Raspberry Balsamic Chicken

I just posted a new recipe to our recipe blog. The link is in the right hand column - called "It's a Keeper." Melissa, this is the one you were interested in. Hope you all enjoy!

It's so quiet!

It's so nice and quiet around here right now - all the kids are back in school. I've already had breakfast, done the girls hair, taken the "first day of school pictures", gone back to bed to relax with Shawn for a bit, had my shower and read the ads for this week. Now I am starting on my list of things to do, which includes going to pinchingyourpennies.com to see if I can find some good deals at Albertsons this week. I also need to email a couple of the kids teachers already and get started on a card class I am going to teach at our Super-Saturday in October. I'm supposed to have examples and cost figured out by the middle of this week. Maybe they'll give me until the end of the week...
Friday Lydia and Evie both got to play with some friends. In the afternoon we did get our mani-pedis done for the girls and they got to put some cold eye patch things on their eyes while I did their toes, so that counted as their "spa" treatment too. After that we had one of Shawn's new therapists and her fiancée over for a cook-out at the fire pit. We roasted hotdogs, marshmallows (the toasted coconut ones were quite good!) and starbursts. Yep. Starbursts. You just stick 'em on your stick and put 'em over the coals till they get gooey inside and slightly crispy outside. Pretty tasty. Who knew? After that we sent the kids downstairs to watch a movie (Inkheart) while we played a couple rounds of Apples to Apples. After the kids were in bed and company left, we tried to watch Inkheart, but I couldn't stay awake, so that was the first things we did Saturday morning after breakfast. Lissy played with a friend until after lunch then Shawn and Lissy mowed the lawn while I worked on primary stuff. After dinner Shawn and I had our date-night - Transformers at the cheap theater and tres-leches cake from the Cafe Rio drive thru. Sunday was a busy day for all of us. Shawn had choir practice while I had meetings. Then the whole family went to Liberty Square since Shawn was doing the special musical number there and in sacrament meeting. I was conducting in primary which leads me to a funny story.
We didn't have a talk or scripture/prayer person lined up, so Lydia volunteered to read the scripture and give the opening prayer. Well, the scripture she "opened to" was 1 Timothy 2:12. Go ahead and look it up. I think there were a couple of snickers and I must have had quite a look on my face, because she looked at me and got so embarrassed and upset she wouldn't say the prayer. Evelyn said the prayer instead while I put my arm around Lydia. My awesome first counselor continued to comfort her while I continued conducting. Ah well, it's all over now and a funny story, right? And the moral of the story is.... help your child find a scripture to read in primary or at least check which one they've picked :)

Back To Schoool Preparations

We’ve had a fun week getting ready to go back to school. I’ve tried to take one thing to focus on each day. Monday we got haircuts and styled the girls hair. We also went and saw the movie” Imagine That”. Tuesday we had a “fashion show” day where we went through the fall and winter clothes to see who could wear what. We ended up filling two boxes of clothes that Evie couldn’t or wouldn’t wear anymore to give to a little neighbor friend. Wednesday we labeled and packed up the school supplies. Thursday we made sure the girls had hand cream and lip balm in their backpacks for the dry winter weather here. We were going to do facials and a spa day too – but I never got around to it. Maybe we’ll add that in today. It was also Back-To-School night. They decided to do it before school started this year. It was nice to be able to take all their supplies, meet their teachers and let them find their seats before the first day of school. They are all going to have great teachers and are excited for school. Lissy even has homework already – some Accelerated Math and to start a rock collection. Today we will do mani-pedis and get their finger and toenails looking all pretty for school.
I haven’t started counting the hours until school starts yet, but Shawn says this is the happiest he has ever seen me for school to start again. We’ve had a fun and busy (yet somehow relaxing) summer and I could probably survive a little longer… but let’s be honest. I am excited to have so much time to myself and such freedom to go help in the school. Shawn and I are looking forward to lunch dates and I have a short list of projects that will soon turn into a long list of projects. The girls have been great friends this summer, but are ready to spend time with their own friends at school too. Everyone else must have been pretty busy too, because we had a hard time catching friends at home when the girls could play.

Hair Makeovers

The girls - BeforeLydia After - the goal was a flippy, short "do" - no more tangles!

Evie After - growing out her bangs, so we wanted to go shorter and chose an a-line. I love it!

Felicity After - she was going for the Alice Cullen hair-do - shaggy layers with sideswept bangs.

Lissy's Parisian Room

I created a collage today on Polyvore to show what look we are going for in Lissy's French Glamour themed room. It is a fun site and I think I will go play on it a little more...


Lissys Parisian Room by LauriST on Polyvore.com

Our Beautiful New Firepit!

If you don't have a hatchet what do you use to split wood? A hammer of course!Hmmmmm.... they look like they're calling on the gods of fire...
Evie discovered the joy of putting a whole toasted marshmallow in your mouth.
We all enjoyed some delicious S'Mores
Ahhh... isn't it beautiful?

Reunion Activities

Here are the cute crafts my cousins organized for us. Thanks Missy and Kristen!

And here are the girls sitting around watching a movie - isn't this what they do at home?
A trip to the waterfall and a geocache.

And the family sing-a-long. The girls like to make up actions to "There's Music in the Teapot" and "Big-Mouth Frog."

No pics of the square ice cream cones - but they were yummy and within walking distance!

Family Pics from Family Reunion

This was the first time all my parents posterity have been in one place at the same time in a long time - so here we all are!

My parents and their kids.

Add the spouses and grandchildren.

Now just my family.

And now for all the "grand" people in my family.

Garden Harvest

Oh yes, we've also been finding a little time to gather in the harvest. Here are some pictures:

August 5

August 13

August 15: 2 more big bowl of peas, a head of broccoli, a couple zucchini and a couple yellow squash.

Oh My Heck!

How did August get to be half over already??? Here is a quick update of what we have been keeping busy with and then I'll inundate you with pictures - cuz that's the fun part, right?

- I've been playing the piano some: for a stake baptism, for a trio Shawn put together for Stake Priesthood meeting and for our ward choir on Sunday.
- We started reading the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians book together - The Lightning Thief.
- Some visiting teaching and took dinner to my partner's family a couple nights before they moved.
- Planned our primary activity dates for next year.
- Trips to the library.
- The girls and I went and saw the Hannah Montana Movie - I quite liked it.
- Annual Sorenson Family Reunion (my Dad's family) in Swan Valley including golf for the men in Idaho Falls, crafts for the ladies and kids, and dinners and sing-a-longs for all. We slept at our house and drove there each day and Bryan and Brent's families each stayed a night or two with us as well.
- Shawn's softball games. The other team forfeited one night, which was okay because there was lots of wind and a dust storm on the field.
- Shawn gave a talk in church and has been subbing in the CTR 8 class for over a month now.
- I fell down the stairs and hurt a foot, and ankle and a leg. Stayed off it all the next day and all is well.
- School registration and shopping.
- Redecorating Felicity's room in a "French/Parisian modern glamour theme."
- Digging a fire pit in our back yard.
- The girls got haircuts today and we went and saw "Imagine That."

I think that about covers it.... ready for pictures?

Evie's Dive

Lydia's then Felicity's dives

Pictures of our Garden

The main garden
Sugar-snap peas and beans.
Corn
Lettuce and carrots (and used to be radishes)
Crookneck and zucchini squash and broccoli. The cantaloupe didn't make it. R.I.P.

Our "salsa box" - tomatoes and bell peppers.

Last week of July

The last week of July was also our last week of swim lessons. The girls all did great! Lissy and Lydia moved up to the next level and they all jumped off the diving board without any dramatic crying fits. Evelyn is the only one who still likes to wear a life vest for that. Monday I had a great little headache going, so I didn’t do much. For family home evening we weeded the garden and had ice cream sundaes. Tuesday Lissy went to a “summer party” at her friend’s house and I had presidency meeting. Wednesday we went to the school library and I went to the dentist – no cavities! Thursday we were going to go to a Chukars game, but couldn’t so we had our own baseball party at home – we made yummy nachos and played baseball on the Wii. Friday we hosted dinner group and made our raspberry balsamic chicken. The other couples brought some great watermelon, a scrumptious salad with Feta, and a divine German chocolate cake. I can’t believe July is over already – it went by so fast!

Our week so far

It feels like I have gotten so little done today - yet it feels like I have been busy all day. How does that happen? I guess it is laundry day and watering the lawn day which are all day jobs around here - but they are just 2 things crossed off my to-do list, so it feel like I haven't done much. We also had school registration this morning - where we go find out who their teachers are, sign some forms, update any information that needs to be updated, sign up for PTO helping and check our bus stop time. For all you local folk - Lissy has Mr. Bone, Lyds has Mrs. Staples (new teacher) and Evie has Mrs. McLaren. So if you're in those classes - let us know!

In other news, Sunday night I tripped on our stairs and ended up hurting my left ankle and my right foot. They both hurt to walk on, so I spent Monday off my feet all day and they felt much better. Shawn tried really hard to have me go get x-rays in case I broke my foot, but once they started feeling better, I refused. Instead, during his long lunch break, I had him go do some school-supply shopping for me. Thanks hon! You rock! I still walk slowly (Shawn calls me "Sheri") since they are tender, but I've been getting around and driving today.

This afternoon Evie and Lydia did have friends come over to play and they all ended up painting some little wooden trees and star-baskets that I've had since we lived in Provo. It kept them busy for quite awhile. Felicity just came up and wanted to paint one too, but I had to tell her "Tough - it's 5:30 and we're cleaning up. That's what happens when you watch T.V. for 3 hours - you miss out on the fun stuff." Maybe I'm a bad mom for letting her watch that long in the first place - but her jobs were all done and it is summertime.... okay, and maybe I lost track of time...

Rae Lou's Posterity

Felicity wanted me to post some pictures of the float they got to be on in the parade. It is alot of my Grandma's grandkids and great-grandkids. The great-grandkids who couldn't make it are in the pictures all around the trailer. My girls had fun throwing candy and wearing their "cowgirl" duds.

Benefit Auction

http://lindablakesleecancerauction.blogspot.com/

Here is a link to an AWESOME AUCTION. Especially if you are in Boise. Pass this on. My friend's mom has terminal cancer and her care has been very expensive. She only has a short time left with her family here on earth. I found out about the auction from another friend who has donated the cute black necklace. Our prayers and best wishes go out to you Blakeslees!

Pictures Only

Here is a picture of Felicity with the blanket and pillow she sewed. And some pics from the Pioneer Day festivities.