Could it get any better for my 28th!

THis was amazing!!! Way worth seeing!

Mystere (Cirque De Soliel)

We actually went on a big group date with some of John's friends from dental school.  Of course..... I forgot my camera. I'm hoping John's friend will email me a picture of us at a restaurant. We ate at Maggiano's.  A yummy Italian place.  I LOVED being with my Johnny!

On Sunday we had some friends and family over for CAKE!  Here are some of my girl friends who came. ( Amy already left.)
(Lindsay, Melinda, and John's mom Rosemary)

Easton wanted to take a picture with me!!!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and gifts!  I just Love being with friends and family!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I hope you all have the most wonderful day full of love for all of your special peeps. 

I woke up so grateful for all of you and for my sweet boys and honey. I get to go out on a fancy suprise date tonight that John planned long ago. It starts at 3:30 p.m and we won't get home until 9:30 p.m. That is all I know.... I will have pictures and details to come!

LOVE TO ALL!!!!

OFFICIALLY A MOM

2005  Honda Odyssey

Yep, it happened....... I now drive a "mom van" I call it..........  And I absolutely LOVE it!   It is so convieniant and comfortable.  From it's leather seats (which makes for easy clean up), to it's built in DVD player ( for road trips), all the way to it's automatic doors.  It even has a button to open both doors on the key remote.  I never knew what I was MISSING!  And now I can car pool my friends kids and go places with them instead of seperate cars!

Here's to AWESOME tax returns!  We are sooooo grateful!

Anybody need a ride?

Good Books

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Every spare moment has been spent reading excellent(I used the wrong word above) books.

LITTLE WOMEN- One of the best, most uplifting, virtuous books I have EVER read.  I truly want to be a better person because of it.  And it made me miss my sisters!  LOVED it!

SCARLET PIMPERNEL- Fascinating story! Beautifully written! I enjoyed it immensley!

I have more to read.... so the posts might be slow coming.

EAR HEADED

I was using my not so pretty singing voice at the top of my lungs in one of those "silly" moments and Isaac says. "Mom, stop..... I am getting ear headed!"

" What is ear headed?" I asked.

" It's when something is too loud and it hurts your ears and you can't hear." Isaac explained.

So there you have it. A new word for what happends when you hear an annoying sound.

ARTSIES AND CRAFTSIES

My creative Isaac decided to gather rocks to paint.

They went from just rocks to MAGICAL rocks, to POWERFUL wizard rings! 

On to piggies for letter "P" in preschool.

And last....... we made a PIZZA out of yarn and felt ham slices and paper pepperonies! Then we cut it up and the kids got to take a slice home.

The End of preschool at my house for the month! I loved it and will miss it!

Ok.... so I get SILLY!

So today my friend told me that the young woman in our ward who came to babysitt while we went out to dinner with my sister Callie when she was visiting..... went home and told her mom, " Sister Ferrin and her sister act just like the Young Woman in our ward!"

( I am sure she was referring to the fact that when we came back from dinner we were going right on to shop with Amy at Ross and we had already been laughing HYSTERICALLY in the car and were so EXCITED to go...... I guess we were GIDDY!)

I'll take it! My mom has always told me I am EXUBERANT and Callie brings out the best in me!

Here's to being Silly!!!!!

What is it about a sister?

Is it the feeling of unconditional love? That you know no matter what you do or say you can be yourself......completely. There is something so carefree and comfortable about that.

Or is it the fact that you can laugh and laugh for hours and never get tired of it?  Or maybe it's because you feel like you can share your deepest, darkest secrets and you know she won't judge you because she has known you as long as you have existed and understands your little quirks and loves you anyway? (That was a long sentence.)
Or could it be that you can shop for hours and know that she will give you an honest opinion about what your trying on, without worrying about offending you?
Or maybe it's just that she is HOME to you and you feel so loved and sure of yourself when you are around her. And everything about her reminds you of your happiest memories and feelings of growing up.

I love you Callie! I wish we would've taken more pictures!! I had sooooo much fun! I wish Cara, Leslie, Dena, Tawny and Lela could've been here too! Miss you girls!

Chubby Bums

(Moose ears for letter "M"in preschool this week)

Isaac on the subject of gender differences:

Isaac:  "Mom, boys and girls have the same bums...."

Mom: "Yep."

Isaac: " But then girls bums get chubby."

Mom (laughing) : " No, just your moms."

Isaac: "No," (and then he proceeded to tell me who's bum he thought was chubby which I didn't think was chubby AT ALL and so I asked him what he thought " a chubby bum" was.)

Isaac: "It's kind-of big and when they walk it WIGGLES."

Mom: (laughing HISTERICALLY)

Isaac on the subject of his duties:

(I was thanking Isaac for letting me get a lot of house work and laundry done while Easton napped. He wanted me to play with him but I had already warned him that I had alot to do. So, I was thanking him for not throwing a fit and letting me get it done and for his help.)

Isaac ( in a very "oh pish posh" manner) :  "Oh mom, you don't have to always thank me.  I always help you and help everyone.  Don't worry, I have to help you when you want me to clean up."

Mom: " But doesn't it make you feel good when I tell you I am grateful for you help."

Isaac: " Yeah, but you don't have to say thank you." ( Still  very "oh, tsk tsk Mother" )

Cutting Up Fruit

A couple of weeks ago my friend was over at my house and we were visiting while I was cutting up an apple as our children were playing.  She looked over at me and said, " I love it Lisa...you are always cutting up fruit." I just kindof laughed. But, it has provoked MUCH thought. I sat and thought about my mom and her mom and her mom. ie: my Great Grandma (Who is still alive at 100 yrs. old). I could picture, in my mind all three of these WONDERFUL woman sitting down and cutting up fruit.... apples and pears mostly.

I remember MANY a road trip with my Mom or Grandma where we ate cut up apples with slices of Chedder Cheese. My Grandma said the apple will keep you awake while you drive.

I reallized that I take an apple or orange or pear almost everywhere we go..... the park, a friends house, on a road trip and I bring a knife with me to cut it up. 

I never thought much of it until she said something, because she probably doesn't often "cut up fruit". Probably because her children just eat it whole. But my Grandma and Great Grandma were all about FRUGALITY and not wasting a single bite. And so, that is probably why they always cut the fruit up. And I remember my mom doing the same because she didn't want us to waste the fruit and I most certainly would if I tried to eat a whole one.

It sounds SILLY, but it made me grateful for this SIMPLE  legacy. And so glad that my Mom taught me to LOVE  fruit and WANT  to feed it to my children.

So, thank you Lindsay for helping me notice and appriciate something I didn't even know about myself!

Bread Recipe

(Per Request)

With out sounding snooty....I have had a few friends ask me to send them my bread recipe down to the detail and with all my tricks. So, here it is.....

5 C. warm water ( bath warm, not too hot)

3 T. yeast

2 T. salt

2/3 C. olive oil ( you can use any.... just what I use)

2/3 C. honey  ( I alternate oil and than honey so the honey won't stick to the cup)

Mix all above for a few seconds in your Bosch or Kitchen Aide and then turn off and let it sit and bubble for 10 min. ( I set the timer every time so it's exact and I don't have to worry about forgetting.)

Turn mixer on the first setting and add:

10-12 C. Whole Wheat Flour ( I just watch the sides and as soon as almost all the dough pulls away from the edge stop adding flour. Turn mixer to the second setting and let it knead for 10 min.)

After the 10 min. turn of mixer and crack open the lid or put a towel on it leaving a small space open and let it rise for 10 min.

While it's rising get out loaf pans and spray generously with cooking spray. Also spray a large spot on the counter and when it's through rising, place dough on counter and spray your hands and divide dough into loaf sizes.( I believe it is worth it to buy glass loaf pans.... I think it bakes alot better.) 

It makes about 2 lg. pans and 2 sm. pans.

Turn the oven onto 350 degrees and place the loaf pans onto top of stove and cover with a towel. Let it rise for (can you guess?...) 10 min.

Cook for 30-35 min. depending on your oven. Let them get golden brown. 

After you take them out, butter the tops... it makes for soft crust and then I take them out of pans right away and let cool all the way before putting in zip lock baggies.

( I use White Wheat, it is a little lighter in flavor and texture. It's not as heavy as Red Wheat. But if you use Red Wheat or flour from the store it might be too heavy and not stick together well so you might have to replace 2-3 c. of the wheat flour and use white flour.)

Call if you have questions!

Cozy Things

My Favorite Picture

Homemade Bread

Preschool is at our house this month!

Letter "N" for nest and noodle necklaces.

New Decor

Thanks Callie for the Beautiful Vace! I LOVE it!  Amy helped me create an arrangement to put in it!

I got HAND-MADE cards this Christmas from Amy! You will see pictures of these often because I can't bear to part with them and their cozy BEAUTY!

My mom has a book called "The Cozy Book."  We read it every time we go home. It is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read! These are some of the things in my life that make it cozy! Isn't COZY a great word!  

Have a Cozy day!!!!!!

Wishing I could freeze time.

As 2008 has said goodbye and 2009 is beginning, I am wishing whole heartedly that time would stop. These are such wonderful days! Just being....... playing, eating, dancing, loving, laughing, learning!  I feel like I watch my boys grow DAILY! They are growing too fast and I feel like I can't get a grip on it. I am sincerely trying to enjoy each moment and LIVE in each moment.  I have heard that expression alot and I never was able to really grasp what it meant or why someone would so DESPERATLEY want to do so. I now UNDERSTAND what it means and I FEEL it.  I know I will NEVER have Isaac at age 4 1/2. I will never be teaching him preschool in my home again. I will never have Easton at 2 1/2 learning  so many phrases and copying EVERYTHING, EVERYONE says!  

I feel SO grateful that the Lord has shown me this and has helped me to SLOW DOWN and just enjoy my life! I look forward to the future and every day with them.......but I am  LOVING TOday even more!

STRAY CATS!

Some kittens followed me around today pawing my leggs and meowing 

and I decided to keep them.

Aren't they so cute!!!!!

A CHRISTMAS STORY!

What a MAGICAL Christmas this year!! We spent it in North Ogden, Utah with John's family. We ate till we were sick (literally), played till we dropped, laughed till we cried, and spent every moment making MEMORIES! It was so FUN to hear what the boys wanted for Christmas and then make it HAPPEN! It was so EXCITING to see there FACES when they got what they WISHED for! One of the major HIGHLIGHTS for me was when John and I went to see Savior of the World. It is a musical in the Conference Center. It truly MADE my Christmas! I was AMAZED by Mary's faith and PURITY. I was GRATEFUL for the life of my SAVIOR and the GIFT he truly gave! I am decided yet again to be more PURE and faithful!
I LOVE the Holiday season!!!!!!




A picture to go with the LETTER!


ARIZONA snow boots! This is what we used when I was LITTLE. They came in handy in Utah too!






We had never ending FUN in the SNOW! Especially Isaac......he was out in it ALL the time! (Jared and Ethan)



John and Jared JUMPING off the roof into the SNOW bank!



ALL the men SHOVELING snow!

SANTA'S STASH!!!!

BOYS having FUN! ( Austyn and Ethan with my boys.)



Easton's FAVORITE place to be.......right next to his Papa!



THE BEAUTIFUL TREES AND SCENERY!


THE END OF OUR WINTER WONDERLAND CHRISTMAS!