Friday Night in the Fall

I look forward to this time of year. I feel the anxiety of the school children. I remember fondly what they are feeling wither nervous or excited. I was always a mix between the two. It is also Colby and I favorite season. Fall it brings Halloween farmers market falling leaves just a sense of calmness and relaxation. A peaceful thoughts come over me. Tonight in fact is fun for our family. We start with an activity at thanksgiving point since we have a season pass and then hit the farmers market. We always stop and get a slice of bread and buy some fresh fruit. I look forward to canning and sharing my canned creations. Every year I do more and save all year long so I have ample money to do it all. We have fun as a family and now that we are so close it makes-it even better, It so fun to see all the venders from around town come and share what they love to do best. We go every weekend and it never seems to get old. SO tonight is the night, I plan on making it a better day, cross your fingers for me.

The Hard Days

Some days I have the hardest time....being Me. I feel like I do the same thing every day and get no where. Why does this happen? I know I'm not the only mother who feels this. But so many of us are afraid to put down our guard and admit that this is damn hard. Some think, your a mom who stays home and does what ever you want every day. Well screw them. Today I looked at my self and thought, Michelle this is so trivial what are you worried about. But I do. Life can be hard, I look for the guidance but some days I simply cant see it. I try and try to stay positive and keep up a happy facade but that's all it is some days. Today is that day. But today I'm not hiding I'm sick of hiding and pretending that I know how to do it all and I'm fine by myself. I really don't feel like I have anyone who can help me. My kids are sick and I'm frankly sick of them, Well OK to be honest just Jack. Ave is so little its hard to be mad at his simple mistakes he's a baby to me still how can you blame him. The same should go for Jack but I can't seem to stay off his case. How do you get a child to do what you want them to do with out raising your voice and getting mad after asking them for the 5th time. I am sick of doing it all myself, cleaning the spilled milk all over the counter and chairs and newly mopped kitchen floor or the smashed Cheerios all over the bathroom kitchen hall and family room. I make their bed 4 times a day and pick up toys every other day and I don't just mean a couple I mean ALL of their toys. Friends come over and help turn the house upside down. Yet I'm happy to have them here to play because it makes the kids so happy.
So how do I find the balance? Today I just don't know. I'm just want to walk away from it all, leave it for their dad. I told Jack today that he needs to decide where he wants to go stay because I don't want him anymore. He was hurt, but I seemingly didn't care. I'm so sick of the same fights over and over and over again. Hours later I settle down and apologies but then.....it happens again. How do I stop? ?

Day at the Lake

Today we went to the Herriman Beach. It is Utah's version of a beach any how, it's really just a small lake with sand. My friend Melissa took us there a few weeks ago. It's really fun so I took a couple of the girls from our neighbor hood there. It was hilarious to have the carivan follow behind and attempting to keep up. I wish Karen was here still we would have had such a fun summer together. I'm more together than I was last summer. Although the month of June was fun to go to California with Karen twice.
So the kids just play in the lake while the moms sun bath and talk. Here is a few pictures of all the kids.
We had Tammie Richins join us with her three boys. There is Kyle Jackson and Lucus


Lisa Johnson and her three girls Abby Ally and Tessa she also had her sister come as she helps her out every Tuesday. Man wish I had my sister scheduled to come hang out every week.

Then We had Summer Furgison she is our newest friend and neighbor she had three kids as well gees I'm feeling a little lonely with the kid numbers.....naa just less spread out I always like to think. Her kids names are Haley, Esten,& Dawson.
Then Me Jack and Avery were there. We stayed for a few hours then we went off to visit Melissa, Will and Grahm while we were ther in Herriman.
It made for a great day and good conversation with the ladies. I love all their attitudes. They are all possitive and have great tips and ideas. Just the type of personalitlies I would choose to align myself with.

Block Party

We pulled off a successful "Block Party" this week end, very last minute.
My husband and another neighbor bishop Bonham "Ryan" have been talking about it for months other neighbors have been hinting around to have me throw another one as I did a couple of years a go but haven't since. To be honest it was not on my priority list but I do enjoy them. So I finally just did it.
I tried to make it interactive=e and put most the responsibility on others.
We started with just mingling. Kids were able to play on the blowup water slide that the Bonham's provided and we set it up in across the street at Lisa Johnson's house. We then ate. The Bishop provided hamburgers hot dogs and buns for all. I had every one else bring a side and something else like plates, ice napkins etc.
The kids decorated their own bikes and we had a parade for the parents. Lisa and I had candy to pass out so they could throw it out.

We then had a fun treasure hunt with 7 different clues leading around the 6 houses surrounding my house. It ended in Lisa's house. I made chocolate cupcakes and decorated them with chocolate frosting Lisa Amy and her friend I'm spacing her name she is from Korea, all helped me decorate them. They sprinkled them with chocolate oreos for the "dirt" and then a chocolate gold coin. Their buried treasure. We made about 60 since there was 49 kids invited and we ended up only needing about 20 so needless to say we had loads left over.
Only about half the people came which is typical and actually good for the fact that they had 3 days notice.
So I am using the rest for a Boo-Hoo Party that Nichole Sutherland is throwing tomorrow morning. I just froze them. We'll see how they turn out. I thought their moms could give them to all the kids when they get home from school. As tomorrow is the first day of school for all but the kindergartners.
We ended the night with movie. I borrowed my brother in-laws Nick's projector and we shot it on Ryan and Jeremy's white screen.
We could have shot it on the house though. I made kettle corn for all who stayed ahead of time. most sat on blankets and a few on chairs. I lost my cellphone that night and found it today, 5 days later. It was on one of the chairs cup holders of my neighbors. We found it today when we went to the lake. Seriously how many times can I loose and find that thing. Oh well thank goodness.
So the movie was a little embarrassing to watch. It was Iron Giant. I got out several movies and that was what all the kids picked. But I had totally forgot that it had swear words in it. Nice kids show to sit down in front of with the bishop his kids and all the men in the bishopric. I was so antsy that I couldn't even watch it. I said to my self, if they don't like it then they'll tell me to turn it off or they will leave, right. Neither happened, so i guess it was OK. I apologized to their wives but no one ever heard anything front their husbands, so maybe it wasn't a big deal. I still felt bad, so SORRY. you just don't expect words like that in a kids cartoon. oh there was also a coffee drinking scene with the kid. I'm not against coffee but having a kid drink it on top of it all, I was like ahhhhh.

Day 5

Not that I thought this would be easy. I have always been OK diet wise but I am not good enough to get the results I want until now. It usually takes me a week or two to really pin down what I shouldn't be eating. And I am getting to that point now. I see what bad things I ate yesterday and how unsatisfying they were. They only things that are irresistible when around are french fries. They are for sure my weakness. I can pass up cakes and cookies soda but fries and oh chips they are hella good. Potatoes Cheese and artisan breads.
The past few days I have been canning jams Raspberry strawberry and blackberry
My mom is the old fashion caner and does it by the book. She does not enjoy sugar free foods but I just can't stand to see me put in 4 cups of fruit and then 8 cups of white refined sugar. Instead I put
Jam Recipe sugar substitute or sugar free
4 cups fresh fruit 1 cup 100% real fruit juice with no added sugars and 3/4 C agave nectar. also includes 2 boxes of sugar free pectin

I feel so much better feeding that to my family.

I was in the store the other day and I have always liked to see what others buy. I was looking in peoples carts and was noticing processed foods, chips ice cream, candy huge bags of it with sugar filled cereals. I had a friend tell me once that all that is party food and that we should only buy those things when we are having a "PARTY" I liked that, its so true. I was proud that day to have most of my basket full of vegetables school supplies high protein foods.
I secret to shopping. I hit the produce isle First spend most of my time and money there. then I go around the perimeter of the store dairy, meats and baby items. I pop down the bread isle once in a while and down hygiene isles. NOTICE ANYTHING?
No processed food isles, no cereal isles where your tempted with pop tarts and strudels donuts and candy. This is they way you might want to consider shopping next time and see how it goes. Quit spending your hard earned money on crap that is only going to send you to the doctors and to the gym. Eat Well work well and enjoy your life. If you take care of your body, IT will take care of you!

Menu:
protein shake
1/2 Multi-grain cheerios
1 Xe-energy drink
Chicken breast
endamame beans
Broccoli
protein bar
xocai x-power

Day 4

Avery is now saying Taco Amigo which is our favorite fast food restaurant EVER. I was making home made healthy pizza last night and he said momma taco amigo come on and pointed out the door. Well needless to say he wanted a taco and not the pizza but man did it taste sooo good.
He is actually saying it right now he must want to go again. I didn't even mention it maybe he can read this. Can you Ave or your just feeling my energy for how freaking delicious it is? We have the night alone tonight maybe we'll go. Colby and Jack are going on a boys camp out with our church should be interesting, we'll see how it go's

Today's menu
Best Eggs Ever: and I don't really like eggs
2 egg whites 1 whole egg, 1/2 C cottage cheese, pepper, dried onion, with McCormick's Italian rub
6oz V8 Splash Diet
Chicken breast in a orange chicken sauce from panda express 2 TBSP
Orange creamy
protein shake
2 xocai chocolate
1 XE energy drink
2 16oz glass water
chicken fruit salad
5 french fries - Hey at least I only ate 5
4 tsp of frosty
5 multi grain wheat thins
handfulll of seeded granola

So far.......

Here is last night pizza recipe


Pizza recipe
Get the tortilla wraps at Costco or the Italian seasoned ones at Walmart or the whole wheat pita brads at wither store.
add EVO if desired I didn't to mine to keep it healthier
mix butter or EVO with McCormick's chicken Italian rub
spread minimally onto bread
add
sliced artichoke, spinach, bacon bits may want to use turkey bacon for healthier choice, pre-seasoned and cooked w McCormick mix chicken slices, then sprinkle with fat free Parmesan cheese and fat free mozzarella cheese.
set in oven for 10 min at 375 degrees. Yum mo
Great alternative to expensive unhealthy pizza Colby loved it!

Ave is now saying "What the Heck" I think its cute!

Menu Day 3

Today was fine. Jack Avery and I met Colby for lunch so the lunch menu was not what you would classify as ideal for the p90x diet but I attempted to make the best out of it.
Main: Turkey sand which with ham, avocado mayo mustard lettuce and Swiss cheese
how I made it fit. took top of bun off scraped off all may and took off one slice of cheese. no option for whole wheat bread was available. about a 4" sand which
Drink: water and a V8 splash VS soda
Snack: 8 Pretzels VS chips
I later added a protein shake with chocolate mix with 4 strawberries and 1/2 banana
1 breast of chicken and hers
1/2 C edamame beans
1 cookie- dang they are so freakin good.

Jack was able to spend the day with his dad at work. He loves to do that and I am glad Colby has a job were he is able to do those sorts of things. Jack packed a hot dog thinking he would need it for dinner. and a butt load of fruit roll ups and 2 fruit snacks. I also try to have my boys eat the same food as I so they will be use to eating the right foods. Snacks at our house include sugar free candy, sugar free syrups, jams and peanut only peanut butter natural. fruit snack fruit roll ups and fruit drinks are no sugar added and 100% fruit no added preservatives or colors. I am told that drink boxes are containing toxins so we are fazing those out. Pop cycles are weight watchers and fruits are in no sugar added syrups and no artificial sweeteners.
We try to watch the hot dog intake as well as chicken nuggets. Here is a list of 9 things you should keep out of your children's hands.
http://www.beachbody.com/product/p90x-online/newsletters/p90xnl_039.do
We have chips occasionally but I try to keep whole wheat products and baked goods instead of fry ed foods around.
But every child deserves a treat now and then, but if I can keep it health were they won't notice others wise than we are both happy.
If my kids give me any guff I just tell them that it's junk food and tell them the kinds of negative things that sugar and fat will do for your body Jack seems to understand. He even tell people in the store with chips or Pepsi that they are Junk food and that they are bad for their bodies. Crap don't kids say the damnedest things. I just laugh and walk off. I do tell him to keep his opinion only to those whom ask.
He refuses to eat pizza at his grandmas because its junk food and would only eat a banana one day I was so proud.


If they get candy it is usually a small penny candy. I feel much better about how I feed my kids since I have gotten started into p90X Dr. Merola and the kenesyology.
It had been a great change for us all.