Baby Legs

I had a couple of e-mails asking what "Baby Legs" were. (I referred to them in my post about the onesie I made and auctioned off.) Baby Legs are basically baby legwarmers. They are a new product that I didn't have with my older girls (and believe me, I know baby girl accessories)! I think they've only been available for a year or so. They are so cute to wear with onesies in the winter or with a dress instead of tights. There are hundreds of different designs. Josie has two pair. I'll have to take a picture of her in them and post later. I got one pair at Babinskis. The other pair came from this local Salt Lake Valley boutique:Enjoy!

-amr

What we're reading

I took this book off the bookshelf to read with my kids this week in remembrance of our dear prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley. It is a beautiful story written about a walnut tree he planted and grew in his back yard. When the tree became old and eventually got sick, it had to be cut down. It was taken to a woodworking shop, where it was dried and made into the pulpit that now stands in the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City. My favorite part of the book is near the end where a few scriptures are posted. This one refers to the things that may be old but are very valuable.

Job 12:12 "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding."

-amr

P.S. Both Pam and Kari suggest I join Good Reads...hopefully I'll get to that soon. It sounds like a great resource. In the mean time, I'm still reading Eat, Pray, Love which I am enjoying bite by bite. (Even in nibbles some days when life dictates.) Maybe I'll post more about it after I'm finished and we've discussed at Book Group.

Patch Applique Onesie

Last night we had a neighborhood service auction where goods and services were donated for purchase with "money" that was earned by filling out a questionnaire about your actions over the past week. (i.e. Did you say hello to someone new this week? Did you do a random act of kindness? etc... ) I donated this onesie that I designed out of scraps of fun and funky fabrics. I thought it turned out quite cute. I kept one for Josie to wear with her Baby Legs. I'm proud to say that there was a bidding war for it and it went for over 120 "dollars"! (My friend Natalie donated a necklace and Jane donated an apron that were also huge hits.) That wasn't the highlight of the night for me, however. I won a knit hat from the amazing and talented Becky O. I staked my whole wad on it, but it was worth it.

-amr

Current Crush

Max and I both love little cropped fleecy pants. He loves them because they are comfy, I love them because they are great for all seasons and look so cute. These are from Olive Juice Kids.

-amr

Monogrammed Wall Art

I found this company, Jack and Lulu, in Real Simple. I thought it was a fun idea - for a gift especially. I wish I could do hand drawn monograms and I'd make one myself!

-amr

Why did he even bother?

Last night Bryce was ever faithful in doing his snowblowing duties...but I don't know why he bothered. In such blizzard conditions, the snow was flying back on him as much as he was blowing it away. This is a self-portrait he took with his I phone near the lights by the garage.

-amr

Gordon B. Hinckley : 1910-2008

"I am an old man given to meditation and prayer. I would enjoy sitting in a rocker, swallowing prescriptions, listening to soft music and contemplating the things of the universe. But such activity offers no challenge and makes no contribution. I wish to be up and doing. I wish to face each day with resolution and purpose. I wish to use every waking hour to give encouragement to bless those whose burdens are heavy, to build faith and strength of testimony. If in the process I should die on some distant strand while speaking to my friends in the church, it would be better than if I were to spend my days looking out languidly upon the world without purpose or design."

Emilie Jayne

I found this at Emilie Jayne, a local vintage/consignment shop yesterday. I didn't buy it because I wasn't 100% certain about it. (No return policy! I hate no returns!) But I have such a weakness for dishes. Still deciding...

-amr

My Friends are my Estate

I'm a little tired today from a late night dinner with 2 dear friends last night - but well worth that small price. I am really so grateful for such intelligent, compassionate, beautiful, and understanding friends. Our conversation began around 8:00 p.m. and ran until past midnight. We spoke of politics, motherhood, personal trials, and triumphs to name a few.
"My Friends are my Estate." - Emily Dickinson
Love you MK and A.

-amr

Date Night

Bryce and I try to go on a date once a week - here's where we went last night. It was a great SLC find - live music, organic and unpretentious food, and an eclectic and cozy atmosphere. We loved it and will definately go back. The shrimp stuffed mushrooms - amazing!

We ended the night with a cup of hot chocolate from Hatch's Family Chocolates in the Avenues. Oh my! If you want the creamiest cocoa ever - I think this may be it.

-amr

Ode to Fuzz

Oh little, raggedy and tattered brown bear
How is it you end up everywhere?
Running to Costco, driving down the street;
I open the hatch and you're on the back seat!

Ella has had this bear since birth (Thanks Aunt Kris!) and she has loved him more than any of her other possessions. Over the years, I've taken some splendid pictures of him in all the places he's ended up. He's been lost sooo many times...even in California at Grammy and Paca's friends' house and was only found because they decided to move. I just snapped this picture with my phone today. Oh Fuzz!

-amr

Dos and Don'ts with Babies

I just had to post one of these from Bryce's blog...we were laughing so hard last night. Go to his blog to find the whole list. This is just one of many classics.

-amr

New Music

The other night my brother Dave and I were swapping some new tunes over e-mail. Here is one we both totally agreed on. (I love hearing the slight hint of her accent.)

Yael Naim - New Soul

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit
about how to give and take.

But since I came here
Felt the joy and the fear
Finding myself making
every possible mistake.

-amr

Room and Board 2008

I got the new Room and Board catalog in the mail today - I had to take a couple of minutes to pour through it while Josie was taking her afternoon nap. *Swoon* So many things to love. I couldn't get over this children's room - totally impractical in my house, but nevertheless so beautiful. Check out the "Tree of Life" pillow on the bottom bunk. It makes me happy just to look at it.

-amr

Current Crush

I love any kind of pedestal or dome plate. I think these from Horchow are amazing. Isn't the pink scrumptious? Today is the last day for free shipping if you want one of these lovelies.

amr

Project of the Month

Note to self: February is nearly here and I'm beginning to think of my next "Project of the Month." (January's has been quite successful I'd say - now I just need to keep up with it). I hope I'm not revealing too much information about myself and seeming utterly pathetic...but I have never sold anything on Ebay. (Stop the giggling and finger pointing)! It turns out, I'm quite good at purchasing from Ebay. I'm actually quite good at purchasing from anywhere! I just got these Uggs for Max last month - they'd only been worn once and were nearly 70% off of retail; therein lies the beauty of Ebay. So, with Bryce's help, I'm going to learn the ins and outs of Ebay and sell something (hopefully) in the month of February. Stay tuned to find out if I can do it...

-amr

Baby J

I love this little teddy bear hat of Josie's. It's fun to see her in these little items that her sisters wore when they were babies. Isn't she sweet?

-amr

Ella has a Dream

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Ella's class did a writing assignment on their own dream for a better world. When I was over at the school, the assignments were displayed beautifully outside the classroom and luckily I had my I Phone so I could capture her unforgettable wish.
It reads:
"I have a dream that more people will show respect by...
being nice by not calling people names (and)
My parents getting me a hamster.
Oh I wish I had one."

A noble dream, isn't it? Happy Martin Luther King Day everyone!

-amr

Masterpiece

There is no better way to spend a Sunday night than to spend it with Jane Austen. This was so lovely, so good. The entire Jane Austen series is currently being played on PBS and it is such a delight to look forward to. I can't wait for next week.

Mom, did you love it?

-amr

Max Mosaic

Just can't get enough of this little guy....

-amr

Max Wants Nursery

Despite the weeks of excitement and encouragement over his graduation from nursery to primary, Max just isn't buying it. He announced to me this morning as we were walking to church, "I don't want to go to Primary today. They need me in nursery." Gone are the days of snacks and toys. My little boy is growing up.

-amr

Let's go to Dinner!

I think a trip to Greenwood, Indiana would be worth the photo op alone....if the cake and steak were good, it would be that much sweeter. Who's coming with me?

-amr

Brains and Blogging

Here's a shot Bryce took over my shoulder as I was learning all about this new adventure of mine. I really had to submerse myself into studying, and then applying my new knowledge to make this thing work. It's been great exercise for my brain! I'm really excited to keep moving forward. Hopefully many of the elements and settings will get some fine tuning as I learn more. Thanks for all the e-mails and comments...and keep checking back!

-amr

I Heart Etsy

Like a local handmade goods boutique, I could peruse the aisles of Etsy for hours and hours. That is, if I had hours and hours to spare. During some window shopping, I came across these lovely gift tags that I'm definitely ordering. Won't they look sweet on some Valentine goodies? Find them here.

-amr

Fire Escape Plan

One of the top news stories in Salt Lake this week was a 6 year old girl who was accidentally left in a house fire. The firemen who were interviewed for the story encouraged everyone to review their family escape plans. My family's plan certainly needs some updating, so I jumped online to see what I could find to make the process more simple. I found several websites that offered the same basic ideas, but the most concise was The Burn Institute. I found their fact sheet to be very helpful. I think we may use a couple of our family nights to review and practice these procedures.
"It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared." Whitney M. Young Jr., American social reformer

-amr

Cupcake Part Two

So, apparently I'm NOT the only one obsessed with cupcakes. For those of you who asked, I've updated the previous cupcake post to include a link to the store where those little lovelies are for sale. (For any link, I change the font to orange - so just click on it and you'll be right there). Please don't buy them out, however - I'm still saving my money! And speaking of cupcakes (again), I just had to include a little ditty about Miette - the most amazing and charming bakery in San Francisco. It has dainty pink walls, dozens of amazing cake plates, and the most delicious gingerbread cupcake you'll ever nibble (okay-devour)! It is located right on the bay in the Ferry Building. If you ever find yourself in the city by the bay, go to the Ferry Building! It is just a trolley ride down from Bryce's office and is our favorite place to go in the morning to watch all the commuters come into the city for work. My kids are so fascinated that some people get to work by boat! It's a beautifully restored historic building which houses a sprinkling of charming shops, local grocers, and of course, Miette!

-amr

My Project of the Month (Someday!)

This month, my neighbor Jane has been busy (and dutifully) filling her children's scrapbooks with photos. This has me thinking...exactly how far behind am I? I need to muster up the courage to plow through my garage to even find the photos. Brrr.... it's not happening in January! But when I do find the courage (and the time), I'm thinking I might like to try something like this out. Both Shutterfly and Kodak Gallery have Martha Stewart albums with really simple yet rich style elements that are printed digitally. Considering the time and money that are put into scrapbooks and/or photo albums, I don't think the expense is unreasonable. And wouldn't an album finished from front to back be such a treat? It would in my house.

-amr

Current Crush

Is anyone else as obsessed with cupcakes as I am? I have been in love with them for well over a year now. I bought a fairly cute set in London last March, but they don't even begin to compare to this set shown above. I just love the simplicity - they're not overdone at all. I'm thinking....non-essential must- have?

-amr

Cruising

Just a quick piece of info for my family: Tonight on The Food Network there is a show called Dinner: Impossible, which features a chef challenged to feed the Sapphire Princess' (that's our ship) passengers in an impossibly short amount of time. It was filmed on an Alaskan cruise last summer. I've never seen that show, but I thought it would be fun to get to see the ship we sailed on. It's on at 11:00 p.m. - so I'm recording it. (And knowing most of the Smileys, you'll be recording it too).

-amr

Uh Oh

Kalli chipped her front teeth yesterday at recess jumping off the monkey bars. We spent a majority of the afternoon in the dentist's office and we still have to go back next week. She was such a great sport and very brave. She was happy that at least she got out of a test that afternoon!

-amr

Ella Warholed

Just playing around with some photo editing tools, I thought this creation of Ella's previous "Rock Star" photo turned out fab.

-amr

Here's Where I Wish I was Today

Back in November, Bryce surprised me on just a regular Wednesday morning with a trip to Hawaii that afternoon. It was so fun and much needed. Today, as the high in SLC is a mere 28 degrees, I really wish I was right back there in the center of this photo. Who's coming with me?

-amr

Ski Stud

Just had to post this great picture of Bryce up skiing. His friend Matt brought a camera and they thought they were the stuff. Here is a link to their video .

-amr

Happy Birthday!

I've decided to pay tribute to my family and friends with a little birthday message for each month. This month's birthdays are: Brinley (11th), Drake (14th), Clark (24th), and Mark (29th). This month is such a special one it's birthday time for you!

-amr

Ella the Rock Star

Ella went to a karaoke birthday party yesterday and she was supposed to go dressed as a rock star. I don't know why she thought crooking her hat to the side made her a rock star but she was feeling this look - can you tell?
P.S. When I was curling her hair, she was practicing her Hannah Montana song in the mirror with a brush.

-amr

Almond Toffee Tart

I planned on making this over the holidays, but we OD'ed on so many other sweets and treats I decided to just put away the ingredients for another day. Today was the day. Yummy.

Almond Toffee Tart

Crust:
2 c. flour
3/4 c. butter, cut in chunks
2 egg yolks

Combine flour and butter, then mix in egg yolks until pastry holds together. Use 11 inch or 12 inch tart pan, sprayed with Pam. Press onto bottom and up sides of pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Filling:
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
(dried in bottle)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. sliced almonds
1/4 tsp. almond extract

In 4 quart pan, combine filling except extract and almonds. Heat on high to boil; stir. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes, stir twice. Remove from heat and mix in almonds and extract. Pour over pastry. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack. Remove the rim while it is warm to touch so it doesn't stick. Cool to room temperature for serving. Makes 10-12 servings.

-amr

Sister Olsen

My darling niece Lyric entered the MTC this week and I can't say enough good things about her. She is going to the New York Rochester Mission and is going to be one fantastic missionary. We love you Lyric! (Photo credit to Mike Olsen)

-amr

Gotta-Have Non-Essentials

When I stumbled upon darlybird, they had me at hello with the cute catch phrase
"gotta-have non-essentials". Like this bla bla doll for instance. Josie didn't need one, but she sure had to have one! La La Love!

-amr

Current Crush

I'll take just one please. The red is lovely, don't you think?
www.orlakiely.com

-amr

Happy New Year

One of my resolutions for the new year is to include one "extra" project each month into my underscheduled, relaxed and quiet life. (I'm hoping that the sarcasm translates through my head to my fingers and onto the page for that one.) One project a month may seem completely attainable to many, but I find myself getting lost in laundry, dinnertime, school projects, and multiple daily feedings with the little J. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months and well you know how it goes from there; hence, I have found a real need for some sort of motivation to create or at the very least accomplish more than just the usual. My January project? This blog. I'm off to a good start I think.

-amr

First Day of Class

Remember how your insides got all fizzy and the excitement bubbled up everywhere? That's how I feel about this, my first post on my new blog. I have been so inspired by the world of blogs, I feel I must jump in and join the fun. I've thought and thought about how to start. There is so much pressure for a first post because there are so many blogs I just love (and lurk I'm told because I never leave comments, but that's going to change I swear!) So, here it is - my humble contribution to the blogging world : Show and Tell.

-amr