Baby shower goodness

I love reading crafty blogs. I am amazed by the cute things people create. I have been known to create some cute stuff but I don't usually come up with stuff on my own. So, I love that people share all the fun stuff that they make so I can copy them! Now, it's my turn to share some of my cute stuff!

Saturday I hosted a baby shower for a friend of mine. I decided I wanted to try my hand at cupcakes. Now, I've made cupcakes before but always just slapped some frosting on the top. But I wanted these cupcakes to be really pretty. So I borrowed some cake decorating tips from my friend Megan and an instruction booklet and went to town. I made strawberry lemonade cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I made three different designs and two colors of frosting:pink and light orange. Decorating them was really fun, relatively easy and they turned out so yummy. I might even go as far as saying they were yummioso and they looked oh-so-cute! Unfortunately, most were eaten before I got a chance to take a photo of their cuteness. So, the one remaining cupcake that I hid is in the photo above.

Megan helped me make cream cheese mints for the little favors. We did pink strawberry kiwi mints and yellow lime flavored mints. (I guess they weren't really mints since we didn't use mint but that's what they are called.) Megan has a ton of cute molds so we did baby bottles, rocking horses, baby carriages and butterflies.
The favor boxes were these darling "sour cream containers". You know the kind, like when you go to Wendy's and order a baked potato and the sour cream is in that funky little tubey thing. I got the instructions here and really, they could not be any easier.

Then I made a cute little advice book to match and had everyone write down their best baby advice for the new parents. I haven't put the whole book together yet but the cover of it is shown in the photo.

The shower was a success. Yummy food, fun gifts, cute favors and showered mama-to-be.

100th post!

Yesterday was my 100th post. I intended to make a big deal out of it but was so caught up in getting caught up that I didn't realize until later that I had written the 100th post! Oh well, here's to good intentions.

We celebrated Sam's birthday yesterday. We had a yummy dinner of pesto stuffed pork chops, twice baked potatoes and a delicious, fresh green salad. Then we topped it off with some birthday ice cream treats. Sam had asked a few weeks ago for a headlamp but I never got around to ordering it so I was left scrambling at the last minute for a meaningful gift. He has taken some really beautiful pictures lately so I browsed through our photos and found two of my favorites (one was a fave of his). I then had 8x10's printed of each of them and framed them. Although it wasn't the headlamp he was hoping for, he was touched by the thoughtful gift. He really does have an eye for photography and loves to take pictures. Maybe one day we'll be able to save up for a really good camera.

I'm so grateful for Sam. He is a wonderful dad, husband and provider. We think he's pretty great!

First Day of School

The long awaited first day finally came last Tuesday. The boys hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed. I made cinnamon rolls (with the help of the Dough boy) and then we took pictures and then made our way to the school. The boys were so excited to see their friends and get back into the school routine...so was I!!! The first week they had half days every day to ease the kids (and the teachers!) back in but today, oh blessed day, is the first full day! It's been nice so far...I'm actually blogging so that should tell you something!

Here are a few pictures from the first day:

Mission Reunion

My mission president and his wife live in Canada so our mission reunions have been few and far between. I think it's been close to 10 years since our last reunion. So, when I got the notice that the Orrs would be in Utah and a reunion was being planned, I knew I had to be there. I'm so glad I did! Even though I have seen some of my companions often, there are some I have not seen in a long time. It was so fun to chat with them and rekindle our friendship. A few of us brought our mission scrapbooks and we had a great time looking through them and talking about all of our mission experiences. I loved seeing the Orrs again and feeling their love for me. Pres. Orr has such a gentle demeanor and is so funny. I loved being with them again. We didn't have a huge turnout but those that were there had a great time. I think heaven will be similar to this experience...being embraced in warmth and love by people who have shared in your special memories.

Pres and Sis Orr with some of the Sisters of the South Africa Johannesburg Mission

Rick gets hitched

Sam's oldest brother, Rick, got married to a lovely woman, Tonja on the 22nd. We were able to go to their very intimate sealing in the SL Temple. It was a beautiful ceremony that reminded me how blessed I am to be sealed to Sam and my children for eternity. We are happy to welcome Tonja, McKenna and Dakota into the Preslar clan and look forward to getting to know them better. We are so excited for Rick and Tonja and know they will be so happy together!

Playing Catch-up

Lots has been going on the last month of summer. I have lots of pictures to post and stories to tell so I'll be writing a few different posts with accompanying pictures.

First up: Evans Family Reunion
We spent a weekend in Idaho for the annual Evans Family Reunion. This Family consists of about 370 people all descended from Thomas and Jennie Evans-my dad's grandparents. The last of Thomas and Jennie's daughters, June, passed away the week before so her funeral was held the morning of the reunion. It was a beautiful service and we will miss Aunt June. We then headed to the Malad park and set up the tent and enjoyed a fun evening with cousins of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th varieties. We got rained on really hard that night and the next morning felt more like November than August. But, the kids still had a blast and I had a great time visiting with my relatives. Sam is such a good sport; he can't keep anyone straight because there are so many people, so this year he decided he was going to remember names and who they belonged to. I quizzed him and he ended up remembering quite a few. He kind of grumbles before we go to the reunion but always ends up finding someone to have a good conversation with!

Next up: Millcreek Cook out
My sis in law Rachel and I decided we needed to get together since we always enjoy each other's company, live a few miles away from each other but hardly ever see each other. So, we quickly threw together a little cookout up Millcreek canyon. The weather was great, the kids were pretty good, and the food was enjoyable. The kids had fun running around, playing in the dirt and cooking hot dogs/marshmallows over the fire. Can't wait to do it again!

It's about dang time!

I really am a horrible blogger. No need to point it out. I know it is a fact. I decided to blog today because I just got back from Girls' Camp and my heart is full.
I really do love the YW in my stake and feel so blessed for the time I have had to serve them. This may very well be the last camp I attend in this stake. It is exciting in a way thinking that my summer plans won't revolve around Camp and/or Youth Conference. But it also saddens me a bit. Why? I'll tell ya.

I love my girls. I feel like a little mama hen with her chicks when I'm around them. I want them to be happy and good. I love watching them grow in the Gospel. I love seeing that first little spark of testimony when they are Beehives and watching it develop into a full-fledged fire when they are Laurels. It is incredible. I feel so blessed to have witnessed this with so many Young Women. I love talking with them and hearing their hearts' desires and discussing the temptations they face. I love talking about boys and dating with them. I love staying up late and laughing with them. I love sharing my testimony with them. I love hanging out with them. I love learning from them. I love watching them help and uplift one another. They are amazing Young Women.
In 4 short days of Camp, I am able to do all these things. I come home exhausted but enriched, motivated to be a better example and leader.

That's why tears are blurring my vision as I type this. I will miss these girls and the bond that we share. I will miss that sacred week we lovingly refer to as "Girls' Camp".