Cazier Corner

Where oh Where Have I Been!?

2010-03-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

I have been having way too much fun creating these...

You ought to come join me!!!

If Only...

2010-03-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

WOW...If only life could be slow and sweet but no...life has been crazy busy. But the school book fair is done! Now to just get my desktop back up and running after getting slammed with a nasty, pornography showing, computer killing virus!

Double the Sweetness

2010-02-25T07:47:00.001-08:00

For Anderson's second grade year he had an amazing, brand new, single woman as a teacher. She was awesome. And through the years she got married, taught Cayden in second grade and had a beautiful little girl, Avery, just a few weeks after Branson was born. (We are planning a play date as soon as possible!) This year Sydney has the pleasure of having her as a teacher! Jamie is amazing...I have always thought so, but after seeing this new mom of twins in action...WOW.

I had no idea how hard it was going to be to get shots of newborns...times two. I guess for your first ever baby photo shoot it's probably not smart to have double the infants.

The baby girls are beautiful! They are named Audra and Addisyn. They are so tiny as both of them have just cleared the 5 pound mark. It is wonderful to see that at just a few weeks they both already have such distinct personalities. I couldn't tell them apart, but according to Jamie, Grandpa can tell every time. After retouching all these photos I have noticed that one of them has a tiny little freckle on the side of her nose! (I think it is Addisyn)

Jamie, her sister in law Michelle, and I worked together for two hours to get some shots of the twins. We were all very patient with each other...I had a hard time with the angles and lighting and the babies were not in the mood to be models (what baby is?) I am not thrilled with the clarity (I had to turn my ISO way up) so we are going to try again in a few weeks at my house with the big picture windows. I told Jamie that we'll just keep trying till we get it right.

Good Night...Not a Chance

2010-02-23T07:52:00.001-08:00

Branson turned two in November but I am all for keeping my toddlers in a crib for as long as possible. Why rush fighting them to "stay in bed" when you can plop them behind bars and off to sleep they go?

We went out of town this weekend and while we were staying in the hotel we used a Pac-n-Play for Branson. The short sides couldn't hold him and he climbed out immediately after we put him in. On our drive home I laughed and said "Hey John, you don't think this will give him the notion that he can climb out of his crib?"

Fast forward several hours later. Two seconds after placing Branson in his crib he was hanging precariously onto the top rail...both legs straddling the bed post. I stood there closely to see what he would do, all the while saying, "Branson, no no you will fall down and get bad owies." (Yeah right mom.) I had to see what he would do because I didn't want to have him try getting out later when I wasn't around. He successfully and rather gracefully dropped to the ground, landing on two feet. With a gigantic smile on his face he ran down the hall. I put him back in his crib and he repeated his acrobatic moves only to cut his escape time by half. None of my kids have ever climbed out of the crib. I'm older now! I need my sleep! So with my youngest brother in need of a crib and worries that Branson would fall and get hurt we did the unthinkable...

We brought in the toddler bed. And thus began the battle...the long "stay in bed" "get back in bed" "mommy will only lay down with you for a minute" battle. And the past two mornings...his bed has looked like this. Empty. And where oh where is Branson? Where did he disappear to in the middle of the night?

Can you say PHOTOGENIC?

2010-02-19T23:45:00.000-08:00

On Monday I had the honor of doing a session with some of the most gorgeous, fun-loving kids ever...take a look at the Bunger Family:

Now Where is That?

2010-02-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

Sunday is a day of rest. Can someone please tell me where in the scriptures it defines rest as "drop everything and do nothing and leave it for mom on Monday."

WARNING

2010-02-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer:

There are a lot of proud Mom Moments on this post. Be advised that these views are the sole feelings of an excited mother and not to be confused with bragging, boasting and all other wrongful doings.

______________________________________________________________

MOM MOMENT #1

As I said before, Anderson got his first WIN in has last wrestling match. But yesterday he got his very first PIN!!!! I was so excited I couldn't stop screaming! (And no I didn't look like a crazy lady...everyone else was screaming and yelling too :)_______________________________________________________
MOM MOMENT #2
If you look very closely at this photo you will see Cayden on the far left. He has already landed after jumping to shoot the ball but before he shot he was outside the three point line. You can see the ball below the scoreboard and directly above the "wrestling" sign. Cayden had 4 games on Saturday and he hit between 3-4 three pointers in each game. He practices all the time. He lifts weights after school and shoots with his Dad daily.
_________________________________________________________________
MOM MOMENT #3

When I sat down at the computer last night there was a word document open. It was another one of Sydney's stories, only I had booted her off the computer before she had gotten far. I am constantly finding stories and comics that she has written and left around the house.

This is what I found:

"I was a young fellow with long, brown hair, green eyes, and a strange curve for a mouth. Having that curve wasn't so delicate, until I found out it was a gift."

(Where on earth does she come up with these ideas?)

____________________________________________________________

MOM MOMENT #4

Branson is learning to share and play nice.

That Time of Year Again...

2010-02-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

Trash to Treasure Book Fair Think I can get them organized and priced before John comes home and sees the mess I've made?

Pre-Teen Trauma

2010-02-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

Cayden had four basketball games on Saturday and by Game number four Branson had spent enough time in the gym. We headed out to the hallway where he spotted the rows of High School Lockers. He fiddled with the combination lock...
And when his right hand didn't make it open he tried using the left.

When neither tactic produced results he did what every teenager does when they can't get their locker open...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

He cried.

Winner And A Show

2010-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Anderson won his first wrestling match yesterday! This is his first year and he is really improving (and actually starting to like it.) After the match Anderson and I went on a "date" to an amazing performance by the Pasco High School 10th Avenue Singers. Anderson enjoys singing and has a great voice. I like that he had the opportunity to see other cool, masculine, young men sing and dance up on the stage.
Anderson was a bit embarrassed when I had someone take our picture at the show. Maybe I'm not as "cool" a mom as I thought I was.

Dibble, Dabble, Learn

2010-02-04T08:05:00.001-08:00

So I attended the photography class in Seattle. I have read and reread my notes. I know what I am supposed to do but I still get flustered when the lighting is low and my subject is moving. But the more and more I use the manual setting I am seeing less and less of photos like the one below.I am thrilled to be able to shoot inside a gym with horrific lighting and no flash and get decent results.
I am still fine tuning things but I was pleased with how these pictures of Branson turned out. It was about 5:00 in the evening and the sun was setting fast. I know some of them are a bit over or under exposed and I would normally fix that in photoshop before putting them on my blog but then that would defeat the purpose of this particular post.
Branson checking out the teenage girls who were acting like...well, giggly teenage girls.

I was still using manual focus and I'm going to give that up for a while. His hand is more in focus than his eyes. And the eyes should always be in focus.I have learned to appreciate the non smiling photos. They tell so much!

Now if only I could spend hours and hours behind my camera instead of doing laundry, running errands and getting things done for Cub Scout Day Camp.

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm?"

2010-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

What is so magical about mom and dad's shower that causes all the kids to fight over who gets to use it?

How come every toddler has a normal, everyday word that comes out sounding like the worst possible swear word. Branson's is "frog." Although Anderson's was more of a phrase. Whenever we would drive past a gas station he would get excited thinking we were headed to "go get some gas." But in his toddler voice he simply stated, "get gas" but it sounding more like he was wanting to "kick" something.

Why do the dirty clothes get dropped or thrown onto the floor only to land inches away from the laundry basket...repeatedly?

Really? Does she really think that cute tan boots, slick basketball sweats and a nice flowery shirt match? Yes...yes she does.

At church on Sunday, why does everyone (including John) think that Branson's snacks are a free for all. Come on guys it is not a movie with concessions!

What on earth is Branson's thing with garbage cans!? He loves to push them over and then body slam them on the ground. This is just peachy when the can is full of potato peelings and raw chicken.

Why do we love our pets so much? The dog is untrained, fat, lazy and she smells . Our cat is completely bipolar...I am sure of it.

What is it about Fishy Crackers? Between the older kid's school lunches and Branson's snacks I am pretty sure we could keep that company in business.

Why is it that all of a sudden things just start falling apart around the house. The kitchen faucet starts dripping, one of the toilets starts running all the time, the garage door won't shut, and the bathroom fan sounds like it's going to explode!

Why did Sydney choose the topic of "Not Bullying" for her Family Home Evening lesson this week? And why did she continue to look at her older brothers the entire time she was giving it?

(I completely stole this one from my cousin Noelle...)
Why does motherhood often feel like you are stuck in the movie Groundhog Day?

How Do You Get To School?

2010-02-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Sydney and Grandpa Cazier

Why I am Soooo Excited!

2010-02-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

Why am I so dang excited? Because ALL the photos on this post are my very first photos taken MANUALLY! All by myself...shutter speed, aperture, and focus! Up until Saturday I was taking all my pictures on auto. The only thing I have done to these photos is size them down and change them to JPG to fit on my blog. I didn't retouch any of them. I know they aren't perfect but hey...it's a start!So I discovered that when you are super pumped to do a photo shoot and the lighting is perfect, an over-active toddler is NOT your best subject. But what do you do...he was the only one home.
I went to Seattle on Saturday to attend an amazing crash course taught by Nicole Gerulat
It was worth every penny. I took a picture of my class notes in an incredibly dark room.

She even brought in a model for us to teach us about proper lighting. (And yes she has clothes on :) She was wearing a strapless dress.)

Danyelle was the one who told me about the class and talked me into taking it. She even posed for me so I could practice.

So I am thrilled! I feel like I can take my photography to a whole new level and I can't wait!

I am saving up for my dream lens (one that can capture shots during basketball games) and I have made a bit of extra money taking family photos for friends.

Need your picture taken?

I only charge $75 for a 1-2 hour family photo shoot and $50 for a photo shoot of a single person, child, or baby. This pays me for my time at the shoot and for the hours I spend editing and retouching your photos. When the pictures are ready you get a CD full of every photo taken at the shoot and another CD with the retouched photos.

Give me a call if you're interested!

I Can Wait

2010-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

When on earth did it happen?

When did my first baby boy turn into a young man?

It seems like every time I look at Anderson he is growing and changing into the man he will someday be.

I remember my mom saying that she never understood mom's who "couldn't wait." They "couldn't wait" until their kids were walking. Then they "couldn't wait" for their kids to start school. And they "couldn't wait" for their kids to get out of the teen years. My mom said often that she enjoyed each year and every stage that her children went through. She told me that if I spend my motherhood "waiting" for the next stage all the good times will come and go without me ever experiencing the joy that comes with each of them.

I have enjoyed my kids. Now I will admit that there are times when I want to put them in a box and ship them to Timbuktu, but I love being a mother and I realize that motherhood comes with a price (the price being our patience, our sanity, our sleep, our time and our love.) We give it all and I think 18 years is just too dang short. I feel cheated already...that is not enough time.

Anderson played the role of a good son and let me take a bunch of photos of him while we were watching for trains with Branson. Did I mention that we will be purchasing him a razor on Monday...I am not ready for this.He doesn't like the smiling shots...not cool enough I guess.The next picture is Anderson's choice look. There were several other black and white shots that he liked and he seems to prefer the "overexposed look" I love that he cares.

Walkin' On Sunshine--With Both Feet!

2010-01-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Branson got his cast off for good!

He remembered the "scary" saw from the last cast removal and began to cry and say "Bye Bye" as soon as we walked into the lobby of the Doctor's office. But despite being scared out of his mind he was so good. Ignoring the NO FOOD ALLOWED signs I snuck in a large Jack in The Box French Fry to help with the experience. The nurses and doctor thought the fries were a great idea (but then they are the ones who had to pin him down to the table.) All trauma aside, the second we got home he was walking stiffly around the house as if nothing had ever happened. Now that the cast is gone he is on to bigger and taller things...climbing.

What is on My Mind (in no particular order)...

2010-01-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

Day Camp

Contact Lenses

School Book Fair

Homeschooling

Meetings

Doctors Appointments

Parenting

Weight Loss

Spirituality

Kids Sports

Scrapbooking

ADD

Photography

Potty Training

Hawaii

Now I know where the term "puzzling" came from.

Out Cold

2010-01-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

With a little coaxing from Dad, Anderson joined his school's wrestling team. They started practice after the winter break and the workouts have been kickin'.....his.....booty!

Two Heads...No, Three Heads Are Better Than One!

2010-01-10T22:29:00.001-08:00

Two years ago I got my Christmas "Thank You" cards out in June...I am not joking...JUNE!!!!

Last year I think they went out sometime towards the end of January, but this year....

less than one week after Christmas Baby!
I have mentioned before that my own kids DO NOT cooperate for a photo sitting. I took about eight different shots of them on Christmas day and all I can say is...Only ONE of my kids head is actually from this original photo! I had to photoshop three of them in! Good Grief!

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY...of Christmas 2009

2010-01-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

THE GOOD

We spent an evening decorating a gingerbread house together.

And it turned out really cute.

THE BAD
About 1/2 an hour after we finished, the kids noticed that our beautiful house had a roofing problem.

THE UGLY
This is the house that the Cazier's built.
This is the house that collapsed under the strain of the Holidays less than an hour after the Cazier's built it.

THE GOOD
All the kids loved their gifts.
Anderson and his skateboard.
Cayden and all his basketball gear.Sydney and her roller skates.
Believe me...she really was excited.
And Branson loves his SUPER BRANSON cape from Aunt Danyelle.
THE BAD
Branson abused those super powers and decorated both living room couch cushions, the chair cushion and the ottoman with permanent Sharpie marker.

THE UGLY
The couch cushions I simply flipped over but the footstool wasn't so lucky. Tried Magic Erasure, tried my favorite carpet cleaner, tried hairspray and salt...you can't flip a foot stool.

THE GOOD

We got some snow over the holidays!
THE BAD
You can't fit a boot over a cast.THE UGLY
So I put one of John's wool hunting socks over the cast and sent Branson outside.

"Uh Mom...are you kidding me?"

Apparently, to a two year old, getting snow on your sock is not cool. He came inside saying "More more boot. More more boot" and would have nothing to do with Dad's old, ugly sock.

THE GOOD

Anderson loves to shoot guns and he is a very good shot.

THE BAD

He doesn't get to go to the shooting range very often. And is always asking for his dad to take him.

THE UGLY

After a trip to the range over the break I expected Anderson to show me another big Bulls Eye poster with all his dead eye shots marked on the paper. Nope!

Instead he chose to shoot at a Osama Bin Laden poster!!!

Which he immediately hung up on his door so I see it every single time I walk down the hall.
Now Branson already ripped half the poster off but here is a close up of Anderson's target practice. The head, the heart...and of course for all you mothers with boys...there were quite a few shots a touch lower as well.

So that's a rundown of our holidays...and not to worry, we really aren't as dysfunctional as we seem.

What have I been Up To?

2010-01-04T00:12:00.001-08:00

Not blogging that's for sure! But I miss it...and I am going to repent. But besides playing games with my kids and spending time with family I have been getting to do a lot of scrapbooking. Now some of the results I LOVE and others...well lets just say it was a bit too late at night to be doing anything!For those of you who digi scrapbook you can get a free Quick Page of the above layout at my scrapbooking blog. Just click on the "Goats on the Roof" layout to take you there.

I have to be honest...I am glad that as far as scrapbooking goes, I am not caught up! It is so much fun to go back and capture those memories from years past.

Spiffy

2009-12-27T23:22:00.001-08:00

Don't let the innocent face fool you...

When I first put the tie on him he didn't notice anything was out of the ordinary...
But then he realized that something was different...

really different...

and he wanted noooo part of it...

The "tie fit" surprisingly only lasted a few seconds and the tie remained intact all the way through church!Now does anyone have good advice as to what I can put on his forehead to keep it from scaring? The marks aren't fading and the ointments that I have been applying don't seem to help. And yes I photoshopped them out of the first picture.

The Spirit of Christmas

2009-12-17T22:27:00.001-08:00

"To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas we need only drop the last syllable and it becomes the spirit of Christ" President Thomas S. Monson

Larson Family Photo Shoot

2009-12-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

So on the infamous day that Branson and I had our stroller mishap by the river I was able to take the Larson family photos. Alissa is Sydney's awesome piano teacher and her husband Ben works with John at McLoughlin. They have an adorable little girl, Katie, who is almost two. I have been itching to share their photo shoot but wanted to wait until their Christmas card was out so I didn't take anything away from their family pictures. Katie is beautiful and I couldn't get enough of her eyes and lips! So I just have to point out...see that little strip of dry grass directly behind the Larson family...yep, that's the rut that sent me and Branson flying.

Blue Christmas!!!

2009-12-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

Yep...the cast is back on. When they removed the first cast the x-ray showed that the break was healing well. Branson hobbled around without the cast for a few days and then refused to put any pressure on his injured foot and started crawling again. The doctor said there is no way to re-injure this type of break but that his leg probably needs more time in the cast for the added support. So for five more weeks we will be having sponge baths. We went for the dark blue cast this time and he has been walking around on it better than ever. In fact...he has insisted on helping out more around the house. I have made the appointments and the rest of the family will be getting their casts put on next week.

Guess Who?

2009-12-10T15:08:00.001-08:00

So I spent the better part of today turning a clearance Guess Who game into a personal game to give to Sydney for Christmas...

I bought the MARVEL game for $7.99 with the idea to cover all the X Men, Super Heroes and Villains with Pictures of Sydney's family and cousins. I just printed out photos to match the size of the card sets and then attached my pictures over the comic book characters. (I just may or may not have glued John's photo over all the Mr. Fantastic cards)

With 24 different characters I was able to do both sets of Grandparents, mom and dad, all her cousins, the dog, the cat and her closest second cousin.

Think she'll like it?

The True Christmas Spirit!

2009-12-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

Branson got his cast off on Friday and the first thing we did was stick him in the bath. (You don't know how badly I wanted to Photoshop all his bumps and scrapes...but he has been having a rough month to say the least.) He had added a few action figures to his bath water and he kept pointing to one of them and saying something over and over... "Jesus!"

OK honey...yes he has a beard but I don't think Jesus ever dressed up like Rambo.

True Authentic Mom?

2009-12-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

My Blogging friend Kristin tagged me as a True Authentic Mom! If I was ever to feel honored about accepting an award...this would be it. Us mom's don't get too many pats on the back and this was such a sweet surprise. Kristin says she picked me because, "Your stories and your pictures of your children could win awards." Now she doesn't say WHAT awards. It could be The Crappiest Mom of the Year award....or the Don't ever Listen to HER Advice award, but I'll take it! I am now supposed to tell five things that make me an authentic Mom.

FROZEN FOOD

I opened my fridge to take a picture of all the boxes of frozen pizzas, corn dogs and other teen friendly foods but they were already gone! My boys eat 4-5 meals a day and I cannot keep up! So you are thinking..."you feed them that crud? You're a terrible mom!" I feed them a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. The "Teen Foods" are for the after school meal and the right before bed meal. How do you eat a dinner of Chili, cornbread, chips and cookie salad and then two hours later eat three pizza pockets? These boys are a bottomless pit!#2

HEIGHT WALL

I have a "height wall." It's mismatched, sloppy and sporadic and I love it!

I love looking back at the years when the kids wanted me to measure them several times a month.I love that we have more than just the kids on the wall. And to say that my boys are excited to make their marks OVER mine is an understatement. Should I tell them that 4 foot 11 isn't a hard mark to beat?#3

OUR PLAYROOM

When we added on to the house many years back I designed the playroom so that it is smack in the middle of the kitchen area and the family room. You actually have to walk through the toys to get between the two rooms. Yes it often looks like this....But all toys, coloring books, puzzles, board books, VHS movies, games, and learning materials are in one room.And I was called "crazy" for the placement of the room. People have asked if I run a preschool or daycare. Nope, I am just a mom who knows that wherever mom is...that is where the kids and toys will end up. I actually love it. And when it is clean I love it even more.And someday (I am NOT in any hurry) when the kids are done with their room, the crazy road carpet will be replaced with wood floors and the walls will be lined with beautiful bookcases. But my dream library can just wait, cause I think our playroom rocks...and so does Branson.#4

Christmas Tree Patrol

I love Christmas but throw in a curious toddler and I love it even more. My kids love the tree and whenever we have a little one at Christmas John and I make wagers about how many ornaments will end up smashed at the bottom of the stairs or in pieces under the tree. So far Branson has only sent one red ball to its doom. He prefers to pull the little top off the balls and smell the insides. Go figure. Christmas ornaments have replaced Hot Wheels cars for the moment. I pick up at least ten a day...sitting under the tree minus their metal hanger and top.Oh he knows he isn't supposed to "mess" with the tree.But those bright, shiny, glass orbs are just so dang tempting.And it isn't just the 2 year old who "plays" with the tree. Sydney seems to enjoy it almost as much.
#5

CREATIVE FUN

I have wanted to post about our "Summer Sledding" for quite some time. But the boys tend to do it in the dark and that makes taking photos a bit challenging. Those who know me well, know that I am VERY picky about my lawn. I love it to be freshly mowed and dark green and weed free. But my front and back yards are often turned into a four wheeler race track. I really try not to cringe as they turn sharply on two wheels but I put my foot down and insist that they do NOT continue to turn around on the same patch of grass over and over again.

Several years ago we had a green winter but I had bought the boys each a round, plastic disk sled. They hooked one of them up to the four wheeler with a rope and off they went. Well the disks didn't survive and so Grandpa Cazier fused the two disks together and reinforced the front with wood so the rope wouldn't break through. Now the boys whip each other, and their friends, around our lawn all year long. A bit white trash looking but they love it! So I may not be named mother of the year but I don't care. I love being a mom. It is all I ever wanted to be, and some days (most days) I have to remind myself of that fact. But I also love that my friends and family around me are also moms. I am now supposed to nominate 5 other Moms as a Truly Authentic Mom. How do you do that? How do you leave someone out? My list of women are the first 5 ladies that came to my mind. Whether they blog or not isn't part of the criteria...

Trish- She has never let 6 kids slow her down or wear her out. She loves being home with her kids and always puts being a mom at the top of her list.

Alicia- She worries more than anyone I know that she isn't doing her best at being a mom. This alone makes her good at what she does. Often when I call in the middle of the day she is playing a board game with her kids or taking fun trips to McDonalds.

Danyelle- She is great at teaching her kids the standards and beliefs of the gospel. She has a family theme every year and she is always making sure that she surrounds her kids in appropriate and uplifting activities.

Bren- Her four beautiful children were adopted and Bren is the perfect example that being a mom isn't about giving birth. She is a real person who isn't afraid to ask for help as a mom and she is her kids number one fan and advocate.

Debie and Debbie- So I couldn't leave it at 5. These ladies have such good, fun loving kids. Both of their blogs are full of the funny things their kids say and do. They keep it real and they are great moms.

The Winners!

2009-11-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

Random.org picked 4,9 and 10 as the lucky winners of the Christmas CD! That means Aubrey, Kristen and Alissa WIN! You three lucky ladies will receive your prize shortly! Please email me at amyjcaz@hotmail.com with your address!

I am also feeling like a million bucks today! I have several freebies on my scrapbooking blog and they have already been picked up and recognized by the free digital sites. It's pretty cool to see my stuff on worldwide blogs that I visit every single day.

Falling For Fridays

2009-11-22T23:09:00.000-08:00

Picture me pushing Branson in his stroller down a rough cement walk way toward the Columbia River bike path. We see hundreds of seagulls directly in front of us just milling around. Can you see the light bulb click in my brain...how fun it would be to push Branson really fast yelling "Fly Birdies Fly!" How thrilled a toddler would be to see so many birds fly off at the same time.

Picture me taking exactly three running steps. In that picture did you see the small patch of grass growing out of a crack in the cement...no? Me neither.

Picture the stroller coming to a complete stop after the wheels hit that patch of grassy weeds. But do I stop...oh no I do not!

Picture this...The stroller slams forward into the ground as the weight of my body continues on even after the stroller has come to a halt. I fly (I think I caught some serious air) over the stroller and end up sprawled on the cement quite a distance in front of the stroller. Before I assess my own wounds I look back after hearing Branson screaming. Now sometime during this whole charade the seagulls flew off in all their splendid glory but I sure didn't see it and neither did Branson cause he was face down against the cement and completely covered up by the stroller.

Branson and I are going to skip Fridays for a while. He broke his leg on a Friday and this happened last Friday. I am still pretty sore from the fall and you should see the nasty ginormous bruise on my thigh. But it is nothing compared to what Branson received. I feel terrible! Every time I look at it a wave of motherly guilt hits me in the gut. And no one was even there to get a good view of a 30 something woman flying over her son's stroller.
*If you are a digital scrapbooker I have a freebie template that you can find here.

A Christmas Giveaway!!!!

2009-11-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! Some of the things I love about this Christ centered holiday are the shopping, the service, the happiness, the excitement, the gatherings, the spirit, the presents, the food, the decorations, and the music! Leave a comment and be entered to win a mix of Christmas music. You can choose between A Child's Christmas or An Adult Christmas Mix or a Mix of Both Adult & Children's Christmas! Just let me know in your comment which one you would pick if you were to win. Three winners will be picked at random in a few days! Merry Christmas!

Monday Madness!

2009-11-18T08:16:00.001-08:00

While Anderson was off with his dad catching two Steelhead and shooting one pheasant, Cayden stayed home. When Payson and Macy came over Cayden got an idea... Take one roll of toilet paper...
One enthusiastic volunteer...

And wrap away.

I was impressed that Cayden first asked if it was OK to use an entire roll of toilet paper for their little game.I said it was fine as long as every single bit of TP was picked up.
So what do you do with all that toilet paper when you are done making mummies?

Why you wet it down and form a giant TP snowball of course!
Hours later when I ran into the kids bathroom to grab something this is what I found...

The Icing on The Cake

2009-11-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

As much as I would love to take credit for these cute photos of Branson, I can't. Anderson not only let him lick the edges of the frosting bowl but he helped himself to my most prized material possession...my camera. So besides cute shots of the youngest Cazier getting a sugar high...
the other news that is finger lickin' good... is that I am now a part of a digital Scrapbooking CT (creative team)!
I get to design digital scrapbook pages for Scraps-n-Pieces!
I am so excited to take this on and I feel honored to be chosen. I have started a new blog to highlight my hobbies so take a peek at Just For Fun...A Place for Scraps & Photos.
As soon as I get the hang of this I want to start offering digital freebies. This may not make any sense to most of you but I am ecstatic!

Fall Photo Shoot

2009-11-09T23:57:00.001-08:00

I was honored when Danyelle asked if I would take Abby's photos for her baptism. They came over on a gorgeous November day and while Abby was putting on her dress I snuck outside with Oliver to snap a few pictures. Take two very cute kids and a beautiful fall day and this is what you get...

Now if only my kids would be so cooperative when I go to take their picture!

CAST that Splint Aside!

2009-11-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

On Thursday Branson turned 2 years old!On Thursday Branson got a handsome blue cast to replace the nasty ole' splint.

I would love to say that on Thursday Branson was happy and sweet and the perfect Birthday Boy...but he wasn't.
On Thursday Night he did love opening presents...presents that were all "floor friendly."

He got some Elmo DVD's, new books, a cars and trucks sound puzzle,
and his favorite...
the Fisher Price Race and Crash Speedway.
I had seen this in the store before and had decided that it was a toy I would never purchase. (When will I learn never to use that word?) It didn't require enough imagination or creativity on the child's part. But after a week of not being able to run and jump and ride around on his tractor, and thinking about the l...o...n...g four weeks ahead...this toy was exactly what Branson (and Mom) needed!

Need I say more?

It's My Birthday...Say Hi!

2009-11-06T07:17:00.001-08:00

Today is my birthday and all I want to know is who visits my blog. Just leave me a comment and I will be one happy 30 something.

What does Branson's splint and Branson's Mom Have in Common?

2009-11-04T22:32:00.000-08:00

They are both becoming completely unraveled. So Branson broke his leg last Friday but the orthopedic surgeon didn't want to see him until this Thursday. They wanted to be absolutely sure that the swelling was down. I failed to mention to the receptionist, as she gave me the date of his appointment, that this would land on his second birthday. So besides having to wait forever to get a cast on his leg the pore little guy has to spend his birthday in a doctors office. We have been keeping one of John's socks on the leg so Branson can't mess with it, but today he beat me to the punch. I heard him saying "Ow....owwww...ow.....owweeey." When I came around the corner he had completely dismantled his splint and all the fluff that goes around it. If you think this looks bad, you should see all my bookshelves that are at ground level.

November New Era

2009-11-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

We haven't received our Church Magazines yet for this month. It seems that November is always a tad late due to it being a General Conference Issue. But Scott Ashton looked on line and on page 9 of The New Era is a picture of the most handsome boys I have ever seen!(Anderson 3rd one in from the left. Cayden far right.)

I really can't believe it! I always wanted to be in the New Era when I was a teenager. I guess I will have to live vicariously through my kids. And I will be eagerly awaiting for the actual magazine to arrive in the mail!

Car Wreck

2009-10-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

So I have posted before how much Branson loves his Hotwheels cars. I have also mentioned how those Hotwheels cars end up all over the entire house. Well yesterday those cars got the best of him when he stepped on a car on the wood floor with his left foot. His left leg went one way and his body went another. After a trip to the ER we discovered that Branson has broken his Tibia (the large bone between the knee and the ankle.) The copy of the X-Ray that we were given wasn't all that clear and trying to scan it into my computer made it even less clear so I have gone over the break with red so that you can see it more clearly.Before the Pain Meds kicked in... After the Pain meds kicked in...No hard feelings towards his precious Hotwheels cars...
In fact...the splint makes great racing lanes for the cars.

Mom can't wait for the leg to be in an actual cast on Monday. Toddlers might have a little more difficulty removing that. Until then we will watch lots of Elmo, race Hotwheels cars, keep up on pain medication and play in the beans.And maybe open up a few Birthday presents a week early.

Why I am a Lucky Woman

2009-10-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

So Monday found me once again in the dentist chair. I don't know why my teeth are so sensitive but they always have to numb me up more than normal and when I have work done like a crown or a root canal I am always in pain for days after. Monday was no different, but when I woke up from a wonderful drug induced stupor I saw Branson holding two beautiful red roses and a bottle of Lavender Spa Bubbles. So for the last two days I have enjoyed having fresh flowers in my kitchen....and last night after everyone else was in bed I soaked in a hot bubble bath and read my new Peg Kehret book for several hours. Have I mentioned that I love my husband?

A Ghostly Presence

2009-10-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Is it a creepy ghost from the hauntings of Halloween's past? Nope...it's just the Flour Game
(As a side note: This game was first introduced to my family when I was 17 and I had a bunch of friends over for a big party. Several of my friends wanted me to invite this one guy who was a total Jock. So for their sake I invited him and that night he showed us all how to play the "flour game" and...lets just say that the jock captured my heart that night and the rest is history.)

John's FHE Snack...er BLOB

2009-10-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

John's Most Dangerous Cake Recipe!
And why is it so dangerous? According to John it is because it is soooo easy you'll make too much and get fat.

STEP 1: Cram the whole dang family into the kitchen to share the little counter space that you have to bake on.
STEP 2: Take up some of that counter space with your toddler by simply plopping him on the counter so he can make his own cake too.

STEP 3: Add all your dry ingredients to a big mug...

4 TBS flour---(Anderson don't worry if it's not level, rock solid cakes taste good too)

4 TBS sugar----(No Sydney, it DOES NOT say "heaping" TBS of sugar)

2 TBS cocoa----(Uhhh Branson I don't think you want to try licking this chocolate off the spoon)

STEP 4: Mix it well with a fork until it is really sticky gooey thick and gross looking
STEP 5: Add 1 egg and mix it again thoroughly
STEP 6: (Branson's recipe) Add the egg shells as well STEP 7: Pour in 3 TBS Milk, 3 TBS Oil and 1 splash of vanilla extract. Stir it up and then smell it to see if it's going to be any good. STEP 8: Put in a handful of chocolate chips and stir it again.

STEP 9: Cook the mug of sludge in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Watch the ooze grow! (And remind me never to buy a black microwave again...I seriously have to wipe the front of that thing down several times a day!)

STEP 10: Ohhhhh and Ahhhhhh over what you have created.

STEP 11: Make lots of jokes about what your cake really looks like.

STEP 12: Drizzle caramel, chocolate, whipped cream or just pour in some milk.
STEP 13: Then faint away from the sheer goodness of it all.

DISCLAIMER: (I didn't really think it tasted all that good...but the kids (and John) loved it.)

Learning

2009-10-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

So I have never missed attending school. I don't miss the textbooks, the lectures or the tests. I am grateful that I earned my degree but I have not looked back since. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy learning and I love that at this time in my life I can actually learn about the things that I want to. I am anxiously waiting to get into Jessica Sprague's Photography class, but until then I am getting a lot of information on the computer. Every day I discover talented people who are willing to share what they know. One scrapbooker encouraged us to find a photo that didn't turn out so great. She said to mess with it and alter it until you get it to look not just good, but amazing. I found a blurry photo of Branson and his cousin Audrey. Not only is it not very clear, but their faces are blotchy and they look like they have ginormous foreheads. After tweaking it for over an hour...I think I can live with the results. It's like Photo Rescue 911!

Before PhotoAfter

A Challenge

2009-10-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

I took on my very first digital scrapbooking challenge! As I have mentioned before there are awesome designers on line that offer tons of great freebies. Many of them encourage scrapbookers to use their products to create a layout and then enter a challenge. I am so new at this digital thing that I have never taken the opportunity and accepted a challenge. At Three Paper Peonies the colors and designs are always gorgeous and after taking a peak at the newest papers I just had to give it a shot. It was so much fun! I usually start with a template and go from there but this time I relied on the beautiful papers to guide me. I started from scratch and created it all on my own. We were encouraged to go with the theme of focus by designing a page that shows evidence of something we have been focusing on in our life lately. As I have mentioned before, with taking a parenting course I have really been focused on my children and what kind of mom I am each and every day. This really was fun but I am also nervous knowing that someone else will be looking at my page and seeing what I have done with their materials.

Cayden's Digi Pages

2009-10-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

For Home Economics Cayden was given the assignment to create a 10 page 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook about himself. He had to spend at least 8 hours with family members on the project and include things like journaling and titles. After I mentioned to him that he could design the pages on the computer he was all for it. So with my guidance Cayden produced 10 pages that are all him from start to finish. It was interesting to see how particular he was about choosing his template, photos, papers and fonts. He loved learning how to use Adobe and he was pretty proud of the results. I loved the hours we spent working together on the computer and I thought he did a great job on his pages.

Parenting

2009-10-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

There has been a shift in the way I look at parenting. I am enjoying it the way I always wanted to. It is still hard but I am finding myself spending more time having fun with the kids than yelling at them. I have been taking a Love and Logic class at the school and it has helped me realize that I need to treat parenting like Heavenly Father treats us. He sent us to earth to learn and to experience both the good and the bad. But he didn't just abandon us without any guidelines. Christ came up with the perfect plan, one of choice and accountability and that is exactly how I feel I should raise my kids. I plan to teach them through example and loving conversations what is right and safe and true. But I will also let them know that I will always love them no matter what choices they make and I will follow through and allow consequences to happen. Parenting is tricky...everyone has an opinion on how we should or should not raise our kids. But I think my best bet is to follow the only perfect example I know, don't you?

Fall is in the Air & the Trees are Full of...

2009-10-06T07:47:00.001-07:00

Sydney's favorite thing to do in her "me" time is write stories.

My favorite thing to do in my "me" time is to scrapbook on the computer.

But I guess you already knew that.

True Leaders

2009-10-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

Anderson and Cayden traveled to Utah with their Scout Leader and were able to go to the Priesthood session of conference. It is weird to me that they are having this awesome experience without me or John there to share it with them. I guess I need to get used to it. In a few years they will be having tons of amazing experiences in college, on their missions, in marriage. I was so dang excited when I checked Debbie's blog and there was a photo of my boys! Cayden is second from the left (and bald) while Anderson is front and center with the grey tie. Can I just say how thankful I am for good leaders. Scott Ashton and Brandon Mitchell took both my boys to Scout Camp at Fire Mountain in August. The second night of camp Cayden became very sick. He was feverish, sick to his stomach and pretty much down right miserable. He wanted us to come and get him (it was about a four hour drive) and we were ready to do just that. Nothing is worse than being sick and not being home in your own bed. These two wonderful men not only took care of Cayden and kept us up to date on how he was feeling, but they are worthy Priesthood holders who gave him a blessing. Cayden had a good night and felt much better in the morning. As a mother I am so grateful that these leaders are the kind of men who they are. It didn't matter that my children were away from home because even without their parents nearby they were in the best possible hands. These men don't have to live the life they do, but I am so blessed that they choose to follow Christ and be such an example to these young men.

I Spy an Easy Birthday Party!

2009-10-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

So when you have a few extra items left over from CSI: Cub Scout Day Camp...it is real easy to purchase the left over items and use them for a birthday party. I didn't think a group of nine year old girls would enjoy a crime scene party as much as they did!It was Sydney's idea to have the invitations printed backwards so her friends would have to read the directions in a mirror.
OK...so I remember when I would spend hours and hours creating the perfect cake. How did I do that!? I spent exactly 5 minutes on her cake. Two minutes buying it from the Wal-Mart bakery (it was blank other than the little circle candies sprinkled around the sides) Two minutes writing "I SPY" with store bought icing in a can (it comes out like the cheese in a can) and one minute to push the candles and magnifying glass into the icing. I can truly say that Sydney was thrilled with the cake...so glad I didn't worry about building a cake in the shape of a magnifying glass like I had originally planned.Decorations were easy...crime scene tape and caution tape everywhere. We always get a picture with each friend as they arrive at the party.Each "Secret Agent" received their own clipboard, and while we waited for the other guests to arrive they "fingerprinted" their boards.
The only other planned activity was the CLUE/TREASURE HUNT. Each girl placed her Suspect list on her clipboard and was ready for the big case.

To make the game go smoothly I let them know that it wasn't a race. All the girls could look for the two hidden papers at each spot but unless your name was on it you weren't supposed to pick it up. At each station there was a HINT and a CLUE. The hint helped them check off their suspect/item/room list as they tried to narrow down: 1. who committed the crime 2. what item was stolen 3. what room the item was taken from. Then there was the CLUE that told them what location they could find the next HINT and CLUE. All the girls did a great job. They would shout out the person's name when they found the hidden clue and then they all listened as they took turns reading the clues out loud.
The final clue led the girls to our BBQ Grill where hidden inside was their goody bag...a small Spy kit.
The bags were 3 for $1.00 at Dollar Tree. The girls also got a magnifying glass, tweezers, note pad, pen, specimen baggie, fingerprinting dusting brush, vinyl gloves, chalk, and candy.

With time left before parents would come, the girls continued to play "SPY" for the rest of the afternoon.

Amy J and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

2009-09-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

The morning started off with the usual: making school lunches and sending the kids out the door. But then I gave Branson (who is almost 2) a haircut and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I had to mow Ivy Glades which takes 2 hours if I drive the lawn mower like a mad woman. My mom could watch Branson but she absolutely had to pick up my grandma for an appointment by 2:00 which means I would need to be back to get Branson by 1:30ish. It was 11:10. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I latched Branson's car seat into my father-in-law's truck. I latched Branson into the car seat and then I had to run back into the house because I forgot my i-pod and sunglasses (both a must for mowing lawns for two hours.) I hooked up the trailer to the truck, loaded the lawn mower onto the trailer and dropped Branson off at my moms at 11:20. It wasn't until I was headed to Ivy Glades that it occurred to me that the lawn mower was out of gas and I noticed in my rear view mirror that the trailer looked pretty crooked.

I think I'll move to Hawaii.

After driving to the nearest gas station there was a line at every pump. The guy in front of me filled his tank and then nonchalantly headed into the mini mart to do some major grocery shopping. While I was sitting there it dawned on me that I didn't close the garage door at the house and no one was home. OK...so I will have to very quickly swing back by the house and shut the door. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

When it was finally my turn to pump the owner of the store came out and began directing me. I wanted to tell him that "yes I am a woman but I can pull a large trailer through a gas station." Of course I didn't but when I tried to pull farther out past the pump he started waving his arms all crazy and yelled "stop!" There was still tons of room left! Oh well. When I got out he was instructing the lady behind me and he had her pull within two inches of my trailer. Ummmm, see the big tall sides on my trailer. Yeah, I kind of need to put the back of the trailer down so I can put gas in the lawn mower! I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I figured since I was in a hurry and I could reach only one of the lawn mowers gas tanks anyway I would only fill up one side. While I was stretched as far as my 4'11 frame would go...dangling over the tall wooden sides of the trailer...pumping gas into the lawn mower...the guy next to me said, "Hey do you know you have a flat on your trailer?" I assured him that the tire had a slow leak but that it was fine. Getting off the trailer and returning the nozzle to the pump I took a look at the tire...not looking good. I'll have to forget about returning home to shut the garage door cause this baby is only going to make it to Ivy Glades. I wish it could make it to Hawaii.

As I drove the 1/4 mile down the road worrying that someone was going to break into the house while I was gone, I heard the tire blow... then I heard the thumpety thump thump of a completely flat tire. I wasn't stopping for nothing...I pulled into Ivy Glades with a totally flat, steaming hot tire. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I figured I could worry about the trailer later. I was now going to enjoy some peaceful, although speedy, lawn mowing. As soon as I put my headphones in I realized that in my haste I had actually grabbed Anderson's old headphones. Not only do they not fit my ears but they have a terrible short in them. As I mowed, I got to listen to the background music of all my songs with an occasional burst of singing when I moved the cords just right. There also must have been something wrong with Ivy Glades sprinkler system because two of the large areas where I mow were flooded and I had to drive through several inches of water. Next week, I'm going to Hawaii.

I mowed the lawn in record time and loaded the mower back into the trailer. My plan was to unhitch the trailer and leave it and the mower behind while I ran to my mom's to get Branson. Yeah...I couldn't lift the trailer off the hitch with a heavy duty lawn mower on it! So I backed the mower down off the trailer. Even with the mower off, the trailer was extra heavy and totally lopsided with the flat tire. It about killed me, and I injured the muscle in my shoulder trying to get the dang thing off the truck, but I did it! I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

When I went to load up the lawn mower I forgot what happens when a trailer is no longer hooked to a vehicle. As the weight of the mower landed on the trailer the front end sprang up toward me and the mower...I about pooped my pants! Then, of course, when the mower was completely on the trailer it fell back down again and I about pooped my pants for a second time.
With that all done I was ready to roll, until I tried unlocking the drivers side door off the truck and it wouldn't budge for nothing! Kicking it really hard didn't help either. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I unlocked the passenger side door and leaned over Branson's car seat to unlock the door from the inside. Yeah, That didn't work either. Cramming my body even further into the truck, my shoulder was on fire and so was my temper, I finally reached the door handle and pushed the door open. As I was climbing back out of the truck and over the car seat I heard the door swing shut and lock...again. I repeated my contortionist moves to open the door a second time and headed to my moms on time to get Branson. It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

Some days are like that.

Even in Hawaii.

Sibling Spats

2009-09-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air and saying, "Can't you all just get along!?"

Some days there is no contention whatsoever and it is like a magical veil of happiness has covered the entire house. But most days, as soon as the three older kids get home from school, there is a constant buzz of arguing and whining in the background with the occasional high pitched scream and crying. What is most shocking is how quickly the peace I felt all day long is shattered. Throughout the day Branson and I don't bicker and argue. We get along. We share. We play. We have quiet time. I know how I feel about our calming day coming to a complete halt...How do you feel Branson?

Good Blood

2009-09-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

I am not the type of mom that gets freaked out easily. I like my kids to experience things as long as they don't cause harm to somebody or something. Children running through my house screaming with joy usually doesn't drive me crazy...although sometimes it does push me over the edge.

John and I love our kids and no matter what they are going through we try to treat them as equals. This was surprising to most people while Anderson was going through his treatments for Leukemia. In fact...Children's hospital called us twice, asking our permission to give out our phone number to some local parents of children will ALL. They told us that they had never seen parents so willing to let their children "live" with Leukemia. Many parents are so scared of losing their child that they put them in a box, don't let them attend school, play with friends, and experience disappointments. They wanted these families to give us a call and for us to tell them how well Anderson was doing in public school and living life like a normal kid.

Of course Anderson's condition demanded more of our time, love and concern, but he did just as many chores as his brother and sister and he got in trouble when he did something wrong. John and I realized that children who have life threatening illnesses are usually stronger than most adults. Anderson had experienced more in his 4 years of life than in our 30.

So where am I going with this rambling of thoughts. Anderson was diagnosed in May of 2000 at 4 1/2 with Leukemia. If he hadn't been airlifted that night he would have died. Within 24 hours of being on chemotherapy his body reacted perfectly and he was in remission. Years later, towards the end of second grade he was able to take his last dose of Chemo.

We have had two scares since then. One in third grade, and one last week. I know the yucks have been going around but Anderson doesn't get sick often and there are three things that make my gut clench: Anderson being pale, Anderson having lots of bruises and Anderson saying his legs ache. Last week he had all three and I thought I was going to throw up. Thursday night he told me that he couldn't even do more than jog in PE cause his legs hurt so bad. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't usually freak out, but I was ready to run him into the ER at 10:00 that night to do some blood work. John convinced me that the ER would not be the best place to go and to wait until morning to call his doctor.

To make a long story short...his blood work looks great. His Red and White Blood cells and platelets are right where they should be. I get mad at myself for freaking out, for thinking the worst. So when I look back on this last week I will remember instead that Anderson celebrated his 14th birthday and attended his very first stake dance.

CARS!

2009-09-21T08:01:00.001-07:00

If I told you that I was Branson's number one love I would be lying.
All of his waking hours are spent surrounded by his huge bin of Hot Wheels cars. Thanks to his big brothers Branson has 100's of cars to choose from but more often than not he uses them all.

He sends them down the ramps on his Little People Garage and when that gets too jammed with traffic he moves on to our Little Tykes slide where he sends them flying to the pile below.

And quite often he will reach the end of the bucket...
I would love to say that all those cars stay put on their ramps or at the bottom of the slide in the playroom but....

We Find These Cars EVERYWHERE!

In the office...

Under the Fridge...

In the fridge...
In and around the shoe basket...

In the Play Oven...

And my least favorite... the VCR.

(We found about 7 in there, and it is no longer working due to metal die cast cars being shoved into the mechanism)He drives them everywhere... and it is obvious that Grandpa Cazier is a very tolerant man.

(Below: Branson Looking in Grandpa's pocket, just making sure he found all the cars hiding out in there.)You could call it love, or call it an obsession

But here we call it "Good Clean Fun" (Until one of us unknowingly steps on a car with our bare feet and then we call it something else entirely)

(above counting his cars in the bathtub)

Farmer Photo Booth

2009-09-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

I was asked to take the photos at our Ward Fair this evening. I wanted to do something fun and different but had no idea how many hours it would take to create this photo stand! The great thing about photoshop...if a couple wants to be the farmer and the wife...
...no hole in the sun!
(And I think I will add some text that says the event so it doesn't look like a big exploding star)

I designed it so that if someone wants to be alone in the photo as either a sheep or a cat they can do that too. I can also do a landscape shot and get just the cat and sheep together without the farmers. Sydney likes that all her animals are wearing glasses.

OK... so this dang thing did take forever and I will not be simply tossing it into the garbage. So if anyone has any desire to borrow it, please do. It will make my time seem so much more worth it!

Times

2009-09-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

Walking into my boy's middle school yesterday I passed by several multiplication flashcards that were strewn across the cement. They made me smile and as I got to the door I remembered that I had my camera in my purse. I ran back to the cards and took photos of them, untouched, just as I saw them. I felt kind of silly but no one else was around and the empty school yard added to the way I was feeling about those cards. I can't believe the emotions that these photos bring out in me! Thoughts of the autumn season, kids going back to school, time flying by too quickly with my kids, someone elses kid is as disorganized as mine and losing stuff all the time...I even love the blur of blue paint on the cement from when they painted the panther paw prints on a nearby pole. I am not usually this deep and I think that is why this little experience almost feels like a treasure to me.

Labor Of Love

2009-09-10T22:15:00.001-07:00

John's Labor Day was filled with taking care of the deer he shot with his bow and arrow.
Anderson's Labor Day was filled with helping his Dad with said deer.
Cayden's Labor Day was filled with going to the movies and hanging out with cousins.
Sydney's Labor Day was filled with lots of cousins and lots of movies at Grandma's.
Branson's Labor Day was filled with LOVE...

He loved his stuffed monkey that he absolutely must sleep with at nap time.He loved his Grandma lots and lots. He loved the fresh watermelon.He even loved the green part of that watermelon.
And my Labor Day was filled with family and retaking some of my digital scrapbooking classes. It has been so fun going back and seeing all that I have forgotten! I also have loved creating a layout and immediately printing it out on my printer. It comes out 12x12 with no border at all!

Psssssst....

2009-09-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you a secret?My mom loves that the kids are gone all day at school!

Anderson's First Day

2009-09-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

Heading to school yesterday, barely on time due to Andersonitis and new high school traffic...
Anderson: Mom, Where did you put my schedule?
Mom: I didn't put it anywhere, you had it.
Anderson: We need to go back home and get my schedule.
Heading to school yesterday, again, barely on time due to running back home for the schedule.
Mom: Oh my gosh! We didn't take any first day pictures Anderson!

So these photos of him at the school when he picked up his ID badge will have to do.

He had homework the first day back and I'm telling you right now...this boy is dreaming big time. When John and I go back to Hawaii it will be just that, John and I.

Anderson will be 14 in a few short weeks and I have to say...it has been a great 14 years with this kid.

Back On Track

2009-09-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

During the summer we actually had a pretty good routine going. We would all get up, eat breakfast and then together we would clean the whole house. Typically we would start in my bedroom and make our way down the hall and end up in the kitchen. Sometimes this took two hours but mostly it took about 20 minutes. After the clean up was complete, friends could come over and X-Box could be played. With simple reminders throughout the day to pick up after themselves our home stayed in decent shape.

Yesterday after the kids had left for school I found their beds unmade and their room a mess. I spent the day putting things in order and when Sydney and Cayden arrived home they found this note laying on their neatly made beds... The Cazier Household is now back on the "Keeping it Clean" chart and after peeking into their rooms just now...it seems to still do the trick.

No Way! Summer's Done Already?

2009-08-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

So three of my guys are now at McLoughlin Middle School...no, Branson just wanted in the picture. John is the Vice Principal, Anderson will be starting 8th grade tomorrow and Cayden joins the rest of the 6th Grade class today. (above) Cayden smiling nicely for mom's camera shoot.

(below) Cayden's photo after requesting a picture with his "normal face" So while Cayden is getting settled into his first ever middle school classroom Anderson is busy...As soon as Cayden is dropped off at school Sydney is the next to get ready for her first big day as the only Cazier at Livingston Elementary. She is in 3rd grade this year and considers herself new and improved with pierced ears and a brand new Cousin Heather haircut. And while Sydney is adjusting to being on the big kid side of the school playground Anderson is still busy... Oh what a rude awakening he will have tomorrow!

Music that Makes You Smile

2009-08-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

John and I mow the lawn for a nearby housing development and it takes about two hours. I love to be the one to do it. I don't mind hooking up the trailer to the truck and hauling the lawnmower back and forth from our house. I love the two hour break I get and I love the satisfaction of a freshly mowed lawn. I don't think I would love it half as much if I didn't have my i pod. And recently I found some great new music that I totally jam out to while I whip back and forth in nice neat rows. I think you would be surprised to discover that I have been listening to Children's music.

Branson is almost two and, like the rest of my kids, he loves music. In the car he swings his head from side to side with the beat of the music and pretty much dances as best as he can strapped tight in his car seat. I went on a search for some new Toddler Tunes and was thrilled with what I found. Two groups are so utterly cool that Anderson (who is almost 14) has put several of their songs on his i pod.

Go Fish is not just for the Preschooler. They are jivey and up beat and I have yet to get sick of their music. Most of their songs are old familiar tunes but with an added catchier flair. We have the entire album of Party Like a Preschooler and there is only one song that I hit SKIP. Our Favorite Go Fish songs are: (All songs are from Party Like A Preschooler unless noted otherwise)
Amy-- The Mom Song(from their Album Snazzy), It's Hard to Be Cool In A Mini Van
Anderson's and Caydens --(this one surprised me since it is their slowest song) Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink (from their album snooze)
Sydneys--John Jacob Jingle Hymer Schmit
Bransons--Wheels on the Bus

Another new found family favorite are children's songs by Parry Gripp. We like several of his songs that are listed under ROCK as well as those that are for CHILDREN but be aware that he does offer some off color songs for his adult audience. Parry Gripp's songs are usually very short, silly and jammin'. My kids have been singing Cat Flushing a Toilet for weeks now. All of his recordings are original and I mean original...they are a hoot.

Our favorite Parry Gripp songs are:
Moms--You Smell Good
Anderson--Chimpanzee Riding a Segway
Cayden--Hip Hip Hoo-Raisin and Do You Like Waffles?
Sydney--Boogie Boogie Hedgehog
Branson--Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom

I have also found some great singles here and there by other artists but I think I will save them for a later post. And next time you see us rockin' out in the suburban you know exactly what we will be listening to!

Weight Loss Group

2009-08-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

The group will be starting on Friday September 4th at 12:30

Anyone who is serious about getting themselves in shape is invited.

We will hold meetings every Friday at 12:30 at my home.

Meetings will last under one hour.

The goal is to work together as a group to motivate one another.

We will share our ideas, our success's and our trials in weight loss.

Weigh-In is optional.

Please let me know if you would like to participate!

amyjcaz@hotmail.com

Second Hand Fun

2009-08-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

"Oh Wow...someone left a half eaten Rootbeer Float on the ground just for me!""Dang it!""Now wait a minute...there's still some left in here."

"Ummmmm that is good"

"Better make sure I get it all"

"Now that was Lip Smackin' good."

Words of Wisdom

2009-08-20T16:12:00.000-07:00

I read an article yesterday that was so good, I read parts of it twice. Addressed to women across the world I knew that President Uchtdorf was speaking directly to me. Lately I have been feeling anxious and guilty about so many different, trivial things. I am guessing it is simply the end of summer blues since I have seen a distinct rise in sibling spats, whining and all other agonizing traits that my children can bestow. There is never enough time to do it all and too much time doing things that probably don't really matter anyway. I think I may make several copies of the quote below and paste them all over my house. "Rise to the great potential within you. But don't reach beyond your capacity. Don't set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don't feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don't compare yourself with others. Do the best you can and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones."
~President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Guilty!

2009-08-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Now when two athletic guys get together they can't just sit and relax by the lake. On no...they have to invent competitive games with rocks being tossed into inner tubes and sand buckets and it's very serious stuff. But what happens when the game includes bonus points for making it into the kid's paddle boat?And yes Sarah is laughing hysterically at Cayden getting pegged in the eye...well it was pretty funny.

So which one of these fine gentlemen is the guilty party?

Dad or Chad?

Love You Dear.

2009-08-13T01:22:00.000-07:00

Nothing says Happy 15th Anniversary like scrapping the family Suburban against the family truck in the driveway.

Corn, Flour or Trout?

2009-08-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every year we spend a whole week at a lake with the Haertling family. It is pure heaven with nothing but swimming, eating, boating and fishing all week long. On our second day there Rachel and I were busy in the kitchen making dinner while Branson was constantly getting underfoot, tipping the garbage can over or throwing grapes at us. In an effort to lure him into the family room, John gave him a large flour tortilla to snack on. Later as we tidied up after dinner this is what we found on the family room floor...And yes, Branson's tortilla fish was a sign. The fishing was great!

That Would Be Nice...

2009-08-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

I would love to say that all I did today was sit back and chill...But I didn't.

I would love to say that I got to read more of A Girl Named Zippy...

But I didn't.

I would love to say that it was a good day spent cleaning my mother-in-law's house, packing up my grandmother's apartment, mowing the lawn, putting paperwork together to refinance the house and cleaning my dad's auto body shop...And it was.

Backyard Bash 2!

2009-08-04T09:45:00.001-07:00

Feeling HOT?

Bring the kids! Invite your friends!

To the second annual Backyard Bash!

This Thursday at 11:00 you will find

Cool Sprinklers

Slip-n-Slide

Wading Pools

Squirt Guns

Otter Pops

In the Cazier Backyard!

For Mom's and kids of all ages!

Bring a blanket! Bring a lunch!

Bring on the fun!!

Need directions? email me at amyjcaz@hotmail.com

Not So Long Ago...

2009-07-31T06:55:00.000-07:00

Audrey & Branson

2 months & 1 month old

Audrey & Branson
22 months & 21 months old

Gotta Love Technology

2009-07-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

After waiting two long months (my printer died in the middle of making a ton of Day Camp copies) my large format printer has arrived! Now I can print out some of the layouts I have been working on.

NOT My Kind of Fun

2009-07-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

OK, so go ahead and tell me the story of The Little Red Hen but spending three days and nights on a boat in the middle of a lake and fishing 24/7 is not something I ever want to do. But I will be happy to eat those Steelhead, oh yes.

Happy Mail

2009-07-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

It had been a super long time since I had received mail containing this logo. And it's been a long time since Anderson finished treatments for Leukemia.The letter I opened a few weeks ago had three simple questions to follow up on Anderson's progress.

1. Has there been any relapse of cancer.

2. Are there any other major health issues due to his Leukemia or treatment?

3. Do you have any other concerns?I can not tell you how amazing it felt to check the NO box for each and every one of those questions.

Today I Learned that...

2009-07-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

~smoke detectors start beeping even before you can see the smoke billowing out of your daughters bedroom.

~when toddlers are in a deep sleep they don't like being ripped out of their crib even if the house is on fire.

~the County Fire Department can get to our home in less than 4 minutes.

~even though the house may be on fire it is still fun to see the look on your toddlers face when the fire engine pulls up with sirens blaring.

~pretty potted flowers on your front porch get in the way of the fire hoses.

~Grandpa Cazier is a stubborn old man who gives the sheriffs department a hard time about leaving the house.

~it is not a good day when you are told, "we will only destroy walls and rip through the ceiling as a last resort to find the source."

~your street suddenly becomes the most popular road in the city when there are emergency vehicles parked in front of it.

~my kids know me too well when Cayden said, "Dang it mom. All this cool stuff is happening and your camera is still in the house. Now you can't blog about it."

~when fire fighters come they search the house from top to bottom and the thought races through your mind that you are so very glad your house is clean.

~the bishop really is "always there" when you need him.

~once the fire crew is there and you are pretty much sure that your house isn't going to burn to the ground it's kind of thrilling to sit back and watch them work.

~brand new air conditioning motors can reach over 200 degrees, even though they aren't supposed to.

~when air conditioning motors reach 200+ degrees they send billowing smoke throughout your entire house by way of the air vents.

~burned up air conditioning motors make your whole house smell like an over cooked hot glue gun.

~the excitement lasts the entire evening when your kids keep singing, "Burn baby Burn" and "Is this burning, an eternal flame" and "The roof, The roof, The roof is on fire!"

~Fire Fighters and Police Officers rock and I am ready for a vacation.

Never Say Never

2009-07-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Branson is a fish. He loves water so much that he jumps in the pool whether someone is waiting to catch him or not. Oh, he's been told "NO!" countless times and he's started to sink to the bottom several times but he comes up coughing and smiling! It's scary. I don't dare blink when we are near the pool and in a few days we head to a week long vacation on a lake. I bought something that I swore I would never by. I will be using something that I vowed I would never use. For $6.00 at Wal-mart I became one of "those mom's." And when we are at that lake Branson will be wearing a safety harness. Yes. Call it a leash if you like. Make jokes about tying him to a tree. But I want to know where that little stinker is every minute we are on vacation!

Day Camp 2009

2009-07-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

So the theme this year was CSI: Cub Scout Investigators...very cool. As always it took hours, and hours, and days and months to get ready for three whole days of camp. But that is what kept me out of blogging land for so dang long. I took over 600 photos but I am really pretty much camped out so the bottom line is, I think it went great, the boys had a good time and I am so appreciative of everyone who helped make it a success. So here is just a glimpse at one class out of 18.

What is CSI without an autopsy! My sweet husband took his 14/15 year old scouts out and caught almost 100 Shad...I kid you not! These nasty fish gave the scouts you see above a fun fishing trip and several hours of service. And the boys at Scout Camp learned about swim bladders and fish eggs. Yep...I think that's enough about camp 2009. Now to start planning for next year: Cub Scout Amazing Race USA!

My Book Blog

2009-07-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

So I finally started my book blog. I am so excited to have a place where I can keep track of all my good (and bad) reads. If you ever need a good recommendation just head on over to http://amysbookcollection.blogspot.com/

TODAY

2009-07-15T02:18:00.003-07:00

TODAY Sydney asked me, "If the earth all of the sudden started revolving in the opposite direction would it be Monday again?"

TODAY Branson drank about 1/2 the water in my mom's pool. That kid has turned into a fish. He can use swimmies but hates them so I stand guard over him on the steps. If I glance away for even a second he flings himself into the water. Scary, I know. He always comes up coughing and smiling and ready for more.

TODAY I got attacked by a swarm of wasps and one of those stinkin' bugs stung me twice right in the middle of my forehead! Man those things hurt...but he hurts more since I stomped on him real good with my shoe.

TODAY I sat and watched Branson run back and forth in my bathroom. He was laughing and swinging his arms around as he tried to catch all the dust particles that he could see in the sun shining through the window. He must have run through those specks like you would a sprinkler for at least 10 minutes.

TODAY Sydney and I picked Strawberries while Grandpa Cazier pushed Branson in the swing. Later Sydney cleaned the berries and took their tops off in the kitchen sink. Branson ate them faster than she could put them in the bowl.

TODAY I found out that the printer I ordered a month ago is going to take even longer to arrive...dang it.

TODAY is actually tomorrow but I can't sleep.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

2009-07-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

CAYDEN age 12

"A professional basketball player. Well, I'd at least like to get a basketball scholarship to BYU."

BRANSON age 20 months
Demolition crew (I'm sure of it)

SYDNEY age 8
"I'm going to be an author. My book's almost done and I'm going to get it published."

ANDERSON age 13

"A Hit Man." (laughing) "Just kidding Mom...a bounty hunter." (more laughing)

(I still haven't gotten a straight answer out of him yet.)

Oh....Where the heck have I been? That's a long story. Let me get back to you on that.

BOOK SALE!

2009-05-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

For everyone who lives near me and loves a good book at a GREAT price, check this out!

Scholastic is holding a book sale at the Benton-Franklin Fairgrounds today through Saturday.

All books are 30-80% off.

Hours are 10-7 Friday, 10-6 on Saturday.

It is in building 2.

When it all comes down to it...

2009-05-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

isn't family what really matters?

Rock...Paper...Tornado

2009-05-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

Several years ago John attended a Love and Logic Conference that was geared for Principals in the school system. As he told me about some of the practices they were teaching I mocked them and even made the "I will never" call...as in "I will never use those techniques as a mom." Well, we all know what happens when we make the never call.

Because of that conference John has had several Love and Logic books kicking around the house for quite some time. One of them is called "When Kids Leave You Speechless" and I was surprised when I picked it up to find that it is a book for parents, not school administration. Well, I think it is obvious where this post is going.

As I read the first few chapters I realized that I had been handling the teenage battles all wrong...very wrong. When the book gave example of what NOT to do, they might as well have been quoting me! Here is a discussion Anderson and I had a few weeks ago, I kid you not this is word for word what went down in his bedroom one night before bed.

Anderson: Why do I have to go to bed when I'm not even tired?
Me: Because it's a school night and you need your sleep.
Anderson: But if I'm not tired then I won't beeee sleeping.
Me: Anderson just go to bed and stop arguing with me.
Anderson: You never listen to me.
Me: Yes I do.
Anderson: No you don't, you don't even love me.
Me: Of course we do, I wouldn't be sitting here arguing with you if I didn't love you. (Giving
him a kiss and heading out the door)
Anderson: No you don't. I don't know why you even paid all that money to have my Leukemia
fixed. I think you would have liked it better if I had just died.
Me: Anderson! How could you say such a thing? Of course we love you that is exactly why we
paid all that money to cure your Leukemia!
Anderson: Well I bet if I got it again you wouldn't pay for it, cause you don't love me.
Me: Oh my gosh Anderson, Knock it off. We would pay again in a heartbeat because we love
you.
Anderson: If you loved me you would let me stay up late. All my friends get to stay up late. And their parents let them have cell phones.
Me: Oh my goodness! I'm going to bed, I don't want to hear any more of this crud. Good Night!

Yea...real effective. This kind of thing was going on all the time but it was this Leukemia conversation that sent me straight to the Love and Logic book. I was desperate. I knew I couldn't spend the next several years in constant battle. Anderson still says we don't love him but I don't get angry as often and I don't get into the verbal "battles" with him. Here is how our drive to Scouts went last Wednesday.

Anderson: I want to be able to download any music I want onto my ipod.
Me: I know you do but it's just not going to happen buddy.
Anderson: Why not? Everyone else gets to! Their parents don't have to listen to it first!
Me: Well aren't you lucky that I love you enough to care.
Anderson: You could just give me your password and then you wouldn't have to spend time
helping me get my songs.
Me: I'm sorry Anderson, I know it's a pain having to wait for me to listen to all your music but
I love you too much to argue about it.
Anderson: I wouldn't get bad songs! It's just so dumb!
Me: Anderson, I love you too much to argue.
Anderson: You always say that now!
Me: (Smiling) Then you must know how much I love you.
Anderson: (Getting out of the car) Well, maybe you need to love me less!

I know this sounds totally cheesy but it works! It does take a HUGE effort on my part to stay calm and to keep from falling into the trap of arguing but I have seen a big improvement. I'm not perfect at it (far from), but things are definitely getting better.

Last night as we were getting into the car Sydney and Anderson were fighting over who would sit in the back and who got to sit by Branson on the way home. Normally I would yell at them to stop fighting and then I would listen to several minutes of who did what to whom and when... blah blah blah.

Me: Sydney and Anderson, you can both sit in the back on the way home.
(Anderson who has had more Love and Logic experience, gets in the back. Sydney seeing the
coveted seat empty up front, sits down in it.)
Anderson: Mom! Sydney isn't getting into the back like you told her.
Mom: That's fine. Sydney can choose to sit in the front and I will choose to keep her home from
the birthday party on Wednesday.
(Sydney gets in the back seat)
Mom: You two are welcome to argue as much as you want in the back seat but if I hear
any of the fighting it will wear me out and you will just have to pay me back with an extra
chore tomorrow.
(silence)

About 5 minutes down the road I hear Anderson and Sydney start up one of their favorite games. It is like Rock, Paper, Scissors only you never say scissors. You can pick anything imaginable but you can't ever repeat the same thing twice and you can't repeat what someone else has said. So all the rest of the way home we hear:

Anderson & Sydney: Rock Paper________
Sydney: Mom? Which one wins? The Sun or a dog with Rabies?
Me & John together: The Sun
Sydney: Dang it!
Anderson & Sydney: Rock Paper________
Sydney: Mom? Which one wins? Water or a Tornado?
Me & John together: Tornado
Sydney: YES!
Anderson: No way! What if it is the ocean?
Me: Did you say Ocean or water?
Anderson: Water
Me: That could be water in a cup or a puddle or a lake and tornado definitely wins.
Cayden: (getting in on the fun debate) I learned in 4th grade that you can never actually
destroy water! You can get it dirty and stuff but you can't ever destroy it!

So I will take the corny one liners and the cheesy methods of Love and Logic for my Family Home Evenings to end on such a nice note.

Happy Birthday Alicia!!

2009-05-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

For her 30th Birthday my little sister Alicia wants some love...some comment love that is. So head on over to her blog and wish her a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Does Anyone Know Where the Cat is?

2009-05-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

Hello, How are you?

2009-05-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

Baby Brother's Baby

2009-05-11T20:27:00.001-07:00

Landon and Starlie had their sweet baby boy today!They haven't picked out a name yet but he was four weeks early and weighed a healthy 7 pounds 3 oz.
Both mommy and Baby are doing fine.

And for those of you who need a little brain teaser...
Landon is my youngest brother.
Starlie is John's, sister's, daughter...his niece, and when John and I got married she became my niece.
Sooooo when Starlie and Landon got married Landon became my brother and my nephew and Starlie became my niece and my Sister-in-Law. (So both Starlie and her mom are my sister-in-law.)
Confused yet? Trust me...there is no inner-marriage thing going on here.

It just means that no matter which family gathering I go to, John's family or mine, I will get to love on this adorable little guy!

Lifes Little Suprises

2009-05-11T08:14:00.001-07:00

I love it when you are just going about your day and then something small but meaningful and unexpected happens that makes you smile.

I was at the local college waiting for Anderson's Middle School Tennis match to begin. After calling John to let him know that Anderson would be playing in about 45 minutes I sat down on the grass to read my book. After about 35 minutes I began to glance up periodically to see if John had arrived. I began to wonder where the heck he was when I heard a biker ride up onto the grass. Imagine my surprise when I looked up...

Picture Detectives

2009-05-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

So it's that time of the year again where you get to help me put together my ideas for Cub Scout Day Camp. The theme this year is CSI: Cub Scout Investigators and the boys will be doing lots of detective work. At one station the cubs will be doing picture puzzles. Take a guess at what the following close ups are actually pictures of. They are all items that you would find around your home. Please let me know if they are too easy, too hard, too obscure etc. Remember that this is geared for 8-10 year old boys. Thanks for your help! (After putting this post together I realize that I need more objects with color!)

Beware of Dog

2009-05-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago Grandpa called from downstairs to tell us that there were some ducks in our backyard. Branson and I headed out to the deck and watched them waddle around the grass for over 20 minutes. And what did Belle, our chocolate lab...the mighty bird hunter do the entire time?

Oh so fierce.

Shower Obsession

2009-05-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

Branson has loved showering since he was about two weeks old. My favorite post ever is the one a year ago where I photographed his obsession with getting wet. Not much has changed except that now he is a big boy and loves to go it alone. We open the door, turn on the water and in he goes. It is so dang cute to see this little boy enjoying a big open shower all to himself. My favorite pictures show a bit more than I am willing to share on my blog, but there is just something so sweet and Innocent about all those little baby parts getting clean.

Free Jessica Sprague Digital Class!

2009-04-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

For all of you who have thought about getting started but just didn't want to spend the money, Jessica Sprague is currently offering a free get "get started" digi scrapping class! She is actually offering two, the other one is a Hybrid scrapping class. To get to the digi class you will need to scroll down the page a bit. So now what is your excuse!? You can find the free class here. Let me know how it goes!

So Much Fun!!! (And a Font Tutorial)

2009-04-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Have I said how much fun I am having with Digi Scrapbooking. Here are some of my latest layouts.

I am hooked on fonts! I love that there are endless options and styles all free for the taking. My favorite site is dafont.com but there are many others that I have found simply by Googling "free fonts." If you need a font that looks like the font used in the CSI TV series (Day Camp:) just Google it, and there you go. (The best CSI font is called Clicker...I know you were just dying to know that)
To add a new font to your computer find the font you want and click download. When the next screen pops up click on save. Click on your desktop icon so that your font is being saved there. Click save. When the font is done downloading click on close. Now when you go to your computer screen your new font should be saved right there next to all your other icons. It will be a zipped file so using your mouse, right click and choose extract file. You will see a second icon of your font pop up on the screen. You may now delete the zipped file. Go to your control panel click on appearance and personalization. Click on fonts. Click and drag your unzipped icon into your font window. You are done. Your font is installed. You may now delete the font icon from your desktop. Depending on your computer your steps may vary slightly but not by too much.

Jessica Sprague's classes are worth every penny! I have played with Adobe Elements for over 6 years and she has taught me more in two classes than I learned in all those years! This Water Park Page is one of the layouts you make in her second class. She walks you through step by step instructions and every little detail is explained. It is amazing. You can sign up for her classes at http://www.jessicasprague.com/

I think I will finally get some of my pages printed. I had been holding off, just having way too much fun in the creating department. But as I was showing John my last batch of finished layouts he said, "Why don't you actually get some of those printed off?" Well you heard what the man said, "Go spend some money!" I think I will do that today!

Take Your Kid to Work Day 2009

2009-04-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today was Take Your Kid to Work Day and since my kid's Dad has a suit and tie, meetings with parents, I'm bored out of my mind, job...they go spend a day at Grandpa Mathews' Auto Body Shop. This year Cayden got to share the day with his cousin Easton.

I always send the kids with my spare camera and I always enjoy their take on a day at Grandpa's Shop.

Photos by Cayden (age 11) and Easton (age 9)

Cayden "driving" a totalled car.

_______________________________________________________________

Ok... so this picture just cracked me up.

_____________________________________________________________

Ummmmm....I think we will have a little discussion about this one. Maybe a Family Home Evening lesson on the Word of Wisdom is in order.

______________________________________________________________

So they actually did get some work done.

_____________________________________________________________

Ok, maybe not.

_______________________________________________________________

I think Uncle Max was a bit risky letting too cousins who are prone to goofing off wash up this rig...but very cool picture Cayden.

_____________________________________________________________

Very scary boys...blast us with your dangerous blow gun that isn't even hooked up to the air hose.

_________________________________________________________________

That's better...at least the spray gun shoots paint.
______________________________________________________________

Every year Uncle Max or Uncle Ryan let my boys build something cool in the shop. It appears that this year's creation were metal initials.

Ahhhhh...that is why Cayden came home with a huge tear in his sweat pants. A metal sander will do that to you.
_______________________________________________________________- Is a blow dryer really a cool, manly tool?
________________________________________________________________

I think Cayden is a bit excited that the only cash I had to give him for lunch was a $20.
_________________________________________________________

Uncle Max and Uncle Ryan (or Dad to Easton)
____________________________________________________________

Of course, every year, there is a gorgeous picture of an engine.....
________________________________________________________________

On their trip home...the Blue Bridge over the Columbia River.

____________________________________________________________

I think they had a good time.

Sydney's First Piano Recital

2009-04-19T15:28:00.001-07:00

She played Freight Train & The Greatest Show on Earth

Mrs. Larson, her great teacher of one year!

Before the recital...nervous, but ready.

Sydney with Grandma and Grandpa Mathews. Grandma and Grandpa Cazier were there too but had to leave early for a funeral.

Funnies from the Past

2009-04-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

(June 5, 2002 Anderson age 6)

Mom “Grandpa Mathews called and wants to know if you and Cayden want to make some money this summer.”

Anderson “Sure, we could do that. It’s made out of paper. I just don’t know if we have the right color.”

--------------------------------

December 2006 Sydney age 5

OK, so Sydney was driving me absolutely nuts with her out of nowhere oddball questions! I decided to take a different approach (I was completely ignoring her or shrugging the questions off with an "I dunno"). I began to write her questions down but sad to say many of them were still answered with "I dunno". But really...is there any other way to answer some of these!?

What happens to the sun when it gets really windy?
When were you last married?
Why do we wear underwear?
Would you still choke on a toy if you chewed it up first?
Does that long stick thing in your body hold up your brain?
If people are frozen can they still move their eyes?
If Anderson died with his cap on would we leave it on or take it off?
(Plunking on the lower keys at the end of the piano) Are these keys to play bad music?

------------------------------------------
(Cayden age 4 or 5)
When Cayden was little he was crying and when I asked him what was wrong he said that he didn't know what he was going to be when he grew up. I told him that was fine, he had a long time to think about it.

Cayden: No..Alex already knows what she is going to be.
Amy;: She does? What is she going to be?
Cayden: (still sobbing) A shark!

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(January 15, 2002 Cayden age 4)
As he was throwing up with the flu…
“When I threw up my flu shot came out.”

Works for Me!

2009-04-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

After nearly 14 years of trying charts, lists, and all kinds of bribery I think we have finally found a cleaning system that works for the Cazier family. We have used the new "chart" for several months now and the "newness" has not worn off. I have to give full credit to John since he was the mastermind behind the idea.

Each Monday a new piece of paper is taped up in the kitchen with the words "KEEPIN' IT CLEAN" at the top. Below these hopeful words are the following:

Anderson $10.00 Cayden $10.00 Sydney $10.00

Each of the kids has the opportunity to earn $10.00 each and every week of the month. "Holy Cow," you say? Yes, that is a lot of money. But we have yet to pay out $30 in one week...far from it. Every time mom or dad has to "pick up" after one of the kids they lose a dollar. For example, if I go into the New Room and gather up Anderson's socks, baseball hat and an X-Box Controller--Cha Ching...he just lost $3.00 and is down to $7.00 just like that.

The only rules are:
1. The item has to be picked up and put away by mom or dad to be deducted off the list. We can't say, "Sydney pick up your coat" and then charge her $1.00.
2. Books do not count. If you leave your book on the couch to read later that is perfectly fine, but Sydney isn't allowed to leave an entire stack of Little Critters on the floor...Novels only.
3. If your bed isn't made and your room needs tidying mom will charge a $1.00 cleaning fee.
4. Arguing will only cause mom or dad to deduct another dollar.
5. No adding money onto your list if you find something of mom's or dad's lying around.

I love this system. Not only do my kids have the chance to make some money but on the way to church every Sunday we figure out how much tithing they need to pay for the week.

The house stays clean.

The kids make money.

The kids pay tithing every week.

There is no whining! I just deduct a dollar and jot down the item that cost them their precious money. I don't care if they don't pick it up, I put it away and it saves me $1.00...a dollar that they want!

All it takes is a quick reminder in the morning, "Do you want to pay mom $1.00 to clean your room today?" or "Better take a quick peek around the house to see if Mom's gonna make some cash today." Just watch them scramble.

I LOVE IT!

YeeeeHawwwww!

2009-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Exactly 2 seconds after this photo was taken Branson was bucked off the Little Red Pony.

Anderson's First Tennis Match

2009-04-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Now Why Didn't I Think of That Sooner?!

2009-04-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dinner time means crazy time. Homework, Piano practice, basketball practice and tennis practice, fussy time for toddlers (and moms) and everyone is hungry. Trying to make dinner between 4:00 and 5:00 is pretty near impossible. My first thought was that I would make dinner earlier in the day, that didn't last long. I have finally found two things that work for me.

1. I make triple the amount of food. When I make dinner I add three times the amount the recipe calls for, and depending on the dish I either freeze two of the three helpings or I cook them all and then freeze them what we don't eat that night. My family is none the wiser and I have homemade meals in the freezer, ready to go. Hmmmm....what should we have tonight? Spaghetti or vegetable beef soup.

2. The second thing that I did was get the kids cooking in the kitchen. Sydney was most excited about this one. It kind of happened by accident. I was chopping up veggies for soup when I looked at the clock and realized that if I didn't get the cornbread made soon it wouldn't be done in time for dinner. I called Sydney into the kitchen,

MOM: I need you to make the cornbread for dinner.

SYDNEY: Really Mom, or are you just joking? (I had been joking but I thought "What the heck.")

MOM: Really.

SYDNEY (who is 8 1/2): All by myself?

MOM: All by yourself. I'm too busy cooking dinner.

SYDNEY: No way! Cool!

My cornbread recipe is from scratch and all I did to help Sydney was to glance at her measuring cups and spoons as she checked with me to see if they were the right ones to scoop the ingredients. Oh, and I also pulled the super hot bowl of melted butter out of the microwave for her.

Her cornbread turned out delicious and I had not seen her that proud in a very long time. It reminded me that I need to trust my kids to harder tasks and let them go it alone sometimes.

Since then she has also made 4 cakes (complete with frosting) and snickerdoodle cookies. She is on a roll and only one cake (I didn't double check the measuring cups) turned out a bit weird.

Going Green

2009-04-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

So Washington State has been working towards banning the sales of any dishwasher detergent that is not completely environmentally safe. They started a test run in the Spokane area and only Green detergents can be sold. The complaint is that non of them work and the dishes are coming out with gunky food and crud still glued to them. Well Branson has come up with the perfect detergent. Made of all natural materials and quick dissolving we introduce you to......

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The Snickerdoodle

For best results use only a half eaten, manhandled cookie.

Cazier Corner

Where oh Where Have I Been!?

If Only...

Double the Sweetness

Good Night...Not a Chance

Can you say PHOTOGENIC?

Now Where is That?

***WARNING***

That Time of Year Again...

Pre-Teen Trauma

Winner And A Show

Dibble, Dabble, Learn

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm?"

How Do You Get To School?

Why I am Soooo Excited!

I Can Wait

Walkin' On Sunshine--With Both Feet!

What is on My Mind (in no particular order)...

Out Cold

Two Heads...No, Three Heads Are Better Than One!

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY...of Christmas 2009

What have I been Up To?

Spiffy

The Spirit of Christmas

Larson Family Photo Shoot

Blue Christmas!!!

Guess Who?

The True Christmas Spirit!

True Authentic Mom?

The Winners!

Falling For Fridays

A Christmas Giveaway!!!!

Monday Madness!

The Icing on The Cake

Fall Photo Shoot

CAST that Splint Aside!

It's My Birthday...Say Hi!

What does Branson's splint and Branson's Mom Have in Common?

November New Era

Car Wreck

Why I am a Lucky Woman

A Ghostly Presence

John's FHE Snack...er BLOB

Learning

A Challenge

Cayden's Digi Pages

Parenting

Fall is in the Air & the Trees are Full of...

True Leaders

I Spy an Easy Birthday Party!

Amy J and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Sibling Spats

Good Blood

CARS!

Farmer Photo Booth

Times

Labor Of Love

Psssssst....

Anderson's First Day

Back On Track

No Way! Summer's Done Already?

Music that Makes You Smile

Weight Loss Group

Second Hand Fun

Words of Wisdom

Guilty!

Love You Dear.

Corn, Flour or Trout?

That Would Be Nice...

Backyard Bash 2!

Not So Long Ago...

Gotta Love Technology

NOT My Kind of Fun

Happy Mail

Today I Learned that...

Never Say Never

Day Camp 2009

My Book Blog

TODAY

What do you want to be when you grow up?

WARNING