To My Mom,

I have Elle, Sofia and Lila here, playing right now. I know you would love to see them all being so silly together. Fia reminds me of you. I know you'd get such a kick out of her sassiness.

I'll give them all a big hug from you, today, (even though I know you give your own when they're sleeping).

In The Sticks

This Labor Day weekend, the Skidmores decided that we needeed a break. So, we all packed up our kiddos, blankets, air mattresses (our cabin isn't furnished yet), ice chests, bikes, running shoes, playing cards (what's a Skidmore vacation without Hearts and Scum), and headed for Show Low.

On Saturday, Carol and Ray Woodhouse invited us over to their cabin for some college football and IBC's.

I love this beast!
Sofia loves her grandma.
We were really hoping that Heidi and Greg could get some much needed relaxation, but 11 kids under 1 roof may have made that a longshot.
Cousins!!

Casey helped out a ton.

We learned that Lila is allergic to wool.

Even the kids get in on the card action. Hopefully their skills will pay off in the casino one day;)

We Will Miss You Forever

You have taught us the kind of strength that helps us to go on at times like this. We love you painfully, Ethan Randall Skidmore.

*Ethan's service has been set for Thursday, 10AM at the LDS church building on McDowell, east of Power.

For Love of the Game

Football season has begun:(


Goodbye, Casey. It was fun to spend family nights together on Mondays and quiet Sundays together.


I'll always love you.
See you in 2010...

At least our son is having a blast!

Max and Cade ditched school and spent Monday with their amazing Grandpa at the Cardinals' practice, this week.

Out of the two of them, can you tell who's the more aggressive?:) Cade was grateful for Max's ability to squeeze in front of people.

Freedom!!

I love, love, love my kids! But, I also love, love, love when summer ends and I get to scoot them out the door and onto the bus.

This year, it was really time. After a fun summer (Wicked, Makutu's Island, Park City, Vegas, etc.) they were starting to get bored and I was starting to go crazy.

However, I miss my little helpers and just pray each day that when I send them off, they have the kind of days that I remember having in Elementary school, days where they are safe and happy.

Thanks to Natalie for the fresh new haircuts to start out the new year!

Here's to another school year...

Our 4th of July ended with a bang (or more like a blllllaaaaahhhhh...)

This year was the first in a long time that we have not spent July 4th soaking up the California beach scene. So, we, at least, had to get out of the heat!

We headed to Dad's cabin in Happy Jack.

Saturday morning, Casey, my dad, Cade, Max and Phoebe (aka. the BIG cousins) got up before dawn to go fishing. In the meantime, Sara, Lance and I walked the 'little' cousins down to the Blue Ridge Fire Dept.'s craft fair. The kids had fun painting big paper butterflies but, shockingly, there was nothing that quite called out to me, so we came home, empty-handed.

That afternoon, we drove back down to Payson to see 'Ice Age 2' eat at McDonald's (yum:/) and watch fireworks at the park.

It felt the way that I thought a small-town Fourth would feel...easy.

BTW- On the drive back up to the cabin, Phoebe began puking all over the middle row of my car. When I thought she was done I reached back to grab the baby wipes and she started up again, all over my arms. That was 30 min in to a 60 minute drive. Fun times;)

A little much?

OK, maybe. But, it's better than what I'm working with.

Another day, another plan.

I have gotten a new, WONDERFUL trainer to set me up a workout plan (that is already kicking my butt) with one goal, to get ripped.

I'm really not into the whole beanpole thing. It does nothing for me and actually makes me quite sad to see how weak and unhealthy women are striving to be.

After losing my mom to pancreatic cancer, fighting my personal battles with skin cancer, watching my dear father-in-law suffer the pain of rhumatoid arthritis and standing by helplessly as my sweet, little nephew battles his way through the first few months of life with practically half a heart, I have come to realize that our bodies are so fragile.

It is now my mission to become as healthy and strong as I can be.

As my trainer puts it, 'If you don't take care of your body, where else will you live?'

(I know this post must seem funny coming from the girl that constantly blogs cupcake recipes and ideas, but, what can I say...making salads just isn't quite as fun.)

Swim bags

For all of you swim team moms or moms of girls that just love to swim, here's a really fun tutorial on making these. My girls are so proud of their custom bags.

Moving on,

Only seven more days until we start the move to our new house. Can you sense the excitement in my voice?:( It only took about a day before the joy of selling our house wore down to groans and angst over not having a bigger, better home to move into. This will be the first time that we have sold our house without a plan, that plan being a home that we have spent months materializing from dream to reality.

THIS SUCKS.

I know I sound spoiled. Maybe that is the lesson that I am being taught. So I'll move into the rental (while we make a 'plan') with a smile and anticipation for memories yet to be realized within those new walls.

PS- Have fun at Powell, Casey. Don't worry, I'll pack up and clean all 5000sq ft. of this house and have it ready to move out of by the time you get home:) No, really, have fun and you owe me!

I'm in love...

with these cupcakes!!

This is hard to say, coming from a cupcake lover, but sometimes I just don't want all of the heavy frosting that accompanies a good cupcake. For me, this cupcake, having a different texture and topping, was like a breath of fresh air, like a snickerdoodle cupcake.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar Puff Cupcakes

1 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ground nutmeg

6 T unsalted butter, at room temp

1/2 C sugar

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1/2 C milk (any fat content)

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray inside of 12 muffin cups with nonstick coating.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until blended and creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl, as needed. Beat in the egg, mixing until smooth and thick. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing just until the flour mixture is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.
• Fill each muffin cup with about 3 T of batter, to about 1/2 inch below the top. Bake just until the top feels firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 16-18 minutes. Cool the cupcakes for five minutes in the pan on a wire rack.

Coating

6 T unsalted butter, melted

1/2 C sugar

1 1/4 t ground cinnamon

• Meanwhile, make the coating. Put the melted butter in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, stir the sugar and cinnamon together.
• Carefully place the wire rack on top of the cupcakes in their pan. Protecting your hands with pot holders and holding the pan and the rack together, invert them to release the cupcakes onto the rack. Turn the cupcakes atop and immediately roll them in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely. Yummy served warm but room temp is fine, too.
  (from the book 'cupcakes' by Elinor Klivans)