Celebrating Summer: Red, White, and Blue

I'm not much of a baker (I like it . . . but it seems to take up a lot of time, and it creates a lot of unnecessary treats around my house that I end up eating) but every once in a while I get a baking bug. Today was once of those days. When I was little, at Christmas time I remember helping my mom make some delicious cookies called Festive Cream Sandwiches. It had been forever since we have made these. I could barely remember how they tasted. When Ruby was blessed I asked my mom to bring some of these cookies and when I bit into one they were even better than I remembered them. I have been thinking about them ever since. We only made them at Christmas time, but I thought why not make them to celebrate our upcoming holiday, the 4th of July! So the kids and I had a lot of fun making these cookies with a Red, White, and Blue flare.

I made the dough and the kids rolled it into marble sized balls and smashed the balls with a fork.

Then came the frosting . . .

I really had to take a step back and tell myself that it didn't really matter how they looked. The kids were having a great time . . . and they all taste the same, right?!?!

Collin just couldn't resist. After he got frosting on his first cookie, he put the top on it and started eating! MMmmMmm!!!!

Sophie couldn't resist either. Only instead of going for the cookies, she went straight for the frosting. Watching her lick that knife makes you want to eat some of our cookies, doesn't it?

Those look so yummy!

And they taste yummy too! You know you want one!

Later in the evening, I told Sophie she did an excellent job making cookies and that she should be a baker when she grows up. She didn't like that idea. It doesn't fit with her plans of becoming a Fire Fighter AND a Teacher! Such a cute girl!

Dragonfly

Last night Ruby and I stepped outside just to be out of the house for a minute (do you ever have times like that?) and found a ton of these little guys flying around our bushes. It was pretty fun to watch them and the kids enjoyed them too! Maybe the wind brought them . . . who knows? But we enjoyed having them here!

Celebrating Summer: Parades

It's that time again! I can't believe it is almost July. Holy cow! With July comes parades, fireworks, BBQ's, and good times with family. The kids and I were lucky enough to go to the West Bountiful parade with my parents last weekend. I love a good parade and it is so fun to take my kids and share in their excitement of it. It was a great day for a parade and we had a lot of fun.

This is how Collin spent a great deal of the parade. He is my little sensitive guy and he was worried that every truck was going to make a LOUD noise.

Grandma and Ruby hung out in the shade together. They made a good team! Neither one of them liked being in the sun.

I love this picture. After Collin 'warmed up' to the parade he started getting down to the music. He has this move that he learned from gymnastics that he calls "shake my seat!' He puts his hands on his hips and shakes them back and forth. It is seriously the cutest thing you have ever seen. I will occasionally ask him to do it throughout the day just for a good laugh. Love that boy!

Hooray for parades! And Hooray for candy! Probably their favorite part was collecting the tons and tons of candy that was thrown our way. Seriously there was so much!

Celebrating Summer: Summer Nights

We spent a wonderful summer night at a local pond feeding the ducks, taking walks, and collecting rocks. Collin had his pockets filled and was so careful to keep checking to make sure that they were still there!

Our feathered friends that eagerly ate all of our bread! The kids loved feeding these ducks. You know how you feed some ducks and they can be a little too aggressive and come after you in search of more bread. These ducks weren't like that at all and so the kids weren't scared a bit and just really had a great time feeding them. I think Sophie had a special love for the only white duck ... she kept trying to feed just that one. Unfortunately the other ducks had other thoughts about that!

Check out that arm ... and that smile! I love seeing my kids enjoying themselves. There really is nothing better.

Collin had a hard time deciding on whether to feed the ducks the bread or eat it himself. He loved feeding the ducks, but made sure that he had a few bites as well!

I tried to teach Collin how to skip and he was so cute leaping down the trail. Sophie had a good time racing with dad and Ruby enjoyed being out and about.

Oh those Summer Ni-ights!

Sorry if you now have that song in your head after reading this post. I am totally singing it now!

Dinosaur Park

I took the kids to Dinosaur Park in Ogden yesterday for a fun day out in the sunshine. We all had a great time. It was neat because our neighbors and friends just happened to be there too. We enjoyed walking around the park looking at all of the dinosaurs and exploring hidden trails.

Cute kids having a great time in the dino cave.

Man I look at this picture of Collin and wonder where in the world my little boy went. He is growing up so fast.

They may be the "WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS CREATURES" but they sure are the cutest! Sophie totally didn't get the concept of this . . . the other girls were making scary monster faces and Sophie kept shouting "I'm in jail!" We love Sophie!

Digging for bones!

Cute Ruby Jane just chillaxin' in her stroller watching all of the crazy kids running circles around her.

What a FUN day!

Celebrating Summer: Backyard Swimming

I am loving summer right now. The warm weather. The sunshine. All of it! So I thought I would do some posts documenting us celebrating summer.

Yesterday was beach week at the kids gymnastics class so they wore their swim suits and instead of having them get dressed when they got home I got out the pool and we created out own beach in the backyard . . . well, sort of. The kids loved it. They splashed, and splashed. I quite enjoyed myself too sitting in the shade with my feet up watching my 2 cute kids while my other cute kid slept soundly inside the house. What a perfect afternoon. I am sure we will be doing a lot more backyard swimming! And of course, I took a lot of pictures.

Look at those cute freckles!

I just love this face. . . and those eyes - just warming up after a great swim and splash fest!

Happy Father's Day

I just wanted to take a second and wish Logan a Happy Father's Day! He is so special to us. I really wanted to make a big deal out of this day so that he would know how much we love him. But really, I can't adequately put into words or expressions just how much he means to us. What a wonderful father and husband he is. I hope you had a wonderful day!

His morning started out with this...

Fruit and Cheese Stuffed French Toast and a Strawberry Mango Smoothie.

In bed.

Yummy!!

He was showered with little loving details like this...

A portrait of himself drawn by Sophie complete with glasses and whiskers!

A couple of super cute hand made tie cards with some loving messages!

Packages wrapped in paper covered with his children's foot prints!

And...

This totally awesome tie that Sophie picked out and embellished with love just for him!

They sure do love him (almost as much as I do)!!

Sophie, Collin, and Ruby are so blessed to be surrounded by Great Grandpa's, Grandpa's, a Father, and a Heavenly Father that love them unconditionally. Happy Father's Day!