Brenny and Zach helped make the pancakes~ 
and Ant (mercifully!) whipped up the egg whites for me (I was flaring up a bit that day so I was feeling like a total wimp! (and no, we don't have any beaters for reasons that escape me)
*sizzle sizzle yuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmm* 
the fruits of our labors ;o) 
then it was time to snuggle up and watch 
Four year olds aren't famous for their ability to sit still and listen to long talks, but Zachy was a champ this year~ he was so quiet and good and just kept himself busy coloring or looking at books~ it was awesome! (I think this might just atone for all those sleepless nights after he was born!) 
All in all, a very relaxing, uplifting day with my favorite people :o) Sunday didn't start out so relaxing, however. I had it all planned~ food prepared, everything in order. I pulled out the slow cooker. I put the ceramic part on the stove to brown the stew meat (I'd heard of people doing it this way, so I thought I'd give it a try)~ humming along, mouth watering, sizzle sizzle...then all of a sudden *%BANG!!#*~ flames leaping, broken crockery all over the place~ and what do I do? Well, after screaming (pretty loudly according to Ant) I reach over and....(this is humiliating) turn off... (...not sure I can admit to this and survive the mortifying embarassment)....the light switch. Yes. It's true. As the flames continued to leap and burn I stood there, shaking, hand on the LIGHT SWITCH next to the stove, wondering why on EARTH there was still a fire. May I claim shock and fear as an excuse? Pleeeeeeaaaaase? *sigh* Anyway, nobody died~thankfully, nobody was in the kitchen but me; we were even able to salvage the meat (yay!)~ however, my beautiful crock pot has met it's untimely demise and is sitting at the bottom of our garbage can.
Ant saved the day~not only did he put out the fire (like any normal, rational human being would do), but Freddie's had a sale going on *yay!*~ so he ran out and got another one, as I had nothing else big enough to hold all the stuff~ and the stew was saved. And, even more importantly, my hair was unsinged *angels sing*. Perhaps you think I should have stayed AWAY from the kitchen after this incident and not attempted cinnamon rolls. I tend to agree with you. But my boys were expecting special cinnamon rolls and I couldn't look into their starving eyes and deny them. I'm happy to report that there have been no explosions or other acts of terror committed on any other kitchen utensils, bakeware or cookware since. And our new crockpot is safe and sound (and will NEVER touch the stovetop again!)
Oh! and I looooved this part~ we made butter! I'd never tried making it before but thought it would be fun to give it a shot, so we got out the shaker cups and went for it~ (it also was a good way to channel those conference wiggles for the little guys too ;o) ) 
And here it is! The piece de resistance! Butter AND it's lovely unexpected sidekick~ buttermilk! 
I know, I know~ what's the big deal? It's just butter, right? But WE made it ourselves! We shook those darn things for almost half an hour! And I felt that my pioneer fore-mothers would have been proud, too ;o) The boys were so excited by the whole transformation that they couldn't stop eating it (although, to be honest, it tasted pretty much the same as the store bought stuff *chagrin*~ but WE made it, and that makes it special ;o) ) Whipping cream? 1.50. Shaker cup? 3.00. This butter-smeared face? Priceless. :o) 
Okay so I'm feeling now that I've left the impression that Conference weekend is all about food LOL I guess food (and even more, the preparation of it I think) is just one of those warm fuzzy memories that's all wrapped up in happy smells and happy times with the people you love the most~ just one of those things that brings people together~ and I have to say, few things bring me greater pleasure than making something yummy for my boys and watching them devour it~ something very satisfying about that :o) We really had a nice time together~ nothing else on the calendar~none of the usual busy running around~ just us, good food, snuggles and a reminder of Who makes it all possible and what we need to be doing to live worthy of those blessings, and to sustain them, come what may. I was very inspired by the messages that were given throughout the weekend, and I look forward to implementing them in more meaningful ways in my life. And I can't wait to do it all again in six months! And now we get to look forward to pumpkin patches, hayrides, hiking, Brenny's birthday and Halloween~ it's going to be a busy season! *yay!*
