It has taken me almost three years to embrace the pride of New Mexico, but I think green chile* has finally won me over. This was our first meager attempt at home, but yesterday we ordered pizza and it came piled high with the stuff and it was soooooo good.
Dad, next time you come to visit I know exactly where we are ordering: Green chile* pizza!
*Thanks, Jordan. I'll never pass for a native!
For 40 minutes each Sunday, I teach the children at my church songs about all things related to God (and fun songs too because God is fun). This month we are learning The Family is of God, the most beautiful Primary song I've ever heard. I made a video to introduce the song to the kids this week, including pictures of some families at our church who keep blogs. The kids were so surprised when pictures of them came up! It was priceless. Anyway, I thought I'd post this little slide show for the kids who were not at church today (there were many missing), and for those of you who haven't heard this song before. It's such a touching and beautiful song about our roles in families. I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do.
A friend has been writing about bento boxes on facebook and recently put up a link to an awesome flickr group.
Not that I have the organization to do this, but isn't that so cute? I can only imagine the eye rolling that is going on right now from some of my dear readers (*coughdadcough*), but I'm totally inspired to start making my kids' lunches cute occasionally. Do you think they would eat more? That'd be a bonus, maybe little Banksy's pants would stay up once in a while. Poor skinny child. Anyway, here's one I did a long time ago that's not nearly as cute these little bento ones, but it's a place to start:
Mmmmmmmk just kidding. My external hard drive is taking forever to come to life, so maybe tomorrow this will be a picture instead of an excuse.
Ok so I'm all done with this post now and I'm thinking, "I'm 25 and blogging about how to make my kids lunches into tiny works of art. How lame am I?" And the answer is:
Quite. But that's ok with me. Oh high school self, if you could have seen this future you back then you would.have.died. Died!
(click on the photo for the credit)
the panic is ensuing. we both feel sick to our stomachs. so much work and what if we didn't catch something in the proof reading and the medical schools say, 'you don't read directions, no soup for you!?'
ak. ak. ak.
must breathe. have faith. it will all work out, i know.
i feel better already.
ps. sorry that all i ever write about it medical school stuff. it's pretty much all we think about right now. sad but true.
To the best father a kid could ever wish for:
You truly are a dream come true for all of us. I'm sorry that the best picture I could find was one where I surprised you, but look how cute your boys are. Happy happy Father's Day. We love you so much!
xoxox,
Us
Well, the MCAT is over and done. Ben is getting ready to submit his application this weekend (just figured out that you should submit it before your MCAT scores get back, oops). Now we go into relax-and-try-not-to-panic-about-what-you-can't-change mode for the next month. Easier said than done.
We are going to attempt to forget about what the score could be by eating butterscotch pie tonight. Mmmm it should work nicely. Especially if it's accompanied by a little SYTYCD. :)
Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, and phone calls today. It's truly weird to have this obstacle out of the way. We've only been thinking about it for 4 years now.
Oh, and do you love how I act like it's such a burden off my back? Because I attended joy school graduation and chatted with my friends about mini vans and made chicken cordon bleu with brussels sprouts and the aforementioned pie all day. High five to the man who really made it happen today. Way to be a genius, Ben husband! We think you are the greatest!
Inspired by my sister, I decided to embark on a croissant making journey on Thursday.
It took so very long. All my hesitations were proven right. All that laminating (that's the official term)! and the hoping for the proper temperature! and the rolling! and the sticking! Oy vey!
But the end product was pretty extraordinary. And maybe this experience will be like child birth and in a few years I'll think, "Pshaw! It wasn't that bad!"
I used this recipe, if anyone else dares to dance with the devil.
We ate M&M pancakes for dinner last night. They. Were. Awesome. And you should have seen the look on the kids faces when they discovered M&M's in their dinner! Priceless.
Here is a recipe for the best playdough ever. Period. It smells amazing, looks great, has a perfect texture, and comes together in a snap. It's not my recipe, but it's all over the internet so I don't know the source. Anyway, when you are feeling restless, whip this up for your kids (or yourself) and have fun!
Koolaid Playdough
1 Cup white flour
1 Cup water
1/4 Cup salt
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 heaping tablespoon cream of tartar (essential for good texture)
1 package Kool-aid (generic brand works great)
Mix all together in a medium sauce pan and whisk until smoothish. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until dough gathers into a ball (takes 2-4 minutes). Remove from pan and knead (or let sit until cool enough to knead) until it looks like playdough. It's ready!
Peonies are, hands-down, my favorite flowers. Someday I'm going to have the biggest peony garden you've ever seen (watch out, Martha Stewart). And every time I see a peony I think of my grandma, who planted her peonies when she built her house 30+ years ago, and they are so beautiful. Anyway, while I try to live in the moment, I know I'll never get this time back, I feel like I spend so much time dreaming of the day when I'll be able to have a beautiful garden. But in the meantime, I'm trying to remember that I can make a beautiful garden for myself here, just in a different way:
"Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love
Make our earth an Eden,
Like the heavens above."
I'm trying. I'm trying.
Incidentally, did you know that people in Utah pronounce the flower's name Pee-O-nee, while everyone else says PEE-a-nee? After 25 years in the Utah way, I've converted, much to the chagrin of my family. How do you pronounce it?
We went to every nursery in Utah county in search of ladybugs.
Look how happy I am to have found some!
Benson has been asking for ladybugs for a couple of months
We did lots of experimenting with setting sunlight.
Often, one of my favorite parts of going on vacation is coming home. Not that we didn't have a great time visiting family, we did, but I always feel so inspired to come home and be more productive. Except in blogging, apparently. Ha. But I'm back on track now and hope to be back to regular posting again. I've been missing your comments, friends!
