What time is it? UPDATE time!!

Ok, so I know all 3 of you have been wondering "What's that girl UP to??" Well, let me fill you in:
December was a whirlwind of fun and family and amusement parks!
The Saturday before Christmas we went to Disneyland with an old friend of mine and his family. It was a lot of fun to go again, and we will definitely be making good use of our season passes by going over and over and over again!
Then there was a quiet Christmas at home with my sister, Lori, and the three of us. I had no idea how stressful it would be having Christmas at my place with all the "santa" preparations (aka stockings, MOM how did you do that?? for 8 people!!(I say 8 because I'm pretty sure she did her own too)) and then stressing about the clean up and then dinner. We invited our old neighbor who's husband is a firefighter and had to work, she and her 11 month old cutie pie joined us for crazy delicious ham w/ham sauce and other stuff.
On the 26th we went to Sea World to use up the last of our passes and saw the most amazing Shamu show EVER, seriously, see it if you can! Who knew whales and carolers could emit such a powerful emotion.
Then we had to get our house in order for my other sister Kari and her family of 4.3 (she's expecting #3!). They showed up on Monday. We spent the week with them going to the train museum, Legoland, hiking, playing, and just enjoying ourselves.
Now, are you still reading this, because it sounds like a really boring calendar of events, well just get ready, there are pictures to come!
The morning they left Damen had a fever, cough and wasn't feeling well, it turned out to be pneumonia, poor kid. The situation was made even worse when I got sick this week too and we were both laid up most of the week. Sorry, no pictures of that.
Well, that's all, that's what we've been up to and now, the pictures:



Me and Damen on Dumbo, do you have any idea how high this thing goes??


Santa at the Disneyland parade

Damen Christmas morning, loving his present!

Ahh the chaos that is Christmas morning, and Dustin with Damen.

At Sea World




Robert, Nick and Damen at the Train museum

I love that I captured Damen jumping on the bridge.

CHEESE at Legoland

Waiting in line to drive the cars, what hams!

In the aquarium, Damen didn't want his picture taken, but hey I look good in this one.

End of the night family shot.

Damen and Dustin on top of the world, well almost.

Kari, Nathan, Robert and Nicholas

Kari and Nick.

Funny boys, GO DUCKS

What a gorgeous view, anyone know where we are??


Ok, so you've read the update, witnessed the pictures, consider yourself
UPDATED!

Isaiah 9:6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Choice

Your choices are yours and I know it's true,
So are the consequences they're just for you.
Choose wisely and see that you look to the end,
When your choices will count there'll be some you can't mend.
Don't be sad but remember we all agreed,
Free agency for all, we're the product of our deed.
Choose wisely today and tomorrow make amends,
For the choices you made that didn't make a good end.


Dec. 20, 2009
Melanie Howard

Feel the love!

In the car yesterday Damen says:

Knock Knock

Me: Who's there?

D: BE

Me: Be who?

D: Be quiet! Be quiet mommy!

OH fudge!

I often read the blog of this hilarious lady: DeNea at: http://thebackorderedlife.blogspot.com She has been posting this month about the joys of fudge and her everyday excuses to eat it. So this afternoon I thought to myself, why not make up a batch of fudge? I've made stuff before, and as a rule I'm pretty confident so this was my experience:

Recipe: put sugar and milk and something else (I'm sure) in your largest sauce pan = check.
Stir until boiling = check, well ok how long is this gonna take? Really, it's still not boiling yet. WAIT, SO exciting, it's boiling!

MOTHER OF SIN (yes I'm quoting Christi) it's boiling right out of my largest saucepan, should've been more specific there DeNea, like maybe: largest pan ever in the house, the one you use when making 10 qrts of freezer jam! I got the above mentioned pan out of the cupboard just in time and made the transfer. PHEW, mess and burning avoided!
Ok, what's next, continue boiling for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. What exactly does "constantly" mean anyway? Ok, I can do this, it's not that big a deal.
Minute 4: seriously, my arm is going to fall off! Switch arms, this is taking forever!
Minute 5: now this arm's going to fall off, what was that you said Damen? You're going to help Bambi find her mother, oh sweet! "yeah, I'm gonna find it and eat it HIYAA!!" What? How much longer?
Minute 6: will 9 minutes be enough? Should I include the minute before it almost boiled over into the equation? Really my arm is numb now!
Minute 7: that lady in the ward made some pretty decent fudge the other night, I wonder if she still has some. . .
10 minute boil & stir = check.
Now pour hot stuff over butter and chocolate = check.
Mix with mixer for 5 minutes, can do, again how hard really?
OK holding the electric mixer for that long is intense! My delicate frame was not cut out for such manual labor!
Mixed = check.
Now what sense does it make to pour this crazy good smelling chocolate liquid into a pan without tasting it first?? Could it really be that hot still, I mean it's been 5 minutes. . .

The recipe says to let it cool in the fridge then cut up, it should also include this option: Grab a spoon and hover over it until your tongue/lips/finger stop burning and you can taste it again or until your husband comes home and asks what's for dinner. Either way, it was AMAZING!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU DeNea Sorry about cursing/hexing you earlier with the pot size thing, it was totally worth it!!

Cheap deco

I needed something to decorate the bathroom with so I bought a bag of bells and a bag of christmas light garland at the Dollar tree. I cut up the garland and sprinkled everything into these different sized jars, there's also some nature in there too. I like it!



Check out




for more thrifty decorating!

It's Christmas time!