Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

 Caden and I sat down for a few minutes one night looking through different food blogs to find new ideas for breakfast.  It's been two weeks since I've started this new thing, and have loved every minute.  There have been some flops (one that even made Brennon throw up!), but there have also been some successes.  This is one of them.  You'll need...

Bunt Pan
3 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup of your choice (Mine is homemade put into a microwaveable bottle)
1/3 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Refrigerated Tubes Homestyle Biscuits  (The smaller tubes, not Grands)

 Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter.  Stir in Maple Syrup.  Pour half of the mixture in the bottom of your bunt pan.

 Whisk together packed Brown Sugar and Cinnamon.  Sprinkle half of mixture over Syrup mixture.

Lay the biscuit around the pan in a ring.  In my haste to put this in the oven I didn't take a picture with the rest of the Syrup mixture poured over the ring.  Then sprinkle the rest of the Sugar mixture over that.  Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  It's that easy.  From the time I set the oven, I had this put together and in the oven the second the bell rang to say it was preheated.  You have the option to add 1/4 Pecans or Walnuts, but my kids don't like them, so I don't use them!  When done, invert onto a platter and let cool for a couple of minutes.  Then take as many "doughnuts" (that's what Ty calls them) as you'd like.  They're addicting!  Or so I've been told.  I'll be able to try these for myself next month after Phase 2 & 3 of our diet:)

As a side note, these were in the oven by 7:00 AM this morning because the kids woke up at 5:30AM to play with Bella!

Puppy Love

 I've been considering a dog for the kids for a while now.  I wanted something that was medium sized so the kids wouldn't break it with rough play and small enough that they weren't afraid of it.  Destiny stepped in with this little cutie!

 I happened to search Beagles on ksl.com.  I found a free male in SLC and called on it.  During this time, Randy had been on the computer, so I had to refresh the Beagle page.  This time, she showed up.  They had only posted her 24 minutes before!  I talked to them, asked some questions, and went to convince Randy.  We also had a lengthy talk to our kids about the responsibility of getting a new dog.  They were excited.  Randy said, "Go get her!"  So I did:)

 I called them, got the kids in the car and started the long 6 hour drive down to my parents.  The kids would have loved for me to drive all the way to Logan, but with us getting to Roy at almost 10 I knew I couldn't do it:)  So, the kids got me up at 6 to go get her!  We were on the road at 8.  They needed their breakfast after all!

The first moment we all saw her we were smitten!!  She was so playful, yet so tame, we knew she was going to be perfect.  They had named her Sydney, but after having our younger kids try and say it, we knew we needed something easier.  I let the kids choose.  They chose Bella.  She has not had a moments peace since yesterday at 9:00am.  They have loved her, kissed her, pulled her tail, walked her, fed her, done tricks with her, and all that jazz.  She's ridden everywhere in the car with us.  She's been an angel.  It's like she's been apart of our lives forever!  We couldn't be happier:)  Welcome to the crazy family, Bella.  You're already ADORED!  And thanks to Hal, Sharon, and most especially to Michael for selling us this magnificent pup.  She makes our family complete!  Get ready for a ton of pictures.  I've got a new baby:)

Babysitter

It's hard for me to admit, but sometimes it's nice having Caden getting older.  Tonight I went with my girl friends' to The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks.  I left Caden at the last possible moment to make it to the show on time, but still get a good seat.  I know he'll be 11 soon, but I still get so worried when I leave my kids home.  I need to remember to never worry again.  He got the babies to bed at 7:00 and played with Keilie the rest of the time I was gone!  How wonderful to have a babysitter in the family.  I still don't trust him to stay home for more than a couple hours, more than just a show or dinner, but he's getting so mature it just might be sooner than I think!  And he's only $2 an hour!

I Love You

This morning Shelby and Brennon were doing "I Love You" signs with their hands.  They were so excited to be "saying" it to each other.  Shelby said, "Brennon, I love you more.  See, my hand is bigger," as she kissed her fingers to his.  It made me smile.  So, today I want to tell my kids, my grand-kids, and hopefully my great-grand-kids that I will always love them more.  See, my hand is bigger!

Randy Dirks

Randy and I took Ty to Menards to look for some landscaping stuff to finish off our playground area.  He was walking around, being completely adorable for the moment, calling for Randy.  You could hear his cute little "Dad?" all over the garden department.  Randy walked up behind him and said, "Here I am."  Ty turned around and said, "Dad?"  "Yes.  I'm your Dad."  "Oh, you're Randy Dirks?"  We laughed at that one.  I didn't even realize he knew our names!  So, later he came in to me and said, "Mom, are you Randy Dirks?"  Then I realized, he hears Randy say his name more than he hears me say my own.  *Whisper* It's because Randy's always answering his phone:)

Games

Shelby and Brennon came screaming that they'd like to play the "red and yellow game" (connect four) together.  They were so excited with their idea, you couldn't help but smile at their sweet innocence.  I got it down for them and wondered what type of a game it was going to be seeing as neither know the actual rules:)  They divided the coins into colors, Shelby the red and Brennon the yellow, and proceeded to take turns putting them in on top of each other.  It made the usual pattern.  However, as they were playing, one or the other would say, "I hope I'm going to win."  Then, the pieces would run out depending on who went first and they'd start again with the other person going first.  They sat there for over an hour playing their game.  No arguing.  No whining when they didn't win.  All excitement and praise when the other would win.  It was perfect!  Just how you'd want two siblings to play together.  Exactly the opposite of Caden and Keilie!  However, just how it always is with Shelby, Brennon, and even Ty!  If they all along that way, this house would be a literal Heaven on Earth:)

Pinewood Derby 2012

 Pinewood Derby 2012!  They had an "open" run so all were encouraged to bring past cars or make new ones.  Thus, the one that is in his right hand was the first one Caden ever raced (where he won 1st place) and the one in his left hand was the new one 2012.

 Keilie made a new one this year as well.  The one in her right hand is 2012 and the one in her left hand is the one she made last year for Girls Scouts for their powderpuff derby race.

 She wanted to take a picture from the side.  See how it is shaped?  She wanted it to have waves on it.  She did all of the sanding and the painting.  This was truly her own car!

 And she won 1st place in the Open Division!

She beat out two men that had 1st place cars within the last two years; one of which was 1st in the District!

Caden was pretty upset that this is all he won.  It was such a blow to have his little sister win him.  Especially since her car wasn't as aerodynamic as his!  All in all, Congratulations to our Keilie Girl!  Her car made "waves!" at this Pinewood Derby!

Notice Keilie's cut bangs?  Yep. she cut them to the scalp.  One would think she'd learned her lesson when she butched Shelby's hair in 2010.  Apparently not!!!

Easter Dresses 2012

 Keilie Easter 2012

Shelby Easter 2012

The girls' got to choose their own dresses this year.  Only because I couldn't find any that matched!  So, I took Shelby when she was done with preschool and had a little date.  She walked in, picked out the first dress that she laid eyes on, said she loved that one the bestest of any in the world, and we were done!  It's always that quick with her.  Then it was Keilie's turn.  4 stores later and she has one that she says is "OK."  By the end of our date my back was killing me, my nerves were shot, and I was starting to realize how hard it's going to be to take her shopping when she's a teen.  She already has her own style and refuses to wear anything that I even lay eyes on.  I can't suggest ANYTHING, she'll just say no.  By the time we were walking into the fourth store, I was just about ready to say we could go back to store number two and get the black one that she liked.  I just couldn't imagine a black dress for Easter!  I'm glad she found one that passed her Military-Grade approval:)  I sure love these two girlies!!

On Easter, I actually had a migraine.  I could barely walk.  However, I had to do their hair.  I wanted to do ringlets, but knew I couldn't handle that one, so I did the easy "flower" bun.  It takes five minutes and looks incredibly cute.  And the best part?  I sat down the entire time!   I love getting all dolled up.  I'd love it even more if I was even half as beautiful as these two!  Aren't the Gorgeous?!

Caden is so sweet!

Tonight I was thanking Caden for helping me get the kitchen cleaned so the Missionaries could eat dinner with us.  I joked that the would have probably begged not to eat dinner at our house if they would have seen the state of my dishes before they got there.  He said, "Yeah, they probably would have said, 'I don't want to eat this delicious food in this disgusting kitchen.'"  Then he looked at me with his cynical face and said, "Mom, anyone would eat anything you make!"  He is so sweet!

After a day or two of our diet Caden asked me why I was even on it.  He looked me up and down and said, "Mom, there is no way you need to be on this diet."  He is so sweet!

I was at a school improvement meeting one night after school.  The kids went into another teachers room while I went into the gym for my meeting.  Caden was a little late getting to the room, so he ended up coming to ask me where to go.  I was sitting at the front of the room so EVERYONE saw when he thanked me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.  There were so many "AAAAHHH's"  which of course made him blush and bee-line it for the door.  He is so sweet!

My little man attended his maturation class last Thursday.  He was so nervous.  I wish Randy wasn't out of town.  I remember my mom sitting right next to me for mine.  Anyway, after school I asked him how it was.  He said it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.  He asked if he could start using a better shampoo, body wash, and start using deodorant.  I wanted to cry.  He can't be getting old enough to need, let alone want these things.  We went out and got him his choice.  It's all about the smell preference, right?  He's growing up so fast.  I love him so much.  He is my rock.  I can count on him to help with the kids, clean when I need him to, make me laugh when I need it, and quiet the kids when I can't function.  He even has taken on a few meals when I couldn't.  I love my little man so much.  I'll miss these sweet years when he still loves to give me kisses in public!

Beans

I love green beans.  I always have.  I have such a small selection of vegetables that I actually like, however, these are definitely one of my favorites.  Tonight I put beans in the casserole I made for the Sister Missionaries. Each kid picked them out.  Each gagged with exaggeration when I made them take one bite.  Ty actually threw his across the table from trying to flick it off of his finger.  So, when I sat down with a bowl of green beans tonight (thank heavens I can have them once a week on this diet!) Ty instantly asked if he could have some.  I tried to explain that the thing that he shot across at Sister Olenslager was exactly the same thing that was in my bowl, except without the delicious sauce he got to have on his.  Nothing.  He wanted mine!  And he at 10!  The grass is always greener on the other side.  In this case it was green beans!

How Was It?

Keilie started going to a girl around the corner for tutoring today.  If it works out, and the girl still wants to do it, we'll continue through the summer to help Keilie better adjust to the beginning of the new school year in August.  When I picked her up from her first appointment today she was practically bouncing off the walls, excited to tell me ever little detail.  She was non-stop talk all of the way home and couldn't wait to get in to call Randy.  However, the moment Caden asked how it was she said with a dull voice, "Boring!"  I don't understand this girl with her mood changes.  At eight:)  I think I have my hands full in 4 years or so:)

Imagination Station

Ty is such a talker recently.  His imagination is always going.  I wanted to write down some of his cute (and sometimes not so cute) sayings before I forget them.  He sure makes us laugh.  If he's not giving his scowl, he's making us laugh and love him more and more.

Bum Bob Quare Pants = Sponge Bob Square Pants
Chesko = Franchesco Bernouli from Cars 2
"I'm Buzz Lightyear.  I come in peace."  He says this when walking into a room.
"To infinity and beyond."  This said while running around the house.  Most times he's only wearing his undies.
Halloween = Lightning McQueen

He can pretty much say anything that you can.  He loves to mimic.  He's in such a cute stage right now where he says things from movies, most times it's at the perfect moment.  Some of the stuff I wish he wouldn't say...

"Mom, you're a bad boy."
"No you go to your room."
"No you stop it."
"Dang you."  This is the one I say!
"No I don't want to be quiet."  This was screamed in Sacrament after he yelled that Randy was serving the Bread.

Although you never know which mood you'll get with this one, I couldn't imagine life without him.  We'll miss the terrible twos.  Well, not that much!

Date Nights

Randy and I go on dates at least once a week.  Not the kind where you watch a show together while snuggling, but one where we go out to eat without having to cut the kids' meat and worry about them spilling all over the floor.  Or go see a show that isn't animation!  Sometimes I noticed we were doing other things, not really looking like a dating couple.  He'd be on his phone, we'd be watching separate TV's that adorned the walls of the restaurant, or we'd make it to the show with just enough time for seating and not enough time for talking.  So, I decided to open up our "Celestial Companions" game and take the question book along with us.  This is a newlywed-type game where you ask the Men and the Women questions where they have to answer what they think the other will answer.  Make sense?  For instance, to the Woman, "Which sibling does your husband like the least?"  So I have to answer which one I think Randy likes the least.  It has been so much fun to learn more about him through fun little facts that we sometimes don't think to ask.  It's a good way to laugh together!  If you're looking to spice up your date night, look for the game at Deseret Book!

Prophet

A couple of weeks ago we had some friends over for dinner and Family Home Evening.  I put some candy in a box and sealed it up, making sure to bring their attention back to the box throughout dinner.  I chose Shelby to be the "Prophet" and let her see what was in the box.  I told Brennon to be the adversary and say that there were tissues in the box.  We're having this great lesson about how we should listen to the Prophet, how he gets revelations from our Heavenly Father, and all that.  So, I try to bring the lesson to "our day" by asking "Who is the Prophet today?"  Shelby shot her hand straight up, "ME!"  I should have asked that question in a different way!  Later she said, "Since I'm the Prophet, can I have two brownies for dessert?"  She milked that one for about a week:)

The Dentist

In my opinion, we go to the best Pediatric Dentist in the whole state of Wyoming.  Here's a perfect example.  Caden, Keilie, and Shelby had an appointment on Wednesday.  Because it was right in the middle of preschool, and I wasn't sure I'd make it in time to pick up Brennon, I just took him out of school and took him with.  As the others were in their appointments, Brennon played with the toys and watched the movie.  He was having such a great time.  As we were wrapping up, seeing all of their x-rays and stuff, Brennon asked if it was his turn.  I had already explained to him that he would not be getting his teeth cleaned, but he must not have understood.  So, when the hygienist gently told him that he wasn't getting his cleaned today, my little Brennon burst into tears and begged!  Begged I tell you!!  With real tears rolling down his cute cheeks from his big doe-eyes!  That is how much my kids love this Dentist.  That is why we'll go back as long as they'll let us!

Denver

I met again with my Neurologist.  She didn't know where to head with my treatments, so she asked me about my current symptoms.  After telling her all that I am experiencing, including some that I don't even know if they're related, she said quite clearly to me, "I really don't know what is going on with you.  I'd like to send you to a specialist at the University of Colorado, Denver."  I was all for that.  I'm so grateful that she wasn't all high and mighty, trying to prove her intelligence by trying out a bunch of medicines hoping that they'd work.  She wants me to get answers, not pills.  So, I'll find out tomorrow all that it entails and set up an appointment from there.  Maybe then I'll finally get some answers.  The funny thing is, I got my MRI on the 5th of March and had to wait until the 12 of April to hear "I don't know what's wrong with you."  Kind of a long waiting time!  I do know that she was in touch with her practice and with the eye specialist to make sure she had all of the results before meeting with me.  It's just hard to wait when things are so complicated and you want answers last year!

April 14th

So, I must have jinxed myself when I joked that the day we were going to put down the rock for our playground it would rain.  It did!  Still no rock!  Isn't that always the way?

It was 12 years to the day that Randy asked me to be his Eternal Companion.  It still amazes me that he chose me.  I married well out of my league with that one!  I still look at him and see the most handsome man I've ever known.  He is my best friend.  He is my everything.  I am so glad that he's mine.  There's a song by Martina McBride that is called Mine.  It is exactly how I feel about Randy.  "Everyone that knows you always has a smile.  You're the dream that I've been chasing after years of waiting for the chance to finally shine.  Everyone calls you amazing.  I just call you mine!"  April 14th will always be considered the first day of my Happily Ever After.

Back in October the Sister Missionaries asked me to go teach with them to a man they'd met while tracting.  They knocked on his door, asked if they could share a message, and were told that he'd prayed them to his house.  I got to be there on their first visit and many subsequent visits.  I was able to attend his baptism on the 14th.  It was amazing to watch a man be baptized after he had prepared himself to find the true gospel.  He knew it was true the moment we walked in.  He asked to be baptized on the 1st visit.  He is such an example to me of how perfect the Atonement of Jesus Christ is.  No matter how far we've strayed, no matter what we've done, we can always repent and find our way back to the straight and narrow path that leads us back to our Heavenly Father.  I love this Gospel with all of my heart.

Ungrateful

It has been two weeks since Randy and I started our diet.  It actually is easier than some of the other diets we have tried in the last couple of years.  There are some definite nasty foods.  There are some great ones as well.  And, since I'm a picky eater when it comes to veggies, my selection is quite a bit smaller than Randy's.  However, it hasn't been too hard.  The one hard thing about this is my kids!  I make them the most delicious foods for breakfast and dinner, all the while knowing that I won't even be able to have a single lick.  I am almost giddy with excitement to have them sit down to something that looks, smells, and most definitely tastes wonderful.  Then comes the "I don't like this," "Can we have cereal," or the "Can I have bread and water?"  I want to scream at the top of my lungs.  Why can't they see how awesome it is to have that kind of food?  I feel like giving them a Soy Patty from our food list and making them gag it down- then we'll see how much they complain about homemade waffles before school!  Then maybe they would be more grateful.  I'm sure every parent goes through this.  Man, we've gone through it for 10 years with our kids.  However, it's these last two weeks that have really made me want to smack them upside the head and say, "Be grateful you spoiled brats!"

Life Lately

The weather has been so incredibly nice for the past few days.  We've been spending so much time outside, it seems weird to think how much as happened.  My first favorite thing is the play time.  The kids are always outside on their bikes, on the trampoline, or on our playset.  The funnest thing they've found this week is to take their bikes to a spot on the front dirt where their training wheels touch, but their wheels do not.  They sit there and peddle their little legs and go absolutely nowhere.  They will actually take their bikes to the dirt first thing and just ride and giggle.  The funnest part is that Brennon is still stuck on wearing his Napoleon Dynamite "moon" boots with shorts.  You can't help but laugh!  The fact that he's a little husky makes it even funnier.

The second favorite thing is our "playground."  Randy did some serious work with our riding lawn mower and a weighted palate.  We had many ask why we purchased a riding lawn mower when we didn't have a lawn.  Let me tell you, I don't regret it for an instant.  That thing has helped us get so much of our landscaping done.  And it will get even more done when we start our sprinkling system next month.  I love that thing.  He leveled off the playgroud area and made sure to drive over it a million times to pack the ground.  This mean that the kids got into the dump trailer and got many rides.  Who needs Lagoon when the kids get free rides at home?  We're ready to put down landscape fabric, a border, and pea pebbles this weekend.  However, with our luck, it will be raining!

My third favorite thing is Ty's potty training.  We don't have any accidents anymore!  Although we do have an occasional wet floor when he doesn't get it perfect in the toilet, I couldn't be more happy.  It's such a relief knowing I will never have to potty train another child again!  I'm SO glad that chapter of my life is over.  I still cringe when I think back to the days of Keilie peeing EVERY DAY when I was huge and pregnant with Shelby.  I was crying on my hands and knees every time!  Not my most happy memories:)

Lastly, my fourth favorite thing is my health.  Although I still get hit with pretty bad headaches on a regular basis, I no longer have one every day.  Nor do I have more than one in a day anymore.  It's like I went through a phase where I was incredibly dizzy, had headaches, and could barely function.  I still have the weird stuff going on with my eyes, still have the headaches, have many blackout spells a day, and can still hear the ocean quite loudly in my ears regularly throughout the day (sometimes making it hard to hear other stuff), but for the most part, I'm feeling better than I have for months.  I go in tomorrow for an appointment with the Neurologist again.  I'm not sure what to think.  I'm not sure what other tests can be done.  I just hope we can get these headaches taken care of.  I missed Easter Sunday because I was in bed.  The pain was so bad I could barely stand.  I'm missing so much of life.  I'm canceling things at the last minute, and I hate doing that!  My house goes through spurts of extreme clean and extreme neglect.  My kids are no better off.  I just want my life back.  For now, I'm just grateful to have some semblance and know how much it could be worse!

Jealous

Randy and I started a new diet last Wednesday.  One of the things we are not allowed to have is sugar.  At all!  So, today when Ty had a pack of Skittles, Randy said, "I'm jealous."  Ty said, "You're not jealous, you're just Randy Dirks."