Summer in the OC

Kim and I spent most of the month of August at my parents house with our kids. I need an escape from the heat, and Tyler was doing a rotation for med school in Riverside, so Kim came to be as close to him as possible... and of course to join in our summer fun. It was a great month of girl time with my Mom and Ali while all of our husbands were away working. I think I could post for hours to catch up, but instead I have decided to show the highlights and hope that leaves me enough memories for later!

First major event: Benton's 1st Birthday!
I am so glad I got to spend this whole month with Benton. I really feel like we bonded. What a cute boy! He is so happy and entertaining. He sometimes looks like a Huish, and definitely acts like one with his love for fruit and desserts.

Next up, the Farmers Market. We went on Benton's actual birthday, and I loved this one. They had so many samples, and the best pita bread and dips. I also learned that I love pluots. They are my new favorite fruit!

One of the weekends we had everyone together. Collins drove down from Utah. Tyson, Tyler and my Dad were home, and my Grandma flew in from Utah. Sarah's family was staying at the beach house so we all went down one night for a BBQ. It was the first time that my Grandma got to see Magnolia, and it was fun that Sawyer was old enough to really get to talk to her. He became obsessed with his great grandma, and talked about her all weekend.

That Sunday we took a bunch of pictures of the family

Grandma with 3 of her great grandkids

4 Generations

We did quite a lot of swimming. The weather was absolutely perfect to me. It was chilly in the morning, so Kim and I would take our kids on a long walk through Marbella. Then the sun would come out about 10 and we would spend some time reading by the pool. Sawyer would swim, Benton would float, and Mags would dip her feet in. When Collins or Tyson were there it was so nice because Sawyer would swim all day and be so entertained.

Sawyer also learned to love laying out...and he learned from the best if I do say so myself!

Sawyer had a little bit of a hard time going to bed because he missed Tyson, and wanted to be part of the action down stairs. One night I was running up the stairs to put Magnolia down and almost stepped right on him because he had fallen asleep halfway up the staircase. I am just grateful there was no rolling.

We went to Farell's for Family Night and visited Ali working in her darling uniform

And we took Sawyer to Karate Night at Chick-Fil-A. They do a family night on Tuesdays where the kids get free kids meals, and they have some sort of activity. Due to his obsession with Karate Kid I figured I would take him. It was so fun. They had a whole bunch of guys there to help the kids with their karate moves, and then they did a little show for everyone. Sawyer loved every minute of it. And, oh how I love Chick-Fil-A.

We also spent some time at the park.

Thanks Mom for yummy dinners, and a fun month. Thanks Kim for yummy Sundaes or desserts every night, and for being my sister in law. Thanks Ali for letting me sometimes be annoying, but really just wanting to be involved in your life. And thanks to Tyson for understanding why I have to get out of the heat.

SMORE'S

my new obsession

I have always been obsessed with smores. I try to make up any recipe that might taste something like one, and we even had smores at our wedding reception. There could be nothing better to me, as long as they are made right that is. Kim shares my same obsession with both smores, and treats, so we tried these beauties out one night and fell in love! We even tried making ice cream cookie sandwiches with them, and they were to die for.

Smore Cookies
1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups miniature chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

2 regular Hershey bars, roughly chopped

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt and baking soda and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips then cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Take a tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball, and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of dough, leaving about 2 inches between each to allow it to spread. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from the oven. Push a 3 - 5 marshmallows and a few pieces of a Hershey's bar into each cookie. Return to oven and bake for another 2 - 3 minutes until golden brown and the marshmallows are a bit toasted. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

summers guilty pleasure

Should I be embarrassed to admit that I was glued to the tv last night watching Bachelor Pad, and then that I thought about it for a little while before falling asleep? Not only am I obsessed because I knew all of the characters to begin with, but a lot of them were favorites of mine. I feel like so many of them already have personalities that I never knew about from their Bachelor debuts. Is Tenley a little drunk, or just really hyper now? Is Elizabeth really that scary and psychotic? I feel like everyone should be more worried about her than they were about Michelle. And does the Weatherman really think he is going to hook up with all the girls to make him stay longer? He could barely even kiss Ali when asked to for their music video. This show is going to be my version of pure entertainment....but please don't judge me.

And now tonight I have Rachel Zoe, and Flipping out. Who knew summer tv would be my favorite!

Cuters

Mags has really taken on a lot of nicknames in these past four months. But Cuters is the one that Sawyer made-up, and he is really sticking with it, and I can't help but love it because he came up with it on his own.

Is she really already four months? I am at my Moms, celebrating Bentons 1st birthday today, imagining how soon 1 year is going to come for us.

Four months has brought.. a little bit of laughter, mainly when Sawyer does the entertaining. Lots of food tasting, because I feel like she is staring me down with every bite I take, and so I have to just share a little. Consistant naps which I am loving. Lots of playing in the exersaucer, and lying on a blanket being entertained with toys. Rolling over onto her tummy, but not quite sure how to get back yet. And, constant attention and spoiling from friends and family.

and I promise she is a happy baby, although she may not look it here...

the day of my birth

These are the oh so yummy cupcakes that I made for myself to celebrate 31 years of life. I got the recipe from Sheena's blog and I thought they were pretty darn good. I love anything lemon, and anything coconut, so how could I go wrong?

Rachelle and I have the same birthday, so to celebrate we went to dinner that night with a few couples, and then the Terrys and Biesingers came back to our house for dessert. It was a fabulous summer day in the desert!

Is it a problem that I look like the pregnant person in this picture, and not Lillie...and I even did some cropping.