Yikes!

Last night I dreamed...

Daniel and I were both in the Army so that we could be together. Daniel was deployed to Iraq and I (soon afterwards) was also told that I would be going to Iraq.

I had to find someone to watch my kids for 6+ months. My mom said she would watch them but it absolutely killed me to leave Aiden and Audrina behind. The guilt and feeling of being powerless over my life swept over me!

Once I got to Kuwait, waiting to be moved into Iraq, I would spend every single second I had free calling Aiden, Audrina and my mom to make sure everything was going OK.

This dream took me into the depths of sadness and has given me a newfound respect for all that Daniel does for us! This dream showed me what he goes through and it hurt me deeply to have a glimpse of what he goes through every time he leaves us.

I can't wait for my next "Welcome Home" hug!

Bed Caddy Organizer Project!

The bed caddy looked easier than it actually was, I'll admit...but it was still a lot of fun and helped me to develop my sewing skills even further. I have only been sewing since Oct-Nov when I started on Aiden's quilt!

Here are some pics of the cut material for the pockets

A half-way finished pocket

The finished product with plenty of pockets

Hanging in from the side of my bed...my floor actually has an indentation in the carpet from where I set my magazines and things constantly. It's so nice to have all of that off of the floor now!

This is the fabric I started with

This makes deployment a little cuter!

Is it THAT time again?!

We're back at (that) place again! The beginning of yet another deployment. We are very happy that this one is only supposed to be 12 months as opposed to 15 months for the last one. The goodbye was very hard...here are some pictures from Daniel's last day in the United States!

We went to the park to spend some time with the kids instead of waiting around for Daniel to deploy...

Last family photo...taken from the front seat of our Denali...not the best, but it worked!

The last few minutes with Daddy were spent having fun...

We miss you so much Daniel! Stay safe and fly you high!

Foodies?!

Tonight for family night we went out to the Olive Garden and then took the kids to play in the play area at the mall. I know it's not exactly what one would consider a "traditional" family night but it's nice to switch things up once in a while.

When we were at Olive garden I ordered eggplant parmesan which is one of my absolute favorite dishes in this whole world! I usually really enjoy the dish but tonight it just wasn't the same. Daniel and I hadn't been to the Olive Garden in something like 2 1/2 years so it has been quite some time since I've had it. I remember the dish being fantastic...but nothing was "fantastic" tonight. It was pretty good but nothing special.

It took me a while to figure out why I wasn't impressed with anything, from the too salty bread sticks, to the highly acidic yet bland marinara sauce...

I think I have outgrown the Olive Garden!

I never thought this day would come...but let's be honest, the Olive Garden is a chain restaurant that puts out food in the masses to please the crowd a as whole and make as much profit as possible, sometimes sacrificing quality to do that.

I think any chain restaurants are not an option anymore....if I can make something 10x as good at home, with better, organic, and fresher ingredients for 1/3 of the price I may as well stay home.

I want a restaurant that can give me something I can't get at home...and I think that list of restaurants is shrinking rapidly. :-(

Oh well...it could be a lot worse ;-)

---Daniel agreed with me on all of this as well...I guess he's gotten too used to my cooking!

Does that make me a....

Procrastinator?

Why is it so easy to accomplish some things...and then sooo difficult to do others?

Some things I put off for months at a time when it should probably be done weekly, like sorting through my mail. What if something really important was in there? All of our bills are on auto-debit but occasionally we will get a bill in the mail. Would it really be worth it?

Last night I sorted about 3 months of letters, bank statements, and random junk. I don't know how I let it go so long! I carefully filled up bags of mail in my closet so that I didn't have to see or think about it.

I used to be that way with checking the bank and budgeting. I would put it off a long as humanly possible. Thank goodness I have gotten over that one!

Is it just me who does this kind of stuff? Putting off things for tomorrow that should be done today?

Beef Bourguignon anyone?

Just recently Daniel and I rented the movie Julie and Julia. I had heard great things about it and loving cooking myself so I knew I was going to LOVE the movie. The woman at blockbuster gave it the best review I have ever heard someone give!

I didn't expect to have this great desire to explore French cooking in more depth, just like Julie did in the movie. I have dabbled in the French cooking basics when I was earning my degree in catering but haven't done much with French cooking since. In some ways I am upset that I am a vegetarian...I wish I could just eat meat and have it not bother me. I wish I could cook dishes like beef bourguignon and be able to enjoy them as Daniel would. Maybe that's what has held me back from French cooking the most, my vegetarianism.

Daniel came home from Iraq almost a year ago now, it will be a year on February 9th. Since then I have had a kitchen of my own and the most appreciative of audiences for my cooking, as Daniel LOVES pretty much everything I cook.

Every week I look up new recipes, plan my menu, then make my shopping list. I can't always leave the house halfway through dinner toting two kids so I am careful not to forget anything on my shopping list. Most weeks I make anywhere from 1 to 5 new recipes, or new variations on trusted recipes. Menu planning has been the single most important factor in how much I have developed in my cooking this year. When I am deciding what we are going to eat, I don't want to put down the "same old" dishes that we are familiar with...I want something fresh and inviting!

I decided a few months ago that I am going to go back to college, this time for culinary arts. I want to use this time while Daniel is gone to hone chef my skills. I would also love to learn more about so many subjects from bread making to French pastry and cuisines from around the world. I have the most trouble with Indian dishes, but I doubt they are going to have an Indian cooking class that I will be able to take.

I am so glad my mom is going to be here in Colorado while Daniel is gone. I don't enjoy cooking nearly as much when I have no one to cook for besides myself. Culinary school will also make me push myself harder than I would if left to my own devices. I am also hoping it helps me to become more familiar with the French cuisine beyond Au Jus and a French loaf.

We will see!

What are the odds?

President Uchtdorf! Need I say more?

Daniel and I were invited to see him speak in a room of about 1,200 people last night. I was floored that we got invited, since Pres. Uchtdorf wasn't even meeting with local priesthood leaders or anything!

After his talk we were invited downstairs with a group of 50 or so and he talked and answered questions for another hour and a half. Most of the questions people asked were things that I would never have thought to ask but were things I really needed to know.

I am trying to commit to memory all of the advice he had for us military wives, so I can use it in the months ahead. We are so close to the next deployment, and Daniel's personal items ship out to Iraq on Wednesday...

Some of the things that he said, really struck me. He said, (something along the lines of) "the darkest days of your life are often followed by some of the best." I have faith that that will be true. He also gave some really helpful advice on how to help our husbands, spiritually and emotionally, while they are away.

He kept reiterating that we must keep the commandments and have a current temple recommend and that will give us protection. It's that simple and it's that difficult at the same time.

Thank you Elder and sister Fairhurst for helping make this possible for us!

Great Greasy Gobs of Grimy Gooey Gunk!

Aiden decided to play "hairdresser" with Audrina and coated her hair with half a jar of Vaseline! I read about several home remedies online and chose to use cornstarch to help get it out. We made a tremendous mess in the bathroom but eventually got most of it out. Her hair was a little greasy for a few days. Here she is halfway through trying to get out the Vaseline, covered in cornstarch!

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance." ~Franklin P. Jones

A good book has no ending...

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen

I absolutely love that quote! To foster the love of reading in my children is one of my main goals as a parent. Aiden has always loved reading...thanks to the push I got from his pediatrician who told me that it is never too early to read books to your children. Audrina is following in here brother's footsteps.

Here she is with Nanna Patterson sharing one of their favorite activities, curling up with a good book!

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~Author Unknown

Guilty indulgences?

This is what happens when you go to Burger King! (ugh!)

...and then you end up feeling like this! Lesson learned? Probably not. Both mom and Daniel complained of a bad stomach ache after eating the Burger King.

In with the NEW!

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan

After staying up until midnight the kids CRASHED...and my kids never fall asleep anywhere! NEVER!

Both of them! Daniel and I just stood in amazement!

Last day in Virginia...enjoying the amazing brunch that Tina put on!

Miyuki!

Ready for New Years!

Miyuki and Aiden making a terrible mess but having oh so much fun shelling peanuts!

Audrina is ready for the New Year!

My FIRST New Year kiss in 3 years! Well worth the wait!!!

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. ~Bill Vaughn

I think I belong to the latter category....

New Years Eve...Annie is wearing the New Princess dress Nanna made her. In fact Daniel's mom made each of her granddaughters a princess dress and gave them their dress to bring in the new year with!

Audrina and Annie wearing their new dresses!

Eve in her new dress waiting for the ball to drop...

Miyuki's dress is my absolute favorite! The lace for the top is the same lace that was used in her mom's wedding dress! How thoughtful!

Girl's Night Out!

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Me!

Kate!

Kristin!

Melissa!

Pam!

We had so much fun! We were wondering if the people from the bowling alley were going to say something about how "happy and loud" we were being!

Family-Mostly sweet with a few nuts...

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Kristin and Melissa having a blast on DDR

Yeah, we were pretty into the game!

Aiden offered himself up for some rides for Audrina!

Lol, where'd that come from?

Tina with the massive squash she grew this year. I have some seeds from the same plant. Hopefully I'll be able to grow some big ones too :-)

Kristin

I had to choose between the photo where Kaitlyn looked good or the one where Holly looked good...I went with Holly =)

Audrina and Nanna Walker snuggling on the couch, enjoying their time together!

And (and his siblings) got Nerf guns for Christmas and spent the entire visit trying to hide and hit each other. Here is Daniel crouching in a corner waiting for someone to come along.