Free Book of Mormon

I'm LDS (Mormon) and along with the Bible we read the Book of Mormon. I can honestly say this book has brought me peace and understanding. I have reaped great amounts of personal inspiration from its pages and I know it was written for us.

I would love to send you a Book of Mormon with a letter from me for free . . . ANYWHERE. Period.

If you are interested email me at cakesbyteresa@hotmail.com

I need:

First and last name

Email address to confirm

Complete mailing address

Language you want the book in

Do you want a visit from missionaries?

I know our Heavenly Father is mindful of us and sent his son Jesus Christ to earth to show us how to live so we could return to him again. I know the Book of Mormon to be a true book written by prophets of God for our time. Joseph Smith restored the gospel and truly spoke with God and his son. Thomas S Monson is a true prophet and is God's word in the world today. I know my family is forever and Heavenly Father hears me and knows me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The good thing today: I know who I am, where I came from and where I'm going.

Teresa

Teresa vs Nasty Grout

We bought a house this spring and we are slowly working our way through it replacing old stuff. This is my AWESOME bathroom floor! (yuck!) We can't afford to tear it up yet, but something seriously needs to be done with it. 45 years of grime in that grout!

I came across grout paint at Walmart, looks like a shoe polish tube with a sponge tip, seems simple enough and cheap. BEFORE . . .

I applied the cream and let it sit for 4 hours . . . DURING

After 4 hours I used my sponge mop and mopped the extra up. I had to get on my knees with a rag for the corners and behind the toilet, but it came off the tile really easily. AFTER . . .

I realize it's not perfect but it is SO much better! I think I can live with that until next spring when I tear it all up!

The good today: A "Do it yourself" what actually worked!

Teresa

Exhaustion

I am exhausted, I don't care about anything. Sleep deprivation does this to me and turns me into an apathetic slug. I want to crawl into bed and sleep until I can't sleep anymore just like . . .

Sleeping Beauty~ I want to sleep for 100 years and wake up with a Prince's kiss. *sigh*

I wish I looked this glamorous when I'm this exhausted but this is how I feel . . .

Of course to make myself feel better about not being able to sleep I look up beautiful pictures of sleeping women and imagine me in it instead. I realize the Lady of Shallot is committing suicide here but holy cow does she comfy or what!?

Although I would probably be too scared of tipping to be able to sleep this peacefully ;)

I'll get some real sleep Friday night! Woohoo! Meanwhile Dr Pepper is my best friend!

The good thing today: Work has a vending machine stocked with Dr Pepper ;)

Teresa

Who We Are

We are constantly bombarded in this world by TV, music, magazines and the internet telling us who we SHOULD be, and what's accepted. I'm not thin enough, pretty enough, popular enough, talented enough, and I could go on and on!

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf shares this message by retelling the Ugly Duckling and encourages us to look at our true selves and love who we are not who the world says we need to be.

The good today: God sent someone who is wiser than me to lead the way!

Teresa

Playing in a Cemetery

The kids and I were waiting for my husband to get out of work and had 45 minutes to kill, no playground in site, and I was tired of spending money.

But . . . I found a cemetery. I saw grass, trees, water, hills and pathways. Just like a park, minus the headstones. We got out and I talked to the boys about not stepping on headstones and let them run and enjoy the sunshine!

Once the ducks were adequately chased they became interested in the headstones and ran from one to another reading names and dates and got REALLY excited when one had flowers. Of course they wanted to know HOW they were buried and if they were skeletons yet. (remember they are BOYS)

Then we found the tiny headstones. Babies loved and lost.

We talked about how sometimes babies die, they were fine with that. As a mother I can't imagine the heartbreak that comes with losing a child, but in their innocence and their understanding of Heaven they were okay with it all.

My mom called while we were there and I told her we were playing there, of course her suggestion was: "You should bring them back at night and let them play hide and seek! A cemetery is a great place for that!"

Yes, she was serious and that's why I love her ;)

No, I won't be taking them back for hide and seek in the dark . . . at least until they are older!

The good today: my kids promised to put flowers on my grave when I die ;)

Teresa

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I'm not a great cook and I won't pretend I know what I'm doing in the kitchen, but I have to share this recipe.

It's summer and my house is 78 degree which means I won't turn on my oven for fear of a heat stroke ;) I pulled out my old crockpot recipe book and did some tweaking. This one is by far my family's favorite.

Pulled Pork

2-3 lbs pork roast

16 oz bottle BBQ sauce

2 Tbsp Hot mustard

Pepper

1 medium onion

2 Tbsp vinegar

Cut pork roast into strips 1 inch wide. Combine 2/3 of the BBQ sauce, mustard, vinegar, onion and some pepper. Place pork into crockpot and stir in the BBQ sauce mixture.

Cook on low for 6 hours. Strain the meat and onion, and “pull apart”. I smash it with a fork and it all falls apart. Mix in the rest of the BBQ sauce and serve on a bun or bread

So, next time it's too hot to cook try the crockpot.

The good today: I OWN a crockpot!

Teresa

Willow Tree Massacre

I have little children, I also have some nice things. I keep my nice things out and teach my children to not touch!

For the most part I've had great success with a few casualties along the way.

Today that was my Willow Tree dolls. The girl beheaded one and de-legged another.

To her credit show knows she's not supposed to play with them and immediately hands them to me when she's caught.

The good today: I own a glue gun!

Teresa

A Better Sunday

I've been doing a lot of re-prioritizing lately, mostly about my weekends and my time at home.

It's hard to go to church because:

I work every Saturday night

I'm so exhausted I couldn't walk a straight line if I had to

I have a 1 year old who HATES church

I spend all my time in the foyer or mother's room anyway

the list goes on and on.

This is me by morning, actually they look better than I do ;)

I found myself more willing to skip church, then once I skipped it was no big deal to do it the next week. Granted I had worthy excuses but this is my life and my family we're talking about here. I need it and so do they.

I rearranged my work schedule so I can be conscious and ready to fight the baby head on every Sunday . . . at least I'll get the Sacrament, right?

Teresa

Disneyland at Halloween Time!

We are going to Disneyland this fall the week before halloween . . . and while we're there we get to experience Halloween Disney style! It starts September 17th thru Oct 31st.

Disneyland also offers Trick or Treating a few nights a week with Mickey ;)

Because I love Halloween more than most other holidays I am super psyched! The fireworks will be ghosted out!

The entire park will be decked out! The Haunted Mansion turns into "Nightmare before Christmas" and the Tower of Terror gets even MORE creepy!

Check out the link below for specific Disney/Halloween info:

Maybe I'll even see you there ;)

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/events/halloween-time/

The good today: planning a trip to the happiest place on earth

Teresa

This is a hilarious video! I think we can all see a bit of our husbands and dads in this.

Dad Life from Church on the Move on Vimeo.

Of course I justify our coolness by saying we drive an SUV NOT a minivan and we have a push lawnmower NOT a riding one.

Otherwise, yes this is my husband! ;)

Good thing today: a husband who is also a really good dad!

Teresa

Baby Faces!

It amazes me every day how similar my kids look.

Granted they are different but as I was once told "from the same recipe"

After I had my 2nd son and told my husband "it's looks like I had the same baby twice!"

My daughter was whisked away rather quickly after birth and then I was able to walk into the NICU I knew exactly which one was mine because she looked just like her brothers.

I love that my babies are cookie cutters!

The good today: 3 babies with blue eyes and blonde hair!

Teresa

Sand and Little Toes

I love watching my kids experience new things and seeing the world through their eyes. This week the baby is experiencing sand!

Husband and boys built and AMAZING sand castle complete with drawbridge and moat!

We came to Bear Lake last year but she was 5 pounds, but this years she's 21 pounds of sheer curiousity!

Babies on a beach equals:

Swim diapers

Eating sand

Pooping sand

Water up the nose

Sand boogers

LOTS of Sunscreen

Swimsuits with diaper butts

Toes in the sand

These are things I wouldn't miss for all the inconvenience in the world!

My boys are pros, they do the life jacket thing, build their own sand castles, and swim on their own! Someday the girl will be a pro too, but for now she is a first timer ;)

The good today: She finally puts her toes in the water without screaming

Teresa

Bath in the Sink

I love that my one year old can still bathe in the bathroom sink!

I love bathing my babies in sinks, it's a smaller space, less echoing and I don't have to bend over and kill my back. The girl is the caboose of our family and while she is petite she's also growing up quickly. She's big enough that she ends up soaking my floor now, but the fact is she STILL FITS! This will probably her last bath in the sink . . . kinda sad :(

The good today: tiny girls who can still fit in the bathroom sink ;)

Teresa

FREE Gigantic "rock"

We bought a house this last spring and the landscaping it decent for the most part except . . . for . . . THIS!

There is this HUGE "rock" made out of gravel and cement sitting in the corner of our front yard as a . . . (cough, cough) decoration (cough, cough).

One sunny afternoon while I was pulling some of the millions of weeds in my front yard an older nieghbor lady wandered by. We exchanged some nice words and introductions.

Then she asked "don't you just love that rock?"

Me: silence (is she joking?, do I laugh?)

Her: The Johnsons who used to live here told me I could have it if I could figure out a way to get it into my yard. (yes, she was serious)

Me: (laughing) You STILL have dibs on it as far as I'm concerned and believe me I will gladly help you if you find a way to get it out of here!

Her: (BIG smile) I want to cover it in chicks and hens.

(I thought she meant ceramic chicks and hens, gratefully my friend informed me they are a ground cover) Whew!

Now that it's summer it's hidden a bit better and I've planted a Wisteria vine in hopes it will smother it!

So, if anyone has a crane and feels like using it, PLEASE message me!

Good in today: found an adoptive mom for my nasty "rock"

Teresa