Favorite Things...Recipe

On our trip back from Idaho we stopped at a small bagel place in Wilson, WY called Pearl Street Bagels. The bagels were chewy and filling and pretty darn perfect and the cream cheese was divine. The veggie cream cheese is full of carrots, celery, onions...the best veggie cream cheese I have ever had. I ordered the Mexican cream cheese for Andy and after only one bite he had to run back into Pearl Street and order a second. The Mexican cream cheese was spicy with bits of tomato and jalapeño. I dreamed of bagels the whole way home from Wilson, Wy. I just knew I had to try and make them.

I found this amazing recipe and quickly made three batches of these with in two days. These bagels are a scinch to make and they taste amazing. I actually don't think I will ever have to purchase bagels ever again. They are so simple that I was able to make a batch before taking Blake to the bus stop one morning. If you have never attempted baking bread or working with yeast please take an afternoon and try it. Yeast isn't as difficult as you would think it is and the results of a fresh loaf of handmade bread is so rewarding.

Out For Adventure

Last week we went out for adventure in the beautiful Idaho Mountains. We played in copious amounts of snow and spent time with friends and wished that we could just stay in that place where you can relax and play and enjoy each other.

My boys all bundled up and enjoying the snow.

Poor Quinn could hardly move in his snow suit and boots.

B Hope loved playing in the snow.

She especially loved the hot chocolate that was

waiting for her when she got back inside.

Blakeley lived for the epic snowball fight between the dads

and the kids and she also really enjoyed going snowshoeing.

We got home from our trip and we were exhausted but we were also refreshed. I love the start of the new year because it just feels fresh and clean - ready for good things to happen. I came back home with a list of things I want to do this year - one of which is blogging again. I felt like blogging was getting redundant - losing its creativity. It was no longer something that I enjoyed doing. I am moving forward and giving it another go. I am expecting good things in 2012 and am excited to record them here.

Six.

My Blakeley turned six yesterday - my sweet, stubborn, adventurous, creative girl. We celebrated with starbucks in the morning, watermelon for a school snack, Chinese for dinner, and cake and ice cream to finish...all Blakeley's favorite things. Blake is a truly kind hearted person. She loves people and loves meeting needs. Each year I love seeing how far she has come. She is determined and once she gets something in her mind she will work as hard as she can to see that she accomplishes it.

I have been richly blessed by her and I am honored to be able to watch her grow and discover life and all that is holds for her. Happy Birthday to my Sunshine Girl. I love you so and I am so glad you are my daughter.

We went camping a few weeks ago at one of my most favorite places in the world. It is a magical place green with moss and wildflowers, hidden toadstools, and berries growing wild. We go fishing, play in the creek, go hiking, relax and just take in nature. I love this place.

Slack lining with good friends.

She was serious about keeping mountain lions away - "Parent Trap" style.

Slipping away...

So wow...welcome to the second half of August. I have been working like a mad woman for the last few weeks and have not had anytime to do much of anything. I feel like I woke up from my work fog this weekend and realized that summer is slipping away. Before we know it the leaves will start changing and autumn will be here. In the mean time, I am determined to enjoy the rest of our garden.

Our first artichoke, the size of a golfball right now...

Also, our first sunflower around 10-11 feet tall.

We have to harvest our vegetables in a laundry basket...zucchini, summer squash, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and watermelon.