Blueberry Flavor

A little boy to even things out...due Dec. 18th.  We are excited!  Feel free to share name suggestions.
  

Birthday Fun

Bryce really is amazing. My birthday dinner was too beautiful to go without a picture. Bacon wrapped filet mignon, topped with a broiled crusted blue-cheese, served with the best mashed potatoes I have had in my life (sauteed mushroom garlic), bruschetta, and personal-size lemon meringue pies.  (Placemats courtesy of Taylor and Dakota the platters.)  A fun birthday dinner.

Gourmet Dinner

My family has a tradition of a five-course gourmet dinner cooking challenge. Each couple/group is assigned a course, and all chefs are judged on taste and presentation. We had never made sushi before, and I was pretty confident my youngest siblings hadn't tried it, so we decided it was worth a try. Either they'd love it or hate it, and we took our chances.

Appetizer: Bryce and Pam

Dish: Sushi, sashimi, shrimp & vegetable tempura

Salad: Nicole and Torr

Dish: Cobb Salad Wraps

Soup: Mom and Dad

Dish: Cantaloupe Ginger Soup

Main Dish: Katelyn, Matthew, and Travis

Dish: Beef Teriyaki

Dessert: Bryan and Cat

Dish: White Chocolate Mousse

AND THE WINNERS....

For taste...Sushi!  Everyone loved it.  Even my mom (and myself) who didn't previously like sushi.

Winners for presentation - dessert!  Bryan and Cat served their dish in a milk and white chocolate bowl they made using balloons.  Their dish required using a different kitchen, chilling their dessert for hours, and their stories about exploding balloons were hilarious. 

All Together Again

Thanksgiving 2010 was the last time my family was together with everyone. It was great to see the family and meet my little nephew, Houston.

The kids and I made the 10.5 hour drive out, and they were amazing travelers. Including our three stops we beat Google's estimated time by 30 mins.  Camryn can watch DVDs for hours, and she did... and as long as Dakota doesn't sit in the middle seat, everyone gets along.

We were privileged to attend Travis' ordination, and later in the day we enjoyed being part of his first trip to the temple to perform baptisms.

Despite 100 degree weather, fires which altered our sight-seeing plans, and Taylor's stomach flu, we enjoyed our time swimming, BBQing, and Tor's baseball game.

A Little Adventure

We decided it was time for an adventure...and definitely time to escape the 100+ degree weather.  We found a water park nearby and had a blast.  Taylor was most excited about the Flow Rider and is already looking forward to next year's cruise.  Dakota and Camryn loved the slide, and we all enjoyed the afternoon together as a family.

Kitchen Help

One of the many things I love about our new house is my baking station.  I have my kitchen aide, counter space, and all the necessary kitchen and baking items at hand.  There is space for each of the kids to help, and we all love making treats.  I can't help but laugh at these fun kiddos.