This and That Creations

Busy!! Books!! Birthdays!! What begins with B?

2012-02-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

I've been busy, busy, busy since we printed these little books! We've been so blessed with lots of people who have loved the story and illustrations and who purchased all of our books at the Oh Sweet Sadie Art & Gift Show !!! Thank you! We sold at the show and are having several more printed as we are still getting orders in...if you would like to purchase this book titled, "Where did the Sun Go?" written by my husband, Gary Ishmael and illustrated by the Water Media Mama (my Mom), then go here:

Water Media Mama

The week we were getting ready for the show was also my daughter's 11th Birthday! Can you believe this little nugget is getting so grown up??? We held a sock monkey birthday breakfast to celebrate her big day! Monkey bread, bananas & lot's of sausage were on hand to feed this crew! Lots of fun & celebrating for a girl who truly deserves it!

Happy Birthday Mackenzie!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

2012-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

And the winner of the book giveaway is......

Danette Seyfert!!!

Thanks to everyone for your great show of love and support!

If you'd like to order a copy of "Where Did the Sun Go?" we are offering a lower price this weekend only!

The book is available for $10, plus the cost of shipping!

Please email me at christineishmael@gmail.com

Please include your name, address & a contact # and I'll get a book out to you!!

Offer ends, Sunday, February 5th at midnight!

Don't forget!

The book is available at Oh Sweet Sadie Art & Gift Show this weekend!

The Author & Illustrator will be signing books
Friday, February 3rd from 6pm - 8pm
and
Saturday, February 4th from 1pm - 3pm!!!

Oh Sweet Sadie Begins Friday!

2012-02-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here's our booth at Oh Sweet Sadie Art & Gift Show !

The show runs Friday, February 2nd from 10 am - 9 pm and Saturday, February 3rd from 10am - 5pm!
Click on the "Oh Sweet Sadie" link above to get directions!

All kinds of "this & that" from art work, Valentine cards, Water Media Mama prints & original paintings, darling Valentine banners, paper heart garlands made from the pages of Jane Eyre, books ready for the book signing and so much more! Please come and see the fun!

Here's my husband and Mom's new book! "Where Did the Sun Go?" To find out more about this book, go to Water Media Mama !

My cute niece Rachel and my darling sister Laurie have been such amazing help getting this show going!

Thank you ladies!

Two of my favorite paintings by the Water Media Mama (my Mom!)

My niece sewed these adorable love birds! Also available for sale at Oh Sweet Sadie!

I LOVE Giveaways! Don't YOU?

2012-01-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

Enter our giveaway to win a copy of a darling new children's book titled, "Where Did the Sun Go?" written by my husband and illustrated by the Water Media Mama (my Mom!)

To enter the giveaway:

1) Go to Carol's new website, Water Media Mama , post about the book on your blog, facebook, or twitter.

2) Post about the Oh Sweet Sadie Art and Craft Show Oh Sweet Sadie on your blog, facebook, or twitter.

3) Leave a comment here, or on my facebook telling me what you posted and where.

You will get one entry for each post. (For example, if you post about the website on facebook and your blog you will get 2 entries)

The giveaway ends Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12 AM MST.

(Sorry, but this giveaway is limited to people living in the United States.)

Good luck!!

Oh Sweet Sadie Art & Gift Show

2012-01-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

Guess what!!!

We are vendors at Oh Sweet Sadie Art & Gift Show!!!

Coming next weekend! February 3rd & 4th!

For more information, click below:

Oh Sweet Sadie Information

Keep posted for my Oh Sweet Sadie giveaway!!!

It's a Hard Knock Life

2012-01-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

My youngest child (age 5) has been obsessed with "Annie" lately. She even told me that if her hair were red, she would look just like Annie...um....sure honey...I was thrilled she found a fun, wholesome musical that she could watch without warping her little mind and that she was ok taking a break from Sponge Bob...until today....
My little one woke up this morning sobbing. She'd had a nightmare and it went something like this...

Something (sob) happened (sob, sob) to you and Dad (total break down here) and I had to live at an orphanage (more crying) and the lady (Mrs. Hannigan we asked?) was SO mean to me! (sooooobbb!)

This bad dream left her very sad all morning until she left for school. We did offer parently advice such as, "you know, it's a hard knock life" (snickering) and we did let her know that Ms. Hannigan has a drinking problem and that's probably why she's so mean to children...as our little one left for school we sent her away with these parting words, "have a good day honey and don't worry, the sun will come out tomorrow!"

Fleaology

2012-01-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

I had an amazing weekend with my daughters and a friend when we attended "Flea*o*logy! It's one of the best flea markets I've been too in a long time! So good in fact, that I plan on attending any other events that these ladies have! There was tons of great collectible items at reasonable prices! Everything was all vintagey and retro just like I love!

The day began with a box of Dunford donuts, a gallon of milk, one Mom, the Mom's friend and two of the Mom's daughters. Add a crazy flash flood kind of rainy downpour, minor hydroplaning and my daughter's new car sliding around on the freeway while being passed by Semi truck drivers who don't believe in slowing down no matter what the road conditions are (take breath here!!!!) and you have FLEA*O*LOGY! The flea market is usually an outdoor event, held in one of the gal's front yard but outdoor events during Utah's winter months are next to impossible, so it was held in a flower nursery...an adorable little shop which allowed the rain to pour loudly on the roof while us die hard shoppers wandered around nice and dry! Curious about future Fleaology events?
Go here: Flea*O*logy

I want this Grandma bike!

I want to get these to hang my yard tools on the back fence!

We loved the jewelry!

Vintage

Awesome party hats!

I love old trucks!

Um, yeah, Coca Cola...my favorite!

I think my friend Allison's Mom should have this in her yard...this just reminds me of Penny!

Love old bikes!

This "manly" barbie doll was a bit frightening...look at that neck!

Vintage fabric scraps makes for new and fun luggage!

Chelsea's Apartment Number!

this was a steal at $80 bucks!

Tiffany bought this to remind her of her childhood vacations to Victoria!

We added another sock monkey to Mackenzie's collection! He'll fit in nicely with her sock monkey birthday party this weekend!

I added a bunch of old thermoses to my collection and found "The Little Engine That Could", a childhood favorite for 50 cents!

All of our treasures!

A Fond Farewell to Santa Claus

2012-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a bit of a sad night for my husband and I....our sweet 10 year old daughter came to us with a very serious question. She was very sober and serious and I was surprised as she spent her day off from school with a good friend playing barbies and crafting and walking like big girls to the local gas station for a treat....so her unhappy demeanor came as a surprise....until she asked the question..."Is Santa Claus real?"

Now to understand the seriousness of this question you have to understand my daughter. She is a firm believer in Santa and has stood up for him when many kids have tried to convince her that he is not real. She also gets a little anxiety around St. Patrick's Day because the thought of a leprechaun hanging around her classroom making messes while she's at recess freaks her out...we almost spilled the beans last year when she was truly afraid of those little green men and she had a bad dream over the thought of them. She is sweet and innocent and is bugged when her friends no longer want to "play" but just want to "hang out" and watch the Disney Channel...she still wants to play with dolls and dress them and ride bikes and do kid things and that's what I love about her...she is fighting to stay a kid when others can't wait to grow up. Kids these days are being pushed to grow up too fast, to dress much older than they are and they lose their chance to just be a kid. Ok, off of my soapbox and back to our response...

We sat her between us and put our arms around her and her Daddy explained the story of the true St. Nick and what a good person he was and how his legend lives on in how we celebrate Christmas. The giving of gifts and wrapping surprises and the love and excitement of that magical time of year when our Savior was born and that very special night when that dear old man makes every child's dreams come true. We did tell her that her Father and I are now Santa....we also had to explain about the Toothfairy, the elves, the reindeer, the Easter Bunny, the Leprechauns, it all came out tonight....this very night when my little girl had to bid a fond farewell to her childhood friend, Santa Claus.

Love Song

2012-01-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

Love the lyrics in the song off the "Revolution" album by Miranda Lambert...makes me think of my guy and what true love really is all about...

"Love Song"

I was standing there crying in the kitchen
It's been one of those mornings that's gonna last all day
And he comes in, wraps his arms around me
And I don't even have to say a thing

That's what makes it love
That's what makes it a love song

He comes in, slams the door behind him
And he can't hide the worry on his face
Even though I got a million things to tell him
I know right now he just needs some space

That's what makes it love
That's what makes it a love song
That's what makes it love
That's what makes it a love song

Everybody always sings about it
How they're never gonna live without it
We don't even have to talk about it
'Cuz We're livin it out

That's what makes it love
That's what makes it a love song
That's what makes it love
That's what makes it a love song

No Snow Utah

2012-01-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

Is this nuts? This homeowner in Utah must set the sprinklers to spray in the trees to create this icy effect....this year it's a no go. No frosty frozen icicles. It's been a no snow Utah....very little snow has fallen much to my delight...since I'm the one shoveling it most of the time, I appreciate the break.

Happy Thursday! Enjoy the sun!

Picture Perfect

2012-01-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

It was a picture perfect day here in Utah...

Happy Thoughts

2012-01-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

Wanted to post some Happy Thoughts.

These are memories that I can recall in difficult times.

My childhood, particularly when I was in elementary school. Making tree forts in the almond trees in my front yard. Kickball games that went til after dark. My favorite teacher Mr. Mizuno. My Mom having cookies baking when we got home from school. Our swimming pool! My friend Allison and her sweet family. The fire burning on cold days. Christmas morning traditions. Listening to my father play his jazz records while I went off to sleep. Our blind neighbor Chuck Lunkley on the roof, on a ladder hanging a Christmas star. Trips to McDonalds which were a special occasion. My Mom pulling us out of school on a rare day of snow in California and then bringing us home to play in the snow. Being voted the best kickball player out of all the girls and beating the teachers in a end of school kickball game. Crush on Angelo Oliva (he was adorable). Being a Mom (most days), being able to stay home with my kids. My kids and the funny things they say and do! Mackenzie's laugh, Zoe's laugh, Kayla's snort. My husband. Our relationship and how he "gets" me. When we crack up and can't stop. My brave son Eric. His smile. My helpful son Zack. His math brains, how I can make him smile. My daughter Chelsea wiping her mouth on the roll towel and noone ever letting her forget it. Our trip to California last summer. My cousins. The Christmas we spent with the Perkins and Santa came in the middle of the night. My niece's baby Ellie. Her expressive eyebrows. My sister being a grandma and her husband surprising her with such a good Christmas! You rock James! Christmas time. The Savior and my Father in Heaven. I could go on...but these happy thoughts should help me out for a while. I have so much to be thankful for in my life and I needed to write them down to remind myself. Once again, thanks for letting me get personal.

Getting Personal

2012-01-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Heading off to have an MRI done today. I have been experiencing a lot of back pain on my lower right side and I had not gone to the doctor in months (only thinking they'd tell me lose weight...well, duh!), and only ended up going when my whole right leg went numb. (Not a good sign I'm told) I ended up finding out that I probably have a herniated disc and the MRI is to find out how bad it is...so I'm gonna get a bit personal. I. Am. Scared. ~~To. Death~~. A. Little. I guess I'm afraid of the unknown...I was asked if I'm claustrophobic when the appointment was made...I don't think I'm claustrophobic, but what if I freak out in there? I was told my options and none of them sounded like fun. I definitely do NOT want surgery. Will I have this pain forever? These are just a few of the questions rolling around in my head, so I'm spending a weepy morning talking myself down before I enter into the machine. Listening to this song makes me happy...I'm taking the CD with me and maybe they'll let me listen to it while have the scan...wish me luck and thanks for letting me get personal.

Post MRI Note:

Survived, don't recommend unless absolutely necessary, results pending.

Thank You!

2012-01-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

I received this wonderful book in the mail the other day! It's a book of crafts, decorating tips and recipes from the 1920's - 1960's! I'm reading it from cover to cover! I have no idea who sent it to me but whoever you are,

THANK YOU!

I love it!

Love is in the air!

2012-01-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

My Mom brought by a variety of greeting cards that had been my Grandmother's. Can you say Vintage heaven? They are each so unique and tell a story of the period of time they were made in. My Mom's memories of the cards made them all the more special! In honor of her childhood and based on the Valentine cards she received as a child, she's been in her studio painting again! These original watercolor paintings below are some of the results and are now available on Etsy!

Just link here:

Artist Carol Pratt's Valentine Collection on Etsy!

Love is in the air!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

I think I got all of my partying out in my youth...so as an older gal, I prefer staying home on New Years Eve with my family playing games and popping a bottle of Sparkling Cider at midnight, toasting in the New Year and then climbing into my warm bed with my adorable husband...! We've been invited to a few parties and were still trying to decide what were gonna do...hope your New Years is wonderful and full of good wishes, dreams and positive changes for the year 2012!

Christmas Clean Up

2011-12-30T07:23:00.000-08:00

Oh man...the daunting task of taking the Christmas Decorations down...or is it? Sometimes it feels good to have everything put away from the holidays and start the new year out with a clean, decluttered house. That's what I'm going to try and achieve this weekend although it'll be hard with record warm weather and a beautiful sun outside! Have you started taking your decorations down yet? When do you usually start? I've started "undecorating" the kid's playroom so they have more play space but the rest of the house is coming down a bit slower. Once thing I did this morning (after stepping on the scale after 3 months of not wanting to know my weight) is write a list of goals I want to achieve...you can guess that weight loss is on that list...it's on my list every year! What's on your list?

My Kids Rock!

2011-12-29T07:37:00.000-08:00

My kids all chipped in and bought me a 5.5 quart RED Kitchenaid for Christmas! They ROCK! So for all you gals whose children are still young and your gifts consist of those made at school or preschool (not that I don't love those gifts!)

I promise, it gets better!

Our Crazy Family Christmas Photos

2011-12-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

After last year's fiasco of getting the WRONG family photo sent to me AFTER Christmas resulting in NO Christmas photo for 2010 I was hell bent DETERMINED to get a Christmas picture of my family out at any cost....well the cost was pretty HIGH...I told everyone to show up at the church (where my husband was in meetings). They were told to wear black & red and BE ON TIME so we could get the shot before the sun disappeared, which is pretty early these days. They all showed up on time, some wearing the required colors and a few in forest green and a bright Christmasy green...ok, I could deal with that so we began taking pictures with my daughter's roommate as the photographer....no husband yet as he could not get out of his meeting....and so the following is a result of our crazy Christmas pictures! We have officially recorded our 2011 family photo for our posterity and at the last minute my husband did show up....wearing BROWN!

Merry Christmas!

Simplifying Christmas

2011-12-22T06:39:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of "simplifying" this year, we did these for neighbor/friends gifts...it sure saved on the baking and they were fun and easy to make! Attach your card to a jar of ABC cookies (found at Winco for $5.99) and you just saved yourself hours of baking! I gave these to our family friends with younger children with a list of words to "find" in the jar of cookie letters!

Polar Express!

2011-12-21T10:07:00.000-08:00

The ever popular book "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg is a Christmas favorite of my children. We had a Polar Express party for my Little Chicks daycare and it was so much fun!

Only jammies and tickets required...

Do you believe?

My Christmas Wish

2011-12-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

Would this not be the most fabulous Christmas gift?

Gingerbread Cookie Perfection!

2011-12-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Candy Cane Kisses Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups flour

2 tsp. Ginger, Ground

1 tsp. Cinnamon, Ground

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg, Ground (I used fresh)

1/4 tap salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 cup white chocolate chips

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl.

Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add molasses, egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. (I skipped this part cause I'm too impatient! I want cookies now!) Worked just fine.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press about 5-6 white chocolate chips into center of each cookie. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Adapted from McCormick and Company Inc. and found on Pinterest!

More of my Christmas House

2011-12-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Sitting Room is one of my favorite rooms at Christmas time...I love being here in the afternoon when the sun streams through making this a bright and happy place. It is full of my favorite vintage collectibles and my Christmas Annalee figures that my Grandma Elaine got me hooked on as a young girl. I didn't do a tree in here this year, just a collection of smaller trees on my little red table.

My favorite things? My denim couch and my pillow collection which changes with the seasons! Another favorite is my daughter's red rain boots that now hold wrapping paper! I made the little garland on the book shelves with vintage gift tags found here at Pretty Little Studio

TODAY!

2011-12-10T07:43:00.000-08:00

CRAVINGS BISTRO

located at 63 Main Street in FINDERS KEEPERS in American Fork

is having free cocoa and cupcakes today!

This delicious bistro makes THE BEST "adult" cheese sandwhiches around. My Mom and I stopped by the other day and had the "ABC" grilled cheese....it was big crusty toasted french bread topped with a seasoned mayo, melty cheese, sugared bacon and thin slices of green apple...it was soooo dang good! The owner makes a killer roasted pepper tomato basil soup too and the cupcakes are to die for! Half a sandwich, soup and a drink was only $5.50! Stop by from 11 - 2 today for the freebies and to try her other foods! The bistro is decorated so fun and bright and the owner Angie is adorable! Have some lunch and then do some shopping at Finders Keepers!!

My Christmas House

2011-12-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

Join me in a Christmas home tour!

I love my home at Christmas time and hopefully you'll have fun taking a tour throughout the next several days with me!

Starting with the porch...got the idea from The Farm Chicks Christmas Book

The best part? 25 feet of garland was only $14.99 at Costco. The ribbon was purchased at Costco (their wire ribbon makes the best bows!) I found the vintage thermos at Oh Sweet Sadie Gift Show for a mere $5! I'm on the hunt for more! Old skis, a pair of snow shoes, a vintage thermos or tins...

Everything else I had around the house!

For more decorating ideas, visit the Farm Chicks!

Come Shop Finders Keepers!

2011-12-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to show you my favorite Utah store! Finders Keepers! Located at 63 E Main Street in American Fork! This shop is full of the cutest collection of unique furniture and fun items for your home!

And guess what??? They are opening a little Bistro right in the store and the girls are cooking up some yummy sandwiches, drinks and delicious sweets!

My mom, who is a Water media artist has painted an adorable collection of Christmas elves & nativity scenes which are in the cutest frames! I've created some gift tins which make great neighbor, teacher or friend gifts! Just fill them with your favorite home baked treats, fill with a special gift and no wrapping necessary! It's ready to go!

We are offering a special right now! 15% off if you mention the code word "elves" to the store clerk!

The bistro is filled with so much eye candy along with great food!

The cutest furniture and Tami will even repaint your old furniture and make it new again!

The lamps are to die for...all unique, noone will ever have the same one as you!

Aren't the colors so delicious?

Look how fun their window display is!

Here's my Mom's cute collection of Elves!

Here are my tins! I had so much fun making these and can imagine them filled to the brim with delicious treats or gifts!

So come on in and see the shop, have some lunch and get your Christmas shopping done! Time is running out!

It's Fudge Time Once Again!

2011-11-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

This is the BeSt recipe for neighbor gifts...who doesn't want a tin full of fudge?

So in honor of the Christmas Season, here is a no-fail, yummy, delectable recipe I learned from a fudge class I took a couple of years ago! Tomorrow is December 1st and the craziness will officially begin! So keep calm, merry on and don't stress! (Yeah, right.)

* Take 3 large Hershey bars & break into pieces in a bowl.

* Add a cube and a half of butter and 1 tablespoon of flavoring (vanilla, raspberry, orange, mint, etc.) What's your favorite?

*Grease a large pan and set aside. (I used my cookie sheet that has extra high edges)

*In a large pan add 4 cups sugar, 1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar, 1 can of evaporated milk & 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. Stir together an bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook at a rolling boil for 4/12 minutes and then pour cooked mixture over the candy bars, butter & flavoring...stir & stir until all ingredients are blended well. Pour into your greased pan & refrigerate. Cut in squares & serve...yum!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T17:08:00.000-08:00

What a great day! Lot's of prep work but it's all worth it, isn't it? I'm so grateful for so many things...thanks to my Savior, my family, my awesome husband, my relatives near and far, the beautiful roof over our heads, for our jobs and for so many supportive and loving friends and neighbors...we are truly blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Bought the turkey

2011-11-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

My husband is home now and I can't believe how much I missed him...I consider myself pretty independent but not this last week...it was hard for some reason...for all you ladies who have husbands who travel a lot, I tip my hat to you...if you have a good man, you don't realize until their gone for a week, just how much they contribute to your home....it's been nice because after 20+ hours flying on planes, and hanging out in different airports, he's taken a couple of days off and has been hanging around...today I invited him along on an outing to Costco with 3 daycare kids in tow...good times to be had shopping with little kids. While there we picked out the bird, our Thanksgiving Turkey! My husband cooks the turkey every year and this is a job he takes seriously....we got a 21 pounder and it now it sits in our freezer waiting to be dressed and seasoned and cooked! What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Do you have lots of family or just a few for Thanksgiving this year? Are you traveling far or staying close to home? Today I met a woman who'd never cooked a turkey because the in-laws or her Mom has always done it...that would be nice...but then there are no leftovers and to us, that is the best part! My gratitude this week is for my sweet husband and my family....my crazy 6 kids who make the holidays fun, chaotic and amazing.

My Husband is Here....

2011-11-09T22:43:00.000-08:00

Trinidad, West Indies

he's laying his mother to rest...remember him in your prayers...we really miss him

Chickens....sigh...

2011-11-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

So I've been wanting to try chickens out for a while now...I bought a book called "Keeping Chickens" with Ashley English and I've been following her blog, "Small Measure" about her city girl gone farm girl life. Part of the process is to decide if this was the best thing for our family and my daycare business and if I wanted the added responsibility of taking care of a flock of chickens. As a Mom, I'm not stupid...I KNOW I'm gonna end up being the one cleaning the poop, making sure their fed, etc., just accept this going into it and you'll be less upset later when your kids whine about helping you. Another thing I was concerned about is THE EXPENSE!...this was a big investment in TIME and MONEY. Eggs are pretty cheap now in the store and the amount of money to get us set up as chicken farmers is way more than I'd spend on eggs in a year, maybe even 2 - 3 years! But in the back of my mind I'm always concerned that there will be an egg shortage or that eggs will be contaminated and the thought that we would be able to provide ourselves with disease free eggs should that time come gave me comfort. Our family goal is to be self-sustaining as much as possible and this year we've made a big push to do this with food storage, canning, 72 hour kits and growing a bigger and better garden. Then chickens became TRENDY and the cool thing to do for us urbanites who kind of, sort of live in the country but really don't. When the 101 Dalmatians movie came out everyone ran and got Dalmatians which are a high maintenance breed of dog and a lot of Dalmatians ended up in the animal shelters. I hate following a crowd and so I resisted taking on chickens in the spring when everyone else was doing it...but then I took my Little Chicks Daycare to the Farm Country petting zoo and there she was....a lone little chick...the tail end of the spring hatching blitz...all alone in her large coop...peep, peep, peeping with what to me was a lonely cry for love and attention....and so it was that "PeeP" came home with us in a box. I headed over to the local IFA for supplies and information and so the spending began...$500+ dollars later, we have now have 5 chickens total, ($2 per chick), a chicken coop, ($350), a heat lamp, ($15), pine shavings, ($12.99 for a 12.5 cubic foot bag), a heated water bowl, ($35), a feeder ($16), Chick Starter feed ($15/bag) and not one egg to date! But my babies are only 7 weeks old now and they don't start laying until their older.

Things I learned:

*chickens are expensive! (in the beginning at least) * chickens are dirty * chickens poop all the time

*chickens will eat anything including the bugs out of the garden* chickens have "combs" * I'll be putting Vaseline on their exposed combs to prevent frost bite (who would've thunk?) * My kids love them * My daycare kids love them and come everyday asking to see the chicks * they are a great way for kids to learn about taking care of a pet * I am in love with my baby chicks * my chicks love me, respond to my voice and let me pet and hold them * We won't be buying eggs once they start a layin saving about $5 bucks per month* we will be self sustaining when it come to eggs *

* I'm the farm girl I always dreamed I'd be *

here is what two of my chickens will look like when they grow up...Leghorns are beautiful and are the cutest baby chicks...all soft yellow down...and the kitty in this picture looks like our new kitten...again, a story for another day...my house is once again filled with babies!

Debating...

2011-11-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

The house was about 65 degrees this morning and cold...too cold...we usually have it around 70 degrees.

It's 30 degrees outside this morning and I'm sitting in my chair at the computer debating....debating my options of the morning...sit here with my feet on the heater waiting for the house to warm, sip hot chocolate and search Pinterest and Etsy, update my blog....Orrrrr....get up and clean my disgusting kitchen, put away the apples I dried last weekend, do laundry, mop, sweep, feed the chickens, yes, chickens, a story for another day, and clean bathrooms...what would you do?

here's some photos I found from fall, 2009....my baby has grown!

Whatever you do today, enjoy!

Love This...

2011-11-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

FALL IS HERE!

If I ever get some spare time I love to look at Pinterest....everybody is on it these days....and it is SO MUCH FUN! Look at my recent blog find... "Life as a Thrifter"

I literally ripped down my Halloween stuff and packed it away and my house is wonderfully decorated for Thanksgiving!

It feels good.

Pardon me for the slack of a blog lately...my newest camera broke and I'm lost without a camera...I promise, I'll do better.

In Loving Memory

2011-10-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Grandma Sheila passed away peacefully in her sleep this morning. She suffered a stroke several months ago and was left unable to walk or speak. We are so glad she is no longer in pain and is having a wonderful reunion with her son Graham who passed many years ago at the age of 16...we love her and will miss her and look forward to the day when we will see her again.

Canning & Conference

2011-10-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Conference weekend...love watching from the comfort of my home with my family all around...and the messages were wonderful...they always deliver, don't they? So our family is working on being prepared...so during conference we got our 72 hour kits together and completed and in the entryhall closet....I feel good about that and we'll be ready to go if something happens and we have to leave in a hurry! Our other goal is to have our food storage completed...we got a good start and now have water and food supplies, but not nearly enough to feed our large family...but were getting it slowly but surely...and we did more canning this weekend! We got a box of pears from Washington and canned 16 quarts of delicious pears and 7 jars of Pear jam!

Let the Canning Begin!

2011-09-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

So I got on the internet, bought myself some canning equipment and got to work on canning some salsa...most all of the ingredients came from my garden...hoorah!

Black canning pan, Walmart, $19.98

1 pint canning jars, $7.98 at Walmart

Anaheim peppers, onions, tomatoes and bell peppers all from my garden! Garlic, cilantro and corn from the grocery store...around $4.00

7 cans of home canned salsa that worked when I canned it and the lids stayed sealed like the directions said they would....seriously priceless!

And what to do with all the squash that is growing, and growing and growing???

Cook up some ground beef and onions

sautee corn, carrots, onions and some bell pepper in a little olive oil

Cut the squash in half and then scoop out all of the innards....this is the strangest squash I got from my garden this year...it was a perfect twin...my kids and husband thought it looked like other things...which will not be mentioned here...

Puree some tomatoes in a blender and then pour over the sauteed vegetables

Add about 1 cup or a little more of Minute Rice, stir in and then let simmer til the rice is cooked

This is what the squash looks like when it's ready for stuffing. I drizzled some olive oil and some salt and pepper in the squash before putting the rice mixture in

You can sprinkle some Parmesan or some cheddar cheese over the top and then bake in the oven at 350 for about 30 - 40 minutes or until the squash is tender

Then eat!

Crazy Utah Weather

2011-09-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

We have the most beautiful weather here in Utah....most days...

but sometimes we get microbursts of wind that do amazing damage...they are like mini tornadoes

this particular microburst lifted up the umbrella stand, crashed the metal pole onto the table shattering all the glass and threw the umbrella across the yard leaving glass everywhere...

Thank goodness for Shop Vacs and thank goodness that table and chairs only cost me $25 bucks at a yard sale!

So long summer...

2011-09-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Oh summer....how we will miss you

Great Idea

2011-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Very cool idea for a livening up a boring fence!

Found this idea here... http://hangapot.com/

Star Wars Party

2011-09-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

So my sweet husband turned 46 on September 11th...I love this man and he loves Star Wars...therefore, a Star Wars party...

The Star Wars posters were allowed to come out of the basement for the night...I love this man, but will not allow my home to be decorated in Star Wars...he understands me so it works...

This was a fun party to do....got great ideas and recipes from here Just Jenn Recipes...

3D plates...very cool!

My kids really got into helping me plan the party...can you guess which scene is shown below? We played a game of trivia and most of the guys got all the answers...even the ladies rocked the questions...

Lemon bundt cake (mmmm, so moist) from Nothing Bundt Cakes

And a bunch of cool friends...who came and made my husband's night super special...thanks guys!

Happy Birthday husband...I love you!

I went...it was awesome!

2011-09-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

I went and it was awesome as usual! See pictures below!

So Marci and Dave have a beautiful farm located in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Every year they get their craft on and hold a huge handmade crafts sale called Fallow Field Farm Show....my friends Shanon and Sophie went with me this time and the minute we got through the beautiful gates I scored my first purchase! A 3-tiered metal tray...ORANGE! It's going on my porch for now and will hold tiers of pumpkins...can you just see it? Later it'll hold towels in my bathroom, or maybe be used in the laundry room...so many uses...and for just $12 bucks...SCORE! (pics to come)

We were welcomed by a gorgeous Welcome Sign

I love Marci's attention to detail...sweet little banners hung everywhere from the entrance, to the farm pathways and even inside the Honey Bucket! Yes...there were little banners hung inside the porta-potty! Love it! Aren't they pretty? Their made of newspaper and addition/subtraction flash cards

Vintage wagon full of pumpkins...sweet touches that make this show so special...I love the detail stuff!

this little gateway adorned with bunting and canning jars filled with candy corn led us to the back of the farm...I loved every bit of it...!

Thanks Marci & Dave...I know how much work goes into these shows, I know it doesn't seem worth it sometimes but as a patron....PLEASE keep doing it! We love you and look forward to this every year!

Playing Catch Up....

2011-09-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

So the past posting may have left anyone who reads this blog wondering what the heck was up....well, we had a very crazy Labor Day weekend and I am playing catch up with my blogging! It started like any other weekend with neighborhood get togethers like the one below...my good friend Tiffany's son was leaving for college and so she threw him a big shin dig...! I took lots of pictures of the yummy treats she made (they were delicious!) and they had a live band (her son was the lead guitarist) and we had such a good time visiting with friends and listening to music! And that's how everything started...

these were my favorite!

Warning: Due to the graphic nature of the photos you are about to see, parental guidance may be necessary....and so forth and so on....This is the part where the weekend went haywire and crazy...the party ended, and my children were walking and riding their bicycles home...I was driving my van and taking a neighbor and her son home when I heard screaming...you know when your kids are screaming but you know it's not a serious scream? Heck, my 5 year old screams like she's dying no matter what has happened so it's usually hard to differentiate if she's really hurt or just being dramatic. So, back to the story. I hear this screaming from my 10 year old...she's screaming, "Mom! Come now! Zoe is hurt really bad!" Then I hear my 13 year old son...he's the calmest boy in town normally but I hear him yelling my name in a way that I never want to hear again...his yell made me sick to my stomach because I knew something really bad had happened so I whipped the van around so I could put my lights on where my kids were crouching in the street and I found my 5 year was hysterically screaming. And then I saw her ankle was wrenched into the spokes of the bike so hard and tight that we could not move the tire without her being in lots of pain. We then noticed her ankle was cut open...and this is where it gets really gross...in the picture you can see some "stuff" hanging out of her ankle...it's not bone, which I originally thought it was...it is the fat layer that is between the skin and bones and it's kind of just hanging there like gristle...I was a bit horrified to say the least but my good friend Burgandy was there and we both looked at each other as if to say, "oh my gosh, this is really bad", but we both pulled it together because my ten year old and my five year old were screaming hysterically...we had to be cool and calm and take hold of the situation....we removed my little one's sandal thinking we'd be able to pull the bike off of her ankle but that didn't work. I tried peeling the spokes off of her ankles with my fingers and they wouldn't budge...I kept waiting for that rush of adrenaline to come, that superhuman strength that would allow me to pry those metal spokes right off of her ankle but it didn't happen...I had to call 911 because I just didn't have the right tools to cut that bike from her foot and she was screaming even louder at this point...she was not only screaming from pain but she was screaming about dying...she repeatedly screamed that she didn't want to die, that she didn't want to go to heaven yet...and then she broke my heart by telling her ten year old sister, "goodbye Kenzie, you've been a true friend but I have to go now"....it was so sad...and dramatic...VERY DRAMATIC....and in the midst of this craziness it made my friend and I kind of laugh....the rescuers, those wonderful fireman in blue arrived on the scene, cut the spokes with big wire cutters and her foot was released! Again with the screaming because my baby was sure the firemen were gonna cut off her foot! Then I made a quick call to my husband letting him know he needed to come right home cause there had been an emergency...he got there so fast and held her in his arms and got her into the car...3 stitches later, some killer sedative (for her, not me) and a broken ankle and hot pink cast later, we are recuperating from our long weekend...I have to thank my friend, my wonderful husband, the paramedics and the hospital staff who treated her with such kindness and patience cause that girl screamed a lot (until they gave her drugs). Everone was amazing and I was so appreciative that I wasn't alone when this happened. I'm grateful we haven't had too many crazy accidents, I have 6 children and this is the first broken bone we've had yet...not bad...! Thanks for reading this long post...I really don't know if anyone is reading but I'm looking at my blog posts the same as if I'm journaling and this was definitely something that needed to be recorded...hope your Labor Day weekend was accident free!

It's been that kind of weekend...

2011-09-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

I would love to do the above but have had no time to myself to do this...the weekend ranged from car troubles to pulling an all nighter in the hospital with my youngest, (don't worry, she's fine)...so when I get a minute to get my head back on straight I'll fill you in on the weekend happenings!

My Cup Runneth Over!

2011-08-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

My garden has taken off and my cup seriously runneth over! But I am not complaining one bit...when life gives you tomatoes, make SALSA! And that is exactly what my daughter did...she began chopping up our bounty of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, anaheim chilis and make the best salsa I've had in a long time!

Squash and zucchinni are coming out of our ears but I asked around and I've been cutting them up (or shredding them), then freezing them on a cookie sheet before placing them in freezer bags...this way they will freeze individually and will cook up really nice this winter when I'm craving my summer garden!

These are the most out of control weeds in my yard, but aren't they beautiful?

And the sunflowers I planted are now blooming...the bees love these flowers and their faces are just huge and gorgeous!

Oh my gosh, this was the best tasting salsa and it makes you feel good knowing you grew almost all of the ingredients yourself!

All this good food makes all that hard work in the spring worth it!

Sugarland & Sara Bureilles

2011-08-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

I love me a good concert, with a good man and my kids.

My husband and I and my two oldest daughters spent a very fun night at a Sara Bureilles and Sugarland concert! SO. MUCH. FUN! The venue was an outdoor ampitheatre here in Utah and if you know the recent events with the Indiana Sugarland concert, (read about it here http://www.sugarlandmusic.com/) you'll know any high winds were kind of freaking people out...and that's what we had in the beginning...high winds, a spattering of rain and then amazingly, and beautifully, the skies cleared and a huge rainbow came out over the ampitheatre almost as if to say, "we know what you've been through Sugarland and Sara and it's not gonna happen here"...the night was amazing, magical, emotional and one of the best concerts I've been to. The music was so uplifting and the gratitude that these two bands had for just being alive was expressed over and over and it showed in their performance...they paid tribute to those who died in Indianapolis and we all cried with them...I was so lucky to spend this evening with my girls and my husband....

So Sorry...

2011-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts and updates...I am spending as much time with my kids before summer ends and they are in school full day! I'll post next week! Plus, my camera broke...again!

Uncle Sandy

2011-08-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

As I made pancakes for my kids and poured their delicious syrup on, I thought about one of my most favorite people in the world...my Uncle Sandy. We got to spend time with him this summer when we went to the beach. My kids LOVE him and called him Grandpa Sandy because with all of our cousins and aunts and uncles, it's hard to keep relations straight. He is known for his squeezies, (big squeezie hugs he gives to the kids), for his love of the ocean and the beach and surfing. He has the best work ethic of anyone I know and he loves to serve others....AND NEVER COMPLAINS...how many of us can say we haven't grumbled while doing something for others we didn't really want to do. We were able to stay in his home, an experience I wanted my kids to have because I have such fond memories of summers in Carlsbad with my cousins (yes, there were 7 kids in their family). While there, he fixed lunches, dinners, breakfasts...showed us the best places to get to the beach and avoid the huge crowds (we were there 4th of July weekend), he showed my kids how to ride the waves, loaded up boogie boards, ice chests, chairs, umbrellas and sunscreen so we would be comfortable at the beach. He shared stories of his youth, growing up in Southern California and fishing on the sea with his father. He's been stung by a stingray and a shark and survived and when my son was stung by a stingray, he sacrificed his day at the beach to care for my son taking him home and putting his foot in hot water and stayed with him til the pain subsided. He rescued me as a kid from drowning in the ocean and from sand sharks. He said family prayer with us nightly and shared his love of trains with my children. He gets up early and goes to work and comes home to check on his family and then heads back to work...he is a wonderful example to me of what kind of parent I should strive to be. He does not judge, just shows love and kindness. He wants us to be happy and will do anything for you. The morning we left it was very early (around 6 am) and he got up to make us breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, hot chocolate and orange juice....and he made his special syrup and shared his recipe with us. I love this man and have been a lucky girl to have him as my Uncle. I love you Uncle Sandy! You are the man!

Take whatever brand of maple syrup (we have the big ones from Costco), add a cube of melted butter and cinnamon....mix it together and heat before serving....it is divine, like my Uncle Sandy.

Back to school....sigh....

2011-08-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

I hear a lot of moms saying they can't wait til their kids are back in school....I disagree....I LOVE summer! We wait all year for this season and I love having my kids around me or hanging out with friends with no set schedule. We do not play sports or take piano lessons or get up too early. There is never boredom or they know I'll make them clean....it's a good time and it tempts me to pull my kids out of school and home school but I'm just not that smart! So we will make the best of this last week we have together with no set schedule or homework and just relax....we celebrated my first child's birthday at Cowabunga....a very fun, local water park set in my favorite theme, vintage beach! Hope you enjoy your last week of no school with your kids too, because soon the insanity begins!

Happy Birthday Chelsea!

2011-08-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my first born...my transfer from selfish youth to motherhood...you are an amazing child, so good at so many things and full of joy...it has been my pleasure raising you and I know I haven't always been so good at it, and I made a LOT of mistakes, but thank you for loving me anyways...love, Mom

PS - lub your hair!

pLaYrOoM eTiQuEtTe

2011-08-04T09:18:00.001-07:00

Enough said...

Happy Birthday

2011-08-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Eric!

23 years of crazy fun you have brought to my life...he's the boy who got into everything...ate the dishwasher soap, hugged a homeless man who was sleeping in a park we were playing in...gave me hell in his high school years, joined the Army Reserves and became a leader of his troop, wrote me the most beautiful letter thanking me for being strict with him and making him follow thru...served a mission for our church in Chicago for 2 years and continues to amaze me with the things he can do...I love you son...have a wonderful birthday, Love, Mom

Zucchini Brownies

2011-07-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe is for the most moist, delicious brownies I've ever had....and the frosting recipe is so seriously good! I found an extra large zucchini in my garden and they make the best breads and brownies, so here goes!

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups flour
1/3 c baking cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cups walnuts (I'm allergic so I do not use nuts)
2 tsp vanilla

First: Mix flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Second: In a separate bowl combine zucchini, sugar and oil. Stir in vanilla and then add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Third: Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup mini marshmallows, 1 tsp vanilla.

In a saucepan bring butter, sugar and milk to a boil. Boil on medium and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows until melted. Spread on top of brownies while warm.

Delicious!
(recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

Progress!

2011-07-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Remember my post "Inch by Inch"? Go here: "Inch by "Inch" to see the before pics of my little plot of land...and now...look how it's grown! Zucchini and Yellow Crookneck Squash have been the first to appear...only a few tomatoes so far but TONS more on the vines waiting for the sun to turn their color from green to red! Pumpkins and Cantaloupes have started forming and it's just amazing to see God's little miracles in my own backyard!

My hollyhocks have gone mad! Beautiful, tall and gorgeous colors!

I was able to cut a few to put on my coffee table...!

I'm off to shred up an extra large zucchini to make zucchini bread and zucchini brownies! I posted a recipe for the brownies last year and I'm going to search for it and post it on my blog...it was the best dang brownies I ever had! Have a great day!

Missing You

2011-07-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

My son stayed in California an extra two weeks....he's still there and won't be back til Friday...I miss his mug...I miss hanging out with him...I thought it would be good for everyone to have a little break from each other...ya know, so you appreciate each other more (he loves to tease his sisters constantly and it drives me nuts!) but guess whose missed him too? His sisters! And me....can't wait to see ya son...love, Mom.

I Left My Heart in California

2011-07-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

What a fabulous week we had in California!

We got up early and headed to Blackie Beach for some surfing lessons and fun in the sea! This was my son's second time surfing...he had tried earlier in the week and was stung by a stingray! Just so you know, if your ever zapped by a stingray, apply warm water and take Benadryl right away...a few hours of rest and your good as new!

My little one spent the day playing in the sand and scouring the rocks for crabs...there were plenty to be found! The little crabs look like spiders climbing everywhere...they gave me the heebie jeebies!

My little surfer girl...always happy this whole trip and ready to try anything!

My surfer boy was a natural...jumping up on the board and riding wave after wave!

My daughter flew out and met us for a beachie weekend. My niece and her adorable baby were so much fun to see at the sea! Her husband was the patient surfing instructor...he grew up here and has surfed since he was a kid...

and then there was the island....which is where I fell in love...I could retire here someday...

We drove our car onto the ferry and headed across the bay...my kids LOVED this so much we went back and forth several times!

the houses were dreamy...beautiful beach homes with the harbor on one side and the beach on the other...

all dressed up for the 4th of July!

Decked out with brightly colored umbrellas...so much to do and explore on this little island...I've made a list of what I want to do when I go back!

Ruby's Diner is always fun...the restaurant sits at the end of the pier on the ocean...what you can't see is the 30 - 40 dolphins leaping out of the water as we had our lunch...what an amazing thing to see!

One must have Dad's original frozen bananas...and so we did...along with mango sorbet, Balboa Bars and surfboard sugar cookies!

Lots of fun shopping in this town, brightly painted benches and fun beachy pillows are sitting outside the shops...lots of darling shops here...

It was a dream vacation to be sure and I cannot wait to go back! More pictures to come when I get a minute! Still unpacking!

California Here We Come!

2011-06-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone!

The yardsale was a great success! Good friends, great deals and mucho diet coke! We all did well and so many people came so thank you everyone! 4 days til we leave!

I CAN'T WAIT!

La Petite Sirene (clipped to polyvore.com)

Summer Vacation

2011-06-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

I'm off soon for my annual beach "fix"....every year the need to feel sand and sea between my toes gets stronger...I cannot wait to have a week at the ocean and it's come in handy when I need things done around the house...the kids start arguing, all I have to say is, "your off the trip" and the bickering stops...it's working out quite nicely!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to these two special guys!

I'm so excited!

2011-06-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

We took a little drive today and headed over to the World Market to get some fun stuff for the hubby...Father's Day is right around the corner...on the way back, we passed a sign that said "Estate Sale"...that caught my eye! My daughter groaned and we went back and forth on a conversation like this, Daughter: "Moooooooom (not moo, a long, whiny Mom)...why do we always have to stop at these things???" Me: (while whipping the car in an illegal U-turn)..."We have to stop! Who knows what kind of treasures we'll find!" Daughter: "Oh my gosh, your gonna kill us!" Me: "One day when I'm dead and gone you'll remember these little crazy side trips and you'll miss me!" Daughter: Silence

And I was right!!! Check out this vintage Schwinn bicycle I scored for $6 bucks! I have been searching for one for years to put by my backyard arbor....gorgeous!

Basket: $0

A quick call to my mom resulted in this beautiful bicycle basket my sister brought back from Europe! The basket didn't fit over her handlebars, so this beautiful basket is now mine! (I hope my sister doesn't get mad...she gets to travel the world and I'm thrilled to have this basket!) I'll carefully line it and plant BEAUTIFUL flowers and bring it inside during the winter...love it!

You know the best part? My 13 year old son saw the bike and jumped on the internet searching for the same type of bikes to find out it's value, make, model and the details! He is a vintage boy for sure!

Sorry for the blurry photo...my camera broke, AGAIN! Found this game my son just loves! The box of games and cupcake picks were only $3!

Look at these cool vintage flags picks!

Clown picks...love clowns!

The random photo below is my beautiful garden yielding all kinds of delicious lettuce!

Today was a very good day!

2011-06-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I completed a 4 week "Flower Bed Design" class taught at Thanksgiving Point. I learned a lot about designing my garden beds, designing so that you are not spending 100% of your time maintaining those beds. We learned about what grows good here in Utah and we were able to ask a lot of questions about things we've been taught, such as...I've always been told to plant Marigolds around my tomatoes to keep the bugs out...wives tale. The instructor does most of his garden in containers. He takes brick sized styrofoam and puts it at the bottom of his large containers....to save $ on soil...you only need 12 inches of soil for a plant...! Who knew? We were taken on a tour of the grounds and the greenhouses. The whole place is beautifully landscaped. The Tulip festival is held here every year. I took a few pictures but they do not capture the true beauty of this place....it is just breathtaking! Take a look at their link above. Every year the bulbs are pulled up after they are done blooming and sold for a great price...$3/dozen...I bought 4 dozen! Can't wait to get them in the ground for next year's crop! What a great Mother's Day gift!

First 5K, Parades & Carnivals - Summer is Here!

2011-06-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

We know it's summer in our town because our annual 5k race, parade, carnival and outdoor concert that start our summer off! I'm so proud to tell you my 10 year old daughter ran her first 5k race! She was AMAZING! She ran it in about 20 minutes coming in faster than many of the adult racers! I was so proud of her...such an accomplishment at her age! We then headed over to the parade and then on to the carnival....carnivals are an adventure in itself....the many toothless carnival workers that show up a week ahead to set up their trailers, put the rides and games together making it a magical weekend for children....my kids love carnivals and the fact that the parade and the park where the carnival is held are all walking distance from our house make me love this small town! My husband and I volunteered to be parking attendants for the concert and were able to see Clint Black and the fireworks show in exchange...We all went to bed exhausted but happy!

Here's my girl getting ready to run!

Lot's of our good friends ran too...

She finishes strong, running the fastest at the lastest...

Parades and good friends...and large buckets for catching candy!

Cute cousins!

I want one of these for my daycare...could you imagine toting around town with my Little Chicks in this!???

On to the carnival!

Swings are good...but their most favorite ride was the Ferris Wheel!

the rode it over and over and over again....good, good times!

Every year it's one of the most fun weekends we spend together as a family....! Sorry no pictures of the concert! Clint Black was awesome! The concerts are held in our outdoor amphitheatre and it was just my husband and I singing to the music and snuggling during the beautiful firework display....the only thing that wasn't perfect was the gross old couple laying all over each other at the concert....get a room people!

How are you celebrating summer?

Organizing...

2011-06-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched that show Hoarders? Everytime I watch it, I go and clean and organize something...we recently have gutted the basement, gone through boxes and bags and threw away about 10 huge bags of junk...the rest is going into our yard sale on Saturday, June 18th! We'll have clothing, lamps, scrap book supplies, gift wrap, shoes, home decor, kitchen stuff and lot's more! Good stuff that I will sale for cheap and the end result is an organized house....no hoarding here!
It feels good!

Bee Protection

2011-06-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

On a VERY warm spring day, my 5 year old came into the yard dressed like this...when I asked her why she'd changed and put on GLOVES, a COAT and a winter HAT (but remained barefoot), she replied, "BEES!"

Seems that sting she got last year left a mighty impression on her....

Where would I put it?

2011-06-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Is this vintage cute or what? Found this at Home Again in South Jordan....but where would I put it?

I'd have to do some justifying for $55 bucks!

Spark 3

2011-05-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

OK friends...I'm pinching my pennies and saving for THIS awesome event....my friend Shanon went last year and was amazed...yes, AMAZED by the awesomeness of the event....a two day event no less!

I'm in the mood to be amazed...how about you?

Randomly Random

2011-05-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

So the garden has pretty much taken over my life. The Utah State Prison has a great program. The prisoners work in a greenhouse planting all kinds of perennials and annuals and then they do a state sale. The plants are sold cheap! I was able to attend this sale last year and got a bunch of stuff planted including hostas, phlox and a variety of plants I don't know the names of....I was so excited when the following surprises returned this year! The following pictures are my random pictures of spring...EVERYTHING dies in our Utah winters and it is a true miracle when everything springs back to life....we've also had visitors in our yard....little baby chicks who are growing bigger by the day...I still don't have my chickens but it's in the works....I've been having dreams about weeding...I know...sick, huh?

Cousins!

2011-05-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Has it really been weeks since I've blogged? Life has been busy and crazy and well...I'll try and catch up!

I love my cousins so dearly and two of them came for a visit recently...My cousin Mindy (whose Mom is my Mom's sister) came into town! Fun! Dinner and cupcakes and exciting news! Mindy is expecting! Yay!

Mindy came and brought presents! Sea glass she found on the shores in Hong Kong! Beautiful colors of glass all worn down by the ocean....nature is amazing...(I also received my "Summer" issue by Matthew Mead!) It was a good week all together!

The glass is just beautiful....

Mindy brought me a Cath Kidston coin purse....what do you think? Real or knock off...I'll never tell!

Plus some awesome books! Matthew Mead's Halloween ideas and The Farm Chicks Christmas book!!! What awesome cousins! Love ya Mindy!

Life has been busy but good...my garden is coming along, clearing sections of yard and weeding and weeding and weeding and laying mulch and planting and lots and lots of rain this past week leaving everything so muddy! Lot's of perennials made their big come back this year...which always leaves me with a feeling of satisfaction...more pictures to come...how's your spring coming along?

Progress....inch by inch

2011-05-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Man I have the best kids! My oldest daughter, Chelsea, took Wednesday off and came up to help me work on the garden...and work we did...I have the sunburn to prove it....the weather in Utah has been amazing and perfect for gardening...so we knocked out another huge section of yard and I can see a light at the end of my yard's tunnel...she is doing container gardening so she can grow veggies and herbs at her apartment...we planted tomatoes, lettuces, red and yellow onions, herbs and guess what? The girl loves it! She is a natural gardener! My other great kid, Kayla gave me a "Designing Flower Beds" class over at Thanksgiving Point which I started on Tuesday....I cannot believe how much I am loving gardening and look forward to weeding...is that weird or what???

Thanks to my sweet girls! What great Mother's Day gifts!

These fun bright colored pots are from Walmart...Chelsea planted strawberries w/mint...we'll be making lemonade!

My garden boxes are sprouting sweet peas, lettuce and strawberries and some pansies...can't wait for salad this summer! We weeded and weeded, then covered the area with a weed cover, then poured cedar mulch...I love this stuff and I love the "woodsy" color. Still have lots to do, but progress is being made and I'm prepping my side yard to house those chickens I want!

Under the Sea

2011-05-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Made an "under-the-sea" sensory box for my Little Chicks daycare....bought the blue rocks at Walmart in the fish section and have added toys we had around the house (the little treasure chest is from Legos) and shells and starfish from our travels to California last year and from past vacations on the Oregon beaches....

my kids play in this ALL THE TIME...

Word to the wise: Never leave the lid off of your under-the-sea box if you have a cat....I stopped a major disaster before it happened.

Easter Pics

2011-04-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend was fabulous....crafting with friends, dying eggs with family, hiding eggs, hunting for eggs, eating eggs...eggs, eggs and more eggs...delicious meals, attempts at family pictures and thoughts of my Savior....

Spring Easter Wreath

2011-04-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

I made the wreath using junk I already had...

Inch by inch

2011-04-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Every time I go in my backyard I am overwhelmed by how much work I have to do...we have semi-large back yard (not an acre or anything, just enough for us) and the only thing we've done is put in sprinklers and lay sod in the middle of the yard. Because I've worked out of the home full-time since moving to Utah I didn't have a lot of time to tend my yard/garden (I know...excuses, excuses!) and so my yard has sat, patiently waiting for me to dress it up. Now that I'm home full-time (best decision I ever made) and even though I am working full-time as a childcare provider I now have a lot more time and energy to dedicate to doing what I love...yard work (yes, I love yard work!) My goal is to make my yard a huge garden of flowers, fruit trees and vegetables and to eventually have chickens! Last week when the sun was shining and the snow had melted, I got out and cleared some of my land. I decided to work on a small area and then slowly spread around my yard, literally inch by inch. If I just do a little at a time then it does not seem so overwhelming. And I did it! I planted a maple tree a couple of years ago and I wanted it to be free of weeds and yard junk....and here it is....I'm gonna add some other things to this area such as flowers and something hanging behind for plants....but it feels so good to have finished even this little space...and so I'll continue...inch by inch until the whole thing is done!

here is my sad, weedy yard...but it has good bones and a beautiful arbor and will be amazing some day!

here is the corner I completed! I know...it doesn't seem like a big deal to most but the feeling of accomplishment I get from completing this corner is priceless!

I just ordered this...

2011-04-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

I'm seriously considering getting chickens but have a lot of preparation to do in my back yard to get ready....I just ordered this book and would get chickens today if I could build a coop like the one pictured below...talk about luxury chicken coops! What do your backyard plans include?

SpRiNg BrEaK!!!!

2011-04-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

SpRiNg BrEaK!!!

Spring Break is going on this week in Utah and that means the kids are home, spring cleaning will commence and a few day trips will be planned! If you get a chance, go see baby Zurie at the Hogle Zoo! Yay for spring!

In my garden...

2011-04-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

These are going along my backyard fence....are they not cute or what? Such a fun idea I found at Gardner Village!

And check out these....

available at Natural Yards I want about 35 of them...all different sizes...I'm getting into gardening and considering chickens...more to come on that later...check out the new "Do-it-Yourself" magazine. This month's issue has all kinds of great ideas for your yard...still waiting on spring to come, snow today but it sure is fun planning!

She's 21 now

2011-04-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

See this girl? She's my cute daughter and she's just turned 21. What a great age to be, having your whole life ahead of you.
See those beautiful big eyes? They are very expressive and they go with her cute personality. When she was born we said her eyes were half of her birth weight...they were so big and she was so tiny....they are one of her best features!

We fixed a yummy dinner...and guests were invited later on for a dessert bar...

which included high heel sugar cookies, (this girl loves shoes), chocolate marshmallow cookies, shortbread cookies and of course, her favorite, strawberry cheesecake!

so, so good...

are these the cutest boots or what?

She is the best sister anyone can have

she is open to trying new things and is my partner in crime when it comes to road trips, shopping and doing crazy fun things!

We celebrated with friends another night at Benihana's...there will be Benihana shrimp in heaven, I just know it...

I just love this girl and I feel so blessed she's my daughter...

Happy Birthday cute Kayla!

Vintage Easter Wreath

2011-04-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

I took a class last night at The Emporium at Thanksgiving Point....

SO MUCH FUN!

We each received a box full of goodies to make our Vintage Easter Wreaths with....

We started with a wire wreath and some vintage Easter cards printed on cardstock

I sat next to this cute lady who was blogging the event from Today's Mama

She and I happily muddled through our projects...the ladies from Thanksgiving Point were great helpers!

The burlap strips are great fillers....first we glued them to the back of the wreath and then ripped them off and ended up tying them onto the wire wreath....burlap seems to be the new trend...you see it everywhere now...

Baskets full of easter grasses were readily available...

Thanksgiving Point provided delicious cookies and bottled water...their oatmeal raisin cookies are to die for...I know. I had two!

This was the Emporium's first time doing a class like this...they originally planned for about 20 slots and ended up with 49 adding a second class....it was worth it...lots of crafty women turned out to play!

Here we are at mid-point...they give you all kinds of options in your little box of things to add...glittery eggs, shiny butterflies, toille in sparkly pinks, creamy ribbons and I also learned how to make a tissue flower and a little nest out of newspaper...I definitely got my craft on in spite of hot glue gun burns...part of my flesh is on my wreath....literally!

And here's the end result....pretty dang cute don't ya think?

So Happy Birthday to my sister Laurie...this is for you babe...but we are making MORE because I want one for myself!

Helping Japan

2011-04-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

I found an extraordinary blog which made me STOP complaining about the daily problems of my life and START thinking about ways my little family could SERVE and HELP other human beings. I'm talking about Japan. As I watched the reports on TV and witnessed the devastation of that amazing country due to the recent earthquake and tsunami, I felt helpless. So much suffering and sadness and loss. My cousin Mindy told me about her dear friend whose family is living in Japan. Their family is stationed there with the military. Her blog is called Acte Gratuit, pronounced Ak-Te-Gra-Twye which means "gratuitous impulsive act". Her name is Emily Warner and she is a mother and wife and a survivor of a natural disaster. I'm sure her days are spent differently now than they were a month ago....she volunteers on a regular basis doing clean-ups in cities that no longer exist...she talks about the aftershocks and PTSD and wonders if we here in the US are even aware of Japan....we are...and we are praying for you Ms. Emily and lots of love and the desire to help is pouring out your way....!!! Want to help?? Want to read firsthand about Japan's recovery? Visit Emily here and leave her a comment of love and support...she needs and deserves it. And help! She gives lots of ways to help with the relief efforts....go here to read more....it's the most interesting reading I've done in a long time....

Acte Gratuit

Conference Weekend

2011-04-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's conference weekend and I'm a Mormon. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I love to be with my whole family listening to our modern day Prophet Thomas S. Monson. I haven't always shared my beliefs on this blog because I didn't know how it would be received or if it would turn off some of my regular blog visitors. I'm sharing now after listening to a talk by Elder Uchdorf (he's in the picture below). He is the second counselor in the presidency of our church. He talked about sharing the gospel with others, being a disciple of Christ and of not being afraid of what others think about my beliefs. I want to be like that...unafraid to share what I've been blessed to have and what gives me ultimate happiness. I love my life as a woman, wife and mother in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love this gospel and the blessings and guidance it brings to my family in this crazy world.

If you're interested and want to know more about what I believe, please take a moment and click on the link below.

Mormon.org

Promises, promises

2011-04-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sick of seeing the same post for the last week? I promise, I'll get some updates on this weekend! It's been one crazy sort of week which included farm animals and zoo animals and the most gorgeous spring weather! I even got a sunburn! Lot's of fun! Have a wonderful weekend and check back in for some updates!

I love you all my blogger friends!

PS - Allison....how did the wedding go? I'm dying to see pictures!

I tried something new...

2011-03-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

I went to this....

The Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple to celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors, which is a traditional Indian holiday. Tons of college students and really people of all ages come and wear all white or black and sing "Hari Krishna", which means "God". They listen to bands and then toss brightly colored powder in the air and all over others in the celebration of spring...what the what??? What had I agreed to do? I was curious and I kept reminding myself that this was an experience I would share with my kids and I love hanging out with my kids. There is a big countdown that takes place before the powder is supposed to be tossed and I was warned that I should take a big breath before the powder hits the air because I wouldn't be able to breathe...huh??? Not breathe? For how long? I was also told I needed to watch out for "body surfers" that would be humans tossed around by other humans but sometimes they would land on your head....what the??? Now the anxiety started setting in....we bravely headed down to "the mosh pit", the center of the chaos and although it was about 33 degrees outside, we were pretty warm. Must've been all of the thousands of bodies creating warmth. While waiting for the countdown, I could see and feel powder being thrown around hitting my hair, the back of my neck and going down my clothing....the bags of color are beautiful colors...deep teals, hot pinks, vibrant greens, yellows and oranges...you would see kids walking around covered in color that was amazing and artfully splattered. The ground was completely covered in colors...I had heard that the mountaintop grows in a beautiful green and they believe it is the powders that help enhance the earth...hmmmm....it was definitely "holi" mayhem. When the countdown began, we had our bags of powder open and ready for tossing...I had been given insturctions for what came next....but no verbal warning could have prepared me....10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....oh. my. gosh. The air completely filled with dusty powders...the stuff is being tossed everywhere...up into the air, at your face, your body, tons of bodies mashing into each other and all vision goes...I took off my glasses so I was not only blinded by powder but then was blinded by my nearsightedness....I pulled my shirt up over my mouth so I could breathe without inhaling all that colored dust....but my shirt is soaked in dusty powder...music is playing, "Hari Krishna" is being chanted and I can't see or breathe....just a moment of panic and then the body surfers began flying by...one poor girl was passed over the heads of many and then dropped on her back...I know she's sore today...more and more body surfers began passing by and then our little group begins holding hands and heading up the hill and out of the madness...while going up the hill my jacket slips off my waist because I'm sliding in the mud...oh yes, it had snowed the night before and the ground was completely muddy...in my jacket was the car keys, my camera, all placed into baggies to protect them....my glasses are with my daughter and I can't find all of my kids....serious insanity...back down the muddy hill and found my jacket with no camera in it....seriously? What???? This was a festival of friendship and love....who steals cameras? Found out later that my daughter had taken some pictures and put my camera in my friend's bag....whew! I could stop cussing and focus on getting back with my group....again....oh. my. gosh. Once at the top of the hill you could look down and see the powder settling.....complete madness, but somehow, it was complete and crazy fun! The fact that I survived and my children survived makes it even more of an experience, a crazy, fun experience that we will all remember! Thanks Shanon for getting me out of my comfort zone and trying something new! Will I go again next year??? That remains to be seen. I may be out of town that week...yes, I think I'll be out of town.

Here is the temple...surrounded by farm country

Here is the crew, L - R, Chelsea, Amy, Kayla, Alyx, Zachary

Below, Shanon and Noah

My friend Shanon and I

Here we all are before the powder hit the air, at the base of the temple where two large elephants are mounted on each side of the stairs that lead up to the temple...

This is the powder they sell for $2 bucks a bag...the colors are amazing....

Cute girls

The elephant up close...also our meeting place should we get separated, which we did!

My 3 oldest kids....Chelsea, Kayla and Zachary...

Doesn't Zachary look like he's having fun? Did I mention how much I love the age of 13?

The view from the "mosh pit" looking up the hill at the temple...I seriously believe that I was the oldest person there...

This was the pavillion where the bands were playing and the organizers were hyping up the crowds...the banner on the front of the pavillion reads, "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare"....this is what everyone was chanting...

this is how we looked afterwards...if you look closer you will find amazing colors in our ears, noses, pockets, shoes, underwear and teeth....this is the warning I wish I'd been given. "Don't lick your lips".

See this?

2011-03-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's the SUN!!!!!

Streaming through my windows!!!! We've had stormy weather for the past several days here in Utah and today is just glorious!

I love how it plays across my counters in the mornings....

And now that we have such beautiful weather, even if it's for one day...I can take a break from baking treats like this...

and this....I bake when it's dark outside....and then I eat it....but I do share some too...but mostly eat it!

PS - I have proof that spring is on it's way...the True Green guy just fertilized my lawn....and he is sporting a mullet, yes, a mullet!

Help for Japan

2011-03-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Have you been watching everything that has been going on in Japan? I have and it's so sad to watch...so much suffering and yet so many miracles still happening. Today an 80 year old grandmother and her 16 year old grandson were pulled from their home where they'd been for 9 days...God's miracles...many prayers and thoughts are with Japan. A fellow blogger is having a fundraiser....she is selling these beautiful earrings and donating all proceeds to help out...see her blog and hear about her family member's experience with the earthquake....go here The Life and Times of the Beutler Family

Getting my garden on...

2011-03-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm ready to get my garden going!

Yes, it was 31 degrees out this morning when I took my walk but it's supposed to get up to 60 today! Yes, the snow is still covering the mountains but yet, spring is coming....my tulips and daffodils know it is cause they are popping up everywhere...! So, off to Walmart I went...picked up dirt and the cutest colors of pots (only $1 - $6!), bright colored "workerman" gloves as my kids call them, some sweet peas, elephant garlic, strawberries and some lettuces which I'm told do good in the cold. And I picked up herbs...yum, basil and cilantro...my most favorite...I love the smell! Still need to paint my outdoor table but can't make a decision on colors...

have a wonderful weekend!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Lot's of rainbows around here today....

(Leprechauns love rainbows!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Love this place

2011-03-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving Point....the best shopping...I'll be taking a class here soon, making a vintage wreath...I read another blog and the woman talked about the need for her to always keep her creative side learning and fulfilled so that the everyday part of life doesn't take over...good advice...

I'll show you the adorable wreath when I'm done...

2 a.m.

2011-03-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

For the past few nights I've either not been able to sleep until 2 am or I have woken up at 2 am....I hate that hour of the morning....lack of sleep is making me crazy.

T.G.I.F

2011-03-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

After a long...very long week I am so grateful that it is Friday! The sun is beautiful outside today...I got my hour walk in this morning and about 2 hours yesterday (bout killed me) but now I'm ready to tackle all the dead weeds I never got to before winter hit us this year...I NEED the sun like people need water....being raised in California my whole life made me a sun lover....long winters and days of no sun make me get the blues...this winter has not been too bad and I wonder if it's because I've been exercising...I kept the 26 pounds I lost during the summer off all winter and that is a MIRACLE....I have a long list of stuff to do this weekend but it includes spraypaint and an outdoor table & chairs set I got at a yard sale last fall for $25 bucks....I want pillows like THESE...

but will end up with Walmart's Better Homes & Garden collection because they are what I can afford....AND they match the oranges, lime greens and yellows I already have...I love spring and summer and the delicious colors...

Happy Friday my friends...have a wonderful weekend!