$2

While wandering the aisles at Walmart this week I discovered this darling cake pan. I was elated to discover that it was on sale for $2. I couldn't pass that price up for anything. So, I whipped up a yummy white cake with chocolate frosting last night. Bran, Amy, Peter and I devoured every bite. I think this cake pan will start an annual April Thomas Family Tradition. Wahoo!

20 minutes

I managed to find a spare 20 minutes this afternoon. So, I enjoyed a nice foot massage. Oh, how I love this simple invention.

World Famous Deviled Egg Recipe

This is Brandon's recipe that we use every year.

1) Take a dozen and a half of hard boiled eggs.
2) Take the shells off the eggs , cut the eggs in half, then scoop the egg yolks into a bowl.
3) Take 6 large Tablespoons of Miracle Whip and mix it with the egg yolks.
4) Add some yellow mustard.
5) Add salt & pepper.
6) Have your spouse taste it.
7) Add more Miracle Whip.
8) Add more salt
9) Dump mixture into a Ziploc bag
10) Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag
11) Squirt mixture into the remaining egg halves.



There you go. There's not much to it, but these taste so good. Yum.

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter weekend. As a child my parents would always celebrate Easter on Saturday so we wouldn't be hyper for church. So, that's what we did too this year. The Easter bunny gave Peter a tiny bit of candy along with laminated pictures of Jesus, President Monson, and the Mt. Timp temple.


On Sunday we went over to the Thomas side for the traditional Easter Egg Hunt. The older cousins were so awesome to let Peter, and his cousin Morgan, find all the eggs that were in plain sight. He loved finding all the eggs and then putting them into his sand pail that Gma T. gave to him. Bran, I, and Peter each had such a wonderful time. It was so much fun to have Peter walking around this year on his own.

Choices and Peter the Helper

Life is full of choices. Every morning we wake up and decide whether we should get out of bed or roll over and go back to sleep. Well today, I decided to roll over and go back to sleep. We also get to decide what clothes to wear. Yesterday, I didn't do so well in that department and I felt weird all day long. Today I had the choice of doing the dishes or posting to the blog. Obviously, I chose to post to the blog. I love choices.

Today was great because I was able to stay home while Laurie Ann went to get her routine blood work done about which she has been so worked up. I lounged around all morning. After she returned home, I showered and got ready for work. About 11:00 AM we got a phone call from one of my co-workers. She expressed her concern because nobody had heard from me. They had all assumed I hadn't shown up as an April Fool's Joke. To tell you the truth, it was my plan to leave a note on my desk that said, "I quit!" But I forgot. I think that ruined the joke.

Peter excels at one thing, making messes. He can make a mess faster than I can stand up from a sitting position. (I don't stand up very fast, so I guess this isn't a good metaphor. Instead I should say that he can make a mess faster than a frog can eat a fly. That isn't a good metaphor either. However, the metaphor isn't important. The point is, he's fast.) I have watched him move from room to room and leave a disaster in his wake. If there were little people living here and he was a giant, I think all of the little people would be dead. (My metaphors aren't very good today.)

Anyway, today he had one of those clean-up moments. Usually when we ask him to cleanup, he just makes more messes or runs away and laughs. But the following video proves that there is hope. I call this video, "Peter, Peter, Clean Up-inator"



That is all I have for now. I will bore you no longer.

Eggs Galore

Every year Brandon and I are responsible to make deviled eggs for the Thomas family Easter dinner. Today I went out and bought 8 dozen eggs. It felt so funny buying that many. I manged to find them for just .88 a dozen. Yahoo! I love deviled eggs.

My awesome friend Becky also updated her blog today and that always makes me happy. Love ya Becky!

Having a difficult time sleeping tonight. My legs are sore from exercising today. I'm also worried about some routine blood tests I have to have done tomorrow. For some reason I've really worked myself into a frenzy about them. I have this deep, down fear that one of these tests is someday going to come back and say that I have cancer. Crazy huh.

Craft Night Recap

We had so much fun painting and sanding and gluing crafts a few nights ago. There were only 5 of us, but we had a blast anyway. I love my little "Luck" sign and can't wait to hang it up next March! Thanks to everyone who came. I hope you had as much fun as I did. Is anyone up to doing it again?

St. George

Whenever life seems complicated or just too much for me to handle, I beg Brandon to take me to St. George. We typically make it down there at least once a year. Usually for our anniversary in March.
St. George is wonderful because the weather is always warmer then it is at home. I also love it because Brandon lets me go "crazy" with shopping. I pinch pennies like a miser when I'm at home, but when our St. George trip comes around, I spend $$$ like there was no tomorrow. I also love St. George because I can be lazy. If I don't want to get up until noon, Brandon would let me. If I didn't want to shower for 3 days, he would let me. And if I didn't want to do an ounce of cooking or cleaning, he would let me do that too. Ah, it's just so wonderful! Plus, he always tells me it's my vacation and I get to decide on what to do, when, and even where to eat. He really does spoil me rotten on these trips.


This trip was fun because Peter is now old enough to grasp the concept that we are away from home doing fun things. He absolutely adored the palm trees and funny looking bushes. He would point at them and babble baby talk to them. It was darling. He also loved walking everywhere on his own. At times we had to chase him here, there, and everywhere as he got into mischief. But that's okay. It was worth it.


Peter also loved going swimming. He thought it was so funny to hit the water and splash us all. He kept doing it over, and over, and over again. His cute little laugh was contagious. While we were swimming another little boy came and joined us. For a while there, he and Peter were ball catching buddies. It was really cute to watch Peter interact with someone a lot older then himself. Brandon and I enjoyed the pool and the hot tub too. It was so nice just to "kick back" and relax.




I also love St. George because of the temple there. Each trip we go and walk around it and I remember how blessed we are to know of the eternal nature of families. It also reminds me of the amazing pioneer people who settled the area and then built this beautiful temple because they were commanded to do so. Honestly, I am amazed every time I go. I come away feeling so grateful for life's blessings. With Brandon and Peter at my side, I feel invincible!






On our way home we stopped in the little tiny town (population is just 6100) of Beaver. I've always wanted my picture taken in this great big rocking chair and I finally got my wish. Peter loved it just as much as I did. I think it would totally be awesome to have one of these in our backyard someday.


Thank you St. George for giving this worn out momma the rest and relaxation she needed. Now back to life and all of its adventures. Until we meet again.....................

Sad faces

This is what Peter looks like multiple times a day. This face is often accompanied by grabbing my legs and whining.

Beautiful

Being the Relief Society President has it's perks. Besides getting to know everyone in the ward, I also have the chance to see selfless service in action. This week one of the sisters in my ward told me that she no longer needed this hand sewn quilt. Wow, what a treasure. So, I picked it up and will deliver it to another deserving family in the ward. Priceless moments of pure joy. Love it.

Also, if you are in the 5th Ward please join with me in praying and fasting for our sweet Sister Lisa Hepworth. Her finance' Mike was involved in a terrible motorcycle accident this past Monday and he is in ICU at UVRMC.

Also, come have some fun at my house on March 25th at 6:30pm. We'll be making two fun crafts and chatting the night away. I've been waiting ages to do something like this. I am so excited it's finally coming together. Just RSVP by March 16th so we can get everything together. Oh happy day!