Gabriel Dodge

The Christmas Uglies

After all the door bell-ditching is done

(and this year we were caught several times over!),

the kids finally settled in for the "uglies"

(a.k.a. cookies not pretty enough

- meaning they're crumbly or cracked-

to go on the door bell ditch plate).

Let me tell you,

there is nothing tastier! 

{smile}

Happy 30th, Jessica!

 

Old people,

meaning myself,

do get there kicks in now and then,

and never more so than when

we're welcoming the young'uns into the club!

Our newest member:

Jessica Elmer

Complete with gynormous old lady painties

(note the dainty white rosette),

"padded" slippers, a cane,

and an assortment of products

necessary for every infirm person's lifestyle

(Beano, anyone?)!

H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y,  J E S S !

You rock, 30!



Guess Where?

Before & After: My New Baking Station

The holidays always give me the project bug,

and this year is no exeption!

I've been obsessed with baking stations of late...

an area of your kitchen designated for...

well, baking!

And found this gorgeous piece on Craigslist

-complete with a marble-top-

and set to work!

Ta-da!

H A P P Y  B A K I N G  T O  M E !

{note}

Shortly after this post,

the wall anchors from the top shelf pulled out

and everything

-and I mean, EVERYTHING-

came shattering onto the floor!

Samuel came away with a nasty cut on the head,

and I suffered a garbage can full of my pretties!

Lesson learned:

75 lb. Wall Anchors

Buy them!

Team 803

Samuel has the greatest privelege of

working with the young men of our ward

as Assistant Varsity Coach.

He loves it,

unfortunately,

being enrolled in an aggresive MBA program,

working fulltime for the city,

being a father of five rascalians,

and husband to ME,

stretches him extemely thin and

makes it impossible to attend all

the activities like he'd like to.

Thank goodness for school breaks,

when we ALL benefit from seeing him  little bit more!

Go Team 803!

School's Out...And Leaves Are Scratchy

With Samuel back at school for his MBA,

we developed a tradition to celebrate and

kick-off his summer or winter breaks:

We ALL go to school

on his last day of class and

bum around until he's officially done!

The kids love exploring the campus,

and I love not waiting at home another night!

This year, being winter break,

the leaves were everywhere which

provided endless entertainment for the kiddos.

The downside?

Leaves don't feels so good down in the all

the nooks and crannies-

which is where they absolutely end up

when you play like these kids do!

HAPPY WINTER BREAK

and...

ONLY ONE MORE

SEMESTER TO GO!!!

Life in the Car

Documented by:

Iris & Owen Elmer

Thanks, Hungry Girl!

"Hungry Girl",

one of our favorite must see programs

on the Food Network,

has some crazy, super-easy, and healthy recipes

for the whole family!

Thanks, "Hungry Girl"!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas...

Official Christmas decorating

began somewhat unconventionally

with a sink bath for Gabriel.

True,

he's too big for the sink,

but he needed a bath,

and what can I say,

I was feeling nostaligic...

so in he went!

Then...

the real fun began!

*

Peeps

Nativities

Paper Chains

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Merry

Christmas!