Family Home Evening Poems

Tonight we had family home evening around the dinner table because Spencer had been forbidden to get out of his chair until his dinner was gone. Abbie picked our opening song -- the Veggie Tales theme song -- well I guess that is an opening song. After the prayer we sang Popcorn Popping and then we sang it at least two more times during the course of the evening. Ken gave a super lesson on Righteous Traditions and Jessie read us a poem for activity.

Poetry
I love to write poetry
It sounds so nice,
It goes together like milk and rice.
I love poetry
It sounds so sweet,
There is no better treat.

Jessie encouraged more poem writing and not wanting her to be disappointed this is what I came up with.

I feel happy
I feel fine
I feel sappy
just like a pine ---- tree.

Well, the kids thought it was funny. (And I hope it at least got a smile out of you.)

Little Happenings

Abbie and a friend made up a little puppet show for us to watch. It started out cute enough and we all clapped when we thought it had ended. But no...it wasn't really the end....we clapped again, but it still wasn't quite the end. I think in a small way each of us it like this when we get to be part of something that makes other people laugh and have fun; we just never want it to end. Monday was a birthday at Ken's work so I made butterfly cupcakes. I actually had them done before 11:00 am, but by the time I showered and got ready, cleaned up the kitchen a little and made my shopping list since we were going out, and got Abbie and Spencer ready we didn't make it to work until after 1:00 pm. Sometimes and try and I try.... but oh well. Tomorrows a new day, right?

We are getting ready for a Halloween Party with Ken's parents. I was so proud of us planning ahead and getting stuff done. So Ken's mom and I decided to get together and make little candle holders for decorations. On the appointed day we both waited at our homes for the other person to come over for about an hour, but we didn't want to call when they didn't come because maybe something had come up...anyway all had a good laugh we went figured out that we both thought we were making them at our own houses.

Abbie and Spencer ended up being my helpers, until I had had enough "help" and finished them up myself.Last Tuesday Ken brought me home these beautiful lilies just because... what a great husband.On Friday I was playing with the camera and took some pictures of the flowers out front... I'm glad everything hasn't died yet.

Ken took Mark out for a little picture taking so he can enter the Reflections contest at school this year and I thought my dad would enjoy a mountain picture.

No School

Jessie found this leaf bug outside and knew it wanted it's picture taken. She calls herself the "bug lover."
The kids had fall break last Thursday and Friday so I decided to go DO something. We met our friends up in SLC to go to the Museum of Church History. We started off with a picnic in front of the temple and then headed to the museum. Downstairs the kids got to try out beds that would have been on a ship coming over from Europe. They were so tiny and a whole family (minus big teenage boys) would share two beds. I tried to imagine Ken and I with two kids a piece in these little beds. I think I might have been a cranky mom after only a few nights.Abbie loved playing with baby Natalie.Spencer and the girls.Upstairs we went to the I Am a Child of God display for the kids and they had a blast. First we dressed up to be in the nativity. All the kids were either shepherds or angels. There were a few cute sheep puppets the kids took care of.
Mark, still in costume, really liked the building temples station.

Here's Jessie's temple.

Spencer's favorite part was at the front where you could take care of the babies. He helped weigh the baby, listen to it's heart, give it some medicine and a shoot. Well actually he didn't want to give the baby a shoot so he asked me to do that part. When another little girl took his baby he found Natalie and listened to her heart and gave her medicine instead.

Spencer and Abbie putting the stain glass in the Nauvoo Temple windows.

Before we left we tried to get a picture of all of us. While we were gathering kids Spencer was climbing of the wooden fence in front of baby Jesus and tipped over the top of it scraping up his back really bad. Poor little guy.

One of the other thing Mark and I did there was my a game of matching on the tree of life. The fruit on the tree had CTR in a bunch of different languages. The only problem was that the tree was so big that I couldn't even reach the top three fruits. I think they need a tree of life bush instead.

Before we left SLC we took a tour of the top of the conference center. It was very pretty, but I though it would have more flowers than it did. It was an amazing view to look past these trees and a fountain -- on top of a building and see the rest of the city.As we were waiting to get back on the elevator I glanced out the window and saw the temple. I couldn't get a good picture of it outside because of all the other tall buildings around it in the background, but I thought this one was beautiful!On the way back to the cars the girls had a little train going. Kids are just so fun!

Other Week Gone

Spencer loves his new bathtub crayons -- and so do all my other kids. Yesterday Jessie got a little excited about Halloween and put on our Indian costume then ran to the bathroom to put on her "war paint" with Spencer's crayons because they write on skin too, but wash off with just water. This morning we found a fun surprise in the bathtub... little love messages and decorations.

On Sunday we had Grandma Jennie over for dinner. Mark washed dishes while Ken and the kids cleaned up the kitchen (I was at a cub-scout meeting). I guess he thought he needed a wash too.

After a delicious meal of Split-Pea soup and homemade crescent rolls we played a few rounds of Abbie's new Cookie Game. The suction cup spoons help you pick up the ingredients you need for your recipe.

But watch out for the rotten eggs... then you have to put everything back and start collecting again. Spencer has been our best sport at this game. He feels bad when others get the rotten egg and he laughs when he gets it. This is just after he got the rotten egg. "Oh man, the rotten egg!"
Check out the book Jessie found at the school library. She just HAD to get it.
Other than that we put up 60 quarts of pears thanks to the help of Ken's mom. The next evening we did a batch of salsa, and the next night we did the same.

Friday morning Ken was ready to go to work, but his car wouldn't start. Luckily our neighbor was leaving right then and Ken was able to flag him down and get a ride. Abbie, Spencer and I decided that would make for a rough morning so we made a batch of cinnamon rolls to take up to him after we drooped Randy off at work. The kids always love going to see daddy at work and after we finally got Spencer to eat his lunch instead of run around he and Abbie drew pictures for us on the white board there. (As far as the car goes the wires to the battery had just come lose an easy fix. Although I had to tease Ken that the car had heard him the night before talking about selling that car and getting a new one.)

Saturday we tore out the garden since it was supposed to freeze Sunday night. We got enough tomatoes to make another 3 batches of salsa and then decided to go out for dinner (I think next time we'll just stay home. I like my food better.) At first I was sad to tear out the garden , but now when I look out the window I just feel glad. Glad we had a garden and glad that I don't have to take care of it anymore.

Yesterday Ken's mom came over and we tried to make mozzarella cheese from powdered milk. It didn't quite work and we ended up with curds that looked like Elmer's glue. GROSS! So I gave it too the chickens and they didn't mind.

I tried the recipe again this morning and it worked much better... but I haven't tasted it yet. It looked great when I put it in the fridge, but when I looked at it later it had a yellow tint to it and that's not supposed to happen. I think maybe I kneaded it too long. That's ok. So far I've learned to NOT use an aluminum pot, use stainless steal, heat it up very slowly and don't stir it too much. Then be very patient for the curd to form. And I guess as long as I'm still learning it's worth it so if this doesn't turn out I'll try it again.

Soup Time

Since it got nice and chilly this evening I got to make soup again. I so miss getting to have soup during the summer. Well I thought every now and then I'd post a recipe for soup. Here's the first one. I'd love to know if you try it. :-)

Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup

3 sm. heads of broccoli, washed and cut into pieces
12 oz. wide egg noodles

4 Tbps. butter
6 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
2 can chicken broth (or 3 1/2 cups water and 4 chicken bouillon)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (the secret ingredient in this recipe)
3 cups grated cheddar cheese

In one large pot bring enough water to boil to cook the noodles. When the water boils add noodles and broccoli pieces. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain off water and empty noodles and broccoli into a large serving bowl.

In the same pot melt butter, add flour stirring with a whisk until smooth. Continue stirring until bubbly. Add milk, chicken broth, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Mix with whisk until bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted. Turn off heat. Add noodles and broccoli then pour back into the serving bowl.

***If you are like me and always wait to the last minute to start dinner just make the sauce in another pan while the noodles and broccoli are cooking then stir it in to them after you've drained the water.

***Variation on this recipe is to use diced potatoes instead of noodles we love it both ways. And when I'm really thinking I save the water from cooking the noodles (or potatoes) and use it for the chicken broth.

A Little More Birthday

I am a silly mom sometimes. My parents gave me Abbie and Spencer's birthday gifts when we were out this summer and for both of them the gifts were a few days late because I forgot to get them out.

Of course neither of them minded getting an extra surprise a few days later. Abbie was so excited to get her OWN movie after Spencer got Cars. She got Charlotte's Web.... .... two shirts and a very cute sing along book with all kinds of fun songs. We even found a song my Grandma always sings:

Animal Fair
I went to the animal fair, The birds and the beasts were there, The big baboon by the light of the moon, Was combing his auburn hair, You should have seen the monk (monkey), He sat on the elephant's trunk, The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees, And what became of the monk, the monk, the monk, the monk?

Jessie jumped up to peck us out some tunes on the piano. What a fun book. The next morning Abbie made herself a little throne out of the pillows on the couch and she sang while....
....Spencer played for her. It was so very cute.
Spencer had to stop a couple of times to check the beat. "The red lights really help me to play the notes," he told me.

Conference Bowl

WOW! Wasn't conference great! It's always so amazing to me how so many of the speakers seem to know just what I need to hear. I loved the talks on prayer, choosing to be happy, and preparing for the sacrament to name just a few.

After the last session on Sunday we have a tradition of going to Ken's parents for "Conference Bowl." Everyone takes notes during conference and makes up questions for everyone to try and answer. A big bowl of candy is provided for the asker and the answer. It's rather casual, but a lot of fun.

When we got there this year Ken's dad and his Grandma Jennie were out for a walk. Don't they look classy!

... well, mostly classy.
Jennie treat became a lovely hair decoration.
After about 10 questions Spencer really like the idea of handing out candy and he took fistful after fistful to all the cousins he thought were somehow lacking in the candy department.
Poor Scott got dressed up with a bow (what a good sport)!
Our kids had a lot of fun. Mark was our main question writer and I was surprised by how much he and Jessie remembered from all the sessions. YEAH!

Mark's favorite story from conference was about the little girl who was deaf. I'll get the text of it up soon.

Party Time for Abbie

This year for Abbie's cake she requested kitties. I tried having her draw some so I could use them, but she was having a hard time with that, so I found these cute kittens with some little mice. It took Abbie four ties to blow out her candles. The first blow didn't yield any results and each blow after that she had to get closer and closer. Spencer was right there ready to help (if he'd been given the chance.)
Abbie went with me when I picked out her presents, but we took a blindfold to put over her eyes. It was just hilarious. The workers at the store got quite a kick out of watching her hold my hand blindfolded. Anyway, so they wrapped the gift for me there so she could take off the handkerchief. Her only disappointment was that it was plain brown paper. I enlisted Jessie help to decorate them for her.
Since I rearranged the living room, I couldn't find a good spot to take pictures. (and it didn't help that Spencer kept jumping in front of the camera.) Abbie got two games, a book, some art supplies and a Care Bear. Spencer was the first to grab the bear after Ken finally got it out of the box. (Man you would have thought that bear was made of fine china, and not just stuffing the way it was tied into that box.) Abbie thought she might never get it back....a rough moment.
Steph and Spencer enjoyed some time together.
After the party the men all went to the Priesthood Session of conference and Abbie got to spend the night at Grandma's house! They partied until about 8:30 when Abbie said she was tired. So they got ready for bed and Abbie got in her sleeping bag to listen to a story. By the end of the story she decided that she wasn't quite so tired any more and need some more dinner. I guess is was late when she got to bed, but I was never told exactly what time that was. :-)

Soccer is Over!! YEAH!

Now don't got me wrong, I love watching the kids play soccer, but it runs my life while it's going on and I'm ready for a break.

Here are a few pictures from Mark's last game. Jessie was being a great big sister giving Spencer and Abbie horsey rides. The bucking bronco part turned out to be a little much for Spencer and he came to sit with me after that.
Mark's coach was great. We had a little picnic celebration after their last game and he brought dinner and Popsicles for the boys. Each of the kids got a trophy. They did a great job and each of the kids improved.
They gave one final cheer, "Undefeated!" Technically their last game was a tie, but they still didn't lose, so I guess they were undefeated.