Holiday Wish List: Sleigh of Gifts

I was recently alerted about the amazing giveaway on todaysmama.com. The gifts are all amazing and I just can't pass up a chance! Here's my entry:

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year? Crock-Pot, purse, grill pan, Willow Tree Nativity, clothes
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received? My mission angel quilt
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle? Definitely a quilt--I even have the pattern all picked out. Just need the time.
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child? Opal ring. I was 16--does that count as being a child still?
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year? Kallie wants a bike and a pink trumpet. Whitney wants anything baby/princess related. Clayton wants...hmm...to try solid foods?
6. What is your favorite holiday food? Any homemade goodies the neighbors drop off. I love trying new things!
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays? Not sure--at least 10 cards for the card swap. Maybe a few items related to Whitney's wish list.
8. What is your favorite holiday movie? Meet Me in St. Louis; Elf
9. Favorite holiday song? Oh Holy Night
10. Favorite holiday pastime? Rolling the ball (family tradition); caroling with friends

My Favorite Things

I've been thinking about this post a lot lately. There are so many things I use that I completely enjoy--and I decided I'd post about them, just in case someone else could like them as much as I do! Here's the list, (not in any particular order):

1. Cetaphil Cream - This cream has been a LIFESAVER for all three of my children. My love for this began when Kallie got baby acne so badly that her face was crusty and oozing. The Dr. told me to use Aquaphor--which didn't make one bit of difference. A mom from my ward recommended Cetaphil Cream (not the lotion, but the cream in the jar) and as soon as I found it, the acne cleared up immediately. With both Whitney and Clayton, I headed the acne off by using this cream before it could even get going. It's the best stuff ever! (And, I love to use it on my dry, post-pregnancy skin, too.)

2. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow - Where was this thing when I had Kallie? This is the greatest nursing pillow of all time. Instead of a rounded pillow, like the Boppy, this pillow is made from squared off foam so the baby doesn't roll out or in. And, it has a buckle so I can strap it around my body. I love this feature! It's very supportive and extremely helpful when Clayton has to eat on the run, meaning I'm running around the house taking care of my 2 other kiddos. Everyone I've talked to about "My Brest Friend" has shared the same appreciation for it as I have. Not to mention, the women's center at the hospital where Clayton was born ONLY sells "My Brest Friend." They stopped selling the Boppy because it just wasn't as good for nursing moms.

3. Nature's Valley Roasted Almond Granola Bars - I've always been a fan of Nature Valley's crunchy granola bars. And, I love the flavor of almonds. So, what could be more delicious than those 2 things combined? They're my new favorite snack. I have to ration them to myself. (I just saw on their website that there's also a "Pecan Crunch" flavor. Haven't tried them, but those could also be a favorite thing!)

4. Scentsy - I love my Scentsy warmers and bars! For those who aren't aware of what these are, they are a wickless candle which is melted in a warmer powered by a low-watt lightbulb. The bars come in amazing scents and you can change out your scent any time you want. I recently got a plug-in warmer for my Master bathroom. It makes my bathroom and bedroom (and the entire upstairs) smell heavenly! (P.S. If you're interested in Scentsy, let me know--I plan to host a Scentsy party soon...)

5. Kirkland Diapers - Ryan calls me a diaper snob. When Kallie was born, we tried every possible brand of diapers that was out there. And, I hated them all, (yes ALL), except Pampers Swaddlers or Pampers Cruisers. They simply had all of the features that I liked. However, once I tried Costco's Kirkland brand, I was hooked. They have most of the features that I loved about the Pampers, but aren't as expensive as the name brands. Since that time, we have been loyal to the Kirkland Diapers. I was thrilled when they came out with their size 1-2 box, which wasn't available with my first 2 kids.

6. The Books of Bayern- This book series, written by Shannon Hale, includes "The Goose Girl," "Enna Burning," and "River Secrets." All three books provide a wonderful escape. While I have enjoyed all the Shannon Hale books I've read so far, (some more, some less), this series tops the list. Apparently, there's another book in the Bayern series that recently came out called, "Forest Born." Haven't read it yet--but I'm pretty sure I'm going to like it. Another Shannon Hale favorite? Book of a Thousand Days. Right up there with the Books of Bayern.

7. Cook n' Serve Tortillas - When I was a missionary, one of the popular things to do in my mission was to make our own tortillas. They were easy to throw together, but required a lot of rolling. And, our circles never turned out quite right. When I came home, I made them a few times, but they lost their appeal, since it was just easier to buy them. A few years ago, we discovered the Cook n' Serve tortillas at Costco. (Costco itself should be on this list.) It was the freshness and flavor of the homemade tortillas combined with the ease of buying them from the store. We will never go back to pre-cooked tortillas again!

8. Sotto Voce - The first time Ryan and I went to Pike Place Market 5 1/2 years ago, I discovered a store called "Sotto Voce." They sell gourmet flavored olive oils along with all sorts of vinegars. Each olive oil is infused with garlic, then various herbs are added in to the glass bottle enhance the flavor. Not only are they delicious, they are beautiful! I love to add mine to just about anything I'm cooking or sauteing--and I'll even use it to dip bread in every once in a while. It's something I just can't get enough of.

9. Paperbackswap.com - I first heard about the Paperback Swap a few years ago while I was living in Wymount. At the time, I didn't think I wanted to part with any of my books. However, as I sat staring at my bookshelf a few weeks ago, I realized there were books on there that I didn't care if I ever read again. So, I joined the swap. You begin by listing your books (usually by ISBN number) on their website. Once someone requests your book, you wrap it up and mail it off to the requester. When they receive it, they inform the website and you earn one credit. Each credit is good for one book. The books must be in good condition--no highlighting or marking and you are responsible for paying the shipping, (which is usually $2.38, since they're shipped via media mail). It's a great way to get rid of books you're not planning to read again and find a few that you would like to read. I've already mailed off 2 books and requested one. It's a great way to recycle those old books!

10. The Children's Place - I have loved this place for a few years now. I'm pretty sure I've posted about them before. Their customer service is awesome! And, they have a birthday club that sends you a 15% off coupon in the month of your birth, as well as the month of birth of each of your kids. It's good for the entire month, online or in their store. And, you can use the coupon on sale items as well. Plus, shipping is only $5 from their website. Depending on how close you live to one, that's cheaper than gas! (FYI--Grandparents also qualify for the birthday club.)

So--there is my list. It's not comprehensive, just a few of my current favorite things. My challenge to you now is to think about your favorite things and post a list on your blog! I always have room for a few more faves.

Christmas Card Swap!

Every year, Kids' Craft Weekly (kidscraftweekly.com) hosts a Christmas card swap. The deal is that your kids make 10 cards and mail them to other families around the world. In turn, you receive 10 cards from around the world. We participated two years ago--and it was a lot of fun! We received cards from Brazil, the U.S., and Australia. The main rule is that your kids have to make the cards and it's preferred that they're mailed out by December 1. The cards we received were not ornate or complicated in any way. And, it's especially fun for your kids to get some mail of their own. Anyway--I know a lot of moms I know would like to do something like this--so head over to their website and check it out! (And, P.S. the 10 cards really don't take long to make!)

So many posts...

I have so many posts floating around in my head...and so little two-handed time to write them. At least my (small) faithful readership can expect such goodies as: Clayton's Blessing, Parents in Town, Electricity vs. Fire, The Cook-Off, My Favorite Things, and Halloween Festivities. I can't guarantee a time line on any of these--or that the title will remain the same. I know you're waiting anxiously to read up on any of these topics. For that reason, I'll get them written and published as soon as humanly (mommy-ly) possible.

Just when I was starting to get comfortable...

Almost a year and a half ago, I was put into the Primary in our Wymount ward. I really enjoyed being in Primary--but, I was looking forward to being back in Relief Society after we moved last December. There's just something about the sociality of women that I enjoy being part of. I attended RS for about a month or so before I was called into Primary again. This time, I was asked to teach the 9-turning-10 year old class.

When I accepted the calling, I was early in my first trimester of pregnancy, didn't know anyone in the ward, and realized that since this isn't a student ward, my calling was probably going to last much longer than one year. I also had a hard time connecting with the kids in my class. Because of these factors, I really struggled to embrace my calling. After a couple of months, I was reassigned to teach the other 9-turning-10 year old class. This time, the kids were a MUCH better fit for me. Although I didn't dread Sunday anymore, I still didn't have the enthusiasm I wanted to have for Primary.

Then Clayton was born and I stayed home from church with him for about a month. The Sunday I went back, my co-teacher was supposed to teach, so I ended up going to Relief Society instead. As I sat through the lesson, I could hear the Primary children singing in the room next door. I looked around the room and realized that I really didn't know very many people in RS--while I knew almost everyone in Primary. Suddenly, my heart was turned because from that moment on, I wanted to be in Primary. I was ready for the long haul and looked forward to teaching my class the next Sunday.

In spite of my concerns about how everything would work with a newborn, the next Sunday was wonderful! I felt energized and it was great to be back with my class. Everything worked out great with Clayton and I felt like the kids were glad to see me again. Then the Saturday after General Conference, I got a phone call from the Bishop asking if I would meet with him the next morning. The winds of change started blowing in my mind. We were blessing Clayton that Sunday and everyone was coming over for dinner after church--so I had a lot to keep me busy. Unfortunately, that didn't silence the wonderings in my mind.

The next morning continued to be busy as I got ready for my interview. I arrived at the appointed time and the Bishop called me into his office. He released me from my Primary calling and then explained that they were reorganizing the Relief Society Presidency, and they would like to call me as the First Counselor, (Education & Music). Of course, I accepted. The change was made that day and we were set apart that afternoon. Tomorrow will be our first official Sunday as a Presidency.

Here are the things that stand out to me about this:

• In spite of my baby being 2 months old, I feel the best I've ever felt post-partum. I have the energy and the mental capacity to handle this calling at this time. What a blessing.
• The new RS President, who requested me as a counselor, didn't know anything about me when she requested me. She didn't even know my first name until things were official. This makes me feel like this really was inspired.
• Just when I learned to love being in Primary, I was released. Mission accomplished, I guess. :)

Overall, I'm really excited about this calling. I love gospel teaching! I know that Heavenly Father has provided experiences for me to prepare me for this and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve the sisters in our ward.

Revolutionary

I realized a few days ago that all of my cookie sheets and loaf pans are the dark, coated metal kind. It dawned on me that on the back of every cake box I've read, instructions are to bake 25 degrees lower in those types of pans. My recent experimental goodies, (cranberry oatmeal white chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin gingerbread), have proven this is very sound advice. The cookies bottoms and crusts of my quick breads are no longer overdone. My baking has been revolutionized.

Applied Escape

As a follow-up to my last post, I had to recount something that happened in Primary on Sunday. It was my first day back teaching my class of 9-turning-10-year old kids. The kids were a little crazy and out of hand. I'm a fairly strict and structured teacher, but since I hadn't been there for over a month, they were pushing the limits again. One of the boys is consistently more distracting than the others, but he seemed to enjoy interjecting random comments throughout the lesson. As I tried to refocus his thoughts, (yet again), one of the girls said, "It must be wrackspurts." And I almost laughed! If you're not familiar with a wrackspurt, it's from Harry Potter--and is an invisible mass that floats near (or into) your head for the purpose of distracting you. I love that I knew exactly what a wrackspurt was because of my recent reads. And, she seemed surprised when I told her I knew all about it. I guess reading pays off for a more than just a great escape!

The Great Escape

Someone asked me some time ago why is it that I read. Good question. As I've pondered, it occurred to me that some people read for information, some people read for companionship, but me? I read to escape. There's nothing that can compare with immersing yourself in a fictional world and letting your mind create the optimal setting.

Keeping this in mind, I recently read the Harry Potter series. In fact, I just finished the final book about 15 minutes ago. The first few books were a fun escape. But, as the plot thickened, I found myself torn--did I really want to go back to that tumultuous world? A world that in so many ways mirrors our own tumultuous world? Where was the escape in that? But, I couldn't leave Harry hanging mid-crisis--so I returned again and again.

Two days ago, I read the end of Book 6. My heart was heavy and I didn't think I could continue to read. I asked Ryan several times if the series really ended up "happily ever after"? He reassured me over and over that he thought I would certainly be satisfied with the ending. It was only with this reassurance that I was able to start the final book. Once I started, I couldn't read fast enough. I tore through the story because I HAD to get to the happy ending. The only downside is that once I reached, "All was well," I was disappointed. Not in the story--but that there wasn't more of it. Now that I know what happens, I want to go back and take a leisurely stroll in Potter-land. I want to hang out with the characters a little more and continue to explore the magical world I have visited frequently in the last 2 weeks.

Unfortunately, this is the down side of the reading escape. Once you're done with a book, the escape is gone and you have to find another fitting escape to delve into next. After the intense escape Harry provided, I think whatever comes next should be a little more calm. Any suggestions? (For escapes I've already enjoyed, check out the goodreads widget in the right hand column.)

Time to Mop?

My 2-year old decided the other day that the downstairs bathroom floor needed to be mopped. How did she communicate this to me? I'll show you:

She climbed on the toilet and turned on the water.

She decided to replace the plug with toilet paper. Here's a hint--toilet paper doesn't work as a drain plug unless you use a LOT of it. Her communication would have been incomplete if it had included a working overflow drain.

Fortunately, Kallie was paying attention to Whitney and relayed the mopping request just in time. When I arrived at the bathroom, (I had been upstairs), there was at least an inch of standing water sparking from the bathroom into the laundry room. The sink was still on, still clogged with t.p., and the overflow drain was still not working. Actions certainly speak louder than words because I heard Whitney's mopping request loud and clear. As a reward for her stellar communication skills, I sent her to her room.

Thirty minutes, a 2/3 full 2-gallon bucket, and four soggy towels later...

...Whitney's request was granted. The floor had been mopped.

Tiny Dancers

This week, my girls (and I, by default) took on a new adventure: dance class! Monday night, we went out to purchase their clothing. The excitement level was WAY over the top and the girls could hardly contain themselves. I don't know how many times I had to ask one or the other to please just walk, instead of hopping, jumping, twisting, and/or shouting, so they wouldn't yank my arm off or run into someone. When Whitney realized that her class was the next day, she cried. We had to convince her it really was going to happen. Kallie also ended the evening in disappointment, as she had to wait until Wednesday for her turn. (Once we explained it was only 2 sleeps, she managed to build up her excitement again.)

The morning of each of their classes, they woke up early and then begged to put on their "ballet outfits." Being the mean mom that I am, I made them wait until right before we were leaving to put them on. After a few pics, we headed out the door.

Whitney's Ballet Clothes

When we tell Whitney, "Pose!" this is what she does.
Whitney's Ballet Hair

Kallie's Ballet Clothes

Kallie's Ballet Hair

The classes could not have gone better! Well, maybe Whitney's could have. A couple of younger girls were nervous being away from their mom, so they cried, which was a bit upsetting to all of the kids. But, Whitney loved it and can't wait to go again! Kallie also cannot wait for Wednesday to roll around. She got to pretend that her teacher was Little Red Riding Hood and skip around the room with her. (The girls were playing LRRH's friends.)

I am really looking forward to watching these little ones learn and grow through theses classes. I have wonderful memories of dance class when I was little and I can't wait for my daughters to have dance memories of their own!