Sienna pics

I finally took a few minutes to organize my photos on the computer, so I thought I'd post some cute ones from the past couple of months. These few are 8-month-old pics.

So what if I'm a month behind...

A hurt back. Crazy work schedule. A sick baby. Dan working a ton. Nasty head hold. Bronchitis. Traveling. "Training" for the triathlon (with a hurt back, a sick baby, being sick...so not nearly as much as I should have). The triathlon. Studying for my LCSW exam. These are all my excuses for not keeping my blog updated. It's not like I'm addicted to blogging, but since I'm using it as a type of journal, I'd love to be better at updating it. I really need to do better, particularly with important events in our lives.

Anyway, it's been about a month since my birthday weekend, so it's definitely past due! Dan and I went up to Park City for the weekend (April 25th-26th). My parents were kind enough to take Sienna for the weekend, so we were kid-free. We planned to take the road bikes and do the bike/run portion of the triathlon (which we had also planned to do the previous weekend when it POURED). Anyway, of course it snowed all day long. It was crazy. I swear the forces were completely against us with this race....but that's for another post! We stayed at the Marriott at the Park City Ski Resort. It was such a fun little get-away--definitely short, but sweet. We shopped at the outlets, ate at great restaurants, worked out (in the gym instead), sat in the hot tub, and just relaxed. I guess if you can't have good weather, then at least we could turn on a fireplace and cuddle up while it was snowing outside. It really was a beautiful snowfall--the kind with the huge flakes...but come on! It was almost May. Enough, already! Since it was in-between seasons, it really was pretty quiet, which was nice. It kind of felt like we had the city to ourselves. We had a great weekend. It was kind of a joint anniversary/my birthday celebration. I still can't believe it's been 4 years since we got married. I am grateful to have married Dan. He's a good man. He is a great friend, and not just to me. I love that he is the kind of guy who really cares about people. I am grateful that he is someone who people rely on and look up to (despite the fact that he's a Democrat!). And he is the BEST dad! Sienna just adores him. There is nothing I love more than to watch them play together. We've had lots of highs and a few hard times, but it's been an amazing 4 years. Here's to many, many more!!! LYG, Dan!

Here we are at dinner at a yummy Italian place on Main Street in Park City. It was so slow there that we took our sweet time and got great service from the waitress. She even hooked us up with a free dessert--a pizookie (which was not nearly as good as the ones from BJ's. Sniff, sniff...) The tables were covered with paper/crayons, so we took advantage and played a couple of games of MASH. I'll admit it's been awhile since I played, but it was definitely a good time. Wentworth Miller (from Prison Break) and I will be very happy, living in our shack with our 2 kids, and driving our audi TT. And Dan and Britney Spears will be very happy hauling their 7 kids around in their 15-passenger scout van. The waitress even made us do a MASH game for her. It was pretty funny. She used all the waiters and then 1 waitress, since there weren't enough guys and of course ended up with the only chick. Good times, good times. You can make fun, but admit it, you want to bust out a good game of MASH right now. I know you do.






P.S. I LOVE artichokes. LOVE them. I need to learn how to cook them. Are they hard?







Here's a few pics from my birthday dinner/party with my family. I got spoiled! My family is the best. And yes, that it a picture of my 91-year-old grandma Tink playing the Wii.

Haagen-Dazs Reserve: Fleur de Sel Caramel

I just had to post this while I was thinking about it, so I wouldn't forget. Haagen-Dazs Reserve: Fleur de Sel Caramel. Apparently it means "flower of salt" and fleur de sel caramels, which are slighty salty and very sweet caramels, are coated in chocolate and make up this delicous treat. If you're an ice cream snob, you definitely need to try this stuff. It's soooo good.

Happy girl

Sheri Dew quotes

I just came across a bunch of quotes from Sherie Dew. Her book "No Doubt About It" is one of my favorites. I need to read "God Wants a Powerful People". I'm sure it's a good one.


"There is one thing the power of God and the power of Satan have in common: Neither can influence us unless we allow them to."
— Sheri L. Dew (God Wants a Powerful People)


"We no longer have the luxury of spending our energy on anything that does not lead us and our families to Christ."
— Sheri L. Dew

"Everything that's important - you can take with you."
— Sheri L. Dew (God Wants a Powerful People)

Very Low Fat Stawberry Cheesecake Trifle

My mom made this for my birthday "cake" on Sunday and it was SOOOOO good. You have to try it! This is the perfect dessert for summertime. It's delicious, and I love that it's so pretty. Definitely a keeper!

Very Low-Fat Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
2 8 oz packages fat free cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 8 oz. carton fat-free whipped topping
1 large angel-food cake, cut into 1-inch squares
1/4 cup sugar
4 pints strawberries, sliced

Directions: Beat cream cheese, vanilla & powered sugar. Stir in yogurt, then fold in the whipped topping. Add cake cubes to cream mixture and toss lightly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over strawberries, stir gently. Layer cake and strawberries in trifle bowl, starting and ending with strawberries. Serves 12.

Sneak peak

Here's a sneak peak of Sienna's pics from earlier this week. My friend Emily does such an amazing job. Check out her blog at http://www.evandykephotography.blogspot.com/
I can't wait to see the rest!