Easter Weekend

I had the best Easter Weekend! Brandon was going to be out of town, so my mom decided to come visit while he was gone. She was supposed to arrive Wednesday night. When she got here, I was so happy to see that my dad and my sister Roxy came too! They didn't tell me they were coming because they wanted it to be a surprise. I WAS very surprised and thrilled that they came. I'm not naive enough to think that they wanted to come just to see me...I know it's all

about Addyson and I'm okay with that!

Addy and Roxy

They came bearing gifts...a darling dress for Addyson from Roxy, and a fun Easter Basket for her from my parents.

My Dad and his only grandchild

We had so much fun! We ate out, made caramel popcorn, rode bikes, went shopping and just hung out. Here we are eating at 'On the Border' (they have the BEST guacamole!):

We went and got cupcakes at this darling little cupcake shop. (Yes, my diet and I were "on a break" for the weekend..don't worry, I'm back on track!) They were SOOO yummy. Mine was strawberry. It tasted like I was eating Strawberry Shortcake and had real strawberries in it! Roxy and I decided that in a perfect world, we would open a cupcake shop and work there together. She said that "I could be the brains and she could be the beauty of the operation." Should I be offended? (In her defense, she later explained that she wanted me to bake the cupcakes and she would help the customers.) Okay, whatever.

On Saturday Dad and Roxy went home but Mom stayed a few more days. She took me shopping and helped me pick out some new clothes. I must say, she's a good person to have along while shopping. She comes right in the dressing room, hangs all the clothes back up for you, gets you a different size, finds cute things and tells you when you look horrible in something. I was able to get a new Easter outfit and some fabulous shoes.

Addyson's first Easter

We also did pedicures, went walking (twice), went to church, cooked Easter dinner together and watched a movie (Catch and Release-I hated it).

My feet are ready for Spring! Do you know which feet are mine?

It was like a mini-vacation for me because Mom took care of Addyson the whole time. She was so happy to play the doting Grandma.

The whole weekend was fabulous and it was so nice to be with my family. I always feel depressed after they leave because my life seems so empty for a few days before I get back into the swing of things. Living away from your family stinks!

Do you like guacamole? Did you wear a new outfit on Easter? Do you suffer from family withdrawals? Have you given your feet a Spring makeover?

I'm BAAACKK!

For anybody who is still reading my blog, I must apologize for being on blogging hiatus for so long. I have no excuse other than laziness and that I had company. I have many things to post about and will try to get them all done in the next few days!

The whole reason I have a blog is to document my life. I often do things and forget to take a picture, and then I feel like I can't post about them (posts without pictures are boring, right?). Well, here are some recent events that I DO have pictures of, and I want to post about them so I can move on!

The entrance to my neighborhood

One of the reasons I love my neighborhood is that they have several community events throughout the year. We always have an Easter Festival in the neighborhood park. This year, I was one of the women in charge of coordinating the Easter Egg Hunt. We had to stuff about 2500 eggs. Fortunately, it only took 6 women 2 hours to do this.

We had 2 bounce houses, three egg hunts divided up by age, the Easter Bunny, cookies and juice, and activities including face painting, a bean bag toss and a craft table. It is a major undertaking but the kids in the neighborhood love it. I think the fact that we have these events are part of what makes my neighborhood charming.

Me, The Easter Bunny, Jodi (one of my partners in crime), and
some kid who ran into our picture

It's a good thing that I enjoy these events because during the festival, the President of our HOA asked me if I would be the chairperson in charge of planning the Festival next year. What have I gotten myself roped into? I agreed because I want these events to stick around so Addyson can enjoy them in a few years.

On a totally unrelated note, I tried this recipe recently and LOVED IT! It was so different and so yummy. Even The Pickiest Eater in the World (aka Brandon) liked it, so that's saying somethin'.

South African Curried Beef

(Recipe from Essential Mormon Celebrations Cookbook)

2 lbs. beef stew meat

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped

2 (10 oz.) cans beef consomme soup (or just use beef broth)

1 tsp. salt ( I left this out)

2 Tbsp. mild curry powder

1/2 c. flour

1 c. water

1/4 c. ketchup

1 recipe Chutney Sauce

Rice for 8

Condiments: coconut, peanuts, cubed bananas, chopped green onions

In skillet, brown beef in olive oil and saute onions. (Don't cook beef all the way through, just brown the outside.) Remove from skillet and place in crock pot. Add tomatoes, beef consomme, and salt. Cook on low for 5-6 hours until beef is tender. Remove from crock pot and put back in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in curry powder. In a bowl, whisk together flour and water, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture to simmering meat mixture to make gravy; stir until thickened. Add ketchup. Serve beef over rice. Place bowls of condiments on the table and let each person top with condiments. Top with one or two spoonfuls of Chutney Sauce per serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

Chutney Sauce:

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. apricot preserves

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves.

I know it sounds wierd, but trust me, it is delicious. The toppings (coconut, banana, etc.) are what make it. It is really exotic looking and tropical tasting and just out of the ordinary! The beef gets so tender and juicy in the crock pot. One warning, though--the curry powder will turn your wooden or plastic spoon yellow!

And, to conclude this random post, here's a picture I'm posting just because I like it. It is my blog.

Bad Boys

I dig bad boys. NO, I don't want to be married to one or anything, but I've always had a thing about the guys who are a little bit rebellious. Take American Idol for instance. I fell IN LOVE with Chris Daughtry a few seasons back (and I still am). Yes, my husband knows all about this. It must be the smoldering eyes. And I love how he's a rocker yet still adores his wife and kids. To me, that's really sexy.

This year, I'm all about David Cook. I love his edgy attitude and throaty voice. I love how he turned the Beatles' song into a rock song. This is wierd coming from a girl who usually only listens to country music.

I even dated a rocker guy for a few months before I started dating Brandon. He played the guitar, was the lead singer in a rock band and played at clubs every weekend. Unfortunately, I was 19 and not even old enough to attend his shows. Did I think I had a future with this guy? Would I want him for a husband? NO! Was dating him incredibly exciting? Did it feel kind of dangerous? YES! I loved every minute of it.

Maybe I feel this way because I personally never had a rebellious stage. I've always done the right thing and never even had a desire to do otherwise. Perhaps I'm living vicariously through these guys?!? I don't know. What I do know is that Bon Jovi has still got it going on.

The Battle of the Bulge

I'll just come out and admit it: I'm pleasantly plump (although, is plump ever pleasant?). I gained WAY too much weight when I was pregnant with Addyson (I'm ashamed to admit: 45 lbs.). So far, I have not tried very hard to lose it. I naturally lost 25 and I was HOPING that nursing would take off the other 20. HA! Whoever said that nursing helps you lose weight is a liar. (Or perhaps it has something to do with me eating massive amounts of chocolate daily.) Either way, about 2 weeks ago I decided SOMETHING had to change when Brandon and I had this conversation (notice the quotation marks):

Brandon: "WE" should start eating healthier.

ME: "WE?" Since when do you care about health? (Brandon has NEVER shown any interest in nutrition or fitness.)

Brandon: I just think "WE" should start eating better. "LET'S" cut out all sugar until June.

It was blatantly obvious that he just wants me to lose weight. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but my husband ADORES candy. We usually have an entire cupboard full of sugary treats. So for him to suggest this is crazy talk. We just found out that his sister Emily is getting married in June, so this gives "US" a goal to shoot for. So it's official: "WE" are cutting out all sweets until her wedding. This includes candy, ice cream, cookies, cake, pie, and yes, chocolate. I've been doing this for 2 weeks now and it's not so bad! The first few days were brutal, but once the cravings stop, it's cake. (MMM, CAKE.....oops, back on track.)

So I am now actively trying to lose the weight. Here's my game plan:

1. Continue the no sugar thing as discussed.

2. Exercise at least 4 times a week.

3. Eat one apple every day. (Have you tried this? It's a great tip. It satisfies the sweet tooth, and fills you up.)

Last week, I achieved the exercise goal and the sugar goal. I haven't yet exercised this week, but the week is young.

I would love to hear your weight loss tips! Here's to a more svelte me!

The Good, The Unexpected, and the Ugly

The Good (OR How to Remodel your Bedroom in 4 hours):

This is what happened to my bedroom one day last week.

10 a.m.: Brandon in bed, not moving. Note the unpainted wall and unsightly bedding.




12:00 noon: Brandon no longer in bed, unsightly bedding removed, and the wall starts turning blue.




2 p.m.: Brandon out, new bedding on bed, wall freshly painted, room cleaned.



(Note: We bought the paint and the bedding over six months ago, before Addy was born.)


The Unexpected (OR How to Have Lunch with Out of State Aunt Without Really Trying):


Saturday at 10:oo am I was still in my p.j.'s, reading blogs and typing up some stuff for Primary. My cell phone rings and it's my Aunt Julie, who lives in Vancouver, Washington. (Yes, I live in Meridian, ID.) Our conversation went something like this:


Me: Hi, Julie!

Julie: Do you want to have lunch today?

Me: TODAY? Don't you live in Vancouver?

Julie: Yes, today. Yes, I still live in Vancouver.

Me: Okay...

Julie: Pick me up at the airport in two hours.


Is that spontaneous or what? I picked her up at 2:50 p.m. and dropped her back off at the airport to go home (the same day) at 7:30 p.m. We had a great time visiting, eating at Chili's and catching up.


Who does that? It was crazy, but oh so fun!






(Note: Julie's husband, John, works for an airline and they fly for free.)


The Ugly (OR What Do I Do When my Baby Won't Nurse?) :


Addy, Four Months



NO, I don't think Addyson is ugly. Look at her...she's gorgeous (it's okay to gush about your own kid, right?). But lately she has been pushing my patience to it's limits. She has been a great nurser since about 1 week of age. She nurses quickly and efficiently, has been sleeping through the night since she was 9 weeks, and I haven't had any problems...until recently. Lately, every time I try to nurse her in the evening hours, she arches her back and screams like I'm pulling her toenails off. The chain of events goes like this:


I try to nurse her.
She refuses.
She screams and fights me.
I get frustrated.
I start crying.
Now we're both crying.
I yell at Brandon.
Addyson goes to bed hungry.
I go to bed mad at the world.
Addyson awakens me in the night to eat. (WHAT?!? I REFUSE to go back to this.)
The next morning she's happy as a clam and eats great.


(Note:This is seriously stressing me out, making me exhausted, and causing me to dread the evening hours.) Does anyone have any idea what might be going on here?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday! She is 50! Does this woman look 50 to you? Here is why I love my mom:

1. She takes great care of herself. She taught me about the importance of exercise and fitness. This woman has been exercising 5-6 times a week for 20 years. She teaches 4-5 fitness classes a week, walks, lifts weights, etc. She looks amazing. Whenever we go out together, people think she's my sister.

(She's going to kill me for using this picture, but doesn't she look good?)

2. My mom is a fabulous Grandma. She calls me and is actually interested in hearing every little detail about Addyson, including her bowel movements. She asks how she slept the night before. She worries about her and is always telling me to call the pediatrician to ask her about this or ask her about that. She carries around a Grandma "brag book" with pictures of Addy and shows them to anyone silly enough to stop and look (they'll get an earful)! It just kills her that she lives in another state from her grandbaby.

3. Mom saved my life after Addyson was born. She came and stayed for a week and I literally would not have survived without her. She cooked meals, did laundry, cleaned my bathroom, dusted and vacuumed, and washed my sheets. She made me laugh when I had the baby blues. She took care of Addyson in the middle of the night so I could sleep. She drove me around on errands because I was too loopy on painkillers. I tried to convince her to move in permanently, but she convinced me I could handle being a mom. She was right.

4. Mom is hilarious. She looks at the world in a way that no one else does. She always has a recent story to tell about some thing she noticed that I wouldn't have. She cracks me up daily. My favorite thing is when we laugh hysterically on the phone together. (Mom, what do you think about Jordan School District elections? :)

5. My mom loves her family unconditionally. She doesn't judge her kids for their choices. She accepts people for who and what they are. She loves me with all my faults and imperfections. She is a great wife who puts her marriage first in her life.

Roxy, Mom, Dad, and Tyler

6. My mom is a great example of sacrificing to serve others. She is always taking someone dinner, dropping off a treat to someone, watching someone's dog while they are out of town, or working to make someone's birthday special. She never says no when you ask her to do something. A few years ago, I was coming to SLC for Christmas and I needed some new shoes to wear but didn't have time to go buy some before I left to go out of town. I called her and asked her to go find some black, pointy toed, high heeled boots in a size 6. She dropped everything and went out shopping. When I got to her house, the boots were waiting for me. They were just what I wanted and she didn't even make me pay her back for them! How great is that?

This last year, I called her and told her I wanted to bless Addyson (2 days before Christmas) at her house while we were there visiting. She cleaned, invited people, planned food and had everything perfect for the blessing (also on the spur of the moment).

7. Mom and I are very much alike and like the same things. We love books, a clean house, and going out to eat. She taught me everything I know about how to be organized, write thank you notes, plan in advance, magnify church callings and entertain. We have the same taste in music and movies.

8. Most of all, my mom is a great friend. She cares about me and the mundane details of my life. She wants to know all about everything I do. She calls me daily and sends me text messages daily. I love to be with her because she is so much fun. I know that she would do anything for me and that she loves me.

Mom, don't think of it as being 50...think of it as being 5 perfect 10's!

I love you! Happy Birthday!

A Tisket, A Tasket, a Gorgeous Easter Basket

I am so excited to share this! How would you like to bring some fresh, green, early Spring life into your home for Easter this year? It is super easy and fun to grow REAL EASTER GRASS in your Easter baskets. We used to do this when I was a kid and I did it early this year to demonstrate it for a Relief Society activity. If I can do this, anyone can...it is fool proof. Kids will love helping with this and watering the basket each day. After the grass has come in, you can leave the baskets out for the Easter Bunny to fill with candy and eggs. I know that I HATE that plastic Easter grass that gets all over your home and sticks to everything. Try this out instead! (You'll want to start this about 10-11 days before Easter.)

What you’ll need:
-Plastic wrap
-Grass seed, rye seed, or wheat seed (I use spring wheat berries, available at the Boise Co-Op in bulk. Or you can use wheat berries from the cannery-they just take longer to sprout.)
-Vermiculite
-Basket to grow it in
-Water spray bottle
-A sunny window

1. Line your basket with plastic wrap, plus leave some sticking out over the top edge, about one inch. Try and do one piece to prevent leaking.
2. Fill will vermiculite almost to the top of the basket. Vermiculite is lighter than soil, stays moist easily and can be found in gardening stores.
3. Cover the top with seed. Sprinkle ¼ inch vermiculite over the top of the seed. Water it with the spray bottle until it is good and wet.
4. Place basket in sunny window. Mist with water 3-4 times a day so that soil stays damp. In about 10 days, you will have a beautiful basket of real Easter grass!

BEFORE

It would be so fun to give friends, neighbors, and/or Visiting Teachees mini-Easter baskets full of real grass and treats this year.

AFTER

Happy Growing!