OOTD- Ruffly and Green!

I am back from an exhausting and wonderful family vacation!  The kids loved Disneyland and so did I, the park is decorated so cute for Christmas and the park was nearly empty!  We did have bad weather one day but we were able to walk on every ride that day so I guess it was good in the long run!  Today we are going to get our Christmas tree because we have not gotten one yet... gasp!  We always get a real one and did not want it to die while we were gone!  My husband is hoping the price of tree's has dropped I guess we will see!  Here is what I wore to church yesterday...

Dress Anthropologie In a Twinkling: similar here

Jacket Anthropologie Short and Sweet: similar here

Tights Anthropologie: similar here

Shoes Anthropologie: Bowed Lacerta Mary Janes

OOTD- Fireworks and Fun!

Yesterday was so much fun, we spent the day 4-wheeling and BBQ-ing and then watching my pyro-brother's light up the night!  My son is a pyro in the making that kid LOVED the fireworks!  I love the 4th of July, it's such a wonderful day!  I feel so blessed to live in this country and am so grateful for the men and women serving in the armed forces.  Here is what I wore yesterday...

Dress Anthropologie Two Wheeler: similar here

Belt Anthropologie Green Thumb

Tank top F21: striped tank

The girls and I painted our toes!

Such a magical holiday!  

*Did you get anything on sale?  I picked up this and got a PA on these!*

Jesus wept.

Tuesday afternoon I heard terrible news, a family whom we knew in Florida lost a child in a tragic car accident.  Since hearing the news I have been overwhelmed with emotions and keep sifting through my memories of this beautiful girl.  I firmly believe no parent should ever have to bury a child.  I cannot fathom what they are going through but my heart aches for them.

One of my favorite scripture stories is in John when Lazarus dies and Mary (Lazarus' sister) meets Jesus as he is coming into town.  She is crying telling Jesus that if he had been there her brother would not have died.  We then read that Jesus wept.  This short scripture is so profound because moments later Christ raises Lazarus from the dead.  Christ knew the miracle he was about to perform yet he wept with her, showing us the ultimate example of compassion and love.  I too have wept for that family and the loss they had endured, I have found myself on my knees quite a bit these past few days pleading for them.  I do find peace and comfort in the knowledge that death is not the end.  That families can be together forever.

Posting a picture of myself after writing of this tragedy seems insensitive, but I will catch up next week.  If you would like to help that wonderful family donations can be made here.

"Will my life become a legacy of things that matter most to me?  Will I want to be the person I've become, when all is said and done?
Will I hear Him say 'well done' when He sees who I've become?  Will I live with Him, when all is said and done?"

~ Lyrics from the song "When all is said and done" Sung by Katherine Nelson listen to it here

A little trip to visit the sun!

Wow I really chose a good time to come home with snow/freezing temps!  I wanted to share a few pictures from my recent trip to Mexico (sans kids!)  No OOTD today because we are getting granite counter tops today and life is a bit CRAZY!  My little guy also turns 4 today where did the time go?  Alright onto the pictures!

In Vegas we ate at Serendipity3 I LOVE that frozen hot cocoa!

Ready to board the ship!  

Sang some Karaoke!!!  

LOVED every towel animal we got (and have the pictures to prove it!)

Went snorkeling and my Sister took this shot just for the blog she told me- it's my Baywatch moment.  I got this swimsuit at Hapari FYI.

We went 4-Wheelin' on the beach!

Had to stop at Senior' Frogs for chips and salsa, and VIRGIN Pina Colada's!

Went out almost every night to see the beautiful stars!

Did 12 Zip lines- SO FUN!!!

Ate WAAAAAAY too much!!!  Went for wings almost every night after eating all three meals!

Dressed up for 'formal night' and enjoyed lobster!

Went for all you can eat sushi YUM-O! 

Did I mention we ate like champs?  That's what a cruise is all about! 

Missed my kids like crazy but had lots of time to read, relax, shop and enjoy some one on one time with my wonderful hubby!!!  I am already for another cruise!  

*Off topic but I wanted to report on this mascara- I give it a thumbs down it flakes all over my cheeks throughout the day.  Stick with this little guy because it's awesome and only like 6 bucks!!!!  Are you sick of me yet?  Because I am!  Have a wonderful day!!!

Cookies for your love!

As a connoisseur of ANYTHING with sugar, especially sugar cookies I found this recipe years ago and promise it's the BEST.  I made these for a church meeting last night and thought they were the perfect way to *treat* your special someone!  Funny story about them: my sister and I were both bragging about how we both had the best recipe for sugar cookies and they ended up being the same!  That's how good these guys are!

Roll out the dough about that thick....

make sure you pinch a few bites of the dough for quality control!

Bake them till they look like this.

Bake them to perfection *do not overcook!*

Frost and voila' the BEST and softest sugar cookies EVER!!!

Sugar Cookies

2/3 cup margarine (if you use butter they will come out hard) 

NEVER USE BUTTER!
¾ c sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
¼ c. milk
1 tsp. Vanilla *my trick is using Mexican Vanilla*
2 ½ c. flour
Cream margarine, sugar and eggs. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. (Dough will be really sticky.) Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 min. Roll out and cut into shapes, dough will be *sticky* do not add a bunch of flour.  Keep it cool and use a minimal amount of flour. 

Bake 350 degrees for 7 min.
Makes about 2-3 dozen 

Frosting

4 Tbs. butter softened (USE BUTTER NOW!)

1/2 bag of powered sugar

2 tsp of Mexican vanilla - I am telling you once you start using it you will NEVER go back!

A few splashes of milk- until desired consistency is reached.

ENJOY!!!




I was also fortunate enough to write a guest post on Roxy's amazing blog so go check it out!  It's about these people!

OOTD- Birthday bonanza!

We had a little birthday party for my baby who wanted a "Dora party" it was thrown together but she will never know because she is two.  I made the cake (which took hours) and after finishing it she immediately started yelling "I need to taste boots and Dora" kids are so fun!  I felt an immediate sense of relief when there was no sale this morning (I am trying to not spend much since we are going on a cruise in 6 weeks!)  I have been eyeing this but it would be for my trip so it does not count right?!  Here is what I wore to the party...

Top F21: similar here

Cardi J-Crew: Bling Button

Jeans True Religion: Skinny Lonestar

Boots Anthro: very similar here

Me and the birthday girl!

Here is her 'Dora, boots and backpack cake'   My family kept teasing me about Dora's beard but I am not  the Ace of Cakes, or the Cake Boss! :)

Side note:  WHY is Brad keeping Michelle around, she is CRAZY!!!!!?  I think the producers must be making him that is all I can come up with!

Happy Anniversary!!

Hubs and I are in AZ enjoying life! I cannot believe it has been NINE years!!  Time sure has flown by and although we have been through some challenging times (7 1/2 years of school), I would not change a thing!!  Today I am off to find an anniversary gift for hubs pottery is the 9th anniversary gift so I am thinking something like this, this, or something small like this.  I thought it would be fun to share some wedding pictures (including ones with my brown hair that used to be REALLY curly!)  Enjoy!

 

Outside the Boise, Idaho LDS Temple

 

One of our engagement pictures (with my natural hair color- brown!)

 

Bridal portraits

Once I got pregnant and had this little one all my natural curl disappeared... wonder where it went!?

Last night my sweet husband looked at me and said "Nine years hu?  I think we have done pretty well."  I thought about my wonderful family and agreed "pretty well indeed!"  I love you James!
 

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to my wonderful friends!  I love this quote and hope it resonates deep within your soul as it did with mine...
" Finding the real joy of the season comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done or in the purchasing of obligatory gifts. Really, joy comes as we show the love and compassion inspired by the Savior of the world, who said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). …
As we contemplate how we are going to spend our money to buy gifts this holiday season let us plan also for how we will spend our time in order to help bring the true spirit of Christmas into the lives of others."
-President Thomas S Monson

Read his entire and wonderful message here

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs, and I wanted to share it with you.

I love this season and hope that you make room to feel the spirit of this,
His holiday season!

Merry Christmas!
 

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

I am not ashamed to say this is my FAVORITE holiday hands down!! I love Christmas, the season for giving and the excitement I feel again with my own children!  I also love that this is a holiday centered around the birth of our Savior!  I decorated my house for the holiday's last Saturday and then the tree on Tuesday and then ordered this and this.  I am enjoying the smell of fresh pine that is wafting through the house!!  Here is a small holiday tour of Mi Casa...

 For the past 15 years I have collected Nativities!  Every time we go on a trip I buy one!  I have only a small fraction of them on my shelf (for lack of space)!

I picked up this Matryoshka doll Nativity in Russia 2 years ago!

This is my hand carved olive wood Nativity (well three pieces of the 20 piece collection) I got in 2000 in Jerusalem!  I have them from Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico and a few other places I can't remember (because they are in boxes until I have room to display them all!!)

 Here is my tree!  

I was tagged by Spiffy so here is my take on the tag:

Seven interesting things about me:
* I am really a brunette (I have SO much grey hair I have to dye it, so I chose red!)
* I am OCD about locking my doors and safety!  I have a high tech alarm system on my house and am pretty sure every noise I hear at night is someone breaking in and trying to kill me!!! 
* I call my husband like 10 times a day (and my sister about 4 times a day!) I have a talking problem just ask anyone in my family!
* I secretly love watching the show Keeping up with the Kardashians (I know, I know!)
* I have a fondness for all things made in camouflage! 
* I give EVERYONE I know a nickname, It's a sign of affection!  My kids are:  Munkins, Mister Bear, and Vee-Gee Time.  I have no idea why, but I really love giving those I love nicknames!
* I LOVE me some Neil Diamond!  I think that even though he is Jewish that man makes a mighty fine Christmas album!

Seven most regrettable things I have eaten:
* 2 half pints of Ben and Jerry's Mint Oreo (in one sitting)
* a freezer burnt lean cuisine
*  McRib
* A box of half eaten cold chicken nuggets
* a Big Hunk candy bar
* Escargot
* A whole bag of candy corns (just try it and you will understand!)

Seven products I use everyday:
* Bobbi Brown concealer
* Chapstick
* Toothbrush, paste and floss!
* Soap
* Mascara
* Foundation (I get that dreaded pregnancy mask during pregnancy, and it has never gone away!)
* Deodorant (I am a man sweater and once I forgot to put it on... so I immediately hit up the nearest Walgreen's and remedied that situation!)

Seven things I really want for Christmas:
*MacBook Pro (17 inch)
* Laptop carrying case
* new iPhone
* Anthro gift card
* New ironing board (I only use when I sew!)
* New perfume
* A new TV!!!!

The seven people I tag: Jessica, Peggy, Molly, Kathleen, Ashley, Jenni, and Leah. 

OOTD- Halloween Revisited!

Today starts the 'holiday clean-up' those cute decorations have to come down. I also start listening to Christmas music (don't judge, I don't think 1 month is enough time to enjoy it!)  I have to tell you on Halloween Eve we had a Double Rainbow All The Way!!!  My husband whole family are all a bunch of YouTube junkies so my hubby could not stop re-enacting the whole YouTube monologue!!  I loved this on Jan and thought it would be the perfect 'Halloween' inspired outfit, so I wore to church yesterday....

Cardigan J-Crew: Merino Ruffle

Dress Anthro: similar here

Shoes Sam Edelman: Charleen

Belt J-Crew: Leopard

Tights Nordstrom: Dotted Tights

Necklace Carolee: LUX

And with Anthro's free shipping back... I am really crossing my fingers for this and another pair of these to hit sale!

Since you asked if our costumes coordinated here are the last few years...

Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Wendy, Tiger Lily and Tinkerbell!

Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf!

I did not coordinate costumes this year (I should have!) but they were so cute I still had to post it!!