Aren't long weekends great?!

Did you all have a great Thanksgiving weekend?

I'm so sad that it's coming to an end! Despite the constant bickering about who is the actual owner of the Zatchbell cards found in Julia's room, the "I'm bored" comments heard more often than normal, and having to get up early for church today after sleeping in too many days in a row, we really did have a wonderful weekend.

Just on Friday we played about 10 games of Uno (we had to keep playing until Ethan had a chance to win), put up our Christmas tree, did some shopping, and still had plenty of time left to play some of the new playstation games that Derek found at Hollywood Video on a secret sale-- yes he is a bargain shopper too.

Don't you love how cozy everything looks when it's decorated for Christmas?

Thanksgiving FHE

On Monday we had a Thanksgiving Family Home Evening.

The kids wrote something they were thankful for on each of these leaves,

and then we put them on the trees.

Ethan was thankful for Playstation 2, Soda, Gameboy, TV, Games for the PS2, Games for Gameboy, cars, toy cars, elevators, escalators, the computer, numbers, birthdays, Halloween, candy, donuts, and restaurants. Interesting choices Ethan!

Julia was thankful for her brother, her mom, her dad, water, plants, soil, seeds, Heavenly Father, pencils, paper, pens, computers, food, oxygen, chalk, chalkboard, her gameboy, grass, and trees.

Hopefully it at least got them thinking about everything they should be thankful for!

And of course we had to make the traditional turkey cookies!


Yes, some looked pretty interesting, but I'm sure they still tasted great all the same.

Hope you all have a

Happy Thanksgiving!

That's the way things happen on the Polar Express

We had such a fun time Friday night!

First dinner:

And then we headed over to the train:

We warmed up a bit in the train station, it was c-c-c-cold in Heber!

The kids were ready to get on that train!



At last we got to board:





There were cute elves that read us the story of the Polar Express.

We got to follow along:

Mrs. Clause stopped by to visit:

Ethan and Julia switched places on the way back.

Santa took a while to find us, but we had some happy kids when he did!

We had such a fun time on the Polar Express!

Thanks for the tickets Good Things Utah!

An adventure to the North Pole

Tomorrow we are going on an adventure

to the North Pole
on the Polar Express.



Because today I won these:


I can hardly believe it, but it's true!

A few days ago there was a contest on Good Things Utah. They said 10 people would win tickets to the Polar Express.

All I had to do was enter on the website,

so I did.

And I can't believe that I won!!

We are SO excited!

Stay tuned for news on how our adventure turned out.

Photo editing website

I recently found a new photo editing website that I absolutely love. Picnik allows you to do some amazing things to photos, and you can do it all right on the website!

Check out what I did with this photo:

It went from this

To this

Or this!

And it is so easy, you have to check it out!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth

I love how every S sound she makes sounds like a th,

so cute!

Rocks in the dryer

Last night I was trying to catch up on some laundry. I had gotten so far behind that I was debating whether or not to put my favorite pair of jeans in the hamper, I wasn't sure when I would get them back again. I pulled a clean load of clothes out of the dryer and put some wet clothes in. I turned the dryer on and walked away, ready to go to bed. That's when I heard it-- a loud banging sound was coming from my dryer...

I dread that clanking sound that I hear from my dryer every once in a while. The sound that means that something "extra"

has made its way into the laundry.

This is what was in the dryer this time:

Any idea what it is? It was a worry stone that Julia had purchased from the Thanksgiving Point dinosaur museum. (Don't mention it to her, she'll never realize it's gone as long as I don't say anything.)

This is just the latest "extra" I've found in my dryer.

Previous finds include:

Lip gloss (what a yucky greasy mess this left on all the clothes!)

Crayons (also a messy one!)

Bouncy balls

a tennis ball

Coins

Dollars

Small toys

Paper

Grass (from a pocket)

more rocks

small trucks

a ring pop (not in the wrapper)

and I know there's more, this is just what I can remember right this instant.

What kinds of things have gone through your dryer?

Different uses for inexpensive Ikea projects

I love Ikea, I think I should go there again soon because I love this little catch-all shelf made from an Ikea magazine holder (found on Design Sponge), only $4.99:




And look what my friend Char did with an Ikea pot lid rack that was only $2.99, so smart!

And did you know that there's a blog all about different projects you can do involving Ikea products? It's called Ikea Hacker, how great is that?!

I was thankful for many things this weekend

This weekend I was the one who was sick. I don't know if I caught the same thing that Julia had or something else completely but it was rough there for a couple of days.

I really became thankful for many things this weekend:

-Derek works from home on Friday and was able to help with the kids after school.

-My bed, it is very comfortable and I was also grateful to be able to use it. Usually when I'm sick I still have mommy responsibilities but the kids were in school and Derek was around so I was able to take it easy more than usual.

-Tivo. While I was in bed resting I watched several movies and shows that I had tivo-ed over the past couple of weeks. Isn't Tivo great?!

-Comcast's On Demand. One night I couldn't sleep at all so I went downstairs and watched "27 Dresses" on demand (we have the premium channels on demand for now). I really liked it. Sure it was cheesy and predictable but who cares at 3 in the morning!

-Nose drops. Cold medicine doesn't do a thing for me, but for some reason I had never tried nose drops until last year. Wow, they really make a difference! I was able to go to sleep last night since I could actually breathe.

-And that brings us to the ability to breathe. You take for granted being able to breathe out of your nose until that ability is gone. Isn't it amazing when you are able to breathe again? Just a wonderful thing!

Thanks to Derek and the kids for helping out!

Now I really have a lot to do-- the house is a wreck, I have a million orders to finish up, I am way behind on the laundry, and I am trying to start my Christmas shopping.
We're now back to the regularly scheduled programming. :)

Free photobook from Snapfish

Just go here:

http://www1.snapfish.com/info18

I had to log out, then click the link and log back in for it to work.

***You do have to pay shipping on the book, which is $6.99.

But HURRY, you have to click to get the coupon by Friday, November 14th, and you have to redeem the coupon by Sunday, November 16th.

The worst

The unspeakable happened yesterday.

Jula threw up in school! And it's the second time this year!!
Her teacher must be really annoyed with us. I really had no idea that she was sick though. She seemed fine when I dropped her off.

After I picked her up yesterday she was SO sick. She had a fever and couldn't keep anything down. I wish she had shown some sign of being sick before I dropped her off at school! Today she doesn't seem quite as bad but I'm definitely keeping her home. Hopefully she'll be better soon. I have a million things that need to get done and there doesn't seem to be enough time when taking care of a sick kid.

Check this out

A human slinky performance:

HalfTime Basketball Creighton University Omaha Nebraska - Watch more Sports Videos

Very cool!

The last home game of the year

Derek hadn't planned on taking Ethan to the BYU game on Saturday,

but our friend Steve had been given an extra ticket.

Ethan now loves going to the BYU football games!

Next year we may have to buy an extra set of tickets

so the kids can take turns going with Dad!

While the boys were having fun at the game

Julia and I went to my Mom's Super Saturday at her church.

And that's where Julia finally lost one of her top teeth!

We all had a fun Saturday!

Christmas cards

Remember my old post about the free digital Christmas card designs?

I finally figured out how to contact Suzy

and I send her some photos for our Christmas card.

I absolutely love the card that she designed for us:

Didn't she do a great job?!

I also ordered some other Christmas cards from Snapfish

before I figured out how to contact her:

So everyone on our Christmas card list will be getting one of these 2 cards.

Anyone who got a card last year should be on our list, but if you'd like to be added then make sure you let me know, I shouldn't run out this year! :)

And I'm happy to send out cards to lots of friends and family!!

Tagged

By Brenda...



I am: a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a chauffeur, a cook, etc.

I want: my house to stay clean, it doesn't happen for long

I have: a wonderful family

I dislike: my children fighting and making messes

I miss: my family that lives out of state

I fear: something happening to one of my family members (illness, etc)

I feel: grateful

I hear: quiet! That is one thing that is wonderful when the kids are in school.

I crave: sweets and chocolate

I cry: when I am frustrated or sad

I usually: am so impatient, and I procrastinate

I search: for missing tamagotchis, shoes, wallets, and anything else my children may have lost

I wonder: about the future

I regret: not spending more time with my kids rather than worrying so much about everything else that needs to get done

I love: my family

I care: about teaching my kids everything they need to know

I worry: about my kids growing up in the world as it is today

I am not: perfect, or even close

I remember: all of the important things-- birthdays, anniversaries, etc

I believe: in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (do you have that song stuck in your head now?)

I dance: with my kids on occasion

I sing: in the shower

I don't always: make my bed

I argue: with my kids when they won't go to bed

I write: blog posts

I win: nothing usually, but I did win some earrings from an etsy giveaway a few weeks ago

I lose: my purse every once in a while, I call my cell phone to find it

I wish: I was a little better at time management and keeping my house uncluttered

I listen: to anyone who wants to talk

I don't understand: why my kids can't remember to flush the toilet (are mine the only ones who do this?)

I can usually be found: on the computer or making jewelry

I need: to start Christmas shopping

I forget: anything that I haven't written on my calendar

I am happy: when my house is clean and my kids are not fighting

I tag: Christy, Charlotte, Kristen, Emily, and Robyn

Are dvds on your Christmas list?

Then hurry on over to deepdiscount! Through November 24th, 2008, use coupon code DDAF to save 25% on your entire purchase. Shipping is always free, and this is the time to buy those DVDs and CDs to fill stockings. I've bought from them in the past without any problems. Now I just need to decide which dvds we need for Christmas.

(Deal found at Want Not.)

Fall Photoshoot

Last Saturday my sister Kristen was sweet enough to come over at the last second and take some family pictures for us. The weather was beautiful and I wanted to get something that we could use for Christmas cards.


I don't have Photoshop, nor do I know how to use it, so I did the effects on the first four photos in Winkflash before I ordered some prints.

I happy with how they turned out, and I'm so glad we did it!

Thanks Kristen!!!

Does it look like she's sick?

The night before last Julia woke up sick. She threw up a few times and thankfully went back to sleep after about an hour.

Julia has a history of being sick during the middle of the night

and then being fine the next day, so I wasn't sure whether I should send her to school or not.

I decided not to, just to be safe.

I think she probably would have been fine:

Oh well, at least she had fun on her day off!

Credit Card fraud

Thank goodness for credit card fraud prevention!!!

A few years ago we were on vacation in Florida and our Discover card was rejected at a restaurant. We pay our cards off every month so we knew it should have worked.

We called Discover and they had placed a temporary hold on the card because of unusual activity. I guess Disneyworld charges can look pretty suspicious when you normally use your card at only a few stores each month, all in Utah.

It was a minor inconvenience, but not a big deal. They had our card back up and working again in no time, and we didn't have any problems with it the rest of our trip.

Last night we got a call from Discover card. Apparently someone got ahold of our credit card number (we have no idea how) and they were trying to purchase airline tickets for $1300. There were a few other small charges on the card that we hadn't authorized, but the big one was these airline tickets. We actually bought airline tickets last week so we may not have even thought twice about the charge if it wasn't so much more than what we had paid for our tickets.

Thankfully Discover took care of it, and we won't be charged for these fraudulent charges, but it was really scary thinking how easily someone was able to charge all of these things on our card!

I found some prevention tips online:

21 Credit Card Fraud Prevention Tips:
1. Keep an eye on your credit card every time you use it, and make sure you get it back as quickly as possible. Try not to let your credit card out of your sight whenever possible.
2. Be very careful to whom you give your credit card. Don't give out your account number over the phone unless you initiate the call and you know the company is reputable. Never give your credit card info out when you receive a phone call. (For example, if you're told there has been a 'computer problem' and the caller needs you to verify information.) Legitimate companies don't call you to ask for a credit card number over the phone.
3. Never respond to emails that request you provide your credit card info via email -- and don't ever respond to emails that ask you to go to a website to verify personal (and credit card) information. These are called 'phishing' scams.
4. Never provide your credit card information on a website that is not a secure site.
5. Sign your credit cards as soon as you receive them.
6. Shred all credit card applications you receive.
7. Don't write your PIN number on your credit card -- or have it anywhere near your credit card (in the event that your wallet gets stolen).
8. Never leave your credit cards or receipts lying around.
9. Shield your credit card number so that others around you can't copy it or capture it on a cell phone or other camera.
10. Keep a list in a secure place with all of your account numbers and expiration dates, as well as the phone number and address of each bank that has issued you a credit card. Keep this list updated each time you get a new credit card.
11. Only carry around credit cards that you absolutely need. Don't carry around extra credit cards that you rarely use.
12. Open credit card bills promptly and make sure there are no bogus charges. Treat your credit card bill like your checking account -- reconcile it monthly. Save your receipts so you can compare them with your monthly bills.
13. If you find any charges that you don't have a receipt for -- or that you don't recognize -- report these charges promptly (and in writing) to the credit card issuer.
14. Always void and destroy incorrect receipts.
15. Shred anything with your credit card number written on it.
16. Never sign a blank credit card receipt. Carefully draw a line through blank portions of the receipt where additional charges could be fraudulently added.
17. Carbon paper is rarely used these days, but if there is a carbon that is used in a credit card transaction, destroy it immediately.
18. Never write your credit card account number in a public place (such as on a postcard or so that it shows through the envelope payment window).
19. Ideally, it's a good idea to carry your credit cards separately from your wallet -- perhaps in a zippered compartment or a small pouch.
20. Never lend a credit card to anyone else.
21. If you move, notify your credit card issuers in advance of your change of address.

We already do most of these though. Anyone have more tips on protecting yourself from these kinds of crimes? Post them here!

A big, huge truck

When Ethan was little he called semi trucks simply a "big, huge truck".

Imagine his excitement when Uncle Quentin started driving a big, huge truck.

He called us on his way home one night and we got to go see his big, huge truck.

Quentin currently drives this gasoline truck with two trailers!

Inside the sleeper in the back of the cab:



Hanging out the emergency exit inside the sleeper:

They even got to climb up the ladder and look inside the hole on the top of the truck:

Thanks for showing us your truck Uncle Quentin!

It was really cool!