First Snow?!

We are having some CRAZY weather here in Utah. It snowed yesterday. Of course the girls were thrilled. Syd had all her gear on and was out the door first thing after we got home from church. She climbed on top of Betsy and was sliding down the windshield like it was a ski run or something. It was pretty funny to watch. But here is my question: What happened to autumn?!

Food Blog

I started a food blog a while ago. For some reason I feel silly sharing this fact with you all. I don't know why, but I do. So if you go visit it, be kind, I am fragile. :)

The Orange Apron

Goings-on at our house

Things have been fairly quiet around here for the last several days. This is not a bad thing. So just for fun, here is a post about the goings-on within our house full of little women. Syd is loving 2nd grade. She just graduated out of her readers at school. This means she gets to read regular chapter books for her reading homework now. Yesterday she brought me a book she wanted to read: "Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke. This book on a 6th grade reading level and has 523 pages. She actually had gotten several pages into the book before she asked for help. That is my girl!

Brynn is doing an awesome job in Kindergarten. She learned how to read her first word last week: "Hot". She is going to be reading before we know it. Brynny is such a charismatic little girl. She knows how to wrap people around her fingers. After church yesterday she said to me "Mommy, I want to go see the Bishop. " So we trucked down to the Bishop's office so she could say hello and get a treat. They are special buddies. She told him all about school.

Our Claire Bear will turn 6 months next week. She is starting to get such a fun little personality. Her new favorite thing is her exercise saucer. She also learned her name! "Baby" Actually she will look at you if you call her Baby or Claire. So we must call her Claire sometimes.

Shawn and I are keeping busy chasing the girls around. Shawn has had lots of work meeting lately. Work meetings= games of golf. I have a new obsession with cooking blogs lately. I have found some really good stuff lately. Carne Asada Tacos anyone? BTW- yes the picture is an old one. From the days when we were young and beautiful. Honestly we don't have many pictures of us together. Are you guys like that? Thousands of pics of your kids, four of yourself.

Lemon Bars

Please indulge me another recipe post. I found this blog: For The Love of Cooking and on it, this recipe for lemon bars. The picture does not do it justice. These things are amazing! Lemon and coconut- it is a perfect combination. We ate the whole pan in one night. You've gotta give them a try! Let me know if you do.

Crust:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of powder sugar
• 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. To make crust combine flour, powder sugar and salt in a bowl. Add butter pieces and mix with hands until crumbly. Press evenly into the bottom of your baking pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 18-20 minutes. Set crust aside.

Filling:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lemon zest, diced finely
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Sweetened shredded coconut for garnish

To make filling whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Add lemon zest and juice and mix until combined thoroughly. Pour over hot crust. Bake 15-18 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely before sprinkling with shredded coconut. Enjoy.

My Husband Can Cook!

So I had a serious sleep-in this morning. I am talking 10:45-serious. I got up and could smell something really yummy going on in the kitchen. Here is what Shawn made for our Brunch today:

Biscuit Peach Cobbler

3 lbs. ripe peaches
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar

Biscuit Dough:
1 1/3 c. flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. cold butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. sugar mixed with 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Have ready a 2-inch deep 2-quart baking dish.

Slice peaches into wedges directly into dish. Toss with lemon juice and sugar. Cover with foil. Bake 15 minutes until peaches are hat and juices bubbly. Make dough while peaches cook. Mix flour, sugar, powder, and soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour buttermilk over top. Toss with fork until mixture clumps together. Drop heaping tablespoons on peaches. Sprinkle sugar-nutmeg mixture on top. Bake 30 minutes until biscuits are golden brown. Let stand to cool.

Take your brunch to school

Guess what Syd asked for in her school lunch today? A pancake sandwich! Hehe. I guess breakfast was a success.

LOTOJA

My dad participated in the LOTOJA this past weekend. First of all let's just say this: My dad is awesome. He is my hero. He has taught me that if you want to do something, don't whine, just go make it happen. He picked up biking 2 years ago. Last year he did the LOTOJA and made it to Afton. He went for it again this year. I was on his support crew, along with my mom, Shanna, Dave, and Robyn. Here are some of the highlights from a very fun, very long, very inspiring Saturday. It was time well spent. Also I promise this is the last mosaic for a while.

1& 2) Getting ready to go. I drove and was worried the whole time that the bike was going to fall off the roof of my car.
3) Lucky number: 9191
4) At the start line in Logan at 6 AM. Maybe a little nervous?
5) Preston- dad made it there just about 8 AM. Making very good time and feeling strong.
6) Right before heading up Immigration Canyon. Hooray!
7) Robyn and Dave- by the way almost all of these pictures (the good ones) were taken by Robyn. She has a knack for taking good shots and a very nice camera to boot.
8) Montpelier- refueling and still looking good. I sure I am doing something very helpful here.
9) Shanna catching a little snooze. She got 2 1/2 hours of sleep the night before. After this cat- nap she was on fire for the rest of the day.
10) Riding along, going strong.
11) Heading up Salt River Pass. You are the King of the Mountain, Dad.
12) Time for a foot rub in Afton, WY.
13) One of many egg sandwiches, None of us could look at them by the end of the day, especially dad.
14) Dad getting some sugar from his woman. Aren't they cute?
15) Our Dave's.
16) My cousin Brady rode with a relay team. They did really well. Brady rode with the lead pack into Montpelier. He is fast! He earned the nickname "Bones". Hmmm, guess why.
17) Me and Shanna. We spent very little time acting our age today. Yay for friends!
18) "The Property" in Freedom, WY. We were driving through Star Valley and my mom said "If I could live anywhere I would live here." We all laughed because they own a couple of acres on that hill in the distance. They can live here! Time to build a cabin.
19) Biking through the trees in Snake River Canyon. What a beautiful ride!
20) Finish cheer! Dad had to stop 18 miles from the end. He was dehydrated and not feeling very well (you know like slurred speech and starting to get delirious). He would stand up to pedal, go to sit back down and miss the seat of his bike. Also it was getting very dark. He was bummed that he was so close, yet did not quite make it. But true to form, on the ride home he started making plans for next year. I already have it on the calendar. Love you dad!