New insight- cooking calms my nerves

I just realized today that cooking helps me relieve stress, although the previous post should have given me a clue. I know this is true for lots of people (Tiff loves to cook and makes brownies when she's stressed), but I never thought I was one of those people. I like to cook, and I have found the process of chopping vegetables to be therapeutic, something about taking a bunch of ingredients and making something wonderful. I also like being able to make a meal for my family that is really delicious.

A while ago Mandi led me to Our Best Bites,(see button to the left) they have such good recipes. They are all tried, and perfected, easy and so yummy. I have made lots of their recipes, but this week I have been obsessed. It started with making the Asian BBQ chicken, and then taking the leftovers to make pizza on the grill (which btw was easy and so fun). Friday morning Darren worked from home and I got up to look for a yummy breakfast, and made breakfast taquitos -so good! Plus, this summer I have become obsessed with wanting to own a small, counter top ice cream maker. Especially when OBB had a snickerdoodle ice cream recipe (I LOVE cinnamon, and really LOVE snickerdoodles). After searching my local Target, and Walmart for ice cream makers I turned to the internet and good old Amazon came through. My ice cream maker was set to be delivered on Thursday. I planned my whole day around it! I even made sugar cookies (our best bites, of course) to put in the ice cream. When I saw the UPS man leave without delivering my ice cream maker I wanted to eat a bag of M&Ms I was so upset. Lucky for my waist he came back, and ice cream making was back on. I made the custard, which had to cool overnight, put the ice cream freezer in the freezer, and I was set to make snickerdoodle ice cream Friday night. It did not disappoint- so good that when I woke up this morning I grabbed a spoon and headed for the freezer.

What does this have to do with stress relief? I'm getting to that. Since yesterday's ice cream was so good I decided I needed to try another flavor. I was torn between blueberry cheesecake and caramelized banana. I chose the banana because I have some bananas that need to be used.

Today we went shopping to get Shelby (and me) ready for girls camp. We only needed to buy a few things, but it was stressing me out. We still need to get her secret sister stuff. Plus, since I'm going too, and being the planner that I am, I've been trying to figure out: 1)what snacks I need to bring, so that I can eat healthy,2)what is the best way to get my trailer to girls camp, 3)Darren is coming for the first night as priesthood, so what does he need to bring, and 4)what do we do with Sarah while we're all gone. I finally have that all figured out, but when we got home from shopping I was feeling a little fried, so I decided to caramelize the bananas and get my custard for the ice cream chilling so I can make it tomorrow. That did the trick, totally helped me unwind. Who knew? I didn't have to eat a thing, just cook. That is a revelation.

My house isn't clean, but I'm making cupcakes

So I am happy. Today I feel happy. It's been a bit of a rough week with my grandma passing. My bathrooms are clean, my bedroom is almost clean, and I'm sifting through the paper that seems to gather in piles around my house. Darren and I took Keno to get his shots today, and then decided to see if we could get him to the groomer as long as we were out and had him with us. The groomer(Scotty's K-9 design-who we love and is local in Saratoga Springs) could get him in today. I have an app on my phone that lets me check movie times, and we could get into a showing of Robin Hood, while Keno was getting groomed so we thought, "why not?". It was great to spend the day with Darren, and its great to put things back in order at home. Plus I got my hair done yesterday, and that is always a lift to my spirit.

I love my grandma, and I will miss her. I have realized this week what I have learned from her; mostly the value of running a home and doing it well. She did. I have also realized how much my family means to me. My parents are my rock, and I have leaned on them for support, and maybe they don't know that, but they have lifted me up this week. I have awesome brothers and sisters, and great cousins, and aunts and uncles that I want to keep in touch with and have them be a part of my life.

So mostly life is good. I really am living the dream when I stop and think about what I always wanted for my life and how things are working out. I owe that to a loving Heavenly Father. Thank you.

Where I'm at

Sometimes I forget I have a blog, and sometimes I just don't know how to write what I'm thinking. I worry that I get too philosophical and that it turns people off, but really that's me. I'm always looking for the meaning of what's going on in my world. So here's here's what's going on in my world.

1.I have two awesome kids!

2.I was released from my Primary calling. I went through a bit of an identity crisis, but not to worry I ate my way through. I also learned that I can survive change, I am not perfect, but I do "Keep Moving Forward"

3.I am struggling with my motivation for healthy living, I am awesome at working out, but the eating is another story. When I started teaching I chose to go to Weight Watchers on Saturday. Its hard to give up a Saturday morning, Darren likes to make waffles on Saturday, and I would have to skip, because I was going to weigh in, plus stuff always comes up or happens on Saturday, so I was missing meetings a lot. Tiff is my loyal buddy and we try to keep each other motivated, but we were really missing our "kick butt" leader. We took the leap and went at night to a class that she teaches, not knowing what that would do to our numbers, lived through it, then Easter candy happened and I am trying to find my motivation.

4. I read blogs today and learned that two of my friends are really struggling and my heart goes out to them. Its always frustrating to me when I get so caught up in my life, that I miss when those I love are hurting. Just know that I love you and you are in my prayers.

5.Darren's parent's mission began yesterday. They are living at home while they go to the MTC, so they aren't gone yet. I am so proud of them! Darren's parents are such great examples to me. We have spent a lot of time with his family the last few weeks, there have been decisions to make and it has been a little stressful, but one of the things I love about the Shipley's is that they are always there for each other when you need them. I love you all.

6. My parents are moving! I am so excited for them! They have bought a very nice house in West Jordan (our home town), back where they belong.

7. I am starting to earn my Personal Progress award with Shelby. When our Ward YW presidency mentioned doing this with our daughters at New Beginnings in January I just thought "I'm too busy, and I can't take on one more thing." Then I got released from my stake calling, and when I went to recognition night with Shelby and the Mothers were challenged again I thought "maybe" then during conference someone said it again and I thought "ok I get the point". Yesterday I bought myself a book, read through it and picked out my first goal. I am going to work on the same value as Shelby. She is almost done with Knowledge, and then plans to work on Integrity, so that is where I'm starting. Part of the reason I was reluctant to do this was that I earned my medallion when I was a Young Woman, so I thought I was good, but the Spirit has told me I need to do this with my daughters. My plan is to earn the award with Shelby and then work on the honor bee award with Sarah, when she turns 12 in 4 years.

8. How perfect for number 8-Sarah is turning 8! I can't believe it! I thought Shelby was so big when she turned 8, but Sarah is still little, but seems to be getting bigger in my eyes every day. She is having an animal rescue party on Saturday, that will be so much fun! I love my Sarah, she has such a sweet testimony wrapped up in her fiery spirit.

9. Its spring break, and there is snow on the ground! What's up with that? I am so ready for warm weather!

Reading

I love to read! My favorite afternoon activity is reading, I love to get all cozed up(a Sarah phrase), and read, maybe even take a little nap. I have this dilemma when it comes to reading. I pick something I think I want to read and then if I don't get totally sucked in I start reading something else. I still want to read the previous selection, so I end up with about 5 or so books on my nightstand(which is why my nightstand is now a bookcase) that I intend to read. So, I've been reading the same three books for a month,(one of them is a tip a day book, so who knows how long that will take me), in the meantime I've read a couple of other books. Last night I finished the 2nd Percy Jackson book (its Shelby's, but I love them-we are so excited for the movie to come out this weekend), today I am looking for something to read. I opened a goodreads account and that is helping me organize my big list of books I want to read. Which brings me to my second dilemma. When I started on this Thomas Jefferson Education path (our home school philosophy) part of that is being well read and learning from the classics, not an easy task when your trying to educate your children as well, but that is something for another post. So then there is the choice of what I want to read, plus the classics which I also want to read, but fall more under the category of 'should' read. I know I make things complicated. There is something about if its what I want and enjoy I must do all the 'shoulds' first. I scanned my lists, and then my bookcase, put a few books on hold with the library, and have decided to go with something that was sitting on my nightstand. Happy reading.

As Long as we're sharing bad Christmas pictures

Jenny and Kelly both shared pictures of themselves on Christmas that were less than flattering. After a review of my Christmas pictures I thought I join in the fun.
Like my friends this is the only picture of me on Christmas(isn't my head scarf fabulous?). I think this calls for some action. We Moms should make sure we are better documented in our family's lives. I'm worried that someday my kids will look back through the scrapbooks and say "I think my mom was there".

Disaster averted

I had 3 points leftover today. I love a snack after the kids go to bed. I decided on a Warm Delights mini cake. They are yummy and only 3 points. Since I often skim when I read I put the cake in the microwave for 2 min. instead of 30 sec. The cake is supposed to cool for 2 min. I stopped the microwave with 30 sec. left on the timer because my cake was smoking. I took one bite, and it was crunchy, not at all molten lava. I was going to eat it anyway, when I thought that this was SO not worth my last 3 points of the day, the night before I weigh in. I thought I should make a new one, and just throw the cake away, when another thought crossed my mind, I bet the kids would eat it, so I gave it to them. They loved it, and I made me a knew one (thanks to couponing I'm stocked on warm delight minis). Bring on the mom of the year award! Oh, my second cake was a warm delight!

I feel lost

I don't know what to think anymore. Hayley had an awesome post about how the blogging world has changed. It made me think back to when I started this blog about a year ago, I used to write a lot more of what I think. I loved that this was an outlet for me to put whatever thoughts ran through my mind, and then something changed. I'm not sure exactly what, maybe I felt I put too much out there. I do hate to feel judged, and I over analyze everything I say, and when I get feedback that I read as critical that makes me pull back. Right now I feel like nothing I do is enough. I've been trying to please a lot of people and I feel 'me' slipping away. I'm not really sure what to do, because no matter what I do, it always seems to be read wrong by someone, and I can't take it anymore. So to be safe I have resorted to the safe pictures of my kids, and basic updates of what's going on, but its not really what's going on. I guess I'm putting this out there in an attempt to get part of myself back. Hope you all still love me anyway.

What's Up

So, on Monday I had this whole list of things I wanted to blog about. Basically it was stuff that's been going on and stuff that's been on my mind. Well Monday we went to the Capital and by that night I couldn't remember any of it, except that we went to the Capital.

The tour of the Capital was really neat. We visited the Capital in August when a copy of the Declaration of Independence was on display. It was cool to go back and learn more about the art and the different rooms. Then, since it was the opening day of the legislative session we got to go watch that for a minute. This is turning in to the year of U.S. History studies for school. We watched the inauguration, studied a little about the presidency, and I read some past inaugural addresses.

Shelby is looking at the seagulls painted on the rotunda.

Sarah in the old Supreme Court room

Carter thought it was awesome that he could walk on glass and not get in trouble.

Garrett and Hayley got married on the 17th, and it was awesome! I am so happy for them. I talked to Garrett tonight and they are just enjoying wedded bliss. Lucky!

Also going on right now. I am selling some of my rubber stamps on KSL.com, I wasn't really sure if they would be something that people would be interested in,but I have sold 5 sets, 2 background stamps, and all my wheels. I had invested too much money in them to just donate them, and who can't use extra cash? I keep looking around my house wondering what else I can sell.

I am so so so glad this is the last week of January. It is the hardest month for me, I'm sure lots of people can relate. I hate the gray days. This year I've tried to be grateful for every day I see blue sky. I am looking forward to February, I have some fun Valentine things planned for my kids. My inlaws are going to Hawaii on Valentines Day, how unfair is that? Actually they totally deserve it. Darren and I have plans for a weekend getaway for our anniversary, and looking forward to that has helped me get through this long gray month.

Keno needs a new sweater. His "Freddy Kruger" sweater is wearing out. It got washed and then put in the dryer so now it doesn't fit right. But, if we act like we are going to take it off he growls. He likes his sweater, it keeps him warm.

I need to go watch "Lost" now. I am so glad that it is back, it is one of my favorite shows (maybe my favorite). I have a friend that sends me emails each week with his insights and how things are all connected and that makes it even more fun. Like this:

Its interesting how each season is about as long as the numbers in reverse

Season 1= covers 42 days
Season 2=covers 23 days
season 3=covers 16 days
season 4=covers 15 days
season 5= 70 hours or 8 days?
season 6=4 days?

I know it doesn't make sense unless you watch the show, and to try to explain it is too much, and I end up sounding like an idiot. But then so did Hurley when he explained it to his mom in last week's episode. Ok I have to go watch it now. I just wanted to let my little blogging circle know that I wasn't giving up on my blog yet.