Monday, Monday

Regan was off this past week. It was great to get to spend so much time together but it always throws off the whole routine we have going around here. I got some stuff done but really we hung out and I napped. It was awesome.

And cause of that I've not got a lot to say. So instead, go check out baby Oscar for my assignment week 3 over here

Spiritual Sundays

True happiness comes from following Christ’s example and developing Christlike attributes such as obedience, goodness, honesty, gratitude, humility, love, charity, and forgiveness. It comes from serving others and helping them to follow Jesus Christ. It comes from controlling the appetites of our human bodies and following the promptings of the Spirit. It comes from working hard and having a healthy lifestyle, friends, family, and personal achievements.

Foto Friday: Week 8

Not much to say about my picture this week. Just Alden and I thought that light was totally cool :)

list 8: things I do not like

1. rodents. Or anything related to a rodent. GROSS!!!!!!!!!

2. strong coconut flavoring.

3. nosey and/or rude children

4. paying bills (ie utilities, etc)

5. early mornings

6. -23 in February

7. throwing up, pregnancy and childbirth

8. Willie Nelson

9. library fines

10. cigarette smoke

11. trashy famous people

Regan REALLY wants me to put this on my list.....

Photo Talk: Brooke Snow Class Week 2

In my second week of class we learned all about posing. And I need to show at least 3 variations on the same pose. I was lucky enough to have a wedding shoot this week. Peter and Stephanie wanted bridals so we met on Wednesday and then again at their wedding on Saturday. (And it turned out being a good idea since it was FREEEEEEEEEEEEEZING on Saturday. SERIOUSLY COLD!!!!!!!
So here it is.....

Spiritual Sundays

“The longer I live, the more impressed I am with the Lord’s system of caring for the poor and needy. Surely no man would think of such a simple yet profound way of satisfying human needs—to grow spiritually and temporally through periodic fasting and then donating the amount saved from refraining from partaking of those meals to the bishop to be used to administer to the needs of the poor, the ill, the downtrodden, who need help and support to make their way through life.” – L. Tom Perry, GC Apr/86

foto Friday: Week 7

He has been working a lot lately delivery babies. We are on a busy rotation and he got home late the night before I had to post my picture..... I tried other things but I wasn't satisfied. So he told me to get ready and did this jump. This is totally at 11pm. And just so him. That I am taking things to seriously and he is just trying to make me laugh. And he did.

Listography: Movies I can watch over and over

Funny this is the list this week since our yearly tradition is to watch the same movie for V-Day.

1. Return to me (V-Day)

2. 13 Going on 30. Totally cheesy and high school and i LOVE IT! HA!

3. Harry Potter's. Love them. Seen them all many times.

4. Sabrina. (The original with Audrey Hepburn. LOVE THIS MOVIE.)

5. Funny Face (with Audrey Hepburn. LOVE THIS MOVIE TOO!)

How about you?

10 on Tuesday

1. Yesterday Eli got up too early and was just crabby the whole morning. So at 915 am I had had enough and put him in his bed again. He cried for 20 minutes and then went to sleep for an hour. And I thought hmmmm maybe he needs morning naps. And then this morning rolled around and he woke up at 5:40am..... so I guess he doesn't need morning naps!

2. I was a total slacker this year for V-Day. But I did pull out this for dinner.



3. Sunday morning she came upstairs and said "mom, can you take my picture?" Of course!


4. This kid LOVES his baby. Like sleeps with it, carries it around. Sings songs to it, takes care of it. It's soooo sweet!


5. This child is a HORRIBLE eater!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He eats like 6 things. And now add one more - chicken noodle soup!


6. Last minute (as in the night before at 730pm) prep. I should really get with it! HA!


7.Regan caught this of me and Eli and I totally love it. Just us together.


8. I love to hear Regan singing and playing the piano. My favorite one he plays and sings right now is Brick by Ben Folds.


9. My SIL Whitney had a baby this morning. And I can't wait to go snuggle her new little man!

10. I'm still in my pjs at 10:38 am.....

Photo Talk: V-Day and Assignment #1

Well Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is lovely. Eli fell asleep again this morning which is working out nicely since he was up early has spent the entire morning mostly crying.

I am taking an online class with a friend and fellow photog Brooke Snow. And I need to post my assignment today.... so here it is!

I was to preplan a shoot (and I had a wedding coming up in Cardston on this past weekend) so I used that shoot for my assignment and post my three favorite images. Well all my preplanning kind of go thrown out the window since the weather was HORRIBLE! Seriously it was the worst wedding weather I have ever shot in!!! We used it for our advantage....

and then changed our plan and found some places indoor to shoot in. Pizzas and Cream in Cardston

and then the Lethbridge Lodge hotel in Lethbridge. We thought we were done and then I noticed the staircase and the mirrors and wanted to try something in here and I really like it!


The whole thing made me think I should know more places indoor to shoot for when the weather turns bad! And good thing that I had thought of shots that I wanted ahead of time too!

Spiritual Sundays

Freedom of religion strengthens society, and people of faith should unite in its defense, according to Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In an interview provided prior to a speech at the Chapman University School of Law in Orange, California, and also in that speech given on February 4, 2011, Elder Oaks defended the right to free exercise of religion.

Elder Oaks made four major points in his speech:
“1. Religious teachings and religious organizations are valuable and important to our free society and therefore deserving of their special legal protection.
“2. Religious freedom undergirds the origin and existence of [the United States] and is the dominating civil liberty.
“3. The guarantee of free exercise of religion is weakening in its effects and in public esteem.
“4. This weakening is attributable to the ascendancy of moral relativism.”

Foto Friday: Week 6

When I saw this upcoming I KNEW I was going to do a food photo. But I wasn't sure what specific food. And then my friend Marie brought us over some cookies and I was thinking that not many people bring us over treats. (I'm not saying that to be like woe is me - just a statement of fact - I think most people think of me as a baker and assume that I usually have treats around the house - which I do!). ANYWAYS, I was thinking that it was nice that Marie thinks to do that for us. That she thinks of us. So, the sweet was a double application. and THAT is why I took a picture of those cute V-Day cookie. And then I promptly ate the rest of it.

Listography 5: 10 things I love about my boys

Alden:
I love...
1. That he is completely himself. In all situations and around all people. I love that he is so comfortable with himself to not be influenced to be how he thinks people think he should be.
2. How artistic and creative he is.
3. that he still sakes to snuggle with me.
4. his laugh and smile.
5. how smart he is.
6. that he knows the Gospel and has strong testimony.
7. I love how handsome he is
8. how much he admires his dad
9. how he plays with Lucy
10. that he is so even tempered and rarely gets mad.

Eli:
I love...
1. how light hearted and happy he is.
2. his cute little voice.
3. how he says my name.
4. his sweet kissable cheeks.
5. how excited he gets when anyone in the family gets home.
6. his sweet hugs.
7. his little laugh.
8. how much he loves his mommy.
9. how easy it is to make him laugh.
10. his beautiful blue eyes.

10 on Tuesday

1. I am reading "Gift from the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindebergh. Such a good book. Easy to read. But such great thoughts in it. A quote from it I really liked..."What a circus act we women perform every day of our lives. It puts the trapeze artist to shame. Look at us. We run a tight rope daily, balancing a pile of books on the head. Baby-carriage, parasol, kitchen chair, still under control. Steady now!"

2. Sometimes I don't do things with my kids outside because it seems like so much work and I worry that it will end up with someone in tears. But today I took the kids sledding with our neighbor anyways.... and guess what all three kids ended up in tears. But it is good we did it anyways. (I need to learn how to not let that put me in a bad mood after though!)


3. I keep putting off getting my kids V-Day stuff ready. It's sad but I'm just not FEELING it this year. LAZY! I'm loving all the free printable online you can find. like this one and this one and this one and this one.


4. Some one stayed in the bathroom after me today while I was fixing my hair (aka putting it in a pony tail) and got into a bit of trouble.


5. I am in charge of the food for a Relief Society Meeting this Thursday night. We are doing a waffle bar with different kinds of waffles (like these and these and these) and lots of fun toppings. That means today and yesterday making many waffles!

6. I have my first wedding of the year coming up this Friday morning and I HOPE it is not freezing out!! It is in Cardston - which means we will be only shooting outside!! Yes she has a cape and yes I will be wearing boots and warm clothes!!

7. A little note to Alden:
I love that you are just you. In any circumstance. When we went to the cub rally tonight, you were so excited. Excited that we were all there to watch; excited that you got to race a car that YOU designed and painted and built; excited to see if you could win! You are one of the youngest boys in cubs right now. And you don't mind at all, you mix right in with all the other boys. When the races got started it was pretty quiet in there. But you cheered. You cheered loud. You cheered for others, your cheered for yourself. Completely unembarrassed like some of the other boys seemed. Instead they did small fist pumps and quietly say "yes". But not you. You are into it. Cheering and happy to be there and to be participating. I hope you stay this way. So just YOU. And no you didn't win all the races. You won one. And that was good enough for you.


8. We booked a trip to Mexico. It's the first week of May. And I am ridiculously excited. I've never been. We are going with our good friends Mark and Jody sans kids. Sooo excited. Haven't figured out what we are actually doing with our kids... but that's a minor detail ;)

9. Regan and I went to the Cardston temple on Saturday afternoon and left the kids at his parents house. A great afternoon.


10. Interesting to note that my readers have gone up (as in over 200 people read this silly thing a day) and yet comments are way down. Interesting!

In the kitchen: Leek and Camembert Tart

Made this last week for our dinner club - French themed. IT was super good and I thought I'd share the recipe!

from Epicurious (one of my FAVORITE places for really nice recipes!)

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
4 leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup whipping cream
4 ounces Camembert cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out each pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Stack squares and roll to 15-inch square. Using 14-inch pizza pan as guide, cut stacked dough into 14-inch round. Crimp edge of dough to form 1/4-inch rim. Transfer to pizza pan or baking sheet. Freeze 10 minutes.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and 1/4 cup water; cook until leeks are tender, about 15 minutes. Season leeks with salt; set aside to cool. Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add Camembert and stir until melted. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Whisk in egg, cayenne, and nutmeg. Set custard aside.
Sprinkle Parmesan over crust. Spread leeks over. Drizzle custard over. Bake until bottom is golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spiritual Sundays

President Howard W. Hunter (1907–1995) said: “Let us be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us also go for the personal blessing of temple worship.”



“If we can pattern our life after the Master, and take His teaching and example as the supreme pattern for our own, we will not find it difficult to be temple worthy.”

—President Howard W. Hunter

Foto Friday: Week 5

Every week I am like man these two are killing me with their pictures..... mine is the goofy one AGAIN.... Do you ever see faces in your food? Apparently I do :)



hahahahahahaha! Hope that made you smile.

Listography 5: 10 things I love about Lucy

1. That she likes to cook and bake with me

2. The way she says something and then says "right mom?" in this sweet little voice that is hard to describe.

3. That she can mostly read and did it mostly on her own

4. That she has a testimony of God and loves to bear it to other people.

5. That she loves arts and crafts as much as I do

6. Her heaps of creativity

7. Her sweet blue eyes

8. When she decides to be helpful she can do a lot and especially helps out with Eli

9. How she calls her pj's her "night night clothes"

10. That she loves to sing and wants to be a singer when she grows up

Ten on Tuesday

1. I HAD to go take a picture tonight of the sunset. It was so pretty. By the time I actually got out on my own it was -35 degrees C out and I was shaking from the cold and the light was almost gone... but I got it.


2. There is NOTHING that annoys me more than when my kids are eating and they don't eat all their supper and are crying to be done and then right before bed they ask for a snack cause they are hungry. NOTHING.

3. I am totally doing my 365 pictures this year. But instead of stressing myself out by trying to post them on a whole other blog, I am just putting them up on flickr and then sharing some here and there on my blog. Like these ones....




4. I love the show White Collar. Anyone else???

5. I am NOT A fan of this weather we have all of a sudden again. -30? BOO on that!!!!

6. Some brought me flowers a few weeks ago as a hostess gift at Ukrainian Christmas. And I really enjoyed them all. And taking pictures of them too!


7. I got a scensey (and I know I am behind the times) but I am loving it!! Makes my house smell all purdy and stuff!

8. Today is my SIL Jen's birthday today and my friend Kelly's yesterday. Love them both! Wish I got to see them both MORE!

9. I am always behind on housework lately. It's kind of depressing. And speaking of that I need to go clean up the kitchen! (Probably since I made bread and muffins today.)

10. I really struggled coming up with 10 things.... hmmm maybe I should switch it to Two or Three on tuesday. ;)