Linkty Link

Some great reads I've found recently.

1. Great tips about being a happy mom.

2. What a FUN thing to do! I think we'll be doing this craft this week!

3. How about this stuff?? I bet Eli would LOVE it!!!

4. Just a great reminder here about each of us being great.

5. Love Love Loved this post from my friend Tracy. Such a good reminder.

Listography: List 67

list 67: 10 childrens' books I love

1. The big hungry Bear by Don & Audrey Wood

2. Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox

3. The Party by Barbara Reid

4. Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak

5. Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmen

6. Anything by Dr Seuss

7. Who will tuck me in tonight by Carol Reth

8. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

9. Mixed up Chameleon by Eric Carell

list 44: the best desserts

I could make a LONG list here :) Dessert is my favorite course! So I'll just stick to categories of them.



1. Chocolate anything. Like these and these and this... I could go on but I'll stop there!

2. Pumpkin anything. Like these (that I made last Saturday night but didn't take a picture of) or these or these and a whole lot of all these

3. Carmel or Butterscotch. Like this and this and this

4. Cookies. I love them. All sorts and we usually have some around our house.

5. Ice cream. My very favorite is homemade vanilla bean. Y.U.M. (And look at this one!)

10 on Tuesday

1. Lately Lucy has been making me snacks. I'll be napping on the couch (and she's entertaining Eli for me) and I wake up and see a plate on the table with a little note. To mom. My mom's pregnant. Something of the sort. And various snacks on the table and she is SO proud of herself. It is totally cute. And sometimes I have to choke down some things that totally sound unappealing to me. But I haven't thrown up a snack yet :)

2. I just finished up an online photo class called Advanced pro with my good friend and amazing photog Brooke Snow (hey that rhymes). And it was totally awesome. Go check her out and sign up. She has a manual you get to download, video tutorials, video feedback of your assignments, and a live video Q&A each week where you can ask ANYTHING about anything. My last assignment is here on my photo blog with Joelle and Brandon. It was super fun to think outside the box! My favorite image from that shoot...


3. I have a lot of talented friends. A few of them
..... Kathleen does organizing
..... Abby does interior decorating
.... Marie does MOTHERHOOD in a way few else do
..... Brooke does online classes
.... Jen is crafting all sorts of things
.... Christina (and her sister) are cooking great food
And there are LOTS of others that I know all over who are so talented! I'm lucky to have such talented friends!

4. We are on the count down for residency. Seriously I am starting to get a little ansy for the end. In one week he starts his LAST rotation of residency. Then he REALLY will be Dr. steed!

5. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather. I won't talk about how much I hate the weather.

6. In 22 days I need to have my house ready to go on the market.
In 24 days I am leaving on a trip to Mexico.
I neeeeeeeed to get my butt in gear and actually DO SOMETHING to get ready.

7. I can not get enough good food lately. I want to do some baking to have some healthy yummy snacks around and maybe some not so healthy snacks around. :)

8. Last night was one of the worst sleeps I've had in a while. I don't know what Eli's deal was but WOW sleep was NOT on the menu!

9. Found this and looooved it!!! "None of us is perfect. I know of no one who would profess to be so. And yet for some reason, despite our own imperfections, we have a tendency to point out those of others. We make judgments concerning their actions or inactions. There is really no way we can know the heart, the intentions, or the circumstances of someone who might say or do something we find reason to criticize. Thus the commandment: 'Judge not.'" - Thomas S. Monson"

10. phew that was hard work to come up with 10!

Lovely Links

I found some super cute things to share.

One: these camera bags oh MY I'd love one! Look at how CUTE they are!!!!!!

Two: Read this right here that the great photographer Erin Cobb wrote about taking a picture a day. I am trying to do again next year.

Three: Look at these lovely necklaces. As always classic and beautiful!

Four: Rebecca is doing some great blogging this december. I am going to be doing a post next week.

Five: Look at this GREAT idea for a gift. Love love love it! and Alden would sure love to get it! (and so would Lucy!)

Six: A fun game of Holiday Bingo we are going to play tonight that you can download and print to play with your kids.

Seven: I love these ornaments here

Eight: I love books. A LOT. A couple I've got my eye on. Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision and Vision Mongers.

Anything online caught your eye lately?

Thanks

I know around 125-140 people read this thing every day.

But to Amy, Kathleen, Carmen, Whitney, Lora, Abby, Megan, Kristin, Marie, Heather, Brooke S, Jen, Kristi and Crystal....

You guys are the ones who most often post comments.
And just so you know, I appreciate it.

Random

1. First day of grade two for Alden. First day of Kindergarten for Lucy. No it's the not the best shot, but Eli was trying to run into the street, I have a sore ankle still from my fracture and the street was LINED with people who were going to school too. But we did it :)


2.Eli has been sleeping bad again lately and I am tired every day. Yet I stay up to get things done like editing pictures and canning fruit and seeing Regan when he comes home from work.

3. I have eaten a LOT of peaches in the last 4 days. I mean A LOT.

4. My friend Rebecca is having a giveaway on her bog today. And she just moved her whole little family (4 kids) over to a tropical island so her husband could attend medical school. She takes great pictures and is sharing lots of neat things about their new home. Go read it.

5. Last week before school started my lovely friend Heather & her two kiddos came and stayed with us. It was so fun.



6. I bought this book recently and have been making lots of stuff out of it lately. It is SUCH A good book!

7. I can't believe it's September!

Just a little something to share

rhondasteed.com

Still working out some kinks here and there. But my new photo home. :)
Let me know what you think!

Busy as a Bee

lovely Leslie has me over here

and Brett and Shawn's wedding was featured over here at Whimsical Weddings .

and I'll do a real blog post soon :)

Spring Soccer

has been filled with canceled games from lots of bad weather. Snow and rain. We had a game on Monday. A really really really wet and dirty game.


The best thing about the soccer season this year (Alden's first) is that he has two friends on his team. Colton and Kaden. And the good thing is that it is great for us moms and dads to hang out and visit. AND for the little sisters to giggle and run around and play (and pee in the bushes - oh wait that WASN'T good) and eat snacks and giggle.



And I made all the flowers from on line tutorials. Would you like the links?

And the t-shirt was totally from an online tutorial right here

Looks like a little guilt encourages ya'll to comment hey? :) Nice work!

In the Kitchen: Sunday Dinner

consisted of all Greek food. Reason?? Not sure. Just had a hankering. :)
So I made....

Greek Salad


Pita Bread


Mama Voula's Spanakopita (it's like a spinach and feta pie)


Pork Satay


Tzatsiki


And of COURSE we had to try Baklava!!

Sunshine Award

Well my new friend Kristin gave me an award, called the sunshine award :)
Kristin blogs at Pea Pod Creations, so go check out her cute blog!

(I can't get the cute little button thing to work here so just pretend it's here....)

The rules of this award are as follows:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award to 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.

Here are some of the blogs I love to look at or read that are not my family... (and really most of them are a big deal and I'm probably not going to comment and tell them cause they get like 1000+ hits a day.....)

Kristin at Pea Pod Creations, (yep I'm putting her on the list cause I love reading her blog :)

Gayle at Mom and Camera

Brooke at Brooke Snow

Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy

Cristy Cross at Cristy Cross

Rebekah at Rebekah Westover

Dana at Dana Made it

Kristi at Visible Voice

Susie at Susie Harris

Jill at Homemade by Jill

Laura at Just Laura

Jennifer at The Little Things

Elizabeth at Dear Lizzy

Foodie Links

I've found some great food blogs lately. And I thought I'd share some today!!

Smitten Kitchen linked right to the page of the thing I am going to make from her site first!

Baking Bites again linked right to the page of the thing I am going to make from her site first!

Cookin Canuk Love the name and looks like great recipes!

The Utah Hive (just check out all those links down the side of food blogs!)

365 Days of Crockpot Love me my crockpot!!! In fact we used it for supper tonight for Alysha's mom's Sweet and Sour Chicken wings!! mmmmm!

Confessions of a Bake-aholic I think I am also a bake-aholic. I can't stop. (Today bread and banana chocolate scones.)

Time for Supper

The Girl Who Ate Everything again linked right to the page of the thing I am going to make from her site first! (and MAN I love her blog name!)

Steamy Kitchen check out those pancakes right on top! WOW!

And of course
My Kitchen Addiction with the banana chocolate chip scones right on top of the page that I made today. They are GOOD! Make them!

mmmm foooood :)

Learning Links

Some links for blogs I have found lately that I REALLY like (per last post):

1+1+1=1

ABC and 123

No Time For Flash Cards

The Crafty Crow (mostly crafts for kids)

Activity Mom

Random

We just got home last night from spending a couple days staying over at our good friend's, the Chute's house. It was so good. I was going through Sarah withdrawals. We played, we ate, we swan, we baked, we laughed. I loved it. Regan took a few days off and we went as a family. It made me really happy! But I don't have anything fun to show you today because of it! :) I pre-did my last three posts... but not today's.


I am LOVING the marvelous things posted this month on the lovely Dana has been sharing. Go check it out!!!



On Saturday as I was just finishing up an engagement shoot my camera fell. On to gravel. And completely broke the flash BAD. And my nice lens was hanging off the camera body a bit. After sending the couple home i was in a bit of a panic since I had a wedding to go shoot in on hour (and it was 45 minutes away). I kind of got the body fixed up (the lens is fine - Hallelujah!!!!) But I had to borrow a camera (a Canon - thanks Lindsay!! which I didn't really know how to use.) I had mine looked at that day but something is fishy with it now and I have to get it fixed up since I have lots more shoots booked in the next few weeks. YES I was freaking out. YES it was horrible. It still makes me feel a bit sick to my stomach!!! But the wedding shoot turned out good. And no they had no idea.

Lovely links

Some sites I have been a LOVING lately....

IF you do photography and have ever used a texture before.... check out the great Shadow House Creations where Jerry puts up a new texture almost every day. Love Love Love them!!

GREAT food site called Wicked Good Dinner where I won a big prize. It's coming in the mail (had some border issues) shortly and I am SO excited!! She has another give away right now!! Great recipes on there!

One of my very favorite new blogs. Knock Off Wood where she shows you plans to build awesome things for your home. I am GOING to learn to make some of these things. I Mean it!!

A sweet online sewing club/ blog called Presser Foot that posts a pattern for something CUTE each month and then you can follow along and make one too. I plan on making the bag from this month. Just haven't gotten around to it yet!!

Any sites or blogs you love lately?

And here is a photo I put on my 365 blog a few days ago of two people I love

Family Games and fun

I don't know about you, but I find this time of year hard. Christmas is over and there are still lots of months of winter left. And this year we are getting some really nice weather lately (except the CRAZY wind that has been here!!). But soon it will snow again. It's ONLY January. This time of year I get a little stir crazy from being inside. And my kids to do. Eli was crying today to go outside but it was CRAZY windy!!

And we don't watch a lot of TV around here. In fact Alden only sees about 1.5 hours per week. Lucy isn't much more. Maybe 3 hours. There are lots of other things to do. My kids (Except Eli) play a lot independently. Eli is starting to do it in 10 minute segments (which means there is hope for him hahahaha) And I am always trying to remind myself to DO more with them. I don't enjoy playing. Like driving cars.... playing barbies.... um no thanks. (I do love to build a good train track!)

But there are some things I do love to do with my kids.

Games, Crafts, baking, dancing and singing.

And in the winter you need lots of these to choose from. I found this great list from a fun blog called I Never Grew up. I'll just put my favorites since it's a long list! But go read the whole thing here

What activities do you do with your kids when you are stuck in the house during cold weather? (You know, so you don’t LOSE YOUR MIND)…

Buy games and tuck them away just for the cold months

Collect new cookie recipes. Let them choose one each to use on cold “Cookie Days”

Lego competitions.

Make collages.

Have tea parties (lots of warm drinks with honey).

Bake yummy foods that keep the house warm and good smelling.

Play with yarn and lots of material.

Family drawing time.

Hold dance parties in your living room.

Have surprise birthday parties when it’s no one’s birthday.

Clear all the furniture out of a big room and lay out your picnic blanket. Sit on the blanket while you pop popcorn in the middle–with the lid off! It doesn’t
get much more fun than a dining room full of popcorn on a rainy day.

Scavenger hunts and treasure hunts

Have a day where you learn about another country and plan a small celebration.

Memory games

Let the kids decorate the floor with masking tape (you can usually find a roll for $1 -2). After they’re done make letters, numbers, and shapes. Play games like “who can find the circle” and have them run to stand on it.
Make homemade play dough. Each kid can have their own color and use cookie cutters to play with it.

Finger paint with pudding.

Have your kids look at old photos of themselves.

Another treasure hunt idea: Start by drawing a map of your house. Plant clues. Dressing up is optional- though definitely encouraged. Have the prize be anything from snacks to letting them wear your real jewelry for a day!

Watch a movie or two with fun snacks!

Playdate exchanges with other parents taking turns is fun. The children have lunch and play while the parents talk and have lunch

Plan a whole indoor camping experience for the kids. Make forts, do indoor friendly smores [using spreadable marshmallow cream and a microwave] and project movies on the wall. It’s almost like you are camping in the summer!

Have a carnival. Drugstores sell a huge roll of tickets (like 1000 tickets for $4.00). The kids set up their own booth. Have hula-hooping, snacks, dropping a ball into a vase, hop scotch on the rug outlined in masking tape, a coloring booth, etc. Have new activities each time and let your kids run it.

Great ideas eh??
What do you do to battle the winter blues and not go crazy indoor with your kids??


---------------------------------------------------------------
To answer your question: I found the felt on the bolt at Marshall's (on the north side)

And Haiti has been on my mind. CRAZY! Those poor people!!!!

On the Bookshelf: Books Read in 2009

A few friends have been listing all the books they read in the last year on their blogs. I have been using goodreads to keep track. I *think* this is them all.

1. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
2. One True Thing: A Novel by Anna Quindlen
3. Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
4. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
5. Unfeeling: A Novel by Ian Holding
6. Waiting for Birdy by Catherine Newman
7. Night by Elie Wiesel
8. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
9. They Came From Below by Blake Nelson
10. The Girls by Lori Lansens
11. The Birth House by Ami McKay
12. Covenant Hearts by Bruce C. Hafen
13. Shelter Me by Juliette Fay
14. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
15. When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
16. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
17. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
18. Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton
19. The Tsarina's Daughter by Carolly Erickson
20. Love and Logic Magic: When Kids Leave You Speechless by Jim Fay
21. Helicopters, Drill Sergeants and Consultants by Jim Fay
22. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
23. Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
24. Felt Jewelry by Teresa Searle
26. Well Preserved by Mary Anne Dragan
27. Well Preserved: Small Batch Preserving by Mary Anne Dragan
28. Return to Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank
29. Stuffed: An Insider's Look at Who's (Really) Making America Fat by Hank Cardello
30. The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James
31. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
32. Wave of Terror by Theodore Odrache
33. The Curse of the Good Girl: by Rachel Simmons
34. God Wants a Powerful People by Sheri L. Dew
35. The Weight of a Mustard Seed: An Iraqi General's Moral Journey by Wendell Steavenson
36. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

And I am in the middle of these three.
Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
No One Can Take Your Place by Sheri L. Dew

My favorites??
1. Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton - a funny and inspiring read about a food critic/chef stay at home dad and how he introduces his daughter to food. I wish I would have read it before I had Alden. There is a lot of stuff I would have done differently with feeding my kids! And a lot of great recipes to boot! My kind of book!

2. Stuffed: An Insider's Look at Who's (Really) Making America Fat by Hank Cardello - completely interesting and amazing. Stuff I had no idea about and it has made me more aware of where extra fat and unhealthy stuff comes into our home and mouths!

3. Waiting for Birdy by Catherine Newman This lady is a kooky-kook! Which makes her fun to read about.

4. When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka - a great historical fiction!! Love Love loved it! Sad but so good.

5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - best light read I've read all year. Easy and quick to read but still so good!

6. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah - You should read this. I have it. I'll lend it to you! Amazing book. Can't believe the life this boy had!!

Remember the kids parties from October??

Well they are being featured over here are creative party place today. Go check it out! It's a great site!

In the Craftroom: Steed Family Bakery Sign

You know my cupboard doors I got??
And how I made this star fish for my bathroom???


Well I made this too....

A chalkboard for my kitchen

And a family sign as well. :)

I love my sign :) A lot.
I hand painted it. And then distressed it after to make it look old. :) I got the idea here.

Both SUPER easy!!! And super cheap :)