Cookie Dough, Cheesecake, and Family Pictures

I went to get my flu shot one Monday morning from Sean's lovely MA and I was sitting in one of his rooms and we got to talking about how they really needed some art. He has three rooms and some hall space that he can decorate and its nice for both him and his patients to not have white sterile rooms. When he first started we had no funds to do anything! He has also wanted to get just the right stuff and not just generic art. I mentioned to him that it was time to buy some art. We could use the money we saved on the yard right, lol! He has had a lot of fun researching it out and getting some really cool, unique pieces. One room is a Beach/Lilo and Stitch room, one is a Fantasy room with How to Train your dragon and Froto and a map from Lord of the Rings. The last room will have a set of 5 canvases that feature Link from Zelda as well as a painting of Mario and one of Luigi. 

 I saw an add for a place in New York that serves cookie dough by the scoop just like ice cream, I was so intrigued. I saw a place called Dough Co in the District and we decided to try it out. Sean and my dad got a shake that had a weird texture and was too rich. Lizzie and I got peanut butter cookie dough with reeses pieces. Alana got this browie batter one, and Brett got some cake batter and some peanut butter. The dough was really good, but also really rich. My mom got an item on their menu called half baked which was a half baked cookie with ice cream on top, it was amazing! All in all, if I go back I wan the Half Baked and I think I would just prefer to go to coldstone =)

 Brett's piano teacher has been hitting note reading really hard. This past week his assignment was to go through a song each day that he has already learned and write in the notes, we have to cover up the time signature and stuff too. He was really bummed to get started because it seemed so monotonous. I pulled out a trick I used to use with math when I was in Jr High. After finishing a line you get a treat. We have been using candy corn and reeses pieces =) He's a pretty big fan of the assignment now (which is good since he got it for a second week in a row).

Our wonderful friend Mikey dropped by unexpectedly one afternoon with a box of these AMAZING chocolate chip cookies. I was so excited to try them and it took every bit of self control I had to not have any till after dinner. I knew if I started picking at them I would never stop, haha!

 Brett and Lizzie were huge fans, Alana opted for oreos =)

 More piano homework:

 Our kids have been growing again and they needed new pajamas. I decided to sew them this time instead of buying them and it was so much fun. I bought $100 worth of fabric, patterns, thread, and elastic and have made Brett 3 pairs of Pajama pants. I've made Alana 3 nightgowns and two pairs of leggings and Lizzie 2 nightgowns and 1 pair of pants. I still have more fabric and plan to make Lizzie another nightgown or pair of pajama pants. The kids have loved them so much (especially the matching Halloween sets) and the fabric is way nicer than anything I ever buy at walmart so I think they will last a lot longer. Not to mention that I just had a lot of fun making them.

 At Christmastime we got a gift card to Cheesecake factory and we've had a hard time getting there to use it. Part of the problem is we have to be willing to spend a ton on top of the gift card if the kids go and we don't go out without them very often, also the line is always insanely long. Last Saturday after soccer, we went to Fashion Place mall to check out the lego store, Build a Bear, and get some art work from a kiosk there that sells art done by individuals with disablities, all the proceeds go to their charity. Its called Change for Love. After we finished our shopping we went to Cheesecake Factory and just ordered Cheesecake from the front counter to go and then we took it to a table and went to town. It was so delicious. We only spent $2 on 3 giant pieces of cheesecake! I picked a pumpkin pecan which was heavenly, Brett picked cookie dough, and Alana picked oreo. All 5 of us shared all three pieces and we all got quite the sugar rush!

 On Sunday we got out the disk golf set and started playing on our new grass. I mowed it yesterday and it is looking so healthy!

 Last week I did a mini photo shoot on my stairs for the Saffrons. Rowen was so cute and smiley and Afton was such a sweet big sister!

 Last week we also paid to have our own family pictures done! We haven't done this in years and I just love them all so much!

Alana got three mosquito bites on her leg and I took a pic to send to Dr Daddy to make sure it was normal =)

 We went back to that fun Big Bear Park which was super fun!

 I took Brett and our neighbor Eli to the Lego club at the library and they loved it! Alana and Lizzie stayed at my neighbors house to play with Grace.

 We have noticed some entitlement issues sneaking in lately, so on Monday we had a FHE where we watched an episode of Full House where the Grown-ups and kids switch responsibilities and we all laughed pretty hard. It was a great lead in to talking about having the gimmes doesn't always have to do with things, but can be about treats, parents time, friend time, money, etc. We came up with a plan to suspend allowance for a bit and try to doing chores and jobs just to serve each other and help out the home. Each time the kids do a chore they get a cotton ball and when we fill up our jar we get to go to the planetarium.
Thursday morning we took the girls to Papa and Mimi's house and we went to a session at the Provo City Center Temple. It was so beautiful and a very uplifting experience. After picking up the girls and coming home for a late lunch the girls were really drooping. I felt like they needed to get out and do something different and we also needed groceries so I made it into a cotton ball job and we had a great time at the store. The girls did so great they both earned 2 cotton balls. We had fun trying on silly headbands at the store. I spend a lot of time worrying each month about how much we spend on groceries and how we are always over budget. Sean tells me to spend what I need, he thinks I'm doing great, but I keep feeling like I must be extravagant or something. I finally looked up the average cost of feeding a family of five and according to the Department of Agriculture in 2016, $250 a week is what a moderate family of 4 usually spends. A super thrifty family can get as low as $150. I realized we budget about $160 a week and that often includes diapers, ziplock bags, and other random non food items. I felt so much better, no wonder I always go over! (I don't think Oreos are on the super thrifty plan but they are a necessity)! I don't think we will start spending $1000 a month on groceries, but its nice to know I'm not being frivolous!

 Lizzie adores her bear and her phone and purse! She is such a little mom!

 And also a goof, here she is eating her quesadilla with a napkin hat on =)