They're Off!!

August 7th was the special day I'd been anticipating for the past 18 months since my braces were put on.  What a wonderful feeling!  My teeth feel so smooth and look so big.  

Brendan took a picture of me before I got them taken off wearing my nasty elastics and all.  

iPhone Pictures Lately

Running through the sprinklers. Not planned.

 We have greeters.

 Playing house.

 What do you do when your toddler wets her pants at the grocery store and you have no spare clothes?  I couldn't take her out naked. (She is wearing a paper towel skirt, which she was kind of excited about.)

 Brendan had Hazel in time out at church, but he assured me she didn't know he was taking pictures.

 I found Hazel and Hattie in the crib, and Hattie was covered in stickers.

 Pool time in the yard.

 Merry-go-round at the mall.

 We were walking in downtown Provo and we had a guy take our picture.  He asked us where we were from and we told him and then Hazel randomly said, "I'm from Washington."

Sisters playing in the yard together.

 Mowing with Dad.

We were driving down a big hill and when I looked back Hazel had her arms up.  

July 24th

For Pioneer Day, we went to North Park in Provo for the festivities.  They had some bands playing, arts, crafts, vendors, food, and bounce houses.  It was fun, but also a hot day.

 Hazel had face painting done by the volunteer missionaries.

Hazel loves princesses, so it was great to be able to see some local royalty.

Swim Lessons

Hazel took swim lessons for the first time at the Veteran's Memorial pool in Provo.  We'll just say it was a little rough. There was only one other girl in the class with Hazel, but I think she was a year older.  Hazel just wasn't very cooperative, and I had to bribe her to finish her lesson sometimes.  She didn't pass the class, but she will be taking it again next year.  Let's hope she has grown up quite a bit by then. 

Waiting for class to start. 

Boat safety.

Pool Cleaning

Brendan needed to go up the canyon to clean his grandpa's pool one afternoon, so the girls and I decided to go with him and bring a picnic.  The heater in the pool wasn't working, so it was very cold water.  Brendan of course thought it would be fun to get in wet suits and clean it.  I actually got in later with just my swimsuit and I was OK.  I'm glad to report the heater has now been fixed, so we can all have a pool party up there before it gets too cold.

 Brendan filled the bottom of his suit with water.  He was trying to look like a super hero.

Baking, Cooking, and Eating

I occasionally like to do food posts, so here are a few things most recently that I've actually taken time to shoot.

My sister gave me this great granola recipe that I like to make and keep in the fridge or freezer.  I usually like to eat it with plain greek yogurt mixed with honey and vanilla bean paste and then some fruit on hand.

Dawn’s Granola Recipe

Dry Ingredients

6 cups old-fashioned oats

¾ cup wheat germ

1 cup coconut

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup powdered milk

1 cup chopped nuts (I use almonds)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Mix together in a large bowl and set aside.

Wet Ingredients

2/3 cup honey

2/3 cup applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoons canola oil

Combine Group 2 of ingredients and then pour over dry ingredients.  Mix well then spread over large cookie Sheet.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until golden Brown.  Stir every 10-15 minutes.    After the granola is cooled you can add dried fruit to it .

I found this recipe in my Bon Appetit magazine and really liked it.  I love crisps, but I'm usually not a big cobbler fan, but I thought this was delicious. 

I recently found this blog called Sprouted Kitchen that I like a lot.  Her blog is also where I found my baked oatmeal recipe that I posted about before.  This balsamic roasted roots and spinach sauce recipe came from there.  I used carrots, parsnips, beets, and golden beets.  I also paired them with some herbed quinoa. 

These portobello burgers with caramelized onions, feta, roasted red peppers, and baby kale tasted great.  

These are just some vegetables I picked one morning from the garden.  Our garden has done very well this season, and I have been incorporating a lot of these vegetables and herbs into our meals.  

Feeding ducks and big fish

Brendan found some duck ponds in Springville in a a business park and took us there for Family Home Evening one night.  Hazel and Hattie loved seeing all the ducks and geese come up to them, and the fish were huge.  They were going crazy jumping out of the water and piling on top of each other for the bread.

Even though the rolls we were feeding them were a little stale, Hattie was chowing down.  Hazel was carrying the bag of rolls behind her head.

Hattie is 1!

Hattie turned 1 on July 15th.  We were so busy with the family reunion that I didn't really do much.  The reunion ended on Hattie's birthday, so we didn't celebrate until the 16th.  I just made a cake (which was a great new recipe) and we had over Whitney, Bruce, and Jessica.  I actually didn't even get my camera out.  Brendan took these with his phone. Next year I'll be better.

Hattie is really such a joy to have.  She is a very happy baby, although she is starting to throw some fits, and  she loves to follow Hazel around and tries to keep up.

Van Bloem Family Reunion 2012

Brendan's family has a reunion on his mom's side every 2 years.  This year it was a 4 day event, July 12th-15th, in Utah.  Thursday night we started out with a big outdoor movie at our house.  There were great snacks and good laughs.  Then Friday morning we had a big breakfast at Deer Creek.  There was boating and relaxing until the huge storm came in.  Saturday we went up American Fork Canyon to Mutual Dell Lodge.  Brendan planned the Family Olympics, which was also hindered a little with the rain, but a lot of fun.  In the evening we had a fun talent show.  On Sunday everyone went to hear the Tabernacle choir together in the morning.  Later in the evening we had a big family dinner at Brendan's aunt's house.  It was a fun filled weekend with family!

Deer Creek

Hazel went out on the sailboat with Brendan, his aunt, and his uncle.  While they were out, a huge storm came in.  I was up in the pavilion, and the wind was blowing everything away.  My stroller was even knocked over and rolling.  They were the strongest winds I've been in and also a lot of downpour.  I guess Brendan's aunt was holding Hazel and calming her down on the boat and they were able to get to shore, but their sail ripped through.  Some people saw them out on the water and were concerned so when Brendan got to shore they drove them in their car back to our pavilion.  Ever since this experience Hazel is traumatized by the wind.  When the wind even starts to pick up a little she starts screaming to get in the house or car.   

Safe and sound with Dad on shore

Brendan ordered this megaphone for the reunion, and we'll just say he really enjoyed using it.

 Hazel and Grandma Harper

Mutual Dell Lodge

Paul, Brendan, and Jefferson on the tight rope.

 Just one of the fun events Brendan planned for the Olympics.  For this event three people from each team had to pick a weapon and try to knock Brendan off without being knocked off first.  (Brendan made all of the very cool weapons.)

Hazel playing inside with the cousins

The many poses on the zip line at Mutual Dell.  Brendan's grandpa is 90 years old and he went on it.  Yea for Blaine!  Can you spot him?

 Cousins Kyler & Blake

Grandpa and Grandma Harper

Brendan presenting the trophies at the closing ceremonies.  You can't see them that well, but in the back he raised a flag for each country, USA, Japan, and Canada (there are families living in each of those countries.) 

 A little dance party for the kids.

Brendan, his mom, and uncle Randy (with a wig) playing and singing the Pinball Wizard, while the wizard (Brendan's dad) dances in the back.  It was pretty funny.

It was a great reunion with a lot of planning done by Brendan's mom, uncle, and aunt, but without all of Brendan's hard work we would have just eaten food and talked.  If anyone knows Brendan you wouldn't be surprised to know he went all out on fun.