Boy or Girl?

I have an ultrasound today, and we should be able to find out the sex of the baby. Anyone want to take a guess as to what we will be having? Pink or blue?

Fishing Trip

Some friends from Ammon's work know a woman who has a private pond that was recently stocked with catfish. We all want fishing on Saturday evening & caught a mess of catfish. It was pretty fun! This is a picture of Ammon with the first catfish of the evening (and he's actually smiling). I caught my very first catfish ever, which was pretty exciting. It was one of the smallest on the stringer, but who cares! Ammon caught 4, Abe caught 6, & Aaron caught one also.

Easy party idea

We had a fish fry last night with 9 people from Ammon's office. We cooked up all the catfish fillets that we caught Saturday night and had a grand old time! In preparing for everyone to come over, I realized that we don't have enough drinking glasses for that many people, so I came up with this idea. I simply tied a different colored piece of ribbon around pint canning jars, taped some scrapbook paper and a label onto the flat that they come in from the store and we used those for drinking glasses. Cute, easy, and cheap!
You could also use this idea for baby showers. Just tie blue or pink ribbon around the jars. And, to make it easier for guests to know which glass is there, you could tie on a number or letter, or even a charm. This would be pretty at weddings, and you could tie the name card onto the ribbon to mark each person's seat.

Another wall phrase

I did another wall phrase yesterday. This one says "Holiness to the Lord" and is above pictures of the Salt Lake & Mesa temples. All of the LDS temples have that phrase on their walls somewhere, usually above the main entrance. I think it adds a lot to the pictures hanging above my piano.

Saltwater Taffy

Who doesn't love salt water taffy? I mean, it is just so good, how could you not like it! Well, I got a recipe for saltwater taffy in an email yesterday, and decided it was something that I would have to try, immediately. So, I made sure that I had everything for the recipe, and I set to work.
Recipe: (you need a candy thermometer)
1 cup sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 t. salt
2 T. butter
2 t. vanilla

Grease a 9x9x2 (or an 8x8 if that is all you have) baking pan. In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Stir in corn syrup, water, & salt. Add butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking, without stirring, until temperature reaches 260 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a ball that is hard enough to hold its shape, yet pliant. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Butter fingers and pull taffy until it has a satin-like finish and light color. Pull into long strips, 1/2 inch wide. With scissors, cut into 1-inch pieces (best done while the taffy is still warm, otherwise you might break your scissors). Wrap individual candies in wax paper. Makes 1 pound. (I would suggest cutting your wax paper squares while the candy is cooking, since you don't have to stir for awhile. I didn't and so when I went to cut the rest of the taffy, it was a little hard).
Enjoy, it is so good! Be sure to suck on it for a little while before you bite into it, otherwise you might pull a filling out.

A visitor

We had a visitor the other day. Ammon was out in the garage, building his workbench, and Jack & I were just sitting out there watching, when this cat just wandered into the garage. Lucky for it, Jack was on a leash, because he really wanted to chase it! I took Jack inside, and then we took the cat back outside in our yard to see if it would run back home. Nope, it wanted to stay in the garage. So, I picked it up and knocked on a few doors until I found it's owners. I guess she had escaped from their garage, so maybe she just thought ours was home.

A Wonderful Magazine

I am in love with this magazine, Where Women Create. It features the studios & work areas of women in all kinds of genre of art, whether it be sewing, painting, & all other kinds! It is a wonderful magazine that tries to feature all kinds of women and all kinds of art. The artists give their advice & just share their stories. I really want the latest copy, & might just have to wander into Hastings tomorrow to see if they have it.

Neat trick in Elements

I was fiddling around in Photoshop Elements, trying to figure out how people get the neat edges on their photos, where it's just slightly darker in the corners or on the edges. I found a place online that told me how to do it, and once I figured it out, I started messing with some of my wedding photos. This is what became of my playing, and I thought it looked so great that I thought I would share it with all of you. I hope you don't mind the blast to the past & just enjoy the fact that I have conquered another aspect of Elements. I'm pretty pleased!

Easy Skillet Bread

I found this recipe for easy skillet bread on a blog today. I made a batch of it in about 20 minutes, including the prep time. It is wonderful! Here is the recipe for your enjoyment!

2 cups flour

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 1/2 cups milk

2-4 T. butter

optional mix ins: cheese, bacon bits, green chilis, cornmeal, taco seasoning...use your imagination

Stir together the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk until a smooth batter forms. Place an ovenproof skillet in the oven while it's heating up and put the butter in. Once the butter is nicely melted and bubbly, pour the batter into the skillet. (please remember to use a hotpad when removing the skillet from the oven, and also when putting in back in with the batter. I forgot once I had the batter in, and now my hand hates me) Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown (mine wasn't golden brown on top, but the bottom was well down and nicely crisp, just make sure the top is firm). You may either slice it into wedges to serve, or simply tear off chunks...yum.

I did add a handful of cheese to the batch today and it is so tasty!

Happy Fourth (a little late)

We went camping near Kaibab Lake for the 4th of July. Ammon & I got there a day earlier than my family, & it rained most of the night. Thankfully our tent stayed dry! I love this picture of Jack with his head resting on the doorway of the tent. You can kind of see my legs in the background. I was taking a nap, & Jack was keeping an eye on me. He was so good for the entire trip. He really wanted to chase the cows that kept coming near our camp, but he listened very well. I loved being free to run around & really enjoyed himself. We had been planning on camping in the established campground, but it was full, so we drove out on a dirt road about a mile & found this beautiful spot! It was pretty open, in a meadow, but had just enough trees to offer some shade. We had a great time, & it was so nice to be completely alone, rather than surrounded by barkind dogs, noisy generators, & loud neighbors. What a great camping trip! This is me in all my fishing glory. I am wearing the vest because I was also fly fishing. We caught tons of crappie with the fly rods, which was a lot of fun! Mom let me borrow her hat because my neck got sunburned pretty bad the day before. I know, I look amazing! When Ammon & I went fishing the first day we were there, Jack would flinch & run away each time one of us cast our line out. By the next day, he decided he really liked fishing. He would lay near us, & each time anyone reeled in he was right there waiting. If the fish was too small we would toss it into the water near Jack & he would get to play with it, & poke it for a little bit before it swam out into the water. Jack loved fishing! This was the large-mouthed bass that Allyssa caught. I'm holding it because the hook was stuck in it's throat, & I had to get it out.

We definitely had to get the traditional shot in front of the tent trailer. I guess that thing was made in 1967, & my parents have had it for almost 20 years now! Wow! It's still holding together, for now.

Family Tree Pedigree Charts

I have Family Tree Pedigree Charts available for purchse. Below are some example trees The tree includes two halves (which are placed into two separate frames and hung next to one another for the best effect), one side for the husband's, and the other for the wife's, side of the family.

Trees are four generations, which means it includes you, your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. If you want, you may send me a pedigree chart with the necessary names and birthdates and I will write them on the leaves before shipping to you.

Each half of the tree fits into an 11x14 inch picture frame very nicely.

If you don't want the red and orange leaves I can substitute light and dark green leaves, or I also have some fall yellow leaves.

Trees cost $25 (shipping included), plus $5 if you want me to write the names. If you want to order a tree, please leave a comment with your email address so that I can give you the specifics.

Picture frames are not included (mainly because I'm sure you have specific preferences that wouldn't necessarily match my tastes)

I will also include the family names as shown in the green leafed tree picture.

A Father's Day video

I just wanted to share a link to the latest Mormon Messages video that the church has created. It is a tribute to one father in particular, but I think a great testament to the way that so many of our own father's have lived and raised us. I couldn't help but cry as I watched it and thought of the many sacrifices that my dad has made for me. Check it out, and maybe share it with your dad!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhqRMP9meMc

Ammon's Gun

Ammon made a big purchase awhile ago, when he bought a new gun. It's a 270 Winchester. He actually got a really good deal on the gun, especially considering it's shot accuracy. He also purchased the scope, which is pretty huge, but he got a great price on it. This picture is from the first time that he actually got to shoot the gun. He is pretty please with it and excited to use it in his next hunt!

My First Ultrasound

I had my first ultrasound yesterday, and we were so excited to finally be able to see Baby Wilhelm. Ammon was a little late arriving, so I had already seen the baby and heard the heartbeat when he got there. We did it over again so he could hear the heartbeat too! It's amazing how much it sounds like an alien spaceship. Before Ammon came, I think Baby was sleeping, because it wasn't moving around at all. Then, the ultrasound tech started jiggling my belly trying to get the baby to move so she could measure the fluid for the downs syndrome indicator. Baby wasn't being very cooperative, but did wake up and start kicking around. We couldn't believe how much Baby was moving for only being 5.9 cm! It flipped over onto it's stomach while we were watching on the screen! We are so excited to know that there is actually something moving around in there, and to see our little baby (actually looks more like an alien, but who's complaining at this point).
So, the ultrasound picture is of Baby laying on it's stomach, with the head on the left and feet on the right. You probably won't be as excited about it as we are, but I hope you enjoy!

Hooray!!!

We are officially moved! We are so excited to be in our brand new, very first, own home! I have tackled the kitchen first, trying to get things into cupboards and drawers. We have so much more storage space than in our last rental house, practically double. We have tons of counter space, and can fit both of us in the kitchen at the same time, even with tons of boxes, without bumping into each other every few seconds! We also have the living room pretty much taken care of, which includes the entertainment center and computer desk. Everything fits so nicely and we still have room!
I am really looking forward to the fact that we won't have to scoot the couch closer to the TV and pull our dining room table away from the wall when we have people over for dinner! We have an actual dining room, and separate living room. I think I will tackle the dining room and bedroom next, then the extra two bedrooms. I'm going to let Ammon tackle the garage, since that is his "man space."
If you would like our address just leave a comment and I can email it to you! Hooray for a new house!

P.S. I know you are all dying for pictures and I really will try to get them posted soon!

A pregnancy update

I haven't really blogged much about being pregnant, as there hasn't really been much to report, other than the fact that I am. I have been either greatly blessed, or just extremely lucky, to not have had any morning sickness at all. I did throw up once a little bit in the kitchen sink when I was loading the dishwasher one day, but I'm pretty sure I would have puked anyways (pregnant or not) because a smell that horrible would make anyone throw up!

As far as strange cravings go, I don't think I've really had much of that either. Today when I was on a field trip with the class I work in I decided that I really wanted to dip my chicken strips in mustard instead of the ranch they came with, which was kind of weird because I'm not a huge mustard fan. I'll eat it on hamburgers and hotdogs, but not much else. I really enjoy eating Mexican food, especially our delicious homemade soft tacos, but I have always loved those.

I don't think I'm really showing yet. If you were to look at me you'd probably just think that I've been eating too many sweets, and not assume that I'm pregnant. I just kind of look a little chubby around the middle (you know how your tummy starts to pooch out over your jeans when you gain a little weight, yeah that's me).

I've been so grateful not to have been sick all the time, since that would hardly make getting to work any easier. I am really looking forward to school getting out, though, because I always seem to want to take a nap when I am supposed to be monitoring the kids on the bus. The desire to sleep just comes during the last few hours of work.
I think that's about it. I'll post a picture when there is actually something to show. I have an ultrasound next week, so if I get a picture from that I'll try to get it posted soon.

Almost There

We signed all the loan documents for our house yesterday afternoon. That means that we should close on Friday at the latest. We are hoping that it all works out that way so that we can get in and do some cleaning, and then start moving stuff in! We are buying a house! Yippee!

Pat's Wedding Video

This is Pat & Kristin's wedding slideshow

Family Reunion Video

Here is our family reunion slideshow.

Breanne's Wedding Video

This is the video from Breanne & Adam's wedding.