Tuesday Terrors: The Dentist

I am not sure why I hate going to the dentist so much. As a kid, I remember dreading the drive to the office. I would lock the door after my mom slipped out of the car. I would cry, I would scream, and I would be seriously embarrassing (my poor mother). I still very much dislike dental appointments, but I am now forced to control myself because no one is there to drag me in kicking and screaming. Plus, now I would only be embarrassing me.

I ate a lot of popsicles while pregnant. Not that I can blame all my recent tooth decay on that, but it is true. So, here I am going to the dentist a lot these days. I like my new dentist. He is really good at what he does and I honestly don't feel a thing during the procedures, but the anxiety is still there. It is like I am scarred from all those times as a little kids.

I made Emree her first appointment for next week. It is suppose to be a FUN visit. She is so excited to get her teeth counted, and ride in the chair. We will see how it all goes. I am kind of dreading it. Sorry if this post is a little negative. On a happy note, I don't have to go to the dentist for two more weeks.

Scatterbrained Saturday: Date Night

It is funny how when you are married "date night" goes out the window. You spend so much time together why would you need to go on a date?! Oh but you do. You need the thoughtfulness, the fresh air, the time to remember, the time to forget everything else. Tonight we had a very simple date night (which included a babysitter). It was perfect. Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday! Consider me officially re-charged. Now get dating people.

Flash back picture... This was a little over 5 years ago on a date before we were married :)

Friday Fun: Pintrest

One Pintrest project completed. I was talked into sewing Tyler's Dad a quilt even though my sewing skills are very amateur. I am so excited about how It turned out and I am counting down to my next project. I have way too many things pinned! I wish I had enough time , money and motivation to complete them all. Have you been pinning?

Thursday Therapy: PICTURE THIS

I was glancing through a few pictures Ty took at the King's game  last night and figured a few of them could use some captions...

My mom let me color on my hands as a kid.

Are my pants too hight?

Drums?

I got a piece of popcorn stuck in my teeth

My parents liked me too much... See Brad's post

We got season tickets to the Kings so that we could watch Jimmer. We have sold a lot of the games, but this is the first one Ty went too. He was pretty excited. We don't Freddette about Jimmer at our house!

Monday Memories: Remembering Martin Luther King

    It's hard to believe that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated only 44 years ago. I did not live then and I know that racism still exists, but we are trying to reach our potential.  He helped us make those steps and it was through his words that many people's hearts were changed. It was fun to be in such a culturally diverse city to celebrate MLK day. We were able to go the the Crocker Art Museum and join in some of the festivities celebrating his life. 

   My favorite part of the day was hearing this choir sing. In person, it give me chills. We joked about how we wished our ward choir was this amazing. You can hear the passion behind their music. It is like the truest form of worship and I love feeling their love for The Savior.

   Martin Luther King Jr. spoke once about what he would like people to remember him for...

I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. And I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major. Say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.^[130]

I can't help, but wonder what I want people to remember about me and if I am living so that they will. 

I'd like them to remember how I raised my children...

I'd like them to remember how I served those around me...

I'd like them to remember how I much I like to smile...

I'd like them to remember how I strived to bring other to the gospel...

I have a lot of work to do.

What would you like them to remember about you?

Simply Sunday: a few random thoughts

~ I think it is funny how easy kids let things go. The get so mad when they really want something, but never really mad at someone ... After Emree wets her pull-ups for the millionth time, she always says, "but you still love me!" and I do.

~sometimes I wish I loved sports. Ty and I could have some amazing bonding, but I really just don't. I know I will love watching my kids, but Espn every night hmmmmm no. I will try a little harder to care that he cares.

~my time on my phone and computer is slowly on the rise. Today we were challenged to read the scriptures on our phones instead if the time wasters. I am going to challenge myself to read a chapter of the book of mormon, each time I want to do something on my phone. I will let you know how it goes.

~ lastly, I love the show "once upon a time"! :)

Scatterbrain Saturday: The Difference

    At ten o'clock I sit down in front of the t.v. to continue working on a quilt and watch (or hear) a little t.v. I am bombarded with pictures of beautiful women. Really beautiful women everywhere. I kept replaying the question in my mind, "What is the difference between me and them?" Don't worry. I came up with an answer. I definitely needed to pluck my eyebrows and paint my nails. Seriously. I am pretty positive the only difference between me and all of the models are my eyebrows. They may have make up artists, spend thousands of dollars on their wardrobe, actually get their hair colored, and get touched up every 5 minutes. BUT... If I take 5 extra minutes today....

I think it worked!

Friday Fun: Best Cupcakes EVER!

We got this recipe from ValaRee Roylance, but then I made a change to the cupcakes themselves. She made the cupcakes with a cake mix, which was delicious... I didn't have the cake mix on hand so I made them from scratch, also delicious....YUMMY! Plus, I made them mini. Super fun and super cute.

 LINDT TRUFFLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
 
1 box devils food cake mix (I used triple chocolate fudge)
1 box instant vanilla pudding (small box)
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 Cup sour cream
Milk chocolate Lindor truffles by Lindt-approximately 24
 
Unwrap Lindor trufffles and place aside for later use.
 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffin tins
2.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil. and water
3.  Sift in cake mix and dry pudding, mix well.
4.  Stir in sour cream
5.  Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
6.  Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, lightly press a Lindt Truffle into each partially baked cupcake.
7.  Bake the cupcakes an additional 13 minutes (total of 18 minutes).
8.  Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place hot cupcakes directly into airtight containers to seal in the moisture.
     (I just put the cupcakes on a large roll pan and covered it tightly with Plastic Wrap)
9.  Frost with cream cheese Frosting.
 
 
                                                  CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
 
1.  1/2 cup butter (softened)
2.  8 oz. cream cheese
3.  Pinch of salt
4.  1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5.  3 cups powdered sugar
 
Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add salt, vanilla and powdered sugar.  Mix well.
(I piped it on from a decorating tube)
 
Can be made with Lemon cake mix and white chocolate truffles. 

Thursday Therapy: More Medicine

"The world really on has one effective weapon, and that is laughter." -Mark Twain

Sometimes my house is a war zone. It is a battle to get out the door, a battle to get everyone ready, a battle to take naps, a battle to change diapers and the list goes on... but everyone wins when the day ends like this...

Wednesday Weaknesses: Standing On My Own Two Feet

"Let us work for what we need. Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle. Salvation is an individual matter, and we must work out our own salvation in temporal as well as in spiritual things.” 

                 -President Marion G. Romny.

Ask yourself...

 1. What is Self-Reliance?

 2. Why is it important?

 3. What can I do to be more Self-Reliant?

    Our Heavenly Father has asked us to lean on him, have faith in him and to love him, but we must also DO. We have the power to act. We can increase our faith, our love, our service. We must be able to stand on our own testimony of The Savior. We become self-reliant spiritually and temporally so that we can with stand the troubles a head of us and so that we can help others. Imagine that you are swimming in deep water and kicking your hardest to stay a float. You can barely keep your chin above the water... what would happen if a large wave or a storm came in right at that moment? We need to stand on a firm foundation so that when a storm comes we can face it head on.

    The Relief Society manuals lists temporal ways to become self-reliant, they are: learn about budgeting, debt relief, employment qualifications, the scriptures and the gospel, teaching others to read and learn, technology, physical health, fitness, addiction prevention and recovery, social and emotional health, preventing illness, gardening, food production and storage, emergency preparedness, and many other things that will help us become self-reliant. ¹

^{Tonight at our Relief Society activity we are focusing on the health and fitness part of self-reliance}. It is the new year and everyone seems to set new goals on how they can stay healthy. They healthier you are the better you can face life's storms. 

   When Tyler and I spent two month's in Mozambique, I remember the missions president telling us that if we could help take care of the the people's temporal needs; then they would have the ability to accept the gospel. While The Lord can grant us many miracles, it is can be hard to feed our selves spiritually when we are starving temporally. I think that also applies to physical activity. It is hard to be spiritually active when you are physically stagnant. 

Ask yourself...

 1. How can I become more physically active?

 2. How can I help my home become more physically active?

 3. How will this help us spiritually?

 This is one of my weaknesses. As life changes the ways we stay physically active must also change. I am no longer a dancer, I am a mom. It defines me. How can I be a physically active and self-reliant mother? Oh! and running after my toddler doesn't count!

Tuesday Terrors: My Kids at Restaurants...

I would also like to add a small link to a Monday Memory written by my cousin Jackie.... Charlene Baker, My Grandma

Monday Memories: The Celebration Continues

    Ty's parents wanted to give Jesse the gift of activity for his birthday and so they paid for us to go the Sacramento Children's Museum on Saturday. My kids LOVED it! They loved it SO much we couldn't resist buying a season pass and talking some of our friends into doing it with us). Here is my little plug... if you come visit us with your kids... we will take you here too!

Jesse in the blocks

Emree in the dress ups... they had lots of animals

            Emree stuck the flower in my hair and told me is was like a princess... I am not so sure

 They have a little house with a table, chairs, bed, fireplace, mailbox, so cute...

 Water!

 We like the back hand on this stroke... I am not sure if she is bowling or painting.

 Okay, definitely painting.

 Then we went home for naps and went back out at four for some play time at the park. It has been really warm this winter and we have loved being able to get outside. That being said, the rain is suppose to start this week.

 Jesse only walks with his hands in the air. It makes me giggle every time.

 I know this is not a good picture of us, but it is the only one we took that documented that we were all there... so, WE WERE ALL THERE. :)

  The last part of our celebration ended at Noddle's and Co. where we got to go out to eat (again courtesy of Ty's parents). It was so nice because we NEVER eat out and we enjoyed every bite and savored every dish we didn't have to wash.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Andre for the Birthday Celebration and another day full of memories we won't forget!

Hope you have plans to make and record some memories for your family this week!

Friday Fun: This one is for Ty!

Ty got his clinical rotation schedule today! That exciting because it means he actually gets to be working the hospital. He does six rotations at UCDavis and here is the order... (drum roll please)...

1. Psych
2. OB
3. Peds
4. Family Medicine
5. Surgery
6. Internal Medicine

I am excited for him and this new crazy step that starts in May.

Thursday Therapy: I think I need a Therapist

"No More Binky"

Emree is turning three in a month and we decided that it was time to wave goodbye to the fabulous binky. Thank you for all the nights of sleep, thank you for wonderful nap times, thank you for soothing car rides, thank you for stopping tantrums, calming bumps and bruises, allowing me to get through being a mother for the first time and making it seem easy. You have been my dear dear friend and I will miss you. I will miss the way Emree likes to rub you all over her face, the way you make her giggle when she crawls into bed and mostly the way she clings to you at night. Yes, my little girl is growing up.

Emree gave her binky to the Binky Fairy yesterday and received a Tangled dress as a surprise. She was thrilled. We had one hard night, but tonight she did great. All my thanks goes to this  Elmo clip ( and Derek for suggesting it). There are a bunch of clips for anyone who needs a little help. :)

What is your binky/crutch that you need to give up?

Wednesday Weaknesses: The Inevitable

Jill's blog post is my favorite. My weakness is definitely postponing the inevitable. I put things off and put things off. I love what she has to say and I think everyone should take 3 minutes and read it!

1. My blessings today: Jesse is feeling better and loves to pick up toys. Maybe this is a sign for the rest of his life (although I highly doubt that). Emree loves Joy School and gave up her Binky today. Tyler did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, plus watched the kids while I had a dentist appointment. Asprin... I am thankful for asprin.

2. My weaknesses today: Sometimes I just need to stop what I am doing and sit on the floor and play with my kids. It reminds me of those old commercials... "Family isn't it about time." And of course postponing the inevitable. Some times I need to do those things I am putting off and lower the stress level in my life.

3. Ways to Improve: Take breaks in projects for playing... whatever they want to play. My inevitable : organize my pantry, updating my budget, and finishing a sewing project :)

4. My Tender Mercies: a few of your thought's on your blogs...

What is your list?

Tuesdays Terrors:FLOPS

I have made A LOT of birthday cakes that turned out to be flops.
Todays couldn't stand up on its own, but the good news is.... Jesse didn't care.

Hmm.. This cake looks interesting...

I think I'll have some off the side...

 I am still not so sure about this...

 Slight smile...

 Full hand grab...

I don't know if I like the test, but I am totally into the mess...

 Spaced out for a minute....

 Could I get any cute?

 The Ice cream was way better?

 mmm crusty!

Some day my kids will have amazing cakes... maybe by Em's birthday I will get my act together.  ;)

What is something you flop?

Monday Memories: Happy Birthday Tomorrow Jesse

Can you believe Jesse is ONE! It has been a long year, with a hard baby, and now he is officially toddling into his second year of life. While I will not miss this last year, we do love having him as a part of our family. I love watching my children play together and laugh together. 

I have been making little videos of my kids by combining the footage and photos we have. Here is short photo shoot we did of Jesse and Emree. Jesse was about a week old. I am grateful that we have such wonderful means to capture the memories of our kids. 

Jesse is a smiley, babbling, active, little walker. Who LOVES his Mom a little too much!

Happy Birthday Jesse...

Simply Sunday: Inspiration

I missed Saturday. It kind of makes me sad. I was doing so well and really keeping up (although my posts for the day happened at about 11 o'clock, but last night was date night and so it just didn't happen....

Today my mind has been on Visiting Teaching. Sometimes I am good at it and sometimes I am terrible. Right now I am having a hard time getting a jump start. I got a new companion and a new route and it is just hard to get moving.

My last route allowed me to make amazing friends. I wouldn't have gotten to know these women otherwise and it was a true blessing to be called their visiting teacher. 

Here is a quick video if you need some quick inspiration and if you are in the same boat as me.

If you have any stories about how visiting teaching has blessed your life I would love to hear it!

Friday Fun: WHEEE!

                                                           What could be better than this?

Thursday Therapy: Laughter is The Best Medicine

Funny Moments....

Make-up!

          As a teenager I would have spent about an hour getting ready in the morning. About 20 minutes of that would have been focused on putting on make-up. With my favorite song on my stereo and lots of choices in front of me, I would have applied slowly and thoughtfully. When I was done I wouldn't be sure if I looked as good as I could have.

        As a mom I have a completely different routine. I spend about eight minutes or less on make-up. No stereo because I have to hear what my kids are doing. No choices, I do pretty much the same                         thing every day. I apply with precision and while multi tasking. Jesse sits at my feet pulling stuff out the bathroom cupboards and banging it on the shower door, while Emree sits on the toilet begging to get some make-up on too.  When I am done I always think, "Good Enough."

I wouldn't change it for the world. 

What about your day made you laugh?

  

Wednesdays Weaknesses

Wednesdays are my day to focus on self improvement. What can I do better? How can I be better?

I will start with the obvious... keeping a record.

Reasons that keeping records are important:

1. It helps us remember our blessings
2. It helps us point out our weaknesses
3. It helps us plan ways to improve
4. It reminds us that we have tender mercies EVERY DAY from The Lord

Before I got married, I wrote in my journal every single night. I love looking back at those entries and reading my thoughts, hopes, and dreams. Those books are priceless. The last few years I have been terrible at journaling and this year I am making a change. I am determined to write down a little bit each day. I want to remember these moments, I want to take the time to reflect, and most importantly I want to build my relationship with The Savior.

Do you journal, blog, take pictures, keep a calender? What ways can you improve your record keeping?

Start small, maybe even in lists. Start today...

1. My blessings today: Jesse's toddling, That Emree has such great little friends to do Joy School with, a delicious dinner (thanks to myself), clean dishes thanks to my husband, and a good friend who stayed and helped me.

2. My weaknesses today: I need to brush my kids teeth more and I need to read them the scriptures every night.

3. Ways to Improve: Do it tomorrow morning.

4. My Tender Mercies: Bonnie sent me a really nice text about how she missed my kids tonight and it made me happy that she would think of me today. I also had a yummy little treat that I desperately needed waiting for me by the microwave. :)

What is your list?

Here is an awesome Mormon Message...

Tuesday Terrors: Is this chocolate or poop?

If you have ever seen the movie "Baby Momma" than you know the scene I am referring to.

Caroline: [holding her son's dirty hand] Is this chocolate or poop? Is this chocolate or poop?
Caroline: [licks son's hand and smiles] It's chocolate!
Kate Holbrook: What if that had been poop?

My child has painted poop on her walls in the past, and I desperately wished it were chocolate. However, this installment of Tuesdays Terrors, sadly includes both.

The place is Kellogg, Idaho. The scene of the crime is Jordan's pull out bed. The offender ... Emree Andre.

Yes, that is her face covered in Marshmallow Santa (not poo). I am reminded time and time again why I shouldn't leave a toddler unattended with food.

BUT the story doesn't end there. We decided to give her a bath to make sure she didn't get chocolate anywhere else. Once agin, I foolishly left her alone and upon entering the bathroom unsuspecting Jordan discovered the second brown criminal act. Just when you thought you were done cleaning it all up.

Anybody have a Tuesday Terror to share... it is definitely a day for venting or giggling.


Your choice!

Monday Memories: Christmas- The Condensed Version

Building memories is a funny concept. We do things so that we can remember how much fun we had doing it. I often think in terms of memories instead of enjoying it in the moment. I should probably do both. 

This Christmas was one filled with new wonderful memories that I enjoyed along the way. We were lucky enough to spend the holidays with both families. Which unfortunately meant a lot of traveling and fortunately meant a lot of fun. 

We drove the 7 hours to the Andre's where we had our first Christmas. We got to spend 4 days there. We exchanged gifts, took Emree to Chucky Cheese, played a Murder Mystery (our gift to Brian), and ate a lot of caramels. The kids loved opening gifts and we loved the time we had to reflect on the birth and life of our Savior.

My kids love being pulled in the wagon. Tanner and Grandpa had to take turns.

Here is Aliza with the fun Magnets she bought Emree... Emree can't wait to paint them. That may be tomorrow's project.

Jesse loved ripping of the paper. Isn't that the cutest runny nose you ever did see?

Brian always likes to throw out a few good hair jokes... or should I say hair-less.

Then, we flew to Washington where we got to spend Christmas with my family.

I love a plane ride with another adult. It meant that Jesse and I got in some snooze time. Emree tried to as well, but the flight attendant wouldn't let her stay on the floor. Bummer.

All of us were together for Christmas and that was amazing. It was a big group with three newer addition:
1. Brittany, The Fruit Ninja

2. Andrew, The Dance Champion

3. and Jesse,The Momma's Boy

We love them all so much! We made a billion treats and delicious goodies, the girls painted some pottery, we all dominated Fruit Ninja,and enjoyed Christmas Eve and the ever infamous re-enactment of the nativity.

Emree was an Angel along with James and Nikki's little girl Jenna. I don't have those cute pictures, but I do have her in the dress she wore because she pretty much wore it everywhere the entire time. When I asked her to take it off she told me, "Why mom? Everybody loves it!" I think she was kind of right.

Here is a picture of us on Christmas Eve...

And me and Em in our PJs...

Christmas itself was magical and fun. I love how much everyone enjoys giving more than receiving.

The Tangled doll was the clear winner for favorite gift.

Easton!

Grandma!

Everyone Christmas Morning

Jesse loved playing peek a boo with his new clothes... wishfully thinking they were toys ;)

All of the boys piling on their new things.

The day after Christmas we went to a resort in Kellogg, Idaho. It had a water park and of course SNOW. Emree loved the snow so much (thanks to grandpa and grandma baker for getting her lots of warm snow gear). She played and played in it with her Dad. Their snow man and reindeer were completely amazing. It was fun to get a way from the house, a blast to play in the water, to watch movies together and do puzzles. It really completed our family time together.
Here are Tyler's snow creations:

Pool Basketball:

We then headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's to play a little three on three,watch Easton play basketball, See Great Grandpa Baker, and pack up. It was sad to go, but always nice to know that I will see them soon enough.

Christmas at the Baker's isn't complete with out the church three on three tournament or a sprained ankle to remind you that you are getting older.

Not as old as my Grandpa Baker however, who is 94 and amazing in every way! I love this picture of Jesse sitting at his feet. Jesse was one of 12 great grand children that were born this last year alone.

I filled so blessed to be part of such an amazing family.

Off we flew to Ty's parents for a couple more days... We went to the zoo, and played to our heart's content.

And last night we finally made the drive home. Phew! It was a long trip, a long blog post, and a whole lot of awesomeness.

I hope your Christmas brought you close to family and close to the Savior. I hope you made some amazing memories and wrote them down.