Becks & Avi

Give and Get is Here!

2010-11-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

Give and Get is Here!: "Enjoy 30% off from November 11-14 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy plus we'll make a 5% donation to a non-profit."

last post/first post back...

2010-04-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

i know that i have been gone for a while, sorry! i promise i will post the pics from becks party soon. it really did turn out great! i am teaching again next month & had told people i would post the details on my blog again. i will do 3 classes again: 1 beginning digital scrap design, 1 advanced digital scrap design & 1 photo editing class. they will be on the same days & time as before... scroll down for that information. you can email me for more info or to sign up @ britfullmer@yahoo.com hope to see you there!

come in from the cold...

2010-01-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

& brush up on your computer skills! i have had quite a few people asking me if i was going to be teaching classes again anytime soon. so, i will be:) i'm going to be teaching 3 classes in february.

1:: beginning-intermediate scraping class~ tuesdays 6:30-8.

1:: advanced scraping class~ thursdays 6:30-8.

& 1:: photo editing class~ thursdays 8-9:30.

all classes will run for 4 weeks & cost $60.00. if you have any questions, or for more info email me britfullmer@yahoo.com.

a little tubing fun...

2010-01-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

during the break the kids were really excited about all of the snow, so quinn ran down to the tire shop & picked up some good old fashioned inner tubes! they are so great! who needs fancy sleds! becks was super timid at first, not wanting to go down by himself, but as soon as he did once he was unstoppable! avi had a blast until she crashed face first:( i was just glad i had already gotten some good shots before that. here are a couple of my favorites.

{just chillin' in the white stuff}

{if your legs get tired... just crawl}

{eating snow gives you nice, shiny lips}

{after a long afternoon of sledding, tubes make great cushions:)}

avi's party details... finally!

2009-12-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

sory that it took me so long to get thses pics up! if it makes you feel better i haven't even gotten my christmas tree up yet:( the party was super fun & all the kids had a "sweet" time. sorry, i couldn't help myself!

{you must have plenty of sweet treats...}

{& a few yummy activities}

{adding more sugar is never a bad idea}

{a game is a must!}

{with candy markers of course}

{here's the card i made. it is 6x6, you can fit 4 on a 12x12 paper}

i printed them on cream pearlized paper & clipped the edges with a corner rounder

{i went to the store to get a # candle & when i went to put it in the cupcake

my friend said "is she 2?". i had totally bought a #2 candle instead

of a #3:) hence the 3 separate candles.}

{knowing this little one, she probably wished for more sugar}

{conclusion::: one finger licking party!}

just in time for Christmas...

2009-12-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

i will be doing a boutique tomorrow in Orem with my jams for anyone who might want to get any for Christmas gifts or holiday parties. even if you don't need jam, there should be lots of great gift ideas as well as pictures with santa:) here is all the info...

lollipop invites how-to...

2009-11-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

here are the promised pics of the avi's invite. i love the way that they turned out. they weren't hard, but they are a little bit timely.

**try to glue yours together a little straighter than i did this first one:)

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{the finished product... unwrapped}

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{a closer look at my crooked edge:)}

{here is the template i made for the actual info part}

i made it to have the colors to match my papers...

this one is made to be the size i made mine. but you could always shrink it down.

you just want to make sure that this one is about 1-1 1/2" smaller than your patterned paper.

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{i used this circle cutter by making memories, i got it at Michael's craft}

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{just cut a front & back sheet for you lollipop. i made mine with 9" Styrofoam, which i got at the cso

i cut my sheets as wide as the cutter would allow}

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{i glued 1 1/2" satin ribbon around the edge of each disc... after i glued the

dowel in}

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{cut 1 1/2" strips to acordian fold for around the outer edge of you lollipop}

you will probably need 3-4 strips depending on what size you make &

how tight you fold them.

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{after you have folded all of your strips, glue them together in a long line, then

glue the ends together to make a circle}

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{hot glue around the edge of your styrafoam, them stretch your acordian paper

& hold it down until the glue is set}

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{make one small accordian paper to glue in between the patterned & word

circles.

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{glue them all together, again paying attention to the space on all sides}

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{this is what it should look like from the side}

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{glue another piece of patterned paper onto the back, i went with a circular stripe

on this side instead of the horizontal stripe on the other side}

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{wrap each one up i clear cellophane & tie with ribbon of you choice}

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{making it look as close to a real lollipop wrapper as you can}

{& tada! one lollipop invite... or you could omit the word part & use then as decor}

the party is on saturday... gotta get cookin'

party planning kicked into high gear...

2009-11-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

so i have been super on & off about doing a party for my kids birthdays this year or taking a trip. since both of there birthdays split Christmas i thought maybe we should do parties on even years & trips on odd years. i know that you are probably thinking... "just scale down & do both." & i know that is the logical answer, but that is just not my style. i hope that one day i will be able to let go & scale back, but for now this is the way i am & i will just embrace it:)

anyhoo- the whole theme for Avi's party came a few months back when i got her this shirt that she became so obsessed with she wanted to wear it day & night. it's no secret that she has a sweet tooth (& that is an exaggerated understatement!!!!) this child wakes up wanting sugar & goes to bed still asking for treats! so it was only appropriate that i buy her this "candy makes me happy" shirt.

i had seen a lot of candy themed parties over the last few years & i just wanted something a little different. still cute & fun & playful, but just different. so i was really excited when we found the shirt & had a very TRUE theme for avi's 3rd birthday. now for all of the work that goes into throwing the party, planning activities, the cake, the favors & all that fun stuff. i'll post the lollipop invites soon. stay tuned!

get your jam...

2009-11-06T14:18:00.001-08:00

so earlier in the summer i started making jam to sell at the local farmer's market. well it kind of took off faster than i anticipated, so needless to say, i have been making a lot of jam:) i never knew how much work went into going commercial with food. it is intense!!!! but now that i have done that i will be getting into shops... legally. they make great gifts & there are lots of different flavors, so you should be able to something for everyone.

i'll be at the bijou market this saturday from 10-4 in provo. come down & give them a try! if you don't make it down to the market, you can always order them from here.

finally posting:) start current... play catch-up later~

2009-11-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

our halloween was super fun this year! my kids & my sisters kids did the whole peter pan thing. which i found was a very popular theme this year. dempsey & sawyer, my sisters boys, were captain hook & the tick-tock crock:) while my kids played peter & tink. everyone had a blast, except that the cotton candy machine stopped working just 30 trick or treaters in:( i am happy to finally get some sleep! between sewing, cooking & staying up too late just trying to catch up DVR, paired with starting a new business(more to come on that) & working part-time at the Gap... i can sleep when i'm dead... right:) here is a picture overload of the kids in there costumes. i think it all turned out pretty darling... if i do say so myself!

funny kids!

2009-10-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

i always forget to write down all the funnies that my kids come up with these days. so i'm putting them here:)

avi- the other day we walked outside to get in the car & it was early & cold. the car was covered in frost. "what happened to our car?" avi asked. i told her it was frost. she replied "our car is covered in FROSTING?!?" "not frosting sweetie:), frost... don't lick it!!"

becks- the other day we were out with some friends, & he was telling them that he had been on TV. my friend, amy, responded by telling him that she was on TV every night. he argued with her~

"no you're not," he said

"yeah, i am. i do the weather." amy replied

"no Amy... Jesus does the weather." beckham retorted completely matter of fact.

it was hilarious!

fairy tale friends...

2009-09-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

this week avi had 2 friends celebrate birthdays, both having cute princess parties. unfortunately i was only able to stay at one of the parties & get pics, but they were all such cute princesses! becks was such a great sport to tag along (even though i wouldn't let him dress up like a cowboy or a pirate~ in fear of scaring all the princesses) jackie was so darling, thanking everyone over & over for coming to her party. kelle dressing up as Cinderella just put the icing on the cake... forgive the pun:) all the kids at with the party & just at the farm wanted to come say hello to "cinderella". watch out disneyland theme park employee! i am so glad that avi has such fun friends with sweet, patient parents:) happy, happy birthday jackie & bella!

swimming is great...

2009-09-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

this summer my kids both took swimming lessons with the amazing miss pam & miss kaylynn. i would be totally understating things by saying they LOVED swimming & there teachers! they are now both incredibly confident & capable in the water & wish they could be in the water all the time. both of the "miss's" impacted my kids in such a positive way i can't even explain it. we love them sooooo much! thank you to the miss's & all of the life skills that they taught my little lovies.

{avi & her safety place}

{becks with the ring & the float}

{the kids & miss kaylynn}

{swim, swim, swim}

{gotta get to the step}

{watch out for spashes}

{& the diving board}

{good kicks!!!}

{the breath goes in better with a bigger mouth}

{i love her in those goggles}

{saying bye to the toys is always hard}

{& could you just eat up that swim cap??}

{one last jump...}

bad things happen in 3's... right?

2009-08-24T16:18:00.001-07:00

hopefully our string of bad luck is over! it started about 3 weeks ago now, when i fell off our front porch & ruptured all the blood vessels on the outside of my left foot:( now, 3 weeks later, it still hurts to walk too much. sorry no pics of my black, blue, green, purple & yellow swollen foot.

5 days later... we were up out the cabin with all the cousins & the kids were out playing, when all of the sudden, someone comes in carrying becks. he has a gash in his leg so deep you can see the fat & there is blood dripping down to his foot. AWESOME!!! sunday night was spent in the pediatric after hours getting 7 stitches in his leg. he was a champ though! he watched the whole thing & didn't cry once. he told quinn, that it was just because he was there:) the worst part about the whole thing is that summer was over for him 10 days early. no water anything while the stitches were in & he didn't get them out until the first day of school.

{a mended wound}

{just playing around before the fun starts}

{easy does it...}

{just checkin' out his new lightning mcqueen bandage}

6 days after that... i had taken the kids to the park so quinn could get the mowing done quicker. we had a great time, but when we got home, quinn pulled me aside & told me that lola had been hit by a car. the most maddening part was, the car didn't even stop. he assured me that she was fine, but of course i went right to the garage to check for myself. turned out she wasn't fine... she wouldn't stand up, she just sat there looking at me. when we tried to stand her up her leg would just flop. i called my friend, the dogs groomer, to ask her opinion. she told me some tests to do to make sure she was okay for the night & called the vet to let them know we'd be bringing her in first thing in the morning. she was fine that night & in the morning we took her in to find out that she had a fractured leg & would need surgery to put pins in to hold it together. she is doing fine now, but now she is the one that can't do too much.

{one sad, wounded puppy}

{with one seriously bad haircut!}

i really hope that we will be injury free for a while at our house & that lola's hair grows back quick!

8 years past... on to a new chapter~

2009-08-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

i write this post with tears welling up in my eyes, but knowing that change is hard, good or bad.

after only being married 10 months, my new hubby & i decided to take all of our savings & buy a flower shop:) now 8 years later, it was the best hair brained idea we ever had! but a lot has changed in that time & now 2 houses, 2 kids & 2 dogs later... it has just all become too much for me! my now not so new hubby wanted to do something that HE was a little more "needed" in the work place & i need to support him. even if it means giving up the store. i know it is the best thing for my family, i guess i'm just scared! scared that i am giving up on what i am good at, scared that i will feel a whole in my creative spirit & most of all sad about the people i will miss that i have built friendships with through bloomer's. even though the future is unknown, i can't wait to see what it holds & i am so grateful for the amazing things i was able to do... all because of a little flower shop!

**also, if you live close~ we will start our inventory liquidation tomorrow, August 15th @ 10:00 am. everything will be 50% off... & if you come in i promise i won't cry!

miss Taylor ann...

2009-08-10T20:47:00.001-07:00

i know i have been MIA for a while & i am sorry!! between vacation & injuries {info to follow}, life has been crazy to say the least! here are some pics of darling little taylor ann- that i took for her 1 years. she is so darling & i have been lucky enough to do her pics since she was born. i am so glad that her mom & my sister became friends in grade school:)

** i promise that i will fill in all the info on our trip & the wounds!

holy cow... i won!

2009-07-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

i am not a big contest enterer, because i have always thought to myself- "if i like something, i don't need someone to tell me if they agree with me." & i don't mean that with any sort of disrespect! i just have never needed to walk the same way as everyone else. but i have to be honest~ i am totally flattered that cjane & whoever else was looking, liked what they saw!

anyway... onto the details. i was on my friend Haley's blog & i saw that she had submitted a picture to this little blog contest, so i followed her link & did the same. i didn't think much else of it until i was reading a comment from someone on my blog & saw that they had seen me on cjane. so i went back & low & behold- i won. thanks cjane for the fun contest & for making my week just that much happier:)

p.s. i might not pass on all contests anymore.

{my sweet avi bug waving at the flag was my winning shot}

"is it America's Birthday yet?"...

2009-07-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

this is the question that i got from becks every morning for 2 weeks leading up to the 4th of July. the first morning was the day after we put the flag up at our house. when i told him, "not yet." he responded with... "well then, why is the flag up?" valid question i guess.

our 4th is always jam packed with festivities! we are so lucky to be able to get ticket from grandpa Mark, 2 years in a row, for balloon rides. & this year the boys got to go up with aunt stephy & wy-wy. it's early but totally worth it! for some reason this year becks was really nervous about going, but the pilot said as soon as they we up he was like a totally different kid! now becks wants to be a balloon pilot when he grows up:)

the balloon ride was over 2 hours this year. it was crazy! the boys had a blast, but it did make us late for the parade:( & parking is always a nightmare, but again always worth it. it works out well though, because my sister works at Acydia school of ashetics, so she puts blankets out in from of the school at the Wells Fargo building-- otherwise we wouldn't do the crazy camp out thing!!! it is always fun to see how much fun the kids have watching the parade, dancing with the bands, running in the street like mad men for a salt water taffy. oh to be young & so easily excited :) after the parade we went straight home for naps, so we could get up & go to dinner & my grammy Donna's & grandpa Vern's.

the 4th wouldn't be complete without hitting up the festival- all 3 days:) my mom is in charge of booking the entertainment, so if we want to see her during the holidays, that is where she can be found. the kids love the food, the music, the reptiles booth & all of the people. all in all it as fun as always & i am a little sad it is over. i am glad that i live in America & that we were able to celebrate such a fun birthday for the land of the free!

{becks & wy-wy getting ready to fly}

{just chillin' with dad & grandpa. the only proof avi was at the balloons}

{getting the ballon up is a lot easier than taking it down!}

{a view from the basket}

{still nervous... avi even lent her snuggily. & if you know avi she never lets that go!}

{Alexander's balloon is the first balloon up, with the flag...}

{& they're off!}

{the skies were beautiful after the storm passed}

{after touch down, this kid was all smiles... talking about next year already}

{avi waved at every float that came by}

{while becks screamed at every float that came by}

{all smiles, even after a long morning}

{good bye until next year... can't wait}

**for more fun freedom fest pics vistit http://cjaneprovo.blogspot.com/2009/07/recap-photo-contest.html?showComment=1247156973940#c8429406988799655419

Ruby's Mood...

2009-06-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

changes like utah weather:) i have know ruby's family since her mom was like 10. we bought her great grandpa's house & her darling grandma, in some of these shots, is my amazing neighbor! i had the privilege of taking her newborn pictures & she is just becoming more & more darling!

meet Lola...

2009-06-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

here is the newest member of our family. when we got charlie, about a year and a half ago, we was such a great puppy & he has grown into a great dog! so, when his breeders called me & said that they had another litter, i couldn't resist. we picked up lola last weekend & she is fitting into the family like a charm. the kids can't get enough of her & charlie is just the perfect big brother... a super protective but really playful too!

{even after playing in the dirt everyone wants to hold her}

roller derby Avi & the bug atrium...

2009-06-02T15:38:00.001-07:00

first let me start by saying, i am not dead... just super busy & a little overwhelmed. i won't go into that right now, but i will give you a funny glimpse into the past couple of days at our house.

yesterday i was doing some painting ::: more on that to come ::: when i looked over and saw becks helping avi get decked out in his roller skating gear. when i asked her what they were doing he simply looked at me & calmly explained that he was going to hook a rope on to the back of his power wheel john deer tractor & then avi was going to hold onto it & he was going to pull her:) when i calmly told him that was a very terrible idea, he smiled & said..." maybe when she's 45." i chuckled & said, "maybe:)" after i foiled that plan, avi wasn't ready to give up. she sported that look for a good hour. even after becks moved on to his potato bug atrium. as soon as i had gotten them to bed, i went right outside & released his captives from there 'honey i blew up the garden' home & finished my painting... which my mother-in-law won't comment on. i'm pretty sure that no news is bad news on this one. i'll put it up for vote later in the week.

{securing the safety devices}

{admiring how great she looks sporting super hero garb}

{she caught me with the camera & couldn't help but make the prettiest face}

{beckham collecting his captors}

{all in an hour with my kids:)}

honoring...

2009-05-24T22:35:00.000-07:00

all of those we have loved & lost.

i know i have been M.I.A myself for a while. i am so busy i can barely find time to sleep. i have gotten some calls from people making sure i am okay, seeing that i am usually posting a lot more frequently. i am fine! i just have TOO many things going on right now!

i hope you all have a great holiday & i promise i will post in a week or so!

a girls 1st prom...

2009-04-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

my beautiful niece monique, went to her very 1st prom last weekend & i had the privilege of helping her get ready! i could go on & on about how amazing this gal is, but more than that... she is my niece & i love her to death. i'm glad you had fun spank!

it's a boy...

2009-04-25T14:34:00.001-07:00

one of my little sisters friends from grade school is having a little boy this summer & this last weekend heaphy (my little sis) & her friend threw her a shower... which meant i got to help out:) it really turned out cute. here are a couple of pics of the stuff i helped with.

{if you're gonna give diapers, they might as well be cute!}

{natalie's super yummy Whopper cupcakes... recipe here}

{the favors, all wrapped up}

{the favors- made with jumbo marshmallows, paper nut cup & frosting}

three chicks & a boy...

2009-04-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer** don't run off & call PETA! no animals were harmed while doing these pictures:)

meet lexie & lilly- my sweet friend who i talk about quite a bit, debbie lew, got these darlings chicks for her grandkids for Easter. so monday morning we went down to take some pics of the kids with the chicks. by the time we left, becks couldn't bear to leave them. so being the soft hearted animal lover that i am... we now have 2 chicks, just waiting to get big enough to go the chicken farm:) so if anyone wants to come play with the chicks-- come on over! you have to admit~ they make a perfecto photo op!

when life gives you rain...

2009-04-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

make a fashion statement! lately the posts have seemed to be all about avi... becks has been a little camera shy. anyhoo, when it rained today we were just getting ready to go to dinner but avi wanted to play in the rain before we went. i loved the miss matchy outfit & couldn't help but grab my camera & snap a couple shots. even though it has been super gloomy lately, avi seems to really brighten up ANY day!

**check back next week & i'll be giving you these little picture scalloped picture frames i made:)

a little short notice...

2009-04-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

i hadn't posted about this because i didn't know if i had any spots left, but i have had a couple of cancellations so-- if anyone is interested, i am starting an ADVANCED DIGITAL SCRAPPING CLASS in april in provo. you must have basic photoshop skills & be familiar with the tool palette & working with layers. if you are interested you can e-mail me at britfullmer @ mac dot com. i can answer any questions about the corse outline or required skills. i have 3 spots, so first come, first serve:)

the jam & a little something for you...

2009-03-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

since i couldn't give jam to everyone... i decided a pic or 2 would have to do. & if you decide to make your own jam, here is the label i made to put on my jam. some of them i hot glued to the top, the others i tied on with ribbon, twine or ric rac. give the gift of jam to your friends & fam! i just do freezer jam & use the recipe that comes with the pectin.

{to get this tag: right click on the tag, save image as..., then print as an 8 1/2 x 11}

i use a 3" hand held circle shaped paper punch, from the craft store, to cut my tags.

Avi & the strawberry jam...

2009-03-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

last week sunflower had strawberries for super cheap, so my cute sis-in-law came over & we whipped up a few batches of jam. lucky for us we had help:) this little cutie wasted no time! she asked for her apron, a bowl & spoon & started "helping" immediately. we couldn't have gotten it done without her! after all was said & done she went straight to the tub to get the strawberries out of her hair, off her face & get all of her clothes soaked in oxyclean! HOORAY for oxyclean!!!

Hooray for Brookie!

2009-03-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

my amazingly talented friend brooke made a template for a really great job chart a little while ago. i downloaded it as soon as she made it, but i have never gotten around to finishing it... until this last weekend. Becks was so excited to have a job chart! with fun, simple jobs he could do all by himself. we decided to do a ticket system- so each week he fills his WHOLE chart, he gets a ticket. then when he earns 4 tickets (since he's 4) we get to go to the store & pick a little prize. this morning before he left to school, he went over to the fridge to see what he needed to do before he left. needless to say, he thinks it is the greatest idea i've ever had- thanks Brooke for making me look sooooo good! to get a template to make your own job chart visit Brooke's blog post here & download yours... it's FREE! Thanks again Brooke for being so creative & generous!

{click on the chart see the details}

will work for food...

2009-03-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

the kids are always wanting to help me make dinner, but my hunny is usually here & helps entertain them so that we can eat sometime that night:) not too long ago my hunny went to a Jazz Game & i was flying solo. what better time than to let the kids dig in & get their hands dirty... we tried to spare their clothes & use aprons:) becks had so much fun making dinner. he literally did everything that wasn't too dangerous. avi was our little dish washer. too bad when i wasn't looking she was sipping the dish water off of a spoon... eeewwwww! when i told her that it was disgusting, she just argued with me-"no, it's not disgusting!" needless to say, we all had a blast, even though we didn't eat until 8:30 pm:)

**not the best lighting, but priceless pictures!

{this cooking business isn't too hard}

{a watched pot DOES boil}

{don't let it burn}

{careful not to burn yourself}

{i gotta keep on top of these dishes}

{yummmm dirty dish water:)}

{easy as 1.2.3}

{you've gotta taste as you go!}

{what a silly noodle head!}

what am i gonna wear with these boots?

2009-03-06T16:17:00.001-08:00

{boots 'n bottoms}

don't judge me for post a pic with my child's naked patutti & not having a private blog:) but i just couldn't help it! this is what i found this morning when i told avi "no sweetie, you can't wear your boots over your jammies." so this little smarty pants took her jammies off, put her boots on, scooted her chair over & was on her way to picking out her outfit by the time i got to her! what a goof!!!

tea for two...

2009-03-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

this last week, while becks was at school, avi had a little tea party in her room. i could help but grab my camera & snap some shots! she is so funny while she plays pretend. she talks in a higher voice & is so polite:) now if i could only get her to clean up after herself!

{just a little tea party}

{she is such a good sharer:)}

{aren't plastic cupcakes delicious!?!}

{good till the last drop}

{tea parties are too much fun!}

{just the right amount of cream & sugar}

{it's my tea party & i'll throw a fit if i want to}

you know you're not from Utah when...

2009-02-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

you refer to a LDS stake center as a Steakhouse:) yesterday we got an order for a funeral from a shop in Colorado. on the address it read "oak hills Steakhouse". i can only imagine what they thought we Mormons were doing holding a funeral service at a Steakhouse. i got a good chuckle!

you should totally make these tonight... or maybe tomorrow:)

2009-02-17T13:57:00.001-08:00

{Corrine's sweet lime chile enchiladas & sweet pepper rice}

i made these this weekend & they are so delicious!!! give them a try & let me know what you think. the recipe is here.

lucky lunch..

2009-02-06T07:12:00.000-08:00

last week we were out running errands & stopped to grab some lunch. while we were there we noticed a cute new couple that just moved into our neighborhood... which the husband just happens to be a fireman. they were eating with about 10 other firemen & becks couldn't have been more excited!!! after we all finished our lunch they took us out back to see the fire truck. they were so sweet & showed him every little thing. even their fridge:) avi was a little more shy, every time they asked her if she wanted to see, she looked up at them & quietly said-"no tank you." after it was all said & done they gave both the kids a fireman badge. thanks guys!!!

{the badge}

{figuring out the hose}

{my gang with the gang}

{cozy on T5}

{i got this driving thing down!}

{i think this seat is JUST right!}

{love at 1st sight}

imperfect perfection...

2009-02-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

this little crooked smile is my favorite face she makes! i love how it isn't perfect, but yet it is just about the cutest thing a mother could ever see. just looking at this face brightens my day! love you Avi bug!

digital scrapping 101...

2009-01-30T13:29:00.001-08:00

i will be teaching another beginning scrapbooking class in March.

we will be teaching scrapbooking techniques using photoshop & photoshop elements.

the class is 4 weeks long. classes run March 10rd-31th. Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:00pm (realistically we will go till 8:30)

classes are held in Provo. the cost of the class is $60.00.

the curriculum depends on the overall skill level of the class, determined by a questionnaire sent out before the class begins. you can email me or leave a comment with any questions you might have.

**also if anyone is interested in an advanced scrapping class let me know.

things to love...

2009-01-27T13:52:00.000-08:00

i got my new camera. & yes i am in love! here is the first picture i took of avi. she was so happy- she got an ice cream, went to Costco & got a smiley face, & got to wear her new fabulous beanie from her grammy. all around it was a great day... & it's only 2 pm.

puddle jumper...

2009-01-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

the rain is good for somethings! Avi had a blast jumping in the puddles. too bad it was still so cold outside!

FOR SALE...

2009-01-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

****update... SOLD****
not to turn my blog into the classifieds, but have posted a lot of pictures that i have taken here & had a lot of comments on them, so i thought i would give my blog friends first dibs before i listed it on KSL & ebay.

I am selling my camera-

Rebel XTi 10.1 megapixel with 18-55mm lens

battery & charger

all software & cords

as well as a cordless remote

$475.00

it is in perfect condition. bought 13 months ago. email at britfullmer@mac.com me or comment with any questions.

a pirate's life for me...

2009-01-19T18:46:00.000-08:00

{captain Beckham: age 4}

my sweet little pirate turned 4 this last week & at our house we LOVE a good party. i am so lucky to have great friends & family to help me fulfill all of my crazy plans! from rummaging through their Halloween decor to holding my hand while i picked out favors. even lending me pewter goblets & plates to make the pirate theme complete. i couldn't have pulled it off with out all of their help! i have to say, it couldn't have turned out any better!

{one side of the spread}

{foggy brew}

{the full table...}

we served captains crunchy chicken (i used drumsticks instead of nuggets, for more of a pirate feel). peg leg potatoes(potato wedges) & pirate's blood (ketchup). fruit skewers & sand dip (brown sugar) & pirate's brew (homemade root beer) for the drink.

{thanks debbie lew for the fun glittered skull & bones}

{the pirate loot cupcakes}

{my homemade holders}

{the boxes...}

for beck's birthday treats for school, he wanted to take the cupcakes. so i thought i would just put them in a box, i used 4" square. but then i had to figure out a way for them to not slide around. so i just cut some card stock the width of the box, & then added a quarter inch on each side & folded it over so it would stand up a little. then i used a 2 1/2 inch circle punch for the cupcake to set in. it worked like a dream & was super simple. also then i could embellish the box to fit my theme.

{i tied them up with jute twine & then used the same tags as with the invites. boy, those came in handy more than once!}

{i went a little banner crazy. they are super easy & inexpensive so i made this "happy birthday" one & then a bunch of plain ones to hang all around. instructions here. i used 12x12 paper so the dimensions are different. i marked them at 3" & 9" on one side, & 6" on the other. it is actually a little easier.

{beckham wanted all of his guests to have a hat, sword & eye patch. the kids loved them!}

{the treasure...}

we took the kids on a treasure hunt through the house. my mom drew a map that i ripped up into 4 pieces. the kids loved following the clues to find the treasure.}

{i filled the bags with chocolate coins, bead necklaces, unwrapped ring pops & skull stickers}

{we also played this fun game. the winner got the his own telescope... just like on the box}

all in all, the party was a hit! everyone should through a pirate party!

the invites...

2009-01-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

i just finished delivering the invites & i really do love how they turned out! Becks was so excited to give them to all his little friends. he would hide them behind his back until they got to the door & then tell them what it was as if they couldn't see it with their own two eyes.

i have included a template of the paper i made for the scroll. you are more than welcome to use it for your pirate event. i used a free font from here called freebooter. i really liked the look of it with the theme. i also added the dashed line throughout the text after i printed one, then copied them onto the aged parchment. i followed by burning the edges of them before i rolled them up, tied them with red ribbon & placed them in the bottles i got here. before i put the scroll in, i put a little sand & some mini shells that i got at the craft store. i finished them off with a little skull tag that i made & a tag with each child's name that i also burned the edge of. i tied them on with a little piece of twine.(i really had to tone it down, since i am all about glitter & tulle. Definitely not very piratey!)

{the finished product}

{here's a closer look for ya}

{here is a printable sheet of the skull tags i made}

{i used the same font for the names as the scroll}

{here is the template for the scroll. just download it to your computer, add your text & print}

{this is not our real address... so don't try to look us up:)}

{i just used a sharpie to add the dashed line.}

i am alive...

2009-01-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

just so you know, i am not dead.

i just decided that during the holidays that i was going to take a vacation from everything! ok, i had to still be a wife & mother, but today was my first day back a work since Christmas Eve day... if you know me at all that is a Christmas miracle all in it's self.

Christmas was pretty low key at our house & i didn't even take many pictures- gasp! i know, so not like me. But i am back into the swing of party mode. Planning Beck's 4th birthday, coming up in a couple of week, so i will be blogging a lot about pirates in the week to come (that's the theme).

Even New Years was kind of a bust. if you didn't know, or you couldn't figure out, i obsess about things... just a little bit. ha ha. my current obsession has to do with one of my Resolutions- to be a better dog owner. oh yeah, back to my obsession. The Dog Whisperer. are you laughing yet? i seriously have like 20 episodes on my DVR right now. anyway, it was a dog whisperer marathon on New Years & my hunny & my brother-in-law just wanted to play Rock Band, so i watched a lot of dog whisperer. i know... capital L- loser!

ok, enough blabbing for tonight- i'll be back later to talk about the rest of my resolutions.

Happy 2009. may it find you just where you want to be!

if you didn't leave me your address...

2008-12-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

or you just haven't gotten it cause i haven't mailed it yet:) here is the Christmas card we sent for 2008. hope you all had a very merry one! i will post Christmas pictures soon. i promise:)

{the front}

{the back}... who doesn't want a ton more pics of my cute kiddos?

after a storm...

2008-12-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

i am so grateful for these 2!!! becks & my hunny are always so quick to get out & plow the driveway after a big snow storm. i love how cute they both look in there cute snow clothes!

the first winter snow...

2008-12-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

it snowed a little in the fall, but i didn't get any pics of that. so it was really fun when we left our ward christmas party saturday morning to come out to snow falling. the kids all loved it & thought it was the perfect christmas present from our bishop:) luckily i had my camera & caught a couple of shots.

{first you catch it...}

{or, you can just catch it right in your mouth}

{then you eat it...}

{then you catch again... chocolate milk mustache & all}

{then you close your eyes to make one goofy looking face!}

i need your address... yea you!

2008-12-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

i am trying to get my christmas cards out & i am missing so many addresses. when my cell phone got stolen i lost so much info! please email me your address so i can make sure i get you your christmas card! britfullmer@mac.com. thanks friends!!!

not great picture, but great memories...

2008-12-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

my amazing photographer & friend once said, "your pictures might not always be great, but don't throw them out just because they are blurry or grainy or have shadows." before that wonderful advice i wouldn't have ever posted these because they weren't "perfect". but they portray the moment perfectly!

when i went in to get Avi from her nap today, this is what i found...

{messy red hair...}

{+ watching her bird, light thingy. for the first time in who knows how long...}

{+ upside down sunglasses...}

{= 1 thumb sucking, happy girl!}

trying not to laugh, but DYING inside...

2008-12-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

Becks loves Mondays. school is back, he gets to see friends & of course the Disney Monday movie. this week was Mickey's Christmas Carol. he seemed pretty excited about it, Mickey & Christmas, what's not to love! anyway, i was at work & when i got home Quinn told me all about this little EMOTIONAL ADVENTURE. i am so glad that i wasn't there, because i would have laughed & that would have made him feel worse. Quinn handled it so well & we totally laughed about it together, later, not in front of Becks. okay, okay- here's the story...

Quinn went in to check on Becks watching his movie & when he went in Becks had tears just streaming down his cheeks. When Quinn asked him what was wrong, Becks looked at him with the most concerned eyes & said, "Pluto is lost. It is almost Christmas & Mickey can't find him anywhere." "Mickey is so sad! He just can't find him & he will miss Christmas!" Quinn calmed him down, but said that he had sad eyes the rest of the movie. When i asked Becks if he wanted to watch that show again with me he got a concerned look & said, "no mom, that was tooo sad! i don't ever want to watch it again."

i am so blessed to have such a sweet, caring boy. he truly has the softest little heart & loves everyone so much! i hope that he stays that way!!!! the world could use more loving men!!!!! I love you beckster man!

all is well...

2008-12-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for all of you sweet words & comforting stories. our doctor called us today & said that everything with Avi's blood work looked normal & we just needed to keep an eye on her. it was such a relief! thank you again! it is a great feeling to know that so many people care about you and your family. i am truly blessed!!!!

our itty bitty princess...

2008-12-05T19:20:00.000-08:00

today Avi had her 2 year appointment. lets just say it didn't go as well as i had hoped. let me back up a little...

2 years ago i was almost 36 weeks pregnant & went in for a growth check (i had to have a lot of these when i was pregnant with Avi, because of the complications with Becks.) it started with my weekly non-stress test (i hate that name... they totally stress me out!), everything was looking fine, so i went in for my growth check. the tech started looking & telling me that he could see chubby cheeks, hair, all looks good... blah, blah, blah. the peronatologist came in & was checking things & that is when i got the news- did i mention that i was alone?!?- the Dr. says to me... "she looks good, about 4 lbs. 9 oz.." "she is measuring at about 33 weeks." my worst nightmare was happening all over again. Becks was 5 lbs. 1 oz. when he was born, full term, & they had no idea that there were any problems till after he was born.

the doctor told me at that time that i had to have Avi that day. i started crying and asked if there were any other options. she said that if i came in everyday over the weekend, which was Thanksgiving weekend, i could have her monday. so i did & she was perfect, little, but perfect.

now back to today-- avi has always been little! she has still never been on the growth charts for weight & we have had to go every few months for growth checks. i have just been praying lately that this appointment would be different. it wasn't. she had actually dropped from the -15% to -25% on the weight charts. that is not good for little people. at 2 years old she finally weighs 20 lbs... even! hey, look on the bright side- i can finally turn her forward facing in her car seat, legally :) so after a urine test, 2 shots & 8 blood tests, hopefully we will have some answers soon. please remember avi in your prayers. i just keep hoping that she is just skinny & lucky & it is nothing major like they are thinking! Thanks for letting me blab.

Avi & the beloved pArTy HaT...

2008-12-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

this year for avi's birthday i really wanted to start a new tradition. i love the idea of the celebratory crowns, but i deep down wanted it to be a fancy party hat! i started gathering ideas & was so, so happy with the results & so was she. i have to say that it is not always easy having a high maintenance child, but in this instance it was perfect. she didn't want to take the thing off! she freaked out every time it started sliding off & treated it like it was made of gold... what a Diva! needless to say the hat was a hit!

{the beloved hat}

{the party princess}

it's my party & i love it...

2008-12-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

this year avi's birthday fell on Thanksgiving day. we celebrated Saturday & it was a blast! unfortunately this perfect little skirt, that i made the shirt to match, didn't come until Monday. major bummer!!! anyway, we had to take some pics of her in her birthday outfit... even if they were a little late! i will post the rest of the birthday pics this week. enjoy these cute & silly faces until then!

family pictures November 2008 edition...

2008-11-24T19:57:00.000-08:00

every year the fabulous Haley Ann Warner takes our family pictures. since she is going into earily retirement... at least from family photo shoots. i had to hire her one last time!!!! oh how i wish she would change her mind! but if anyone understands about trying to balance work & family, i promise i know her delema! i know that i am totally bias as there mom, but my kids are pretty dang cute!!!!!! too bad they had to be bribed with suckers & Avi with her snuggley. Thanks again Haley!!!!!

Thanksgiving take-home boxes, this is a long one!...

2008-11-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

My amazing, talented, beautifully creative friend Debbie Lew is my fun partner in crime for this little project. She did this a few years ago for her Thanksgiving guests & it was so fun! She is my muse for all things crafty & am so glad she helped me make these little lovelies. I think this is such a great idea & we wanted to share it with all of you. I know that it is a lot of pictures, but i wanted to give you step by step instructions & also a couple of different style to finish them. I hope that you will feel as inspired by debbie as i do!!!

{Thanksgiving take-home boxes}

{the ingredients...}

the theme for our boxes was turkey sandwiches. you could pack whatever you wanted in yours, but we found these things easy to pack. You can also do a couple of different things in the construction of the boxes. the year debbie did them, she cooked another turkey a couple of days before thanksgiving. she didn't stuff it, she just filled it with lemon & herbs & cooked it up. She made up her boxes with her daughters before thanks giving & just refrigerated them until she was ready to give them. You could also have all of the packing products (boxes, cello bags, waxed paper, jars, twine, ect.) ready for your guest after your Thanksgiving Feast & they could pack up there own, just the way they want.

Here's what we filled ours with...

{stuffing...}

{turkey...}

{cornbread...}

{pumpkin chocolate chip cookies...}

{yummy bread... you could also use rolls}

{cranberry jelly & gravy... in recycled anne made jelly jars jars}

{we adorned them with vintage clip art cards...}

{just printed out of books on linen paper & cut with pinking sheers}

{we used a 6 x 6 kraft colored box... we got ours from Xpedx}

{we wrapped our stuffing...}

{in brown waxed paper...}

{the same way...}

{debbie's mom used to wrap...}

{her sandwiches for school lunch...}

{perfect!}

{we started with the jelly & gravy... heavies on the bottom}

{& then packed the rest in. with the lighted on top.}

{we finished this one with brown satin ribbon & one of the clip art tags.}

{another we simplified & tied up with turkey twine & added fall colored leaf die cuts.}

play around with it & just have fun. this time of year is for family & friends to spend time together & enjoy the things we are so blessed with.

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!

artsy avi...

2008-11-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

Avi's latest obsession is drawing. she wants to color non-stop... on everything, with anything! she loves coloring on scribble pads with crayons & markers. she calls every color GREEN. i love how she holds the crayon perfectly. & she's alway so excited to tell me what her little drawings are.

{picking just the right color... green}

{what mommy?!?}

{i love the way she holds the crayon! so cute!}

{she loves tracing her hand}

{what color she brings to our life!}

love you baby girl~ Mommy

ANNE MADE...

2008-11-16T12:13:00.000-08:00

i wrote a couple of posts ago about some new jellies & jams that we started carrying at the store. well let me just say that i am so IN LOVE with them. one of my best friends Kacy's sister-in-law makes them. her company is Anne Made (her name is Anne... cute huh?!?) anyway, Anne is a genius in the flavor department. she does the most amazing job mixing fruit with herbs & spice. seriously, genius! we carry 9 different flavors-- i love them all, but i think that my favorite is spicy kiwi. it is sweet, tart & just a little bit spicy. we have them all out to sample, if you're in the neighborhood. we also do ship them. they are perfect for the holidays! i serve mine with a cream cheese mold that is to die for... it also might kill you-

{deadly delicious cream cheese mold}

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup mayo

beat it all together & spread into a bowl lined with plastic wrap. refrigerate at least an hour.

{i love her jars & labels}

{spicy kiwi, on a pita with the cream cheese mold}

{spicy mango, another yummy one... like i said, i love them all}

all the flavors-- Strawberry Basil, Lemon Zinger,

Raspberry Habanero, Cranberry Habanero,

Blushing Peach, Orange Rosemary,

Apricot Habanero, Spicy Kiwi

& Spicy Mango

party planning 101...

2008-11-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

this year Avi's birthday falls ON Thanksgiving day. that is the bad news, the good news it that she told just what kind of party she wants. it did change a couple of times before she finally decided. first it was candy... then cupcakes... & she finally settled on iCe CrEaM. i am so excited about it. i think that it is going to be darling! i have ordered a die cut for the invites that i will be making this weekend. i have found a couple ideas for the cupcakes, but i am going to need your help deciding!!! leave me a comment on which one you think is the cutest & hopefully it will make my decision easier. thanks for the input!

{cupcake #1}

{cupcake #2}

Christmas Open House...

2008-11-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

for anyone who didn't know-- my husband & i own a floral & gifts boutique. this week is our christmas open house. we will be sampling some of our different food items & as well as offering special discounts on gift item, home decor & wrapping supplies** my personal favorite. we just got in a new line of gourmet jellies by a local company & friend of mine... Anne Made. they are so delicious & beautiful. stop by this week taste some yummy food & to say hi! if you don't know where we are located, leave me a comment with your e-mail & i'll give you directions. here are a few other things we are having specials on. hope to see you their!

{american crafts gift wrap... Christmas & everyday- 25% off}

{cafe du monde beignet mix... for sale & to sample}

{lots of different cute dishes... including these--15% off}

halloween 2008...

2008-11-03T22:02:00.000-08:00

hAlLoWeEn was so much fun!!! we trick-or-treated, made cotton candy & visited with friends. the kids had a blast & looked so dang cute... if i do say so myself! i also had a super fun time coming up with some fun, different things for my trick-or-treaters. i got a cotton candy machine, spun purple cotton candy. put some spider rings in it, wrapped it in cellophane & put these little spider web tags. i also made these "witch's brew" labels. they fit right around any glass bottle & after my cute friend Debbie added the cute ribbon & tulle, i think they ended up DaRLinG!!!! i hope that you had a hApPy HaLloWeEn & i have already started on Christmas!

**sorry for the grainy-ness of the pictures. low light + not wanting a flash= high ISO!!!

{meet Farmer Beckham & JD}

{serious hat hair!}

{& his little pig Bleu}

{this little piggy went trick-or-treating...}

{this little piggy came home...}

{she hitched a ride with the farmer...}

{what a great brother/farmer}

{to hurry home to her treats...}

{& this little piggy went- yum, yum, yum, yum all the way home}

{all the kids loved the "sticky spider webs"!}

{clipped up, ready for the taking}

{& nothing better to wash it down than with some "witch's brew"!

a tRiCk... & lots of TrEaTs!!!

2008-10-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

so i have been so dang busy in the kitchen these last couple of weeks. & too be honest, there is no place i would rather be than in the kitchen! i always joke with my mom that i was either born in the wrong decade or that i should have been latino. i take complete pleasure in wearing an apron all day!

i haven't ONLY be cooking. we have had a couple of parties, some fun crafty projects & ok, ok, a lot of treats. the kids have been so helpful with everything. from wrapping caramels to cracking eggs.

the fun little thing that we do every year is our hardware pumpkins. they are so fun & easy! & the kids love them because they can do them all by themselves & be totally creative! here are a couple of examples of some that the kids made.

i always get my hardware at the we home improvement thrift store. if you live in utah county there is one in provo called ReStore. also all the money from this store goes to habitat for humanity. it's a win/win!!!

another little craft that i did was this wreath for my front door. i just got a twig wreath, sprayed it black, added some spider webs & embellished it.

as far as the YUMMIES go, i have had such a fun time this Halloween making fun treats for my friends, family & neighbors. if you love to cook & bake you hopefully you will try these out. here are some of my favorites!

{oreo covered caramel dipped apple}

{mini mock caramel apples}

i found this idea HERE

{vintage printed sugar cookies}

{this could very well be my new favorite thing!}

{you can get the papers & instructions HERE}

{black licorice caramel dipped marshmallows}

{halloween caramels}... Recipe HERE

i just can't wait for Halloween! i am super excited for my "special" trick or treat- treats. not to mention my kids costumes. stay tuned & HaPpY hAuNtInG!!!

i'm a total blog SLACKER!

2008-10-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

i know that i have totally been sucking at blogging right now. & sorry to say, but i am going to be blog slacking a little bit longer. this week is totally crazy! my in-laws just got home from serving an LDS mission in Nauvoo. i am hosting recipe club tomorrow, have hair appointments for me & both the kids, witches night our, not to mention our annual Halloween party. i promise i will be playing catch up soon!

... oh yeah, i almost forgot. i got a new church calling. what you ask-- Primary Chorister. i am super excited.

quirky confessions...

2008-10-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

my sweet Blog BFF Brooke tagged me to confess my quirky habits to the whole on-line world. it's not looking nearly as funny now that it's my turn to look a little cRaZy.?. the rules are as follows... list 6 quirky habits that you have. tag 6 quirky friends & link the person who tagged you. well, here it goes.

**1: i have to eat a Cafe Rio salad in a completely straight line. especially if i don't finish it, i have to have it in a totally straight line!

**2: i can't finish a story before jumping to another one. i do almost always go back to finish it later, but my friends will tell you that they usually have to guide me back! can anyone say A.D.D???

**3: i eat anything but breakfast food for breakfast... pizza, spaghetti, you name it- as long as it's not breakfast food!

**4: after i wash my hands i have to smell them to make sure they are clean.

**5: every year i put my Christmas tree up the day after halloween. if it was up to me i would keep it up all year.

& last but not least...

**6: if i am at my own house i can only drink out of a certain glass. it is a vintage coke glass that my sister got me at a thrift shop. i don't know what it is, but everything just tastes better out of that glass!!!

so there you go, i am officially a complete wierdo. as if you all didn't know that all ready. to make it more fun, if there are any quirks that i have forgotten that you KNOW i have, leave me a comment & remind me!

i'm tagging Brit P., Natalie B., Tiff, Kaerlig, Stacia, Whitney T., Nikki & anyone else who is just dying to tell all! happy confessions.

milling around with the witches...

2008-10-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

this time of year we love to head up to Gardner's Village to "mill around with the witches". we love seeing the decorations, eating at the neighborhood bakery & visiting the fun shops. if you haven't gone up yet, you definitely should!

{what a cheese ball!}

{just hangin' out... together}

{this pumpkin is just SO HEAVY!}

{seriously-- what is with these silly faces?}

{i wanna be like her!}

{i'll start trying now!}

cavity FREE...

2008-10-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

today we went to the dentist. because of beckham's heart defect, it makes even a teeth cleaning a huge ordeal. we have to take antibiotics 24 hours before going because of bacteria & to be honest the whole thing just makes me nervous. so needless to say i have totally been putting it off. But, today was the day & he did great! Avi went too. she was a little less cooperative there for NO pics of her today. maybe next time. "Doc" was so great with them & "C" was super terrific too. she took the time to show him every single thing she would be doing. thanks to everyone... my kids won't be afraid of the dentist!!!

{cool new toothbrush}

{great polishing}

{he picked bubble gum fluoride}

{"Doc" counting teeth- 20, wow!}

{1 very sparkly smile}

happy birthday to my vErY aMaZiNg MoThEr...

2008-10-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

{me, avi, grammy B. & my mom}

today was the birthday of probably the most amazing person that i know! my MOM. not only is she an amazing mother, she is seriously an amazing person!!! a lot of you ask me or comment as to how i get so much done.?. i get that part of my personality from her. she also helps me a lot in so many projects.

my mom worked full time while we were growing up, yet still made the time to make every costume i ever wore, every outfit that my dolls & barbies wore... yes i said barbies.

she came to all of my dance concerts, helped me with all my homework, taught me how to cook, sew, bottle peaches & tomato juice, make jam, do flowers... the list goes on & on & on.

she is such a fun involved grammy to my kids as well & i don't think they would be able to live without her either. she gave me the tools that i use to be the best mother that i can be & i hope that one day i will be able to pass on all that she has given me to my kids. thank you mom, for being THE most AMAZING person i know. i am so blessed to call you my mother!

what ya gonna have for conference breakfast?...

2008-10-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

why not try Dani's Sourdough Pancakes! i just posted them here on my recipe blog. the are beck's very favorite!!! especially with the syrup. i will also be posting other family breakfast favorites later today & tomorrow so you are sure to find one you'll like! EAT UP-

my crazy fun, SUPER busy, such a miracle weekend...

2008-09-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

i'll start my story on friday morning. it was the homecoming dance at the 2 local high schools this weekend, & since i own a flower shop there was a lot of flower making going on. but my girl friends & i had planned a girls trip a little while ago, so i was working late the night before so that i could bail right at 5 to head to P.C. (sorry, no pics from the girls night. i forgot my camera. that what happens when i don't drive. SO SAD!)

we had a total blast shopping, eating really great food & staying up way too late talking about EvEryThiNg.

we left P.C. to head up to our cabin at Sundance at about 11 pm. when we got there it was very dark & i couldn't find the keys. i set my bag down to go through it & eventually found them in the car. we got inside, hung out & talked until way too late. kristin couldn't spend the night, so she left at like 3 am to head home. we told her to text us to let us know that she got home safe.(she had to drive down the canyon, up 8th north, get on the freeway & then on the city streets to get home-- this is relevant. i promise) so we get a text at like 4 something telling us she got home ok, but when she got there & was walking around her car to go inside, she saw something black on her bumper of her car. it was my wallet!!!

i had set it down on her car when i was looking for the keys & it had stayed on her bumper the WHOLE way home. as my friend Kes says "my life is in my wallet." i really keep everything in it & would die with out it. SuCh a mIrAclE!!!!

After i got home on saturday, i went grocery shopping to get the stuff for these rolls.

these darling friends of ours were blessing there beautiful twins & asked if i would bring the rolls. darin LOVES my rolls. that is an understatement! i made 16 1/2 dozen & they were delicious. as well as everything else that people brought including this salad... thanks Nakole!!!!

before we went to the blessing we had the primary program in our ward. i had made these missionary tags & put all the kids names on them.

these tags measure 3 1/2 in. x 2 1/4 in. to add text, use a photo editing program, i used photoshop. also i dragged dozens onto a larger file & then added the names.

{the kids looked so sweet in these!!}

i cut them & they fit in the Avery brand pin on name tag holders.

{candy bar scriptures}

i also made these mini candy bar scriptures for our little missionaries to hand out. they are really easy & really fun. i'll do a how-to later in the week.

overall, the weekend was just as the title states... GREAT!!! hope you alls were just as good.

...opposites...

2008-09-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

this is what becks & i did this morning. my little sis heaphy gave this puzzle to becks for christmas last year & he really loves it! it has really darling illustrations for fun opposite matches. she picked it up at anthropology, but i'm you can also find it here.

... our fun little opposite puzzle...

... think, think, think...

... this is do dang funny...

... the opposite of sunny is???...

... oh yeah- cloudy...

... another one down...

... a lot more to go!

some good friends, a birthday & YeS... more ice cream--

2008-09-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

today is my sweet friend K*** little angels birthday. so to celebrate we took all the kids to the park, picked up some Happy Meals (& subway for us) & just let the kids be kids. after lunch & play, we decide to grab some iCe CrEaM to polish it all off. i know... we eat a lot of ice cream!-- but look what cute pics you get! Happy Birthday Kerbs. we love u!!!!

{the birthday girlie}

{checkin out the park}

{her proud big sis}

{sweet little kate}

{becks, not willing to put down his cheeseburger}

{jacki & here beautiful blues}

{B & P... becks was a little more excited than Pres}

{picking out just the right flavor is serious business}

{the birthday girl enjoying her ice cream}

{too many pics!!! no more!}

{avi picked PiNk... of course!}

{& becks just had to have sprinkles}

{& chocolate!}

{do not get too close to my ice cream}

{... back oFF...}

{oh wait, mine is pink...}

{so why do i have a chocolate mustache???}

{oh yeah~ i ate becks too}

bubbles, bubbles eVeRwHerE & not a drop to drink...

2008-09-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

if you do not know what movie that is from: turn off the computer & go rent Willy Wonka. the old school version.-- wow, that was classic me!! off on a tangent that has nothing to do with anything!

today we played bubbles & had yummy creamies. if you do not yet know about these bubbles, you are totally missing out!

{gymboree... yeah like the clothes store, has the best bubbles on the planet!}

Avi only stuck the wrong end in her mouth twice. i can't believe that she didn't learn after the first time!!! they chased, stomped, blew & ran till they were both so exhausted they needed a rest... with ice cream- of course!

{becks started first}

{as fast as he could blow them...}

{avi was stomping them out!!}

{there were bubbles EvErYwHeRe!}

{but they just could not get enough!!!}

{the bubbles were a blast... & the creamies were delish!}

{at the end of the day, the result was...}

{2 vErY hApPy kids!}

...been a little busy!!!...

2008-09-13T21:44:00.001-07:00

this weekend my mom & i were super busy getting ready for this...

we baked almost 100 loaves of Amish Friendship Bread. it is one of my families favorites & we thought that it would be a fun thing to share with others. i knew that if i was buying it i would want it to be cute. so i designed a little label & used one of my new favorite gadgets to finish it off.

i totally love this thing!!! it makes projects a total breeze!!

this is my moms new oven & needless to say-- it was pretty dang busy!!! it was so nice to be able to cook 20 loaves at one time!

all packed up & ready to go!

my favorite part... the labels. the bread does taste good too!!!

9:00 am... we are open for business!!!

the whole thing was super fun!!! & we were so excited when the comity asked us to come back next week. come down & check it out. it is a lot of fun!

GNO... bowling birthday party!!!

2008-09-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

last night we celebrated 2 of my cute friends b-days. we had such a blast bowling & eating & talking. thanks to katie for putting it all together. & just for the record... i WON!!

{the birthday beauties}

{thanks kate, for the yummy cake & cute decor}

{super fun friends}

{sweet shoes!}

** we missed all of our other friends that could not make it!!! Next time!

my parents project: finally finish... almost...

2008-09-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

so i just wanted to do a final update on my parents house. excuse the mess! besides the clean-up, the project is just about complete. it is so open & cozy. i love the kitchen... are you at all surprised?!? i wish that i could have gotten a picture of the shower, the sealant on the floor was still drying. i also love the booth & so do the kids!!! if you are ever in the neighborhood, feel free to drop by, my mom loves giving tours!!!

{i will update after the yard is in... hopefully next week}

{front hallway... entry}

{there is a really cute fire place right behind this... another picture i should have gotten}

{kitchen area... obviously!}

{the dining booth... like i said, we love this}

{my parents sinks}

{there tub, the shower is on the right}

no stage fright here...

2008-08-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

today beckham gave his first talk in primary & he was SO eXciTeD!!!! the subject was the Holy Ghost. So we thought that since the Holy Ghost is a gift, it might be fun to take it literally-- hence the present.

{the gift ...}

{of the Holy Ghost}

The talk went something like this...

When we turn 8 & get baptized, Heavenly Father gives us a very special gift. The gift of the Holy Ghost. Inside are a few things to help us remember this gift.

a HEART: to remind us that the Holy Ghost does not always speak, but sometimes gives us a warm feeling in our HEART.

a Book of Mormon: to remind us that the Holy Ghost ALWAYS speaks the truth.

a Mouth: to remind us that the Holy Ghost speaks in a still small voice.

a Candle: to remind us that the Holy Ghost will light the righteous path.

a Book: to remind us that the Holy Ghost is a teacher.

an Ear: to remind us to always listen to the Holy Ghost.

a Blanket: to remind us that the Holy Ghost was sent to comfort us.

I hope that when I turn 8 I can be baptized & receive this special gift from Heavenly Father.

...the computer blues!!...

2008-08-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

i am suffering from a terrible case of the computer blues!!! when i was in Powell, something happened to my computer. the keys are all messed up-- when i push some keys other appear as well. other keys do not work at all (like my apostrophe key). no hyphenated words here. i have to go back & delete the extra letter. needless to say it is a total PAIN & very time consuming. let me give you an idea of what i am dealing with.

beckhamxz ^& avenlie are youyr typical mxzyschivouys kids. always mxzaking mxzesses !@&* being suyper craxzy.

did you catch that?!? long story short-- took my computer in, Mac says that the damage is not covered & it would cost more to fix than just getting a new computer. i told you it sucked. the good news~ my husband is the bomb & insures all of my little electronic habits. hopefully i will be getting my new computer next week. Thanks baby for being so responsible!!!!

...back to School...

2008-08-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

so, this was becks first week at his new preschool. was super excited!!! the morning that we went to meet the teacher day, we were in the car on our way when beckham says to me-- mom, just drop me off. don't come in. i sat there for a minute & then said... no bud, i am going to come in. then he quickly replied-- fine, but don't bring your camera! i looked at him & said... I'm coming in & I'm bringing my camera!

meet the teacher day went great & he was super excited for his first day of school. & as if our 1st conversation wasn't painful enough as a mother it got worse!!! this time we were in the kitchen getting breakfast before we left that morning, when he touched my leg & looked at me with the sweetest eyes & says-- hey mom, PROMISE me something?!? don't come in today, just drop me off. & my response again... I'm COMING IN!!!!! i thought he wouldn't be this way till at least Jr. high! as promised i did take my camera & he did let me take a few pics.

{becks & mrs. S****}

{B & P working on puzzles}

{i pick... this one}

{look mom, I'm a smartie}

{once he found the toys he was right at home}

Lake Powell 2008...

2008-08-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

we got home very late last night from Quinn's families annual Lake Powell trip. we had so much fun & were sad to have to get back to ReAl LiFe!!!! here are just a few of the highlights...

{becks & his cousin addison getting right into the water}

{as soon as we got settled- we got right onto the death tube}

{not much DeAtH going on here!}

{but still lots of FUN!}

{a little faster for these 2}

{becks & daddy loved going on the slide}

{becks & chi-chi were inseparable}

{the sunsets were BeAuTiFuL}

{avi loved the jet ski rides with daddy}

{we all got to see lots of avi's new smile}

{& hear tons of giggling with cousins}

{especially when daddy did SiLLy things like this!}

{tons of bright eyed smiles}

{becks, jaxson & wyatt on there way to Rainbow Bridge}

{everyone still smiling, even after a really long boat ride to get there}

{it was beautiful & totally worth it!}

{aunt markae was becks buddy}

{i never get sick of this smile!!!!}

{becks & jaxson still cheesing it!}

{and again... still not sick of it!}

{these 2 make each other laugh constantly}

{addie was a pro water skier}

{heather in the background cheering for jax- as he gets up on his very first try}

{there were falls...}

{but plenty of grins}

{a lot of showing off...}

{we had to take advantage of the skills & the sky-- Kaitlyn you're amazing!}

{while i still had the camera out from kaity, i caught the boys checking out a helicopter that was flying over... & i love this shot!}

{by the last morning the skies were not so clear}

{even thought it wasn't clear skied, it wouldn't be a true Lake Powell trip without a Lake Powell storm.}

Thanks Grandpa Mark for an amazing trip & more great family memories. It was WoNdErFuL!!!

Nauvoo- Busy! But so, so great...

2008-08-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

Like i said before, it was a trip... not a vacation! But it was so amazing & i wish we could have only stayed longer!!!! What an amazing place with so much history. i feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to see so many thing what form the history of me & my family. i feel like a stronger & even happier person because of the things we were able to see & do there. i might have exaggerated just a little about the amount of pictures. Even thought it wasn't a trillion, there were still way too many to post. these are just a few of my favorites. i will try to narrate the best i can.

{i love the A&B in this picture!!! it was on the shuttle stop window & i couldn't help but capture it!}

{we didn't arrive in Nauvoo until later in the evening on the first night, so the next morning we started bright & early at the Blacksmith's}

{watching the demonstrations...}

{avi getting a little bored}

{making a horseshoe}

{just like they would have in pioneer times}

{outside the Blacksmith they had a few pastures... the kids of course loved the horses!}

{later that night we went to the pageant. it was so spectacular & moving!}

{the next day we took the kids to "pioneer past times"...}

{they of course had a total blast. playing & imagining...}

{just pretending to be pioneer children}

{they weren't the same toys that we play with now, but they we so fun!}

{becks cutie cousin Peyton. the sweetest little pioneer you've ever seen!}

{later we went to the temple to take pictures.}

{after the temple we went to Carthage Jail...}

{it was such a humbling experience & one i will never forget!!!}

{we visited the grave sites.}

{& the homes. i love this picture of Jaxson & i imagine that this is how everyone felt as the waited, no matter how long, to see the prophet.}

{later that evening we went back to the pre-pageant festivities.}

{beckham & peyton just wanted to dance... all night!!!}

{after we went to Annie's & got frozen custard... yep, she is definitely mine!}

{we got home to find this nasty creature on our house. it makes you realize why the pioneers wore so many layers to keep these guys out!}

{it was because of this special lady... Quinn's mom, that this was all made possible. thank you so much Donna, for a wonderful trip to such a special place.}

{we will never forget it!!!!!!}

it's a trip... Not a vacation!

2008-08-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

brought my computer with me to Nauvoo. I don't know what I was thinking!!! With this crazy busy schedule, this is all I have time for right now. I promise I will update soon with, of course, a trillion pictures!

WAY too quiet...

2008-07-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

yesterday i was cleaning up a little bit & i couldn't hear the kids. i called for them a couple of times & figured they were just upstairs & couldn't hear me. after calling a couple more times with no response i knew sOmEtHiNg WaS uP!!!! when i went into beckham's room, this is what i found--

{good thing it was washable}

{the 3rd culprit}

{still so dang cute}

{that sneaky grin says it all}

after i got done taking the pictures, i took becks into the bathroom to wash him off. when he saw himself in the mirror he was a little upset. when i asked him what he was doing he said, "i was just coloring myself to be an angel." to which i responded- "what kind of angel?" he looked at me with the most DUH! face & says "a GREEN one!" even at times like this, he can always find a way to make me laugh!

primary pioneer day parade...

2008-07-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

for the 24th we had such a fun time at our wards pioneer day parade. the kids had such a blast decorating there bikes & scooters. i wish i would have gotten a picture of this boys scooter! the sign on the front said "non-stop to Salt Lake". i thought that it was so clever! thanks to the primary for putting this all together! can't wait to do it again next year!

{all the kids: getting ready for the parade}

{Becks & his bike getting in place}

{Quinn & Avi-- what gReAt parade watchers}

{Ellie & her darling decorated bike}

{there were even horses}

{having some slight helmet issues}

{coming back to the church}

{what a fun bunch}

{he's just so pAtRiOtIc!}

i can't believe i missed it...

2008-07-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

so- since the end of june i had been watching those dang quail eggs... remember? so everyday, multiple times everyday, i would check in on them. i even went so far as to google the incubation period for the little babes. anyway, long story short-- the morning of my birthday i checked on bright & early. but nothing. when i went out later that day i found this...

yep, just egg shells. no babies, no mama. just shells. all i can hope is that they hatched & i just missed it. total bummer! but, as long as they survived... that's all that matters.

Happy Birthday to ME...

2008-07-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

{my birthday cake to myself... delicious}

So, this week it was my birthday & the best part of all is that-- i finally got my new phone. i have my same number. i know it has been a while since my last phone was stolen. father's day to be exact. so YEAH! to quinn, now everyone can get ahold of me again & i don't even have to be at work to do so.

** i will have to do a follow up post with other FAB gifts. like my dar-dar "think green" grocery bags- thanks kes!

saturday @ deer creek...

2008-07-20T20:28:00.001-07:00

this weekend we had a little family trip to deer creek. Becks had tons of fun swimming, riding on the jet skis with daddy & just going on boat rides. Avi loved the boat, but was still not excited about the sand. She was so wiped out by the end of the day she just cRaShEd!!! thanks babe for taking us out for a fun day at the lake!!!

{how do i look in this???}

{Becks & daddy on a little ride}

{i don't know what happened, but doesn't he have a great frowny face?}

{Quinn spraying eVeRyOnE!!!}

{just takin' a little break}

{out for a dip}

{doggy paddling around}

{some seriously DiRtY pIgGieS}

{first you get the sand in the cup...}

{then you pack it down. that's how you make a sand castle}

{do you need more water dad?}

{daddy, you rock at wake boarding!}

{& he's down!!}

{avi & aunt heaphy on a boat ride}

{& she's OUT!}

.... a beautiful park & an old favorite for lunch...

2008-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the most beautiful park for the kids to play in the morning. It's called Nielsen's Grove. It is just north of Wal-mart in orem. If you haven't been, you should totally check it out!!!! They have a duck pond & a fountain. Not to mention a really nice playground. They also have this great "swing carousel", that my sis & I were not strong enough to make go FaSt... but still a whole lot of fun!

{ becks & his blasted backpack}

{he was totally obsessed with the drains... he wanted me to give him money to drop down}

{don't mind the "no wading" sign}

{splash, splash, splash}

{duck feeding}

{he only took the backpack off to get the bread out}

{avi loves the swings}

{"weally high momma"- that's what she tells me. she is a total jabber mouth!}

{meeting new friend... oh yeah, & the backpack is back}

{slides also better with backpacks}

{you can climb better with them too}

{on your marks, get set... GO!}

{avi wants a re-match}

{monkey bars... with the backpack}

{hold on tight!}

{i am so strong!!!}

So after a really fun time at the park we headed over to one of our good family friends BBQ place. When we were growing up Charlie had a place in Provo, but he was forced to close it. Now he just opened a location in Lehi- 88 west Main. And he will be opening up soon in Springville in the old Brand X location. You should definitely go get some grub there. So super yummy! Thanks Chuck!

bridal veil falls...

2008-07-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

it is hard to believe that if we drive about 5 minutes from our house, we run right into this. how did we get so lucky? it is not only breathtaking, but about 10 degrees cooler in the summer. the kids love going up, having a picnic or BBQ & playing in the water. one of my new goals it to not take this beauty for granted.

Balloon Fest 2008...

2008-07-07T20:09:00.001-07:00

we always love going to the balloon festival. even though it is sooooo early for us, it is always so dang fun! Baka (grandpa) Mark always gets tickets, so this year Quinn & Becks went up. Me, Avi & Charlie stayed behind to take the pics. After it was all said & done I asked Becks--"what did you see up there?" to which he responded..." all the people were sooo small?!?" I loved it! If you haven't ever gone it is definitely worth the 5:45 am wake up call!

...Happy 4th...

2008-07-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

we had such a cRaZy holiday!!! there are so many pictures to post it will have to wait until tomorrow. we just still have way to much partying to do!!!

{what a cutie!}

{i love parades}

{here come the floats}

{& the flag}