Pyles of Clutter

Read it!

So I know that I said I haven't been reading, but I did finish the book I've been reading since October!  (That is just sad to see, isn't it?)

I read the book "Prayers for Sale" by Sandra Dallas.  Sandra Dallas wrote the books Persian Pickle Club and The Diary of Mattie Spencer, both books that I thoroughly enjoyed.  When I saw this one at the library, I wanted to read it based on how much I loved the others.

Prayers for Sale is about Hennie Comfort, an 85 year old woman living in the mining community of Tenmile, Colorado.  One day, a young, fragile woman comes to her front gate, and points at a sign on the fence, "prayers for sale", and asks for a prayer.  Hennie realizes that she can be the answer to this heartbroken woman, and as she befriends her, we get to her the stories of her life.  Hennie has gone through a lot in her life, burying two husbands, losing a daughter, and living the hard life of a miner's wife, and widow.  Her stories are entertaining, and contain many life lessons, lessons that are still valuable for today.

My recommendation; read it! 

And I'm going back to the library to find another Sandra Dallas.

It's gotta happen.

Just a thought today:

Doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity. ~Einstein

When Tyson was working at Anasazi, we talked about the percentage of children that relapse when they leave the trail.  Tyson told us that this is the reason that they hold counseling sessions with the parents also, to try and convince them that the environment the child came from also has to change or their old habits, behaviors, etc, will come back. 

If you are trying to change your life, if you are looking for something different to happen, if you want a new outcome to your perspective, then you have to look for and embrace the change. 

That's it.

Love,

Me.

Can you clean the fish tank?

Yep.  It's been that kind of day.  You know, the kind where you get up and have great intentions and then you turn around and it's 2:00 in the afternoon.  And you haven't done anything.  Bother.

SO. 

Here I am on the computer, doing a blog post, because I've felt a little guilty about not blogging lately, when I don't have a reason, never mind a good reason, not to be posting.  It just hasn't been happening. 

I have been busy.  On Saturday, we had our first drill competition.  It was awesome people.  We are so awesome.  I know, I know, that sounds a little pigheaded, but really it's just the truth, and what can you do, but speak the truth.  We took three routines, and came away with three first place trophies.  You really can't do much better than that!

(it's so nice to be back!)

I have soooo much stuff to do.  I promised myself that when the wedding was over, I was going to spend some time reading, and sitting around, and just recuperating from being overwhelming busy with wedding and Christmas.  What a farce!  I have had a couple days where I didn't do anything, but generally, that was because I had a migraine and just couldn't function.  Where is my book reading time!?  It isn't coming this week.  And probably not next week either.

Did I tell you that I got a new calling?  Yep, Stake Young Women's.  So far, it's been a piece of cake and I've totally enjoyed it.  I mean, what's not to love!  Go to the dances, sit around and visit, or stand up and get my groove on.  Hang out with my Zoey, and embarrass her as only a mother can.  Well, those days, I can see, are pretty much over.  We are starting camp stuff next week.  People, I am not a camper.  I see fun times in my future.  Fun times. 

As I sit here, letting my thoughts race through my head, I look over at my fish tank and realize that better put that on my to do list.  It's a mess.  Really.

Does anyone else get tired of fighting against feelings of..... whatever is bad going on in your life?  Right now, I'm frustrated, anxious, fed up, worried.  I fight against those over and over, knowing that I need to just give them up and give them over to God.  And yet, here I sit, fighting them all over again.  So. Very. Tired.

We are getting into the Christmas spirit in our house!  Yes, you read that right.  The Christmas spirit has finally come to our house.  The Christmas music plays every day, I'm watching Christmas movies while I work in the kitchen, I've been doing some baking, and working on Christmas (New Year's)(Valentine's Day?) cards.  I'm only a month late....

Okay, I need to finish whining and go do something constructive. 

Peace Out.

 

Doing the same thing

Today, I got up at 5:30 with Zoey and made her lunch, then Tessa's lunch.  I got her breakfast, then started on the dishes.  I said morning prayers with her, then went to her room and picked up, and made her bed.  I snuck a minute back in my bed, then went to clear off the table, and pick up the living room.  I got Tessa up, got her dressed, brushed her hair, made her breakfast, told her to brush her teeth, siad morning prayers, got her coat on her and sent her out the door.  Then, I went to make her bed, and mine, and back to the dishes.  I took out the garbage, and started the washer. 

Just like I do every day.

Honestly, I'm glad I've always stayed home with my kids.  I think I had an advantage because I was always there, no matter what time they left, or what time they got home.  I can read my kids body language like an expert, because I've been around to see the highs and the lows.  Sometimes, the kids have hated that, because when they're upset, I know.  And sometimes, they don't want to talk about it.  Too bad.  I want to know what's going on. 

Some kids got a little short changed.  Tyson, for instance, didn't really get much attention when he was a senior, because I had a baby that year.  Having a baby before was not that big of a deal, but I was out of practice.  And old.  So this baby was a little more of a handful, and my attention was divided just a little too thin.  I'm not convinced though that it would have changed anything.  I just have a tad bit of guilt over it.

Anyway, as I was putting away dishes from the dishwasher, dishes that I wash everyday and put away every day, sometimes several times a day, I was thinking about the fact that I live a pretty mundane life.  I stack the same glasses, and the same plates.  I wash and fold the same clothes.  I sweep and mop the same floor.  But still I know, that this is where I'm suppose to be, and my family, and me, have been blessed for my desire to stay home, and take care of my children. 

So I'll be doing the same thing tomorrow, and the next day, and the next... you get the drift.

Today, I'm doing it with snowing falling, and hot chocolate. 

Wednesday Wanderings--Terry's birthday edition

 It is Wednesday, January 18, and Terry's birthday.  He really loves it when I make a big deal of his birthday (false! He hates it!) so I think I'll do a little blog post about how wonderful he is!

*Terry is a busy guy!  In his quest to do loans independently (call us if you need money! and have good credit!) he stays pretty busy.  While you are your own boss, you are also your clerk, secretary, mailroom, and all around gopher.  Terry is, also, back teaching school out at the college.  He has two classes again, thankfully closer together this time, but it still takes up most of his morning.  He is busy!  Enter my computer.  I need to have three things running in order for my life to function.  One, my washing machine.  Two, my van.  Three, my computer.  Well, my computer got a virus.  So I did what I always do, I complained to Terry.  He then researched it out on his computer, and then made some phone calls, and then made a plan, and then encountered a road block, and then found a way around the road block, and then got the virus off my computer, and then got all the important stuff off my computer, and then wiped my computer clean, and then reformatted my computer and then reinstalled all the important stuff, and presented me with a faster, easier computer.  It's wonderful.  I love it.  (Except I'm still trying to figure out all the new, faster features.  Technology is not my friend.)

**Terry is my keeper.  Always, he is looking out for my health and well being.  When I got into running, I just started running one day.  The next day, he was researching shoes, and what was the best way to run, and what my nutrition should be.  When I ran my marathon, he didn't simply go to a couple of check points to cheer me one, he came to EVERY SINGLE ONE, from mile 7 to mile 23, until I made him go so he could get to the end to wait for me.  He would run beside me through the check points, make sure I was drinking, and trying to eat something, take my pain meds, etc.  He was constantly checking on me.  Even here at home, I get that treatment.  Last night, I battled a migraine most of the night, and it's exhausting.  So when I sat down to read the paper, but didn't have my reading glasses, it seemed like too much effort to get up and get them.  Without me saying one word, Terry got up and got my glasses and brought them to me, so I could read our horrible newspaper.  He is my hero.  And I'm incredibly blessed.

***He is always, always thinking of our children.  Out of nowhere, he'll pipe up, "I was thinking about so & so today, and I think I need to talk to them about this."  Okay.  And then he'll talk to that particular child, and then find out the child was struggling with something related to that subject.  I love that he can do that.  I love that he has chosen to stay close to the Lord, and have the Holy Ghost in his life, so he knows what our children need, before they do most of the time.  This is what Megan wrote in a blog post recently:

 I know all of my friends count their dad as their hero and my dad is definitely my hero and will always be. The one thing about my dad that I don't like is that he can persuade you to do anything. If you have a choice and he thinks you should take option A, He will make all the things tied with option A look so good(which they normally are) and make option B look horrible. Everything else I love! I hope every man has a chance to raise a daughter. It will for sure change their life!

I find that irritating too.  ;)  But I've had lots of practice combating it also. 

Terry has been in my life for 25 years now.  And I'm excited to have him for the next 25+ years.  Some year, I'm going to completely ignore his hatred for social situations and have a big party for his birthday.  But not today.  Today, I'll just do a little wandering about how much I love this man. 

Happy birthday, Terry.

Try this again

So my computer is still on the fritz. As soon as it gets fixed, I'll do a wedding round up. In the meantime, send some good vibes for a speedy recovery!

Sabbath Meanderings

Honestly, I just typed up a whole post on my phone, because my computer is trashed, and then when I published it, it was half gone. SO embarrassing. I totally stoled Terry's computer to do this post now. Because I'm trying pretty hard to blog *most* days to record my life, things that I don't put in my journals.

So here we go.

Because our ward now meets at 9:00, I can go to singles ward with Terry. Even though I sit in the congregation and he sits on the stand, I love to make eye contact with him, and give him the little hi sign. I'm just weird like that.

In our ward, the speakers talked about how getting close to our Heavenly Father is our choice and if we choose to be close to Him, we can use His power for our good. The speaker related an experience she had in the ocean, where she kept fighting the waves, and was caught in the current taking her out in the ocean. She said that as soon as she quit fighting the waves, and started using their power, she was able to get to shore. That really resonanted with me, and I could see how I fight against the current and don't use the power that I have at my disposal. Something to think about.

The next speaker then talked about how to stay close to our Heavenly Father so that we can access His power. It's easy to do, personal prayer, personal scripture study, family prayer, family scripture study. If you do those things, then the gift of the Holy Ghost can be with you, and you can use the power from on high.

And in that vein, I have to confess that I didn't do very well on my goals this week. I didn't read as much as I should have, but I did do better with saying prayers. I say family prayer with Zoey before she leaves for drill, but sometimes, I forget to say family prayer with Tessa before she leaves for school, being busy with my own stuff by then. So I did what I always do when I want something to happen, I tell Tess. I told her to remind me to say family prayer and so she starts reminding me the minute I wake her up. Right now, I wait a little bit before we say prayers, but unless I want to go crazy, I'll have to move that to when she gets up in the morning.

So here's to next week, and doing better on my goals.

Until then,

Love,

me.

Movie madness

It's been our tradition for the last few years, to go to a movie on Christmas day.  Usually, we pick a movie that everyone can go see, and invite all of the extended family as well to see it with us.  My side of the family are prolific movie goers, so when an invitation is extended, I can generally count on the Ellis and Downs family to represent and show up. 

That being said, we went to two different movies over the holiday weeks.  At Thanksgiving, we went to the Muppet Movie.  (Remember, I have a 9 year old to please.)  I think several people in the family were skeptical that this movie could, or would, capture their attention.  But it did not disappoint!  It was a little slow at the beginning, but I especially loved when they did the muppet variety show again.  Love, love, love the muppets.  Everyone was satisfied.

We obviously didn't go to a movie on Christmas Day this year, it being Sunday, but the day after, we invited all to go to the Sherlock Holmes movie.  Now let it be said, we did not take Tessa to see this movie.  The intensity factor would have probably put her over the edge, so she was at G&G Pyle's to spend the night.  That left the rest of us to go to whatever movie we wanted, instead of War Horse like we were planning.  (Although it's also PG-13!)  Um, can I say that I liked this one even better than the first one!?  It was fantastic, and I can't wait to see how long they keep going with this series of movies.  Well done!

But the best movie we watched over the holidays, were the home movies that we drug out of the dust bunnies.  We watched about 3 hours worth of movies, girls dancing, boys and sports, some funny family times, and some secretly shot, unintended for viewing, movies that were shot by the one of the boys, who shall remain nameless.  (cough, tyson, cough)  Let us just say that Tyson may have a future in stop action animation.  ;)

Friday fun!

Wednesday Wanderings...

Not quite ready to do a post on the wedding so today I'm just letting my head wander.  And yes I do know that it's Thursday.  Just go with it people. 

I'm pretty sure that my family cringes when I do this because then the whole world knows how random I am.  ;)

*I'm just now getting into the Christmas spirit.  Oops.  The Christmas music is going, I've got the Christmas potpourri going, I feel like baking, and I'm getting started on our Christmas New Year's cards.  Go figure.  I guess having the Christmas spirit all year does start in January, doesn't it? 

*My house is such a disaster that I really can't seem to get going on cleaning it!  Yesterday, I was so overwhelmed by the mess that I just did one job in each room.  That gave me some satisfaction but if I don't get the dining room table cleaned off today, I may have a mutiny on my hands.  We haven't eaten dinner on that table for about a month now.  Yikes.

* I DID get all my laundry done yesterday though.  Yea for clean, folded, put away clothes! 

* When you have two words that are capitalized together (see above), it really loses the emphasis on that second word, doesn't it?  (See. So random.)

*The other day, I took back all the stuff we didn't use for the Hot Chocolate Bar for the reception.  I way over bought, so you should have seen the lady at Walmart when I pulled up my cart full of food stuffs.  She was not a happy camper, but she was still kind to me.  But it was nice to have that money back.

*Unemployment update~ People, it may just be the end near.  Prayers please!!  I so appreciate your prayers in our behalf.  I'm so very, very grateful for my loving family, ward family, friends. 

*I have literally lived the last month on whatever sugar I could find to eat.  And I haven't been running because, apparently, I couldn't run and do wedding stuff at the same time.  So I'm terrified to get on the scale.  Seriously.

*Professor Pyle is back teaching again.  He had people take his class just because he was teaching.  That's so nice.  He IS wonderful though.  *happy sigh*

*I love the Nutcracker.  I'm sitting here typing listening to the music.  I love it.  And I love that I can now see the dances in my head when I hear the music.  Love.

*I'm super excited to get to read some books this month.  My goal is to read the Hunger Games series, and then, I'm going to be really brave and read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.  I know that doesn't seem like a big deal, but you have to remember that I haven't read or watched anything that is in the slightest bit intense in years.  I just can't do it.  But I'm going to try because I have heard so many great things about this series of books.  It has to happen.

*Children update:  Tyson is back in Provo, finishing his last semester (I think) at UVU.  Could it actually be that I'll have a child graduate from college?  Only 8 years after my first graduated from high school?  ;)  That's okay, kids.  I don't care when you graduate, just do it!  AJ is back down at BYU, Lilly and Breck are at BYU-I, Megan starts at UVU also.  Everyone is going to school this winter semester.  I have five children going to college.  That's just a little odd for me.

*We are gearing up for the drill and dance competition and performance season.  I have two weekends between now and the end of March, that don't have some kind of dance thing going on.  It's good to be busy, right?

*Nephew update:  Poor Bradley is sooo sick rignt now.  I will have to force him to go to the doctor.  He needs a wife to make him do it!  Any that would like to apply for the position, please leave a comment.  I'll see what I can do!  ;)  Robert started school yesterday too!  Yea for Robert, getting something going at last.  I think he's finally ready to get something positive in his life.  Hank had his bishop's interview last night for his mission papers!  That means one more interview with the stake president and he'll have his papers all turned in.  He was applying for jobs yesterday.  Good job Henry!! (These are the only nephews I know anything about.  Sorry other nephews!)

*So.... now I must go take a shower and get to making cookies for choir, and some other things to go with some thank you notes I must write.  So many people to thank!!  So many great people in my life!!  So very blessed!! 

*On that note, I think everyone should read this post from Danielle.  It is so very true, and I've made the committment to get back to recording my life.  Thanks Danielle!

*Okay, I really do have to go do something now.  Clear off a table, clean a floor, take a shower, read a book, eat a bon-bon.  Not really!  Just checking to see if you were really reading!

Until tomorrow,

Love,

me.

Truffle tidbits.

Since we spent the good part of last week working on truffle making, I thought I'd share a couple of the recipes we used.

I'd like to show you a really pretty picture of how awesome these truffles looked, but this is all I've got:

Yes, those are just empty cake plates.  Awesome, huh?  I guess beggars can't be choosers, and I asked Terry to take pictures but wasn't very specific.  Like, take a picture after the treats are put out.  ;)

It did look great though, along with the mini doughnuts and mini cheesecakes my sister made.  It was beautiful, and yummy!!

Cake Batter Truffles

by The Girl Who Ate Everything


1 ½ cups flour

1 cup yellow cake mix

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3-4 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Truffle Coating:

16 ounces (8 squares) almond bark (or white candy melts)

4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix

sprinkles


Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.


While dough balls are chilling, melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir between intervals. Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely. Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake of excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl. Place truffle back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished.

Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. Makes around 24-30 truffles.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Makes approx. 3-4 dozen. Recipe from Love and Olive Oil.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz dark chocolate candy coating

Directions:

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave according to package directions. Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

 

We used a fork and a spoon to dip the truffles.  We put the truffles on the fork, and spooned the chocolate over it, then put it on a wire rack.  I'm not sure I would recommend the wire rack.  It's kind of hard to get them off it.  But be sure to tap, tap, tap the side of the bowl so the extra chocolate comes off the ball while it's on the fork.  And make sure the truffle is very chilled.  I didn't freeze ours, not that much room in the freezer, but just left it in the garage, which is cold enough this time of year.  You could tell when the truffle was getting too warm because it would lose it's shape. 

I also had to add flour to some of our batches of cake batter dough, and sometimes it was fine.  I'm not sure of the reason, but if it's too sticky, just keep adding in flour until you can roll it without sticking to your hands. 

And those are my truffle making tips. 

Love,

me