spending freeze: week 1

We made it a week! It wasn't so bad! I will admit, by day 3, I was thinking of excuses to buy things. Dax had one oops on day 5. Here is a run down on a week with spending ZERO.

Day 1: Fast Sunday/Superbowl Sunday- A colleague of Dax's invited us over to gorge ourselves and watch the game. Ridonkulous amount of yummy food. As soon as Quinn started cheering for the Peach Rings (Patriots), the game took a turn and then they won.

Super Bowl Food

Day 2: Lana and I helped Jolona paint her bedroom. That evening for family night, Dax told the kids about all the times he'd got sent to the principal's office in Elementary. They loved it and it was the most attentive they've been during any family night lesson. Dutch oven potatoes/carrots/sausage for dinner.

Day 3:

100 days of school!

I checked the grocery ad at my local store and was tempted to buy the great deals. I restrained myself; fridge and pantry still stocked. We ate bratwurst sandwiches leftover from the Superbowl party and a fresh fruit salad with greek yogurt. Today I tried my hand at painting faux wood grain.

Day 4: Went run/walking outside with 2 friends: glorious. I painted Jolona's bathroom and started on 2 accent walls in there. She fed me and my kids. Dax was out of town for work. Jo's husband is also on a work trip and we're trying to finish her master before he gets back. We have 1 day to finish. My niece Jennekah came home from her mission today! I can't wait to see her. So happy!

Day 5: Skipped Insanity workout and went over to Jo's to crack out the accent walls in her bathroom. Dax went to Trader Joes and purchased things while in SLC! He was excused for breaking the spending freeze..it is tough when you are out of town (and don't have a project to consume your life). Mack and I cooked and took dinner to his school teacher. Mack wanted to do something for her because she broke her foot and has been home healing for a few weeks. Together Mack and I grilled chicken, cut and steamed broccoli, cooked rice, and made cheese sauce. His teacher was so happy to see him and Mack was so happy to serve his teacher. Dax came home from his work trip as I was finishing reupholstering Jo's cedar chest cushion. After the kids were nestled in, I took the cushion and a few decor items over to Jo's. We had 30 minutes before her husband came home. We reattached the lid on her cedar chest, hung 2 sconces and a painting, and cleared away the tools. I grabbed my stuff and was just walking out the front door as I heard her husband coming in the back door. WHEW. I'm thankful for how it all came together. I will post some pics when the dust settles!

Day 6: Dax and Hunter packed up and went to Klondike which is a winter scout camp, only it was near 60 degrees today! I moved the brass bed out of Preslie's room...bye bye for now..*sniff*

I moved in a nice king mattress that I inherited. The full mattress that she was sleeping on was 30+ years old and terrible. It will be chucked. I'm holding onto to the beautiful bed, though.

Gas is under $2 per gallon. It is putting quite a few people out of jobs where I live since our local economy is very dependent on oil and gas.

Day 7: I tied quilts at women's conference. Took the kids on a bike ride around town. We rode to the park and through some alleyways and side streets and saw some details of the town that we normally miss. Made nachos for dinner and fresh pico de gallo. I made it one whole week without spending. Let's go for double!

Day 8: Bonus Sunday. We already don't shop on Sunday in observance of the sabbath day. Hunter and Dax were both feeling a little off. (Scout camp?) Mack asked Dax if he could watch Nacho Libre this afternoon. He reasoned that it's kind of a Sunday movie "because people don't think he knows a buttload of crap about the gospel, but he does." Of course Dax said yes. But it was no longer on Netflix.

beatin the winter blahs!

 It's that time of year! Christmas is over. The cold is not. We are sick of our winter clothes. The kids are cooped up and driving Mom and Dad crazy. What to do! Thank you Grandpa and Grandma Mangus for the jumping balls..a great way to use up all the extra energy!

Mack is trying out my new iPod shuffle. I have tried to squeeze a run in here and there! I bundle up and it really is beautiful outside once I get past how cold it is!

We planned on visiting my family for New Year's but they were all sick so we got a hotel in SLC and partied just the 6 of us! It was really fun and something we haven't done with all the kids in years.

 On this rare sunny day, Preslie and Dax went with the youth in our ward to baptisms at the temple. It was Preslie's first time and she liked it!

 The indoor activity that we do the most is cook. This can be a good or bad thing. I am planning to make grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for din tonight. Only I cooked these veggies down and blended them to beef up my canned soup. I also pulled homemade bread out of the oven minutes ago!

 Preslie told me the other day, "I'm sick of my clothes. I wear the same thing over and over. Can you sell my clothes and buy new ones?"
Today I went down to her room and pulled out some things I haven't seen her wear in months and put together some new combos for her... We'll see if she likes them. Sometimes my tastes are a little too "old lady" for her- ha!

 Here is my new little sunbeam! Wow. No kids in arms or in nursery. It seems that my family is growing up! Quinn's crown says "I am a child of God".

Today Quinn ran to me holding her crown and it was kinda bent up and she says, "Look, I'm not a child of God anymore!" What a sweetheart.

Hello March.

How did it go from Christmas to March? I still have Christmas cards taped to my railing. Here is a super fast awesome update.

Quinn- cute and sweet as ever. Loves her stuffed Yo Gabba Gabba toys. Plays and sings to herself. Attended a Fancy Nancy party at our library. Got asked to be a flower girl at my little brother's wedding this summer. Goes to sleep in her rocking chair instead of her crib.



Cutest girl at the superbowl party.

 Preslie- Does all homework without being asked. Sets her own alarm and wakes up for school and gets ready on her own before anyone else in our house is coherant. Sold 180 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies last month. Is getting tired of babysitting for me. Scared of our dog. Attended Young Womens New Beginnings since she will be 12 the end of the year. Budding pianist. Beautiful, fun, creative, responsible, determined. Excited to get her unfinished room in the basement finished! Planning a Justin Bieber party for her friends on his 19th b-day.

Tristie- celebrated the one year anniversary of the day I started running. Welcomed my new nephew into the family! Den leader to 8 rowdy cub scouts. Piano Teacher to 7 students. Finance manager of our family. Sewed a cute dress for my friend's new baby. Cooked kale for the first time- Yum. Currently trying to de-junk our basement. (How does our stuff keep multiplying?) loved the special time Mack spent away with his grandma and grandpa and realized how much that kid adds to our family! I will turn 32 on Thursday!

Mack- spent 8 days with his paternal grandparents and had a blast. getting sick of winter. still pats his little sister's head. doesn't like to go too many places- not preschool or church, usually wants his friends to come to his house instead of go there. Awesome Uno player. Cut his own hair. again. sweet, sassy, funny, brilliant boy.

Writing "No Severed Arms" on a sign that we hung in our house.

Hunter- brains and good looks coming out his ears. had fun helping his Dad build his first Pinewood Derby car. WON the Pinewood Derby. Loves crazy facts about nature, science, math, etc. Does not really like piano but does it to please his Mom. And to play video games. Super sweet brother to Quinn.

Dax- kicking butt in his new job. kicking his own butt with the Power 90 (P90X) workout- he is almost to 60 days! Builds a mean Pinewood car. dedicated teachers quorum advisor. Has way too many knives, guns, and other boxes of stuff in our basement. Went to the State Capitol for work this week.  Makes his own yogurt and chocolate eclairs. Took us to St. George to celebrate his Dad's 60th birthday with the whole fam. Helped his awesome Dad finish framing Preslie's room to get it ready for drywall. Best husband ever.

 That pretty much sums it up!

bragger! bragger!

I am freeking awesome. I have been running for 7 weeks now WITHOUT QUITTING! I am totally NOT a runner. But I love how it makes me feel ALIVE! I can't say enough good things about a good old fashioned kick-butt aerobic exercise! As if that weren't enough, look at my kick butt lunch I had after my run yesterday. Grilled chicken with fresh mango salsa: yes, please. The Reece's eggs I had for dessert were also delicious.

My baby is SO crazy adorable, it's sickening. She goes and gets a towel if anyone spills anything on the floor. She tells me when her diaper needs to be changed and even backs up to the potty and pretends to go "pee pee". She is just so cute and sweet. She loves to hear or see birds outside. Or cats or dogs. I just love seeing that fuzzy head cruisin around!

Preslie is such a go-getter! It puts the 10-year-old me to shame. She recently joined Girl Scouts. She is the best homework doer on the planet; never has to be reminded. She loved Dr. Seuss week at her school and came up with this costume pretty much by herself. She looks exactly like "There's a Wocket in my Pocket" doesn't she?

My husband is freeking awesome. He helped find that nut you may have seen on the news that shot at a police officer out in Vernal. Everything turned out great. Wow I am out of control with this bragging today! But my husband flew in an airplane with the FBI. The FBI, people!

I should also throw in that his ward ball team won the tri-stake championship!

Mack has been such a sweetheart lately. He usually gets a bad rap because of his frequent shenanigans but he really has been a good boy and so fun to have around. I am glad I get to keep him for another year before he goes to Kindergarten. We have lots more adventures and things to do together!

Lastly, Hunter is such a stud. He has been working his guts out to earn enough money to buy a certain Lego set he has his eye on. He is the smartest 2nd grader ever. His new favorite catch phrase is, "Tell me something I don't know." He competed in his school's poetry reciting contest. He has recently learned to throw a football, spiral and all.

I think all this exercise and sunshine is doing wonders for our family!

fast and furious February

So much stuff to blog-I will keep it as brief as possible...

Dax

• met up with some high school buddies in St. George over superbowl weekend
• working hard for his money
• dreaming about this year's hunting trips
• best dad and husband ever
• got violently ill but is now feeling good

Tristie

• started jogging 3 mornings per week and loving it
• working hard and trying to save her money
• dreaming of a new haircut-my appointment is set!
• best maid ever
• healthy and happy

Preslie

• excited to donate her hair to Locks of Love next week
• working hard in school and dedicated to her homework
• made some cute flip flops out of duct tape

Hunter

• reading Harry Potter 4 with Dad and Preslie
• fell in love with the Super Nintendo my bro gave us and has earned the (ridiculous) video game belt loop in cub scouts
• loves a good one-liner

Mack

• has OCD and smacks Quinn's head uncontrollably
• loves to get thrown, flipped and dropped into a pile of pillows
• builds awesome Lego ships

Quinn

• smiles a cheeser when someone pulls out the camera
• loves the park
• is obsessed with lids. twist them on, twist them off, repeat, repeat

Our family

• goes through AA batteries like crazy
• watched The Last Flight of Noah's Ark, 17 Miracles, and Jurassic Park this month
• celebrated 3 years being in our house

Happy February! What a great month!

"Mom, I peed my undies"

That is how my crazy-busy-fun day ended tonight. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I will back up to last evening when my husband packed up and took the 2 boys and his Dad on the Fathers and Sons campout. I have to say that I LOVE the Fathers and Sons campout. It was so quiet after those four boys left. Preslie was at a friend's house and Quinn and I had the place to ourselves.

First things first: dinner. I dumped a can of refried beans, a scoop of salsa, and a big dollup of cream cheese into a bowl, nuked and stirred. Dinner was served with a bag of corn chips. Quinn liked it too. (Oh, I forgot to mention I am back eating dairy again and Quinn seems to be doing fine. Hooray! ..for her AND me) Preslie came home and finished off the dip while we surfed the net looking at cute girl high tops (she is constantly spraining her crappy ankles so time to invest in some shoes with support). I will mention how nice and relaxing it was to not be interrupted by a certain small person that thinks he needs to be playing computer games every minute of the day.

Preslie and I camped in my room, read a little Fablehaven 5, then crashed so we could gain our strength for some serious yard sale-ing bright and early. I was impressed that Sleeping Beauty emerged before 9 am the next morning... we were actually on the road around 8:15, hit 3 great yard sales, scored some cute clothes and shoes for the girls and a sweet ceiling fan.

The boys had just beat us home and just in time for a family to come buy our car. We are down to one car with not enough seatbelts. We keep going back and forth on what to buy for our family vehicle now: minivan or big SUV. A hard choice...it's apples to oranges really. And of course it all boils down to staying in our budget.

After that, I grabbed Quinn and Mack and ran to pick up my Bountiful Basket. We scored corn-on-the-cob, mangos, blackberries, onions, tomatoes, artichokes, lettuce, cantaloupe, etc. After some fun on the nearby playground for Mack, we drove home with our yummy produce.

Then I walked down to my neighbors to pick up my share of the applesauce she and I bottled yesterday. 40 pounds of apples came out to 16 quart jars of applesauce. It didn't seem like that much to me but I was happy to get more experience canning. And it turned out delicious.

Dax made the 2 boys have a nap while I put a load of camping clothes in my new and completely AWESOME washing machine then made a salad to take to a friend's surprise birthday party. We all piled in our old Rodeo and drove to the party. We had a fun time even though Mack totally shoved one of the little girls that was there as hard as he could and I am SO glad she didn't smack her sweet little head on the TV that was an inch away.

We hit Wal-Mart on the way out of town for a few things and then home. Preslie was so tired, she could barely get to bed. Mack did a bit of cutting with some scissors he found on the table while I put away groceries and Hunter ate a yogurt.

I changed Mack's undies and put the boys to bed.

What a day!

little good things

Lots of little happy things to celebrate in everyday life. Many don't have pics to show for them, but still good stuff...

My first time doing Bountiful Baskets- I like it! A great way to get more veggies into our diet. A great way to get out of a meal rut also..

Quinn is big enough to ride in the bike trailer. Now for the wind to go away and we can go on some rides all together.

My friend Val was in my neighborhood for her husband's work and it was so fun catching up! Not too many people get out my way but we love it when they do. If I'd taken pics, I'd have got one of Mack and Val's beautiful girl Annie. Mack kept telling me, "Mom, don'tcha think Annie's just way cute?"

Dax has been working super hard in all of his many roles. I am so happy about the things he has been accomplishing. We've also been cooking it up the past few days(using our fresh stuff from our Bountiful Baskets)..no pics of the gourmet bacon swiss avacado turkey burgers or the Cafe Rio pork salads or the homemade pasta sauce that was so delish that I called neighbors to come eat with us.

And my brain has been flooded with project ideas. I love every second of it and have enjoyed improving my sewing skills in trying new things. Here are a couple of my April projects..

my first jean bag- fun and easy. Preslie loves it! I knew there was a reason I was saving all those holey jeans..


My 25 cent yard sale skirt. It was many sizes too large so I took it in using a skirt I had as a guide.


My first attempt at making long sleeves into short sleeves. I was pleasantly surprised how well they turned out.


..simple things but things that make me happy!

happy arms

Quinn's arms flap like crazy when she gets excited. What a cutie.

Here is my Super Man working on the last edits of his big Master's thesis. We're on the home stretch! Hip hip, hooray!


Preslie and Dax went to an Activity Days' sweethearts breakfast and had a lot of fun. Let's hope Dax is Preslie's sweetheart for many many more years...


Here are the boys playing Super PacMan...one has no shirt, the other no pants.


And lastly, a video of Quinn and Mack interacting. I know it looks like Mack's head is about to smack into her and at any moment Quinn might topple off the chair, but I assure you I had the situation under control..

big update

It is Christmas time and there is little time to post but here is a brief summary of what's been going down, in no particular order. Ready?.. GO!

Dax and I got new church jobs. He is Elders Quorum Secretary, I'm Primary pianist. I played for the kids while they sang Christmas songs in sacrament meeting last Sunday. I believe this calling is the one of the best in the whole church.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas starting with our lights, 2 Christmas trees peeking out the front windows, and 18 inches of fresh snow!

Here is our second tree in the boys' room. We inherited the tree from Dax's Grandmother and are enjoying it!
Another pic of Dax and me...I could not get it to delete for some reason.
Here I am holding 2 hams. One that I won from the grocery store for answering 2 Christmas movie trivia questions at the service desk, and the other is perhaps even more edible. Just look at those cheeks!
Getting ready for church...fixing hair and applying makeup while holding Quinn. My left arm is strong!
Painting ornaments sent from Grandma M.
Quinn wearing her Christmas dress sent from Grandma and Grandpa W. My Mom couldn't wait to give it to her on Christmas. Look at the darling crocheted shoes. My Mom is so amazing!

Grandpa reading to the kids. They love it when he comes!
The 3 big kids wrestling Dax. They really wail on him but he laughs the whole time. So thankful for Dads!
We held our 2nd annual Thanksgiving Dinner with our good friends because a turkey dinner is too good to have only once a year. Only got a few pics but so glad they were able to come (and bring their assigned portion of the meal!). We love them.
And here we are enjoying the remaining pumpkin pie the next day.

Whew! And now we're up-to-date!

Yay for Christmas!