this week

Laverne & Shirley

LOVE

their daddy

Sunday afternoon Brett when outside with some sunflower seed 

and they were so happy to see him.

They always are.

It's just so endearing to see him with the ladies-

they are laying at least 9 eggs a week now!

I traded work days with a friend so I could go to our Tuesday edition of Creative Day

which was extra special

Kristal's birthday!

Birthdays are the BEST

with these ladies!

Kristal chose salads for lunch

we had appetizers, three different wonderful salads, mini cheesecakes & this banana cream pie!

YUM

Just in case you think my life is perfect...

Brett came home with flowers after I spent two days extremely perplexed & upset over what to do about a certain 13 year old boy who

- last week broke the $300 notebook computer the school let him use & now we have to pay for

- then Monday the same young man's school called because Chloe's debit card was found??

What?

- Trent eventually confessed he had, "borrowed it & taken it to school."

Then lost it.

three words:

WHAT THE HELL?

When kids saw him use it at the vending machine---

they all wanted him to buy them something too.

(of course they did!)

We had no idea how much had been charged until the next day when we went to the bank.

OH MY GOSH.

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS

$90.00

Let me just say- it's tough being a parent of a teenage boy.

 But add some ADHD & Autism and it can be.... a challenge.

1. He knew taking the card was not right.

2. He knew it was the wrong thing to do.

3. He didn't truly understand- that real money was involved.

~sigh~

Just for fun:

take a look at this---

I Love Trent

He is learning & we are learning and

 LOOK HOW STINKING CUTE THESE BABIES ARE!!!

today

These ladies came up to the back door window to say hello.

Megan sent me this darling picture...

last Sunday.

and this one Monday-

his first day of Joy School.

So SWEET

Brittany's house is coming along nicely!

The inside is even nearly dry walled!

My creative friends & I have started meeting again - officially last week!

This week was Wende's birthday!

We had a little birthday luncheon & it was so.much. fun!!!!

The birthday girl herself!

I am so blessed to have these amazing ladies in my life every week~

Grateful.

I've known Wende now for about 15 years!

wow

Time flies when you're having fun.

Happy Birthday Wende-

You are the BEST

just a great thursday!

You won't believe it...

but last week-

I actually didn't have to work on Thursday!

So- I invited my Creative Thursday friends over for lunch & creativity at my house.

I was so so excited to have everyone over.

For lunch I made Butternut squash soup & popovers.

I am all about popovers these days!

Kristy heard me say I wanted a popover pan at least a year ago & bought me one. My first week of work a lady came into the store looking for a popover pan ... we talked all about them. I told her how I had a pan, but was so intimidated by the recipes I'd seen. She assured me it was easy & not to worry. I went home that night & made a HuGE batch.

I've been making them ever since!

Lauri brought cokes & Wende brought treats to snack on.

Kristy brought some work- but the rest of us chatted away without any productivity! It was okay... we haven't had a Thursday together for way to long.

Kristal came & even Karrie showed up during her lunch hour.

Gosh- it was so great to all be together again.

Best of all- Janae brought the. most. delish. coconut cream pie!

It was heavenly.

While they were here I let Brett announce the BIG JOB news!

It was fabulous to celebrate!

I really love these guys & consider our friendship a great blessing in my life.

Guess what?

I don't work on Thursday this week either!!!

SweeeeT!

the return of creative thursday

The greatest thing happened today...

it

was

thursday!

***

The very first Thursday since school has started.
You know what that means?
The return of creative Thursday!
lauri, kristy, wende, kristal & I all met at my house.
Janae is down with a cold & karrie is back to work full time.
(Don't worry karrie we made a monthly GNO schedule!)
Not much creativity was going on....
We've gotta get our groove back.
But- we had wonderful take out for lunch, laughed ourselves silly, I actually cleaned the painted floor (thank goodness for company or some jobs would never get done) and I made these for a bishopric dinner tonight.

Cupcakes!
I am really looking forward to the next 9 months of Thursdays!

creative thursday

There is really nothing better than Creative Thursday....

except Creative Thursday with these amazing cookies!!!

Janae made these today & brought them to us

-oh Heavenly Day-
They are so, so good.

Janae has serious baking skills.

You can find the recipe here & thank me later.

I brought enchiladas for us to share & they were good too.

I could have taken a much better photo, but forgot until it was almost too late.

These are the best enchiladas. I have been working on the recipe for a long time. I finally got it just right & make them all the time now. I will post my recipe the next time I make them.

(me, karrie & owen)

The best part of all was having this dream boat Owen here with us. He is such a sweet baby- so smiley & alert. He just watches us & smiles all day....

I was so busy finishing my quilt binding, that I didn't even realize until I got home-

that I didn't get a chance to hold him!?

What!?

I call first next week, okay janae?

no photo... what?

This week we got our first letter from missionary jack!
It was written the first day he got to Sao Paulo, Brazil over two weeks ago. He told us about his long flight down to South America & how he tried to give a man seated next to him a pass along card- even though he had talked to him about what he was doing - going on a mission in Brazil for two years... denied. It'cool.
Then getting off the flight he & some other missionaries (there were 8 on his flight, going down together) talked to a young man who had been in the states visiting a friend on life support in a coma. The day before his family & friends were going to- "pulled the plug"- they said a pray and hours later he came out of his coma unharmed. He then told Jack that there must be something to prayer. Quoting Jack, "we were really stunned. I ended up giving him a pass along card & told him we had answers to his questions. He gave me his business card and tomorrow I am going to give it to someone here so the missionaries where ever he lives can meet with him. It was amazing."

Wow

This past weekend Trent regressed back to begging me to watch the movie Transformers II... again. I'm pretty sure I've lost years off my life explaining that he is not watching that movie.

If I could get my hands on the writers of that movie I would strangle them!

Finally out of pure frustration, I said- Trent- you are not watching it because there is sex. in. it! Do you know what sex is? (our other kids had that talk about or before his age- but he hasn't shown signs of being ready) He said sheepishly- no. I said curiously- do the kids in your class ever talk about sex? He said- well, they did when it first came out.... but they don't anymore.

Today the blogger moms came over here for lunch & our creative day.
I was busy making 250 mini cupcakes. 100 for Karrie's stake meeting- 120 for a wedding shower sky & I put on tonight at her house- & the rest... hmmm?
Everyone helped with the cupcakes & it made for a crazy, fun, productive, exhausting, day.
but---

I didn't take one. single. photo.

creative day

the blogger mom's creative days

are alive & strong.

Last week we even had a guest -

Wende's SIL April

We were meeting at my house, she came & made us these:

Glazed Cheese Croissants

Not a great picture... but they are so good!

I LOVed them... mmmm

So Good that they were published in Martha's Everyday Food!

where there is a professional picture & the recipe

There is also a surprise ingredient...

Check out the recipe here.

Our day consists of important discussion...

I don't know what we are talking about in this picture but it cracks me up.

Most of the time -we have projects we are working on. All of the time - we eat lunch.

It's therapeutic.

It's the funnest day of the week.

Not everyone can always come...

we are a busy bunch of moms you know!

Janae has been missing through the RSV season.

But look who showed up yesterday!

(sorry about the shadow of the light on your face kristy!?)

Somehow I didn't get a picture of janae-

she looks great

BUT--- look at this guy!!

Oh boy, he is an absolute doll.

Non of us are or have been sick for a while so we got a little peek at the guy.

I can't wait for the winter yuck to be over so we can have him around all the time!

some days are just better than others

Especially when there's Hersheys Chocolate around...

all kinds of creative goodness going on

Yesterday for creative Thursday we met at Kristy's house.

I got there a little late - rough morning.

When I got there look what was waiting-This BEAUtiful Lunch!!

Pasta Fagioli- Homemade Breadsticks & Salad

Kristy is a FABulous cook -(these recipes will soon be on Blogger mom's cook.) The soup- so good- makes 9 quarts- so there was enough for us- her daughter & friends- then dinner later. Kristy is one smart gal! She made the bread sticks with her bread maker & I can't wait to get the recipe myself... they were Fantastic.

Oh ya- she even made LEMon BArs -that were out of this world- I love lemon bars. I can't make lemon bars. I can't. I've tried. I can make anything... but lemon bars. Every time I make them they don't turn out. It's a curse. I've quit trying.

This week I worked on some baby bibs & burp clothes of the humanitarian center. My R.S. has been doing this on going project- donating fabric & making these. I've been doing 3-6 for a couple of weeks now. So cute & easy.
Wende was working on her fantastic cupcake birthday cards.

ARe these so cute or what!?

There was a whole lot of creative goodness going on-
but better than that - great friendships.

I was thinking...
if you are local (you know who you are) would you like to join us?
In the future would anyone be interested in a big Creative Thursday?
Kristy's friend stopped by when she saw all our cars at her house & brought us a treat. WE tried to get her to stay, but she wouldn't. So if anyone is interesting- i will plan a big creative thursday.


*are you in?

creative thursday with photos!

Even though my camera wasn't working...

I got some pictures this week from creative thursday

thanks to Janae for letting me use her camera!!

(view from my place at the table)

I am on a sewing kick & loving it.

I don't usually like to tote my machine around-

besides being old... it's really heavy.

I am so glad I brought it today - I got a lot a project done that

I am thrilled about.

Having a day out of the house-

getting something creative done-

spending time with these great friends-

PLUS janae made the most delicious chocolate cake-

MY FAvorITE!

Not to mention hearing all about Karrie's

fun trip- Karrie just got home this week from a cruise.

She is so adventurous. Traveling to the Dominican Republic and on stand by!

Oh the stories...

I'm so glad you made it home-

And with SAnd for my collection!!

thanks

Here's what I'm working on-

(done with) a cherry apron for megan.

It was a very productive Creative Thursday!

creative thursday- peanut edition

This week my sister had to be somewhere & asked me if I could keep the peanut for the day. I knew it was my creative day & that he would have friends... so hey why not?

After the initial drop off crying

He Did GREat!

Can't you tell by this enthusiastic face,

that he is having the time of his life!!?

He tried so hard all day not to smile it was almost comical.

We headed over to Janae's lusciously cleaned carpet with beautiful vacuumed lines & messed it up right away.

{a little peek at the project we worked on}

When I got home- I realized -

I didn't take any pictures- AGAIN!!!

Is it possible I was dropped at birth?

-what is wrong with me-

???

the humanity

{chloe got out our bucket of old baby toys-sweet memories}

The peanut is fussy- But NOt Today!

He played & played- took an hour & 1/2 nap-

played some more- then followed the dogs around saying

"no, no, no BWonto"

so cute
I love how little kids boss the dogs around.

Finally someone they can boss & get away with it.

***

so again

no pictures from creative thursday

it was great to get away for the day

anyhow

*do you do something creative everyday?

*do you have a group that you meet with regularly?

*I don't think I needed it in my life as much as I do now?

creative thursday- felt cookie edition

This week for creative Thursday-

(Wow I LOVE my Thursdays...)

We met at Janae's with lots of projects in hand-Kristy brought yummy chicken artichoke pizza, bread sticks & brownies.

And- surprise- Karrie brought us all a valentine treat!

Our own bag of her fabulous carmel corn & a scooby doo valentine :)

I was sUper productive & made valentines for all of my scouts-

then worked on these-

Felt Sugar Cookies

I have made dozens of them this past two weeks-

I love them

You can make some too- here is the tutorial

I got the idea from one of my new favorite blogs-

Pamela Susan.

Pamela Susan's blog if Full of lovely things

she makes jewelry & lots, lots more ... she's amazing!

Check her out here!