What's College!

So today I took Hunter to a cooking class for kids and on our way to town he started talking to me about school and was asking about my sisters (Shanae and Misty) and what grades they are in and wanted to know about college. I explained that college is not required but it is great to continue learning because it will help you get a better job and make you smarter about lots of things. So he asked something along the lines of if college taught me to "do Pampered Chef". I explained no that I wanted to be a police officer and that is what I went to school for. We started talking about how some moms work and some moms don't and he was asking about what the children do so that have moms that work. (Now before anyone burns me at the stake everyone should remember that I was raised by 2 parents from the age of 11 who both worked full time jobs and provided a wonderful life and lots of love for me. ) I explained to him that most of them go to daycare and proceded to explain to him what that is. He then told me how glad he was that I stayed home with him during the day so he didn't have to go to daycare.

So with that said I have to say 2 things. How grateful I am to have a husband who works his butt off for our family so that I can wake up every morning with my kids and be the first person Hunter see's when he walks through the door from school. I have an amazing husband!

Secondly, I am grateful for my 2nd job (next to a mom) as the Pampered Chef lady. I never dreamed when I was a little girl that I would be the home party lady but I have to say after 5 years it was one of the best decisions of my life. My original reason for doing it was to make my car payment and so I didn't throw me or Hunter out the window (everyone remembers what a horrible baby he was right). I truely believe it saved my life because I was really struggling with him. It has given me a night out each week to talk to potty trained adults, have a kitchen stoked with thousand of dollars in high end cooking tools for free and provides me with a pretty great paycheck ($1000-$2000) per month. (I only tell you what I make because someone asked me the other day if I get paid with free product!) I use to be embarrassed that after earning all those college degrees people would think I had failed and become a salesman but it was a great choice even if Hunter thinks I went to college to "do Pampered chef!"

Yes you can tell me I am Betty Crocker!

So I have this sweet neighbor/friend Trisha who has family who have pear & apple tree's and grape vines. So she asked if I wanted to use some of the apples to do applesauce and apple pie filling (I made the most amazing canned filling last year). Well Justin and I have really been trying to get a full year of year supply of food storage so how could I pass it up. Plus I complain all the time at the fact that I pay to buy the food to can when I could already buy it precanned. So I have always canned but this year I have canned more than I ever have. So here is the rundown this far:



5 Pints of Grape Jelly (1st time I have made Jelly and it was YUMMY!)
10 Quarts of Grape Juice (1st time for this too and it was way good with lemonade)
8 Pints of Raspberry Freezer Jam (Hunter calls this my "famous deeeelicious jam"
12 Quarts of Apple Pie filling
10 Quarts of Stewed Tomato's


Still plan to do applesauce and dried apples


This has been so fun, I am starting to get more and more concerned about what food my family eats and where it comes from so to look at my canned food and know that it is so much better for my children. Plus Hunter loves to help and I feel it sets a great example to him!

Lake Powell

We had so much fun this past week in Lake Powell. We had GORGEOUS weather. Low 80's the whole week. The houseboat ran great and 5 days just didn't seem like quite enough. We were lucky to go with 3 other families in our ward that we just love. Plus my darling sister Misty came as well! I even got my fat butt up skiing after 3 years off due to pregnancies. Hunter got up skiing too and once again was a maniac on the tubes! We only had a few minor issues. Hunter fell into a thorn bush and had to have 100 thorns removed from his hands, then on the last day he was showing off and cracked his head on the concrete. Aspen had a severe diaper rash so bad that we had to go into Page to get some special cream and our sweet Ridge nearly drowned to death in the blink of an eye. Other than that we can't wait to take Stressless out again in the Spring with Justin's family!

Hallaluja!!!!!!

Well as many of you know Aspen has not been the easiest baby. Well I am happy to report that a miracle happened, she found her thumb. She now can self soothe when she is upset and oh my it has made all the difference in the world. She seems to be so much more content. And then Sunday we had our next miracle, she took a BOTTLE! She woke up won morning in July and decided that she no longer liked bottles and wasn't going to take them. So I haven't been away from her for more than 3 hours in the last 3 months! Now maybe Justin and I can get a date once in awhile or I could run errands without having to dash home.