St. Patrick's Day Dud

Well I decided that since this year I wasn't in school or working that I was going to be festive and make fun green foods for St. Patrick's Day. Rather than just making a recipe green I looked for some green recipes. The first one I found was for a yummy shamrock sugar cookie. This is the only recipe that turned out for me. It was super easy. Click here for the recipe. I could have taken more time and made it look better but I made them the night before after I got home from Young Womens and I was kind of in a hurry.


The next recipe I attempted was a shamrock milkshake cupcake. I am usually really good at making cupcakes and having them look good. But I must have just been having an off day. The recipe was a process. For some reason I couldn't find my cupcake papers, so had to use some left over ones from the shower I threw but they are crappy ones and don't hold well. So the cupcakes themselves didn't look great. Then the frosting was a whole other story. I made it exactly like it said. But it was not firming up. It called for 1 1/2-2 cups of powdered sugar (keep adding until it gets to a piping consistency). Well it never got to that point. After adding 4 cups of powdered sugar I was in a bad mood and done! After a couple hours of sitting the frosting finally set up but I had already thrown frosting on the cupcakes in frustration. So the cupcakes tasted really good even if they didn't look good. Well at least to me, some friends that came over, and my mom. Brad informed me that they tasted like toothpaste. I guess he doesn't like mint :( Here is the recipe.

This is how they were supposed to look.
Mine weren't even picture worthy.

The final recipe I decided was a creamy broccoli soup. I am not even going to share the recipe to this one because it wasn't good. It tasted too much like potato and the consistency was gross. It was a perfect blended delight for baby food though :)Luckily we grilled steaks, zucchini, asparagus, and sauteed mushrooms. So that part of dinner tasted good.

Hopefully I have better luck with the other holidays that I try to be festive with. Brad isn't big on the whole festive thing (other than Christmas) so it is going to have to be my thing if I want to make holidays fun for my kids. Hopefully I can convince him to get more into things next year.

Hopefully everyone else had a fantastic St. Patrick's Day!

When Dad's In Charge

So yesterday I went to the store to buy stuff for all my St. Patrick's Day goodies. So right as we got home from the store we started dinner and realized we didn't have any shredded parmesan cheese. When I decide my dinner's for the week I make a grocery list of everything I need. Somehow I missed the parmesan cheese. So I had to turn right around and head back to the store. I left Cooper home with Brad so I could be quick. I came home and this is what I found! What I didn't manage to capture are the things all around him that he's pulled out of the diaper bag. Ah I just love my little monkey!

Persistance and an Obsession

I mentioned before how Cooper has an obsession with cords. It doesn't matter what he has to go through to get to a cord he will do it. Here is my proof. And of course he's naked because that seems how he always is half the time.

Crawling Video

Here is a video of Cooper crawling. I just happened to also catch him playing with the door stopper. Cutest little body crawling that I have ever seen!

Cooper's Crawling!

Well my baby is officially mobile and 8 months old today! For about the past 3 weeks Cooper has been scooting all over the place. He would take a few crawls on his hands but then would just lay down and scoot to where ever it was he wanted to go. But almost a week ago he started crawling on his hands and knees. It really is amazing how quickly they learn how to do something and then how they have already mastered it. Cooper has found 2 new favorite things now that he can explore. The first is cords. He can spot them out of the corner of his eye and then is there as quick as he can go. Whether it's the laptop cord downstairs, my flat iron cord, phone cord, or whatever one he finds. The laptop is plugged in at the kitchen table so he always knows he can get to that one when he's downstairs. We are going to have to figure out what to do with the laptop now. Then when he's upstairs in our room he knows exactly where to go to get my cords. It's amazing he remembers exactly where to go every time. The computer/treadmill room upstairs is totally off limits with all the cords that are in there! His other favorite is those door stoppers. The ones you touch and they vibrate and make that annoying noise. Indiana used to be obsessed with those when he was a puppy. He just sits there and hits them over and over.

Some other new stuff with Cooper is that he can now feed himself finger foods. I can put food on his high chair tray and he can grab it and put it in his mouth. This has made it so much easier. He can eat in church, or in his stroller, or in the cart at the store. I think he is loving the freedom of being able to do it himself. He has also started throwing fits. If you take something away from him or don't give him what he wants he grunts and whines and flails those little arms. It hilarious to watch. He has also learned how to roar. He will just sit there and do it. I need to catch it on video still. Another thing I need to catch on video is Cooper dancing. Every time he hears music he starts to dance. I can even say "Dance" and he will start. Cutest little dancer ever! He is getting to be so big but he is definitely still a mama's boy and I LOVE it!!!!

I can't believe 8 months has already passed. It's hard because I get so excited when he learns something new but then so sad at the same time because he isn't my tiny little baby anymore. Yes he has gotten to be so fun but it's still sad. I can't believe that in four short months he will be one. That probably sounds like a while to most of you but when I look back at how quickly the past 8 months have gone, four months seems like nothing :(

This picture is the epitome of Cooper. He always somehow
ends up half naked and missing a sock.

Crawling around in the kitchen

Watching mom and dad clean out/organize the garage.
We call this his Russian hat, it's too big but I just grabbed it while we did the garage.

He crawled in and then just laid in Indiana's bed

He loves giving himself kisses in the mirror

I was putting together my new jogger and I found him like this

About to sneeze

Feeding himself makes him so happy

Such a happy boy. Look at those teeth!

Holden Nicolas Frantz is here!!!!!

I am officially an aunt for the 5th time (but the 1st on my side). My brother Chase and his girlfriend Kaitlin had a boy on Sunday, March 6. Holden makes FIVE nephews (9 if you include Brad's sister's step sons) and no nieces. It's amazing that there are so many boys in our family. But I'm not complaining because boys are so stinking fun and cute. I LOVE having a boy!!!

Well the excitement all started on Sunday when Kaitlin went in to be induced at 7:30 am. She was already really far along so we thought it was going to go rather quickly. Well Holden had other plans. She progressed amazingly until she hit an 8. Then she was stuck there for hours. After about 14 hours of labor they ended up having to have a C-section. Holden was face up and the cord was wrapped around his neck twice so they rushed her in for the C-section. He was born shortly after 11 pm. My parents and sister had been there since about 11. Brad, Cooper and I headed up around 2:00. My grandma, aunt, and cousin headed up about 8:30. We definitely didn't think we would be there so long. Cooper was AMAZING the entire time! He just played on his blanket and enjoyed walking around the hospital and being held by everyone. The only upset was he exploded and I being the great mom didn't bring a change of clothes (he hasn't needed a change of clothes while we are out in a very long time). So we had to go buy him a new outfit :) He usually goes to sleep at 8. So we put him into his car seat around then and he slept for about 45 min. Then he was up and as happy as could be until 12:30. He definitely wasn't wanting to miss any of the action. I felt like a horrible parent having him out so late but his cousin is only born once right? I didn't want to miss it!!! Kaitlin, Chase and Holden are all doing great!

Holden Nicolas Frantz
7 lbs 1 oz, 19 in long


Coop and Kailtin
Chase, Kaitlin, Coop, me and Brad
(I don't know why Aspen wasn't in this picture)

Aspen is such a good aunt. She entertained Cooper and helped
with him all day long. He loves her!

Big boy Cooper
I came back from getting food and Aspen had mo-hawked Cooper's hair ha ha
Cooper got some popsicle. This picture is his reaction to the cold at first
but then he loved it. He threw a little fit when I took it away.
Chase all ready to go into the C-section. I didn't get a picture of Kaitlin
she was in a ton of pain, scared, and emotional. I didn't want to intrude.
Getting all checked out

He has Kaitlin's eyes but is all Chase from the Nose down. He's adorable!
I love him!
First time I have gotten to hold one of my nephews right after he was born.
None of them live here :(
The 3 Frantz boys
Such a proud daddy!
The new little family
My parents
He has the sweetest little cry
(I had forgotten how quiet they are in the beginning)
He made an entrance and screamed the whole way down the hall
Cooper didn't know what to think. Cooper looked HUGE next to Holden.

We are so excited for the new addition to our family. I can't wait to see his little personality and for Cooper to have a little best buddy to play with. I forgot how amazing having a new little baby really is. It's a good thing I still have one of my own! Congrats Chase and Kaitlin!

February Ensign Highlights

So as I have mentioned before the Relief Society in my ward has issued a challenge to read every issue of the Ensign this year. I wasn't successful at reading the January issue. My subscription to the Ensign was up and by the time I renewed it I wasn't able to get the January issue. I even went to the distribution center to buy a copy and they were out of them. I still am going to read it but I will have to do it all online. I did however successfully finish the February issue. I don't remember the last time (if ever) that I read an issue of the Ensign cover to cover. I really actually enjoyed reading it. It is nice getting a testimony boost from reading other people's stories and testimonies. I feel that my testimony grows stronger by hearing others testimonies than by just studying the scriptures on my own. Don't get me wrong both contribute greatly but I enjoy getting to hear others testimonies. I loved a lot about this February issue, but I just wanted to share a few of my favorite things.

The first things I wanted to share are from the article "The Power of Early Preparation". In this article it states:

“We will need to have developed and nurtured faith in Jesus Christ long before Satan hits us, as he will, with doubts and appeals to our carnal desires and with lying voices saying that good is bad and that there is no sin. Those spiritual storms are already raging. We can expect that they will worsen until the Savior returns.

“However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly. We can do that by deciding now to be more quick to obey and more determined to endure. Learning to start early and to be steady are the keys to spiritual preparation. Procrastination and inconsistency are its mortal enemies.”

This article really hit me. I feel like I have such a long way to get where I need to be spiritually. I know that I could and should be doing more to strengthen my testimony. But I think that I procrastinate and say I will do better tomorrow. It really makes me think when it says that procrastination and inconsistency are mortal enemies to spiritual preparation. I need to stop procrastinating and being inconsistent. If I don't I know that is going to be my downfall. The part about how the spiritual storms will continue to worsen until the Savior returns is scary. I see it all around with how things are changing and not for the better. Life for young children and teenagers as well as adults is more tempting and harder than it used to be. We need to continue to strengthen not only ourselves but those around us in order to get through the storms. It also quotes:

"If we are not preparing for eternal life, we are preparing for something else, perhaps something far less."

On Sunday I taught my young women a lesson on eternal families. It made me want to strive to do everything in my power to ensure I have an eternal family. We discussed how just because I was married in the temple that the blessings of eternity are not promised to me. If I don't it isn't only affecting me but will affect my family. I think of my Cooper and how if I'm not living the way I should be it will punish him in the end. I WON'T do that to my perfect little baby. I have to continually work and strive for an eternal life with my family. This leads perfectly into the last part of this article that I will quote:

"Rearing children in the gospel is a process, not an event. The secret is to start early, be consistent, plan for life's demands, focus on eternal truths, and study the gospel."

I know that Cooper is only 7 1/2 months old but Brad and I are dedicated to starting early with family prayer, family home evening, and doing everything possible that we can to teach our kids while they are young. Starting young and being the best example possible for our children is the key!

The next highlight that I found was in the Question & Answers portion and was submitted by Elaine Chamberlain from England. She said:

"Sometimes it may seem that if we get out of bed in the morning and by bedtime have not managed to feed and tend the children, bake homemade bread, finish all the housework, study the scriptures, do our home or visiting teaching, attend the temple, do family history, go to choir practice, prepare a lesson or talk for Sunday, and finish cross-stitching the Ten Commandments, we have failed.

Don’t worry—there is always tomorrow. The key is faith. When we stay close to the Lord and obey His commandments, we can be prompted by the Holy Spirit to know what our priorities are each day. We can also take comfort in the fact that Heavenly Father knows us. He knows our hearts, our trials, our strengths, and our weaknesses. We can start moving toward peace by accepting that He loves us, despite our imperfections and limitations."

I couldn't relate more to this statement. I always feel like there isn't enough time in the day for me to do everything that I should with regards to not only my duties as a mom/wife but with regards to me being a daughter of god and an ideal LDS member. There are so many things that I wish I could do in the day that just don't get done. I need to remember that the key is faith! If I am following the Lord's commandments and trying my hardest to do everything I know is right and all that I am capable of doing, He will let me know the priorities in my life. Like it states in the "Finding Answers" article that's in this issue "The sense of being overwhelmed is very much a part of the journey". I am just so blessed that I have finished school and that I am not working on top of all my other responsibilities. This gives me even more reason to be diligent and try harder at doing my best!

I am so grateful for the challenge to read the Ensign. It was a goal I had set for myself before I heard the challenge, this just gave me more incentive. I encourage those who can to read the Ensign. It is such a great tool that we have available to us. You can't read it and not gain something from it. I just got my March issue out of the mail yesterday and I can't wait to dive into it!