Friday, November 12, 2010

FRIDAY FIVES


5 Random things
(Ideas, Thoughts, Questions, anything)

1. I day dream all the time about (having enough money to...) building a dream home with an in-law suite/guest house for my parents. I'd want them to even have a sauna for their oldness. :) lol. Of course there will be a HUGE screen T.V. for my dad to watch Fox News all day long. lol.



2. I really have a lot to say about those who would disagree that I am a Christian or that because I am "Mormon" my Christianity is somehow inferior to theirs. I hope I can protect my children from their prejudices and teach them to love as Jesus taught and forgive those that are uninformed. I work on forgiving also. :)


3. I want a trampoline. Evan and I would be in HEAVEN and I would have my favorite place to sky watch and day dream. I need more sky watch/day dream time... don't you? wink. ( i had a rectangular one growing up. Now my family has 2 round ones next to each other and bounce from trampoline to trampoline. Yeah, it's how we roll.)


4. Why do others insist on telling me that I'm outspoken as if I didn't know that or like it's going to influence me to change that personality trait? Why would I want to do that? I am not interested at all in keeping my thoughts and opinions to myself when there is injustice so buckle up. :) he he he

5. Do you think it's possible to permanently glue my lips to my kids? I kiss them all day long enough to seem like it's already happening but they are so adorable, I can't leave them alone! (ha ha ha, poor kids)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

PARTY RECIPE's

BAKED ARTICHOKE DIP  FROG-EYE SALAD & ITALIAN CREAM SODA
Baked Artichoke Dip
8oz can Artichoke Hearts (drained)
12oz. softened Cream Cheese
1/2 stick Butter (not margarine)
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese (minimum)
Mix first 3 ingredients well with a blender then spread in a glass baking dish or stoneware. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling and/or topping is browned. You can also broil for a few minutes at the end. Serve with Pretzel Chips, Tortilla chips, bread or triangle Triscuts.

Frog-Eye Salad
1 cup granulated Sugar
2 Tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 3/4 cup Pineapple Juice (or all juice from the two can's in 2nd step)
2 beaten Eggs
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 box/package of Acini Pasta (little bead size) - cooked
Combine first 5 ingredients in sauce pan on medium heat until mixture starts to thicken. Add lemon juice and stir for 5 more minutes then let cool for 10 minutes. Combine with pasta in a very large bowl (Tupperware "Thatsa Bowl" is perfect according to my sister). Refrigerate overnight...
3 cans Mandarin Oranges - drained
2 cans Pineapple chunks - drained (juice was used the day before in sauce)
1 cup Coconut
2 cups small Marshmallows
12 oz. Cool Whip
In the morning, combine the above ingredients in the pasta mixture. Chill for 3 more hours then it's ready to serve! Great for potlucks it makes a TON.

Italian Cream Soda
Bottle of Club Soda
Whipping Cream
Grenadine Flavor of your choice
(I love cherry. World Market has a great selection and Sugar Free options. wink)
Whipping Cream
Rainbow Sprinkles (i like the ones pictured on the cone above instead of the thicker ones)
I use a Cream Soda glass from The Olde Spaghetti Factory which even has a mark on it for where to fill the grenadine to. So, imagine we are making this delicious drink in a tall Ice Tea glass. Pour about 1 - 1 1/2 inches of grenadine (to your taste) first. Next add the Club Soda within 2 inches of the top of the glass. Carefully add approximately 1-2 Tbsp of the Whipping Cream (pictured). It 'reacts' to the club soda and will bubble up so be careful for over spill. Add whipped cream for top garnish then sprinkle the Yummy sprinkles for fun. :). These ingredients will last for 3-4 sodas unless you buy 2 Club Sodas.
Little and big kids alike LOVE this.

I made the first two recipes yesterday for a game night with the ladies at church and got requests to share them. Both come from my sister Katrina although I'm sure she didn't invent either one. lol. The Italian Cream Soda is me eyeballing the guy making them at my favorite coffee cart in the Everett Hospital where we did service on the mission. It's Seattle yo, even coffee on every floor of the hospital. :) Let me know if you make these and like them. I'd love the feed back. (Also, the pictures above are not my own.)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Top of the Blog

 Hear it is time again for Top of the Blog where I post about the picture as my header (i frequently change it). Today we went to the Library, the Square and then to the back yard for the leaves... again. ;). Here is Cora Grace just sitting around the back yard in the leaves. ;) he he he.

by City Hall, looking at the fountains.

I was in the car, stopped at a light and just put the camera back without looking and this is what I got! ;) I love his fangs, so "Twilight". ha ha ha.

Chillin' on a park bench around the square. eek!


The one above and below were both contenders for T.O.T.B. but ultimately I went for the close up. :)
 Come on, look at those cheeks on that baby!

 I wish I could have taken that shadow away :(

 I love it so muuuuch!

 why isn't this one T.O.T.B. mommy? - Cora

 Personal favorite. :)

Big Foot sighting.

the "contemplating" version of T.O.T.B. <3


All heck breaking loose.
I love and hate C.G.'s pouty lip...

I just had to put it in again. eek! I just want to eat her face up! :)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Belated Report, he he he

There is nothing more I'd like to blog about right now than Cora Grace. She is such a doll baby! She's so happy and cute and constantly doing new things I look forward to watching her grow and become a successful human and kind daughter.

My friend Kristyn sent me these pictures on like June 5th and I am only now posting them! I know you will all appreciate seeing Cora's birth family as it also warms my heart. Cora Grace was born on Tuesday, June 1st and came 'home' with us on Wednesday. These pictures were taken at a get together on Friday with Cyndee's 4 current children and family. My brother Jesse, my sister in law Kelli and their son Stewart are there too (their cute daughter had other plans). Her daughter Jessica is 20 from her first marriage and 3 sons; Jacob, Jarrod and Justin are 9-12 years old from her 2nd marriage (she is divorced). She has 2 sisters and a brother and their mother Marlene is also there. Cyndee's sisters were very nice to me and Cora's two cousins were the sweetest! They even wrote her a note each which I hold sacred and dear. I was very touched by Cyndee's brother in the pictures who was very emotional the whole time. As a note, their father had just passed away 2 months before and Cyndee's surprise baby seemed to add to the mood. Lastly, C.G.'s birth Grandmother, she is truly a special soul. I felt very akin to her the moment I met her and I think C.G. looks so much like her which pleases me. I hope you don't mind to have waited this long for these pictures or documentation of this account. Thank you Kristyn for hosting this at your home and for being the photographer (among everything else you did even though you have a husband and 3 babies of your own. hug). xo


 I do love this picture of Cyndee :)

This is Kristyn who got this beautiful ball rolling. :) 

Cousins Kathrine and Tori. I could only dream that Cora will turn out as sweet as these two were to us.

These are Cora's 1/2 brothers biologically, Justin, Jacob and Jarrod (and Cyndee).

They have A LOT of energy but I really loved it. I think they are sweet also, to each other and to Cora.

Jessica is on the left and was really emotional the whole time but we persuaded her to let us have some pictures with her in them. She feels so in love with Cora and was not given proper time to deal with what was going on. Jessica and I talk all the time through email and she is the only one I talk to in the family. She is MUCH more at peace and our conversations are the reason. She is happy for us and for Cora and admits it is not just the shock of the baby being born, then placed for adoption but previous struggles in her life that brought all the emotion to the surface. We didn't want her to be so sad but also didn't take it personally and she was happy to hear that.

Jessica had a locket inscribed for Cora (of which she has the same one for herself) that says "Forever Sisters" with a picture of herself and another of her holding C.G.. This is her giving me the locket and a blanket for our precious baby. I've had pictures made of Cora holding the necklace and another of Cora holding a ring Marlene gave her. Jessica loved the pictures.

This may be the biggest smile for Cyndee, which I love.

This is Jessica's boyfriend on the left but I love this moment captured of Jacob holding Cora so delicately.

This is Marlene, Cora's birth Grandmother <3.

Evan found a way to entertain everyone, even then. Peek a boo!

Peek a boo 2.

I really loved her boys and their tenderness for mom and baby Cora.

Cyndee and her brother Billy. He really broke my heart.

Cyndee, her brother Billy and his wife Sandy. I really don't know why Cora is crying in all these pictures cause she literally never does this but I found through that week, she would cry when the family held her and I think it's because she could sense the stress. As a reminder, Cyndee kept her pregnancy a secret and the family was very surprised with phone calls on June 1st. I don't even know if her brother had even seen the baby yet before this so if that is the case, I'm even more grateful he came.

This is Cyndee's sister Colette. She seemed so familiar to me for some reason, it was really strange but in a good way. I felt comfortable with a 'stranger' because of it. :)

This is Cyndee's sister Claudine. She was more of an observer and I did not get to talk to her barely unfortunately.

The whole gang. I love that Stewart is just laughing at Evan. :)

I don't know if I ever posted this but it is from Cora's birth day that Kristyn's friend took. I am very grateful for these pictures taken at the hospital since I would have preferred to be there myself of course. They are special to me and will be very special to Cora Grace. I know I was sad that I never had baby pictures of myself (being the 5th, there's only a few things on my parents mind besides photography. lol)

So there you go. Let me know what you think. :)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

First of 4 Leaves video's



-- Sent from my Palm Pixi

Leaves video



-- Sent from my Palm Pixi

Friday, November 5, 2010

Cute Movie

Year: 1942

Cast: Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallee, William Demarest, Franklin Pangborn

Directed By: Preston Sturges
Young architect Tom Jeffers (McCrea) dreams of building an airport and his adoring wife Gerry (Colbert) decides to help him out--by divorcing him. That way she can head to Palm Beach, marry rich, and finance Tom's ambitions. So Gerry sets her considerable charms on catching eccentric J.D. Hackensacker (Vallee). When Tom follows, he becomes prey for J.D.'s tart-tongued sister (Astor). Takes amusing aim at the idle rich with Sturges's trademark witty, sophisticated dialogue.


I LOVE old movies and this one was featured on TCM today. My dad always watched/watches old black and whites so I would sit along with him and watch for hours and hours it seemed. I have never seen this one but it is cute. Reminds me of an I Love Lucy episode or something (a show I definitely watched religiously growing up). If you are a movie junky or just need something to look for on TCM, take a chance, I think it was fun... for a 1942 movie. :)

Friday Fives

5 things... you want on
your Christmas List this year

Some may have laughed this off when it was first announced but WHO doesn't want one now that has ever seen one!? Please, give me an IPAD! I can use it for business AND pleasure. :) Either way, it will make me happy (batting her eyelashes in her husbands er.. Santa's direction). he he he


Shopping spree for AVEDA products. OOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh How I miss you so!!! I could literally spend all day there. *sigh*


I would really like to go to Tangerine (even though I don't really feel welcome) and an hour message from JASON STRENGTH. While I'm being greedy, I'll go ahead and request one of these for every month of the years please... and thank you.


For Michael and I to make more time for each other and go on some dates. Walks on the Greenway, dinner, movies, flying kite's after church like we used to, weekend trips, the zoo, whisper sweet nothings to each other (hehehe). ;)


I wouldn't mind a jewel or two. Evan recently broke my pearl earrings and if I ever get around to trying to get it fixed, I hope I won't need new ones. :) I wouldn't mind an aquamarine ring to change out with my green amethyst one. fun!


Lastly (and 6th... oops) Please, Please, Please oh Please SOMEone call "What Not to Wear" on me!!!!! I am horribly depressed over my closets condition and how I feel about myself over it. I just want have someone who knows how to dress and teach me what looks right on me. I only accidentally, occasionally look presentable at best! :) But really, I need them, I am tragic and would appreciate a 5 alarm fire drill to alert them of my mess. Thanks.