Bodega Bay Family Reunion

Over Christmas (yes, I am still talking about Christmas) we had a little family reunion in Bodega Bay, CA. It is a quaint, sleepy coastal town where the famous film "The Birds" was filmed.

My parents rented a great place that slept all of us in separate bedrooms and had a table big enough for everyone to eat all together. It was togetherness at it's best!

On our second day there we went to this beautiful forest for a small hike/walk/trail stroll. We don't like to over-exert ourselves while vacationing so it was all we could do to walk a mile, but knowing that lunch would be after, we found motivation to mosey and enjoy nature for a bit.

Here are my ultra-tall brothers trying to be as big as the colonel tree. It was a risky stunt and I was very nervous for Carter at the top.

Here's Brady trying to help Lucy move a little faster. We would have been there well into the night if we let her stop and look at all that she wanted to.

Cousin Carter and his adorable leash backpack. Tell me again why we've never invested in those?

Us.

After our vigorous hike we went home and enjoyed Ashlin's delicious homemade mac and cheese. I am still having flashbacks of that cheesy, warm goodness. And those almond bars...oh help me!

Each night we took a turn cooking. For my night I decided to have a casual baby shower for my brother Brady and SIL Ashlin who are expecting their first baby boy. Let's call him Brashlin, for now. I saw this little tractor themed party online and thought that would be easy to pull off while traveling. We ate BBQ beef sandwiches, strawberry salad, kettle chips, soda, and vanilla cupcakes.

Snow Portraits

Over Christmas we spent a day in the snow....sledding, of course.

I am dreaming of sledding again before the sun comes to stay.

Troy....do you feel a cold coming on? I think it's high time for a "sick day".

a good reminder

via

Going Private

Believe it or not, from Miss Wishy-Washy herself, I am feeling a little bit conflicted about going PRIVATE.

For now, still leave me your e-mail so that I can add you to the list. Just don't be too surprised if I decide against it.

(I found out I didn't have ANY privacy settings set for my blog, so any old weirdo was allowed to comment. I want to see if changing those settings makes any difference at all)

New Post Below....

library poo

We just got a new library in town.

It's great.

I love taking my kids there, hoping they will develop a lifelong love of reading.

(even though my attention span for reading is limited to books with lots of pictures and big print)

But, here's to hoping.

Only problem with the library is that it seems to trigger a poop response in Lucy.

Of the four times we've visited in the last month, she's pooped in her diaper 3 times!

Last time was the icing on the cake.

While standing in the line to check out our stack of books, Lucy hunkered down in her "business" position, face turning all shades of red. Judging by the aroma, she confirmed for the 3rd time that the library encourages her movements.

Quickly I try to get out of there as the smell was gagging the patrons one by one.

Then as I turn to look at her, she is holding her hand up with you-know-what on each fingertip.

That's when you just have to abandon ship and read the books from your own collection for the week!

mmmm.....sugar

My LEAST favorite cookie to make has always been a sugar cookie.

So unenjoyable as far as I'm concerned.

You mix.

You chill.

(Which is very hard when patience is NOT your virtue)

You roll.

You cut.

You chill some more.

You cut some more.

Bake.

Now the shape you cut is hardly discernible because it's risen or spread into some wonky blob.

You cool.

(another thing I don't like waiting for.)

Then you frost.

It usually looks ugly, like a Kindergartner could have done a better job.

And really....is the taste even worth it in the end?

At least that has been my experience until now.

But listen up. I have something for you that will...

a.) knock your socks off, but not your saddlebags!

b.) make you feel like a professional cookie decorator. (You'll be doing bouquets in no time)

c.) buy you a few more friends you've been wishing for.

d.) give you something fun to do with your kids.

(or you could just sit them in front of little einsteins and tell them mommy's busy being awesome while you decorate)

I found THIS RECIPE from THIS BLOG!

I want to kiss this girl because she has rocked my sugar cookie world.

These cookies are the best. They retain their shape and they stay dense and chewy for days. They are incredibly caloric and incredibly delicious. (aren't delicious and caloric synonyms?) The frosting sounds unusual, but you've got to trust me on this! It is KILLER!

And oh the fun you can have decorating!

A few tips: DON'T over cook. I take mine out when they still look blonde in color. Not even brown edges (about 12 mins). I don't use clear vanilla in the frosting. I DO bake the cookies the day before, frost the next day, and eat for the next week! They taste even better after a day of sitting out!

Please enjoy & have a wonderful VALENTINES DAY!

M.I.A.

Hello friends.

I realize I've been missing in action for quite some time.

Here's the haps...

1. I am in a blogging quandary. What to do, what to do? I have been thinking about taking this blog private for quite some time (Why do I feel like there should be some kind of DOOM music that follows that statement). I keep getting random comments of Japanese origin that link back to inappropriate sites. That just doesn't sit well with me.

Plus, I think I am ready for my blog to be more for me! Not that it hasn't been in the past, but I can't help feeling this subconscious pressure to write something interesting, not too mommyish, not too braggy, something crafty, with witty stories about my life, intermixed with some pop-culture, and a small amount of non-gaggy posts about my wonderful husband. Are you with me? Why do I feel this way? I started out blogging as a means for recording our lives, but as blogging has gained popularity it has become more of a contest about who can portray the most perfect life. First of all, whether my life is perfect or not, I don't want to have in the back of my mind, "How will my readers take this post?" Lame, I know. I think I need a shrink! ha. I just want this to be more of a journal of our lives and if it comes out braggy or cheesy, well, sorry.

So...long story short, I will be taking this thing private. Leave me your e-mail for an exclusive INVITE!

2. Another reason for my lack of blogging has been because I just got a new job (or calling, as we call in in the LDS church). It's kind of a doosey! One that is hard for me to even type, but since I know a good handful of you will inquire, I will tell. I have been asked to be the new Stake YW President. (If you are not mormon this will mean nothing to you, sorry) It has been a month of mixed emotions. Mostly fear and thoughts of how on earth someone is trusting me and my airheaded self to do something like this. But for now, I just have a lot of meetings and speaking assignments, and HUGE events to plan. Which has left too little time for me to be lazy (like I prefer).

So, I am not depressed. Or hiding out. Just a little less blog-happy. It will return. It always does. In fact, tomorrow I will be posting about some delicious sugar cookies that I just can't get enough of!

So leave your e-mail addresses if you want to join my PRIVATE blog club!

(and ps. I really don't care if you are my best friend's, sister's, neighbor....you are still invited. As long as you are not a weirdo, then anything goes)