This is one of my favorite treats my mom made when we were young. They are easy to make as well as fast to make and delicious! You can take all your kids hershey bars from their trick or treat bags and make a fun treat.  Plus, they are gluten free!

                                        CHOCOLATE BALLS

1. Melt and cool 1 large chocolate bar ( or 12 miniature hershey bars ) 
2. Blend cooled chocolate with 9 oz. Cool Whip
3. Cool and drop by teaspoon in crushed gluten free graham crackers or crushed nuts and roll into balls.

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday observed throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.

 

Weber County Library will be celebrating Day of the Dead this Saturday, November 1, 2014 at the Main Branch at 2464 Jefferson Avenue in Ogden at 3:00 p.m.

Make crafts, listen to stories, play games and try traditional Latino foods while celebrating "El Dia De Los Muertos".  Open to all ages and is FREE

Pablo Picasso said-

 "Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up"  

 

Last week at Color Me Mine we saw how much fun kids have without a t.v. or an iPad or video games.  Thanks to the lovely ladies at the 25th Street store in Ogden kids were able to transform their handprints into spider and witches and crazies and draculas.  The kids had so much fun painting their plates and watching Coleman turn balloons into all sorts of hats, swords and animals.  If you missed the Halloween party, stay tuned for information on the next one.  

 

 

 

Thanks COLOR ME MINE for helping our kids create memories!

 I had my birthday party at Boondocks in Kaysville this week and it was SO MUCH FUN!  The best part was being treated special. I was able to spin the birthday wheel, I got 200 extra tickets, had a delicious gluten free pizza and had fun with my family and friends.

 This is me in front of my favorite game.....skeeball.

 My sister and her son playing air hockey.  I tried to distract her as much as possible so her 5 year old could score some points on her :)

 My son and my sisters son shooting bad guys. Where else can a 21 year old have fun with a 5 year old?

 AJ and Ella riding motorcycles with the wind blowing in their hair.

 Bowling for dollars.....ok, just kidding just for fun

 Me and my sister before getting drenched on the Boats.  Thank you very much to the Boat guy for soaking us! NOT!

Maddie and Sofie playing in the little kids area.  Thanks Boondocks for a fun day!

  Its here again. That weird day that you don't really understand yet it comes every year.  The day you expect time to stand still and all to rejoice but instead it is just another day.  My birthday.  I am going to be 44 in 5 days and what in the world have I done in the past year, years, decades, 44 years? I want to be cool. 

 I want people to say, "Wow, she really has it together and knows what she's doing." But guess what, I don't, and it's not that I haven't tried.  I have sold Mary Kay, Creative Memory Scrapbooks, Upcycled Chic, Homemade Bags, I have tried losing weight with Isagenix, Body by Vi, Slimfast you name it, I have tried it and not succeeded (notice I didn't say failed....that was really hard).  I have tried to make something of myself online and in the business world and it just hasn't worked, so what does that mean?  I think it means I belong in face to face situations to succeed.  I don't need to be popular on the screen (whether it be facebook, instagram or Studio 5) because I am needed on the home front.  At least that is what I am running with. 
 

 So, as Kristen has challenged me, what exactly have I learned about myself from all my "non succeeded" ventures?  I have learned 1) crickets.........  haha, ok just kidding, I need to harness more brain power here.  Ok I have learned 1) I like people (unless I'm suffering from extreme depression and not taking any medication then people bug me) but really I think everyone has something to offer and they are going through their own stuff.  2) I love being creative.  President Uchdorfs talk on Creating (see  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/happiness-your-heritage?lang=eng&cid=facebook-shared ) resonates with me.  3) I like helping others and doing things that will make other people happy  4) Nothing else :)


I have also learned that I love my family because they stick with me.  I have a wonderful husband who does not complain about all the lost money used "finding" my place in the world.  And I love my totally honest daughter who just walked in and said "Mom, we need to find Crest 2d strips for us and a friend because then they will stay white for 2 days!" Then she says, "Your breath smells horrible!  You need to breathe on the ground!"  Maybe she will buy me some toothpaste and white strips for my birthday!

Disney on Ice is coming to Salt Lake City November 12-15, 2014!!

We LOVE Disney on Ice!  It is the closest thing my daughter gets to seeing the "Real" Princesses at Disneyland.  This year Disney on Ice is offering you a discount!

Use the code: MOM and receive $5 off your admission for price levels $25 and $20 for performances Thursday 7PM, Friday 3:30PM and 7PM, Saturday 7PM, Sunday 4:30PM

Valid Outlets: Internet only

  

And now for a sneak peak at the show..........

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy Takes Families on a Whirlwind Tour of Contemporary and Classic Disney Tales

Production Features Live Adaptation of Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3 and

Life-Sized Animated Characters from Disney•Pixar’s Cars

Feld Entertainment’s action-packed ice spectacular, Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy, whisks audiences on a captivating adventure to four magical locations, including the auto-racing terrain of Cars and a visit to Andy’s bedroom for some fun with the stars of Toy Story 3. This production delights audiences with a journey under the sea to Ariel’s world from The Little Mermaid and then into the mystical land of Pixie Hollow for a presentation of Tinker Bell. 

“To be the first to introduce the Tinker Bell story live on ice and to be entrusted with the beloved Toy Story characters is incredible, and we are thrilled to bring these heartwarming tales to families across the United States,” says producer Nicole Feld. 

“The arena instantly transforms into Pixie Hollow as we show our audience how the fairies prepare for spring with an explosion of color. To convey the world of the toys and create the proper toy-to-human scale, we manipulated the size of the props and costumes to make live skaters – and even the audience – seem toy size,” she adds.

The on-ice excitement begins when an adventurous Mickey Mouse embarks on a journey with Minnie Mouse to uncover each world of fantasy, but the plan goes awry when their cherry red roadster unexpectedly breaks down.  Although Donald Duck and Goofy try, it takes the assistance of the coolest cars on the ice to get the pistons firing again.  Direct from Radiator Springs, Mater, Lightning McQueen and Sally speed into action, zipping and zooming around the frozen highway in an effort to re-energize the roadster.

The life-sized Cars characters were developed by the innovative minds of the prop team led by Feld Entertainment Vice President of Scenic Elements Rick Papineau.  Each car took 2,000 man hours to build and is outfitted with custom animatronics including blinking eyes and hydraulic lifts that bounce to the beat of the music.  Mater and McQueen even come complete with moving mouths, enabling their dynamic personalities to shine through each time they speak.  “The cars are going to be a big surprise because no one will expect them to be so animated, so large or so realistic,” says Papineau.

As Mickey and Minnie’s “road trip” continues, Production Designer Jeremy Railton’s whimsical scenery transforms the arena into an environment that captures the essence of each unique world to follow.  Fluorescent coral and clam shell drums embody Ariel’s world in The Little Mermaid and audiences enter the colorful fantasy land of fairies for the Tinker Bell segment.

Railton took particular care with Pixie Hollow.  “Audiences are still getting to know Pixie Hollow, so it was important to me to capture the lushness and the scale detailed in the film,” says Railton.  Because fairies are miniature in size, Railton used inflatable technology to create a giant tree backdrop.  In the finale, larger than life butterflies float onto the ice as oversized inflatable flowers bloom around the ice signifying the arrival of spring.  

I have never been to this but I LOVE Beyond Spa and think this would be so fun!  Let me know if you go :)

Mummy & Me Mini Mani Mash  Mummy receives some much needed rest, with a warm neck pack to relax her "wrapped" up neck, and shoulders.  Next she'll slip her tired toes into a bubbly apple spice foot soak.  Nibble on scary-good treats, and enjoy time with your little sweets.  Your little ghoul will select a spooktacular nail design, and receive a mini moisturizing apple cinnamon hand massage.  This treatment is sure to scare any stress away!   Allow 20 minutes    Mummy & One Little Ghoul   $30

Call to schedule your terror-ific treatments today! (801) 544-2920

GLUTEN FREE EXPO 2014

Hannah and I went to the Gluten Free Expo and found some new things that I wanted to tell you about.  First of all, Papa Murphy's is now offering gluten free pizza and if you text "Free" to 91011 you will be entered in a drawing with Papa Murphy's to get free pizza for a year! 

A new vendor that had delicious pizza was "We don't knead gluten" pizza mixes.  Their crust is made with whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes that give the pizza an artisan taste.  This make at home pizza crust mix makes a 10" round pizza crust and does not soak up all the pizza sauce.  It is a thin, crispy, yummy crust.  Listen to the the ingredients: corn flour, tapioca flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, psyllium seed husk powder, almond flour, buttermilk, arrow foot, fava garbanzo bean flour, corn starch, xanthan gum, yeast, flax seed powder, sodium chloride, gelatin, sugar and apple cider vinegar.   This was a yummy, gourmet pizza crust.

And finally, the yummiest thing at the expo were definitely the Gluten Free Heaven donuts. These donuts were made from a mix and were so close to Krispy Kreme donuts that I was in heaven eating them!  This yummy face that I made earned me a very unflattering picture in the Salt Lake Tribune which I will not be posting, you can look it up and feel my unflattering pain. Anyways, as I was talking to the owner I told her my favorite sugar cookie is from the Sweet Tooth Fairy in Layton and she said that they use her sugar cookie mix.  So now if you really miss Krispy Kreme donuts and sugar cookies you can make them at home!  Go to http://www.glutenfreeheaven.com to order.

Secrets

This morning after I dropped off my daughter at the bus stop I was listening to the radio and the song Secrets came on by Mary Lambert.  Have you heard it?  I thought I was listening to my autobiography in song!  Here are some of the lyrics- "I've got Bipolar disorder, my stuffs not in order, I'm overweight, I'm always late.......They tell us from the time we're young to hide the things that we don't like about ourselves, inside ourselves.  I know I'm not the only one who's spent so long attempting to be someone else well I'm over it.  I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are."
It's a really catchy tune (wow, I sound really old saying that, huh), but the lyrics, most of them, seemed to be me.  I don't have Bipolar, but I do have anxiety and depression.  (Notice how I did NOT capitalize those two diseases).  We don't talk about mental disorders.....it's too taboo.  We talk about sex, religion, politics, pedophiles, LGTB's, you name it, but we do not talk about mental disorders.  Why? It's a secret! Why do we bring cookies or casseroles to those with cancer, broken legs, and funerals, but not to those suffering with depression?

My son had to come home from the Philippines where he was serving an LDS mission because he started having anxiety and depression and the doctor over there gave him a bunch of medications that sent him into a tail spin.  After he got home he saw all the doctors at the Mission Recovery Center and went on different meds but then decided he didn't want to be a zombie and has been eating healthy and exercising in hopes of that controlling his symptoms.  At that time I decided to also go a la natural and weaned off my meds as well. Because I'm NOT that person.  I'm not the person that needs to be drugged to function.  I'm not the person who lays in bed all day (because the OCD side of my brain won't let me).  I want to be the "normal" one, the one who functions without drugs.  But guess what, I can't.  I'm praying that my son makes it through school and work because I'm not able to function without drugs.

Yes, I am an addict, but guess what, it's ok.  I have tried weaning off of drugs so many times and the last three times (the last three summers) I have taken a holistic route, but every time I get worse and have to go back on meds.  And that is ok.  It is ok to take drugs for mental disorders and it is ok to go the holistic route and try the vitamins and herbs and oils and drops.  The point is you need to be your own doctor and not worry about choosing absolutes.  I am using prescription meds and natural supplements. My prescription keeps me from crying everyday and being bugged by everyone I meet and from planning how I am going to leave this life.  I still have anxiety and depression but I am able to function and that is much better than it was.

I want people to talk about themselves.  Don't be embarrassed or secretive about mental illness because I want to believe that there are many people who suffer from this and can be a comfort to you and me.

P.S. when listening to the song by Mary Lambert remember I said I am some of those things, not all of them.  It's no longer a secret.........

I LOVE massages!  I think they should be part of our healthcare benefits.  I always want deep pressure, but never really got it until I went to Leila at Beyond Spa.  I know its weird, but I like to almost cry because the pressure is so hard because I know it will help so much afterwards.
The atmosphere at Beyond Spa is so relaxing and they always have this delicious cucumber water that I can easily make at home but never do.  Anyways, just wanted to give a big thank you to Leila cause it was 7:30 pm and she had been working all day and I still got a good massage.  Thanks!
 ( p.s. I have received no compensation from Beyond Spa)
http://www.beyondspaut.com

Welcome to Jenn Jeez Place

Welcome to Jenn Jeez Place.  Are you wondering what Jenn Jeez means?  When my niece was little she called me Jenn Jeez instead of Jenny and it has stuck ever since.  So I'm not really a blogger, but there are some things that I would like to document and then hopefully find others who feel the same.  That way we are all in this together.....please don't start singing the High School Musical song :)  Please  leave only nice comments because I am really, really, really thin skinned! You do have a choice, but please choose the right.