Better than Disneyland???!!!

Last week my kids brought home one of those "getaway today" pamphlets fom school. We took the kids to Disneyland last year, and they talk about it often. They would like to go back, and they ask regularly.
So we were talking about our camping plans for next week. We love to camp, and Zion's National Park is by far one of our favorite places to go. I knew my kids enjoyed going there too, but apparently I underestimated just how much.

Our oldest was sitting by us looking at the getaway today pamphlet. Out of nowhere she says, "Disneyland was fun, but Zion's is better." Our other children were all quick to agree with her comment...

Did I hear that right? Camping in Zion's is better than going to a themepark and staying in a hotel???

Maybe we ARE doing something right after all....

pushing buttons

There are days when I think bedtime doesn't come quick enough. Usually this is the case when my patience has been brought to its breaking point by one or more of my kids. Yesterday was one of those days...

I was planning on an earlier bedtime anyway, to make up for late bedtime on Monday night. We went to the Utah State Fair and didn't get home until 9:30, so yesterday everyone woke up a little grumpier than normal. This is never a good way to start the day. To make matters worse, my 7 y.o. made it his days mission to push ALL of my buttons.

This post would be way too long if I listed everything, so we will fast forward to my breaking point. If it wasn't enough that he came home with a note from his teacher about how he misbehaved in class, and fought me tooth and nail through homework, he can't remember where he left his only pair of good shoes. Then came the bugging everyone at the dinner table. And then my breaking point. After dinner he was asked to go get into the bathtub. Amazingly he did it without complaining, or getting distracted along the way. I went in to remind him to wash his hair, which he regularly forgets to do. I reminded him to make sure he only used a little on his hair. Somehow this translated to "pour the entire bottle of shampoo into the water, along with half a bottle of conditioner, both of which had barely been used. Next, add in half a bottle of shower gel, and then agitate well to create bubbles. Of course, don't forget to forget to wash your hair...."

When I went in to tell him to get out, and discovered this, I blew my top. I pulled him out of the tub, swatted his behind, and sent him straight to bed.

After 20 minutes we sat down for family prayer. He came up the stairs with tears streaming down his face and told me sorry, and that he would pay for the stuff he wasted, to which I responded, " you bet your hiney you are paying for it, and you are grounded too." He gave me a hug and a kiss, and all was forgotten....

The fall harvest

This time of year is definitely one of my favorite. The perfect temperatures, the colors, the activities, and of course, the harvest. I love finally being able to partake of the "fruits" of my labors.
This week I will be spending a great deal of time canning peaches from my 3 trees in my backyard. It is hard work, my legs and back will be killing me by the time I finish, but I will be enjoying these throughout the whole year.
Soon I will be doing tomatoes and pears as well. By the time I am finished, I will have shelves full of colorful food to look at and enjoy.

The canning thing is contageous. My friend Diana is proof of that. Several years back, she canned peaches with my mom and I for her first time. Last year she did some tomatoes, and when she came for a visit, I sent her home with 3 or 4 boxes of peaches out of my storage room.
She has officially caught the bug now. So much so, that I think it may have affected her brain!

Diana, you crazy lady. I love you dearly, and admire your ambition and drive. You have put me to shame with your canning this last week. Way to go!

By the way...are you dead yet?

my darling friend Diana...and her influence on me.

I have this adorable friend, Diana, who is constantly calling me for what she calls "advice from a Goddess". For some unknown reason, she seems to think that I am some kind of expert in all things relating to life. While I like to think that I have the ability to help others, in no way do I think I am anything close to an expert in anything. As a stay at home mom of 5 kids under the age of 12, I am just trying to do a good job in life, and in raising my kids to be decent and good human beings.

So, having given that bit of info, I have recently decided to start a blog, to make it easier to connect with those who are trying to do the same things. You see, my philosophy in life is this: we are all here to help each other be better, and to make the best use of the resources we have in this life, for good.

On this blog I will share my experiences in the everday mundane things(laundry, homework, housework, and such), to our family adventures. I hope that in doing this I will help someone out there to save time, money, energy.....or inspire others to get out and help those around them.

Please feel free to ask questions or make suggestions. I will occasionally do giveaways when I find something great I want to share.