Summa Time

We spent last week visiting family in California...just what the doctor order for this 32 week preggers Momma.  It was such a great trip...we loved every minute of it. In April I found an amazing steal on airfare so for the first time in about 5 years we were able to fly. I with confidence can say that it will probably never happen again. With H. turning 2 in the fall and eventually having a fourth child to buy a ticket for we won't be flying as a family anytime soon. Which just made the flights all the sweeter.

It usually takes us 11 hours to drive from my doorstep to to my sisters ~ including the time change, traffic and usual stops. It was incredible that in 1 and 22 minutes we were saying goodbye to Utah and Helllllllooooo SoCal.

As usual we are totally spoiled whenever we visit my sister. The sunny, perfect weather, the pool and spa {right in the backyard}, Magic Mountain, the beach, the home cooked food and local restaurants. Ah, heaven. Here are a few highlights from the trip.

The Getty Museum

The Original Farmers Market

Zuma Beach ~ Malibu CA

Backyard Pool Shenanigans

....more Shenanigans

The Best Strawberries evah!!!

Strawberry Stitching

My Mom brought this down to me this past weekend. She knows how much I love strawberries. I just flipped over it. It is absolutely breathtaking in person. The stitches and quality of work is amazing.

Right by my parents home in Oregon is an antique mall, (I wish we had something similar here in Utah) where vendors sell antiques of all varying decades and description. I have been know to get lost for hours browsing the vendor booths. She found this little gem and snatched it up; for get this: $8!! Something about the price makes me love it even more.

 The woven basket is so intricately stitched and the color choice variation is perfect.

I would love to know what kind of yarn was used. The knots and stitches give a little puff to the strawberries. They have a roundness and dimension that is darling!

The attention to detail is amazing, nothing was missed, even the strawberry blossoms are captured.

Oxnard Strawberries ~ Mid Week Munchies

No surprise here I am posting about strawberries for Mid Week Munchies. My sister lives about 20 minutes from Oxnard, California. Home to the best strawberries on Earth. They are sweet, juicy, red and I am addicted!! They have little corner strawberry stands all over Oxnard and a even a few stands where my sister lives. Almost every morning I ran out and got a half flat of these scrumptious berries! I don't think I've ever consumed more strawberries in a week.

Strawberry Hat

As you all know, I turned 30 last month and my wonderful talented friend Jeanette asked me what I wanted for my Birthday. I told her I wanted her to knit me a strawberry hat!! While hanging out together on the Fourth she finished it! I couldn't be happier: the colors, the stem, the curl at the bottom. P.S. Jeanette does not have a blog, although she should. The world would be a better place if she did.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Before I was married, when I lived in Salt Lake I lived a stones throw from Cummins Studio Chocolates, and on more than one occasion I would drop in for their famous chocolate covered strawberries. The were always big, sweet and beautiful. We even had them at our wedding!!!

After a few years I wised up and started making my own. They may not be as beautiful, but they are easy on the bank account and you can eat twice as many!!

Dipping Strawberries is as easy as 1,2,3: FIRST: clean and dry all your berries SECOND: melt your chocolate - I use my favoarite chocolate chips and melt in the microwave THIRD: dip strawberries in chocolate.

steps 4, 5,6 are as follows: Place strawberries on tin foil or wax paper allow chocolate to set. Sprinkle berries with festive color. Eat and enjoy.