Thursday, July 31, 2008

Movin' on Up!



SO Layton got a new job!Well, kind of a new job.... Basically at Fersenius, where he works, they hire backup workers for different positions. He got hired for a back up I-beam position. This will give him a foot in the door!(And it pays $3 more an hour) YAY! I AM SO EXCITED!!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Stress

I don't know why everything always seems to hit at once. Normally, we do ok. I don't worry as much about money as when I was a stay at home mom. I still worry, but we have more than $15 a month to live off of. I just finished one of my classes. (HOORAY!) In the same breath, it is another expense right now! I have to purchase CS3 by Monday (at least, I'm supposed to.) Things like that always seem to happen when I'm the poorest! ARGH, not to whine, I'm really lucky, but I'm just worryin' about how I'm going to make $900 by monday.
Lemonade anyone? Just 25 cents.





Ok, so this came up when I searched for lemonade stands and it was too funny not to share.

Monday, July 28, 2008

The dangers of having a jump drive that looks like a tiger

Ok, first of all, pardon the poor quality photo. I am feeling lazy and so a photobucket photo will do.




This is the flash drive I bought at my school bookstore a few weeks ago. It is a tiger (obviously) When I saw it, it was one of the cutest things that I have ever seen. You pull the head off to plug it in. I had to buy it. I use it all the time for school and work. The other night, I had a bunch of stories to write for work. My mom and dad were gone all week camping, and so I really didn't have the option of getting any help with the kids. I stayed up until 2:30 am (probably closer to 3 am) finishing the stories. I finished just as Jonah started to cry. I got him all squared away and crawled into bed at 4am. Luckily Layton was off of work and watched the boys in the morning so I could sleep. I should mention, when I got up to go take care of Jonah, I had just saved my stories but I did not park my jump drive or put it away. I left it in the laptop sitting by my chair. (yes, I am an idiot)
I awoke about 8 am to find Logan standing at the edge of my bed, holding up my tiger and the head. He looked heartbroken. "Momma, he's hurting, he needs a band aid!" I admit the first thing I did was let out a blood curling scream. Then I grabbed it and ran to my computer to see if I had lost my information. It was ALL GONE! I tried everything to try and restore it. Nothing.
I had to do everything all over again!
I sat in the chair and just stared blankly at the screen for several minutes. Logan came running in with a bandaid and said "Momma, help him. He's hurting real bad."


I had to use an ace bandage to "fix" the tiger. Logan promised to never touch him again, but I think I need to get a new flash drive.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Pickled momminess

It's funny. I really do enjoy canning. I spent a good portion of the evening making pickles last night. It was a TON of work for 8 jars of pickles. Somehow, after they were all canned I felt like a better mom/person. I started to think, "What is it about homemade pickles that makes me a better mom/person." There really isn't anything. I honestly think it's because my mom made them when we were kids, so it's a memory from my childhood that I am making for my kids. I always remember wanting to eat the bottled goodness as soon as my mom had them in the bottle. I remember, to my dismay, not being able to eat the home made pickles for several weeks (because you have to wait about a month to let the flavors blend) This morning, the minute Logan got up he said "I need pickles." I laughed and told him we have to wait a couple of weeks. Just a minute ago he said "Has it been a couple of weeks yet?" I told him no, I'd let him know when the time was up, but I know how he feels that is for sure!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Mangos=good

I just finished making 3 batches of mango jam. (It is so amazingly good)
Just feelin' happy cause it's all done. :)

HOME!

I really feel like I could kiss the floor, or maybe my bed. I have just been in one of the longest city council meetings EVER! Glad to be home and going to bed. I will post more when I am coherent. (I should also mention the clock on my posts is wrong. It's actually 12:57 a.m.)

Monday, July 21, 2008

Happiest Day EVER!

I am so excited I just had to post this (I am in the middle of class, so really should be working!) I got a letter in the mail yesterday from my school saying that they will have a check ready for me to pick up...the residual from my financial aid. It said it was over $700. I was like WHAT? I must first explain that I go to school at the Davis Applied Technology College. Tuition here is dirt cheap and there aren't any stupid classes required like bowling or basket weaving or whatever. Tuition is like $300 for 14 credit hours. It's amazingly cheap. I have been lucky enough to get a grant. I was assuming that the amount they were issuing was for me to pay my tuition. They actually do that for you. This money is mine. (WOOHOO!) I guess the Department of education pays a flat amount no matter what school you attend. Because tuition and books are so much less....I get money back (How rad is that?)

Also, I was going through some of my tech books trouble shooting with my dead laptop. I feel a little like Dr. Frankenstein...but "It's alive!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

101 Things about me

I totally stole this from my friend Emilie, but it was so stinkin' cute I couldn't resist!
Here are 101 things all about me!

1. I love to write
2. I used to hate to camp as a child, now I love it!
3. I love to take pictures.
4. I am pretty artistic, I love writing, photos and anything crafty or artsy.
5. I believe there is some good in all people.
6. I know I'm kind of naive, but that's ok.
7. I think I'm one of the funniest people I know (and I'm humble, lol)
8. My husband and I are polar opposites.
9. I love to sing, but I'm not as good at it as I once thought
10. I am a registered Democrat, and pretty liberal as far as Mormons go
11. I was adopted
12. I am a reporter for the Standard Examiner (greatest job ever)
13. I am very good at what I do.
14. I am going to school in Media Design.
15. Until a few weeks ago, it had been 3 years since Layton and I had been to a movie together.
16. I had my first article published in the newspaper at the age of 17
17. The first article I ever submitted to a magazine for publication was accepted (and I was 17 then too)
18. I hate to fold laundry. There is nothing worse!
19. My favorite calling ever was teaching relief society. (I taught until I got married and moved out of my home ward)
20. I can type so very fast (As fast as people talk)
21. I don't record city council meetings. (Listening to a recorded council meeting is like having to attend twice!)
22. I can be mouthy on occasion.
23. I used to work for the airlines.
24. I visited Hawaii 4 times in 1 year.
25. I have a paralyzing fear of heights.
26. I believe fervently in my religion
27. I think there is something to learn from all religions
28. I have a special love of Buddhists/Buddhism (I worked quite often with those at the Buddhist temple in Layton, they are such wonderful kind people!)
29. I love Barenaked Ladies (the band)
30. Steven Page is my favorite band member
31. Layton (my husband) refused to allow me to name our first son Steven. (because our last name is Stephenson)
32. I have always wanted a monkey
33. I consider myself a good friend.
34. I blog nearly every day
35. I am good person
36. No one says my name right, not even my husband
37. I once snuck out of the house and drove my parents truck when I didn't even have a license. Pulling the truck back into the garage, I hit the lawnmower and broke the wheel off. I never got caught. My dad actually got blamed. My mom actually said "Kerry, you have to be more careful!"
38. I never said anything and let him take the blame. (sorry Dad!)
39. I have always been a tattle-tale
40. I don't cook nearly as well as my mom (when it comes to her recipes)
41. Many of my menu items are better than hers though (I think)
42. Someday I hope to have a book published
43. I am always working on a novel
44. I am a writer, but I hate to read
45. I have always read on a much higher grade level.
46. I am a talker
47. I was painfully shy as a child
48. I am 2 inches taller than my husband
49. My office is almost always cluttered.
50. Things that are messy drive me crazy
51. I wish I could spend more time with my Grandpa Glanville.
52. I think I won the parent lottery!
53. I don't have a calling in my ward currently
54. I like to go visiting teaching
55. I am easy to talk to
56. I have 2 dogs: Lewis and Clark
57. I don't allow animals in my house.
58. My favorite color is Burgundy
59. My favorite color combination is brown and pink
60. Logan was named after Wolverine, but Layton never knew that until he was 3 months old.
61. Jonah was almost named "Aiden" but my dad talked us out of it.
62. Jonah was my dad's idea (he was giving suggestions of names like Ezekiel etc. and then he said Jonah...and I was like 'yeah, I love that!")
63. When I named my first son Logan, I thought it was an original name
64. I love the name Lucy for a little girl
65. I am convinced that I will never have a little girl
66. I'm not a real fan of pizza
67. My beverage of choice is always lemonade
68. I hate carbonation.
69. I read Little Women when I was in 3rd grade
70. My favorite book of all time Is "Picture of Dorian Gray"
71. I love the way Ray Bradbury writes (even though he is really wordy)
72. One of my pet peeves is people who take 11000 words to say something they could in two sentences. (I call them "over-writers")
73. Another pet peeve is when people say things like "I could care less" um, it should be "I couldn't care less!"
74. Irregardless (another pet peeve) irregardless...it's regardless!
75. I have a lot of pet peeves dealing with writing.
76. I am a really good editor.
77. I am kind of sloppy in grammar and speech on my blog. I'm not really sure why.
78. I think my Grandma Glanville is one step away from being translated. She is the kindest most giving person I know.
79. I can be loud.
80. I have an amazing memory. (I'm like an elephant, I never forget!)
81. It bugs me when people question my memory because they don't remember what I'm talking about.
82. I live in a old 1942 little home, and I love it that way!
83. I have a tender heart.
84. We found a hidden room in our basement while remodeling
85. I am allergic to being pregnant (quite honestly)
86. I would love to adopt a child
87. I like to try unique and weird foods.
88. I love sushi
89. I am still mourning the closing of "My Girlfriend's Kitchen"
90. I was in a rollover car accident
91. I walked away from a rollover car accident, my whole family did
92. I have an ipod, but I still don't know how to turn it off.
93. I am doing this at 10:56 p.m. (I have to be up at 6 am for school)
94. I would do my job for free. I feel really lucky to get paid to write
95. I do not like Star Wars.
96. If I never had to watch a sporting event again, that would be alright.
97. I have watched shows about scrapbooking
98. I found the video of an autopsy that was shown in my Bio-med class fascinating.
99. I have a hard time dealing with vomit.
100. I love the shows Bones and House, but hardly ever get to watch them
101. I love comedies (ie Napolean Dynamite and Tommy Boy type) and crappy 80s movies like Masters of the Universe (with Dolph Lundgren)

I tag Misty, Maryanne, Mimi, and Marisol!

Looking forward to 18 months

I know I have already posted today, but I need to vent a little. I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN JONAH IS 18 MONTHS...So he can go to nursery. I sat in the hall for 99% of church today and tried to control my monkey of a child! 2 more months. That's all I have to say...2 more months!

People that I Love-Lisa edition


As many of you know I have promised to tell those closest to me how much I love them via this site. Well, I have been kind of sucky about that lately, so here's the latest installment: The Lisa edition!

My little sister Lisa is everything that I hope to be someday! She is amazingly talented. We took piano lessons for about the same amount of time. I can play like "Old McDonald Had a Farm." Lisa is AMAZING! She can play anything. She is beautiful and intelligent and so level headed. Lisa is so very much like my Dad. I admire all of her abilities. She is a stunningly beautiful girl who is able to think for her self. She is one of those people who keeps things to herself, and so I don't tell her as often as I should, but I love you Lisa!


Really the best part of having both of my kids was the fact that Lisa got to take care of them right after they were born. (She worked in transition and the NICU) She measured them and made sure they were ok. It was such a comfort to have her with them when I couldn't be there!
On a little bit of a lighter note, my favorite "Lisa" story is as follows:
When she was younger (like 3ish) She would come up to you and say "Wanna Hear a joke?" Her joke was either A) Booster B) Lump. I don't get it either, but she would laugh and laugh!(I wish I had a photo of her when she was a little girl, she was the cutest little kid)
Lisa just graduated from College with her Teaching Degree. She landed a job right away. I know she is going to be a fabulous teacher (who only occasionally makes kids cry)
I love how great she is with kids. My kids adore her. Tonight she was holding Jonah, and she handed him to me and he gave me this look like "WHAT? I don't want my mom!"
Before we go to the park or to do anything fun, Logan always says "I need to invite my Wee-sa." It's cute.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

My Son, the puppy.


I am fairly certain that Jonah thinks he's a puppy. At 15 months, he's not walking or talking much. He does bark. Super. We watched a cartoon about a Momma dog who carried her puppy around by carrying them in her mouth. Jonah's new thing, he crawls around with his stuffed puppy in his mouth. I'm kinda worried that he might think he's a puppy. (Or at least a momma dog)

Friday, July 18, 2008

Do like the boyscouts-Be Prepared



I must admit in the past week or so, I have felt a little bit like I'm losing my mind. While doing some research on "Fire safety" I ended up on the FEMA website and somehow got linked to the blog of a survivor of hurricane Katrina.
Her comments were so genuine. She talked about having to let her baby be naked because she had no food or water or diapers. Her baby wailed until she was too weak to wail. It was 3 days before they recieved food and other rations. After reading that, I have felt this tremendous sence of urgency to get things together in case of an emergency. (I have seriously had dreams about it!)This girl recommended having bookbags ready with personal items etc. I have heard the idea before, but I thought "What a brilliant plan!" So we have been working on the emergency preparedness thing, but we're also putting together backpacks that we can hang on a hook by the door. That way if we have to leave in haste, we can grab them and run out the door!!
I just thought I would post the FEMA list of what is recommended and encourage all of my friends and family do the same.

It is as follows:

When preparing for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth.
Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:



· Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

· Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food


· Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both

· Flashlight and extra batteries

· First aid kit

· Whistle to signal for help

· Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

· Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

· Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities


· Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

· Local maps

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:
· Prescription medications and glasses
· Infant formula and diapers
· Pet food and extra water for your pet
· Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
· Cash or traveler's checks and change
· Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
· Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
· Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
· Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
· Fire Extinguisher
· Matches in a waterproof container
· Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
· Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
· Paper and pencil
· Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children


Water
· One gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.
· Children, nursing mothers, and sick people may need more water.
· If you live in a warm weather climate more water may be necessary.
· Store water tightly in clean plastic containers such as soft drink bottles.
· Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person.
Food· Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.
· Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.
· Pack a manual can opener and eating utensils.
· Avoid salty foods, as they will make you thirsty.
· Choose foods your family will eat.
o Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
o Protein or fruit bars
o Dry cereal or granola
o Peanut butter
o Dried fruit
o Nuts
o Crackers
o Canned juices
o Non-perishable pasteurized milk
o High energy foods
o Vitamins
o Food for infants
o Comfort/stress foods
First Aid Kit
In any emergency a family member or you yourself may be cut, burned or suffer other injuries. If you have these basic supplies you are better prepared to help your loved ones when they are hurt. Remember, many injuries are not life threatening and do not require immediate medical attention. Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency. Consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help you stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination.
Things you should have:
· Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex).
· Sterile dressings to stop bleeding.
· Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect.
· Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
· Burn ointment to prevent infection.
· Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes.
· Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant.
· Thermometer (Read more: Biological Threat)
· Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
· Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies.
Things it may be good to have:
· Cell Phone
· Scissors
· Tweezers
· Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Non-prescription drugs:
· Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
· Anti-diarrhea medication
· Antacid (for upset stomach)
· Laxative
Clean Air
Some potential emergencies could send tiny microscopic "junk" into the air. For example flooding could create airborne mold which could make you sick and an explosion may release very fine debris that can cause lung damage. A biological terrorist attack may release germs that can make you sick if inhaled or absorbed through open cuts. Many of these agents can only hurt you if they get into your body, so think about creating a barrier between yourself and any contamination.
Nose and Mouth Protection
Face masks or dense-weave cotton material, that snugly covers your nose and mouth and is specifically fit for each member of the family. Do whatever you can to make the best fit possible for children.
Be prepared to improvise with what you have on hand to protect your nose, mouth, eyes and cuts in your skin. Anything that fits snugly over your nose and mouth, including any dense-weave cotton material, can help filter contaminants in an emergency. It is very important that most of the air you breathe comes through the mask or cloth, not around it.
Do whatever you can to make the best fit possible for children. There are also a variety of face masks readily available in hardware stores that are rated based on how small a particle they can filter in an industrial setting.
Given the different types of emergencies that could occur, there is not one solution for creating a barrier between yourself and any contamination in the air. For instance, simple cloth face masks can filter some of the airborne "junk" or germs you might breathe into your body, but will probably not protect you from chemical gases. Still, something over your nose and mouth in an emergency is better than nothing. Limiting how much "junk" gets into your body may impact whether or not you get sick or develop disease.
Other Barriers
· Heavyweight plastic garbage bags or plastic sheeting
· Duct tape
· Scissors
There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as "shelter-in-place," is a matter of survival. You can use these things to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room from outside contamination. Consider precutting and labeling these materials. Anything you can do in advance will save time when it counts.
Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you can use these things to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room. Read more: Deciding to Stay or Go.
HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration) Filter Fans
Once you have sealed a room with plastic sheeting and duct tape you may have created a better barrier between you and any contaminants that may be outside. However, no seal is perfect and some leakage is likely. In addition to which, you may find yourself in a space that is already contaminated to some degree.
Consider a portable air purifier, with a HEPA filter, to help remove contaminants from the room where you are sheltering. These highly efficient filters have small sieves that can capture very tiny particles, including some biological agents. Once trapped within a HEPA filter contaminants cannot get into your body and make you sick. While these filters are excellent at filtering dander, dust, molds, smoke, biological agents and other contaminants, they will not stop chemical gases.
Some people, particularly those with severe allergies and asthma, use HEPA filters in masks, portable air purifiers as well as in larger home or industrial models to continuously filter the air.
Unique Family Needs


Remember the unique needs of your family members when making your emergency supply kit and family emergency plan.
For Baby:
· Formula
· Diapers
· Bottles
· Powdered milk
· Medications
· Moist towelettes
· Diaper rash ointment
For Adults:
· Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin and other prescription drugs.
· Denture needs
· Contact lenses and supplies
· Extra eye glasses

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Food storage deals

Ok, so we decided to really focus on ramping up our food storage. My friend Jenn totally inspired me to get going on this. Our stake has started to make monthly suggestions of items people should try to get so they have adequate food storage in case of emergency. We decided to get a few items every month. This month at Reams I noticed there are some GREAT deals this week so I thought I would share.

Brown sugar $.50 per bag. We bought a case of 24 for $12
Powdered sugar $.50 per bag. We bought a case of 24 for $12
Power Aid .50 We got a case of 15 for $7.50
Pasta Roni .88 per box. We got a couple of cases.

Also, at Macey's there are gallon jugs of water for like .80

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Not right!

I was watching the news today. They were talking about how police arrested 50 "illegal aliens" who had ties to gangs. That's good, in the sense that I want people in gangs to not live here. They mentioned that they are focusing their efforts on "Illegal aliens with ties to gangs." Hold on...stop right there****This is where I have a problem. I want ALL people in gangs gone. Dump them in jail and throw away the key! Why on earth are we focusing our efforts on illegal aliens? Are citizens of our country who belong to gangs less of a threat?
I have a serious issue with many people's attitude about immigration and "aliens". It irritates me so much to hear people say "Why don't they go back where they came from?" That's irony for you. Who here is native to this country? If everyone was to go back to where they came from, this country would be nearly empty. We're all imigrants (Unless you're a Native American)'
I've heard a lot of negativity from people in the last months, talking about how our government is wasting money on educating or feeding those who are not citizens of our country. In my opinion, I'd rather educate and feed the poor than kill them in some war! I'd rather give them a future than take it away! Why don't people complain about the money wasted in this war that we're in! It seems a lot more pointless to me to spend BILLIONS of dollars on a war. How is there a down side to helping those in need?
It's sad, much of the negativity that I have heard in recent months has been in church. My church is family oriented. We are taught that everything is centered on family. How is deporting illegal aliens a good thing if it breaks up families?
People say "It's the law. They are breaking the law."
If my children were being raised in poverty in some third world country, I can tell you I would do what I could to make a better life for them.
Everyone has got an answer for immigration. It might be a little different if it were their sister, mother or grandmother being deported. How many people would rush to condemn illegal aliens if their family was among them?
I'm just saying it's good for us to have diversity in our communities. Wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same?! I think we should allow all people who are otherwise law abiding a way to be granted citizenship!

Monday, July 14, 2008

*WONDERFUL* Weekend



My friend Heather called me a few days ago and asked if I would be willing to come and stay the night at the hotel her sister was getting married at and watch the kids during the ceremony and the reception. I didn't really understand what I was agreeing to. I thought it was going to be SO hard. After all, with my two boys there would be 5 kids that were 3 or under. At the last moment my mom and Lisa decided to take our boys for the night so that we would only have to watch 3 kids.
We got there, did I mention it was the Grand America Hotel? I had never been there so I had no idea how fancy shmancy it would be! (*AMAZING!*) We got there about 7:30 p.m. but apparently the boys were having a great time at the reception. We sat up in this amazing room until about 9 p.m. when Allison (heather's sister) brought her little boy upstairs. We played with him for an hour or so. He was the funniest little boy! Then he went back downstairs to dance with his mommy. Heather brought her boys upstairs and they were both asleep within 5 minutes. (why don't my boys sleep like that?) and then Allison came back with her little boy for about 5 minutes. Overall, we didn't do much. I almost felt guilty when every one went home and left us in this suite all by ourselves (I said ALMOST) It was awesome. And it was the first time we've been able to get away without the boys in 3 years.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Real life Chick-Flick


Have you ever seen that chick flick where the girl is afflicted with some terminal illness. Then she rallies and you're sure she is going to pull through. When all of the sudden she crashes and then dies in the end? (Isn't that the plot for half of the chick flicks out there?)

Well, My laptop, my wonderful laptop passed from this life at 8:59 p.m. this evening.
I had previously thought she was a goner, but she pulled through. The spark from her eyes disappeared this evening (the screen went black..and now, I am getting nothing)


*Clear*
-bzap-
nothing

*Clear*
-bzap-
nothing

Time of death
8:59pm

goodbye my laptop!

Fire Danger


I got a call a few days ago from this little old lady who was scheduling free dinners at Ruby River Steakhouse. Now, never being one to turn down something that is free, I asked which time-share she was affiliated with (We've attended them all) She told me that she isn't with a time share, they were just giving a "brief" presentation on fire safety. Now, it did sound too good to be true, but free is free. We got the information in the mail, and the "brief" fire safety presentation said it would be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. hardly brief, but free is free, so we went. The dinner was great, it was definately worth attending. The presentation was very informative, and I'm glad we attended. The presentation was limited to information only, no prices were discussed at all. HOWEVER, this is a big fat HOWEVER...They set up appointments to come give you a free consulation. They install their smoke detectors for you. My thought was "How much could it cost." My naive mind thought at most $1,000. They offered some free products for having them come out, but when they got here it was pretty high pressure. (ie. the average person spends $12k on fire insurance to protect their things, how much are your children worth) So, in all..they reccomended $3,500 worth of smoke detectors for our 1200 square foot home. They charge nearly $400 per smoke detector claiming that the standard smoke detector fails 58% of the time. Now, that's a scary thought. I have done a lot of research today because we actually don't have a functioning smoke detector in our home currently. I talked to our local fire department and he said the advice given in these seminars is accurate, but the prices border on "Scam" (um, no kidding) I just thought that I would share the tips.

From the Seminar
1. Never leave your clothes dryer running while you are sleeping or not home.
2. Clean the coils on your fridge every six months
3. Clean the vent from your clothes dryer every six months.
4. Check batteries in your smoke detectors every six months.
5. Keep fire extinguishers in the master bedroom, kitchen (but not near the stove or cupboards) and in laundry room.
6. Keep a bat in bedrooms (when windows get hot the glass curves and it harder to break. Windows may not open, and may need to be broken)
7. NEVER try to fight a garage fire. There are too many combustables. Evacuate immediately!
8. NEVER NEVER NEVER put flour on a fire. (A mistake often made with grease fires-flour is extremely flamable!)

From the Fire Chief
1. Any type of fire detector is good. There are several types some are better at detecting different types of fires. It is good to have both types installed in a hallway or common area.
2. It shouldn't cost more than $300 to install fire detectors in the average home
3. Fire detectors should be replaced every 10 years because sensors fail. (this is why many of the standard detectors fail, because they are not replaced as often as they should be)
4. There should be mutliple fire detectors and Carbon monoxide detectors on a level of a home. The following is reccomended: 1 smoke detector in each bedroom, hall, kitchen, also a detector in a laundry room, near the water heater, and furnace. a Carbon Monoxide Detector should be in the area of the furnace and above the furnace as well (if it's downstairs)

The fire chief stressed that it is important to have a lot of smoke detectors because a fire doubles in size every 15 seconds. He said the more you have the better your chances. It has nothing to do with the amount you spend on the detector, rather the number of detectors you buy. Wow, we could buy a lot of those $10 ones at Lowes for $3500!!!

Also the chief said it's important to talk to children about what to do if there is a fire. Most children hide when they are scared. It's important they know what to do. He said it may sound cheesy, but having a "fire drill" for family home evening and choosing a plan and a spot for your family to meet is crucial for kids being comfortable with what to do in case of an actual fire.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

We went to visit Heather and her twin boys Carter and Tyler yesterday. The boys had a blast together. Logan said this morning "I want to go to my friend's house. I wish they really lived down here! They are just staying with Heather's sister Allison for her other sister's wedding. It was so fun to get to see them! Her boys are so cute!



Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Caramel corn-a recipe for disaster

Sorry in advance for the double post today (and it's still early in the day!!)
Last night, in celebration of my completing my math class...in 1/4 the amount of time typical...I decided to make caramel corn. I called my Grandma Stephens for her recipe because she makes the best caramel corn ever. So We chatted for a minute and then she gave me this recipe...and I remember thinking "Wow, that doesn't even sound familiar." I have made it before. But I started to make it. Normally grandma's caramel corn is not real brown. It's a karo-y kind of clear. just delicious. Well, this recipe, definately had more brown sugar in it than the recipe used previously. Also...there wasn't enough butter in it so it made like a brown sugar-like paste. So I added another cube of butter and it turned out OK. (not great, but ok) Logan loved it because it was pure sugary goodness. So I am mixing the caramel in the popcorn and one piece falls onto the glass where I had just made the sauce (we have a glass top range) Logan picked it up with his little fingers and then started to scream these terrible wails. I picked him up and threw his hands under the cold water. That is where he stood for 1 1/2 hours. Every time I turned the water off, he would scream "IT HURTS SO BAD!!!" Finally, he fell asleep in my arms with me holding his hand in the water and I was able to put him in bed. It's so sad, he has these little blisters on the pads of his fingertips.

Math


There is happy news to report. I finished my math class. Praise heaven! I am so glad to be done! The teacher has this policy that if you're able to get 90% on all of your tests, you don't have to take the final. There is also this thing where for every mistake you find in the curriculum, you get 2% extra on a test. There was only one test that I got 85% on...the rest were 96% or higher, but because I am a word nerd...I found enough mistakes in the curriculum to add 22% to my tests. So, thankfully, I never had to take the final, and I am done with math!


While I was looking for pictures on photobucket relating to math...I found these and thought I would share.






Also..I just have to share a funny little story. I was finishing up the last of my math homework after I got home the other night. It was stupid algebra garbage. x=2 t/43x5 type crap. Because I had to go consult for the content on a webpage I am working on, Layton had already made dinner-biscuits and gravy. So I was working and just couldn't figure out the problem I was working on when Layton said "B + G = D"
I said to him "WHAT?? WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE EXPONENTS FROM???" He laughed and said "Biscuits + Gravy = Delicious"
So funny.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Random Ramblings

We went to see Kung Fu Panda tonight. It was the first time both Logan and Jonah have been to a movie theater. It was interesting to say the least. It was a little more scary than I expected (Not Lauralee scary...but Logan gripping my arms and Jonah screaming when the music got "intense" scary)Overall it was a cute show...and I love cartoons with a message. The message on this one...(WATCH OUT---->SPOILER!!!)There is no hidden ingredient (ok, maybe you need to watch it!)...things are special because you think they are special. I guess this is pretty deep to take from a cartoon. But it reminded me of how life is what you make of it. Things that you learn are what you mentally are able to take from it in that moment. This is probably what I got from it...because I am in school and struggling with stupid math. I had read the chapter probably 11 times...nothing. Then, as I skimmed today...KA-BAM, all of the sudden, I got it. I had been going about the equations all wrong. I had just finished another chapter...long story short, I assumed that it was the same type of deal...when it definately wasn't. I think a lot of times, if we cleared out all of our preconcieved notions, we could learn a whole lot more...not only about ourselves, but about the world around us. I think so often we are concerned about the "I'm right" mentality, we forget to realize that there is something to be learned from everyone. While we were in the movie, a family came in with about 11 children of ranging ages. They were of various ethnic background. The dad walked with a cane, and two of these children were in wheelchairs. The dad was barely able to walk up the stairs so one of his natural daughters Picked up these boys one by one and carried them up the steps to the top of the movie theater. I am ashamed to admit it, but I was kind of bothered they were sitting behind us..because they kept kicking my seat. I decided that I could sit through the entire movie and be bugged that these boys were kicking the back of my chair, or I could enjoy myself. I didn't really notice the girl or these boys...until after the first of the disabled boys was already seated behind me. (and had already kicked my seat) I don't think I would have noticed the amazing girl behind me if I had continued to be bothered by it. It was when I took a moment to look outside of myself that I realized this boy was having leg spasms. His kicking my chair was completely out of his control. I know I'm guilty of being self-absorbed sometimes, I think that is part of being human...but if we can over-come that, maybe that's what it's all about. I don't know...I'm just rambling at the moment.
On the lighter side of things, I turned in my portfolio for my scholarship application today. All the lady in the scholarship office said was "wow." I'm hoping it's a good wow.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

SO EXCITED!



To start off...I got a bunch of random sizzix letters. There were tons of duplicates in the box, so I decided to sell them on ebay. Well, I totally undercalculated shipping costs and barely broke even. (Yay Lauralee!)
One of the girls that bought a handful of letters from me is the owner of Sunbeam stamps She noticed when she recieved her package that I spent what she paid for shipping..(if not more) So she sent me some of the stamps she sells. I should mention that all of her products are LDS based. I LOVE THEM!!! Well, I got them in the mail today and they are honestly the cutest things ever. Check it out!!!


She sells both the acrylic cling kind and the original wood block style stamps. This is the cling kind...one of the ones she sent me.


This is the wooden one she sent. The main part has primary kids and then the sides have sayings that can be stamped in the sign. IT IS SO CUTE!

The Fourth....


So my friend Misty is so awesome! She gave me some of the new scrapbook paper that she designed for the 4th of July...it is the cutest paper ever. So my goal was to do something really fun for the fourth so that I could scrapbook it on her paper. So...I had to work yesterday. It wasn't really work...I was covering the West Point July celebration, but it was hot. And I walked a lot, and it was hot. I got home feeling totally drained. Then, the boys each had a breakdown last night...so at 8:30 we were all in bed. We're such losers! I guess I'll have to do something really cool for the 24th...Or I could just scrap photos of each of us sleeping while it's still light outside.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

YAY

Ok, not to brag or anything...ok this is kind of bragging...so to brag...

I finished my class. It's a 90 hour class, and I finished it in 18 hours!!! The professor said it is a school record. He said he wouldn't have let me move on so quick..but I got 100% on all the tests! YAY ME!