I'm in LOVE...

My new BFF. Someday I'll bring her home. OK well probably not, but a girl can dream.

Easter Traditions

I think we have a tradition. For years we've done the traditional Easter dinner but a couple of years ago we got CRAZY and changed it up a bit. That's big deal with my family because change usually doesn't go over very well. Anyway, we decided that instead of ham and veggies we would get back to our roots and make carne asada tacos. BEST idea yet. The menu is beans, rice, carne asada, tortillas (not homemade, but maybe someone will step up next year. HINT!HINT!) and lot's of different homemade salsas. Everything is so good, we never have any left overs. Check out Albert the grill master. Lily made the yummiest homemade bunuelos.
By the way mom, this is why I take pictures of my food, so I have something to blog about. After lunch we had a Easter egg hunt. Of the 10 group pictures taken this one was the best. SERIOUSLY!

Check out Lily in the background running for the eggs.

What the heck????

I'm gone for a week and this is what Chris does...watches American Idol, eats ice cream and takes pictures of all the fun. He told me he was working. YA RIGHT!

Easter Sunday

Here's a few of my favorite shots. Can't believe they sat still for so long! But really, aren't they so cute. Lukie looks so grown up in his tie and Anna just loved her pink polka-dot shoes. What a little lady.

On a side note: I took these pictures before church and made it to church on-time. Had to add that in because I'm never on-time. Had to be this week because I was speaking. AAAAHHH! It went fine so I'm told. The talk is all a BLURRRRR!

Easter egg dyeing

I saw this idea in a magazine and have to try it!!! Want to make your Easter egg dyeing a little more natural. Boil your eggs as usual, making sure to include 2 to 3 tsp. of vinegar for each cup of natural die.

*Simply Organic Turmeric for a bright yellow egg

*Beets for a mauve egg

*Blueberry juice for a deep purple-grey egg

*Grape juice for a tan egg

*Chopped red cabbage for a teal egg

*Yellow-onion skins for a peach egg

BYE, BYE MOMMY...

Check out her new Princess suitcase. She was so excited that she could pull it. 7 am Saturday morning in the car and ready to go.I'm having Anna withdrawals. It's only been 2 days and I miss her hugs, kisses, sleepy eyes in the morning, whining, smiles, crying, silly conversations, reading to her, having her follow me around all day, asking if she can watch Calliou, walking her to nursery class, making her breakfast, watching her play outside, her voice, her singing, watching her play and love her brother, her wispy and always messy hair and most of all I miss her company. I think, I know I need her more than she needs me. I love being her mommy. So where is she? She's on Spring break with mom, mike and Andrew. They are national park hopping. First they will go to the Grand Canyon then off the Brice Canyon then to Zions National Park and finally to Las Vegas for a quick visits with Uncle Aaron. WOW what a vacation! The update so far...they drove 15 hours on Saturday and she did great. According to Andrew, Anna talked so much he didn't think she would ever stop. He even had to ask my mom if she was going to be this chatty the whole trip. Lot's of movies, coloring and a few stops and they finally made it to Williams, Arizona. Next stop the Grand Canyon.

Cookie Story

So about the cookies in the jar that I gave to Missy for her birthday. I wish I could take the credit for making them but I can't. I have to give credit to my amazing cookie making friend Alycia. The story is that I love to bake and I love to cook, but I can't seem to make chocolate chip cookies. No matter what recipe I try they come out flat, burnt, too crunchy, too gooey, usually they look like burnt pancakes. OK so, I wanted to fill this really cute jar that I had made with cookies. I tried yet another recipe thinking that the cookies would come out yummy and beautiful. You know it's all about presentation and the cookies had to look perfect in the jar. Well my cookies didn't. I was so disappointed that they were flat, crunchy and too dark. OK well maybe I burnt them, but really that's not the point they were still flat. It was 9:30 pm and I only know one person that makes BEAUTIFULLY YUMMY cookies and that's Alycia. So I called her and in my sweetest voice I asked "how much do you love me?" and with a sarcastic tone she replied "what do you want?" I begged and pleated for her to come over and make cookies for my jar and because she is so wonderful, thoughtful, kind, giving, and selfless she came over and made the cookies. YEAH for me! I have to say that everyone loved the cookies. Chris couldn't stop talking about how good the Alycia's cookies were and when Andrew came over and ate one he said "WOW! who made the cookies, they're awesome." I guess my feeling aren't really hurt that he just assumed someone else made them. WHATEVER! But really since we've moved here I have made some amazing friends and Alycia is one of them. Thanks girl!!!

my cookies
Alycia's cookies

*On a side note I also {love} my mom and lupe's chocolate chip cookies.

OUCH!

I have no idea where my brother finds this stuff. It's so funny, take a look.

SO much life, SO little time

I really can't believe how much we have going on in our life. Chris and I were talking about it tonight and naming all the commitments we have this week. We just go and go and go. Remember my goal of getting to bed before 2am, well not so much!!! It's 12:32am and I'm on the computer. I should be in bed but there is so much to BLOG about. Here's what we've been up to.

{Happy 22nd Birthday Missy}

How cute did this cookie jar turn out. I have to say sometimes I SHOCK myself. OK but really there is a story behind the cookies...more about that later.

Luke and Anna having way to much fun with the cupcakes. Is it true that sugar keeps kids AWAKE??? Well tonight it did. Cupcakes, soda and m&m's sure kept Anna and Luke awake tonight. They didn't go to be until after 11. I think this Spring forward time change has us all messed up.

My baby boy is growing up. One day he only wants baby food and this morning he woke up and only wanted what Anna was eating. Check him out eating BIG boy food.

YUM! Blackberries and Apple juice.

Just about anytime of the day you can find Anna playing PLAY-doh. She loves the stuff. She can play for hours. When she wakes up in the morning she playes play-doh while she eats, she plays while she eats lunch and tries to play during dinner but we've put a stop to that. Luke just likes to eat the play-doh.
She loves to make snakes and cut out butterfly shapes. We are constantly hearing "mommy play make snakes with me" or "daddy cut shapes with me" or "TUKERS eating my play-doh.
a SUPER cute {Thank You}. I see an idea and I have to make it. This is another reason I don't go to bed before 2am!
Went to the Jelly Belly Factory with family and friends. It was the Longaberger Festival so you know we all had to show up...me, anna, luke, lily, lupe, jodi, will, charo, albert, sarah, melissa, melissa's friend, alma, karen, mom, mike, and gramma. I hope I didn't forget anyone.

Thanks to my aunt Rosario I brought home this limited edition, one time only, exclusive basket!!! Thanks!!!

*On a side note: Did you know that they make booger, vomit, rotten egg, cracked pepper and ear wax jelly bellies??? YUCK!!!

I'll have to save the cookie story for another time. It's not quite 2 and I'm determined to get to bed before 2am. BUSY day tomorrow...color mom's hair, go to the fabric store, go to trader joe's (out of Anna's FAVORITE cereal), go to post office to mail off some vinyl, help out the Young Women pass out flyers for a service project and go to a pampered chef party. I know there's more I'm just to tired to try and remember. {GOOD NIGHT} 1:34am

You think I'm a night owl...Chris is still up working.

Sunny in California

{SUNNY} DAYS AND NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD

After a terrible storm a few weeks ago, it's finally been sunny and warm. I can't believe it's March and the weather in the 70's. All Anna wants to do is be outside playing. It's so tempting with the sun shinning and the sky so blue. We spent the afternoon playing outside in the backyard.

My perfect spot...some shade, a lounge chair, my favorite magazines, the phone and my beautiful children having fun playing. A mom can't ask for a better way to spend the afternoon!