O.N.E.

(24 April 2012)

 Adam & Hannah were over during breakfast.  

They were all excited about the stash of presents and toys :0)

(1.2.3. made by Matt)

birthday streusel from his dada.

 opening up an awesome toy from Bompa & Mémé

 (they sent us money to buy a "bigger" toy for Alex).  He AND Brie both love it!

 impromptu picnic lunch in the front yard.

 chomping on a carrot while I made his carrot cake.

 spaghetti, corn and fruit cocktail for dinner.

Alex's personal cake.

 A cake for the rest of us.

 opening presents from our generous and thoughtful friends and family.

 What a fun birthday!  Happy Birthday, our big boy!  We sure think the World of you.  And thanks to everyone who contributed to his birthday celebration :0)

C.h.E.e.R.i.O.s

(Saturday, 21 April 2012)

With Alex & Adam's birthdays being so close, we decided to throw a combined party.  It was so fun brainstorming, planning, and preparing for the party with Laura.  It's always more fun to do things with a friend.  Especially one who also likes to be resourceful and thrifty ;0)

As I mentioned in a previous post, 
we got my brother Matt in on the fun!

Here are the 3 birthday boys---1.2.3.

Laura with "Bubba."

                                          

Adam (up) and Alex (down).  Such cuties, eh?

As mentioned, a few weeks before the party our sweet friend, Danica, let us come over to her home (studio) to do this photo shoot.  Thanks again!  I love how they turned out.  Some of my favorites are included throughout the post.

We did the party at our complex clubhouse. 

 Laura and I worked together to get things all set up.

It was after naps and during snack time (3:30-5:00) and since it was a 1yr old party we decided to do a Cheerio Buffet.  We had plain, fruity, honey nut and apple cinnamon "Cheerios."  For mix-ins we had strawberries, kiwis,bananas, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.

My friend, Christina, was so kind to take pictures throughout the party.  Most of the ones of people are ones that she took.  I love the moments she captured.  Thank you!

We decided on making bundt cakes ("giant cheerios") to serve to our guests.  Laura made a yummy lemon one and I made a chocolatey chocolate :0)

Alex contently sat on our neighbor Ed's lap practically the
whole party...eating fruity cheerio after fruity cheerio.  It was the cutest sight :0)

There was also a cheerio-necklace making station.

Matt & Alex after the party.  Love those shirts :0)

Instead of doing cakes or cupcakes, 

we did doughnuts ("big" Cheerios :0)).

All and all I loved how it turned out.  It was such a laid back, simple and fun way to celebrate our two little men + Matt :0)  Thanks to everyone who came to party it up with us!

Hearts will Turn.

(Brie, Me, Mom, Grandma Robertson, Great Great Grandma Whiting)

Last Thursday for Young Women's we did a "Treasures in Heaven" activity.  Each of us was asked to find out about an ancestor (that we didn't know anything about), and to bring some sort of "treasure" to share with the group.  I called my Grandma and she told me about her Grandmother, Abby Ann Bird Whiting.  It was so neat to hear the excitement and love in her voice while she spoke of her dear grandmother.  Especially since that's the way I feel about her, MY dear Grandma.  And it's meaningful to hear of strengths and traits that she recognized in her Grandma that she internalized and passed to MY mom...some of which I am striving to pass on to my daughter.  There is such power in a positive influence!

At one point during our conversation she said, "You would have liked her and she would have liked you."  So neat that someday I will get to meet Abby Ann when I'm reunited with all of my ancestors!  In any case, the evening was a special one.  Stories were told, biscuits and popcorn were eaten, pictures, paintings, plants and drawings were showcased...but especially the sweet spirit of Elijah was felt as our hearts were turned to our distant families.  There were a few men that were honored that evening, but mostly women, and it struck me what perfect timing to be honoring these forbears...right before Mother's Day.

Speaking of womanhood in its purest form, I love what former Young Women General President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Margaret D. Nadauld so wisely stated ( "TheJoy of Womanhood"):

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

What remarkable women we each have to look to, whether it be great grandmothers, grandmas, mothers, sisters, aunts, friends... God has blessed each of us with strong, faithful, courageous, loving, women who we can look to.  I know that I am SO grateful for the women that God has placed in my life and continues to place in my life.  They each add to who I am and assist me in my personal strivings and efforts to be a disciple of Christ.  Thanks to each of you women in my life.  Happy Mother's Day!  (Especially you dear, Mom :0))

Crustacean Cream Puffs.

(22 April 2012)

Matt's last night here we decided to do a dessert competition---apple being the key ingredient.  (I've always liked cooking competitions and realized today that it isn't because I'm competitive.  It's because I like creating opportunities where people get to work together as a team.)  Bry made some beautiful and delicious apple dumplings. I came up with a "fancy" (code word for interesting ;0)) looking dessert: fanned sliced apples with a dab of cherry, paired with a cinnamon and spiced crispy and a homemade "ferrero rocher."  Matt was attempting to make donut holes drizzled with apple fritter sauce.  He couldn't get the oil temperature right and was ending up with crustacean looking pastries.  They never quite turned out as he had envisioned them to be, but it sure added to the humour and fun of the evening.  Martha came to join us at the end and so graciously judged our dishes.

Kapushka?

(21 April 2012)

Taylor & Matt both served Russian-speaking missions (for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) and thus have a love for Russian food and culture.  After much discussion they came up with a little menu and the 5 (well 6, Brie stayed up and enjoyed the food with us :0)) of us enjoyed an evening filled with Kapusta* (dumplings) , Russian pop and sweets from that part of the World.  Matt fermented cabbage just for the occasion.  My favorite part, well aside from trying the different cuisine, was listening to the two of them reminisce about their missions.  I'm so glad it worked out for us to do this dinner with Matt & the Southwicks before they move.

*I kept teasing Matt and calling it "Kapushka."

Gooey the Louie.

Shortly after we moved to St. Louis I drove past this little shop on Chippewa.  I thought Gooey Louie looked like a cute little PB & J sandwich (with glasses) and the store intrigued me...wondering what they must sell.  My Mom sweetly gave us money to get Matt a cake from here so we checked it out.  Pretty cute place, friendly owner, and the cakes are super yummy.  They're a bit pricey ($12), but a "must have" St. Louis experience.

the 23 of 123.

Matt was the last of my family to come visit.  I tried everything to get him to come.  I'm sure it wasn't that he hadn't want to, but the stars finally aligned in April (15-23 April)  and he came out to see us.  Yay!  He was even here for his birthday...which was so fun.  I loved having him to ourselves and being the ones to celebrate our wonderful bro Matt.  He is so worth celebrating!

The morning of his birthday (thanks to Mom getting insider information), I made him biscuits & gravy, sausage and waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.  After Alex's morning nap we headed to Gooey Louie to purchase a blueberry gooey butter cake and picnicked on the Arch grounds.  The weather was so cooperative and gorgeous.  That night we grilled up something birthday grub.  Good times :0)

 (Before Em left, she made Matt that scrumptious chocolate cake.  

The three of us gobbled it up in two days flat.)

Here are a few pictures from the rest of his stay...

(at the Botanical Gardens)

(strolling outside with Miss Brie)

Some of the high lights from Matt's stay include:

* listening to Taylor & Matt go on and on and on (so many common interests) :0) * Bry, Matt and I--ultra planners ;0)--spending several hours planning out the week * Matt coming along on walking group * working with Matt on bday party decorations * Matt making sure Brie could be involved in preparing meals, cleaning, etc. * baked peach oatmeal * working out together at the gym * picnic at Wash-U * making Matt a special bday breakfast * Matt helping out a bunch with the kiddos * Gooey Louie * visiting St. Louis Arch and Museum * seeing the boys grill * Matt giving Bry a priesthood blessing * listening to Matt communicate with Kasia's Mother (Polish meets Ukrainian + Russian) * Azhar & Matt and I going treasure hunting at the Goodwill Outlet * playing Ticket to Ride * Bry, Matt and I doing sealings at the St. Louis Temple * getting Ted Drewe's frozen custard * going to the Botanical Gardens (Box & Temperate Gardens) * Matt getting us a dozen donuts * 123 Cheerio Bday party :0) * Russian dinner with the Southwicks * Matt being so outgoing and friendly and so easily fitting into a new place * Dessert Competition (Apple)! * showing Matt all that I'd bought from "the Outlet" * doing thumbprint art * 

I spent so blessed to have gotten to spend a whole week with mon petit frère grand.  I sure love you, Matt!  Thanks for the wonderful example that you always set for us older sisters :0)

Can lions bite?

For the last several months, whenever Brie sees an animal, she asks if it has teeth and if it can bite.  The other day she asked if lions can bite.  I said that yes, especially lions would be apt to bite.  It got me thinking... we all "have teeth" and can "bite"...but would we be considered more likely to "bite?"  Are you following me here?  I have always had a hard time keeping my temper and probably have often been known to "bite."  But let's be honest, it's not something that I like and really have been working SO hard to change.  I don't want my family to worry whether or not I'm going to snap back.

I'm currently taking a Love & Logic class (in Webster Groves) with a few of the girls here in the complex.  It is really helping me to calm down and to parent with more love.  I definitely still have my moments, but generally I much less stressed out and frazzled.  And Brie and I have a lot less run ins...it's a win-win.  I'm so grateful that we have the opportunity to choose and to change.  (I just gave a lesson to the Young Women in my ward about that.  Maybe I'll post part of that another time.)  So although we all have teeth, we all get to choose how we use them ;0)

For real?

Martha and Azhar got me hooked on the local Goodwill Outlet.  You buy things by the pound... $0.75/lb!  When Em was in town, we went to see what we co.  I got the following clothes...

2 pairs of pants
1 pair of capris

1 skirt

3 sweaters

5 cardigans/shrugs

4 shirts

1 pair of shorts

3 kid shirts
(+ a few other random things)

Guess how much?

$6.99!  

You can't beat that.

Bry says that it's the best thing that's happened to my wardrobe and our budget ;0)


When Matt was in town I had to take him to see what it was all about.  We found him some great button up shirts, shorts and exercise shirts.  When we got home I took him upstairs to show him all the things I'd previously purchased from there.  I went through my closet and pointed out each item, "And I got this, and this, and this....and this, oh and this...and this..."  He asked how much I'd spent.  I replied, "$15.  No actually, probably closer to $12."  He's sold too :0)


Yes, I'll admit that if you go, be prepared for an inner city experience.  You probably want to leave the kiddos at home, bring along a pair of latex gloves and get ready to dig, dig, dig.  It's treasure hunting at its best :0)  Then, if you're like me, you'll want to douse yourself with hand sanitizer when you get in the car and promptly throw everything into the wash (extra heavy +30 min soak).  Two or three times.  But then you'll have sparkly clean, new-to-you treasures, and will have paid virtually nothing.  Love it!

If you have one if your area, try it out.  If nothing else for the experience.

Princess Briana.

While Em was here she bought Brie a set of Princess dress up clothes.  All week she worked on good behavior so that she could earn the clothes.  Thursday morning of that week Emily set up the cutest little Princess Tea Party for us three girls.  She helped get Brie all dressed up and ready (Em and I just stayed in grubbies for lack of time) and brought her in to see the dining room.  She was SO excited! (See her reaction in the collage below--middle picture on the right.)  We had a delightful time sipping our hibiscus herbal tea, eating adorable spring cookies (left over from Grauntie's adorable Easter package), salty caramel bars (YUM!), and used our most polite table manners...addressing each other as Princess Briana, Princess Emily and Queen Sarah.  Loved every minute of it :0)  Thanks, Schmem!!

 (some pictures we took later that day when she was trying on Belle's dress.  FYI: we found the white shirt at the Goodwill Outlet.  It works perfectly with her princess outfits and probably cost us $0.10!)

(12 April 2012)

(this picture doesn't do Em's cute decorating justice.)

(In anticipation of the tea party, the night before she set out these things.  So cute.)

Easter and Emmie's Visit.

(6-15 April 2012)

Emmie came out to visit us last month over her Spring Break.  

It was SO wonderful to have her stay! 

 Some of the highlights from her visit include...

Em making us dinner EVERY night * dying Easter eggs and making dyed flowers * watching Brie do an Easter egg hunt with Nelli and her cousins * arranging the Easter baskets *going shopping to good ol' Target * setting the Easter table * making carrot cake (extra salt, caramelized and all) * helping to make "Minnie Mouse" in her Altoid's tin bed * GNO--salty caramel bars, watching "the help" and making cards * taking Em to see Ruth Anne's awesome jewelry * treasure hunting at the Goodwill Outlet * heart 2 hearts * exchanging Easter baskets * painting nails * Princess Tea Party * walking in Webster Groves * pizza party & documentary on sea turtles * Em doing an impromptu sleepover with Brie during a huge thunderstorm * Em picking out a shelf & containers and organizing our cluttered kitchen corner * crêpe breakfast * just spending time with my big sis, sure do love her more than my luggage :0) *

(our cute neighbors Ed and Ruth Anne looking on)

We missed the complex Easter egg hunt by a few minutes and were bummed, but Azhar sweetly hid a few of her boys eggs for Brie to find.  And then Martha & Taylor invited Brie to join their family Easter egg hunt.    What great neighbors and friends.  Thank you guys!

It dawned on me while I was taking these pictures of Alex and Brie that this was Alex's first Easter out and about.  Last year he spent most of his Easter being born ;0)...and then in the hospital.

(Awesome Easter baskets thanks to generous 

and thoughtful Bompa, Mémé, Grauntie and Emmie)

(if I know anything about design it's thanks to Em.  She has such a knack for putting things together creatively and beautifully.  It was so fun to work on setting the Easter dinner table together.  It turned out super bright and springy. ) 

The eggs on each plate were part of an Easter tradition we have (12 eggs through walk you through the atonement).  After dinner, we took turns opening our given eggs, showing the object and reading the scriptures.  It was a simple yet nice way to talk about the Savior's sacrifice for us.

BTW, even though we don't have a picture, our friend Julie Hoyt joined us for dinner.  It was a nice evening.

 After seeing everything tucked into our "green wall" I found Brie sticking her bunny and sippy into the wall.  Love it.  Here she is with the bunny we found (and thoroughly washed 3x ;0)) at the Goodwill Outlet.  BTW, in the last two pictures Brie is blowing a dandelion.  She loves to watch the seeds fly!