T-G Point!

Best day of our lives...driving with grandma!

Hubs was like, seriously?

Friday was a busy day! We went to Thanksgiving Point then had a family photo shoot at BYU then pizza and good times at Amberlyn's house.

Thanksgiving point is always fun--it's lovely, vast, and a fun place to run around with kids. As with everything else this trip, T-Point seemed more comely than usual. I was sorry our time there had to quickly. My parents rented golf carts and those provided immense pleasure among the grandkids. The older kids were ecstatic, jumping from one cart to the next, and the younger ones were also thrilled. My mom let Asher 'steer' for a substantial length of time. Jamie remarked that had Asher been able to write in a journal, he would have dedicated THREE pages to the awesomeness of driving a golfing cart whilst eating ritz crackers with grandma at Thanksgiving Point.

I loved being surrounded by family and having so many cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents tend to my children.

My Babes

Rocking the foam mesh undersized trucker hat!

Being beautiful.

Aside from the labor of updating the blog with vacation photos, I need to give a shout out to my little peeps. Holy MOTHER of CUTES! 20 month-old-baby-babe-cutie-cutes are astonishing in their level of cute-itude. Every day I like to sit back and simply observe them--watch them play, run, shimmy, bounce into each other, concentrate on pushing cars, sit to read their favorite books, and my favorite--when they come in search of me. Every movement they make with their little frames and sweet faces makes me feel like I could take flight with wings of joy. I truly thank God each night for granting me a life full of SO much sweet pleasure and cuteness.

Soren is a climber and a thrower and a reader. He sees no obstacle when it comes to scaling objects. He also loves to toss balls and his latest fancy is to try and throw the soccer ball over the baby gate, which he has yet to accomplish. Soren also loves words and images and is happy to go over and over his favorite books, which include Richard Scarry's Busy Busy Town, Good Night Gorilla, and this really cute train book gifted from Uncle Bill. Lately when Soren gets up at night, which he does faithfully, he points to the guest bedroom and begs with his eyes and whimpers to read his books. It's hard to resist, seriously! Soren loves to say mama and dadda all day long.

Jamie said the other day that Soren grabbed Asher by the hand and led him around the kitchen table, to the delight of Asher. They then took turns leading one another around the house. I am sad to have missed that sweet moment.

Asher is a happy, happy little man. He wakes up with a bounce and almost doesn't stop...until it is nap time or bedtime. Asher is starting to repeat words regularly. Yesterday at dinner he picked up a piece of broccoli and exclaimed, 'flower!' I told him it was broccoli and he repeated the word perfectly. He loves to say 'cocker' for helicopter, which is his universal word for planes and helicopters. He pronounces with stunning accuracy, milk and ant. Asher can say his name and delights in calling his brother Asher. Also, when Soren is sleeping or crying Asher calls him 'baby.' Asher loves to spin in circles, shake his head, and shimmy his shoulders to show his happiness.

Asher came up to me the other and patted my back and gave me a big squeeze--it was a heart stopping gesture of affection.

As my boys grow with warp speed and I feel shaken by the swiftness of their growth, I feel hugely challenged to keep up with them. I truly feel the pressure each day of my responsibility to love, teach, nurture, and protect them. Adding to that pressure is that guilt I can never seem to kick. Lately A&S have been getting up super early so they are awake when I leave for work, which results in a lot of tears, looks of betrayal, and heavy boots as I leave them behind. It really is one of the worst feelings I have ever known to leave my crying babies at home and to want nothing more than to be at home with them.

Friend Bliss Continued

Beautiful Amanda with sweet Mary Gail. Miss Miguel wanted little more than to be held by mama all afternoon--I know that kind of attention!

Amanda being a pro at motherhood--baby on hip while pushing two other baby babes!

Baby drivers and baby traffic jam!

I couldn't leave out miss Arla Mae!

Hey you!

Amanda was so fun--the girls loved it when she gave them a high five through the mesh then pushed them flying across the bouncer!

Asher man loving the bouncer and the girls!

Asher with his cheeks full of apple slices!

Soren LOVING his strawberry sweetened condensed milk bliss!

Beautiful Ashley with tan man Eli!

'Sup, crazy camera lady?

A battle over the toughest shopping cart pusher...

More fun with friends. Ashley made superb ice-cream: lemon lavender and strawberry. The lemon lavender was yummy but the strawberry was the star of the show--want to know WHY? In addition to the obvious ingredient of strawberries, Ashley added sweetened condensed milk. Um, I love SCM and would even consider drinking it--I like it THAT much. Thanks Ashley for providing such wonderful ice-cream for the first cones the boys would eat. Well, Soren LOVED the ice-cream and carried it, melting, all over the backyard. Asher was offended when I tried to feed him a bite. He was happiest stuffing his mouth with apple slices.

I loved watching the kids play and bounce together and I will love watching them play with each successive visit. Children are wonderful and these children are lucky to have such wonderful mothers. Here's hoping for lots more kids to throw into the bounce together!!!

Friend Bliss

Mary Gail, Amanda, Rebecca, Asher, me, Soren, Eli and Ashley. Such cute babies and such happy moms.

We love auntie Amanda.

I love watching other twin moms in action! They pack around two babies with ease and know just how to handle the drama caused by two at once.

Swing fest '09!

Eli, Ashley's mini me.

This post will come in parts. I have loads more photos of the baby babes to share.

Asher, Soren, and I had the extreme pleasure of spending an afternoon with my best, most cherished friends in the world: Amanda and Ashley. I secured my friendship with both WAY back in the day at Dixon Middle School. Amanda and I had a typing class together and I was drawn to her hugely friendly personality and her inclusive behavior to all. Ashley and I had a science class together and doing an egg drop experiment (finding ways to protect an egg from a long drop) surely clinched our friendship. We tried flour (made cake) and jello jigglers as forms of protective support.

Clearly we have grown up a lot since then and experienced so much, both together and independently. It has been beautiful and wonderful to become mothers within a few years of each other. Amanda was a champion for NICU babies and showed me that having preemature twin babies was something I could survive, despite the heartache and isolation I so often felt. Amanda is a mother with endless energy and enormous affection for her beautiful daughters.

Ashley does not seem to have changed her lifestyle at all since having Eli--she hikes, runs, engages in international travel, and recreates easily and happily with her baby babe. Ashley has always been quiet with her emotions but I can see how much she adores her sweet Eli and how much she lives for him.

Our time together was short but blissful. I recognized early in life that God would always bless me with good friends and the blessings have surely grown since those simple days in middle school. I love Amanda and Ashley and love watching our children together. They are beautiful and they make my life beautiful.

Two Recipes to Enjoy

I think Giada is annoying. Her bobble head and cleavage strike me as cartoonish but she always has interesting recipes. This past weekend I tried two of her recipes and was in love with both. I highly encourage you to try them!

A few notes:
1. I used cream cheese instead of mascarpone and the bars were still awesome.
2. I used only black beans in the salad and I used cilantro instead of basil--yum!

Mascarpone Chocolate Toffee Bars

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 pound refrigerated sugar cookie dough (recommended: Pillsbury)
• 2 (1.4-ounces) chocolate-toffee candy bars, coarsely chopped, divided (recommended: Skor)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (recommended: Ghirardelli)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted * see Cook's Note

Directions

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 7 by 10 3/4-inch nonstick baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay a 6 by 18-inch piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the cookie dough, 1/2 of the chopped chocolate-toffee candy pieces and vanilla extract. Using damp fingers, gently press the dough into the prepared pan. Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Cool for 15 minutes.

Place the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted. Cool the chocolate mixture for 10 minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate-toffee candy pieces and sliced almonds over the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the chocolate layer is firm.

Peel off the parchment paper and cut into 1 1/2 by 2-inch bars. Serve at room temperature.

*Cook's Note: To toast almonds, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Corn and Black Bean Salad with Basil-Lime Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008

Ingredients

Salad:

• 2 ears fresh corn or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Vinaigrette:

• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the salad: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Peel back the corn husks. Remove the silks and replace the husks. Soak the corn in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and place on the grill for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely and remove the husks. Using a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels. In a medium bowl, mix together the grilled corn, black beans, garbanzo beans, bell pepper, and mango.

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, basil, and cumin. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Refrigerate for 1 hour, and toss again, before serving.

Enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day

Asher and Soren sending warm greetings to the deceased.

Asher and Soren paying their respects to the dead soldiers.

Cemetery curls!

Forever sweet, even while he suffers.

Asher 'reading' the name on the grave.

We had big plans for today's holiday. We were going to cook-out and hike the hills at Sky Meadow State Park. Soren woke up with an atrocious diaper rash, the worst I had ever seen. We scrapped our plans in favor of letting Soren get a proper nap. Poor man would not have appreciated a hike in his condition--he has walked stiff legged all day in an effort to minimize the rubbing and pain of his rash.

I have a death wish for diaper rash...die diaper rash, die! It is excruciating to watch one's children suffer and I have felt helpless all day. I know that if I had a similar rash that I would be writhing in pain and most likely sobbing in frusration. Soren suffered his pain with grace and courage. I hope tonight is adequate time for healing and improvement.

Soren was champ enough for a visit to the Alexandria National Cemetery, which has become one of my most favorite places in all of Alexandria. I rarely see anyone there and it is always quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. Jamie and I paid tribute to our deceased loved ones and Jamie remembered them with kind words.

We miss you Gertrude and Gordon, Damon and Charlotte, Candy, and Andrew.