If Dads Ruled the World

We would all be able to eat ice cream for a bed time snack... after jammies and a bath.Straight out of the carton, straight off the scoop

Thanks for being a fun dad Thomas!

Memorial Day

Thomas went down to St. George Saturday for a friend's wedding. He was planning on coming home that night... alas. Our car decided to stop running while he was there. So his Dad drove the hour to pick him up and he ended up getting home Monday night! Not the Memorial Day weekend we had planned.
Bishop Hunt from our singles ward was kind enough to invite Macey and I over. Popsicles were consumed for lunch...
And Macey made a new best friend - Rosie, an 8 week old weenie dog with velvet skin.

We were sure sad without Thomas around but the day was bearable with puppies and Popsicles.

Asphalt Jungle

Managing an apartment complex has many perks... it's a great way for me to work at home and help out with things like rent and utilities. The down side (besides the teeny-tinyness) is the lack of grass. We have an itty-bitty front yard and it is at the other end of the building. Needing to stay within phone reach during office ours, Macey is forced to have a parking lot for a yard.

Macey and her best bud Jonas (fondly know as "Noni") have adapted well to our concrete world! We get out a bucket, some bowls, and cups... life is good. Notice Macey eating Cheeto's (thanks, Grandma!) right out of the bag. How hard can life really be when you can eat Cheeto's straight from the bag?
Chelise (Noni's mom) and I normally park ourselves right by the bike rack to keep an eye on the kiddos. It's amazing what fun a bucket can bring, but what happens when Utah temps rise and the asphalt gets super hot?

SOLUTION: A garage sale today brought Macey a $5 pool! We aren't even worried about killing the grass ;)

We are ready for summer if you can't tell! Public pools open Monday!

Indiana Style

Receptions in Indiana are low key in our neck of the woods.

Grandpa's grill burgers and dogs.

Food is served inside of log cabins...
Guests get caught thinking in the rain.

Decorations include peacocks.

I sure love Indiana.

Wedding pictures

More pictures from the wedding and reception in Kentucky.
I loved their cake! So simple yet amazing.

My parents, Tyler and Beth, Beth's parents

The joys of Grandma's house...

They buy way better snacks than mom.

Adventures of grandkids

My mom and dad are lucky to have me as their favorite daughter. What makes it even better though is I give them grandchildren... what fortunate people they are. My sister Lachelle does her share of grandchildrening too. Here are the 3 wonders.
This was an arraigned photo shoot. This was the very first picture I took and the only one where all there were sitting still. Bless their toddler (and baby) hearts!
Macey, Alexander, and Gavin all looking a little terrified of everyone telling them to smile.

Macey and Gavin got to go the park together. Check out Macey's sweet face. No little attitude there!

This was too cute not to put on! Sarah is an awfully fun aunt and we do love her so. I can't wait for her to come back to Utah.

Tyler's Wedding and such

We are having a great time in Kentucky and Indiana still! Thomas met up with us on Thursday and Tyler and Beth's big day was Friday! We've had a busy weekend... here are just a few of the pictures with many more to come!

My new sister Beth.

The whole clan trying to hit into one picture...
Macey loving reception food.

Tyler and Beth leaving the Louisville temple.

Macey still not complaining about party food.

These are just a few pictures. We had another reception today at my Grandma Shoaf's in Indiana. I'll blog more tomorrow!

Puddles and Popcorn

Macey and I are in Kentucky at my parents' home. It's muggy and green. Macey's favorite parts are "granma", Grandma's dog, and Grandma's wagon. Having a yard is a dream. Today it poured rain for about an hour, cleared up, and then left little streams in grandma's yard. Macey loves that fake puffed popcorn and we had a bag... puddles and popcorn if you will.

Karina loves the popcorn as much as Macey.
Macey with a mouthful.

Notice the mini stream in the yard!

Tomorrow my best friend from high school gets married. It'll be a mini reunion! Then Tyler my brother gets married in a week! We sure miss Thomas though, he'll be here next Thursday.

Coookies

If I haven't mentioned how much I love my new Kitchen Aid... well let's just say I do. Would you like to know a secret about me? I can't make cookies. Weird I know. I like to think of myself as a pretty good cook/baker. Cookies are not my thing. Everyone has something in their cooking that abates them... my mom's is fudge; mine cookies. When I need cookies for an occasion I ask my little sister to make them for me and she obliges. Problem: Sarah went home for the summer! Am I really to be cookieless for 4 months?

My friend Judy brought me some cookies the other day and I fell in love. I decided to give cookies one more chance, using my Kitchen Aid. That was the secret I do think... I have to share the recipe of my first cookie success. They are super good.

Judy's Heaven Sent Cookies

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda
1 c. shortening
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. nuts
8 oz. chocolate chipies (as Macey would call them)
1 t. vanilla
2 c. blendered oatmeal

Combine flour, salt, and soda and set aside. Cream shortening and sugars, add eggs to creamed mix one at a time. Add flour mixture and combine. Mix in nuts and chocolate. Add vanilla. Last but not least add the oat floury stuff (but 2 c. oatmeal in a blender and blend until smooth, makes the cookies amazing! but be sure to add it at the end) Stir to combine all. Bake at 350 for 10 min (I baked mine for 7 and they were perfect...)

Tulips

Grandpa and Grandma treated us to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point last week. Amazing. Go next year...

Macey cooling off.

Macey worked so hard on smelling with her nose and not with hands. She did great. We had no casualties.

After a few hours of wandering we hit the gift shop. Get the pralines and caramel fudge... don't even look around. You won't regret it! Thanks for the great day grandparents!
Thomas promised me I could have a secret garden one day, complete with fountain. I can't wait... I'll settle for a yard first.
Happy 2nd Birthday to Kimball - my most recent cake!