Thanksgiving Weekending 2012

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving...

I love love love when Powell comes home, and my family is "whole"

Before we headed to the Brooks' for dinner, I tried to get my Christmas card photo :)

here are a few of the other shots...we had so much fun taking these!!

I really do have the best boys in the world...seriously 

THE BEST!

We love spending Thanksgiving at the Brooks'...Powell, Sam and Rachel

all attend WSU together and are the same age, Lucy has missed Rachel, and Uncle Peter 

joined us this year!

I think I am finally on my way to feeling a little normal.,.I have been sick for 10 days!!

I have not had a cough like this in years...it has really knocked me down!

Powell headed back to school today...he will return home in 3 weeks for Christmas break

Blake has some college applications to fill out :)

and I am reading for a little holiday cheer!!

xoxo

Blake's Day

I ended up being pretty sick on Blake's birthday :(

My original plan was a family dinner celebration, but that had to be cancelled

So, to make sure Blake had some fun on his 18th, Toby took the kids bowling

(I think Lucy thought it was a gift for her, she was so excited!)

Here are some great :) shots Lucy took at the bowling alley

(minus the two of herself)

When they returned from bowling, we had the birthday dinner that Blake had requested

Chicken Marbella and my friend Emily's Coconut Cake!

I think Blake had a great day!

Happy GOLDEN 18th Birthday Blake Tobias!!

Happy Birthday Blue Eyes

18 years ago you entered this world a little 9lb 5oz bundle of joy, with a fat roll 

on the back of your neck, and the best cheeks ever!

LOOK at you now...a smart handsome kind athletic compassionate MAN!

You are a wonderful Son and a patient and loving Brother~

We love you Blake

 and we are so excited to watch you experience all that God 

has planned for your life...you will do it all with your usual "casual laid back" style

and always with a smile on your face.

Happy GOLDEN Birthday Blake!!

xoxo

A REALLY delicious Quinoa Recipe {In My Kitchen}

I found this recipe on Pinterest 

and it is fantastic!

via

You can find the recipe HERE

 a couple of things I did....

*make a double batch of the vinaigrette, use half when you make the salad

and put the remainder in the fridge to add more when needed

**the second time I made this I used 1/2 cup red quinoa and 1/2 cup reg quinoa

and I threw in some dried cranberries!

Enjoy!!

p,s,  THESE were also really great quinoa recipes!

Autumn Nail Polish Favorites

I love dark nail polish once fall arrives

(or the palest of pinks)

and right now these are a few of my favorite shades!

OPI Got the Blues for Red

I have had this on my nails every other manicure

it is a deep gorgeous red...and I have gotten TONS 

of compliments!

Sally Hansen  - Commander in Chic

a perfect taupey grey and this formula holds up so well!

very similar to Essie's Chinchilly

and OPI's You don't know Jacques

Sally Hansen - Pat on the Black

a very deep purple that is almost black

very similar to OPI's Lincoln Park after Dark

I ran out of my Seche Vite top coat

and really didn't want to spend $8 on a bottle

that by the time I'm halfway through it is

too thick to use...so I decided to try something new

and I 

LOVE this!

Nutra Nail 

Speed Dry 30 Second Top Coat with Green Tea

You apply this 2 minutes after you polish your nails, it is dry to the touch in 30 seconds...no kidding, and after a few minutes you can be off and running, the SHINE is amazing 

and it has really held up my polish with minimal chipping until day 3 or 4...I rarely get a week out of my polish :( AND it was under $4!

 

Halloween 2012

our beautiful blushing bride

keeping with tradition of fun ways to collect her candy....

Lucy's bouquet is open in the center (a cone), and I carried a bag for her

to dump the candy after each house :)

she lost another tooth last week!

this year, just Blake and Lucy carved pumpkins

Lucy started out with a face, but decided to have Daddy

carve her name

so this year

we had a storm trooper (Blake is a little obsessed with Star Wars :)

and a reminder of who's house this is :)

and for a school costume

Lucy decided to rock the 80's :)

Wow...so it's November 1st!!