Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Spring Fever! We just need a bit o sunshine!

Liz and uncle bob came to visit last week! We had not seen her and her children for so long, too long! It was fun to have perfect weather for playing outside and running all over the yard. She had a long drive back to CA so couldn't stay too long.


Easter dinner! Cai came to visit from BYU-Idaho. She makes the best deviled eggs. She also has a mean chocolate chip chocolate cookie!



Easter Egg HUNT!!!

Hiding over 100 eggs across more then 1 acre, now that is what I call a good hunt!

OOH! Found another!



Sometimes you have to look really hard to find camouflage eggs.





Ward Talent show. I sang and the little girls danced in a primary group.


I love the flowers. They grow like kids, I mean weeds.

The kids are sprouting tomatoes and watermelon inside. It actually snowed today so I am glad we didn't put anything in the ground yet. Our garden plot did get plowed by the neighbor on Saturday so we are ready to plant, if only the weather would cooperate.


This is our Cat Princess Tiger Pepper. She has been missing for almost a week. We think she is no longer catching mice here on Earth. Poor Kitty, we will all miss her cute cuddly belly scratching personality.



Did someone say chocolate? Why buy it when you can make it!

We made mints and dipped almonds this time around.

We also had some leftover Royal Icing so we practiced making more flowers to use on a Birthday cake next month. The icing hardens and you can place the flowers where you like.


Panoramic Sugar Easter Eggs!









It is amazing how much sugar can make a mess! We had fun and this was the main project this Spring! The best part was when the girls gave away their special eggs. This really made it the best project. It is amazing how much a simple decoration made from the heart can mean to someone at Easter. If you want the recipe for the sugar eggs in a mold just google panoramic easter eggs and even Martha Stewart has information on how to make them. The plastic egg molds are just plastic eggs that Easter candy might come it, like Willy Wonka.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Could Spring Be Here?

It is Strawberry Jam time! Peter helped me make a batch but we just barely had enough strawberries. Can you guess why?



The flowers are finally blooming. It has been rainy but not snowy! We even moved the rabbits out of the barn into their hutches outside the barn.

It is so nice to see happy kids playing outside again without shoes or coats. Okay they have shoes on in the picture but I think it was because we just got home from running an errand. Usually they run around without shoes so they can jump on the trampoline easier.

We went on a fieldtrip to the USU Greenhouses. We each got to replant a tomato and take it home. Each kid will have to eat all the tomatoes that grow on their plant. Peter gave his away to the first person he could. His cousin was having a birthday party and she was the happy recipient of a tiny tomato plant.

This is a Birthday party game. Try and untangle the colored eggs with candy.

Then throw them across the yard and pick up the candy, but don't get the Jelly Beans mixed up with the deer droppings!

Edmund loves strawberries and cake.


The cows are multiplying! Look at those cute little calves with big eyes!

Look at those kids on the fence. It is fun to walk down the road to see the calves close up. They are so curious and sometimes run around like puppies playing.


Delicious Mango!

Happiness is a mango to share.


Aikido weapons class.



Stick fighting in action.

Friday, April 15, 2011

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

This a second read for me! It was as inspiring at the first time. It amazes me what people can go through and live to tell about it with out being bitter and broken for life. This is of course only possible through our Savior Jesus Christ. Corrie Ten Boom will always be my hero for living what she preached, literally. Her family was courageous as they opened their hearts to help others in need during Hitlers rein.

Corrie not only hid Jews, she was also sent to prison and a concentration camp. But it didn't end there, God had a complete purpose for her. After she came home she reached out to so many people that needed a place to heal. She also even reached out to those in Germany that were part of why the healing had to happen. She went all the way when it came to helping her enemies. She understood how all of Gods children need love and can repent.

I think this book will stay with me for a long time. I want to follow Christ's example and if I ever get to the point of such despair I hope I can turn it over to our maker and have faith in His words just like Corrie was able to do.

WHOLE BOOK

Friday, April 08, 2011

Rangers of the Lone Star by Zane Grey

A cowboy book! The first Zane Grey book I ever read was about a baseball player, The Shortstop. Then I discovered he is actually a western novel writer. This was one of his masterpiece. In 1914 it was published in a series in a shorter form for magazine. Then it was cut in too and part of if deleted by the publishers. This is the first time it has been restored to the original version as a complete novel.

I is about the Texas Rangers in the wild west. Back in the day it was a very dangerous and rowdy place for villains and cow rustlers. The Rangers put a stop to the bandits and lawbreakers despite the dangers involved. They are lonely and sometimes far from "civilization" they are the only law around. The story is about two Rangers on special assignment. They are tough and then they meet two girls that steal their hearts away.

I was surprised to find all the romance in the book. It is all innocent stuff but it sure takes up most of the book. Here are the tough Rangers and they are taking down the biggest problem in the state in Pecos County, cattle stealing. Then their is the daughters of the villain. What a dilemma!

Anyway is an exciting picture of the olden days in the west (well the south cause it is Texas). I expected something else because I was thinking of the Lone Ranger version from the movies. There wasn't any masked men saving the day in this book just super smart and fast guns taking out the bad guys.

Whole Book

Wintery Spring Break

First we went on a long trip down south. It really was Spring Break for a day. The weather was nice, warm and sunny.



We went to the Carl Bloch exhibit http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifat BYU! It was so worth it! The kids loved it and I loved it and grandpa came with us and he loved it.


This was some curious thing the kids took pictures of. The actual Carl Bloch stuff we were not allowed to photograph. We rented an Ipad with ear things to listen and learn more about each painting. That was cool, the kids fighting over whos turn it was, well that was uncool.

He did not like it and cried very loud. He is just pretending to smile in this picture but he really just wanted a cheeseburger or something. Who knows?


We attended a going away party for some of the cousins and had a Birthday party for an aunt!


This was a chocolate cake without flour that turned out inedible.

Cousins playing...

This cousin is probably the cutest. At least Geoff things so. And Pam's baby is cute too so it is a toss up. I don't have a picture of that little one so we can't compare here.


After playing at Grandmas house with lots of toys we headed back to Logan. It was sunny at first.
Edmund rode the motorcycle every day out in the field.

The chickens basked in the sun.

The kids played outside without their shoes.


The grass is turning green.


Susan and her friend played with the bow and arrow, way out there in no mans land.



THEN it snowed!!!!

Spring Break is over.

We watched movies and put the girls hair up in rag curls.


Unicorn hair, braided tight.





The cats of course were invited in but they weren't much help.


By the time I get all the pictures on the blog I am too tired to write long stories about the stuff we did. What did you do for spring break?