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Monday, March 31, 2014

Not Quite April


1. Zackary will be starting transitional kindergarten in the fall. This means that I have been busy for months collecting the required paperwork and visiting the doctor's office for physicals etc......I was told back in February that I could turn in all of the forms on April 1st this year. For some reason that stuck in my mind as today! This morning I had everything ready and drove with the younger kiddos to the enrollment office. The receptionist reminded me that it was not yet April. I was one day early! I asked if she would just look over all of the paperwork and make sure I had everything for tomorrow. While looking it over she decided that she could make an exception and just take everything a day early. I was thrilled!
That's a big check off my to-do list :)

2. Saturday was the General Women's Meeting for our church. It was amazing and uplifting! I ended up watching the whole thing twice over the weekend, because my mom missed it on Saturday so I watched it again with her after Sunday dinner! I loved the thought about not only loving one another more, but loving one another better.
I love being a part of this gospel. It is wonderful beyond words. I feel so blessed to be a daughter of God, and to know how much He loves me and my own beautiful daughters of God!

3. On a completely unrelated non-gospel topic..... Butter is Back.
Take that margarine!

I think I need to make a batch of peanut butter cup just to go inside of these cookies!

5. The older kids went back to school today and Ty went back to work. We enjoyed a great week together! This morning went pretty well, except for Mia and Zoey wanting to sleep in. I totally feel their pain!
6. March has been beautiful. I am looking forward to April, Easter, and Spring!
Happy Monday :)
Thursday, March 27, 2014

This and That



1. An important reminder.......

2. I somehow missed national chocolate and peanut butter day! It was the 25th. I don't know how something like that could have slipped by me unnoticed. I made up for it today!

3. Ty and I took the kids to the Ontario Mills mall this morning. We wanted to visit the lego store and the Build-A-Bear workshop. The kids had a great time and Ty and I were reminded that we really hate malls.
We are spending the evening at home painting treasure boxes Ty made for each of the kids. That is much more our style!

4. The April issue of the Ensign came today! I look forward to reading it every month. 
I am getting excited about Easter and I can't wait to read all of the wonderful stories! Easter is such a wonderful time of hope and a time when people seem to really turn their focus to Christ. It is awesome.
Hot cross buns are an Easter tradition that I plan to continue, and I love this little updated version.

5. Tomorrow is Friday! Our spring break week has gone by so quickly! We have spent time with friends and family, played, explored, crafted, and cooked.
It has been wonderful to have Ty around to enjoy all of the fun with us. I will miss him when he goes back to work next week!



Monday, March 24, 2014

The Living Desert

 Ty took this week off to spend spring break playing with me and the kids!
We spent our first day visiting The Living Desert.
 We packed plenty of water and snacks. Even though it is only late March it was 90 degrees in the desert today!
Max has loved cheetah's ever since he first heard about them. (I think he was 4 or 5!)
We had a great view of the cheetahs and he loved them!

Zoey kept referring to this big cat display as the map. I don't know where she was expecting to get if she followed it!
 We spent a good hour at the discovery center.
Everyone spent a little time panning for gold.
 It was nice to cool off in the water anyway!
 The giant desert tortoises gave us a show.
 The zebras are always a hit.
 We got out of the sun for a while and played some music.
 The drumming was amazing :)

 Max and Zoey were checking out this "people" sized bird's nest. They thought it was very interesting, but no one would go inside.
 My favorite animal of the day was the jaguar! He was beautiful! He was pacing back and forth at the front of the enclosure and I was so amazed that I forgot to take a picture until he was back in his little cave.
 We tried to see the giraffes first thing, but they were no where to be found! By the end of the day the kids were exhausted. Max and Mia were both complaining that they could no longer walk and I had been carrying Zoey for a while, but we wanted to try to see the giraffes one more time!
 We were so relieved when we arrived and there they were!
The perfect end to our Living Desert adventure.
Sunday, March 23, 2014

Mustache

 We got a little package of stick on mustaches from the store.
Zack and Zoey thought they were hilarious.
 Zoey looked adorable in her blue mustache.
 Zackary looked very studious in his green one :)
(Note Zoey's latest rainbow loom bracelet. Created by Max!)

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Thursday



1. Zackary and Zoey love to dance. Zoey is always asking Ty to dance with her. If he can't, one of the boys stands in. 

2. We stopped for donuts on our way to speech yesterday.
Zackary switched things up by getting a sugared raised donut rather than a glazed. Zoey stuck with her favorite donut holes. Everyone was happy :)


3. The kids have minimum day schedules for the rest of the week at school. The afternoons seem much more relaxed when everyone is home before 2!

4. I love this! I need it for my kitchen. It would be especially appreciated on those nights when no one wants to eat anything.

5. Just a thought for the day!
 

6. In honor of Thursday/Minimum Days, etc.... I think we should all make cookies and dip them in chocolate!
Recipe: HERE

Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

This and That


1. At some point over the weekend, I injured my foot. I can walk, running is out, and it hurts! Ty says it will take several weeks to heal! I just don't have several weeks. I am planning on one week....we will see.

2. We went to a fun multi-family FHE activity last night. One of our friends hosted and it seemed like every family in the ward was there. They had organized everything in advance and had given each family an ingredient that we were supposed to use in a dessert. We had mint. I used a box of thin mint cookies to make a crust for my french silk pie and topped it with chocolate mint whipped cream. It turned out pretty awesome! There were too many desserts last night to try, but we enjoyed all of the fun company!

3. Today is picture day at Max and Mia's school. I 100% forgot until we got there! I sat in the car and tried to make Mia's hair look descent. Oh well. There is always next year!

4. Max and Mia have decided that they love oatmeal raisin cookies. I am much more of an oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie person, but my dad happens to love oatmeal raisin cookies, so maybe it skips a generation!

5. speaking of.......
(Maybe I will make these after I make the raisin cookies. Just for some balance!)

6. Ever feel like this?


Happy Tuesday!


Friday, March 14, 2014

Good Things Friday


1. Check out this adorable cakestand!!!
I would keep it on my dining room table all of the time.

2.  I think this is really important. No matter what it is you are doing!


3. Max asked me to make banana bread last night, after I had already made dinner and dessert for a little get together with my parents and one of my brothers. I told him I would make it today. So today I am making THIS brown butter banana bread for Max, because he is amazing and deserves banana bread. Also....brown butter makes everything better :)

4. I have been reading scriptures with the kids each morning before school. This was our third week making it happen! It is never easy, but really worth it! I want them to be familiar with the stories and teachings in the scriptures. I want them to feel comfortable discussing them. I sure hope they get something out of it!

Why not?

6. Thor The Dark World
Ty and I stayed up late last night to finish this one. We put the kids to bed and pulled out the reeses pieces and red vines for our own little movie night.
It was fun!

Happy Friday!


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Life Lately

 Twice a week Zackary has speech sessions at a local elementary school. While he is working, Zoey and I hang out in the office lobby. She usually brings little toys or paper and pencils to keep busy with. She has started carrying a purse with her when we go out.
 Her girly-ness is delightful!

The 3rd grade wax museum is this Thursday and Max will be presenting himself as General George Patton.
 I put together a little army costume and Max really wanted a couple of grenades to use as props. I hope the school is okay with that. (Not real grenades....toys of course!)
 We have spent a lot of hours on this project and I know it is only the first of many!
I feel like I am in school all over again.



It is my week off from driving the carpool this week and I am very happy about it! We are having a hard time adjusting to the time change. I am starting to feel normal, but the kids are still dragging in the morning. Hopefully by next week everyone will be adjusted.


This was a good little reminder today.


Happy Tuesday!
Sunday, March 9, 2014

Sunday


1. Movies.....
We always have a movie night on Friday's to celebrate the weekend. This week I recorded Dolphin Tale.
We loved it. Even Zoey sat through the movie and enjoyed it.

The kids have been looking forward to the Mr. Peabody and Sherman movie coming to theaters.
It came out this weekend, so on Saturday, after much begging, Ty took the older kids to see it.
Everyone gave it good reviews. Ty said it was one of the better kid's movies he has seen in a while.
The kids love going to the movies. I am so glad we have a fairly affordable theater nearby.

2.  Spaces....
I adore this cute kitchen! I love the sage green walls and white cabinets. Also....the farmhouse sink. One day! (and while I'm dreaming, double ovens)

3. Food.....

must make this before it gets too warm!

4. Crafty.....
I don't even like St. Patrick's Day, but I think this idea is adorable and achievable.....even for me!

5. Getaway....
We are leaving after church to spend the afternoon in the mountains with my parents! It's always shocking to me how much cooler it can be up there. The coats are already in the car.

Happy Sunday!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

This and That


1. I heard this quote in our Relief Society meeting last night.

"Divine by Nature, Remarkable by choice."

 So much of what we are and what we are trying to become depends on the work we are willing to do.

2. I read a blog post this morning about "passions". People love talking about their passions and things they are just so passionate about.
I started thinking about "passion", and I had to look the word up.....

Passion- a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something

I started thinking about myself. Do I have passions? What am I passionate about?
According to this definition I am passionate about the peanut butter hot chocolate I made myself this morning. I was looking forward to it with enthusiasm and excitement all through my workout!
What are your passions?

3. A Good to know thought:
Go for the Rolls!

4. I am completely into skillet cookies.
They are just so dang amazing. A big skillet filled with an ooey gooey cookie that you can eat with a spoon, possibly topped with ice cream!
I have a ridiculous amount of these skillet cookie recipes pinned onto my cookie board on pinterest right now!

5. A 30 minute treadmill workout.
I love my treadmill. Probably more than skillet cookies. 

6.Occasionally Max or Mia bring home a homework assignment that is super fun and totally worth doing. Last night Max's homework involved making homeade ice cream.
 He chose cookies and cream ice cream . He measured and poured all of the ingredients into the blender.
 He waited patiently while the ice cream maker churned his ice cream.
 Then he dug in.
 Today he will be doing math and taking a spelling test, but he can eat ice cream when he is done!

Happy Wednesday! (Half way to Friday YAY!)