"R"

{Before}

After much searching for the perfect "R" for my front room, we decided to make one. Jonathan cut the letter out of particle board and then we spray painted it. (Yeah for spray paint!) I finally feel like my picture wall is complete (except for needing one more picture). Don't worry, our tree is down now, it just took me forever to blog about it!{After}

Sister's Weekend 2010

I LOVE my sister-in-laws! Don't get me wrong. Growing up with 2 brothers and no sisters had it's perks (such as NEVER having to share a room or clothes) but I do love having sisters now. Every year, we get together in January and with no husbands or kids, we let loose! We have a few things we do every year; go to the Temple, do our nails and stay up late watching chick flicks and then we try new things.

Cyni had the perfect tub for us all to climb in and soak our feet. We had fun making faces at the camera too!

This year, we added an Iron Chef competition! A neutral party provided 2 ingredients that we had to combine into one dish without using any recipes or the Internet for help. The two ingredients: Mini marshmallows and instant brown rice. Yes my friends, marshmallows and brown rice. While we had to get VERY creative, I think we all did very well. Cyndi (far left) created a "Turtle Mix" complete with pretzels, Chex cereal and, of course, rice and chocolate. Next, we had Beth with brown rice pudding garnished with extra marshmallows followed by Rebecca's Food-Network-inspired sweet potato souffle with rice filler. I attempted to make sweet and sour meatballs with a marshmallow sauce on a bed of brown rice. Beth's rice pudding won! (I only found out after the fact that neither judge likes sweet and sour to begin with, but I'm not bitter!)


We had lots of fun just being together while laughing till we cry!

We went to a glow in the dark mini golf place and then went out for ice cream.

I had TONS of fun and had a BLAST just hanging out with the girls! Sister's Weekend is a great chance for us to just relax and regroup after the holidays and gear up for the year to come! I wish everyone could have great sisters like me!

It's Been a While

I know it has been a while since I wrote, but I have been SUPER busy and it's only about to get worse! With my new camera in hand, I have been taking TONS of pictures, but most are not really blog worthy. Learning about my new camera is taking me much longer than I wanted, but I am having fun with a new hobby. So, I am going to TRY and write a few updates before I leave for NY and Ohio, but we will see how I do.

First, I thought I would pass along a GREAT recipie. I found it at one of the blogs I follow. I made mine with a different pasta, but it was still VERY yummy! (Just a note, I made 1/2 the recipe and it was PLENTY!)

You can link to the recipie here:

www.granvillehouse.blogspot.com/2009/12/shower-recipes.html

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Mom!

For my mother-in-law's birthday, I let her make veggie pizza. Actually, all she wanted for her birthday dinner was veggie pizza (I think it was just so she could watch her son be forced to eat vegetables) and she wanted to help make it.

(Don't judge me for my dirty oven. It's well used. Someday there will be two of them and they will be in the wall. Someday.)

Growing up, Jonathan always had a watermelon instead of birthday cake, so guess what his mom got this year?

It was great to be able to celebrate mom's birthday here this year! Happy birthday mom!

My New Canon T1i

I have always wanted to get into photography, so I took the plunge and bought a new camera. While I have SO much to learn, I had fun playing with my new toy this past weekend. Because they are are so easy to photograph, I thought I would use 3 toddlers for my first subjects! (Ha.)

Halloween at 1319 Cornerstone Dr

I love fall, but I love soup in the fall even more. Maybe it's my moms fault. I remember growing up and whining because my mom loved soup so much that we would beg for dinner to be something that we can't eat with a spoon. I think she would have had soup everyday if she could!
I love to make cards, but they never seem to get mailed out on time!

A friend of mine is a 1st grade teacher and I asked her if I could help with her class party. I was so excited to plan and after a million ideas went through my head, this turned out to be my favorite activity. I took 3 plastic skeletons and spray painted them on white butcher paper. I then took the skeletons apart and then spread the pieces all around the classroom. The kids had a blast finding the bones and putting the skeletons back together.

I love to decorate, but my husband is not a huge fan of all the Halloween decorations. This year I gave in and only put a few things out. Then, for some reason, Jonathan got the decorating bug at 6:30pm on Halloween! Even though it only lasted a few hours, I am glad that he got some Halloween spirit!

While we had lots of fun food for our Halloween feast, I think my "bone bread sticks" were the best! I just made pizza dough and shaped it like bones. After they baked, I brushed butter and garlic on them and finished them off with a dusting of Parmesan cheese. (They looked extra creepy dipped in "blood" spaghetti sauce.

Our little Lobster

"Oh I lobster, and never flounder....

...he wrapped his line around her and they drove off in his carp.
Oh I lobster, and never flounder....

I octopus his face in, he'll only break her heart!"

So maybe she wasn't the happiest lobster, but she was still cute!