life is good...

So, I have to say that I am a huge fan of Instagram! There are times that I do love using my big DSLR. But my hands are usually full of blankets, baby, bags, iphone, sunglasses, sippy cups, keys {don't forget the keys} and more... So being able to snap pictures with my iphone is FABULOUS! Here is a peak at what we have been up to lately...{follow us on instagram! my user name is errsuz)

lots of running... I am signed up for the Wasatch Back Ragnar in June...yikes...

made this recipe the other day...its roasted cauliflower cheddar soup...so good, but I feel like next time I will add more kick. Maybe more garlic or cheddar.

we recently went on a really fun field trip with our homeschool co-op. it included a tour of the bakery and the kids got to make their own cookies and have lunch. 

i learned how to make marbled paper...we did this activity for mutual night with the youth at church. 

this is basically the technique we used...we used watered down craft paint, card stock and squeegees.

started a new knitting project with mustard yarn from this cute shop {will post pictures when it is finished}... if you are ever in Utah, you have to visit this cute little shopping center...it's called Historic Gardner Village in South Jordan.

stocked up my baby shower stash... I love to give these simple handmade burp clothes and receiving blankets... the how-to is here.

I reading diligently through my pile of books, but somehow new ones keep getting added:) My aunt wrote a book called Parenting with Spiritual Power...this one just got cutsies to the front of the line! So far it is chock full of parenting insight!

my new favorite lunch...quinoa, avocado, a little tomato and cilantro. really, quinoa with anything is wonderful!

IFA got baby chicks! we went to visit them!

a recent girls night consisted of wreath making...doesn't it always?! burlap wreath tutorial here.

life is good, wonderful, blessed, busy, stressful at times, but mostly happy. happy is always there when we look;) have a great weekend!

valentines...

I can't believe how quickly time goes by...but this is what we are up to...

valentine making. water color hearts and friendship bracelets {nothing fancy, just a simple braid}

cookie decorating with cousins. and cookie eating with cousins.

i took a photography workshop. it was super fun and super worth it.

got some new leggings from groopdealz. fleece-lined. i love them. i use them for pajamas:) i'm not super confident in leggings in public currently.

valentines breakfast. pancakes and strawberries cut like little hearts. the how-to is here.

fun hair for valentines days. only miss milly's hair is long enough. super easy and very cute {in my opinion}. tutorial here.

my latest read while I wait to pick up a preschooler: parenting--a house united by nicholeen peck.
super awesome so far. very good ideas for family economy structure and discipline.

dinner tonight is a twist on chicken pot pie and chicken and dumplings. but of course, the carrots are shaped as hearts being valentine's and all;) {i had to}

that's us in a nutshell...what are you up to?

new years, new resolutions...

every new year is followed new resolutions...
to do better, to be better...
striving to improve myself, but sometimes (ahem...most times) not following all the way through.

so this year, I have three general areas I wish to improve upon...
1. reading.
i want to read a lot this year! everything from food & nutrition to history & the constitution to classical literature and beyond. so i have ordered a pile of books from amazon to get started. i will try to keep you updated on those as i go:)
2. organization.
this is something i absolutely LOVE to do. it's a weird quirk, i know;) but i always love learning new ways to organize and having to roll up my sleeves to purge out all my old junk, and after all that hard work having a shining, clean, fresh organized area to show for it! so i am taking the "8 weeks to a less cluttered home" challenge from stephanie over @ keeper of the home! join me!
3. photography.
this is one thing, that if i had more time i would devote myself to, but i can never seem to find that extra time...hmm...please let me know if you come across some;) but this simple challenge over @ peanut blossom called "365 in 2013" looked like a lot of fun. basically you take a picture everyday. capture a moment and learn through the experience.

so this year, i am trying to keep my resolutions a bit more general in the hopes that i will really accomplish improving myself and not feel down that i didn't attain a specific unrealistic goal.

what are your new years resolutions? do you make any?

happy 2013! may 2013 be a better year than 2012.

summer is here!!

summer is finally here! we are officially done with school! yay!! and we are celebrating with a 'doughnut party'!

here is the beginning of our summer list...

the summer 2012 list:


lemonade stand
library
trampoline sleepover
camping
movie party
bike rides
sno cones
water balloon fight
hike
swimming
museum
splash pad
zoo
make ice cream
plant flowers
fireworks
make forts
go to grandma's
write letters
make chalk paint
ice cream truck
barbeque
roast marshmallows and have smore's buffet
go to the beach
picnics
music at the park
farmers market
parades
carnival
aunt mali's wedding
and my personal favorite thing to do...
lay in my lawn chair, watching my kids play in the sprinklers while reading a book!


speaking of reading, here is what is on my summer reading list...


summer reading list:


the shoemakers wife by adriana trigiani

edenbrooke by julianne donaldson

olivia (the newport ladies book club series) by julie wright

daisy (the newport ladies book club series) by josi s. kilpack

the flight of gemma hardy by margot livesey

the peach keeper by sarah addison allen

turn of mind by alice laPlante

banana split by josi s. kilpack

(from nest of posies-doesn't it look yummy? definitely making this summer...)

fall reading

so excited for this baby to come out! pumpkin roll by josi s. kilpack will be released sept. 7th. her books rock! they are culinary mysteries! and this one will be just in time for my bday! i'll have to drop a hint to the hubby about what to get me;) wink wink

also...
In conjunction with the release of Pumpkin Roll the author, Josi S. Kilpack, and the publisher, Shadow Mountain, are sponsoring a contest for a new iPad. To enter, leave a comment in the comment section of this blog before November 1, 2011. Winners will be announced and notified November 3^rd 2011.

For additional ways to enter, go to www.josiskilpack.com