This was just too cute that I had to tag myself...

Thanks to Tia for this fun tag.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Patches Denali
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream and favorite cookie) Mint Chocolate Monster
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) Jbri
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)Blue Elephant
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Jensen Columbia
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Brije
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”) The Yellow Italian Cream
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)- Milo Wiley
9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Eternity M&M
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) M Fran

Oh my little Kadan...

sometimes I just have to wonder what to do with him. These last few weeks have been a challenge. He has been pushing the limits on EVERYTHING. I have even thought about sending him away to boot camp -- grandma boot camp that is (she always says, give her a week and the kids will be in tip top shape). Yesterday was just like the others -- refusing to get dressed on time, telling me that he didn't have homework but actually did, not listening to adults (even the Bishop during Relief Society meeting), picking on Addy, etc. etc. etc. I was getting fed up. All these time outs and grounding are getting me (and him) down.


So, last night during my prayers I was given inspiration -- Just LOVE Him. Love him enough to talk to him about all his boyish stuff. Spend some alone time with him. Compliment him and tell him how much you love him and how proud you are of him. Give him attention -- he is acting out because he wants to be notice. And, finally, love him enough to discipline and stick with it.


Well, this morning I woke Kadan up a little earlier than normal. I cuddled with him, tickled his neck and ears (he loves that) and told him how smart and sweet he was and that proud I was of him. We piggy-backed down the stairs and then off he was to find Hunter. A few minutes later, while I was making breakfast, Kadan came in the kitchen and started setting the table. He helped me with breakfast and called the kids to the table to eat. He was warm, he was friendly, and he was happy. He is such a good boy.


I thank that Lord everyday for inspiration on how to be a better mom and to love my kids.



I just LOVE this messy face, beautiful blue-eyed, energetic, toothless little guy!

A little bit of Holloween fun...

is what I was up to yesterday. This year the children are not allowed to wear costumes to school so I decided to do something fun with the girls' outfits instead. Lucky for me, I able to have a little shopping spree in Scottsdale to get the fabric that I needed. And after a little battle with the sewing machines, I am pleased with the final product and cannot wait until Friday for the girls to wear them.

Addy was designer of her skirt -- lots of pattern and lots of color! Just the way she likes it.Bo's was a pillowcase dress. I can just say EASY! Love the purple ribbons -- perfect for this purple loving monkey.

Me verses Machine : The saga of sewing Halloween attire.

• Picking up the fabric -- fun, fast and on sale -- Victor = ME


• Coming up with cute designs -- Victor = Me


• Cutting out the pattern -- Victor = Me (I never use patterns. The shear frustration of unfolding, laying out, cutting, pinning, then the accidental riping of the pattern is enough to make me not even want to sew. Instead, I save this frustrating step and go directly to cutting. The last time I used a pattern was when I was making a teddy bear for Bo's 1st Christmas. 1/2 way through it I couldn't handle it anymore and made the rest up myself).


• Using the serger by myself for the first time -- Victor = the MACHINE. Even though I love the serger, if you make a little mistake it becomes a huge mistake thanks to the instantaneous cutting.


• Using my old Viking sewing machine -- Victor = the Machine. I guess that after 7 years of use I should get it serviced for the 1st time. The feed dogs stopped working (absolute bummer).


• The completed project -- Victor = Me (by a hair). I just love to sew everything straight, but throw a curve in their for me and I lose my cool. Also, the house is a complete disaster because once I start, everything else gets put aside until the project is done.

This was fun -- I cannot wait to get started (or shall I say complete a year-old project) the 9 foot teepees for the kids' Thanksgiving party.

4th Folder -- 4th Picture....

this is such a fun tag.

Here are the rules: Go into your picture files and post the 4th picture from the 4th folder onto your blog. Then tag 4 friends.

This is Bo at Hunter's bowling b-day party last year. We had a marvelous time.

Who to tag? -- let's see (probably most, if not all, of the MI gals have been tagged so let me be more creative): Amy Moore (let's see if you have figured this blog thing out), Tia, Courtney, and Lisa L.

Big Top fun...

at our first circus (despite the little meltdown in the middle of the event). The kids were memorized by the acrobatics and the animal tricks. With Oooh's and Aaaah's and cheering and smiling from ear to ear -- they just couldn't get enough. With load of "Mommy, look at that" and "Whoa, that is soooo cool," I just knew they were in their element.

I found a great midgrade...

furniture line that I really like -- most importantly, all pieces are handcrafted in the good old USA. We were thinking about freighting large containers from India but the more I thought about it the more I knew that the most important thing is to buy from our Country to help out all the those struggling due to the economy. The company is called British Traditions and they are based out of Missouri. I love how their furniture is a cross between European country and Americana. I have some of my favorite pieces pictured below. I would love to get your opinions -- is it too country? Do you think it will sell? All of the furniture comes painted however you want from staining to more rustic. If you want to check out their website it is www.britishtraditions.com Love the kitchen island.
Like the carved detail.

Wanna get this bed for my girls in lime green or pink.

Am getting this one in a robin egg blue for my kitchen nook.
Cool entertainment center.
Love the glass detail on this one.

http://www.britishtraditions.com/

Oh, the beauty of fall...

How I just love fall. Being from South Carolina and Arizona (the hot valley), I never really experienced fall until I moved to MI. I remember our first fall in MI when there was crispness in the night air and the leaves were turning colors. One day I was chatting with Tia and she said that fall was her favorite season. At first I wondered why she would choose fall since in AZ it is when the grass starts to die and is pretty ugly, but after having my first real fall I too think it is my favorite season.

Yesterday was Kadan's field trip to the Pumpkin patch in Snowflake. After about 30 minutes of running through the corn maze and 15 minutes trying to decide which pumpkin he wanted the excitement was over. In only 45 minutes, the kids and teachers did all that they could do at this little pumpkin farm so they boarded the buses for playtime at the park. As the buses took off down the dirt road I couldn't help but reminisce about our MI trips to the apple orchards and pumpkin patches. They were full of yummy donuts, play centers, wagon rides, corn mazes, slides and more. It's times like this that makes me miss MI and the good times there more each day. Here are a couple of pictures I snapped of Kadan and Bo (Bo was a little tag along and hung with the big 2nd graders just fine).