L.O.V.E #5 – SNOW

Growing up I remember HUGE snow storms, snow days home from school, making huge forts, slides, and having snow ball fights. I can remember putting our soaking gloves and boots by the heater vent and coming into the kitchen for hot chocolate. (what a great mom I have!)  I remember watching my Dad shovel or snow blow our walks and driveway. Lots of fun snow memories.

We spent a lot of time as a family with my Grandpa Jack on the Alta Ski hill. Where I learned quickly that I LOVE to ski.  Now if we can get some more snow in the mountains perhaps Dave and I can take Anna and teach her!

Now I have grown older and have to drive in it! And honestly after two scary accidents, it isn’t my favorite any more.  But this winter, being a mild one in Utah, and one that I haven’t had to do a ton of driving in it I have enjoyed it.  Especially when I get to watch my own daughters watch their Daddy shovel and then I drive the next morning and have it be beautifully stuck to the trees. It is gorgeous!

P.S. Yes, I have done my fair share of shoveling as well, during naps of course.  I’m sure my mom did the same.

L.O.V.E #4

BIG BROWN EYES

I thought I would always marry a man with blue eyes, but then I met him and fell in love with BROWN EYES. Now I have tow girls with their Daddy’s eyes.  One with deep brown, the other with green brown. I could look into them for hours! (:

L.O.V.E. #3–Hearts and PCMC

My niece had heart surgery this week at Primary Children’s Medical Center.  It brought back a lot of memories and a whole bunch of emotions. First off I am so thankful that things went well for sweet Brynn.  She still has weeks of recovery, but I know she is in good hands.   I am thankful to have PCMC as an amazing hospital in our state.  The work that goes on there is incredible, not only by fabulous physicians and nurses, but by all the staff. It was truly an honor to work there.  Everyone has an amazing heart and there is an amazing spirit there. I miss the experiences I had there and hope to go back one day! As for now I will visit Brynn and hope for a quick recovery!

 

L.O.V.E #2– Cakes and Cookies

I love being creative with food.  Though I REALLY need lessons I still enjoy doing it. My belly isn’t really thankful for it though.  It is a good thing there aren’t any birthdays in the near future.  We’ll see what I do for Valentines.

Here’s a look at my recent creations.

Dave’s birthday-

Halloween cookies-

Maddie’s birthday Doggie Cake Pops and Cake-

Our Friend’s 30th birthday party -

Thanksgiving Turkey cake pops-

Disneyland/Birthday cookies for Kjersti-

Anna’s Birthday Cake-

and party cake pops-

L.O.V.E #1–The Sun

I am hoping to post something I love for each day in the month of February. An ode to so many wonderful things I love about life and the blessings I have.

#1- The Sun- I have always been in awe of sunsets and sunrises. They can be so peaceful and breathtaking! So, take a minute to enjoy the sunset (or sunrise) before the moment is gone, you’ll never see they same one again!

SUNSETS. . .

-Sunsets @ Snowbird, Utah - 2006

 

-Sunset in Florence Italy –2000 - this is a scan so it isn’t as good, but it was beautiful!

-Outside my window in 2005

-Sunset on the Road in Palmyra, NY - 2009

-Colorado 2010

In Kauai - 2006

OR SUNRISES. . .

-Sunrise hike @Brighton with Dave on our first anniversary- 2004

- Sunrise in Kauai - 2006

Crazy Utah Winter

Well Utah has welcomed us back very gently this winter.  I whined on Facebook the first day it snowed and was cold, I wanted to go back to sunny California.  However, that quickly changed as December was mostly dry and now it is the end of January and we are {mostly} dry. 

I took some photos last week on Monday when it was snowing and absolutely beautiful out. I didn’t have to go anywhere and I loved watching it snow.  The next day it warmed up and it has been beautiful ever since. I had the camera in the car and couldn’t stop taking photos, though I was driving so I did! I love the little layer of snow on the ground and the snow frosted mountains. All weekend I have been looking out our windows right  at the blue sky and beautiful mountains.  It was gorgeous.

I especially love NOT having to drive in it! I am a nervous nelly now that we have been in 2 accidents because of snow and black ice. We even got new awesome tires on the Pathfinder to ease our shakiness… haven’t needed them.   Though there is one downside to that lack of snow, we have some ski passes we need to use so I would like more snow in the Weber Mountains!

Monday…

Tuesday… (BTW, I love this little country road I drive down almost every day. It make me feel for a moment as if I live in a little town.  There are even Peacocks, horses, and ducks to the right.

I took the previous photo to show this road to Dave, I am so glad we don’t have to drive up or down this road when it is snowing! (I just happened upon it one day).  I love the way the snow sticks to the branches, it is so pretty!

I used to take a LOT of photos of nature, particularly sunsets.  This post reminds me I need to do more. SO GORGEOUS!!

Princess Party

We had a fun week celebrating Anna’s birthday! We left the decorations up all week and just soaked in the 4 year old birthday glory. I still cannot believe she is 4! We had a full week of Family party, preschool party, well child check up-which was followed by days of pain ):, dance party and today we had a princess party with many princesses Anna loves and adores. It was so fun to have them all here!

The decor…

After a fabulous princess party at a friend’s home last year Anna asked until this week if she could have a princess party like Berit!  So, being the artist I’m not, I tried to make my own version of a Rapunzel tower. It was fun to make and made for a happy birthday girl.

Most of the Party Princesses…

Making cookies (one of Anna’s favorite things)

GAME… We played Pin the nose on Flynn Rider…

CAKE POPS…We had Cake Pops for Dessert, Anna wanted pink and purple, we had a little mixture of pink, purple, and white. I thought this would be a better idea than cake, but I found that it’s hard because there is no candle to blow out and I found a lot of pops in the garbage.  This could have been because the stuffed their faces with cookies, but perhaps they aren’t a favorite.  I am slowing discovering what works and what doesn’t.  Anna loved some I made on Maddie’s birthday, but didn’t really like these today. ???

 

DANCING… Then we played what I like to call, “Dance like a princess until the music stops, then find a princess square.

PARTY GIFT… After the beautiful dancing, All the girls got to visit Rapunzel’s tower for a special present from Rapunzel (or Anna.) “Rapunzel’s Paints” I had a tricky time getting the hair over the tower, so then We ended up doing one or tow strands at time. oh well, the girls liked it.

Thanks for all the help everyone! (:

PRESENT TIME… Anna was spoiled and you can see the look on her face tells it all.  I love those dimples. Everyone was so excited and stood around her the whole time. They were all so cute shoving her presents in her face, so excited to give them.  Grandma JoJo gave her a Rapunzel tower which lead to HOURS of playing afterwards! Thanks everyone!!!

Thanks everyone for coming! We had a great time celebrating! I couldn’t have done it without all the help!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNA LOVE!