I'm a blogger saying "Happy Holidays!"

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I'm a homemaker having some fun making Christmas Treats!

I like to make treats for my family and friends through the month of December to show them I care (as do most people). I have my "usuals": Oreo Truffles, Spritz cookies & Sugar Cookies and each year I do a few new things. Last year it was Peppermint Bark (so easy to make, but I left it in the garage fridge and we forgot about it), Vanilla Wafer Pops (they didn't work out well for me...my fault entirely) and Rice Krispie Balls (a throwback to my childhood).

This year I've tried TWO new recipes that aren't too bad. Through a couple of friends (Hi Katie! Hi Barbi!), I found a local (and by local I mean on the WEST side of the Salt Lake Valley) food blogger that shares her family friendly recipes at Jamie Cooks It Up. LOVE her! Most of her recipes that I've tried, work! And they are ones that I can make while Colin is doing Homework and the kids will eat them! I've used my Kitchen Aid way more often since reading her blog, and I've made bread (not something I ever thought I'd do).

I tried her Sweet Cherry Candy Cane cookies and her White Chocolate Popcorn. YUM!

The Sweet Cherry Candy cane cookies didn't work out as candy canes (the dough was too crumby- again, my fault!) but we rolled the dough into balls and they turned out! The colors are Christmasy and Lilly loved helping me roll the cookie dough. And she loves eating them.

The White Chocolate Popcorn was SO easy to make once I figured out how many cups of popcorn are in a bag of microwave popcorn AND how much un-popped popcorn would make the same amount of air popped popcorn. (BTW- there are approx. 12 cups in a microwave bag, and 1/3 cup un-popped kernels make 12 cups air popped popcorn). I didn't add the peanuts (we don't eat nuts in our family) and to one batch I added 1/2 cup dried cranberries. It looks so pretty and is a perfect item to give as a gift. Like Jamie says, make some up, put it in a cute bag and you've got something yummy to give to a friend. 

Now that I've tried the new recipes and added them to my recipe box, it is time to make my traditional treats. Oreo Truffles are up first, hopefully followed by homemade sugar cookies for the kids to decorate (gonna try PW's recipe this year). Hope your Holiday baking is successful!

 

I'm a Mom trying to WIN- to give her kids a game filled Christmas! (Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme)

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.


Mama's Holiday Wish List Meme
1. What is your holiday wish for your family?

For us to all get along. Some days are filled with peace and other days are well, NOT. I'd LOVE to have 31 continuous days of all of us getting along, no fights, no yelling, no back talk from the kids. *sigh* I'm gonna try my best!



2. What is your Christmas morning / Hanukkah Nightly tradition?

We (the parents) check to see if Santa has come to visit. Then we all go downstairs together, check to see what he brought us and dig through the stockings first. Usually he leaves us a little bit of a cereal snack, so we don't get hungry while opening gifts. Once all the gifts are open, Mom makes breakfast while the kids play with toys.


3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?

A bedroom set. My husband and I have been married for 12 years and we STILL don't have matching bedroom furniture.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?

We try to take a drive through neighborhoods and look at the Christmas lights. The kids oooh, and ahhh over seeing the houses lit up!


5. What games did you play with your family growing up?

I remember playing Chutes and Ladders (my Mom's from when she was a girl) and Guess Who. Usually it was just the kids playing, but man did we have a fun time!

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?

Every Christmas Eve each member of our family gets a new pair of PJ's. I know a lot of families that have that tradition, but it is one thing I remember fondly about my childhood.



7. Where would you go for a Christmas/Hanukkah-away-from-home trip?

I would LOVE to take the kids to Disneyland or Disney World during the Holidays. To watch the kids see such a magical place dressed up in it's best would be so fun!


8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?

The top 3 GameStop items on MY wish list this year are a Nintendo DSi in PINK, Big Brain Academy for Nintendo DS AND Call of Duty Black Ops for PC (for my husband). Hey...the question said "YOUR GameStop wish list". NOT the kids!




Go check out Today's Mama for this Meme- and other ways to enter EVEN more cool items from GameStop!

I'm a woman STILL trying to be healthy.

I AM. Even though I don't workout as much as I used to (or as much as I'd like to), I'm still trying to make better choices in my every day goings on. And I am going to reiterate that I am trying to be HEALTHY, I'm not trying to get rid of those curves I so proudly bragged about in my last post. (Yeah, yeah, I know. It has been about a month since I last posted, so sue me. Again)

Anyway....winter is a hard time to stick with healthy foods. In the summer it was so easy to grill a chicken breast, or a lean steak, pair it with a salad and call it dinner. In the winter, not so much. I want soups, and roasts and comfort food. Winter food is just designed to pack on the pounds. And it isn't so healthy.

Any suggestions for yummy comfort/winter food that is healthier than other foods? I'm at a loss, and really want to switch it up!

I'm a "curvy" Mom too.

Curvy. I like that word better than "plus-sized". I've got a belly. I've got big boobs. I've got childbearing hips. I've got an ass that sticks out. I've got "curves".  

Every time the seasons change I have a hard time finding clothes that don't make me look like I am 75 years old that actually fit me. I know I've complained about this before, but today I read a blog from Barefoot Foodie (Brittany) that says exactly how I feel in a better way.

Go check it out: Big Fat Rant. She rocks! (AND she looks marvelous too!)

I'm a woman that just realized she is now a grown up.

There is an event in most people's lives that make them realize they are now "grown up." For some people it is the day they graduate from college. For a few it is the day they get married. And for most it is the day their first child is born (or soon after). For me it was the day I realized I was attending the "Room Mother's Tea" at my child's school.

Do you remember "Room Mothers"? The one Mom that ran the Holiday parties, organized the donations for the teacher's end of the year class gift, led the activities at Field Day and helped with teacher appreciation week? Well, I guess that is me this year. Along with another Mom or two (thank GOD!)

I remember my Mom helping out with my school as I was growing up. I remember her being the PTA membership person, and gathering incentives from local businesses and counting the membership money after manning the PTA booth. She spent a lot of time writing letters to get "free ice cream cone" and "free game of bowling" coupons to staple to the membership envelopes. Then throughout the year, she continued to help out, using those connections to get fun prizes for the kids. I even think she was "room mom" for each of us kids at least once during our elementary school years. Those things just seemed like things a "grown up" would do.

I don't know why being invited to the "Room Representatives Tea" made me feel "grown up" over other events in my life. I certainly don't feel "old" (and I am going to clarify, I NEVER thought my Mom was old as I was growing up. We are barely 20 years apart in age, so actually I am older than she was when her oldest-me-was in second grade.) Maybe it is because I don't know if I am ready for this. I am ready to help my son's class in any way I can, but I don't know if I am ready to be considered a "grown up". Hopefully I will have so much fun with this responsibility, I will not seem like such a "grown up" to my son's classmates.

(And for those of you that really know me, just know I am still going to categorize myself as a "White Trash Mom" since I WILL be delegating AND I will probably be passing off things we will be doing as my own even if I got them from Oriental Trading.)

I am Mom saying: What The Hell?

By now everyone knows the train wreck that goes by the name of Kanye West. And everyone knows the crap he pulled at last year's MTV Video Music Awards when Taylor Swift won her award. If you don't, first of all- read some entertainment news and second- go here.

So pretty much everyone in the world was on Taylor Swift's side (she handled herself pretty well for a teenager) and proclaimed Kanye West a HUGE douchebag. Or high. Or drunk. Or all three. But as he has in the past he turns it all around on HIM and makes a statement that just confirms his douchebagginess and blames his rough year on the media.

You can read the Yahoo! News story here.

"Oh no! The media dissed me all year long! I had to close down my clothing line and I didn't get to make that extra million this year.! It is NOT my fault, I was a jerk but the media 'demonized' me." WHAT THE HELL? Or how about SHUT THE HELL UP! It has been a year, stop bringing it up, stop being a martyr and start being a decent human being (if possible).

I'm a blogger that has been blogging for 3 years now.

3 YEARS! That is a hell of a long time. I know I don't always have funny things to say, nor do I always say things that you agree with, but this is MY blog and I can say what I want to.

Thanks for reading. I will probably never get more than 30 readers, mostly because I don't have the time or energy to blog all that often, but I'll keep chronicling my quest to remember that I'm a real person too, not JUST a Mom.

(Sorry I don't have any big blogoversary giveaway or anything. I don't have time for that, nor do I have the money to spend on a giveaway item. AND I don't have huge sponsors to donate items to giveaway. So there. I do however, promise to have a few more blog posts this week and only one of them will be a "What The Hell?" post, well maybe.)

I'm a Mom saying WHAT THE HELL?

I just read a local story that made me say "What The Hell!" It was almost out loud.

Here is the story: Police: Dad retaliated by abandoning kids at Mall

Seriously? SERIOUSLY? A 3 year old and an 18 month old? SERIOUSLY? So you get pissed off at your spouse/partner and you walk out to cool off. YOU. ALONE. You don't freaking take the kids with you and leave them at the mall. What the Hell was he thinking? That HE wasn't going to get in trouble for it? It sounds as if (now this is just speculation) the parents were possibly drug addicts, or down on their luck, since the Police hadn't given the kids back to their Mother at the time the story was posted. But really....drug addiction is no excuse to do shit like that. 

OK, that's my "What The Hell" for the week. If any more info becomes available (since I don't want to spread untrue speculations about the parents, or at least the Mom) I'll update.

*UPDATE* Well it's not so much of an update as a correction. The children are 18 months and 3 months old. BABIES. No so much kids as BABIES. WTH?

I'm a supporter of Gay rights too.

Today a Federal Judge in California overturned Proposition 8. *squeeeeeee* I am so glad there are still Judges out there that rule based on the law/constitutionality of said law instead of on personal opinion. It restores my faith in our justice system. And it takes us one step closer to Equal Rights for all.

Read more info on the ruling HERE.

Just so we are clear, I have no problems with gays people getting married. Everyone is entitled to the same rights I have. A gay person's right to get married is not threatening my marriage. It is not like my husband is going to up and divorce me to marry his gay lover. And I'm not going to do that to him. I've know many gay or lesbian couples that treat each other with more love, respect and understanding than many of the straight couples I know. Your sexual orientation doesn't have any bearing on how good of a marriage you have.

That is my two cents and my support of Equal Rights!

What The Hell?

You all know I read Mama Pop on an hourly basis. Hourly because the updates throughout the day are plentiful and I don't want to miss out on the goings on of the rich and famous (and sometimes the bankrupt and fallen/falling). This morning I read an article on Mama Pop that I loved!

Super model Gisele seems to think that breastfeeding should be a mandatory law across the globe. MANDATORY BREASTFEEDING. WHAT. THE. HELL?

Snarky Amber gives her take on it HERE.

I agree wholeheartedly with Snarky Amber. So much, in fact, that I don't have much else to say other than WHAT THE HELL GISELE!!

even if my most of my posts make you think I am.

I know I am pretty much a typical "mommy blogger".  My kids take up most of my world with the other parts being my husband and friends. There are some times that I have an opinion on something that isn't kid related and I need to start sharing them with you more often.

I thinking of starting a day of the week called "What The Hell?" Like "What The Hell Wednesdays" or something like that.  Maybe I'll just have a few random posts here and there called "What The Hell?" I"ll think more about it.

Anyway, this week I read an article about a young singer from the Philippines getting Botox injections for her upcoming role in Glee. You can read the article here. As I read it I of course started thinking "WTH! Seriously?" She is 18 with skin like a baby's ass and she got Botox. Of course her representatives claim it wasn't so she would look young, oh no, they couldn't be honest about it, they make up some excuse of "muscle pain in the jaw". I want to know if it was NOT cosmetic, why did she let cameras film the process? If she was in pain, why subject herself to filming the injections?

So I've though about what it would be like to get Botox, or something similar in a few lines I have on my forehead and that one crappy deep line in between my eyes, but I'm over 30. AND I wouldn't get anything done until after 40. I certainly wouldn't get anything done at age 18. Freaking 18. What The Hell?

What are your thoughts on the article?

I'm a Flip owner that actually remembered to use it.

I never have my Flip Mino handy to use when I need it. I should have had it out when Danielle did her impression of Gus rubbing his junk all over the furniture at Brandi's house (Gus is 2...and Dani wasn't naked OR drunk, and can you call it junk when the kids is only 2?). In fact there are multiple times I have been at Brandi's when I should have been filming people (note to self, next time BRING AND USE THE FLIP!) I should use it when the kids are riding bikes and playing out front, since they are only kids for a little while. AND I should totally have used it when Colin got his "sleepy medicine" right before his surgery last week. Then I could have gotten rich off of my kid, just like THIS guy.

But I am lame and I only use it when we are in Disneyland or when I can film my kids goofing off. I've been trying to live more in the moment and not spend the time worrying about "capturing the moment" but that ends up making me wish I would have taken a few pics or used the Flip. SO...the other day I lived in the moment for a bit, then realized I should film it. It is just my little girl swinging on the swings but she was having fun and being cute. I'm sharing it. It isn't really funny and she doesn't fall off but it is part of our summer fun. So I'm sharing.

And I also know I am a boring Mommy Blogger. That is part of the reason I don't leave many comments on some of the blogs I read. I know not many people that don't know me personally don't really care about much of the shit I talk about on here. I'm not Dooce.

I'm a Mom playing nurse that missed Movie MOMS this month.

Colin wasn't feeling well enough today for us to attend the monthly Movie MOMS meeting. I was bummed for two reasons: 1) it was held at my friend Katie's pool, and in the 95+ degree weather that would have been sooo nice and 2) the movies we watched were ones that I would have liked to participate in the discussion of. (OK so that sentence doesn't make grammatical sense, but deal)

The movies that Katie picked for July were Revolutionary Road and The Business of Being Born. GREAT movies to spark a discussion of women's reproductive rights. Have you seen them? 

I loved Revolutionary Road for many reasons (LOVE Kate Winslet) and I was never so grateful that I don't live in the 1950's than at the end of the movie. I am so glad I don't have to deal with an overly male dominated society or a husband that stifles me and over-rules my vote in what happens to me and my body. (I could get more specific, but I don't want to give anything away in case you haven't seen it yet)

To be truthful, I didn't finish watching The Business of Being Born. It kind of pissed me off. Not because I don't believe in giving women the right to choose how and where they give birth, because I DO think women should have that right, but because it made me feel like less of a woman because I chose a doctor and hospital for my first pregnancy (in turn because of health issues I chose a doctor and hospital for my second pregnancy too). If a woman wants to give birth without intervention, she should be able to but those women should also respect the decision of any other woman that doesn't want to do it that way. I wanted to try to "go natural" with my second child but it wasn't in the cards. I know it was best for me and the baby that I was induced a little early and had an epidural during the birthing process. I shouldn't be made to feel guilty that I trusted my doctor. Before you go off on me, I know that is NOT what the filmmakers were trying to do when they made this film. I know they were trying to inform the women in the US that there are other options when it comes to giving birth.  I also know they were possibly trying to let people in the US know that there are a lot of women out there that would prefer midwives to doctors and home births to hospital ones despite what some state laws dictate but I can't help how the movie made me feel.

Those are my takes on the Movie MOM movies for July. What did you think of the movies?

I've also been playing nurse.

Not THAT kind of nurse (get your mind out of the gutter). Although....naughty nurse might be a little fun for our upcoming Anniversary....but I digress. I've been playing nurse to my husband and son since they both had surgery in the last 5 days. That is where all of my energy has been directed, keeping them healthy. 

Both surgeries were planned, and neither were life threatening, but recovery can be a bear. I was expecting a little more pain and suffering coming from my husband (sorry Seth, but I was) but his surgery went smoothly, and pretty painless (and NO it wasn't a little snip, snip type of procedure). He was the ideal patient. Even brought ME a beer on Saturday, possibly trying to get me drunk.

Colin's surgery went well also, and all he has been doing is sleeping. He's played a little Wii, and watched some TV, but mostly he's been quiet as a mouse (so unlike him) and not just because his throat hurts. It has been hard to get him to take his medicine and drink fluids, but I think that will change here soon. Threatening to take him back to the hospital has worked a bit. Hey! It's the truth...if he gets dehydrated, we have to take him back for IV fluids. Sometimes the brutal truth works the best.  Oh, and thanks to Seth for being a great Dad and helping out with the late night and medicine dosings. It helps so much to have a partner in all of this.

I'm gonna get back to playing nurse....AGAIN! Not THAT kind of nurse.

I'm a Mom keeping my kids busy this summer.

And by keeping them busy, I'm having a hard time keeping up with my blogging. As you all can tell. We've had birthdays and Father's Day and water slide days and park days and....well you get the picture. Now it is July and I should get it together. Doesn't mean I will.

Do you want a short recap of the last month or so? Well, who cares....I'm gonna give you one anyway.

Lilly and I both got a year older. We celebrated Lilly's birthday with a Purplicious party at my sister's clubhouse, and I celebrated mine by having a girls night at the Roller Derby. Yes, I said Roller Derby. The Salt City Derby Girls had a double Bout the night of my birthday, and we had a blast. But NO we did NOT don roller skates and join them. Although I am tempted.

Father's Day came and Seth finally got his new grill. It is the coolest thing....a gas grill and a charcoal grill all in one. Needless to say, we've been grilling a lot since then. Gonna smoke some salmon on a cedar plank soon....YUM!

I've still been going to Zumba, a little. Things got hectic, but I'm going when I can. I'm still trying to eat healthier and grilling is helping with that, but some days it is SO hard to make sure fruits and veggies are a part of every meal. I'm gonna stick with it, and get better though, I promise.

We've had many days with friends, Movie MOMS, Book Club, Classic Fun Center days, and even a great lunch at an old friend's house (something I need to do more often.) I got to see a friend I hadn't seen for a while and I met an "imaginary friend" from FB. We saw Toy Story 3 (it is soo good, go see it!) and I saw Eclipse at an early fundraising showing (not a bad movie, but I went mostly for the time with friends). I finished a book I was supposed to read for April, read the book club book for June and started on the book for July. I wish I could find the time to read more, but as hard as I try there aren't enough hours in the day. I've recently joined Good Reads, and I put my bookshelf over on the right, if you are interested.

I know I should be using my camera more, but I haven't been feeling it. And with all the water things we've been doing, I don't dare bring my camera, in fear of breaking it. I have been happy, even though I haven't been participating in The Happiness Project and I've been trying to find some good You Capture shots and I know, I know, you'll have to take my word for it since there are no pictures to prove it.

So that is our month in a very large nutshell. I wish I had more to say, or could put into words what I think about some of the current events, but most of the time I can't even get my laundry done let alone wax intelligent about the goings on in the world. I know, boring life, but it is my life and right now I really AM just a Mom.

(Forgive the lack of links....I have most of them in posts somewhere. I just am too tired to link up.)

I'm a Happy Mom today too!

This is my third week participating in Leigh vs. Laundry's Happiness Challenge (her 15th) and I look forward to it each week. It forces me to realize how many little things make me happy, and that despite my grumpy attitude some days, I really AM happy.

Today, I got the first pedicure of the summer season! It was very relaxing despite the fact my kids were there (playing with my pedicurist's kids....they had a blast!) and so nice to finally get my toes painted!!

The color is OPI "Plugged-In Plum" I LOVE IT!

So- pretty toes make me happy!

Go on over to Leigh's and check out what makes other bloggers happy!

I'm crafty too, well sometimes.

Sometimes is probably an overstatement. Maybe I should have said  "I think I can be crafty, then I never follow through." That is more truthful. Anyway, I finally decided to finish a project I had collected the needed items for, but hadn't really started.

I found this at Pier 1 and just KNEW I could make it myself.

So, I found an expensive wall frame ("as-is" from Michael's custom frame department) dug through my craft stuff (I've got a lot, even though I rarely make something) and found my $1 Target ball of twine, dusted off some old clothes pins and grabbed my handy dandy staple gun to get started!

This was so easy to make! I flipped over the frame and got to work!

I just started by stapling one end of the twine to the frame, and stretching it to the other side (as straight as I could get it...I'm NOT a perfectionist when I want to get things done quickly) and stapled the other end, trimming it so it couldn't be seen on the other side. (As you can see, I didn't measure so the twine was equal distance apart...I wanted it to be a little uneven, so different sizes of art work would fit, that and as I said before, I can get lazy when I want to work fast).

I clipped the clothes pins to the twine along with some of my kids paintings, and hung it up! (This is not where I want it in my home, I just hung it there to show it off to you)

Of course you can find a cheap frame, paint it and glaze it and make it your own, AND you can go the extra step to paint the clothes pins the color YOU like, but I like mine this way...it is going in the basement and the black frame matches perfectly, and the plain clothes pins give a little lighter touch to the room.

I'm linking this to Shanty 2 Chic's I Made It Without My Hubby party, since, I did everything without his help! (Yeah, it's a pretty simple project, but I'm proud of myself for finally getting it done!)

UPDATE: OK, so I wrote this post in anticipation of I Made It Without My Hubby, and now a few adjustments have been made. The clothes pins and artwork ended up being too heavy for just stapled twine, and a few of the twine lines fell off! So I just added a dab of hot glue to each of  the staples/twine ends on one side of the frame, let it dry, then pulled the other end as tight as I could and glued that side too. So far, that fixed it!

I'm a photographer remembering to actually take pictures.

I had a hard time deciding which photo was my BEST photo this week for Beth's You Capture Challenge. I really think my best two were 1) a sky one I posted last week and 2) a pic of my son and his teacher. But I didn't get permission from his teacher to post the pic so I had to go with my third best pic of the week.  Hope you enjoy! Oh and PS I don't know if I've said this, but all of my pics are SOOC shots. I don't have any photo editing software, so I'm pretty proud of some of the what I think to be, cool pics I take. (notice I said some) And I guess I'd better take the time to say that I normally use the auto setting on my camera, but sometimes I use the "no flash" setting (well, that's what I call it.)

I'm happy AGAIN this week!

Can you believe it? I have ANOTHER picture that makes me happy. Two weeks in a row! Hopefully I can keep it up.

A big ole pan of Brownies

Well, it isn't just the brownies that made me happy. It was the time I spent with friends eating them, and other yummy food and drinking cocktails. It was supposed to be a girls movie night, but turned into food and conversation. (Which is OK with me!) I took a few other pics (Holly holding a bottle of booze) but this was the best one.

Go over to Leigh's and see the other things that make people happy. (Oh and sorry for linking so late in the day...I had a crazy morning!)

I'm a photographer watching the sky.

SKY. That was this weeks You Capture Challenge. So....I took out my camera yesterday to see what kind of shot I could come up with for this challenge, and the sky looked like it was winter. Partially cloudy, no sun in sight. So NOT fun. I WAS going to just wait til next week, but today's weather was more suited for a SKY challenge. Enjoy!

I'm the Mom that hosted Movie MOMS this month.

I am the one that got to choose the MOMS Club Movie MOMS movies for this month, and host the activity at my house. I am always tempted to host it at the Starbucks in Target, but I refrain (I spend too much time there anyway).


This month we watched Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead. I LOVED both of these zombie movies. Zombies aren't something that usually interest me, but I think because each of them were making light of the world being taken over by Zombies, they made for great Zombie movies.

Everyone else loved the movies too...there wasn't much of a discussion of plot line (other than a bit of talk about the "rules" in Zombieland) and there wasn't anyone that disapproved of my movie choices. In fact, someone new joined us, just because she loved the movies (Hi Mel!)

Anyway...hope you've seen them...if not go rent them, or steal them off the internet (I do NOT condone the stealing of movies off the internet...really I don't) but go watch them!!!

Next month's movies: The Adventures of Priscillia Queen of the Desert and Puccini for Beginners, in honor of Utah's Pride Month.

Oh, and just a note, if you want to know more about any of those movies...you can look them up at IMDB or Netflix. I'm too tired to link to all of them. Yeah, call me lazy. I don't mind.

I'm a Mom that is Happy, despite her complaining.

No, really, I AM! Many things make me happy, multiple times a day even!

I've been invited to join a new linky party on Tuesdays called The Happiness Project over at Leigh vs. Laundry. Leigh's project is meant to bring happiness to the blogosphere, and I'm going to try to help out! All I have to do is post a picture of something that makes me happy. Some weeks that might be hard to accomplish, but I am going to try. 

Happiness Project Week 13:

One thing that makes me insanely happy is when my kids are truly, happy:

Yeah, he's not excstatic, but he's happy, for him.

Having a blue tongue makes her happy

Thanks for the invite Leigh! This will be a fun project to participate in. Go ahead and link your Happiness pictures up to Leigh vs. Laundry, and check out the things that make other bloggers happy.

I'm a photographer digging in my photo archives.

OK, so I'm an amateur photographer. But I wasn't able to take the time to figure out how to change the setting on my camera to get some great Depth of Field captures for this week's You Capture challenge. So I dug into my archives and chose two that I think fit the challenge, but that I took last December. Feel free to tell me I've failed, or that I've come close, but not quite, or even that I should start getting it together to complete these challenges without having to go to my archives.

Ice Cold Dr Pepper

Tray of Copper Camel Shots

I love the second picture....it is one of my favorites. And I promise all of the shots weren't for me...they were for a table of poker playing guys. OK, OK, I'll be honest, I had a few of them myself.

Go check out the rest of the great Depth of Field captures over at Beth's.

I'm a Mom still trying to get/eat healthy.

I'm still doing pretty good at working out, and eating well. I haven't stuck to a salad every day, but I've tried. Saturday we didn't have much in the house to eat, and no one wanted to go get take out, so I rummaged through the pantry and realized I had all the ingredients for a recipe my friend Katie has share with me a few times (first she just gave me the recipe, then she put it on our Facebook group page as a low fat/low calorie recipe).

This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup is very tasty! I topped mine with low fat cheese, light sour cream and 1/2 an avocado. But top yours with whatever you'd like! The recipe makes a lot, so it would be a great dinner for the whole family, or you can save it for lunches for yourself through the week (I'm having some after Zumba tonight!) Thanks for sharing Katie!

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 cans (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Mexican Diced Tomatoes, undrained (or plain diced tomatoes if you don't like spicey foods)

1 can (16 oz each) Rosarita® Fat-Free Refried Beans
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2 cans (14 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Fried corn tortilla strips or chips, optional
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Place undrained tomatoes, beans, corn and broth in medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add chicken; heat until hot. Serve topped with tortilla strips and cheese, if desired.

For each 1 1/3 cup serving: 151 calories, 3 grams fat (1 g saturated), 3 grams fiber, 856 mg sodium, 16 grams protein, 34 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbs.

I'm a Mom that reads "Mommy Blogs".

I am addicted to the Internet. I subscribe to many different blogs, but most of them can be categorized at "Mommy Blogs". Some people take offense to that category, but those are the blogs I relate to most. Because even though I'm Not JUST a Mom, that IS first and foremost what I am.

Anyway....in honor of US Mother's Day (yeah, yeah, I know, this post is a little late) I'm sharing some of my favorite  Mom blogs with you. NOTE: Some of these are not safe for kids. So if you are a kid, don't read them.

• Mummy Time- I don't remember if I've shared this with you or not, but Brenda is on awesome Aussie. Mummy Time was blogger's Blog of Note in Dec 2009, and I've read it ever since!

• Seven Clown Circus- I really am not sure how I found Angie of Seven Clown Circus. I just did. And I read every day. I don't always comment, but I love to read, and I'm amazed at how she handles her 5 kids (I so couldn't do that, I'm a 2 kid Mom all the way)

• Shit My Kids Ruined- LOVE this site!!! It makes me feel soo much better about my kids destroying our stuff. It happens to other people too!!!

• MWDAS- Love this site too. I belong to the Facebook Group and I subscribe to the blog Words of Wisdom from the foul-mouthed founder of Moms Who Drink and Swear. Nikki ROCKS! She tells it like it is, and even though she vents to us on FB, we all know she still loves her kids, and wouldn't trade them for anything!

Hope you all had a great Mother's Day here in the US. Mine was nice and relaxed. And I hope to start participating in the You Capture challenge again. This week's challenge was "Yellow". There is nothing yellow in my world right now...we barely have blue skies. *sigh*

I'm the winner (again) of a SWEET prize.

I have started frequenting a site that hosts giveaways every day. Comments are only open for 24 hours (or less) and you have to check back everyday to see if you won, and of course to see what the next giveaway is. My Giveaway Today rocks! There are usually only 3 or 4 ways to enter, and it is really easy to do so.
I entered a giveaway a week or so ago, and I only entered one of the ways and I WON! SWEET! I really don't enter as many giveaways as you might think (I only enter the ones I really want to win)  and sometimes I don't do everything I can to enter multiple times. So I love that I DO win every once in a while.

I won a $35 gift certificate to the Just Bead It Designs wonderful etsy shop! It took me a while to decide what I wanted, there were (are) soo many things to choose from. But I finally decided on the "Gothic Bead and Charms Bracelet" and the "William Shakespeare Charmed Beaded Bookmark".  I love the bracelet! I wear it with a few other bangles I have, and it is so fun! (My husband thought the combo was annoying to listen to, but I like it) Since the shop had one-of-a-kind items, the items I received aren't shown anymore and that is why I took a few pics so you can see.  (Please remember I am not a photographer...these pictures won't do the items justice)

LOVE the skulls on this bracelet! It is pretty and edgy at the same time.

Look it's Will! Such a pretty bookmark.

I highly recommend you check out both of these great sites! Especially if you need/want a very customized charm bracelet OR like to have a very easy chance at winning some great prizes!

The usual disclaimer: I won the gift certificate from My Giveaway Today, and chose my items from Just Bead It Designs myself. I was not asked to write about either of these sites, nor was I monetarily compensated for writing the post.

I'm a woman trying to become healthier.

Trying is the key word. And notice I didn't say, "trying to lose weight" or "trying to count calories". I've done those things before, and I just get frustrated at the lack of results, and quit. 

I've joined some of my friends in a support campaign to start working out more often, start eating healthier, and to keep each other going in our individual goals. We share low-fat, low-calorie recipes, we've posted foods we have found that taste great and are healthy alternatives to our normal foods, we share music play lists that get our hearts pumping, and overall encourage each other to get out and get moving.

So far, I am doing fairly well....I had 11 workouts last month (which is HUGE for me) and have vowed to workout 17 times this month (4 of those workouts are going to be a local Zumba class) and I have tried to have some kind of healthy meal at least once a day (Chick-fil-A salads are so yummy). So to keep myself accountable (not sure I like that word, but whatever) I am also going to put a new section over there on the right side of my blog that lists what I have done that day to make myself healthier. And I will periodically share some of the fun recipes and foods my friends and I have found , just in case you've made some of the same goals we have.

 If you've got any great tips, or suggestions of things that have worked for you feel free to share them in the comments. 'Cuz I'm not to proud to ask for comments.

I'm a Mom that opens her mouth and jinxes it.

A few posts ago I talked about how great the weather was and how much fun we had spending the day at a park as a family. I was thinking it was great to have something positive to write about, something fun, something out of the ordinary that got us out of our tedious, scheduled world. It was great until I realized I jinxed the whole state of Utah. I talked about the weather, and Mother Nature decided to laugh at us. We had more rain, more snow, and more cold days that made it seem like January instead of April. Almost every day we woke up to snow, I complained about it, and it continued.

I will no longer write about the weather. I do not want to jinx us again. I DO NOT want the month of May to be like the end of the month of April. I vow to keep my mouth shut when it warms up. I will however, post wordless pics of us enjoying the sun and the warmth and the fun that this summer will bring. So keep an eye out for them, they will be coming your way soon. I hope.

I'm a blogger responding to a request.

You would think I could keep it together enough to blog about the things I say I'm gonna blog about. Sometimes it takes a gentle reminder or request from a reader to make me stay on top of it (thanks Holly!)

You would also think it would be easy for me to blog once a month about the movies we watch for my Movie MOMS group. Just stop thinking! As a Mom, I've found that what I think should be happening, and what actually happens are two completely opposite things. But I'll try harder....promise.

So as I said, Holly reminded me that I haven't given my views on the movies we watched for Movie MOMS in April. So here they are...and if you've seen them, feel free to give your own views in the comments.

The first movie I watched was Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I was looking forward to seeing it, since there was a lot of hype surrounding it and Penelope Cruz's performance as Maria Elena (she won an Oscar for the role). But to tell you the truth, I wasn't all that impressed with it. Maybe because of the hype, I was expecting more than what I saw, or maybe it was because I wasn't able to watch it uninterrupted (it wasn't the kids either, they were asleep). I liked Scarlet Johansson in her role as Cristina, she was very good portraying a more bohemian, free spirited, open minded individual. Even if she didn't know what she wanted out of life in the long run, she was good at living her life for the moment, and that is something we all need to learn how to do.  As for Vicky, Rebecca Hall was good at portraying her, but I'm not so sure I liked the kind of person Vicky is. She didn't seem open to change. She had her life all planned out, and she had an idea of how things were supposed to be, but when her feelings about life, and her fiancee' changed, she tossed them aside totally willing to live a life of unhappiness.  I know a lot of people liked this film, but it isn't in my top 10. I AM going to put it in my Netflix queue again, and see if I can watch it uninterrupted, and get a new perspective on it.

The second film I watched was Kolya. It is a foreign film, so we joked we needed to read the movie (subtitles), but it is the best movie I've ever had to read. Since many of you haven't heard of this movie let me give you the description from Netflix:

"In Soviet Czechoslovakia, middle-aged concert cellist and bachelor Frantisek Louka (Zdenek Sverak) is strapped for cash, reduced to playing funerals, when a chance relationship results in his caring for a 5-year-old Russian boy, Kolja (Andrei Chalimon). Political turmoil is imminent on the eve of the Velvet Revolution, while Louka's own emotional upheaval is just as unpredictable in this heartwarming, Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning tale."

Heartwarming, is one of the best words to describe this film. It is steeped in Czech history, and made me want to learn more about the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). Mostly because a lot of this was going on during my lifetime, and even though I was young, I find it interesting how much the world has changed just in the 30 some odd years I've been alive. Anyway.....this movie was so sweet, and loving, I admit I cried in a few spots. And I loved seeing how a person can change all because of a kid. The way Louka took responsibility for a child that wasn't even related to him, was heartfelt and sweet. The one thing I couldn't figure out though (and my discussion group agreed) is why so many women were so attracted to not so attractive older man that doesn't have a decent job (he was kicked out of the philharmonic) or a decent place to live. If you can figure it out, let me know. BUT I totally recommend you see this movie at least once.

May's movies for my Movie MOMS are Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead. They are my choices, and since there seems to be an influx of monster themed movies I thought it appropriate to see a couple of comedy based monster movies. I'll let you know what everyone thought of them, once we meet to discuss. I'm putting a reminder in my calendar NOW so I will actually follow through.

I'm a Mom that almost forgot how much she likes the Springtime!

We finally have more than one day a week with warm spring like weather here in Utah. Boy has it been nice! Park days with MOMS Club friends are bound to be popping up in the next few weeks, and we can't wait! Yesterday, we decided to not have a lazy Sunday (our normal Sundays usually consist of staying in PJ's, me doing laundry and watching movies, kids watching their movies, and my husband playing computer games all day long) and we went to the park to fly kites. Colin made the special request for us to do so, and we thought it best to haul our lazy asses out of bed, get dressed, and have a family park day. We loaded up the car with the kites, the sunscreen, bottles of water, and the kids and headed to the closest park. I was really surprised the park wasn't very busy! Granted it WAS a Sunday before 4:00PM (the area we live in is largely populated by people belonging to the Mormon religion and the last session of their church services is out by 4:00) but it was also a nice sunny, windy day, and I thought there would be more people out and about. The wind was perfect for flying kites! It wasn't too much of a breeze so the kites wouldn't fly, and it wasn't too harsh that it tore them apart (plastic Target kites 2 for $5). We didn't even need to run to get them up in the air! I didn't bring my camera (bad Mommy!) so there are no pictures, but we will go fly kites again soon and I'll remember my camera. The kids played on the playground for a bit, and Lilly rolled down some of the hills- she loved doing that, but she'd start rolling down a hill, stop in the middle of it and ask "Am I still on the hill?" then start back down the hill again! Seth said it was so funny! We came home and the kids were all worn out, ready to watch a movie and chill for the rest of the day. There wasn't much fighting, (we all got along,whew!) and all in all it was a great day for the Behunin household (burgers on the grill too, thanks Seth!). Those are the days that make me remember how much I missed Spring and how much I love spending time with my kids. I like Spring!

I'm a person that has a hard time following through.....sometimes.

I know I shouldn't be like that. I don't WANT to be that person, but sometimes, things, LIFE gets in the way. I don't blog as often as I'd like to, but that is mostly because I don't have much to say. Or at least not much that anyone would like to hear. That and not a lot of people comment on my blog (notice I didn't say "nobody comments") and it gets a little discouraging writing to few people. BUT I did remember that I was supposed to follow up on my post about movies. I had one person comment on that post with a list of their favorite movies (Thanks Brenda!) and just in case you didn't read her comment I'm re posting it: "Ummm. Fave movies. Easy peasy. 1. Cinema Paradiso. Greatest film ever. IMO. 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I have a thing for Jim Carrey. Ahem. 3. Crash. Ohmygod, that scene where the little girl was shot. Bawled my eyes out. 4. Pan's Labyrinth. Again, when the little died at the end. Waterworks galore! 5. Finding Nemo. Obviously. Hehe. Loads more but too lazy to tap on my iPhone now. Sowee." Sooooo...I have only seen 2 of those movies. I can let you guess which ones, but I am sure you already know. I feel so, well, lame. It's not that I have different tastes in movies (well, I'm almost positive that my favorite director is not Brenda's favorite director...I'm a bit sick and twisted having Kevin Smith as my fave) it is just that I never get a chance to see movies in the theater, and by the time I get to Netflix them, I forget which ones I've wanted to see. Added the 3 I haven't seen to Netflix cue. Promise. I guess I should share my favorite movies with you, huh? OK...just don't laugh at me for my choices. Or if you DO laugh, don't let me know you did. I love anything by Kevin Smith (Yes, even Zack and Miri Make a Porno) but I think Chasing Amy is my favorite by him. I don't know if it is because Ben Affleck was so damn young, or if it is because I LOVE Joey Lauren Adams. She's The One. Not to be confused with the teenage cheese fest that is She's All That. Sixteen Candles The Breakfast Club Pretty in Pink See a trend? Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil- I LOVE John Cusack (He's #1 on my laminated/doorbell list) and the story is just a good one. I have yet to read the book, but this movie is what first made want to visit Savannah (I have yet to do that either) I'm sure I have a few more, but these are my all time favorites. We've watched a few good ones for Movie MOMS the last few months, and after we discuss the two for April, I'll let you know what they are, and how I felt about them. Whew! I've now crossed another thing off of my list, so I'm NOT that person that doesn't follow through...at least for now.