Feeling Blah

I looked at the weather forecast and it was predicting warmer weather tomorrow. However, when I pulled up the 10 day forecast i noticed that more rain and snow is predicted. Grrr...if we have more rain and snow that mean more giant puddles and more mud. Of course first we have to have the snow melt way. The neighbor in which I live is a bit odd. We love it, but the developers were having an off day when then place was planned. First, we have no straight streets. They loop and curve and you thin that you are going to end up in one place and you end up in another. Second, there are no gutters. The street is slightly slopped so the water runs down to the ditch at the end of our street. Last, and the most annoying, there are no sidewalks. I love to talk walks, a few times last summer I wondered if my safety was a stake. I have a huge double stroller that can be hooked on a bike or you can walk with it. It is bright yellow, yet some people drove really close to me when I was walking. Did they not see me? i don't think so. Sorry if I have done a lot of complaining. I have found some places to walk such as the school or the park, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere but where I am at. Perhaps it is just the Blah feelings.

Spring

I need spring to be here. I know that I live in Idaho and we have been know to get snow even in the summer months. I just feel so stir crazy. I want to get out more. I want to let the girls play in the backyard while I lay on a blanket and read a book. I want to do cloud watching and fly a kite. I want to plat a huge garden and work on my yard. Sigh. want warmer weather, but McKayla is desperate for it. She is bouncing off the walls. She wants to run and be free. She asks everyday if it is spring yet. I hate to tell her no. As soon as it warms up, then I have to wait for the mud to dry before she can go outside. I hope she can last that long.

All About Us

I got this blog from a friend of mine. Thanks Sami for the great idea. If you would like to copy it and put it on your blog, feel free. I would love to learn more about my friends.


1) Who is your man? Chad Porter. He is kind and considerate. He has always been a social worker in his heart and is now working to get his masters in that field.
2) How long have you been together? We met at a dance in July of 1999. We bumped into each other and I introduced myself, then a slow song started to play and he asked me to dance. We were married a year later on July 14 2000.
3) How long did you date? 1 year
4) How old is your man? 27
5) Who eats more? He does
6) Who said "I love you" first? I did
7) Who is taller? He is.
8)Who sings better? He does! He has a fabulous voice.
9)Who is smarter? He is!!!
10)Whose temper is worse? Hum, Chad is passive aggressive and I am explosive.
11)Who does the laundry? I do.
12)Who takes the garbage out? I gather it from all of the rooms and put it in the garage. He puts it in the garbage can and takes the garbage can out to the road on Wednesdays.
13)Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do. I got kicked out of the left side when we got married.
14) Who pays the bills? Chad and I set up a budget. He brings the money in and I pay the bills according to the budget created.
15)Who is better at the computer? I think we are about equal.
16)Who mows the lawn? Mostly me. I am a garden freak.
17)Who cooks dinner? I cook the majority of the nights but he orders in if I've had a rough day.
18)Who drives when you are together? I do. I drive the family car with the car seats, so it makes since. Chad also gets highway hypnosis really easy, so I drive on long trips. This is helpful because I get car sick very easy.
19)Who pays when you go out? He does, but it's our money.
20)Who is most stubborn? Again, he is quietly stubborn and I am very loud at being stubborn.
21)Who is the first to admit they are wrong? We are both very good at communicating our feelings and working though problems. We have learned to use "I statements". I am grateful for this.
22)Whose parents do you see most? Right now we see mine because his are in Canada. Before they left we saw them more because they live 1 mile from us.
23)Who kissed who first? We kissed.
24)Who asked who out? I gave him my phone number and he called me the next day for a picnic.
25)Who proposed? I was very frustrated with us for a awhile so I kind of did by saying we need to get married or break up. (Really you don't want to hear the drama). He officially proposed in March at my house before I left for a Judo competition. He got down on one knee saying he had a rock in his shoe. I was impatient to get ready to go so I didn't notice what he was doing until he waved the ring right under my nose. Poor guy tried to be romantic.
26)Who is more sensitive? I'm not sure. Chad is a very sensitive guy when it comes to other's problems, but we both have subjects that we are very sensitive about. For the most part Chad embraces emotions while I hate emotions.
27)Who has more friends? On Facebook he does, but I actually talk to more people.
28)Who has more siblings? We each have 3 siblings.
29)Who wears the pants in the family? He does. I know people think I do because I am louder, but really he does. Chad will let me make all the plans or do whatever, but when he has something to add or feels a certain way I defer to his decision. He is the head of our household.

The Only Thing Constant is Change

I have been pondering something of late. My brain seems to have frozen people in the last state I knew them in. That may be 10 years or more for some people. When I meet people again I am always surprised. Sometimes pleasantly, sometimes not, but everyone is different. Then I ponder where I was 10 years ago. I realize how much I have changed. I stop and analyze wither the change has been for good or not. I can honestly say that I am nothing like I thought I would be at this stage in my life. I planned on marring after I obtained my master's and I thought I would have 3 kids. I have not gotten my master's yet. I will go back after my kids are in school. I am a stay at home mother and I think it is the hardest, yet best thing I have ever done. I would have never seen myself be a stay at home mother 10 years ago. We are happy with our 2 kids. They fill my life so completely. I am much more spiritual than I was 10 years ago. I always desired to have faith, but only when it was convenient and the rules didn't get in my way. Now I have a firm testimony of my faith and I understand how the guidelines help me to happy and healthy. Lastly, my temperament has changed a great deal. I think I was arrogant and temperamental in my younger years. I was painfully shy and I tried to hide it by acting tough and snotty. Now I feel that my temperament is more mellow. I still have a temper, but I can control it most of the time. I am still very shy, but I don't feel I need to prove anything to anyone. I am happy with who I am, what I am doing and where I am in life. My life will not be the same in 10 years. There will be more changes and directions over time. I pray that I will allow the hand of my Heavenly Father guide me more in the future than I have in the past.

I'm Back

We got back last night from a trip to SLC. My brother lives down there and it is always fun to go visit. I must say that my parents GPS system saved me more than anything else. I really enjoyed the shopping, swimming and playing Guitar Hero. (i may have to buy that). My girls loved it as well. Utah has a great big, huge area of people. If you want it, they have 20 of everything. Of course the driving can kill you, or if that doesn't the air pollution will. I am disappointed at the pollution in that area. How do people live there?
We also went to the Draper Temple Open House. In my religion we go to temples. Members with recommends can go inside. However, before a temple is dedicated, it is open to the public. This give people a chance to see inside of the temple and ask questions if they choose. We took my brother and sister-in-law, and my parents with us. I don't expect any one to convert, but I enjoyed sharing something that means a whole lot to me with my family. My main objective is to show that we believe in Christ. He is our Savior and Redeemer. There are pictures of him through out our temples and church buildings.
I am grateful for the mini vacation. It was fun to be with family. My brother is an excellent cook and spoiled us beyond measure. One evening he made us stake and crab. I am not a huge sea food fan, but I thought is was okay. I think if could get used to it, if I ate it more. However, the only way I will eat seafood of any kind is if my family prepares it for me. I'm odd like that. I was too busy having fun to take many pictures, but I will post some as soon as I can.

Fun with Friends

I love that true friends are always friends. I was able to see some friends that I haven't seen for years and years yesterday. Our kids played together and we are able to talk and catch up. It was so great. I am so blessed that I was able to have a girl's day out. The kids, all of them, were amazing. Between the 3 of us we had 8 kids. They all played really well. I was able to relax for a day. Times like this are precious in my life. I felt like Krista rather than Mom. I love being a mother, and I would never change my course or decisions. But, at times I yearn to be Krista again. This is a picture of all our children. We had every age there from 7 to 10 months! It was wonderful to see these beautiful children that my friends have. Every one of those kids were so very special and cute. Again, I felt blessed to meet them.

Before and After

We found a wooden chest 40% off at Porter's Craft and Frame. We stained it and put it down stairs for the kids to put their toys in. I took a before and after picture. This is my before shot!

I love looking organized!

Sir Tag of the 4th Realm

My friend Natalie tagged me in this fun game. You go to your 4th picture file and post your 4th picture and then tag 4 friends. They, in turn do the same thing. I am tagging Tina, Marie, Sami, and Sherri. I look forward to seeing your fourths.

This is a picture of McKayla going to her first Primary activity.

A Mother's Joy

Some times I feel like my child is out of control and everyone thinks I'm a bad mother. But then there are times when my heart swells joy because others recognize how great my kid truly is. McKayla zipped up her coat all by herself yesterday. I was so proud. I can't believe how smart she is. Then, today at library time she was showing off her knowledge. The story time lady teaches pre-school and asked if I work with her. I said yes, and she commented how smart McKayla is. I love these type of complements. I like when people can look past McKayla's hyper motions and energy and see some one who wants to learn every thing and know every one. I feel so blessed that McKayla is my daughter. She teaches me so much.

Valentine's Day

I had some great ideas planned for Valentine's Day. We did not get to all of them, but I am going to write about what we did do. My husband cooked breakfast for the family. We exchanged some small gifts and lots of home made cards. Then we decided to brave the mall. It was a little overwhelming but fun. It reminded me why I rarely go to the mall. We Ate at Red Robin's for lunch. It was very busy, but good. Then, we went to Wal-Mart to get a few supplies. At that point the girls were very tired, so we went home and had chocolate covered strawberries. It was a very nice day!

Cleaning ideas

Okay, the more I clean, the worse it gets. I need some cleaning help here. I was washing the front of my cupboards and the wood seemed dry. Is there any thing I should put on them? I remember my mom put Murphy's oil soap on her cupboards. Is this still what to do or has something better some along? Also, the grout between my tiles is gross. I mop every week, but it seems to look bad. Is there any way to clean it beside the get down on your hand and knees and scrub? Is there a cleaner I should use? Last, I was lying on my stove tying to clean my stove hood. (Stop laughing! It was really gross.) How does one clean that? I used a Brillo pad, but it still didn't get all of the nasty stuff off. Again, is there a super cleaner that I need, or just more elbow grease?
The frustrating thing about doing the spring cleaning is that I can't really see a difference. I know that I hand scrubbed my tiles and washed my walls, but I'm not really sure it makes a difference. Don't get me wrong, the house needs a good scrub down. Really, the ceiling fans are gross, and the windows need a good cleaning. I know that they are cleaner once I am done, but who notices these things when there are toys every where? Oh well, some day I will miss the constant mess of kids. Then I will have to face up to my own messes.

Suprise Visit

This is a really cool idea that my friend Sami Jo is doing on her blog! So this is how it works: The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a handmade gift from me. The catch is I can deliver it to you some time this year. My choice when it will be :) This way you know it will be coming but you just won't know when :) When and what it will be is my choice!
This is a big deal for me. I am a socially cautious creature. Look out world. Oh, and don't expect the gift to be too great. I will try, but I'm not that creative. I am excited to do this. Thank you Sami for such a great idea!

McKayla's Room

Every night before bed, I have McKayla clean her room. I do this for several reasons. First, if I need to get to her at night, I hate stepping on a toy, it makes me grumpy. Also, I am hoping that I am teaching her responsibility along the way. Last, she has to learn consequences for dragging out all of her toys. Check out the shots below.

This is what her room should look like.

This is the mid-way point.

And this is the final masterpiece. It took us 30 minutes to clean this up.

Sick Kids

Ariana is sick again. I am very tired of this. She gets a cold with a cough about 1 per month or more it seems like. I know that this is good for her immune system, but hard on our sleeping. McKayla was ill a lot when she was younger. Now she hardly ever gets sick. She hasn't had an ear infection in almost 1.5 years. I am so grateful for that. Now we just need to wait for Ariana to toughen up her body so she won't get as sick. I know many friends are facing the same problem of sick kids, so to all of us...I hope spring will bring warm weather and less colds.

You're So Cute...Now Get In The Tub

I have the only grandchildren on my side of the family. This makes for way too much spoiling. I could blame it all on my mom, but my father is just as bad. I'm not ever going to discuss how bad my brothers and their wives spoil my children. Anyway, my dad bought both girls these great big heart suckers. McKayla is no stranger to candy, but this was a first for Ariana. I decided to steal an idea from another blog. I took pictures of my kids while they ate their suckers. They sat there for the pictures and almost looked happy. Of course, they were very sticky afterward. They had a lot of fun, and I got some great pictures.

A Brick Wall for My Head Please

I have been trying to have a playgroup since October. This has had limited success. I was getting really frustrated. I couldn't figure out why no one was coming. Honestly, I was wondering if it was me, was I a scary person that people didn't want to come to my house? The possibility was there. I decided to give up. It was too hard and no one came and I was feeling like singing the "No body likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I'll go eat worms song". This would be my brick wall moment. Yea, it was sad. Then someone suggested a time change. A time change? I figured morning was better, but I would try afternoon. Oh my goodness, people came today. We made cookies and pictures, and kids played. It was so much fun. It was nice to have so adult conversation as well. Perhaps I should have changed the time earlier. I am glad that someone made the suggestion and that people in the neighborhood can interact with one another.

The End of the World and Cerial at Midnight

I remember when I found out I was pregnant, I wanted boys. Girls are so emotional, and I don't do hair or bow or dresses. I've adapted on the hair, bows ans dresses. My girls are not the most fashionable on the block, but considering I'm their mother, we are doing good. Now, let's talk about the emotional part. Seriously, it gets worse? How? Today was been a day where the song with the chorus "It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine" has been running through my head. McKayla has been teary and sad and highly upset all stinking day. Now in argument and defense, I've been no picnic basket. I didn't go to sleep until after 2:00 am and I had to get up early today for church. I might be hyper grumpy and not in the mood to listen to the tears. However, I thought she was dying when I turned off Diego. There were tears. Sigh. This leads me to my second part of this blog: cereal after midnight. I don't really think of cold cereal as a breakfast food. For some odd reason, it does not fill me up. I can eat a whole bowl and still be hungry in about an hour. Really, it is a lot of calories that don't do anything. However, after a day of being bitten, Ariana likes her new teeth, pooped on, spit up on, yelled at, and told that I'm not very nice, I find that the hours after about 9:30 pm are sacred. No one yells at me, there are no demands placed on me. Cereal at this point becomes a guilty pleasure of a snack that has no nutritional value what so ever, but no one is asking me to share it. It's no wonder that I stay up as late as possible reading my books, being of face book, and eating my cereal. I am going to try to break this habit, so I can function when morning comes and my girls need me again, but at least I know why it is midnight and I am eating Multi grain Cheerios, again.

And It Came To Pass

I have often wondered if my daughter understands the scriptures when we read to her. Every night we read a page from the Book of Mormon to her. While we do this, she eats her bed time snack. Quite honestly, I think she pays more attention to her snack than the words that she hears. But tonight something wonderful happened. As she was praying, a phrase was distributed throughout her prayer. "And it came to pass" was said two or three times in her prayer. Of course it was not in the right context, but she is clearly hearing the words of the scriptures. This brings my heart great joy. I am having one of those rare parent moments when I feel reassured that I am doing okay as a parent.

The perfect Parent

I just got done with a lovely visit with my friend Brooke. She is great. She has had many struggles in her life, yet she turned the gospel and is an inspiration to me. She shows me over and over again how faith can make you whole. Anyway, she mentioned a topic discussed at her Stake Conference. This was being the perfect parent. It was discussed how we should model our parenting after Heavenly Father rather then the world. Our Heavenly Father gives us agency. We choose to live our lives the way we want. He set guidelines for us, but in the end it is our choice. We can blame no one but ourselves for our lives. I know some argue that they were acted upon by other people, but again that is part of agency. Others have the choice to hurt others. How do deal with loss and anger over others hurting you is another topic altogether. If interested I would suggest reading "The Peacegiver". It is a wonderful book about how to forgive others. How to relate this to my parenting? I think I need to spend more time teaching McKayla and Ariana correct principals. I need to focus on how to make good choices rather than forcing good choices. I guess I need to think about what is more important. Do I what my daughter to look perfect and follow all of my rules, all the while pushing away her independence, or do I want to guide my daughter and try to help her through her challenges and hope I have taught her correctly? Of course my kids have many more years before they can be independent, but I need to give more choices now. I need to let go of some control and learn to teach more. I can't seem to reach down into my heart and mind to bring the correct words onto this blog to express the thoughts and feelings. I hope that those of you who are reading this can understand the ramblings of a mother.

New Blog

A dear friend in Utah has invited me, along with others, to start a new blog that is called Kitchen to Kitchen. Different people will post different recipes on there. I am excited to do this. I love to cook and try new recipes. Please feel free to check it out and leave some comments. The address is: kitchentokitchen.blogspot.com

A big thanks to Natalie for thinking of this! By the way, Natalie is an awsome cook. I love her recipes.

Vermin Forcasting the Weather

Okay, in grade school I thought the idea of the ground hog was cute. Now as an adult it borders on ridiculous. Of course we are going to have 6 more weeks of winter. Has the little bugger ever said different? Why is it that February is filled with silly holidays. Is it because the lone bleak winter is starting to wear on people's nerves so they brought in Valentine's day and Ground Hog day? I tend to think so. Oh well, the big business has got to scam people every month. At least in March people only have to buy green food coloring for their celebration. And if I get pinched; it's gonna get ugly.

Getting Ready For a Party

I was lounging about today. I know, that was my first mistake. Then, I heard Ariana protesting. She wasn't really crying, and she was in McKayla's room, so I knew that she was not agreeing to a plan that McKayla had. I checked on the girls and Ariana was covered in Vasaline. I keep some in McKayla's room on a shelf because she sometimes needs extra moisture on her elbows or knees. When I asked McKayla why Ariana was covered, she said that she was getting her ready for a party and doing her hair. Sigh. I'm glad that they are playing dress up, but they are currently a greasy mess. I looked at McKayla and she had smeared it on her arms and legs. I am happy to report that none got on the carpet or blankets, that I have discovered. My little girls will be extra soft for Church today. The funny thing is I not upset. I think it is funny and I am grateful that they love each other.

Notice how her hair is stuck to her head and looks very dark. Pretty Huh?