My New Love

I have a new love in my life....


It's called Pinterest. This pretty much sums it up:

Seriously though, it's amazing! I've always used tags in my reader (google) to keep track of my favorite things {recipes, craft ideas, holiday stuff, etc.} but rarely do I go back to look through the tags unless I can specifically remember something I liked.



NOW, with Pinterest, instead of having to scroll down my list to find the one post I'm looking for all I have to do is pin an image from the post I like and it will take me to the site! Here's what my board looks like so far:

You can organize all your pins into fun categories.

So much easier, plus I'm a visual person so this format really works for me. I've just started transferring my Google tags to my boards. It's been fun!

So, request an invite! And then follow my pins here. You'll love it.

10 months

Man, I ♥ this kid!

Top 'O The Mornin'!

 Yes, I am sporting this beauty today. Thank goodness it rained/snowed last night or I'd be sweating bullets!

I like St. Patrick's Day fine. I used to love it but for some reason it's moved down on the list of holidays lately...

I don't really get into the whole leprechaun thing (I figure the leprechaun visits my kids classrooms- that's good enough, right?). I don't dye the toilet water, milk, and every other edible substance green. I don't even do the corned beef and cabbage....what kid is going to eat that?

However, I do enjoy baking festive treats and we usually have a  St. Patty's Day inspired dinner. If you're looking for some fun things to make, try these soda bread recipes- I like them both, but my kids are not fans of caraway seeds, so they prefer the first:

{click the pics for the recipes}

Or why not try rainbow cupcakes? My kids LOVE these!

This year I made these cupcakes. The kids think they're the greatest!! No recipe for these- just make your favorite cupcakes (or the rainbow ones above!), frost with blue icing, pipe two white clouds and add some sour gummy worms! Voila!!

My Gummie Sista

My cousin Liz passed away on Monday. She was such an amazing woman! She and her sisters were like the sisters I never had. We called ourselves {still do} the gummie sisters- a VERY inside joke. Liz always made me feel special and loved, even though I was 10 years younger than she was. 

We had great chats in my bedroom & giggle-filled sleepovers. I felt so cool when she would take me to BYU for the weekend to stay in her dorm room and eat at the Cougar Eat.


She didn't care that on our trip to California and Disneyland my face was covered in chicken pox scabs. We belted Whitney Houston and Billy Joel in the car until our throats were sore.

I love you, Liz! 

I wish I could have said goodbye.....

But, I cannot wait to say HELLO again someday!

Elizabeth Ann (Young) Ott, of Pottstown, PA, age 43, was born in Salt Lake City, UT on June 29, 1967, and died at home in Pottstown, PA on March 7 after a valiant battle with breast and liver cancer. 

Liz graduated from Upper Merion Area High School in 1985. In 1988, she obtained an English degree with a minor in German from Brigham Young University.  From September 1988 to March 1990 she served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Germany, Hamburg Mission. During her mission, she served in Berlin and was on her mission during the fall of the Berlin Wall. Liz received a Masters degree in American literature from BYU in 1992 and taught at El Camino and Orange Coast Colleges in California. She met her husband Ed on the evening of the Northridge Earthquake, January 17, 1994 and they were married in 1995 for time and all eternity in the St. George L.D.S. Temple. 

In recent years she taught at Montgomery County Community College in Pottstown. She was a gifted teacher and received the Adjunct Teacher of the Year Award for 2009. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and at the time of her death was serving in the Young Women’s organization of the Church. 

Liz is survived by her husband Edward T. Ott, children Katherine E. Ott, Samuel E. Ott, and Jacob E. Ott, all of Pottstown, PA. She is also survived by her parents, Lowell S. Young and Joan E. Young of Wayne, PA, and sisters Yvette Y. Hadley (Chet) of Newark, DE, Rachel Y. Johnson (Marc) of Prospect Park, PA, and Caroline Y. Sadler (Dee) of Ivins, UT, and twenty-five nieces and nephews. During her last illness, she showed love and concern for all of her visitors and was an example to all of us how we ought to live our lives. Her family wishes to thank all those who cared for her at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Pottstown.

Sour

 

 Landon loves to make faces. The kids call this one his "sour face". He squints his eyes at you, then gets a big grin. It's ugly and funny at the same time. I think he's getting sick of it now because we've stopped laughing every time he does it. I'm glad.....

 

 I much prefer this face!

Utah!

 

Recently the Fourth Grade put on a production all about Utah. I must say that it was spectacular! I was really impressed. They taught us through song and words all about the pioneers, indians, explorers, Promontory Point, and even the rock cycle. 

I think it was a great way for the kids to learn about Utah history in a way that they will remember. Even Lincoln and Jackson still sing the songs...."Igneous, Sedimentary...."!  

Thank You!

Thank you, parchment paper, for giving me one less thing to wash....
And thank you Gygi's for providing me with pre-cut parchment sheets.

Thank you, Chuggington, for allowing me to shower in peace.

Thank you, hat from Target, for letting me show myself in public when I haven't washed my hair in 4 days.

Thank you, Super Nanny, for making me feel better about my {sometimes lackluster} parenting skills.

Thank you, Jackson, for engaging me in an intense conversation about ice pickles {better known as ice picks} and how to use them.

Thank you, child at the gym, for staying in the bathroom after taking all your clothes off instead of attempting a nude ride down the slide.

Thank you, pimp next door, for remaining in jail. Please continue to do so until your rental agreement is up.

Thank you, Rick Steves, Masterpiece and British Comedies on PBS, for transporting me {if just for a moment} to some of my favorite places and memories.

9 Month Stats

weight: 18 pounds 5 ounces

height: 27 1/2 inches

right now landon loves to get into mischief. he can climb the stairs and has realized that an open door leads to adventure (especially if it's the bathroom door)! he's loves to stand up and will use anything he can to help him get to that position (other people's legs are a favorite. not ideal while trying to make dinner). he claps and gives "fives", and loves to blow raspberries!

Funky

I'm in a funk.

I hope I come out of it soon. I blame it on the weather. Give me as much snow as you want- I'll  be happy. But these frigid temperatures are killing me. I'm in major hibernation mode and cannot find the motivation to accomplish anything significant. My house is a disaster, but I'd much rather snuggle up under a warm blanket with a book than clean.

I have nothing exciting to blog about. Maybe I should do a vlog instead. On second thought, maybe not. I can't get into the whole vlog thing. Every once and awhile I am thoroughly entertained by a vlog post someone has done, but for the most part they just make me uncomfortable. People act weird when they're trying to communicate to the masses through their home video camera on a tripod, especially when they're trying to be serious. I love a good silly vlog post but those are few and far between, and most "try" too hard to be funny and end up like the home movies my friends and I made in highschool that we thought were HILARIOUS. Those in the video will always find it hilarious, but no matter how many people you show it to no one will get it. They'll just look at you (with laughing tears streaming down your face) and tell you you're lame.

Thank you, Punxsutawney Phil, for predicting and early Spring. I can't wait to open all the windows in the house and air out this funk. Please let me do so soon....I'm getting restless.

the best of my days

I found this great idea at the beginning of the year and decided it was just the thing for me. It's been fun trying to decide what the best part of my day is each day. Some days it's hard to pick just one, some days I have to think hard to come up with one. But it's helped me focus on how great my life is and how blessed I am.

I think it will be fun to go back at the end of the year and remember all the great things that happened each day.

A runner up to the best of my day the other day was this:

 

I went to get an oil and lube at my favorite place, Grease Monkey. Why do I love it so? Eight words:

Cookies

Popcorn

Soda

Cartoons

Playhouse

Free smoothie

Free carwash

FAST!

My kids beg to go there when we drive by. No joke. 

Anyway, when I got in my car to leave there was a carnation sitting on my dashboard. You ain't gettin' that at Jiffy Lube!