Visiting Kids in PA

This trip was the absolute BEST! Visited for the first time, and we went to Palmyra, made Mexican Tamales with my daugheter for the first time, and she made Indian Garam Masala Chicken....DELISH!

Here are some pics.

Actually this is the last one taken on our way back to the airport.

He's so handsome!!!

The Magster and her beautiful smile.


Here we are in the Sacrad Grove at the Joseph Smith farm.



Moroni statue at Hill Cumorah


Mags & West in the Sacrad Grove


Here goes my posterity



West picked a flower adn gave it to Sister Beckman. What a charmer!

This was Emma Smith's kitchen sink, made out of poured cement.

I want to make one just like it!

This is a beautiful lantern at the front door of the large house.
I'm going to try to replicate this light for our patio!

This is the house the Smiths moved to from their original farm house. The fence is called a "worm" fence, you do not need any nails to build it.

I like the herbs being dried over the kitchen table. This is so old yet still so lovely.

This the small farm house (replica with some original materials) where Joseph Smith grow up. It is actually 2 stories! I need some inside puctures.

Here we are inside the small farm house.

It's in front of the living/dining room.

This is at the hotel where West practially just wrestles Mags all the time!

More Maggie torturing! She's constantly trying to get away!

The Graduate: 05/27/2011

Okay, so I don't own a great camera, but I was far away and the room was dark! Here is Derek, my son-in-law walking across the stage as he graduates from Samuel Marrit with a degree in Podiatric Medicine.

Way to go, Dr. Derek!!!

Here we are outside with Derek's dad, brother, and West

Here he is with sis Lindsay and daughter Maggie

Here sis Jodi hold Maggie, again....that Maggie's everywhere!

With the wife and kids! Proud mom and dad!

The two grandmas and their treasures!

We're so lucky!

Couldn't ask for a better son-in -law!

Visiting CA

This visit with the kids was oh so wonderful for us! Days of cooking with West, swimming at my mom's and having West help me in the garden with everything from watering, raking, and even picking up after Tommy...he wants to do it all with grandma! Loved every second and was sad to take them back to Oakland on the last day.

Grandma's bundle of cuteness!

The honey and West watching 1950s cartoons!
My sister visited with her kids...what a good time we had hanging out all day!

We had so much fun visiting my mom and splashing around in her pool!

This guy melts my heart!

Everyone likes wearing grandma's hats!
Margaret with her great grandma!

West loves to "drive"! That faces spells speeding ticket!

Sensibly Delicious Lemon-Garlic Shrimp with Pan-Roasted Veggies

This dish is both delicious & quick to prepare...not to mention, very impresive!

Ingredients: Shrimp, Lemon, Veggy (you choose!), Garlic, veg oil, s&p

Shrimp Prep: To about 1lb of raw shrimp, add some cooking oil (I only cook with EVOO), but use whatever you have. Add some lemon slices, minced garlic, and s&p (sald & pepper) to taste. Let sit for a few minutes...WHILE you cut your green beans and/or any other veggie you have/like and add them to a hot pan with about 2tbs EVOO and minced garlic. Keep tossing until cook through and charred marks appear. Add s&p to taste and cover and let steam until tender, about 10 mins.

Back to the shrimp: Toss them into a hot pan with about 1-2 tbsp EVOO and stir and toss until charred on both sides, about 5-7 mins.

Serve hot over Couscous (or your choise of grain or starch), with the roasted veggies. ENJOY!

Her name is Margaret!

Our precious Maggie was born on Cinco de Mayo, 2011 at 10:49AM, weighing in at 8Lbs 9oz and measuring 21.5 inches.

Of course her big brother, West, just adores her...can you tell!? It's like he just got the biggest gift!!

Welcome, little Margaret! We love you so much!

What Will Her Name Be??

On March 19th, 2011 we got together for luncheon to celebrate my soon-to-be grand daughther!

As is tradition, I made the all important "diaper cake" center piece! Cute, right? With a little green monkey topper that she will hopefully like to play with.

In attendance were several family members, as well as my best friend and her daughter, Aimee. We've known each other since our girls where 2 and 4 yrs old!

Big brother-to-be helps mom with opening gifts.

Aren't gift bags the best invention ever!? Love them!

These pink and girly driks were jummy! Pomogranete Lemonade and Sparkling wine (aka "champagne"), served on pink sugar-rimmed flutes. Fun, fun!

These fun snack are pretzels dipped in white chocolate and sprinked with pink edible crystals.

Unlike my daugher, a cake decorater, I am NOT! But it was edible. I don't like to get store-bought cakes, so even my cakes are "rustic" looking, I still prefer them.

These are just flowers from my garden...tiny and beautiful just a new baby!

I also had some cherry blossoms that were the perfect pink!

These pink soaps Favors were so fun to make! Had fun making the little tags too, each one unique!

The decor was simple but unique, made of baby clothes cut-outs, including dresses, onesies, underware, and bibs. They were strung about like as "clothese line". SO much fun!

Here the underware that matched to dresses. Using a double-sided paper was key. Mommy plans to use 3 of them for decorating baby's room!

These whreath was the pic, the actual one I had the day of was of all underware but didn't take a photo.

The invites were so SWEET! Little dresses with the details inside! Sadly I didn't get to send everybody one because I ran out of paper and when I went to buy more, the store was out! I plan to make more for those I missed, including one for my scrapbook.