Smories

Smories.com is a site full of videos of kids reading children's stories. Most of them have cute accents, and they are just adorable! Just thought I'd share!

I'm Going Bananas!

You know those times when you've been working diligently on your schoolwork for 8 hours straight and you just have to jump up and down and do something crazy? Well, I was taking one of those "crazy breaks" when I decided that unsweetened baking chocolate is not fit for human consumption. At least not when eaten by itself. So I decided to go to the kitchen to find something to wash the flavor out of my mouth. And what did I find? A banana!!! What a marvelous creation! God packaged this incredibly delicious, nutritious food in a naturally bio-degradable peel, ready to eat, no dish-washing necessary! Amazing. Then I started thinking more about this miracle food. (Effectively delaying resumption of my studies.)
Did you know...

• Bananas can be split in perfect thirds from end to end by merely applying pressure at the right points. (Hmmm. Perhaps a subject for a future video?)

• Bananas can be used to convey love notes. Just lightly scratch your message into the peel with a toothpick, and it will "develop" as the banana sits in your loved-one's lunch pail.

• Bananas can easily be broken cleanly in half with a snap of the wrists. No more digging your fingernail uncomfortably into the peel to break it open!

• Actually, there is absolutely no reason to dig your fingernail into the peel. Just pinch the end furthest from the stem and splits will form in the sides, allowing you to peel like a pro. Plus, you will have less stringy things to pick off your banana for some reason. (This is how monkeys do it. I learn so much from them!)

• Over 25% of Human DNA is the same as that of a banana. ... O_0

• Bananas also contain large amounts of potassium, which is an essential nutrient, but can also be beneficial for people suffering from certain types of seizures.

Just think: your new-found banana knowledge could save a life!
Okay. I suppose I had better stop stalling and get back to my studies.

Fun with Cousins

Splash!

Pizza Pockets

My new addiction

Pinterest. :)

Fun in the Sun!

Bananas!

Yay! I have a new job! I'm now taking care of twin 10 yr. old girls during the day while Abby is at camp. It's working out perfectly, and I'm having so much fun! They are all adorable. It almost makes me wish I could have triplet girls! ... Almost. :)
Here is a fun project we did for fun one day. The girls were amazing!



We've also gone swimming, toured the Bakken museum of electricity and magnetism, made jewelry (of course) and other fun craft projects like cup place-mats, boxes, cards, etc. We've also been doing a bit of balcony gardening and indoor sprouting. Yay for summer!

With Grateful Heart

I realized today that I haven't written anything for awhile, neither on my blog nor in my Journal. Tsk Tsk. I thought it was because I have nothing new to report, nothing interesting to say. Well, I've decided that even if that is true, there is something I need to say. How grateful I am for all of my blessings. I am a member of an amazing family with loving parents, 6 siblings, 5 great "new siblings" 14 and a 1/2 nieces and nephews, and loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I have wonderful friends that love me even when I don't deserve it, and support me. I have a beautiful home to live in, with people who are kind and treat me like family, and a ward family that has welcomed me with open arms. I live in a beautiful area with nature surrounding me and everything I need within biking distance. I have opportunities to learn, grow, and improve myself every day, and a loving Father in Heaven who uplifts me in every worthy endeavor. I have faith in my purpose here on Earth and the things in store for my future and Eternity, which brings me so much peace, joy, happiness, direction, and guidance. I know of my worth in the eyes of my Maker and my potential to become like Him. I need to:

1. Spend more time thinking about what I have, not what I might be missing.
2. Work on becoming who I want to be, not having what I want to have.
3. Ask what I can give, not what I can get.
4. Just Live. Here. Now. Soak it in.
5. Stop waiting for something to make me happy and just be happy.
6. Start learning for the sake of learning, not earning.
7. Just do it!

The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Summer has begun!

I feel like summer has officially begun, even though it seems Spring barely made a showing. But I guess that's what happens when you have a water-balloon fight and grill Brats out on the deck. :)

Abby liked the silly ones with "babies" on them.
This one had a particularly big baby.
So cuddly. :)

We each had one of each color. We decided to play catch instead of fighting. Violence is never the answer. I wasn't very good at catching, so I broke the most, and had the most break on me. Oh well, I probably needed the shower.
Here are some older pictures of Abby teaching her friends Mattie and Anna how to make earrings.

Spring! Glorious Spring!

This is my "Ode to Spring". I took all of the pictures before the one of Temple Square in Utah, but I included all the rest because I thought they were so pretty, and wanted it to be longer so I could listen to Vivaldi's "Spring" a little longer.

Science Fair!!!

Abby, with help setting up from her friend, Violet, entered the science fair. They decided to do an Earthquake simulator.

It consisted of a large cardboard box that used to house a wardrobe donated by the furniture store, a vibrating massage chair, and some energetic little "box wobblers" named Abby and Violet. They even randomly dropped empty grocery bags on the "victim" so simulate debris.
Here is a shot through the peephole before it was covered to keep all curious kids from spoiling the experience.

Dubbed "Earthquake Terror" with the disclaimer: 5 yrs and up, unless not easily scared.

Eager participants lined up to wait their turn and read facts about earthquakes to pass the time. Her exhibit was a total hit! Good job Abby!

this is abby i am having so much fun with jessica. And i hope she can stay longer then she is assigned to. She is such a delight. She is the best live in nanny i could ever have because she teaches you new things and she loves to do art and so do i. She is the best!!!!!!!:)

Lifetime Customer of Discount Tires

Today of all days, I got a flat tire. I drove over a nail quite a way away from home. And it is the day Janet is in Chicago, of all days. By the time I realized it, I just happened to be 1 block from Tires Plus. I called, but they wanted $20 to come check it out. So, figuring the tire was a goner anyhow since I had been driving on it, I drove the block to their store. They still wanted $20 just to help put on my spare. I wanted them to help put on the spare so I could go to Discount Tire Co. where I got the tire originally. They then tried convincing me and pressuring me that Discount wouldn't have my records and that I should give them $101 for a new tire, which they said was $3 off the price at Discount. Uh huh, right. So I made a phone call, and Discount said basically, "Duh. We have the internet. We have your record. Pay the lazy bums to put on your spare, come here, and we'll refund it." So that's what I did, since I already didn't trust these guys. Sure enough, with my road hazard certificate it only cost $9.50 and they gave me CASH BACK to refund the fee at Tires Plus!!! Plus it took them WAY less time!!! And they were much nicer. The guy at the desk at Tires Plus ignored me twice for a phone call and to give someone advice about their wireless plan. ?!?! I will be a lifetime customer of Discount Tire.

Minnesota=The Good Life

Hello, All!

I promise, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth! I am in Minneapolis, MN. Actually, it's a little suburb of Minneapolis, called St. Louis Park.

The drive out here was pretty uneventful- just how it ought to be! I stayed in a little hotel in the little town of Cozad, Nebraska- "Home of the Haymakers"- population 4,181. They boast a plant that manufactures shock absorbers, employing a whopping total of 700 people, and a plastic plant that manufactures privacy fencing. Woot woot! Other attractions mentioned in the one paragraph about the town on www.CozadNebraska.com are: horseshoe pits, playground equipment, and an outdoor walking track.

So far, Andrew and I have made Greek Yogurt (is it still Greek if it was made in America by Americans, with American ingredients and equipment?), walked around a few lakes, celebrated Easter with his family (including an Easter egg hunt in which I was the youngest participant), attended my new ward, and played games like Scrabble and Book of Mormon Golf on his iPod touch, and Blokus.

I haven't gotten lost too much, thanks to help from Andrew's GPS, and Google Maps. I babysat for a woman named Stephanie twice. Her two little girls are so cute! Danica- 3 and 1/2 and Carly- 7 months.

I'm loving my home here with Janet and Abby. They are both really nice, and Abby is so funny! Her laugh is totally contagious. She is very active- performing a contortionist act for the circus, soccer, fund-raisers, science fair, etc. Janet got me in to a special showing of "I Am" at the Uptown theater. It was packed because the producer (also star of the documentary) was there, and Oprah had had him on her show, so word got out. Janet's friend had something to do with sponsoring the event. It was very good, and I think everyone should see it. They made a nice room for me that has 3 windows, with a lovely view of their awesome yard. I was surprised to wake up to snow one morning, and two deer in the yard were surprised to see me a few days ago.

Oscar has made me feel pretty welcome, too.

I have yet to catch this crazy cat in his "sitting like a human" pose, but when I do, I'll definitely post it.

My friend Amber is awesome! She's working for a company that helps people sell their products online, and recently sent me a link on how to make an inexpensive "Light Tent" so I can take better pictures of my jewelry. I love it so much! It's even inspiring me to make more jewelry, just so I have more subject matter to photograph! Thanks again, Amber!

These are some of my first tries. Click on the link in the right-hand sidebar for the rest of my updated gallery.

I love my Job!

I love my job at LDS Philanthropies!

Everyone is so friendly, and I get to learn a lot. I love knowing that I'm doing tasks that free the rest of them up to do more important work, and that that work is so meaningful and worthwhile. They are helping people get their education and build a better future!

Silliness

I'm loving the Mac from Laura and Richard. The photo booth application is fun. :) Here are some random silly pictures from using it.

Snow!

Look what I saw today:

Now my version of a snow hat:

Just for the record, this picture was taken before the pic of the van, so that means I started the trend. :) Just sayin'.

Little Miss Muffet

Autumn and Isaac had fun making this movie at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Enoch loved his cardboard knight costume, but it didn't get much airtime.

I think we had more fun sliding down on our bums, instead of using the sleds! :) The song is called Rachel's Dream, by Benny Goodman.

Jacob, Rachel, Sarah, Rebecca and I had tons of fun making this silly little video.

All I said was, "Do you want to make a movie?" and the kids went to work. They thought of costumes they could wear, and what kind of a story they could tell. They loved the idea of a silent movie to add to the humor and make shooting easier.

The end story is this: A water fairy (Rachel) plays with her beloved bubble, but her pet dragon (Sarah) popped it. While chasing the naughty dragon, the fairy meets a wizard (Jacob). He promises to make another bubble for her, but doesn't name his price. He makes the bubble, and is about to exact his price (transform her and imprison her in the closet) when the fairy hears a scratching noise. The wizard opens the door to put her in, revealing a cute kitty (Callie). The fairy realizes what is about to happen, releases the cat from the spell, turning her back into the adorable princess (Rebecca) and banishes the wizard to a fairy land where he can only work good magic. The End!

They came up with the costumes, story, camera angles, and told me how to edit the clips together. I just pushed the buttons and supplied the computer. Pretty clever kids, I'd have to say. :)