Hillbilly Helen & Co.

I haven't written anything on the blog for a while. Okay, now that I have stated the obvious, let's talk about the less obvious..  Why?  I just haven't really been in the mood.  I pure and simple just haven't felt like I had anything worth saying.  But this morning that changed.  I have been very out of sorts in the past little while, the reasons really are not important to write about.  Plus if I start on that it will defeat the whole purpose of the post..  I got out of bed this morning and had one simple thought.  "Stop focusing on all the stuff that "I" feel and look outside yourself." When I woke this morning I opened up my Ipad and went straight to KSL and the top story was this http://www.ksl.com/?sid=33885027&nid=148&fm=most_popular&s_cid=popular-5 .  She is my cousin.  She was one of the few cousins I really knew very well on my Dad's side of the family and we are just a year apart in age.  We went to Jr. High and High

I LOVE MOVIES....  MOVIES THAT INSPIRE ME AND MAKE ME FEEL GOOD!! This is the perfect time of year for me to talk about movies.  As soon as Halloween is over I pull out my stash of Christmas movies.  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching the movies.  They are all part of the memories. We start watching Christmas movies on November 1st because I want to be able to watch every one of the Christmas movies I own at least twice by New Years. I try to acquire at least one new Christmas movie every year. I also have, over the past couple of years, come to love Netflix for Christmas shows ... there I can find Christmas movies that  have a message and some meaning just the way I like them.  These are movies that I can't usually find anywhere else.  I will pick one of the movies that has become a favorite from Netflix and purchase it at the end of the season to add to my personal home collection.  I also love Hallmark Channel Movies at Christmas time, but since I don't a

This is the post that almost wasn't.... I'm doing it for myself.  I never want to forget how I feel right now.   My life is busy... Complicated ... Fun... Crazy.. At times Chaotic... And everything I ever hoped it would be ... And so so much more!!!   The past six weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions  and I'm pretty sure it's impossible for me to put all my feelings into words... But here's just the smallest part of what I feel. #6 kiddo Lance got baptized ... He is the self proclaimed "Super hero of Joy" and for sure continues to be that in our lives What a great day with lots of family and food and an amazing 8 year old that smiled ear to ear all day long. These 7 people and their amazing Daddy bring me so much joy. Manti high school had homecoming week and my student body president son had an eventful week .. Even creating a county-wide scandal when he made a video for the "pep assembly" filmed at the rival school. Th

This is my oldest boy, Jace... Long before social media was even "a thing"...  Really it kinda seems like a lifetime ago to him.  But to me it, it pretty much seems like last week.  Today's post totally called for the social media sharing of this picture.  A couple weeks ago he started his senior year in high school, and in a couple of months he's going to turn 18.  Time marches on and teenagers form strong opinions.  Today the blog is dedicated to Jace and an essay he wrote last night to be presented in his College English class today.  I have yet to decide if I will need to write a response to the "argumentative essay" he will be sharing with his "peeps" today #timewilltell.  So without further explanation here's how Jace views the world. Jace Cox Moms Should Not Be Allowed on Social Media             It should be against the law for Mothers to follow, Snapchat, or become internet “Friends” with their teenage children. Tweets, ha

It's been a month.. Ok more than... Since my last blog post.  The blog and I have been having a bit of an identity crisis.  I'm not sure I'm totally over it yet.  But I'm getting closer so I decided to do a quick post.    Six of the seven kiddos are now back to school (at 4 different schools ... Snow College , High School, Middle school,  elementary) It's pretty much a circus !!! Thanks to this  Sanity saver  and the fact that I had copied and filed a bunch of other recipes I'm enjoying life in the kitchen ... Where I spend a large part of my days... I am feeding 9 people.. Most of which are teens or Tweens and also most of which are boys!!!  Here's a few of the things that have been a hit this past couple of weeks with back to school, drill team, cross country, and soccer practice causing constant bouts of hunger ... Cowboy dinner   Baked Ziti   Slow cooker peanut butter hot fudge pudding cake  ... I could go on and on about the recipes at this blog

It's already Mid-July..  How did this happen?  I feel like summer is slipping away...  4 weeks from tomorrow school starts for the kiddo's.  I have kids that are at 5 different levels of schooling.  1 College student, 2 high school, 1 middle school, 2 elementary school guys, and a little guy at home..  It makes having any kind of a scheduled routine somewhat laughable.  Doesn't matter if it's summer break or if school is in..  our schedule has to be pretty flexible..  Sometimes I long for the days.. really not that long ago..  when everyone got up at about the same time, went to bed at the same time....  and especially ATE at the same time!!!  With school sports, jobs, various church activities, and ... well just life,  I really struggle to find family meal time, but it doesn't stop me from trying.. or from basically spending my life in the kitchen to be certain that there is always something for everyone to eat... whether coming or going or even if I can get them t