My How To... for the day

I can't resist embellishing... I found this cute photo album at Hobby Lobby and decided it would make a cute recipe book. So with the help from a little cream colored ric-rac, a cheap flower torn apart, a flat glass bead, some polka dot scrap paper with the word RECIPES printed on it from the computer...this once plain photo album has a purpose...No peaking Haley! It's a shower gift! Can't wait for another fun partying weekend.

Beautiful Spring Morning...

our on-going back yard project...

my favorite color right now is GREEN!!!

Book Club

I'm so excited for Book Club a.k.a. "Treats and a Good Book" tonight... we are discussing the book Lemon Tart.

I decided to make my version of gingerbread.
chocolate swirl gingerbread
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. molasses
1 egg
2 oz. melted semi sweet chocolate

1. preheat oven 325. Butter 8" square dish. combine dry ingredients.
2. melt butter and water in saucepan. stir into dry ingredients. add molasses and egg
3. pour half of batter into dish. drizzle half of chocolate over batter. add remaning batter and drizzle remaining batter in zig zag pattern over top.
4. run a knife through the lines of chocolate, alternating the direction each time.
5. bake until toothpick comes out clean. about 30 minutes.

weekend at a glance...

boy how the time flies by on the weekend... do you like my new $20 clock from Tia Pan?

Speaking of pan...I got in the mood for these...and yes... you know me.. i mention french bread and it remains on the brain until...good thing I found these sweet things at the grocery storewe are working on our yard...look what's popping up

speaking of popping up... nothing got past this cute first baseman...well, at least nothing I saw.

so that's it in a nutshell... my next question is... Is IT FRIDAY YET? I'm ready for another weekend.

PROGRESS REPORT:

WE'RE TALKING CENTIMETERS OF INCH WORM CRAWLING PROGRESS FOR THIS ALMOST 1 YEAR OLD....BUT WHAT'S THE RUSH?

AS LONG AS THERE IS PROGRESS...SMALL IS BETTER THAN NONE

STRAWBERRY JAM DAY

This is my favorite time of year for lots of reason... but STRAWBERRY JAM is right up there TOP 10!!! It has become a ritual for me almost... clean up the kitchen, organize the bowls and towels and containers... make room in the sink... and then the star of the SHOW...

DON'T FORGET ... THE KITCHEN HELP (nick) WHO SORTS, WASHES AND FISHES THEM FROM THE SINK...

I "CUT THE HEADS OFF" AND THROW THEM INTO THE "CRUSHER"... THEN... LEST WE WORRY ABOUT CALORIES...

Ahhh, the sweet smell of strawberry jam

now.... only one thing could make this better...

Birthday Wishes

What a great weekend I had with my family. We spent tons of time outside from baseball games, to yard work, to playing catch, and looking around at an outdoor nursery. It is so nice to have the sun shining and the grass green. I feel so blessed to have so many great things around me... mostly my family. I DID go to the temple Friday night and totally enjoyed myself. What a calm and rejuvinating place the temple is. I love it. Saturday evening Jake, Mason and Sadie took off on a shopping spree for me. They returned with gifts, and a turtle ice cream cake that was so yummy. It made my birthday surprising and fun and I felt very loved. Jake took over the grill and the kids set up the table and we fully enjoyed dinner on the patio. I don't mind 34! If this is the way this year is going to be spent, with a family like this... I'm the Luckiest Woman in the World.

all I want for my birthday....

Ever since General Conference (and quite a while before then...) I have been dying to go to the temple. I have been putting it off for several reasons... one MAIN one is pictured below with very cute and irresistable cheeks (that require nursing.) But one can find a hundred excuses.. and SHOULDN'T~ So, for my birthday... sometime this weekend I would like to go to the temple. I don't mind if I go alone or with my eternal companion as much as I care just to get there. I haven't gone alone to do "alone things" for quite some time and I hear it is very rewarding. I loved this quote by Elder Bednar in his Sunday afternoon talk: “I have come to understand better the protection available through our temple covenants and what it means to make an acceptable offering of temple worship. There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.” found here from General Conference this year.
I sure hope that things work out... and if not, that I will make the time soon to go to the TEMPLE! What am I waiting for?

drippy...

Gotta love Mother Nature...

Nick, however isn't sure

Yesterday was a rainy and wet day, but we were still able to go on a preschool field trip to the American Heritage Farm in Logan. There were some cute little baby animals... (and they weren't my kids.)

Although, mine are pretty cute too..

April Showers... carrot flowers... and other Easter highlights!!

So, how was your easter weekend spent?

Ours began with a colorful start...

then on to some sand-dune, egg rolling, 4-wheeling fun...

The tiger stripped, sidewinder, easter rocking eggs were so fun to watch...

Then... on to the rain and showers....what a party we had for the Bride's to BE~
it was all my favorite.. but here are the highlights

Carrot's in the vase... gave great easter flare...

Serious spread of every topping just suitable for the DELUX BANANA SPLIT

A SMALL CHILD ATTACHED TO MY HIP BECAUSE HE'S AN EXTREME

MAMA'S BOY!!!!!

...AND THE STRAWBERRY TOPIARY...

wE PLAyeD fUN gameS ANd hAD gREat fOOD...

bUT bEST of aLL wAS bEINg AblE To cREATe, AND eNjOY

with my FAMILY!!!

sleepy... time

looky what I made...

if you can invision flower's like this in all different shades of easter colors... don't you think they will be the

perfect addition

for a springy shower?

they are made out of tissue paper and only took about 5 minutes tops to make. Simple as 1,2,3,4 steps.. you can find them here at Martha Stewart.

I've had a little time on my hands today since Andrew has had a 4 1/2 hour nap!WOW

Good Morning

Anyone up for some mush? Andy likes it!

If you've been wondering where I've been.... I'm busy! Today starts SPRING BREAK for my kids and that means it's PARTY TIME. We are throwing a shower for my neices who are both getting married very soon....I can't believe it! I've been doing a little planning and preparing for that and other things... so I will blog later... for now enjoy your...

F.Y.I. ....

There are some cute Easter (boy) clothes at KOHLS... right now!

&

How cute are these things at Williams Sonoma

Beating the Winter Blues...

I have another kid home today "SICK", to be honest, I think we're all a little sick of this extended cold, snowy weather. Therefore, no real exciting things happening here. I am on the search today for a good crock pot chicken soup recipe... I may try and make one up unless anyone has a tried and true recipe they would like to share. It's book-fair season and I am on the PTA board in charge of Volunteers. It has been a crazy week thus far trying to find nearly 50 people to fill shifts... hence the crock pot dinner since I will be doing my duty this evening. One thing about this kind of weather is that it makes me want to curl up by the fire and read a good book....

Here are my latest recommendations:

Sadie and I read this one and I cried.... great mother daughter read together moment!

Currently reading this one for "book club" and loving every minute. Of course any book with this kind of cover would grab my attention right?