Cherry limeade

Summer is here! And we are enjoying it to the fullest!

Our new home was finished this spring (tour post to come),we've settled in, and are now working on sprinklers, yard,  fencing and barns for current/future livestock and chickens. I can't tell you how much we've loved living out in the country! It's beautiful, quiet, and serene. Loving my morning runs and seeing white-tailed deer bounding across the fields! Owls hooting in the warm, summer evening. Eagles carrying their fresh catch from the river. The bright, clear blue sky. And the amber grain waving in the breeze. It never gets old. June marked one year since we've moved, but it seems like yesterday. How time flies.

Today, we made frozen cherry limeade.  We used the juice of six limes, a couple of handfuls of fresh or frozen cherries, ice, some vanilla, and a little coconut palm sugar.  Mixed up in the Blendtec, it was the perfect summer treat!  

Hope you are enjoying your summer! 

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?

summer and blueberry muffins

our summer has been lovely and fast...too fast. we haven't crossed off everything on our summer list, but who does? it's just fun to have some goals to try and accomplish, but of course nothing ever goes as planned, and so throw in some game changers and everything goes right out the window!

at least that's how our summer was. have you ever seen "Dan in Real Life"? it is one of my absolute FAVORITE movies of all time. at the end, dan says "prepare to be surprised." i have incorporated that into my life. my life functions much more smoothly that way, because i'm not freaking out at every bump in the road. I have learned to let go and let God. have you ever heard that saying? i love it.

 i am a control freak by nature, and so to give it up was hard, but when i realized, i never had control of anything anyway, it was a relief to let that go. now, i trust in my heavenly father and savior, jesus christ, and i choose believe that they are guiding my life for my good. anything that happens after that is what they put in my path to teach me something.

school, is about to start...and i have made a big decision...i am homeschooling my kindergartner and my second grader! i am excited, anxious and a little scared, but i feel very confident in my decision, i know it's what is right for us, and i know everything will work out.

made these with the kids this morning, they were DIVINE!
here is the recipe for these delish blueberry muffins over at blueberry octopie!

hope you have a fabulous end of summer and a fantastic start to your school year! love fall time. very much looking forward to it!

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...)

summer is just around the corner...

so i got my lemonade concentrate canned! it's pretty tasty! i found the recipe over at the tasty kitchen! you could also use Ball's recipe for strawberry lemonade concentrate! i want to try that sometime...

 

also i can't believe summer is just around the corner! only two weeks of school left! yay!! i thought i'd share some of my favorite summer products...

1. Dove Limited Edition Summer Care Soap... lotus petal and sea grass scents makes it smell so yummy,  and it has extra moisturizers to "revive parched summer skin"!

2. Banana Boat After Sun Lotion...i have used this since i was a kid. after being in the sun, this feels heavenly and it smells nice too! utah has such dry air that not all moisturizers work, but this one is perfect, and you can even use it on your face!!

3. Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Sunscreen SPF 70-love this stuff! it sprays evenly, can be applied to wet skin and protects well!

                           

And with Mother's Day just around the corner, i am feeling especially grateful for the blessing of my children. and for a loving mother! thanks mom! here are some pics of my babies:)...

our journey to motherhood is different for everyone. for those who have suffered a loss of any type, and have to suffer through this holiday, my prayers are with you. you are not forgotton. thank you to all those, who have not been able to have their own children and who have loved, and mothered my children. they will be better people for it:)

happy weekend! what do you look forward to this summer??

chocolate-peanut-butter deliciousness!

ok, i have a confession to make...

when i am craving something naughty...it is usually made with chocolate OR peanut butter. but the ultimate combo of yumminess... chocolate AND peanut butter!! ahhhh! so here are some of my favorite new chocolate and pb treat recipes!

                            

first are these homemade nutter butters from cookies and cups! they are SOOOO good! the ones i made were gobbled up before they were even finished being put together!

(picture is from cookies and cups)

                           

next, are these no-bake peanut butter bars from six sisters' stuff!! (they have rad recipes! love them!) OR baker lady has a good recipe also!! and these were soooo good as well! my family gobbled a while 9x13 in a little over a day!

if you look at my pinterest food board you will see LOTS of chocolate peanut butter recipes i have yet to try;)

have a great weekend! mine will be filled with soccer games, sunshine, family, good BBQ food and my bountiful baskets!! (i got lots of fun goodies this time, including a 38 lb box of lemons which i plan on canning lemonade concentrate for SUMMER! yay! i'll share my canning adventures with you later:)