Prom Pictures

I will admit it, taking these pictures made me feel so old.  Can you believe its been ten years since I was in high school.  I don't feel like ten years have gone by.  I use to love school dances.  I loved picking out a dress, and going out to eat with friends, and gathering up the courage to try and get a high school crush to take me out.  lol   That never seemed to work too well for me. For that same reason I hold high school dances responsible for some of my most awkward and embarrassing moments. But, most of all it made me remember how lucky I have been in the friendship department.  If you guys are reading this, I miss ya and love ya  :0)

So much to Learn!!

I found this settee on craigslist and I fell in love.  I found the exact same settee but it still in its original condition. I am the type of person that just dives into things.  I think I may take the chance and just buy the unfurnished one, and redo it myself.  Sometimes I wish I was a better planner.  I have a wedding in two weeks, and would love to use it.  But, I haven't even bought the fabric yet, and now I am officially obsessed.  I keep trying to make myself forget about it but I can't.  Could it be that hard : /

 

This is the one I found Craigslist.  It's the exact same thing!!! It feels like it was meant to be that I found these two finds on the same day.  What to do?

Michelle Senior Pictures

Here is another sneak peek at a senior picture photo shoot that I did.  I met the beautiful Michelle and her family through church.  They are such a sweet and thoughtful family.  I adore their mom.  And my husband loves their dad.  Their Dad..... well better said their whole family are Barcelona fans.  My husband is like a moth to a flame, when he finds someone else who loves Barcelona.  Its been so fun taking these senior pictures. Their excitement for their future is infectious.

Senior Picture Photoshoot

I was contacted to take Senior Pictures, last week.  Here is a sneak peek.  This photo shoot was so much fun.  It was the first time I was asked to leave a property because they thought I was a professional photographer.  lol I took it as a compliment.  I guess they have their own photographer at the resort, so they don't like their members to bring in their own photographers.   And, Gaby as you can see was so easy to shoot, it must be so hard to be that beautiful :0). Thank you Katty for the referral.

It's Getting Warm

It was a hot Arizona day yesterday.  Which, I thought called for a day of jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers on, eating otter-pops, and fruit.  I am enjoying watching them do the things that David and I loved doing as kids.

Our little Garden

We started our little garden.  I am so excited!! We planted all kinds of things.  We planted Bell Peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes, STRAWBERRIES and all kinds of herbs in separate planters.  I am so excited to have fresh strawberries, and herbs.  Ariana loved helping her Dad build the garden.  Viggo was taking a nap while all this was happening. I love watching everything grow, and going out their every morning with the kids to water the plants. I really hope all our plants make it!

I love that she is doing it backwards.  It reminds of how when she was like two, she would ride her scooter with the handle bars backwards. 

These are some princess flowers that Ariana planted.  Ariana keeps telling me that she thinks Tinkerbell and the fairies will probably be visiting our garden if it keeps getting prettier.

These are my strawberries :0)

I think the color green is so soothing.  Love it!!

Our Little Garden

Viggo Turned 5?

It was Viggo's birthday yesterday.  We had a pirate themed party.  He has been obsessed with pirates and trains lately.  But, when I would ask him what kind of birthday cake he wanted he would say "pirates" but in Spanish.  He had fun opening presents, and eating his favorite meal pizza, followed by some birthday cake and ice cream.  

I didn't notice till now that on his birthday cake I made the number 5 for one of the sails.  All day Ariana kept talking about what we were going to do for her birthday when she turns five.  I guess I just got the number five stuck in my head.  Ooooops.  Viggo dosen't know the difference.  I know the cake looks more like a speed boat, then I pirate ship, but he didn't care.  It was so cute, he loved it!! And, in the end that is all that matters.  Happy Birthday my beautiful "2" year old little boy.

 

 

 Viggo at Two Years Old

1) Your favorite thing to do is eat.  You love food.  I love cooking, but you make it even more fun, because I just want to hear you go "mmmmmm rico, mami, rico."

2) You love choo choo tomas, and you love pirates.  All day you are either carrying a train, or yelling out "arrrrgh".

3)  Your favorite thing to do with Ariana is to pretend play that you are ninjas.  You have the cutest kicks and punches I have ever seen.  And I love the intense look you get in your eyes.

4)  You have the ability to make me want to pull my hair out and laugh all in the same breath.  You will be doing something, like running away from the pew on Sunday, and I will me mortified, yet when you look back at me, I can't help but laugh.  I think you got that gift from your dad.  I can never stay mad at him either.

5)  You were potty trained in two days, two weeks before your second birthday.  We were so proud of you!!! 

6)  You love to tease.  You tease your sister all the time, because you just want her to chase after you.  I think you got that from your dad too.

7)  You have a temper, but you are a love bug too.  You love hugs and kisses, and just being held, but you also love to pinch : /

8)  You are starting to speak so well.  I love hearing your cute voice. Which I might add is not a quite one.  You are very loud.  Its like you want the world to stop and take notice.

9)  You love jumping on the trampoline.  I love it, because you get so much energy out.  And you dribble a soccer ball like a pro.  You should see the smile your dad gets when he watches you dribble.

10)  You still have the most beautiful eyes.  I can see everything that you are feeling through your deep brown eyes.  They truly are the windows to your soul.  I can tell if you are frustrated, hurt, happy, sad, tired, all by just looking into your eyes. 

I love you Viggo.  You have brought so much boy energy into our home.  And I love it.  Your little spirit is truly electrifying.  And I am so glad you get to share that with me, your dad, and sister.  Happy Birthday Viggito.

 

Easter Party

My very good friend is Primary President in another ward, and she was nice enough to invite me to their Easter activity.  They did such a wonderful job.  All the kids looked like they had tons of fun.  I am always looking for fun projects to do, and I asked her if I could do the cupcakes.  I have been itching to use this cupcake book that my friend Danica got me for Christmas.   Isn't it cute.  They are so easy to do.  They may look pretty, but that did not stop me from wanting to eat way too many for one day.  Which, I am regretting because on Monday I am making Viggo his birthday cake.  And, even though I tell myself that what ever is left over I will throw out, there never seems to be too much left over to throw out.  Oh well :0)

Something that I have noticed lately, is that whenever I do line up a project to do for someone else, all of a sudden I have like a hundred that coincide at the same time.  Even though just a week ago I had nothing going on. I really need to work on spacing my projects out better. 

Stawberry Pie

This is it people.  This is my favorite strawberry pie recipe.  I don't think I will ever buy it again!!! The crust is so eassssssy to make, and so is the filling.  I am in LOVE!!!

Sugar Pie Crust ( Martha Stewart )

1 Cup of unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 Cup of confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter cut into pieces

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

Combine flour, sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor.  Process for 15-20 seconds, until pastry resembles oatmeal.  Add the egg and process for 20 seconds until pastry just begins to hold together.

Press the dough evenly into your pie dish, wrap it up in plastic and chill for about one hour.

Preheat oven to 350, Remove plastic and wrap foil over the shell.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Remove foil after 18 minutes and bake until golden brown, for like another 7 minutes or so.  Allow to cool before filling it.

Strawberry Filling   ( Sister in Law Sara Smith )

1 quart of fresh strawberries

1 cup of white sugar

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

3/4 Cup of water

1/2 Cup of Heavy whipping Cream

1) Arrange half the strawberries in baked pastry shell.  Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium sauce pan.  Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring frequently.

2)  In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water.  Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture.  Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell.  Chill for several hours before serving.  In small bowl whip cream with confectioners sugar until soft peaks form. Serve pie with whip topping!!

Your welcome fellow strawberry lovers  :0)

Lemon Chicken

A sister from church gave me a huge bag of fresh lemons.  Its citrus season in Arizona!! I have been cooking with them all week.  Last night I made Lemon Chicken from a cookbook that I found the other day called Heirloom Cooking, by the brass sisters.  They call themselves the Queens of comfort food.  And after I tasted this one, I believe it.   I loved this lemon chicken, because it tastes like Lemon Chicken.  So many times I have cooked it before where you only get a hint.  This one delivers.  I thought I would share it.  Plus in the spring and summer I love cooking foods that look fresh and yummy.  And its EASY!!

6-8 pieces of chicken, or 4 large boneless chicken breasts

5 tablespoons of lemon juice

1/3 C of flour

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of butter softened to room temperature

2 lemons sliced 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 Cup of low-sodium chicken stock

Pine Nuts

Golden Raisins

1) Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch ovenproof glass baking pan with vegetable spray. Rinse chicken under cold water, pat dry.   Place lemon juice in shallow bowl.  Dip chicken into it and place on platter and set aside.

2) Place flour, salt and paprika into a zip lock bag.  Add chicken, seal, and shake to coat with flour.  Take out and shake off any excess flour and set aside.

3)  Preheat oven to 375

4) Melt olive oil and butter in large heavy frying pan over medium heat.  Add chicken and and cook until both sides are golden brown. Remove chicken and place into baking pan.  And scatter lemon slices over.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.

5)  Pour chicken stock into frying pan set over medium heat, and simmer, scrapping with a wooden spoon to retrieve all of the browned bits clinging to bottom of pan.  Cook until slightly thickened.  Pour sauce into a corner of the baking pan, but do not disrupt the lemon slices and chicken you sprinkled with brown sugar.  Gently shake pan to evenly distribute the sauce.  Cover with foil and bake until chicken is cooked through.  About 30 min. for boneless chicken breasts and about 40-45 for bone in chicken pieces.  Baste once while cooking. 

6) Serve with a side of rice, with pine nuts and golden raisins. 

Enjoy!!

What's the Big Deal

I am a little timid to say this, but I think he is potty trained.  Yesterday after 11:00 a.m we had no accidents.  He slept through the night and his nap and woke up dry.  We even went out yesterday and he told me when he had to go. Then he woke up today, and we went through another day with no accidents.  I feel like it is too good to be true.  I am so proud of my little Viggo, but I guess he is not so little anymore.  This is the face of a boy who takes on every stage of life so far, "Like its no big deal."  I love you Viggo :0)

April Fools

Day 1 of Potty Training Boot Camp

We decided that this would be a good weekend to try potting training Viggo since we do not have to go to church on Sunday, because of general conference.   So as of April 1, 2011 I have initiated potty training boot camp.  Viggo at the tender age of 23 months managed to April Fool me this year.  First thing in the morning we took him to the potty and it was a success.  He was so proud, and it was all so easy.  I got a little over confident and thought to myself this isn't going to be so bad.  I spoke TOO SOON!! 

We went through six pairs of underwear yesterday.  It was a long day.  So, today we go on day two. I think there was some progress yesterday.  He at least became paranoid about it.  He kept saying he had to go like every half hour.  The only problem is that he never went when he was actually on the toilette.  No matter how much time he spent on the toilette he always managed to go after.  But that's okay, I have been preparing myself mentally for this for a while.  I am in this, and there is no going back.  So, here's hoping that day two goes better.