Using those Pipes

This past week we've been celebrating the pipes on my girls.  They have some sweet little voices and have been able to use them to have some incredible experiences.  First, Ella's entire third grade class gave an amazing performance to our neighborhood community.  Then they had the chance to take a couple of their best songs to the capitol and perform for our governor.  Ella sang her solo just a few feet from our state's leaders. (Sorry, no cameras at that one.)  Lastly, our girls got to sing in the famous tabernacle on Temple Square during Interfaith Week which celebrates the SLC hosting of the Olympics each year.  I'm so proud of my little girls (who aren't so little anymore) and am thrilled they have many chances to share their talents with others.

All images are iPhone pics...not great, but had to do.

14 Years and Still Going Strong...

You and me together, we can do anything baby.

Valentine Sunday Best

Valentine Spoils

We surprised our little Valentines with the "oh so hot" toy of the moment Zsu Zsu pets and their very own hamster house.  For some reason, my kids have always been bonkers about animal toys (think Fur Real friends and Webkinz) so I knew this was a slam dunk - packaged with Reeses peanut butter heart (really purchased for the extra two for Bryce and I :) and everyone was set to have a happy heart day.

St. George 2010

Our favorite place to get away this time of year is St. George to visit Grandma and Grandpa Smiley.  We're only slightly jealous that they get to spend their entire winter here in short sleeves, warm weather (it was 65 glorious degrees!) and surrounded by the gorgeous red rocks we love.  This year Josie and I left a couple days earlier than the rest of the family to squeeze in an entire week of R and R. Pure Heaven!  Once the family arrived (we even had Uncle Dave, Kate and Cody, and Uncle John and Aunt Chris and Mark and Cody) we jam packed in the fun over the holiday weekend including - pickleball, walks with Grandma, hunting for golf balls, swimming and biking. We even took the kids on a "Valentines Date" to In n Out and Percy Jackson.  We were a little sad to be making the trek back home to the cold and dreary north for school on Wednesday.  Thanks family for such a wonderful week!

I Heart Tumblr

Before the great crash of '09 (my laptop for those who don't know), I thought I was safely storing all of my favorite photos and inspiration photos in different folders on my computers.  Like everything else, all of those were lost so I've basically started from scratch.  Enter tumblr.  I set up a tumblr blog basically as an online inspiration folder.  Remember when a gorgeous catalog used to come out and you'd tear out pages you loved and file them away for later?  This is basically what my tumblr is, but better - it takes up virtually no physical space and is quite the visual treat (for me anyway:).  Best of all I can share it and it will never disappear.  If you're interested in images that inspire me (design, decor, and otherwise) you can visit my tumblr here.  And please oh please - set up a tumblr of your own (it is beyond easy!) and then let me know so we can share and swap images.  I guarantee you will love it as much as I do.

Valentine Cottages

If you just plain ran out of time in December to make gingerbread houses (like we did!) Valentine Cottages are the perfect solution.  We took a Sunday afternoon and decorated graham crackers houses with all sorts of pink and red candy, cereals, and frosting.  I even had some luck finding deeply discounted and very useful mini candy canes and peppermint sticks. It was a sugar high free for all for about an hour.  I'm sure even the neighbors could hear us! Everyone built they're cute cottages on white cake stands and they are now on display in the dining room.  We had so much fun doing this, we might purposely scoot this tradition right out of December so we can do it again next year.

Hey There Salt Lakers!

I got my tickets today!  Will I see you there?

Dinner Dress Code

We have no dress code for Sunday dinner (usually it's something warm and cozy - or at the very least comfortable). But something sparked in my silly girls' heads when they found out we were having Indian food this evening.  When I called them down to eat, they came down ready to devour some naan and masala looking just like this.  I laughed aloud and quickly snapped these pictures. Sadly, Bryce and Max and I felt very underdressed in our own dining room for this occasion. Needless to say, the food wasn't the only spicy part of the evening.

I drive myself CRAZY!

I wish I could be a "chapter or two a night" kind of reader.  My children wouldn't get ignored, my laundry wouldn't pile up, and I might actually cook something decent and healthy for my family.  I would just climb into bed around 9 p.m. and read for an hour or so and then pick it up again the next night.  Isn't this what most normal people do? Instead, for 1-3 days (and nights - depending on the book) I completely engross myself in a book, devour it, laugh, cry, wheeze and finish.  I only do what is actually required of me - but nothing above and beyond (chicken nuggets, here we come!) Luckily, this only happens if the book happens to be a good one - but  if it's a REALLY good one (like the latest above) I'm devastated to be done and a totally irritated at myself for devouring instead of savoring. In order for life to go back to normal, I have to take around a 2-3 week hiatus before I start the cycle again. So, with a heavy heart, I'm off to start my first load of whites.

DIY Cupcake Stands

Remember our neighborhood service auction?  This year I decided to try another cupcake themed item. (What is it with me?  You'd think I'd be over this obsession by now.)  I've been seeing these cute diy cake stands all over the place.  They are made from plates as the top - and candlesticks as the base.  So when I went to the thrift store to acquire my goods, I was giddy when I found these white square cocktail plates and these small crystal candlesticks.  After they've been washed and dried thoroughly, a little epoxy (and 24 hours to set) is all it takes to stick them together and transform them into cupcake pedestals.  I added a few red and pink ribbons to gussy them up for Valentines day.  And of course, a red velvet cupcake and paper lollipop as a cupcake topper.  I thought they turned out pretty cute. Watch out friends!  These are so delightful to make, I might be making these for all of you this year!

Things I miss about 2009

1.Warm weather (Hyatt Huntington Beach)

2. Jim and Pam's Wedding

3. Diet Pomegranate 7-Up - why is it released only during the holidays?

4. Le Grande Orange in Phoenix - yum

5. 11:00 a.m. church

6. DJ Dance Parties under the stars - we've gotta do it again this summer!

7. Taking a break in the shade with my sisters by Tom Sawyer's famous fence right on the Mississippi River

8. Having a one year old - she's growing up too darn fast!

9. Watching our friends and family and neighborhood rally around my kids as they worked so hard to earn money to buy Kalli a new bike after hers was stolen after only 2 days.

10. Being one year younger...bring on the anti-wrinkle cream!

Did I miss anything?

A Look Back: Christmas Day Highlights

The kids woke up and sang carols at the top of the stairs while mommy and daddy made sure Santa had indeed come - and they came racing down the stairs to find their loot. Kalli was pleased as punch with her iPod karaoke, and ugly doll, and some new ds games. Ella wouldn't stop snapping pictures of her new American Girl doll Kit with her new Hello Kitty Camera. Max was so thrilled with his skis he slept with them that night - and Miss Josie Faye (our girliest girl yet) couldn't stop showing off her princesses and their pretty "gip goss" lips. We played and played and went sledding at the golf course, read some of our new books and watched a movie - and of course ate like kings. We feel abundantly blessed to enjoy and celebrate our Savior's birth while surrounded by our family in a warm home with more to be grateful for each and every year. Merry Christmas 2009.