Lake Powell

This was, I think, one of the best Lake Powell trips ever... with the exception of one major accident involving my mom, which I will mention later.

I love Lake Powell. I have been vacationing there almost every year since I was about 12! (thanks to my ma and pa) I thought we weren't going to get to go this year but opportunity came-a-knockin and I was definitely answering!

How beautiful is that?...


Ok so you're probably going to be thinking that we somehow escaped without our kids, no way! Well, I suppose in the case of these next few pictures we did escape in a way for an hour or two. Don't worry though, my next post will be chock full of the kiddos!


I saw a photo in a photography book that I read while I was there (thanks to wendy) a silhouette photo and I wanted to see if I could get a similar result...


If Chad was a tree it would be alot more like the photo but I thought it was pretty cool, so we tried another one...


Seriously this is not our second honeymoon or anything but I really really liked this one. I think it is about time for a second honeymoon now that I mention it...

It took a few tries to get the sun coming in just the right spot but I was thrilled to see that it worked so well!

Ok so what did we do all week?? Well the water was freezing so I wasn't about to get in. The weather was fantastic. The best is when the air is cool and the sun is warm and that is just how it was!

Hiking of course! (I also did my fair share of relaxing!)


bounding around gleefully. This is exactly how it looks... me having the time of my life!!


Smooching on the hubby...


So that book I read pretty much said that midday is not a good time for photo taking. Says its too contrasty and harsh... Maybe so in some cases but not in the case of the quirky shadow people.


I thought this was a little comical... all my kids sitting in the ER waiting room reading a magazine...

Kassidy reading "Cookie" (makes sense)
Natalie reading "Entertainment" (that girl)
Lulu reading "Runners" (yep, thats fitting)


You know that saying "Don't step on a crack or you'll break you mothers back"?? Yeah well it wasn't me thats all I know!

My poor sweet mom. She broke her back while we were there. I really didn't realize how possible it was to do that.

This is how it went. We were headed to the marina. No real reason just something to do. We all loaded in the ski boat, and believe me we didn't get very far (literally around the corner from our boat) before we crossed paths with a larger ski boat plowing a humongus wake... Well we were going a bit too fast for this particular size wake... up we went, and down with a bang... thats not all. One right after the other. So twice. My poor mom was up in the bow of the boat which is the killer seat in cases such as these. We could tell right away she wasn't ok. She had the wind knocked out of her and I wish that was the end of it but theres sadly more...

Well we didn't know what happened but we knew her back hurt really bad so we took her back to the boat. She pretty much couldn't move for the next two days. (still can't, thats just to say that the rest of her vacation wasn't too fun) In hindsite we probably should have packed it up and took her to the ER right then and there... we didn't know. She thought it was muscular or a bruised kidney or something, but as we would find out later it was a compression fracture in her back. (is that right? if one of my sisters knows better what its called please let me know)
I think my Dad feels responsible being the boat operator and all but really no one could have known the extent of the damage that one ginormous wake would cause. Were hoping the recovery will go well and there will be no lasting effects.

Why oh why did that have to happen?


One more picture for you. I took this one while we were waiting at the hospital. It's of a fountain with nature things floating in it... wait, is that a corn nut? ok Two nature things and a random corn nut, I guess... I actually don't know what it is but that's what it looks like to me. I liked this picture though... it reminds me of a painting. I think I could frame it and hang it up somewhere.

October 11th 2008

Oh what a beautiful little lady. This is coming a little late. I think I got so overwhelmed with the fine details of this beautiful day that I just put it out of my mind for a bit. Natalie's baptism. We couldn't have asked for a nicer day. The weather was absolutely perfect.

Natalie was so excited for this day. I couldn't even believe it. We were at costco the day before getting some food for the luncheon that was to follow the baptism and when we got to our car to load up she shouted, "Tomorrow I'm getting baptized!!" as she jumped for joy literally. Like it was Christmas or something!


I never did get the photoshoot I wanted... looks like I'm not going to either. These pictures are ok I suppose but I wanted some really spectacular ones and I just didn't feel like these were it. I tried twice and both times my time ran out and so did the sun. These are a little darker than I would have liked but lucky for me Natalie shines in any light.


There's something about Natalie that that must be said. This girl is a valiant spirit. She really is. She reads her scriptures in her free time. At night when I pull out "The Penderwicks" (our current bedtime story) she asks if she can read the scriptures while I just read to Kassidy... what mom would say no to that? It's true, I would love it if she listened to me read, but I have never been a good scripture reader and I am in total awe of her. Way to go Nats!


She tries hard to memorize the articles of faith. I love that she tries so hard.

When the bishop came by to talk to her before her baptism she really listened to what he said and she took it all to heart. She is so full of goodness.


This is one picture that I can embrace the lack of light. I love silhouette pictures! Not that it's 100% silhouette but what the heck I still really like it.


A girl and her dog... Ok it's not technically her dog, it's my moms dog (or Lori's maybe?) Anyway "Marley the dog" has always loved this girl. She follows her around everywhere she goes. I can remember when Nat's was just a tiny little thing in the summer... we would be swimming, and Marley would lick her ears... neck...cheeks... whatever she could reach when Natalie would get close enough to the edge for some kisses! BFF?


I am thankful every single day for this sweet girl. She's not without her issues but she truly is a kind person and a valiant spirit. I love her so much!

Bubble Gum Icecream

Over fall break we went to Lake Powell. I have to do this in sections because there's too much to say at once. So I will start with this. This is actually after our trip, but before we headed home. In other words we had some time to kill in Page while my mom was being seen at the ER. (Yes, it's a very sad story and I will explain in another blog) We were going to go to the park but there were some homeless people at the park and we didn't want come back to find all our awesome dirty Lake Powell stuff stolen out of the boat while we played... So we went for ice cream!


This picture was taken about 1 second before some strange man asked if he could steal my camera... ok, really he asked if I wanted him to take the picture so I could be in it... No thanks weirdo! I'm a little overprotective of my precious camera that I can't afford to replace.

Of all the Ice cream we ate that day I think Natalie's must have been the best I mean check this out...

Looks like she's really enjoying it!


Oblivios to the fact that it is dripping on her new white jacket...


Lucy is ready for seconds...


She can be very convincing!


Ooohh...


Slurp slurp


Licking the fingers clean. Now that was yummy!


Next time I'm getting bubblegum flavor!

YUM !

I have this really good cookie recipe I'd like to share. It's for chocolate chip cookies. I have been trying for years to find a good recipe for the classic chocolate chip cookie. I almost stopped trying to find one, after all if it's this hard to find one then maybe I have to stop blaming the recipe and start blaming the cook right? Yep, just about declared myself a cookie dunce. Ahhh but thankfully it is not so... for I have found the all time yummiest chocolate chip cookie recipe!

But first I have to share something else..

Recently I have been toying with the idea of opening a bakery... on one hand its a perfectly dreamy thought... on the other it's perfectly risky business!

So I was opening all these Dove Promises (for the cookies of course!). I always read them. They are at the very least entertaining. But then I came across this one...


I can't help but think this one was meant for just me! This was the only one if its kind in the whole bag! (very unusual) It struck me immediately. Yes it is so true! I am very aware of the failure possibilities, but can I let that stop me? If I never try, I will never learn, if I never learn that will be a failure in itself!

On to the cookie...


Tastes even better than it looks! Ok so I have to admit I did modify the recipe a teensy tinsy bit. Nothing too extravagant. For instance when it calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips I actually used chopped up Dove dark chocolate. I LOVE dark chocolate. The thing I have found in doing this is that the chocolate stays all melty and gooey. And the chunks make for these "chocolate bombs" as I refer to them. You'll have to try it and see what I mean.

I thought if I just took a picture of the page out of my recipe book I wouldn't have to type it out. Click on the picture for a larger view!


One more note... This recipe calls for walnuts. I don't totally love walnuts. I do however love them in brownies and raspberry walnut salads!

I find that they are excellent in this recipe. I have also switched them out for pecans with really delicious results.

There you have it, a really really good chocolate chip cookie recipe!

Enjoyed By The Bushel

Whew I feel better now! Spent all day yesterday planting. I'm not done yet but it sure is looking better. Flowers make me happy. It's so nice to sit amongst them. When I designed my backyard I made sure to include plenty of planters so I could surround myself with all kinds or yummy flowers. And the spring before last we redid our front yard (to some extent) to include a fountain/garden area, then hung a porch swing so we could sit and enjoy it. And enjoy it we will!!


For homeschool yesterday Kassidy's assignment was to prepare the area under the lemon tree for planting, then using what we had, arrange the flower pleasingly underneath. I thought she did a pretty good job. She did tall purple flowers in the back with short yellow flowers in front with a few small purples in the very front. Homeschool rocks right? Ok that wasn't her only assignment, she also had to re-write a book report on "Call of the Wild". Oh and she planted some more flowers from seed. I'm not getting my hopes up for those though. Seriously doubt they will see even one more drop of water. Poor little seeds.


Miss Lucy Emma Jane, striking her pouty pose.


Let's face it, I don't need an excuse to post pictures. I just Love my Lu.


It's almost time to plant bulbs. My personal favorite! Bulbs are so darn easy to grow. I plant them between my annuals and then come February my yard is popping with color and sweet scents! My favorite is the tulip. Actually that really is my all time favorite flower of all. Only thing is tulips will only come up once, you have to buy new bulbs every year. But I have had very good luck getting hyacinth and freesia to just keep popping up year after year. Oh and paperwhites! Also I have these little purple guys that always come up but I can't remember what they are called. So buy them once and enjoy them year after year! Just be careful when planting annuals afterwords, I have dug many a bulb up and its ok as long as you didn't gouge its heart out while you were at it!

Love Angel Music Baby

Aren't these cute?


Discovered by my lil' Sister. Given by my mom. (Actually one belongs to Natty)
I love finding out about cute new things to go crazy over. These cute little "doll heads" as my children refer to them are a perfume solid by Gwen Stefani "Harajuku Lovers". Smells oh so good!

Now if only I carried around a purse...

Beautiful disaster

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this picture should give you a pretty good idea of how yesterday went...


At the end of the day I was finally able to look back on it all and laugh. This beautiful disaster of mine. A.K.A. party #2.(The first being the "serendipitous occasion" I spoke of earlier)

First...

Natalie expresses to me that she's not feeling well as she sat near the toilet in the morning. "Great", I say... "get a barf bowl and get in the car!"

We had a clay class to get to, which I love that the kids are doing. So happens we didn't really have time to go to a class, but seeing as how I am not a money waster we went anyway... bad idea #1

We were almost there. I tell you, we were 3 seconds from parking the car when it happened. Went a little something like this...

N: "I think I'm going to barf"

mom: "Hold it in" ... seriously, I do know better!

N: "I can't"

mom: "Just hold it, were almost there"

N: "It's ok I have a bowl to barf in"

mom: "I don't want you to barf in the bowl...

(Natalie barfing)

mom:(finishing her sentence in disgust) ...I want you to barf outside!... crap"

Ok so I should have pulled over. It is my fault. I spent the whole hour Kassidy was in clay, cleaning out the car with paper towels. It was everywhere but in the bowl (per my request!) When the class was over Kassidy went to get in the car. She opens the door and says, "Wow, it looks like nothing happened!" Then she sat down... "but it doesn't smell like nothing happened!"

So we unrolled the windows and off we went. Next stop Party city... bad idea #2

Balloon are expensive! $7.99 a dozen to be exact. So what happens when you have a dozen balloons in a car, going 70 mph on the freeway with the windows open?

You end up with half of what you paid for! I can't imagine what the car behind us was thinking! Feeling bad for Natalie I got back in my stinky car and got her some more balloons (thank goodness for the dollar store!)

The cupcakes. (bad idea #3) You saw the picture. I've never made cupcakes in icecream cones before. This I will never do again! I was just trying to make them extra big and poofy, generously pouring batter almost to the top... don't make my mistake, it really just pours over the side and makes a huge mess.

Back in the smelly car! (I usually buy extras for occasions such as these, what was I thinking? the smell must have been making me delirious!)

I decided that I ought to take a shower. At least I would be clean. It was a good idea. After getting dressed I lay down on the floor in my dark room (our room is always dark because Chad works nights and sleeps during the day... hence the scary make-up job I'm usually sporting!) Chad was sleeping, or so I thought. He pokes his head over the side of the bed...

Chad: "Why are you laying on the floor?"

Me: "I don't want to get too comfortable or I may never get up... pause... the only thing that could make this day worse is if it rained."

Knowing it was almost time for the party I got up to brush my hair.

I hear water droplets... "Is that rain" I say? No, I just took a shower it's probably just dripping. No, it was rain!

Ok so it didn't rain long but, the fact that it rained at all... bad karma. that's what I kept telling myself. The party actually went really well. Natalie was so full of glee. After seeing how happy all this made her, I felt really bad for my bad attitude earlier in the day. I was grumpy for every single minute until the party started then it was somehow all ok.( I had 4 guest arrive early! what is that all about??) On to the good stuff...


I love how they got into this tight little circle of girls. It was so cute. I just brought the gifts out and they did the rest. So much giggling, I love it!


I bought these little farm animal banks for each kid to paint. I had just enough, it was a close one though! Natalie got a little excited and invited a few more friends than we planned on (without asking) I really had no idea who was invited. Got lucky on that one! They turned out so cute. What little artists!


And no party is complete without the famed pinata!

Katie, I have some bad news...

It's about the bat we borrowed...

It didn't make it... probably had something to do with my bad karma. I'm so sorry. I will have to owe you a new one. This picture is the last we saw of it in one piece!



Back to the cupcakes: I really have to say that after the second kid tossed her cupcake I thought those must be some yucky cupcakes... so we (me, my awesome cousin Wendy that was kind enough to stay and help out, and chad) tried them. Yep they were really gross! The cone part gets soggy and its tasteless so it's alot like eating soggy cardboard! And the cherry frosting was also not so good.

Note to self: icecream cone cupcakes. BAD!

Wendy, thanks for staying to help out. I didn't even ask you to, but I'm really glad you did! It was fun chatting with you and I really did appreciate the help!

Now to get ready for next Saturday's party... ho hum

Serendipity

8 years old. It happens, but where did the time go? My little Natty turned 8 today. I love how as soon as she opened her gifts it was off with the old and on with the new... right there in the middle of the family room!
Seen these pettyskirts? I bought this for her months ago, it was unbelievably hard not to give it to her early. (that's a first) This thing has photoshoot written all over it! I am so excited. In retrospect I suppose I should have gotten her a more colorful one. Hmmm... well oh well.

It was a crazy day. Crazy busy. I know I got problems when Chad has to make his own dinner while his parents are over visiting.

We had an accidental party. Lets call it a serendipitous occasion. Yes, many loved people showing up to show love for the birthday girl at or near that same time resulting in squeals of delight and sticky little fingers all around!

Probably had nothing to do with the cupcakes.



These were quite tasty. Mmmmm if it weren't for that "serendipitous occasion" I might even have some leftovers. Probably better that I don't, surely I would just eat them. It is my specialty after all. One of them anyway...

I had exactly one moment of blissful peace tonight. My Lucy moment. I usually "snuggle" with Lu before I put her to bed. Something I started long ago, and also something I missed out on with the other girls. I didn't know I was missing out... I didn't know. While it's always something I look forward to, never had it felt so good as tonight. On a normal night I tell her stories and sing her songs from nursery but tonight was different. We sat quietly. Nothingness. The release of a day. Too tired to talk. I had a billion thing running through my mind as usual (it's not that easy to shut that off!) I thought Lucy had fallen asleep but then the silence was broken all of a sudden...

"I love you sooo much mom, you're the best"

That's what I needed to hear.

And I got this little card from Natty. How cute is that? I got her stationary as a gift and she wasted no time thanking me for all her "grate presents". (and yummy cupcakes)...Makes it all worthwhile.



Thank you to everyone that showed love to Natalie today... and your welcome for the yummy cupcake.

S.O.S

Dear Lori,
It's happened again. You would think at some point that this would stop happening to me... but alas, here we are. I wonder, though... what is it about Paula Dorf Magic stick #2 that is so irresistable? Is it the smell? Surely that plays a part, for how else would it be sniffed out so easily! But no thats not it...

Maybe its the way it sticks to each teensy little taste bud as its creamy texture is is being swathed around in that chubby little mouth of hers...

I personally think it must be the sleek black container, standing so stellar and inviting. Love at first sight... everytime! And if it's timed just right maybe even within reach.

Not a single usable smudge left for me! I look down the barrel and I know... it's over. Not for the first time of course... No, this is incident #6. How could I lose this game 6 times in a row?


(she finds herself alone, There's many lovely things... all too cheap for her tastebuds. "Mascara", no thats to easily replaced. "eyelash curler?", not useful at all. "perfume?", smelly but in a good way and far too easy to clean up! aha! "Paula Dorf Magic stick #2, my absolute favorite!")

So Lori I beg you, do you have any other Ideas for covering my dark circles? I can't buy any more Paula Dorf. At $20 a pop I am raising my white flag to call a truce. There must be something else. Please help.

Desperatly Yours,
Big Sis