Sugar & Spice Halloween Parade!

We would love to see all your sweet kids' costumes. Hope you all had a fun Halloween! Miss M, the fairy princess!

Wednesday Weekly

What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

Bumbo revisited

If you check out the comments on the first bumbo post, you'll see that the real issue is that parents need to use the Bumbo in a safe and responsible way. I don't think you necessarily need to get rid of yours!

Standards Night Ideas

Okay ladies, I need your help. I've been put in charge of our branch Standards Night for youth and parents (with very short notice). I have some ideas but I need more. The "theme" is taken from an article in this month's Ensign - For the Strength of You. We will be meeting in the home of a good family so the Spirit will be there. The plan is to separate the parents from the youth to talk about the importance of the standards in For the Strength of Youth. Then we'll come back together for a conclusion. This will be on a Sunday evening. Any suggestions, ideas?

Thanks!

Preschool Ideas

Revisiting my previous post on Joy School, I found a great blog today with ideas for Moms to do with their kids. It doesn't have to be in a preschool. This can be something for any of us. Just thought I'd share! :)

Bumbo recall

FYI:

My mom just told me that Bumbos have been recalled. They have caused skull fractures.

Innate Candy Detection

How do they know????? How, at 21 months, can they look at a candy wrapper of a candy bar they've never seen before and know immediately to reach out their tiny hands, opening and closing, want to grab hold and get chocolate all over their hands, whining, "tee-tee" (or however you child says candy!)???? How?????? I got Halloween candy that is mostly unfamiliar to her. I mean, who gives a baby milk duds? Yet, she knows by some built in radar that they obviously taste good!!! She can sense the sweet taste and smell that chocolate scent. And when i don't respond to the open hands and whining, she rubs her tummy saying, "peeeeeeeeace!" And so it begins before she even knows what she's asking for!

Happy Halloween! :)

Space heaters part II

I sort of posted this under Liz&meg's earlier post, but found all the info.

Before moving to NY, my husband and I lived in a mobile home. The guy that lived there before was a carpenter and built a GIGANTIC walk-in closet. Since it was bigger than my first bedroom, we turned it into a nursery for Margaret. Only downfall- it get any heat. Big problem for a November baby (and for those of you that live in MI, last feb had quite a few below zero days!).


So my husband found this: http://www.luxproducts.com/thermostats/win100.htm
As you can probably tell from the picture, it's a programmable thermostat that you plug into an outlet in the room, then plug the space heater into the thermostat. Turn your space heater to "on" then the thermostat does all the work. If it's warm enough in the room, it cuts power to the heater and turns it off, and if it's too cold, it turns it on. What's really nice is that there is a power switch on the thermostat. So if you don't want it to run during the day you can just flip the switch. It's available at most hardware stores. Or you can order it online. At Ace, it's $45, though I know we only paid $30-something and we ordered online. Just search online for Lux thermostat WIN100. The only thing is that you have to make sure you have the right kind of space heater. The first space heater we had, had a built in thermostat and so it wouldn't turn on automatically when the thermostat kicked on. So we had to go buy a "cheaper" one that wouldn't turn itself off.

I'm not sure if this works for a baby, since the amount of heat they put off is obviously less than an adult, but when I was pregnant, we put a plastic shower curtain under our sheets. Turned out, this really kept us warm! Though it was cold at first, as soon as we were in bed for a few minutes, since the plastic retains more heat than the sheets, we warmed up nicely :)

Space Heaters

I know they can be dangerous and a fire hazard. But so can pajamas! However, my daughter's room is the farthest room from the furnace which means she gets the coolest air. Plus, her room is on the corner so two of her walls face the outside of the house. Her room gets stuffy in the summer and cool in the winter. When she was little, we'd open her door overnight after we went to bed so air would circulate. This year, I don't think that will work with my light little sleeper! I would like to get a space heater. My hubby objects. He worries about the hazards. Not to involve you in my domestic dispute :) or anything, I'd love some advice or experience. It's not even that cold yet here, and her room is already chilly!

"SEX"

I've been student teaching a 7th grade science class since September. The kids say some pretty funny things, but Friday's comment wins:

I had to explain to the students that we were starting a new unit on genetics. As part of the unit we have to talk about "sex cells." Through all their giggling I was able to explain that we weren't going to talk about sex, just sex cells and how they are different from blood cells, skin cells, etc.

I told the kids that if they were uncomfortable saying "sex" they should go home and practice saying it so that they could get use to hearing it said by me, their classmates, and themselves.

After my talk I'm walking around, handing out papers, and one of my most *obnoxious* students says, "Mrs. Coates, is it OK if I just say 's-cells'?"

I told her NO WAY. In a science class we use the scientific words. Just like in English...a teacher would never let you refer to a verb as "that v-word."

She tells me, "I made myself a promise never to say words like that."

So I said, "Words like what? SEX?" (I made sure to exaggerate every letter of the word)

She then tells me, "Mrs. Coates, I think Satan is using you to test me."

Please teach your children that there is a time and place to use "bad words."

Harry Potter....

Warning: a lot longer than expected and I jumped from thought to thought.

Alright, so I'm not a Harry Potter fan... never read a book, but I have listened to books 2&3 on tape while driving from MI to NY. However, I heard this on the news:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/10/20/harry.potter.ap/

Personally I wonder why it matters. I find it somewhat sickening that an entertaining book is being reduced to a statement on sexual orientation (at least in my mind and some of the articles I've read). It is of course, no coincidence that the beloved headmaster, the influence for good is gay... even in public schools today, teachers who are homosexual are still viewed as an "evil influence."

I mean, this is sort of a touchy thing. From the gospel standpoint, we know that homosexuality is not the Lord's way and that acting on such instincts is a violation of God's law but that people who struggle with same gender attraction are not loved less by the Lord. But at the same time, it is SO widespread and accepted as a great thing. People are applauded for being a hero when they come out about their orientation. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of friends from H.S that were attracted to their same gender.. heck! I live in Ithaca - a city that by city ordinance gives benefits to "domestic partners" (they get the same benefits that I get as a spouse) and so I'm around a diversity of people everyday. I have no problem loving those with different standards than I. And no problem associating and being friends with such. But I know what the gospel teaches. http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b3bc55cbf541229058520974e44916a0/?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1

Of course there is freedom of speech, and there is freedom of expression, but how are we supposed to react? How are we supposed to explain to our kids who read Harry Potter and about the exalted Head master and ask about his love and life and why he didn't marry or have kids. Obviously, teach the truth, but it's difficult (and scary) to, once again combat, those who call good evil and evil good and to raise our kids in such a world. And how, when it comes time to vote on proposals to legalize same sex marriage, do we explain our position without offending? Of course, we just tell the truth, but how do you say that to a friend who is homosexual and engaged and wants to marry? And wants all of the benefits of marrying someone they love?

I think this post ended up being a rant more than anything, but I would love to hear our thoughts about Harry Potter and everything else. But it makes me sad and sick to think of what is accepted out there. And happy and SO grateful that I have the gospel to arm myself and my children with!

frozen meals

I have found that most of the people I make meals for prefer to have frozen ones that they can make at their convenience. I love to cook, but have not mastered the art of frozen meals other than enchiladas and chili. Does anyone have any recipes that work great as frozen meals?

Weaning

Did anyone have really strange things happen to their bodies when they started to wean baby from breastfeeding? (and the much anticipated (ha) return of their periods)

Everything seems to be happening at once for me, and starting Sunday night I would wake up in the middle of the night with a rapid heart rate, difficultly breathing and warm and tingling hands and feet... the tingling lasted throughout the day as well, though finally stopped yesterday. And then in the mornings I have awful headaches. I went in to the dr., they ran a bunch of tests, and no conclusions yet. Margaret is eating a lot less (she'll be a year old Nov 8th), and that really is the only thing that is different. After talking with my sister she said she had some really strange (some similar) things happen to her when she stopped feeding her kids. So I was wondering did anyone go something similar?

Cool Mist Humidifiers

Boring post alert!

Do you love your cool mist humidifier? If so, which one do you own? I really want to use mine but admittedly, we usually don't because it requires very regular cleanings with vinegar and bleach. But maybe that's typical (???) and we just need to stop being lazy about it. It's just hard to find the time to do it. If you have a great, low maintenance one, please let me know!

Homeade gifts

Help! I know it's not even November yet, so I apologize to those of you who are thinking it's WAY too early to be worrying about this....

This is about the time when I start thinking about the holidays, and even start a little of my Christmas shopping. I like to put time and thought into gifts, so I'm not rushed. (And so I'm not buying everything at once!) Anyway, we started a new tradition on my husband's side of the family. We aren't supposed to buy each other anything, but instead make thoughtful, homeade gifts. Last year was easy because we had this awesome Craft Day at our Ward with several projects that were exactly that-thoughtful and homeade! However, I'm now in a small branch that doesn't do a craft day, and I'm not so good at coming up with ideas on my own!

Some examples of gifts we exchanged last year were:
-I made wooden blocks with sepia photographs on every side for each family member. The blocks stacked on top of each other, and they looked pretty neat!
-My sister in law framed a Proclamation to the Family for each of us, with our own custom borders of photographs of our families
-My sister in law also made one of those fleece sacks with rice and little objects in it, for kids to "search for" the objects during church, etc.

Hopefully that gets the creative juices flowing and PLEASE send your ideas my way!!! :)

Wednesday Weekly

I was thinking the other day about a talk show I heard on the radio years ago. They were talking about what you splurge on. One person said they always have thier pizzas delivered (as opposed to carryout). Another said they buy fresh flowers for their home every week.

So, what do you splurge on?

New Contributor

Hi, my name is Heidi.

My husband and I met while we were both working at USU in Logan, Utah. We live in Alabama where my husband is an art professor at Jacksonville State University. Our six month old daughter keeps us laughing and very busy. In addition to these things, I am interested in a cappella music, reading, cooking, blogging, public radio, crocheting, sewing and hope to learn how to garden in 'bama.

Cramster and I were roommates about ten years ago. I've been reading this blog for a while and have posted comments from time to time. Then I got an invitation to join and I was excited. I told my husband that I just got invited to be in the "in group" and he immediately said, "did you get asked to be a contributor to Sugar and Spice?" It made me laugh. I'm looking forward to getting to know all y'all better through this blog. Thanks!

Humanitarian Aid

Tonight for Family Home Evening, Michael and I discussed Humanitarian Aid and we found this great site on the church's website:

http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/accelwork/humanintereststory/0,7989,1325--9-1100,00.html

The site is a list of all the humanitarian aid projects you can make (along with guidelines and patterns). Out here, JoAnn Fabrics is having a sale on fleece, so we are making fleece mittens and scarves to send out. The website also has this list of current needs:
Crib Quilts - Priority Need
Infant outfits
Newborn Kits
Children's mittens and gloves (all sizes)
Crib sheets (42" X 72")
Children's lightweight pajamas (sizes 2-12)
Fabric activity books (quiet books)
Boys pants (size 2-12)
Receiving blankets
Children's socks (sizes 3-12)

Plus there are a lot more projects on the website I listed. Just thought I'd spread the word. It makes a great project for the colder days!

Sharpie Remover

I was just reading a blog (originally from Linz about a JK Rowling comment) and found this great post about removing Sharpie (permanent marker) from furniture. One of the commentors mentioned that when she used denatured alcohol on Sharpie marks, she barely even had to scrub them at all! I was so impressed (probably because I live in daily fear of such an episode, despite my diligent hiding of all non-Color Wonder markers), that I just had to post this! I have no idea where to buy denatured alcohol, but at least we know what to look for if ever a need arises! (I'm hoping it works on pen, too, as that's a much more common weapon on our furniture.)

It's getting cold out there...

Last winter, we battled ear infection after ear infection with our little one. It runs in the family and so I expected it. She was such a trooper and usually quite good about feeling so crappy but I remember being so relieved when she was over six months and I could give her cold medicine. We had colds through June, so I've already been gearing up for another long winter! So, while I want to follow what the experts are now saying about cold medicine, I'm a little dismayed! No cold medicine under the age of six! They say it doesn't help! I would like to say it does but I know part of it is I feel like I'm helping when I give her medicine. I also wonder how much just Tylenol or Ibuprofen helps because that's usually part of the formula too.

Some of the things that help now that cold medicine is out:
-humidifiers! If you don't have one, I strongly suggest it. The white noise helps them sleep and the humid air clears congestion(and helps with voice quality by the way)
-vitamins! I was so good with the nasty brown liquid vitamins when M was little and last year was terrible. I've always wondered if there's a connection.
-of course rest and hydration
-good hygiene! This is another duh! one but sometimes it's so easy to skip hand washing, teeth brushing, (or maybe I'm just a lazy mom!) :)

What else has gotten you through colds? what do you think of the new recommendations? Are you a follower or a skeptic?

Book request

I know we've given tips before, but I would love some new ideas for books for my one year old. However, I'm going to be kind of picky. I've learned that people love different things in Children's books, so I'll give you an idea of the kind of books I like to get. Linz raved about the book "Over in the Garden," by Jennifer Ward, and it's now one of my faves! I know they say simple books with not a lot of words are good for toddlers, but let's face it...they're not very fun to read! The words of this book flow in a very pleasant rhyming pattern, and I love reading it to her! It also has great pictures. So call me selfish, but I like books that are fun for ME to read! As far as books that are touch and feel, or have flaps, etc. Katie B. just got us the coolest book ever for Skyler's birthday. It's called "Tails," by Matthew Van Fleet, and every page has several different textures of animal tails to feel, as well as flaps to pull out, flaps to make the tails wag, etc. And, there's A LOT of pages! Sometimes toddler board books have like four pages, which I personally think is pretty lame. So anyway, there you have it. Those are two books that I feel strongly enough about to rave about. If you have any, please share!

Uhg .... Sundays

I'm feeling a bit frustrated and need to vent. At this point in life I really really dislike Sundays. Luke naps twice a day during the week but on Sundays because of church he only takes one nap. (Our wards time is 9-noon) He'll no longer sleep in his car seat while at church. He sleeps for the normal time after church but he's so tired all afternoon. He's crabby and cries and has the hardest time going to sleep at his regular bedtime. It's been almost an hour and he's not sleeping yet. I wish church was like it was years ago when sacrament mtg, sunday school and primary/RS/PH were at different hours of the day. I'm done venting ... unfortunately I'm still feeling incredibly frustrated.

Joy School

I have wanted to start a Joy School (Mom-run preschool) with some of the ladies in my ward. However, before I could get up the guts to ask people, someone beat me to it. Now I can particpate without the responsibility! :) She's asking for ideas for how to run it though. I know a few of you have done this before. What has worked, what hasn't? The ages range from my 21 month old to 3 1/2 year olds. We're planning on two hours with a lesson (possible snack) and then play time. I thought I'd see what you've learned in your preschool experiences.

How to make a Christmas stocking

Hi everyone! I know we need to give Halloween and Thanksgiving their due, but I am already getting ready for Christmas. I want to relax over the holidays and not feel stressed out by not having enough time to do what I need to do.

SO this year I have made some Christmas stockings for my family. I found a really simple way to make simple stockings. Click here to go to my blog and see the directions. It was too long for me to post a second time!

This pattern is very easy to follow. It doesn't take much time either, I made 3 stockings in about an hour and a half, including distraction time. AND to top it off they aren't very expensive to make - you need 2/3 yard of fabric total per stocking. Start watching for holiday fabric sales!

If you already have stockings for your family, these would be easy and inexpensive gift bags for neighbors, teachers, friends, visiting teaching sisters, etc. I have also heard of some families making a stocking for Christ, and then having family members put in something they are going to give to Him for the next year (usually they are spiritual goals but it could be anything).

New to Group

I started to introduce myself and realized I sounded a little too much like an AA member...you know 'Hi my name is Teriney, blah blah blah.' Anyhow, my name really is Teriney. I am a sister in-law to Liz. I actually joined the group a month or so ago, but am really blog shy...but decided to take the leap!

I am originally from Arizona. I went to college in Utah, and graduated from the other other college, UVSC. I have a degree in Integrated Studies: Business Management & Communications. I am married to Joe, and the mother of a 16 month old girl and another girl on the way (due at the begining of March). We have been living in Arkansas for the past 2ish years, while Joe is working on his JD degree. He is in his finally year and we are excited to see where life takes us next!

I tend to think of myself as a dabbler in hobbies so I'll only list a few. My current favorites are: jewelry making (clearly I am not a photographer!) and sewing. I am definitely a beginner in the sewing department but I find it fun and relaxing. Anyhow, me in a nutshell! ps. Sorry for any spelling errors...I am not sure if the spell checked worked ;)

"Sip Tips"

Alright, I know we've had some posts already on when to start the sippy cup and whatnot. My issue is slightly different though. My newly turned one year old started using the sippy cup at meals months ago. However, she refuses to give up the bottle in between meals. According to my pedi, and the literature I have, she should still be getting 24 oz or so a day of milk. She doesn't take even half that at meals. She'll drink maybe 2 oz or so with each meal. If I try to offer the sippy cup in between meals, at the times when she usually gets a bottle, she cries and cries until I give her a bottle. I've had people say it's no big deal if she takes a bottle once or twice a day for a few more months. But is it going to get any easier for her to give it up in a few months? Do I just say tough love and take it away? I'm just worried she won't get enough milk if I do that. Have any of you had problems with this???

Wednesday Weekly

If you could bring a TV show back (cancelled or otherwise ended) on TV (with new episodes) what would it be?

Costumes

So far M's costume has cost seven dollars-I decided it would probably cost that much to make a wand and wings so I bought some and am making the other pieces to transform my toddler into a fairy. What are your kids going to be for Halloween?????

Christmas Children's Books

I have the Chrismas itch. I am trying to restrain myself to wait and put the Christmas CD's in until November 1. Just a few more weeks! Anyway, I'm looking for recommendations on Christmas children's books. I don't own a single one. Thanks!

Peanuts?!?

A couple weeks ago my son had a small, seemlingly insignificant reaction to a bite of my peanut butter/honey sandwich. (These have become a staple in my pregnancy diet. I LOVE them). I didn't think much of it and chalked it up to something else he'd eaten that day. Last Sunday he had a bite of my waffle that had peanut butter on it, no P.B. on the bite he had, but it was on the rest of the waffle. He immediately threw up all over and then starting breathing very shallow, raspy breaths and his lips turned and frightening shade of blue.

We made an appointment with an allergist and lo and behold, my poor little guy has a peanut allergy. I've decided there's nothing worse for your sweet little ones to be allergic to. I don't know if you knew this, but it seems like EVERY single food is created with, near or in something peanuty. This knowledge has really caused a radical lifestyle change in the Koudelka home, which is totally worth it if we can prevent a reaction like the ones we've experienced so far. I'm slowly starting to become an "expert" in the peanut allergy field, but was wondering if anyone else knew more about these allergies and foods that are "allowed" in his diet. We're still in the experimental stage trying to determine just how sensitive his body is, so any new information would be much appreciated!

Vinyl Lettering

I found this blog one day while I was surfing. I know vinyl lettering is big in Utah but it's just making it's way out to Minnesota. I love the signs with the family name with Families are Forever overlaid. Since we don't have this readily available, are these prices good? We might be doing it for Enrichment soon (yay!) so I might not have to try to track my own down. The girl who runs this blog also said we could do it ourselves. Anyone done it? Is it easy?

My Son

I took this picture of my son earlier today. I love it! I just wanted to share it with all of you. His name is Luke.

Fish

I don't know a thing about fish. I don't know how to cook them or what to season them with. The only fish I know how to do anything with is Tuna. I tried fish when I was younger and I didn't like it because it was "fishy"... I'm sure there are other types of fish that aren't so "fishy" or maybe better seasonings to add. Does anyone have any good recipes/recommendations?

Swiss Chicken Supreme

My husband and I tried this for the first time a few nights ago and really enjoyed it. I found it on the "Taste of home" website.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices (1 ounce each) Swiss cheese
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 cups crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 50 crackers)
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Place the chicken in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with minced onion, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Top each with a slice of cheese.
In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream and water; pour over chicken. Toss the cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and crumbs are golden. Yield: 4 servings.

My thoughts:
I forgot to buy sour cream, so I didn't add any and we thought it still tasted great. I used 3 whole chicken breasts...two cans of soup was more than enough! Next time I'll only use one. I wouldn't add the extra salt, the soup already has plenty of salt, although that could be because I used "herb cream of chicken soup" instead of plain. I couldn't find the plain. I would recommend this recipe.

Comfort Food

Fall completely changes my meal plans! I crave comfort food, it's harder for me to cook healthy, but I love it so much more. I will completely admit to loving tater tot casserole (although I don't know anyone who makes it like I do-my friends at work make fun of it :) and funeral potatoes (another thing my coworkers make fun of-they know it as cheesy hashbrowns). When I'm homesick, I love creamed peas and potatoes. But I love soups and stews and all sorts of warm baked yummies that I shy away from during the hot months. Post your favorite cold weather recipes (especially those of you who missed the Sugar and Spice cookbook last winter) and help us come up with some new ideas for Fall to keep things fresh, healthy, but oh so tasty!

BEAUTIFUL Jewelry

Hi all Sugar & Spice readers! I am excited to post a guest post from Ashley. Stay tuned in a few days for a very special giveaway. In the mean time, read this post and check out the opportunities available to you right now!

I am an independent representative of sterling silver jewelry. Due to corporate policies, I'm unable to put a link to my website which contains the catalog of over 500 gorgeous pieces. If you email me, I will send you the link personally. Thanks to Sugar and Spice being so wonderful in helping me get the word out, I am giving 15% off all individual orders if you mention Sugar and Spice when you order.

I wanted to also let you know that you can still earn free jewelry through a show with me. E-mail me to find out how!

Contact me via e-mail: hunyglow46 (at) yahoo (dot) com

"If you like a piece ... Buy it!"
"If you like a lot ... Host a show and get FREE jewelry!"
"If you want it all ... Join my team!"

Messy Faces

My daughter loves to feed herself, and as you can see, she gets a little bit dirty in the process. Currently I wash her face off with a wet washcloth after each meal, but I was wondering if there was any better way to wash off her face (i.e. less laundry, more sanitary...whatever). So, I figured I'd ask what all of you do. Maybe a washcloth is the best solution and I'm fine with that...I was just curious what else people use. Thanks guys! :)

Wednesday Weekly

What is the last book you read?

Nicknames

So my husband and I are trying to figure out how to go about establishing a nickname for Margaret. We love the name Margaret and will always call her that, but it's fairly inevitable that people are going to try to give her the nickname "Maggie." I personally don't like Maggie... perhaps due to the fact that that is my dog's name :) But we'd like to call her Greta if possible.

How do you go about establishing a nickname? Sounds strange, but can I confuse her by calling her two names? (I know I'd be confused if someone called me Margaret and then Greta if I were her age :)

Taking a stand

I am always one to fight for a good cause... especially in regards to the media. Perhaps it's because this is often the easiest (most obvious) way to take a stand against sliding values in society. This is such an opportunity.

On September 25, 2007 Oprah aired a show called "237 reasons to have sex." I didn't actually see the show, but I did read the archives of the show as found on http://www.oprah.com/. I will not describe all the sickening details of what was discussed, but I will say that such topics as "open marriages" "friends with benefits" and "erotica" (a "nicer" word for pornography) were all discussed in positive, healthy ways. Oprah, of course, never said whether she personally supports these ideas or not (at least in the printed archive) and I understand that she just tries to cover "what's out there" but the mere fact that she dedicated an entire show to such ideas speaks volumes. With no opposing view expressed. There was a brief (very brief) line that stated that only 1/3 of marriages survive an affair but that was all. Many of us would agree that Oprah is one of the most influential women in our time. Influential with her money but especially influential as a "respected" source. Millions tune into her show each day (I used to and still would if we had tv) and I'm sure we've all been in conversations with people that refer to what they saw on Oprah (we've even mentioned it on this blog). So it baffles (ok, maybe I'm not that surprised... sadly, nothing is too shocking anymore) me that someone with so much power and influence would air a show completely contrary to all that we as members of the church believe. There were statements made in the show directly opposite to what the prophet and apostles have told us.

http://www.lightedcandle.org/oprah.asp is an online petition asking Oprah not to air the show again and to voice our disappointment with her choosing such topics. I also would like to add that I am going to write Oprah directly to express my disappointment. If this is something that you feel strongly about, I encourage you to do the same.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this matter. And know if you actually watched the show and what you thought.

Surviving the Witching Hour...snackless

Our challenge of late has been saying no to snacks after 3:30, so the girls will actually eat their dinner at 5:00. As I mentioned in my comment to Liz&Meg's last post, 4pm is always wretched, so for a while I just gave them fruit or veggies so at least they had something good in their bellies, but we want them to eat with us, not just watch us eat. I think they're starting to be okay with it. The older one isn't asking for another so much anymore. However, do you guys have any suggestions?

Deceptively Delicious!

I watched the first half of Oprah today and had to share. They had Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica, on who has mastered the art of hiding vegetables in food so her kids get the nutrition they need without the battles! They posted some of her recipes and I'm excited to try a few. Seriously, chocolate brownies with spinach and carrots in them! And they're low fat too! My toddler's starting to get picky and I am working to reshape my own habits so I'm a better example for her. A lady in my ward is an expert at this, especially with hiding whole grains in her food and I've wanted to try some of her recipes as well. Maybe now I will!

Conference Notes

I didn't get to watch as much conference as I wanted to this time. My in-laws were having a mini-reunion and conference doesn't affect them so we had to make conference a lower priority. It's my goal to watch the sessions online and read the Ensign to catch as much as I can of what I missed. We'll see how well that goes. :)

One of the things I did enjoy was the missionary theme from Saturday afternoon and Elder Tenorio's talk on eternal families from Sunday afternoon. What did you enjoy? What thought or talk impacted you?

Halloween Books for Kids

Happy October, people!

Our little family o' three have a few Halloween books that we love. With the exception of one we just bought last weekend, we've read the other ones all year long. But this month they are especially fun. The first three on this list are books I had before I was pregnant because I used them in my elementary music classroom. Here are the four that we own:

1. Shake dem Halloween Bones: The verses can be chanted rhythmically, the chorus can be sung. If you don't know the tune, maybe I will find the chance to do a recording of it. This is my FAVORITE! I love it and so does my little one, but I've sung it for up to 4th graders and they love it too! Available in hardcover and paperback.

2. Five Little Pumpkins: If you have a child in elementary school, they may know this cute song. Very simple pictures in board book style.

3. The Little Old Lady who not afraid of anything: This book isn't sung. My baby is not really into this one yet. There is opportunity for fun sound effects or instrument playing in this one.

4. Where's Baby's Pumpkin? This was on display at Target and I snatched it up last weekend. Within this week, my baby has probably looked at it 50 times. It's cute, it's sparkly, it's lift-the-flap. I highly recommend it for your little ones.

I actually saw #2-4 on this list at Target on display. Generally their kids' book are usually about 75 cents cheaper than list price. Amazon.com is where I get most of my books but I noticed that these three books were selling at full price on Amazon.

Do you have some favorites?

Wednesday Weekly

What would you generally order at the food counter in a movie theater?

How do you deal??????

....with your in-laws?

I have it pretty good with my in-laws. I can do no wrong in their eyes most of the time, and most of the time I understand them. But every once in a while, I want to shout from the rooftops, "what planet did you come from?????" I come from a family where conflicts are confronted, problems are resolved, consequences are dealt for behaviors, and for the most part :) we communicate. Not so with my in-laws. And so my outspoken, let's deal with the problem head on self is about ready to turn blue sometimes when something happens! Don't get me wrong, most of the time I am able to keep my mouth shut or encourage my husband quietly to stand up for himself or deal with a problem. But before all that, I usually have to spend a lot of time calming myself down! :)

Have you learned any bits of wisdom in your married years? How do you keep your mouth shut? How do you sit by quietly when all you want to do is scream?????

A Day in the Life...

Don't we always feel like we're going at that speed anyway!

Baked, Boiled or Fried??

I use flash-frozen chicken breasts for almost everything. It's cheaper and so easy! I've had several friends who are so surprised that it comes out tender. I just bake it in a glass pan, covered at 375 for a half hour or til juices are clear. All of them seem surprised by that. How do YOU cook chicken? Am I weird?