Cheesecake

I love cheesecake. Especially the real cheesecakes made in a springform pan, using 4 packages of cream cheese and taking most of the day to make. They are good.

But sometimes simple is good too. This recipe is the cheesecake I grew up on. It wasn't until I had moved away that I learned that it was possible to make "real cheesecake". It is easy, fast, and yummy!

Ahh...Warm Weather

What a gorgeous day we had! And Bentley spent the majority of it sleeping...I don't know if the kid is in the middle of a growth spurt or what, but seriously his morning naps the last 2 days have lasted 5 HOURS. I am not complaining. But I am starting to get used to 9-2 as free time for myself, so when this stops I will be lost.

This post isn't about my child's sleeping habits, but rather how nice it was to wear flip-flops (loving the Havaianas) and no jacket. Even Bentley sported his new sandals around today.

We spent the evening at a BBQ with friends. I forgot how nice it is to sit around outside. They had these and these that we all seemed to enjoy. Kind of a safer version of paintball-that even the 4 year olds could play. But it wasn't just for kids, the adults had a blast playing as well. I am recommending these as gifts for all children big or small you love (the price tag is a little steep for the kids falling in the like category). I'm sad that I didn't have my camera because now I have nothing to share but the link which I don't think does complete justice to the fun factor these dart tag guns possess.

After Bentley was in bed, Chod and I sat out on the back patio enjoying more of our nice evening.

Daddy's Boy

Bentley has turned into a little daddy's boy. He wants nothing to do with me when he wakes up (but I am the one he wants before bed) and immediately goes searching for Dad when I take him out of the crib. They are little buddies. Probably because his dad will let him do things that I won't. Last night they went to the playground and Chod let him climb the ladder to the slide--by himself. Then they came home and Chod sprayed the weeks in back while Bentley watched, perched atop my dying wheat grass.

Not without my frog

As Karisa and I were getting ready to make our weekly trip to Pocatello to our class, we were
heading out the door and the phone rang. I stopped and picked it up and Karisa went to move Bentley's carseat. After I got off the phone I ran out to the pick-up and climbed in, apologizing for making her wait. I did up my seatbelt and we sat there.

Karisa: "Are you going to get Bentley?"

Me: "I thought you had him."

Karisa "No"

So I ran back in the house and searched every room including closets.

No Bentley.

I ran back outside and called his name.

A couple times.

Then I saw him.

On the north side of our apartment (we park on the south) with Froggie in one hand and his sippy in the other heading for the road.

I started running across the grass and he started walking as fast as his little legs would take him.

On the way to Pokey I was telling Karisa how I am afraid he is going to be a problem child and run away from home.

She suggested hiding Froggie whenever he gets mad, cause we won't make it far without it!

Ahead of the Times

Back in the day of my single-hood, I had 3 empty frames and 1 bare wall. I got the brilliant idea to frame silverware in these frames and hang them on the bare wall. They attracted some strange looks and several comments on the randomness of silverware on the front room wall.

Today as I was leafing through the May Martha Stewart Living they had an article about framing silverware and hanging it.

Paparazzi Attack

Karisa and I and the boys went to Burley to visit the family yesterday. We were able to make it to Grandma's birthday party (Mom will have to share the picture of that) and then spent the day brainstorming and getting beautiful. It was prom for BHS, so we waited for Meek's date to pick her up and then headed back to Bingham County.

I think Braden and Tameka both felt like they were being ambushed by the paparazzi. Karisa, Mom and I all had our camera's out snapping pictures and don't think we didn't threaten to follow them to dinner and hide behind the bushes to get a few more shots. Between the 3 of us there was 5 GB of memory stick space to fill up and we weren't afraid to use it.

I'll save you the time of watching Braden pull in, get out of the car, the exchange of the flowers, getting in the car, and the exiting of the driveway....but here are a few of the money making shots of the day.
Isn't she a babe!

Here's the charming couple.

Relay

I volunteered to help with the Bingham County Relay for Life. Now I am looking for team members and donations, any takers?

Love me some flip-flops

My Havaianas came yesterday, just in time for the snow today.

Rumor has it that these are the most comfortable flip-flops....I'll get back to you on that as soon as the sun comes back out.

I love my bike....

Oh yeah.


Yesterday I went for a bike ride.


(I almost forgot to share)

Disposable Clothing

Last night as I was fixing dinner, Chod came home from work. We were talking, and he was changing out of his dirty clothes. As I was standing at the stove I noticed him chuck his socks in the garbage.

"Do you need new socks?"

"No."

"Was something wrong with those?"

"No."

"Why did you throw them away?"

"I put them in the garbage?"

Guess that is one way to cut down on the laundry!

Bruised but not battered

Saturday when we dropped Hudson off, Karisa told me that it was going to be difficult for her to have a timid child who was careful not to try new things.

Well it looks as though I have the opposite problem. My child is a little dare devil. Today he climbed out of his crib, err.....fell out of his crib. And then when we were at the park he was not content to ride in the little kid swing, no he insisted on using a big kid swing and on top of that, he refused to hold on.No wonder his face is scraped and bruised.

Blast Off

Yesterday we stopped by the Hillman's to deliver their house warming gift, and to take Hudson for the afternoon. We headed to Idaho Falls and ran the few errands we needed to and the rest of the day was the boys. We went to Blast Off where they had fun playing in the ball pit and being silly. Bentley seems to be a little more daring than Hudson, but was physically limited of what he could do. Hudson was a little more cautious and liked to keep us in view at all times, whereas our child was fine with wandering off. They kept Chod and I both busy as we watched and chased.
They spent most of the time in this one area, I think because it was the least crowded.
Chod thinks this place is a "white-trash" hang out, but the boys loved it (maybe they are future WT).Don't worry, we sanitized their hands before leaving.
Two sleepy little guys. I love how they both have their sippys and their heads are leaning the same direction.

Its been 5 years

since Karisa and I have taken a class together, well until tonight that is. Karisa decided to take the Interior Design class with me. Which means, once again we laugh at things no one else thinks are funny and basically annoy the teacher and the rest of the class.

Our class taking days together started at BHS with Mrs. Gummerson's trig class and continued through USU where we were students in the same major. And now we are back at it!

'Bout Time

Phew! I spent the day yesterday going through the stack of papers that has been growing next to the computer (in our "office"). Insurance papers, doctor's bills, emergency room bills, anesthesia bills, tax forms, more bills. But now they are all gone! I filed the insurance bills, checked to make sure my medical bills were being taken care by the doctor, paid what I hope are the final 2 bills for Chod's excitement in January, and finally mailed off our taxes.

Felty Finger Puppet Patterns

Here are the patterns for my felt finger puppets. Bentley likes playing with them, but not as much as the neighbor kids enjoyed them during sacrament meeting yesterday! These little guys kept the 3 of them occupied for almost the whole meeting. They were a hit!

Easter Sunday

We had a great Easter. After church Bentley continued to hunt eggs (and eat candy).
And then Grandma and Grandpa Stephens and Cameron came for dinner before we went to the community Easter Program. The dinner was fabulous. We had ham, funeral potatoes, rolls, roasted asparagus, strawberry spinach salad, and strawberry trifle for dessert. I would have taken pictures to show how delicious it turned out, but I thought the in-laws might think it a little strange to have a photo shoot before dinner--just for the sake of the blog.
From this photo you would think Chod had been in the kitchen all day preparing for the feast...but I really think the 6 o'clock meeting is to blame. (This photo is completely real, no faking what-so-ever, but too hilarious not to share with the world.) He does look pretty good in the apron, I think he could easily get a job at the local Associated Food store.

The Easter Program was very nice, with a huge collection of Greg Olson paintings on display, and an all around a nice Christ centered evening to help re-direct our thoughts from the plastic grass, Cadbury Mini Eggs, and imaginary rabbit.

The Easter Bunny made it

The Easter Bunny found our house! Bentley loved finding eggs this morning. At first he was content to only hold 1 egg at a time and then he really got into it and was climbing under chairs looking for more eggs. Of course it didn't take him long to learn that if the eggs didn't make noise there was nothing good inside. We hid 5 eggs with 1 or 2 M&Ms or jelly beans inside. He would find them and we would re-hide over and over. These 5 little eggs lasted us 20 minutes.

Do our Easter buckets look familiar? It may look like I copied Karisa, but really we both copied Pottery Barn!

Easter Puppets

I have been trying to come up with a cute idea as an Easter gift for my nursery kids. One of the girls in our class has some health problems, and isn't supposed to eat a lot of candy. So I was looking for something that would be little and not edible.

I saw these little critters (okay, not these exact ones) at Target yesterday. But they were $2 a piece and I figured that since a sheet of felt cost $0.20 I could most definitely make them myself.

The original plan was to make 2 for each child. A bunny and frog for the boys and a flower and butterfly for the little girls. Hopefully these little finger puppets also make great church distractions for the little ones!

They are turning out pretty cute and I'm planning on putting the pattern on here as soon as I have them all finished, so check back, and in the mean time go buy some felt, pom poms and googly eyes.

My Style

I signed up to take a Continuing Education class from ISU called "Interior Design" earlier this week. I was not able to convince anyone else into taking the class with me, so I seriously thought about calling to see if I could get my money refunded. I didn't know what it would be like and I am a chicken of going into the unknown by myself.

Chod talked me out of canceling.

So I went-by myself.

And I am so glad I did. I am really excited for this class. We have to pick a "project" for the class, real or pretend. There are 2 couples in the class who are in the process of building new houses, so their projects are the whole house. Five or six ladies who are redecorating their current houses, and me-the renter.

We went over styles and I decided that my style has a name, besides hand-me down and junk market. I am eclectic with mainly county and a little retro and even a little contemporary mixed in.

How can I not have a little retro in me with an awesome table like this?

And as for my project? I am still thinking about it.

Monday Happenings

Aww, spring growing in a galvanized container on my kitchen counter. So happy.
Also a round about hint to the Good Mail I sent last week.
Fannie the Flamingo was sent to Chod from Bret and Kathy. Now the lovely fowl is adding color to my shelves of black and white.
And finally the Easter project I have been putting off for weeks, maybe months, is now complete.