Mommy, AKA Leisel, Cranky

Okay, so this is me. Kind of boring really. I am a stay at home mom. I am finally starting to enjoy cooking (sometimes) and I manage to keep the house fairly clean (although I don't think it is up to Brandon's standards). I love to sew and crochet and sometimes I think I let my hobbies take over my priorities. I like to read and I like to be a mom. I wish I could say that I absolutely love it, but I don't think it has come as naturally to me as it does to some moms. But I love my little girlies and wish I had a few more! I like to shop and spend the money that we don't have and I also like to sell things on eBay. I try and exercise regularly and I am really, really trying to cut down on my chocolate intake. Right now I am in the Primary presidency. My first job when I was put in a few weeks ago was to write the primary program. Wow! Talk about jumping in with both feet! But it is a fun calling and I work with some really great people. I enjoy Las Vegas, but it is REALLY hot in the summer. The fall time is absolutely fabulous! But it is a big, busy city with lots of crime. I think we might be ready for a little smaller area. And I would really like to get out of the apartment living. I am tired of sharing walls and floors with others. Plus, a yard would be fun with the girls. I am not very good at taking them to the park, and it seems a yard would solve that. Okay, so I think that is it!

Baby, AKA Kamber

(Well, I should probably switch that now. Baby one day started to tell me, "I not Baby, I Kamber!") I am Kamber and I am 2. I love chocolate! I like to sit on the potty when mommy gives me candy. My favorite breakfast food is chocolate pop-tarts. While Bug loves her grandmas, I am a Papa's girl. I know what I want and when I want it. When I don't get what I want, I make sure everybody knows. Mommy says I am very stubborn, like my daddy. Mommy says it is a good thing that I am so cute. I love the Backyardigans and I am learning all the songs. I don't talk too much, unless I really want something. Then everybody hears me. My teachers at church always ask mommy if I ever talk. I am a very good little sister to Bug. I always play the way she wants to. And I always go to get her things when she tells me to. I am not scared of many things and I like to tell Bug when she is scared of something, "I not scared of it." Sometimes I wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Then I am grouchy all morning. But most of the time I am happy.

Bug, AKA Kira

I am a big girl now, I'm 4!!! I like to go to my "school class" and learn about numbers and letters. I love to play with my little sister. We play doggie all the time. And I make a very good impression of a horse whinnie. Everything is my favorite lately-- all the books at story time are my favorite, all of my pajamas are my favorite, every movie is my favorite (well, you get the idea!). I love juice and cantaloupe. I am afraid of lots of things, but I am most afraid of float toys in the water that are unattended (they might float away!), balloons (they might float away, too!) and the Rainforest Cafe' (it's just scary!). Oh, and those big blow-up yard decorations they have at Wal-Mart around the holidays- terrifying! I scream and cry every time my mom makes go by them. I like to ask my mom lots and lots of questions every day, but I don't like to talk to anybody else. My teachers at church and school always ask my mom if I talk at home, because I am so quiet in class. I am a very good girl, I like to mind my mom and I am sure to tell my mom if Kamber does anything she is not supposed to. I always wake up in the morning with a smile on my face.

Yummy New Recipes!

Okay, so I have a couple of new yummy recipes I wanted to share. This one is super easy, but very tasty: http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=chicken%20soy&u3=**1*57&wf=9&recipe_id=107263. The next one is actually a slow cooker meal. I had to go out and buy a slow-cooker, as I had never used one before, but it was worth it! And it was a real husband-pleaser as well! http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=slow-cooker%20bbq%20pork&u3=**1*5&wf=9&recipe_id=107282. If anyone has any yummy slow-cooker meals, please share them!

Brandon's New Hobby

In case any of you are wondering what Brandon does with the few minutes he is not studying during the week, here you go-- He goes for an hour and a half bike ride and then spends the rest of the day doing this:

In case you can't see the detail, he cleans every inch of his bike with Q-tips. He goes through most of a box in one cleaning. Okay, enough teasing! While this truly is the case, I really don't mind. It is good that he has a hobby, and if you are going to have a hobby, how can you go wrong with biking?

Check out my Slide Show!

Coupon Clipping!

So, one of my new hobbies is coupon clipping. A few months ago, it got to the point where we were spending SOOO much money on groceries that we just couldn't afford it. So instead of eating mac & cheese for every meal, I started to learn about coupon clipping and price matching. It is really cool so I thought I would share with everyone! You can actually buy coupons online at www.thecouponclippers.com or ebay, if you want a lot of one coupon. Then, you look through all the grocery ads that come in the mail, write down all the sale prices that are lower than what you normally pay, then when you shop tell your checker that you have price-matchs for those items and they will mark down the price for you to the sale price at any other store! I don't know if all grocery stores price match or just Wal-Mart, but it works great! I wait until the items are on sale AND I have a coupon and then I stock up. In addition to saving us tons of money, I also now have some food storage, which I didn't have before. It is also kinda fun to see how much money you can save. Oh, and there are free coupons at www.coupons.com. Okay, so here is one example, just so you can see how cool this is. This week Smith's has Pop-Tarts on sale for $1 a piece. At Wal-Mart I pay $1.87 per box. I also have a coupon for $.50 off per box, so I will be paying $.50 per box and saving $1.37 per box!!!! Amazing!

Well, Steph, I finally got a blog created just for you! Okay, so it's not really for you, but I probably wouldn't be doing one if you hadn't suggested it. I am calling it Bug & Baby for obvious reasons. The pictures were taken this summer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Kira received her first hair cut (other than a trim) and it makes her look so old! I can't believe how fast the time flies! I guess we are just having too much fun! Okay, so maybe not all the time. . .

Potty Training!

Okay, so when I was potty training Kira, I kept asking everyone what they did that worked. No one could give me a straight answer. . . and now I know why! Every kid is so very different. With Kira, she was scared to death of peeing in the toilet. Once we overcame her fears, she was almost perfect at sitting on the potty. Kamber is a completely different story!!! She only goes on the potty when it is convenient for her or when she wants some candy (potty treats). How do I overcome that? Crazy kid! I keep telling Brandon that she is his child (exactly like him as a kid!) and that HE should potty train her, but well, life doesn't seem to work that way. I guess we will get it eventually. . . wish me luck!