Enjoying it while we could...

Friday we FINALLY broke in the sleds Grandma Susie got us for Christmas! That's right, Christmas! Might I add that we live in Colorado, where it's supposed to get really cold and snow a lot in the winter? Since mid-December, these sleds have been gathering dust in our garage because, well, there just hasn't been snow! Go figure it would be a week into Spring and nearly April before that time came! Thursday night's storm, which the weather man predicted to be 12-18 inches worth of snow, turned out to be another inaccurate disappointment, and short-lived. By Friday afternoon when we finally made it out, the sun was shining and the snow was already melting. Still, we managed to get a few thrills. This was Chloe's first time sledding, so of course there were pictures! And what kind of blogger would I be to NOT share them?

The anticipation is almost more than I can handle!


With mom, who wasn't nearly as much fun as Dad!


Right after Chloe went by herself for the first time. Neil stayed close by, just in case. And it's a good thing because probably two seconds after I took this she flew off the sled. Fun times...


I can't tell which one is having more fun!


My happy, sweet, SWEET boy watching all the fun...


I sure love these two...

Let's hope for more than one sledding opportunity next year!

Recipe of the Week

Stir fry is a favorite of mine for a handful reasons. First of all, it's a simple one dish meal - always a plus. Second, it's healthy - at least it should be. And third, you can make up the ingredients as you go. Generally I grab whatever meat I have thawed and then rummage through the vegetable drawer of the fridge. There are always odds and ends needing to be eaten. My stir fry is simple, but very good. The key is not ingredients (though they help), but rather the temperature at which everything is cooked. Ever been to one of those teppanyaki restaurants where those crazy Japanese guys prepare your meal right in front of you? Not only is the experience mesmerizing (flying knives, flames, food being chopped at the speed of light, etc.), but the freshly cooked meal they then place in front of you tastes like it took much greater effort to prepare than it actually did. One thing I can guarantee is that they don't keep the heat on low or even medium when they're throwing (literally) together your meal. Oh no. That iron grill is HOT HOT HOT! And so is the pan I cook my stir fry in! Sure, you can guarantee a greasy cooking surface when all is said and done, but THAT is the key to a good stir fry. Here's my basic recipe.

Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1-1 1/2 pounds meat: I either use chicken, steak (london broil is great but any cut will do) or pork, thinly sliced.
• 4-5 cups vegetables: carrots, broccoli, onion, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, cabbage, peas, asparagus, garlic, anything! Other possible additions include: bean sprouts, water chestnuts and those miniature corn on the cobs you can find near the pickles in the grocery store.
• Oil: peanut, canola or olive - they all work great.
• Rice: long grain or jasmine or a combination of the two.
• Seasonings: I use garlic salt and soy sauce - that's all!

Instructions:
First, start your rice. I use long grain rice, which takes 25-30 minutes to cook. Last night I discovered I didn't have enough, so I ended up doing half long grain and half jasmine, which worked fine. Even though the directions say the rice takes about 20 minutes, I find the that longer it simmers in the pan, the fluffier and lighter it gets. So my rice often sits on LOW LOW heat for up to 40 minutes, and it turns out perfect. I can't stand it when my rice isn't entirely cooked through or hasn't absorbed all the water.

Chop and slice everything PRIOR to beginning the cooking process. Stir frying is fast, and you need to have everything ready to go before you turn the heat up. Here's how I prepare everything:

• Meat - thin strips
• Carrots, onions, and peppers - julienne strips
• Zucchini - half moon slices
• Cabbage, mushrooms, asparagus and broccoli - chopped
• Garlic - minced

I add the peas last, straight out of the freezer bag. I never measure anything. I just use however much of each ingredient seems right (or whatever I need to finish off) until I have 4-5 cups.

Place a large frying or stir fry pan over medium/high heat. My stove has a heating range of 1-10. I usually have it between 6 and 7. After 3-4 minutes, add oil to the pan (almost enough to coat the bottom, but not quite). Wait another couple minutes for the oil to heat up, then throw the meat in. Chances are, you'll see immediate splattering, but this means you've got a good temp going. Brown the meat - and I mean really brown it! That's what gives it such great flavor. Generally I cook the meat no longer than 5 minutes, even if it isn't cooked all the way through. You don't want to dry it out, and it will eventually be making its way back to the pan, so don't worry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or garlic salt, then transfer to a plate, reserving any meat juices in pan. At this point you may need to add a little more oil, just depending on how much the meat absorbed. Use your own judgement. While the pan it still hot, throw the veggies in. Saute for about 5 minutes. Then turn to low/medium (between 3 and 4) and cover. Let veggies simmer another 5-10 minutes, or until desired tenderness is reached. Add meat back to pan, mix well, cover and turn off heat, and let sit an additional 3-5 minutes. At this point it's probably more common to drizzle the stir fry with soy sauce (or any other sauce you want to use). Since Neil and I like different quantities, we wait until we've served ourselves to add it. Serve over rice, obviously.

Truly, this is such an easy and delicious dish to make! And amazingly enough, it needs very little seasoning. The soy sauce is obviously flavorful, but even just the combination of meat and veggies being cooked a high temperature creates a naturally great flavor. I think we have stir fry once a week and we never get tired of it. I much prefer steak over chicken or pork, but any meat makes this dish amazing! Hope you enjoy.

Unexpected guests and Christmas, 4 months later

My brother, David and his girlfriend, Elizabeth showed up on our doorstep unexpectedly Thursday night. Neil was in on the fun and it turns out they'd planned this trip behind my back last week. I love surprises, and it's been great having them here.

Today was another gorgeous day and we took full advantage! David and Elizabeth had never been to Garden of the Gods so we spent the afternoon there walking around, enjoying the scenery and sunshine, and playing around with my Christmas present, which finally arrived this week.

{WARNING: Picture overload. Be prepared.}

I love him...


And them...

Can you find the kissing camels?

And this is what happens when Neil gets a hold of the camera.

It's been great having David and Elizabeth here. Good food, good basketball to watch (as well as movies), good conversation, and most importantly, plenty of good laughter. I'll be sad when Monday rolls around and it's time to say goodbye.

Thanks for the perfect surprise, guys! It means more than you know.

Spring in full swing

Today is the first day of Spring, and isn't it appropriate with the beautiful weather we've been having? A good portion of Wednesday afternoon was spent at the park. Ryan was introduced to the swing and absolutely loved it. Here are some shots I got of the kiddos. They are mostly of Ryan. Chloe was being a goof so I didn't have much luck with her.













Happy Spring! May this lovely weather continue...

Flashback Friday

{late '60s, early '70s?}

My drop dead GORGEOUS mom. No Bond girl holds a candle to this hotness!

Wordless Wednesday

The many faces of Ryan

Chloe's curiousity

This morning, entirely out of the blue, Chloe nonchalantly asked me this:

"Mommy, does Daddy have a peanut?"

I presented my response with as much nonchalance as she'd presented her question, but inside I was CRACKING UP! Where on earth did she come up with this? And what's next? The birds and the bees? Don't think I'm quite ready for that.

Recipe of the Week

When Neil's brother, Brad and his soon to be Mrs. Andersen, Courtney, were visiting over Thanksgiving, they cooked us this incredible chicken dish, which I finally tried out myself the other night. It was, once again, FABULOUS!

Orange Chip Chicken

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. milk

1/2 c. Italian style bread crumbs
1/3 c. crushed potato chips
1/3 c. olive or canola oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 large orange, cut into 6 slices

3 T. honey

1 T. butter

Instructions:
In shallow bowl or pie dish, combine egg and milk; mix thoroughly. In another shallow bowl or pie dish, combine bread crumbs and potato chips; mix well. Dip chicken into egg mixture, followed by bread crumb mixture until well coated.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add chicken and 4 orange slices. Cook until chicken is tender, turning occasionally and gently, squeezing orange slices several times to extract juice.

Remove orange slices from skillet. Add honey and butter to skillet; reduce heat to low. Turn chicken twice to coat. To serve, garnish with remaining orange slices.

My two cents:

I sliced the chicken into smaller pieces (like chicken tenders). This required more bread crumbs and potato chips, naturally. I used Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips, but even the plain Lays work great.

I left out the garnishing, instead adding the entire orange all at once. I also didn't measure the honey. Instead I drizzled as much as I wanted over the cooked chicken and then gently flipped the chicken to ensure an even coat. In addition to the honey and butter, I added a tiny bit of orange juice. The chicken absorbed it right up only to make it more tender, juicy and tangy.

I sure do like a good deal...

I've been getting notices in the mail from the Disney Movie Club for years, but have always tossed them straight into the trash thinking, "A movie for a buck? Right..." Well, a couple months ago I was talking to a friend who happened to be a member. After picking her brain a bit, I decided to investigate further. After reading every bit of fine print on my most recent mailing, perusing their website and even talking to a representative on the phone, I decided that this truly was an awesome deal. Chloe loves Disney movies, and I if I'm going to be buying them anyway, why not pay less?

Anyone want to guess what I paid for these?

Out the door: $21.90.

Here's how it works. You register, choose four movies for $.25 each, and are then obligated to purchase four more at full price over the next two years. So after choosing my first four for $.25 each, they offered an additional movie for $8.95 - a steal when I'd otherwise be paying $20+! What's even better is that this fifth movie went toward one of the four required purchases! And when they then offered me a sixth movie for only $11.95 (this is all free shipping, by the way), I figured hey, why not? Even THAT is a steal! So again, $21.90 for these 6 movies, which I otherwise would have paid for ONE at a local store. And all that's required of me over the next two years is to purchase three more at full price.

Just to feel out every possible catch that still may have existed, I asked two questions. First, what's "full price" considered? Once you've agreed to be a member, do they shoot their prices way up to make their money? And second, what are shipping costs? The lady I spoke with said the movies generally range from $19.99-$29.99 (average - especially for Disney movies), but that they often have specials, especially when something is newly released or when they offer a "double feature" (two movies for the price of one). And as far as the shipping is concerned, standard is $3.95, but once again, during special deals, it's often free.

I suppose there is a "catch", but only if you don't keep on top of things. Each month they mail you a "feature film". If you fail to respond by mailing it back within a certain time period, they automatically charge your credit card. My friend told me that they send you an email prior to shipping it, however, at which time you can tell them you're not interested and they won't send it at all. Simple really, if you stay on top of it.

Even if I pay full price plus shipping for three more movies, I still, as a whole, will have saved a ton of money. No brainer! I'm sure I'll end up buying more movies than I otherwise would have over the next two years (that is, if they keep offering me too good to pass up deals like six movies for the price of one). So I suppose that's how they'll "get me" in the end. But I'd rather my children watch decent wholesome Disney movies than the garbage on television, which is only bound to get worse!

Preschool

Some friends recently started a co-op preschool and invited me to join. We pitched in on a curriculum, and are taking turns team teaching. Anna and I kicked things off, teaching both last week and this week. We survived, and so did the kids (ha ha). Today was trying, but I think it's because they had become too comfortable with my house and each other. Good thing they'll be at Angie's next week! Here are some pictures highlighting the first week.


Ready to go, back pack and all!


Zoey, Ben, Aly, Tyler, Abby, Chloe, Cassidy and Annelise (yes, you counted right. That's 8 kids!)

Exploring the world of goop (cornstarch, water and green food coloring that is)


Coloring...


And more coloring...

Last week's theme was 'Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss'. We celebrated with several of his books and activities that corresponded, decorating and enjoying cupcakes, exploring solids and liquids, coloring and snacking. This week's theme was 'You Are What You Eat'. We talked about the food groups and planted grass seeds in styrofoam cups. Monday we made pretzels, and today we taste tested countless fruits and veggies, then finished the morning with homemade peach ice cream. My kitchen was sticky and disgusting but it was so worth it. My ice cream maker will definitely NOT be gathering dust again for a while.

One thing Anna and I quickly learned was the power of food and music! Anytime "snack" was mentioned or one of us started singing, those little ears perked right up! Funny how that works.

Chloe has struggled a lot, particularly this week. To begin with, she's a {precious} little snot who thinks she has the authority to boss anyone around at any time. That combined with the new experience of preschool alone, not to mention the fact that it's (so far) taken place in her home, which has required her to share her toys and mom with seven other 3 year olds, has made for a challenging beginning (wow, that was a long sentence). And I'm sure the added excitement of Grandma Jill's visit last week didn't help anything. I am hoping that the changes of next week turn a new page. I keep reminding myself that Chloe's strong will will someday serve her well. And while I absolutely believe that to be true, it doesn't make this stage any easier.

Despite the challenges we faced, I know Chloe has enjoyed herself overall. When she thinks I'm not listening, I can hear her softly singing the songs we've learned, and she wears her 'One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish' crown almost everywhere. I am optimistically curious to see how the next several weeks go.

So long, farewell, auf weidersehen, good-bye

Friday, we parted from a very dear friend. One who was loyal through thick and thin (ice), who trudged through muddy waters and climbed the highest mountains (literally), who probably endured more trips to the Home Depot than any other SUV on the planet, and who only suffered a handful of mild illnesses in the nearly 4 1/2 years we knew her.

You will be missed, Xterra. Your gas mileage, however, will not.

And here's her replacement, which we purchased yesterday.

I'm practically looking for excuses to leave the house so I can drive this thing. Love it!

A preview of what's to come...

Wow, this is the longest I've ever gone without updating my blog. I have so much to share but am exhausted (as I've been most nights recently). Here's a preview of what's to come:

• Chloe's first week of preschool
• Chloe's first trip to the dentist
• Grandma Jill's visit
• Out with the old, in with the new (car, that is)
• Camera woes
• Ryan's first experience with rice cereal

Tomorrow we're driving to Denver to pick up a new car. Hopefully I can set aside some time in the afternoon to blog. I need it. I miss it.

For now, here's Mr. Ryan, who turned 4 months today! How did that happen?

{Sorry for the blur. I hate using the flash.}

Flashback Friday

This was taken around 1999 in Ventura, CA, where Neil served a mission for our church.

Still cracks me up every time I see it.

Ryan laughs

Go ahead and keep a straight face. I dare ya!

Happy Birthday, brother Brad!

Brad, we love you and wish you the happiest of birthdays!

Yay for 24!

Recent happenings

Wow, it's been a while since I wrote a real update. Here are some of the things we've been up to.

Be warned, this post is lengthy.

RYAN is now 3 1/2 months! He was taken off oxygen at his follow up appointment a couple weeks ago, and has been back to his old self for over a week now. I'm guessing he's close to 13 pounds. He does all the normal 3 month old things: smiles, coos, and chews his hands (or anything else he can wrap his little fingers around). He hates being on his stomach, so I try not to force it on him too much. He can roll from his back to side. He scoots some, especially in his crib. I'll often find him, after his nap or in the night, fussing as his head is smashing up against the bumper. He loves face to face interaction of any kind, and gets surprisingly uptight when he's feeling neglected. Sometimes when he's fussing for no reason and I've tried everything, I lay him in his bouncer and turn on a Baby Einstein dvd. It immediately captures his attention and will entertain him for short periods of time. It's great for me because in addition to his naps, which are still scattered and generally short, it allows me to get things done that I'd otherwise be doing one handed.

Ryan laughed for the first time last Friday, and has done it a couple times since. I've attempted to capture it on video, but each time he's immediately become distracted by the camera and stopped. One of these days I'll be successful.

Our little flirt

Look what I can do!


More smiles!


Must have been dreaming something sweet!

CHLOE is either a princess or a "vallerina", depending on the day and her mood. She loves anything "pretty". The more glittery, fruffy, obnoxious and bright, the better! While she's mostly "girl", however, she does hold a special place in her heart for Spiderman. When choosing Valentines a couple weeks ago, she was all about Princess ones until she spotted Spiderman! I couldn't believe it! Eventually she decided Winnie the Pooh was the best option, but this was very much out of her character. She also enjoys rough housing with her dad. While I don't encourage it, I have to admit it's pretty entertaining to watch. She knows how to give a body slam, an elbow drop and a tackle! I am just waiting for the day she tries some of these tricks on her brother. Hopefully it's a while down the road when Ryan can hold his own.


Getting ready to cook up a treat in her kitchen


Potty training her baby

Chloe likes things done a very specific way, and in her own manner and time frame. This truly makes life glorious for us all, let me tell you! Example: choosing a fork for lunch. If I even dare OPEN the utensil drawer to, heaven forbid, help her, she about loses it. In the rare case that I do this, she immediately slams the drawer shut, re-opens it, chooses her fork (usually a 30 second if not longer process), closes the drawer, and then looks me right in the eye and says, "Don't do that again, Mommy!" This applies to just about everything: choosing her socks, pushing "play" on the remote, turning on the faucet, the process of being buckled into her car seat, and even applying toothpaste to her toothbrush. Here's what's funny. The second she senses my hands are full or that I'm preoccupied with something else, her independence shatters and she's suddenly helpless, vulnerable and absolutely incapable of doing anything by herself! Like I said, glorious...

One of her latest obsessions is dressing herself. And not just the process of choosing an outfit and putting it on, but changing it numerous times throughout the day. She always has a valid excuse, of course. Like the fact that she got a single drop of water on her shirt and therefore needs to change her entire outfit because there isn't another shirt in existence that will match the black pants she's wearing. After lunch it's pretty much guaranteed she's going to try to get away with it. After all, who can function with a stain on their sleeve? Then there's the "I don't have an excuse, but am needing a change from my already gaudy and mis-matching attire". Whenever possible, she prefers wearing a skirt or dress because it makes her feel pretty. And I can't remember the last time she stayed in her jammies all night (or in her bedroom). Here's how I found her the other night (in Ryan's room). Could this possibly be comfortable?


The panties are just the icing on the cake!


And this was her outfit of choice for date night with Daddy

She never EVER stops talking. Just listening to her wears me out sometimes! Here are some of the funny things she's been coming up with:

Chloe: "What's that, Mommy?" (while driving past UCCS)
Me: "That's a University! A school!"
Chloe: "Where Ashley goes?" (her friend)
Neil: "No, it's a school for grown ups!"
Me: "Yeah, a school for adults, Chloe!"
Chloe: "It's for adults, Daddy! Not grown ups!"

Neil: "Am I amazing?"
Chloe: "Yeah."
Neil: "Are you amazing?"
Chloe: "Yeah."
Neil: "Did you get your amazingness from me?"
Chloe: "No, you got your amazing from me!"

Chloe: "Mommy, is your bum big?" (taking a slight pause to examine my lower half) "Oh yeah! It IS big!" (Seriously?)

Chloe: "Mommy, you're a carrot; daddy's a sweet potato; I'm a doggy, and Ryan's a horse!"

(At the dinner table after a particularly frustrating evening with Chloe)
Chloe: "I don't like carrots cooked. Only cold!"
Neil: Want me to tell you all the things I don't like?"
Chloe: "Yeah."
Neil: "Are you gonna be on the list?"
Chloe: "No, but Santa is!" (obviously she associates "list" with "Santa")

"Is it a different one?" is her most commonly asked question. Example:
Chloe: "Mommy, where are we going?
Me: "We're going to Target."
Chloe: "Is a different one?"
Me: "A different one from what?"
Chloe: "Is it a different one?" (now annoyed that I don't understand her question)
Me: "It's the same Target we always go to, Chloe."
Chloe: "But is it a different one?"
In this instance, I've learned that a simple "yes" or "no" usually suffices.

Anything plural has a "ez" added to the end (example: shoesez)

Anything that happened in the past happened "last night"

Most recent comebacks: "Don't tell me what to do!", "Leave me alone!" and "Don't talk to me!"

And one of her favorite things to say, "I'm a mommy, so I can tell you what to do!"

Chloe asks a million questions, and while it usually drives me crazy, I have to appreciate her curiosity and hunger for learning. She is starting preschool a week from tomorrow, and she couldn't be more ready! Her latest favorites include Tom and Jerry, Lipton noodle soup and dancing around the living room to classical music. Generally while doing this, she's wearing a skirt and will hold onto it with one hand while prancing and spinning around on her tippy toes. Such a dainty and feminine little thing she is. I seriously need to get her in dance classes!


I took these last weekend after giving her a MUCH NEEDED haircut.


This girl is NOT camera shy!


Valentine's Day church activity


Thanks for the apron and chef's hat, Grandma Susie!

NEIL, aside from helping me keep my sanity with the kids, has spent most of his free time in the basement. He's finished painting (thank goodness for a paint sprayer), tiled the bathroom and wet bar area, installed the toilet (which Chloe now demands to use half the time because it's just so cool), hung baseboards and trim, and almost finished caulking. Here's how it's looking.

Recreation room


Wet bar area (in theater)


Theater


Bathroom


And per Chloe's request: the toilet

Despite our lack of flooring (and furniture for that matter), Neil was determined to watch the BCS Bowl last month on the big screen. And so, he got the projector mounted to the ceiling, screen on the wall, and speakers wired. As you can also see, the guys carried the couch downstairs so they'd have something to sit on. What do you think of the foot rests?


James, Neil, Chloe and Matt

All that's left of the basement is window sills, hanging doors, tiling the shower area, counter tops for the bathroom and wet bar (which have been ordered), finishing the custom shelving unit in the rec. room, touch-up paint, and finally, carpet! We are SO CLOSE to being finished. And can I just say how thrilled I will be when that day comes?

I am doing the same old things. Changing diapers, nursing (still more frequently than I ever did with Chloe - my boy likes to eat), working out when I get the chance (and anticipating warm weather so I can get outside), attempting to maintain a happy healthy home, and trying to convince myself that it's okay if I can't do it all. Ryan's naps and feedings are still pretty sporadic, which can sometimes make planning difficult, but I'm accepting that that's okay too. I've been experimenting lots in the kitchen, both with cooking and baking. I made a killer stir fry the other night that I'll have to share. I'm learning, with regard to cooking, that I've adopted a lot of my mom's techniques with just making stuff up from what I have. I love that. And, after a few attempts, I think I've finally figured out how to bake a decent loaf of sourdough bread!



My mom is coming out a week from Monday and I am looking forward to that. I'm hoping to set aside a day while she's here (and I don't have to deal with the kids), to dive into the world of digital scrapbooking. While I prefer a traditional scrapbook page, I have finally come to terms with the fact that I will never complete Chloe's scrapbook, let alone begin Ryan's at the rate I'm going. I do so much on the computer as it is (and really enjoy it), so why not give digital a try? My cousin shared some helpful tips and websites to get me started. If anyone else has ideas or recommendations, I'm all ears!

I'm also anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Christmas present, which has been on back order now for two months! I've considered getting a nicer camera for a couple years now, and I finally decided to just go it. Photography has always been a love of mine, and I would really like to make something of it if I can. I have LOTS to learn, and am anxious to get started... if the dumb thing will ever get here.

That's about it with us! Hope everyone's well and had a Happy Valentine's.