ever feel like this?

Toy toys

So I'm in Dallas and called the kids and Andrew asks if I bought him something. I said I hadn't found anything yet, what if I bring you a ketchup packet? You like ketchup right? And he says to me, "No I want a toy, toy mom. Don't they have a gift store there?"

Hardware Ranch

The kids were out of school for Presidents day so I drove them up to Hardware Ranch. It was one of the things. I wanted to do with them over the summer, but they are only open in winter. It's pretty neat, you get to go out on horse drawn sleighs to the field to see the herd. They estimated there were 525 elk. They had peaked around 700 but it really is starting to get a bit warmer and some had started to leave to head back to the mountains. One buck had 9 prongs - and I learned that does not equal their age. They start with points the first year and then usually have 2-3 points the next couple years, but they might have four or five points the third year. It was pretty up there too, beautiful blue skies! They closed the next weekend. Good thing we went when we did.

musing from the week

We've had an eventful week or so. The basement flooded - Again. This is getting rather tiresome. Nathan turned nine this weekend. Really am I that old? It doesn't seem like it's been that long! Then he had a few friends for a sleep over to celebrate and in the midst of it all for whatever reason decided to throw a sword at this brother and managed to split his head open- Again. Right in the middle of his forehead. Andrews biggest concern is going to school with a butterfly band aid. Oh and Andrew informed us last night he doesn't like juice, well he likes juice okay, just not "random juice".

They have spent a lot of time building with Lego's lately and made their own marble track/mazes with them. They were quite the engineering spectacles.

Andrews marble track

Nathans marble track
And I had to include a random funny picture I found on someone else's blog who lives in the midwest, complaining about the "global warming" they've experienced lately :)

little stitchers

Nathan asked me recently to teach him to cross stitch. I had a sinus infection that next week and spent most of a whole day in bed and... taught them both to stitch. Nathan had an easier time and was able to come back up through with the second half of the stitch and could read his patterns by himself but I was still impressed with Andrew. He was able to work the thread from the front and could follow my instructions on how many stitches per row. Nathan made the lady bug on the left (for Andrew) and Andrew made the book mark with the three stars. So neat they were intrested in learning this.

Please read if you are in Canyons school district

Sorry for the lengthy post, please read in its entirety. The district is proposing pulling some classes from the junior and high schools and your comments are essential.

Please see below for how to make your voice heard on this matter!

I found out during the last PTA meeting at Canyonview Elementary that the district has a board meeting every first and third Tuesday of each month. Generally during the first meeting of the month they have a business meeting and the second meeting of the month is a study session with a very short business meeting in which they approve the agenda items but don’t take public comment - but they are making an exception for the Feb 16th meeting.

During the school boards last meeting on Feb 1st a proposal was brought up to remove career and technical education type classes (CTE) from middle and high schools so that there could be more focus on other areas. Some of the classes that are under consideration for removal are home economics, cosmetology, auto mechanics, wood shop, and metal shop.

The district posts the meeting minutes once they have been approved on their website.

You can view the minutes from that meeting here:

http://www.canyonsdistrict.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&layout=category&task=category&id=89&Itemid=259



From those meeting minutes you can also link to the power point presentation given during the meeting by clicking on the blue highlighted words: potential options or follow this link:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ut/canyons/Board.nsf/files/8DJUKJ7C7006/$file/CTEC%20Presentation%20to%20Board-020111-FINAL.pdf



Page three of the power point outlines the three options being considered. Option A, removal of all CTE classes from schools, Option B would retain the status quo for these types of classes, and Option C would have limited CTE classes.

The district is allowing for a comment period regarding this proposal until their next board meeting on Tuesday February 15th. Although this is the second monthly meeting it will be open for public comments. If you would like to comment, you must show up prior to the 7:30 start time and sign up to give comments. Individuals are allowed 3 minutes. If you are speaking for a group, you are allowed 6 minutes and must elect a spokesperson.

You can also send comments to communictions@canyonsdistrict.org


Or to the superintendent David Doty at David.doty@canyonsdistrict.org


Or call the district at 801-826-510

The link below is for the district webpage.
http://www.canyonsdistrict.org/



Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Chicken Divan

This was another of the new dinners we tried. Liked it okay, but its' very similar to a family favorite (Curry Chicken) and we still like the other better. Although this one had bread crumbs, which ours doesn't call for. We might be tweaking the family favorite to have a few of those in the future. I'll post the family favorite later and in case you don't like curry, I'd go ahead and try this one. It was good, and it's easy to make. I found it on Pillsburys website. I actually found a recipe for left over Turkey there after Thanksgiving that used cranberry sauce and those crescent rolls -that was good too, maybe I should hang out there more. But here's the recipe:

Chicken Divan

INGREDIENTS:
1bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Select® frozen broccoli florets
1 1/2cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken
1/4teaspoon ground black pepper
1can (18.5 oz) Progresso® creamy chicken and wild rice soup
1/2cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/4cup Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375°F. Cook broccoli as directed on bag 4 minutes. Place broccoli and chicken in ungreased 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle with pepper.
Pour soup over broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.