It went so fast

and yet so slow...

Juliet is 3 months old!

She is still blue-eyed, sweet as ever and has the faintest laugh I have ever heard. She loves to be around people which is good in this house!

Click the links for comparison...

Lucas at 3 months.

Bridget at 3 months.

Scarlett at 3 months.

Love my 3 monther...it just went so fast!

Boys and Girls Days

Last Night/This Morning was the Father Son Campout.

Lucas was so excited ALL week and was very nervous because "we have had precipitation all week" yes those are his words.  The sun came out and off they went...

 I could not just pack foil dinners for my men so I made pork fajitas for them to cook for dinner at the campout.

 Lucas had his minus the tortillas because they were still on the counter at home. Haha.

 Lucas had a great time fitting in with the other boys from church.

No one in his class was there, but he didn't mind.

There was a fireside and at 8:45 Lucas told Nathan he was tired so they left and went to the tent.

The next morning Lucas went fishing with another boy and look what he helped catch!

He also got to play a round or two of Laser Tag...

Lucas came home with Nathan at around 10:45 and had lots of stories and lots of stink on his clothes.

The girls weren't too upset because while the boys were away we got to "play."

The girls and I watched movies and sang out loud and mopped the floors.

Real exciting stuff.

We also played with the food processor and made Kringles!

A Chocolate Pecan Kringle with a Maple Glaze...

 and a Lemon Cream Cheese one with Lemon Glaze...

Both were fabulous!

Picture a butter braid but in an oval shape.

Flaky Flaky layers like puff pastry. Mmmmm.

I am glad I have new neighbors to share this stuff with otherwise I'd be the size of a house!

We all took naps and relaxed for the rest of the day. It is nice to have a Saturday where there ISN'T something going on, don't you think?

Someone for Everyone!

Today we got to have Carter and Cody over in the morning.  It was such a beautiful break from the 2 full days of rain that we decided to go to the park.

My friend Amelia and her daughter Ellie were in town. They are from DC and I have never met them before.

They met us at the park. It was 55 and GORGEOUS!

Carter is 4 and is Lucas's buddy. Cody is 2 and Scarlett is in love with him.  She was holding his hand and hugging him most of the day.

Here are some pics of everyone at the park!

 Merry Go Round!

 Bridget and Ellie

 After the park we parted ways - Lucas to school, the boys went with their dad and Amelia went back to Boulder.

I decided I would play with my food processor during nap. I made a Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake.

It was fantastic.

We had a great time with friends. I am glad there was someone for everyone to play with.

Today.

Today it rained. It rained all day. It is still raining.

The doorbell rang at 9am. It was the friendly neighborhood FedEx man.  

This is what he delivered to me...

This is my Brand New 11 Cup Cuisnart ProCustom Grade Food Processor.

My Grandma...

who is a  lovely lady who knows and appreciates my love for all things cooking.  I get this passion from my father who gets it from her.  My love/problem/obsession is really her fault! :) Just Kidding.

Anyway. She sent it to me for Mother's Day.  Isn't it awesome? Although I know we shouldn't covet things I am giving you all permission to ooh and aww over this beautiful piece of machinery.

So OF COURSE since it was raining I had to do something about it and bake something amazing right?

Well - those plans had to wait since Lucas had his Kindergarten Safari today!

Lucas was on Team Elephant.

They had a scavenger hunt to show the kids where to go and where things were.

They got to do a neat coloring project while the parents were in the Library during orientation.

After that the kids got to pick a new book and got a safari snack kit.

Lucas was so excited and looked so small in comparison to the other kids there.  I have to remember that even though he is so tall he is always going to be one of the youngest kids in school having a July birthday. I have no doubt that he will do just fine in kindergarten though.  I think he is one of the most excited kids EVER! :)

Okay after that we came home and I started my project with my new food processor!  I am determined to master tart/quiche/pie making before I turn 30. I have a list of doughs/crusts/and kinds that I need to master before I can check them off

This one was the Brioche Dough.  I made a Golden Custard and Cherry Brioche Tart.

That crust was DELICIOUS!  The custard was perfectly sweet and cherries are my favorite.  So far I have mastered the Sweet Rich Short Crust and now the Brioche Crust. I was pleasantly surprised how easy this was.

Soon I am going to try the pate brisee and pate sucree crusts.

The best part about my uninturrepted kitchen creation time was my happy little helper...

She is really great with a whisk!

We are celebrating our Mother's Day this Sunday since we were in California.

We have something else special to celebrate...

Nathan got straight A's AGAIN this semester!  I am so proud and grateful to have such a hard worker in my life - he is a great example to me and our children and we are so blessed that he is able to go to school.

Today - reposted because blogger ate this post

Today it rained. It rained all day. It is still raining.

The doorbell rang at 9am. It was the friendly neighborhood FedEx man.  

This is what he delivered to me...

This is my Brand New 11 Cup Cuisnart ProCustom Grade Food Processor.

My Grandma...

who is a  lovely lady who knows and appreciates my love for all things cooking.  I get this passion from my father who gets it from her.  My love/problem/obsession is really her fault! :) Just Kidding.

Anyway. She sent it to me for Mother's Day.  Isn't it awesome? Although I know we shouldn't covet things I am giving you all permission to ooh and aww over this beautiful piece of machinery.

So OF COURSE since it was raining I had to do something about it and bake something amazing right?

Well - those plans had to wait since Lucas had his Kindergarten Safari today!

Lucas was on Team Elephant.

They had a scavenger hunt to show the kids where to go and where things were.

They got to do a neat coloring project while the parents were in the Library during orientation.

After that the kids got to pick a new book and got a safari snack kit.

Lucas was so excited and looked so small in comparison to the other kids there.  I have to remember that even though he is so tall he is always going to be one of the youngest kids in school having a July birthday. I have no doubt that he will do just fine in kindergarten though.  I think he is one of the most excited kids EVER! :)

Okay after that we came home and I started my project with my new food processor!  I am determined to master tart/quiche/pie making before I turn 30. I have a list of doughs/crusts/and kinds that I need to master before I can check them off

This one was the Brioche Dough.  I made a Golden Custard and Cherry Brioche Tart.

That crust was DELICIOUS!  The custard was perfectly sweet and cherries are my favorite.  So far I have mastered the Sweet Rich Short Crust and now the Brioche Crust. I was pleasantly surprised how easy this was.

Soon I am going to try the pate brisee and pate sucree crusts.

The best part about my uninturrepted kitchen creation time was my happy little helper...

She is really great with a whisk!

We are celebrating our Mother's Day this Sunday since we were in California.

We have something else special to celebrate...

Nathan got straight A's AGAIN this semester!  I am so proud and grateful to have such a hard worker in my life - he is a great example to me and our children and we are so blessed that he is able to go to school.

Things to Think About 5/11

The get-it-done list for May... straight out of the "gentle reminders" section of my 6 years of Martha Stewart Living magazines. Started late? Check out the other months by clocking on the label below!.

• Give your bathroom a makeover. Bring out light-colored towels, and have a while shower curtain in linen or canvas to give the room a cool look. Was or replace the curtain liner, if necessary. 
• Clean out your medicine cabinet every 6 months. Restock supplies, discard old medications, refill prescriptions, and replace any cosmetics that are aging (eye makeup, for example, lasts only three to six months). Make sure you have basic first aid items, such as bandages and pain relievers, on hand, too.
• Organize the pantry. Dispose of expiring items, replace spices and cooking staples, and stock up on nuts, olives, crackers, and other nibbles for entertaining unexpected guests.
• Clean the filter on your air conditioner once a month when you are using it frequently.This prevents dust and other allergens from accumulating. Turn off the unit, and remove the filter (refer to the manufacturer's instructions if necessary). Wash the filter with warm water and mild detergent. Let it dry completely before replacing. Also, vacuum vents of window units at the same time, to cut down on the dust that can clog its interior. If you have a central-air system, get it serviced professionally.
• Update your emergency phone list. It should include contact information for local police and fire departments, the poison control center, doctors and veterinarians, family and neighbors. Laminate the list, and post it near the phone. You should also program the numbers into your cell phone.
• Clean the refrigerator and freezer. Soak removable pieces in warm, slightly soapy water; loosen hardened spills on fixed parts by covering them with a damp sponge or cloth. Don't use bleach or ammonia, as these can damage some materials. To eliminate odors, wipe down all interior surfaces with a baking soda-warm water solution (one or two tablespoons soda per quart of water). Vacuum the coils of your refrigerator to remove dust and buildup. In older models, the coils are located in the back; in newer ones, look for them at the bottom, behind the front grill.
• Save energy in the kitchen. For the most economical use of electricity, make sure your freezer is fully stocked, but leave some space in the fridge for air to circulate and keep things cold. Check the refrigerator and freezer temperatures, using an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be forty degrees; the freezer, zero.

Getting it out

Today we started our Ward's park day.  It was beautiful and the kids were all so good.  We brought a friend with us and Lucas was so protective of her.  Everyone had a great time and we came home and crashed.

 I was talking about this little girl below...

...with another mom at park day.  Its not that she is "bad" its not that she is "spirited" its not that she is "hard"

It truly is just that she is her own person. Honestly I think she is mostly misunderstood and because of this she has to figure out things in her own time and her own way.

It is totally cool though because I know EXACTLY who she takes after. 

HAHAHAHAHA

It was good to explain it out loud to someone else.

It basically just confirmed my suspicions on who she is mirroring. ;)

Also today I finished my FIRST of SIX Biographies that I plan on reading before I am 30.
The book was

and WOW is all I have to say.
It was a very interesting overview of the Russian revolution and the place royalty played in it. The book focuses on the diary of the author's grandmother who was a Russian princess and became a communist. 
I felt she was spoiled and kind of bratty and a very selfish woman glorified by her granddaughter - she was very progressive, having affairs and ignorning her children before that became popular. Haha.