5 minutes of effort and a lack of source material. plus time travel.

Photoshopping

Here's my best picture of my three grandbabies with Santa. My question is to Laura- can you take a picture of Agnes from about the same distance as this picture and then photoshop her in to the left of Caleb? Wouldn't that be so cool? Look how easy it would be to add Agnes into that empty spot. If you can work your magic like you did with the lavender field, you can easily add Agnes to this picture. At least I think it would be easy, but I know nothing about the process at all. Maybe Holly's picture is better...there's still space in her's to add Agnes to it. What do you think?

A few more pictures

I hope everyone had a good enough time in St. George that they felt it was worth the trip. Here are some pictures from my camera that I wanted to share with you.

I thought Nora made a great present distributor, and I heard Karen say she was glad to be rid of the job, finally. It was good for her to be able to hold Caleb while he "opened" his presents.

It was very funny when Nora would open one of her clothing presents and immediately pitch it to Holly, who promptly assured me that Nora was very grateful for the clothes, it was just boring for Nora to open them. Here she is about to pitch the socks.

Then there was Sara who loved jumping on the trampoline! She especially loved the fact that there were handlebars to hold onto. The boys in charge of setting the trampoline up made an executive decision not to fully assemble it, meaning they didn't hook up the noisemaking feature. They got away with it because we didn't have any batteries, so that was the "excuse."

Okay Sara, we know you just love Caleb, and you're trying to show him how neat you think he is, and you want to show him that toy and share with him...

But what's with that victory grasp?

Oh, I see...there's the "take down."

I guess that's worth 2 points in the wrestling world.

It turns out I don't have a camera

It'd rather help if I did but I don't so there's that. I opened up one of the blankets my mother got me for Christmas and while I was tearing out the tag I noticed something humorous.


UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THIS TAG NOT TO
BE REMOVED EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER
---------------------------------------------------
ALL NEW MATERIAL
consisting of
POLYESTER FIBER
(100% POLYESTER)
CONTENTS STERILIZED
---------------------------------------------------
REG NO. PA-27107 (CN) PER. NO. PA-9829 (CN)
---------------------------------------------------
Certification is made by the manufacturer
that the materials in this article are described
in accordance with law
---------------------------------------------------
MADE BY
AEOLUS DOWN, INC
14050 Norton Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
---------------------------------------------------
Date of Delivery_____
Finished Size 58x74in.
---------------------------------------------------
RN 101926
COVER: 100% POLYESTER
MADE IN CHINA
---------------------------------------------------
[barcode]

Santa

I love how the 2 youngest are just in awe... and so confused.

Self-discipline

Agnes put herself in the corner for spitting out her food. Maybe she's learning. Maybe

Party Animals

We went out to dinner for Mom's birthday last night. Brandon and I thought it only appropriate to celebrate this special occasion with one of a kind gifts. (Well, they're not really one of a kind since you can probably find them at any Spencer's.)

You can't respectably turn 50 without a dancing rat singing and dancing, right? Mom thought it was hilarious (or at least she made this really funny laughing face). Caleb thought it was funny too though.

She even danced along to it.

We got her some other awesome gifts. Like playing cards that have funny sayings about being 50 (I'm sure we'll be seeing them in St. George...unless she forgot them)


and these awesome candles that say "old fart". What a great birthday.

(Caleb did give her a more respectable present -- a picture of him, of course.)

Welcome Danny!

Apparently Samuel has the wrong email address for Danny. So he just learned about the family blog right now.

Just wanted to say hello and welcome to the drama!

2 more shopping list items

fruit cups and string cheese for the girls. I was going to pick them up at Sam's Club yesterday, but they weren't on the list... only in my head... and then things got crazy...

Menu - Revised

Since Sam can't post from work, I'll post what I know.

Turkey - group effort
Stuffing - S/H
Sweet potatoes - P
White Potatoes - K
Green Bean Casserole - S/H
Vege #2 - P
Fruity Salad - P
Rolls - S/H
Dessert - P

I have no idea what the dessert decision is, since I am not really fond of any traditional Thanksgiving desserts I just tuned that part out.

Nora's cold has morphed to where she sounds like a 1-900 call operator. It is pretty funny.

The menu

Can anyone provide a list of the menu? I guess I'm not sure who is doing what and what still needs to be done, so if anyone can put a list up of what's being made, that would be helpful for me. Sadness that Laura and Agnes aren't going to be here.

More drama

Both the girls are super sick w/ colds = cranky = not sleeping well = cranky parents = better be well by Saturday!!!!

Shopping List

For rolls, stuffing and green bean casserole. We will also bring up a GALLON of Vinces sauce, so maybe some spaghetti noodles and garlic bread?

2 cans evaporated milk
2 egg
sugar
3 cube butter
5 c flour
yeast
6 medium onions
4 T panko breadcrumbs
2 lb fresh green beans
24 oz mushrooms
2 heads garlic
4 c chicken broth
2 c half and half
fresh nutmeg
two 1-pound loaves crustless sourdough bread
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Italian sweet sausages, casings removed
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 8-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

More may follow...

The Destructo-Mouse strikes again

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Anyway, the blog was taking a turn for the DRAMA, so here's a funny story about the Mouse.
Conveniently, my index finger is just the right size to fit sideways into her mouth. When I stick my knuckle in her mouth, and shake it all about, she laughs and goes "aahhhh". She thinks that is one of the funniest games ever and tries to do the same thing to me. That game isn't so funny. The other night, she was standing up next to Holly on floor next to the couch. Holly was trying to play the game but her finger just isn't big enough. So Sara looked over at me and started wildly beckoning me over to her. Well, that's what it looked like. For not the first time, I wished I had video camera eyes so that I could watch that little freak-out move over and over and over again. Nora, not to be out done, asked if I would play the game with her. Leery of her actual motives, I hesitantly agreed. My reticence was well-founded because she bit me. Hard!

It Gets Even Funnier

I'm sure that some of you are thinking that I'm the one that created the cute new poll on the side of the blog wondering who the favorite grandchild is. Well, it wasn't me. Although, Caleb is MY favorite.

I don't know where this fascination of Samuel's (I'm assuming it was you who did it and not Holly, but I could be wrong) comes from insisting that Caleb is the favorite. But it did make me laugh and laugh and laugh when I saw the poll.

So, for the record, I didn't do it.

So much drama

I think it's funny how much drama there is in our family. Especially considering there are so few of us. I guess Samuel's statement at the top of the blog is a little too true.

Anyway, I've come up with such a great solution to the sleeping "problem" that I thought I'd make a new post instead of justing adding a comment along with everyone else's.

So here's my ultimate decision. We will all be sleeping at Mom's St. George house. Caleb can sleep in bed with us. Or on the floor. That's where he slept when we went to Hawaii. We made him a little bed on the floor out of our extra blankets and he was just fine there. So we can do that again. Then Agnes can use the portacrib. Because, I, for one, think that being pregnant is the worst thing in the world and would not want Laura to have to endure sleeping in the same bed as her baby (cuz that's just code for not sleeping all night long).

If necessary, Brandon and I are willing to sleep on the air mattress in the living room (we'll definitely be the last ones up anyway) and we can give one room to all the babies to sleep together at night. Then they can wake up each other, but possibly not the rest of us. You never know, it might work out nicely. Especially if we put them by the garage. Perhaps nobody would hear them. (Although, I'd suggest putting them down for naps in separate rooms just so that they can get a tiny bit of sleep.)

And if worse comes to worst, Brandon has volunteered to sleep on the concrete floor in the garage if he needs to. :)

So no more fretting. We're family. We love each other. This will be fun.

Lot's of laughs for me from the last few postings. You kids are just dang funny. I like the idea of AB's green bean casserole...Karen can just skip that one. Let's stay with the sweet potatoes as a veggie instead of a dessert. There are just too many other desserts worthy of being consumed than to pass off a vegetable in its place. Maybe we can do a broccoli/cauli/squashy thing for Karen's vegetable preferences.
As far as monkeys and where to put their beds, Bud and I will take one of the smaller rooms-probably the white one (or the first one on the left) because I think it's technically the smallest. Laura and Agnes can have the orange one. Karen and Brandon will be in the back bedroom by the garage and the East Roseners can have the master bedroom. Bring Nora's little bed that you brought last time. I have the pack-n-play for Sara, and I have a porta-crib for Caleb. Agnes will have to sleep in bed with Laura (will she roll out or is she used to her big bed at home now?) Sorry Danny, Karen's right. You have to get married to rate a private room. Unless I EVER get to move into my new house and then there's bedrooms galore. Galore means 6, but one will be converted into a craft room, so now we're at 5 and that's just the right number. Maybe we'll move one of the recliners from the garage where it's being stored into the livingroom so Danny can sleep in that if he chooses instead of the couch. We have a blowup mattress as well, but I think he's scared of the floor (it's a bug issue).
I think that covers most of what was discussed over the last couple of days. This is going to be fun! Like it or not!

More food talk

I was watching Good Eats the other day and he redid green bean casserole in such a way as to actually look tasty.  So if people want green bean casserole, I will do his.  Or we can just saute them with copious amounts of butter, some shallots, garlic and red pepper flake.  To keep with Mom's suggestion for sweet potato as dessert, here's AB's sweet potato pie.  We need another vegetable dish, squash or carrots?

Where are we sleeping?

When we started talking about all getting together, one of the big questions was space. Sam and I can get a hotel room for us and our 2 small animals, or bring up air mattresses for the back room... I know there will be 4 kids who don't consistently sleep through the night (2 of them being my fault), and as Sam will probably eagerly agree, I need my beauty sleep. That being said, if we need to make arrangements to sleep elsewhere, I would like to start looking.
In the spirit of everyone being together (the grandkids most important of course), I would be willing to leave my 2 at the house under the watchful eye of their Nana, aunts, uncle and cousins, while Sam and I sacrificed and got a hotel room.

An alternative or an addition

So if the Vince's is a bad idea (I think the frozen thing might work), what about an El Pollo Loco Classic Chicken Burrito?

Let Them Eat Cake

Would you like to have your sweet potatoes as dessert instead of a side-dish vegetable? http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Sweet-Potato-Layer-Cake. I have no idea what it would taste like, but at least the frosting would be good because it looks the same as the frosting for a German Chocolate Cake, and we all like that right? Except Karen doesn't like coconut.

Still testing

Monday night, Brandon made stuffed mashed potatoes. (Sorry I didn't take a picture.) They were beyond delicious. I'm thinking they may be the winner. Let's see if I can remember what's in them...They're twice baked. The pulp is mixed with sour cream, sauteed green onions, half and half, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. We made the Ranch style variation, so it also had ranch dressing and bacon in it. I think that was everything. Anyway, it was beyond tasty.

Tonight I made scalloped potatoes. They were good, but I think we liked the stuffed ones better. Potatoes, onions, green peppers, and then a sauce of butter, flour, salt, pepper, and milk. Some bread crumbs on the top. A little bit of cheese. Tasty, but not quite as good as the other ones.

Laura -- does your food aversions extend to eating or just to chopping raw food? Because I can avoid onion and garlic if I need to.

And also, for the record, I'm really nervous to cook anything for you guys for fear of screwing it up and having my contribution not be up to par. I don't know why I'm so worried. I mean, what's the worst that can happen? You won't let me cook at family functions any more? I'd still be allowed to come to family functions and eat everyone else's food, right?

Oh, and if Laura isn't feeling up to making dessert I could make something. But probably not her super tasty pie. I'm not good at pies. But I can make dessert in general. Just let me know.

A job for Laura

I think a good job for Laura is to sit and stir the orange juice for breakfast under Agnes' supervision. Or maybe we'll just get Tropicana Grovestand, lots of pulp (it's my fave) and Laura can be excused all together! I'll pick up the slack, unless I'm too busy playing with my grandkids which is entirely possible. Arby's anyone?? Eew.

One more retraction

As for what I said about Christmas gifts I would be bringing, yeah, probably not so much anymore. They're about half finished at this point, and since I've been staying at Nick's parent's house all week and am supposed to leave Tuesday, I don't think it's happening. Sorry for the let down.

Switch

So I'm going to need a little variation in my duties. Stuffing must have onions. I can't be near them. Or garlic. So far that's it. I think. I'm requesting a change in position to a food item I can produce while sitting down (one I could do while sleeping would be even more welcome). Any brilliant ideas?

Much too old to be called young

Last night, at stake conference, President Tanner (2nd counselor) was talking about a meeting that we were in where he asked how can we retain the youth of the Church. He said that some people gave ideas about activities and such when, "One young man, well, a leader, but who is relatively new in the position" and then said what I had said in the meeting. After the meeting, I told him that it had been a long time since I had been called a "young man." He laughed and said that he didn't want to single me out by name, but that everyone who was in the first meeting knew who he was talking about. It just made me feel good that I had actually said the right thing in our meeting and that I was quoted in stake conference.

As to the feeling old part, I've been listening to a lot of opera. So if people are looking for small gift ideas, I really like Puccini. In fact, I was watching a youtube video of Renata Scotto when Holly came in and gave me the "you are so incredibly strange" look and asked, "what are you doing?" Yep, I'm officially old.

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Test Kitchen

Tonight we started sampling different potato recipes for the Thanksgiving feast. This one is Cheesy Potato skins. Basically, appetizer like potato skins with mashed potatoes, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, sour cream, and parsley all mixed together and scooped back onto the top of the skins. They were good. Brandon and I both liked them. But I don't think they are the winner.

Don't worry. We plan on eating a lot of potatoes in the next week to find a recipe worthy of your taste buds. :)

Background contest

You may have noticed that the background has been changed from raspberries to blueberries. I find the change utterly hilarious. The first person who is not Holly who gets the joke, and explains it in a comment, wins the knowledge that you are as twisted as me. The only hint I will give is that Nora is somehow involved with the answer.

Nora's Christmas wish

With our Sunday paper today, came the Target toy catalog. "Target toy catalog?" you ask. "When did that become the uber-cool, super sought after, must have, gotta read toy catalog?" Uh, right after it was the only toy catalog that came in the paper today. So, returning to the actual point of the post, Nora clapped her hands and shouted for joy and promptly climbed on Santa's figurative knee as soon as she saw the catalog. She paged through the entire catalog, quickly scanning at first, then ponderously perusing her favorite pages the second and third times. She settled on the page with a giant giraffe tent; her eyes glazed over with desire.
"Mommy, um, can we have this?" "No." "Why? I really want it." "But Sweetheart, that toy is only for children who live in Africa." A pretty creative response, I thought. "Um, Mommy? What's Africa?" "It's a really far place that is like the zoo." At this point, I can see the wheels spinning in HRH's little head. "I want to go to Africa." Now I had to jump in, "Baby, we can't go to Africa, it's too far away." "But we could drive there a really long time." "No, sweetie,
we can't drive there. There aren't any roads. We'd have to go on a boat or a plane." "That would be fine with me. I want to go on a plane or a boat." Before I could come up with a response to stump her, since the cost aspect means nothing to her little three-year-old mind, she came up with her own solution. "I know! Nana can take me on the airplane to Africa!" So there you have it, Nora wants Nana to take her to Africa. Let me know when I need to apply for her passport. And for the record, that in no way means that any stupid ugly giraffe tent comes into my house, ever!

Any ideas?

Lately on my gmail account it has been blocking pop-ups. This is fine on any normal occasion, but it then prevents me from opening my calendar (not fine) and I also couldn't open to check details the invitation to Addyson's first birthday party. It's getting frustrating. I know that some of you might tell me that if I click on the tools button on the right it will say turn on (or off) pop-up blocker, but I've already done that and it still won't allow the pop-ups. Hence, no calendar, and no viewing the invitation. Any other suggestions? I've even tried locking the toolbar after I've clicked on turn off pop-up blocker, but it is all of no use. I need help (as usual). How did all the Halloween festivities go for all of you? Karen said she had a rip-roaring (ok, she didn't actually SAY those words) party at her house. Looks like Nora had a good time "bobbing" for apples. She's a smart girl...why put your face in the water when you can just reach in with your hand to get the apple?