thats why there were only four to take the picture with

because these pretzel bites are that good. my parents/megan & david recently returned from a trip to san francisco and they couldnt stop talking about these pretzel treats that had eaten. so we of course, got right down to business and made our own batch. trust me. you are going to want to make these right now.

non-recipe recipe for PRETZEL BITES

1. melt a couple hershey CHOCOLATE bars

2. coat PEANUT BUTTER filled PRETZELS bites in chocolate

3. cover bites with heath bar TOFFEE bits

4. let stand for 2 hours to set

5. try NOT to eat 100

mr. eyebrows

this little guy couldnt talk but he sure did let us know what he was thinking.....

he was much more excited when we got outside. his mom told me that his dad always wears hats like this one. so they wanted baby "D" to match. :)

i love this one. he looks so comfy in the blue fuzzy "neeee" (blanket. in tagg's language)

styling a shoot

i was getting ready for a portrait session yesterday and wanted to see if i liked this quilt for a backdrop. tagg was supposed to be my guinea pig. look at that attitude.

after tagg was done he wanted his guy to have a turn. so TAGG placed his little snowman on the backdrop. so cute.

holiday treats & packaging

i was asked to put together the enrichment nite for november. it was a nite filled with ideas for treats to bake and creative ways to package them for neighbors and loved ones this CHRISTMAS (it feels good to actually say christmas!) season.

the hot cocoa box. for some reason the ladies really loved this package. i think the clean acetate was exciting. this box was perfect for a single serving of homemade hot cocoa with a fresh marshmallow and peppermints.

this was my favorite package. i LOVE the window.

chinese take-out boxes make for simple but chic goody bags. this is what every lady got to package up their treats from the evening in.

i LOVE the idea of putting caramel corn (baked, of course!) in this covered-with-gift-wrap paint can.

again, the window. my favorite part.

megan was kind enough to be one of my guest bakers. she taught her AMAZEBALLS cashew roca.

the ladies.

picture quality, not so good. but had to document the only baking disaster of the nite: my mom's microwave peanut brittle. promise this recipe is a winner. something about having seventy ladies watching must have freaked it out.

me. my favorite package. and my green hair poof. what a fun nite!

the H family

i am still in the process of editing this session but i thought they might appreciate a little preview. their backyard was so perfect for the shoot that we ended up staying there the whole time. more to come....

my little man

this is the new face tagg makes when we pull the camera out. he is such a cheese. i love it.

this is halloween

just to get you in the mood for this post, here's tagg putting on his halloween charm.

DONUT PARTY

despite some pretty intense whining from two sisters who shall remain nameless..... the donut party tradition rolled on this year.

speak of the she-devil(s)..... here we are in all our smokey-donut-grease glory.

getting ready for our guests.

i didnt realize just how many halloween books i had until i set them all out on the piano. i am kinda obsessed with them.

more decorations.

more donut-greasy-goodness. i am surprised my mom had any room to make the donuts. as megan would say "unless you are helping with dinner, OUT of the kitchen!"

the famous little critters.

finished product. i tried SO hard to get a shot of a FULL cake stand but it never happened. its a mad house when people get around donuts.

my ladies.

i know, i know. i am a one trick pony. but i LOVE those tissue balls. i could make them for every occasion. flag day even.

new project i tried out this year. cool effect, but pretty hard to do. lets just say i went thru a couple pictures before i got these done!

tagg was quite pleased with the donut party this year.

WARD PARTY

i am on the activities committee and our ward halloween party was the nite after the donut party. talk about halloween-ed out! some lippy bishopric member asked me "is this a quilt show or a halloween party?" ru-uude.

cupcakes for the cake walk.

me and craig in front of my quilt show in our puffers.

the priests were in charge of a haunted hay ride. tucker was loving it. i have to say, it was pretty fun.

emily and me on the hay ride. trust me, i went thru an entire bottle of purel that nite.

tagg was also quite pleased with the ward party. i am not sure he could have shoved anyMORE chocolate in that little mouth...

HALLOWEEN NITE

walking the streets.

tagg LOVED trick or treating. he was such a good boy and said "please" and "kiii keeek" (trick or treat) at every door.

but no amount of candy could distract him from a good looking gun. that pudgy little finger on the trigger makes me laugh. but also makes me a pit in my stomach...

taylor, my mom, holly, megan, taggart & craig. at josh's amazing haunted garage. it was so good i even lost my voice from screeching in it!

tucker and his friends at the haunted garage.

tagg made out like a bandit.

the candy dance. pretty sure i have taught my son well and now we can share in our love for this fantastic holiday.

happy halloween 2009.