Left-overs

Kirsten cleaned up dinner tonight and helped me out by packing Jim's lunch for tomorrow. . . (What you are looking at is beans, rice, chicken and raspberry jell-o)

LOVE IT!!!!

Winco~ Win-NO!

Well not exactly. They did manage to lure me into their store...twice in one day. Nixon must be back in office cuz I haven't seen prices like these since the early 70's!

1.28 for a loaf of bread

.98 for a box of fruit snacks

.68 for a 10 lb bag of Idaho potatoes

Chicken for .98 a LB

I got the kids off to school and breaknecked it to the Winco. It was a nice adventure and I had a pleasant experience. SO pleasant in fact that I found myself there again tonight at 11:00 p.m. (to avoid the crowds) and I'll be darned if every family/parent didn't have the same idea. It was busier than Costco on Christmas eve!

Now, thankfully there's no waiting for a parking stall-OH there are plenty of those, to many to be exact (A shuttle bus would have been nice since I was winded walking to and from my car)

But forget about getting a cart. Don't make the mistake of getting ALL the way from your car to the store only to find that there aren't any carts. You have to wait in the parking lot for someone to be done with theirs and then make a mad dash for the cart before someone else does. I actually helped unload the old man's cart just to speed up the process. But what's he doing with all those Capri Suns?

The store is HUGE and they have quite a selection. They actually had a bulk food section. They are bringing BULKY back. :) Which is exactly what it did to my not so small and petite frame (cir. 1985) every time my friends and I decided to try out all of the candies before deciding what to buy (that's not really stealing is it?)

SO, after gathering all of my goods and feeling awesome about the killer deals... I stood in line for about 20 minutes and what to my wandering eye's did appear? Nothing...I mean no one... I mean where's the hired help?

I then realized why I was getting such good deals and how they do it. . .

I have to bag my own groceries?

and where's the drive and load service?

WHAT THE?!!!

and I then it hit me...

I am a total grocery shopping snob!

I love my Harmon's

and apparently I am willing to pay the price.

You may have had me at WINCO but my heart (and pampered lifetsyle) belongs to Harmon's
well at least until they have another killer sale. Then I'll take Jim and the kids-MY hired help!

Beauty Is...

that's this year's theme for reflections. Kirsten decided to enter the contest at the last minute so we chose photography (note to mom's: it's the easiest one to do and the least entered category!)

Here are some of the shots she took-see if you can guess which one of them she chose to blow up and hand in~











Kirsten's last minute urgency couldn't have come at a more perfect time for me. It was on the day of Michell's 4 year anniversary of her death when we took these pictures. We seemed to be so involved in everything, that the day simply came and went without notice. Until the next day.

Anna took it pretty hard and so did I- but for completely different reasons I am sure. For a brief moment I let myself go to that place, "the what about me" place. The "When do I get flowers?" place. And then the Lord in his infinite wisdom and love for me taught me a lesson I really needed. "It's flowers you want? Really? Is that it then? Tam, you get them every day as you raise these beautiful little girls. I have given you lots of flowers."

He's right...He's always right

Gosh, are we both longing for the other's bouquet?

I am positive that Michelle would trade in the many flowers that we have left for her over the years for just one more chance to hold her little girls. My flowers are delivered daily in the form of sweet moments, emotions, laughter, tears, little notes, thank you's, piano practicing, after school routine, dinner time, walks, scaring each other, snow cones, bubble gum and stories from their day at school. Even though she's gone, I think she is allowed to breathe in the aroma of my flowers and enjoy them as much as I do- probably more.

Beauty is. . . recognizing that He gives flowers to everyone. (thanks Cheri Call)

I am grateful for this "last minute entry" because now we have some wonderfully fun random pictures of our girls which serve as a perfect reminder that life is beautiful!

It really is!

regretfully yours...

Dear Molcasalsa:

I am so sorry for the mess my two children and I left you with this afternoon.
I'm sure you remember: we will go down in Molcasalsa history, laying claim to the great Rootbeer Fiasco of '09.
We all drove home partially clothed and really sticky today. Gosh who knew a 6 month old could nearly drown in as little as one of your SMALL styro-foam cups full of liquid. But in fairness to us, the lid was barely on and could you maybe add family friendly tables and chairs (other than the ones outside in the frigid air) instead of the bar and stools-they hardly promote a family friendly dining atmosphere. Then again after today's incident maybe the bar and stools are there for a reason.

Regretfully yours:

Rootbeer covered mom and 2 kids

Our Lady of Lourdes

Every year we pile the kids into the burb and head to Magna for the the annual fundraiser of the "Our Lady of the Lourdes Church" It is an all you can eat spaghetti dinner and Colossimo's donates the sausage for the meatballs
-one word=delicious!



It's a cool event and a way to expose the kids to diversity here in Utah


(not so much religious though-
more like cultural: it's in Magna haha)












We look forward to it every year.
It really is a great time and a very ecumenical experience.

Come with us next year- it is usually held on the absolute coldest rainiest Sunday in October. I don't know how they do it but man the timing is amazing...dare I say divine?!
oh and did I mention the free wine? Man I love those Catholics!

homemaking 101

She did it . . .

all by herself!

Anna's first apron and attempt at sewing

She did an awesome job!