Lemon Cake and Surgery

You'll all be happy to know I am no longer HUNGRY. Whew. That was rough...and let's just say my 11 day diet turned into an 9.5 day diet. Sorry. How could I resist a decadent slab of lemon cake placed on my door step by my practically gourment neighbor for my birthday? Well. I couldn't. At that point my willpower was practically non-existent.

AND.


AW just had his knee surgery...and trust me that has been enough to drive a girl to eat (In-N-Out is my new BFF). Not that he's a bad patient--- he's just a 38-year-old-male-patient. Last night I felt like I had a new born again with all the getting up in the night. Sigh. But he will get well. Hopefully sooner than later.

Hunger

Have you ever just had one of those days when you were HUNGRY? Not just: hmmm, I think I'd like a little nibble of something. Not: I might like to share a dessert with my husband after dinner. No. Nothing like that.

I mean serious HUNGER.

Like: I want to eat this entire ice-box cake by myself, with no helpers, no sharers. Me. Only me.

So.

I may have felt that way on occasion...

Like, NOW.

I have been on this 11 day diet thing for 7 days. Today is day 7. And people, I am HUNGRY! And I'm supposed to be writing my book, but all I have been doing is surfing through my favorite cooking blogs noting recipes I will try once I can actually eat again...in 5 days. Actually. On my birthday. So people, this is the birthday cake I want. Doesn't it look divine?

If you too are HUNGRY...check out the Smitten Kitchen and I guarantee you will find something that will satisfy. No calorie counters, fiber percentages, fat caloric notes in sight. This is a serious cooking blog that creates food that will satisfy.

And tell me what you ate. I'm totally into living vicariously through other happy eaters. Yesterday I made Adam tell me in detail what he had for lunch at The Olive Garden.

Love Day and Pioneers...

Yes, it's the annual 4th Grade Utah History Play. Grace was Mary Horne, a pioneer who traveled across the plains to settle Utah. She did a great job and, as usual, was extremely expressive. Just love that Grace.

And we can't have a play without going to have a little In-N-Out. Grandma actually went to In-N-Out BEFORE the play, so we made her go with us again afterwards. Like I said, my family has a definite In-N-Out problem :).
I just l-o-v-e valentines day. I know it's kind of a gimmicky, somewhat of a capitalist plan to have people spend money buying flowers, cards, candy (lingerie...wink, wink), etc (wow, I sound extremely cynical...). So. Valentine's Day is great for the economy, right?

But I just love a day to remember all the people who make my life wonderful. And, Valentines Day always reminds me of my birthday, so I just love heart shaped sugar cookies, red Hot Lips, and the colors pink and red. Call me crazy. And how fun is it to celebrate V-day with a bunch of over excited, sugar crazed, silly, kidlets? I loved it. Here's Lucy with her valentine necklace and bracelet. She felt like such a big girl.
Awww...so sweet. She just makes my heart melt.

Boo-boo's and New Adventures

Poor Lucy had a very unfortunate accident at The Little Gym...like a full speed nose dive into a balance beam...and then an encounter at REI with a metal hooked sock hanger that went right up her nose. I thought it was broken, but it just turned out to be horribly bruised. This picture was right after her fall at The Little Gym. It was the last day of class full of certificates and balls and pictures (and unfortunately her swollen sniffer). Poor baby.


This is her usual happy face...
Aunt Kim and cousin "Hammy" (or Sammy) go to The Little Gym too. We have a lot of cousin/sister fun.


And here we are traveling up The Canyons lift to take Spence, Grace and Sophie to their brand new skiing/snowboarding adventure. Lucy's nose looks a little bruised above.

The kids had a blast a ski school (even though it was a blizzard), ate pizza AND mashed potatoes for lunch, imagine that! Had plenty of hot cocoa breaks and succeeded in becoming addicted to freshly falling powder...Now, I think they all have caught the 'skiing bug'. Although, Spence snowboarded. We went up again for another lesson and they were all in heaven. I guess if I can't live in California, I better find something I like about the snow (ugh). But these cuties seem to make the snow a little more magical...


And here is my recent reading list: I'm not finished with them all, but The Help was heartbreaking and beautiful. I loved it. I'm working on the others. Anyone have any other ideas about books they love?

January Already?

What? January 12th? No. I don't believe it. You can't tell me it's been a whole month since I posted? Well. Perhaps you all feel the same way. Did December and festivites turn into a whirlwind? YES.

We had:
1. Birthday girl #1, turning 8 I might add.
2. Gingerbread houses.
3. School concerts.
4. Class parties.
5. Family outings for holiday cheer in SLC.
6. Christmas...and hardly any pictures of that because camera was broken. :(
7. San Diego family in town for fun, fun, fun.
8. Baptism of Birthday Girl #1...a beautiful day, even though it was January, and so very cold.
9. Birthday girl #2, turning 2! (Yes, I said 2). And she thinks she's in charge of everything...and well. She is. Elmo birthday cake and cupcakes galore.







And now, back to life. Yes? I'm just tired thinking about it all. Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season.
xo

A Violin First

This year Grace began violin with her elementary school orchestra and just had her first performance.
We had a little drama because she broke her string the day before the performance and then asked me to fix it. Uhm. I know nothing abut the violin. But luckily the violin store was able to fix it, although the sales lady kept saying, "Are you sure you don't want to string it yourself? It's really easy." And then proceeded to struggle putting it on for about 15 minutes. Needless to say, she showed me how. And I think I can now show Grace how to do it...maybe.


And then we celebrated with quesadillas and guacamole at Los Hermanos. And so sorry to Grandma's and Grandpa's who found out mid-route to the concert, that the concert had already begun, and they had missed their little violinist...My fault I'm sure...so sorry!

Adam's Genes on Display

So this is Grandma Jane Petty...my children's Great Grandma...93 years old (Adam's Grandma on his mothers side). Wow. She's even been on the Jay Leno show, and she was hilarious. Check out this link to find out more about her dancing group Jean's Golden Girls. My girls think every Grandma can do the splits.