Holiday Fun



We just got an inch of snow last night and with all the holiday activities going on it really feels like Christmas around here. In the spirit of Christmas I thought this would be fun to answer. I got this off of Kelly A.'s blog and then I got a bunch of emails asking the same questions from friends and family so I decided to post my answers here.



Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags?


Wrapping paper with REAL ribbon!!


Real Tree or Artificial?


We must have a REAL tree. I come from a long-line of people in the timber industry. We like our trees real. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have lots of beautiful ones to choose from. I will concede to having an artificial tree like my white tree in my kitchen (my first choice was real one flocked but Tyler refused...they are really expensive here) and I would LOVE a vintage silver tinsel tree but our main tree must be real!!


When do you put up the tree?


The weekend after Thanksgiving.


When do you take the tree down?


New Years Day. I love all the decorations and lights. I am always sad when it is time to put everything away.


Do you like Eggnog?


I LOVE eggnog!! We never used to drink it growing up. My mom didn't like it and I guess my dad didn't either. When I met Tyler he couldn't believe I had never tasted eggnog before. He loves it. He forced me to try it...said he would pour it down my throat if I didn't take a sip (It sounded revolting to me. I hate milk and "eggy milk" sounded vomitous.) But I tried it and it was heavenly!! My kids are eggnog fanatics and beg for it the minute it appears in the stores around Halloween.


Do you prefer Hot Chocolate or Apple Cider?


Hot Chocolate all the way!! Last night we had Carlo's fabulous hot chocolate with mint m&m's, sprinkles, and whipped cream. Delicious!! I also like "Carmel Apple Cider" but that is the only kind of Apple Cider I will drink.


Favorite gift received as a child?


My ghetto-blaster. That doesn't sound very politically correct now does it? But that was what it was called when I was in 6th grade. It was BIG and had the double cassette option. I remember being at University Mall Christmas shopping with my parents. They went off one way and my sisters and I went off another way to do some Christmas shopping (remember those days? I was just at the mall on Saturday and there's no way I would let Reilly wander the mall without parental supervision. Have you seen the freaks at the mall lately?) Anyway when we met up my parents had a big box that was already wrapped. I asked what it was and they said it was a lamp for my Nana. This box was put under the Christmas tree because my Nana was coming around New Years to visit from Denver. On Christmas morning after everything was opened I was pouting because I didn't get "THE ONLY THING I ASKED FOR!!" My dad told me to go look under the tree. I said there was only "the stupid lamp" for Nana. He said "Well...since she's not coming for a few days you might as well open it...she won't care." I opened it and low and behold it was a giant ghetto blaster!! My scream could be heard for miles!! :)

Do you have a Nativity Scene?

Yes. Several different types. Our Stake puts on a big "Creche Festival" every year for our community. We went on Saturday night and there were hundreds of different kinds of Nativities. This festival has been going on for 5 years and it is so amazing. It really inspired me to start collecting them. Here's what we have so far:

My mom gave me a set of ornaments one year that was all of the Nativity. Here's the Mary ornament. I love the set!!

My mom made me this tree skirt one year and it is a prized possession. It has eight different panels depicting the Nativity. Some are quilted and some are hand-painted. The backing is a peppermint striped fabric. I love it!!

Hardest person to buy for?

My mom. If she ever wants/needs something she just goes and buys it. She is also difficult because she never wants us to buy her anything. She always tells us to save our money. But if the question was "Who is the hardest person to surprise?" it would definitely be Tyler.

Easiest person to buy for?

My sisters and my girls. I'm a girly-girl and I always can find lots of things I think my sisters or my daughters would LOVE!!

Worst gift you've ever received?

Life-Saver Books. Those were the popular thing to get from friends in Elementary School. I hate life-savers!! It feels like I got way too many of those life-saver books.

Mail or Email Christmas Cards?

I hate ecards no matter the holiday. I LOVE getting Christmas Cards in the mail. See previous post.

Favorite Christmas Movie?

White Christmas and A Christmas Story. I can't get enough Bing Crosby. I love him. He used to perform out a the lake (our lake) at the dance hall that used to be on my grandma's property back in the 40's. The dance hall was where her big storage garages are now. Cool huh? AND...who doesn't love Ralphie. That is seriously one of my all-time FAVORITE movies!!

When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Usually after Halloween.

Have you ever recycled a Christmas Gift?

But of course!! ;)

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

There are so many to choose from!! Escargot (my family loves this dish and we eat it every Christmas!!), my mom's Chex mix, divinity, and eggnog!!

Clear lights or Colored lights?

Both. I like clear lights on my big Christmas tree and decorating through out my house. I like colored lights on my white Christmas tree and on our house outside.

Favorite Christmas Song?

Again so many to choose from. I especially love Carol of the Bells, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman.

Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Both. We have lots of family nearby so I like to go to my mom's house or have everyone here for Christmas Eve and then go to my Mom's for Christmas Day or out to the lake.

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Of course!

Do you have an Angel on top or a star?

My personal favorite is a vintage tree topper but our kids demand an angel.

Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

We always open up pajamas and an ornament on Christmas Eve, Santa's presents on Christmas morning, and family presents and adult stockings (we draw names and fill a stocking for a family member) on Christmas afternoon/evening after we've eaten our big meal.

Most annoying thing about this time of year?

The crowds while shopping, people who wear Santa hats around, and people with wreaths on their cars!! (Sorry if any of you are offended!! :)

Christmas Cards

It's that time of year again...time for the sending and receiving of Christmas cards. I love it! It's one of my favorite things about Christmas. I love the anticipation of going to the mailbox and seeing it stuffed with cards and packages rather than bills and junk mail. It makes getting the mail just delightful. My kids fight over who is going to get the mail once December 1st rolls around.

Sending Christmas cards is a long standing family tradition. My Grandma E. has been the queen of Yuletide greetings. Two years ago I asked her how many Christmas cards she sent out each year. She said that she used to send out 250 cards a year. But that her number was shrinking due to all her old friends who were dying off. That particular year she was only sending out 200. Wow! That's a lot of Christmas cards! But she said that's what happens when you have lived for over 80 years...you to know a lot of people.

This tradition has been passed on to my mom and then onto me. I love going home to my mom's house and perusing all her Christmas cards from old family friends, relatives, and old college roommates. Whenever I go to her house I always ask right away "Who have you gotten Christmas cards from?" There are some families who are more interesting than others. I always like reading about the latest doings of the Dodds, the Nolans, Mary Jane, and the "oh so" handsome M. Antoinelli to name a few. Pictures are always preferable and when enclosed with a Christmas letter even better!!

Today the cards that I ordered online arrived and I am so happy with them! It was so painless to go to Shutterfly and design them, download the picture and have them sent right to my door. I ordered them on Sunday and they arrived today...sweet! I paid no extra charge to hurry them along...even better. Better yet I'm not doing a Christmas letter this year I just added the web address for my blog because I truly believe what my friend, Lucy, said...that "blogging is like a Christmas letter all year!" I did pick up a package of Christmas cards for those who I don't "wish" to be regular blog viewers but should still receive a Christmas card.

I am happy to report that we received our first Christmas card on December 3rd (I LOVE the early Christmas card) way to go Darren and Meghan!! Impressive. I guess I'd better get busy. I've got 50 to mail out this year.

**Do you mail out Christmas cards?**

**Anyone near my Grandma's total?**

She's Here!!

Finally she is here!! River Victoria was born Friday November 30th at 3:28 pm. She weighed in at 9 lbs 5 oz and was 20.5 inches long. She has a little bit of brown hair.

It was a long and arduous journey for all involved but she is definitely worth it. Stacey called me Wednesday night to say that the hospital called and they could induce her that night. Stacey had pregnancy induced hypertension (I have had it with all three of my kids) and was spilling protein and so they wanted to induce. I packed up immediately, left Reilly and Kameron with Tyler, grabbed Ailey and hit the road. We were hoping to outrun the big snowstorm that was scheduled to hit that night. Lucky for us we did.

When we arrived in BFE (as I lovingly call their little town) Stacey, John and Dane were already at the hospital. I went straight to their house and John brought Dane home. I was sure my little niece was going to be born that night...um no. My mom arrived and called the hospital. Stacey wasn't going to be induced that night after all...but she was staying the night for monitoring and cervix ripening. The next morning Pitocin was started. My mom, Dane, Ailey and I went to the hospital to visit Stacey and to see how things were progressing. Hard contractions began. I took the little guys home and my mom stayed at the hospital. By the end of the day no progress was made. The induction wasn't working. The doctor thought that the baby was transverse and hoped she would turn around. She didn't. She told Stacey to try to get some sleep and that they would do an ultrasound the next morning. Meanwhile Stacey was upset, exhausted and wanted that baby OUT! Not to mention her impatient family! We were going crazy! The next day at 7 am the doctor saw that the baby was very large and sunny side up. She told Stacey and John that a cesarean was going to be necessary. The doctor said that she would schedule it for 4 or 5pm later that day!! WHAT! Meanwhile Stacey and the rest of us were freaking out...delay after delay after delay. It was now Friday!! Kelley arrived Friday afternoon to help out with Dane and we got the call that they were doing the cesarean ASAP. We grabbed Ailey and Dane and headed to the hospital to wait for River's arrival. Everything went well and Stacey and River came through it just fine. River was well worth the wait! When John carried her out we couldn't believe how big she was!! She is is such a little cutie. A pink, chubby cherub!!

I was not given "permission" to post on the ol' blog photos of Stacey after delivery. Such vanity! :) You'll have to use your imagination and visualize Stacey calling for her pashmina to swath herself in before the photos began. I guess I can't mock her too much because I have been known to holler for lipstick in hard labor. What can I say? We are related. Since Stacey didn't ok any pictures of her I will have to post a picture of John.

Dane is still trying to figure everything out but he knows that he is a big brother and is very proud of that fact. Ailey and I had a lot of fun with him. I would post a picture but Stacey's in them. SO...I guess I will post more pictures of my little niece:

And pictures of her adoring family who braved blizzards and horrible roads to be there for her big day!! How great is technology. Within minutes of River's arrival pictures were being sent via the phone to her aunts and uncles all across the country and even to England. So cool!

Ailey and I drove home that night and Kelley stayed to help out. When I got home my family showered me with hugs and kisses. They really missed me! Sometimes being away for three days has some benefits. Lots of love and affection...and um...appreciation!!

We braved yet another snowstorm to drive down yesterday and introduce River to her very anxious cousins. Stacey and River were released from the hospital this evening and both are doing well.

Now the count down is on to Jordin's due date...December 26th.

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The key word is BEGINNING. We finally have snow (roads are horrible), we cut our Christmas Tree down, it's decorated, all holiday decorations are up, I've designed my Christmas Cards online, I'm feeling very "Martha"...let the fun begin!!

Over Thanksgiving Weekend we went and cut down a Christmas Tree at a local Christmas Tree Farm. Our favorite one for some reason this year decided not to open until December 1st...lame. We found another one nearby and got a really pretty tree. The day was absolutely FRIGID without a flake of snow in sight. Thank goodness we had Starbucks Hot Chocolate to warm us up afterward!! Hazelnut Hot Chocolate. Does it get better than that?

I really like our tree although anything would be an improvement over Tyler and Ben's "free tree" from last year. They chopped one down out in the wild and brought back an extremely homely "corner" tree. That tree had one good side...ok... it had only one side...literally...but it was FREE. This year Tyler and I coughed up the $45 (still such a steal compared to the $80 we used to spend in Utah) and it has been well worth it. We just can't get over shapely this one is!! ;)

A man chopping down a tree...sexy...very "frontier like"!!

By the way...Stac...since you have Tyler for Christmas this year maybe you could get him new hoody...that poor Van's one is in constant usage...it seems like every picture I take Tyler is wearing it!! I grow weary of it.

Here's the finished product:

Holiday decorations have been flying this way and that. Why don't pictures ever show the "true" holiday ambiance...perhaps it has something to do with my photographic ability. Oh well.

I love these old marquee letters that I found. They are awesome. My mom managed to find letters that spell out Noel.

I love my little white tree that holds all my vintage ornaments. I got a huge punch bowl full of them at an estate sale for $5 bucks. You can't beat that!

Not only has our house been decorated but the girls' room got an update. Gone is the crib ( I know Ailey is three but she could still fit into it and couldn't get out of it...such a perk)...we also got rid of Reilly's antique twin iron bed. The girls are now going to share (very Little House on the Prairie) my old antique sleigh bed from childhood. My mom made the cutest bedspread and pillows for it. She cut up an antique chenille bedspread that had a few holes and pieced it together with pink and white polka dot "minky" fabric and then reattached the old fringe. She salvaged more of the chenille bedspread to make the pillows. I think it turned out darling. I love vintage fabrics!! Especially when you can repurpose them in such a fantastic way. I need to find a cute coordinating dust ruffle to go with it.

Ailey showing off her "big girl" bed. She can get out of it but has a hard time climbing up into it. She had to use a step-stool. It is hilarious. She thought I should take some more pictures of their room for my "bwog". She is too funny.

As for Stacey's "baby update"...still waiting. Stacey went to the hospital yesterday only to be sent home for the 2nd time. Her official due date is on Friday. She is miserable. I hope that baby gets here soon!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!




I stole this survey off my friend Naomi's blog. I had a great time reading hers and it's a great way to summarize everything.

Do you cook all or part of the Thanksgiving meal?

I always only cook a part of the meal thank goodness!! I have never cooked a turkey in my life!This year our contribution was lots of homemade parkerhouse rolls (Tyler actually made all of them...yehaw!), two pies: Southern Pecan and Buttermilk Pecan, and my grandma's recipe for sweet potatoes, and...the non-alcoholic beverages.

Do you eat at home or somewhere else?

We always go elsewhere. Usually to my mom's house or to the lake. This year we went to Stacey and John's house due to the imminent arrival of their baby. Stacey was GINORMOUS (I say that with all the love of someone who has been ginormous 3 times already). Stacey looked ready to pop at any moment...so no traveling for her!! ;)



White meat or dark meat?


I'm not a big meat fan...hence our vegetarian kids...but I do eat a little turkey on Thanksgiving and it is white meat all the way!! Truth be told...my favorite part of the turkey is the crispy skin!! I love it!

Stuffing with giblets or without?

I do not partake of anything with a revolting giblet involved. Thank goodness we never have anything to do with them. Although one of the grosser things each year is to view is my mom and Kirk fighting over the heart. I could vomit just thinking about that!

Is there anything you won't eat at the Thanksgiving meal?

Well...apparently a giblet or an organ of any kind. I hate dark meat. And the thing I get the most crap for...I LOATHE and DESPISE apple pie!! (Thank goodness Tyler does too!) I don't like candied yams with marshmallows. (I make my grandma's sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter...a COMPLETELY different dish.)




Kris and Ty...apple pie haters...I KNOW...we're freaks...we've heard!!

Do you carve the turkey at the table or serve it on a platter?

We carve the turkey and serve it on a platter. We have to. I am not the only crispy turkey skin lover...that bird looks pretty homely by the time we have ripped all the skin off. One cry of "Who wants skin" gets most of us running for the kitchen.

Favorite pie?

Hmm...that's a hard one. I LOVE PIE! I usually have to have a sampling of each. The pie that I MUST have at Thanksgiving is Pecan Pie.

Formal table or chinet?


Formal table...it is our family's tradition to have our Thanksgiving Dinner in the evening and always by candlelight. This year Dane wasn't so thrilled with having the lights off and tons of candles glowing. He kept running over to the light switch and turning it on and saying "That's better!"



The kid's table...I don't have very many pictures of Reilly because she was busy helping to wrangle all the little guys. She is wonderful!!

Your Menu:

We had an amazing dinner this year:

Appetizers:

Stacey's friend Lavina's Baked Brie with Rosemary in Phillo dough with apple wedges and chutney...clutch the pearls it was amazing!! (Yes...I begged for the recipe and she is supposed to get it to you Stac to get to me!)

Kelley's fabulous beef and shrimp lettuce wraps..new family fave!

Austrian Sausage (contributed by Uncle Steve)

Apples and Satsumas

Main Course:

My Mom's Turkey that was brined and then basted for hours in butter and white wine

My Mom's Killer Mashed Potatoes: made with sour cream, half and half, butter and cream cheese.

My Mom's "Liquid Gold" gravy...gravy so good you could drink it...and nary a giblet is involved!

My Mom's traditional sourdough, sage, and sausage homemade stuffing.

Brussel Sprouts Roasted in butter and Worcestershire sauce (Kelley made them this year...they are a must-have every year.)

Green Salad (Made by my cousin Tania)

My Mom's amazing cranberry sauce

My Grandma's E.'s Sweet Potatoes (made this year by me)

Homemade Parkerhouse Rolls (made by Tyler)

Green Beans (made by Tania)

(We usually have homemade noodles too but we didn't make them this year...Kelley was distraught!!)

Dessert:

Pumpkin Pie (made by my Mom)

Apple Pie (made by Stacey and John...he did the crust and she did the filling...how lucky are we to have husband's who cook!!)

Southern Pecan Pie (made by me)

Buttermilk Pecan Pie (made by me)

Key Lime Pies (made by Stacey)

Favorite leftover?

Pie (I love it the next morning for breakfast) and mashed potatoes and gravy!

Extended family or just immediate family?

Thanksgiving usually involves extended family including anyone's random in-laws who are in town and friends. This year we had: Stacey, John, Dane, my Mom, my Grandma, my Uncle Steve (my aunt Margaret was visiting her family in Indonesia), my cousin Tania, her date Kyle, Stacey and John's friends, Jeremy and Lavina, and all of us. This was a pretty small group for our family.

After dinner do you go to the latest movie, watch football or take a turkey-induced snooze?

We usually talk and laugh and laugh...play games...but Tyler usually manages to take a turkey-induced snooze!

Do you watch the Macey's Parade?

Yep! As I've said before we are "parade people" plus eating later in the day allows us to watch while we are leisurely getting ready. But the biggest excitement is the "Westminster Dog Show".WE LOVE THAT!!

Christmas decorations up before or after?

We always go and cut down our Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving and usually get all our Christmas decorations up Thanksgiving Weekend but NEVER before Thanksgiving. I don't like to mix the two holidays!

Black Friday shopping or sleeping in?

DEFINITELY sleeping in! We got home from Stacey and John's at 2 am. Luckily Kelley rode with us and so we had Tyler get in the back and Kelley rode up front with me and we chattered and laughed the whole drive home!

Favorite thing about Thanksgiving?

Being with family, expressing gratitude for our many blessings, eating amazing food, reminiscing about times and loved ones past, laughing, laughing, and more laughing, and creating new memories.

Reilly, Ailey, Kameron, Dane and Aunt Kelley. We REALLY missed Kirky, Jayme, Kaiden, Aaron and Jordi.

Ailey and her buddy Uncle Steve or as she calls him "Uncle Steb". They are cute together.






This is my mom's brother the infamous "Uncle Steve" those of you who have met him NEVER forget him!! Tyler was the first "boyfriend" to come up to the lake to meet the family. As a result Uncle Steve took it upon him to give him "the lake test"...is he cool enough to be in our family and will he fit in. My uncle is a notorious pest and loves to tease people. Tyler came up for the first time over Thanksgiving. Part of Tyler's lake test was that he had to wrestle my Uncle Steve...poor Tyler...I feel bad now but at the time when Tyler looked at me like "You've got to be kidding me" I just grinned and said "You'd better do it!" Tyler promptly took the old man down...even after Steve's many sad attempts at cheating. Tyler was then challenged to play ice hockey. This is a BRUTAL family event that no one leaves without bodily harm. Whose butt was Steve trying to kick...Tyler's...who had shown him up in wrestling. The lake test continued on for a year with things like trying to kill Tyler while water skiing , flipping him off tubes at high speed, highly competitive basketball games and beyond. For the first 5 years of our marriage Steve would take Tyler aside at family events and say things dead serious like: "So...are you beating her yet?" all while giving Tyler a mean and menacing glare. Due to having an absentee dad this amused me to no end watching Tyler deal with my pitbull of a protective uncle!! But as you can see Tyler passed the test and they are buddies.





Ailey wanted to have her picture taken and posed for several shots!! Very cute!!

Favorite Thanksgiving memory?

So many to choose from...I usually enjoy the one I'm currently experiencing the most. But I would have to say...Thanksgivings with Aunt Ladye, the Thanksgiving we had at the lake when my grandparents house was still under construction, the Thanksgiving I brought Tyler up to the lake to met the whole family, and Thanksgivings with Grandma and Grandpa M. and Grandpa E. top the charts.

Thanks for hosting this year Stacey and John. It was wonderful. Both Stacey and Lavina are due on the same day and so we were hoping maybe one of them would go into labor during our meal...but no luck. Lavina's sister went into labor the night before and she got a phone call during our dinner that her sister had had a baby girl named, Ada. Come on Stacey!!

Push it out! Shove it out! Way out! We've got a long weekend for heaven's sake!! We are ready!!

Here's Mine Kelly A.

About two weeks ago I was tagged by Kelly A. So finally I am getting around to doing it. You people already know pretty much everything about me by now don't you? If not...here's a few more dull details.

Four Jobs I've Had

1.) I worked at Top Dog (a hot dog place) in the food court at the Metcalf South Mall in Kansas City. It was my first official job. It sucked but I got to eat all I wanted!!

2.) I worked at Meadowbrook Athletic Club in Kansas City...my second official job and much less lame. I started off working in the Nursery and was quickly promoted to "Front Desk Girl"...I got a free gym membership and LOVED the job.

3.) While at BYU I worked at The Torch a Cuban restaurant. The "Torch Man" (the owner) was scary. He used to always yell at me. He made fantastic shakes but they were supposed to be his "secret" recipe. Unfortunately his shake making area was out in the open and he was always screaming "STOP WATCHING ME!!" My paychecks always bounced but I got free food...REALLY REALLY good food. Those shakes were so good I still dream about them. My favorite was strawberry lime.

4.) Also while at BYU I was a VERY disgruntled Sears Tele-Service worker. I hated it!!

Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over

This is hard. I really don't like watching movies more than once...if it's really good twice.

1.) Footloose

2.) The Sound of Music

3.) A Christmas Story

4.) American Flyers

Four Places I Have Lived

1.) Utah

2.) Missouri

3.) Kansas

4.) Texas

Four Favorite TV Shows

1.) The Office

2.) Dancing With The Stars (Please tell me Marie Osmond is getting voted off tonight...I can't take anymore...put her out of her misery!!)

3.) So You Think You Can Dance?

4.) Days of Our Lives (Although I watch it less and less because I hate "new" Shaun and no John Black...a single tear is rolling down my cheek.)

***I would've said LOST but where the heck is it? Is it ever coming back?***

Four Places I Have Been

1.) Washington DC

2.) Mexico

3.) Canada

4.) Arkansas

Four Favorite Foods

1.) Sushi (Las Vegas Roll from Ding How...Ecstasy!!)

2.) Lobster and Crab

3.) Thai Curry

4.) Nachos (preferably from Diego's)

Four Websites I Visit Daily

1.) My own blog (how narcissistic can i get?)

2.) My library (I've got to see what books are in)

3.) My bank website

4.) Blogs blogs and more blogs

Four Places I'd Rather Be

1.) Europe

2.) Hawaii

3.) Anywhere tropical or warm

4.) California

That's all for now. I've got 50 million homemade Parkerhouse rolls to make (Tyler was SUPPOSED to make them...they are his grandma's recipe), two pies (one Southern Pecan and one Buttermilk Pecan), and sweet potatoes. So I've got to go!

***What's everyone making for Thanksgiving Dinner?***

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND JOYOUS THANKSGIVING!!

Birthday Bash...and a Stupid Cold



I hate colds!! I have had a bad one for the past few days and therefore haven't posted for awhile. Colds are extra annoying because unlike other "sicknesses" where it is understood that you are out of commission for awhile with a cold you are just expected to soldier on all the while feeling like crap...and that's crap with a chappy, red and runny nose, headache, earache etc.

But...back to the point of this post...Birthday Bash!!

I feel like we have been celebrating for weeks. Both Reilly and Kameron had special dinners for their birthdays, a big celebration at an indoor water park, and then a Birthday Bash at at the lake. Fun stuff.




Their cake may not look pretty in the picture...it does in real life...but it tastes FAB! It's a new favorite thing of mine. My friend Jayni brought it over to me after I had the miscarriage and it was a life saver!! Seriously. It is an ice cream cake. Here's how you make it:

Layer ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Top with hot fudge sauce (homemade is best but Mrs. Richardson's in the jar is nearly as good), layer on top of that whipped cream, then another layer of ice cream sandwiches, hot fudge, whipped cream, and then drizzle carmel sauce all over and sprinkle with crushed peanuts.Freeze until firm and then cut into squares to serve.

I brought this to a family in our ward and they were begging for the recipe. TRY IT!!


It's always fun to celebrate out at the lake. We came out early in the day and Tyler and the kids played basketball for hours. It is so nice to sit and stare out at the water no matter what time of year it is.

Now onto my new next favorite thing...besides those beautiful kids in the picture...and my husband...sadly I'm talking about more food! Do you see those luscious beverages? I really should've tried to take a picture of them by themselves. There are benefits to having siblings and siblings in-law who have spent time working as bartenders. How does this help a devout Mormon? They know how to make the BEST non-alcoholic drinks. Those red and white layered beauties are called Miami Vice's. All us Mormons were scarfing them down at Kirk and Jayme's wedding!! YUM! (FYI--if you ever order these be sure to tip the bartender well because apparently they are a pain in the butt to make).

Here's how you make them:

In a blender combine Strawberry Daiquiri Mix and ice with about 1/2 cup of water. Blend. Pour into glasses. Then wash out blender or use a second blender and mix Pina Colada Mix with ice and some half and half. Pour into glass on top of red mix. Then swirl slightly with a straw. Both mixes should be slushy yet still able to be sucked out of a straw. So good. These are nearly as good as my all-time favorite non-alcoholic drink "Lawn Boys". But that is for another day.





This picture is in hommage to "The Judie" aka Tyler's mom who whenever opening presents wants people to put the bows on their heads...she tried to make me do this at my wedding shower and baby shower...I refused. She's one of "those" people...I know there are lots of you out there!!

My Mom, my Grandma and Kelley

Kelley and Kristin...very challenged by trying to take a picture of ourselves!! Scary! But not so scary as this raccoon update: I talked to Kelley today and apparently there was a RUMBLE (for all your "Outsiders" fans) in her driveway last night. The two rabid raccoons took on two smelly skunks. The sound of their fighting was so loud and vicious that all the neighbors came outside to see what was going on and then quickly ran back inside after smelling the stench. Who were the victors? No one knows. Kelley...isn't it time to call animal control?

I had to include these two pictures. This is Ailey's new favorite hairstyle. We call it "The Elly" because Ailey's friend Elly wears her hair like this a lot. It is sort of Princess Leia meets Swiss milkmaid. Hope you all had a good week!!

Thanks for all the calls, messages, posts, emails, cards and presents for our kids!! They loved it!