repeat

Chris and I had so much fun last weekend we decided to do everything the exact same. Wings. Movie. No school. Ice cream. Every time we finish a class we get ice cream or some treat to celebrate. We didn't want to drive all the way to the smoothie store to get my pnut butter smoothie I like so I just grabbed some ben and jerrys. I felt like trying something new so I got Banana Split (just ok) and Boston Cream Pie (no good!) At least the kids will like them. We watched Diary of a Whimy Kid and I actually enjoyed it. But what's not to enjoy about a chubby kid saying "oowwweee mommy!" (at least that's what I think he said). At 9:30pm we headed up to read Mockingjay. I know, we're boring.

Saturday was a typical boring nothing to do day. But we love being together.

But it was also our ward picnic. I have been looking forward to this for weeks! A chance to hang out with our ward members (seriously awesome/funny people) and enjoy some good weather (overcast 85 degrees) The park was clean and big with a large stream. Asher didn't get a nap and for some reason when little boys are tired they aren't cranky just insanely crazy. There was no controlling the kid and we eventually left early cause we both couldn't visit without having to run after him.

We put him to bed when we got home and hung out with the girls. And then moved the TV upstairs again to watch a pirated The Other Guys. (SOOOOO Funny!) Then we fell asleep. Nothing too exciting but just nice to be together before we start our first VERY busy week of school, work and internship. I'm going to brave going to the library with all 4 kids without Chris and maybe a couple other places too.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Random post

-FIONA IS 3 MONTHS TODAY! I can't believe how fast time is going. She's rolling over from her belly to her back and laughing. For most days she's sleeping 8+ hours but sometimes she still wakes up for that 5/6am feeding which I am just fine with. She's a people person, she doesn't like to be left alone. She needs to be right by you and to be talked to. The other day I decided my favorite is putting babies in the fleece pajamas because they are so cuddly and cute!

-I got an A- in my Human Resource Management class. I barely scrapped by with that grade too. It was 90.65 Woot Woot! 7 classes to go!

-Chris and I started Mockingjay on Tuesday. We're reading a little bit every night 10 - 11pm so it's only a chapter or two at a time but it's really fun to read it together. I just finished Actor and the Housewife (sobbed almost as much as the first time) and I'm taking suggestions for my next audio book. Ready. Set. GO!

-Wednesday Jocelyn wanted to lay out in the yard so we brought out tons of pillows and blankets. It was 2:30pm in the afternoon and I was laying in the sun with a parasol and it felt amazing. I'm not telling you this to rub it in anyone's face it's just so surreal to think it's August and not a million degrees outside. Every time I'm about to walk outside I brace myself for the heat to hit me in the face and when it doesn't, I sigh and remember where I live. Anyway, we turned the sprinklers on and that means naked time for Asher.

Fiona got a little confused.

-Walking to pick up Cecily from school the other day the sun was in Asher's eyes so he closed them and before I knew it he was asleep. It was so cute that I took a picture but then I realized this meant no "mommy time" while he took a nap at home.

-Chris got accepted into an internship helping troubled youth. He'll be working in the boy home 2 days a week equaling 15 hours. Plus he will still have his late day so 3 nights a week I'll be a single mom. It shouldn't be too bad and it's only for 15 weeks. He's the one who still has to work the day job, do 2 school classes and this internship. The guys amazing I tell you!

-I let Cecily take pictures with my camera the other day. I get a lot of stuff like this....

But then I also get gems like these...

-(back story) We don't have keys for any of the doors in the house and Asher kept locking himself in random rooms and to get him out we would have to take the door knob off. He kept locking himself in my bathroom so Chris switched it around so the lock was on the outside of the bathroom. So this morning I was going to the bathroom and Asher opens the doors and tries to come in. I tell him to go out and he shuts the door. So when I'm done brushing my teeth I go to open the door and realize it's locked! Fiona is crying on the bed and Asher is no where. I started pounding on the door and yelling for Jocelyn to rescue me. Asher comes back and I ask him to go get Jocelyn. After probably 5 minutes of yelling and pounding Jocelyn comes up and lets me out. Thank goodness he didn't do it in the middle of the day when both girls are at school. I don't know what I would have done!

Random photos of the week in celebration of Fiona turning 3 months here are the other kids at 3 months.

mid-week presents

The past couple weeks were full of little presents in the mail for us. Bethany sent me this awesome carseat cover to protect Fiona from the Wal-mart germies. (She's a creative genious folks! Look at that Velcro idea!) Thanks Bethany for thinking of the welfare of my little one.

Nana Richards sent the kids a back to school package with socks and letters. They were so excited and immediately opened the socks and started dancing and sliding around in them. Thanks Nana! (ps: after taking this photo Jocelyn had a melt down that she missed both her nanas very much)

Then Chelsea sent Asher a cool car hat to wear. He wanted nothing to do with it when we first opened it but we eventually got him to wear it. And I must say I want to eat my son, he's so cute in it! Thanks Chelsea!!!!

Then Molly sent us a super awesome package of her homemade shirts for the kids. Aren't they awesome?! I can't wait for her etsy shop grand opening... The girls couldn't wait to wear them to school! THANKS MOLLY!

This is something I have been wanting to do but instead of starting ANOTHER blog I'm just going to add it to my Wednesday blog post. It's the menu I used from the previous week. I've been trying new recipes and following other blogs that give reviews and menu suggestions. I've been finding a lot of crock pot meals that I LOVE because they are so easy and I get them done in the morning before I realize it's 4pm and I have to start thinking about what to make for dinner.

Monday- Cream Cheese Chicken (slow cooker) We liked this recipe. We did it with rice but I don't know if I just didn't add enough cream of chicken soup or what but the ranch powder is really dominate. I think next time I try it I'm only using one packet.

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 pkg. dry Ranch or Italian dressing mix (we usually only use one)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese – cut into cubes (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
½ c. chicken broth

Directions: Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in crock pot and sprinkle 1 pkg. dry mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add soup, second packet of dry dressing mix, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook until smooth.
Serve over rice or pasta.

Dessert- I made THESE COOKIES for FHE but for some reason they turned out.. not so good. I'm thinking maybe I should have used real butter? Who knows, but they look awesome.

Tuesday- Chili dogs. I combine Hormel chili with diced tomatos and put the hot dogs on a piece of bread, top with the chili and cheese and bake til cheese melts.

Wednesday- Stuffed French Toast So easy to make and if you are a breakfast lover you will LOVE this! I don't even use strawberries I just use cream cheese. But lately I've been buying a bag of frozen mixed berries and thawing them out and eating it with this and it's to die for! (At least for Me, Joc and Ash)

1 loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch slices.
Whipped cream cheese

Spread cream cheese between two slices of bread, place sandwiched slices in a glass pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Mix together:
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pour over bread and let sit for five minutes, turn bread over and cover pan with saran wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Drizzle melted butter over the top and bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Thursday- Homemade Pizza. I just buy the frozen bread and let it thaw out and we put whatever toppings we want. Chris did his BBQ chicken pizza with pineapple. I really liked it but for some reason he didn't. We made justa  cheese pizza without the sauce for the kids.

Friday- Homemade wings. Soooo good. Chris cut up the wings and rolled them in flour and deep fried them. Then mixed them with sauce from a bottle. So yummy! I made potato skins. You boil the potatos, scoop out the middle, fry them and then put cheese, bacon and green onions on them and then bake them.

Saturday- Nachos. Chris fried his own corn chips (good but oily) and we put meat, beans, nacho cheese, and some yummy pico.

Sunday- Beef Tips (slow cooker) I really liked this, it was really easy. I've burned Chris out of pot roast so he didn't totally dig it. It's pot roast meets stroganoff. It made a lot.

Ingredients:
1 beef top sirloin steak (1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 to 3 medium carrots, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 to 1 cup white wine or beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked egg noodles

Directions:
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the beef, carrots, celery, onion, soup and wine or broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve with noodles. Yield: 4 servings.

A Native kind of weekend

Since Chris and I can't go on a date every weekend we've adopted the practice of putting kids to bed early and doing our own date at home. Last weekend we were reminiscing about when we were first married (a little over 2 weeks to be exact) we got Native New Yorker (best wings in Arizona), watched A Knight's Tale, and had a grand ol' time. Not that we have been looking but we haven't found a wing place up here yet so Chris said "let's make our own wings!" Then proceeded to tell me all the new exciting things he wants to do to them. I started to get a little nervous but what I'm learning with Chris is that 99.9% of the time his scary to listen to culinary experiments turn out awesome. So we made buffalo and sweet hot wings with a ranch/blue cheese dipping sauce and potato skins. Sooooooooooooo Good! I mean it's not Native but since I can't get those here Chris's are the next best thing. He's so cute he even cut up celery and carrots like Native does.

We set up our little picnic in our family room and watched A Knight's Tale.

My family has a rule where you aren't allowed to lick your fingers till you are done eating so I get nice and nasty messy eating wings. But Chris is OCD and won't play along. (Which I think he owes my family royalties for introducing him to the blessed love of wings! What say you?)

The kids are really funny about me and Chris. They get bummed when they can't join our stay at home dates. One time we made brownies after the kids went to bed and the next morning Jocelyn told us she could smell them while in bed and was hoping she could have some when she woke up. Yep, it was so dang cute she had them for breakfast. When we're eating dinner they will beg us to kiss and then say "ewwwwww...!" Or tell us to kiss and cover up. It's so fun. Well, Saturday morning before we got up Jocelyn drew a picture of us on our date. It's the back of our heads watching love I guess but I love it! (And I love that I always know who I am in the pictures because of the curly hair).

Saturday morning my landlord sent a handy man over to fix some little things. Asher would not leave the guy alone. It was so dang cute I loved watching him but I could tell the guy was getting frustrated while trying to fix the oven and Asher kept opening it for him. The guy ruined my picture by turning around.

I did a little thrifting with a friend and our brood and then Chris and I moved the TV upstairs after the kids were in bed and watched a pirated Knight and Day (which was a really entertaining movie. But Chris and I love Tom Cruise) and ate the rest of our yummy yummy wings.

While working on school Sunday afternoon Fiona got fussy and Jocelyn needed something to do so we passed the pad off to them to watch. It was too cute not to take a photo.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Random post

Here's this weeks random fruit...

-I just finished The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. I listened to it and I must say for this book if you are going to read it listening to it is a must. The author narrates it and it's so fun! There are some sad parts, some parts that make you think but he has such a good sense of humor you think "Gosh, I want to be just like you!" Like I said in a previous post my walking gives me some good book listening time. I'm re-reading The Actor and the Housewife. I just love this book. And listening to it this time is quite delightful. It's amazing how much more awesome a book can become with a great narrator.

- Fiona laughed for the first time on Wednesday. Jocelyn was pretending to put make up on Fiona and she busted up. Chris was pretty sad he didn't get the first laugh.

-Asher can sing twinkle-twinkle and besides Fiona's laugh it's the cutest thing in the world. I was doing some lunges and sit ups on my big ball and he kept knocking me over which isn't so cute but pretty dang funny to him.

-Jocelyn and Cecily are allowed to bring snacks to school for during reading time. Yesterday when dropping Cecily off and telling her to leave her back pack by the door she freaked out thinking someone was going to steal her snack if she left her back pack outside the classroom. It took me and the watch lady five minutes to convince Cecily her back pack and snack were safe.

- I'm obsessed with organizing my photos. I have a friend here who has such an awesome system set up that I'm trying to catch up. I have nearly 15,000 photos in my iphoto. I've only burned 1/2 of them. Every night before I fall asleep I think "if there is a fire or tornado I need to remember to grab my "time machine" (external hard drive that automatically backs up everything on my computer) I figure if I have a plan in place to get all the kids and the hard drive I'll be ok if everything else of mine is destroyed. Does anyone else think of these kind of things?

-Asher has a doggie that he loves and he calls it doggie but it sounds like cookie. He was talking to me about "choochie" and I said "hi cookie" and he says, "no mom. choochi (doggie), arf. arf." My bad.

- Tuesday night Chris was making a "sin snack" in the kitchen and a medium sized black spider was repelling from the skylight. I hate spiders.

-Asher pooped on the patio twice this week. It really grosses us girls out!

And what's more random than some childhood photos of me and Chris in honor of back to school?