Is this because I'm old now?

I just got this in an email from my sister. I had to post it, because it is too true. LOL!

Attitude of Gratitude

I just wanted to share an experience I had yesterday. I was having a frustrating morning and feeling very disheartened. So I had the babies kneel down with me and we had a prayer. Then as I continued through the morning I said out loud everything I am grateful for.

"I'm grateful for electricity.
I'm grateful for diaper wipes.
I'm grateful for living in AZ (it was a balmy 65 degrees yesterday).
I'm grateful for sexy black pumps, lipstick, and blowdryers.
I'm grateful for dryer sheets, and washers and dryers.
I'm grateful for running cars and working appliances.
I'm grateful for shoes, and clothes, and food.
I'm grateful for wonderful kids who make good choices.
I'm grateful for my babies.
I'm grateful for the gospel and our knowldege of it.
I'm grateful for a worthy husband who works hard for us.
I'm grateful for the atonement and our Savior Jesus Christ.
I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows each of us and loves us.
I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost.
I'm grateful for prayer and baptism.
I'm grateful for chocolate.
I'm grateful for my family..."

I continued to try to count all my blessings, big and small, and name them aloud. (It was probably a good thing only the babies were around to hear me, because it might have sounded a little nutty.) Soon that attitude of gratitude was overcoming the feelings of depression and despair. I was looking at all the positive things in my life and not dwelling on the difficulties. We are truly blessed.

I'm also grateful for you and your friendship. I love you. Thanks for the kind birthday wishes. I really had a wonderful day.

"Be Grateful.
Be Smart.
Be Clean.
Be True.
Be Humble.
Be Prayerful."
- President Gordon B. Hinkley

It's My Party! Happy Birthday to Me!

Little Me

The Host by Stephenie Meyer and My Kids

Halloween 2007

I was just sitting in the family room trying to read The Host, since I felt I could take an hour for myself before I started dinner. Here's how it goes:

I watched Jared's face from the corner of my eye. What this man was doing clearly upset
Mommy will you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
him, and I thought I knew why - Will you make it now!?! I am hungry. Yes, honey, I'll get you one in just a minute.
how he must have hated that slender pink line on my neck.
Momentary pause while I make a pb&j...

Jared frowned, but I was surprised that some of the anger had drained from his expression. His eyebrows pulled
Mommy, will you make me one too? Pause while I make another. And get drinks to be sure that I'm not disturbed again.
His eyebrows pulled together. It made him look confused.

The tall man dropped his hands and stepped away from me. Get your clothes back on! Grandma is coming for dinner! His lips were pursed, his eyes alighted with some challenge.

"She looks healthy enough."

Mommy can I watch IronMan on my T.V.?

Have you heard this poem? No.

Listen! The eletelephony...

Mommy, I want to buy an Ironman book!

The tall man dropped his hands and stepped away from Mommy, Mommy, Mommy me. His lips were pursed, his eyes alight with some challenge. Moooooommmmmm!

"She looks healthy enough....

I won't bore you with the rest of the page. But it's no wonder that I read in the bath and stay up 'til 2 in the morning just to have some peace and Mommy may I put the spaghetti in the water now, Mommy! May I put the spaghetti in the water!?!
quiet.

Come and enjoy the peace of

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Random Nonsense

It's true. I love comments. But I don't want to be obsessed by them. Yet I am. However I don't want to take the option off altogether - like for every post. So I'm going to TRY to remember and take them off each post. Really, it's me, not you.



I'm peeing blood. Which means my kidney stones are acting up. Always fun.



The Princess stayed home sick today. I haven't seen any evidence of illness yet, but at 6:30 in the morning I was more than ready to buy her story.



We didn't get any mail today. Not even one piece of junk mail. Mike, the mailman, appologized to me for not having anything good for me.



My birthday is on Monday. I like to celebrate for a week at least. I think I'll make myself a cake for dinner tonight and start off a long weekend of celebrating. I may even wrap my birthday presents today!



Last night we crocheted flowers atYoung Women's with the Beehives. It went really well! They all finished their projects and left with a pretty flower (to sew on a purse or glue on a barrette) and the ability to chain and single crochet. Fun! (I took my camera and meant to take pictures, but the whole evening was consumed with helping girls.

It feels like Monday to me.

There is a strange dinosaur show on Discovery Kids called Dinosapien. It reminds me of Land of The Lost. Remember that from Saturday Mornings? (If you are too young, here's Wikipedia's description:

Land of the Lost (1974–1976) is a children's television series
created and produced by Sid and Marty
Krofft. Land of the Lost details the adventures of a family of three (father
Rick Marshall, son Will — around 18 yrs old — and younger daughter Holly-around
12 years old) who are trapped in an alien world inhabited by dinosaurs, chimpanzee-like cavemen
called Pakuni, and aggressive, humanoid/lizard creatures called Sleestak that
have a mix of insectoid and reptilian characteristics. The episode plots focus
on the family's efforts to survive and find a way back to their own world, but
the exploration of the exotic features of the Land of the Lost are also an
ongoing part of the story.

Weenie is still in the works...

but in the meantime I've been making some darling little felt pincushions with the flower pattern that I got from Yoonie's blog.

Breaking my comment addiction...

Well, I'm going to try. I've been considering it for a long time, and I've decided that this is the time. I'm going to take off the comment option. My sister has recently tried it, and although I'm tempted (as I read her blog) to comment every time, and I still look for the option...I'm always kind of glad it's not there, because my little remark about "good for you" or "that's so cute" or "Amen Sista!" is usually unnecessary. Plus, I've been a lame blogger lately. My definition of lame blogger is: not posting, not visiting friends, and not replying. Which is exactly what I've been doing (or not doing) since Christmas. So that makes this the perfect time to dump comments. That way, if you come visit, you can read my rambling story, or see my cute craft, or look at my cute kids, and not feel obligated to say "hahaha, you are too funny, that is soooo cute, and oh my gosh, they are darling!". Most importantly, I won't be tempted to check my email 57 times throughout the day to see if you've come by to say that! Because honestly, I absolutely LIVE for comments, and it's time to break my addiction. However, I'm hoping that this will make me want to post more often, because I won't care if there are 2 comments or 27. Of course, you can always comment to me elsewhere, or email me at lotsostuff at hotmail.

I think we'll all like it. You won't feel obligated to pay me homage. I'm hoping to go back to more of a personal journal, and hopefully I'll have tome to visit friends more.

I was thinking this Christmas, when I received more Christmas cards from blog friends, than real life friends, that I need to put more time into my real life friendships and other relationships, and spend less time on the computer. (I'm also hoping that my hubby won't read this, because then he'll act like I have to follow through on that, and be irritated when it doesn't happen. LOL!)

Anyway, Let's give it a shot and see what happens. HUGS!

Cupcake Crazy

I just couldn't resist. When I was sewing up my little cupcake purse, I looked on etsy for some embellishment inspiration. I found this:



And just had to give it a try. Here's my version. I'm still debating on the sprinkles. I may sew some on...




But actually I'm ready to move on, because last night I dreamed that I was making these! No lie. I am in LOVE with these. I want to start tomorrow!




The beauty of it is that I found crochet patterns free on some web sites, that will be very easy to adapt! Woohoo!




*Edit ** Oops. At 2 am, I forgot to give credit to my pattern source for the cupcake purse (I used this as the basis and adjusted it a bit, added some, and left out some.) The cherry pattern is here.

Now, GO create something!

Trading Places

Yesterday, I was telling DH how odd it was that the Princess and her friend like to change places. After church they beg to go home with the other family. Strange. I would never in a million years have done that. It was bad enough going to someone else's house. Except for a couple of best friends through the years, I was alway so shy that it was almost painful to have to be anywhere but home. Eating at someone else's house was pretty much torture. Iwas extremely picky and taking a chance on another Mom's cooking was terrifying. Once I was served liver. Another time it was huge, ugly, grey bratwurst! Ugh. Good grief, even after I was married and went to the in-laws I had to be polite and pick around gizzards in stuffing, and parts in a piece of brown meat chicken. Painful, I'm telling you. So, I am always shocked when these girls beg to go home with the other family....without even the friend to make it super fun. I just can't see the excitement in it. Playing with the brothers can't be all that much fun IMO. Poor little substitute princess, has been extremely good about eating whatever was served, but I always make sure to tell her that she doesn't have to eat it. I wish someone had done that for me a few times.

What about you? Did you ever switch families with a friend? Am I the only one who hated to eat at anyone else's house?

Cupcakes, Watercolor, and Chicken Pot Pie

I think my word for 2009 was a perfect choice! I've never had a "resolution" that I've enjoyed so much and it's only been a week!!


(Thank you Janna for making my lovely reminder! You are the Queen of Creating! and an awesome friend!)

The other day Melissa mentioned that her sister had made a cupcake purse for her daughter's Christmas gift. I had to have one! She hooked me up with her amazingly talented Real Life friend Bridget, who has a tutorial on her blog. So, yesterday I made this cute confection for Bitt-E's birthday, especially to match her cupcake pinafore.

Oh yes, I have visions of more cupcakes in my future! I fully plan to perfect my technique - with a cherry on top!

Today I started teaching Watercolor lessons in exchange for piano lessons! Saaaaweetttt! I'm trading with my fabulous friend and neighbor, and of course all of my kids got to sit in on the Watercolor lesson too! Really a fun way to spend the afternoon - Creating Artists!!

Monday I made chicken pot pie, and since I don't usually do the pretty biscuit topping (I prefer a pie crust, but it just wasn't happening) I just had to take a picture to post with the reicpe on supercoolmomsrecipes.

Today I get to cap off this fun week by teaching Art in DD's class! We're making SNOWFLAKES! It's always nice to celebrate winter, even if we don't get to truly participate.

Oh yes, this is going to be a fun year!

No one knows how to create like the people at

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek
Join in!

There's nothing like having a secret admirer!

I've been feeling very Valentines-y, now that Christmas is over. I took down the Christmas decorations and went straight to Valentine's Day. Time to display the cute little felt sugar cookies that I obsessed over making last year!




Since I'm thinking about Valentine's Day, and since My little Princess came home today absolutely glowing because she has a secret admirer, I thought I'd repost a Memory Lane Monday - My Best Valentine's Day EVER!


The princess is in 4th grade. At her Back-to-Basics school, all parties are on Fridays. So, last Friday (remember, this is a repost - so this was last year) was their Valentine's Day party. As she was getting ready for school, I remembered my favorite Valentine's day and had to tell her the story. Today, I share it with you.

3rd Grade. 1974. I was in Mrs. Neilsen's class (she was in my ward at church) and I was teacher's pet, because I was quiet (always daydreaming), sweet, and smart. My best friend was Serena. I had a crush on Danny Arrendondo (he had dimples, curly hair, and had kissed me on the cheek during a movie in 1st grade, and I was still hoping for a repeat).

On Valentine's Day I took my brown paper grocery bag of Valentines and my plate of homemade sugar cookies (hearts with pink frosting, no sprinkles) to pass out at the party, and innocently made my way across the street to my Elementary School, little knowing that it would be a day of romance unequaled in the 33 years since.

Craving Sugar Cookies Now? Go check out my recipe blog supercoolmomsrecipes.blogspot.com

In the 3rd grade there were 4 classes. Since it was the 7o's our classes were arranged in "Pods" where all four 3rd grade classes were open to each other and separated by book shelves, but we would meet in the middle after lunch to have a joint read-aloud book, etc. One of my best friends was Denise Vargas (cousin of Ralph Chandos, bane of my existence - who called me names in Kindergarten, cut himself on my gold bracelet while trying to pry it off my arm later that year, and broke his lunch sack over my head in first grade). Of course, we only gave Valentine's to the kids in our own class. So as we opened our cards, I was surprised that Denise had given me two! Then I noticed that one was signed, not Denise, but Dennis. I asked her if it was from her (spelling error?) But no, she had no knowledge of the extra valentine that was placed in my decorated kleenex box. There was no Dennis in Mrs. Neilsen's class. Soon the girls were a-buzz with the mystery of my secret admirer. We decided it must be from Dennis, in another class! An Unheard of event at my Elementary School! What a brazen boy to venture past the invisible classroom dividing line to secretly place a valentine in my box!?!

I sent Denise and Serena to confront him on it. Did he put a Valentine card in Supercool Hotmama's box? Yep. He did. And what's more....he wanted me to meet him outside the classroom after school. In those precious stolen moments outside the classroom, he asked me if he could come to my house, and if I would listen for "our song" on my transistor radio - "Don't go changin' to try and please me, I like you just the way you are". Walking on air, I raced home to tell my Mom that I was expecting a gentleman caller. I'm sure I said something like, "A boy named Dennis who is not in my class put a Valentine in my box and I thought it was from Denise but she spells her name D-e-n-i-s-e and it was spelled D-e-n-n-i-s and he is going to come over to our house to see me."

He actually came over. His purpose - He was going to become a Magician, and he wanted me to be his Magician's Assistant! The highest compliment that I could think of! How beautiful I must have been (I thought), for him, Dennis, to actually want ME, to be his Magician's Assistant!?! I could just picture myself in pumps and black fishnet stockings, a satin-y red out fit and maybe with elbow length gloves, holding his top hat while he pulled a rabbit out of it. When he left, after about a half hour of planning, I rushed in to tell my Mom about my new career, and the details about my ambitious admirer.

That was the end of the romance. He planned to come back when he knew more magic so we could practice, but he may have changed career paths or something. We went our own separate ways after our brief encounter. I often think of him when I hear "Our Song".

But still, an unparalelled Valentine's Day!

I can tell you, there is NOTHING like having a secret admirer!

Want to read more Wordful Wednesday Posts? Go see Angie's 7 Clown Circus

I've got that crafting itch...

I am so glad that all my Christmas gifts are done. Well, as of New Year's Eve. I spent my entire New Years Eve watching movies with DH and the Kids, while I made earrings for my sister-gifts. Only a week late! But now that they are off my plate, I can do some little projects that I've been dying to get to.

I first saw these little spool dollies at Onehm's. I've been wanting to make them for months! At first I thought I might get them done for Christmas stockings, but that just didn't happen this year. Then I went to look for ideas over at Etsy. I love the faces that Erica Daley does. (I love all the cute little embelishments that Onehm and Holly did, but since BittE is still putting things into her mouth, I didn't want tiny parts to be choking hazards. So, this is my version. BittE's birthday is in Feb, so she's getting a little set of dollies. I may have to make her a little house to go with them like this one I saw on Etsy last night.

I made her a little spice box out of an empty pepper can while I had the Modge Podge out. She knew exactly what it was for, and wouldn't put her tiny salt and pepper shakers down all day. I found them at Goodwill yesterday. They're just an inch and 1/2 high and they are so cute!

My little craft today was to finish these little bead elves. I started the heads last night while I was painting the doll heads. I saw them over at Kacey's blog where she'd posted them on her wish list of things to do. She found the idea here at Parent's Magazine. Luckily I already had all the stuff in my box of Goodwill crafty goodness. They probably cost me less than a dollar to make since my materials were all awesome bargains! I also got the heads for the spool dollies at Goodwill (69 cents baby!) The spools were from JoAnn's though and cost about $4.00.

Now I only have about 20 more little projects left on my list of Crafts I Want to Do! Maybe my word for 2009 will be CREATE.

200 posts and Once A Month Cooking

The other day I mentioned doing meal prepation ahead of time. I replied to Lauren's comment with an entire blogpost. So I thought I'd better post it:

I would like to be better about doing the meal prep ahead. I always try to cook up my hamburger in advance and bag it up in meal portions for spaghetti, enchiladas, tacos, etc. But then I got a book called Once a Month Cooking by some chick and MaryBeth Lagerborg (I've loaned it to a friend). They take it to two week or one month menus (I have never done a whole month), shopping lists, and preparation. I've taken several of their good recipes (on my recipe blog supercoolmomsrecipes.blogspot.com) that we like and try to prep to the ready to freeze stage.

I love it when I do it! I took one of those 3 lb bags of chicken and prepared 3 meals from it (chicken pasta soup, chicken packets, and filling for chicken pot pie) while I was doing that (browning and boiling the chicken breasts), I browned 3 lbs of hamburger (for spaghetti, meat pies, and enchiladas), then I used the chicken water and tossed in some carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes (to make potato soup). I also used the same carrots, celery, & onions for the chicken soup, chicken pot pie, and meat pies. All while watching 4 episodes of Project Runway!

I worked from about 9 pm to 1 am. But it was so fabulous to come home the next day and simply warm up potato soup. The next night we did chicken packets (I thawed the chicken mixture, slapped it in the middle of a roll of refrigerator croissants (made into a slab), then made it pretty and criss-crossed flaps over. Baked it and we had dinner done in about 20 minutes. Last night I thawed my meat pie mixture, while prebaking some pie crusts, then tossed my meat/potato mixute in and baked it for another 12 minutes - Wahlah! Meat pies in about 25 minutes!

And NOW for a fabulous, fun announcement! I just noticed that

my last post was my 200th!!!

So, I'm sending a little sumpin'-sumpin' to the three ladies who commented on it! Remember, you can't win if you don't play/comment :)

Michelle in CA, Melissa (Are You Serious), and Jules you have just won some fabulous tidbit from the studio of Janie, that I haven't made yet, but email me your address and I'll send it in the next month or so (being realistic here)!!! You are all WINNERS! I LOVE Comments!

My supercute little graphic up there is courtesy of my recipe blog - fabulous cuteness all by my awesome friend Janna Billman!!! She did this Blog design too!