Saturday, May 31, 2008

New (to me) Camera


One thing leads to another- picture taking, blogging, seeing new ideas, wanting another camera that's not just a "point & shoot"...
My little brother got this camera for his birthday last year. He has fallen out of love with it, so he lent it to me (hopefully forever!). I have been playing around with it, but have no clue what I am really doing.
Has anyone taken photography classes that you would suggest? I just want to get some training to take better shots of my kids and our adventures.

Cribs Blogger Style

I was on Black*Eiffel the other day and they were doing a fridge raid. I enjoyed seeing what other people put in their fridge & pantry, just like on MTV's "Cribs"
So here's what's in mine
P.S. If you want to email me your pic (missbap@aol.com) I will update posts- it would be fun to see what we all like to eat!

I Love Bananas

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects of bananas on the brain.

Bananas contain three natural sugars -sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that,to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

My Mom's Side



Last year our family reunion for my mom's side of the family was a two week church history tour.
Nate & I were the only ones missing! I was on strict bedrest with baby #3. We are looking forward to our reunions this year.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Maxi Dress


I really want to find this (Gerard Darel) dress or one just like it! Has anyone seen one? I like that the dress is really long- I wonder if I want to try and sew one?!

Ready for Nursery

Once babies are mobile it's hard to sit in church with them!
So the 18 month nursery rule should be lowered!



Nixon is ready at 9 months and so am I

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Brio



I went to Brio with Nate's family and the waiter gave Nixon some bread dough to play with.

Mickey Apple

I saw this caramel apple in a shop window at Disney. So cute!
P.S. More Disney pictures coming soon

Wranglers vs. Grizzlies

We went to a Wranglers Hockey game last week. Matix loved the mascot!

Golf Party

Krew was invited to a friend's golf themed birthday party. It was adorable...

Friday, May 23, 2008

My Dream Organized Toy Closet

My toy closet is a mess but here is my (Container Store) inspiration:


I have a closet like the one in orange, so someday I will get to this finished product.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

I Get So Emotional, Baby!

Kimichi Emotion Dolls- I found this post on the Design Mom blog and couldn't help but laugh. This is the comic relief I need today. Kimochis have feelings too! With these tactile and interactive toys, children (or child-like adults) will learn how to identify and express their emotions, while parents (or other adults) can better understand what their children are trying to express. Each quirky and modern toy has an open mouth for storing the "emotions," Each "emotion" is a small felt disk with the emotion written on one side and a facial expression of it on the other. Each toy has its own unique and charming personality and comes with their own set of 9 emotions- Sounds like people. {But what if you need all the emotions?!}

Bear (green): happy, mad, sad, shy, hurt, jealous, loved, grateful and scared
Square (grey): happy, sleepy, cranky, shy, hurt, jealous, loved, grateful and scared
Red Twin: happy, proud, cranky, shy, hurt, jealous, loved, grateful and scared
Blue Twin: happy, sad, frustrated, shy, hurt, jealous, loved, grateful and scared

I can think of a recent time this doll would have been useful...
To buy: www.uncommongoods.com

Another Emotional Alternative


OR
If we don't want to swallow our emotions (pride)- maybe just a fly?

Fathers & Sons


I was determined to not let Nate lose our boys this year at the camp out

Brandon + Jenny

This is my brother's girlfriend Jenny.

She is a phlebotomist-blood nurse- any type of medical help in the family is awesome. It comes in handy with boys. (Ironically Brandon slit his wrist open last weekend moving gym equipment. Thank goodness he is dating a smart girl!).

Cutest Book!



I found this book at Williams- Sonoma and it is awesome. There are some of the cutest party ideas!
It has themes with cake, invite, decoration & party favor ideas. The book is so colorful and fun.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

tWo for TwO

Krew has been hilarious today:
#1. This morning I was getting the boys ready so that we could go to the gym. Krew hates the gym until we get there. I was trying to get him excited by telling him we were going to a new gym (LVAC just opened by us). Here is how the conversation continued...
Me: It's so fun Krew, you have never been there. Let's go see what fun new toys they have.
K: Dad has already taken me there.
Me: No, he hasn't. (thinking- how to explained Nate hasn't and can't because he doesn't have a membership to that gym). He's not allowed to.
K: That's why you don't know about it.
All I could do was laugh and call Nate. I can't believe he thought of that response.
(p.s.the play area at the new LVAC wasn't open yet- opens Tuesday the 27th)
#2. We were driving home from the car wash later this morning. I had an air freshener. I usually open the whole smelly tree and stick it halfway in an air vent to get my car smelling good fast. Today I tried to hang it from the little string of the tree on my air vent. Krew complained that he could not smell it and wanted it stuck in the vent.
Conversation:
Me: Okay, sorry. I thought it would work.
K: That's okay. When you can say sorry, it still doesn't work out. But that's okay.
Wow, He's stating things as he genuinely sees them!

Oreo Cookies

These are Nate's second favorite cookies
Cookies:
2 packages German chocolate cake mix
2 cubes butter, softened
2 eggs
2/3 c. evaporated milk

Mix the above ingredients together. Drop, by very small spoonfuls, on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. Let sit on cookie sheet to set up before moving to cooling rack. When completely cool, frost 2 cookies, back to back, with frosting.

Frosting:
1 lb. powdered sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. butter

Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.

P.S. I made these for him and the boys this weekend to send to Father's & Sons. He came back and said that the cookies made for a good game... Everyone was trying to guess what type of dish soap I used because they tasted soapy! I beg to differ. I ate a few and didn't notice it, but oh well.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Spiderman



So, a while back I went to the Grand Opening of my Dad's new housing development Cascade in Mountain's Edge. There was a face painter there and my boys of course wanted their faces painted. Both became Spiderman. I did not take into account what else I had going on that day... a baptism! So I went to a baptism with Spiderman #1 and #2. It was funny and a little distracting.

Monday, May 19, 2008

M for Matix

I found these M&M Ice Cream bars. They are pretty yummy! A thick chocolate shell with vanilla ice cream in the middle.

Mani + Pedi


I wanted to get my nails done really badly a little while ago, so I took my 3 boys with me! Not my brightest moment but I did get a unrelaxing pedicure and my boys were good.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Hang them Up

This is hilarious!
I have learned how to hold my baby if I have to use a public bathroom. I would have to laugh if I saw this being used, although it is a smart invention.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Craft Room


This is an adorable craft room that's not mine!

St. George Triathlon

The weather was really rough this Saturday. The wind was blowing fast. Officials let the first group of people start the swim, but they brought so many people back to shore by boat because of how choppy the water got that the swim was cancelled.



It's funny to see all the athletes walking back to their bikes without having swam. To make it fair they had everyone line up at the end of the bike transition and anounced what 'wave' got to run to their bikes and get ready to start that leg of the race. It was chaos getting hundreds of bikes out of transition! Usually it's a lot less congested because only a few people are jumping on their bikes at the same time after running in from the swim.

This is Nate saying hi to his boys after his bike ride when he is heading out for the run.

The boys always get excited to run through the finish line with Nate.

Triathlon Jail

I brought our 'Pack and Play' to the triathlon to contain my boy, and it was awesome! They were entertained with toys and food. I did not lose anyone during this race.

Lesiure Bike Ride

Nate's way of helping me get Matix to the truck after the triathlon.

Tuesday Night

We're off to T-Ball! I have so much catching up to do from trips and chaos. I will get updating soon.

Maxi Dresses

I love this season's "maxi" dresses

Especially this one by Diane von Furstenburg. I want to track it down and try it on!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Happy Mother's Day

A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.
Cardinal Mermillod

My Mom with Krew

Saturday, May 10, 2008

I'm in!

The St. George Marathon lottery was announced yesterday and Nate & I made it in- Along with some other fun friends!

The marathon has so many people wanting to sign up that there is a registration cut off date, then there is a lottery drawing to fill the number of spots available. I am excited to have an event to be training for. Luckily it's not until October!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Hand Made Shopping

Come Join the Shopping Party! I will be there with some jewlery trinkets I made, but there are so many other fun things to see.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Nap Time

My boys have fallen asleep in some crazy positions. When they are tired they are tired!

Lock Bumping

Watch this video, it's interesting. I have not ever heard of this happening. However, I am not surprised. People always find new ways to break into houses.

Amber's Prom Dress

I went to see my little sister's senior prom dress that she just got. She was not home . . . so I put her dress on! It was so cute. This dress is noisy! The sequins swish as the dress bounces- no sudden movements. I want to get fancy and go to dinner, dance & party!

I want to find my senior prom dress and try it on! That might be a future post ...