Monday, November 30, 2009

Late turkey

I really enjoyed our Thanksgiving. Sorry I am a little late getting these up, but there was, uh, a rivalry game that occupied my every thought last week :)


While Strider was off playing football on Thanksgiving morning and while I was baking and prepping, Bugs called me outside to see this bald eagle soaring above our house! So awesome!



Here are random pics of the day with Strider's Dad's side of the family:






Uncle Dale trying to offer everyone "fresh squeezed" grape soda! lol










Little activity books I made for the kids


Dessert cart


A shot of the whole fam


This year, two Mondays before the big day we had a lesson on gratitude and I made a poster for us all to sign every day. We tried to fill it with all the thankful thoughts we had come to mind and it was really fun. It absolutely helped me to focus on all my blessings!



Hope you all had a great holiday as well!

Friday, November 27, 2009

My week, in no particular order


Sorry I have been MIA lately. Lots going on.



Mostly this cutie patootie:





...who officially turns 10 months old tomorrow and took two steps last week, got her third tooth on Wed, and waved for the first time tonight. Slow down!








First step...








New moon twice; once with the sisters, then the other night with Strider.








Potter got to go to his 2nd BYU game of the season (jealous!) with a buddy.








The van got ransacked in the driveway.








Bugs turned ten, WOW!






My family went to the BYU Coaches Show in Provo to see Bronco on the radio. Really cool!



Then Thanksgiving (will post later) and 5 hours of Black Friday shopping. And even more online. I am almost done!




And I babysat my niece, daughter of UTE parents, who were very pleased to see their baby girl in BLUE for a change!







GO COUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Book club - Guernsey

I was very excited to be the one to choose our book club selection this month. Upon recommendation I decided on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Here are a few pics of Guernsey Island:




I bet if I am ever missing, Strider might have success looking for me there. My goodness, it's as beautiful in the pictures as in the pages of this book.

We had a full and insightful discussion. I am always fascinated by how others can read the same things and see different pieces or teach me something new just by sharing their interpretations. One thing I also enjoy is the 20 year age range we have in our group which makes things so much more interesting than it would be with just thirty-somethings.

Reading about Guernsey was uplifting, even though the experiences written about life during the German Occupation in WWII are somewhat heartbreaking. I consider an author an artist if she (or he) can convey a feeling of hope and joy amidst a story of sorrow and trial. In other words, READ IT! As a bonus, it's only $6 now at Walmart and Amazon.

Now, on to the fun stuff.

Since my favorite season is autumn, which includes my favorite foods and decor, I was ultra excited for the hosting part of it. My ideas started with my friend Pam's book club last month.

I pulled together this hurricane centerpiece from this idea except I only used stuff I had around the house.

Not quite as classy, but free. It was pretty when lit. Oh, that's a battery candle, by the way.

I was up baking by 6am. I knew I had to get at least 2 flavors of pie done before the hubster left.


First was blueberry pie and my first time doing a lattice top crust. My goodness they were so cute! Jedi told me as I put them in the oven that he thought they were fake and looked like a picture. I believe even Strider used the word "darling" (don't tell him I told you).

Here they are, baked and bubbly and yum.

Princess and I baked in little snippets throughout the day. Here she is doing the bananas for me.

Forgive the lousy, 7pm lighting, but here is the food. We had a full size pumpkin pie, individual sized apple crumb and blueberry pies, and little mini banana cream and peanut butter cream cheese pies. Oh mercy. It was so good.

It also gave me a chance to use my harvest goblets that I found for 50 cents each on clearance at Smith's and fell IN LOVE WITH. I think I have smiled every time I have seen them for the last three weeks.

The mini tins we from Orson Gygi in Salt Lake. Beware; they close at 6pm. Ask me how I know. The smallest tins are 3 inches and 9 cents each, the larger are 5 inches and 15 cents each.








I guess it was a hit, eh?

Monday, November 16, 2009

Gratitudes, day 10


What a busy week before us! Must - stop - to - breathe...


Thankful for these today:

1. the chance to pause and type out a few of my blessings
2. FHE tonight where we talked about gratitude
3. it must have sunk in because the child saying our evening prayer mentioned the lesson (AND Princess also did in her personal prayers!)
4. great grocery trip with an overflowing cart for $90
5. fun preparations for hosting book club tomorrow
6. my sister graciously babysat for me for an appointment
7. a flexible hubby that agrees to all my crazy ideas
8. a willing hubby that jumps up when I get back from the store so he can empty the van
9. the Kit Kat Strider just shared with me
10. a full fridge