does it come in any other colors than blue?

painters tape.

the race track gift that keeps on giving.

that's what i was thinking last friday.

body armor shields are this fall's latest fashion.

i was informed.

they tore it all up from the floor,

pasted it onto their bodies {no hair was harmed in the making of these pictures},

and then...

wait for it...

wait for it...

they threw it all away. 

i know,

GENIUS.

that painter's tape.

we're gonna need to buy another roll.

'cause january is a long cold month in the great state of Utah.

february and march too.

does it come in any other colors than blue?

the little witch

watch out,

she's a hitter.

she can bring a grown boy to tears.

i swear.

where troubles melt like lemon drops.

"you're my girl mom." -brennan 5.7 yrs old

...

 forget the tomato soup and grilled cheese on the stove.

there's a rainbow 

outside our window:)

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream,

Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops,

Away above the chimney tops,

That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow

Why, oh why can't I?"

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" -Judy Garland

...

i'm sure gonna miss that garden this winter...

CLICK:)

learning to read over here.

exciting business!!!

bat

cat

mat

pat

{grandpa was so excited that brennan can read his name}

sat

hat

fat

nat

{we didn't worry about the "g" there}

then he moved onto

pot

dot

then

mop

top

stop

at which point he told me he was done.

and that a 4 letter word was super great reading.

a BIG word.

so fun to watch him go.

and that darn letter C.

not even individual enough to make it's own sound.

i know, C, sometimes we all struggle with that.

but really, you have to borrow K and S?

at least X combines them both.

i'm having flashbacks of LIT1 in college with missy...

hardest class in my entire college career.

with the greatest teacher ever.

mr. allen.

it was just that it required 6 units of work,

but you only got 2 units of credit.

i still have nightmares that i have to take the LIT1 state exam again,

and i haven't studied for it.

that i have forgotten all of the material from when it took the class.

b/c i took it 8 years ago.

or something.

LIT 1.

traumatizing.

that's we what call that.

boy,

i'm sure glad i had to take it.

and boy,

i'm sure glad linsey's mom dropped off these cards to help me remember why i took it.

because there's nothing more amazing than watching your child learn to read.

CLICK:)

Hey Dad

Hey Dad,
Remember last time you were here to ski,
and you slept without a pillow on the guest bed for 4 days,
because I forgot to put one out,
and you just thought I didn't have one?
Except I had two pillows in the hall closet right outside of your room the entire time.
But you're just so mellow and easy going,
that you didn't care.
Because you don't like to cause a fuss.
And I was so busy with the kids that I didn't notice it
until I went in on the last day and realized there was no pillow on your bed.
Well guess what?
Today, the kids and I went to target to buy Sean some razors to keep his head a smooth as a baby's bottom,
and we bought you a brand new pillow.
I put it in the hall closet right outside of Chase's room for you.
Left it in the plastic and everything.
Mostly because I wanted it to stay brand spanking new for you,
and I'm a little bit lazy with things like that.
This way I for sure know my kid's paws will stay off it.
Also, I washed all of the sheets and made the bed.
Can't believe I'm so ahead of things.
I know.
Love,
Emily

letters to Beth {breakfast for dinner, cooking with pumpkin, & Emily with an E}

{breakfast for dinner}

Dear Beth,
Last night I made your famous hash browns you taught me how to make. Shred, squeeze the water out, and a frying pan with a cube of butter. Amazing every time. Remember when we were just young little chicks in college, and we said we were going to make our kids breakfast for dinner every night for their entire lives, but we were going to call if dinner? And then one day, when they were older, they would go to their friend's house, and their mom would make breakfast for dinner, but our kids would be like "this isn't breakfast for dinner, this is dinner!" Or they'd be eating breakfast with them the next morning, and they'd be having bacon and eggs and hash browns and they'd be like "oh, dinner for breakfast!" and their friends would think our kids were really weird. I am laughing so hard right now about it. We were so hilarious. We are still so hilarious. I miss you a million!

After all of my international traveling as a child, I had all but decided never to leave home for anywhere other than the tropics in my adulthood. However, all of your European travels have caused me to reconsider. I never even knew Croatia was somewhere I would want to travel to. I stand corrected. I love all of the colorful houses in Europe. It's like San Francisco, but old fashioned. Storybook old fashioned. All of the hillsides and cobblestone streets make me want to sell the house and cars, and buy bikes to come live by you. Then I remember how much I love Utah and our garden and peach tree, and I decide maybe we'd better just come for a visit instead. 10 year anniversary trip??? The only thing Salt Lake is missing is a beach. I tell Sean all of the time how we've been jipped here in the Great Salt Lake Valley, what was once an ocean bed of salt water. If only we had a beautiful sandy beach to go with it. With an ocean mist and breeze coming up off of the water and into your face. I can almost smell it right now. About once a year we will get a good foggy night, and it will feel like we live by the sea. Sometimes I wish that I could live in Green Gables. You know, Anne with an E of Green Gables. By the sea. Without any distractions of modern life. Riding in a carriage through orchards of flowers, milking the cows, and going to bed early without the distractions of phones and televisions. But then I think eh, I really like air conditioning and my washer and dryer, and I decide maybe I'd just rather go find a pretty orchard to run my kids around in.

I feel like my taste buds are being dis-serviced here in America as you describe all of your food discoveries afar. Those pumpkin raviollis sound like something I want to make. I have started all of my traditional fall baking. Pumpkin cookies and caramel apples are always the first things I make. I found these caramel apple wraps at Winco last year. LIFE CHANGING. Peel, wrap around apple, stick {included in 5 pack}, warm in your oven for 5 min at 200*. Makes making caramel apples a CINCH! 5-pack for $2. I bought 10 packs because last year I only bought 2 packs, and when I went to get more they were all sold out, and the produce guy said "next year buys lots when you see them because I can only get a few boxes in, and they always sell out fast." So that's just what I did this year, and I'm holding them hostage like prisoners of war. It's a beautiful thing. The caramel apples, not the POW's:). I love to dunk mine in white chocolate and crushed oreos after I caramel them all up. TO DIE FOR. I used to buy gummy worms and drape them over the top so it would look like dirt and worms, but now I never plan ahead enough to have that part organized, and really, I'm never in the mood for gummy worms when I eat them. The white chocolate, caramel, and crushed oreos always take me way over the top by themselves.

i love you! i miss you! and i hope you can find caramel wraps to try in europe. 

otherwise, i'll make sure to save you a package for your next visit.

i had two favorite conference talks.

the one by elder holland, and i can't remember who the other one was by or what it was about because chase is climbing on me and max is blasting her fairyland show on my phone next to me.

I am so awesome huh?

Love you!!!!

Emily, with an E.
P.S.
chase learned to climb up onto the bistro chairs this weekend.
about once a day i come downstairs and find him sitting on top of the kitchen table. it makes me laugh, and then i feel kind of irresponsible, and just know he's going to fall off eventually when i'm busy doing laundry or something, and i just hope he doesn't break anything when he does.
not to fret, i always move him off and tell him no, no.
after i take a few pictures of him to send to sean.
then he waves his little pointer finger and says "no, no" just like bear used to do. it's so adorable.

he also put an entire roll of toilet paper, 

roll included, into the toilet bowl this weekend.

while i was doing laundry.

wee devil.
trouble!

Happy Monday to you in Germany!!!

Is it already Tuesday there by now?

shazam!

1st day of nursery.

not even a kiss goodbye.

set him down at the door,

and he took off running for the bins of trucks and cars.

takes after his big brother.

such a nursery gem those boys are.

second set of double gibbies in the nursery at the same time.

2 yrs apart with spring birthdays will do that to ya.

it's a beautiful thing.

hip hip hooray!

max was looking up at me like, "ma, you're not staying?"

and i was all,

"B-Y-E."

{wink}

that's what i lipped to the nursery leaders across the room.

and then i scooted myself right out to sunday school.

shazam:)