Grant Learns To Climb Stairs

I haven't been blogging lately.

I caught a sore throat, started school,

and have just been hoping spring will come early this year.

So to cheer myself up I took some pictures of life around me.

Here are my favorite pictures of watching Grant 
climb stairs earlier in the week,

and a day later tearing apart my kitchen and office.

I adore this kid.

 Tomorrow I will post a picture of the 

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies 

we made while Grant was having a grand time.

Junior Prom

WX Junior Prom

Tanner invited his oldest and dearest friend

Julie Patterson to Junior Prom at WX High School.

My last child.

My last Junior Prom.

I loved every minute gazing at Julie's dress

and Tanner's hot pink accented Tux.

The benefits of parenting!

Old and Dear Friends for sixteen years.

Julie's Orchid and White Rose Wrist Corsage.

You are beautiful Julie.

 And Tanner . . . you are very handsome.
Your flower on your lapel was very classy.
The good part of High School . . .

Grant's Meltdown

Grant was having a very rough day on Saturday.

I have to admit that he is so cute when he has a meltdown,

that I simply pull out my camera and let it happen.

Am I cruel or what?

Then he realized I was taking pictures so 

he tried to smile through his tears.

But then he remembered he was mad that I wasn't

pushing him around on his Buzz Lightyear car anymore.

And he went back to mad and sad.

Finally he found my printer and 
paid me back by dismantling it.

Grant still wasn't quite happy.

So I picked him up

and plopped him down in front of the TV

where he happily watched Mickey Mouse Club House.

He also took 7 steps while watching Mickey and Minnie

and their big sparkly rainbow.

I didn't have my camera for that joyous moment.

Trevor, Mr. Timothy Riggins, and Old Max

Trevor and Mr. Timothy Riggins viewing recent pictures.

Old Max and Mr. Timothy Riggins 
cautiously checking each other out.

Old Max and Mr. Timothy Riggins 
deciding not to get too close.

Finally, Mr. Timothy Riggins' face.

Thank you Laura for sharing your cat for an afternoon.

He and I are now good friends.

He is way more affectionate than old Max.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

A great way to end a Fast . . .

This is a recipe that I inherited 
from a friend in Flagstaff, AZ.

I made it this afternoon for Tanner and I 
for a nice light brunch . . . 

accompanied with Hot Chocolate topped 
with fresh whipped cream.

A great way to end a Fast . . . 
and a nice start to the New Year.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Blend together well:

2 eggs

1 cups sour cream

1 cup melted butter

 1 tsp vanilla

Add:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan and top with:

1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1 TBSP cinnamon

Bake @ 350 for about 35-40 minutes.

Delicious hot or cold.

This is the original sheet I wrote the recipe 

down on almost 20 years ago.

I have it in my computer - but I still always pull this paper

out of my old red Heritage Times Cookbook where I 

keep a dozen or so original recipes.

It is comforting to know that I have saved it for so long.
(I know - I know - I have changed the recipe just a bit -
but it's just the way I evolve.)

Enjoy!

 

Christmas 2010 Paintings

This is the painting I gave Rob for Christmas.

It was painted from a picture 
I took in Park City off of Kilby Road.

You can see the autumn ski slopes in the distance.

This was the worst of all the photographs 
I took of my paintings . . .

but my favorite painting I did for Christmas.

 

Christmas 2010 Paintings

Trevor's painting is the most 
complex I have attempted.

It was inspired by a photograph 
Trevor took in Telluride, Colorado. 

I tried to make sure the background 
appeared to be reflecting sun . . .

while the foreground was in shadow.

Tricky - but a great educational experience.

Trevor is a great photographer 
so I have many more paintings 
that will be inspired by his eye for nature.

One day I will learn how to photograph 
my paintings as well as Trevor 
photographs the world around him.

Christmas 2010 Paintings

I gave paintings for Christmas 
to my family this year.
I will show each painting in individual posts 
throughout this week.

Unfortunately I am not great at 
photographing my paintings.

I tried before I framed them 
and they looked pathetic.

So I took these on Christmas morning
and tried to have as little 
flash reflections as possible.

Hopefully you can "imagine" 
what they really looked like.

This was painted from a photograph 
that Brady took of Troy at Lake Como, Italy.

I was not confident enough to actually draw in Troy -

so I cut out the figure of Troy from the photo
and taped it on the painting.

Everyone got a good laugh out of it.

However, when I finish my 
figure drawing class this semester,

I will actually draw Troy into the picture.

Until then, he is 3-D 
standing on the shore of Lake Como.

Merry Christmas 2010

Pictures can speak more than a thousand words . . .

The Influence of a Story

I read this article on msn today and thought it was interesting:

Recession surprise: Teen births hit all-time low

Experts stunned by 6 percent decline in 2009 for girls ages 15-19; birth rate up for older moms ~

The U.S. teen birth rate hit an all-time low in 2009 — a decline that stunned experts say is partly because of the economy. The birth rate for teenagers fell to 39 births per 1,000 girls, ages 15 through 19, according to a government report released Tuesday. It was a 6 percent decline from the previous year, and the lowest rate since health officials started tracking that data in 1940. Experts say the recent recession — from December 2007 to June 2009 — was a major factor driving down births overall, and experts say there's good reason to think it affect would-be teen mothers.

The CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs

However . . . perhaps there is another reason . . . just maybe . . .

It may not have anything to do with the economy . . . or who is in the White House . . . or even family planning education in schools . . . my thinking is of a much more "fantastical" nature. 

Twilight became a cultural phenomenon in 2007. By 2009 teenage girls throughout the country were in love with Edward Cullen and the romance between him and Bella. Edward refused to take away Bella's virtue before they were married - despite her attempts of seduction.

Most women (whether we will admit it or not - or regardless of whether we liked the Twilight books) appreciated the message that was sent to the world. We want to be treated with love, tenderness, respect, and honor. Women are worth more than the world wants us to believe we are worth. 

Thank you Stephenie Meyer ~ you may have created an unrealistic expectation of what real relationships are all about - but I believe you just might have helped lower the rate of teenage pregnancies. Good job!

Happy 23 Birthday Trevor

Trevor is 23 . . . YESTERDAY!!!

I profusely apologize to Trevor for his birthday post being a day late.

December is so chaotic that I realized I did not honor him as I should have on

December 18th.

So here is a few of my favorite Trevor pictures . . .

Trevor . . . I love you my strong and beautiful and smart
mountain climbing son.

Christmas Concert 2010

David Archuleta's performance 
was amazing and incredible.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir 
is always glorious  and beautiful.

Michael York's performance was 
touching as well as wonderful.

The gift that the LDS Church 
gives our community is priceless.

*****

 I am also posting one of my 
favorite evening scenes

in honor of Katie teaching me 
tonight how deep my passion 
for sunsets really is in my life. 

~ so many good things to be grateful for ~

Click here to bid

My art Professor ~ Rob Adamson ~ is selling some of his personal art collection.

The above painting is one that he is selling.

I wish I had endless amounts of cash because I would buy them all.

I love his style of painting and so I thought I would share his blog.

I want to paint as well as Professor Adamson some day.

I want to be an artist like him and my Dad.

Check out his blog:

http://robadamsonstudio.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Grant

Happy Birthday Grant

 Grant was tired and not in the mood for a song and cake . . .

but then Katie and Jeff blew out his candle and let him get a hands on feel for what blue birthday cake feels like . . .

 and it tasted so good that his tears turned to smiles . . .

or he started having a sugar rush . . .

either way it all turned out to be a fantastic 1st birthday.

This is a picture of my favorite babysitters.

Corrie and Cally took care of 
Katie and Troy and Trevor

until we moved from Littleton, Colorado.

Some of my most favorite memories 
are of that time of my life.

I will always think you are the 
two most natural mothers the Lord ever created.
You two and my daughter Katie.

And I love that you are all now 
mothers with children of your own.

Thank you for all the hours you 
spent with my kids while I was Christmas shopping.