This is where you will find me....

I am a terrible blogger I have decided. All of the blogs that are linked to mine are fun to read, witty, full of good and useful information. I have decided that maybe blogging isn't for me after all. Why? I have a problem sharing all my life's details. Even when people ask me how I am doing I usually say fine even if my world is crashing down around me. Although I will still blog stalk all of you so I can know what you are doing, your best chance at finding me is here If you don't like facebook then you are missing out because it is a nice way to reconnect with old friends, family members, etc. I can keep up with my best friend from Louisiana who I haven't seen in 20 years and it is much quicker and easier than keeping up the blog. I am not saying I will never update my blog but I am taking one more thing off my list to save my sanity!

Bella Vie Website Launches!

My sister and I came up with this crazy idea to start our own photography business after having been a little disappointed in some of the photographers I have used over the years! She is the talented photographer and I am the creative coordinator: which actually means appt. taker, marketer, blogger, photo shoot director, location scout, hair stylist, wardrobe coordinator and set designer, !! We are having a blast doing this together and I know my mom would be proud of her little entrepreneurs! Check out some of our photos and PLEASE if you or anyone you know needs some pictures taken call us! We are priding ourselves on taking the best pictures and having the best customer experiences!
Bella Vie Studios

Looks Like We Made It....

Zak and I have been married for 15 years! It sounds strange even to me. We have lasted longer than both of our parents marriages even did. They were the same ones who told us NOT to get married...Hmmm. How has it lasted so long you ask? I couldn't tell you really except for the fact we are two very stubborn people. I'm sure there have been times when one or both of us wanted out but we had the foresight to know those moments would pass. If someone asked me to write down everything I would want in a husband, Zak would be all of those things. Well, maybe he would at least score a 92%, no one is perfect! Hopefully I would even score close to that, I am not always the easiest person to love. He has kept trying for the last 15 years and I am so thankful he never gave up on me! Even though we didnt have the traditional courtship, I think maybe starting under the conditions we did actually made us stronger. We knew from the start how hard marriage was, how hard it would be to raise kids, how to make time for one another, how to bond together when times got tough. Somehow as we have gotten older we have grown up together not apart and for that I am thankful. Now onto the next 15 years...I wonder what new challenges, what new joys, what new triumphs, what new tragedies we might face? At least we can do it together.

DEVIN ALEXANDER'S 8 SLIMMING SECRETS TO EAT MORE CHOCOLATE

1. Less is more with mini chocolate chips. These little guys are one of my secret weapons when it comes to sneaking chocolate into sweet treats. Because they're much smaller than standard chips, you need fewer to get more in each bite. I use them in my signature Chocolate Chocolate Brownie Cups (see below), and you can also try adding a few to a sandwich bag with some whole grain cereal for a delicious on-the-go snack.

2. Get creative with cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is not just for baking. Add a spoonful to your favorite fruit smoothie in the morning (my personal favorite is raspberry) or add a touch of cocoa to your oatmeal for a decadent twist. Not only is cocoa powder a light way to get in some chocolate, but it's high in fiber, too.

3. When in doubt, use chocolate syrup. Whenever I'm looking for a quick chocolate fix, I pull out the chocolate syrup and drizzle it on everything from fresh fruit to marshmallows. I love to make breakfast "sundaes" with nonfat yogurt, bananas or berries, low-fat granola, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top!

4. Choose chocolate graham crackers. Did you know that chocolate graham crackers are actually low-fat? Though the label almost never says so, 1 chocolate graham sheet has typically only about 3 g of fat. Try these with a glass of low-fat or nonfat milk for a sweet pick-me-up.

5. Get chocolate and protein into your ice blended. I love those frothy ice-blended drinks from the local coffee shop, but they're usually full of fat and empty calories. Blend your own at home with nonfat milk, coffee powder, ice, and chocolate protein powder. It'll give you a great energy boost and satisfy your chocolate craving.

6. Enjoy hot fudge without pudge. Lots of store-bought hot fudge toppings are actually fat-free. Even if the front label doesn't say so, read the nutrition facts. You'll find that many of them actually have zero grams of fat. I dip fresh strawberries in warmed hot fudge for a chocolate "fondue" treat anytime.

7. Don't be afraid to try something new. I'm always looking for new ways to sneak chocolate into my diet. I recently discovered all-natural chocolate brown rice syrup. It's like a cross between chocolate syrup and hot fudge, but it's all-natural, gluten free, and even fat-free! It's made without beet or can sugars, corn syrup, or other refined sweeteners of any kind. It has a super rich, deep chocolate flavor and goes well with everything from fruit to fat-free ice cream. Look for Suzanne's Specialties Chocolate Brown Rice Nectar at Whole Foods or on their website.

8. CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CUPS
Devin Alexander's signature recipe from "The Most Decadent Diet Ever!" (Random House)
Makes 48 brownie cups; 24 servings

Save: 151 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat. Each two-brownie serving has: 109 calories, 2 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, <1>A traditional brownie serving has about: 260 calories, 3 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 165 mg sodium.

Ingredients:

Butter-flavored cooking spray
¹/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 large egg whites
2 cups raw sugar
¹/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¹/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly mist two 12-cup nonstick mini-muffin tins with spray.

2. Use a sturdy whisk or spatula to mix the applesauce, vanilla, egg whites, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined and no lumps remain. Working in batches, fill each cup until just barely full. Sprinkle about one-fourth of the chips evenly over the brownies in each of the tins. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay).

3. Transfer the tins to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to gently lift the brownies from the muffin tins (if they stick, carefully run the knife around the edge of each cup). Cool on the rack for another 10 minutes. Repeat with the second half of the batter and the remaining chips.

Healthy Snack Idea of the Day!

2 Quaker Cinnamon Toast Cakes

¹/₄ c

low fat vanilla yogurt

¹/₄ c

blueberries

¹/₄ c

raspberries

1 T

Quaker® 100% Natural Low Fat Granola

with Raisins

Serving size: 1 rice cake with topping
Calories 80, Total Fat 1g

Healthy Snack of the Day!

Here is one of my favorites when I am having a chip craving. There are a couple of options, depending on how healthy you want to be.
If you want a real chip taste you can bake a whole wheat tortilla at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Then cut into wedges. If you are being super healthy, I like to buy the carrots that are sliced to look almost like a ruffle chip to dip in guacamole. I make my guacamole with just avocado and salsa. The salsa gives it all the flavor it needs and is much healthier than buying the store made kind or using the packets which are loaded with sodium.
Tortilla and 2 tbs. Guacamole: app. 200 cal. depending on what kind of tortilla you buy. Mine are 120 calories.
Carrots and 2 tbs. Guacamole: app. 100 calories!
Please keep all the healthy snack comments coming!

Snack of the Day!

I am trying to improve my eating habits, not that they are so bad, but I am definitely a junk food-aholic and tend to not eat all the fruits and veggies I should. In doing so, I have been looking for healthy and delicious snacks. I thought I would add a new post on my blog with healthy snacks for anyone else who needs some good snack ideas. Please feel free to leave some of your own!
Here is one of my new favorite snacks: apples and almond butter
One apple and one tablespoon of almond butter about 200 calories
Almond butter is a little less sweet than regular peanut butter but so healthy and really filling. The good fats keep you fuller than just the apple alone!

Negative Nelly!

I realized later that my last post seemed really negative! Maybe it is the two weeks sans husband or coming home to crummy weather and a mountain of laundry but I swear I don't hate my kids! Most people seem to only blog about all the great and cute things their kids do and guess what sometimes having kids is not great and not cute but it is always worth it! I will blog tomorrow after my husband gets home and it will be only sunshine and rainbows...at least until the next trip!!!

Vacations as a Single Mom

Every once in a while I get a wild hair to jump in the car and take a vacation with the kids while Zak is working. (Lets face it, when is Zak not working?) Every time I do it I have visions of relaxing days by the pool or time filled with fun activities with the kids. Usually by hour 2 those fantasies have crashed and burned!
We have these amazing friends that have a gorgeous home in St. George who have offered us a weekend there. Zak is traveling over the weekend so I figure we could head down there for a few days for some family time, well for some reason, my children tend to fight even worse when their dad is not there. I don't know if they are scared of him or maybe I am less ornery because I have someone there to help me so I don't notice the fighting as much. I am not kidding, on the ride home the 14 year old, the 10 year old and the 5 year old are all fighting over the same Santa Claus blanket! We couldn't go anywhere without Ethan running off, the older girls trying to meet boys, and Chloe whining that something wasn't fair.
Anyways, if you are considering doing this please make sure you are either going to visit family or talk one of your friends into going with you because it is sometimes not worth it. Obviously, I am not cut out to be a single mom, that is for sure! Maybe when they are MUCH MUCH older, we will try it again, but probably not anytime soon!

Media Malpractice

I would be remiss to not share this information with THOSE of you who might be interested. Notice I stress THOSE, if you are not interested than don't bother. This is not about sparking controversy BUT more about sharing information that I think has been sadly missing from the media.
Let me first start by saying, I was mortified by how Sarah Palin was treated by the media. I have been told my whole life that I could be anything I wanted when I "grow up". I have told my daughters the same thing. Today, I don't know if I believe it anymore. Let me also say this, I think any woman in a position of power gets treated unfairly, Hilary Clinton included. Why are women criticized more for how they look than what they have actually done? Hilary is ugly and wears pantsuits so therefore she must be bitter and mean- Sarah is beautiful so therefore she must be stupid. It's disgusting! Joe Biden was a single dad while in the Senate for many years did anyone ask him how he was going to raise his kids? NO. Do we ask Senators or Congressmen what designers they are wearing? NO. Why? Because it shouldn't matter. I am tired of women being treated like sex objects in the media and only important depending on what you wear and what you look like.
This documentary shows some insight into why and how this happened to Sarah Palin. I thought it sounded interesting so I am sharing it with you. Do with it what you will!

Media Malpractice

Ms Cache Valley Outstanding Teen

Lauren competed in her first pageant this weekend. This was definitely her idea not mine. I have always had the impression that pageants were cheesy and kind of superficial. I have to admit I was WRONG. Don't get me wrong there are definitely those pageants out there that are those things, but the pageant Lauren competed in was more about talent and personality than about looks. Let me tell you these things are a lot of work..First we had to fill a 25 page packet out, then a resume, (what kind of resume could a 14 year old have?) Actually we found lots of things to include like she is Capt. of her cheer team, president of her church class, vice president of her choir class, honor roll. etc., then we had to come up with a platform (hers was helping kids get healthy and stay fit). Then we had to practice her talent, her walk, her interview skills, brush up on current events and practice endless question answering that she MIGHT be asked. I definitely have a lot more respect for pageant girls and all the hard work that goes into these things.
Her event was combined with the Ms. Cache Valley Pageant which is 18 and older. The winner of that pageant goes on to Ms. Utah and then on to Ms. America. The winner also received a two year scholarship to USU. Can you believe that? Ms. Utah earned about $17,000 towards scholarships. I couldn't believe that you could pretty much have your school paid for by competing in pageants.
Going into this, we weren't sure what kind of girls would be in this thing but when we got there we were pleasantly surprised to find smart, beautiful, and most importantly friendly girls. Lauren made lots of new friends and it made the whole experience much more fun for her.
The day of the pageant she had to meet with the judges for a one on one interview where they ask you questions about yourself. That night they performed an opening number, a physical fitness outfit, a talent, and evening gown where they had to answer two onstage questions. I have to say as a mother, I don't think I have ever been prouder of my daughter. She has never had to perform on stage by herself and she was on that stage looking like she had been doing this her whole life. She was graceful, confident, and much too grown up for her 14 years. Zak even started crying which makes me tear up just writing it because he couldn't believe that was OUR daughter up there. Even though she didn't win, it will be remembered as one of the best experiences for her and for me. We spent lots of hours practicing and talking about how to present herself, how to answer questions correctly, about confidence and about many other life lessons that I think she will take with her. The best moment of the evening had to be right before she went on- we could see her in the wings and she motioned the words "I Love You" to me. I feel like the luckiest mom in the whole world to have such an amazing, talented, smart, kind, and beautiful daughter!




Lauren and Ms. Utah









Lauren and Mackenzie (the girl that won)

8th Grade Christmas Dance Then....Now

Lauren got to go to her first real dance last weekend. For those of you who went to MLMS you will remember what a big deal the 8th grade dance was! I thought it would be funny to post a picture from mine so you can see the difference (sorry for anyone who is in this pic and sorry for the horrible quality!)

Okay I admit it...I am so commercial!

Usually before Christmas craziness starts, I am not looking forward to all the shopping and spending money but for some reason this year it has been kind of fun! Zak and I went down to SLC for the weekend and got it mostly done in one day. I have to admit it was fun browsing all the shops even with the crowds and debating who would like what. It is fun to think of each person and what they like and what their tastes are. Thankfully, I have a husband who doesn't mind shopping all day. Even if my method of shopping drives him crazy! We try really hard to make sure that person will really like something and ALWAYS include a receipt in case they don't. I think we got some fun gifts this year and I am excited to see them open on Christmas! Now on to Christmas cards!

Life List

I got this list from my friend Lindsay and thought it was fun to see what I have done and what I still could do with my life.... Highlight the ones you have already done.
1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Gone without food or water for 24 hours or longer 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Stayed up for 24 hours with NO sleep at all 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Changed a lightbulb 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Mowed the lawn 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee
54 out of 99 still lots to do.......Top of my list: Kissing in the rain and serving at a soup kitchen.

Blue Lily Pictures

I thought I would post some of our pics from our session with the AMAZING Wendy Whitacre of BlueLily Photography. I was really happy how they all turned out and now I am pretty sure my kids are the cutest in all of history!

See Slideshow right here---------------------------------------------->

*TWILIGHT*

We laughed, we cried, we swooned at the midnight showing of Twilight last night. I have to admit I really liked the books, yes they are very unrealistic but what good is entertainment if it doesn't take us someplace else for a little while? Most of the fun was watching Lauren and her three friends reaction to the movie. Usually these showings brings out the major freaks...well guess what we were the major freaks last night. They painted their faces with sayings like "I'm da New Bella" and "Mrs. Edward Cullen" We all had to wear our Twilight shirts, me included! I promise I didnt buy one, Lauren actually has two! They yelled out the countdown to when the movie started then clapped, cheered, cried and gasped through the whole movie. I am sure the people around us were none too pleased but hey what do you expect at the Midnight showing? In all, it has to go down as one of the most fun nights I have had with Lauren in a long time!

Shots are scary!

I will just start off by saying I hate shots! I hate shots so much that when I was around 8 years old my mom took me to the doctor when I was sick, when they decided I needed an antibiotic shot, I took off down the highway with my mom in heels chasing me down. I literally ran about two blocks before I got too tired to run anymore. My mom had to drag me back in, where one nurse barracaded the door while two more nurses held me down. After having three kids, I have somewhat gotten over this fear but when it comes time to get my children shots that little 8 year old kid comes out.

Today I am taking Ethan to get his immunizations, which he already should have had, but that is another topic for another day. Here is our conversation in the car on the way to the doctor:

Ethan:

Is it going to hurt?

Me:

Just a tiny bit, kind of like a bug bite or a pinch but just for a second.

Ethan:

I am going to hold my breath so I dont cry, kay mom? (I know isn't your heart breaking at this very second?)

Me:

It's okay to cry if it hurts. bud.

Ethan:

It's okay to cry?

Me:

Of course and you can squeeze my hand really hard too.

Ethan;

Okay, and you will kiss my cheeks and then it will be all better right? (Seriously could this kid be any sweeter? I am almost in tears at this point and we haven't even pulled into the parking lot)

Me:

(Choking back tears) Sure bud and then I will take you to the store and buy you those plastic animal spoons you wanted. (don't ask, I dont know why he wanted them either, but I might have bought him a pony at this point)

We get to the doctor and I have to hold both of his hands and kind of hold him down (this is where the dads come in, moms should never have to hold their child down so someone else can cause them bodily injury) the nurse puts the shots in 1,2,3 and he sucks in a deep breath of air and it was over just like that! No tears or screams. I am so proud of my brave, strong son and thankful I don't have to do that again for awhile.

Special Ways to Celebrate the Season

We have been trying to decide how to make the Christmas season more meaningful around our house. We are trying to take the focus off of the presents and put it more on spending time together as a family and providing service to our community . I found a few good ideas in a magazine called "Wonder Time" Here they are:

1. Giving just three gifts to each child. One is a "gold" gift (something they really want) a "myrrh" gift (something they need, like clothes, etc.) and "frankincense" gift (something for their spiritual growth.

2. Conducting a charitable lottery with your extended family instead of giving each other gifts. Each family puts an organization on a slip of paper along with a check, then draw a winner. The winning family donates the money to their chosen charity.

3. Use an advent calendar to encourage your child to do something meaningful each day. Each day has an idea on something they can do to be more christlike. Examples were call someone in your family and sing them a christmas song or read a christmas story to their siblings, say something nice to someone at school, etc.

4. Give gifts that encourage time together, such as tickets to a show or that encourages activities and exercise such as dance lessons or swimming passes.

5. Instead of buying gifts go on a family vacation.

Let's hear some of your good ideas for how you are going to celebrate the holidays!

Prop 8

So I know some who read this post may think, "Wow those Mormons are so against gay marriages, what's their problem? They are so intolerant" Just to clarify we are not against domestic partnerships and rights for every human being. We are against changing the definition of marriage. Here is the church's official standpoint on the subject:
The focus of the Church’s involvement is specifically same-sex marriage and its consequences. The Church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference.
The Church has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a husband and a wife united in the bonds of matrimony.
The Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility towards homosexual men and women. Protecting marriage between a man and a woman does not affect Church members’ Christian obligations of love, kindness and humanity toward all people.
As Church members decide their own appropriate level of involvement in protecting marriage between a man and a woman, they should approach this issue with respect for others, understanding, honesty, and civility.
For more on this subject you can go to this link:
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage

All is well in the world TODAY...

I am sitting here enjoying a delicious pomegranate and listening to Christmas music and pondering on the fate of our world. In this small moment of delight, I realized the world has always had troubles and will continue to always have troubles. It is not my job to worry about ALL of them, but it IS my job to worry about the problems of my little family. So today, enough of politics and on to a wonderful holiday season hopefully filled with Christmas cookies, gingerbread houses, ornaments, pretty packages, twinkling lights, warm fires, cozy nights curled up watching Miracle on 34th Street with my kids, snowmen, thoughts of Christ, service to our community, laughter and MOST OF ALL, LOTS and LOTS of quality time with my family and extended family. I hope you will take a moment to take a breath before the craziness of the season starts and ponder what is most importantfor you! Happy Holidays (I know a little early, but I am ready for happy thoughts!)