Weekend Recap

Phew......if weekends are meant for relaxing and taking it easy, well this weekend was not anywhere near being that, ......but it was fun oh so fun!

A few favorites:

This just made me laugh.

Eric walked in the door, took one look at all of my little ducks in a row, I was vacuuming and needed to clear out the front room, and asked "where is Katelynn".

Hello!! Apparently that little duck blends in well with the rest of the little ducks. He didn't even notice her lined up with the rest of my stuff.

Lunch dates at Pretzel Maker with my boys, they love Pretzel Maker and I love lunch dates.

We went to Movie Night at the Elementary School, they were featuring Toy Story 2. The boys loved it, especially all the treats pizza, nachos, popcorn, soda, licorice ropes, starbursts. Katelynn fell asleep, poor Eric's legs about fell off from sitting on the hard gym floor for so long (next time we need to remember lawn chairs. And me I had fun chatting with my cute neighbor (Jamie you are the greatest)!



Saturday oh Saturday was crazy!!

I went to a baby shower in the morning, when I got home I plopped on the couch to discuss plans for the evening with Eric. Glanced at the clock and had a heart attack realizing it was 12:40 and we had a neighborhood BBQ in twenty minutes and I had not made my salad yet.

In other news I was trying a new recipe that required a blender for the dressing of the salad. Would you believe we don't own a blender? We got one for our wedding, a week later I made a smoothie for Eric and I, dropped the whole thing on the floor, splattering the blender and everything inside. Strawberry Banana Smoothie was EVERYWHERE, it took me three hours to wipe up that stuff in our tiny little apartment. I have hated blenders ever since.

So the point of my story.......I bought a blender after 7 years of hating them.

Ahhh.......now I feel better putting all that nonsense behind me. Really who hates a blender, well certainly not me any longer!

Back to my original story I am pleased to say I was only 5 minutes late for the BBQ.

After the BBQ we piled everyone in the car and headed down to Layton for the night. It was women's conference (for our church) and as tradition I spent the evening with my mom, sisters, Tam , Jill, my mother in law, and 2 wonderful sister in laws. It was the girls night of all girls nights. Thanks for the laughs Tam or should I say Glen!

Sunday the dreaded day had arrived.

Lesson time.

I survived, that's all I can say.

There was no tripping, no snoring, no collapsing, and a fear that hadn't even occurred to me -- falling short on time didn't happen either.

I am glad it's over for another month, it wasn't as scary as I had anticipated, though still scary enough and my sweet mother came to cheer me on. I needed her calming mother's way every time I felt nervous I would find her smiling face and it helped tremendously.

I love mothers especially mine!

And after all that -- Sunday evening I was more than ready for my comfy pants and a few thousand slices of raspberry cream pie -- I deserved it I do believe!!

The Good Stuff

It's been a day, a somewhat grumpy day. I was all set to complain and gripe about the itty bitty things that get me all hot and bothered. You know babies who only napped for a total of 40 minutes today, 3 year olds throwing 10 tantrums an hour over things like attempting to steal the neighbors toys, a house that despite having the thermostat set at 76 for some reason has felt like a sauna all day, cleaning that did not come even close to getting completed, and it's Thursday Eric's late night Masters class he teaches which means I am alone ALL DAY with the kids, yikes!

Yes I am grumpy, so I do what I always do when I am grumpy I organize and upload new pictures it has a way of cheering me right up and like clockwork it worked I am happy once again. Of course the happiness may be from all 3 kids being in bed for the night and I am all set with my season premiers, salt water taffy and a quiet house. Come to think of it this is probably what is spurring my forthcoming happiness, but behold here are the pictures that brought me some cheer......


Okay I lied Eric has two late nights Monday and Thursday nights he has night classes he teaches. Monday has been deemed TV dinner night in our household. Eric just grabs something on the way for dinner which is a great excuse for me to have a night off in the kitchen, the boys love going to the store to pick out their "blue dinners" for the evening. Every week I have to talk Luke out of the fish sticks, every week Lance gets spaghetti, and if they are lucky I let them pick a special drink to accompany their dinner. Good times!

Little acts of love by my sweetie.

Sometimes the little stuff means more than the big stuff. The other night I told him I needed to work on my lesson for Sunday after the kids were in bed. I was up folding laundry before I made my way downstairs to get started. I walked into the kitchen to find all of my stuff laid out for me on the kitchen bar, just waiting to get started, it was sweet and made me smile.

Just the gesture that he supports me and buoys me on in confidence makes my little heart melt.

He is so good to me.

And speaking of lessons, today I gave my 45 minute lesson to the treadmill. I was trying to find a quiet place to practice, our office was beckoning to me, the treadmill has a podium feel to it, with a shelf next to it for all of my stuff.......so I made do with what I had.

It freaked Lance out to walk in and see me standing on the treadmill, talking to a silent TV for close to an hour. He thought his mommy had gone nutso......and maybe I have, who knows?

3 Reasons this set of pictures make me smile.

1. Leggings on my girl.......oh the cuteness!

2. Who knew my Granny's shaggy old fashioned blue carpet would make such a delightful background.

3. Old time toys who knows how many little ones have played with that Fisher Price telephone, certainly me as a child, my mom for sure, Aunt Tammy I would imagine. They don't make toys like they used to, toys like that have withstood the test of time and for some reason that makes me smile and feel a little nostalgic all at the same time.

And last but not least look at my promptness.

You asked about the Taco Salad recipe and I deliver in only two days, now that's dedication.

I could just type out the whole recipe but I would much rather send you on over to my delightful friend Genn's blog. She has the whole glorious recipe step by step with lovely picture accompanying it. Though I must warn you if you click over to Genn's blog be prepared with your favorite beverage (in my case a diet coke) and a few minutes of spare time. Her blog is delightful and one of my all time favorite must reads every day. Her children are darling, her stories make me laugh and her pictures are gorgeous, so enjoy here is the link.

http://jghhass3.blogspot.com/2010/09/one-last-summer-recipe.html

Happy Weekend to you all!

life lately

This is my favorite time of day, picking up Lou from school at 3 pm. He gives really great receptions, runs, jumps, yells "mommy" in a delighted voice.

It's good for your mommy ego, I tell you what.

I got a new calling in our ward at church, instructor for Relief Society (the women). I have always said this would be my worst nightmare being called to teach the sisters in the ward. I don't do well in large groups of people, doing all the talking, I am more of a sit back and listen kind of girl. My first lesson is this Sunday, so sweet ward friends if you have been contemplating taking an end of summer out of town trip feel free to do so this weekend. The less people there on Sunday, the better for me!

I will consider it a success if :

1. I don't trip on my way up to the front.

2. I hear no snoring.

3. Nobody has to go find Eric, because you see I have collapsed in a heap from stage fright.

I am not sure which of these scenarios I fear the worst.

Lance's Halloween costume has arrived and I got the look of death when I asked for a picture, he had more important things on his mind such as tearing that box open and becoming "Iron Man" pronto.

I have been helping in Lance's Kindergarten classroom every week for a few hours, I wish I was five years old and in Kindergarten. Coloring, reading, recess, grape juice where can I find me a life like that, sounds pretty luxurious.

The best part of helping in his classroom, the look on this boy's face when I walk in the door. He treats me like a queen, taking me around to all his friends with a look of pride saying "this is my mommy". Then his friends beam and give me huge hugs on my way out the door. While Lance says "my mommy is awesome."

Another mommy ego boosting moment, I tell you what I am full of them these days. My head is getting bigger by the minute, I am one awesome mommy.

Unfortunately he also uses the word awesome to describe Nacho flavored Dorito's, homework, pretzels from the mall and our new umbrella stroller featuring Buzz Lightyear. So I am not sure how big I should allow my head to get, Doritos may or may not have an advantage over me......it's all up in the air.

We attended Luke's open house for the brand new building Sound Beginnings has moved into. It's gorgeous, huge, and going to enrich these kids lives so much, they have so much space and everything they need right in the same building. No more walking across the street for audiology appointments, it's just down the hall.

He doesn't know it yet, but boy is he excited about the new building!

Luke singing the "swimming" song with his teacher Janet. One day while driving by the aquatic center Luke started singing this cute little swimming song. He knew every word and not only that but Eric and I understood every word. By the end of the song Eric and I could sing along with him. This was a first -- my Luke teaching me a song, it was a beautiful moment.

Phew!! A clean bill at the dentist, always a plus.

Lance has now become a Nazi when it comes to brushing, he has a loose tooth and is slightly scared of the idea of it falling out. Actually it's more like he is TERRIFIED. He has convinced himself that by brushing it a thousand times a day it will prevent the inevitable. Whatever.....as long as he is brushing, I am good.

I tried the most wonderful taco salad recipe, thanks Genn!

Lance's very first book order has brought hours and hours of happiness, mostly to me.

I love books, especially kid books.

Oh to be five! Coloring, reading, recess, and drinking grape juice all day again. Whoops already gone down that road.....

Girls Night Out. I live in the greatest neighborhood, with the greatest girls for friends. We had a "tea"/punch party, black and white dress with a splash of red. Oh this picture just makes me smile.

Thanks Charee for a delightful evening!

Rolling is the main mode of transportation for this girl......and so it begins, baby proofing the house.

And entertainment, well that comes by means of her feet.

Good times for this little miss......rolling and feet, doesn't get much better than that.

My mom made a discovery from Costco -- sorbet in lemon, coconut, pineapple, and orange halves. Have you ever seen anything so delightful and charming.

Go, go to Costco get some before the season is over and they are GONE......

The charms of late summer days, they are that much sweeter when you know they are going fast and leaving us for the cold of winter.

Get in the rides while you can....

And this girl -- she just goes with the flow.......through it all!

Doesn't the third child just have to be easygoing, they are not given much of a choice.

The Lion King

For eight hours on Friday night I felt like I had up and joined a higher class ranking than the one I am currently in. For eight hours I felt so much more like a queen and less like a puke stained mommy. For eight hours while enjoying myself immensely I also had quite a few aches for my baby girl, whom I had never left alone for this long in her little life. Okay I missed those other two little monkeys as well, I just worried about them less. A night with Grandma is like a trip to Disneyland in their little world, they practically shoved me out the door.

Eric surprised me with tickets to see "The Lion King" a few months back at the Capitol Theater in Salt Lake City. We have been waiting months and months for the big night to arrive.

It was everything I had dreamed it would be.....

We started out the night with fine dining in SLC. Eric's dad is a "high end business man in Salt Lake", Steve I know you love me calling you that, but high end you are. When he gives us a recommendation for a nice restaurant we don't ask questions we just go, he has never steered us wrong in fine dining.

It was a German/Austrian Restaurant called the "Vienna Bistro". It served things like wienerschnitzel , and authentic Bratwursts, and most every entree included some kind of veal. Yes I ate Veal and I loved it.

Veal Marsala to be exact.

Luckily for me they had diet coke, I would not have survived fine dining without one or two or three.


Mr. Boring only orders water, he is so dull that way.


That would be Veal right there, I know it may look a little slimy but trust me it was good and my dessert Creme Brulee, oh yes it was everything I had envisioned it to be.

Smooth, creamy, delicious......., I am in love with Creme Brulee and I am in love with Eric for letting me order it and talking him out of the chocolate torte he wanted. It's not every day you can order Creme' Brulee, Chocolate you can eat any old day.

Funny story before we walked into the restaurant we stood outside the doors looking at a menu posted outside. A nice man with an accent walked by asking us if we had ever been here before. We told him no and he went on to say "It's very pricey but very good, if that helps, very very good." We thanked the man and decided to give it a whirl, in we go, sit down, get our menu's.

The owner's picture happened to be on the menu, it looked suspiciously like our friend, I'm just saying......I can't be sure......but I am JUST SAYING.

Onto the show, oh it was magical.

The costumes, the music, everything was so magical.

I didn't want it to end, my favorites Rafiki, Young Nala, Zazu and Scar was magnificent.

Another funny story, we were on the ground level towards the back and my seat was an aisle seat. "The Circle of Life" starts out the show, I am mesmerized, awe stricken when all of a sudden a feel a rustle next to my elbow. Look over to the aisle and the largest elephant you have ever seen goes hauling by. I had no idea they would be walking down the aisles up to the stage.

It scared the crap out of me and I was regretting my three cokes.

Enough said.

Oh honey you can surprise me with that kind of a date any day, I can't remember a night I had more fun in quite some time.

Thank you my darling!!