I am SOOO going to try this for Conference!!!

I found this idea at http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/ ~ I love this idea! We always try to do the Conference Bingo and packets, but every one always ends up whining that So & So is copying them or their Bingo cards get spilled and they cry. I think it's a fun little twist to make them listen. I'm even going to add it to FHE night & if they are listening and can answer surprise questions they get to pick a treat. I don't know if it will stop the whining (does the whining EVER REALLY stop?) but we'll see how it goes :o)

They picked the words they wanted their children to listen for and everytime they heard one of those words they got to go up and pick a treat from that bucket.

You can check it out here... so cute!

http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/2011/03/general-conference-treat-buckets.html

Our St Patrick's Day 2011

If I don't do this post tonight with the kids in bed, it won't get done till next week and then it will be old news :o) What a fun & busy St. Patrick's Day we had!!! The kids loved the meal though! Every thing was delicious and they all gobbled it up! It's funny how making food into fun things puts an excitement into the air!

Our Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow

Our Lucky Leprechaun Hats
actually REALLY yummy!

Delicious 4 Leaf Clover Bread

One of my favorite things is hot fresh home made bread!!!

Our Yummy Meal... minus the Green Pistachio Dessert in the fridge

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2011 from the Smith's

Brinley and Jordan attend a fun little preschool in our neighborhood and they set a Leprechaun trap yesterday at school. Well today, he had messed up the classroom and had broken out of the trap but left behind some chocolate!!! They were SOO excited when they got home! Brin was insistant that we needed to make a trap and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE could she keep it as a pet when we caught one!!! She was SO excited and SO serious!!! Her teacher must have been so convincing! :o) So the kids spent the next several hours building and setting traps out. Before bed we checked them and the sneaky little Leprechaun had escaped the trap but left rainbow colored skittles behind in his hurry to escape! What a fun day they had!

Last minute St Patty's post...

My friend asked me what we were doing for St. Patty's and I told her to check out my blog and realized I never finished posting the rest of what we were having- so here it is.

For dessert we are going to try this bad boy!

Hope it's delicious! I love Pistachio pudding so my mouth is already watering!

I'm half done with these except I'm not using green licorice and yellow candies...

I'm just going to use green and yellow frosting.

and this one I want to do for next year!!!
I love how bright and colorful it is! I already had our menu picked and bought before I saw these. So, maybe next year!

And, I can report that the 3 things in the previous post for St.Patty's got done and are all ready for today! Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone! Enjoy and hope you are wearing GREEN!

Mackenzie is baptized

Just before changing into her whites

In their whites

Our little family... one step closer to being together forever!

Mackenzie's Baptism Gift

My BEAUTIFUL girl!

I LOVE these!!!

We are so proud of you Mackenzie! I hope you remember this day forever and the feelings you had as you became a member of the church. You are such a beautiful girl inside and out!

I LOVE that you enjoy helping me and want to be a mom someday too!

You are so special to us and we LOVE you!!!

Cute pic's to finish up February

Watching mom cook~

hehe! I love the pic above!

Silly boy! He wouldn't stop sucking on his lip~

My little Macie

and Ry...

Playing with the camera settings still trying to figure things out

So cute and ready for school!

Had to take a pic!

The last big snowfall...

HOPEFULLY!

Playing in the back yard

This was the 1st time they even ventured in the back yard~

They played in the snow out front on and off

but we had "perfect" beautiful snow all winter in the back yard

Blog Shopping!

These are a few of the things I want to do for the month of March :o)

We're going to add this to our St. Patty's Day menu!

This is from http://sistersstuff.blogspot.com/

Love this too!

I don't know why this pic & the next one insist on loading huge, but atleast you can see enough of it to get the idea~

I don't have anywhere to put a 16x20 in my house right now, but I love all of these Subway Art Prints that they do for all of the holiday's so I am just going to print it out in 8x10 on my computer and frame it &7 stand it up somewhere :o)

This is from http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/

And I loved this idea too!

I already created a version of this for my kiddo's and the ladies I visit each month.
I changed the words to Lucky You & You're My Lucky Charm then

I filled them with Gold wrapped kisses, peanut butter cups, and nuggets... YUMM!

This is from http://brownpaper--packages.blogspot.com/

I can't wait until I'm ....

8!!!

Mackenzie is finally 8!!! She is so excited to get baptized! For her family birthday dinner she chose the Pizza Pie Cafe. The kids love it because they can eat as much as they want and the love the "pizza" desserts!

Mackenzie's gifts

Opening some gifts on her actual birthday



It is so hard to get Mackenzie to sit down and read...
and once she does, she doesn't want to stop~

So that we had cake on her actual birthday, she wanted a simple German Chocolate Cake~

When it came time to frost it, she decided that she didn't want it frosted but she wanted to cut it and serve it herself and scoop the frosting on :o) What ever birthday girl!!!

Making her wish

Scooping it all by herself :o)

Mackenzie had her party the following Saturday afternoon.

She invited a few friends and decorated cupcakes with them.

Decorating her cupcake...

Dallas helped Macie with hers

look at that form... that concentration!

Good job Brin! :o)

The girls with their cupcakes

Wishing on her GIGANTIC cupcake!

opening presents

We love you so much Mackenzie! We are so happy that you are part of our family! You are growing up so fast! We are proud of you and your decision to be baptized! I hope you had a Happy Birthday!

Happy Valentines Day~

We got home from California Sunday night at around 9~ had nothing planned for Valentines the next day. Thought about just blowing it off this year but felt too guilty. Ended up apparently craving chocolate because I went to the store with all the kiddos and came home with ingredients to make this... (and a few other food items)

Valentines is all about the CHOCOLATE!!!

:D ... YUMMY!


Our Dinner

Enjoying the treats

I hope everyone had a "lovely" Valentines Day!!!