The Art of Home Podcast
1 year ago
Friday, October 29, 2010
SNOW
Everyone knows how much Nick and I LOVE snow so we couldn't be happier when October 27 became the first snow of the season! :-) In total there was about 1", and it didn't last more than a few hours, but it sure was PRETTY!!!
I took a couple pictures of it on my way to work. This picture--the thick white in the middle is a low-rolling-cloud. It was something I had never seen before but it was SO cool!
In Kev and Jana's neighborhood...they got more snow than anywhere else I saw that day. It's so so pretty. I'm excited for MUCH more!
side note--Utah drivers....How is it possible that ALL of them can SUCK at driving when it snows when they get snow, and a lot of it, EVERY SINGLE STINKING YEAR!!! Learn to drive in the snow, or get off the roads!!!!
I took a couple pictures of it on my way to work. This picture--the thick white in the middle is a low-rolling-cloud. It was something I had never seen before but it was SO cool!
In Kev and Jana's neighborhood...they got more snow than anywhere else I saw that day. It's so so pretty. I'm excited for MUCH more!
side note--Utah drivers....How is it possible that ALL of them can SUCK at driving when it snows when they get snow, and a lot of it, EVERY SINGLE STINKING YEAR!!! Learn to drive in the snow, or get off the roads!!!!
Moby
Quinn and Jeff stopped in Utah for the weekend on their way from Vancouver to Austin Texas. It was so great seeing them and although we didn't get enough time together, we're excited to see them again at Christmas.
When they were leaving, Quinn's fish, Moby, fell off the back of the car and his fish tank broke. Quinn decided she couldn't take Moby with her to Texas with out a bowl, so she left him for us to take care of.
Preston, especially, LOVES Moby. He feeds Moby every day and talks to him and keeps him company. I've never been a big pet-fish lover, but they are good pets for kids, and frankly, Moby is pretty entertaining. He comes to the surface of his fish bowl when I come over and talk to him. We're happy to take care of him and are just pretty glad that he didn't die after such a traumatic fall!
And yes, we do have a bigger fish bowl for him, thanks to Mama Call. :-)
When they were leaving, Quinn's fish, Moby, fell off the back of the car and his fish tank broke. Quinn decided she couldn't take Moby with her to Texas with out a bowl, so she left him for us to take care of.
Preston, especially, LOVES Moby. He feeds Moby every day and talks to him and keeps him company. I've never been a big pet-fish lover, but they are good pets for kids, and frankly, Moby is pretty entertaining. He comes to the surface of his fish bowl when I come over and talk to him. We're happy to take care of him and are just pretty glad that he didn't die after such a traumatic fall!
And yes, we do have a bigger fish bowl for him, thanks to Mama Call. :-)
Pumpkins
We found out a few years ago that Ashleigh is allergic to raw pumpkin, or the pumpkin guts, as she calls it. One year we carved pumpkins and she broke out in hives. We have no idea if it was just a fluke, but we decided that rather than take the chance, we would paint our pumpkins instead of carve them. It was a great idea and we all had fun...although, I always have a creative mental block in my head. Being a lefty, I should be artistic, but I am not. and I'm ok with that.
Nick on the other hand, has his mom's talent....his "U" for University of Utah was so perfect! I was really impressed.
Ashleigh loves anything having to do with art, crafts, etc. She basically just painted one color on top of another, but oddly, it looked really really good when she was done.
Preston just blobs the colors on. It looked like mud, but it's completely him. Both kids really enjoyed themselves and so did we.
I love their aprons. lol. So cute!
I'll get a pic of all our finished pumpkins soon....
Nick on the other hand, has his mom's talent....his "U" for University of Utah was so perfect! I was really impressed.
Ashleigh loves anything having to do with art, crafts, etc. She basically just painted one color on top of another, but oddly, it looked really really good when she was done.
Preston just blobs the colors on. It looked like mud, but it's completely him. Both kids really enjoyed themselves and so did we.
I love their aprons. lol. So cute!
I'll get a pic of all our finished pumpkins soon....
October 15
October 15th is the National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. I took some time out that day to reflect on my own loss and the loss my other family members experienced. Others did things like lighting a candle and keep it lit for 1 hour. Nick's aunt Arah bought 3 balloons, wrote the babies names and dates on them and then released them in to the sky that evening. I was so touched when we asked me what color balloon Christian should have. I never really thought about what color he would like, but when she asked, Green came to mind so that's what I chose. This is his balloon.
She also got a balloon for her own daughter--Olivia Kamille Kunz--who died shortly after she was born on November 11, 2007.
And there's a balloon for Nick's cousin's daughter who was stillborn on August 24, 2010. Mackenzie Eva Kunz.
We've decided that our family has lost too many babies and it needs to stop!
There was quite a group that gathered to release their own balloons...It's such a beautiful, touching, and sad sight....
Thank you, Arah for always remembering my son and for being in my sad sad club. You're so amazing!!! :-)
She also got a balloon for her own daughter--Olivia Kamille Kunz--who died shortly after she was born on November 11, 2007.
And there's a balloon for Nick's cousin's daughter who was stillborn on August 24, 2010. Mackenzie Eva Kunz.
We've decided that our family has lost too many babies and it needs to stop! There was quite a group that gathered to release their own balloons...It's such a beautiful, touching, and sad sight....
Thank you, Arah for always remembering my son and for being in my sad sad club. You're so amazing!!! :-)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
(HEALTHY) Chocolate Cake
Randomly I came across a chocolate cake recipe that said it was healthy. No flour, no sugar, no dairy (although isn't butter dairy?) which means--low carb and gluten free. I was intrigued and after looking over the ingredients I was a little scared....but, I had ALL the ingredients at home, so I decided to make it. The way I figure it, I'll never know if it's good or bad until I try it. Plus--with how much my kids like JUNK food, I figure if I can disguise the junk food and make it secretly healthy, then it's a win-win! :-)
The cake was basically simple to make! And turned out wonderfully....except for it was a tiny bit dry, but I didn't mind...the (very fattening) frosting helped moisten it up! :-)
Here's my cake fresh from the oven. I don't own any cake pans, so I used a disposable pie pan.
My cake after I frosted it....mmmmm.
Ashleigh's piece of cake...I didn't tell her it was any different than regular chocolate cake before she ate it. :-)
Ashleigh completely enjoying it!!! She said--"It's awesome" and later said "it's better than any chocolate cake". :-) She said she actually didn't like the frosting...it was too sweet!!! Crazy kid!
So, want to know the "secret" ingredient???
BLACK BEANS!!!!
I kid you not! I was completely repulsed by the idea that beans would be in my chocolate cake, but it worked out so well! I was so surprised! The cake was YUMMY and I will totally make it again when I need a non-guilty sweet fix! :-)
Check out the whole recipe HERE.
The cake was basically simple to make! And turned out wonderfully....except for it was a tiny bit dry, but I didn't mind...the (very fattening) frosting helped moisten it up! :-)
Here's my cake fresh from the oven. I don't own any cake pans, so I used a disposable pie pan.
My cake after I frosted it....mmmmm.
Ashleigh's piece of cake...I didn't tell her it was any different than regular chocolate cake before she ate it. :-)
Ashleigh completely enjoying it!!! She said--"It's awesome" and later said "it's better than any chocolate cake". :-) She said she actually didn't like the frosting...it was too sweet!!! Crazy kid!
So, want to know the "secret" ingredient???
BLACK BEANS!!!!
I kid you not! I was completely repulsed by the idea that beans would be in my chocolate cake, but it worked out so well! I was so surprised! The cake was YUMMY and I will totally make it again when I need a non-guilty sweet fix! :-)
Check out the whole recipe HERE.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Mt Nebo outing
My parents offered to take the kids with them to Mt. Nebo after we decided we didn't want to go. We happily let them take the kids with them and they were so excited to go!
They went to McDonalds and got these cool toys in their happy meals
There's a lake that gets filled with trout. Pretty much every time you throw your pole in, you catch a fish, but you have to pay for them. The kids haven't really been fishing before...maybe once, so it was so fun for them to be able to go fishing and actually catch some fish!
Ash said she didn't want to touch the fish. lol. I was the same way at her age.
Hahahahahhaa....Preston's wearing my mom's hat!!! This picture cracks me up!!!!
And this one too. LOL. Nice fish, though! :-)
Preston caught 5 fish, and Ashleigh caught 3. How fun!
Then they went to Mt. Nebo. As far as I understand it, you can go up to the top of the mountain, and come back down, or you can go on the loop. There are a ton of trees there, and the leaves are all changing colors so it's really really pretty this time of year. Both kids came home with some leaves they found. LOTS of them! And all different colors. So pretty! The views up there are amazing!!! I love these pictures.
Exploring in the woods with Grandpa....and putting on stick-antlers.
This part was called the Devil's kitchen....not sure why, but it looks a little scary being so high up!
On their way home, they stopped again so my dad could do some more fishing. Then they had dinner at Taco Time.
Preston was so tired, he fell asleep on the way home.
In all they were gone almost 9 hours!!! Woo Hoo! Nick and I thoroughly enjoyed our kids-free day!!! We sure missed the kids by the time they got home, but after basically not seeing each other much all week, it was incredibly nice to be able to spend quality time alone together. I am extremely grateful to my parents for taking the kids, and very thankful that my mom takes lots of pictures while they are gone so we can see all the fun that they had.
THANK YOU, MOM AND DAD!!!!!!!
They went to McDonalds and got these cool toys in their happy meals
There's a lake that gets filled with trout. Pretty much every time you throw your pole in, you catch a fish, but you have to pay for them. The kids haven't really been fishing before...maybe once, so it was so fun for them to be able to go fishing and actually catch some fish!
Ash said she didn't want to touch the fish. lol. I was the same way at her age.
Hahahahahhaa....Preston's wearing my mom's hat!!! This picture cracks me up!!!!
And this one too. LOL. Nice fish, though! :-)
Preston caught 5 fish, and Ashleigh caught 3. How fun!
Then they went to Mt. Nebo. As far as I understand it, you can go up to the top of the mountain, and come back down, or you can go on the loop. There are a ton of trees there, and the leaves are all changing colors so it's really really pretty this time of year. Both kids came home with some leaves they found. LOTS of them! And all different colors. So pretty! The views up there are amazing!!! I love these pictures.
Exploring in the woods with Grandpa....and putting on stick-antlers.
This part was called the Devil's kitchen....not sure why, but it looks a little scary being so high up!
On their way home, they stopped again so my dad could do some more fishing. Then they had dinner at Taco Time.
Preston was so tired, he fell asleep on the way home.
In all they were gone almost 9 hours!!! Woo Hoo! Nick and I thoroughly enjoyed our kids-free day!!! We sure missed the kids by the time they got home, but after basically not seeing each other much all week, it was incredibly nice to be able to spend quality time alone together. I am extremely grateful to my parents for taking the kids, and very thankful that my mom takes lots of pictures while they are gone so we can see all the fun that they had. THANK YOU, MOM AND DAD!!!!!!!
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