cinco de mayo...hooray!

I thought I would post some pictures from our fiesta that we had on Cinco de Mayo! It was lots and lots of FUN!!!

These are Palmiers. They are super duper yummy!

El Torro: Scott's Uncle Bob gave this to Lily at a family reunion in San Diego many years ago (June 2006). We decided it was time to use it finally!

The loot!

This is a funny picture....look very closely. Do you see anything strange about this scene? If you look in the background you will see we have an audience peering over the fence. It is the same thing every time we are doing something in our backyard; whether it be a backyard BBQ, a little game of catch, or breaking a pinata...

So here is the newest furniture addition to the house....a bunk bed!!!! The boys are beyond excited and Lily is beyond jealous! Davie has slept there the last two nights with Adam and it has gone remarkably well.

day 25 - a favorite photo...or a few

With four darling children it is hard to pick just one favorite photo. So here are a few that I love!

Lily, striking a pose at the tide pools in San Diego. I think it is so cute when she does this.

Adam's kindergarten picture...is that not the most awesome picture you have ever seen!?

Grace, being....well, Grace.

I just love this little guy. This picture is from last August and I think he is the cutest baby ever in it!

P.S. I am going to post pictures from our cruise eventually. The friends we went with still have them on their camera (we figured it would be easier to just lug around one camera and then share them...plus they have a really nice camera and our is sort of not that awesome). So hopefully by the end of the week...

day 24 - my day in great detail

Okay, so I think this might be boring to anyone else, but here goes....

6:30 - Scott rolled over and kissed me then got out of bed to get Davie and go let the chickens out of the hen house. I guess you could say I woke up then...but not really

6:50 - Davie came and snuggled with me for a minute (truly a minute since he is usually very busy in the morning)

6:55 - Gracie came to snuggle...still not ready to open my eyes

7:03 (everyday) - Adam comes in to snuggle

7:05 - Adam asks when I am going to roll over and stop snuggling with Grace and start snuggling with him...ahhh my day has officially started!

7:10 - out of bed

get cereal for the kids who are awake

7:15 - stumble out to get the paper; hopefully there are no neighbors out to see me in all my morning splendor

7:16 - dish up some oatmeal that Scott made (he is a good man), gawk at the ridiculousness of the Deseret Morning Paper and wonder when they will start putting news on the front page rather than fluff (clearly another post for another day)

7:30 - call for Lily to wake up

7:35 - Lily wanders up; gives me a hug like always (she is so sweet). I get up to dish her up some cereal (yes, she is capable herself, but then we get a lot cereal that goes to waste)

7:40 - hold Davie for a minute; he is a bit whiny this morning for some reason.

Break up an argument between Grace and Adam

7:45 - Family prayer. Give Scott as many kisses as I can to make him stay a minute longer (I know, I am totally pathetic)

8:00 - initiate getting the kids dressed; inform them that they can wear shorts. I go and put my gym clothes on...shorts vs. capris? Capris seem to always win.

8:10 - chase Davie trying get him dressed; I finally catch him!

Help Grace focus on getting clothes on

8:15 - do Lily's hair; feeling lazy so I don't curl it today so up in a ponytail it goes. She was delighted; that is her favorite hairdo - clearly she is not my clone. Spike Adam's hair

8:25 - make Lily's lunch

dump the garbage

8:30 - inform everyone to get shoes on, teeth brushed, and backpacks packed.

help Davie with his shoes while he chants to word, "GYM, GYM, GYM" - apparently he is happy to be going to the gym today.

8:35 - tell the kids start watching for their ride

8:40 - load David and Grace in van

wait outside with Lily and Adam for their ride

8:45 - ride comes

we leave for the gym

8:50 - get to the gym, check the kids into the playroom.

run to Power Pump class

8:56-ish - get to class

chat with Heather and Masiel a bit while I finish setting up some weights (Heather is so nice, she usually has most of my weights ready to go for me when I get there....and she is 7 months pregnant)

9:00 - class starts - OUCH!

9:58 - give up on the last of the military presses; start putting equipment away

10:00 - quick stretches

10:10 - pick up kids, load up and go home

10:15 - home; get pretzels for Grace and string cheese for Davie.

put Dora on so I can shower in peace

10:25 - shower, get dressed, put on makeup, blow dry and curl hair

10:40 - evaluate outfit....hmmmmm, good enough

10:50 - get a call from Carolyn; she is already at the school and will bring home the kindergartners.

11:00 - put on some tunes, totally lip-synced to Giselle from "Enchanted" and had Davie dancing with me.

cleaned up breakfast dishes

11:30 - copy new recipe into book

11:35 - sweep

11:45 - Adam comes home

talk about his day - apparently some kids kicked him the you-know-where. He cried.

11:50 - made lunch; ham sandwiches and carrot sticks for the kids

11:55 - while kids eat; clean up, refill rice container, try calling Scott...no answer

12:00 - find a PBSkids.org game for Adam

12:05 - put Davie down for a little nap

prepare my lunch; leftover spaghetti....I really dislike leftovers....

12:10 - sit down to eat lunch

Scott called me back - we chat for a second

finish reading the paper all the while shaking my head at the idiocy of people. For example...remember the boy who was dragged out of his tent by a bear and killed a couple years ago. It was a tragedy and now the family has been awarded something like $1.4 million in a lawsuit against parks systems. On top of it they on a tirade that there should be better warnings about bears in the woods. Seriously?! Here's a newsflash; bears live in the woods! It was a tragic accident; move on and stop blaming the world for something that is no one's fault. Okay....clearly I need to stop reading the paper!

12:25 - clean up lunch dishes.

tidy up around the house

12:55 - load up kids in van, wake up Davie and load him up as well

1:00 - drop Gracie and Davie off at Natalie's so that I can take the two big kids to the dentist. They LOVE her house and happily go in to play

1:15 - pick Lily up at school

1:30 - get to the dentist and check in

1:45 - get called back, run into a woman who used to live in our ward; we chat for a while. Small world.

sit and watch the kids get their teeth cleaned, and then examined by the dentist. He informs me that they have perfect teeth and that they are good brushers. Yeah!!!! Adam's six-year molars have come in, so we set up an appointment for sealants to get put on in a month

2:50 - finished at the dentist.

Run to Natalie's to pick up the kids; Davie pooped once while there and then pooped again - Natalie didn't have another diaper, so he stinks. None the less, I still can't resist visiting for a minute - some people are just easy to talk to.

3:07 - Rush back to the school to get Lily's backpack and homework (I didn't think the dentist would take that long)

3:15 - get there right as the bell rings. Tell Lily to run in a meet us in the back of the school.

Drive around back and park.

Change Davie's diaper (I keep an extra diaper in the car)

3:20 - Lily gets to the car.

We decide to celebrate Cinco de Mayo today.

We head to the grocery store to get a few things for the up-coming festivities.

4:15 - get home.

Call Scott to see what his schedule is

4:20 - put groceries away.

Start making preparations for the party

4:30 - get puff pastry out to thaw so that I can make Palmiers (a Mexican pastry we used to buy when we went to Rocky Point)

4:45 - sit down for a minute to catch my breath.

tried to read from my latest novel....no use....as long as someone is awake then someone will always need me.

4:55 - Davie has a major melt-down over who knows what. I hold him. Then we walk around a bit

5:05 - Get Davie settled in the basement with the girls

5:10 - cut open the top of the pinata that we have had for five years now. It is about time we use it. Adam helps me stuff it with candy - he so excited! Candy is his favorite food...

5:15 - realize Lily has a softball game in 15 minutes and help her quickly get her clothes on. Wonder where Scott is....he said he would be home by now and it would be nice if he could take her.

5:25 - call Scott. He is close. I tell him that Lily will be waiting for him. He agrees to take her

5:30-is - I go out to wait with Lily, Davie joins me (of course). I see my neighbor, Wendy, and head over to chat (yes, I know, I chat with lots of people....I like people)

Scott pulls up and Lily jumps in the car. The timer goes off....my pastries are half done.

I ask Wendy to keep an eye on Davie while I go and take care of them

5:35 - I am back outside. Wendy and I visit for a while and walk down to the Taylor's house (another neighbor) to check out the new playground equipment being installed in their backyard. Our boys are drooling - they can't wait to go and play there!

6:05 - back inside. Start dinner (we don't normally eat this late, but with the softball game we put dinner off until later)

6:35 - sit down to eat our Mexican feast!

7:05 - go outside to break the pinata - my kids were in HEAVEN!!!!

7:30 - bath/shower time (all an hour behind due to the game)

7:45 - get on jammies, brush teeth and hair.

Family prayer

8:00 - Grace and Davie in bed.

Adam works on homework with Scott.

Lily finishes her homework.

I clean the kitchen

8:20 - Adam finishes homework

Scott is wiped out on the floor; I think he fell asleep for a minute.

Lily kindly tucks Adam into bed.

8:25 - I sit down to attempt reading. I get about chapter in before I realize there are still dishes that need to be washed. I can't sit still until I know they are done.

8:35 - wash last few dishes which end up being a lot of dishes

8:50 - call for Scott to come and dry them so that I have room to put more down

9:05 - wipe table and contemplate the floors - they really need to be swept again....

9:30 - sit down to type this post...it is taking forever.

10:13 - decide it is long enough...time to go sweep the floor and then fall into my bed!

Somewhere in there I got the mail, ironed a couple shirts, sorted some laundry, made beds, searched the Internet for family reunion shirts, read to Davie, brushed my teeth, and went to the bathroom....although I am not sure where!

Whoever said that being a mother isn't like having a real job is dumb...they obviously haven't walked a day in my shoes. I am tired but I don't think I would choose to be anything else! Happy Mother's Day this Sunday to all the hard-working mothers I know who's days aren't much different than the one I just described.

we're back!

Just a little sneak peek....I will put a full update of our cruise when I have a little more time. Right now I am off to do more laundry and finish unpacking!!!!

day 23 - a video

Okay, this is really short, so watch closely. It is worth it.....seriously Scott and I watch this over and over and just LAUGH!!!!

If Gracie looks small it is because this is from March of 2010.

cancelled?

Lily brought this envelope to us this morning saying it had just been delivered...

Here is what the letter inside said...

And the enclosed picture....

Apparently Lily doesn't want us to go on our cruise.

Another funny story about our impending cruise; Adam said this to me yesterday, "Mom, I bet you and Dad will go fishing on your cruise because it is a boat." That makes sense right...people go fishing when they are on boats!

Regardless of how my children may feel about our upcoming rendezvous, Scott and I are totally excited!!!!

day 22 - a fave joke

Ask anyone in my family and they will inform you that I should avoid trying to tell jokes. I am not good at it and I always mess them up. Unfortunately Lily has inherited this sad quality. Someday she too will learn to just give up....

Because of this I really don't have a favorite joke. But I do have a favorite comic. The Far Side is hilarious and this one in particular always makes me laugh (maybe because my dad plays the accordion and we would all get good chuckle whenever he would bust it out)...

day 21 - a favorite recipe

This one is easy! My favorite recipe has got to be my mom's cinnamon rolls. I have tried so many other cinnamon rolls and I always come away disappointed. I probably shouldn't, but I make these almost once a month. They are big and fluffy, yet a little chewy and moist. Really they are like a party in your mouth! But I am learning that yeast dough takes practice for some people - so if you try to make these and they don't turn out amazing then try again and I bet they will be better. I have been making them since I was basically able to hold a wooden spoon...that is like 30+ years of practice right there...

Here is the recipe:

3 cups warm milk

2 T. yeast

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

4 cups

Mix everything together. Add 5 more cups of flour. Knead for about 8 minutes (I never knead them this long...I am too impatient). Cover the dough and let it rise for 2 hours. Punch it down, cut dough in half, roll out one half, brush with 1/4 cup melted butter, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar; about 1/3 cup (recipe follows). Roll and cut into about 12-16 rolls. Place rolls on a cookie sheet that has been prepared with about 1/4 melted butter and sprinkled with about 1/4 cup of brown sugar (this is a very important part of the process -- that sugar and butter kind of caramelizes on the bottom of the cookie sheet and gives a wonderful flavor to the bottom of the roll). Repeat the process for the second half or shape it into cinnamon raisin bread (which is what I do if I don't want too many cinnamon rolls around). Let the rolls rise for 1 hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Frost with a simple powdered sugar frosting.

Cinnamon Sugar (note: this makes enough for about 3 batches of cinnamon rolls; the recipe above is one batch):

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup + 2 T. cinnamon

Powdered Sugar Frosting (you can look up an official one, but I never do):

I just put about 1 cup powdered sugar in a bowl. Add about 1 T. milk and 1/2 T. vanilla. Mix and add wet or dry ingredients as needed until the consistency is about like honey. Sometimes I put food coloring in it and make colored cinnamon rolls. The kids think that is pretty awesome!

One last note: Sometimes I add chopped pecans to them as well....it is super yummy with nuts.

After, afterthought: Read Michelle's comment in the comment section below. I forgot to add this tip and it is important and very accurate (Michelle is my sister and has also been making these since birth).

day 20 - a hobby of mine

This is a hard one. I kind of feel like my hobby is raising kids, but only out of necessity...

I have thought about this the last few days and I have decided that my non-kid hobby is

FOOD.

I love to eat great food and I love to make great food. I especially love to bake. I like good, old-fashioned baking; like completely from scratch (short-cut recipes and semi-homemade stuff doesn't appeal to me at all and I think they taste processed).

I also love good wholesome food. Things that are fresh and simple. For example last night we sauteed some zucchini and yellow squash in a little coconut oil and sprinkled it with some salt and pepper and it was DELICIOUS (of course we didn't just have that. We ate it with grilled salmon and seasoned penne which was also fab)!!!!!! I could go on and on about food; cooking it, baking it, preparing it, how to serve it, what to eat with what, what to avoid, health issues, benefits of, etc. etc...but that would be a really long blog post. In short

MY MOST IMPASSIONED HOBBY IS FOOD (and my kids).

Afterthought:

Isn't it kind of amazing that I am not a lot heavier....I can share with you a little secret about that. Here it is: You can still love food and not stuff yourself. There is no rule that says you need to eat until you are sick!

a totally fab day!

We had a great weekend! Lily was baptized by Scott on Saturday. It was the perfect baptism; I think the whole event lasted about 20 minutes tops! Our stake knows how to keep baptisms short and simple. Plus it helped that there was only one other little girl getting baptized.

Here is our baptism girl just before we left. Who says you can only wear white!? We opted for a little color and decided to wear a yellow skirt with her white sweater. Super cute!

Scott and Lily. Doesn't he look like a proud papa! Lily was so excited.

All of us before. We probably should have included all the kids, but let's me honest...like that would happen with my children!

After the baptism back at our house. We had the family over for a little lunch ("little" in the DeLong Family means banquet anywhere else). I may never wear that dress again after looking at this picture!

Sunday morning; ready for church. Davie didn't make it outside for a picture with the other kids.

Just before church yesterday. After we got in car I noticed we had a bit of a yellow theme going. I tried to make Scott turn around so that I could go home and change into my yellow sweater and him into his yellow button-up. It was a no go! Don't the kids look pretty. And really, you can never have a big enough flower in your hair!

We are so proud of Lily for making the decision to be baptized. She thought about it for a long time. If you had asked her last year at this time what her thoughts on baptism were she probably would have told you she wasn't totally thrilled with the idea, so when she told me a couple months ago that she decided to get baptized I was pretty surprised (and happy). I think she really thought it through. We are proud of her and couldn't ask for a better role model for our other three children! Congratulations Lil. What a great day it was.

day 19 - my (daughter's) future wedding

Aren't my girls lucky?! I basically already have one of their weddings planned!

I love these bridesmaid dresses as well as the bridal gown. Obviously they would need some modification for modesty issues -like necklines brought up a bit and sleeves added. But I love the style, fabric, and color. So pretty!

I love the new sleek gowns they have now. And I love the lacy feminine feel of them as well. This is such a pretty dress.

I love how soft and flowy this one is! Just think of it with sleeves that go to just above the elbow. Wouldn't that be lovely! I adore the fabric for the skirt.

I have always been fond of bright, colorful bouquets. Plus I think everything looks better with a little green added. This is just really pretty and feminine...

I had a tent at my reception and I thought it was so perfect. I am afraid that if my girls get married during warmer months then I will insist we have one at theirs as well.

I loved my wedding - I used to tell Scott it was the most fun day and that I would love to do it again sometime. Unfortunately the only way I can do that is through my daughters. I hope they are on board...

I could go on and on about food, which temple I would choose, tuxedo choice, music, etc, etc. But I will spare you all the boring details!

day 18 - my dream house

I found this house in an old house plan magazine that my mom lent me and I just fell in love with it! Of course being a true Boren (my mother's family - they are constantly remodeling) I have already made modifications to it and it doesn't even exist yet. Scott has a nifty program where he was able to recreate it in 3-D with all the changes I want. Someday I hope to build this house on a lovely acre lot with plenty of trees, a garden, and long driveway (away from the noise of the road).

day 17 - my worst habit

Remember my talent...the gift of gab? Well, that is also my worst habit. I don't know how many times during my childhood I heard, "Close your mouth and open your eyes and ears!" (I should note that this wasn't necessarily said to me specifically, more of just something that was said a lot in my house)

Sometimes it is just better to be quiet and I have worked tirelessly for years to curb my constantly moving mouth. I will still come home from social gatherings and moan to Scott about how I talked way too much. So, although it is a great talent of mine it is also a terrible habit! Oh the irony...

day 16 - a favorite food

EASY!!!!!!

I LOVE ICE CREAM SO MUCH! AND THOSE THREE FLAVORS TOGETHER IN THE PICTURE ARE ABOUT AS HEAVENLY AS IT GETS.

THE ONLY THING BETTER WOULD BE A SCOOP OF MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP OVER A BROWNIE (I think have mentioned that before).

day 15 - a celebrity crush...PASS

I have been thinking about this now for about a week and I can honestly tell you that I don't have a celebrity crush. BUT, if I had to choose someone I suppose it would be Hugh Jackman. That man is gorgeous, expressive and kind of looks like my husband...and he can sing!!!!

But seriously, I don't think I would run out and see a movie just because it has him in it...