Almost there

The bread for the cinnamon rolls is rising, the breakfast casserole is in the fridge settling. Should I make the taco soup tonight or in the morning? I still GET to make my apple pie and due to the whole oven thing and all which was finally fixed this afternoon after a large fee, I caved and bought a pumpkin pie at Costco, as well as a real live pine wreath for the door which at the moment is taking a cool bath. The kids just finished watching "The Polar Express" and apart from one scary moment they really loved it. Rand said he would try to come home early today and yet he is still not home. I guess since he worked a 16 hour day yesterday arriving after midnight anytime tonight would be "earlier". Just about 17 hours until the Macy's Parade starts. I am considering bringing my tree out of storage tonight. Oh, and I thought of a Barrett family tradition. We always have celery with easy cheese beautifully squeezed onto it. Isn't that a healthy appetizer? We are cheese people. Just ask my Dad and his cardiologist. Happy, Happy Thanksgiving!!

serenity now

don't you hate that the life of a mother is like riding a roller coaster? I guess the life of anyone is like riding a roller coaster, but sometimes I just get tired of it. One day I adore my children and love being home with them and all that goes with that. Then the very next day, or even the next moment I am wishing I could just rent them out for a bit.

Ethan has pink eye and has since Saturday so has been home from church and school. He and Anna aren't always a good mix and after a Dr. appt. errands and lunch I was hoping for Kate to take a long nap and a little "quiet time" to get some of the many things I need to get done. Instead I laid on my bed with ear plugs in so I wouldn't have to listen to Anna's crying and screaming. She very obviously didn't want to be "quiet" today which then made Kate awaken after her only and very short nap for the day which can spell disaster. Especially since the kids were up late last night because of Rand's Birthday dinner etc.

Oh, and did I mention my oven is sill broken even though both my parents said they were going to get a coil at the mending shed and we would fix it? Good thing someone from Bill's appliance is coming in the morning between 8-12 to hopefully get it up and running and not cost a fortune. Especially since tomorrow is the day that I have been looking forward to for sometime now. You know the day we watch a movie and bake pies. Well this year I have to bake pies, breakfast casserole and if time permits cinnamon rolls. I am a tad tired of taking things to neighbors to bake. And even though I did my best to time the enchiladas just right from the electric fry pan to the plate last night for dinner, they were just very lightly warm. Good thing Randall doesn't really like things hot anyway.

I guess the good news in this roller coaster of life, is that in the next 5 minutes I just may re-adore my children and messy house despite the crying, whining, dishes and laundry that are screaming to be done. Oh, and Sunday we wrote our letter to Santa and I have been warning the kids ever since that "He" is watching. Is it just my kids or does that tend to make your kids act even worse than normal?

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Randall Dear! Today Rand turns 31. I am married to an old man :) He is cute, sweet, helpful, hardworking, smart, wonderful, loves me and I sure am glad to have him. He doesn't read my blog but I thought I would send a shout out anyway. I love you!

We celebrated this weekend with some great Indian food at Bombay house and then saw the new Bond movie. It was pretty good. Tonight Rand has requested enchiladas and triple chocolate brownies with chocolate ice cream with malt on top. Can you tell he likes chocolate? Only problem is that our oven broke yesterday, so I may be bringing brownies over to a neighbor to bake!

Fa lalalalalalalala

I'm just so darn excited. Do you realize that Thanksgiving is merely one week away? Do you know what this means? It means that all the morning shows will be showing delicious ways to prime and brine your turkey, as well as the best stuffing recipes shared on Martha Stewart, although I will stick with "stove top" any day of the week. Yesterday I made a yummy pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling and not only was it tasty but looked so fun cut and placed on the plate. Yesterday I got together with some gals and the kids for lunch and I of course had to talk about Thanksgiving. I asked them what their Thanksgiving traditions were and guess what their response was? Not much. I was so dissapointed. One of my quirks is that I am always stressed about thinking we need to come up with our own traditions. I scour the internet looking for others ideas on how to celebrate the season and then ask everyone I know, and I guess I just watch too many commercials where it's the lovely scene through the bay front window of the nicely dressed family sitting around the table and everyone looks so happy and cozy. Those people look like they have some sweet traditions, right? This all goes back to my having too high holiday expectations. While the expectations have been lower this year, and yes I have been much less miserable I still admit that the whole wanting great traditions that will make my children have fabulous memories is still ever present. Every Thanksgiving I read again about how Thanksgiving came about and have a desire to be more thankful. I always feel inspired to share a poem or discuss gratitude around the table as we eat. But, it never happens and why? Because I am not a cheesy person, and while it all sounds good leading up to the event, as soon as we sit down I know full well it's just not gonna happen. Especially when it's my side of the family. I come from a family of just brothers. Boys who are very rarely serious and completely sarcastic 90% of the time. So I wonder, what are your traditions? What other than watching the Macy's day parade and baking pies and eating til you're sick? So...what do you do at your house? I really want know...

6 quirks

This has taken a lot of time for me to think of what my quirks are. Not to imply that I am not a quirky person it's probably just identifying them and then keeping it to 6. Here goes:

1. I hate dry hands/skin, but especially dry hands. I have gotten much better in recent years being here in Utah, but still I'm a freak about it. I carry lotion at all times. There have been times that I wouldn't even go to the bathroom because then I would have to wash my hands and then I didin't have lotion and then I wouldn't be able to handle it. One time in College my roommate wouldn't come out of the bathroom and I needed to get to school and my chapstick was in the bathroom so I...put deodorant on my lips. GROSS!! Needless to say my lips not only became more dry but repelled any moisture for weeks. I told you I was quirky.

2. I am a very social person and love to get out and socialize with people, do new things etc. BUT, quite often right before the event whatever it is I suddenly don't want to go. I always say to Rand "I'm just not in the mood, or I just don't know if I'm up for it". Then I always end up going and of course have a fabulous time and am really glad I went.

3. I love to throw things away/give things away. My kids start to cry when they hear anyone mention "The D.I." because they know I have another load ready to go. I don't know why but I just don't like having stuff around. Part of it may be that we have moved so many times over the years that I realize how much stuff we have and don't need. I am constantly going through drawers and closets to make yet another D.I. pile. Randall says I am not at all sentimental and I guess in some regards he's right but I am sentimental about pictures and things but not "stuff". This is not to say that my house is always clean or organized mind you. I do try but you know how it is. On that note I won't even own a ice cream scoop because it's just one more thing in the drawer when a spoon does just fine.

4. I am an all or nothing person. Especially when it comes to dieting and exercise. I will be good about my eating all day and then if I were to say eat one chocolate chip then I think to myself "great, now you blew it". and then I will just keep eating junk the rest of the day because I already ruined it with that one chip! One time I went without eating any sugar in the form of junk food for 4 months and then I ate a chocolate chip and I felt so guilty I just stopped and ws back to eating junk.

5. I don't like to sleep at others house or in hotel unless it's really nice. I just don't feel like maybe the sheets or clean or something... I only like the hotels where there is a duvet cover that I know can be washed. If it's one of those quilts on the bed i tell everyone to immediately pull it down and sit on it but that's it. Randall is more than comfortable about snuggling in it up to his face. You couldn't pay me enough money to stay in one of those "Anniversary Inn places".

6 Okay no more, I think you all know by now what a freak of nature I am and I better stop while I'm ahead. I'm really not a germ-a-phobe or as high maintenance as it may seem.

I tag 6 people like Michelle, Texas Alyssa, Jordan and whoever else.

sweet!

I'm a Porsche 911!

You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite,and you know it.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Fun Friday

I have heard of mother's who have fun Friday's and I think it's a great idea. I really don't take time as often as I should or would like to do "fun" things with my kids. Today however I have decided on a plan. First we will make a paper chain of the days left until Thanksgiving. We are going to a cabin with my whole side of the family for Thanksgiving weekend up in the snowy mountains and we can all hardly wait. Anna asks me about every other minute when we are going to the "calvin". I keep telling her "on Thanksgiving". I have showed them on the calender and we have counted the days numerous times but obviously it has not sunk in yet that Thanksgiving is not in a few days.

The other day Ethan asked me how you make a pumpkin pie, so today I told him we would make one. I truthfully love to make pies. Yes it is time consuming but there is something so rewarding in taking a hot, sweet smelling pie from the oven that was baked from scratch-crust and all. Don't get me wrong, I don't often make pies, but every Thanksgiving when my mom says "let's just make it easy" I say NO, I am making some pies. (and Julie my sis in law must make home made rolls-something I have not yet mastered, that is unless they are rhoades) It is Thanksgiving tradition for Randall and I on the Eve before turkey day to put on a good movie and make pies. I look forward to it every single year. Last year I think we watched Ferris Beuller's day off. It's funny to me every time.

Can you tell I love Thanksgiving? I love to look forward to the Macy's day parade. In fact when Rand and I went to New York that was one of the many things I wanted to do was see Macy's with the infamous store front windows. Sadly they were vacant at the time. I look forward to baking, dressing up nice and cozy (with room in the waist band). I love sitting down to dinner. My mom always has a beautiful table set with linens and a beautifully presented centerpiece. She often sets the table at least a day or two ahead ensuring everything to be ready. I love listening to Christmas music. Ok, I have already listened to some here and there but am trying not to get my fill until it's actually Christmas time. I actually am one of those crazy people that even if my shopping is all done, likes to go out among the people filled places with arms full with packages. I love to decorate for Christmas, the one time of year I don't mind when my house is over-decorated and a tad cluttered with Christmas trinkets.

Well, here's to a fun Friday. Hope yours is fun filled as well...

A wintry day

This morning I awoke to the screams of children. Good news it wasn't the typical screaming I often hear in the morning. These were screams of joy. "It snowed, it's snowing!" "You better see this." " "Mom, this means Santa is coming!"

It better not, cause I haven't even started shopping...

Halloween's over

Aren't we glad that Halloween is over? With the chilly weather and Christmas music on the radio it's crazy to think we are now officially into the holiday season. Before that of course we will reminisce Halloween.

I was a bit of a party pooper this year when it came to carving pumpkins. I was all ready with the unique patterns and all but things had been crazy Randall was working a ton and was late the night we started. So...we carved 2 of the 5 very simply and we still survived. The funnies part was when Ethan first put his hand in his pumpkin and started to gag. He was not too excited. I had forgotten about all his dry heaving while carving last year. Needless to say Ethan did a lot of watching.

The best news of Halloween was that Randall's team at work won 1st place in the Halloween contest! We were really excited but a little sad that due to the economy and all the prize money was cut by 75%. Oh well, It was fun to get into it and do Randall's make up and all. We tried to color his hair blonde, but it turned a tad red instead, Whoops! After Halloween we cut it short and now it's not too noticeable. He was two-face from Batman and I think we did a pretty great job,don't you?

The kids were cute too. Ethan was iron man, Anna snow white and Kate a pink poodle. We're glad