Bonjour!

Bonjour!
I’m a 51 year old mother of five amazing daughters and wife to a caring, sensitive AND sexy husband. I adore my family. I’m dedicated to my faith. I enjoy a good laugh. I'm nostalgic and love to reminisce. "Remember" is my favorite word in the English language. I love life! I’m passionate about music, food and {dreams of} traveling the world. I wanna be a castle and waterfall chaser. I’m fascinated with anything European. {PARIS! Hello!} I love celebrating anything and everything! I love to read, especially a good biography, mystery, Regency Era Romance or Historical fiction novel. I love thoughtful gift giving. To me the gift wrap is almost as important as the gift itself. I have a bit of an obsession with gift boxes and gift bags. As well as old world maps & globes, apothecary bottles and jars! I love being creative…bolts of ribbon, coordinating scrapbook papers, producing a table scape, or planning décor for a themed party puts a smile on my face. I love the details! I’m a freak for anything theme oriented. I enjoy event planning, but oddly enough do not like to host or entertain. I enjoy fashion, but have to really be in the mood to clothes shop. I love purses and funky costume jewelry. Especially big rings! I’d rather wear wedges or heels any day than flats. I enjoy decorating and searching for the perfect decorative pillow or picture. However, you’ll never see me frequent high-end stores. I'm more of a Ross, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning kind of gal. My favorite decor style is an old world rustic Italian chateau/Spanish Villa look with a hint of bohemian! OR a vintage shabby chic French country cottage/English cobblestone farmhouse. My #1 cookie-Molasses! Autumn is my favorite season. I’d go through childbirth a million times. I enjoy biking with my man, Pilates, and power walking. You’ll never find me in a gym working out. I love movies, whether watching them in the theatre or cuddled up on the couch with my family. I enjoy a good chick flick or real life drama! I'm a sucker for movies on the Hallmark & Great American Family Channel. I have a tender heart for the elderly. I adore Disneyland. I enjoy being in the canyon on a summer or fall evening at dusk. I love my friends. While I have some extroverted characteristics. I’m a self proclaimed introvert. I’m generally quiet, calm, reserved and pretty darn private. Why in the heck do I blog? It’s a creative way to record family history. I enjoy photography. I really don’t like to write, although I write in my journal often. My journals, patriarchal blessing, scriptures, quote book, and beloved Christmas tree filled with ornaments of family memories are among my prized possessions. I love the beach. I enjoy WWII history. I love a clean, orderly house, but ours usually looks lived in. ;) PBS Masterpiece is my friend. I adore Jane Austen films. They transport me to another time and place. If I had to choose another time period in which to live, early 19th Century England would be my pick. "Sense and Sensibility" is my all time favorite movie. My 3 favorite TV series are...BBC's Larkrise to Candleford, the 1950's Spanish Drama "Velvet," and the travel/food show "Somebody Feed Phil." My biggest pet peeve is people who blow their noses in public. So gross! {Take it to the bathroom people.} I’d go on a wine tasting vacation if it wasn’t against my religion. I’ve always wanted to adopt a baby from a foreign country. I’m an avid BYU football fan. I'm a Educational Support Professional. I tutor elementary kids in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, fluency and comprehension. I love our campfires at Scofield Lake. I have a 'thing' for fairy gardens, Gallic French roosters, fresh flowers in a vase, pretty bowls & plates, and yummy smelling candles & soap. I love summer rainstorms and warm baths. I'm a scripture podcast fanatic. I'm also a fan of several Fox News shows; Hannity and Dave Ramsey Talk Radio. I very much miss Rush Limbaugh! I hate when my kids have homework. I'd rather clean 20 toilets than give a talk or prayer in church. I have quite a collection of Madame Alexander Dolls, children's books, Disney pins, and quotes. My favorite quote is "Don't underestimate me. I know more than I say, think more than I speak & notice more than you realize." True True LOL! I always prefer sitting in a back row versus the front. {I'm sort of a seat snob..yikes} I also have high expectations for my lemonade, salsa, and french fries too. HA! I work well behind the scenes. I love a good Dateline, 20/20 or 48 Hour Mystery. I’m a night owl. I'd rather be cold than hot. I love to budget our finances! I enjoy being a chauffeur to my children. I'm not a huge fan of social media. I don't snap, pin or tweet. All I want for Christmas every year is a ticket to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. It's my FAVORITE. I’m an Anglophile…a royal watcher who loves anything English! Especially tea parties! I would like to serve a church mission to England with Jaren someday. I'm queen of paper towel, used kitchen dishrags and sponges kinda make me squirm. You’ll rarely find me out of the house not ready for the day, except when driving the kids to school on the days I don't work. I feel naked without lipstick or lip gloss. Mismatched socks, chipped fingernail polish, chapped lips and brownie crumbs on the floor drive me nuts! I like to organize and BE organized..but not saying I always am. ;) I enjoy hiking to waterfalls, ATV’ing with my family and snowshoeing with the hubs. Although I enjoy collecting recipes and occasionally watch cooking shows... (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade, Paula Deen, Jamie Oliver, and the Pioneer Woman are my favorites) I’d rather not cook. Eating out is so much more fun. I'm a foodie. I live to EAT! LOL Trying new foods and restaurants is a favorite past-time, and believe it or not so is intermittent fasting. I'm not good at a lot of things... but gosh, if you need help with a themed celebration or someone to enjoy good food with, I'm your girl. I love the joy of anticipation and the celebration of holidays. Family traditions are important to me. I'm a memory preserver. I'm a pathological picture taker ;) a visual storyteller, and a lover of happy lists!

My Fam!

My Fam!

The Hubs and I

The Hubs and I

My Girls!

My Girls!

Kyleigh Dawn (28)

Kyleigh Dawn (28)

Emma Abigail (26)

Emma Abigail (26)

Hannah Isabelle (23)

Hannah Isabelle (23)

Brielle Olivia (19)

Brielle Olivia (19)

Kate Evangelene Lyllie (13)

Kate Evangelene Lyllie (13)

Mr. Charles "Bingley" Wentworth III (4 yrs.)

Colonel Edward Fitzwilliam "Darcy", Duke of Westridge (3 yrs.)

My Man!

My Man!

Good Times!

Good Times!

Wedding Day 5*17*22

Lillian "Lilly" Belle

Disney Food Fun! 2019

Disneyland Tips

What I Believe!

Our Missionary

We Bleed Blue! {Except for the Poppi}

My list of favorite movies!

Learn more about Dyslexia!

Music To My Ears!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

What's On My Happy List?

VALENTINE-NESS!

Kiddos had a FOUR DAY Holiday Weekend. 
CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW NICE THAT WAS!!!!
 Their last day of school was on Thursday. Even though V day was a couple days away, I couldn't resist putting a little {surprise} Valentine love into the middle 3's school lunches. *wink* 
I can still go all out with Brie, because she is in elementary, but I have to be a little more discreet with the Jr High and High School-er. HA! 
So those two got a not so extreme variation of what you see below. 


Made the strawberries heart shaped! 

Brie's class Valentines! 
Idea from HERE
If you remember Brie's Halloween costume HERE, you know she's a fan of  "nerds!" 
So she was all for continuing that theme for Valentines.  




Kate's Valentines!
 Kate's obsession with MINECRAFT is still going strong. I found a MINECRAFT Valentine printable from HERE. Not your typical 4 yr old girlie Valentine, but it worked perfect for her!

Their teacher's Valentines! Also from HERE

 I got to help in her preschool class the day of her Valentine party. 





That night we had a Valentine photo shoot with the cousins on Daddy's side. The pictures were a surprise for grandma! 
{Grandpa died on Valentines Day four years ago. Such an awful day to have your husband die!} 





On Friday me and Emmsie, my Valentine-y baby, got to spend some one on one time together. 
We've been wait'in to try this bowl of yumminess for a few weeks now. It's called Paradise Oatmeal. And for good reason;) It's a bowl of Steel-cut oatmeal with fresh fruit, sprinkled with brown sugar. What makes it soooo delish? There is an oatmeal raisin cookie at the bottom of the bowl!!! no kidd'in. Paradise bakery has THE BEST cookies! 

We went and got her hair done and went clothes shopping. 

 On Friday night we had a Valentine Pizza Picnic with the kids, and Sinatra ;) 
by candlelight! 

Daddy gave us chocolate dipped goodies!

CUPID VALENTINE BREAKFAST!
On Valentines morning I put on a little breakfast spread for the fam. 
Got the "Get Your Cupid On" printable from HERE

We ate Cupid's arrows! ;) 
Heart shaped pancakes and eggs with bacon. 
{Saw the idea on line} 
red velvet waffles! 
 pink strawberry milk! 
Our Valentine dessert bar!  

Those darn animal cookies. I hardly ever have them, and that's a good thing... cuz I'm afraid I could eat the whole bag . Those and the pink wafers were the first to go! 
Little gifts left by cupid!
For my man!
Bouquet of flowers I gave my mom and dad :) 

 The Mr. took me to this delightful place for our Valentine's dinner. What a unique and eclectic eating experience it was. Such fun! One thing the hubs and I love to do together is eat {haha} and try out restaurants we haven't been to before. We sorta love food. good food!  Meditrina serves their food Spanish Tapas style...the traditional cuisine of Spain. {Think small plates of hot or cold appetizers.} I'm telling you.. Ever since my older two girls and I started watching the Grand Hotel on Netflix...our Spanish show filmed in Spain...I'm lov'in me some Spain culture!
{pic from Urbanspoon online}

The hubs and I love appetizers in general. We ordered six little plates and shared. SO YUMMY! The mushroom and melted Brie cheese on crostini was one of our favorites. So much so that the hubs tried to replicate it the next day for our Sunday dinner. He's got some talent in the kitchen. Just say'in. 

Here's some pics of the food we tried...

Strawberries with goat cheese!

Shrimp and Grits!

Mussels! In the best dang broth we've ever had. 

London Fog Panna Cotta for dessert!

happy bellies and hearts!

EMMA's 17TH BIRTHDAY

Waking to french toast and one of her favorite songs "Dancing Queen"....Young and sweet...only seventeen! :) 

Opening up her gifts! Love this reaction. 






Two of Emma's girlfriends decorated our porch and walkway on the night of her birthday ...All the black circles had funny memories they've shared, or have of her...



We took Emmsie out on Monday for her birthday lunch to our favorite Mexican restaurant...


love their salsa bar!



 In honor of President's Day Brie has memorized all the Presidents of the United States. and I'm impressed. Both Kyleigh and Emma have had to do it for their AP US History class. {They memorized it to a One Direction song :) } Brie just flat out memorized them for no particular reason other than Presidents Day was coming up. Funny kid.  

Brie got to go shopping with g-ma for new shoes. Dangerous!

Kyleigh went snowboarding with her uncle. She had a blast!!!


Took the younger two to see "Annie". As a kid I was not a huge fan of the original Annie... so I was kinda ho hum about seeing it. I ended up liking it though more than I thought I would. :) 


Two other friends of Emma came and chalked our driveway the day after her birthday!

That's a wrap up! I'm telling YOU! Between the holiday and Emma's birthday, it seemed like a 5 day celebration around here.  ;)  Fun stuff!

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