Anne turns the big 30!

And to celebrate we threw her a little surprise par-tay! Happy b-day!

One of my favorite things about throwing parties is the food I get to plan and prepare.


For Anne's big day I made a german chocolate cake, triple layer cheesecake and white chocolate cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting. Delish!

Snow in St. George??

Yes, a lot in fact!! Back in December. They even closed down school for a while because there was so much snow! It was really fun and actually snowed on numerous occasions this year...very unusual!

Being the prepared mother I am, I decked the kids out in the best of the snow gear I have...


It snowed like this all night.

And this is what we woke up to!


Also, because I am such a great mother I arranged for the kids to go out and build a snowman with D when he got home (heaven knows I wasn't going out in that cold stuff!)

A little snowman love.

San Francisco

Did I mention that I went with my good friend Anne to San Fran...in December. Okay, so I am a little slow in posting, but better late than never. We left early Thursday morning and came back Saturday afternoon so it was a short trip, but it was very fun and eventful as well as relaxing. One afternoon we just went back to the hotel and watched a movie and napped. When does that ever happen in my day to day life?? So here is a list of the things we did:
Chinatown
Trolley Ride
Cable Car ride
Shopping
Eating (lots of it...seafood, Italian, American, Asian, Chocolate, Sourdough, Cream Puffs...YUM)
Alcatraz (very interesting...we got with a really good guide who told us all sorts of interesting facts and stories. Very Cool)
Pier 39
Giradelli Square
The Place with the big Christmas tree (can't remember the name)


We had a fantastic time and I am hoping to make this an annual trip! Here are a few pics of, well, us. Really. what else did we have to photograph?


Chinatown...a junk heaven. We saw the most random items for sale here.






The big Christmas tree. Sidenote, the hugest Williams Sonoma is located right by it. It was a cooking toy heaven!



The cells at Alcatraz

A shot of the Golden Gate Bridge

I had to take a picture of Jackson street for obvious reasons.

We ate at this seafood restaurant which I wasn't totally impressed with. I love that they serve their water without ice though!

Can you hear that??

It is the sound of SWEET SILENCE!! It has been a LONG (I repeat LONG) three weeks since J-man went away for preschool which means it has been a LONG time since I have been in sheer, utter silence and let me tell you, it IS golden.

So, I have a big glass of water and a bowl of popcorn and I am going to enjoy.

This little girl makes my life so happy!

I mean, come on, look at that little face and smile. How could that not brighten my day. Lately, however, she has been such a total joy to me. Everything she says and does (minus the running away from me when I call and the tantrums, which actually are even kinda cute) is just so cute/funny/lovable. I love her snuggles and kisses (complete with a "mmmmmwhah"), her animal noises and raspy voice, her fat little thighs and cute nakie bum, her obsession with milk and "puffs", the way she will body slam me and say "boink", her crooked smile, her love for anything girlie, the fact that she will just sit while I style her hair, her love of shoes, that she asks me "go park" or "fly kite" about 20 times a day, her prayers that consist of "fadder, jesus" repeated until you stop her, that she whispers whenever she talks on the phone, that she loves my rubber kitchen gloves, that she LOVES to go to the "chikoop" and visit her "gams". I could go on and on. I just find her truly delightful and adorable.









and it is a good thing because lately this child:





has given me a run for my money. Really, I never realized how hard parenting would be. J is such a challenge right now. I feel bad saying this after going on and on about Miss P, and I recognize that J has so many great qualities, but unfortunately they are overshadowed by the challenges right now. I just don't know how to parent him. I feel like our days are so negative with me punishing him all day long for lying, disobeying or being disrespectful. I would love any advice that any of you have because frankly, I am stumped and I want the atmosphere in our home to be more positive.


It is a good thing he is so dang cute and funny or I really don't think I would survive.

I need a little help!!

I want to take advantage of an awesome special and have some newborn portraits printed for a dr.s office. The problem is, I am so totally indecisive, so I am putting it out there for all of you. I have to order tonight, so please respond soon!! Pick your favorite three in order of most to second most to third most. Thanks!!

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Just a few of the great things J did in the last week...

cut paige's hair (could have been worse thank heavens)

Peed on the floor of his closet

taught P to say "hate"

poured cereal ALL over the car


And I will add to this as I remember more because believe me, there are more.

J and P