happy hot mamas day.

Every Mother's Day, my family gets together at Uncle Todd's and eats a delicious dinner.  All of the men contribute to making dinner (though this year Uncle Todd decided to do it all on his own...).

This year we ate orange chicken, meatballs, egg rolls, potato salad, chicken salad croissants, asparagus, corn, and cookies for dessert.  And my favorite drink.  You can't forget my favorite drink mixture that Uncle Todd makes.  He spoils us all rotten when he makes food!

Grandma Madsen even got to come over this year and spend dinnertime with us until her oxygen started running out!

We definitely all enjoyed the food.  Especially Grandma Billings.  Uncle Todd made all of her favorites this year, I don't think I've ever seen her eat so much and go back for seconds... and thirds.  

Mama and the Brain...

Two awesome women in our lives.  They're both extraordinary in the service and love they give.  They're selfless with their time and energy and would do anything for anyone.

They're the perfect examples of how a mother should be.

These gals are my besties.  Baby Girl is going to have some incredible aunts (including T's sisters!) fighting over her all of the time.  She's already been spoiled rotten by both sides of the family and I can't wait to see her bond with both sets of grandparents and aunts and uncles!

We had to get a picture of the man behind the camera for most of the day.  He was a good sport to take pictures while I chowed down on food and yumminess.

Toad and the Brain.

After Uncle Todd's, we went over to mom and dad's to give mama her gifts.  We bought her a rocking moose this year and Toad and Myst put it together (thank goodness someone remembered to!).  She was pretty surprised and loved it.  Good thing my sisters are the geniuses behind the Mother's Day gift this year.

We were sad that Melanie wasn't there this year, but at least we got a picture with 4 out of the 5 girls in the family (soon to be 6 girls!).  My mama is one incredible woman who is beautiful on the inside and out.  She's a natural beauty who doesn't makeup and has always taught me to be confident in who I am and how God made me.  She magnifies her church callings and her calling as a mother, wife, and daughter.  It seems like her energy never runs out- she could give the Energizer bunny a run for its money!

She's been my rock during this pregnancy and I can't wait to see her become a grandmother.  Both she and Mama Becky are going to be the best grandmothers for Baby Girl- which is why Baby Girl's middle name will be the same as both of our mothers (who share the same middle name!).  It couldn't have been better if we'd planned it that way!  Now to only figure out what Baby Girl's first name will be...  

We can't forget about Mama Becky!  She's always either laughing or smiling.  She absolutely loves life and embraces it wholly with optimism and love.  She always has a new "favorite" song and couldn't love her family more.  She's one incredible woman. 

So Happy Mother's Day to both our Mamas!  T and I reminisced about both our moms today during church and as we watched some of the Mormon Messages about mothers.  We both have fond memories of growing up with mothers who showed their love for us in countless selfless acts and we only hope to follow their examples when Baby Girl gets here.  

Happy Mother's Day to both of our Hot Mamas!

an IKEA trip, friends, family, and lots of food.

President's Day Weekend was this past weekend.  Which meant a beautiful 3-Day weekend for us!  We accomplished a lot and spent the entire day together.  What more could anyone ask for?

First off, the landlords brought by our brand spankin' new dishwasher and the cleaning lady finally showed (she was supposed to come 3 weeks ago when we first moved in!) to clean the disgusto shower doors.  The tenants before us definitely didn't know how to clean shower doors.  Now they sparkle and shine and are an easy clean-up with a squeegee.  Happy day!

Next on our To-Do list this weekend was to return some sheets we had originally bought at IKEA last month.  We found a better thread-count for the same price at the Homegoods store so we said bye bye to the IKEA ones and hello to a higher thread count.

The line for returns wasn't too bad, but just long enough for us to get bored enough to snap a picture or two...

Then it was off to the other parts of the store in search of a rug to cover our dark green carpet at our new place, grab some new hand towels and dish towels, and a new lampshade.

Fortunately, I have one of the few husbands that actually likes going to IKEA with their wife.  

On our very first date, we actually had an hour wait at Red Robin before we could be seated.  So we went around a random place in the mall and looked at random bedding, kitchen set-ups, clothing (mainly the ties-we both found out we have a fettish with ties) and everything in between.  Ever since then, we just like to browse and dream about the future and what we might like in what house we buy in the future... 

Though T did find a place to sit for awhile at IKEA.  It was a pretty busy Saturday for IKEA being the big 3-Day Weekend and getting around the crowds was a little tricky.

We ended up finding the perfect rug within our price range and everything else we went for (and maybe a few other things).  Of course, we bought cinnamon rolls.  You can't go to IKEA without buying a cinnamon roll.  Or two.  Or a whole package.

After IKEA we made deeeeelicious BBQ pineapple bacon pizza with fresh mozzarella.  We pretty much always use Jana's thin crust pizza dough recipe when we Tyler makes pizza dough.  It works every time.  

We also made a batch of freezer breakfast english muffins that we make every two weeks, made stuffed broccoli cheese chicken, and made a full pan of cafe rio pulled pork enchiladas with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole.  

Dang, we're awesome.

My grandpa also got checked into the hospital over the weekend for a kidney infection.  My Dad and I went up to the hospital together for a couple of hours on Sunday and spent time just talking with him.  It's always hard to see people you love in the hospital.  BUT, he was joking around with us and requesting his razor so he could shave the moment we walked in the door.  He even let me feed him some of his "too salty turkey" and "not enough flavor" mashed potatoes.  

Apparently hospital food is not very tasty (I agree).  Then I got to just sit on the bed and hold his hand and talk.  We talked about fishing and people that he knows and how the Sunday newspaper forgot to put in the crosswords.  It was a good feeling.  Sitting there, holding his hand while every once in a while he'd squeeze mine tight and stroke it with his thumb.  

He's a pretty amazing man and the best patient-all of the doctors and nurses said so themselves.  He doesn't complain and he entertains himself (any man who could sit out on a boat all day long fishing and not say a word can certainly entertain himself in a hospital bed-though it's not nearly as exciting as fishing).  

My parents are equally amazing for the time they put into taking care of their parents.  My mom is with both sets of grandparents every.  single.  day.  She sorts my grandma's pills and makes sure she can turn on the DVD player, goes shopping with the other grandma, makes weekly fudge for one grandpa, and tries to keep tabs on the other.  She cooks, cleans, and entertains.  Both of my parents fix whatever breaks, tears, stains, etc. and they stay optimistic.  Even when their own Valentines dinner plans (which my mother plans waaay in advance) have to get cancelled to take care of their parents, they stay positive.  I'm proud of what they do and I sure do love them and their example of perfect Christlike service.

 Tuesday night was JaeKaeNae night since Katie came down from Idaho!  Nae is preggers with their baby boy due at the end of June and Katie brought cute little Natalie to visit too.  

It's just a little crazy to think that less than 8 years ago we were all graduating from high school together.  Now Kae has an 14-month old and Nae and I are only months away from having our own kiddos!

Life is certainly treating us well and we're excited for the next phases of our lives.  

Heavenly Father has blessed us far beyond what we had ever hoped and dreamed.

apples, fall, and a lot of johnny appleseed.

Johnny Appleseed's birthday is tomorrow.  His real name is John Chapman.  He'll be 238 years old.

Holy Moly.  That's old.

His birthday is also one of my favorite days out of the entire year.  I look forward to it almost as much as I do Dr. Seuss' birthday.  Almost.

I love how Johnny appleseed's birthday is in the fall.  It makes me completely embrace the fall season and happily wave goodbye to summer.  

It makes me renew my love for fall weather and warm applesauce.  I love the red, orange, and yellow leaves that crunch when you step on them.  I love the weather (it's raining right now!).  I love milk chocolate hot cocoa with whipped cream and candles that smell like pumpkin rolls.  I love jacket weather busting out my collection of scarves.  I love boots and cute long socks that poke out the top of your boots.

But.  I love fall the most because my Grandma gets to come make a presentation in my classroom.  If you didn't already know, my grandma is a master cook.  And she knows everything there is about apples.  She knows every. single. kind. of. apple.  She knows when during the season which apple is best picked and bought at.  And most of all?  She can makes anything that you can put apples in.  But her dried apples are the best.  Hands down.  

She owns a massive dehydrator and an apple peeler that cores and slices the apples like that! (insert snapping fingers here).  After the apples are sliced, she quickly puts them through a sugar and cinnamon mixture, lays them out on the dehydrator trays, and lets the apples dehydrate to their hearts content.  I remember many days as a child stuffing myself to my hearts content with dried apples.  In fact, my dad and I had a day just like that last week.  We may have eaten half of a tray together.

Once you start, you just can't stop.

But back to the main reason of this post.  My grandma comes in and does a fantastic presentation on apples on Johnny Appleseed's birthday.  This year, due to some of my grandfather's health issues, she came a couple of days early (which, let's be honest, a classroom full of 25 7-year-olds really don't mind a party a little early).  She brought in apples, her apple poster, a song/poem about Johnny Appleseed, and her apple peeler gadget.

My mom also heads up making all of the other apple goodies besides the dried apples.  She make apple muffins, apple cookies, apple crisp, applesauce, and apple juice.  Have I told you that my mom is amazing?  Because she is.  While my grandma does her presentation, I get to sit in the back of my classroom with my mom and tell her the hilarious things that 2nd graders come up with.  But that's a topic for a whole 'nuther day.

My grandma is a natural with kids.  I could sit and listen to her stories all day long and be a happy camper.

She provides all of the apples for my students.

And all of them get to see their apple cored and peeled right in front of their eyes.  

Apples have always tasted better in the form of an apple spiral.  My students agreed.

These women are quite remarkable.  They have taught me much of what I know about hard work, dedication, service, and love.  They shine as women of faith and women of character.  I honestly could tell you good things about them all day long.  The too of them have gone through a lot and done a lot in their lives and they still go throughout the days happy and smiling.

I'm truly grateful for them in my life.  I'm so glad that my students get to meet them and see them regularly in my classroom (why yes, they do grade certain assignments for me and cut out lamination and bag up goodies I use for math lessons.  I'm such a spoiled teacher.)  My students hear me talk about these women weekly if not daily.  They hear my grandma do her Tarzan yell, sing the ABC's backwards, and speak like Donald Duck.  

Because some of them don't have a grandma like I do.  And I want them to know that Grandma's are special and amazing and are meant to love and cherish children. 

So here's to two women who I admire and respect.

The women I'm proud to call my mom and my grandma.

The women who my students call Carol and "Grandma."

I love you.

summer thoughts.

The first week of summer break is always a favorite.  I get to sleep in (no more having to get to school by 7!), exercise in the morning, and actually plan out grocery shopping!  Usually I run around the grocery store with my head cut off in a hectic craze pulling things off of the shelves that hopefully go together for dinner.

Not anymore!  Now I can finally experiment and make those recipes I've been pinning for the past 8 months.  Goodbye Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, hello healthy-delicious-homemade-goodness!

First stop, was making some broccoli salad!  T's mom makes a killer broccoli salad that everyone always gobbles up so we decided to try our own version.

Going off of this recipe as a starting point, I tweaked it to be a little healthier.  We swapped out the mayo and sugar for greek yogurt and honey.  Then we added snow peas and cashews to the mix with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese to top it off!

We liked it so much that we've made it twice in the past week!

With summer here (along with the hot heat) we've been trying to not use the oven.  We made a great stir-fry a couple of nights ago and it was delicious!  One of our best yet.  We marinaded chicken in teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, lemon, and McCormick Montreal Chicken seasoning.  After it marinaded for 5 hours, we cooked it up and then sauteed the veggies and mixed it all together!

This chicken was dang good! Moist.  Melt in your mouth.  Yum.

The other thing I've loved about summer so far is exercising in the morning!  I've never loved exercising at night and trying to exercise and then get to school by 7 in the morning is kind of impossible.  Especially if you're not a morning person (like yours truly).  

Enter summer vacation!

 The Toad and I have been exercising in the mornings together and man has it felt good!  For part of our exercise today, we decided to go hiking with mom, T, and Kimberly.  Our plan was to hike the "Y", but they had it closed off due to the fact they were bringing the body of the missing BYU student down from where he fell (super sad story, bytheway).  

Rather than head home defeated, we drove over to Rock Canyon and hiked around for about an hour!

The mama had major plans today, so in order to have her come with us, we had to start our adventure at 7 this morning.  Ick.  BUT we did see the gorgeous sunrise over the mountains while hiking.  That might have almost been worth it.

Kimberly is one of the Toad's friends from growing up.  She's also a good friend of the family- we even graduated in elementary education at the same time!  It's fun having her back from her mission!

And, of course, it's always fun hiking with this handsome hunk.  He's usually nice to have around.  We actually hiked up to one of the little caves around Rock Canyon this time.  Too bad there was a bunch of graffiti everywhere on the rock face.  

Although, for picture purposes, we did like the big heart down by T's feet!  

Can I just mention one more time how much I love this man of mine?  He sure does put up with a lot and does a lot for me.  He's one in a million!

Lady is starting to get old and isn't up for hiking as long as she used to.  I used to put her in my hiking backpack all the time when I was younger.  So it was only natural to stuff her in our backpack and let her chill out for awhile.  She eventually fell asleep for a few minutes.

Spoiled dog.

Is my mom not the most beautiful lady you've ever met?  She gets more tan than any of us (from working outside all of the time and getting her lawn to look perfect.)  She also passed on some pretty awesome genes to her daughters.

And what happens when sisters buy the same shirt?  They end up wearing it on the same day to go hiking... Great minds think alike!  Or maybe we've been hanging out way too much this week.

Seriously though.  This sister of mine has been one of my besties forever.  She's seen and done it all with me.  I'm pretty lucky to have her for a sister.   Not everyone can say that their sisters are some of their best friends!

Why is it we can never take a normal picture?

{Matchy-matchy!}

Summer is treating us well so far!  Though I do really miss some of my little monsters.   It's been hard adjusting to not seeing them everyday.  

However, I'm soaking up every bit of summer that I can before I start doing things for school again!

home lunch

Every Friday I try to eat lunch with my students.

It's the only day I eat a sandwich and take lunch items that I don't have to reheat in the microwave.  It's pretty cool to see our whole class crowded onto 2 tables in the lunchroom wearing our class shirts.  

This past Friday T made me a home lunch to take with me.  He makes the best sandwiches possible.  He's a perfectionist and gets the ratio of mayo, mustard and all of the toppings absolutely perfect.  It also helps that food always tastes better to me if someone else made it besides me.

Included in my lunch were the following:

the best sandwich ever

Veggie Straws

 (these are worth gold in an elementary school lunchroom!  They're the item everyone is looking for on the black market in the lunchroom.  Kids will trade nearly anything to just get a handful of them!  Not that I'm saying I trade with them...)

Cheese Stick

Orange Fanta

(I don't do the whole soda thing very often.  But, on Friday, a generous parent sent their student to school with a Fanta for me (she said it was in place of an apple that kids used to bring to school).  I couldn't just not drink it. 

My sisters and parents say that my husband spoils me. 

It's true.

But a girl's gotta have the best when she has to eat lunch in the lunchroom.  Kids seriously judge each other by what's in each other's lunches.  

I remember doing the same thing in elementary school and coveting my best friend's lunchbox.  

Everyone wanted my desserts though.  My mom made sure that she showed up everyone else's desserts in the lunchroom.  

I even remember the time she stuck an Almond Joy in a cupcake and decorated it like a groundhog for Groundhog's day.  All of my friends were so jealous.

Moral of this post?

My husband and my mom are better than yours.  

(no offense)

after school snack

When I was little, my mom always had cookies, crackers, or graham cracker sandwiches with frosting in between them for our after school snack.  

Sometimes I still drop by my parents house after school so I can grab an after school snack after a long day of teaching.

Today it was a frozen chocolate chip cookie that I sneaked out of the house while my mom was incognito.  It was the best part of my day.  

Heaven is in my mom's cookies.