Nelson's Visit

Earlier this month my sister DeDe and her family came out for a visit. We were so lucky to spend nearly two weeks vacationing with all of our cousins. Here are some highlights from our time together.

Snickerdoodles

The perfect cookie in my book. Soft and sweet and simple to make. Served with a scoop of your favorite sherbet or better yet a sherbet float made with sprite, makes a very refreshing summertime treat.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 and 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
(cream above ingredients together)
2 and 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
(mix dry ingredients together then add to wet mixture)

Roll dough into 1-2 inch balls then roll in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Smash slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes (I take mine out right at 8 min. even if they look a little under done.) Let sit 1 minute on pan and then place directly on a cooling rack. They come out perfect every time. Yum!
Recipe source: my friend Lori

Becoming

Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is.
Treat a man as he could be,
and he will become what he should be.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

I am the product of many good people who believed in me and had faith that I would turn out alright. What a blessing it is that our Heavenly Father sees the good in us his children, and helps us each step of the way to reach our full potential.

Caleb "hits the road"

No, he's not leaving home yet. Our sixteen year old, Caleb now has his official drivers license! He's actually very good at it and it is so nice to add yet another driver to the family. Right now he's even enthusiastic about running errands for us. We can only hope the newness of this doen't wear off anytime soon.

Be a Kid Again

"Children aren't fooled. They know we give our time to the things we love."
-John Bradshaw-
Being playful comes naturally to chldren. They're not afraid to romp and explore, to lazily dream or just be plain silly. For adults it may take some practice. Especially if you tend to get caught up in the drudgery of work schedules, agendas and To-Do lists like me.



My husband Matt is a kid at heart. Our kids (even the teens) all say he's the funest person they know. He has learned the art of leaving work behind and getting into our kids world. He's always the first to play with them at the beach and the last to leave Disney World at closing. In that spirit I've decided to dedicate myself to being a little more playful and spend time each day showing my kids how truly important they are to me.


Here's a very cool website that has some great ideas of things to do with your kids. Take a peek and see if any of these ideas ignite a spark in you http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/


Some other ideas we've enjoyed in the past are simple but fun ways to connect. Kids in the Kitchen-when you make a kid friendly recipe or even dinner together. Movie Time Mondays-catch the latest flick at a dollar theater or watch one at home. Popping popcorn or enjoying a treat makes it extra special. Field Trip Fridays- Visit local fun spots, have a picnic at a park or take a trip to the library and read together. The investment you make in all these things is your time not necessarily you money! The payback is the great relationship you'll build with your children which will last a lifetime.

CoCo

 

Let me begin by saying, we are not dog people! We do not like pets in the house and simply have never had the time or desire to care for one. Our kids however have always wanted a dog. For years we were able to put them off by saying, "When you're grown and have a house of your own then you can get a dog". Well along came Mimi...this girl doesn't just love dogs but every little creature! When you're with her you can't help but kind of catch the bug (so to speak). She has to stop and pat, kiss or talk to every animal she encounters. So as not to deny my child of her God given abilites to nurture animals I thought we could begin (and end) with a dog. Enter Coco...he has been a part of our family now for a year and a half. He's an all black Shih Tzu with a sweet and playful disposition. He has instantly converted our entire family to the dog loving crowd. When you come home he is the happiest to see you. He loves to cuddle, play and romp with the kids. He's easy going and doesn't demand too much from our already bustling household. He has more than compensated us for the care that we give to him. And it is a surprise to all, especially me that we absolutley love our little CoCo bear!!!

Larsen's Family Night at the Gardens

Nan called and invited us out for a night at Thanksgiving Point. It's always fun when we all get together with our extended family on the Larsen side. We love you all!

Preschool Graduate

Mimi graduated from Corner Canyon Academy the last week of June. For her part of the program she sang many cute songs and then collected her diploma. We are so proud of her and all the things she has learned this year. Miss Kristy was her cute teacher.

"Look, No Training Wheels!"

You are looking at the face of a very proud 5 year old, who just learned to ride her bike-minus the training wheels!!! Miguel came running into the house saying, "Mom hurry come out here, this is the happiest day of Mikayla's life!"

Dad helped Mimi balance the first time. But after that, her strong little legs carried her the rest of the way. She has a great sense of balance for a kid her age.

Not to be outdone, Miguel wanted to know why I forgot to take pictures when he first learned to ride his bike. (Sorry Miguel) But being the self sufficient little guy that he is, he not only removed his own training wheels but also practically taught himself how to ride. Before anyone even realized he was a real pro.