Our weekend..

was a great success. We had presents for John for 4 days last week. They were just small and simple but they were so important for the kids. Unfortunately for John. they all revolved around food items. Well, that's what he gets, I guess.
we try and pamper him but he likes to share in all that goes on rather than to take a nap or a seat on the couch. That is great except on the days we want to pamper him. Then, it makes it hard. Oh well! We had a fun day anyway and I didn't have to make the whole meal by myself ( a bonus).
I tried some homemade freezer rolls and they actually turned out fairly well, now I am wondering what else I can freeze ahead. Can I freeze cinnamon rolls before the second rising, or corn dogs, or??? The list goes on and on. I am trying to think about all that I see in the store that is frozen and wonder if they put something "special" in it to freeze. that is my next project.
I am gonna try cinnamon rolls this week and more cresent rolls. That's a good start.
Well, the impossible happened this week! Josh set a date for his Eagle Scout project July 18th. He is working with anysoldier.com to collect money and items for soldier's who are deployed in combat areas. The money will help send the packages..and the donation list is endless but hot items are the individual drink mixes and diaper wipes. But, really anything from home that is prepackaged and not chocolate (too hot and it will melt).
I am impressed with all that he has done so far and I am determined to not complete any of this for him. I do help him with ideas and we will both brainstorm with him but we want him to complete this on his own. I did go pick up some items today for him since i was already out and about.
Well, this week we are onto Animals and have the zoo and Bean museum planned. But, first I have to get the vans emissions and safety done. The kids have been doing all right but I have started to limit computer time to a couple of times a week rather tahn everyday and they aren't always happy with that idea. It has helped today with no rain.
ON to the week....

June is well underway....

at our house. We are having so much fun now that my ankle is getting better. It still hurts and is swollen (I hope that's normal) and it only really hurts on side to side movement and extreme stretching ( my cupboards are a bit too high). Walking doesn't seem to be too much of a problem but not too much walking still.
Besides that! I have been baking like a fool. Who knew cooking could be so much fun.
Okay, maybe John did know that but... We are plugging away at our summer. We are doing lots of scout requirements, picnics, and discovering the joy of being a child all over again! I am not sure who loves summer time more..me or the kids. What a lazy time to relax and listen to the kids laughing (okay, yelling at each other and arguing but, I swear I did briefly hear laughter today, maybe that was me laughing at all of the whining and complaining). We did have a shining moment today, shopping at DI for 1 1/2 hours...you could have heard angelic choirs of angels singing during that time as I smirked a little at the other moms' kids throwing tantrums. We are gearing up for our first ever "stay"cation! It is going to be amazing. We are going to Trafalga, McDonalds, Thanksgiving Point, KFC (provided those rain checks ever show up!), Pier 49 Pizza, the movies, This Is the Place, Hogle Zoo, Hiking Ensign Peak, Timp Caves (never been there) and a couple of other things planned. It is going to be great! We are ending the week with a carnival (in our backyard, that we are working on right now) and an outdoor movie. Doesn't that sound great? I am tired just thinking about it all. So....

John and Josh cut wood for Girl's Camp last Friday and this was their dinner Roasted Rabbit

Josh and John fishing while in Scofield

While they were there...(refer to video at the bottom of post)

We were having a light saber war.

The end of a successful bug hunt

While I was busy taking pictures...the kids got a little farther away than I was comfortable with.

We made masks out of cast material (so fun, quick and easy)! Can you tell who is who?
Enjoy the video...I did! I wonder what next week will bring?

Homemade Cinnamon rolls

Okay, so I have found a new blog that I absolutley love and has inspired me to start cooking better and more fun things. The link is on the left side..Mommy's kitchen. I have been a cooking fool. It started with some cinnamon rolls then on to, homemade corn dogs, followed by, homemade oreo's, homemade bread, pizza subs, m&m cookies, and some great dinner meals! What fun! I have been having so much fun creating that I have to go get another 20lb. bag a flour..TONIGHT! So, that I can keep creating tomorrow. I want to start with this recipe from Mommy's kitchen for cinnamon rolls and maybe inspire you too.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
1 cup milk *1/4 cup butter (4 tablespoons, half stick) *1/4 cup sugar *2 teaspoons yeast (one package) *1/4 cup warm water (105°-115°) *1 egg *1 teaspoon salt *3-1/2 cups bread flour

Filling1/4 cup butter (4 tablespoons, half stick)4 tablespoons brown sugar1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon(optional) raisins
Glaze1 cup powdered sugar1 tablespoon milk1/2 teaspoon vanillaStart by scalding the milk. Scalding breaks down a protein in the whey that can keep the dough from rising as much. In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, bring the milk nearly to a boil. When a film starts to form on the top, turn off the heat and skim it off with a spoon. Add the sugar, salt, and the first half-stick of butter and stir until the sugar and butter are both melted. Set the milk/butter mixture aside to cool to room temperature.In a separate bowl, combine the yeast and warm water and stir quickly. Stir in the egg. Add the milk/butter mixture. (Make sure it's cooled down to room temperature or you'll kill the yeast.) Add the flour and stir until the flour is all incorporated and the dough comes together in a soft, loose ball. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil (I always use extra virgin olive) to a clean bowl. Roll the dough around until it is oiled all over, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet dish towel. This will keep the dough from drying out and forming a skin, which would keep it from rising.Put the bowl someplace warm, not hot -- inside the stove, turned off but with the light turned on is about perfect -- until the dough has doubled in volume, about an hour-and-a-half. Once the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it.Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes, until the dough is smooth and satiny. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about an eighth-inch thick. Soften the butter, but don't melt it. Spread it evenly onto the dough. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough and roll it up. cut into rolls and oil a baking sheet and arrange the rolls with room in between. Place the baking sheet in the oven -- turned off but with the light on again -- until the dough warms up and the rolls double in size. Then bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. Arrange the rolls on your serving dish, and prepare the glaze. Pour it over the rolls.
Night Before Assembly:
Wrap the roll in plastic wrap, to keep it from drying out, and then aluminum foil, to help keep the shape. Put the wrapped roll in the fridge overnight. The next morning, the cold dough will be firmer and much easier to cut. Use a knife, fishing line or dental floss, once they're all cut, oil a baking sheet and arrange the rolls with room in between. Place the baking sheet in the oven -- turned off but with the light on again -- until the dough warms up and the rolls double in size. (This could take 2-3 hours so plan accordingly) Then bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. Arrange the rolls on your serving dish, and prepare the glaze. Pour it over the rolls.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.

Well,

we are into our summer a little bit. We have had "melt-downs", tantrums and all kinds of various things going on. We did manage to make it to the temple and are planning on going 2 times this month! (Okay, we usually go 2 times but, it sounds cooler when I say it like that). My ankle is healing nicely albeit very slowly! I have managed to make it through my first credit at school and am now enrolled in 11 credits: 2 science and one humanities. (we'll see how that goes!) I am teaching at a cluster meeting Wed and Enrichment on Thurs. and a foster care class (with John) on Thursday night after enrichment. So, we are keeping busy! We had a successful art week last week and this week we are on to baking week! Sounds fun...I know!
Well, we started a few more therapy sessions for summer. We are now enrolled in Bonding through Movement! It is pretty fun and a different kind of therapy. We will see how the summer turns out!
The kids are really having fun and I get gently (or not so much) reminded when we don't have journal time every day! Who knew the kids would love journal writing so much?! We are having fun and I hope we can fit everything in that I want to do without anyone collapsing from exhaustion. ( I am mainly talking about John and I) the kids seem to be energizer bunnies!
I am so glad for this "season "of my life. (i don't just mean summer). My life seems to be hitting a great stride. Things are falling into place so perfectly, after so many years of preparation on Heavenly Father's part with still more to go. There are many days when I feel like..how could it be any better than this?
I guess I just mean that life is good. It is certainly filled with many struggles (you would all laugh if you knew what we experience everyday) but, it is good. There is so much joy to be found in everyday and I struggle to find it amidst the screaming sometimes but it is there. Life is meant to be savored and joy to be found in it...not endured! When I focus on the joyfulness everything feels better and the days seems a little brighter.

what rotten luck...

I promise I do really have pictures but when you find out what happened you will forgive me. Well, the rush is over and so is school! This school year has flown by for me. Well, john and I finished our HCG diet. Tomorrow is the last day! yeah we made it! we will start again on 6 weeks to lose the rest of that icky fat! Well, I was in a hurry on Wednesday to get lots of things done before the kids were out of school. You know how it is! Anyway I was walking down the basement stairs and I thought I was at the bottom but...guess what? i wasn't! I did end up getting to the bottom rather quickly. i landed on the outside of my right foot and heard a nice "pop" noise. I have never had a sprain or a break so I didn't know what to do so I said, "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!". I called John (crying loudly) and had to leave a message. I knew my friend, kenice, was helping at field day so I decided to just stand up or lay there forever. I got up and found it was sore but didn't hurt to bad. then, i continued on with what I was doing. By the time I got to the main floor again, I knew something wasn't right. I took of my sock and shoe and my ankle was huge and my foot was getting fatter. i ended up going to the doctor (thanks to my sweet daughter, Kodey, who drove me there) and I have torn a ligament or sprained it! the doctor gave me a lovely air cast and said i have to wear it for 2 weeks! Is he kidding...2 weeks?!! during summer vacation?! I have to many fun things to do with my kids! Well, the swelling is going down and I can put more and more pressure in it every day but today I did a little too much and so...it is hurting tonight. I would like to clarify that this is our first sprain in the Thill house ever! Not bad when you think about it like that! So, we had only a picnic, pool party with popsicles, pizza/movie night today! No driving anywhere for a fun mini celebration! Oh well, this to shall pass but.......TWO WEEKS!?

CRAZY MAY.......

I don't like just writing stuff and not posting pictures. I do have lots of pictures to post but am too lazy right now to download them. We have had a hard and busy May. We have had one person suspended, one playing with fire (or was that the same one?), 2 more therapy appts added, end of the year rush and a myriad of other things. I am beginning to realize how blessed I have been that we haven't had this kind of month in a long time.
I am registered to start at Western Governor's University June 1st. It is an accredited online college. Can't get much better than that! I got my hair cut in a cute "a line" style, to go with my weight loss of 22 pounds so far! I have 2 weeks to go on this cycle , then a 6 week break then on to round 2. I plan to lose 60 pounds and I am almost halfway there.
John has been wonderful in taking me to the movies lately. If any of you know John...he likes movies well enough but, can do without them. I on the other hand LOVE them and so he goes for me. We saw STAR TREK and it was great! I can't say enough about this movie and i am not even a trekkie! Today, we saw Terminator. It was a good action movie. I am excited for all of the summer movies this year!
I am still loving my cub scout calling, and all of the others as well. I am pretty excited because we are getting "new family search" soon! Can't wait! Temple work/ Genealogy is about to become easier!
Well, I have lots of things to do tonight still. Kodey is at a bonfire in the canyon and Josh is at a different party. Boy, these teens keep us hopping and up late at night. Kodey had her first interview today for Jamba Juice and was asked for a second interview. She is thrilled as this could be her first job! Remember YOUR excitement at your first job and all of the plans you made with the money BEFORE you ever got paid? Well, she's there too!
Hope you are all well. You are often in our thoughts and prayers!

Does the fun ever end?

This week, my parents came for a visit. Of course we had a myriad of things to accomplish like Teacher Appreciation week but, my parents were troopers and we had a great visit with them. Now, I only wish I could see them more often.

BYU and UNLV baseball Game. BYU won
Jacob was elected to throw out the first pitch at the game.

Our new furniture came for the downstairs.

We had a great sectional from the "Big Give"but,

I wanted something smaller so we could see the

fireplace and it made the room look alot bigger too.

We went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point

It was so beautiful but my Dad had his fill of flowers.

getting ready for the game to start.

Jonathan had his 9th birthday!

the Thill's and Grandparents having

dinner at Chuck O rama

Playing Tri-Bond

Kodey and Kevin on their way to prom

The dinosaur museum is always a big hit!

Rolling down the hill before going into the museum.

Great thinking Dad!

thanksgiving Points Farm Country

the girls pretending to be showgirls

The boys in jail!

Also during this week, our dear friend Vonna

came for a visit.

So, we survived another week. I have been playing catch-up

on lots of things. Mainly I have been trying to get enrolled at

Western Governor's University. I just have to take the "entrance exam"

tomorrow morning. YUCK! We are still doing the HCG diet and John has lost 21 pounds and I am at 17 pounds. we have about 20 more days to go.

The kids are all doing relatively well. we have some rough

patches because of Mother's Day (it reminds them that they

aren't with birth parents). we are still experiencing the after effects. We probably will

for a while. But, what can you do? well, back to work. the kids have

therapy and I need to get my act together for Scouts tomorrow.

hope you are all doing well. I can see by your blogs that you have busy lives as well. I remember my friends telling my that life would get more busy the older the kids became and I thought they were nuts. Let me assure you, they were completely accurate. Bye for now!