Something is missing

So we're at that stage in life that I have been dreading... loosing teeth. But thankfully Maren lost her tooth just how I expected from this little independent girl. She came into my room this morning at 6:30 asking me to turn on the light so she could show me 'something.' I didn't expect to see her tooth in hand!

This is the little girl who turned white and bobbed all over about to pass out when she saw her brother having blood drawn. The little girl who almost tossed her cookies and again turned white from her own finger prick at the pediatricians. The one who runs out of the room when I'm watching Grey's Anatomy because she's afraid to even hear about blood, let alone see it. I thought we'd either have to yank it out without her expecting it, or that it would fall out eventually. Which is what it practically did. She flicked it with her tongue, and it snapped and layed out flat in her mouth, so she thought she'd give it a tug and it came right out. She was so excited and full of adreneline that I think it compensated for her weak stomach to blood.

I'm sad that I missed seeing that moment of accomplishment and pride on her face when she lost her first tooth, but I'm glad I was the first person she couldn't wait to share the news with, even if it was 6:30 on a Saturday morning. And the tooth fairy pays a whole $1 if she was to pull it herself, so she's pretty psyched about that!

Happy Birthday Maren

This past year has flown by so fast. Maren has accomplished so many milestones between turning 5 to now turning 6! Last summer she learned to read before she started kindergarten, she loves riding the bus, and she has had a (fairly) well transition into making friends at school without the setup of playdates or 'buddies' at preschool. She now reads chapter books, which is amazing for her age. She does many things without needing to be asked (not everything though! But she does love to surprise me from time to time.) She enjoys primary at church, ballet, and the trampoline. It has been an overall great year seeing life through the eyes of Maren, because she always shows me art and beauty from her perspective that I sometimes miss seeing from mine. I love this little girl.

Below are some pictures of her birthday (we kept it small this year with no friends, just family) and she has really gotten into collecting "Littlest Pet Shop" animals, so she got several things for that. Including a themed cake, which might be seen on something like Cake Wrecks if I tried to sell it, it definitely falls under the category of 'horrible cakes by April' for sure! The colors turned darker as I let it sit while I tended to the kids before I iced it. This is actually after I scraped it off and made NEW icing and re-iced the sucker! I gave up. Oh well.

Her favorite present was a set of Littlest Pet Shop sheets for her bed. I loved licensed character sheets when I was a kid, it made me miss how little things make kids so happy! I wonder if the make Grey's Anatomy sheets for a King size bed?

Am I my brother's keeper?

I don't believe in luck. And by that philosphy, I don't believe in unluck either. I heard a quote once that basically said there is no such thing as random luck or coincidence, that those moments are Preparation + Opportunity. There have been a lot of moments in my life where I felt like I missed the opportunity because I wasn't paying attention, or I was too overwhelmed to notice and maybe wasn't prepared to see, so it was only after it was gone that I saw what it actually was. Hindsight can be a pain in the butt sometimes.

But it is also a strict teacher. And I try to listen to the lessons, so that I don't miss other opportunities again and keep repeating my life like a day from the movie 'Groundhog's Day.'

I think I have a pretty good heart. I have had sympathy for the plight of people I only know through other people, not knowing them personally, and I still want to give them help if it's within my ability to give. Because I do believe in Karma, and I know someone will fulfill a need for me someday when I least expect it. And what good will my talents and blessings do me if I keep them all to myself? They won't build me up a richer life than that which my Savior can build for me in my Heavenly Father's kingdom.

I have been trying to apply a scripture from Matthew 7. "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to them that ask?"

And maybe sometimes in this life, for those who ask, I might be the gift that is the tool to answer their plea to the Father. If I am not prepared, and I am not seeing the opportunity, then the blessings that come from service will pass me by, but more than that, the person who is in need will be someday part of my judgement.

When the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him and saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verliy I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

So to the people of Haiti: You are not enduring your trials because you are wicked. I cried when I saw people hitting their knees praying for forgiveness from the aftershock earthquakes that continue to shake their nation. But maybe the wickedness is mine, the need for service to them is because of our excess of blessings here. For to whom much is given, much is required. And I complain too much about all of the things that truly are blessings unto me. Can I assume their burdens on my judgement day before the Father? The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength. And the second greatest is to love my neighbor as I love myself.

No more school, no more books...

Well I did what I've been thinking about for a while. I pulled Kellan out of preschool. I had debated even putting him in this year at all, but it's such a good school, I love what they do with my kids so much.

With Kellan's health, I've made him go more days than I probably should have for a 4 year old who has health issues. I don't want him growing up with the mentality that "I can't do that, I'm sick." So I try to just brush over and not pay too much attention to it. I think his latest issue with this cough is to teach me otherwise.

For Kellan, it's not just a cough. It's swollen knees, and ankles, inflammed joints on his toes, hives, sore eyes, headaches, and overall irritability along with it. For 3 weeks now. Winter is so brutal.

I hope the spring brings a better constitution of health for my little man, because he thinks being out of preschool means he can stay home and play the Wii! Hardly. He is getting schooled at home, even if he doesn't know it ;-P And I made workbooks when Maren was 3, that I have been using to teach Kellan better writing and beginning reading. We do that for an hour while Max takes a nap.

So who needs a clean house anyway? That will have to wait for a few more years. For now, I still have little helpers around feathering my nest a while longer.

I hope that my children look back on today

and remember a mother who had time to play

There will be years for cleaning and cooking

but children grow up when we are not looking

So settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

Tasty Tuesdays Personal Pizzas

I have several little hands in the household that are always wanting to help out. So whenever I can, I try to plan a meal that 1) they'll like, and 2) they can help make.


We recently made personal pizza rollups with whole wheat dough! The kids loved them. They're minimal on the mess meter, and can be eaten on the go without the consequences of "fast food." They'll also freeze well before cooking if you want to make a bunch ahead of time.

We rolled the dough out onto the counter, brushed with olive oil, and layered it with favorite pizza toppings.

This one has tomato sauce (seasoned to taste with garlic, onion, and italian seasonings) chicken, yellow squash, red peppers, black olives, and mozzerella cheese. (Squash and chicken didn't show well in the picture with the lighting, sorry, but it is there!)

Another favorite pizza we make uses pesto sauce, zuccini slices, ground beef, and sliced tomatoes.

Roll the dough from one side to the other, pinching tightly as you roll it up jelly roll style. Use a string to cut slices of it 2 inches thick.

Put the slice you've cut off into the pan, and press down to bind the ingredients in the roll, it cooks more evenly and tightly if you do this. Bake on 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Here's the recipe I used for the whole wheat dough if you are interested, otherwise go ahead and use your favorite pizza dough recipe and try these roll ups! (I used full amount of whole wheat flour, and reduced the sugar to 1/4 Cup) This recipe is awesome for dinner rolls, scones, cinnamon rolls (with full sugar amount) and more! (I didn't knead this by hand, I used my kitchen aid for it, which works awesome if you have a dough hook.)