Maddox

*I had thought I had already done this little post, but looking back I see that I have not.

Maddox turned one one January 6, 2008. He is such a big boy and still the best baby EVER. He is such a pleasure and boy are we happy he made his appearance when he did. We love every moment with him

I took him to the doctor for his appointment and he did really well. I am beginning to think my children really do like the doctor, it is weird.

Here are his stats...

• 19 pounds (10th percentile)
• 31.5 inches (80th percentile)

(a little side note the doctor told me after I brought the twins in after Maddox and the twins were both small in weight too and he said well your children are just all following the smaller weight curve so you are probably used to it. Little does he know Bennett's stats as a baby!)

Here is what he is doing...

• He loves to say, thank you, catch it, love you, baba, jj, ball, mamma, dada
• He constantly kisses and gives hugs (I love this)
• He always lets out this great big OHHHHHH (love this too)
• He is my snuggliest baby ever
• SO UNBELIEVABLY content
• Very quiet
• Has taken 7 steps
• Got his first real big boy haircut
• Loves his brothers and sisters and loves when they kiss him
• When he crys which is very inusual, he crys like his feelings are SO hurt, not mad or sad

*These pictures were taken before his big boy haircut

Mmmmmmm

I just love this age. The ripe ole age of two. I love all the things that they magically can say by themselves. I love all the things they need to do by them self. I love there little legs hanging off from the potty chair, I love it I love it I love itThis little guy has decided it is much more fun to gallop around the house opposed to running or walking. It melts my heart each and every time I see it. It is so cute. I also love the way his most favorite thing to say is catch it. I love that he will eat and so fast, you wonder what he did with it. I love that if he hears a beat of catches a tune he instantly starts to dance. I love that he loves to say awe mommy, I love you. It is scrumptious if you ask me.

a break for moms, or maybe not

So I was called to jury duty. At first I didn't even think anything about it, then I was getting a little concerned what to do about my "day job". I can't really call off or get someone to cover me. With three little ones it is hard to find someone to watch them and hard to even ask.

We finally at 6:00 in the morning found someone to watch the little ones while I went to court house. As I sat in the very front row listening to all the instructions and the judge give his two cents I kind of got excited about the whole thing. This morning when I left I was wishing I could get out of it, and by the first 15 minutes of our meeting I was wishing I could stay.

Well after a brief session they let us out for our first break. Sitting in the front row I heard all kinds of excuses from people wanting to get out of there. I understand that people have busy lives, jobs that need to be done and so forth, but come on every single one in that room I am sure had a great excuse to them, to get out of it. There would be noone there if they let everyone go who felt they deserved to leave.

Finally after the masses had gone back and taken their seats I was talking to the two ladies about all the people who think they are "special cases" and we were kind of laughing about it. One man said he has 4 men working under him for a lawn buisness, One lady said she doesn't understand English that well and then when they said that doesn't matter she then said she is on several medications, one lady said her dog gets really lonely while she is gone. I mean we heard it all.

As I was talking with these ladies asking what some of the funniest excuses they have ever heard were, she then says the only thing that gets you off, is if you are a stay at home mom with out a job outside of the home. There was my loop whole. I was exempt. I should have been so excited to get out of it, but I was kind of sad. They needed 167 out of 180 jurrors today, so I had a good chance of being able to state my beliefs. But somehow I knew by going home I was doing more for our city, our country, our state, our country, by being home teaching my children, training my children to be the best that they can be. I am so happy that the government gets that. Or at least they do when it comes to jury duty.

I am happy I am home with my kiddies now. I loved my welcome home even though I had only been gone for an hour and a half. This is where I belong. This is where I am loved and I am so happy I love doing it.

Do you think there is a chance I could still get my $10 a day? Oh and free lunches?

Fat Free Cinnamon Rolls

Ok I hope you realize the adjective above is a complete lie, but referring to them as fat free somehow makes me feel better.

Since I have gotten a few requests for this recipe I thought it would be easiest to post it here. Enjoy!


This recipe is Super easy. It makes a ton. And you are sure to Lo-ove them!

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls
These are the goods...


1 quart milk


1 cup vegtable oil


1 cup sugar


2 packets yeast


9 cups flour


1 teaspoon baking powder


1 teaspoon baking soda


1 Tablespoon salt


1 cup butter


1 cup sugar


cinnamon


pecans (optional)



Take a big pot and scald milk, vegetable oil and sugar. Once scalded turn off heat and let cool for one hour. Add two packets of yeast and ;et sit for a few minutes. Add eight cups of the flour and stir mixture and let sit for one hour. After the hour add one more cup of flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 Tablespoon salt. Mix well.



Flour surface and roll half the dough into a rectangle. Spread melted butter onto dough, sprinkle sugar onto dough and sprinkle cinnamon onto dough. You can add crushed pecans if you like nuts. Roll up and cut out 1 inch rolls and place into buttered cookie sheet or pie pan. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Bake at 400 degree and 15-18 minutes. Ice right away while warm.





Cream Cheese Frosting



8 ounces cream cheese


1/2 cup margarine


1 teaspoon vanilla


3 cups powdered sugar


1 Tablespoon mlk



Mix all ingredients till smooth.



The trick with this icing is to let the cream chesse sit out til room temperature. Whip that up first with whisk and then all other ingredients, this prevents lumpy frosting. Pour over cinnamon rolls right out of the oven.

Heart Day

I love Valentines day. SO much! It is such a fun little holiday. I especially love it because it is one of those holidays that are so much more relaxed. You really don't have to go all out and you don't have to stress out as much as other holidays, or maybe some of you do.

The past four years I have made a really fun dinner. Then Andy and I and the kids have a nice dinner at home. Partly because we have always been too poor to go out and partly becuase we didn't want to go out on Valentines Day and fight the rush.

Growing up we would always eat in the dining room. Which was a rare treat. This year we are going to do that too, if I can get my massive amounts of clean clothes off of the table. My mom would always place a fun chocolate on our plates and my dad would bring home flowers for my mom and one rose for me. It was always so fun. We have been keeping that tradition alive here as well. I even had a singing telegram come to the house last night, so maybe we are even starting our own traditions too!

I have the dinner all ready to go for tonight. I even have little gifts for the kids and Andy this year which is a first...again too poor in the past. I have an idea for the table scape and hope things go pretty well. While preparing for tonight I plan to do probably 7 loads of laundry, prepare for a little weekend getaway and mop some floors. Should be fun.

I feel so grateful for our little family at this time of year. And always really. I am so grateful for my "valentine". He truly is so great. I feel too lucky and for sure unworthy at times. He is such a great man.

Well it is time to get the kids out of there beds. I hear rounds of the Barney song interrupted by "mommy please" going on. It is time to ice some cookies. We have a big day a head of us!

Hope you all get to spend time with the ones that you love today.

On a little side note. My friend Christy has this amazing little girl, Eliza, that has just been put through way to much with stupid cancer...she could really use some prayers. Please pray for their family.

Snow Day

Last week we had a snow day. I am pretty sure I get just as excited about snow days as an adult as I did as a child. Andy was even off. We spent the whole day watching movies, playing outside, drinking hot chocolate and baking cooking. We made several loafs of bread, a supper yummy soup, some great quesadillas, a triple berry cobbler and a roast and cinnamon rolls, really delicous cinnamon rolls. We even managed to take some of our cinnamon rolls to family and neighbors. They were so delish, but we had over 100 of them so we had to share. Needless to say this day did not contribute to my quest to drop 20, but it was a fun day had by all, is it too much to ask to have a snow day everyday? Probably...oh, another thing we do on a snow day...get into mommy's makeup and color all over twins brothers face...lovely!

My girl

What a cute girl this is. Even though she has a lot of curl in her hair naturally I did some paper towel curls for her one night. She loves having her hair done. It took a while and she just sat there content while mommy made her so pretty. Gosh, I love having a girl!

now what...

This morning on my way to surprise Andy for lunch I fell out of the house. I had put all the kiddos in their car seats and came back in to grab my purse when I fell off the one stair out into the garage. I am such a dork. It hurt so bad. I cannot even begin to describe the pain. I layed there while hearing Cortland say, "uh-oh where'd mommy go?" So cute. I sprung up and got into the car. On the way to Andys office I realized I twisted my ankle pretty bad too and had to come home. So now it is midnight I have had my foot and knee propped all night and it still hurts. So now what? How do I take care of the three kiddos that will be home with me all day tomorrow you ask. I am not sure, but I will be sure to get to you on that.

Gratitude

Our beloved Prophet passed away a week ago tonight. I have to say my first thought was complete sadness. Selfishly I suppose. I couldn't bear to think of not hearing his words in the upcoming conference, or in the future. After thinking of his great and wonderful reunion with his wife and many more, I quickly became grateful. Grateful for the time he was on earth and grateful for the words and thoughts he has shared and grateful for a Prophet who lead the world.