Tis the Season

For canning that is. Since the apricots were ripe last month, I feel like I've done little else. So far, we've done apricots, applesauce, grape juice, tomatoes, salsa, green beans, pink pears and zucchini. I'm still harvesting tomatoes, apples and zucchini. I would love it if my neighbors would bring over some more pears but I am blessed with what I've done so far. I hurt my arm a few weeks back and that will hamper my applesauce efforts. I am so grateful my husband is willing to help and even do the canning himself if need be.

Fall Family Fun

I love going to the Children's Treehouse Museum in Ogden, Utah. They have what they call "Enchanted Woods". They pick a fairy tale and tell they story while you go around a designated path through the museum. We've learned things about different cultures. They give out a little candy, you make a craft and usually end up at the stage. They go every 15 minutes. Its $6.00 for children but adults are free. It gets expensive if you have a big family but it is so fun.

The other thing we really like doing is Boo at the Zoo. Trick or Treating at the zoo, hmm, long lines, no animals doesn't really sound fun. If you get there at the right time, the lines are short and you will have time to see some animals. Even if you don't go to Boo at the Zoo, you should go to Hogle Zoo to see the baby elephant, baby giraffe and baby tiger cubs. Obviously, in this picture, my youngest hadn't gotten into the dress-up part of Halloween. She was supposed to be Dora and wanted the costume off as soon as I took the picture.

George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park also in Ogden, Utah has a trick or treat thing they do after dark too. They have carved pumpkins done in all sorts of designs. There are park employees at different parts of the park and you walk around and trick or treat there. There is someone who sells glow in the dark sticks. I suggest stopping at the dollar store and picking some up there for a fraction of the price they charge at the park.

What are your fall traditions?

Menu Planning Monday

Monday: Pork Spare Ribs, Baked Potatoes, Fresh Vegetable
Tuesday: Meat Loaf, Baked Potato, Steamed Vegetables
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken Breast, Baked Potatoes, Fresh Steamed Vegetables
Thursday: Spaghetti,Fresh Salad,Fresh Steamed Vegetable
Friday: Date night
Saturday: crock pot chicken
Sunday: Fend for yourself/leftovers

for more great menu ideas, click here.

Redecorating

We are trying to refinance the house. Hopefully, we'll close next month. We are scheduled to have a appraisal done at the end of the month. We were hoping to do a bunch of painting since some rooms havent' been painted since we bought the house ten years ago. We repainted the bathroom. I only bought one roll of wallpaper border since its a small room and I thought one roll would do it. I underestimated. I bought another roll and then my van died so my husband hasn't had time to put it up.

We also painted one livingroom wall and the hall. My husband painted it blue and I'm not real keen on having a blue livingroom so we'll be painting the other walls a different color. I know, weird, but, hey, I'm the one that has to look at it.

I have 3 rooms upstairs and 2 bedrooms in the basement. My girls will be staying upstairs and my son will have a room in the basement and (hopefully) a new bathroom to himself.

My daughter wants her room to be done in tinkerbell, so purple (which is her favorite color) and green (which is apparently Tinkerbells favorite color). I was hoping we could get her room done before the appraisal but it isn't looking likely.

My other daughter wants her room done in princess style which is really funny because she is my Dora the Explorer fanatic. She plays with Dora toys and dolls. She wants to watch Dora when its her turn to choose a movie. She pretends to be Dora all the time. She will be moving into my sons old room.

My son has found something called Bakugan. It is kind of like marbles but these "marbles" open up to reveal a dragon or some other creature. He collects the "marbles" more than he plays the game though. He is also getting into Star Wars. I think his cousin got him interested. He says he wants his room to be all Bakugan but last year he wanted Yugioh, so we may have to go with something basic so he can change his decor with bedding and posters.

We want to put in a bathroom downstairs. He said he would move downstairs if there was a bathroom there. So I told him, since he would be the one getting the most from it, he could pick the theme.

Progress on 101 in 1001

2. Get rid of PMI-done
16. Say prayer every night.
17. Say blessing when we eat.
28. Complete a UFO.
39. Try a new craft.
47. Go to a dentist-done
48. Make an appointment to see my diabetes doctor and actually keep the appointment.
49. Go on a mile bikeride with the children in the trailer.-done
54. Transition L into her own bed. -done
55. See a movie in a theater. -done
59. Go to the zoo as a family. -done
60. Go to Lagoon as a family. -done 61.
64. Go to the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden, Utah. -done
65. Go to Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City, Utah. -done
66. Go on a picnic in a park. -done
69. Get S in to a dentist for a checkup-done
70. Get E in to a dentist for a checkup-done
71. Get L in for a dental checkup-done Home
81. Fix living room wall. -done
82. Paint livingroom. 1/4 done painted one wall
85. Lay wood floor in media room. -done
86. Fix curio cabinet. -done
89. Fix baseboards in bathroom. done
99. Go to a drive in and watch a movie. -done
100. Sell, donate or throw away 101 items. done but doing it again.
Well I was thinking 25 didn't really sound too good but its almost one quarter of the way done. Unfortunately some things I wanted to do just won't work out as planned. So maybe I AM 1/4 of the way done after all. Seeing as I have less than two years left though, I better hustle.

Dinosaur Land

The museum in Vernal is open. I thought I'd have to wait much longer.

There used to be one wall of a museum that was a hillside where actual digs were going on. The hill was full of dinosaur fossils. There is another museum there where they have life-size dinosaurs like those at the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden, Utah. You can go to http://www.dinoland.com/ more information and pictures. I understand quite a bit has changed since I have been but I still want to take the children. I think they'd really enjoy the dinosaur gardens were there are life-sized statues of several dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs seem to be a big thing here. There is the park in Ogden, the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, and Dinosaur National Monument in Northeastern Utah. Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum has life-size dinosaurs. Their dinosaur gardens was a favorite of mine when I was little. I still have the souvenirs I bought there when I was younger. I can hardly wait to take my children there.

My Poor Car

Okay, hood is back on the van. It sounds good. I"m liking this. We ran to the store in my husbands van. When we came back, there is a puddle coming from under my newly repaired vehicle. Upon closer inspection, we discovered its transmission fluid. Didn't leak until we drove it out of the garage. Now what?! Hubby is so sick of trying to fix this thing. He says he hopes its just a hose that has come loose. We'll see tomorrow I suppose.

I (Almost) Have a Car Again!

While going to the dentist just before school started, July 21st to be exact, my car died. At the end of our street, it just died. School started on July 27th, so I have had a fun time walking my children to school since then. (Why haven't I lost any weight?) My husband decided it was the transmission. He bought one and was putting it in when he broke the block-the bottom part of the engine. Okay, my van is a 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan that my dad gave me after someone had rear-ended him and the insurance gave him enough to get a newer van so it isn't worth the money for a new car. My husband went the the junk yard and bought an engine. He brought it home and it didn't work. So, he went and got another one-which would not start. It would try but not actually turn over. So, after trying to get it to work for a week and half, he took it back to the junkyard. When he brought the next one home, it was half price so they gave him some money back! He put it in, started it and didn't like the way it sounded so he proceeded to replace the heads. Last week he put in the first head. He didn't have time to finish it because he works 2 jobs and we ended up going to a birthday party for my great neice, going to a baptism for another neice and going to another town 1/2 hour away to get something that ended up not being there. Yesterday, he put in the second head and put the rest of the engine back together. He started it and was so happy that it is a very quiet ride now. Today, after I pick him up from work, we will put the hood back on. Tomorrow we will take it to get the safety and emmissons test done and next week, I will borrow his car again so I can go for an hour drive to the nearest DMV so I can get new stickers on it so I will be legal again.

random thoughts

I have been working at a job that I get to work at home. Now, that sounds like a good thing. There are pros and cons. Unfortunately, I'll be losing my job soon. But the silver lining is I'll be able to post more and get to read more of my friends blogs again. Yeah. Can't wait. So, I'll be seeing more of all of you soon!

Menu Planning Monday

Breakfast: French Toast with Sausage
Lunch: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Chips
Dinner: Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Fresh Vegetable
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Pancakes
Lunch: Pizza
Dinner: BBQ Chicken , Baked Potato, Steamed Vegetables
Wednesday:
Breakfast:Cereal with Skim Milk
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwiches with Chips
Dinner: Grilled Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Fresh Steamed Vegetables
Thursday:
Breakfast: Cereal with Skim Milk
Lunch: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Chips
Dinner:Spaghetti,Fresh Salad,Fresh Steamed Vegetable
Friday:
Breakfast:Cereal with Skim Milk
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwiches with Chips
Dinner: Out dinner
Saturday:
Breakfast: cereal with milk
Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: Spagetti with garlic bread and salad
Sunday:
Breakfast: cereal with milk
Lunch: fend for yourselves
Dinner: Beef roast with roasted veggies, rolls and salad

to see more great menu ideas see Organizing Junkie