Friday Favorites

I haven't done a favorites post for a little while, huh?  I don't have much to talk about this morning, or anything ready to show you, but I think I can round up a few favorites for your viewing enjoyment.

My most un-favorite thing at the moment is Brennan is still sick.  He's better than the other day, but still not well enough to go back to school. : (



Hopefully he's back to his normal self soon.



My favorite Pin...this week.
Have I mentioned I adore Pinterest?  I do.  If you're not following me yet, you can check out my boards here.  Here's my favorite pin this week. It reminded me of when I was a little girl and we spent weekends at my grandparents' house.  My Grandpa would make us breakfast in the morning, and he would make these, with a torn out middle instead of the heart shape. He called his "Hawaiian Sunsets." It brought back great memories and made me smile. : )

Source: petitekitchenesse.com via Heather on Pinterest

Favorite Hair Product
I have tried tons of hair products in my life.  Tons.  Last month when I went in for a haircut, my stylist suggested this stuff.  I am so glad!  It does these 10 things, hence the name.  From the bottle: "1. Repairs dry damaged hair. 2. Adds shine. 3. Smoothes and controls frizz. 4. Seals and protects hair color. 5. Detangles. 6. Prevents split ends. 7. Stops hair breakage. 8. Creates silkiness. 9. Enhances natural body. 10. Flat iron spray and thermal protector."  It's the only hair product I have to use right now. Yay!

 

Source: amazon.com via Heather on Pinterest

Favorite Snacks

Pickled Beets - I know some of you are thinking Ewww, but I love pickled beets.  Add some cottage cheese with them, yum!

Source: amazon.com via Heather on Pinterest

Glutino Gluten Free Pretzel Twists - I have been contemplating cutting down my gluten intake for awhile.  I've read some articles about gluten intolerance, and I have some of the symptoms.  A major one is having what I've always called dizzy headaches.  I have them often, and have had them for as long as I can remember.  I started my experiment about 3 weeks ago now, and I am happy to say I have had no dizzy headaches, and only a couple regular headaches!  I blame those on hormones. : )  It may just be a coincidence, but I'm sticking to it.

Source: amazon.com via Heather on Pinterest

Brennan's Favorites

My Daddy is an Airman book
I don't think this book is even printed anymore, but Jason got it in a Family Deployment Kit before he left.  It talks about what happens during a deployment, and about what Air Force parents do.  Brennan wants to read it all the time.  So sweet.

Source: amazon.com via Heather on Pinterest

Roasted Garbanzo Beans - Does anyone else's kid ask you to roast garbanzo beans every day?  Mine does.  If I would let him, he would eat a whole can by himself.  These are my favorite too, and I do end up making some at least every other day.  We like ours salty/savory, but I've seen some recipes out there for sugar cinnamon ones that we may have to try some time too.



Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites - Candy Cane Edition

Update:  We are still having technical difficulties.  (Not much of an update, huh.)  But, we were able to borrow a power cord to charge the battery in the laptop, so I was at least able to download the pictures off my cameras, and add them to this post and to publish it.  And I do this just for you.  Because you know it is the Christmas Season and all.  Merry Christmas!  

Just ignore that the title says Friday, or just pretend.
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I don't know why everything that made me happy this week (well, not everything, but you know what I mean) had to do with candy canes, but it did.  Cool like peppermint, don't you think? haha


My first favorite candy cane thing is this little ornament.  Brennan made it in school the other day.  When we got home and I opened up his bag and pulled it out, I almost cried.  His very first handmade Christmas ornament.  Awww.  I will tell you, though, that right now it's not even on the tree.  We tried to hang it up, but Brennan is so proud of his creation that he wants to move it around about every 15 minutes or so to get it into just the right spot, and every time he pulls it off the tree it gets a little more bent out of shape.  I don't want it destroyed, so now it is resting on top of the refrigerator.  Out of sight, out of mind for the short one in the house.



Next up is Peppermint Mocha Latte mix.  You know the Maxwell House International Coffee kind in the rectangular tin.  I am so glad they started copy-catting all my favorite flavors.  Since  I became a stay-at-home mommy, I can't afford my several times a week Starbucks habit, so this is my little indulgence everyday.  I add a little candy cane swizzle stick and it just puts it right over the top.  Yum!!  It's even better when I use my coffee mug that I got from my Grandma several years ago.  See that little red bird on there.  Every time I see it I think of her. *Smile.*


I'm sure you remember me mentioning the advent calendar I made a time, or two.   One of the things I used for stuffers were candy cane ornaments.  Brennan loves that he gets to decorate the tree.  I let him hang them wherever he wants.  After a long drawn out process that goes along these lines:  "Up high.  Noooo.  Back here.  Noooo.  Over here.  OK.  Oh noooo.  Right here.  Nooooo.   By this one.  OK." 

...And then they always end up right here.  A little happy candy cane family.


And last but not least, (well yeah, I guess it is least on this list because you know The Cat in the Hat show is not my favorite).  Yesterday, while we were getting our daily dose of Cat in the Hat, Brennan kept saying "big candy cane on there."  For the life of me I couldn't "get" what he was trying to tell me, one because the show was about jumping and not remotely about Christmas, and two, somedays the more words Brennan learns and uses the more I think somebody is teaching him French or Portugese on the sly and I have no idea what he is trying to say.  Well, it turns out I was the big dummy.  (I finally figured it out after having him go point to what he was talking about.  Then I wonder why the tv screen is always full of fingerprints.) 

Anyway...

He was trying to tell me the Cat's hat looks like a big candy cane.

Well obviously.  Duh, Mommy.

I hope everyone has a geat weekend.  We're planning on watching Christmas Vacation and going to Salt Lake City and check out the lights on Temple Square.

...and this time we won't be without hot chocolate and Peppermint Mochas.  : ) 

Friday Funny: Catalog Living

Bon Voyage...

In her annual end-of-season ritual, Elaine sent the outdated summer cushions out to sea.

Some of these posts made me laugh out loud!  Check it out: catalog living

Friday Favorites - Down on the Farm

Last weekend we went to Salt Lake City to check out the Wheeler Historic Farm.  We had a great time, and I have tons of pictures to share.  I definitely recommend going there.  While we were walking around, Brennan decided to climb up on a bench up against the side of the barn.  I was able to get a great picture of him, and I even got eye contact!  That rarely ever happens anymore.  I am going to get some of these processed for sure.  They should make up for not getting a good two year picture.

Have a great weekend everyone!  Nana and Papaw will be here tomorrow.  Yay! 

I hope the weather gets better for them.  It's only 53 degrees and rainy today.  But on the bright side, it will be warmer than where they're at today.  I talked to them last night from Jackson's Hole, WY, and the weather report said temperatures in the 30s and snow!  Gotta love the mountains! 

Friday Favorites - The Geico Commercial

This is currently the favorite commercial in the Bal household. You know, the one with "Oh no, your tire's all flat and junk." Cracks us up every time! And no, I'm not endorsing Geico in any way, that's just some hilarious stuff there.



I know, we don't get out much.

SOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo....
K, Bye!!!!!!!!

Friday Favorites - Christmas Ornaments

One of our family traditions is adding a Christmas ornament to the tree every year. Jason and I started doing this back in 2000 for our first Christmas together, and we've had fun finding an ornament that reflects what's happening in our life each year. In 2008, we started the same tradition for Brennan for his first Christmas. We also have a large assortment of ornaments we've gotten as gifts from friends and family, as well as several ornaments I have made over the years.

Here are a few of my favorites.


The Ornament That Started it All - Our first Christmas ornament, back from when we were engaged and living with my parents. We hung our ornament on a tiny tree that sat on top of the television in our room. We've come a long way!




Brennan's First Christmas




Santa Moon - One of the crafty ornaments painted by me. I don't remember what year it was, but we were living in North Carolina at the time. I painted a lot of ornaments that year! I used them as gift tags, and I also made one for each of my co-workers.




Paper Quilled Snowflakes - There are several of these on the tree. Another handmade goody by me. A dear childhood neighbor made beautiful framed and quilled memory frames, and gave me one for my high school graduation. I was inspired to learn how to paper quill, and taught myself how to do it. Most of the time I quill flowers and leaves to use as borders around wedding invitations or pictures, but quilled snowflakes are pretty too.




Our 2009 Ornament - We wanted something to signify our move to Utah. I found this one at Northwest Jewelry, and thought it was perfect.




2007 - A souvenir from our trip to the Biltmore estate. It's a miniature reproduction of the Vanderbilt china.




Flying Pigs - There's no "When Pigs Fly" story, Jason just likes pigs, and they were a gift from his Mom.




The Cardinal - Redbirds are significant in my family. They were a favorite of my grandparents, and we grew up watching them at the bird feeders in Grandma and Grandpa's front yard. Grandma and Grandpa have since passed on, and redbirds have become more like guardian angels. If you see one, you know Grandma and Grandpa are watching over you, and you are sure to have a good day. He's a must on our Christmas tree.




2001 - A Ne'Qwa Handpainted Ornament - This was our second ornament. A lot happened in 2001; Jason and I had gotten married, he finished basic training and tech school, and we moved to North Carolina. We found this one in a little boutique and both thought it was perfect. Ne'Qwa is an art technique of reverse painting. It's painted in reverse, on the inside of the ornament. I can't imagine painting the whole ornament in reverse through the tiny hole at the top. I tried to reverse paint an acrylic keychain back in high school, and let's just say it wasn't pretty.




The Brass Heart - This "ornament" is from 2004. I know it's hard to see in the picture, but that's how it is on the tree, tucked inside and hard to see. We get a big laugh out of the brass heart every year. Of course it has a story. I ordered it online that year, I loved how it looked in the picture, but I didn't pay attention to the dimensions. It was described as an ornament, so I just assumed it was regular ornament size. It's actually about 12" wide! I was not happy when it came in, but Jason wouldn't let me send it back. He said that's the one we picked, so that's the one we're keeping. It took me a couple years, but I'm glad we kept it. It gives our tree some heart, ha ha.




Apples - Gotta have apples. Mom always had them on the tree when we were growing up, and a Christmas tree is just not complete without them.




Bells - Same reason as the apples. Apples and Bells go together like peas and carrots.




Hand-sewn hearts and stars - Some more ornaments made by me. Back in 2003 we bought a new Christmas tree, and there was a lot of empty space to fill up on that big ol' tree. I bought a couple yards of different Christmas-y fabrics and made these.




Military Branches Ornament - A gift to Jason from his great aunt after he joined the Air Force.

So there you have it. I love that each ornament has a history and reminds us of special times in our lives, and I look forward to all the ornaments of our future.

Where Does the Wind Go?

Where does the wind go when it doesn't blow?

This is a question from my Dad that got us all to ponder from a young age.

Where does the wind go when it doesn't blow?

Hmm, of course, we always had an answer. It goes someplace else. But where? It goes in the trees? Can you see it? The list goes on. Even as an adult, usually in a circle with other adults who are drinking adult beverages, the question comes up from time to time, and we all sit and ponder the deepness of the question, and crack up at all the crazy answers. Somehow everyone knows you can't answer the question with scientific reasoning, and talk of fronts and the jet stream.

Until now.

Now I know where the wind goes when it doesn't blow.

It comes to Utah, specifically to the Wasatch Front, for a fabulous ski vacation. It comes and sets up camp and brings it's buddy snow with it. For the last three days it has been here on vacation and it's giving no sign of when it's leaving. And since it's on vacation, it's got to show off a little for the locals. No small breezes here, no way. These are near hurricane strength winds we're talking about. Constant. Wind sure nows how to party.

You'd think I'd be used to it, living in Florida for 5+ years. Completely different. In Florida, the wind picked up, got stronger, and blew on through. It rarely stayed for very long at a time.

So here we go, another day surrounded by snow drifts and listening to the wind blow. I've found it's got quite a personality, too. In our bedroom, the wind whistling through some unseeable opening around the window sounds like a harmonica. I had to camp out on the couch last night for awhile, because it was so nerve-racking. Oh, and if your in one of the bathrooms, it sounds like one of those long lumber carts from Lowe's being pushed down the aisle. Twice, before I figured it out, I looked outside to see what kind of truck was out there.

Funny, that wind, quite a character. I'm just glad I finally mastered the question. Not as glad as I am that the heat works, and that Brennan and I don't have to go outside for any reason today, but a small victory all the same.

Hugs From Windy Utah,
Heather