Handy Hubby

 I came across THIS crate on pinterest from the idea room.

 I really loved it! I showed it to Ty and he thought he could make something like it.

he spent his day off yesterday making one for me!

I love it!

We plan to use it by the tree to put presents in and then after Christmas for storage.

(I have such a handy hubby!)

Birthday/Thanksgiving Day

 It was a very busy and most delightful holiday!

The morning began with a Birthday Brunch party for Zoey.

 We had apple coffee cake topped with caramel frosting.

Zoey opened packages and blew out both of her candles at once!

 I attempted to take a perfect picture of all 4 kids.....

 I tried again.....

 and again.....

 Oh well!

 Ty took the older kids to see "Frozen", and while he was gone Zoey and I did this....

 and then this....

I just couldn't resist!

 Everyone came home and my parents arrived for dinner.

The pies were my favorite part.

Butter was the reason.

I am now completely exhausted but happy!

It was a wonderful day and now I am ready for a good night's sleep :)

Pics

My new phone has picture taking capabilities.

 This is me trying to figure it out....

 This is Zac.....obviously annoyed with my inability to take a decent picture!

 Max, who is getting so big and grown up!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 So much to be thankful for today!

 I am spending the day with my family! Cooking and celebrating together :)

It's Thanksgiving, but it is also someone's 2nd birthday.....

Happy Birthday Little Miss Zoey!

I can't believe she is 2.

I hoped and prayed for her...so thankful she is a part of our family.

She is getting her very own birthday brunch party this morning, before Thanksgiving really takes off.

Have a wonderful holiday :)

The Weekender

We have had a pretty amazing weekend.

On Friday afternoon, my parents took the three older kids for a sleepover in the mountains. Ty and I were left at home with just Zoey to look after us. We spent the evening wrapping Christmas presents and watching movies.

On Saturday, with the kids still away, we watched Food Network Live Thanksgiving Edition. It was very fun and got us all excited and ready for Thanksgiving this week.

When Max, Mia, and Zack came home I had the boys help me make pigs in blankets using homemade roll dough. Zackary loved them and kept asking for blankets with pigs!

Sunday has been crazy as usual. Sometimes it is hard to have Ty gone on Sunday mornings. I feel like I always forget something! It was hectic, but I was able to get everything and everyone to church on time.

I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon baking. You can never have too many cookies in your freezer around the holidays!

I am looking forward to the week. Tomorrow the kids and I are going to restock our craft supplies. They have been running seriously low and now all we have is paper.

They love to create and I think a week off from school calls for all sorts of projects!

Have a great week :)

This and That

1. Well....I finally got a smart phone. Well....Ty finally deactivated my flip phone and handed me a smart phone to use.

So far so good.

2. Ty and I spent the morning at the temple yesterday! I loved every minute :)

I left feeling so thankful!

3. After the temple Ty and I tried out Eureka Burger in Redlands. We managed to eat 2 orders of truffle oil infused cheese fries. They were all kinds of awesome!

4. I found THIS idea from Yammie's Noshery to make teeny tiny chocolate chip cookies....

They are just chocolate chip cookies (made using the mini chocolate chips!) and then rolled into ridiculously small cookies.

We have made these twice this week and my kids cannot get enough!

They love being able to pop an entire cookie into their mouths.

5. How amazing does THIS hot chocolate look?

(Hot chocolate with Mint and Marshmallows from what should I eat for breakfast)

We have been making hot chocolate almost every night using all different kinds of flavors and mix ins.

6. Thanksgiving is only a week away!

I have an entire pinterest board full of pie recipes that need to be made.

I want them all and will never be able to decide.

7. Today is Zackary's last day of school before the Thanksgiving break. His class is having a Thanksgiving feast today and he has been excited about it all week! I can't wait to pick him up and hear all about it.

8. Speaking of Thanksgiving break......It is going to be such an amazing week :)

I am very much looking forward to the laziness!

Happy Thursday!

A few things

I fell asleep on the floor last night. I had been up with Zoey and I decided to crash closer to her room just in case she needed me again. It was a terrible idea! She didn't need me again and I woke up hours later unable to move my neck or arms. I am going to spend today dreaming of a full night's sleep in my wonderful bed!

Since I was feeling so stiff this morning, I skipped my cardio and spent my workout time stretching. I am feeling much better now.

Max, Mia, and Zac all have school today. Zoey and I will be running a few errands this morning. To the post office to send a package and to the store to buy Cool Whip for Zackary's Thanksgiving feast at school on Thursday.

There are a few things that I need to try immediately....

THIS Reese's Fudge from Something Swanky

and

THIS Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate from Nutmeg Nanny

 

Today is going to be cold and foggy. We will be using our fireplaces for sure!

Monday Things

This edition of Monday things focuses on the  "things" that are making me happy right now....

1. Thanksgiving Plans.

For the past 5 years I have hosted Thanksgiving and I have loved it! I loved planning the menu and enjoyed all of the cooking.

This year, however, I just couldn't get into it. I kept meaning to plan, but I kept putting it off. Finally....today and less than 2 weeks away from turkey day.....I gave the hosting privilege away. I am suddenly looking forward to Thanksgiving!

2. Christmas Music.

I recently started listening to Christmas music....at home, in the car....There are few things as comforting or uplifting as Christmas music. 

3. The final season of Gossip Girl. 

I started watching Gossip Girl when the series began in 2007. I was pregnant with Mia. The series ended in 2012, but I have been patiently waiting to finish the show when it came to Netflix. It finally did and I have spent the past week of my workouts loving each episode! I loved how the show ended...Everyone ended up with the right people :)

4. Candy making.

I have mentioned before that I am deep into Christmas candy making, but this is the first year that I have added toffee/almond roca to the mix. I followed THESE instructions from Recipe Girl, and have made 3 batches so far.....(2 for gifting and 1 for keeping!!!)

5. Deadlifts.....

My FAVORITE toning move

Not too hard, but great results!

Happy Monday!!!

Friday!

Happy Friday! It's finally the weekend and it's finally freezing!!!

Which brings me to this thought:

This is so very me.....

The Christmas candy making is in full swing. So far I have: 2 batches of caramels, 2 batches of rocky road fudge, 2 batches of salted chocolate almond bark, and 1 batch of dark chocolate peanut butter truffles!!!

I am hoping that most of it can make it to Christmas gift giving time. The kids and Ty have already found their way into the fudge.

I love this idea for a weekend project with the kids:

DIY chalkboard painted mugs for cocoa !

I love the red one!

With everyone getting so sick after Halloween, I really fell off the exercise bandwagon. I spent a good week completely out of commission. I have tried, this week, to get back into it. I think I am finally feeling back to "normal". 

I might fit this into my weekend plans:

(to help balance out all of the candy/cocoa)

If you are not a jumping-jack person, I suggest you give them a try. They are simple to do and a great indoor/limited space cardio option.

Have an awesome weekend!

1. The kids are home from school in honor of Veteran's Day. We made pancakes this morning, did a little origami, and colored lots of pictures.

2. The Christmas candy making starts this afternoon! I finally got a new candy thermometer and I am ready to get going. It's all about the sugar.

3.  Cookie centerpieces and table settings......

Maple sugar cookie leaves for Thanksgiving.

Gingerbread trees for Christmas.

4. Love this quote from Mother Teresa

5. French Silk Pie on a stick...

Perfect for a party!

Have an amazing week!

Why Fridays are so very AWESOME

1. NO homework.

2. Monday-Thursday Zackary has speech and/or school each day. On Fridays he has neither. If I am not driving the older kids to school I basically have a free day and can go to Target....which I did today.....and it was awesome.

3. Movie night!

On Friday evenings we have family movie night. We look forward to it all week. It is a family favorite tradition. It is also a good excuse to eat pizza and make caramel corn.

4. NO worries.

On Friday night we can ignore bedtimes and routines. 

5. Weekend Plans.

Fridays are the kickoff to the weekend. I love weekends! 

Weekends mean pancakes.....

Gingerbread Pancakes

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

and Snickerdoodle Pancakes

I am just happy it's Friday!!!!

Have an awesome weekend :)

1. After spending a good week inside my house, recovering from and caring for those with sickness, I am ready to get out and spend the evening with the relief society sisters in my ward! Hopefully I can stay awake past 7:00!

2. I am loving THIS pantry makeover!

I must do this in my house immediately.

3. Frosting Grahams!!!

I basically lived off of these my first summer at BYU. Of course we used store bought canned frosting and THIS recipe uses delicious home made buttercream. Quite the upgrade. My kids would love all of the colors.

4. Ty has been gone every day for a week......and he will continue to be gone every day until this weekend. We are going out Friday night and I can't wait to spend a little time with him!!! 

5. I made THIS vanilla bean coconut peanut butter (from: healthy food for living)

I have been eating it on cinnamon raisin toast and it is pretty much the best thing ever.

6. I am very excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of the fun!

I really need to go to Target. Target makes holidays real :)

That's about all the excitement I can handle for now!

Happy Wednesday!

Thankful

 1. Today I am thankful for health. You really miss it when it's gone!

2. I am thankful for parents who are willing to come put the spare tire on my car when I have a flat.

3. I am thankful for a husband who rushes out, after being gone all day, to get the flat tire fixed so that I can drive again.

4. I am thankful for kind friends who bring dinner when we really need it.

5. I am thankful for antibiotics.

6. I am thankful for a new week!

(Note: It was a very long weekend......)

November!!!!

 October is gone.

Halloween was a happy one....

Ty and I had both forgotten how delicious all that candy was!!

I got up early for a detox workout this morning.

I am home today with 2 sick little ones. Zack and Mia have terrible coughs.

We took a little sick person field trip. We bundled in blankets and got some hot chocolate using the Starbucks drive thru.

They happened to have their holiday cups out and ready to go!

It was a bright spot in our day!

I think I need these Suede Boots to get me through the next few months of holiday hoopla.

Time to plan Thanksgiving!!!!