Attire

Some exciting things have been purchased in the past two weeks. Exhibit A: Feetsie jammies just the right size for a very tall 5-year-old, from Target.

For days he would change into them right away after school every day. Now he does the same with his halloween costume.


Exhibit B: Fireman boots from Costco and a free fireman hat from the SL Fire department.



He wears them all day, and all night. Yes, he says he's perfectly comfortable sleeping in them. Isn't that the cutest little figure you've ever seen?

My handsome chef

(JB serving up his smoked pulled pork at his sister Suzanne's wedding in July.)

Sometimes I pinch myself when I see what JB has cooked up. The other night he made citrus salmon, with rice that was tossed with olive oil, basil and garlic.


I was almost done eating the garlic-basil shrimp when I thought I should take a picture of it.


It was all very. very. good.

I didn't take a picture of all the homemade BBQ sauce that JB simmered for take-home gifts for our friend Roger's surprise birthday party last Saturday. Roger's wife JoLynn made cool labels that said "JBones" on them for all the bottles. That same day we received a bounteous bag of tomatoes from a friend's overflowing garden, so he tried his hand at making and canning salsa. We were up to our elbows in red stuff throughout the kitchen but I think it turned out delicious.

The farmer and the cowman

We had a great time recently at Gracie's birthday party. It was at Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country.

We got to feed the animals. Max was a little worried, so I showed him how sweet Millie the cow was. She really went after the corn on my hand. I feel like I've made a friend for life.

The boys loved riding the horses round and round.

I think Benny wants Gracie to have another birthday soon.

Bowling Boys

Last week for Family Home Evening we went bowling.


This is me holding an 8 pounder. And a bowling ball.


Max had been bowling before at a classmate's party, and announced when he came home that his talent was bowling (they had learned the Parable of the Talents in his church class). Ever since he begged us to go bowling again. He especially wanted to teach Benny how to use the stander-thingy to help get the ball going down the lane.

Benny watches his ball go. He got a strike that night, too!

Benny's favorite spot, watching the balls return.

My boys.

Max bowled well. I told him he was talented at bowling. He said, "No, a talent just means you like something." Benny thought the shoes were awesome. I was never a pretty bowler, but the tummy really added something I think!

Decoration

I have a few secret desires. One is to be a hip hop and/or ballroom dancer but that ain't happening. Another is to take a cake decorating class.

I would love to be like The Good Apple or my friend Meredith, who has worked in bakeries around the world. My mother-in-law gave me an icing kit, and occasionally I try my hand at it. Last week I took cupcakes to a baby shower. To the left is how I usually frost cupcakes -- quickly, and with a butter knife. To the right is my attempt with my icing bag and tip.

I was trying to go for something like this from Little Birdie Secrets:

Except my attempts with my brown peanut butter frosting ended up looking like a pile of -- well, something that an animal leaves in the grass.

PS Benny gobbled down his cupcake. Max turned up his nose. He only likes the frosting on cake anyway, but he doesn't like peanut butter.

Self

(A self-portrait taken with my phone at work after what happened below. Boy I look tired. 4 AM and pregnancy don't mix)

A new gal at work breezed into the newsroom to introduce herself. She said to me, "Oh yeah, we've met before. But you were blonde." I kind of stammered out, "I thought I still was!"

I will admit that I gradually stopped highlighting my hair a while ago. I would blame the money, but it's really laziness. I just kept putting off going back to the salon every 8 weeks to stop the roots from showing. But still, I identify my natural color as blonde.

I think.

Mousy blonde? Light brown?

Hmmm.

At least she didn't say "I've met you before. But you looked different." Because I immediatley would have stood up and showed her my third-trimester tummy. I may have a chubbier face now, but it's for a good reason!

Football fans

My sweet Benny LOVES sports. He would go nuts if we took him into a sporting goods store. That's why he had such a great time at a recent University of Utah football game with two of his favorite people, his daddy and his Papa.



JB says Benny watched the game most of the time, but became distracted by a big bag of kettle corn that once purchased, he proceded to devour. Papa would ask for some, and Benny would hand him a kernel.

Speaking of food and football, while that game was going on, I took Max with me to the BYU home football game. I didn't have the camera with me but we matched in blue. Just like last year when I brought him to a game, he pretty much wanted a snack every quarter. But then again, so do I.

Max and Nona's date

Nona (JB's mom) took Max to the Lion King last week. Here they are before their date.

He was a little nervous beforehand, and wanted to know all about the show and where he would sit and if it would be scary. But he came back full of excitement and talked our ears off about it.

After the matinee she and Papa took Max to eat at the Rio Grande Cafe. This also caused much excitement. Our little boy LOVES chips and salsa. Loves quesadillas, bean burritos, rice -- he cleaned his plate.

Thank you Nona and Papa!