Winter, why do I love thee so much?!

Well because....
Little cuties (clementines) are in season.
Freshly falling snow
snuggles by the fire
Hot Chocolate! Mint
Sledding
Christmas
Lights everywhere
Candy canes
Valentines
Shoveling, I love it!
snowmen and angels
Baking, ok maybe not, I eat too.
Our cabin
snowmobling
really cute clothes!
More hot chocolate
Mint M&M's
Pumpkin spice and gingerbread
roasted almonds
resolutions
lotion
ice skating
reasons to call in sick
skiing
Hats hats and more hats!
mulled spice
blankets
icicles
fog
orange chocolate sticks
snowflakes
nutcrackers
hmmm.... well you get the picture. I wish it would snow!

New Recipe Blog!!!

Hey everyone! I have been working on putting together a "one a day" recipe blog for sometime. I have finally started it. It is a work in progress, but I think you will like some the recipes it has to offer! Find it at justsimplycook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!!

Wonderful surprise

So I found a wonderful little surprize today when I went to write in my "Thankful" journal. The page that I was going to write on, already had an entry. What a wonderful surprise! I love this girl!

Need I say more?!! They stayed on her face for over an hour!

New Years 1998

So I was going through an old book the other day and stumbled onto a piece of paper with my New Years Resolutions from January 19, 1998. I can't even remember where I was in 1998! 3 years post high school and working at the Gap, I think?! That's about as exciting as it got. But the resolutions really hit home ( most of them really boring) as I realized I didn't keep many, but that's ok, because it only took me 12 years pull my head out!

1. lose weight- duh
2. Go running whenever I can, even though I hate it.
3. Eat heathly and not because you are bored.
4. Save Money! (should have listened to this one!)
5. Do good in school.
6. Spend more time with family.
7. Say prayers always.
8. Attend church!! DO NOT FALL AWAY! (OOPS! Well, at least I am back right?!)
9. Try to have a Cherry Disposition! ( Ok, weird. I must have just watched Mary Poppins!)
10. Be a better friend.
11. Date more.
12. Learn how to do something you don't know how to do.

Funny how some things NEVER change!

What every woman yearns for.... SIMPLICITY!!

Is there a woman/ mother out there that doesn't yearn for a more simple life? Sure, but in what? We are not all created the same. Maybe for some writing a novel, opening a boutique flower shop (would LOVE IT), having an amazing job, OR maybe just finishing one simple task at a time would be enough. I would love the last one. Time to finish, SOMETHING that I have started! With 3 kids under the age of 6, I find myself thinking of myself last most of the time. I still find time for me, but even since I started writing this post at 9am, I have had to break up 3 fights between my 2 youngest, clean up a spilled milk, take a book away from my two year old because she was tearing the pages out, change a poopy diaper, start 2 different movies that they still aren't watching, let the dog out and answer the phone and got two really big hugs from my daughter. All within about 35 minutes. WOW, simple! Sometimes, I just want to scream!

So, I daydream in between my life of chaos. I think of a "simple life." I picture a beautiful farm in the middle of nowhere, with open fields of wildflowers, a big porch with a swing and a glass vase always full of lemonade. Of course the weather would always be a perfect 72. And I would always have fresh cut flowers in every room. Daisies mostly. Horses in the pasture that I could go and talk to or ride at any moment. And off in the distance is a small bed and breakfast that I opened and run. Ahh, that sounds nice, but not very realistic at the moment. Oh well, maybe someday! But how can I find some simplicity in my life?

Well, I believe that we have to have gratitude for what we have and what we are dealing with each day. Really realize what we are trying to simplify. When we appreciate all that we have, we tend to want to change our lives of the things that make life harder or more challenging. Get back to the basics! Declutter! Spring cleaning, even if it's not spring. Less is more. I really believe that less is more.

I have been reading a book about finding joy in all things. I have made a goal that each night I write a seperate journal of the things that I found joy in that day. So, I took the number 5 and each night before I go to bed, I have to write 5 things that made me happy, grateful that day. I have found that some days, I can keep going and going. There are a lot that are the same each day. Other days, not so much, but it has got my wheels turning on what is really important and what I need to focus on or simplify.

My list last night consisted of the following.... (Some of it has been edited... hee hee)

1. Loved that Anna wanted to snuggle for a solid 30 minutes today! I love the way she smells. (Sometimes)

2. I didn't have to make dinner tonight. Eat out as much as possible. Not really, but good thought!

3. Laying next to Brandon each night makes my soul feel incredible.

4. I am sure that I will have to get up with Will sometime in the middle of the night and that's ok. Just another opportunity to give him a kiss and make him feel comfortable. I have learned to embrace the 2am wakeup call each night.

5. I painted Mara's room today and it looks soooo cute. Pink. Pink. Pink. That girl can't get enough of the color pink.

Even though I went to bed last night with a dirty kitchen, unfolded laundry, and who knows what else is waiting for me today, I can go to bed each night with gratitude in my heart and the want to simplify things that really matter. Everyday will give us simple gifts, we sometimes just have to search for it.

Ok, so let's be honest.

About a year ago, I started this blog. I don't really know why I did it. Maybe it was because everyone else had a blog and I was sick of answering, "no I don't have a blog"! (So much for not being a follower. ;0) Or maybe it started out as just a link for my family out of state or to family I don't see very much. Or I could have been bored and wanted to try something new. Who knows. It was a place where I could post pictures and talk about my kids and my adoring hubby. They are my life. And their stories were all I had to offer.

But as I have been inspired by all of the very honest blogs that I read each day and find comfort and joy in my beliefs, I have been opened in a way I never thought possible for me. I have been inspired to become better. A better wife, a better mother, sister, daughter, friend, companion, believer, leader. Or, just better at life.

I believe that most people live their lives (or maybe I am talking about myself right now), backwards. Trying so hard to get all that they want to find happiness, when really, happiness comes from first finding yourself. That usually doesn't come naturally. We have social obligations to make more money, obtain a lot of "things" and keep up appearances. Its not wrong, just backwards. Pure Happiness cannot be bought, sold or stolen. I am almost 33 years old and it has taken me that long to find peace, not in things, but in myself. I was a tough wall to break through. Just ask, my husband about our first date. He won't hold back. hee hee. But with that peace comes happiness I never thought possible.

It didn't come easy, and each day is a work in progress. Almost 9 years ago, an incredibly strong man came into my life and made me who I am today. He was strong where I was weak and vice versa. SOO, to make a Very LONG story short, he turned me from someone who doubted everything and down deep hated myself, to someone who can walk in faith and just be happy no matter the circumstances. He made me want to be honest with myself and others. I had always doubted "me" and my potential. I held up walls for so long. I didn't stand up for what I believed in. Put on a poker face and just kept up with the flow of traffic. Sometimes, I kept ahead of traffic, if you know what I mean. But with all that has happened to us in the last 8 1/2 years of marriage, I found me. I found my eternal companion and I try to enjoy each day to it's fullest. Don't get me wrong, I still struggle with a lot of things, but don't we all?! But I know that I can finally be free from a bondage that weighed me down for so long. A bondage that put limits on what I could do or think. I can be me! I can live! As someone once said, "You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough.

Homemade Gummy treats recipe!

If your kids like gummy treats as much as mine, then this is the project for you. I got so sick and tired of buying gummy treats and I stumbled onto this recipe the other day and my kids are begging for more! ENJOY AND HAVE FUN!

All we needed was 1 -3 oz box of flavored gelatin and 2 - 1/4 oz packages of unflavored gelatin, water and candy molds. (we used two candy molds)
Place 1/3 cup water in a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the Jello and unflavored gelatin over the water. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes. (If you like chewier gummi candy add in another packet of unflavored gelatin.)
Place sauce pan over medium heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved, about 2-5 minutes. When mixture is liquid and all gelatin has dissolved, remove from heat. Let cool a minute and then pour into a container that is easy to pour from.
Fill molds. The sheet of star molds worked a bit better than the bears because they are a bit deeper. However, I must say we were just needing an activity so our standards were pretty low--- we thought they all turned out great!
Allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes. They may be placed in a refrigerator for about 10 minutes if the kids are eager.

Once cool, the backs can be lightly dusted with corn starch, if desired
Peel the gummi candy out of the molds. Don't be shy, you won't hurt them when peeling them from the molds. No need to oil the molds! YUMMM!!!

THE ULTIMATE PRINCESS PARTY!

The month of December is a crazy one at the Elggren's! Not only because of the chaos of the holiday season, but 2 of our 3 kids were born in December. The 22nd and the 30th! AHHHH!!! (What were we thinking?!) SO, we had two crazy birthday parties around Christmas time. Will's and Mara's, Mara's birthday was AMAZING! We were thinking of things to do and I stumbled across (through a friend) Princess Amerah! WOW!!!! She is AWESOME!!! We had 20 girls here that day and Princess Ariel did all the work. Amerah can come to your house, school, library, whatever, as any princess that you want. And believe me when I say she is worth it! She had all the girls in aww for over an hour! (http://www.magicprincessparties.com/)! Check her out! Below are some pics of the party!

It's always something!, BUT that's going to change!

I have had a lot on my mind these past few weeks with William's birthday, Christmas, Mara's birthday and now New Years. Let's start here. Resolutions. Should I make them? I never keep them. Well sometimes I do. And if I make them, what are they?! THINK, THINK, THINK!

Well, what does my heart most desire?! Same things as everyone else, I guess. Lose weight, make more money, be happy, etc.... But, let's go back to William's birthday party. Tuesday, December 22, 2009. Just a couple of weeks ago. Everything was great! The kids were so happy, we were at Jungle Jims Playland! ahhhh!!!! Play heaven for kids. Well, so we thought. We had only been there for about 15 minutes. I put Anna on a swing and buckled her tight. Took pictures galore and then looked over at my husband. I thought to myself that it was weird that both of his parents were hugging him and then it CLICKED. Seizure. WHAT?! I had just had a conversation with him and now he was in a full blown grand mal seizure?! Funny how fast life can change. We quickly called 911. They were there in record time considering the horrbile snow storm that night. We also had the most amazing friends there on the phone and by our sides almost as quick as it happened.

The paramedics came and took his vitals and to make a VERY long story short, we are back doing blood work, tests, etc. STILL NO ANSWERS!!! For those of you who know our long history of no answers with Brandon's health, it has been extremely frustrating. There are times where I wish I could have the health issues and not my wonderful husband. He doesn't deserve it. But, I guess no one does. We all have something going on in our lives that we don't care for. Something that we struggle with. Thus, some of the reasons for resolutions.

SO, my New Years Resolution this year is find ANSWERS for the love of my eternity. He is my everything and I am done watching him suffer. We have so much to accomplish, so much to live for. I will achieve this resolution this year. I will find out what is happening! I promise for him, myself and my children.