5:30 p.m. at our house

Browning hamburger (with onion) reminds me of my mom. I often did this job for her back in my younger years. Tonight it went in Taco Soup.

Andrew stood on the stool and watched intently.

Fall has come to my entryway.

And Halloween to my chair. This fabulous embroidered piece finally made it out of the drawer of no return and became a pillow. I remember working on this the Halloween after Andrew was born. He was only 2 weeks old and he kept me company while I sewed and handed out goodies. It's so happy to have grown up into a cute pillow after two long years.

It's the most wonderful season of all

For me, the most wonderful season of all is always the coming one. That means autumn. Fall is so warm and inviting. It is beautiful and fleeting beauty.
It's plenty.
It's spiced cider.
It's jackets and socks.
It's fires and smores.
It's thankful times and family comfort.
I love it!

Pregnant tummy

Pregnant tummies attract all sorts of comments and behavior. Guess what I think? Read about it here.

The stroller for a happy mom

If I were the type to spend more on a stroller than I did on my first car (j/k), I'd get this one. It looks fabulous!

Happy Hands

via Black Eiffel

And did you know that the Happy Hands Club of Preston, Idaho recently visited Manhattan and a deaf branch there. Their picture at American Idol premiered in the LDS Church News. I'd post a picture, but alas and alack, I can't find one. But picture Napoleon not there and you get an idea. (Sweet girls doing sweet things. Really.)

Friday Focus: Beauty and Snowflakes

Playing around at One Chic Mama, I found a link to Carrie and Danielle's daily inspiration. They have a beautiful little feature called the Friday Focus. Here's a sample.

People are like snowflakes - uniquely beautiful because of the details. To compare snowflake to snowflake is not very productive. – C&D’s Manifesto of Style


From the shape of our cells to the swirl of our fingerprints, each human is profoundly, almost incomprehensibly unique. In all the eons of time, amongst trillions of human eggs that have been fertilized and hatched – there is only one you: microscopically remarkable, positively unrepeatable, original, and beyond compare. That’s style.

Comparison is crazy-making. And for the most part, envy wastes energy that could be put towards getting what you want or optimizing what you have. It’s a trap. So here’s the trick…

This coming week: Bless the people you feel envious of -- the rich, skinny, in-love, confident, powerful people. Quicker than you can say “I wish I had that…,” say to yourself, or even better, to them, “Way to go…you look great…I admire you.” With envy out of the way, you’ll have more space for your own greatness to step forward.

I signed up and will let you know how it goes.

Pioneer woman romance

While I grew up as a pioneer woman of sorts in a "big" 719 person town in Ideeho, I married a city boy of sorts. And while I never doubted this conclusion, I could have ended up with a rancher.

Slip on over to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman to hear about how she started in the city and ended up on the ranch. I'm waiting with baited breath to hear the end of her funny and romantic trip from surfer dude to Marlboro Man. The story starts here. You'll love it!

Okay, wait until later today to read it. Her site is half dead due to a contest she is running.

Okay, seems to be all better. Now go!

Make a list Monday, A perfect picnic

Things to remember for a perfect picnic

1. a beautiful canyon
2. jeans and sturdy shoes
3. family and friends
4. wood, MATCHES, marshmallows, chocolate
5. bug spray
6. flush toilets
7. a husband who buys a rotisserie chicken, rolls, dessert and everything on the way home!

2nd annual Labor Day la Palooza

Our neighborhood is so cool. Do you have a rock star in your neighborhood who brings his band to rock the Labor Day party?

Dojo Mojo:

Featuring our own Alan J. (on the left)


Food:



Friends:




Dancing:


Rockin' out late (at least for a school night)

49 quarts

28 quarts today plus 21 quarts Monday =


Add in an hour of pear picking at the very generous Felix relations home and you get one tired mama with a sore back.

Canned sunshine

Yesterday I spent the morning with my sweet mother-in-law. We canned her beautiful peaches from her trees. They were so delicious and beautiful. I can't wait to eat them this fall, winter and spring. We especially love them with toasted cheese sandwiches. It is the perfect thing for a cool fall afternoon.

Newport Beach, a Photo essay

Another day in my week o' catch up. Another week gone, another week at the beach.

Things I want to do MORE than _____________.

Fill in your own blank. It's that one thing that messes up your plans. That thing that just calls you from your true potential. Okay, well, maybe it's not that serious. But you know.

So here are the things that I want to do MORE than ____________.

1. blog
2. start a stocking for Andrew
3. sew a rocker cover
4. read something new
5. make pumpkin muffins
6. vacuum (not really)
7. ponder the Faith in God program
8. organize my desk
9. organize my jewelry
10. work on my plant binder/journal
11. call someone, anyone
12. go for a walk
13. water flowers
14. take a nap
15. plan for Primary 2008
16. get a haircut

I made this list last night, hoping that it would motivate me to do something else. And while I did make Pumpkin muffins, and read something new, and take a nap and now blogged, the real problem is that too many of the activities require some get up and go. Instead I want to do something that can be done horizontal. I'm just so tired. I guess that's why I did the nap thing and the read thing, both horizontal and blogging I can at least do sitting down.

Let's hope gravity will let up soon.

Day 2, Catch-up-week, July 4th

Picture this, the 4th of July in Paris, Idaho. Here's how it went down.