Terry Fox Run

This year for the Terry Fox run I was not able to run with my kids.  I stood on the corner and got a quick picture before going to work.  They all looked like they were having a great time.  This year they did something different.  They each filled out a giant sticker and said who they were running for.  Then stuck in on their shirt/pants as they were running.  I was in a hurry to get my pictures and didn't even notice them until Leah.  She was the last one through.  My sweet thoughtful girl ran for my cousin that we just fasted for.  I can't wait to see who Blake and Cora ran for.  I am betting Grandpa Puzey.

I actually enjoy turning on the camera and seeing what Cora has been up to.  Don't ever tell her that or else instead of 15 pictures I would have 50.  These are her latest.  I think she likes close-ups:)

This is our candy sushi that she took a picture of.  It was really yummy and they kids thought it was cool.  It has been so long since I made it that nobody remembered.

Dave said he wanted to eat peaches until he was sick of them.  Last week I ordered a box just to eat.  We have been trying all sorts of different peach recipes.  My favorite is still fresh peach pie and Dave could probably eat peaches and cream every night.  Last night was another big hit.  Frozen Peach Yogurt.  So simple and unbelievably good.

Frozen Peach Yogurt

3 C Peeled, pitted cubed peaches

1/4 C honey

2 1/2 C Greek Yogurt

In blender blend peaches until smooth.  Add honey and yogurt.  Blend again till smooth.  Put in ice cream maker.

That is it!!

Dave thought it should be a little sweeter, but Cora and I LOVED it. I can't wait to try this with strawberries or raspberries or maybe....anything.  I seriously considered having this for breakfast.  That is OK right??  It is yogurt and fruit.  Go and try it right now:)

School Pictures and Reunion

We went to the farm yesterday to take the kid's school pictures.  I had decided to take some of the family as well.  It was a little bright.  I don't think I got many of Leah when she was not squinting.  But here you go.  Picture overload:)

This is not the one I thought I uploaded.  OH Well...

And some fun bloopers.

We had a great time.  It will take me some time to go through the kids pictures and decided which one I am going to develop this year.  Especially with all of Leah's squinting.  And I will probably use one for our Christmas card since we got family shots.  After the picture taking we headed to Calgary for the Puzey Reunion.  Dave has not been able to go to one since Cora was only a year old.  I really don't know any of his cousins at all.  It was nice to see them and met them again.  On the way home we stopped at the mall to show Blake the Lego Store.  I wanted to take him for his birthday but it just didn't work out.  All my kids loved it.  They had so much fun building the people.  Blake was a little mad, he said I should never take him to a store that cool if I didn't plan on buying anything.  I can't believe how rude I am, mean mom!!!  It was a pleasant ride home.  Cora prepared her talk for Sunday (which was awesome, she did a great job) and Blake and Leah watched a short movie then tried to sleep.

This week we had a family fast.  When Leah asked me if I had fasted I said yes.  She said she had forgotten.  Leah decided that next week she would just fast two meals. (My kids start fasting one meal when they are 8 them we have them do both when they turn 12)  I told her of course she could if she wanted but why did she decided that?  Turns out that one was for the family fast and one for Fast Sunday.  I guess that she thought you fasted one meal for each thing you were fasting for.  I asked her what she would do if she has 10 things?  I explained it all to her again, but it made me realize that I need to make sure my kids understand the principles and the reasons.  I thought we had explained fasting, but she had heard something else.  Maybe that is why we hear the same council over and over again from all our church leaders.  If we get told enough or teach our kids enough hopefully the true principles will sink in one day.

Corn Maze

The Young Women went to the Corn Maze for their activity yesterday.  This is always a favorite.  Cora invited a friend to go with her.  We knew the church was paying for Cora but brought money to pay for her friend and our family.  We thought if we were dropping off and picking up we might as well go ourselves.  After going through the maze the youth always have hot chocolate and donuts.  As Dave is not in the bishopric this year we didn't make the hot chocolate so I didn't think it was fair that we ate any of it.  I brought our own hot chocolate and cookies.  This was my plan.  It did not turn out that way.  The church paid for Meghan even though I tried to pay them back for her.  Dave told me just to let it go.  I really did not feel it was fair since we had invited her.  Also my kids are so used to having the snack that they helped themselves.  I tried to remind them that I had stuff in the car but it was a little late.  I did try to not take advantage of the church.  As always the kids had a great time.  They have built a new slide.  It was really fun.  Long.  Leah forgot her jacket so I gave her mine.  Since it was a little chilly Dave had an old farm jacket in the car, complete with manure on it, that he lent me.  Of course this is when I see and old boyfriend's sister and people from high school.  Never fails.  We love this annual event.  We were not sure until just a couple hours before hand if we would all be going or not. So glad it worked out.

Best FHE Ever

Tonight it was Blake's turn for the lesson for FHE.  He told us the story of Joseph Smith.  Then for our activity Blake told us all to build the first vision scene with Lego.  He wanted clear blocks below Jesus and Heavenly Father so they would look like they were in the air.  Besides that we all got to do what ever we wanted.  I thought this was a brilliant idea.  He combined FHE with a family favorite activity.

Smart boy.  Blake also made us chocolate cake with chocolate icing for dessert.

What a day

One of my kid's favorite meals.  We had this the first day of school.  Panko chicken and homemade french fries.  Yum Yum.

Last night the girls and I had a spa night.  We smothered our hair in coconut oil, I did a sour cream face mask, while Cora and Leah did a salt and baking soda mask for their black heads.  Our hair was so smooth and soft after.  And the mask for the girls worked great.  Almost all blackheads gone.  I will defiantly do both of those again.

It stared out that we were supposed to have a relatively quite day.  Dave was going to the farm and I had a baptism to go to.  As it turned out we ran from place to place most of the day.  We had breakfast then Dave took Blake to the farm.  I did dishes and laundry then found out that Leah had been invited to a birthday party.  I ran Cora to the corn maze for the party she was invited to, came back and had a quick lunch, switched laundry, cleaned bathrooms, then ran Leah to her party.  I then had two blissful hours all to my self.  Dave had gone to a funeral in Champion then back to the farm.  I read Edenbrooke.  It was a great story Nicole had lent me.  I picked up Leah early and then off to the baptism.  Dinner. Now we are going to get somethings ready for dinner tomorrow and fold our laundry.  Maybe fit in a movie.  We'll see. 

This Week...

We have been rolling forward this week.  I have updated our emergency kits and got them all back together. (I was so glad that we had full tanks of gas, another thing you don't usually think about).  Leah's glasses came in.  She had a headache the first day but seems to be adjusting well.  You can not even see the seam unless you look very close and at just the right angle.  She was pointing out things that she could see.  Her eyes were pretty bad!  Cora got picked to play the trumpet.  It was her third choice but oddly the one that she is the most excited about.  We have decided to buy rather than rent so she will always have it and we figured with all the rent money in the next two years it would probably be the same anyways.  So those of you that have bought instruments before I need help.  Best place to go, etc.  I have had the week off and it has been great.  Storage room cleaned, frozen meals made, Big Bang Theory season one watched, (that was important:)) and lots of time spent with my kids.  I got lots of primary stuff done and house plans accomplished. Blake really likes his teacher and is making some friend in his class. And things seem to be going well for Dave.  So that is us in a nutshell. Now I am off to lunch with my mom and sisters.

Evacuation

Yesterday we were evacuated from our home.  We had been on alert in a different episode several months ago and as a result were quite prepared this time.  There was a big grass fire quickly coming across the reserve towards our town.  The wind was blowing 104km/hour.  I had been in the storage room cleaning when Dave called and said I better turn on the radio.  I picked up the kids from school and started setting everything on the table that we would need.  We had just finished this when the radio started beeping and the police came around with big bull horns to tell everyone to leave.  The kids were a little nervous, but not near as much as last time.  It is true that if we are prepared we will not fear.  Everyone was being re-routed to a near by town.  We went up to where Dave was working instead.  From there we headed to the farm.  I am so grateful for my mother-in-law taking us in on short notice, feeding us, and giving us a bed.  Amber brought over some delicious cupcakes (she is the cupcake queen, we are always get to try new flavors and have LOVED every one of them).  We had a short FHE and sent the kids to bed.  Dave and Jared where trying to get updates about the fire to know if your house was OK or not.  This morning we got word that our town was safe and we could come home.  I will ever be thankful to the firefighters that worked so hard and risked their lives, (we are writing thank you notes after school today, to my in-laws for being so kind, and for every one's prayer.  We even had one ward member call and offer her house.  We have felt very loved and cared for.  I also have learned a few things.  Our 72 hour kit is filled with food, toothbrushes, radio, our important papers,and underwear for the kids.  But there are a few things that I didn't think about until I needed them. I didn't have a brush or elastics for the girls hair, Dave and I didn't have a change of underwear, and we all needed a change of clothes.  I had had the kids grab pj's and jackets but not the other.  I need to add shampoo, conditioner, soap, and probably cash in case the bank lines are down and the debit or credit card doesn't work.  Plus a few other things.  We have had two close calls now and I have learned more each time.  I am being prepared slowly I guess.  I would have been very devastated to lose everything but was so grateful that we were together as a family and that we were somewhat prepared.  We really had only minutes to grab our stuff.  The relief that I felt driving up and seeing my house standing unharmed was huge.