Friday Friday

Have you seen that music video by Rebecca Black? Oh my goodness, Brian showed it to me and it was in my head all day! My cousin Brandon and Maren were in town from Arizona and stopped by to visit. Claire had a good time with Lydia and Elijah was adorable! It is SO good to see family. When Brian got home we headed out to do shopping. We decided to go to the BYU creamery for dinner. I'm glad we did because we ran into Jace and Tasha from my freshman ward. We sat together and started talking and we figured out that Tasha and I speak the same language :) You know, homesteading, clean eating, Bug out, EMP, chickens, that stuff. They are leaving for Boston soon for Jace to get his PhD but we're going to get together before and bounce around ideas since sometimes our husbands think we're a little crazy.

Yesterday was a good day! Brian and I got up with the kiddies and we ate and headed out. We went to Lowes and got two shelves for the food storage room.

Then we headed over to the dollar store to get some bins for our medicine shelf.`

Then we went to a nursery and talked to a guy about fruit trees. We are planting at least 3 this year, with at least 7 being our goal for the house. Whew! With all the things we are planning for our yard I'm never going to want to leave this house! Brian is looking at building a compost bin out of barrels and a fancy smancy rain water collecting system for the side of the house. We made some healthy salmon and asparagus for dinner and Brian requested some chocolate chip cookies.

Claire says some of the funniest things sometimes. She cracks me up. She is such a little diva! When Brian was fixing the crib she turned to him and said "good job daddy, I'm proud of you. I love you." She tells Jack "you're so cute, I love you sweetheart". And I can not get over how good natured Jack is! He started clapping and waving lately. He has started wrapping his arms around my neck to hug me and today patted me on the back. He has the cutest laugh. He loves eating mashed potatoes on Sundays. He took two steps today. I can't believe how big he is.

So, it's been a long time. I've had a mentally cloudy couple of weeks. I feel like I just can't get things done, or the things that I do get done I do over and over and over. You know. Things like picking up and cleaning the kitchen and laundry. Over and over again. Didn't help that Jack didn't sleep this week.

My birthday was on the 12th. Brian's cousin Shannon came and picked up the kiddies and took them to her house to watch them. Brian and I went to a gardening class on veggies. Then we went to the Texas Roadhouse. So yummy. Then we were even able to go to Walmart by ourselves! Can you ask for anything more?? Thanks Shannon! My mom got me a beverage dispenser that I'm so excited to try. My aunt and grandma got me a tortilla maker (Yay for not buying tortillas again!!) Brian's mom and my grandma McGrath gave me some money that I think I'm going to go buy either cast iron skillet or a dutch oven with. Thanks so much!!

Sunday the 13th we got a new niece! Brian's brother and sister in law had their baby...(one day too late!) Evey McEwan. (Pronounced Evie) She is super cute with lots of dark hair. Her big sister has really red hair, it's so funny how different kids are. Congrats again guys. We can't wait to see her!

Tuesday was our Relief Society activity. I made these, and they turned out amazing and were a big hit. I love taking desserts to an activity because there are so many I want to try out but very few I want to leave around the house because I will eat them. (and I'm trying to lose weight...I've lost 6 lbs in two weeks!)

On Thursday my friend and I went to the stake basketball practice. After 30 minutes we decided it was not for us and went on a walk. It's fun to have friends in the ward.

Yesterday Brian took the caulk off the bathtub and redid it. It looks great.

I know I say this a lot but we are upping our preparedness. I'm so heart sick over Japan. I watch the videos and read the stories and it brings me to tears. I can't imagine living through that devestation. We are just no where near ready for an earthquake or something. And with the unrest in the Middle East and gas prices going up and with storms sending produce and grain prices up, and not knowing how Japans recovery is going to affect the global economy....I'm FREAKING OUT! The Prophets have been counseling us for a long time to get ready...and we need to be ready. So, Brian is heading to the cannery on Thursday. We are picking up our ground beef on Tuesday. I have a list of everything we need, I just need to go through and see what I have.



Anyway, we also need things for if power is out for an extended time. If we have to leave our house but don't have a shelter to go to, if we have to leave our house in 10 minutes or less. THere is so much more to think about than just food.

There is a pretty cool new website that I think I'm going to enjoy. societysunday.com It's new so there are only a couple posts. It has old relief society papers and talks about women in history. I feel really guilty reading it though. I fall short a lot.

So today was Bountiful Basket day!! I think I'm going to go volunteer there next week. I felt bad standing in line watching them work and knowing I didn't help :) 5:30 is pretty early though. So...the contents this week

Pineapple
Spinach
Turnips
Acorn Squash
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Green Beans
Squash

Mangos? Not sure

Tomatoes
Potatos

We had another gardening class today. It was about getting the soil right. We're going to have to send in soil samples to BYU. Bryan watched the kids for us. It is so nice having a babysitter in the house! :)

You know the times where you get out a coat or a pair of jeans and you find 5 bucks in your pocket? You are so happy to get some money, even though you already had it, just forgot about it for a while. That happened to us today, but it was a bit more happy than 5 bucks. And I'm very thankful about it.

I was getting in the car after the gardening class, Brian had opened the door for me, and he saw a check by the seat. I picked it up and it was from way back in November. It was the check that our realtor gave us. Our realtor is the wife of one of the guys in the office and she said that she would give some her payment from the house back to us if we used her. Brian thought he had deposited it and I thought he had too (see why we needed Dave Ramsey? haha) We had paid tithing on it and everything! I'm SO glad that we found it and it totally seems like "free" money since we thought that it was already in the bank! We aren't going to deposit it until we let her know of course....that would be rude...but I guess they don't balance their check book either :)

We went to the stores today. Walmart was the last stop and Jack was screaming so I nursed him and he fell asleep. We had some markers in the car so I left Brian holding Jack and Claire colouring so I could run in by myself and be fast. The BYU game (WHOOP WHOOP) was on so Brian didn't mind. Well, I come back and get in the car and Claire climbs up and in COVERED in hair! I guess buried in the markers was a pair of scissors. Brian thought she was a little quiet back there. She got her bangs. Sooo...I haven't really surveyed the damage but in the five stop light cycles that it took for us to get out of there she learned that MOMMY or DADDY can cut hair but NOT CLAIRE! Don't worry, we were nice about it.

Jack loved chewing on a banana.

He kept looking at me like he thought I would take it away.

Jack's favorite activity

Our camera has been full for the last week so I'll be better this week at taking pictures. Well off to bed we go!