Joy School Halloween!

At Emmas joy school they had a special Halloween Parade, Performance, and Party! It was so much fun to watch these cute kids show off there costumes and sing the new songs they learned!

Awesome Parade! You all look too cute!


The kids entertained us with the Pumpkin song and the Mean old witch with a hat! Good job guys!

That mean old witch might scare YOU!

Lots of stuff...

We have done some fun stuff but I hadn't had time to post for a while so.... here are a lot of pictures, newest to oldest!
Russell really missed his kitty while we were gone over conference weekend!

Here we are on our way home from Willcox (Jonathan's home town) at Lake Roosevelt. We had such a great time watching conference with Mom and Dad Thom and going to the parade and Jonathan's class reunion (which he had to be in charge of). It was good to make this final fun stop on the way back home!

Emma and Russy Bubs waiting for their sandwiches...

With Grandma Thom before we said G'bye! Don't be too sad kids - we will see her next weekend for Abigale's Baby blessing!

Our kids at their first parade!!! Russell loved the Tractors and Emma loved the little cars and candy!

We stopped at the Mesa Visitors center and the kids had a great time looking at all of the displays there, especially this statue of Christ! We also waited and watched a "princess bride" come out with her new hubby! The kids were hooked. They talk all the time now about getting married in the temple to their prince or princess.

Here are the cuties at an FHE we had in the woods with some friends! What more can you ask for than changing leaves, hot fire, good food, and friends! It was great although the kids were EXHAUSTED by the time we got home!

Well that's all for mow, sorry I have been so bad lately - that is what sleep deprivation will do to ya! I will try to be better:)

Bedtime!

Ok - My Mom sent me this link - "The bedtime song to end all bedtime songs" - so priceless. If you have ever had kids, ever plan on having kids or ever were a kid you have to watch this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uISuvTiTYJA
Also - after it is done look at his song about the toy store - "Spoiled Bumblebee"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V1gLr5jW7o
We were laughing so hard I couldn't breathe! Gotta love these cute kids:)

Favorite Breakfasts

This is a favorite breakfast in our family and I thought it was time to share it with the world! ENJOY!

German Pancakes

6 eggs
1 c milk
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP butter

place first 4 ingredients in a blender, cover and process until smooth. Pour melted butter in an lightly greased or ungreased 13/9 inch pan (depending on how much you trust your pan!). Add batter and bake uncovered @400 for 20 min. Serve immediately with Sauteed apples and caramel (recipe follows) fresh squeezed lemon juice and powdered sugar, or buttermilk syrup. (My Husbands fam also does jam or regular syrup - it is sooo good no matter what!)

Sauteed Apples and Caramel

4 tart apples - large - cored and peeled
1/4 c butter
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 c water
1/2 c Br sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Cut apples into thin slices. Melt butter in large skillet; add apples. Cook and stir over med heat for 10 min or till almost tender. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to skillet. Add br sugar bring to a boil. Boil 2 min stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Serve warm over German Pancake or Dutch Babies.
Kristis note - I usually do two extra apples and double the rest of the ingredients cause we like alot of sauce. I also often substitute pears! I prefer the pears but the rest of the fam likes both equally. I also don't peel either fruit since most of the nutrients are in the skin and so that saves a lot of time:)

Here is the other awesome option - fun because of the individual pans and nice for smaller families!

Dutch Babies

1/2 c flour
1/2 c milk
3 eggs
dash salt

Spray pie plate, melt 1 TBSP butter in pie plate in oven.

Pour batter into two pie pans. Bake at 350 - 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with strawberries and cream, lemon juice and powdered sugar, Sauteed apples and Caramel etc....

Self Worth

This morning Emma said (with her hands on her hips and a greatly exaggerated swagger), "Mom, you walk like this". Apparently I now waddle! Luckily this is so ok with me. We prayed and fasted so long to be able to have another child that I don't care about the waddling and I don't care if I do gain 90 lbs! I am soooo excited!
On last Wed I had the oppurtunity to speak at Young Women in excellence. I was really nervous because the subject matter was a tough one for me. Self Assurance, self worth, self esteem - whatever you want to call it has been a struggle for me through a good portion of my life! Luckily I married an incredible man who helps me to believe in myself and love myself for who I am and what I can do! I do want to share with you a couple of awesome talks that I drew from for this ( they will benefit all - I promise) "To the Young Women" Jeffery R. Holland, and "Joy cometh in the morning", Russell M. Nelson. A quick search on the website of all websites http://www.lds.org/ will yeild fabulous results:)
I also have really come to love another website lately. It is just plain good - all about the joys of cleaning and homemaking! It helps to motivate me on days when I just feel to exhausted and overwhelmed! http://www.flylady.net/ check it out!