shower gift

I am not sure why I post stuff like this--maybe to jog my memory if I need an idea or if any one reads this blog --I doubt anyone does because I only get comments from my sil jill and my mil sue--and needs an idea. So I had a bridal shower to go to for a darling friend of mine. It has been awhile since I have been to a bridal shower. I had to think of a way I could use my "cricut" so I bought a cookie jar at target--they have them at walmart too. They are very reasonable--my way of saying--cheap :) I cut out the word "yummy" on vinyl then I filled it with measuring cups, custom recipe cards and towels that I added ruffles to. It was fun to create again!

education + activity day girls

So I had the task to think of an activity for the girls that involved the topic of education. I believe it is important, but what was i going to do for an hour? After some brainstorming (which most of the time involves a call to my sil) I came up with this.

I found the talk by President Hinckley about the 6 Be's and we focused on the "Be Smart". After discussing that for a moment we then put our minds to work and played the younger/shorter version of Cranium--Cadoo. For handouts I gave them the above tag and a bag with a pencil and bit o honeys!

the best chocolate chip cookie

I have searched forever for a perfect chocolate chip cookie and I finally found it! I found it on "Made with Love and Glue" blog--gotta love blogs. Here is the recipe:
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups flour
1 pkg chocolate chips

combine all wet ingredients and mix well
add dry ingredients and then chocolate chips
bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes
this recipe makes a large batch (about 6 dozen)

I like to use my cookie scoop and what ever dough I don't want to bake that day I put them on a cookie sheet (already scooped in balls) and freeze for 2 hours and then keep them in freezer bags! It is nice to have them on hand when we are ready for some fresh baked cookies!

what will we see at the zoo?

title is from my kids favorite Barney song.:) I had to take advantage of the zoo before it got to hot. Zach had a great time. I think this is his first time to go and really get what is going on. Poor Austin. I think he had pnemonia and I drug him around the whole zoo. He really was not a happy camper. Sorry buddy!

fathers day 2010

I was so excited to finally have a dinner in my backyard. We hosted fathers day dinner here. My kids had all had a nasty cough/cold and I even think Austin may have had pneumonia. So Amy's family couldn't come (new baby). We had a nice dinner and the temperature was just perfect. I had fun decorating around the theme of the napkins (from target) I had found with pinwheels. I know I am dorky.

happy 37

We had a quiet birthday with Brent. I think quiet is good--then we don't have to be reminded of how old we are getting!

"Zach enjoying Brent's birthday cheesecake all to himself!"