May

For some reason I feel a need to document what we've been doing in the time that I haven't been posting...

We worked on our garden alot in May, tore out a bunch of bushes, pruned stuff, planted etc. These are our first few strawberries. We love having a garden but it's pretty intense in memphis... it's hard to compensate for all the heat, storms/winds, bugs and BIRDS!

This is my mothers day meal! Josh is a great cook- I love that he likes to cook because it's a fun thing for us to bond over! He made pork loin, rolls, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus with a brown sugar sauce. Yum! He also made this amazing white chocolate fruit tark that is pictured below! What a good husband!

Aside from the fact that Millie's hair is pretty ratty in this picture, I love her little blonde curls! She is 2 1/2 and I still haven't cut her hair because I'm afraid the curls will go away!

We took a family Vacation to the Smokies during Josh's week break. It was so amazing to be in the mountains again! That is something that I really miss! Look how amazing! so green! We went on a tram ride up to the top of one of the mtns.

We rode some alpine slides while up on the mountain.

We ate a bunch of good food including this homeade ice cream from a creamery at the apple barn cider mill (also had the best apple cider EVER)

I just like this picture because it's sooo green. It almost looks fake. I love the green out here in TN. ("Greenest state in the land of the free" -from the Davey Crocket song), but once and a while I feel like I'm being smothered by too much green!

I wasn't too creative in May, but this was one thing I did- felt hair clips. Super easy.

fun activities

I've been trying harder to find new fun activities for Millie to enjoy. I always want to do fun stuff but find that unless I have it planned ahead and written down it doesn't usually happen. So, I finally got around to making a plan. I wrote down some fun ideas and searched online and penciled them in my planner: 1-2 activities each week (and I found enough so that I could schedule 3 months worth of activities). ANYWAYS, here are some of the things we had fun with.

Nature Box: paint each compartment of an egg container with diff. colors then go on a nature hunt and find objects that match the colors. Mill Loved this one!

Bead Butterfly: all you need is beads and wire- make sure the wire is thin enough that you can fit 2 strands of wire inside the bead hole (so you can make your feelers). I obviously had to shape this but Mill enjoyed trying to string the beads on the wire.

Easter Chicks: 2 diff sizes of pom-pom's, yellow and orange felt, beads for eyes. I used hot glue- then after I put the glue on I let M. press the pieces together.

Flower cupcakes: Mill loves to mix up cake mixes and cookies etc. and also loves to put sprinkles on stuff (I think all kids love that huh? it's just the best thing ever!) Then we just put dum-dum's in for the flower and cut out some scrapbook paper leaves.

Back Yard Picinic: I put her food in an easter basket b/c we don't have a real picinic basket- ha ha. The dress she is wearing is her "picinic dress" (it's something I made in a sewing class in college) I'm not really sure why it is her picinic dress but she has clearly stated this to me several times.

Strawberry mice: slice the bottom of the strawberry on a diagnal so the mouse can sit flat. poke 2 almond slices in for ears, I used chocolate sprinkles for the eyes and mini chocolate chip for the nose. The tail is pull and peel licorice (this was my attempt to get millie to try nuts- but sadly, it didn't work)

Science: This one was super fun! We made "Oblec": 1/2 c. cornstarch and 1/4 c. water. She LOVED playing with this. We also did Volcano's: 1 T. Baking soda, then pour in 1+ Tbsp of vinegar. Also: color mixing: get a clear glass cup/jar and fill it with water. put drop's of food coloring in and watch them swirl around! Oooh!

Pink bath: probabally not a great idea because now she wants it all the time... She fell and scraped up her knee pretty bad and wouldn't take a bath b/c it hurt her knee. After a couple days with no bath I was getting desperate.

But- now I need to plan some more activities so what ideas do you guys have?

California

Last week we took a little trip to N. California. Josh had a race at Stanford so Millie and I bummed along.

This was his first steeple of the season. He did take a little fall, but was fine & still ended up winning! (I can never get clear shots of him while running, so you get to see the starting line line-up.

I had a hard time keeping an eye on the race and an eye on Millie (I really need one of those kid leashes) Above is her pullin some "grumpy faces" because she didn't want to watch the "running race" she wanted to go to the "Man Village"

We went out to Santa Cruz for several hours. The drive out there was georgous-- it's so nice to be out of the city and on the relaxing coast. Mill literally had the time of her life!!! The day was pretty cold so we didn't bring her swim suit but she loved running from the waves and of course ended up gettin soaked- we took off layer by layer, and she ended up like this.

Yes, those are boys underwear. ha ha. I let her chose her first pair of undies, I figured they all do the same job when it comes down to it. (but really, they need to put girls and boys undies in different places so we don't have this problem)

One of the beautiful spots on the drive out to Santa Cruz

We also spent a day in San Fran. Although I could never live in San fran, I really love it there! We walked around the piers and had a good time. We loved the candy shop (I love salt water taffy, Mill does too, but Josh doesn't care for it.)

Of course I have to talk about food right? It really just sets the mood to sit at Fishermans Warf and eat some warm clam chowder served in sour dough bread bowl (although still not as good as market street grill's- in SLC)

Chasing Pigeons was also a blast!

Merry-go-round at pier 35 (this little girl got to be really spoiled this day)

oh yeah, and I'm pregnant! 22 weeks and it's a boy! We're SO excited and feel very blessed to finally have another one healthily on the way :)

Paper dolls

I loved paper dolls when I was a girl. I though i'd get one for mill and came across these cute (free) paperdolls. Just thought I'd share.

click here if you want the above doll

or to get the full size of this doll, click here

also check out this darling paperdoll website

Mardi Gras

We headed down to New Orleans for Marti Gras this last weekend. We had a GREAT time! I know what you are thinking, 'they must be crazy, Marti Gras is pretty riske' '. But we had a few friends and also ward members who've said it is really a family freindly event, just don't go to the french quarter at night and you'll be fine. We went to one of the night parrades, (tonz of other kids there) We scored about 100 sets of beads, 6 stuffed animals, gold coins, and several cups. Mill was in heaven!

Next day we went to the aquarium. Mill is so brave and didn't mind petting the sting rays at all.

Below is Millie on a "Fishally" She was in heaven this trip because we got to go on so many "fishally's" (ie: an exploration. I have NO idea where she came up with this- her vocab. is in no way limited so it's not because she can't pronounce something??)

We ended up gettin rained out. I was sooo dissapointed because we left early and didn't do our sight seeing because, well, we couldn't see anything b/c the rain was so thick. needless to say, this is about the best pic. we got.

We were able to grab a bag of Beignets (cross between doughnut and scones, covered in tonz of powdered sugar) that New Orleans is apparently famous for.

I thought the architecutre and culture was so awesome down there! (wish I had more pictures to share) Everything was old, and bright, and cool, cajin/creole food and all that. I've always wanted to see the Bayou, so one of my fav. parts was driving into the city. The freeway goes right through the Bayou-- it's all built up on stilts. There are a few neighborhood areas built on stilts with their means of transportations being boats. So crazy! I'm sure Gators just show up on their doorstep and it's no bigger deal to them then it would be to us if we found a spider in our house. Loved the trip!

Happy Engagement!

(tracy and kyle on their engagement night)

Alot of you probabally know my little sister Tracy. Well, she got engaged this last weekend!!!! I'm so excited for them! They are a such a cute couple! they have known each other for about... hum... 12 years? but didn't ever date till Kyle got home from his mission. Kyle's a great guy, super personable, and fun. (Also alot like Curtis Stone if you watch food network. ha ha ) Tracy and Kyle are both kindof... crazy (ie: menstal-tute. if you know what this is then you know tracy very well !) They are such a good pair in so many ways! We're excited for Kyle to be in our family! congrats you guys!

best cupcake ever

Yes, Another food post... You see, this was quite certanly the best cupcake I've ever had. I wasn't expecting much from this blueberry cupcake (top R.), picked out by Millie, but it topped the list! Very dense, with real blueberries inside. The frosting must have been half freshly whipped cream half frosting. Just wishing I could have another! If you are ever in Fayetteville AR. (on the way to most places, jk) stop by Bliss Cupcakes and try out one of these!

Weather

Memphis weather is pretty crazy. I love that these 2 pictures were taken the same week. Start out with a snow storm and temperatures in the 20's... end the week with some sunny 60 deg. weather! (It's like coach Kuhlmann always says, "you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes" ha ha, love that guy!)

last minute valentines

My Valentines is kindof last min. this year (due to being out of town last week, and planning for New Beginnings) but here are some cute, easy valentine ideas... just in case you are on the same track that i'm on (well, on second thought, if you are on the same track i'm on you may not check blogs on a busy day, but oh well, i'll post anyway)

All images from B.H.G.

Message in a bottle!

(mini candy bar for the body)

This one for mill.

This one for Josh

and some yummy treats that you could make later this week- from BHG as well (you can find the recipes by using the recipe search on BHG.com)

Chocolate-covered strawberry cake(only i'm using a cake mix rather than making home-made cupcakes like the recipe suggests)

chocolate-malted mousse