Pics and more to come

I'm back!

Hi everyone! Well there is no easy way to get back in to blogging but to just start writing. Facebook and life has taken over for sure. Honestly the thought of starting to write something on my blog overwhelms me. I got so behind that I have had a million ideas to write on here and pictures to post.
Dale is officially a real estate broker.
As of right now I am working assisting him in his new company Professional Real Estate Negotiators. Which has been challenging learning everything there is to know about real estate and short sales. This should help him become less stressed and be able to free up more of his time. Also I can be able to train someone else to do short sales processing and train other real estate agents that sign up under Dale. Yesterday I drove Dale all around town, while he worked on his computer looking up information for his clients and answering phone calls. So basically I was his glorified chauffeur. Also I was working at Vista Dorada Dental. I needed to get back in the swing of things with my career and catch up on all the technical computer programs. I worked there for about 2 months and it became painfully slow. I had 3 hour lunch breaks and some days only seeing one patient. It was a relief to finally get laid off and be able to focus more on my family and my other new job. I did enjoy the new experience and loved the office. Everyone was exceptionally nice and fun to work with. I want to go back and visit the office and see everyone again, it bitter sweet goodbye. It is hard in this economic time for dental offices. A lot of them are closing. It is very sad.

Eliza celebrated her 4 birthday this last April. We threw a huge birthday party for her. One was on her actual birthday at Chuckie Cheese with just immediate family. The other one was at my in-laws house where we invited her entire preschool and half the neighborhood. I rented a water slide combo bouncy house and a snow cone machine. I also made Eliza a princess castle birthday cake. Which became very challenging and eventually took the help of entire Orton family and Dale to pull it off. It was called at first the leaning town of Pisa, and eventually with Dale's natural engineering skills became upright. This cake was a huge surprise for Eliza and I couldn't wait for her to walk in and see the awe in her face. It was way worth it! I have a video with her mouth falling open. It was perfect! About 50 people came and it was a big hit. Bart and the guys help put up a canopy outside with chairs and tables. We had a pinata and tons of food. The kids went swimming even though it was a little on the chilly end. I hired a babysitter to watch the pool and be a lifeguard. Which was completely worth it, no one died... 0). I have to thank Eric, Tauni, Bart, and Suzy. This party was the best I have ever thrown and was a huge success. This party was suppose to be Eliza's goodbye to sucking her fingers. We spent several months earning stickers and talking about how she is going to be big now. She told me that she wanted to earn a birthday party for stop sucking her fingers. So I thought awesome .....her birthday is coming up so I will just incorporate this in my plan. Well needless to say she isn't ready to give up sucking her fingers. I had a fun time putting this party together!

Samuel had a birthday as well on the 3rd of November at Chuckie Cheese. He is now officially 2 years old. We invited my family and some friends to come. The party was nice because no one was at Chuckie Cheese and we had the whole place to our self. He loved singing Happy Birthday.... yes he knows the song. Just as he was going to blow out the candle he knocked over his cupcake on the floor. Luckily we had another ready to go for the finale. I also made him a Mickey Mouse cake for him as well. He is such a joy and I just love every minute of playing with him. He is still my little guy! He loves to copy his big sister and wants to be just like her. No one is cooler than she is. He loves wearing her headbands, her princess pink pajamas, princess shoes, and her Dora shoes as of last night. He has decided his plain brown shoes are not going to work for him. I am not too worried he loves all his cars, video games, and especially playing with all his boy cousins and friends. But this is going to be funny when he gets bigger and I can remind him of the girlie things he use to do. He loves Mickey Mouse and anything with the movie Cars on it.

Well I am running out of time but I will catch up more the rest of the week!

My Diary

I just got back from our last zoo adventure yesterday with my favorite friend. It was such a windy day, but nice that the park was empty. We had a good time. I was lucky to be able to put Samuel to bed and have Dale work from home. So I knew with one child less that the zoo was do able. My friend has to be careful bec she was miscarrying and I had my broken toe. Which I would take the broken purple toe any day then have another miscarriage. I hurt my toe stepping over my broken baby gate. It came down as my toe brushed it and I landed on my toe wrong. Then the rest of the day Samuel, Eliza and Dale all managed to step on it. So fun times!
I am glad to be done with the zoo bec my kids are now getting bored with it. So if they aren't having fun what is the purpose of going. So maybe next year I will get a membership!
My baby Samuel is doing some cute things these days. He likes wearing Eliza's headband. He will go into the bathroom and rummage through her bows etc and grab the headband. He feels so big when he has it on. Dale was like did he put that on himself? Funny. So I wanted to take a picture of him with it on but Dale was like he is wearing Eliza's pink sweats. So he said no pictures bec he didn't want to tramatize our child. Maybe next time!
Also last night we were doing our family prayer and I got him to fold his arms. It was so cute and he felt so big and started giggling at himself. Everytime I would say fold your arms Samuel he would do it. Such a cute kid!
Well I am off to go to the temple tonight with Dale's family. I am having a new friend watch them. So I am a little nervous bec I am not sure how the kids will do. It is hard letting someone new watch your kids.
Goat milk? I just started my kids on whole goat milk. It has been great change because my kids are lactose intolerant, so tummy aches happened quite regular. Goat milk does not have lactose in it... is is very similar to mother's milk. Easily digestable, and has the natural immunity in it. So they have been as healthy as a horse lately. I am lucky my sister Rachel has goats so I can get it fairly inexpensive. I can't wait for my brother's goat to have her babies and we will be able to have another goat producing milk.
I just went to my good friend Julie Larsen's wedding this last weekend. She is in the middle of this picture. This is a few of my friends at my bridal shower. Such a cutie! I am so happy for her to find her perfect match.... she is 32 and he is
35. So they know perfectly well what they are getting into at this age.
Also I saw this picture of my grandmas and I miss them. My Grandma Gardner died January of 2007, and my grandpa soon followed. This is a tribute to my Grandma Gardner.

Pay it forward!

Thanks Julie for the idea!

Pay It Forward

This should be fun!!!

Here is what you do. . .

The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a handmade gift from me! What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, type up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going. Then come back and let me know you are going to play! Then sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! (Please leave your e-mail address in your post to me!)

Let the fun begin!

Zoo membership

Sonja sent me her membership to the zoo. Thanks Sonja! So for the rest of March I have unlimited access to the zoo.
Tauni and I went for Doc birthday. It was a lot of fun! Eliza loves lions. So Samuel and Eliza took turns sitting on him.
Then their was the clam shell. So Eliza is practicing being the little mermaid.
We got to go on the train and it went around the whole park. Samuel loved feeding me chips. He was laughing histerically so I had to have Tauni take a picture.
We have gone now two more times since. I got to get my use out of the card so I have 5 more outting planned for the rest of the month.

I am doctor now!

Eliza is playing Doctor with her animals. She got to dress up as a Vet for preschool on career day. We talked about all the things she could be when was big. She said that she just wanted to be big like me. So we talked about being a teacher, a animal doctor, a firewoman etc. She didn't seem too interested. So I told her I think she wants to take care of puppies. That got her attention! After I gave her gloves, stethoscope, and medicine... she was on her way! Then later she told me "Mom I don't want to be a dog anymore now I am a doctor." I thought that was too funny! That is one of her favorite thing to play is a dog.

Bread recipe

Thanks Jennie-Lisa! This recipe turned out a lot better than the one I got off the wheat flour package. So I wanted to always keep it so it now on my blog.
Dale even moaned as he took his first bite. Last week I made 14 loaves of bread this week I have made 7. Dale has now asked me to stop making bread due to the mess.

Bread Recipe-

5 C. warm water ( bath warm, not too hot)
3 T. yeast
2 T. salt
2/3 C. olive oil ( you can use any.... just what I use)
2/3 C. honey ( I alternate oil and than honey so the honey won't stick to the cup)


Mix all above for a few seconds in your Bosch or Kitchen Aide and then turn off and let it sit and bubble for 10 min. ( I set the timer every time so it's exact and I don't have to worry about forgetting.)


Turn mixer on the first setting and add:
10-12 C. Whole Wheat Flour ( I just watch the sides and as soon as almost all the dough pulls away from the edge stop adding flour. Turn mixer to the second setting and let it knead for 10 min.)




After the 10 min. turn of mixer and crack open the lid or put a towel on it leaving a small space open and let it rise for 10 min.


While it's rising get out loaf pans and spray generously with cooking spray. Also spray a large spot on the counter and when it's through rising, place dough on counter and spray your hands and divide dough into loaf sizes.( I believe it is worth it to buy glass loaf pans.... I think it bakes alot better.)
It makes about 2 lg. pans and 2 sm. pans.


Turn the oven onto 350 degrees and place the loaf pans onto top of stove and cover with a towel. Let it rise for (can you guess?...) 10 min.


Cook for 30-35 min. depending on your oven. Let them get golden brown.


After you take them out, butter the tops... it makes for soft crust and then I take them out of pans right away and let cool all the way before putting in zip lock baggies.


( I use White Wheat, it is a little lighter in flavor and texture. It's not as heavy as Red Wheat. But if you use Red Wheat or flour from the store it might be too heavy and not stick together well so you might have to replace 2-3 c. of the wheat flour and use white flour.)