40 Years Deserves a BIG Celebration

 

My parents celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary over the weekend. In this time where divorce is so easy, so prevalent it is such an accomplishment that anyone can make it work for 40 years. Something this big deserved a big celebration. We planned a big, fun and festive party at their favorite restaurant. It was so fun planning, getting flowers and photos framed, a cupcake “wedding cake” and party favors. It was almost like planning a mini wedding.

  The party was amazing with lots of Mom and dad’s friends and family there to wish them a Happy Anniversary. My favorite part was when Mom and Dad gave a little impromptu speech about how they first got together. They told the story, back and forth, weaving their tale with a comfortable perfect banter that 40 years together creates.

I am so amazed by my parents. They are still so much in love and have such a warm, fun playful relationship. It seems like “the thing” to say that your spouse is your best friend but in the case of my Parents I truly believe it.

 

The Flowers were by Floral-Essence, The Cupcakes By Mrs Bakers Bakery and I made the Favors.

 

 

 

Big A hits The Big 6

It’s funny how you associate different connotations with different ages. Ages one to five I associate with a little kid. Once you hit 6 however I start to think of them as a bigger kid, far from a baby, definitely not a toddler, a big kid. My Big A has hit this milestone. I can’t believe it. I guess I am trying to remain in a self-induced state of being oblivious. I mean I see how very big he is getting (He grew close to 3” last year) he is by FAR the tallest kid in his class. I help him with his homework every day and I see how much he is learning, how quickly his base of knowledge is growing. I visit with him, we have actual conversations about how he feels about things and his opinions, no longer silly childish gibberish but thoughtful, intelligent opinions. So yea, I get it, I KNOW he is growing up. He is not a baby, not even a little kid, He’s my Big Kid.

Here's some shots from his "6" photo-shoot he had at our local studio, Fotofly. Seriously they take the MOST amazing pictures and are very affordable. You should check them out HERE.

Our Little Ballerina

Our little A is such a character. At three she is so sharp and on the ball. She is ready for action and always wanting to do, go, see. We decided to put her in a Ballet class and see how she would do. We weren’t sure at three how it would go but it has been WONDERFUL! The teacher is perfect! She has stretches and warm ups that are like games, just right for a 3 year old. Our favorite is “Hello toes (flex feet), good bye toes (point feet).  She is so patient and kind with the girls. Little A loves it and asks almost every day if it is “Dance Class Day.”

 It’s also nice for her to have something that is hers. We were explaining to Big A about how he doesn’t have school on the weekends just like Mommy and daddy don’t have work and little A piped in, “Ummm, what about dance class? Do I have dance class on weekends?” So cute that she has “her thing” now too!  

 

Amazing Easy Peach Salsa

I absolutely adore peaches. They are by far my favorite fruit. Nothing is better than a fresh picked ripe peach. I typically serve them up like my Mom always has; chopped with a heavy heaping of sugar. It’s absolutely delicious but I’m sure it is probably the LEAST healthy way to eat fresh fruit imaginable. I have been thinking up fun and different ways to serve up peaches and decided to try a fresh salsa. If I do say so myself… Wowzas! It is fantastic. The spicy peppers are such a fantastic compliment to the fresh sweet peaches. To sounds like a crazy foodie, it’s a wonderful balance of flavors.

Try this Fast, delicious recipe with your harvest….

Jenn’s Fresh Peach Salsa

2 Medium Peaches (peeled)

1/2 Red Bell Pepper

¼ Red Onion

½ Jalapeno Pepper (Seeded)

1 Tbl chopped Cilantro (more or less to taste)

1 Lime

Salt & Pepper

 

Chop first 5 ingredients (Finely chop jalapeno and onion) and add to bowl

 

Squeeze juice from lime over all chopped ingredients

 Add salt and pepper to taste

Mix and enjoy!

 

 

See easy peasy!!

More Comic More Con – Salt Lake Comic Con was HUGE!

Me and Cary Elwes.... As You Wish

Salt Lake’s second comic con has drawn to a close. It truly was Huge and it truly was amazing. It’s easy to say things about an event like that. It’s easy to throw around these big meaningless adjectives. In this case however these big adjectives are actual verifiable facts.

The 2014 Salt Lake Comic Con took over all 700,000 plus square feet of the Salt Palace Convention Center. So to say it was large, big, huge in size is a fact. Attendance was at capacity. Saturday alone over 100,000 people attended, filling the Salt Palace to capacity. Droves of people were actually turned away because the building was at capacity and tickets were sold out. SO  large, big, huge in attendance is a fact.

The godfather of Comics Stan Lee proclaimed that “Salt Lake Comic Con is the BEST Comic Con in the world”!!

I have to say I agree. We had a fantastic time. We went to a few more panels, all amazing, funny, candid. We ponied up a little moolah and got a few photos with celebrities. We hung out in Artists Alley and thoroughly enjoyed all the comic and cartoon themed pieces. Jeff visited with several artists about their process; it was fun seeing art from such a different angle.

The Salt Lake Comic Con was an amazing experience. Check out some more photos from the Comic Con.

Jeff and I with Russ Adams from Jim Hensen's Creature  Shop

Jeff and Erin Grey.... Buck Rogers Geek he is

Sam Witwer

Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad

Waiting in one of Many, Many Lines!!!

Jeff and Han.....

Salt Lake Comic Con Baby!!!

 

The second annual Salt Lake Comic-Con is well underway. Bigger and better than last year the “com” has something for everyone. Even my Mom, the least Sci-Fi, comic woman I think EVER (She has never seen any Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or Marvel anything if that tells you anything) was jealous that I was going because she would have loved to see Barbra Eden.

This year the Comic Con has twice the floor space, more celebrities, more venders, more art, more, more, more of everything. This is an easy thing to read and gloss over but to actually see it is pretty amazing. Over the sea of costumes (Cosplay and amateur alike) there is literally Sci-Fi, Comic, Action, horror everything as far as the eye can see.  It is pretty overwhelming.

The “Celebrity Row” offers up stars the likes of Danny Glover, Stan Lee, Barbara Eden, Ron Pearlman, Cary Elwes and many, many more all lined up to meet you, have pictures with you, and give you their autographs (for a fee of course).

Included with your entry is the opportunity to see one of the many “panels” they offer. We saw the “Ron Pearlman” panel. It was AMAZING. He was funny, witty, kinds, crass, charismatic, everything you hope a celebrity to be. I really liked him in Hellboy and Pacific Rim and thought he was awesome in Sons of Anarchy. Now though, I like him so much more. That’s what some of the panels are like, your favorite celebrities just shooting the bull, answering your questions. Other panels have “experts” delving into and discussing everything from Legos to Stephen King novels. IT’s completely cliché but there really is something for everyone.

Here is my first installment of photos from Salt Lake Comic-Con. Don’t just live vicariously, come down to the Salt Palace an check it out for yourself, you won’t be disappointed… The “Con” is still going on Friday and Saturday with tickets available HERE. (Buy your tickets in Advance it will save you LOADS of time standing in line!)

Storm Troopers from the 501

Lou Ferrigno at a Panel

"Cosplay" Princesses ... better than Disneylands!!!

HUGE "Lego world"

Ron Pearlman at his Panel discussion

More Mr. Pearlman (or as he said " The Pearl")

HUGE White Oarc

"Life Size" animates Smaug

Me and Barbara Eden... I don't have to dream of Genie!