Don't forget . . . .

I have a GIVEAWAY GOING! There is still time to enter, AND still time to host a catalog show to get your GRILL PAN at 60% off! You can host a catalog show anywhere in the US. Kara Kelly is ROCKIN' her catalog show! You can too! DO IT!

8th Grade Spotlight

When I was in 8th grade, I was spotlighted. They asked the typical questions. . . .

What is your favorite color (I probably said pink)
What is your favorite animal? I am pretty sure I would have said dog, or horse.

I am sure there are a few other questions that were asked. . . none that I remember specifically. . except ONE.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A RACE CAR DRIVER. And I was serious.

I loved playing Pole Position, and I was good at it. I loved fast cars, and even had a picture of a beloved Lamborghini on my wall in my room (among all of the girly trinkets and sports trophies). . . It looks like there are some other Ladies that are fulfilling my dream. I am jealous. (For the record, the story was on the MSN homepage- I don't normally read fox news, or any news for that matter)

But I think you may have already guessed that after my last post on the subject.

Don't forget my GIVEAWAY! You have until October 28th to enter!

GIVEAWAY! But first, a story.

It has been a long time since I have done a Giveaway, huh? Well, I am doing one, RIGHT NOW. But first, a story:



Tonight I had to take some Pampered Chef boxes to a client, and pick up some swimming gear for Abby and then take her to swimming. This was all supposed to be happening during the "dinner prep" hour. Where I think about what I am going to make, check to make sure I had all the ingredients, and commence with dinner.




Instead, I was in the car.



I decided on Chicken Curry. But wasn't sure I had the toppings, and there is nothing I hate more than a 5:00 p.m. grocery store run. Because the store is ALWAYS packed. ALWAYS. And I ALWAYS just need one thing, and it drives me bonkers to drag 4 kids into the store, fight the crowds, and get back to have to cook dinner after it all. Going to the store is quite enough. No?




I avoided the store, and hoped for the best.




When I got home I discovered there was no Cashews, and no shredded coconut. Curry wasn't happening.


This is where my life has been transformed. Truly, truly transformed.


I have a Pampered Chef Grill Pan.

If you have been to a show in the last 5 or 6 months, you have probably seen it in action. It is amazing. And up until about a week ago, I had the Grill Pan, and used it religiously. To be fair, it has ALMOST been as amazing as the Deep Covered Baker. But, I was missing something. It's companion piece the GRILL PRESS. I finally got it, and my life has changed. Forever.

I store them sitting inside one another in my cupboard. When I got home, I turned on my stove, and put the pan with the grill press inside it on my stove top. I had a conversation with Jaxon's respite worker, and got out all the ingredients to my dinner. . . . and THEN, I got out three FROZEN chicken breasts out of the freezer, and when my pan and grill press had been on for about 6 minutes (I really wasn't counting) I threw the frozen chicken in there, put the press on top and walked away. I prepped my veggies, I boiled water, I got out a bottle of Thai Peanut Curry Sauce. Within 11 minutes, my frozen chicken was completely done. And looking beautiful, like I had just pulled them off the grill.

Please ignore the dirty stove top.

And you might say, why didn't you just use the grill? And to that I would say, who wants to walk in and out a bunch of times, have live fire with a toddler around and have to clean the grill? NOT ME.



So, now, to my GIVEAWAY!

I know you are all HOPING it is the Grill Pan. But it isn't. It is the GRILL PRESS. Why? Because the grill pan ain't cheap ($135). HOWEVER, I DO want you to have it. And you can get it for $54.00 right now, because the special of the month for hosts is 60% off the GRILL PAN. And before you think, wow, even $54 is alot, I want you to think about all the "power tools" your hubby has bought for 5 times that amount that he has used a couple times. Now think of having THIS power tool in your kitchen. Enough said.



So, here is how the GIVEAWAY is going to work.



ONE ENTRY- Post a comment


SECOND ENTRY- Grab my button and put it on your blog (Post a comment saying you did it!)


THIRD ENTRY- Do a post about my blog, and link back. (I will check, so post another comment so I can see it!)





FOR FIVE MORE ENTRIES- Place an order from my Pampered Chef website at http://www.pamperedchef.biz/Lindseyscooking . ENTER GRILL PRESS as the host name. I will ship directly to you, where ever you are. No problem.



FOR 10 MORE ENTRIES- Host a catalog show. Why do that? Because if you can collect just $150 in orders, you can have the Grill pan for 60% off, and it is WORTH IT! It can be ONE order, or 10 orders, they just need to add up to $150 BEFORE tax and shipping. I will even set you up on-line and have everything shipped to you. If you go this route, I will be dropping catalogs in the mail to you tomorrow. If you get more than $150 in sales, good for you, and you will get more free stuff.





FOR 20 MORE ENTRIES-

Host a cooking show. Now, I know that this puts my local peeps at an advantage, but HEY! That is what they get for living by me! :) If you book your show, I and you win the drawing. I will put the press on your order when you have your show. If you don't hold your show, you don't get the press.

DEAL? GIVEAWAY ENDS OCTOBER 28th!

Suhweet. Let's go.

All entries will be entered into the drawing and the winner will be pulled out of a Pampered Chef bowl. Of course.

Dinner in 20 minutes.

I think I made it

Wooosh. I made it. I made it through my own little personal nightmare. . . . you decide which one it was. Anywho, for those of you who left comments of encouragement, a sincere thank you is in order. I know you had to click over from google reader and click on "comment" and then probably log in. . and you know what? I really, really appreciate it. Sometimes a girl just needs to know that she has people on her team. Ya know?

Ya, I am sure you know.






My kids all made it too, and although it may have sounded like it, I didn't just stay in my bed everyday. The only reason I survived most of it was because I had 4 kids standing at my bedside every morning depending on me to get out of it. Thank heavens for them.

We did a lot during our "break". More than I thought. When I was talking to someone else I though, GEE WIZ we did a ton of stuff! It was great, because it kept me sane. Week one, we went to the

Zoo (zoo pass)

Children's Museum (Culture Pass)

Movie Day (Gotta Love Harkin's Cups and T-shirts)

Castles and Coasters.

The lines at castles and coasters were long. I was doing a "shop" so, essentially it was "free" but honestly, you would not catch me dead in that place. It was the worst 5 hours I have spent in any one place. The lines were obnoxiously long. I can wait 45 minutes to get on Space Mountain, but no the Bumper Boats. . . you know? Plus, there were an inordinate amount of teenagers with crazy piercings making out in line. I was hoping "someone" didn't notice.

Unfortunately, she did.

Week two, we did Tumbleweed Park, Freestone Park, made sugar cookies, went to the pool x2, hit Chuck E. Cheese (awesome coupon) and went to Enchanted Island Park. We had some passes with the company that does Jaxon's respite care. It was fun, and there was hardly anyone there, but I can't say I would go back unless I had some discount passes. And from there, we went to the fair. Because who can resist $1 fair entry. NOT ME. Luckily, we were there early enough to miss the teenage crowd. (No More PDA)

Wade likes roller coasters, but is definitely my most timid adventurer.

And who doesn't enjoy the smell of cows.


Just kidding.

Sometimes I giggle when I look down and see these two heads. They don't match very well. And if they look the same size to you, you are about right. Kaylie is now wearing a 4T, and Wade was wearing one last spring. 6 months ago. Believe it or not, Wade is not a small child. And if you ever wonder why Kaylie sports the same hair-doo all the time, that cowlick in the back of her head should tell you somethin'. The hair is growing in three different directions.

Hope you survived your Fall "BREAK" too.

My blog was staring at me.

I put my blog on private last week. It was staring at me. I didn't go "private" I just didn't want anyone to look at me. . . I mean, it. I felt like deleting the whole thing. It wasn't providing me with any sort of satisfaction. That happens sometimes.





The past two years, since our move here to AZ, have been hard. We have been blessed, and we have survived. But there comes a point where you start to feel like you are suffocating and there is no reprieve. No rest. No resolve. No peace. No letting up. Just pressing forward.





At first you think, just have faith! Just move forward! Everything will be okay! Then after a few years you start to think, WILL EVERYTHING BE OKAY?





I seriously don't know. I hope that someday I do know. But it isn't today, and it hasn't been very often in the past few years. I know lots of people struggle. Lots of people have different issues. I know, in some regards, I am not alone. I know in other regards, I am.





But for the most part, people always put the "happy" on their blogs. And I just felt like I couldn't. Because there wasn't any "happy". I try to keep my blog on a positive note. I definitely share the bad from time to time. But what do you do where there is no positive note? I didn't know. So, I flipped the switch to private.





I was going to put it all out there, but not let anyone see. I was going to scream at the world, but do it all in my own head. I don't really have a support system here, and so sometimes, I have to deal with it all on my own. My blog usually provides me with the support I need. But sometimes there is no one here either.





Sometimes I can't keep it all together. Sometimes I can. Right now. It is tough. But for those of you who "checked on me" thanks. Although it wasn't my intention. It was more my intention to hide. But, thanks for checking on me anyway.





Someday, I hope to be able to post here that all my problems have been RESOLVED! YAY! But I doubt it. I would like to put a FEW to bed. That would be nice. But right now, they are all piled up, and it is hard to see out.





My next post will be cheery. Because I survived Fall Break. Without even going out of town. We kept busy. Very busy. And we had fun. I am surprised at how much I actually did. And what is more cheery than eating a strawberry topped funnel cake at the fair?

Nothing is more cheery than that. Nothing.

The Mormon Bachelorette

Well, if you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I have a slight obsession with the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. It is true. I think it is because I spent many years as a Bachelorette and feel like I have quite a bit of insight in the whole "dating" realm. I have several "theories" which someday I will write in a book and call it. . . ok, I don't have an idea for a book, nor do I have a fictional book title. I DO however, take pride in my ability to make the call with the Bach/Bachelorette finalists and if you have been reading you know that my call with DeAnna Pappas AND Brad Womack was SPOT ON. I am sure I have nailed a few others, but, whatever. . I am not here to talk about that tonight.

What I AM here to talk about is . .. THE MORMON BACHELORETTE, which, quite frankly, STOLE MY IDEA, which I consider intellectual property (learned that from watching the movie The Social Network) and I plan on suing them for millions later in life when they make millions. Or, I at least want to be invited to the wedding when Aubrey finds her man, oh, and I want credits on the website. Enough said.

One of my Bachelor/Bachelorette followers clued me in to the site which has taken on the task of finding Aubrey Messick an eternal companion. And no, it is not a joke. I am quite certain, if I was still single, and living with a bunch of great women that I would have totally come up with this idea on my own, so, kudos to them for taking it as far as they have. I would have been no match against Aubrey's style though. She always looks effortless and amazing. Anywho, when I first visited the site, they had a few "applicant videos" that were. . .well, horrible. And I couldn't even finish watching some of them. However, a little time has gone by, and now Aubrey has been on COUNT 'EM 22 DATES! WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I started watching a few of these dates tonight, and I have to admit, it made me want to walk around with a video camera following my every move and have a complete soundtrack to my life. (Ps- I am LOVING the music they have put to all this!) There have been all sorts of dates, and even a SCANDAL. Which, since I wasn't following the site daily, I missed. Sadly. (I am seriously making this easy for you with all of these links. . .)

Anywho, if you are one of my Bach/Bachelorette followers, this could probably entertain you for hours. So. . ENJOY.

PS- I have not watched all of the dates yet, but I am going to make the call right now that LARRY is going to make it into the finals because A-He is cute, and B-he got to spend the most time with Aubrey (he has acted as the camera guy on a few dates) and C- he got under a table to video her legs. . . Just sayin' .

And if there is anyone out there who wants to follow me around with a video recorder all day, I am sure my life would make for some interesting moments. So, I am open.

I have a plan

It is "fall break" for our kids here. Which means, just after getting into the groove of school and homework, we have a nice long break in which to forget it all. Or, at least that is what it feels like to me.

I entertained the idea of driving to Utah to visit family, but, I didn't feel "strong enough" shall we say to drive the 24 hours by myself. I mean, I have done it before, too many times to count. But it takes a certain mind set to get it done. One which I don't have right this very second. I am sure I will muster it up again some time in the future, but just not right now.

In order to survive the 2 1/2 week break, I knew I definitely needed a PLAN. Other wise, I would spend my days watching Tom(Jaxon) and Jerry(Wade) do their shtick all day while Abby watches Little House on the Prairie reruns, and Kaylie sticks with her Dora addiction.

NOT GOOD.

Since Wade was still in preschool this week, I decided that I would have a planned activity every OTHER day, and I wasn't going to sweat spending a little money since we weren't going out of town. The money that we WOULD have spent going out of town, will be spent on our activities.

We started with a trip to the Zoo. My zoo pass ends at the end of the month, so, it only makes sense to squeeze in one more trip.

These are the only pictures I caught of the animals.

The only animal that is mine in this picture is completely concealed. But I can see his cute bum!

This is DEFINITELY the most WILD animal I saw.

PS- The Koala Bears are cute, and apparently they sleep 20-22 hours a day. We were lucky enough to see them awake. And we were lucky enough to leave just before the downpour on Monday.

We went to dinner that night for free (doing one of my "shopping excursions") and learned that my family of 6 is DEFINITELY not quite ready for dining at restaurants. Not that we could spend the money anyway.

Tuesday, was quiet while Wade was at school, and nap time for the toddler was strictly enforced.

On Monday morning, I booked it to the Library to see if I could score a Museum card. I got lucky enough to grab a Children's Museum pass. I seriously had to beat 4 moms to the rack who were waiting outside the door. Luckily, they weren't going for the same pass as me, or I would have been out of luck.

We hit the children's museum today. It was the first time I had ever been, and my kids were endlessly entertained by the activities there. Going there makes me want to bolt sheet metal to the wall in my basement, and have an endless line of tubes cascading down the wall to roll balls down. Huh. Not sure why. Actually, that is what I love about the museum, simple fun. I am also seriously considering buying out a stock of water noodles and creating my own water noodle maze in the basement. I will let you know how it goes.

In other news, I got to see my kids performing their future methods of employment.

Wade stocking shelves.

Abby in customer service.


Jaxon bagging groceries. Of course.


Kaylie working in bulk goods? I don't know, but she was into it. It also makes me want to have a vat of dried split peas to play with in my basement. Actually, no. No it doesn't.


It is hard to know for sure, but I think my kids favorite room was the art room. The all LOVED the play dough, and the paint-able castle.
Especially Kaylie, who ended up mostly pink.


Because she refused to wear a smock like this.



She sat herself in that castle for at least 3o minutes, and screamed at anyone who tried to come in. Sooooooooooooooo princess like.

Tomorrow is another preschool day for Wade, however, we might hit Chuck E. Cheese for dinner if I am feeling generous. And then Friday is Owls of Ga'Hoole day. I RARELY purchase books from the book fair, but Abby said they had the first three books of the series there. I told her she could buy them, but they all had to be read by the time we went to go see the movie on Friday. It is working.

Saturday will be another "shopping" activity at Castles and Coasters and I will be feelin' pretty great about week one! :)