Free Sample Fun

Jesse likes one of my random free samples that I got in the mail. Once I showed him it what it was for, he really liked the idea and went with it....




In case you are wondering, he's sleeping with one of those silky eye covers. I went into his room one night to see if he was actually sleeping with them on, and sure enough...he was! So cute and funny. Doesn't surprise me. He likes soft things, notice his pillow is covered with a fleece blanket. He loves the softness against his face and head. Gotta love my Jesse!

Like I said...there is a first time for EVERYTHING

....and hopefully a last, but in a house full of boys, I doubt it. At the end of a day of play outside, I rounded up Max and Jesse to bring them in for shower time. As I was showering them, I hear a boom on the window, however it sounded more like there was a crack to that boom. I look up and see that the bathroom window was cracked. So I stood up on the edge of the bathtub, hoping to see a neighbor child running away or something, but rather I see my own son Damien staring right back at me from outside with that look in his eyes like a "deer in headlights" or "oops I'm in trouble, sorry Mom." I finished up with Max and Jesse while Damien frantically ran inside apologizing over and over.

Here's the crime scene:



Pretty minor. I talked with him and I said, "Well, the window is broken, and it is going to have to be replaced." and he offered to pay for it from his mowing money. That was a good choice, and I didn't have to force him to do it. I think I handled it all pretty well. There are some parenting moments where I don't score very well, but I think this time I did.

A Day of Nourishment

Today was a good day. We have started a Conference weekend tradition, probably 3 years ago when we were able to watch conference from home, and that is to have a yummy breakfast, other than cold cereal, (which is VERY yummy mid week). We pick a day, and this year was Saturday morning, to have our special breakfast. We had french toast, strawberries, bacon, and eggs, all made by my wonderful hubby. We finish a whole bag of texas toast! Once we were nourished physically we sat and listened to conference via the internet to be nourished spiritually! Love the fact that we can do that and not go to the Stake center or my parent's (no offense) it's just so much easier especially with kids. Then once conference ended we mobilized and set to work, but first, we went to Home Depot to buy some manure and a whole lot of it! We are trying to grow grass right in from of our garage for two years now and the neighbor came over and said, try manure. So we did at .85 cents a bag!! Sweet! or rather stinky! We even found some flowers on sale for .99 cents, so we got some of those, ripped out the old (they amazingly lasted a year). 5 bags of poo later, we had new flowers and hopefully a promise of grass.

Came inside, and WASHED THOUROUGHLY! Watched the second half of conference, two hours later, we headed out to the backyard to complete all the phases of my/our garden. This is the most work and study I have EVER put into a garden, so I hope it pays off. We put some more garden soil in there that was also on sale (have to mention that) and more manure. Made my grid, every plant has it's own square. The boys helped me plant the seeds and water afterwards. Without further adeiu, here's our day in pics. Oh and the boys were boys and found some worms to play with. They affectionately call them wormy, and I think I heard them giving their little family of worms different names too as they were releasing them back into the soil. They did learn on Wild Kratz that worms need the moist soil to survive!












In our garden we planted cherry and roma tomatoes, basil, cilanto, radishes, cantaloupe, cucumbers, jalapenos, pumpkins, and watermelon. Hope we get something!


Love my life, and taking care of our home with my family!

D&M Roofing and more

Our patio roof is/has been leaking so we decided that we needed to fix it now that the leaking was starting to affect the inside of the house by the sliding glass door. Seeing that we aren't roofers, we set out to do it ourselves. Yikes! So we went to the store with the motto, "If you can do it, we can help" boy do we need a lot of help! We walked up and down the roofing isle looking for some instructions or a product that spelled out HOW to fix our problem. Well, that didn't happen, so thankfully there were three men in orange aprons standing there that seemed to know what they were talking about when we explained our problem. Glad we asked, cause we were about to carry out rolls of shingles. Instead we got some tar and flashing to hopefully keep the water from seeping down where the patio meets the house. We sent our fearless leader Mike, and his not crippled accomplice Damien, up the ladder, on to the roof to become certified roofers in one hour, while I stood by offering advise. Now lets hope this works! Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. They aren't probably the best, but it's proof.





We've been doing a lot around here. Our ice maker is successfully producing ice after a period of uncertainty. (Thank you Hubby)

I am actively researching and planning our summer garden. I am using my Square Foot Gardening book that I checked out from the library as my guide. I'm hoping for something new this year, and at least one of my new trials to work out. New this year, vertical gardening; with cantaloupes, watermelon, pumpkin, and cucumbers. Since I have a small space and want to grow viney crops, there's not a lot of room in the box, so they must go up! At least that's what the book says, so we'll see. We have the frame up, now I just need to add the netting in the middle for the vines to weave through.



Success's last year and back again this year: tomatoes Roma and cherry, cilantro and basil.

New: carrots, radishes

Going to get right: Jalapenos!

Big undertaking for 2011: Bathroom Remodel! Everything will go, except the ceiling, tub and toilet. Double yikes!

There's a First time for Everything

Wednesday the 9th, Damien went to wrestling practice and was doing a wrestling move with a partner and when he was turning, he put his hand down behind him, and his full weight came down on his hand. He was in pain! I picked him up and the coach informed me of what happened and told me to have him ice it. We iced it, and well, ice is COLD, and no fun. So, I got out some medical tape and popcicle sticks and put a splint on it, and off we went to Scouts. Took him back to his Dad's later that night, got a second opinion, and in the morning they were off to the Urgent Care. That day there was lunch with the Principal that Damien earned from a recent fundraiser. Well, the Principal heared that Damien wasn't at school and he hurt his hand at wrestling practice. Upon hearing this, she immediatly got on the phone and called me. She asked me about what happened, and told me how worried she was about her "favorite student". She said that Damien was the oldest one going of the group and was to be her helper serving Taco Bell lunch to the younger kids like he has in the past. She expressed how much she enjoys Damien, that he is a good kid and she will take him to Taco Bell at a later date. I expressed my concern about the upcoming teen years and she said, "Take each day one at a time, and not to worry, Damien has good judgement." Oh lets hope it stays that way. It felt so good as a Mom to hear the Principal saying so many good things about your child, and then to take the time to call, that was awesome. So, all the while I am talking to her, Damien and his Dad are at the Urgent Care and I have no idea how things are going. When he finally calls me, I was told that he had indeed fractured his hand. His knuckles, particularly the pinky and ring finger of his left hand were very swollen. (He was sad that it wasn't his right hand. He still has to do his school work, no excuses). However, no physical activity. Yeah right! Well, at least at school. They put him in a cast/splint with an ace bandage around it, awaiting him to see a specialist at Children's. Monday we got the call to come, and Damien was advised not to eat or drink, just in case he needed surgery. Well, he was at school so we had to call him and let him know these instructions. While hearing this on the phone in the classroom, Damien's little heart starting pounding and he felt sick. So he went to the office, got a pep talk by the Principal, and called me. I knew he would not be able to focus, so I went in got him. Usually I insist on him being at school, but I knew this time I couldn't. The thought and sight of food was too much for this 12 year old boy. So he stayed in his room and watched a movie til it was time to leave. We dropped off his brothers at Grandma's and we were off. Damien wanted to hurry up and get it over with. I voted no surgery and so did his Dad. Once the Orthopedic Specialist Dr. reviewed his X-ray, he determined that Damien only needed a cast, and it would be on for 3 weeks, just long enough to heal, and so his fingers didn't get too stiff. Since he is an active boy, they suggest a cast, now for someone less active and not prone to reinjuring it, they would but a smaller support on it. He chose black for his cast (he doesn't want anyone to write on it). Once the doctor left the room, he asked for a fruit snack. He was STARVING! We also had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich waiting for him in the car, that he couldn't wait to eat. So the real fun has begun of keeping it dry while in the shower, and how to sleep at night. He has expressed frustration of only having one hand, who wouldn't? I'm thankful for doctors and insurance that can help me take care of my family. All I really know how to take care of is the 24 hour bug, coughs, runny noses, and scraps that need bandaids. To really prove that, I thought he was going to get better, so I still went out and got him wrestling shoes right after the accident. I know, lame! I tortured everyone. Max and Jesse were NOT wanting to be there, needless to say, his wrestling season is over, and I returned the shoes. At least he was able to do basketball. This is his first sports injury and I'm sure not the last, and my first kiddo in a cast, and I am SURE not the last since I have 3 boys. Surprised it took this long for someone to break something. Here are pictures of him with his acebandage/splint and the other is him with his cast.

Here's Max.....Here's Jesse

For a while now, every night before shower time, Max and Jesse are usually busy in their room getting their clothes out that they will wear to bed (yes my kids don't wear pajamas to bed, not even sweats, we've tried. They insist on wearing their not so comfy clothes to bed).

Lets just say they have a unique way of setting their clothes out. It's such a habit, that since Max was already asleep last night, Jesse laid out Max's clothes. When Max woke up in the morning, he went right over to his clothes conviently ready for him, and got dressed. He was happy that Jesse did that for him.

Let me explain...this is Max. Or his "profile" on the floor (minus underwear, maybe Jesse forgot, no worries, Max DID wear underwear today).


Here is Jesse...complete with his underwear :)


When I was younger I would set my clothes out for the next day, over my chair in my room. But this takes it all to the next level....

Santa in March