mamas don't let your babies grow up to play rugby

Dear Wende the photographer,

We still need to set up a time for Jack's senior pictures.

How are you at taking right profile shots?

He has another game Saturday, but don't worry I will only allow him be taken down by his head & have it smashed into the grass on his left side.

Sincerely,

rugby jack's mother

P.S. how much extra do you charge to photoshop a beat up kid to look shiny & new again?

he just doesn't get it

While Megan went to lunch with an old friend -

I picked up this guy & headed to the scout office, yep tonight was pack meeting...

We drove past the Olympic torch- love that- just had to take another photo

We made it to the office & I picked up some sweet stuff-
I volunteered to pick up everything since I needed to get something extra special.

See that white box?

Inside is Jack's Eagle.

Yep- Jack's Eagle-

Everything is in & it's all done!!

Very exciting
We are not planning on having his Eagle court of honor until summer. His good buddy Seth should have his by then & we will celebrate together. So more on that later.

Secretly... shh-

{outside the Tulie Bakery}

I had other motives to go to the scout office.

Remember last month when I discovered the bakery on the way home?

Oh the joy- I had a real reason to go back, heck I was driving by!

I was so excited to take BRett.

I kept telling him- this is going to be life changing- LIFE CHANGING

YOU won't BelieVE HOw GooD It is!!

Just look at this fruit tart

- STUNNING-

We got the chocolate mousse & a sugar cookie to share. We headed down the street, me driving because he was still on the phone with business-and I took a little bite of the cookie.

I. HAD. TO. PULL. OVER.

then- before it was gone- I had to take a photo!

It was the best sugar cookie I have ever had.

I paused & explained to Brett how the chocolate mousse has ity bity shards of Scharffen Berger chocolate in it that melt on your tongue-- so eat it slow & take it all in. With a dumbfounded look in his eye he asked if,

"I was missing little shards of something?"

He took a bite of the cookie- agreed it was the best sugar cookie ever- but ya so what?

the chocolate mousse...? ya -pretty good. Pretty good??

Later in the day I commented on his lack of enthusiasm- he apologized & promises next time to scream & immediately wet himself when we go to a bakery.

He Better

baby fabric

After a big day of you know, hanging out, getting pedicures, learning maternity clothes are hard to come by (except in Provo Utah), we ran over to the fabric store last night.

I am glad we did- we looked over girl options & boy options.

I couldn't resist & bought 4 yards of the main girl option-
it was 50% off, seasonal & I got scared...
scared it would run out before we find out what the baby is!
Now I have jinxed it- it'll be a boy for sure... not that I have anything against boys. I have three boys, i love boys, it's just that sewing for girls is - you know- so much... girlier!
THEN-
trent woke up this morning & announced he dreamed megan had the baby & it was a boy.

*do you believe in jinx?

just a great saturday

It's a beautiful spring here finally!

This is the view from my driveway into my next door neighbor's yard.

Gorgeous!

I went to get the mail & just had to go back in to get my camera.

I wish you could see the majesty of the mountains in the background.

Because of my love of Rhododendrons...

I planted two in my yard, right after we first moved in. They don't bloom at the same time & I know they will never be as beautiful as in the Northwest. But I love them just the same & it is a thrill for me when the do bloom.

SAD, sad news.
Trent finally found the carefully hidden Guitar Hero aka: Guitar hell.
Bummer. I hate this game. He ran upstairs exclaiming, "you won't believe what was way, way behind the games in the game cabinet?!!"
I think it's okay for older kids, but come on- nine year olds should not be playing to- rock me like a hurricane.... somehow it is going to be "lost" again soon.


I finally got around to washing these & put them on my bed!
700 count sheets I bought just outside of Battery Park in NY for $20- score.
Some guy was selling loads of them, I decided I could carry one set around for the day in my bag- it was worth it. They are luxurious.
I did ten tons of laundry & ironed almost everything in my ironing box, all while listening to Chloe's IPOD- the WICKED soundtrack. When the first song came on I got goosebumps. Oh how I love that we went to see that! Do you ever feel like this? After a big, exhausting, vacation you did something right- it was all worth it- just for the memories?

I'm having a hard time getting rid of or even recycling my crate & barrel bags...

The armed forces are in full force sending Jack info about joining up...
hmmmmm- I would be the proud mom of a soldier- on one condition.... he waits to make any big decisions like this until after his mission.

Bronco had an accident- again.

holy. moly. somebody. help. me.

-that is all I am going to say about that-

Finally the time came to go pick up Megan at the airport!!

Hooray!
she made it & we are all hovering around her like she is a superstar.
She is of course better than a superstar around here.

We made it to Cafe Rio - YUM.
It was just as good as she remembered.

Jack is very cool here-I love this photo.

Do you ever miss someone, then when they come back it instantly feels like they never left?

love that

april 09 = great month

This month has been so much fun for me.

First week of the month was conference weekend-

then spring break & our NY trip-

Now

tomorrow Megan is coming home for a week!!!

(megan & brian in the MTC just after he got his official mission tag)

This morning Brett & I were talking about how strange it seems that we have grown kids that come home to visit- instead of live here...

Where did the time go?

I am so happy Megan is coming home for a bit. So happy. We all are. The girls & boys around here have been counting down the days. I wish Tony could come, but he is busy working on a big project. While she is here we are.........

1. going to Cafe Rio on the way home from the airport to curb some serious pregnancy cravings

2. she is going to lunch with friends & visiting her darling SIL's

3. we are getting pedicures (that's a surprise... well not anymore)

4. going maternity clothes shopping

5. looking for baby fabrics so I can find out what kinds she likes

6. and going to...

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE

How wonderful to go to women's conference with my daughter!

I remember thinking it was strange not to have any kids in the nursery at church.

Oh boy- now I have a married daughter, a son on a mission (only 203 days left, not that I am counting or anything...), another son about to graduate from H.S. and I'm going to be a grandmother this year-

time flies - you may as well enjoy it

four little words- every single morning

"Mom- come find me!" EVery morning for years... unless he's up earlier than me-

Trent comes down- I'm in the kitchen- and he does this.

I know, he knows... that I can see him.

-I always pretend I can't & almost sit on him-

I don't know how much longer it will last

but I suppose I will miss it when it's over.

new jersey grocery & cooking crazed

I really love grocery shopping.

I have a food "thing." It's frankly pretty obvious from my backside, if you know what I mean?

Sounds silly but you can tell a lot about a community by what's in their grocery stores.

After getting to our hotel during our trip, we ran to the store to grab a couple of essentials, like water bottles to take into the city- snacks & some kid friendly foods for Trent.

I was so glad I brought my camera!

Shoprite here in New Jersey they had an amazing produce section!

Chloe said- "people in New Jersey must eat really healthy...."
then she said-- "look at those huge plums!"
So- I've never cooked egg plant? have you?

Also- look at these really great brussel spouts on the vine here. I've never seen them sold like this in a grocery store. We may not eat egg plant, but we love brussel sprouts.

A lot of brands have different names from East to West.

Does anyone know why?

Dreyers Ice Cream is Edy's here...

We love Dreyers & don't have coconut pineapple flavored- at least I've never seen it- but want to!

The prominent religion in Utah is of course Latter Day Saint. We don't have Matzo Balls in the freezer section - I'm sure you can get them somewhere...

But I don't know about Kosher Cokeor pickled tomatoes.

This was a fantastic opportunity to talk about Passover & world religions. I WIsh we had this stuff.

I've seen this brand on TV- but not at the store. Yum- I didn't think we could eat or should eat a whole tub of marshmallow fluff in just 4 days so I passed.

A whole section of restaurant quality Italian food!

Now this is living!

We are totally missing out here... there were all kinds of Italian specialties.Here at home- I've gone cooking crazy!

I've been cooking up a storm ever since I got back.

I don't know if it was the week off or what... but besides making jam-I've put casseroles in the freezer- made a huge pot of marinara & froze 3 quarts-

I've made Kristy's bread sticks-- so good.

Banana bread... cookie dough & last night I made rolls to go with our lasagna...

and put two extra lasagnas in the freezer!

This is my favorite roll recipe & it will be on Blogger mom's cook- later.

*do you like to grocery shop?

*have you ever cooked with eggplant?

*have you ever seen Kosher Coke?

jammin'

Ball- has a new recipe in their pectin box (and a .50 coupon inside)

STraWberRy KiWi

Making freezer jam is not really cooking.

It's just mashing fruit-

measuring sugar and...

stirring! It's so easy & 100x's better than regular jam.

We love it at our house & strawberry is always my favorite.

But- this new strawberry kiwi- is FANtastic!!

With strawberries in season & so good this year.

I made a four batches yesterday!!

It's nice to be home & back to real life...

*do you make jam?

*what is your favorite flavor?

getting there- UTah to NY-

After a long night of not really sleeping wednesday night, brett & I got up, ready, then woke up the kids. Brett said when he went to get hailey - she said - hooorrayyy! that is how we were all feeling. After so much planning & anticipation- we were really going on this vacation!! My niece Brittany drove us to the airport.

Trent was a little nervous, but within minutes looked & acted like a seasoned travelor. It was so amusing... his every action can kind of be summed up in this picture. He was so fun & funny & expressive & loved everything. He is a big fan of Calvin & Hobbes the comic books. We found a t-shirt in New York with Calvin on it & the words- NEw York Attitude. (photo in my phone, still...) The rest of the week he would say-
Trent-"I have one word for you, New York Attitude!"
finally Jack said- that's three words
Trent- Oh ya?
I told Trent that a New York Attitude was - a good attitude, happy about being on vacation & not complaining but being good & having a good time.
He fell for it.
Whenever he wanted something or was getting impatient he worked on his New York Attitude.
Chloe too- was an absolute dight. The last time she was on a plane, she was too little to remember. So she was thrilled about the plane ride!

Hailey & Jack...
They have both flown a couple of times.
Hailey is so excited to experience the big apple she has repeated regularly the countdown of days until take off- and here we are!
Jack's enthusiasm was hard to contain!
He was bursting with joy & excitement. His thrill & appreciation for his parents who are taking him on this vacation is overwhelming. We had to tell him to stop thanking us & telling us over & over we were the rockinest,coolest, parents ever- it was getting embarrassing.


We had a layover in Minneapolis that was supposed to be 45 minutes but ended up being 2 hours... so we checked out the airport a little..

they have this amazing Ipod vending machine!
SEriously- you can buy an ipod here in a vending machine.
-wow-
all you need is a credit card- too but you can't get one with a couple of quarters-

the ride was a little long & it was a long day but we made it. When we flew into the city Trent's side of the plain was nearest. He could see all the tall buildings etc. He was so excited, to the delight of everyone around he was exclaiming "look there she is, the statue of liberty!!"
It was really sweet.

We were happy to get here- to our hotel. We drove through some interesting (scary)neighborhoods & Newark that day stunk, bad like dog food or something. At least at the car rental pick up place outside did, gross.

The kids knew right away that we were not in Utah anymore!