Going Back In Time

This picture was taken a few years ago....at Disneyland...mmm....those were the days! I love this photo...brings back a lot of great memories! We had a GREAT time!

Picture and Quote of the week

I thought this picture was appropriate for the week...and for the quote of the week...

Remember You Don't Stop Laughing Because You Grow Old,
You Grow Old Old Because You Stop Laughing. ;0
.....Have a Great Thanksgiving!

Gerber Daisy

I work allot with flowers and one of my most favorite flower is the Gerber. I have seen so many beautiful colors. I never knew how many shades they came in. I love this flower. We have clustered them together for wedding bouquets and put them in glass bubble bowls and they always look so elegant! This is just one of my many favorites. I can't believe all I have learned about flowers. Did you know that Gerber daisies are the fifth most popular flower in the world. They can mean innocence, purity , cheerfulness and can be a perfect way to brighten up someones day!

Twilight midnight show tomorrow

This looooks goood!! I hope it is. I don't think I am going to the midnight show....way passed my bed time. I told Tatum I would get her out early from school to hit a matinee and beat the crowd. I hope. ;)

...got tagged

This is what was in my 4th folder, 4th picture. A video of Sadie last year preschool. It really didn't turn out that well. She is in the very back on the end..you can not see her very well. This was fun though, I forgot about this video of her. They are all dressed up in costumes from all over the World. I think she is China. Her preschool teacher Mrs Jackson was great! ;) Mmm not sure if I am suppose to tag anyone?

In disguise

Savannah drew this picture today and told me, "this turkey is in disguise because he doesn't want to get eaten on Thanksgiving." I thought it was so cute..

I took a picture of her drawing..it didn't show up very well. She wrote Happy Thanksgiving! and Give Thanks! I told her I was going to put it on my blog. She said..."really? its not that good") I LOVED it! She is always soooo thankful for everything. I love that quality about her!

Vampire cupcakes

Although I made these cupcakes for Halloween, these would also be perfect to serve at a Twilight movie party, as would a batch of my vampire cookies.

Vampire Cupcakes2 cups cake flour1 1/3 cups sugar1 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup butter, room temperature2 large egg whites1 cup buttermilk1 tsp vanilla extract1/4 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tins (you will need 18 cups total) with paper liners and set aside.Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and blend, using the paddle attachment (You can use a hand mixer, too).Cut butter into 4 or 5 chunks and drop into the bowl with the flour mixture.Blend on low speed until mixture looks sandy and no large chunks of butter remain, 1-2 minutes.In a large measuring cup, combine eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat lightly with a fork until combined. With the mixer on low, pour 1 cup of the buttermilk mixture into the bowl. Turn speed up to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Reduce speed back to low and pour in the rest of the buttermilk mixture. Continue to beat at low speed for an additional 30 seconds, until liquid is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for a few more seconds, if necessary.Divide evenly into prepared muffin tins, filling 18 cups as equally as possible.Bake for 16-20 minutes, until cupcakes are light golden and a toothpick inserted into their centers comes out clean. The cake should spring back when lightly pressed.Turn cupcakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.Makes 18 cupcakes.
Filling1 can cherry pie filling
Puree cherry pie filling - a syrupy mix of sugar and cherries, usually - in a food processor until fairly smooth. Very small pieces of cherries are ok.(A photo how-to of the assembly method can be found here.) Take a cooled cupcake and, using a small pairing knife, cut a cone of cake (1-inch across by 1-inch deep) out of the top. Trim off the pointy end of the cone, leaving a flat circle of cake. Set aside and repeat this process for all the cupcakes.Take the cherry filling and spoon about tablespoon or so into each cupcake cavity, filling it almost to the top with filling. Top off with the flat circle of cake you just removed to seal the hole and hold the “blood” filling in place.
Marshmallow Frosting(previously used on Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes)1 1/2 cups sugar2 large egg whites, room temperature1/3 cup water2 tsp light corn syrup1/4 tsp cream of tartar1 tsp vanilla extract
Whisk sugar, egg whites, 1/3 cup water, light corn syrup, and cream of tartar in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch simmering water). Using handheld electric mixer, beat on medium speed until mixture resembles soft marshmallow fluff, about 5-7 minutes.Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is very smooth and thick, about 3 minutes longer. Remove bowl from over simmering water. Add vanilla extract and continue beating until marshmallow frosting is completely cool, about 5-7 minutes longer.
Assembly Using a butter knife or a small offset spatula, frost each cupcake with a layer of the cooled marshmallow frosting by placing a dollop of icing in the center of the cupcake (on top of the cut out circle of cake) and spreading from the center to the sides of the cupcake.Dip a wooden toothpick or skewer into some leftover cherry pie filling and poke two fang-holes, about 3/4 inch apart, in the frosting on one side of the cupcake. Dribble a little extra filling from the holes for effect.Repeat until all cupcakes are frosted and decorated. You will probably have frosting leftover for another batch if you are baking more.
Makes 18 vampire cupcakes.

I thought this would be fun for all you Twilight Fans!!! Have fun. :)

Arizona Sunsets

The sky has been on fire lately! The sunsets have been amazing ! I am glad to be in Arizona this time of year. I know its a whole different story in the summer. For now, I am enjoying the beautiful skies here in Arizona!

Flowers...Flowers...Flowers...

I help arrange flowers for corporate events with my brother. Since the economy has been down, I have to say I haven't been doing much, until today. I got a call for a job of 20 bubble bowls. This is the arrangement we did. I think its simple and classy, actually this is rather easy. It didn't take us long and I was glad for the work. We enjoy long conversation while we arrange and I enjoy that as well. Flowers are always so beautiful! Here is his webstite. http://www.lasflores.biz/

Coins under the couch

I decided to clean my house this morning instead of getting on the computer. Guess what? I found about six dollars in change. So, I finished my cleaning, counted my change and met a friend for lunch! Mmmmm ....it made my day. See what five dollars will bring. To me that was free money and it bought me lunch! Check your couches for any nice surprises. (or not so nice, I found other goodies the kids stuffed away...way way under...kinda scary!)

Beehive and Deacon Dance

This past Wens. The YM and YW had their annual beehive/Deacon dance. What was soo funny is that this would be the first time Trevor has ever gone. When Tatum realized that she would be there at the same time same place..she was not quite sure about that. (Trevor little bro can be a little embarrassing to say the least!)

Anyways, I had such a good laugh that night. Watching the two of them get ready. (especially Trevor) ha He was doing his hair just right. Making sure he smelled good. Wearing the perfect outfit! Oh my it really was a hoot! Tatum was mocking him the entire time! I drove them both down with some friends all the while whopping it up in the car. Loud music, singing, laughing. I am thinking to myself, *I have teenagers in the car* *Where did the time go* It was crazy! ...Later, that night, I got an email from Trevor's leader. He said, "WOW you should have seen your boys at the dance tonight BOOGYING it up!" They really got into it. I was thinking...Oh I wished I would have been in Y.W. just a little bit longer. Or a fly on the wall. Something! :) :) I had a good laugh!

Feeling so blessed....

There are some days when I just feel so very grateful and blessed and today is one of them. My heart feels so warm and I just cant help but reflect on some of the things I am thankful for. I have been in thought over a few. Even though some of them seem so small, to me they are really not so small. First of all, I love Tight hugs out of the blue from my children. It just makes my day! Love when I get a call from a close Friend I haven't talked to in awhile. Feeling the warm sun (not to warm) on my skin. Giggling and laughing with my children, brings me pure joy. When we pray together as a family. Sitting down together at the end of the day for dinner. For a husband who has a great out look and attitude on life. For his unconditional love. To read a bedtime story to my little ones at night. For being able to attend the church of my choice and the freedom we have in our country. The nice home we enjoy and love. Great neighbors around us. Evening walks with hubby. For parents kind and dear. (really mean that) I love going to the gym, (well sometimes). For good health and good food! So many many things to list . I think , I could go on forever. I have so very many people who I Love! :) Just one more, love this time of year!

Fun times on the Computer

This crazy photo was taken one afternoon when we visited nene and Bopie in Cali. Trevor is holding onto a broken surfboard that he wanted to bring home and put in his room. Good times at the beach house.

Halloween.....is.....over.....

Halloween is now officially over. Is that a good thing or bad thing? I am pooped and ready for the end of this Holiday. We all had a great time and now, we all have Way to much candy. I think I will save it for the next birthday pinata....or maybe to pass out next year or maybe not. I am ready for the next holiday to talk about which as you know is Thanksgiving. This is a great time of year we are fast approaching. I love having time off with our kids and hubby. We have plans to get out and enjoy this weather! I have to say, I am ready for some chilly weather! It was really warm here last night. I have posted some pictures of the kids in there costumes...they got pretty creative this year and all had a great time! :)

Sadie's Kindergarten class 2008

This is her class getting ready for the Parade around the school with all whole school watching. She had a great time! Love it a BYU and ASU cheerleader! She LOVES her hippie teacher. She is just as much fun as she looks!

Sadie on Halloween 2008

Here she is ready for the day!...She wore this all day, starting with in the morning for her school parade. She came home from school and put it on until she went to bed! She had so much fun walking around, and she passed out candy. I put some dry ice in our empty planter. She thought she was going to scare all the trick or treaters. She was happy with walking around our street. I loved that!

Savannah on Halloween 2008

Savannah wanted to be a rock star. I thought she made a cute one too. I even made her headset with a headband covered in foil and a straw for the mouth piece. She looked pretty fabulous and everyone asked her if she was Hannah Montana...ha she said no I'm a Rock Star! :)

Trevor on Halloween 2008

This is what Trevor came up with...Blue Man Band! I didn't know that was really a band with men painted blue wearing black, until I googled it. He looked great! The paint got just a little itchy by the end of the night. He went with some friends around our area. What a fun time!

Tatum on Halloween 2008

Tatum came up with this costume of being a dead bride. She did her makeup and hair. She had sparkles all over. You cant see them in this picture. She looked pretty scary! Love the wedding Vail. Its mine! Its falling apart, so I said use it and get some use out of it! I don't at all remember it being that poofy! She had fun to say the least. A group of girls went around the area and went to a haunted house.