Eating paper

Yes, that's what I said...eating paper.

Have you ever come across a set of paper (or fabric or any pattern) that just looks so good you could eat it? I've had my eye on this Green Stack from Joann's ever since it came out. I would sit and flip thru it's pages and just look at each page...the cute little characters, the beautiful stripes, and amazing flowers...I had to restrain myself from taking a bite out of each page Ü.

I finally did something with it...instead of just looking at it. I made a bunch of random cards. Nothing special, just some nice and simple cards to have on hand. I also made a Mother's Day gift out of it...but wasn't able to take a picture b/c I have misplaced my SIM card, ugh. (come back SIM, come back!) Hopefully the recipients of these gifts will take pictures for me, ahem.

But it's not just paper....I've found patterns I absolutely adore in these lovely brads...

And this lovely fabric....

And this lovely fabric....both of which I am going to make in these awesome flower pins for me to wear on Mother's day. I wanted to make one for every mother in the ward, thats how much I love them. But I can't cut fabric that fast. Ü

Yum.

Pictures!

A few short weeks ago, Missy took our family pictures. I picked them up from her yesterday and have been so excited to post them!
Missy had asked me to make sure I tell her which one was my favorite....and I'd have to say it is this one:Can you guess why?
And this would be my favorite family picture:The look captured on Aube's face is just so HER!

The only way to get the girls to smile!!

I'm so speechless! I can't wait to get these babies up on my wall! Ü

By request...

Pumpkin Bars (Cupcakes)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 -15 oz can of pumpkin
1 cup cooking oil

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt & cloves. Stir in eggs, pumpkin and oil till mixed thoroughly. Spread batter into ungreased pan. Or fill 24 cupcake liners.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (for bars) or 22-25 minutes (for cupcakes). Cool on wire rack & frost with cream cheese frosting, cut into bars (or just eat the cupcakes). Frosting optional, cupcakes are good with or without it.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 -3oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1 tsp of vanilla
2 1/4 to 2 3/8 cups of powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well....gradually at the rest of the powdered sugar.

Miracles do happen!

I started today with a new habit...of WORKING OUT....*GASP* I know, hard to believe, huh? I say that I have "started a new habit" because that's what I would like this to be come....a habit...an obsession. You know how you see those people who LOVE to workout...LOVE to run. Yeah, I want to be one of them!
Shannon and I have commited to going to the rec center (with FREE babysitting, glooooorious *in my best Jenny voice**) 3 times a week! A couple of things jumpstarted this new phase. Jenny talked about how she would go and work out at a rec center near her house and they had a daycare for the kiddos...this put the thought into my head, I thought it would be so cool to do, but yet with my schedule working till 4am, there would be no way I could be consistent with it! Well....then I got a little promotion at work and my schedule was switched from 8p-4a to 6p-2a. Which is STILL pretty late, yes...but you would never know the difference 2 hrs makes unless you've done it! SO...all of a sudden, getting up at 7:30 or 8am isn't a horrible thought anymore! It's amazing to think that just 2 hours can open up soooo many horizons! And 3rd-ly, what kicked it up a notch, was a picture taken in Arizona of me from the side and I looked PREGNANT. Seriously...it's hard enough to actually BE pregnant and gain that weight, but to NOT be pregnant and still LOOK pregnant, thats enough to make me want to barf! Ü
So...this morning we started, I was late *of course* but was able to get in an hour (thank you for doing this with me Shannon!). I need to get a schedule down, so each time I go I can feel as if I have accomplished something. A friend at work gave me the website for Shapefit, in which I can hopefully find some specific things to drop this weight I have accumulated! Seriously at least 85 lbs since I have been married. EIGHTY FIVE POUNDS. What a relief to be able to drop a 10 year old child off my back!!