backyard fun

There has been so much excitment about this pool! There is only a few inches of water in it, but it's been hours of fun. I only wish it were a real one so I could join in on the fun. I could lounge around a pool for days on end. I think my girls would agree.So there is a story with this zucchini plant.... It wasn't supposed to be here, but it is and we are so excited about or blossom! I know I'm way more excited than the girls. I can't wait to pick our very first vegtable and have the girls help me make something with it in the kitchen. I told Kayleigh that we could even bake it in a chocolate cake. And when she didn't believe me so we had to call Katie and make sure it did!All clean :)

I'm in love with this photo

It reminds me that saplings need to be nurtured and cared for so that they can grow big, strong, deep roots to one day become amazingly beautiful, strong, unique mighty oaks.

Enjoy

Some days I don't mind the pretzel crumbs on a clean floor, the hastily made tent in the living room that is collecting every pony in the house, staying in our PJ's until noon, or scrubbing the table after a painting project that, "I can't wait to show Daddy!" Today is one of those days.

It's no secrect. We love to be silly!

Enjoy yourself today!

Sunset Bike Ride

The other day I loaded Zoe up on my bike and we took off for a sunset ride. The weather was perfect so I decided we would go a different route and explore a little. We found railroad tracks!

One day we will have a small train that will run by our community. One day.


It was so relaxing to be riding while the sun was setting with my nature lover. We loved it so much that last night we shared our "spot" with Dave and Kayleigh. And to our surprise we spotted a double rainbow.

Tropical Shrimp Scampi

This isn't my picture because I was too hungry to stop and take one :) Tropical Shrimp Scampi was a huge hit at our house last night. I hope you try it sometime!

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup no-pulp orange juice
5 teaspoons grated orange zest
5 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1.Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the linguine, and return to a boil. Cook until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
2.While pasta is cooking, combine the olive oil, pineapple juice, orange juice, orange zest, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and garlic in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth.
3.Pour sauce into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and parsley; cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
4.Drain the linguini, and place on a serving platter. Spoon the shrimp and sauce over the pasta, and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

* the only thing I will do different next time is thicken the sauce with cornstarch.
*recipe from allrecipes.com

New Rooms

After much concideration and a few trips to Ikea, the girls have bunkbeds and a toy room. We finally got everything in it's place this weekend.

I don't know who said it, but I like it: A place for everything and everything in it's place...
Miss K is on the top... They have been having a blast- it's especially cool that Kayleigh's pet shops stick to the frame.

Lunch with Daddy

A couple times a year we take the 1-hour round trip drive to have lunch with Dave. I honestly don't know who enjoys themselves more, Dave or the kids. We sit at the table where Dave usually sits with his "friends" and listen to them make fun of people. Yes, my husband and his friends laugh it up like teenagers. It's quite funny actually. Even though I'm thinking to myself, 'why? this is so silly and so wrong.' It's just that some people who work there are just so comfortable with themselves. I'm all for being an individual, but men in tank tops? at work? come on!

Today was extra fun for the girls because a co-worker gave them old cell phones. They talked to Daddy, Damian, and Sam the whole way home.

Owl Love You Forever or Isn't this a HOOT

We were busy making paper owls this morning.Kayleigh discovered tape :)

Fun with Sweets

Hamburger cupcakes. There are so many ways to make these. Here is how I did mine:

1. Bake chocolate cupcakes for the burger part and vanilla for the bun.
2. Red frosting for the ketchup.
3. Yellow for the mustard.
4. green colored coconut for the lettuce. Things I would do, if I make them again:
1. Use frosting for the lettuce.
2. Add sesame seeds with OJ to the top bun.
3. Stick one of those toothpicks with the flags on top in to the burger.

Cupcake Nests
1. Star tip
2. Add chocolate eggs

Bird Nests

1. Make rice krispies

2. mold them in cupcake tins

3. add green colored coconut flakes

4. Add chocolate eggs

Wilton Course 2 Final Cake

The last class for the Wilton course 2 was a few days before Easter, so I was able to provide dessert for Easter :) However, I was at the begining stages of a sinus infection, so I wasn't able to go to the last class where we would have learned basket weaving and some other techniques. I will make up the portion I missed at a later date.

The flowers are made of royal icing, which is rock hard and not very tasty. Well, they aren't bad if you like the taste of sugar. The flowers were made over the course of three weeks. Those things can sit out that long before they are eaten. Ewww.

Anways.. I'm taking a small break from cake decorating classes. Hopefully in May I will start again.

Bisbee

Ahh Bisbee, a little Arizona mining town a couple hours south of Tucson. The town has changed quite abit since the 1900's... Art galleries, antique shops, and eateries now line the main street. I saw a bumper sticker that said, "Keep Bisbee Bizarre." It truly is a bizzare and ecclectic little town which I love.

We stayed, and you should too, at the Letson. It's a very well appointed 6 room boutique hotel on the main drag. We opted to stay in one of the rooms facing the street. In the pictures below one was taken looking left and the other right. And that's main street!

I still can't stop daydreaming about living in a town like Bisbee. I would be on cloud nine if we owned one of these 2-story multi use buildings. I could have a little food shop/cafe type of thing on the ground level and we would live on the top floor. We would also have a garden in the back, and a rotating menu. I could wear and apron and ponytail every day!!!

Anyways... Dave and I had a wonderful time together. It was so nice to get-a-way for just a night.

easter

Quickly... the girls are still asleep at 7:45... It's amazing when this happens!!

Easter was such a wonderful day. It's always fun to enjoy the outdoors, water, family, food, music, and lots of laughter!