Phone Dump

This may be a little overwhelming, but here are some collages of the last few months in phone photos:

First, my phone:

 That would be photos of:
*Nick's birthday
*Fall Break (to the park with a cousin and to the Gardens)
*Mud pies, playing outside, and cute kids

And now, here's Nick's phone:

How about a little game of "I Spy"?

Can you spy President Thomas S. Monson (and the First Presidency)?
Can you spy the solar eclipse?
A bench that Nick redid?
My brand new neice (that is now 8 months old)?
Two forms of ice cream?
Four giant pumpkins?
Grandpa and Ellie, both missing a front tooth? :)
Two hot dogs?

Cake and Photos

 We celebrated Nick and Lainey's birthdays together.  Nick made his traditional cherry pie, and Lainey got a little cake all to herself.

 I'm pretty sure it was one of the best cake smashes I've seen.  My girl is not timid.

 She received her Raggedy Ann from Grandma, and I took her one year photos, with the help of my sister, who was an awesome assistant.  I need her around every time I take photos.

Post-edit:  Baby girl had her one year well check this morning, and she's growing!  Lou Lou measured in at 28.25 inches (17% - was around 5% just three months ago) and 18 lbs. 9 oz (30%, also up from 5%).  Way to go, girlie!

What's For Dinner?

Monday: Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili with cheese, chips, guacamole, and corn bread.  This was good soup.  Even my kids ate it.

Tuesday: Rock Creek Pizza (Sandy) thanks to my husband's birthday.  Best pizza in Utah.

Wednesday:  Steak, roasted potato and butternut wedges, spaghetti squash.  If you haven't tried spaghetti squash, do.  Come get one out of our basement (we have, like, 50 down there).  It is yummy, and my kids love it.  It's Ellie's favorite vegetable, she could eat one by herself.

Thursday:  A quick stop at Wendy's.  It happens.

Friday:  Brown rice topped with stir fried veggies, chicken, and teriyaki sauce.  Yum.

Saturday:  Chicken tacos, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, salsa, chips, refried beans. 

Sunday:  Dinner at mom's.  Thanks, mom!  It was delicious, as always!

One

My Lainey Mae,

I will never forget the day of your birth.  It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life, and went nothing like I had expected.  We know that you were certainly looked after and were meant to be a part of our family at that time.  We have no doubt. 

You are very popular around these parts.  Your brother and sisters always want to play with you, toting you around, pulling you in the wagon, playing with you as if you were a baby doll, making you giggle.  You take it all in good stride and usually want to be right in the middle of what they are doing (this they don't always appreciate).  Your Dad and I love to watch you in awe.  You are learning something new every day and are just so darn cute.  It's fun to watch you as you discover this world.  Your tiny fingers delicately picking up the tiniest particle left on the carpet, or practicing standing without assistance, or discovering that you can climb on top of the picnic table.  You are certainly a wonder to behold. 

 Lainey Lou, we all love you so very much.  We are grateful to have you in our family.  Thanks for the wrinkle-nose grins that light up our home.  We can't help but smile back.  I know you love your bed, but thank you for allowing mom to snuggle you anyway.  Thanks for the slobbery kisses and raspberries.  It makes my day every single time.  Thanks for being so friendly to everyone.  Thanks for being so happy all the time.  You are great fun to be around. 

 Oh, you are so sweet.  Looking at these photos again makes me want to go scoop you out of your napping slumber and squeeze you and smooch on those cheekers.  Oh, I love you, baby girl.

Love,
Your Momma

Little Blessings

First of all, I know most of you have already seen this on facebook, but this seriously made me laugh so hard:

 I put together little books to keep the girls busy during General Conference, and Ellie thought President Henry B. Eyring needed some googly eyes.  I had laugh tears running down my face, and I couldn't keep a straight face while he was giving his address.  I don't think I'll be able to look at his face again without imagining him with big 'ol wiggly eyes.  Thanks for the good laugh, Ellie.  I needed that. 

I take my life for granted.  I get very caught up in 'things', or what we don't have, or just trying to get all the things on my to-do list done.  I'm sad to admit that I often get grumpy trying to take all that in.  I often overlook just how wonderful my life is, and how easy I have it, and how every day is a gift.

 And the little blessings I'm priviledged to be the mother of. 

 I'm trying to see the world with new eyes.  Trying to live in the moment and make sure I'm focused on the most important things.  Trying just to be happy.  There isn't much going on in my life to be grumpy about, really.

 There is so much that is beautiful in this world.  Just this morning I was driving home from taking Maren to preschool and looked up at the mountains.  I drive past them every day.  I look out my kitchen window, and there they are.  But this morning, I really saw them.  How blessed am I to be surrounded by them in their majesty?

 I hope to keep it with me, these thoughts that make me focus on the blessings I am surrounded by.  I need these reminders often, unfortunately. 

By the way, this week is one of celebration - two birthdays!  Lainey's birthday is tomorrow (um, excuse me?!), so come back for a birthday post.

What's For Dinner

Monday - Combined FHE with my brothers.  We enjoyed delicious homemade soups in Kneader's yummy sourdough bread bowls (Did you know you could buy them for about $1.30?  This is good to know!  They're so good!).  Also fruit salad, and we provided some apple crisp and ice cream.

Tuesday - Reuben sandwich for Nick and I, hot dogs for the kids.  By the way, I believe that this is a sure sign that I'm getting old.  When I was young, I'd never go for rye bread, but now rye bread with sauerkraut!?  Yep, and my favorite ice cream is Butter Pecan.  I do believe that officially makes me 'old'.  That was a total side note.  Back to dinner: chips and veggie sticks on the side.

Wednesday - Meatloaf, roasted potatoes and butternut squash, salad, peas.

Thursday - Tomato Soup (look below for the recipe - even my kids love it!), grilled cheese sandwich, canned peaches

Friday - Bean and cheese burritos with salsa, quacamole, and chips.

Tomato Soup:
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c water
6 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley (1 Tbsp fresh)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried thyme (1 tsp fresh)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp pepper
In a large saucepan, cook onion in butter until tender.  Stir in flour to form a smooth paste.  Gradually add water, stirring until thick.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. 

By the way, have you noticed I don't usually post Saturday and Sunday dinners?  That's because a lot of the time it's just something thrown together last minute, or we splurge and go out to eat.  If we do something worth bragging about, I'll let you know.  ;)

Mac N Cheese

Nick and I put up 31 pints of salsa, and 12 pints of tomatoes last weekend.  It took us 8 hours from the first set of tomatoes blanching to the last jar being lifted from the canner.  Canning is so much work, but it is so satisfying to fill the shelves with food we grew ourselves (or at least locally grown).

 Everett helped me pick the rest of our pumpkins and squash:

 By the way, it is really cool to find pumpkins in your garden.  It is not cool to find a snake in your garden.

More Everett.  He's been loving on Fuzzy Bear lately.  It's cute:

 Lainey Lou was going a little crazy with her mac' n cheese this afternoon.  Check out her hair (and those beautiful eyes!):

 Well, hello Everett boy. 

Catch ya later!