Menu Board

One thing I love about this house that we are living in, is that there is a perfect spot for my menu board.  Right next to the kitchen!  I posted this crafty makeover back a while ago:
 I turned this Goodwill find:

Into this:

I always wanted to use it as a menu board but didn't have a good place to put it in our old house.  Well, now I have a good place and get to use it!  It helps spur me to make a weekly menu on Monday so I can write it up on the board.  And the kids are used to it now, so the "What's for dinner?" question has been cut in at least half.  Which is good, because I hate answering the same question 400 times each day.  Here is last weeks menu:

I LOVE it! The only thing I have been wondering, is if I should paint it a different color, since it is hanging on a white wall...  What do you think?

A Poem - by Blondie

Hyperbolville

by 

Blondie

  If you like  hyperbole, now here's a place you'll like to see

It is just north of Potato hill, a very small town called

Hyperbolville.

If you rip your mother's  blouse,

She'll put you inside your puppy's doghouse!

And when the clouds get big and gray,

 Dogs and cats will start to spray

down from the sky, throughout the day.

If you study without break,

Your work becomes a piece of cake!

And if your sad you'll turn bright bue,

and then your spirits need renew.

But before you go,

You'll find out soon, that this

Is the PERFECT place

for you!

Valentine craft

I don't have many Valentines Day decorations out this year, but I have a couple things that I love.  Here is one that Naunee and I made the other day.  I saw something very similar at a friend in my ward's house and HAD to come home and make my own!

We spent 26 cents on the scrap board at Lowe's.
Cut the boards on my loverly power saw.  Fast and easy!  Yes!
Painted the blocks.
Then we spent like 2 hours trying to figure out how to cut the letters correctly on the Silhouette.  Finally figured it out, and it was worth it! (DH was out of town, so we had to pass the time anyway, right?)  :)
Put the letters on and then added a bit of brown to "distress" the edges.
Done!  So cute!
We each made two sets.  Here they are on my TV armoire:

 

Here is a printable that I found here

I printed it at Costco and framed it in this Goodwill frame.

And my version of this:

Looks like this in my entry way:

(I know the red "v" is missing, I will get another one on there soon)

Which was copied from Pottery Barn:

Bring on Valentine's day!!  :)

Pedi Prices

I posted this info on Facebook, but thought I'd better put it here as well.  As of Feb. 1, my pedicure prices are going up.  It will be $15 for a full pedi or $10 for a polish change and designs.  So...if you would like a full pedi for the $10 price, just book it before Feb 1 and even if your appt is after that date, you can get it for 10 bucks! 
Here are a couple of the latest ones:

Classic zebra.  I love this one!  Also looks great on hot pink.

So cute!  But to make it more "valentine-y" we added a heart:

Super cute!

I am also working on my own version of Glitter Toes. It won't be the gel nails, but will be just as sparkly and cute!

You live in AZ when...

The other day I was driving with Teeny Bopper and it was a very chilly day.  We passed a man walking down the street, and I commented on how he was "all bundled up" for the cold day.  TB chuckled and said, "You know you live in AZ when "all bundled up" means wearing long pants and a hoodie with the hood up!"  It was pretty funny! 

Here's Tailgunner all bundled up.  Loving those orange lashes!! :)

It was cold, but we still had to play outside.  As long as he is outside, he is a happy little man!

Cat in the Hat cake

Sweet G and I decided to throw a surprise bday party for Teeny Bopper.  Because of the Seussical play, we decided to do a Seuss themed party.  Naunee made this SPECTACULAR hat cake.  It came out exactly like I had hoped!  Only better!!  :)  She is amazing.

She had Dr. D help her blow out the candles.  As you can tell, he was quite proud to help.  And even the candles were "Seussy". 

It was a fun party.  The best part was when I gave her a special present.  In Seussical, JoJo (the part my Teeny Bopper played) dies.  Yes, I cried.  So, everyone is sad and serious after she gets killed in the war, and the Cat in the Hat comes out.  He is holding this doll that they dressed exactly like JoJo and he is all sad.  But wait, he says, maybe JoJo didn't really die afterall.  How to tell?  A re-enactment!  So he does this little re-enactment of JoJo's last scene and...  JoJo comes out alive afterall!!  Back to the gift part.  I went to TB's school and was able to get the JoJo doll!!  I knew it would mean the world to her, and it sooo did.  I wish we had video taped her opening it, it was the best reaction to a gift since her American Girl doll years ago.

Thanks to Sweet G for all her work in helping plan it, and to TB for being so appreciative.  Love you girls!

Baby Belly

I took some pictures of my lovely sister-in-law and her preggo belly last week.  She is so beautiful!  Only a month or less to go, so we had to get these done asap!  The little girl in there gave me some good kicks, so we are officially friends now.  :)  I can't WAIT to do newborn pictures!!
Here are some favorites:

Teeny Bopper's Turn

15 things I LOVE about Teeny Bopper:

1.  Her dramatic-ness  :)  (makes life so fun)
2.  Her voice
3.  Her way with kids, especially her little brothers
4.  The way that when she decides something, it's not up for question
5.  Her dedication to her family
6.  How willing she is to help me whenever I ask
7.  The fact that her sister is her bff
8.  Her love of reading
9.  Her smartness.  This girl is smart!
10.  Her movie quoting skills (she fits in with the rest of us so nicely)
11.  the way she "seasons" ALL her food with lemon pepper
12.  She is not afraid to be goofy in public.  She doesn't care what people think as long as she is having fun!
13.  Her love of bright lipstick and high heels
14.  Her desire to be healthy
15.  her desire to do what's right - she has always had this, since being a tiny girl

I love this girl!  She made me a mommy 15 years ago.  I couldn't be more pleased with how she is growing up and am glad we are so close.  Hope you had a grrrrrrrrreat day, and many more to come!!

My January birthday girls  XOXOXO

Chef Tess Bakeress

I am bragging sharing a blog win that I LOVE so much.  It is an ebook by Chef Tess, otherwise known as Stephanie.  We have been friends for a long time, and she is one of my top favorite chefs, with a spectacular foodie blog.  I have shared things I've made by her on here before, and now that I have this ebook, I am going to make lots more!! 
For example, we love blender pancakes.  I cook breakfast almost every morning, and these are so easy and yummy.  I have learned that it is best to soak your grains before using them.  Well, Chef Tess has a recipe (in the book and on her blog) for soaked wheat blender pancakes.  I am going to soak my wheat in just a minute here, and tomorrow we will be in for a healthy breakfast!!  Check out her blog if you haven't already.  She rocks!!

 

(This is her on Fox 10.  Yes, I know a celebrity!)  hehehe

cake balls

Sweet G wanted to serve cake balls for her birthday party.  I thought we could use something cute to present them on, so I made a merry little trip to the Dollar Tree.  (there is one right by our new house.  the lady that works there knows me now!  LOL)  Anyway, I've seen these little stands all over the web and have been waiting for a good excuse to make one.
What I bought:  a candlestick, a pack of 2 small candlesticks, and 2 plates.

And a feather duster.  That's not part of the necessary materials, but Dr. D found it and we couldn't leave it there.  Look at it:

I digress.  I just hot glued the bigger solid pink plate onto the tall candlestick.  Then hot glued the small candlesticks together.  Then glue them onto the solid pink plate, and topped it off with the polka dotted plate.  I used hot glue because that's all I had for a super quick thing like this, but it will probably come apart eventually.  I would suggest E-5000 or something like that.

Party perfect!!

13 things I love about Sweet G

Yep, another special day.  Teenager number two, come on down!!!  Our Sweet G has officially entered "teen" status.  We love her so, she is a great daughter, sister, and friend.  Have a super day, sweetie!

1.  her sweet smile and laugh-they make me smile!
2.  her softspoken manner (goodness knows we have enough loudness)  :)
3.  her craftiness
4.  her sense of responsibility
5.  her organizing ability
6.  musical talents - I LOVE hearing the piano or violin being played
7.  her willingness to help me whenever I need her
8.  she is a great student
9.  her testimony of the Gospel
10.  she is a good friend
11.  she tries to always be sensitive of my (and others) feelings
12.  she is becoming a great photographer (like her sister)
13.  her love of reading

I sure love this girl!!  She has been a joy to us since the moment she was born (actually before that, even!).  Happy Birthday, Sweet G!!!!

38 things I love about my DH

Yes, 38 is a significant number today...  :)
Happy Birthday, Honey Bunch!!

1.  those brown eyes
2.  your smile (the nice one and the evil one, hehe)
3.  your laugh (again, the nice one and the evil one)  :)
4.  your love of flags
5.  your displays of flags
6.  your patriotism
7.  soft lips
8.  clean shaven face
9.  being in a class that you are teaching-it's always great
10.  your help with the laundry
11.  the way you play with the kids
12.  your childhood stories
13.  your love of your parents
14.  the love for your brothers and sisters
15.  your love of my kooky family
16.  your photographic memory
17.  the stories you can tell because you remember all the details of everything
18.  the fact that you love to tell us stories
19.  watching you study the scriptures
20.  when you call us together for prayer or scriptures
21.  how you adore music
22.  how you support me in pretty much anything I want or want to do
23.  how you always tell me how much you love me
24.  you always tell me I am beautiful, even/especially when I'm not feeling it
25.  how you have always thought I was radiant in pregnancy and made me feel that way
26.  your willingness to change diapers
27.  how you tell the kids you love them
28.  your open-ness in speaking with the kids about everything
29.  your honesty
30.  that you love to go on dates (with me and the kids)
31.  you on a motorcycle.  sexy.
32.  me behind you on a bike
33.  your hugs
34.  your kisses
35.  your love of reading
36.  your knowledge of spanish
37.  your Mexican roots
38.  your tenderness

Gee, I could go on and on!  I guess I'll save some for next year.  :)  The point is, I LOVE MY HUSBAND so much!   I hope he has the best day today!!