Not our best week -

Well, it's bound to happen to all of us sooner or later, sometimes more often that we'd like. You know, those weeks (or months, or years) that come along and you wish you didn't have them at all? Last week was one of those weeks for us.

To start the week off, lets talk snow - last week of May (!) snow - 3" of heavy, wet morning snow - plus did I mention it rained all day in addition to the 3" of heavy, wet morning snow? I endured this weather just like the rest of you but when I sat down to eat dinner Monday night guess what my little eyes spied????

Yep - you guessed it. Gazebo #2 is no more. Caved in to this weather like a wet noodle! I couldn't believe it, but it's true! Here are a few more "not our best week" events -

Kids announce that Denver will be their new home, and they're moving ---- NEXT WEEK -

Didn't make it down to visit with my parents-

Roofing Association Director resigns and lucky me inherits the job (temporarily)-

My big pile for the Deseret Industries didn't make it to the drop off -

Costco no longer sells my lucious edamame beans -

I found 2 dead baby birds (and evidence of more) in my garden -

The furnace is still kicking on (last week of MAY, mind you!)

But, even though this wasn't our best week, there were a few shinning moments:

Watching these exceptional men deal with "issues" of their own -

This precious little one turned "6"!
With all of the blasted snow and rain this year our wisteria blossoms are prettier than they've been in years -
The kids are SO excited to get to Denver -

I read our Sunday School lesson so I will be prepared -

I lost 3 more pounds -

Costco now selling "fresh" peach pie -

Got the garden tilled and planted!

Family dinner at Market Street -

And finally, always the brightest part of my life -
No, some weeks are not our best - but then, there is always NEXT week to look forward to -

Gotta get it -

COCONUT LIME VERBENA -

Get it ---

Smell it ---

Enjoy it ---

Bath and Body Works!

Sunday Family Time

Sunday family dinners are some of my most favorite times - we get to have the family together and do, well, family things. This last Sunday was finally good enough weather to venture outside for a bit afterwards and there was a whole lot of different things going on.

Annie "created" different things for us to snack on -

Berlynn "created" a Barbie Disneyland for all of us to come walk around, why just look at the creative way she placed these Barbies around the yard -

Can you believe what a great job she did?
Here she is demonstrating her "hole" digging technique used for the Barbies -

She did such a great job, we loved walking through the Barbie Disneyland

The men folk enjoyed sitting

Cate enjoyed the playhouse (still)

Missing from all of this creating, playing and visiting was this handsome little man. No, he actually wasn't in the bathtub (but he does LOVE to go fishing in my new tub), but I for sure didn't want to leave him out. He was busy creating and playing by himself, downstairs!

After all was cleaned up and put away - I was outside working in the yard the next day when I came upon this "shoe tree" and thought it was so cute (maybe only to a Grandma), but had to snap a shot to remind me, always, of the great fun it is to have little ones around. Can you find all 4 shoes?

Love having the family around, especially for Sunday dinners!

Making Whoopie....(Pies)

While browsing through Sur La Table, I stumbled upon their advertising of the newest taste everyone HAS to try. I studied it a bit, thought the book was cute, looked simple and tasty enough so I endulged and decided I would make "Whoopie....pies". Here's all the basic stuff you need -

Getting ready to start mixing up - Looking good, now adding the "wet" stuff -
"Whoopie" - looking SO good -
I may - or may not - have reverted back to bad habits and licked the beaters clean (!)

Sorry for renching your neck, but here's a shot of me placing the batter in the nifty, expensive, special "whoopie pie" molds -

I also experimented without using the nifty, expensive, special "whoopie pie" mold by just dropping the batter onto parchment paper -

Just out of the oven baked cakes. Now for the true test, which one was made in the nifty, expensive, special "whoopie pie" mold - can't tell? Me either, FIGURES! Note to self: "Did NOT need to buy the nifty, expensive, special "whoopie pie" mold -

Next, I made vanilla cakes (no demo pictures, just picture the above pictures white instead of chocolate). Now, on to the fillings. After reading the instructions for the traditional marshmellow filling, I actually lost sleep over the delima I was facing whether to make it or not. You see, the traditional marshmellow filling calls for marshmellow creme (ok), confectioners sugar (ok), vanilla (ok) and vegetable shortening (UGH - hugh, not ok), not just a tablespoon or so - but 1-1/2 cups of it. The instructions are very specific about "NO SUBSTITUTES" for the vegetable shortening - oh what should I do? Could I bear to make this filling? Should I make this filling? Would I eat this filling - ah, 1-1/2 cups of vegetable shortening? In an effort to make "traditional whoopie pies" I gave in and made it. Then I tasted it.....all I could taste and feel in my mouth was "vegetable shortening", 1-1/2 cups of it. I couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't subject myself, or my family, to it - so in the sink it went, with the rest of the dirty dishes -

Knowing I knew better about the "traditional marshmellow filling" I quickly substituted it for a peanut butter one and a cream cheese one - much - much better. Satisified I'd made the right choice, I quickly finished up my "whoopie pies" and waited for "sampler's" to come and try them

Curt gave them a "thumbs-up"

So did Berlynn -

Ez really liked them -

So did all the Olson girls -

All in all, the time spent in making "whoopie.....pies" was worth it and since there are LOTS and LOTS of different types of cakes and fillings to make, I'll be making them again - probably WITHOUT the nifty, expensive, special "whoopie pie" mold!

Mexico - Part Tres

Well, trip #3 to Mexico this year was an absolute winner! We had perfect weather and did get in that much needed relaxation and rest. We love our place in Cabo - this was the view from our porch -

Us, lounging around -

Curt - checking the family website (lol)-
Curt - playing bingo (which he won, by the way!) I just read and took pictures. Our favorite little family taco stand in Todo Santos. We were SO disappointed it was closed (it's been a traditional stop to eat here - it was so YUMMY!) guess the recession has hit Mexico too

We did find another place to eat, it was really good but lacked the "family" atmosphere we really like (I enjoyed a grilled chicken salad) Curt had a chili rellenos stuffed with shrimp - We visited the Todo Santo Museum and found some very interesting stuff. I had to take a picture of the impressive "hanging" techniques they used at this musuem. Acutally, it reminded me of my very own father and the way he would "hang" some of his memorable things - simply nailing them to the wall - The courtyard - They had several pictures drawn by local children on display and I really liked this one (someone translate for me please) - Curt and I were very entertained as we read through several pictures of the locals but found these two facinating. The "Elsa Salgado Salgado" referred to in the first caption (which was a picture of she and her brother) is also the fortunate one who "became a pretty woman" and married Mr. Jose Luis Polanco, in the 2nd caption. Sorry I didn't show you her -
Now - here are a few pictures of our room -

A few more pictures of the property

And finally, another fine tradition we LOVE - a tasty treat from the French Bakery in San Jose!

Can't wait to get back there.....already!