Dinner Campaign 2012

It is time once again for our sometimes annual family dinner campaign,

and once again we are asking for your help.

Most years, during election week, every member of our family nominates a main dish, side dish, drink, and dessert that they would like to have for dinner the following Monday night. We make posters, hang them around our house, and vote to determine what we'll have for our special dinner. 

 In order for this activity to work, we have to narrow down our nominee's down to two choices in each category before our final, private vote (otherwise everyone just votes for their own nominee).  Please take a moment to review our posters, and vote for the food that you feel would best serve our family.

The polls will be posted in our sidebar, and are open until Friday, November 9th at 10:00 PM MST.

Dillon's nominees:  Snow cones, Grapes, Egg nog, and Pizza.

Caleb's nominees: Banana bars, Hawaiian Haystacks, Fish Crackers, and Fruit Punch.

Brayden's nominees: Sprite, Navajo Taco's, Glazed carrots, and Strawberry Lemonade Cake.

My nominees: Chocolate milk, Beets, Cilantro Lime Tilapia, and Hot Fudge Cake.

In case you can't read it, the warning on my beet poster states: "Excessive beet consumption has been known to cause red urine in the state of California. These statements have not been approved by the FDA"

Todd's nominees:  

Barbecued Chicken, Dutch Oven Potatoes, Root Beer, and "Our Favorite Chocolate Cake".

And last, but not least, Justin's nominees:  

Deli ham w/Cheese Stick, "Grapies", Dum Dum Sucker, and Milk.

He tried so hard to finish his posters but he was just too tired. He fell asleep with his marker in hand, and slobbered all over his third poster. 

Since Grandma is living in our area for the winter, we invited her to join in our campaign. She failed to turn in her posters by the due date, but her nominees are: Spaghetti, Green Salad, Water with a lemon, and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

Thank you for participating, and may the best meal win!

Feel free to take a sticker:

*My incredibly talented sister made me a new header. Thanks, Char!

Glow stick fun

 Today is Todd's birthday and, unfortunately, he had to work from 7AM-9PM.  The kids and I sneaked outside as soon as it got dark, and taped a glow-stick message on the garage door. It's the most fun we've had in a long time.  I wish I knew how to get a better picture of it.  Here it is without the flash:

 And here it is with the night setting on my camera:

 Ever since I discovered you could get a package of 12 glow bracelets at Walmart for $1, we've been a little glow crazy at our house.  These are the valentines Caleb gave out this year:

I took Caleb's picture in his Darth Vader costume in the morning before school.  I edited it in picnik, had them printed at Costco, and by the time he got home he added the glow sticks.

Drive-in movie night

Last Sunday, Dillon asked if we could watch Cars 2 for Family Home Evening this week.  It was perfect timing since I wanted to do a fun family activity every time there's a 5th Monday.  I taped up some of the boxes from our garage (that I'd just broken down the day before), and the boys each decorated their own "car" for our drive-in movie night.

 We ate homemade "kids meals" for dinner, and then we had popcorn and movie theater candy while watching the "big screen" (we don't have a TV downstairs--just a projector that we watch on the wall).  Justin got a box of raisins instead of a box of candy, and his "popcorn" was really freeze dried yogurt.

Justin sat in his car for all of five minutes, and then toddled off to the playroom, where he discovered our Lightning McQueen, Sally, and Mack toys and brought them back to the family room to play.  

Brayden's car was cleverly changed from a "Fragile" to a "Ford".  He drew the appropriate guages/radio/clock/lights, and added an "I love bats" bumper sticker on his car.

Caleb, as you can see, brought his three brothers along in the backseat:

The best part of this activity was that the popcorn and snack mess was contained in the boxes :o)

bathroom pics

Well, I'm not finished decorating, and it's a good thing you can't see the pee on the toilet seat, but here are the pictures to prove that I did more than eat ice cream today.

10 points to anyone who can guess the "theme" of this bathroom before I finish the decorating.  I've been planning it for a few months and was bummed to realize that these "neutral" walls are ever-so-slightly lavender, so I will be painting this room (I don't "do" purple).

Here are a few hints:

1- It's not sock monkeys (although that would be fun).  Justin's monkey just happened to match so I sat him there.
2- The colors (brown, tan, cream, and bits of yellow) and the red/white polka dots are "key".
3- I was inspired by a children's book.

Brayden is sitting next to me and he guessed that the theme is "Not lavender".

Just so you know, that's not it.

Skeleton family

Look closely at the ribcage...

Valere Hope Project

On May 6th, one of my best childhood friends had a little niece born stillborn at 39 weeks.

I am heartbroken for their family and wanted to do something to let them know I care, so I started the "Valere Hope Project".

If you would like to participate, please think of little Valere Hope (pronounced Valerie) as you go throughout your week. Look for ways to memorialize her sweet name, and then take a picture of it.

We (my friend Wendy and I) want to give her parents a book full of pictures of their daughter's name spelled out in creative ways.  You could build it out of legos, write it on the sidewalk with chalk, or even pick the letters out of your alphabet spaghettios.  The possibilities are endless, and it will only take a few minutes to let them know you care.

Please send pictures to valerehope@hotmail.com

Here are a few that I've already received:

Sometimes a thousand words are worth more than the picture...

Todd does not like to be the center of attention.  Especially if it involves taking pictures. In public.

While in St. George for Spring Break, we stopped to visit our friend Bruce, who used to work at the ranch with Todd.  Bruce was at a scout meeting when we got to his apartment, so we had ten minutes or so to play on the lawn in his yard while we waited.

Since my boys were all wearing their superman shirts on the same day (including Todd), I decided it was a perfect time to take pictures.  Due to a group of people outside the complex across the street, Todd didn't want any part of it.  

I begged and pleaded with him, and explained that those people would think it was sweet that he was playing with his kids.

After an insane amount of coaxing, he finally laid down in the grass.  And wouldn't you know it, just as I was about to take the picture, a school bus full of high school students turned the corner and drove past our little photo shoot...laughing all the way.

Now I'm afraid Todd will never participate in one of my lifelong dreams--to be driving down the freeway and have each family member stick their arms out of the van windows and flap like a bird.


I live for little moments like that.

*Justin is wearing the sunglasses that Dillon bought for his Build-a-Bear.  They're a perfect fit!

Sunday afternoon fun

(The tree got a haircut!)

Ammon Delight

While shopping at Walmart last week, I ran into these sword cocktail picks.  Having just had a fondue party, and living in a household of boys, I knew we had to have these.  I even bought two packages in case I can't ever find them again.

Yesterday, I found myself crunched for time as I had a quilt that needed to be finished before bedtime (and I didn't have it in my hands until about 2 o'clock in the afternoon). 

I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner, when I remembered I had a package of cocktail sausages that I bought for New Year's and never made.  Then, I remembered the sword picks.  And then, my friends, I remembered the scripture story we're reading right now...the story of Ammon defending King Lamoni's sheep.  And it occurred to me...

What little boy wouldn't want to eat bloody arms with a sword?

And so we did.  And I made twice baked potatoes to go with them.  As I was stuffing the potato skins, I realized that if you use your imagination (and mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar), they kind of look like sheep.

And Ammon Delight was born.  The boys chose to place their sheep on the "grassy hill".

Unfortunately, a few of the "sheep" did not survive, as the boys discovered they could spoon red sauce over top, and stab them with a sword as well.  (okay, maybe their Mom discovered it first and showed them...)

You can also fit 8 or 9 pea's on a sword pick at the same time.

It's the little things in life...

Problem Solved

For the past few months we've had a homework problem at our house.

The boys would get out their books, do a few math problems, and then realize they needed a ruler so they'd get up and leave the table...

...and get distracted along the way.

Ten minutes later, I'd round them up, they'd start doing their homework again, and then they'd need a blue crayon, or a pair of scissors.

...And then they would need to sharpen their pencil. Or they'd use up their eraser and go searching for another one.

Every time they would leave the table, they'd get distracted along the way and end up wasting time. Homework was taking FOR.EV.ER.

So, for Christmas, I made these "homework buckets". I sewed "double decker" crayon rolls, and wrapped them around empty quart sized paint cans (purchased new at the hardware store for around $1). Then I filled each can with a pair of scissors, a ruler, a giant eraser, a compass, a glue stick, two mechanical pencils, extra lead, and a new set of 24 crayons for the outside pockets.

I purposely color-coded each child's bucket and supplies, so that if I see a ruler or pencil lying around on my kitchen counter, I know who left it there :o)

So far, it has worked great. The boys take their bucket to the table and have everything they need--so their bum's can stay glued to their seat 'til their homework is finished!

After three weeks of use, I'm calling this new "system" a raging success. Now if I could figure out how to get them to actually TURN THEIR HOMEWORK IN, we'd really be on to something.