Brilliant!

This is my favorite new idea.
You can check it out here.

My birthday is coming up (in August).
Did I mention that I love brownie edges?
(like really really LOVE them)

Spring Cleaning

"It's not the tragedies that kill us, it's the messes."

Dorothy Parker

This fine spring day finds me in the midst of some mad spring cleaning.
With a visit from my parents this weekend,
and my sister next week,
there is much to be done.

You see, in my family I have a reputation for organization and cleanliness.
It is a lot to live up to.

Lest you begin to worry that I am working too hard
in my current pregnant/nauseous state
(I am only about 6 weeks along, by the way),
rest assured that I take many couch breaks.

And then I get inspired to clean some more.

Today's task: windows and dust

My Daily Lunch

beans
cheese
sour cream
salsa
avocado
whole wheat tortilla

everyday

it is delicious

My Favorite Music

song that reminds you of high school:
anything by the Cranberries

what's playing in your car currently:
the lame-o radio

favorite love song:
Never My Love - the Association

song that reminds you of your spouse:
Picture Postcard - the Promise Ring

favorite lullaby:
Edelweiss performed by the Innocence Mission (or Captain von Trapp)

favorite Christmas song:
A Cradle in Bethlehem - Nat King Cole

your children's favorite songs:
Mabel loves Mississippi Girl by Faith Hill. Oliver doesn't care.

favorite artist you've seen in concert:
Simon & Garfunkel (it was totally awesome!) but Neil Diamond was a close second

first six songs that come up on your iPod when you hit shuffle:
1. Summertime - the Sundays
2. The Hardest Part - Coldplay
3. Ten - Jimmy Eat World
4. Creep - The Cure
5. Dick Dale Medley - the Surfaris
6. For Emily, whenever I may find her - Simon & Garfunkel

some of your all-time favorite songs not already listed above:
1. The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel
2. Girl - the Beatles
3. Easy Silence - the Dixie Chicks
4. I Will Follow You into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
5. Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want - the Smiths
6. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

I Can't Keep A Secret

This is my favorite shirt.
My mom bought it for me last summer for my birthday.
I love the soft pink color.
I love the soft pink fabric.
I love the soft pink style.
I love this shirt.

But I have never worn it.
It makes me look like I am pregnant.
I didn't want people to get the wrong idea.
So I have been saving it.
Guess what?
I get to wear it now.

The Beach at Sunset

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Spring has Sprung

We returned home yesterday
to the heavenly scent of orange blossoms filling the air.

Spring is officially here.

We're Better

Well, it turns out that Mike and I had strep throat. Let me tell you, it was not fun. Fortunately, we are now on the mend thanks to the modern miracle of penicillin (I heart Alexander Fleming!). And now we are on our way to our spring break vacay (I heart Stranger than Fiction). Here's hoping that our kids don't come down with strep while we are gone!

Happy Spring Break!

A First Time for Everything

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, you can find me sitting by myself at Traffic School. Having never been, I am not quite sure what to expect. (Yes, I have a stellar driving record. But I suppose had a stellar driving record would be more correct now that I have been caught doing 47 in front of a high school.)

Currently (it is 10:30 pm) you can find Mike sitting by himself at our local Urgent Care facility. You see, we have both managed to come down with a miserable sore throat sore body fever chills thing. Mike has the worst of it, and since someone had to stay home with our sleeping babes, he had to take himself to the lonely urgent care place. Isn't that sad?

Well, I figured that if I was going to be miserable with this flu thing, I might as well be miserable at traffic school.

What a great way to kick off our Spring Break festivities.

The good news is that we are currently receiving expanded cable on accident and I can drown my sorrows in a Real Housewives of Orange County marathon.

I am fighting the guilt that this new discovery brings. And I vow to call our cable company about it as soon as I am well. ("Well" being a relative term, of course.)

Everyday Shoes

If you are a 4 year old girl and you live at our house,
these silky things are your everyday shoes:

What do you do with a 10 pound box of broken pretzel rods?

You make a lot of these:

2 bags of caramels
and 3 bags of chocolate chips
and I didn't even make a dent.

Now what do I do with the other 9 and a half pounds?

(Mike's office neighbor is a chocolate company that makes these very same delicious treats. But apparently they don't like the broken pieces.)

Times, They are a Changin'

Goodbye sweet baby crib.

Hello to the big boy bed.

We Actually Did Something Fun

Usually our Saturdays consist of:
yard work
cleaning
errands
or doing nothing.

That is fine.

But sometimes it is nice to do something different,
like dress up in our cowboy (or girl) gear and head to
Lehi Days.


The weather was beautiful, the bbq was delicious, and the cows were kind of stinky.

Oliver loved driving the tractors.

Mabel loved eating the cotton candy.

Thanks for the invite Brad and Jill!

They're On Their Way

Dear Natalie,

Don't worry,
I haven't forgotten about the darling retro fabric you sent me.

I have just been waiting for inspiration to strike.

As I perused my local Jo-Ann's the other day, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
There, practically staring me in the face, was some lovely
turquoise fabric.

And what would go better with turquoise fabric than
red ric-rac, I ask?

I can't think of a thing.
(Except for red piping. So I put some of that on, too.)

I hope Miss H* (and any future Miss H*'s) will enjoy their aprons.

They are in the mail (or will be tomorrow morning).

Sincerely, Stephanie

I'm Sensing a Theme

Here's the latest installment from
"When Mabel Takes Charge of the Camera":