Last day to enter GIVEAWAY!

Today at midnight my RED WHITE AND BLUE contest ends.  

Make sure to and click HERE to enter in the FuN!!!!

End of Year treat.

School's OUT!

The boys had their last day today.

I sent the boys off with some treats this morning to hand out to all their 'peeps'.

This.....

Plus THIS.....

Equalled THIS....

Idea and Printable found on A Cupcake for the Teacher.

You can find the Krazy Straws at the Dollar Tree....a package of 6 for a buck.

Kool-Aid is super cheap at Wal-mart.  Like 15 cents cheap.

The boys also woke up this morning to a festive little table.

All of the necessities to start the summer off right: Buildable Cardboard Castle Forts, popsicle molds, sidewalk chalk and Starbursts.

Can't believe the year is officially over. 

We had the BEST teachers EVER!!

First Day of School 2012

Last Day of School 2012

Red White and Blue....we LOVE you.

It's become a little tra-dish for Joe and I to host a Memorial Day BBQ for my side of the family. 

We're always guaranteed GOOD TIMES and GOOD EATS.

Here's a peek into our festive family evening:

Have you ever had JELLO poke cake?

It is DIVINE when used as strawberry shortcake.

We marinate strawberries in sugar all day to top it off.

We're healthy like that.

{Printables for the Jello Cups and Cake Bunting are FREE from TomKat Studio.}

P.s. Have you entered my GIVEAWAY HERE?!?

This Weekend We...

{Warning.  Our weekend pretty much revolved around food.  And eating. And lots of it.}

*Finished London's swim Lessons.  She's {sorta} become a pro at going off the diving board.  And she's only 3.  Proud mama, yes I am.

Thank goodness her bestie Jane was there to share in all of the chlorinated fun!

* Date night with Joe HERE.  You honestly cannot beat their Early Bird specials.  

Yes...Joe and I like to usually eat out EARLY on Friday nights.  

We get along well with the 'elderly' crowd.

$7.99 for a 6 oz. sirloin steak and 2 sides.  Yum-MY!

*Saw THIS movie.  Love Love LOVED it.

It's based on a true story ya know.

Jack Black is perfect in it. And just in case you DO see it...just know...the townspeople getting interviewed are REAL people.  Not actors.  It made it THAT MUCH better.

* Finished off the boys' baseball season.  YA-HOO!

The weather could not have been more perfect for it either.

* Team Party HERE.

* Date night with fun friends HERE.

It was the most perfect night to eat outside.  Sadly now, we probably won't get to go back until October when the temps start to dip again.

* Church.

*Confiscated this love note from Grant's crush during Sacrament meeting:

My personal favorite lines are:

You're the Peanut to my butter...

You smell like rainbows....

You are the butter to my fly

and not to be forgotten...

I like your little freckles.

May I remind you....Grant is 7.  Joe and I were DYING laughing when we found this!! 

* Made our Summer To-Do List.

Printable found from The Crafting Chicks and printed off at Costco as a 16x20 print.

*Tacos for Sunday dinner.

{Shredded beef.  The best.  Recipe to follow soon}.

It was a very busy weekend indeed.  Family filled and couldn't have been more perfect.

Tomorrow....we celebrate MEMORIAL DAY with the Lamoreaux side.

BBQ at our house.

Burgers, Brats, salads, Diet Coke, fresh strawberry shortcake, and lots of laughter.

Guaranteed.

P.S.  Make sure and enter my GIVEAWAY HERE!!!

Giveaway Giveaway!

Image via My Blessed Life.

It's time for another giveaway.  Why? Well because I keep gaining followers to my little 'ole blog.  And to be honest, I'm not sure how!? But I am grateful.  Very grateful.  Maybe SOME day...I'll figure out how to make this blog all professional and stuff.  {Who am I kidding...I don't know the FIRST thing about professional-ism.  OR computer technology. Sigh}.  For now...you get to enjoy me just the way I am..{Smile}!  

THIS was my last giveaway.

It just happened to be around Valentine's Day so I went a little Valentine's crazy.

Since tomorrow is the official start of Summer {in my book at least}...I'm doing a PATRIOTIC type of giveaway this time.  A box full of RED WHITE and BLUE loot if ya know what I mean.  It'll be stuff I pick up from random places to decorate and dazzle my house and kitchen table with.  I'll just pick up an EXTRA one of everything for YOU.  

Here's how it works:

1. You HAVE to be a follower of my blog.

2. You HAVE to leave a comment on THIS entry with your NAME and your very most FAVORITE thing about summer time.

That's it.  I don't really ask much.

This contest will close on Thursday May 31st at midnight.

I will announce the WINNER on Friday June 1st.

Happy Entering!

2 Try-able Recipes.

Two yummy recipes to share today.  One from a good friend of mine...another from Pinterest.  Remember how I said that ya win some ya lose some on the ole Pin-interest {as my husband calls it}!? Well this one was a BIG win.

MEXICAN CHICKEN

by Chef Mommy

Joe went as far as to say that it was his NEW FAVORITE dish.

Translation: it's super super yummy.

PLUS...it's made in the crock pot.  DOUBLE bonus!!

The next recipe is one of my very most favorite pasta salads from my good friend Molly. 

Bbq season is upon us {wahoo!}....and this makes the perfect side dish.

Yummy Pasta Salad

4 cups cooked tri-color pasta

1/2 cup red bell pepper

1/2 cup sliced olives {I omit these...not a fan}

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup pine nuts {optional....but for me...they are a MUST!}

Chopped cucumbers {Because I add these to EVERY salad I make}

Dressing:

1 Tbs. garlic minced

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/8 c. lemon juice

1/2 c. olive oil

1 Tbs. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Toss all ingredients with dressing.

Chill and Serve.

{If you want...you COULD make this as a main dish....just add shredded rotisserie chicken. Would be SUPER yum!}

Saying THANKS...the easy way!

Someone did me a BIG favor yesterday and I wanted to show them my appreciation.

I wanted to say THANKS with a small gesture...but didn't have a bunch of time today.

I came up with a SUPER EASY and QUICK gift for under $10.

Here ya go...brace yourselves:

Go to Paradise Bakery.

If you buy 6 cookies you get 6 free.  It comes to roughly around $9.  Paradise Bakery provides the cute carrying box and then all you have to do is print out THESE labels from Living Locurto. That's it! The tags come in pink AND green and are actually originally intended to be used as sandwich bag toppers.  I just cut mine in half so it was a single rectangle.  

Now go on out and tell someone GRACIAS!

You can THANK ME later.

This Weekend We...

* Went out to dinner with fun friends HERE and then saw the movie "What to Expect when you're Expecting".  We LOVED it.  Even Joe! {although he did say he thought the first 10 minutes were boring}.  If you've had kids in the past 10 years...you will enjoy it.  So many 'relatable' scenes and lines in that movie. 2 thumbs up!

* Boys' baseball game. Only 1 more to go!

Thank goodness London has had her new little CRUSH to occupy her at all the games.

* Made cupcakes for THIS church lesson.  Here's a tip.  Don't ever ever EVER use Crisco in your frosting recipe.  I found a recipe on Pinterest that PROMISED to be the best PIPEABLE frosting out there.  I was SO excited to try it out.  And I was SO disappointed.  It was as thick as tar and wouldn't even come out of my frosting tip.  Needless to say....I had to make a second batch.  Without the Crisco.

Pinterest....ya win some, ya lose some.  

* Took the kiddos swimming at the water park right by our house.

It. Was. A. Blast.

London has no fear of well....ANYTHING. She went down the waterside close to 50 times I bet.

* Church and meetings.  My Laurel's advisor got released last week and so we presented her with this today:

Skip to My Lou has FREE printable circles HERE that are CUSTOMIZABLE.  You can type ANYTHING in there....your child's name, a student...etc.  So awesome.

*Napped.

* Dessert with my mom and dad.

*Golf cart rides for the kids.

* Cold Diet Dr. Pepper to finish the weekend off.

Only SIX more days of school.  YAHOO!!!

Temple Marriage Lesson.

Today I had the privilege of teaching my Laurels lesson #18 out of Manual 1.

Temple Marriage: 

Requirement for Eternal Family Life.

This is probably one of my very most favorite lessons to teach.

Why?

Well because you see...since Joe and I chose to get married in the temple.... we get to be TOGETHER FOREVER.  With our family.  And that....is cause to rejoice! 

Yup.  One of my most favorite topics indeed.

I showed the girls a snippet of our wedding video. {I might've bawled a little too}.

I found a cute idea from Little Miss Suzy Q that I incorporated into my lesson as well.

Cupcake object lesson

 Two cupcakes. one with frosting, one without frosting. Ask girls which one they would rather eat. Most of the girls will pick the cupcake that has frosting because it looks better, is more appetizing, and is sweeter. After the girls decide which one looks better ask a girl to come up and take a bite out of one of the cupcakes. When she picks up the frosted cupcake she'll know immediately that there is something wrong with it because it will be very light. There is actually only a tiny bit of cupcake and the rest is a styrofoam ball. It's frosted and looks beautiful, but you wouldn't want to bite into it. Allow her the bite it or take it apart being careful not to embarrass her. The lesson...neither cupcake is the complete package. You wouldn't want a cupcake that's only icing, but a cupcake without frosting isn't any fun either. It's the same when looking for a husband. You don't want a guy who is only icing; good looking, charming, athletic, etc, but has no cake; high standards, kind, hard working, committed to the gospel, loves the Lord, etc. You want the icing too though. And that's okay.

I decided for this part to make up a few mini cupcakes.  They worked out perfectly.  It was so funny to watch the girl who chose the 'frosted' cupcake try and bite into hers.  It got the message across perfectly. I also gave them THIS handout and had them list the 'cake' qualities and 'frosting' qualities that they wanted in their future husbands.

After the lesson, I made them each come up to me to get their REAL cupcake and told them that they HAD to say: Sis. Coombs...I promise to get married in the Temple.

Each one said it and I sent them on their way. {Smile}. I sure love those girls and hope they got something out of this.  If anything, I wanted them to realize HOW IMPORTANT they are how they should never ever settle or lower their standards for ANYONE.   

Fake diamond rings were found at JoAnns in their WEDDING section.

Random Wednesday {posted on Friday}.

Gosh I love this kid.
He thought he'd be funny and sneak a pic in during church.

* I'll never understand the people who hoard the 'sample' tables at Costco.  Don't get me wrong...I LOVE getting free tastes of food BUT...the people who seriously act like it's their 'last supper'....come on! It's literally a spooge of cheesecake they're handing out.  You'll live without out.

* Another thing I don't quite understand? People who still write checks at the grocery store.  Seriously?!? And why is it....that I seem to ALWAYS get behind these people in line??

* Little Caesers pizza.  It's either REALLY GOOD.....or really.....card-boardish.  If you get that pizza 'hot and fresh' as advertised....it seriously is tasty.  If you let it sit out for awhile before delving into it?  Nasty. 

* SO excited for school to be out for my kids.  Don't get me wrong...I'm sure I'll be ready to send them back by like day 2 of summer vacation.  BUT...so thrilled to NOT have schedules, NOT have to race out the door in the morning and pretty much do WHATEVER we PLEASE. 

*Already anticipating our summer vacay in Utah.  It's always so refreshing to go up to the cabin and relax.  

* Remember how I said I have a 'thing' for Hall and Oates music?  I also have a 'thing' for THIS song.  Quite possibly one of my most favorite old school songs that MUST be cranked up every time I hear it in the car.  {And yes...I whole-heartedly accept the fact that I am a nerd.}

* This week I was at the drive-thru at McDonalds and the person who handed me my food said "Please come again."  Please come again?  Is this really necessary to tell people?  At MCDONALDS? I'm pretty sure we'll all come again at least 500 more times in our lives.  Right?  It's Mcdonalds.  We have kids.  We'll be back.  Maybe even sometimes twice a day now that school will be out!

* The movie ANNIE is all the rage in our house these days. {The 1982 version with Carol Burnett.  It's a CLASSIC!}  I can't get enough of THIS scene from the movie.  The dancing, the pillow fight, the song, the choreography.  Please can I go back in time and BE in this scene?? Love!

* We went to Build a Bear this week so Carson could spend his birthday money.  I LOVE that store and every time I'm in there, I'm reminded that I want to write a letter to their headquarters and tell them that they really need to start making those 'bear' clothes...in 'lady' sizes.  They are seriously TOO cute.  And sometimes...SO STYLISH!  Not even kidding.  {Ok, Mr. Build a Bear Prez....if you don't want to make them in LADY sizes....at least make them in children's sizes so London can benefit from the cuteness!}

* I really hate it when news anchors WHO ARE FULL BLOODED AMERICAN AND SPEAK ENGLISH...try and pronounce SPANISH things....with an accent.  We get it.  You don't speak SPANISH.  There is no need to pretend.  Ditch the pretend accent and just read those names in your gringo tone.  We're fine with it. {I seriously get the giggles every night when I watch the  news and hear this!}

* Last night on the weather, the news caster teased us with a 'cold front' coming our way.  I was all excited to stay tuned and see what that entailed.  It meant.....we'd be 'cooling' down to 100 degrees.  Not 106 like we've already been experiencing.  Sigh.  Summer weather is here in Sunny AZ. Thank goodness for pools, air conditioning and LOTS of ice-cold Diet Coke.

Graduation Treats.

Today Grant's class was celebrating the college graduation of his cute student teacher.

They were throwing a little class party and I had such high hopes of making up something cute to bring in.

I ran outta time.  Dontcha hate when that happens?

Sometimes it just seems like there aren't enough HOURS in the DAY. 

{Sigh}.  

I'll have to save these ideas for Carson's Kindergarten Graduation celebration.

Can't believe THAT is just in a couple of weeks.

Domestic Charm

LOVING these cupcakes.  Made from a Reese's PB cup and a Godiva chocolate.  The tassle is made out of a mini M&M and an Airhead.

Family Fun

Just a slice of cheese and turkey rolled up and tied together with a green onion to look like an official DIPLOMA!

Pinterest

LOVE this cute gift idea.

Frog Prince Paperie

Graduation Cap Push Pops.  Brilliant.

Altered Artworks

Another cute gift idea with the Reese's PB cups.

Lil Luna

And what a FUN dessert idea.  And yes...they still sell these white Reese's...just saw them at the store yesterday.  Now I'm going back to pick some up!

This weekend we...

Mother's Day 2012

* Took my mom and dad out to dinner for an early Mother's Day celebration. We ate HERE and it was DEE-LISH...as usual.

* Went out for Saturday morning breakfast HERE.

{Yes...since it was MY weekend...we did lots of eating out.  Because seriously...who wants to cook on Mother's Day weekend?}

* Bought matching bikes for Joe and I to ride around the neighborhood in.

Because nothing SCREAMS cheesy like a Family Bike Ride, right?

We've officially entered that zone.  

Yes...the basket was necessary for  me...  To hold things like my cell phone... and a Diet Coke of course!

* Boys' baseball game.  Only 2 more left!

* Made dozens of sugar cookies for a Breast Cancer fundraiser.

* Died laughing at Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon in THIS.

* Got teary watching my boys sing to me in Sacrament Meeting. Somethin' about those sweet little voices!

* Took an {almost}un-interuppted Sunday nap.

And by {almost} I mean...just London interrupted me this time.  

* Went to a FABULOUS Mother's Day dinner at Scott and Marilyn's.

Aren't these place settings to die for?  

Marilyn went ALL out...as usual.

We dined on bacon wrapped filet mignon, cheesey potatoes, Cheesecake Factory bread and delicious side salads.   

I'm SO lucky to have been able to spend Mother's Day weekend with the women that I love.

My mom, my mother-in-law, sisters and sisters-in-laws that live close by and friends that inspire me.

Not to mention my cute little family and very supportive husband who made it an all out deluxe weekend for moi.

I am blessed indeed.

Jean Jean the Dancin' Machine.

Happy Mother's Day to the cutest MOM I know!

Things you should know about my fabulous MOM:

1. She can play the accordion 

 

2. She can do the splits

3. She can do both #1 and #2 at the same time. You gotta see it to believe it.

4. She's the best ENTERTAINER I know.  I blame much of my 'need' to host parties at our house... on her.  Growing up we ALWAYS had company over for dinners and holidays.  And it was always a  deluxe event.

5. She's the best COOK I know. Even when she makes something as simple as a grilled cheese...it's got that extra dose of deliciousness in it.

6. She's the QUEEN BEE of service.  All my life she has selflessly given of herself to others.  She taught me the saying "Service never comes at a convenient time".  But to others really...she made always made it seem like it was absolutely convenient for her.  Even if she had a million other things going on in her life.

7. She laughs at EVERYTHING.  Especially people tripping or falling or causing otherwise bodily injury to themselves unintentionally.  She's passed that trait down to the rest of us.  You DO NOT want us around if you 'accidentally' fall.  Just warning you.

8. Her favorite slogan for us when things get frustrating is "Get Over It!".  Move on.  It always gets better.

9. She doesn't complain. Ever.  It's true.  That trait.....must've skipped OVER me!

10. She's a FABULOUS grandma.  My kids would rather live with her and my dad....than us.  But wouldn't YOU if every time you went to her house she made you a sundae with whipped cream and sprinkles on top? 

11. She puts a positive twist.....on EVERYTHING.  

12. Everybody LOVES my mom.  They do.  Her personality is infectious.  People like to be around her.

13. She can tell within 5 seconds of talking to me....how my day has been.  I don't even need to say anything...she can pick it up in the tone of my voice.  She knows me inside and out.  

14. She likes Diet Coke just as much as I do.  

15.  Don't tell my other siblings....but I'm her favorite.  It's true.  She loves me best.  But mum's the word....

More Teacher Appreciation.

The boys' teachers each got a little something different today.

For Carson's teacher I picked up a box of cute note cards from Home Goods.

{Home Goods is a serious weakness of mine}.

I found this cute idea and printable tag from Skip to My Lou.

Easy. Peasy.

As for Grant's teacher....today's 'day' was 'household items' day. 

His teacher moved into a new house recently and so everyone was asked to bring a small household necessity item to help her out.  And since she has a 1 year old daughter ....I brought diapers.  

Because seriously....we all know it's painful buying diapers every week, no?

Cute printable topper tag from It Is What It Is.