Kandy's blog

  I had some blueberries that I had in the freezer forever, since May, so decided to do this with them.   It turned out better than I could have imagined and tasted FABULOUS. The crust was even good. I surprise myself sometimes. I don't like fruit pies, except blueberry. So I'm glad I was finally able to make my favorite pie.  

        I Did it!!! It might have taken me 10 extra years and all that, but I'm done. I graduate from Weber State University yesterday, December 10,2010. I have a BA in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, major and a minor in Radiological Sciences. I graduated with honors and on the Dean's list. I have a part time PRN(as needed) job already and it is great. I only have to work a little, only get paid for the studies that I do and it is just 2.5 miles from my house. I have only worked there a week, but I LOVE IT!!! I have achieved something that I never thought was possible but always desired and I'm so proud of the accomplishment. Now this Friday I have the FINAL test, my boards to pass, and I'm in!! Even though I'm graduated every employer really wants an employee to be board certified. I passed 1/2 of the boards, the physics part, back in August and now that I'm graduated can take the final 1/2 this Friday. I can't wait. This is the best Christmas pr...

Connelly has been so fun now that he is potty trained. Yes you heart me, HE IS POTTY TRAINED. Not one accident in two weeks. He will even tell me when he has to go when he is busy playing. I know this is abnormal and I'm very fortunate. I ran upon these picks from this summer and just thought how cute they were. We went to Cherry Hill resort in Kaysville this summer and had a lot of fun.

Kandy's Fire Roasted Tomato Soup (like paradise Bakery's) 2 medium onions, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced olive oil 28 oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes (I buy them at Fresh Market) 14 oz can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes (I buy them at SuperTarget) 8 oz can tomato sauce 6 oz can tomato paste 4 cups water (chicken stock) 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 cups milk In a dutch oven saute onion in olive oil until almost translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute a few minutes more. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste as well as water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in blender, or with immersion blender until desired consistency. (I like mine slightly chunky but you should puree until your hearts content) Add milk and seasonings and continue to simmer for another 5 or 1o minutes. Notes: I used water but I think I might try chicken stock next time to see what kind of depth of flavor that provides. Also I used skim milk, which was de-lish and sa...

Today was COLD. I guess our unbelievably warm Fall is over. It was the best Fall ever. Last weekend was perfect. Short weather and beautiful. Oh well, I'm happy that winter is here because that means Graduation is just around the corner, I will be studying for one my big test, the one that matters. It is for the actual BOARDs. I have exams that are to make me a registared echo tech and I already passed my Physics part and have the second half and I am aiming to take that in December just before Christmas. I need to start studying now. I studied for the physics for 5 weeks, 4 hours a day. It worked for me and I passed with flying colors so I am hoping to do the same with this echo test too.

Well, Connelly has a really bad callic anyways, so I decided to try to make him be stylish with a fohawk that really is a mohawk. You all know I'm FRUGIL so you know I didn't pay a penny for this either. So I'm taking a poll: Likey? No Likey? Let me know. He is going to be a BEE for halloween. I'm thinking of spray painting it yellow with black strips on the side? Yes? I don't know. The costume does have a hood on it so I don't need to. It doesn't matter really because he is a doll no matter what. At least to me. It is late and the gel has kind of died so the back isn't as spiked as earlier in the day same for the front. I have to thank John for the cute and Tomi for the idea. I really do love it and I figure that this is the time of his life that he can get away with this and not be associated with a Gang or something to that effect. People at the gym today loved it too!

This is Chari in her Mexican dress at church. She loves this dress!!! Okay maybe she doesn't love it at as much as she had to wear it.... Chari woke up on Sunday morning to no dresses or any church clothes of any kind in her house. You might ask "Why?" Well this is where the story is hysterical. I had the brilliant idea on a Saturday when I had her van, keys, and kids to go and raid her house of any church clothing that might exist in her house. She was getting home late that Saturday night and I knew that she wouldn't look for her clothes. Sure enough Sunday morning about 8:15 am I get a text, "I hate you!!" She hates me but loves me because I did the best joke ever. I took all the clothes and left this dress with a bow for her hair and left the note, " You will sure look pretty in this dress at church, see ya there." I knew she would fit in it and doesn't she look great? Love ya, Chari

So from left to right in the picture it is: Peach jam, nectarine jam, spegetti sauce, Peaches, Applesauce and then corn. I have canned all this this fall. I even did strawberry jam and raspberry jam earlier in the year and also froze Tomatoes for soups. This fall has been so great to us. We were able to get ahold of FREE corn, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines and then I had a garden with peas, green beans, and zucchini. It has been a great learning experience. I dare jar anything. Give it to me and I will do it. I am going to make salsa tomorrow and later this week when the pears are rip I will attempt them. It hopefully will pay off and give us some good food storage.

  Nate had a competition at work to have the best "fu-manchu" and so here he is in all his glory. At work this is the e-mail that went out: "In the First Team Gallacher Fun Manchu contest we have a winner!!! Nate the Wolverine Breinholt. " We don't know the prize yet. Nate said that the prize was his "PRIDE". I think that went out the window when he shaved like this.

The Breinholts are known for not having luck. We never win anything, but today the stars were aligned and we won. Nate got a text today from his boss and co-workers telling him he won 50,000 sky miles. If we work it correctly it will be two roundtrip tickets to boston, MA in July for a trip long waiting us. We housed a family last December on the premisis that we would go stay with them. But due to me being in school and not wanting to use my student loans for a trip and not school we decided we needed to postpone a year. Maybe this coming July will look better. I'm so excited. Nate said not to post this and jinx us but I had to boast about some good luck in my life!!!

I haven't blogged forever so I'm going to just give a update of the summer and what I'm up to. First, Summer trips: We went to Bear Lake twice to boat and visit family. Mostly boat!! I love boating and it was fun. We stayed with Dad some of the time, but then went to the lake on the south end and stayed at my friend, Chari's family cabin. It was nice to stay right on the lake. I've never done that because we lived there why stay over night and all that. It was different and way fun. We went with a group of friends that time and Connelly played until he was too tired to walk. We went camping just locally twice and that is always fun. I like just camping close so that you don't spend most of your time traveling. We went up big cottonwood and american fork canyons. We did take a trip to Las Vegas twice. Once to move our friends, the Smallmans, and then the second time for school. I had a conference to go to for school in Las Vegas so fortunately we got t...

Connelly is so my child. Today I was changing the batteries in my camera because they died the other night during the hike for girls night out. Connelly started posing and saying, "cheese." He wanted to have his picture taken and just kept being so funny and wanting more and more. ..... Sound familiar??? I thought so.  

This week is draper days, and today was the children's parade. We went to the Draper elementary and decorated the wagon and pulled/sat in it for the parade. Connelly pulled the wagon for a bit but then also road in it. It was fun. They had Schwann's icecream and a magic show after. While we were waiting Connelly played on the playground. We did wait for about 15 min for a clown to make us a dog from a balloon but he never got that far. TOO many kids.      

        So my camera gave out and we didn't get a good pix, and no one else brought their camera. Monday night we went for a hike. It was warm and a really nice night. I couldn't seem to be fast enough to get in the picture in time. I kept scaring the girls. ... They are such girls. They scream like little girls when they are scared. It was hysterical. The "hike" was really just a jont up the road. It wasn't that hard. I want to go on a really good hike one Saturday. One that is a hike not a walk along a trail that doesn't get my blood a pumping. But I have a bunch of sissy's for friends. LOL. I'm not kidding but I love them.

fruity cheesecake recipe at kraftfoods.com I saw this and think it looks great. I can't wait to try it.

We went over to my dad's after the reunion with my mom. It was Father's Day today. We went to church with dad and then spent the day doing a ton of stuff. Dad said, "this is why you have kids when your young." He was completly worn out after the day was done. He was happy to see us go. Holly was there with her three kids too. It was a little bit of mayham. Dad, Granpa Brent, and Connelly moving the huge lawn. I wouldn't be able to do it without a riding lawn mower. Dad has a one eyed dog, Sargent. I was trying to get a pix of the one eye, but was unsuccessful. I will try again. Connelly torments the dog. This is my grandma Ruby, Connelly's Great Grandma Ruby Cleveland. She is really sick and is on hospice. I really wanted to get a picture before she dies with Connelly. It was a challenge but I think that it turned out okay. Grandma doesn't remember much, but she sure remembered me and going huckleberry picking and how I spilt them. S...

Dallynn and the cousins on the snake in the pool. It was a real hit. Holly and I bought the same swim suit, because you know we are never together, and there we were as twins at the Crane Reunion. LOL My cousin, Deidra and her son Andrew, playing in the pool. Connelly and I had a ball. We were definately baked from the sun after. I recommend going to Lava. You can even camp and float the little river on tubes for $3 an hour. We might do that next time. Connelly kissing his GREAT grandpa Crane at age 91. He was in his swim suit and sat in the pool. I thought that was so cool. We went to Lava Hot springs for the first day of the Crane Reunion. I hadn't been there since I was in high school and stole my parents car. Adri and I, one day after moving pipe, jumped in the Topaz and drove to Lava for a day of fun in the sun on Dad's dime.

So If you read my past post, you'd think I was probably on the edge of suicide. I wasn't but life did suck. But I have worked though some of my troubles and no worries. Today was a good day. I got a lot off my chest and can sleep. Thanks!!!

So I need to mop, vacuum, dust, all that. I don't want to, so I'm doing what I never do and look on my blog, other's blogs, and freebies to deals. Which all are a waste of time and I need to not do. Which I haven't done forever because I know that they are a waste of time. I have been blogging a little lately, because Trish said my humor was needed and I do believe that. However, I don't need to read the freebies or other's blogs. First they are just bragging on their blogs. no one tells the truth like: Nate and I fought today, our marriage sucks, and we aren't in the best spot right now. No most people say, "I love my family, my husband. Or we went to Europe, Brazil and we have a million dollars." Really? I don't believe you. Your life sucks too. You are just bragging and trying to rub it in my face. I am poor, going to school, and fight with my husband about who is going to do the dishes or change Connelly's bum. Usually then it ends up t...

I will take a picture in the morning and post a picture with this blog, but I'm so excited and couldn't wait to blog about my LAWN. We got off early today and picked up the sod. Nate had workers lined up to help tomorrow, but I coulnd't wait, and didn't want to wait. (I have waited a year and 2 months) for lawn. So we worked through the rain and mudd and put in the lawn tonight. We, Russ, Nate, and I , put all of it down in three hours. It looks great. Tomorrow we are pulling weeds and working on the side yard and front yard. I'm going to be a slave driver for the next month and get this thing DONE. Nate hates it, but I don't care. I'll be a hag if I have to. Something has to happen. I will call and get bids on curbing over the next few days. I don't even have an idea what it will cost, but I want it.

So, I know... It has been since the first of March since I blogged. It isn't that Connelly isn't as cute as spit, or that I haven't done anything, it is just that blogging takes me away from my studying and that is never good. I actually have a chance tonight to blog. I already did my homework, most of the house work and am watching my neighbors daughter and so I don't feel too guilty about blogging. I always feel if I have enough time to blog, I should be studying. I always think, "In my next life I will blog, take pictures, read my scriptures, go to institute, all those things that I'd really love to do." I know that isn't a good excuse. I need to just do a little better time management. What the biggest time taker is Connelly. He can't just watch TV or play on his own. He loves me too much and so I have to be with me all the time. So when he does take his nap, which is a good 3 hour one, I am exhausted and so I have to say I take a nap with him....

Today we had our second, Joy School, day with a few kids and Connelly. We are learning the ABC's and they are coloring and singing. It is little and fun. We have them try to sound out the letters and identify the letters and the sounds. It was great. I think the kids enjoy. They are getting better and better each week to pay attention and listen to the "teacher".