Golfing with Daddy

A big day for the Bo-man.

The night before he slept with his score card (piece of copy paper) and marker in hand.

The next morning he was at our bedside, 7:30am, staring at us, just waiting for Daddy to wake up.

He and Daddy then put on their best golfing outfits and were on their way.

Bowen came home with a very impressive score card that he'd filled out himself.

Apparently he finished at 42 under and Daddy finished at 45 under.

Amazing.

Bowen kept that score card with him EVERYWHERE HE WENT for about a week.

It got crinkled and we straightened it.

It tore and we taped it.

Then a few days ago Bowen decided he wanted to write Daddy a Thank You note...

In Bowen's own words it says

"I love you. Play golf with Daddy. Bowen and Daddy."

I thought it was EXTREMELY sweet.

Eclipse Premiere

I say "Premiere" because we actually got to see it EARLY... at 5pm on Tuesday instead having to wait until midnight.

Yes, I feel very priveledged.

And I'm surprised you even have to ask what I thought of it. I'm so biased it's not even funny. Actually it is funny.

I only got 2 pictures and I look equally disturbing in both of them so I'm not discriminating against either one.

Me, Melora, Emily, and Elizabeth.

Notice my extremely cool Edward watch? The watch actually doesnt' even work but that's so beside the point.

We had a Sas N spice picnic beforehand in which I brought my rainbow cake and Elizabeth brought an amazing fruit salsa and cinnamon chips. I would post the recipe but she's hoarding it for her own selfish purposes. JK, as soon as I get it I'll be posting it.

The Rainbow Cake

First of all let me introduce you to James' 1 year birthday cake...

The look James is giving in this picture is priceless.

I think it means, "This? This is the cake you made for my first birthday?"

It's called "throw a box cake in the oven and don't even frost it".

The kids were THRILLED, though. I love that.

It takes so little to please them.

Not but 2 days later I whipped up this little beauty for my sassy friends of the "Sas N Spice I Love Edward" club.

Nevertheless, this is the cake I SHOULD'VE had for James' birthday. You know it's beautiful.

I, personally, had SO MUCH FUN making it.

The vibrantness of the colors just makes me giddy.

Think of the possibilities now for future cakes...

Red and blue Dr. Seuss cake.

Red, white and blue 4th of July cake.

Blue and orange Gator cake.

Pink and... lighter pink cake just for myself.

The possibilities are ENDLESS.

And it was so easy.

Idea courtesy of... The Idea Room.

Thanks, Jodi, for the recommendation.

Here's a little bit of the process...

Blurb Book 2008

So much cuter!
LOVE Blurb!

BRYAN & MARIE Bernhardt FAMILY 2008 | Make Your Own Book

Hotel Park City

Bryan went to a BYU Alumni silent auction and won on a bid for a one night stay at Hotel Park City and dinner for 2 at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

It's a hard life I tell ya.

Here's Hotel Park City
And here's a picture of the cow I ate at Ruth's Chris.
I ate an entire lobster also.

But if I was being honest... the crab stuffed mushrooms were my favorite.
Here's a copycat recipe that I MUST try at some near future point.

Bryan spent most of his time at the AWLS Conference.

What is a girl to do with hours on end in a super nice hotel in Park City?
I took myself to mainstreet and...
I meandered.
I strolled at a leisurely pace.
I roamed and took pictures of things that make me happy.
like this...You know what else makes me happy?
Pictures of old guns.
Park City was full of 'em.

Next on my To Do list?
To go see Mr. and Mrs. Barnes & Noble.

We had a very nice chat.
I was only there for 5 hours.
I filled my time with literature such as this...




The truth about Mr. & Mrs. Barnes & Noble is...
I never buy one book from them not one.
(except for the Twilight series but that was an emergency)

I go there for their latte's and to gawk.
Kidding. Actually, for their blueberry scones and to gawk.

I then proceed to whip out my iphone with my amazingly cool amazon app and order the very same books I've been gawking at for 1/3 the retail price.

One of my most favorite things ever on this entire planet is receiving books in the mail that I've ordered.

Which brings me to my next point...
The library ladder.
Dear Library Ladder, please come and be apart of my next home forever and ever.
Dear Mrs. Lots of Big Windows by my Bathtub.
Please come and be apart of my future home for ever and ever.
Dear Mr. Granite topped computer desk in kitchen area with windows.
Please be apart of my next future home for ever and ever.Dear Mrs. Basket full of Garlic and Onions Strategically Incorporated into the Kitchen Island. Please be apart of my next future home forever and ever.
Dear Mr. Homemade window box.
Please be a future project of mine.Dear totally cool wall painting... incorporate yourself into my talent system please.Announcement:
I found my house.
I mean, I found a picture of the exact color scheme and style that I would do my house in...

Yep, that is exactly similar to how I would do my kitchen.
Pictures like this just make me giddy.

Um, that's it.

I am my kids mom

A Dr. Laura saying.
I'm kind of in to her lately.
She is so rude. And so right.

This is Bowen's Mother's Day Survey...

What is your mother's job? Clean my room.
What does she do when you are at preschool? Read books.
What makes your mom happy? Take a picture.
What is your mom's favorite thing to do? Pick up toys.
Why do you love your mom? Cuz I do.He is just Yummo!

Uncle Ben and Aunt Libby watched our boys last weekend while we went on a much needed sabbatical.
One of Two things is evidenced in the picture below.

#1: He mushed their faces into weird contortions.
#2: He dressed Bowen in Bryson's clothes and Bryson in Bowen's clothes.HAHAHAHAHAHA! We had a real good laugh about that one.

Sas N Spice Got Sliced

We are half strong now but we carry on nevertheless. We must have venues to get our sas out. That's our motto.

The meeting place...

Which is my one and only picture of a human. Meet a very tiny picture of Elizabeth and Austin. All following pictures are of food and rightly so since we are obsessed with culinary pursuits. Well... and good conversation.

Meet Mr. Apple Cobbler. He tasted like Christmas. Emily thought Mr. Chocolate dipped eclair made for a good garnishment. You be the judge. Next up is Miss Best Ever White Bread. Here's the link...
Mr. Snicker Doodle
And Miss Broccoli Cheese Pie. Homemade crust is worth the pastry blending that it demands. I must own an expensive food processor at some future point.

Swagger Wagon

I mean, the swagger that it exudes...

And do you not think the top of the little bycicle peaking it's way into the picture just adds to the amount of coolness?

This video typifies with exactness how I feel about my ride!

"Where the kids at?"

MY BLURB BOOK

Check me out! I did my first blurb book. It's a little rough around the edges but the CONCEPT is SO COOL! I LOVE having the most important pics and events in our lives documented, so to speak. I did the year 2007. You can preview it below just to see how cool this program is. I top secretly want to do every year of my life... and then do Bryans, and my dad's, and my mom's... and my Grandma's...
*sigh* anyway...

BRYAN & MARIE BERNHARDT FAMILY 2007 | BOOK INFO

Cinni Mini's

This picture does them absolutely no justice.
These. Were. Awesome!
I LOVED these!
I LOVED these!
Did I already say that?

They're actually called Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies. Courtesy of The Picky Palate.
I discovered them on my cousin, Miranda's cooking blog of which most of my discoveries come from lately.

Not only are they so delicous... they're mini... and cute... and that makes them irresistable.

TRY THEm!

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Bryan thought these were... Incredible.
Contains a box of pudding. Exciting, huh?
Recipe HERE.

Everything Nice

That's what we're all about... all things nice (with a little sas and a little spice).
But really most things nice.
I mean, check out the presentation...
I really wish I had my bonnet... and maybe a pair of nylons.
If I owned a pair of either that would help.

Always good conversation at our Sas 'n Spice meetings.
A little finger-pointing.... ya know! Only nice things.Our first guest of honor... Blackberry Halibut.
I don't remember exactly how Elizabeth made it.
Only that it was delicious and a lot of fun to smash the blackberries.

Paired with the Blackberry Halibut we have Emily's Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts.
Yum!
Walnuts and Pears should marry.

Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts Recipe:

1 Tbs. minced shallots
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
6 c. baby arugula leaves
2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced
1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add arugula and pears to dressing in the bowl; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Next we have Judy's Green Beans, Feta & Pecans medley.
The crunchy, the nutty, the feta-y... !

1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans trimmed & cut into 1 in. pieces
2/3 c. olive oil
1 t dried dill weed
1/3 c white wine vinegar
1/2 t minced garlic
1/4 t salt
1/4 t ground pepper
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans - toasted
1/2 c. diced red onions
1 c. crumbled feta cheese

Cook green beans in large sauce pan of boiling water (about 4 min.). Drain, immerse in cold water, drain and pat dry. In small bowl, combine olive oil, dill, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to blend. Place beans in shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with pecans, red onion and feta. Just before serving, top with dressing and toss.

Next we have Megan's Corn-fish Chowder.
This had parts of a large deep-sea fish in it.
I LOVE fish!

Along with our deep-sea fish chowder we had Nicole's sausagy rice stuff that I'm still thinking about...
Recipe Nicole?
For dessert: simple strawberry pie. I mean, a real fake one.
We're talking Danish dessert and Pillsbury crust.


Pillsbury refrigerated pie dough
Cut up Strawberries
1 box Strawberry danish dessert (in the jello aisle)
Just add water.


And then to top it off...
Melora's Strawberry Sorbet. Hand-churned (by a machine) ( :
It was velvet.

Strawberry sorbet

4 C hulled strawberries, quartered

3/4 C sugar

1/3 C fresh lemon juice

1/3 C heavy cream

2 1/2 T fruit juice

In a food processor combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and process until smooth. Add the cream and juice. Stir until combined. Freeze in an ice cream maker. Serve in chocolate cups with raspberry sauce (if desired).

I'm bringing a bonnet next time for sure.
Or maybe a corset and a bussel. I can't decide.
Either one.
But nylons for sure.

( :

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

E-mealz.com

LOVE THIS!
For a nominal fee ($5/month) they let you download their weekly meal plans.These plans feed 4-6 people 7 meals for under $80. (They have other plans, too, like for 2 people and such.)
Their meal plans are store specific (such as Walmart) and they give you an aisle by aisle grocery list and the current price of each item.Why do I love this?Because $80/week for 6 people is pretty dang good!
AND, they've already compiled the plan and the lists for me.
WORTH EVERY PENNY!
This is a 'feed the family at minimal cost' philosophy. Efficient use of funds. LOVE THAT!
Of course, this doesn't include Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast that I'll be cooking AGAIN this Sunday.
Completely MOUTH MELTY!Jill says it is "the best roast she's ever had".LOVE that kind of talk.


Reusable Lunch Bags at Lunchskins.com

LOVE the idea. Since we use about a billion ziplock bags.
Save money. Save the planet.
$7.95 for one, though, seems a little steep. Haven't made the purchase yet.



The Old Testament Made Easier by David J. Ridges.
AWESOME BOOK!
Goes verse by verse.
It's even better than reading the scriptures by iphone where any footnote you want is just a tap away.


Settlers of Catan

Confession: Bry and I let the kids play the wii for hours on end so we can play this game to our hearts content.
This is the end result...


How jealous are you of my Mickey Mouse Pancakes?


James says he wants one...