Royalty in our Home.

This week we got a new addition to our family. Tom and I talked about it a lot, not sure if we could handle another mouth to feed, but Tom had heard a story on the radio that melted his heart.









So I took the kids to Animal Control and we found a perfect little kitten for our family.

She's a 3 month old gray tabby and she was promptly named Duchess. You know, like from Aristocats? How would we ever think of pet names without kids' tv shows? All the people in our house love her, she's very tame and cuddly and tolerates all of the Bug's physical affection. She and the dog are getting used to each other. Just now they were both laying on the sofa within breathing distance of each other and there was no noise. A vast improvement from just a few days ago when he knocked over the Christmas tree trying to get to her.

And yes, I'm still trying to fill a nurturing void that I feel by accumulating furry children.

Why didn't I think of that?

I found a great blog, Diaper and Divinity, through one of my other favorites, My Real Life Was Backordered. DeNae is hilarious, you should go check her out.

Stephanie over at Diapers started an online book club using General Conference talks. Every Sunday she picks a new talk from the last Conference and then throughout the week people can post comments to have a "discussion." I'm so excited about this because I will hopefully have an easier time working personal scripture study into my day. I can read the talk one day, read the individual scripture references following days and (if I have time) delve deeper into the meaning and circumstances surrounding the scriptures themselves. I encourage all of you to join us!

Let's play a little game....

that I like to call, "What would you do if?"

What would you do if you were called to be president of say, the Primary and the Music Leader is extremely unreliable. This person does a great job (when she shows up) and has great ideas (that sometimes get followed through on).

Now, let's also say that this person's spouse writes their own play of " A Christmas Carol." This person calls you up begging for help in filling extra slots because they need boys and hey! you have boys the right age. Then you are told that two of your kids have been cast to play the children of Scrooge's ex-girlfriend and that you are needed for the choir. Well, a couple of weeks go by and it's getting closer to time for rehearsals to start and you ask this person when you and your family are needed only to be told that the cast is full. That's right, the parts were taken away from YOUR kids and given to someone else. THEN, on Thanksgiving you are chatting with a cousin-in-law and SHE tells you that her kids are playing the children of Scrooge's former girlfriend! And in the mean time your kids keep asking when they are going to be in A Christmas Carol. You are at a loss as to what you should tell them and just change the subject each time they bring it up.

Now. You have to go out of town for an unexpected family funeral and get home very late Saturday night. The next morning, lo and behold, said Music Leader doesn't show up. No phone call. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Then you run into said Person at Wally World the day of Opening Night for the play. She apologizes for not letting you know she wouldn't be there on Sunday but after all, she's been up to 2:30 a.m. every night working on sets for the play and oh by the way, could you help out in the box office tonight?

Not that this happened to me. It's all hypothetical. I'm just sayin', What would you do?

What could be better?!

Lately I've been having a lot of body issues. After the Tank was born I joined Weight Watchers and lost 48 pounds. I was 7 away from my goal when I found out I was expecting the Bug. I turned into an eating maniac during that pregnancy and gained back everything I had lost because I was just going to join WW again after I delivered. Well, I've struggled in losing those pounds for almost three years and lately I've hit my limit. I got back to what I weighed the first time I joined WW and I think a few extra have snuck in there.

So, in addition to getting on track and reaching my goals there's a new blog that joins weight loss with........Twilight! Eclipsed is a Twilight-themed weight-loss cheerleader. I love Twilight and can't wait for the next movie to come out. Even more, I want to be able to wear one of these shirts in a smaller size. Who's with me?


There's also a fantastic blog that gives you the entire WW program for FREE! Go to Gina's WW Recipes to find out.

New blog

My fantastic-super-talented-SIL started another blog showing her creative talents made edible. She just started her own cake business and has a site showing what she can do. Everyone head over and check it out!

Music class

Due to my lack of musical instrument training (ie: my mom played piano and organ and I know neither) I realized that there is some education that I just can't provide myself. So, in less than an hour I will be taking Tweedledum and Tweedledee to their first piano lessons. Any tips on motivating them to keep at it when they get really frustrated?

Puffins!

A few months ago my sister-in-law introduced me to Bakerella. She is a brilliant woman who obviously does not have kids of her own or she would not have the time to come up with everything that she does. I'm so grateful for her inspired creations for they have added some new, super-easy rotations to my small arsenal. This is her original post for Cake Pops and she has come up with variations for every holiday. They are the cutest things EVER and are delicious to boot.

My absolute favorite of hers are Mini Maple Pancake Muffins . You take pancake batter, mix in some chocolate chips and bake it in mini-muffin pans at 350 for 10-13 minutes. Pancake muffins - Puffins! The kids love them cause they are little and get to dip them in the syrup. I love them cause I'm not standing over the griddle and the kids don't use as much syrup. They are only dipping them, not sending them swimming on their plates.