Paradise Found

Play group Inflateable pool party!

2012-02-01T11:19:00.009-07:00

yeah... I know... it's February... it's taken me 6 months to FINALLY import these photos off my camera..... believe me I've been looking EVERYWHERE for the USB camera cable! (didn't actually find it, but AJ got a spiffy new camera that came with!*Yay*) Looking at these pictures make me pine for summer.....

yay for 2011!

2011-12-31T13:46:00.001-07:00

2011 here’s looking back,
Lots has happened as we try to keep track.
Ellie lights up the room with her laugh and bright smile,
She’s loves attention, singing & dancing all the while.
Treson has started an obsession with space,
Cooking and baking; he’s all over the place.
Mandy’s been busy raising this crew,
Improving our home and her Etsy store too.
AJ’s back to school for his Masters Degree,
His work’s sent him to China and he trains employees.

Stay tune for next year
Same dog-time
Same dog-channel.
The Cliffords will be back,
sporting our flannel.

backyard camp out and first tutorial: Fail

2011-08-16T09:06:00.015-06:00

Our poor ward camp out- I don't think more than a handful of people were able to make it- including us. We were all set and revved to go, but things didn't work out in the end....My sweet husband didn't want to disappoint our son, so we set up camp in our backyard and had a wonderful night under the stars with the comforts of home close by!

I found a cute little dress on pintrest and thought it would be fun to do a tutorial on how to make it for you all- I took a lot of pictures and tried to be meticulous to avoid reader's confusion... but I messed up quite a but and did some sly make-shift cover ups, but the dress turned out cute none-the-less:

Fourth of July!

2011-07-05T11:11:00.017-06:00

This was probably one of the best we've had- no pressure to go any where or to impress anyone but ourselves. We set off to buy fire works (yay for aerials!)and then to the parade. We caught a few pieces of candy, took a couple handouts and waved to a couple of beauty queens. Had lunch, a quick nap, and then moseyed over to the park for their 4th of July festival. We played some games, Treson got to ride some rides, and we came back home in time for dinner. THE BEST RIBS I'VE EVER MADE! along with corn on the cob, rolls, chips and grapes! perfect picnic food(if only it wasn't raining- I'm sure we would have had a blast on our lawn!) We watched a movie and then joined our neighbors outside to light fireworks in the street. I think my favorite was a "tropical fish" fountain from Black Cats. it was pretty awesome how we so many people were lighting aerial fireworks- I hope these stay legal!

Ellie's Birthday party

2011-05-24T10:01:00.014-06:00

Ellie's Pretty in Pink- Handsome in Blue party went really well! The photo shoot was a blast and the pictures turned out great! (Thanks Ny!) I made Ellie a cute little cupcake tower, but I didn't take any pictures of it cuz the icing got really messy and it didn't look that good... :(- but it still tasted amazing! We did get a funny video of her eating cake on her actual birthday though.

Garden Party

2011-05-15T20:36:00.002-06:00

I had a great time chatting it up and enjoying yummy food. Brunch consisted of chicken salad sandwiches, fresh fruit, spinach salad, lemonade, and cake. I ended up frosting the cakes with whipped cream rather than butter cream because both of the cake recipes (top:orange dreamsicle, bottom:margarita) instructed so. The pineapple flowers turned out well but were more so of a garnish. And to top it all off the guests were sent home with strawberry plant party favors!

I'm so lucky to have such fun-spirited friends:D Thanks for the fun memories!

Happy Birthday Baby Doll!

2011-05-01T20:36:00.011-06:00

last night recap

2011-04-22T08:53:00.003-06:00

A special thanks to Anne and Ally for coming over to sample breads and make "washi" eggs with me!

here are the recipes I promised:

focaccia bread from Annie's eats

and citrus pound cake (everyday food mag- may '11 issue):

(ingredients at room temp)
2 sticks of butter +more for pan
1 cup sugar
1 ts vanilla xtract
5 large eggs
zest of one orange and two lemons
1 Tb of orange juice
2 ts lemon juice
1/2 ts salt
1 1/2 cups flour +more for pan

preheat oven 350, butter and flour a loaf pan.
Beat butter and sugar for 7 minutes- scrap down bowl and beat for an additional minute- slowly add eggs, vanilla, and citrus zest and juice- beating well- scraping the bowl down when needed. gradually add the flour and salt until smooth- pour into loaf pan and bake at 350* for about an hour- cool on a wire rack for an hour and remove from pan and cool completely before glazing

Glaze:
1 c. powder sugar
1T lemon juice
1T orange juice
whisk together and drizzle over cake- letting it spill down the sides :D

Tres' party

2011-03-28T11:31:00.012-06:00

Treson's party was a blast!
We had a great turn out and despite the forecast said we had fine weather.
Thanks to all that came and made it extra special for Treson-boy!

now on to Ellie's Party

revampin' the birthday party

2011-03-07T11:22:00.004-07:00

My first plan for Treson's "Curious George Birthday party" was pretty amazing: duplicating the science activities that are featured after Curious George episodes. But the more and more I thought about it, the more and more it fell short. It didn't seem age appropriate and would probably leave me and other parents overwhelmed... so I found a solution....

a pretty awesome solution.

The party is still CG theme, but the activity will be taken out back-

on an inflatable bouncer!

I just got an awesome deal for a bouncer, and I'm so excited we get to use it for Tre's party. I think the kids will have a blast! all I have to worry about now is the ice cream cake :D

Found one!

2011-03-05T09:39:00.003-07:00

spark of inspiration

2011-02-28T15:28:00.004-07:00

I've been somewhat subconsciously planning a tea party for the past year or so, mini sandwiches, hats, the whole deal...but nothing has really given me the swift kick in the butt until now

isn't this dried pineapple flower darling?!?

So it's decided then. I'm having a "Mother's Day Tea Party."- kids welcome. The cake will be two-tiered, dressed in cream cheese frosting, trimmed with ribbon, and embellished with clusters of pineapple flowers. (the top tier will be for the kiddos, while the mommies get the bottom tier.)
I don't want to give anything else away, but it's going to be amazing. All I need to do now is figure out the invites and find an awesome hat!

best of both worlds

2011-01-31T09:37:00.004-07:00

We just had a money matters lesson in one of our Sunday school classes yesterday. They suggested the classic envelope technique where you divvy up the months income into your expected expenditures. You are apt to spend less when you actually have to see the cash leave your hands.

That's smart and all but I would be terrified to loose my envelopes or get my purse stolen. Cash is cash and when it's gone it's gone.
I'm a partial to credit cards myself. We pretty much use our card for everything. We're still smart and pay it off every week thus avoiding interest and late payments, and it doesn't hurt that we get reward points with our visa either! If you loose your card or if someone steals your number, you can call in for a replacement or sign an affidavit for the fraudulent charges. But I must admit, it IS easy to get carried away with a credit card. (the whole "have now and pay later" mantra)

So I got to thinking... I want to actually try living by a budget (vs. just drawing one up and glancing at it from time to time) but still have the security of a credit card, and then it hit me:
Keep the envelope idea, but instead of putting cash in them, put a 3x5 card in them with the designated amount on top. Throughout the month you can subtract amounts spent from the remaining total, and still use your credit card to make the purchases.

This plan still requires more effort and will power than the cash technique, but it's a great tool to keep track of your budget better.

that's a wrap folks. I hope this suggestion helps!

talking with your mouth full

2011-01-19T21:21:00.002-07:00

Maybe it's the freshness a new year brings, but it feels like I need to tackle my projects and get after some hefty new ones! Frankly, I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew, but I really want to blog about my lofty ambitions to you all. :D

I just decided that I want to write a series of children's books- this cute little name popped into my head last night/morning (4 am ish... yeah..... that's morning...)along with a funny/cute idea. However- now that I'm fully awake, that funny/cute idea seems off the wall and weird :S
BUT I am keeping the name of the main character. So we'll see where it goes from here.

I really want to start painting and designing my kitchen. I've been wanting to paint over this off-white/cream that's been smothering my kitchen with a bright fresh white on top, and a nice warm ash gray on bottom. Do some chair rail, some wainscoting action in the dinning room, and have a fresh blue accent wall by my cabinets. FINALLY finish the floors and maybe/maybe not take out the existing cabinetry and start all over in that department....hehehe (AJ's really loving me right now :D)

some more sewing projects, a couple birthday parties to plan, more yard work and landscaping, and last and not least: building a toy chest for Treson's 3rd birthday. Yes, even though I thought of this idea... I really don't intend to build it.. the sneaky sly part is getting AJ to do it for me! (*snicker snicker*)
so shhh! don't hint at this while he's around! :)

Ask and you shall recieve

2011-01-06T14:03:00.013-07:00

here you go Daddy-o!

thank you again for the camera!

A look at the year 2010

2011-01-03T12:50:00.007-07:00

It started in January, with a change of the salary
No more bad bugs to monitor, with AJ’s new job as auditor
Two certifications in one year, is a feat that not many hear
As the new Mission leader in our ward, he no longer has time to be bored

Treson turned two; we went to the "zoo" (aquarium)
Potty training is his new thing, we’re so happy we could sing
Planes, trains, and automobiles, he loves anything with rolling wheels
We’d test his I.Q. but he’s only two
He loves letters, colors and arts, 'cuz he’s got his mother’s smarts

After having Treson we wanted more, in May our family went from three to four
Ellie’s cute, she’s cuddly, she’s pretty in pink, with her in our lives we’re all now in sync.
She can say Momma & Dadda & loves her shoes, sitting up & pierced ears are both recent news

Mommy’s had decent sleep since Ellie arrived, without Aj’s help she wouldn’t have survived
Voted by Daddy as the best Mom of the year, we’re so glad she chose this as her career
We’re lucky to have her eye for design, our garden and house are looking quiet fine
She’s into landscaping, when it’s warm she’ll be outside, with Treson helping in the dirt by her side

This year’s been great with many memories to share,
Here’s to another year, now you all take care.

a very Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T14:45:00.007-07:00

This Christmas we stayed at home and celebrated with our little family. It was nice, laid back, and with very little structure (a nice breather for someone like me!). We decided to tote the kiddies to Temple square to see the lights on Christmas eve, and had Treson hand out clementines to those in want of citrus fruit.

we came back home, opened our Christmas eve presents (aka jammies), gave Treson the milk and cookies to set out for Santa, and sent him off to bed. The next morning, I put cinnamon rolls in the oven, AJ woke the Treson-boy, and I got the video camera posed and ready to capture the magic.

Christmas is so much more fun when you have little ones to open up gifts on Christmas day. Treson was particularity joyous to see that the milk and cookies had been enjoyed by Santa, his bulging stocking, and wooden sled from G&G Wakamatsu.

I for one was spoiled this year by a wonderful husband and my parents. I couldn't have asked for more than the smiles of my children on Christmas morning, and that's exactly what I got- a loving husband who loves our children, and a shiny new camera to take those priceless moments :D

(shoes- a perfect mobile for this Ellie-girl!)

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!
stay tuned for our Christmas letter and vlog posts of recent events :D

so in love!

2010-10-17T19:11:00.009-06:00

when we found out we were having another child, I was secretly wanting a boy. I could remain the "queen" of my castle so to speak, and we could easily use all of our boy stuff again!(talk about economical!) I wasn't disappointed when I had a girl though, exactly the opposite in fact. We named her Krishelle, after my middle name my mom came up with, and I get to dress her up in all sorts of cute clothes! She's so affectionate and happy with brief episodes of feminine hysteria. I just can't get enough of her- she just makes me want to spoil her rotten- I literally have no choice!

failure and success

2010-10-02T22:58:00.009-06:00

Never count a discouraging result as a failure- rather it's a chance to reconsider and reformulate your plan to produce desired effects. (didn't some famous dead guy say something about the definition of insanity- expecting a different result by repeating the same actions?)

Well I've hit a wall with Treson's potty training. he was doing really REALLY well.... until he told me (after me suggesting the potty) "nnnnoo! I go in dyper." there was a short spurt of regular potty-going when I bribed him with new toys- but that died down all too soon. I'm now trying to put him in big boy underwear (I call them big boy panties) with a diaper over top. I'm figuring- this way he'll feel the consequences of not going in the potty and there will be very little cleanup on my part! Friends have told me it's nothing to push- and he'll go when his ready.... and I'm being careful not to- but I just hope this little trick will act as a catalyst.

and now for the success!
ok so maybe there are a couple...
Ellie is sitting up now- all-by-herself! It'll last 3 minutes tops (enough time for me to snap a couple shots). she absolutely loves it. She loves to view, and toy accessibility, and most of all our reaction to it all!

Treson wrote his first "T" the other day!!! by the time I got the camera there was some additions- including the dirt.... but you can kinda see it in the middle of the picture

and last- (and probably least)... I made a perfect fortune cookie- first time ever!

I'll throw this picture in for good measure. I love you AJ :D

two things

2010-09-19T16:32:00.005-06:00

Completely unrelated- but just bare with me.

Baby hair. You know those little wisps that babies start to grow? Being a mother of two, both of which had little to no hair when they were born, I know we treasure every little bit of hair on our baby's head.- maybe even to the point of desperation. I was so desperate for Treson's hair to grow in, that he ended up with some funky side wispies (see photos of last years lagoon trip!) I eventually did buckled down and took a razor to his head.
Well when does this kind of desperation become too much? I'll tell you when! When your baby starts to resemble a contestant of "the ugliest dog contest"!
I think it's more embarrassing for a little girl to have straggly wispies than to have short hair. point made.

Pizza sauce. I'm never buying another jar of pizza sauce from the store again! I've always dreaded making homemade pizza because the sauce they sold at the store tasted so bad. So we had friends over last night for dinner, and I wasn't sure if they would be down with our usual ranch dressing/white sauce pizzas, so I decided to do something different. Come to find out Tyler Florance has an AMAZING recipe for pizza sauce that's simplistic and incredibly delicious! I'm so excited for my tomatoes to ripen now! AJ won't touch a tomato with a ten foot poll- but he sure love this pizza sauce! I'm defiantly making a stock pot full when my tomatoes come in! (and reserve some for a little sundried action for myself)

a lot of catching up to do.....

2010-09-07T21:05:00.010-06:00

The fact that a post from last year shares the same page as this says a lot- so here are some updates: The condensed version for your liking.

Got pregnant

bought a house

Paint and decorated said house

AJ got a better paying job within the same company

Did a P&G commercial (ok... fine... so I was just an extra- but I got $200! maybe I'll get the next gig I audition for....)

We fixed up our yard and stained our deck and pergola

delivered a beautiful baby girl - natural. no meds. not even Tylenol.

turned 25

and potty training the Treson boy

I think that sums it up

AJ's new favorite dinner dish

2010-09-07T19:07:00.001-06:00

I came across a lovely recipe from Annie's eats for homemade pita bread -and after a girls night of making pita-pizzas (and watching the finale of Bachelorette), I'm officially obsessed! I make these puffy addictions at least three times a month now.
I had a fantastic chicken salad recipe tucked away somewhere- so I thought I'd pair two bits of heaven to create this:

The result: "Sweet Meat" (AJ's FAVORITE dinner dish) was officially unseated by Chicken pita pockets.
I'm not going to lie- making pita pockets does take time- but it's time well rewarded- (and what else am I suppose to do all day!?!?)

*baker's side note- because I'm using "active dry yeast" I soften it in the warm water instead of mixing it into the flour. and because of the high altitude (SLC,UT) I only use 2 tsp of yeast.

Holiday Chicken Salad

4 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions (or 2tbs of chives)
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup mayo
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt

Mix first five ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix mayo, paprika, and salt. Fold into chicken mix.

12 servings.

you're welcome and enjoy!

Frugalista

2010-02-24T14:20:00.003-07:00

I'm pretty proud of how frugal I've become over the past couple years. I think it all started in college when my parents cut the funding line and tossed me out to sea so I could keep afloat myself. (my dad was bishop at the time and was getting frustrated when he had to deal with grown adults- his age- still being financially dependent on their parents). I must say, I was spoiled rotten the first couple years of college- all expenses paid for college in Hawaii my first semester, outdoor adventure college classes when I was off track, room/board, books, food($50/week!!!- yeah just for one person!) and a study abroad tour to Central America!
The semesters following- I sold my car, took out a student loan, and *gasp* actually had to find a job!!!! (jk- I actually have really good work ethic and was notorious for juggling 3-4 jobs during the summer months- but I never had to work and go to school.) I was completely completely on my own!
it was awesome!
yeah it would have been nice to be coddled all through college, but I really learned a lot from it! what a great asset to bring to a marriage and family!

I still have a $50 weekly food budget- but now it's for 3 people. I have found a lot of local resources that have helped me save money, and I've learn quite a few tricks I would like to pass on to you now:

Freecycle!- it's a yahoo group you can join for free where you get email notifications of what people are giving away for free in your area! or if you need something specific you can post a "wanted" note, or you can get rid of items that you don't want any more. ( I recommend getting a separate yahoo email account just for this because of it's popularity)

Robin Miller!(foodnetwork.com)- I love her dinner ideas! she'll take leftovers from one delicious meal and turn it into another the next night! an example I love using- taking the leftover beef from a yummy roast(see recipe below) -shred it, add it to wilted coleslaw bag mix (shredded cabbage and carrots!) in a skillet and pour hoisin sauce on top! serve with rice and lettuce for Chinese lettuce wraps!

DI!- Deseret industries is a great place to find barley used shoes for little kids- esp church shoes! ones you would pay $35+ for are $3 bucks tops! I must agree that you do take a chance when it comes to second hand stores, but I've scored really big finding name brand clothes in premo condition for $2-$3!

CDC!- a local favorite. the Community Development Corporation. (if you don't live in SLC UT, there are other places like this- like Habitat for humanity restore, or other home improvement warehouses where donated items from contractors are sold) we got our paint for $1 a gallon, and chair-rail trim $5 for 8 feet! they have tons of doors (indoor and outdoor), toilets, door pulls, blinds, and counter tops. we even got a gorgeous bathroom vanity for $150- that's half the store price! this too can be a hit or miss- because they don't have a regular inventory.

Ice cream!- !?!?!? wha? yeah I know- it sounds weird but AJ and I love our ice cream- we value it so much we treat it like money. when we're trying to decide whether or no to buy something- we give it it's ice cream value. for example- if movie tickets were up on the block (approx $16 total)it's equivalency in ice cream would be 5 cartons plus a buck left over. Take that same buck and wait a couple weeks and see the movie at home with Redbox! we would rather have 5 whole cartons and a redbox movie than to watch it in the theaters.

shop the grocery circular!: I make my grocery list and weekly menu from what's on sale that week, and with my list in hand, it makes it easier for me to avoid impulse buying. I learned not to buy canned food at Costco cuz you can get way better deals from the local grocery store when they have sales!(plus they have more variety than Costco!) I also love the freezer- if I buy a super value pack of meat, I'll potion them out and freeze the ones I don't use that week. nuts do very well in the freezer, as well as extra sauces. I hate only using half a thing of marinara sauce, forgetting about it, and finding it later all fuzzy in the back of the fridge.

and last but not least

paying off debt! it's interesting how we all go into a loan and not really look at the interest paid each month. we'd rather pay the little extra plus the principal blindly than to actually sit down and figure the figures out. we've had our new car for a little less than a year now- and have almost paid 1,000 bucks in interest! yeah- we still have 11,000 more of our principal to go. It would be nice to apply our tax refund and extra money to updating our house and renovating the kitchen, but believe it or not our outdated house isn't charging us interest for not getting new quartz counter tops or painting the house. The absence of toys and luxury doesn't charge us! Paying the principal faster than scheduled out will actually save us quite a bit in the future- that plus the added amount you payed monthly for the loan! yes our house color is ugly and so are our counter tops, but they are just cosmetic and still do their job. I'll have to grin and bare for a while longer. :)

If you have frugalista ideas- please share!

slow-cooker pot roast

2009-11-01T19:06:00.003-07:00

we just finished a wonderful pot roast- it was juicy, succulent, and savory!
I've done this recipe before but using the oven instead of the slow-cooker and let me tell you- what a difference!!!!

ok now down to the good stuff:

1T cornstarch
8 med carrots cut into thirds
2 med onions cut into wedges
salt and pepper
1 beef chuck roast 3 lbs (we actually used a cross rib roast tonight)
2T Worcestershire sauce

in a little bowl add cornstarch and 2 T of cold water. mix until "dissolved." toss the veggies with the cornstarch mixture in the slow-cooker. Salt and pepper and sear both sides of the roast. place the roast on top of the veggies and sprinkle W. sauce on top. cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.

once done, turn off the heat and let rest for about 15 minutes. serve with juices!

yeah way easy, but still delicious! I hope you all enjoy!

most requested recipes and a hair cut

2009-07-28T20:01:00.006-06:00

Here's a little collection of recipes- copies of which have been repetitively requested. Even though I would love to take the credit of formulating such flavorful awesomeness, these are not original "Mandy Cliffords".

I hope you enjoy!

Meatball Soup from KSL.com studio5 recipes
Ingredients:

* 1 pound ground beef
* ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 teaspoons dried basil
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon pepper
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Soup Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 small-medium onion, chopped
* 1 celery rib, finely chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 5 cups chicken stock
* 1 can ( 14.5 - 15 ounces) pureed tomatoes (
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup pasta

Method:

Combine meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls (about 4 dozen). In a skillet over medium-low heat, pour a small amount of vegetable oil. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes turning often to brown all sides until the middles are only slightly pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

Soup Directions: Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat, add onion, celery and garlic. Cook 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add chicken stock, tomatoes and spices. Bring soup to a simmer over medium-low heat, then add pasta. When pasta is almost cooked, add meatballs and cook for 3 minutes. Serve with bread sticks. Serves 6.

mandy's 2 cents: just the meatballs themselves are out of this world!!!

Creamy Potato Soup from KSL.com stuido5 recipes
Ingredients:

* 3 14 oz cans beef broth
* 1 cup minced onion
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
* 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
* 4 cups cream or milk (cream works best)
* ½ cup butter
* ½ cup all-purpose flour
* ¼ cup white cooking wine
* 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
* ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
* Created Parmesan or cheddar cheese, for garnish

Method:

In a large soup pot, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, potatoes, and carrots. Boil, covered, for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cream. In a separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave on high power. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Once roux is mixed well, add slowly to hot soup, stirring vigorously with a wire whisk until roux is gone. Bring to a slow rolling boil over medium heat. Soup will thicken to a nice creamy texture. Add cooking wine, seasoned salt, and parsley. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese.

Serves 8 to 10

mandy's two cents: I just made this soup with chicken broth instead of beef- and it was amazing!!! I think i like that variation a whole lot better!

Chicken Puffs from Kaulene Kunz (former roommate)

8 oz cream cheese
4 Tb butter (divided)
2 T milk
chives or green onions chopped- to taste
3 chicken breasts (cooked!)
crushed croutons
2 cylinders of croissants
chicken gravy

pre heat: 350

mix cream cheese, milk, 2 Tb butter, chicken, and chives together, unroll each triangle and spoon out chicken mixture into the center- fold up into a relative square* just so the guts aren't coming out. melt the rest of the butter. roll each in the butter and then crushed croutons, bake for 20 minutes pour gravy over top. I like to serve it with rice pilaf or regular rice is good as well.

mandy's 2 cents: I just eyeball the cream cheese-butter-milk-chicken- combo just until it looks like a perfect ratio of each. I also like to poach the chicken (chicken+ water+ a pot- bring to a boil- reduce and simmer with it covered for 5 mins and remove and let sit for 12. remove and let cool)
and to be super technical: * the best way to fold a square from a triangle is to place the dollop of chicken near the base of the right triangle- fold the short side up on it's self toward the 90 degree angle- then fold the long side on it's self toward the 90 degree angle- then pinch the now center slit (the hypotenuse folded on it's self) closed- ta da! nice little package.

and last but defiantly not least:

Bread maker rolls: From Terra Skousen

1 cup and 2 Tbs of hot water
1/4 cup sugar
5-6 tbs of butter
1 egg beaten
1 tsp of salt
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tbs of powdered milk
2 tsp of yeast

add the ingredients respectively in the bread maker. run the machine on the dough cycle. roll out on to a floured surface and use a wide mouth glass or cup to cut out rounds- if you have biscuit cutters- by all means use them! Fold the rounds around bits of the remaining dough. place on a buttered rimed baking sheet- cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes. bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. perfection is in the oven! I seriously make these rolls so much- I actually have the ingredients and their proper measurements memorized by heart!

well that's all for today folks- don't forget to watch the video of Tre trying to eat grapes with no hands and him crying during his first haircut (well technically it's not his first- but the other one didn't count cuz it was a failed attempt.

Treson baby!!!

2009-07-04T11:18:00.014-06:00

here are some recent pictures for you all!

getting ready for a fun filled afternoon at Lagoon!

Tre's favorite ride- the dadda! ;)

getting ready for the merry-go-round except it was more like the scary-go-round to Treson. he would have loved to run around and play on it with out it turned on

he LOVED the boat!!!!

now for the plane!

Tre's first roller coaster- to say the least- he didn't like it very much

"out of the way!!!"

vrummm vrumm!!!

exhausted after riding the rides

Tre is wearing his cousin's bikini like a hat while he's doing a hula dance

our little fam in front of Multnomh falls in OR

wearing mommy's heels

in a drawer... sigh.....it's hard to keep him out of things

first time feeding himself!

Please check out my web site

2009-06-10T09:27:00.001-06:00

Please check out my web site, I am trying to build a portfolio to apply for a new job. This is the first in a couple of web site that I will be making.

It is only a mock up and not a real business site.

Comments on color, layout, content, etc would be helpful.

Thanks,

http://ajclifford.tri-citytitle.com/dance/dancesite/index.html

Oregon Trip

2009-06-07T17:45:00.005-06:00

mikes icecream and wind surfing! it doesn't look like we're going that fast at all but then again you need to take in consideration the camera point of view and the zoom in factor- and figure in the low wind and the place were were surfing. we were in a "baby pool" teaching area and not out in the treacherous Columbia gorge. we probably would have died if we were out on the river!

My Grandpa's old orchard.
the owner now had a lot of good things to say about him. He said my Grandpa was burly man with the biggest biceps he's ever seen.

yay for more home videos!

2009-04-13T08:04:00.009-06:00

Treson's birthday party bits at lats!!!! I hope you all enjoy!

musical tubs!

Tub races!- Treson got scared and started crying- sad but still kinda funny

birthday cake time!!!

easter EGG HUNT

2009-04-11T11:08:00.002-06:00

There's a picture of me when I was about 7 months old (mom please correct me if I'm wrong)where I'm in a cute spring outfit with a little bonnet crawling in the grass with a pretty plastic egg in hand. The epitome of Easter morning. So I couldn't help myself when I dressed Treson up and scourered the internet for places and times for easter egg hunts around town. I was so excited to get pictures of him bending over and delicately picking up a plastic egg and putting it in our little baggie- we even practiced in our living room before we left!

When we got there, the green field in my fantasy was replaced by a roller skating rink... surrounded by a swarm of closely packed parents. we stood waiting in the appropriate section (0-3 yr olds) behind heads of other parents for about 15 minutes. There must have been a 1:32 still on the clock when the circle collapsed in and the mad rush started. I guess a toddler was too jazzed by their parents pep talk that they ran in and started grabbing- other parents ran in themselves clawing at the floor. I was trying to carefully get into the rink to set Treson down somewhere to pick up an egg, but the ground was sprawled with mothers with baskets already half full. I saw a father coming back from the middle and with a disappointed look on his face and say "it looks like they are all gone." I kinda sighed and reciprocated a weary smile understanding that his kid didn't get any eggs either.

well to say the least- I was disappointed. More in the mothers than with the situation. It took me awhile to get over my childish disappointment and be comforted by the fact that Treson wasn't upset and didn't know (or care) what he missed. I know my husbands going to hate me for my charity, but I started giving these mothers the benefit of the doubt. Maybe this was the only Easter they could provide for their kids and they wanted to reuse the eggs for tomorrow morning.
.... I'm still trying to think of something positive that I got out of being there but it's hard to find. bit of wasted time I guess, and it wasn't pleasant to be in a mob of desperate parents. I guess we'll stick to hunting in our own yard tomorrow; we'll post some of those Kodak moment photos along with video of birthday party tomorrow.

yum

2009-03-06T18:13:00.002-07:00

I JUST finished a scrumptious dinner (I'm still licking my lips!!!) and HAD to post the recipe.

it's Mac and cheese!
I bet you all think that's the only thing we eat around here...

well I actually got this recipe from a (must I say High Class) restaurant that I used to work at back East. The Fat Canary- and do they know what they're doing or what!!

sauce:
2 1/2 T butter
3 1/2 T flour
2 C half and half (divided)
2 C aged cheddar grated (I used regular med. cheddar and it was still delicious!)
1/2 t salt
grinds of pepper
1 C chopped scallion (again I substituted with shallots)

start the macaroni (2 cups) in salted boiling water and move on to another sauce pot for the ruex.
start off with the butter in sauce pot on moderate heat until bubbly, add the flour and whisk well. cook off the flour until foaming (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 C of half and half whisking vigorously until there are no lumps. Return to the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes- thinning the sauce every now and then with a dribble of half and half when it gets thick. Whisk in the salt and pepper and remove from heat. Incorporate the cheddar and whisk until smooth. Drain the pasta and fold into the sauce along with the scallions.

and you thought this couldn't get any better! Ha! just wait!!!!

take a rimmed baking sheet and toss some shrimp and cherry tomatoes in some olive oil and set the oven for broil under 400 degrees. keep the shrimp shells on and season with salt or old bay seasoning and broil for 5 minutes- or until the tomatoes have burst. turn the shrimp over about half way through. it makes such a huge difference when the shrimp shells stay on- oh wow! and it's worth every slight delay shelling them when your eating!

Even though Treson couldn't have shrimp- he sure loved the tomatoes with this creamy version of a favorite!

I hope you enjoy!

maybe this will wet your appetie.... for mac and cheese

2009-03-03T10:48:00.008-07:00

so it kinda bums me out that not a lot of people have been commenting on our blog lately- even when I throw free stuff at you all, no one seems too enthusiastic to catch it :(
Maybe you guys were all scared of commitment or it could be that you don't have a blog to "pay it forward" on.... either way I should get over it...

So what better medium to get lost in when you're down than your children?!? I did promise cute videos did I not?

hope you enjoy!!!

oh and please leave a comment!

Pay it Forward

2009-02-27T08:14:00.002-07:00

great movie is it not? made me cry.

well this is something a bit different, the concept is there, but it's between me and the first three that comment on this blog post.

here's what you're in for- the first three people that comment on this post will receive a cute hand-mad craft (i.e. bracelet, earrings, scarf, mitten- the cutest mittens you ever saw!- etc...) then those individuals will "pay it forward" on their blogs. there is a general one month rule though- you must make the gift and pass it on within a month of committing.

so time starts now!

hurry!

go go go!

Treson boy!

2009-02-15T19:27:00.010-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted pictures of the Treson boy lately, but these should be more than enough to make up for it!

he was so excited to get a valentine from his great-grandparents

yay for cup drinking!

helping me fold laundry- aka eating socks

it's his new thing- putting chapstick or lipstick in his mouth

I know he looks 3 here... but he's really like 10 months and tall for his age

Tre and his cousin Chloe- they really look a lot alike!

here's one where he pulled the chair down on himself and was laughing about it

these are out of chronological order- but I know you won't judge.

so valentines day was fun- AJ and I went ice skating at the Olympic oval and went to dinner at Macaroni Grill (good thing for reservations!!!!)We came back to our house watched a chick flick and had fun with rose petals.

AJ made it an extraordinary week that lead up to a wonderful day spent with him. it's all about the thoughtful little things! He thinks you should let your loved one know how much you care more than just one day a year. yes I know I'm lucky :)

I hope you all enjoyed the photos- we'll post some fun videos soon!

Saturday Night Fun.

2009-02-08T15:38:00.008-07:00

So this past Saturday the 7th of Feb. We spent some time with our upstairs neighbors. Our partys get a little crazy :)

The Dye only cost 3$ so it was hard to pass up. My mustache looks really weird black. We decided Todd looks like Blackbeard or something hehe. I'm gonna shave here on Monday Night after work.

Everyone says i look like one of the Following guys:

Stan from Italian Job

Luigi

Or Groucho

Which one do you think I look like?

Don't let the picture fool you. Mandy digs it :)

happiness in my mouth!

2009-02-06T15:04:00.002-07:00

Every now and then I like to experiment with different recipes that come my way. I just had to pass this one along because it was so good!!!! I had my doubts after looking over the ingredient list- but WOW, you can't pass this one up!!!

Asian Kabobs

1 C. Mayonnaise
1/4 c. apricot preserves
1 T.soy sauce
1 T. Dijion mustard
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 t. of ground ginger

mix all of the above together and reserve 1/3 cup for dipping.
skewer shrimp and chicken (in my house- shrimp for me and chicken for my husband, everyones happy!)and brush the remaining sauce on the kabobs. grill until done(chicken takes a bit longer than the shrimp, so I would grill them first and set them aside to juice back up) serve with rice and steamed veggies with the dipping sauce along side. You've got a little piece of Heaven on Earth!

enjoy!

What sites do you check regularly?

2009-02-01T18:38:00.003-07:00

Just for fun I thought I would post some of the sites I like to visit. In no certain order.

Check them out, maybe you will find one that you will like.

Reply with some of your favorites :)

http://www.ovguide.com/index.html - A great site for finding Online Movies, games, Tv, etc...

http://www.geeksaresexy.net/ -tech, science, news and social issues for geeks :)

http://lifehacker.com/ - Life Hacking... Tips and Downloads for getting things Done.

http://artofmanliness.com/ - Fun site with random guy stuff.

http://www.popsci.com/ - Popular Science Online.

http://www.deviantart.com/ - Various artsy stuff. Especially the flash section.

http://www.tutorialized.com/ - Random Tutorials for computer stuff.

That should be good for now. Share what you like to surf on your down time :)

How will the End of the World Happen?

2009-01-25T18:23:00.001-07:00

Click here for a quick laugh.

End of Days video

Which is this page (http://www.passion-paris.com/flash.html#myreel=v790&page=d69&video=v790)

I have faith that the Flying Spaghetti Monster will defeat the Mutant Noodles and cast them in to the Tupperware Of Eternal Torment, where they shall remain until the end of time. RAmen.

Please make Sure to Read Mandys Post bellow she worked really hard to write it.

home sweet home?

2009-01-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

As some or you may know, we have been looking into buying a house. Preferably the one that we are currently living in- our stuff is here, we have great friends as neighbors… plus the fact that it’s a mother-in-law. A mother-in-law apartment is a house that has two separate living areas; two kitchens, two living rooms, two baths and two bedrooms per portion. It’s a really good set up, and we figured if we buy the house, the rent that we currently pay plus the rent that upstairs pays would easily cover the mortgage! So in short- pay the same as rent, yet own the house! Big advantages here! Like- I could paint the walls something other than white, and I could landscape the yard and have a garden! We would be rid of the horrid RV sitting in our patio that belongs to our landlords and actually have an awesome place to entertain!!!!! (Party- our place!)

Given the current situation America is in, we thought it would be a great time to buy- low prices and good incentives… well after talking with the bank and other connections, we found out that the CMA for this house is $$$ ( smiley face ). However, when talking to the landlords they wanted $$$ ( frowny face ). We still could afford the $$$ (frowny face), but we’re a little taken back that they want that much, even though it’s WORTH a lot less.

Here’s their side: they are not that motivated it sell the house- they have multiple properties, and this is just something that would help them pay their other mortgages- (they don’t even have this house up for sale). And just because the market is down doesn’t mean they have to settle for what the economy has dragged its worth down to. Back when they DID have it for sale, they originally had this house priced at $$$$ ( double-frowny face). They have dropped it considerably after learning of the CMA. They believe that even though the house currently isn’t worth $$$ ( frowny face ) that if they hold on to it longer they would easily get that amount.

It’s just a bummer, we can see their side- just because the market is down doesn’t mean that they have to sell their house at a reduced sell. But then again, no one wants to buy something that's over priced.

What do you all think? Who should give? suck-it-up and go for it? or "just say no"?

I was having fun thinking about all the cute things I could do with the yard….. *sigh*…

Nostalgia and lessons from my Childhood.

2009-01-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

Enough with all the baby and girl posts already :) I thought I would make a man post (Gurr…) for all the husbands who probably don’t read this :). As a side note, parts of this are a bit lengthy don't feel obligated to read it all. I included it because for those who do want to read it I feel that it has a lot to offer.

The term nostalgia describes a longing for the past, often in idealized form. The word is made up of two Greek roots (νόστος nostos "returning home", and άλγος algos "pain"), to refer to "the pain a sick person feels because he wishes to return to his native home, and fears never to see it again"

This past week for some odd reason I came across a remake of a song that I thought was pretty cool when I was a kid.

Oddly enough the song comes from a…. yep a computer game. (I know women roll your eyes.) The song is called Stones. Stones is a song, composed by David "Iolo" Watson for ORIGIN, inc.'s Ultima computergame series. His wife Kathleen "Gwenno" Jones wrote the lyrics. This song became one of the most famous in computer gaming history. The game actually set the precendence for games to come, but more on that later.

The Lyrics are:

Long ago ran the sun on a folk who had a dream
And the heart and the will and the power:
They moved the earth; they carved the stone; moulded hill and channeled stream
That we might stand on the wide plains of Wiltshire

Now men asked who they were, how they built and wonder why
That they wrought standing stones of such size
What was done 'neath our shade? What was pray'ed 'neath our skies
As we stood on the wyrd plains of Wiltshire

Oh what secrets we could tell if you'd listen and be still
Rid the stink and the noise from our skirts
But you haven't got the clue and perhaps you never will
Mute we stand on the cold plains of Wiltshire

Still we loom in the mists as the ages roll away
And we say of our folk, "they are here!"
That they built us and they died and you'll not be knowing why
Save we stand on the bare plains of Wiltshire

For those of you who don’t know Wiltshire is where Stonehedge is found.

So it’s a pretty cool song with a catchy beat. Not to mention the memories it brings back as a kid. Now to explain why it was so great.

To listen to the song click here.(This will navigate away from this site)

When I was a kid I played a game with my brother and sister named Ultima 6. It was actually the 6^th of 9 games made in 1990. It makes me think of some of the earlier movies where since the technology wasn’t too great entertainment had to rely more on an involving story than flashy graphics and special effects. The game stirred my imagination and creativity. To this day when I think of it I get warm fuzzies thinking of times playing the game with my brother and sister. Maybe there were better ways to spend time together or be outside but it still has fostered lasting happy memories.

Here is a little background on the game.

In the game you use a stone to travel to another world that is in need. There you make friends and together save the land.

The creator of the series Richard Garriott stated that he began writing this game when he realized (partly from letters of enraged parents) that in the earlier games immoral actions like stealing and murder of peaceful citizens had been necessary or at least very useful actions in order to win the game, and that such features might be objectionable.

The object of the game is to focus on the main character's development in virtuous life, and become a spiritual leader and an example to the people of the world of Britannia. The game follows the protagonist's struggle to understand and exercise the Eight Virtues.

As told throughout Ultima, The Eight Virtues explored in Ultima are based on Three Principles: Truth, Love, and Courage.

The Eight Virtues are:

Virtue	Principles
Honesty	Truth
Compassion	Love
Valor	Courage
Justice	Truth, Love
Sacrifice	Love, Courage
Honor	Truth, Courage
Spirituality	Truth, Love, and Courage
Humility	Independent of Truth, Love, and Courage

The relationship between the Principles and Virtues is often explained this way:

· Honesty is respect for Truth

· Compassion is Love of others

· Valor is Courage to stand up against risks

· Justice is Truth, tempered by Love

· Sacrifice is Courage to give oneself in name of Love

· Honor is Courage to seek and uphold the Truth

· Spirituality is to seek Truth, Love and Courage from one's own self and the world around

· Humility is the opposite of Pride, which is the absence of Truth, Love or Courage

Humility is the most difficult Virtue to describe, as it cannot really be understood without its Anti-Virtue, Pride. Pride merely has nothing to do with Truth, Love and Courage; Humility is similar, but rather than being a complete antithesis, it exists independently of the Principles and acts as their foundation.

Humility: The absence of Truth, Love, and Courage is Pride. Pride is the surest measure of goals never attained. Pride goeth before, Shame cometh after. This Shame leads to awareness of Humility, the root from which all Virtues grow. Humility is to strip oneself of all conceits.

Surprising the game is quite deep in philosophy in many areas. In almost every game there are virtues or principles taught. Here is another gem of knowledge I learned from the ultima games:

“All begins with the three principles: Control, Passion and Diligence. From Control springs Direction. From Passion springs Feeling. From Diligence springs Persistence. But these three virtues are no more important than the other five: Control combines with Passion to give Balance. Passion combines with Diligence to yield Achievement. And Diligence joins with Control to provide Precision. The absence of Control, Passion and Diligence is Chaos. Thus the absence of the principles points toward the seventh virtue, Order. The three principles unify to form Singularity. This is the eighth virtue, but it is also the first, because within Singularity can be found all the principles, and thus all the virtues. A circle has no end. It continues forever, with all parts equally important in the success of the whole. Our society is the same. It too continues forever, with all members (and all virtues) equal parts of the unified whole."

As you can see it is a not a typical Role Playing Game though it has its Good versus Evil, magic, quests, fantasy, etc…but really is about teaching people to be better. Imagine a game that teaches people to be noble.

quick look back at Dec 2008

2009-01-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

We finally got a camcorder to permanently capture all of Treson's baby moments- cute and embarrassing alike! here are three videos that ranked high enough on the "Cute factor" to share with all of you guys!

Treson having a blast in the tubby!

making a snowman

And now.... (drum roll please!)

the best for last (click to see the attachment)

hope that made you smile! Happy New Year!!!

sorry it's been a while

2008-12-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

yeah... i haven't been on here for a while- sorry. I've been flat on my back for the past 3 weeks- but it's turning around nicely! first I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease, then it was a tight iliopsoas (a muscle that originates at the lower spine and inserts in the femur) on my right side, but now the doc thinks it's a tight sciatic nerve on my right side- in laymen's terms- it hurts tons to sit or stand. Good thing I only have ONE little guy to crawl after!

well AJ and I have composed our Christmas card letter- check it out!

This year our family hasn’t been bored
We’re grateful for our blessings from the Lord
It all started off with a family addition
A bouncing baby boy- filled with ambition
In August Mandy finished her bachelor’s degree
While Treson tagged along for the ride- yippie!
We packed up our things and headed up north
To be closer to AJ’s job here of course
We’ve settled quite nicely up in Taylorsville
Treson’s so curious he just can’t sit still
He’s got crawling down pat and can pull himself up
We’ve tried baby proofing with not much luck
He loves to dance, give high-five, and play
With two teeth already and some more on the way
The hubby is reconstructing an arcade
Won’t he be glad he’s done once it’s made
AJ is our church’s financial clerk
Which keeps him busy when he’s not at work
Mandy has picked up a couple of things
Blogging and cute crafts with ribbon and strings
With all this extra time she has on hand
Scrapbooking is a thing that has been un-banned
This year has been great and lots of fun
We’re excited to start another one
We’ll stop rhyming now- and we mean it!
- any one have a peanut?

Hankie Prankie

2008-11-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

check out this youtube vid- it's hilarious! I was just browsing through and found this crazy crazy guy and this even crazier guardian-

2 truths and a lie

2008-10-28T12:31:00.000-06:00

Sarah tagged me to do a factoid post, but I decided to switch i up a little.

The rules...
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 2 true facts about yourself and 1 lie.
3. Tag 4 people at the end of your post by including links to their blogs.
4. Have people guess which one out of the three is false.

#1 I met Micheal Jackson when I was 7
#2 By age 18, I've gone sky diving twice
#3 I won an African-American pageant when I was 11

ha- this is so fun- I wanna do another one!

#1 I was a childhood model in Tokyo
#2 While in Australia, I was serenaded by an Aborigine on a didgeridoo
#3 I got to hike up to the top of a volcano and see hot molten lava in Guatemala

let's see if you can catch the lies!

tagged:
Sarah
Brittany
Nancy
Rachelle

What to do tonight?

2008-10-26T12:20:00.000-06:00

So we have our new couches. We got them at a great price and they are really comfortable. A few weeks ago we were sitting there and were wondering what should we do tonight. Well as you can see in this picture Treson was scheming.

Little did we know but he had something in mind for us. Yea he looks so innocent but really he is quite devious. I think he gets it from his mother. ;) So I left the room and came back to find him like this.

Apparently like you will see in this next photo he had an accomplice to help him do his dirty work. Oh how she mocks me with her "cool composure."

Needless to say they did a great job of it.

When Treson saw me coming he tried to run away.

He even left behind his accomplice. Well it didn't take long for her to follow his example and skidattle.

Well I had to go in after them and they surprised me by taking a picture. Its ok I am not with out my own means of defense.

Well after I caught up with them we all got together and had ice cream well except Treson. Hes grounded ;) j/k

Hope you enjoyed our story.

my Juicy Juice

2008-10-13T13:31:00.000-06:00

Tagged by Brittany Boyce...

1. Where did you meet your husband?
we officially met in the lounge of my apartment complex after a college Sadie Hawkins dance when he came up to me and asked "don't I know you?" I didn't recognize him, so we checked if we had any mutual friends- no luck. That following week we spotted each other in our microbiology class thus discovering the connection. weeks went by and AJ would progressively inch his way closer to my seat ( sneaky huh?) We eventually became study buddies.

2. How long did you date before you married?
from "being official" to our wedding day we were just one week shy of a year

3. How long have you been married?
1 year and 6 months

4. What does he do that surprises you?
on occasion, he'll come home with a present- lots of chocolates( a full freezer bag full!!!!), cute little notes, or cookies. He'll set up a song on the computer and dance with me in the office. And he plans fun cute dates (wink and a nudge to AJ- it's your turn for date night this week)

5. What is his best feature?
I love his hands and I'm a sucker for his lips ;) oh, and he has huge calf muscles too.

6. What is your favorite quality of his?
He's so honest- (he can't even play balderdash!), he's very assertive, he's a team player, and he'll voluntarily change our son's diapers!

7. Does he have a nickname for you?
he always calls me"Honey", but when he's serious he'll use Mandy or Amanda

8. What is his favorite food?
"sweet meat", french dipped sandwiches, chicken, and bread (seriously- if the meal has rolls then it's a hit!)

9. What is his favorite sport?
Soccer!

10. When & where was your first kiss?
on our real first date (that makes it sound like I'm easy, but it's quite the opposite)- we had huge tin-foil dinner date around a campfire and played sardines.

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
we love to take walks and play sports outside, watch movies, camp out in our livingroom, and see and do new things.

12. Do you have any children?
we have a little 6 month old, Treson James Clifford. he loves it when daddy comes home- he can't stop smiling!

13. Does he have any hidden talents?
he's pretty nifty on a sewing machine

14. How old is he?
25

15. Who said I love you first?
he did. It was a vary casual "love ya"

16. What is his favorite music?
Enya! yes- actualy, along side other genras

17. What do you admire most about him?
He's selfasteem- he's very approchable and he's always ready to serve others.

18. What is his favorite color?
Green

19. Will he read this?
I'll make sure he does

20. Who will you tag?
some friends and cousins

SS: Hollywood Morals

2008-10-11T17:48:00.000-06:00

ha- is there such a thing?

On "The Today Show," Hoda and Cathy-Lee were interviewing Kirt Cameron about his movie "Fire Proof," when they came upon the topic about a particular kissing scene.

Following this discussion, I was so intrigued by his personal integrity that I did some research of my own. This led to some surprising feedback by critics and the general public regarding his small moral stand behind the scenes of this movie. They claimed that he couldn't act because he wouldn't kiss another woman other than his actual wife. How desensitized can they get- they've failed to recognize his valor in all of this.

Most actors today have little, if any, standards. Sure their character maybe their polar opposite, but that doesn't change the fact that they, themselves, are physically carrying out grotesque scenes. I'm not saying that kissing your character's spouse is "R" rated, but a lot out there is. They could argue that those productions have an artistic message, but how can they when most this sludge is just shallow entertainment?

Teeffies!

2008-10-06T11:03:00.001-06:00

The time has come: not one, but TWO teeth have emerged! He may look cute, but he has a fierce bite! " he's got huge sharp.... he can leap about.... look at the bones!!!!"

us trying to take a peak

There they are

uh oh! Now he's upset...
later: when babies attack

Whats happened to today's music?

2008-09-23T21:16:00.000-06:00

First of all, hello everyone. This is my debut in the blogging world. Thought I would take advantage of my wife setting up this blog for us and finally post something.

There has been something going through my head for the past few weeks now. It is the difference between American music and other nationalities music. It seems like American music has become nothing more than a fancy beat and some words thrown in. Now I know there are plenty of exceptions but I am talking about the music as a whole. I don't know about other languages other than Spanish and Portuguese but it seems like music in those languages has a lot more depth to it. They have the beat and they have great lyrics that go along. That is just one of the many blessings that I took away from the mission. Being able to understand the language now I get so much more out of their music. Before I would just listen to the beat and dance some salsa or bachata or something now as I dance and understand the words it adds another level of appreciation.

On a separate but related point. I miss the good old days of entertainment (movies especially) where actors and actresses could do more than just read a script and rely on special effects. I love watching older movies when they can dance, sing, act and have a variety of talents. Even though they didn't have the best graphics back then, I will take their plot lines and actors abilities over any block buster hit. It seems like all Hollywood is doing is spitting out movies that have nothing of substance but full of special effects.

Anyways this is just some random late night post. Hope you are all doing well.

Update

2008-09-09T18:31:00.000-06:00

Enough of all these insights- I know what you want, so here it is.

Treson is a funny one! goodness- he's having a blast rolling everywhere! We can barley keep him in one place on his back! This proves to be especially difficult when it comes time to change his diaper. He wants to crawl- we can see it in his eyes, so it'll come soon.
He's been QUITE fussy as of late, so maybe some teeth will pop out soon! We'll be sure to post teeth pictures when they do.
but for now- we have these for you to see.

T-I-double-ga-rrrr

Mr.smiles

SS: Energy Drinks and a Presidential candidate

2008-09-06T18:10:00.000-06:00

How in the world are these two related? Maybe McCain is an avid consumer; or he could be secretly campaigning against this cash cow industry. Probably not. In fact they only share the same sentence because I felt like addressing both single and separately- but at the same time. (did that make sense?)

I recently saw this commercial advertising a low calorie energy water which used a less than classy technique. They were comparing their competition with their own, pointing out the fact that the other leading power water had an enormous amount of calories. The actors who were staged in a gym seemed baffled that they had to run another 6 mile to burn off what they had just consumed. HA!
Calories = energy! Hello- the whole point of these drinks are to have more energy.
Sure- if you are a little on the pudgy side and want to loose weight, then by all means- drink this new water (or just regular water!) and let your body metabolize your own energy stores. BUT if you want to be active and competitive in a sport or activity then go for the increased caloric intake.

Now for McCain. I wanted to express my concern for the fact that Sen. McCain was a P.O.W. Does that not worry any of you? There's emotional scarring that comes with that. Makes you wonder if he's any way desensitized or has a hidden agenda to retaliate his oppressors once he becomes President. What if the pressures of the office surpass his breaking point?
He's a powerful leader and I'm sure he would make some great changes, but you just have to wonder- what risk am i taking if I vote for him.

well that's all folks! until next time-

Saturday Soapbox: Language Barrier

2008-08-23T14:20:00.000-06:00

I used to work at a retail clothing store in my early years and would come in contact with many tourists from different countries. They would speak slowly and have a heavy accent that garbled their sentences. They seemed uneducated. My associates would grow impatient and rudely rush them on. I’m not saying that I never fell pray to the “Ugly American” persona, but more often than not, I played role of the spectator. Having the opportunity to live in different countries where my mother taught English as a side job, I knew how hard it was for others to learn our language (something I’m still trying to do too!).

The experience that brought this home for me was when I participated in a study abroad to central/meso-America. This was an awkward match for me- being a Frenchie and all, and knowing very VERY little Spanish. I had a Spanish speaking friend with me or my Spanish booklet on me at all times. I was very surprised how patient and kind the natives treated me, even when I slaughtered my requests for the bathroom. They were always impressed with my effort to learn their language.
The struggle I went through with improper verb conjugations and poor wording made me respect foreign tourists for how much they DID know and how brave they were to speak. Even though this happened years ago, I still want others to know of my experience, and to take away the same message I did: empathy.

cultivation of the mind

2008-08-18T14:12:00.000-06:00

Liberated. The weighty pursuit of academics for achievement's sake is over! The redemption of leisure.

I'm so excited about all the things I can do with my time now! All those verbs!- except for "rob," "Plunder," and "kill"of course...
To dive into a book, tackle a sewing project, experiment in the kitchen, and lull my precious baby boy to sleep. Oh the joys of being a house wife and mom!

Catch up:
We have been married since April 07 and have a baby boy named Treson (Trey-son). We both graduated with our Bachelors in scientific fields and now AJ works for a Health Company in Utah and I'm taking a break from school for now.

We're both excited to keep in contact with friends and family through this and hope you enjoy our updates and insights!