Happy Turkey Day!

Here is our Thanksgiving mantel. My amazingly crafty friend, Sarah, taught me how to make the cute bunting last year. I had good intentions to sew "GIVE THANKS" onto it, but I ran out of time. Again. Oh well. The sticks came from my neighbors' yard after a big wind storm and the apples were on clearance at JoAnn's way back in February. Hooray for cheap decorations! On Pie Day, I made four pumpkin pies (the boys in my house LOVE pumpkin pie!) and one Very Berry pie. I found this recipe in the Lion House Desserts cookbook. YUM!These cute turkey-shaped butters were from the Fresh Market. I think people were afraid to use them, because even after dinner for 26 people, all three turkeys were barely touched.

Once again, we felt so blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving with wonderful friends while we are away from family! I felt a little sad that this was our last Thanksgiving in Ohio; we've made so many good memories with friends here during the holidays. Our celebrations have never been very fancy - just plastic tablecoths and paper plates, but there has always been plenty of delicious food and good friends to share it with.My amazing friend, Angie, and her beautiful fresh fruit cheesecakes and chocolate-covered strawberries. She and her daughter, Hadley, made adorable place card favors with the names of each guest.

About halfway through the meal, Hannah climbed up on our laps and discovered the CRANBERRY SAUCE! I gave her a little taste, and she liked it so much that she started eating it by the handful! She also helped herself to the chocolate-covered strawberries and the fruit on Angie's little cheesecakes.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Girls' Night Out

...at The Melting Pot!

Strawberry Pickin'

Picking strawberries at Patterson Fruit Farm.

Logan was the best strawberry picker! He was very careful to look for big red ones without brown or mushy spots. Whenever he picked a berry, he would hold it up and shout, "Hey Mom, can I pick this one?!" Funny guy!

Hannah was shoveling the berries in her mouth as fast as she could. She didn't care if they were still green on the plant or mushy and moldy on the ground. Mmmm!Hannah looking so cute and matchy-matchy with her friends Maddie and Bella. (We didn't even plan this!)

Shupe-e-doo Barbeque (and Fathers too!)

On Sunday we threw a BBQ in honor of our dear friends, the Shupes, who are moving to Washington this week....and Father's Day too (love ya, Babe!)
SUPERDADS: Bryan, Colby, Chris, Grant, Jeff, and Eric We love BBQs!

Your playhouse and police car are getting LOTS of love, Lanes! THANKS!I made a doctor scrubs cake for the occasion.

Eric had a patient once who saw his name badge and thought his name was "Dr. Shup-e-Doo" (SHUPE D.O.). HaHaHa! The name has stuck ever since.Cake! Guess what I'm going to do...

Mission accomplished.

Hannah's First Word

Hannah doesn't say much yet. She's plenty noisy and babbles a lot, but doesn't really bother with actual words for the most part. A couple of weeks ago though, we noticed that she would often point to things and say, "Uhn-Dish." She was pretty consistant, and after a while I noticed that when she pointed to things, we would point and ask, "You want this?" It was then that I realized she was saying, "WANT THIS!" So that's it. That's her first word:

"WANT THIS!"

It's a pretty efficient phrase to learn, if you think about it. Why learn several words when one single phrase can get you just about anything you want? If she wants the cookie you're eating, she points to it and says, "Uhn-dish." If she wants you to read her a book, she hands it to you and says, "Uhn-dish." If she wants you to pick her up, she holds her arms up to you and says, "Uhn-dish." I could go on and on.

Last week when I was making the cupcakes for Andrew's school party, Hannah pointed to the cupcakes and said, (you guessed it) "Uhn-dish." I said no. She didn't like that. Later, I had to leave the kitchen to check on the boys. I came back just in time to see Hannah standing on her little tippy toes to grab a handful of cupcake from the countertop. I forget how tall she is now.Just then, I noticed her T-shirt said, "Eat a cupcake." Check. It was a pretty action-packed day. Later that afternoon, she fell asleep in her Ramen Noodles.

They're Back!!!

Look What Andrew found at Wal-Mart yesterday! It must just be a springtime thing! ...Or MAYBE my letter worked!

Easter Traditions

Saturday night egg dying
Finding hidden Easter baskets in the morning - Andrew's in the drawer of the coffee table

Logan found his basket behind the dining room door
Hannah's basket was behind the couch Both Nana and the Easter Bunny gave Hannah My Little Ponies. I thought she would just love them, but she was more interested in the Little Pony purse.
The Easter bunny likes to bring us "outdoor" gifts like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and sand toys. The beautiful wrapped Easter gifts, "breakfast foods," and treats were from Nana and Papa. Thanks!
Dressing up all matchy-matchy for church. Enjoying a yummy Easter feast with friends.
I was dreaming of a beautifully laid table with pastel tablecloths, matching dishes and glassware, fresh spring flower arrangements for centerpieces, and handmade placecards but...
that wasn't exactly in the budget. So we had to make due with the red apple vinyl tablecloth I already had and mismatched dishes and plastic cups. (sigh) At least the food was yummy.

The Kids' Table - what a group!

At the Easter egg hunt, Andrew seemed fairly satisfied with his stash this year. At least I never heard him complain that it was "the worst Easter ever!"
Hannah didn't really get the egg hunt concept, of course, but she did look dang cute sitting in the grass with her new Easter basket, handpainted by Nana (thanks Mom)!
These last three pictures were from my friend, Meghan. So sweet! Her camera is much better than mine, obviously.

One of my favorite talks this last General Conference was an especially powerful message from Elder Holland. It seems very appropriate to share this time of year:

"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. "

--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

HAPPY EASTER!!!

I Melt For You!

I had to come up with a really "cheesy" title for this one!

Yesterday Bryan told me that he had a lecture/dinner at the hospital that spouses were invited to. Instead, he had gotten reservations at The Melting Pot to surprise me. I have been wanting to go to The Melting Pot for years - ever since the one in Salt Lake City opened - so I was so excited! Since we were at such a fancy-schmancy restautant, we were on our best behavior! Really, it was so nice to just sit, talk, look at each other, and eat our food without a highchair, kids menu, or crayons in sight!

The cheese fondue was awesome!

Quattro Formaggio Cheese Fondue
Fontina, Grùyere, and Gran Queso cheeses blended with roasted garlic, basil and tomato pestos and fresh mozzarella Perlini. -mmmm! (yes, that was straight from the menu. I know, I'm a nerd.)

A salad was the second course, followed by the entree (veggies, chicken, steak, salmon, and shrimp) which we cooked at our table. The best part was, of course, the dessert!
Our "Flaming Turtle" chocolate fondue (milk chocolate, caramel, and pecans) was delicious (and on fire!)

It was fun to do the whole 4-course meal, but I think if we ever go back, we will just order a cheese fondue and a chocolate fondue. Those were, by far, the best parts of the meal.

Thanks Babe! That was such a sweet, thoughtful surprise and I had a great time with you! THANK YOU, Carl and Nancy, for Bryan's birthday money that paid for it! And last but not least, THANK YOU, Shupes, for watching the munchkins! We don't get out just the two of us very often, so this was an extra special treat!