Annual Chili Cookoff

Apparently, Blackfoot holds many annual events that I have missed out on for the last several years. We won't go into where I have been... we'll just say it's nice to be back!

The annual Chili cookoff is a competition between all the schools in the area. They give their best shot at their tastiest chili and cinnamon rolls and we ( as the common public) get to come eat, socialize and judge. 

We were late... as usual. So we didn't get to really sample any but one school. We had stalker's chili ( a bit too watery by my standards) and Wapello's cinnamon rolls. (they added nutmeg to their cinnamon and sugar mixture and topped it off with a heavy cream cheese icing.) I like my cinnamon rolls the way Grandma used to make them. I guess I was a harsh judge:) but the kids loved them.

Needless to say, we cast our vote for our alma-mater, Stoddard! Even though we didn't taste any of their stuff. I so hate being a blind straight ticket voter. 

The best part about this entire event is that it only cost me $3. That was GREAT!!!

The story of a stamp

Yesterday afternoon, Seth sat in the sick bay at school waiting for me to pick him up. While he was there he ran his hands over the various walls and desks and other objects in his immediate vicinity. While examining a board, he found this stamp. When he came home to go to bed (poor little guy) he showed me his treasure and asked if I could look it up on the internet.

The stamp says..."Gold Strike Saving Stamp circa 1957".

Little did I know that I could figure out more by calling my Mom than googling the internet. The internet was fruitless. My Mom, however, was a plethora of information.

Apparently, people used to get these little stamps when they bought groceries. You would collect them and place them into booklets that were provided. Once you had saved up enough stamps, there was a store in town that you could redeem your stamps for a variety of objects. My sources tell me that there was furniture, appliances and all sorts of goodies to choose from depending on how many stamps you saved. My Grandma tells me that she herself got many of the items that now sit in her home from these saving stamps.

I told Seth what his stamp was for and he was thrilled at the concept that this stamp had been tucked away beneath that board while his Grandma and mom when to school there. I was excited at the chance to be a History Hunter!

The Party!

I don't remember my fifith birthday party... but I do remember that I got a purple puppy that had long purple hair that you can brush from my Dad. He died 3 days after my fifth birthday. I'm not sure if I remember the present because it was the last thing I ever got from him~ or if it was because I really REALLY liked the present. Either way... I remembered and I still have the puppy. 

I hope Sophie can remember her birthday this year but only because it created such wonderful memories for her!

Her cake turned out lovely. I had no idea what I was going to make so I just started tossing out cake batter and filling up a few pans in the hopes that I would happen across a cake that I felt like making. She wanted a princess cake but I've done the whole barbie top/ cake bottom cakes and I really just don't enjoy them. I've also done the castle cake before and I didn't have all the stuff for that. So I happened across a really cute crown cake at familyfun.com. It looked simple enough that I could throw it together in a days time and I had already made sugar-cookie dough for my sunday school class.

I had created a dress up area for the girls.

Sophie spent the majority of the day doing her hair and "makeup" and changing costumes. Isaac also jumped into to take advantage of the Harry Potter costume that I threw in.

She had such a great time.

Naturally the girls were inseperable. Little Abbi exclaimed on her way out the door. "Sophie~ I had SUCH a good time playing with you!" Guess we will need to arrange a tea party in the near future.

Happy Birthday little princess!! I love you.

My darling daughter

To fully explaing the story of Sophie~ I feel it may be necessary to explain some of the surrounding events of her birth. I was 3 1/2 months pregnant when her Dad and I seperated. There I was, pregnant with two little boys and scared out of my mind. I tried so hard to be strong for my kids, but secretly once they were sound asleep in their beds I would take a long hot shower and cry until the water turned cold. It became a nightly release for me. As my pregnant belly grew bigger, the reality of what my life now was became more natural. I turned what I could over to a loving Heavenly Father who cared for me in a way that no mortal person ever could. 

I was disappointed that I would have to settle for yet another c-section after I had a sucessful V-BAC in Salt Lake City when I had Isaac. With Sophie being due in January and the only place to perform V-BAC's being located in Idaho Falls, 20 minutes away... and my car being a $800 hunk of junk... I had to settle for an in town doctor.

But I was having my little girl. The one I had so longed for... and nothing else seemed to matter. Sophie was my strength when I had none. My solace in turmoil. She is my beautiful little angel that glued the pieces of my shattered life back together. Which explains our unbreakable bond... and now she is turning 5.

Happy Birthday baby girl. 

Combustable Jammies

These are what I refer to as my pioneer jammies. The are lovely and my only wish is that they had come with sleeves. I have owned this particular garment for over a year... but never knew that they were actually combustable.

I am so glad they put on a warning tag. Just for people like me.

"All fabric can burn"? really... I had no idea!

A block of wood.

Three weeks ago, Seth was given a block of wood, 4 nails, and 4 wheels. I gave a deep sigh. It's that time again. The time that every scout looks forward to all year... while all we parents stare at that block of wood with dread and despair.

2 weeks ago, I picked up the peice of wood. I held it in my hand and wondered... how I~ a single mom~ with no experience in hand tools... was to create a race car out of this. Maybe I could wittle it down with a butter knife. I put the block of wood back down and returned to my world of laundry and baking. I returned on the last week, stared at it again... and picked up the phone.

This was an emergency of large proportions. No way was Seth going to go to the derby with a square block of wood with four wheels. It was time to call... a man!

When I called my brother-in-law, he was just about as excited to help as a patient is excited for a root canal. Four years of derby cars had taken its toll. However, I was in luck. His son needed a new derby car too! Why not just kill two birds with one stone. 

Countless hours later~ Dee delivered the car. It had been shaped, painted, and glued. It was still wet even. He dropped it off to me exclaiming "the wheels suck!" I didn't care!! It was the most glorious looking derby car EVER. The race... was tonight.  So I painted on the detail and when Seth came home from Speech Therapy... we were off. 

We were the second to arrive at the weigh in. Armed with pennies and tape. Seth had a wrench in his pocket that he decided to strap on the car instead of 3 large mounds of pennies. It looked great! It weighed the perfect amount. Time for a test run. It ran... slowly. I explained to Seth that we were here to have fun and make friends and that it didn't matter if he won or not. After two years of losing at the Derby he had a fairly good understanding of this.  Soon, someone came with the graphite for the wheels which I meticulously put in.

Then... it was time!

Seth's car won 4 out of the 7 races and he won the award for the car most likely to be driven by a superhero!  Even better still is the fact that the race is over... and we survived.  He was happy. He socialized. He ate nachos. He fit in. It was perfect.

Ugly tie

For those of you that know my story~ you know that my life has been one heartache after another.

There seems to be a recirculating theme to my heartache. Simply put, people seem to find themselves at ease lying to me. Now please don't misunderstand, I completely understand a little white lie from time to time. ie, "does my hair look ok?"... "why, it looks lovely!" but I think those little lies are more for the benefit of the person being lied to. Although, honestly if my hair looks like crap~ please spare me the consideration and just let me know.

Big lies only benefit one person. The liar. They lie out of fear, to keep something hidden, and some people lie because they have been lying for so long they just can't seem to help themselves.

I was told that perhaps it is my fault that I am continually being lied to. To this I give a big fat HAH!!! Regardless of my reaction to whatever is being hidden~ I am not the one that is choosing to lie. My trusting nature may make me a target but I don't think that a typical, loving, thoughtful person would take advantage of my trust in such a way.

The moral of the story is~ don't lie to me. I can generally spot a lie as easily as I can spot an ugly tie on the neck of the President. It's right there. You can try to cover it up with your suitcoat but its still there and I already know because I saw it in all its bold ugliness.

Sub-moral- if you wear an actual ugly tie, wear it with pride!

Addicted

Hello, my name is Jenny~ and I am a sports addict. Not so much addicted to watching or even following. I am addicted to playing. 

I will willingly sacrifice my body for the love of sports. Even a round of badminton will leave me with grass stains and a few bumps and bruises. I can't help it~ I just LOVE playing. Volleyball, basketball, softball, raquetball, you name it, I will probrably play it... and I will probrably hurt myself.

So, volleyball season has started. After one game and one practice I have been left feeling as though I was drug through the streets behind a horse.  My entire body has aches and pulled muscles. I have bruises up and down my arms that make me look like a victim of domestic abuse.

 

I even acquired a nice sentiment to remember the floors by. Burned a hole right through my new workout pants. Pity. 

And even though I have been left feeling this way~ will I go buy knee pads... probrably not. Will I stop diving after the ball~ heck no! Will I start acting like my body is 30 instead of 15~ not a chance.

The reason why~ because I am an absolute sports affiliated adrenaline addict.

One of my most favorite blogs to read...

just happens to be about cake.

I look at it~ and I laugh and laugh and laugh!

Enjoy

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

and don't try to contain your giggles. You'll get hiccups :)

Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker doesn't hold a candle to miss Sophie

the best, cutest kitchen helper in Idaho.

Blissful dreams...

Out of all of my children, Eli is the one to always fall asleep in the middle of things.

Its just a matter of sitting still for a few seconds and he is out! 

Playing a game

Doing leg lifts.

Sitting with Isaac

Waiting for dinner

Sitting with mom

while attempting to accesorize.  The other night, as I was doing my nightly walk through to ensure all is well. I found Sophie and Eli snuggled together in Eli's bed. Eli was drooling into Sophie's eye! but how can you not say "ahhhh".

Sweet Dreams little Eli.

Little Miss Sophie

Had a loose tooth

For about 1/2 a day and out it came. Her very first tooth cashed in under her pillow by the loveable and occasionally forgetful toothfairy!!

It's here

AIS Volleyball
Originally uploaded by @dino

Volleyball time!!!

I am now complete.

The story of three little autistic children in a sunday school class.

I got a new primary class at the beginning of the year. I love teaching primary. It is great.
This year my class consists of about 7, 8-10 yr. olds.  Three of which happen to be autistic.
One of which is my dear Seth. The other two are adorable twin girls that I of course immediately fell in love with.

The trouble is...

Keeping their attention.

Today in class. Seth spent the majority of his time under the table feeling around for glue, except for the times that I would have him come out to read a scripture, stick a picture on the poster board, or read a game piece.

The girls, were about the same as Seth and I kept them occupied on the floor with a book of Dinosaurs (that Seth had brought) along with a magnet fidget. 

As I pondered how to keep them involved in the class a little bit more during Sacrament meeting. I thought maybe I could compile a binder for each of them filled with various pictures pertaining to that weeks lesson. I also thought that it may be wise to have a tote filled with fidgets to busy their hands for particularly "hard" days ~ because I know they happen.

If anyone else has any ideas on what I can use/ do. PLEASE speak up. Each child with Autism can be so different... I would be a liar if I didn't say I felt a tad bit overwhelmed.

How to make a perfect snow angel.

First:

Snow~ Preferably white.

Proper snow apparel:

Hat- Check

Gloves- Check

Camoflage snow pants- Check

(I wonder if the makers of these snow pants realize to be camoflaged in snow, they should be white.)

Proper snow angel form:

In

and

out

Very nice.

Everyone... let's practice your form.

Beautiful

Well done.

ummm... close :)

For the advanced students:

Synchronized snow angel making. Set to music of course!

Other winter activities:

Snow eating contest:

Last one to hit brain freeze wins!

Yes, Seth. I said brain freeze.

No, your brain will not really freeze! 

No, no... it's just an expression. You will be fine.

Oh alright....

Go drink some hot cocoa. That will help!

Bottoms up!