I have a 3 foot 2 year old and a beautiful Baby!

Center Piece Idea

Need some inspiration for a center piece. Bryan built this beauty. Just get your child's blocks out and start building! It goes SO well with Dinner and it keeps the kids entertained! I knew you would all be so amazed. I just had to share! Enjoy! love, K

My favorite Baked Potato

Scrub golden Yukon potatoes and poke holes. Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake at 375 for 45min to 1 hour. (depending one size of potato) We pile ours high with extra fresh steamed broccoli. The golden Yukon has a much richer taste than a normal russet. They are smaller too but are very filling! enjoy! love, k

Wordless Wednesday

Not quite wordless Wednesday. I have to explain this one. Here's Himmy's amazing organizational skills. Direct quote from Himmy, "the big bowls go down below!" Can you believe him! I am just grateful to get them in there.

Caramel Caramel Caramel!

Himy helped me make these today!
He had fun with the leftovers!

The Famous Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Sticks!

Here's the recipe from the ancient Murtaugh Idaho cookbook. The 1 can of Eagle Brand milk is sweetened condensed milk. After you're done making the caramel pour on to 2-3 cookie sheets. If you pour it all onto one pan it will be way to thick.

Here's Bryan helping me out. I woke up this morning with a horrible cold. Yeah, what was I doing making these? I had waited all week and really wanted to make them! Bryan figured out a good technique to getting the caramel cut into strips. Then wrap around the pretzel rods. Even use the broken ones. Start at the broken end, that way the chocolate will cover it.

Use a double boiler to melt your chocolate. I don't have one so I just used a metal bowl and a sauce pan. Don't bring the water to a boil, just warm enough to melt your chocolate!You can use anything on the top! Nuts, broken up candy cane, white chocolate, etc. Enjoy! love, K

My favorite way to have Rhodes Rolls

3-5 hours before dinner, (for me it's during nap time) get out a cup cake pan. Spray it with pam. Put one Rhodes roll into a cup cake pan hole. Let them rise till 10-15 min. before dinner. Bake at 350 for 10-15 min or till golden brown. Then brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with kosher salt. Enjoy!

The PokaDot Onesie!

Franny did not take her nap yesterday. I still made her stay up in her room till nap time was over. She was suppost to be in her bed and I can ususally hear her when she gets out but she's figured out how to tip toe. This is how I found her when nap time was over. She was playing dress up with New York's clothes. That onesie is a New Born onesie! She is so silly!

Peppermint Stick Cookies

Here's a Foutch family favorite! These cookies are soooo good! And they are the perfect holiday cookie! Try putting a white chocolate peppermint Kiss on top! Enjoy! love, K



3/4 Cup Butter
6 Tbsp. Sugar + More for dipping
1 Egg-Separated
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Cup Flour
1/2 cup crushed peppermint sticks or candy


Preheat Oven to 350. Place parchment paper on cookie sheets. Cream butter with sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Blend in flour 1.4 cup at a time. Stir in candy by hand.

In separate bowl, beat egg white until frothy. Roll cookie dough into 1 in ch balls. Dip the top of each ball in egg white then in sugar.









Place on cookie sheet and press down slightly. Bake 10-15 minutes.

I would use parchment paper if you have it!

(I didn't so I just sprayed the pan)

(dad) this morning Franny wanted to play with her duplo blocks. So she came up to me, grabbed my hand, counted to 7 (the signal for get up and do something for me) and away we went to the toy closet. I grabbed the basket of big legos, and then dumped them down in the living room. Its finals week, so I promptly plopped back down in my computer chair to resume my studying. Franny had other ideas. she came up to me, told me "no no" about 25 times, until i got up and sat down on the floor with her. She was right. we had fun, i made her a camera, an f18 with a missile (the long 2x8 brick makes a great sidewinder) and a pair of shades (or binocs).Who knew my 2 year old would be teaching me how to better manage my time!

When Franny is quiet for more than 15 seconds, you know something suspicious is going on. she got away with about 4 minutes of this activity before i came to investigate. (Yup, she is actually gnawing on the roof)

Reference Books

Looking for a really good cookbook. Buy this one. I have had it for 3 years now. I've bought one for my mom and my brother. It uses ingredients that you actually have in your refrigerator. Recipes are easy to change and add stuff to. It's called the Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of 30 Minute meals. Find it at amazon.com or at barns and nobles.

I asked for this book for Christmas. Any book that real simple publishes is one to buy. I can't wait to get it! Check it out!

Need interior design help? This book goes through every room in your house. Tells you exactly what you need to complete each room and give you organizational ideas. I love this one! It's called Real Simple: The Organized Home.

The Sunday it happened...

9:30 AM – finds a small family sitting/wrestling at church. Mom pulls out her specialty move, chocolate bears, and it's all over: Franny is now sitting peacefully on her chair, distracted for the time being. Well, we thought it was all over. Hidden beneath the guise of a brand new, picture perfect Sunday holiday dress, the improperly fastened (by Dad) diaper strap is coming undone.

9:35 AM – K8 picks a bear off the seat, the sogginess of the cookie itching the back of her mind, but not enough to prevent her handing it to Franny (who promptly and efficiently throws it down the hatch).

9:35:05 AM – (5 seconds later) A brown liquid – mixture of teddy graham bear and urine is discovered all over Franny, her dress, and the seat.

9:40 AM – Dad is speeding home with Franny for a new change of Sunday dress. (and yes, he even came back to church!)

12:08 AM – (Immediately after church, and the drive home from church) A new recipe appears in an anonymous inbox at Nabisco Industries. the subject reads; "bold new flavor: sweet and salty teddy grahams"

The Gingerbread Tradition

This years model came prepackaged with icing and 1 pound of candy. Someday the smell of fresh baked gingerbread will fill our house. As for now we like the kit you can buy at costco. (thanks mom!)

New York was happy with the results so we can rest easy. Here is what's left of Franny's creation.
Ta Da!

We are MOVING!

I am moving all my family posts over to the foutch coutch! Come and take a seat! Live Lovely will still be in operation but more on a domestic diva view. I won't post as often but I will try to send out more home and family help ideas! Thanks for reading! love, K

Take a Seat on our coutch!

(K8) Himmy: The love of my life! He is such an amazing father and husband! He loves Franny and New York so much! Even though at New York's 20 week ultrasound he was hoping for a boy! He is a very fun and involved dad. I remember before Franny was born he told me he would never change a poopy diaper. yeah. right. Now he changes at least one a day! (thank you honey!) School is hard. He has an amazing GPA. He's doing great however, we both can't wait for Christmas break! One whole month of no HOMEWORK! Himmy is a very positive person. He can make any bad situation, a funny one. Did I mention he is an artist in almost every aspect of his life. I swear he is OCD in some things. I just want to share at least one of his amazing drawings!

(Himmy) K8 is a high kicking, interior decorating, momming wonder. We have way too much fun together in our little subsidized apartment. she is a professional hobbyist, and has about 20 interests all competing for attention at any given time. yet somehow, (i haven't figured this one out) she gives the majority of her attention to her family. I have about 2 interests at a given time, and if i embark on one, i disappear for a week. It used to annoy me how moderate she was, because i could never feel good about spending 5 hours (in one sitting) on a task. I'm finding out just how many amazing moments pass by in 5 hours of uninterrupted concentration. I think that best thing she has shown me is how to pause from time to time and enjoy the richest gifts life has to offer. for example, when Frannie is reading her bear a bedtime story. K8 is a very funny hunny, we laugh a lot, and shes always got an answer waiting for my rambling conjecture. (marrying up is a great thing!!!) Oh, and shes just as much an artist as I am! during rennosance times, i would have been the realist, and she would have been the impressionist!

So take a sit on our coutch and enjoy the show!