Ballet Recital

Bailey's dance recital was last saturday and she did GREAT!  She remembered the routine and wasn't nervous at all to get up there!  Just another reminder of how big she is getting.

I told her I wanted some pictures - and here's the poses she came up with. :)  Of course Lex had to get in on the action.

A HUGE treat for Bai - she got to wear a little bit of makeup

Getting her medal

Ms. Rachel and the whole class

Bai and two of her best friends - Kristy and Leyanna.

Zucchini Oat Bread

We are already getting zucchini from our garden.  And while I love my normal zucchini bread recipe - I saw this one last summer and wanted to try it.  It has become one of my favorites and my kids love it.  However I asked Matt today how he liked it and he said..."It's ok.  You can tell it's healthy."  Good to know since I've been making it for the last year. 

Anyway....I think it's delicious and wanted to share.

Zucchini Oat Bread

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. Combine 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon; set aside. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and remaining cinnamon; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until foamy. Add remaining sugar, the applesauce, butter, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in zucchini, nuts, and raisins. Spoon into prepared pan. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture.
2. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack. Wrap and store several hours before slicing. Makes 16 slices.

**I bake it in two loaves instead of one big one - so it only needs to bake about 45-50 minutes.  So good toasted with a little bit of butter on it!  Yum!

Twirly Skirt and Fabric Flower

For some strange reason I was in the mood to sew today.  The older kiddos were watchin a movie with Dad and Lex was napping - so I decided to make Bai a quick skirt.  I've made lots of variations of skirts for my girls, but I saw this tutorial and wanted to try it.  The only thing I changed was adding the ribbon - I thought it needed something more since my fabric was solid.

I love the way it turned out and Bailey LOVES it - she's pretty easy to please.  Not bad for a skirt made from my scrap pile!

I saw an idea a couple weeks ago on a blog and I can't find it again for the life of me!!!  I wish I could so I could give credit.  Anyway - you just take some silky fabric (yep-that's the technical term), cut out some circles of different sizes, and burn the edges with a lighter til they curl up.  Then just glue them together and stick on a clip!  I love, love, love the way this turned out!  So simple and so stinkin cute!  Luckily I have lots of different scraps of silky fabric - so I'm gonna make a bunch more!

I'm trying to decide if it's too big?  I might make some smaller ones for Lex. . .

It was a fun little saturday afternoon project - what better way to ignore the big stack of dishes in my sink?!!

Mommy to Mom to Mother

MOTHERS

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.....

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'

And get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...

It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother....

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't know everything!

14 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother? She wouldn't have a clue.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's so five minutes ago.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart,the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

-----------------------------------------
Happy Mother's Day to my mom.  She is amazing - she is my role model of how to be a mom.  Hopefully one day I can live up to her great example.


Happy Mother's Day to my MIL - she is such a strong and dedicated person who loyal to her family and will always stick by them.


And Happy Mother's Day to all you other great mom's out there!  I have so many friends that are GREAT mothers and encourage me to be a better person and mom!

Pat's Run 2010

Matt and Kaden did Pat's Run this year - they both did great!  I'm really proud of Matt for all his hard work - he is in great shape and a lot thinner and fitter than this time last year.  He finished the race in a great time and is excited to try some longer races.

After Matt's race and getting ready for the Kid's Run. . . I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised that Kaden was willing and even excited for his race.  You just never know with that kid.

Bailey enjoyed the bounce house while we were waiting for the race to start.

Kaden "trying" to run.  After they finished I asked Kaden how it was. 
"SO LAME! I was trying to run fast but there were too many people and they were going so slow!"  Ya think he might be a tad bit competetive?

Kaden's mad about the race, Bailey couldn't wear her shoes one second longer because her feet hurt SO bad, and Lexie was just plain tired and grouchy!

After the race we headed back to the lite rail station.  (I think riding the train was the highlight of the day for the kids) On the way, some girl gave the kids balloons - and thank goodness for that!  That cheered the girls right up . . .

. . . not so much with Kaden.

Easter

We were able to go visit Nana and Papa for Easter / General Conference weekend.  We had a great time!

Grandpa Mullenaux's Farm

Walked up the big hill at the farm - which Kaden "discovered" and named Kaden's Hill.

The beautiful view from Kaden's Hill

Going on an Easter hayride is a tradition in our family - we ALWAYS did this at my Payne grandparents house when I was growing up.  A hayride down to the Virden beaches! :)

Coloring Eggs

Easter Egg Hunt and Picnic

Playing at Ash Creek

Shayla and Neva

Dad rockin the easter hat!

Easter Morning

Instead of baskets, the easter bunny brought sand buckets to use at the beach next week!  He's so smart...

We had a great weekend.  Thanks Mom and Dad for everything!

My little photographers

Found these on my camera yesterday when I uploaded pics.  My sweet little photographers. . .

Projects

Just a few projects I've done the past few weeks. . .

My mom made the girls some darling skirts - so I made some fabric flowers to match.  These things are my new favorite hair accessory - I think they are so darling and so easy to make!  I learned how to do it from my friend Stephanie on her blog Somewhat Simple.

I think this denim one is my favorite - I love it!

Another project we finally got around to is painting the den - Matt did most of it during his spring break.  And I found some curtains I LOVE!  They look ALOT better in real life - you can't really see the print in this picture.  I bought the curtains but they weren't long enough and had a ruffle thing on the top.  So I bought the matching valance, cut it up, and added it to the bottom, then re-did the top. . . blah, blah, blah.  Anyway, I love them!

Kaden had his spring concert (excuse me, I mean PERFORMANCE - Kaden kept reminding me) this week - "A Musical Menu".  He had to have an apron - so I made one just his size.  It's super simple and made from scrap material, but he loved it so it's a success in my book!

Making his apron reminded me of this darling idea I saw and wanted to do.  So I grabbed some dishtowels at the dollar store and made these artist aprons for all my kiddos!  Ok - well, I made one.  But I'll get around to the rest one of these days!

I also made some felt flowers and stitched them onto some flip flops for Bai - but I can't find them for the life of me.  So you'll just have to use your imagination. 

I love having a project to work on - what better or more fun way to procrastinate cleaning toilets or doing dishes?!!