So...what do you do all day?

Viva la Mexico!

2011-06-14T11:24:00.007-05:00

In 2 days, we'll be here:

Soaking up these:

While sipping on these:

With these people:

And missing these people:

Life is rough.

February 14, 2001 - May 27, 2011

2011-05-29T14:31:00.002-05:00

We've had a sad few days in our household. Our sweet dog, Spencer, had to be put to sleep on Friday.

We noticed that he hadn't been eating for the past few days, and that his stomach was kind of swollen looking. When Kevin tried to get him to play fetch with his favorite little rag toy and he wouldn't, we knew that something was really wrong.

After an emergency trip to the vet, x-rays showed a huge mass in his abdomen - almost taking up every inch of his little body. He was anemic and likely had internal bleeding. Surgery wasn't really an option.

We had friends coming from out-of-town for the holiday weekend, and wanted to know if we could bring him home, make our decision and let them know on Tuesday, but they advised against it, saying that Spencer was likely in a lot of pain and it wouldn't be good for him. We loaded up the kids (and us) in the car, and went back to the vet to say our final, tearful goodbyes.

I'll miss him! Shortly after Kevin and I got married, I told him that I either wanted a baby or a puppy. Kevin jumped on the puppy bandwagon, and Spencer joined our family. He has been a super sweet addition - the kids adored him, and he loved them, too! Rest in peace, sweet boy.

Newborn Spencer with his brothers and sisters:

Sweet, playful puppy:

At 1-year-old, right before Megan was born:Spencer with 1-week-old Megan. He LOVED to be close to her!

Spence and 5-week old Meg:

Christmas 2008 - the sweater was because Iowa gets damn cold!
Our sweet boy, last Easter:

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T09:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow moms! ;-)

My new favorite blog

2011-05-04T16:51:00.003-05:00

When I find new blogs, I tend to compulsively read the whole thing, so that I haven't missed anything, and then wait and wait and wait for each new entry. Not with this one.

I followed the link from my friend, Michelle's, blog, and I can't get enough! It's called Do They Have Salsa in China? It follows a California family that has twin girls adopted from China. I started out reading it because adoption is near and dear to my heart (2 of my nephews are adopted from Russia and 2 of my cousins have adopted from China). I thought it would be a typical "adoption story" blog, which would make me cry with each entry and be ready to fly overseas to adopt a child, but this one is different! It's partly about their lives, partly about food, and partly shows off the amazing crafts that they do together.

With all this cool stuff, do you know what excites me the most? The amazing photographs! Wow! I wonder if the mom is a photographer or something! The colors and composition are amazing! It makes me want to dress the kids up in colorful, crazy outfits, find something green outside and park them in front of it while I click away! Just gorgeous! Because I'm so in awe of the pictures, I'm taking my time with this blog, reading leasurily when I have the time.

What do you do all day?

2011-05-03T18:02:00.002-05:00

You may have heard this one before, I certainly have, but I feel like it is worth putting in here for when I forget...

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.

In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap, and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed into the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know how yesterday you came home from work and asked me what in the world do I do all day?"

"Yes," was his incredulous reply.

She answered, "Well...today I didn't do it."

* Many thanks to my dear friend, Giselle, who posted it on her blog and had it stolen by me. Love you, girl!

sniff sniff

2011-04-27T17:53:00.000-05:00

Look what just came home from school:
I'm a blubbering mess.

Easter 2011

2011-04-27T13:49:00.009-05:00

Easter this year was very low-key. For the last 6 weeks, we haven't had an entire weekend at home together (I was gone for my half-marathon, we were at my parents for Spring Break, we visited Kevin's family twice, Kevin had a work trip, I went home for my uncle's funeral, etc.). Because of all this, we decided to just stay at home alone. Of course, this meant that I had to miss out of my mom's Easter cookies (BOO!) and the kids having an egg hunt at my in-laws (double BOO!) but we didn't have to travel anywhere!

My sweet, "save the Earth" girls decided that we needed to recycle our old Easter eggs. When we got their baskets out of the attic, we found a huge bag full of empty plastic eggs. Meg then wrote the Easter Bunny a note, asking him to just fill up however many of them he wanted, rather than give us "new" eggs. So sweet! Of course, the Bunny Man had no problem doing that, and the kids felt like they did something great for the planet!

The kids got way too much stuff (but blessedly, not much candy), including books, a movie each (Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, The Princess Diaries and Gulliver's Travels) and summer t-shirts.
After going through all their loot, it was time to get all gussied up for church.Megan decided that even Mom and Dad needed a picture in the sunshine (truthfully, I think she just likes playing with my fancy camera)!I hope everyone had a great weekend!

New Look

2011-04-18T10:34:00.000-05:00

After seeing my friend Michelle's blog, I decided it was time for some "spring cleaning" on mine. I'm not 100% sure if I'm in love with the new layout, but I'm going to leave it up for a bit and see if it grows on me. If not, it's easy to change!

Pray for Rain

2011-04-15T13:19:00.003-05:00

I'm willing to give anything a try! Please, Lord, give us a good, soaking rain!

Meal Plan Monday

2011-04-11T16:49:00.013-05:00

Haven't done one of these in a while! In fact, it seems like we've had nothing but convenience foods lately! Not sure why that's been the case, but I'm ready to get back to semi-healthy eating and cooking again! Because of that, here's this week's menu:

Monday: Beer Can Barbecue Chicken, Roasted Broccoli, Corn

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza, Salad

Wednesday: Mighty Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Corn (probably leftover from tonight's meal)

Thursday: Orange-Teriyaki Pork Chops, Sesame Noodles with Edamame

Friday: Maryland Crab Cakes, Homemade Fries

ETA: What's wrong with the spacing? Sorry if this is hard to read - I'm having some blogger issues. Okay...all kinds of issues! The time is wrong, too! I posted this while Owen was napping - about 1:30 or so! Argh!

M.I.A.

2011-04-11T16:45:00.002-05:00

I'd like to say that I've been doing something productive with my time, like writing the Great American Novel, volunteering with the homeless or training for a marathon (hey...wait! I DID run a half-marathon!), but really, it's been pretty quiet around here. Normal life stuff, and with my Lenten internet break (I'm only allowing myself to be on when the kids are in bed or on my phone when I'm waiting in the pick-up line at school), I haven't been around much. I did, however, feel like visiting here today, and hopefully I'll get back at it soon!

Keep on Keepin' On

2011-03-04T14:13:00.003-06:00

Wow! I didn't realize it had been so long since I've updated. I guess there really hasn't been much excitment in our house lately! Busy with school, work and life in general, but nothing truly noteworthy has been going on!

On February 25, Megan turned NINE! I'm still not quite sure how that happened! I keep asking her to stop growing up, but you know how obstinate kids can be! ;-)

Hopefully I'll get back in the habit of posting here. Facebook has sucked a lot of my time lately, and for Lent, I'm giving up the internet during daylight hours (I'll only be on early in the morning and late at night, when the kids are in bed). My one exception will be checking Facebook and my email on my phone when I'm waiting in the car for school pick-up! Wish me luck!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-11-30T12:54:00.002-06:00

After all of our travels last week, I'm ready to get back to normal! However, with Christmas fast approaching, I feel like I'm already in survival mode! Time to slow it back down and at least eat normally!

Monday: Ramen noodles. Don't judge me. Kevin was sick. Owen was sick. The girls love it. I had somewhere to be at 7:00. To make it super healthy, they also had apple slices.

Tuesday: Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers, Corn, Roasted Potatoes - This was on my last menu, but we didn't get around to making it. Tonight it is!

Wednesday: Chicken Stir-Fry, Rice

Thursday: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Zuchini & Carots

Friday: Homemade Pizza, Salad

Six Years. Gone.

2010-11-17T12:20:00.007-06:00

How did that happen? One minute, I had a tiny little girl, and the next, a budding tween! My Hannah-belle is 6 years old today! I think I'm in a state of shock.

Here's a look through the past six years...

She was an adorable newborn, with a big sister who wasn't quite sure about her.

She had attitude from the day she was born!She got bigger, and into lots of things.

She took pictures in the bluebonnets with Megan, like all Texas kids do at some point.

She hung out with a purple monkey.She played ballerina with Megan.She looked beautiful in the Iowa sunshine!She had Pantene commercial-worthy hair (and loved on Owen).

She was all smiles when she turned 4.

She indulged mom in an in-house "photo shoot".She was a sassy 5-year-old.She modeled some accessories from India.

She rang in the new year in style!

...and she became even sweeter and more beautiful that before!

WE LOVE YOU, HANNAH JOY! We are so proud of the sweet young lady that you're turning out to be!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-11-15T17:17:00.003-06:00

I'm not feeling very inspired this week, and my boring menu reflects that!

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Soup - Several years ago, my cousin Monica had an arts and crafts store. She also sold little packets of dip and soup mixes. This is from a mix, but is the most flavorful tortilla soup ever! I add chicken and frozen corn to it, and top my bowl with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese. Yum!

Tuesday: Hamburgers, Baked Beans, Chips

Wednesday: Happy birthday to Hannah! We'll be going out to the restaurant of her choice. Most likely, it will be O'Hana Steakhouse and that is A-OK with me! Yummy!

Thursday: Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers, Rice, Green Beans

Friday: Homemade Pizza, Salad

Sometime this weekend, I'm planning to make Game Day Chili (I leave out the beans, but otherwise make it pretty close to the recipe) . Kevin just asked me about chili this weekend. I guess he's hungry for it, too! Corn bread and fritos on the side!

Conversations with Owen

2010-11-15T15:53:00.003-06:00

I did a similar "survey" with the girls a year or so ago. My friend, Kara, just re-posted this on her blog and thought it would be funny to ask Owen these questions. Here's his survey, at 3 1/2 years old!

1. What is something mom always says to you? Keep out! - not sure I've said that exactly, but I have told him to leave my room before...
2. What makes mom happy? kisses
3. What makes mom sad? crying
4. How does your mom make you laugh? when she tickles me
5. What was your mom like as a child? 8-years-old (not sure he understood)
6. How old is your mom? 7 - 8 - 9
7. How tall is your mom? 3 inches long
8. What is her favorite thing to do? read a book
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? draws (?)
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Hannah (hmmm...maybe I'll be a stage mom?)
11. What is your mom really good at? playing soccer (?)
12. What is your mom not very good at? playing other sports
13. What does your mom do for a job? work at home
14.What is your mom's favorite food? chicken salad (it's one of them!)
15. What makes you proud of your mom? when you're happy
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Princess Peach (this kid has Mario Kart on his brain 24/7!)
17. What do you and your mom do together? go to the grocery store and you push the biggest cart of all and I push the tiny cart
18. How are you and your mom the same? We both like Phineas and Ferb.
19. How are you and your mom different? Your shirt is black and mine is white, Mama. And your hair is white and mine is short. Yours is long.
20. How do you know your mom loves you? hugs
21. What does your mom like most about your dad? to dance with him
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? home

Meal Plan Monday

2010-11-01T13:48:00.003-05:00

Monday: Beef with Snow Peas, Rice - Another Pioneer Woman recipe (what did I do before her?). The picture alone has my mouth watering!

Tuesday: Garlic Chicken, Roasted Asparagus, Pan Fried Potatoes

Wednesday: Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Corn

Thursday: Broccoli Cheese Soup - I have a recipe from a friend, and can't wait to try it! I've heard great things about her soup!

Friday: ??? - My in-laws are coming, so I'm not sure if we'll go out, or if I'll have to plan on something. I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-27T08:51:00.002-05:00

Meal Plan Monday

2010-10-25T12:17:00.003-05:00

Hello, all! The past few weeks have been strange. Way too much fast food/take-out and running around. This week should finally slow back down to normal, and I'm happy to be back to a regular meal plan!

Monday: Homemade Chicken Strips, Creamed Corn, Fries

Tuesday: Spaghetti, Roasted Broccoli, Cheesy Garlic Bread

Wednesday: Pioneer Woman's Braised Short Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus - I saw this on her site a couple of weeks ago, and had it in my mind ever since! I can't wait to try this one!

Thursday: Breakfast Burritos - Kevin will be gone overnight on Thursday, so, as usual, we're having breakfast!

Friday: Baked Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit, Chips

Pizza Party

2010-10-13T19:35:00.003-05:00

Tonight was pizza night here! I made the dough early in the day, so putting it all together in the evening was quick and easy. My dough recipe follows. It is super simple, but very tasty! I like to stretch it out thin and pile the toppings on!

For the kids, I normally make small, mini pizzas, so they can all have their favorite kind. Hannah likes everything, Owen likes nothing, and Megan doesn't like sauce, so it's an easy way to let them each have their way.

As for me, I like my pizza with prosciutto and spinach. When we lived in West Des Moines, there was an AWESOME little pizza place that specialized in wood-fired pizzas (Red Rossa). It was divine! Kevin, the kids and I all loved it and ate there frequently. Sadly, there isn't anything nearly as good here. Through trial and error, this is pretty darn close!

Pizza Dough (originally from my friend Angela)

2 Tbls. olive oil (separated)

1 tsp. honey

1 cup warm water

1 pkg. yeast

3 cups flour (divided)

1 tsp. salt

Put 1 Tbls. olive oil and honey in a bowl; add in 1 cup of very warm water and stir. Add in 1 pkg. of yeast. Stir to combine and let sit for 5 minutes. Add in 1 1/2 cups flour and salt. Stir to form a soft dough. Add in an additional 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Turn onto a clean surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes. Put 1 Tbls. olive oil in a large clean bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and roll it gently in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a dish towel and place in a warm place for 2-3 hours.

My Sauce

(I've never written it down before, so bear with me). I like pizza sauce to be unfussy. Only a handful of ingredients. Pour a Tbls of olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add 4 or 5 cloves of minced garlic and cook until just browned (you can obviously use less, but I'm a garlic addict). Add a jar/can of strained tomatoes (any brand) and cook on low, until bubbly. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste (about a Tbls. of salt). Chop a small handful of fresh basil. Wilt into the sauce and continue cooking for 5-10 more minutes.

That's it.

Preheat your oven to 425. Lightly grease your pizza pan. Stretch/press your dough into a thin layer. Top with lots of sauce (don't be skimpy)!

Course chop a few slices of proscuitto (I use about 3) and layer over the pizza. Top with fresh, soft mozzarella and then pile high with fresh spinach (it wilts a lot in the oven). It is so, so good! You'll most definitely be ruined for Pizza Hut and the rest of the greasy pizza chains for life!

Meal Plan Monday (on Tuesday)

2010-10-12T17:54:00.003-05:00

Columbus Day put me a day behind! The girls were off from school yesterday, and we were all tired from the weekend. Slowly, I'm getting into the groove of the week!

Monday: Corn dogs, Grapes, Cheese (don't you wish you were invited over for this one?) ;-)

Tuesday: Chicken Stir-Fry, Rice - We didn't have this last week, and I had prepared for it!

Wednesday: Homemade Pizza, Salad - When I was young, and "should" have loved pizza, it was never my favorite. Now that I make it myself, I find that I could eat it all of the time! When you use good ingredients, pizza can be fabulous!

Thursday: Waffles, Bacon, Fresh Fruit - Kevin will be out-of-town, so we normally have breakfast for dinner at least once!

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Chips & Queso

Hope everyone is having a great week!

15 Years!

2010-10-11T19:07:00.006-05:00

Wow. This weekend was my 15th high school reunion. A bunch of us class of '95ers met up and had a great time! On one hand, it seems like I hadn't seen many of them in ages. On the other, I can remember our time in high school like yesterday (aside from the "fight" that Lori swears her brother got into with Quintin our sophomore year)! Stories were swapped, kids were introduced and a lot of new memories were made!

My BFF Cathy, and Kevin:All of my former classmates who made it for dinner (a few more showed up later in the evening):
Lori and I:We were lucky that my cousin, Sara, and her daughter Elizabeth were able to come home for the weekend, too! I can't remember when we saw them last (Christmas maybe?)! Both of my sisters came out to my mom and dad's, too, and we had a fun day of hanging out and eating yummy food (Sara made a pecan pie, and Lisa brought a s'mores maker). The kids thought that was awesome (and I'll admit to eating a roasted marshmallow or two myself). A sticky, sweet mess, but so much fun!

My nephew Tyler, Megan and my sister, Lisa:

All of the s'more makers:Hannah with a sticky bite:Tyler helps Owen roast a marshmallow:Elizabeth (2 1/2) and Owen (3 1/2):She was wearing the perfect shirt for the occasion, "Napkins are for babies!" So true!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-10-04T10:08:00.002-05:00

With the cooler weather, I thought I'd start the week with a soup. I'm most definitely a warm-weather gal myself, but I do like when I can start making soups, stews and chili again!

Monday: My mom's vegetable beef soup. So, so yummy! Someday, I'll put the recipe up, but it's so "mom" like (a handful of rice, enough water to cover - no real measurements). Crackers alongside, but no other veggies or anything. It's all in there!

Tuesday: Chicken stir-fry, rice

Wednesday: Comfort meatballs (the link says BBQ meatballs, but the cookbook has a different name), mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli

Thursday: Leftover soup. We'll eat it all up, and won't have more leftovers since we'll be gone for the weekend!

Friday: Eating on the road! We're heading to my parents' house for the weekend. It's my (YIKES!) 15th high school reunion!

So true!

2010-09-30T16:29:00.004-05:00

Ha ha! I saw this on my friend, Jayme's, blog and had to steal it for my own! You think it was embarrassing for your mom to tell stories about you around your friends? To pull out baby pictures with a new boy/girlfriend? That's nothing compared to what our kids will go through!

When I grow up...

2010-09-28T21:18:00.007-05:00

Do you remember what you wanted to "be" when you grew up? I remember desperately wanting to be a Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleader. My sister, Karen, and I had these awesome blue satin jackets with the big star on the front. I thought I was hot stuff. Sadly, that dream went away, but was replaced by an even bigger, better dream: to be a mom.

I love, love, love to hear my kiddos talk about what they want to be when they grow up. They have all decided to go to Texas A&M (although Meg is sad that they don't have cheerleaders - taking after her Mama)! After that, who knows?

This is college/career week at Megan & Hannah's school. Today, the kids all got to dress up as what they want to be. Megan has (for quite some time) debated between being a chef and a teacher. Casually, I told her that maybe she could go to culinary school and then be an instuctor there. She latched onto that for a while, but recently changed her mind. Instead of teaching other chefs at school, she's decided that she wants "to be a TV chef, just like Paula Deen, and teach everyone"! I knew she was a smart one!Hannah is constantly changing her mind, which, at 5, is totally expected and encouraged! She's always asking me things like "can you be a mommy and a ballerina?" or "can you be a mommy and a vet?" With her sweet nature and love for babies, it's no wonder that she always makes sure that moms can do anything! For career day, she decided that she wanted to be a doctor. Not just any doctor, but a doctor who takes care of babies and kids (notice a pattern here?). As we were getting her outfit together from our dress-up closet, she said, "I wanted to be either a doctor, or a pop star. We just don't have a pop star suit, so I guess I'll go with doctor!" Cute little stinker!With the girls' sweetness and big hearts, I know that they'll excel at anything that they decide to do - even if it is being a pop star! ;-) Love, love, love them!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-09-13T10:24:00.003-05:00

I know that it's been forever since I've done a meal plan! I'm finding it hard to get everything done, now that we're back in the swing of school! I've got school, preschool, work, piano lessons, soccer starting up - busy, busy, busy! We have been eating, just nothing very exciting! ;-)

Here's what's up for this week!

Monday: Beef Rouladen, Spatzel (it was a happy day when I found that you can buy this at World Market!), Sourkraut, Green Beans

Tuesday: Grilled Shrimp with Garlic Butter, Roasted Asparagus, Rice

Wednesday: Homemade Pizza, Salad

Thursday: Chicken Spaghetti, Corn

Friday: Eating on the road! We're heading to my in-laws' house for the weekend after Owen's first soccer practice!

Off to buy teeny-tiny cleats and shin guards!

Never Forget

2010-09-11T09:45:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T14:14:00.003-05:00

New Beginnings

2010-09-07T16:40:00.000-05:00

Today was Owen's first day back at preschool. He has felt a little left out, with the girls getting their backpacks and lunch boxes. He couldn't WAIT for his little program to begin again!
I'm back to school, too! For those that don't know, I'm working at the Parents' Day Out (where Owen goes) at our church. It's only twice a week, so I think that's a good start to ease me back into the working world. My co-teacher is wonderful and experienced with the 4-year-old class (she' been teaching it for several years) so I'm really having a lot of fun! However, I slept like the dead last night. Who knew that a room full of 4-year-olds could wear me out so much? Go figure! ;-)

O.M.G.

2010-08-11T11:53:00.004-05:00

If you have access to this:

And have this:

You can make this. Pioneer Woman's Peach Crisp with Maple Cream:

I promise you won't be disappointed! I mean seriously? This is good stuff, man! Crack through that sweet, crunchy topping to the juicy peaches below. Yum!

Top it off with Ree's maple cream and you'll be in heaven!

Meal Plan Monday - on Tuesday

2010-08-10T14:19:00.000-05:00

Shhh...pretend that it's actually Monday (I was going to post date this, but since I actually had another blog post today, I've changed my mind)! I've fallen behind on my meal planning. We've had houseguests two weekends in a row and I had to get ready for our garage sale, so we've been kind of throwing meals together. We are finally back to normal (or, as normal as our family gets!) so I'm back to meal planning!

Monday - Leftover Bacon-Wrapped Maple Pork Loin, roasted potatoes and corn (I've linked the recipe before, and it's divine!)

Tuesday - Make-your-own pizzas, salad & peach crisp for dessert.

Wednesday - Spaghetti (Hannah's request), garlic bread and roasted broccoli

Thursday - Chicken Fried Rice

Friday - Garlic-Rosemary Balsamic Chicken, Champagne Risotto (a recipe from my sister that is so, so, so yummy) and Chive Biscuits (another from my sister)

Going, Going, Gone!

2010-08-10T09:37:00.005-05:00

...in more ways than one!

Last weekend, my mom, sister Lisa, nephew Tyler and cousin Kelli all came to help me have a garage sale. We got rid of so much stuff, and have a ton left over to take to Goodwill! It was a little sad, seeing all of our baby items go! We've had the high chair for over 8 years now - it's a part of my kids' childhood! It did make it better that I got a little cash, and that I know new babies will love our stuff! One soon-to-be first time grandma cleaned me out! She left our house with a bouncer, 2 exersaucers, a baby swing and various toys. Hope her new baby enjoys it!

Speaking of "going, going, gone", so is Megan! While my family was here, my sister decided that it was high time that Meg learned to ride her bike without training wheels. Truthfully, it probably was (she is 8, after all) but we never really pushed it. Megan is pretty timid, and she doesn't ride her bike all that often, so when she turned us down last summer (to try and teach her) she was scared and said no. Lisa wasn't taking no for an answer, and within one afternoon (and a couple of bruised up legs), Meg was off!
Thanks for helping us out, guys! With Kevin out of town that week, I couldn't have done it without you!

Right Now...

2010-08-05T18:50:00.007-05:00

Borrowed from Well-Mannered Frivolity:

Outside my window… it's frickin HOT!
I am thinking… of all the laundry I have to do (but the rest of my house is clean)!
I am thankful for… my loving family and good friends.
From the kitchen… Owen just dragged his potty chair in front of the fridge - again. :-(
I am wearing… grubby, house cleaning clothes.
I am creating… a brine for tomorrow night's dinner (bacon-wrapped maple pork loin).
I am going… to jump in the shower before heading to the grocery store (after Kev gets home).
I am reading… American On Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by late-night host, Craig Ferguson. He's hilarious!
I am hoping… to start (another) diet after the weekend and get back into the habit of going to the gym.
I am hearing… all three kiddos actually getting along and playing together! Trying to hide out so I don't spoil it!
Around the house… my basil plant is wilting in the heat. I think it needs mucho agua.
One of my favorite things… is the first cup of hot coffee in the morning!
I don’t understand… too many things to name! ;-)
I wish… my nephew lots of luck! He's moving into his college dorm next week!
A few plans for the rest of the week… we have our sweet, former next-door-neighbors from Iowa coming to visit this weekend! We haven't seen them (aside from "seeing" them on Facebook) since we moved a year ago! Can't wait until the Hill's arrive!
A picture to share... my sisters (Lisa & Karen) and I many, many, MANY years ago!

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

2010-07-22T11:26:00.004-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CeX5VEo10c

I put a link to the Bon Jovi/Jennifer Nettles song, because it sums up so much of what I'm feeling! "Who says you can't go home? There's only one place they call me one of their own!" Kevin had to work late on Friday and early on Monday, so the kids and I made a solo trip to my parents' house last weekend. Both of my sisters were around, and 3 of my 4 nephews (well, 4 on that side). I always love being home!

It felt so much like old times! We made homemade ice cream, which we haven't done in many, many years. We used to do it every Sunday in the summer at my grandparents' house. Back then, all they had was an old crank ice cream maker. They would have us little kids take turns sitting on top of the ice cream maker bucket (on top of a million towels to protect our tushies) while the men took turns cranking the ice cream. Then, for our "hard work", they'd let us have the first taste of the ice cream, by scraping off the ribs (the beaters inside). Ahh, memories!
Times have changed a bit, and we now have electric ice cream makers. The intent was still there, though, and it was fabulous! My nephew, Tyler (who is 16) doesn't remember ever having homemade ice cream before, and that made me sad! I think he's a convert, though! We made chocolate, and my cousins, John and Kelli, brought over Big Red ice cream (tastes just like a Big Red float in a bowl)! We decided to make the impromptu gathering feel just like a day from many years ago at my grandparents' house, and also made my grandma's ground meat sandwiches. I even got out the old pickle plate that means so much to me and the table was complete!In keeping with the nostalgia of the weekend, my mom got out a bunch of my old cheerleading uniforms for me to bring home. I don't know what she needs the extra storage space for (seriously, 2 people in a 4 bedroom house, should have at least a little space for the things that I DON'T have space for!) but I brought them home anyway. My best friend, Cathy, was there with her girls, and they all decided to use the uniforms to play dress up. Talk about a blast from the past! I already had 2 uniforms at my house, but now come 4 more! They looked so cute, making up cheers for the Cougars, that we couldn't resist a few pictures!All in all, it was a great trip down memory lane, and it makes me so glad that even though we don't live super close, we're close enough that I can give my kids these kinds of memories that I cherish so much!

This weekend was so much fun! Whoever originally said that "you could never go home again" was mistaken, or they weren't from a place with as much love as I am.

Meal Plan Monday

2010-07-13T12:55:00.003-05:00

Yes, yes. I know that it's Tuesday. We've been busy this week with Vacation Bible School (for the girls) and house cleaning catch-up for me.

Monday: Garlic-Rosemary-Balsamic Chicken, Rice, Green Beans with Ham

Tuesday: Homemade Pizzas, Salad - I have the dough rising as we speak! Yum!

Wednesday: Stuffed Shells, Corn, Sauteed Zuchini

Thursday: Tuscan Lemon Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Cheesy Broccoli - My cousin, Sara, gave me this recipe several months ago, and I still haven't made it. Sounds yummy, though, and as along as the rain finally stops, I'm all about using the grill!

Friday: Barbecue Ribs, Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad - I have been so hungry for ribs! My father-in-law makes the BEST ribs and gave me his recipe. I'm looking forward to trying them out (I've never made them before). I do have a plea, though. Does anyone have a really good barbecue sauce recipe? I don't really care for the bottled sauces, but can't find a recipe that I really like, either. I'd love some ideas!

Menu Recap

2010-07-02T17:24:00.002-05:00

I have been a slacker and haven't posted a "Meal Plan Monday" in several weeks. Rest assured, that doesn't mean that we aren't eating. We are. Most definitely (I could show you my scale, but no one here wants to see that). Since I didn't plan out the week, I thought I'd post an end-week recap as to what we had all week. Nothing too exciting or new (aside from tonight) but yummy all the same.

Monday: Breakfast for dinner. Scrambled eggs, bacon, garlic toast, fresh fruit

Tuesday: Orange-Sesame Pork with Teriyaki Noodles. I added edamame and broccoli to the noodles, to serve as a catch-all side dish.

Wednesday: Crispy Ranch Chicken, Rice-A-Roni, creamed corn

Thursday: I wasn't feeling well, so Kevin was awesome and took the kids to Mickey D's - all by himself. God bless him!

Friday: The Pioneer Woman's Comfort Meatballs, buttered egg noodles, roasted broccoli. The recipe doesn't take you to her site directly, but to someone else who posted her recipe. I haven't had them yet (they're in the oven) but my mom and sister said they were awesome! My mom has mentioned them several times, so I knew I had to try them myself!

The definition of relaxation = Vacation without kids!

2010-07-02T10:16:00.007-05:00

As I mentioned once or twice, we just went on a fabulous vacation to the Royal in Playa del Carmen for our 10th anniversary. Our sweet friends, Jarred & Angela, have been there for the past 3 years and invited us to go with them. I couldn't understand why someone would want to go to the same old place every summer, but now I do! This place was amazing! The pools, the beach, the food - amazing! I'm already looking forward to going back! The food was excellent in every way! There are regular (nice) restaurants with awesome steaks and giant shrimp (and the grilled lobster, OMG!), and there is a super fancy, gourmet restaurant, with experimental dishes and interesting concepts. Aren't the plates pretty? Don't believe that the food was incredible? Just look at Kevin eating every last bit of his soup!

There were shows (how can you be in Mexico without seeing a Mariachi band?):

Shopping (we all cracked up at the Day of the Dead dolls - this one is Michael Jackson!): Lazy days by the pool:

Lizards to chase (Kevin and a group of boys who just graduated from high school were the only ones who joined in this "fun" - figures!):

Lots of drinks (we came up with a game to try and have a cocktail or shot from every letter of the alphabet - some were much easier than others - Kevin doesn't look too thrilled with his El Jimador shot, but E's were hard to come by):

Poolside card games (You know how we love our Phase 10! When the cards started to blow away, we decided to play dominoes. Then, it started raining, we went inside the coffee shop and played cards again!):

Golf and scuba for the boys, while the girls enjoyed a spa day:

And lots of fun times with our friends!

This was an awesome, much needed break, and I came back as a happier mommy! A week away from the kids was a long time, and by the end of it, I was so ready to be home, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! Kevin and I got some much needed down-time, the kids got some much needed Nana time, and we were all better for it!

Ten Years...

2010-06-17T08:33:00.003-05:00

In 10 years, you can:

~Get married.
~Get a puppy.
~Have a child.
~Buy your first house and move.
~Have another child.
~Move.
~Have another child.
~Move out of state.
~Make life-long friends
~Move again.
~Count your blessings.

I love you, Kevin!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-16T09:52:00.002-05:00

Diaper Days

2010-06-01T11:07:00.002-05:00

It is my most frequent prayer, that the end of our diaper days are close! I've been changing diapers in my house for 8 solid years, and I'm so weary of them. I will say, though, that the new Huggies that came out are so stinkin' adorable (stinkin' is a totally appropriate word in this instance). I used Huggies with both girls, but didn't love them for my boy, so I switched to Pampers. I don't like the new Pampers much, so I thought I'd try them again. Their new ones are designed to look like blue jean shorts! Seriously, have you ever seen a cuter heiny?

Look out, Kindergarten!

2010-05-26T10:45:00.005-05:00

Hannah graduated from pre-school last week. I've never seen a kid so ready for kindergarten! We always talked about how when you're 5, you start kindergarten. Poor little thing thought we meant literally, the day she turned 5, she'd be going to the "big kid school" with Megan. It's been hard to wait all year, but she understands now that it won't be until after the summer, when the NEW school-year starts!

We love the Parents' Day Out program that Hannah & Owen go to. The teachers there are lovely women who love the kids and make their days so much fun! Hannah is going to miss it terribly, but I'm thrilled that we'll have 2 more years there with Owen!

The "graduates." I'm sad that of the 8 of them, every single one of them are going to a different kindergarten! Hopefully Hannah will still get to see a few of her buddies at CCE (our PDO is at the same church that we attend): Doing the Pledge of Allegiance: With the fabulous Ms. Katie and Ms. Marcy, after getting the "Ring Pop Award" for always having great accessories and paying attention to detail in her drawings.With her super-proud mom and dad!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-05-17T16:15:00.002-05:00

Monday: Spaghetti, Cheesy Garlic Toast, Roasted Broccoli

Tuesday: Take-Out!

Wednesday: Meatloaf, Cheesy Rice, Green Beans - I've posted my yummy meatloaf recipe here before. I've always made it just like the recipe says, but this time I'm going to use all ground beef (it gets to be expensive meatloaf when I have to have veal & lamb, too!). Fingers crossed that it will be just as tasty!

Thursday: Chicken Fried Rice

Friday: Beef Rouladen, German Fried Potatoes, Corn

One month!

2010-05-17T09:34:00.003-05:00

In one month, we'll be on our way here:
In one month, we'll have been married for 10 years!

I'm not all-together sure which I'm more excited about! (Just kidding - it's been a great 10 years, and I'm so looking forward to the next 10 ...and the next...and the next...and the next...) Being able to spend our special day in various airports isn't all that romantic, but the pay off will be awesome!

Wordless Wednesday - Cousins

2010-05-12T13:28:00.002-05:00

Meal Plan Monday

2010-05-10T10:00:00.005-05:00

Monday: Leftover Pork Loin - I linked this recipe from my friend Angela's blog last week (the only change I made was using rosemary instead of sage, because I'm not a big fan of that flavor). Oh my gravy! This is so, so good! It will absolutely be in our rotation again soon. I have 1 whole plate leftover, and am looking forward to it tonight (Kevin will be out-of-town, and the kids have already requested PB & J sandwiches)!

Tuesday: Take-Out! I like eating out as much as the next person, but I'm getting tired of our weekly fast food. Luckily, the end of May means the end of dance/gymnastics for the summer (and maybe forever, since the girls can't decide if they want to stick with it next year, or try something else). I'll be glad when summer gets here!

Wednesday: Szriskes, rice, green beans - This came from Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. My cousin, Sara, posted it a few weeks ago, and I can't wait to try it! It's kind of like a Czech version of the German Weiner Schnitzel.

Thursday: Chicken Spaghetti, pan fried zucchini, garlic toast

Friday: Grilled steaks (if the weather cooperates), baked potatoes, salad

---------------
Everyone in the world loves my mom's chicken spaghetti. Since yesterday was Mother's Day and her birthday (love you, Mom!), I thought I'd pass along her recipe to you. I'll post it just as she gave it to me, and then put my substitutions, too.

I do things a little differently, but not so much that it affects things too much (like I never buy a whole chicken, I just use chicken breasts).
1 whole chicken
3 stalks celery
1 medium sized onion
1 bell pepper
1 lb. Velveeta (grated)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
1 Tbsp. butter

Boil chicken and let cool; when cool, debone and shred into small pieces. Cook noodles in chicken water according to package directions (leave slightly firm as they will continue cooking in the oven). Dice celery, onion and bell pepper and saute in butter until tender. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheese. Press mixture into a lightly greased 9"x11" pan. Top with remaining Velveeta. Bake for 1 hour, or until top is golden brown.

My substitutions: I don't use 3 celery stalks when I make it myself because I'm not a big fan. I always put some celery flavor in, though. Either 1 stalk or celery salt or celery flakes. I normally use onion powder because the kids (and I) don't like onion hunks. I don't care for bell pepper, either (I promise that I'm not as picky as it seems!), so I sometimes dice carrots very tiny and use them instead. Still gives a pretty color and another flavor/texture. Makes it very yummy!

Another great thing about this recipe is that it freezes beautifully. A huge 9"x11" casserole is way too much for our little family. I make 2 in smaller pans (8"x8") and bake one to eat and freeze the other.

Abundantly Blessed

2010-05-04T14:10:00.005-05:00

This weekend was a special one for us. Megan made her First Holy Communion. It's hard for me to believe that she's old enough for this step in our faith, but she has been so excited and really seems to "get" why this is special.

We go to a pretty big church, but her CCE class size is just ridiculous! I know that on years when the kids' make their sacraments, the classes tend to get bigger, but seriously! There were 68 making their 1st Communion this year! 37 made theirs on Saturday night, and 31 made theirs with Megan on Sunday morning. It was a sea of white veils and little ties!

My mother-in-law made Megan's dress (to her strict specifications). Meg knows exactly what she wants, and she isn't shy about telling us when she hates something (bows, anyone?)! Her vision turned out beautifully, though, so I can't really fault her for it!

Making her sacrament:My beautiful girl is all smiles!Her BIG class (and this is only half of them)!We had a big group of grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, cousins, & Godparents who came to be with us on Megan's special day. After Mass, we had a big party and just enjoyed the pretty day and all being together (with lots of food and sweets)!

My attempt at a "lamb" cake (only because my sister kind of put the idea in my head):Megan seemed to like it!A backyard picnic, with family. What could be better?

We love you, baby girl, and are so proud of the young lady that you're becoming!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-05-03T11:46:00.003-05:00

Monday: Parmesan Chicken Nuggets, mashed potatoes, green beans - This recipe is originally from the Taste of Home cookbook (which I don't have) but my cousin posted it on her blog last week. I've made a very similar nugget before, but these sound even better!

Tuesday: Take-Out!

Wednesday: Chicken & Beef Quesadillas, Spanish rice, watermelon - Tex-Mex food in honor of Cinco de Mayo! We had chicken & beef fajitas this weeked, so I'll use the leftovers to make our quesadillas.

Thursday: Homemade pizzas, salad - I have a MOPS meeting that evening, so I wanted something quick to assemble. I'll make the dough early in the day, then it will be really quick to throw them in the oven!

Friday: Bacon-Wrapped Maple Pork Loin, roasted potatoes, corn - My friend Angela posted this on her blog several weeks ago. It sounded so good, and I found a "hidden" pork loin in my freezer! I'm excited to try this recipe! Like her, I've never been a huge pork fan (aside from bacon), but as I get older, I find that I like more and more pork dishes. Her family gave this rave reviews, so I hope mine will, too!

Meal Plan.....Wednesday?

2010-04-28T10:53:00.004-05:00

Ugh. This week has been kicking my booty for some reason! I have been a tiny bit under the weather, Kevin has been working late every night this week (and probably tonight and tomorow, too) and the kids have been crabbier than usual. The meals haven't been exciting, but we have been eating!

Monday: German Beef Rouladen, German fried potatoes - This was so, so, so good! We are big fans of German food to begin with, and this was excellent! You probably have everything in your fridge/freezer already! The only addition I made was putting a splash of vinegar in the gravy, as it was a little bland. In hindsight, I probably should have added another, more nutritious veggie, but I won't lie and say I did when I didn't!

Tuesday: Take-out (Micky D's) for the kids, leftovers for the grown-ups!

Wednesday: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, fruit (don't die from the excitement of this meal!). If I get my cleaning chores done early enough, I might make my Aunt Mary Helen's cream puffs for them.

Thursday: Maryland Crab Cakes, mashed potatoes, corn

Friday: Cornish Game Hens, roasted broccoli, brown butter & balsamic ravioli - My parents, my sister Karen, and her boys will all be coming for the weekend. When I posted that I was going to make this last week, Karen said she had never had them. Well, neither have I, so I decided to save them so we could all try them together! If it doesn't work out, I know how to dial Double Dave's! Ha ha!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-04-20T12:51:00.002-05:00

Monday: Baked Orange Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki noodles with edamame

Take-Out Tuesday: Probably Chick-Fil-A, since we didn't get it last week

Wednesday: Murphy's Hot Hamburger from the Pioneer Woman's site. My cousin made it a week or so ago, and her pictures had me drooling! We'll probably have corn with it.

Thursday: Cornish Game Hens. I'm still looking for a good recipe, but I bought them because they were on sale last week! I've never made them, but they're cute (as much as food can be)! With this we'll have Brown Butter & Balsamic Ravioli (I haven't made them in years, but they are so good!) and roasted broccoli.

Friday: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, basmati rice, green beans with bacon.

Yee-Haw!

2010-04-16T12:52:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was "Cowboy/Cowgirl Day" at Hannah & Owen's preschool. They had animals come visit the school (Owen was super impressed by getting to pet a goat) and had a whole western theme to the day. The kids looked pretty darn cute in their cowboy duds, so I had to share. Looks like a pair of authentic cowboy boots will be in Owen's future!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-04-12T11:28:00.002-05:00

Monday - Spaghetti, roasted asparagus, garlic bread

Tuesday - Take-out (I'm thinking Chick-Fil-A, since ours just re-opened after some renovations)

Wednesday - Cheesy Hashbrowns, creamed corn, salad

Thursday - Chinese Chicken Stir-Fry

Friday - Hamburgers & sweet potato fries

Nothing too exciting this week, but all good, yummy food (the spaghetti for tonight was a special request from Hannah)!

The Bunny Came (more Easter pics)

2010-04-07T09:43:00.005-05:00

The kids were so excited about the Easter Bunny this year! Megan couldn't sleep all night, because she kept wanting to check if he had come yet! We set out some carrots, and wouldn't you know it? The Bunny nibbled on them as a midnight snack!

The loot:

Checking it all out. Not too much candy, but never fear! The hunt after Mass more than made up for it!

All dressed up for church, but Owen wasn't happy about it! There go my hopes for a nice picture of the kids!

After Mass, the church had a huge Easter Egg Hunt. It was so much fun to watch, and we had a great time catching up with our friends from back home while the kids ran around and snuck in as much sugar as they could get away with!

As you can see, Owen is much happier. I find that the mention of candy usually makes me smile, too, so I can't blame the guy.

I'm sad that this is the best picture I got (Owen looking slightly confused, while Kevin forces him to stand by his sisters). I'm going to have to check with my in-laws to see if they were able to capture one on their camera where everyone has their eyes open. That's Owen's new "thing". To be as ornery as possible and ham it up every time he sees a camera. Wonder where that could have come from?!

I'm just going to have to go with it:

I did (finally) get one good one of Owen. The promise of a sucker made him sweet as pie! Doesn't that little tie just kill you?! It's one of the few times that I've been excited about little boys' clothing!One last (non-Easter related one). For those of you interested, here's the most recent picture of Rodney & Karen's new house. The walls inside were just textured, and I believe that cabinets are coming soon. Not much longer!

Easter

2010-04-07T09:16:00.006-05:00

We had a great holiday weekend! Megan got out of school a little early on Friday, so we headed to the country to spend the weekend with my in-laws (all of them - my brother-in-law & sister-in-law just moved back, too)! The kids love being out in the country, running around and seeing their cousins (we're so glad to have Lance closer, and seeing Ashtyn, baby Kasen & baby Caylee was so much fun for all of us)!

Double trouble (Owen & Lance are only 5 months apart):

Big wheel:The hunt is on!The power hitter (I think Kev's dreams of having a football player might be on the back-burner. Owen is all about baseball - and he is awesome)! Dreams of a sky box at Ranger Stadium are dancing in my head! Wagon ride with Ashtyn:Playing "this little piggy" with sweet baby Kasen:

I have problems putting too many pictures in one post, so I'll make another one with the rest!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-03-29T17:38:00.003-05:00

I get so much out of doing these meal plans. They help me out, which helps out my family. That said, they're getting harder and harder to do. We don't have a huge selection of meals that we regularly eat, so I feel like I'm constantly recycling meals. I guess I should stop trying to impress y'all, and just put down what we actually love to eat (even if it is super simple or the same thing we had the week before)!

Monday: Garlic Chicken, pan roasted asparagus with prosciutto, mashed potatoes - This one does happen to be a new (to us) meal. The reviews looked promising, and it was super simple. The kitchen smells great, too (which is what happens the instant garlic hits oil)! Fingers crossed!

Tuesday: Take out! I've been craving a barbecue sandwich lately, so I think we'll swing by and pick some up after gymnastics tomorrow. Yum!

Wednesday: Sesame Chicken Salad - This was on the list for last week, until I realized that I had eaten all of the salad greens and regular lettuce. Going shopping tomorrow!

Thursday: If all goes well, I'm going to try Bobby Flay's Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers. My sister made them last week and said that they were so good. Since we have church in the evening, though, I'm not sure about the timing.

Friday: Tuna Casserole - An oldie, but a goodie.

Girls' Day Out

2010-03-24T13:16:00.003-05:00

I felt bad that we didn't get to do much fun stuff over Spring Break. A few of the days were wet and rainy, we didn't have any trips planned and Kevin had to work Monday-Wednesday of the week. Finally (in the snow on Saturday), I planned to take the girls on a fun, super girly "spa" day. We went and got manicurese (for them) and pedicures (for all of us). The nail place that I frequent recently got these 2 little pink pedicure chairs. Every time I go in, the nail tech tells me that I should bring my daughters in. We finally did. They have had their toes done before, but they loved every second of it. Picking the colors, being offered a drink, relaxing with their feet in the water. Heavenly!After being pampered at the nail salon, we headed to the beauty salon, too. The girls were both due to have their bangs trimmed, and they (both) convinced me to get their hair cut, too. Hannah's didn't change much - just a bit shorter. Meg went whole-hog, though! She told me that she wanted her hair to be up to her lips. I tried to talk her into a chin-length bob, but she insisted. It does look pretty cute (even though her bangs got SHORT). They both told me that it would be the last hair cut for a while, though. They want to grow it out all summer! Girls! In the words of Mr. G (our old bus driver) they were acting just like "fickle minded females"! Go figure!...and, to add a tiny bit of testosterone to this post, here's a cute, recent picture of Owen. He has a habit of shedding his clothes multiple times a day, so when I saw this "I'd Rather Be Naked" t-shirt, I couldn't resist buying it!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-03-22T12:49:00.002-05:00

Monday: Orange Sesame Pork with Teriyaki Noodles - I was on a kick where I made this all of the time, but haven't in quite a while. I just checked and I have all of the ingredients! YUM!

Take-Out Tuesday

Wednesday: Paula Deen's Chicken Empanadas - I've made these several times and they are so yummy! I'll probably only cook half, and put the other half in the freezer for another night.

Thursday: Sesame Chicken Salad

Friday: Authentic Maryland Crab Cakes (from my friend - hi, Kara! - who is from Maryland)

The Sesame Chicken Salad recipe is too good not to share. It seems more like a lunch dish (being a salad and all) but since Kevin and I are both trying to eat a little more healthfully (and it's so darn good!) I'm going to make it for dinner this week. The kids will like the chicken strips, minus the salad. The recipe originally came from one of Rachael Ray's first 30-Minute Meals cookbooks.

Sesame Chicken Salad
Whisk together 1/4 cup of dark maple syrup, 2-3 Tbsp. soy sauce (she always uses Tamari...a dark soy sauce) and 1/4 cup sweet hot mustard. Season chicken tenders (I actually cut mine up into smaller pieces) with salt and pepper on both sides and add to the bowl of marinade. Set aside (you can do this at the time of meal prep or before and let it sit in the fridge until you're ready for it).

Spread 1/2 cup sesame seeds (a mix of black & white or all white) in a shallow dish and coat the chicken pieces in sesame seeds. Cook sesame chicken in a large nonstick skillet (with enough veg oil to cover the bottom of pan) over medium-high heat in small batches, 3 minutes on each side and remove to plate.

DRESSING: Whisk 1-inch of fresh grated gingerroot, 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1/4 cup Chinese duck sauce (or apricot all-fruit spread) and 1/4 cup veg oil.

SALAD: 1 bag (10 ounces) of mixed baby greens. Add to this anything else that you like in a "Chinese-style" salad--she suggests thinly slices cucumber, 1/2 cup shredded carrots, scallions, snow peas. Combine all of the salad ingredients into a bowl. Toss with dressing and serve, topping with sesame chicken tenders. Garnish with fried Chinese noodles for added crunch.

Don't let the looks fool you...

2010-03-15T15:10:00.003-05:00

This is what pure evil looks like! I'm on day 8 of the 30-Day Shred, and I think Jillian is trying to kill me. After a week at level 1, I decided to step it up and do level 2 today. OMG! I am going to stick with it, but I'm shooting daggars at her every time I look at the TV!

However, if my body ends up looking like hers, I might kiss the ground she walks on! Gotta go redecorate the house. I'm hanging bathing suits in the kitchen, to motivate me to keep it up until we go to Mexico. Wonder what Kev's boss will think about that when he comes for dinner tomorrow????? (Just kidding, Mom. I'll take them down before he gets here!) :-)

Meal Plan Monday

2010-03-15T10:31:00.002-05:00

Happy Spring Break, everyone! The kids are home (even though Kevin still has to work) and all after-school activities have been cancelled for the week. Unfortunately, it's also raining buckets today, and is supposed to be wet and gross all week. I have NO IDEA how we're going to survive being stuck indoors all week! We shall see! ;-)

Monday: Make-Your-Own Pizza night - I've had pizzas on my list for the past 2 or 3 weeks, and something always comes up on the night I have them planned! As soon as I finished this post, I'm going to make my dough so that it's ready for tonight!

Tuesday: Lasagna - Megan has been asking for it lately. Since Kevin's boss is in town and coming over for dinner, it's a perfect night for it. It's a crowd pleaser and everyone seems to love it. I'll have corn, garlic bread & salad as sides.

Wednesday: Crispy Ranch Chicken - Not sure on sides yet. Maybe mac & cheese.

Thursday: Leftovers - Lasagna produces a lot of them!

Friday: Grilled Shrimp with Garlic - I made this last Friday along with my crab legs. They were so, so good (even better than the crab)! I'll have rice and roasted broccoli as side dishes.

99 Days...

2010-03-10T13:53:00.003-06:00

Inspired by my friend Angela's blog, I thought I'd share our fun news, too! In 99 short days, we'll be heading to sunny, warm, Mexico! Ole! Our friends (Angela & Jarred) bought into a vacation club at a 5-star resort in Playa del Carmen a few years ago. They were able to get us a deal that was almost $1000 cheaper than the price we were quoted by a travel agent (and the deal through them is for 8 days, 7 nights - the travel agent's was only 5 days)!

Our 10th wedding anniversary is in June, and I can't think of a more fun, relaxing place to celebrate than Mexico! We've never gone on vacation with friends before (other than Spring Break in college), so this will be exciting! Our families get along fabulously, so I'm not concerned at all (plus, Kev will have someone to go golfing with, and I won't feel bad for lounging on the beach or by the pool with a fruity cocktail while he's gone).

Now, I'm off to do the Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred (yet again). Angela is in GREAT shape, and if I don't want to look like a donut in a bathing suit next to her in 3 short months, I'd better get cracking!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-03-08T10:24:00.004-06:00

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tuesday: Take-out, due to our schedule, unless someone can post a really yummy crock-pot recipe for me!

Wednesday: Cheesy Hashbrowns (This is a Hamburger Helper mix, but I really like it. It also happens to be the only Hamburger Helper flavor that I like, because it has no pasta. I think their pasta tastes weird). We'll have creamed corn with this one.

Thursday: Chicken Fried Rice (something that even the kids like!)

Friday: Crab legs, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes. I'm really, really looking forward to Friday!

In the blink of an eye.

2010-03-08T09:09:00.004-06:00

Three years, gone. How does that happen? Today is my little guy's birthday. His birthdays are always bittersweet for me, since he's my last child. I'll never have a 2-year-old again. All of the "firsts" he has are "lasts" for me (although I will rejoice at the end of diapers). Happy birthday to my sweet, funny, huggy, playful, laughing, mischevious Owen Thomas. I love you so much!

A chubby-cheeked newborn:

One year old:

Crazy two-year-old:Three (at his birthday party this past weekend):
Love, love, love this boy! He makes me smile every day!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T08:53:00.000-06:00

Meal Plan Monday

2010-03-01T09:24:00.003-06:00

Kevin is going to be out of town for a few days this week, so the beginning of the week (especially) will be kid-friendly!

Monday: Crescent Dogs (ummm, yeah. Kid friendly!), corn, mac & cheese

Tuesday: Take-Out after gymnastics/dance. Probably Rosa's (Taco Tuesday!!!)

Wednesday: Game Day Chili (I make mine without beans). We'll probably make them into frito pies for the kids.

Thursday: Shepherd's Pie (I don't normally do another side dish with this, since it's got corn, carrots & mashed potatoes all in the "pie". I'll probably set out a salad, though.)

Friday: Make-your-own pizza night! Fresh mozzarella and spinich for the grown-ups (meatless) and I'll let the kids use pepperonis or canadian bacon if they want.

There's a chance we'll have some out-of-town guests on Friday night. If so, then I'm okay with going out to dinner and pushing my pizza day to next week! :-)

Nothing too exciting this week, and no new recipes, but I know that I love reading other people's meal plans just to get ideas!

Eight Years Ago Today...

2010-02-25T08:05:00.005-06:00

My life changed forever! What happened? I'll give you a hint: The only thing I ever wanted to be in life, was a mom (except for a short-lived childhood dream of being a Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleader, but this post isn't about that). February 25, 2002, 8 days AFTER my due date, Megan Grace was born! She was the sweetest, most beautiful chubby-cheeked baby I had ever seen! She grew and grew, despite being on a strict diet of only chicken nuggets.

We moved a lot, and added a baby sister and baby brother along the way, but she is still my sweet, beautiful girl (I'm not going to cry, dammit!). She is smart, funny, tender-hearted and one of my favorite people in the world. It's so much fun to see the kind of young lady she's turning out to be!Happy birthday to my sweet girl! We love you to bits! You are, without a doubt, my favorite 8-year-old in the whole world!

Now, Mom just needs a minute to get it together...please ignore the sniffling in the corner.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

2010-02-24T09:37:00.003-06:00

But when "evil" looks this cute and squeaky clean, it sure can make you smile!

Meal Plan Monday

2010-02-22T17:14:00.002-06:00

I try to follow these meal plans. Really, I do. I hate waiting until the last minute, and then scrambling around, trying to figure out what we should eat that night. It causes lots and lots of sandwiches and hot dogs! This week, menu planning should go pretty smoothly, though.

Monday: Mighty Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, creamed corn. It will make a meatloaf convert out of non-meatloaf lovers (like myself). My friend, Angela, originally gave me the recipe, and it's in regular roatation in our house!

Tuesday: take-out (fast food). On Tuesdays, the girls and I (all the kids, if Kevin can't pick Owen up) don't get home until around 6:45, after dance & gymnastics. Unless I'm super on top of things and have something in the crock-pot, we pick something up on our way home. Nine times out of ten, we pick something up! Add to it that this particular Tuesday, I'm going to a Southern Living at Home party that my next-door-neighbor is having, and it's fast food, all the way!

Wednesday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, roasted broccoli

Thursday: Megan's choice! Thursday is Meg's 8th birthday, so she gets to choose a restaurant. Right now, she has it narrowed down to O'Hana Steakhouse (the one I'm hoping she'll choose), Olive Garden & Rosa's.

Friday: Parmesean Crusted Tilapia, roasted asparagus, wild rice

Spencer

2010-02-15T14:18:00.000-06:00

February 14 is so much more than Valentine's Day in our house. It's also our puppy, Spencer's, birthday! I had intended to make a cookie cake for the kids in honor of V-Day. Once it was cooked, they decided that it needed to be decorated as a birthday cake for Spencer instead (although, being chocolate and all, he couldn't eat it)!

Nine years ago, I told Kevin that I either wanted to have a baby, or get a puppy. He jumped on the puppy bandwagon! We researched dogs, and fell in love with the West Highland White Terrier (better known as Westie). We found a breeder who lived outside of Hearne (we were living in College Station at the time, so it was close). She had a litter born on Valentine's Day, and we fell in love with the pups! I have no idea which one is our doggie, but here he is with his brothers and sisters at only a few weeks old. When they were 8 weeks, we got to bring him home and have loved having him! I've never considered myself a dog person, but I am a Spencer person (if that makes sense). When I gave that "ultimatum" to Kevin, I didn't expect to get pregnant within 2 months of bringing our puppy home, but that's how it played out. He's been in our family from the beginning, and he truly loves the kids (and they adore him)!

Happy 9th birthday, Spencer! You might stink from time to time, but you're a special part of the family!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T13:58:00.000-06:00

Since I best communicate my love through food, that's what the whole holiday was about!

I started out the holiday weekend by making heart-shaped hamburgers for lunch on Saturday (the 13th). Yes, I know. I might need help. The kids thought they were hilarious and adorable, though. Shaping the raw meat into hearts was a tiny bit gross when I stopped to think about it, but luckily, I was hungry and love hamburgers, so I got over it quickly.
Halfway through eating our heart burgers, the doorbell rang. Since Kevin best communicates his love by buying me stuff, he hit the nail on the head with these beauties! (Just kidding, Kev!) We don't normally "do" much for Valentine's. We normally get each other cards, sometimes sappy (him) sometimes funny (me) but don't usually do gifts. With that in mind, it was extra special to get these beautiful flowers!
Since the big day itself was on Sunday, we had a normal morning (CCE, church, quick lunch at a Mexican place we hadn't tried before). We knew the best was yet to come!

Like I said, we don't usually do much for V-Day. Restaurants get super crowded (I don't enjoy eating dinner at 5:00 or 10:30, so going anywhere nice on the actual day is hard). Babysitters are scarce on the best of days for us, so for the BIG day we'd have to plan weeks/months in advance, and we don't do that. Since we started having kids, I've taken it upon myself to make a fancy-schmancy meal each year. It's getting hard to out-do myself each time, but this year was close! Based on the kids enthusiasm for my bacon-wrapped fliet mignon on New Year's Eve, I decided to make that again, this time also going for steamed crab legs, green beans with bacon & roasted potatoes! The original plan was to have chocolate fondue for dessert, but we were so stuffed after dinner that no one had room! That got pushed til the next night! My mouth's watering just thinking about it!
Most importantly, though, is that my Valentine cleaned the whole kitchen for me afterwards! It was a GREAT day!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T10:10:00.001-06:00

I know, I know...

2010-02-05T09:30:00.004-06:00

...it's been a long time! I don't really have an excuse for not blogging, just been busy and lazy! There really hasn't been anything blog-worthy going on, anyway! It's been cold, wet & snowy the past few weeks, so we have been going stir-crazy, being cooped up in the house! I promise, as soon as something fun happens again, I'll be back at the blog more regularly. Until then, enjoy these recent-ish pictures of the family.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T10:21:00.002-05:00

I'll post more later after the kids get dressed in their costumes (it's nice to live in a place where trick-or-treating is actually on Halloween again)! ;-)

In the meantime, Happy Halloween from our (monster) family to yours! Turn up the volume and enjoy!
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/l11VzdMMAM9ZYI6G

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-14T09:10:00.003-05:00

Meal Plan Monday

2009-10-05T09:40:00.002-05:00

Well, another week! Kevin's old boss is coming to town this week, so the whole family is going out to eat with him on Tuesday, and we're having him over on Wednesday. Any meal ideas for the boss? Dessert, too. I can always go to my old stand-by - lasagna - but was hoping for something different. We're having guests this weekend (hi, Jason, Lindsey, Gracie & Abby!) so we'll probably eat out on Friday and Saturday as well! If not, we'll do "make your own pizzas" for the crowd!

I'm at a loss for Wednesday, but the rest of the week is tentatively planned as:
~ Sara's Crock Pot Ribs - I never made these last week, but I already have them in the crock pot this morning. They smell delicious!
~ Hot Potato Casserole - Technically, this is a breakfast casserole, but with hasbrown potatoes, cheese & diced ham, it always feels more like a complete meal to me!
~Make Your Own Pizzas - If we're home. I'll make pizza dough one day this week and have it on hand in the freezer in case we end up eating here.

That's it for the week! Doesn't seem like much cooking, but I didn't put anything for Wednesday on here yet. Ideas, please!

Meal Plan Monday

2009-09-21T08:20:00.002-05:00

This will be an odd meal week, since Kevin is going out of town. I don't normally cook "big" meals when he's gone. It's too much for me, and the kids rarely eat it. What I do have on the list is:

~ Chicken Spaghetti and asparagus
~ Sara's Crock Pot Ribs and corn on the cob
~ Ham with mashed potatoes with crackers on top
~ Spaghetti (This one is a cheater. The last time I made spaghetti, I froze half of the sauce, so all I have to "cook" for it is the pasta.)

On a side note, I'm so excited for regular TV to come back on this week! Monday night is especially fun for us, since How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory & Two and a Half Men all start back up - 3 of the few that both Kevin and I watch together!

Blah

2009-09-16T14:54:00.001-05:00

Why can't moms take a sick day? Hannah & Owen both have ear infections and I feel like death-warmed-over. Luckily, Kevin is working from home this afternoon and went to pick Meg up from school, so I don't have to put on "real" clothes (I'm still in my PJs, and yes, I took her to school this morning wearing them, too). All I want is a hot drink and some chicken noodle soup.

Meal Plan Monday

2009-09-14T11:29:00.004-05:00

My meal planning is coming along nicely. We still usually eat out at least once on the weekend, but our mid-week meals have been much less thrown together! I'm going to start trying to use my crock-pot more. On Tuesdays, the girls have gymnastics/dance until 6:30. If I don't have something already going, we'll end up getting fast food every Tuesday (like we have for the past 2 weeks since classes started).

What's on tap for this week:
~ Orange-Sesame Pork (it's been on the rotation the past 2 weeks, but I still haven't made it! I will tonight)
~ Crock Pot Brown Sugar Chicken
~ Chicken Parm with zuchini
~ Stromboli (we did "make your own pizza" night on Friday, and I have just enough pizza dough left over)

Actually cooking 4 nights of the week should give us plenty of leftovers for the other days! I sometimes (not often, but occasionally) cook at lunch, too, so we always have tons of leftovers (today I made pasta salad - Hannah's favorite)!

I Remember

2009-09-11T07:41:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-09T16:45:00.001-05:00

Eat Mor Chikin

2009-09-02T07:26:00.002-05:00

I was on The Happy Housewife blog (stop laughing now) and saw this. On Labor Day, September 7, 2009, wear your favorite sports team logo to Chick-Fil-A and receive a free chicken sandwich! From 10:30 am until 8:30 pm wear your favorite sports related apparel. Appropriate attire includes any article of clothing with a sports team logo. Anything from a Little League uniform to a favorite professional or collegiate jersey, socks, hat, t-shirt or other accessory is acceptable. You might want to check to make sure that your local Chick-Fil-A is participating - I couldn't find a list on their website saying which ones are.

http://www.chickfila.com/#pressroom

Also if you visit the site ChickenWave.com, you can sign up to become a fan and receive a free chicken sandwich. By signing up you are entering to win a $50 Chick-Fil-A gift card. They are giving away the free chicken sandwich to the first 250,000 sign ups and there are about 50,000 spots left, but they are going quickly so sign up today! The Happy Housewife posted this a few days ago, so I have no idea if there are still spots, but it sounds like a great idea. We LOVE Chick-Fil-A in this house, so I'll be trying for both!

http://www.chickenwave.com/

For fun, here's my "wave"! Can you spot me?

http://www.chickenwave.com/members/232588

Recipe Request

2009-09-01T14:22:00.003-05:00

Since so many of you commented on the Orange-Sesame Pork, I thought I'd post the recipe here. It is really, really good and really easy to make. The recipe came from Rachael Ray's new cookbook, The Big Orange Book. It's listed as a single-person recipe, so you'll have to double, triple or quad it as necessary (for the glaze, I'd make way more than you think because it is SO GOOD). I've made the noodles with it before (the recipe with it) but I also really like white rice with the extras added in. Spoon some of the orange glaze over it, and it's a winner!

I've also made this with chicken, and it's equally yummy (my kids prefer it, but Kev and I like the pork).

Orange-Sesame Pork Chops with Teriyaki Noodles
Salt
1/4 lb. whole wheat or whole grain spaghetti
2 T. veg oil
1 (1 1/2 in. thick) boneless pork chop
Black pepper
1 rounded T. orange marmalade
5 T. teriyaki sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
2 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 T. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When it boils, salt the water, add the pasta, and cook to al dente.

While the pasta cooks, heat 1 T. of the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chop with salt and pepper, and cook for 6 minutes on the first side, 4-5 minutes on the second.

Remove the chop to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Add the orange marmalade, a couple tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce, and a splash of water to the pan, bring the sauce to a bubble and cook for 1 minute to combine. Stir in the sesame oil and remove from the heat.

While the chop cooks, heat a second skillet with the remaining tablespoon of veg oil over medium-high heat. Add the edamame and scallions and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 T. of teriyaki sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle the noodles with the sesame seeds, if using.

Slice the pork or leave the chop whole and top with the orange-sesame glaze. Serve the teriyaki noodles alongside.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-08-31T12:59:00.003-05:00

I tried this once before, but found that I couldn't stick to my monthly meal menus. We have too much random stuff come up, or Kevin's not home for dinner. I thought it would be much easier to plan week-by-week (accounting for eating leftovers, too)! This is starting back up right now for a very specific reason: we eat out too damn much! Seriously, looking at our credit card bills, the vast majority is spent at restaurants! To try and remedy that, I need to plan better! Here's our menu for this week:

Monday - Stuffed Shells
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Mighty Meatloaf
Thursday - Orange-Sesame Pork
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Fajitas
Sunday - I don't cook on Sunday nights. It's a cereal/ice cream/sandwich/fend for yourself dinner! I have another blogging friend (who is my real-life friend's older sister) who has "Sunday Sundaes" for supper. Genius idea, and one that our family might be implementing!

Happy Friday!

2009-08-28T10:47:00.006-05:00

I emailed Megan's teacher yesterday to ask if it would be okay to bring a treat for the kids today. She loved the idea and said yes. I did make the little apples that I posted about yesterday, and they turned out so, so cute! I couldn't find the black edible markers that Bakerella used, so mine don't have faces. I'm not sure how it would have worked, anyway. Once the candy coating was on the "apples", mine began to sweat a little. I'm afraid the pen would have run. That's an experiment for another day, I suppose!

Here are a bunch of pictures of the process, since Lisa wanted to see it!

I didn't have any cake mix in the house, so I made the cake (devil's food!) from scratch. I almost felt bad about butchering the cake after it cooled, but it was necessary to make the cake pops.

After the cake was thoroughly destroyed, I added a can of icing and mixed. At this point, I could have eaten it as-is all by myself! YUM!

I used a small cookie scoop to get the balls, and then rolled them so that the tops were a little fatter than the bottoms. I made a small indention in the top (to make it look more apple-like, although some seem like a mixture of tomotaoes and cherries). I didn't get a picture of this stage. I put them on wax paper and into the fridge to firm up. This didn't work too well, and when I put them on the sticks, they kept sliding all the way through. I had to put them back into the freezer to get them even harder. While they firmed up, I emptied about 3/4 of a bag of red candy melts into a measuring cup and zapped them in the microwave to melt them.

After the cake balls were firm, I dipped them in the red candy coating, shook off the excess, and added my "stem & leaf" (pretzle stick and tiny green sprinkle). To dry, I shoved the sticks into a piece of styrofoam.

I wasn't sure how I was going to store them overnight so they wouldn't dry out. They won't fit in any tupperware containers that I have, and I wanted to keep them upright. I had little plastic bags and ribbon, so I ended up packaging each one individually, like a lolipop. They turned out so, so cute! I hope the class enjoys them!
All in all, although they were time consuming (I had to keep putting the cake balls back in the freezer because they were getting too gooey to dip), they were really pretty easy. The cute factor is through the roof, and Megan is going to be so excited to share them with her friends! I'll definitely try things from the Bakerella site again!

A new favorite

2009-08-27T10:17:00.002-05:00

I have a new favorite website to browse through, and wanted to pass it along so that y'all can all waste your time there, too. It's Bakerella (http://bakerella.blogspot.com/). It has the cutest baked goods you ever laid eyes on! There are a few things (like the little apple cake pops!) that I can't wait to try. I wonder if Megan's teacher would appreciate her class being sugared up as a back-to-school treat? Hmmm...

Take a look and let me know what you think. I can't wait to have a reason to try some of these! Just look at these little apple cakes! Adorable!

Sin City, here we come!

2009-08-16T14:55:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday, we are leaving for Vegas, baby! My sisters, Lisa & Karen, and I had been trying to find a way to take a sisters' trip this summer, but nothing seemed to work out. Then, a few weeks ago, Karen said that she and her husband were trying to plan a trip to Vegas. Kevin and I have never been, so when we started looking into it, we were surprised at how afforadable the flights and hotels were (the real money maker there is the casions, of course). We talked Lisa into it, also, and 2 of Chris's friends are coming as well, to make us a group of 7. The timing isn't great since we won't get back until next Saturday, get the kids from my in-laws on Sunday and school starts up for Meg on Monday, but we'll figure out a way to make it work!

Here's to coming home with more money that we take with us! For those of you who are Vegas veterans, any advice? Suggestions? Favorite places to see?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-12T09:26:00.000-05:00

Boys will be Boys

2009-08-11T15:28:00.004-05:00

Every day, when I go in to get Owen out of bed, he greets me happily. Happily, sans clothes (except for a diaper) and with numerous books, toys, little cars, old cell phones and even his little rug in his bed with him! It's gotten bad. A toy or two wouldn't be so bad, but he's dragging everything that isn't nailed down into bed with him!

The no-clothes thing is another problem. My dear friend Andrea reminded me that boys (of all ages) just like to be n.aked (sorry for the dot in the middle of the word...I don't want weirdos who google "n.aked" to stumble on the blog). Owen's bed time is 7:30. He's usually in bed by 8:00 at the latest. A few nights ago, we heard him playing until almost 9:00. By then, I had been in his room and re-dressed him 3 times. UGH!

Bedrooms are a big topic in our house right now. Hannah is a chatterbug and bothers Megan so much at bedtime that we are splitting them up. With school starting, we can't have Meg staying up so late dealing with her (seriously, she comes out 4 or 5 times during the evening, telling us that Hannah won't let her sleep). I'm sad that we are losing our playroom (Kevin is moving his office into the basement and Megan is taking over his former office as her room) but it's for the best. It's a great time to purge toys anyway! All of the re-arranging and room changes have Hannah in a bit of a funk. Our recent move affected her more than the other kids. She often asks about our house in Iowa and about our Iowa friends, missing them. Seeing Megan's stuff leaving her room has her worried that we're about to move again. We've assured her that we'll be in this house for a good, long while, but I'm not sure she believes us. Given our history, I'm not sure that I blame her!

Summer is coming to a close soon. We have one more vacation to squeeze in before school starts back up (Kevin, my sister Lisa, my sister Karen, my BIL Chris and 2 of his friends are going to Vegas in a week and a half) but then we'll finally be less frantic. I love summer time, don't get me wrong, but I've come to realize that our family needs the structure that the school year provides. Regular school hours, CCE classes at church, MOPS starting back up - I've missed it!

The Texas Hill Country

2009-08-07T15:14:00.005-05:00

After our fun weekend in Aggieland, we decided to extend our visit to that part of Texas! We went on to San Antonio, but the kids weren't very impressed by the Alamo. They were ready for the next day, our trip with my sister and her family to Sea World! Shamu has reached rock star status in our house, and the build-up to seeing him live was huge!

As you might imagine, a whale that size (and there were 5 of them!) can make quite a splash. The majority of us were smart enough to stay dry, but Chris, Zachary and Megan wanted to sit in the "splash zone"! After the Shamu show, they were soaked and smelled kind of fishy, but a good time was had by all!

Hannah and Alex have gotten to be good buddies, and they spent most of the day walking together (aren't they cute?)!

No one actually rode this particular ride (the daddies thought the line was too long) but that didn't stop the kiddos from imagining the screams they would have let out if they had!

After spending a long day in the Texas heat, with tons of walking, and feeling slightly sunburned, we decided to spend the next morning at the Natural Bridge Caverns. Caves are cool, right? Wrong. The humidity in those dang things is like 80% and we had to walk for miles up and down steep, slippery rocks with 5 kids in tow. It was interesting, but I think we might need to wait until Owen is comfortable walking that far by himself before attempting it again. Those who know me well, know that I'm a klutz. Imagine then, me holding a wiggling, 35 pound child, while walking on a slippery, steep terrain, where if you fall, you might go 100 feet into the center of the earth. Not a pretty picture.

Here are Kevin, Karen and the kids before we went in, when we didn't know what was in store!

Here we are, close to the end (sorry for the bad quality, it's a picture of a picture). We were so tired and sweaty. Only 1/2 mile to go at this point (that's sarcasm, by the way)!All morning in the caverns, and all the kids wanted to do was climb on the dinosaurs in the parking lot!All in all, we had a great little vacation with the kids. Not much longer and school will be starting back up (not that any of us are complaining). Who knew that mom wasn't much fun day in and day out? Little things like this and spending time together make me happy, though, and I hope we can do more fun little trips like this. The older they all get, the easier it will get, right?

Back in "God's Country"!

2009-08-02T14:48:00.000-05:00

We've made several little trips this summer, but last week was one of my favorites! We headed to College Station for Kevin's cousin's wedding (congratulations, Jeremy and Lori)! Being back in Aggieland was great...good food, good people, and great memories! Before we headed out of town, we couldn't wait to take the kids around campus and show them all of the hot spots!

Our first night in town, we couldn't wait to take the kids to Wings-N-More, our favorite college restaurant!
Before the wedding, the kids (and Kevin!) were glad to cool off in the hotel's pool.

Before we left town (after the wedding), we took the kids to campus...

...visited Kyle Field...
...stopped by to see Sully and the Century Tree (where Kevin and I got engaged)...

...and then dodged a squirrel who got a little too friendly (seriously, the Aggies reading this must remember how they can chase you...this one did)! Look at him? He's like "who, me?"

It was the start to a great mini-vacation! Next up, New Braunfels, San Antonio and Sea World!

I think I might be clinically insane.

2009-07-21T12:20:00.003-05:00

As some of you know, my sister, Lisa, ran a marathon in January. This was shocking for many reasons. First off, we don't run. None of us. Ever. She apparently decided to change the rules and Karen and I didn't get the memo. Since she decided to train for this marathon, she has become a running machine. It's a weekly occurance for her to say "well, Saturday I had to run 12 miles, but then I was lazy the rest of the day." Correction. If you start the day with 12 miles, you could lay on the floor in the fetal position until Tuesday and still not be considered lazy.

Isn't she cute in her running gear (she's on the left)?

With this training, she's also done several half marathons (only a measly 13.1 miles)! Our other sister, Karen, and I have decided that it's time to get in better shape. We've all been dieting, joined gyms & are trying to get our girlish figures back (truthfully, none of us want to be the fat sister, so we're all trying to outdo each other - not fair since Lisa got the jump on us a year and a half ago, and she's 5' 10", so looks good already - my stumpy legs won't look the same as hers no matter what). Anyhow, Lisa somehow convinced me that running was great! I've been doing some early training, and bit the bullet yesterday. She and I signed up for a half marathon in November. Gulp. It's too late to back out now (and non-refundable). I guess I have to actually do this thing! I'm mentally prepared for it. I want to do it. She'll leave me in the dust before the first mile is done, but I'm okay with that. As long as I don't have to wear spandex, I'm in!

Summer Fun!

2009-07-09T17:02:00.004-05:00

We've been busy little bees here lately! My mom and my cousin, Kelli, came a few weeks ago and we had a great time! A little play time, a little wine, a little sightseeing. It was a great weekend!

On the 4th of July weekend, we met Kevin's family at Lake Buchanan for their annual "Paw Paw Fishing Trip". Although I'm more of a hotel swimming pool kind of gal, we had fun. It was so great to catch up with B & Jen, Allen & Kristy and all of the family! Since I'm bad about keeping up with the blog (and we're going to my mom and dad's this weekend for a nice, long visit) I'll leave you with a peace offering. Pictures of cute kids!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-20T09:43:00.003-05:00

I am so lucky to have great father's in my life. My own dad, who would do anything for us girls, and LOVES being a Papa! My father-in-law, who always helps us with whatever we need and is such a fun Grandpa. My husband, who is sweet with the kids, helps me out when I need it, and is the best dad I can imagine. Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there! You do an important job!

My Dad with Owen:

Rodney (my FIL) with the boys:

Kevin, on the day he became a Daddy (with newborn Megan):With newborn Hannah:With newborn Owen:

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T15:45:00.003-05:00

Nine years ago today...

At least I come by it honest!

2009-06-05T12:44:00.003-05:00

I'm a hoarder. I know this about myself. I have a hard time throwing things away that might be useful (or sentimental). This has caused there to be a huge box of stuff from high school still under the bed at my mom and dad's house. To be fair, I come by it honest. My mom is the same way. I'll never forget when my mom and my (now) sister-in-law, Jennifer, were both helping us pack up for a move. My mom wanted to transport things like a quarter of a bottle of ketchup from College Station to Dallas. Jennifer was urging her to throw it away and splurge on a fresh bottle in our new house!

Then, I looked in the back of the drawer in my refrigerator. What do you see?

Can't quite tell what's lurking behind the pie crust and won ton wrappers? Beside the crescent rolls and biscuits? How about a closer look?
That's right. Leftover ketchup packets from Whataburger (what is it with the ketchup? Are the Schneider women afraid that there'll be a tomato shortage soon?) and sauce from Chick-Fil-A! Most sane people would throw the unused packets away when they are done with their fast food meal. Not me! I'm turning into my mother more and more each day!

Watch out for me. It's only a small step from this, to filling my purse with sweet-n-low packets from restaurants!

Swimsuit Shopping

2009-05-20T14:26:00.003-05:00

I haven't bought a new swim suit in several years. The last time I did, it was a maternity suit, so you can imagine how outdated my non-maternity suit is (although, truthfully, the maternity suit might still fit). My sister, Karen, lives right by the Guadalupe River, and the kids and I are going to visit on our long weekend (poor Kevin has to work)! It's our nephew, Tyler's, 15th birthday on Sunday, so our whole family is going to celebrate. I keep pondering things like "At what age is it acceptable to start wearing a mumu?"

Since Meg's at school, I loaded up the little ones and we went to Academy to buy swim supplies (life vests, new floaties for the pool, stuff like that). I browsed through the suits, and found one that I liked. That's a big part of the battle right there. Do you want to know what else I did? I bought one off the rack, WITHOUT EVEN TRYING IT ON! It was on sale, it was my size, so I bit the bullet and bought it. And do you know what? It actually fits pretty well! I'm not going to turn any heads, but right now, that's not a bad thing! I was feeling pretty good until I realized that Brandon (my 17-year-old nephew) was going to be bringing his 17-year-old girlfriend with him. Took the wind out of my sails. Sigh. I guess I'll just try not to stand by her for the whole day.

A Budding Comedian

2009-05-14T10:12:00.004-05:00

Check out this video. Out of the blue, Owen has started telling knock-knock jokes! So darn cute! Turn up the volume and be prepared to "awww" at one of the lamest jokes ever!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

My Mom

2009-05-10T09:38:00.002-05:00

I really have the best Mom (and Dad, but this day is all about her!) in the world! Growing up, I knew that I was lucky, but after becoming a mom myself, I appreciate her more and more! She was the kind of mom who always made homemade cookies and cupcakes for no special reason (and still is). If I have a question about a fever, I call my mom. If I have a question about cooking a chicken, I call my mom. If something good happens, I call my mom. If I've had a day from hell (sick kids, or whatever), I call my mom. She's the best Mimi to my kids (and my nephews). She had 3 kids, lived out in the boonies and I never remember hearing her complain. I complain daily about something or other, and can't see how she did it! She never talked about "me" time and girls' weekends (like, ahem, I do). She didn't have a regular babysitter so that she and dad could go out without us. Her job was us. And I thank God for her every day. If my kids can feel halfway as lucky to have me for a mom as I am for her, then I'll be very lucky, indeed!

I love you, Mom! Wish I was there today!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-06T14:26:00.002-05:00

Things that go bump in the night.

2009-04-30T09:39:00.003-05:00

Last night, Kevin and Owen spent a fun-filled night in the ER. Our friend (and Kevin's cousin's husband) was working in town yesterday, so he came over for dinner. Since Cody was here, all of the kids were wound up and up past their bedtimes. At about 8:00 (ish) Owen was running circles around our coffee table. He tripped and hit his head on the edge. It swelled up HUGE, immediately. We were a little worried (he had another big lump on his forehead from doing a header off of the baby stroller, into the wall in the playroom) so Kevin took him in. I stayed at home, finishing homework with Megan and getting the girls in bed. After 5 hours in the ER, and a head x-ray, Owen was deemed fine. Good thing he has a hard head like his daddy! ;-)

I have a feeling that it's going to look worse before it gets better, but believe it or not, this is looking better. It's more purple today, but the swelling is much, much less.

The boys didn't get back from the hospital until 1:45 in the morning (and then, typically, I didn't sleep well). Here's hoping that we have a nice long nap this afternoon!

Wordless Wednesday (idea taken from Devin's awesome blog)

2009-04-15T10:33:00.003-05:00

So...what do you do all day?

Viva la Mexico!

February 14, 2001 - May 27, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

My new favorite blog

What do you do all day?

*sniff* *sniff*

Easter 2011

New Look

Pray for Rain

Meal Plan Monday

M.I.A.

Keep on Keepin' On

Meal Plan Monday

Six Years. Gone.

Meal Plan Monday

Conversations with Owen

Meal Plan Monday

Wordless Wednesday

Meal Plan Monday

Pizza Party

Meal Plan Monday (on Tuesday)

15 Years!

Meal Plan Monday

So true!

When I grow up...

Meal Plan Monday

Never Forget

Wordless Wednesday

New Beginnings

O.M.G.

Meal Plan Monday - on Tuesday

Going, Going, Gone!

Right Now...

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

Meal Plan Monday

Menu Recap

The definition of relaxation = Vacation without kids!

Ten Years...

Wordless Wednesday

Diaper Days

Look out, Kindergarten!

Meal Plan Monday

One month!

Wordless Wednesday - Cousins

Meal Plan Monday

Abundantly Blessed

Meal Plan Monday

Meal Plan.....Wednesday?

Meal Plan Monday

Yee-Haw!

Meal Plan Monday

The Bunny Came (more Easter pics)

Easter

Meal Plan Monday

Girls' Day Out

Meal Plan Monday

Don't let the looks fool you...

Meal Plan Monday

99 Days...

Meal Plan Monday

In the blink of an eye.

Wordless Wednesday

Meal Plan Monday

Eight Years Ago Today...

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

Meal Plan Monday

Spencer

Valentine's Day

Wordless Wednesday

I know, I know...

Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday

Meal Plan Monday

Meal Plan Monday

Blah

Meal Plan Monday

I Remember

Wordless Wednesday

Eat Mor Chikin

sniff sniff