...writing

My husband went to class tonight and so did I. I was a little hesitant about today's subject, though. Creative Writing? I am not a writer. I don't write proficiently. I don't use perfect grammar, and I can't remember the correct structure of a sentance. Although I have a great passion for visual design and arts, I never felt like my writing art was up-to-par. (And consequently was always a little shy about sharing what I wrote.) So, I went to class today with a little trepidation. Nervous about what it would expose. Worried that my classmates would think my writing was silly.

And yet, here I am; sitting in bed with my husband's laptop typing a blog post for the world to see. I probably will post it unedited. It will probably be full of grammatical errors that I will find tomorrow morning, but will already be ingrained in your RSS feed. And the truth is, I am okay with that. This is my safe spot. It is my place. This is what blogging does for me: it gives me freedom. Freedom to not only say what I want, but to share my weaknesses. I don't have to be perfect because I am in my little place. And you still like me. You are still here, reading...even though my posts lack the skill of a seasoned writer. It gives me courage.

Blogging has been an unexpected joy. I started blogging before I had my first child. I didn't know what I was doing and didn't feel like I had anything worthwhile to share with the world. I felt that I was too average. Too boring. I was your average 20-something, married college student. But, something changed. I was inspired by friends to try again...this time without inhibition, without worrying about what other people thought or if other people would read it. I started a new blog with a new name. Sherbet Blossom was born.

I still feel silly sometimes. Exposed. Members of my church congregation or strangers in the grocery store sometimes come up to me, point at my new purse and say, "Cute bag! I saw that on your blog!" or "I loved that sweet post about your husband last week." It always takes me by surprise. People actually read and know about this blog? They actually care what I have to say and want to know my opinion about things. Me?

But that is why I blog. I am the author. The editor. The designer. The idea-comer-uper. I am it. I am important on this blog. I get to write about the things that I care about: from the mundane to the sublime. I can post about those shoes I bought last week and the next day about the handsome love of my life. I can post about my designs and then write about my sweet children. I can post my crafting attempts and my cooking adventures.

And, most importantly, I can remember them. I can look back and read. I can hear my voice and my thoughts in the words. I can smile at the memories of my children's silly antics and salivate at the pictures of favorite recipes.

I blog because I have realized that my life is important. Maybe not to many, but it is to some. I have realized that it is worth documenting. Worth writing about. And so, I will.

...we're students

My husband started school this week. He is going to be working on his third degree. I have to admit that I am a tad jealous of J. I love school. I desperately miss school. I graduated with my bachelors degree in 2004 and have been craving a little classroom lecture and homework ever since.

I hit the jackpot today. Dear Oma, of the wonderful blog TravelinOma, is offering a free course online, and I signed up! I am going to buy school supplies this weekend...and maybe get a back to school haircut with my daughter. Now I don't have to feel so left out when I send my darling husband and baby girl to their classes every week.

Come and enroll with me!

Have a wonderful weekend. See you in class!

...while we were away

We are back from a wonderful trip. Dreamy, actually. We relaxed, reminisced, rejuvenated, and relished each other's company. It was a little strange living without children for a few days, though. A whole lot of thinking about ourselves and being able to go wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted. We forgot what that sort of freedom was like. A big thanks to my sweet sister, Sarah, and her wonderful husband for watching our adorable monsters. I know they can be a handful!
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." It is true. I missed these two rascals. I couldn't keep myself from wishing they were experiencing the fun with us. (Well...only for a moment. Then I came to my senses.)

That statement is also true for my little guy...although in a different way. I thought my mama's-boy would cling to me when I walked in the door, but he didn't. He clung to his older sister. They have been inseparable. CJ won't leave Sue alone! Instead of our normal morning cuddle, he wants Sue to be the one who holds him. (I am guessing CJ thought we abandoned him. His big sister is his only faithful family member.)

This morning, CJ begged Sue to hold him. His mouth was hurting (darn molars!) and he wanted some comfort. I told him that he was too big, but Sue said, "Mom! I WANT to hold him!" And she did for the next 15 minutes. Ha! After the holding was over, he sat next to her for another 15 minutes with his head on her shoulder. It was funny, sweet and heart warming all at the same time. There is nothing cuter than loving siblings.

I took a picture because this can't last long. Had to document the moment.

***If you are wondering about the hat...I am too. He found it and wore it all day. Even outside in the heat.

...raspberry freezer jam

We love homemade jam in our house. I'm too embarrassed to admit how much we go through. (A lot!) We ran out of my strawberry freezer jam last month and have been trying to live with the store bought stuff, but no one in this household likes it. We now have 4 jars of store jam in our fridge that no one will touch. It just doesn't compare to the real thing!

So, today I decided that it was high time to make some freezer jam. It is so easy! I don't know why I didn't make it the day we ran out.

We made raspberry today. We will make strawberry later this week. The recipe below is a basic recipe you can use, but most pectin packages come with their own recipe.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients: raspberries, lots-o-sugar, a couple lemons, corn syrup, jars or some kind of container, pectin.

I always buy MCP pectin. I don't know why. It is just what I have always used.

Lets talk sugar. I tried to make "healthy" jam last year by cutting down on the sugar. It didn't really work. It made more of a strawberry syrup. (Which was still delish...but runny.) If you want to make the low-sugar jam, buy the pectin that specifically says it is for that.
Step 2: Mash the Berries. I don't like jam with big chunks, but it is supposed to be a LITTLE chunky. I usually blend my strawberries a TINY bit, but with raspberry jam, I use a potato masher. It works great and doesn't make such a big mess.

Step 3: Make the Jam. Add juice of two lemons to 4 pts of mashed berries. Stir in pectin mixture. Let sit for about 30 minutes and stir occasionally. Pour in 1 cup corn syrup. Add 4.5 cups of sugar and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.

Step 4: Pour into Cute Containers. I love these plastic containers by Ball. They stack perfectly in the freezer and don't take up too much room.
Step 5: Eat and Enjoy! We usually make homemade bread on jam-making day to celebrate.

...a getaway!

Hubby and I are off on a weekend jaunt without the little ones to celebrate our anniversary. 7 years ago on Saturday, I married my best friend in the beautiful Salt Lake Temple. I still adore him!

...oh, boy!

J is so excited to have another son. My daughter is sad about having another boy in the house. My little guy is oblivious. I am thrilled!

I better start searching for a boy name that I like. Why are boy names so hard??

We had an ultrasound appointment this morning at 9am. I was so excited. My kids were dressed and ready to go. We ate breakfast and watched the clock. It was almost time to leave...and my phone rang. It was the doctors office postponing my appointment until 11:45. How could they do that to me? I about died.

But...we WILL know what kind of baby we are having today. (Well...if the baby cooperates.) I am so excited!

I am guessing it is a boy because we can only think of a girl's name. That is just how things usually work for us. ;)

...starting a dinner group

Every time I post something about my cooking club, I have a few people who email me or comment asking how we do it, how we have kept it going for so long or what we do. I have written them all individually until I finally decided that it would be more time efficient to write a post.

Cooking Clubs/Dinner Groups are so fun! It is a great getaway for women who love to cook and eat. I started mine a little over two years ago with a couple friends, and I think we have learned a few things along the way. Here are my tips for you if you want to start one yourself:

01. Choose a capacity. Initially, we started with 6 people. With a low number like that, it is easy to have a beautiful place setting and use your nice dishes. It is fun to decorate for the night's theme. Because we had a demand for membership in our cooking club, we now have 12 members. Having that many gives it a whole new wonderful atmosphere. It is harder to have a formal sit-down dinner since none of us have a table that large, and most of us don't have dishes for 12. We usually sit on a circle of chairs and use paper plates. Having a large group, however, lends to a lot gabbing and interesting conversation. Both sizes are great. You just need to decide what you want and set the limit or it could get a little out of control.

02. Choose a consistent meeting time. (We do it the 2nd Tuesday of every month.) Without a consistent meeting time, some months will fall through and the group will eventually dwindle. It is too hard to coordinate a date that works for every person every month, so this makes it easier on everyone. Every December, we reevaluate the date in case someone becomes the new PTSA president, or something of the like, and can no longer make it because of conflicting meetings. We also send around a calendar at the end of the year and everyone signs up for a month to host.

03. Decide who and where. Every cooking group does it differently. I have heard of some groups where the host does everything; all the food, decor and location. In our cooking club, we take turns hosting. When it is our turn, we are in charge of choosing the theme, providing the location and making the main course. We are also in charge of assigning everyone else a course to bring. (The host usually tells us what courses are needed and we sign up.)

04. Communication is key. Another reason for dwindling groups is that members don't know what the plan is. You need to make sure you are all in contact and that everyone knows what is happening and where. We do this in 2 ways: we have a google group to email each other and we have a blog to post updates. The Google Group ensures that no one is missing out on the emails between each other and the blog helps us keep track of recipes, past themes and signing up for courses. This works great for us because we are computer savvy and/or bloggers. You will need to choose the best method of correspondence for your members.

05. Choose fun and exciting themes. This is one of my favorite things about cooking club! Being challenged to cook something I haven't before and trying new foods other people make. You can choose a country (e.g. French, Mexican, Thai), an ingredient that has to be in all the dishes (e.g. chocolate, cranberries, anise), a course (e.g. appetizers, cookies, soups) or anything your creative head can think up. We have done all of the above. Here are some of the themes we have used if you need some ideas:
Thai, Ice Cream, Raclette, Wraps/Rolls, Eggs, Brasil, Sultry Foods, Salads, Holiday Finger Foods, Cranberries, Black & Orange, Farm Fresh, Copy Cat, Gourmet Roulette, Food on a Stick, Semi-Homemade, Mediterranean, Dinner in Tuscany, Chocolate, Pupu Platters, Brunch, Kid Friendly, Soup Sampler, Anise/Fennel, 10 Ingredients or Less, Parisian, Cinco de Mayo, Summer Garden, Favorite Dishes

06. Find a good way to share your recipes. We post our recipes on our blog, but other groups bring a copy for all their members. Do whatever your members prefer.

If you have any other questions or more tips to share, leave a comment letting me know. If you start cooking club blogs, please leave the link. I would love to see what your group is doing and compare ideas!

...back to school

Are you ready for school to start? I can't believe the summer is already over, but amazingly...I have fall fever. I can't wait to see the changing colors and break out my kids' cute sweaters. (I think my baby being due this winter makes the cold seem a little more welcome.)

To get ready for school, I printed off THESE DARLING CARDS for my daughter. Aren't they cute!? Thank you, Living Locurto for the freebie!

...a simple life

Sometimes I dream of moving to a farm town. Somewhere slower. Simpler. It seems romantic to me. A life someone would have in the movies.

I love to visit my in-laws. They live in small-town Idaho on a beautiful property with an enormous garden and beautiful sugar beet farm behind their yard. I love to sit outside, smell the clean air and freshly cut hay, and listen to the peace. This weekend, as I sat in the rocker on the back porch of their home, I thought of what it would be like to be a non-working woman in a town like that. It seemed like a dreamy idea to me.

We had a beautiful weekend living outside, away from computers and jobs and smog. My kids were in their element: running, jumping and being free. My husband was in heaven in his hometown, away from our "city." I was pampered. Mother-in-law had all the food prepared and beds ready. I came home today relaxed and refreshed. Idaho, I hope it isn't long before I visit again!

...thai spring rolls

On the 2nd Thursday of every month, my cooking group gets together to eat yummy food. This week's dinner didn't disappoint! We ate delicious curry, mangos & sticky rice, thai salads and soups. Thai food is my favorite, and I was so excited when the theme was announced.

My family loves making Thai Spring Rolls, so I knew that I would be making them when the theme was announced. (Thank you to my mother and sister for teaching me how.) There really isn't a recipe, but it does require a lot of prep and steps. So, please excuse the large amount of pictures in this post. I am hoping they will help you when you decide to make these delicious appetizers on your own.

1. The most time consuming portion of this recipe is the prep. You need to cut....and cut and cut. Gather your favorite spring roll veggies and herbs. I used fresh basil, carrots, cucumbers, and cabbage. (I used whatever kind of cabbage that is growing in my garden. I don't remember what it is called.) You can also use bean sprouts, cilantro, mint...and really whatever suits your fancy. I also cooked some medium sized shrimp. (I wish I would have used large shrimp because the mediums were a little too small.) Have fun cutting everything (except the shrimp) into match-sized pieces. I hope you have a good knife.
2. You will need bean thread. You can find it at a specialty Asian market. Soak it in HOT water for about 10 minutes or until they are pliable...but not mushy. Drain.

3. Next, soak your Spring Roll Wrappers in hot water. (Not scalding. You will need to put your hands in it.) It takes about 20-30 second for them to get pliable. Again, you don't want them mushy, so keep your hands on it as it soaks so you know when to pull it out.

4. Take the spring roll wrapper out of the water and lay it on a flat, clean surface. Start piling on the goods. I always start with shrimp or the whole leaves of the herb I am using. Pile on the other veggies and the bean thread. There is no method to this madness. Just do what you want.
5. Now it's time for rolling. Roll the left side over first. Tightly tuck in all the spring roll contents.
6. Next, fold up the bottom.
7. Tightly roll the spring roll wrapper. (See how pretty it is to put the shrimp down first??)
8. Don't get too excited to eat them and eat them all before the dinner. I was tempted.
9. Make your kids something super easy and unhealthy so they don't cry when you leave.


Oh...and you need peanut sauce. I make my own, but you can buy some too. There really isn't a recipe. I just mix until it tastes good. I use peanut butter, water, soy sauce, asian chili garlic sauce (little bottle, green lid), and sugar. delish!

...anniversary present shopping

I am trying to pick out the gift I want my husband to give me for our anniversary next week. (I know...not very romantic. We are really not into surprises. I would rather buy him exactly what he wants and he feels the same about me.)

I have narrowed it down to shoes. (Big surprise, huh?) We are going hiking for our anniversary trip and my hiking shoes are on the fritz. So the practical option would be these hiking shoes.

BUT...I really want these. So pretty. Lovely color. Heavenly.

My husband would be much more excited about buying me the hiking shoes. sigh. Shoes...why do you do this to me?

...flying away

On most days, I love being pregnant! I love feeling that baby inside me. I love reading pregnancy books (even on my third pregnancy.) I love the planning, the anticipating, and buying new, soft baby clothes. I love brainstorming names and dreaming about my baby's personality.

But...on other days I notice the weird things that it does to my body. Like...new hair, for example. I have hundreds of new little hair growths that are flying everywhere. They have a mind of their own. I can't tame them. Truly. I have tried so many products. Nothing works. And, then there is the issue of clothes, but I am not ready to talk about my depressing maternity wardrobe yet.

I better go read a baby name book to get out of this slump. Or maybe I should do some yoga so I can be aware and thankful for this body that allows me to grow this little miracle inside it.

***excuse the awkward poses in the picture. I was trying to get in a position to show the fly aways.

...time for change?

the old design

Ladies and Gents, after 2 years of blogging with the same look, I felt it was time for a change.

I am hesitating a little, however. I actually grew quite attached to my old design. It started the boom of my blog design career. I had many generous readers offer me compliments, which always makes the heart grow fonder. But sometimes designs need to be updated, and I felt Sherbet Blossom's 2nd blogiversary would be the perfect time to do it. (I did save the old template though, so if you all hate it and want the old design back, it can happen.)

I wanted the new site to look more friendly and welcoming. Less cluttered and more simple. I wanted the focus to be on the post's content, not on the background or design.

I also added the linkwithin button. I think it is kind of fun, but please let me know if you prefer the blog without it. Never-mind! I decided linkwithin was annoying and took it off.

the new design

...i'm a crafter

I love crafting. I love creating things with my hands. I wish I could say I was an expert scrapbooker, sewer, knitter, or jewelery maker, but I can't. I like them all and can't stick with one area long enough to become fabulous at it, but I can get by with most of them. The thing I have going for me is I am a perfectionist, so it may take me longer than average to finish a project, but it normally turns out fairly nice. Other than being a mother and wife, I get no greater thrill than holding a finished craft project in my hand.

That being said, I have a crafting rule. I always craft in my comfies. That means...frumpy clothes, no hair brushing, and absolutely NO makeup. I expect my crafting partners to understand, although I should probably be more kind and take their gag reflex into consideration. Crafting is about making other things pretty...not myself.

I went to a wonderful bookbinding class with some darling women on Saturday. It was so fun! (I bound my book, but have not added the final frills. As soon as I complete it, I'll show you!) Had I remembered that I would be there with a bunch of scrapbookers and bloggers, I probably would have brushed my hair. (Seriously...the picture above is what I looked like when I woke up that morning. My hair hadn't seen a brush.) I might have put on some makeup had I known it would turn into a photoshoot. Ha...oh well. A little humility is always good for the soul, and there is nothing more humbling than seeing a horrible picture of yourself.

The class was wonderful, regardless. I now have a great love for bookbinding and can't wait to start my next project...in my jammies...without any make-up...far away from any camera lens.

PS...I added that followers widget to my sidebar. I am not exactly sure what it is, but I had someone email me about it so I put it up. "Follow" me if you desire!

...featured

I was thrilled when Sūmèr asked me to do an interview. It was so fun! Check it out if you'd like!

...seventeen weeks

i received an email informing me that i was 17 weeks pregnant today.
this pregnancy is flying by.
even with all the nausea and negative pregnancy symptoms, I still relish every moment
of carrying you with me every where i go.
every little movement and twitch in my tummy is a thrill.
you were stubborn last week; we couldn't tell "what kind of baby" you were.
we'll try again this week
and the next if we need to...cause I can't wait.
i love you, little baby.
I can't wait to meet you.
23 more weeks!

...gardening 2009

Tomato Plants with Beautiful Homemade Bamboo Cages made by Hot Husband
Pepper Plants on the Left

I love gardening. It is an unexpected joy in my life. When I was a kid, weeding and planting seemed like the WORST job to be assigned. I hated getting dirt in my nails, sitting where bugs might be crawling and the seemingly monotonous chore of pulling weeds. I didn't understand why people would want to plant a garden when they could just buy the same stuff at the store.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I understood. I love watching the miracle of growing plants. Every day, I walk outside just to stare at my produce. I especially love planting from seed. I am amazed as those little seeds sprout and grow into large plants quicker than I expect. I love to see the beautiful blossoms come, knowing that they will soon be replaced by tomatoes, beans and zucchini. And, I even love pulling weeds and digging in the dirt. I love the way it feels in my hands. I love that I have control over the weeds and what grows in the cute little boxes my husband built me this year.

Every year, our garden seems to get a little bigger. We can't seem to let go of what we planted the year before, but we always want to try something new. I already have added a few things to my list for next year, so my husband may be commissioned to build another box or two. I am already excited!

I am proud of my cute little garden, which has graduated from the "senior citizen sized garden" that my mother-in-law claimed it was last year. (Although, it hasn't grown a ton. It is now a "little family in a little house sized garden.") It has already given us so much yummy produce. I am so glad that I have discovered this passion and developed this little talent.

1. Grape Tomato Blossoms
2. Zucchini and Butternut Squash Plants
3. Basil, Rosemary, Cabbage, Beets, Green Beans and Raspberries
4. Roma Tomatoes