Funks, A day out with the Besties and Ina.

Yeah, Yeah, it's been awhile again.
I just can't seem to get in the blogging spirit.
My brain is filled with work, work and more work jargon day in and day out. And when not working my spare moments are owed to my Littles.
They have been patient with me and by patient I mean crazily, insane and getting into everything and anything.

So I'm back. At least for now.

I must say I am still chasing away the late winter blahs.
Yes, I know it's not winter anymore...it's spring...or sort of spring in these crazy parts. In some places it's already summer like.

I keep peeking in on blogs that say, it's 85 today or 90 or beautiful or sunny or wah, wah, wah....I can't even here it anymore as I am living in the beautiful yet gusty windy, sort of warmy but coldy Northern Arizona Mountains....and I'm trying to be happy about it but I am definitely still in a bit of a funk. It's the weather. It must be.
OK, and the fact that I am super busy, super careery, super Mom. Or at least trying to be, but possibly lacking on all 3.

Avi and Abby... and four of the most edible little legs you've ever seen?!

OK, all that doom and gloom out of the way, my two besties Kristine and Aubs pulled me out of my work dungeon and talked me into taking the Littles, theirs and mine, on a little nature walk in Fry Canyon today.

Olivia, Katie and Soren...the 3 amigos.

Oh, it was lovely. A perfect day for it for sure. Finally some warm weather.

3 Mama's, 3 Pre-schoolers and 3 babes...it was more fun than that line just sounded...really.
I would have loved to have a little more girlfriend chit chat time but with each of us hovering and hanging on to the wee-est ones of the bunch trying to keep them out of harms way, naturally, it was hard to do the girlfriend gab under those circumstances, but we did our best.

Catching Rocks in the Creek.

The sunshine felt great, the trickling creek was a nice change in this high, and usually dry environment. The kiddliwinks all had a great time searching for fish with their little nets (not a fish in sight), they moved on to spiders and ladybugs.
Olivia was wet within about 2 minutes of us getting there.
I hiked up her little capris in to hot pants but she still managed to take a tumble in right from the get. Clumsy just like her Mama.
All in all a wonderful day with great girlfriends.

On another note...what to do when in a Funk? Well if you are me, you rifle through a cookbook and find a tasty sweet treat to bake.
I Love Baking. It's therapy for me.
The Hubs knows that if I'm baking...I am feeling stressed. He has learned to move away from the kitchen and let me go.
I have been wanting to make this French Apple Tart for awhile now. It's from Barefoot Contessa...I can't remember which one. Tonight was the night. Glass of wine in hand I started baking.
Alas, my tart doesn't look exactly like Ina's.
And Ina could have maybe said something like....
"And half way through the baking process your house will fill with black smoke. It will smell somewhat sweet and somewhat...well...smoky."

The pan of ill repute.

But of course she left that little tidbit out.
For those of you that bake...yes...it was the burnt sugar that I had messily sprinkled on the tart but failed to scrape off the excess off the parchment before baking.

This is mine, pre-glaze. It looked shinier and yummier after.

All was not lost. It was still Divine. The peachy rummy glaze was yummy. I still hold a torch for you Ina. Next time...remind me of those little details wouldjya?
(I made her Honey Pound Cake last week....Super Divine.)

Oh, and Thanks Angie for checking on me. :) You are a doll. My sister blogger. :)

And about Funks....I stumbled across this glorious post today, randomly. This gal has it down. Truly. Funk...by Clover Lane

Last but not least...today was the most successful for Little Red. Not only did she get to kick around a creek half the day with good friends, she went to get a load of water with Dad tonight (Yes, I know, it's like a Jeff Foxworthy-ism.."You know your a redneck if you have to haul your own water." Terrible.)
Anyway the wildlife spotted en route...5 cats and....1 skunk! Her favorite animal ever. Tail up on and all. Day Complete!