MaLM - Organize

Make a List Monday -- What to Organize
There are MANY things that I would like to organize, starting with my life, ha ha!

Let's see.

1. My life
2. my bedroom
3. my closet
4. my laundry room
5. my paperwork
6. my pantry
7. my garage
8. my storage room
9. my scrap/craft/exercise room

Okay, I could keep on going. . .

But let me just say that no matter how organized my pantry is, it will never look like this.

And it's a shame, too, because it is beautiful! But for one thing, I would never stencil all that on the walls. For another thing, my pantry shelves are all REALLY deep, so it won't ever look this good.

But if you want to see more of this beauty, check it out at House of Smith's.

MaLM - Labor Day

Make a List Monday - How to celebrate Labor day with a newborn

1. Take a pass on the early morning hike with family in favor of sleeping in until 9:45!
2. Eat homemade crepes with vanilla yogurt and warm, fresh peaches from your own tree.
3. Run to the mall to take advantage of a few Labor Day sales.
4. Play games with your sweet kids, bonus if you win ;)
5. Plant a few flowers to brighten your new(-ish) flower bed.
6. Have a delicious grilled chicken with all the trimmings dinner followed by a homemade blackberry shake.
7. Play Horse (it has been a while and my basketball was a little rusty), and Catch Phrase (one of our favorite, easy and fun family games) and chat until bedtime.
8. Be grateful for so much happiness and so many blessings.

Things I Wish I Procrastinated

There are a few things I procrastinate so badly, that I really just never do. I wish I could call it procrastinating, but really, I just don't even do it.

1. clothes mending, usually my kids just grow out of it before I fix it
2. writing in my journal
3. exercising
4. craft projects, so many dreams, so little motivation
5. scrapbooking, I rethought this one, and mostly I really just don't do it

Procrastination

I am a much better dreamer than doer. Therefore, I procrastinate.

Here is just a sampling of things I like to procrastinate.

1. folding laundry
2. mopping the floor
3. making phone calls, especially business ones
4. Visiting Teaching, (this is double bad because it usually requires a phone call, too)
5. scrapbooking
6. deciding whether to keep clothes or return them, especially things I buy for my kids
7. getting my hair cut
8. making dinner
9. recyling my newspaper (you should see my pile)
10. downloading my digital pictures from my camera, except I did it today! So just you wait for some sweet pictures coming soon.

And many, many more things. Is this common at all? Do any of you procrastinate? or is it just pathetic old me.

Stay tuned for tomorrow and my list of things I wish I procrastinated.

MaLM - Annual Safety Pack Update

Make a List Monday - Annual Safety Pack Update

Every April General Conference, we update our "safety backpacks" as we call them. We have one for each member of the family with emergency supplies needed for a fast break. They aren't designed for ease and luxury, but for emergency evacuation.

I've been wondering what else I need to put in them. This is what we have so far.

1. change of clothes, including underwear and socks
2. diapers if applicable
3. water, not enough really, but enough that a 4-10 year old can carry their own
4. food (granola bars, dried fruit, crackers, jerky, etc. -- nothing heavy)
4. emergency blanket (the foil looking ones)
5. a garbage bag
6. a whistle
7. a toothbrush
8. a flashlight
9. Matt and I have a few extras like hygiene stuff, pocket knife)

So what I'm wondering is what else you would include. We can't put much more in, to keep it really mobile for the kids, but I'm wondering about

1. cash
2. house key
3. documents and phone numbers
4. radio
5. first aid
?

10 Things I've Been Putting Off

Today I marginally decided to do 10 things that I'd been putting off. You know, those things that just never get done. I got 9 done. So I am a pretty happy girl. How many more things have I been putting off? Don't ask.

10 Things Not Put Off Any More!

1. Glue broken Easter decorations
2. Sew Andrew's broken tie (he missed it for a few Sundays)
3. Finish reading my Great-great-Grandfather's biography (he emigrated from Switzerland, had 3 wives, was the German-Swiss Mission President twice, lived in Providence, Utah and Paris, Idaho where he was the first mayor. Fancy, huh.)
4. Swept (with help from Scott) and mopped my kitchen
5. Swept (with a lot of encouragement for Scott) and mopped my kitchen (easily counts for 2)
6. Made banana bread with those really nasty looking bananas (well, I did that yesterday, but I ate it today!)
7. Spray painted a frame white that has been hanging mismatched in Charity's room
8. Planted the rest of my wheat grass (the pots planted Wednesday are already shooting up!)
9. Painted my toenails. Yea Spring!
10. Guess what, I didn't do 10. It was fold a bunch of loads of laundry that have been piling up. Do you have any idea how much laundry a family of 7 produces? Okay, a lot of you do. But it is monstrous! That one will have to wait for another day.

P.S. Charity says hi!

Garden Dreams in January

It's starting already. Every winter, after the glow of Christmas is past, and the long haul of coldness stretches out before me, I start dreaming of gardening. That is really where I excel, the dreaming part. Round about June or July, I am all out of dreams and not an ounce of work ethic left. So, I enjoy the dreaming.

Well, I already got my first plant catalog in the mail and today I opened it up during lunch. Oh, there were some pretty ones, day lilies, hostas, campanulas and of course the echinaceas and rudbeckias that I love. Anyway. . .

I've already started dreaming of a few projects I want to try this spring. First is a new big flower bed around the crab apple tree we planted last fall. That has been in the works for some time, so I'm pretty sure I can get that one done.

Second is a terrarium. I saw this pretty one on Midwest Living.

However, owing to the fact that I don't own anything like that, I may have to try something like one of these.


Third, I want to make fairy or mini-gardens with my girls this spring. I prefer them without fairies showing.
BHG.com
Odeedoh.com
Odeedoh.com (Isn't the tire swing totally cute)
How About Orange had a link to directions at The Herb Companion.

Forth, I have been thinking of trying a tabletop water garden, where you just put water in a pot, a few water plants, and presto! But I can't find the picture I have of one, so you'll just have to imagine.

MaLM - 2010

Make a list Monday

Well, hello again. We had a wonderful holiday, but I'm glad it is January. I took down the last remaining holiday decor this weekend, and I'm so glad to see my house again! It's inspired me to change things up a bit. I'm planning on moving and shaking up all my house decor and put it all in a new place. With no new purchases required, I'm redoing my whole house! Now I just need the energy to do it. But first the laundry...

So here is my first list of the new year.

What I am going to attempt to accomplish this year.

1. I am going to strive for more balance this year, balance between children, husband, friends, cleaning, sleeping, learning and growing. I'm counting on prayer to help me figure the right balance out for me.

2. Spend more time outdoors (I'll wait until spring to start this one) I resolve to spend more time during the hot summer, and the unpredictable spring and summer out of doors, especially keeping up my yard.

3. Matt and I are resolving to get the kids tucked in at 8:00 for real, and ourselves put to bed by 10. We are working hard at this, and our kids are working hard against it. But we are decided. I'll let you know ;)

4. Our continuing goal is to have a date every week. Last year I kept a date journal for Matt detailing all our dates. I surprised him with it for Christmas. So I happen to know that we had 51 dates last year! That includes dates out, dates in, temple trips, double dates, overnighters, adult church meetings, concerts, plays, walks and more. Wow, I didn't think there would be that many because we certainly missed a few weeks, but having two some weeks really boosted us up. This goal is so important for our relationship and for our kids' well-being as well. This is a life long goal!

5. I resolve to get my hair cut at least 3 times this year!! I know, this may seem pathetic to so many of you, but I have such a hard time doing it. I either have to get a babysitter, or have Matt work from home, schedule it way out, blah, blah, blah.

6. I resolve to NOT be a room mom next year. I'm just saying.

That's it for now. I always get more ideas, but these are all I'm committing to for now. How about you? What is your new years goal?

Thankful 7

I'm thankful for relaxing the house clean up while everyone is sick.

I'm thankful not everyone is sick anymore, mainly just 2 of 7.

I'm thankful for malls

I'm thankful for shopping online, too.

I'm thankful for Christmas music and Christmas lights, and Christmas gifts and hopefully Christmas inspiration.

Thankful 6

I'm thankful it seems Matt does not have Swine flu, but some nasty virus plus a nasty cold. Now, if we can all just avoid catching it from him.

I'm thankful for sweets from kind friends.

I'm thankful for Matt's job wherein he can take a sick day without any problems.

I'm thankful for chocolate chips and all the places they are used.

I'm also thankful for leftovers.

I'm totally stoked about finishing my first quilt! Yea yea yea. (Nothing fancy, no quilting, just a t-shirt quilt I've been waiting to make since the mid-nineties. And therefore I'm thankful to my quilting neighbor friend!

Thankful 3

1. I'm thankful Matt took Charity to Elders Quorum

2. I'm thankful for dishwashers.

3. I'm thankful for visiting family (and their caramel corn).

4. I'm thankful for beautiful Christmas music at choir practice (and all the great voices that sing them).

5. I'm thankful for spiritual uplifting and recharging on Sunday.

6. I'm thankful for the new Family Search! It looks awesome. Have you tried it out yet? Or go here if you don't have access.

Thankful 2

I'm thankful for smiling children waving goodbye through a golden-lit door at dusk.

I'm thankful for blowing kisses.

I'm thankful for another niece, healthy and sweet.

I'm thankful that most of my kids' "good" candy is gone so I won't attack it any more.

I'm thankful for fun new games, even if I lose sleep. (Ra the dice game last night)

I'm thankful that I have such a wonderful best friend who talks and laughs and gets me, even if we lose even more sleep.

I'm thankful for Christmas lights, even though I will NOT be turning them on for a few more weeks.

Thankful list 1

My friend is doing thankful posts this month and I'm joining her. Thanks, Lindsay. Or, in other words, sorry for copying you :).

Today I'm thankful for my new morning schedule of getting up early to read scriptures so I don't have to do it late at night.

I'm thankful for good books. I just finished These is My Words, and loved it.

I'm thankful for my treadmill amidst the chilling weather.

I'm thankful for lots of pregnant and just delivered babies in my family.

I'm thankful for a (one) flu shot for myself today at Matt's work. Now if I can just find them for my kids.

I'm thankful for my washing machine and dryer.

MaLM - Salt Lake City Connect Passes

Last week we went on our Salt Lake City "Staycation" using our Conncet Passes. It was so fun! I highly recommend it and will definitely do it again.

On Monday we went to:
1. Discovery Gateway Children's Museum (cost $51)




2. Clark Planetarium with tickets to one IMAX AND one dome theater show (cost $76)



3. Lunch at the Lion House Pantry valued at $10 ($60)
4. Living Planet Aquarium (cost $40)



Then on Tuesday we saw
5. Hogle Zoo including lots of adorable baby animals right now which were so so cute(cost $46)




6. Ride the tram at Snowbird (cost $45)



Total cost without passes $318. Our cost $120!!! or $20 each.
And then we collapsed in a giddy stupor. We didn't have time for the Thanksgiving Point activities, Red Butte Garden, Tracy Aviary, This is the Place Heritage Park, Olympic Park, Utah Museum of Fine Arts and many more!

It looks like the passes have gone up in price to $24. We also got ours on sale for buy one day and get one for free which was a way better deal. Maybe next summer that deal will kick in again. Let's hope so.

MaLM - Dear Fall

In our family when someone is feeling down or grumpy or maybe even when they are happy, you'll occasionally hear the refrain of "let's all say something we like about _____." We all take turns and usually the person is beaming by the end.

Yesterday we went for a ride through American Fork Canyon to look at the fall leaves and we all took turns saying what we liked about fall. Here is how it went.

Dear Fall,

We love you so much. In fact, some of us like you best of all the seasons! We love (in no particular order) your
1. beautiful leaves
2. apple cider
3. pumpkin bread
4. our annual pumpkin carving party
5. Halloween!!!
6. Thanksgiving!!!
7. cool weather
8. walking along under the trees, wrapped in a warm jacket and crunching leaves
9. starting school
10. soccer
11. fall leaf drives
12. our annual Arches camping trip
13. any pumpkin food
14. BYU football
15. back yard fires complete with smores

Oh, we do love you fall. But would you be offended if one of the things we most loved about you is that we get to look forward to Christmas all through your sweet, crisp days? Because we do. Sorry.

Love, us

MaLM - Dance Moves You Need to Know

Make a List Monday --Individual Dance Moves Everyone Should Know

1. Moon walk

2. Napoleon Dynamite's dance
Napoleon Dynamite Dance Scene

3. A little break dancing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNJsu7sMGL8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9NJ4OofEXo
4. A bit of hip hop, maybe something like this
(Start about 1:30 to see the whole thing)
4. The Electric Slide

And of course, we've already learned this one.
What others should we all know?

One summer week

Two ward parties in my yard (one ice cream social, one moving party)
One vacation to plan and pack
Pictures to order for 5 families
Two church meetings
Two swimming pool outings (including a surprise free day)
An unusual extra work Saturday
One doctor's appointment
Two books read
Very little blogging

One busy summer week!

MaLM - Souvenirs from Alaska

Make a List Monday - Souvenirs from Alaska

Matt and I (and Charity) just returned from a wonderful, seven-day cruise to Alaska with Matt's parents. I'll post a bunch of pretty pictures later. Here's a list of what we brought back.

1. A desperate desire for a personal chef
2. Claims at conquering escargot, caviar, and Esrom cheese (a Danish monstrosity)
3. 5 extra pounds
4. 2 sweet luggage tags from coming in second in a twist dance competition (much to Matt's mortification)
5. A profound respect for the beauty of glaciers, icebergs, temperate rain forests, foraging bears, surfacing whales, gliding otters, soaring bald eagles and misty rain (a lot of that)
6. 5 stuffed animals for the kiddos
7. 615 pictures
8. many treasured memories of laughing, dancing, talking, watching, composing and loving

MaLM - Happiness on a Monday

Make a List Monday -- Happiness

1. giggling baby
2. sleeping through the night
3. dancing
4. finishing our service chain
5. waking to a clean kitchen
6. eating M&M cookies
7. FHE
8. a call from my hubby
9. watching children learn and progress (piano, gymnastics, running, interacting all today)
10. crocuses
11. outside, no jacket needed

MaLM - How to live in St. George

Make a List Monday --How to live in St. George

Matt surprised me on Christmas with another President's Day/Valentine's Day trip to St. George. Last year I was great with child when we took the same trip. This year the baby came with us again, but outside my tummy. It was wonderful. We hiked a bit, drove a bit, looked at the Parade of Homes a bit and relaxed a lot. Here's what I learned about living in St. George.

1. Enjoy the rare snow; it'll be scorching hot again soon.



2. If you can't afford a red rock view, at least get a city one.

3. Enjoy the local attractions (these are lava tubes and Petrified Sand dunes in Snow Canyon)




4. Get yourself a fountain to at least cool off your nerves.




5. Or if you can afford it, by all means get an awesome pool.








6. Welcome the light inside
(a basement stairwell)

(master shower)

7. And speaking of showering, you should do it outside under a waterfall.


8. Build something unexpected into your home
(entry ceiling shot)

(kitchen pass through to a hidden pantry -- loved this!)




9 . If you are me, you can only live there a few days at a time, try the Seven Wives Inn (Bed and Breakfast). We've been there twice now and loved it both times. The rooms were nice with a fun history and the breakfasts were delicious!



There was a 15,000 square foot home we toured. The only picture I included on this post was the last pool picture. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive look soon.