New Camera

So, I took a few pictures with my new camera that I want to frame in my bathroom. I want to frame the black and white ones. What do you think? Are they framable? Leah, do you think they are pretty good.....my camera I mean?

O Pioneer!

Thank you pioneers for giving us a reason to eat really yummy food, listen to great live music, play fun games, win prizes, get our faces painted, watch fireworks together and remember what we are all about and how we started!

THE BIG 3!

Dear Easton,

Today we celebrated your 3rd birthday! We feel so blessed to have you in our lives! I can't believe it's already been 3 years and....... I can't believe it's only been 3 years! Every moment has been so sweet and so precious! You are such a tender, good boy.

But, you are also an AMAZING ninja! You can pretend fight like no one else!

Today you opened your presents and were very happy to find many Super Hero Action Figures! (Your current favorite!) Hulk and Wolverine being the top dogs!

You had fun with friends and loved your bug cup cakes!

Daddy and I love you soooo much! It's hard to describe or explain it!

I overheard Isaac asking you if you had a fun birthday today as he gave you a sweet hug! He loves you so much too!

Glad you are ours!

Love,

Mom, Dad and Isaac

Ethan and his cousin Morgan who was visiting.

Amy was the mastermind of this delicious project!

Isn't it delightful!

Thank you Amy and Grandma Betty for all your hard work!

Creative Genius!

The Big 30!

My John turned 30 on Friday! I just wanted to give a shout out! I think it's fitting that his birthday is on Pioneer Day! I have never met a more faithful follower of Christ!

We went and saw Harry Potter together and the boys and I gave him his present and ate Strawberry Short Cake together!

We LOVE you Johnny!

Herrington Girls Getaway

Can you find my mom? Nope, you can't, she looks like

one of the girls.

What happens when you put 7 sisters and 1 mother in the same hotel room for 48 hours?

I'll tell you.......

laughter happens

silly happens

fun happens

crying happens (happy tears)

happiness happens

wicked happens (the musical.... AMAZING btw)

wrestling happens

dancing happens

swimming happens

jewelry making happens

sharing secrets and favorite things happens

baby squishing happens

uplifting happens

and last but not least....... building deeper, stronger relationships happens.

We had lots of fun in the pool, as you can see. We decided to do Ariel head flips.

Lela

Cara

me

Callie

Could she be any cuter?

Cara's baby Clayton. (He was spoiled rotten this trip!)

The matching bracelet we made together.

The little charms say laugh and love.....

Which is exactly what we do when we are together!

Heavenly Father knew I needed all of these women in my life. The joy can not be fully expressed. I can say that "I have been changed for the better."

What is it about kids?

Ethan and Isaac just happened to match this day.

They are best buds.

Do little boys really think that they are the character in whichever book or a movie they are currently partaking of?

My boys sure seem to think so.

We have this caterpillar book that has lots of different caterpillar's on each page. Some are fuzzy, some striped and polka dotted. Others are shiny and sparkly. Every time we read the book I know the short 5 page book is going to turn into a 15 minute ordeal.

Each page that we come to the boys sit and tell me,

"I am that fuzzy one."

"And I am the sparkly one."

Then they argue with each other about who is who like it is so real.

And then they tell me to say who I am and then they argue about who I am

as if it is so real!

As if for that moment in time they sincerely are that caterpillar crawling lazily on the leaf or branch.

It seems so ridiculous to me and yet funny too.

And yet when I sat and thought about that, I realized I probably do the same thing when I read.

Even though I don't say aloud, "I am Sara Prine or Bella Swan."

I think when I really admit it; that is the reason I love to read.

I like to escape my life and be someone else just for that small moment in time.

Not because I don't love my life, but because there is something adventurous and exciting about living the stories of others lives for a while.

I still wonder though, if children really do believe they are Spiderman or Batman or Cinderella or Belle.

I wouldn't miss a second of this adventure.

The hunt for the King of Zucchini Breads

My friend gave me a bunch of zucchini and of course my first thought is....... ahhhhh, zucchini bread.

So, I went searching for the perfect recipe. Online of course.

I found several different ones and combined different things from all three and changed some of the amounts and came up with perfection.

I know, I know.... I sound royally conceited. And just to prove it, I am about to use a phrase that my family teases me about often.

This is the best zucchini bread I have ever had!

I have come to the conclusion lately that I might come across as being a little bit full of myself and my accomplishments and I want to fix that.

Those of you who know me know that nothing I feel is in small doses or concentrations. All of my feelings are at the height of what ever the feeling is.

So, when I discover something new I am soooooo excited! And right at that moment it is the "best ever"!

So, after the ridiculously long intro......here is the recipe:

Zucchini Banana Bread

Mix until creamy:

3 eggs

1/4 C. olive oil

1/2 C. apple sauce (trust me)

1/2 C. sour cream (trust me, this is the trick)

2t. vanilla

1 2/3 C. brown sugar

Add:

2 C. grated zucchini

2 smashed bananas

Mix and then add:

2 C. white wheat flour

1 1/2 C. white flour

1 T. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Makes 2 loaves. Spray pans and bake at 325 degrees for 60-70 minutes.

Pretty healthy and the kids will love it!

Enjoy!!!!

Our days these days ....

..... are gloriously filled with our DAD! And we couldn't be any happier! I forgot what life is like with him around. SERIOUSLY! I have help with kids and dishes and meal times. I am constantly telling him how grateful I am and how much I love having him around. And Isaac and Easton have died and gone to heaven!

Here are just a few of the things we have been doing lately:

Celebrating the 4th of July!

Of course with Fire Works!

What boy doesn't love fireworks!

The "light and run!"

Poppers!

We spent the night on Mt Charleston and stayed all day the next day!

Of course, when we got there I realized our camera battery was dead

so this is the only photo I got.

We went with the Brodericks and their cute girls and then several other

families came up for Friday. It was so fun! ONLY 75-80 degrees in the day

and it got down to 45 at night! Talk about paradise!

A couple of weeks ago the Dental School had a big baseball tournament.

The boys and I went to watch and sweltered in the heat!

John got on base every time and we enjoyed watching him play.

The Wolfington's were there as well and Eli ran with the boys around the bases!

I can't believe the summer is half way over! We have had so much fun and we love our daddy!