For hard stains, add 2 tablespoons borox or oxy clean to the mixture.
4. Strollers: I scrubbed a light colored stroller with a little hot water, vinegar, and a couple tablespoons of oxy clean and then hosed it down with water. It looked brand new when I was finished! Hmm, should probably do that again!
5. Small Stinky Places: If you have a cooler, lunch box, or something else that doesn't smell great try soaking a piece of bread in vinegar and then leaving the soaked bread in the small area overnight. Should take away the smell.
6. Sticky Spots: Any sticker stick that needs to be removed - spray vinegar and wipe with a rag.
6. Silverware or Silver Jewelry: Add vinegar to 2 tablespoons of baking soda and place silver in it, let soak for 3 hours.  Rinse completely with cold water.
7. Pen Marks: If your kids have so kindly drawn on something like the wall or furniture, spray a little vinegar and wipe with a sponge.
8. Cleaner: Mix with water to clean blinds, computers or at full strength clean chrome or stainless steel.
9. Mildew Rags or Laundry: To get the mildew smell out of your rags, wash/soak with vinegar. Also, if I've forgotten to put a load of laundry into the dryer and it smells like mildew I always rewash with vinegar. It alsways seems to take the smell out.
10. Drains: If you have a clogged shower or sink, spread a little baking soda over/in the drain, pour on some vinegar and then cover overnight with a cup. Run hot water down the drain the next day and it should be good to go!

This list includes the benefits of using it at home. It's also said to be a great thing to eat.
Some studies are inconclusive, but I guess for years rumors have been around about it being a cure for all kinds of diseases. Not everyone agrees with that, but it is agreed that it's a good thing to cook.

I keep a big bottle in my bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen. Next time you are at the store, stock up!!! Let us know if you have any to add to this list.

8.21.2011

101 things you gotta do before you're 12!

Yesterday, my boys, Mom Michelle and I attended a Pow-Wow on the reservation near Fredonia. It all started when I checked a book out from the library called, 101 things you gotta do before you’re 12! I was explaining some of the things in this book to my mom, one of which was to attend a Native American Pow-Wow. So knowing Mom, it won’t surprise any of you that the very next day she called with the date, time and information about the nearest Pow-Wow. It turned out to be an interesting day, different than I expected, but fun to be outside, enjoy an Indian Taco and witness some really great aspects of this culture. I ended up ordering my own copy of this book and wanted to share some other ideas that I thought were fun. Maybe we could plan to do some of them together!

Celebrate a Holiday you usually don’t celebrate
Sleep under the stars
Walk a maze
Fix something up
Conquer a fear
Ride, hike or walk a rail trail (I hear there is a great one in Park City)
Walk a swinging bridge
See a meteor shower
See a great race
Catch a train
Read a classic
Float a lazy river
Learn some self-defense
Make a time capsule
See a famous parade
Run or play in the mud (there is a famious mud run in san Diego)
Hit the Water trail
Plant something and watch it grow
Pick your own (fruit) www.pickyourown.org
See the view from the top
See an eclipse
Explore a tide pool
Watch the sunrise on the beach
Listen to a story (storytelling festival)
Become media literate http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit or www.justthing.org
Vote www.kidsvotingusa.org
Enter a crazy competition
Hear the call of the wild
Start a new family tradition
See a reenactment
Swim with dolphins
Try letterboxing or geocaching
Do a ropes or challenge course
Start a collection
Stroll (or hike, ski or kayak or…) by the light of the full moon.
See the lights (Luminous phenomena)
Eat space food
Interview an elder
Dig for fossils
See an outdoor play or concert
Teach a little kid something you know
Make the world a better place
Make a list of things to do for the next 12 years

8.20.2011

I'm not a blogger...I'm just being a damn good sport ! ;)

I am not a blogger...at least until today! When I heard we had a family blog I laughed and said no way:) Then a couple days ago I read it. I really liked what every one had to say. It was fun?!? I am truly blessed to have so many amazing women in my life. I think I have just always taken it for granted. So if blogging every week helps keep us close then I'm in!!! You probably wont see many recipes but i may have a fun quote, good book , new music or latest hair product. Who knows I may even like it!



Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

~Nelson Mandela


8.19.2011

Image Skin Care




I thought I would give you ladies a little info about my favorite skin care line. I've been using it for almost two years now and I will never go back to anything else. It's the best! They have four different product lines to meet your specific concerns: Ageless, Vital C, Clear Cell, and Ormedic. They have a few sunscreen options as well. I'm just going to go into the Ageless and Vital C line, the two that I use and would recommend.

Ageless:
This line prevents and treats the signs of aging and environmental damage. It's great for those early fine lines and wrinkles. The cleanser is my favorite and I use it every night. This line has very active ingredients so if you have sensitive skin you want to be careful and let your skin become accustom to it. Glycolic acid is the main ingredient in this line and it's a great exfoliator. It makes my skin feel so soft and smooth.

Vital C:
This line is a daily hydrating product that is ideal for sensitive, dehydrated, and rosacea prone skin. It's very soothing and helps nourish dry, dull looking skin. It's high in antioxidants which help protect and nourish the skin. This line is very mild and smells delicious! Michael even loves it and uses the cleanser everyday. The serum and night cream are my favorites from this line.

I've already ordered a few things for Lacey from the Vital C line. If any of you girls are interested let me know and I'd be glad to call and order for you. Here's the website so you can check it out a little more.
http://www.imageskincare.com/

8.17.2011

Federal Budget 101

I used to feel like I was kind of in the know - it didn't take much being in a newsroom for hours and hours every day. But, now that my newsroom is my home (the mall, the grocery store, and Target) I feel like the only things I'm in the know about have to do with Linley and Yo Gabba Gabba.

My point is - it can be hard to stay up on the things that are happening outside our little lives. I don't watch the news as much as I thought I would. I don't read the newspaper, and I'm lucky if I check a news website once a week. The information is out there - everywhere we look ... television, internet, our smart phones - but absorbing it - well, that can be a different story.

I'm grateful for the little tidbits of current events I pick up on throughout the day - and I'm feel especially lucky to get emails, almost on a daily basis from my Dad. The emails can be lots of things - they're usually articles from a magazine or newspaper - and they are usually something he thinks will teach us something, or help broaden our perspective.

A week or so ago, as lawmakers dealt with the debt ceiling fiasco he sent me this - and it helped put the situation into terms I could understand. I thought I'd share ...



Federal Budget 101

The U.S. Congress sets a federal budget every year in the trillions of dollars. Few people know how much money that is so we created a breakdown of federal spending in simple terms. Let's put the 2011 federal budget into perspective:

  • U.S. income: $2,170,000,000,000
  • Federal budget: $3,820,000,000,000
  • New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
  • National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
  • Recent budget cut: $ 38,500,000,000 (about 1 percent of the budget)

It helps to think about these numbers in terms that we can relate to. Let's 
remove eight zeros from these numbers and pretend this is the household budget for the fictitious Jones family.
 
  • Total annual income for the Jones family: $21,700 
  • Amount of money the Jones family spent: $38,200  
  • Amount of new debt added to the credit card: $16,500  
  • Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
  • Amount cut from the budget: $385

So in effect last month Congress, or in this example the Jones family, sat down at the kitchen table and agreed to cut $385 from its annual budget. What family would cut $385 of spending in order to solve $16,500 in deficit spending?

It is a start, although hardly a solution.

Now after years of this, the Jones family has $142,710 of debt on its credit card (which is the equivalent of the national debt).

You would think the Jones family would recognize and address this situation, but it does not. Neither does Congress.

The root of the debt problem is that the voters typically do not send people to Congress to save money. They are sent there to bring home the bacon to their own home state.

To effect budget change, we need to change the job description and give Congress new marching orders.

It is awfully hard (but not impossible) to reverse course and tell the government to stop borrowing money from our children and spending it now.

In effect, what we have is a reverse mortgage on the country. The problem is that the voters have become addicted to the money. Moreover, the American voters are still in the denial stage, and do not want to face the possibility of going into rehab.

By: DAVID THOMAS
Chief Executive Officer
Equitas Capital Advisors LLC

8.16.2011

Fun...

I should've posted this when we first began the blog because I realize that school is already in session for you Utah folk, but I thought I'd share anyway, and you may be able to squeeze in some activities. I am constantly looking for fun things to do with my kids. We always wake up and leave the house for the first half of the day, but after naps and before dinner we are looking for some fun to fill the time. Here are some things I have done with my kids, and some things I am planning on doing:


"Hello Teacher" Notes: I found these and thought they were a fun way to get my kids excited for school this year. We are waiting to find out who Breckon's teacher is and as soon as we do we will mail these!


Spray Spelling: My kids absolutely loved this activity. Anything we can do outside that includes water is a great activity for hot weather. I bought them each a squirt bottle at the dollar store (blue for Breckon, pink for Sadie). I drew alphabet letters for *Sadie, and small words and names for Breckon. You could also draw simple pictures with the sidewalk chalk for Linley & William...so fun! Afterward we had a waterfight with the squirt bottles.


*Hint: always begin teaching children lower case letters, these are the ones they struggle with when they get to Kindergarten. For some reason, the Uppercase letters are the easiest to learn so they don't need as much reinforcement.


Breakfast Bingo: I got the idea and printed the gameboards here. I adapted this to be "breakfast bingo" and we play it during breakfast with cheerios as our markers. My kids both LOVED this game, and ask to play it constantly. I was amazed at how many of the letters even Sadie recognized. Even Kenny got into it!


Alphabet Scavenger Hunt: This activity can be done for any age and with any subject: shapes, colors, alphabets, math equations, etc. The first time I did it was in Pennsylvania and Sadie was just tiny, but she really got into it. I hid several letters Breckon had already learned in preschool around the living room, and they got to find them. They used empty toilet paper rolls as binoculars. Once found, they matched and taped them to the chart I had hanging on the front door. This one is a hit! If you don't want to make your own letters, cut out squares of colored paper, or use flashcards...make it a fun game!











Here is a picture of a fun art activity we did using their hand prints:











White Boards: I use white boards with my kids all of the time. I learned as a teacher that anything you want a child to work on will be more fun on a white board! We play "guess my picture", as well as any game I can think of to get them writing their letters, names & numbers. Before I had white boards for each of them, we wrote on the windows and sliding glass door at our house...my kids love dry-erase markers and I found some with erasers on the ends!


Well, as you can see I did not come up with most of these ideas, but I have adopted them, and we do them often...hopefully you will try some of these and let me know what you think!

Lacey

8.15.2011

The Help


Last Wednesday night I went with my mom and a couple of friends to see The Help. I think by this point most of you have read the book and possibly seen the movie? I loved both of them both and if you aren't familiar with them, I would highly suggest reading the book and then seeing the movie. It's a book you'll never forget. It will possibly change you or at the very least make you really think. 

I found a few of the book club questions online and thought I would ask all of you to choose one (or more) to answer in the "comments" section. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Some of my thoughts are below. Thank you in advance for sharing!
  1. Which characters did you find most likable and sympathetic?
  2. To what extent do you think a person's flaws, such as racist attitudes and behaviors, can be forgiven because it is the norm in the surrounding culture?
  3. Could you sympathize with Miss Hilly? Do you think it is possible to be a good mother despite deep character flaws?
  4. What motivated Aibileen?
  5. What did you think about Minny's revenge?
  6. How much do you think the dynamics of relationships between black people and white people have changed?

8.14.2011

My life feels just a little crazy right now. School is starting tomorrow, I seem to keep adding days to my work schedule, and jay and I completely disagree on which school to send our boys to this year. Needless to say, my thoughts are a little scattered! Which brings me to the purpose of this post today... I was visiting with one of my good friends mom ( who is a teacher at dixie high) Marcia Shaheen, and she was telling me about a book she and her entire family just read that had a big impact on them. She got a little emotional as she was describing this book and the experience she and her family had reading and discussing it together. I could really use a good book like this right now and thought we all could read it together. The title is The Blessings of Abraham: Becoming a Zion People. I found it at Deseret book, or it an be ordered on Amazon.

I have loved being able to read a little something each day posted by one of my sisters. I really feel so grateful to have each one of you in my life and love this opportunity to learn a little more about you each day!

8.13.2011

German Pancakes



You've probably all made German Pancakes (or Hootenanny Pancakes) before, but I recently started making them in a muffin pan and thought I would share. The recipe calls for a cube of butter (I have always halved that) and now with this version I use even less.

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 cup butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray muffin tin with pam and put a sliver of butter in each cup. Let melt in oven for 2 minutes or until the butter is bubbling. Meanwhile, mix the four other ingredients in mixer for 5 minutes.

After butter is melted pour mix evenly into all 12 muffin cups. Cook for 16-18 minutes. Serve.

Instead of using syrup (or in addition to) we like to puree frozen strawberries then top with a little powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

8.12.2011

Our first Arizona apartment

Hey everyone!
I know what you girls are thinking...this stupid new sis-in-law is messing up the blog flow! Although it's almost past 12 where you girls are, I still have an hour to spare in Arizona. While in Utah Krista gave me the idea to post pics of our new apartment, I decided that would be a fun way to make my blogging debut. Michael and I hope you can all come visit, just take my advice and come after the crazy summer heat!




Michael won't let me paint this wall (I know it's hard to tell but it's a really ugly blue color) a different color. He says it's because he likes the color but I know it's just because he is too scared to call our landlord and ask. 
guest bathroom
guest bedroom/Michael's toy room
Yeah we know, our bed is a little too big for our room but I wasn't about to give up my king size bed!
I love this blog idea! It's such a great way to keep in touch. I hope I can match the creativity of the Orton bunch! If you girls have any decorating tips please let me know :)


8.11.2011

Anniversary

Today I have only one thing on my mind:

Four Year Wedding Anniversary.

All I have been thinking about lately is what to get Lex for our anniversary. I started researching a while ago, and the four year traditional and modern suggestions are either flowers or appliances. I headed in the appliance direction. I started my search with all appliances, then quickly narrowed it down to a barbecue grill. I thought since we are getting into a house soon he would love one. Then my hopes were quickly dashed, they are out of my price range at the moment.
Last night as we were eating dinner I said to Lex, "I don't have a gift for you", he said "I don't have one for you either". I told him about the appliance suggestion then about the barbecue, he quickly got a savvy idea, saying "well, we did just pick out all of our appliances for our house, that could be our anniversary gift to each other". So for my four year anniversary I gave and received a dishwasher, a fridge, a oven, and a microwave.
What gifts did you give or receive on your four year anniversaries?

8.10.2011

Unclaimed Property

I saw this status update on Facebook yesterday:

Everyone needs to check out the unclaimed property website to see if they are owed any money. I have found three family members including myself, and two friends on the list. My bro got $700 and mine was $250. Crazy huh?!! Google it.

It sounded a little sketchy, but I decided to Google it. I did and quickly found the State of Utah's Unclaimed Property website:


After a glance over the website I typed my name into the search bar and learned there are 2 claims under my name. I called the state office for a little more information. They won't disclose the amount or what the money is from until they verify it's mine - but every claim on the website is at least $50. 

I filled out a self-generated form - now all I have to do is send it in to see if the money is mine. Easy enough.

Hurry, go check to see if you have unclaimed property!

8.09.2011

A few thoughts...

At church on Sunday I sat out in the foyer during Sacrament meeting because Annabel has turned over a new naughty-leaf at church. Luckily I was still able to hear some really powerful testimonies. One woman spoke about her son who found out he had a brain tumor but refused to allow his father to give him a priesthood blessing and how difficult it was for her to see the choices her son was making. Toward the end I started talking to a girl named Jenny who was out with her three year old daughter. Jenny and her husband have been members of the church for a year now, and are active along with their two daughters, ages three and four. I asked Jenny about her conversion and she told me that she has been a highschool teacher here in Vegas for four years. One day while speaking with one of her favorite students, the student mentioned that she was LDS, and explained what that meant. After thinking about that Jenny asked this student about several other of her favorite students over the years, and that student confirmed that every one of them were LDS. When the Elders knocked on Jenny's door she told them that she would let them in because "your church raises good kids". She told me that the difference she noticed in the students who were LDS was that they were okay with themselves, they knew who they were, and they weren't afraid to go against the crowd. That they just seemed to be "okay". I have been thinking about this conversation I had with Jenny and how truly amazing this story is. Because of the influence of a handful of LDS highschool students, an entire family was brought into the church. These students had no idea what an influence and difference they made in not just one life, but an entire family along with future posterity. Maybe its the missionary in me, but this story is pretty incredible!
Lately I've been reading the New Testament. I'm always amazed at how Christ has to continue to remind his disciples to have faith. Amazed until I look at myself and how easily my faith fails. If we truly had faith we would worry about nothing, but go forth believing that all things are in the hands God and we have no control. We would do all we could, then turn it over to the Lord and trust that His will may be done. It is so difficult for me. I have been focused so much on my children, especially Breckon lately. He is going through some really fun and wonderful stages, but at the same time I spend half of my day reminding, convincing, threatening and discipling him. It is exhausting and by the end of the day I have just about had all I can take. It is a huge relief when my kids are in bed and I can have some peace. I spend a lot of time worrying, praying and preparing my children to be faithful, successful children, teens and adults. Lately I have felt so much peace realizing that when all I do is not enough, the Lord will do the rest. But ultimately my children get to choose for themselves, and while difficult, this is part of the gift Christ gave to us. Looking back on my own life I often wish I could go back and choose differently. But ultimately I did choose right, and I strive to continue making good choices each day. I know that my children aren't going to be perfect and while I wish I could save them from the pain of making mistakes, recovering from those mistakes is part of what makes living the gospel so sweet. We cannot change the past, but we can look forward to a better future.
What do you think girls, a little deep for a Tuesday?
Lacey

8.08.2011

High-Fructose Corn Syrup






I was advised a couple of months ago to stick to some specific guidelines in order to get me through my Crohn’s Disease flare-up and back to feeling better. The list I was given, included the following 5 suggestions:
  • Mix one packet of Zija in 20 oz of water and drink ⅓ before every meal
  • Drink one serving of Zija tea before bedtime
  • Eat one navel orange a day
  • Take 10,000 mg of Vitamin D3/day
  • Take in absolutely no HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS)
When my neighbor passed on these suggestions from a friend of hers that works for Zija, I was thrilled. At that low point I was willing to try anything and everything and was just excited to hear that someone out there thinks food has a lot to do with the effects of Crohn’s Disease. I began right away and have since been checking every label before I buy or eat. As part of this process, it’s been interesting to read various articles, opinions, and studies on HFCS. Not everyone thinks it’s a problem, although others feel very strongly that it is. I’ve been doing my best to stay away from it and I thought you might be interested to take a look at what I’ve seen and heard.

Wikipedia describes HFCS as this:
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) — comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness. In the United States, consumer foods and products typically use high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. It has become very common in processed foods and beverages in the U.S., including breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments.[4]
The most widely used varieties of high-fructose corn syrup are: HFCS 55 (mostly used in soft drinks), approximately 55% fructose and 42% glucose; and HFCS 42 (used in many foods and baked goods), approximately 42% fructose and 53% glucose.[5] HFCS-90, approximately 90% fructose and 10% glucose, is used in small quantities for specialty applications, but primarily is used to blend with HFCS 42 to make HFCS 55.[6]
In the U.S., HFCS is among the sweeteners that have primarily replaced sucrose (table sugar) in the food industry. Factors for this include governmental production quotas of domestic sugar, subsidies of U.S. corn, and an import tariff on foreign sugar; all of which combine to raise the price of sucrose to levels above those of the rest of the world, making HFCS less costly for many sweetener applications. Critics of the extensive use of HFCS in food sweetening argue that the highly processed substance is more harmful to humans than regular sugar, contributing to weight gain by affecting normal appetite functions, and that in some foods HFCS may be a source of mercury, a known neurotoxin.[7][8] The Corn Refiners Association disputes these claims and maintains that HFCS is comparable to table sugar.[9] Studies by The American Medical Association suggest "it appears unlikely that HFCS contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose", but welcome further independent research on the subject.[10] HFCS has been classified asgenerally recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 1976.



The Mayo Clinic has a good article on this subject, if you are interested in reading it go here. They admit that there are mixed feelings about HFCS, but concerns have been raised. The main concern being the way that HFCS is chemically processed resulting in different reactions from your body (compared to other sugars).

Other interesting articles that dig deeper into the reasons HFCS is said to be bad for us:
Four Reasons To Avoid High-Fructose Corn Syrup (Yahoo News)
The Devil in Fructose (Blogger Dr. Shannon Weeks)
High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
And probably my favorite article, A Newsweek Article The Fight Over High-Fructose Corn Syrup
There are millions of articles...you could read on and on!

After reading hundreds of labels over the last couple of months, I thought it would be interesting to do a little rundown in my own kitchen. Using products I purchased before avoiding HSFC to the products I’ve turned to.



Here is a list of items from my fridge/pantry that have HSFC and then the HSFC free alternative:

HFSC: Heinz 57 Steak Sauce
Better Alternative: A1 Steak Sauce (Although it still has corn syrup, just not high-fructose)
HFSC: Sweet Baby Rays Bbq Sauce or Famous Dave’s
Better Alternative: Bull’s Eye
HFSC: Lee and Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce
Better Alternative: Find one that uses malt vinegar instead, I haven’t looked for that yet.
HFSC: Yoshida’s Marinade
Better Alternative: Kikkoman Teriyaki
HFSC: Powerade
Better Alternative: G2 from Gatorade and Propel Water
HFSC: Hungry Jack (and most maple syrups)
Better Alternative: Log Cabin Maple Syrup (Although it still has corn syrup, just not high-fructose)
HFSC: Great Value Hamburger Dill Chips
Better Alternative: Mt. Olive Pickles
HFSC: Hunts Pasta Sauce
Better Alternative: Hunt’s No Sugar Added Pasta Sauce or Prego
HFSC: Spahetti O’s
Better Alternative: Homemade Spaghetti!
HFSC: Keebler Graham Crackers
Better Alternative: Nabisco Graham Crackers
HFSC: Heinz Ketchup
Better Alternative: Hunt’s Ketchup
HFSC: Coke
Better Alternative: Glass bottled coke are the original recipe - which include sugar instead (and seem to have fewer ingredients)
HFSC: Hershey’s Syrup
Better Alternative: Homemade
HFSC: Heinz Sweet Relish
Better Alternative: Wickles Relish
HFSC: Kellogg’s Raisin Bran
Better Alternative: Total Raisin Bran
HFSC: Frosted Flakes
Better Alternative: Good luck!
HFSC: Breads: hot dog buns, hamburger buns, even some Great Harvest Breads have HFSC
Better Alternative:  Your local bread companies (Granny Delights, Aspen Mills, and others...), Dave’s Killer Breads (Costco)



For an extensive list on foods without HFCS, go here. A great place to shop is Trader Joe's (I saw many free HFCS products were available there), here is to hoping they bring one to Utah soon. Lacey and Nikki you'll have to take advantage of that store, it's fantastic!

The good news, companies are learning that we don’t want our food packed with HFCS, so they are beginning to remove it! Take a look at this article that ran in the Chicago Tribune last August Sara Lee Latest to Curtail Use of High-Fructose Corn Syrup.

All and all, the research isn’t extensive enough to say HFCS is much worse than table sugar. Although, it’s hard to deny that HFCS is doing damage after learning how it’s chemically processed. As well as some of the testing results indicated in the above articles. In conclusion, I guess we just do our best to feed our families as much organic, natural, home cooked food as we possibly can.

Kiwi magazine had the following suggestions on doing just that in their online article “Lunch Boxes to Love”.
The Good
If you follow these guidelines when food shopping, you’ll be on the right track to packing healthy lunches.
  • Try to buy as many organic and all-natural foods as possible.
  • For bread and grain products, look for whole grains, whole wheat and flour that hasn’t been enriched or bleached.
  • Buy pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, and look for dried fruits labeled “unsulphured” and “unsweetened.”
  • For all dairy products, the best options are lowfat and organic.
  • In the protein category, choose nitrite-free lunchmeats, low-mercury tuna and soy products that haven’t been genetically modified.
  • Stick with canola or olive oil for dressings or cooking, and remember that plain lowfat yogurt can often be used as a substitute for mayonnaise.


The Bad
Here are the ingredients to avoid.

  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Partially hydrogenated oils
  • Trans fats
  • Nitrite (an additive often used in lunch meats that becomes a carcinogen in our bodies)
  • Artificial Sweeteners (often found in products marked "light" or "sugar-free," or you may see aspartame, Splenda, sucralose or saccharin in the ingredients list)
Thanks for hearing me out. I hope you learned just a little something to take away. Happy label reading:-)!