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?

pta convention 09

It's been a busy week for us all, I'm sure!

These last few weeks before school gets out- are jam packed with loads of goodness- plays, parties, college orientation (already?)

Plus, all the ol' regular activities- scouts, ballet... you get the idea.

Spring also brings- the Utah PTA convention at one of my favorite places in the whole world- BYU campus. Oh again... how I love that campus!

Yesterday I drove down by myself- I had to be there early & stay late for some legislative issues. The older I get the more I enjoy being alone with myself. Interesting... the younger me hated being alone & always wanted to be busy (well I guess that hasn't changed but I am doing better.)

I guess being in my 40's now- I'm finally coming to terms with myself & who I am.

(most of the time)

Brett was so great to work from home, get the kids off, be there when they got home- order pizza, the whole mom bit- he's so supportive of me always. I don't think I give him credit here on this blog enough- he is the best!

I found this fabulous parking spot right across the street from the Monte L. Bean life science museum. When Brett was in school I would take Megan & Brian there. It's full of taxidermy animals- kind of gross now that I think about it- but two toddlers loved it & it was free. The best price for our little college family. It was delightful walking down past the bell tower in the morning sun as the bells played "Come, Come Ye Saints."
And look at this-
Right down from my car...
loads & loads of blooming lilacs!!
I took this shot as I came around to the Wilkenson center. I love it. the sun is coming over the mountains, students walking & the Y in the background. Happiness. There is just a feeling here-

This year in PTA I am the region legislative representative. My goal is to educate & increase awareness of what the PTA locally & nationally does for children. Increase my own awareness & knowledge of local & national issues & use my voice to hopefully make a difference.

I love legislative issues, the legislative session, being at the capitol, etc. This position is a good fit for me & has made me excited to be involved on a different level.

At this meeting I was sitting next to my PTA friends, Charity & Natalie- (I should have gotten a photo) Charity was worried about here parking spot & left to move her car- I was of course telling her about my Fabulous spot near the bell tower- gush gush.
I met Janae for lunch- we shared a mint brownie- the verdict is in... hers are SO MUCH better! I feel so privileged to have experienced her mint brownies in real life.
Ms. Utah spoke- she was surprisingly excellent
Ryan Shupe & the Rubber band was there- they are FAntastic!
I went to three classes:
1. Legislative VP 101- been here before
2. Legislative VP- what is the National PTA's agenda
3. Protecting Children from Abuse
I checked out all the vendors trying to get fundraiser commitments, & I won a Marie Calendars Pie!! woo hoo- I didn't want to carry that around all day- so I called my newly engaged nephew Marcus aka: BYU student extraordinaire & he came & picked it up. I hope it was good, I don't even know what flavor it was!? Later I stayed & voted on this next year's resolutions.
As I walked back to my car... I saw something in the distance on my windshield?

WHAT THE???
how does that scripture go-
pride goeth before the fall
I guess I didn't see the "Y zone only parking" that was not clearly marked on the curb.
dang it!
When will I ever learn? I tell you I am just like one of my kids...
The good news?

I had a dinner date set up to meet Jill & this oh so fabulous Bacon, Blue Cheese Burger!

Jill is the best.

I talked and talked and talked my full blown head off & she was so GREat!

Jill is one of those people who just get it-

she is amazing & so warm & kind & even brought me Chocolate chip cookies!

I am so lucky to know her in REal life.

Thanks Jill!

I came home to find my two guys waiting for me.

Brett & Trent

What a great day

little outing

Between trent & I being sick...

we decided to get out of the house a little on Wednesday afternoon. Without a fever, but not ready to be back to school- cabin fever was setting in.

We ran down to the local Target & checked out the Transformer isleI was reminding him- we are "just looking" over & over, because the amount of Transformers in this house is obscene. I refuse to buy one more. Between Christmas, birthdays, & sticker charts I think we own them all.Just when I thought Transformers were the most obnoxious things around-

I see this-

Holy Hell-

what in the world?

This is disturbing on so many levels.

I think the sight of this in the kids "toy isle" is what put possible me over

the edge.

Thursday my cold was in full bloom.

Thankfully my dear friends still let me come to creative Thursday- knowing how badly I needed to get out of the house.

then, tonight Janae brought us dinner.

Oh my goodness- I didn't realize how much I needed this.

It was wonderful- thanks janae!

I think I've seen the worst of this cold... I hope.

wednesday what's up

Goodnews... shannon & aimee & kim sue were totally right!!

Keebler is making mother's look alike cookies!

(keebler has the cutest website, click on the words above!!)

Hurray- and for being so concerned & diligent about looking into this important matter- I'm running to my local grocery tomorrow morning & sending you each a pack- if I can find them- which I should be able to- right?

This way we can talk cookies & really "know" what we are talking about :)

This week is "early out week"for the elementary & "late start" for the High school. Oh my. It's okay. I can do hard things :). Seriously, someone on the administration level WAS NOT THiNking!!

Trent in all his excitement has been home & will be home everyday at 1:30 instead of 3:30. Jack in all his sleepiness has been sleeping in, getting up just before trent leaves & heading out the door at 9:15. That means I have a severely shortened work day, if you know what I mean?

One thing you need to know about trent- he hates, HATES going to the store. He always has... even as a baby. So I have tried to get anything & everything done as far as errands go before he gets home. Today I just couldn't get it all done so lucky for us Trent's sweet buddy lily came along to ease the errand tension. she really did the trick. Isn't she a cutie?!

When Lily went to piano- trent & I went to cub scouts.

Tonight we had yummy hawaiin meatballs for dinner, watched American Idol, worked on our taxes (brett did that) found out we have paid a lot of tax this year....

then look what arrived at my door!

JANAE THE baking wonder brought these amazing mini chocolate cupcakes!

For the first time in my whole life I cannot eat something because it truly is too cute & I don't want to ruin it. Chloe has just told me I am so lucky to have friends that are always bringing me something... (sky brought me a german chocolate cookie yesterday) She says she wants to be "cool" like me & my friends & do nice things for her friends-- but she can't--- she doesn't have any money & the money she does have she is saving for college. It's rough being a kid.

(she's already "cool", she made cupcakes on sunday & is ALWAYS making nice things for her friends... she just wants a cupcake & I won't let anyone have one)

Today I did 5 loads of laundry, changed the bedding on trent's bed, made pancakes for breakfast, scrubbed 1/2 of the painted floor, ironed 8 shirts, cleaned one toilet, wiped down three mirrors, fed two dogs twice, ate lunch with my sweetheart, talked to my college roomate marji on the phone, read & did homework with a now "9 1/2" year old, picked up an RX (pure torture 40 minute wait), taught 6 cubscouts about our community, made dinner, ran to the dollar store for cub scout supplies, did the dishes, I'm sure I'm forgetting something-- I don't know about you- but I am TIREd.

*how was your wed.?

Happy Birthday Janae!

It had such a fun time earlier this week preparing for Janae's birthday.

I made her an apron (all the blogger moms went in on it) & wrapped all of her presents all matchy. It was really fun for me. I am realizing with these friends that I really do love giving gifts. I thought previously that it was not my "love language" but I am learning more & more about myself. Thanks to my great friends & family for helping me to learn so much about myself & the joy of friendship.

Why I am glad Janae is my friend & fellow blogger mom:

1. I thought I was the truest SEe's lover... but I have met my match!We both love See's - going into a See's store with her is so much fun! We have this See's common bond between us. Who else in the world can discuss the difference between a scotch mallow & a buttercream & really know what they are talking about?

2. Janae is a FANTASTIC cook!!! She has a way with salads that could knock your socks off & she can BAKE too. She even made these once & they looked exactly like the original!? that's seriously impressive~

3. Janae has this very sweet bond with her mom & sisters. I hope my girls love me like she loves her mom.

4. As the mother of FIVE darling girls Janae is a great mom. Five girls- wow I can't even grasp that in my brain. They are so cute & you should've seen them at Christmas. They were so darling in their Christmas dresses. It was like looking through a catalog at a darling Christmas family!

5. Janae is feminine. She is abounding with femininity & I love that about her. Sometimes I am a little rough around the edges... I wish I was more feminine. I love that quality in women. Women who really embrace femininity- not weakness- are really amazing to me.

she even sits feminine- see here I am sprawled all over the place & she is so cute!

7. Janae lets us blogger moms congregate at her house for our Creative Thursdays- she acts like it is no big deal... but I know it is. Besides the fact that her neighbors wonder- why does she has a bunch of cars over every Thursday in her driveway? she makes us feel so at home.

8. Janae is not a Utah girl- just like me- we didn't grow up here. Only another non-local understands what it's like not to be local- does that make sense?

9. Janae is extra good at showing GRAtitude! She is so over the top at saying thank you- she mentioned the other day that her mother in law told her not to bring her anymore treats/gifts after bbsitting for her. I thought- that's just like Janae to thank her like that! She is very thoughtful.

10. Janae is a good friend. She didn't expect & doesn't expect anyone to go out of the way for her, yet she would do it for you in a heart beat!

Happy Birthday Janae!!

super great thursday birthday celebration

Tonight for our creative thursday- the blogger moms celebrated Janae's birthday!

Talk about the MOST FUN EVER!!!

We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner

The last time we tried to go there... Wende's birthday-

I broke my ankle walking the blankety blank- dog and we didn't make it.

We made it tonight!

We had a fabulous dinner, dessert, GREat conversation,

tons of laughter & lots of love for the birthday girl.We started out with Janae's favorite Avocado Eggrolls - mmmmI had Evelyn's pasta- loved it!

The food & atmosphere at the Cheesecake Factory was perfect for a birthday celebration. The music in the background was awesome. Funny to notice the background music...?- but it was rEAlly good. I kept thinking - oh I love this song- over & over.At one point during dinner- some lady from another table came up & said to us,

"you girls are having too much fun!"
It's true -we were having fun :)

The cheesecake of course is incredible!

I love these girls- I love janae-

I hope you have a great birthday weekend!

therapeutic thursday

So every thursday since school started us blogger moms have been getting together to work on projects & have a little lunch & gab time. It's been great for me- for all of us. So great in fact that we are calling our day- Therapeutic Thursday- cute huh?

Kristy, Janae & I have been working on the Sally Foster Fundraiser- sale starts tomorrow (we are in charge for the elementary school.) Wende was doing conference kits & karrie every week has been organizing family photos & putting them into books- amazing- I really need to do that.... Today I was in charge of lunch & brought roasted tomato soup & stuff for paninis.
Then Wende had a fabulous pumpkin pie & whipped cream for Lauri's birthday Saturday- happy birthday Lauri!! Wende took a cute picture but I'm way to lame to remember to do that!!!??

(E- sneaking drinks from Lauri's soda- hee hee)
Ethan & I had a fantastic time playing "tiny nemo." This little guy is darling & really improved my bad morning mood. I am learning that my mood is directly related to my taking/forgetting to take ibuprofen in the morning. gotta remember that. I'm down to 2 in the morning & sometimes 2 in the afternoon- not bad!?

(McGruff just wouldn't stand still for the picture!)

I had to leave early & hobble over to see the State PTA road trip assembly at one of the schools in my council. It was great- they had this amazing magician do a show on "real magic." He was fantastic & talked about how "real magic" is being an example, kind to others, keeping healthy, seeking wise adults and more. He had the kids completely captivated. It was great to see the state PTA in action & meet the executive board.

Later today I drove ballet carpool, taking Trent & his neighbor buddy who also has asperger's with me & letting them play at the park while we waited. It is quite the scene watching two asperger kids play... I found myself wanting to explain to the other family at the park-- hey they have asperger's, the rest of the family is normal, really... I resisted. They are just so different the way they play. They weren't being bad, it's just odd. I'm just keepin it real, man.

Two different times I had to rush (hobbling & rushing isn't a good thing) them each to a bathroom for quick relief. Max was with us too- he steers completely clear from them. I told them, he's scared of you guys. No quick jerking movements, loud sounds, just be quiet & gentle. Max won't have a thing to do with either one of them. He's not a snob, he's just not sure about the two of them, especially together.

We came home & Hailey had made Taco Salad for dinner- YAE HAILEY- that made my day. We had a nice family dinner, watched the Vice Presidential debate, I did the dishes, made visiting teaching apptoinments, replied to some emails, & finished my October card club cards. Now Chloe & I are up doing homework & listening to Utah play Oregon state. Utah just won.

-Busy Day-