FISHING ROD

MJ was singing, "My fishing rod. My fishing rod. I can pop you. Pop. Pop. Pop." She was pretending her bubble wand was a fishing pole.

MY SONG IN THE NIGHT

Today was the primary program. The children sang beautifully. I wasn't nervous. They have rehearsed and rehearsed the songs and all of them knew each word by heart.

Being asked to serve in a specific responsibility is so common in our church, I sometimes take for granted how neat it is that I am the primary children's chorus leader. I love listening to those sweet children sing. I truly feel over come with the spirit of our Savior each Sunday as I hear the children put His words to music.

Our stake has started a choir and asked a few ward members to participate. We will be inviting the entire community out to listen. They are having a complete orchestra. Our director has an amazing resume and is very talented. It has been a long time since I have be a part of a choir and I have forgot how much I love it. I truly love music. The video is one of the songs we are singing. It has been in my mind and heart all day. It has uplifted me.

PRIMARY PROGRAM REHERSAL

I am the Primary Chorister of my ward. I love it. I know there was a time when I tolorated children that weren't my own but I love these kids, so much. They have all found a special place in my heart. They have all worked really hard to learn all of their songs and parts for the program. I am so proud of them. I am excited for Sunday!

DIVING HOME

On the drive home Sierra was teasing Madison mercilessly and wouldn't give up. Madison was screaming in defense but eventually, gratefully she crashed. Michelle threw us together a bunch of snacks, so the girls were full. My favorite parts of the drive were..

Being in the canyon and seeing the new fall colors breaking through the green.

Stopping for gas and buying my girls peez dispensers to play with and having them both say, "Thank you so much, Mom."

Singing with Sierra at the tops of our lungs as she played the Tangled songs over and over again on the DVD player and having her get so excited about how were improving. She said, "Mom let's buy a stand and sing for people. We will charge a quarter or it could be free, but I bet some people will pay a quarter." Then we sang the chorus and she said, "We are so good we don't even need lessons." Then she giggled and punched the air." I loved her excitement. She was planning what we are going to sing at this stand. We will sing some rock, like the Tangled songs. We'll sing some Jesus songs and some classic songs like, Twinkle, twinkle little star.

Stopping at a look out point to stretch. I was feeling sleepy. It was beautiful to look out over the dessert and see its rich beauty, with its flaming red rocks and white rock hills.

TESSIE SUE

I love this little girl. Isn't she precious? I went to her home for the soul purpose of helping my sister give her some space of her own. It thrilled my heart to hear her say, "This is my room." and watch her sit on her bed while we put the finishing touches in it. She is so stinking cute.

NEED MORE SPACE CHEAP, USE THE UNFINISHED BASEMENT

My sister called and said she needed more space. She has five kids and they live in a three bedroom home. She has one living room. I casually suggested that she use a room in her basement and make it into a living/bedroom space. We brainstormed about it and she asked how much do you think it would cost. I said, "$500.00." She said she would think about it. Then she called the next day and said, "I have had a vision.. I think it will work, will you come and help." Of course I said yes, because I love projects. When I showed up the room looked like this. We chiseled all the chunks of cement off the wall. Then we used filler to fill in any large holes.
We then painted the floors and walls. We did the walls an almond white and the floors a chocolate brown. To paint cement floors you have to apply acid to etch the floors, apply a bonding product and then paint. Even with all the steps if we dragged furniture across the floor the paint came up, so if I did it again I would apply something over the paint, like a lacquer. However, this floor was covered mostly with carpet padding and a large carpet remnant, so a few dings weren't noticable.
We hung upholstry fabric on the two walls that were made of 2 by 4's. We got the fabric at the thrift store. It was a killer deal. We covered both walls for $35.00. We just cut the lengths of the wall, sewed them together and stapled the fabric to the 2 by 4's. We pulled it tight and it looked like wallpaper when we were done.
I wish I had a picture of the full room, but here is the same corner pictured above. This is my sweet Tessie. We made her headboard using this tutorial. We made the curtains from $1.50 a yard fabric we found at Walmart. It was the perfect color and feel. We also picked up some yards of fabric for the pillows on Tessie's bed. We found an old lace table cloth at the thrift store and made the bed skirt. Anyway, it was beautiful when it was done. I was afraid it would look hodge-podge and homemade, but it really did look shabby-chic when we were done. I loved our fabric walls so much I thought to myself, you know I maybe falling in love with wallpaper again.

P.S. The quilt on the end of Tessie's bed is the one I made for Tessie when she was born. It is my own made up applique pattern, another thing I love to do.

Before I close, I have to say all things are possible with your Heavenly-Father's help, because we prayed every step of the way and we had small miracles happen at every turn. It is the only way you can create a room in six days, with seven children, and a very tight budget. We were truly blessed.

P.E. is the BEST

I walked Sierra to school this morning. She was so excited. She said that today is P.E. day and she loves P.E. She said last time they got to play three finger tag and her teacher growled at them.

She said the time before thatthey walked in the gym and the P.E. teacher said, "Go pick out a hula hop." She went over and picked one up and the P.E. teacher said you are all gofers quick hop into your hole. She was so excited to go to school.

I know the boots aren't that condusive to P.E., but she insisted on wearing them she said they remind her of riding on Sunny (a horse) with her grandpa. Then she said again, "Next time no one is riding with me or holding the reigns." She thinks she is a cowgirl.
MJ pulled this out of the trash today and said, "Why did you throw this away? It is my favorite. I love it." A deflated balloon that has been hanging out in my closet for close to a month? Hilarious.

BOTTLING FRUIT

Exhausting, I am headed to bed!

MY MJ

I am laying on my bed reading The Help. MJ walks in the room in her skivies, with a giant wad of toilet paper in her hand. I am half paying attention to her until she shoves the toilet paper into my face. It is covered in poop. She say, "Mom, I wipe myself and it stinks and it is a lot and it is poop." Too much information. I think I could have gone my whole life without that moment.

Today, I was walking by as she was watching Diego. Diego says, "Are you strong like a jaguar?" She replied, "No, but I will be when I get big."

She wants a Diego tricycle for her birthday. I have shown her a dozen bikes but she wants a camo-green tricycle with black wheels. She loves Diego. I think she may have a slight addiction to that show and could watch it all day.

(My friend Jenny's little boy. We went for a walk this day.)

PEACHES

I, Darcy and her friends went to go pick up peaches. It is canning season. I haven't canned peaches yet, but I guess there is no time like the present to learn. I was going to pick up five boxes of peaches. They were out. We drove to every fruit stand along the road to find someone who wasn't out at the same price. We had to have peaches that day, because when a girl is in the mood to can she must start now. If she waits a day, she may not want to anymore. Despite an amazing tour of every peach stand in the area, we were out of luck we have to wait till tomorrow.

GRAND MESA in COLORADO

We went for a drive up to the Grand Mesa to go fishing. I wasn't in a good mood. I went to run an errand and came back to an empty house. I thought Nate had left me. I was sad. He didn't, he just went to get gas but it set me off. Poor guy. I was mouthy all the way up to the Mesa. When we got to the top I think Nate wanted to drop me off and drive back down alone. Luckily, we got a call from our friends who were driving through and decided to stop of at our home. They texted us they were waiting on our front porch. We laughed and headed home. It was a beautiful drive home the Mesa is litered with wild flowers this time of year.

SALLY's BAPTISM

(Sister K's granddaughter)

Sally, Sister K's future daughter-in-law was baptised on Saturday. It was so much fun to see someone so amazing and so ready become a Latter Day Saints. Her baptism was beautiful. Her fiance baptised her. The were both dressed in white and it was so beautiful (I can't think of the right word but it was more than beautiful.) to see him receive her in the font. There was an amazing BBQ in her honor afterwards. The food was divine, but it always is on the farm.

Carrie and amazing girl baptised a week early with Kyle and Sally, from left to right.)

(The missionaries who helped.)
(The yummy food you wish you could have eaten.)
(Brother Bob, aka the man who bought my girl's barbies, isn't he precious?)

GIRL's NIGHT

The girls love it when Nate goes fishing over night, we always do a girls night and watch a little girl's movie. The girls wanted pizza, so we did a yummy, healthy pizza. Then after the movie and pizza we all climbed on mommy's bed and read books and then cuddled up in one big ball and went to sleep, which sounds more adorable and snuggly than it really was, but the girls loved it.

LEARNING TO ROLLAR BLADE

Sierra got rollar blades for her birthday. She wanted them. (I was tired of her always slopping around in mine.) However, she opened them and tossed them to the side. She never put them on, despite constant encouraging for close to a month. (All of her cousins around the age of 10 wanted to try them. I think that is the age I should have bought them for her.) Yesterday, I woke up and said, "Today we are rollar blading to school together." She was scared but we had time. I held on to her and we skated to school. It was sloppy and we fell twice, once in the middle of a busy intersection, but we made it. On the way back, I brought the stroller and it was a lot better. She says she loves it and she wants to always ride her skates to school. So, this maybe the new way in which we travel to school.

CHILDERN GROW UP

The world turns and children grow up. I am seeing my babies turn into little girls. Look at my MJ. She is riding on the stroller the way Sierra used to when she was born. MJ is as old as Sierra was when MJ was born. She is growing up. (Sniff. Sniff.) My friend let me borrow her baby today. I need a little boy. I keep saying it. Isn't he the cutest thing?

Him and MJ were talking on the way to pick up Sierra from school. This is how the conversation went....

MJ: My daddy is going to take me on a boat in the black water and paddle, paddle, paddle.
Kale: My daddy.
MJ: NO, My DADDY.
Kale: My daddy.
MJ: NO, MY DADDY (Yelling)

Later...
MJ: I am going to sing a song. I am going to sing my song, Twinkle little star.
MJ starts to sing.
Kale starts to sing.
MJ gasps. (He wouldn't dare sing my song.)
Kale starts to giggle.
He really is the cutest boy.

BABY AUDRY

Isn't she gorgeous? I got to hold her! I am still so excited. I wanted to keep her, but she had to continue her journey on to Utah. Can you imagine giving birth and moving all in the same week? My sister is a trooper.

SHRIMP DINNER

I typically fry shrimp but Nate wanted something more healthy. I served this over brown rice. It was divine.


Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine
1 teaspoon of white vinager
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions
1.In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, red wine, and vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

2.Place olive oil in the skillet. Toss in shrimp and mixture. Toss until shrimp are pink. Then serve over brown rice. Yummy.

CHILD's PLAY

Today was the first day walking next to this bush since school let out last year and we had to do the traditional collecting of buds. Sierra picked a handful and put them in the stoller. I am not sure why they have to come home with us. Once we walk through the door the buds collected are forgotten and I am just stuck cleaning out the stoller the next day. I tell her not to, but she disreguards me and continues as if it is a chore she must complete.There is something magical about it, that is meant for children only and is not meant to be understood by an adult, especially not a tidy one.
The fisherman was gone to the Black Canyon today. He looked tired as he walked through the door. Hopefully, he got some much needed man time on the crystal clear waters there.

CRACKERS & JAM

Crackers and jam are a favorite snack at the farm. It really isn't anything I would have ever thought would be good together. Sister K handed me one the first time we spent an extended amount of time there. I took it graciously but I thought, what an odd thing, to put jam on a cracker. However, it is so incredibly yummy. Today she brought out fresh cherry jam and handed my a package of crackers. I am certain I cleared off half a stack of crackers on my own. The jam was so incredibly yummy.
Sister K. tossed the chickens some crackers. They rushed through the farm like a great wind, moving like they were one solitary mass. Mr. Pantaloons (see the rooster to the right.) is the leader of the mass. They began to peck at the ground eating up small crumbs. Brother C. glanced at them, calling them the Mexican Maffia with a broad smile across his face. Brother Bob is Sister K's father, and tends to a plot of land on Sister K's farm. He is the dearest old man. He could be my grandfather. He teaches us so many things. On Saturday, I got a timid phone call from his wife. She said, "Brother Bob came home with a ton of barbie dolls from a garage sale. He thought the girls would like them. I don't know if you allow your girls to play with barbies. Do you? Can you call me back?" How sweet of him to think of my girls. Sweeter still for Brother Bob's wife to be concerned about whether it was appropriate. Thinking about their sweet generosity to my girls tugs at my heart. All the barbies were practically new, and he picked them up a pile of clothing too. So, so sweet. I miss my sweet CC it wasn't the same being at the farm without her. I don't like this all day school thing. (I am making a mad face a very mad face.)