Summertime!

When I think of summer I remember the trips to Southern California and heading to the beach when I was growing up. We would get a beach house and literally be on the beach for one solid week. I learned how to body surf and boogie board. Playing paddle ball and looking for sand crabs were serious business. And fish and chips while on vacation in Cali always seemed more delicious (Dana Point).
Anyway, memories are always remembered when listening to music you were listening too at the time. I grew up during the eighties with a dad who loved The Beach Boys, and back then the only way to travel with a big family was to drive, so music played a very entertaining part of our family road trips. So whenever I listen to them I think of the good old days of being a beach bum on the pacific coast.
While in California in April we were able to spend a day at the Oceanside beach and I LOVED IT! The beach is the easiest and cheapest way to entertain your kids for hours! And at the end of the day they are exhausted and conk out (moms favorite part of the day). I will not be getting to California this summer because we are building a house, however I hope to maybe continue the tradition of taking my kids to the beach most summers, whether it's in California or off the coast of Timbucktoo!
Well, I found this video and I apologize for it's poor quality, but hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway!

31 already?

Just wanted to thank everyone who thought of me on my birthday. Between the cards, text messages, phone calls and gifts I ended up feeling pretty darn special!

Everything Golf

We had a theme going for Father's Day.......GOLF!
And thanks to my brother-in-law Alex & cousin Clayton
I was able to surprise David with a new golf bag.

And of course, you've got to look good golfing too!
A new shirt that absorbs large amounts of sweat --
just what he needs for all those
hot summer tee times!

I was a little annoyed that our ward did not have the primary children get up and sing to the father's.
That is always my most favorite, and it bothered me
the rest of the day.
Is there a complaint box for the ward?

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my father, my father-in-law and to
the father of my children!

Kid Friendly Recipe

Gooey Chocolate Cookies
by: Paula Dean (Food Network)

Cream together..... 1 stick butter & 1 8oz cream cheese

Add one egg and blend. Add chocolate cake mix and chill for 1 hour. Make balls and roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

I miss Megan :(

My younger sister Megan-whose 23 yrs old recently moved with her husband to Seattle, Washington, where he is currently employed. She has been gone just over two weeks and I can totally tell. Family get-togethers have a different tone and feel to them now that she is not around and I don't like it. I know it will take some time to adjust to this new way of life, and we always have the phone and email, but I miss her deeply! I can even say I miss her husband Alex too! I miss playing "Ticket To Ride" and eating junk food, them coming over for Wednesday night dinners, and being a great aunt (and uncle) to my kids! I hope you do well in Seattle and I'm sure making friends will not be a problem, however there is nothing quite like family! I love you and hope we see each other sooner than later!

The 1st week of summer.......

We are at the end of the first week of summer and boy has it been a little bit of a struggle. It's been overcast, rainy, and in the 60's all week, so outside play has been VERY limited, however I bought summer movie passes to the SCERA and the kids have been enjoying that. I created "Summer Homework/Activity Boxes" for the kids so that we can stay busy WITHOUT the T.V. and went to the school library and got a bunch of books to read. I hope it starts warming up, cause the kids are anxious to hit the pool! I am too....I feel I'm getting a late start on my summer tan. If anyone has any creative ways to keep your kids busy this summer, TELL ME! Hope your summer is safe and happy :)

Field Day @ Rocky Mountain

Chandler was in 4th (last) position to recieve the baton.

Chandler and his three friends; Payton, Jose and Aaron were one of four teams that participated in a relay race on Field Day the last week of school. They came in second place and recieved ribbons! Way to go my future track star!

We're EVEN!

Last week David went in for surgery to remove a screw from his foot. Don't worry, it was placed there by a doctor 6 years ago, after David decided to kick a wall during ward basketball. Not his finest moment, none the less, it began to bother him a few months ago and decided to have it checked out. Evidentally, the screw was sticking a quarter of an inch out of the bone, and started to get in the way of his ligaments. After all was said and done, it was only a two hour ordeal at the hospital - meaning, check-in and check-out. He gets to keep the momentous screw as a reminder of his stupidity and he and I are now even in the number of surgeries we have had; of course his never involved removing a little human from his body:) I love you babe, glad everything went well!

One Down!

Chandler has FINALLY lost his 1st tooth! He is 7 yrs. and 7 mo. old and we were starting to think he was going to be the only 1st grader with all his baby teeth. With only 2 days left of school he is so excited to announce the big news to his class! Congratulations "Chan The Man"!

Freakin' CUTE!

Eli Hutcheson Wills - 9 months old

I HATE markers!

My sister-in-law posted something on her blog about her kids drawing on their faces with markers! It was hilarious! I just recently threw out all the markers we had because Sierra kept thinking of things to color that weren't approved by me. About a week ago, she decided to trace her feet onto paper with a bright red marker, however she didn't think to take off her white sandals and marker got all over the place..... paper, fingers, shoes, CARPET!!! and a little on the face! Needless to say, I hunted down every last maker in the house and threw them away. My kids will just have to find a way to be creative with crayons and colored pencils :)

Life needs more banana's :)

I just recently learned about the benefits of eating banana's and to tell you the truth....... I was stunned! If you don't eat banana's you might want to start :) Enjoy

Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to your daily diet.


Anemia
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation
High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Lethargy
One of the quickest ways of curing lethargy and fatigue is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.
The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heart-burn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Weight Control
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.
The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

PMS
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Ulcers
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniculcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water-balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes
According to research in 'The New England Journal of Medicine' eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart,with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So you see a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

The Look

We arrived at the "Design Center" at 2:00 and left at 5:15 today and let's just say it was a fun, yet stressful three hours coming up with the RIGHT look. David and I are no interior designers, but I think we came up with colors, and a look in the home that we will be pleased with. The first picture is of our laminate flooring, then the carpet color (burnt sugar), the look and color of our cabinets, and then our laminate counter tops. We decided to go with stainless steel appliances, but went basic with lighting and door fixtures (brushed nickel). More to come :)

Boston Cream Cake

Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan

Pudding:
2 - 3oz French Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 1/2 cups cold milk
8 oz Cool Whip

Beat together two minutes or until thick.

Chocolate Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbl. milk
4 Tbl. cocoa
3 Tbl. vegetable oil
dash of salt

Layer:
Graham Crackers (do not crush, use whole pieces)
1/2 the Pudding
Graham Crackers
Rest of Pudding
Graham Crackers
Chocolate Icing

Let chill for 4 hours before serving.

We're building again!

David and I found this development going up in Saratoga Springs and we ended up finding something that would fit our family really well and our budget too! It's a corner lot that is approximatley .18 acres. We will be building a rambler style home with an unfinished basement (David's favorite). The process will take about 5 months and we should be in by the end of October. You can see in the distance of this first picture the lake. Our front porch will allow us to have a view of it.

You can see in this second picture that I am standing on the sidewalk of our property line and Sierra is standing to the right at where our property ends. This is the view of where the front of the house will be.
We are excited to start the process of building, but know it will be a stressful time. We will keep you updated on the whole event!