Microwave Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

In a glass dish mix:
1/2 C white karo syrup
1 C. sugar
1 C nuts of any kind or mixture

cook on high for 8 min.* stirring at 4 min intervals

Add 1 tsp. vanilla

Cook and additional 1 min

Stir in 1 tsp baking soda into candy

Pour on buttered pizza pan and spread thin.

DO NOT DOUBLE RECIPE!!!!!!

*times may vary

Holiday Goodies

For Christmas this year Bret wanted to take some stuff to work for his coworkers. I decided to try being a Betty Crocker with one of my good friends and attempted to make some yummy Christmas goodies. We started off with making A very yummy microwave peanut brittle (just like peanut brittle but I don't like peanuts so we substituted with pecans). Our first batch we followed the recipe exact and torched the first batch... not a good start for us. The next 2-3 batches we thought were good - but they sadly didn't set up. (see first picture) We lovingly named this "the Christmas Blob" It tasted pretty good - but more like caramel than pecan brittle. Well at this point we decided to start on our homemade truffles. This was also a first for both of us out of a Kraft magazine I get each month with some really yummy stuff. We made regular cream cheese truffles and mint flavor truffles. It was pretty easy until we had to dip them in chocolate - that is a true art form that we have yet to find. They didn't turn out professional pretty but for first timers I think they ended up beautiful. On the tops of the truffles we put different foods to decorate them - crushed candy cane, nuts, powdered sugar, and red sprinkles.
We then took at nap/lunch break for the kids and two hours later we tried again with the brittle, only this time we were successful! We found out that with the first batch (thanks to help long distance from my amazingly patient mom, I called her a gazillion times) we hadn't cook the first batch long enough. After one hour, four batches, and several charred fingers (this stuff gets HOT!!) it was perfect!

What a fun experience. The lessons I learned:

• Don't eat the brittle while still hot no matter how good it looks
• Pecan Brittle hardens istantly when done right so you can't be slow
  
• use a hot pad when pouring the brittle into the cookie pan
• dipping truffles is a pain and I probably won't do it again

On the Go

So for us most of our Saturdays consist of deep cleaning, shopping, lots of shopping especially with Christmas sneaking up on us, naps for anyone under 20, and other random honey do things. Well, this past Saturday just ended up way busy but full of fun.

The day started for me at 5:30am when Cole decided he was awake and therefore mom should obviously be awake also. So we snuggled and played until about 6:30 when Bret woke up to cook a breakfast casserole for our ward party. At 7 we started our usual cleaning and then headed to the church at 8 for the Christmas Breakfast with the Bishop. Cole had a great time running laps around the church house and all the breakfast tables. So much fun that he actually opted out of breakfast. Cole also got to sit on Santa's lap and was kind enough to ask Santa to give his mom a cruise for Christmas - I'm not sure that even that will work for me but it was a try. Cole was fine with Santa but preferred the orange that was given to him by turning it into a ball and chasing it around the gym. We then headed home, finally got Cole to eat some breakfast, and then got ready and went swimming with some good friends at the Clearfield Aquatic Center. It was so fun but Cole took a really long time to stop shivering in the not so warm pool but that didn't stop him from having tons of fun on the kiddie jungle gym in the pool. Around 1 we called in quits and headed home, ate lunch, and Bret headed off to go golfing with Josh L while I put Cole down for a "nap" and helped his wife Ahshley decorate her tree and clean her house for family to come. Cole, being exhausted, decided not to take a nap. So he chased their dog Leah around the house and climbed in and out of her kennel while Ashley and I finished up on some fudge gifts she was giving all her neighbors. When Bret got back we headed to the store to pick up a movie for the pizza and movie night Scott (Bret's old roomie from college) had requested. We rented Journey to the Center of the Earth. As we were waiting for Scott to arrive Cole crashed on my chest so I let him sleep for 1/2 and then when Scott got their we ate pizza and played Scene it in which my trash got severly kicked by both guys. What can I say? I don't watch that many movies. After Cole went to sleep we watched that movie. It was pretty cool and I can't wait to see it in 3-D. Scott then left at 10:45 and we headed for bed after a very long but fun day. It was awesome but I'm glad that not every Saturday is like that!

Painting byMorgan Weistling

Tonight was our ward's Christmas Enrichment. They presented a program written by someone in another stake that was just lovely. The speaking parts all the different women/mothers from when Jesus was born - Mother of Mary, Elizabeth - Mother of John the Baptist, the wife of the Shepard, the wife of the innkeeper and so on. In between each speaker was a musical number and it was just so amazing.
I had the humbling experience to be the last speaker as Mary, the Mother of Christ. I can't even tell you how many times I had read and reread my part so that I could get it just right - but near the end of my part I still teared up - the Spirit was just so strong that it couldn't be denied. After my part they ended with a song that I had heard only once before when I was not a mother but have grown to love, because now that I have a child it means so much more to me. I want to share the lyrics with you.

Mary's Lullaby (Tonight You Are Mine)
All mine in your loveliness baby, all mine.
All mine in your holiness baby divine.
Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;
Sing on and adore, for tonight you are mine.

The wise men are coming to worship their King,
The shepherds are kneeling their homage to bring.
Out yonder the star over Judah will keep.
No harm will befall thee, then sleep baby sleep.

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,
While legions are singing in joyous delight.
A new star has risen to hail thee divine,
For you are a king, but tonight you are mine.

Away spectered future of sorrow and plight,
Away to the years that must follow tonight.
The pangs of Gethsemane, let them be dim,
The red drops on Calvary, not Lord, for Him!

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,
While legions are singing in joyous delight.
A new star has risen to hail thee divine,
For you are a king, but tonight you are mine.

Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;
Sing on and adore, for tonight you are mine.

It was such a beautiful program and it made me that much more thankful for the amazing responsibility that I have of being a woman and the mother of a precious child.

So nice and So Clean

Yesterday we spent the day in SLC and Oakley, Utah for the funeral of Bret's amazing aunt Shari who finally gave up her battle to breast cancer. The funeral was so nice and full of so much laughter as we were told story after story of this wonderful lady we had the privileged to know. She will be missed by so many whose lives she touch.

After the funeral I picked Cole up from the nursery that the ward had provided for us and took him in to the ladies room to change a rancid diaper. I had just finished cleaning everything up when Cole disappeared. I figured he had followed a cousin and her daughters out the door (this in normal) and headed out to reclaim my son - to find he wasn't there. No one had seen him. I checked all the open rooms right next to the bathroom and couldn't find him. Trying not to panic I headed back into the bathroom and started quickly opening all the stalls and there he was - in the very last stall with the door closed. But, the story doesn't end there. My little boy had taken his blankie and had stuffed it into the toilet - all the way! When I asked him what he was doing he looked up at me with those big innocent blue eyes, pulled the only dry corner on his blanket out of the toilet, handed it to me and proudly proclaimed "Clean!".

Utah Jazz vs Phoenix Suns

On Monday Bret's company offered to have us join them for the basketball game that night in their box suites. Bret called to see if I was interested and if we could get a babysitter in time. Within five minutes I had a babysitter (thanks to Ashley and James!) and at 5:30 we were on our way to SLC. I was pretty excited. The biggest game I had ever been to was a Lobos game but I love basketball. There is nothing better than actually being at the game with the roar of the crowd - it doesn't matter what sport, it is just that much better. When we arrived at the Energy Solutions Center we got our tickets from will call and then headed up to the box. It was unlike anything I expected. You walk in to your own little room with a yummy food spread, stadium seating with the best view, and TV's (just in case there are other games that night you want to

monitor). The food was delicious. We had steak fajitas, my favorite, a green salad with fresh fruit in it, rice, black beans, fresh gacamoule, and puff balls with a cheese filling. I honestly felt like I was back home in NM. We said our hellos, grabbed our food and sat down to watch an exciting game. I couldn't help but cheer loudly as the excitement climbed with in quater. Jazz didn't start off playing like a pro team but by the end they sure were showing their stuff. IT WAS AWESOME!!! Near the end of the game Bret and I were close to hoarse from cheering, and as soon as we knew we had the game in the bag we left at 5 minutes to return home to collect our very sleepy son. What an amazing night! Not only was it fun but it was some muched loved alone time for Bret and I without our adorable son trying to sit right between us.

18 month Checkup

Cole had his 18 month check up and here are the stats:

Height: 33 inches - 75%
Weight: 24.9 oz - 40%

Developmentally he is ahead of the game and I was told that I had nothing in that area to worry about. Cole did really well for his chickenpox and flu shots and didn't even cry. That is my tough boy.

He's a Maniac!

Cole has changed his routine up a little bit lately, much to my surprise and enjoyment. Normally he goes to sleep between 8:30 and 9 and sleeps till somewhere between 5:45am and 7:00. Well, lately right after Bret has gotten home, we have had dinner and then normally just hang out doing whatever with Cole till bedtime. Well, the past two nights he has requested music and then spends the next 30-45 minutes dancing like a maniac! It is hysterical! Then afterward, having exhausted himself, asks to go to bed at 8pmand sleeps till 6:30! Somebody pinch me now!!! Well, anyways we love watching him dance and I finally got in on video so now you can laugh too! Enjoy!

The Happy News!

I'm getting a new sister! This past Saturday while up at the cabin, Sean proposed to Emily and of course she said yes!!! Congrats you two! We are so excited to add another female to the Parrish Clan. Beware boys - the females are no longer out numbered (as long as you don't count the kids)! We couldn't be happier with the amazing girl Sean has fallen in love with!

Cabin Fever

This past weekend we had the wonderful vacation of going up to Bret's family's cabin near Kamas, UT. Bret took Friday and Monday so on Friday we headed up, first starting the day off with a yummy breakfast at Denny's and then played in Park City for an hour before headed to the actual cabin. It was so beautiful up there! The cabin is one of my favorite places to be. It just seems that the world melts away and everything is peaceful. Saturday we spent in Park City where after some fun shopping at the outlets, Whole Foods ( I love that place) and the World Market (another fav) we met up with Mat and Brook and their family for some lunch at the RedRock Cafe. Mat and Brook where unable to come to the cabin because of sick kids. At lunch I got a Portobello sandwhich with pesto sauce and it was sure yummy! We the said goodbyes and headed back to the cabin for a night of movies, games and laughter. On Sunday the clan headed to church without me. Cole had gotten some sour milk (we had bought it the day before, who knew milk could go sour in one day?!?!?) so he was up with me from 1am till about 4:30am in which I then developed a wicked migraine and ended up staying home. It was a pretty relaxing day and after some pretty strong drugs (4 advil, which anyone knows I don't ever take more than 1 for anything) I finally kicked my migraine. (thanks to our in house pharmacy tech Sean - you are the best). We also taught Cole how to play air hockey and it was a hoot to watch him take on me and Grams. On Monday we woke up to lots of snow and couldn't pass up the opportunity to bundle Cole up and take him sledding. Sean and Emily came with us and we headed out in the cold weather. It was a blast. Cole loved playing in the snow and sledding and was going down a pretty steep slope with all the adults, of course he always rode with mom or dad. Also, during a previous snowball fight he got tagged(this person -Emily- shall remain anonymous) in the face and didn't even cry! After a little while we took him back to the cabin (he wasn't totally in agreement), chipped him out of his snowsuit, and turned him over to Grams. Bret and I then headed back out with Sean and Emily and played until we accidentally broke the sleds on a root(this also included hitting several trees, rocks and other solid objects with body parts). Bummer. But it was a blast! Monday night we packed up and left - too soon but Bret needed to get back to work the next day. What an awesome time!

This was right before we got nailed with the snowball flying toward us

Tender Moments

Art by Liz Lemon Swindle - Be It Unto Me

So every mom knows about having "one of those days" when nothing goes right, you get nothing accomplished, and your little angel of a child seems to have switch places with their evil twin. On days like these I sometimes find myself so frustrated that I wonder why I am a mom at all - and then the Lord sends what I call my tender moments to remind me why I love the child kicking and screaming at my feet more than anything in the world - Here are a few of my favorites from the past couple weeks:

1. I have been very sick with a severe sinus infection, bronchitis, and asthma attacks and not doing very well trying to still keep up with a very busy week of meetings, working out at 5am and chores. At one point I put a movie on for Cole so that I could sit and rest for awhile and accidentally dozed off. I awoke to Cole shaking me. He then looked at me with very worried eyes, handed me his favorite blankie, patted my knee and went back to the couch to finish his movie. I almost cried that he was so willing to give up the one thing that he loved the most in hopes that it would make his mom feel better.

2. The times when I put him to bed and 10 minutes later he calls out and I go in just to find out that all he wanted was just one more hug and kiss from mom before he lays down and goes to sleep.

3. My little boy is very, very active and is always on the go but, every once in a while he will ask for a movie, and then pull me over to the couch and snuggle up on my lap and just sit there with me. Sure, on these mornings we probably don't get dressed till 9, and the house doesn't get totally clean, but I wouldn't give up these moments for anything.

These are just a few but they are the reason I am a mom no matter how hard the day gets, there are always little moments from Cole to make it worth every moment.

Girl's Day Out

So the Parrish side of the family started a new tradition that I just love - Girls Day Out!!! To kick off the tradition this year we headed to Gardiner Village in Sandy, UT and there Witches Festival. It was a riot! My sweet mother-in-law bought us the coolest hats to wear so that we fit in to the theme. We started the day off by dropping Cole of to Bret amazing Aunt Suzie who agreed to take on the task of watching Cole for several hours (Thanks again Aunt Suzie!). We then had lunch at a restaurant in Gardiner Village which was incredible yummy. I got to try fried green tomatoes and fried avocado slices for the first time. Not bad. I then had a delicious veggie pita with cucumber sauce. Way to much to eat but so good! We then walked around the shops and just had so much fun sans kids. My favorite was the porta potty with the witch in it. I just about died laughing!
They had this type of stuff all over the place. After lots of shopping in the adorable stores and finding tons of cute stuff we called it a day and headed back to pick up my son (who didn't want to go home because he was having to much fun with Suzie and Stayner - I can't complain) Here's to many more girls days out!

BUGS!!!

For those who don't know, at this time of year the Box Elder Beetle comes out with a vengeance. They are EVERYWHERE. Well, they have become Cole's new fascination. He'll sit by the sliding glass door and just watch them, for hours!. Many times I have seen him read them a book, and I always get dragged to the window and we just sit there for long time periods just watching these bugs. Well, they have started coming in our vents (thankfully they are pretty much harmless - I wish I could say the same for my son). The times they have gotten in and Cole has found them first, they don't survive long from his "playing with them". The other day he was playing with some of my cooking spoons in the kitchen and I could hear a "Whack whack whack". When I walked in to ask what he was doing I found my son squatted down chasing after one of the poor unfortunate beetles, smacking it with the spoon and yelling "Bug! Bug!" with so much excitement. Honestly, he doesn't mean to hurt them but doesn't understand why the die. It was pretty cute, and I rescued the new "play toy" from him. I love how much he loves bugs.

Pumpkins and Halloween

So I know I'm a little late posting for Halloween but sadly I have been incredibly sick since Halloween so I guess better late than never. Here we go....

For family night we had our good friends the Rasmussen's over to carve pumpkins. That was a lot of fun and Cole loved trying to help with his pumpkin and of course playing with the girls. Most of the night was spent with the men chasing the kids around

and the women carving the pumpkins. I also, thanks to Ashley's Betty Crocker influence, actually cleaned and cooked the pumpkins seeds for us to eat. And, amazingly, they turned out pretty yummy. This will probably become a tradition now. For Cole's first time carving pumpkins I think he did pretty well. Then for Halloween night we went to Bret's cousin's for chile and breadsticks and some good visiting and then afterwards our ward was doing a combined treat - or -treat with the local Lutheran church. We dressed up the family and headed to make a haul on candy. Cole went as Superman, Bret as Gregory House, MD (from the TV series 'House') and I headed off as Maleficent again since no one here had seen the costume and I was feeling cheap this year.

I passed out candy while Bret took Cole around to collect his and he had so much fun. I sadly actually made several kids cry. It was kinda dark in the gym and so seeing me didn't help some of the smaller kids. Most of my ward members also didn't recongnize me. After trick or treating we headed home for a nice relaxing night. We figured Cole didn't need anymore candy than he got. On Saturday night we made the mistake of giving him a package of smarties - for the next 6 hours Cole was bouncing off the walls. He was running up and down the hallway, jumping on the couch, climbing up and down and up and down on the table, running and boucing off the doors and then when the sugar crash came he spent the next hour crabby and crying most of the time. He didn't get anymore candy after that. Cole plus sugar does not equal a good combo. Hope everyone else's Halloween was a good as ours!

Dinner with Jess

On Sunday we went out to Eagle Mountain to have dinner with my old college roomie Jess, and her adorable family. It was so much fun to catch up. The last time I saw her was at her sealing in Logan - Bret and I were on our way to ABQ to be married ourselves. She now has a cute little boy just 3 months older than Cole and the two of them, we hoped, we play together. Well, when we first got there they were kinda wary. Almost as if they were sniffing out each others territories - like dogs. But in the end advernture won and they were all over the place. In the toy box, jumping up and down, playing tag, basically destroying Jess and Tyson's house, but having fun every minute. They were pretty cute. Bret and I had a great time playing pictionary with them after a delicious dinner (thanks again jess it was yummy). It was just all around good fun. Always good to see old roomies.

SEVEN

I stole this from my friend Cheryl's blog. Thought it could be fun.

7 things I can do:

1. I can make my son giggle
2. I can get completely ready for the day in 30 mins or less
3. I can be creative
4. I can touch my tongue to my nose
5. I can be very competitive
6. I can clean a bathroom really well
7. I can love my family unconditionally

7 things I can't do:

1. I can't bake - I burn. It is an amazing talent
2. I can't stand being home alone at night when my hubby is out of town.
3. I can't see without my glasses or contacts.
4. I can't help but cry on some bad days.
5. I can't do math in my head.
6. I can't ever find my keys.
7. I can't eat peas or strawberries.

7 things that attracted me to Bret:

1. He didn't try to "get some" of anything on our first or second date.
2. He is the most caring/thoughtful person EVER.
3. He loves to create things.
4. He loves children, especially ours.
5. He is an amazing chef
6. He is a hubba hubba hottie.
7. He makes me laugh no matter what.

7 things I say most often:

1. I love you!
2. I'm hungry.
3. No. No. No.
4. What do I want to eat?
5. Dang.
6. Silly Boy!
7. Are you stinky?

7 People I admire the most:

1. The Savior
2. My husband
3. My parents
4. My parent-in-laws
5. ALL my siblings
6. My amazing friends
7. All other mom's who seem to have in together.


7 favorite foods

1. Fajitas
2. Chips and Salsa
3. Hot cocoa
4. French Dip Sandwhiches
5. Seafood and Sushi
6. Edamame
7. Anything I don't have to cook

7 people I tag

Tag! You're it.

Melts in your.......Mouth?!?! Yeah, right.

My sweet mother-in-law just brought us a ton of beef from the cow they bought at the fair. When she dropped it off she also included some Halloween goodies for us - one bag of pumpkin cookies, one bag of mixed candies - M&M's, skeleton sweet tarts, and some homemade chocolates. Well, I decided to share some candy with Cole this morning. I gave him two (count it 1,2 ) M&M's and 10 minutes later....

Socks, Beavers, and Vaseline

Boys will be boys. Whoever made that comment must have had just boys. It is amazing the funny things Cole does. Here are just a few from the past week -
We were all laying on mine and Bret's bed just playing and wresting when Bret decided to see what Cole would do if he put a pair of my huge fuzzy socks on him... the results - HYSTERICAL!!!! He loved it. He kept clapping his hands, rubbing his face, and biting the fuzzy socks. Then when we pulled out the camera he just got plain cheesy. We laughed so hard and the next morning he asked for us to put them back on him again. Silly boy.















Cole has also recently gone a HUGE chewing spree. The picture to the left is what he did to his crib. Yes, the boy became a beaver. It looks a lot worse in real life. He took quite a chunk out. He also started chewing on book corners (one returned to the library was missing several corners -:( and has taken to eating dirt clods off the bottom on our shoes. I tell him not too but sometimes I just don't catch him in time. So why is he doing this you ask? I can only think of two things - he is cutting more teeth and he is missing trace minerals in his body and has taken to finding them on his own. We are treating for both. Hopefully one will work and my crib will not be a casualty anymore.
So any mother knows that sometimes taking a shower isn't the easiest thing when they start to walk. You either get up before the kids wakes up (not an option in my book since he is waking up at 5:30am), wait for him to nap ( means you are in your pj's for half the day) or find a way to entertain them for that short time period. I usually put on a Baby Einstein showso that I am guaranteed at least 15 minutes before he starts wreaking havoc. Well, today that didn't work. I am in the shower - blind because I can't wear contacts right now, attempting to shave my legs, when suddenly Cole is in the bathroom playing peak-a-boo with me. Nothing big. But then he finds my bottle of Vaseline on the counter. He has inspector gadget arms and seems to be able to reach everything he shouldn't, I think it comes as a standard installation with all toddlers. Well, I am trying like mad to finish my shower before any damage is done when everything goes quite. Never a good thing. I jump out, Cole quickly hands me the bottle of Vaseline, with the lid on - no harm done. WRONG. I hear this sickly sticking noise as Cole runs off clapping his hands. I grab my glasses and look into the bottle where a 3 inch deep crater now resides. Groan. I run to grab Cole just in time for him to start playing patty cake with everything he can find. Of course he is having the time of his life with hands full of Vaseline. I can't really blame him. My bedspread got the worst of it (notice the tiny greasy hand prints in the picture) but we both got quite the laugh out of it in the end. I love my adventurous little boy!

Sugar Cookie Fun

Yesterday my friend Ashley R and her two daughters came over to make sugar cookies. This was a hoot! Ashley brought the dough and we started to roll it out on the table. Each child- Cole 17months, Daviny 2 1/2, and Keelee 12months - kept sneaking little handfuls of dough and stuffing it in their mouths. They were also COVERED in flour from helping us spread it on the table. We then cut out bats (they ended up looking a little bloated) and ghosts to take to the women we visit teach. Once we hit the point of cutting them out the kids pretty much lost interested (no frosting, no fun) and headed to wreak havoc on the house. Cole stole Keelee's goldfish and dumped them on the floor where Cole and Keelee proceeded to eat them and then stomp on the rest. Within 10 minutes I had goldfish pieces EVERYWHERE! But they had so much fun! We then frosted the cookies with orange frosting (which Daviny kept sneaking and eating). Afterwards Cole and Daviny started to jump on my bed while Ashley and I were looking at vinyl quotes. They were just laughing hysterically while they jumped and fell and rolled. It was adorable! At 5:30 we finally called it quites and I headed to pick up Bret. What a fun day!

An Amazing Birthday

This really wasn't my birthday cake - I don't like birthday cake but it was a cool pic

Monday was my 26th birthday and I must say it was AMAZING! So it started Saturday night after a HORRIBLE trip to the grocery store with Cole. I will not recap - just trust me - at one point Cole was screaming and begging people to free him from the cart. Anyways, I came home very frazzled and on the verge of tears and walked in to a beautiful dinner my husband had made for me. The lights were dimmed, romantic music was playing and he had sparkling cider glasses out. It was awesome. He made me salmon, wild rice pilaf, green beans, and shrimp cocktail. It was delicious! He had also made a separate meal for Cole to eat. How thoughtful! After dinner he then took me to Farr's Ice Cream for my favorite ice cream - peppermint stick. Yummy! We then put the baby to sleep and spent the rest of the night snuggled up watching movies.

On Monday he gave me my own bag of chips and salsa (I'm a chips/salsa aholic) my own canister of Stephen's Mint Chocolate w/ Mini Marshmallow Cocoa (to die for) and money for a fun shopping spree. Cole's gift to me was allowing me to actually sleep in past 6am. At 1 I dropped Cole off at my good friend Ashely R's house where she kidnapped him for the next 4 1/2 hours so that I could have some me time. Can life get any better than that? I then went to a craft store - by myslef for the first time in eons, got to visit with my dear friend Ashley L, my sweet visiting teacher, uninterupted, and then went clothes shopping - BY MY SELF! It was so nice to not spend my time chasing Cole around the store because he managed to escape again.

I then went at five to pick up my child and just about died laughing! He was out in the backyard in his diaper with the two girls both in their nothings playing with a hose and spraying each other, just giggling. When he saw me he came running up, gave me a huge hug, waved bye and headed off for more fun with the girls. I just love the fact that he loves these two little girls so much! They had also finger painted me a big birthday card ealier that day. That night we just relaxed and enjoyed. What a perfect birthday. Also, for a good part of the day I was on the phone with so many people wishing me happy birthday's! I have never felt more loved! Thank you to everyone! It really couldn't have been a better birthday!

Baking Bug

So yesterday, even though I was so tired from cleaning all day after having my parents here AND having the first of two random inspections from a bank for the apartment (we were so happily picked), and many other not so fun things - I got into the baking mode for some random reason. I made rolls, and cookies, and Jello. Yes, they were from frozen stuff but, as a "not interested in baking" type of cook this was a pretty big step for me. And amazingly enough everything turned out edible. Some of you may not realize this but I am better at making inedible things than edible - yes I have even ruined jello. Long story for another time. So there you have it. A picture of my rolls. Ta-Dah! Please hold the applause.

A Week with Nana and Poppy

This past week I had the fun of having my parents come and stay with us. We had such a blast but Cole I think enjoyed himself the most! We started off with watching conference. I couldn't help but snap this shot but they really were awake for most of it. They were only asleep for like five minutes before Cole woke them.
After conference on Sunday we headed to my husbands cabin so that my parents could see one of my favorite spots on this earth. It added to the beauty that it had been raining all day and the leaves were starting to turn colors. This shot does it no justice because you can't even see the river that runs behind the cabin. It is breathtaking! Then on Monday we went to the park and Cole dragged his "Poppy" all over the place. We also had one small mishap ...
Cole tripped and left a good part of his nose on the blacktop. You can't see it as well but this was the only shot I could get the day of. This one is two days later and looks a little better. He healed pretty fast. During the week we played at parks, visited all three of my uncles (all of which had never met Bret or Cole), went shopping, (I took Mom to Tai Pan Trading Company - talk about addiction for both of us), and just had nothing but good old fun and laughter for the entire week. Cole loved being the center of attention for his grandparents. I also took them to Gardiner Village for the Witch Days- what a blast. I could live there and always be happy!
On Friday night my parents spoiled us and kidnapped our child for the night so the we could go out on a much needed date. We went with some good friends and played Blackllight mini golf, and some arcade games. We ended the night at Farrs ice cream. A small touch of heaven. My parents took Cole and headed to a family birthday party for my 2nd cousin Blaine. It was a good night. It was hard to see my parents go because it is always so much more fun for them to see all the crazy funny things that Cole does instead of just hearing the stories but we will soon be in Albuquerque for Christmas and they can relive all the fun again. Love you Mom and Dad and thanks for everything.

Here are just some random pictures I have taken over the past couple weeks. Enjoy!
Playing on the sink of bubbles.
"Brushing" his teeth
Loving on my Halloween Bear- his new addiction is hearing her sing " Girls just want to have fun".