Good stuff

My good friend McKelle is a former Tre Jolie employee. For those of you that don't know what that is, let me indulge you. It is gorgeous jewelry and very expensive. It was exclusively sold at Nordstrom for several years and I now I think it is being sold differently. Still pricey, but fabulous. I own way too much of it as well. So, McKelle is selling several of her pieces for very affordable prices and I thought I would pass on the good news. Check it out and see if you are interested. Plus, her blog is pretty entertaining. :) McKelle's blog
Go and see for yourself!!

"I guess this really isn't just a bad dream!!"

Last night was worthy of a blog post. And you know you have a problem when you think you need to take a picture of it. I have that problem.

The kids were all in bed by 8pm and Jason and I were in bed by 10pm. Jason was asleep practically immediately and I read for awhile. Just as I was getting ready to turn the light out, Jackson came in our room half dressed and crying. He told me he threw up all over the bed and himself. I hopped up and we went to the bathroom to get cleaned up and throw up some more. Jason then woke up and joined us. Not to throw up, just to be a good daddy. While we were in the bathroom, Jason was stripping the bed of the drenched sheets. He went to start the load. And that was only the beginning. Then I went in and cleaned the wall and the bunk bed. Noah woke up and thought it was play time. We had to get him settled back down. And the throw up just wouldn't stop for Jackson. I made him a little bed by the side of my bed and after I thought he was all done, I leaned down and told him I was right there if he needed me. Thirty seconds later, throwing up all over the place. Back to the bathroom to finish the job. But it was so NOT finished.

Jason was in the boys room with Noah and I was in our bed with Jackson. I thought we were in the clear. Next I hear Jason yelling my name. "Jana!!"

I go running in with the trash can, that is now trash itself. Noah is now throwing up all over his bed. And so it continued for the next 3 hours. The two boys barfing everywhere.

Luckily for Jason and me, we kept laughing and trying to stay normal. I warned Jason that he was not allowed to "play dead" while the kids were up. He has that gift. And he helped so much. If Jason was on call last night I would have died. Thanks Jason for helping so much. I know it is your duty too as the Dad, but you could have used the, "I'm on call tomorrow and blah blah blah" excuse. But you didn't. THANK YOU! That is why I love you. Or a little of why I love you. :)

We finally got all the throwing up over with and Jackson and I went to Noah's bed and Jason and Noah stayed in my bed. And yes, I already changed the sheets on Noah's bed. I did have to get up once while Noah was throwing up in our room, but that was the last of it.

Jackson said as he was in the bathroom, throwing up, "I guess this really isn't just a bad dream." And then he cried. Jason and I couldn't stop laughing. It was such a sweet and innocent thing to say. I love that about him. On returning to the bed he said to me, "This is the worst night ever." Poor boy. Noah just tried to hold the throw up in his mouth. It was hurting him and I am sure it was also a bit scary for him. But, all is well now. Jackson is not going to school and we are not going to Story Time either.

In Relief Society yesterday, the lesson was on seeing the hand of God in our lives every day. The teacher used some examples for those of us with small children. The diapers, boogers, fighting, etc. We laughed and thought it was funny. Trying to find the hand of God in my night last night I guess I could say that I am grateful that the kids aren't so sick that we are in the ER. And especially that Jason and I were able to stay calm and laugh when dealing with so much sickness. We weren't laughing at the kids. We were laughing at our what we were dealing with. I tell myself in those moments, "I wanted this!!! I wanted to be a mommy!!!" And I am so glad to have the children I have. But I do like it better when there is no throwing up in involved.

As for Ellie, she already had her episode. She threw up on Thursday while I was at my photography class. Jason had to deal with that all on his own. She has been extremely tired ever since them. But is now eating again. Thank goodness. I like her chubs. I don't want them going anywhere. She had her Dr. appt last Thursday and in almost 24 lbs (95%) and 32 inches long (off the chart). The nurse measured her twice just to be sure. :)

These are some pictures of Ellie falling asleep after her bath. She doesn't even have her diaper on. After she got her diaper on, we layed her in the crib and she fell right asleep. That has never happened before. Lights on, kids being loud, and me drying my hair. She slept through it all. And my house is about 3 feet wide. I really hope we are all getting better!!!

Something I have promised

Both of these recipes come from my dear friend Libby. Thanks again for some good eatin' . I hope some of you enjoy these new recipes. Try them. They are delicious.

Corn Bread and Taco Bake (I just made that name up. I have no clue what the real name is.)
2 boxes Jiffy corn bread mix
1 can creamed corn
1 can diced green chilis
1 lb beef
diced onion (as much or as little. I love onion.)
taco seasoning
cheese (I like to use the Mexican blend)
salt and pepper

Prepare the corn bread as directed. Add the creamed corn to it.
Brown the beef and seasoning. Libby's recipe doesn't call for taco seasoning, but I added it the first time I made it and really loved it. So I say do it. But it is what you prefer. Who doesn't love a little taco flava?! I add the onion to the beef mixture too.
Spray a 9 x 13 dish and place half the corn bread mixture on the bottom. Then add the beef. Then add the diced green chilis. Now the cheese. Just add enough to cover the layer. When in doubt, add more cheese!!! Then add the rest of the corn bread.

Bake at 350 for 40-55 minutes. Check to see it it is done in the middle. That corn bread can be tricky! :) I know. Serve and enjoy! Garnish with salsa if wanted.

Chicken a La Fuente
1 12 oz pkg. fettuccine noodles
1 TBSP olive oil
4 chicken breasts cut in small pieces
2 cloves minced garlic
taco seasoning
1 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
parmesan cheese (1 cup?)

Cook fettuccine as directed
-in a skillet, cook chicken. I use PAM and it works great. Stir in the garlic and tack seasoning. Cook 1 minute. Stir in the cream. Reduce heat to low, cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
-stir in the parsley and cheese. Add fettuccine noodles and toss. Cook until heated through.
-Garnish with parsley and cheese.

I added a little more cream and cheese than it called for. But I love cheese. And I wanted it to be creamy. It was heavenly. I also let it simmer for awhile. It was so good.

Thanks again Libby for the new favorite recipes. They are sure to be keepers! And just as a small disclaimer. . . My kids both loved these new foods. That is saying A LOT!

All sorts of "tags"

I have been tagged a few different times (Lisa, Jennifer, Adrienne) and I am finally getting around to doing it. Not that I haven't thought of it. I have. So here it goes. In order that I received them.

Lisa first.

1. Pick up the book nearest you (at least 123 pages long)
2. Go to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence on the page
4. Type the next 3 sentences
5. Tag 5 other people
   

This is from The Count of Monte Cristo. (Which I love love love!)
". . . an iron shield bearing a grotesque representation of the Pont du Gard. The little inn had been occupied for the last seven or eight years by no other than Dantes' old acquaintance Gaspard Caderousse. He was . . ."

Now the tag from Jennifer.

So you all know what to do:

10 Years ago...I was just finishing my first year of college at RICKS in Rexburg, Idaho. And loving it. It was one of the funnest times of my life. I was dating lots of lame boys, but having
fun and getting ready to do quite a bit of traveling abroad that summer to Israel and Europe. I also failed my first college course that year. :) Algebra 101. I didn't even take the final. But I did retake it the following semester and did a good job. Just relax mom. :) Needless to say, college was fun fun fun!

Things on my TO DO list..
1. Make dinner. (We are having leftovers so it should be easy)
2. Plan the ward party and the "linger longer" that is coming up.
3. Pick the basement up.
4. Plan FHE
5. Bake banana bread (I have too many bananas that are rotting)
6. Get little ones up from naps.
7. Fold mounds of laundry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8. Start reading North and South for book club.
9. Finish The Count of Monte Cristo
10. BLOG
11. Do about a million other items I don't have time for.

If I were suddenly a billionare...

First, I would pay off all our debt. Then I would take plenty of it and put it away for college funds. I would donate MUCH of it to cancer research for children. I would build my dream home and decorate it without being concerned with costs. I would take my parents on a trip of their choice. And lets get real, I would get a big diamond. I have to be true to myself too. :) For sure, I would go to Target and buy anything I wanted. Maybe buy the whole store. I have wanted to do that for a long time. :) And new clothes. Maybe this time not from Target.

3 Bad Habits:

1. I hate folding whites. Hate it!
2. I love cookies. I could eat them for all my meals. Some of you may not thing that is a bad habit. Let me assure you, it is. :)
3. I don't have a lot of patience.

3 places I have lived:

1. San Diego, CA
2. Argentina
3. Ann Arbor, MI
(I feel bad not including Utah too. I picked the three most different places.)

5 Jobs I have had:

1. Broiler Works (Mall food court) It didn't even last a full two weeks.
2. Lifetouch Portraits (secretary work and customer service)
3. Leslie's French Pastries (that was some yummy food)
4. Dental Assistant in Salt Lake City
5. Dental Assistant in South Lyon, Michigan

5 things people don't know about me:

I am a pretty open person. Not many secrets. But I will say that I am TERRIFIED of spiders. And getting my blood drawn. And I mean TERRIFIED. Those of you that know me know just how serious I am. I also get annoyed at slow drivers. Or when people won't just cross the yellow lines. I know that sounds super immature, but I am usually in a hurry and don't have time to drive 2 more blocks down the road to get to the light. Just make the turn and cross the lines. I guess I am also a risk taker. :) But I am scared of heights. And, I really want to take cooking classes.

Tag #3 This one is for Adrienne.

*What is his full name? Jason Jack Smythe

*How long have you been married? 5 1/2 years

*How long did you date? ummm, how to answer that? We met in the MTC and dated right when he got home. Engaged in 2 months. Married in another 2.

*Who eats more sweets? No question. I do.

*Who said I love you first? I think he did. But I am sure I wanted to.

*How old is he? 31

*Who is taller? Jason.

*Who is smarter? PUH-LEASE! Jason!!!! Refer back to "tag #2" when I failed algebra 101.

*Who can sing better? This time it is ME!

*Who does the laundry? I do it almost always, but he seems to always run out of scrubs in like 2 days. And then he takes a load down and does it. He does help me. But not at folding.

*Who pays the bills? Jason. I just get busted.

*Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If we are in the bed, I am on the left. I want to be as far away from the door as possible. Refer back to my post about "911" :)

*Who mows the lawn? Jason does. No thanks.

*Who cooks dinner? Me! Me! Me! Jason did cook me dinner after I had Jackson. It was the day my mom flew back home and I was extremely emotional. Not because of the cooking. :)

*Who is more stubborn? For sure ME! Jason is a peace maker.

*Who kissed who first? Contrary to what some of you may think, Jason busted the moves on me on our first date. Oh yeah, shy little Jason. He seem pretty confident that night. And I liked it!

*Who asked who out? When Jason came home from his mission, I called him to say hi and welcome home. I left a message and he called me back. We talked for awhile and the next week he was traveling through SLC and asked me out.

*Who has more siblings? Jason. 1 brother and 3 sisters. I have 1 brother and 2 sisters.

*Who wears the pants? I want to say me. I am bossy. But I know where Jason stands and when to let him be the boss. But still, I like to have the final word. Even if it is only in my head. :)

There you all go. I am all tagged out. But I am glad I can cross that off my list. Now off to read my books.

A week in review. . .or 2

I have been meaning to post about our fun trip to the Children's Museum last week, but have found myself short on time. I just can't seem to get everything done that I want. And so the pile continues to grow. But, last week we had a great time going to play at the museum with our friends Libby and Jack. And I was even able to leave Ellie at home with her daddy. I had so much fun playing with my boys. No stroller, no diaper bag, no snacks. Just me, Jackson, Noah, and my wallet. It was a strange feeling. Jackson and Noah have always loved going to the museum and it gets better and better each time. Noah is big enough to do more and I can just sit back and watch them learn and play. The slide was so funny to watch. It is a gravity room so it feels strange and a little uncomfortable, but they kept going back for more. They had a marvelous time on the water floor. We left drenched. To say the least. The painting room is also a favorite of the boys. My fridge was plastered with 6 different paintings. One solid black, one solid purple, one orange and the others, a lovely mix. :)And also, Ellie has started clapping. I love it. Ellie has done this much sooner than my boys did. Jackson would make fists until he was practically 18 months old before he would do it. I remember trying so hard to get him to clap and him refusing. Sucking out of a straw was a bit overwhelming for him too. So, Ellie started bringing her little hands together last night. Each time she does it, I'm not quick enough with the camera, but I did catch a few seconds of it this afternoon. She can do it better, but this is as good as I got. And I realize, this is not too exciting for many of my readers, but for me and my journal, (and Ellie's grandparents) this is too thrilling not to share. :)

GRRRRR!!

So, I just finished posting my purse tag, while having listened to Noah for the last 30 minutes sing, talk, laugh, and play upstairs in his bed. Of course I left him to fall asleep on his own and do you know what happened? AHHHH!!!

Let's go back a few days.

About 4 days ago I put Noah in his crib for his nap. Jackson was at school. Noah likes to prolong the nap process by always claiming thirst. So, I sometimes give him a spray bottle to have with him. That way he doesn't need to get out of his bed and start the whole event all over. So, four days ago this happened. And after a GOOD screaming fit from him, I went in to see what the heck was the matter. Noah had unscrewed the bottle of water and drenched himself and his crib. Buuugin. I didn't have another matrress pad to use so I told him he had to take his nap in Jackson's bed. (a bunk bed). He did a great job. And so it is, we stopped with the crib. So far, things have been great with Noah in a bed. No problems at all.

Tonight, a small problem. The boys were both complaining of being so thirsty they were going to be sick. So I let Noah have the infamous spray bottle. This was at 7:45. (Bedtime was early tonight because A) Jason is on call and B) they didn't have a nap and Noah was seriously needing sleep). It is now 8:57pm and I just finished changing Noah's sheets because. . . you guessed it. He unscrewed the spray bottle and his bed was soaked. All he could say was, "Look what I did Mommy." Ummm, no thanks. I am not impressed.

I changed the sheets, which I HATE doing. Who ever thought bunk beds were a good idea was seriously mistaken. Making them is the pits. And especially in the dark, with a 4 year old asleep on the top. And. . . my hands are so dry and now my fingers are cracked and hurting. Waaaaa!! :)

Goodnight.

My purse you ask?

OK, my friend Arah tagged me and when I got the email I was a little worried that I would have to do one of the "thankful" posts or one that made me list several things about me. But nope. This is an easy one. What's in my purse?

1. Two bottles. One used and dirty, one clean.
2.Blanket for Ellie
3. wallet
4. Doc Hudson and Lightening McQueen,
5.small cosmetic bag. Has lip gloss, lip stick, liner and hand sanitizer in it. Also, band aides. nail file, and dental floss
6. one tissue. Not used.
7.diapers and wipes. Size 3 and 4
8.one of Ellie's headbands
9.formula
10.Ellie's snacks
11.boy's snacks (rice crispies and fruit snacks) I guess those aren't so much of snacks, but more of bribes :)
12.burp cloth
13.bottle of water
14.SEVERAL toys for Ellie. (I grab one every time I leave just in case I don't have any. Time to clean it out).
15.bib, food and spoon
16.tampon
17.more floss. I have a problem. :)

There it is. Nothing exciting. Obviously I carry a baby bag. It's been a little over 4 years now. :)

Just so cute

I had to post these pics just because they look so cute. At least to me. I am their mommy. :) And Ellie's hair is super cute with that little clip. Not that I have given up the bows. Not a chance. Just changing it up a bit. :) People at church were confused today.

The Lion King

Thursday night was a very wonderful night with some very good friends. We went to see The Lion King at the Benedum Theater and is was awesome. I loved it. Loved it. I wish we sat a little closer to the stage so the incredible costumes would have been easier to see, but regardless, it was fantastic. We all went to a restaurant named the Palomino. It was alright. But whatever. . . there weren't any kids there so it was well worth it!!! And super company. Thanks girls for such a fun night. I am now planning on the Drowsy Chaperon. :) Melanie, get planning!!!