Help Yourself

When Quinn wants a snack - she just helps herself. Of course that means that I have been moving all the things on the lower shelves of the pantry up a little bit higher. She loves to grab a box of goldfish or cereal and a bowl - she prefers the ceramic anthro bowls (kind of particular - don't you think). Then she finds herself a nice spot on the stairs to eat. Or sometimes if she gets tired of that, she smashes them into the carpet. Lovely. But how can you resist that cheesy smile?

OR - I would be willing to move to

New York City. I know most people think I am crazy. And maybe it would be. I know it would be hard to live there with 4 kids but I am kind of in the mood for a challenge. I am definitely in the mood for some city life.

This new show on Bravo  - 9 By Design - has me dreaming of a NYC adventure every week. Check out this family. 7 kids and two parents are amazing designers. They have been building amazing homes in NYC. Of course it would only cost us like 25 million to live in one of their places - but I can dream.
Besides cool architecture, design, and art, I like the show for the look at parenting a large family. Of course they have help and everything is edited, but I am pretty impressed with how they seem to handle 7 children, a crazy business, a reality show, and busy city life - all with a sense of humor. Courtney (the mom) seems so good at mothering. And everyone appears quite happy.

I almost want one of my own. Almost.

Sweet little Campbell Cannon on her blessing day. She was a little worked up so we couldn't get any good shots without her binky. Oh well. She is darling anyway. I love holding that new born baby that just folds up in your arms. 

I really want to move

but you probably already knew that. I have been wanting to move for a long time. Of course, if I moved I would want to take my whole family with me.

But since I can't move (yet) I took a little solo trip to the OC. Problem is - I just want to move even more. Cause look who I got to hang out with.

I love riding a ferry to Balboa Island with the cutest Tanner ever.

I love being with family. I love new babies. I love being with my sister. 

I love the beach. I love walking Saylor to school.

I didn't take a picture of my roommates - but they are two of the cutest girls. I should have recorded Brooky telling me the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. Hilarious.

And in case you didn't know - Kenyon wins the prize for best husband. He was a trooper and despite great pain in his knees - he took on the task of parenting all four kids and their crazy schedules so that I could go be  with my sister's family and the new baby. He didn't even complain. 

This is what happens

When I just want to check an email. Just for a minute. 

And this is what happens after a morning of mess making.

Sure Gonna Miss you

She kills me. That cheesy smile she pulls when a camera is near by is hilarious!

But she is also a walking disaster and a dare devil. And she has MASTERED the scream. The high pitched, loud scream.

But even with that - I will miss her and the other 4 I left at home. But I can't wait to get in some good new baby holding time. 

Look what the kids picked out

Kenyon took the kids to the store to pick out candy for my Easter basket. Looked what they picked out! Come on! I like - no love - chocolate - but not this kind. Really? But they were not going to let it just sit there. They COULD NOT wait for me to bust that thing open and take a bite. What they really wanted (I soon figured out) was to eat it themselves. Thank heavens. Because I NEVER would have eaten that thing.

Cadbury Mini Eggs, Reeses PB eggs, Cinnamon Bunnies, even Peeps - that is a different story.

Hogle Zoo

How cute is that baby elephant? Only 250 lbs at birth. 

Unfortunately that was about as exciting as it got at the zoo. We found out later that the baby giraffe had died that day. So sad. He was so cute.

Since nothing much was happening in the outdoor exhibits, we spent our time in the snake house. Quinn LOVED it.

And then we went to the Zoo park. I think they would have stayed all day but I was done. All the kids were in the park since there was none of the animals were out.

Will the snow PLEASE go away. Sick of this weather.

Lucky Girl

We Metcalfs call this "Let's Be Buddies."

Check out my new niece and her family! What an amazing photo shoot by an amazing photographer for the coolest family EVER. I can't wait to go visit and hold that tiny little baby.

Who Do You Think You Are Anyway?

A full week of Spring Break. Possibilities are endless. Unless the weather is AWFUL and nobody feels well. That's us.


Actually it was a great week despite the snow and little bouts of stomach flu or something.


We hit the zoo, played with friends, visited Grandma (except I locked Quinn and my keys in the car and we were in Bountiful on a snow day - duh!), and saw How To Train A Dragon (LOVED) and Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief and Blind Side.


One day I spent curled up in a ball on the couch - SICK. And I discovered the NBC show Who Do You Think You Are? I love it. My kids got hooked too. How cool that these famous people are finding out more about their ancestors. I really liked Mathew Broderick's story. You can watch it here. So, when we went to lunch with my Grandma, I had my kids bring blank pedigree charts and we asked Grandma questions and filled in a few blanks. 


Reminds me of this verse of Malachi 4:6 in the Old Testament: "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers..."

Dinner Pretty Much Rocked

I love holiday meals. And this one - I must say - was pretty dang good. But I had some good help (thanks Jane, Kristine and Egan). And it came after a perfect day of General Conference. Weren't the talks (once again) great?

Easter Dinner Menu:

Citrus Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Asparagus

Bear Lake Raspberry Jello

Easter Bunny orange rolls (Metalf family tradition since 1980s? - my mom got the recipe from a Friend magazine. Easter just isn't OK without them.)

Pioneer Woman Scalloped Potatoes

Raspberry Barbequed Chicken (so easy and really good)

Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Curd and Cream 

Seriously - I wish we had Easter Dinner every night.

OOH and Jane made homemade marshmallows topped with coconut. Yummy!

And I made these cute little Easter favors for each place setting. So easy and turned out perfect (except no one needed any more candy).