None of my family scrapbooks (I know... totally shocking!)... so I'm a nice sister and put together a Shutterfly Photobook of our latest trip to the zoo... I made it semi-scrapbookish....nothing fancy but that way they can all order their own book (if they want) and feel like they have fun pictures from the day.
Some day I'll do an Ode to Shutterfly and how much I loooooove them and their photobooks!
1. I don't care one single iota that Michael Jackson died. I know he was a music legend... yada yada yada... still don't care. I'm sure that makes me a bad person on some level. The cynical part of me says "Hoooray one less pervert in the world"... my other sides says "Don't judge... its none of your business... God will sort it out". Sometimes I hate that cynical me fights so much with my "trying to be a good person" side... because honestly I would be a much better person if I didn't listen to cynical me so much.
2. Every morning when I put little buddy down for his 9am nap I have this ongoing battle... do I use this time to be super productive and get stuff done while he's down.... or do I sneak in to my bed and let my tired self take a nap while the baby naps?
3. I still, nine months later have not sent out thank you cards for the baby gifts that I received. I know! I'm horrified. I had every intention of doing it while I was on maternity leave and then that didn't turn out to be the vacation that I thought it was going to be. So here I am nine months later life got busy and I still haven't written my thank you notes. What would you do? Would you still send them and just say that life got busy and that I suck but I'm so grateful for your kindness? Please share your thoughts.
4. I watch Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Home at night while I work. I know, I know. Seriously. I'm not proud of it. But in all fairness I'm actually impressed that Tori Spelling turned out as well as she did... because honestly she had all signs of being a train wreck.... but she's married and a mama and the show is strangely fascinating.
5. Right now I have 13 voicemails waiting to be checked on my cell phone... sometimes it seems like such a chore. I guess I have to be in the mood to check my voicemail and apparently I'm not in the mood right now.
We were late to our church pancake breakfast so we went out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel (like we did last year when we were late to the pancake breakfast), bought cheap fireworks and when it was dark enough we set those off... the firework show was cut short when we learned that buddy DID NOT LIKE the fireworks. And his daddy was sad that he didn't like them.
And I know that its probably mean that we took pictures of him crying during the firework show.... but OHMYGOSH he's so cute when he cries... besides I had to record his first 4th of July celebration... tears and all... right?
In all seriousness though... I'm so grateful for a day in which we celebrate our great country. I'm
so grateful the men and women who serve our country giving me the
freedom that I enjoy each day.
Happy 4th of July!!!
Me and baby boy just got back from a whirlwind trip to Utah to see my baby brother off on his 2 year LDS mission to Alabama. The trip seriously went by so fast... I didn't even get my suitcase unpacked this time... we got there and the next thing I know it was time to fly home.
Here in no particular order are my favorite moments from this trip:
1. Helping Grandpa garden... although I'm sure it was more work for Grandpa than a help but I so love this picture.
2. Meeting Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Sara for dinner. Little buddy was so in love with Tank that he couldn't focus long enough for a picture. Tank's a good sport with all the poking and pulling of an 8 month old.
3. Frolicking in the irrigation water... My parents pastures gets
irrigation water every week or so and it fills their whole back
pasture... I don't know if you've ever frolicked in irrigation water
but its quite fun... you should totally do it sometime.
4. We took a trip to the Zoo with everyone... A couple of years ago
we were teasing Jesse that his life was sooo much different than ours
growing up (he being the youngest).. he has his own room, a cell phone, a car, etc... NONE of
which I had growing up... so one time when we were teasing him he said
"Well mom and dad took you guys to the zoo... I've never even been to
the zoo!"... so its been a family joke and we decided to take Jesse to
the zoo before he left... it was hot but so fun. Highlights included the bird show, the train and the carousel.
5. Jumping on the tramp... little buddy looooved the tramp and had the best deep belly laugh whenever anybody would jump with him.
6. Yard work with Uncle Jesse... ok so I didn't really let him ride the lawnmower but its a cute picture.
7. I introduced Carrie to Happy Hour and Strawberry Limeades at Sonic... yummmy Limeades.
8. Utah grass... its fabulous... soft and cool and bug free...its one of the (many) things I miss about living there... people in Texas have no clue what they're missing out on.
9. Farewell and Open house... its always fun to catch up with family and old friends.
10. Missionary Training Center... saying goodbye to my little bookend for two years. Love you buddy!
Home again, home again jiggity jig!
If I were to leave this earth tomorrow (lets pray I don't!)... I could go knowing that I had tried to live a good life and that I had found the perfect Lemon Bar recipe. We, the Francks, loooooove lemon. All things lemon. Even our wedding cake was lemon.
A year or so ago I found this lemon bar recipe on a blog out there in blogland... it claimed to be the best lemon bar recipe out there... so I had to try it... and they were so right... it is the best (if you like lemon bars... if you don't then its probably not the recipe for you!) Then I lost the recipe in the great computer crash of '08... I was sooooo happy to stumble across the recipe again... so now I'm posting it on the blog for safe keeping (lets hope bad things never become of my blog).
my thoughts in red.
Lemon Bars
Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter, room temp
4-5 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Cream together flour and
butter. Press into a 9x13 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.
Filling:
4 eggs, room temp
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
7-8 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp lemon juice
(I use Real Lemon and add 5 tbsp... an extra tbsp for good measure)
zest of half a lemon
(I only do this step if I have a lemon in the house which I rarely do)
Slowly beat eggs. Add
remaining ingredients, one at a time, and blend well. Pour over hot crust and
return to oven. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and bake for 25 min. Completely
cool and refrigerate for a couple of hours (we sometimes do this). Sprinkle with powdered sugar &
serve.
You have to plan ahead a little when making this. It really is important that the eggs and butter be room temp (as with most baking), and it is crucial that it chills in the fridge before cutting. The center will ooze out if you skip that part...not a problem if you like things a little gooey. They are even better the next day (kind of like lasagna...)
original source:
http://annemarie-tastebuds.blogspot.com/2008/04/lemon-bars.html
Printable version:
Download Lemon Bars
1. I'm home from girls camp. It was so hot and humid and I'm majorly sunburned and so tired but it was great. Soooo good! The girls were great and helpful, the weather cooperated (the group before us got rained out) and the activities soo fun. I'll post pictures soon.
2. I got a new computer for my birthday... its loooong overdue... I've been using my work laptop for a couple of years now and I need my own. My husband swore up in down that I needed and would love a Mac... so I got tricked in to getting one. I'm in the process of transferring everything... and lets just say I'm soo NOT loving the mac right now. Grrrrr. Please tell me it gets better or I might just start crying.
3. I've got a busy week this week. Don't you just hate that. I'd really prefer to not be busy. I also really want a vacation... and do not be confused... Girls Camp does NOT count as a vacation... on so many levels.
4. I really wish I could come up with a fun and witty #4... but alas I'm way too tired. Maybe another day.
5. A very happy Father's day to my sweet dad (who is currently in Jerusalem and I couldn't call)... and a very very happy Father's day to my husband who is celebrating his first father's day. Oh how I love this picture... my boys in their sweater vests... doesn't get any cuter than that!
It's here. Ready or not.
If the stars align the collecting, gathering and packing could go very quickly and smoothly this afternoon... if they don't then its going to be a loooooong night. I'm praying for the first... won't be surprised if its the second.
Tents, coolers and Ice chest to still collect and pack. Food is purchased. We did a major Sam's Club run this morning in addition to the all day shopping marathon we did Friday at Walmart... I still have another trip to Walmart this afternoon and possibly a second trip this night to pick up the things I forgot with at the afternoon run.
My baby has an ear infection (and a trip to the doctor this morning!)... My sister was going to fly in to watch him but then at the last minute we all decided it was better for her to be with my little brother who leaves on his mission next week. So plan B a dear sweet friend offered to watch him during the day... ear infection and all.
It's been a great group effort and lots and lots of planning and work has gone in to this... I hope the girls have a wonderful time and that its everything we hope it will be for them (and maybe much more). I hope the weather cooperates and that the girls will be pleasant and kind with each other (they should... we have great girls!)...
And so I'm off early in the morning to the Oklahoma wilderness... wish me luck!
It's getting harder and harder to do the bear pictures... lol... I'm sure Mr. Bear doesn't love it much either.
I was going through my camera and came across these pictures I'd taken from little buddy's last photo shoot... this is sooo him right now... in to everything!!! He's got such a fun personality...
For my own record I need to get updated and post months4, 5, 6, 7 & now 8... I think the last month I posted was 3. Even though I'm behind on posting them I'm so glad I've kept a journal and kept track of stuff... its so easy to forget all the little things.
It's all going by so fast!
This post is an attempt to catch up on documenting some of our summer activities thus far.
I've gotten bad about blogging on a regular basis and I know someday (when I make my blurb book) I'll be sad about that I didn't keep better track of our day to day stuff ... Life is busy and full and I love almost every second of it!
1. A couple of weeks Joey went to the Special Olympics while I stayed home with a sick baby. He didn't even want to go. But when he got home he said it was one of the greatest experiences of his life. I'm not bitter. Really, I'm not. I love this picture though...
2. A week or so ago friends invited us to go to the lake for a fun evening at the beach (and to introduce us to some people they are trying to fellowship). So we all drove to the beach and it was closed. And so were the other four beaches that we drove to in the next hour...so we ended up at the base of the dam. I didn't know that people really swam at the dam. But it appears they do... because every redneck between here and Oklahoma City seemed to be at the dam. No lyin'. They were blaring their country music and drunk off their behinds. It was quality good times. Actually it wasn't that bad. Sometimes I exaggerate for effect.
3. Last week I celebrated another birthday... for my birthday I wanted to go feed the ducks. I love feeding the ducks. And apparently so does little buddy... he laughed and squealed with delight. It was awesome.
4. As part of Birthday Palooza my husband planned a trip to Canton for me... awww... so sweet. So the three of us went to Canton and it was lovely. I don't know how much Joey loved it but he was a great sport and it was a fun finale for birthday week.
5. I made jam for the first time. it turned out perfect.... and was WAY easy... for some reason I thought it was going to hard... Thank you Sure-jell and Rebekah for detailed directions. Baby boy was in his high chair in kitchen with me, I was singing along with the radio and I was making jam... it was a perfect moment and my life was exactly where I always wanted it to be.
6. I got to meet up with old Creating Keepsakes friends who were in town for a show in Arlington (not with CK)... it was so fun!! And no, we're not advertising beer... I miss you Laura!! It was so good to see you!!
7. Over the weekend we took a road trip to visit Joey's mom who was visiting her parents... family time is always fun... and I loved getting a four generational picture. I've never had great grandparents and now I have no grandparents so I love that little buddy has this picture of his grandma and great grandparents... the weekend was short but it was a good time had by all (except for Rosie the dog who did not appreciate the fact that a little boy was beyond thrilled to see her!)
(I think Joey's Grandma looks so pretty in this picture! I hope I look this good someday)
(poor Rosie... constantly being chased... even when she tries to hide behind the chair)
8. I love this picture of little buddy in the old yellow highchair at Great Grandma's house... its the same chair that his Daddy sat in some 30+ years ago. And yes, someday it will be a scrapbook page.
9. Little buddy looooooves the water so we bought a family pass to the city pool (which has a great children's area!)... today was our first pool outing and it was a smashing success... he was having so fun that he wouldn't eat and wouldn't take a small nap... there was just too much fun to be had... when we finally left for the day he crashed and took a looooong nap... It should be a fun summer!
(and don't worry... he has 85 spf sunscreen on... he did have a swimsuit on but it wasn't working out so well.)
10. Girls Camp is less than a week. Panic mode is in full gear!
1. I'm a lame blogger these days. sorry.
2. I broke my pampered chef batter bowl today. I thought it was indestructible... but I assure you it is not when it falls out of a cupboard and lands on the kitchen floor... It smashed in to a million little pieces and took almost an hour to clean up. That was just the cherry on my day. Plus I was sad. I love my pampered chef batter bowl. Boo.
3. We had a crash course in Dutch Oven cooking tonight... Heaven help me that I remember it for girls camp. Thanks for kind friends who teach me the way.
4. I went to Sam's Club today to buy strawberries... which in itself was an adventure. The strawberry slot was empty. So I stood by the associates door for 20 min waiting to see somebody who could help me. Normally I'm not so bold. But I needed them! So I waited and waited and waited (meanwhile calling my bff Jennie who works at Sam's Club in Utah to see if she knew why there were no Strawberries in small town Texas and when they would have them back in. I'm glad that Jennie gets me and my warped humor)... Finally somebody appeared. And she found a small stack in the produce refrigerator. So I bought them all. Little buddy did not care about my strawberry triumph. He just wanted to go home. As is evidence by the picture I snapped while waiting for the produce associate.
And then this was right before his meltdown where he was really really done and wanted out of the cart.
5. Lots and lots that I want to blog about... just busy with girls camp prep, life, baby with 104.3 fever for two days, work, planting my little garden, celebrating a birthday, feeding the ducks, planning stuff for this summer, pool invites, exercising with the wii fit (I stink at the hoolahoop)... lots of stuff keeping me busy. Be back soon.
