You want my face on your wall?

Guess what? 

Halloween is on Monday. Tuesday is November 1, and then it's time to get serious. I've been in training for Thanksgiving for about 6 weeks now; hitting the gym 6 days a week and doing some serious water drinking to stretch the stomach and all. I don't mess around. I bought Christmas pajamas for my boys today, matching ones. They are adorable if I do say so myself. I'm not going to tell you how many shopping days are left until Christmas because I don't know. I do know that it's time to pick out holiday cards, oh yes it is. 

Now, last year I hooked up with Shutterfly for our cards. I've hooked up with them every year actually. We're involved. They gave me 50 free ones to talk about it, and they're doing it again. I like that. Except I only need about 50 more to call it good. What? I'm popular, VERY popular. I personally am a fan of photo Christmas cards because seriously, what is the point of a Christmas card with no picture? Glad tidings? Whatever. An entire wall in my kitchen was covered with the Christmas cards of our family and friends and it gave me a little thrill every time I walked past. Seriously. I love Christmas cards. 

This was our card last year:

Look at us, we snowboard! But where did these grownups come from and where are my real children? Where am I? Paul? Is this a joke? Oh wait, not us. Picture instead my attractive family with a baby in a bear suit and another in a faux fur hood because that happened. Oh, it was this photo:

Mayhaps you received one. Mayhaps you'll get another this year. Send me your address. I lost it, guaranteed. Anyway, here's the part where I tell you to buy your cards at Shutterfly. But really you should because they have great stuff and quite regularly send out promo codes all the time to customers for stuff like 50 free prints and free photo books and the like. I've got at least 3 photo books and 200 prints laying around that I got for free because you know, TREAT YO SELF.

The holidays, they're coming.

I can't wait.

I ALMOST FORGOT! The first 3 people to comment on this very persuasive post get 25 free cards from Shutterfly. Look at me making it rain with tidings of great joy. You are welcome world. 

P-Town Represent

Back in September (?) Paul and I got a babysitter and headed to Provo (which has become one of my favorite places again) where we were introduced to Imagine Dragons who played the Rooftop Concert Series this year. Once I got over my annoyance at the throngs of precious baby BYU students blocking my view with their standing around, I stood up myself and appreciated what was going on.

You guys, they were so good. I am not hip to the music scene, not at all, and I was deeply digging what they were throwing down. Even though the frontman's pants were so tight I found it a little distracting, nevertheless I pressed through. 

Now I can't get this song out of my head, and I've decided that mandolins are where it's at.

I don't live in Provo, I haven't since college, and when I did I was lukewarm on the place. But for some reason I am proud of what they're doing over there, so proud. Downtown keeps getting better and better, the food really IS something to write home about, and I am certainly a patron of the Rooftop Concert Series -we attended 3 out of 6 shows. The icing on the Provo cake was when they announced that the burnt down tabernacle would become a temple and I cried. I suppose I have adopted the place, or it's moved in on me. Something. 

Anyway, that's all. Go Provo. Hope those Cougs can get it together. I miss Jimmer already.  

p.s. they are still raising funds for next year's Rooftop Concert Series. Go to their kickstarter page and donate, I did, with all of my monies. So much monies. Monies everywhere. Make it rain kind of monies. 

Tuesday=Prime Rib and bffs for life

Ah tonight, tonight was a most excellent night. For one, I didn't have to cook. For two, I probably downed somewhere around 1500 calories in one sitting's worth of prime rib, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and oh, pumpkin cheesecake. But don't worry about it. For three, my kids love Whitney and Ethan's house, there are trucks and movies about trucks, and Van screaming with joy, and we always eat like kings when we are there. It is good to have found your salvation when it comes to couple friends, even better when you can hang out interchangeably on an individual and family level because it gets weird when one member of the group is less likable and then you have to overcompensate for the weak link and that's just too much work. AmIright? Not everyone can appreciate the humor in these parts. The only way it could get better is if we lived closer or if one of us was independently rich and could float the other with some extra cash (or a trip to Europe?), but I am happy with what we have and do not desire to jinx it. I wasn't even pissed that I lost the group rock-paper-scissors battle and had to change Triple's bombed out diaper, not a bit. No party is complete without some extreme rock-paper-scissors going on. 

After we left I did some phone time with two of my other number one lady loves. One on the drive home and the other after the babies were situated in bed. I love all the labies in my life, they make me feel glowy and happy. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY. I hate the term GNO or any sort of reference to a "girl's night". Never do I think "man I just need a night with the girls", because that's just not my thing. I do, however, have a big crush on my favorites. You know who you are. Girls night soon? HAHAHAHAHAHA! No.

And now as usual I am up too late sitting in retrospect, writing to you, dear internets. But more for me because someday my kids will read this crap and be like "man, mom really was a nut job". Yes children, a nut job who chose well in the friend department and loved food more than most other basic necessities in life, and you too of course.

Now you know.

Dinner This Week 10/24-10/30

Monday
Beef Stew because I defrosted the roast for yesterday and didn't make it (we had pumpkin waffles instead). See Kalli, See Kalli improvise.

Tuesday
Steak and Cake at Whitney's
THIS is my contribution

Wednesday
I'm going to a birthday dinner for a friend, perhaps I shall leave the boys with a dinner I have in the freezer or maybe I'll make spaghetti

Thursday
Minestrone Soup (someone linked to this in Whitney's comments)

Friday
Pizza

Saturday
Quick Noodle Stir Fry

Sunday
Tacos or Chili w/cornbread. Haven't quite decided yet. Or maybe some sort of baked chicken because we should have chili on Halloween which is Monday. Who has a great chili recipe? I'm on the hunt.


Nat's Menu
Whit's Menu

Gardner Village, your thoughts?

Thursday my mom, sisters and I headed up to Gardner Village, they had comped me a few tickets for their new "ride to a witch" attraction so we thought "hey, why not?". Except we forgot it was UEA weekend and were joined by a mob of other people with the same idea. Won't lie, it was insanity. There wasn't room to turn around without running someone over with my stroller which I did a few times. It was our fault for going on such a crazy day I suppose, the crowds were nuts, the babies were cranky, and we didn't last long. We managed to go on the "ride to a witch", which (hah) felt like sort of a letdown. There wasn't really a show and it felt more like a self-guided tour with a hayride thrown in. Honest? $5 a head felt a little steep and an extra $5 for a pony ride meant an unhappy Nub as we walked away without partaking. A pony ride is free with admission at TG Point Farm Country ($3.50?) and we go there often with our yearly pass. 

I do generally enjoy Gardner Village. I like the ambiance of the place, the small town, old timey, quaint feeling it gives off. I like some of the stores. I like that you can shop for fashionable womens jeans and cowboy boots in the same place and find a great children's boutique two doors down. I don't love the one and only restaurant and the lack of dining options, but perhaps that shall be rectified in the future, eh? I like their commitment to the whole witch magic thing and it's fun to see littles running all over in costume on a scavenger hunt for witches. Next time I shall avoid UEA weekend goings on like the plague, and I'm only being semi-dramatic. In spite of the crowds we did have some fun and here's proof.  

MWAH!

group shots are always so successful

I love doing them

no, 

really

 is he like going to college already or what? 

too big, TOO BIG

roundup

The last few days via Instagram

you wish you looked this cool

not surprisingly, they broke right after

thanks Paul

Sunday dinner at Connie and Lane's, my favorite

Diarrhea for 8 straight days? Why not! 

I swear he's lost about 5 lbs. It's a sad, sad truth. 

Poor Triple. 

because of the butt flu we all had to stay inside

so,

lots of Tom and Jerry

some art

some trucks

some of the last of my 'maters ready for blanching and freezing

still have a whole bunch that are ripening on the vine

when will the frost come? 

I feel like I'm playing cold weather roulette

aaand... my first pedicure in over a year

absence makes the heart grow fonder

who doesn't love a good foot rub?

Bucket List so I can win a damn vacation

They are giving away a huge arse family vacation to someone at Todays Mama courtesy of Just Ask! and all you have to do is post 15 items on your bucket list. I know you've been dying for me to post this anyway so let's party.



1. Get myself, ourselves, 100% debt free, sans house payment. Snoozefest, but oh mommy do I fantasize about this

2. Get in the best shape of my life and do something like a triathlon (I have zero marathon aspirations, marathons are for the crazies), or mud run or some crap like that

3. I want a Masters Degree, in something rad

4. Turn these crazy ramblings into something publishable, write a book I guess

5. Be an authority on something (turns out, no one respects me as an authority on anything, yet, which is shocking really).

6. Travel extensively through Europe

7. Learn another language

8. Buy a boat, you know, for the family

9. Own enough land for a horse or two, some chickens, a mini horse, a mini goat, and a mini pig. So they can all be friends.

10. Have another baby, or two, or maybe just one

11. Be a judge on Iron Chef America (stole that one from Paul)

12. Own a vacation home in Hawaii

13. Greece, I really want to go to Greece

14. Get invited to the White House

15. Compete on the Amazing Race

Weekly Menu 10/17-10/23

Monday

Nat's Chicken Tetrazini, green salad, leftover artisan bread
*this would be extra good if you used a really sharp cheddar, I used a blend and it needed a little zing (that's what she said)
also added parsley

Tuesday

stuffed peppers w/ Connie's cornbread (the secret ingredient is buttermilk)

Wednesday

Rookie Cookie's sesame chicken (that I didn't make last week) w/ green beans and brown rice

Thursday

tortilla soup in the slow cooker, served with avocado, sour cream, corn chips

Friday

hmmm....

Saturday

leftovers

Sunday

roast in the slow cooker, green salad, rolls

What if we did a dinner menu linkup? Would you guys be into that? 

At the very least you peeps should be posting yours in the comments. 

I steal at least one recipe off Natalie's weekly menu every.time.

See Whitney's weekly menu HERE

Amie's Menu HERE

it starts with poo, goes to shoes, and ends with volleyball

My wee fat babe picked up something nasty, from the gym daycare no doubt, and has subsequently blown out every single item of clothing I've put on him in the last 2 days. Poor guy, his cheeks of legend are so chapped and irritated I can hardly stand it. And oh crud, I just realized I need to wash his car seat cover because that got hit too, twice. Blech. On our way to Nordstrom Rack to buy some new dress shoes for Paul he leaked so bad we had to go to the Carter's store and buy some new sweats, which he promptly did in on the drive home. Oh diarrhea, I wish I could spell you right the first time, but I never do. 

Speaking of The Rack, I tried on a pair of knee high-well almost knee high, deep green, softy soft leather boots tonight and cried a little when I had to take them off. They were only $89, which, hark! a steal for leather knee-highs! But my birthday isn't for another month and mama's got bills to pay. I mean, if you're feeling generous I imagine they're still there. Only knee-high, dark green, leather boots with a slight wedge heel I could find in a size 10. Does this feel like shameless begging to you? Good, mission accomplished. I also had trouble parting with a pair of nude Chinese Laundry heels that were about the perfect heel high for me. I haven't bought new shoes in like 3 years and I sort of yearn for the days when my life was all about me and my extensive shoe collection. 

Who am I kidding? It''s still mostly all about me, at least you'd think so from the disturbing amount of self-portraits on here, but then there's my bearded and burly Paul (Bunyan in the bedroom, RAWR, what! ew gross), one brown-eyed ginger midget, and another fat poo-shooter with lashes for days and curls that make the ladies go woo woo! New shoes are great and all, okay they're really great, but I like those three things much better than just about anything.

CHEESE CITY. 

Don't get me wrong, I still want the shoes. And I'm going to think about them a lot and probably eat my feelings worth out of the stupid salted caramels that my WendyFriend left behind last night, and maybe cry a little but somehow, I'll press through. Because I am a rock through such trials and sufferings, I tell you what. 

Tonight I went and played some volleyball with a bunch of women from my church. Sure, I was the youngest one there and it was rather lame, but I'll be danged if such a lack of competition didn't make me look like the next Misty May Treanor or some junk like that. Ego boost, check! A bunch of dudes showed up to play after we were done so I stuck around to see if they were any good. It was decent fun, enough playing to make me realize that the glory days were indeed a long time ago and tomorrow is going to hurt like a mother trucker. I miss having a regular group of people to play with. The year or so of college I played city league with a bunch of friends from my work and we had the best time. Provo City league champs represent! In San Diego I had a solid group of friends that met and played at the church every week. Can I tell you how annoyed I would get when someone would show up and think we were just playing to have fun? Yeah, no. Go home. Not that this is all Olympic caliber stuff, but if you can't keep a rally going then get the freaking crap out of my way. Clearly, we are about the serious business here. 

Ah bless, I miss those days. 

Now it's stupid midnight and what am I doing here? Messed up I tell you, my internal clock is so messed up. I gotta get to bed. Down to Connie and Lane's tomorrow, I can't wait. 

Nanight Stupids. 

Ostriches and Groundhogs

I spent the day with all three of my boys at the zoo, where I photojacked this pastoral scene of a grazing ostrich. Paul's got the entire week off work, and by entire week I mean just today because unlike most people he spends all of his "vacation" time doing more work. Odd jobs might as well be his middle name. Don't get me wrong, I've got crazy gratitude for those odd jobs and their contribution to my checking account, but brother needs some real time off. We got a good start with today.

Say what you will about the zoo, but I feel like Hogle is making a real effort at improvement, even though the train ride is always more gong worthy than anything. Obviously I have spent quality time at the San Diego Zoo so all zoos pale in comparison, but still, there are worse ways to spend the day. I even ran into a long lost college roommate I haven't seen in years. For the record she was 2 kids richer and looked the exact same. She was one of my favorites.

It was a good day, a great day even. Hip Hip for Hogle Zoo!



I'm tired. I've been sleeping in until 8 am or later most days of the last week, minus the half hour I spend around 6:30 or 7:00 am giving Triple a drink and persuading him to snooze back to dreamland. I should probably fix this by going to bed earlier but the impending advance of winter has my rhythms all messed up. I did rather awesome the last half of the summer getting up 2 days a week at 5:30 for pump class and now I'd rather floss with tinfoil then drag myself out of bed in the cold, dark, it's morning but still night. I am basically the human version of Puxatawney Phil (you'll want to click on that), prone to hibernation, covered in a thick layer of winter blubber, and reluctant to come out of my cave unless food or coercion is involved.

Anywho, my man just walked in the door, home from a movie date with not me. Time to wrap this biz up.

PEACE

I'm about to Instagram the crap out of you

I don't get the Instagram hate out there. I mean you take a crappy cell phone picture, you slap a filter on it and BOOM, awesomeness comes out like this, 

in no particular order:

now you know the truth: baby eats butter straight from the dish

one fistful at a time

Last weekend was my bi-yearly craft-fest which happened to coincide with LDS Conference, and as such I dubbed the weekend "crafterence". These are the fruits of my labors. 

Please, plan ahead for the skirt blowing.

I came, I mod-podged. Yes.

the bat wreath took much longer than I anticipated

but I pressed forth

oh yes, 

I did

I even sewed, these pee-lows and a diaper/wipe carrier for my bag

it was very productive

Saturday we went to the Red Barn, rode a wagon, and got some donuts and pumpkins

it was totally worth the hour it took to get there

eat.your.heart.out.

Friday we drug our kids out in the rain to go to P-town for the last Rooftop Concert with the Lower Lights.  But first, Paul was angry hungry and we went to the BYU for Slab Pizza. Verdict: Derishious!

Plus, they had excellent drinks. Excellent. 

Downside: too many men in a room wearing skinny jeans and hipster glasses. Oh BYU, you're silly. 

and then Sunday I was driving in my car and dinking around on my phone like most astute Utah motorists and I took this picture because oh how lovely were the mountains. 

Sometimes I dearly love this state I live in, this was one of those times. 

INSTAGRAM OUT!

Everyone collectively hates the new Instagram, right? 

Like what happened to my cool borders?

Who do we complain to?

Weekly Menu 10/10-10/16

last week's menu

Stuck to it M,T,W, but Thursday subbed out split pea soup (didn't get started early enough) for some of the most delicious potato bacon corn chowder I've ever thrown together, and then Friday we tried out Slab Pizza before the Rooftop Concert. Slab Pizza? 2 major thumbs up, except they didn't have a high chair and we were, by far, the oldest and least hipster people there. Oh ye baby faced BYU students, bless your chaste little hearts. On our way out the door Paul and I high fived each other for the simple fact that if we wanted to go home and light the proverbial winter fires IN BED, we could. Win-Verbies. And on that note...

Monday

slow cooker brown sugar and balsamic pork w/brown rice

Tuesday

lasagna w/green salad and french bread

I'm not married to this idea, anyone have any good and hearty pasta dishe to pass along?

Wednesday

tomato basil soup and grilled cheese

always a home run

Thursday

sesame chicken via Rookie Cookie (sorry Charlie, her blog is locked now) w/green beans and brown rice

Friday

homemade pizza on the grill

(told you we make this a lot)

Saturday

whatever I freaking feel like

Sunday

beef roast in the slow cooker w/ root vegetables and green salad

On Repeat

What's For Dinner 10/3-10/9

Monday

Vegetarian Enchiladas via WOW Living (you guys, I love this blog), green salad, maybe cornbread

Tuesday

Chicken and Dumplings, yes, again

you want my recipe? I'll have to think about that

Wednesday

Spaghetti w/homemade marinara and crusty no-knead bread, green salad

Thursday 

(temps are supposed to dive) 

split pea soup via WOW Living with crusty bread from yesterday

Friday

chicken, basil, and bacon paninis w/basil garlic mayo

Saturday

leftovers or BLT's

Sunday

going to a baby blessing, COOKING DAY OFF!