and then there were five...

Beckett J

2010-04-17T00:22:00.003-06:00

Mr. B is 5 and gets funnier everyday. He is a great big brother and has developed quite the personality.

He loves computer games and his Nintendo DS. He started a program called Upstart about a month ago and has loved learning more to get ready for kindergarten in September.

He is learning to read and loves his tag reader and is always good about reminding us to read our scriptures every morning. The other day he was showing Fischer the pictures at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and pointed to Joseph Smith asking Fischer to tell him who it was. Fischer replied "it's Jesus Smith!"

A few things about Beck:

~ He loves to dance and has some pretty wild moves (just like his old man)

~ He loves to use the phrase "on one condition....." He will say things like "I will brush my teeth ON ONE CONDITION" and then state something that he wants

~ The other day Fischer was screaming at Harper and Beck came running in and told him to "Stop scaring the HELL out of her!" I have no idea where he learned that......;0

~ He loves Harper and Fischer and is a very good helper to me. I will miss him when he goes to Kindergarten in the Fall.

~ He loves the color BLUE, pizza, bubblegum, and cereal.

What a ham, we love Mr. B~

Eat that Fool!

2010-04-13T21:24:00.002-06:00

For April Fools I decided to make a tricky dinner for my kids. The main course:

Fish sticks with carrots and peas?

Think again, wafer cookies covered in peanut butter and cornflakes and tootsie roll veggies!

Then for dessert: Strawberry pie with whipped cream?

How about meatloaf pie with beet colored mashed potatoes and sour cream!

Their reaction was awesome, I will have to do this again next year for sure!

Scootin

2010-04-10T09:30:00.001-06:00

Fischer loves his scooter

Neil took him to buy knee pads, elbow pads, and new gloves.

He believes that they can and should be worn all day, everyday.

Inside and outside, scootin or not scootin

With his knack for falling and hurting himself, it isn't such a bad idea...

My Girl

2010-04-09T21:13:00.004-06:00

*Warning - excessive pictures of my sweet girl Harper below*

Harper is 10 months old

She is a sweetheart.

I wish I could eat those cheeks.

A few things about my girl:

~ She is crawling super fast and stands on her own

~ She loves everything her brothers do and has to be where they are

~ She loves to eat real food and is already rejecting the "baby food"

~ She is very shy, and will put her head down if a stranger talks to her, and she sometimes does it when Neil or I talk to her too

~ She loves to take baths

~ She is finding out she has a voice but is still pretty quiet

~ She is a huge blessing to us and we are so grateful to have her in our family

We love you baby girl!

Number Two Turns 3

2010-04-07T22:24:00.003-06:00

Fischer had his 3rd birthday last month, something he has been looking forward to for a long time.

A few things about this little three year old:

~he loves to ride his scooter, do puzzles, and build things with blocks

~he is very shy

~he beats up Beckett on a daily basis

~he loves to be held and snuggle

~his favorite foods include pizza, string cheese, grapes, cereal, "puffy pancakes", and chips

~his favorite tv show is Dinosaur Train

~he likes to pretend he is talking to a bad guy when he is really talking to his reflection in a window or mirror

~he recently started going to gymnastics class and LOVES it, partly because it is the one thing he gets to do that Beckett doesn't

For his party we did a superhero theme and made capes and masks for all the kids with their initial on the back

Neil was a good sport and dressed up like Superman to take the kids through a "Superhero Obstacle Course" in the backyard. They ran around cones, kicked a soccer ball into a net, and saved a baby stuffed animal from a "burning" playset

"Spider"man cupcakes

Beck showing off his superhero moves

We love our little Fischer! This picture pretty much sums up his little personality. He is a stinker but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Still Here

2010-04-02T22:03:00.002-06:00

This is for my sisters, just so you know were still here.

Be Merry

2009-12-21T22:31:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your Christmas is wonderful!

I will be trying to enjoy these little munchkins while they are still little and sooooooo excited about the fun side of Christmas.

Temple Square

2009-12-18T23:34:00.002-07:00

We headed down to the big city the day after Thanksgiving to see the lights and stay in a hotel for the night.

Beckett was happy to make funny faces for the picture.

Fischer was happy to see Jesus.

I was happy they served diet coke at the Nauvoo cafe on temple square (is that unusual to anyone but me?)

Miss Harper was just happy to ride along.

Movie Party

2009-12-17T22:44:00.007-07:00

Darling invitations by the uber talented Jessie.

The day started with breakfast in bed (by request, captain crunch, danimals yogurt, and chocolate milk)

Presents from mom and dad - a new sweatshirt and a keyboard.

Lovin the new keyboard (notice how much Fischer is enjoying the fact that it is Beckett's day and not his)

He still isn't over it, and asks me daily how many days until his birthday (only 85 little buddy)

Now for the party, Beckett set up the basement like a movie theater with blankets and pillows

The kids were given tickets when they came, one for a lunchable and capri sun, and another for a licorice rope and popcorn.

Beckett worked the "concessions" through the window under the stairs. He was most excited for this part.

The kids watched "UP"

The Popcorn cake from the book Hello Cupcake

Happy Birthday Beckett!!!! We love you!

Five

2009-12-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Adams Family (12)
Originally uploaded by neildini

Five years ago today I became a mom. What an amazing ride it has been so far. I can't believe how time has flown. I feel so lucky to be Beckett's mom, he is an amazing kid. A few things about him:
- He loves music, just like his dad. He knows the names to as many songs as I do and a lot of them are from the 80's (courtesy of Neil)
- He loves to dance (see number one)
- He is learning to read and loves to practice reading to Fischer
- He is a great big brother and always bringing treats to Fischer from primary and pre-school. He wants to marry Harper, he loves her so much.
- He has planned every detail of his birthday party himself, and yesterday he said he has been waiting for years for this birthday party and now it is almost here.
- He loves pizza, hot chocolate, hot dogs, edamame, soup, and pickles.
- He loves soccer and just ended his first season on a team.
- He would swim everyday if he could and has taken swim lessons this year.
- He is a joy to have in our family and we love him so much! Happy Birthday Beckett!

HO HO HO

2009-11-30T23:25:00.002-07:00

Man I love these kids! Jeremy took our picture at a fundraiser last week for 2 siblings who need transplants. It makes me so grateful for my kids and that we are all healthy. There isn't much more I could ask for. This santa and Mrs. Claus were about the cutest I have ever seen. My kids have always been scared, but they were so nice the kids loved them! Thanks Jeremy and Britnie for inviting us!

The Dragon, The Ladybug, and The Jedi

2009-11-01T23:04:00.002-07:00

Little Dragon with his glow sticks and loot

Ladybug sans wings

The only picture I have of the Jedi, horrible I know

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!

3

2009-10-30T21:30:00.002-06:00

Some days if I stop and think about it I am blown away that I get to be their mom.

It is HARD, and amazing, and such a privilege. They push me to the edge of my limits and sometimes I think that I may not survive, but they teach me everyday a little more and once they are safe and QUIET in bed

I feel so blessed.

Uncle Mike

2009-10-26T08:43:00.000-06:00

I got a cute book a few weeks ago called Hello Cupcake. It has some adorable ideas for cupcake decorating. My favorite thing about it is that you don't need any special equipment to make any of them. No frosting bags or tips required!

Mike had a birthday so we just had to try out the Spaghetti and Meatballs cupcakes. I made the cupcakes and Neil and they boys had a blast decorating them. They were so excited to show Uncle Mike when he came over for dinner. Mike is a great friend and I am sure that he and Neil must be brothers someway somehow. We love you Mike, you are the best uncle ever!

Cutsie Cakes

2009-10-25T22:31:00.003-06:00

My sweet Aunt Shelly treated us to Cutsie Cakes cupcakes last week. We were in heaven! We had a peanut butter, chocolate cherry, strawberry filled vanilla, and red velvet.

This wasn't even posed, he must be my child!

Thanks Shelly! You're the best!

Homemade Power Bars

2009-10-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

A friend recently gave me a recipe for homemade "power bars". They are DELICIOUS and my kids love them too! They don't look appetizing but ever since I started making them I can't keep our freezer stocked and Fischer is always asking if he can have another "bars". Here is the recipe:

1 cup oats
3/4 cup dried fruit (we have used apples, raisins, craisins, mixed fruit, pretty much anything works)
3/4 cup almonds (we have used mixed nuts and they taste great too)
3/4 cup chocolate (chips, bars, for us the darker the better)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 scoop protein powder or 1 Tablespoon flour

2-3 Tablespoons juice (apple, orange, any kind works)
snack sized ziplock baggies

Place all ingredients except juice in a food processor or heavy duty blender and blend until ingredients start to form a fine paste. Add juice and stir together. Place in clumps in snack sized ziplock baggies and mash down, pushing the air out and flattening the bar. Store in freezer. They thaw out very quickly and are a super snack!

makes about 8 bars

The White Sharks

2009-10-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

Beckett started playing soccer this year. He is on the "White Sharks" and is loving it.

Taking the ball from anyone is fair game, even your own teammate.

The great thing about soccer at this age is that the field is small, the teams only have 5 players with 3 on the field at once, and they don't keep score. It is so funny to watch, like a swarm of bees.

Inspiration

2009-10-06T07:00:00.005-06:00

We spent the weekend listening to General Conference. It was inspiring, especially this talk by Jeffery R. Holland. He has been a favorite of mine ever since he gave an amazing talk about mothers while I was on my mission in Argentina. Back then it made me miss and appreciate my mom so much. Now it means even more because I am a mother.

{image}

I am motivated to do and be better after hearing the words of the leaders of the church. I feel so blessed!

4 months

2009-10-05T22:28:00.004-06:00

Harper Kate 4 months
(Jamie this is for you)

She makes me so happy.

Now I am going to kiss those cheeks.

Summer Fun

2009-08-24T22:46:00.006-06:00

We had the chance to go to Bear Lake this weekend with The Ponds, The Smiths, and Mike. It was so fun to hang with the best friends ever. We got there Friday night and headed straight to Labeaus for some greasy burgers, fries, and fresh raspberry shakes. Never mind that we went back 2 more times for those delicious shakes in 2 days. Then we headed to the Condo, er, double wide to settle in for the night. It was a tight squeeze but big deal, the more the merrier right?

Saturday morning we decided to wake the kids up bright and early and rent some Surrey bikes to check out Garden city. All was well until Preston decided to pull a Lance Armstrong and we slammed into the back of the surrey #1, shattering the headlight into 100 small pieces. Luckily the owner was a super nice guy and we got away with only a $10 charge. Totally worth it if you ask me.

Not so sure Indie was having fun, what do you think?

Hanging out at the Lake takes a toll on the appetite, so we decided to order the biggest pizza IN THE WORLD. It was 28" across and divided into 4 different flavors

Mike became know as the "manny" because he was so cute with all the kids. Thanks Mike!

(I think that the weight of Harper's cheeks was starting to bring her down)

Bathing beauty

Fischer LOVED hanging out at the lake

Beckett didn't seem to mind either. All in all it was a great, adventure filled weekend with great friends. Thanks guys!

Making it official

2009-08-18T00:06:00.003-06:00

Isn't this adorable? If you need an announcement, b-day party invitation, Christmas card, check out www.announcementstoponder.blogspot.com. Jessie is the best!

Number Two

2009-08-02T23:12:00.005-06:00

Here are some pictures of Fischer from our trip to Cali back in March. He was trying hard to get those chips open!

Fischer may just be our strongest willed child. He is full of personality and wants to do EVERYTHING that Beckett, Neil, or I do. I literally can't eat, make, or clean anything without him freaking out about joining me. He is definitely not subtle. Example, I start peeling a banana and from across the room I hear Fisch saying banana, Banana, BANANA, I WANT BANANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Beckett is talking, it is almost a guarantee that Fischer is right there repeating whatever he is saying as if he was telling his own story. It is super cute.

Whenever he is naughty, he reverts back to the phrase, "I be nice mommy, I be nice".

He is a sweetheart, and about once a day he gets close to my face and says "I luv you so so much".

I love you too Fischer Bear!

So Fast

2009-07-31T22:10:00.007-06:00

Last March we had a family vacation in California. It was our first time taking the boys to the beach, and they LOVED it. Neil got some great pictures, here are a few of Beckett. It seems he is growing up SO FAST lately.

Beckett has grown up so much lately. He is always saying the funniest things. Today out in the garden as we picked tomatoes he said "wow mom, our garden hasn't had so many great tomatoes in years!" Then he said we should "make them for dinner, that would be amazing, but not for him because he doesn't like tomatoes".

He is also constantly talking about his birthday party. First, he wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese because of all the commercials he watches. "Mom, you get a crown and 20 TOKENS!"

Funny that the crown has him so excited about a place we have been to multiple times.

Later, he informed me that he wants a 1/2 transformers party, 1/2 hot cocoa party. This is a child who asks for hot cocoa daily, even in July.

My heels get super dry in the summer, and Beckett asked why I was rubbing lotion on my feet one day. I explained that they were dry and cracked and he then went into infomercial mode and gave me a sales pitch for the HEEL STICK, and how it could really help to make my feet soft.

He loves Harper, and wants to hug and kiss her every second of the day. He has never once said a mean thing about her and is always super soft and sweet when he talks to her and holds her. He is a great big brother.

Surf N' Swimmin lessons

2009-07-29T16:23:00.007-06:00

It is so nice to be able to copy someone's blog without her going after me for plagerism. Now that's true friendship. Speaking of Jessie, check out the amazing new blog header she made me. You can totally get yours here.

Beck started swim lessons this year with Henry at Surf N Swim. He is having a blast and getting a chance to swim since we passed on Cherry Hill this year.

His teachers are Marcus and Miss Allie, and he loves them. They are super cute with the kids.

They haven't learned the backstroke yet, but can play ring around the rosies and london bridges, that counts for something right?

Cheeks

2009-07-13T22:27:00.001-06:00

Here are the latest pictures of Harper, aka Cheeks, Adams:

Sweet Harper

2009-06-29T22:55:00.003-06:00

Isn't she sweet?

Presenting . . .

2009-06-18T20:06:00.008-06:00

Harper Kate Adams
8 lbs 11 ounces
20 1/2 inches
Born June 5th, 3:11 pm

We chose the name Kate after neil's mom, Kathy
Harper we chose because we think it rocks

Her cheeks have slimmed down a bit, but are still chubby as ever
The labor was intense for lack of a better word , the bradley method really does work. The recovery has been so much different from my other two labors, it is unbelievable how quickly I felt good. The boys love their new sister, can't give her enough loves and kisses
Life is good.

Piper and Chloe Showcase

2009-05-04T00:10:00.002-06:00

My WordCandy vinyl will be here this weekend, come check it out!

34 weeks and counting

2009-04-19T17:54:00.007-06:00

I can't believe that my baby is as old as my big boy was in this picture, and very soon there will be another baby in the house, a girl even!

Am I sure I am ready for this again? Hells yeah, I cannot wait! I am not the only excited one, my boys couldn't be happier. While I was away this weekend Neil and the boys went shopping on their own unassisted for some baby girl clothes. How sweet is that?

Wish me luck, and I'll be prayin that the Bradley Method really does work!

Happy Birthday little guy!

2009-03-12T22:37:00.007-06:00

Adorable invitations made by the talented Jessie. Get yours at announcements to ponder.

Cake balls inspired by Bakerella, learn how to make yours here.

The Elmo cake.

The balloons.

The birthday boy (aka Foo Fi)

His favorite gift, this gigantic sucker.

Ian, aka Tubby.

Maggie and Livy.

The babysitter/cousin/aka Katy.

Grandpa #1 (all the way from Idaho!)

Grandpa #2 (only had to drive 2 miles).

Make a wish!

We love you Fischer and hope you had a great day!

Preparing for Baby Girl

2009-03-10T23:15:00.005-06:00

Last week I got down to business decorating the nursery. I was hoping to avoid painting to save time and money. My friend Megan gave me a cute bumper with red, blue, and green so since the walls were already light blue and green, I added some red and voila, a baby girl nursery! I also added a little teeny tiny bit of vinyl of course. Some might say I overdid it, but is that really possible with vinyl?

The only money spent was on a red changing table cover, a red crib sheet, and a new changing pad.

I put red, blue, and white circles all over the place and added some birdies as well.

The tree will have the baby's name in it once she is born. Until then it is top secret!

Round Peasant Bread

2009-03-08T21:00:00.004-06:00

I love to cook, and for those that know me know I love homemade bread. It reminds me of my Grandma and is something that I love to make. I also love cookbooks, and found this one at the beehive bazaar in December. It has quickly become a favorite, all the recipes are great and simple. You can buy it at the Secret Haven in Farmington, and the author actually works there part time.

I have been loving one of the bread recipes in here, and it is the easiest bread that I have made so far. Here it is:

Round Peasant Bread
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups flour
Cornmeal
Butter, melted

Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in a warm bown and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise one hour or until doubled in size. Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick spray and sprinkle with corn meal. Flour hands (dough will be sticky), remove dough from the bowl and place in 2 rounds on cookie sheet. Let rise and additional hour. Brush the top with melted butter and bake at 425' for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 375' and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

The greatest part about this bread is that you don't have to knead it at all! It is super easy and delicious.

More Scrappin Weekend

2009-03-05T19:22:00.007-07:00

WARNING: there are a lot of pictures in this post. So, you know I'm just sayin that if you don't want to see my scrapbook you could skip this one. Anyway, I had such a blast at my scrapbooking weekend. On the second day I got about 25 more pages done. I put a few(a lot actually) of my favorites for you to see:

We scrapped all day and finished off our weekend at the Cheesecake Factory. It was delicious and a great way to end a fantastic weekend!

Scrap happy amazing weekend Day 1

2009-03-01T09:45:00.014-07:00

So this is the result of day 1 of my amazing weekend away with Jeni, Jessie, and Jessica.

We started off Saturday afternoon with lunch at Sawadee, which was delicious. Nothing like some curry to kick start a good time! Then we headed over to our new home away from home, The Comfort Suites.

We scrapped the afternoon away and I did 7 whole pages! This is big people since it took me about 2 years to do 3 pages before this. Here is the result of day 1:

After that we headed over to Happy Sumo for some dinner. We gorged ourselves on sushi but still left room for ice cream. It was a great day!

I need a big boy bed!

2009-02-15T22:16:00.003-07:00

Fischer has outgrown his crib. Tonight was his first night in a "big boy bed" and it really couldn't have gone any smoother. He is sound asleep in the same room with Beckett and hasn't made a peep. He is so proud of his new bed (really just a box spring and mattress on the floor), he thinks he is king of the world. Way to go Foo-Fi!

Someday these will embarrass him.....but for now they make me smile

2009-02-15T21:59:00.005-07:00

Brothers

2009-02-12T21:32:00.002-07:00

Fischer has to do everything just like big brother. Everytime Beckett goes potty Fischer has me undo his diaper and he has to sit on the potty, even though he never actually goes. Everytime Beckett goes to pre-school Fischer has to put on his backpack too.

The other day I let Fischer come into Beck's pre-school so I could pay his tuition. He hung up his backpack and walked right into the class with the other kids. When I took him out he was so extremely mad, a huge tantrum followed. He will do anything to be just like his big bro.

Family fotos

2009-02-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

We had these pics done several months ago (thanks Jer!) If you need some awesome pictures done for almost nothing, check out http://www.jeremyjohnsenimages.com/. We love our pictures! I am just sorry it has taken me so long to post some of them.

25 Random Things - aka I'm back - sort of

2009-02-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

Facebook has replaced my blog as of late, so I will post this here as well as there. Feel free to participate on your own blog!

I am ashamed to admit that I LOVE to watch the Bachelor. It is trashy and cheesy and brainless, the perfect way to de stress.
I love to cook. It is a stress relief for me for sure. Too bad that eating is also a stress relief for me! If I had an unlimited budget we would be eating like kings (and queens)!
I hate getting ready in the morning. The bad part is that I cannot go a day without showering and blow drying my hair. Something happens at night that transforms my hair into a very scary sight. I am jealous of those girls that can just pull their hair back and go.
I love sushi! I don't get to eat it nearly as often as I like, but it is definitely a favorite food of mine.
I have a problem/phobia when it comes to trash. Let me explain. Mixing trash is totally unacceptable, i.e., putting a banana peel in the bathroom trash or old dirty socks in the kitchen just cannot happen. I can't function until that trash is taken out! I thought that this was normal until several people told me how weird it actually is. Whatever!
I speak Spanish but am very self conscious about it. The more time that goes by the more nervous I get about my accent and ability to communicate in Espanol.
My parents are awesome! Our house growing up was always know as the cool house and fun place to hang out. They always accepted all my friends and made them feel at home and comfortable. I really hope my kids feel the same way about our house someday.
When I was in 5th grade, I asked my teacher Mr. Dixon if Washington D.C. was one of the 50 states, and he said "if you don't know the answer to that you don't belong in this classroom". I secretly think he didn't know the answer either.
If I had the chance to go to The Biggest Loser ranch and workout with Bob or Jillian, I would hands down choose Bob. I think that Jillian would push me harder, but I can't deal with her psychosocial analyzing of everything. It would totally either freak me out or make me start laughing if she pulled that biz on me.
Neil and I graduated from Weber State University on the same day in 2004. Him in Sales and Service Technology and me in Human Resource Management. It was also the day we told everyone that I was preggers with Beckett.
I didn't kiss a boy until my first year in college. It totally grossed me out, partly because he had facial hair and partly because he himself was kind of gross. We never kissed again.
Two of my younger sisters got married on the same day a few years ago. It was special to me because I got to be an escort along with my mom in the brides room at the Salt Lake temple. Helping them get ready is something I will never forget.
When I was younger I had stick straight hair. Then all of a sudden it went like mega curly. Everyone thought my mom gave me a perm, but she claims we went to the beach one day and the water did something magic to my hair. It stayed really curly until I started having kids, and now I have to use a lot of gel and scrunching to get it to curl.
My first job was at Wendy's. It only lasted a few months, but I saw some things that you probably don't want to hear about. My one bit of advice: don't be rude at the drive up window, it will come back to haunt you.
I was on the girl's basketball team in Jr. High, and once scored a basket for the other team. It only took me 3 rebounds to accomplish this unthinkable task, but after that it was nothin but net!
Growing up I always thought that I would have to marry someone pretty boring to keep me under control. Turns out that I am the boring one who is always trying to reel in my super high energy husband.
I worked as a stock broker for 7 years. I learned some pretty awesome stuff about money management. I quit when Beckett was 1, and it is the greatest blessing ever to be home with my kids.
I sometimes snort when I laugh. It has to be something pretty funny, but it is embarrassing none the less. My sister Corey and my mom also suffer from this snorting syndrome and I hope to pass it on to my daughter.
I ran the St. George marathon twice before I had children. I don't enjoy running, but I am addicted to the "runner's high" that comes after the pain of the run. I don't think that I will ever do it again, but it is one of my greatest accomplishments.
My favorite musician will forever be David Gray. If you haven't heard him you simply must give it a try. I NEVER get sick of listening to him and have seen him twice in concert.
I have an unhealthy obsession with celebrities and their personal lives. I visit http://www.people.com/ daily and have had multiple dreams about hanging out with Jennifer Aniston. Neil thinks I am a psycho.
My favorite board game is Ticket to Ride. We play about twice a week with our good friends Tony and Jessica. We are all pretty good so it has gotten ugly more than once. All is forgiven in Love and Train, or so Tony says.
I love Diet Coke, but there is a secret. It has to come from a fountain, more specifically RB's gas station on Gentile. The recipe is 2/3 ice, 3/4 diet coke, and a 3-4 second bomp of regular coke. Ahhhhhhhh, refreshment.
When we lived in San Diego, my sister's and I along with a neighbor had to be "rescued" at the beach by a lifeguard. Apparently we were stuck in a riptide and didn't know it. My dad got a ticket by the beach police for not being attentive enough (sleeping on the beach) and we were asked not to come back.
I have the greatest family ever. My kids and husband are the best thing that ever happened to me. I can't wait for our little girl to join the crazy clan!

A Vacation in Every Bite

2008-10-23T17:29:00.003-06:00

On our last trip to Costco Neil talked me into getting these Island Way Sorbet treats. Now, those who know me at all know that I am normally no fan of Sorbet or anything like it. Well, these little delights truly are a "Vacation in Every Bite!" just like the package says. I now find myself looking forward to enjoying one of these babies right before bed as the highlight of my long day. So if you need a pickmeup, head to Costco and treat yourself, you won't regret it!

things I appreciate

2008-09-15T21:22:00.006-06:00

So, a few things in life have been less than ideal for me lately, so I decided to focus on the positive and list a few of my favorite things, in no particular order, and with lots of pictures:)

Carousel rides with Foo at Hogle Zoo

Playing sidewalk chalk outside with the boys.

Bike rides with the boys (The first ten minutes are awesome! After that things start to go downhill fast)

This face

and this one

And the fact that my dad carried foo in the backpack because Neil had a sore back.

The muffin tin lunch that I shared with the boys today, try it, it's so fun!

The boys riding together in the dunebuggy, Fischer thinks he is the shiz.

The sweet husband who left this on my desk today (except mine had pomegranate pieces and it is so delicious)

Sweet Giveaway!

2008-09-14T19:11:00.003-06:00

My good friends over at winborg design are hosting an awesome giveaway this week at I love Giveaways. Check it out and enter for your chance to win this gorgeous canvas print. I promise it is even cuter in person (if that is possible!)

A New Family

2008-09-10T23:32:00.003-06:00

So the other day at Wal-Mart B kept asking for every treat he could spot. Doritos, oreos, kool-aid, lunchables, yada yada yada. Although it was tempting to buy all that deliciousness, I knew that the majority of it would eventually be consumed by yours truly, and that could be devastating to my healthy eating efforts. So, being the mean mommy that I am I said no to all of it. In the checkout line Beck was visibly upset at me and said matter of factly:

"If thats the way your gonna be, I'll just get a new family"

Later in the car once he had gotten over it he said "Mommy, I decided to stay"

I am so glad he did. I just don't know what I would do without my boys. Most days they have me wanting to tear my hair out and run for cover, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Les quiero muchisimo!

Time to start bidding!

2008-08-28T02:00:00.002-06:00

I am hosting an auction on my wordcandy blog. It is for a great cause. Be sure to check out all of the other auctions going on today at Design Mom.
Don't forget to click on over to see whats up for sale by my good friends Jessica and Megan.
Happy Bidding!

Help for Nie

2008-08-26T21:13:00.004-06:00

When something horrible happens to someone else, whether I know them or not, it causes me to reflect on how blessed I am and how fragile this life really is. A fellow blogger, NieNie, was in a horrible airplane crash with her husband. You can read all about it here. Both she and her husband were severly burned. They have 4 small children. I have thought a lot about their family since I heard the news, and even though I don't know them, I am compelled to do something to help. Design Mom initiated a silent auction to be held Thursday. I will be auctioning off some vinyl and sending the proceeds to the Neilson Family. Be sure to check design mom tomorrow for a list of all that are participating, and join in the fun and help someone in need. If you want to you can also donate by clicking the link on the right hand column of my blog.

New Project!

2008-08-17T21:09:00.002-06:00

As most of you know I have a vinyl lettering business, WordCandy Vinyl. For the last few months I have been working on a new project. I am so excited to announce that I have partnered with Megan and Mendy of Winborg Sisters Design for some great new vinyl designs! Megan and Mendy are super talented artists who have had their work featured multiple times in Pottery Barn Kids. Check some of it out here, here, here, here, and here. Isn't there stuff great!! Well now you can decorate with their art using vinyl. I hope you love it as much as I do! To purchase some of this amazing art, visit my Etsy shop. You can also check out the link on the side of the blog.

Guacamole and Tiliapia

2008-08-17T16:03:00.005-06:00

So, I haven't been posting much lately, the summer is flying by and I just cannot find a good balance to maintain this blog and get all my other stuff done. If you know a secret that I don't, please fill me in.
One thing that I always have time for is food. Last night I found the best guacamole recipe EVAH. I was watching the food network's Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) and she made the most amazing guac. We made it too and it was awesome.
Here is the recipe:

Guacamole
Copyright, 1999 The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

4 ripe Haas avocados
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
8 dashes hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

Cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. Immediately add the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

We had this with one of my all time favorite fish recipes:

Mexican Baked Tilapia

4-5 Tilapia Fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds, I get mine in the freezer section at Costco)
1 Cup of your favorite salsa (We love Jack's Special Salsa from Costco, it is divine)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Preheat your oven to 400* and arrange Tilapia fillets in a casserole dish sprayed with pam. Top with Salsa, then Cheese, then Crunched up chips. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with avocados or guacamole and lime wedges when serving. YUM! My kids even like this one.

Fun with Good Friends

2008-07-28T01:13:00.002-06:00

We were lucky enough to get invited by the Johnsen family to the Bees game a few weeks ago. We had a sweet BBQ and watched the game, but mostly visited with our friends. Jeremy took these great pics of they boys and the last one of Tony, Jess, and little Indie. They definitely need to frame that one, it is so sweet! Thanks for a fun time guys!

They gave these cute hats to all the kids at the game.

Beck had fun with the binoculars.

Mr. B Rules the World

2008-07-20T00:40:00.003-06:00

Today Beckett came to me asking specifically for the following items:

a tissue box

3 rubber bands

an empty toilet paper roll

tape

I asked him why and he said:

"I'm going to make a guitar"

So, I know that he probably just saw it on tv, but HOW CUTE IS THAT?

So we got the stuff and made it, and it looked something like this:

One more thing mostly to tell him when he gets older, the other day I put him in time out in his room and when I went to get him out I could hear him singing Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" through the door "AND THAT WAS WHEN I RULED THE WORLD......"

Someday buddy, someday.....

Thanks!

2008-06-15T23:06:00.001-06:00

For being such a great Dad, we love you!!!

Happy Birthday Maddie!

2008-06-08T08:01:00.003-06:00

My sister's baby girl was born yesterday on 6-7-08. How cool is that? I can't wait to meet her! Don't they both look beautiful?

3 degrees of Rick(y)

2008-06-04T22:25:00.003-06:00

So, when I was a little girl I had an undeniable crush on the Rickster. I am talking about Ricky Schroeder. I mean, who wouldn't love a guy who had a train in his house and slept in a race car bed, and was best friends with Jason Bateman? My crush was only nurtured by the fact that I almost came face to face with him on a trip to universal studios in Hollywood on a family vacation. Our tram stopped and there he was, waving right to me. I knew that we would someday get married.

We all know that didn't happen, but something more than fate drew Neil and I together. Yes, he too has a bromance with the Rickster. Ever since he appeared beside Sipowicz on NYPD Blue, we have shared a common crush.

Well, to get to the point of sharing this whole history, I went to see my sister Sara last month in Iowa. It turns out that she has a best friend out there who is actually RELATED to none other than Rick(y)! Yes, her husband's little sis is none other than Mrs. Schroder. Well, it gets better than that if you can believe it. You see, Sara is about to birth a beautiful baby girl, I mean, literally any minute now, and this precious babe will be clothed in the same designer diggs that little Rick(y)'s baby girl wore a few years ago. Sara's bff was kind enough to lend her the baby clothes that Rick had given her for her daughter to wear. I mean, I knew we would have a connection someday, I just had no idea that it would be this awesome.

That, my friends, is 3 degrees of Rick(y)!

favorite things swap

2008-06-01T16:04:00.001-06:00

I'm playing, you should too!

Iowa revisited

2008-06-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

I never got around to blogging about the rest of my trip to Iowa to see Sara, Ryan, and Isaac. I had such a good time with them. Here are a few more pictures:

Sara and Ryan live just a few blocks from some fabulous houses like this one.

The Nauvoo Temple, it was so beautiful!

We took this picture on the bank of the Mississippi at the spot where the people of Nauvoo crossed in the winter when they were forced to flee their homes.

This is Carthage Jail, that was my favorite spot of the trip to Nauvoo.

Isaac and Fischer just happened to have the same shirt from the greatest store ever, SUPERTARGET!

Favorite pics of Fischer

2008-05-26T20:45:00.000-06:00

I love this picture!

Happy antime there is food involved!

This balloon made him so happy!

Chillin with Grandma Kathy

My own coke whenever I want

2008-05-25T20:54:00.004-06:00

Beck in Heber last week when we rode "Thomas the Train".

At the "I am a Child of God" exhibit at the Church History Museum.

More inside Thomas the Train.

Last night I was reading a primary book that talked about missions to Beck and I asked him if he wanted to go on a mission. He said, "No, I don't think I want to go." I asked him why and his reply was "I want to get a job just like daddy, drive my car to work everyday, and have my own coke whenever I want."

Me Like Pudding

2008-05-25T20:24:00.002-06:00

Do I have something on my face?

See Allie Run

2008-05-22T23:28:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday I had the chance to run a marathon relay in Ogden. There were 5 legs, a 7 mile, 6.1 mile, two 5 miles, and a 3 mile leg. Mine happend to be the 2nd - 6.1 miles. It started in Huntsville and came down through Ogden canyon to 25th street. My leg was gorgeous (not my legs for those of you thinking I was being vain), part of the way winding around Pine View dam. It was so fun jamming on my pod to Pink, KT, and of course a little Sexyback.

Here I am with 2 of the "runner girls" as our team was aptly named. Let's face it, the best part about running is afterwards, especially at a marathon. We got the hookup from sponsors like Jamba Juice, Great Harvest Bread, Creamies, McDonald's apple dippers, smuckers uncrustables, and powerade. Neil and the boys came down to see me at the finish - thanks for the support guys! It was a good time and I am so glad I was invited by some neighborhood runners to join in!

wishes

2008-05-20T17:42:00.000-06:00

# 1 - Modbe Suit

I.must.have.this.suit!

#2 - Garmin Forerunner GPS for runners

Garmin’s Forerunner 305 is nothing less than high tech personal trainer. It includes a wireless heart rate monitor and can alert you based on time, distance, pace, and of course heart rate. To make your workout more interesting the Forerunner 305 integrates smart features. For example you can download a previous course on to the 305 and compete against it. If you don’t want to compete against your previous performance you can give the “virtual partner” a try. Virtual partner is a digital runner and you can race with it based on time, pace, or distance. And if you get the holographic add-on you can see him/her running right next to you :)

#3 - This, or any dress from Shabby Appple.

I love all the dresses on this site, they are so so cute! They have adorable little girl dresses too!

Well, that should keep me savin for a while!

Eight

2008-05-19T15:05:00.004-06:00

Eight years ago I married my best friend, and I am happy to say that he still is. 8 things I love about Neil:
1. He can carry on 3 conversations at one time.
2. He makes friends very easily (anyone want to run the St. George marathon?)
3. He loves our boys so much.
4. He works very hard every day to support us.
5. He is never boring.
6. He explains a lot of things to me that I don't get (mostly about tv shows and movies).
7. He supports my pursuits.
8. He has a good heart.

TQ mucho!

El Salvadorian

2008-04-27T12:30:00.000-06:00

Ryan and Sara decided to treat me to El Salvadorian food. They warned me that it was a dive but the food was great and the price even better. They were right about it being a dive, it felt like we were really out of place when we walked in, but the food was great. We had pupusas, kind of like pancakes with meat and cheese stuffed in, platanos with beans, cheese, and cream, and corn tamales. Everything was delicious and interesting to try. It was an experience to remember!

Keepin it real in Iowa

2008-04-25T19:59:00.007-06:00

So, what could be better than starting the morning off at My Favorite Muffin? Exactly! There is nothing better. We ordered 3 delights, cinnamon swirl, chocolate cheesecake, and cherry cheesecake! We took one home to Ryan, of course. They were delicious!

We were already on a carb overload due to the amazing white bread we made the previous morning. Here is the recipe:

Amazing White Bread

2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 cups bread flour

Proof the yeast by adding sugar to 2 cups warm water and then mixing in the yeast. Let bubble for 10 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in oil, salt and flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Let rise in a greased bowl for 1 hour. Punch down and shape into loaves. Let rise for 30 min or until dough is 1 inch above pan rim. Bake for 30 min at 350'. Enjoy!

In the afternoon we headed over to the mall. They had a really neat play area with soft toys for the boys to play on. Isaac looks a little bit like Frankenstein when he walks, it is adorable. Fischer prefers to sit on his booty or crawl. We hadn't had enough carbs yet for the day so we stopped in at Panera and had a cinnamon bagel. DeLiCiOus! You gotta bomp it up a notch while on vacation is what I always say!

Then it was home to take a bath. Aren't they cute together?

Doesn't Sara look amazing? She is 8 months preggers and you can't even tell!

Two peas in a pod

2008-04-23T17:18:00.007-06:00

Me and Fisch are in Iowa visiting Sara, Ryan, Isaac, and baby girl. We flew in to Omaha, I think it's somewhere in middle America (Counting Crow's anyone?) and drove to Des Moines yesterday afternoon. So far my impression of Iowa is pretty great. It is super green and all the houses have lots of character and they have Costco, what more could I ask for? The weather today was perfect in the 70's.

I started the morning off with a great run around the neighborhood while Sara went to the gym (thanks to Ryan for watching the babes!) then headed over for some fun at the park, the two babes loved the swings! They have gotten along pretty good and it is so fun to watch them interact. Except for a minor biting incident and a little jealousy on Fisch's part due to Isaac's awesome walking skills, things have been sweet!

After the park we headed home for a nap and then made our way to Costco for some sample action. Not much different than the Costco I love at home except for the massive liquor isle.

West De Moines is a sweet place, lots of new stores and fun stuff. It reminds me a lot of Boise without the mountains.
More to come on the sister bonding! It is so fun to be with Sara! (and ryan and isaac!)

Flash back

2008-04-13T07:08:00.004-06:00

I found some fun pictures from Easter that I never got around to posting, so here is a flash back to Easter weekend! We started off with a trip to the Barnes Park egg hunt in Kaysville. It was totally packed but somehow we managed to be at the front right when the hunt started so Beckett got some good Loot.

Next we had a second egg hunt in our neighborhood that was lots of fun. We went to 20 different houses and found 1 egg at each. It was fun to see everyone walking around outside and visit with the neighbors.

Our third and final egg hunt was the traditional one at Grandma and Grandpa Roundy's house. Foo Fi spend most of his time in the swing, and Beckett was thrilled to find one of the 4 golden eggs hidden in their woodpile.

The Easter bunny came through with new shades for both boys and way too much candy!

After all that egg hunting Becket needed some downtime in his favorite position on the couch.

That thing you do

2008-04-04T21:09:00.004-06:00

Beckett has done some funny things lately, and I don't want to forget them so this post is dedicated to Mr. B.

#1 - We went to Subway a while back, and as we sat down to eat he said "One big happy family, eating sandwiches, except we are missing Corey." Corey is my little sis living with us right now who wasn't with us that night.

#2 - Beckett, Fischer, and I were playing on the floor when Beckett put his face next to Foo-fi's and said "Two brothers, best of friends" then he jumped on Fischer's back and said "It's a peanut butter and foo-fi sandwich!"

#3 - A few days ago Beckett said to me "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked what he was thinking and he said enthusiastically "CARTOONS!"

#4 - Sometimes in the car I listen to Sean Hannity. Yesterday out of the blue Beck said "Sean Hannity looks kinda like my daddy"

#5 - my favorite one of all. A few months ago I took the boys to McDonald's. Beckett was playing while Fischer and I sat at the table and ate. I watched as an older boy said something mean to Beckett. It was something like "you can't play with me and my friends". Beck looked at this kid, walked around the corner out of his sight, and started shooting pretend spiderman webs from his wrist at the little twerp. It was such a neat moment to see him handle a situation like that all on his own without getting mad or sad. It was so sweet.

Jammin on my i-pod, most likely to his current favorite, Sexyback by JT. (I know, I know!)

Foo-fi loves spaghetti!

By the look on his face Beckett must be thinking "who made him King for the day?"

Night on the Town

2008-03-26T20:24:00.002-06:00

Last Friday we went to Discovery Gateway with the Johnsen clan. It is such a fun place for kids, I love it! They have a Seasame Street exhibit going on right now that is really fun. We had a blast, and ended the night with a trip to the new Jason's Deli at the Gateway. If you haven't tried it yet you need to go, it is so delicious!

happy easter!

2008-03-24T10:09:00.004-06:00

We had a great Easter, ate way too much candy and spent lots of time with family! Hope yours was fun too!

*pictures courtesey of the amazing Jessie.

Giveaway!

2008-03-23T21:23:00.004-06:00

WordCandy is being featured on I love Giveaways! Click over and make a comment and you just might win some free vinyl! I hope it's your lucky day!

Thank you Lisa Leonard!

2008-03-16T11:23:00.001-06:00

My necklace came, thanks Lisa! Order yours here.

Yo shorty - It's your birthday!

2008-03-12T08:07:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday Foo-fi! We love you and can't believe that you are 1! You have brought so much joy to our family, I can't remember what it was like before you came! Your personality is already blooming, and I can tell you have such a happy and sweet disposition. You adore Beckett and everything he does is hilarious to you. You are a little piggy with food and can't ever seem to get enough of whatever is in front of you ( I have no idea where that came from). Your already waving bye-bye and trying to say it, along with mama, dada, and baba (Beckett). You have had your moments of tantrum, mostly when Beckett takes a toy from you. You throw your whole body down and sob. I guess that's what you get with two overly dramatic parents. You are especially attached to Corey since she moved in, and whenever she is within 10 feet you crawl to her and want to be held. You have been an angel baby since day 1, always been a good sleeper and eater, and have added so much to our family! We love you! ps - the nickname foo-fi came from either Beckett or myself, I can't remember, but I am so sorry!

Guess how much I love you

2008-03-04T14:55:00.004-07:00

At night after reading stories and saying prayers, we have a ritual of saying the phrase "I love you all the way to . . . (fill in the blank with somewhere really really far). Last night I told Beckett I loved him all the way to the sky forever and ever. He leaned in and whispered in my ear "Mommy, I love you all the way to the thunder". It was so sweet!

Taking the plunge

2008-02-27T21:36:00.004-07:00

Am I the only one who has memories from childhood of their mother swishing poopy rags (i.e. cloth diapers) from their siblings in the toilet. Or trying to go use the bathroom only to find a cloth diaper soaking in there? Well, those were my memories of the whole cloth diaper thingy. When my neighbor and friend, McKinsey told me that she participates in this whole phenomenon, I was more than intrigued. After much contemplation and consideration, starting this week, we are officially cloth diapering Fischer. I would like to say that it is because I am going all "Green" and it is all for the environment, but that would not be 100% true. I do care about the environment, and it makes me sick the amount of waste that is generated from disposable diapers, but it also feels better for my kid, and my wallet.

We tried several types, but the type of diapers we decided to go with are called BumGenius. They come in an adjustable size so they will fit a baby from 8lbs - 35lbs. They look just like a real diaper, fasten with velcro, and are much easier to use than you might think.

So, wish us luck (especially Neil - the first time I left him alone while trying out the new system he had a bit of an incident involving the edamame that I had fed Fischer the night before). And remember, these aren't your mamas cloth diapers!

boys

2008-02-26T23:10:00.004-07:00

Even though being a mom is so so hard, it is so worth it. I love my boys!

Sweet Sweet Day

2008-02-17T08:19:00.005-07:00

Aren't my flowers beautiful? When we were first dating he didn't have a car, and every payday he would stop at the flower shop in Trolley Square and get me some. Then he would ride home on his bike with the flowers in hand. Everytime he gives me flowers it makes me think of those days. Neil also surprised me with a bluetooth handsfree kit for my cellphone and a new book, Atonement. Thanks for being so sweet!

We decorated the table with conversation hearts and lit a candle to set the mood.

We made florentine artichoke dip, strawberry avocado salad, blue cheese crusted fliet mignon, portobello mushroom saute, and for dessert we enjoyed chocolate covered strawberries and white chocolate mousse with blackberries. Everything tasted amazing and it was so much fun to spend valentines with our best friends.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

2008-02-17T08:08:00.005-07:00

I found this recipe on a cooking blog I like to read, under the high chair. We tried them this morning and they were delicious!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

5 eggs, separated

Zest of large lemon or orange

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup all purpose flour, sifted

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

Dash of salt

Preheat griddle or skillet on medium heat. Mix the egg yolks. Sift and mix the dry ingredients and combine with egg yolks, lemon zest, milk and ricotta cheese. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into the egg-ricotta batter. Lightly oil griddle and pour a pancake-sized amount onto griddle. Cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook other side until golden. Do not flatten after flipping and only flip once. Serve immediately with garnish of choice. I found maple syrup to be a bit overpowering for the delicate pancakes. Try with powdered sugar, plain yogurt or whipping cream.

Crafting

2008-02-16T20:41:00.003-07:00

I got a sewing machine for Christmas from Neil several years ago, and I have enjoyed it so much. I am not a fantastic sewer, but I just love making things from scratch. It is so much fun. The other day I came across this blog that gives step by step instructions to make these awesome superhero capes. It did turn out to be very easy, the first one took me about 2 hours, and the second only 1 1/2 hours. All the materials for 2 capes cost only $10. Beckett loves his and I'm sure Fischer will too as soon as he is big enough to play.

Moyes and Beckett having fun at playschool.

On the subject of sewing, while Sara was here over Christmas she taught me how to make these adorable blankets. This one was made for Jessie, who just gave birth NATURALLY to 9 pd 6 oz James! You go girl!

My boys

2008-02-14T14:02:00.002-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day to my three wonderful boys! Les quiero muchisimisimisimo!

February 11th

2008-02-12T19:36:00.006-07:00

So, Monday, February 11th, my day started out like this:

I heard Beckett say "...more pudding!" and then came up to find him screaming and covered in the leftover tomato basil soup from the night before. I have to say it was a proud moment because I didn't lose it with him. I totally kept my cool even though it took 1 1/2 hours to clean up. On the bright side it gave me a chance to clean out expired condiments in the side door of our fridge.

The day ended up being a good one, and I have to give a late shout out to 4 very special people. February 11th happens to be the birthday of 4 people in my life that are important.

First, my mom. I can't say enough about her, she is one of my best friends, a truly amazing person in every way and the best example I have of how to be a good mother. She is the best, and her grandma skills are top notch. My kids love her more than they love me, and I am totally ok with that. Happy late-birthday mom!

Tony Smith is one of our very best friends in the whole world. I feel like Tony and Jess are a part of our family, and we always have fun with them. They are truly awesome friends. I am so glad that Neil went out on a limb to talk to the "models" that day in church oh so many years ago! Tony is a great example of someone who has a great attitude about life and is so positive about everything. Happy late b-day Tony!

Maggie moo is my brother's little girl and she is adorable! Happy day Maggie!

We can't forget the newest addition to the Feb 11th club. Sweet baby James was born on Monday and I love him already because he belongs to a great friend!

Charlie Bit Me

2008-02-07T14:13:00.001-07:00

This video Charlie Bit Me is so funny. I think that if this were Beckett and Fischer the outcome would have been extremely different.

Homemade donuts (sort of)

2008-02-04T21:22:00.001-07:00

Tonight Jessie and Henry came over for dinner and family night. We made homemade donuts. Well, sort of homemade. We just took refridgerated biscuts from the store and the boys poked holes in the middle with the top of a 2 liter. We fried them up in some oil and topped them with chocolate frosting, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, and sprinkles. I remember doing this as a kid with my family and I thought it was so fun. They were delicious!

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

2008-02-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

Remember those teeth I was telling you about? Well, those adorable teeth

did this to the crib!

The day the stars were aligned

2008-02-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

So I enter contests for free stuff all the time, but I have never won, until today. I won 2 separate contests on the same day!! Holla!!!! First I won the giveaway on this awesome giveaway site. I get to choose one of the necklaces made by Lisa Leonard at It's the little things .... I am so excited about this one! I can't decide, but I am leaning towards the Petite Original Circle necklace with both boy's names on it.

Next I won a book from Leaving my mark... . This is one of my favorite blogs to read, and I won Benjamin Hoff's The Tao of Pooh.

Yipee! I guess it was my lucky day!

Lost is back!

2008-01-31T23:26:00.002-07:00

The Menu:

Baby spinach salad with pears, candied walnuts, bluecheese, and homemade balsamic vinagrette

Turkey

Mashed Potatoes with herbs and cream cheese

Cranberry sausage stuffing

Homemade rolls

The Hosts:

Yours truly

The guests:

Tony, Jess, and Indie

Jeremy and Britnie

Mike and Beck

Corey and Foo Fi

The Dessert:

This delightful little number made by Jeremy

Hell must have frozen over

2008-01-30T23:40:00.000-07:00

Check out this post by CJane, I loved it!

Spiderman, Spiderman ...

2008-01-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

Me and Beck built this tower the other day. If you'll notice, Spiderman is holding the "precious jewels" and Venom is trying to steal them. I love when I have time to play, just me and Beckett. It seems that it is never often enough. It has been a rough week for the two of us, it seems that my patience is almost non-existent these days and those that know him know that he requires a lot. Being a mom is hard, and I just hope that I am not screwing my kids up. I guess that is one of the great things about kids, they are unconditional with their affection. No matter what I do he always gives me a hug and forgives so easily. I need to be that way more with myself.

Subject change, tomorrow we will finally have something new to watch on tv. Lost is back! We watched the last episode that aired again tonight to prepare for tomorrow. It was my favorite episode ever! So good! I can't wait to see where they go from here!

WordCandy Blog!

2008-01-27T10:51:00.001-07:00

So, it is pretty basic, but check out my new business blog at http://www.wordcandyvinyl.blogspot.com/. You can browse my catalog or even print it out thanks to Neil. Thanks babe!

I will be improving it and adding lots of pictures soon!

Results are in!

2008-01-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

So, according to the poll, Sara and Ryan should name the bambino Claire Payne. The second choice was Stella, followed by Ruby and Lucy. Coming in dead last were Allie and dead dead last was Amaya. As Sara pointed out, Amaya Payne would have been a dreadful name to live with and she would have been teased more than my redheaded bucktooth child.
Stay tuned for the next poll.

The Mitchell Split

2008-01-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

Fischer was lucky enough to inherit the "Mitchell split" from my dad's side of the family. It comes from my grandma, whose maiden name was Mitchell. It involves unusually large front teeth and an unusually large gap between said front teeth. The funny thing is, it magically disappears without the use of the dreaded orthodontia. I had it, and not just a little, a lot on my baby and permanent teeth. But, it magically went away as I got older. Lots of my cousins have had it too. I think that it looks quite adorable on Foo-fi, no?

Redheads

2008-01-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

Before Neil and I had kids we talked about our future children and I said something like:

"Wouldn't it be adorable if we had little redheaded kids someday?"

You see my mom has red hair, and Neil's grandpa had red hair, so to me it just made perfect sense. He responded in classic Neil fashion with:

"That's just not a good idea, they will totally get made fun of".

So now we have two adorable boys, both with tints of red in their hair, and I think it is the best idea ever. I am sure Neil would agree with me on this one.

Grandma Roundy's bread

2008-01-21T17:49:00.000-07:00

My Grandma Roundy made the best bread. She was known for it. Every week she would make
hundreds (ok, maybe 5) loaves. If you happened to be stopping by it was the sweetest smell there ever was to be in her house the moment that buzzer went off and hot bread came out of the oven.
Since she passed away a few years ago, my sister and I have talked about her bread recipe. She never wrote it down. We joke that she did it on purpose and took it to the grave. I regret not ever asking her to teach me how to make it before she died.
I have always loved to bake, but yeast breads always scared me. The last few months or so I have tried to become better at making bread and I have found several amazing bread recipes that are easy and delicious.
The first thing that I discovered is that you need good yeast. I found a great one at Kitchen Kneads in Ogden called Saf-Instant. You cannot screw this up, believe me, I have tried.
Once you have that down, the rest is fairly easy. Today I made Rosemary Bread. It has a light texture and crispy crust, and tastes a lot like the bread they serve at Macaroni Grill.

Rosemary Bread

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
2 1/2 cups bread flour

Add yeast and sugar to hot water, stir and wait 10 minutes. Add flour, salt oil and knead knead knead (I use my kitchenaid). Add the herbs and pepper and knead some more. Let rise an hour or so in an oiled, covered bowl in a warm place. Punch down, let rise another hour. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Yummy!

This will never be as good as my grandma's, but nothing ever will!

Future Comedian

2008-01-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

Beckett - "Knock knock"

Me - "Who's there?"

Beckett - "Ivan"

Me - "Ivan who?"

Beckett, laughing hysterically - "Ivan working on the railroad!"

I'm a Cowboy, baby

2008-01-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

For Christmas my dad got Beckett some sweet cowboy boots. At first he wasn't so good at walking in them, but now, he wears them everywhere, everyday. All his friends want a pair since he wore them to church. He is always telling me crap like "Cowboys don't wear socks, mom", or "Cowboys don't take naps". Yeah, whatever! He sure does look cute in them, thanks grandpa!

Buttermilk muffins

2008-01-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on another blog and we tried them out this week. They were very moist and delicious, and healthy!

Buttermilk oatmeal muffins

1 cup regular oats
2 cups buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, just add 1 tsp vinegar for every cup of milk)
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup dried blueberries (I used cranberries)
*Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add flour through fruit. Stir well to combine. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 24 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched slightly in center. Remove from pans immediately, place on a wire rack.
Enjoy!

Favorite things

2008-01-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

In true Oprah fashion I decided to spotlight some of my recent favorite finds. I am stealing an idea from a friend's blog, by doing things in 5's. Here are my top 5 faves as of late:

#1

These chocolate bars will rock your taste buds. Warning: you must like dark chocolate and orange. Neil and I have been loving these a little too much lately. It is a never ending cycle because there is a coupon inside the wrapper, and you all know how much I love coupons! Besides, the health benefits from all those antioxidants are outstanding!

#2

These adorable baby things at sweet sugar baby. Enter to win one at I love giveaways! No, no, he#$ no, I am not preggers, but a few people that I love are, so I was looking for them:)

#3

Western bagels. They have 3 flavors, cinnamon spice, roasted onion, and sweet wheat. All are delicious, and the best part for all you weight watchers fans, only 1POINT! That is amazing for a bagel. You can find these delights in your local wally world refrigerated section, by the cream cheese.

#4

Air Control hairspray by Aveda

This hairspray is pricey, but amazing. I am not a product snob, but it has changed my hair world. Neil would disagree, he walked in the bathroom after I sprayed it and made some sarcastic comment about the cloud of fumes it created, but I LOVE it.

#5

Aveda foot relief. My cousin Katie gave me this for Christmas, and it is nothing short of a miracle. I am not a person who wears socks all the time, especially in the summer, and my feet are very dry and sratchy. After a week of putting this on at night with socks, they are the smoothest they have been since I was a newborn, not kidding!

New blog

2008-01-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

I have moved back to blogger because there were some things about wordpress that I couldn't do very easily and blogger has made some awesome changes lately. Check out my archives at www.allieadams.wordpress.com.