Apple Cake Pops

Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen?...

I think I should make them for Bowen's teacher.

GUESS WHAT?
My familia (minus James and I) left for California this morning.
They'll be gone for 4 days.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?
This means a SPOTLESS house for 4 DAYS!
If you had read, "Dreams Come True for Those Who Have OCD"... well, ...

I Met Marcia Lynn McClure!

You're so jealous you could just die.

The indisputable evidence...

(Alyssa, MLM, me)

Alyssa and I drove from St. George to Layton and back again in less than 24 hours.
We're die-hards.

We gifted MLM many treasures.

Such as:

A basket of 'MLM" eye candy...
(Big Hunk candy bars taped with pictures of some of our favorite characters in her books)

On top is a picture of Tim Tebow representing Scott Pendelton in Love Me.

One fabulous perk of the whole experience was meeting the Boise girls, Kristy, Briana & Jen.

(Alyssa, Kristy, Jen, Briana, me)

Not only were they eating Cafe Rio (instant kindred spirits) but they gave us an enthusiastic recommendation for ANOTHER author that may be of the same caliber.

We're so excited we could just die... again.

Grandmatown

In an attempt to avoid utter destruction we shipped ourselves off to Grandma's house.
That's where we've been for the last 2 weeks.
We took advantage of every Grandma within driving distance...
Granmda K'Lyn Grandma Jill (how could I have not taken a pic?)

Grandma Rula and Bula (they come as a package).
Twins. 89 yrs.

Even Grandpa TedJames was rocked, cuddled, and nuzzled the entire 336 hours we were there.
Finally he got so sick of being held he just fell asleep in my arms... mid conversation, I might add.


Here he is at home saying "Where the heck are all my Grandmas?"Which is exactly what I was saying (but I won't post that picture).

Some days are just utter thunderstorms.
I'm just glad I have the widsom not to blog on those days (mostly) because I would end up saying words as such...
"WHY WHY WHY did we have 3 kids so young???"
and then I'd pull out of knife, point it at Bryan and say...
"YOU! YOU did this to me!"
I'm kidding.
Please.
It's all in jest.

And lastly, this little gem...Aw, what a sweetheart.

P.S. I never knew how entertainin' the Lawrence Welk show was till I hung out with Gma R&B. You can't tell me you don't just feel all happy after listening to and dancing a jig the likes of Gma Bula here below...

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chasseur

Bryan's exact words?...
"Unbelievable!"

An involved recipe (the best ones always are).
You have to buy such rarities as cremini mushrooms and dried porcini mushrooms... NEVER on coupon, I might add.
I went to Smiths and saved a whopping $1.70.
Hm, well, it was worth every penny!
HERE for the recipe. (by America's Test Kitchen)

Fun with Chocolate

Now that I'm not 'with child' anymore...
I have this overwhelming desire to COOK!

Hang the coupons... I want to buy prosciutto, blue cheese, "white truffellllll" (another Ratatouille quote).

So, in getting back to the old routine of perusing through my cookbooks all day (providing myself great amusement) I came across PD's "Chocolate Celebration".
Remember when I said, "I must make a moon pie or I'll just die"?
I meant it.
Hence, the moon pie...
(actually 'mini mallow cake' from PD)

Truth be told, I did not LOVE the mini mallow cake. And since I was so determined to make something absolutely fabulous... I went to an old favorite (a best ever)... Keri's Texas Sheet cake.
I cut it into little circles, layered it with frosting, and doused the outside with chocolate candy coating...

Don't they look glorious?

Well, they tasted EVEN BETTER!

Aw, life is good.

"Jesus Take the Wheel"

Did I ever tell you about "Jesus Take the Wheel"?

It was November 2005.
Bry and I went on a cruise with my family.
Bowen stayed with Grandma Jill and Pappa Fred.
They were traveling back to California from Utah.
Bowen was buckled in the back seat.
The roads were icy.
"before they knew it they were spinning on a thin black sheet of glass."
They lost control and the car rolled.

"Jesus take the wheel".

That song reminds me of the accident and makes me think... "I'll do whatever you ask... just save my baby."

I can't listen to it without crying.

Here's a picture of Grandma Jill, cousin Skyla, and Bo later that week...

safe, happy, healthy...
mine.


I'm overwhelmed with gratitude sometimes... like right now. ( :

Product Endorsements

Just Plain Yummy!
And I don't know where they got the name from... it doesn't smell like oatmeal OR vanilla.

When we was at the Grand Hyatt (purposeful use of incorrect grammer) I found myself in great reluctance using their tiny little bottles of shampoo (because we all know hotel shampoo = crap hair).
But after I washed and blow dried and ran my fingers through my hair, I could not help but burst into song...

"You make me feel like a NAT- UR- AL a woman."

Portico Spa.com. White Ginger.
It was awesome. (and apparently purchasable online.)

This next item I MUST have.
The G2 Swivel Sweeper.
I don't know why they don't just put these in our free hospital diaper bags.
It's unlawful not to have one of these when you have offspring.

And then there's this... which is just.... without words...

The Brunch Burger by PD.


I MUST make a moon pie soon or I will just die.

Give it up.

I know you're tired, James.
Seriously, you can't sleep with your eyes open.
Just give it up, my son. Give it up.

Dear Day,

Let's not get ready today. Let's brush our teeth and call it good.

Let's just try to forget the fact that we're out of milk and eggs and that Bryson can't seem to put it together that no milk means no chocolate milk.

Also, instead of folding laundry or something... let's blog and read a McClure book.

I'm so glad we had this talk.

"Maybe I've been a bit too.... ARSHHHHH."

Awwww, I think I'm becoming convinced that it WILL be wonderful to have my kiddies close together... in about 5 years!

Obviously right now some days are just NOT SO HOT. And Sunday was a TOTAL TRAIN WRECK!

Today is accepted chaos.

What is on my kitchen floor right now...? A shirt with poo all up the back of it.

Interesting.

Want to know something cool? I just lost my train of thought. Gone.

Welp, other tidbits of information...

Saw it.
LOVE IT!
Own it.

Another tidbit: We can't stop quoting "Ratouille" at our house.

• "... because I LOVE YOUuuuuu 're advice"
• "You will NOT BE MOMMIED"
• "What are you eating?" "I don't really know?"
• "This! Is! Me! It's apparent I need to rethink my life a little bit."
• "I have a son?"
• "She's covered... ya know, heaven and all."
• "Maybe I've been a bit too.... ARSHHHHHH.

Official Opinion

I have formed an official opinion...

I love my boys in an unexplainable manner (that's not my official opinion, that's just a truth)...

But it's hard to concentrate on this when you have to be responsible for so many things all at one time.

Explain:

2 year olds and 4 year olds require A LOT of energy. And a specific kind of energy. Energy to see things from their perspective, play on their level, understand their frustrations. It's a lot of work, takes a lot of time, and requires a lot of focus.

I like to TRY and be acutely aware of what is going on with my kids. Know what they're going through. Be involved as much as I can so I can offer help, show my love, enforce boundaries. Especially when they're dealing with siblings where teaching moments present about every 5 seconds...

THIS boy is about the most beautiful thing i have ever seen...But now that he's here, my other kids are left to their own devices.
Kinda like "Lord of the Flies".
In giving James the attention he requires (and the time that I so desperately want to spend with him), my other kids are left to deal with their world on their own, with their 2 and 4 year old little brains.

This usually means Bryson getting pummeled by Bowen.

So what are my options while I'm sitting there feeding James?
To yell.
That's about the only thing you can do from that position.
But come on! They're toddlers. They don't need to be yelled at.
What they need is distraction, suggestion, time with their momma.

And this makes me feel bad. They're too young... and they need me.

And this is how I formed my official opinion (and why didn't anybody ever tell me this with more vivor?)...

It would be wise to wait to have your 3rd until your littlest is at least 4.

That's my opinion, formed from 2 weeks', hands on experience.

It's not regret. It's "how did I not know this was going to be so hard?"

And now I must to bed for my tank is empty and James will be up in 2.

Little baby bum in the air

Here's baby James looking at me like "What the heck are you doin'?"

Little baby bum in the air.

You know you live a cushy life when staying up all night feels like some great trial.
It's not as if I'm in some covered wagon in the middle of the Rockies in the dead of winter.
I have 3 healthy boys... one healthy enough to be ravishingly hungry every 3 hours and the other healthy enough to give me guff all night long.
The two combined made for a night devoid of any sort of slumbering respite.
One thing I do know... I will now cry during every Life Insurance commercial and every country song. Its just the consequences.

One thing that does make me giddy with delight...
Bryan just informed me that 'James' is the #1 most popular boy name of the past century. I love it. This means James could be anybody... Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester, John Wayne... you name it. He can pick his era.

Considerations

A few thoughts runnin' through my brain lately...

• what the *@#$ was I thinking?
  

Ok, so that's only one thought. But that's all that came to mind. ( ;

I hope you realize, I really am in jest. It's really not so bad after you get every kid over 2 in their own separate time outs... things are quite peaceful. ( ;

To battle this sleepless, 3 kids under 5 BLISS, James and I have become re-obsessed with my favorite all time author... Marcia Lynn McClure. I don't think I could tell this woman enough how much I enjoy her books. With postpartum hormones a-blazin', I am awash in love and sorrow. When Lochlan (from "The Highwayman of Tanglewood") yells "Faris, you promised" with a tear seeping down his temple... I cried. And so did James (but I think he was just hungry). A highly unstable endocrine system makes for a very euphoric romance novel (clean and appropriate) experience. (insert 'sigh' here).

And this shall be my never-last plug for MLM. Everyone go buy her books so that she becomes a best-seller and so that Hallmark will make movies out of all her books and so that they can star Gerard Butler.And I've therefore found myself on a quest to put together a list of (in my humble opinion) the best ever love songs, stories, and stills OF ALL TIME! Ok, maybe not all time but... just my favorites.

Beginning with this...Uh huh! Yep!

And this... (the song, not the video)


Uh... ya!
Really the only lyrics in that song that register in my brain is "Why don't we go somewhere only we know!" Um... LOVELY!

And finally THIS (sorry, I have so posted this before) start at 1:44

"Well, if you must leave me... you must!"

This is my other favorite scene... (this is a purely indulgent post if you haven't noticed)

'Jane, I have need of it.'

I LOVE Mr. Rochester.

What else would be on the list...

• Tristan & Isolde?
• Phantom?
• P&P?
• T, of course.
• Anne of Green Gables?
• Newsies? kidding

Mmmmm!

My favorite is sticking my face in his and having him root around until he finds my nose or corner lip to suck on.
Yummers.


Resemblance pic:
Bry when he was 3 months.

James Bryan Bernhardt

7 lbs.

20 inches
Born 12:22am 6/26/09
Dr. C.
Highly Highly recommended!

This is the only picture of me you get...
Hot pink toenails... highly highly recommended.
Grandma K & JB...

Ummmmm... looks just like his daddy...

West side Gator.

i know

1999
just a couple a high school kidsAnd now...
you are everything to me.
There are a few things I know.
One of them
is that I love you.

I think of you when I hear this song...

specifically these lyrics...

All my plans they
Depend on you
Depend on you
To help them grow
I love you
And thats all I know

I love you
And thats all, its really all I know
Its all I know

Its all I know