Malstrom Mayhem

Magic

2011-11-15T14:54:00.001-08:00

My sister asked me if I could make a magic wand. I wasn't really sure if I could, but how fun to try!

Wandering around the craft store I found various wood pieces, candle holders, spools, spindles and envisioned a way to put together a pretty cool wand.

I had to use my Dremel to widen the insides of the spools to make the pieces fit, but I liked the snug assembly as I think it gives it more sturdiness. Then I used some permanent glue to secure all the pieces. I finished it off with a coat of dark brown paint, a dry brushing of black, and some flecks of gold. I sanded parts of it and kept adding until it looked how I wanted it.

My latest craft project

2011-11-11T07:37:00.001-08:00

A neighbor of mine makes these super cute Holiday themed shelf sitters out of hard back books, and I wanted to make one that could stay up the whole year round.

To start, you need 3 hard back books of various sizes. I got mine from the library book sale awhile back to use as photography props for my jewelry, and hadn't used them recently. My neighbor says she gets hers mostly at thrift stores like the D.I.

Next, you need vinyl of different colors, transfer tape, and it's REALLY helpful to have a computer program so that you can control the size and layout of your cuts. I used the Cricut Design Studio. I think they are beta testing a free online version of it.

Just paint the books different colors, cut the vinyl in different colors and apply using the transfer tape. My neighbor embellishes her shelf sitters with a large bow, spray glitter, and floral picks. Since I wanted mine to be an all-year decoration, I decided to cut out a fleur-de-lis and apply it to the top book. Hot glue all the books together and you have a unique decoration for your home.

Warning: If your kids are bookworms like mine, you may be asked several times WHY you are painting a book.

Jazber Creates (hide your glue guns)

2011-10-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

Amber and I have been friends for a couple of years now (our daughters became BFFs in Kindergarten). I make jewelry for her and she takes stunning family photos for me. We have a super fun time. Lately, we have been on a craft kick and I just wanted to share some of our combined efforts/ideas

I think it started in July when she told me one night that she needed a "craft night" I gave her options from the craft supplies in my closet and she chose bows. I put bows together and she hot glued them to the clippies, and I think we made 20+ bows.

In September, I had a customer ask me if I could make 250 pendants for a Women's Retreat. I told her I couldn't because I'm a one woman company. She asked me to think about it. Then I told Amber about it, and she suggested that she would help and we could split the profits. I designed the image, printed and covered them, then Amber cut and pasted all of them into the bezels. I was astonished how quickly we got them done, and how well we work together.

In the middle of September, Amber found this idea on Pinterest for little wooden squares, painted with chalk paint and hung as a menu board.

One night, I went with her to Hobby Lobby. As she was collecting all of the necessary items to make these boards, I realized that it would be cheaper to buy an actual chalk board (not to mention it would save me from chalkboard paint fumes). So we bought one (using a 40% off coupon). She painted it and showed me where she wanted the words, and I got out the Cricut.

Next, she found this Halloween wreath (also on Pinterest). She wanted us to make it, but I thought it needed a little more "umph" to it.

So while I was at Hobby Lobby buying ribbon, I found the tulle on sale and made the wreath in the photo above for her.

End of September, first of October, it was time for "Wow Wednesday" a little craft night for the ladies in my church. I was in charge of finding another craft to add to our list. My friend, Suzi, had made me a Family Home Evening board a few years ago, and everyone admired it and wanted it. So I made a version of it, and gave the sample/prototype to Amber. (After I personalized it with her family photo)

Amber wanted Halloween decorations in her home. I only decorate for Christmas. Amber found the ghost idea on Pinterest (shocker) and made it with her kids. I got the Cricut Design Studio, and used it to make her a Boo/Spider sign. Didn't they turn out cute?

Then, last week, Amber said she needed a place to hang her keys. I had a plaque. I had hooks. AND, I had my Cricut (and some really neat transfer tape).

Now what will we make next?

An example of my strange sense of humor

2010-10-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I received my order of ceramic beads from Oriental Trading. In the box was a catalog of all of their "stuff". I love their small items for parties, but otherwise they are disposable.

Savannah took up the catalog and hunted through it the way we used to pour over the huge Sears catalogs. She found rubber duckies dressed as ninjas. She pointed them out to me & I told her I was not going to order ninja duckies.

Savannah then told me she did not want me to order the duckies. She was just planning her imaginary ninja ducky army.

Today, I was shopping for party favors for Libby's party. I didn't find ninja duckies, but I did find Halloween themed duckies & small plastic ninjas. So what did I do? I purchased them, brought them home, and then hid 6 duckies & 12 ninjas all around Savannah's room.

Whose ninja/ducky army is it now?

R is for...

2010-06-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

...Road trips and Refinishing.

since the end of April, this is what my life has been full of.

weekend of May 1st - road trip to Cali to see my baby brother get married

1st stop- Santa Monica beach (windy but fun)

My baby brother Parker and his bride Teresa

My older sister Serena, Me, and my younger sister Corianne

The pier at Venice Beach

weekend of May 15 - road trip to AZ to see my best friend get married

Kristen Otto Hall and the Malstroms

Being the silly family that we are; we enjoy making dam jokes.

Stop over at Lake Powell for a rest from driving.

Memorial Day weekend - went to some garage sales and found this vanity for $20 and this mini-hutch for $10

Savannah loves makeup (and the color red) so I thought a red vanity would be perfect.
I never bought my girls a play kitchen, and since this looked like a kitchen to me (complete with dish rack) I decided to use it in the playroom.

weekend of June 12th - road trip to Mesquite to visit with family

the Malstrom children chillin at the pool with Dad.

The hotel pool even had a water slide.

last weekend - found this cabinet for $20 (it needed so much work that it took me 2 days)

So, what have you been up to?

The case of the missing Pop-tarts

2010-04-20T07:42:00.001-07:00

Warning: I'm about to show you the depth of my insanity.

So Saturday I went to the grocery store for something I had forgotten. As happens everyone once in awhile, a box of Pop-Tarts caught my eye & whispered, "I taste really yummy...you want me." And so I bought them, put them in a sack, brought them home, & plopped the sack on the counter.

Later that night Tyson's friend came over to watch a basketball game. When I'd had enough of trying to work my word puzzles in spite of the squeaking shoes, crowd jeers, & inane repetitive crap spewing forth from the TV; I headed upstairs.

On the way up, I glanced at the table & saw my Pop-Tarts. Open. With only 2 packages in it.

Anyone with small children will identify with my next thought: "Who opened (and ate) MY Pop-Tarts?" I told Tyson that one of HIS children had eaten my special treat. (They are always HIS children when they are bad -- even though I have vivid memories of each birth)

The next morning, I asked Ty to go get me a Pop-Tart (before the kids eat them all). He came back & told me I was hallucinating. Not only were the Pop-Tarts all there, & in the pantry; they were unopened!

So now I have 2 realities to choose from: either I hallucinated the whole thing, or a hobo must live in my basement, ate my Pop-Tarts, didn't want to get caught, so went to the store (it is open 24 hours) while we slept & bought more.

I have to say I was leaning toward the second one.

Then I had an idea! What if Tyson's friend had brought over an open box of Pop-Tarts (for who knows why) & took them with him when he left? I told Tyson my brilliant alternative & declared that I would text his friend & ask. Ty replied with, "He's gonna think you're a lunatic."

But I texted anyway, & his friend answered yes. I was redeemed! I was not crazy! I even related the whole funny story to a friend at church while Tyson stood behind her shaking his head.

After church, Tyson & my own 3 innocent children started laughing at me. It turns out that his friend had NOT brought over the Pop-Tarts....Tyson had just texted him asking him to play along. And my kids knew about it!

So now I'm not just hallucinating. I'm gullible....and hallucinating. Yay. Go team.

Lately...

2010-04-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

Payton was "Joseph Barbera" in the Wax Museum. It was extremely hard to find the one biography on him and then I had to read it TO Payton because it was obviously written for adults. Payton was super happy though, because one teacher told him that in the 10 years the school had been doing the Wax Museum, he was the first one to pick Joseph Barbera.

Payton as Joseph Barbera

Easter was a lot of fun this year. Since it was on the same day as General Conference, I took the kids' Easter pics the Sunday before. Savannah was not too happy that morning, and has decided not to show her teeth. Payton and Libby were game for Mom's funny poses and laughing at all my tricks. I love pictures where they are making their actual happy faces (which are not the cutest, but I like them best)

The Saturday before Easter we were invited to a family Easter Egg Hunt by Tyson's aunt. It was a lot of fun, and my kids really enjoyed it. They haven't had a family egg hunt for 5 years, and we were so happy that we were invited.

Curses!

2010-03-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

I know every family has their own set of issues, trials, problems what-have-you....but just for a second I'd like to complain. We feel cursed. Here's a short, interesting timeline:

August 1996--married (yay!)
April 1998--kid #1 (yay!)
August 1998--Jasmine's father diagnosed with terminal cancer
February 1999--Jasmine's father dies
August 2000-- Second kid born (yay!)
March 01?--Tyson's mom diagnosed with Hepatitis C
July 2001--Jasmine's mother killed in a single-car accident along with 2 others
September 2003--3rd kid born (yay!!)
May 2004--move.
May 2004--Tyson's Mom diagnosed with cancer
September 2005--Tyson's Mom dies
--here we notice an alarming trend of parents dying after we have kids. Jasmine decides no more kids--
early 2006---slight mental breakdown
September 2007--Tyson's maternal grandmother dies.
January 2009 -- Jasmine's maternal grandmother dies
February 2010-- Tyson's maternal grandfather dies.

Now here we think that because we have no more parents or grandparents, we should be death-free for a little while at least.

Nope.
March 2010--Tyson's uncle dies.
This sucks.

so Cool...

2010-03-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

Just found the most awesome widget EVER>>>

Let me know if you want to add it to your blog instead of my button and I will send you the code. I'm sure there are tools like this all over the internet, but as I never spend time enough on the computer to look for them...I was WAY excited to find this one. :)

Things that I know for sure Libby loves me more than...

2010-03-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

1. "A cheese sandwich"

2. "Purple"

and...
3. "the smell of fishsticks"

I'm really feeling the love. ;)

A new favorite

2010-02-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

I heard this quote in a talk on Sunday & I love it:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of God that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others."

- Marianne Williamson in Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles

In a giveaway

2010-01-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

I found the cutest capes through Tyson's cousin's blog. (you may have seen the button on my sidebar), and the cute girl that runs the blog/shop was just finishing a giveaway. She had mentioned that she wanted to do another one, so I asked if I could be involved.

And so, I am part of a giveaway that is truly great!! She has posted 6 different giveaways for everyday (mine started Thursday), and you get up to four entries in each.

My giveaway is for one free set of jewelry (does NOT have to match)

that means:

One bracelet

One necklace

and One pair of earrings

of the winner's choice

http://thedressupdrawer.blogspot.com/2010/01/4-jia-girls-best-friend-jasmine-over-at.html

So be sure to hop on over and check it out....enter for mine and any other's you see that might catch your eye....but hurry....Monday's giveaways are probably closed, and mine closed February 2nd at midnight!!

Starving Artists

2010-01-23T18:19:00.000-08:00

Savannah wants to be a makeup artist (and author):

Payton wants to be a comic book author/illustrator

And Libby?....she wants to be a rockstar.

Savannah's newest Poem

2009-12-21T20:06:00.000-08:00

The 6th graders have been learning about different forms of poetry. Their last assignment was their choice. So here's what Savannah wrote:

Someone's coming through the chimney

One night, December 24th to be exact
My brother and I were dreaming of someone fat,
We heard a thump so we raced down the stairs,
Then we hid behind some chairs.
Then we got ready to pounce.
We were going to catch Santa, who would flail and flounce.
We heard a stomp and then a sneeze,
My brother and I were very pleased.
We leaped and with a ferocious cry,
We caught Santa, my brother and I.
We lifted the net to take a peek,
But it was just our dad, so now we're grounded for a week.

Ha ha....tell that one to your kids on Christmas Eve. :)

We love us some Christmas Lights!!

2009-12-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

Just as I was cursing my camera for taking pitiful pics, we went to Temple Square for FHE and got some pretty decent shots of some VERY COOL lights!

Savannah the Author

2009-11-19T19:46:00.000-08:00

Savannah had to write some poetry for school, and I really love her style. She has always written the cutest, funniest, and most creative stories. She wants to be an author. Her 6th grade teacher says he even looks forward to reading her IRL (Independent Reading Logs) every week.....anyway....

Here are her 3 examples of "clerihews":

There once was a girl named Winifred.
Her favorite color was red.
Once she slipped on a spill of glue.
Now she can't remember....was her favorite color blue?

Come meet George.
Once he fell in a gorge.
He will tell you why he fell,
But it's a lie, a real Tall Tale.

There once was a guy named Victor.
He had a naughty sister.
Once he had to babysit.
Every once in awhile he spanked her a bit.

and here is her first narrative she wrote for 6th grade:

I am petrified of water. As I walked to the cart, I regretted even agreeing to go. Of course, I can't say no to a nice offer from someone, so naturally, I had to go. Some of the people walked by us dry. I was going to miss being dry.

The people who run Disney Land rides take pictures of people screaming their lungs out, I did not know that, seeing as this was my first time at Disney Land. My dad and my aunt knew about it. Anytime we heard clicking noises, my Aunt Corianne would make a “rock on” sign with her fingers and my dad would pretend he was scared. I was sitting right next to my dad, wondering why he was doing that.

The ride was quite slow, so it was more suspenseful. The cheesy animals were nodding and singing. I felt like barfing. Then I saw the vultures grinning like evil villains. Only being seven, I thought they were there to feast on innocent girls. My dad kept pointing them out for me. I laughed very convincingly, tricking my dad to think I wasn't nervous. (I'm quite good at tricking people.) As the vultures cackled wickedly and the cutesie chipmunks sang, I wished there were slingshots for sale.

Then, my eyes saw it, my ears heard it, and I started to shake uncontrollably. We were about to go down the fall.

I closed my eyes, waiting to be taken away by a dark, icy, cold portal... But wait, we had ended our ride! I wasn't even wet! I was so glad, I even laughed at how dumb it was to be so scared. I think Splash Mountain was a great step to overcome my fear of water.

Letting you in on the joke

2009-11-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I was traveling back home from a JoAnn fabric store when I realized that it was 4pm and I hadn't eaten anything that day.

I decided to treat myself with a Country Chicken combo from Arctic Circle. I ordered, pulled around, paid the gal at the window and received my drink. Then the gal at the window walked away. I thought she might ask me to pull up and wait (which I have started a movement against!!), but she never did come back to the window.

Instead, a few minutes later, a rather enthusiastic man handed my bag out of the window with a huge grin and said, "Country Combo!!!" with the tone one might use when wishing someone "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Birthday!!". Then he says, "Got your drink???" in the same tone. I assured him that I had my drink and drove away.

As soon as I could get my window rolled up, the kids and I started giggling!! Seriously, there is no way to describe in words the happiness of this fast food worker, or the silliness that it inspired.

All the way home, the kids and I tried to recreate the moment. "Country Combo!!! Got your drink?" And every so often it just comes out in our every day conversations. "How was school. Did you turn in your papers? Country Combo!!!! Got your drink???" I even dared Savannah to say it instead of "Trick or Treat". She was going with a bunch of friends so I didn't think anyone would notice if one kid was saying "Country Combo!!" while the others were saying "Trick or Treat!!" As happens with most inside jokes, this has now evolved to include a kind of growly voice.....it was not said that way, but it is funny that way.

So anytime you're feeling down, remember this gentleman who was so happy to fulfill the duties of his job and proudly proclaim to yourself, "Country Combo!!" and don't forget to ask: "Got your drink???"

So I see I'm not the only one.....

2009-10-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Who had so much to do that it put my brain in a no-time-for-blog-fog!!

Just in case you were wondering (and I know you are because our life is sooooo Exciting!! btw...this is what Stacy would call "sarcastic font") Here's some of what we've been doing:

September: On Libby's birthday, I decided to become a fantastic photographer, and take Jill O's advice, and make a light box. It turned out ok, but then I had to become knowledgeable in fixing pictures after an upload (am loving pixlr) I needed to take pics of the bows I had made (and haven't made many since...must have been a "phase"), so I asked my darling 6 year old to climb into the box....I know, I know...Mom of the Year.

So we decided to call it the "birthday box". I can just imagine the conversations that arose in her Kindergarten class: "Mom put me in a box on my birthday, and shined hot lights on me, and took a picture of my hair."

October: I agreed to make "kits" for a lady in Idaho for her to teach others how to make watch bands for a Super Saturday. This is yet another glimpse into the "what was I thinking?" part of my brain. I ended up making 37 kits, and then decided that I'm putting a blog post on how to make watch bands on my (yet another) blog. If you have been really wondering what I've been complaining about when I mention the watch bands, feel free to try it on your own:

http://jiagirlsbestfriend.blogspot.com/2009/10/watch-craze.html

I also decided this year that I'm not buying Halloween costumes. This will be year 2 of this movement in the Malstrom home. Born out of the fact that if you are a procrastinator (Present!) you can't really find any good costumes and most are cheap pieces of......fabric. So this year:

forgive the fuzzy photos.....these were "oops I meant to take pictures before we left the house since I probably won't dress you up this good on Halloween" taken with my phone photos

Savannah will be going as "the dark princess of awesome" ....a moniker that she gave herself a few years back. A neighbor loaned us a black and red goth looking dress, and since she made up the title, it can really look however we want.

Libby is wearing a Belle costume of Savannah's (pinned up b/c she's really not tall enough for it). While getting ready for the ward Harvest Party, I noticed it was quite filthy from being in the dress up rotation for a few years, so I did what any good mom would do: I got a few wipes and wiped it down really good.

Payton is going as Shaggy (big surprise). We had a green shirt, brown pants, and eyeliner to give him a goatee. We even have a stuffed Scooby for him to carry around. Now, the fact that he needs a haircut is not neglect on my part.....it's part of a Halloween costume. :)

Oh, and I forgot: I also came up with a schedule that ALMOST worked during off-track time....and it would've worked too if it weren't for those meddling kids (obligatory Scooby-Doo reference)

Funny thing....

2009-10-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

So I know I haven't really been updating lately, just working on promoting my online business (which believe it or not is a FULL TIME job)...but I had something funny happen at the boutique tonight.

These two girls paused in the doorway, and I looked up and noted that they looked awfully similar. By the time they made their way over to my table, I just had to ask: Are you two just sisters? or TWINS?

They were twins and very stylish and cute. I started talking to them about this and that. I started a discussion about watch bands to the one nearest me while her sister looked at earrings.

Then she started looking at necklaces. She picked one up and held it to her neck, and her sister said, "Do you want me to show you what it looks like?" Since she was standing right by the little mirror on my table, I fully expected her to pick it up and turn it toward her twin. But then the one nearest me handed over the necklace to her sister who then put it up to her neck.

I don't know why but I thought it was the funniest thing EVER!! They said they often go shopping together and can get twice the shopping done because they take turns trying on the outfits. After they left, the homeowner said that the funny thing is that they are not "Identical" but "Mirror Image" twins....so looking at each other is EXACTLY like looking in a mirror.

Calling all my Blogging Friends

2009-09-27T18:39:00.001-07:00

Yoo-hoo...

I just added a button to my blog, and I figured out how to add a "grab my button" feature. >>>>>>>>
Don't worry, I haven't mastered code. I just know how to cut and paste really well. (told you I'm a rigger).

If you want to, (read as "pretty, pretty please") you can copy the code from the "grab my button" box, then add it to an HTML code gadget and then my button can be on your page too.

And now for the bribe....I can help you make your own button if you want. It's not too complicated, I just need a small pic and a url to link it to.

Thanks in advance!!!

I've been featured!!

2009-09-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

This week has been great for my ego. I was picked by MyFreshPicks.
http://freshpickedshopping.blogspot.com/2009/08/httpxtwo.html

And now I'm the first featured seller on JayKayKnits blog!
http://jaykayknits.blogspot.com/2009/09/friday-feature-jasmine-malstrom.html

Hurray for fellow bloggers!!!

The Great Escape

2009-09-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is contest entry for those crazy folks at TodaysMama and Cricut. Be sure to check out Cricut's cool new cartridges and the chance at $30,000 in travel for you and your friends at the Great Gypsy Escape site! http://bit.ly/FWcud

Great Escape Meme

1. If you could escape to anywhere in the world where would it be?

Hawaii

2. What song do you play when you are by yourself in the car?

I don't have a CD player or an Ipod, so I just listen to the radio...but I love cheesy '80s music!!

3. If you had a night to yourself, and money was no object, what would you do?

Probably one of those all-night crops

4. What is your guilty pleasure?

Jane Austen adaptation movies (and BBC movies in general)

5. What is the farthest place you have traveled away from your home?

Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side)

6. Last book that you couldn't put down?

I read a lot, and usually "cosy"s (amateur sleuth series). I don't ever put a book down because I HAVE to finish. I really don't remember most of the titles, but I did enjoy some books by Mary Kay Anderson (guess I remembered her name because of the cosmetic company). Other than that, I'd have to say "Persuasion" by Jane Austen

7. When you want to escape into another time, what movie do you watch?

Pride and Prejudice ('95 or '05 version depending on how much time I have)

8. What is your favorite local escape?

Going to a movie at the District.

9. How do you escape on a budget?

We stayed in a hotel in Sandy once. We were getting our floors refinished and couldn't stay in our house. It was super fun. We acted like tourists, and pretended it was a "real" vacation.

Best food you've ever had while on vacation.

I used to hate Chinese food, but became a HUGE fan of Orange Chicken after eating at a Chinese restaurant just down from Disney Land.

I just realized that this post makes me appear extremely dull-- (which I'm anything but). I have simple escape routes because I have enough diversity in my regular life. I love to put on P&P just for background sometimes as I make jewelry or cards. My sister introduced me to anime...specifically "Howl's Moving Castle" which is fun just to put on whenever. I don't have too much time for reading lately, but I do enjoy going to the library and checking out the "Reader's Choice" lists. My favorite escape is probably organizing for other people. I get to chat to some of my friends while sorting something to keep my hands and brain occupied, and I get to help them out (and not be there when their kids mess it back up). I enjoy regularity and patterns (must be an OCD thing), so I guess that's why some of my answers repeat (and reveal absolutely no new insight).

How to Have a Super Fabulous Vacation

2009-09-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

#1 have some fabulous friends with a monstrous vacation home at their disposal.

1a say yes when they invite you to stay.

#2 Take advantage of the fabulous friends' pool!!

#3 Rock Band.

#4 Go to a play with your friends

#5 Play with your own shadow

#6 QUELF!!

I have a headache & I don't care.

2009-09-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

Take that, Mr. Migraine!!!

The ordeal

2009-08-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was downstairs when I heard, "Mom!!! I'm beeding!!!"

I ran upstairs to see Libby with a palm full of blood. I rinsed her hand to see what kind of wound we were dealing with & knew immediately that she needed stitches.

She said she was bending a (toy) spoon when it broke. The doctor couldn't see how a toy spoon could cut so deep. But when we got home, I found the spoon & noticed that the handle was ceramic, so when she broke a piece off, it gouged right into her palm.

We spent 2 hours at Instacare. The shots to numb the hand were worse than the stitches. The doctor said she acted better than some adults.

Patting my own back

2009-08-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

I would say I'm a pretty good "rigger"....possibly because I don't plan very well. I just jump into a project and if something doesn't work, I try it another way. If I don't have the ideal materials, I just tweak the idea and use what I have (or run to the store). Anyway, I guess I like doing things a little backward.

So today, I decided that I didn't like my banner on my etsy page http://www.jiagirl.etsy.com/
so I decided to make a new one.

The previous one I had used one of my own pictures because then I knew I could use it. But today I remembered that all of the backgrounds on Pyzam are for public use.

So I copied a Blogger background, imported it into PhotoShop, and cropped and rotated it. Then I added my logo and grouped them all together, then copied the whole thing into Paint. Here's my result:

(you'll have to click on the link to see a bigger version. Etsy has certain measurements that the banner has to be)

Not bad for an amateur I thought.....Anyway it looks cool. :)

Poor Libby

2009-08-11T16:55:00.000-07:00

Libby lost another tooth today. That's 6 teeth & she won't even be 6 yrs old for another month!

The dentist said that the top 2 must have been hurt in a fall because they had no root. They stuck in for awhile and then they jumped ship. The bottom middle 2 fell out 1st like most kids, and I had an inkling that the ones to the left & right of the middle would have to come out before her permanent teeth could come in.

Oh well. She looks like a prize fighter & has perfected eating out of the side of her mouth.

The Logic of Libby

2009-08-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

Libby is saying the funniest things lately. It makes me wonder if she got my mother's curiosity for word origins:

The other night she starts doing somersaults all around the living room. She says to Tyson, "Dad, do you know what my favorite kind of exercise is? Somersaults. Cause it's summer and I like salt."

Today, I needed to go to Hobby Lobby after picking her up from Kindergarten. Then as I was driving back to the house, I decided that I wanted to pick up some lunch at Arctic Circle.

As we pass her school, Libby says, "Mom we're going in circles." (which was mostly true)

Then she says, "We went to our house, then school, then Hobby Lobby, then school....Wanna know why it's called Arctic Circle?"

Aha! I thought, She has switched gears, and will no longer be reminding me that I am wasting gas...so I said, "Sure."

She says, "Cause it's Arctic. And you have to drive in circles to get there."

Ha. Ha.

1st week of school

2009-07-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Payton

Savannah

1st week of school is over (yay!) and it went pretty well I think.

We gave up in the middle of 2nd and 4th grade. We had an uphill battle, but were assisted by FABULOUS teachers in 3rd and 5th grade. And now in 4th and 6th, it seems we're finally back on track.

1st day of school: Savannah says her teacher lets them listen to "rock" music. Payton says his teacher told them she was "perfect".

2nd day of school: Back to school night! Tyson had Scouts, but Savannah offered to stay home and babysit (which she has refused to do lately)...so yay! The "short" PTA meeting took over half an hour. And after an hour and a half, I finally escaped and went to help my friends who were preparing to take their product to a convention this weekend. It was a lot of fun, and I stayed as long as I could to help.

http://essenceoftwilight.com/

3rd day of school: Due to a late night, I went back to sleep after dropping the kids off and slept til 2 pm. Payton came home talking of Bakugon, so I told him I would figure out a way for him to make the money for one. He ended up scrubbing the kitchen trashcan, cleaning all three toilets, taking out all the bathroom trash, and washing all the bathroom mirrors. So off we went to purchase a Bakugon.

This is a good thing for 3 reasons:

1. It's almost Payton's birthday, and I needed an alternative to the DS that he wanted but did not quite earn. I worried that Payton would lose it when he heard the final decision, but when I explained that he could still work on getting the DS for Christmas and that I would buy him a package of Bakugon for his birthday, he accepted it. (PROGRESS!!)

2. Payton has never liked the things the other boys his age liked, so I was very supportive of his getting something that would give him a reason to socialize during recess.

3. Payton has never been so good at just doing what he's told. He'll stretch cleaning out his room for 6 hours, and still not get it done. Even with incentives (like aforementioned DS), he doesn't ever seem to be motivated to do anything that wasn't originally his idea. So the fact that he let me designate chores, and did them happily and promptly with no whining when I added more to his list is....exceptional, remarkable, MIRACULOUS!!!

4th day of school: was Libby's Kindergarten assessment. She liked getting a treat from her teacher and took a (much needed) really long nap. I got some quilting done on Payton's quilt.

5th day of school: Today the kids got in the car smiling.

Savannah had plans to go to a baby shower (her activity day leader's grandson) on her bike with a neighborhood friend, and had made up a funny skit with her friends at recess.

Payton told me he's getting "more popular" and that he's actually playing with other kids at recess.

Libby only has one more day (Monday) with Mom before KINDERGARTEN!!

Metal stamping is soooo fun!

2009-07-24T23:20:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to learn how to stamp on metal, but really hadn't pursued it.

Spurred on by the successful "how to make a bow" internet search, and bored because Tyson was gonna be gone for four days with the Scouts; I decided to google "How to stamp on metal".

And (as with most things) all it requires is the right tools & a little practice. Well, I ordered (& just received) the tools, and now I'm practicing. Nothing better for the nerves than hammering an impression into metal. Now, that's what I call fun!!

Not as young as we used to be

2009-07-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

Tyson had a ton of fun at Scout Camp: canoeing, river rafting, zip lining.

But look at the state they sent him back in. Sheez!

BowCD (like OCD only with ribbons)

2009-07-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I try new hobbies/crafts. I always think, "Well I'll just make this one, and then I will know how to if I ever want to. Then that will be the end of that, because I have too many hobbies already."

And who do I think I'm kidding?

With my OCD, my tendency is to not give up on something until I have mastered it.

I have a few friends who make very, very cute bows. I have purchased several bows from several sources for 11 years now. (ever since my first girl came out with a full head of hair) So, I don't really need to make my own bows, and it doesn't really save me any money to do so....

But a cousin threw a "bow-making party" on Thursday so that she could share her newfound skill with us, and the thought was that we would all trade ribbons and techniques. She showed us the youtube video that she learned with and then helped us out with our own. It took me about 3 hours (this is not an exaggeration) to make one bow:

Yesterday, I spent some time trying to come up with a less difficult way of making bows. I had tied a million ribbons, and know how to make a single bow, but the double bow/stacking kind was not bending to my will. (I even had somebody dent my van and pull away last night in the WalMart parking lot where I had to go to see if I could score some alligator clips).

Then today, I decided to look up "how to make bows" and found a wonderful site:

http://www.girlythingsbows.com/

They list (for free) how to make all kinds of bows. So I finally found one that I liked, and that seems easier to me, and made another one (this one would be about my 8th attempt at bows). Success!! (at least to my liking).

No worries, I will not abandon my bow-making friends. I will still continue to buy just as many bows. And I don't intend to sell them, I don't have enough time or money for that. I just need to make about 5 or so more.....sets.

To Payton:

2009-07-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

Payton,

You know I love you buddy....but must you leave red modeling clay in your pockets to turn our white dishtowels (and Daddy's socks) PINK?!?

Semantics

2009-07-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

I just called Savannah a "big fat liar" (very mature of me I know)

Then I had to pause and amend my statement. Because the fact is that she is a short, skinny liar.

Vanity thy name is Libby

2009-06-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Libby says this morning as I'm fixing her hair:

"I'm not looking at the mirror. The mirror is looking at me."

Vain much?

New laptop = No sleep

2009-06-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

We got a new laptop (our first ever).

We haven't purchased a computer in 11 years.

We haven't had the internet on a home computer in 5 years.

Living in the Dark Ages gave me plenty of free time.

This new laptop was supposed to be to put my business on the internet.

I have made no steps to put my business on the internet.

I have played on FaceBook and redesigned my Blog.

Tyson has probably gotten to spend maybe an hour on the new laptop.

Hello, my name is Jasmine, and I'm a new-laptop and internet connection -aholic.

One day at a time....right?

So.......

2009-05-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday tomorrow!!!!!

I'm just sayin.......

Go Fish--Malstrom style

2009-05-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've told this one, but it jumped to my mind today...

A little while ago, my kids asked me to play "go fish" with them. We had a short refresher course on how to play because Libby had always been too young to play her own hand before.
So after playing a few rounds with them, I noticed that they were not really playing the way that I was. See if you can spot the difference:

Me:"Give me all your 5's"
Child #1:"I don't think I have any...(splays out all of her cards). I'm sorry, I don't have any."

Child #1: "Mom, would you happen to have any 8's? "
Me: "(taunting) GO FISH!!"

Child #2: "Savannah, by any chance would you have any 3's in your hand?"
Child #1: "No, but I have some 2's if you want them."

Who replaced my children with polite ones?

Payton's Vocabulary

2009-05-13T15:45:00.001-07:00

Savannah gets in the car today after school and tells us a story. Apparently some girl with "nasty" hair sat in front of her during D.A.R.E. Instruction, and said hair touched Savannah's knee.

So Payton said, "That reminds me of the time this one girl sat in front of me. She used to pee in her pants, and she still smells like that wretched odor."

What a choice of words for an 8 yr old boy. I would think the normal description would be "ewww"

Give-away Tag

2009-04-30T06:30:00.001-07:00

I got this tag from Neisha - It sounds like fun.

The first five people to respond to this post will receive something made by me. HOMEMADE! The item will be my choice made just for you!

Restrictions and Limitations:

1. I have complete creative freedom
2. What I create will be just for you
3. It will be done within the next 6 months
4. You have no clue what it will be. It may be personalized note cards. I might bake something. (*hint*: I'm not baking anything) I might not think of anything until 6 months from now...

The catch? You must re-post this on your own blog and offer the same giveaway to 5 people who comment. The first 5 people to leave a comment telling me they are in, will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift from me! Be sure to post a picture of what you get!

Anyone past the 6th comment will be entered in a drawing for another item!

Libby's got a new "convention"

2009-04-29T08:46:00.001-07:00

"The shoe flashlight!!"

"You can walk perfectly in the dark."

"You can put this almost anywhere: a lamp, a frame, a picture, or a HYPNOTIZING thing!"

"It cost 900 dollars."

"Must be 18 years old."

"Batteries not included."

***yes, my children watch too much T.V.***

I need a tissue

2009-04-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Allergies are totally kicking my butt this year. Every day I wake up ok, but then I have to drive & it's too hot, so I roll down my windows.

BIG MISTAKE!

Then with each passing hour, my throat itches & closes a bit more, my nose turns bright red (sometimes it has a lovely purple stripe across the bridge)...and then there's the headache.

On Sunday, as I was walking in the hall, a neighbor asked if I was ok. I had walked a little too fast & my eyes were watering from the slight breeze, so she thought I had been crying. Oh dear.

So my question is this: I know it finally feels like Spring & there's no more snow to cover our hideous lawns, BUT must we all mow on the same week as the winds are blowing all the blossoms off of the trees? Somebody pass me the Kleenex.

Public school is teaching my son how to grow grass.

2009-04-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

OK...

so it's just regular, grows-in-the-yard, call-it-'sod'-if-you-want grass

Made You Look!!

Another Funny Memory

2009-04-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, my (now 8yr old) son was subjected to many, many (did I say many?) viewings of Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". His older sister was quite the fan of the flick and watched it over & over.

Payton was fascinated with the end scene where Sleeping Beauty is dancing with her prince and the fairies are changing her dress from pink to blue to pink....

So my sweet son -being short on words, but with a love for hand gestures- started offering people a choice: he'd point at you and ask, "Whatchyou want? Pink? Or Blue?"

And then when you had made your choice, he'd point his thumb & forefinger at you and pronounce, "Pssshht."

Wish granted.

For my own amusement

2009-04-15T07:53:00.001-07:00

You know how they say that babies suck their thumbs or pacifiers for stimulation or amusement? That they use whatever's happening around them to entertain or inform? Well, I was thinking that as an adult, I have come up with some strategies for self amusement of my own....

When I am depressed, lonely, or just plain bored, here are some quirky things that I do:
1. Sing--in the shower, in the car, or to my kids....sometimes even a few dance moves thrown in. Sometimes I just lip-sync to my kids cause they think it's hilarious.

2. Crossword puzzles--have been totally addicted since highschool. I think I was the only teenager to bring a crossword magazine on a bus trip instead of a walkman. (I even bought the crossword game to play on my daughter's DS)

3. Making up nicknames. I simply adore nicknames. My kids have at least 25 a piece. I'm guessing the affinity began like this: Ever watched "The Wedding Date"? Everyone has a different nickname for the central character Kat....I totally identified! With a name like Jasmine (pre-Disney's Aladdin), I was called a different name by everyone: Jaz-ma-taz, Jazmanian Devil, Jazzy boo, Jazzy baby, and even Flower Child (and of course Princess Jasmine after '93)...and I love it!

4. Using big words. My mother loved big words and was always trying to expand our vocabulary. Her favorite bumper sticker was "Eliminate Obfuscation" (stop making yourself so hard to understand) which is, of course, ironic. I used to just speak this way unintentionally, until non-family members pointed out certain words that were not used in every day conversations. Now I only talk this way with my sisters, or if I'm trying to amuse myself by being opaque. Unfortunately, my 11 yr old's vocabulary is bigger than her comprehension because of this: she read that my birth month's flower was lily, and that it stood for humility---so she asked me if I was humiliated a lot.

5. Projects. I have way too many hobbies and I love them. Blend that with my OCD tendency to HAVE to finish something, plus my impatience that compels me to be fast, and you end up with someone who completes all her own projects, so she begs other people to work on theirs. I informed my husband last night that I'm changing my title from "Stay-at-home-Mom" to "Project Manager".

6. Organizing: it makes me happy to put things in order. It's kind of like a great big puzzle that I can put together without looking at the picture on the box, cause I get to make up the picture myself. (feel free to call me a dork in your head).

How do you amuse yourself?

It's a mad mad blog

2009-04-09T21:37:00.001-07:00

I've decided that I am not so good at this blogging thing. I try, but I guess not a lot of funny, exciting, or interesting things happen to me lately...so here's my idea: A mad lib blog.

You can decide what has been going on in my life. You will need
1. Adjective
2. Verb
3. Noun
4. Relation
5. Adjective
6. Verb
7. Noun

Here we go:
On this particularly (adj) day, I was (verb)ing in the kitchen. All of the sudden I realized my (noun) was (verb)ing!
"Oh no!" I cried, "How could this happen?"
It must be karma because my (relation) just told me about their (adj) (verb) (noun) and I laughed and laughed.

So?.....

The Joke's On Me.

2009-04-01T07:45:00.001-07:00

My mother's all-time favorite April Fool's Day joke was to wake us up with a really excited look on her face and tell us, "It's snowing!"

Growing up in Texas, and never seeing snow (maybe twice and then only enough to make a snowball), we were always so excited. We would throw off our covers, put on all the clothes we owned (we didn't really have winter gear) and rush outside.

Of course, my mom would laugh hysterically at our crest-fallen faces as we saw another bright, sunny day in TX. And then: "April Fools!"

Once we were old enough not to fall for it, we began to get her back...and every April Fool's Day since, everyone tries to "get" somebody. Out of everybody, I think I'm the most conscientious. Mainly because I refuse to believe anything told to me on April 1st. (so if you have any news, save it til tomorrow)

This morning, as I got the kids ready for school, I look outside and realize my mother has had the last laugh. Somewhere out there, Mama is undoubtedly having a laugh at all the SNOW falling on April Fool's Day.

A funny memory

2009-03-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

Tyson just reminded me of a favorite memory of my mother-in-law. An old friend of his had a funny status (along the lines of "rhwjsaon dhkfg") and said her 3 yr old had typed it. Ty said, "Remember Mom's phone?"

So the story goes like this:
A number of years ago, I would go "running around" with Cari. We would drive around doing errands, window shopping, and stopping at Training Table for some cheese fries. During one such jaunt, she was trying to call her friend, Ellie, from her cell phone. She had tried to program her 'voice recognition' feature, but everytime she said, "Call Ellie." It would reply, "Call Connie?"

Finally she hands me the phone and asks me to find Ellie in her contact list. I started scrolling through names when she says, "It's under feedeebeedee." and sure enough...there it was....only it was more like "ffffeeddebbbeedddeee"

Well, I couldn't stop laughing. When I could finally talk, I asked why that meant Ellie. She said she had tried to type it in, but she couldn't figure it out (and apparently hadn't since learned how to edit an existing contact). That sent me into another laughing (and snorting) fit.

Eventually, she talked to Ellie and was free from my ridicule until a little while later when she asked me to dial "Darryl Peterson", and had to explain that his info would be found under "Deeddeepppeepppee".

At the expo

2009-03-21T16:53:00.001-07:00

My favorite part of boutiques or home parties is meeting new people. This weekend, I helped a friend of mine to man a booth at the scrapbook expo and had so much fun! I am just so interested in people and their stories, their personalities, and sometimes even their names...so here are a few (out of the hundreds that I talked to) that stand out.

1. Michelle: is a bookkeeper specializing in small businesses. She and I bonded over a love of organizing. She said it was one of the reasons she liked bookkeeping: putting all the numbers in their neat little rows. She left her card for the business owners and came back later with her sister, Jana, who's a Pampered Chef consultant looking to cross-promotionalize. They were so much fun!

2. Julie: makes Twilight inspired jewelry, but gave up trying to make money on it. She has made the cutest apples out of sculpting clay. I gave her some jewelry-making & marketing tips and took her number. Cause why try to make apples myself when someone has already perfected it?

3. Jasmine: had my same name of course. She is 3 years younger than me...but we bonded over having an odd name before the Princess made it popular. She said her mom's name is Jeanie, and once I figured it out (genie), I thought it was hilarious.

4. Alissa: had on the cutest green shirt, green necklace, and a green stripe in her hair. Can you tell I love the color green? I happened to mention to her mother my very bad habit of deciding what people's names are before I'm told. She was a little miffed when I said she looked like a "Jen" (her name was Lori)...so I wouldn't guess her sister's names. :)

5. Lindsey: was a teenage girl who kept coming back...first with her brother, then with an older sister?, then with another teenage friend. I gave her a sample on her third visit for being such a good advertiser and you would have thought I was Santa Claus.

6. A French-Canadian: who might've told me her name but I have since forgotten. She said she learned most of her English from Utah missionaries. We discussed funny Utah accents til her friends (Native Utahns, I'm sure) started walking off. She used to work for a company that had the word "Layton" in its name. When she answered the phone, she would get all kinds of questions because she pronounced the "t"....instead of "Lay-uhn".

Thanks ladies for chatting with me...it was a joy to meet you!

A few more....check out jilloaksphotography.blogspot.com

2009-03-14T11:30:00.001-07:00

I think this one looks like an album cover.

Miss Sparkly Blue-eyes live and in color.
Buddies (for now)

Savannah Malstrom: Sass Master

Thanks again, Jill. I love them.

Fwd: some cuteness for you

2009-03-13T17:18:00.001-07:00

The latest

2009-03-11T08:49:00.001-07:00

I wanted to wait until I had some gorgeous Jill Oaks pics of my kids before I blogged again, but the weather pushed us back.

So instead, here's what I've been doing...

I organized for the "Twilight girls" as I call them. Their business has taken off, and I've been wanting to help them out for awhile. So, a big thanks to them for allowing me to fill my compulsive need to organize. A more detailed description & pics will be on my organizing site soon.

And I've been making new jewelry that mimics my big sister's style. And recently, I've been talked into making watches & watch bands. My sister has added me to her site under a "jia" tab, so feel free to visit & check it out:

http://bibbitybobbityboo.vpweb.com/default.html

"Bye Dad"--by Tyson

2009-02-24T22:50:00.001-08:00

Each day for a year or two now, Libby has told me the same things before I leave for work.

It started out with just a few and has grown:

"Bye dad, love you. Have fun at work, have fun on your computer, don't bump into anyone, don't slip on the ice, don't forget your cell phone, be good, don't forget your wallet. Don't do anything that's too hard."

She gets upset if I leave without hearing this and will have Jasmine call me so she can tell me.

--Tyson

F-U-N!!

2009-02-19T07:12:00.001-08:00

The last few weeks on Facebook have been filled with copious note-tagging.
Tyson said he was going to call it the "Note Phase" and I suggested "The Questionnera". Some were fun like "25 Random Things" or "One Word" and some were just time passers. Then my friend Angie's sister, Stacie, posted this one.

I was a little worried at first because "Jasmine" is a popular exotic-dancer name, but it pulled up blogs about people's dogs named Jasmine. I'm posting it here because it's funnier than anything I could think up.

A. Go to Google
B. Type your name and the words "likes to" all in quotation marks... "Susy likes to"
C. Report back on the first ten things that come up for your name!

1. Jasmine likes to see red-hot gossip and showbiz news.
2. Jasmine likes to throw shoes.
3. Jasmine likes to share things with us.
4. Jasmine likes to trick the other dogs into getting off the futon bed (my personal favorite)
5. Jasmine likes to get her way.
6. Jasmine likes to burrow her nose into us before going to sleep.
7. Jasmine likes to grab whatever is in Joanne's hands.
8. Jasmine likes to be held and will often ask to be picked up and hugged.

Go ahead...

2009-02-16T09:13:00.001-08:00

I really have no idea what to blog about. I often call my life boring, but I'm sure we all get a little bored doing the same things everyday. So, as I decide to blog on the fly...let's see what I can come up with.

The "to-do" list. Does anybody else find themselves with a gigantic to-do list in their head? Then when you try to write it down, it becomes even bigger?

The problem with the "to-do" list. My problem is that there are times when I don't want to do anything on my list. Then I start to get anxiety over stuff not getting done. UGH! Tyson tries to help me by reminding me that the time-frame on most items is self-imposed.

I sometimes envy people who aren't compelled to finish every project. Yes, it's nice having your scrapbooks up-to-date. And it feels great to look over a finished project....but what would it be like to start a new quilt without finishing the first? Maybe it's like the tootsie-pop question: "The Jasmine may never know."

See? Boring.

Trip Log Tuesday (last full day)

2009-02-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

So Tuesday was the funeral. It was nice to see some people I haven't seen in awhile like "Aunt" Libby (yes she is one of the people my daughter is named after).
Seeing as how my grandmother was cremated, I thought it was a little tacky when he minister said she was living a "recycled life"....it made sense in context but it was an unfortunate choice of words. Serena said Granny whispered to her "If he says I'm recycled one more time then I'm gonna kill him."
Then we went to eat across the street at Monjuni's with most of the family. Mackenzie introduced me to "Bath Junkies" where we attempted to recreate our old home's backyard scent. Cori had done it years ago. I like the fragrance....but it was a little too flowery for most people. (It was still fun!)

We went back to Granny's house and looked at old photo albums (serena will scan and post on facebook soon), and picked out a frog to remind us of Granny. (Not an easy task considering she has thousands of them).

Then we drove back to Houston, and today I fly home. I can't wait to see my husband and kids. I sure did miss them. I had a fun time with my sisters and am newly amazed by their talent and beauty. And it was a joy to see the rest of my family.

(*whispered* J.B. Loves Granny)

Trip Log--Monday

2009-02-04T08:02:00.001-08:00

It was still early, Mackey and I had the house to ourselves, and we weren't leaving for Shreveport til 1:00pm....so I thought MAKEOVER!! (naturally)
Mackenzie did my hair and makeup (and eyebrow). Then we photographed our work. It really was a lot of fun (and educational too).

The trip to Shreveport was pretty long, but we stopped a few times and had lots of fun singing and chatting --side note: Mack and I have concluded that Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" is our JAM!

In Shreveport my wonderful and generous sis, Serena, paid for us to have really nice rooms (with really heavy pillows *wink* ) We went to the buffet at our hotel/casino (nice but a tad expensive). Then we decided to go to a Karaoke bar for Mackenzie's birthday (which is today--2/4).

The bar was a small country bar with a small clientele of drunk, tone-deaf cowboys. It was pretty pitiful until.......Kristin got up to sing "Me and Bobby McGee". She has a beautiful voice and was singing very seriously til Mackey got up and started doing the running-man and the roger-rabbit and even backin her "thang" up on Kristin. It was HILARIOUS!! And totally threw Kristin off her groove.
That set the tone for the rest of the night. Cori selected "Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi and let me be the Richie Sambora to her Jon.
Cori: "wanted"
Me: "waaanttteeeddd"
Both: "dead or alive"
Classic.

We spent the rest of the night backing eachother up on vocals or just cheering eachother on. We tried (keyword) to help the other singers find the beat, we listened to three ear-splitting versions of "Turn the Page", and Kier even had us synchronizing our standing ovations (stand, clap for ten seconds, then abruptly sit down).
Mack and I sang "This is how we do it" by Montell Jordan and Kier joined in. It was really funny cause we had just sung it that morning (it was stuck in my head for some strange reason).
and I had everybody sing her "happy birthday".
The best part was when some 90 yr old man got up and dedicated a really awful version of "Bad to the Bone" to Mackenzie. He even came over and shook his booty at her.
SO MUCH FUN!!

Trip Log--Sunday

2009-02-04T07:17:00.001-08:00

After two hours of sleep, I woke to a little noise and went upstairs to use the bathroom. I think I scared Harrison--who could not quite place me.
Then I got a nice surprise as Brooksie got up and climbed under my covers and snuggled on my chest. He said I was "mom" and there was no swaying his opinion.
I showed him pics to clarify who I was--then we started playing with the camera phone. Harrison heard us laughing and came to join in (see photo 1). Brooks played with me for over an hour.

Mackenzie and I met up with a good friend of mine from Jr. High and High School (Regina Adams) and had a really fun lunch. I think we might have annoyed the waiter by taking an hour to order. ;-)

Then we hung out at Serena's for the rest of the day. While the SuperBowl raged on, we made jewelry, took pics of the jewelry, later we had a private jam session.....but the funnest part was when we broke out the cameras.
My camera's battery was "exhausted" so you have to check them out on facebook....but the fun began when I decided to try my hand at making my sisters smile (without the clichéd "say cheese"). I said, "Corianne has man-teeth." (and no I don't know what that means).
That caused the ruckus to start and then it was a whole lot of delirious picture-taking fun.
(please note Steve's post-victory, home-made Steelers "snuggie")

Trip Log

2009-02-04T06:47:00.001-08:00

I decided since I have three hours at the airport, I might as well get a jump start on my trip report.
On Saturday, I got to the SLC airport a couple hours early and settled in for the wait. After a few minutes of trying to tune out the TV's so I could read, I heard someone across from me ask a total stranger to watch his bag so he could go to the bathroom. I was a little disturbed because the man asking the favor was also clutching a teddy bear.
I soon made the decision to make my own bathroom trip and not go back til teddy bear-man had retrieved his bag.
On my way over, I spy this man squatting on his hunches (outside of the restroom), hugging his bear, and staring in the direction of his bag. SCARY!!
Finally, he did retrieve his bag--then set it down in a different location and walk away again. Eventually the cops detained him and took his bag...but I decided-- then and there --that I have watched way too much "24".

On my first flight, I was in the same row as a charming 18 month old boy, Jo-Jo. We had lots of fun playing peek-a-boo with the window shade.
My next flight, I was in the same row as a not-so-charming 2-yr old boy, Julius who picked his boogers and ate them!

Steve picked me up, I hung out with everyone for awhile...then went home with Mackenzie. We looked through photo albums and got to chatting and ended up staying up til 5:30 (and I woke up at 7:30 the next day).

How to Speak Like a Malstrom

2009-01-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

Every family has its own lingo. For instance in the Simmons household "blah-bo-do-bee" perfectly described your hair on a bad hair day.

In the Malstrom household, we have acquired many sayings and I present some here for you:

"Lucky beans" = green beans. For a short period of time in 2003, Payton decided he couldn't pronounce the "y" sound anymore. He was good at keeping up the facade as he said, "I love lou."

Then we visited my sister for Christmas. After a 4 hour flight without even a snack, I was thrilled to see that my thoughtful sister had made us a wonderful dinner. I was told later that (while I ate in another room) Payton had picked up a green bean, tasted it, then threw it at the wall and said, "These beans are LUCKY!"

"Smokey-palokey" and "Co-ca-mo"= terms of endearment. Usage of these terms are appropriate when leaving the house with Libby.

Me: Let's go Co-ca-mo
Libby: Okey dokey, Smokey-Palokey
Me: I'm not Smokey-Palokey. You are.
Libby: No, you are and you know you are.
Case closed.

"Back-uh-duh-chee"=macaroni and cheese. Savannah spoke really early so a few of her words did not come out just right. A few examples that caught on for awhile are: pitch-kur for picture, mag-itch for magic, and flow-ler for flower. But by far everyone's favorite (for ten years now) is the way she pronounced her favorite food- back-uh-duh-chee.

Another picture of the Malstrom "brothers"

2009-01-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

Mobile blog??

2009-01-22T13:54:00.001-08:00

Payton always wanted a brother...so meet Larry

This blog is rated "M" for Mom.

2009-01-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

One of my funniest memories comes from riding in the car with Mama and listening to the radio. Clear as day I remember Elton John's "that's why they call it the blues" coming on the radio. In our car, the chorus sounded like this: "Laughing like children. Living like lovers. ............(complete silence as my mom had turned down the volume knob)..........and I guess that's why they call it the blues."

I know she was trying to edit out something a little mature for her small children, but it didn't stop us singing (to total silence) "rolling like thunder under the covers."

My children seem to have inherited my love for singing along with the radio and my ability to quickly pick up on the lyrics of popular songs. As soon as I caught Payton singing some questionable lyrics, I started trying to censor the radio. The problem is that my "mom ear" isn't always on. Or sometimes, I am too busy singing along to realize that my children are in the car listening. So I was not very surprised when Libby told me her favorite song was the song by Pink where she sings...."Na na na na na na na I wanna start a fight." I just decided to try a little harder.

Today, however, I was very surprised when Libby walked into the room singing, "When you see my face, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell."

Oops.

Payton at a restaurant (last year)

2009-01-19T10:15:00.000-08:00

Firstly

2009-01-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

Ty said he thinks we should have a family blog. He has read a few of his friends' sites and thinks they are amusing so we shall try.

I guess our best story as of late comes from last weekend:
We went out to breakfast with the kids. After spending some time getting Payton to leave his drink alone, telling Savannah to keep her fingers out of her food, and wiping the strawberry and whipped cream from Libby, we were questioning the idea of a nice family dining experience.

I didn't really love my potatoes, so I passed them on to Payton. A little while later--just as the waitress was coming over to check on us---Payton walked up to me with plate in hand and announced (very loudly) "Mom, didn't you think these potatoes were gross?"
Thankfully the waitress just laughed and asked if she could take our empty plates and the "gross potatoes" away.

We have a little tradition at this particular restaurant of getting something out of the little machines out front. After getting the kids each a gumball, they wanted me to ask the wizard at the top of the machine a question. I gave in and asked, "Will my kids ever behave in a restaurant?" I waived my hand over the crystal ball with hope in my heart.
Then the wizard made his fateful pronouncement: "It is not in the cards."