Christmas Books

This Christmas will be the first year that we won't be traveling to be with family. Even though it will be difficult to be away from our families, I'm excited to start some more of our own traditions as we settle into the holiday season.

I heard about an idea a few years ago that I loved and am ready to incorporate it into our Christmas this year. This lady wrapped 24 Christmas books each year and put them under the tree (she pretty much used the same ones each year, maybe getting one or two new ones). Then, the family opened one each night to read before going to bed. On Christmas Eve, they read in the scriptures about the birth of the Savior. So, a couple years ago, I started collecting some Christmas books... as they came on clearance after Christmas... ones that were my favorites from growing up.... ones I saw in others homes that caught my eye... I'm still some books short and wanted to ask you... What is one of your favorites that you can recommend for my collection?

(It has been suggested, and I will do this... after a list of books has been compiled, I will post it on my blog)

Thanks for all your suggestions!!

Loving Being A Girl

Yesterday, Sadie, Jayda and I painted our nails. Or, I should say, I painted our nails. :) It was so fun! Jayda was walking around just looking down at her toes and smiling. Sadie opted to have her fingernails painted, as well as her toes. I like to have my toes painted all the time and Sadie helped me pick out this new color.

As I sat there with my two girls, I couldn't help but smile and, I must admit, my eyes got a little weepy.... thinking ahead to the fun times they will have as sisters...how lucky they are to have each other... thinking back to the fun of growing up with 4 amazing sisters... gaining 8 incredible sisters-in-law. How lucky am I?!

Our painted piggies!

Christmas in July

Around Thanksgiving/Christmas last year, we decided to buy an extra ham (since they were on sale) and have a Christmas dinner in July. Yesterday, we had some friends come over, each of them bringing something yummy to add to the feast. We had ham with pineapple sauce, pop over rolls, funeral potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, a divine salad, pecan pie and peach pie. Wow, was it an amazing assortment of yumminess!! We are grateful for good friends. We even had Christmas music going.

Kari made the cream cheese peach pie from the peaches we picked last week (using our friend, Katie's, recipe). Super yummy. I made a pecan pie for the first time and it turned out delicious! I got the recipe from my Southern Living cookbook.


Cream Cheese Peach Pie

1 1/2 c. peach puree (can use canned peaches and puree them with liquid)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 c. water
1 small package lemon jello
8 large peaches
Boil sugar and puree, then add cornstarch and water. Cook until thickened and then add jello and stir until dissolved. Put into fridge to cool.

Cream:
1 -8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Add: 1 -8 oz Cool Whip
Put cream mixture in a baked pie shell. Cut up fresh peaches. Pour the syrup over top and refrigerate until it is set. Make 2 large or 3 small pies.


Favorite Pecan Pie

1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
4 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
1-1 1/4 c. pecan halves

Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt to mixture; mix well.
Pour filling into unbaked pie crust, and top with pecan halves. Put tin foil over your crust edges for at least half of the baking time. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

The Most DIVINE Bread

This recipe comes from my super baker friend, Kari. It is amazing to watch her turn out extraordinary baked goods. After going berry picking last week, she passed on this recipe to me. It is SO delicious. You could easily eat several pieces and want more. Enjoy!

Wild Berry Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons soft butter, in ½-inch pieces
1 egg
1 tablespoon orange peel
½ cup orange juice
½ cup raspberries*
½ cup blackberries*
1 cup blueberries*
(*You can do any combination of berries as long as you have 2 cups total)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients.
3. Add the soft butter in with your fingertips until it is like flakes of coarse meal.
4. Add the egg, juice, peel and berries; combine but do not over mix.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until done.

July 24-Pioneer Day

If you didn't know/remember, yesterday was Pioneer Day. Growing up, my Mom was number 1 at helping this be an enjoying and memorable day for us. We got to invite another family with kids our age to enjoy Pioneer Day together. We came dressed in pioneer clothes and Mom had different stations set up for us to try... hammering a nail, sawing a log, shaking cream into button, sewing on a button and the best thing of all .... making Brigham Young's Buttermilk Donuts! YUM! I've tried each year to do something to commemorate this special day. This year, I decided to just do the donuts. It was still fun to share that tradition with several friends, but it just wasn't the same. So, next year, we will be doing everything and inviting others to join us.
Another fun thought... I come from a large family, with some of them living close to others. I'm jealous that alot of them were able to celebrate with each other. But, regardless of where we live, yesterday we were all doing the same thing in our own home.. celebrating our heritage and making donuts and memories. Thanks, Mom, for passing something so wonderful on to your children! Thanks, Genevieve, for letting us have donuts and water fun at your house!
Our messy donuts!

Sadie pulling Jayda

Jakson

James

Cole and Berkeley

Peter and Everett

Peach and Blackberry Picking at the Farm!

I can't ever get the pictures in the order that I want them! Anyway, we went to Homestead Farms with a great group of friends and their children. We had a great time. Although the peaches were mostly hard, due to a huge crowd picking the great ones over the weekend, we ended with yummy peaches and tons of blackberries. What a fun day!

Cool bird's nest that Kari found in a peach tree

Yummy blackberry freezer jam

Leftover blackberries after jam making

Jayda ate a sour blackberry

Kari and her kids/nieces

James and Jakson

Sadie the busy bee picker

Jayda chillin and eating in the wheelbarrow

Cole and Sadie blinded by the direct sunlight into their eyes

Jayda

Burke Lake Park

My friend, Kari, invited us on an excursion to Burke Lake Park. She had grown up visiting that park and was kind enough to let us in on the secret. Her sister joined us with her kids and we all had a great time. There was the cutest train that we took a ride on, a fun merry-go-round, a playground and a fun parlor to have some ice cream. As we were eating ice cream, Cole couldn't help himself from saying over and over "Yummy, Yummy." It must have been delicious!

Swimming Lessons

Cole and Sadie started swimming lessons Saturday. They did a great job. It was cloudy and, therefore, a little chilly. Cole was anxious to wrap up after the lesson was over. Jayda was thrilled to play in the little fountains and wade in the shallow pool.
Drying Out

Fun Fountain!

Freezing Cole

Pictures for Jamestown/Williamsburg, VA

Pictures for Rigby, ID

Pictures for Mountain Home/Boise, ID

Pictures for Missoula, MT

Pictures for Logan, UT

Williamsburg/Jamestown, VA

Well, we are back in the East. Bart's Mom and sister are visiting with us, so we decided to take a trip to somewhere we haven't been yet. We headed to Jamestown and Williamsburg for the 4th. We had a great time! Many things to see and do. We've also enjoyed having them in our home. History facts, hands on fun for the kids, ships, canoes, swimming, fireworks, shopping at the outlet mall (I finally got new plates/bowls to replace the ones I have been using that I got when I started college), fifes and drums, cannons, smashing corn into flour, scraping hides with shells, homemade peppermint ice cream and brownies. They also cleaned out my fridge and mopped my floor! What sweeties! We have loved having family here!