The Big 8

Angry Birds was the big thing for Dylan's birthday...he got pillows, stuffed animals, bean bags, a hat, and even a blanket. Score! He had a great birthday and celebrated for at least a week (I've taught him well). Thanks to everyone who made it special. It's hard to have a birthday 4 days before Christmas, and it can be really easy to forget or lump it in with the holiday craziness. All of our friends and family are so sweet and go out of their way to make his day separate and amazing. What a lucky boy! Thank you all :)

Bear Hugs!

The kids got to help out at Bear Hugs for Christmas this year. Luke has the opportunity to organize and participate in so many charitable activities and events throughout the year, but especially during Christmas. Izzy and Dylan were able to spend the morning with a darling little girl. We had breakfast, met Santa Claus and the Jazz Bear, and shopped for Christmas. Too much fun! She got new pajamas, a remote control truck, a barbie, and a new notebook to color in. She was an absolute doll, and the kids were smiling as big as she was!

Did you see that Bobcat?

Dylan earned his Bobcat in scouts. He is so excited about it! So far, Jerry has taught Dylan how to:
*Tuck in his shirt (thank you)
*Milk a cow (without gagging or crying)
*Memorize
*Rake leaves (without complaining)
...and so much more! We are looking forward to pinewood derbies, campouts, and all of the other great stuff that comes along with the scouting program. For anyone who knows Dylan's eating habits, you'll be impressed to know that at the pack meeting, Dylan and his friend Ashton won the pie eating contest! His face kind of indicates his level of discomfort, but it's amazing what that boy will do in the name of scouts!

Sorry about the blurry photo...he was eating really fast!

Happy Halloween

I'm a bit late posting Halloween photos, but better late than never, right?

Run, Forrest!

Luke ran and ran and ran this year. We are proud of him and all the hard work he put into his marathon season. He claims to be taking a two month break, but I don't think he'll last. He really loves running, and he's really good at it. Way to go, Luke!

Birthday Girl

Somebody turned ten...

and isn't it funny that Luke and I got her new shoes?


Good thing we had just the right shade of blue nail polish to match the one she did get to wear!

Top of Utah Marathon

Luke with his dedicated fans at mile 17


Just yards away from the finish line


After the race

Great job, Luke!

Cub Scout

Dylan has been so excited to start scouts. I didn't have any brothers, so this whole scouting thing is new to me. I feel a little bit like a fish out of water. He is in good hands, though. Luke loved being a scout, and received his Eagle when he was 14!

It's Official...

School is in full swing. The kids are both thrilled with their new teachers. Dylan has suddenly decided reading is the coolest thing ever, and Izzy is enjoying the challenge of some new subjects. It's going to be a great year!

Actually...

The post titled "DIY" should really be "Thanks, Luke and Anton!"

Luke is a pretty handy guy to have around, and now that he has figured out how to do sheetrock, I'll consider keeping him permanently (kidding). Anton painted all day on Saturday when he could have been hanging out with his family, so a huge thanks goes to him.

I'm so lucky to have a fabulous, hard working husband, and equally as blessed to have such amazing friends.

Thank you!!

DIY

Before...


After...

Unwanted Visitors

Worst house guests EVER.

Lake Mary

The kids love this hike. It's only 1 mile, mostly shaded, and the lake is beautiful. It's the perfect spot for a picnic! If you don't feel like packing food up the trail, though, a great alternative is a plate of gooey cheese fries and a cold diet coke at Silver Fork Lodge after you are done.
I didn't get any cheese fries on this trip, so I suppose I'll order double next time :)

Swimming

Dylan made a breakthrough this year in swimming. We decided private lessons were the way to go, and we weren't disappointed. He went from being a mere bubble-blower to jumping off the diving board and swimming the entire length of the pool by himself in six 15 minute lessons. Nice!

Bryce Canyon

A beautiful place with great friends...what can I say? It was a fabulous weekend! Luke, Mark, and Sarah each set a personal record in the half marathon, and the kids got to spend plenty of time swimming and hiking. It was very relaxing, and we had a lot of fun. We are looking forward to going back next year!

Nerd Alert!

Luke's brother Jake introduced us to geocaching, and we love it! Last weekend we found two different caches. Dylan found the first one...he was so excited!


Izzy found the second one, but we had to stop and rest along the way. It was the first time she had found one on her own :)


What a great way to spend an afternoon with the family. Searching for the "hidden treasure" was a lot fun, but we also got to take in some gorgeous scenery. Pretty amazing views, and only a few minutes from home. We are so spoiled!

Whiplash!

Luke took us to the Bees games last night. Dylan was in baseball heaven!

The game ended up being long, but we powered through so we could see "Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey". I hadn't ever heard of him, but apparently he's pretty famous. At least that's what the announcer kept telling us. But really, how often do you get to see a monkey ride a dog? Once is good for me :)


I grabbed this picture of Whiplash off the internet so you could get the full effect. Yeehaw!

Conservatory Garden

We took a walk around the conservatory garden last week. It is nice to have a place to go for ideas. We need to start filling in our back beds along the fence, and we needed a little inspiration. It's also beautiful, so that's a bonus. They have added a few new things...the kids loved the ladybugs and the sandbox.


Lilly wanted to ride the buffalo.


We opted to rest on a log bench in the shade instead :)


If you haven't had a chance to go, you really should. It's so peaceful...and free. Plus, there is a nice patio right in the center where you can sit and eat while you take in all the gorgeous scenery. A great little date night if you ask me.

Great Job!

Isabelle was presented with three awards at the school awards assembly! Excellence in Reading-3rd Grade, Accelerated Reader Star (158.8 AR points!), and Community of Caring. We are so proud of her!


Bucky finished his baseball season with a bang, hitting a triple and a double in his final game. His team ended up being the 2011 PeeWee Champions. Way to go, Braves!

So, school has been out for a week and baseball is already over...now what?

Sunshine

We headed south for some much needed sunshine over Memorial Day weekend. This is the view from our camp...right in the middle of nowhere. Just how we like it!


We love the desert. It is harsh and delicate at the same time...an amazing thing to experience. Such unique beauty.


We had the opportunity to hike both Peek-a-boo and Spooky Gulch. There were a couple of pretty tight spots, and one drop that wouldn't have been possible without Luke and Jake...and some poor guy that happened to be hiking near us. Emily and I weren't so sure we wanted to drop 12 feet into a hole that we couldn't see the bottom of. Luke and Jake lowered us down to this guy's shoulders, then he helped lower us the rest of the way. I was NOT brave, but the kids thought it was great. It is one of the prettiest, coolest places I've ever been. If you get a chance, you really should see it.


One of the highlights of the weekend was our trip to Calf Creek Falls. What an amazing hike! We ate granola bars and fruit at the base of the waterfall, then geo-cached on our way back to the trailhead. Good times!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

We are so tired of the rain. We're itching for some warm weather, and this looks like the perfect fix. We can hardly wait to feel the warm red sand between our toes and the sun on our shoulders!

Not yet...

Is it possible that school is almost over? Another year has flown by, and the kids are already sad about leaving their teachers. It has been such a great year.


Dylan's class is in the middle of their economics unit. Each student was in charge of contributing to the "community". Parents were invited to visit Tiny Town. The kids thought of everything...even a cemetary! Dylan (with Luke's help) made the Energy Solutions Arena, complete with the Jazz Bear, and a Subaru dealership.


Izzy invited me along on her class field trip. We went to Red Butte Garden to learn about plants and animals. We had the opportunity to hike to the old stone house. I overheard one of the students say, "Wow. Can you believe cave men used to live here!?" So funny.

Pretzels

This afternoon we're making a batch of homemade soft pretzels. Every time I make these, Izzy and Dylan inhale them. They like to help roll them into ropes and twist them into the pretzel shape. The kids eat them plain, but I like to dip mine in my friend Debbie's 3-2-1 honey mustard:

3T mayo
2T yellow mustard
1T honey

Give them a try! For a printable recipe, click here.

Soft Pretzels

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1/4 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Vegetable oil, for baking sheets
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pretzel salt
Assorted mustards, for serving
Directions

Mix yeast, coarse salt, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly pour yeast mixture over flour mixture, stirring to combine. Using your hands, gather dough together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll each into an 18-inch rope. Form a U shape with 1 rope, and twist ends together twice. Fold twisted portion backward along center of U shape to form a circle, then gently press ends of rope onto dough to seal. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet, and repeat. Let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to wire racks to drain. Return to baking sheet, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Pretzels will keep, uncovered, at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Rewarm in a 250-degree oven if desired, and serve with mustards.

Cook's Note

To save time, store-bought bread dough can be used in place of homemade; start at step 4

Go Braves!

Bucky played in his first little league baseball game tonight. He is on cloud nine! It was beautiful weather, his grandma and grandpa came all the way from Logan to watch, and he got a churro...does it get any better? He had his aunt, uncle, and cousins cheering him on from the bleachers, too. Luke even snuck away from his duties at the Jazz game to watch the first couple innings. What a great night!

Here he is playing 2nd:


At the plate. Looking good!