Our dance trip to Disneyland

Phoebe is all the way to the right. Her group is the youngest company at the studio and Phoebe is the youngest girl. They were so cute!

We had no food in our hotel room so after being awake for about an hour with no breakfast or milk, we found Lila helping herself to pizza and root beer from our Camp Rock party the night before.

After spending hundreds of dollars on Disney park hopper passes for two days, it was lovely to see that Sofia had the most fun with a tree and a garbage can.

Ah, Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth. (Someone really should've told Lila.)

Cabin Pics

As with all recent posts, these pictures are incredibly late, but, I love them. We always have a blast at my parents cabin in Happy Jack. Although it's painfully obvious that Grandma is missing, somehow, I feel very close to her there. The cabin has easily become my favorite escape, as well as the kids.

Happy Fathers' Day!

Apparently it took a great holiday to get me back online, again. I just couldn't let a day like this pass by without a tribute to the amazing men in my life.

Dad-
You are quiet strength. You have taught me that toughness is not something that needs to be flashed for everyone to see. Rather something that you hold close and use only when it is needed most.
You listen, instead of talk. I think that is brilliant.
I have ALWAYS felt loved and never felt judged.
You love to learn and read and I always know that you'll have the answers to any question regarding, history, sports, geography, etc. You'll be my #1 phone-a-friend if I ever go on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Most of all, I consider you a friend. I truely stand in awe of how you've been there for Sara and I through this excruciating year. You are my biggest hero.

Casey-
My right hand man! You are my everything.
I have never seen a man who loves babies and toddlers as much as you, (maybe your dad).
Just the thought of you going out of town again sends shivers down my spine. When I have had enough and am about to crack, you step in and let all of the kids wrestle you to the ground and I can breath again. If this home was a glass of water, we would definately be half empty without you around.
Cade wants to be just like you and says to me all of the time, "but, that's not what dad says," or, "that's not how dad does it,". (He'll learn:) )
And the girls just adore you. I think that Sofia may turn out to be one of those girls who never thinks any guy will be as good as her daddy.
Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being my sounding board. Thank you for loving me as the mother and not just the wife. Thank you for being exactly the way you are.

Ricki Lake?! Are you freakin' kidding me?

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

Fundraiser for Garrett

As I have said before, Phoebe is quite a little athlete. For the last year, she has been in 3 hours of dance and 4 hours of gymnastics a week. When she first started at Desert Devils Gym at age 5, she had a wonderful coach by the name of Garrett Tanner. At first glance, however, I was a little nervous. Here's this teenage boy with my little girl. I was picturing an older woman as Phoebe's first gymnastics coach. But, it was almost immediate that I noticed how sweet he was with the girls and how Phoebe took to him.

Garrett was Phoebe's coach for a few months before she moved on, but I'd still see him at the gym when I would take or pick her up during the week.

That was until November of 2007. Garrett had the accident that we all know is possible in sports, but don't like to think about. Garrett broke his C5 while attempting to throw a double front flip and is currently a quadriplegic.

He was such a cute, active young guy. To see him now is truely tragic. But, word on the street is, he is full of hope and has an amazing outlook and attitude about the trial that he now faces. Please, go to his website and get inspired to help. http://www.gogarret.org/

Yesterday, Desert Devils had a fundraiser to help pay for Garrett to go to one of the best rehabilitation centers in the country. He fully believes he will walk again and just needs some financial help to do it. So, we took the kids and had a great time. Here are the pics;

When all else fails, go to the zoo.

I don't know why I say that. As I've said before, I really hate going to the zoo. It is ALWAYS at least 10 degrees hotter at the zoo then any place on Earth. But, nevertheless, I keep going. It's amazing how the thought of making your kids happy can make you do things that you don't want to do (ie-McDonalds, the Dumbo ride (right, Jill?), duck-duck-goose).

They always have fun at the zoo. And, even more fun with

COUSINS!

Sunday Share- Lemon Cake in a Jar

Since I feel crunched for time this evening, I'm going to share what I made this last week for my dear sister-in-law's, Aimee's, baby shower. I had seen on a couple of baking blogs the idea of making cake in jars and thought that it was so clever for a couple of reasons; A- It looks really cute. B- The cake will last for up to a couple of months in a jar. C- Sealing the jar while the cake is hot, makes for a really moist cake. D- Instead of cupcakes that need to be eaten within a day or two, you can put small jars in your pantry and pop one open anytime.

So here are my notes-

Any cake will do. I just used a lemon cake mix so that I could add a glaze for flavor.

Heat the oven as the recipe instructs.

Grease and flour the jars thoroughly before adding the cake mix and only fill them half full.

One box will make about 9 half-pint mason jars. Just do the math if you have different sized jars. (Walmart has a good jar selection.)

Line your jars up on a cookie sheet, not touching each other.

Now, I just turned the oven light on and watched them. When they rose to the top of the jars and looked dry on top, I poked them. You may want to follow the timing on the back of the cake-mix box for a glass pan and just watch them.

When they are done, immediately slice off the cake that has risen above the mouth of the jar. For my lemon cake, take the handle of a wooden spoon, poke down into the hot cake and pour about a Tablespoon of lemon glaze (powdered sugar and lemon juice) into the hole.

Last, after the cake has been out of the oven for no more than 2 minutes, screw on the lid. It will seal itself in a couple of minutes.

-Easy and fun!

Yet another post about Pat's Run

So fun to see that so many moms were out running this weekend for such a great cause. This was my very first run and I can't begin to express how much fun I had. I am not a runner, so besides just having fun getting away to do something worthwhile, I was proud that I could run under the time that I was shooting for (I ran 9 1/2 minute miles). Sara kicked my butt but, we knew that she would! Good job sister. See you at the next one!

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

OK. This is in honor of Courtney's new "Sunday Share". A friend turned me on to this recipe a couple of months ago when she asked me to make it for a ward luncheon. I was hooked. Super easy and way yummy. The only variation that I make is that I don't put it in a mixer but rather smash it by hand. (Caution...this recipe is not for the calorie-conscious!)

3 lbs red potatoes
1 T kosher salt
1 1/2 C half-and-half
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes and 1 T of salt in a 4-quart saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer covered for 25-35 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender. Drain.

In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half and butter.

Put the potatoes into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix them for a few seconds on low speed, to break them up. Slowly add the hot cream and butter to the potatoes, mixing on the lowest speed (the last quarter of the cream and butter should be folded in by hand). Fold in the sour cream, parm cheese, the 2 tsp salt, and pepper; taste for seasoning and serve immediately. If the potatoes are too thick, add more hot cream and butter.

Serves 6-8

Enjoy!!

My Girls

What can I say? I absolutely love being the mom of three girls. That's not to say that I don't love being the mom to Cade, also. I really do. Cade is actually the most like me of all my children, (poor Casey). But, sometimes it's fun to just be girly with the girls. Or, as in these shots, not so girly on the four wheelers with the girls. It's not really the GIRL part of them that I love, because their clothes are over-priced and I'm not big on "BLING" and girl-attitude. What I love is when Cade burps and Phoebe looks over at me and rolls her eyes. Or when Sofia sings "Supergirl" at the top of her lungs while shaking her tush. (I guess that's how girls dance.) And when all three girls gather around the Polly Pockets and pick which one they're going to play with. ( Poor Lila usually gets the headless one with a chewed off foot.) I just love watching them be sweet together. And when I see them being happy, I can be proud and hope that I am doing my job and that they will grow up to be nothing less than fearless, empathetic, loving and faithful. (Isn't that really what we all want to be like?) So in the words of John Mayer, "Mothers, be good to your daughters,". We are so blessed to have them. I am so blessed to have them.