Target

Like many of you, my favorite store is Target. I have some exciting news. Target has just come out with a Dwell Studio line of furniture, bedding, and accessories for a fraction of the cost. This line is for nursery items. If only they would add a line for home.

Target has also started selling Parent Inventors products. Items like Patemm Pads, Diapees + Wipees and Hotslings can now be found in your local Target Store. How cool. Can I just say for the umpteenth time in my life, I love Target!

*Speaking of parent inventors. Jody and I have teamed up with another couple and are working towards hopefully having our very own product on the shelves of Target in the near future. Well maybe not so near. But you never know, right? It's still in the works. We have made some definite progress lately. My husband is a go getter. I hope to be able to share our product with you all in the next month or so.

A Prophet for Our Day

President Hinckley passed away this evening. It saddens me that most of the world doesn't know who he was and what he accomplished in his 97 years. My feelings are mixed. I felt especially connected to him as our prophet because he was the prophet when I was gaining my own testimony of the gospel. I am sad that I won't hear him speak again but know that he is so very happy to be with his wife.

I'm sure most of you remember the conversation he had with Larry King a few years ago. Some of the topics they discussed especially comfort me at this time.

KING: You lost your wife this year after ...
HINCKLEY: Yes, I did. It was a terrible loss.
KING: How do you - how do you recover from - you were married, what, 67 years.
HINCKLEY: Sixty-seven years. Yes. Feel pretty lonely at times.
KING: How do you get over that, because you've become part of each other, right. You finish each other's sentences.
HINCKLEY: Absolutely. Well, you never get over it. Of course you don't.But the best thing you can do is just keep busy, keep working hard, so you're not dwelling on it all the time. Work is the best antidote for sorrow.
KING: She lived a long life, though.
HINCKLEY: She did. Ninety-two.
KING: She died peacefully?
HINCKLEY: Peacefully and wonderfully. But I miss her so much. She was a great lady

Later in the conversation he spoke of death:

KING: What happens when you die?
HINCKLEY: When you die? Well, I'm not fully conversant with that. I haven't passed through that yet.
KING: Well, call me. Knowing you, I'll be there and I'll call you.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: But you do believe that something happens.
HINCKLEY: Oh, of course we do. But we believe that death is a part of an eternal journey, that we lived as spirit children of our father before we came into this life.That we're here in mortality as a part of an eternal living, and that we will go on living after this life, purposefully. And that through the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ, men will be resurrected. There will come a time of resurrection.And those who walk in obedience may go on to exaltation.

I know that he is with his beloved wife again and I feel that he was more than ready. What a wonderful man. I learned so much from him. Every time I listened to him speak, my testimony was strengthened. I will miss his humor and his squeaky voice. His words comforted me in trials. He was humble, witty and loyal. Everything a true prophet should be.

Obsessed

I'm becoming a cupcake snob. I had some delicious cupcakes at this bakery in Emeryville during the holidays (next time I go I want to try the pink velvet with cream cheese frosting). I couldn't get them off of my mind. So I searched and searched for a similar recipe and think I found one! It is from Billy's Bakery in NYC. The key ingredient is Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. You can find it at Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table. It's pricey but totally worth it. Sometimes I am amazed at how much I can spend on food. I've only made them one time because I can't think of a reason to make them again and don't want to eat 30 cupcakes alone. Thank goodness Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

I am having a baby shower for a friend at the end of February. Any cute ideas out there?

Pics

The Fish Factory!

Crazy Hair!

latest

What we've been up to:

Drove to Oakland Temple last Saturday and met my dear friend Melissa and her family for lunch. They came to our house Wednesday night for dinner. I love seeing her. I told her that I feel like we are "real" friends again. Not that we haven't always been friends but now we are actually talking and seeing each other regularly. Love her!

Started watching my friends two kids three times a week. Actually went really well.

Went to McKinleyville for the weekend to spend it with some of my two favorite people Granny and Gramps or as Ammon likes to call them, Granny Goose and Grandpa Chuck.

Met an Apostle. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf. What an amazing experience. A true Apostle of the Lord. Ammon wanted to meet "the guy in the blue tie." My dad introduced them and he bent down to Ammon's level and had a cute conversation with Ammon. SO cool.

Taking the kids to the fish hatchery. Cohen calls it the fish factory. Then Gram and I drove back home on West End Road reminiscing of the old days. Like riding our bikes from Rona's house to Gram's and then sneaking in and scaring her and Gramps. We drove by their old house and I didn't even recognize it. It looked horrible and made me so sad. I had the best childhood and so many of those memories were in that home.

And of course just being back in my parents home and enjoying the weekend with them.

I'll post pics when I get home tonight.

Ah, the gym

Jody got me a membership to the gym a few days ago and yesterday was my first day back. I haven't worked out for at least a year and a half and even then it was hit and miss. I miss my old McKinleyville HealthSport. It was free, because I was still on my parents family pass and it was small but perfect for what I wanted to do and I didn't have to battle a few hundred people to get a turn on the treadmill. I actually went to try the gym out on Tuesday night but after ten minutes of trying to find a parking spot (no I was not being my usual, have to find the closest parking spot, self) , then waiting 5 minutes to check in only to find that I needed my driver's license to "protect my membership", I decided to just look around get myself acquainted and head to a Young Women's activity.

Yesterday was my first day back. It brought back so many memories of going to Gold's Gym in Provo. I hate how they cram as many cardio machines as possible into one room and of course the treadmills are at the front. So as I manage to barely run through 15 minutes of cardio everyone behind me is seeing my saggy butt that is jiggling all over the place! It's horrible to feel your legs and butt shake with each movement knowing that other's can see it. Meanwhile Martha Stewart was on the television baking some delicious oatmeal cookies. Isn't that just wrong to watch at the gym? I wish I had a workout partner.

The experience wasn't all bad. I enjoyed getting out without kids and feeling like I'm doing something for myself that will make me feel better in the long run.

Jody is still going strong on his diet. But he is having major cravings especially for chicken alfredo pizza, cheese and bread. He's already lost ten very visible pounds and looks great but he wants to loss ten more!

I keep forgetting to tell this hilarious story about Jody. A few weeks ago he was leaving a doctor's office and couldn't find his keys. He finally went out to his car to find that he had left them in the car with it running! Who does that? He had been in the office for 45 minutes! He must get it from his mom who was parking her car in her driveway the other day and sporadically pushed the gas pedal sending her minivan into a tree. Just teasing you Cindy. I'm just glad no one was hurt.

on a roll

Wow this is my fourth post this week! I am so proud of myself.

Ammon came home from staying an extra week at my parents house today. I missed him so much. I keep hugging and kissing him but he doesn't seem to feel the same way. So sad. He has accidentally called me Grandma a few times. "Grandma, I mean mommy, can I have something to eat?" I think he was more excited to see our new car and his brother than anything else.

Jody has started this crazy new diet today. It's called a detox diet. I as well as my family think he is insane. He could maybe lose five pounds, if that and so he is going on a diet of drinking a liquid containing maple syrup/lemon juice/Cayenne pepper/water for 14 days! He also has to drink a laxative herbal tea each morning and drink salt water. I think it's crazy. I couldn't go with out chewing something in my mouth for more than a day. In the meantime I cooked dinner and baked cookies tonight for me and the boys. I don't know how he has such willpower.

Next week I begin watching my friends kids three days a week. They are both the same age as my kids and the two older kids (Ammon and Max) will be in school half the day. So I don't think it will be bad. I stay home almost every day anyway and I will make enough money to make it worth it.

You know you're a mommy when.....

You trade your SUV in for a minivan. I have been wanting a Honda Odyssey since before we bought our Yukon. But for Jody's sake we got a Yukon instead. Don't get me wrong I wanted it as well but knew that a minivan would be much more practical for me. Plus when we bought the minivan we weren't planning on having our third child so soon. Well three kids in carseats later, we've bought our first minivan. I must say it is wonderful and so much more easy to get kids in and out of it. When we have teenagers I assume we will get an SUV again but until then I will be a minivan momma!

Oh and yes another white car. That's three in a row. I don't mind white but would have preferred a different color this time. Oh well the white one had the features we wanted on it. I am a very sentimental person and even gave the Yukon a kiss when I said goodbye. It was a bittersweet departure. It seems like all I see on the road now are Yukon's, I get a little said each time I pass one. Here's to a long, happy life Yukon. Cheers!

Ammon's "concert"

Per Heidi's request. I started taping half way through. Ammon is very into his "concerts" lately. I talked to him on the phone yesterday and he told me he's been watching Hairspray and loves to sing and dance with it. What a surprise!

The video's a little dark. Cohen and Izzy were doing their best to be a part of the show.

The Holidays

A wonderful lunch with Melissa and Savy.

Dinner at my house with our family.

Ammon "performing" for us on Christmas Eve.

Ammon and Cohen got a jeep from Santa Claus. The first thing Ammon said when he saw it, "Can I keep it forever?"

We tried to get a picture of all the kids together in their pj's, this is the best we could do.

Mommy Maddy.

Madison and Ammon had a blast riding the jeep around.

The holidays are over. I hate it! We had a great time with our family in Humboldt but missed Kasey and Matt. It rained everyday which left nothing to do except go to the mall. On Christmas Eve we had a Mexican dinner of chimichanga's, rice and beans. After dinner Ammon serenaded us with a few songs as Izzy and Cohen tried to join in. We then read in Luke about the birth of the Savior, sang some Christmas songs and had a white elephant gift exchange. Santa (my dad) gave the kids a phone call and Ammon couldn't wait to get to sleep so that Santa could come bring him his presents. Before he went to bed we left Santa a letter and a plate of food. He was so excited. I'm surprised he was able to fall asleep. Later that night we watched old Christmas videos. They are priceless. My siblings and I used to have a Christmas Eve performance with our cousins. They are hilarious to watch. We would sing songs, attempt to play the piano, and recite poems for all of the adults.

Ammon woke us up around 7 in the morning to open presents. His little heart was beating so fast when he jumped in our bed. The boys ran down stairs and found their stockings and presents waiting for them. We had a wonderful time watching them open presents. I love having kids this age. I will be so sad when they learn the truth about Santa!

I did a horrible job of taking pictures. Poor Jody isn't in a single one and I didn't get one of Rylee in her Christmas dress! I will have to take a makeup one.

I was sad to see Lindsey and her family leave today. I loved having her around for three whole weeks. Izzy and Cohen became best friends. Ammon stayed the week with my parents. Even though he's the easiest of the three kids I feel like we are on vacation with just the two.

Hope you all had wonderful Holidays! New Year's resolution numero uno: do better at updating my blog.