Bottled Moments

Bottled Moments

-Written by me 

These precious new-born moments need to be bottled, dried, or canned
To pull out and open on one of those unbearable days when I could use a hand.
On those days when I need a teaspoon, cup, or gallon of these moments to get me by.
I want to preserve and store up these times...hey, it's worth a try.

Like her soft baby cheeks that I always need to kiss
And all of these things that don't last and I will miss.
Like soft as silk hair that I nuzzle with my cheek,
Her hands that hold my finger and her cute little feet.

The way she cuddles up into a ball as she sleeps on my chest
And staying awake to stare at her beauty even though I should rest.
And how her brothers adore her and are so gentle and kind
Would come in handy when these loving feelings are hard to find.

Her fleeting smiles that come and go and her soft baby sounds
I could open and use when a quiet moment is hard to be found.
The huge spirit of love and peace that comes from such a little baby
I could use by the cup, gallon, and bucket-full when our home is so crazy.

I know that these things can't be bottled and kept
These precious times will soon be gone...except
I cannot use a measuring spoon to scoop them out and share
Instead I will treasure them in my heart and keep them safely there.

Believe in God and That He Created All Things

As I sit and stare at my beautiful baby girl I am in awe of my Heavenly Father's creative powers and that Eric and I were able to assist in that. Our bodies are miracles. How each muscle, bone, organ, and nerve are created and work together to form a little body is so amazing to me. The power of God is so evident as I hold my baby and touch her soft, downy hair and her teeny, tiny toes, and listen to her breathe and cute little sounds. I am so grateful for all of God's creations, and especially for the miraculous gift of our bodies.

Mosiah 4:9 - Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth...

"When you sing “I Am a Child of God,” think of His gift to you of your own physical body. The many amazing attributes of your body attest to your own “divine nature.”

Each organ of your body is a wondrous gift from God. Each eye has an autofocusing lens. Nerves and muscles control two eyes to make a single three-dimensional image. The eyes are connected to the brain, which records the sights seen.

Your heart is an incredible pump. It has four delicate valves that control the direction of blood flow. These valves open and close more than 100,000 times a day—36 million times a year. Yet, unless altered by disease, they are able to withstand such stress almost indefinitely.

Think of the body’s defense system. To protect it from harm, it perceives pain. In response to infection, it generates antibodies. The skin provides protection. It warns against injury that excessive heat or cold might cause.

The body renews its own outdated cells and regulates the levels of its own vital ingredients. The body heals its cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Its capacity for reproduction is another sacred gift from God.

Anyone who studies the workings of the human body has surely “seen God moving in his majesty and power.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:47) Yet some people erroneously think that these marvelous physical attributes happened by chance or resulted from a big bang somewhere. Ask yourself, “Could an explosion in a printing shop produce a dictionary?” The likelihood is most remote. But if so, it could never heal its own torn pages or reproduce its own newer editions!" - Elder Russell M. Nelson, Thanks Be To God April 2012 General Conference

Introducing Megan

She is here...our little Megan arrived last week. She is a beautiful little 7 pound piece of heaven. I feel so blessed and honored to have this little girl in our family. She brings a special spirit into our home and hearts. The 9 months of being sick, moody, tired, and uncomfortable were worth it! So here she is...introducing Megan Eliza:

The Key to a Satisfying Day

I was watching Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday and heard this quote and loved it!!! I totally agree. I am so satisfied and happy at the end of a busy and productive day. 

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, "Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing. It’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.”

It’s a myth that the key to a satisfying day is to relax, put your feet up, and sip cold lemonade. The real way to feel joy at the end of the day is to have achieved your goals, to have pushed yourself to accomplish your tasks. When our day is filled with unexpected challenges, instead of seeing them as obstacles that interfere with an easy schedule, perhaps we can reframe that outlook and see them as opportunities for fulfillment and satisfaction—the unexpected rewards for a job well done. - Lloyd Newell

Taffy Pull

I remember...long, long ago... going to a birthday party where we got to pull taffy. I had so much fun. I have wanted to make it again but haven't dared...until now. I found a great recipe. It's not too tough, the kids loved it, and it turned out great. It's a great activity when your kids have lots of friends over because you need a lot of hands to pull...it makes 12 pieces. Here's how:

Pioneer Taffy

recipe from The Lion House Cookbook

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp glycerin (found at the pharmacy)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp butter

Put all ingredients except for the vanilla and butter into a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Keep boiling until your candy thermometer reaches 258 degrees (about 30-35 minutes).

Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Butter a large cookie sheet. Pour taffy onto the sheet. Let taffy cool until it is cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes). Pinch taffy into 12 separate pieces (smaller pieces are much easier to pull and turn out a lot better). Once taffy is cool enough it is time to pull. The trick is to pull then fold back together over and over until it turns white and gets a little stiff.

Don't worry, at first it is pretty sticky, gooey, and messy...just keep pulling

 and in about 10-15 minutes it will turn into this:

When you are done, roll it into a rope and put it on a piece of wax paper.

Have fun!!!

Sopapilla Bars

This was a SUPER EASY and TASTY dessert. It would be fun to make for a Mexican Fiesta Night...or anytime for that matter!

Sopapilla Bars

• 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls (you can get them in a sheet that just rolls out into one piece. They fit perfectly in a 9x13 pan)
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• cinnamon and sugar

Spray 9x13 pan. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Unroll a sheet of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top. Cover with the second crescent roll sheet. Brush the melted butter on top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown. Cool completely in the pan before serving. I refrigerated mine after it had cooled and they turned out great!

Enjoy!

Stained Kids, Clothes, and Swingset

What do you get when you combine Spring Break, a sunny day, 3 bored kids, and a bucket of wood stain?

You get one less day of Spring Break, small sunburns, 3 brown kids with stained clothes, and a newly painted swing-set.

Good job guys!!!