I need your help!

Aren't I just horrible asking for help almost every other day?

This time is a little bit different in the fact that I'm asking for more than just a comment or two. I have decided that it is finally time for me do actually DO something for myself in my life that I have been wanting to do for a while. I'm going to become a Pampered Chef consultant. You all know how much I love to cook and I absolutely love their products - they are amazing!

I can't do it with out your help!!! I'm looking for some amazing friends and family members (yes, that means YOU) to host a show for me!!! October is such an amazing month to host a show because everyone is thinking of all those yummy fall treats to make and what better way to make them than with Pampered Chef!!! Okay, do I sound cheesy or what?

But seriously, I'm not kidding. October has some amazing hostess benefits - 60% off their forged cutlery which have a lifetime guarantee!!! Wouldn't it be nice to get a great price on some knives and never have to buy them again?

So, don't think anymore about it and just let me know when you want to have a show!!! I'll be giving away tons of free products in my first few shows and of course I'll be cooking up some seriously delicious food. So don't wait around or you'll miss out on some free stuff!! And come on, when have ever not made something that wasn't just divine?

Giveaway

Okay gals, in my quest to find the latest styles and fashions in one of my previous posts, you all gave some great advice! I have since been introduced to this awesome shoe store that is having a giveaway right now!!! It is Head over Heels and they have the hottest boots and shoes ever at amazing prices. I'm totally not kidding when I say awesome prices...some of their boots that I want are 3 times less than some extremely similar (if not the same) pair at Kohl's. So head on over there and check it out!

Just a few photos

We've been pretty busy this last month with all sorts of different projects and I've been slack'n at posting some pictures. So here are just a few! First of all, if any of you know me I absolutely love to BAKE!!! I also love to cook, but not as much as baking. Anyway...Rayden must be developing my love of baking because last Sunday he asked if he could make chocolate cake. I helped him a little bit but he made most of the cake from scratch all by himself. I think his most favorite part was licking the bowl!!!

YUMMMMMMY!

This is just a random picture...Rayden and I were playing swords one day and I thought I'd snap a picture of him with his sword. I thought it looked kind of cool how the sword actually seemed to glow in the picture!

Just another picture of one of my baking projects. These are stuffed peaches and they are to die for! I got the recipe off of Studio 5 which is my most favorite daytime show right now!! It is dangerous for me to watch because then I start baking way too much.

I know this picture is kind of blurry but I wanted to mention that Rayden and his Riddle Grandparents and Cousins participated in the ATV Jamboree Parade a few weeks ago and are most likely going to be in the guiness book of world records!!! The parade broke the world record for the most ATV's to ride in a parade with just over 2000 ATV's.

The parade started at about 6:30 pm and so I thought I'd just take Ryker to watch it while Randy did some studying. As the first ATV's started coming down main street they were going so fast and I thought, oh this will only last about 10 min. and then it will be over. I got my camera out and turned it on all ready to snap one of the family driving by. Well, wheeler after wheeler kept going by and I just didn't see the family. I kept thinking any minute they had to be coming. I finally turned off my camera when I realized this was going to be a long parade.

An hour later, yes folks you heard me right, Randy showed up and thought he would see the tail end of it with me and go back home to study. However, the wheelers kept coming and coming and still no family. I think the whole parade went well past 8:00 pm but I'm not exactly sure how long. When the family finally drove by it was getting pretty dark and they went so fast I couldn't get a great picture. But, Rayden loved it and had a great time!!!!

This silly little guy loves to eat!! You'd think he would be bigger because he eats so much! I was out picking apples in the back yard and he snuck up and grabbed an apple out of the bucket. I told him no! no! because some of the apples had worm holes and I didn't want him eating them. He would look at me and slowly put it down, but then immediately pick it back up again as soon as I looked away. After doing this a few times, I got back to work picking. I looked over a few minutes later and what did I see....Ryker had not one, but two apples!!! He would take a bite out of one and before he could chew it all the way he already had the other apple up to his mouth taking more bites!


We also had a lot of fun camping over Labor Day. We went up to Big Lake for a few days and we just relaxed! It was pretty chilly but the kids had a blast.

Ryker of course was constantly a mess, but he was loving the dirt and being outdoors 24/7. He was definitely in his element.

Cheese!!!

Another baking project....
We had a neighborhood block party and my mother-in-law asked if I could make some cupcakes. I thought it would be fun to decorate them like watermelons!! The were a big hit with the kids!


Last but not least, here is one of Rayden's creations!!! He wanted to make a robot one day so I found some ideas online. What we ended up making wasn't quite a robot. He ended up giving his wacky monster creation to his dad to put in his office so it would remind him to have a happy day. After we made the monster Rayden said to me, "Mom, I want to make a REAL robot that moves." Sorry kid you're out of luck....Mom has no idea how to make a real robot that moves!

Fashion-not-so-Savvy

Okay all you girls out there...I am in need of some more help! So if you are reading this, please take a moment to help a poor, fashion-less girl like myself.

I was thinking the other day how incredibly plain and boring my wardrobe is and how I'm always a year or two behind the current fashion trend! This is partly because I always go for the sale rack because I am poorer than poor.

So, every time I go shopping I think about how my wardrobe is mostly just plain shirts without any fancy design and no accessories to speak of. I try and think of what I can buy that will help me be fashionable and stand out. But no matter how hard I try, I always end up with the same plain old tee-shirts to replace my old, faded or stained ones.

Since fall is coming up, which means the weather will be turning cold and none of my clothes fit from last fall, Shopping Time!!!!

I usually am so excited to go shopping but all I keep thinking this time is, WARNING! WARNING! Don't get plain old shirts just like every other shirt in your closet. But the truth is, I have no idea how to avoid it! I want to be fashionable, but at the same time I don't want to break the bank! How is this done????? Is there a secret out there that I just don't know about?

I also keep reading or hearing everywhere that NEON is back in fashion?! For Fall??? I don't see anyone around my town wearing neon, but it is a small town so maybe I'm mistaken. I'm also not so sure about the legging look. I know it's been around for a while and I haven't yet dared to try any on or even know what looks good with them. Am I just Fashion-less or what????

I think I just need someone who has an eye for fashion to take me shopping and help me find all the great fashion's for less! So, if any of you have any fashion tips or finds you would like to share......Be. My. Guest.

Random thoughts

Okay, so not much going around here lately except I've finally been practicing the piano... yuck! I thought after I quit piano lessons I would magically be GREAT at playing and I wouldn't have to practice any more. Couldn't be farther from the truth....I have practiced for two hours on one song and I'm still struggling.

I've also been stressing about pack meeting on Thursday. But, not stressing enough to actually start doing anything about it. Maybe tomorrow I'll kick it into gear and get started with everything that needs to be done. By the way, thanks to all those who have given some advice and help. I think I just need to dive in and get started but I'm just being a big fat procrastinator.

Randy has been studying all weekend long for his test tonight. We decided to go to Lagoon on Saturday so he could have the house quiet for some studying. It was pretty fun but really HOT and CROWDED. It was employee Lagoon day for some pretty big companies so we didn't ride too many rides because of the long lines.

The highlight of the weekend was when Rayden decided he wanted to use his own money to buy his very own newspaper from the little stand outside Denny's. We were laughing hysterically when he grabbed his wallet and ran off so excited that he was going to buy a newspaper. What was even more funny was how he carried it around all weekend like it was his own little baby. He had it on his lap the whole car ride home late Saturday night. Even when we pulled into the driveway at midnight and he was half asleep he had to have his newspaper with him! He even had daddy read him the funnies instead of his story books at bed time.

I think he was just so proud that he used his own money from his wallet that he didn't even care what it was. We are trying to teach him the importance of money and it hasn't been easy but I think he is starting to understand a little bit. He is starting to save his money and we try to make it so that he has to pay for all of his toys (except birthday and christmas, of course) so he will treat them nice and take care of them. I just got so tired of every time at the store hearing him cry and throw a fit because he wanted a toy. It was getting to the point that I couldn't even take him to the store anymore. Not because I gave in, but because I DIDN'T. He would cry and scream and tell me that he hated me. It was horrible. So now when he cries, I just tell him that he needs to bring his money to the store if he wants a toy and he can only get the toys that he has enough money for. I guess it has worked for now. We'll see how long it lasts!!!

HELP!!!

Some of you may know that I've been serving in the nursery in my ward for the past year. When we first got that calling I wasn't so sure I would like it because we just moved back to Utah and didn't know anyone and I had a brand new baby to take care of and of course the list goes on of why I didn't think it was the right calling I wanted. Well, after a few months my baby started getting older and I started to get to know more people around the neighborhood and really started to LOVE nursery. It was actually the perfect calling because my baby pretty much fit right in and played with the toys and I got to have my husband there with me!

I just absolutely fell in love with the nursery kids and I loved watching them each Sunday learn and grow. It was so fun to see how all the little girls would each pick a baby doll and a blanket and bottle and rock the baby. Of course the boys loved the trucks and tool set and yes, even the baby dolls! Those little children are so fun to be around and I loved watching them smile and even cry.

Well, unfortunately they couldn't leave me in the nursery forever. I just about cried when they called me in to give me a new calling. My new calling is to play the piano in primary, which I have done before and I love. However, it has been a whole year since I even looked at the piano and I am really not that great anyway. When I looked at the songs for the program (which is in 2 months) they are some of the hardest songs in the Children's songbook!!! I don't have the advantage of having the whole year to practice for the program since I just got called. I kept thinking to myself, why couldn't they just leave me in nursery???

So, I pretty much made a fool of myself the first Sunday I played in primary but I thought the kids don't really care anyway. They sing so loud that you can barely hear the piano anyway. But, I know that won't be the case when it comes time for the program and the whole ward has to hear me play and the kids don't sing near as loud because they are nervous. So I've been spending quite a bit of time these days at the piano. At least my kids like to sit by me while I practice and help me!!

Okay, so you're probably wondering why I titled this post HELP!!! Well, here is where I really need the help. I thought one of the benefits of moving away from Missouri was so I could finally go back to having only one calling at a time. Not anymore!!! They called Randy and I in to give Randy a calling and what did they do? They gave me another one!!! Randy is the new Cub Scout Master and I was asked to be the Committe Chair Leader.

I knew that with having two boys I would adventually have to be in scouts but I had no idea that it would come this soon!!! I know absolutely nothing about scouts!!! When I was told I'm in charge of planning pack meetings I said to myself, what on earth is pack meeting!!!! Of course I've heard of pack meeting before but only when being announced when it would be, not what it is!!! So here is my big HELP!!!!! If any of you reading this knows anything at all about pack meeting, I would gladly accept any advice!!!

Remind me again why I wanted to be a mom

Okay, so Wednesday night Rayden caught the stomach flu and I was completely amazed how he actually ran to the toilet and started....well you know what happens next. I got him a bucket and put him in bed and he continued to puke in the bucket a few more times before falling a sleep. I kept thinking all night how nice it was that I didn't have to clean anything up because he is old enough now to realize when he feels the urge to run to the bathroom.

Well, he seemed to be feeling better the whole next day, even though he didn't eat much and I thought we were over this thing. This morning he just laid on the couch and didn't want to eat breakfast so I thought he was still a little sick. When I asked him if he felt okay he just said that he was tired. Moments later I hear him yell, "Mom I need a bucket!" I dashed into the kitchen and grabbed the bucket as quick as I could and just about tripped over a million things as I went rushing back to him on the couch. I was dreading having to clean up throw-up, especially on my mother-in-law's WHITE CARPET.

Thankfully, I made it just in time! I was thinking yet again how wonderful it is to have such a grown up little boy and how fortunate I was not to have to clean anything up.
Little did I know....Ryker had a totally different agenda, as usual! I put him down for his afternoon nap and was enjoying a little quiet time of my own just reading my book when I hear this scream coming from his sleep area. Instantly I knew what had happened and I dreaded going to face a mess. Just as I thought, throw-up all over in the crib. Whew, at least not on the carpet. I rushed Ryker into the bathroom and washed him up and then bundled all the crib sheets together and threw it all in the washer. Lucked out again!!!

As I grabbed a new blanket and attempted to rock him back to sleep....yep you guessed it, throw-up ALL OVER ME!!!! I was completely covered in a matter of seconds! I just stood there frozen, holding a screaming baby and not knowing what on earth to do. I didn't dare move for fear of seeing or smelling the mess. After a few seconds later I decided that I had to do something so I ran into the bathroom with baby in tow. As I carefully peeled my clothes off I was hating myself for thinking I had it so easy the day before. Luckily, the washer hadn't been going too long from the previous mess so I threw all the clothes in once again and went to look at how much I was going to have to clean up on the floor. Luckily, most of the throw-up landed on me and I only had to clean a little bit off the chair. Whew, none on the carpet.

So, here I sit, with my baby wrapped in towels, and towels laying all over the floor and I feel so helpless for the poor little guy. There isn't anything I can do for him and I feel terrible that he is sick. And I just fear that I am next on the hit list of getting the bug and nothing is worse than trying to take care of children while being sick. I think mother's should be immune from sickness and disease. One of the wonderful joy's of being a mother I guess.