I can say it now, jam IS easy to make! (Especially with two special ingredients....)

So I'm one of those people who learns alot better by DOING than just by watching, reading, hearing, etc., and so many people have told me how easy it is to make jam, but since I'd never done it I was a little afraid of trying it without totally messing it up!

I finally talked myself into it and got all of the information/supplies I needed from my Grandma who makes AWESOME jam and prepared myself to do it on my own while Mike and Kenna went to the Utah game Saturday. Good thing the MAIN ingredient(s) decided to help. My GRANDMA called me and said she couldn't let me do the jam alone, so we did it together and I'm so glad we did, thanks Grandma (and Grandpa!) =0).

So my two special ingredients--- my Grandma helping and talking me through it (builds confidence!) and my Grandpa who smashed the fruit (it would have taken us MUCH longer without him! ). Can't wait to make something else with them, good times! And now I can say it, Jam is easy to make! (And even EASIER to EAT, yum, yum!)

I've Been Tagged---Me and my scary issues!! =0)

So, I've been tagged by Kate. http://jkcbamason.blogspot.com/


Here are the rules:

1. Link to the Person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
5. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.


WARNING!! So I got really deep on stuff about me. So if you're not sure you like me (then why are you here, ha, ha!), you might not want to know this much, or I'll just understand if the next time I see you, you run the other direction! Those of you who do like me, are my friends already (so most won't be too surprising), or have to like me cuz you're related (sorry about that). Thanks for loving me no matter who I am and what "issues"/weaknesses I have (I'm wondering how much I like myself after this wide awakening! =0))......you are my true friends! =0)

1. I'm a recycling maniac! I will check all plastic containers and clean them if our city takes the number in the recycling triangle found at the
bottom---and anything else goes to the Davies garbage, cuz their city is awesome and takes more than just 1 & 2! Anything that is paper or cardboard and without any grease spots gets torn into 2 ft by 2 ft (or close....city regulations) or smaller and put in the recycling box! All my canned foods are rinsed and dried and then put in the recycling box. Even my little Kenna knows where the recycling is and will place things in there, such a good helper. I have a really hard time throwing something away if it can be donated or recycled....why throw something and add to a massive pile of waste that continues to fill our beautiful world if it can be REUSED?!! I've donated my hair four times now to locks of love, how about that for recycling, ha,ha! I get so bad sometimes that if I noticed someone place a plastic bottle, cardboard, etc. that could easily be placed in an eco-friendly container I will pull it out and put it in its proper place....SCARY isn't it? I have issues, that's for sure....thanks to the combination of my parents and genetics, ha, ha! I'm trying to talk Mike into adding recycling bins at his work...one person/company at a time, hee, hee!


2. I'm a very undecisive person! What's sad is the hardest things are with simple decisions, like what to get at Wendy's or something...and if someone, like my hubby orders something that sounded good to me, I have to pick something else, weird! Most projects or things I do or start working on, I can't "decide" if I like them or if they're good enough so I have to get "outside" approval or help or it just doesn't get done at all. I don't know if I like this blog, I don't know if I like this post, etc....what do you think? SO UNDECISIVE!!!!
I guess I'm considered a PLEASER at times, I'd rather make sure whatever I do or what's done, "pleases" or is "pleasing" to everyone else. Sometimes it's comes back to bite me though... STORYTIME with pics on that to come LATER!!

3. I'm a "collector"! You could probably even say Pack Rat, ugh, sounds awful. I have a hard time "giving" things away (I know sounds weird since I brought up my recycling issues). I feel like whatever I have that hasn't been used in years could still possibly be used for something else....soon. Some days I go crazy and just want to get rid of stuff, but I want to try and sell it first because instead of it being just a thing I picture it as the amount of $$$ that I spent on it and so I want to try and get something back from it before it just goes away...I'm thinking that's from my dad. The "collector" part comes from both my parents though. My mom loves to buy things that go to something she has a hobby for (tea parties, Halloween, antiques etc.) so for me I buy/collect Scrapbooking stuff, Children's books, DVD's and I'm always taking pictures (that's considered collecting, right?)...I use most, but not often enough. Mike's always telling me of all the money we would have if I didn't spend so much on those items. =0) My dad's very similar with me on my recycling thing, his big on re-using as much as possible or sending stuff to a place where it can be re-used. He "collects" items that could be used that someone else didn't want (he runs a couple of storage units so he's always finding "treasures" and then when we ask where did you get them his reply is always "Where do all good things come from?"...the answer, a storage unit). I haven't gone that far into keeping stuff that I found from somewhere else, I just

have a hard time getting rid of stuff we already have, but that just sits in a box waiting to be used...someday.. Sometimes dad will give us things he's found that he thinks we'd like, like our entertainment center ( in a drawer we found the BOM and a pot pipe next to it while cleaning it, yup that's the good stuff =0)), and I do every now and then find food that's expired, but still try to see if it's still good and eat it...ha,ha, that's totally my dad too! OH, DEAR. I have to use my parents for my crazy reasoning...to justify why I am the way I am and boy I've got problems!!(thanks, mom and dad =0)).

....I'm not liking this "tag" thing anymore, I'm getting too deep on these "random" things it's not just RANDOM, it's serious personality traits and it's depressing!

4. I don't like being "Alone", such a people-person! Many of you

would love to have time to yourself, take the kids to someone else and get some good shopping in, or whatever. But for me, I'd rather take the kids! I hate doing stuff by myself, I need to have someone to talk to or be with, I guess being with just myself is too scary! So usually I wait for Mike to be around and we all go together (he's such a trooper when it comes to shopping!) and then it's easier to make decisions if he's there (my undecisiveness) so I don't feel guilty on what I'm spending our money on cuz he was with me and agreed. =0) I really enjoy getting "out"! If there's some type of get together with friends or family or something happening in the community, I want to be there and be part of it! I'm just a little bit of a "Social Butterfly" or just need to feel "part" of everything, or something I guess.

5. I'm loud and enjoy being in the spotlight (most of the time). Ever since I was little my brother Ry would make fun of my laugh, I have a million different kinds of laughs, but many times it turns into this big loud burst...kind of like the laugh on Mary Poppins..."some only blast, HAAAAA!" Yup, you've probably heard it, no surprise. I don't mean to be loud, it's just me, maybe my vocal cords were created differently so everything just comes out a bit louder. My mom is a very quiet person and my dad is a very loud obnoxious person...so we know where my personality comes from again! My mom is constantly embarrassed by me and other members of the family when we're doing something that is creating a "scene" she blames it on the Jacobson gene. Probably because it's not in her comfort zone (or genetics=0))...she's opposite so the way my dad, my brother or myself, etc. acts is something she would NEVER do which makes it embarrassing---we can be pretty embarrassing company to be with sometimes though, Crazy Jacobsons! =0) I guess in our mindset, we don't "care" what people think about us, especially if we don't know them, (it's not like they're going to remember us) and if you're happy and enjoying yourself, why stop?! You're probably wondering what "experiences" I'm talking about...really we're not that bad...especially in public, we wait for the opportunities that are "kosher", like when I'm invited to do a dance competition at the Scrap Book Expo, I can't dance, but HECK YA I'll be part of that (by the way I've won some prizes for it, thank you very much! =0)) I've always enjoyed being the entertainer or the jokester, even if the laugh is on me because I'm a dork or just easy to tease, but I don't mind mostly, I enjoy seeing other people enjoying themselves or being entertained. I used to be in musical productions, and really enjoyed that spotlight, infact I'd like to get back into it someday!


6. Okay, last one. Wow I'm impressed/surprised if you've gotten

this far!! This will be more "random", you deserve it since the rest have been so LONG and deep (can you tell I'm a talker too?! =0)), but then again, maybe it's not so random and I apologize, it must be the mood I'm in or something, sharing my soul like this.... It's probably gross for some of you (actually now that I've read this over, it sounds really gross, what is wrong with me and why am I sharing this for all to read?!! LOL) but I've a couple of times made it a week before I've washed my hair. Why on earth am I sharing this info...I have no clue, but maybe cuz I washed Kenna's hair twice yesterday....Now don't go thinking I'm a walking, greasy stink bomb...I still shower, just not my hair. But I'll admit, I've gone all granolaee and haven't showered for a week before too... (like can count them on one hand in my entire life and mainly all were due to lack of "shower", ex. camping) so I don't know how anyone can do that on a regular basis and live with themselves!! So should I try to explain or atleast try to "justify" =0). So usually I don't sweat hardly at all and I have really DRY skin and thick hair so it's not a good thing for me to shower daily. My hair is so thick that if I don't dry it with a blowdryer it stays wet ALL day long!! So I'm coming out...I'm not an every day/every other day person I'm more so an every other, other day =0) and can I just add how awesome it is to have showers, cuz when I tak'em I'm in there as long as there is hot water and I like it extremely HOT. I'm sure this information was extremely important for you to know and me to share...I'll be looking for new friends now most likely, but thanks for the friendship while it lasted (LOL)!


**So there you have it...me and my scary issues! (Thanks a lot Kate! =0)) By the way if I tag you, you seriously don't have to share like I have, check out Kates (the link above), she's got some great ones and they are more "random" and great. Kind of funny though cuz I'm a very spontaneous/random person and yet nothing I wrote was that! Hope you feel better about yourself after reading this, ha, ha!!!!!

Memory Monday...Shae and Kenna- still the best of buds!

So the other day while we were eating breakfast Makenna brought up the whole we're girls and Shaden is Prince Charming quote, it was the cutest thing ever cuz there was no thought, question or pause in her answer, Shaden is not a boy or a girl, he is Prince Charming!

Makenna and Shaden have been friends since birth, they were so close to being born the same day...(just 3 days apart) and they live across the street from each other. I remember how little they were and wondered how much they would change or look the same as they got older and if they'd be good friends. Now they're getting closer to 3, how fast time flies they look the same in many ways, but they seem so "grown-up" now it's killing me and yup, they're definately good friends! We have been so happy that Kenna has had a friend so close by and they absolutely adore each other...they sing together, dance together, give each other big hugs when they see each other and at night when we tell bedtime stories, if we include a prince charming in Kenna's princess story his name is always Shaden!
Kinda crazy though, they're right across the street from us, but they're lucky to see each other maybe once a week, and sometimes that's at church! So we love our playdates with Shae!

Shaden just had a baby brother join the family and now we have a baby sister arriving soon so life at home can be pretty busy...hopefully little Stockton and little Mayzie will be the best of buds too!
Thanks for being such a great buddy Shaden, a.ka. Prince Charming!!

Jam Packed Birthday Fun!

My birthday always hits around Labor Day weekend which I've found to be great because Swiss Days in Midway always runs during that time! I love the food, the entertainment and especially the SHOPPING!! There are always a TON of booths to look
at and NEVER enough $$$$!! Unfortunately (for me), we were only able to spend a few hours there this time around, a big family reunion with the Stevens Clan was scheduled on my B-day as well. But I think Mike thought it was fortunate because with just that little bit of time and only walking down three aisles of booths I had already spent my $$$ and then some! =0) Gotta love the Swiss!

The Stevens Reunion was really nice, Mike's parents did a tribute to Grandma Nola who I've heard so much about. She sounds like an amazing woman and I wish I could have known her before she passed away. She has created an amazing posterity and it was neat to pay tribute to her, to visit and catch up with everyone in the family, which is something she would have wanted. We watched a neat video that included pics of her and her kids and Grandpa Stevens. We had delicious food, watched the UTAH game and participated in some other fun activities. Makenna LOVED being able to ride Sunny, the horse, thanks Tait family! Luckily she wasn't the next kid in line, Sunny wasn't ready and fell, the poor guy riding him wasn't too sure about horses in the first place, so I'm thinking he won't be in a hurry to try riding again!

That evening instead of cake I was craving PIE so we got some yummy Marie Calendars and shared them with our good friends the Davies. It was one of those spontaneous things again that I think the Davies are getting used to with me, atleast it was coming over with pie instead of a 7 a.m. phone call--ha, ha, thanks guys! THE PIES were DELICIOUS, I had some of both, hey it's my birthday! =0) Kenna enjoyed it too! Thanks to all who made it so special!

On Sunday, my birthday request was that Kenna wear her Levi dress and one of her darling hats that I bought for her with my b-day money. She was truely giving considering the dress did not "SPIN" (twirl) at all and the hat covers her "Princess-Rella" hair! Oh my gosh, who have I created?!!!! So thanks Kenna I know it was a sacrifice, but you still looked like a princess to me!!

28 "feels" great! (Or so I will say...my rambling thoughts....)

So it happened, I turned the age that comes right before 29, the age that lasts forever!! You know the one where whether you're 37, 52, 44, etc. you're always 29...so I'm not sure how to feel about that, in one year I will be the "perfect age" the age that isn't old, it's just right. So what does that mean for 28?

Then there's that question, you know the one people ask you when you've turned another year-- "how does it feel to be older" or "how does it feel to be____" ...is it supossed to feel different? The only time I "feel" older is (just an example) when I see Highschool girls shopping together and giggling at the mall, and first I think, "was I really like that at one point?," and then I look down at my daughter and realize that that was over TEN years ago for me and try to imagine what it will be like when my own children get to that stage (and cringe, ha,ha). Or those "moments" I'm doing something physically and it just doesn't seem to be as easy as it used to...and the grunt or groan escapes (it could also be that I'm extremely prego right now too =0)), definately not as "in shape" as I used to be, heck I thought I was FAT 10 years ago, but now I'm thinking I didn't look too bad (compared to now =0)).

But I don't really "Feel" old it's just the # of your age right, maybe that's why people who have an "older" age say they're 29, because they still "feel" 29 or something?... In many ways it is a great age to be, I'm still young, but more "experienced" (right word choice?), I've found my place more in the world, I've figured out most of the things that are most important to me and my life and have found for the most part, my life to be wonderful right now. I still have the "energy" to do most things (maybe not right at this moment--prego), I have soon to be two beautiful daughters who don't back talk or fight with me yet (okay sometimes a two-year-old tantrum, which is very comparable to teenagers.....so I hear) about "that was then...this is now" or "everyone else is doing it" (not looking forward to those arguments!)....okay, I'm totally rambling, but this age, wow, I can see why when you hit 29 you want to stay! And even though one year later you hit the big 3-0, it seems like such a huge difference....so there it is my 29 will be 28, I'm going no higher, 28 is GREAT and I'm staying!!!

50 years of bliss!

Hooton Family (Posterity)

So my Grandparents (my mother's parents) have been married for 50 years now (officially in Nov.) and we celebrated this event Aug. 15th and 16th. My brother Ryan and his wife Jen even flew in for the occasion. At their request we dressed up in our America Samoa clothes they brought back for us from their last mission and took family pics and then we had delicious home-made Cafe' Rio along with delicious wedding/spice cake. We also did a session at the Jordan River temple the following day and ate at Chuck-A-Rama. My mother had put together a family video which took a lot more time and "experience" than she expected, but the stuff she'd put on it so far was really neat!

My grandparents made a book of their experiences of their three missions as a gift to their children and grandchildren and I'm looking forward to reading such and amazing keepsake!

I love all of my grandparents dearly. My grandma and grandpa Hooton have always held a special place in my heart because they have a "light" I look up to, follow and respect the most. They're always so loving and positive. They are constantly helping and serving others and have tried to lead and live a life that would help their
posterity have something strong and worthwhile to follow. I have always been so especially grateful for the love that they show to each other, it really is something to celebrate, being married for 50 years, but to still be so in love and HAPPILY married is an even greater thing. I only hope that I can continue to live my life as they have/would and have a relationship with my husband like they do 50 years from now and to someday see my posterity together in the temple and be proud of all that's become of my life. I sure hope I can do it! So here's to 50 years of bliss! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for everything!
--LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Computer's back no more excuses!!

So I lost my computer for a month, that's right one whole month and it felt like forever. I guess the hardest was the first week or two (maybe similar to someone trying to get off drugs...withdrawels maybe?!!) but eventually being out of the cyber world made me find "other" things to do, looking back I should have done more with all that time. =0)
With the loss of our computer it also meant not being able to download any pictures either so that's what I've been trying to catch up on. I'm still missing some (hopefully they're found!!) so I'll do my best at posting some "catch up" stuff, bare with me in the meantime =0).