Pumpkin Spice Cookie

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• VANILLA GLAZE (recipe below)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle or spread with Vanilla Glaze.

FOR VANILLA GLAZE:
COMBINE 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well.

*This recipe went just like it was supposed to. :)

Upside Down Pumpkin Junk

1 lg. can pumpkin
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs, well beaten
1 can evaporated milk
1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. butter, melted

Mix together first 7 ingredients. Pour into 9x11 cake pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over top of pumpkin mixture. Carefully pour butter over cake mix. Add nuts (sprinkling on top). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with whip cream or Cool Whip. Cut into squares.

**I actually mix the butter and cake mix until it's an even crumbly consistency then sprinkle it on top. Tonight I mixed too much butter in and the cake mix was doughy instead of crumbly. I just broke little pieces of the 'dough' and dropped the pieces on top covering the surface and it turned out just swell. Oh, and I omit the nuts because we're not nutty. :)

Stuff My Cy Says :) ...or funny things he said today

"Help! Mr. Cakes is sucking on a knife!" (It was a plastic toy, hence the humor)

"MOOOOM! I NEED this apple juice because there are CRUMBS on my teef!"

"Mom, why are you doing that to your hair? It doesn't look pretty like that!"
"I'm curling it"
(Cy leaves and returns with a comb) "Here. Use this and fix it."

"I know that you like soda...buuuut, I like soda and that means you have to share with me."

"Mom Mr. Cakes is a crazy baby. He's a crazy spicy (pronounced 'spahsee' using his silly accent) baby."

I may need to start a separate blog for things like this...seriously every day is a riot in my house.

One of my favorite things about going to school is just getting to leave the house. Please don't take that to mean that I need to get away from my family. That's not what I mean. I do, however, crave new relationships, even just new acquaintances. I've spent the last eight years with my only outside social group being church friends and they really are more like family. Of course those are very dear friendships, but I don't meet many new people often. David gets to go away every day and meet new people. Sometimes he meets people he likes and sometimes he meets people he'd rather not have to meet, but he interacts with hundreds of them every single day and it makes me a little jealous. ;)

In the 12 weeks I've been in school I have meet all kinds of cool people. My biology teacher was amazing. Not only was he SO obviously brilliant, he had done tons of cool scientific research for cancer, food companies, and he even wrote bills for his town in Texas. He had such cool stories to share. My friend Thuy was a genius and SO fun to spend every day of summer school with. Now that I'm at VVC I have an awesome chemistry professor with and accent that entrances me. (I LOVE accents too. I should also mention that I do not have the hots for him, I just hang on his every word because they sound so pretty.) I sit in front of two guys that are former military and the one that looks EXACTLY like Hugh Laurie also happens to be chemical engineer. (Handy to have around in a chem class no?) My lab partner is a beautiful, brilliant and SUPER kind woman! I really enjoy working with her. I genuinely love people. I love getting know them and really dig it when I think I have somebody pegged and then they surprise me.

Let me tell you a little about my new friend Marco. He has been trying to start up a study group and it just hasn't been coming together so when we got out early tonight, I suggested we all gather in the commons and go to it. A few of us stayed, but after about fifteen minutes it was just Marco and I. I have to say that my first impressions of him were that he liked getting lots of girls phone numbers and that he was maybe a little shallow. Tonight I learned how wrong I was. He really does just need help with his homework, and he is a very genuinely kind person. Before we started our study session everybody was getting to know each other a little and it got brought up that I was Mormon. After everyone had left and Marco and I were doing our homework, he asked me how Mormons were different than Christians. :) Of course I explained that we ARE Christian but our church IS a little different that most Christian fellowships. The first thing I thought of to mention was that we believe in modern day revelation and I explained a little about that. Then he asked how we know what scriptures are true and I explained that we know because of that revelation. He got this huge genuinely happy grin on his face and my first thought was "no way he is actually buying this," because usually this is where they start arguing or laughing at you. I asked him why he was smiling. "Are you laughing at me, " I asked. He said, "no I'm just enjoying learning about this." I continued with some of the differences, major and minor as we worked on our problems and he kept smiling and asking really good questions. When David showed up to take me to my car (it's scary going out to my car at night and he happened to be driving by so I waited for my handsome escort) Marco said that he hoped to finish our conversation (which consisted of me talking and him smiling) next time.

Okay testimony time.

If you're reading this you've probably heard about what a pain it was to get into this class. I started with that monster of man for a professor, then spent two weeks attending four different sections of the same class in hopes of adding one of them. I knew I would get in. I just knew it. And no matter how stressful it was not getting, I kept going because I just knew I would get in. I was added to this section, then tried for the hybrid my sister my was in and got a spot...then lost it because I wishy washy about which one a really wanted.

This is where I want to mention that I don't think this has nothing to do with ME and everything to do with Heavenly Father knowing his children and helping us help one another. Little things like this happen every day and I feel so blessed to have been able to share a little about the Gospel with somebody who really wanted to hear it.

That said, I know exactly why I got this particular section now.

You know, I had a terrible day today. For the first time this semester, I felt hugely overwhelmed. Today I had to accept that I can't do some of the social things that I would like to and that I might be disappointing people as a result. I'm not able to do all of the things that Aaron would have liked to do for his birthday. It's a disaster trying to plan any day for my family. We are passing kids off to each other constantly and David has to take them to work on nights when our responsibilities overlap. In spite of those things, I've still felt strongly that I'm doing what I should be and I'm where I'm supposed to be. I normally juggle the days pretty well, but I lost it today. I went to school wiping tears of frustration from my eyes, but I left wiping away different tears.

My experience tonight taught/reminded me of two important things: First, Heavenly Father knows what we can handle. I know that He knew that I needed peace tonight and He gave it to me through my neat conversation with Marco. Second, we shouldn't be afraid of sharing what we believe. Sure, some people get scared off, but some are just dying to know what's true. I don't know that Marco will want to join the church, but I do know that he heard something he had been wanting to hear tonight.

My Fly

We were at a party (the Hull's first annual Christmas one to be exact) when Joey was two and he was acting like a total turkey, as most 2-yr-olds do. Our friends Rachael and Nephi were commiserating the woes of taking our toddlers out in public and Nephi said something that was so true and so profound, we use his quote to this day. He said "Having a 2-yr-old in public is like walking around with your fly down. It's just embarrassing and there's nothing you can do about it!"

When Joey was two we had him on a leash. I know, I know 'why would you treat your kid like a dog' right? But he walked early (9months) and he was everywhere. My thought was, I would rather have him on a leash than not at all. People could criticize my harness , but they would be even more critical if I hadn't taken the necessary precautions and lost my sweet wandering lad. I remember getting some pretty embarrassing looks from people, especially when he would throw a fit and drop to the floor before we had a chance to stop. He would slide a little...I know it sounds terrible, but I swear we weren't dragging him.

My all time favorite embarrassing Aaron moment involved a pool noodle in the light bulb aisle at Walmart.. Oh yeah, what you're thinking is exactly what happened. LOTS of broken light bulbs!!!

Cy is still young enough that it's slightly embarrassing to take him out. Especially with his big brothers there to egg him on. Once recently we were at Target and Cy was screaming his brains out for who knows why. I was in the shoe aisle and David was in the men's department and you could hear him where I was standing. Let's face it, the whole store could hear him. A lady and her daughter were shopping next to me. The woman said "Somebody needs to shut that kid up or take him home!" I said, "I know right? My gosh what's wrong with that kid?" The look I got later in the store when she saw me with the screaming baby was priceless! He also used to yell at people when they would walk by. "NO! YOU CAN'T HAVE MY STUFF!!! DON'T TOUCH MY CART!!!" People would always have this bewildered look wondering if that little turd was really talking to them!

Tonight we were at Costco and the kids were just being rambunctious! David and I were looking at something for a minute and turned around to find that Cy had made a "slide" using a big piece of cardboard on the pallet of toilet paper that was stacked in a descending pattern. The kids were taking turns on said slide...I was mortified.

When we got home, I went in to change Jonathan. I took my Moby off, looked down and as if the trip wasn't embarrassing enough...my fly was actually down!

My Kids Are Angels

When I was a little girl my mom always told me that all she ever wanted was to be a mommy. I felt special knowing that we kids were her life's dream and in turn, all I ever wanted was to be a mommy. I need to remember to tell my kids that. I always want them to know that they are my dream come true. So here's a little bit about why my angels are so awesome...


Joey is a brilliant little guy. He applies more logic and reasoning to situations than many adults do. He loves science, he's never told me exactly why, but I think it's because he loves understanding the way things work. He's a kind person. I've never heard him speak ill of anybody. Sure he gets mad and tattles on his brothers, and maybe there've been some brotherly slurs exchanged, but I've never heard him make fun or call names just to be mean spirited. He's friends with everybody. He plays with the kids who get into trouble now and again but he isn't affected by it or dragged into their shenanigans. He's just their friend. That seems like such a mature personality trait to me. He's kind of a grown-up in a little body in a lot of ways. This is a big year for him and he knows it. Joey turns eight in July and he will be baptized shortly thereafter. We've talked with him about what a big year this is and discussed ways that he can prepare. He wants to read The Book Of Mormon before he gets baptized. He has started intently following along and reading verses aloud when we read together as a family. Joey loves telling jokes and making people smile. He's clever and quick witted with a rather dry sense of humor. He loves Brian Regan and has most of his acts memorized. He's such a shy kid except around family and when he's on stage. He loves being in plays. He's busy practicing for his role as Templeton in Charlotte's Web. I can't wait to see it!!! If it's even half as entertaining as his role as Grandpa George in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we're in for treat! :)


Aaron is our little lover! He is the king of cuddles and hugs. Everybody he meets seems to fall in love with his beaming personality. He speaks with SO much enthusiasm it's precious and even a little comical at times. He loves doing things for others. He always asks to make things for people or to give things to his friends. He has a very kind heart. He's friends with everybody and looks out for his buddies. He's full of personality and he comes home from school with fantastic stories everyday. Sometimes he's playing "To Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street" but usually he's sharing things that really excited him that day. He always tries to do the right thing. Even without prompting he makes the right decision when one needs to be made. He loves playing baseball, especially inside with dad. He will always sacrifice to make others happy. If the boys have balloons and Cy's pops, Aaron will ALWAYS offer his. He never hesitates to share and if something is offered to him he always asks if he can have one for his brothers too. When he smiles you can't help but smile yourself! His enthusiasm is downright contagious. He's a rockin' kindergartener! He loves doing homework and even though he grumbles, I think he loves practicing his sight words with Daddy.


Talk about a bundle of personality! Cy is a kick in the pants! That's what I tell everybody anyway. This kid says THE most hilarious things. I call family at least once a week with some hilarious story about something he said. He speaks with a touch of a southern accent that makes everything he says 100% more hilarious. Grandma Renae says maybe he's channeling Grandpa Wheeler. He coined Jonathan's nickname. (All of my boys have at least one.) He calls him The Good Mr. Gacious. (pronounced like gracious just without the 'r') David's Grandpa Wheeler used to say "the goodness the gacious" when he held babies. In grandpa's honor David says the same thing. Cy thought that's what David was calling Jonathan and the name stuck. He is VERY smart. He pays such close attention to details in everything. You can just see the wheels turning when he's examining something. When he gets pensive we all stop and wait for whatever commentary is coming as a result of his 'studies'. We were out to dinner for Auntie Megan's birthday and he heard the waiters singing the Happy Birthday song from across the restaurant. They didn't sing the traditional song. He watched and waited until they finished, then turned and said, in his southern accent of course "I hate that song! They're singin' it wrong!" He is a Sunbeam this year and he loves it. I'm the primary chorister and I love watching him participate in the games.


Little J is brand new so we don't know him that well yet. ;) He was 5lb 10oz when he was born 6 weeks early. He was a little prince in the NICU. The nurses loved having a big baby. He seemed to "let them know" when he was ready to progress. He pulled his oxygen tube out and remained stable so they decided to take him off. Then he pulled his feeding tube out when he was ready to eat. ;) He was 10lb 6oz at hie 2 month appointment. That's insane weight gain which means he's eating like a champ and growing like one too. He's just started giving us smiles. :) There is something so awesome about little guys. I believe that we were spirits with personalities before we came to earth to receive a body. It's incredible to hold something so fresh from heaven in your arms. There's this feeling of awe when I look into my tiny babies eyes, like I'm seeing a little bit of 'who' they are. Like maybe if I look long and hard enough I'll catch a glimpse of him. Then they start grow and 'who they are' never disappoints! :)

Well, here's the skinny...
I'm blogging again. One of my resolutions this year (Who am I kidding? It's a resolution I make every night and miserably fail at the next day.) is to keep a better journal. My kids always ask what they were like when...and as often as I promised myself I'd never forget a particular moment in their lives, I can't remember.
I've decided to make this blog all encompassing. I will share my personal insights and opinions here and I hope that if you're reading this, you understand that I enjoy hearing others' opinions even if they're not the same as mine. People being different and sharing ideas is what makes the world go round. I hope that you'll respect my feelings too. :)

So here it goes...

Spring, Roses, and A New Hobby

I have always loved growing things. My favorite chore when I was growing up was working in the yard. I loved helping my mom pick out new flowers and things to grow in our planters. When we moved up to the desert I planted two planters full of beautiful flowers and they all died that very season. The extreme weather up here makes it difficult to grow many things.
I've never cared much for roses because of the thorns and I think the flowers look yucky when they start to fade away, but they grow amazingly well in the desert and there are so many varieties. Last year my mom bought me a rose book and we started making trips down to Guerrero's rose farm in Upland. I cleared my overgrown planters of weeds and ran a drip line. David was super busy with work so I did most of it myself. I planted fifteen roses last year and I've purchased two more already this year. My mom says she finally turned me to the dark side. My favorite thing about roses is that they all have cool names. I've chosen roses based on their names to represent my family in my yard. Kinda' cheesy but I love it. I still need a rose for Cy and Aaron so that's my priority this year. Next I'll start working my extended family and friends in. :) Here are a few of the roses that are already blooming.

*Berries N' Cream*
This is Traci's rose bush, it's a beautiful climber and I was planting this when I got "the call" last year. I remember standing in the yard staring at this beautiful plant and just letting the wind blow on my face, wishing that I could feel my sweet friend beside me...one of the most vivid memories I have.

*Yellow Ribbons*
I just planted this one because it makes a pretty ground cover.

*Home Run*
I love the red flower. It's not a typical looking rose. David loved them because of the baseball reference in the name. He had me plant one big Iceberg (white shrub rose) with one of these on either side because it reminds him of the white baseball with two red stitches around it.

*Just Joey*
My newest addition to the yard, these are Joey's. :)
This rose has HUGE flowers and they smell great.

I'm also trying my hand at a garden this year. We have to start our plants indoors up here because the weather is so sporatic throughout Spring. It freezes even into April. I put them out for sun everyday that it is warm . Otherwise they are in my kitchen taking up the little bit of counter space that I have. We're growing beans, peppers, pumpkins, watermelon, strawberries, carrots, radishes, tomatoes and sunflowers. :) This year is mostly an experiement for me to see what works and what doesn't.

Aaron's Special Day

Aaron has been waiting his whole life to play baseball. The little guy is as obsessed with the sport as David. He has had to watch Joey play for two years and it has been torture telling him that he just had to wait a little longer. Aaron's special Day finally came on Monday; he got to play in his very first tee ball game!!! :)

Joey is such a goof ball. I think he enjoyed being a specctator!
Cy cheering the guys on.

Aaron was just so happy, but when it's time to go, it's time to go! :)

Girls On An Adventure

My friend Wendy decided that the girls should get together and do something a little crazy since she was turning 30 soon. She decided to have a midnight Twilight party at her house. We went to the Hot Topic Midnight release. Then met some friends back at her house around 2:00am. The release party was actually pretty lame, they said they were going to have drawings and trivia games, but we just stood in line for 3 hours listening to the Twilight soundtrack. We had lots of fun visiting and watching the silly teenagers. I think we were the only Moms there without kids. :) Here I am all ready to go! I'm a dork and I don't care! :)

The fancy line.

Sabrina, Wendy and half of me.

The teen aged girls were coming out screaming when they got their movies so we tried to show some enthusiasm as well! :)

Blowing out the candles with Wendy!

We sprawled out on the carpet and had a picnic while we watched the movie. We mostly just laughed all night! I love the movie, but you have to admit, it's pretty cheesy.

Our friends Jennifer and Shannon.

The party ended at about 4:30am. I haven't partied that hard in a long time! We had so much fun and I think we're going to do it again for New Moon. :)

Kids say...

Sabrina made a list of the funny things her kids say and tagged the rest of us to do the same. I love writing these things down and then going back a reading them. My boys crack me up!
So here it goes:
Joey-
"At the end of the road, turn right, then turn left, then you have reached your destination." (In the accent of the British TomTom guy)

"Nobody understands me!" (David and I just died when he said this after he got punished for smacking Aaron in the backseat.)

Overall, I am just amazed at how grown up he's become since he started Kindergarten. He says "that's correct" instead of "yes" and and reminds ME to change the calendar when it's time.

He and Aaron both have the funniest list of favorite songs, thanks, in part, to Rachel's Singstar games. They sing We Built This City by Starship, Rock Lobster by the B52's, Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash and The Boxer (also known as lie la lie) by Simon and Garfunkel.

Aaron-
"Cy is the cheekiest baby in the whole world!"

"No Joey! You are not the boss, only Mommy, Daddy and me are the bosses!"

He sings "When Christmas Comes to Town" and "Yo Ho Yo Ho" all the time, but it is funniest when he sings it on the john!

Cy-
Cy is a man of few words but my current favorite is Mama! Except when he is cranky and he follows me around the house repeating it over and over and over and over and over...while I try to do laundry or dishes. :) I also think it's hilarious to listen to him babble when he is trying to tell us something. The only signs he knows are please and cookie. He rubs his hands all over his chest and his head to say please, it cracks me up. :)