Sunday Morning Tradition

I was the youngest of five growing up, and so as most youngest children know ... we ALWAYS get the goods. Well Sunday mornings began somewhere in my late elementary years with these bad boys:Although it isn't something I carried over when I first got married, I decided to start the tradition once again at the later end of 2009. I am afraid my boys are hooked and there is no way out. COME ONE ... I dare you to buy some and see if you can stop!

In the middle of the night ....

I was wondering why sleep hasn't been found in our home for the past month or so. The "doctor" told me that the slobbering, and the cranky spells and no sleep couldn't be teeth ... because the lip on his gums showed no signs. YEAH, no less than one week later these boys appeared!
Lets hope I can catch just a few more hours of shut eye before the next ones start coming in.

Lots of UPDATES!

LOOK AT ME! Here I do SO well for a few weeks and then over a week passes by and I haven't updated you. WELL, get ready for some GREAT stuff folks, cause I have been thinking of lots of stuff:

FIRST,

On Valentines Day, we decided to do the whole candle and cake thing for Bryson. (his birthday is on the 13th if you didn't already see from the previous post). We were going to do the whole "party" on his Birthday, but everyone was celebrating Valentines Day early, and so were we! So on Sunday we invited family over and had a little construction party. It really only consisted of some construction attire and cutting cake, but Bryson though it was FABULOUS!

So the whole construction thing was inspired by the cake I made. I found it online at familyfun.go.com.
You have to know one thing about me ... I love creativity, and will pretty much try anything, but cake decorating is one thing that has always intimidated me. THIS WAS SO EASY and I would recommend this cake to anyone who feels the same way I do! We did make a Texas Sheet cake to "feed the crowd" ... and honestly, that went over really well. The Excavator cake was really just for the fun, and not the best tasting ... but I am not a big "pound cake" fan.Bryson's cousins came, and he even got to open a few more presents! He just loved the construction party hats and playing with his new toys. It turned out perfect, from the "caution" tape crate paper, to the hats and yellow and orange balloons ... it was exactly what I had pictured!

SECOND ... I wanted to tell you about Valentines Day.


SO I decided to make Adam and my boys Valentines to tell them how much I love them. Although I know Chad can't eat anything fun, and Bryson really doesn't get it, theirs weren't as extravagant as the one that "me and the boys" wink wink made for Adam. (for the boy's valentines I used paper from Doodlebug Design, and for Adam's valentine I used the new love paper from Pebbles Inc).

Last year I did a photo shoot of Bryson, so I thought I would keep the tradition going. I thought there pictures turned out extra cute, but HEY I am a bit partial.

I feel TERRIBLE! I always take a picture of the roses that Adam got me, and I didn't get a picture of them this year. He gave me a dozen red roses (which are my favorite) and a gift card to go and get a massage! I am SO stoked! He is the greatest husband ever.

We had some yummy monkey bread for Breakfast. Then while I got ready, Adam was reading his book and Bryson wanted to join in. Do you remember how Bryson was so excited about reading scriptures a few posts ago? Well ... my sister-in-law Sara picked him up a tiny Book of Mormon for his birthday ... so he opened it up and went to read his book next to daddy. It was SO cute! Next we went to church (where Bryson knocked his head on the pugh in front of us right during a piano solo. It was quite the battle wound! So much for two year old pictures for a couple weeks :). Then we invited my parents for a Valentines Dinner since they were coming out for the "birthday party" anyway. It was a GREAT Valentines day.

LAST & THIRD, I have some FABULOUS NEWS!
I went into CK this week to talk about a few upcoming things, and they gave me permission to Post the pages I turned in that won me the award of Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooker of the Year award! SWEET HUH! So in the next week or so I will be posting them. Be sure to check back!
Hope you're having a FANTASTIC day!
M

He changed my life!

Two years ago today ...

I traveled to my appointment to turn you around so you would come out correctly.

We tried, but you sure didn't like it!

20 Minutes later, and an emergency C-Section, you joined our family.

You have been a joy in our lives and it was worth every minute, and two years we had to wait to get you.


The last 2 years has been one crazy ride for both of us. But I do know one thing, we had SO much fun doing it!

I love you Bryson ... you are my light of my life and remind me of the reason's why I love being a mommy!

FAMILY HISTORY

So ... Since I have moved to Utah, I have been given a calling in my church to help the young women in our congregation with an award called the Personal Progress Recognition award. This award is given to the young women as they achieve goals to become more like Jesus Christ. This award also helps them cultivate feminine attributes, strengthen their testimony of the Savior, and reach their divine potential.

It has been really good for me to look back to when I received my Personal Progress Recognition when I was a teen and help these Young Women.

One of the things we have been doing recently, is focusing on Family History. The youth are learning how to index names from census records, so those who are searching for ancestors online can find records they are looking for.

American Crafts recently challenged me to create a class using their new Botanique line. Can I tell you that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I was a little nervous at first, because I wasn't sure if my style of scrapbooking would cater to it, but I was pleasantly surprised. The class I came up with using the Botanique line, I can't post until next week ... but when I mentioned my second idea ... American Crafts wanted me to create it anyway, even if it wasn't for a class!

Because of all of this "family history talk" at church, I was inspired by the somewhat vintage look of the Botanique line to do an album displaying my parents and grandparents. I am hoping to continue on with it and adding my great grandparents, and siblings




My mom years ago put together a history of many of my ancestors and so as I have been reading through those histories to learn more about them, I have been learning a TON! I learned a lot about my grandmother "granny" who lost her eye as a result of a car accident. I can't believe how I felt a connection with her because of the trials that I have recently been handed. I can't wait to share with you my thoughts about this later this week ... so stay tuned!
M

Monday night ... Pizza night ... at the DOUGLASS'

SO ... it is 9:30 ... I am watching LOST (Which I am only watching cause it is the last season & I need to finally find out why the heck they are on that island!) & I just couldn't let you guys down. Now that I am back, I am back ... and need to make sure I fulfill all my promises. SO here is the Pizza recipe I promised.

Homemade Pizza

I got this recipe years ago at a cooking class I took at Thanksgiving Point, (that was back in the day when the classes were $10 per class, not $50)

They taught us that most grocery store bakery's will sell French bread dough to you for the same price as regular french bread. It can be used for LOTS of things ... scones is one idea, and my favorite ... crust for pizza. Walmart is not the easiest to get the dough at because for some reason they have to grab a manager every time you ask, but it is still possible.

You take the dough home, unthaw it if needed, and roll it out.
Simply take your favorite pizza sauce (Contadina is my favorite) and spread half of can over pizza.(freeze other half of sauce)
Get a package of mozzarella cheese (2 cups) and spread over sauce
1 Package of Hormel Canadian Bacon (entire package) on top of mozzarella cheese.
Tidbit Pineapple
Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese. (I like Tillamook because it isn't as greasy as other cheeses.

Bake at 350 20-30 minutes.

One great idea that my sister does at Valentines day is forms small pizza crusts into hearts and lets the kids make their own with whatever toppings they would like. I think it is a fantastic idea ... however Bryson and Chad don't get fun things like that yet, so I will have to wait a few years :)

I promise you will love it! It is Adam's Favorite.

What's for dinner

Well ... if you're like me, Monday rolls around and I don't have ANY idea what to make for dinner. I thought it would be fun to share with you some fun food ideas that I tend to cook over and over again. So, here is my list of what I am making this week. I will take a picture tonight and pass along the recipe tomorrow. Doesn't that sound like fun?

SO...

Monday - Home made pizza
Tuesday - Chicken Tacos
Wednesday - Fettuccine Alfredo w/ Chicken
Thursday - Baked Potato Soup

I usually don't plan Friday's or the weekend, because every time I do, we end up going out and I feel my efforts are waisted. SO we decide on Friday what we are doing for the weekend.

OH and if you have any great ideas you want to share, I wouldn't mind the help for next week's menu!

SO not only is this some fun info about food ... but I got word about a fun thing that CK is doing. They are doing what is called the SCRAPPERS BOWL in honor of the week before the Super Bowl. (personally, it sounds like more fun that watching the game!) It was some seriously awesome creative thinking on their part of coming up with some fun scrapbooking activities. Hope you feel the same. If I can find some time, I hope to join in.

Have a good one.
M