Yummy recipe

This recipe is one of my favorites right now. I have done it without the jell-o and the peanuts and it's still amazing. Just wanted to share with you all.

Here is the link so you can change the serving amount...it will calculate everything out for you. I really liked this option.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/JELL-O-Popcorn-Balls/Detail.aspx?strb=1

Candied Popcorn

INGREDIENTS
12 cups popped popcorn
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any flavor
1 1/2 cups PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts, coarsely chopped


DIRECTIONS
Place popcorn in large bowl.
Mix syrup and sugar in saucepan; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Add peanuts.
Pour over popcorn; mix well. Cool about 5 minutes. Shape into 18 balls, each about 3 inches in diameter.

Thanksgiving at my parents house

We did it at my parents house this year because we have officially out grown grandma and grandpa's house. We were split up but it still worked out. Carrie and Scot came down from Oregon..it was great to see them.

Halloween...

This is a little out of place but I just got the pictures from mom. Randy and I weren't able to make it this year but I still wanted to post the pictures because the kids were so cute.

Getting ready for Christmas...

Randy is doing such a great job decorating our house. I was inside decorating...I don't really like the cold weather. This was the first storm we had this year.
Randy decided to throw Sadie in the snow...she is such a princess (she hated it)
Our nativity set that I got for Christmas last year...I couldn't wait to put it up. You should ask Randy I was begging him to put it up in October...I really wanted to skip the Thanksgiving decorating and move right on to Christmas.
This is our house completely decorated. It turned out pretty good.

Another Year in December

Today is the 9th anniversary of my dad passing away. I don't know if it's getting easier or harder every year. The one thing that bugs me is every year his face in my head is slowly fading. I have pictures of him but it's just not the same. About a few years ago the pajamas that I have of his stopped smelling like him and that really hurt me. It's so hard for me to let go. I miss him so much and I want him here. I still don't understand what he was thinking...or if he even was. He is missing so much of my life and my brother's lives. They are getting so big. Nick is playing basketball, he is an officer and Jordan is playing church ball and working at Quiznos. Randy and I are purchasing our first home soon and we have so many other things going on right now. I just wish he was here helping me look for a house and he was here to help us move and help us finish the basement. If I didn't have the best step dad in the world then I would be in a much worse state of mind. He is everything I imagined my dad to be. He always is taking care of me and the kids. My mom is my hero. She always will be! She has been there for me everyday of me crying and me getting mad and at him. Thanks mom, I love you. Sorry this is so depressing but it really helps me to talk about it. I will always love you dad and I will never forget you. I love you so much and can't wait for the day that I get to see you again.

Our last St. George Trip of the year

This is DIXIE rock...wow it brings back so many great memories. That's where Randy proposed to me in April of 2005. Our story is pretty funny...I'll skip a few parts because it's so long. Let's just say I didn't want to go up there that night. So Randy told me that we were just going home but instead he drove up there anyway and made me get out of the car. Pretty funny. I was very stubborn.
Hannah is the one with her butt sticking out! She played so well. Her and Johnny were the best players. Hannah played first baseman pretty much the whole time. She had some really great plays.

Abby and Mae Mae having lots of fun at the games. They were running everywhere and meeting new people. Just like ABBY! They are best friends and they live next door.

Hannah, Johnny and Haylee had a great time playing. They didn't win the tournament this time but learned alot. There were playing with girls a year or 2 years older than them. They still did pretty well considering the circumstances. Hannah is enjoying playing this year!

That was pretty much all we did in St. George. However we did go to the best place ever...The Pasta Factory!! I know we have some up here now but they don't compare to that one. Randy and I ate there so many times that we always got $5 off our meals because we would feel up the cards so quick. We miss it so much but we are glad to be around family. Maybe one day we will be back down there.

Forgotten Carols

Tonight we went to the Forgotten Carol's at the Dee Event Center. It was amazing like it is every year. I love going because you can feel the spirit and Michael's songs are so spiritual. This year they had a few new people. One of them was Jordan Bluth, he did a wonderful job. Believe this or not but he was from Randy's mission in New Jersey. We didn't go talk to him but it was fun to hear Randy tell stories about him. He just used to sing Opera but now he is involved in different plays..which I thought was way cool. If you ever have the chance to go you definately should.

September...

September was another fun month. We had a few weekends with the kids. Mom & Jared went out of town so the kids spent the weekends with us. Randy and I took them to his families church ward reunion. It was very interesting. They got everyone that had ever lived in that ward over the last 30 years together. Randy had a lot of fun because he got to see people that he hadn't seen since he was younger. The kids played on all the toys they had. Then the kids had a piano recital in riverdale. Hannah and Caden are doing such a great job with piano. Caden is having a harder time because he can't read music very well. He plays by ear...which that's exactly how i play and believe me it's very hard to overcome. His teacher is helping with it so he can overcome it.

August was one of the best months this year...

To start the month we had Erik & Ali's wedding at the Bountiful Temple. It was gorgeous. Ali looked beautiful and they had so many friends and family there. Then we went to Oregon with Scot & Jessica. We all stayed with Carrie & Scot (Jessica's parents). They have a cute home there with a very nice yard. They also have the craziest dog ever. He gets very mad when people walk past his food. Well one night I starting running down the stairs (not thinking), well the dog started chasing me. I had to run into the bathroom because he is so scary. HILARIOUS!! Also if you drop something on the floor he thinks it's his so natural reaction you would bend down to pick it up...well think again that dog attacks. Adam had to save the ranch dressing because he was coming after me. As you can see we didn't really get along! Even though I almost lost my life a few times we can't wait to go back. We are planning a trip for this summer...hopefully. My cousin and her husband live there also so it was so awesome to get to spend time with them. I miss them so much. To finish off the month we went to Cherry Hill for Trey's birthday party. I was a little skeptical of getting the water but after I saw my mother in law in there how could I resist. My in laws are such troopers!! We had so much fun with the family. Ethan and Trey kept wanting to go down the big slides, they were so brave. I was terrified at first of them. Trey wanted to ride with Randy only because he was the funnest.

Here is July...

July was a pretty random month. We had soccer, a wedding, Hannah playing baseball in Idaho and Camping with the Oman's at Bridger Lake. Look at the pictures and they will explain everything. We had the best time this year camping and can't wait for this next year.

This next post is going to be long...I am going to join a few months together so I can move on to what's happening right now!

MAY

-Mom's birthday!

She turned 41 on May 6th! She wasn't too excited to be turning 41 but we all were. We love teasing her because she absolutely hates that Jared is younger than her. She got a very nice camera from the kids and Jared! She is still learning how to use it.

-Pictures for the 50th

My grandparents on the mom's side were getting ready for their 50th anniversary celebration. Janet Green took their pictures at the park in Ogden. It's beautiful there. The pictures turned out so cute!

-Abby's Preschool Graduation

She was so excited for this day but yet she still wanted to go there. Abby sang every song to the fullest and was very comical the entire time. She had a blast with her friends!

-Camping with the Bates Family!!! =>

Every year the Bates get together a few times a year and go camping. It's the best weekend of the year because you relax, eat and have fun. Randy's aunts are very crafty so we bring our scrapbooking and other crafts CAMPING. I thought that was the weirdest thing ever. I had been camping so many times with my family and we never did that. We watch movies...oh and we played the nintendo WII...how random! It was a lot of fun. They are the closest family I have ever met. It was very difficult for me in the beginning because my family isn't as close as theirs. So when I found out they all lived by each other I thought that was just weird. But I am adapting very well and I love that family so much. I can't for next year because I won't be working at BEST BUY so I can go even more....yeah!

-Hannah playing SOFTBALL...

Hannah is going so well in softball this year. She is playing in Clearfield with some girls that she goes to school with. Hannah is playing 1st baseman...wow she can catch most of the balls. I am so proud of her. It's funny how athletic she is.

Now we are into JUNE...

-Troy & Denise's wedding

They got married in Sherwood Hills on the Golf Course. It was so beautiful. They dated for a few years then finally Troy decided to ask her. I am so happy that Denise is in our family she is so funny and fits in very well. I got to see a lot of my cousins that I haven't seen in so long!

-Getting ready for the 50th on the 23rd

I am counting down the days that it will be here! We have been planning for this day for months. My aunt Ann came out to Grandma's and decorated their back yard! My mom, Randy and I did the yard work...front and back yard. It was so hot and boy I didn't want to be doing it but I knew it was going to make my grandparents so happy.

-YEAH the 50th is finally here...

The party turned out so amazing! I got to see Gerald...whom I have never met before. He is my grandma's brother that lives in CALI. There were so many people. Grandpa remembered everyone...it was impressive. He had gotten admitted to the hospital just a few days before the BIG DAY. So having that happen he was in good spirits and behaved very well.

-Boating

We went to Pine View in my parents new boat. It was a blast. My friend Emily Danks came...I haven't seen her for atleast a year. She was afraid of Jared's driving so you will see her riding with the little girls. Jared did get pretty vicious with us on the tube but we still had lots of fun. You can definately see with the pictures.

Well that's all for May & June...hopefully you are liking this, I know it's lots of info but like I said before I haven't had real time to spend on scrapbooking and I don't want to forget what's happened!!

April...a busy month!

We had a lot of different things going on thru the month of April...

-Coloring Easter Eggs:
The kids and I colored easter eggs! It was really fun to do the different colors and put the different faces on them. The kids liked dipping each egg in all the colors so it would turn out to be puke brown! Abby really liked the paint that was raised...she put it on every egg.

-Caden's Baptism & Falk Family Party
We had Caden's baptism at their church located on 1000 west. Jared baptised him and Randy confirmed him. It was so special that he asked Randy to confirm him. Randy did such an amazing job and we could definately feel the spirit thru the baptism and the confirmation. It was the most special day for Caden! After the baptism we had a get together with the family and we also celebrated birthdays. We hadn't gotten together in 6 months or so. We gave presents to all the little kids! It was fun watching them open their gifts. Taylor was the greatest! She kept saying the funniest phrases. The Whites had gotten her a hello kitty something and she didn't like it because it was a "GIRL" thing. Well of course she told them right away that they should know she doesn't like anything "GIRLY"! It was hilarious. After the presents they played basketball and we ate dessert.

-EASTER
We had easter at mom and dad's. We woke up the next morning and the Easter Bunny had came. He brought randy and I some money, a bike for Abby, an IHOME for Caden and a bike for Hannah. They were so excited, especially Abby. She didn't know what do with her new bike she was so shocked.

-Florida
We went to Florida for about 5 days. It was so much fun. We went to SeaWorld and Randy went to Blizzard Beach while I was in meetings. I actually won the trip thru Best Buy. This was our second time coming on Best Buys dime. Best Buy paid for THE FRAY to come out and perform at the Hard Rock Cafe. Wow they were amazing. However, on a side note the lead singer doesn't move his lips when he sings and it really bugged me. If any of you know me I have to read lips because I can't hear most of the time. So it was super annoying but other than that it was great fun. We stayed at the Gaylord Palms resort...gorgeous. It was HUGE! Best Buy doesn't go cheap, that's for sure. I got the opportunity to do community service. We painted and rebuilt a school. This was in a very poor neighborhood, the gangs had trashed the school. The children were so close but yet very careful who they talked to. It was very sad because we were fixing their school but were very nervous to talk to us. We also built them a play area with swings and slides...before that they had nothing. The other best buy employees painted a map on the cement so the children could learn their states and capitals. It was a very big eye opening experience.

-Randy's Birthday
Randy turned 26 on April 30th! We celebrated his birthday at my parents house. The kids made him a very delicious dessert. He got Medal of Honor for the WII, a swimming outfit and some other clothes. As you can see in the swimming suit picture Randy likes to match everything from his shirt to his shoes...so my mom got him everything that matched. He really wears it...ha ha!

What did we do in March?

First, St. Louis

Randy and I went to St. Louis with my dad, mom, cousin Jessica and her husband Scot. This was a business trip so we didn't have too much time to visit the town. But we did get to see the Gateway Arch. It was so tall...I was so scared. You ride this cart up to the top then you practically crawl along the top of it look out then ride back down. Okay so I exaggerated a little you can walk but there really wasn't much to see. We saw the city and that's about it. I was more freaked out then anything.

Second, Sunday dinner & Celebrating Caden's 8th birthday

We go up to my parent's house for dinner on sundays. It's so nice to catch up on what we had all done the week before. This weekend was extra special! It was Caden's 8th birthday. We all watched him open presents. Then we ate the dessert that he wanted (something that had to do with butterfinger). My mom is so nice to ask us what we want for our cake! Even if she doesn't like it.

February....

Wow February was literally a short month for us...

First, we had my birthday on the 5th!! Yeah that's when I turned 22! Randy spoiled me like always. The card was histerical...a high school musical sing a long card. WOW!! I got this beautiful picture of the SLC temple, that's where we got married. My family got me this great straightener that I have been wanting forever!! I also got a very cute charm bracelet from my family. I love it! However, I am such a dork. I can't wear it too often because I haven't filled it up with charms and they always go under my wrist. Does anyone know what I am talking about...ah it drives me crazy! But I still love it.

Secondly, Jessica and Scot had a new addition to their family! His name is Charlie, he came from a shelter in St. George. He had lived in a dog run for his whole life so he is just getting used to the ideas of toys and bones.

What Happened in January??

These next few posts are going to be a journal for myself. I need to remember everything that happened this year considering it's almost over. I am going to do a slide show of each month so you can see what we did!!

First: New Years w/ the Bates Family
This is when we played the WII all night. We all had so much fun. Funny story, Randy got hit in the arm by his younger brother Phil. They were playing Tennis when all of a sudden Randy was laying on the couch turning green. Phil had hit him in the funny bone so hard that he couldn't breath. Well where was his wife that should be helping him and making sure that he was ok...she was looking for the camera and laughing so hard with Ranae. We could hardly stand it was so funny!! I did however get a few breaths in asking if he was okay. We even got Cynthia to try out the wii! She did very well at bowling.

Second: Hannah playing Indoor Soccer
This was her first experience playing indoor soccer. This was one of the weekends I was babysitting the cute kids so I got to take her. It was fun to watch her because she didn't know the rules yet but she did so good for it being her first time. After that game she decided that she liked playing outside more. The kids weren't really into her playing so we played around with the camera.

Third: Ethan's Baby Blessing
This is Ranae and Matt's adorable child! They had the whole family over including aunts, uncles and cousins. Once again we were playing the wii! Nobody got hurt this time. We just ate some yummy food and mingled.

Fourth: Cheetah Girls Concert
My mom and I took the girls to see the CHEETAH GIRLS! It was so much fun! My mom and I were singing along because of course we have seen this movie a million times. She bought them really cute shirts and bracelets! It was great fun. My mom's best friend also took her little girl! They unfortunately didn't get to sit by us but we met up with them later. The Cheetah Girls put on a great show.

Fifth: Our Late Christmas with my brothers
Since December was so crazy and we didn't actually spend Christmas with them, we had to do Christmas in January. Randy and I were so excited to give them their present.....we got them JAZZ TICKETS. It was very meaningful because when our dad was alive he would take us to the games all the time. We always sat in the nose bleed section so that's where we got their tickets. We had the best time ever. They were so into the game and new so much of what was going on I loved it.

Sixth: Jordan and Nick playing basketball
I had been wanting to see them play basketball forever so the same night that we did Christmas we watched them play. They both did so well! They are taking after our dad so much. I hope they keep playing forever!

Finally a blogger

I decided to get a blog! This will be a great way for everyone to see what we are up too. I want to say thanks to my mom & Anna for non stop telling me that I should get a blog! j/k! Hope you enjoy this, there will be lots more coming soon.