No Sugar

I have been on a no sugar or starch thing for awhile now. I have been doing really well. However, I am starting to crave pasta. I have been finding recipes--you would think that I would find really healthy, low sugar/starch recipes to introduce to my family. No--I am finding recipes like homemade mac and cheese, chicken spaghetti and desserts.

This may be a problem!

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

About a month ago we were sitting around looking at our calendar, trying to decide how to spend the long weekend. Mr. Sweetness had had a conversation with his dad about how he had always wanted to go to Canyonlands. He has been a big John Wayne movie fan for years. He wanted to see the landscape that so many of the movies were filmed.

My sweet husband had a very distinct feeling that we needed to take his Mom and Dad and go. We talked about timing. Southeastern Utah gets unbearably hot after May. If we didn't go for Memorial Day we would have to wait until about October. We felt that we better not wait. My wonderful father-in-law will be 85 in July. He has had cancer in his system for almost 20 years. He has been dealing with bone cancer for about the last 4 years. He is losing his stamina and his strength.

So, we hooked their trailer to our motor home(lovely site--so embarrassing for MissA) and away we went.

It was a great weekend. The weather was slightly overcast on Saturday--which was much better than the horrible rainstorm we drove in Friday evening.

We visited Arches national park on Saturday--It was spectacular!

On Sunday we went to Deadhorse State Park and Canyonlands National Park. The views were just breathtaking.

I was happy that some middle-aged bikers asked if they could take a picture of all eight of us-it was the only one with all of us!It was a great weekend-even when we got drenched hiking to landscape arch-it is a memory we will always remember! We are glad we didn't wait!

Sweet Sixteen

Happy Sweet Sixteen!

It is amazing how quickly sixteen years have passed by. At times they have seemed to drag but hindsight is clear--it has been a blink.

I remember bringing her home from the hospital, the spitting image of her father. I remember putting the darling little girl clothes on her. Waking her up to eat because she was just so sleepy. She was a little Precious Moments baby. Her hair was almost black when she was born and then it grew in a soft wispy blonde. She was a beautiful, mild baby and is now a lovely determined young woman. I am amazed at how quickly she has grown.

This beautiful girl turned sixteen this morning so she was greeted with a stack of sixteen pancakes in honor of her special day. She wasn't able to eat them all! We had a surprise party for her last night. I am amazed that we actually pulled it off!

Blossoms

Spring Blossoms

It finally feels like spring! We have had a few days of very hot temperatures and then a few with rain showers. I am so ready for some heat. I have really struggled with the cool temperatures this year. It has felt like winter even though the calendar has said it was spring.

I looked out my front door and realized that my apple tree was in full bloom. The smell of apple blossoms is one of my favorite smells, it is so fleeting that I have to just drink it in for the few days it is in the air!

Family Photo shoot-minus one!

Our family photo shoot today only consisted of three--#2-Mr. 12 year old boy didn't like what sister #1 did to his hair. I took those that I could. We will try with him another day. I figure take what you can get!

Little Man was a challenge-between his birthday kittie, his long hair and his beat up face we were lucky to get any---then those that he did he was usually sticking out his tongue!

I will need to take MissE again, and have all the focus on her.

It is times like these that I wish that I knew more. More how to work my camera, more about location and more about getting the people to loosen up so we can have even more great shots!

Don't Blink

When did this happen?
MissA wanted to have some pictures taken today---this is what I found when we finished.

When did my little girl turn into a stunningly beautiful young woman?

This week she will turn sixteen.

Where did the time go? It all happened so fast.

Thursday

My friend Rachel recently wrote that she hasn't been able to sit down to write---I am so with her! I have been doing a million little things and sitting at the computer is such a time sucker. I have to be very very careful when I get on the computer. I could spend hours just looking at neat sites. Things to cook, sew, healthy ideas, interesting blogs, photography. Never ending!

We are just plugging away as always. Tonight I actually attempted to run. Okay, RUN is a bit of a stretch. I jogged some, got stopped by two different neighbors, jogged some more, walked and jog/walked home. It was about two miles that I went total. I figure that it was a start-again! I am going to put it out there in the universe that I want to run a 10K this summer. I just want to be able to do it.

This is the first day in forever that it has felt like spring. It was so lovely outside. I couldn't get enough of the smell of the flowers in bloom. We live in a Mt. Valley so we are behind in our growth. The smell of all the blooming trees was almost intoxicating. I remember my Mom saying that phrase and I totally understand it. It was as if the smells were waking up the world again--at least they are waking ME up. I have needed it. This week I have actually awakened at 5:15 AM two days! That is huge. I really want to be a natural morning person. I guess that I might be able to for three or four months of the year.

We are headed to the local amusement park tomorrow for the last dance competition of the year(thank goodness!) The girls will dance tomorrow, we will stay in the RV campground overnight and then they will dance again on Saturday and then the kids will ride rides all afternoon and evening. It will be a crazy time--as it is anytime we go to the amusement park. Truthfully,it's not my favorite place. I guess that I lost my love for it when I became them mother. The one that has to constantly say no. "no we can't play that game" "no we arenot going to buy that t-shirt" "no-you don't need that $4 dollar drink." It stresses me out. I remember going when I first started dating Mr. Sweetness. We had so much fun! I really would love to feel that fun again. Problem now is that I am old and the rides are starting to make me sick to my stomach. However, I do wish that I could just let go a little and just enjoy the excitement of such places.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day!

I had a nice surprise on Saturday just before we left for the lake(cold). I was surprised with a beautiful bouquet of two dozen roses! They are gorgeous! They are all different colors in a funky lime green vase.

My Mr. Sweetness really is a keeper!

Sunday morning proved to be like most other Sunday mornings except that MissE came in bright and early with her treasures. Some body oil, a bracelet and a few other things. She was the only one of my four children that even noticed that it was Mother's Day. I have decided that I am going to have to retrain these children and husband. They are all old enough that they should cook lunch, dinner and do all the dishes. I should not have to do any of them--there is always next year! I told them they were in charge!

Update soon!

I am alive! I am trying to start updating my picture my year 365 blog. I have been taking the pictures. i have just not been able to get to them. I must---I just don't want to not finish this project! So soon!

Happy Mail!

Happy Happy Mail!

In the middle of doing my mountain of laundry I hear the UPS man. What did we order? I was so excited when I saw this box!

Awhile back I learned about this company called Little Mismatched. I thought the concept was adorable. I mentioned it to MissA because she was starting a trend of wearing mismatched sock. They were the type that had a colored band around the ankle and the rest were white. It didn't matter which colors she wore but they rarely matched. At Christmas time I found an adorable pack of socks at Costco that I knew she could mix and match.She has become quite the little trendsetter! Lots of the kids are now wearing the mismatched socks!

Well, one of my favorite people to follow is Stacey Julian. She has loved Little MissMatched forever. She thinks that by intentionally wearing fun mismatched socks you are helping your brain to enter a more creative place. You are being a little bit brave! She told us about a special on Little MissMatched's site and so I decided to splurge. All of their socks come in packs of three!

This was certainly some happy mail for me! It totally brightened my day!

Laundry-again and forever!

The plan today? Attacking Mt. Washmore! Mr. Sweetness asked if I needed double washer/dryer combos? I said that I needed another ME. One that can be running around the house doing all the things that are required and one to run and be everywhere the family needs me.

Strawberries!!!

Strawberries are in season!

I just love fresh strawberries so when I found them at the store I decided to go and get more and make some homemade jam. What a sticky, gooey, yummy mess!

I made regular jam and then I decided to make some syrup. I have always preferred fruit syrup over maple. I also really love it on vanilla ice cream!

I may have to go and buy some more to make some freezer jam! The hard part is not eating it all immediately!!!

What about today?

I cleaned like a crazy banche woman yesterday--this house needed it. The problem today? I don't seem to have the desire to do more, even though Mt. Washmore is yelling my name.
How am I going to fix this? I am going to lunch at school with MissE. Hopefully, getting out of the house(off the computer for the day) will refocus me. I have so many things that I just want to get taken care of.

*Laundry (never ends)
*Basement-de-preschooled
*studio dug out
*paint kitchen
*hang pictures
*take new pictures of kids
*sort and sort and sort pictures!

Saturday Afternoon Bliss!

I have never been known as a fabulous cook. I am a fabulous eater! However, I love food that looks beautiful as well as tastes good.

Last fall I decided that I needed a cake stand. I wanted to make pretty things that look even prettier on the stand. I have used it a few times but not nearly enough.

Saturday I bought berries--they were so lovely. I decided that I wanted to make a beautiful desert for my family.

This is the beautiful creation I made. I got the recipe off of AllRecipe and it turned out great! I was so proud of myself. Next time I will be a bit more careful with the cutting--it wasn't very even.

If you are interested, this is the biscuit type-not the pound cake type of strawberry shortcake.


INGREDIENTS
3 pints fresh strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 cups whipped heavy cream





DIRECTIONS
Slice the strawberries and toss them with 1/2 cup of white sugar. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8 inch round cake pan.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons white sugar and the salt. With a pastry blender cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and milk. Stir until just combined.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool partially in pan on wire rack.
Slice partially cooled cake in half, making two layers. Place half of the strawberries on one layer and top with the other layer. Top with remaining strawberries and cover with the whipped cream.

Monday-again!

It is once again Monday--and it is certainly one of those love/hate days. I am drowning in this family's chaos so I will eventually return! I have lots of pictures to share-the computer is back from the hospital.