Here's How We Feel About "Black Friday"

It's

Just

Plain

SILLY!!!!

Thankfully Thankful....

For grandparents, cousins, good food, fun stories, endless play, silly faces, memories, family, laughter...

Happy Thanksgiving To All!

All Tuckered Out

Friday is the day you get to paint your face at preschool if you have been well-behaved all week. Luckily most Fridays, little lady shows up at home looking like this! Looks like she had a pretty big day at school playing with friends and learning good stuff!

Cute Cousins

What's On My List?

This. IS.Seriously.The.Coolest.Thing.Ever.
I Want To Have One Done for All 3 Of The Little People ASAP....

Go HERE...to learn More about such awesomeness!
Kudos to my friend Rebecca for always finding the "good stuff"~!

29 Cupcakes...

Thanks Kenz for letting us celebrate your upcoming nuptials!

It was a great day filled with YUMMY cupcakes.
Go HERE to taste some for yourself.

Best Of Friends

I love these two girls.
They are like magnets to one another, simply inseparable.
Aubrey has been Abby's nanny since she was born.
We recently made a change and Aubrey is now my assistant at Jamestown.
Abby and the boys aren't too happy about that.
That's not to say they don't love our Miss Jeri.
It's just that there's only one Miss Aubrey.
I'm just so grateful we have Aubrey in our lives.
She does so much for us, I'd be lost without her for sure!

Flashback Friday

Thanksgiving 2006 at the Tucson Zoo

The Advantages of Having a BFF Who Owns A Movie Theatre

1. We get to see things like this before anyone else
(I know it's a bit "braggy" but we'll be getting a SNEAK preview at 7 p.m.)
2. She trades free babysitting for movie tickets
3. Your kids can reek havoc on the movie theatre without any recourse from the ownership
4. Unlimited Slushies and Popcorn

Wordless Wednesday (Turkey Style)

This Is How Birthday Boys Spend Their Birthday Morning

Curled Up With His Favorite New Book....
Diary of A Wimpy Kid...The Ugly Truth.

Barrels of Laughs

Flashback Friday

Dear Isaac, I'm so glad you decided to HATCH in our family 8 years ago. Thanks a bunch. Love, MOM




Hapiness is never too far behind when you are around...and laughter...and joy....It's just what you do. And you do it so well my son!

Wordless Wednesday

Teach Me To Walk In The Light Of His Love

I love that as parents we have the divine calling and ability to teach our children to walk in the light. I know that as we teach our children, we learn ourselves and become better human beings in the process.
I find it difficult to believe that Isaac will turn 8 this week.
It's a big birthday that comes with great responsibility.
We've been talking a lot lately about his upcoming baptism and what that means. I feel such peace and excitement for him. He has such an special soul, it's sometimes impossible for me to fully wrap my mind around it. On Sunday night we were on our way out to Justin's brothers for Sunday night dinner when Isaac asked,"Mom and dad, do adults lie and do bad things?" I answered by telling him that yes indeed big people do make mistakes.
Then we spoke a bit about repentance to which he replied in a very serious manner,"My Sunday school teacher says that nothing unclean or sinful can dwell with Heavenly Father and I'm not sure if I will make it." Then we spoke about the gift of the atonement and the sacrifices that Jesus made for us. On a lighter note, later in the evening Uncle Derrin was "practice baptising" Isaac and he informed him that the more sins he had committed the longer he would have to stay under the water.Isaac said, "Then you're going to have to keep me under there for at least 2 hours." We all had a good laugh about that thought.
Oh man I love him.

Flashback Friday

Great Grandma Ann & A "Little" Mindy, 1980
Ann loved reading the newspaper to me. Her favorites were Ann Landers and Mrs. Manners.
Many of my most treasured memories of my childhood were spent on her lap doing just this.
We saw every Peter O'Toole movie ever made together.
She gave me enough love to last 5 lifetimes.
I love her so much.
I love that my mom cared about capturing moments like these for me.
It's hard to believe she's been gone 3 years. She was a true delight to anyone who she came into contact with. She spread so much sunshine in the world. I miss her so much.

Thursday's Thought

Wordless Wednesday

Recipe of the Week

Warm Raisin & Rice Pudding
The cold weather is here, and it's time to break out the comfort food.

Anytime I want to show my sweetie just how much I love him,
or if I want to get something out of him....
this is what I use.
It usually does the trick.....

• 4 3/4 cups milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
• 2/3 cup medium- or short-grain white rice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large egg yolks

Combine 4 cups milk, rice, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and salt in heavy large saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, stirring frequently, about 1 hour. Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in raisins and vanilla.

Pour 3/4 cup milk into heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk into beaten yolks. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thermometer registers 160 °F, about 2 minutes (do not boil). Stir egg mixture into rice mixture.

Transfer rice pudding to large nonmetal bowl. Cover and chill until cold, about 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Thin rice pudding with more milk, if desired. Spoon into bowls and serve.

Louie, Louie

Isaac has been learning about Louie Armstrong in first grade this year.
It really tickles me that our children are learning about such things at school. His music happens to be a favorite of Justin and I. Isaac can tell you all about Louie's life and musical career. He even knows what it means to "SCAT" and cracks us up with his very own original creations. Louie was someone who put so much good into the world. Abby even picked up the book "When Louie Armstrong Taught Me Scat" at the library last week and was all excited. We're all in love for sure. Check out why HERE.