Y.U.M.

So my mom's been cooking up a storm over in South Africa.  The Elders now know that if you haven't become best friends with Sister Bishop yet, you need to, and quick!

She sent me this recipe for peanut butter cookies and let me tell ya, these are not your grandma's cookies.

WOW!

Best Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup Marg

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Roll into balls, make crisscross with fork and bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Filling:

2/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp melted butter

1 tsp milk

Cream together and make sandwich with two cookies.  Melt 1 cup choc chips with 4 tsp veg oil for 1 minute in the microwave.  Dip cookies about 1/3 way in the the chocolate then drizzle a little on the rest of the cookie- To die for!

Peanut Butter Cookies are Targhee's favorite cookie but I am always looking for a little somethin extra so this was a match made in heaven in our house.

I believe Targhee's exact words were, "You're not going to give these away are you?" When I laughed he said, "Does this look like a laughing matter to you?"

Word to the wise, if you care at all about your health, which apparently we clearly don't, you will give them away:)

To California and Back

After Christmas I decided it had been way too long since I had seen some of my family and since three of my sisters would be together the first of January, I wanted to be there too.

Targhee worked some magic at his job then we packed our bags and headed out!

The kids had no idea what they were in for.  All they knew is that we were going to California which sounded exciting and that there would be cousins to play with!  

Four movies and 12 hours later we made it:)

They were troopers though.

We stayed at my sister, Allison's house and sufficiently wrecked havoc where havoc could be had.

 

(leave it up to boys to figure out how to make a blow dart out of foam blocks:) 

Allison pulled out the big guns with her dress up collection and Minnie Mouse has never been so adored. 

Thursday we met everyone at the park and a small zoo, which we deemed to be more of a treasure hunt in search of the animals.  They must have taken a winter sabbatical.

Leilani was so excited she peed her pants...literally.  Thus the adorable outfit you see before you.

Hey look! Animals!

Spider monkeys and a green iguana.

TJ is a magician when it comes to socks.

Now you see them...

Now you don't.

Works like a charm every time.

We did get a show from the mountain lion though.

They're used to cooler climates.

That night we went to Callie's and ate a delicious dinner.

Then the kids played while the sisters crafted.  

I think TJ and Leilani were put to bed in a different spot the whole trip but they were good sports about it and transferred amazingly well.

TJ unfortunately adopted a bad habit of no nap taking, though. Anyone got a remedy for that?

Annie and Leilani's morning ritual. 

The Thumb Suckers!

Friday night we had a big party planned at my brother-in-law's work office.

We were headed to the party when this happened!

our car

the other car

Bummer!

I had to make a quick stop coming over some train tracks for a backed up red light and the car behind me didn't stop fast enough.

We were all a little shaken up.  Both kids were crying but mostly out of the shock of the hit, not because they were injured.  It's always a blessing to look back on these incidents with no injuries.

Well, that darn muffler caused me much grief for the next week.  Because nothing of this nature is ever done easily or with efficiency, our trip was extended an extra week (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing it's just hard not to have control of your own situation), we had to pay a lot more money than we would have liked to fix it and then had to buy Targhee a plane ticket home so he could return to school and work. 

I am so grateful to have had family so close and available.  They were all very supportive through the whole mess and I cannot say enough my appreciation for their hospitality! Thank you!!

I hope there will not be a next time, but if there ever is, I have learned a lot from this experience that will hopefully help me avoid some stress in the future.

We still enjoyed our party that night, though! We had food and fountain drinks and a big screen movie and video games and a ping pong table (Callie's the champ:) and balloons and even played several rounds of sardines.

I love being with my family!

I really was glad to spend some extra time.  I don't usually get to see them in "regular life mode" since our gatherings are mostly for their vacations.  It was good for me to see that my life is crazy and normal and GOOD just like theirs.  I learn so many things from my sisters and treasure any time I get to spend with them.

Good-bye loves for Annie.  They were such cute friends.  I think it will get better and better the older they get.

I was anxious for the drive home all week.  A huge storm had hit Utah so I knew I would be driving in some harsh weather and I would also be driving 700 miles by myself with two bitties.  I am happy to report that our trip went without, well, anything to report:)  I know a lot of prayers were said in our behalf and I felt them.

And they even slept for a few hours!!  

We made it home to a restless daddy who was happy to have his family back.

Thank you for the fun California!

I Have a Three Year Old?

Things Leilani says or does that make me smile:

All tractors are called "Snorts" 

(please refer to "Are You My Mother?")

Soda Pop is called "Spicy"

All smoke is called "Hexxus" 

(please refer to "FernGully") 

She is always conversing with some imaginary friend.  Most of the time it is Casper (her friendly ghost) but it ranges anywhere from Ursula to a mouse.

She believes all animals want to sit on her lap or rest on her shoulder.

She talks like a 20 year old from a 3 year old's perspective, so she is always saying funny things.

Today, for example, we were Skyping with my parents and they asked her about some birthday presents she got.  After a few questions she ended the interrogation by saying, "I can't speak of such things."

We got to have her birthday in California this year, which was a little unexpected but ended up being so fun to have my family from California there to celebrate with us!

My Big Three Year Old!

We went to a children's jumping gym to let some energy out

My sister Allison, her husband, and their daughter Annie came to play with us.

Then we went swimming in my sister's hot tub.

Who get's to go swimming outside in January?  We don't! So that was pretty special.

Leilani's cousins Carter, Abby, and Zach also joined us.

She helped make her cupcakes

We called them "Brier Rose" cupcakes and she was pretty pleased with that.

Opening presents!

She got lots of activities to help us out on the drive back to Utah as well as some new movies she was excited about.

More princesses to add to her castle she got for Christmas. 

She was set on putting the candles on herself.  I guess three year olds are really into this independent thing:)  

Oh what the heck! Go for it Leilani:)

It's my party and I'll lick the cake off the table if I want to.

We can't believe that we have a three year old! I am liking her getting older, though.  There are so many independent things a three year old can do! But, this can also be a source of frustration because there are still so many limitations, as well.  

She is in what I'm calling "The Extremes."  She can be so cute and fun that you can hardly stand it and then the next minute be so darn stubborn and ornery that you can hardly stand it:)  My sister described her as "Hilarious, but a ticking time bomb that you're never quite sure what's gonna set her off."  Yup! That's about right:)

We love her so much and are exited for the year of THREE!

10 month old TJ

So apparently 9 months to 10 months is a big jump for a baby because all of the sudden TJ's starting to do so many big things.

He says "ah dun!"(all done) out loud and in sign language.
Waves bye bye and says "ba ba"
He puts both arms in the air for "Big Boy!" and giggles because he knows he's cute.

He puts the phone or anything of similar shape to his ear and says, "Hi"
Puts the comb on his head and rubs it while I tell him he looks so handsome.
He has braved taking some steps.  It won't be long before he's walking.

He thinks it's pretty fun to irritate his big sister because man can he get a rise out of her:)
He gets into EVERYTHING.

He has decided that 10 month olds are much too mature for the strained baby food and will only eat foods he can grab and shove into his mouth himself.

He has also decided that being rocked by Mom really isn't so bad and will now lay his head on my shoulder while I sing him some songs before I put him to bed.  I love that!!
AND he has decided that 10 month olds don't need to take naps, but we are putting a stop to that ASAP!

We love him so much and love watching his little personality grow.

Christmas Day!

We had to keep reminding Leilani that it was "Christmas Time" but not "Christmas Day" yet.  That's a confusing one.  So when Christmas Day finally came she could not contain the excitement.

This was our first Christmas at home as just our little family.  I was nervous about it feeling different since we usually have family coming out the woodwork during Christmas time:)  But we had to grow up sometime right? And I think we pulled it off well.

Me wearing my mom's Christmas apron.  This thing has probably been worn for 30 years and I felt a little sentimental pulling it out knowing my mom would not be putting it on this year, so I wore it in her honor:)

I made my family's traditional Christmas dinner.  And was so proud of myself all day.  But what a lot of work!  Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, veggies, and even pumpkin pie!

Just call me Suzie! 

I also got to pull out my own china for the first time since we've been married.  That was fun.

This wreath is a little bit of a family joke.

Targhee won it at work last year on Christmas Eve. He brought it home, stuck it on the porch railing, and didn't say another word about it.  Christmas morning was hectic with 5 of my sisters and their family's staying with us and then trying to get ready for church on time.  As we plowed out the door we all finally saw the mysterious monstrosity of a wreath sitting on the porch.  We all wondered where it had come from and then laughed when Targhee said it was his.  It wouldn't have been so bad except it was adorned with this hideous red and lime green joker plaid ribbon.  It was not good.  

Well this year we pulled it out, smiled to ourselves and said, "Do you think we can find a place for it?" We gave it a ribbon makeover and stuck it above the garage.  Now if only we could have got the Rudolf nose sized light bulbs to work then it would have been something!

  

Family tradition of acting out the Nativity.

Leilani was all over this activity.  She got to dress up!!

Round 1

Mary, Joseph, and our not so silent or still baby Jesus

Round 2

The Angel

Targhee reading the Christmas Story

TJ didn't believe that angles needed halos or wings

Round 3

The Shepherd

"Mom you can be the wise woman."

Christmas Eve Jammies

"This is my jaguar smile."

Finally Christmas Morning did come!!

She wore this the rest of the morning

(Not an exaggeration)

Lunch at Grandma and Grandpa Fuzzy's house

Great Grandma and Grandpa Checketts

waiting patiently to open their presents

Grandma (Fuzzy) Cole made all the grand kids a handmade bug in a jar quilt this year.  I know it was a lot of work, but they turned out adorable. Leilani pounced around with her quilt for days pretending to be all sorts of animals that eat bugs. 

Leilani and TJ becoming presents:)

It was such a fun day. I'm glad we were able to pull off the Christmas by our selves year.  It gives me confidence for the future:)

p.s. Today while I was taking down the decorations, Leilani asked, "Where are you taking Christmas?" I explained we put up all the Christmas stuff in December and then when Christmas is over we put it all away until next year.  It helps keep Christmas special.  She thought for a minute then sighed, "I miss Christmas."  I guess that's her way of saying she had a good Christmas too:)