abridged trip log

Got back last night. Such a great trip. I wish we could have stayed longer, or found Sam a local job, so we could live there forever.

Came back to Utah to snow. Ugh.

We took the kids to Mexico with the intention of showing them poverty, to make them understand how grateful they should be for all the blessings they have. For running water, and carpet, and even the privilege of attending school instead of selling chicle to tourists all day in the blistering sun.

Anyway, we ended up nabbing a last minute killer deal in an all-inclusive resort hotel. Sigh. This thing was like being on a cruise, on land. There was a water park for the kids, gourmet restaurants, and buffets 24 hours a day. A spa. A gym. Room service. All free.

Needless to say, the kids never went hungry, and were never bored. It really was awesome!

We did drive further into some small villages on our way to Chichen Itza and were able to show the kids the small cane houses with clean wash hanging outside, and children dressed in tattered clothes...with huge beaming smiles on their faces. It is always amazing to me, to see how happy the people are in such humble circumstances.

Seeing the ruins was amazing! We had a guide point out some really cool things to us, things that coincided with the Book of Mormon, a record of the Lamanite and Nephite people who lived in the area so many years ago. There were rock carvings on the walls of the temples depicting "The Great White God" (Jesus Christ) descending from heaven to visit the people. Even the kids thought it was cool, to see where certain parts of the Book of Mormon, their favorite stories could have taken place. A lot of symbolism, and history.

And on a side note, I tried to eat good, and stay somewhat within my points. I skipped dessert, which believe me wasn't a huge sacrifice. Not really into Flan or jello-y cheesecake. I did love the seafood though. And the fresh fruit.

The Mexican tooth fairy is alive and well. Shayne lost his tooth while we were there, and got TWO PESOS under his pillow! He thought it was the coolest.

The hotel had a great gym. I went down three of the nights we were there. Not because I like exercise. Cause I hate it. And I hate people that exercise on vacation. But the gym was the only place that they didn't allow children...and after being cooped up with all the rug-rats either in the hotel or van- 30 minutes of alone time was looking pretty fabulous! I ran on the treadmill for 35 minutes. I ran hard. And I sweat. A lot. They had no air in the gym. It was like the bowels of hell. I was so stinking proud of myself, running...and I actually went 5 miles in those 35 minutes!

Not bad, huh? A 6-7 minute mile?

Until I discovered that they measure everything in kilometers, not miles, so really I only ran like 2 miles in 35 minutes. But oh how sweaty I was. My gym clothes wouldn't dry out, and smelled like toxic waste. I was afraid they would throw my bag off the plane. So with that little bit of too much information, I leave you with some pretty photos of Cancun and get on with my laundry...

photoshop fun

It seems like I rarely get a chance to just play around with some of the features in photo shop. Had a little downtime when the Internet was broken.

Gradient Map anyone? With a side order of Gaussian Blur....

Some soft focus on a textured canvas.

A Watercolor effect with some added saturation:

And just for kicks, some, well, I am not sure what this is, other than really, really cool looking. I am not sure if it is something I would actually print and scrap. Unless I needed to do a layout on the study of complementary colors in monochromatic.
<---that sounded way too intelligent for this SAHM.
And I am not sure if it made sense anyway.
I am picturing photos just like this one, if I ever fulfill my dream of having a lava lamp room, with no doors, only beaded curtains...soft bean bag chairs and long shag carpet, the smell of sandalwood incense... Duuuuude.

And this last one, I didn't really play with, cause I liked it so much just how it came out of the camera.

Sometimes when I am involved in photo shoots for other folks, I forget to take pics of my own kids. Cute aren't they?

I think I will shoot my boys next.
But first I should take some pictures of them.
Har,har.

weigh in day

Down 2.6 pounds. YAY!! I am 1.4 pounds away from a Goal Weight KEY CHAIN, baby!

Today they talked about surviving the feast that is Thanksgiving, without going all hog wild, and they gave a handout with point breakdowns and portion sizes for all of your more traditional Thanksgiving foods.

2 oz. Turkey= 2 points
Stuffing 1/2 c.= 4 points
Gravy 1/4 c.=2 points (1/4c.????? I usually need about a cup, but whatever)
Pumpkin Pie (this killed me) 1 slice= 9 points!

I am on board with this. These are traditional foods. And then....there is....

Fruit Cocktail, 1 c.=2 points

Now I ask you...
Fruit Cocktail? Who in the...

Does anyone really just open up a can of Del Monte and stick a serving spoon in it?
Really?

Fruit cocktail always reminds me of school lunch. The lunch ladies would slop that crap into one of the sectioned squares in the green lunch tray and feel all warm and fuzzy about all the children getting their daily serving of fruit.

I think there was like one maraschino cherry in each number ten can, and the rest were those gritty pears.

Fruit cocktail for Thanksgiving.

Another reason to be glad that I am going to be in Mexico.

Paging Jen--Lance's Wife...

I can't send you an e-mail, Blogger doesnt let me respond to any comments. Stupid Blogger.

The FAB green bag is online at Joanns.com.
That is the link, and it looks like it is on sale for $29.99!
And they have a 50 percent off coupon, but it will not let you apply it to the tote. You could always get something else for the 50? And search online, sometimes they have free shipping deals out there.

How's that for enabling?

You will not regret this. I love my purse! The straps do fit over your shoulder, but they aren't long, like over your shoulder and hit you right in the chest, under your pit...does that make sense?

Let me know what color you get, for practical reasons I considered the chocolate brown...

an answer to my infrequent prayers

I went off the Dew a few months ago when I started Weight Watchers. Then I moved on to diet soda, which to be honest, tastes like butt. The only one I like is Diet Dr. Pepper, and even it was getting old. So I have been BFF with bottled water.

Sam and I have had many arguments over my bottled water. He thinks it is silly, that we have a water/ice dispensing fridge, and WHY? do I need bottled?

I dunno. But I do.
I have been really tired lately. And unproductive. And tired. And then, whilst in the neighborhood Walmart, in the Crystal Light aisle, I heard a choir of Angels, and I beheld:

You add it to your bottled water, in individual packets.
It's sugar free.
It's zero calories.
It's non-carbonated.
It tastes okay.
But it has caffeine! So I am no longer all day, dragging my butt around like a sack of forlorn potatoes.
There is a spring in my step!
A smile on my face.

And I am still Weight Watchers approved...

My last tagging. I mean it.

I was tagged. Again. Which reminds me, I never did get that Treat Ghost this year, that usually makes the rounds in our neighborhood.

Being blog-tagged is sort-of like the chain letters of the 80's. The ones that if you broke the chain your leg would fall off or something, but if you kept the obligatory annoying copied to death thing going, you would find your fortune in a long lost relative. Or get to level 12 of Frogger.

But since my blog has been devoid of anything interesting lately (as has my life) I am participating. But this is the LAST TIME people. The last time I am playing Tag.

Here are the rules which must be posted on your blog if you are tagged:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself (some random, some weird).
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Link to Tagger:

Peg Graham http://pegola.typepad.com/


Here are 7 "quirky" facts about me:


1. I don't like to mix chocolate with fruit. I don't care how good your chocolate covered raspberry sticks are. I don't like them.

2. I don't like to touch food. As a result, the dishes do not get rinsed when I load the dishwasher, cause that would mean I have to scrape the plate off. Sam has taken over this duty, cause my way grosses him out.

3. I am still rooting for Britney Spears.

4. I hold my breath when I weigh in at Weight Watchers, like somehow the extra oxygen in my lungs makes me lighter...(?)

5. I hate people ringing my doorbell. My good friends know to just walk in and find me...it annoys me to drop what I am doing and have to answer the door.

6. I have always wanted to take a ceramics class and throw clay. It looks so relaxing...

7. I miss my Grandma Hunt and my Grandma Alavon, especially during the holidays.

Here are my 7 friends (if I have 7) that I will pass this along to:
Laura V. http://lauravegas.typepad.com/
Laura M. http://lauramendoza.blogspot.com/
Ashley http://ashleygailey.typepad.com/is_this_thing_on/
Candi http://www.thentherewere5.blogspot.com/
Wendy http://scrapsampler.blogspot.com/
Ursula http://ursulacpage.blogspot.com/

These are the girls that need to update their blogs ThankYouVeryMuch. Get on that.

And YOU! If you are reading this, and in need of blog fodder, then please, consider yourself tagged. And if you don't want to be tagged, I get that.

Guess where we will be spending Thanksgiving?

Nothing like celebrating the history of the first settlers in our country by heading out to MEXICO! Heh. Enjoy your turkey, and your sweaters...

monkey love

I am sure there is a joke here somewhere. Some tasteless Junior High immature joke.
And all I am saying is this...yes, this is the reason I check in on my kids after they fall asleep.

Sometimes you get some great future blackmail photos.

He's nine, and boy, oh boy...can't wait to show these gems off in a few years. Maybe to his fellow football team studs. Heh.

nothing to report today.

I figure I have left all ten of you loyal readers with nothing since Tuesday, so I better at least make an appearance over here, even if there is nothing exciting or blog worthy to report.

Sam went out of town this weekend. He went to Mesquite. Why? you ask? I am not sure. I know he told me at one time...and I heard "Blah, blah, blah, GONE, blah, blah."

The "gone" part was all that stuck.

And then my mind raced at the thought of being thrown to the wolves all by myself, I wouldn't do well being a single parent. Hat's off to those of you out there who take the kids on by yourself. I would be a raging alcoholic.

Every time he leaves we have some health catastrophe. Once I got gallstones. Usually its the kids though. An emergency room visit, or like this time, just the Croup. I spent two nights sitting outside on the porch with Mikayla praying for her to get enough oxygen to turn her lips back to pink. That was Sunday night and Monday night. Then Tuesday she woke up vomiting.

Wednesday, I got that flu.

I think the Lord does that, so that I miss Sam, and I am so, so, so grateful to have him home again.

Since I had all that fun this week, I was backed up on a couple of deadlines, and scrapped all day yesterday to get it all done.

That is why I haven't been around.

And I realized how addicted I am to Craisins. I finished the bag Saturday, and I have been craving something all week. You know how you open the pantry and look, and then open the fridge and look, and the cupboards...and nothing looks good, but you want something...

It's Craisins.

avoiding work

I really, really need to clean my studio today.

I have been avoiding it. And I have a couple deadlines I need to work on, but can't even find a 12x12 space in which to scrap.

Yesterday I started cleaning, and then flitted off to Target, Ross and Walmart. So good at avoiding...And also because after we showered I told Mikayla (remember this girl is four) to go get herself dressed for the day. She came back up twenty minutes later naked.

"Honey, where are your clothes?"
"Well, Mom. (heavy disgust in her voice) When we run errands today we need to buy me some new clothes, cause I have been looking, and I don't have a damn thing to wear."

She gets that potty-mouth from her father...

But I got some great deals!

A Halloween costume for Shianne for next year. Some skanky Punk Rock Princess thing for $4.99. I got two new bra's for $4.99 each. A new pair of jeans, and yes...a couple outfits for the apparel deprived toddler. That's the thing about shopping. You get deals when you aren't looking for them. Like the bra's...I have been looking forever, and finally paid full price for one a while back. Then today, at Target, I had time to browse all the clearance end caps and found two good ones for cheap.

If I didn't hate shopping so much I could probably find deals all the time. I hate shopping!

But I like shopping a whole lot more than cleaning my studio.

my new purse

Sorry if I haven't been around lately, I have been too busy caressing the lime green faux suede skin of my new lover. You know how when something is so perfect, you are afraid of losing it? And perhaps even using it? Okay, maybe that's just me. I want to order another one of these things, and store it in the closet in case something happens to the original purse...just for the peace of mind.

Here is the first pocket. Perfect easy access for my cell phone! Check out the handy pen loops. And the convenient zippered mesh pocket for change and debit cards. Do I sound like a JC Penney catalog yet?

Next up we have what I bought the purse for. A couple of months ago, I got the Karen Foster Memory Planner. This thing has literally changed my life. Every night, before I go to bed, I write down everything I need to do the next day in this planner. Since I have been "mind dumping" I sleep better, and I don't feel so scatterbrained. I don't have that anxiety of "missing something" and I don't forget things anymore. Plus, this planner has a whole section for scrapbooking. If I am in the car while Sam is driving, and I see a cool, inspiring billboard, I can sketch it out in the planner. It is bulky, however, and I wanted a purse that would accommodate it. Look how pretty! And front pockets for my iPod, a small notebook, and a card game. Really handy to have a card game, in case you are say, stranded in an airport overnight.
And behind the planner, I have a nail kit, and a first aid kit. You know, in case we get snowed in, while in the car, and I have the hankering for a manicure.

Then we flip the purse over to the other side of the bag. YES! This is the SAME BAG! I have my Burts Bees, some hand sanitizer, some lotion, and misc. crap. All zipped into a waterproof snap pouch. There is room for my George Costanza wallet, my point and shoot camera, and some handy elastic holders for packs of gum, and weight watcher treats. Or something.

Here it is all laid out and unzipped. Like a super-awesome Transformer. My whole life in a bag. Minus family, although they might fit in there too...

So that's my cool green purse.

Since Sam worked graveyards last night, it slept by me, on his pillow.

In other news...down another pound at weigh-in today. I got another five-pound star. I am down eleven pounds total!

Unless I carry the purse.

when your day starts like this:

The kids were in such a hurry to grab their lunches and run off to school...someone (but when I ask them WHO later, no one will 'fess up to it) spilled the tupperware of crock pot roast beef, and hurried and slammed the fridge on it. This is the first shelf of the fridge...

The second shelf....

And even the door...

So there's that. An extra little bonus job for me.

And then there is the post-it note that was on my door yesterday. I ran to Costco, was gone like an hour, and apparently missed the UPS man. I ordered this little purse online at Joanns cause I fell in love with it at Getaway (thanks Alexis!) They came to deliver it while I was gone, and I guess wouldn't take the risk of leaving a $30.00 purse on the porch...I mean, they left my whole computer and monitor last month..but hey, a purse? Not a whole purse.

The note said they would try to deliver it between 10:30 and 2:00. So it is now 2:22, and I haven't showered all day cause I know as soon as I get into the water the doorbell will ring and I WANT MY PURSE! Where is that brown truck?

Sigh.

Happy Halloween!

another senior photo shoot

And I just have to say...I don't remember girls being this put-together when I was a senior. I dunno. The girls I have shot this year have been really, really pretty girls, and confident. I feel sorry for the boys their age.



This one is the one she is using for her yearbook photo.

I have two photos going in the high school yearbook. Slowly but surely putting that crappy chicken man out of business.

Ode to Getaway 2007

Twas the weekend of getaway
and all thru the Nag’s Head Beach House
27 ladies were scrapping
on rented tables (240.00 TABLE/CHAIR RENTAL Total w/ Tax (7 tables at $20 /12 at $7 per week each) and the couch

The name tags on the doors were hung up with care
and the crop seating arrangements to make sure things were fair. (also cause Peg is anal.)
The scrappers unloaded their scrap totes and checked out their beds
Kasey got the master suite, with stars overhead (What are YOU wearing? RRrOWWW!!)
(And don’t get us started on the master suite shower)

And Peg with her check lists (and usually sweat-drenched)
it will be another week before that girl gets unclenched
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
we sprang up on our crocs to see what was the matter
(oh, just Wendy Inman falling off the bottom stair. Again.)
Away to the window I went, and I speeded!
to see the freaking beautiful OCEAN whenever I felt like I needed.

Then what to my virginous Mormon eyes should appear?
A plethora of Jello Shots and (gasp!) is that a real BEER?
With some plastic pumpkin pasties, and some foreign nose hair
I knew in a moment Jon Bon Jovi would be there.


On FUN TIMES! On relaxing! On taking afternoon naps!
On 80’s music! On chocolate! On not being able to take craps! (maybe just me, there)
The food how it satisfied, and how it was nutritious (wasn’t it?)
and how it was not Weight Watcher friendly, because it was deeelicious!
As I threw on the fanny pack, and Wendy brought the car around
We went on an adventure, and explored part of town.

We saw Wings, and the sand pit and ate fudge for free
Wendy even bought some candy, to cover for me
We spent a few hours, but didn’t go far
we even did a self-portrait at the lighthouse, just like DAR!
(except our kinda sucked.)

The internet encircled the house like a tease
we couldn’t use it, even though it was part of the lease (rough rhyming there)
The ‘net was important! But very evasive…
Then Tracey made a phone call…she can be so persuasive.

Then everyone cheered! And prayed thanks on their knees
cause we scrappers can’t survive without checking Two Peas.
The skits…how they entertained. The actresses ROCKED IT!
And I can never again admit that I ate a Hot Pocket.
The laughter, the joking , the crying, (just Peg) and searching for lost chicken
Dead Horse scrapbooking, and tabletop boundary lickin’

And a secret midnight meeting with Queso Dip in a jar
(Same time and place next year…You know who you are!)
Alas time passed too quickly and it all had to end
I think we can all say we made some new friends

And I heard folks exclaim as they began to depart
“See ya’ll next year, and bless all your hearts.”

Stupid tooth fairy....

...forgot to make an appearance at the Wadley house. Again.

Stupid tooth fairy.

This is the LAST TIME we are letting this slide. Next time, I am writing a letter to your boss.

healthy fall recipes

Here are some good diet recipes I have discovered recently. They don't taste diet, and I would totally make them diet or not. They are that good. My kids even voted them two thumbs up, even the split pea soup one, which weirded me out.

Anyway, I am sharing for two reasons, one is YOU, thought you could use some comfort food with the cold weather rolling in, and two is so I can easily archive them and pull them up next year on this blog instead of trying to remember where I stashed the paper I wrote them on. Enjoy!

CROCK POT TACO CHICKEN CHILI (1 C= 3 WW points)

3 FROZEN chicken breasts
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 medium onion, diced
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can cannelloni (or any white) beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can vegetarian baked beans (the large can 26 oz?)
1 can kernel corn

Put everything in crock pot in order listed.
Do NOT rinse or drain beans.
DO NOT STIR.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Take chicken out and shred with two forks.
Put chicken back in, stir, and eat. This may produce gas.


Crock Pot Split Pea and Ham Soup (1 C.= 3 WW points)

1 pound dried split peas, rinsed
1 ham hock (which is a very ugly piece of meat, btw)
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery chopped
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
salt and pepper, or favorite seasonings (I used some liquid smoke, some Tabasco, and onion salt and pepper)

Put all ingredients into crock pot, except for seasonings. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours. Before serving, remove ham hock, chunk all the meat off of it, chop it up, and add the meat back into the crock pot. Remove the bay leaf. Or don't. Laugh at the child who gnaws on it. Season as desired.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (1 cookie= 1 point)

I need to preface this recipe with the disclaimer that in order for the cookie to be one WW point, you have to make them small. Real small. Like the size of a silver dollar. I usually don't have the patience and make them regular cookie size and call them two points.

2 spice cake mixes ( i have substituted Carrot cake, and it worked fine. I prefer the Spice, cause the little carrot chunkies are still there after you bake the cookies, but Spice is hard to find lately, especially after they posted this recipe in the WW room, and every lady in the tri-city area is bakin' these things up)

1 29 ounce can 100% Pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix)
1 bag mini-chocolate chips

Mix everything together and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

weigh in (gulp)

Since I know you are all anxiously awaiting my WW weigh-in today. Remember I ate like a teenager this week...and then I have been exercising like mad to reverse it all. I actually had nightmares last night about weighing in. How pathetic is that?

I am DOWN .2! I am not sure what that is all about, but I am happy.

I am getting back on the wagon this week. I am six pounds away from my 10% goal. I hope I can hit that in the next month. You know, being that it is THANKSGIVING. American Pig-Out Festival.

That should be easy....

pumpkin patch

I pictured an idyllic afternoon at the pumpkin patch, and I got this.
I wonder where he gets his completely inappropriate and warped sense of humor??

Hello celery.

You know what sucks about Weight Watchers?

Everything.

There are certain um, times of the month where I am so hungry I could lick the kitchen floor. (Which incidentally should paint a pretty picture of what my kitchen floor looks like at any given time.)
And sometimes, I am not in the mood for an apple or a large steaming pile of veggies. Ugh. I just want half a bag of Lorna Doones. Like a real person.

I have to keep reminding myself that I am down one jean size.

And you know what they say "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." Which is total horse crap. I can think of plenty of things that taste as good as thin feels, and they don't start with "rice" and end in "cakes."

And I am nervous to weigh in Saturday. I ate like a real person at Getaway. I had Peanut M&M's by the handful and these brownies that Peg makes, that aren't even brownies...they are like gooey slabs of heaven. And bacon, and lasagna and breakfast casserole. Sigh.

So since I have been back, I have been trying to be extra good, and it extra sucks.