Pretty Princess

So Gabe thought it would be a good idea to dress Lily up one day. We got all this princess stuff from Bill's lovely co-workers when they plastic wrapped his truck one night & left this Easter basket on top with all this princess stuff in it. So, we decked Lily out.

March Fun

So, I just realized that I never blogged about some of our wonderful events in March!!! We have had an event full month! Bill has been very busy with work which is a huge blessing. So many people are being let go from their jobs, business are closing but Bill's business is booming-we can only praise Jesus for that! He has two wonderful employees who are very hard working and Bill has had the opportunity to pour into their lives which is another blessing.

Lily turned 5 months old, cut 2 teeth, and is a typical girl...high maintenance!

St. Patrick's Day was a big hit. I was working at the church that week so I tossed our corned beef into the crock pot and then cooked all my veggies when I got home. We decided to invite some friends over to enjoy our dinner. They had never experienced the fabulousness of corned beef & cabbage before so I was excited for them. I was hoping that it all came out alright and it sure did. We had a great night of conversation around the table along with yummy food & kids playing in the background. It couldn't get too much better!

Mrs. Shawna & Lily









Lacy & I got to hang out one night for a little girls night. We went & got pedicures! It was so nice!


We decided to leave the guys with all the kids! They did a fantastic job with all of them!

Then when we got home our toes were pretty and then we took some pictures of the girl before it was time for bed! It was a great night. Autumn & Lily are so cute together.

Favorite Recipes

I figured I would share some of our family favorite recipes since we are always looking for some new ideas I thought I would share some of ours and hopefully you will all share some of yours!

Slow-Roasted Chicken

Whole Chicken
Fresh Garlic
1 Onion
Salt/Pepper
Celery
Carrots
Potatoes

Wash & Dry whole chicken, stuff cavity with 1/2 of whole onion, fresh garlic as much or as little as you would like, salt & pepper on the inside & out. Throw some chopped celery, carrots, & potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker (I keep them kind of chunky so they don't get mushy) and then you set the chicken on top turn it on low & let it slow cook all day. Everything is done when you get home.

Mexican Shells (Thanks to Lacy)

Jumbo Pasta Shells
Refried Beans
Ground Turkey or Extra Lean Ground Beef
Salsa
1 cup Shredded Cheese
Taco Seasoning Packet

Cook shells to el dente. Brown ground turkey, drain. Add 2/3 cup of water & taco seasoning packet. Add refried beans to the meat. Stir in 1/4 of the cheese.

Lightly coat the bottom of the baking dish with some salsa. Stuff each shell with meat filling. Line up in the baking dish. (I usually fill one pan enough for dinner and then prepare the rest just like I would normally in different dishes so I can freeze them for a quick dinner one night) Spoon salsa over top and sprinkle on some shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350. Serve with sour cream.

Chicken Pot Pie
1 bag frozen mixed veggies
1 can cream of chicken soup (low fat one) or cream of celery
1 can crescent rolls
1 cup cubed cooked chicken

I generally make this in a glass baking dish & I just cook everything right in it & just keep adding to it. Preheat oven to 350. You cook the frozen veggies in the microwave in your glass baking dish. When they are done add your cream of chicken soup, cubed chicken, stir and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven, stir, unroll the crescent rolls & place on top of the mixture. Bake in the oven until the top is lightly golden brown. Generally another 15 minutes. This recipe doubles very nicely. Just use a bigger dish!

Lemon Pepper Fish

Favorite Fish...Tilapia, Salmon

Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Fresh Lemon Slices

Olive Oil

Lightly drizzle evoo in a baking dish, lay your fish in the pan, sprinkle with seasoning, lay thin slices of lemon on top of fish and bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until it flakes with a fork. Serve with steamed veggies, and brown rice. Yummy!

Time Flies

I have totally enjoyed being home since Lily has been born and since I am working this week I am noticing more and more that my moments home with my babies is going by way too fast! I enrolled Gabe yesterday into f/t pre-school for the fall. That means 5 days a week from 9:30-2:00 I am trusting that someone else is going to protect, teach, and help me raise a Godly young man. Then in just 1 more year he will be in school-Kindergarten! I cannot even believe it.

Then yesterday we finally settled on the conclusion that Lily is teething. She is only 5 months old...how can it already be that time for teeth?!? I feel like she was just born. She has that little bump on the bottom where her little tooth is trying to poke through. She doesn't even roll over yet but she can cut a tooth. Well, let my clarify she goes the easy roll from belly to back-just not the other way. Although she has come extremely close.

I am totally trying to enjoy this time that I have with them. Before I know it Lily will be going to pre-school.

Lily's 4 months

So, we ventured out this morning for Lily's 4 month check-up. Got ready to go this morning, diaper bag was packed with everything we needed for Lily some Highlights Magazines I could do with Gabe while we waited, a few snacks, a bottle of water and the ipod just in case I got desperate-Gabe could play a game or listen to some music. We got to the doctor's early hoping to get out a little early since I had both Gabe & Lily with me. My game plan was going great. We got in the waiting room and Gabe played a little bit before they called us back to the first exam room where you think great things are going pretty quickly. We get Lily undressed and weighed in which I was anxiously awaiting to hear the results. A whopping 13 lbs 3 oz. and 45.5" long. So, she is not as small as I thought. So, Gabe, Lily & I file back into the exam room where we start to wait and then the nurse came back and told us that we were moving exam rooms. So, I get my naked baby and all her belongings, the diaper bag, the car seat & my 3 year old and move to another exam room. Then I buckled down to get ready to wait since last time we came it was for over an hour long. Well, this room had some toys and books in it which was good since we blasted right through our first highlights magazine. Gabe played, I waited, and Lily had the sympathy cry for everyone else that started to cry in the hall. Great! So, Gabe shockingly was very good. We did the other magazine while we all still waited...11:00 comes and goes now. Did I mention that I got to my appt. 20 mins early hoping to get out a little early and it was scheduled for 10. So, we worked on the next highlights magazine, read a book, played a little more and then 11:30 rolls around still waiting. I console Lily a little more and finally get her to take a little nap. Then Gabe decided he was getting bored sitting in the same room for so long so luckily I brought a snack so he climbed up in the chair had a snack and then helped himself to another. I didn't mind as long as he was being good since we had been their for so long. For a second while he was being so good I thought I brought the wrong kid into the doctor's office because I didn't have to raise my voice once to him while I was there so far. Maybe we should go there more often. Well, 11:45 rolls around still waiting, Lily is awake now and then finally at 11:58 the doctor decides to grace us with his presence and gives us our 8 minute check-up, our bill, a screaming child from shots and a very hungry 3 year old who is anxiously waiting to tell me yet again where he picked to go to lunch-McDonalds-yuck! At least he was good and Lily was healthy, right?

What makes this a great idea?

I totally understand that boys are busy...but seriously where do they think of this stuff to do? This morning was Gabe's first day back to school. His lunch was packed, he was all dressed and ready to go. Bill was bringing out his work stuff to the truck, I was feeding Lily on the couch and Gabe had to go potty before leaving the house-which he is very capable doing on his own. Well, in the 30 seconds that I sat down and started feeding Lily & Bill going out to the truck Gabe comes walking out into the playroom with his pants around his ankles, and his head and hands full of mousse. He wanted to spike his hair up like Daddy's. He gets all cleaned up and then off to school he goes.



This afternoon while I was uploading pictures to Facebook Gabe had to run to the potty; which again, he is very capable of doing on his own-moments later he comes walking out with lipstick all over his mouth. At first glance I thought it was chocolate then as he got closer I realized that it def. lipstick.



Seriously though what makes them think this is a great idea?

Fun Things To Do At Home

We are going to be at home until January 6th with no school so I dug out some fun things to do at home during the break-some of them I found on-line.

Homemade Play Dough

Traditional Play Dough

* 1 cup flour
* 1 cup warm water
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon oil
* 1/4 cup salt
* food coloring

Directions:
Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.


Uncooked Playdough

* Bowl
* 1 cup cold water
* 1 cup salt
* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* Tempera paint or food coloring
* 3 cups flour
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
1. In bowl, mix water, salt, oil, and enough tempera paint or food coloring to make a bright color.
2. Gradually add flour and cornstarch until the mixture reaches the consistency of bread dough.
3. Store covered.

Oatmeal Playdough

* 1 part flour
* 1 part water
* 2 parts oatmeal
* Bowl

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well and knead until smooth.
2. This playdough is not intended to be eaten, but it will not hurt a child who decides to taste it.
3. Store covered in refrigerator.
4. Your child can make this playdough without help; however, it doesn't last as long as cooked playdough.



Edible Finger Paint

Required: 3 Tbs. Sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups cold water

Mix sugar and cornstarch. Add 2 cups of cold water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Add food coloring.


Goop

Required: Cornstarch, large bowl and water

Mix one box of cornstarch and l cup of water in a large bowl. Explore with hands, spoons, utensils, etc.


Have a bunch of old or broken crayons? Try this to reuse those crayon pieces.

Required: Oven, muffin tins, muffin liners (foil) and broken crayons

For a colorful affect, crush up broken crayons. Place small pieces of crayon in a lined muffin tins. Place in oven at 250 degrees until pieces are completely melted. Cool and use as a crayon. Best done when the windows of the house can be opened.