Popeye's

What are Popeye's? Oh yum! I am sure that you have all had them. They just are known as different things... Puffed Oven Pancakes, German Pancakes, etc. Scott's family calls them Popeye's (I don't know why). My first experience with them ever was our first morning as a married couple. We had stayed at the Castle Creek Bed and Breakfast and we were served them for breakfast with fruit. MMMMMMMMM..... They have been a fun weekend breakfast for us since then.

PUFFED OVEN PANCAKES
From Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book

- 2 T butter
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 C milk
- 1/2 C flour
- 1/4 t. salt




Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put butter in baking dish (I just use an 8-inch casserole, I think the recipe calls for a round oven skillet or something)...heat in oven 3-5 minutes, til butter melted.

Beat eggs. Add milk, flour and salt. Beat til smooth. Pour immediately into baking dish. Bake 25 minutes, or until puffy edges and looks done in center. Serve with fruit, syrup, powdered sugar, whatever you like!

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So there you have it... Popeye's! Dallin's favorite breakfast ever! Did I mention that he ate the WHOLE pan on Tuesday? I had one piece and Maggie had 1/2 of a piece. Dallin had 4 huge platefuls of them! He likes them!

Dallin's Birthday

So our little boy is now 4! And he is just thrilled about it! We have been having problems with him the past few months... he has been saying, "I can't draw my name because I am only 3." Or, "I can only scribble because I am only 3." But yesterday I made a big deal about how he can write his name now at JoySchool because he is now 4! It seemed to work yesterday. Hopefully it will continue!

Dallin's morning started off great! Scott got up early and made Dallin's favorite breakfast. Popeye's, sausage and hot chocolate! He put the Popeye's in the oven and then left for work. Then when the timer went off he was allowed to get out of bed. It was a fun way to start the day.

We also went to the movie store and picked out the movie Dinosaurs for him to watch this week. He had all his grandparents call and 3 of his aunts call.... it was a good day.

Then after dinner he opened presents - and totally scored! He was so happy! He got lots of Star Wars stuff! And books and money and Candyland!

Then we had cake! Well, cupcakes anyway. Ok... they were from Target. But I will make him a cake for his party. Which I think we have decided will be Feb. 9th. I just haven't quite gotten it together yet! UGH! Am I ready for my kid to get big enough to have birthday parties????

Anyway - I think that he had a very great day! As I was tucking him in I asked him if he had a good birthday. He smiled really big and sighed... "Yes, mom. Thank you."

Who You Gonna Call?

Oh my - what a night! Maggie started throwing up last night about 5 pm.... Again.... She continued through the night and then again this morning after Scott had gone to work. He decided to come home early to relieve me of my barf duty. And thank goodness he did!!!

We were eating dinner at 4:50 (because I was famished and Scott was home). About 5:00 both of our carbon monoxide detectors start going. One is in the basement and one is in the hallway by the bedrooms. We looked at each other and said, "What do we do now?" So you call the fire department when the smoke alarm goes off. The police department when someone breaks into your house. What about when a carbon monoxide detector goes off?? Who do you call? We called a friend of ours - he said open windows, check this and check that... Then we looked on the internet... Basically the same information. Except it said to call a professional to check this and that. So we decided to call the police department's after-hours non-emergency number. They said, "Please get everyone out of the home and we will send over the fire department." I felt a little like they were saying - YOU MORON!!! IT'S ONLY BEEN GOING OFF FOR OVER 20 MINUTES!!!! GET OUT!!! They also asked if anyone in the house was nauseated, vomiting or had a headache. Well, that would be ALL of us. I am pregnant for goodness sake! When am I NOT nauseated!!!! And Maggie has been vomiting... UGH...

So we packed everyone up and got in the van. And waited out in front of our house for the fire department. I looked at my camera on the way out the door. I thought - I really should take that in case our house blows up. (that's how vain I am and how much I love my camera) But then thought - you are lame, just leave it. So I did.

When the fire truck came and Dallin was SO excited, I then realized my mistake in leaving my camera in the house. What a much more fun blog entry this would have been!!! 3 guys went in with Scott to check the house. 1 guy got in the van with us and put our finger in a machine to check our CO levels. We were all fine. The firemen couldn't find any carbon monoxide in our house but called Questar to make sure their machines said the same thing. Although while we were getting checked out in the van I did find out that our Joyschool group can go to the fire department for a field trip! (fun little side note)

Then Questar came and they also said that we were good to go. This - by the way - is a service with no charge. It is part of the $5/month fee that you pay for the accounting, etc. Meanwhile - we went to Lowe's and got a new carbon monoxide detector. We found out that the brand that we had in our home is the brand that 90% of the false alarm calls they get are. So we got a different brand.

Anyway - it was a night filled with adventure for Dallin. And thank goodness Scott had come home early. I would have been freaking out at home by myself with the kids.

By the way - Who you gonna call?? - that would be 911. And then your local gas company.

Dallin

I really can't believe it, but my little boy is almost 4. His birthday is next week. I went to get his 4 year photos done on Friday so that I would have them back by his birthday. We were having a not great day. But somehow the photographer really got some awesome shots...

The Amazing Race

The Amazing Race is my all time favorite show. I love it. Scott and I sent a tape in to be on the show... but they never called us. I guess we aren't interesting enough. So this season's finale was last night and my all time favorite team that has EVER been on the race won. TK and Rachel. They were so kind to each other. I don't think they ever raised their voices. They kept their cool for most of the race. And even when they blundered big time, they came back and ran the race even harder. They were just so natural - very granola. I loved it! What would Scott and I do with $1 million dollars? Pay off our house probably. And our van. Maybe get a really good snowblower... Scott is out blowing the snow from yet another storm that is pounding us. My mother sent me a picture of one that I think Scott would REALLY like!!!

What do you think???

Anyway - I am sick with baby - sick with a cold - my poor nose is in so much pain from all the blowing... and we are debating whether we venture out on Scott's day off in this snowstorm to the airplane museum. It is wonderful having him home today. Hopefully I feel better by the time he goes back tomorrow.

Sundays

I am not a fan of Sundays. They are supposed to be so uplifting and spiritually rejuvenating for the coming week. But I usually end up in a pretty foul mood with wrestling with a 16 month old and trying to get an almost 4 year old to entertain himself quietly for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Today (as usual) I was wondering what the point of going to church was. I mean - I realize that it is setting a good example to our kids, it is getting them into a habit - I mean they won't want to go when they are 5 if they don't realize it is expected of them starting now, they are learning about the gospel. Well - at least Dallin is. And just as I am thinking it would be so much easier to bag it after sacrament, the organ starts playing. Then Maggie looks straight at the chorister and starts leading. It was so cute! I realized that even though she isn't learning about the gospel yet - she is still learning about church. At least about songs... ;-)

Here are my adorable children dressed for Sunday. Maggie is not such a fan of the bows... she keeps pulling them out.

Showers and Pizza

They don't have anything to do with each other. Just things that I would like to ramble about. We have a fire going today because it's only 20 degrees outside today. Dallin is really good about staying away from the fireplace. Maggie, not so much. She really likes to open it, look in, say "HOT" and then add stuff to the fire. So when I have a fire going and need to shower, Maggie gets locked in the bathroom with me. She will usually find her bath toys under the sink and drop them into the tub. Well, today it was a little quiet. Every once in a while the water pressure would go down. (She flushed the toilet) Then I noticed that I am getting water rising in the tub. It's up to my ankles and I am thinking - that is strange. I looked back and saw all of our wash clothes and a couple of hand towels covering the drain... And a very wet Maggie looking up at me smiling her gummy 6 toothed smile!!

UGH! If she keeps this up I will be doing a lot of laundry. So I moved the towels to the back of the shower and had to try to keep her from adding more towels while finishing my business. She did get a hold of a bath towel and tried to get it in - but it was too big for her to get in the tub.

Last night as she was cheesing it for us Scott asked her, "Are you ever gonna have more than 6 teeth little girl??!!" That is a good question. I hope the rest of them come in!!

Now on to Pizza. I think it was last week I was flipping channels at 4:00 because I wanted to catch some news before I started dinner. I couldn't remember which station airs news at 4 so started with channel 2. Oprah was just starting and she says, "My best friend Gayle went around the US looking for the best pizza." Well - that piqued my interest, as pizza is on my top 2 or 3 list for favorite foods. I am not typically an Oprah watcher. Not typically a tv watcher really. Except for The Amazing Race (WHICH IS HAVING IT'S FINALE THIS WEEKEND!!!) and Lost (WHICH IS STARTING AGAIN ON THE 31st!!!!!). SO - I am totally wanting pizza lately. She went to Ledo's Pizza in Maryland (her alma mater - nice picture of her from the 70's) and they make square pizzas. They serve them on cafeteria trays. I reminisced about my pizza slinging days at the Pizza Oven in Rockville, MD. They also made square pizzas... well more rectangle and also served them on cafeteria trays. That was probably my favorite job that I have ever had. And they had REALLY good pizza! Gayle went to one place that had a sweet sauce and salty cheese (maybe the same place??). She found out that the cheese they use is smoked provolone. So I am looking for some sweet sauce recipes online and going to run to the store today to try to find some smoked provolone. I also want to try a different pizza crust. I like mine, but I think that I want to try something a little more.... mmmmm.... different. So if anyone has a great pizza crust recipe that they use, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I am making little pizzas tomorrow night because we are watching a few pre-teens while their folks have a fun night out... So get them to me QUICK!!!

Although my all time most absolutely most awesomest favoritest (get the idea??) pizza in the world is Monical's Pizza. Not just because it has my name in it's name... but because they have the GREATEST thin crust pizza I have ever had in my life. I crave it terribly each time I am pregnant... What am I saying... I crave it ALL the time. But especially when I am pregnant. We went to Indianapolis this summer and I was expecting our baby. I got Monical's 4 times in a 10 day period. It was wonderful!! I used to have to drive 45 - 60 minutes to Danville, IL to get the the closest Monical's when I would visit. It used to be only in Illinois (where most of my family is from) but have recently branched to Indianapolis. I wonder if they would let me open one out here???

Utah = Scrapbooking?

So I guess I didn't realize that the general population would link Utahans with Scrapbooking and needlepointing, etc... I read this blog "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman". She is hilarious, does cooking days and I have gotten lots of really good recipes from her, photography lessons, and is just generally hilarious. She was a big city girl that married a rancher and now is hours away from a mall and homeschools her children. Today she is holding a beauty pageant for some of her female horses... and this is one of the contestants...


"Showing us her breathtaking profile is Rebecca, our contestant from Utah! Rebecca loves knitting, scrapbooking, needlecrafts, and scratching her back on fence posts. Oh, and Rebecca really loves people."

Are Mormons the only ones who Scrapbook??? I actually fail miserably at scrapbooking. That is mostly why I blog. Then I print out the blogs and keep it as a journal of our family with photos included... I do have an attempt at a baby scrapbook for both of my kids. I actually just started Maggie's a week ago. I figured I ought to get on the ball in case we have another one in August.

On a totally different and much more serious subject - I would like to let my husband know publicly - (this is as public as it can get - on the Internet!) how much I absolutely adore him. In 1 month's time 2 people that we know have tragically lost their husbands. One is a lady that Scott works with. She was on maternity leave. They had a 6 week old - their first baby. Now I guess about 10 weeks. He went skiing - hit a tree and died. Last week my former college roommate's husband went to work and left for the emergency room with abdominal pains. Called his wife and by the time she got to the hospital he was gone. They have 4 children. I love my husband with all of my heart. I know that there is a plan for us and Heavenly Father is in charge. I know that he won't give us anything that we cannot handle with His help. Don't let the people that you love dearly ever doubt your feelings for them. You never truly know when the last time you get to lay eyes on them is.

Of course, now I am looking into Nanny services for Scott in case I kick it. Of course I am also a psycho that obsesses with death while I am pregnant. I don't know why. It is not an easy thing - to find a nanny. I think I might just tell him to ask Kevin from Texas to help him out. So now you know one of my psychotic tendencies... Poor Scott. I am just so glad that he loves me regardless!!!!

Scott's Birthday

Scott is another year older! But I think I got the year wrong on the cake... ??? We had BBQ Chicken Pizza (it has become a favorite around our house), salad and cake. We are going to go out to a BBQ place that opened up here in town and then to a movie on Saturday night. I am sure their BBQ will be better than ours...

The cake was a hit with the kids. Who is this homeless child??

So yesterday, we didn't get the brunt of the storm. Although we did end up with about 13 inches. In North Ogden, where Scott's sister lives, they had 25 inches on their deck by the afternoon. They shoveled it off and it was still snowing. They thought they were going to have to shovel again before it was done. UGH!

While Dallin was at his little friend's house they played outside and made a snowman. (the mom helped them) I think that they did a fabulous job!!!

Maggie has been doing this funny thing with all sorts of toys lately. She got a pot and pan set with the cooking utensils for Christmas. She has been sticking them in her shirt or overalls. I went to change her diaper after a meal this week and out comes a fork!!!! One from our kitchen table!!! So now she has graduated up to light sabers!!!

Holy Snow Storm Batman!!!

WATCH OUT PEOPLE TO THE EAST OF UTAH!!!! Especially Denver! I came home from the church last night about 9 pm. There wasn't even a hint of a storm. This morning when Scott got up for work it had snowed about 6 inches and was STILL coming down. It's 10:45 am and it is STILL coming down. I took Dallin to the fence to play next door and had my snow boots on and the snow in the backyard was above my boots.

I decided to take a few pictures because it is absolutely gorgeous! I don't know how long it's supposed to be snowing today. I need to run out to the store to get a few things for Scott's birthday today! Don't know how that's going to go over. We don't have AWD in the van - and Scott has the Subaru with him at work.

My poor rosemary plant. It has seen better days... But fortunately, for not being a very winter hardy plant, it has lived for a few years being snowed on!

This is the snow accumulation since sometime after 9 pm last night.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE!!!!! He is getting OLD! heheheheee... Actually next year will be the black birthday party. He will be 40!!! We are actually going to go out for his birthday! We never did get out for mine. But we are trading with our friends whose birthdays are both next week. So they are taking our kids this weekend and we are taking theirs next weekend! YIPEE!!! I really really really need to go on a date with my hubby!

Rebooting the system

You know when there is a problem with your computer, it's running slow, doing something screwy... you just reboot it - turn it off and then back on? Then miraculously it is working again! I think that I have been rebooted. For 7 years my body was really screwy. We couldn't have kids unless we were on medication, etc. After we had Maggie we had a little surprise baby. Well, we once again have been surprised. Apparently I am going to have to go on birth control if we are wanting to prevent more babies. I am 10 weeks 4 days pregnant. Scott and I went to the doctor today. I actually thought that there were problems as this has been a very different pregnancy than my other 4. I have thrown up only once. I am constantly tired and nauseous and miserable and cranky and don't really know how Scott puts up with me. Although that part is normal. But the not throwing up is odd. I haven't gained any weight yet. Just different. But everything looks fine. At this point anyway.

So here is (hopefully) the first of many photos of our newest addition.

I am still not quite sure if I am "excited" about this. I have been having guilt of not being overjoyed and gushing with love for this little one growing inside of me. (And there is only one - he double checked...) I typically am an optimistic person. But for lots of reasons have been extremely pessimistic this time around. Scott says I need an attitude adjustment.

Any prayers that would be thrown our way would be greatly appreciated! You could pray the baby will make it... You could pray that my sanity will stay in tact if it doesn't... we aren't all that picky at this point!

Anyway - just thought that I would share our good news!!

Stress Eating

I am a stress eater. I admit it. Chocolate is my main happy place. Today, I am eating a HUGE bowl of the big guns... Ice Cream. Normally it's just a small piece of chocolate that I keep hidden from everyone in the house. Ok... So the big guns is fat free ice cream. But it is still a really big bowl. At least for me. I am not the ice cream eater in our house. That would be Scott.

I guess that I have created a dawdler in Dallin. And it drives me absolutely INSANE! How does it take 3 1/2 hours to change your clothes, make your bed and pick the toys up off of your floor??? I purposely keep our lives pretty low key. I don't like to have us be cramming tons of stuff into a day. In fact there will be days where we don't even leave the house. So maybe I have created a child who doesn't see the urgency in getting things done first thing in the morning. Even though he isn't allowed to play or go to friend's houses or have them over until he has them done - he can find entertainment in a rubber band that he may find in his room while cleaning it.

Ugh! And then little Miss Maggie. My spatulas, wooden spoons and Dallin's magnetic leap frog letters are constantly on my kitchen floor. We have broken a few kitchen utensils by stepping and tripping on them. And with it being Friday and I have had my fill of alone time with my children - I needed the Breyer's today.

But then I look on my camera and find the cute adorable children that I just love. Especially on bath nights. Both of our kids LOVE bath nights. Last night we asked Maggie if she wanted to take a bath. She immediately was trying to take her clothes off. She wasn't able to get her shirt off and started screaming.

Then Maggie just LOVES to read. If I am not wanting to read to her, she will just hunker down and get to it herself.

Then there is my acrobatic little boy. Jumping off the couch. And what did I do? Take a picture. Making my life harder by having to say in the future, "I know I took a picture of you doing that - but don't jump on the furniture!" UGH!!! Why is parenting so difficult???!!!!

So there you have it. You know what a bad parent I am....