Coons Family

Seth Miller

2011-10-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

*Update: This video was just posted today (10/15) and I wanted to share more of this sweet little boy with you. Also, the auction will last until 10/23, 11:59pm*

Last night little Seth Miller passed away. It's been heartbreaking for me to think of what the Millers are feeling right now, but I know that there are hundreds of prayers being offered in their behalf.

For me, it brings back some of the worries I had when Katie was in the NICU. She was never as bad off as Seth, but we were a little scared at first that she might not make it. I don't understand everything the Millers are feeling, but just a small glimpse brings tears to my eyes.

However, because of the gospel of Jesus Christ I also have a sure knowledge and testimony that Seth is back with his Father in Heaven. He is no longer in pain and his body is perfect and whole. His joy will only be increased when one day he sees his family again.

The auction I posted about earlier is still going to happen. Hopefully we can raise enough money to help pay for final costs. However, instead of waiting until November, the auction will be happening TODAY.

Please visit Prayers for Seth on Facebook, like the page, and get involved! There are going to be some great items.

If you want to make a direct donation to the Millers please visit their blog and click the link on the right hand side of the page, just scroll down a little.

This is an opportunity to provide a small miracle for a grieving family. Please don't pass it up.

Our Story - Part 2

2011-10-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

To read Part 1 of Our Story go here!

So Jordan and I embarked on our separate adventures as the school year commenced. As I said earlier, by the time we met up again I was already dating someone else, we'll call him John Doe. John Doe just happened to be one of Jordan's really good football buddies so it seemed inevitable that Jordan and I would be thrown together a lot.

The first time we all hung out was actually in the school cafeteria one morning. It was almost a shock for me to see Jordan sitting at our table. And for a brief moment I felt a small twinge of regret that our conversation hadn't continued that night.

However, I was happy for the time being and didn't fully understand the importance of the person sitting across the table from me.

Up until that moment Jordan didn't connect John Doe's "Stacey" with the Stacey he had met that first night and really liked. But rules are rules, and a fellow football player's girlfriend is off-limits. Period. So Jordan switched off his "appear awesome" mode and was excited to hang out with friends.

Oh, and eat some ice cream.

This time as friends provided us great opportunities to really get to know one another. There is a complete honesty in friendship that isn't always there in a new relationship. Around a boyfriend or girlfriend you want to appear at your best, but when it comes to friends you can let down the walls a little more. Jordan and I knew each other without all the façades, and we discovered that those first impressions we had in the Student Union were correct.

Looking back on this unique time, one of our most-loved experiences was the institute class we took together. We spent a lot of time teasing and taunting each other, but it provided an opportunity to become acquainted with a very important aspect of our characters: spiritual knowledge and strength.

We realized we had a love of the gospel and the scriptures. Our testimonies had been developed and founded on life experiences and both conversations during and after class allowed us to share those stories.

Long before we were "in love" we had grown to love and care for one another.

Jordan tells me that over the course of the next two semesters he often thought, "I wish I could find a girl like Stacey. John Doe is one lucky guy."

So Jordan spent a lot of time and energy trying to date different girls. In fact, one of them happened to be a really good friend of mine. For months she went back and forth about the decision to date Jordan. After spending a lot of time talking to both of them, I just couldn't understand the problem.

I kept telling her how great Jordan was, how any girl would be extremely lucky to date him, how unbelievable it was to me that she didn't fall head-over-heels for him (you think this would have sent some signals to me). She agreed with me, but said she still didn't feel that way about him.

So after a while Jordan moved on. And on. And on. Girl after girl let him down or wasn't interested. He never really found someone that he clicked with.

In the meantime I was still plugging along in my relationship with Mr. Doe. Things were good and happy and he was a really nice guy (Jordan will agree with me on that 100%). After a while I started wondering where this was going. Was it worth sticking around or was I going to get really hurt.

And so I prayed about it. The answer I got was to start preparing for marriage.

To my logical brain I thought, "Okay, I'm going to marry John Doe. He's a returned missionary, he's a good guy, we're happy. Sounds good to me!"

I started reading and studying more about marriage and family. I took stock of my life and thought about what kind of wife and mother I really wanted to be. I tried to change and be better and draw closer to the Lord. I really wanted to follow the counsel I had received in answer to my prayer.

Little did I know that the Lord had something much better planned for me than I had planned for myself. I was happy, but my loving Heavenly Father wanted to give me pure joy. I was with a very good person, but God had someone perfect waiting and preparing for me as well.

And I'm thankful every day for that.

Stay tuned for Part 3!

Charity Auction - Please Help!

2011-10-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

[Image Source]

As I write this post it is taking all I have not to cry. But my heart breaks for this sweet little boy. In an earlier post I talked briefly about Seth Miller and his family. This brave boy is fighting for his life, and those of us who know the Millers are fighting alongside them. We love and hope and pray for them.

Things are still uncertain about Seth's future, but he has pulled through things before and miracles can always happen. To stay updated on his progress please visit the Millers' blog here.

In many ways this family is relying on the tender mercies of the Lord. However, there is one way that you and I can help. We can relieve some of their financial burdens. There will be another Facebook auction to help raise money to lift the burden of medical bills. We can provide a small miracle during this trying time.

The last auction raised $1500. I am confident that we can do better this time. The next auction will be held November 3-6 on the Facebook page Prayers for Seth. Just "like" the page to stay updated on information.

If you have creative talents please take the time to donate something to this auction. You can send a picture of the item to be donated, plus any information that bidders might find relevant, to prayersforseth@gmail.com. If you are like me (not talented at creating things) then please spread the word about this auction. The more donations we get the more bidders we will have!

And then please come check out the auction at the beginning of November. This will be a great time to get Christmas presents for friends and family or even to find something wonderful for yourself! And it's all in the name of a sweet little boy and his wonderful family.

“The Lord answers our prayers, but it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.”

- Spencer W. Kimball -

Our Story - Part 1

2011-09-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

"With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now."

- Jeffrey R. Holland -

I came across this quote the other day and it reminded me so much of the experience that Jordan and I had when we decided to get married. And so, I decided that it was about time I told our story.

Jordan and I met my first day back at SVU for my Sophomore year. I always liked to arrive a couple weeks early to be ready and relaxed for classes, and Jordan was there for football camp.

That night I walked into the Student Union and sat down to watch the football boys play video games and push each other around. I've spent most of my life hanging out with guys, especially the football players. They're easy to get along with and way more chill than girls. Plus, flirting was just so much fun!

Jordan walked in a few minutes later and had no trouble spotting the only girl in the room, even though it was dark. I was wearing a bright pink SVU shirt (the very one pictured below) and sitting all alone. Fresh off a church mission, and extremely nervous, he decided that he might as well start re-training himself how to talk to girls.

And so we started off with the usual questions. Where are you from? What's your major? Hobbies? And on and on. There was one question, though, that really stuck out to me. Not because it was unusual, but because of what I was prompted to say. He simply asked what I wanted to do with my life. Not an earth-shattering question really.

But instead of the answer I gave everyone about being a teacher (which really did appeal to me), I felt an overwhelming feeling that I needed to tell this extremely good looking and interesting boy the truth.

The truth was that I wanted to be a mom.

I never admitted this to anyone, especially boys. Especially boys that were cute enough to date. Answers like that scare people away. You end up with looks of pity at your simple-mindedness and utter disregard for current educational pursuits. People assume that you are marriage and baby hungry and care about nothing else in life. All of a sudden you go from an interesting, fun person to a crazy, mindless girl.

So it was just a truth that I tended to keep to myself.

Until that night.

Suddenly I was telling this stranger that what I really wanted to do was be a mother. I wanted a big family, and after my kids were grown up I wanted to teach seminary or institute for the church. And the most amazing thing happened - he didn't run away screaming!

Jordan would later tell me that my answer was what set me apart from every other girl he had ever met. He had always wanted to marry a girl who had a passion for motherhood and wasn't afraid to tell the world what was most important in life. He loved that I was optimistic about life, opinionated, and not ashamed of who I was and what I wanted to be.

I loved his passion for life, sense of humor, and how I felt completely at home with him.

And then he excused himself to go to the bathroom.

Within 30 seconds another boy was sitting next to me and I didn't see Jordan for the rest of the night. Come to find out, when he came back from the bathroom and saw another guy sitting in his spot, he was too shy to butt in on our conversation and ask for his seat back.

Over the next month I would only see Jordan once, off in the distance. In a school of only 750 kids it's hard to believe that our paths never crossed, but it's true. By that time I was already dating someone else. Someone who turned out to be one of Jordan's very good friends.

Looking back now, I realize that we both had some very important lessons to learn before we were ready for each other. So stay tuned for Part 2 of Our Story!

Autism - Update

2011-09-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

I love my crazy, crazy boy! This picture was taken during full-on hysterical laughing.

As you can see, Katie is completely un-phased.

[Singing and eating ice cream at the same time]

Things have been pretty good lately. I've spent a lot of time learning about Autism. However, I still feel like I don't know anything about it. Sad, but true.

After multiple visits to the doctor up in St. George, and trial runs of various medications, we are back to the same exact spot we were before. The medicines weren't doing enough to help Ben without increasing dosages or trying the "heavy" stuff (doctor's words, not mine). The more medications we tried, the more uncomfortable I felt with all of it.

[Seriously need to teach this kid what "smile" means]

Finally, when the doctor prescribed a mild sedative for Ben's major meltdowns I decided I was done. I really didn't feel good about just knocking Ben out for a few hours every time he started freaking out. That wasn't fair to him. So I ripped up the prescription, because I knew that if I filled it there would be too much temptation for me to use it on a really bad day.

Instead, I've tried to focus more on getting Ben to make eye contact with me, breathe slowly, talk, etc. Anything besides medication to calm him down. I want him to learn how to self-regulate because that is an essential skill to life.

[Trying on Daddy's work socks]

Next week we (finally!) get to have his evaluation done by the state. Which means that we can get and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) so that he can start preschool. I'm so excited because I think that this is where he will really start to thrive. The structure, the activities, the outlet. All of it will be perfect for him!

[He LOVES to paint]

Overall though I think he's doing much better. Obviously some days are much worse than others, but he really does listen better and is learning how to handle things that upset him. Well, except Katie. :)

Blast From the Past

2011-09-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Jordan and I recently discovered an undeveloped camera. Sometimes forgotten film is the most exciting thing, no matter how ordinary the pictures were at the time you took them.

This particular camera was purchased on a visit to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's house in Charlottesville, VA. Right after we were married Jordan's parents came to spend time with us and Charlottesville just happens to be a pretty awesome place to go see.

Just look at how cute we are!

Okay, I guess I'm just getting overly sentimental from posting about our 4-year anniversary.

Nah, we really are that cute...

Back blog - 4 Years!

2011-09-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

Jordan and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple on July 19, 2007. It doesn't sound like that long ago, but I feel as though we've always been together. And I love that feeling.

This year Jordan surprised me early! We went up to St. George to visit his parents over 4th of July weekend...or so I thought.

Apparently Jordan had booked a weekend stay right in downtown Salt Lake City. All of those business trips had earned us some awesome Marriott points. Everybody in his family knew about the surprise trip and had already planned to babysit our kids for the weekend! Aren't my in-laws the best?

And so we were off. Just the two of us for a whole weekend. It felt a little weird and a lot exciting to have time off from being a mom.

We walked all over downtown Salt Lake. We went shopping at Gateway (and bought matching shirts), visited Temple Square, spent a day at Hoggle Zoo, went through a session at the Temple, had a fancy dinner at The Roof, and fell in love all over again.

Funny enough now (but not at the time), our first night there Jordan got food poisoning. He spent the whole day at Hoggle Zoo trying not to throw up. But we still had fun! Then I ended up getting food poisoning that night and then spent the whole next day (our temple day) trying not to throw up.

Oh the joys of celebrating an anniversary!

The truth is that I love this man even more than I did 4 years ago. He is wonderful and amazing and every day with him is a joy!

We give our marriage 4 thumbs up!

Forget-Me-Not Visual

2011-09-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

I put together this little collage to help me remember Pres. Uchtdorf's talk. I didn't take any of these pictures, so if you use this collage again please link to the image sources and give the photographers credit.

Enjoy!

Forget-Me-Not

2011-09-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

[Image Source]

"But the 'why' of obedience sanctifies our actions, transforming the mundane into the majestic. It magnifies our small acts of obedience into holy acts of consecration."
- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

(Update: I made a visual to go along with this talk. You can view it here)

Saturday night I was able to attend the General Relief Society Broadcast where the sisters have the opportunity to hear messages from church leaders. It is broadcast all over the world. In a sense, it is beautiful.

The messages this year were all wonderful, but I think most sisters will agree that President Uchtdorf's message was something special indeed. The text of the message isn't up yet, but you can read a brief overview here or watch the video here (I'm also going to embed it at the end of my post). I would encourage everyone to watch it again and again. The message is beautiful, uplifting, and enriching.

So what should we not forget?

Forget not to be patient with yourself
Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice
Forget not to be happy now
Forget not the "why" of the gospel
Forget not that the Lord loves you

As a young, stay-at-home mother this message spoke directly to my heart. I have been struggling a lot lately with all of these things. I feel worn down, tired, and depressed many days. It's so hard to feel like what I am doing means anything, especially when Ben is still having meltdowns every day and Katie doesn't get the love and attention I wish I could give her. At the end of the day I still have a dirty house and cranky kids.

President Uchtdorf helped me remember that those "mundane" tasks of being a mother truly are the most important. They are the things that I should find joy in. Dishes, laundry, making beds, cooking meals, the endless cleaning, and the constant struggles aren't something to live through, they are the essence of why I'm here.

When I consider the "why" of the gospel I know without a doubt that I need to be home with my kids. The world is wrong. Simple. Stay-at-home moms may not be glamorous or cool. Some days I don't get a shower until after the kids go to bed. When you Google my name nothing important comes up. But I'm a mother, and that's all that matters. Piles of money and a successful career pale in eternal significance to the simple things I do each and every day.

There is a quote by President Spencer W. Kimball that I love. I came across it long before I got married and I decided then and there that I would never work outside the home, no matter how tempting it was. At a fireside in San Antonio, Texas in 1977, in a talk entitled "To the Mothers in Zion" the prophet of our church spoke these words:

I beg of you, you would could and should be bearing and rearing a family: wives, come home from the typewriter, the laundry, the nursing, come home from the factory, the cafe. No career approaches in importance that of wife, homemaker, mother - cooking meals, washing dishes, making beds for one's precious husband and children. Come home, wives, to your husbands. Make home a heaven for them. Come home, wives, to your children, born and unborn. Wrap the motherly cloak about you and, unembarrassed, help in a major role to create the bodies for the immortal souls who anxiously await.

Those words are powerful. So, although I may get discouraged about my abilities as a stay-at-home mom, although I worry constantly if I am doing enough, and even when I am mocked and ridiculed by everyone around me, I will stand unembarrassed in my role as a mother. I know where I should be and where the Lord wants me. That is the "why" of my life.

I know that if I do not forget that, then the Lord will not forget me. Forget-me-not, O Lord!

Helping Those in Need

2011-09-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have many blog posts to catch up on, but I just never seem to get around to them.

Today, however, I am taking some time out to tell you about a sweet baby boy named Seth Miller.

The Millers went to Southern Virginia University with me and are a wonderful family. Their youngest boy, Seth, has spent his whole year of life in a hospital fighting an autoimmune disease. He is currently undergoing chemo treatments (at just 1 year old!) and dialysis.

Seth recently received a bone marrow transplant from his extremely brave 5-year old brother. To read more about their story you can visit their blog: http://millermm.blogspot.com/

To say the least, the Millers have racked up quite the medical bills. Right now there is an auction online in their behalf. Just go to the Facebook page Prayers for Seth, like the page, and bid on any item in the auction photo album (you have to agree to the terms laid out in the albums description).

The auction is open until Sunday, September 4th, 11:59pm.

Currently this auction is going so well that they are planning to do another one later. So if you have something you would like to donate for the next auction then please leave a post on the wall.

And if you don't see anything you want to bid on then there is a donation button on their blog.

Please help this family. Having a baby in the hospital is burden enough, so let's help lift some of the burden of their bills.

Sensory Time!

2011-08-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

It's another week without Jordan while he's on a business trip in upper-state New York. Sad, but true.

So yesterday I decided to do a fun activity with the kids. Something messy (because Jordan doesn't like messes and wasn't here to object) and hopefully something that would sneak in a little learning.

I've posted before about doing an indoor water activity here. And as much fun as that is, I still end up with a soaked carpet. So, in the interest of avoiding mold I decided to try a "dry" version of the same game.

I filled up four big bowls. One with dry rice, another with dry beans, the third with dry oatmeal, and the last one with dry macaroni noddles. I figured I could pick up the beans and noodles and vacuum the oatmeal and rice when the kids were done. Another upside was that I could gather it all up and put it in a large bin for them to play with again, even if it was all mixed together next time.

The kids loved it and went to town. Beans and rice were flying everywhere. Katie especially loved running her hands over and over again through the rice. And Ben took the time to try out each bowl to see how it felt. I tried to point out that each bowl contained something that smelled different, felt different, and sounded different when played with. Ideally it should have been great "therapy" for Ben.

After about 10 minutes they started mixing the bowls. And things went downhill from there. Warning for anyone trying this: rice does not vacuum up all that well! I spent probably a good 20 minutes vacuuming the same small space and I'm still finding rice.

Oh well, it was fun. And next time I'll set them on the kitchen floor. Sweeping it up has got to be easier! Of course, that just means that 1/2 of it will end up under the refrigerator and the stove.

I built this idea off of Pink and Green Mama blog. She has a whole post on Toddler Art Supplies where she talks about focusing on the sensory experience. You can read it here. I'll probably turn the leftovers into a fun sensory box with toys....eventually.

Also...is anyone else LOVING Katie's cute curly hair?!

Autism

2011-08-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

I've been avoiding this post for the past few months, mostly because it just seemed too overwhelming to write. And also because I wasn't quite sure how to say it all.

I'm still not sure, but here goes.

About two months ago we took Ben in to see a doctor and he was diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum. We were pretty sure that this was what we were going to hear. But somehow there is still a big difference between expecting an outcome, and actually getting it.

On one hand it is really comforting to know that his constant meltdowns and three-hour long tantrums aren't necessarily a result of my bad parenting. It helps to recognize that he's not trying to be difficult, he just needs extra time and patience to deal with certain things.

On the other hand it makes me terrified for the future. How is he going to do in school? In the job place? On a mission? Dating? How is his life going to turn out?

I know that in the grand scheme of things I actually have it pretty easy. Ben is still very high functioning and extremely smart. He talks and shows lots of affection. He will sit and read with me at night. He has learned his letters, colors, shapes, numbers, ect. We are able to take him to the store and park without extreme difficulty. These are things that lots of autistic children struggle with.

However, there are still times when he screams at me if I pull out a book. Where he'll spend the whole day making the same random noises over and over. There are hours and hours of screaming, kicking, crying, hair-pulling meltdowns at home and out and about. There's the constant need for every second of my attention. And it's hard.

A lot of days I end up feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. I feel as though I've accomplished very little and only managed to frustrate Ben even more. I worry about Katie as well. Do I give her enough time and attention and love? Is she falling behind in any area of her life because I am unable to really focus on her when Ben is around?

I love my sweet boy. There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't make me smile and amaze me with what he knows. I know that he is a blessing from the Lord and that Jordan and I have been entrusted with this wonderful son of God. There is strength in that knowledge because I know that in sending Ben to us Heavenly Father is also sending a message: you can do this.

So each and every day I press on. I learn all I can and do what I feel is best for Ben and Katie. I pray for strength and try to follow any promptings I receive. Most of all I love him. I make sure to give Ben lots of hugs, kisses, and praise. I let him know that he is special and smart and wonderful. And I try my hardest to ignore the hurtful things that complete strangers sometimes say to me at the park or store. I try to remember that they don't really know why Ben is melting down. And maybe if they knew him like I did, they would be a little more patient and a little more kind.

And I hope. I hope for a bright future for this amazing little boy.

To help you understand a little more of what it's like, I found this short video about autism. Hopefully it will encourage you to be a little more kind and understanding if you see parents with these children.

Prayer

2011-05-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

"If indeed the quality of our lives is largely a product of the kinds of associations we enjoy, then we may rest assured that a person who spends much time in prayer will blossom in personality and rise above pettiness, littleness of soul, and mortal jealousies and fears....people who regularly call upon God, pour out their soul in prayer, and yearn for genuine communion...cannot help but be elevated by that association."

~ Talking With God by Robert L. Millet, pg 7 ~

I came across this quote last night and fell in love with it. My prayers are sincere and heartfelt, but not in the deepest sense that they could be. As I seek to improve myself and be better I need to develop a better friendship and association with my Father in Heaven. Most important of all, I need to spend more time with Him. Time in prayer, scripture study, and in bringing to pass His work and His glory (Moses 1:9). Prayer is what will elevate me to do these things.

Home Sweet Home

2011-05-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Idaho! Oh, how I've missed thee!

This month Jordan is traveling a lot for his job. Combine that with the fact that we found some really cheap airline tickets from Vegas to Idaho Falls, and you have a month-long trip for me and the kids.

I'm excited for Ben and Katie to run and play outside in a real yard with lots of space, even if it is kind of cold. Okay, really cold.

It was snowing when we got into Idaho Falls.

I'm happy for me because I love the cold, and I'm really excited to get away from the growing heat of Vegas. However, I'm a little sad for the kids because it limits their outdoors time here. But we won't let that dampen our spirits. Besides, Spring will eventually come. Maybe.

I am happy to be home though. It's rejuvenating. And Ben can run and play inside the house without causing neighbors any stress. And I'm excited to see old friends. People who know me and love me even if I am a little more stressed with kids :)

So here's to a happy month of fresh air, old friends, family, and lots of playing outside with the kids!

In The Meantime...

2011-04-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not really in the mood to blog, and I haven't felt like it for a while.

But I thought it was just a tad rude to drop off the face of the planet without saying anything.

So I'll be back soon.

In the meantime, enjoy some cute smiles from my kiddos!

Sunday Dinner

2011-03-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah baby. Do you know what that is? That would be some amazingly delicious, homemade chicken fettuccine alfredo.

I started with a basic alfredo sauce which I found on Allrecipes.com a couple of years ago.

1/4 c. butter
1 c. heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

It was good, but I decided that I could add a little more. So I added a few more fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary) and some diced tomatoes. Then in a large skillet I cooked two chopped chicken breasts in olive oil with some more garlic and some chopped red and white onion.

Oh, it was heavenly.

And not healthy at all.

And then we had some stuffed mushrooms....

I mixed 1 8oz package of cream cheese with 1 lb of cooked Italian sausage. Pop the stems out of the mushrooms, pack in the mixture, and put them in the oven for 20 minutes (approximately) at 350F. Just wait until the mushrooms are starting to brown.

They will be juicy and perfect.

Oh, and just to make sure we were still being healthy, we chose from our assorted fruit that Bountiful Baskets has blessed us with....

Isn't it pretty?

And then, Jordan and Ben made us some delectable cookies....

Jordan just makes a basic cookie dough recipe and then adds in whatever he feels like.

This time we had oatmeal, white chocolate chips, and pecans. Mmmmm.....

So there you have it folks! A fun and simply delicious Sunday dinner at the Coons' house! Hey, if you want an invitation, just give us a call!

Oh...did I mention that all of this food is Katie approved?!

Creamed Eggs on Toast

2011-03-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

This has been one of my favorite foods since I was a little girl. Our family always had it for Easter Sunday, and occasionally our mom would surprise us with it throughout the year. (We had it for St. Patrick's Day this month, and ended up putting green food coloring in it later.)

But if it were up to me I would have had it every single day.

And ended up getting sick of it.

So I guess it's good that we only had it every once in a while.

Either way, I still love love love this breakfast. (Note: it is also good for lunch, dinner, and snacks). And I want to spread the love and joy with the rest of you, because the truth is that your life will never be complete until you eat creamed eggs on toast.

Are you ready?!

Creamed Eggs on Toast:

6 Tbs butter
6 Tbs flour
3 c. milk
6-8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3 dashes curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauce pan. Stir in flour 1 Tbs at a time until mixed well. Add milk 1/2 cup at a time and stir until thickened. Add remaining ingredients and serve over toast.

*Note: I always end up adding more curry, salt, and pepper. I like things a little spicy.
*Note: Be patient when making the white sauce (butter, flour, milk). You really want to make sure that everything is mixed in well and that you let it thicken.
*Note: Please, for the sake of everything good in this world, serve over buttered toast. It will taste a million times better. And who cares about calories right?

By the way, I have been cooking a lot lately, so be prepared for lots of recipes and yummy food!

Book Review: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

2011-03-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Now, some of you may be sitting there thinking, "Are you serious? A cookbook does not count as a real book. This review is ridiculous."

Well I'm here to prove you wrong. I have spent the last few days reading this cookbook from cover to cover. I love it! I seriously want to spend the next few days cooking every single recipe in here.

I love that she includes pictures of what the dish looks like all along the way. Now, when I cook I really do know if I'm doing it right and not just hoping and praying that the finished product will be somewhat similar to the fancy, totally un-real picture that is usually included at the top of a recipe.

Pioneer Woman has done all of her own pictures in this book as well, so you know it's real food that you're looking at.

This book is also filled with stories, anecdotes, and family pictures. It's like having a little glimpse into how these recipes really do fit their family. And it's a little hope that you really can do it too, because this is real life, with real food.

I'm a fan, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I actually read cookbooks. Well, just this cookbook. I've never done it with any other before. So enjoy. And eat to your heart's (and stomach's) desire!

Giving and Getting

2011-03-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

I hope you read my post on Japan and how to donate. If not, then go here.

Hopefully within the next few weeks I can get together with a few other women in my ward and put together some quilts that we can donate. I will make sure to post what we do.

In the meantime, have you donated? If so then visit I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar. She is offering a free pattern and tutorial for making an amazing purse if you've donated to help those in Japan.

Sunday Morning Goodness - Oops

2011-03-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

Please disregard this post. I was updating labels on all of my posts and somehow this one ended up jumping to 1 year later in the post lineup. It's a good post, just not a new one!

One of Jordan's favorite things to do is pick out Katie's outfits, especially on Sundays. This one he was particularly proud of. Overall this was just a good Sunday morning and one of those very happy days!

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome - Update

2011-03-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

So, it's been almost a month now since we went to the G.I. specialist in St. George. If you will remember, he prescribed a medication that was meant to stop Katie's "cycle" of throwing up every night for two weeks.

I'm happy to say that the medicine works!!! She has not thrown up even once since we started the medicine. For those with similar symptoms, the medication she is on is Cyproheptad. I'm pretty sure it's the generic version though. We give it to her once at night before she goes to sleep because it makes her sleepy (not complaining about that side effect!).

I can't even begin to explain how happy my healthy baby makes me. It's wonderful to see her eating good food and know that it's actually being used in her body now. She's gaining weight and is much happier, especially at night.

Katie's follow-up appointment is in two weeks and I'll keep you all updated on any new developments. The truth is though, I feel very confident that we've beaten this and I look forward to a happy baby and sleeping through the night for a long time now!

Japan - What Can We Do?

2011-03-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but ever since the tsunami hit Japan I have not been able to stop thinking about it. My heart aches for the people over there, and I cry for those who have lost loved ones. Who have lost everything really.

But what can I do? Right after I learned what had happened, I brought Ben and Katie together and we said a prayer (Jordan was at work already). I told Ben that there were people who were hurt, they had very bad owies. I told him that lots of people were scared, broken, and lost. And then we prayed for them because I knew it was the only thing I could do at that moment. Ever since then Ben has asked almost every day about those people. "Broken people okay? People with owies?" Even in his sweet innocence he worries about others.

The truth is, I worry too. I think about individuals, not just the country as a whole, but mothers and fathers, sons and daughters who are crying and hurt. What can I do?

With our limited resources, Jordan and I decided to make a small contribution to LDS Philanthropies. Even if you're not Mormon, this is a great way to donate your money to help those in need of humanitarian aid. They guarantee that 100% of your donation is used to help. There are no administrative costs deducted whatsoever. I like knowing that even our small amount can help others. If you want to donate as well, please go here.

Just consider spending even $10 or $20 less on your next grocery store visit. That money could easily be donated online instead.
Also, there is a great need for quilts over in Japan right now. Money donated can be used to buy food and water and other medical necessities. That money is used to focus on the very basics and help the largest number of people. However, LDS Philanthropies is also looking for good quilts. You can learn more about making quilts here, or to help make humanitarian kits please visit here. It is very cold in Japan right now, and many people could use a warm blanket.

I hope and pray that we will all stretch outside ourselves at this time. There is so much good we can do, especially when we do it together. And we have to remember that there is always hope to be found. This morning I read a sweet story about a 4-month old baby being found in the rubble. This little girl has held on for 3 days and is now reunited with her parents. It truly is a miracle. Here is the full story.

Let us reach out and help others and we can help more miracles happen.

Ben's Backpack

2011-03-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Every time I see that picture I laugh out loud. His "smiles" for the camera are just so freaking hilarious! And this picture just sums up my sweet boy so well: lovable goofball!

We are currently in the process of potty training. I think that it's less training and more "go whenever you feel like it." Since he used to run away screaming from the toilet every time we tried to put him on, I'm not pushing too hard. What is his favorite thing to do there? Not go potty. It's singing and talking.

Ben is also working hard on learning to read. He knows all of his letters and numbers (up to 20) now. So our next project is helping him remember the sounds the letters make. I'm so proud of him! He loves to point out letters he sees around the house, while we're driving, shopping at the store, and reading books at night.

Ben wants YOU to know that he loves you! In fact, he loves everything right now! He spends a lot of time each day kissing things. He kisses Mama, he kisses Daddy, he kisses Katie. He kisses the walls, the floor, the table, the couch, the tv, and all of his toys. He'll even blow kisses to random strangers sometimes. He is just a loving kid! He also likes to say hello to people as we walk through the store, which is great because it always makes them smile, and I hope it makes their day happier.

Almost every day I'm amazed at how big he's getting, both physically and mentally. This little guy is just growing up! In fact, his birthday is only two months away. Can you believe that he's going to be 3 years old?! Well, I certainly can't.

Here is a video of Ben on the potty. Don't worry, it doesn't show anything! But he loves to jabber away and is pretty darn cute so I wanted to include it (mostly for the Grandmas).

Reminder: March Book Club

2011-03-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Have you started our book for March yet?

This book is great! I really enjoyed reading it, and might even consider re-reading if I hadn't loaned out my copy.

We have a little less than two weeks until our discussion starts on the Cross-Country Book Club. Plenty of time to read, enjoy, and join in the fun!

So what are you waiting for?!

100th Post!

2011-03-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

Wow, I feel like I should be part of a special club or something. Or not. Actually, most of the blogs I read hit 100 posts in less than a year, so I'm not really all that cool or anything ;)

However, I am pretty proud of myself.

I've been trying to think of what I could write about for this milestone post. After a lot of thought, I've decided to tell all of you why I blog. It's not exciting, but it is important, to me at least.

When I first started blogging it was only because my mom kept bugging me to do so. I was still pregnant with Ben and I really saw no reason to blog. I didn't feel like there was much to tell anyone, and the whole idea of blogging seemed kind of ridiculous to me. However, I started. Guess I still need to learn how not to give in to peer pressure.

So what was that 1st post about? A warm shower. You can read all of the excitement here.

So okay, I started off pretty lame. It got a little better once I had a baby to blog about. But at the same time I still wasn't really interested in blogging so my posts were hit and miss. After Katie was born I did really well for a while but then I got overwhelmed with babies, moving, and life and stopped posting for almost a year.

But this year I have gotten a new desire to blog. Why? Well I'm not really sure, but I do know that it has been a very good outlet for me. I enjoy seeing when people read my blog, and I enjoy sharing new and old things with all of you. Blogging helps me clear my head and feel connected to people.

Over the past few months I have really come to love blogging.

There is one post, by The Pioneer Woman, that has spurred me forward in blogging: Ten Important Things I've Learned About Blogging. I think this has helped me to keep going, even when I don't feel like it.

So thanks for being here, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the ride!