Pie Day

Pie day is always a big day.
I love making pies.
And I have enjoyed making pies with the kids since they were wee ones.
But this year...
they wanted to do - themselves.

They each picked a pie and they were in charge of that pie from start to finish.


Liam chose apple.
He did a great job.

Noble chose chocolate cream.
He has made this before and he is a pro at it.

H-y chose Banana Cream but as you can see he busied himself with many things today.
Hiding in the clean laundry on the couch.
Taste Testing the chocolate cream.
Washing the sink out with soap - this is his all time favorite activity. He did it about 23 times today. I think I have the cleanest sink in San Antonio.

This is Liam's Apple Pie.
If we gave blue ribbons around here - I think it would win.
Can you see the apple shaped cut outs and the apple shapes around the edges?
I have never made an apple pie before - because I don't like cooked apples. So this was a first for me too. I'm pretty proud of myself, I mean him, well- -us, it was a joint effort.


The best part of the day was when I called the boys down to make the pies (read: they had to stop watching Star Wars for the 1,458th time) to come. We were squeezing in a playdate with some favorite friends, the Candland's, today. I had cleaned the kitchen and got everything ready for them and put everything aside so they had my full attention and help. A few minutes into it Liam looks at me and says, "So if we are making the pies, what are you going to?"
In my head I thought....
Who cleaned the kitchen?
Who bought the apples?
Who made sure there was sugar for your pie?
Who will catch you before you cut off your finger with that knife?
Who will help you read the recipe?
Who will tell you what docking the pie dough is?
Who will teach you the easiest way to center a top crust?
Who will tell you that pies need to bake on the bottom rack so the bottom crust gets done?
Who will ...?
Well you get the idea.
What am I going to do... how thoughtful of you to ask. I am going to sit on the couch, eat bon bons and watch a sappy love story while you rub my feet! (oh, wait this is reality)

But it was a great day of baking with my kids.
I am thankful they like to cook.
I am thankful they are helpful.
I am thankful they show diligence, responsibility and dedication to family tradition.

The promised "Compulsively Honest" post

Anyone that knows me well knows one of my greatest traits is my honesty.
In all things.
Honest in my dealings with my fellowman.
Honest in my words.
Honest in relationships.
Honest in my actions.
Honest with my feelings.
Honest.
Sometimes honesty is painful
Sometimes for me.
Sometimes for the one I am being honest with.
"It's very important to Mommy to be honest." - Alec tells the boys.
Compulsively Honest.
And as with all good traits - I recognize it can be a pitfall too.


What is the difference between these two cups?


One is a free water cup - filled with Soda.
The other is a soda cup filled with the same soda.

Today, when we actually made it to McDonald's for breakfast and two friends came to join me so that I wouldn't be a loner Mom at McD's with her kids- I spent a small fortune on breakfast and everyone got OJ. Because it was breakfast. The kids were happy to play. The Moms were happy to chat. About an hour and half into the playdate ala McD's - Liam says he is thirsty. I tell him to go to the counter and ask for a water cup (implied: to get water). I had just paid a small fortune for breakfast and OJ doesn't have refills, I had no intention of spending any more money at the arches.

But then. . .

I glance up from the Mommy table to see my sweet William at the kiddo table with a clear cup filled with soda! Gasp, sputter, shock! What?! He stared at me blankly as if to say "like gee Mom they gave me cup and with all the options why would I get water?" Ugh.

So I send him to counter to pay for a small soda.
That reflex was pretty quick.
I didn't think about it at all.
I was annoyed that I was making the arches just a little more golden by paying too much for colored sugar water.

Only then did I realize or remember that I was not alone, nor was my sweet William. His friend had also gotten a clear cup and filled it colorfully. And my actions had guilted another Mom into paying too - so now the arches are even more golden because of my honesty.

And it gets better.

After saying that Noble, the honest one, wouldn't have done it... he comes in 10 minutes later with a clear cup full of soda. I just can't win! I understand that they really didn't know that essentially they were stealing. They had no idea how over priced soda is. They didn't realize that the clear cup was clear so that everyone could tell if they didn't have water. Oh the innocence.

I just don't know

I totally don't know.
I bought the fabric with someone in mind.
I sewed it with someone in mind.
But the more I sewed the more I fell in love.
And now I don't know if I can give it up.



It's true every one I make I love more and more than the first one I made.
But this one. . . be still my heart.
The pictures do not do it justice.
The chocolate brown polka dots get me.
Ohh.

What would you do?

Nov 25

There were so many things today to be thankful for and I thought - oh, that's what I will write about today... except now it's late and I can't remember any of them.

The only one I can remember is it's own post for another time. Watch for it, as it will be titled "Compulsively Honest."

A few weeks ago as Alec and I sat down to really take a good look at the coming madness known as the "holidays" I went off and said how much Thanksgiving really wasn't much fun for me. I love to cook. I love to cook with my family. But by time you get the house clean - and keep it clean, which all Moms know what it takes to keep a clean house clean; plan, buy, prepare all the food - and then if you do sit down to a table, we are usually done within a half hour and all people really want is the pie - and then the rest of the day everyone talks about how full they are. Is that really the way it suppose to be, the way we want it to be for our family? When I mentioned and while I do all "this" you watch football (I wasn't complaining, just pointing it out) and his honest response was that he wanted to help but always felt like he was in the way. Which I think any woman or cook, that has pulled off Thanksgiving or some other magnificent feast knows, that when people mess with the plan (or help) sometimes it can be stressful. So this year, we decided to take a different tactic. We will make the meat a a favorite side or two and then we kept inviting "family-less families" to join us, they each bring their favorite sides and dessert and Thanksgiving will be relatively painless. I am calmer than I have ever been. I am prepared and don't feel like I have to time-schedule a feast. Just make sure the turkey and ham are finished at the time I told everyone to be here.

Paper plates. Check.
napkins. check.
paper cups. check.
ham. check.
turkey. check. (thanks parents)

Tomorrow we make pies for a homeschool project.

Did I mention we are up to 25 guests.

Wowsers.

I am too blessed to stress. (I got that from my hubby)

Hewy Noggin

I know I said in my previous post that I was going to bed.
And I know that I post way too many pictures of my youngest.

But look. . .



He wanted us to box him up. Like fold the flaps closed. This is not an abused kid. He was laughing his noggin off. Not threat in his life whatsoever of being boxed up and shipped away. He thought it was a brilliant game.

And this.
He kept saying "take a picture Mom"
and then he would kiss the book.
I asked and asked what he was doing and he just kept saying, take a picture and kissing the book. I have no idea what was going on inside his three year old noggin.



This is Hewy with his cousin Henry watching Noggin.
Preschool shows all day everyday.
A mothers dream.
(Yes, they are cousins, I know they look more like brothers)

Nov 24 Monday Monday

It's never a good thing when your alarm doesn't go off on Monday morning. Is it? I guess it would be a good thing if I didn't have anywhere to be, anyone to meet, anything to do. But that was not the case today. And the day just kind of went that way all day.

Appointments with me were late. (Non English speaking - that's all I'm saying)
That made me miss my morning appointment. (breakfast a McD's with the Ladies)
Kids not thinking about school because it's Thanksgiving week. (I still make them read everyday)


Okay so nothing terrible happened, just little hiccups.

I did get to sit on my couch and talk to my Sister Anna for an hour or so. "Sister" as in related, not "Sister" as in church, although she is that too - a Sister in my ward. But Sister as in related first. I love her and am grateful for her genuine goodness. She is a "hopeless optimist" (That's Dunn humor) She is talented in ways that I am not. Today she was retrieving her staple gun from my garage because she is attempting to build shelves. Shelves. Really? You can make those? The funny thing, that won't be funny to anyone but me, is that my very first memory of Anna involves her making bookshelves, or talking of making book shelves. I don't remember many details. Christy (Alec's sister and my High School friend), Anna (Then Christy's roommate and I think dating Dell (Alec's brother)) and I were in a car together and the roommates (Christy and Anna) were talking about building book shelves, and I had the same exact thought 13 years ago (I'm guessing on the time frame) that I had today. Shelves. Really? You can make those?

So that was good. I am thankful to have Anna. In my life. And in San Antonio.

I also made dinner tonight. That's always a good thing. And everyone ate it without complaining. At the start of dinner Liam asked, "Why are we having pork for dinner?" and I answered, "because that's what I fixed." And that was the end of complaining about dinner. I have no idea why he asks some of the questions he does. Looking back, I don't think it was a complaint, I just think he wanted to know why we were having pork for dinner. I've got to start thinking like an inquisitive 8 year old.

I am thankful to have realized that his questions are not always complaints.

It's late and I best go to bed because I have to make good on my promise to take the kids to McD's for breakfast. Even if the ladies don't join me (who wants McD's two days in a row?)

what I did this weekend

I made these for a couple December birthdays, I don't know if they read my blog or not. If they do, sorry to ruin the surprise.
We are trying as a family to do a more "homemade" holiday this year.


This one is very light and vintage feeling.
Here is a close up of the fabrics.

This one is more vibrate and has an almost French Country feel.
And the close up of the fabrics.

Nov 21 & 22 Two for the money...

Yep. I am a slacker. I almost didn't post today either!

Yesterday -
I was, and am, thankful that I got to talk on the phone with my friend Lois. She has this amazing voice that can do wonders for my heart and soul. She lives in Utah, where it snows, her house is on a steep hill, in the neighborhood that I used to live in, when I lived in Utah, where it snows. It doesn't snow here. I don't miss not being able to get home because there was too much snow and the neighborhood was hilly and always last to be plowed. I don't miss that. I do miss Lois. I would sit on her couch or she would sit in my rocker just about everyday for at least an hour. We had so much to talk about. She was one of those people that I wasn't sure I would be able to live without when I moved. Thank goodness for email and graveyard shifts at IHC. :) That's where she works and has time to write to me with out a kid at her feet, or on her arm, or yelling from upstairs and filling her head with other things besides me. Lois is the one I write to on bad days. She was the one I called when my Grandma wasn't going to make it through the night and I just needed someone to care about that. And yesterday two busy Mom's happened to be available at the same moment and I got to chat with her on the phone and hear her voice and laugh. Until I hung up, then I cried. I have made many friends here in Texas. But Lois, is Lois, and she is my Lois. I am grateful for her.

Today -
Well, I am not grateful that BYU lost.
I am not grateful that I gave up my Saturday for yet another Stake meeting.
I am not grateful that dishes do not do themselves and the garbage doesn't take itself out on the weekend, as it seems every takes the weekends off from chores.
I am not grateful that I listened to a Suite Life of Zach and Cody marathon today as my kids vegged in front of the TV and I sewed at the kitchen table today. Really - that is entertainment for them?

I am grateful that my sweetheart went pre-Thanksgiving shopping with me. I needed someone strong to push the cart.
I am grateful that I sewed today and started December birthday/Christmas presents.
I am grateful that I finally have seen some trees change colors around town.
I am grateful to be going to bed... right now.

Is this how you feel?

the media attention - or lack there of, is starting to get to me. Things are seeming one sided and bitter.

Not to mock the situation in the least but this quote comes to mind...
"Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.
-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I got the purse today!

Some of you have no idea what I am talking about.
Allow me to introduce you to...
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Purse.



One of my counselors came up with this great idea. We have four purses rotating through our ward. Each purse has a DVD "Hands of Heaven," a journal, a list of sisters in common area/neighborhoods, and treats! (Oh and instructions but that's common sense) When we receive the purse we watch the DVD while we eat the treats, write in the journal and then pass it on to one of the sisters on the list after adding our own treats and note to the sister we pass it to.

We have only been doing it a couple weeks and I have already heard do many uplifting stories of how this movie or this project has inspired and lifted women. We even had one person give it to a friend, a non member of our church, and she knew someone else on the list - so she passed it on. What a wonderful connection we are making in our ward and Sisterhood!

I can't tell you how happy, and surprised, I was to open my door this morning and see a Sister that I don't know very well standing there with a purse and fruit basket! I exclaimed, "Do I get the purse today?!" She was amused, I think she may have thought I was faking my enthusiasm, but you can't fake it like it's real!

We will be tying it all together with an Enrichment Meeting using President Uchtdorf's quote from Priesthood Session: "Stand close together and Lift where you stand" our theme for next year.

I got the purse, I got the purse, I got the purse!

how do you ruin dinner?

I think I am on a roll this week.
Bad luck following me around.

So I was fixing dinner. Something with ground turkey.
I hadn't decided what. Probably Tacos.

I salted it.
And I peppered it.


Only it seems the pepper grinder had broken and when I tipped it over and went to grind... the top fell off and all the peppercorns fell onto the ground turkey. I was on the phone with Alec and the time and I think I gave him quite a scare (not sure what had come out of my mouth to give him any idea that something was wrong.)
He suggested I pick it out. I explained this was ground turkey, and it wasn't going to come out easily. He suggested I cook it and then if we bit into something hard we spit it out. I don't think he understood this was enough peppercorns to see us through the next six months - and we are a pepper lovin' family. I suggested he stop being a "solver."
I suggested we throw it out.

blackened ground turkey was not what I had in mind.

Now, whats for dinner?

Nov 20 I thought you were a Mom

Earlier today I thought "I am thankful for Hewy's increased vocabulary." But that seemed like a lame thing to write about.

Until just now.

I had gotten Hewy his favorite snack, chocolate milk. I was shaking it in the sippy on one side of the counter and he was on his stool on the other side. He said, "Come here Mother, I love you." in a kind of whiny voice. So I playfully said back...

"I love ya man" I can't remember where it's from, but it's from a movie and we quote it all the time at our house.

"I'm not a man, I'm a H-y. You not a man, I thought you was a Mommy."

As I thought to myself that's pretty good for a three year old.

I am thankful for my conversations with Hewy because he can explain more and more of his thoughts and because he has a humorous outlook on life.

Nov 19 My Love

(Okay, yes, I know I am doing yesterday's post today, I hope to post today's today too! I just ran out of time yesterday)

Today (yesterday actually, but today too)I am thankful for my hubby, my sweetheart, my love - thankfully too, they are all the same wonderful man wrapped into one. I know that I have a really good husband. I try to be thankful for him and not whine or complain because he is so good. He is kind, considerate, thoughtful; he is a good dad that loves his boys, interacts with them, encourages them, engages them; he is a hard worker that always puts family first, he is responsible and takes pride in the things he feels strongly about; he is just a really all around good guy. And he loves me.

Sometimes I hear other "husband" stories and thank my lucky stars for my golden man. This week has been one of those weeks where I have heard lots of other husband stories that bring me home to plant a great big long kiss on him and say - "Thank you" He has learned not to ask for what. Just say "you're welcome."

And then....

Last night I was leaving to go do a few night visits and I was in a hurry and I had this uneasy feeling about the night and I just had my mind on so many things. As I backed my van out of the garage I heard a smash - and it really took me several seconds that later felt like an eternity to realize that I had hit his car! I pulled forward, got out, by some miracle couldn't see any damage, shut the van off, went inside to tell him, and ya know what he said when I said "I just backed into your (implied: very expensive baby of a) car..."?

He said...

(Crossed the room to put his arm around me) "it's okay, you know you are more important to me than my car, are you okay?" In all sincerity. Not a single edge of worry, concern, unhappiness, disappointment in his voice at all.

He went out with me and there wasn't any damage that either of us could see, so that's good. Well, I did take some paint off (the size of a nickle), but no dents or deep scratches. But he didn't know that when he was so kind and nice in the house to me. And then he says, "I'm pretty far ahead of you in the accident, damage to cars area." (which is true, but I still felt awful.

Yes, I know that I am more important to him than his car... but I know he loves that car a great deal. I am thankful for him - and for the example he sets for me and his growing boys.

Hew's Third Birthday

Our youngest turned three yesterday!!!
He had a great day.
We started the day with a breakfast of eggs, bacon and "H" shaped pancakes. Alec parents were visiting and they had breakfast with us and opened first presents. Noble had made Hew a cookies and cream pie with trick candles for first thing in the morning.



That night we went to Chuck E. Cheese and had a few friends join us. We had pizza, cupcakes and lots of tokens.

Hew got a remote control Wall-E, a Star Wars ride on toy, lots of Cars and a mat to drive them on and puzzles.

Previous Post

These pix are about the previous post, 7 random things.
Because I am all about pictures.


This is my medicine cabinet in my bathroom.
The card that Alec gave me for our Ten Year anniv.
Can you also see the little Tinkerbell that sits on the medicine cabinet as well?
I have no idea why she is there, but she has been there for years.


Several people wrote and asked about the penguins. So I thought I would give you a glimpse into my black and white world. I started collecting them when I was young, say 10 or 11. Amber gave me my first one, it was a blue sippy/straw cup thing-y. As I got older I "grew out" of the "I Heart Penguins" stage and also had to tell people that I no longer collect them because people were buying and giving me every penguin they saw - including ugly ones. (Sorry if I offend anyone) BUT - I still do love penguins. I still collect a gem or two every now and then.

This is my nightstand.
Three penguins total - including my all time favorite one, a small glass one Alec gave me after I had H-y and a super soft stuffed one that Alec brought to me after a business trip. You can also see my favorite pic of my sweetheart, "the worlds greatest Mom" globe that Liam gave me one year for Christmas, a picture of me when I was 4-ish to remind me what it was like to be a child and what/how I wanted to be treated and understood (A Child prospective on life).

Some of my favorites.
I had to "get rid" of many of the penguins. Too many, and too many junkie ones. But these are some that are still displayed around the house. Top left is a wood one that Dell and Anna gave to me years ago. He sits on the TV in the family room. Top right - I think they are all from Alec. The polar bear and Penguin has a special meaning between the two of us. Bottom left, again, they are all from Alec. Bottom right, this one is kind of odd, and even perhaps ugly, but he was so different from all the others that I had to buy him when I saw him. He sits on the plant shelf in the stairway.

My all time favorite penguin.
He is on my nightstand as you already saw.
Hand blown glass and absolutely beautiful.
A gift from my parents.
I keep him on my nightstand because he is way breakable in a house full of boys and balls!

So what do you collect???

7 random things

Amber tagged me...
7 random things

1. I keep the card that Alec gave to me for our ten year anniv on the medicine cabinet in our bathroom were I can see it everyday and remember. That was 4 years ago.

2. I don't like to wear shoes. Not inside. Not outside. I don't like shoes.

3. I make fun of Alec for liking our kitchen light switches to all be in a certain order (you can turn them on in four places) but I like my pots and pans put back in the right way. We are both slightly O.C.D.

4. I don't like to talk on the phone. I strongly dislike the phone. I will do just about anything not to talk on the phone. I love email.

5. I have a book obsession but I don't like to read. I like to collect books and put them on shelves, but I am not an avid reader.

6. My favorite color is purple. And I collect penguins. I don't know what they have in common, but they are two random things I often say together.

7. I buy flowers for myself and then call Alec and say "Thank you for buying me flowers! They are beautiful!" To which he responds, "I just love it when I am so thoughtful." (Don't get me wrong - Alec would buy me flowers every week if he had the time, so I just save him the mental anguish over it and buy them myself. And sometimes he surprises me and comes home with flowers all on his own.)

Nov 16 the internet

Well, it seems that I have been absent for a few days.

You are right.

What is a women to do when her internet crashes?

I learned just how much I rely on it. And how grateful that I am that it is here, now and when I rely on it so much.

I tried to post several things to make up for it. I hope you enjoy.

Liam's Baptism Day

William Oliver Dunn
was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints November 15, 2008.

Liam and Daddy

Liam and Mommy

Liam, Daddy and Mommy
We're so proud of him!!!

Liam's best friend

This is Danny.
He is Liam's best friend.
They have been friends since they were small.
(those are Liam's words, I wonder what he will say in 10 years?)

I am glad that Danny could spend Liam's big day with him.

himself

This is Samuel.
He makes me happy because he is a great kid.



He also makes me happy because he dresses like this.

I am also happy that his mother lets him dress like this.
oh, so happy with the Samuel in my life.

Texas Right of Passage

Can you see what I see?



Do you know what it is?

What about now?

It's a possum! In my GARAGE!!!
Sleeping during the day all snuggly in my emergency preparedness blanket.

I had cleaned a melon the night before Liam's baptism, put the rinds in a WalMart bag, tied it closed and threw it out in the garage to pick it up the next day and take it all the way to the garbage, on the next day when I went to get my dry-cleaned dress out of the van the bag had been ripped open and the rinds were all over the place. Did I mention the garage door was down when I put the bag in the garage? yeah. This evidence meant that something was in my garage that could rip open a bag.

We found the possum later that day.
Alec successfully got it into a rubbermaid container and took it to the Stone Oak walking park to find a different happy home. It's kind of a Texas Right of Passage to have animals like skunks, raccoons and possums take up residence in the garage... but really. I don't need anything else. We have had a snake and birds and now a possum.

Success! It was a stressful adventure to get this wild animal into the container and brave hubby did it while I stood back and took pictures.