A Little Cannon Love...

 Cannon officially had his first band aid this week... not really a big deal.... after three boys band aids are a common thing! We buy them in bulk!  But, it was a major deal to him!!! He did NOT like the band aid and just kept pulling it off - which just made the cut bleed worse...

 And he just kept getting more upset every time I put another one on! I mean seriously they were camouflage band aids! How much cooler can that get for a little boy!

 It really got to be a little much for him! So, that's when you bribe him with popcorn! Works every time with this little man! It worked until the popcorn ran out... Finally I just had to lay down with him until he fell asleep. I had to stay in there to make sure he didn't pull it off again! He did wake up screaming though... because he was trying to get the darn thing off again!

 This is the new smile he gives to whom ever is pointing a camera at him....

 He's all ready to play with his big brothers... the mitt full of golf balls is a little nerve racking!

 Cannon LOVES hot dog & hamburger buns! Which is abviously apparent in this picture! He will go through the bread drawer until he finds them. I guess like in most cases 4 is always better than 1!

Super Delux Easy Pillows

I had been looking all over for fabric to make Cannon some pillows for his bed... and wasn't finding anything I liked. Then I came across a tutorial at Lemon Tree Creations that showed you how to take a men's button up shirt & make it into darling pillows. ( I still haven't decided if you can use the word "darling" when you are referring to things for boys! But, I do!) I knew that I wanted an orange pillow... and I was really eyeing one of James' good shirts in his closet... But, I was lucky enough to find an orange plaid shirt at the DI. The last time I decided to use one of James' good shirts to make Carter a tie it ended up being Brett's shirt & not James'! Woops! Anyways, I bought both of the shirts at the DI for $3 each. I also bought decorative pillows there for $2 each to use as the inserts. It's a lot cheaper to do it that way than to pay for inserts. I did however have to come home & spray them down with Febreeze & Lysol & threw them in the dryer to dry them. So, two very cute pillows came to the grand total of $10! And it seriously only took me about 20 minutes to make them. I do have orders for a couple more... It seems as though McKay & Carter think that the pockets on the pillows are pretty dang cool!

Here's the tutorial: Men's shirt Pillow Covers

Wishing For Spring...

I have a couple recipes that I really like that call for fresh herbs... I got tired of paying $4 for fresh basil that looked terrible. So, I went to a little greenhouse just down the street hoping to buy some fresh plants that I could keep in my kitchen. But, I was a little to early in the season. So, I did the next best thing... I bought all the stuff to grow my own! I bought basil, cilantro, rosemary & oregano seeds. It took about a week for the basil & cilantro to come up. I was a little worried about the rosemary & oregano. So, I fished these plastic containers out of our garbage (they are the containers that our croissant's came in from the grocery store!) & placed the starts in them for a couple days & now they are starting to sprout. One of my favorite things is to have a garden. So, as the snow has continued to fly outside it has been fun to bring a little spring gardening inside! The hardest part of it all has been trying to keep the fingers of a two-year-old out of them!

I'm A Lucky Girl

One morning I woke up to this... I have to admit that at first I did not see it! I was standing across from Mckay at the bar in the kitchen giving him his breakfast & McKay read it to me (only after his father had whispered in his ear to read it to me because I was obviously a little pre-occupied!). I even had to turn around to see what he was reading! It made my day! I even left it up for a week!

Today I got a little package in the mail... I had been eyeing a cute pair of pumps at The Buckle. Somehow they ended up on my front step! They were paid for by a gentleman by the name of James Turley...  It made my day! I even mopped the floor with them on! They made mopping so much more fun!

A couple years ago James asked me what two cleaning jobs I despised the most out of all that I did. I didn't even have to think about it! I quickly told him unloading the dishwasher & cleaning the toilets! Since then he has always cleaned the toilets & unloads the dishwasher! He gets up at the crack of dawn & I hear him out in the kitchen putting the dishes away. It makes my day!

More times than not I get a call as he is on his way home from work asking if he can stop anywhere for me and pick anything up... It makes my day!

Sometimes I get calls from him & when I answer all I hear is him singing along with the radio - when I listen a little closer it is usually one of my favorite songs! It makes me laugh every time!

In the middle of the night when I just can't get myself out of bed to go to whatever child is calling for me... He always seems to know & jumps up for me! I am always so grateful when he does!

And it always seems that the only time I crave sushi is later at night when he is all settled in for the night... And he always says - "Are you seriously craving that right now? If you are I would be happy to go get it for you!"

I'm a lucky girl! Yes, I am!

The Best Tomato Basil Soup

James & I are huge fans of the restaurant Zuppa's - it's a little soup & salad joint here in Salt Lake. One time while we were eating there he asked me if I could make their Tomato Basil Soup... So, what does a good wife do? She google's it! Sure enough there were plenty of recipes that claimed to be just like Zuppa's! So, after tweaking it a bit I think I have got it down pretty good! It's so good that I seriously make it once a week! And what's even better is that it is really quite simple. I am not a fan of tomato soup - but, I love this. It is really good as leftovers to! I will show you what the recipe called for & make notes where I tweaked it.

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 C apple juice

1/2 medium onion finely chopped (I do 1 whole medium onion)

2 cloves garlic minced (I do about 3/4 TBS give or take a little)

1/2 C diced red bell pepper (I do 1 full medium red pepper)

4 C chopped fresh or canned tomatoes (I have always used canned)

1 C vegetable stock (I use chicken broth)

1/3 C Orzo pasta (I use a heaping 1/2 C)

1/4 C chopped fresh basil

1 pint heavy cream

1/4 C butter

In soup pot heat oil and apple juice over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic & pepper 8-10 minutes. Stirring frequently until onion is soft but not brown. Add small amounts of apple juice if vegetables get a little dry. Remove from heat & add tomatoes & broth. Stir. Puree mixture in blender & return to pot. Add pasta and cook 9 minutes. Stir often. Add butter & cream & simmer for 15 minutes - do not boil & keep stirring. Add basil & serve immediately. I like to sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese & pepper on mine.

Serve alone or with a turkey, avocado & swiss croissant sandwich! That just happens to be my favorite thing to eat with it! Enjoy!

Confession...

I am not a huge fan of the TV. We don't even have cable! In fact, I will even go as far as to admit that I take the boys to the DI on Saturday's & let them pick out a new movie for $1 & they think they are in HEAVEN!!! Saturday night is movie night here at the Turley house! But, with that being said I will also admit that the best $69 I have ever spent was the day after Thanksgiving last year on this little dohickey! This little man is usually super glued to my leg if he is not in my arms... It makes it very difficult to get anything done. But, man if I put a little movie on for him & stay within a five foot radius (if I venture further than that he starts to twitch!) of him life is good! Oh, you do have to throw a little bowl of chocolate chips in there along with his blanket to make the process complete! He won't watch the whole movie... but, I usually have a good 30 minutes! It's amazing what you can get done in 30 minutes if you go like mad!

The Simple Things....

This happens at our house on a daily basis... The bag gets dumped out that contains the Bristle Blocks that were James' when he was young. (I would pay a lot of money to have a bunch more! I bought some of the new ones for Cannon for Christmas & they aren't nearly as good). The block's were made by my Uncle Curtis & I bought them a few years back at the auction at the Wall Family Reunion & wish quite often that I would have bought both bags! But, if I remember right Amy had her mind set on a bag of them as much as I did! They play peacefully for quite some time with them & it always ends with Carter building a huge tower & Cannon not being able to control the urge to knock it over! It ends with one of them in tears - either Carter because Cannon did get to it & knock it over or Cannon because I just remove him from the temptation & he gets mad! We are on a every-other-day rotation right now as to who ends it in tears! We try to keep things fair around here! But, before the tears do come I really enjoy watching them play together. 

Just What We Needed!

My Mom was here all last week visiting us. I think she is just what we all needed! James & I were able to go on a couple dates. She painted Cannon's room & sewed his bed skirt for me that I just wasn't getting done! We did some fun shopping - hitting all of our favorite little shops & she bought me the bowls that I had been stalking for quite some time at Anthropologie! She took McKay to & from school at his request! We watched a new movie almost every night & stayed up late talking. And she was even crazy enough to let two little men sleep with her! She didn't even care when Cannon submerged her cell phone in juice... after letting it dry out for a couple days we got it to work again! Grandma seriously beats out Santa Clause at our house! The best part of it all is just having her here with us. Even though I am all grown up with a family of my own I still need my Mom so very much! Thanks Mom for coming!

And It Is All Gone....

I know that one day Carter is going to question my sanity on why his hair was the way that it was! I will simply blame it all on his father! His father loved it! I will admit that I loved his blond curls when he was younger... but, it was time... He was starting to look a little orphanish (yes, that's another one of those words I just made up!). I will also fully admit that this haircut started out as a trim! I totally botched it! And I knew I was in trouble! James came home from work and informed me I had ruined his hair & to just take it all off! That was after he was able to put his emotions aside & talk to me! He plays it down now... but, my Mom was here and can be my witness that it was not a pleasant moment at the Turley house! Carter was all for it because Grandpa Turley has been offering him a stash of cash that Carter found in Grandpa's closet if he would get a "missionary haircut". If anything drives Carter it is cash & he was on the phone the minute I was done claiming his cash! It has taken 3 more little trims to get it just the way we like it! And as much as I like it James even admits that he really likes it to!

Picture perfect... I don't think so!

I came across these pictures from last summer... I know that they got put in the "trash" file because none of them were "perfect"! But, now they make me laugh! When am I ever going to get three little boys to sit still by a stream full of rocks and take the "perfect" picture... ummmm.... never! But, the memories that come back of that day on a drive with Grandma Wall are perfect!

Chocolate dipped strawberries anyone???

 Maybe just a little tart!

I don't know what is more delicious... the chocolate dipped strawberries... or the little man eating them!

Wrapped around his little finger....

Cannon has McKay wrapped around his little finger! And he knows it! Whenever he gets in trouble with James or I he runs to McKay... In this picture Cannon has been crying because he got in trouble for dumping something out of the fridge & he went running out of the kitchen to find McKay. And McKay LOVES it! When it is time for us to go pick McKay up from school Cannon calls for him the whole time in the car on the way there... and screams when he sees McKay running for the car. If I say "no" to something he goes & asks McKay & McKay gives it to him! Lately the little man has been a little stingy with his kisses... but, he will give one to McKay anytime he asks for one! Cannon LOVES his big brother & McKay absolutely adores him to!

Can You Imagine...

I know that we have all had our share of heart ache... we all have our own personal struggles. Some more public than others. It has never been a secret of the heartache that I have gone through to have children. Or the heartache and utter panic my family felt when we heard of Travis's accident... We all have our moments... when our worlds are rocked. Sometimes it is something little that builds or sometimes it is something life shattering. I am a firm believer that our life is shaped by how we react in those moments... in the faith that we have that the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. It takes a great deal of faith to turn in over to the Lord and place it in his hands & have faith in the outcome. In the thick of it it is hard to see past the moment...

I have been sick the last week and have spent a good portion of time in bed. I will admit that I am a huge fan of a good sleep in every now and then! I am known to bribe James with all kinds of things to be able to sleep past 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning! He and the boys are early risers... I have no choice but to be! But, 10 days sick in bed is a little much even for me. I spent a good portion of my days surfing blogs and trying to not go insane! Somewhere along the way I found the blog Life In Grace and literally spent hours reading her blog. Edie is a mother of four who gave up her profession as a family practice doctor to stay home and home school her children. I admire her outlook on life and have to say that I think that her home is dreamy! However, a couple days before Christmas last year her beautiful home burned to the ground in the middle of the night... her family miraculously made it out a live... here is her account of that night:

 http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2010/12/the-god-who-promises.html#

I will tell you that her faith humbles me. I learned a long time ago to not feel sorry for myself. It wastes too much energy & I am entirely to blessed in life.

James & I had to find a quick rental when we were moving here to Sandy. We literally rented our house over the phone... something I will never do again! I have been vocal about how much I don't like this house... the paint on the walls drive me crazy, the carpet is dated, the fact that if you are in the shower you cannot flush a toilet drives me insane! There is no storage & the layout of the kitchen is terrible... not to mention the terrible lighting in every room...  I could go on. They are all trivial things. But, suddenly after spending a day reading her blog I was grateful for my home. Grateful to have my precious photo albums, outfits that I brought my babies home from the hospital in, my recipe books... I know that they are all worldly possessions... but, she lost it all. Can you imagine? I am grateful for the gentle reminders that the Lord gives me of how blessed my life is. I am grateful that people like Edie will share their experiences so that we can grow from their trials & strength.

Hey There Mister!

 This little man got one to... but, he was being a grouch!

A couple weeks ago I found these darling little glasses at the DI... they were the perfect size for the little guys in my life! I wanted to make them fun... a little "boyish"! With three little men I am constantly trying to make cute things "boyish"! So, I pondered for a couple days & while I was surfing Etsy one day I came across little felt mustaches on sticks - that people could hold up to their faces... anywhoo it gave me the idea to paint mustaches on the glasses!

I simply went to Google Images & found a pattern for a cute mustache. Copied it onto my trusty freezer paper & cut out the image with my Exacto knife. I used a glue stick to adhere the stencil to the glass - it held it snug, but was easy to peel away because of it tackiness when the paint had dried. And WaHla!!!! We have cute little mustache glasses for my cute little men! They LOVE them by the way & we use them every afternoon for our after school smoothies! Somehow the glasses have magical powers.... because they make the boys not notice the spinach that is in their smoothies! They are to busy pulling funny faces with their mustaches to notice the green things floating in the glass! Hee! Hee! We as mothers have to do anything we can!

*** If & When you want to make your own little glasses... make sure you get the right paint! I bought what the clerk told me to the first time.... grrrrr.... and it was not the right stuff. Washed right off in the dishwasher. So, make sure you get a permanent/waterproof paint.

Valentines Crush

O.k. SERIOUSLY how cute is this! I think the boys will be handing these out to their special little Valentines this year! (Sam's Club has a case of them right now for $11) Photo & Idea from Design Aglow:
 http://designaglow.com/design/photo-design-project-valentines-day/

The First Step...

The first step on the road to recovery is to admit that you have a problem. I have a problem. I am becoming my Father.... (It is ok to laugh right now - I laugh about it!). When I was growing up my Dad would always come home and say "Moalee, Albertson's has chicken on sale." Or "Moalee, Smith's is having a case lot sale." Or "Moalee, Albertson's has their turkey breasts on sale." I think you get the point!

Well, here is my confession... I am totally addicted to the weekly sales ads from the grocery stores! I LOVE Tuesday's because they come in the mail on Tuesday's! McKay always gets our mail & is heart broken if I get it. So, on Tuesday's I sneak out and get the ad's and leave whatever else there is for him to get! I Know, I know I am sounding a little crazy right now! But, it only gets worse! I surf the ad's and then I call my Dad to ask him if they are good buys!!! Only on the meat... he doesn't quite care about the mayonnaise sale! My problem is that when spiral ham's go on sale I can't just buy one or two... no, I had to buy six! Yes, you read that right! I have 6 ham's in my freezer right now! Or, when 25 lb boxes of frozen chicken breasts go on sale I have to buy two!!! Do you know how much chicken 50 lbs of chicken is!!! I almost died when I called James at work & said "James, Macey's has their chicken on sale... will you stop and pick it up on your way home - I don't want them to sell out"!  I am my Father!!! Or how about this - Lee's was having a sale on their Tri-Tip roasts & those just happen to be our favorite roasts! But, you could only buy 2 per customer. The sale went every Saturday for a month... I went every Saturday for a month & even made James go on a couple of the Saturday's to! I told you it was going to get worse! Whew, it feels good to get this out! I just feel very vulnerable if my freezer's are not stocked! And I have a really hard time paying $15 for a roast when I can get the same exact one for $8 a piece on sale!

So, my kid's LOVE Stephen's Candy Cane hot chocolate! And I always stock up on it at Sam's Club during the Holiday's. But, I was at Walmart the other night and their individual packets that are normally over .50 cents a piece were on clearance for .11 cents. James was out in the car & I called him & asked him how many I should buy... he told me to buy everyone that they had left! I'm rubbing off on him! I just needed someone to give me a little support for putting 150 of them in my cart!!! McKay's eyes were popping out as I just continued to throw handful after handful in the cart! People were starting to stare! And it hit me in that moment that I am soooo my Father & I don't even care!!! But, now I need to figure out where to put all of this hot chocolate!