To my sister

Well, we have had much fun my sister, enough to tide us over until we can talk on the phone Monday morning.
I am incredibly grateful for you sister and I can't believe how talented you are. You have an incredible amount of love in your heart and I want to thank you for sharing it with me and the gang. You are the best sister in the world, even if you suck at painting toe nails. Love you.

no E.R.

The Turkey Bowl is one of the activities my gang looks forward to participating in at Uncle Perry's and Aunt Lori's. It rained and rained Thanksgiving morning so they played football in the mud.

Perry heard his hamstring 'pop' when he did the splits in the mud and I reckon he will never be the same. Mike's underarm was tackled and he is sore. When are they gonna realize they aren't their boys age? Probably never and that is what I like about them.

They had a great time and I am thankful that no one had to go to the E.R.

Stinkers!

Uncle Mike found a new partner in crime! Trinitee loves pumpkin pie too. Six pumpkin and one apple pie were prepared during the day yesterday and these two snuck a piece last night. How naughty is that?
I am thankful for the generations of family that I have. Wishing my Mom and Dad were here. Happy Thanksgiving.

Sunrises

I am thankful for these three young men. Bless their hearts, so excited to be at Aunt Lori's that we decided to start our trek at 7:30 p.m. and arrived at 8:00 a.m. I didn't think the night was EVER going to end. My man took a nap, bought a bag of sunflower seeds and got to Aunt Lori's. What a gift the night is, it gives the earth a chance to rest and renew herself to face another day. I am thankful for sunrises.

Brandy

Today I am thankful for my cousin Brandy. She is a great cook/baker/canner and she is funny too. She shared this yummy recipe with me and it was very popular at the Scentsy Open House on Saturday. Brandy just received some news regarding her health that has made her sad and I want you to know Brandy that I love you and you are in my prayers.

Pumpkin Dip

This is delicious served with Gingersnaps, Vanilla wafers, or Graham stix.

This makes a huge batch so feel free to 1/2 the recipe. You can also buy the pumpkin pie pumpkin that already has the spices added if you choose and omit the spices.

1 29 0z. can of pumpkin

4 80z. packages of Cream Cheese

2 cups of powdered sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Combine ingredients and mix with electric mixer until smooth. Refrigerate before serving. Yummy.

Sick huh?

Today (and every other day of my life while here on this earth) I am thankful for Broadbent's. This quilt shop is a place where I can exit my car, walk through the door and everything in the world is o.k. I love the rows and rows and rows of fabric and the different emotions that each row can bring out in a quiltin' fool. When my cell phone was my cell phone and not my husband's cell phone I would call my sister while visiting Broadbent's and let her live vicariously through me as I looked at different fabric lines and patterns. Sick huh? Whatever gets you through the day.

My cute Mom is the one who planted this love of fabric seed in us and all I can say is "Thank you Mom."

Walk like an egyptian

Justus dressed like an Egyptian 11 year-old for Temples and Tombs. This is a program that is shared each year by the 6th grade. They put alot of time and effort into this and they are so excited when they get to present the program.

My son was excited to have eyeliner on and he left it on all day long at school. Last night at the program I giggled and smiled watching Justus walk like an Egyptian. I could tell by his face that he loved every minute of it. I am thankful for Justus' teachers and the time they put into making my son a great person.

Cruiser

Today I am incredibly thankful for my cruiser. I took Justus to school this morning and after that I started delivering 100 flyers for a Scentsy open house this weekend to my neighbors and friends. I thought it would be great exercise so I put on my Nano and started delivering. After delivering to 2 culdesacs, an apartment complex and my 5 neighbors my legs started to get the itch you get when you haven't exercised for a long time and if you itch them the itch gets worse. Well, I itched just in one little place to relieve the horrible situation that I had put my legs in and kablam!, I had to surrender to the enticings of itching both of my legs and running into the house to scream out loud as well. Hence, I finished delivering in the cruiser.

Can't wait

Today I am thankful for the number 9.
Boy oh Boy, 9 days until the blessed day of Thanksgiving. Can't wait to make the Pistachio salad and stuffing! Can't wait to watch Justus look at Uncle Perry like he is the smartest man in the world. Can't wait to see my Mike standing in the AZ. sunshine with a 44 oz. Diet Coke in his hand and his Birks on his feet. Can't wait to see Tristan and Jordan play video games ALL day long. Can't wait to see Lori's face when she sees Cotton's facial hair. Can't wait to here what scary movies Jacob wants to see. Can't wait to see if Marci takes a bath for Thanksgiving, can't wait to hear Meigen say "meow mix". Can't wait to go to Sonic with my sister. Can't wait to hear Perry's dimented jokes. Can't wait to throw the soccer ball to Pookie. CAN'T WAIT!

Todevio

Today I am thankful for my brother Todd. He, Lori and I grew up together and Todd was funny. He still is too.
I remember him always building something. I believe he hated me growing up simply because that is what big brothers do, but I'm sure he would have done anything for me if I needed him. Bless his heart having to grow up with 2 sisters.
When we were teenagers he would get up on a summer morning, turn on 'his' music as loud as it would go on the console stereo in the entryway and leave for work or where ever he was going and leave the music going, therefore I had to get out of bed and turn it off to be able to sleep. Our mother would have to buy us each our own separate box of Cap'n Crunch because Todd would get up early and eat the entire box of cereal. Yep, he hated me. At least he didn't tie me to the banister and leave me for dead like Mike did to his little sister.
To this day we do not communicate alot but I know he loves me and I love him. I am thankful for you brother.

I BELIEVE

Today is the Sabbath. I am thankful for the Sabbath day. Our family goes to church meetings at our meeting house which is a stone's throw away from our home. We sit together as a family and learn of Jesus Christ and how to be more like him. I love to sing the hymns.

During the last hour of church, all sisters meet in Relief Society to learn from teachers who teach us through stories from our prophets that help us in our daily lives of raising our families and helping others. We sing hymns as well. This hour I spend with other sisters strengthens me and helps me to remember who I am and why I am on this earth. I always feel my Savior's love for me in Relief Society.

I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Over the river and through the woods

It is official, we are sharing Thanksgiving with my sister and her family. I cannot wait to drive for fricking 12 hours to Phoenix. After 11 hours of driving we start looking for the first Sguaro cactus, when we see it we know we are almost there! My sister and I will laugh until we pee our pants, make Christmas cards, cook, bake, cook, bake, and someone will not be able to pass up the opportunity to remind me of pumpkin pies I made almost a decade ago when I accidentally mistook salt for sugar when combining the ingredients and holy cow, that is a pumpkin pie I do not want to remember. The boys and their cousins will play Nintendo, X box and WII until their thumbs fall off. Lori's husband and Mike will pretend like they are young again at the Turkey bowl on Thanksgiving morning and walk with a limp from their injuries for the rest of our stay.

What a beautiful time of the year to be in Phoenix!

Help me Ronda

Today I am thankful for Ronda. Ronda is the sweet soul at Hart's that makes my 44oz. Diet coke with a little lemonade pretty near every week day morning. Some mornings she isn't at the drive-up window and I have to accept the fact that whoever fills my cup will probably put too much lemonade in my Diet coke hence making it a 44oz. lemonade with a little Diet coke. Every morning is a good morning when Ronda is at the drive-up.

If you keep doing that your face is going to stay that way Tristan.

Today while driving Tristan and Cotton to school at 7:25 a.m. I was extremely thankful for Tristan and his sense of humor. This young man can make me laugh hard.

I only have one complaint about Tristan (besides him not always aiming well when peeing) I cannot get him to just smile in a picture. He is always pulling some face and I have to get stern with the bloak to get him to quit being the funny boy that he is for posterity's sake.

I look back at pictures of him when he was small and I can see that prankster in the picture not knowing that he was being a prankster. what a card, what a maroon. I love Tristan.

Toot your own horn

Cotton wit Mr. Mangleson (Mango)

Yesterday I snuck up to the new Smith's marketplace in Lehi where the Lehi High School Jazz Band is performing for the Grand opening. Cotton and his fellow jazz band members were there right as you walk in the front of the store and they sounded great!

I love watching Cotton do something that he loves and that makes him feel that he is part of a great thing. I never knew a young man could be so grateful for a new mute to use with his trumpet. (Did I just type mute?) I never knew that I would be so excited to know what a mute for a trumpet is.

I am grateful for Mango the band teacher who takes much time to help these young men and women succeed.

The Jazz band will be going to New Orleans in April and Cotton is doing many fundraisers and we are trying to save money to help him get there. What a wonderful opportunity.

You can CAN happiness

I am grateful today for the time and effort my husband put into growing our vegetable garden this summer. Mike built a cute picket fence with a gate around our garden space so Wallace the #$@# eating puppy would not ruin it.

We planted tomatoes, bell and Jalapeno peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, onions, and we enjoyed the first season of our black Manooka grapes. Mike made sure the garden was weed free, and watered and I would sneak out once a week with the fertilizer. Mike gushed with pride when he would bring in the fresh vegetables.

We were able to can tomatoes, green beans, beets, salsa, pickled green tomatoes (delicious on a burger), and had zucchini this and zucchini that for 2 months.

Now when I look in the storage room and see the beautiful jars of vegetables I know we will have delicious meals through the winter thanks to our hard work this summer.

Young man and fuschia outfit

Look at this sweet young man. Justus, I am thankful for you. Yesterday Justus participated in his final primary program. This is a great milestone to 11 year-olds in our church because this means they will be going into the Young men/Young women soon. No more singing with the 'little kids'. Mike and I realized this is the last primary program that we will see family in until we have grandchildren.
Besides being thankful for my son there is one other thing in this photo that I was thankful for yesterday. The fuschia skirt and jacket that I wore yesterday to church is one of two outfits that fit me at this point in my life and I am not in a position to just go out and buy something because I want to, therefore I feel very thankful for fuschia!

Today is Saturday and it has been a great day! I am grateful for my family's name. When Mike and I first were engaged I was excited to have his last name. I remember practicing how I would sign my name when we were married.
After being married for 2 weeks and having to make sure I didn't add to many humps to the two M's, I kinda missed my old last name and longed to only have to sign a last name with only 9 letters instead of 11 (those double M's seam equivalent to 4 letters).
Now, after being married for 17+ years and having the opportunity to share these years with Mike and raising our boys together, I simply love the last name of FITZSIMMONS.

Thankful for old hens

This is a pic of my gang during spring break '08. We took a road trip to Capitol Reef Natl. Park and we had a great time. I am grateful to have these pictures to look back at and I grin from ear to ear when I see these handsome blokes.
My friend Carolee brought her daughter Kennedee to my house yesterday to get her hair colored and while Carolee was waiting she asked if I had some cookbooks she could look through, so I pulled out one that I purchased at the cute little white Gifford home which is an original homestead that is now a museum and a gift shop in Capitol Reef. I thought it would be a great souvenir to bring home and when I made a recipe from it I would remember what a fun time our family had together on that trip. Anywho, the recipes in this book I am sure are from sweet little sisters who actually settled the Fruita area in Capitol Reef because they use old-fashioned terminology like a yeast cake instead of 2T. of yeast, or add 2 cups of chopped turkey (thimble sized). I have never been instructed by a recipe book to cut turkey to the size of a thimble. Carolee and I giggled while she narrated these recipes out loud and I thought I would share one of these recipes with you.

Chicken Casserole for 50

5-7 old hens, stewed

18 cups peas, fresh or frozen

15 cups diced carrots

10 lb. (about) noodles

breadcrumbs (dry)

Cook old hens in lots of water. Use broth to cook noodles in. Set aside. Cook carrots, then add peas to another kettle of broth. remove the chicken skin and set aside. Chop chicken and add to the peas; thicken. Place a layer of chicken, carrots, and peas in bottom of dripper pan,then a layer of noodles; sprinkle with dry bread crumbs and chicken skin which have been ground together. Repeat until dripper is full ending with crumbs.

Holy cow! Can you imagine? I bet they were thankful for old hens.

My man

My man has been gone since Tuesday morning and I have missed him. He does so much for his family. He has been in a cold trailer for 2 nights and I'm turning on the electric blanket for you baby. Bless his heart, he has 3 young men that call him Dad who can't wait to see him. God speed Mike!

That's so granola

I want to share this recipe for Cranberry Pecan Granola. This is yummy with milk warmed in the microwave for one minute, or in yogurt. Hope you like it.

Cranberry Pecan Granola

7 cups oats

2 cups shredded coconut

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup pecans

1 cup craisins

1/2 cup raisins

mix dry ingredients in large bowl, set aside.

in a medium sauce pan combine:

1 cup honey

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup water

1 T. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

bring to boil stirring occasionally and mix with dry ingredients.

Bake on large cook sheet @ 300 degrees for one hour. Turn granola over with spatula @ 30 minutes. Let cool. Store in cool, dry place.

Snow Day

Look what we woke up to this morning. What a beautiful blessing. Now all the perennials know it is o.k. to sleep for a season. I woke early to take the boys to school, (my man Mike is in Fruitland doing a little painting) and my cruiser rocked in the snow. We put new tires on about a month ago and this morning I was so glad that we were prepared for the snow. Today I am grateful for good tires.

I love my scrap/computer/sewing/Scentsy room! I am very grateful that I have a space to call my own and keep my stuff there. I spent a good part of the day yesterday cleaning this hole to get the results that you see on the screen. Some of my favorite things are kept in this room.

1.My Raggedy Ann & Andy that my sis made for me

2. My porcelain statue of a Mom and her son that my love Mike gave me for Christmas

3.My small portable antique sewing machine that my parents gave me

4.My ribbon collection

5.My computer

6.My pink G.E. retro radio that I inherited from my Great Aunt Dode (Part of the settlement, tee hee!)

7.A picture of my 3 sons at Strawberry in the fall leave grandeur

8.My bad ass Elna Quilter's Dream sewing machine

9.My ATG 700 tape gun

10.My stash of chocolate that not even Tristan can find.

'Tis a gift to have a scrap/computer/sewing/Scentsy room.

Look at my cute parents. They are something else. They were highschool sweethearts and married as soon as my mom graduated from highschool. I remember a trip to Arizona when I was in elementary school and my Dad running into a store and coming out with the 8-track soundtrack of 'A star is born' with Kris Kristopherson and Barbara Streisand on the front looking deep into one another's eyes. That is when I knew my parents were cool. We listened to that soundtrack over and over and over during that trip and I can probably sing every song on it to this day. "Watch closely now, Are you watching me now?" I guess you would have to be there.
My Mom loves to quilt and she is always sharing with me and my sister her new quilting techniques. She is very talented and I love her.
My Dad is very talented with woodworking and my Mom, sister and I have beautiful pieces that he has made for us.
I have wonderful parents and I am grateful that they are mine!

Count your blessings

I am blessed every day by my Heavenly Father. He watches over my husband and 3 sons and has always made sure that they return home safely at the end of the day.
I am blessed with parents who love me and have been great examples of sacrifice, love and sarcastic humor (thanks Dad).
I am blessed with a sister who is my best friend and I am always guaranteed to have a laugh when we visit.
I am blessed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know I can turn to him and he will carry me if I need to be carried.
I am blessed with a sense of humor and we all know how important that is.
I AM BLESSED.

Be Ye Thankful

November is here! I have many things for which I am thankful! Let's see, today I want to say how thankful I am for the women I am associated with through Scentsy. I have met some incredible gals over the last 2 years who are on the same team as me, that would be team ILLUMINATE!.

In the pic above are some Scentsy consultants at convention last August in Boise. We shared 3 days of learning, laughing, and planting friendships that will last forever. I want to tell everyone on Team ILLUMINATE how awesome you are and I hope you understand how much you mean to me. I want to make a shout out to Ali and Kristen , they made Director in October! This is an awesome accomplishment and it takes hard work and a willingness to help others see their potential and reach it with their Scentsy businesses. Hats off to you! If I didn't sell Scentsy I would love the product just as much and I am thankful for Scentsy!

Chubby Cupcake Boy

Chubby Cupcake boy!

My niece Meg just taught me over the phone to post from Youtube and I am feeling like a dad gum genius Gump!