Tomorrow...

...meet the star of our show. Max and I won't be able to sleep tonight.

Glowy Goodness

I spotted these Candela Toolis all over the design blogs a while ago and knew they would be a perfect match for the "afraid-of-the-dark-sweetheart" that lives at my house. Not only are they super spunky funky, but they charge all day and last all night and don't even require a nearby plug. My mister has them right on his pillow. Click here if you don't believe me.

The Rain Rain Went Away...

...and left us with an evening to play! And it was a perfect evening for a chilly spring walk. The rain and snow finally stopped and we zoomed outside to enjoy just a peek of the sunshine. We hadn't seen her for days. The fresh air, juicy worms, and good company made for a perfect evening.

Necessary Tools

I'm thinking a late night run to Ikea (Do you know how many years I waited to say that? Literally years and years and years. Hallelujah!) might be order to make our Saturday afternoon project complete. Seriously, at $3.99 how can I go wrong with these sweet little woodland animals?

Rain / Snow Go Away

*Image via odeedoh

I only have to look outside for a cruel reminder that my days of sending the kids outside for some playtime fun are still a distant longing. Since we'll be spending a good portion of this weekend inside keeping cozy and listening to church leaders at our semi-annual General Conference, I figured some indoor activities were a'callin. Last Sunday I made some homemade playdough as a teaching aid for the primary children and it was a huge hit. We'll be adding to our color assortment this weekend and breaking out the cookie cutters for Saturday afternoon. If you'd like to join along, here's the best recipe I've found.

1 C. Flour
¼ C. Salt
2 Tbsp. Cream of Tartar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Water
1 Tbsp. Oil
2 Tbsp. Food Coloring (paste works best but you can use any kind)

Mix ingredients in order listed preceding. Use heavy skillet pan on medium heat( may need to be turned down lower to keep from scorching). Stir well until it sticks together (does get really lumpy at first but don't give up). Turn out on pastry board or sheet and knead. Make into small balls and add different coloring to each ball. Store in tight container.

Gottcha!

My best prank of the day involved a little tampering of our school lunch menu. Can you imagine the reaction when they read " Country Fried Cow Tongue?" Happy April Fools!

Miss Brace Face

I think this means I'm getting old.

New Recipes

It's been a week of new recipes in amr's kitchen. We're batting three for three right now. They all pass the test and will be added to the recipe book. This Gorgonzola Pear Flatbread was such a hit we made a twice - once for an appetizer for a dinner party and then again as a side dish for Sunday dinner.

Gorgonzola Pear Flatbread
Pizza dough (I get mine at my neighborhood market, pressed and ready for toppings for $2.50)
Shredded white cheese (I used Havarti, simply because I had it on hand. Gouda or Mozzarella would be delicious as well.)
Thinly sliced pears
Caramelized walnuts
Crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Fresh sage leaves

Brush olive oil on rolled out dough. Layer ingredients in above order. Bake on bottom rack at 50o degrees for about 8 minutes. Serve bubbly hot.

Divine.

Big Papa and Little Bug

Since this is still the week of all things Max...I had to share these sweet (Max would say, "Not sweet mom...cool!") photos of the big boy and his big daddy. Max is my partner in crime when it comes to running errands and although he thinks they're boring for the most part, he is always thrilled when there ends up being something in it for him. You can imagine his sheer delight when we came across a shirt exactly like his dads. Done deal - he didn't even have to beg. I wasn't sure how Bryce would feel about being "twinners" with his son, but Max's powers of persuasion are irresistible, especially to him.

The Ticket to Max's Satisfaction is...

...gumballs.

The night before:
Mommy: Max, what kind of cake do you want for your birthday?
Max: A gumball cake.
Mommy: A GUMBALL cake? I've never had one of those. Are they good?
Max: Oh yes mommy, very good. I can't wait for my gumball cake.
Mommy: Alright then, a gumball cake it is.

And so the next morning we set the plan in motion. After we made the batter (who wants to lick the beaters?) we shoved bubble gum balls into the pans that were ready to go into the oven. After the cake was cooled and frosted, we took more gumballs (Max's favorite colors of course) and lined the top and bottom of the cake. Not rocket science or culinary genius, I realize. But do you see the look on his face?

Stay Tuned...

...to find out how Max and I transformed this blank canvas of a cake into my five year old's dream birthday dessert.

Take Five!

I'm back! It's been a bit bizarre around here and I blame it all on the weather. First we thought spring was here to stay, so I decided to ditch blogging and get outside. Then winter showed its ferocious face once again and put us all in a bit of a slump. But there is one huggable buggable boy who lives in this house that can bring the sunshine back (despite the snow that is still on my front walk).

Max celebrated 5 years on the planet today...5 years of being one of only two boys in a sea of girls...5 years of being "The Bug"...5 years of melting hearts and leaving us begging for more.

Happy Birthday to my big boy.

Clean House

I knew I had to insert a brief post on the joys of simple cleaning on this Monday morning...not to mention the inspiration of this catchy review of "Mrs. Meyer's Clean Home" from Nesting:

'Part memoir, part how-to, her eco-friendly cleaning tips (a quarter cup of baking soda in the wash cycle and a tablespoon of white vinegar in the rinse cycle will make your clothes super soft) are sprinkled in with hilarious stories of trying to raise a gaggle of kids. Plus, the retro '50s style design is fantastic. It's the only cleaning book we can imagine reading in bed because it's so fun. Seriously!"

And you may find yourself wondering why I was inspired for such a post? I came home from my vacation not only to find my kids happy and healthy and in denial that Grandma and Grandpa were actually going to leave - but to a clean master bathroom (specifically toilet....T.M.I.?). This same porcelain devil that has refused to be cleaned with C.L.R., Kaboom, or Lime Away was shiny and sparkly due to a white vinegar rinse and a little elbow grease. Mrs. Meyers hasn't got a thing on Mrs. Smiley. And I'm the lucky one who's related to her.

Good Day Sunshine

We're headed to Scottsdale for some fun in the sun. Can't wait to leave this Utah snow behind. Be good for Grandma and Grandpa kiddies!

We heart Eames

We're just giddy about our new addition. Bryce and I have a mutual crush on Eames Chairs and now we have two in the family. We have this one in the nursery...and this new white lovely will join a small desk in our bedroom. What's your furniture crush?

Call Me Sentimental...

I've been cleaning out some drawers in my bedroom and need to find a place to keep my piles and piles of momentos - airline tickets from fabulous trips, cards from my kids or hubby, pictures, brochures I can't part with etc... So here's my question. Are you a sentimental saver? And if so, how do you store it all?

An Eater's Manifesto

"You don't need to fathom a carrot's complexity in order to reap its benefits."

Michael Pollan

I just finished reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food." I found it fascinating and enlightening. When push comes to shove, the food industry is really just that - an industry - a business with revenue on the brain. Much of what he spoke was common sense, just presented in a scientific (and somehow) philosophic way. His simple summary is this: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants." Now, I've got to get this square foot garden idea hatching...(DAD!)

Simple and Stylish

I'm all about the e-mail invite these days and so happy was I when I found out about Pingg Invites. You can choose from a variety of looks - which aren't the least bit either: a. corporate or b. cheesy. Just some fantastically styled photographs with a bit of text. Simple invitation perfection.

Frolicking

I saw this gorgeous cover photo on Nicole's blog...

Funny how it reminded me of this photo I took of Ella...
(in a lame, sort of amateurish way).
Photo number one is of course, perfection...
but the subject in photo number two is kinda perfect to me.

Victorious

*Click on image to enlarge the type

Last week Kalli came home overjoyed with the news that her school had implemented a recycling program. (She considers herself a budding environmentalist.) She said, "Mom, I wish our school had a newspaper and I could write an article all about it." Clearly, she wanted to share her enthusiasm with someone other than just me.

As a parent, one of the best tools I've learned to utilize is the art of channeling - when you discover something your child is excited about and then utilize that excitement to create an experience for them that will further their love, learning, or both. (For example, an animal lover in our house developed a particular fascination with elephants. We found a zoo that fed a live video stream online of their elephant habitat and we checked in on our new friends frequently. We even learned their names and began to be able to identify each of them. Not to mention learned many new and fascinating facts about elephants and their habitats.)

Because Kalli's enthusiasm of this new recycling program was immense - and she dreamt up this idea of writing an article about it, I gave her my nod of approval and told her she should go for it - even if there wasn't a newspaper to write for. All of this in the name of channeling. We talked about what resources she would need and she decided to ask the principal about the program. (The mere thought of Mr. Faber, my elementary school principal, sent shivers down my spine but Kalli's always been a bit more daring than me.) The principal happily agreed to be interviewed - and here's the best part - suggested she e-mail her the finished article and perhaps they could publish it into the school's monthly bulletin sent out to parents. Kalli sacrificed playing that afternoon and took the evening to write and edit the article and then e-mailed the finished piece.

On Monday, she got to see her name in print on page four of the March bulletin. She was so proud and beyond excited. We all were! Thanks to her determination and enthusiasm, a receptive principal, and a little bit of channeling magic - she had an unforgettable learning experience. The simple moral of the story for me is this: When I listen a little closer to my kids (and their relevant OR irrelevant ramblings), when I let them find and direct their own passions, often times I get the lucky opportunity to urge them on a little farther and take part in an unforgettable childhood victory.

Happy Girls

I'm kinda head over heels for these little folk art birthday girls. Wouldn't they be the sweetest birthday cake toppers? I wonder if they go ALL the way up to my magic number?

Tech Connections

We're spending the afternoon watching our main MAN on a live feed at DEMO 09 here. Look how excited his little girls are to see him here in our kitchen even though he's all the way in Palm Springs. Technology connects my family in a way I could have never imagined. Watch out Jetsons...here we come. I'm hoping for a Rosie to be delivered to my door any day now.