MOMENTS THAT MATTER MOST....

"We would do well to slow down a little. Focus on the significant lift up our eyes and truly see the
things that matter most.

Strength does not come from frantic activity, but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.

Diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us
to the Savior of the World."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Read his entire talk from the October LDS General Conference here: Of Things That Matter Most.

LIVE IN DAILY THANKSGIVING...........

"One thing I can tell you with certainty is this: You cannot predict happiness by the amount of money, fame, or power a person has. External conditions do not necessarily make a person happy. The Brethren who have had assignments in poorer countries report that despite the abject poverty, the people are very happy. The fact is that the external things so valued by the world are often the cause of a great deal of misery in the world. Those who live in thanksgiving daily, however, are usually among the world’s happiest people. And they make others happy as well.

Gratitude turns a meal into a feast and drudgery into delight. It softens our grief and heightens our pleasure. It turns the simple and common into the memorable and transcendent. It forges bonds of love and fosters loyalty and admiration.

Living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love.

As we strive to open our eyes, hearts, and arms, our step will become a little lighter, our smile will become a little brighter, and the darkness that sometimes broods over our lives will become a little lighter. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t been an especially grateful person. Rejoice and think of what an impression you will make on those who thought they knew you. Think of how delightfully surprised they will be.

Be grateful. Every day is a new canvas—a new opportunity. Our beloved President Gordon B. Hinckley has said: “My plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we ‘accentuate the positive.’ I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort.”

~Apostle Joseph B. Wirthlin (excerpt for a 10/31/2000 BYU devotional)

UP, UP AND ALMOST AWAY....

Kley was having a pretty hard day with Auntie Amy. Mostly because he was teething, Silas had friends over for a play date, I was trying to clean the kitchen and I couldn't smother him with the attention I normally do. Thank heavens for little miracles...enter Silas with an arm full of bright, bouncy balloons (courtesy of thoughtful uncle Jason who brought them home from a work party the night before).

The group of balloons were practically 4 times his size. Silas was concerned that he might fly away to Paradise Falls. So he stayed to watch him for a couple minutes. After he realized that Kley, wasn't in fact going to "fwoat up and hit his head on da sea-wing", he went back to playing Cowboy-Pirates with his buddy Gaige upstairs.
They were just what he needed. He was gummer grins and smiles in 30 seconds flat!

A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS.............

And this drawing fills my heart with joy.

Logan had to write a friendship journal at school for an essay. He is a very popular boy in his class, and not because he's super smart, and cute, but because he's everybody's friend. He has the most gentle nature, and kind heart. Needless to say, he has lots of buds, pals, and partners in crime. So, I was very surprised to see that his friendship journal was about Si. It was a happy surprise...the kind that catches you off guard, brings tears to your eyes, and a smile all the way through your soul.

CARS 2

Thank heavens for chatty moms at McDonald's....or we would have missed out on seeing the cast of Cars 2 as they visited SLC.

Thanks to State Farm for the free pics, bag and lots of goodies.

The boys were almost speechless....almost.

MY BOYS.............

SCRUMPTIOUS BLEU CHEESE SALAD.

This is one of my new favorite salads. Perfect combo from salty bacon, the nutty almonds, the sweet and crisp grapes and the tart/bitterness of the bleu cheese. It's amazing!

Add as much of the following as your little heart desires.
Chopped lettuce
bacon
red grapes cut in half
sliced almonds
bleu cheese chunks (I like danish style)
blue cheese dressing (I prefer the fresh Litehouse Idaho Bleu found in the refrigerated section of the produce)

ANDY'S WEDDING.

Back in August Andy and Ember made it official, so we traveled to Star Valley for their beautiful outdoor/dusk wedding.

The anxious groom.Here comes the bride....Ember look so serene, and beautiful.
It was a simple, but touching ceremony and they each exchanged their own written vows.(I love the way Andy is looking at Ember in this pic above...so sweet!)
The weather was perfect.
Mom came from OR, Dad and Christine made it, so did Matt and Michael, and Ember's family and their friends. I'm so glad to have Ember in the family, she's such a sweetheart!
Here is a picture of new Bagaso clan.Andy, Ember, Dyson and Teyha.

The whole famdamily......

Silas says, "See-ows" with his sparkling apple juice!

The next day afternoon we went to the lake for lunch and a little swimming and fishing.
Great shot of the lake.
Perfect shot of Mike and Logan after they jumped in the water.

Bebeezz! The lil cuz'ns just hangin.

Amazing once in a lifetime shot of bald eagle up close and in person. Love my new camera!

We call this look, "The Kung-Fu Punk Hair." The most important part about achieving this sleek hairstyle, is attitude. You must have the exact amount of attitude to pull it off, or it just won't hold up.

Introducing "Sugar-High Hair", his latest creation. Oh yes, yes, yes, you too can have this look, it's really quite simple. Just suck on a hard candy for a couple minutes (any kind will do, we used Jolly Rancher Watermelon for this one), spit it out into your hands....don't wash your hands (very important step here), just wipe them on your shirt then run them through your hair for extra measure. Repeat the process a couple times and VIOLA....you have achieved Sugar-High Hair!

The following hairstyle is not for the faint of heart. This masterpiece, also known as "Roll Out Of Bed Head" takes incredible patience and at least 11 hours must be dedicated to achieve this do. It entails lots of tossing and turning, preferably with your head where your feet should be. Taking off your pajamas and putting them back on backwards and inside out, and rough-housing with your older brother on the top bunk. It's better if you throw in an upset mother who comes to your bedroom to warn you at least THREE times that it's time to settle down and go to sleep!

SNACK TIME WITH THE AVENGERS!

Silas was playing outside one morning and came in the house to declare, "I'm tiyod and need a bwake! I've been out fighten bad guys wiff da avengos, and deo thirsty so we came in fo a snack!" So we got a cup out for Captain America (Si), Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Ant-Man, and poured everyone a glass of apple juice.
But....that wasn't good enough for Captain America....they wanted food too, "deo wheely,wheely hungry mom!" So they shared an apple, cheese slices and some Oh's as well.

Good food for good imagination!

CLONE WARS: OLIVE GARDEN'S STUFFED CHICKEN MARSALA

STUFFED CHICKEN MARSALA
Ingredients
Cheese Stuffing
1/2 cup smoked shredded cheese (I used 48+ aged gouda (Costco)
8-oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
2 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sour cream
Sauce

1 small sweet onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
24 fl oz Marsala cooking wine (I used Holland House brand from Smith's)
8 fl oz heavy cream
2 small containers button mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used one large container regular sized mushrooms)
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders and skipped #2, #3 and #4, gently fried the tenders in olive oil, then placed a molded portion of the stuffing between two tenders right before I baked them in the oven).
4 fl oz olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
Procedures
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1) COMBINE all cheese stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl, set aside.
2) BUTTERFLY thickest section of chicken breasts to create 2 lobes. Pound each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until ¼” - ½” thick.
3) PLACE flattened chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one lobe of each chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down so it resembles a hockey puck.
4) FOLD over other lobe of chicken breast; does not have to seal.
5) HEAT large sauté pan over medium heat.
6) ADD olive oil and heat until shimmering.
7) PLACE flour in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8) DREDGE stuffed chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess.
9) SAUTE chicken breasts with preheated oil, cooking until each side is golden brown.
10) REMOVE chicken from pan and place in a baking dish.
11) BAKE for 10-20 minutes, or until juices run clean and center of chicken reaches 165°F.
12) ADD onions to sauté pan, and stir to loosen chicken drippings. After 2 minutes, add mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent.
13) DEGLAZE pan with Marsala wine – make sure to incorporate drippings from bottom of pan.
14) HEAT wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half. (Takes about 35 min.)
15) PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a plate and top each with onions, mushrooms and sauce.
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

6 small russets
2 lbs. peeled, diced russets
1/2 c - 3/4 c cream
1/2 c softened butter
2 TB olive oil
20 cloves garlic
Boil potatoes in water until tender. Meanwhile toss the peeled garlic cloves into a pan with 2 TB olive oil and gently brown until nearly caramelized. When done, once they are cool enough to touch, mash with the blade of a knife and chop into small pieces.
With an electric mixer, add the all the ingredients to a bowl and blend until light and creamy.
I added about 1 TB pesto to 1/4 c softened butter and spread it over a toasted dark olive loaf (Smith's .79/loaf in the day after bin).

10 Ways NOT to Raise Your Toddler

By Babble.com | Parenting – Mon, Nov 14, 2011 1:42 PM EST
I am a parenting editor and a mom. This means that all day, every day, I read about how to raise better children, and then go home and mess with my own. You know, it's all fun and games until the therapy bill arrives! In full acknowledgment of how little my advice will help any parent out there, I've decided to stick to letting the wonderful experts on this site tell you what to do, and give you this handy picture guide on what to DON'T:

1. DON'T ask, "Why did you do that?" Why did you bite that boy? Why did you hit your sister? Why is there spaghetti in your ear? Why am I asking you a question you can't possibly answer in any way that will make me feel better? Oh yes, because it's easier than accepting the idea that I am in charge of a tiny lunatic.

2. DON'T be surprised by the number of things that can end up in your toilet. This includes shoes, spatulas, cell phones, small animals, keys, and a whole eggplant that looks an awful lot like a human head to your middle-of-the-night eyes.

3. DON'T be surprised by the number of things that can NOT end up in your toilet. Number two, for example, can occasionally end up in your purse.

Related: 10 things you should NEVER say to your toddler

4. DON'T assume that repeating directions increases their likelihood of being followed. DON'T assume that repeating directions increases their likelihood of being followed

5. DON'T over-explain adult situations. "Sorry, honey. Mommy is just in a bad mood because she doesn't understand why she chose to make a living on the Internets. And taking out a second mortgage to fund your preschool appears not to have been the prudent thing to do. And wow, your sitter is expensive! That noise? Oh, that's just Daddy weeping through the wall."

6. DON'T say, "Let's wash your hair!" This is akin to saying, "Let's put this large needle in your eyeball." If you really feel like you have to warn your toddler about the upcoming sudsing, consider something relatively benign and tangentially related, like, "Let's put this large needle in your eyeball."

Related: 7 things toddlers don't actually need

7. DON'T wear a short skirt to a toddler birthday party. You know that fantasy you have about being unintentionally violated by giddy elves? Yeah, me neither.

8. DON'T let a boy shorter than the toilet try to pee standing up. Too late for that? Try not yelling helpful tips like, "Point your penis up!" Too late for that? Wipe your chin.

9. DON'T ask if your toddler if he wants to do something you need him to do. This includes Do You Want To Wear A Jacket? Do You Want To Eat Something? Do You Want To Hug Grandma? Do You Want To Wash Your Hair? and Do You Want to Keep Me From Running Out The Door To Jamaica?

10. DON'T try to catch vomit in your hands. A) It doesn't work. B) You don't get points for trying. C) You get vomit in your hands.

- Mira Jacob

KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS..............

I heard Silas tell Logan the following, "Logan, doyunt our ancestows were pirates from the Atlantis Ocean!"

Logan was playing with Kresta and she was having a good ol' time giggling, and cooing and kicking her little feet into the air. He then turned to me and said, "Mom, I'm sure happy that Kresta chose to come to our family."

I was cleaning my bathroom and Silas came walking in cool as you please decked out head to toe in a cowboy costume. I asked him, "Well Sherrif, what are your plans today?" He replied, "I'm gonna go cowboy dancing wiff my cowboy goolofwend!"

Logan asks me, "Mom, what is a Murderer?" I replied that it's someone who kills another person. He asks, "Well, what if they lie about it, what do you call them then?" I said,"Even if they lie about it the police will know if they are telling the truth, so they'll still be called a murderer." Logan reflected upon what I said for a minute then he responded, "I have a better idea. They should just call a person who kills someone else but lies about it, a liedur." LOL!

Silas and I were making cookies and he asked if he could be the one to scoop them onto the cookie sheet. Right as he was scooping up the first ball of dough on the spoon, he turned to me and said, "Drum roll please!"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Kresta was the sweetest little lamb I've ever seen! Jason found this costume at Walmart at the end of September and he bought it for her. I thought he was so sweet to think of her, Kudos to him!

We went to a Halloween party at my neighbors house the Saturday before, and for the first time in many, many years Jason and I didn't dress up. Mainly because it was a party for for the kids. While we were there someone cracked the cutest joke, "Hey Amy should have come as Mary (had a little lamb)." I wish I would have thought of it! What a cute idea that would have been.
Jason bobbing for an apple!

Silas spent most of his time in the bounce house. Good for me. He worked out all his feverish energy and crashed on the couch for several hours as soon as we got home. I'm sure some it was a sugar crash as well.
Logan was the fastest to bob for an apple. 1 second flat.He was very strategic.

Jason dancing with Kresta.
What a good daddy!

OUR HAUNTED GRAVEYARD!
My house was the scariest on the street. If you think I'm crazy though, you should come and see Chainsaw Man, who lives a street over. He chases kids down the street with his chainsaw. I'm sure they'll spend thousands on therapy over the years to come!

Every year I add a few new things to the graveyard.

Next year I'm saving up for a fog machine. I have several sound/voice activated creatures.


This one scared kids the most.
He would start moaning and crawling out of the ground as the kids walked by.
If you think I'm cruel, you should hear the parents. Some of them coaxing their kids kicking and screaming, some laughing so hard they can barely stand.

This 6ft. zombie is light/sound activated. He's moans and growls. Jason placed him in the hallway on the other side of our mudroom door for Heather. She came home at 2 am and opened the door to his lovely face staring back at her! She texted him that it scared her to death! Hehehehe.
This little guy is our remote controlled "crawler". The kids would walk right over to look at it, and viola......he'd start moving. Yeah, its was a great fright night!
My scary mask. Kretsa would just stare at me. She didn't cry or pout because she recognized my voice, and as I would coo and talk she would smile. She's a tough little girl, just like her mama!

This is what the mask look like as it was getting darker. Freaky!