Les Madeleines

I don't usually blog about food but I have to make an exception. I went to Utah to a couple of weekends ago to see my sister and mom. Tyree lives downtown and found this amazing little pastry cafe. It's called Les Madeleines and their specialty is call Kouing-aman, a rich butter pastry from Brittany.

I highly recommend this little place for anyone with a sweet tooth!

They had this amazing pictures from India all through out the cafe. I really liked how they mounted them. I want to make something like this for my house.

Here is the Kouing-aman. Les Madeleines were featured on the food network for these little tasty treats! They have a limit of four per customer. We went right when they opened and within a half hour there was a line out the door.

Young Women Project Runway

Last month I planned an activity for our young women about modest dress. I set up material for the girls to do a "Modest Project Runway". I bought some brown paper bag wrapping paper, red tissue paper, paint swatches, and decorative packing tape. We divided the girls into two teams with a leader as their models. The girls did a great job creating stylish and modest outfits. Who thought paper bags could look this good:)

Team A

Leaders: Lisa and Bekah

Girls: Katie, Cynthia, Sarah, and Shelly

Team A's Final Garment

Team B

Leaders: Rischel and Stacey

Girls: Joyce, Minerva, and Gina

Team B's Final Garment

Thanks Stacey and Bekah for being such great models!

2010 Modest Project Runway

Tide Pools

A few weeks ago we went on a little adventure with our friends the Couch's. We drove down to the tide pools in Half Moon Bay. We've been down to Half Moon Bay a few times but we never made it to the tide pools. It was so much fun to see all the little sea creatures. Next time we'll have to go when it's a little warmer.

The cute Couch family

There were so many Amnemonemomnes:)

All the sea lions from Pier 39 were over in Half Moon Bay sun bathing:)

We went at the best time where the tide was super low.

We saw all of the following:

1) sea gull, (2) marbled godwit, (3) rock louse, (4) tide-pool sculpin, (5) turban snail, (6) acorn barnacles, (7)

periwinkles, (8) small limpets, (9) striped shore crab, (10) gooseneck barnacles, (11) chitons, (12) mussels, (13) aggregating sea anemones,

(14) hermit crab in turban snail shell, (15) ochre sea star, (16) larger barnacles, (17) lobster, (18) surf grass, (19) encrusting sponge, (20) brittle

star, (21) purple sea urchin, and (22) assorted seaweeds.

Tide Pool Film

By: Brady Norman

Point Reyes

A couple of months ago we went to Point Reyes with our friends Kristine and Jason. It was a beautiful day! We went on a little hike and had a nice little picnic.

It was such a pretty hike

Such a goof:)

We even got to see Bambi and his mom

Kristine, Jason, Ben, & Brady

It's so crazy that we live here!

I can't get over how cute Ben is! He is the best baby!

Ben got a little tired

The Girls

The Boys

I love that you can drive 30 minutes to a beautiful hike and then be back driving over the Golden Gate bridge.

Happy Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

We are so blessed in our lives to have so many people who we love and love us!

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities."
--Janos Arnay

California Academy of Sciences

Brady and I went to the free day at the California Academy of Sciences. It is such an amazing place. They have a new aquarium with over 50,000 gallons of water, a four-story encased rainforest, african penguins, a swap, and so much more!

(LOTS of pictures to follow)

Brady and me at the entrance of the building

The Stingray pool

I love giraffes!

Brady by the fully encased four-story rainforest

Steinhart Aquarium is full of the most interesting creatures!

Jelly fish are BEAUTIFUL

Speckled Sanddabs

They blend in with the sandy seafloor to hind from predators

These little guys are Waxy Monkey Tree Frogs

They grab branches and swing through trees like monkeys

Moray Eels

These eels reminded me of Flotsam and Jetsam in the Little Mermaid

This little fish looks more like a dinosaur to me

I think sea horses are fascinating

There are so many crazy things under the sea!

These funny little things are called Garden Eels

There aren't snakes, they're fish! They live in colonies and pop their bodies out when hungry

Leafy Sea Dragon

This is Claude

He is an albino alligator. He is blind and gets a sunburn when exposed to the sun.

Who Knew?

After the aquarium we went into the Rainforest

The colorful Macaws

There is a whole wall in the rainforest of exotic orchids

Poison Dart Frog

Twig Snake

Gecko & Brady

Cluster Chameleon

They hunt with their spring loaded tongues

The rainforest was filled with butterflies and beautiful flowers

After the Rainforest we walked over to the Natural History and had a visit with

Mr. Gopher Tortoise

And the African Penguins