Saturday I attended Snuggies for Seniors at a local Golden Corral.  I broke my usual boycott of buffets (I’d rather have one plate of good food then lots of mediocre food- unfortunately for those of you reading this post there are a lot of thoughts- not one good thought…) for Kristina because she’s almost as awesome as an off-brand Snuggie.  You know- a slanket?  I got a zebra print one for the ‘confirmed bachelor’ at the old folks home.  Okay, maybe Kristina is more awesome than a slanket- but Golden Corral?  I was not impressed.  I even found a bug (a LIVE bug) crawling out of my beautiful strawberries.

Jo swears it was a baby ladybug- but it didn’t look anything like a lady bug to me.  I sort of lost my appetite after that. Jo has been calling me a ladybug killer all week.  I’m letting her because if she’s giving me a hard time then she’s feeling better and I’m tired of her being sick. (Random thought just for Jo).  Also cause I’m mean a random picture featuring Jo.

I got to see some super fabulous people that I’ve met ‘IRL’ before (and love) and I even got to meet SUE who I’ve only talked to online about bladders and stuff….  I also found a bloggy twin who writes at- get this FrootLoopsandCheerios.  It’s like meeting the girl in 7th grade who has the same first name and middle name and even her last name starts with the same letter as yours!  (In my case it was Amber Lynn Parker).  Destiny or something like that.  Plus there was tons of great conversation and some baby snuggling.  Highlight of my day?  Being told that someone is in awe of how ‘together’ I seem to have it.  HA HA HA… I offered to let her drop in unannounced at any time to witness just how much this isn’t true.  I am flattered though.  I’m also jealous of her purple hair (it was awesome and actually very subtle- despite how it sounds).  I wrote down a bunch of links on a napkin (I’m super prepared and classy like that) for some other bloggers that were there and now I can’t find it!  So leave a comment and I’ll add you to my reader!

I also found out that a really cool bloganthropy project that I was asked to participate in but couldn’t because of the timing has been moved- so now I’ll be in town.  I’ll be (hopefully teaming up with Jessica) and donating the baby shower cake (uh, Jess- check your email). Woo!  If you want to participate sign up and come!  It’s for a great cause and bloggers are a force (for good) to be reckoned with.  Or come if you like cake and buying baby stuff.  Or?  Just come to hang out with me!

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On Monday Cori and I made a quick, last minute trip out to Antelope Island to explore a bit with my friend (and one of my favorite people) Heidi.   It’s only a few miles from my home but I’ve only been once.  It was pretty cool and a great outing. I may have grown a little attached to her spunky little Katie.

All the old ranch stuff was right up Cori’s ally.

Plus we saw horses!

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Tuesday night a friend and I took 6 girls ages 10-12 to the book release party for Brandon Mull’s 5th Fablehaven book.  I’ve read all the books and enjoyed them, Marla was a great sport even though she’s not read any of them.   Marla was only a little inappropriate…. ;)  We had a great time even though there was  a lot of driving and waiting in lines.  I guess I’d rather my kids were ’star struck’ for an author then some rock star right?

They sat like this (on the edge of their seats) for the entire hour long show.

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I’m teaching cooking classes for kids.

I’m doing my first group of girls right now and it’s been super fun.  We’ve done 3 of 4 classes and have learned how to cook: cinnamon french toast, orange Julius, omelets, bacon, buttermilk  syrup, chex mix, rice crispy treats, white chocolate popcorn, oatmeal scotchies, chicken cacchetori, rosemary focciacia bread, banana chocolate chip muffins, and no squeeze lemon limeade.  It’s been really fun.

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Dye free eating has been frustrating (for those that have asked).  I have never realized just how many people give my kids food other than me.  They get stuff from school (even with me sending lunches they still get ‘prizes’, birthday treats etc), from neighbors, church, the bank, the hair cutting place…  Ugg. I have a new sympathy for moms with kids with deathly food allergies.  Starting in April they’re off school for an entire month.  ‘They’ say that it takes a month to ‘clear out’ the system and then you give your kids dye and see the reaction.  Easter is going to be touchy (no neighborhood hunt, no city hunt) and I didn’t want to tell my kids we were doing it so it would be a little cleaner of an experiment- but I’ve ended up telling them because I need them to refuse or ask before eating food!

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Speaking of hair cutting places I took Annika for her first ‘real’ hair cut.  I’ve cut it and Megan’s cut it and I think Annika’s cut it- but this is the first time a professional has cut it.  Dang it’s adorable and it looks like she’s got twice as much hair!
Before:

After:

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I’ve got a crazy weekend coming up business-wise. I’ve got a cake and a breakfast/lunch/dinner catering gig for a conference. It’s a HUGE project. The hard part is with food stuff you can’t do stuff too early- which leaves a lot of last minute stuff and little sleep.

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Soccer starts on Saturday.  I’m still coaching.  I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at adding that onto the current things in my life.  Woo!

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I dyed my hair blond for the summer.  I love it.  It looks a little strawberryish.

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I’m feeling more and more reconnected with some old pals from junior high through facebook.  Girls that I was friends with for two years and then changed schools before I could drive and lost contact with even though I only lived in the next city over.  I’m considering a ‘gathering’ to catch up ‘IRL’ but can’t decide if that would be weird or not.  There are also a couple other random high school friends/ acquaintances that I’m feeling like I need to have lunch with so we can chat and reacquaint ourselves.

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Reacquaint is a weird word.

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We’ve recommitted to reading the Book of Mormon  nightly as a family in order to read it all before Megan gets baptized in October.  I think this is the most successful we’ve ever been.  In the last three weeks the growth in Megan and Annika’s reading has jumped tremendously.  Megan even read ‘Lehi’ without any help- this is huge because she can’t seem to remember words she’s already sounded out!  YAY!  The more I look at it the more I realize that really the Book of Mormon is 85% sight words.  (Yes I totally made that number up).

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I like asparagus.  I never have before but I’m learning to love it roasted with garlic salt.  Yum.

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I’ve been working out 3-5 days a week.  Lucky me working out makes me gain weight for 6 weeks before my body gives in.  Hopefully I can keep it up long than 6 weeks.  5:30 am is EARLY which means most nights I’m in bed by 9:30 pm.  (Uh, except for tonight if you check out the time stamp.)

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I chaperoned Cori’s preschool trip to the Treehouse Museum.

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I’m gearing up to send all 4 of my kids to school starting in July.  Even my kindergartner will be there for 5 1/2 hours a day!  YAY!  She’ll also be learning Chinese like her sister.  I’m looking into going back to school either Fall or Spring semester.

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I’m loving my calling in nursery right now. I tend to spoil my ‘nursery babies’ a bit though. These are the fancy cupcakes I brought them for Valentine’s day.

They wear me out though. I take a 3 hour nap every afternoon after church to recover.

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I really shouldn’t be blogging.  I should be: printing out soccer schedules and the treat schedule, cleaning my house, doing laundry, printing out fliers for upcoming cooking classes, trying to find a local commercial kitchen to rent,  planning my last cooking class and printing up recipes, making a schedule of when I should be doing what and making sure I don’t forget anything for this weekend, making gumpaste flowers for Joey’s cake, working out, sleeping, looking up soccer drills or at least sleeping…  but maybe now with my SD card cleared and my brain cleared I’ll be able to sleep.

So that’s what’s new with me. What’s new with you???