Countdown.....25

I decided since I missed my sister's wagons of thankfulness for the 12 days of Thanksgiving, I'd do Christmas.....
SO here's a quick list of 25 things I'm grateful for today....
1. That my blog readers are being patient with my honeymoon/wedding post that is in the works
2. My awesome husband that's so dang hot!
3. My Christmas tree
4. My love sac
5. Popcorn
6. Awesome friends that let us barrow their deep freeze to store this cow we just got
7. This cow we just got....all 800lbs of it!
8. Hilary Weeks
9. Our Wagoneer
10. Foxxie
11. Magazines, I know, bad, but I love my 8 magazine subscriptions!
12. Cuddly little footie pajamas.
13. Speech Therapists
14. Small Towns
15. Blue Bunny Ice Cream, any flavor really
16. Black freaking Friday!
17. My awesome neice for taking me to Black freaking Friday!
18. How great the clinic has been built up because of it's amazingly talented and caring doctor.
19. My camera
20. Flagstaff
21. Cheese
22. Chickens
23. My mom that made some amazing food these last 4 days...um, and last 29 years at least.
24. Cranium (the game)
25. Jaden's sweet smile.

what in the....

This picture makes me appreciate and love Jase even more. Think about how gross he felt when just ONE year earlier he married a size 8 and then in one short year she became that. Sad. I take up over half of the picture. They look like two minature people next to me.

Anyway, thought I'd post it since it was our first official family Christmas picture....even though we didn't send it out that year. And I AM going to post about our AWESOME Black Friday and awesomer Thanksgiving..just waiting to get my camera... I left it up at my parents!

Contemplation....

All day today I've been online scoping out this Friday's black friday sales, and I'm sooo happy that most everything we wanted to get for Christmas is either at Walmart on a great sale, or at Kmart on a great sale, so we can do Show Low instead of Flagstaff. Last year was my first time to do black friday, sad, I know. And it was great! Totally hectic and scary. I was with my neices Bethany and Danica and it was a little overwhelming for all of us, so we had to releive ourselves with a nice calorie packed brunch at IHOP before we continued our shopping. I think this year I'll take the advice of my BF expert friend Trina and do as much as I can online at 2am, then bolt out of here by 4am to make it to the stores by 5 to start the fighting.... Seriously though, it's more than shopping, it's like a race, an adventure, a battle of pushing and shoving and bringing out the meaness so you can be nice for the rest of the season. It's like all sports crammed into one day, thousands of stores and millions of people. It's amazing! Long live Black Friday. Does anyone wanna have a nice BF celebration dinner to brag about our findings? I always LOVE hearing how freaking cheap people got stuff for. Um, and if anyone is going to a sporting goods store, ie Cabellas, Dicks, Big 5, can you LMK. Thanks

Ok, now to another festive event...baking. I haven't stopped for weeks...and yes, I'm back in my 10's, shut up! But I have to say the only 3 things we EVER watch on our TV are all tivoed and it's The Office, Charlie and Lola and Paula Deen. And seriously we have about 30 of each of those. But my girl Paula had a show last week about French Fare, and for some reason it made me go out and buy Brieie (sp) cheese and sourdough bread, and now I'm going to make the amazing Croque Madame and French Onion Soup. Kamryn really wants me to make her Chocolate-Banana Filled Crepes which I'm sure we will since we make crepes every week, we can splurge for a day and shove some chocolate in there. ANyway, had to share these amazing recipes. And if anyone has any amazing recipes for pumpkin, other than pie, rolls, bread and bars, send em to me! We're pumpkin addicts here!

Family pictures?

Ok, so I tried to explain the camera to the babysitter so she coudl takea few of us, and I forgot to mention to hold the shutter button down half way to focus, so all the ones she took were blurry...including this first one of the giant woman with the little man.... But I did get the chance to take pics of my kids seperatly, and I'm IN LOVE with this wall at Flag, I'm sure you recognize it from a few other pictures I've done...I LOVE IT! And look at this handsome kid. He was a gem yesterday, which is soo great since he was sick and grouchy Friday. He was PERFECT yesterday!!!!

Mmmm, and my smileless angel! Of the blurry family pics, I found ONE where she is smiling and of coarse Boss is looking away and Jaden is looking at boss, and I'm talking, and Jase isn't smiling...perfect! She was very sweet the whole day though!

Mmm, and this kid, he was hammin it up! He gave us a lot of his squinty eyed fake smiles, but we did catch a few reals ones....

He even cooperated when we wanted him to do a foot up on the wall...he was just akward about it, but he still did it! I LOVE HIS GUTS!

Needless to say, we'll be having Bethany do our family pictures this weekend in

beautiful Joseph City!

Christmas's of old....

Today is the magical day. I know it's going to be great! It's family picture day!!!

We had a Jaden up all night and pretty grouchy yesterday but he will hopefully be fine for the pictures, I've put on a few lbs in the last couple of days, Boston's hair is out of control (growing out phase), but it's that beautiful little princess of ours that I'm PRAYING will have a great picture day....notice in the last 4 years of Christmas pictures (I couldn't find her first Christmas family picture, but I KNOW she wasn't smiling) who is our non smiler......ok, this first one, Jaden is a little confused too, but keep going......

We finally decided that if NONE of us smile, then she'll fit right in...we call this "the Mulder's Mad year" Christmas picture.....cept stinking Boston can't help but smile!

This is the closest to a smile we could get with her last year...ask our photographer Amy...Kam would hardly look at the camera the whole day...blah!

Well, our photographers ended up not being able to come today to do our pictures, but it's our last open weekend until Christmas weekend, so we're taking up a senior here in town, and I'm doing her pictures, and hopefully she'll do ours. haha! Wish us luck, and pray for a little Kamryn smile! my next post will show the results.....

Supertards!

Look what I did today....

Yup, me and my mom bottled butter, chocolate chips, PB chips, butterscotch chips, mini chips, and nuts! yay! Holiday baking preparation for the next 8-10 years! (picture crappy because I don't know how to use my timer on my camera very well.)

For how to bottle butter go HERE

And as far as bottling the chips and nuts and oats and flour and pretty much any other dry ingredient....buy a food saver with the bottling attachement. My mom and I just split the cost and we bought a middle of the line model with the attachement package and it was $70 for each of us...it came with TONS of the bags and extra containers to store other foods in though, like frozen berries and such. I highly recomend getting one. It seals jars in about 5-10 seconds! It's amazing!

Holidays!!!

Ok, I'm a little overly excited for the holidays. I have 4 cupboards completely full of baking goods, ie....semi sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chocolate chips, peanut butter chocolate chips, cherry chocolate chips, carmel chocoalte chips, health bits, marshmellows, marshmellow cream, every kind of baking chocolate, every kind of nut, oats, brown sugar, shortnening sticks, sprinkles, frostings, cake mixes, dipping chocolate, dipping red, white and green chocolate, marchiano cherries and candy canes. Baking day isn't for another 3 weeks either. haha! I just love it. So I'm SLOWLY allowing myself to do a couple things a week. This week we bottled apple pie filling on Sunday and Monday. We now have 28 bottles of apple pie filling, well, 2 of them we made applesauce. But we put a cute recipe around them and took them to a few neighbors. Then yesterday Kam and I wanted to make a few bottles of the cookies in a jar to take around, so we did. Now I'm holding myself back til next week when I'm going crazy with Thanksgiving desserts and tablescape...you all know I'm a sucker for a nice tablescape! Kamryn was the most hilarious sweetest girl yesterday. Jase and I didn't know what was going on, but we weren't going to ask. Lately her and Jaden have just been grouchy little munchkins lookin for a fight. But yesterday was awesome. We sadly sold our peice of crap Durango, and as the guy drove it away from our house she said, "good bye durango, I'm going to miss you. I hope you have a great life. Don't die" then she blew it a kiss. And a few hours before that, she took a string off of our fall throw and made this.....

Mmm, I could eat her up on days like that. Hope today is the same.

Oh, and for those of you worried about going private because you can't invite more than 100...that's a lie...you can't have more than 100 AUTHORS to your blog, but I just had reader #101 and #102 join yesterday. Good thing too because I have another 20 invited...so you can all get in...and you can all go private and invite hundreds...thousands, millions!!!!

I love my kids!!!!

Last week in the car, Jaden was in the back seat practicing his spelling and writing. After a few minutes had passed, he said, "mom, I wrote something for you"... Awww, just another friendly reminder to stay off of drugs! Gotta love red ribbon week!
And then this morning I was telling Kamryn that next week is Thanksgiving. I asked her, "do you know what we do on Thanksgiving"? She said, "yea, we make mom breakfast in bed, and we do things for her all day and bring her flowers". I didn't want to disagree! Love you guys!!!

Interview with a vampire....

Interviewer: Please state your name....
Jase: Jason Lee Mulder

I: What's the coolest thing you did today?
J: The coolest thing I did today was examine 3 moderate to severe children with disorders at the same time.

I: Wow that sounds, uh, cool. What's the coolest thing you've done all year??
J: Duh, you were there, Jamaica, sailing, naked, with you. Don't you remember?

I: That wasn't me you sick perv! WHat's the coolest thing you've EVER done?
J: Got married to you and drove to Sedona.

I: Uh, well, I'll admit that does make you cool. What's the coolest thing you've ever seen?
J: You naked...hahaha, uh, coolest thing I've ever seen, hmm, coolest thing I've ever seen...hmmm (10 minutes later after thinking long and hard) (silence).....(after another 10 minutes of thinking) Green Lightning.

I: Ok, what's the coolest thing you HOPE to do in the next year?
J: build a house

I: really? Do you REALLY freaking think that's going to happen? Cause didn't you think that was going to happen last year?
J: It's ok to dream

I: you drive me nuts...freaking nuts! Alright, so now our readers are curious to know, why did you sell your wife's car this week w/o getting her a replacement FIRST?!
J: Cause I don't trust it and if you sell it, it will come.

I: Like I've heard before, if you sell it, she's left without. Is that what you want for her?
J: Left without? You've got the coolest jeep in the whole world.

I: That Jeep is a PEICE! THere are many many screws poking out from the ceiling of it...or lack of ceiling. It's not a safe car, the sterio sucks, the A/C/Heater sucks, it's dirty, and the seatbelts are scary, and I trust it equally to the peice tha tyou sold. All that our readers are wondering is...WHERE"S HER REPLACEMENT VEHICLE?!
J: The screws are for hanging holiday decorations. It's a safe car. The heater works great, who needs A/C in JC anyway? Ever heard of a hose and soap. I love you baby.

I: WHERE"S THE DA#$ REPLACEMENT VEHICLE?!
J: If you sell it it will come.

I: In the words of my evil blog stalker, "you're retarded!!" You need to go to the special olympics adn make some friends. Next question. Do you plan on making up the lack of appreciation gifts for EVERY holiday/birthday last year, this year??
J: Oh, I did, every day with my love.

I: Gag.
I: Ok then, I guess that's just more $ for me to spend on "gifts for you", like that framed picture, and like a sewing machine, dishwasher, dyson, lens, suburban and house? Ok, now then, what's the coolest thing you hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?...your 30's?
J: Have at least 3 more kids.

I: Is that cool?
J: Heck yes, have you seen my kids?

I: Uh, yea, aren't they known for being the mean kids in town?
J: that's not cool?

I: Alright, so I remember back in the day when we were friends working together and I had you describe your dream woman....she had light brown hair with highlights, naturally curly hair and an accent. Um, and you married a chubby girl with dark STRAIGHT hair and no accent. How do you ever expect to be eternally happy with THAT?
J: Beauty is more that skin deep Kristal. That's why I love you.

I: That was the greatest insult ever, but gee, thanks. Glad to know that my skin isn't beautiful.
Ok, I think it's time to wrap up this lame attempt of an interview. Let's end with this...How the #$@% are you going to make up for that last comment?
J: well, first off I'm going to make you write what I was finishing saying.
I: Ok, still not helpful.....
J: Stop, stop hahaha stop. First off there are many forms of beauty
I: Gag
J: And you're the most beautiful woman I've ever married. Just kidding. Stop, hahaha stop. I love you babe. Let me go brush my teeth.
I: yea, so you can go to bed and I can stay up watching Food Network that I have Tivoed? Yea, so now you all see how extremly lucky I am to have such a romantic on my hands here!

Good night tard!, Love you too.

My sister tagged me with this a couple of months ago, and I forgot....

The rules: Answer the question using only one word. Then tag 4 others.

1.Where is your cell phone? non-existant
2. Your significant other? Jase
3. Your hair? thinning
4. Your mother? Genius
5. Your father? Genius
6. Your favorite thing? Family
7. Your dream last night? house
8. Your favorite drink? horchata
9. Your dream/goal? happy family (hafta use 2 words)
10. The room your in? Dining Room
11. Your hobby? cooking
12. Your fear? 2010
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home
14. What your not? short
15. Muffins? cookies!
16. One of your wish list items? Home
17. Where you grew up? JoeCity
18. The last thing you did? shower
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Favorite gadget? vitamix
21. Your pets? chickens
22. Your computer? slow
23. Your mood? HUNGRY!
24. Missing someone? Tamee
25. Your Car? sold
26. Something you're not wearing? thong
27. Favorite Store? target
28. Favorite Word? Appreciate
29. Your favorite color? Red
30. When is the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? TOFW

I'm tagging....Tamee, Vicki, Cara and Kit

3 things I'm grateful for today....

First, I'm grateful for the thought of enjoying pizza in a week and a half. I'm on day 6 of the fast...only 3 more to go (yes, I'm only doing 9 days, blah blah), and then there is a 5 day coming off the fast diet that I have to follow, and then for the first time since March...we're getting pizza! Well, the family has had pizza since then, but I haven't. I can't wait! 2nd thing...is jackets, coats, sweaters, all of the warm stuff. I've always had horrible circulation so I always have on a few more layers than everyone...like today, I had on 5 layers to go to Show low, or to the movies I always bring an extra jacket from the one that I wear...I freeze. I'm grateful for all of my jackets!

Last but not least today, a patient husband. Both of his girls have been soo grouchy today! Don't know what Kam's deal is but she wants to run away and she wishes there wasn't any spit sauce in the whole world, and she's ignoring everyone but Boston because the rest of us are meanie heads. I love when she calls us that though. And then me, I just miss food, and I'm kinda unhappy to still be in a rental at 30...not to mention it's the 11th rental I've lived in. Although it is my favorite, and the kid's and Jase's favorite, but I just can't wait to own, plus all the car troubles we've had lately, anway, this is NOT a complaing, I'm grateful for an amazing husband that's putting up with it all right now and not complaining!!! I love you sucker!!!!!! (don't worry it's a term of endearment coming from me)

The book....

This is the book I was talking about in my other post.... I didn't have time to sit and read it at Time Out, but I loved the pictures, so I got it, and when I was going to ask Hilary Weeks to sign it (there is a CD with a few of her Christmas songs on it, including a great song about the obok called "God bless your way") I asked her if this book is really as good as it looks, and she said, "well, I really like it...have you heard the song?" I told her no, she said, "oh, well just trust me that you'll love it". So she signed it "to the adorable Mulder kids with love Hilary Weeks" and we're giving it to them Chrismas Eve. But they all fell asleep on the way home so I popped in the CD, and you can kind of follow the book with the first song, it just takes the quotes out of the book, and it is seriously the sweetest book. I LOVE IT and I'm so glad I bought it. I'm thinking about buying it for my neighbors for Christmas as well. Anyway, that's my book recomendation of the year...yes I only read one a year and yes, it's usually a kid's book. ha!

My wonderful weekend....

Ahh, first let's start with saying how good Time Out for Couples was. Notice I didn't say great, just because I've been to marriage RS lessons that I learned more from, but the talks were great, the music was great, the company was great (thanks Jen, Greg, Holly and Brett), and the time with Jase was great, and I'll probably go again next year, but I do think we learned more how to stregnthen our marriage from the books we've read over the last year (how to date your spouse and the 5 love languages, both great).
Then the next morning Vonda and I headed out to TOFW (and girls) to fold flyers and then Holly and I somewhat welcomed people as they came in.
Then it started. I've gotta say my favorite speaker was a dude...I know, I hate learning how to be a better woman from a dude, but John Hilton III was hilarious and somewhat deep. I'd really like to buy one of his books on CD if anyone can recommend one. And the amazing Hilary Weeks, I hate cliches, but seriously she sounds like a freaking angel (I think freaking takes the cliche out of it). But my favorite part of the day..... If only we could have gotten Tamee there...next year sister, next year! WE really did miss you, we even said the only person that could even TRY to take your place would be Hilary or Jenny Jordan, so that's nice huh? We love you!


We had some time during the 20 minute break for me to practice my modeling poses next to a big stage, so I took advantage....

This was my excitement to meet John Hilton...that's his head behind me....

I couldn't resist, so I....

tapped him on the shoulder and had Vonda ready for a quick pic...notice the excitment in both of our eyes. He loved it, I can tell!

Then it was time to stalk my girl Jenny. I LOVE LOVE LOVE her voice. I could tell she wanted to be better friends with my sister Vonda though, so I....

started stalking Hilary....find waldo.

She caught me!

And then she asked if she could get a picture with me, and we talked for a while...I told her I felt like a giant, and she said, and I quote "no no no, you don't know how badly I wish I had your inches". unquote. She wishes she had something of mine!!! Hilary Weeks!!!!

Ok, so maybe I did stalk Abe... a little, but I know he liked it. When we first started talking, he even used the line, "where do I know you from? You look familiar?"...ha, like I haven't heard that one before Abe. This is me being the crazy stalker in the background with no patience to wait in the fan line.

Kissy the head

THen he turned around, rather promptly might I add, and asked, "can we get a real picture together now?". Um, heck yea babe, I mean Abe!

Don't say anything. Guys dig taller girls (right?)

Then he asked if he could meet some of my family, you know, the next step...I'll keep you all informed on how that all pans out, or doesn't.

Then Dani and Vonda and myself went to get the magical magic pedicures at the magical magic place. I'm the snowman toes in blue. I love em...so do my kids. You know when you sometimes do silly things just so your kids will think you're rad...like wear a star wars shirt, or spongebob socks...yea, that's what these toenails are....]

The day ended with a killer 5 coarse meal at cheesecake factory. I thought it was going to be my last food for a couple of weeks, but I didn't start the cleanse til Monday...haha...pumpkin cheesecake Mmmmm. Jase and I were worn out, but look at that cute little dwarf behind us...soo cute!

Gross things vs Cute things

We'll start with the gross. Last Wed. Kam and I were jumping on the trampoline and we heard the chickens go crazy so we jumped off and ran over. When we got there our big beautiful, strong chickens were pecking the crap out of the neighbors chicken that got into our coop. We made our chickens back off and apologize, but I think it was too late. This is what we found... Poor little guy didn't move a muscle. And Jase forgot to remove him that night, so I asked my dad to go down (with his gun, in case he needed to be put out) and get him out of our coop. So dad went down (huge animal lover, almost loves em more than his kids...almost) and gently got the bloodied up chicken out of our coop, sat him on the ground behidn our backyard fence, and the chicken ran off. WHAT?! The bloody little guys was sitting in the corner there for over a day...and he was a live?! yay for healing!!!!!
Now onto the cute. Boss loves to wear Kam's shoes. He seriously won't wear his own. He loves her patent leather blue mary janes, wears em everywhere right now. If it's not them, it's my black high heels. I don't know why, of all of the colorful shoes I have, he likes my sexy black high heels. Anyway, Kam wanted to play dress up the other day, and of coarse, Boss is her victim, sadly this is the only pic I got of it, but I'm sure they'll play dress up again soon.

And I forgot to post Kam's soccer picture. I think they took regionals. haha! They were retarded (yes, obviously from blog stalker, she gets it from her mom). I love this age when they kick it wherever they want and get excited. She would like me to add that she was the fastest one on her team. She's awesome! (again, from her mom)

Upcoming posts: My Mean Love Life: The Wedding and Honeymoon, Time Out For Women, a place where many want to be my friend...or more.

Happy things....

So my whole "3 things I'm grateful for" thing lasts a few weeks then dies, lasts a few weeks then dies...so I'm picking it back up, just know...it will die. Today I am grateful for the awesome scentsy shiz I got from Danica. My house smells like pumpkin pie, but I don't have to make it...and I don't have to worry about leaving the fire burning like I always did with candles and oils. yay for scentsy! And Dani!!! Second thing is my girl Hilary. Yea, she's my girl. We talked a few times this weekend, we've got things in common, she wishes she had my "inches", and she signed my kids new Christmas book (on which I'm going to elaborate on A TON more in a future post)..."to the Adorable Mulder children" Yea, that's right, we're cool like that. ANyway, I will elaborate more on her when my sista sends me the pics from TOFW (another thing on which I will elaborate MUCH more upon in the next post) But for now, I'm grateful for her amazing talent, voice, inspiration and faith.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least right now, Chipotle. We only get it once every couple of months where we used to have it once a week and we are suffering now, but we got to have some yesterday on our way home, and we were amazingly nicer, happier, more grateful, more curtious and more fatter after eatting it. And I can't stop thinking about it today because I'm doing the lemon cleanse again...no food at all for 10 days, so don't invite us out to eat anyone...blah! And especially do'nt bring us brownies, chocolate chip cookies, fudge or ben and jerry's half baked ice cream.

Thank You

Ahhh, no more freaky deaky stalkers.....

I hope! This is a good feeling. For all of you that were wondering who what and where the mean thing was all about.....first she commented on one of my posts about Obama saying, "seriously! Are you and your friends really that retarded?" Which yes, we probably are retarded, but not in the way she was thinking. Then I went to her blog because I didn't know who she was and found two incredibly mean post about ME!

http://jefflinzlaurenandemma.blogspot.com/

Be forewarned, lots of language, and a raged woman. Anyway, instead of sticking up for myself, or fighting back for fear that she'd come after me in real life (I know, I'm sissy), I went private, and I'm feeling REALLY good about it. And thanks to Annonymous (you know who you are...so do I) for the attempted stick up on her blog...you can't beat the intellectuals...hahaha! Anyway, later today I'll start my regular posting...I've got SO much to write about, you know with Brother Obama and all.

Again, and for good.....

I'm going private. I know, I hate when people go private, but I am. I do my blog so that I can print it up in a book for my kids to read when they get older, not for people to slam with their personal opinions. I do LOVE hearing what all of you (that I KNOW) have to say, because you are all nice people, but I'm just not a fan of the mean people or creepy people, so I'm going private. If you want an invite, leave your e mail on this post soon. Thanks everyone! Oh, and I'll delete your post as soon as I write down your e mail.

Halloween 2008

This Halloween was kinda not the best costume wise. I tried to have Jase put his own together...learned my lesson there. Here is Brother and Sister Willy Wonka on Halloween eve... And this awesome guy was the ONLY abominable snowman at his school! He was awesome. He did have some wardrobe malfunctions, but he was awesome!
And here we are Halloween night. 3 of us changed our costumes from the day before. I changed my costume as to not one up my hubby on the willy wonka theme, K changed her costume because her best friend was a fairy princess and J changed his because of the malfunctioning snowman....year 3 as a monkey!

This is K the day before Halloween getting ready for her preschool party....as a wench (that's what grandpa Hatch called her)

And my absolute favorite this year...only mad that my camera is a peice of crap (it's being sent in for repairs as we speak)...The Cat in the Hat! He loved it! WE didn't let him wear my heels out, but he loved the rest of the costume...it was really weird to see him with black hair and dark eyebrows. He loved Halloween though...except the Tubbs house where t hey were dressed up REALLY scary, the rest of us loved it!

Some adorable pictures of the 2 best friend fairy princesses.

she stinks at outdoor pictures...bad eyes!

We left at about 6 to go trick or treating, hit a few houses, a couple of the spook alleys people had set up, then w came back home, lit all of our pumpkins, started our strobe light, spooky music and black light and gave the candy we just got away to trick or treaters. The kids kinda felt like they were getting jipped, but the fact that we let them each pick out their 5 favorite made it all better. It was a great Halloween!