R.I.P. Kitchen Aid Mixer.....

This is my Kitchen Aide Mixer. Or at least it was. I have a great love for this mixer. I know some of you will not understand my great love and admiration for this piece of equipment. But let me explain. I have had this mixer for close to 17 (yes I said 17) years!!! It took me FOREVER to save up the $$$ needed to buy my mixer. You can't imagine the joy I felt when I went to the store and put all my money on the counter that long ago day. It was like I was a little kid with all my pennies to buy a toy. I had that mixer before I had kids. I used it almost DAILY. It went to Hawaii and back with me. I still have stuff in storage in Hawaii but not my mixer...it flew on the plane with me. I used it, then cleaned it---it almost looked brand new. (except for this picture--because it is in the garage graveyard--it isn't as clean) I baked yummies for my family, my friends, my visiting teaching ladies. Every holiday season we had many days together. Like my hubby takes the kids out of the house so I can bake all day...just me & the mixer kind of days. But it is no more. The Sunday before I left for girls camp I was mixing up my last batch of cookies and then IT happened.....(you might need tissue after this story--heehee) So this is how it went: I was stressed. too much to do not enough time. I had had a very stressful couple of months of leading to this point. It was hot. I was sweaty. I was trying to get everything ready for camp. The kids were kind of cranky. Hubby stressed with homework. etc. etc. Anyway, JAG my youngest son had left the chocolate milk powder out on the table. I asked him to put it away. (the HUGE container from Costco) He put the lid on and the then stepped back to put it into the pantry. Well.....he stepped without looking and tripped on a bag of trash someone had put there..he dropped the chocolate milk powder..which we quickly realized he didn't tighten the lid enough...so brown powder FLEW everywhere in my kitchen, he is yelling my name as he was falling backwards onto the trash bag. I turned. In a quick second I had to decide.....Help my son or help my mixer. I didn't have time to turn it off. My mixer lost. I will always help my kids...(heehee or at least hope I will). Well in THAT exact moment I lept to help JAG the big silver knob on my mixer fell off, into the cookie mixture and tripped up the beater causing it to jam the motor. There you have it. The end of my mixer!! I know...the tears. I actually did shed tears. I was so stressed..this massacre put me over the edge. I realized our days of baking were over. I am not even kidding. I lost it. This mixer was my saving grace. When I couldn't afford to buy treats for my kids I made them. We made so many brownies, rolls, cookies, cakes, holiday treats for friends and the ward members. It was with me thru a divorce, single mommy days, deaths of loved ones, summers, depression...everything!!! I loved my mixer sitting clean and shiny on my counter. My mixer was the first thing set on every counter of every house we lived in. Now it is gone. When my kids saw me crying they thought something was "really" wrong. They ran and got dad..."Dad, come quick something is wrong with mom...she is crying". When Pineapple Princess found out why I was crying she couldn't beleive it was over my mixer. I tried to explain that it was the straw that broke the camels back....but she sees it as "mom is crying over her broken mixer". WHATEVER. It kinda is. But it was just the final thing. So, my mom has let me borrow her mixer. I just haven't had the heart to use it yet. I feel like I am cheating. But life goes on...right? I won't be getting a new mixer anytime soon. Now I have kids....I NEVER have extra money. It is not on the priority list. So...there you have it. {R.I.P. sweet mixer. I love you. I will remember you ALWAYS..} Thanks for the memories.

My life...Right now

The summer is lazily passing me by....NOT!! It has been totally crazy here with my family!!! Here is an update:

Kalani finished summer school. That makes me happy. Not to mention his level of happiness. He has worked so hard all summer with school and work. He has had class 4 mornings aweek and 2 labs in the evening. I am so proud of him. Way to go, Kalani!!!

This is Pineapple Princess on the morning she left for the Stake Trek. Isn't she so totally cute? I am so impressed with her and her willingness to be a pioneer. My good friend, Jenn, made her pioneer clothes and did a marvelous job. Pineapple loved her trek experience and learned so very much. She loved her pioneer trek and now has a better idea of what the early pioneers went through. I love her. I adore her. I admire her enthusiasm for life. She is an example to me.

This is my oldest son, TCIG. On this very day I am so grateful that he is still in my life. He was in a farming accident back on July 9. He suffered greatly. This picture is of him in the ICU, the day after the accident. He is doing much better now. He spent 2 weeks in the hospital. He is healing pretty good for what he went through. Still has a ways to go....but he is ALIVE. He is healing. He is my son. He is my love. I thank my Father in Heaven for him (actually for all of my kiddos-but in light of what happened....)

This is Monkey Boy. He continues to have a fun summer. He has a best friend that invites him to go everywhere with him. He went to Scout camp and was busy with merit badges. He starts football in a week and is very excited. This is a picture of him in Las Vegas on July 4. We went to visit my mom and sister. Monkey Boy has a cousin his age and they had so much fun. Monkey Boy makes me laugh EVERYDAY!!! I love him. I love his humor. He is such a fun guy to hang out with.

This is Kawehi. She played catcher in her first season of Coach Pitch baseball. She loved it. She and JAG were on the same team. That girl can bat!!! It was fun to watch her play in her game. This little girl enjoys every minute of every summer day. She literally lives in her bathing suit and will play in the sprinklers, a pool, a pond, a stream, a lake etc. If it has water she is all over it!! We don't have a lot of "technical" toys so she and her little brother are forced to play outside...the old fashioned way. They play from early morning til 9:00 p.m. It doesn't get dark here until almost 10 at night. She touches my heart because she is like an old fashioned little girl.

This is JAG. In this picture he is wearing Pineapple's shoes...why? I don't know. He is just funny that way. Like his sister this little guy plays ALL day long. He loves running around without his shirt on and no shoes. He is about as brown as he can be. I am constantly reminding him to put his shoes on!!! He is always with a friend. Last Friday, was the rare occasion that his friends were all gone for the day. I thought he was going to die of boredom. He actually came and hung out with me. What a treat for me!!! We went and played WII--Just Dance. He cracks me up!!! He was dancing and singing and I laughed hysterically. What a perfect summer day...hanging out with my 7 yr old--dancing.

I cannot believe school starts in 28 days!!! My heart sings with joy. My kids actually look forward to school---not because they like school but because they get to see their friends. I feel bad we haven't done too many "fun" things as a family. I feel like my kids have been bored. I have busy with work, being at the hospital etc. The summer has just gone by so fast. I am so grateful for my kids and hubby. They have been patient. They have helped me. They have been my strength. They make me laugh. They make me smile. They love me. And because of that love I know I can get through anything.

Off to Girls Camp....

I am heading out of town for the next few days......GIRLS CAMP!! Oh, what fun. I am going to help COOK. Should be a lot of fun. I am sure I will have pictures to post.

See ya!!

Do your kids do this?

This is Pineapple Princess...my oldest child. She is 15 1/2 years old. Can you guess where she is sleeping? Yep...my bed. I am curious....do all kids gravitate towards their parents bed? All of my kids...all 5 of them always fall asleep in my bed, crawl into my bed to snuggle with me or Daddy or when we aren't home go into our bed. Kalani and I were gone on this Friday night and came home about 9:00 p.m. This is where we found our oldest kid.....all comfy cozy. What is it about a parents bed? I remember in the movie Home Alone the little boy goes running into his parent's room and ends up staying on his parent's bed the whole time he is home alone. Does it offer safety and protection? Does it make the bad day go away? What is it? Whatever the answer is I love it. I love that even my big kids still want to feel the comfort of being wrapped up in my arms or at least my blankets....

Friendship.....Part II

Please see below for Friendship entry # 1...

So, to continue with all things Friendship. This lasagna was delievered to us with a note that said to have it on a night when we couldn't think about dinner plans. The Diet pepsi was given to me because I have friends that know me sooooo well. They know that Diet Pepsi is like the nectar of the Gods for me. I know it is so very bad for me....but man does it taste good. Heehee. Anyway, again I can only say Thank you to all of you who have gone out of your way to show love and grace upon me and my family. We can NEVER repay the kindness and love we have been given by all of you who constantly share your love, your friendship, your warmth with our family. I thank my Heavenly Father EVERYDAY for all of you.

Friendship.....Part I

Without going into great details...My family and I have had a pretty rough time of late. It seems like the world as crashed down on our little family. It seems like the darts of the advesary are being shot directly into my home. On certain days I felt like giving up....I felt like there was no hope. I felt all alone. I felt like I couldn't take one more step forward. Then out of the blue I would receive a gift. The gift of friendship. Heavenly Father sent so many rescuers my way. Oh, how I love FRIENDS. Oh, how I love FAMILY. Oh, how I love the GOSPEL. My testimony has been strengthened. My hope has been renewed. I feel a little stronger. I feel loved. I feel blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. There aren't words to express my deep love and appreciation to all of you. These pictures show some of the flowers that were delievered to our home....to cheer us up. Aren't they beautiful?.....Just like those who delievered them!!! Thank you is all I can muster...I love you. You have touched my life in marvelous ways.

SERVICE

This is the Ronald McDonald House here in Boise. It is an amazing place!! It is a beautiful place. The people who are in charge of this facility are wonderful!! Pineapple Princess and I have been there twice to serve. The RMH has a program where volunteers come into their kitchen and cook or bake anything you want to do. It is for the residents who can come and stay there while their children are sick and staying in the hospital that is right across the street. Last month we made chocolate chip cookies. We went yesterday and made dinner. Our family's favorite meal is a chicken casserole that my friend Adie gave me like 18 years ago. It is so yummy. When I was telling the project coordinator about the casserole she kept saying how 'comforting' it sounded. Comforting, I asked her? I didn't quite get what she was saying. She told me that the families that stay at the Ronald McDonald House are usually here because they have a baby in the NICU or a very sick child in the hospital and after a long day of stress and worry of being with these little ones all day, they can come to the house and get a hot 'comforting' meal and then try to get a goodnight's sleep. I never thought of it that way. I guess because I have had a baby in the NICU and I understand what that entails...it took on a whole new meaning to me. I may not be the biggest fan of McDonald's food...but I truly am grateful that the McDonald's Corporation gives sooooo much back to the community. It is an unbelievable set up that they have. There is soooooooooo much that is donated to the house from the community that this house can truly offer these families a HOME while they are here. They ask for a $10 a night donation but if a family cannot afford that then it's ok, they still get to stay there. They have rooms that are set up like little apartments. They have laundry rooms, they have a front room with a fire place; there is a library; a kids play room. I cannot describe how wonderful a place it is. I am so grateful that the community wants to help so much that the schedule is literally full to come in and cook. We are going again in a month and then in July we are going as a family and will make breakfast for the families on a Saturday morning. It brings me such peace to help others. I have been really stressed out lately and very 'woe is me'. But when I go into that home where so much 'good' is happening and do a little something to ease the burdens of others my spirit is lifted. My soul is fed. So, just like the chicken casserole is comforting to those who partake of it....preparing it for these sweet families comforts me. I truly believe the best way to overcome problems or burdens is to serve others. I have been reminded of that. I believe it. I wish I could bottle up the feelings I feel when I am there. Love. Peace. Stillness. Goodness. I can feel my Father in Heaven's love there. I know God lives. He blesses us everyday. I get to see a little bit of heaven when I serve others. For this, I am grateful.