my susie homemaker adventures

Lately, I've been a bit domestic. For the 4th of July, I made star studded mini pies from http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/07/star-studded-mini-pies.html. They were delicious and sooo easy. So easy, in fact, that the kiddies helped me make them. (I don't know if I've ever mentioned ourbestbites.com before, but, seriously, everything I've ever made from their website has been delicious! Thank you Amy for showing it to me!)

Here is a pic as they are waiting to be transported to my mother-in-law's house to be devoured by ravenous children!

And, here is a pic of why the children were so ravenous!

My next homemaking project was making a purse. I've never made a purse before and was a little nervous about the whole thing, but I found another great tutorial http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/2008/01/1-hour-bag-tutorial.html I had to tweak it a little because I didn't have buttons or a magnetic clasp, but I think it turned out to be pretty cute. I got the fabric from Pine Needles at Gardner Village. I also got the cutest model out there to pose for me :)

Alex attended his first scout camp this week and managed to lose, in the first day, his inhaler, his belt (seriously, how do you lose a belt???), and my water bottle carrier.

Good thing Alex is such a cute scout! Here is a pic of him before he lost everything LOL Well, he lost the water carrier on monday, but on wednesday we are going to Lagoon and I knew we needed one. It's hot in Utah in the summer and I don't want to shrivel up and die so I need my water! Ah, yes, as usual, I am digressing. I found yet another fantastic tutorial http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/05/water-bottle-sling.html and I made 2 water bottle holders in about 30 minutes tonight.

Here are my favorite models sporting their new water bottle carriers! I might just survive Lagoon tomorrow! I am hopeful that someday I might just yet make it as a domestic diva!

a near perfect morning

Disclaimer: notice I said near-perfect, not perfect. the perfect morning would have me sleeping in until 10 am, then a nice long soak in the tub while listening to my mp3 player and then being able to get ready and eat breakfast uninterupted. This may not happen until the children are fully grown.

This morning the baby started wailing at 6:30 am. I groan, roll over, and hope Adam wakes up to deal with the little guy. Nope, darn the bad luck, so I finally can't take the crying and go get him. Erik is NOT a cuddler in the morning. He will cuddle with you at any other time of the day except for first thing in the morning because he wants his breakfast NOW!! You'd think the baby would be huge for the amount of food he eats. So, I lumber into the kitchen, strap him into a chair, let the dogs out, throw some cheerios on Erik's tray and go lay on the couch for a second. I realize that you are thinking, "this sounds like a crappy morning to me..." It does get better, I promise.

At this point, I remember that Ashlee has to go to school early. Another groan. My Ashlee is NOT a morning person. In fact, I'm dreading when she enters the first grade because I have absolutely no idea how I am going to get her out the door, fed and looking cute all by 8:20 in the morning on a daily basis. Luckily, she comes snuggling up to me--yay, that means I don't have to wake her up. Then, in rolls Alex so I get everyone breakfast, remind them of our busy morning and go rush to get ready myself while they eat. Breakfast ends and we race to get everyone else dressed, teeth brushed, and gather their things for school. sweet, everyone was cooperative, so I can finish getting me ready and even change Erik for the day. I love it when they are cooperative. We read scriptures, say our prayers and out the door we go.

I drop them off to school, run home, read my scriptures, read the visiting teaching message for the month and put Erik down for his morning nap. I look at the clock--holy cow, it's only 9 am. I decide to exercise, cause, for some reason it seemed like the logical thing to do at 9 am. I decide on pilates so that I don't sweat up a storm since I already have my make-up on. Quick clothes change and mom and I are out the door by 9:30 headed to my visiting teaching appointment. Yes, I am lucky enough to have my mother for my companion, plus we visit teach the 3 sweetest ladies!!

I have to admit that it is nice to have one morning go smoothly because they are few and far between. Most days, i'm not even dressed by 9 am as my neighbor Richard can attest to. He's seen me in my pj's more than anyone rightfully should! Therefore, I felt very accomplished this morning. Here's to tomorrow!

my love/hate relationship with Utah

Usually in the autumn, I start to feel a little heartsick for Ohio. Utah just doesn't have the vibrancy of fall colours that I grew up with and the trees change so quickly here. Lately though, I've been feeling those pangs of heartsickness again. Maybe it's because I haven't been back in almost 3 years and I'm overdue for a visit. I'm not really sure what it is. I honestly never thought that I would end up living in Utah. In college, I even tried to avoid dating Utahns and Idahoans because I always wanted to move back to Ohio and all those Utahns I met were deadset against ever leaving their beloved state. Then Adam swept me off my feet, married me, we played rock/paper/scissors to decide where to live, Adam won, and so we made Utah our home. Part of me loves it here. The mountains are amazing! I like the contrasts in southern Utah. I really like how the sky is blue all winter--in Ohio the winter is mostly overcast and gloomy. I love how both my family and Adam's family all live so close by. Sometimes I want to scream, "Where is all the green???? What on earth am I doing living in a desert?" Then I look around at all of the things that I love: my family, my friends, the mountains, my green backyard and, I think to myself, "I can be happy anywhere because I have what is most important: my family."