lately....

lately we've been seeing lots of temperatures with a minus sign in front of them. 

so lately we've been eating lots of soup.



lately I am craving a run--my feet on the trail.....I don't care if it's buried in snow......I need to get out.  It's been almost two weeks and my brain is feeling it.

but lately it's been gorrrrrgeous.
white sparkly snow and frost dancing on top of everything.
foggy

lately

lately we've had thunderstorms almost every afternoon. 

windows open, thunder crashing, the earthy smell of rain.



lately I think I'm having panic attacks because the kids go back to school next week.......noooooooo



lately we've been having THE most incredible sunsets. ever. 



lately I've been craving the desert. It's been four months.....and I feel it. 



lately I've caught myself with

oh yeah, blogging

Whoops. It happened again, I forgot to blog.



Here is a little peak at what's been going on.....thanks to my iphone for all the photos.





We finished school last week! yaaaaaaaay!!!! Overall homeschool was a wonderful experience--we all enjoyed it and we all learned (me too) more than expected. We liked it so much I'm still trying to decide what to do come fall. That being said, we are

short stories

So many little stories to tell.....



Circle of Life

Our first story hurts my heart......last week I had mentioned that our little chick Pebbles wasn't growing like the others. As the days went by she began to move a little slower and sleep a little longer. We came home from church on Sunday and found that she had never woke up. It was a sad sad day for my Lu--Pebbles was HER chick, her baby.

this and that

our little family over the weekend....




so

many

things

happening.



Here is a little of this and that:



The Weekend

My sweet handsome boy was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints over the weekend. (In our church we are baptized by immersion at age 8).
 It was such a happy weekend and we had family in from Montana, up and down California,

lately

the sky here is just so blue.

the air is crisp and clean, as only country air can be.

I wake up every morning and I'm filled with Christmas morning giddiness.....that view out my window!

I have even got out of bed and peeked out a few times in the middle of the night--the stars live here! I wish you could see them. millions and millions blinking down.

spring is coming, I see it. feel it.

just a few things.....

first things first.
THANK YOU!!! 
Thank you thank you for such a great response to last week's announcement of the 
One by One Project! (check it out HERE if you missed it).

Thank you for your comments, emails, ideas, and thank you for grabbing buttons and your help spreading the word. Thank you for sharing on twitter and facebook and pinterest and all the other little corners of the web--thank

5 Things (and then some.....)

If you're on Instagram you've likely seen the little 5 Things game going around where you're supposed to share a picture + 5 random facts. 

I thought I'd share here.....and then share a few extras for the blog.



1. My graduating high school class had 37 students.

2. I tried very hard for a few years to be a city girl, but I am a country girl at heart....I long to get back to my roots.

3. I

this and that

A peak at little bits of life over the past few weeks......



Piano Guys play at Red Butte Gardens (this song is my favorite)



Grilled swiss, apple and spinach with yogurt and fruit.



Cookbook shoot with Whitney. Blueberry Oatmeal Bars. yum.




Remember this house? It is impossible for me to drive by without stopping. 

Always hoping to see a ghost.




Still harvesting a few tomatoes here

this and that

from my instagram last week



whoa. it's been busy. how is it friday?



We baked cookies last week! We haven't baked in so long......just too hot. But we have been seeing cooler mornings and evenings, and even rain earlier this week.....which could only mean.....



....SOUP! So excited for soup weather. We had a nice end-of-summer Minestrone (read: throw in any kind of veggie we have). I'll

around the kitchen

We've spent many hours in the kitchen this week......and I love it. 

I am so happy when my hands are busy and messy with end of summer goodness.



My sweet baby girl is leaving me for school next week, and so we have been making the most of our quiet hours at home while brother has been gone. 

We spent yesterday morning baking in our pajamas.....it was perfect.



Zucchini. Everywhere. Still.

ketchup

How are you? We haven't been talking so much lately.....have we? 

This is a power packed post......so much to catch up on.



Starting with:



I am now married to an MBA graduate. IT'S TRUE!!! He did it! We did it!

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



This weekend was graduation and it was an amazing feeling knowing that we made it through this crazy time in our lives. He still has three weeks of

this and that

photos taken by Robby in Pilanesberg, South Africa

more coming next week!



the past few weeks I have ever-so-kindly pushed the internet to the corner (that needs dusting) and just kind of forgot about it (as evidence of my lack of posting).....

....and it's been kind of....

...awesome.

The internet can be an exhausting place! 

SOmuchSTUFF.

EVERYTHINGsoPERFECT.

And it's all just LOOKING

speaking of.....

me and my tower of ruby snapWow!
Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes this week!
I loved reading them all.....thank you!I had a great day with my little family and we are all still full of our favorite pizza and cookies.

Speaking of full, we have been eating a lot of steel cut oats (I was never that in to them because they took so long to cook, and our mornings are crazy......and then I

this and that

penryn, california
How was your holiday weekend?Did you eat butter and sugar until you just about burst? I sure did. 
Yet here I sit, dreaming about all the treats I'll be making over the next few weeks....mmmmm........treats.So far on my list I have cookies and toffees and puddings. Oh my.
My favorite thing about spending time with family, is the late late (LATE!) nights (that turn into early

the latest

It's hot. In my house. (finally!!!) Our brick house = our own personal brick oven. I love it.
Speaking of hot ovens.....you can find me shoving my face at Settebello tomorrow. Yum.
I am really enjoying Pinterest. It's the most organized my life will ever be.

Happy Fathers Day!!!
To my own dad, Robby, and all the dads out there....happy day!

dad. me.these are my kids.they're dirty. sticky. messy

things

how's that for a post title?
I have a new page on my blog! The boy was looking through the photos on my phone and said "mommy! why do you always take pictures of your food??", to which I had no answer. Because I like it....is that so bad? So I thought I'd put them to use and post them all in once place.....kind of a phone photo'd restaurant guide. take a look HERE. also be sure to check out our

this very minute....

.....it is bright and sunshiny......my lettuce seeds are sprouting (hooray!).....I have strawberries in my kitchen......I hear a lawnmower......I also hear Schuyler Fisk singing. From my ipod, not in my house......I'm excited for a long afternoon run in the sun......there is a fly buzzing my head (I didn't say these were all pleasant things)......I'm craving pizza.....or sushi (it's way too early

goings on....

This week has been crazy. How is it Friday? Is it Friday?
I have a six year old. What?
In case you missed it....I am photographing a cookbook!! It's true! Whitney has recently given birth to a new blog where she will keep you updated here and there about progress, behind the scenes hot juicy gossip, and maybe a photo of me breaking her table.
We are hard at work (mostly her, and I show up from

food thoughts for the weekend

It's Friday! How? This week flew by....February really cuts to the chase. 
Lots and lots of good things happened this week. Like....it got up to 26°...hooray!

Are you so incredibly pumped for The Super Bowl?? (chest bump!)
Do you even know who's playing?  (no really, tell me.)
Are you counting down the very second until football season is officially over? (that one is me)
The only Super Bowl