We're Learning [19 months Edition]

It's time once again to recap on what we have been learning as parents. The original We're Learning post was written almost 5 months ago, and believe it or not we've learned a few new things since then.

We're learning that a spaghetti dinner is sometimes better enjoyed while eating over someone else's floor.

We're learning that white cabinets, walls, and toilets are easy targets for children with natural artistic flare.

We're learning that the "terrible two's" can begin early and include back arches, wailing, excessive boogers, and the fancy leg work from Flashdance.

We're learning to just get everything in sets of two, and to be OK with it.

We're learning that we shouldn't expect our toddlers to show everyone their belly button unless we are willing to show everyone ours too.

We're learning that getting two toddlers to play quietly together is very rare. When it occurs we make sure to take a picture and then tip toe away quietly.

We're learning that toots on the potty are a great start, and should be rewarded with claps and words of encouragement.

We're learning that just because your normally well-behaved toddlers were being loud during a Sacrament Meeting talk on helping your children to be reverent, doesn't mean you are a failure and that the talk was being solely directed at you......right?

But most of all.....

We're learning that being the parents of two 19 month old girls can be challenging and so much fun at the same time:)

Inch by Inch

Yesterday, while packing the kids in the car after church, I noticed a little green something on my sleeve. After refocusing on what I thought was a praying mantis (freaked me out for a second) I realized it was an inch worm. I didn't know how in the world it got there but I immediately fell in love and named him Inchie. Creative huh?
By the time we made it home our whole family was entranced by this tiny creature.

Kevin wanted to see it and the girls wanted to touch it, and I'm sure Toby was plotting some sort of devious scheme that involved Inchie as a mid-day snack. I was afraid he wouldn't last very long with so many curious fingers around him. After we let the girls observe Inchie doing his inching, we decided to set him free on a bush in front of our house. On the way to family dinner I continued to talk to Kevin about our little insect friend.

"Can you imagine being that small and only being able to move one inch at a time?"

"I'd go crazy, I'd probably just give up."

"Yes, I would.... I would lay myself out in the sun to roast and sprinkle a little salt on me for taste, hoping a bird would spot me."

Once again the Negative Nelly in me was rearing her ugly head. I had to stop myself and really think about what I was saying. Yes, in a way I was just joking, but it didn't take long for me to realize how detrimental that kind of thinking is. How many times in my life have I witnessed small and simple steps leading to something greater than I could have ever imagined? At school, work, in church and in motherhood, my list could go on and on. While patience isn't my best quality I know that I would never fully experience life if I could just speed through all the steps, even though some days I wish I could. Each small progression in my life ultimately brought me to where I am today. So thanks to Inchie, I was reminded to be a little more determined and happy to take life one inch at a time.

I Always Wanted An iPod

Ok, so it's not an iPod, but it's probably what one would have looked like if they were invented in the 80's. This my friends is a holter, and I get to sport this thing for the next 24 hours. Wearing this holter is part of one of the many tests I am taking to find out more about my heart condition. For now it serves as a fanny pack-watch combo. Soon everyone will want to wear one. Unfortunately only me and a handful of elderly people get access to these. Too bad it didn't come in pink....or a shuffle size for that matter.

These are a few of my favorite things

Lately I've been noticing all the little objects that make my life so much easier. While you already know of my warm feelings towards bloomies and apple peelers, I wanted to add a few more little favorites to the list. I guess you could say that if I was Oprah I would give them to you in a crazy fan frenzied giveaway show. Alas, I have no show and I am no Oprah so for now you can enjoy them through picture:)

1. The Dyson

After a year spent with our nasty Red Dirt Devil you made your way into our home and have been a dream ever since. Yes, you cost a pretty penny, but with a coupon and a quick decision to buy the floor model, we were able to afford you. Believe me you were worth EVERY PENNY. After almost 4 years of sucking the filth from my carpets and tile (don't forget the kitty's poo box area) you are still sucking strong. You've seen us through two cats, two babies and my postpartum hair shedding. Rest assured my friend that I will never leave you.

2. The Detangling Spray

This anti-mullet/rat's nest spray has been our saving grace with the girl's hair. It smells good, works well and can spray from far distances. I must admit that I use a little on my hair some days just to add that fruity aroma. It gives that just-out-of-the-bath-tub-clean-and-curly-hair-look that a mother of toddlers could only dream of.

3. The GPS

This item was yet another one of DH's attempts to think out of the box/wish list when it came to a Christmas gift for mwah. At first I was a little skeptical that it would turn into a "Homer Gift". Alas, I was wrong and I love it. I no longer worry about getting lost and I can tell you where the nearest Taco Bell is at any given time. Need I say more?

4.The Round Brush

Where have you been all my life? Why was I so intimidated by your long pointy whiskers? I now realize how many countless hours I have wasted spraying down frizz and attempting to curl under my hair with a curling iron. Fortunately I have been able to make my way out of the 80's. Less frizz+no curling iron+ less time spent doing hair= genius.

5. The DVR

Why did I not think I wanted DVR? This wonderful device records all those shows that are going on while I am busy tending to my herd. Muchos gracias for the unlimited episodes of 24,18 kids and counting, Lost, Grey's, Parking Wars, The Office and the occasional old movie... minus the commercials. Magnifico!

So what are some of your favorite things?

Other then me and my blog of course....

Just kidding!

But seriously though...

Balloons for Kynslee

A year ago today, Kynslee returned home to her Heavenly Father. Her parents are friends of ours and are having a balloon launch to honor her today. Since we were unable to attend the ceremony in Utah, we decided to have our own balloon launch here in AZ. Kynslee was born only a few weeks after my girls and passed away when she was almost 7 months old due to a heart defect. While we never got to meet her in person, we are so grateful to know of her and her journey through her parents. It's amazing how someone you have never met can have such an effect on you. I know she is with her Heavenly Father now and that she will be reunited with her family one day.

All of our love to Kynslee and her family.

Happy Easterz

I love Easter for many reasons. It normally falls into that short season in which Arizonans get to enjoy the perfect weather. There are flowers blooming and buds of fuzzy yellow pollen on the trees to officially announce the beginning of allergy season. Alas, it is all worth it. Every year since I was little, we would go to the Easter Pageant as a family. The last few years I have been able to go with our Young Women group and it has been great to be able to continue the tradition. I've noticed as I've gotten older, that I have been able to better appreciate Easter's true meaning as I better understand the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I was grateful to be able to go to church on Easter Sunday and learn more about my Savior and his sacrifice on our behalf. It is truly what makes Easter such a special time of year.

After church on Sunday we went to my sisters house for lunch and an Easter egg hunt.I loved getting the girls all gussied up in their brightly colored dresses.

They looked adorable as usual.
We enjoyed the beautiful weather from my sister's backyard, it couldn't have been more perfect.
My sister Tina, started a tradition last year of dressing up like an Easter Bunny for the nieces and nephews. I must say I was pretty impressed and maybe a little scared too. It reminded me of a conversation with Kevin a while back, where he had admitted that he was really scared of fictional creatures like the Easter Bunny as a child. The thought of a overgrown rabbit secretly hiding things around his house really creeped him out. I think I finally understood.Brenna and Brooke thoroughly enjoyed the egg hunt. Each egg turned into a mini pinata as they pinched them open, goodies flying in every direction. Unfortunately, they weren't too sure about the furry visitor.
After all the eggs had been collected, the Easter Bunny seemed to regret giving them all away. Is there such a thing as Easter Bunny remorse?
It seemed that she wanted them back.She did however, have a softer side and eventually won them over using sweets of course.We had a wonderful Easter spent with family and friends. It was a wonderful day to reflect more on Jesus Christ and his essential role in our lives.

Ta-ta to the Easter Bunny...until next year.

The Kevin and Melissa Love Story...

This is Missy's DH (which from what I understand means "dear husband" in blogger land, and not "designated hitter" as in baseball.)

It has been a long time coming since I wrote a little something here about my wife, and it is way overdue. She is such an amazing gal and I feel so lucky to have her in my life. She does such a great job with the two little monkeys we have running around and making the home such a comforting and special place to come home to.

I wanted to post this video I made for Missy. I made it for her for Christmas this last year. It is a little story of how we met. It includes my own illustrations, effects, and video footage I shot in an effort to make it more interesting. It is 15 minutes long, thus I divided it up into 4 parts so it would have an easier time loading...enjoy!

warning, it is a tad mushy at parts

Part 1 of 4

Part 2 of 4

Part 3 of 4

Part 4 of 4

The Answer

Thank you all for your guesses, and now for the answer.

It cost me $1.15 to make one quart of jam.

Now that's the largest sized mason jar that holds 32 oz. of jam, just so there is no confusion.

A few of you were pretty close, but at $1.24 a quart Liz is the winner!

You can expect your pint of jam shortly:)

Here is how the cost worked out:

As I mentioned in the previous post, I purchased 6lbs. of strawberries @ .50 lb= $3.00. Now realize that strawberries at Walmart usually go for $3.00 a pound which would hike that price up pretty quick.

The sugar was purchased from American Discount Foods for approximately .30 lb. I used 24 cups of sugar which is 12 lbs. 12 lbs @.30 lb. = $3.60. Once again, the cost of sugar at the regular store is going to be more than that.

The pectin we used came from all the way in Kentucky. It was purchased at a country pantry store and shipped to us by my sister. If you go to a regular store and buy a small box of pectin it will cost you between $2-$3 to make one batch of jam. The pectin we used for our 3 (doubled) batches cost me $2.00.

If you add that all up you get $8.60 which divided by 7 and 1/2 quarts = $1.15 a quart (32oz.)

Finding your materials for jam at discount really pays off, so I would highly recommend shopping around for good deals. Happy Jam making and make sure to use the recipe on your pectin (instead of mine) as they will vary depending on the type you are using!

Thanks for playing:)

We're Jammin'

Amid watching General Conference today, I finally learned how to make my mom's delicious strawberry freezer jam. I had been intimidated to attempt it for a long time, as I am no Martha, plus getting the jam for free for so long allowed me to be lazy and still reap the rewards of sweet sugary jam. Alas, it would eventually come to an end.

So here's the jist:

(Disclaimer: This is the recipe off of the pectin we used, it will be different than other pectin recipes out there. This is only a tutorial showing how simple it can be to make jam so please make sure to follow the recipe on your pectin so it turns out correctly!)

I bought strawberries (50 cents a pound at SRM) and used 6 (1lb.) containers. We put them in a sink full of cold water to get the earth off of them and then cut the tops off along with any green spots.

Then into the blender they went. We doubled the recipe so we wanted 4 cups of pureed strawberries each time. Did you know that blenders have cup measurements on them? How convenient. Once blended, we put it into a large bowl like this and used a large spatula like this.Then in went 8 cups of sugar (twice the amount of strawberry) and I realized once again why this stuff is so good. Ok, where'd all the strawberry go? We stirred the sugar in and set the timer for 10 minutes. During those 10 minutes we would stir the mixture occasionally to make sure the sugar was completely dissolved. When the strawberry mixture was just a few minutes from being done we started the pectin mixture on the stove. We brought 1 and 1/2 cups water to a boil on the stove, immediately added 2/3 cup of pectin and then stirred. Allow the mixture to bubble and each time take off the stove and stir, being careful not to let it boil over on you. Do this about 4 times or for approximately 1 minute. Then pour into strawberry mixture and stir well.

Then it's into the jars and they are left out at room temperature for 24 hours before going into the fridge or freezer. We repeated this process about 3-4 times until we had used all 6lbs. of the strawberries. As you will notice some of the jars have what I would call "foaming at the mouth." This is due to air bubbles which are caused by excessive stirring, and ultimately my extremley toned biceps. It's nothing to fret about, because after the 24 hours you can scoop off that layer (and eat it) and wha-la, perfection.Behold, the jam of my labor, all 7 and 1/2 quarts of it. It's a pretty awesome stash if you ask me. This jam is good for a few years in the freezer and about 6 months in the fridge, but don't worry it will be long gone by then.

So, ya wanna pint?

Guess how much it cost to make one quart of jam.

(not including the jar)

The person who is closest gets a pint for free and can finally throw away the Great Value crud they've been slappin' on their sandwiches.

(My apologies to those out of staters' and those who you live so far away that you might as well be out of state, as it is not shipable. Unless of course you will be in my neck of the woods soon, and in that case I will happily hold it for you :)

So let's hear your best guess!