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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Tuesday Things

 1. Zoey is a girl who loves a good fashion statement.
She found this hat in her drawer today and insisted on wearing it when we went to pick up the kids from school.
She was also packing her usual bag of goldfish crackers.
Zoey survives on goldfish crackers and chocolate milk.

2. I was somehow able to sneak in a 30 minute nap today. I only meant to lay down for a moment. I couldn't believe I was out for that long. Zoey made good use of her alone time and pulled out every toy in the play room. It was a nice treat for both of us!

3. THESE chocolate truffles look amazing! I am sure they will make an appearance sometime in the next few months. That is what makes holiday time so wonderful!

4. I really can't believe that tomorrow is October 1st! I am excited to start candy making and cookie baking, and to shop for costumes, and to listen to holiday music. 

5. Music lessons are going well! Mia is enjoying her piano lessons. I think Zoey is having fun with it too! She plays on Mia's keyboard every day while Mia is at school. Max is enjoying band and the cornet. He thinks he might like to try the guitar in the near future.

Happy Tuesday! Have a great week :)

S'mores

 Last night, for Family Home Evening, we set up our little fire pit on the back patio.
We talked about King Benjamin's address (in preparation for conference this weekend!) and then we made s'mores!
 Kids and fire are always an interesting combination.
 Zackary burned every marshmallow he tried to roast! He was okay with it. He just liked being able to stick something into the fire.
 The kids used milk chocolate in their s'mores and the grown ups used dark....which is the very best!
Mia ended up with marshmallow all over her hair and face. When it got later and darker, we brought everyone inside for baths....S'mores are very messy!
The kids loved it and are already asking to do s'mores again. I think we will have a repeat next Monday night, but maybe we can roast hot dogs for dinner as well!

Monday, September 29, 2014

Sweater Weather

 It was an amazingly gorgeous weekend!
It was beautiful and cool! We opened the windows on Friday evening and haven't closed them since.
We spent most of the weekend outside.....in sweaters!
 Some of us have weird sweaters.......
 Here are the mountains on one side of us....Sometimes I forget that we do live in a beautiful place.
 It was such a relief from the heat to be blessed with such a perfect weekend.
The weather will be warming up again this week, but I am looking forward to cooler nights and days ahead.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Friday

1. I made caramel again this week. I dipped some honeycrisp apples. My dad and brother came over last night and we ate them.

2. It is supposed to cool off this weekend. I am super excited!

3. Zackary ate ramen noodles for breakfast this morning, because he wanted them, and because it's Friday and I no longer care.

4. I am looking forward to watching the General Women's Meeting this weekend! Ty will be working, so I have to watch it from home, but I am hoping to make it a special girl's night with Mia next time. 

They would go perfectly with the general women's meeting, don't you think?

6. Zoey woke up early this morning. I went in to check on her and get her back to sleep when I realized her nose was bleeding and her face was covered in blood! She was a mess. Poor little thing!
She had a 5:30 am bath. 

7. No big weekend plans aside from the broadcast, but I am looking forward to a few days away from school and homework anyway!

Happy Friday!
Monday, September 22, 2014

Zackary is 5!

 Today is Zackary's 5th birthday! 
He was born 5 years ago in Tennessee, on the Autumnal Equinox. (AKA...the first day of fall)
Zackary is the sweetest 5 year old.

He loves peanut butter.
He loves cuddles.
He is the best big brother.
He loves to sing and dance.
He falls down and gets back up.
He wants to be an eye doctor.
He also wants to play Angry Birds all day long!
Zack is amazing!

Happy Birthday Zackary!
Saturday, September 20, 2014

Cupcakes

 Zackary's 5th birthday is this Monday!!!!
I am bringing donut holes to Zackary's class to celebrate, but we are having a little party tomorrow afternoon with all of the family.
 Zackary asked for vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Totally not what I would have chosen, but it is his birthday so I catered to him!
 I had him sample the cupcakes. I think they got his seal of approval!
I can't wait to celebrate tomorrow! I can't believe he is turning 5!




Idyllwild

We took a little trip to the nearby mountains.
We stopped at this little lake for snacks and explorations.

 Mia loves her pink cowgirl boots. They are almost a year old and too small. She really needs another pair!
 The weather in the mountains was so refreshing. It was cool and the air always smells so amazing. You really don't appreciate air smelling good until you live in southern California.
 After the lake we drove into Idyllwild where we discovered an amazing new playground.



 The kids played for hours. The playground was shaded from tall pine trees. It was truly delightful.
 This spinnning "cup" was a favorite.






After the playground we strolled downtown to the candy shop. Ty and I got chocolate covered salted caramels, Zack insisted on a big swirly lollipop, Mia got mints, Zoey got rock candy, and Max got licorice.
It is always so nice to get away for a moment and spend a little time together.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Wednesday


1. I think Wednesdays are the hardest days of the week. Just far enough from Monday that everyone is starting to feel tired and worn out. Not close enough to the weekend to start celebrating.

2. Zoey loves watching movies with the barbie doll characters that go along with the movie. She sings all the songs and acts out the scenes with her dolls. It is adorable.

3. For Lasting Happiness...... THIS is a great read. 

4. I made pumpkin pie last week for a dinner we hosted. It was gone that very night! We need to have another. I think THIS one looks amazing!

5. Max is turning in 2 projects today. One on the 8 planets (Pluto is no longer considered a planet....so there are only 8 now.), and the other on a famous astronaut. We chose Neil Armstrong. We used the NASA website for information. I was amazed at how much we could learn so quickly. It is fun to have kids in school so that I can learn along with them.

6. After picking up the kids from school yesterday we took them all to In-N-Out for burgers and fries. Max has been asking to go for a while! Everyone is ravenous after school and they ate every bite of the huge burgers.

7. A much needed daily reminder!


Happy Wednesday! (Tomorrow it will be Thursday and we can start celebrating the fast approaching weekend. Yay!)


Monday, September 15, 2014

Monday


1. Our beach getaway was wonderful and refreshing! It was so nice to spend some time with Ty. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner, slept in, ran on the beach, took in the views, and loved every minute! I can't wait for next year!

2. A Tennessee friend posted about how she was enjoying a beautiful fall morning. It was 58 degrees. It was 110 degrees here. I was more than a little bit jealous.

3. Monday mornings are hard. I was so relieved when the boys wanted cold cereal and bananas for breakfast. 

4. I am listening to THIS CES fireside this morning. I wanted to watch it live last night, but we were too busy singing Disney songs and playing. It was a very nice Sunday afternoon!

5. THESE muffins look delicious.
So do THESE.
We need cooler weather for a baking day!

6. These are pictures from the other day. We were waiting to pick up Max and Mia after school.




I am so blessed to be a mom. It has been such a wonderful learning experience for me. I am sure it will continue to be so!

Happy Monday!
Friday, September 12, 2014

Friday

1. Today is our 11 year anniversary!
11 years ago we were getting married in the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple.
Best decision ever :)

2. I am listening to THIS talk this morning.
A wonderful reminder to live in thanksgiving daily!

3. Weather is heating up again. I am starting to adjust to the idea that it will never cool down and we live in eternal summer. It's like the opposite of "Frozen" here in Southern California!

4. Speaking of "Frozen", Zoey and I watched the entire movie yesterday while the older kids were at school. She can pretty much quote her way through the entire movie and sing every song. I can remember getting the soundtracks to each Disney movie when I was little and singing my way all the way through them! It makes me happy that Zoey loves singing too!

5. Max has joined the elementary school band! A couple of his friends are playing instruments as well. Max will be playing the coronet (it's just like a trumpet!).
Maybe this experience will spark a lifelong love of music and encourage musical talents.

6. Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls....Happening this weekend! (As soon as I come home from the beach!)

Happy Friday!
Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Embracing "Fall"




1. I recently decided that even if the weather was not going to cooperate with my desire for fall to arrive; I was going to embrace it anyway!

2. We took a trip to the mountains over the weekend. We came home with bunches of apples and on Sunday I made caramel. We dipped apple slices and I poured a big pan for wrapping.
A big bowl full of caramel candies makes everyone happy.

3. Today I lit pumpkin scented candles and sprayed pumpkin spice air freshener throughout the house. It smells like fall inside the house!

4. I have found lots of fun fall recipes that need to be made and eaten!
THESE bars
THIS bread
THIS apple crisp

5. Lots of boots that need to be bought and worn....
Like THESE
or THESE

It has been a few years since I bought a new pair of boots. I would love to find a perfect pair.

6. The kids and I saw mini decorative pumpkins at the grocery store yesterday. I didn't buy any and now I am wishing that I had. I will go back and stock up soon!

7. Ty and I are celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary this weekend.
We will be leaving the kiddos with my parents and heading to the beach for a quick getaway. We are really looking forward to it!
I am excited to sleep, and walk in the sand, and sleep, and run in the sand, and sleep, and eat at nice restaurants, and sleep....

Have a great week!


Thursday, September 4, 2014

This and That


 1. We spent Monday evening with friends enjoying some pool time. The kids had a blast in the water.

 2. Zoey is looking so grown up.
 She will be a little lady before we know it.

3. I am planning a pumpkin bake day for next week. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin cookies. Just because pumpkin is fun and we are pretending it is fall.

4. I am so glad tomorrow is Friday. I was really wishing that yesterday was Friday. We had Monday off, so I don't know what the problem is! Just one of those weeks.

5. Part of Max's homework this week involved planning for a lemonade stand. We found recipes online and looked at different stand ideas. I love this one....
 

Looking forward to the weekend! Happy Thursday!