Wednesday, October 28, 2015


Things to Remember.


Pictures from late summer. 
Moments I want to keep in my mind for years to come.





This little guy is constantly getting into the dog food and water. Poor Maybe. Don't let this smiling little face fool you, he has a mouth full of dog food. 






Little guy chomping on plums all summer.





We decided to float the Provo river in a big blue raft. We got in right where we were warned people had issues but we thought, whatever, we are fine! Seconds after getting in we were all dumped into the freezing  cold water and Olive had one of the biggest scares of her life (and so did her mamma.) It definitely made for an adventurous trip down the river. The rest of the ride was pretty lackluster, but we were on a high from our little escapade. Olive was freezing and on edge the rest of the ride, but we made it- and miraculously found all our shoes and oars that fell in the water! The best memories are made when things don't go right, adventure is calling!







The kindest neighbor brought me some blackberries, after Elijah had his way with them we made a few jars of blackberry jam- blackberry sage, blackberry tarragon, and plain blackberry. It didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, it was my first try with a seedless blackberry jam. I think I know a few things to try next time. If at first we don't succeed.









When cousins are here.





Guess who got to decorate Daddy's cake. 
By the way this frosting is a trick I learned from the amazing Melanie Boyer. Whip some fresh cream and add the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries and some of the chopped cherries (that's where it gets the pink color.) 
So easy and delicious.









Set up from my second knit class. I learned a lot doing these classes, you learn so much when you are teaching others. 
I don't think I will do any more of them, but I am definitely glad I did them.





My favorite pictures I find on my phone.





The northwest girl in me can't help but dress Olive in these cute little vests. 
I love rainy days!




Up a tree. Her Mother's daughter.





We will really miss the dinosaurs at the zoo. We loved them so. Hope they bring them back next summer!






Chalk the Block. 
I asked Olive to lay down by this picture so I could get a shot of both of them. She laid down in the middle of the picture, got chalk all over her, and we got yelled at. Mom fail.













My awesome mother in law got me a dehydrator for Christmas and we've had that thing running non stop all summer with our harvest. Sun dried tomatoes, dried cinnamon apple crisps, raisins, and fruit leather.  Olive loves fruit leather so I made some with our plums from the tree in our backyard. It was delicious, and the whole family gobbled it down, even Elijah! I had to toy with the thickness and drying time a bit, but I think I might have gotten it just perfect for next year! Still a few things I'm considering throwing in there, maybe some of the herbs in my backyard that won't last too much longer with the cold weather coming on. Oh the possibilities! 









This boy is a climber... so that's great.












Olive asks to go to the curiosity museum on the daily. She loves it so much, and I love it because my kids are so happy and playful there. Also because they have crazy fish.






Prep table for preserving my bounty.






  Mountain biking down Sundance. 
We have done this trail for the past few years. It is steep, rocky, and on the edge of a cliff... so I don't know why we decided to invite my parents who did take some tumbles, but I think overall they loved it and were glad they came because the view is something else. 





Heber creeper. 




The Ceratosaurus.





Breakfast with a witch.
 We all came in our pajamas, and I was just fine with that. 






Our Harvest came late this year due to the weather, I was afraid I wouldn't get very many tomatoes at all! I live for my tomatoes... like probably in an unhealthy way. When those heirlooms started changing color left and right my heart went "ahhhhhhhhhhhh."





Cornbellys.





This adorable baby has fallen in love with cars. Pushing them around, sitting in them, looking at them. 
Look at that happy baby face. I love him so.




Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Weekend Getaway.

If we can Kc and I like to go up to Park City once a year to celebrate something significant and splurge. We're lucky because we have always been able to somehow get ourselves a deal on a nice hotel so that we can enjoy spending money on an expensive dinner and treating ourselves. My sister Bethany offered to watch our kids (she owes me big time for all the times I've watched her cute little babes.)  It was my first night without them since having Elijah but my sister is one of those people where you can drop off the kids and seriously not have one single worry because you know they will be so well taken care of and so happy.

 This year we were celebrating our anniversary (which is in August) and a combination of both our birthdays (which are a week apart in September.) We got to stay at Stein Lodge because Kc's Aunt has done some interior design there and was able to get us the friends and family discount. We went during the slowest time of the season so luckily the nicest rooms were available (they only let you get those on the discount if they are empty already.) We got to have a spacious room with a hot tub out on the balcony. It was a perfect night and just thinking about it now makes me say "aaaahhhhhhh." It was the kind of night that fuels you to go back home to crying babes, sleepless nights, and endless dishes and laundry. It was that good.




Right before we head up to Stein Lodge documenting that I am wearing a hat! I can't ever wear them because my kids pull them off, how are all these people wearing hats??



Horrible lighting. Delicious Dinner. 

I had had my heart set for months on getting this famous lobster roll when we went up to Park City only to find out that they didn't serve it at this time!! So instead we found a little Japanese restaurant called Shabu on Main Street and it did not disappoint. We got three high end appetizers and it was perfect. Searing Scallops topped with fresh tuna set on a crisp wonton over a bed of salad, Lobster Cake with a delicious seasonal chutney, and Fresh raw Waygu beef thinly sliced to sear at your own table on a hot stone. Can you tell the meal is ingrained in my memory? MMMMmmmmm. Why can't we eat like that all the time?? Oh yeah, I can't afford it. 




I never take bathroom selfies, but now I get why famous people like Kim Kardashian do, it's because they are constantly in bathrooms that probably cost more than my whole house. So beautiful and luxurious, I could get used to this... but I won't because if I did I wouldn't be able to go back to my own house ha.




The bell boy who brought us to the room (or whatever they call them) asked if we wanted our fire lit. I am inclined to say no to everything because I am such a do-it-myselfer and I hate putting anyone out, but I had told myself before we came that I would allow the 5 star treatment so I said that would be great, and then I just sat back and enjoyed the moment. 






Bagel and Lox, one of my favorite breakfast of all time. Swoon.




After the perfect breakfast in bed I ran off to the yoga class they offered at the Lodge. Because it was the slow season I was the only one there and I got a one on one session. It spoiled me and now I want a one on one session every time... but then there is that whole money thing again. Some people live like this all time??!?





Then I went home to this little snake charmer and I remembered that while it is amazing to get away every once in a while, the life I live with my two littles is infinitely better than a life filled with all the extravagances from the night before. 
Balance is the key to life. That is my motto in all things.





And of course I had to take Olive back up to Park City the next day for that lobster roll I had missed out on the night before. If there is any life lesson Olive should learn it's that traveling 45 minutes there and 45 minutes back just to get a Lobster Roll is WELL worth the trip. Can't stop this foodie. 
Also that all food is better when shared.




And that we never say no to ice cream cones. Never.