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!

Downton Abbey...

OK...so I must say a few words regarding this...

I don't have too many TV shows that I love these days... there are only a handful really... Favorites: Castle, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation {as you know, I've talked about my love for that show before}, The Office, The Vampire Dairies {don't judge me} and now Downton Abbey has made the list:)

I have recently become hooked on Downton Abbey... all my friends absolutely raved about it. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and before I knew it this was me every night...as soon as my kids were down {or sometimes before} me, cozy pjs, fuzzy socks, nestled in my blankets, sometimes with cocoa and my iPad... 3 Seasons worth! Just finished Season 3 last night! Oh my goodness, what a roller coaster! But I love it and HIGHLY recommend it! You can watch on Amazon Prime Instant Video, iTunes, probably Netflix, Hulu and latest episodes on PBS.com {Although I don't recommend the online player it was really slow, but the iPad app was wonderful!}

Try it!... I know you will love it!

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.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

sorry I have been MIA lately! life has been busy! here is a quick look at what we have been up to the last few months...

fall burlap and fabric wreath, we kind of used the tutorial here using the foam tubing tip from here

ghost pancakes!

road trip to grandma's!

visit to the Tillamook factory! yum!

making cookies with grandma!

happy 28 to me!

best present = josi s kilpack's new book!

garden harvest!

silly lunch date at one of our favorite eateries: flour girls & dough boys!

field trip to the zoo!

this little man loves chess! and he's good too!

play dough thanksgiving pies!

my baby turns one!

 

miss sis lost her first tooth!

which brings us to today...

trying to stay on top of school amidst the holiday madness!

love this little corner of my home: snowflake garland, seasonal holiday book display, and our new family pictures in wrapped canvas!

this is the book we are currently reading--love this version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens!

new stockings this year! i was tired of the mismatched ones we had and needed a new one for miss hayley anyway. i made them from this pattern by the lovely & talented miss camille roskelley over at thimble blossoms. i LOVE how they turned out! i just need to figure where to hang them. I don't have a mantel of any sort...

and my kids love these easy christmas treats! we made them with cousins!

so glad the holiday season is here! it is such a wonderful time of year, where we can be reminded of love, serving others, being grateful and celebrating the birth of our Savior! everywhere i turn this season is filled with warm, happy traditions! i love, love, love it! 

until the next post...follow us on instagram (errsuz) where i will try to do a better job of keeping up with recent happenings!

happy holidays!!