Wow, I can't

believe Lydia has almost been here a week.  Here are just a few of our fun activities.

Shaved Ice

Pedicures

Color me Mine

Front Runner, Cheesecake Factory,

Temple Square

 

Lots of food.  We have a fridge full of leftovers.

A very competitive game of laser tag with

the Andersons and Russons.

And when Lydia and I met up to go to church

we were twinsies in our black striped skirts.

 Lydia and I are just soul mates.

For example:

Twinsie Skirts

Shaking nervous legs

RED Hair

Not obsessive compulsive organized

(in other words we stuff things)

Cankles

And there are even more ways, 

but neither of us can remember them now.

After such a fun week, I think we may have to file for full custody.

We started our week of "joint custody"

of Lydia today.

I'm not sure when

it will be done, but I'm very excited about how beautiful the quilt will be. Here are the pictures from the class. I can't believe I've actually done all the pieces.   It will take some time to sew it together and do the applique, though.

Swig Cookie Knock Off

Eileen has brought some of these cookies over couple of times, and I've loved them.  There is a fast food place called "Swig" that sells them.  I haven't ever tasted the real thing, but if they are as good as the knock-off, then they are very good.

I even put one on a "silver platter" for Gary.

Here is the link:

Swig Sugar Cookie Knock Off

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 C Butter (room temperature)

3/4 C Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C Sugar

3/4 C Powdered Sugar

2 T Water

2 Eggs

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Cream of Tarter

1 t Salt

5 1/2 C Flour

Cream together Butter, Vegetable Oil, Sugars, Water, and Eggs. 

Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture.

Mix until everything is combined.  Your dough should be a little crumbly and not sticky at all.

Roll a golf ball sized ball of dough and place it on your cookie sheet

Now its time to give these babies their signature rough edge.  Put 1/4 c of sugar and a pinch of salt in a dish (this is in addition to the sugar and salt listed above.)  Stick the bottom of a glass in it.  This is going to be your cookie press.

Firmly press it into the center of your dough ball.  You want your dough to spill out over the sides of the glass.  If there is a lip its even better.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.  They should just barely be browning on the bottom.    Move cookies to a cooling rack.  Once they are cool put them in the fridge.

Sour Cream Frosting

1/2 cup room temperature butter

3/4 C Sour Cream

Approx 1 2lb Package of Powdered Sugar (I never use the whole thing but love having extra on hand just incase I add to much milk!)

1 t salt

1/4 C Milk

Red Food Coloring

Start by creaming together butter and sour cream and salt.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  When it gets so thick its not frosting like add a splash of milk.  Alternate this process until your frosting is the desired consistency.  Add 1 drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.

Keep cookies in a sealed container until they are ready to serve.  The magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature.  Frost right before serving (if you make them in advance and need to refrigerate the frosting make sure you give it time to warm up before serving)  (Annette's note: I didn't do that, and they were still good)

For Father's day

we initiated Gary's new grill.

Take note of the tie!

 Then Natalie gave Gary a personal singing performance

with the bluetooth player/disco/microphone.

Rotating Shelf . . . Goodbye Bees

 

9 years ago today . . .

this beautiful little girl was born.

And now she is 9 years old.  

 Here we a year ago today with Annie for her baptism.

We love you Annie!

Our last night in Missouri

I was sitting in Misty's living room looking at one of Dad's paintings on her wall.   I thought of how Dad could have imagined that one of his paintings would be hanging in a grandchild's home in Missouri.   Kind of a random thought, but it is interesting to think of how we never know what life will bring.  I wonder where something I made will end up in 25 years?  

Misty said she likes to switch paintings out, so she got up and made the changer.  To honor the occasion, she also wore one of grandma's MuMu's while she did it.



We saw Lydia play basketball and Harrison play baseball.

Unfortunately, Jackson's game got rained out and Hyrum didn't have any that week. So, we went bowling.when the games got rained out.

 

Of course it wouldn't be a trip if we didn't go to Costco.

It's always beautiful on the farm and the weather was so mild.

 

Misty's garden looks so beautiful.  I think the hard earned rocks make it especially beautiful. (Remember the stuck in the middle of the creek story?  Fun at the Creek -- 2011 )

Always a game going on . . .

Marshall entertaining us on our final night.



Misty said that when they got home from taking us to the airport, they were all just relaxing and Marshall came in and said,

 "I thought we got to keep Grandma Ashton this time."  

So cute.  He doesn't quite understand the whole time/distance concept.