Nothing a little Fabric can't Fix!

So my good friend Megan and I were talking the other day and I mentioned that I was looking for a Double Jogger Stroller. She said that she had one that had been sitting in the yard for a year or two and that I could have it if I wanted it. I was like, "Are you sure?" She insisted that she didn't need it and she did tell me that it probably wasn't in the best shape after sitting in the sun for so long. But still I was interested so I went and checked it out. Sure enough it was a little faded and the buckles had basically disintegrated. They fell apart and all that was left was the buckle. She rinsed it off for me and I took it home.



After staring at it for a while I decided that it wasn't too bad. I was thinking that all it really needed was a new tire (because one of them looked like it had melted)and to make a shade thing. I was thinking about making a shade for it when I thought that if I did that then it would just look silly because the shade thing would be bright and the rest would have been all faded. So then I started wondering if I could make a slip cover of some sort for it.

After looking on the Internet for on and coming up empty handed I decided that I would just have to do it myself. So I went to Walmart and bought some canvas type fabric and some straps for the buckles and came home and went to work measuring and cutting and measuring and fitting. It was tricky but I finished it!.



And here it is! It is far from perfect but hey it works, right? And I still have not finished the shade part but the hard part is done. The shade thing should be easy. And as for the tire that looked like it had melted. Turns out all it needed was a new tire tube. I have to thank Megan, not only for giving me the stroller but for getting the buckles out of the trash for me! I am excited to get out and start running!

Early Birthday for Big J

So It was officially Big J's Birthday yesterday. But he had to go to Washington for work so we celebrated on Thursday. I labored all day to make his requested cake, from his Grandmothers Recipe. Its a very time consuming recipe in that you have to mix by hand and sift it 3 times.

Now I don't know how important those 2 things are but Big J wouldn't let me do it any other way. I have made this cake only one time before so I didn't have all the kinks worked out. However I did, after the last time making it, go out and buy a sifter. This helped the process a lot! I also only have one 9 inch round pan which gave me the perfect opportunity to mess it up. After the first layer was done cooking I was too impatient and tried to take it out too soon and it just crumbled up! So then I was upset because who wants only a single layer cake? So I grabbed the box of chocolate cake mix that I had in the cupboard and made that too. So now It was only half homemade.


I had the bottom and the top layer dark chocolate cake mix and the middle was Big J's Grandmas recipe. The frosting was also homemade and then I put some white chocolate shavings on the top and sides. It turned out OK I guess but it wasn't all the "Greatest Chocolate Cake ever" which his Grandma's recipe is. (according to Big J) Little A watched me put the candles on and when she saw the 3 asked when he was going to be 4 like her. I thought that was cute.


So I hope that you had a great birthday Big J! We love you and are grateful for all you do for us. We are so blessed to have such a kind, hardworking, self-less Father and Husband.

Big J's New Calling

So Big J is now the new Ward Clerk! It was a total surprise. It was also a surprise to hear what that entailed. We went into the meeting thinking it was something to do with Stake Mission Prep or Elders Quorum. They said a lot about how he gets to see and know the inner workings of the Bishopric. They also said that when the Lord wants to tutor one of his children he gives them this calling. They said a lot about trust and confidentiality and how he couldn't share details with me (which I knew and expected) but that he could share the feelings and testimonies that would come from this calling. I knew that he would love to give me a hard time about the fact that he can not share details. So I told them about how he ALWAYS says that he can't tell me things because I am not in the "Circle of Trust"! They all laughed. No doubt I will hear that a lot in the coming months. He was sustained and set apart today and the outgoing Clerk was more than happy to pass the keys and get him "logged in" to the computer today after church. So there you have it.

Ice Cream Creations!

I have probably talked to most of you about the creation that I make when I go to COLD STONE. Even though I am sure that I am not the first person that has made this creation before I think that It is SO good. Some people that I tell about it are surprised by the combination. I am always like really? And then tell the that they have to try it. Most people say that they will but I doubt that they ever do. Anyway, I have been trying to come up with a good name for it for a while.

Having said all this, last night Big J and I went out to Cold Stone after the fireside at the Stake Center. (Given by Pres. Carter on Power Tools for Faith) And after we were stunned by Big J's new calling. (Pay attention on Sunday) While we were sitting there I thought of a name and I couldn't believe that I had thought of one so easily. Now that I have it I can't believe that it wasn't one of the first that I tried. Because naturally when someone goes to name something they automatically try to mix the words of the things that they are naming.

The name is Razzoreo. And from that you might guess that the 2 main ingredients are raspberries and Oreo's. Yes when I go to cold stone I have them take French Vanilla ice cream and mix in raspberries, oreos and sometimes nuts. It has just the right amount of chocolate to vanilla ratio and the raspberries give it tart and sweet. So you have Chocolate, Vanilla, Tart, Sweet, and if you add nuts then the salty of the nut and the crunch. What more could you ask for? It is the perfect Ice Cream Creation.

And now that I have made a whole blog about it I am feeling a little silly but oh well. Its good and maybe just maybe I'll tell Cold stone about it and they can put it on their menu. Its a far reach but who knows!

***Cheyenne Update***

So It has been 2 weeks since we brought home Cheyenne. She has been a great dog so far. The first week I was a little frustrated with her because of the potty training. But now I think that we have that mostly under control. I still don't trust her at night so I keep her in her cage. I don't know when you are supposed to trust them enough to leave them out all night.

The kids just love her and she has become much more active in the last week. Little A wants to be in charge of her all the time and she tries to make her do things, which earns her a little growl every now and then. At least she has stopped trying to carry her around everywhere.



We have been able to teach her how to play ball, so that is fun. I was beginning to worry that she would never learn but she does pretty well now. Although she has a very short attention span. Everyone that meets her asks about her and says that she is so cool. All I can say is I KNOW! She is totally different. She has a look about her that make you think that she wouldn't be fun to pet but she is totally the opposite. She has fattened up just a bit. When we brought her home she was so bony and it kinda worried me a little bit. But now when I pet her I cant feel her bones as much. So that is good.

Now I am just wondering what I am supposed to do with her when we go to MT for my sisters wedding. I think that I want to take her with us but I am still trying to figure out if that is reasonable or not.