Toddler Recession and Gay rights...

This is a ridiculously busy week, but having the kids all home seems to be helping...just kidding!
I just have to take a second to share a few comments my kids made that reflect our excellent parenting.

Milan (8) "Mom, are lesbians terrorists?" (They are the worst kind son!)
Lani (2) Mom says, "Lani, it's bed time. You lay back down!" Lani looks me in the eyes and says "you give me dollar!" I gave her a dollar and she went right to sleep. I should write a parenting book!

Also a special thank you to the best sister in the whole world. She let me bring 10 crazy scouts for slip n slide and homemade ice cream at her house. You know how I thank her? Make her watch my kids for a week while we go out of town!
Christy, there is a special place in heaven for you, just don't get translated!
xoxo

Anniversary by the numbers....

Last night Christopher and I had our 15th wedding anniversary. It got us thinking about what can happen in 15 short years. I believe it was my fabulous sis in law that did this in one of her blogs...so I figure it would work for me too. Math was never my strong point, but that is really what it came down to...the numbers.
15- years married
14- years married without kids
4- months Christopher had to enjoy my abs without stretch-marks...not to mention all the other things that got stretched out...but let's keep it PG!
4- children
14- years we've been parents
7- houses we've lived in
2- cities we've lived in
6- times we've been to Europe together
9- times we've been to Canada together
45- states we have visited together
? - times Mom and Dad babysat while we went on trips...countless! (You're the reason we're still married, Mom and Dad!)
2- added body parts
1- lost body part
?- arguments...why count...I'm so over it ;)
0- arguments I've won

You know, Christopher and I hardly knew each other when we got married. It was either truly inspired or the craziest thing I've ever done. We've had our ups and downs, our struggles and triumphs. I can say with all honesty that I love him more than I did 15 years ago and I can't imagine having anyone on my team but him.
Humor has been the one thing that has kept us sane these past 15 years. His closing remarks to me at the end of our night out on the town were, "I never said it would be easy being married to me. I only said it wouldn't be boring!" Now lets just hope it's worth it!
Here's to another 15! (Then we'll evaluate things from there.)
Love you Christopher!
xoxo
Cheryl

Lauren

(Lauren, Middle)

Fourteen years ago today, 20+ people crowded into a tiny hospital room. There were so many first about to happen...I was becoming a mother, Christopher a father, 4 were becoming grandparents and two more great grandparents, not to mention aunts and uncles. All of them for the first time. After a seemingly endless pregnancy, it was almost over. One last push and a then her first cry, followed by a loud cheer and applause in the room. Everyone was in tears and no one would be the same. The doctor that delivered her had never wanted kids, at Lauren's delivery she changed her mind!
Lauren and lived up to that dramatic entrance into the world. She came out perfect in every way and has become more than we ever imagined in a daughter. Sure she has a messy room and gets a little annoyed with her parents. But she has been more than happy to let us do all our practicing on her. She knows we're making it up as we go and she tries so hard to be patient with us. Truth be told she's raising us, not to mention all her younger siblings! Lauren...you make us sooo proud. We can't imagine our life without you in it!
Happy 14th Birthday angel girl! We love you more than you'll ever know!
xoxo
Mom and Dad

What did we do to deserve this?!

There have been a few moments in the last few years when we have asked ourselves this question...What did we do to deserve this? We've had our ups and downs for sure. But I have never asked myself that more than when I look at my little Elan "Lani" Haws. She just turned two yesterday and has spent every waking moment brightening our lives beyond belief! She can turn the most horrific day into the happiest day of your life. Whether it's her "deetle,deetle,deetle" (tickle,tickle,tickle,) or her "Are you OTAY?!" I'm pretty sure her Dad would have lost his very mind if it weren't for her undying love for him. Sure she also refers to her Uncle Wes as "Daddy," but we know her heart only belongs to Daddy. I thank my lucky stars for being able to physically pull off one more pregnancy with this aging body so we can have little Lani in our family! I know for sure Heaven knows us and sends little guardian angels to help us get through this life. I just hope I can be the Mother these sweet kids of mine deserve!
Happy Birthday little Lani! We love you more than you can imagine!!

Best rolls ever!!

Knot Rolls

1-1/2 T yeast or 1 T saf-instant yeast
3 cups milk
1 cube butter and 1/4 cup shortening ( you may use any combination of butter/shortening, etc) I use what they recommend.
1 cup instant potato flakes
3/4 cup sugar
1 T salt
4 eggs
approx. 7 to 8 cups flour, half all purpose and half bread flour

step 1: Heat milk and add the butter and shortening . Add the potato flakes, sugar and salt and let sit.

Step 2: Beat eggs and add the above milk mixture. Make sure the milk is not too hot. You may add 2 C of the flour and mix to cool it down. Add the yeast. If you use saf –instant yeast just put it in, otherwise, you will need to prepare the yeast ahead of time as you normally would with any bread recipe by adding 1/4 C warm water and 1/2 tsp. Sugar to the yeast in a separate bowl. Mix the eggs and milk on low speed and slowly add the flour. (Suggestion: keep one cup out and let the mixer run for about 5-8 min. and then add the last cup very slowly until the sides of the mixer are clean. Sometimes it takes all eight cups, sometimes less.)

Step 3: Let rise for 1 hour. Divide dough in half and roll into a large circle. Take soft butter sp[read all over the circle. Take the top of the circle and fold to the middle, then take the bottom of the circle and fold on top so that you have a long rectangle. Cut the dough into 1 inch strips and tie in a knot. Place on greased pan or line with parchment paper. They make beautiful rolls. This recipe is very easy. Let the rolls rise for 2 to 3 hours. Depending on the temp of the house and bake at 375 for about 11 to 12 min.

Honey butter: equal parts butter, honey, and powdered sugar.

Lani's Skinned Knee

Poor Lani skinned her knee. And at the time she did, she was too happy to notice!

-Lauren

Shameless Plug!

I would like to take a moment to shamelessly plug our latest venture. I am genuinely excited about the fact that we are finally opening the highly anticipated (especially by me) spa. I toured around one of the locations the other day and it is so huge and so impressive I can hardly believe we are associated with it:) The best part is, is if you sign up 4 friends you get a free membership! I know, Christopher has only been to a spa once in his life. He is all too aware of his weaknesses and has hired some very capable experts to actually carry his idea out!
We are trying to get the word out so anyone that wants to throw a "Spa party" (a great way to get your free membership) would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for all your support over the years patiently waiting for this to actually happen. No pressure, we can live on our food storage for a couple more weeks!

Frespa Link: http://www.freespa.net/

Sweet Mercy!

I have officially survived my 38th summer in Arizona. It is finally only in the 90's for a high now and I couldn't be more grateful! I had become so acustomed to not being able to let the kids go outside, confined only to the four walls of our home, that I almost forgot summer was over. You should have seen the look on little Lani's face when I opened the door and let her walk outside for the first time. She wasn't even sure what to do with herself....so of course she took off running (just in case I changed my mind.) Anyone with a toddler knows what happend next...her first skinned knees, but atleast she had her freedom. Thank goodness for the ever so slight changes in weather we enjoy here in the desert. If I could afford the gas to fill a moving truck to Utah, this may have been my last summer here, but alas! Hopefully those of us having had to endure a lifetime of Arizona summers will be spared from the depths of hell, purely out of mercy!

Lani's Busy Day