Great Website Finds!

I am rededicating myself to following my WEIGHT WATCHERS points so I can lose these last 15 pounds and I wanted to share one of my favorite websites. Even if you don't follow weight watchers, this website lists all the calories (and) from foods at all restuarants. You will not believe how many places are listed here. It is amazing to see how much you are actually eating at your favorite place! You will be soo surprised. Maybe you don't care about calories when you go out to eat, but it's fun to look. Enjoy it: http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html.

Also, Children's PLace is having a great clearance right now: www.childrensplace.com. I also found a coupon code online for an additional 15% off: HAA8.

Random Thoughts

There are a whole bunch of things I've been meaning to write down, but with three weddings this weekend and getting ready for our big Young Women in Excellence Night this Sunday (that I am in charge of), I really haven't even had time to sit and think. Since Right now, I have a few minutes to write down some random thoughts/ ideas:



1. El Torito now has Kids Eat Free on Wednesday! Yeah! My kids love to eat here and so do I. I highly recommend their Tropical Chicken Salad. They also have a birthday email club, so add them to your list.



2. My aunt Rachel told me about this awesome website for all of you with little girls and no new ideas left for their hair. Everyday there is a new hairstyle and they are cute and easy.



3. Here is a great VIDEO on Prop. 8 you should watch and can share with your family and friends.



4. This is one of my favorite recipes to make on a cool fall day. The best part about these cinnamon rolls is that you can make them the night before and let them rise.



5. ToysRUs is having a great sale this week from their weekly flyer.

6. I love my running shoes. They are never on sale, but the website I buy them from does have free shipping right now. If if anyone is looking for a great pair of running shoes, these are the best I've found. I keep buying the new shoe every year.

Girls Weekend

This past weekend, I flew to Oregon with my mom, my sister Jenna and baby Tyler. We stayed at my aunt and uncle's beautiful home in Portalnd (thanks Nathan and Rachel). Portland is a beautiful city and Oregon has the most amazing landscape. We went to see my uncle's play Prometheus that was finally produced by a small playhouse there. It was so excited to see what my uncle Dave has worked on for the past fourteen years actually on a stage with real performers, live music, and great costumes. His play is called Prometheus (click on the word and hear clips from the original CD) and about his journey as he creates man and tries to give them fire and help them survive from Zeus. It is a beautiful musical and I am glad I got to see it. Hopefully it will be on Broadway one day soon....

It was great to get a break from home life and get away with my mom and sister. Tyler was awesome and didn't hardly make a peep all weekend! I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful husband who let me go and great family support that helped him out.

Sweet Tomatoes Anyone?

So, another place to add to your free birthday list. It's great though, because once we signed up, we've been getting coupons every few weeks. Click here and you can BUY 1 Get 1 at Sweet Tomatoes/Souplantation tonight or next week and then go to their website and sign up under Club Veg and you'll get your own coupons. Sounds great on such a hot day and everyone can get what they want. (This is not mu husband's favorite place to eat....but the girls and I love it!) Enjoy!

What's On Sale?

Every day I check out www.slickdeals.com, to see what others have posted that's on sale. Most of the times it's for online stuff, but occasionally it for deals in the stores. Right now, there is a great Old Navy baby clearance for 4.99 and under. If you use coupon code BFF, you get free shipping. Also, both www.layersclothing.com and www.modbeclothing.com are having great clearance prices on their modest swimsuits. Check it out and have a great day.

Family Weddings

My brother Cory with Jocelyn
My mom Joy with Victoria (and no I didn't have to play the harp...my aunt did!)
My cousin Jake, and his new wife Lindsey
Tyler just waking up in the stroller
Tyler and I at the beach for the ring ceremony

This summer David and I were part of four family weddings. David's sister Carolee, his niece Alexis, my cousin Jesseca and, yesterday my cousin Jacob. It was so neat to be in the temple with many of my family members for the special event. His new wife Lindsey is beautiful, kind, generous and they are a great match. Every time I am in the San Diego temple for a wedding, I am reminded of the day that David and I got married, almost nine years ago. Be brought all our kids down and my sister, Jenna watched them outside. It is neat for the girls to be at the temple. They loved seeing all the brides in their beautiful dresses. I didn't take any pictures outside the temple, but here are a few pictures from the ring ceremony and reception, which was right on the edge of the sand in Oceanside. I feel really lucky to live so close to the beach.

Cookies!

I don't know what it is about this cookie recipe, but it is the only one that I make now for my family. David loves it when I make these.....he really just eats the dough. It is that Neiman Marcus recipe that many of you have...or maybe you don't. I would love to know how many of you out there really make this recipe. After I make the cookies, we do something different with them. We freeze them in little sandwich bags....three or four per bag. David, the girls, and I (on occasion of course) eat these cookies but frozen. There is something wonderful about these cookies, when you make them and take them out of the oven slightly undercooked and then freeze them. We wait like a minute or two after they are out of the freezer and then eat them! This recipe reminds me of great times with my family. These cookies bring out the best of my husband and my girls! For those of you that don't have the recipe, here it is. Let me know what you think:

1 C. white sugar 1 t. baking powder
1 C. brown sugar 1 t. baking soda
1 C. soft butter ½ t. salt
2 eggs 2 C. flour
1 T. vanilla 2 C. chocolate chips
2 ½ C. whole oats
Heat oven to 375. Cream sugars and butter. Add one egg at a time. When blended, add vanilla. In blender, mix oats and baking powder, soda and salt until a fine powder consistency. Mix in mixer and then add flour, one cup at a time. Blend in chocolate chips. Bake 8-10 minutes on cookie sheet. Enjoy!!!!