Lloyd Family

Linder Farms

2011-10-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hay rides, pumpkin picking, doughnut eating, tractor riding. It was a happy night.

Our 2 attempts at a family picture. Nailed it.

Love.

2011-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

29

2011-10-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

I had a birthday. And I felt very loved. My family and friends spoiled me and made me feel extra special. Lots of calls + texts, packages in the mail, dinner with Sean and lunch with friends. It was a birthday week! And that's just how it should be.

Sean took me to Barbacoa for dinner. And it really was so so good. My steak? They lit it on fire. And served it to me on a hot rock on top of a giant wood platter. And made us the best guacamole i've ever had right at our table. I was just so happy the entire time. Because Sean makes me happy. And so does food.

Wyatt Reads

2011-09-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

My Mom bought Wyatt a Lightning Mcqueen book about a month ago. He hasn't put it down since. Each night he has us to read it to him before he goes to bed. The past few nights, he has wanted to read* it to us. It's pretty much the most precious thing you will ever listen to.

Thanks, Grandma Eve!

ps. I also love how he announces that he has to go poo at the end. I bought him another Lightning + Mater book today as a "poo poo prize." He is pretty much determined to have a BM.

*Sean wanted me to clarify...Wyatt does not know how to read. He just memorized the pages after weeks of us reading it to him :)

3 years

2011-09-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

Wyatt turned 3 on July 31st. We had a little Birthday party for him with just a couple of his buddies. He requested that he have a "Cars" party. So that is just what he got. Sean and I made them cardboard box cars. We played a "stop-go-slow" game. They were bored out of their minds. So we moved on to frosting mini cakes and opening presents. Later that night, around 11:30pm, he was still playing around in his room. I went in and told him that it was time for him to go to bed. His reply: "I'm just too happy!" So I think he had a good day. We love you, Wyatt!

ps. Why do I have that purple shirt on in every.single.picture. Clearly I need to start mixing things up a bit in the wardrobe dept.

Wyatt's Birthday Picnic

2011-09-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Wyatt wanted to have a picnic for his Birthday, so we went on a drive out by the lake, parked the truck and had a little lunch + Idaho Spuds for dessert. It was a good time.

State Fair

2011-09-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking about taking your kids to the fair. Don't. They will most likely have simultaneous meltdowns and immediately get diarrhea upon arrival. And! You will end up paying $75 per person for really gross food + 15 second rides while getting attacked by mosquitos and sweating to death in the 100 degree heat. I'm also 99% sure that we all contracted the AIDS virus while trying to hose Wyatt down in the public bathroom after said dysentery took action. Sick.

Jude's face pretty much sums up our evening.

"Preschool, here we come!"

2011-09-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from Wyatt's first week at preschool. Grandma Eve was able to be there for his first day at school. It was extra special!

My main concern: He had to be "fully potty trained" to start preschool. Which apparently means he has to be able to walk upstairs and down the hall to the bathroom. Take his clothes off (he insists on removing everything except his shirt), and put them back on. Wash his hands, dry off etc. etc. Then make his way back downstairs to his classroom. All by himself.* (Weird?) So we are working on that. I'm trying to make the whole process easier for him (mainly the dressing part)....so I'm on the lookout for shorts that have a stretchy waist and no buttons/snaps/zippers that don't make him look like a complete dork. Any suggestions?

* Today his teacher found him in the hall, just casually getting a drink from the water fountain. Shorts and underwear around his ankles. Classy, Wyatt.

And here is what is going on at home while Wyatt is in school. Fun.

Homeboy knows how to make jam.

2011-08-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

Get in line ladies.

Summer

2011-08-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks in UT visiting family, going to the Discovery Museum, camping, hiking. Just having the time of our lives basically.

The Boise Zoo. The butterfly exhibit was awesome. Can you believe what a good mom I am? I have a severe moth phobia (and let's be honest, a butterfly is the moth's fancy sister), so I think I deserve the Mom of the year award for taking my boys through that death trap.

Eagle Island + Lucky Peak is where we have lived the past few weeks. Until the nasty geese at Lucky Peak decided to poo everywhere and contaminate the water with E. coli. Don't worry, because my kids would just inhale that water while they rolled around in it. No biggie.

Go summer!

Buttermilk Pancakes

2011-06-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

It's all about food this week, people. You either get pictures of my kids, or recipes....because that is all I really do with my life. And I'm perfectly happy with that.

I made these buttermilk pancakes this morning, mainly because when Wyatt wakes up he says "I want waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, eggs and toast." Ummm, ok, I'll get right on that! But every once and a while I will go all out and make pancakes. And I do mean go all out. Because they are a lot of work. At least for me. I always have a ton left over + a huge mess to clean up. But it's worth the hassle I think. My mom always tells me about how my Aunt Janie (who was the best cook- I remember she made these chocolate waffles which were so so good, and I am still trying to track the recipe down) would make pancakes, waffles, french toast etc. etc., and then freeze them. In the morning, she would just take a few out and warm them up. My mom also remembers her bringing over a bunch of frozen breakfast items after she had had a baby so she wouldn't ever have to worry about making breakfast for her older kids while trying to take care of a newborn. Such a good idea. So I have been freezing my pancakes and then reheating them in the morning, and it works perfectly. This morning I tried this recipe for the first time, and it just might be the best buttermilk pancake recipe I have ever made. They are super thick and fluffy. They come in a close second to my all time favorite Lemon Ricotta Pancakes which can be found on The Sister's Cafe blog.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Stir together in a mixing bowl:

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil

2 c. buttermilk (or if you don't have buttermilk you can substitute it with 2 c. milk + 2 tsp. vinegar - then remove the extra 2 tsp of mixture)

1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl combine:

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbl. sugar

Then add the wet mixture to the dry. Stirring until just combined (still lumpy).

note: You have to have this syrup anytime you have pancakes, waffles or french toast. It's just how things are supposed to be done. This is my favorite recipe given to me from friend Danielle Carly.

Buttermilk Syrup

In a saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil for 1 min.

1 cube butter

1/2 c. buttermilk (or 1/2 c. milk + 1/2 tsp. vinegar)

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. karo syrup

Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. baking soda.

Risotto Rice Pudding with brown sugar + vanilla

2011-06-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe* today on Joy the Baker's blog (she always has the yummiest treats + might be the funniest person I have never met). So I dragged my poor children to the store with me, again, and picked up some Arborio rice.... and now I'm sitting at my table typing this up while I pork out on a giant bowl of rice pudding. Because I sometimes get a little bit obsessive about food. Sometimes. And this is why: It is freaking good.

You might want to make it. Stat.

* I did make 1 tiny addition to the recipe. I added like 2 Tbl. granulated sugar. Because I wanted it a little.....sweeter. So sue me.

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

2011-06-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

Made this yummy treat tonight. It is starting to get warm here and we needed a little refreshment. This hit the spot. My mom gave me Serendipity 3's "Sweet Serendipity" cookbook a few years back. It has been sitting on my counter, just because it's cute, but I had not made anything in it until tonight. Sean and I are big fans of the Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity, but my personal fav has to be the Forbidden Broadway Sundae. Mercy. I had it twice while we were in NYC. That may or may not be why I gained 27 lbs in 5 days.

So you gotta start out with their whipped cream. It's perfectly (not)sweet. Their secret ingredient? Corn syrup. Who knew? I know I sure didn't. It just marries so well with the sweet and creamy chocolate, along with the icy consistency of the.......I'm kidding people. That was for you, Brooke + Aimee.

But seriously. Try it. Thank me later.

Whipped Cream
1 c. heavy cream, very cold
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbl. light corn syrup.

Combine the cream and vanilla and mix well. With an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, start whipping the cream on medium speed. Add the corn syrup slowly while beating. Whip until the cream holds soft peaks.

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate
6 half-ounce pieces of your favorite chocolates
2 tsp. store bought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 Tbl. sugar
1 1/2 c. milk
3 c. ice

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 c. of the milk and stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender place the remaining c. of milk, the room temperature chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and is the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy, friends.

Heaven help us.

2011-06-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have no idea what I'm doing. No. Idea.

Wyatt doesn't seem too worried about it though. Clearly.

He has yet to relieve himself on the porcelain throne, but he sure is excited about his potty chart. And the anticipation of putting a sticker on said chart is almost more than he can bear. Let's just hope that he feels the same excitement tomorrow and he can produce some results. Go, Wyatt!

NYC

2011-05-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

Sean and I took our very first vacation without Wyatt and Jude this past week. My little sister Aimee and her husband Brandon were nice enough to take almost an entire week off of work to come and play mom and dad for us! I was a little bit nervous to leave my babes for the first time. I typed up a "schedule" for A+B (it may or may not have been 4 pages long. Single spaced. With extended margins.). It was detailed. And I am OCD, so there may have been more information in said schedule than was needed, but whatever. Thank you to the Gurr's for taking such great care of our offspring. It really meant the world to us. And I'm pretty sure they had more fun with you two than they do with me everyday. You did good.

So while we were away, we enjoyed ourselves some NYC. We attended Sean's "big" graduation and were lucky enough to have both of our parents there with us! It meant a lot to us to be able to have them there and see Sean officially graduate. While they were in town were also able to go see the play Billy Elliot and afterwards Sean's steak dreams came true when we ate at Del Frisco's. So happy graduation to Sean! We love you, and are so proud.

A few other highlights from our trip included: Seeing some of our very favorite friends. Who we miss. A lot. Subway riding. Much needed walking. Having a slumber party with the Whitings. Going to a taping of Jimmy Fallon. Eating a ton of food. Eating a ton of food and eating A TON of food. Should I name a few of the places we ate at? Sure, why not. Shake Shack (4 times. You wouldn't think that would be possible in a 6 day period. But we made it happen. Don't judge me). La Esquina. Wafels & Dinges (2 times. Worth every calorie). Stand 5. Blue Smoke. The Meatball Shop. Dessert Truck. Dean & Deluca. Juniors. Serendipity (2 times. We are so gross). Some pizza place. Del Frisco's. Sprinkles. Did I go to the Doughnut Plant you ask? NO. Ask Sean and Kathryn why.

So 10 (combined) extra poundage and 6 days later, Sean and I are home. And happy to see our boys. And missing NYC....again.

Pictures by Kathryn + Sean's phone.

Spring. Hopefully.

2011-04-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the park with some friends. It was warm + sunny! We had a ball. We headed home for naps, and when Wyatt and Jude woke up, they were both red and hot. I kept taking their temperatures wondering why the thermometer was reading normal when clearly they had fevers. Then I realized this foreign pink coloring on my children's normally pasty white skin was a little sunburn. Apparently that is what happens when we finally get to leave our house and play outside (+ forget sunscreen). It's been a long winter.

Happy Birthday Sean!

2011-03-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

Sean turns 33 today! I looked back on what we gave him a year ago for his birthday while also trying to track down the post of our USS Intrepid birthday outing. It's no where to be found. Maybe because I never posted any pictures? Of course I didn't. Sad. It was a fun day. This year we may not be able to brave the drunken leprechauns in NYC, but hopefully we will still be able to make Sean's day extra special. He requested Lomo Saltado for dinner tonight. What? This will be interesting. And of course we had to make him a batch of his favorite shamrock sugar cookies + some peppermint "patty's". We don't mess around.

Sean we love you and think you are the best. Can't wait to party with you. Boise style this year.

Don't feel too bad if your kids aren't as photogenic as ours.

You might want to try these.

2011-02-27T13:20:00.000-08:00

Should I be ashamed that I made both of these this week? Well I'm not. Because they were delightful. And I'm a pig. So sue me.

Lemon Blackberry Souffles

Oreo Truffles

Don't judge my crappy pictures. Just know that about 99% of them come from my phone. And the other amazing 1%, from back in the day, were taken by Kathryn. Who no longer lives by me, and can no longer document my life or our baking dates. Sad.

Today I'm going to try out a Levain Bakery copycat recipe. I don't think I can even put into words how good these cookies are. They are about 8lbs a piece, and are borderline raw. So they are cooked to perfection, basically. If you are ever visiting NYC, you probably should eat there for dinner.

Lookin' sharp, Jude. Lookin' real sharp.

2011-02-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

Before

During

After

In remembrance

My name is Jill, and I love treats.

2011-02-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

If you know me at all, you know I love to eat treats. And I just so happen to love to bake treats. It's not always a good thing. I end up eating. A lot. I start to get a headache if I haven't had a huge piece of cake by 3pm. It's sad actually. And it's something I'm working on. And I feel partly bad because I have somewhat ruined Sean. When I met him, he didn't really care for treats. But I insisted he snack right a long with me. And now he has taken on the bad(?) habit of having to eat a treat after dinner every night. I thought that was normal. Apparently it's not.

So in an effort to become more...healthy, I've been trying to keep my treats down to 1 per day. It's a struggle, I'm not gonna lie. I usually save it for right after dinner. It gives me something to look forward to each day. And maybe one of these years, I'll get it down to say...5 treats per week. But I refuse to go any lower than that.

Until that happens, I will continue to peruse the Internet, in search for delicious treats during nap time each day. It really makes me so happy. And I still expect my sister Lindsey, and friend Kathryn to keep up the good work, and send me at least 1 good recipe a day. That's not asking too much, right?

Sweet & Salty Cake
Best cake I've ever made/eaten*. Hands down.

Recipe from the Baked cookbook (found on The Culinary Couples blog), which I need. Immediately.

Next on the list:

Oreo Truffles

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Cookies N' Cream Brownies

Lemon Blackberry Souffles

*The cake recipe calls for dark unsweetened cocoa powder, dark brown sugar and dark chocolate. I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan, so I opted to use regular cocoa powder, brown sugar and a milk/semi sweet chocolate combo.

Lately

2011-02-16T16:21:00.000-08:00

We have been really, really busy. Not really. We have just been at home. Eating a ton of Valentine's Day candy and watching Jude face plant a dozen or so times a day. He really fancies himself walking, but tends to over-estimate his bipedal abilities, which then causes him to eat it. Constantly. I will be surprised if he makes it through his 2nd year of life with a full set of teeth.

Oh, and we have really had a ball playing in the toilet. Apparently it is Wyatt and Jude's favorite new discovery. I guess nothing beats unraveling an entire roll of toilet paper, letting it fill up the bowl, and then flushing it. However, I think their favorite part of this activity is watching me frantically plunge the crap out of said bowl in hopes that I can avoid major spillage. It's a good time.

Yesterday Wyatt thought he would mix it up a bit and take a cup, scoop up a nice helping of toilet water, laced with feces, and take a swig. I almost called Poison Control.

Maybe I should just watch my kids instead of blogging?

Don't they look sweet?!

And yes, this is the best picture I could get. After about 4,789 attempts. I give up.

This is my weak attempt at catching up

2011-02-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

So I added like 80 pictures that I found on my phone/computer and jammed them all together. To be honest, I'm not really sure what is in this little "video". Probably several duplicates, and maybe inappropriate bath pictures. So I apologize in advance.

Things that we have been up to that should be (but maybe aren't) in this video:

Halloween

Our move from NY

Thanksgiving in AZ

Christmas in UT

Jude's 1st Bday

Jude's 1st steps

Our move to ID

I guess it's been a while since I updated this?

In a nut shell...we moved. From NY to ID. I'm still a little bitter about it. I love you NY, and miss you. ID you have some serious kissing up to do. All I gotta say is, livestock...watch out. I finally passed my written exam. 2nd times a charm, right? I'm an idiot.

The Cornell Grad

2010-10-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

He did it! And I couldn't be more proud. Way to go Sean. All your hard work has finally paid off, and you have a MSHSPA to prove it. I may or may not know what 1/2 of those letters stand for, but still, I'm proud. And we love you.

These past 2+ years went by way too fast. We are so sad to leave, but excited to see where the future will take us. We will miss you NYC, and all of the great friends we have made here. Hope to see you often. xoxo

It's Fall

2010-10-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

My favorite time of year. And we finally made it out to a cider mill, where we were able to get some yummy doughnuts with friends, Wyatt was able to "pick" his very first pumpkin and we were able to check out all the bright yellow, red and orange leaves. We loved it. Here are some pictures.

Wyatt wanted to get in on the action. He ran up saying "bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk bawk!!!!" These roosters were not happy with each other.

Hi Jude.

Love you pumpkins.

Check out that family pic. Perfection.

We finished off the night with dinner at Cheesecake Factory, in celebration of Sean's graduation tomorrow!! Way to go Sean, you are the smartest, cutest, sweetest, funniest, most popular person I know. xoxo.

Wyatt wants to be a bus driver...

2010-09-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

After visiting the NY Transit Museum today! There are a few things that I want to do before we leave NYC, and going to this Museum in Brooklyn was one of them. We stopped for lunch at Buttermilk Channel (featured on Unique Eats on the Cooking Channel of course!) in Red Hook, then headed up to the Museum for some serious fun. Wyatt was a maniac, but loved every minute of it. Running around inside the old subway cars, driving his own bus, and seeing all the trains. He didn't want to leave. Literally. He was hysterical. And after making the bad bad decision of taking him into the gift shop where all the books and toy subway cars, trains and buses were, he officially lost it, and then we headed home. But I'm so glad we went, it was worth every one of Wyatt's tears. See for yourself:

Funny story? I wanted to see if Wyatt could hold himself up. Well he could, for about 5 seconds. You can't really tell, but he wasn't positioned over the seats, like it looks. He was really a few feet above the ground. And yes, I almost didn't catch him. See below. Sean was not happy with me.

Subway car to ourselves

Bus driver in training

Sean took his job very seriously.

As he ushered the riders on.

Pure happiness

A lot of our pictures were blurry, but you will just have to trust me, the subway cars were awesome. And there were TONS. All different styles, from different eras.

It was hot down there, ok?

Family picture attempt

Blurry bus riding

"Hot Dog"

2010-09-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

This is Wyatt's video of choice. He will wake up in the morning and say "Hot Dog, Hot Dog!" I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Notice Minnie's moves. I like them.

Lime White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars

2010-09-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

They are the bomb. I recommend you make them immediately. Picture and recipe found here!

Crust**
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/3 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with foil; coat foil with cooking spray.

To make the crust, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar until creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low; beat in flour and salt until pea sized lumps form - about 2 minutes. Pat dough into bottom of prepared dish. Bake 15 minutes or until light golden. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.

To make the filling, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together granulated sugar, eggs and lime zest for 3 minutes or until doubled in volume and foamy. Beat in lime juice and vanilla until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour until just combined. Pour filling on top of crust. Bake 15 minutes; remove from oven and evenly sprinkle with macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown and just set.

Cool on a wire rack completely before lifting foil out of pan, slicing into bars.

Makes 12 bars

**My crust seemed a little dry...I may add a little more butter next time?

Raspberry Sour Cream Crumb Cake

2010-09-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

Kathryn and I made this the other day. Need I say more?

I know Wyatt, you want some. Quit looking at me with those doe eyes.

"Wow! Cake! More! Please! MMM!"

Pictures courtesy of KW.

8.9.10

2010-09-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sean's sister Amy was married this summer at Lake Tahoe. It was so pretty, and we loved being able to see the whole family! Unfortuntately, our immediate family was a disaster when it came to pictures. And I have to mention my horrible dress. That too was unfortunate. However, I think Sean, Wyatt and Jude look smashing! Their matching ties?! So precious.

And just a few randnom pictures from the trip...

Wyatt in time out. Again. I'm pretty sure he had just punched me in the face. He looks really sorry, doesn't he?

Jude's first time eating Rice Cereal. I think he likes it.

ps. does anyone else hate the new uploader for the pictures? i can't ever seem to get them all centered, or spaced evenly. it's driving me insane.

Stewart Falls

2010-08-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

We like this place. And Wyatt would have stayed there forever throwing rocks into the river if we had let him.

Wyatt turned 2.

2010-08-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

So we partied. Well...we went to the Scera pool because Wyatt loves to "shwim!" However, the weather was not really cooperating, and then the kiddie pool was evacuated so some poor 16 year old life guard could fish out a terd. After that happened, we finally called it a night, and headed over to Smashburger with friends and pigged out. It was delicious. Unfortunately though, we have no pictures. I don't know why.

Then on Sunday we had a family party complete with presents and cake. It was fun to watch Wyatt open his gifts. No matter what it was, he would gasp, and say "WOW!!!". He is pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

The Birthday Boy

Juder. Just because.

Presents. Wyatt had lots of help opening.

The cake. He wasn't a fan.

Birthday Bubbles. I may or may not have scared the children away.

Wyatt, I hope your day was extra special, just like you. What a big boy you are!

Poolin' it up

2010-07-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

This is what we have been up to. Although it doesn't look like it, Wyatt quite enjoys swimming. Especially with floaties (Shelby, we may or may not be returning these to you)! And Jude...he is pretty much the sweetest thing you have ever seen. Just happy as a clam whether he is being held, or lounging pool side in his car seat. Is that legal btw?

Greetings, from UT.

2010-07-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

Wyatt has never been so happy, frolicking in the woods with nothing but his diaper on, or just lounging out on the deck.

And I am enjoying things like: Having a car. And a washer and dryer in our house. And a dishwasher!! Yes, it has been quite enjoyable.

My entire family was also able to be up at the cabin this year. I don't know if that has ever happened before. We had fun. And took some family pictures to document this rare occasion.

Some a little more awkward than others...

NY...see you soon. But only for a little while. We will be heading out at the end of Oct. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet.

Emails from an 11 yr old.

2010-06-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Meet Samantha, my niece, who lives in AZ. Every now and then she likes to send me emails. They usually include lots of "!" and "<3" and ":)". Here is what they say:

---

Subject: heya!

hey Jillie,

i am soo excited to be able to see you up in Utah. i haven't been in 3 years! can you beleive it? i cant wait to see Jude either, he looks adorable! i will see you soon!

Love ya so much, Samantha

p.s i'll remeber to bring my camera!

another p.s it says i like cheese cause thats

my signature

- I LIKE CHEESE!!!

---

Subject: thanks for making me smile

hey jill,

i sent out a text to everyone that had a smiling face.

at the bottom i put "thx 4 makin me smile :)" i would

of done it to you to but, i dont have your cell.

anyway i want to tell you how much i lve you.

thank you sooooo much for the times you made

me smile!!!!

love ya soo much, Samantha

---

I bet you wish you had a niece like Samantha. She is the bomb.

Sean Jr. aka Wyatt Sean

2010-06-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sean's sister posted this picture of their family when they were little. We are just not sure how Wyatt managed to get in there.

2010 Lloyd Family Vacay

2010-06-13T20:44:00.001-07:00

The trip was a success. Now let me break it down for you. I have about a million pictures. This could take a while.....

Virginia/Washington DC- Stop 1

2010-06-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

We stayed with our good friends, the Bohn's. We love this cute family, and they always show us a good time. But why don't we have more pictures here? No idea. Seriously, I have some of Wyatt and Jude on the bed, and some sweet shots of Wyatt in the parking lot? I'll spare you those. But I can tell you that we did a lot of eating (Ben's Chili Bowl, Ray's Hell Burger, Georgetown Cupcake, and some delicious Tapas place in Old Town). We also hit up the Air and Space Museum. We had a ball.

Philadelphia- Stop 2

2010-06-13T20:43:00.003-07:00

This was a quick stop. We drove through Philadelphia on our way up to Rochester, NY for some famous Cheesesteaks. We were told Geno's and Pat's were the places to go to, and they were conveniently located across the street from each other. I have to be honest, I was not all that impressed with Geno's. Maybe next time we will have to try Pat's. We also made a quick stop by the Reading Terminal. We stayed for about 25 min (parking was $14 per 30 min), and made it out of the parking lot just in time to pay $28 for 34 min. Awesome.

Palmyra- Stop 3

2010-06-13T20:43:00.002-07:00

The Sacred Grove was awesome. We were able to go through both of Joseph Smith's houses, check out the farm, and visit the Grove. We were also able to see the Temple (that peeks through the top of the trees) and the Hill Cumorah. Maybe one year we will get to go to the pageant there...

Wyatt was a maniac. He was running through Joseph Smith's house, just making himself comfortable on all of the original furniture that was gated off for a reason. I'm sure everyone wanted to excommunicate us.

Ithaca- Stop 4

2010-06-13T20:43:00.001-07:00

This is just about the cutest little college town you will ever go to. Tons of fun shops and good places to eat (Ithaca Bakery and Purity Ice Cream). And the Cornell campus was so so pretty. Sean represented with his Cornell shirt.

Vermont- Stop 5

2010-06-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

We were able to meet up with our friend Mindi and her family (Troy and Sophie). They live in a perfectly cute Vermont neighborhood, in their perfectly cute yellow house with a big front porch. And they were sweet enough to let us stay the night with them. We had a blast. Mindi and Troy showed us around their hood, we ate some yummy flatbread pizza, and of course, got some Ben and Jerry's. Then it was off to "Smuggler's Notch" where we took the scenic route to see the "Trapp Family Lodge", eat at the Main st Bakery and get some apple cider doughnuts at the local Cider Mill. Loved it. Before heading out, we also made a stop at the Joseph Smith Memorial in Sharon, VT.

New Hampshire/Maine- Stop 6

2010-06-13T20:42:00.002-07:00

We basically just spent the night in New Hampshire, went to some outlets, then headed up to Maine to check out the coast. It was raining, but it was still so pretty. We may be moving to York, Maine. I'm pretty sure we could afford one of the "shacks" nestled up on the coast. Sean was also able to see a lighthouse, which he was pretty excited about.

Boston- Stop 7

2010-06-13T20:42:00.001-07:00

Duck tour anyone? It was awesome. Our tour guide loved his job probably more than he should have. We were able to drive around the city in a big pink polka dotted truck that turned into a duck/boat. We also stopped by the Aquarium. Wyatt really loved it. As you can tell.

Cape Cod/Home- Stop 8

2010-06-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

We drove through Cape Cod on the way home...It looked a lot like Maine. Tons of huge beach houses, ocean, a really good Wendy's. The usual. We had a good time. Then headed home. I think our total driving time over a 9 day period was 45 hours. Sean made me drive the entire* time.

*Ok so I may have exaggerated a tiny bit. So sue me. I drove for about 30 min of the entire trip. Which is when Sean took that picture. But in my defense...it felt like a really really long time.

Juder

2010-06-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say goodnight..

Road Trippin' With My 3 Favorite Allies

2010-05-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

As Sean would say. We are taking our first family roadtrip this Friday. I think we will be totaling about 36 hrs in the car, and will be driving through 14 states. Things could get ugly with 2 youngsters in the back seat....but I'm praying we make it home with fond memories.

Our main destinations:
Philadephia
Washington DC
Palmyra
Niagra Falls
Toronto
New Hampshire
Vermont
Maine
Boston

Any places* we need to check out along the way? Suggestions are welcome.

*i'm referring to food, of course.

He's so grown up.

2010-05-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

Wyatt and I went out on a little walk yesterday. Just us. It's not very often that we get to go out with just the two of us. It was kind of fun. We stopped by Kathryn's to say hello. She took a few pictures and commented about how grown up he looks now. And it is so true, he seems like such a big boy. And he is so sweet with Jude, which makes me happy. We definitely had a few weeks where punches were thrown, eyes were gouged and Jude feared for his life...but I'm happy to say (I think), those jealous days are behind us. Cheers to Wyatt!

Backpackin' Boy

2010-05-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

I tried, I really tried. This backpack made me want to gouge my eyes out though. All I have to say is this: Wyatt, you better love this pack so much that you want to sleep with it, bath with it, and keep all of your most precious posessions in it, because even though it was probably the most basic sewing pattern known to man, it was a nightmare for me.

But I must say, the fabric is just about the raddest thing you have ever seen (even though Sean couldn't disagree more). He said "get something manly". Ok Sean, do helicopters and sunglasses (!) live up to your manly standards? No, apparently they don't.

Check it:

Picture courtesey of Sean's phone.

ps. Liz and Lisset, no wise cracks, your sewing skills exceed my own. Pattern found here.

DOUGHNUT PLANT

2010-04-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

I may or may not have polished off 5, that's right, 5, doughnuts today. Want me to name them? Ok. Tres Leches, Creme Brulee (2!), Black Out, Fresh Strawberry (bites) and Valrhona (bites). I don't even feel badly. Ok, maybe I do. But they were all soooo good. Especially the Creme Brulee! Carmelized sugar on top, vanilla bean custard inside? And I hate cream filled doughnuts. But this was something special.

Today Sean finished up at his rotation a little early, so we headed down to the Doughnut Plant. It's a good thing this place isn't closer, or I would be obese. We came home with a DOZEN doughnuts. Sean said there was no way he was going all the way down there for just one doughnut, so we went all out. If you are ever visiting NYC, be sure to stop by this little gem. Word on the street is they are opening one at Chelsea Hotel too!

We also saw Mark Israel (owner) just as we were heading inside. Did anyone see him on Bobby Flay's "Throwdown"? What an idiot.

The joys...

2010-04-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

I love this picture.

Music For Parents And Children To Live By

2010-04-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have said it better myself. Did anyone else listen to Power Tunes growing up? I sure did. And they are awesome. I downloaded a few for Wyatt to jam out to. I don't think he was liking these inspirational melodies as much as I was. Click on the link to get a little taste. "Attitude" is my personal fav.

Pork n' Beans

2010-04-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

Wyatt being the porker, and the beans, well, being the beans. This kid loves black beans. And treats. Did I mentions treats. Oh, and treats. He is a maniac.

Do you see the concentration?

How he so delicately devours it?

The look in his eyes?

Just trust me, you do not want to see what happened once his snack pack was polished off. Just know this: Kathryn feared for her life, and Wyatt, while violenty signing "please" over and over again almost had a stroke. If we let him keep this up, he will have diabetes by the ripe old age of 2.

Busted

2010-03-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning as I was feeding Jude I heard some rustling in the kitchen, the crumpling of bags and then Wyatt saying "MMMMMM". This is what I found. Wyatt had gotten in to the box that a friend had given us full of treats, and was polishing off the last of the Grasshopper cookies.

To Sean:

2010-03-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday! Sean turned the big 3-2 on the 17th. Which also just so happens to be St. Patricks day. So every year he gets to share his special day with a bunch of drunk people and skantily dressed lepricauns. And he loves it. Sean requested pictures of Wyatt and Jude together for his Birthday. It didn't really work out as planned. Wyatt would have nothing to do with Jude, or me for that matter. But here are a few (or a lot) that Kathryn took for us in Central Park.

Ball! Dada! Kiss!

2010-03-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

I thought this was cute. Wyatt loves to play with his Dada.

Lots of smiles

2010-03-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist..

2010-03-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

My lovely friend Liz made these adorable announcements for us. I think they are the bomb and highly recommend her if you are in need of invites, announcements or a photographer. This girl has skills.

Photo was taken by the talented Kathryn of course.

This is what we do all day long

2010-03-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

Wyatt loves Jude's bouncer. He would lounge in it all day if he could. So we just spend most of our time sharing it.

Jude is obviously having the time of his life.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM

MMMMMMMAH!

I can't forget to add this one.

Spotted:

2010-03-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

Who: Woman.
Age: Mid 70's, at least.
Where: 70th and 2nd Ave, in the middle of the road.
Wearing: Full body snow suit and poncho. Naturally. Since it was 40 degrees and not a rain drop in sight.
Mode of transportation: Rollerblades.
Skill level on said Rollerblades: -17.

I should have called the police on this crazy woman. I'm sure she is dead by now, she was dodging taxi's left and right.

And no, I do not have a picture to document this incredible sight. My most humble apologies.

st. louis gooey butter cake

2010-03-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

Friend Kathryn and I made this delightful cake from Smitten Kitchen yesterday. It's pure butter and sugar, but so so good. You probably should try it. And I probably should stop eating a piece every hour.

i thought these were fun:

2010-02-28T17:53:00.001-08:00

these were taken during christmas time by sean's sister julie. she just posted them for us to see. i can't wait to see the rest.

Wyatt's new grill

2010-02-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

Look at this kid, could he be anymore precious? You have to admit, there is nothin' like eating raw cookie dough after a full day of face planting.

I think my boys are pretty cute...

2010-02-23T18:06:00.000-08:00

i think wyatt is trying to tell jude something?

2010-01-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

did wyatt know jude was no longer napping in the crib? ill let you be the judge.

(sorry about the horrible picture taken with my phone)

let's not forget this boy

2010-01-26T14:46:00.000-08:00

he is pretty cute too. kathryn was nice enough to watch wyatt for us (all. day. long.) while we were at the hospital. he loves playing with her. and of course, she took some great pictures. what a good friend.

Jude Hudson Lloyd

2010-01-25T18:20:00.001-08:00

Wants to say hello.

Born: 1/23/10
Weight: 6lb 11oz
Length: 19 3/4in

(picture taken by Kathryn)

Baby Brunch

2010-01-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks Kathryn and Suzi for throwing Erin and me a little baby brunch (and let's just get this out in the open right now, I don't know when it's appropriate to use "I" or "me". I'm over it). It was totally unnecessary since this is baby #2 for both of us, but we definitely felt extra special. The food was delicious (it was my first time having Eggs Benedict) and of course, it was so fun to spend time with some good friends.

Erin is due 10 days before me and we are pretty sure her little lady is coming any day now! As for our little guy...who knows. I'm interested to see if he makes an early appearance like Wyatt did. We also don't have any names picked out yet. If you are really my friend you will provide at least 3 names for me to pick from. Thank you in advance. xoxo

It's been a while

2010-01-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

I apologize. I just don't have time for blogging, I'm so busy busy busy I can't find a second for myself. And I would rather live life, than blog about it. Ok we all know that is not true. I'm just lazy, and this baby is due in about 2 1/2 weeks so I pretty much just lay around on my butt all day complaining. Sean is so lucky!

A quick recap of what we have been up to:
-I went to AZ for like 3 weeks in Nov, then we met up with Sean in UT for Thanksgiving!
-My sisters Brooke and Lindsey came to visit us in NY. We had a ball of course. Eating everything in site, seeing a play, shopping etc etc. I hope they had fun too.
-Our first Christmas with just our little family(+ Sean's sister Julie!). We stayed here in NY and it was awesome. I love being here during Christmas time, and Sean had a nice long break so we got to spend lots of time with him.
-New Years. Nothing like ringing in the New Year with a little Wii Cheer Leading. I sucked. Bad. And I'm pretty sure I frightened all the children (and adults for that matter) with my extremely large belly flopping around. I apologize.
-Baby brother is due soon. Pray for us. I'm not quite sure how we are going to do with 2 kids in our little apt.

Sidenote: I don't know why I am all the sudden remembering this, but one night when Sean and I were walking home an extremely beefy man ran by us in a thong leotard. You know, just out for a leisurely jog. It was amazing.

Our Favorite Boy.

2009-10-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to Kathryn who can make pretty much anyone look good, because poor Wyatt was definitely struggling. He smiled for the first few, then somehow became stoned which then headed into hysteria. In his defense, he did have a fever later that day. But... now we get to look at these fun pictures and Wyatt can't stop gabbing about how adorable he looks.

Time to head home.

Monkey Suit Meltdown

2009-10-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Wyatt had his pictures taken today. He was not the best subject to be had I'm sure, but Kathryn worked her magic and produced some really good shots (that I'll post later). Until then...here is a little teaser.

You have to admit, he is one cute little monkey.

Wyatt's new GF

2009-10-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Boy's Room

2009-10-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Wyatt and baby _____ might need this for their room one day! I thought it was pretty cute. But first, I should probably try and hang up the pictures I already have and put some real sheets on Wyatt's "big boy" bed (aka the crib that converts to a day bed) that just came in the mail. I think Wyatt prefers sleeping on a regular mattress, as opposed to the piece of cardboard that came with the most uncomfortable portable crib ever made.

My Birthday Is A Special Day, no matter what the survey says...

2009-10-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

"In 2001 some researchers asked 12,576 Americans in a survey when their birthday was. The results came out as 5th October being the most common date where most people are born. This works out to be approximately 690,000 Americans with the shared birthday of October 5th. This is the main theory as to why this is the most common birthday, which is: To be born on this date, a baby would most likely have been conceived on New Year's Eve – which makes sense really."

That's right, my special day is also shared with a few others. But that didn't stop me from having a bomb day. I talked to lots of family and friends (and also loved all the messages and texts!), ate everything in site (which actually takes place on every other day as well...i just didn't feel guilty), and opened some fun presents! I also came home to a banner made by Sean. This may have been my most favorite part of the day.

It read:

Happy Birthday Jill! We love you, Sean & Wyatt

Jill- Happy Birthday sweetie. You are the cutest, smartest, funniest, hottest, most popular & loving person in the whole apartment! The whole building even!! Wait, The WHOLE WORLD! I'm super super lucky I found you, I love you! -Sean

He then went on to sign every person's name in my family and his family on the banner. (bc my mom used to do that on all of our bday banners growing up).

It was great. Thanks Sean. xoxo

Little Red Lighthouse

2009-09-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

We walked to the subway, and down the stairs, on to the subway we went.... up/down more stairs, under the bridge, through the homeless community, around the gang/construction workers (I must admit, at this point I was a little scared for my life), through the tunnel, THEN through the woods, and down more stairs to the Little Red Lighthouse....

You can read all about said Lighthouse here.

The trip was a long and tiring one. But it was fun. Most of the time :) I think the mid afternoon "snack" at Shake Shack (after we got on the wrong subway home and went way past our stop, then had to head back uptown) was well deserved.

It was obviously time to go home at this point.

And a big thanks to Kathryn who made several trips up and down stairs assisting with the strollers (and for the pictures).

ps. Did I mention that we saw Kelly Ripa on our way home?! Oh what a day.

40 Carrots

2009-09-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Wyatt has turned in to a treat fanatic. I'm actually a little concerned. If you give him a taste of a treat, you can just plan on him eating the rest of it. And if you resist in any way, he will scream. It's really quite adorable. Just ask all the guests at 40 carrots in Bloomingdales who were trying to enjoy their luxurious lunches while Wyatt shrieked until he was given bites every 5 seconds.

Hey, at least he is cute? I mean it's always worse when the kid that is throwing a tantrum is ugly. Am I right?! Oh come on, you all know it's true.

Hmm, I would like that entire yogurt. NOW!

It's a BOY!

2009-09-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right. I am pregnant for all of you who didn't know! Today I am a whopping 19 weeks and we are excited for this new addition to our family. It's going to be crazy having 2 boys 18 months apart here in NYC, but bring it on! And no, we don't have any names picked out. This was a difficult task for us last time. If I remember correctly, we named Wyatt on our way out of the hospital because we needed to turn in his birth certificate info. So any suggestions you might have are welcome. But only if they are awesome.

Wyatt and I like this song today.

2009-08-21T11:10:00.001-07:00

We even did a little dance.

Wyatt's 1st Birthday

2009-07-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite little Mr! Today is Wyatt's big day. He turned 1. It really is crazy how fast his 1st year went by. We didn't have a party here in NYC for him because we had an early party in UT with almost all of our family. It was so much fun to have both my family, and Sean's up at the cabin. I know Wyatt felt extra special. Here are a few pictures from when Wyatt was born, it was fun looking through these.

And just a few of Wyatt's party!

The Birthday Boy

Opening a few presents with Grandma's help

Wyatt's new favorite monkey

Food

I think I was more excited than I should have been about Wyatt's giant Birthday cupcake

Eating his first cake

Playing with Grandpa

Brian making him cry (i love these pictures)

"Happy Birthday to me"

ps. Can we have every Birthday party up at the cabin? It's one of our favorite places.

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-06T10:26:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures from this past weekend.

-Friday Wyatt and I were able to go to Coney Island with some friends (while Sean studied for finals), where we played on the beach, walked on the boardwalk and ate. A lot.
-Saturday we went to Central Park for a picnic. We we sat on blankets and ate a lot of food, again. It was such a fun weekend.

Enjoy all these pictures I stole from Kathryn (of course). You know I don't have these kind of skills.

I ♥ Dad

2009-06-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Wipeout

2009-06-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

This is one of our new favorite shows. I don't know why Sean and I find this so funny...but we do. Maybe its the clever commentary? Or the fact that people just eat it about every .5 seconds? Give it a chance. Watch 1 full episode and you will die laughing.

ps. this clip does not really do the show justice.

the best thing about the tony awards

2009-06-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

bret michaels getting taken down by the back drop.

i'm sure many of you have seen this on the news, or saw it happen live on the award show...but i couldnt resist. we could not stop laughing after it happened. and rewinded it about a million times.

Wyatt moving

2009-05-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

Wyatt helped Kathryn pack up some of her kitchen the other day. He was so productive. He sat in the sink and "organized" all of the Tupperware.

He also showed of his 2 new teeth!

(pictures taken by kathryn)

Ahhhh-repas

2009-05-27T07:05:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist posting about this place. Caracas Arepa Bar. This sandwich?/pita?/I don't know how to even describe it...is the best thing ever.

The De Pabellon:

(Sean and I also inhaled/shared the "De Pollo"...which was soo good, and the "Reina Pepiada")

And here is Wyatt waiting patiently for our food. He is pretty cute.

(Thank you Kathryn for always taking such great pictures, and finding the best places to eat)

Common Cents

2009-05-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day we went down to Brooklyn for some Crepes (pronounced as only Marc Bohn can) and it certainly was a memorable occasion. Good friends, great weather and pretty good food. I'm sure Jill has a lot of fun things to post about, I just wanted to post a picture of my new most favorite store in NYC, or at least the best advertising campaign I've seen. It may take you a minute to get why it's so awesome, so don't get frustrated if you don't get it at first:

More, More, More

2009-05-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

My favorite thing today...hearing Sean singing to Wyatt on the couch. Then peeking around the corner and seeing him "signing" to him?!

"Put your finger tips together and more, more, more!"

A few other classic tunes on the show:
"Do the diaper dance"
"My mom has a mom and she's my grandma"
"My dad has a dad and he's my grandpa"
"Baby, baby, baby signing time"
(Sean may have been enjoying these songs more than Wyatt)

Motivation

2009-05-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

My stomach jiggling as I'm running on the treadmill. What else could make you want to keep going than the feeling of your fat moving up and down?! It might as well have been slapping me in the face.

And this power jam. I listened to this for the last mile over and over again. And was doing punches in the air. All by myself. It was awesome.

For Mother's Day, Sean got me a pair of running shoes. I told him while I was pregnant with Wyatt that once I had him, and we moved to NY, I was going to train for a Marathon. :) Well I think we all know that I won't be running a Marathon any time soon. But maybe one day? I think for now my goal should maybe be a 5K, then I can shoot for a 10K and then maybe a 1/2 Marathon would be next on the list? Goals people, these are goals. But for now...I'll just focus on building up my endurance. Wish me luck.

Rickshaw Dumpling Truck

2009-05-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

I ate here for lunch, and had the chicken & thai basil dumplings. It was so good. This dumpling truck parks all around the city, and on Tues, it just happens to be right in front of Sean's school on 52nd st and Lexington. I might have to go here every week.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-05-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

It has been 3 years since Sean and I and got married. I was looking through our wedding pictures and it made me want to get married all over again (and actually get to try the yummy food that was at our reception!). It was such a fun day. I felt like a princess.

Sean, "Thanks for being such a sweetheart to me". I don't know if you remember, but that is what you wrote on the first card you ever gave me :) I still have it.

Hip Hip Hooray!!

A few wedding pictures!

2009-05-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

Cranberry Orange Scones

2009-05-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

These are good. Really good. Ina Garten made these on her show a few weeks ago and I had to try them. I love Ina, she is so luxurious in her East Hampton home, cruising around in her Mercedes with her denim button up on and the collar popped! She makes everything look so good. And this recipe didn't disappoint. Its pretty easy too. The only thing I do differently is triple the frosting :) You(I) need a little more than a drizzle of the orange glaze. Oh, and you might be tempted to glaze them right when they come out of the oven. Resist, the glaze just runs off (not that I would know). Wait until they are fully cooled, then go for the glaze.

Ingredients

* 4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
* 2 tablespoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
* 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
* 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 cup cold heavy cream
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
* 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.

Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

side note:

This sandwich looks delish (minus the goat cheese maybe? i'm not a huge fan). I have not yet tried it, but I think I will this week.

Ingredients

* 16 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
* 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 8 slices Pullman bread, sliced 1-inch thick
* 8 to 12 ounces really good quality brie
* 2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
* Watercress
* 8 ounces soft goat cheese, cut into 8 slices (recommended: Boucheron goat cheese)
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the bacon in a large skillet or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Break each piece into fourths and set aside.

Heat a cast iron griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat.

Spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Layer 4 of the slices of the bread with 3 to 4 slices of brie, 2 tomato slices, watercress, 2 slices goat cheese, and 4 slices of broken up bacon and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the remaining bread slices on top, butter side up and cook on the griddle until golden brown on both sides and the brie has melted.

mesa, the capital of popped collars and plaid shorts

2009-05-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

sorry about the blurry picture, this was taken with my phone, in walmart. and in case you can't see whats going on...ALL of these guys are wearing polo shirts, with the collars popped and plaid shorts.

we just wanted wyatt to fit in..apparently he was not too happy about it.

how cute is this little dude?

2009-05-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

look at wyatt with his vest, tie and boutonniere on. mr hip!

hopefully we will have some wedding pictures soon.

a little friendly banter...

2009-05-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

My brother sent Sean and me the following email:

Chris: Nice Face...

Sean: Was someone trying to steal her hostess snowball? (i just so happen to love snowballs, especially after they have been in the freezer)
Jill: I hate you guys. I think I look pretty.
Chris: Whatever it was it looks like she is about to gnaw someone's finger off!
Jill: I then politely told Chris he was being rude.
Sean: No response
Jill: Sean say something!! You are my husband, you are supposed to defend me.
Sean: Yea, I think we were a little harsh on you. Seriously, if someone stole your snowball, they deserve the face of Satan that you gave them.

In my defense, we were told to make an "ugly face" in the picture. Is it my fault that my ugly face really is ugly...and not "cute ugly"??

ps. Chris and Sean, you guys are such sweet(jerks)hearts.

what a cute little couple these two make

2009-05-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

Wyatt likes to pull hair. I have a bald patch to prove it, and now Sean does as well. He also likes to eye gouge, and do the fish hook. It's soooo sweet!

Martha!

2009-04-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sue (my cousin Mike's wife), was sweet enough to invite me to go with her to the Martha Stewart show a few weeks ago!! It was so fun, I definitely want to go again soon. The highlight of the show for me was when Martha made triple citrus cupcakes (i think that is what they were called), they looked so good.

The show will air on May 18th so be sure to watch for us!!

Umm, hi Hunchback of Notre Dame. Sit up Jill!

Thanks again Sue, it was so fun to get together with you! And thanks for sending me the pictures!

Here comes the Bride

2009-04-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending my little sisters wedding shower. I can't believe all of the cute things she got. Why did I not think to "register" at Anthropologie for my wedding??? Her bedding, plates/bowls, decorations... are all adorable. I'm a little jealous. And isn't her outfit darling?! Congrats Aimee!

The Bride

The spread, and all the helpers

The sisters and mom, minus Lindsey again. Where were you??

The happy couple, with all their loot

correction: NYC is always fun with the sisties :)

2009-04-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

The week before I came out to AZ, my sisters came in to town (minus 1, sorry Lindsey..you were missed). We had lots on the agenda, but our main priority was eating. We planned each day around where we were going to eat. I am mostly to blame for this, since all I think about is food. Its hard not to when you live in a place with so many great restaurants!

Here is what we did in no particular order.

Central Park. How cute does Wyatt look with his little hat on?!!

On our way back from the Brooklyn Flea Market

"Dumbo"

Rockefeller Plaza

Chelsea Market

more at Rockefeller Plaza

Pylones. Also, please notice my extremely tan face and defined cheekbones. We stopped by Fresh, and got a makeover. Doesn't my bronzer look so natural?! When she finally revealed my new face, I guess my shocked expression was pretty obvious. She then quickly "blended it out a bit"...which I guess means, put more bronzer on my neck??

Eileens Special Cheesecake

La Esquina

Crumbs, plus a lot of rain.

I think you get the picture :)

We also saw The Little Mermaid, and Brooke and Aimee saw Wicked.

Another highlight of the trip...we saw Hayley from One Tree Hill walking into Isabella's (across from Shake Shack). We felt so famous. For those of you who have no idea who I am talking about....she is soooo famous.

Obadiah Parker

2009-04-16T09:58:00.001-07:00

I don't know how good this band is, but one of their songs was on Scrubs last night as the exit music for the episode, it's an interesting cover of "Hey Ya" by Outcast.

What do you think?

Sundance

2009-04-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

This is a cute story about Sundance.