Friday Confession

Without my Pampered Chef steamer and a tablespoon of butter, my family may never eat vegetables with dinner…

Before the End of the Year {Bucket List}

There are a few things that have been weighing on my mind recently and I figure here is as good a place as any to organize my thoughts!

I’ve needed to trim my budget for awhile now and I’d like to decrease my ecological footprint a little bit so here are the things I plan to do by the end of the year:

* Find five more freezer meals my family will enjoy

* Start cloth diapering (including cloth wipes) (Approx $40/month savings)

* Get rid of paper towels (Approx $10/month savings)

* Get rid of ziploc bags for sandwiches and snacks (Approx $5/month savings)

* Make my own laundry detergent (recipe via: The Duggars) (Approx $15/month savings)

*Make my own dishwasher detergent (trying this recipe) (Approx $12/month savings)

I promise I’m not turning into a crunchy hippie…just trying to save money!!!

Catching Some Waves

I grew up going to the Pacific Ocean when visiting California, so when people in Florida refer to “waves” I kinda giggle to myself. You never see anything over a couple of feet unless we’re in the middle of a hurricane.

That wasn’t going to stop Hayden from trying out his boogie board!

It took Dallin a little longer to get used to the water, but he finally warmed up to it!

This is how Kaylee rolls

Make Your Own Brown Sugar

So here’s the story…about 1:30 this afternoon I took advantage of a napping baby and decided to make chocolate chip cookies. They are the BEST chocolate chip cookies in the world. I know what you’re thinking…your grandma’s are better, but sadly, you are wrong. These cookies use twice the amount of salt as most cookies combined with milk chocolate chips, as apposed to semi-sweet, which makes for an irresistible balance of salty and sweet.

Anyway…I opened my trusty Tupperware that houses my brown sugar and, much to my dismay, there was only about 2 tablespoons left! I always have brown sugar!

So, if you were paying attention…you know that I have a napping baby so there’s not a chance I’m going to the store!

I learned in home ec that brown sugar is simply granulated sugar and molasses, so I set to work.

This is quite a complicated and tedious process, requiring TWO whole ingredients and a fork.

For light brown sugar all you need is:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp molasses

Mix with a fork until combined. It’ll be all kinds of annoying and crumbly for a bit but just keep at it and you’ll end up with soft, fluffy light brown sugar!

If you want dark brown sugar then simply add another tbsp molasses!

I’d say it worked just fine!

My little chunker!

Little miss thing here has been growing growing growing!!!

Kaylee’s Blessing Day

Yesterday was Kaylee’s blessing day! I ordered an amazing dress for her back in November…and it was too small for her so I had to quickly order her another dress from etsy! I love it even more than the dress I got her originally.

Joey, Papa, Daddy and Scott
Our bishop was also in the circle, but he gets a little busy after the meeting

I think this might actually be our first family picture…kinda sad!

Safest place in the world – Daddy’s arms.

Hayden’s Star Wars Party

Hayden decided he wanted a Star Wars party for his sixth birthday so I set to planning a few months ago…THANK YOU PINTEREST!

We had a lot of fun doing light saber training, where you use pool noodles (cut in half and wrapped in duct tape and black electrical tape) and try to keep a balloon from hitting the ground.

We had a Darth Vader pinata, but there are no pictures because Hayden hit the thing one time and smashed it! Next time we wont be using a metal bat…

Jedi robes and light sabers
Mantle decorated with vintage 1970s Star Wars toys


These are the “Samburgers” from Our Best Bites – SO GOOD!

Jedi Princess Kaylee

Kaylee Anna–Her Name

Just the same as my boys, Michael and I decided on the name “Kaylee” for no other reason other than we agreed on it. We have somewhat of a tradition of making the kids’ middle names meaningful so Hayden’s middle name is “Michael” after his dad, Dallin’s middle name is James, after a very influential man in my life growing up (read the story HERE), so we couldn’t let Kaylee’s middle name be anything short of spectacular.

Around Christmastime last year, I was sitting in Relief Society and we were reading the 2nd chapter in the gospel of Luke, when we came across verses 36-38:

“36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;

37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

(Painting by Giotto di Bondone)

This woman, widowed after only four years, had served the Lord all her life in the temple and was among the first to presented the Christ-child. She only has three verses about her in the entire Bible, but what sweet verses they are and a wonderful woman to be named after.

Fathers & Sons Campout

The Father/Son campout was this weekend and I’m not quite sure who enjoyed it more…Mike with both boys or me at home in front of Downton Abbey with a bag of Brach’s Maple Nut Goodies and my favorite girl…