Spaghetti Mess.....

It all started this afternoon when I found this recipe:

Spaghetti Sauce

2 T olive or vegetable oil
1 C fresh or 1/4 C dry onion chopped (1 med to large onion)
2 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 C)
2 large cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
2 cans (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
3-4 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 T chopped fresh or 2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 T chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper

Saucepan on the Stove Directions:
Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in remaining ingredients, . Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 45 minutes
Use sauce immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.

http://everydayfoodstorage.blogspot.com/

I was already planning on making spaghetti for dinner so I decided I would make my own sauce and see how it turned out. Let me tell you, it was the best spaghetti I have ever had! YUM! Phia seemed to think so also from what I could tell. I tried gving her plain noodles but she kept pulling them out of her mouth and playing with them and the garlic bread. This seems to be her new trick, which I don't really enjoy! Phia's face had spaghetti sauce all over it so I pulled out the camera and took some pictures.

We were having too much fun taking pictures! I took a few and then put the camera down to feed her more and she started fussing because she wanted me to take more pictures of her. That is why there are so many of her and the spaghetti sauce! She sure liked it though!

One of her favorite past times is to watch the neighbors cat out in our backyard. This cat likes Phia and hangs around constantly! This specific morning I opened the blinds and the cat was wandering the backyard. Phia sat and watched for about 20 minutes. Later that afternoon we were out in the frontyard when all of a sudden the cat is coming towards us and sitting on my lap purring up a storm. We played for awahile and then Phia headed for the front door and the cat followed. Phia got inside and I shut the door and she started crying because I think she thought I was going to let the cat inside. She also visited with the cat on Saturday morning when Shane opened the blinds and the cat was sitting on the back porch. It then proceeded to climb the screen and Shane had to get after it!

This is Phia's downward dog. She does it all day long, over and over! She loves being upside down!

She loves to climb under things and over things. This evening I was trying to finish my stockings and was sitting in her room while she was playing with toys. All of a sudden I saw her climb under her activity table and crawl. It was funny because she had her bum in the air so the table was following along right on top of her like a turtle shell. When I sit down to watch TV or just sit on the floor she climbs everywhere, over my knees, across my feet, every way she can climb.

I finished my stockings tonight, finally! They have been in the works for 3 years almost.

I absolutely love them! I also found two more projects I want to start and finish of course.

I want to make one of these for Phia for Christmas. She loves my parents Luv Sacks and she would probably really enjoy her own little one. http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/Blog/bean_bag_chair.pdf

We are going to get together and make these as mother, daughters, daughter-in-laws and other friends when it get closer to Christmas. I think the are gorgeous and want to put them on my piano or my ledge in my kitchen! http://sayitonthewall.blogspot.com/2007/11/christmas-special.html

A Whole Lot of Craziness

Let's see, the craziness started about 2 weeks ago, hence me not posting!

Sunday the 14th was Spencer's mission farewell. It went really well and he gave a good talk. Pretty much just my dad's side came since my cousin Cory was also having his farewell the same day on my mom's side. It was fun to visit with everyone and see people that I haven't seen for awhile. The food was delicious and there was plenty of it! Shane and I were the last ones to leave and we had a really good visit with Melody and Spencer.

Here's a picture from Sunday:

Last Saturday my parent's Stake got a new Stake Presidency and released the previous one that had been in for 10 years.

President Harmon, President Call, Elder Holland, John Huntsman, President Emery

We had a feeling lately that my dad was going to be put in the Presidency and my parents did also. They kept saying that Kay Brown was going to be president so I don't think they were too worried about that. Shane I and went up Saturday and just brought Sunday clothes in case he was put in. He went to his interview in the morning and by 2:30 he figured they had already called the new Presidency and that he was in the clear. About 3:30 he got a call for he and my mom to come over. He was then called as the 1st Counselor. He will do a great job and he is excited about his new calling!

My dad, President Brown, Elder Holland, John M Huntsman and President Higgs.

That afternoon we visited as a family and had a good time visiting with my Grandma Cook who hadn't seen the 3 yougest grandbabies. We had a fun time taking pictures with everyone.

Shane, Phia and I

Grandma Cook and my dad with Chloe, Phia, Emma and Ruby

Todd, my dad, me, Spencer on the back, Ashley across everyone and Dallen in the front

Tuesday night Spencer was set apart as a missionary so we went over to the Stake Center for that.

Me, Ashley, Spencer, Todd and Dallen

Dad, Jed, Mom, Ruby, Ashley, Emma, Melody, Me, Spencer, Shane, Phia, Todd, Meg, Chloe and Dallen

On Wednesday we took Spencer to the MTC. He will be serving in the San Bernadino California mission. We all drove down to IHOP on University Ave and went to breakfast. Phia's highchair strap didn't work and before I knew it she was standing in the highchair and I had to request a new one. Shortly after that I gave her some french toast and she sneezed and little french toast pieces went all over me, her and the table! Sahe had fun with the straw to her cup and 2 other straws before they all eventually ended up on the floor. She kept trying to escape the highchair even though she was strapped in.

We then headed to the MTC and were a bit early so we walked up to the temple and had to change Phia's yucky diaper on the grass. We headed to the MTC and took some pictures.

It will be interesting to see how different they both look when Spencer gets back.

After we were done at the MTC we went to http://www.puddingontherice.com which had yummy rice pudding! I love rice pudding and I got a carmel and butterfinger. It was delicious!

Yesterday we visited with my Aunt Cindy and her family on their way home from taking my cousin to the MTC and that was fun. We had Costco pizza at my mom's. Mmmmmmm!

On Sunday we got in the car to head home and it wouldn't start so we ended up staying over night. The next morning the mechanic came to look at it and he thought the starter had gone out. We had it towed to his shop and told him to fix the engine and the tire. He fixed the problems and was able to just tighten and lube the ignition. My dad drove it home and heard a funny sound and stopped and looked and 6 inches of the tire was torn off. So, Shane had to get two of the tires replaced, which were planning on doing in October anyway.

I finished two projects over the last couple days...

I need to get my fall/Halloween stuff put up this next week!

We got Phia's 13 month picture taken today for her scrapbook....

Here are a couple of others.....

Later she was playing with the bread pans in the computer room....

These are from a couple weeks ago. She has perfected the squinty smile....

She loves playing with string and paper, and believe me she finds it everywhere!

Her newest thing is going up the stairs. She hasn't figured out going down yet and tried to go head first. When I am at my mom's we have to put the gate at the bottom of the stairs or she hightails it to the stairs and starts to head up. The other day she was playing in the family room and all of the sudden I couldn't hear her. I went to find her and found her halfway up the stairs and she just turned and waved at me. She is really good at getting up them.

Well, I am off to work on my stocking and will post more tomorrow about the weekend and hopefully a picture of my finished stockings.

What's With That

I start my post with that question.....what's with that?

What is with the squinty eyes when I am trying to get a picture. This morning I was trying to get a cuteicture of her and about 90% of my pictures had this kind of face. She was all cute and smiley till I held up the camera and then poof, there was that face! I guess you take what you can get. I did get a few semi good ones, so here goes....

Her newest thing has to do with her wipes. She loves to stick her hand down in the container and then pull a wipe or wipes rather out of the container. She then proceeds to bite a piece off and chew on the wipe. YUCK! Yesterday I went downstairs to start some laundry and this is what I came back to.

Yet again it happened this morning....

This is the one of the faces she gives me when I tell her no. The other is she bends her head down a bit and looks at me from under her eyelashes.

How can you get upset with a face like that!

Yesterday we made strawberry freezer jam and it turned out fabulous! We also did laundry, dishes and just other normal everyday things. For dinner I made black bean chili. It would have been delicious if Shane had gotten green chilis and not jalpenos at the grocery store. Needless to say it was a tad bit hot and Shane will be eating ALL of it!

We spent some time outside reading and playing. It was a beautiful day with a nice breeze.

Today I need to make rolls for a funeral in the ward, make lemon bars and another dessert and a jello for Spencers farewell on Sunday. The rolls are rising, but I went the lazy way and did Rhodes rolls.

This morning I decided I would scramble Phia an egg for breakfast and give her some toast. She ate 3/8 pieces of toast 2 bites off egg and then she decided that she wanted my oatmeal. All that work to cook an egg and she doesn't even want it. Sometimes I feel like all she eats are carbs. I guess if you offer other things that's all you can do.

This is a video from earlier this morning of her just wandering around the house...

and another of her talking on her play phone...she was talking on it a ton but when the camera came out she wasn't quite as cute because she had an audience.