Inventory

Well, I suppose it's time to reflect back on my New Years Resolutions that I made last year. It feels like just yesterday that I resolved to do these things. Let's see how I did....

*START MY FOOD STORAGE! (Can I even tell you how it brings tears to my eyes thinking about how my children would starve if we ever had a disaster here?)
.....Well, I am proud to say that I did get about 3 months stored along with about a week's worth of water....which ended up leaking all over my dresser and ruining my journals. But I think we figured out how to prevent that next time. :)

*Do 2 scrapbook layouts a week. Gotta get on top of things here. It doesn't help that I take a couple hundred pictures a day of my girls!
.....I get a great big F for this one. I think I did about 5 pages total for the whole year. WOW. Need to get on that one next year!

*Learn how to use my camera...I mean so that I really, really know how to use it.
....Yeah, I feel good about this one. I am pretty proud that I acheived this resolution and I love how much joy it has brought to my life.

*Lose the baby weight/fat. Enough said.
I most certainly did acheive this one but it has gone to pot these past few months. I have already found my way back to the wagon and will hopefully be losing some of those holiday pounds soon!

*Not to get pregnant! I was pregnant in 2005, 2006, AND 2007! Time to break the cycle!
......Awww man. I guess you can't win them all.

Just kidding!
Mean joke, I know. :) Not preggo, so an 'yeah!' for me on that one, too. :D

Now it is time for a whole new set of resolutions for 2009. I will have to think long and hard about those. I will probably post them for my own records as soon as I think of them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Mmmm...Delicious!

Before we left, we cleaned out our fridge. It had been a few months since we had gone through and done the deep clean, so I had a bunch of stuff to throw out.



Being the responsible person I am (right), I lined up all the food items with plastic containers so that I could rinse them and put them in the recycle bins. I started with this one:




Needless to say, the rest went straight to the garbage can.

To a Good Home...

One slaved over Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie. This is one delicious pie, that was somehow looked over in the midst of the other 100 pies on the desert table at thanksgiving dinner. I cannot have it in my house, PLEASE come and get it!!!





Yes, somehow my homemade pies took second fiddle to the store bought pies this year. I also noticed that people seemed to gravitate towards the chocolate mousse type pies, too. Bad news for my Apple Pie (which was also sadly looked over at the dessert table)...but don't worry, we are taking care of that one!

Village Inn

I almost fell off the eliptical the first time I saw this commercial. I don't know why I think it's so hilarious.



Also, I have revamped my blog a little...does the spacing look okay to you?

Is it time yet?

If the trick or treaters don't get here soon, there will be nothing left for them.

I am fighting a losing battle.

Please try to contain your excitement...

Hannah Montana and Joe Jonas are in town!!!

Yes, that's right. Our final costume decision was to dress up like the teen pop stars. Let me tell you, Rachel was EXCITED about that one!!! (Check out Mike's pants....for sure my favorite part of the costume!)

We dressed the girls as a Ladybug and a Strawberry. They would not hold still for pictures, so I am going to get better ones on Halloween. At least you can see Sarah's cute strawberry hat in this one.
We had our ward Trunk or Treat and then Mike and I had another adult party with one of the doctors he works with. Here we all are at the Ward. I didn't take my camera to the other party, but I wish I had... it was decked out!!!

My B-Day

Thanks for all the bday wishes! I had an awesome day. I did some shopping with my girls, and then we got a sitter in the evening and went out. Mike took me to do some shopping and then we went to the White Chocolate Grill.

This was our actual table! (I was excited when I saw it on the website)

Doesn't this look to DIE for? Unfortunately, we didn't get dessert...because we were both stuffed to the point of being sick. I had a unbelievably mouthwatering Prime Rib French Dip, and Mike had an equally sinful Split Turkey French Dip. They were both amazing, along with the side of Mashed Potatoes that were unlike anything I have ever put in my mouth. YUM.

So thanks for all the fun messages and emails and phone calls! (My phone rang constantly the whole day, it was so fun!) Here is a pic of our fam on my bday, our babysitter so graciously took of us. Fun times!

Oh! I forgot to mention presents. :) I got a lot of fun gifts (including my favorite gift, cash!) but I thought I would share these two because I love them so much!

My sis gave me this shampoo and conditioner, and I am in love with it. Your hair smells so good that you don't need perfume or anything. It's so good!

Now this next gift is just plain genius. GENIUS. My bff Anne Marie sent me this one, and I have to tell you....everyone must have this. For too many years now, I have struggled with hanging onto my keys while unloading my kid/s from the car. Usually I would have to drop them in my purse, Get the kids out of their carseats, and then juggle holding the baby, coralling Rachel from running into the street, and searching my purse to find my keys again so I could lock the door. NO MORE!!! This little wristlet keychain is just perfect for moms. I throw them around my wrist until I am done unloading and then lock the door. Sometimes I leave them on my wrist. It is that cute!!! Go to http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14169697 if you want one!

I am LOVING it.

SCENTSY. How I love it, let me count the ways...

1. Smells so good I could eat it.
2. Wax never gets hot enough to burn.
3. Bricks last forever.
4. Totally affordable.

My lovely Scentsy consultant (Janet) brought by my most recent order today and I immediately popped it open and started burning my new very favorite scent...ever!! Toasted Apple Butter. It is everything that fall should smell like and more. It is HEAVENLY!!!

I am sure most of you have probably heard of this company and perhaps you have shrugged off attending a party...well, you need to find someone who is hosting one and go! I seriously love it, love it enough to blog about. :)

Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray!

I have been pacing back and forth in front of my computer all day. I know some of you have found the Colby's blogsite from my links on the side, but some of you may not click through blogs like I do. Their little boy, Xander, is only a few days older than Sarah and he is in surgery right now recieving a liver transplant. He was born with Biliary Atresia, and has been awaiting this transplant for awhile. I am so anxious and so happy for them at the same time....he is in surgery NOW, so if you would, say a little prayer for my friends, the Colby family, and their strong little fighter, Xander.

Edit: He is out of surgery and is doing well! Keep those prayers coming.

Do you know...

What book this illustration is from?

I remember reading this book when I was really little a Halloween time, and I stumbled upon these cards on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15265942

I emailed the creator and she had already thrown away the cover. It is driving me CRAZY!! I have googled everything I can think of and...no luck. Any help would be appreciated!

Help Us!!!

Mike and I were invited to an awesome Halloween party given by one of the doctors he works with. We have less than two weeks to come up with a cool costume. I am trying to think of something witty that we wouldn't have to change much for... I liked going as a famous couple (Britney and Kevin) and I liked that we had their characteristics (me blond and pregnant, Mike dark haired and sleazy-hahaha, just kidding Mike.) so if anyone has any ideas, I would LOVE to hear them. :)

Sister's Weekend

After my sister's party, we drove down to St. George for our annual 'girl's trip'. It is so fun because my sister's very best friend, Kim, just happens to be MY sister-in-law, Katie's, sister. Did you get that??? haha. Adrienne and Kim went to BYU together, and they dreamed of being related somehow. Close enough, their little sisters ended up marrying brothers! Katie and I are extremely close, too, so these trips are a BLAST. We slept in, layed by the pool, shopped (Oh, did we shop. Imagine fashion shows in the dressing rooms), went out to eat, scrapbooked, and watched movies. And talked. Talked, talked, talked, and talked. It was so fun and I cannot WAIT to do it next year!!!

Obviously we wanted photos to remember the trip, so I set up the timer for these:

Katie, Kim, Ad, and I
Silly face
Adrienne and I (sisters)Katie and I (sisters-in-law)

Adrienne and Kim (BFF's) Katie and Kim (sisters)

Love you girls!!!

Surprise!!!

So, in addition to our girl's weekend (more about that to come), I also snuck up to SLC and threw a surprise party for my sis, and BOY was she surprised! We gathered up her friends at Settebello's and her friend, Kim, got her there (somehow) for the party. She was so confused when she walked in and couldn't quite grasp the fact that we were all there. It was so much fun!!

For dessert I, of course, HAD to get cupcakes from Dipidee. YUM.

Katie, Kim, Ad, and I-right before we left for our trip.

Miss my Sis

I think this is the first time since we moved away that I have REALLY missed home. All of a sudden my life went from easy breezy to a lot of different little trials happening...and I wish I could pop over to my sister's and lay on her couch and tell her all about life's little dramas, or how my heart is breaking for so many of my friends over huge things people should not have to deal with at all. :(
So, our annual 'girl's weekend' could not be coming at a better time. I am so excited to be going away with my sister, my sister in law, and her sister. We have a blast every time we go, and I know this year will not disappoint!!!
I hate that I can't see them whenever I want, but I know that I am one of many who lives away from family, and those other people seem to be surviving, so I guess I can, too, hahaha.

Another thing that came at JUST the right moment was the General Relief Socitey broadcast. Oh, my. The words that were spoken were so uplifting and inspiring and edifying. I look up to our General Relief Society presidency so much, and admire those women and their testimonies. I also loved Elder Ukdorf's talk, he is such a darling man! And I felt like he was speaking right at me, it was great.
Immediately after it was over, the lonelyness for my sisters was eased, as I looked around and saw all of my other 'sisters' sitting around me, recieving the same message I was. It was good to feel that even though I am so far from home, that I will always have my ward family, and that is very comforting!!

gNOcchi good.

Tonight I wanted to branch out and make a delicious, gourmet meal for our family. We recently had some delicious gnocchi with cheese sauce at a nice restaurant, so I tried to recreate it for dinner tonight. The picture above is exactly what I made. It was a mixture of butter, heavy cream, shallots, fontina and parmesan cheeses, and basil. And it was....well...

It was not good. At all.

Mike and I tried to gag down each little gnocchi dumpling with a smile on our faces, but by the end I had had enough. I was so disappointed!!!!

Does anyone have a delicious cheese sauce recipe? I would really like to try this again.

Do you think....

that the book I just finished MIGHT have influenced my pedicure color choice?

I just finished this series and I was very pleasantly surprised. I read Twilight about 2 years ago and I just wasn't that into it...but it has become such a sensation that I decided to give the other books a try. I am SO glad I did, I really enjoyed them!

I am really bummed that Stephanie Meyer decided to stop writing her new book, Midnight Sun. Boo, hoo. To read more about that, click HERE.

Also, Stephanie Meyer is going to be on Ellen today, JUST in case you want to watch. :)

One last SUPER cool announcement. This is totally unrelated to my vampire post above, but it is awesome!!!
My friend, Candra, just launched a new business where she creates amazingly cute crafts AND assembles kits for groups to make the crafts as well. (cough, cough, Super Saturday). Here is the link:
CREATIONS MADE BY MOI

No, No, No, No....NO.

Last night we discovered that our dresser was flooded...so our clothes were all soaked. Big deal, right? RIGHT, because also in that dresser were the journals that I write in to my girls. I have been writing in one for each of them since they were born...and they were beyond repair. Rachel's was definitely the soggiest of the two, but I can still read it, so I am now rewriting it. My right hand is aching as I type. I copied the words from the wet journal to the new one last night for 3 hours...and when I stopped for the night I was only at her 3 month mark!! Yikes.

When I finished what I could last night, I was too nervous to go to bed with it so wet, because I was scared that the pages would stick together (it was really, really, wet.) so I stuck toothpicks in between the pages to they would dry individually and I could read what was on them.



I guess it could have been worse. I mean, I KNOW it could have been worse. But seriously, when I first pulled the dripping journals out of the drawer, I couldn't breathe. I can't imagine losing them completely, they are so precious to me....

Back to Reality...

Mike and I just returned from the best trip ever!! We went on a retreat with his company to Orlando. It was 'couples only' and so we had to leave the kids at home (and go to Disneyworld without them...sniff) but hey, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, right? ;)

Cook really took care of us on this trip. I had a pedicure, Mike and I got massages, we went to the Magic Kingdom for the day, and the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for dinner and fun two of the other nights.


Warning. A lot of really bad pictures ahead. A: I took most of them myself- self portrait style. B: We were in the humidity of Florida...not pretty for my hair or make-up. C: My point and shoot SUCKS!!!


Magic Kingdom....ahhh the excitement!

It is 'Halloween' celebrations there. My FAVORITE time of year!! I was so unbelievably excited to walk in and see all the pumpkins. (Me and Jenna)
Another Halloween example. Our cup from lunch.

All of us (Mike, Me, Curt, Jenna) with Goofy.



Mike, Curt, and Jenna after Space Mountain...which we rode about a thousand times since there was NO LINE!

Random Picture, but a funny memory none-the-less. This was taken on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and the lady running the ride nearly had a heart attack when she saw me taking this picture. She practically fell over the edge yelling 'NO FLASH!!!!!' in an ugly man-voice. Boy, did she feel like an idiot when my camera snapped and there was-you guessed it- no flash....On Peter Pan. A stunning example of the Florida humidity on our faces. Yikes.

Mike on Small World. Quite possibly the most disappointing-now-that-we-are-adults ride.

Moving on from the Magic Kingdom.... We went to the Disney Marketplace for dinner and dessert.

Here is the picture I took of my half eaten Ghiradelli brownie. It was UNBELIEVABLE, and warranted some kind of documentation.

More Mickey pumpkins in the Marketplace. Mike accentuating his dessert-belly bulge. The next night they closed down the Animal Kingdom for our group for dinner. It was an amazingly delicious dinner that we will not forget anytime soon...then they did a private showing of The Lion King for us. It was SO COOL!

The next night they shut down part of Hollywood Studios. When we got off the bus, there was a red carpet rolled out for us, and people taking pictures and screaming for autographs. Pretty embarrassing, but also cool that they could put that together!! I tried to get a picture from afar, but I won't bore you with my camera frustrations. Here's the best I could get.

We had dinner in 'Downtown Hollywood' and then a huge party outside of Aerosmith's Rockin Roller coaster...

The best part? We had TOTAL access to the Aerosmith Rollercoaster, the Star Wars ride, and the Tower of Terror. We went on them so many times that I think I will be sick for months to come. (waiting in line for Star Wars)

Well, thanks for listening to me blog it all, now I will remember when I scrapbook it a hundred years from now (yes I am that far behind). It was a GREAT trip and I don't want to forget a minute!